Hong Kong: Views on environmental issues sought The Environmental Protection Department said today that it will hold two online public engagement forums in June to solicit views from citizens on the optimisation of the statutory environmental impact assessment (EIA) process. The Chief Executive announced in the 2021 Policy Address that the Government will conduct a comprehensive review on the EIA Ordinance process. In March, the department briefed members of the relevant Legislative Council panel and the Advisory Council on Environment on how the statutory process could be enhanced, in order to optimise it, enhance operational efficiency and focus more on environmental outcomes. The two online public engagement forums will be held on June 8 and June 13 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm, with the first one conducted in English and the second one in Cantonese. Those who are interested can register online by June 2. Members of the public are also welcome to email their views and suggestions to the department by June 30. This story has been published on: 2022-05-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Donated masks stuck at airports due to customs procedures Two batches of face masks donated for Vietnams Covid-19 prevention have remained stranded at local airports over the past six months due to customs procedures. The information was given by Truong Thi Ngoc Anh, deputy chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front (VFF), at a National Assembly (NA) discussion Wednesday. According to Anh, the two batches consist of a total of 1.5 million masks. The 1.1-million mask batch, which is from the Vietnamese community in Hong Kong, has been stuck at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM City, while the other, which is from a business in Germany, has been kept at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi. Truong Thi Ngoc Anh, deputy chairwoman of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, spoke at a National Assembly discussion on May 25 Yen added that the VFF had submitted all necessary papers on receiving the donations as regulated to customs authorities, however, they said that this needed to be certified by the Ministry of Finance. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance asked the VFF to follow the regulations of a decree issued in October 2021 on receiving donations. So the VFF was required to contact the Ministry of Health for some procedures. The VFF then asked the Ministry of Health for support but has not yet received feedback. As a result, until now, the consignments have been stuck at the airport. Last November, about 22,000 cartons of milk donated by the Vietnamese community in Australia to Covid-19 victims in HCM City had been kept due to customs procedures until some NA deputies took the case to a discussion. 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 Napa County continues to track how evolving state wildfire safety regulations might affect rural roads built decades ago that don't meet modern evacuation standards. County officials say they dont oppose toughening road regulations for state-mapped high fire danger areas, which locally are mostly in the mountains. But they say proposed state rules could hit property owners doing small projects with big bills. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. A winery adding a single employee or visitor, a fire victim trying to rebuild a house or a homeowner wanting to build an accessory dwelling unit might be faced with expensive road and driveway improvement requirements, they said. Recent revisions by the state Board of Forestry and Fire Protection to the proposed regulations havent alleviated all of the countys concerns. For example, the county noted that previously proposed exemptions for fire rebuilds and accessory dwelling units have been eliminated. The Napa County Board of Supervisors on May 17 approved its latest letter to the state asking for more changes. It is imperative that the Board of Forestry take action, but it must be balanced and deliberate, said the letter signed by Board of Supervisors Chairperson Ryan Gregory. Meanwhile, 38 organizations ranging from the state Sierra Club to Napa Vision 2050 to the Center for Biological Diversity are worried the state might water down proposed standards. They say they are concerned about developments along existing roads too narrow for responding firefighters and fleeing residents to pass one another. Public safety has been the paramount intent of the fire safe regulations for more than 30 years, the groups wrote to the state in January. All of this hits home in largely-rural Napa County. The county in 2017 and 2020 had megafires that sent rural residents evacuating on winding, narrow roads. What happens with wildfire safe road regulations also hits home for Heather Griffin, whose family runs Summit Lake winery near Angwin. The winery is facing a challenge with a permit request. Were stuck, Griffin said. The winery was established in 1985 along narrow Summit Lake Drive. It was approved under a small winery exemption permit, a type that the county no longer issues and that doesn't allow visitation. But the winery has had visitors for a few decades Griffin estimates two to 10 people on a typical day. It is one of several dozen wineries stepping forward voluntarily to correct violations under the countys 2019 code compliance program. We started down this path not knowing what a nightmare it would turn into, Griffin said. Summit Lake Winery wants to convert its small winery permit into a use permit that allows visitation. The problem is Summit Lake Drive, which doesnt meet modern fire evacuation standards. Griffin is afraid the winery will have to widen and improve almost a mile of the private section of road to legalize existing visitation. Though shes uncertain of the cost, she knows it will be expensive. Its a deal-breaker for sure, Griffin said. Most of us who have grown up in this valley, we make ends meet. Summit Lake winery is happy to improve the section of road bordering its property, Griffin said. She doesnt think the winery should have to improve sections bordering other peoples land. The LNU Lightning Complex Fire of 2020 burned up to the backyard of the Griffins Pope Valley home. A few weeks later, the Glass Fire burned near Summit Lake winery. I totally understand where the Board of Fire is coming from, Griffin said. We dont need another Paradise in Angwin. But she sees possible road requirements as being too much of a burden for a winery that makes 1,500 cases to 2,500 cases annually. That leaves the winerys request for the county to recognize existing visitation in a kind of limbo. Summit Lake winery has its own wish for the Board of Forestry regulations. It wants wineries in its situation to have to meet road and street standards only along their own properties, not the entirety of a private road. The Board of Forestry on May 5 discussed the latest version of the fire safe regulations, which officials said have been narrowed in scope from previous versions. During public comments, state resident David Hutchinson he didnt identify his county said he owns a vacant lot at the end of an existing road. He cant buy the land to widen the road from all 30 other landowners and, besides, widening the road is prohibitively expensive, he said. Thats my case, but there a lot of similar cases, he said. There are many roads that are not up to what is being asked here. He asked for clarity on how the regulations would affect existing roads. Were aware of this issue, Board of Forestry Chairperson J. Keith Gilless said. The board will be dealing with this issue for some time to come. You can reach Barry Eberling at 707-256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Hungary needs 3.5 to 4 years to give up Russian oil and huge investments to adjust its economy, and until an agreement is reached on all issues, it can not support the proposed EU oil embargo, PMs chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas told Reuters. According to him, the transition period was not the biggest problem on the way to an agreement. The European Commission this month proposed the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, but it requires unanimous support from all 27 EU member states, and landlocked Hungary, which depends heavily on pipeline imports of Russian oil, is blocking them. If all other conditions are there, then 3.5 to 4 years would be sufficient ... but until there is an agreement on everything, there is no agreement on anything, Gulyas said in an interview. Hungary said it would need about 750 million euros in short-term investments to upgrade refineries and expand a pipeline that would carry oil from Croatia. The EU still hopes it can agree on sanctions on Russian oil before next week's European Council meeting, President Charles Michel said Wednesday. Orban urged EU not to try to agree on an oil embargo when EU leaders meet next week in the absence of unanimity, in a letter seen by Reuters. Gulyas also said negotiations about the release of funds to Hungary from the EUs Recovery Fund could be wrapped up in an hour as there was an agreement on all significant aspects. Kazakhstan reveals number of people convicted of January riots Zaven Harutyunyan, author and host of 'Dipvats' program, passes away Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and UN prepare roadmap on export of agricultural products Russian MFA hopes Ankara will refrain from actions to worsen situation in Syria US warns Turkish incursion in Syria will undermine regional stability Cavusoglu: Turkey is open to cooperation in the creation of 'grain center' Mexico bans sale of vape and e-cigarettes US to build 110 military facilities of various purposes in Poland within 10 years Parties of conflict in Yemen extend truce for two months Saudi Arabia ready to increase oil production, in case of a significant drop in production in Russia Merkel: Russias war with Ukraine is a turning point in European history US expands sanctions against Russia Israel, Egypt and European Commission hold intensive consultations on how to export surplus gas Yerevan to host three international chess tournaments in 2022 Turkey delivers six Bayraktar TB2 drones to Niger Trilateral working group meeting to unblock regional communications to be held in Moscow Armenia Ombudswoman receives 904 complaints on issues related to child protection in 2021 New Syrian Ambassador presents copies of her credentials to Armenia FM Stepanakert does not comment on reports about Harutyunyan and Pashinyan meeting In Baku, participants of second Karabakh war break down doors of Ministry Germany to buy 60 Chinook heavy helicopters from Boeing Armenia PM chief of staff: Artsakh is frontline of our war French diplomats go on strike Kristinne Grigoryan: A priority of Armenia ombudsperson's office is to assist overcoming post-war humanitarian situation Lithuania signs agreement with Turkey to purchase Bayraktar TB2 for Ukrainian army Lavrov's delegation during his Turkey visit will include military Tunisia President dismisses 57 judges, accusing them of 'corruption and protection of terrorists' Kremlin: Pumping Ukraine with weapons may worsen the situation Armenia official: Azerbaijan makes statements that do not correspond to negotiations Armenia Security Council secretary evades confirming Artsakh is Armenia, period theory CIS committee on disarmament discusses security guarantees Armenia Security Council head: We have proposed to take troops out in mirror to ensure stability at border Armenia Resistance Movement approaching important milestone says its coordinator Armenia Security Council chief does not say date of next meeting of commission on border delimitation with Azerbaijan Interpol head warns of surge in arms trafficking after the end of war in Ukraine Armenias Pashinyan has telephone conversation with Georgias Garibashvili Deputy PM: Armenia tourism sector on way to recovery thanks to flexible state policy Turkey announces positive negotiations with US on purchase of F-16s US lifts restrictions on Cuba flights Kerobyan, Wiktorin discuss priorities of SME development programs in Armenia Armenia to get community development grant from India Armenia to host Greece deputy defense minister Participants of international congress in Azerbaijan to visit occupied Armenian Shushi city of Artsakh Raisi: Iran supports progress in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks US says Ukraine assured it will not escalate conflict after receiving HIMARS systems. UN grants Turkey request to change English spelling of country's name NATO does not foresee Russia retaliation against US decision to supply advanced weapons to Ukraine Turkey parliament speaker arrives in Azerbaijan Pashinyan, Raisi discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation issue Newspaper: Rally in Stepanakert seriously worries Armenia authorities Newspaper: Who will replace serving US Ambassador to Armenia? UK to send multiple-launch rocket systems to Ukraine Croatia is ready to adopt the euro from January 1, 2023 NATO to hold Turkey's meeting with Finland and Sweden to solve problem of their admission Blinken says US intends to provide Ukraine with everything necessary for self-defense Italy becomes only country in Europe that increased import of Russian oil Syunik ex-province govern's son apprehended Armenian ex-presidents nephew arrested Record number of women in new Australian government NEWS.am digest: Pashinyan, Putin discuss Karabakh; EU speaks on Armenia-Azerbaijan peace deal Ministry of Economy: It is planned to create a development bank for small and medium-sized businesses in Armenia Saghatelyan: Today we will publish list of forces that presented their position on statement on Artsakh issue Gasoline prices in US again update historical high Kazinyan: Every word and thought of Charles Michel's statement agreed with Pashinyan, Aliyev Israeli air force simulate attack on Iranian nuclear facilities Putin and Erdogan agree that Turkey will help in demining the ports of Ukraine Erdogan: Turkey received no proposals from Finland and Sweden for their membership in NATO Byblos Bank donates to National Library the 1872 publication book (PHOTOS) Today's Resistance Movement procession includes women and children Former Qatari princess found dead at home in southern Spain Azerbaijani President signs order on call-up to active military service Olaf Scholz calls on Turkey to show restraint toward Greece Dollar, euro continue to fall in Armenia Turkey raises natural gas and electricity prices for households and industry Resistance Movement organizes protest outside Shirak regional administration building Erdogan refuses to negotiate with Greece Peskov: Dates of Putin's visit to Turkey are being coordinated Kremlin: Meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy cannot be ruled out a priori Moscow does not believe Kiev is not going to attack Russian territory with MLRS NATO conducts training in Azerbaijan Armenia PM tells Putin about his contacts with Aliyev and Michel Armenia PM and Putin discuss Karabakh settlement Manfred Weber elected European People's Party president Armenia parliamentary staff to receive another bonus WSJ: Some OPEC members are considering suspending Russia's participation in the OPEC+ deal Tbilisi vice-mayor found dead in his home State Revenue Committee: Local tobacco production decreased in Armenia in 2021 Opposition: There will be no interruption in Resistance movement, there is no reason for it Armenian Defense Ministry denies appearance of new Azerbaijani checkpoints in Syunik region Turkish nationalist leader says US military bases in Greece pose 'threat' to Turkey's security Russia MFA: Any supply of weapons to Ukraine increases risk of direct clash between Russia and US NATO Secretary-General heads to US US Treasury Secretary admits she was wrong about 'path inflation' Turkey sends letter to UN Secretary-General on registration of country's name in foreign languages as Turkiye Gazprom halts gas supplies to Danish Orsted and Shell Energy Europe Limited in Germany EU: Yerevan and Baku confirm no extraterritorial claims on future transport infrastructure In Mexico, Hurricane Agatha kills at least 11 people and leaves 20 missing Armenia MoD refutes another Azerbaijani lie Karen Vardanyan donates 107 mln AMD to 5 orphanages in Armenia on the occasion of 1 June New US missile systems to allow Ukraine to hit targets at distance of 80 km Leaders of the Eurasian Economic Union will take part in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. A dozen issues related to the economic cooperation of the "five" members will be discussed by the leaders. According to TASS, the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will be held under the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan in the form of a video conference. "The decision to hold the event in the format of a video conference was taken in view of the current international situation," the Kyrgyz side explained in the message. The previous EEU summit last December was also held via video conference because of the pandemic. The meeting will be chaired by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov. In addition to the leaders of the Eurasian Economic Union, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel will attend as observers. There is one more observer in the organization - Moldova. The agenda includes discussion of 14 issues. Among them are the main guidelines for macroeconomic policy of the EAEU member states for 2022-2023, the results of work on eliminating barriers in the domestic market of the EAEU in 2021, and implementation of the main directions of the EAEU international activities. Heads of State will be reported on the implementation of strategic directions of the Eurasian economic integration until 2025 following the results of 2021, on the implementation of the main directions of international activities of the Eurasian Economic Union in 2021. To diversify economic ties, the members of the Supreme Council will consider the prospects of negotiations with the Republic of Indonesia on a free trade agreement, as well as the entry into force of the protocol to the interim agreement leading to a free trade area between the EEU and Iran, signed on 14 March, 2022. As the United States and its allies supply Ukraine with increasingly sophisticated weapons, Washington is in talks with Kiev about the danger of escalation if the latter strikes deep inside Russia. According to Reuters, citing sources, the behind-the-scenes discussions, which are highly sensitive and previously unreported, do not place explicit geographic limits on the use of weapons supplied to Ukrainian forces. But the conversations are aimed at reaching a common understanding of the risk of escalation, three U.S. officials and diplomatic sources said. "We have concerns about escalation and yet still do not want to put geographic limits or tie their hands too much with the stuff we're giving them," said one of the three U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. President Joe Biden's administration and U.S. allies are increasingly willing to provide Ukraine with longer-range weapons, including M777 howitzers. The Pentagon's announcement last week that Denmark would supply Ukraine with Harpoon anti-ship missiles would further expand Kiev's capabilities. U.S. officials say the Biden administration is even considering supplying Kiev with the highly mobile M142 artillery rocket system (HIMARS), which can have a range of hundreds of kilometers depending on the ammunition. But U.S. intelligence has also warned about growing risks, particularly given a mismatch between Russian President Vladimir Putin's apparent ambitions and the performance of his military. The coming months could put the war on a "more unpredictable and potentially escalatory trajectory," Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a Senate hearing this month. The United States, by design, is not directly combating Russian forces but Pentagon commanders are in constant contact with Ukrainian leaders and have provided critical intelligence that has allowed Ukraine to target Russian troops, on land and at sea, U.S. officials have said. A second U.S. official said Washington and Kiev have a common "understanding" about the use of certain Western weapons systems. "So far, we've been on the same page about the thresholds," the official said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned the West that supplying Ukraine with weapons capable of hitting Russian territory would be "a serious step towards unacceptable escalation." Armenia Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sent a congratulatory message to the President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay Luis Lacalle Pou on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the press service of Armenia PM reported. "Your Excellency, Today marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Oriental Republic of Uruguay. The friendly relations between our peoples, of course, have a much longer history, and during these 30 years they have also moved to the interstate level, continued to develop in an atmosphere of mutual understanding, common values and mutual trust. We will never forget that Uruguay was the first country to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide in 1965, reaffirming its reputation as an advocate of fundamental human rights and universal values. At present, the Armenian community formed in Uruguay after the genocide is an important factor that strengthens the ties between our countries. Ahead of the 30th anniversary, I attach great importance to the mutual decision to open embassies in Yerevan and Montevideo, which testifies to the high-level political dialogue and vision for the future. I congratulate all of us on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Uruguay. I reaffirm my readiness to strengthen cooperation with friendly Uruguay in all areas of mutual and multilateral interest. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration," the statement reads. Armenia Parliament speaker Alen Simonyan received the delegation led by President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic, who is on an official visit to Armenia. According to the press service of the National Assembly, after personally meeting with the guest, the Parliament Speaker noted the symbolism of the visit, recalling that it was the first high-level visit to Armenia after 16 years of diplomatic relations. The sides discussed the framework of bilateral cooperation, noting the considerable role of inter-parliamentary relations. The sides considered as a priority productive and consistent dialogue between the legislative bodies, which will be greatly promoted by the parliamentary friendship groups. The interlocutors emphasized the comprehensive cooperation with EU, the regional security and the long-term peace. Referring to the post-war situation, Simonyan highlighted the effective support of the international partners in solving the unsolved humanitarian issues. Milo Djukanovic said that the short-term solutions of conflicts are followed by long-lasting sorrows, the consequences of which take a heavy toll on the countries. He emphasized that he will discuss the issues of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian hostages held in Azerbaijan not only within his country, but also with international partners. The President noted that they have goodwill towards the region and expect real stability. According to him, in these difficult times it is important for every country to preserve its identity and image, especially in the case of small states like Armenia and Montenegro. Story Highlights Half support major reform; 39%, minor reform Community relations, changes to management practices remain top proposals Black adults report more positive interactions with police than in 2020 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Two years after George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police, half of Americans (50%) support "major changes" to policing in the U.S., and another 39% favor "minor changes." ###Embeddable### Black Americans (72%) remain more likely than White (44%) and Hispanic adults (54%) to say major changes are needed. About nine in 10 or more in each group say at least minor reforms are needed. These findings are from an April 24-May 17 Gallup Panel survey, administered by web in English and conducted as part of the Gallup Center on Black Voices. Broad Support Remains for Reform Proposals That Don't Weaken Police For the most part, support for various policing reforms was a bit higher in June 2020 than it is now -- though several continue to enjoy broad public support. Just one proposal -- eliminating police unions -- has fallen from receiving majority support in 2020 to having less than half of the public supporting it now. The public widely supports the following proposals, with two-thirds or more "strongly" or "somewhat" endorsing them: requiring officers to have good relations with the community changing management practices, so officers with multiple incidents of abuse of power are not allowed to serve changing management practices, so officer abuses are punished promoting community-based alternatives such as violence intervention ending stop-and-frisk changing legal practices so that police officers face legal action for abuse of power or unnecessary harm Public support is mixed on the following proposals, with roughly four in 10 Americans in favor: eliminating police unions eliminating officer enforcement of nonviolent crimes (i.e., traffic violations, sleeping in public, loitering, substance possession) removing military weapons and equipment from police forces Support remains low for the following proposals, which would involve more dramatic changes to policing: reducing the budget of police departments and shifting the money to social programs abolishing police departments providing only nonlethal weapons to police forces ###Embeddable### Black Americans Support Most Reform Proposals For the three most popular policing reform proposals, Black Americans' level of support in 2022 essentially matches the national average. Further down the list, however, their support exceeds figures for national adults. By 10 percentage points each, Black adults are more supportive of changing legal practices so that police officers face legal action for abuse of power or unnecessary harm (91% support among Black adults, 81% among U.S. adults) and promoting community-based alternatives such as violence intervention (88% support among Black adults, 78% among U.S. adults). They are 16 points more likely to support ending stop-and-frisk (84% support among Black adults, 68% among U.S. adults). The following three proposals are supported by most Black adults, but by a minority of U.S. adults: Eliminating officer enforcement of nonviolent crimes (61% support among Black adults, 45% among U.S. adults) Removing military weapons and equipment from police forces (55% support among Black adults, 41% among U.S. adults) Eliminating police unions (52% support among Black adults, 44% among U.S. adults) Half of Black Americans support reducing the budgets of police departments and shifting the money to social programs, compared with 35% among the national public. This is the only proposal for which Black support went from majority level in 2020 to just half supporting it now. Providing only nonlethal weapons to police forces and abolishing police forces are unpopular among both the Black and national public, though support remains stronger among Black adults on these proposals. ###Embeddable### Black Adults Report Less Frequent, More Positive Interactions With Police Black Americans are now less likely than they were in June 2020 to report having had an interaction with police in the past 12 months. When Gallup first asked this question in 2020, 42% said they had had an interaction with police in the past year, and now 25% say they have. This is consistent with reports among White and Hispanic adults, both of whom were also less likely to report interactions with police compared with 2020. Among Black adults who did interact with police over the past year, about three in four say they were treated fairly (77%) and with respect (75%), similar to what Gallup initially found in 2020. However, they are now a bit more likely to rate the overall experience positively compared with then -- 68% now versus 59% in June 2020. ###Embeddable### The percentages of White (81%) and Hispanic adults (69%) who report that their interactions with police were positive have not meaningfully changed since 2020. Black Americans are now about as likely as Hispanic Americans to describe these interactions as positive, but less likely than White adults to rate them this way. Bottom Line Though 2020 is largely viewed as a tipping point, confidence in police among Black Americans had been waning in the decade leading up to it. Worries about race relations, too, had been building and remain elevated today. Americans remain almost as firm in their belief that policing reform in the U.S. is needed now as they were in June 2020, after Floyd's murder. Several reform proposals enjoy broad support, such as changes to management practices related to officer abuses. Black Americans, like other groups, are reporting less frequent interactions with police -- and they are a bit more likely to describe the interactions as positive than they were in 2020. Positive ratings of these interactions still lag behind the national average, however. To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on Twitter. Learn more about how the Gallup Panel works. Federal legislation enacted in 1977 designated the first 10 days of May to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage in the U.S. The recognition was expanded to the full month in 2016 in a proclamation by then President Barack Obama, who pointed to AAPIs as the fastest growing racial group in the country and who stated that the community's long and deeply-rooted legacy in the United States reminds us of both proud and painful chapters of our history. University Libraries feature a range of resources recognizing the cultural heritage, from artists books in Special Collections by Colette Fu, Julie Chen, Priya Pereirawhose Ode to an Onion includes a page made of onion skinto a 120-volume 1884 history of China, a work in Chinese that undergraduate student Yuan Zhao is perusing for her research. Digitalized material, including Asian and Pacific airmail, is contained in an expansive collection that documents Pan American World Airways history of flights across the Pacific and Asia, including early flights from San Francisco to Hong Kong in the 1930s. Those interested in exploring AAPI contributions in the libraries could also pursue keyword searches for Japan, China, India, including East India in the Caribbean, and Asia. A wide range of works from notable AAPI writers including Cathy Park Hong, Maxine Hong Kingston, Jhumpa Lahiri, Erika Lee, Marie Myung-Ok Lee, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Albert Samaha, Mai Der Vang, Ocean Vuong, Qian Julie Wang, and Kao Kalia Yang, among others, also can be referenced. In the creative writing program, first-generation Asian American and Pacific Islanders M. Evelina Galang, professor and former director, and Jaswinder Bolina, an associate professor, both have generated works that document AAPIs contributions. As the editor of Screaming Monkeys: Critiques of Asian American Imagesan anthology sparked by a restaurant review that referred to a Filipino child as a rambunctious little monkeyGalang collected poems, essays, paintings, and stories that illuminate the diverse and often neglected history and culture within the Asian American diaspora, according to one review. Galangs nonfiction work, Lolas House: Filipino Women Living With War, earned a Global Filipino Literary Award. Special Collections materials are available for use in the Kislak Center reading room by appointment only. You must book an appointment at least seven days in advance. Dr. Jeanette Mendez is Oklahoma State University's new provost. Oklahoma State University names Dr. Jeanette Mendez provost and senior vice president Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | mack.burke_iv@okstate.edu Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents to consider appointment at next board meeting Oklahoma State University has named Dr. Jeanette Mendez as provost and senior vice president following a nationwide search. The announcement made Friday was guided by input from the OSU community, as well as a diverse, 24-person selection committee, assisted by the national search firm Buffkin/Baker. The search committee included representation from a broad mix of academic and administrative units. Dr. Thomas Coon, vice president, dean and director of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and Dr. Johnny Stephens, president of the OSU Center for Health Sciences, interim president of OSU-Tulsa and senior vice president for health affairs, led the search process. Dr. Mendezs impressive academic achievements and desire to build on the quality and effectiveness of our programs stood out during her interview. Her familiarity with OSU and our state will serve her in advancing our statewide education, research and Extension initiatives. This is an exciting time at OSU, and Dr. Mendez has the leadership, experience and character to lead our academic units to new levels of success. I am looking forward to working with her as she collaborates with our deans and academic leaders to set our priorities. I commend the co-chairs and search committee for their service and thank the OSU/A&M Board of Regents and campus community for their participation, said OSU President Kayse Shrum. In a letter to the search committee, Mendez outlined her vision for OSUs future: OSU needs to further advance its reputation as an academic powerhouse, focusing on providing a top-tier education and solving societys most pressing needs through research and Extension, she wrote. As provost, I will help lead OSU to be a premier, modern land-grant institution marked by a commitment to excellence in research, innovative teaching and activities that extend these efforts to the broader communities of Oklahoma, the nation and the world. We also need to better leverage our expertise and partner with K-12 schools to show the value of both a liberal arts and STEM education and how they shape the ideal OSU graduate. In her letter, Mendez also highlighted the need for continued emphasis on the student experience, enhancing OSUs welcoming environment and investing in faculty and staff. Oklahoma State Universitys strong commitment to the overall student experience sets us apart from our peers in the higher education landscape, she wrote. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to student success, and key initiatives such as the Math Learning Success Center and First-Year Success are examples of investments in programming, faculty development, advising and expanded tutoring that saw large increases in student success and retention. As OSU has seen increases in retention and graduation rates, continued success will require additional investments, strategic programming and collaboration. A first-generation college student, Mendez graduated from Santa Clara University in 1998, receiving a bachelors degree in combined sciences. From there, she went to Indiana University, earning a masters degree in political science in 2000 and a Ph.D. in political science in 2003. She then became an assistant professor of political science at the University of Houston (2003-2005) before joining the OSU political science faculty in 2005. Mendez was named interim provost in January 2021 following the announcement of Dr. Gary Sandefurs retirement. She has served as a member of President Shrums senior leadership team, co-chair of the strategy steering committee, co-chair of OSUs Pandemic Response Team as well as co-chair of the campus-wide Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Task Force. During her time at OSU, she also has led initiatives to increase collaborative research opportunities across academic colleges and campuses, increased online degree offerings and enrollment as well as led efforts to examine and provide recommendations for possible reforms to general education at OSU. Prior to that, Mendez served as vice provost of academic affairs and a professor of political science, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (2018-2019), associate dean for research and facilities (2017-2018), interim associate dean for research (2014-2015) and political science department head (2011-2014; 2015-2017). Mendezs research background is rooted in political information processing, political behavior and political communication. Her work has been published in journals including Journal of Politics; Political Research Quarterly; Social Science Quarterly;Political Psychology; Politics and Gender; Journal of Women, Politics and Policy; PS: Political Science and Politics; Journal of Media Psychology; and the Journal of Political Science. Dr. Mendezs breadth of experience, proven leadership and dedication to higher education will position her to make an immediate and lasting impact, Stephens said. Were excited to have her join OSUs leadership team and play a pivotal role in propelling Oklahomas premier land-grant university into the future. Coon echoed Stephens excitement about the announcement and the impact Mendez will have at OSU. This is another milestone announcement for our university, Coon said. I commend President Kayse Shrum for her bold and clear leadership and the search and screening committee for their dedication to finding the perfect fit for this crucial role. Dr. Mendez is dedicated and passionate about OSU and will continue to be an invaluable asset for this university, as she has been for many years. Mendez was selected from a pool of three finalists. If approved by the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents, she will lead the Division of Academic Affairs, beginning with the fall 2022 semester. I believe higher education institutions should be focused on real-world solutions for real-world problems, Mendez wrote. This is a hallmark of the Cowboy Culture solving problems for the common good. During the last decade, I have watched OSU grow across all facets of the university and am confident there has never been a more exciting time for OSU than right now. Lia Mastronardis desire to learn led her to studying international sustainability at OSU. (Photo by Wade Yoder) An Enhanced Worldview Media Contact: Jami Mattox | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-8061 | jami.mattox@okstate.edu Lia Mastronardi is passionate about two things logic and cultures. Three, if you count her cat, TomTom. Mastronardi is a Master of International Agriculture Program student in the Oklahoma State University Ferguson College of Agriculture. She is also a small-business owner, co-founder of a technology startup, retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and former political adviser. She has more than 20 years of international experience, but MIAP helps her pursue an interest in sustainability. I am kind of like the two sides of a brain, Mastronardi said. I like people, experiences, culture and languages, but I also like logic. MIAP students use existing skillsets to develop international agriculture, said Karl Rich, MIAP director. For Lia, I think MIAP is an opportunity to pivot, Rich said. She has all this great experience working in the military. Shes got years of experience working with different contractors, managing projects, and so on. MIAP is an opportunity for her to try something else. A desire to learn drew Mastronardi into her various careers, she said. It is a little weird to look back and ask, Why did I go there? Mastronardi said. It was not necessarily any plan of mine. Mastronardi received an Air Force ROTC scholarship while majoring in math at Vanderbilt University. After earning her undergraduate degree and an Air Force commission in 1988, she said she hoped to travel. When I joined the Air Force, I asked to be assigned to either coast, Mastronardi said. So, they sent me to Omaha, Nebraska. In 1992, Mastronardi caught the attention of her superiors and was selected to attend Naval Postgraduate School, where she earned a masters degree in national security affairs, she said. During this time, Mastronardi discovered her affinity for languages, she added. I took a language test, and I walked out of there with my head hung low, Mastronardi said. I really thought I failed the thing. Instead, she had the second-highest score on the exam. The next summer, Mastronardi earned a language proficiency in Ukrainian through Harvard University and the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. That fall, she was assigned to Europe. Lia always wanted to be overseas, said Paul DeSisto, retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and one of Mastronardis cousins. She did extremely well as a junior officer, and that is why they sent her. While serving as a political adviser at Aviano Air Base in Italy, Mastronardi became friends with then-Capt. Maria Carl, the public affairs director. One of the things that brought Lia and I together was this desire for lifelong learning, said Carl, who retired as a colonel. The military, especially the Air Force, really cultivates this in its officers. After retiring from the military in 2008, Mastronardi continued to travel, managing oilfield logistics in Oklahoma, co-founding a canvassing company in Austin, Texas, and starting a veteran-run consulting business. It is not uncommon for a lot of retired military to do a number of different things, Carl said. We retire at a pretty young age. There is still quite a bit of runway to do other things. Mastronardi capitalizes on her love of logic and cultures by developing sustainability, she said. I have always liked sustainability and the focus on the environment, Mastronardi said. I learned some while I was in the military. Wars were being fought in Africa, and a lot of it was over water and food. Agriculture is one of the best areas for international impact, Rich said. If you are working overseas doing international work, agriculture is a fantastic touch point, Rich said. That is where the development challenges really are. Experiencing different cultures is essential for international development, said DeSisto, who earned a masters degree in international affairs from OSU while at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma. Somebody like Lia is very much unique in her background, DeSisto said. It is not just what she has done. It is where she has been, the types of people she dealt with and the places she lived. Sustainability is protecting, preserving, and replenishing natural resources in an economically beneficial way, Mastronardi said. My focus in MIAP is international, sustainable business, Mastronardi said. I would like to do consulting that has to do with policy implementation. Mastronardi, like astronaut Thomas Pesquet, thinks of Earth as a capsule, she said. I like to see things from a stratospheric level, Mastronardi said. There is a way of being symbiotic with nature. There are ways of using resources that encourage maintenance and preservation. The flexibility of MIAP and the option to customize the degree drew Mastronardi to the program, she said, and was the reason Carl recommended MIAP to her. They really let you curate your own degree, said Carl, 2020 MIAP alumnus. That appealed to Lia, and I know she has been very happy with that. Mastronardi, like Carl, is completing the program remotely and will finish in the fall of 2022. What I really loved about the MIAP program was the faculty and the fact that you got so much hands-on experience, particularly when you are a distance learner, Carl said. I really appreciated how much individual attention they gave us. Mastronardi is not in MIAP to build her resume, Carl said. Rather, she is in the program to learn. For someone who is older, like Lia and me, we are already established, Carl said. We truly are looking at this as an opportunity to give us insight and education. Mastronardi seeks to use her policy background to help agriculturists in other cultures be more sustainable. During my time in the military, I worked with a lot of other countries governments, Mastronardi said. That skillset I already have can lend itself to working in international agriculture. Mastronardis care for others is not limited to humans. While working oilfield logistics, she rescued her cat, TomTom. Now, they reside in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. In Mastronardis myriad of experiences, her intelligence and heart for service led her to improve the lives of those around her, Carl said. Lia is a great representative of a student who is truly a lifelong learner, Carl said. She is not only there to learn for herself, but I really do believe that she can contribute so much to her fellow students and to the faculty. She has such a wealth of experience. Story By: Wade Yoder | Cowboy Journal Conquering Oklahomas Pests Media Contact: Jami Mattox | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-8061 | jami.mattox@okstate.edu Among the plants hide insects, weeds and diseases. Farmers are destined to fight these problems, but according to Oklahoma State University Extension, they do not have to handle them alone. They can turn to an OSU program to spend less and spray less. Kris Giles, Regents professor in entomology and plant pathology, said integrated pest management offers Oklahomans a helping hand in conquering pesky nuisances. IPM OKLAHOMA! is an extensive strategy of controlling pests using different methods for various circumstances, Giles said. Its a comprehensive approach to managing pests in all different types of situations agriculture, horticulture, household, urban and schools with the idea that its economically viable, it has some level of sustainability, it can persist for a long period of time, and its relatively safe in its approach, Giles said. IPM OKLAHOMA! strategies include multiple approaches to dealing with pests. Anything from sanitizing living areas to working with natural enemies or chemical pesticides can be implemented in IPM OKLAHOMA!, Giles said. IPM is an approach for long-term, sustainable and safe pest management practices, Giles added. Two of the bottom lines for me are always, Is it saving a producer money? and Is it benefiting the environment? said Tom Royer, entomology and plant pathology professor and coordinator for IPM OKLAHOMA! The practices we advocate through IPM do both. IPM OKLAHOMA! is a free resource to any Oklahoman looking to tackle insects, pests or diseases for any circumstance in rural or urban settings, Royer said. Royer said the current IPM program at OSU is deeply rooted in concepts discussed in a Hilgardia journal article written in 1959 by Vernon Stern, Ray Smith, Robert van den Bosch and Kenneth Hagen. The article, The integration of chemical and biological control of the spotted alfalfa aphid: The integrated control concept, is one of the early published writings promoting the idea of preventative pest management tactics. All of the concepts that we talk about and use today, like economic thresholds, treatment thresholds, and the ecological science behind IPM, were all developed with this journal article, and we have just run with it ever since, Royer said. IPM OKLAHOMA! gains most of its financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Crop Protection and Pest Management Programs Extension Implementation Program. Today, its a competitive grant program, but originally it was not competitive, Royer said. It was just formula funding, where your program would get a specific amount of money each year. IPM OKLAHOMA! switched from formula funding to a competitive grant program in 2009. Royer said every three years he must write and submit a proposal to NIFA for program funding. Its been continuously funded here since probably 1976, Royer said. As a program, IPM OKLAHOMA! is persistently funded because the need for strategic pest management is unabating, Royer added. Charles Luper, entomology and plant pathology extension associate, said IPM OKLAHOMA! helped him take better care of his specialty crops, like peanuts. We used to spray our peanuts for leaf spot disease, and that was on a calendar basis every two weeks, Luper said. Now, with the Oklahoma Mesonet system an IPM tool that accounts for weather data we can base our spraying off of actual scientific data. Luper said the Mesonet system was created in 1994 by OSU and the University of Oklahoma. Oklahoma Mesonet is a network of environmental monitoring stations with each Oklahoma county having at least one Mesonet station. Farmers and ranchers can utilize this free IPM tool for better agricultural practices, Luper added. Kelly Seuhs, OSU Extension associate specialist in entomology and plant pathology, said IPM practices can be as simple as a spring harrowing. If there is alfalfa weevil egg deposition in the fall or winter, these eggs are located in plant stems, Seuhs said. Some growers incorporate a light harrowing before spring to dislodge the eggs from the stems. This strategy can prolong weevil activity well into the spring, possibly eliminating the need for multiple applications of pesticides." IPM OKLAHOMA! is not meant to eliminate the use of insecticides, Seuhs said, but the program can help Oklahomans utilize non-chemical strategies for insect control. IPM is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but we do anything we can to cut down on unneeded sprays, Seuhs said. Anything we can implement to reduce costs and is economically viable and sustainable, were going to do. IPM OKLAHOMA! can be customized to a producers liking, Giles said, and it often alleviates some farm financial stress. The return on investment has been significant as far as unbiased information to producers that they get to make the choices based on data and information from Oklahoma, he said. Oklahomans have access not only to data and information but also to the instructors of the program. We have fact sheets and conduct face-to-face meetings, Royer said. If a person wants to call, Im always willing to help. Oklahomans looking for more information about IPM OKLAHOMA! can visit Integrated Pest Management or email Royer. Story By: Dalee Barrick | Cowboy Journal Lixia Lambert (left) and Dayton Lambert joined the OSU agricultural economics department in 2018. (Photo by Maddie Neuschwander) From Crossroads To Careers Media Contact: Jami Mattox | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-8061 | jami.mattox@okstate.edu In the semi-arid, windy Hetao Plains of inner Mongolia, an autonomous region of Northern China, a young Lixia Lambert established her roots in the Chinese agricultural industry. On the other side of the globe, Dayton Lambert stepped into his education in Ohio. After living and learning all across the world, their paths unexpectedly crossed in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Lamberts met while earning their doctorates in agricultural economics, said Lixia Lambert, assistant professor in agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University. Now, both are faculty members in the OSU Department of Agricultural Economics, but their early journeys were far different. Dayton Lambert, professor and Willard Sparks Chair in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and began his post-secondary studies in anthropology at Miami University of Ohio. After he completed his undergraduate degree, he earned a masters degree in cultural anthropology from Rutgers University. After Rutgers, Dayton became a Peace Corps volunteer. I met Dayton on April 10, 1993, at an airport on our way to volunteer for the Peace Corps in Africa, said Michael Wilcox, Purdue University Extension assistant director and lifelong friend. We were in North Carolina for a 12-week aquaculture training before we were sent overseas to serve the people of West Africa. Dayton was sent to Burundi, East Africa. There, he worked as an extension agent with the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, teaching smallholder farmers how to grow tilapia in earthen ponds and how to integrate aquaculture into other farm operations. In 1993, Burundi experienced civil unrest, which eventually culminated in the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Dayton Lambert was evacuated from Burundi and re-posted in Gabon, Central Africa, where he finished his volunteer service. After his service in Gabon, he enrolled in Auburn Universitys graduate program in fisheries and allied aquaculture, where he received a masters degree in 1998. The rare opportunity arose again to consult the Peace Corps fisheries programs in Gabon and Zambia, where he trained new volunteers to construct earthen ponds and raise fish. The Peace Corps is where my interest in agricultural economics and international development really began, Dayton Lambert said. I really wanted to step back and understand this more completely from the perspective of markets, prices, risk aversion, and technology adoption. Agricultural economics was a natural discipline for me. In 2000, Dayton Lambert was accepted to Purdues doctoral program in agricultural economics, which is where the couples paths crossed, thanks to their mutual friend Michael Wilcox. Wilcox and Lixia Lambert started their friendship early in their studies at Purdue. While I was at Purdue as a struggling doctoral student, I met this young woman named Lixia in my econometrics class, Wilcox said. I enjoyed her to absolutely the end of the earth. I did not really know anything about China. Lixia was infinitely patient with me because I had a million questions about her culture, and I thought she was just really cool. Lixia Lamberts family was involved in agriculture, which is where her love for agriculture started, she said. Her grandparents and uncles produced wheat, sunflower seeds, turnips, corn, sorghum, sugar beet, watermelon, sheep and goats. In 1982, her father began teaching college courses in agricultural economics at Huazhong Agricultural University, which meant the family had to move to Wuhan, China, and live on campus with other faculty families, Lixia Lambert added. As a youth, I had the chance to meet farm families with village leaders, city mayors and university faculty members from different disciplines with my father in the field, she said. I was able to hear how their knowledge can be transferred back to the agricultural production system. That process stuck with me. After high school, Lixia Lambert wanted to become an agricultural economist like her father, she said. When her national entry examination scores were not high enough, officials placed her into fermentation engineering for her undergraduate study, she added. After graduation, I was employed for more than two years at a food distribution center in Wuhan, Lixia Lambert said. Because it was the early 1990s, China had a planned economy where families could only buy so much food based on the number of people, gender and age of the people in the household. This situation sparked my interest in food supply and the economics behind it. Lixia Lambert applied and retook the national entry exams for graduate school in 1995. She then completed her masters in agricultural economics and management at Huazhong Agricultural University in 1998. One day I was walking on campus and saw a poster on a tree announcing a seminar on growing corn given by a researcher from Purdue University, Lixia Lambert said. I didnt go to the seminar. Instead, I went home and did some research on Purdue University and its agricultural economics program and applied to Purdue. She began her doctoral program in agricultural economics at Purdue in 2000. After having classes together but never actually talking, Wilcox, their mutual friend, connected them at a graduate student dinner in 2003. After graduating from Purdue in 2004, Dayton Lambert moved to Washington, D.C., and worked as a research economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. Lixia Lambert worked for the Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Water Research at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. They married in 2006, and both began working for the University of Tennessee where they remained for 12 years. They moved to Stillwater in 2018 after accepting agricultural economics faculty positions at OSU. Our students need to be able to see couples working in professional situations, said Cheryl DeVuyst, department head of agricultural economics. The students see how it is possible to be successful as individuals and as partners. Both as researchers and as faculty members, some projects demanded their work paths cross, placing them on the same project, Dayton Lambert said. They worked on separate parts of the project, so their personal and professional lives could stay separate, he added. The great thing about Dayton is hes very collegial, but hes also very demanding and expects the best of everyone, Wilcox said. Lixia has always been a hard worker. It is so difficult to be a female in the agricultural industry. Lixia and Dayton are living out their dreams as highly productive faculty members, world-renowned faculty members." At OSU, Dayton Lambert teaches graduate students and assists with research projects. Lixia Lambert teaches the Environmental Economics and Resource Development course and the Food Marketing to a Diverse Population course. Lixia Lambert said she has a heavy research appointment but has learned she is passionate about teaching undergraduates and serving as an academic adviser. I enjoy spending time connecting with students and providing them guidance to meet their career objectives, she said. Dayton Lambert said he enjoys getting to work with graduate students and studying problems concerning the agricultural industry. It is an honor to instruct Oklahomas next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs and to address issues faced by Oklahomas agricultural producers and rural communities, Dayton Lambert said. We are proud to be part of the Cowboy family. Story By: Halle Roper | Cowboy Journal Growing New Beginnings Media Contact: Jami Mattox | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-8061 | jami.mattox@okstate.edu A collaboration between Oklahoma State University and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College sparked a new opportunity for Native American students to attend both schools. Established during the pandemic, PATHS to PROVIDE is a scholarship program for Native American students funded by two U.S. Department of Agriculture grants. Program participants learn the skills necessary to contribute to tribal food sustainability and food sovereignty, said Brian Arnall, plant and soil sciences professor at OSU. The need for this program tied heavily back to the sovereign nations capability to be self-sufficient in food production, Arnall said. Not only can they produce for themselves as far as food goes, but they also make the students more marketable. Arnall said one of the main goals when the grants were written was to have more indigenous people complete undergraduate programs. Ensuring students received the resources to make it from freshman to senior year with a zero dropout rate was important, he added. Each student in the program receives $30,000 in scholarships. They spend the first two years at NEO to complete an Associate of Science in agronomy. They finish at OSU with Bachelor of Science degrees in entomology and in plant and soil sciences. When students complete the program, they graduate with three degrees and more than 25 career pathway options, Arnall said. We get all of their general education and core agriculture classes out of the way, said Alisen Anderson, NEO agricultural instructor. Some of these students have never been in the agricultural industry. They are a blank slate, and they learn to ask those critical thinking questions. On the other hand, some students in the program have deep roots in the industry and are eager to expand on their knowledge, Anderson added. Teegin Crosthwait, a PATHS to PROVIDE scholar, said she was involved in many agriscience projects throughout her time in high school and was drawn to this program specifically because it focused on plant science research opportunities. Brian Arnall told me I needed to check out this program, Crosthwait said. I was set in stone about coming to OSU in the fall and only toured NEO to make Brian and my mom happy. As soon as I came to NEO, I realized I loved the campus and the people. I thought to myself, Lets do this. Crosthwait said she enjoys being part of a small cohort because these students will be with her throughout her college career. One of the things Ive learned is the importance of a team experience, Crosthwait said. Another thing Ive learned in my first semester is this program is going to teach me about different sides of agriculture I knew existed but never really dug into. Upon acceptance into the program, Crosthwait received a $2,000 scholarship to purchase technology in addition to the tuition waiver. The scholarship is a very big blessing, Crosthwait said. Having this scholarship to help me get through my education means I dont have to stress about having to pay back student loans when I graduate. The project is funded by grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The PATHS Partnerships for Agrosecurity Training, Health and Science grant comes from the Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program. PROVIDE Plant Resistance Of Vectors, Insects and Disease Education came through the New Beginnings for Tribal Students. Thus, the name PATHS to PROVIDE was developed. Theres actually a little bit of history here, Arnall said. Dr. Wyatt Hoback recently had a cohort of five Native American students and brought them through the entire entomology program. This sparked the idea to create a similar program. Arnall said he was looking for opportunities for collaboration between Oklahoma schools. NEO A&M has a large proportion of students who are Native American, said Hoback, an OSU entomology and plant pathology associate professor. The OSU-Stillwater campus has about 10% of students who are of Native American heritage. NEO has students who have Native American affiliation, and NEO is closer to home for them," From left: Teegin Crosthwait works closely with Alisen Anderson regarding her degree plan, job opportunities and other life advice. (Photo by Halle Roper) The thought process behind the collaboration was to allow students from small towns to attend a junior college to limit the shock of attending a four-year institution, Arnall said. The concept was to move these students as a cohort to give them a diverse industry background, so they could help their tribes and communities, Arnall added. Building upon Hobacks Native American student project, Arnall and Hoback submitted two grant applications to the USDA, Arnall said. It takes six to eight months to hear anything while applications are under review, Arnall said. We submitted PROVIDE, and then we came back and submitted PATHS, hoping to get one, and we got both. The program officially launched in Fall 2021 with six students, Anderson said. Students want to challenge how a traditional producer thinks, she added. The kids are in my office daily, Anderson said. They are incredible. We offer an important opportunity for Native American students to help their tribes and turn it into an education and into a lifestyle and an occupation. Between semesters at NEO, students participate in paid internships working on agricultural and horticultural research. At OSU, they will have a paid internship their junior year and research projects during the summer. The students select projects to investigate the effects of plant insect interaction, plant nutrition on animal feed, or how plants in a greenhouse respond to hydroponics, Hoback said. Theyll get to design experiments and then collect data. We will help them interpret the data to help them do experimental design. Completing both entomology and plant and soil sciences degrees gives the students a more complete picture of the industry, Hoback said. This makes them better prepared to make decisions on the farm because they understand the agroecosystem, instead of just the plant side or the insect side, he added. Each grant lasts four years, but this program will serve as a launching point for programs of the same nature, Arnall said. I have no doubt this will go somewhere else, Arnall said. In fact, weve been talking with other faculty who are looking at doing similar programs with other colleges. When a grant proposal is submitted, the authors promise knowledge will be gained from the proposal, Hoback said. Across the U.S., a strong desire exists to create a pipeline of students earning associate degrees and transitioning into universities to earn a bachelors degree, he added. What we hope is we learn, and the students help us improve the process, Hoback said. Down the road, maybe Oklahoma State could create cooperative agreements with other community colleges so the transition is seamless and the coursework doesnt overlap but is complementary. Then, we can take these ideas outside Oklahoma. Be a PATHS to PROVIDE Scholar High school seniors with Native American heritage who are interested in becoming a PATHS to PROVIDE scholar can visit the PATHS to PROVIDE website. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and Oklahoma State University have complementary agricultural programs allowing them to collaborate and deliver an affordable education and unique student experience. PATHS to PROVIDE allows students to get hands-on experience, scholarship and career path opportunities and three degrees. The application can be downloaded through the site. It consists of general questions as well as two essay responses. Once completed, the application can be mailed or emailed to the addresses provided. pathstoprovide.com Story By: Emily Garrett | Cowboy Journal Irrigation Education Media Contact: Jami Mattox | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-8061 | jami.mattox@okstate.edu Forty percent of water in Oklahoma is used for irrigation. To incentivize water conservation through irrigation education, Oklahoma State University faculty launched the Master Irrigator Program in 2021. This intensive education program elevates the knowledge of producers who irrigate so they can increase their efficiency and productivity, said Jason Warren, professor in the OSU plant and soil sciences department. The first Master Irrigator Program started in Texas. OSU faculty members learned of the program at a conference in 2018 and began to plan a similar program for Oklahoma, Warren said. OSU started its first program in Goodwell in 2021. The 2022 program occurred in Altus, and in 2023, the program will return to Goodwell. The program leaders plan to expand the program to other areas of Oklahoma, Warren said. The program registration fee is $100. Producers attend one day a week for four weeks and can attend field days for hands-on learning in the fall. The curriculum includes basic soil and water concepts, irrigation management, and other topics requested by an advisory panel, which includes local producers, said Sumit Sharma, assistant extension specialist in the plant and soil sciences department. These farmers are from places facing water scarcity, said Saleh Taghvaeian, associate professor in the biosystems and agricultural engineering department. We are talking about how they can better manage limited resources so they can leave this valuable resource for future generations. Attending the program lets producers discuss irrigation techniques they use, problems they face and management techniques they are curious about, Warren said. Sharma said the producers come from counties around the program location, so they often face similar problems. Producers can share methods they used to overcome those problems, Sharma added. This program offers a platform to facilitate peer-to-peer exchange of knowledge, he said. You get a group of people together having a discussion about management considerations, Warren said. The beautiful thing is they are all learning from one another in trying to improve the overall irrigation in the region. Sharma brings in speakers from surrounding areas to provide different expertise for producers. He said he looks for speakers who are familiar with the area and can bring current information about technology, irrigation, water and soil. Producers are consulted before the program begins to ensure their specific problems will be addressed, he added. We get people together from different farms and different experiences, Taghvaeian said. We want them to get engaged in dialogue so it is not just a one-way transfer of information but a multi-way interaction where everyone learns from each other. Program facilitators learn from the producers, as well, Sharma said. The producers are working with land, water and irrigation systems every day, so their practical knowledge is valuable, he added. Talking with producers also guides research at OSU, allowing researchers to find solutions that will be valuable to Oklahoma and deliver a demand-driven extension program, Taghvaeian said. We are enhancing producers knowledge of irrigation technologies, said Kevin Wagner, director of the Oklahoma Water Resources Center. We also are able to help them overcome the financial burden of adopting these technologies. Master Irrigator Program graduates are eligible for benefits to improve their irrigation systems, Wagner said. Wagner works with eight other state and federal agencies to provide funding and opportunities. Graduates can receive up to $2,000 to purchase irrigation technology, like soil moisture sensors or irrigation schedulers, Warren said. Producers also can receive additional points on their Environmental Quality Incentives Program applications. The applications are for financial assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. Graduates also can request free irrigation audits, which are conducted using the OSU Mobile Irrigation Lab, Taghvaeian said. Taghvaeian conducts two types of irrigation audits: energy and water. Energy audits measure how much energy the irrigation system uses in daily operations. We go out to the farm and estimate the efficiency at which their pumps are using energy, Taghvaeian said. Then, we tell the farmer how much they can save if they improve the efficiency. Water audits measure the efficiency of the irrigation system in regard to water usage. Farmers often use this resource to tune up their irrigation systems before the irrigation season begins, Taghvaeian said. We have advanced sensors and instruments we attach to different pieces of the irrigation system, Taghvaeian said. We can find leaks in the pipeline, assess the uniformity of irrigation application, and tell if the system needs tuning or not. Conducting audits allows the Master Irrigator Program facilitators to connect with producers after they graduate from the program, Sharma said. Sharma also checks with producers to learn what technology they have adopted, how their irrigation season is going, and what curriculum they suggest for future programs. Facilitators value feedback from producers, which can guide the program to fit with the interests of producers in the area, Sharma said. The program is going to evolve over time, Sharma said. As we go forward, the focus will remain on what producers are interested in. Thirty-seven producers graduated from the first two programs combined. The ideal number of producers per session is 25, Taghvaeian said. As the program grows, the focus will be to continue to provide value to producers and consumers alike, Wagner said. Efficient water and energy use can save producers money, he added. Conserving water a precious natural resource benefits Oklahomans across the state, Wagner said. Any water you can save today is water you can use in the future, Warren said. And that future return has value. Story By: Haley Fair | Cowboy Journal Researching Compassion Media Contact: Jami Mattox | Agricultural Communications Services | 405-744-8061 | jami.mattox@okstate.edu As the primary investigator on a Mycobacterium tuberculosis research project with potential global impacts, Yong Cheng, assistant professor in the Oklahoma State University Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, could define his career with the findings and accomplishments of his research of the bacterial pathogen responsible for tuberculosis, or TB. Instead, Chengs work with undergraduate and graduate students defines a different kind of impact. The experiences gained through Chengs lab contribute to the career success of his students, said Charlie Vermeire, who is a sophomore double majoring in biochemistry and in microbiology/cell and molecular biology. Vermeire works in Chengs lab. Dr. Cheng puts such an emphasis on teaching, Vermeire said. I have found that to be really rewarding. Many times, students do not get teaching experience until they reach graduate school, but Dr. Cheng has more experienced undergraduate students mentoring the less experienced students. My teaching experience, now as a sophomore, will give me an advantage as I move through the rest of my education. Research is not the only way Cheng helps students with their career aspirations, Vermeire said. Dr. Cheng pushes his students not only toward learning new lab procedures, but also toward applying for grants and presenting our work, Vermeire said. He pushes us, even when we are not sure we can do what he is asking. He is usually right about what we can accomplish. While important, Chengs research is just part of a larger impact being made in the department and with students, said John Gustafson, professor and BIMB department head. Dr. Cheng set up a biotechnology development and implementation course, which is a first for our department, Gustafson said. He did that by collaborating with people from the business school. He also ran our biochemistry and molecular biology laboratory where this year he actually brought authentic research experiences into the classroom. Cheng said he is motivated by the success of his students. His mentors and professors helped him, he added, and now he works to be that same help to his students. There are two types of kind people in the world, said Stephen Kotey, a doctoral student in BIMB. There are those who wait for you to bring your problem to them, and then they will show their kindness through that. Then, there are those who, in showing kindness, will take the initiative. You do not have to ask. They will sit back, think about how you can develop, and bring it to you without even being asked. Both forms are good, but Cheng is the one who takes initiative in being kind. Cheng said he intentionally builds relationships with his lab members to learn how best to prepare and assist them with their career goals. I have been able to have both graduate students and undergraduate students in my lab, Cheng said. I am always thinking about the many different fellowships they can apply for. I tell students in my lab to let me know if they are interested in any fellowships. I want to help make them a success. Cheng keeps students career goals in mind and helps them pursue avenues that will allow them to stand apart from others, Vermeire said. Knowing that I am interested in a doctoral program, Dr. Cheng is pushing me to work toward publications that will look good on applications for those programs, Vermeire said. He most recently has encouraged and assisted me in applying for a Wentz Research Award and the Niblack Research Scholars program. Vermeire received a Niblack Research Scholars program scholarship for the 2022-23 academic year. I was apprehensive at first because I was not sure I would be able to produce a good application, but he convinced me I could and helped me to get my application to that caliber, Vermeire said. Cheng can help his students because of his relationship with the BIMB department, the Ferguson College of Agriculture and OSU. When I chose to come to OSU, I chose my ideal university, Cheng said. I was looking for my future home. I needed a place with the right resources and support for my research. After interacting with the OSU Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Ferguson College of Agriculture, I realized they had all the resources I would need for my project. They have been so supportive of me, my research, my teaching and my transition to OSU. Cheng has created a cohesive environment in his lab, which benefits both the students and the research, Vermeire said. Chengs research has the potential to have a global impact, Gustafson said. Understanding tuberculosis and its interactions within an infected host could help develop a new vaccine or drug therapy, Gustafson said. At the same time, his individual attention to students shows he cares about them, too, Kotey said. His patience and willingness to teach encourages students to strive for their best levels of success, Kotey added. He gives me a lot of encouragement, which is something you do not really get from many principle investigators, Kotey said. Most are just concerned with getting data. Not only is Cheng interested in getting the data, but also he has a soft spot for his students development. It goes hand-in-hand for him. Understanding Research Tuberculosis remains one of the worlds most fatal infectious diseases. The causative agent of TB, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has infected 23% of the world population and will result in 9 million new cases and 1.4 million deaths a year. However, about 5% to 10% of infected individuals will develop active TB during their lifetime. Scientists still do not understand how mycobacterial infections cause TB or how natural immunity occurs. Yong Chengs research focuses on host-pathogen interactions in an effort to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. With this knowledge, Cheng said he hopes to aid in the development of novel drug treatments and vaccines to combat TB. Developing knowledge about mycobacterial infections and TB could provide knowledge that will help scientists better understand bacteria-associated diseases such as those found in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cystic fibrosis. Information provided by the OSU Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Story By: Braden Payne | Cowboy Journal Beijing says Blinken speech 'smears China' Beijing says Blinken speech 'smears China' 6.1-magnitude quake strikes off East Timor The quake struck off the eastern tip of Timor Island. Image: Shutterstock Over her five years as a faculty member at the Baskin School of Engineering, Marcella Gomez has made it a priority to listen to the needs of her students. Now, she cites this as what drew her to accept a new position as the inaugural Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. There's a lot of resilient students, a lot of impressive students, Gomez said. I think it is critical to make them feel valued, that we like to have them here, that they contribute to the university. In addition to supporting the growth of a diverse population of students, staff and faculty, Gomez will take action to reinforce the importance of bringing diverse perspectives to the universitys research mission and the creation of innovative, socially responsible technology. As a Mexican-American who was in the first generation of her working-class family to graduate from college, she was made to feel valued and supported in the education system at some points, but was left to fend for herself in a competitive environment at others. But throughout her education, by taking advantage of programs supporting diversity and inclusion, she found opportunities along the path to completing her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, win the highly competitive UC Presidents Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, and fulfill her aspirations to pursue a career in research and academia. At CalTech, she developed a scientific identity and sense of belonging in the engineering community, and was inspired by a mentor truly invested in students long-term success. As a postdoc, she saw the value of networking and building pipelines that increase visibility and retention of underrepresented groups in STEM. Now, she hopes to bring those lessons into practice at UCSC, and build on an existing desire to improve retention and ensure student success, making progress toward these goals while recognizing that there will always be more work to be done. Engineering leaders have for decades recognized the need to broaden the pipeline into engineering schools and the tech industry and to manifest environments in which women and people of color are given and perceive unlimited opportunities to contribute and thrive, yet too little measurable progress has been achieved, said Dean of Baskin Engineering Alexander Wolf. As a faculty member, Marcella Gomez has already demonstrated that she is an agent of change, and with her new platform as associate dean, I am certain that she will be a powerful leader in our ongoing work to become more inclusive, more anti-racist, and more supportive of all our community. She will focus on recruiting and retaining faculty from underrepresented groups, while inspiring all faculty to help advance student success by promoting engagement between students and faculty outside the classroom. She will facilitate vertical communication among students, staff, faculty and administration. A key element will be mentorship for new faculty to help them develop a sense of belonging and set a course for career success and impact. I don't think there's a way to do this work well without being on the ground talking to students one-on-one, talking to faculty one-on-one, and talking to staff one-on-one, Gomez said. I want to understand everyone's backgrounds and needs and experiences, and take that information up into higher-level decision making. Being in touch with and advocating for these needs can help build open communication between students, staff, faculty and the university leadership, as well as helping to shape and execute the university's policies and programs to be truly effective in achieving shared goals. One such major goal is to bring the school's demographics in line with those of the state of California an objective that will in turn promote a talented, diverse workforce in academia and industry. Gomez says this support for students, staff and faculty must come through both culture and financial resources. She hopes to help create spaces to facilitate more faculty engagement with students beyond the classroom, in order to foster connections and create opportunities to promote talented students whose resumes might not be as robust as their peers because they were not afforded as many opportunities. She also will seek to leverage existing programs, like the Multicultural/MESA Engineering Program (MEP), which provides students academic and personal support, to improve student experience at all levels. These DEI and student success initiatives have expanded through investment by the dean, but still have much room to grow currently, MEP can only serve a fraction of the students who qualify. Other such existing programs include the Baskin Engineering Inclusive Excellence Hub, led by Carmen Robinson since 2020, which is a resource to advance the academic and personal success of students historically underrepresented in engineering fields. The hub drives high-impact initiatives to support faculty in creating inclusive pedagogy and address achievement gaps, as well as student programming such as the Baskin Engineering Excellence Scholars (BEES), which provides targeted academic support for first-year engineering students in coding and mathematics classes, areas that tend to exhibit the most extreme achievement gaps. Matt Guthaus, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, has been working to strengthen Baskin Engineerings Cal-Bridge Computer Science program, aiming to increase the number of California State University (CSU) students from traditionally underrepresented groups pursuing Ph.D.s in computer science at UCSC. Guthaus collaborates with Jim Whitehead, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs, to promote and expand the Baskin Inclusive Curriculum and Engineering Pedagogy initiative. This currently includes Individual Instructional Consultation (IIC), which provides instructors one-on-one opportunities to investigate a question they face related to curriculum, teaching, or assessment, as well as the Engineering Teaching Community program (ETC) that provides Senate faculty and lecturers a weekly, welcoming, developmental opportunity to improve teaching and assessment practices in community. Whitehead has also been working on a Student Success Improvement Plan, an initiative to narrow and close achievement gaps in classes that currently act as barriers for students in their degree progress. This summer, Baskin Engineering will welcome the second cohort of students and faculty funded by the Fellowship for Anti-Racism Research, which supports research that investigates racism and bias in technology/engineering or that explores tools to fight racism and bias through technology. Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani has said that as a response to global conditions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme is precisely the catalyst India needs to step up and strengthen self-reliance across all sectors - be it vaccinations, defence, or semiconductors. In his thoughts on the recent visit to the World Economic Forum in Davos, he said that it is clear, in this uncertain time, that there is little alternative to effective, confident self-reliance and that we are now onto this era of self-reliance. "As we go through this process there will be pushbacks - and we will run into controversies in other parts of the world. So be it. Many will try to stop us building semiconductor plants. Many will dissuade us from investing a larger portion of our GDP in defence. Our principles will come under criticism. What we must keep in mind is that many of those who set targets for emissions reductions for India are also those that shy away from acknowledging the disproportionate responsibility borne by a small number of developed countries for the climate crisis. In other words, it is far easier to talk than to walk the talk," he said. "India is right to focus on self-reliance, while also seeking to provide an alternative to a world in need of alternatives. If there is a rejigging of the world order, it needs to be one that is based on respectful multipolarity. The world need not be flat. Not when flatness really just means that the world has been forcefully flattened," Adani said. "Instead, let's seek a more stable world order built around countries that are self-confident, self-reliant and willing to speak to each other in terms of mutual respect rather than coercion and condescension. This is the paradox we must solve!" "I must admit that the very large presence of India at the WEF, even in these times, was reassuring. It showed that India is no longer shy about asserting itself in the global arena. It was a sign of our growing confidence. It was a sign of our belief in the India story, and I am glad I was in Davos to experience this for myself!" he added. Adani said this state of global affairs has forced us to confront the resulting realpolitik directly rather than hide behind a faade of global cooperation. "On one side, we are too connected now, bound together by trade and the brute logic of the supply chain. But on the other, a combination of the pandemic, followed by the war in Ukraine and the effort to limit climate change, has exposed the limits of global cooperation," he said. Adani said that international alliances and pacts are mutable, built on slippery foundations of self-interest. Indeed, many of the most economically developed nations on the planet are scrambling to find alternatives to a world they have largely brought about, recognising belatedly that in the quest for hyper efficiencies they have become too reliant on some nations to meet manufacturing needs and too reliant on others to meet energy needs. --IANS san/ ( 531 Words) 2022-05-26-22:30:03 (IANS) The brand announces benefits for the dealers, and they will provide discounts to those who will take the franchise of wroley. Wroley Dealership Cost & Benefits: The brand ensures services like - 12 services (free coupon of 4 services worth Rs 100 each & pay 8 services at Rs 250 each), Customer Relation Management (Lead generation and Feedback after-sales), Geographical Branding Showroom (free paid promotion run by Wroley on social media), Showroom Free branding and Workshop setup, Outdoor Marketing (Wroley will pay 50 per cent of the gross marketing amount). The brand has asked for Rs 1,00,000 (One Lakh) refundable security after 1 year. Additional Profit for the customer is Insurance loans & Spare Parts. Rs 2400 (4 services x Rs 100 paid by Wroley, 8 services x Rs 250 paid by the customer). Wroley E Scooters has made two plans for dealers GOLD, and Platinum. Gold Load- 40 E-Showroom Price For - Delhi NCR - Rs 78,900 (Posh) Rs 76,400 (Platina) Rs 69,900 (Mars) Dealer Price - Rs 71,010 (Posh) Rs 68,760 (Platina) Rs 62,910 (Mars) Profit - 11.1 per cent Area Sub - Division - 5 Sub Dealer in District Platinum Load - 80 E-Showroom Price For - Delhi NCR - Rs 78,900 (Posh) Rs 76,400 (Platina) Rs 69,900 (Mars) Dealer Price - Rs 71,010 (Posh) Rs 68,760 (Platina) Rs 62,910 (Mars) Profit - 11.1 per cent Area Sub - Division - 5 Sub Dealer in District Warranty (in Years) 1. Battery - 3 years + 2 years extendable 2. Charger - 2 years + 1 year extendable 3. Motor - 2 years + 1 year extendable 4. Controller - 1 year + 1 year extendable With all the information and brainstorming by now, you know how profitable an EV Dealership can be for you, and always, you should Prefer Wroley Dealership over others. Book your appointment for the dealership now. Call Wroley at 8080808023 and to know more visit: www.wroley.com This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) Oil India Limited (OIL) has posted a net profit of Rs 3,887.31 crore for the year ended March 2022, which is 123.20 per cent higher when compared with Rs 1741.59 crore profit recorded in the previous year. Talking to ANI, SC Mishra, CMD, Oil India Limited, said that one of the reasons behind the record profit is high crude oil and gas prices. Mishra said that 8 billion Rubles of dividend from Russian projects is stuck due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. There is no aggressive plan to buy Russian projects as the government is reviewing the investment prospects in Russia, he said. Talking about the crude oil price outlook, Mishra said oil prices are expected to come down to $80-90 in some time. Oil India's turnover of Rs14,530.18 crore during 2021-22 is also the highest ever. The turnover during 2020-21 was Rs 8,604.90 crore. For Q4 2021-22 also, the Turnover and PAT have increased by 73.85 per cent and 92.32 per cent, respectively over Q4 last financial year. The Earnings Per Share (EPS) for FY22 increased to Rs 35.85/share from Rs 16.06/share for FY 21. The consolidated turnover of OIL's group companies has increased to Rs 30,011.20 crore in 2021-22 from Rs 22,484.13 crore in the last financial year. Group PAT of OIL for the year 2021-22 also increased to Rs 6,719.21 crore from Rs 4,145.97 crore in 2020-21. Average crude oil price realisation for 2021-22 improved to US$ 78.96/ barrel from USD 43.98/ barrel in 2020-21, an increase of about 80 per cent. The average natural gas price for 2021-22 was marginally higher at USD 2.35/ MMBTU vis-a-vis USD 2.09/ MMBTU for 2020-21. The company has achieved the highest ever natural gas production of 3045 MMSCM in 2021-22, an increase of 15.25 per cent over last year. Natural gas production in Q4 of 2021-22 was also higher by 13.1 per cent over the corresponding period last year. Crude oil production during 2021-22 also increased by 1.6 per cent, from 2.96 MMT in 2020-21 to 3.01 MMT in 2021-22. The growth in crude oil production in Q4 2021-22 is 4.2 per cent over the corresponding period last year. Two new hydrocarbon discoveries were made during 2021-22 in Tinsukia district of Assam. The Board has recommended a final dividend of Rs.5/share for FY22. The Company has earlier paid an interim dividend of Rs.9.25/share for FY 22. The total dividend for the year will be Rs14.25/ share. Mishra said that four major infrastructure projects were also commissioned in the State of Assam during 2021-22 which will further enhance the oil and gas production capabilities of the company. The Company is currently drilling its deepest onshore well at Sadiya in Assam which will be about 6500 M deep. (ANI) Actor Kevin Spacey, known for starring in series "House Of Cards", is to be charged with sexual assault against three men, the Crown Prosecution Service said. According to BBC, five charges are being brought against the 62-year-old after a review of Met Police evidence following complaints dating between 2005 and 2013. Three complaints relate to sexual abuse which is alleged to have taken place in London, and one in Gloucestershire. He also faces an additional serious sexual offence charge in London. The first two charges relate to alleged sexual assaults on a man, now in his 40s, in London in March 2005, while a second alleged victim, a man now in his 30s, is claimed to have been assaulted in London in August 2008. The serious sexual offence charge - causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent - also relates to the second alleged victim. The third complainant relates to an alleged assault on a man who is now in his 30s in Gloucestershire in April 2013. While the CPS has authorised the charges against Spacey it is understood he has not been formally charged as he is not in the country, BBC reported. Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said that following the review of evidence the CPS had "authorised criminal charges against Kevin Spacey, 62, for four counts of sexual assault against three men". She added: "The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial." The CPS said it could not confirm or deny whether or not Mr Spacey, an American, will need to be extradited to the UK. --IANS dc/vd ( 294 Words) 2022-05-26-22:40:03 (IANS) On Friday, the 29-year-old actor took her Instagram handle and shared a video via her IG story with her reaction. She wrote on her IG story, "Okay! This video is a full vibe "with a crying emoticon. In the video, actor Ranbir Kapoor could be seen giving a peck on the baby's head while playing with him. Both of them could be seen smiling for the camera in a playful manner. The video shared by Alia was posted by a fan account of Ranbir Kapoor. Also, the video has been widely shared by the fans of Alia and Ranbir on the social media and eventually caught the attention of Alia. The 'Raazi' actor, who recently got hitched to actor Ranbir Kapoor, is busy shooting for her Hollywood Debut alongside Gal Gadot. She will next be seen in Karan Johar's 'Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani', co-starring Ranveer Singh, and 'Brahmastra', co-starring her husband, Ranbir Kapoor. Alia will also be marking her debut as a producer soon with her upcoming flick 'Darlings'. (ANI) According to Fox News, Alec revealed that his mother died on Thursday at the age of 92. "Carol M. Baldwin, mother of actors Alec, Daniel, William and Stephen Baldwin and two daughters, Elizabeth and Jane, died today in Syracuse, New York," he wrote in a statement on Instagram. Alec went on to describe his mother's life and accomplishments. He said she was born in December 1929 and had one brother and five sisters. He wrote, "Carol Baldwin raised her children and, when her last was a teenager, went to work in marketing research for a firm called Quick Test, operating out of a local shopping mall." The obituary noted that in addition to her six children with her late husband Alexander Rae Baldwin Jr., Carol had 25 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. The statement continued, "Carol Baldwin raised her children and, when her last was a teenager, went to work in marketing research for a firm called Quick Test, operating out of a local shopping mall." Alec's sibling Stephen Baldwin's daughter, Hailey Bieber, also honoured her grandmother by sharing her uncle's post to her Instagram story, writing, "We love you Grandma." She also included a white heart and dove emoji, as per Fox News. (ANI) Underlining the "high fees" being charged by the National Board of Examination for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Postgraduate (NEET-PG), junior doctors questioned the lack of basic facilities at various centres during the recent test. The NEET PG 2022 exam was held on May 21. Talking to IANS, a NEET PG aspirant, on the condition of anonymity, said that the charges are being increased every year but the NBE didn't provide even any basic facilities during the examination period. She said that despite such scorching heat, even fans were not running at many centres across many states. Taking notes of aspirants' complaints, the Federation of All India Medical Association, in a statement, said: "Doctors at the Federation of All India Medical Association are getting complaints from students who took the NEET PG 2022 examination held on May 21 regarding the poor administrative management at the examination centres all over the country." "It is shameful for the National Board of Examination to charge such exorbitant fees for merely appearing in an examination and do not provide even water to students at such high temperature." "NBE is charging Rs 1,500 for NEET UG exam and Rs 5,000 for NEET PG. It is unacceptable because various platforms in India is conducting online medical exams at 1000-1500 very smoothly. This fee should be revised to minimal because student appears this exam more than once," FAIMA President, Dr. Rohan Krishnan, told IANS. He also said that various organisations such as Delhi AIIMS, AIIMS Rishikesh, INICET, ESI releases an answer key the next day after exams and gives clear cut data of which questions were marked right or wrong by candidate. But NBE lacks this transparency which should change, he added. --IANS avr/vd ( 298 Words) 2022-05-26-21:44:07 (IANS) New research from the University of Cambridge suggests autistic individuals are more likely to have chronic mental and physical health conditions. They are also reported to have lower-quality healthcare than others. These findings, published in Molecular Autism, have important implications for the healthcare and support of autistic individuals. Many studies indicate that autistic people are dying far younger than others, but there is a paucity of research on the health and healthcare of autistic people across the adult lifespan. While some studies have previously suggested that autistic people may have significant barriers to accessing healthcare, only a few, small studies have compared the healthcare experiences of autistic people to others. In the largest study to date on this topic, the team at the Autism Research Centre (ARC) in Cambridge used an anonymous, self-report survey to compare the experiences of 1,285 autistic individuals to 1,364 non-autistic individuals, aged 16-96 years, from 79 different countries. 54% of participants were from the UK. The survey assessed rates of mental and physical health conditions, and the quality of healthcare experiences. The team found that autistic people self-reported lower quality healthcare than others across 50 out of 51 items on the survey. Autistic people were far less likely to say that they could describe how their symptoms feel in their body, describe how bad their pain feels, explain what their symptoms are, and understand what their healthcare professional means when they discuss their health. Autistic people were also less likely to know what is expected of them when they go to see their healthcare professional and to feel they are provided with appropriate support after receiving a diagnosis, of any kind. Autistic people were over seven times more likely to report that their senses frequently overwhelm them so that they have trouble focusing on conversations with healthcare professionals. In addition, they were over three times more likely to say they frequently leave their healthcare professional's office feeling as though they did not receive any help at all. Autistic people were also four times more likely to report experiencing shutdowns or meltdowns due to a common healthcare scenario (e.g., setting up an appointment to see a healthcare professional). The team then created an overall 'health inequality score' and employed novel data analytic methods, including machine learning. Differences in healthcare experiences were stark: the models could predict whether or not a participant was autistic with 72% accuracy based only on their 'health inequality score'. The study also found worryingly high rates of chronic physical and mental health conditions, including arthritis, breathing concerns, neurological conditions, anorexia, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression, insomnia, OCD, panic disorders, personality disorders, PTSD, SAD, and self-harm. Dr Elizabeth Weir, a postdoctoral scientist at the ARC in Cambridge, and the lead researcher of the study said: "This study should sound the alarm to healthcare professionals that their autistic patients are experiencing high rates of chronic conditions alongside difficulties with accessing healthcare. Current healthcare systems are failing to meet very fundamental needs of autistic people." Dr Carrie Allison, Director of Strategy at the ARC and another member of the team, added: "Healthcare systems must adapt to provide appropriate reasonable adjustments to autistic and all neurodiverse patients to ensure that they have equal access to high-quality healthcare." Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, Director of the ARC and a member of the team, said: "This study is an important step forward in understanding the issues that autistic adults are facing in relation to their health and health care, but much more research is needed. We need more research on the long term outcomes of autistic people and how their health and healthcare can be improved. Clinical service providers need to ask autistic people what they need and then meet these needs." (ANI) A strong nursing sector is an essential requirement for a strong healthcare sector, said Union Minister of State for Health Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar on Friday. Pawar added that by investing in nursing, better health services can be provided. This will lead to disease prevention which will help in achieving our objectives of universal health coverage. She also emphasised that there are significant changes happening in the role of nurses, these changes would also improve their contribution internationally and that India's nurses have always earned tremendous goodwill in all parts of the world. Signifying the crucial role played by the nursing fraternity, she said: "Nursing is an art, science and spirit that combines all aspects harmoniously. An educated nurse must also possess spiritual qualities in order to serve humanity by giving the patient remedial care and to meet their medical needs. "Nurses are the foundation of hospitals and the most important link between a doctor and the patient. Nurses are the heroes who meet the needs of their patients, whether it is day or night." "Nurses are the backbone of healthcare industry, which takes tireless care of all the needs of the patients. This is also seen during the Covid pandemic where the role played by nursing community in such difficult times is simply remarkable," she added while addressing the Lamp lighting ceremony at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital's School of Nursing for its 66th batch today. The Lamp Lighting ceremony formally recognizes the student's entry into the nursing profession. Reiterating the Central government's dedication for holistic development of health sector in the country, Pawar said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is working towards robust healthcare ecosystem in the country and also emphasising on preventive care while also giving priority to modern treatment facilities. Efforts are also being made to increase the number of doctors and nurses rapidly, besides taking the benefits of health facilities to the masses and reducing the cost of treatment of the poor, she added. --IANS avr/pgh ( 349 Words) 2022-05-27-21:22:01 (IANS) "On the basis of extensive data analysis and field surveillance, intelligence was developed by the DRI that certain consignments being imported from Iran were likely to contain narcotic drugs. "... 'Op Namkeen' was launched and a consignment, declared to contain 1,000 bags of common salt having gross weight of 25 MT, which had been imported at Mundra port from Iran, was identified for detailed examination," said a DRI official. The said consignment was examined for three continuous days from May 24-26. During the examination, some bags were found to be suspicious, as a substance in powder form having distinct smell was found in these bags. Samples were drawn from those suspected bags and testing was conducted by officials of Directorate of Forensic Sciences, Gujarat, who reported the presence of cocaine in these samples. "Examination and seizure proceedings under the provisions of NDPS Act, are in progress. Roles of various persons involved in the consignment are also being investigated by DRI," the official said. --IANS atk/pgh ( 214 Words) 2022-05-26-20:04:03 (IANS) The Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Delhi Prisons Department for training and skill enhancement of the inmates. With the collaboration, the skill varsity shall offer different skill-based courses at Tihar Jail, from July this year, and award certificates upon successful completion of the programme which will enable the inmates to be gainfully employed upon release from jail. It is envisaged that skill training shall enable inmates upon release to have an opportunity to respectfully integrate themselves into the society. Officials said that the initiative is intended to support long term rehabilitation of the inmates and integration into the society. Skill University Vice Chancellor Prof. Neharika Vohra said this is not just as a skilling program but something which also builds agency among the inmates. "Through this initiative, we want to give the prisoners a second chance to lead a respectable life upon release," she averred. Director General (Prisons), Sandeep Goel remarked "this is the need of the hour". "With such a strong institutionalised collaboration, we could aim at long term reform of the prisoners. This programme will help us add various skill courses for inmates in our jails which will help them earn their livelihood upon release. This will give the inmates a better opportunity to lead a dignified life," the top prison official said. The University shall deploy trainers for imparting skill based courses for identified groups within the jail premises. It is proposed that a detailed assessment of existing skills and market requirements will be conducted before the launch of the courses, which shall be tailor-made for the prisoners. --IANS uj/pgh ( 287 Words) 2022-05-26-20:16:01 (IANS) Mumbai Police have lodged a first information report against 8 senior executives of a major financial company, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd (MOFSL) for allegedly outraging the modesty of a 37-year-old female employee who was under suspension for reportedly making the male colleagues 'sexually uncomfortable'. The Dadar Police Station has filed the FIR under Indian Penal Code Sec 509 against the company's top executives ranging from Senior Manager to Board Member and Senior Group Vice-President - Sudhir Dhar, Gaurav Maniar, Rohit Singh, Ankit Jobanputra, Vijay Agarwal, Rohan Adawale, Prince Sharma and Suraj Pawar. The MOFSL has dismissed the allegations by the woman and said it would move an appropriate court to quash the FIR even as Dadar Police is investigating the matter in which no arrests have been made so far. The woman, working as Digital Marketing Assistant Vice President was placed under suspension on May 6 for two weeks on alleged grounds of making her male colleagues 'sexually uncomfortable', and after she approached the police, the suspension was extended. One of the senior persons named in the FIR, Maniar, had allegedly made certain explicit remarks on her clothes and dressing styles which made other males in the office 'sexually uncomfortable', he demanded to know which Gujarati caste she belonged to, and asked her to resign or the company would sack her. The woman said that the company is conducting an internal probe for which she was not called or contacted, but the company countered by saying she did not attend a meeting of the independent committee and her responses are awaited. When contacted by IANS, a MOFLS official spokesperson "flatly denied" all the baseless allegations by the woman who had worked with the company for barely a month. The MOFSL is also filing a quashing application before a competent court, added the spokesperson. Slamming the woman complainant, the MOFSL said: "Her behaviour at our organisation has been toxic and was making co-workers very unfortable... She had not complained or brought these allegations to the notice of the organisation before her suspension. These are her afterthoughts. She is trying to harass the people who had complained against her and also trying to damage the reputation of our organisation." The MOFLS said the company has nearly 10,000 employees with many women, has a stringent policy with a very strict code of conduct for all employees and a committee with an independent member for all such complaints. A listed entity, MOFSL has been a financial services major for over 35 years, offering a wide range of financial and investment-related services, with its headquarters at Prabhadevi in south central Mumbai. --IANS qn/ ( 467 Words) 2022-05-26-20:40:02 (IANS) Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil took a jibe at Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule, advising her to "go home and cook" instead of indulging in politics, and found himself in a hot soup, here on Thursday. Patil's comments came on Wednesday during a procession against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government demanding OBC reservations, and a day later it became a raging row as he was slammed by various political parties, women leaders all over India and female activists. The BJP chief, responding to Supriya's statements, had said: "Why are you in politics even. Just go home and cook. Go to Delhi or go to a crematorium but get the OBC quotas." Rushing to his wife Supriya's defence, hubby Sadanand Sule attacked Patil for his way of speaking about his spouse, terming it as "an insult to all women". "I have always maintained that they (BJP) are misogynistic and demean women whenever they can. I am proud of my wife who is a home-maker, mother and a successful politician, one amongst many other hardworking and talented women in India," said Sadanand Sule. NCP Women Wing President Vidya Chavan said Patil - who had denied a ticket to a sitting woman BJP MLA Medha Kulkarni to contest the Kothrud (Pune) seat himself - "had no right to bad-mouth an MP who has been honoured with the 'Sansad Ratna Award' twice" for her good performance in parliament. "We know you believe in Manusmriti, but we won't keep quiet any more, (Patil) should learn to make chapatis and help his wife at home," Chavan said sharply. Ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally Shiv Sena Spokesperson Dr Manisha Kayande hit out at Patil, asking how at his age, he could be saying such things about a woman and termed the BJP as a 'party of goons'. Other senior women politicians like CPI-M's Suhasini Ali and DMK MP Kanimozhi, Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, several Congress leaders and women's activists also gave a piece of their minds to Patil. Floundering under attacks from various quarters, Patil claimed that his statements were in a rustic style of speaking and meant no disrespect to Sule or women, and said whenever he meets her (Sule) they always greet each other with respect. Several other NCP leaders castigated Patil including Mahesh Tapase, Samir H. Dalwai, Rupali Chakankar, Clyde Crasto, who questioned the BJP's attitude towards womenfolk and whether this was the party's opinion in the "progressive BJP's vision" for the Indian women. Demonstrations and protests were organised against Patil in Pune and other places and memes mocking him were also circulated on social media. --IANS qn/skp/ ( 456 Words) 2022-05-26-20:46:02 (IANS) The Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) categorically said that "the Naga national flag symbolises Naga political identity. It is not negotiable", in the editorial of its latest news bulletin "Nagalim Voice". It is unthinkable for NSCN-IM to accept the Naga national flag as a cultural flag as hinted by the Government of India. Since 1997, the Central Government has held more than 85 rounds of negotiations with the NSCN-IM and other Naga groups. However, the NSCN-IM's insistence on a separate Naga flag and Constitution have become a big hurdle in the way of resolving the Naga issue. The former interlocutor and then Governor of Nagaland, R.N. Ravi had rejected these demands repeatedly. The editorial of the May issue of Nagalim Voice, referring to the Framework Agreement signed on August 3, 2015, expressed: "Today, NSCN is watching how Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to handle Framework Agreement with NSCN and Naga people that he himself took so much pride in and credit for. When the high profile Framework Agreement was signed, Modi went histrionic as he called up all political leaders who matter to announce that he has solved the longest running insurgency movement in Southeast Asia. The world at large was, however, not impressed and waited to see how he would match his words with action acceptable to the Naga people." The editorial further read: "What is of concern to NSCN in particular, and to the Nagas in general is the habitual betraying of the Government of India after signing agreement after agreement." "Such was the depravity on the part of Government of India that every good thing gained during the 25 years of Indo-Naga political talks is facing the risk of going down the drain. The unfortunate development is tantamount to political blackmail," the editorial said. The Nagalim Voice said that NSCN cannot allow defilement to take place for the fourth time and this is the crux of the issue. "Everything is clear before the world," the Naga outfit said. "How could Naga people tread such hollow ground after more than six decades of blood, sweat, and tears. In spite of threat and pressure, NSCN will never lend itself to committing an act of abomination before God and treason before the Naga people," the Nagalim Voice stated. After Ravi was transferred to the gubernatorial post of Tamil Nadu last year, former Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau A.K. Mishra was appointed for Naga peace talks. There was an open difference of opinion between the NSCN-IM and Ravi leading to the deadlock in the peace process that culminated in his transfer to Tamil Nadu. Mishra, during his first visit to Nagaland in September last year, also discussed the Naga issue with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also the Convener of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the northeast unit of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Mishra, in his second week-long visit from April 18, met Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, leaders of the NSCN-IM, Naga National Political Groups (NNPG), core committee on Naga political issues as well as the Naga civil society and discussed the matter. Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, who is also a BJP leader, recently in a public meeting in Wokha district, categorically said that the Centre should resolve the Naga issue by August 15 this year. "If the Naga political issue is not settled now, the long pending issue would take another 100 years to settle," said Patton, who is a member of all the important committees, including the Core Committee on Naga political issues. During an Assembly session last month, all legislators across party lines strongly urged the Centre to settle the issue at the earliest as Assembly elections are due early next year. Participating in the discussion, Rio urged the negotiating parties to settle the issue, and that if a settlement cannot be reached, there should be a fresh mandate by the people on how to pursue the Naga political issue. Noting that 17 resolutions on the Naga political issue have been passed in the Assembly since 1964, he said: "But if a solution is not arrived at, and insurgency activities continue, the future of the younger generation remains at stake." --IANS sc/kvd/pgh ( 724 Words) 2022-05-26-20:50:04 (IANS) In a horrific incident, a teenager killed his minor cousin over the trivial issue of playing games on a cell phone. The incident took place at Goblej village of Kheda district in central Gujarat. Kheda Police Sub Inspector S.R. Prajapati said that two days ago, 16-year-old Jagrut (name changed) hit his 12-year-old cousin Vijesh on his head with a stone, after which he fell unconscious. Jagrut thought Vijesh died and fearing scolding from parents, he tied his legs and hands and threw him in the well. He then fled to his village Damsath in Banswara district in Rajasthan. The boy was brought back by the family and was arrested on Thursday afternoon before the Juvenile Board, said the cop. According to Jagrut's statement, he and his cousin Vijesh were playing games on his mobile phone. They both decided to have golgappa but Vijesh was insisting for the mobile phone for games. This angered Jagrut and he struck Vijesh with a stone. The accused took the family members to the well in which he had thrown his cousin. Vijesh's father Jitmal Valhi identified him by seeing his legs in the well and informed Kheda Town Police, which called the fire brigade and retrieved the deceased's body and sent it for postmortem. Jitmal Valhi and his brother (Jagrut's father) are from Rajasthan. They moved to Goblej village with their families and were working as labourers. As the two children went missing, the families searched for them and when they learned that Jagrut had reached their native village, they brought him back. Upon return, he confessed to his crime before his family members, said the complainant Jitmal. --IANS haresh/kvd/skp/ ( 289 Words) 2022-05-26-20:50:05 (IANS) Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leaders on Thursday lodged police complaints against state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay for delivering a hate speech in Karimnagar town. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has demanded the state government take action against Sanjay while Muslim leaders of the Congress too have decided to file police complaints against the BJP leader, who had made the speech on Wednesday. Local TRS leaders filed two separate complaints with Sanjay at Two Town Police Station in Karimnagar. They demanded strong action against him for making provocative comments against Muslims, mosques, and madarsas. They requested the police to register cases against Sanjay, who is also a Member of Parliament from Karimnagar, under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The AIMIM has urged Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy to take "exemplary" action to prevent untoward incidents and protect communal harmony of Telangana. The party tweeted that the BJP government at the Centre has done nothing for people of Telangana in the last eight years and that is why Sanjay was spreading hatred. Meanwhile, Telangana Congress' Minorities Department Chairman Abdullah Sohail Shaik has announced that the party leaders in all 33 districts will lodge police complaints against Sanjay. He claimed that the police should have taken suo moto note of the hate speech and register a case but no action was taken as the ruling TRS "has a secret understanding with the BJP". The Congress leader alleged that Sanjay is desperate to get public attention by making highly provocative statements. He said the BJP leader initially targeted four per cent reservation for Muslims and Urdu language and he was now demanding the digging under all mosques. Addressing the Hindu Ekta Yarta in Karimnagar on Wednesday, Sanjay had alleged that Muslim rulers in Telangana demolished several temples and built mosques over them. He demanded digging work at all mosques, saying there was a possibility of finding Shiva Lingams underneath. The BJP MP also stated that if BJP comes to power in Telangana, it will abolish all madrasas, do away with reservation for Muslims, and remove Urdu as the second official language. --IANS ms/vd ( 376 Words) 2022-05-26-22:36:03 (IANS) The official told IANS that they received a call about a blast and house collapse around 9 p.m. at C block, Phase 1, Rajpur near Chattarpur in south Delhi after which five fire tenders were immediately pressed into service. "Second and third floor of the building were damaged in the blast that occurred due to LPG leakage," Delhi Fire Service chief Atul Garg said, adding the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital. "Usually the blast results in a fire, however, this time there was no such thing," another fire department official said, adding the situation is under control. --IANS uj/vd ( 136 Words) 2022-05-26-22:46:02 (IANS) RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday said that as long as his party would be in the opposition, central agencies will continue to raid him and his family members. After returning from London, he said: "We are in the opposition and as long as we stay in this position, the ruling parties would misuse the constitutional agencies against us to conduct raids. This was not new to us. We are witnessing such raids from our childhood. This was not the first raid and I am not saying that this would be the last one." Tejashwi Yadav, along with his wife Rajshree Yadav, were in London when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids on the 16 properties of Lalu Prasad and his other family members and relatives on May 20 in an alleged railway job scam. "People sitting the government are getting richer and richer but agencies would not conduct raids on them. The people of Bihar are watching it how they are unnecessarily penalising Lalu Praad Yadav," he said. "During his tenure as Railway Minister of the country, the department had gained Rs 90,000 crore profit. He gave permanent jobs to coolies, ran AC trains for poor (Garib Rath express train), allowed 'Kulhar Wala Chai' (clay teapots) in the railway to benefit Kumhar community people and now the Narendra Modi government is selling Indian railway," Tejashwi Yadav said. Reacting on his closeness with Nitish Kumar, he said that he had proposed for the caste-based census and meet Prime Minister on this issue last year. On Rajya Sabha candidate, Tejashwi said that RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav will announce the names of the candidates officially. Sources have said that the RJD has selected Misa Bharti and Fyaz Ahmed and they are expected to file nominations on Friday. --IANS ajk/vd ( 315 Words) 2022-05-26-23:08:02 (IANS) Citing reasons such as felling of 30,000 trees, location in seismic zone, unscientific studies, and evidence of tiger presence in and around the project area, a group of activists on Thursday demanded reconsideration of the proposed Etalin hydroelectric project (HEP) in Dibang basin of Arunachal Pradesh. The 3097 MW Etalin hydroelectric project (HEP) is the largest hydropower project proposed in the country. The Forum for Policy Dialogue on Water Conflicts in India, a network of about 800 individuals and organisations who are involved in the water sector issues in general and water conflicts in particular since 2004-05, has written a letter to the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to reconsider the project citing multiple, specific reasons. Drawing attention to what they termed as "destructive content of the proposed Etalin HEP", the members of the Steering Committee of the Forum said they are "deeply concerned" about the all round destruction the Etalin project can cause - ecology of the region, socio-cultural milieu of the people, especially the indigenous Idu Mishmi communities, and their nature-dependent livelihoods." The specific reasons included, first and foremost, the proposed destruction of 30,000 trees in old growth forest in a biodiversity hotspot. "The ecosystem services of such a forest cannot be compensated in any way by plantation or compensatory afforestation programmes," the letter said, and reminded of violations in compensatory measures regarding two similar projects in that state. The Forum also sought to remind the FAC of how the Dibang Valley is prone to natural hazards "as it lies on a seismically active zone" and also has melting glacial lakes. The Forum letter - addressed to Sanjay Deshmukh, chairperson of the FAC sub-committee for the purpose - drew attention to the fact that 29 scientists from 16 research institutions had poked holes in the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) report that had been the basis of the project proposal. "It is our hope and plea that as an expert committee, the FAC must not base such an important decision that can have unimaginable consequences on such an error-ridden report." It also mentioned how the WII report omitted reference to the presence of tigers in and around the project area. The minutes of the meetings of the FAC meeting held on May 11 shows that none of the issues raised by experts and local citizens have been addressed either by the sub-committee or the state. Apart from the technical and scientific issues, the Forum letter also stated how the indigenous Idu Mishmi community that inhibits the Dibang Valley has a population of only about 10,000 people. Etalin is one of the 17 proposed HEPs in the Valley and the possible influx of outsiders can make Idu Mishmis minorities in their own area and impact their way of life, the activists said. --IANS niv/vd ( 481 Words) 2022-05-26-23:16:02 (IANS) The Rouse Avenue Court sentenced former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala to four years imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Court ordered to confiscate four properties of him and also imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh. Special Judge Vikas Dhull on Friday sentenced four years imprisonment to Om Prakash Chautala and ordered immediately to send him to the custody of Tihar Jail. According to the order passed by the court, out of Rs 50 lakh fine amount of Rs 5 lakh would be given to the CBI from that. The court also refused to grant 10 days' time to surrender to Chautala as requested by his lawyer Harsh Sharma. On Thursday, after concluding the arguments both sides said the order of sentences will be passed today. During the argument on Thursday, OP Chautala physically appeared and remained present in the courtroom. Appearing for OP Chautala, Advocate Harsh Sharma cited medical grounds for less punishment and submitted that Chautala had been afflicted with polio since birth, and was partially disabled. Chautala is accused of acquiring disproportionate assets from 1993-to 2006. This time is more than 20 years. In the meantime, he has always cooperated in the investigation, Advocate Sharma argued. CBI's Special Public Prosecutor Ajay Gupta opposed the submissions of Chautala's lawyer for a grant of concession on the ground of ill-health and age. CBI had urged the court for maximum punishment shall be given as it would send a message to the society. "The person, in this case, is a public figure and giving minimum punishment would send a wrong message. He is not having clean antecedents. It is the second case in which he has been convicted," CBI said. Special Judge (PC Act) Vikas Dhull last week had convicted Chautala and said the accused had failed to satisfactorily account for such dis-proportionality by proving his source of income or means by way of which, he acquired assets during this period. "Hence, accused Om Prakash Chautala is convicted for the offence under Section 13(1)(e) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Put up 26.05.2022 at 10.00 a.m. for arguments on the point of sentence," said the court. According to the CBI's FIR, Om Prakash Chautala, while functioning as Chief Minister of Haryana during the period from July 24, 1999 to March 5, 2005, in collusion with his family members and others, accumulated assets, immovable and movable, disproportionate to his known lawful sources of income, in his name, in the names of his family members and others to the extent of Rs.1,467 crore. FIR further stated that the accused accumulated enormous wealth and invested the same throughout the country in the shape of thousands of acres of land, multi complexes, palatial residential houses, hotels, farmhouses, business agencies, petrol pumps and other investments apart from investments in foreign countries. FIR also stated that 43 immovable properties in all, apart from cash and jewellery were accumulated. Apart from 43 alleged properties listed in the FIR, additional properties were also suspected to be of the accused family. An investigation with regard to additional properties was also conducted for ascertaining the link of the accused family with the said properties. The chargesheet filed in the matter after the conclusion of the investigation stated that accused OP Chautala had acquired assets, both immovable and movable, which were disproportionate to his known source of income. The disproportionate assets were calculated to be Rs 6,09,79,026 (Rupees Six Crore Nine Lakh Seventy Nine Thousand and Twenty Six only) and the percentage of DA (Disproportionate Assets) was 189.11 per cent of his known sources of income. Accordingly, CBI had chargesheeted the accused for the offence under Section 13(1)(e) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Apart from the charge sheet filed against the accused OP Chautala, the CBI had filed two more charge sheets arising out of the present FIR, against the sons of the accused i.e. Abhay Singh Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala and others, which are being tried separately. Om Prakash Chautala is from the Indian National Lok Dal and son of sixth Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal. Chautala was recently released from the Tihar Jail on July 2, 2021, from a 10 year prison sentence after completing the due formalities. He and 53 others, in June 2008, were charged in connection with the appointment of 3,206 junior basic teachers in the state of Haryana during 1999-to 2000. In January 2013, a New Delhi court sentenced Chautala and his son Ajay Singh Chautala to 10 years imprisonment under various provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. (ANI) Preparations made by the Indian Navy are not a provocation to any aggression but it guarantees peace and prosperity to the region, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday. He took sea sortie in a Kalvari class submarine INS Khandari off the coast of Karwar after inspecting the naval base in Karwar, Karnataka. Singh was in Karwar for a two-day visit to Naval Base. "Whatever I have seen today and experienced, I am assured that the Indian Navy is capable of vigilant, variant and victorious in every situation," Singh said. INS Khanderi is a make in India inspired submarine. It was commissioned by me in the year 2019. The ships and other platforms launched by the Indian Navy have given a boost to the PM Modi's Make in India campaign, he added. During the visit, he also reviewed the progress of infrastructure upgrade under 'Project Seabird' and interacted with senior officials of the Navy during the 'Bada Khana' hosted at the base. The second of the Project 75 submarines, which are been constructed under the 'Make in India' initiative at Mazagon Docks Limited, Mumbai, Khanderi was commissioned by the Defence Minister in September 2019. Earlier, Defence Minister had witnessed the three-dimensional combat capability of the Indian Navy, having embarked on INS Vikramaditya in Sep 2019 and P8I earlier this month. The Scorpene submarines are extremely potent platforms, have advanced stealth features and are also equipped with both long-range guided torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles. These submarines have a state-of-the-art SONAR and sensor suite permitting outstanding operational capabilities. During the sortie, the full spectrum of capabilities of underwater operations of the Stealth submarine was demonstrated to the Raksha Mantri. "This year when we are celebrating Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, INS Vikrant is getting ready to commission. Both Vikrant and Vikramaditya will enhance the maritime security of India. The Indian Navy is counted among the frontline Navy of the world. Big maritime forces are ready to cooperate with India," he said. The operational demonstrations included simulated weapon launches as well as advanced MR - Sub cooperation exercises with P8I aircraft. Singh witnessed first-hand, operations onboard the potent platform, he interacted with the submarine crew during lunch on board, and he complimented them for their courage and sense of duty. Presently Indian Navy operates four submarines of this class with two more likely to be inducted by the end of next year. The induction of these submarines has significantly enhanced the Indian Navy's underwater capability in the Indian Ocean Region. The sea sortie by Defence Minister is coinciding with 'Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' and 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh' celebrations. (ANI) The victim has been identified as Vijay Kamble. According to the police, Kamble was allegedly killed on Wednesday by his girlfriend's relatives. A case has been registered at the Wadi Police station under relevant sections. Further details into the matter are awaited. (ANI) Dropping the drugs charges against Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan's son Aryan Khan on Friday, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), SN Pradhan said Whatsapp chats without physical evidence hold "no value". He said that a person can talk about anything on WhatsApp, but without physical existence, it's not complete evidence. "There should be physical corroboration of WhatsApp chat. Courts have clarified that WhatsApp chat, in itself, holds no value. You can talk about anything on WhatsApp but if not corroborated with physical evidence, it's not complete evidence," the NCB head told media persons. The NCB chief further clarified that there should be beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officials did not find. "The principle of preponderance and probability is not applicable to NDPS Act. There should be beyond a reasonable doubt, that we did not find such evidence," he added. NCB has not filed any complaint against Aryan Khan and five others in the alleged cruise drug bust case due to a lack of "sufficient" evidence. "A complaint against 14 persons under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act is being filed. Complaint against rest six persons is not being filed due to the lack of evidence," the Deputy Director-General (DDG) of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) said. Apart from Aryan and five others, the NCB has submitted a complaint against all the 14 persons accused in the case. An NCB team busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship which was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2 night. Eight persons were arrested 20 people including Aryan Khan, along with other accused Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha the case. Aryan Khan, Arbaaz Merchant and Munmun Dhamecha were granted bail by the Bombay High Court on 28 October 2021. (ANI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that the centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put a renewed thrust on Act East policy which has resulted in fast-paced growth and brought about a paradigm shift to development narrative in Assam and other Northeastern states. Inaugurating a conclave on Act East through Northeast in presence of the ambassadors and high commissioners of ASEAN countries in Guwahati, Assam CM said that, in the backdrop of Act East policy, his government is striving to position Assam as the expressway and gateway to ASEAN bloc. "The conclave which is a part of several initiatives of the Act East policy Affairs Department, Assam government to brainstorm on various aspects of Act East policy and strengthen the roadmap for leveraging the opportunity of Assam's geostrategic location to use the state as a springboard for economic cooperation, enhancing connectivity and addressing the issues for seamless movement of trade and investment. Since 2014, under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Northeastern region has witnessed a rapid transformation" added Sarma. The Prime Minister whose aim is to 'Act East' and 'act fast' for India's northeast, has given new hope, energy and force to the people of the Northeast. "The Prime Minister has taken the Central government to the doorsteps of Northeast India with several development projects," Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The Chief Minister also said that the Centre's continued attention to the Northeast and its people has proved that the region is not the periphery of India, it is in fact the centre of the fastest emerging nations of South East Asia which has the potential to become the link for the emergence of trade and commerce with these nations. "The Assam government is, therefore, working to position Assam as the gateway and the expressway to ASEAN and South East Asia. The government is also working hard to make Assam the industrial hub which can serve not only the region but also the population of BBN and ASEAN countries," Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Speaking on the Northeastern region's geographical proximity with ASEAN countries, the Assam Chief Minister said - "We have no less than 5300 km of international borders with a host of countries like Myanmar, China, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. The Northeast is truly India's Gateway to Southeast Asia, and I believe the emerging connectivity with the ASEAN nations will play a defining role in enhancing our shared prosperity". He also said that, over the past seven-eight years, India's engagement with the ASEAN countries has grown exponentially. "Trade relations have matured, investments have grown substantially and connectivity between the Northeast and Southeast Asia is fast becoming a reality. Law and order in Assam have improved considerably. Armed Forces Special Power Act has been removed. There has been phenomenal development of connectivity in the state including the construction of bridges over the Brahmaputra to make transportation seamless between the North and South Bank of the river. Assam is also keen on promoting its biodiversity and producing green power to lay a roadmap for the development of the state in sync with its nature. Under UDAN International the state will be connected to at least six countries of the ASEAN bloc. So, Assam has presented a congenial atmosphere for large scale investment, as the Government of Assam is very eager to start a new economic collaboration with ASEAN countries," the Assam Chief Minister said. He also reiterated that the government of Assam is also working wholeheartedly to forge solid and sustainable cooperation with the ASEAN nations. In reply to the High Commissioner of Singapore to India Simon Wie Kuen, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the parameter of Guwahati will be expanded as he expects Singapore's cooperation in developing the city to accommodate the increasing demands of the people from other Northeastern states and outside. Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary while speaking on the occasion presented the prevailing landscape in Assam which holds immense potential for investment. He highlighted the infrastructural development in Assam in terms of roadways, railways, airways and internet connectivity. "Prior to the announcement of Act East Policy, Assam was considered the last part of India. However, the Act East Policy has changed the misnomer, as Assam is now regarded as the Centre of India's relations with the ASEAN countries," Patowary said. The minister also requested the ASEAN ambassadors and high commissioners to send their business delegations to Assam for G2B and B2B meetings. Member, PM's Economic Advisory Council Sanjeev Sanyal, Chief Secretary Jishnu Baruah, Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs Geetika Srivastava, High Commissioner, Singapore to India Simon Wie Kuen, Chairman FICCI North East Advisory Council Ranjit Barthakur also spoke on the occasion. Later on the sidelines of the conclave, Chief Minster Dr. Sarma also held a discussion with Sanjeev Sanyal on different ideas and a host of issues pertaining to Assam's economic growth and development. (ANI) The case pertains to a conspiracy hatched by ISIS operatives in Syria for radicalising Indian youth through the internet wherein an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was fabricated locally on their direction. The accused, Mohammed Shahed Khan alias Lala has been sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 45,000 under sections 13 (unlawful activities), 16 (terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy), 20 (member of a terrorist organization), 38 (support to a terrorist organization), 39 (offence relating to support given to a terrorist organisation) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 4 (attempt to cause explosion), 5 (making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances), 6 (abets or is accessory to sections under the act) of Explosive Substance Act, 1908. As per the NIA press release, the case was initially registered as a crime on July 14, 2016, at the Anti-Terrorism Squad Police Station, Mumbai, Maharashtra and re-registered by the NIA on September 14, 2016. After completing the investigation, a charge sheet was filed on October 7, 2016. One accused, Naser Bin Yafai alias (Chaus), has already been convicted of seven years imprisonment by the NIA Special Court, Mumbai on May 6, 2022, in this case. Further trial in the case is underway. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the condition imposed by the Allahabad High Court directions to the District Magistrate to hold a measurement of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University as part of the condition of bail granted to Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan. A vacation bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Bela Trivedi also issued notice on a plea filed by Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan against the impending threat of demolition of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University as part of the condition of his bail. The Court stayed the conditions till the next date of listing of the matter. Azam Khan has apprehended that conditions imposed by the Allahabad High Court may be led to demolishing of buildings of Jauhar University. The top court said that Allahabad High Court while imposing conditions for grant of bail has exceeded the settled parameters laid down in certain sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The top court also said that prima facie conditions imposed for the grant of bail are disproportionate and have no reasonable link to the means to secure the presence of the accused. The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear this week a plea filed by Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan against the impending threat of demolition of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University as part of the condition of his bail. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal on Tuesday, appearing for Azam, mentioned the matter for urgent hearing before a bench of Justices DY Chandracud and Bela M Trivedi. The bench said it will list the matter for hearing this week. On May 10, the Allahabad High Court granted bail to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in a case related to wrongful possession of the land. The case is about wrongful possession of Waqf Board property. The Allahabad High Court had imposed various conditions including directions to the District Magistrate, Rampur being a representative of Custodian/Administrator of Evacuee/Enemy Property, to hold a measurement of the landed property in dispute which is the centre dispute of this issue admeasuring area of 13.842 hectares village Singhan Khera, Pargana and Tehsil-Sadar, District Rampur and thereafter, raise a boundary wall and barbed wire around it to take the actual physical possession of the property in dispute on behalf of the administrator of evacuee property Mumbai latest by June 30, 2022. Khan, who walked out of jail a few days ago, had been lodged in Sitapur jail since February 2020 last year as many cases are registered against him. (ANI) One Bangladeshi national who was apprehended by the North Bengal Frontier, Border Security Force (BSF) deployed on the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal for inadvertently crossing the International border was handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) as a goodwill gesture. A statement issued by the BSF on Friday stated that the troops of Battalions under North Bengal Frontier BSF deployed on the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal under the dynamic leadership of Ajai Singh, Inspector General of North Bengal Frontier BSF are maintaining alertness on the border in order to thwart any attempt of anti-national elements to execute their nefarious design of smuggling and infiltrations. It further said that troops of BOP Narayanjote of 176 Bn BSF deployed on the Indo-Bangladesh border in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, apprehended one Bangladeshi national namely Sheikhu Miya (32 Yrs) resident of Panchgarh (Bangladesh) when he has inadvertently crossed the border. Later on request, BSF handed over the apprehended Bangladeshi national to Border Guard Bangladesh during a flag meeting as a goodwill gesture. During the year, a total of 11 Bangladeshi Nationals who had inadvertently crossed the border from different bordering areas of the North Bengal Frontier, were handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh as a goodwill gesture, the release added. (ANI) In a major boost to transnational railway connectivity between India and Bangladesh, from West Bengal's New Jalpaiguri to Dhaka cantonment in Bangladesh, the Mitali Express--the third India-Bangladesh passenger train service, is scheduled to start services from June 1. The new train service will be flagged off virtually by the Railway Ministers of India and Bangladesh from Rail Bhawan in New Delhi on June 1. Sabyasachi De, the Chief Public Relations Officer of Northeast Frontier Railway said that the Mitali Express will run two days a week on Sunday and Wednesday. "During the regular service of the train, departure from New Jalpaiguri will be at 11:45 hours (IST). The train will arrive at Haldibari (India) at 12.55 hours (IST) and depart from Haldibari at 13.05 hours (IST). The train will arrive at Chilahati (Bangladesh) at 13.55 hours (BST) and depart from Chilahati at 14.25 hours (BST) to reach Dhaka Cantonment at 22:30 hours (BST)," De said. The CPRO also informed that the train will not have any commercial stoppages. The new Jalpaiguri - Dhaka Cantonment leg of this train will consist of four First Class AC (Seating only), four AC Chair cars and two luggage-cum-generator vans. "During its return journey, Dhaka Cantonment - New Jalpaiguri Mitali Express will also run two days a week- on Monday and Thursday; leaving Dhaka Cantonment at 21:50 hours (BST). The train will arrive at Chilahati (Bangladesh) at 05.45 hours (BST) and depart from Chilahati at 06.15 hours (BST). The train will arrive at Haldibari (India) at 06.00 hours (IST) and depart from Haldibari at 06.05 hours (IST) to reach New Jalpaiguri at 07:15 hours (IST). This leg of the journey will consist of four First Class AC (Sleeper), four AC Chair cars and two luggage-cum-generator vans," De said. He further said that the tickets for this train are available at the overseas Passenger Reservation System counters at New Jalpaiguri Station and Kolkata Railway Station. "The new train services will improve the bilateral trade relation and socio-economic activities of India and Bangladesh. The services will further make travel easier for the passengers and will greatly benefit the tourism sector of North Bengal area along with other tourism hotspots across India," De said. (ANI) Ankita Adhikari, daughter of West Bengal Minister of state for Education, Paresh Chandra Adhikari, who had been recently dismissed from services as a higher secondary political science teacher in state-run school in West Bengal, also appeared for an interview for the post of a college teacher or lecturer. Ankita Adhikari was dismissed for the services of higher secondary political science teacher of state-run Indira Girls High School at Mekhliganj in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal following an order of Calcutta High Court after it was reported that she got the appointment flouting all norms without qualifying in the merit list. She had not even appearing for the personality test. The court also ordered that Ankita Adhikari should return around 43 months of salary that she drew from the school in two instalments. Information has been leaked from the West Bengal College Service Commission that Ankita Adhikari appeared for the interview on April 26, 2021, which was little less than a month before her dismissal order was given by the Calcutta High Court on May 22, 2022. Her roll number on this count is 20103310. Although the officials of West Bengal College Service Commission are totally tight-lipped on this issue considering the already shrouding controversies over the candidate concerned. A Commission associate told IANS that till now there is no evidence or allegation of similar irregularities in her getting call for the interview. "First, she got the call for the interview and appeared for the same at least a month before the Calcutta High Court order for her dismissal from school services. So, the two matters cannot be linked. Secondly, there has not been a single complaint so far about her name being included in the interview list out of turn," the associate said. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is carrying out an investigation in the case of the West Bengal School Service Commission recruitment irregularities scam. Both Paresh Chandra Adhikari and former state Education Minister, Partha Chatterjee have been grilled by the CBI sleuths more than once in this connection. --IANS src/skp/ ( 359 Words) 2022-05-27-19:08:02 (IANS) As part of eight years of celebration of Narendra Modi government, the BJP is likely to rope in prominent pro-government influencers, filmstars, sportspersons to put up social media posts supporting the achievements of the 'Central Government' through their social media handles. The BJP has made elaborate plans to celebrate eight years of the Modi government and all the campaign activities will be held under '8 saal: Seva, Sushasan aur Gareen Kalyan'. Apart from digital media campaign, the BJP has proposed activities at two levels -- one a public outreach activities led by the party and government-led activities supported by the party. There are suggestions for digital media activities on promotion of campaign launch day which includes that official campaign video should be posted by Union Ministers, senior party leaders and party cadre on their social media handles. "A Twitter trend should be organised by the social media team to mark the 8th anniversary of the BJP Government. Social Media handles of Union Ministers as well as Government Ministries should update their profile and cover picture with '8 Saal: Seva, Sushasan Aur Gareeb Kalyan' campaign images. Prominent pro-government influencers, filmstars, sportspersons should put up posts supporting the achievements of the Central Government through their handles," the suggestion mentioned in a BJP booklet. A series of suggestions for digital media promotions before the launch of the campaign mentioned that a campaign anthem focused on beneficiaries of various pro-poor schemes should be prepared in different languages including vernacular languages, human stories of various government scheme beneficiaries should be released before the campaign launch, social media handles of each of the Government ministries should highlight developmental work, a website of achievements of the central government in the last 8 years can be launched and select YouTube influencers should be onboarded to promote the report card of government through their channels. --IANS ssb/skp/ ( 322 Words) 2022-05-27-19:18:03 (IANS) The Centre has told the Supreme Court that nearly 27.45 crore migrant workers/unorganised labourers have been registered on a portal following information from various state governments. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati submitted before a bench of Justices M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna that the government has developed the portal in consultation with the National Informatics Centre for registration of the migrant workers/ unorganised labourers across the country. The bench, in its order, said: "She (Aishwarya Bhati) has stated at the bar that nearly 27.45 crore are registered in the portal on the basis of the information given by the respective concerned states." It also asked how the Central government and the state governments concerned how they would take the advantage of the registration of the migrant workers/unorganised labourers to protect their interests? "One of the objective and purpose of the registration is to ensure that the benevolent schemes which are declared by the government or governments reach the concerned migrant workers/unorganised labourers," the bench said. The top court directed all the states or Union Territories to register all establishments and license of all contractors under the act concerned and ensure that the statutory duty imposed on contractors to give details of the migrant workers is fully complied with, as it noted that many state governments have not complied with the above court directive. The order said: "The Central government will obtain the required information from all the states so that a further order can be passed to protect the interest of the migrant workers/unorganised labourers." It further added, "All concerned states or Union Territories are directed to furnish all the required details which are needed by the Union government so that the latter may file a composite report before this court on the next date of hearing." The Additional Solicitor General sought time to bring on record the compliance report in the matter. The Supreme Court said it would consider the larger issue to protect the interest of the migrant workers/unorganised labourers and also how their rights are to be protected. "The Union government to file a composite report in compliance of all the directions issued by this court in the order dated June 29, 2021. All states must cooperate and submit all the details which are called for," said the bench, scheduling the matter for further hearing on July 20. The top court in May 2020 had taken suo motu cognisance of the problems and miseries of migrant workers. Later, it issued a slew of directions to authorities on a plea of three activists seeking welfare measures for migrant workers. --IANS ss/khz/vd ( 447 Words) 2022-05-27-19:50:04 (IANS) Former BJP MLA Ashis Das, who last year quit the saffron party and joined the Trinamool Congress, resigned from the TMC on Friday alleging "internal groupism" in the party. Das, severely criticising the Trinamool's National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, said that there is no democratic environment in both the BJP and the TMC. A leader of the Scheduled Caste community, the 44-year-old Das announced he was quitting the Trinamool two days after the Election Commission declared the schedule of by-elections to four assembly constituencies in Tripura including Surma from where he was elected to the assembly in 2018 as a BJP candidate. Due to his defection Das lost his assembly membership, paving the way for the by-poll in Surma. Before joining the TMC in Agartala, Das went to Kolkata and offered puja at Kalighat temple and shaved his head in an "act of atonement" for being associated with "a communal party BJP". He also praised TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Besides Das, two other BJP MLAs, Sudip Roy Barman and Ashis Kumar Saha also quit the party and the assembly membership following open differences with former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who resigned from the top post on May 14 following the instructions of the party's Central leadership. Roy Barman, also a former BJP Minister, and Saha joined the Congress in February this year. --IANS sc/kvd/bg ( 242 Words) 2022-05-27-19:50:05 (IANS) In a letter to Jharkhand Governor, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) expressed interest in being a party to Election Commission's May 31 proceedings against party leader and Chief Minister Hemant Soren following BJP's "CM granting mining lease to himself" allegations. The BJP has also demanded Hemant Soren's disqualification from the state assembly. Soren has been asked to appear before the Election Commission on 31 May over having a mining lease in his name. The letter has been written by Vinod Pandey, the General Secretary of JMM requesting the Governor to forward the letter to the Election Commission of India. "JMM is vitally interested in the above-mentioned proceedings before the Election Commission and seeks intervention and to be added party in the above proceedings as its rights and interest will be affected by any order that may be made by the commission and so as to present that true political and administrative situation prevailing in the state under the leadership of Hemant Soren and to clear the confusion which has been created by the petitioner party," read the letter. JMM is of the view that Hemant Soren is a member of JMM and he contested the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly Election on a JMM ticket showing the party has the right to represent its side before the commission. "As is well known Hemant Soren is a member of the JMM and has been elected to the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly on the ticket of JMM and is a presently holding the office of Chief Minister of the state by virtue of having been elected as the leader of the JMM legislative party," the letter further read. Bhartiya Janata Party is the petitioner in this matter. On BJP complaint, the Jharkhand governor forwarded this matter to the election commission. The Commission issued notice to the Chief Minister Hemant Soren asking why he should not be disqualified under section 9A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. JMM alleged that the petition by the BJP is politically motivated with a view to disturbing the smooth functioning of the government of Jharkhand presently headed by Hemant Soren as Chief Minister of the state. "The petitioner party has made totally baseless allegations against the Chief Minister seeking his qualification from the membership of the state Legislative Assembly which are malafide, falls and vexatious, alleged JMM. (ANI) "These were the people who were repeating the slogans raised by the child. Two people were arrested earlier", said Kerala Police. Kerala High Court has directed police to take appropriate action against the Popular Front of India in connection with alleged provocative sloganeering in connection with the May 21 rally held in Alappuzha. Erattuepetta resident Anas, who carried the minor boy on his shoulders, was the first person to be arrested in the case. In the viral video, a boy is seen raising the slogan that "Hindus should keep rice for their last rites and Christians should keep incense for their last rites. If your live decently, you can live in our land and if you don't live decently, we know Azadi (freedom). Live decently, decently, decently." This came as a direct threat to the Hindu and Christian population living in Kerala, with PFI warning the death penalty if they don't fall in line. Kerala Police on Tuesday registered a case against PFI Alappuzha district president Nawas Vandanam and District Secretary Mujeeb in the hate speech matter under section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). (ANI) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that while the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine was an immediate threat to the international order, his country remained focussed on China because the latter posed the most serious and long-term challenge. Laying out the Biden administration's long awaited China policy, he said Beijing had been undermining the very international rules, laws, and institutions that enabled its emergence and rise and that under President Xi Jinping, the ruling Chinese Communist Party had become more repressive at home and more aggressive abroad. "Russian President Vladimir Putin poses a clear and present threat and attacking Ukraine three months ago, he also attacked the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity enshrined in the UN Charter to protect all countries from being conquered or coerced," the Secretary of State said and went on detail the military and diplomatic reverses suffered by Russia. But, he added, "even as President Putin's war continues, we will remain focused on the most serious, long term challenge to the international order. And that's posed by the People's Republic of China. China's the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order, and increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do it". The US is not seeking conflict or a new cold war and it also does not want to block China's rise as a global political or economic power, the top US diplomat made clear. But citing Xi-led China's repressive measures at home and aggressive behaviour abroad and its "no limits" pact with Putin's Russia just before the Ukraine invasion, Blinken said Beijing cannot be relied upon to change this "trajectory" on its own. The US will, therefore, "shape the strategic environment around Beijing to advance our vision for an open, inclusive international system", he added. The Biden administration's China policy will stand on three pillars of "invest, align and compete", Blinken said. The US will invest to restore America's leadership in invention and innovation, work with its network of allies in the Indo-Pacific and around the world and compete with China. "We will invest in the foundations of our strength here at home, our competitiveness, our innovation, our democracy. We will align our efforts with our network of allies and partners acting with common purpose and in common cause and harnessing these two key assets will compete with China to defend our interests, and build our vision for the future," he added. Blinken spoke of the Quad in this context, referring to a grouping of the US, India, Japan and Australia that is focused on the Indo-Pacific region. The group leaders held met in Tokyo earlier in the week, which was their fourth summit since the first in March of 2021. He also mentioned India's membership of the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, which was launched by President Joe Biden in Tokyo past Monday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. But the US will also "engage constructively" with China where it can. "Not as a favor to us or anyone else, and never in exchange for walking away from our principles," Blinken said, "but because working together to solve great challenges is what the world expects from great powers, and because it's directly in our interests to do so". --IANS yashwant/vd ( 570 Words) 2022-05-26-23:12:02 (IANS) Taking to Twitter, the Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi wrote, "Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra interacted with a group of Maldivian journalists who are on a week-long familiarisation visit to India. A useful exchange in further deepening the mutual understanding between our two countries." India's "Neighborhood First" policy and Maldives' "India First" policy work in tandem to tackle shared concerns and advance mutual interests. For India, Maldives has always been a close and important maritime neighbour. Multifaceted ties between the two countries have strengthened despite the pandemic related disruptions. High-level engagements continued with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar visiting Maldives in February 2021 and two visits by the Foreign Minister of Maldives to India in April and July 2021. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian counterpart Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had a telephonic conversation in July 2021. Bilateral cooperation with Maldives includes the creation of people-friendly infrastructure - housing, water and sanitation, health and education, ports, roads and stadiums. It also includes maritime security; connectivity and people to people exchanges. India gifted 200,000 doses of Covishield vaccines to the Maldives in January - February 2021 and this set the stage for a rapid and successful vaccination drive in the Maldives. This has enabled the Maldivian economy to get back on a path to recovery. India has emerged as Maldives' second-largest trade partner, with around 13 per cent market share for Indian exports. In July 2021, India extended the agreement on quotas for restriction-free export of 9 essential commodities to the Maldives for the next 3 years. (ANI) During his upcoming visit to Qatar, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu is expected to launch the India-Qatar Startup Bridge to link the ecosystem of the two countries. India's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr Ausaf Sayeed announced this on Friday at a special briefing on the nine-day visit of Vice President to Gabon, Senegal and Qatar starting from May 30. The Vice President will be in Qatar from June 4-7. The envoy said that Naidu will also visit the Qatar Foundation, a non-profit organization headed by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. "During the visit, Vice President is expected the launch the India Qatar Startup bridge to link the ecosystem of the two countries. The next day (on June 6), he will visit Qatar Foundation, a non-profit organization headed by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. It promotes education science, health and cultural development. It also has an education city which includes well-reputed institutes such as Hamad Bin Khalifa University, campuses of International universities, Qatar National Library, Qatar Science & Technology Park and others," the envoy said. Vice President Naidu would also be visiting the National Museum of Qatar. "Qatar is a very valued partner for India and our extended neighbourhood in a Gulf region. The modern relationship between India and Qatar is anchored in the historical and traditional exchanges between the people of the two countries. it is anchored under four pillars of -- energy partnership, Indian Diasporas, Trade and Investment, and Defence and Security," he said. Naidu's visit to Qatar will be on the occasion of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Qatar to further enhance the bilateral ties, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. During the visit, the Vice President will hold delegation-level talks with Qatar's Deputy Amir, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Thani, and review bilateral cooperation, the MEA said. Vice President will meet several other Qatari dignitaries during this visit and also address a business roundtable in Qatar. People-to-people contacts are at the heart of the historical relations between India and Qatar, with the latter hosting over 750,000 Indians, the MEA said. "The multifaceted cooperation between the two sides has witnessed significant growth in economic, energy, investment, education, defence, and cultural ties," the external affairs ministry said. Bilateral trade crossed USD15 billion in FY 2021-22. Qatar has also committed investments of over USD 2 billion in various Indian companies over the past two years, the ministry said. Meanwhile, the MEA said that the Vice President's visit to Gabon and Senegal will add momentum to India's engagement with Africa and highlight India's commitment to the African continent. The most important aspect of the visit is that it is the first-ever high-level visit from India to both Gabon and Senegal. The Vice President is visiting these two countries from May 30. On June 4, he departs from Senegal and goes to Qatar, Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), MEA, said. "So, May 31 and June 1 are the main visit to Gabon. On June 1, the Vice President goes to Senegal from Gabon. June 1,2, 3 are the three engagement days, then he moves to Qatar, Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations)," the foreign ministry secretary said. "An important aspect of our relationship with Gabon is that both of us are in the UNSC non-permanent membership capacity," he said. (ANI) Terming Africa a priority continent for India, the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said the continent has a huge potential of joining collaboration in the exploration of Oil and Gas, especially in Western Africa. Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), MEA, while addressing a special briefing on the next week's visit of Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu to Gabon, Senegal and Qatar said: "West African countries have lots of natural resources like oil and gas and have not been fully exploited. There is a lot of potentials for our companies to join collaboration with Gabon and Senegal." "Since 2014, number of visits from India are 34 and 100 from other side actually characterizes the relationship. The prioritization from our side putting Africa on top of the agenda, clearly with the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Africa is priority continent," he said. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu will visit three nations (Gabon, Senegal and Qatar) from May 30 to June 7. He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar and three Members of Parliament, Sushil Kumar Modi (Rajya Sabha), Vijay Pal Singh Tomar (Rajya Sabha) and P Raveendranath (Lok Sabha). Speaking about the visit to Gabon and Senegal, Ravi said: "The most important aspect of the visit is the first-ever high-level visit from India to both Gabon and Senegal. The Vice President is visiting these two countries from May 30. On June 4, he departs from Senegal and goes to Qatar." "The visits to Gabon and to Senegal will add momentum to India's engagement with Africa and emphasise India's commitment to the African continent," MEA's earlier statement read. During the Gabon visit, Vice President will hold delegation level talks with the Prime Minister of Gabon Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda. Vice President will call on the President of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba and meet other dignitaries. He will also interact with the business community in Gabon and address the Indian diaspora. Both India and Gabon are currently serving as non-permanent members of the UNSC. Bilateral trade reached USD 1.12 billion in 2021-22. (ANI) The family of the kidnapped girl alleged that the girl was kidnapped to rape. According to reports, police have registered the case but the country's minority community is not happy with the police enquiry and said that courts are open at night for the powerful people but will not open for a minority girl. Earlier, Pakistan's top court opened during the political tussle in the country in which Imran Khan was ousted as the country's Prime Minister. Demonstraters from the Masih Community chanted the slogans "Kholo KholoAdalat Kholo". They have urged the people to protest against the incident till the recovery of the minor girl. Multiple human rights organisations and reports had been accusing the Pakistan government of not taking necessary actions over the rising crimes against Hindus and other minorities in the country. In November 2021, human rights activists claimed that every year 1000 Christian and Hindu girls are forced to convert to Islam. (ANI) Gilgit-Baltistan(GB) Chief Minister Muhammad Khalid Khurshid Khan was booked in a case of alleged shelling and open fire on the police during former Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan's Azadi March on May 25. The FIR lodged by the police claimed that CM Kurshid along with his security personnel chanted slogans against the Pakistan government and the administration, reported Geo News. Besides, they kept firing on the police personnel. The FIR was registered at Saddar Hassan Abdal police station. The police said that the chief security officer of the GB Chief Minister along with 50 other policemen have also been nominated as suspects in the case. Meanwhile, the Islamabad Police on Thursday registered a case against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan along with 150 other PTI members in connection with the riots that occurred during his Azadi March in Islamabad. Cases were registered against PTI leaders Imran Ismail, Asad Umar, Ali Nawaz Awan, and Ali Amin Gandapur. Two separate cases were registered at the Kohsar Police Station for "rioting and arson". Earlier, ahead of the march, police arrested key members of the PTI and cut off the capital Islamabad under the direction of the Shehbaz Sharif government. The government rounded up over 1,000 PTI leaders and workers in a crackdown designed to derail the party's plans for a massive power show in Islamabad. The Pakistan PM reached the capital city late Wednesday night, breaking through the barriers by braving police shelling to enter the Red Zone. They subsequently dispersed from the area after negotiations with the police. The Pakistan government deployed the army in Red Zone to "protect important government buildings" amid rising tensions in the country. Tension gripped the country as clashes took place between police and PTI workers after authorities tried to block them from moving toward D-Chowk in the federal capital. Previously, Imran Khan had warned that his supporters would not vacate D-Chowk until a date for fresh polls was announced by the Shehbaz Sharif government. (ANI) Namgya C. Khampa, Deputy Chief of the Indian embassy in Nepal, inaugurated the upgraded infrastructure of Shree Pal Ewam Namgyal Monastic School in Gandaki Province, built under the Government of India grant assistance, as part of India's Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Indian Mission in Kathmandu said in a statement. According to the statement, a school bus was gifted to the Shree Pal Ewam Namgyal Monastic School and an ambulance was gifted to the Gharapjhong Rural Municipality This project was undertaken by the District Coordination Committees (DCC) of Mustang with the assistance granted by the Government of India at the cost of Nepali Rupees (NRs) 26.30 million. It is the High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) under India-Nepal Development Cooperation. This is one of the 75 projects being inaugurated this year in Nepal as part of "India's Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" which celebrates 75 years of independence. "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 statement reads. Notably, 57 HICDPs are in Gandaki Province including 15 projects in Mustang District. "India and Nepal enjoy a multi-faceted and multi-sectoral development partnership that is reflective of the closeness of the people of both countries. The implementation of this project reflects the continued support of the Government of India to socio-cultural infrastructure and contributes to the development of people to people links," the statement added. (ANI) During his visit to Qatar, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will address the India-Qatar business round table which will include members of the Indian business delegation. Naidu is scheduled to be in the Middle Eastern country from June 4-7 as part of a three-nation visit beginning May 30 in which he will also visit Gabon and Senegal. Indian business delegation who will participate in the business round table at Qatar include members of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FCCI). "During his visit, the Vice President will also address the Indian Qatar business round table which will include members of the Indian business delegation, comprising the members of the CII and FCCI and the groups. as well as members of the local Chambers of Commerce, Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Qatari Businessmen Association," India's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr Ausaf Sayeed said in Friday. He was addressing a special briefing on the three-nation visit by the Vice President. "In the recent years, the multi-faceted cooperation between two sides has witnessed significant growth in the economy, energy, investment, education, culture and defence. The bilateral trade during the last financial years 2021-2022 has crossed 50 billion. Qatar has also committed to making an investment of approximately two billion dollars in India and various sectors," Ausaf Sayeed said. "Qatar also hosts about 55 companies which are wholly owned by India. Besides these there are almost 50,000 companies which are jointly owned by India and Qatar. India companies have also executed several prestigious infrastructure projects in Qatar," the Indian envoy said. Speaking about the energy sector, he said: "In terms of energy partner ship. Qatar is a very important and the biggest source for LNG and LPG supply to India acocunting nearly 40 per cent, and 30 per cent of global imports. We have a long term agreement with Qatar. We are looking at enhancing the partnership into a comprehensive energy partnership." The Vice President will also address the vibrant members of the Indian Diaspora during a community reception. "Qatar is a home of nearly 7.5 lakh Indians who are contributing meaningfully to the socio-economic development of Qatar," India's ambassador said, adding that "their reception will mirror the diversity of the Indian diaspora. They include prominent members of Indian communities various cultural and social culture organisations, and businessmen and professionals." Meanwhile, the MEA said that the Vice President's visit to Gabon and Senegal will add momentum to India's engagement with Africa and highlight India's commitment to the African continent. The most important aspect of the visit is that it is the first-ever high-level visit from India to both Gabon and Senegal. The Vice President is visiting these two countries from May 30. On June 4, he departs from Senegal and goes to Qatar, Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), MEA, said. "So, May 31 and June 1 are the main visit to Gabon. On June 1, the Vice President goes to Senegal from Gabon. June 1,2, 3 are the three engagement days, then he moves to Qatar, Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations)," the foreign ministry secretary said. "An important aspect of our relationship with Gabon is that both of us are in the UNSC non-permanent membership capacity," he said. (ANI) Terror group ISIS (ISIL) has claimed responsibility for series of explosions in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, which killed 9 people and left 15 others injured, according to the statement posted on the group's Aamaq news agency. Three explosions rocked the capital of Balkh province on May 25, leaving at least 9 people killed and 15 others injured, Khaama Press reported. Meanwhile, on the same day, a blast at Masjid Sharif Hazrat Zakaria mosque in Kabul City left at least two worshippers dead, according to officials, Al Jazeera reported. In response to the attacks in Balkh and Kabul, the US Special Envoy for Women and Human Rights in Afghanistan, Rina Amiri said that the Taliban must ensure people's security and prevent similar atrocities. "The heinous attacks in Mazar & Kabul serve no purpose but to inflict further devastation on innocent Afghans who have suffered enough," Amiri tweeted. "Preventing these horrid attacks and addressing the security & needs of all Afghans should be what the Taliban focus on," she added. The first two explosions in Balkh province targeted passenger vehicles in the Hazara neighbourhood, Khaama Press reported citing local sources. Additionally, an explosion at a traffic square in Kabul's fourth police district killed at least 30 people and injured others at the Hazrat Zekriya Mosque. The Emergency hospital said that 22 people had been injured and that 5 of them had died on their way before reaching the hospital. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the blast in Hazrat Zakariya, according to Khaama Press. The Taliban face a severe security threat from the Khorasan branch of ISIS, which has been active in Afghanistan since 2014. Earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the recent attacks in Afghanistan that claimed the lives of numerous civilians, among them members of the Hazara Shia community and several children." The Secretary-General condemns the recent attacks in Afghanistan, including on passenger vehicles in Mazar-e-Sharif City and the Masjid Sharif Hazrat Zakaria mosque in Kabul City, which have claimed the lives of numerous civilians, among them, members of the Hazara Shia community and at least 16 children," Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General said in a statement. Guterres extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those injured. "Attacks against civilians and civilian objects, including mosques, are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law." The Secretary-General reiterated his call on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, as well as their right to freely practice their religion. (ANI) Taking to Twitter today, Assam Chief Minister said that all the leaders were agreed to further strengthen economic and social ties between Assam and Bangladesh for mutual benefit. "Had a fruitful discussion with a Bangladeshi delegation led by the neighbouring country's Foreign Minister Dr @AKAbdulMomen. We agreed to further strengthen economic & social ties between Assam and Bangladesh for mutual benefit," Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted. (ANI) Belgium [Brussels], May 27 (ANI/Sputnik): The NATO Defense Ministers will meet on June 15-16 in Brussels, the alliance said on Friday, adding that the EU, Georgia, Finland, Sweden and Ukraine are invited to attend the event. "A meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Defence Ministers will take place on Wednesday 15 June and Thursday 16 June at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. The meeting will be chaired by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg," NATO said in a statement. NATO added that the meeting will start with a working dinner where "Finland, Georgia, Sweden, Ukraine and the European Union are invited". (ANI/Sputnik) Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday dispelled the reports that he had made a deal in exchange for ending his 'Azadi March'. Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, Imran Khan said, "Do not think it was our weakness and don't think that a deal was made. I am hearing strange things that a deal was made with the establishment. I did not make a deal with anyone," he said, adding that the only motive behind his actions was a concern for the country, Dawn reported. PTI Chairman said that he would take the street again if an early election would not be announced. He regretted how police officials attacked the participants of the march, blaming the government for hand-picking officers to target the PTI. "Our workers asked why we did not stage a sit-in. I am the man who staged a sit-in for 126 days. It was not difficult for me, but by the time I reached I became aware of the extent of the situation [...] I knew that day that there would be bloodshed," Khan said. Khan added that people were ready to fight after seeing the 'terrorism' carried out by the police. He also said that the officials were instructed to brutalise protesters. "The anger at the time, if I had staged a sit-in that day I can guarantee that there would have been bloodshed," he said, adding that there was a prevailing sense of hatred against police officials. "But the police are also ours, it is not their fault," the PTI chairman said, blaming the government for issuing the directives. If there was violence then it would only have caused chaos in the country, he said. He also made it clear that the PTI would not negotiate with or accept the "imported government". "I think of this as a jihad. I will stand up against this as long as I am alive," he said, reiterating that he only cared about the future of the country, according to Dawn. Imran Khan again stressed his six-day ultimatum to the government for the announcement of early elections. He claimed that the government was "afraid", pointing out how they pressurised media channels and slowed down internet services. "No one knew what was going on. There was confusion." He also termed his party workers "heroes" for taking to the streets in the national interest. "You came out for the country's haqeeqi azadi (true freedom)," Imran Khan said as quoted by Dawn. The city turned into a battleground on Wednesday as multiple scuffles took place between the police and PTI marchers after Imran Khan and his convoy entered the city and started marching towards the D-Chowk despite the Supreme Court's order to hold a rally at a ground between H9 and G9 areas of Islamabad. To control the law and order situation in the federal capital, the Pakistan government deployed troops of the Pakistan army in the Red Zone to protect important government buildings including the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Parliament House, Presidency, Prime Minister's Office and others. The decision was taken under Article 245 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, reported the Geo TV. (ANI) Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)'s 'Haqiqi Azadi March' cost the Shehbaz sharif-led government Rs 149 million to maintain the law and order in the capital. This amount was released to police after the police officials sent a letter to the government, asking for the amount, Dawn reported citing officers. Police were not able to stop the participants of the march from reaching the Red Zone, the participants removed blockades, confronted the security personnel and even set some trees on fire. The police officers said that the request for the supplementary grant was made to the chief commissioner's office, it then reached the interior ministry and then was forwarded to the finance ministry for release of funds. Funds were released on request of police for a supplementary grant, officers said. Besides this, other necessary items would be arranged, it stated, adding that a huge amount was already spent on the maintenance of law and order in the capital during the 48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers held in March 2022, vote of no-confidence against the ousted prime minister and the subsequent election of the incumbent prime minister, according to Dawn. For these events, Rs 150 million were demanded, however, no funds had been approved for the police so far. At present, no funds are available with the police to cater to requirements and besides this, vendors were reluctant to provide services due to their pending liabilities. "In view of the above, additional funds are required on an urgent basis to ensure effective security measures during the law and order situation due to the PTI's protest and sit-in," the request said. The officers further stated that during the current financial year, the capital police had been allocated very limited funds which have already been consumed. Meanwhile, PTI has decided to resume contact with the federation after Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif invited the former ruling party for talks, reported The Express Tribune. After former prime minister Imran Khan's formal approval, the PTI will hold talks with the coalition government. The talks will focus on electoral reforms and other issues. In this regard, PTI may soon form a negotiating committee. (ANI) The main focus of Vice President Venkaiah Naidu's visit to Senegal and Gabon is the Western African region which is Francophone countries (The countries whose official language is French), said Damu Ravi, Secretary (ER) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). In a special briefing on Vice President's Senegal and Gabon visit, Ravi said that the most important aspect of this visit is that it is the first-ever high-level visit from India to these countries. Notably, Vice President will be in these countries from May 30 to June 4. "India's engagement with Africa has enhanced as you all are aware since 2005. When we did this India-Africa forum summit, the number of visits has enhanced. Since 2014, the visits are 34 from our side and 100 incoming visits. So that actually characterises the relationship," Secretary (ER) said. Ravi said that Venkaiah Naidu will interact with Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon, who also came to India in the past years. "Important aspect of relation with Gabon is that both Gabon and India are non-permanent members of UN Security Council, this year," he added. Referring to trade, Ravi said that the trade between the two countries has improved and went from 4.40 million to 1.12 billion. During Vice President's visit, he will interact with Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda, Gabon Prime Minister, followed by delegation-level talks. "Vice President will also call on Gabon's President and then he is scheduled to have a joint meeting with the President of the National Assembly and the President of the Senate. He will also address business events organised by CII and the local chamber of commerce," Ravi said. Naidu will be visiting Senegal from June 1 to June 3 where he will be holding delegation-level talks with the President of Senegal Macky Sall, the President of the National Assembly Moustapha Niasse and other dignitaries. "Our relationship with Senegal is also characterised by shared understanding on many issues, we had democracy and open society and those values are binding us. And this year Senegal is chair of the African Union and this visit assumes greater importance," Ravi said. Ravi further said that the main interest in Senegal in terms of trade is that the country holds huge natural resources, particularly phosphate, which is of great interest to secure a fertiliser supply from that side. "Vice President will interact with the Indian diaspora and will then address the business community. He will also be meeting with the President of the national assembly," Ravi added. Secretary (ER) further said that the Vice President will also deliver a public talk at Universite Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD), the biggest university in Africa. After Senegal, Vice President will fly to Qatar, the last destination of his African countries' visit. (ANI) Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has underlined the importance of implementing policies for stabilizing the economy and supporting market entities to bring the situation back to the normal track, in an unusually stark warning that comes as COVID curbs have adversely impacted the second-largest economy. Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks on Wednesday at a teleconference, Xinhua news agency reported. This came as President Xi Jinping, who is spearheading some of China's key policies, is being blamed for slow growth. Experts warn that this challenge could cost him as he looks to take on a controversial third term later this year. Against this backdrop, the Chinese Premier, in the past few months, has stepped into the spotlight to urge changes that would bring the economy back on track. Earlier this month, Keqiang had painted a grim picture of the job market in the world's most populous nation due to COVID-19 lockdowns. He had called the employment situation "complex and grave." He instructed all levels of government to prioritize measures to boost jobs and maintain stability, CNN reported. These measures include helping small businesses survive, supporting the internet economy, providing incentives to encourage people to start their own business, and giving unemployment benefits to laid-off workers. His remarks come at a time when China's jobless rate has climbed to the highest rate in almost two years, according to data from the government. Each year, China needs to add millions of new jobs to keep the economy humming. The government has set a target of creating at least 11 million jobs in towns and cities in 2022. (ANI) Alarmed by continued terror attacks in Afghanistan, UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett has called for a thorough and independent investigation of these attacks that have resulted in the killing of dozens of people. "Alarmed by continuing terror attacks on civilians, including 16 child casualties. Deepest condolences to victims and families of latest attacks #Kabul #Mazar. Flagging as @SR_Afghanistan need for a thorough, independent and resourced investigation of these & other attacks," Richard Bennett tweeted. Afghanistan had been hit by a series of bomb attacks launched by the Islamic State (IS) group opposing the Taliban regime. In Wednesday's blasts, at least five worshippers were killed and 17 others wounded in Kabul after a blast ripped through a mosque during evening prayers in Police District (PD) 4. The blast occurred when people were offering prayers in Hazrat-e-Zekria Mosque. On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the recent attacks and extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims. "Attacks against civilians and civilian objects, including mosques, are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law," Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General said in a statement. UN chief reiterated his call on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, as well as their right to freely practice their religion. Afghanistan is at a crossroads and the de facto authorities, the Taliban, must pursue a path toward stability and freedom for all citizens, especially women, said UN independent expert Bennett, who recently concluded an 11-day visit to the ravaged country. Bennett had said Afghanistan is facing a plethora of human rights challenges that are having a severe impact on the country's people. However, the Taliban have failed to acknowledge or address the magnitude and gravity of abuses, many of which were committed in their name. (ANI) Xi meets representatives to meeting on handling public complaints Xinhua) 08:22, May 27, 2022 Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng meet representatives to a national meeting on work related to the handling of people's complaints at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with representatives to a national meeting on work related to the handling of people's complaints. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, offered warm congratulations to the exemplary individuals and groups honored at the meeting, and extended sincere greetings to officials and people working in the system for addressing public complaints. Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, were present. Xi had cordial exchanges and posed for a photo with the representatives at the Great Hall of the People. Addressing the national meeting, which was held from Wednesday to Thursday, Guo Shengkun, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, stressed thoroughly studying and implementing the instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on strengthening and improving work related to addressing public complaints and called for ushering in a new chapter in work related to the handling of people's complaints. Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng meet representatives to a national meeting on work related to the handling of people's complaints at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Guo Shengkun, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, speaks at a national meeting on work related to the handling of people's complaints held from May 25 to 26 in Beijing, capital of China. Xiao Jie, state councilor and secretary-general of the State Council, also attended the meeting. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) In this March 23, 2021, photo, a man leaves a bouquet on a police cruiser parked outside the Boulder Police Department in Colorado. An officer was one of the victims of a mass shooting at a King Soopers grocery store. (Associated Press) The slain gunman in the shooting at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school and the suspect in the shooting at a Buffalo, N.Y., supermarket were both just 18 when they bought the weapons used in the attacks, authorities say. They were too young to legally buy alcohol or cigarettes, but old enough to arm themselves with assault weapons. The Buffalo suspect was taken to a hospital last year for a mental health evaluation, but the incident didn't trigger New York's red flag law, so he was still able to buy a gun. The Texas gunman's mother told ABC he gave her an uneasy feeling" at times and could be aggressive ... If he really got mad." But authorities say he had no known criminal or mental health history. The state has no such red flag law. These are just the latest U.S. mass shootings in which the gunman or suspected gunman's ability to obtain guns has raised concerns. In some cases the guns were obtained legally under current firearms laws, or because of background check lapses or law enforcements failure to heed warnings of concerning behavior. After the shootings, which together left 31 people dead, President Biden renewed calls for stronger gun laws and questioned whether people as young as 18 should be allowed to purchase firearms. In the past, Biden has called for banning assault weapons and expanding background checks. Many Republicans oppose the measures. A look at how suspects in mass shootings over a decade obtained guns, based on police accounts, court documents and contemporaneous reporting: UVALDE, TEXAS: MAY 24, 2022. 21 DEAD. Salvador Ramos legally purchased two guns in the days before the attack that killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School an AR-style rifle from a federally licensed gun dealer in the Uvalde area on May 17 and a second rifle on May 20. Ramos made the purchases just days after turning 18, the minimum age under federal law for buying a rifle. He also purchased several hundred rounds of ammunition. At least one of the rifles was a DDM4, made by Daniel Defense and modeled after the U.S. militarys M4 carbine rifle, though without the M4s ability to switch to fully automatic or fire a three-round burst. The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong, Biden said hours after the shooting Tuesday. What in Gods name do you need an assault weapon for except to kill someone? Ramos was killed at the school by a Border Patrol team. Story continues BUFFALO, N.Y.: MAY 14, 2022. 10 DEAD. Payton Gendron legally purchased the Bushmaster XM-15 E2S used in the attack on Tops Friendly Market from a federally licensed gun dealer near his home in Conklin, N.Y., about 200 miles southeast of Buffalo. In a personal, online diary that surfaced after the attack, Gendron said he bought the AR-15-style weapon in January, bought a shotgun in December and received a rifle as a Christmas present from his dad when he was 16. Last year, Gendron was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation under a state mental health law after writing murder-suicide in response to a teachers question. New York is one of 19 states with red flag laws that allow courts to take guns from people posing immediate danger, but that didnt happen with Gendron, who was 17 at the time. State police described his threat as general in nature and said it didnt specifically mention shooting or firearms. After the shooting, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order underscoring the need for red flag interventions and said she would seek to bar people under 21 from buying some semi-automatic weapons in the state. A similar law in California was ruled unconstitutional. Gendron is charged with murder. SAN JOSE: MAY 26, 2021. 9 DEAD. Samuel James Cassidy legally purchased the three 9 mm handguns he used to kill co-workers and then himself at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority rail yard. He also stockpiled a dozen guns and 25,000 rounds of ammunition at his home, which he set ablaze before the shooting, and had high-capacity magazines that may have been illegal under California law, depending on when they were purchased. Santa Claras district attorney said authorities wouldve sought to take Cassidys weapons away under the states red flag law had U.S. Customs and Border Protection informed them of a Significant Encounter with Cassidy upon his return to California from a trip to the Philippines in 2016. Customs agents said in a report that Cassidy harbored dark thoughts about harming two specific people and had a memo book in which he expressed his hatred of the transit agency. BOULDER, COLO.: MARCH 22, 2021. 10 DEAD. Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa bought a Ruger AR-556 pistol, a semiautomatic weapon with a capacity of up to 30 rounds, six days before the shooting at King Soopers grocery store, police said. Alissa was prone to sudden rage and was convicted of misdemeanor assault and sentenced to probation for attacking a high school classmate. Colorado has a universal background check law covering almost all gun sales, but that misdemeanor would not have prevented him from buying a weapon, experts said. Had it been a felony, federal law wouldve barred his purchase. Days before the shooting, a judge struck down city ordinances banning assault rifles and high-capacity magazines in Boulder, citing a state law prohibiting local gun bans. The NRA backed the lawsuit challenging the ordinances. A judge ruled last month that Alissa is mentally incompetent to stand trial. ATLANTA: MARCH 16, 2021. 8 DEAD. Robert Aaron Long purchased a 9 mm handgun just hours before going on a shooting rampage at three massage businesses in the Atlanta area, police said. A lawyer for the gun shop said it complies with federal background check laws. Georgia, like the majority of states, has no waiting period to obtain a gun. Long claimed to have a sex addiction, police said, and he spent time at an addiction recovery facility last year. Federal law bans guns for people who are unlawful users of or addicted to a controlled substance or whove been court-ordered to a mental health or substance abuse treatment facility, but doesnt mention treatment for other compulsions as a barrier to ownership. Long is serving a sentence life without parole. MIDLAND, TEXAS, AUG. 31, 2019. 7 DEAD. Seth Aaron Ator purchased an AR-style rifle through a private sale, allowing him to evade a federal background check, and fired it indiscriminately from his car into passing vehicles and shopping plazas. He also hijacked a mail truck, killing the driver. Ator had been blocked from getting a gun in 2014 after his background check was flagged because a court determined he was mentally ill, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the matter. Private sales, which account for up to 40% of all gun sales according to some estimates, are not subject to a federal background check and private sellers aren't required to determine if a buyer is eligible to own a gun. Ator was killed by police. DAYTON, OHIO: AUG. 4, 2019. 9 DEAD. Connor Betts classmates said he was suspended in high school for compiling a hit list and a rape list, but authorities said nothing in his background prevented him from purchasing the AR-15-style pistol used in the shooting at Ned Peppers Bar. Ohio law requires that sealed records of any juvenile crimes be expunged either after five years or once the offender turns 23. Betts, who was 24 at the time of the shooting, bought the gun online from a Texas dealer. It was then shipped to a Dayton-area firearms dealer, in accordance with federal law. Betts was killed by police. EL PASO, TEXAS, AUG. 3, 2019. 23 DEAD. Patrick Crusius bought an AK-47-style rifle and 1,000 rounds of hollow-point ammunition online 45 days before he walked into a Walmart store, where he is accused of opening fire and killing 23 people and injuring two dozen others, before allegedly confessing that he had been targeting Mexicans, according to prosecutors. A Crusius family lawyer said his mother raised concerns about the purchase in a call to police on June 27. Police said she asked if Crusius, who was 21 at the time, was old enough to buy a gun. Police said she was assured he was and that he'd qualify if he passed a background check. Police said she expressed concern only about his safety and said shed seen no recent change in his behavior. Crusius posted a racist screed online just before the attack and appeared to target Mexicans. He's charged with capital murder in Texas and federal hate crimes and firearms offenses. VIRGINIA BEACH, VA.: MAY 31, 2019. 12 DEAD. Former Virginia Beach city employee DeWayne Craddock legally purchased six firearms in the three years before he opened fire on a municipal building, including the two .45-caliber pistols used in the attack. An independent review of the shooting, commissioned by the city of Virginia Beach, found that Craddock displayed no warning signs or prohibited behaviors associated with a pathway to violence, and that he had no known history of mental health treatment. Craddock was killed by police. THOUSAND OAKS: NOV. 7, 2018. 12 DEAD. Ian David Long, a former Marine machine gunner who served in Afghanistan, used a legally purchased .45-caliber pistol with an extended magazine in the shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill. California tried to outlaw high-capacity magazines, but a federal judge reversed that after a pro-gun group sued. Months before the shooting, sheriffs deputies called to Longs home found him acting irrationally, but a mental health specialist didnt feel he needed to be involuntarily committed. California has a red flag law, but theres no indication authorities sought a court order to take away Long's guns. Long killed himself. PITTSBURGH: OCT. 27, 2018. 11 DEAD. Robert Gregory Bowers had a carry license and legally owned the Colt AR-15 SP1 and three Glock .357 handguns that police allege he used to kill worshipers at Tree of Life synagogue. Bowers spent months posting rants against Jews on Gab, a social media site favored by right-wing extremists. He also posted photos of his "glock family. Just before the attack, he posted a screed against a Jewish organization that resettles refugees, saying: I cant sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, Im going in. None of the rhetoric appeared to raise red flags. His case is pending. Adrian Alonzo is consoled by his mother during a vigil Wednesday at the Uvalde County Fairplex to honor the fallen victims of a mass shooting in Texas. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times) SANTA FE, TEXAS: MAY. 18, 2018. 10 DEAD. Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a 17-year-old student, used a shotgun and a .38-caliber handgun that his father purchased legally and stored in a closet at their home, authorities said. It wasnt clear if his father knew hed taken the guns. Prior to the attack, Pagourtzis posted a photo on social media of a T-shirt with the phrase Born to Kill and had writings indicating he planned to attack his high school. A judge sent him to a mental health facility after ruling he was incompetent to stand trial. PARKLAND, FLA.: FEB. 14, 2018. 17 DEAD. Nikolas Cruz legally purchased a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle in February 2017 from a licensed dealer a few miles from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, authorities said. Hed been treated at a mental health clinic but hadnt been there in more than a year. Federal law prohibits gun purchases if a court declares a person a mental defective or commits that person to an institution, but not if the person seeks treatment voluntarily. Cruz was 19 at the time of the shooting. He pleaded guilty in October and is scheduled to be sentenced next month. SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, TEXAS: NOV. 5, 2017. 25 DEAD. Devin Patrick Kelleys history of domestic abuse barred him from buying guns. But he was able to do so because information about his crimes was never entered into a federal database used for background checks. The Air Force failed to follow rules requiring that it inform the FBI about his conduct. Kelley purchased four guns, including an AR-15-style rifle found at First Baptist Church, from licensed Texas and Colorado dealers over a four-year span. Kelley killed himself. LAS VEGAS: OCT. 1, 2017. 58 DEAD. Stephen Paddock purchased 33 of the 49 weapons found in his hotel room and at his homes in the year before he opened fire on a country music festival. Paddock passed all background checks. His gradual accumulation of guns went undetected because federal law doesn't require licensed gun dealers to alert the government about rifle purchases. Paddock killed himself. ORLANDO, FLA.: JUNE 12, 2016. 49 DEAD. Omar Mateen purchased an AR-15-style rifle, a Sig Sauer MCX, and a handgun from a licensed dealer on separate days about a week before the Pulse nightclub attack. He passed a background check and had a security license that allowed him to be armed while on duty. The FBI investigated Mateen in 2013 and 2014 over co-workers concerns that hed spoken about ties to terrorist groups. Neither inquiry led to charges. Even if he'd been placed on a terrorism watch list, Congress in 2015 rejected attempts to prevent people on the list from purchasing guns. Mateen was killed by police. SAN BERNARDINO: DEC. 2, 2015. 14 DEAD. Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, used weapons that the FBI said his neighbor, Enrique Marquez, legally purchased from a licensed dealer in 2011 and 2012. Marquez pleaded guilty to charges he conspired to provide support to terrorists and made false statements to acquire a firearm. He told investigators Farook asked him to buy the weapons because he would draw less attention. Farook and Malik were killed by police. ROSEBURG, ORE.: OCT. 1, 2015. 10 DEAD. Christopher Harper-Mercer and his family members legally purchased the handguns and rifle used in the Umpqua Community College shooting from a licensed dealer. Investigators found six guns at the college and eight at an apartment. Neighbors said Harper-Mercer and his mother went target shooting together. Harper-Mercer killed himself after he was wounded by police. CHARLESTON, S.C.: JUNE 17, 2015. 9 DEAD. A drug arrest should've prevented Dylann Roof from purchasing the pistol he used at Emanuel AME Church, but a record-keeping error and background check delay enabled the transaction to go through. The FBI said a background check examiner never saw the arrest report because the wrong arresting agency was listed in state criminal history records. After three days, the gun dealer was legally permitted to complete the transaction. He was convicted and is on federal death row. WASHINGTON: SEPT. 16, 2013. 12 DEAD. Aaron Alexis, a former reservist turned civilian contractor, passed background checks and legally purchased the shotgun used in the Washington Navy Yard shooting despite recent mental health treatment and a history of violent outbursts. He previously fired a gun in anger twice but wasnt prosecuted in either case. Alexis was killed by police. NEWTOWN, CONN.: DEC. 14, 2012. 26 DEAD. Adam Lanza used his mothers weapons, including a .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle, in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Lanzas mother, whom he fatally shot before going to the school, also purchased the ammunition. Lanza killed himself. AURORA, COLO.: JULY 20, 2012. 12 DEAD. James Holmes was receiving psychiatric treatment when he passed required federal background checks and legally purchased the weapons he used in his movie theater assault. As in the Parkland and Navy Yard cases, treatment alone did not prevent him from buying guns. He was convicted and sentenced to 12 life terms and thousands of years in prison. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. JACKSON - Five men, one from Lakewood and four from Brooklyn, were arrested Wednesday after police found them in an Olena Drive home following an alleged forced entry. What authorities called a home invasion turned out to be an unauthorized eviction involving a Brooklyn security company, police said. Police went to the home at 6:09 p.m. after getting a call from a resident inside about a home invasion. Once inside, a resident pointed to the five men who she said were responsible, shouting that they broke into the house and assaulted the family, police said. Police said the suspects forced their way into the home through the front door, damaging it. Residents told investigators the men held down a male and female resident and took their phones so they could not call 911, police said. The men then started changing the deadbolt and lock on the front door, police said. For subscribers: As Long Branch family murder trial looms. mother and son go to Florida For subscribers: New Ocean Gate mayor sworn in, denounces former mayor charged with theft, corruption Summer approaches: Six Jersey Shore arcades that can't be missed Detectives found that the home was owned by a man who leased it to another man who in turn subleased it. The owner reportedly hired a security company based in Brooklyn to evict the people there without going through the eviction process, police said. The five men were employees of the security company, police said. Hours before. police encountered the men after receiving a call about a suspicious vehicle in the area. They identified themselves as employees of a security company who were there to meet a client for a job nearby. Police did not detain them since they had broken no laws. Arrested on charges of robbery, burglary, criminal restraint, theft, criminal mischief, criminal trespassing and simple assault were Christopher Landau, 26, Robert Drozd, 38, Joseph Castano, 22 and Cesar Saavedra-Luna, 24, all from Brooklyn, and Marco Balanzar-Hernandez, 45, of Lakewood. Story continues The charges include at least one that has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The men were taken to Ocean County Jail in Toms River, and the investigation is continuing. Ken Serrano covers crime, breaking news, investigations and local issues. Reach him at kserrano@gannettnj.com. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jackson NJ home invasion: 5 arrested in unauthorized eviction Texas governor Greg Abbott lamented on Friday the changing official account of Tuesdays shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, while saying that the FBI is investigating the conduct of officials. Abbotts remarks came after a high-profile press conference Friday by Texas Department of Public Safety director Steven McCraw in Uvalde. During his remarks, McCraw said up to 19 police officers had entered the hallways of the school during the massacre, but after initially engaging the shooter fell back and did not breach the classroom door. The incident commander at the scene, chief of police Peter Arredondo, judged that the situation was no longer an active shooting but a barricaded subject presuming all children inside the two connected classrooms to be dead, even as some were calling 911 to plead for help. From the arrival of police, it took 50 minutes for the door to be breached by a U.S. Border Patrol tactical team, whose agents killed the shooter. The decision was wrong. Period, said McCraw. These remarks, however, appeared to contradict those made by Victor Escalon, the Public Safety Department regional director responsible for Uvalde, who defended the conduct of officers in a press conference on Thursday. At that press conference, Escalon had declined to answer reporters questions about the period between 12 and 12:50 p.m., from when police arrived to when the shooter was killed. At another press conference called at 4 p.m. Friday local time to announce a support plan for the families of victims, Abbott criticized the changing police accounts of the story as reported in the media. The information I was given turned out, in part, to be inaccurate, he said. I was misled, and I am absolutely livid, Abbott added. As governor, Abbott oversees the Texas Department of Public Safety, which has been leading the investigation into the incident. Texas Governor Greg Abbott: "Yes, I was misled. I am livid about what happened!" pic.twitter.com/zCAOcw7syP CSPAN (@cspan) May 27, 2022 It is imperative that the leaders of the investigation get down to the very second with 100 percent accuracy, Abbott said. Law enforcement is going to earn the trust of the public, he added. Every action by those officials is under investigation by both the Texas Rangers and by the FBI. Story continues Abbotts remarks suggested that an investigation into the actions of police, separate from the ongoing investigation into the incident, may be called by the state in response to the mounting criticism of Uvalde police officers. Earlier, Representative Joaquin Castro (D., Texas) sent a letter to FBI director Christopher Wray asking the bureau to investigate the Uvalde Police Department and U.S. Border Patrols response to the incident, using their maximum authority in the situation. At McCraws press conference, the FBI special agent in charge Oliver Rich had said that local authorities would be leading the investigation and that the bureau would be playing a supportive role. Abbotts remarks appear to contradict Richs. In response to National Reviews request for comment, the FBI referred us to a social media post of Richs remarks, where he claimed that the Bureau would investigate only if there was a federal nexus. More from National Review Students at Bennett College, an all-female HBCU in Greensboro, North Carolina, received a major blessing from the Debt Collective, an organization thats fighting to cancel debts and defend millions of households. Debt Collective activists worked to cancel all the debt Bennett College students owed to the institution, which amounted to $1.7M. We just CANCELED $1.7M of student debt for every former student that owed money directly to Bennett College an HBCU for women in NC, the group wrote on an Instagram post. We canceled unpaid bills and college debt owed directly to Bennett College. We cant cancel federal student loans theyre owed by the government. But President Biden can and should, the Debt Collective noted on one of the posts slides. Debt Collective activists contacted the HBCUs president, Suzanne Walsh, earlier this year offering to clear the students Bennett College debt, though she humorously thought the matter was spam at first. People just dont reach out and say, We can help your students pay off their debts,' Walsh recalled thinking at the time. However, the offer ultimately proved to be the real deal. My student loans from Bennett College were canceled Amb (@Amb_bition) May 16, 2022 Braxton Brewington, press secretary for Debt Collective, spoke on the initiative during an interview with Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC. We believe student debt is unjust and is disproportionately harming Black women and Black borrowers in particular, he said when discussing why the Debt Collective selected Bennett College, one of only 2 historically Black womens colleges in the country. Brewington also reverberated that the Debt Collective covered debts owed directly to the university including parking tickets, library charges and unpaid tuition. Resultingly, Bennett College students with federal student loans will still have to pay the government back, though Debt Collective is calling on the Biden Administration to do its part in the fight. This [serves as] an indictment to the Biden Administration. Why do a group of activists have to take on what really is the role of the federal government? Brewington noted. JERUSALEM (AP) The Al Jazeera news network says it will submit a case file to the International Criminal Court on the killing of reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead earlier this month during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank. The Qatar-based network and the Palestinian Authority have accused Israeli soldiers of deliberately killing her. Israel rejects those allegations as a blatant lie." It says she was shot during a firefight between soldiers and Palestinian militants, and that only ballistic analysis of the bullet which is held by the PA can determine who fired the fatal shot. An AP reconstruction lent support to witnesses who say the veteran Palestinian-American correspondent was killed by Israeli fire, but any final conclusion may depend on evidence that has not yet been released. Al Jazeera said late Thursday it has formed an international legal team to prepare a case dossier to be submitted to the ICC. The court launched an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes last year. Israel is not a member of the ICC and has rejected the probe as being biased against it. Al Jazeera said the case file would also include the Israeli bombing of the building housing its offices in Gaza City during last year's war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, as well as the continuous incitements and attacks on its journalists operating in the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel said the building which also housed the Gaza office of The Associated Press contained Hamas military infrastructure, but has not provided any evidence. The AP was not aware of any purported Hamas presence in the building and condemned the strike as shocking and horrifying. No one was hurt in the strike, which came after an Israeli warning to evacuate. The Network vows to follow every path to achieve justice for Shireen, and ensure those responsible for her killing are brought to justice and held accountable in all international justice and legal platforms and courts, Al Jazeera said. Story continues Israel says it cannot determine whether Palestinian militants or its own soldiers fired the fatal shot unless the PA hands over the bullet that killed Abu Akleh for ballistic analysis. The PA has refused to cooperate with Israel in any way, saying it doesn't trust Israel to investigate itself. The PA announced the results of its own probe on Thursday, saying Abu Akleh was deliberately killed by Israeli forces and that there were no militants in the area. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz rejected the findings, saying any claim that the IDF intentionally harms journalists or uninvolved civilians is a blatant lie, referring to the Israeli military. Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al Khateeb, in announcing the results of the probe, said the bullet that killed her was an armor-piercing 5.56 mm NATO round and that it appeared to have been fired by a Ruger Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle. The Israeli military declined to comment on whether the gun described by the Palestinians matches one the military has previously identified as having possibly fired the fatal shot. It also declined to say whether the army uses the Ruger Mini-14 or whether any were in use during the May 11 raid in which Abu Akleh was killed, in the West Bank town of Jenin. Israel has publicly called for a joint investigation with the PA, with the participation of the U.S. The State Department said this week that neither Israel nor the PA have formally requested its assistance. Each side is in sole possession of potentially crucial evidence, and neither is likely to accept any conclusions reached by the other. ___ Associated Press writer Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's legal teams made their closing arguments Friday in the former couple's defamation cases against one another. (Steve Helber / Associated Press ) Amber Heard isn't really asking for the $100 million she sued Johnny Depp for. Her lawyer said Friday that they simply asked for that amount to send a message to the "Pirates of the Caribbean" star after he asked for half that amount when he sued her for defamation. That information came Friday in a Virginia courtroom as legal teams for the former spouses registered their closing arguments in their dueling defamation cases. "Johnny Depp sued for $50 million, and we sent a message back saying, 'Fine, then we're gonna sue for $100 million because look what you did to her.' We're not asking you to give $100 million," attorney Elaine Bredehoft told the jury, speaking about compensatory damages. "We're asking you to just look at the damages in this case and just be fair and reasonable in whatever you determine." The case, which kicked off April 11 in Fairfax, Va., went to the jury Friday afternoon. While Depp's side has painted the case as being about getting his life and reputation back, Heard's side has argued that it's a First Amendment case about the right to tell one's own story. Heard attorney Benjamin Rottenborn led off the defendant's closing arguments by warning the jurors about the message they would be sending to victims of domestic abuse if they found in Depp's favor. "If you didn't take pictures, it didn't happen. If you did take pictures, they're fake. If you didn't tell your friends, you're lying. If you did tell your friends, they're part of the hoax. If you didn't seek medical treatment, you weren't injured. If you did seek medical treatment, you're crazy," Rottenborn said. "If you do everything that you can to help your spouse, the person that you love, rid himself of the crushing drug and alcohol abuse that spins him into an abusive, rage-filled monster, you're a nag. And if you finally decide enough is enough, you've had enough of the fear, enough of the pain and you have to leave to save yourself, you're a gold digger." Story continues Rottenborn called the case "victim-blaming at its most disgusting." He also replayed the notorious video of Depp wandering around a kitchen, slamming cabinet doors, pouring himself a large glass of wine and getting angry when he realized Heard was recording his actions. "Who does that? Who does that?" Rottenborn asked the jurors. "Imagine watching your husband, the person you love, behaving violently that way. Like a wild animal. That is abuse. That's abuse." Those statements came after Depp's attorneys argued that he was the actual victim in the relationship. "There is an abuser in this courtroom, but it is not Mr. Depp," attorney Camille Vasquez said. "And there is a victim of domestic abuse in this courtroom, but it is not Ms. Heard." Later, Vasquez painted the team's allegations against Heard more plainly. "Ms. Heard lied," she said. "And she lied again. And she kept lying." Heard allegedly lied, Vasquez said, when she asked for the temporary restraining order in 2016, when she said she donated her entire $7-million divorce settlement to charity and when she wrote the 2018 Washington Post op-ed around which Depp's case revolves. (The case is being argued in Virginia because the state is home to the news outlet's servers.) "She's come too far. She can't back down. She's lied too many times to too many people," Vasquez said. "So when Mr. Depp finally decided to fight, to clear his name by filing this lawsuit, Ms. Heard responded by making up more and more stories of more and more extreme abuse. She came up with a new accusation that Mr. Depp had raped her with a bottle in Australia, and she keeps making new claims up even now." After listing the 16 witnesses who had stood up in court for Depp either in person or via live video, including ex-girlfriend Kate Moss, the Depp team later said that except for Heard's sister, Whitney Henriquez, "no one showed up for Ms. Heard in this courtroom" other than witnesses who were paid to testify. Heard's team presented its case in large part via prerecorded video depositions. Depp attorney Ben Chew, during his turn in front of the jury, categorized the case as "the unique and singular #MeToo case where there's not a single 'me too,'" as in no other women who came forward to similarly accuse Depp of abuse. Chew also noted that after the #MeToo movement hit in 2017, producers knew better than to hire anyone who had been accused of abuse, implying that Heard's 2018 op-ed had placed Depp into a category where he didn't belong one that allegedly cost him tens of millions of dollars in acting work. Rottenborn returned in his rebuttal to remind the jury about how Heard's career had allegedly suffered after comments were made by former Depp attorney Adam Waldman. "Studios like her. Co-stars like her. She tests well. But she can't get opportunities because of the negativity associated with Mr. Depp and Mr. Waldman," he said. Judge Penney Azcarate who kicked off Friday by reading the jury its instructions about how to decide the case had strongly hinted the day before that the jury shouldn't argue past dinnertime each day and instructed them to decide what time they would return to deliberations after the Monday holiday. In Virginia, a seven-person civil jury must reach a verdict unanimously. The jury in this case will decide the defamation claims for both actors simultaneously. It's not clear when the verdict will be decided, though presumably it could happen next week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Johnny Depp won his defamation trial, and Amber Heard has partially won her countersuit against Depp. Depp won $10 million in compensatory damages and, $5 million in punitive damages. Heard won $2 million in compensatory damages. But in the court of public opinion, Depp was announced the winner from day one thanks to internet trolls. Depp sued his ex-wife for $50 million, claiming she falsely accused him of domestic violence in an opinion column that appeared in The Washington Post. In 2020, Depp lost a similar case against The Sun newspaper in a British court when the judge found that the evidence presented was "substantially true." Heard countersued Depp after his lawyer said her claims were false in statements to the press. Heard is two decades younger than her former husband and was significantly less famous than he was when they were married. She argued from the beginning that no one would believe her against Depp. Based on the deplorable responses on the internet, that has proved to be true. Abortions in Mexico?: If Roe v. Wade is overturned, women will still have option A portion of the cross-examination regarded a fight Amber Heard the actress had with Johnny Depp in Australia in March 2015. The facts vs. the trolls I am not here to relitigate the facts presented at trial. Suffice it to say, during the trial, their marriage counselor testified that there was "mutual abuse." But for Depp fans and social media users with no expertise in the matter, the ongoing defamation case has turned into an all-out assault on just one of the parties involved: Heard. I won't go into details because ... why? But on Twitter, the hashtags #MenToo and #JohnnyDepp have been trending with fans of Depp who would otherwise consider themselves "feminists" calling out Heard for "misandry." On apps like TikTok and Instagram, she has been ridiculed for how she described what she says happened to her. She has been trolled for her emotional facial expressions. She has been trolled for alleging abuse at all. Story continues Even "Saturday Night Live" jumped into the fray with what I thought was an entirely unfunny and arguably tasteless skit, mostly focused on making fun of Heard. Pence versus Trump: Mike Pence saved American democracy once. Now, he's helped to do it again against Trump. Victim-blaming for social media clout These abusive takes racked up millions of views, and it's no small thing. Bullying and victim-blaming have always been a problem, but the internet has expanded and boosted the audience for the humiliation. As for the not-funny problem of domestic violence: Around the country, people are victims of intimate partner violence every day, but women experience physical and sexual violence at a much higher rate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 4 women and nearly 1 in 10 men have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime. Social media users of both sexes have turned a legal battle into a misogynistic free-for-all, and they face no consequences whatsoever for their posts. It's a reminder of how the internet is able to bring out the worst in us and put that on display for millions of people to watch and partake in. How to help stop more school shootings?: Raise the age to buy a rifle to 21. There are real-life consequences of this behavior, too. It sets a very dangerous precedent for people, women in particular, to decide to come forward with allegations of abuse. This is especially true if the allegations are against someone powerful, or with a large social media following. Victims of intimate partner violence will continue to face abuse but may be less likely to report that abuse because of the online vitriol they're sure to face. And that may be the saddest part of the story. Carli Pierson, a New York licensed attorney, is an opinion writer with USA TODAY, and a member of the USA TODAY Editorial Board. Follow her on Twitter: @CarliPiersonEsq You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Depp-Heard verdict: Both got wins. But only Amber was hated online. An alerce tree in Chile's Alerce Costero National Park. Jonathan Barichivich An ancient cypress in southern Chile could be more than 5,000 years old, making it the worlds most aged tree, new research finds. Known as Great Grandfather, the endangered alerce tree lies in a ravine in Alerce Costero National Park. Scientists estimated its age using computer models based on data gathered from a sample. This method tells us that 80 percent of all possible growth trajectories give us an age of this living tree greater than 5,000 years, Jonathan Barichivich, an ecologist at the Climate and Environmental Sciences Laboratory in Paris, told Reuters. There is only a 20 percent chance that the tree is younger. The findings suggest that the tree is older than the current record-holder, Methuselah, a 4,853-year-old bristlecone pine in the White Mountains of California. Barichivich, who led the research on Great Grandfather, said the tree could be as much as 5,484 years old. Some scientists are skeptical of the findings, as they are based on computer modeling and have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. The only way to truly determine the age of a tree is by dendrochronologically counting the rings and that requires all rings being present or accounted for, Ed Cook, a founding director of the Tree Ring Laboratory at Columbia University, told Science in an email. Great Grandfather is in a precarious position, with visitors to Alerce Costero National Park often stepping on its roots and or taking pieces of its bark, Barichivich said. Drier conditions are also stressing the tree. Noting the impacts of climate change, Barichivich told Reuters that he hoped people could think for a fraction of a second about what it means to live 5,000 years. ALSO ON YALE E360 Why Keeping Mature Forests Intact Is Key to the Climate Fight (Getty Images) New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticised President Joe Biden amid reports that the president is considering forgiving up to $10,000 in student debt per borrower. Mr Bidens debt forgiveness proposal would reportedly be limited to Americans who earned less than $150,000 for individuals and $300,000 for married couples, The Washington Post reported. But Ms Ocasio, the democratic socialist congresswoman who represents her partys left flank, quote-tweeted a Twitter thread from NAACP president Derrick Johnson saying it was insufficient. $10k means tested forgiveness is just enough to anger the people against it *and* the people who need forgiveness the most. $10k relieves most the people who owe the least. What relief is there for the most desperate? For them, interest will undo that 10k fast. We can do better. https://t.co/HhfWbeCf0v Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 27, 2022 $10k means tested forgiveness is just enough to anger the people against it *and* the people who need forgiveness the most, she said. $10k relieves most the people who owe the least. What relief is there for the most desperate? For them, interest will undo that 10k fast. We can do better. Ms Ocasio-Cortez and many other Democrats - including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Elizabeth Warren - have urged Mr Biden to cancel student debt. Ms Ocasio-Cortez has made the case that not doing so would hurt Mr Biden with his base. Now would be a great time to cancel student loan debt, take significant climate action, and pass voting rights. https://t.co/M84l1XZfnt Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 31, 2022 The criticism comes as Ms Ocasio-Cortez has clashed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the rest of House leadership for endorsing Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas despite his opposition to abortion and gun control. If Cuellar wins, leaderships decision to go to the mat for a pro-NRA incumbent will be the reason why, she tweeted earlier this week. If Cisneros pulls it out, they will have mobilized against a badly needed grassroots for Nov & fought against a historic victory. And for what? Ms Ocasio-Cortez had endorsed Mr Cuellars primary opponent Jessica Cisneros in Texass 28th district. The race is currently too close to call. Joe Manchin outside the Capitol building on Thursday (AP) Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared to skewer her Democrat colleague Joe Manchin over his response to this weeks shooting in Uvalde, Texas. On Thursday, the Democratic congresswoman retweeted a post quoting Mr Manchin for saying that he has never been in this frame of mind on tightening gun control following the shooting at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday. Ive never been in this frame of mind, I cant get my grandchildren out of my mind, Mr Manchin reportedly toldPunchbowl News reporter Jake Sherman. Another reporter, NBC Newss Vaughn Hillyard, highlighted the similarity between Mr Manchins remarks this week and those in the aftermath of the Parkland school shooting in Florida, however. Mr Hillyard tweeted: Fwiw, Manchin told me this quote just over a week after Parkland in 2018: It feels a little different. Ive got grandchildren also in the school systems, and I understand the concerns that every parent and grandparent has. The 2018 shooting at Parklands Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School led to calls from gun control campaigners and Demcrats for greater restrictions on owning firearms across the whole US. But Republicans in Congress have largely stood in the way of any proposals to introduce tougher gun laws. But on Thursday Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he had instructed Senator John Cornyn of Texas to begin negotiating with Democratic Senators. On Thursday, Mr Manchin met with fellow Democrat Chris Murphy and about eight other senators to seek mutual ground on gun legislation after a domestic terrorism bill passed the House but was blocked in the Senate. Laws theoretically require the support of at least 60 senators to pass under a rule known as the filibuster. Mr Manchin, who has long been a thorn in the side of progressive Democrats when it comes to passing legislation, told reporters that he hoped there was new appetite for a law on background checks for gun sales. The West Virginia Democratic Senator and former governor previously touted his support from the National Rifle Association, even running an advertisement in 2010 showing him shooting Democrats proposed climate legislation with a gun. Story continues Following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012, Mr Manchin partnered with Pennyslvania Republican Senator Pat Tommey on a bill requiring tougher background checks for gun owners. Mr Toomey was reported as saying however that he doubted there was enough support for such a bill in the wake of Uvalde, despite the deaths of 19 children and two teachers. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said he will give bipartisan negotiations two weeks. Additional reporting by The Associated Press. Oxygen In the early morning hours of August 25, 2008, Linda Heidt, the matriarch of a prominent and well-respected Georgia family, placed a chilling 911 call. Help. Please, Linda struggled to tell an Effingham County 911 dispatcher, according to Dateline: Secrets Uncovered, airing Wednesdays at 8/7c on Oxygen. Whats wrong? the dispatcher said. Gun, Linda said. Shot. Through halting words, Linda was able to tell the dispatcher she had been shot in the face. Her husband Philip Heidta prominen A 14-year-old Athens youth was arrested Friday, suspected in the shootings of two other teens involved in a fight that stemmed from trash talking on social media, according to Athens-Clarke police. The shooting of the victims, ages 16 and 17, occurred about 1:25 p.m. on Tuesday at East Carver and Cone drives, police said. The wounds were not life threatening. The teen suspect was arrested by Clarke County sheriffs deputies after police identified him as the shooter, according to police Lt. Shaun Barnett. The teen is charged with four counts of aggravated assault. Previously: Athens-Clarke police seeking suspects in shootings that left 2 men wounded 'It's extremely dangerous': Athens-Clarke police respond to cases of weekend gunfire More crime news: With suspect in jail, investigators await autopsy results in Barrow County slaying Police are still investigating where and how the suspect obtained a firearm, Barnett said. Police reported earlier that the victims had received denigrating messages on Instagram and they went looking for the person making the comments. The youths apparently located that person in the Carver Drive area and a fight ensued which escalated into gunfire. Police said anyone with information regarding the shooting may contact Det. Paul Johnson at (762) 400-7060 or paul.johnson@accgov.com This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Athens teen charged after Instagram 'trash talk' leads to shootings The Daily Beast GettyConfused Twitter usersmost of them Americanare slamming rude Swedish culture in a micro-moment dubbed #Swedengate.The conversation kicked off in a viral Reddit post that eventually made its way to Twitter, as former and current residents shared insights into Swedish hospitality, which doesnt look very warm and welcoming to those outside the Nordic nation.Laughing at twitter finding out that Swedish people will not feed strangers. as a kid growing up here we knew to just go home around SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's new government said on Friday it would give temporary visas to a Sri Lankan asylum seeker family held in immigration detention since 2019, a step towards closure of one of the country's most controversial migration cases. The Tamil family of four, Priya and Nadesalingam Murugappan and their two daughters, have been a cause celebre since being detained in the rural Australian town where they settled years earlier. The family was taken into the country's offshore detention system, designed to deter asylum seekers from entering by boat. Amid growing public anger, the conservative government moved the family to mainland Australia last year when the younger daughter, Tharnicaa, needed urgent medical care for sepsis linked to untreated pneumonia. The family has since been in community detention onshore. The new centre-left Labor government, which won a national election on May 21 after nine years in opposition, said it would give the family bridging visas, allowing them to return to their adopted home town, Biloela, 600 kilometres (370 miles) northwest of Brisbane, until their asylum application is resolved. "When I visited Biloela in 2019, I saw just how much the community loves Priya, Nades, Kopika and Tharnicaa," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote in a tweet, referring to the family members. "Today my government has enabled them to return home," added Albanese, who was sworn in as leader on Monday. The former conservative government had resisted calls to free the family, known as the "Biloela" family, insisting that doing so would undermine its hardline immigration policies. But criticism about the family's treatment grew, including by conservative members. The just-elected Labor government said before the election that it would adopt the conservatives' tough border policies but that it considered the Biloela family's treatment unfair. Priya and Nadesalingam Murugappan arrived in Australia by boat in 2012 and 2013 and sought asylum. The couple married in Australia, where their daughters were born. Story continues In 2018, after Australia rejected the asylum applications of Priya and Nadesalingam, who fled Sri Lanka amid a civil war, Canberra detained the family for deportation to Sri Lanka. When court orders blocked their deportation, Australia in 2019 moved the family to Christmas Island, a territory some 1,550 km (960 miles) northwest of the mainland, before their return to the mainland last year. (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) Former President Barack Obama has had a virtual reunion with a young man whose innocent question in the Oval Office yielded a photo that hung for years in the White House, and for many, touched the heart of the American dream. Five-year-old Jacob Philadelphia meets President Barack Obama in the Oval Office of the White House in 2009. / Credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza "Is that Jacob? It's Barack Obama. Do you remember me?" the former president asks a now-18-year-old Jacob Philadelphia in a video posted on his official website. From the small monitor on his desk, a smiling young man replies: "Yes, and you said your hair would be gray next time." "And I was not lying," responds Obama. The two first met in 2009, when Carlton Philadelphia, Jacob's father, a U.S. Marine who served on the National Security Council, brought his family to the White House. While introducing his children to then-President Obama, his younger son Jacob, then 5, asked the nation's chief executive: "Is your hair like mine?" President Obama leaned down and encouraged the little boy to touch his hair, to find out for himself. "I think that is pretty much what I got," Jacob declared, according to Obama. White House photographer Pete Souza captured the moment in a photo that spent the rest of Obama's presidency hanging on a wall in the West Wing. "I think this picture embodied one of the hopes I had when running for office," Obama said in the video posted to his website on Friday. "The day I was sworn into office, young people, particularly people of color, outsiders, they would look at themselves differently, to see a person who looked like them in the Oval Office, and they could see the world open up to them." Almost 14 years later, Jacob was graduating on Friday from the International School of Uganda, outside Kampala. "I was five years old when I met President Obama in the Oval Office," he says in the video released by the former president's office. "I just thought the president was my dad's boss. I didn't know how powerful he was I kinda remember him towering over me, and me touching his hair." "If I get to see another Black man be at the top, at that pinnacle, then I want to follow that lead," he said. Story continues Jacob Philadelphia, 18, speaks on a video call with former President Barack Obama, May 27, 2022, in a screengrab from video posted on Obama's official website. / Credit: Obama.org It was the former president who initiated the video call to pass along his congratulations to Jacob, saying he'd heard he was about to graduate. He said one benefit of his father working at the State Department has been the family's extensive travels, through which he's been able to "meet people and see their ideals of how they want to change the world." Jacob said his plan was to study at the University of Memphis, with the goal of a degree in political science. Obama smiled and added, "I hope the White House has clearly inspired you." Their chat ended by coming full circle back to the hair, with Obama ending with a question of his own: "Is that some facial hair you are growing there, some kind of a mustache?" before closing with, "It sounds like you are doing great." "I couldn't be more proud of him," the former president wrote on his website. LeBron James surprises kids on the last day of school Grandfather of 10-year-old victim killed in Texas shooting recalls hearing the news Special Report: Texas officials say "wrong decision" delayed school shooting response President Biden is nearing a decision on student loan debt forgiveness, with the president and his team zeroing in on canceling $10,000 per borrower, with some potential caveats. White House officials cautioned no decision has been finalized as Biden continues to weigh his options. The president is scheduled to speak at the Naval Academys commencement ceremony on Friday and at the University of Delawares ceremony on Saturday. Multiple reports indicated Biden considered using the weekend commencement ceremonies to announce some student debt forgiveness, with The Washington Post reporting the timing was changed in the wake of a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children dead. A White House official disputed that was the case, however. No decisions have been made yet but as a reminder no one has been required to pay a single dime of student loans since the president took office, deputy press secretary Vedant Patel said. Multiple sources told The Hill in late April that Biden was looking at canceling at least $10,000 in student debt, and indications are the White House appears to have settled on that number even as they work through potential limits on who the loan cancellation would benefit. The Washington Post reported Friday that the latest iteration of the plan called for capping the debt forgiveness to individuals who earned less than $150,000 last year, or $300,000 for married couples. It is also unclear if the cancellation would apply to all student loan debt, or just undergraduate students. Biden in the 2020 campaign supported forgiving at least $10,000 in federal student loans per person after several other candidates made student loan forgiveness a key part of their platforms. Since taking office, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) have repeatedly pushed Biden on the issue, insisting it would provide immediate relief to minorities and low- and middle-income families. Schumer has called for canceling up to $50,000 in student debt per borrower. Story continues While that large of a sum has been publicly ruled out, Biden has in recent weeks made increasingly clear he is prepared to provide some student debt forgiveness. I am not considering $50,000 debt reduction, but Im in the process of taking a hard look at whether or not there will be additional debt forgiveness and Ill have an answer on that in the next couple of weeks, Biden said on April 28, days after he reportedly told members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus he was open to forgiving some student loans. The White House has yet to give an updated timeline in the month since Biden said a decision was a couple weeks out, but officials have pointed to actions that have helped student loan borrowers over the past year and a half. Biden last month extended the pandemic moratorium on federal student loan payments and interest accrual through August. Loan payments were first paused in March 2020 early in the pandemic under then-President Trump, and the moratorium has been extended multiple times since. The White House has repeatedly said Biden is prepared to sign legislation canceling student loan debt but in the meantime is weighing what authority the president has to unilaterally wipe out some debt. Conservative critics have pushed for student loan payments to resume, arguing the moratorium has cost the federal government billions of dollars and that any widespread forgiveness would disproportionately benefit wealthy Americans. A study from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget that found roughly 75 percent of student loan repayments come from the top 40 percent of earners. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Anthony Boadle and Ricardo Brito BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil is preparing to receive a record number of international observers for its October election, according to electoral authorities and participating organizations, amid a polarized presidential race in which President Jair Bolsonaro has questioned the reliability of electronic voting machines. Bolsonaro's government objected to an invitation last month extended by Brazilian electoral authorities to the European Union to send observers for the first time, sinking that proposal. But the parliament of South American trade bloc Mercosur, known as Parlasur, will send a formal observer mission for the first time, as will the U.S.-based Carter Center and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). The 34-nation Organization of American States also will send more observers than it did in 2018, when Bolsonaro was elected. "We don't know the size of the mission yet, that will depend on the money available, but we intend to make it bigger," said a source at the hemispheric forum in Washington, requesting anonymity to comment on preliminary discussions. "In 2018, there were 40 observers and we want to exceed that number." Bolsonaro, a far-right populist, gave vocal support to former U.S. president Donald Trump's baseless allegations of fraud in the 2020 election. He has raised similar doubts about Brazil's electronic voting system, calling it liable to fraud, without providing evidence. Those allegations, along with Bolsonaro's criticism of the electoral authorities who defend Brazil's voting systems, have raised concerns he might not accept defeat by his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is leading in opinion polls. "For this reason we are inviting, in an unprecedented way, all international organizations and specialized centers to act as observers of our election," Edson Fachin, head of Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) said last week. Story continues "We are aiming for more than 100 international observers during the electoral process," said Fachin, one of a rotating set of Supreme Court justices running the TSE this year. Parlasur was invited by the TSE to send representatives for the 2018 election as foreign guests. This year, it will send an official election observation mission for the first time, according to the mission's director Alexandre Andreatta. He said the mission would have between 10 and 20 members. The Carter Center, which has been a pioneer of international election observation since the 1980s, said it will send an exploratory mission to Brazil in June to study the possibility of observing the October vote, a spokesperson said. The Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries has confirmed it will send election observers, Fachin said, and the Global Network on Electoral Justice, a pro-democracy organization, has been invited to do so, Fachin said. European electoral authorities have been invited as guests, he said. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle and Ricardo Brito; Editing by Bill Berkrot) Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge; Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge; and Prince Louis of Cambridge on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in June 2019 Max Mumby/Getty Images A UK manufacturer of baby formula is sending products to the US to overcome shortages. Kendal Nutricare makes the formula that Kate Middleton fed to Prince Louis. Parents have faced ongoing shortages of baby formula linked mainly to product recalls in the US. A UK manufacturer of the baby food used by the British royal family to feed Prince Louis will fly formula to the US to help combat ongoing shortages. Kendamil, produced by Kendal Nutricare, is in talks with the US Food and Drug Administration to fly the formula to the US and plans to send enough to fill 100 trucks over the next six months, the company said. The baby milk, as well as Kendamil baby cereal products, were reportedly fed to Prince Louis by the Duchess of Cambridge. Manufacturers are now sending products to the US as part of Operation Fly Formula, which was launched by President Biden on May 18 to combat ongoing shortages caused by supply chain issues and product recalls. The recalls affected some formula made by Abbott Nutrition at its factory in Sturgis, Michigan, following complaints of bacterial infection in four infants who consumed the product. Parents have struggled to secure tins of their preferred formula as retailers including Target, CVS, and Walgreens also rationed supplies. Under the plan, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture can use military aircraft to transport baby formula that meets the FDA standards into the US. The first batch of Nestle formula arrived in Indiana from Switzerland on Sunday. Dylan McMahon, cofounder of Kendamil, told Insider: "The urgency and scale of the baby milk shortages in the USA is extremely concerning. We can only imagine how stressful it must be for those parents affected and are delighted to be able to step in and help." "We look forward to bringing the highest-quality formula to the US parents, while supporting British jobs, local farming and organic dairy," he added. Kendal Nutricare is based in Kendal in the Lake District of northwest England and is the UK's only manufacturer of infant formula. The company was founded in 1962. The Kendal Nutricare factory in Kendal, England Kendal Nutricare Read the original article on Business Insider After losing his wallet containing $500 for over a week, a British man in Singapore was relieved when he received a letter that a good Samaritan had found and returned the wallet to police. The man, Chris Henderson, believed he had lost his wallet for good until a letter from Singapore police informed him that his wallet had been found 10 days later. He was shocked, however, after discovering that most of his cash had been left untouched. Henderson posted about the experience to TikTok on Thursday, where he begins the video by explaining the letter he had received and expresses that he is really hopeful that his wallet has been safely returned with the cash intact. I need this money back $500 is a lot of money to lose and its not usual for me to have it in my wallet. Not usual at all. Maybe maximum $100 but on this occasion, I lost it, Henderson says in the video. Ive got a baby coming in September, I need the money. More from NextShark: TikTok Star Nina Mc Lin Called Out for Using the N-Word in Video After retrieving the wallet from the police station, Henderson reveals that his wallet still contained a majority of the cash, with $460 left untouched. He describes it as unbelievable and thanks the good Samaritan who handed in his wallet to the police. I hope you get good karma for you and your family. If only I had your name and number so I could give you some sort of compensation and thank you, Henderson says. I dont know who you are but thank you so much because I need that money back. More from NextShark: Chinese student poses as wealthy socialite to live in luxury in Beijing for free When one TikTok user commented on the missing $40, Henderson explained that he did not have a problem with it and speculated that he had either used it and forgotten or the good Samaritan used it to take a taxi to the police station. Story continues Many users agreed on Singapores honesty, as Henderson described it, while others believed that he had gotten lucky. Yes, WE ARE SINGAPOREAN! Whether you are here for [work] or holiday, we treat everyone with respect and honesty, one user commented. More from NextShark: Controversial Wilmington police sergeant being investigated for 'China virus' Facebook post I wouldnt say all Singaporean are honest. We are not perfect. But you just lucky that the person who returned your wallet is honest and kind, another user wrote. Feature Image via @chrishendoo More from NextShark: Thank you, Mama baby Grey is making videos on his own, and viewers are stunned by how much hes grown May 26Don't make Joey McCamon angry. It's just not gonna work out. Midway through the third period in Chagrin Falls' 11-8 win over University in a Division II regional championship game on May 26, McCamon the Tigers' goalkeeper got his pocket picked by University's Charlie Freer and gave up a goal to cut Chagrin's lead to 8-6. After that, McCamon was dynamite in the net. Propelled by a strong offensive attack and buoyed by McCamon's inspirational play in the net in the fourth Chagrin clinched a state final four berth. Chagrin will play either Toledo St. John Jesuit or Toledo Ottawa Hills on May 31 at Oberlin College. "I tell ya what," Chagrin coach Paul Corto said of McCamon, "If that's what is going to happen and he's going to play like that, I hope he gets his pocket picked every game." In the fourth, McCamon was pretty much impenetrable in the net. He made a strong stop on University's 2-on-1 attack at the five-minute mark. He repelled a shot at point-blank range by US's JP Brennan at the 3:42 mark and then maybe his biggest stop was at the 2:20 mark on a laser beam off the stick of Campbell Crowley. Twenty seconds after the last save, Owen Shaw scored off a pass from Cam Croisdaile for an 11-8 lead. The proverbial dagger. "He was freaking amazing," Croisdaile said of McCamon's net play. "This (win) feels amazing. US plays us hard every time. They're one of our biggest rivals. To do this at home with all our fans here is the best." University the No. 2 seed to Chagrin's No. 1 pressured the Tigers offense all night. When Preston Blue scored early in the third, US cut the gap to 5-4. But Chagrin answered with three goals in a 71-second span two by Fritz Clark to extend the lead to 8-4. University twice had to margin down to two goals in the fourth, but each time the Tigers answered one by Croisdaile and the clincher by Shaw. Story continues "Chagrin is a great team," US coach Hans Rydquist said. "They probably have the top attack line in the state. We knew we had to limit them. When they got the ball, they scored." University got a big game from Blue, a sophomore who had four goals. "He's a great player, a sophomore who plays like an older player," Rydquist said. With the win, Chagrin turns its attention to the state final four to go after the state title that evaded them last year. "We'll be prepared, there is no doubt" Corto said. "This team loves being together. They don't want the season to end. That's why you see that effort for 48 minutes." STORY: China and Russia on Thursday vetoed a resolution to impose more UN sanctions on North Korea. The U.S. had drafted that resolution in response to a string of missile tests this year. Thursdays vote was the first time the Security Council has split over the issue since 2006, when North Korea fired off its first nuclear test. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she was disappointed but not surprised. "We have been circulating a draft of this resolution for nine weeks. In that time, the countries vetoing this resolution have refused to engage on the text, despite our commitment to inclusivity and flexibility during consultations." Among other restrictions. the resolution banned oil and tobacco exports to North Korea. The countrys leader Kim Jong Un is a chain smoker. It also would have blacklisted a group of hackers called the Lazarus group. For Russias part, it wants to ease up on North Korea. According to its UN ambassador. sanctions are a dead end." As history has shown us, the paradigm of sanctions has still not been able to guarantee security in the region or resolve issues of missile and nuclear nonproliferation." China also wants to lift some sanctions, hoping to lure North Korea back to negotiations with the U.S. Denuclearization talks stalled out after the last summit between leader Kim and former President Donald Trump in 2019. The issue is now set to be taken up by the UNs General Assembly. Just a day before Thursdays vote, Pyongyang fired off three missiles. Washington has warned that a nuclear test could be next. BEIJING (Reuters) - Border areas in China's northeastern province of Jilin, which shares a long frontier with coronavirus-hit North Korea, reported domestically transmitted COVID-19 infections of unknown origin, a Chinese health official said on Friday. The outbreak had shown a trend of spreading from border areas to inland areas, Lei Zhenglong, of China's National Health Commission, told a news briefing. Jilin province also shares a short border with Russia and Lei did not specify which border he was referring to or say how many cases had been found. This month, isolated North Korea announced its first COVID outbreak since the pandemic emerged in China more than two years ago, declaring the "gravest national emergency" and imposing a national lockdown. Jilin's daily tally of new cases for the past five days has been in the single digits. Many of the cases reported in recent days were in places near North Korea. The province has not confirmed COVID patients among international travellers recently. Jilin emerged from widespread COVID lockdowns weeks ago after getting its worst outbreak under control. China's zero-COVID strategy has been tested by infections leaking across its long land borders, including its southwestern border with Myanmar. Late last month, China suspended cross-border freight train services with North Korea because of COVID. (This story refiles to remove extraneous word 'has' from first paragraph) (Reporting by Roxanne Liu, Ryan Woo and Tony Munroe; Editing by Hugh Lawson) Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal closed in Friday on a blockbuster clash at the French Open as both reached the last 16, while 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest man to make the second week in Paris since 2006. Reigning champion Djokovic and 13-time winner Nadal are on course to meet in the quarter-finals, with the Spaniard seeded outside the top four at Roland Garros for just the second time. World number one Djokovic strolled to a 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 win over Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene and Nadal eased past Dutch 26th seed Botic van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. "I'm always very motivated when I get on the court, with the desire to produce my best level each time. It's not always possible to do it, but today it was very good," said Djokovic. The 35-year-old Serb is aiming to become the oldest men's singles champion in Paris in the Open era as he chases a record-equalling 21st Grand Slam title. Next up for Djokovic, who was also French Open champion in 2016, is a match-up with Argentina's Diego Schwartzman, the 15th seed. Nadal, the 21-time major champion, improved his record at Roland Garros to 108-3 after seeing off 2021 US Open quarter-finalist Van de Zandschulp. He has now reached at least the fourth round in 17 of 18 visits to Roland Garros, with the exception of 2016 when he withdrew in the third round with a wrist injury. "Today has been a very good test and very positive test, because I was able to play my best match of the tournament so far, without any doubt," said Nadal. The Spaniard had a break point for 5-0 in the third set, but Van de Zandschulp refused to roll over, winning four of the next five games before Nadal put away his second match point, having saved a break point in between the two. "You always feel a little bit the nerves to finish the match, so I'm happy to be through in straight sets," said Nadal, who plays Canadian ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime for a place in the last eight. In a twist to that clash, Toni Nadal, the uncle and former coach of the Spaniard, is now working with Auger-Aliassime. Story continues - Alcaraz, Zverev move on - Alcaraz gained revenge against the only man to beat him on clay this year, defeating US 27th seed Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in the evening session. The Spanish teenage star is the youngest man in the Roland Garros fourth round since Djokovic 16 years ago. "I'm trying to have fun out there. I just enjoy every single second. I love playing tennis," said Alcaraz, who saved a match point against countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the previous round. He has won 20 of 21 matches on clay this season and next faces 21st seed Karen Khachanov. The Russian knocked out Cameron Norrie in four sets as the 10th-seeded Briton became the highest-ranked player to fall. Alexander Zverev, the third seed and 2021 semi-finalist, ended the run of American Brandon Nakashima, winning 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 7-6 (7/5). The German Olympic champion, who also saved a match point in round two, next takes on Bernabe Zapata Miralles, the 131st-ranked Spaniard who downed John Isner in five sets. Amanda Anisimova, the 27th seed and a 2019 semi-finalist, advanced to the last 16 as injury-plagued Karolina Muchova retired down 6-7 (7/9), 6-2, 3-0 after falling and twisting her ankle midway through the second set. Last year's US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez beat Olympic champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, while Aliaksandra Sasnovich defeated three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber 6-4, 7-6 (7/5). Coco Gauff, the youngest player left in the French Open, made the last 16 with a straight-sets win over Kaia Kanepi, the oldest woman in the tournament at 36. Sloane Stephens, runner-up in 2018, ended the run of French teenager Diane Parry in straight sets, while Swiss 23rd seed Jil Teichmann overcame two-time former Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10/5). mw/dj "Touch it, dude," President Obama told Jacob Philadelphia in 2009 in the Oval Office. (Pete Souza / White House) In each of the last two weeks, an 18-year-old American male has horrifically gripped the nations attention, one for allegedly gunning down 10 Black people at a grocery store in upstate New York, the other for slaughtering 19 Latino fourth-graders and two teachers at a Texas school. Those teens represent the worst of us, though as a nation were all complicit for allowing such gun massacres to become common because of our political paralysis and our cultural fetish for weapons of war, and, a first in this century, because of conservative judges misreading of the 2nd Amendment. Spare some attention, however, for the countless other 18-year-olds, the Class of 2022 graduating from high schools nationwide and into adulthood with hopes we hope for their futures. And not just nationwide: Id like to reintroduce one 18-year-old American, Jacob Philadelphia, who graduates Friday from the International School of Uganda just outside Kampala, where his father works in the U.S. Embassy. Jacob has high hopes indeed: to become president of the United States. I say reintroduce because many of us know Jacob. We know him, however, as the 5-year-old Black boy at the center of one of the most famous photos of Barack Obama's presidency. In the picture, the leader of the free world the nations first Black president is bowing in the Oval Office to a Black child who has just asked him whether his wiry hair is really like the boys own. Touch it, dude! the president said, bringing his head even with the childs, as I recounted in a story a decade ago about their encounter in 2009. The photo that White House photographer Pete Souza hurriedly snapped, which to this day is an audience favorite in Souzas popular speaking tours about his White House years, seemed to capture the promise inherent in Obamas barrier-breaking election: That all Americans finally could imagine someone who looked like themselves in the nations highest office. Story continues The photo represented hope and change, the bywords of Obamas campaign. Yet now those sentiments are as faded as the iconic signs that once advertised them. And Jacob, now a young man, will soon return to the United States to attend the University of Memphis at a time when the once-heady talk of a post-racial society has given way to deep anxiety about racial regression. Americans of his generation have come of age as witnesses to not only video-streamed racial injustice but, under Obamas successor, also the mainstreaming of bigotry. They inherit a nation as divided as at any time since the Civil War, and they have endured two years of pandemic-enforced isolation that inhibited their education, social lives and, for many, their mental health. Against that backdrop, Obama and Jacob reunited virtually this week, to mark the young mans milestone. The 4-minute minute video that The Times obtained of their exchange with Obama in his Washington office, Jacob at school will be shown at the graduation ceremony for Jacobs class of about 60 multinational students. A framed copy of the Souza photo hangs in Obama's office. The former president says, I think this picture embodies one of the hopes that Id had when I first started running for office. I remember telling Michelle and some of my staff, You know, I think that if I were to win, the day I was sworn into office, young people particularly African American people, people of color, outsiders, folks who maybe didnt always feel like they belonged theyd look at themselves differently to see a person who looked like them in the Oval Office. It would speak to Black kids and Latino kids, gay kids and young girls. They could see the world open up for them. Of course, Jacob didnt grasp any of that at the time. He recalls thinking Obama was just my dads boss his father, Carlton Philadelphia, worked then at the National Security Council and was about to take a State Department post in Mexico and especially remembers being intimidated by the large office and him towering over me. But Jacob got the deeper meaning soon enough. That was a pretty big highlight of my life, he says in the video. If I get to see another Black man be at the top, be at that pinnacle, then I want to follow that lead. His mother, Roseane Philadelphia, told me in a phone interview from the familys home in Kampala that Jacob over the years dreamed of being one thing and then another, but the only thing thats been consistent is his desire to ultimately become president. Thats why hes going to study political science, she said. Obama asked Jacob whether moving abroad from place to place had been hard on him perhaps channeling Obamas own childhood experience following his anthropologist mother from Hawaii to Indonesia. Its kind of difficult, Jacob replies, speaking for himself and brother Isaac, 21. But at the end of the day, we get to see a lot of things that a lot of other kids dont get a chance to. We get to talk to people and see their ideals for how they want to change the world. I think the White House visit clearly inspired you, Obama says. I hope. We hope too. For Jacob and the rest of his generation, we must reclaim hope. And act, beyond thoughts and prayers, to help them make it a reality. @jackiekcalmes This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A police officer is among mourners at a memorial outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Gov. Gavin Newsom loves to hold up California as an example of why Republicans should get off their collective, NRA-addled duffs and help Democrats overhaul the nation's gun laws. And with good reason. Our unflinching commitment to gun control has put California among the states with the lowest rates of dying by a bullet, down 10% since 2005. California leads this national conversation," Newsom insisted this week. "When California moves, other states move in the same direction. And yet, if any state can finally persuade congressional Republicans and their constituents to back a deal that, say, bans high-capacity magazines or strengthens background checks, I suspect it won't be role-model California. It'll be incompetent Texas. We're getting a real-time demonstration of the many dangers of gun culture, propped up by a patriarchy of cowboy-hatted police officers and politicians and carried out in a state that prides itself on the normalcy of gunslinging. Just think about all we've witnessed since Tuesday. An angry 18-year-old walked into an elementary school with a high-powered rifle in the small town of Uvalde just days before summer break. In minutes, he slaughtered 19 students and two teachers. It is bad enough that the gunman, identified by authorities as Salvador Ramos, was able to easily and legally acquire the rifle he used. Now we know that after he shot his grandmother in the face and stole and crashed her truck outside Robb Elementary School, he shot at two people across the street. Then he shot at the school. Rather than being confronted by a school resource officer, as authorities initially reported, Ramos hopped a fence meant to keep shooters like him out and walked into the parking lot and into the school through an open door. Then he walked around for a while, going down hallways and entering an empty classroom before finally finding one full of students. He walked in unobstructed, Victor Escalon Jr., a regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, said during a news conference Thursday. He was not confronted by anybody. Story continues Meanwhile, outside, a police officer responding to a 911 call drove right by Ramos. The incompetence gets worse. Minutes later, officers with the Uvalde Police Department entered the school and shot at Ramos. Ramos shot back. The officers didn't press forward, though, even when backup arrived. At that point, if they proceeded any further not knowing where the suspect was at, they couldve been shot, they couldve been killed, and that gunman would have had an opportunity to kill other people inside that school, Chris Olivarez, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman, told CNN on Thursday. Inside, children ducking bullets were calling 911 for help. Outside, instead of entering the school as shots were still being fired, officers decided to shove, tackle and handcuff parents who were trying to save their children even drawing weapons on them. One mother of a second- and third-grader told the Wall Street Journal that after demanding that officers go inside instead of milling about outside, she was put in handcuffs for interfering in an active investigation. She got free, though, dashed into the school and ran out with her kids. Once a tactical team with Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement finally arrived, local police wouldn't let them inside the school. It took more than an hour for Ramos to be killed, and only then by a Border Patrol agent who drove to the school on his day off. Obviously, based on the information we have, there were children in that classroom that were still at risk, Steven C. McCraw, director and colonel of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said during a news conference Friday. From the benefit of hindsight where Im sitting now, of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision. Period. Everything that could have gone wrong seemed to go wrong. Like many Americans, I was still learning the names and faces of the children and teachers who were gunned down when President Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order to deliver the most significant police reform in decades. It was the second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, and the timing seemed awkward, even forced. With Vice President Kamala Harris and mayoral candidate Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) looking on, Biden called the executive order "a measure of what we can do together to heal the very soul of this nation. To address profound fear and trauma exhaustion that particularly Black Americans have experienced for generations." More transparency and more accountability from police are what all Americans need, especially in this era of mass shootings. It's easy to dismiss what happened in Uvalde as the incompetence of one law enforcement agency in one small town. To deem as one-offs the tall tales told by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott about the amazing courage of police running toward gunfire, as well as the shifting stories told by the Texas Department of Public Safety. But this isn't the first mass shooting in which the good guys with guns have been too scared to go after the bad guys with guns, and then tried to save face by hiding the evidence of their bungling. And as long as congressional Republicans continue to support unfettered access to firearms that can slaughter dozens in minutes, it probably won't be the last. At a news conference Friday afternoon, Abbott promised that new laws would be passed in Texas as a result of the shooting, though he downplayed the need for tougher background checks for purchasing guns or for banning high-powered rifles. The status quo is unacceptable, he said. "This crime is unacceptable." Abbott also called for a full investigation into what really happened at Robb Elementary School. Ultimately, the answer to his question is gun culture, in all of its most toxic, most out-of-control forms. If this can happen in Texas, the red state of holster-wearing suburbanites and swaggering lawmen in cowboy hats, it can and will happen anywhere. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Nationwide roughly 22 million families live in mobile housing. These factory-built homes are typically an affordable pathway to homeownership, but rising land costs are threatening that. Experts said families who live in mobile homes usually own just the house itself and not the land that it sits on. That means they dont always receive the same benefits as traditional homeowners, and they may face eviction if they cant keep up with rising land costs. The Manufactured Housing Institute estimates more than 105,000 mobile homes were produced last year alone. But in some areas, housing experts said mobile home park owners are redeveloping the land for commercial uses. We have to find ways to incentivize owners of the mobile home parks to if indeed rather than sell, redevelop in a way that is sensitive to their residents who are there, giving them options on the redeveloped properties, said Michael Liu, director of the Miami-Dade County Public Housing and Community Development Department. Liu told lawmakers these negotiations may displace families and he said many residents are concerned about becoming homeless. If the government can provide enough assistance to work with the owners of mobile home parks to compassionately and fairly work with residents to provide them with relocation assistance, said Liu. For instance, potential homeownership options, heavy-duty down payment assistance, special mortgage assistance. Another possible solution involves putting mobile homes on a community land trust to help preserve long-term affordability. Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Trending stories: Photo Illustration by Kelly Caminero / The Daily Beast / Getty In the wake of an unspeakably violent tragedy, theres often (and understandably) a fog of bad information floating around. Such is the case with the mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The public was initially told that the 18-year-old who massacred 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School was encountered by a police officer before he entered the building. The new story is that he walked in unobstructed initially after roaming around outside for 12 minutes and firing shots. But the most infuriating new development is this: the Chief of the Uvalde Police Department says officers responded within minutes, but it took police an hour for a tactical unit to move in on the mass school shooter. I guess it depends on your definition of responded. This Is All So Tragic and We Are So Fucked The reason the police didnt go in sooner? According to a Texas Department of Public Safety official, it was because they couldve been shot. Well, yes, thats truepolice officers could have been shot if they confronted a heavily armed madman. But thats the paramount reason we have armed agents of the state in the first place, to defend the defenseless from murderous predators. The official went on to rationalize the decision, saying that police were able to contain the gunman inside one classroom. This is great news, provided your kids werent barricaded in there with him. Calling 911 and begging for help. For at least a full 40 minutes. Ill be the first to admit that Im too much of a wimp to sign up to be a cop. But once you sign up for that gig, it seems to me that you might want to be ready to do your job when a lunatic is murdering 19 little kids. Okay, I know that very few rank-and-file officers would unilaterally go all Dirty Harrydisobeying their superiors orders and rushing to confront the bad guy with brute force. And theres good reasons for that, not the least of which is maintaining the chain of command in a crisis. But unless this new reporting also ends up being erroneous, whoever ordered these cops to stand down and wait belongs in the same category in our cultural consciousness as that Parkland, Florida, officer who retreated to a position of safety instead of entering Marjory Stoneman Douglas High during the massacre in February 2018. Story continues Its bad enough that officers failed to even attempt to confront the Uvalde shooter. Whats arguably worse is that police reportedly threw parents to the ground and pepper sprayed one parent. One woman told The Wall Street Journal she saw police use a taser on a father who wanted to go into the school and save his child. They didnt do that to the shooter, but they did that to us, she said. Parents viscerally knew that it was their moral responsibility to protect their children. Compassion and human decency demands intervening to prevent murder. The police were not proactively causing the harm, in this case. But common sense dictates that waiting outside was wrong. Still, we are trained to respect the experts. To respect authority. To let them do their jobs. I accept that I might be labeled a keyboard warrior who is trying to tell the police what to do. And as someone viscerally averted to violent conflict, Im certain I would be a very bad copwhich is why I never became one. But Im not inherently hostile to the police. My father-in-law was a cop for years, and my dad was a correctional officer for 30 years (for a time, he led the prisons tactical squad). This isnt police-bashing. This is a call for basic accountability and humanity. Waiting an hour is disgusting, said Sean Burke, a former school resource officer who is now the president of the School Safety Advocacy Council, a group that offers school districts training on how to respond to shootings. If that turns out to be true, then it is a disgusting fact, Burke told NBC News. The director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Steven McCraw, apparently feels the same way. He said on Friday that the police commander who ordered officers to not breach the building during the siege made "the wrong decision," Axios reported. Steve Schmidt Was Always a Hack Police have a hard job, and its possible that some have checked out. Could recent criticism (particularly in the wake of the George Floyd murder) have caused some cops to adopt an attitude that dictates they will do the bare minimum, and not stick their neck out too far to help others? I think its plausible, if lamentable, when it comes to street crime (for example). But would that attitude prevent police from trying to rescue little kids? Some have argued that in post-George Floyd America, cops are too worried about being caught on video doing something wrong, so in a crisis they might not take risks. Its hard to think of a more grotesque cop-out. The police officers who watched George Floyd be murdered by one of their colleagues had a choice as to whether they should intervene at an injustice unfolding before their eyes. So, too, did the officers who treated parents aggressively outside Robb Elementary School, while children were slaughtered on the other side of the schools walls. Excusing this inaction isnt pro-cop. If anything, it makes a mockery of the value of good cops. We need brave, ethical police officers, and we need their leaders to be competent and accountable. None of that was on display in Uvalde this week. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Jarome Starner appeared via Zoom for a sentencing hearing Friday in Coshocton County Common Pleas Court. COSHOCTON A Coshocton man who was asked to chop up a car involved in a hit and run that critically injured a Waynesburg couple was sentenced Friday in Coshocton County Common Pleas Court by Judge Robert Batchelor. Jarome L. Starner, 39, was indicted in April 2021 with tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, from an incident on March 27, 2021. He entered a guilty plea on Jan. 19 to a reduced charge of obstructing justice, a fifth-degree felony. He received three years of community control sanctions, with stipulations including holding employment and completing a substance abuse program for alcohol. Failure to adhere to terms could result in Starner receiving 12 months in the Coshocton County Justice Center. He has served 258 days of local incarceration so far, which would count as time served. According to court documents, Starner was called by Melannis L. Stevens just minutes after she struck Shawn and Robin O'Neill of Waynesburg on a motorcycle on Ohio 751, near Township Road 250. While picking up pieces from her Nissan Altima she asked Starner to dismantle her vehicle because it was going to be repossessed. Robin had her left leg amputated from the incident and Shawn suffered spinal and nerve damage, bleeding on the brain and a shattered left ankle. Stevens was sentenced earlier this month to seven years in prison for failure to stop after an accident, vehicular assault and tampering with evidence. Starner's reduced charge was part of a plea bargain that included him testifying against Stevens if her case went to trial. Starner apologized to the court, victims and their family for his role in the matter. "I know I did wrong," he said. The sentencing hearing was held over Zoom as Starner's attorney, Matthew Mollica, had tested positive for COVID-19. The victims and their adult children were on the Zoom call. Robin said they were okay with probation as Starner was willing to testify against Stevens and he sounded remorseful for his actions. Story continues "He has to know this impacted us so bad. I know he wasn't the one that actually did the harm to us, but to know there was somebody out there who could do what he did is still heartbreaking," Robin said. "He needs to take up a better path in life." Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with close to 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @llhayhurst. This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Coshocton man receives probation for role in hit-and-run A cruise ship employee sexually exploited a 16-year-old he met on board while she was vacationing with her family on an Alaskan voyage and use her to film child pornography, federal prosecutors say. The employee, 38-year-old Daniel Scott Crow from Stuart, Florida, kept in touch with the teen after the ship docked via a messaging app and solicited explicit photos from her, according to a May 26 news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office of the Southern District of Florida. He later arranged to meet the teen at a hotel, where he exploited her for sex and filmed the interaction, the release says. He kept videos and records of their conversations on his cellphone. Crows defense attorney was not publicly listed. He faces charges of coercion or enticement of a female and production of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of minors, according to court records. Crow appeared in federal court in Fort Pierce, Florida, on May 26, according to the release. Fort Pierce is about 130 miles north of Miami. He could face up to life in prison. School bus driver took over 100 upskirt photos of teen and preteen girls, PA cops say As pastor confesses his adultery, woman says in church she was the 16-year-old victim Air Force officer used spy camera to record kids in family members bathroom, feds say AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The Texas primary runoff between Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and his progressive challenger, Jessica Cisneros, remained too early to call Friday. Cuellar led Cisneros by 175 votes, or 0.4 percentage points, out of 45,209 ballots counted as of 3 p.m. ET Friday. Election officials in Bexar County, where Cisneros has a significant lead over Cuellar among ballots counted, said they will not release results of an undisclosed number of ballots that require voters to cure an issue preventing it from being counted until Tuesday. In March, Cisneros, an 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. The 29-year-old Cisneros, who was an intern in Cuellars Washington office in 2014, had also challenged Cuellar in 2020, losing to him by just 4 percentage points. In the closing weeks of the race, abortion rights groups poured money and resources on the ground and across TV in South Texas after a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court signaled that the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision making abortion a constitutional right was on the verge of being overturned. Cisneros supports abortion rights, while Cuellar is one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress. Despite Cuellar's stance on abortion, unapologetic defense of gun rights and support of the oil and gas industry, he had the backing of many fellow Democrats in Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York slammed their decision to boost Cuellar, calling it an utter failure of leadership. The last time leadership waded in to save him, he thanked them by obstructing the partys signature legislation, paving the way for the child tax credit to collapse and imperiling millions while taking a victory lap for it, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Wednesday. Story continues Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had traveled to Texas to campaign with Cisneros. That made the runoff another test of whether progressives could topple other moderate, establishment-oriented candidates. In Oregon, seven-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, a moderate, was ousted from Congress by his progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner in a primary held last week. The winner of Texas' race will face Cassy Garcia, who won the Republican runoff for the seat. Other inmates could not believe what Kevin Jones told them that a federal judge named Andre Davis had sentenced him to life in prison because of his association with a Baltimore man who had been acquitted of murder. Got that? It did not matter that Jones was only guilty of selling drugs. Did not matter that the leader of his drug operation had been acquitted of murder. They were both going to prison for life. Some quick background: In the 1980s, at the start of the countrys long war on drugs, Congress passed several laws requiring judges to follow sentencing guidelines. One law called for judges to consider all charges, even those that did not result in guilty verdicts, when they sentenced defendants who faced multiple counts. The practice is called acquitted conduct sentencing, and it results in the lengthening of prison sentences. If youve never heard of it, and if youre a bit shocked by it, youre not alone. As constitutionally dubious as it sounds, the Supreme Court upheld acquitted conduct sentencing in 1997. In the Jones case, in the mid-1990s, a drug dealer named Dwayne Holland had been accused of killing a man in connection with a yearslong conspiracy to sell heroin and crack in a public-housing project in Southwest Baltimore. Though Holland was acquitted of that charge by a jury, the judge at sentencing found not only a preponderance of evidence, but clear and convincing evidence that Holland had committed the homicide. The consequence of that finding, under the federal sentencing requirements, was a life sentence for Holland as well as two of his confederates in the drug operation Jones and another young man, a college student named Daniel Hill. Though they had only been convicted of drug charges, they each received life sentences. At that time, even people in prison had not heard of [acquitted conduct sentencing], Jones tells me. And they wouldnt believe you. They thought it was impossible. Because they had been associated with Holland, Jones and Hill went from being classified as nonviolent drug offenders to violent offenders, and that had consequences, too. We were barred from the benefits offered to nonviolent drug offenders, Jones says. We could have been home long ago. Story continues Jones and Hill ended up serving about 25 years in prison. They are free now because congressional reforms the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 and the First Step Act of 2018 made it possible for them to have their sentences reviewed. It also helped that the judge who sent them away for life made a point of pleading for their release. Andre Davis, who served as a U.S. District Court judge in Baltimore before taking a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, was among the critics of mandatory minimum sentences, especially in drug cases. He spoke about it publicly and frequently, saying mandatory minimums kept judges from considering mitigating factors, shifted power over sentences to prosecutors and imposed harsh penalties on low-level drug offenders. After retiring from the bench, Davis served as city solicitor in Baltimore from 2017 to 2020. During that time, Shari Silver Derrow, an assistant federal public defender, appealed to Chief District Judge James K. Bredar for a sentence reduction for Jones and Hill. Davis joined that effort. I believed that the life sentence mandated by law, though neither [Hill nor Jones] was personally responsible for anyones death, did not fit either mans crime, Davis wrote in a letter to Bredar. I have since learned that during the more than two decades since Mr. Hill and Mr. Jones received their life sentences, each has grown into a mature, reflective, industrious man, validating my belief that a life sentence was unduly punitive and unjust. Davis said he never would have sentenced them to life had reforms spelled out in the Fair Sentencing Act been in place when they came before him in the 1990s. Hill and Jones, wrote Davis, had outstanding records in prison, and both kept close ties with their children. Mr. Hill and Mr. Jones have served their time in custody gracefully, purposefully and without incident for over two decades, Davis wrote. They have behaved admirably, without the expectation of an early release or the hope of some external reward. It was only after they proved themselves to be worthy of consideration that the First Step Act even materialized as a source of hope. The act, one of the few significant bipartisan achievements of recent years, rolled back the tough-on-crime sentencing laws that gave the U.S. the highest per capita incarceration rate in the world. The reform opened the door for thousands of inmates to ask for reductions in their sentences and plea for early release. Hill and Jones were successful. Bredar reduced their life sentences in April 2020, and both men were released shortly after that. Hill is 53, employed as a violence interrupter and youth outreach worker for Montgomery County. Jones is 52, living in Baltimore with his mother. He counsels inmates preparing for release from prison; he also cares for his grandmother. Hollands life sentence was reduced to 35 years last summer. His projected release date is October 2026. Acquitted conduct sentencing did not go away with congressional reforms. It remains a part of federal sentencing law. In October, the Supreme Court declined to consider a new challenge to it. There is, however, a bipartisan Senate bill calling for its overdue repeal. A man from Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 630 days in jail after pleading guilty to a hate-based assault of a Chinese family last year. The family of three a man, a woman and their adult son was walking near the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue NW and Fulton Street NW at around 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 when Patrick Trebat, 39, began shouting profanities at them. Trebat attacked the family because they spoke in a language he did not understand, according to prosecutors. He yelled statements such as You are not American and Go back to your country. Trebat first attacked the older man from behind, punching the back of his head and pushing him to the ground. He also shoved the woman to the ground and punched their son in the face when he tried to defend his parents. More from NextShark: American Pilot Dies in Crash While Delivering COVID-19 Test Kits in Indonesia The incident left the entire family with cuts and bruises. The older man suffered a broken wrist and pain in the back of his head, the woman endured pain in her arm and their son sustained a fractured finger, prosecutors said. Trebat, who was arrested shortly after the incident, pleaded guilty on Thursday to three counts of simple assault, including one with a hate-bias enhancement. He was sentenced to 630 days in jail, which may be suspended to just 210 days if he completes three years of supervised probation. More from NextShark: Kyoto is the Latest Japanese City to Recognizes Same-Sex Partnerships Featured Image via News2Share Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! Colorado plastic surgeon, nurse anesthetist charged with manslaughter in botched breast surgery Spotify Loses Hundreds of K-Pop Songs After License Expires May 26EAU CLAIRE Chippewa Valley Democratic lawmakers on Thursday called on the Wisconsin Supreme Court to allow ballot drop boxes in elections later this year. With a Supreme Court ruling pending on a lawsuit challenging the legality of drop boxes, state Rep. Jodi Emerson and Sen. Jeff Smith held a news conference to advocate for drop boxes as a secure way to make it easier for more voters to participate in the democratic process. "Democracy works best when we do everything we can to make sure everybody who is eligible to vote is able to vote," said Emerson, D-Eau Claire. "We should be making it easier to vote, not harder." However, Emerson charged that a ruling earlier this year by a Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren that unstaffed drop boxes are not allowed under state law makes it harder for some residents to vote. Bohren also ruled that voters must return their absentee ballots themselves. The implications of that ruling, which was appealed to the state Supreme Court, are that some people with disabilities can't vote on their own and their caregivers could be committing a criminal act by putting a ballot in the mailbox or a drop box for those voters, Emerson said, adding that she has heard heartwrenching stories from several voters with disabilities who are worried because they are physically unable to place their ballot in a mailbox. "Having drop boxes is a safe and convenient way to ensure that our ballots are returned and your voice is heard," she said. The court heard arguments in April about whether to allow drop boxes for the fall election. A decision is expected to be announced in June. Emerson said clarity is needed soon to give local election clerks time to prepare for the Aug. 9 partisan primary. "The Supreme Court needs to make the right decision that follows the constitutions of this country and this state to ensure that people have the right to vote," said Smith, D-town of Brunswick. "It's safe and it's proven to be effective and give people the ability to vote at their leisure ... but also allow people who don't have the ability to drive or walk to a polling place to let somebody drop their ballot off for them." Story continues Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Lake Hallie, criticized Democrats for voting against every Republican-authored election reform bill, including one that would have allowed drop boxes but regulated their locations and how many cities could deploy. "We know drop boxes are a great convenience ... but we don't want them all over the city with no monitoring," Bernier said, noting that such unattended drop boxes could be subject to weather damage or sabotage. She charged that Democratic opposition was motivated by politics. "Their plan from the beginning of the session was to vote no on every election bill that comes forward and call it voter suppression," Bernier said. At Thursday's news conference, Karen Voss, co-coordinator of the nonpartisan voter advocacy group Chippewa Valley Votes, offered a recent example of the popularity of drop boxes among Wisconsin voters. In Milwaukee, she said, the city collected 2,300 absentee ballots at nine staffed drop boxes on the two Saturdays before the April election. That was nearly 70% more than the 1,362 ballots cast via traditional in-person absentee voting on those days. Voss said drop boxes offer the advantage of being accessible for voters with mobility issues, convenient for workers who have a difficult time getting to the polls and safe for those who are immunocompromised or worried about COVID-19. The news conference came the day after the Thomas More Society filed lawsuits against Green Bay, Kenosha, Madison, Milwaukee and Racine over the use of what the conservative law firm labeled "illegal unmanned absentee ballot drop boxes" in elections. The Daily Beast Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Tulsa Police DepartmentLast month, Michael Louis had an operation on his back. But the pain had become too much to bear, he claimed. And when an enraged Louis couldnt find relief, he blamed the man trying to helphis doctor.Police said Louis fatally shot two orthopedists, a medical receptionist, a bystander, and then himself at a medical office in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Wednesday afternoon, using a semi-automatic rifle he bought just three hours earlier from a Criminal charges will not be brought against two former FBI agents accused of mishandling the sexual abuse case involving former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, the Justice Department (DOJ) announced Thursday. Following an investigation into their conduct during the Nassar probe, the DOJ stood by its original stance that it would not be filing charges against the agents. Despite finding that the former agents provided inaccurate or incomplete information to investigators, there wasnt sufficient evidence to proceed forward with charges. This does not in any way reflect a view that the investigation of Nassar was handled as it should have been, nor in any way reflects approval or disregard of the conduct of the former agents, the department wrote in the announcement. The decision comes months after a bipartisan group of senators called on the FBI and the Office of the Inspector General to implement changes after determining failures on behalf of the FBIs Indianapolis office during the Nassar investigation. Among their allegations was that the FBI did not act with urgency in addressing the sexual abuse claims. It is imperative that Congress is fully aware of the steps the FBI is taking to ensure that we may provide the Bureau with adequate resources, and ensure that these mistakes are never repeated, the senators wrote in a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray in November. In December, the organizations that head U.S. gymnastics agreed to pay $380 million in a settlement to Nassars victims, among the largest ever for sexual abuse. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A door-to-door salesman is accused of fatally stabbing a man after he refused his services, police in New Jersey say. The salesman worked for a company hired by Verizon, according to a news release from the Ocean County Prosecutors Office. Now, Michael Tsamas, 32, is facing a murder charge after prosecutors say he stabbed the man in the neck outside his home in Jackson, resulting in his death. When Tsamas knocked on the mans door on May 26, the man told him that he was uninterested in his business services, according to the news release, and Tsamas left. However, the man later confronted Tsamas in the street and they got into a physical altercation, prosecutors said. During the fight, Tsamas pulled out a knife and stabbed the man, who was found lying in the roadway in a pool of blood, the release said. He was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts by first responders. Tsamas is in Ocean County Jail ahead of a detention hearing, according to the prosecutors office. Jackson is roughly 30 miles east of Trenton. Mothers body found in recycling bin behind her home, Massachusetts prosecutor says Knife-wielding woman shot and killed by police after boyfriend called 911, TX cops say Beloved pastor found burned, stabbed in van after husband tracks phone, GA cops say Classmate stabs 16-year-old in head as she walks home from school, California cops say Science says hot drinks could help cool you down when the sun's out. (Getty Images) From dipping our feet in the paddling pool, to pouring ourselves an ice cold drink, when were feeling overheated there are plenty of tried and tested methods out there to cool down but making ourselves hot drinks certainly isnt one of them. But you might have heard that sipping a hot cup of tea, or the like, could actually be the very best way of keeping cool. And it's not just a myth, science shows it really does but there's a bit more to it. Sure a boiling brew is probably the last thing you fancy on a sweltering hot day, but the explanation about how a hot drink could keep you cool actually makes total sense. It is all to do with sweat you see. Here comes the science bit... It turns out drinking a hot drink increases the bodys heat load and the body responds to that by sweating. This happens because the moment the hot liquid makes contact with the bodys temperature receptors, the brain tells the body to produce more sweat. This sweat then cools on the surface of the skin, reducing the sensation of us being too warm and ultimately, making us feel cooler. Read more: Why it's normal to feel grumpy in the heat It might be wise to opt for a decaffeinated hot drink, however. (Getty Images) We have Ollie Jay, a researcher at University of Ottawas School of Human Kinetics, to thank for that genius bit of info. Back in 2012, Jay conducted a series of experiments to analyse the effect a hot drink can have on your overall body temperature. And he and his researchers discovered that drinking a hot brew or the equivalent can actually cool you down, because it results in a lower amount of heat stored inside your body. Told you it would all make sense. Read more: What happens to your body when it gets too hot? But before you rush to stick on the kettle, it is worth noting that the hot drink/cool body trick wont work in all situations. If youre drinking a hot drink in an environment where the sweat wont evaporate, for example if youre somewhere really humid, the hot drink trick may not have the same effect. Story continues Equally, drinking a hot cuppa while wearing long sleeves and leggings likely wont work. Thats because sweat needs to evaporate and the reduction in temperature caused by sweating needs to exceed the increase in temperature caused by drinking a hot drink. On a very hot and humid day, if youre wearing a lot of clothing, or if youre having so much sweat that it starts to drip on the ground and doesnt evaporate from the skins surface, then drinking a hot drink is a bad thing, Jay told Smithsonian Magazine at the time. Its also worth noting that the heat from the drink will also raise your body temperature a little. The hot drink still does add a little heat to the body, so if the sweats not going to assist in evaporation, go for a cold drink, Jay adds. Read more: How to get rid of flies in the house: Best ways to banish pests quickly Watch: Study: The personality differences between coffee and tea drinkers So, perhaps a steaming cup of tea isn't the best solution if you're working from home in hot weather and dont fancy sitting at your desk in your bikini. Of course, the type of hot drink you opt for is also worth considering. According to Public Health England, people should steer clear of drinking too much caffeine or alcohol in the hot weather. The NHS guidelines echoes this with: Drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol." If decaf isn't your thing, maybe it's best to stick to dangling those feet in the pool. The driver of a car from which another man fired the fatal shot that killed a 7-year-old Texas girl in 2018 was sentenced to 30 years in prison Thursday, prosecutors said. Jazmine Barnes was fatally shot Dec. 30 near Houston after the gunman and the driver apparently thought the car she was in belonged to a rival, the Harris County District Attorneys Office said. Jazmine had been in the car with her mother and three sisters. Jazmine Barnes, 7, was fatally shot in a Walmart parking lot in Harris County, Texas, on Dec. 30, 2018. (Family photo / Family photo) The driver, Eric Black, 23, pleaded guilty to murder this year. The gunman, Larry Woodruffe, 27, was sentenced to life in prison without parole in April after a jury convicted him of capital murder. The two men did not know they had shot a child until they saw it on the news later, prosecutors have said. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg called Jazmines death a tragic and heartbreaking example of needless and pointless gun violence. Black agreed to testify against Woodruffe as part of the plea agreement, which capped his possible prison term at 35 years, prosecutors said. Black testified at trial that they thought the car belonged to someone else and that Woodruffe fired nine times, NBC affiliate KPRC of Houston has reported. John Eastman, the architect of Donald Trumps bid to overturn the election on Jan. 6, 2021, told associates in December 2020 that the alternate electors the former presidents plan depended on would be dead on arrival unless state legislatures voted to certify them. Yet even after every state legislature rebuffed Trumps calls, Eastman pressed ahead with plans to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence to consider the false electors, telling one campaign official that enough uncertainty existed to justify blocking Joe Bidens victory. The exchanges, detailed in court papers filed late Thursday by the Jan. 6 select committee, show how Eastmans already fringe legal theory grew even more threadbare as Jan. 6 approached. Eastmans plan, which at first depended on action from state legislatures, evolved to focus almost entirely on Pences role in the process. Eastman ultimately argued that Pence could cite the uncertified electors to declare the election in dispute. He could then either send the election to the House of Representatives or delay the certification of Joe Bidens victory long enough to convince state lawmakers to act. The select committee used Thursdays 57-page filing to urge a federal judge to grant the panel access to 600 additional emails Eastman is shielding from investigators. Eastman claims the documents the committee wants are protected by attorney-client or attorney work-product privileges, but the select committee argued Thursday that Eastman has failed to back up that contention. In the filing, authored by House counsel Doug Letter, the select committee pointed to emails between Eastman and prominent figures in Trumps orbit Rudy Giuliani, Steve Bannon, Boris Epshteyn and others as they strategized to keep Trump in office. The committee contends that Eastmans effort to portray his work as simply a good-faith attempt to apply constitutional principles falls apart on closer examination. Eastman, they noted, worked exclusively with Republican-controlled state legislatures in states where Biden won the popular vote. Story continues [T]his was an outcome-driven campaign to overturn the result of a democratic election, the panel argued. According to the select committees filing, Eastman exchanged emails with Giuliani and other pro-Trump lawyers about the Pence plan as early as Dec. 7, 2020. But Eastmans Jan. 6 theory appeared to reach Trumps radar even earlier than that. The select committee showed that Jenna Ellis, a Trump campaign lawyer, forwarded a paper Eastman wrote describing state legislatures power to appoint presidential electors to Trumps assistant Molly Michael on Nov. 28, 2020. At the heart of Eastmans effort was a plan to have pro-Trump activists pose as alternate electors in states Trump lost but had continued to contest with false claims of fraud. Those false electors would meet on Dec. 14, 2020 the day that bona fide members of the Electoral College were required to gather in state capitals across the country and cast dueling votes. Then, per Eastmans plan, when Congress met on Jan. 6, 2021, to count electoral votes in a session led by Pence the vice president would point to the dueling electors and either declare Trump the victor or postpone the count. In a Dec. 19 email cited by the select committee, however, Eastman told a colleague the alternates will be dead on arrival in Congress unless those electors get a certification from their State Legislators. On Dec. 23, though, Eastman began circulating a version of his now-famous memo, contending that seven states had appointed dueling electors. [T]he fact that we have multiple slates of electors demonstrates the uncertainty of either. That should be enough, Eastman said in an email that day with Epshteyn, a Trump campaign official. The select committee also used its filing to pick apart Eastmans claim of fraud in the 2020 election, which they note he continues to make to this day. The committee pointed to a Jan. 2, 2021, email with Trump ally and conservative attorney Cleta Mitchell in which she asks Eastman for evidence of fraud she could share with Members of Congress and Senators, who are now clamoring for facts and data re illegal votes. Whats missing is any similar information in other states, of the kind we assembled in GA. Thats what we are asking. Does it exist elsewhere? Mitchell asked. No idea. I havent even had a chance to look at that website link I sentbut was told everything is assembled there. Is that not the case? Eastman replied. In another exchange, the select committee cites an email to Giuliani, Bannon and others from an attorney who informed them a claim about dead people voting in Georgia was likely erroneous. Rather, the data reflected that only 134 people were recorded to have died before their ballots were received, and more than half of them had died within three days of their votes being counted. I think this makes the case for unfortunate timing many sent their ballots before they passed rather than nefarious activity, the attorney said. "Am raising this just so that everyone is aware of what the data actually says. The select committee bases the bulk of its argument to access Eastmans emails on a claim that the attorney had failed to establish an attorney-client relationship with nearly anyone involved in the effort, including Trump. Although the judge in the case, U.S. District Court Judge David Carter, had asked Eastman for evidence of any formal legal relationship with the figures he exchanged emails with, Eastman did not provide any contemporaneous documentation or proof, the select committee argued. That alone, they said, should invalidate his claims of privilege. Carter has indicated that he strongly favors the urgency of the committees investigation. He has been reviewing Eastmans emails in recent weeks to prepare to decide whether Eastmans privilege claims are legitimate. But he has indicated that he is likely to rule fairly quickly on the matter, a pace that dovetails with the select committees plan to begin holding public hearings in early June. In the second part of his question-and-answer session, WSPs Earth and Environment leader looks at remediation regulations, wind and solar opportunities and more. Northampton, MA --News Direct-- WSP Dennis Papilion, the new president of WSP USAs Earth & Environment (E&E) business, continues his observations about current trends in the environmental segments and WSPs growing sophistication as it serves clients and protects public health and natural resources. 7. How do you see environmental site remediation (soil, groundwater etc.) regulatory drivers changing, and how are regulated parties and consulting firms responding? The federal, state and local governance that regulate groundwater remediation and reuse, used to require cleaning the contaminated water to meet sanitary sewer standards. Because of water conservation, reclamation, and reuse demands, there has been a transition for companies with groundwater contamination to meet drinking water standards for their discharge to natural water systems and municipal water management agencies. So, the technologies for treating groundwater have advanced immensely. We have been doing water projects for the mining sector in which this new standard has required clients to treat water from tailings and wastes to meet drinking water standards before theyre discharged into streams and other water bodies. 8. Concerning the impacts of a changing climate and the findings of the just released 6th IPCC Report, where do environmental professionals need to be focusing now? The report reflects the pace of change and the increasing attention to the climate crisis. Since bringing Climate Finance Advisors (CFA) on board, WSP has an even stronger offering around climate-related financial risk and advisory services. I spoke with CFAs Stacy Swann for about 30 minutes last month, and I learned so much I felt like I could have spent 30 hours with her. We have really set ourselves up to be a force in support of financial players in this huge transition. Story continues Additionally, theres more pressure than ever in the energy space to reduce carbon and other greenhouse gases. Were not going to stop pumping oil in the North Sea. In fact, there are new platforms being built and deployed today. But change is occurring in how the oil is processed and managed on the platforms, how operations are optimized along the oil and gas value chain to reduce emissions, including greater use of clean energy and hydrogen. 9. Can you say more about the oil and gas industry and its environmental challenges? We have a great deal of oil and gas infrastructure around the globe that must be re-designed to stay relevant and meet greenhouse gas reduction goals. There are a lot of opportunities at the refining stage to reduce waste and utilize waste byproducts. There are major onshore manufacturing facilities being built and planned in the Gulf of Mexico that WSP can provide support in infrastructure design, CM/PM, remediation, environmental permitting and compliance. Were also leveraging our expertise in miningwhere weve done a lot of work on reclamation and management of tailings that can apply to design and restoration of pipelines design and construction. We can apply the same techniques for stream crossings, reclaiming them back to their natural state after pipeline construction. This is an example of where we draw on diverse expertise to help clients across industries. We grew these capabilities significantly with our 2021 acquisition of Golder, which has tremendous capabilities in mining and industrial and commercial markets. Golder staff are now sharing their expertise and technologies across WSP to serve varied industries in a wide range of countries. Were also applying our expertise from the mining sector to help electric utility clients address their coal combustion residuals. The techniques were using are speeding up the process, reducing impacts to surrounding communities, and more efficiently moving to closure on CCR ponds. The expedited remediation also contributes to the clients ESG ratings. 10. Wind and solar are encountering more pushback because of impacts on habitats and indigenous people. What approaches do you advocate to mitigate these impacts, and what value does WSP offer in this space? We need to think holistically about how to incorporate protection of habitats, and people, into these large-scale renewable energy projects. As part of the environmental mitigations required for approval, it is critical that we incorporate specific habitat restoration measures tied to local-, region- and state-level habitat conservation efforts to support the funding and implementation of these critical projects. Our biodiversity, coastal restoration, climate, sustainability and resilience services all contribute to the research, assessment and implementation of renewable developments. One significant opportunity lies in the rapidly expanding area of agrivoltaics. We are bringing together our energy and environmental experts to look at co-beneficial land use opportunities around solar developments, and to design habitats that enhance biodiversity and ecological uplift, and maximize the sustainability quotient of these projects. Im also very proud of the coastal tidal restoration and resilience work we are doing support habitat enhancement. Our Saw Mill Creek Restoration projectthe first wetland mitigation bank of its kind in New York Citywon a 2021 Business Achievement Award from Environmental Business Journal. Another, The Living Breakwaters project, was designed to reduce the risk of storm damage to Staten Island, New York by creating engineered living oyster reefs to attenuate waves and reduce shoreline erosion, provide habitat to the bays marine life ecosystem and rebuild local oyster populations. The environmental justice impacts of renewable energy, coastal, urban and all projects to indigenous communities and other vulnerable populations, need to be mitigated through the planning, environmental assessment, permitting and design processes. Leveraging the advisory specialists in our Equity Center of Excellence, we are building these considerations into each project to better inform the development of equitable outcomes. By partnering closely with clients and resource agencies, we can help mitigate impacts from these necessary projects, while assisting in developing the funding the programs required to restore and protect wetlands and other habitats. [To subscribe to Insights, contact the editorial staff at insights@wsp.com.] View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from WSP on 3blmedia.com View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/environment-business-observations-with-wsp-usas-dennis-papilion-part-2-967641995 ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopia's state-appointed human rights body called on Friday for the release of 16 journalists and media personnel after new arrests in recent days in the capital Addis Ababa and the restive region of Amhara. Press watchdogs and rights groups say Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government is increasingly intimidating the media and harassing opponents as it seeks to quell unrest in regions. Ethiopian authorities have been particularly cracking down in Amhara and Oromiya regions recently. They justify arrests of media personnel by accusing them of siding with rebels. In the latest round-up, Temesgen Desalegn of Feteh Magazine and Yayesew Shimelis of Ethio Forum Media were held on Thursday in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said. Last week, Amhara authorities arrested five journalists of media outlet Ashara in a move thought linked to their coverage of a volunteer militia know as Fano. On the same day, Amhara authorities also arrested another four employees of U.S.-based online outlet Nisir International Broadcasting. Rights commission head Daniel Bekele said the total number of detained journalists was now 16 and urged their immediate release. "No claim about the alleged offence committed through media justifies violation of the newly adopted media law which clearly prohibits pre-trial detention of persons charged with committing an offence through the media," he said in a statement. Government spokesperson Legesse Tulu did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Bekele's statement. But the government put out a warning to media in a statement last week: "The government will continue to take irreversible measure on individuals involved in illegal activities who are planning and working to create havoc and chaos, also on those wearing a cloak of media outlets and journalists." (Reporting by Nairobi Newsroom; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) A former cook accused of raping an intoxicated restaurant server in Tennessee was sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to court officials. A Knox County jury found David Lyndel Cochran, 49, guilty on one count of aggravated rape, two counts of rape and one count of aggravated kidnapping in April, McClatchy News previously reported. His sentence comes with no possibility of parole, according to a May 26 news release from the Knox County District Attorney Generals Office. Cochran was working as a cook for Peros restaurant on Aug. 25, 2019, when the staff was given access to the bar on for a celebration since the location was closing, according to the release. During the party, one of the servers became extremely intoxicated, vomited and passed out at the restaurant, the release said. Cochran offered to take the victim home and carried her to his vehicle, according to prosecutors. But instead of taking her home, Cochran drove her to a motel where prosecutors say he raped the victim, who was unable to give consent. When the victim woke up the next day, prosecutors said she was in pain and felt discomfort but couldnt remember what happened the night before. Thats when the Knox County Sheriffs Offices investigation began, according to prosecutors. Capt. Steve Sanders interviewed witnesses and sent the victim to the Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee, where officials found evidence of Cochrans DNA, the release said. This offender preyed upon a young woman when she was most vulnerable, but he has been held accountable thanks to the hard work of everyone involved in this case, District Attorney Charme Allen said in the release. If you have experienced sexual assault and need someone to talk to, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline for support at 1-800-656-4673 or visit the hotline's online chatroom. Kids were in California home when man threw Molotov cocktails through window, feds say Three men sexually assault lone kayaker as she goes down river, Georgia police say 3 colleges ignored sexual assault accusations against same Louisiana student, suit says Music festival defends hiring registered sex offender to play in North Carolina. Why? By Karin Strohecker and Sujata Rao LONDON (Reuters) - The lapse of a key U.S. license allowing Russia to make payments on its sovereign debt to U.S. holders has put the prospect of the country defaulting on its sovereign debt back into focus. Russia is due to pay $100 million in interest on two sovereign bonds on Friday, with more payments coming up in June. Here are some questions and answers on what might happen next: WHAT HAS CHANGED? A license issued on March 2 by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had allowed for transactions between U.S. entities and Russia's finance ministry, central bank or national wealth fund in relation to debt payments. That allowed Russia to keep up interest and maturity payments on its sovereign debt, despite wide-ranging curbs on dealing with Russian entities. Since Feb. 22, it managed to make payments on seven dollar-denominated bonds. But the Treasury Department said late on Tuesday it would not extend the license. While its action directly affects only U.S. bondholders, holders elsewhere will find it challenging to accept Russian payments because of U.S. dominance of the global financial system. SO HOW MUCH DEBT IS AFFECTED? Russia has around $40 billion of international bonds outstanding, with just under $2 billion in external debt servicing left until the end of the year. The debt can be divided broadly into three tiers: first, legacy bonds which are settled offshore in the usual manner and second, those issued after Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea which are settled at Russia's own national settlement depositary (NSD) and have alternative hard-currency payment provisions. The last category comprises debt sold after 2018 which also settles at the NSD but contains provisions for payment in roubles. WHEN WILL DEFAULT HAPPEN? On May 27, interest payments worth $71.25 million and 26.5 million euros ($28 million) are due on two bonds. To beat the OFAC deadline, Russia kicked the payment process off last week. Story continues Russia's NSD - the payment agent on the two bonds - said it has received the funds, and announced it will make the payments in foreign currency on May 27. The prospectus for both bonds states that "payments in respect of the principal of and interest (including any additional amounts) on a Global Bond registered in the name of NSD will be payable to NSD in its capacity as the registered holder." Some analysts, as well as Russia's finance ministry, see this as the payment having been fulfilled. However, it is seems unlikely that the money will make it further into bondholders' accounts. Russia's Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Friday that restrictions on capital withdrawals from Russia for non-residents will remain in place until Russia's gold and FX reserves are unfrozen. By many definitions, funds' failure to appear in creditors' accounts does constitute a default. Russia has a 30-day grace period after May 27 to make the payment. WHAT ARE THE NEXT PAYMENTS? If creditors do receive the May 27 payments, Russia faces payments on two bonds on June 23, and another one on June 24. The June 23 payments are - much like the May 27 ones - due on bonds that are settled at the NSD. However, the latter is $159 million due on a bond issued in 1998. Because this issue can only be settled offshore, analysts reckon Russia will not be able to make this payment without the Treasury license. This bond carries a grace period of 15 business days. WILL CREDIT DEFAULT SWAPS BE TRIGGERED? The question is whether a potential non-payment will trigger a payout on credit default swaps (CDS) which investors use to insure their exposure to specific risks, in this case Russia defaulting on its sovereign debt. A committee of major banks and asset managers is tasked with deciding whether a "credit event" has occurred. That in turn can trigger a payout. JPMorgan expects that bonds that can be settled within Russia and receive payment at the NSD will not lead to a payout for CDS holders. "Even if this payment is not subsequently transferred to the bondholders, this may be enough to avoid a CDS trigger," JPMorgan analysts said in a note to clients. However, if Russia fails to make the payment due June 24, CDS could be triggered once the grace period expires. Yet a trigger could already happen earlier than that. A credit derivatives committee will meet on Friday to discuss whether a "credit event" occurred after Russia made payments on its sovereign debt but failed to add $1.9 million in interest accrued during the payment's grace period. There are currently $2.54 billion of net notional CDS outstanding in relation to Russia, including $1.68 billion on the country itself and the remainder on the CDX.EM index, JPMorgan calculated. (Reporting by Sujata Rao and Karin Strohecker, additional reporting by Jorgelina do Rosario; Editing by Tomasz Janowski and Susan Fenton) The claim: Image shows Kelloggs announced a Rice Krispies mascot is now a transgender woman The gender identity of a mascot for a beloved cereal brand is at the center of recent social media claims. Kelloggs spokesperson announces Rice Krispie (sic) mascot Pop is now a trans woman, read the headline of the alleged CNN article posted on Instagram on May 21. The claim prompted dismay, anger and pledges to stop purchasing Kelloggs cereal from some commenters. They are really trying to force this on us Im not (OK) with it.. Kelloggs wont get another dime from me, read one comment on the post, which received more than 1,000 likes The claim also spread on Facebook and Twitter, racking up several thousand shares across the platforms. Follow us on Facebook! Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks But no such announcement has been made by the company, and the alleged article does not appear on CNN's website. USA TODAY reached out to social media users who shared the claim for comment. Rice Krispies Marshmallow Kellogg's has made no mascot changes A USA TODAY review of Kelloggs website did not find any such announcement, which was further confirmed by the company. We have made no changes to the Rice Krispies mascots, Snap, Crackle and Pop, Kellogg's spokesperson Kris Bahner told USA TODAY in a May 23 email. Similarly, the article could not be found in USA TODAYs review of CNNs website on May 23. The most recent article regarding Rice Krispies came in December 2021, when a weeks-long Kelloggs strike ended after union workers struck a deal with the company. Emily Kuhn, senior director of communications at CNN Digital Worldwide, told The Associated Press the image was fake and no such story was published on CNNs website. CNN did not respond to USA TODAYs request for comment. The misspelling of the trademark cereal brand in the purported headline is another indication the screenshot is not legitimate. Story continues Kelloggs released a Together With Pride cereal in 2021 as part of a collaboration with GLAAD, formerly known as the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. The company said it hoped to show its support for the transgender and gender-nonconforming communities through the partnership with the organization. The three Rice Krispies characters, along with other Kelloggs mascots such as Tony the Tiger and Toucan Sam, were featured on the limited-edition cereal box. More: Louisiana House passes transgender sports ban; will Governor John Bel Edwards veto? Our rating: Altered Based on our research, we rate ALTERED an image claiming to show that Kelloggs announced a Rice Krispies mascot is now a transgender woman. Kelloggs said it has not made any changes to the Rice Krispies characters, and CNN has said the article is not legitimate. Our fact-check sources: Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: False claim about Rice Krispies mascot and gender identity In the wake of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 children and two teachers were killed, the National Rifle Association is once again in the spotlight. In a statement released two days after the shooting, the NRA said our deepest sympathies are with the families and victims involved in this horrific and evil crime. The North Carolina Rifle & Pistol Association, an NRA state association, is also an active group with a mission to protect gun rights, according to its website. The Charlotte Observer fact-checked claims made by NCRPA President David McFarling about gun ownership, crime rates and proposed firearm legislation. Do Democrats own just as many guns as Republicans? In a September newsletter, McFarling wrote that many Democrats are gun owners, and they know that funding the police and enforcing the laws we have will make them much safer than gun bans or confiscation. Though 30% of adults in the U.S. own a gun, just 20% of people who identified as Democrats said they owned a firearm, according to a 2021 Pew Research Center survey. The survey also found that 44% of adults who identified as Republican owned a firearm. Did Congress introduce a bill to increase taxes on guns? One week into President Bidens term, McFarling claimed that Congress introduced a bill to raise federal excise taxes on guns and ammunition. The bill he was referring to is H.R. 5717, a measure introduced in January 2020 that would increase the tax on firearms to 30% and the tax on shells and cartridges to 50%. No action has been taken on the bill since March of 2020. Pistols and rifles are already taxed at 10% and 11% respectively, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Are crime rates in America through the roof? In a February newsletter, McFarling said in most of the country, crime rates are up through the roof. Criminals are running wild committing murder, armed robbery, smash and grab robbery and a host of other offenses with little or no expectation of consequence, he continued. According to FBI data, the number of violent crime offenses from 2019-2020 rose from 380.8 to 398.5 per 100,000 people. Data for 2021 has not been released by the FBI. Not many people have a platform like that of an NFL head coach. They regularly speak in front of reporters and television crews to offer their thoughts and feelings on the subjects of the day. Most of the time they talk about football. But sometimes, real-world events come to light that need to be addressed. Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith took time at the end of his Thursday news conference to speak about the tragic murder of 19 children and two teachers at a Uvalde, Texas, school on May 24. Here's what he did with it. Im not going to get into some political rant, Smith said. Part of that me probably thinks our political process is broken. On both sides. It has been hijacked, in my opinion, by extremists. Smith went on to say that there is a lost art to compromise" and to "debate" that he appreciates everyones opinion and that our leaders cant find a compromise solution to keep military-grade assault weapons out of the hands of mentally ill people. The biggest problems with this statement are that such a compromise already exists and only one of those hijacked sides refuses to vote on it. Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr explained this already when he passionately spoke about the shooting before Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, hours after the shooting. He called on Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to vote on House Resolution (H.R.) 8 also known as the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 which has sat on the Senate floor without a vote for more than a year after it passed the House of Representatives twice since 2019. The bill is the epitome of compromise when juxtaposed with the epidemic of gun violence in America. Uvalde was the 212th mass shooting in the United States this year and the 27th to take place in a school. This shooting happened just 10 days after 10 Black people were killed in a Buffalo supermarket. H.R. 8 doesnt call for a mass recall or unilateral ban of firearms in the United States. All it does is require background checks on the sale or transfer of firearms by unlicensed and private sellers. Currently, Americans can acquire firearms at gun shows or online without a background check. Story continues Falcons head coach Arthur Smith spoke about the Uvalde shooting Thursday. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) It's been sitting there for two years, Kerr said. And there's a reason [Senators] won't vote on it to hold on to power. That isn't even the only gun reform bill that passed the House in the past year. H.R. 1446 the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021 increased the amount of time that a federal firearms licensee must wait to receive a background check before transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person from three days to 10. This would close the "Charleston Loophole" that allowed a white supremacist to acquire a firearm and kill nine Black people in 2015 at a Mother Emanuel AME Church in South Carolina. As Kerr alluded to earlier, one side of the political aisle in the Senate simply refuses to even put either bill to a vote. The Senate requires 60 members to end debate on most legislative proposals and advance to a vote, but with the current makeup at 50 Republicans, 48 Democrats and two independents who caucus with the Democrats, Republicans can simply filibuster and prevent certain bills (like with gun reform) from ever receiving a vote. Which means even if Democrats are currently in the majority thanks to Vice President Kamala Harris tiebreaking vote, the path to passing legislation is nearly entirely contingent on Republican cooperation, and the ensuing gridlock prevents much from getting off the ground. Even if Majority Leader Chuck Schumer manages to force a vote on gun control legislation when the Senate reconvenes next week, it faces an uphill battle. A recent New York Times poll of Republican Senators found that 31 declined to comment or deflected when asked about how they would vote on either gun reform bill. Five were open or undecided on their support of the bills and 14 opposed or were leaning against. And one Democratic Senator, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, doesnt support the bills. The healthy majority of Americans in multiple polls actually support broader background checks for firearms. A full two-thirds (68 percent) favor "requiring criminal and mental background checks for all those buying guns, including at gun shows or private sales," according to a recent Yahoo/YouGov poll. That includes 56 percent of Republican respondents. So the compromise and support on the issue Smith called for actually does exist. It's just a matter of putting it to a vote in the Senate. That takes both sides. But until one of those "hijacked" sides even wants to debate the bills in place, it's all noise. Especially comments like Smith's. Note: This post contains mentions of sexual harassment. No matter where you work, there's bound to be some sort of workplace drama going down. I asked the BuzzFeed Community if they could spill the tea on what's going on where they work and sheesh, this gossip is juicy! NBC / Via giphy.com Here are some of the stories. Note: Some stories have been edited for length and clarity. 1. "I worked at a large, very well-known company. One day, one of the higher-level executives walked past my co-workers and I and it felt like the air was sucked from the room. The whole vibe changed and everyone was giving each other these looks. I asked my boss what the deal was and she said she couldn't tell me but told me to Google his name. I rushed to my desk and as soon as I searched his name several news articles appeared. The police were reopening his late wife's unsolved axe murder case and they were questioning him again because he was still their main suspect and his behavior was suspicious. It was awkward when he was around after that." NBC / Via giphy.com Anonymous 2. "I used to work for a non-profit homeless shelter for families with children and I was just an intern at the time. It was a small affiliate and I housed up to four families at a time and worked to get them back on their feet. There were only 5 full-time employees at the time, so there wasnt much to gossip about... until there was." "We had one 'day house' where our offices were and where the families would come during the day if they were off work and a 'night house' where the families lived and slept. During the day, the families werent allowed to be at the night house but it was the staff's job to make sure the house chores were done the night before. Well, long story short, one of the employees went to the house to show a new volunteer around and caught the case manager having sex with her boyfriend in the overnight volunteer bedroom." keelyg 3. "Two years ago, the head of my lab started flirting with me. We became friends and then started hanging out but eventually, we started dating. But we had to hide our relationship, one: because she swore up and down to me that she wasn't gay and that I was an exception. And two: because very shortly after we got together she got promoted and became my direct supervisor. Recently she broke up with me. It's hilarious because not a single person we worked with ever put it together even though we were constantly hooking up all over the building. If I told anyone she would lose her job. Now she has no problem flaunting her new boyfriend around work though. I really need a new job." Story continues NBC / Via giphy.com Anonymous 4. "I used to work at a hospital where one of the receptionists started having an affair with a local school teacher. His wife and daughter had no idea this was happening. He would full-on French kiss his mistress in front of patients and staff in the reception area and would keep a picture of his side chick on his desk." "If this wasnt bad enough, he kept coming into work with the smell of beer on his breath, and eventually he sexually harassed and assaulted another staff member. Due to hospital policy, its very difficult to actually fire staff but they reprimanded him and eventually put him in a position that forced him to resign in order to not pay a severance package. Let me tell you, the gossip was wild and made a lot of people to quit due to the fact that he wasn't fired immediately." leah-in-a-teapot Jazzirt / Getty Images / Via Getty Images 5. "I found out the manager who had the job before me would harass underage staff. We had girls as young as 16 who said he would text them late at night and flirt. He was in his late 20s and engaged. If they rebuffed him, he would punish them by cutting their hours or putting them on the worst shift. This was at an aquarium, so we also had a lot of schools visit and families with annual passes. One young girl applied whose family had had annual passes since she was 12. When she was finally old enough to apply, I had replaced the sketchy manager. She was very innocent and was just so happy to finally work there." "In passing, she told me that she would often come to the aquarium and the manager would find her and bring her upstairs to an animal care room essentially a closet within a large storage area, far from any other work area and they would hang out and he'd let her help him with the animal care. 100% he was grooming her. Her family was so appreciative that he was 'mentoring' her. arieladventures 6. "I work in retail. There was a time when a former co-worker was caught stealing money from the register. It wasn't a random $20 here and there, but over $750. That made it a felony, so she's in jail now. Definitely been the talk of work for a while. The second one is from another former coworker: her16-years-old was pulling her car out of the parking lot and was hit by another worker, who was in her 60s. The woman who hit the 16-year-old claimed her car was hit instead and filed a lawsuit against the teenager and her family. Wild stuff." NBC / Via giphy.com Anonymous 7. "The principal at our school went through a divorce. Shortly after he started spending a lot of time with the married secretary. That blew up around the time he started dating a teacher at the school, who was also the secretary's friend. The secretary's husband found out and confronted them at school. She found another job, he is still our principal. He ended up marrying, but she took another job because she was tired of the gossip. The teachers still joke about it all the time especially after the principal applied for a job at the secretary's new job and didn't get it." Anonymous Onurdongel / Getty Images / Via Getty Images 8. "I had just graduated from college and applied to a position I knew I wouldn't get but was hoping for the interview experience. I did the interview and didn't hear anything for a month. I then got a call saying I got the job! I was ecstatic but a bit confused. Typically this position requires two years of experience and they usually do an internal hire before going external. A few months later I found out the only other applicant who was internal had slept with one of her previous bosses, thereby ruining his reputation and family, and her own." "She also apparently told horrible rumors about a coworker and her male boss which the boss' wife found out about. My current boss had no idea of this until it was brought up by his coworker and he shut it down there. Thanks to her infidelity, I got a pretty sweet gig." smolpotaytos 9. "One of our fellow cashiers has been dating another employee for about a year. They're the 'It' couple at our store and everyone adores them. What she doesn't know is that on the days she doesn't work, he's flirting with all the other female cashiers. No one's had the balls to tell her, until a few days ago. One of our managers finally spilled the beans. The blowup was massive. She slapped him and ran through as many terrible words as she could before she was escorted out. She still has her job after a brief suspension. However, he got fired for making out with another girl in the freezer in the back of the store. Karma for cheating at its finest." Anonymous Fly View Productions / Getty Images / Via Getty Images 10. "I had a coworker who took it upon herself to make my life miserable. She was transferred from a different store. I was only recently out as trans when she arrived and she would basically trash talk me to anyone she was on shift with. And I'm talking petty bullshit like arriving a minute late ONCE, or forgetting to print a receipt for a sandwich I paid for and ate on shift. But then shit got real nasty when I declined some overtime weekend shifts. I would normally do these, but my best friend got tickets to a drag show for my birthday, and the weekend was free on my end, so any extra shifts were OPTIONAL, not mandatory." "She basically spent the whole weekend passive-aggressively bringing me up to both staff and customers. Spouting out all sorts of crap, and without realizing who she was talking to, continued to go on about my gender 'delusions' and 'questionable lifestyle' to my partner's aunt and uncle. Karma caught up, she got fired, and I guess is someone else's problem now." jessbcarter91 11. "I worked at a bank. So many affairs! Nearly everyone was sleeping with the same guy. Office parties were the place to see everything going down. Id just observe who was sneaking around. A manager was recorded saying inappropriate things and he was fired. He had a history of being inappropriate before. A coworker stole nearly $300,000 in cash from a night deposit bag. The cameras werent working." NBC / Via giphy.com "She went to jail and was fired. Shes a teacher now. A colleague was recorded at a concert going on stage and lifting her skirt up. The bank I worked for was wild. I always tell people I could write a book about all the things that went down." ryrashii 12. "My male manager was not a fan of me or my coworker because we were competent and hard workers. He favored the other two in our department for whatever reason who were not so competent or hard working. Things snow-balled as a new executive came in that was more in line with my and my coworker's way of thinking. We were on a departmental call and my manager was calling me out publicly for doing my job, which consisted of communicating with another department he didn't like. I ignored it. After the call, he thought he sent a nasty message about me to one of the girls in my department privately, nope. It went to our whole group chat. I called him out in the chat. I screenshotted, reported it, and mountains of evidence to HR. He tried to get me fired, all kinds of drama, he ends up rage quitting. No one was upset." Anonymous 13. "I worked in a fast casual dining chain back in college. Because we opened that location, the staff got to know each other well. I was a waitress and one day, I had a conversation with another waitress about how she had recently discovered she had Polycystic ovary syndrome and, to her understanding, that meant she'd never [be able to have] kids, which was what she wanted most in the world. Not even two weeks later she found out she was pregnant and the only person she'd slept with was another waiter in the store who was just the worst. He was self-righteous and a chronic mansplainer. Of course, she was ecstatic! Him not so much. Next thing you know, he moved across the state. She had the baby and soon ended up hooking up with one of the restaurant's kitchen guys. Now they have a happy family together with a few more kids!" Anonymous Willie B. Thomas / Getty Images / Via Getty Images 14. "I worked in HR for a large company. It was widely known that one of the women in the department had an affair with a sales executive when they were both married to other people. When it came out, he had to leave the company. They divorced their partners and married each other. Then, when I was there, she started having an affair with the director of HR (again, both were married), and they got caught on a business trip but this time it was just sort of brushed under the rug. The department kind of just moved on from it and they stopped seeing each other, although it caused all sorts of tension and questions around favoritism and basically blew up the department for a while." "Around the time that I left, I noticed that one of the customer service directors was hanging out in HR a lot. For no reason. He worked in another building. Cut to a year later when I met up with my work friend and she told me that those two were having an affair, divorced their spouses, and were now marrying each other. This woman was so smart and so kind and it just blew my mind that she kept having affairs with her bosses and coworkers." laurenk486b7dddf 15. "My workplace gossip story is from a retail store I used to work at. One of the guys that worked there had contracted chlamydia when he lost his virginity. Another girl I worked with had contracted chlamydia and told everyone she got it from having a threesome with two random guys. She lied. The other coworker had given it to her unknowingly, but why make up such an elaborate lie to hide the truth?" CBS / Via giphy.com Anonymous 16. "I work in retail and my married colleague is having an affair with a manager. She got promoted most likely because of this (he would have put her name forward). It's been reported by other people but nothing was done because it would be up to the management in-store to take action. So if they're all in on it, then nobody gets disciplined. I personally think one of them should leave as they make it so obvious what's going on between them." fedup87 17. "A company a friend of mine worked for told me about one of their coworkers getting into a relationship with their warehouse director, who then got very controlling and abusive emotionally. When she told the company what was going on, they told her they would take care of it and she would keep her job but then fired her a week later to sweep the whole thing under the rug. It upset everyone she worked with, it was some serious drama that went down." NBC / Via giphy.com Anonymous 18. "I was working at an easily recognizable organization that advertises nationwide. To work there, you needed to be pretty professional and put together. Well, my manager needed to hire another person to do what I do. The manager felt great about the candidate and was excited about the interview. The day of the interview came and she interviewed this person for a bit before bringing her to the floor to meet her potential coworkers. This woman, probably mid-40s, seemed to be nice and put together. Then my manager asks me and my favorite coworker to take this woman to a conference room to help get her up to speed on the project we were in the middle of. Now, this project is huge, will be seen by everyone, and will require a lot of overtime as well as the ability to understand how it all fits together. Well, we start outlining the project, background, and reason for the project. I stop several times to see if she has questions. She never did." "This for me was a huge red flag. After half an hour, we are pulled back to our desks where there is now a security guard. He isn't introduced and my manager quickly grabs the candidate and disappears into a smaller room nearby. The security guy follows behind and stands in front of the door. Finally, they emerge. The manager returns to the desks and the candidate is led out by security! Found out later she was apparently really drunk and my coworker and I had talked to her so my manager could figure out what to do. Then we learned that she was so drunk, that she forgot where she parked. But that was moot because this company would never let her drive in that condition. Finally, they get a hold of her sister and she has to come from another city to pick her up. Ugh, it was a little entertaining until I learned the truth. I hope she gets the help she needs." Anonymous 19. "I worked at a pretty big hospital in 2019. A female coworker of mine was having sex with a male nurse in patients' beds. I reported it but I think they still work there." NBC / Via giphy.com shaquilleoatmeal42 20. "I work in a specialty and emergency veterinary hospital. We had a specialist a veterinarian who has additional board certification and provides the most advanced care to critically ill animals. He was married to the head anesthesia technician and they have three kids together. We all noticed that he had formed a close friendship with one of the ICU techs and one coworker even noticed that they 'brushed hands' on the treatment floor, less than 30 feet away from his wife. Someone ended up leaving an anonymous letter in the wifes purse informing her of what was going on. Felt like I was watching a vet med version of 'Jersey Shore' where Snooki and JWOWW left Sammi the note about Ron cheating." "When they both came clean, he wanted to leave his wife for her but the ICU tech was engaged and wanted to work things out with her fiance. He went as far as sending her messages via Slack and was ultimately fired for it. His wife found another job eventually but in the interim, they had to schedule the ICU tech on opposite shifts so they wouldnt see each other. They are still married, and he regularly posts on Facebook about how he has the best wife and marriage. Obviously, we all felt terrible for his wife who is an INCREDIBLE anesthetist and three innocent children, but it was impossible not to discuss the drama that unfolded." Anonymous 21. "I worked at a retail store where the bathrooms were constantly out of order. By law, the company needed to at least have one set of working bathrooms for employees. They had retail workers try to fix the bathrooms rather than pay professionals to fix them. I called Occupational Safety and Health Administration on them one day and forced them to actually get the bathrooms up and running. When my boss told me that 'someone had called OSHA on the business,' I pretended to know nothing about it and suggested it was one of the disgruntled ex-employees who had quit." Anonymous Gerenme / Getty Images/iStockphoto / Via Getty Images 22. "I work for a corporation where we have a generally easy-going and fun working environment with flexible working hours, for the most part. Because of this, people generally tend to slack off or our bosses will be very lenient about giving time off. Most of us have noticed that one of our coworkers let's call her Rebecca has been getting way more time off than the rest of us and better treatment. I recently overheard a phone conversation Rebecca was having where she said, 'Yeah, I can come? Can I bring my boss as a guest? We're dating.' So I guess now I know why she's been getting some special treatment. Haven't told anyone yet as I'm not sure how to approach the situation, but yeah." Anonymous 23. "I work at a Subway and we share the building with an ATV rental company. The ATV place is run by a married couple. The wife in the couple and and shop's mechanic have always been great friends, but recently they hooked up and she moved in with the mechanic and left her husband. However, the husband did NOTHING. I mean, he filed for divorce, but that's all. Like, they all still come to work together EVERY DAY and act as if nothing has happened. On top of it, the husband keeps saying that they're just living together, but not sleeping together, so he's just lying to himself. The husband and ex-wife have a son together, too, who works at Subway. He's a great kid, but definitely has a hard time with what's happened. And to top it all off, the mechanic, husband, and ex-wife keep coming and buying cookies from us and offering them to each other as peace offerings. We all see them do it, and it's so awkward." Anonymous Kevin Spacey was charged with four counts of sexual assault against three men in the UK on Thursday (26 May). Now, producers of his latest project, Peter Five Eight, have responded to defend the Usual Suspects actor against the charges. While its unfortunate that increased negative press is timed with Kevin returning to work, its also to be expected. There are those who wish for him not to act, but they are outnumbered by fans worldwide who await an artist they have enjoyed for decades returning to the screen, said a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter from the producers of the mystery thriller. The production has no knowledge or comment on the various swirling allegations, and believe its a matter for the courts to determine validity if it exists. Peter Five Eight is a film for fans who care more for the art than the scandal, the statement concluded. The thriller, which was shot earlier this year, marks Spaceys return to the screen since 2017, when sexual assault allegations were first made against him in the midst of the #MeToo movement. At the time, he was fired from his series lead role in Netflixs final season of House of Cards and replaced in Ridley Scotts film about the Getty family, All the Money in the World. Peter Five Eight, which also stars Rebecca De Mornay, was being shopped to distributors at the Cannes Film Festival at the time the Crown Prosecution Service announced the charges against Spacey. Daughter of Assyrian Immigrants Strives to Shape Policy Recently elected ASB Vice President Sandy Mekany overcame racism and anti-Middle Eastern sentiment in post 9/11 America to become a prominent student leader on campus. Recently elected ASB Vice President Sandy Mekany overcame racism and anti-Middle Eastern sentiment in post 9/11 America to become a prominent student leader on campus. Sandy Mekany remembers the first time a classmate called her a "terrorist": the daughter of Chaldean immigrants from Iraq, she was a third-grader in Scripps Ranch, a community in San Diego. Today, the new vice president of University Affairs for Associated Students, reflects on how the racism and anti-Middle Eastern sentiment in post-9/11 America briefly dimmed her pride in her heritage but ultimately forged her ambition and passion. "During those low points, I kept reminding myself of my story and (that) what people were trying to shame me for should be something I should be proud of," Mekany said. "My heritage is a beautiful thing. And my parents' resiliency ... gave me that grit and determination to move forward." Mekany said she used her experiences and her parents' story of immigrant resolve to propel her path forward at San Diego State University, where she has become a prominent student leader with aspirations of becoming an immigration rights attorney. A senior in political science this fall, Mekany spent the fall 2021 semester in Washington, D.C. as a participant in the Congressional Internship Program run by the Panetta Institute for Public Policy, which is a decades-old competitive congressional intern program. Experience with Discrimination Motivates Career Path Mekany was born in 2001, six years after her father first immigrated to San Diego from Iraq and seven months before the Sept. 11 attacks changed life in America for many immigrants. Throughout elementary and middle school, Mekany said she dealt with prejudice and microaggressions from her classmates, who teased her about her accent and family traditions. "I don't want to say that my experience was the worst, but the reason it was so difficult for me, I think, was because it led me to feel uncertainty about my own culture," said Mekany, adding that her family is Christian but experienced Islamophobia. Mekany's mother and brother arrived in the U.S. from Jordan in 1996. The family moved from Scripps Ranch to El Cajon when she was in eighth grade. She finished middle school at Scripps Ranch, then attended Valhalla High School, which has a large Chaldean community. "Once I settled in, I felt like I belonged in a way I never did before and had a chance to make a difference," she said. Mekany found her stride at her new school, becoming involved in orchestra, cheerleading, track and field, and Associated Student Body leadership. She was student body president during her senior year. It was also during her time at Valhalla that Mekany said she also became aware of the importance of policymaking with respect to immigration. "It solidified my desire to be a lawyer," she said. "Seeing how my friends who were DREAMers (young, undocumented immigrants who were brought to U.S. as children and granted temporary permission to live and work here) were treated and the 'zero-tolerance' policies that were enacted set the switch off for me." Diverse Experiences Drive this Student Leader In addition to Associated Students, Mekany, who is in Weber Honors College and minoring in sociology and honors interdisciplinary studies, has been involved with the Center for Intercultural Relations (CIR), the Middle Eastern Student Union, Cru Ministries, Tijuana Homebuild and Rotaract. She also tutored students and signed students up for COVID-19 vaccines. Then, last fall, Mekany landed the Panetta internship. After two weeks at the Panetta Institute, Mekany was placed with the office of U.S. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) for the fall 2021 semester. Porter's office praised Mekany's performance in the internship. "In addition to her day-to-day responsibilities, Sandy took the initiative to seek out briefings and events across Capitol Hill to attend and learn from," said Nora Walsh-Devries, Porter's chief of staff. "Sandy never thought any task was too big or too small, and her cheerful attitude made our office brighter." Paige Hernandez, currently the manager of EOP's Learning Support Center at SDSU, and who previously served as CIR's director, said Mekany's presence in the center has been invaluable. "In all of her leadership roles, Sandy is authentically herself -- which means embracing and celebrating her identity as a first-generation American, daughter of Immigrants and Chaldean woman," Hernandez said. "I am excited to witness Sandy's impact on Associated Students next year and the change she is going to bring to the institution." One of Mekany's proudest accomplishments is the active role she played during Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) Heritage Month in April. She held an event to help Middle Eastern students overcome and fight stereotypes and held an Arabic Coffee Cup Reading with a special guest speaker: her mother, Ban. Ban said she broke down in tears when she saw her daughter in charge of the event. The tears were the culmination of a family's hard work and dedication, painful trials and rising above adversity. "Here she was, a leader, she brought all these students, and they were listening to her and when she introduced me, I broke down," Ban said. "I am just so proud of her, she is going to be something one day, she is going to change society in America, trust me," she said. For more information on the Center for Intercultural Relations and its events and programming, go to https://sacd.sdsu.edu/intercultural-relations or visit their Instagram or Twitter accounts. MARTINSVILLE A former police chief for the city of Martinsville has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of official misconduct, resolving a criminal case that was filed against him more than three years ago. Matt Long, 42, appeared in Morgan County Superior Court I on Friday along with his attorney, John Kautzman. Special prosecuting attorney Sonia Leerkamp appeared on behalf of the state, and Monroe County Special Judge Valeri Haughton presided over the hearing, which took place over Zoom. Martinsville of tomorrow: How you can help guide the city's future development. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to dismiss a felony charge of theft. Long will be placed on probation for one year, and he was also ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution, with $6,500 going to the state of Indiana and the remaining $1,500 going to Traveler's Insurance. Kautzman said the money has already been returned to both parties, which also Prior to sentencing, Kautzman argued that his client should be immediately eligible for alternative misdemeanor sentencing given his lack of criminal history, an absence of any danger to the public and the unlikelihood that he would commit a similar crime in the future. Under state law, alternative misdemeanor sentencing allows Hoosiers who are convicted of a felony to have the charge reduced to a misdemeanor provided they meet certain requirements. Long said he has not worked in law enforcement since January 2019, when he was placed on administrative leave following an investigation by the Indiana State Board of Accounts into irregularities in his accounting for overtime and sick leave. He told the judge he is currently self-employed as an automobile detailer. On the move: Churches in Mission exploring move in Mooresville to bigger location. Long joined the Martinsville Police Department in 2004 after working for one year in the Morgan County Sheriff's Department. He was appointed city police chief in September 2016. Story continues Between January 2016 and December 2018, Long accrued $6,786 in unearned overtime pay and $1,530 in overpaid sick days, according to the results of the SBOA investigation. The audit also found that the city failed to provide proper oversight to ensure that leave time was being posted properly. Kautzman said Long's accrual of unearned pay was the result of health issues he was going through at the time and his inability to properly navigate the city's software for logging overtime and sick leave. "I think Matt Long is the kind of person the alternative misdemeanor sentence statute is designed for," Kautzman said. "He has a very distinguished law abiding life and career that he led prior to this incident." Leerkamp said she felt Long should have known better given his position in law enforcement. "I don't have any reason to believe it was accidental or unfamiliarity with the software system," Leerkamp said. "He was in that system for long enough, and he has been a law enforcement officer long enough to know what the law is." Leerkamp said she felt it was appropriate for Long to wait until the end of his probationary period before the felony charge can be reduced to a misdemeanor. Jobless rates: Unemployment numbers in Morgan, Monroe, Lawrence and Owen counties show improvement from 2021. Haughton ultimately compromised by requiring Long to complete six months of probation before the charge gets reduced. "Mr. Long, I wish you very good luck in your future," Haughton said. "I realize this is a step back, but I have no doubt that you can overcome it, and I truly wish you good luck." Long will report to the Morgan County Probation Department on Tuesday. Contact reporter Peter Blanchard at 765-346-2942 or pblanchard@reporter-times.com. Follow him on Twitter @peterlblanchard. This article originally appeared on The Reporter Times: Ex-Martinsville police chief Matt Long pleads guilty to official misconduct Two former FBI special agents will not face federal criminal charges for their involvement in a botched investigation of sexual assault by Larry Nassar, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. A report released last year from the DOJ found two agents with the FBI in Indianapolis committed "fundamental errors for not acting sooner on allegations of abuse by Nassar. The department reviewed evidence gathered in the investigation by the agents before announcing Thursday that federal criminal charges will not be brought against them. Larry Nassar, 54, appeared in court for a plea hearing in Lansing, Mich., on Nov. 22, 2017. Nasser, a former sports doctor, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault. 'FBI failed survivors': Massive systematic failures uncovered in DOJ's Larry Nassar report Related: What you should know about report on Indianapolis FBI's handling of Larry Nassar case This decision comes after multiple reviews and analyses of evidence gathered in the investigation of the former agents, and reflects the recommendation of experienced prosecutors, a news release from the DOJ states. This does not in any way reflect a view that the investigation of Nassar was handled as it should have been, nor in any way reflects approval or disregard of the conduct of the former agents, the release stated. Nassar, a former USA Gymnastics doctor, was sentenced to more than 100 years imprisonment in 2018. More than three years later, the Justice Departments Inspector General released a scathing report finding W. Jay Abbott, former head of the FBIs Indianapolis Field Office, and an unidentified FBI agent, didn't respond for eight months when the first allegations against Nassar arrived at their office in 2015. While their investigation lingered, Nassar sexually assaulted at least 120 women and children, according to John Manly, an attorney who represents Nassar survivors. More coverage: Women abused by Larry Nassar file negligence claims against FBI over botched investigation Pressure on the federal law enforcement agency started to rise after IndyStar first exposed the allegations against Nassar in 2016. When the Inspector General began to review how the Indianapolis FBI conducted its investigation, Abbott and the other agent made false statements "to make it appear that they had been diligent, according to the federal government. Story continues Abbott was also criticized for exhibiting extremely poor judgment because he discussed a job opportunity with USA Gymnastics at the same time his agency was looking into the Nassar allegations. "While the Justice Departments Office of Inspector General has outlined serious concerns about the former agents conduct during the Nassar investigation, and also described how evidence shows that during interviews in the years after the events in question both former agents appear to have provided inaccurate or incomplete information to investigators, the Principles of Federal Prosecution require more to bring a federal criminal case," the DOJ news release reads. A copy of the Inspector General's investigation can be found below. Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Former FBI agents will not face charges in botched Larry Nassar probe The Aurora in 2008. Courtesy of Christopher Willson Christopher Willson bought an old cruise ship off Craigslist 14 years ago. The ship, named Aurora, was one of the first vessels Germany built post-WWII, Willson said. Willson plans to transform it into a bed and breakfast and a coastal cruiser. When Christopher Willson found an old cruise ship on Craigslist in 2008, it was a happy accident. Willson at the stern of the cruise liner. Courtesy of Christopher Willson Willson, a former tech developer, was working on virtual-tour software when he stumbled across a cruise ship named "Faithful" on Craigslist. Keen to do a virtual tour of the ship, he reached out to the owner. "I pretended to be a potential buyer, and the owner, who was a ship salvager, let me on board. After doing the virtual tour, I went home curious about the ship's history but could not find anything about it," Willson told Insider. Willson spent days researching the ship's history until he found a photo that looked exactly like the vessel. "I went through over hundreds of images of vintage ocean liners, and did a lot of matching and cross-referencing of the ship's appearance before I found a match," Willson said. Willson discovered that the ship was the Wappen von Hamburg, one of the first ships Germany officially built after WWII. The Wappen von Hamburg out on sea. Getty Images Willson decided to buy the ship, which was covered in layers of old paint, because of its historical value. Willson told Insider the ship was listed on Craigslist for $1.2 million, but he negotiated with the seller to slash the buying price in half. Insider was not able to independently verify the price of the ship. After Willson took ownership of the vessel, he renamed it Aurora. German shipbuilding company Blohm+Voss, which built the ship, confirmed to Insider that Aurora and the Wappen von Hamburg are the same ship. Willson didn't have any ship-building experience, but his past career as a disaster-recovery specialist taught him how to fix things. The stern of Aurora back in 2008. Aurora was extremely rusty when Willson first saw her. Courtesy of Christoper Willson Willson spent 13 years traveling to places destroyed by fires and floods to salvage mechanical and electrical equipment for insurance restoration companies. Story continues "I have always been a fast learner and was always good at working with my hands. I've rebuilt a bunch of cars," Willson said. The 293-foot cruise ship had three decks, 85 cabins with en-suite bathrooms, a dining room and salon, an outdoor swimming pool, and a lot of structural issues when Willson bought it. The promenade deck of Aurora was lined with rotted wood and rusted steel back in 2016. Courtesy of Christopher Willson When Willson took ownership of the cruise ship, he it was full of cardboard boxes, old chairs, and mattresses. "Some of it was useable stuff, but just a lot of it was absolute garbage that we had to get rid of," Willson said in one of his YouTube videos. The wood on the deck had been completely destroyed by moisture, Willson said. He had to get rid of all the rotted wood and rust before he could even begin the restoration process. To give Aurora's hallway a new lease on life, Willson removed the concrete floors and the wood-paneled walls to address the underlying damage. Before-and-after photos of Aurora's passageway. Courtesy of Christopher Willson The passageway is now carpeted and has fresh coats of paint. In 2015, Willson created a Facebook page called Aurora Project Restoration. People started sharing more information about the ship. Aurora's lower entry before it was restored. Courtesy of Christopher Willson A comment from one Facebook user made Willson realize Aurora was the floating SPECTRE headquarters in the 1963 James Bond movie, "From Russia with Love." After scrutinizing scenes from the movie, he realized it was true. Other Facebook users shared old travel brochures of the cruise. From 1972 to 1977, the ship was named Xanadu, and it was famous for its voyages around Alaska and North America, per East Bay Times. "She had a real exclusive air about her; she was very yacht-like," maritime historian Peter Knego told the outlet in 2008. "It was very prestigious to sail in the ship when it was called Xanadu." Willson said he spends 10 hours a day every day restoring Aurora. Courtesy of Christopher Willson The refurbishment process has picked up pace in recent years. In December, he launched a YouTube channel called "Aurora Restoration Project," which has helped raise the profile of his project. The YouTube channel documents the ongoing restoration process of the cruise ship. The channel has 13 videos that have garnered a total of 2.4 million views and over 77,000 subscribers. Willson is expecting a big surge of activity on the boat in July. The promenade deck after Willson replaced 30% of the rusted steel and sealed the decks. Courtesy of Christopher Willson "In July, we expect 80 to 100 volunteers, mostly people from Silicon Valley as there is a tech event Ephemerisle a mile and a half away from here. The CEO and founder of the internet archive tool, Wayback Machine, will also be joining us," Willson added. "I do what I can to help Aurora a great project, and Chris is a very welcoming captain," Brewster Kahle, the CEO of Wayback Machine, told Insider. Volunteers need not have any relevant skill sets: Willson said he welcomes help from a range of volunteers, from people with experience working on museum ships to people who can only paint. Renovations are currently 40% completed. Willson told Insider he's already burned through an estimated $1 million fixing the ship. Courtesy of Christopher Willson Willson is also raising funds to help him restore the vessel. He told Insider his goal is to raise $3 million. "Once you have finished one end of the ship, you have to start all over again by the time you get to the other end. Even a brand new ship requires maintenance right off the bat," Willson said. Next on Willson's restoration agenda is to fix up the kitchen, which was destroyed by a leaking deck. The bare kitchen of Aurora. Courtesy of Christopher Willson "We are just finished removing all of the old and outdated fixtures, and we're currently working on raising money to get this area back into shape," he said. While some of the cabins on Aurora have been refurbished, Willson says most cabins onboard are still not in good condition. Courtesy of Christoper Willson Willson says he intends to restore all 85 cabins over time. He currently lives on the boat with his wife: "If I don't stay, people will come and just steal things." The ship is currently docked in Stockton, California, but Willson plans to move it back to San Francisco. The lower entry of the vessel is fully furnished with new furniture. Courtesy of Christopher Willson He intends to transform Aurora into a bed and breakfast and an events center. His end goal is to make Aurora into a coastal cruiser and sell it on a fractional ownership basis. Aurora as it stands today Courtesy of Christopher Willson "I hope to be able to restore it to become a working coastal cruiser and allow it to cruise up and down the West Coast into Mexico and Canada," Willson said. Read the original article on Insider Vanessa Wisniewiski told Insider she was under stress because she has to pump breast milk "around the clock" to feed her baby, Silas, amid the infant-formula shortage. Courtesy of Vanessa Wisniewski Parents who use formula are voicing their frustrations to Congress about the nationwide shortage. Hundreds have shared their stories on a "vent line" set up by Bobbie, a formula startup. The company has sent the furious, harrowing, and tearful recordings to lawmakers. The strain of exclusively pumping breast milk was taking such a toll on Vanessa Wisniewiski, a first-time mom, that she began to develop symptoms of postnatal depression. "It was all-consuming and causing a very bad situation mentally for me to continue," Wisniewiski, 35, of Sacramento, California, told Insider, adding, "I told myself, 'I can't do this by myself anymore.'" Days after deciding to move her 4-month-old, Silas, to formula, she was shocked to learn about the nationwide shortage. The crisis is the result of supply-chain issues and a recall after the Food and Drug Administration investigated reports of bacterial infections in babies. The nationwide out of stock rate was at 43% for the week of May 10, according to Datasembly. Wisniewiski said she had no choice but to continue pumping "around the clock" and hope that lactation supplements would help boost her dwindling supply of breast milk. Out of anger and frustration, she joined the Hungry for Change campaign launched by Bobbie, an infant-formula startup, demanding that lawmakers step in and solve the problem. Wisniewiski left a tearful voicemail on the company's "vent line," saying that "people should be able to feed their babies" and that "there needs to be fucking contingency plans." The recording was delivered to Congress on Thursday with messages from other incensed parents. Outraged parents have rallied to make politicians address the infant-formula crisis Laura Modi, Bobbie's CEO and cofounder, also wrote a letter to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Modi, a mom of three, told Insider that politicians must listen to "regular moms and dads" affected by the shortage. Laura Modi, the CEO and cofounder of Bobbie, with her three children, Mary, Colin and Owen. Bobbie "Lived experience really matters," Modi said, adding that "the US House of Representatives is 73% male and the average age is 58." Story continues She added: "They're not feeling viscerally what is happening, and if they're not hearing directly from those who are going through it, we're not going to see change." Jessyca O'Brien, who has a 1-year-old daughter named Luna, expressed her outrage on the vent line too. "I think Congress and everybody else just needs to get their shit together and focus on what's important," she said in the recording. She accused policymakers of being "so focused" on the rights of unborn children while "not taking care of those babies after they're born." "It's absurd, and I've cried so many tears," Wisniewiski told Insider. "I wouldn't wish the way I've been stressing on any new parent." Parents say representatives have sent them generic responses O'Brien, 29, from Farmingdale, Maine, told Insider she'd been unable to buy enough of the specific formula that Luna needs for her lactose intolerance. She said that she'd tried giving the baby whole milk and some regular formula she managed to find but that Luna would vomit them up. "It's really distressing because a lot of women, myself included, have done everything we can to breastfeed," O'Brien said, adding that Luna had been unable to latch onto her nipples from birth. She added: "I don't have the option to breastfeed, and if you use formula, at the moment, you can't feed your child." Jessyca O'Brien, pictured with her daughter, Luna, says she's desperately worried about how the formula crisis is affecting new parents like her. Courtesy of Jessyca Brian She said she's now relying on donations from members of a Facebook support group for moms in the same position. She described the need for parents to depend on each other for help as "ridiculous." "I've written to our local lawmakers and reached out by phone and email," O'Brien said. "But all I get back is a generic letter." She added: "You feel like they're representing you, but not listening to you." Wisniewiski said she believes that the people in power can no longer ignore the problem. "This is food, this is nutrition and something that can't be overlooked because it doesn't affect you," she told Insider. She concluded: "This is life or death for babies." Read the original article on Insider Sgt. Jewell Scott has been attempting to draw attention to severe problems at the Fort Hood Army Base in Texas. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Yahoo News, Drew Anthony Smith/Getty Images) Months of repeated allegations of harassment, physical assault and retaliation levied by Army Sgt. Jewell Scott against officials on the Fort Hood Army Base near Killeen, Texas, reached a boiling point this week, as Scott posted videos to her personal social media saying she feared for her life. If I end up dead ... just know someone did it, Scott said on her Instagram Story on May 20. On Monday, Fort Hood officials posted a statement to Facebook, saying they would investigate the allegations and hold leaders accountable. Our number one priority is the safety and well-being of Sgt. Scott, Col. Matt Ruedi, deputy commander of the 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, said in the statement. Fort Hood officials did not return multiple requests for comment from Yahoo News. A memorial service at Fort Hood on Nov. 10, 2009, in honor of the 13 victims of a shooting rampage by Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) But Scott, who said shes been in the Army for more than five years, called that statement a lie in a subsequent Instagram Story, and alleged a cover-up. Now she says she will be discharged from the service in less than a week, claiming that her ordeal illustrates how shes become a target as officials try to silence her for raising concerns about mistreatment, which she said includes physical assault and threats against her and others on the base. In her latest post on Thursday, Scott said she is now seeking a lawyer. Her most recent allegation has led to renewed questions about the allegedly toxic culture of Fort Hood, where in the past two years more than two dozen deaths, multiple disappearances and various tales of intimidation and violence have been reported on NBC News and NPR, among other outlets. In 2020, Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy said Fort Hood had one of the highest rates of murder, sexual assault and sexual harassment in his branch of service. U.S. Army soldiers at Fort Hood prepare for a troop deployment to Iraq in 2003. (Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Corbis via Getty Images) Seven noncommissioned soldiers complained of the bases dangerous culture to the Intercept in a damning report in October 2020. I would be scared to send my kid to Fort Hood, one sergeant told the news site. I dont think the leadership here at Fort Hood is doing a good job, or any sort of job, to protect their soldiers. Story continues The public needs to know whats going on here, said another sergeant. Because I have no more faith in the federal system or the Army. Approximately 40,000 soldiers currently serve at Fort Hood, according to base officials, but this number does not include soldiers families and others who have access to the base on a daily basis. Fort Hood police describe the base as a city within itself. In 2020, 39 soldiers died or went missing, according to Vanity Fair, including 13 who committed suicide. The most publicized of these was Spc. Vanessa Guillen, 20, who went missing in April of that year. She was later found in the armory where she worked, beaten to death by a hammer. The suspect in her disappearance was another soldier, who killed himself just as he was approached by police. A mural in Austin, Texas, in memory of Vanessa Guillen, a soldier who worked at nearby Fort Hood. (Sergio Flores/Getty Images) Lyman Paul, who lost her cousin Corlton Chee after he passed out during physical fitness training in 2020, described Fort Hood to People magazine as toxic. The severity of Scotts recent allegations reached its peak after she said shed been arrested by undercover officers last week and taken to a hospital. She claimed that leaders tried to keep her there but medical professionals refused and she was discharged. Instead, Scott says, Fort Hood officials began to follow and harass her at the base in the following days. For months, I have tried to bring awareness to these things in which Fort Hood continues to cover up and neglect, Scott wrote in the description of a GoFundMe she started to raise funds for her abrupt upcoming transition to civilian life. Once they were made aware that I have been working with news stations, I quickly became a target and someone they needed to hush. The allegedly toxic culture of Fort Hood has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Instead after sending out this email as a cry for help after 11 months of fighting this corrupt system and leadership, you had me hawked down like a criminal arrested and harassed, Scott wrote in a post on Monday. I couldn't even use the bathroom without someone standing inside of my room outside of my bathroom door. While Scott did not specifically name any officers in her online statements, various videos posted to her Instagram account show interactions with numerous military police she claims are harassing her. Scott and the Armys general press office did not respond to Yahoo News requests for comment. You will be held accountable for the pain that myself and many other soldiers have endured and lost their lives over, Scott said. More evidence to come. _____ Cover thumbnail photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Brandon Bell/Getty Images, Allison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images Friday marks three weeks since a 15-year-old was shot and killed in Savannah. Her mother is still searching for answers. Detraya Gilliard told WJCL 22 News that she went looking for her daughter Desaray after she missed her 9 p.m. curfew on May 6. She said she found her daughter shot and dying near her apartment. Desaray was literally on her back porch and the apartment was full of people but yet nobody claimed to know anything. But, I found my daughter and she was dying behind this apartment, she said. I could tell she was still fighting because her eyes were moving like she was trying to communicate with her eyes to me, but she could not speak because she had already lost a lot of blood by the time I had found her. TRENDING STORIES: Savannah police confirmed they responded to Yamacraw Village around 10 p.m. on May 6. Paramedics took Desaray to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries. She was only 15 years old and a freshman in high school. Her mother told WJCL that she loved positivity. Gilliard said she believes someone could have helped her daughter that night. I dont know if they were afraid to come out of their apartment, but I feel her life couldve been potentially saved had they called the police because by the time I found her she was barely hanging on, she told WJCL. Savannah police are offering a reward for anyone who has information in Desarays death. Anyone with information can share details anonymously by calling Savannah-Chatham CrimeStoppers at 912-234-2020. Information can also be shared by calling the SPD crime tip line at 912-525-3124 or the homicide unit at 912-651-4362. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS PARIS (Reuters) - A plan has been hatched to guide a killer whale adrift in France's River Seine back to the sea using orca sounds, local officials said on Friday. Following a meeting with national and international scientists, including marine mammal specialists, the local prefecture said it would monitor the killer whale from a distance with a drone while emitting orca communications in an attempt to guide it back to the sea. "The use of these non-invasive methods, from several hundred meters (feet) distance, will make it possible to avoid using ships in the immediate proximity of the animal, which could aggravate its stress and endanger it survival, as well as the safety of rescuers," said the Seine-Maritime prefecture in a statement posted on Twitter. The whale, whose health is deteriorating in fresh water, strayed from the ocean earlier this month, and is at risk of dying. The 4-metre (13-foot) orca, identified as a male, was first spotted at the mouth of the Seine on May 16 between the port of Le Havre and the town of Honfleur in Normandy, before it travelled dozens of kilometres (miles) upstream to reach west of the city of Rouen. Several French media outlets showed footage of the killer whale in the river, its dorsal fin sticking out of the water and its distinctive black and white colouring showing as it comes up for air. (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer; Editing by Sandra Maler) May 26GRAND FORKS A Virginia-based company has received a large federal contract to establish the first Space Networking Center at Grand Forks Air Force Base, as well as a similar facility in Alabama. U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, both North Dakota Republicans, announced that the Space Development Agency has awarded a nearly $325 million operations and integration contract to General Dynamics Missions Systems, based in Fairfax, Virginia, to establish the Space Networking Center at Grand Forks Air Force Base. The contract will also include a similar facility at Redstone Arsenal near Huntsville, Alabama. The Space Networking Center will support the Space Development Agency's new low-Earth orbit mission and serve as the "backbone for all U.S. military communications across the globe," according to a news release from Hoeven's office. Earlier this month, Space Force Chief Gen. John Raymond committed to continue advancing the new center and LEO mission, as the Space Development Agency will become part of the Space Force in October. "Today's funding from SDA ensures the continued support of space operations coming to Grand Forks," Hoeven said in a statement. "We've worked to establish Grand Forks Air Force Base as the ideal location to host the Space Development Agency's first space networking center and appreciate the opportunity to discuss this with U.S. Space Force Chief John Raymond last week." Cramer also gave his support to the project, noting that "Grand Forks plays an important role in defending our country by bolstering our presence in space." He added he looks forward to the Space Development Agency "establishing its Tranche 1 operations center in North Dakota." "This is vital to improving our space-based defense capabilities, strengthening our national security, and further securing the future of Grand Forks Air Force Base," Cramer said. Grand Forks and the base have seen a number of visits from Space Force and Space Development Agency officials over the past year or so. Raymond recently gave the spring commencement speech at UND and has visited the campus several times. Space Development Agency Director Derek Tournear has also visited the area. Hoeven previously hosted Tournear in North Dakota to outline efforts to establish the new center and announce the new laser communications project, which the agency is pursuing in conjunction with General Atomics. By Sofia Menchu GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei could still attend the Summit of the Americas next month, his foreign minister said Thursday, barely a week after the leader said he would not be going to the U.S.-hosted gathering in Los Angeles. Giammattei said on May 17 that he would not attend the June 6-10 summit, speaking a day after the United States criticized his government for reappointing its attorney general, who Washington has accused of corruption. However, Foreign Minister Mario Bucaro told Reuters the United States was not attempting to impose "conditions" over the appointment of judicial officials and that the government was still awaiting news on whether Giammattei would go. "The country will definitely be represented by the Guatemalan delegation ... but we're also awaiting confirmation from the president to see if he'll be able to attend," he said. Bucaro stressed that the Central American country had a good relationship with the United States, its primary trade partner, and said Guatemala had listened to its concerns. "What we're not going to allow is for there to be direct interference, and for the sovereignty of the country to be affected, something that isn't negotiable for the United States nor for Guatemala," Bucaro said. U.S. State Department officials have strongly criticized Guatemala for keeping Consuelo Porras as attorney general, along with expressing concern over what it calls persecution of human rights activists and journalists in the country. The foreign minister emphasized that Guatemala had a broad-based relationship with Washington, pointing to cooperation on security and saying that the country was in the process of extraditing more than 60 drug traffickers to the United States. (Reporting by Sofia Menchu; Writing by Kylie Madry and Stephen Coates) 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. The Daily Beast Omar Marques/GettyWhile some in the West are pondering what kind of a concessions would allow Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin to save face in Ukraine, leading Russian lawmakers and top propagandists are advocating smashing the West, which they say is Russias ultimate target. On the state TV show 60 Minutes, host Olga Skabeeva announced: I have some unpleasant news... Even though we are methodically destroying the weapons that are being delivered [to Ukraine], but the quantities in which the U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler said Friday she didn't believe many proposed gun control measures would have stopped a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 children and two teachers. "We need to get to the bottom of what happened," Hartzler told the News-Leader after a campaign event Friday at a Springfield church. "He bought the gun legally, so a lot of the proposals that are being proposed wouldn't have prevented this." Hartzler has frequently spoken against gun control laws both as a member of the House and on the campaign trail. She has received just under $9,000 in contributions from the National Rifle Association during her time on Capitol Hill, and her Senate campaign has earned the support of a PAC led by former NRA officials. Her congressional office sent out a mail flyer to constituents this week calling her "Missouri's Second Amendment Defender," and citing her opposition to red flag laws, which seek to remove firearms from people who are perceived as threats. Her spokesperson told news outlets it was commissioned and sent prior to the mass shootings at a Buffalo, New York grocery store and the massacre in Texas. U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler speaks at Life360 Chesterfield Church in Springfield on May 27, 2022. Hartzler's U.S. Senate campaign held a "Faith and Freedom Summit" event featuring evangelical author David Barton. Asked whether she maintained that position in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, Hartzler didn't commit to supporting any individual bill on the matter. "Well, we'll just have to see what the proposals are," she said. "But we need to look at specific shooting situations and see if the legislation would actually help or if it's just a method to try to feel better, and do something but it's not really going to prevent future shootings. Because that's what the focus should be." Leaders in the U.S. Senate have committed to negotiations on bills that have passed out of the House and would expand background checks on gun sales. Republicans have previously opposed such measures. Hartzler said she believed the best path forward was to increase security and armed guards in school settings. She suggested legislation that would provide grant money to schools to amp up security, as well as a bill that would allow off-duty and retired police officers to carry guns on school property. Story continues "What I do think we can do and should do is shore up and strengthen our schools' safety procedures better," she said. "You know, he just walked in." Uvalde shooting: Police should have confronted Texas school gunman sooner, official says Many of the details surrounding the Uvalde shooting are still unclear, including the actions of law enforcement who responded to the shooter, who officials have said was barricaded in the school for over an hour. The head of the Texas Department of Public Safety said Friday that officers should have entered and engaged sooner. Many Republicans in Congress have rejected calls from advocates and Democrats to strengthen gun control laws. Missouri's U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, who has endorsed Hartzler in the Republican primary, told the Kansas City Star the focus should be on increased sentencing and prosecution standards for violent crime, despite the Texas shooter being killed on the scene by police. Hartzler is vying with former Gov. Eric Greitens, Attorney General Eric Schmitt, U.S. Rep. Billy Long, Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz and St. Louis attorney Mark McCloskey for the Republican nomination to succeed U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt. David Barton, a former Texas GOP leader and prominent evangelical speaker, endorsed Hartzler at her campaign event at Life360 Chesterfield Church in Springfield on Friday. During his remarks prior to Hartzler's, he argued that "it's not gun control that solves the problem." "I'll point out when Cain killed Abel, it wasn't guns involved," Barton said. "It was the rocks, crushing and clubbing. Vicky, maybe you guys should pass rock control laws." Evangelical author David Barton speaks at Life360 Chesterfield Church in Springfield on May 27, 2022. Barton endorsed U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler in the Republican primary race for U.S. Senate. Hartzler, Barton urge Christian involvement in elections About 75 people were in attendance at the campaign event at Life360 Chesterfield Church on Friday, where Barton and Hartzler urged Christians to get involved in local politics. Among the attendees were state Senate candidate Angela Romine and Dianne Ely, who is involved with the Back on Track PAC that has supported local conservative candidates. Their remarks touched on their opposition to abortion and transgender rights, how schools teach students, immigration policy and the Biden administration. Hartzler has been among the most vocal opponents in Congress to LGBTQ+ rights and criticized transgender student-athletes in an early Senate ad. She criticized Democrats' push to enshrine the right to an abortion in federal law and to ban discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. "Life is at stake," she said. "But so is marriage, so is gender. Those basic things." Barton, a former vice chair of the Texas GOP, is an evangelical author who has sought to portray Christianity as the law of the land in the United States. He said Friday that "we as a nation need to submit to (God's) higher laws" and that "it's not a secular government, and those who say so have not read the documents." Hartzler closed her remarks to the crowd Friday by telling them she's "going to continue praying with" them. "Ultimately, the answer is not in the government, it's not in elections, it's in Jesus Christ," she said. "My role is to try and stave off the attacks so we can protect religious freedom so the Gospel can go forth." Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com, (573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Hartzler says most gun bills "wouldn't have prevented" Texas massacre HONG KONG (AP) Incoming Hong Kong leader John Lee will travel to Beijing on Saturday to accept a letter that officially approves his appointment as the citys next chief executive. A government statement confirmed that Lee will go to Beijing with his private secretary and press secretary, as well as his wife. He will return to Hong Kong on Tuesday. Local media including the South China Morning Post reported that Lee is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping during the trip, and will also present the lineup for his cabinet for approval. The meeting will be Lees first with Chinas top officials since he won the uncontested leadership election on May 8 with 99.2% of all votes from an election committee that is largely made up of pro-Beijing members. Last week, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang formally approved the appointment of Lee, signing the approval document during a State Council meeting. Each chief executive-elect typically receives their letter of appointment in person, and meets other top officials as well as the Chinese president. Carrie Lam, the citys current leader, made a similar trip in 2017 after winning the election. ___ This story has been corrected to say Lee will travel to Beijing on Saturday, not Sunday. SOMERSWORTH The Indonesian Community Connect celebrated two milestone anniversaries with a Food Fest and special ceremony Saturday, May 14 at the Cultural Center. The event helped kickoff its capital campaign to fundraise for the next phase of what has been hailed as the worlds first Little Indonesia which will be a commercial-cultural district in the Hilltop City. The vision is anchored by a large welcome gate, community center, an Indonesian museum, housing, community cultural garden, a food hall and shopping center. New renderings were unveiled to the community, bringing the vision to life by showcasing the potential the ICC sees in the future of Little Indonesia. The Indonesian Community Connect celebrated two milestones on Saturday, May 14, 2022. The community gathered celebrate the ICC's fifth anniversary as an organization and its first anniversary since the Little Indonesia Cultural Center opened. ICC president Raude Raychel said she is proud to see how Little Indonesia cultural center has helped promote educational, business and economic workforce opportunities, while promoting the richness of the Indonesian cultural heritage. Local news: Download the Fosters.com mobile app and stay connected This initiative is a community project, Raychel said. Together, let us walk hand in hand and make this happen. Together, let us build a community, highlighting the sense of place, a sense of community, a sense of belonging and a sense of pride. State Sen. Tom Sherman, D-Rye, said the vision for Little Indonesia brings a new vibrancy to the future of Somersworth. It's an amazing project and it's exactly what we need in New Hampshire, Sherman said. It embraces people from other countries with other cultures, brings them into the community and lets them absolutely flourish. That's what you're doing. I can't wait to see this come to fruition. Somersworth Mayor Dana Hilliard also spoke at the event, touting the ICC for its work to grow the Indonesian Cultural Center into what it is today, in just one short year. 'Proud of where we are': Little Indonesia in Somersworth to hold community celebration New Hampshires Seacoast is home to one of the largest Indonesian populations north of Manhattan. The hope is that the future Little Indonesia district will pave the way for new Indonesian-American-run businesses to thrive. Story continues Betsey Andrews Parker from Community Action Partnership signed a memorandum of understanding to partner with the ICC on upcoming programs. Dover Chamber of Commerce President Margaret Joyce, Natural Resources Conservation Service Outreach Coordinator Nels Liljedahl and other community partners spoke about how they can contribute to laying the foundation for what will become Little Indonesia. This is a reminder for us to remember and appreciate the journey from where we first started five years ago, to where we are today, to where we want to be, Raychel said. Lets celebrate this journey and build on the momentum of the first Little Indonesia. 'We're ready': ICC eyes up what's next This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Little Indonesia celebrates, eyes future in Somersworth NH TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iranian state media reported Friday that Tehran has demanded the release of a ship seized by Greek authorities in their waters allegedly under pressure by Washington last month. The foreign ministry summoned the Swiss envoy, who represents the United States in Tehran as they have no embassy there, to lodge a diplomatic protest over the incident. Greek media has described the ship as a tanker carrying Iranian crude oil in breach of international sanctions. Iran called the move a violation of international maritime law and international conventions in its protest, the IRNA news agency reported. On Wednesday, Iran summoned the Greek charge daffaires over the matter. A day later, a Greek official said that following a judicial intervention by U.S. authorities concerning the ships cargo the ship's oil was being transferred to another vessel off the port of Karystos on the Aegean Sea island of Evia. The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, which has been under international sanctions since former President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. from Irans 2015 nuclear accord with world powers in 2018. Previously, the U.S. had seized the cargo of two tankers suspected of transporting Iranian oil as part of an elaborate sanctions-busting scheme involving forged documents and the repainting of a ships deck to cloak illegal shipments. Details of the seizure were contained in a federal civil case unsealed in February after the Greek-managed vessels discharged their valuable cargo, worth about $38 million, in Houston and the Bahamas at the direction of U.S. law enforcement. TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan will take firm steps to restart idled nuclear power plants to make maximum use of nuclear power to stabilise energy prices and supply, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Friday. "With priority in safety, we will take concrete steps to restart (plants), while the government is not considering to replace" existing nuclear power plants with newer facilities, Kishida told parliament. (Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) A Japanese man spent approximately 2 million yen (12,480) on a realistic border collie costume because he wanted to look like his favourite breed of dog. The man, identified only as Toko, hired a Japanese company called Zeppet, which is known for creating sculptures and models for movies and commercials, to create the costume. Zeppet reportedly took 40 days to make the costume as Toko went through multiple rounds of trials and revisions to get it right. I made it a collie because it looks real when I put it on, Toko said in an interview with Japanese outlet Mynavi. My favorite is quadrupedal animals, especially cute ones. Among them, I thought that a big animal close to me would be good, considering that it would be a realistic model, so I decided to make it a dog. I met such a condition and made collie, my favorite breed of dog. A Zeppet employee also spoke about how his team managed to figure out ways in which a dogs figure can correspond with that of a human. The point is that the skeleton of a dog can be reproduced on the skeleton of a human. Since the structure of the skeleton is very different, we spent a lot of time studying how to make it look like a dog, the employee told the outlet. In addition, we collect photographs taken from various angles so that the beautiful coat of the collie can be reproduced and devised so that the coat will flow naturally. Toko posted a video of himself in his costume last month, where he can be seen waving his paw and rolling around the floor. The YouTuber also posted a couple of snapshots of himself on Twitter, where hes posing as a collie. Jennifer Lopez turns to the JLo Beauty That Star Filter Highlighting Complexion Booster for radiant skin. Images via YouTube. Yahoo Lifestyle Canada is committed to finding you the best products at the best prices. We may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Jennifer Lopez may be known for her signature bronzed and glowing skin, but even she has a couple of secrets up her sleeve for how to achieve it. One of her go-to products for lit-from-within skin is the JLo Beauty That Star Filter Highlighting Complexion Booster, a highlight and skin-perfecting serum that gives skin an added boost. Normally retailing for $54 CAD/$39 USD, it's on sale now at Sephora as part of the brand's Almost Summer Sale in Canada, and the Memorial Day Sale in the U.S. JLo Beauty That Star Filter Highlighting Complexion Booster. Image via Sephora. $43 CAD/$31 USD $54 CAD/$39 USD at Sephora The 52-year-old star previously revealed that she loves to use all four shades of the complexion booster to create a "beautiful glow" in an August 2021 YouTube video. "They can really be used on all different kinds of skin types and skin colours, and I like to use all four of them," Lopez said. "I use some of them for highlighter and some of them for contour." "When I don't want to do the full makeup thing and I want to look more natural and glowy, and not like I have a full face on all the time, I will literally just use [the Rich Bronze shade] as my contour," she added. JLo Beauty That Star Filter Highlighting Complexion Booster in Rich Bronze. Image via Sephora. $43 CAD/$31 USD $54 CAD/$39 USD at Sephora This complexion booster is billed as "a sheer, skin-enhancing, complexion boosting serum formulated with light-bouncing mineral pigments and vitamin E to deliver a subtle or all-over glow." As demonstrated by Lopez, it delivers a multipurpose formula that can be worn in multiple ways: alone, over or under makeup, or mixed with your favourite foundation or body cream. Available in four universal mix-and-match shades, this light-reflecting serum can be used to highlight, contour, or for an all-over glow. What shoppers are saying Sephora shoppers have been loving this JLo Beauty complexion booster, as it's received a 4.2-star rating from more than 400 reviews. Story continues "I dont think I can wear makeup ever again without this highlighter booster," one reviewer shared. "After my daily morning skin routine, I apply my skin tint then this highlighter booster in Pink Champagne. I'm in love with the glow!" "This product is my go-to to give me a really soft contour/bronze. One baby pump goes a long way! I just put this on top of moisturized skin with concealer and it's fire," added another. JLo Beauty That Star Filter Highlighting Complexion Booster. Image via Sephora. Reviewers have praised its smooth consistency and multipurpose formula, which can be applied to the face and body. "It is a very nice serum like product that can be applied to shoulders, clavicle bone etc," noted one reviewer. Despite the many rave reviews, some shoppers shared that the serum was "disappointing" due to its high price point and formula that's similar to other, more affordable "drug store" products. Given that it's currently on sale at Sephora, it may just be the perfect time to give this celeb-approved highlight a try without breaking the bank. Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Joe Manchin (D-WV) talks on the phone outside of a lunch meeting with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol November 16, 2021 in Washington, DC. Drew Angerer/Getty Images Sen. Joe Manchin has once again expressed a willingness to discuss a reconciliation package. He told Axios his talks with Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer have been "encouraging." Manchin also seemed willing to compromise on hiking taxes, something that could win over Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. For over a year, Democrats have feuded over President Joe Biden's proposed social and climate spending package. At the center of the debate stands two centrists: Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, who have both shot down swaths of the Build Back Better plan, ranging from aggressive prescription drug price controls to monthly checks to parents. In a fresh glimmer of hope, Manchin is hinting that the package he once pronounced "dead" might Frankenstein its way into existence via reconciliation with a few major chunks taken out of it. The conservative Democrat told Axios that his recent talks with Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer about a package on climate and deficit have been "encouraging, to a certain extent." Manchin has previously supported some of Biden's proposals to hike taxes, including an increase to the corporate tax rate. He told Axios that he'd still like to see the corporate rate rise to 25%. Biden initially proposed 28%. Instead, per Axios, Manchin will "settle" for a domestic minimum rate of 15%, a proposal that Sinema previously backed. A key hurdle to Manchin's chief tax goal is Sinema. She is adamantly opposed to increasing tax rates on the rich and large corporations, all but undoing a Democratic effort to roll back the Trump tax cuts. In February, Manchin said he wanted Sinema to take another look at potential hikes, but she didn't seem to budge. Sinema said in April that her demands for a package had not changed. Manchin's comments indicate that the two could strike a deal and potentially move a spending package forward, but at the expense of keeping many Trump-era tax cuts in place. Manchin reiterated his support to unwind the law at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland on Monday."What we need is a competitive tax code that spins off enough for us in the United States to take care of ourselves, pay down our debt, and live within our means," he said. Story continues Schumer and Manchin have huddled three times in Schumer's office over the past month in what resembles a conclave carrying enormous consequences for President Joe Biden's economic agenda heading into the November midterms. Manchin has voiced support for a smaller bill focused on reducing the federal deficit, cutting prescription drug prices, and stepping up taxes on the wealthiest Americans and large firms. Many Democrats believe that the start of the August recess represents the deadline for the party to get a skinnier climate and tax bill to Biden's desk. Still, that hasn't kept some from floating an even later deadline to lock in swaths of Biden's agenda. "Sept. 30, for sure, because that's when the reconciliation measure expires, and likely before the August recess," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island told The Washington Post. However, there is still the possibility that Manchin could sink a package yet again. "There could be nothing. There could be truly nothing," he told Axios. "That's all I can tell you." Read the original article on Business Insider Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in Fairfax County Court, Virginia, in the last week of their defamation trial. Steve Helber/Pool via REUTERS; Steve Helber/Pool via REUTERS Jurors have begun deliberating the verdict in the trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. They must determine whether Heard defamed Depp by describing herself as a figure representing domestic abuse. They're also weighing Heard's counterclaim that Depp's lawyer defamed her by calling her allegations a hoax. Jurors have begun deliberating the case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, tasked with reviewing whether one of them defamed the other through dueling narratives of domestic abuse. Heard filed for divorce against Depp in May 2016. Around the same time, she filed a restraining order against him, which included photos of her bruised face that made the cover of People magazine. It marked the end of 15 months of marriage and around 4 years of Depp and Heard being a couple. The restraining order gave a blow to the reputation of a man who had starred in movie franchises worth billions of dollars. The two later released a joint statement describing their relationship as "intensely passionate and at times volatile," but claimed that neither intentionally hurt the other or made false accusations. In March 2019, Depp brought the defamation lawsuit against Heard. It alleged she defamed him by describing herself as a victim of domestic violence in a December 2018 Washington Post op-ed titled "I spoke up against sexual violence and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change." The article didn't mention Depp by name, but Depp's lawsuit argued that it made clear references to their relationship. Furthermore, Depp alleged, it was Heard who physically and verbally abused him during their relationship not the other way around. He asked for $50 million in damages. Heard denied the allegations and filed a counterclaim against Depp. She alleged that Depp did, in fact, physically assault him throughout their relationship, which he did while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. She also alleged that Depp defamed her by calling her a liar. She asked for $100 million in damages. Story continues The jurors must consider both cases at the same time, as well as the damages. Over six weeks in the Fairfax County, Virginia courthouse, lawyers for Depp and Heard presented evidence they say backed up their cases. It included explosive testimony from Depp, who said Heard belittled him for his age and once whipped herself up into such a frenzy that she threw a glass vodka bottle at his hand, severing the tip of his right middle finger. And it included explosive testimony from Heard, who said Depp sexually assaulted her with his fingers and with a bottle, and whose own rage and jealousy was activated by nightlong cocaine and alcohol binges. The trial plumbed the depths of each parties' lives, exposing details about their financial lives and childhood physical abuse, that the American Civil Liberties Union ghostwrote the Washington Post op-ed, and that Depp appeared to snort cocaine with a tampon applicator. Each side presented their closing arguments earlier on Friday. Here are the facts the jury must unanimously decide are "more likely than not" true in order to decide liability, according to the presiding judge, Penney Azcarate: Here's what jurors need to determine For Depp to win his claim against Heard, jurors need to determine that the following parts of the Washington Post op-ed were made by Heard about Depp, were false, and were made with "actual malice." The "actual malice" standard means that the jury must find Heard made them knowing they were false, or with "reckless disregard" for the truth. The article's online headline "I spoke up against sexual violence and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change." Heard didn't write the headline, but Depp's lawyers argued she "republished" it by tweeting the article. The sentence "Then two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out." The sentence "I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse." After all that, jurors may establish how much to issue in compensatory or punitive damages or both against Heard and for Depp. In Heard's case against Depp, jurors are looking at statements made by Adam Waldman, a former lawyer for Depp who was kicked off the Virginia case in 2020 and who has claimed Heard's allegations of abuse were a hoax. For Heard to win her claim, jurors need to determine that Waldman's allegations were made as part of his role as Depp's "agent," whether they're about Heard, whether they're false, and whether they were made with "actual malice." The statements in question include: A quote he gave to the Daily Mail saying, "Quite simply this was an ambush, a hoax. They set Mr. Depp up by calling the cops, but the first attempt didn't do the trick. The officers came to the penthouses, thoroughly searched and interviewed, and left after seeing no damage to face or property. So Amber and her friends spilled a little wine and roughed the place up, got their stories straight under the direction of a lawyer and publicist, and then placed a second call to 911." Another quote to the Daily Mail, that "[W]e have reached the beginning of the end of Ms. Heard's abuse hoax against Johnny Depp." Jurors are also weighing compensatory and punitive damages for Heard's claim. Her lawyers have said that Heard's career never took off in the way it should have after her high-profile roles in "Justice League" and "Aquaman." There remains a chance that the jury could find both or neither side liable in the trial, arriving at a conclusion that does not adopt either side's narrative. Depp previously lost a defamation case against The Sun, a British tabloid, which called him a "wife beater" because of Heard's allegations. He lost that case, with a London judge finding Heard's testimony there "substantially true," but his case brought stateside is far more detailed, and includes Heard personally as a defendant. Azcarate said jurors may continue deliberating into Friday night "within reason." If they don't reach a verdict today, they are scheduled to continue deliberating on Tuesday, after Memorial Day weekend. Read the original article on Insider Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the charges of which a jury found Troy Henricksen guilty. He was convicted of eight counts of hazing and seven counts of failure to comply with underage drinking laws. After nearly seven hours of deliberation Friday, a Wood County jury found two former Bowling Green State University fraternity brothers guilty of hazing and other misdemeanor charges in the death of freshman Stone Foltz, but not guilty of reckless homicide and involuntary manslaughter charges. Stone Foltz family: Stone Foltzs family continue fight against hazing one year after BGSU fraternity death Stone Foltz trial: Prosecutors in Stone Foltz hazing death trial: 'Accidents just don't happen' BGSU hazing death: Another former BGSU fraternity member pleads guilty in hazing death of Stone Foltz Jacob Krinn, 21, of Delaware, was found guilty of hazing, failure to comply with underage alcohol laws, and obstructing official business, all misdemeanors. The jury found him not guilty of first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, third-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, and felony charges of reckless homicide and felonious assault. Krinn was Foltz's fraternity Big Brother, who was supposed to mentor him as a new member of Pi Kappa Alpha the BGSU fraternity better known as PIKE. Broken Pledge: A podcast series about fraternity hazing Defendant Jacob Krinn, 21, of Delaware, listens May 17 during his criminal trial for the hazing death of Bowling Green State University freshman Stone Foltz at the Wood County Courthouse. Troy Henricksen, 24, of Grove City, was found guilty of eight counts of hazing and seven counts of failure to comply with underage alcohol laws, all misdemeanors. The jury found him not guilty of felony charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, and tampering with evidence. 'You left him there to die': Shari and Cory Foltz speak about their son Stone's death Stone Foltz: BGSU student Stone Foltz died of fatal alcohol intoxication during hazing ritual, coroner rules Collin's Law: Ohio fraternities and sororities rally for revamped anti-hazing Collin's Law Story continues Henricksen was the PIKE chapter's pledge educator. He worked most closely with the fraternity's new members and planned the "Big Little Night" initiation that Foltz and his fellow pledges attended. Foltz, a 20-year-old sophomore from Delaware, died three days later on March 7, 2021 of fatal alcohol intoxication. Hazing was a fourth-degree misdemeanor at the time Henricksen and Krinn were charged. At sentencing, each count carries a potential maximum jail sentence of 30 days and a fine of up to $250. Obstructing justice and obstructing official business, both second-degree misdemeanors in Ohio, are punishable by a maximum 90 days in jail and a $750 fine. The penalty the two defendants face for each count of furnishing alcohol to a minor is up to six months in jail and up to a $1,000 fine. Defendant Troy Henricksen, 24, of Grove City, listens May 17 during his criminal trial for the hazing death of Bowling Green State University freshman Stone Foltz at the Wood County Courthouse. Following the verdict, Krinns Columbus-based attorney Sam Shamansky said he was ecstatic with the jurys decisions. Im grateful to this jury, beyond relieved and the happiest man in the world right now, Shamansky said. Its been like hell on earth for Jacob. He was wrongfully accused of being a killer and he has been waiting month after month, week after week, and day after day for his day in court. Shamansky said Krinn is remorseful for Foltzs death, but the jury agreed he wasnt responsible for causing it. He is the kind of young man you want for your son, Shamansky said. Henricksens Cleveland-based attorney, Eric Long, said after the verdict that there were mixed emotions. He said Henricksen and his family were grateful that the jury found him not guilty on all three felony counts, but are upset that he was branded a killer by the prosecutor during the trial. Long said Henricksen plans to continue pursuing a career in the Army and is anxious to put the legal proceedings behind him. Long said Henricksen doesnt regret being an active member of PIKE, or having a leadership role in the fraternity, but he does feel some regret that he wasnt able to do more to stop the tragedy of Foltzs death. Does he regret he wasnt there? ... I think, as he told police, if he had been there none of us might be here today, Long said. I dont think anyone who knew Mr. Foltz or was involved doesnt have some regret they could have done something differently. Foltz family urges Greek fraternities and colleges to end hazing Shari and Cory Foltz, Stone's parents, sat through each day of the trial along with Shari's sister, DJ Williams. "As we sat in the courtroom day after day listening to excruciating testimony about Stones final moments, we grieved," the family said in a statement. "Not just for the senseless death of our beloved eldest son, but for the lives of the young men who are now being held accountable for their reckless and self-serving actions." The Foltzes said they needed to hear the details about what happened to their son the night he died, and they are grateful to the Wood County prosecutors who took on the case. "It didnt have to be this way, and make no mistake, it will happen again until Greek organizations and the universities that support them end hazing for good," the family's said. "... While the trial is concluded, our commitment to Stone lives on. We will not rest until hazing is eradicated on all university campuses." The Foltz family is still involved in pending civil litigation against former PIKE members. Rex Elliott, the Foltz family attorney, said Stones family is pleased with the verdict, but sitting through the two week trial has been excruciating. Rex H. Elliott,. attornery for the family of Stone Foltz who died in a hazing incident at Bowling Green University, poses for a portrait on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 in Dublin, Ohio. They are satisfied with the verdict, are extraordinarily appreciative the excellent job the state did and think the jury took their job seriously, Elliott said. Elliott said Krinn, Henrickson, and the other PIKE members convicted in this case "mirrored learned behaviors that should have been stopped years ago." Year after year, decade after decade there are senseless young deaths due to hazing. I hope this communicates to all these kids that they need to think twice about hazing," he said. "These kids have to take responsibility but where are the national fraternities and the universities? These kids are behaving in a system set up by the adults in the Greek organizations and universities. Surrounded by the families of the late Collin Wiant and Stone Foltz, as well as other state lawmakers, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on July 6, 2021 signs Ohio's Anti-Hazing Act, also known as "Collin's Law," at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. The bill is named after Collin Wiant, who died during a hazing incident in 2018 as a freshman at Ohio University, and makes hazing a felony. What happened the night Stone Foltz was hazed at BGSU? During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Krinn gave Foltz a liter of Evan Williams bourbon at the Big Little Night, an initiation event where pledges were paired with actives to mentor them in a Big Brother/Little Brother relationship, on March 4, 2021. It was at that event, planned by pledge educator Henricksen, that Foltz drank the bottle of bourbon in about 20 minutes. Krinn dropped Foltz off at his apartment later that night. After his roommate found Foltz unconscious hours later, he was taken to a local hospital, where he died three days later of fatal alcohol intoxication. Eight men were initially charged in connection with Foltz's death. Six of the men pleaded guilty. Sentencing for all eight men will take place in July. Sheridan Hendrix is a higher education reporter at the Columbus Dispatch. You can reach her at shendrix@dispatch.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @sheridan120. Sign up for her Mobile Newsroom newsletter here and her education newsletter here. Mike Wagner is an investigative reporter at the Columbus Dispatch. You can reach him at mwagner@dispatch.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @MikeWagner48. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Stone Foltz hazing trial: Verdict in for former BGSU students Washington Two former FBI agents accused of mishandling sexual abuse allegations against convicted sex abuser and former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar will not face criminal prosecution, the Justice Department announced Thursday, upholding previous non-prosecutorial decisions. According to a statement released by the department, the decision was made "after multiple reviews and analyses of evidence gathered in the investigation of the former agents, and reflects the recommendation of experienced prosecutors." An internal investigation by the Justice Department Inspector General released in July 2021 found that the FBI made fundamental errors in the probe and did not treat the case with the "utmost seriousness" after USA Gymnastics first reported the allegations to the FBI's field office in Indianapolis in 2015. The FBI has acknowledged its own conduct was inexcusable. According to the report, investigators in Indianapolis first learned of the allegations in 2015, but did not open an investigation in Michigan, where Nassar worked, until October of 2016. But, as several gymnasts have told authorities, the doctor abused additional victims after the allegations were first brought to the FBI's attention. U.S. Olympic Gymnast McKayla Maroney wipes tears from her eyes as Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) speaks during a Senate Judiciary hearing about the Inspector General's report on the FBI handling of the Larry Nassar investigation of sexual abuse of Olympic gymnasts, on Capitol Hill on September 15, 2021, in Washington, DC. / Credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images The report specifically criticized the supervisory special agent in the FBI's Indianapolis office, then-unnamed Michael Langeman, and Jay Abbott, the agent in charge of the FBI's Indianapolis field office, for bungling the Nassar case and later lying about it. The report revealed that the Justice Department first declined to prosecute the two in September 2020. That decision was reviewed in October after Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told Congress criminal investigators were taking in new information that had emerged. "I am deeply sorry that in this case, the victims did not receive the response or the protection that they deserved," Monaco said as she testified during a hearing on the renewal of the Violence Against Women's Act. Story continues Thursday's announcement indicates the new information Monaco referenced was not enough to reverse course, explaining that while there were "serious concerns" about how the former agents handled the sexual assault allegations including by providing inaccurate or incomplete information to investigators "the Principles of Federal Prosecution require more to bring a federal criminal case," the statement read. "This does not in any way reflect a view that the investigation of Nassar was handled as it should have been, nor in any way reflects approval or disregard of the conduct of the former agents." Several of Team USA's top gymnasts testified before a Senate Judiciary Committee last year, saying institutions such as the FBI had failed them after they reported the abuse. "What is the point of reporting abuse if our own FBI agents are going to take it upon themselves to bury that report in a drawer?" gymnast McKayla Maroney told the panel. "They had legal, legitimate evidence of child abuse, and did nothing." Maroney spoke in detail about how she had spoken to the FBI in the summer of 2015 and provided "extreme detail" into Nassar's abuse. But the FBI did not investigate her claims until more than a year later, a Justice Department investigation found. Maroney told the Senate Judiciary Committee that her interview with the FBI was not documented until 17 months later, and she accused the FBI of making "entirely false claims" about what she told them. One week after the gymnasts' testimony, the FBI agent in charge of the Nassar investigation was fired. Nassar, who was the team doctor for USA Gymnastics for 18 years, has been accused of abuse by over 250 women and girls. He was sentenced in 2018 to over 100 years in prison. FBI director Christopher Wray, who did not lead the FBI at the time in question, has said the agency made "totally unacceptable" errors in investigating Nassar. In September 2021, he told the Senate Judiciary Committee that FBI agents "betrayed the core duty that they have of protecting people" and "failed to protect young women and girls from abuse." Wray was once again pressed about the Nassar investigation by senators on Wednesday. "It's hard for me to explain to you how angry and upset I was when I learned what the FBI did and failed to do back in 2015," Wray said Wednesday. "I'm determined to make it right now that I'm here." London Calling: Australia elects new prime minister False and disturbing conspiracy theories spread online about Uvalde gunman Navigating through grief and emotions after tragedy By Jarrett Renshaw ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin's attempt to divide Europe by invading Ukraine had backfired and told Naval Academy graduates their job will be ensuring maritime freedom in the South China Sea. Biden told 1,200 graduating cadets in Annapolis, Maryland, that they are entering military service at a time of many global challenges and they will be charged with helping "preserve stability in an uncertain world." "We're going to look to you to ensure the security of the American people," he said. Biden, who helped form a coalition of nations to oppose Russia's invasion of Ukraine, had harsh words for Putin and said his attempt to divide NATO allies had failed. "Not only is he trying to take over Ukraine, hes literally trying to wipe out the culture and identity of the Ukrainian people. Attacking schools, nurseries, hospitals, museums, with no other purpose than to eliminate a culture," Biden said. Putin tried to "Finland-ize" Europe but "instead he NATO-ized all of Europe," said Biden, a reference to neutral nations Finland and Sweden's plans to join the alliance. Just back from a week in Asia, Biden said the Indo-Pacific maritime theater will be the "leading edge" of the U.S. response to natural and humanitarian disasters there. "You'll defend the international rules of the road, underwrite the future of the Indo-Pacific that is free and open, ensure freedom of navigation of the South China Sea and beyond, and make sure the sea lanes remain open and secure," he said. "These long-standing basic maritime principles are the bedrock of a global economy and global stability. You're going to help get together our allies in Europe and with our allies in the Indo-Pacific," Biden added. Biden, a Democrat and former senator, noted that he and Republican Senator John McCain, the Naval Academy graduate who is buried in Annapolis after dying of cancer in 2018, battled "hammer and tong" on policy but remained friends. During a death bed visit in 2018, Biden said McCain made a request that he quickly agreed to: "Joe, will you do my eulogy?" (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and Steve Holland; Editing by Heather Timmons and Grant McCool) Hearst has made another key retail hire as it gears up to launch its luxe e-commerce platform, The Tower. After revealing that retail veteran Ken Downing would be in charge of the platform in the role of chief brand officer, the media company behind Elle, Esquire and Harpers Bazaar has tapped Mariko Ichikawa as merchandising director, beginning next week, WWD has learned. More from WWD Ichikawa, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, spent almost a decade as a womenswear buyer for stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys New York, before setting up her own kimono line. Confirming the news, Downing told WWD: We are incredibly excited to welcome such a talented merchant like Mariko to our team, her vast experience and retail knowledge is a welcome asset as we continue to bring The Tower to fruition. The Tower will be made up of four individual stores with one cart, one platform and shared back-end technology from media brands Elle, Bazaar, Town & Country and Esquire. The first store, which will feature designer items selected by Hearst editors, will open this spring, with the remaining three stores launching before the end of next year. Hearst began dabbling with e-commerce in 2012 with the launch of ShopBazaar and most media companies have been diving deeper into retail over the past few years as traditional advertising revenues continue to tighten, a trend that was only exacerbated by the pandemic. Many publishers have mainly been operating in affiliate links as a revenue driver, although some have launched their own branded products or collaborated with other brands. While Hearst will continue with affiliate links and shoppable content, growth in its e-commerce business over these past few years led executives to decide to branch out with this luxury marketplace. KATHRYN HOPKINS A judge imposed a $75,000 fine on a Kentucky doctor who admitted failing to pay his income taxes. Christopher Marek, a plastic surgeon in Danville, also was sentenced to four years on probation and is liable for $283,687 in back taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. Chief U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves sentenced Marek on Friday in Lexington. The indictment in the case charged that Marek, 49, under-reported his income by a total of $2 million in the five tax years from 2014 through 2018. Marek, a native of Virginia, did his residency in plastic surgery at the University of Kentucky before setting up his practice in Danville. He pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion as part of a plea agreement. Mareks defense attorneys said in a sentencing memorandum that his trouble began when he read a book by a Michigan man, Peter Hendrickson, who has argued that most income is not subject to taxation. Hendrickson was convicted in 2009 of filing false tax returns and ultimately sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. Like many unfortunate taxpayers before him, Dr. Marek encountered the falsehoods peddled by Peter Hendrickson . . ., defense attorney Robert C. Webb said in the memo. Marek came to believe serious mistruths about definitions in the tax code, and thats why he failed to report income from his practice, according to the memo. Marek sought advice from accountants who told him he needed to report the income, but didnt follow it, according to the memo. Physicians who have worked with Marek, as well as several patients, wrote letters of support for him, describing him as a skilled, dedicated surgeon and noting his compassion, humility and generosity. Putting Marek in prison would deprive patients of help in a place with limited access to plastic surgery services, Webb told Reeves in seeking probation for Marek. Hes been an exemplary doctor, Webb said. The prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney William P. Moynahan, argued for a 21-month sentence for Marek. Story continues Mareks failure to pay taxes wasnt a mistake, but an open revolt against the IRS, Moynahan said. Reeves said one factor in his decision was the impact that putting Marek behind bars would have on patients and on his ability to pay the fine and delinquent taxes. Reeves said he believed the large fine met the goals of punishing Marek and deterring others from similar conduct. Nine likely cases of monkeypox have been identified in the U.S. so far as the virus continues to spread throughout Western countries, outside of the central and western African regions where it typically occurs. Health authorities have been quick to advise against panic, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still considering monkeypox to pose a low risk to the general community. Health experts have stressed that monkeypox is not another COVID-19. If people have COVID in their minds, they should cast that out. Because this is not COVID. It doesnt transmit with the same facility, Stanley Deresinski, a clinical professor of infectious diseases at Stanford University, told The Hill. How it can spread As Deresinski noted, monkeypox requires prolonged skin-to-skin contact for it to spread from person to person, unlike SARS-CoV-2, which spreads through respiratory droplets. The main method through which monkeypox spreads is through the characteristic lesions that develop on the skin. Once these lesions have scabbed over and fully healed, then an individual is no longer considered to be infectious. After they have healed, they may leave behind scarring. The clothing and bedsheets of an infected individual can also act as a pathway for infection. Other symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headaches, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills and fatigue. Infections typically last between two and four weeks. Where it has been detected Probable monkeypox cases have been detected in California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia and Washington state. According to the CDC, monkeypox cases have so far been detected in men. While many cases in Europe have been detected in men who have sex with men, the CDC has not confirmed the sexuality of all the men who have been infected in the U.S., citing patient confidentiality. With Pride Month coming up in June, Deresinski said people should of course practice some heightened caution as many travel and gather to celebrate. Story continues I think that precautions need to be taken in terms of who you have skin-to-skin contact with, for instance, he said. The number of cases will continue to rise, Deresinski said, but he added that they will likely be easy to contain, and the spread of infection will probably die down. Deresinski also noted that the mortality rate for monkeypox is fairly low, ranging between 1 and 5 percent. Federal officials expressed a cautious readiness to deal with this outbreak during a press briefing this week. We are prepared, but Ive always learned its wise to face infectious disease threats not with overconfidence, but with humility. A monkeypox outbreak of this scale and scope across the world, it has not been seen before, said Raj Panjabi, the White Houses senior director for global health security and biodefense. Treatments One clear difference between the monkeypox outbreak and the coronavirus pandemic is that treatments and vaccines for monkeypox were immediately available through the U.S. national stockpile and have already been mobilized to states where cases have been detected. One antiviral, Jynneos, has been mobilized for use in states to be administered to close contacts of the monkeypox cases as well as health care providers. The CDC on Friday released recommendations for Jynneos to be administered to laboratory personnel and health care providers treating patients with orthopoxvirus, the family of viruses that monkeypox falls within. While there are no antiviral medications specifically designed to treat monkeypox, some smallpox medications can be used to treat monkeypox including brincidofovir and tecovirimat. A recent study published in The Lancet medical journal found that brincidofovir and tecovirimat could be effective against monkeypox. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WASHINGTON The Kremlins top diplomat on Friday accused the West of waging total war and promoting the culture of canceling Russia, in blistering remarks that underscore how Moscow continues to see the war in Ukraine as an existential struggle to remake the geopolitical order as opposed to a mere territorial conflict. The West has declared a total war on us, on the Russian world. Nobody makes any secret of this," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a meeting with regional officials. His remarks were reported by Tass, the Russian news agency. Earlier this month, Lavrov a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin dragged Russia into a dispute with Israel over the Holocaust. Russia believes Ukraine is rife with neo-Nazis, a claim that is not supported by evidence and is further weakened by the fact that its elected president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is Jewish. Lavrov bizarrely compared Zelensky to European Jews who he claimed aided their own Nazi tormentors during the Holocaust. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a meeting of foreign ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on May 13. (Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) After days of intense criticism, Putin apologized to his Israeli counterpart, Naftali Bennett. Speaking on Friday, Lavrov reprised Putins argument that Europe and the United States were engaging in cancel culture against Russia, in what appeared to be an effort to appeal to Western conservatives who have made similar complaints in the United States, the United Kingdom and France, among other nations. The culture of canceling Russia and everything related with our country has reached a point of absurdity, Lavrov complained. Bans have been imposed on such classics as Tchaikovsky, Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy and Pushkin. Persecution is underway against Russian culture and art workers. Some pro-Putin figures, like the classical music conductor Valery Gergiev, have indeed lost commissions because of their political stances, but there has been no effort to expurgate classic works of literature and art, many of which saw Russian artists take brave stances against earlier iterations of Kremlin authoritarianism and cruelty. Story continues The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Valery Gergiev, in 2021. (Peter Kneffel/picture alliance via Getty Images) In his remarks on Friday, Lavrov seemed to blame the West for the collapse of the geopolitical order that had been in place since the end of the Cold War, ignoring the fact that it was Russian invasions of Georgia (in 2008) and Ukraine (in 2014 and 2022), along with an increasingly authoritarian domestic policy, that turned the Kremlin into a pariah. We must realize that it has exposed the Wests real attitude to the beautiful slogans that were put forward 30 years ago after the end of the Cold War, the foreign minister said, the calls for universal humanitarian values, for building a common European home from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Now we can see the real worth of these fine words." Lavrovs comments puzzled Ian Garner, an expert in Russian media and propaganda. Its an interesting return to some pretty hyped up rhetoric, Garner told Yahoo News in a text message. The last week or two has been very quiet while things have been going comparatively well for Russia (i.e., no great disasters). He speculated that Lavrovs ire may have been triggered by a forthcoming shipment of U.S. rocket launchers to Ukraine. Shipments of Western weaponry to the front in Eastern Europe have been critical in repelling the invasion by Russia, which has a much bigger military than Ukraine. The war in Ukraine is now entering its fourth month. Russia has failed to land any decisive blows. Its gains in eastern Ukraine, the main theater of conflict, were described on Thursday as incremental by the Institute for the Study of War. Public health nurse Markeitha Harris outside Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center on May 26, 2022, after union workers reached a tentative contract agreement. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) About 55,000 Los Angeles County employees have reached a tentative contract agreement that includes a double-digit raise over three years, averting a threatened strike. Many of the union-represented employees, including custodians, parks and recreation staffers and social workers, are covered by provisions agreed to this month that include a 12% raise over three years. About 7,000 nurses and other healthcare workers continued to hold out and were on the brink of a three-day strike before negotiators agreed Thursday morning to a 15% raise over three years, as well as double pay for overtime and potential concessions on outsourcing. Union members must still vote to approve the contract, and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors must also sign off. "We haven't slept," said David Green, president of the Service Employees International Union Local 721. "We wanted something fair for our nurses who have done so much during the pandemic." Katarina Del Valle Thompson, an organizer for registered nurses, said outsourcing was a major sticking point, particularly the countys hiring of traveling nurses. Negotiations progressed, Del Valle Thompson said, when the county agreed to an additional 3.2% pay bump over the next three years for nurses. I was not certain up until the time of an agreement that we would not strike, said Del Valle Thompson, 70, who was an organizer when 4,000 nurses walked off the job in January 1988. We didnt want to strike, but we would have if necessary. The 7,000 nurses and other healthcare workers are stationed at facilities including Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Olive View-UCLA Medical Center. The county didnt appreciate us or take us seriously after everything we did during the pandemic, said Markeitha Harris, a public health nurse. It wasnt right, and we were ready to strike. Harris said that during the COVID-19 pandemics first surge in 2020, she purchased her own N95 masks when county supplies ran low. Story continues About 5,000 workers from the SEIU Local 721 rallied at the Kenneth Hall of Administration Building in downtown Los Angeles on March 31. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) She has delayed vacations and worked all but two days of a recent vacation that was supposed to last two weeks, she said. A statement from L.A. County Chief Executive Fesia Davenport's office said the county was pleased to have reached a tentative agreement." In all our negotiations, the countys objective is to reach fair and fiscally responsible agreements that recognize the essential contributions of our valued workforce, the statement read. All 55,000 workers will be eligible for up to $195 each month to offset rising healthcare premiums and a $100 to $375 monthly stipend for child and elder care. The county also pledged to expand telework opportunities, reduce contracting with outside vendors and improve life insurance and public transportation options. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Millions of Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home this weekend for Memorial Daythe unofficial start of summer. Thirty-nine million people are projected to travel, according to AAA. Despite recent travel figures, the pandemic has changed the landscape of travel. There are approximately 13% fewer flights available over the next few months compared to before the pandemic. Meanwhile, Delta announced Thursday it is reducing its schedule by 2%, or 100 flights per day, partly due to "increased COVID case rates." Delta highlighted to CBS News its ongoing hiring efforts to fill positions throughout the company. "We're still recovering in a lot of ways and both our system and in our network, we have a lot of new employees. About 30% of our team are new," said Brad Sheehan, Delta's Vice President of Flight Training and Standards. Airline stocks are soaring, with Southwest and JetBlue saying revenue this summer will be even stronger than they were expecting. The airlines made their comments Thursday, May 26, 2022, in regulatory filings. / Credit: Wilfredo Lee / AP Staffing limitations forced Southwest's CEO Bob Jordan to reduce his airline's schedule by 7%, so Jordan says his current hiring surge is essential. "This will be our largest hiring year, hiring period in our history," Jordan told CBS News' Bob Jordan. Even as drivers facing record gas prices, most Americans are taking road trips this weekend. Geoff Kapke from Indiana and his wife are on a journey to show their two sons all 50 states before they turn 18. "It costs about $130 to fill the car's tank up. That was not fun, but it's not going to deter us from hitting the road," said Kapke. LeBron James surprises kids on the last day of school Grandfather of 10-year-old victim killed in Texas shooting recalls hearing the news Special Report: Texas officials say "wrong decision" delayed school shooting response Extremist Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) argued on Fox News Thursday that gun control isnt the answer to mass shootings because when 9/11 happened, we didnt ban planes. We secured the cockpit, said Boebert, the lawmaker who posed for a Christmas photo with her three young children holding assault rifles last year. I want our schools secured, she said. I want our children protected, and I want teachers that can protect themselves and their students. And you know what? We can achieve this without trying to disarm law-abiding citizens. Other countries have shown that tightening gun control laws and banning assault rifles and semiautomatic weapons is highly effective in preventing mass shootings. Boebert: When 9/11 happened, we didnt ban planes pic.twitter.com/nvWUBz8KNO Acyn (@Acyn) May 27, 2022 Boeberts comments came in the aftermath of the deadliest school shooting in Texas history. An 18-year-old male opened fire in an Uvalde elementary school with an assault rifle he purchased legally, killing 19 children and two teachers. It happened less than 10 days after another 18-year-old killed 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, also with a firearm purchased legally. The massacres have put renewed pressure on Republicans to allow the passage of meaningful gun reform legislation, including by voting on bills to expand background checks for gun purchases. Although this idea attracts broad support from American voters, its been blocked for years by elected Republicans, many of whom receive enormous campaign support from gun lobbyists. Boeberts reasoning didnt hold up with critics. Many noted that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks forever changed the landscape of air travel in order to prevent future attacks. All flights remained grounded until days later, on Sept. 14. When air travel did resume, airport security dramatically intensified, and myriad new screening measures not unlike the checks gun control advocates are calling for were implemented. Story continues Ah yes, air travel, notoriously the same as it was before 9/11 https://t.co/xQ3gotXSnz elan gale (@theyearofelan) May 27, 2022 I guess the GED doesnt require one to study analogies like the SAT. Rachel Vindman (@natsechobbyist) May 27, 2022 Yes we did! We closed airspace for 2 days. And we did this: banned all knives, no curbside check-ins, use of Air Marshals & only ticketed passengers beyond airport metal detectors. Flying was never again the same. We can respond immediately again if our leaders in DC will lead! https://t.co/joxWrP3mJF Kerry Donovan (@KerryDonovanCO) May 27, 2022 When 9/11 happened, we literally created an entirely new cabinet department dedicated to frisking your shoes and confiscating any bottle of liquid larger than 8 ounces. https://t.co/1NTTFRxCZf Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) May 27, 2022 First, you have to have a pilots licence to fly a plane. Second, post 9/11, TSA wont let anyone get on the plane with so much as a pair of nail clippers. They also make you take your shoes/belt/jacket off and get a full body X-ray to get into the terminal. https://t.co/JEVSuG8sTG Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) May 27, 2022 ID checked TWICE before even going through TSA = universal background checks pull out all electronics, go through an invasive X-ray, my locs are always patted down = Background checks Can't take weapons on board = automatic weapons ban https://t.co/cYqWkmIdPq Shay Text ACT to 644-33 @MomsDemand (@Endurance97) May 27, 2022 A lot of things are obviously wrong with this line of thinking, but um... are there 9/11-style attacks all the fucking time? https://t.co/w2rpxyq9y1 Cody Johnston (@drmistercody) May 27, 2022 I find this level of abject stupidity unfathomable. https://t.co/CBHXxaXFtv Khashoggis Ghost (@UROCKlive1) May 27, 2022 When Lauren Boebert was elected to Congress, we didn't ban morons https://t.co/17gvGzzNOx George Conway (@gtconway3d) May 27, 2022 This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... May 27TROY A former Dayton man who was indicted with seven others in 2016 for trafficking heroin and methamphetamines pleaded guilty Wednesday in Miami County to nine felony indictments, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Ricardo Mondragon, 32, whose last listed address was in Chicago, was arrested late last year by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in California while attempting to enter the country. Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak said Mondragon was among a few hundred illegally entering the country when he caught the attention of agents, who matched him to warrants out of Miami County. Mondragon faced 14 felony indictments issued in 2016. He agreed Wednesday to plead to nine charges including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, conspiracy to engage in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering, aggravated funding of drug trafficking (four counts), possession of heroin and possession of meth. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to recommend a seven-year prison term. Mondragon will be sentenced July 19 in county Common Pleas Court. Five of the others indicted have pleaded and been sentenced to terms ranging from community control to 10 years in prison. Charges against one defendant were dismissed, according to court records. One of the defendants, Jose Galvin, remains at large, Duchak said. Investigators said the group brought large amounts of heroin and methamphetamines into the Miami Valley. The indictments alleged that activity took place beginning in 2013. By Mrinalika Roy and Emma Farge GENEVA (Reuters) - Countries should take quick steps to contain the spread of monkeypox and share data about their vaccine stockpiles, a senior World Health Organization official said on Friday. "We think that if we put in place the right measures now we probably can contain this easily," Sylvie Briand, WHO director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness, told the U.N. agency's annual assembly. 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 in Europe, the United States and other areas has raised alarms. So far, there are about 300 confirmed or suspected cases in around 20 countries where the virus was not previously circulating. "For us, we think that the key priority currently is trying to contain this transmission in non-endemic countries," Briand told a technical briefing for member states. Needed measures included the early detection and isolation of cases and contact tracing, she added. Member states should also share information about first generation stockpiles of smallpox vaccines which can also be effective against monkeypox, Briand said. "We don't know exactly the number of doses available in the world and so thats why we encourage countries to come to WHO and tell us what are their stockpiles," she said. A slide of her presentation described global supplies as "very constrained". Currently, WHO officials are advising against mass vaccination, instead suggesting targeted vaccination where available for close contacts of people infected. "Case investigation, contact tracing, isolation at home will be your best bets," said Rosamund Lewis, WHO head of the smallpox secretariat which is part of the WHO Emergencies Programme. (Editing by Andrew Heavens) Street parties are being held across England (Getty Images/iStockphoto) More than 16,000 street parties are set to take place across England in celebration of the Queens platinum jubilee next month. The 96-year-old monarch will celebrate 70 years on the throne with a four-day weekend of festivities, beginning on 2 June. The four-day spectacle will include a Platinum Jubilee Pageant, a Platinum Party at the Palace and the Queens birthday parade, Trooping the Colour. On 5 June, which also marks National Thank You Day, the public is being encouraged to host street parties as part of The Big Jubilee Lunch. Council across the country have received a huge number of applications for residents who are keen to host a street party in their area, the Local Government Association has said. In celebration of the historic milestone the Queen is the first monarch in British history to reach a platinum jubilee many councils have waived administration fees that are typically charged for road closures. Thousands of roads are expected to be unavailable during the bank holiday weekend, with 9,500 roads closed during the Queens diamond jubilee in 2012. A snap poll of a dozen councils by the LGA showed it has approved more than 1,000 street parties so far. Extrapolated across the country, the LGA estimates there could be more than 16,000 celebrations taking place. In Hertfordshire, the County Council has received a record 475 street party applications. Meanwhile, the London Borough of Waltham has approved more than 100 events, including a mile-long street party. Councils are pulling out all the stops to help their communities celebrate a historic day for our country, LGA chairman James Jamieson, said. Whether it be approving thousands of local road closures for free or putting on big community events, councils are doing what they do best and bringing people together in innovative ways to mark this important milestone. After two tough years at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope that this time will allow people to raise a toast and celebrate with their loved ones and neighbours. Some councils have also planned jubilee events. Wyre Forest, Gedling and Surrey Heath are among those that have organised beacon lighting, picnics and tea parties. Additional reporting by PA Hundreds of church workers are accused of abusing kids. A list of names released late Thursday is tied to a seven-month long investigation into the Southern Baptist Convention. There are more than 700 names on the list, including six with ties to Central Florida. The list includes Harley Francis with Powers Drive Baptist Church, Tommy Gilmore with First Baptist Church of Oviedo/Cornerstone Community Church, Nathan John Gorzelancz with Guardian ad Litem program in Volusia, Thomas Warren Halsey with First Baptist Church Leesburg, David Joe Rich with Springs Community Baptist Church Apopka and John Maxwell Ware with First Baptist Church Pine Castle. READ: Southern Baptist Church leaders share secret list of ministers accused of abusing kids There could be even more on this secret list. Dozens of names and the churches are redacted because the claims were unsubstantiated. This this is what many, many, many survivors have been saying for many, many years. It is a hard truth I get that but it is a truth that must be reckoned with, said Christa Brown. For years, survivors of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention have been calling for the list to be made public. READ: Southern Baptist Convention to release names of 703 ministers accused of sexual abuse The independent investigation was commissioned by the SBC after survivors of abuse contacted the executive committee about child molestation and other abuse allegations against people employed by the church. Its really important that we believe survivors. That we dont victim blame them. That when they share their story, its incredibly brave of them to come forward, said Emilie Mitchell of the Victim Service Center of Central Florida. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Pursuing a college education can be an expensive ordeal, but one big nonprofit is hoping to address the issue of affordability by helping high school students gain college credits at very low costs even before they graduate. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation earlier this week launched a series of grants to boost schools' efforts in designing and implementing dual enrollment and early college credit programs. The programs enable students to take college-level courses and gain college credit for up to a year towards an associate's degree while in their final year of high school, which would mean that some students could earn the degree after only a year of college. A dozen groups around the country will receive money from the foundation under an initiative called "Accelerate ED" of up to $175,000 each. A student finishes her project for business intro class at Moffat County High School in Craig, Colorado on March 30, 2022. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images) The effort, which is focused on two-year degrees, hopes to "allow many more people to transition successfully post-high school into a degree pathway of their choice, and ultimately into the workforce and attain early career success," Sara Allan, director of early learning and pathways at the Gates Foundation, told Yahoo Finance in an interview. The initiative is noteworthy amid the national conversation over the high cost of college and ballooning levels of student loan debt. An associate's degree can be costly: The median student loan debt for an associate's degree incurred by a student is around $14,160, according to one estimate by Andrew Gillen of the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The Gates Foundation's grants are intended to help K-12 schools create a "13th year" to help students avoid some of that cost. "What we're all about here is reducing barriers [to attending college] and the transitions that make it hard for kids to keep going," Allan said. "So the 13th year means ... finding the resources to make the transition smooth and blurring the lines between high school and college." According to the Gates Foundation, many students who pursue this route end up in high-demand industries like health care, software development, computer science, and cybersecurity. Story continues A senior at Wilson High School takes a test in her AP Statistics class in Pennsylvania. (Photo by Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images) Number of students taking associates degrees 'needs to climb' Some education leaders who work in underserved communities stressed how important such programs in which students gain college credits before graduating from high school are in promoting interest in higher education among their students. "It's been really important to me to make sure that in each of my school districts, I've opened up that pathway for students," Dayton Public Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli, who has been in education for over four decades, told Yahoo Finance. The district she's currently at has a partnership with Sinclair Community College, which includes bringing professors into classrooms to teach students. The program is called "College Credit Plus." The number of students enrolled in these college-level programs has been growing, Lolli said, "even with COVID ... but it is still not where I would like for it to be." The increase has been due to more students and parents becoming aware that these programs are not costly the school often foots the bill for the college credits. "More students are starting to go 'Oh, there's not a catch to this' and are really starting to take advantage of the opportunity," Lolli said. Although students may continue to take the traditional Advanced Placement (AP) route, in her district, Lolli found more interest in taking these alternative college credit courses tied to a specific school. With AP, students need to pass and get a score between 3, 4 or a 5 to get the credit. "We still do offer AP, but in the long run, we've all suspected over time that AP will eventually go by the wayside for College Credit Plus," Lolli added. This year, 246 high school students went through the program to earn college credits at Dayton Public. The district has about 11,800 students from K-12. The majority of students in the district are low-income, with 65% identifying as African American and 24% as white. For Lolli, college affordability was front of mind as she thought about her students' backgrounds. "The number of students that received an associate's degree needs to climb," she said. "I don't think we have near enough students earning that associate's degree and getting to the point that they don't have that two years of college debt ... But we're working on that and continuing to push that through. So hopefully that'll happen." Aarthi is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. She can be reached at aarthi@yahoofinance.com. Follow her on Twitter @aarthiswami. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Flipboard, and LinkedIn In this file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets troops who have taken part in the military parade to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army. KCNA via Reuters North Korea began its Covid vaccine program though it's currently only for soldiers, RFA said. Broadcast vehicles are calling the vaccines an "immortal potion of love" from Kim Jong Un. As of Thursday, North Korea has recorded more than 3.2 million cases of "fever" and 69 deaths. Covid-stricken North Korea has finally begun its vaccination program calling the COVID-19 jabs an "immortal potion of love" from their leader Kim Jong Un, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported. However, the vaccines are so far reserved only for soldiers working on national construction projects, according to the US-funded non-profit media outlet. Two anonymous sources provided details to RFA, describing how to broadcast vehicles would play loudspeaker messages at vaccination sites, highlighting how the vaccines were "a gracious gift" from Kim. "They play loud political propaganda messages as the soldiers get injected with the vaccines from China," an unnamed government official told the outlet. "They are calling it a 'vaccination of love from the Highest Dignity,'" he said, using the honorific term for the country's leader. Another source, a resident, appeared to confirm this to RFA. "A broadcast vehicle that appeared at the vaccination site loudly proclaimed the greatness of the general secretary, who prepared for them the 'Immortal Potion of Love," she said. The resident told RFA that the vaccines were imported from China but did not specify the type of vaccine. The hermit kingdom confirmed its first-ever Covid case on May 12, and Kim Jong Un initially criticized his officials for the country's poor response to the virus. In the days since, however, North Korean state media has maintained the "much-disputed claim" that its Covid wave is subsiding, per Associated Press. Experts feared that the Covid outbreak would become a significant disaster, given how the country had been entirely unvaccinated. Last September, North Korea rejected nearly three million doses of Sinovac from China, asking for them to be sent to countries that needed it more. Story continues Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden said North Korea did not respond to a US offer of Covid vaccines, per the BBC. Now that a vaccine program appears to have begun in the country, some soldiers were seen raising their hands in praise of Kim, the resident told RFA. But other citizens are unhappy that they have yet to get the jab, she said. "People saw the scenes of the emotional soldiers, singing, weeping, and shouting 'Manse!' but they looked on emotionless," she said. Manse, which means 10,000 years in Korean, can be translated here to mean "long live Kim Jong Un." As of Thursday, the total number of "fevered persons" in North Korea topped 3.2 million, and 69 people have died, according to the state news agency KCNA. The country has yet to refer to this "fever" outbreak as COVID-19, as poor testing capabilities have hindered its ability to diagnose cases, per the BBC. Read the original article on Insider The Daily Beast via YouTube/The Telegraph Russias National Guard has confirmed that a Chechen commander was killed in a bloody firefight with foreign volunteers in Ukraineand they singled out the son of a British lawmaker as one of those responsible.Ben Grant, a 30-year-old former Royal Marine and the son of Helen Grant, a Conservative MP and Prime Minister Boris Johnsons special envoy on girls education, joined British and U.S. servicemen fighting Russian forces in Ukraine back in March, telling British me Ewan McGregor attends the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" photocall at the Corinthia Hotel London on May 12, 2022 in London, England. Kate Green/Getty Images "Obi-Wan Kenobi" star Ewan McGregor said that the "Star Wars" sequel movies were "easier" to watch. McGregor starred in the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy in the 2000s, which were panned by critics. McGregor said that he could enjoy the later movies because he was a fan again. "Obi-Wan Kenobi" actor Ewan McGregor said that he was "really happy" to dip back into the "Star Wars" universe with the recent sequel movies starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Adam Driver. McGregor plays the titular character in the new Disney+ series but first portrayed the character in the "Star Wars" prequel movies in the '90s and 2000s. The prequel trilogy received mixed reviews from critics at the time but has since received a lot of support from fans who grew up with the movies. During a roundtable interview for "Obi-Wan Kenobi," which Insider attended, McGregor said that the sequel movies released between 2015 and 2019 allowed him to become a fan again. "I continued to love the 'Star Wars' universe and as the sequels were being made, I was happy," the actor said. "I was really happy to see them and feel that I was able to dip back into the world of 'Star Wars,' which I've been part of since I was a little kid." McGregor continued: "The sequels were easier to watch because they were a fantasy again for me. I didn't have any part in them. I said a couple of words for them here and there. In the latter two, I think I'd recorded some dialogue for them but I wasn't invested in them in the same way. So I was able to enjoy them just as the audience." The sequel trilogy followed new characters trying to stop the Sith from reforming after "Return of the Jedi." The movies also had appearances from actors from the original "Star Wars" trilogy, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher. Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Disney+ series and "The Phantom Menace." Disney+ / 20th Century Fox Earlier this month, McGregor told Vanity Fair for its June cover story that he found it "difficult" to finish the prequel movies after seeing the criticism of the first movie "The Phantom Menace." The movie has a Rotten Tomato score of 51% and many fans were critical of new characters such as JarJar Binks. Story continues McGregor also said during the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" roundtable interview that "The Mandalorian" series took him "by surprise." "I really enjoyed 'The Mandalorian.' By that point, we were already gonna make this as a series but it made me realize that a 'Star Wars' television series could be just as engaging as the movies," he said. "Obi-Wan Kenobi" is the third live-action Disney+ series created for the "Star Wars" universe and six more new series are on their way. "Obi-Wan Kenobi" premieres on Disney+ on May 27. Read the original article on Insider DENYS KARLOVSKYY THURSDAY, 26 MAY 2022, 19:34 Russian occupiers abducted the secretary of the Oleshky City Council Viktor Syrota. Source: Mayor of Oleshky Yevhen Ryshchuk Quote: "This evening I got a call saying that the occupiers had taken the secretary of the City Council Viktor Syrota. Let's hope that nothing terrible will happen to him. We really hope not! He is a sedate, serious person and God forbid that anything should happen to him!" Details: Ryshchuk confirmed that the Russian invaders appointed collaborator Heorhii Zhuravko as the head of the city's occupation administration. He gathered the directors of Public Utilities to give instructions on how to operate under Russian occupation. According to Mayor Ryshchuk, there is no significant activity of occupation units or military operations in the city. He added that employees of "Pobut," a municipally owned corporation, will be paid wages until the end of May, but in June the enterprise will have to be disbanded and stop payments due to the city falling under the control of the Russian occupiers. Background: The director of the Texas Department of Public Safety admitted Friday that it was the wrong decision for more than a dozen officers to wait outside a classroom door as a shooter killed children inside earlier this week. With the benefit of hindsight, where Im sitting now, of course it was not the right decision, it was the wrong decision, there was no excuse for that, DPS Director Col. Steven McCraw told reporters. The admission comes days after 19 children and two teachers were gunned down at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday. Please send the police now, a little girl begged in one of several 911 calls from children inside the classroom. At least 19 police officers waited outside of the classroom door where the suspect was shooting because a commanding officer on scene believed it was a barricaded subject and not an active shooter. That commanding officer was later identified as Peter Arredondo, chief of police for the Uvalde Consolidated School District. I wasnt there, but Im telling you from what we know, McCraw told reporters. When theres an active shooter, the rules change, its no longer a barricaded subject, you dont have time. More than 40 minutes passed from the time the shooter, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, entered the school to when he was eventually killed. During that time, children placed calls to 911 begging for help as operators could hear gunshots being fired in the background, McCraw said. But police stood by, because Arredondo believed the gunman had barricaded himself and wanted to wait for a tactical team instead of engaging with the gunman. I wasnt there, McCraw repeated at the press conference, but a decision was made that this was a barricaded subject, and that there was time to retrieve the keys and wait for a tactical team with equipment to breach the doors. That was the thought process at that particular time, McCraw added. Outside of the school, parents pleaded with officers to go inside and confront the shooter. Story continues The police were doing nothing, Angeli Rose Gomez, a mother with two children inside the school, told The Wall Street Journal. They were just standing outside the fence. They werent going in there or running anywhere. In one of the 911 calls that took place just after noon, a girl said 12 people in her classroom were dead but that eight to nine students were still alive. Minutes later, at 12:21 p.m., an operator could hear three shots fired in the background. Police outside the room still didnt act, according to the new timeline provided by McCraw. Police were eventually able to get keys from the school janitor to enter the classrooms, where they finally killed the gunman. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Connor McDavid (97) celebrates his series-winning goal against the Calgary Flames during Game 5. (Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) There was never a world where he wouldnt be heard from. Not with a trip to the Western Conference final on the line. In the final moment of what he described as a "bad" night, Connor McDavid delivered his best and most memorable moment of his historic and still-blossoming NHL career, lifting the Edmonton Oilers into the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and over the Calgary Flames in the Battle of Alberta with an overtime winner in Game 5. McDavids walk-off strike capped a wild and controversial 5-4 victory for the Oilers over the Flames in the first playoff meeting between the Albertan rivals in more than 30 years. Even with the heroics from the captain, Leon Draisaitl was the most dominant force on this night, collecting another four assists including a primary helper on McDavids winner to count a ludicrous 17 points in five games. Two superstars rising to the occasion, however, wasn't enough for the Oilers to win the game in the manner that they did. A key and controversial call from the league offices late in the third period reversed a potential outcome in favour of extending the series when Blake Coleman appeared to score a go-ahead goal on a drive into Mike Smith's crease. Story continues Coleman carried his momentum through the puck and deposited it into the back of the net with the blade of his skate. It was far from a textbook kicking motion, but after a critical review it was ruled that Coleman had propelled the puck across the goal line using an illegal motion with his skate. This is the angle for the Coleman goal reversal that is most convincing, in my view. But was it a distinct kicking motion? That will be debated for a long time, depending on how overtime goes. pic.twitter.com/kpHIhKYvjR Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 27, 2022 It was an impossible call at the time, and the result was cruel. There was no question that Colemans skate put it over the line, and that he set up his blade to make contact with the puck. But to call it a distinct kicking motion is a massive stretch, and the puck appeared to be heading into the back of the net regardless. Colemans disallowed goal broke a deadlock created by a feverish run of goals in the second period. Seven were celebrated in the middle frame, including the fastest four goals scored in succession in Stanley Cup playoffs history over the span of 71 seconds. Only in the Battle of Alberta. There were two lead changes within that scoring surge, including the fifth in as many games for Edmonton's Zach Hyman, who scored in all five games in the series a first for a franchise which has featured the likes of Gretzky, Messier and Kurri. What was lost in that feverish stretch, at least momentarily, was that the game changed dramatically in Edmontons favour. Calgary had its way early on, limiting the Oilers and McDavid specifically to very little offensively. Edmonton had just six shots in the opening period and were losing the possession battle handily with the Flames dominating in the faceoff circle and forcing the Oilers to defend. But when the game did break free from its shackles, the Oilers started to build more and more within. Shoddy defensive coverage prevented them from taking complete control, but the condition seemed to remain in the Oilers favour until McDavids moment in overtime. We will remember the goal and the celebration from the game's greatest talent, and if any hand is on the Conn Smythe Trophy this early, its McDavids. But there is a valid argument for Draisaitl being the single-most dominant force in the series. As mentioned, he racked up 17 points in the five games and matched Mario Lemieux for the third-most points ever scored in a single postseason series. He finished two points off Rick Middletons record of 19 points in a seven-game series in 1983. But what was most impressive about Draisaitls performance, which featured a minimum three points in each game, is that the former Hart Trophy winner is clearly hobbled. Like a men's or women's league player refusing to pick their skates off the ice because they are that much better than the part-timers they are playing with, Draisaitl dominated the series, perhaps more clearly than his lineman and captain, with skill, smarts and elite distribution of the puck adapting his game while nursing a high-ankle sprain. In addition to scoring twice himself, Draisaitl finished the series with assists on 15 of the Oilers 25 goals. I think hes the best passer in the world, Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said after the game. The Oilers have not finished writing the story of their season, which featured ups, downs, a coaching change and controversial personnel decisions. And it may not be wrapped up following the conclusion of their next series versus either the Colorado Avalanche or St. Louis Blues in a clash which will decide who advances to the Stanley Cup Final. But to overcome the Flames in the second round, the Oilers have taken a massive and critical step forward after many seasons spent in the doldrums despite having two of the best players on the planet on their side. The Oilers are, finally, meeting the expectations that the hockey world is right to have placed on them. And soon, they may exceed them. More from Yahoo Sports The Orange County Sheriffs Office says theyve arrested the suspect in a murder that they later learned was just one of a string of violent crimes. Deputies responded to the 300 block of Duncan Court just after 6 p.m. Monday for reports of a shooting. READ: I had to do what I had to do: Grandmother fatally shoots intruder in Orange County They arrived to find 62-year-old Oleg Denysenko shot to death. Investigators say surveillance video showed a black Jeep Grand Cherokee pull into the area with its windows lowered. Deputies say the driver appears to call the victim over to the car before hes shot for no apparent reason. Minutes later, deputies say the driver of a vehicle matching the same description from the shooting scene intentionally hit another man with the SUV before crashing on North Buena Vista Ave. Read: Car submerged in downtown Orlando retention pond That driver, later identified as 30-year-old Vashawn McLendon, was seen running away from the car armed with a handgun. According to the sheriffs office, a third person reported being pistol whipped on Observatory Drive by the same person who had just crashed on Buena Vista Ave. Later that night around 8 p.m., deputies were called to a home on Hudson Street where a relative of McLendons said hed just arrived acting strangely and covered in blood. Deputies responded to the home, evacuated the family members, and took McClendon into custody. PHOTOS: Brush fire threatens homes in Brevard County This horrible violent spree by McClendon, which resulted in the tragic murder of Mr. Denysenko, and serious injury to two others, has no apparent motive, the sheriffs office said in a statement. None of the victims appear to have known McClendon, and there is no explanation detectives have been able to ascertain for these brutal crimes. McClendon is in the Orange County jail charged with second degree murder for the shooting of Denysenko, and attempted second degree murder with a firearm with the victim hes accused of pistol whipping. Hes being held on no bond. Story continues Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Courtesy of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives Fifty years ago, on June 3, 1972, as Sally J. Priesand became the first woman ordained a rabbi by a Jewish seminary, her 35 male classmates spontaneously rose to their feet to acknowledge her historic feat. For nearly 2,000 years, the position of rabbi which literally means my master or my teacher - was limited to men. The only exception during all those years had been Rabbi Regina Jonas, who was ordained in a private ceremony in Germany in 1935. Jonas perished at Auschwitz in 1944, and the details of her life were discovered in archives after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Courtesy of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives Thirty-seven years after Jonas pioneering first, Rabbi Priesands ordination by Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, the seminary of Reform Judaism, the largest denomination of religious affiliation among American Jews, opened the door to hundreds of women becoming rabbis. As a rabbi and historian of Jewish women in the modern era, I know that while the advent of women as ordained religious leaders has changed the face of the rabbinate, the values of equity and justice codified in the Hebrew Bible have not yet been fully realized when it comes to gender. Making a difference The rise and integration of women into the rabbinate over the past five decades has transformed many aspects of Jewish life, especially in North America, where they primarily serve. A smaller number are employed in Israel, Europe and Australia. Courtesy of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives , CC BY An estimated 1,500 women have become rabbis across every major Jewish denomination. After Rabbi Priesand in 1972, Rabbi Sandy Eisenberg Sasso was the first in the Reconstructionist movement in 1974, Rabbi Amy Eilberg in the Conservative movement in 1985 and Rabba Sara Hurwitz in Modern Orthodoxy in 2009. The use of the professional title rabbi for an ordained woman remains controversial among Orthodox Jews as it derives from the masculine Hebrew word rav, the title given to men at ordination. As a result, some use rabba, the feminine rendering of rav in Hebrew, while others use maharat, a Hebrew acronym for a female leader of Jewish law, spirituality and Torah. Story continues Classes at liberal Jewish seminaries today often consist of at least equal numbers of male- and female-identifying rabbinical candidates. Maharat in New York City was founded in 2009 as the first institute to ordain women to serve as Orthodox clergy. Over 50 women have been ordained since then. Along with female academics, female rabbis have expanded the canon of Jewish study and stretched the parameters of Jewish practice to include women and their perspectives. New commentary based on the Torah which means Jewish learning in general but refers literally to the first five books of the Bible contained in the scroll regularly read in synagogue has recovered the stories of biblical women and treated them with the academic rigor usually reserved for biblical men. Women, alongside men, are studying classical legal texts and responding knowledgeably to questions that inform practice. Feminist Jewish theologians have questioned the ways in which God is described and understood, challenging the centrality of both male imagery and hierarchy in Jewish religious thinking and leading to the production of prayer books with gender-inclusive language. Moreover, female rabbis have been instrumental in creating rituals to acknowledge milestones relating to womens experiences. So, for instance, baby namings welcoming girls into the covenant now coexist alongside those for boys, and new religious ceremonies marking the first menstrual period and menopause have emerged. By dint of their presence as religious authorities, female rabbis are toppling the traditional gendered differentiation of roles between Jewish women and men and democratizing Jewish communities. In Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist Judaism, for instance, women are no longer relegated to lighting candles and men alone privileged with reciting Kiddush, the blessing over the wine, on the Jewish Sabbath. Female scholar-rabbis now teach and, in some cases, lead seminaries, like Bostons Hebrew College and New Yorks Jewish Theological Seminary. They are also challenging conventional definitions of professional success by raising questions about work-life balance pertinent to all rabbis, regardless of gender. Fighting for equality While their impact on Jewish life has been significant, female rabbis continue to face considerable challenges. Teams deployed to Reform synagogues in the early 1980s to interview Jews about their qualms regarding female rabbis initial entry into the workplace yielded comments such as the rigors of the rabbinate are too great and women too weak for the demanding routine, women do not know how to, nor care to, wield power or authority and women who succeed will reflect poorly on their [male] colleagues. These have given way to far more egregious claims of gender discrimination and sexual misconduct at seminaries and synagogues in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Equity in the Jewish workplace has yet to materialize. There is, for instance, an 18% gender-based wage gap among Reform rabbis in congregations. The acceptance of female rabbis in Orthodox Judaism remains highly contested. The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America continues to reiterate its opposition to ordaining women. For sectors further to the right, like the ultra-Orthodox Hasidim, affirmations of male and female difference make the question of women rabbis moot. Organizations like the Womens Rabbinic Network and the three-year-old grassroots Facebook group known as Year of the Jewish Woman are seeking to root out inequities. Plans to thoroughly revise the ethics code of Reform rabbis have been set in motion, and the Womens Rabbinic Network continues to advocate for passage of a uniform family and medical leave policy. Little girls can grow up knowing they can be rabbis The truth is that the days of a rabbi envisioned as a white man with a beard in a dark suit are coming to a close. In more recent years, the diversity engendered by women in the rabbinate has expanded to include rabbis of color, rabbis with disabilities, openly gay rabbis and transgender rabbis. In May 2022, the Hebrew Union CollegeJewish Institute of Religion issued a certificate of ordination to a nonbinary candidate for the first time in its 147-year history. When Rabbi Michelle Missaghieh appeared on the long-running medical television drama Greys Anatomy in 2005 (as herself), and Jacqueline Mates-Muchin, who is the first Chinese American rabbi, addressed the Democratic National Conventions Jewish American Community Meeting in 2020, they were smashing the so-called stained-glass ceiling and enabling all Jews to consider the rabbinate as a calling. As Priesand told me during an interview in May 2021, One of the things Ive always been proudest of is that little girls can grow up knowing they could be rabbis if they want to. And Ive worked really hard not just to open the door but to hold it open for others to follow in my footsteps. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Carole B. Balin, Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion . Read more: Carole B. Balin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) A California parole panel recommended the release of Patricia Krenwinkel for the first time Thursday, more than five decades after she and other followers of cult leader Charles Manson terrorized the state and she wrote Helter Skelter on a wall using the blood of one of their victims. Krenwinkel, 74, was previously denied parole 14 times for the slayings of pregnant actor Sharon Tate and four other people in 1969. She helped kill grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary the next night in what prosecutors say was an attempt by Manson to start a race war. The parole recommendation will be reviewed by the state parole board's legal division before likely going to Gov. Gavin Newsom for a decision within five months. He has previously rejected parole recommendations for other followers of Manson, who died in prison in 2017. New laws since Krenwinkel was last denied parole in 2017 required the parole panel to consider that she committed the murders at a young age and is now an elderly prisoner. Also, for the first time, Los Angeles County prosecutors werent at the parole hearing to object, under District Attorney George Gascons policy that prosecutors should not be involved in deciding whether prisoners are ready for release. However, Krenwinkels attorney, Keith Wattley, said relatives of her victims offered the same objections at the hearing as prosecutors have in the past. What was different this time was that the parole panel was willing to follow the law, he said, recognizing that she has had no disciplinary violations and is no longer a danger to society. She's completely transformed from the person she was when she committed this crime, which is all that it's supposed to take to be granted parole, he said. This March 13, 2020, photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Charles Manson follower Patricia Krenwinkel. A California parole panel recommended her release for the first time, Thursday, May 26,2022. Krenwinkel, 74, was previously denied parole 14 times for the slayings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four other people in 1969. The next night, Krenwinkel helped kill grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP) Im hopeful that the governor recognizes that he shouldnt be playing political games with peoples lives," Wattley said. The governor would be blocking her parole not because hes afraid of her, but because he doesnt like her. And the law doesnt allow that. Story continues Krenwinkel remains incarcerated at the California Institution for Women east of Los Angeles. Commissioners five years ago rejected her parole despite arguments then that she was affected by battered womens syndrome when she helped in the bloody slayings. Krenwinkel was a 19-year-old secretary living with her older sister when she met Manson, then age 33, at a party. She testified in 2016 that she soon left everything behind to follow him because she thought they might have a romantic relationship. But she said Manson abused her physically and emotionally and trafficked her to other men for sex. She said she fled twice only to be brought back and that she was rarely left alone and usually was under the influence of drugs. At her last parole hearing, Krenwinkel told how she repeatedly stabbed Abigail Folger, 26, heiress to a coffee fortune, at Tates home on Aug. 9, 1969. The next night, she said Manson and his right-hand man, Charles Tex Watson, told her to do something witchy, so she stabbed La Bianca in the stomach with a fork, then took a rag and wrote Helter Skelter, Rise and Death to Pigs on the walls with his blood. She and other participants were initially sentenced to death. But they were resentenced to life with the possibility of parole after the death penalty in California was briefly ruled unconstitutional in 1972. Krenwinkel became the states longest-serving female inmate when fellow Manson follower Susan Atkins died of cancer in prison in 2009. Wattley said he understands she is the longest-serving woman in the United States. UPDATE: 5:28 p.m. Friday 5/27/22 Pittsburgh Police report that Nidrea Cox was found safe on Friday. UPDATE: Nidrea has been safely located. Thank you for your help. pic.twitter.com/DaG1Lb4J0E Pittsburgh Police (@PghPolice) May 27, 2022 Pittsburgh Police are searching for a missing 13-year-old girl, who is believed to be endangered. According to police, Nidrea Cox was last seen around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday in Glen Hazel. She was wearing black clothing and a headband. Nidrea is 57 and weighs around 190 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. Anyone with information pertaining to her whereabouts is asked to call Pittsburgh Police at (412)323-7141. TRENDING NOW: Drone 11 footage shows aftermath of train derailment in Harmar Township, 17 cars derailed Family of Washington County man who was killed while mowing his lawn speaks out Target 11 warning shoppers after more skimming devices are discovered VIDEO: UPMC makes medical breakthrough towards curing cancer DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts A man is in custody and a self-defense claim is under investigation after a fatal southeast Nashville shooting on Thursday afternoon, police said. The shooting happened around 12:15 p.m. in the parking lot of Longwood at Southern Hills Apartments in the 300 block of Wallace Road, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. Police said an argument broke out over clothing among four women, two of whom knew the victim identified as 16-year-old Eliel Arnoldo Ortiz and two of whom knew the man who opened fire. The man, who lives in the apartments, told police he shot only after guns were pointed at him. He then fled the complex and was later arrested by detectives at a motel on Briley Parkway. The man was initially arrested on unrelated charges of felony aggravated assault and vandalism stemming from April, police said. He is being held on a $90,000 bond on those charges, records show. Police also said they found meth, marijuana, three semi-automatic pistols and a rifle in his car. MNPD later announced he faces federal charges including: felon in possession of a firearm; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Reporter Molly Davis contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Teen dead, 1 arrested after southeast Nashville shooting A Bloomington man faces charges of attempted murder and carrying a handgun without a license in connection with Little 500 weekend shooting of a 26-year-old man in downtown Bloomington. Michael V. Carson Jr., 33, of Bloomington, was arrested at the Bloomington Police Department Thursday, then booked into the Monroe County Jail at 7:05 p.m. He is being held in lieu of bond. According to a Bloomington Police Department news release, investigators found a .40-caliber shell casing near the rear kitchen door of a restaurant south of the parking lot at Sixth and Lincoln streets where the victim was found in the front seat of a car. "Video surveillance from nearby security cameras was showed a verbal altercation between two groups of individuals near the rear of the restaurant just prior to the shooting," the news release said. After interviewing the people, police found out the shouting turned physical and a fight broke out beyond camera view. Witnesses identified Carson as the person who pulled out a gun and fired it one time before fleeing. A detective called Carson May 26 and asked him to come to the police station to be interviewed. The shooting happened within half an hour of an incident at the Kalao Restaurant and Nightclub at 320 N. Walnut St. where three men were shot inside the rum bar. Investigators initially suspected the incidents might be related, but determined they were not. After Little 500: Bloomington shootings latest example of increased gun violence On May 2, Bloomington police officers arrested Keiantrea Washington, 27, of Bloomington. He faces charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery and criminal recklessness for allegedly firing a handgun into the crowded bar at 1 a.m. April 23. Bullets struck three people. Washington was released after posting $10,500 in cash for his bond. A jury trial is scheduled for Oct. 3, according to court records. The morning of the Kalao shootings, officers at the scene responded to another 911 call about a man who had been shot in a parking lot near the Sixth and Lincoln street intersection. Story continues Carson is charged with this shooting. Officers found a 26-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his abdomen in the front passenger seat of a vehicle. He was taken to IU Health Bloomington Hospital, where he was in critical condition for days. On May 16, he was transferred by helicopter to an Indianapolis hospital. "It is believed that this shooting occurred near the alleyway that runs east and west, between Kirkwood Avenue and Sixth Street," a police news release from that day said. "The victim in this shooting was rushed to emergency surgery once at the hospital. Investigators continue to search for witnesses and are attempting to review surveillance footage from nearby cameras." Downtown Bloomington was crowded with Little 500 revelers when the shootings happened. While the event draws thousands of young people to the city for what's often called the "World's Greatest College Weekend," both men arrested in the shootings, and the victims, are Bloomington residents. Contact reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com, 812-331-4362 or 812-318-5967. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Man charged with attempted murder in Little 500 weekend shooting A view from the makeshift memorial in front of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 25, 2022. Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Texas law enforcement authorities on Friday denied claims by a local GOP congressman that the Uvalde elementary school gunman was once arrested years ago for threatening to "shoot up" a school once he turned 18. Officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety said during a press briefing that the allegations by Texas GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales were not correct. Gonzales claimed during a Fox News interview earlier Friday that he "found out" that the 18-year-old gunman who slaughtered 19 children and two teachers at Uvalde's Robb Elementary School on Tuesday was arrested four years ago "for having this plan, for basically saying, you know, 'when I'm a senior in 2022, I am going to shoot up a school.'" "And this was four years ago, they apprehended him," Gonzales said. "So something fell between the cracks between then and now to allow this to happen." He continued, "We need to shake out all the facts." Authorities have previously said that the shooter described as an unemployed high school drop-out had no known criminal history. Though, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said during a press briefing on Wednesday that the gunman may have had a juvenile record, "but that is yet to be determined." The gunman on Tuesday carried out the most deadly US school shooting in a decade. This story is developing. Please check back for updates. Read the original article on Insider China details measures to stabilize, upgrade foreign trade Xinhua) 08:26, May 27, 2022 Photo taken on May 1, 2022 shows a container vessel docking at the Qianwan Container Terminal in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng) BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- China has detailed measures to stabilize and upgrade foreign trade, in an effort to keep the economy and industrial and supply chains stable. According to a guideline released on Thursday by the State Council, China's cabinet, services for key foreign trade enterprises will be enhanced and measures will be put in place to ensure unimpeded logistics for foreign trade cargos. Fiscal and financial support for foreign trade enterprises will be strengthened, according to the guideline, while efforts will be made to shore up cross-border e-commerce. The guideline also noted that online exhibitions should be optimized to help enterprises increase the volume of foreign trade transactions. A new batch of demonstration zones to promote imports will be fostered, it said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Northampton, MA --News Direct-- Gilead Sciences When medical student Catia Seabra talks to high school classes in Portugal about sexually transmitted infections, her goal is to normalize sexual health education and make sure students dont feel ashamed or embarrassed. I dont want to scare them. I want to inform them, she says. They can still have a good sexual experience while being responsible. Catia explains to her students that sex comes with benefits and risks similar to getting a driver's license. It's exhilarating, there's a sense of freedom and independence, still safeguards need to be taken while driving. Since December 2020, Catia has taught sexual health education classes to high schoolers as part of Academia Pensa Positivo, which translates to Think Positive Academy in English. The Gilead-sponsored initiative aims to educate young people in Portugal about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and dispel the misconceptions and stigma associated with them. The program is led by three doctors, including Dr. Joao Paulo Caldas, an infectious disease physician based in Porto. We want to leave young people with enough knowledge and confidence to identify STI symptoms if they arise and teach them the importance of requesting STI screenings, since many infections are asymptomatic, says Joao. The educational materials, created with the assistance of an infectious disease specialist, are presented to 15-18 year old teenagers, as well as to university students in pharmacy and med school. After hearing the presentation, university students like Catia are then tapped to help grow the program, enabling it to reach more teens throughout the country. Dispelling STI MythsThe program has helped reveal that many students don't know the difference between HIV and AIDS, so the instructors teach them about the important distinction. When Joao started the program two years ago he was surprised by the number of students who assumed that an HIV diagnosis was essentially a death sentence. Story continues "We make sure to dispel this and explain that nowadays if you learn you are living with HIV and receive the proper treatment you can live an ordinary life," he explains. Joao believes this program is now more important than ever due to a drop-off in sexual education lessons in Portugals schools and the fact that HIV is not discussed as much as it was decades ago, during the height of the HIV epidemic. Some students he talks to wrongly believe you can get syphilis from kissing, or that STI screening is included in routine blood work at the doctor's office. Many high schoolers are at the very beginning of their sexual journey and having sexual encounters for the first time, says Joao. They need that journey to be guided by facts. The Academy works hard to create a safe conversation space with the students and to present the information in engaging ways, such as with online games and assessments. Thats where med students like Catia come in. She is relatable to the students and has a knack for gaining their confidence and presenting the information in easy-to-understand terms. She has also designed her presentations to be part of a more positive learning environment than was typical when she was in high school. Back then, STI education was about instilling fear in students by showing very graphic photos of extreme cases in the hope of scaring young people into being cautious, says Catia. While extreme cases are alarming, theyre not a common experience for most young people, who may have more mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Scaring young people into engaging in healthier behaviors rarely works. "Just like the name of the program implies, a positive approach to sex health education can help produce healthier outcomes," says Joao. Photo credit: Rawpixel/Shutterstock.com Originally published by Gilead Sciences View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Gilead Sciences on 3blmedia.com View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/portugals-positive-approach-to-teaching-teens-about-the-birds-bees-and-stis-516616027 ANNAPOLIS, Md. President Joe Biden took aim at Russia and a changing world at the keynote address at the U.S. Naval Academy's graduation ceremony, where he also hailed late Naval officer Sen. John McCain. Delivering the academy's keynote address at about 10:30 a.m. Friday, Biden told graduating midshipmen they would be commissioning into a changing global theater, noting the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. "We're seeing the world align not in terms of geography, east and west, Atlantic and Pacific, but in terms of values," Biden said during his address, noting countries which supported his sanctions against Russia in the wake of the country's assault on Ukraine. "Things are changing so rapidly, that the next ten years will be the decisive decade of this century," he said. "They're going to shape what our world looks like, and the values that will guide it." He jabbed at Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that the leader's "brutal war" on Ukraine was "literally trying to wipe out the culture and identity of the Ukrainian people." "Attacking schools, nurseries, hospitals, museums, with no other purpose than to eliminate a culture," he said, calling it a "direct assault" on fundamental tenants of international order. "That's what you're graduating into." Biden concluded his address by lauding late Naval officer and Sen. John McCain, who commissioned in 1958 and died in 2018 at the start of the graduating midshipmen's plebe year. Biden and McCain's political careers were intertwined in the Senate, coming to a head in 2008, when they ran against each other in opposing presidential elections. He called McCain a "man of great principal and capacity," adding that he "always lived by a code." While McCain was on his deathbed, Biden said his former colleague asked him to do his eulogy. "Two hard-assed guys, looked at one another and said 'I love you'." Story continues Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the Naval Academy's graduation ceremony last year. The keynote address usually rotates between the vice president, president and the secretary of defense. The address is Biden's first as president. He gave the keynote speech as vice president in 2015 and 2010. The last time a president delivered the keynote address was in 2018 when then-President Donald Trump visited the academy. The president has had a busy week. On Tuesday, Biden returned from his first trip as president to Asia and addressed the nation as it reeled from a mass shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. And on Wednesday, the two-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd, he signed an executive order aiming to improve accountability in policing. After visiting Annapolis, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will be heading to Uvalde, Texas on Sunday to meet with the families of those who were killed, as well as other community members. Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to help with food exports for the lifting of sanctions against his country. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images Russian President Vladimir Putin said he'll help export grain and fertilizers if sanctions are lifted. Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea have been blocked since Russia's invasion. British foreign minister Liz Truss slammed Russia's suggestions that sanctions be eased for food. Vladimir Putin said he'll open up grain and fertilizer exports if sanctions against Russia are lifted. The Russian president made the offer in a phone call to Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Thursday, according to an official statement from the Kremlin. Putin said Russia "is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizers, provided that politically motivated restrictions from the West are lifted." He didn't say if the exports would be from Russia or Ukraine. The Italian Prime Minister's office said the two leaders talked about "a shared solution to the ongoing food crisis and its serious repercussions on the world's poorest countries." The statement did not mention sanctions. The White House told Reuters on Thursday there were no discussions about the easing of sanctions against Russia in exchange for grain shipments. Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea have been blocked since Russia's invasion on February 24, leaving more than 20 million metric tons of grains stuck in Ukraine, per Reuters. This disruption is exacerbating a world food crunch as Ukraine accounts for 12% of global wheat exports and 17% of global corn exports, per ING Economics. It's also the world's largest sunflower oil exporter. Putin's comments follow those from a senior Russian government official who said the Kremlin would allow ships carrying food to leave Ukrainian ports in exchange for the lifting of sanctions, per Interfax news agency. Ukraine called the suggestion "clear blackmail," according to CNN. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday the West has only itself to blame for the food crisis, as it has taken a number of "illegal actions" leading to shipments getting blocked. Story continues "They must cancel those illegal decisions that prevent the chartering of ships, that prevent the export of grain, and so on" so that supplies can resume, Peskov told reporters, per Reuters. Vassily Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, said on Thursday there is a "safe corridor" allowing access to the key Odesa port in Ukraine, according to a Reuters report. Ukraine needs to demine the waters before the safe corridors can be used, he said. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing on Thursday that it is on Russia to stop blocking the export of food from Ukrainian ports. "Sanctions from the United States and its allies and its partners are not preventing the export of Ukrainian or Russian agriculture, including food and fertilizer, nor are they preventing the ordinary transactions that are necessary for these exports, such as banking or shipping," said Jean-Pierre, according to an official transcript. British foreign minister Liz Truss slammed Russia's suggestions that sanctions be eased for food. "It is completely appalling that Putin is trying to hold the world to ransom, and he is essentially weaponising hunger and lack of food amongst the poorest people around the world," Truss said during a visit to Bosnia on Thursday, Reuters reported. "What we cannot have is any lifting of sanctions, any appeasement, which will simply make Putin stronger in the longer term," Truss added, per Reuters. Read the original article on Business Insider Reds pitcher Hunter Greene loved his experience pitching in front of Blue Jays fans. (Photos via Getty) This season is the first time since 2019 that the Blue Jays are able to spend their full campaign playing home games in Toronto, and with that, some other teams are finally getting to spend some time enjoying the international baseball city. During the Cincinnati Reds visit last weekend in which the home team earned a low-scoring series win rookie pitcher Hunter Greene was able to soak up some Toronto sights and gave a special shoutout to the fans. "To see it up close, to walk through the city, I just love the culture and the architecture, Greene told reporters during his stay north of the border. The atmosphere here is amazing. You could just feel the whole stadium was locked in every pitch." Some high praise from Hunter Greene re: Jays fans and the city of Toronto: "To see it up close, to walk through the city, I just love the culture and the architecture The atmosphere here is amazing. You could just feel the whole stadium was locked in every pitch." Jordan Horrobin (@JordanHorrobin) May 21, 2022 The 22-year-old didnt expand on specifically what architecture of Toronto he was able to enjoy, but one can only assume that a team bus must have passed by the Royal Ontario Museums jagged-edge renovation, or he spent time walking through Union Station and looked up at its historic ceilings. On the field, Greene was in the middle of the hollow cement bowl known as Rogers Centre on Saturday and experienced the rowdy crowd of a weekend baseball game. That didn't seem to slow him down. The second-overall pick in 2017 pitched six innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out six and walking two batters. That effort was still not enough, as the Blue Jays earned a 3-1 win thanks to a pair of Bo Bichette home runs. After being heralded as the next great long-term contender before the season, the Blue Jays have come out with a bit of a whimper and had a 21-18 record before Greenes start. If they can turn things around and play up to their potential, maybe more visiting players will get to enjoy Torontos architecture in October as well. More from Yahoo Sports Police officers on scene at Tops Friendly Markets in Buffalo, New York, after a shooting. John Normile/Getty Images Authorities say a former federal agent may've known about plans for the attack in Buffalo, New York. Officials told The Buffalo News the suspect invited the ex-fed to view the plans in a chatroom. Ten people were killed in the attack thought to be racially motivated at a Buffalo supermarket. Law-enforcement officials are investigating whether a former federal agent knew about plans for the Buffalo, New York, shooting before it took place, The Buffalo News reported. A gunman opened fire at Tops Friendly Markets on May 14, killing 10 people, in what the police consider a racially motivated attack. The shooting suspect was identified as an 18-year-old white man. Authorities told The Buffalo News that the suspect corresponded with at least six people in an online chatroom before the attack, one of whom was the former agent. Officials said the suspect invited members of the chatroom to read a plan about 30 minutes before the attack, according to The Buffalo News. It's unclear what institution the former agent who hasn't been identified worked for or whether the person accepted the invitation to read about the plan. "These were like-minded people who used this chat group to talk about their shared interests in racial hatred, replacement theory, and hatred of anyone who is Jewish, a person of color, or not of European ancestry," one official told The Buffalo News. "What is especially upsetting is that these six people received advanced notice of the Buffalo shooting, about 30 minutes before it happened." The FBI is interviewing the members of the chat room, including the former agent, to establish whether any of them were accomplices, The Buffalo News reported. The FBI received no tipoffs about the shooting, the outlet added. The FBI declined to comment. The Buffalo Police Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider. Officials said earlier this month that they were investigating a manifesto they believe belonged to the suspect that contained racist and antisemitic views. Authorities also said the gunman had written the N-word on the side of his gun alongside a white supremacist symbol. The suspect on May 15 was charged with first-degree murder over the shooting. He pleaded not guilty. Read the original article on Insider (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry said on Friday that it was expelling five staff members of the Croatian embassy in Moscow in response to Zagreb ordering out some of its staff. Croatia in April told 24 Russian embassy staff to leave over Moscow's actions in Ukraine. (Reporting by Reuters) A destroyed tank likely belonging to Russia / pro-Russian forces lies amidst rubble in the north of the ruined city of Mariupol on March 23, 2022. Maximilian Clarke/Getty Images Russia is believed to have lost almost 1,000 tanks in its war with Ukraine, a senior US defense official said Thursday. Earlier this week, Ukraine said Russia appeared to be pulling old T-62 tanks out of storage. The UK stated Friday that these old assets would be "particularly vulnerable" to anti-tank weapons. Russian armor losses have been substantial in the country's brutal war against neighboring Ukraine, and the latest intelligence indicates it is having to pull old T-62 tanks out of storage to replace more modern equipment lost in battle. Ukraine's defense ministry said in a Monday update that "as a result of losses during hostilities," the Russian military has been "forced to withdraw from storage T-62 tanks to recruit reserve battalion tactical groups that are being formed to be sent to Ukraine." A Soviet-era T-62 tank Getty Images And on Friday, the British defense ministry posted an intelligence update reporting that "Russia has likely moved 50-year-old T-62 tanks from deep storage," noting that the move "highlights Russia's shortage of modern, combat-ready equipment." The UK also said that these Soviet armor assets "will almost certainly be particularly vulnerable to anti-tank weapons," such as anti-tank guided missiles like the Javelins provided by the US or next generation light anti-tank weapons (NLAWs) from the UK that have been devastating even Russia's more modern tanks over the past three months. A destroyed Russian tank along the side of the road in Ukraine. Nicola Marfisi/AGF/Universal Images Group via Getty Images The Russian T-62 tank is a main battle tank that was introduced into the Soviet military in the early 1960s. The Soviets produced over 20,000 of these tanks, which were once quite capable but have since become obsolete and outmatched by advancements in military technology, such as the T-72 tanks that replaced them and the follow-on T-80. As Russia's losses mount in Ukraine, the country is apparently having to take steps to field mothballed systems. Open-source intelligence seems to support more official observations. A senior US defense official told reporters in a background briefing Thursday that the US estimates that Russia has lost nearly 1,000 tanks since it launched a large-scale invasion, what Russian President Vladimir Putin calls a "special military operation," on February 24. Story continues Despite initial expectations that Russia would steamroll the defending Ukrainian forces, the invasion has encountered serious setbacks as a result of missteps in the face of tough Ukrainian resistance. A destroyed Russian main battle tank rusts next to the main highway into the city on May 20, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images "We do believe that the Russian military has suffered a ... not insignificant amount of attrition," the official said, according to Voice of America, noting that Russia loses soldiers every day. That said, the official added that "they still have a significant amount... of their capability left to them," the official explained. How much of Russia's remaining capability is modern and ready for high-end combat remains to be seen. Read the original article on Business Insider The first details of the attacks of the Russian occupiers on the Dnepropetrovsk oblast became known (illustrative photo) Read also: Russia in sustained offensive in Donbas A troubled night and morning; there were several hits; extensive damage; emergency services are on site, digging people from underneath the rubble, said Reznichenko. Later Hennadiy Korban, the head of Dnipro Territorial Defense Forces reported Russian missiles hit the National Guard of Ukraine military polygon, killing 10 and injuring at least 35 servicemen. Read also: Russian invaders seize city of Svitlodarsk in Donbas local governor Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, located in central Ukraine directly north of Zaporizhzhya, has not been threatened by Russian military units, but has endured several missile and air strikes over the course of the war. Read also: Russia deploys more troops from Crimea to Ukraines Zaporizhzhya Oblast on April 13, 2022, a Russian soldier stands guard at the Luhansk power plant in the town of Shchastya. Alexander Nemenov/Getty Images A Russian mother successfully made Russian authorities return her sons from Ukraine. Her two sons were conscripts but never meant to serve in the Ukraine war, the mother told the BBC. She won a case with the military prosecutor and said "lied to my face." A Russian mother who was initially excited about her two sons' conscription to the Russian military last year forced Putin's government to return her sons home after she found out they were wrongfully sent to fight in Ukraine, according to the BBC. Marina, a pseudonym used by the BBC due to fear of retribution, told the outlet that in 2021, she told her two sons that "it was their duty to the motherland," and they were conscripted for a year in the country's military. But months into 2022, Marina worried for her boys as Russian troops were building at the Ukrainian border. When Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military invasion into the neighboring country on February 24, Marina stopped hearing from her sons. "Time stopped for me. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep," she told the BBC. "I exchanged messages with the mothers of other conscripts from the same unit. It turned out that many of them had lost contact with their children, too." In early March, after weeks of denying that he had sent young conscripts into war, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov admitted that Russia had sent conscripts to Ukraine and that they were among the casualties. Marina told the BBC that after weeks and an attempt to drive into Ukraine herself, she heard from colleagues in her son's unit who said that her sons had signed military contracts to fight in Ukraine. "I wrote to the prosecutor-general's office asking to investigate," Marina told the BBC. "I told them there was no way my sons could have signed military contracts. I was certain. Other mothers wrote, too. They all knew their children." By March 9, the military prosecutor's office investigated Marina's claim and returned her sons to Russia shortly after, given they had never signed military contracts to fight in Ukraine. Story continues "The lads that came back from there were so thin, dirty and exhausted," Marina told the BBC. "Their clothes were torn. My son said: 'It's better that you don't know what happened there.' But all that mattered to me was that he had come back alive." She added that throughout the war, military officers "lied to my face." "First, they lied that my sons weren't in Ukraine. Then they lied that they'd signed military contracts. Officers lied, sergeants lied," she told the BBC. "Later someone told me that they weren't allowed to tell me the truth. Incredible. They were allowed to break the law and send my sons [to Ukraine], but they weren't allowed to tell a mother where her children are." She added that other families are still living with the nightmare of not knowing where their children are, and whether they are serving in the war. "So many sons haven't come back and never will. So many mothers are still searching for their children," Marina said. "My children were different people when they came back. You can see it in their eyes. They're different. They're disillusioned. I want them to believe again in a bright future, in peace and love. They've stopped believing." Read the original article on Business Insider OLHA HLUSHCHENKO FRIDAY, 27 MAY 2022, 07:38 PHOTO: HAIDAI'S TELEGRAM In Sievierodonetsk, a Russian occupying forces sabotage and reconnaissance group, which was being driven out by the Ukrainian military, broke into a hotel. Source: Oleksandr Striuk, the head of the City CivilMilitary Administration of Sievierodonetsk on the 24-hour news broadcast Quote: "We have a hot spot this is the "Myr" Hotel that was entered by a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group, which during the day we tried to get out of there. The situation there was quite fierce, but we persevered. They tried to enter from the other side At the same time, the artillery shelling of the city is relentless." Details: In addition, Striuk said that 12 people had been evacuated from the city over the past 24 hours. According to him, during the months of the war about 1,500 citizens have been buried both those who died of natural causes and those who were killed. ROMAN PETRENKO FRIDAY, 27 MAY 2022, 12:44 On 27 May, Russian troops fired on the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and hit the barracks of the National Guard in the Dnipro district, the regional territorial defence centre reported. Source: Hennadii Korban, head of the Dnipro Territorial Defence Centre, on "Dnipro TV", quoted by the local newspaper "Gorsovet" Details: According to Korban, an "Iskander" missile hit the National Guard barracks in the Dnipro district. According to preliminary information, 10 people died and about 35 were injured. Korban pointed out that by order of the Ministry of Defence, the army cannot concentrate more than 20 people in one place. The missiles had been launched from the Rostov region of Russia. There were three missiles, one of which hit the target. Background: On 27 May, Russian troops again fired on the Dnipropetrovsk region. They caused serious destruction, and people are being rescued from under the rubble. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, on the night of 26 May, the Russian army fired with artillery at the Apostolova amalgamated territorial community (hromada) on the Kryvyi Rih front. On 25 May, the Russian occupiers shelled the Kryvyi Rih district of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast several times that day. Reminder: On the night of 17 May, Russian troops fired missiles at the Yavoriv district in the Lviv region, where the landfill is located and at the village of Desna in the Chernihiv region, near the site of the Desna training centre of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After an airstrike on the village of Desna, the bodies of 87 people were found under the rubble. A new South Carolina law will ban police from performing chokeholds in most cases, create guidelines for using no-knock warrants and require body cameras. Gov. Henry McMaster signed the police standards bill into law on Monday, but most of the standards wont take effect until January 2023 as a council of law enforcement leaders craft the specific policies that police agencies will have to adopt. The bill that eventually became the new law was filed at the end of 2020 following the high profile police killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, which sparked massive, nationwide protests and calls for police reform and defunding. Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis officer kneeling on his neck. An officer shot Taylor while a police team executed a no-knock warrant. The law will require police agencies to: eliminate chokeholds except in life-or-death situations create standards for using no-knock warrants standardize use of body cameras have a duty to intervene for officers when they see another officer breaking the law or policy create an early warning system to identify officers who are likely to abuse their power and violate peoples civil rights. utilize a publicly available system for people to file complaints against an agency or officer establish when officers can use force and how much force they can use require field training after basic police training establish when officers can pursue a vehicle and when they can shoot at a moving vehicle create hiring and firing practices Before the new law, police agencies in South Carolina were not required to have any standards of practice, meaning its up to each of the nearly 300 agencies in the state to create as few or as many rules as those agencies like. While a South Carolina county sheriffs office may have a policy manual of hundreds of pages that guides the office and its deputies, a local police department could not have a manual at all, leaving critical police practices without standards. Story continues A compliance division is created by the law to ensure agencies are adhering to the new standards. If agencies dont adhere, they risk fines or having all their officers policing certifications suspended, meaning they couldnt act as police officers. The law changes how police operate in South Carolina in other ways that go into effect immediately or by July 1. Newly hired officers who havent been trained by the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy cannot patrol alone. They have to be with a trained officer. Until now, those officers could begin patrolling before attending the criminal justice academy. Under the new law, officers could be charged with misconduct if they dont intervene when another officer is abusing someone or breaking the law. They could also be charged if they dont promptly report abuse or law breaking. Another long-standing issue effecting policing is solved by the law. Police agencies have to prosecute officers who are reported for misconduct. That prosecution happens at an administrative hearing before a tribunal of police leaders who decide if the accused officer will be stripped of police certification. Before the new law, police agencies could fire an officer for misconduct but not show up for the administrative hearing on that misconduct allegation. If the agency didnt show up, the tribunal usually had no evidence to justify taking the officers policing certification even if substantial evidence existed of the misconduct. Officers will now be required to sign a pledge to practice ethical policing. The law defines ethical policing as being without misconduct, conforming to the standards of the new law, and safeguarding life. The section on ethical policing emphasizes officers duty to intervene when another officer breaks the law or violates policy. The final version of the bill passed the Senate unanimously and the House by a vote of 103 to 4. The bill was introduced by state Reps. Dennis Moss, R-Cherokee; Sandy McGarry, R-Lancaster; Chris Wooten, R-Lexington; Bill Hixon, R-Aiken; Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort; and Jeff Bradley, R-Beaufort. A 16-year-old was arrested Thursday after he allegedly threatened a shooting at a Tracy school, police said. The Tracy Police Department received a tip about a threatening social media post around 3:22 a.m. as part of an FBI information-sharing network, a press release said. In the post, there was a clear threat of harm alongside a picture of a specific Tracy Unified School District school. Investigators connected the post to a home in west Tracy, where a 16-year-old boy and his parents were contacted by police. The boy admitted he made the threat but said he had no real plan to carry out an attack. He also had a realistic BB gun his parents said they didnt know about. No other firearms or related contraband was found in the house. Police did not release the name of the boy but said he was not a TUSD student. They also did not release the name of the threatened school. TUSD school resource officers arrested the teen, and he was charged in connection with the threat, TPD said. Additional patrols were sent to monitor schools. Let us be perfectly clear, making criminal threats to harm others has no place in a civilized society, the press release said. We will not tolerate it in our community and will use the full weight of the justice system to bring those responsible to justice. The loss of life is not a joking matter. The threat in Tracy came just two days after 19 elementary school students and two teachers were gunned down in Uvalde, Texas A family hugs outside the Willie de Leon Civic Center where grief counseling will be offered in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. Credit - Allison DinnerAFP/Getty Images The May 24 mass shooting in a Uvalde, Texas elementary school, in which a gunman killed 19 young children and two teachers, was the third-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. But it was also just the latest of an increasingly common type of U.S. tragedyone that experts say is saddling American schoolchildren, even the youngest, with rising levels of anxiety and other mental-health problems. Even when children arent directly involved in school shootings, they are deeply affected by them and often experience anxiety and depression as a result, says Kira Riehm, a postdoctoral fellow at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. These events are extremely high profile, and theyre portrayed hugely in the media, says Riehm. They also happen with alarming frequency. In 2022 so far, there have already been 27 school shootings in which someone was injured or killed, according to Education Weeks school shooting tracker. In a study published in 2021 in JAMA, Riehm and other researchers surveyed more than 2,000 11th and 12th graders in Los Angeles about their fear of shootings and violence at their own or other schools. Researchers followed up with those same students and found that kids who were initially more concerned were more likely to meet the criteria for generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder six months latersuggesting that kids internalize these fears, which can then manifest as diagnosable mental-health issues, Riehm says. While the researchers didnt find an overall association between concern about school violence and the development of depression, they did when they looked specifically at Black children. The root issue is this concern and fear that this could also happen at your school or another school, Riehm says. They are large numbers, and unfortunately, thats kind of in line with what I would have expected before even looking at the data. Story continues Children of all ages are at risk for developing these types of symptoms after shootings, but research shows that younger children are even more likely than older ones to develop symptoms like anxiety and PTSD as a result, says Dr. Aradhana Bela Sood, a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Virginia Commonwealth University. Elementary school kids are probably going to have a much rougher time than perhaps older adolescents, says Sood. Younger kids havent developed those defenses, those capacities to sort things out in the brain, Sood says. They just havent had life experiences. And they have no idea how to make sense of this. Read More: Close-Knit Uvalde Community Grieves After Elementary School Shooting In a 2021 review published in Current Psychiatry Reports, Sood and her colleagues analyzed research about the effects of mass shootings on the mental health of children and adolescents. They found that young children (ages 2 to 9) who are directly or indirectly exposed to violence have increased rates of PTSD, but, older children (ages 10-19) need multiple exposures to violencedirect or indirectfor it to lead to PTSD, suggesting that younger children are more sensitive to violence and develop psychological symptoms post exposure to violence at a higher rate, the study authors write. (In the review, direct exposures were defined broadly as witnessing or surviving a violent event; indirect exposures included seeing images of a shooting.) High social media use and continuous news reporting on mass shootings expose children repeatedly to these disturbing stories, which can have at least short-term psychological effects on youth living outside of the affected communities such as increased fear and decreased perceived safety, the authors write. Gun-related concern has been widespread among U.S. schoolkids for a long time. Shortly after the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in which 13 people were killed, researchers surveyed high school students across the U.S. Their results, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that 30% more students said they felt unsafe at school, compared to national survey data collected before the shooting. This is evidence of vicarious traumatization, Sood says, which can occur when a child hears about a tragedy or sees images of iteven if they dont experience it firsthand. Sood says that kind of exposure is much more likely to produce long-term damage in children who already have shown symptoms of anxiety and depressionwhich describes a growing number of American kids. There are certain children that I would be very vigilant about, Sood says. While young children are deeply affected by traumatic events, the good news is that they are also resilient. Obviously theres an impact, but what you want to see over weeks is a gradual reduction in this response, and thats normative for young kids, Sood says. Whether a child is directly or indirectly impacted by a mass shooting, there are specific steps parents and guardians can take to help their young children process the tragedy. It is important for people around the child to be vigilant and aware of how they can be supportive and allow the evolution of the grief, Sood says. Giving the child a predictable routine, allowing them to talk about the experience without judgment, and limiting the news that the child takes in about a tragic event all help, Sood says. Parents or guardians should also make sure they are taking care of their own mental health. The omnipresent threat of gun violence is just one of the many contributors to the worsening mental-health crisis among U.S. adolescents. Riehm says that issues like climate change and COVID-19 are other large concerns. In November 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and Childrens Hospital Association jointly declared a national emergency for the mental health of children. We are caring for young people with soaring rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, loneliness, and suicidality that will have lasting impacts on them, their families, and their communities, the experts wrote. For the first time, scientists fully sequenced the genome of a man who died in the Pompeii eruption. Researchers think volcanic ash entombed the bodies and shielded their DNA from the environment. Mount Vesuvius erupted nearly 2,000 years ago, burying the Roman city of Pompeii in ash. When Mount Vesuvius erupted one summer morning in 79 AD, the Roman city of Pompeii and most of its citizens were frozen in time, buried beneath tons of volcanic ash. Since explorers rediscovered Pompeii in the 18th century, archeologists have gradually uncovered what life was like there. Now, for the first time, researchers have fully sequenced ancient DNA from an individual who died in Vesuvius' blast. "It was really surprising that we can get this kind of result," Gabriele Scorrano, an assistant professor of geogenetics at the University of Copenhagen and lead author of the study, told Insider, adding, "It looks like this kind of environment helped the preservation in some way." Serena Viva, coauthor of the new study, examines remains of a man who died at Pompeii. Serena Viva In a study published Thursday in Scientific Reports, Scorrano and his team examined the remains of two individuals found in Casa del Fabbro, or the House of the Craftsman, which was first discovered in 1933. One was a man in his late 30s at the time of his death, while the other set of remains belonged to a woman, who was older than 50. Related video: How recreating faces from DNA can help solve cold cases Researchers extracted ancient DNA from parts of the skulls of both sets of remains. Though the team sequenced DNA from both individuals, only the man's skull yielded sufficient DNA for a full analysis, Scorrano said. Prior to this study, only short stretches of human and animal DNA from Pompeii had been sequenced. After comparing the sample against genomes from 1,030 ancient, and 471 modern Western Eurasian individuals, researchers found the man's genome had similarities to modern central Italians, as well as to other groups living in Italy during the Roman Imperial age. However, some genes from the sample matched genes commonly found in people who lived on the island of Sardinia, rather than on mainland Italy, which experts say suggests more genetic diversity across the Italy at the time. Story continues Remains of a man who died when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Serena Viva Frozen in time Researchers believe Vesuvius' blanket of ash entombed the bodies, shielding the ancient DNA from environmental factors that can deteriorate it, such as oxygen. "The sample had been covered by the ash from this eruption. The preservation of the bones is actually really good they're perfect for collection in DNA study," Scorrano told Insider. The sample also showed possible signs of tuberculosis of the spine, or Pott's disease which was endemic in Roman times, but is rare in the archaeological record, since the disease rarely leaves a mark on the bones. "It seems, according to the bioarchaeologist, that maybe this kind of disease didn't allow them to try to escape," Scorrano told Insider, adding, "They died in this position because they didn't have the chance to run away." Photo of the Pompeii ruins from above, on March 29, 2014. Leonardo Costa Farias Scorrano and his team hope their techniques can be applied to other victims caught in the flurry of ash nearly 2,000 years ago, in order to get a better snapshot of life in Pompeii before and during the disaster. "I think that our study makes the case for the further analysis of Pompeii individuals," he told Insider, adding, "Normally, when you study a specific site, you have a range of dates. Here, it's a picture of what happened 1 p.m., 24 August, 79 AD we can really reach an understanding of the population at that time." Read the original article on Business Insider Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy argued that people who need to kill feral pigs in Louisiana need assault weapons to do so. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy said people need AR-15 rifles to kill "feral pigs." Cassidy made the comment to a Vice reporter who asked why people would ever need assault weapons. He said people who kill "feral pigs" in "the middle of Louisiana" would object to a ban on them. Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy this week said that he thought people still needed assault weapons to kill "feral pigs," inadvertently echoing an old meme about gun control. In an interview published on Thursday, Vice News asked Cassidy whether he believed there was any room to ban assault weapons in the country. The lawmaker was also asked why someone would ever need an AR-15 the weapon used by the gunman in Tuesday's mass shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. "If you talk to the people that own it, killing feral pigs in the, whatever, the middle of Louisiana. They'll wonder: 'Why would you take it away from me?'" Cassidy told Vice. "I'm law abiding, I've never done anything, I use it to kill feral pigs. The action of a criminal deprives me of my right," the senator added. Cassidy's remarks inadvertently referenced a meme from 2019 involving a hypothetical argument on Twitter made in support of keeping assault weapons legal. The meme was sparked by a Twitter user who wrote in a post: "Legit question for rural Americans How do I kill the 30-50 feral hogs that run into my yard within 3-5 mins while my small kids play?" The tweet was widely mocked by Twitter users, who questioned the plausibility of 30 to 50 hogs rushing into a person's yard or made jokes about hogs in general. While feral hogs are a problem in parts of rural America, it is unclear if hunting the hogs is a solution to the issue or if AR-15s are needed to hunt the animals. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has called for renewed restrictions on assault weapons following the Texas school massacre, which has left at least 21 people including 19 children dead. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has also signaled that he might be willing to work with Democratic lawmakers on gun safety legislation. Read the original article on Business Insider DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is building a massive new support ship near the strategic Strait of Hormuz as it tries to expand its naval presence in waters vital to international energy supplies and beyond, satellite photos obtained by The Associated Press show. The construction of the Shahid Mahdavi provides the Guard a large, floating base from which to run the small fast boats that largely make up its fleet designed to counter the U.S. Navy and other allied forces in the region. Its arrival, however, comes after a series of setbacks for both the Guard and Iran's regular navy, including the loss of its largest warship less than a year earlier. As negotiations over Iran's nuclear deal with world powers also founder, further confrontations at sea between Tehran and the West also remain a risk. They are looking beyond the Persian Gulf and into the blue waters of the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea and the northern Indian Ocean, said Farzin Nadimi, an associate fellow at the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy who studies the Iranian military. The Shahid Mahdavi appears to be a retrofit of an Iranian cargo ship known as the Sarvin, based off of previous pictures of the vessel which also has a similar curve to its hull. The Sarvin arrived off Bandar Abbas in late July last year and then switched off its trackers. By Jan. 29, satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP showed the vessel at drydock at Shahid Darvishi Marine Industries, a company associated with Iran's Defense Ministry just west of Bandar Abbas. An image of the Shahid Mahdavi circulated first on social media. The ship appears to have crewed anti-aircraft weapons on its bow and stern, according to H.I. Sutton, a military ship expert who first identified the ship as being near Bandar Abbas. A flag for the Revolutionary Guard, showing its logo of a fist gripping an assault rifle with a Quran underneath and a globe behind it, hangs from the ship's bridge. Story continues A high-resolution Planet image taken of the drydock Saturday on behalf of the AP showed the gun-metal gray Shahid Mahdavi still at the shipyard. Just next to it, one of Iran's Kilo-class, diesel-powered attack submarines appears to be undergoing a major overhaul. Iran is believed to have one Kilo-class sub that's operational while another is also nonfunctional, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. As the image of the Shahid Mahdavi circulated online, the semiofficial Fars news agency ran a story about the ship. Fars, believed to be close to the Guard, described the vessel as a mobile naval city" capable of ensuring the security of Irans trade lines, as well as the rights of Iranian sailors and fishermen in the high seas. This range of new defense and combat innovations for the construction of heavy vessels, in line with the mass development of light vessels, and equipping them with various arrays can maintain Irans authority over the Persian Gulf and the (Gulf) of Oman always in the face of transregional enemies, Fars said. Such floating bases have been used before in the region, particularly by the U.S. Navy during the 1980s so-called Tanker War" after Iraq invaded Iran. As Iranian mines detonated against crude oil shippers amid that war, the Navy began escorting ships out of the Persian Gulf through its narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz. The strait to this day sees a fifth of all oil traded pass through it. During the conflict, U.S. special forces operated from commercial barges that served as forward operating bases. The Navy still works with the idea today the Mideast-based 5th Fleet has been home to the USS Lewis B. Puller, a massive ship designed off an oil tanker that can host troops and attack helicopters. The Shahid Mahdavi looks like it will be configured to be an afloat forward staging base, to use the U.S. Navy term, said Michael Connell, an expert on Iran at the Virginia-based Center for Naval Analyses. "The Puller was parked for many years in the Persian Gulf and the Iranian military witnessed its utility as a platform for expeditionary warfare and power projection." For years, the Guard patrolled the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, while Iran's regular navy patrolled the seas and oceans beyond. Building the Shahid Mahdavi likely gives the Guard the ability to expand its presence into those waters once patrolled by the navy. History also isn't something that has escaped Iran. The choice of the name for the Guard's newest ship Shahid Mahdavi, or Martyr Mahdavi comes from Nader Mahdavi, an Iranian Guardsman killed by the U.S. Navy in 1987 during the Tanker War. America's killing of Mahdavi, which came after his forces opened fire on U.S. special forces helicopters, still resonates in Iran today. Tehran has alleged without evidence that America captured him alive and tortured him due to the condition of his body after it was returned. The American helicopters had strafed the Iranian vessels Mahdavi oversaw with machine guns, rockets and flechette rounds small metal darts. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself once gave a speech with a portrait of Mahdavi near him in 2019. That was around the time of a series of mine attacks on Mideast shipping that the U.S. Navy blamed on Iran amid the collapse of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. Using Mahdavi's name suggests the Guard views this as a means by which to challenge the U.S. Navy in the Mideast, particularly with the new ship likely able to support the so-called swarm attacks Iran can launch against larger American warships. Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, a 5th Fleet spokesman, declined to comment specifically about the Shahid Mahdavi as we're careful not to discuss intelligence-related matters. But generally speaking, we pay very close attention to the maritime environment with our international partners in the interest of regional security and stability, Hawkins said. The arrival of the Shahid Mahdavi, which would be the biggest ship in the Guard's fleet, comes amid a series of naval disasters for Iran. The Kharg, the regular navy's largest warship, sunk last June. In 2020, a missile mistakenly struck a naval vessel during an exercise, killing 19 sailors and wounding 15. An Iranian navy destroyer sank in the Caspian Sea in 2018. Meanwhile, a cargo ship in the Red Sea believed to be a Guard intelligence base suffered an explosion suspected to be caused by Israel last year. The Shahid Mahdavi could serve a similar role in espionage and sabotage missions by special forces, said Nadimi, the analyst at the Washington Institute. It also could be potentially outfitted with long-range missiles as well. Nasty things can happen around this ship, Nadimi warned. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. The sister of the Uvalde gunman flatly refused to buy him a weapon when he asked her to last year, a top Texas police official said. Salvador Ramos, 18, eventually bought himself two assault rifles after turning 18 earlier this month that he used to murder 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school. But the Texas Department of Public Safetys director told a news conference on Friday that the suspect had previously tried to obtain weapons while he was still 17. We know that by his digital footprint that Ramos asked his sister to help him buy a gun, she flatly refused, that was in September 2021, said Colonel Steven McCraw. Ramos was shot and killed by officers inside the school on Tuesday after entering the building through an unlocked door, police say. Investigators say they found 142 fired rounds inside the school, along with 173 live rounds of ammunition. The gunman had a total of 60 magazines with him, including 31 magazines that he left in a backpack that he did not bring into the school. Before carrying out the massacre, Ramos shot his grandmother in the face because he had been arguing with her about the wifi bill. She is alive but her condition is reportedly serious. FILE - Investigators search for evidence outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, May 25, 2022. (AP) Parents have been furious at the pace of the police response to the shooting. It took officers more than an hour from their initial contact to ultimately break into the classroom where Ramos was barricaded and fatally shoot him. Video shows parents and officers clashing outside the school as the shooting unfolded. The Texas state police are investigating the police response to the shooting, and US Representative Joaquin Castro of Texas has asked the FBI to probe their tactics as well. Map of Somalia Created in 1960 from a former British protectorate and an Italian colony, Somalia collapsed into anarchy following the overthrow of the military regime of President Siad Barre in 1991. As rival warlords tore the country apart into clan-based fiefdoms, an internationally-backed unity government formed in 2000 struggled to establish control, and the two relatively peaceful northern regions of Somaliland and Puntland effectively broke away. The seizure of the capital Mogadishu and much of the country's south by a coalition of Islamist shariah courts in 2006 prompted an intervention by Ethiopian, and later, African Union, forces. Since 2012, when a new internationally-backed government was installed, Somalia has been inching towards stability, but the new authorities still face a challenge from al-Qaeda-aligned Al-Shabab insurgents. See profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring FACTS LEADERS President: Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Hassam Sheikh Mohamud was elected by parliament in May 2022, defeating incumbent President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo. Mohamud had served a previous term as president in 2012-2017, which was dominated by the struggle against al-Shabab jihadists, and he still faces a strong challenge by the insurgency. MEDIA TV is still a minor medium in Somalia Somalia's disintegration is reflected in its fragmented and partisan media, which operates in a hostile environment. Journalists and media outlets complain about intimidation at the hands of state security agencies. Nevertheless, professionally-run media outlets have emerged - in particular, FM radios with no explicit factional links. The TV and press sectors are weak and radio is the dominant medium. Domestic web access is held back by poor infrastructure, but social media use is on the rise. TIMELINE More than one million people lost their homes as a result of the civil war 7th-19th centuries - From the 7th-century arrival of Islam onwards, modern-day Somalia is ruled by a series of at times competing sultanates. 19th century - European colonial powers gradually make inroads into Somalia's rival regional states, with the bulk of the area coming under Italian rule and the British establishing control of the northwest. Story continues 1960 - Italian Somaliland and British Somaliland become independent, merge and form the United Republic of Somalia. 1969 - Mohamed Siad Barre assumes power in coup after the assassination of the elected president; he goes on to declare Somalia a socialist state and nationalises most of the economy. 1991 - The ousting of Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991 sparks a decades-long civil war between rival clan warlords and the disintegration of central authority. Former British Somaliland declares unilateral independence. 1990s- US-spearheaded UN peacekeeping mission fails to restore peace. 2006 - Militias loyal to the Islamist Union of Islamic Courts capture Mogadishu and other parts of south after defeating clan warlords, before being driven out by Ethiopian forces. 2007-11 - An African Union peacekeeping force, Amisom, begins to deploy and Ethiopian troops withdraw in 2009. Al-Shabab - a jihadist breakaway from the Islamic Courts - advance into southern and central Somalia, prompting an armed intervention by Kenya. 2012 - Efforts to restore a central authority since 2000 finally make substantial progress, with the swearing in of the first formal parliament in more than 20 years, and the holding of the first presidential election since 1967. May 26A federal jury in Philadelphia has convicted a former Berks County man on 30 counts of fraud, money laundering and identity theft, agreeing with prosecutors that he employed an elaborate scheme to steal money from his own financial advisory clients. Jason Weigand, 51, of Denver, Lancaster County, was indicted by a grand jury in October 2017, and while out on bail committed additional fraud, resulting in a second indictment. He was living in Sinking Spring when he committed the crimes covered in the initial indictment, according to court records. A judge denied his lawyer's motion for bail after his second arrest, and Weigand remains in federal custody while awaiting sentencing, the case record shows. U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said in a release that in the 15 years Weigand served as an investment adviser and proclaimed himself a knowledgeable and reputable source of investment advice, he repeatedly stole money from his clients and went to great lengths to cover up his thefts. The amount of money stolen was not specified in the release. Weigand laundered the stolen funds by passing them through a variety of bank accounts, and he even hacked into one client's email account and accessed emails between the client and another investment adviser, she said in a press release. In one case, Weigand, after surrendering his financial advisory license, helped a former client of his receive payments on life insurance policies when her husband died, prosecutors said. He later convinced the woman to give him at least $240,000, which he said he would invest on her behalf. Instead, Weigand used the woman's money for his own personal and business purposes, paying off credit cards and car loans. In October 2017, Weigand was charged in a separate federal indictment with allegedly misusing funds belonging to his clients. "Weigand has proven himself to be a serial fraudster with no respect for the law or the fiduciary obligations of a financial adviser, and today a jury agreed," Williams said. "Rather than serving his clients, he served himself. Prosecuting financial fraud, and thereby safeguarding innocent investors who stand to lose everything, will always be a priority for this office." Story continues The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Pennsylvania State Department of Banking and Securities. Damon Wood, postal inspector in charge of the Philadelphia Division, said in the release that Weigard's dishonesty extended through the trial, but at least with the verdict his victim's have some closure. "Fortunately, a jury saw through his dishonesty and found him guilty of fraud," Wood said. "Postal Inspectors, picking up the work of investigators from the Pennsylvania State Department of Banking and Securities, along with prosecutors from the United States Attorney's Office, saw this investigation through seven years of delays, a pandemic, continued criminal conduct by the defendant, and a nearly three-week trial. I applaud the tireless efforts of the investigators and prosecutors on this case." Stranger Things is back, but viewers in the United States will now see a warning before they dive back into the world of Hawkins, the Upside Down and beyond. The message was added to the fourth season of the hit Netflix show in the wake of the mass shooting at a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead: Stranger Things warning at the beginning of season 4. (Photo: Netflix) Stranger Things warning at the beginning of season 4. (Photo: Netflix) We decided to add the card given the proximity of the premiere to this tragedy and because the opening scene is very graphic, a spokesperson for the streaming video company told The Hollywood Reporter. The warning will only be shown to U.S. viewers. The shows description was also updated to note graphic violence involving children, which may be an understatement given whats happen to some of the young characters on the show since its 2016 release. The fourth season of Stranger Things will be released in two parts. The first seven episodes are available now while the remaining two will hit screens on July 1. Netflix has also ordered a fifth and final season of the show. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Thousands of students staged walkouts at schools and college campuses across the country Thursday to demand stricter gun control in the wake of the Texas school massacre that left 19 students and two teachers dead. Starting at noon ET, waves of students some wearing orange, the color of the gun violence prevention movement abandoned their classes and headed outside to protest, often accompanied by their teachers and cheered on by their parents. I think there is something so devastating about 10-year-olds being killed, and students across the country are realizing this could have been any of us, said Maddie Ahmadi, 17, a junior at Essex High School in Essex Junction, Vermont. Outside Los Angeles, more than 150 students at Crescenta Valley High School walked out of their classes at noon. "Unfortunately, this has not been the first time we students have been forced to act," said senior Roan Thibault, 17, who remembered being in middle school the first time he took part in a walkout to demand more gun control after the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. "It's a shame lawmakers have not been listening to us," he said. "Two years ago there was a threat at my high school, which turned out to be nothing. But for many of us it was the most frightening moment of our lives." The nationwide protests were organized by a group called Students Demand Action, which is affiliated with the pro-gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety. Enough is enough, the students group said on the internet toolkit it used to organize the nationwide protests. Once again, gun violence has forced its way into our schools. We need more than thoughts and prayers. We demand action from our lawmakers now. The student group noted on its website that gun violence was the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the U.S. Its impossible to say exactly how many students took part, but we know we had over 200 events where hundreds of students took part, said Sarah Harris, a spokesperson for Everytown for Gun Safety. This is not the first time students have advocated for gun safety in the wake of a tragedy. Story continues Students at Ahmadi's school in Vermont staged their walkout Wednesday. It was the first walkout in the country, and we did it at 10:50 a.m., right in the middle of classes, because we knew that was when the most students and teachers would be in the school, Ahmadi said. Our teachers walked out with us. Ahmadi said that students at her school have staged protests before but that the tragedy in Texas struck them especially hard. She acknowledged that making a difference in the gun control debate is an uphill battle. Sadly, we know these moments of collective action dont lead to immense change, Ahmadi said. But we know that at least a hundred Americans die every day from gunfire, and my hope is that students will keep up the pressure to get the politicians to do something about it. News: Oxford High School students walkout (Mandi Wright / Detroit Free Press via USA Today Network) In Michigan, one of the most poignant demonstrations took place Thursday at Oxford High School. Four students were killed and seven other people including a teacher were wounded in November at the high school about 45 miles north of Detroit by a 15-year-old sophomore who police said used a gun his parents bought him to wreak havoc. When the Oxford High School students emerged, they were met with applause from many parents parked across the street, who kept clapping as they marched across the campus to the football field. There, the students formed a big "U" in memory of the children and the teachers killed Tuesday in Uvalde, Texas. It meant a lot to me because of the shooting that happened," Andrew Sholtz, 16, a sophomore, told The Detroit News. "We went through the same thing. I lost a lot of friends. I thought it would be respectful to help other people through it." Story at a glance Recent polling among likely voters shows support for student debt forgiveness, even among those without loans. Progressive lawmakers and advocates are pushing the president to forgive up to $50,000, which would collectively move millions of Americans out of student debt. Yet support often varies and even decreases with age, especially among older generations who hold larger loan balances on average. Although theres widespread approval for student loan forgiveness, support often varies and even decreases with age, especially among older generations who hold larger loan balances on average. Progressive lawmakers and advocates are pushing the president to forgive up to $50,000 per borrower, which would collectively move millions of Americans out of debt, and young student debt holders across the U.S. favor at least some level, if not complete, student loan forgiveness for all federal borrowers. Yet President Biden has said he is not considering $50,000 debt reduction. Recent polling among likely voters shows vast support for forgiveness. More than half of respondents in an early April poll from the Student Borrower Protection Center said they are at least somewhat in favor of eliminating $50,000 for all borrowers. Around 46 percent of likely voters who supported forgiveness do not have student loans, the poll said. Its important to recognize that just because people no longer have student debt or never had it in the first place doesnt mean that they dont recognize how beneficial this is for their loved ones and for the economy more broadly, Cody Hounanian, executive director of the Student Debt Crisis Prevention Center, told Changing America. Yet polling data shows less support for widespread loan forgiveness from Baby Boomers and Generation X than among Millennials. A majority of Millennials polled by Morning Consult late last year supported at least some loan forgiveness, compared to 45 percent of Baby Boomers who said there should be none. Story continues Millennials carry the most student debt with an average balance of $38,877 per borrower, but Baby Boomers who hold an average of $40,512 per borrowerwill have to pay more when the federal payment pause ends as they carry the highest debt. This is due partly to older borrowers taking out loans for graduate school. Generation X, which describes Americans born between 1965 and 1980, hold the largest average amount of student loan debt per borrower with typical balances sitting at $45,095. Still, polling shows older adults are the least likely to support forgiveness. At the same time, some analysts predict borrowers over 60, who account for around 32 percent of the U.S. population, will benefit the least from loan forgiveness. Fairness to borrowers who already paid off their student loans or to Americans who chose career paths without attending college is one major reason for the generational disparity in loan forgiveness views. Republican lawmakers emphasized this point when introducing legislation last week to stop Biden from cancelling loan payments, while calling the presidents legal authority to cancel loans dubious at best. This decision would not only be unfair to those who already repaid their loans or decided to pursue alternative education paths, but it would be wildly inflationary at a time of already historic inflation, Sent. Mitt Romney R-UT said. America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news. This perspective is also held at the state government level with Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) recently pointing to the idea that people whove made different decisions should not be responsible for the choices of others. Mississippians without college degrees (or who paid off their debt) should not be forced to pay for the student loans of others. Why should people who chose not to go to college or chose to settle their own loans be punished for the benefit of those who made different decisions, Reeves wrote on Twitter in late April. But an underlying issue with the idea of fairness when arguing against loan forgiveness lies in a common misconception about who student loan holders are, experts said. Borrowers are often perceived as traditionally young and right out of high school. This is not the case anymore as changing economic circumstances push people of all ages to further their education, Hounanian said. The average student isnt that person. There are parents, single parents, older Americans who go back to skill up who are continuously reeducating themselves to be competitive in the 21st century economy and so unfortunately the word student loans I think is trapped in the stereotype of a young person student, he said. It is very easy for opponents of our movement to say that student debt cancellation is a handout to young people who are irresponsible who are not doing their part who havent contributed fully to society, and they are trying to frame this kind of villainous young person who doesnt work hard and isnt responsible and wants a handout. Madeleine Simon contributed to this report. READ MORE STORIES FROM CHANGING AMERICA THE LEGAL AGES FOR BUYING A GUN IN THE US MAYE MUSK FEATURED ON SI SWIMSUIT COVER AT 74 GOP STATE SENATOR IN NEW JERSEY INTRODUCES DONT SAY GAY BILL MARVEL INTRODUCES NEW TRANSGENDER SUPERHEROES KENTUCKY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ASKED TO WRITE LETTERS TO IMAGINARY FRIEND STRUGGLING WITH HOMOSEXUALITY For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Over the last month, U.S. Capitol riot defendant Matthew Wood had mounted a particularly vigorous defense. In a series of rapid-fire court filings, the 25-year-old Greensboro-area man, who is charged with six crimes tied to the violence of Jan. 6, 2021, had asked a judge to: Move his trial moved out of Washington, arguing that he could not get a fair hearing from a D.C. jury; Suppress some comments he made to the FBI as well as the information agents scraped from his cell phone; Throw out all or some of the charges. On Friday, however, Wood dramatically changed course. He pleaded guilty to all counts listed on his indictment, including a felony obstruction of an official proceeding that carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison. Matthew Wood of Reidsville pleaded guilty Friday to six criminal charges tied to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol. He will be sentenced Sept. 23 in Washington. Wood, of Reidsville, faces a range of possible sentences from as low as 10-15 months to as high as 41-51 months, depending on where he lands on the federal sentencing guidelines and what U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta decides on Sept. 23 when he announces Woods punishment. In a pointed exchange at the end of the 50-minute hearing, Woods attorney, Kira West of Washington, told Mehta that the government has raised the possibility of indicting Wood on another unspecified charge. She described the governments pursuit of her client as unprecedented. West said she has asked for a written promise from government prosecutors that Wood would not be indicted for another Jan. 6-related crime. They declined, West said. In all my years as a federal prosecutor and defense attorney, Ive never experienced anything like this. Woods lead prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Henek of Washington, objected. Since Wood gave a straight plea to the charges on his indictment, there was no plea agreement, and the government made no promises about future prosecution, if warranted, Henek said. In this image filed with an FBI arrest warrant, a man believed to be Matthew Mark Wood of Reidsville, N.C., storms through a broken window, Trump flag in tow, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Wood is one of at least 23 North Carolinians charged in connection with the riot, in which supporters of now-former President Donald Trump fought police, smashed windows and doors marauded through the Capitol all in a vain attempt to stop Congress from certifying Joe Bidens electoral win. Story continues According to a Thursday court filing by his attorney, Wood went to D.C. with his grandmother on Jan. 6 to hear Trumps speech, in which he baselessly claimed the election had been stolen from him by voter fraud. Three days before the trip, Wood foreshadowed the coming violence in a text message to an acquaintance. If they want to raid Congress, sign me up, he wrote. Ill be brave heart in that b----! Federal prosecutors say Wood was one of the first of the rioters to climb into the Capitol through a smashed window on the Senate side of the building, carrying a Trump flag throughout his stay. He made it as far as House Speaker Nancy Pelosis second-floor conference room. He later falsely claimed to the FBI that he entered the building only to avoid being trampled. The filing by his attorney states otherwise: When (Wood) entered the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, he did so with the intent to disrupt the certification proceedings. Once inside, according to court filings, Wood never took part in the violence, though the government claims he egged others on to battle with police. Afterward, Wood appeared to be of two minds about what had occurred. The FBI recovered this screenshot of Matthew Woods Facebook posts that corroborate that he was present inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Our election was stolen. The system is against us. I stood up to a tyrannical government, Wood wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post that the FBI later recovered. You can keep sitting or you can do something about it like we did today. This is the PEOPLES house, he boasted in another post. We sent those politicians running. We the PEOPLE will fight for our country ... When diplomacy doesnt work and your message has gone undelivered, it shouldnt surprise you when we revolt. According to the FBI, this screenshot recovered from Facebook shows Matthew Wood of Reidsville, NC, inside the U.S. Capitol during the pro-Trump riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The next day Wood expressed remorse in a text message to a unidentified acquaintance. Im not okay with my actions yesterday. I took a stand but it was extremely inappropriate ... I cant believe I participated in such chaos, Wood wrote, according to his attorneys filing. I was merely there as a citizen to make a point. I didnt assault anyone ... I didnt participate in the destruction of property ... While most of the people in there were just like me, everyday American citizens, there were some that disgraced our entrance and it associated me with them and that churns my stomach. The riot by the mob of Trump supporters is tied to at least five deaths as well as injuries to some 140 police officers. More than 815 arrests have been made in a sweeping Justice Department investigation that continues to grow, as does the role of North Carolinians who the government says participated. The states delegation of Capitol defendants include a former police officer, military recruits, members of two right wing militia groups, organic farmers, an avowed white supremacist and a couple that took their 14-year-old son into the Capitol as the violence unfolded. Wood becomes the eighth to plead guilty. Hell return to Washington for the first time since the riot for his sentencing. A protester outside the NRA convention in Houston. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) Children inside a Texas elementary school frantically called 911, begging for the police to save them, as a tactical decision by a commander kept 19 officers from storming a classroom in what a law enforcement official acknowledged on Friday was a mistake in judgment. "Of course it wasn't the right decision," Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said at a news conference, choking back tears. "It was the wrong decision. Period." With 19 officers, McCraw said, there were "plenty of officers to do whatever needed to be done. But the commander inside Pete Arredondo, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District chief of police decided the team needed more equipment and officers to enter the classroom where the shooter was holed up. He said the team did not move to take out the gunman until a full U.S. Border Patrol tactical unit arrived. Nineteen children and two teachers died in the massacre Tuesday. The magnitude of the mistake became glaringly clear Friday as officials also shared details of the 911 calls from children still alive in the barricaded classrooms. At 12:03 p.m., McCraw said, a 911 caller whispered that she was in Room 112 and that multiple people were dead. Ten minutes later, she said eight or nine students were still alive. More than half an hour later, a child calling from Room 111 said she could hear law enforcement officers next door. Please send the police now," she pleaded. McCraw did not say how many children might have been saved had officers entered immediately. He also did not spell out the degree to which the commander was aware of the childrens 911 pleas. Ultimately, this is tragic. What do you tell the parents of 19 kids or the families of two teachers? McCraw said. Were not here to defend what happened. Were here to report the facts. McCraw emphasized that every officer in Texas has gone through active-shooter training and learns you go in without waiting exactly the opposite of what officers did in Uvalde. Story continues Texas embraces active-shooter training, active-shooter certification, McCraw said. And that doctrine requires officers we dont care what agency youre from; you dont have to have a leader on the scene every officer lines up, stacks up, goes and finds where those rounds are being fired at and keeps shooting until the subject is dead." Some parents whose children were in the school said they were even further troubled by the new timeline. Officers on the scene should have done more, they said. I understand that theyre afraid for their own lives, but these guys are in tactical gear, said Laura Pennington, whose 8-year-old son, Adam, hid in the principal's office as the massacre unfolded. "They could have swarmed the building from all angles. He was terrorizing these children. They needed to do more." Pennington, whose brother-in-law was among those who rushed to the school to help but were forcibly kept outside by officers, was eventually reunited with her son Tuesday afternoon. But she said she was in touch with a woman whose niece was wounded in the attack and was still hospitalized Friday. Theres several more that are critical and I dont know if theyll live, Pennington said. I want to cry because they deserve better than that. Law enforcement experts across the country were also shocked to learn new details of Tuesday's police response, which ignored best practices adopted by Texas law enforcement to immediately send officers in to confront and kill active shooters. "You've got to stop the bleed," said Art Acevedo, former police chief of Miami, Houston and Austin, Texas. "You have to go in immediately. The kids were calling 911 for help." Travis Norton, a leader of the California Assn. of Tactical Officers' after-action review team who has studied numerous mass shootings, said it is a common mistake in such situations to think when the shooting stops, we stop." "That is the problem with the term 'active shooter': The shooter is still active if there are people in harms way," he said. But law enforcement keeps making the same mistake, he said. In the 2018 Borderline Bar and Grill shooting in Thousand Oaks and the 2021 King Soopers grocery store shooting in Boulder, Colo., on-scene commanders mistook a lack of shots for a barricade situation, Norton said. In contrast, when a gunman attacked a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018, officers did not stop when the killer stopped shooting. Investigators in Uvalde are interviewing witnesses and poring over video to piece together a timeline that explains how the 18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos, was able to walk up to the school with a long gun, enter through an unlocked door and barricade himself inside two classrooms for nearly an hour before he was shot and killed. With pressure mounting to explain the delayed response, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott scrapped plans to attend the National Rifle Assn.'s annual convention in Houston and traveled to Uvalde on Friday. In his initial remarks, Abbott did not address errors by law enforcement or acknowledge previous misinformation he provided. Later, in response to a question from a reporter, he said he was initially misled about what happened in Uvalde and was absolutely livid. There are people who deserve answers the most and those are the families whose lives have been destroyed," he said. "They need answers that are accurate." For the second time this week, Abbott was confronted about his reluctance to support restrictions on guns. On Wednesday, former congressman and gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke accused Abbott of inaction. On Friday, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, urged Abbott to call lawmakers in for a special session to pass meaningful gun control measures. Calling the massacre unacceptable, Abbott said Texas officials would look to pass the best laws to make our communities and schools safer. But Abbott said he would not consider a ban on assault-style rifles. Ever since Texas has been a state, an 18-year-old has had the ability to buy a long gun, a rifle, he said. Maybe we're focusing our attention on the wrong thing? Earlier this week, Abbott hailed the speedy response of "valiant local officials" who he said had engaged the gunman before he entered Robb Elementary School. "They showed amazing courage by running toward gunfire," the Republican governor said at a Wednesday news conference. And it is a fact that because of their quick response, getting on the scene, being able to respond to the gunman and eliminate the gunman, they were able to save lives. Actually, more than an hour and 20 minutes passed from when the gunman crashed his car outside the school at 11:28 a.m. until he was shot dead at 12:50 p.m. That delay as a crowd of anguished parents gathered outside and begged to get in to confront the gunman has led to growing scrutiny of the law enforcement response to the deadliest U.S. school shooting in almost a decade. Some parents have criticized police for not stopping the shooter sooner, and San Antonio-area Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro on Thursday urged the FBI to investigate local law enforcement actions. Over the course of the week, Texas officials repeatedly changed the narrative of the timeline, leaving unexplained how the shooter had time to get into the school after the crash, enter through an unlocked door and barricade himself inside two classrooms. They also struggled to explain why local law enforcement officers apparently spent an hour inside the school negotiating with an active shooter. Ramos' rampage began just after 11 a.m., when he shot his grandmother in the face at her Uvalde home. According to officials, Ramos then posted a social media message declaring that Im going to shoot an elementary school and drove off at a high speed in his grandmothers pickup. At 11:28 a.m., Ramos crashed the truck in a ditch and jumped out of the passenger side, carrying a rifle. He fired at two people at a funeral home as he walked toward Robb Elementary, climbed a fence and crossed the school parking lot. At 11:33 a.m., the gunman entered the school and began shooting more than 100 rounds into adjoining Rooms 111 and 112. Two minutes later, three Uvalde Police Department officers entered the school through the same door used by Ramos and went directly to the classroom door. Two officers received grazed wounds from the suspect. They were soon followed by three other Uvalde police officers and one county deputy sheriff, McCraw said, making a total of seven officers. By 12:03 p.m., as many as 19 officers were in the school corridor. But it was not until 12:50 p.m. more than an hour after law enforcement entered the building that officers breached the door using keys they were able to get from a janitor. A Border Patrol tactical officer shot and killed Ramos. The new timeline raises questions not just about a slow active-shooter response, but glaring security lapses in a school district that has invested in threat-assessment teams, a threat-reporting system, social media monitoring software, fences around schools and motion detectors to detect campus breaches. According to online district records, teachers are instructed to keep their classroom doors closed and locked at all times. Even though Uvalde is a small city, population 16,000, its school district has its own police department, formed a few months after the 2018 school mass shooting in Parkland, Fla. It has six officers and one security guard. Arredondo, the school district police chief who made the decision not to immediately send officers into the classrooms, spent 20 years on the Uvalde Police Department and was elected to the Uvalde City Council this month. In 2020, when Arredondo was hired as chief, the school districts superintendent, Hal Harrell, said in a Facebook post that the board of trustees was impressed with his experience, knowledge, and community involvement. We can never have enough training, he told the Uvalde Leader-News. In March, Arredondo posted on Facebook that the department had hosted active shooter training at Uvalde High School. A flier for the training declared: Stop the killing. Arredondo did not respond to requests for comment. One of the department's newest hires, Officer Adrian Gonzalez, had been an assistant commander and SWAT training commander at the Uvalde Police Department for 10 years and has taken training courses in advanced SWAT tactics and how to respond to active shooters and rescue hostages. Uvalde law enforcement officers have repeatedly participated in active-shooter training courses, according to official statements and online documents. In April 2018, the Uvalde Police Department and the Uvalde County Sheriffs Office took part in a five-day active-shooter response course conducted at the Middle Rio Grande Law Enforcement Academy. The training included mock scenarios at various public places, including an elementary school, police said. In October of that same year, a mock active-shooter drill was held at Sabinal High School, about 20 miles east of Uvalde. The drill included members of the Uvalde County Office of Emergency Management, Border Patrol and Texas Department of Public Safety, according to the department. Police also had experience with credible threats. In April 2018, about two weeks after the training at Middle Rio Grande, Uvalde officers arrested two juveniles who they said were planning to conduct a school shooting on their senior year (2022) at the Uvalde High School." On Friday, McCraw said Ramos was not one of those juveniles. On May 16, 2018, a school resource officer responded to a possible threat of a school shooting at Uvalde High after a student stated she overheard a comment in the hallways that a school shooting was going to occur sometime today, according to a new release. Police were not able to identify the person who may have made the comment. Eight days later, on May 24, Uvalde High was placed in temporary lockdown while officers investigated a school shooting threat. An investigation revealed that the concerning information was from a previous threat investigation and was cleared without incident, police said. Rector reported from Uvalde, Jarvie from Atlanta and Winton and Smith from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Houston contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A Texas Democrat has asked the FBI to launch a comprehensive investigation into the police response to Tuesdays shooting massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), who represents San Antonio, roughly 80 miles east of Uvalde, said the conflicting accounts from state officials, including inconsistent depictions of law enforcement actions, are adding insult to injury for the victims families. In a letter sent Thursday to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Castro asked the agency to clear up the discrepancies with an independent probe of its own. I urge the FBI to use its maximum authority to thoroughly examine the timeline of events and the law enforcement response and to produce a full, timely, and transparent report on your findings, Castro wrote. Your agency must ensure that the American people have a complete and comprehensive account of how this tragedy occurred. Law enforcement officials have come under growing scrutiny for their actions during the massacre at Uvaldes Robb Elementary School, where a lone gunman barricaded himself on Tuesday, killing 19 fourth graders and two teachers with an AR-15style rifle. After a standoff of more than an hour, a special unit of Border Patrol officers confronted the 18-year-old gunman inside the school, shooting him dead. Video has emerged showing a crowd gathered outside the school while the gunman was still alive, urging heavily armed police officers to rush into the building to confront him. With their calls ignored, some offered to go in themselves. As the days have passed since the shooting, a growing number of the victims family members are irate that the officers did not engage the gunman more quickly. State officials have added to the confusion surrounding Tuesdays events, delivering information thats conflicted with eyewitness accounts or turned out to be simply wrong. On Wednesday, for instance, state officials said a school law enforcement officer had confronted the gunman outside the building but could not prevent him from going in. A day later, another official said there was no such encounter. Story continues He walked unobstructed initially, Victor Escalon, a regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, told reporters on Thursday. He was not confronted by anybody. In his letter to Wray, Castro pointed specifically to those missteps, while expressing frustration with the long passage of time before the gunman was confronted inside the school. A block of time between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time has yet to be fully accounted for, he wrote. Onlookers allege that parents unsuccessfully urged law enforcement to enter the building during this time and confront the shooter. State officials have already launched a formal investigation into the police response, which is being led by the Texas Rangers. The FBI is helping the Rangers analyze surveillance footage surrounding the shooting, The New York Times reported. But Castro wants the federal agency to take the reins of the probe. The people of Uvalde, of Texas, and of the nation deserve an accurate account of what transpired, Castro wrote to Wray. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has canceled his plan to attend the National Rifle Association's annual meeting this weekend and will instead appear via video and spend time in Uvalde, Texas, following a school shooting there that left 21 dead. "Gov. Abbott will be delivering remarks via pre-recorded video to the NRA Conference," Abbott campaign spokesman Mark Miner said in a statement on Friday. "He will be going to Uvalde today." Abbott had been slated to attend the convention in Houston where several prominent Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz and former President Donald Trump, are scheduled to speak. Several high-profile figures, including singers Larry Gatlin and Don McLean, have canceled their appearances at the NRA conference after 18-year-old Salvador Ramos walked into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday and shot 19 children along with two faculty members. A mourner writes a message on memorial for a victim of Tuesday's mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, May 26, 2022. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING: LIVE UPDATES Trump said Wednesday that he intends to keep his commitment to attending the event. "America needs real solutions and real leadership in this moment, not politicians and partisanship," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday. "That's why I will keep my longtime commitment to speak in Texas at the NRA Convention and deliver an important address to America. In the meantime, we all continue to pray for the victims, their families, and four our entire nation we are all in this together." TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING: UKRAINE'S ZELENSKYY, WORLD LEADERS REACT, SAY THEY ARE DEEPLY SADDENED Gun manufacturer Daniel Defense, who made the rifle that was used by Ramos to carry out the attack, announced Thursday it has canceled plans to promote products at the event. "Daniel Defense is not attending the National Rifle Association (NRA) meeting due to the horrifying tragedy in Uvalde, Texas where one of our products was criminally misused," Steve Reed, vice president of marketing for Daniel Defense, told Fox News Digital in a statement Thursday. "We believe this week is not the appropriate time to be promoting our products in Texas at the NRA meeting." Story continues WHO IS THE TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTER? WHAT WE KNOW The NRA anticipates tens of thousands of people will attend the annual meeting. It is the first mass gathering of NRA members in three years following a hiatus during the pandemic , and follows decades of holding the annual event. "The NRA is very excited to host this pro-freedom lineup of nationally renowned political leaders in Houston, Texas and just one year after Texas passed landmark constitutional carry legislation. This will be a celebration of freedom and the Second Amendment in a state that truly respects our constitutional rights," Jason Ouimet, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, told Fox News Digital in early May. Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will no longer be attending the NRA Convention in Houston in person. He will be giving a press conference at Uvalde High School instead, but will be giving a pre-recorded speech at the convention. His virtual appearance comes just days after a gunman opened fire on a fourth grade classroom in Uvalde. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is no longer attending Friday's NRA convention in Houston in person, but he is still giving a pre-recorded speech at the event, a spokesperson for the governor told the Dallas Morning News. His virtual appearance at the event comes just days after an 18-year-old gunman opened fire in a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school, killing 19 students and two teachers. In place of his in-person appearance at the convention, Abbott will hold a press conference at 3:30 p.m. local time at Uvalde High School, The Hill reported, citing a press release from the governor's office. Abbott is still listed as a featured speaker on the NRA convention website. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's office, meanwhile, announced Friday that he would no longer be speaking at the NRA Convention breakfast, a reversal since Tuesday's shooting. "I would not want my appearance today to bring any additional pain or grief to the families and all those suffering in Uvalde," Patrick said in a statement posted to Twitter. The gun manufacturer whose rifle was used in the shooting announced Friday that they, too, were pulling out of the event. "Daniel Defense is not attending the National Rifle Association ("NRA") meeting due to the horrifying tragedy in Uvalde, Texas where one of our products was criminally misused," a company spokesperson confirmed to Insider in a statement. It added: "We believe this week is not the appropriate time to be promoting our products in Texas at the NRA meeting." Texas Sen. Ted Cruz will be speaking at the event, as will former President Donald Trump. Story continues At a press conference Wednesday, Abbott said the elementary school shooting in Uvalde "could have been worse" and praised officers on the scene for their hard work. But Texas police are facing backlash for what many are calling a delayed police response to the massacre. Authorities said Thursday that the gunman was barricaded inside a classroom, shooting at students, for at least 40 minutes before authorities neutralized him. Democratic Texas governor candidate Beto O'Rourke, who got into a confrontation with Abbott at an earlier press conference about Uvalde, called on the governor to withdraw from the NRA convention. "If you have any decency, you will immediately withdraw from this weekend's NRA convention," O'Rourke tweeted Wednesday. Abbott's office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will skip Friday's National Rifle Association convention and instead make a return trip to Uvalde, the rural town devastated by an elementary school shooting this week, his office said Thursday evening. Abbott, who is seeking re-election in November, will record video remarks that will be shown at the NRA event in Houston, a spokesman for the governor told NBC News. He had been scheduled to speak in person. In Uvalde, Abbott is scheduled to hold a news conference after a meeting with state and local officials, as well as town residents. The Dallas Morning News previously reported Abbott's schedule change. Republican politicians scheduled to speak in Houston have come under pressure to forgo the NRA event, which opens just three days after 19 students and two teachers were gunned down in Uvalde. Sen. John Cornyn and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, two other high-profile Texas Republicans who had been scheduled to attend, have also backed out, citing scheduling conflicts they said were unrelated to Tuesdays shooting at Robb Elementary School, about 270 miles from Houston. Speakers who remain on the list for the event include former President Donald Trump, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that he would keep his "longtime commitment to speak in Texas at the NRA Convention and deliver an important address to America." Texas law enforcement officials now say local police were wrong to have waited to engage with the gunman at an elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead on Tuesday. At a press conference Friday, Steven McCraw, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said officers believed students were no longer in harms way after the suspected gunman barricaded himself in a classroom. From the benefit of hindsight, where Im sitting now, of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision. Theres no excuse for that. Several police entered the elementary school but did not engage the gunman, who was behind locked doors to adjoining classrooms. Police have received increasing scrutiny over the past few days for their handling of the shooting. In the moments immediately following the attack on Tuesday, officials praised the actions of a team of U.S. Border Patrol and Uvalde police for neutralizing the 18-year-old gunman. Video has since come out showing witnesses yelling at officers standing outside the school to enter and confront the shooter. The father of a student killed in the shooting proposed that the bystanders should team up to enter the school because the police were staying outside, The Associated Press reported. The Uvalde Police Department published a press release on Thursday saying that officers responded to the attack within minutes. At a press conference later that day, Victor Escalon, a regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said officers arrived at the school minutes after the gunman but needed to wait for reinforcements and more equipment after the shooter fired at them. He said the Texas Ranger Division is leading the investigation into the shooting, including the way officers reacted. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray on Thursday requesting the agency launch its own independent investigation into what happened. Story continues McCraw, the director of the Texas public safety department, confirmed that a door to the school had been open when the shooter entered, having been propped open by a teacher shortly before. McCraw said three Uvalde police officers who arrived on the scene a couple minutes after the shooter began firing in the school entered the building and received grazing wounds from the suspect. An additional four officers, three of whom were members of the Uvalde Police Department and one county deputy sheriff, had also followed them in. He said officers began to arrive about 15 minutes later, and up to 19 officers were present in a hallway near the classroom where the suspect barricaded himself shortly after noon. He said the on-scene commander during this time believed the situation had transitioned from an active shooter to a barricaded subject, and children were no longer at risk. McCraw said members of the Border Patrol Tactical Unit arrived at 12:15 p.m. He said law enforcement officials breached the door to the classroom at 12:50 p.m. using keys from a janitor because the door was locked. At that time, the officers shot and killed the gunman. Officials had previously said they needed a staff member to provide a key because they were having trouble getting through the door. Updated at 3:51 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Donna Police Department in Texas on Thursday arrested four males, including two juveniles, in connection to threats made against a Donna school, according to local reports. The threats came two days after 19 elementary school students and two teachers were killed in a mass school shooting in Uvalde on Tuesday, leading to threats from a handful of copycat actors across the state in the days that followed. The Donna PD arrested and charged Nathaniel Seth Montelongo, 17, and Barbarito Pantoja, 17, with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, local news outlet MyRGV.com reported. "We stopped an act of physical violence and harm on our students," Donna PD Chief Donald Crist said. TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICT CLOSES SCHOOLS AFTER RECEIVING CREDIBLE THREAT OF VIOLENCE' The students are being held on $750,000 bond, according to the outlet. Police said two other minor students were arrested in connection to the incident after receiving a tip that the group was planning to carry out an attack against an unspecified Donna school. TEXAS SCHOOL SHOOTING: LIVE UPDATES The Donna PD and Donna Independent School District (ISD) did not immediately respond to inquiries from FoxNews.com. The Donna ISD released a statement Thursday announcing that classes had been canceled amid threats to the district and in light of the tragedy in Uvalde. "The safety and security of our students and staff is our first priority," the announcement said. "Classes will resume Tuesday morning." Authorities continue to investigate Tuesday's shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde that left 21 people dead. Roger Sollenberger/The Daily Beast The father of the 18-year-old gunman who killed 21 people at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, this week wants the world to know he is sorry. In an interview with The Daily Beast on Thursday, Salvador Ramos said, I just want the people to know Im sorry man, [for] what my son did. I never expected my son to do something like that, Ramos, 42, added. He shouldve just killed me, you know, instead of doing something like that to someone. His son, also called Salvador, shot his grandmother in the face on Tuesday and drove away with her car, before running the truck into a ditch outside Robb Elementary and opening fire on a fourth-grade classroom. The teenagerwhose attack has claimed the lives of at least 19 young children and two adultswas killed at the scene. It was the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. in nearly a decade. Ramos said he was at work the day of the shooting, and only learned of it when his own mother called to tell him. In a panic, he started calling the local jail, asking them if his son was there. Eventually the realization sunk in. They killed my baby man, he said. He added: Im never gonna see my son again, just like theyre not gonna see their kids. And that hurts me. The Daily Beast spoke with Ramos on the porch of his girlfriends home east of Uvalde, where he has been living for several years. The house and the bushes outside were adorned with blue and white streamers for a graduating senior. At times, the tough-spoken Texan broke into tears. The details of his sons attack were horrifying: According to authorities, he purchased two rifles and 375 rounds of ammunition in the leadup to the massacre, and barricaded himself inside the classroom for over an hour. One student recalled him telling the children in the classroom: Its time to die. He Came in and Shot Her: Fourth-Grade Uvalde Survivor Reveals Chilling Encounter With Gunman Despite the horrific slaughter he carried out Tuesday, Ramos insisted that his son was a good person who stuck to himself. He claimed to have no idea why his son became so violent, or why he chose to target the school. Story continues But he said he did notice one change in his son in recent months: a pair of boxing gloves hed purchased and started testing out at a local park. I said, Mijo, one day somebodys going to kick your ass, Ramos recalled. I started seeing different changes in him like that. The younger Ramos reportedly had a poor relationship with his mother and had dropped out of high school ahead of his graduation this year. His father admitted he had not spent much time with him lately because he was employed outside Uvaldehe digs holes around utility poles for inspectionand because of the pandemic. His own mother was suffering from cancer, Ramos said, and he could not risk being exposed to the coronavirus. He added that his son grew frustrated with the COVID precautions about a month ago and refused to speak to him. Ramos has not seen him since. My mom tells me he probably would have shot me too, because he would always say I didnt love him, he told The Daily Beast. Ramos also faulted the boys mother, Adriana Reyes, for not buying him more school supplies and clothes. He said his son was bullied at school for wearing the same high-water jeans every day, and that this was the reason he ultimately dropped out. Attempts to reach Reyes for comment this week were unsuccessful. Former classmates and families confirmed that the younger Ramos had been bullied in middle school for a speech impediment. But some former co-workers and others who knew him said Ramos had an aggressive streak, and his internet history pointed to someone all too happy to descend into twisted boasting about guns and mass bloodshed. A high school classmate told the Washington Post she had seen Ramos engage in multiple fist fights, and a former co-worker told The Daily Beast he was inclined toward harassing women he worked with. I dont think he was necessarily bullied, the classmate, Nadia Reyes, told the paper. He would take things too far, say something that shouldnt be said, and then he would go into defense mode about it. For his own part, the father has a lengthy criminal record which includes at least one conviction for assault and causing bodily injury to a family member. He said he was currently estranged from his daughterthe gunmans sisterwho he said was also upset with him for not spending enough time with the family. The sister, 21, joined the Navy and is no longer living at home. My daughter, I guess, changed her life, she went to the Navy, he said. I wish my son would have gone and changed his life." Ramos said his son frequently complained about his maternal grandmother, who was in the hospital recovering from her injuries this week. He said he offered to let his son move in with his own parents, but that the teenager declined, citing the lack of WiFi. (The teenagers final dispute with his maternal grandmother before he shot her was reportedly about his phone bill.) He said his son had a girlfriend in San Antonio, whom he and his family had been to visit, but he did not comment further on the teenagers social life, which classmates said had rapidly been declining. He added that he was speaking out because I want my sons story out there. I dont want them calling him a monster... they dont know nothing, man, he said. They dont know anything he was going through. with reporting by Emily Shugerman, William Bredderman, and Justin Rohrlich Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Don't miss CoinDesk's Consensus 2022, the must-attend crypto & blockchain festival experience of the year in Austin, TX this June 9-12. Former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney ditched me for Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio as European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde walked past in the Congress Centre at the World Economic Forums annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. And somehow that was only the second-most surreal thing to happen to me this week. Youre reading State of Crypto, a CoinDesk newsletter looking at the intersection of cryptocurrency and government. Click here to sign up for future editions. The badgeless The narrative A very nice gentleman I met in Davos told me there were about 2,500 official delegates at the World Economic Forum (WEF) this year, and about 3,500 people from the crypto industry on the Promenade outside the main event. Why it matters The crypto industrys attendance at the meeting and the side events outside were meant to be a signal. Crypto, as an industry, should be taken seriously. However, the point of setting up a house in Davos on the famed Promenade outside the main WEF meeting is to get your name out there to show that you have a real brand. Its not to secure a quick return on investment. As the crypto market continues in its latest bear market (amid broader economic turmoil), the question is what sort of return this actually looks like. Breaking it down Crypto has arrived. Two days in a row, on the train back to my AirBnB after panels at the WEF annual meeting, I met people who are involved in the crypto industry. Attendees who ventured outside of the Congress Centre, where the main panels were held, came face to face with posters and advertisements from different crypto companies. Panelists in various sessions brought up crypto unprompted. I went to a dinner hosted by an entity that has nothing to do with crypto and met someone who invested in certain cryptocurrencies years ago (and he was the second crypto investor I met at dinners!). Story continues Clearly this industry is on peoples minds in some way, shape or form. The question is whether the crypto presence was worth it. Industry participants paid massively for the privilege of splashing their banners across various buildings. No one shared any specific figures but its Davos. In a normal year, companies are competing with financial giants and lauded tech firms. This year, Accenture, SalesForce, Meta (formerly Facebook) and surveillance firm Palantir all set up facilities. The rescheduling of Davos to May seems to have really thrown things off. Numerous people told me that this years event was much smaller than normal. It certainly ended very abruptly, with the security gates blocking off the Congress Centre taken down very quickly by early afternoon Thursday, despite the fact that in theory the event was still underway. In other words, its possible, even plausible, that the crypto industry was able to take advantage of a gap in normal sponsorships to get a foot in the door, so to speak. Its far too early to know whether they'll be able to repeat this during a normal WEF meeting (the next one will be Jan. 15-20, 2023). Matthew Blake, head of the future of financial and monetary systems at the WEF, told me that the annual meeting wouldnt have any crypto panels if there wasnt interest from multiple parties. Everything that we do from a thematic and research basis has a multi-stakeholder property to it, Blake said. That's kind of core to how we operate. And the answer is absolutely, I mean, I think one of the key areas where we've seen keen interest from central banks around the world is in the [central bank digital currency] space We're doing interviews around the world with members of parliament, you know, central banking authorities, ministers of finance, and so on. I think there's a combination of like trying to understand the evolution of this space and staying on top of it. Even central bankers and finance regulators though not necessarily welcoming crypto with open arms are at least tolerating the sector. The International Monetary Funds managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, told a panel discussing central bank digital currencies not to pull out of the cryptocurrency sector, adding that it is important to separate apples from oranges and bananas. Others were more explicitly pro-regulation Here are some thoughts on how the CoinDesk team approached this years event, and what we can or should do next year. First off, I overestimated our access to reliable internet. A few of you pinged on Telegram but those messages usually came in hours later and didnt load when the notifications came in. So that was definitely a bit of an unwelcome surprise. I definitely started planning a bit late, considering how much happened during the week. Still, given all the uncertainties and setbacks, Im really proud of the team we sent. On the reporting side, we had myself, Sandali Handagama and Helene Braun, both of whom I think excelled (more of their coverage is coming in the next week). I also didnt realize just how nonstop the whole thing would be. While I expected it to be a bit chaotic, this felt far more like Consensus 2018 than Consensus 2019 (the real mid-Gs here know what Im talking about). Still, to be clear, I think this was both a fun and productive time. Speaking of which Consensus 2022 CoinDesk will be in Austin, Texas June 9-12 for Consensus 2022, the long-awaited return of our IRL event after two years of virtual forums. Itll be exciting! On Friday, June 10, Ill moderate a one-on-one discussion with Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo. If you would like to ask a question, email stateofcrypto@coindesk.com with your query. Ill ask the best ones on stage. Well also have a panel discussion with a team from the Federal Reserve focused on innovation and the U.S. central banks role. You can send your questions for the Fed officials to stateofcrypto@coindesk.com as well. Some other interesting panels: Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair Rostin Behnam and former CFTC Commissioner Dawn Stump will take part in a fireside chat with CoinDesk Chief Content Officer Michael Casey. Well have a digital dollar debate with Dante Disparte, Rohan Grey and Caitlin Long, moderated by Forkast News Angie Lau. Well have a lawmaker town hall featuring a handful of U.S. senators and congresspeople, moderated by CoinDesks Jesse Hamilton. Hope to see you in Austin! Bidens rule Changing of the guard Key: (nom.) = nominee, (rum.) = rumored, (act.) = acting, (inc.) = incumbent (no replacement anticipated) Im going to be honest, I have no idea if anything happened this week. I promise to catch up before Tuesday, though. Elsewhere: At Davos, Crypto Is No Longer on the Outside : Our first dispatch from the World Economic Forums annual meeting, taking a look at just how much the industry has embedded itself this year. Mastercard CEO Teases CBDC Panel: SWIFT May Not Exist in 5 Years: This was a weird one. Was Michael Miebach joking? Who knows. Sure, why not, lets go with that. Outside CoinDesk: (Associated Press) Being incredibly serious for a minute: News broke a few nights ago that a lone gunman had gone into a school and shot over a dozen children and two teachers. As of this writing, 19 children and two adult teachers were killed. Its heartbreaking and infuriating, and genuinely insane this can happen nearly 10 years after the Sandy Hook shooting in Connecticut. The AP has a reported timeline on the sequence of events. The Onion is not playing today. pic.twitter.com/9xoYzHCk0W Sandra Tayler (@SandraTayler) May 25, 2022 If youve got thoughts or questions on what I should discuss next week or any other feedback youd like to share, feel free to email me at nik@coindesk.com or find me on Twitter @nikhileshde. You can also join the group conversation on Telegram. See yall next week! NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday lost a bid to stop New York state Attorney General Letitia James' probe of his business practices, allowing the three-year investigation to move forward. Trump, a Republican, last year sued James in federal court in upstate Albany, arguing the civil investigation into whether the Trump Organization misled banks and tax authorities about the valuations of its assets should be halted because he felt James, a Democrat, was using the case to further her political career. James replied in a January court filing that Trump's "allegations of political disagreement cannot insulate" him from the investigation. U.S. District Judge Brenda Sannes dismissed the lawsuit on Friday, stating in a written decision there was "no evidence" that James' investigation was undertaken in bad faith. "No one in this country can pick and choose how the law applies to them, and Donald Trump is no exception," James said in a statement. "We will continue this investigation undeterred." Alina Habba, a lawyer for Trump, said in a statement that he would appeal the decision, adding that James' "egregious conduct and harassing investigation" met the definition of bad faith. The ruling was the latest blow to Trump's various challenges to the investigation. An intermediate state appeals court ruled on Thursday that Trump and his two eldest children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, must testify under oath as part of the probe. Last week, Trump paid a $110,000 fine for failing to respond to James' subpoena, one of the conditions needed to permanently lift a contempt of court order issued against him by the judge in the case, Arthur Engoron. Trump had said he did not have any documents James sought, a claim Engoron called "surprising." James said in January that the investigation had uncovered significant evidence of possible fraud. Trump denies wrongdoing. Kevin Wallace, a lawyer with James' office, said at a court hearing last month that the attorney general will likely "bring some kind of enforcement action in the near future," without elaborating. (Reporting by Luc Cohen and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis) By Orhan Coskun and Jonathan Spicer ANKARA (Reuters) - Talks between Turkish officials and delegations from Sweden and Finland have made little headway overcoming Ankara's objections to their NATO membership bids, and it is not clear when further discussions will take place, according to two sources. Swedish and Finnish diplomats met in Turkey on Wednesday in an attempt to appease the NATO member and reach a deal that would allow for a historic enlargement of the Western alliance in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The two Nordic states formally applied to join NATO last week to boost their security. All 30 NATO members must approve enlargement plans. Turkey challenged their bid to join on the grounds that they harbour people linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group and others it deems terrorists, and because they halted arms exports to Ankara in 2019. "It is not an easy process," a senior Turkish official told Reuters on Friday, adding that Sweden and Finland must take "difficult" steps to win Ankara's support. "Further negotiations will continue. But a date doesn't seem very close." A separate person close to the situation said the talks made no clear progress and ended with no timeline to continue, raising the prospect that Turkey may still oppose the membership bids when NATO holds a summit on June 29-30 in Madrid. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Friday that Turkey expects Sweden and Finland to take concrete action and halt such support before it lifts its objections. Following a meeting in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Finnish foreign minister Pekka Haavisto said it was very important some results be achieved before the Madrid summit. "We had good negotiations there, long negotiations, agreed to continue those talks, and of course we rely on NATO's open door policy, which is also supported by Turkey. And we think that these problems can be solved," he said of the talks in Turkey. Story continues The Swedish foreign ministry did not immediately reply to requests for comment on Friday. The two countries have said they condemn terrorism and welcomed the possibility of coordinating with Ankara. The five-hour discussions on Wednesday were cordial and included separate sessions between Turkish officials and counterparts from the two Nordic countries, followed by three-way talks with all parties, the second source added. A third source told Reuters that Turkish officials downplayed prospects of reaching an agreement before the Madrid summit. VAGUE ROADMAP Neutral throughout the Cold War, Sweden's and Finland's decision to join NATO is one of the most significant changes in Europe's security architecture in decades. Finland shares a 1,300-km (810-mile) border with Russia. They had hoped it would be a quick accession process that would provide them with the pact's collective-security guarantee, and NATO countries say they will succeed. But Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan shocked allies by opposing the bids over the presence, especially in Stockholm, of people he said were linked to the PKK and followers of Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt. The senior Turkish official said Sweden and Finland made promises at the talks that should be formalised. The Turks handed their counterparts evidence related to PKK members said to be in the Nordic countries, the official added. The second source said Turkish officials again raised prospects of extraditions and appeared in no rush to agree a roadmap to a deal. The chairman of the Swedish parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee told Reuters this month that expelling people not on European Union terror lists was "totally unthinkable". Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Twitter on Friday that unspecified reports that Swedish politicians represent the PKK are incorrect. On Wednesday she had characterised the talks in Turkey as constructive and said they would continue. Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, had said Ankara observed a positive attitude on lifting the export embargo during the meetings. Sweden and Finland banned arms exports to Turkey after Ankara's 2019 incursion into Syria against the Kurdish YPG militia. Ankara regards the YPG as identical to the PKK and views both groups as terrorist organisations. (Additional reporting by Ece Toksabay and Daren Butler in Istanbul and Daphne Psaledakis and Rami Ayyub in Washington; Editing by Catherine Evans and Grant McCool) U.S. immigration authorities next week will begin to interview certain asylum-seekers at two Texas detention facilities under a new Biden administration policy that aims to expedite the processing of migrants who ask for humanitarian protection along the southern border, U.S. officials said Thursday. The program will start on a small scale on Tuesday, with U.S. asylum officers expected to receive a few hundred cases per month during the first implementation phase, Justice Department and Homeland Security officials said during a call with reporters, requesting anonymity to discuss the plan. Initially, only asylum-seekers who tell U.S. border officials they plan to live near Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark or San Francisco will be enrolled in the new program, which aims to condense the asylum adjudication period from the current years-long timeframe to several months. Migrants are apprehended by US Border Patrol and National Guard troops in Eagle Pass, Texas, on May 22, 2022. / Credit: Allison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images While it will be implemented in a limited fashion initially, the rule is one the most significant attempts to overhaul the massively backlogged U.S. asylum system and represents the pillar of a plan the Biden administration hopes will allow the government to manage unprecedented levels of migrant arrivals. The rule will allow Department of Homeland Security officers to fully adjudicate asylum cases of migrants who recently crossed the U.S.-Mexico border, as opposed to transferring all those requests to the Justice Department's immigration court system, which is overseeing over 1.7 million unresolved cases. President Biden's appointees have said the program will allow the U.S. to more quickly grant asylum to those fleeing persecution, while expediting the deportation of migrants who don't meet the legal threshold for U.S. refuge. For years, government officials have said the multi-year waits for asylum decisions allow and encourage migrants fleeing economic hardship to use the asylum system to live and work in the U.S. indefinitely and simultaneously strand asylum-seekers with legitimate cases in a years-long legal limbo. Story continues "This rule is designed to transform how asylum claims are handled at our nation's borders, to cut down unwieldy, slow-moving bureaucracy and establish a fair and efficient process in its place," a senior DHS official said Thursday. The official said roughly 100 U.S. asylum officers have been trained to implement the first phase of the rule's implementation. They will be interviewing by telephone migrant adults held at two Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers in Texas who are placed in a process known as expedited removal. Only single adults and families traveling with children will be placed in the program since U.S. law bars the use of expedited removal on unaccompanied minors. DHS officials said they are working to provide migrants access to pro-bono attorneys before the initial screenings. If migrants enrolled in the new program establish that they have credible fear of persecution during these telephone interviews, they will generally be released with a tracking device, a DHS document indicates. If migrants fail these interviews, they can be swiftly deported unless they ask an immigration judge to reconsider their claim. Those asylum-seekers who pass the screenings will be required to attend an interview at an USCIS office in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark or San Francisco. The in-person interviews will take place no more than 45 days after the initial screenings. If migrants fail to attend the interviews, they will be placed in deportation proceedings, officials said. USCIS officers would then have 60 days after that interview to deny or grant migrants asylum. Migrants who are granted asylum are allowed to stay in the U.S. and qualify for permanent residency a year after the decision. U.S. law allows the government to grant asylum to immigrants who suffered or fear persecution in their home country because of their nationality, race, religion, political views or membership in a "particular social group." If a migrant's asylum claim is denied at this stage, their case will be transferred to the immigration courts, which hold adversarial hearings. Judges would then be tasked with deciding within 90 days whether migrants should be ordered deported or allowed to stay because they qualify for humanitarian relief. Migrants are apprehended by US Border Patrol and National Guard troops in Eagle Pass, Texas, on May 22, 2022. / Credit: ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images Those ordered deported can appeal the decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals and then, if necessary, a federal court. But those appeals could take years to complete. Once migrants have final orders of deportation, ICE agents can arrest and deport them. Only migrants processed under traditional immigration procedures will be eligible for the new asylum program. Migrants processed under a pandemic-era public health authority known as Title 42 will continue to be swiftly expelled without an opportunity to request asylum. Since the Trump administration invoked Title 42 in March 2020, migrants have been expelled over 1.9 million times to Mexico or their home countries, DHS data show. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was supposed to end Title 42 earlier this week following a determination that the expulsions were no longer necessary to control the spread of the coronavirus, but a federal judge last week blocked that termination, saying the agency improperly ended the measure. Texas, one of the Republican-led states that challenged Title 42's termination, is also asking a federal judge to block the new asylum rule, arguing the power to decide asylum cases should continue to rest solely with Justice Department immigration judges. Earlier on Thursday, a bid by Republican lawmakers to nix the asylum changes failed to pass the evenly-split Senate. Mr. Biden would have vetoed the resolution anyhow, his administration said Thursday. Muzaffar Chishti, the head of the Migration Policy Institute's New York office, said the success of the asylum overhaul plan will hinge on whether the cases of asylum-seekers enrolled in the program are processed within an average of six months, and whether they are able to access legal representation, which he noted ensures both due process and efficiency. If immigration court cases of asylum-seekers who are rejected by USCIS "prove to be as long as the old process, that undermines the whole thing," Chishti told CBS News. To implement the rule on a larger scale, Chishti said USCIS will need to bolster its 750-member asylum officer corps. A senior DHS official on Thursday said USCIS has enough funds to employ "just over" 1,000 asylum officers. The slow implementation plan will help the administration address these issues, Chishti said. "If there are certain wrinkles in the program, a pilot helps you deal with them before you shoot for primetime," he added. "They are clearly not ready for primetime." How a public health approach could curb gun violence, according to an epidemiologist Abbott skipping in-person NRA convention appearance: CBS News Flash May 27, 2022 Can Congress find common ground on gun reform? Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine's richest man, owns the Azovstal steel plant in the southern port city of Mariupol. Michael Gottschalk/Photothek/Getty Images Ukraine's richest man plans to sue Russia for up to $20 billion in damages to his steel plants. Rinat Akhmetov owns the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, which was bombarded by Russian forces. The Azovstal steel plant was the last bastion of the city's resistance against the Russian invasion. Ukraine's richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, said he intends to sue Russia for $17 billion to $20 billion in losses after his steel plants in Mariupol were severely damaged, according to local media. Akhmetov is the owner of the Azovstal steel plant in the southern port city of Mariupol, which suffered intense bombing and shelling from Russian forces. "We will definitely sue Russia and demand proper compensation for all losses and lost business," Akhmetov told the Ukrainian news portal mrpl.city. As the city's last bastion of resistance against the Russian invasion, the Azovstal steel plant came under fierce attack for weeks before the Ukrainian troops stationed there were evacuated. The Illich Steel and Iron Works under Akhmetov's SCM Holdings have also suffered damage due to Russian aggression, he told mrpl.city. Akhmetov has a current net worth of $6.93 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His wealth has tumbled 40% this year amid the war in Ukraine. After Russia's invasion began on February 24, Akhmetov's company Metinvest the country's largest steelmaker announced that it wouldn't be able to fulfill contractual obligations. In April, Metinvest told Reuters that it plans to resume production after the end of the war but would "never operate under Russian occupation." Russia said last Friday that it is now in complete control of Mariupol. Read the original article on Business Insider Ukrainian military For how long active fighting will go on September, October, or the end of the year depends on our resistance, on the state of our defenses, and on what (security) assistance well be getting, Skibitsky stated. Read also: Why is the Russian dictator so obsessed with Ukraine? He noted that Russia will hold local elections on Sep. 11, and said that the occasion could be used to stage some sort of sham referendum in the occupied Ukrainian territories. Oct. 7 is Putins birthday. Hes turning 70, and many will expect the military to try and give him a present, Skibitsky added. Read also: Putin signs decree to simplify issuing Russian passports to residents of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya, Kherson Oblasts Towards the end of the year, as its getting colder, the Russians say that Ukraine will agree to negotiate. Russia's invasion of Ukraine goes into the fourth month. UPDATE This story was updated to include information from the official Pentagon contract announcement released at 5:00 p.m. and a statement from Raytheon. WASHINGTON The U.S. Army has awarded a $624.6 million contract to Raytheon Technologies to build Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to restock its own supply after sending roughly 1,400 Stingers to Ukraine to bolster the nations defense against the Russian invasion. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2026, the Pentagons contract announcement Friday states. Reuters was first to report the contract award, expected for several weeks. Raytheon will build 1,300 new Stinger missiles, according to a statement issued shortly following the contract announcement. The contract includes provisions for engineering support, as well as the test equipment and support needed to address obsolescence, modernize key components, and accelerate production, according to the company statement. Stinger and Javelin have been in high-demand in Ukraine as effective means to repel Russias invasion. The Pentagon has the Stingers and sent more than 5,500 Javelin anti-tank missiless since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, among other defense materiel. Congress this month passed a $40 billion spending package for Ukraine that authorizes the Biden administration to send another $11 billion in U.S. military equipment to the country; the package includes $8.7 billion to backfill stocks already sent. The Army hasnt bought any Stingers since 2005 as it begins an effort to design the next generation of man-portable anti-aircraft missile while upgrading its current inventory. The Army said prior to Fridays news that it would be awarding a contract to Raytheon to address the Stingers most critical obsolete part, its dual-detector assembly, a spokesman for the Armys acquisitions office told Defense News. The Stingers dual-detector seeker uses infrared and ultraviolet sensors to locate targets. Story continues The Army also is working on a proposal to use advanced procurement dollars to buy long-lead parts and materials for advanced munitions in full coordination with the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, the spokesman said. Raytheon CEO Greg Hayes has said his company may not be able to make more Stingers until at least 2023 and, because some components are no longer commercially available, the firm will have to redesign electronics in the missiles seeker head. The Pentagon also recently issued a contract award of $9.9 million to Raytheon and Lockheed Martin to modify a preexisting contract for Javelin anti-tank missile engineering services as part of the effort to replenish stocks of that weapon, which is also being sent to Ukraine in large numbers. The award follows two other contract modifications made this month worth $239 million and $309 million for Javelin production to be completed by late 2025 to backfill stocks sent to Ukraine but also supply Norway, Albania, Latvia and Thailand. The contract, which dates to 2019, has a ceiling of about $2.2 billion. Lockheed CEO Jim Taiclet said the company aims to nearly double production for Javelin anti-tank missiles to 4,000 per year, but it would take a number of months, maybe even a couple of years, and that Congress could help by reshoring microprocessor manufacturing. Additionally, the Pentagon is poised, according to CNN, to up the ante in Ukraine by also sending High Mobility Artillery Rocket Launchers and Multiple Launch Rocket Systems to the country. The Biden administration is expected to announce the move as part of its next military assistance package as early as next week, CNN reported. New contracts to replace Javelin and Stingers sent from U.S. stockpiles were expected to be finalized earlier in the month a very rapid pace for the Army, its acquisition chief, Douglas Bush, told lawmakers in recent congressional testimony. However, the timeline to replace the services Javelins could take 18 months, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said in separate testimony. Were working with both Raytheon and Lockheed to see what they can do to speed up production, Wormuth said, adding later that congressional funding would help replenish munition stocks. Earlier this month, Pentagon spokeswoman Jessica Maxwell reiterated that the department has been able to send Ukraine its weapons without affecting military readiness, and we still have the necessary inventory for our needs. We are continuing to work with industry to replenish U.S. inventories and backfill stocks of allies and partners, and weve requested additional resources from Congress through the supplemental bill to continue this work, she said in a statement. Two senior Taiwanese government officials on Friday told CNN that Taiwan and the U.S. are planning talks on trade and the economy despite warnings from China. The officials said that the countries could begin talks in a few weeks, with the goal of creating more significant trade and economic cooperation between the two. The meetings will explore concrete ways to deepen the US-Taiwan trade and investment relationship, according to the CNN report. The report follows a warning from Beijing on Wednesday, when a Chinese military spokesperson announced that the country conducted combat readiness patrols and actual combat exercises around Taiwan. This is a solemn warning to the recent US-Taiwan collusion activities. It is hypocritical and futile for the US to say one thing and do another on the Taiwan issue, and frequently encourage the Taiwan independence forces, Col. Shi Yi, of the Eastern Theatre Command of the Peoples Liberation Army, said. Days before Shis announcement, President Biden contributed to U.S.-China tensions when he affirmed that the U.S. would defend Taiwan militarily if China invaded the island, saying, Thats the commitment we made. Taiwan is part of China, Shi insisted in the statement Wednesday. The theater troops are determined and capable of thwarting any external forces interference and separatist attempts to Taiwan independence, and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and security and regional peace and stability. A senior Taiwanese official also informed CNN that the country plans to send a delegation to the SelectUSA Summit in June, a meeting to promote foreign investment in the U.S. arranged by the Commerce Departments International Trade Administration. The U.S. and Taiwan are especially interested in cooperation in sectors related to supply chain resilience and sustainable development. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Police made the "wrong decision" by failing to storm a primary school classroom in Uvalde, Texas, as a gunman killed 19 children inside, the top safety official has said. "If I thought it would help, I would apologise," Steven McCraw said during a heated press conference on Friday. Officers delayed entering because they did not believe it was still an "active shooter" situation, he said. But pupils inside made multiple calls begging for police to come. Mr McCraw confirmed there had been a 40-minute gap from the police unit's arrival at Robb Elementary School to the moment they decided to storm the classroom where the gunman had barricaded himself. The senior officer on the scene decided to wait until the school janitor arrived with the keys because they thought that either "no kids were at risk" by then, or "no-one was living anymore". The delayed response, combined with video footage showing frustrated parents outside the school being tackled and handcuffed by police while the gunman was still inside, has led to growing public anger and scrutiny of how law enforcement handled the situation. Authorities have struggled to give a clear timeline of how events unfolded in Uvalde. On Friday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was "livid" that he had been "misled" about certain information, which he had made public in a news conference earlier this week. "As everybody has learned, the information that I was given turned out in part to be inaccurate," he said. He also revealed an anonymous donor had paid $175,000 (139,000) for the funerals of the victims. "We appreciate that anonymous donor for his generosity," he said. "And we will ensure that those resources get into the right hands." People prayed in front of memorial crosses for the children in Uvalde The gunman crashed his car near the school at about 11:30 local time, Mr McCraw disclosed, and walked around the building firing "more than one hundred rounds" into classrooms as he looked to get inside. An officer for the school district, who was not on campus at the time, drove immediately to the scene following a 911 call but "drove right by the suspect who was hunkered down behind a vehicle", Mr McCraw said. Story continues By 11:35, the assailant had entered the school through a door propped open earlier by a teacher, and barricaded himself into a classroom. Police officers followed him into the building minutes later but remained in the hallway. Mr McCraw confirmed that as many as 19 police officers had gathered outside the classroom but had made no immediate effort to get inside. It was not until 12:51 that a tactical unit entered the classroom and killed him - about 75 minutes after the attack began. The commanding officer on scene - the Uvalde school district's chief of police, who was not present at Friday's news conference - believed the situation was no longer one involving an "active shooter". The description is at odds with the disclosure that at least four emergency 911 calls were made from within the school - some from children barricaded inside with the gunman - begging for police to come. A BBC graphic showing a timeline of calls to police "With the benefit of hindsight where I'm sitting now, of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision. There's no excuse for that," said Mr McCraw. Growing emotional amid a barrage of angry questions following the admission, he called the mistakes "tragic". The great-grandfather of 10-year-old Alexandria Rubio, who died in the attack, told the BBC he thought the police were "cowards". Ruben Mata Montemayor said he had seen officers "walking" towards Robb Elementary during the attack. "If there was a danger at the school, why weren't they running?" he said. Texas shooting: More coverage After the gunman was shot dead, police found as many as 1,657 rounds of ammunition and 60 magazines in his possession. They later ascertained he had forewarned of some of his actions in private messages to a Facebook friend. It was earlier alleged he made the declarations - "I shot my grandmother" and "I'm going to shoot up a school" - as public posts on the platform. Mr McCraw said the suspect had asked his sister to buy him a gun last September, but "she flatly refused". In private chat messages with four people on Instagram earlier this year, he discussed buying a gun and asked questions about it. One user responded: "Are you going to shoot up a school or something?" "No, and stop asking dumb questions and you will see," came the reply. US President Joe Biden and the first lady are due to travel to Uvalde on Sunday, his second trip to a community rocked by gun violence in less than two weeks. The leftist leaders of Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia railed against the United States Friday in Havana, days ahead of the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, whose invitation list has overshadowed the agenda. US President Joe Biden has described the June 6-10 summit, being held in the United States for only the second time, as an opportunity to champion democracy over authoritarianism and has not invited the leaders of Cuba, Venezuela or Nicaragua. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who has said he will "under no circumstances" go to Los Angeles, held an alternative summit of sorts in Havana. Entering the Palace of the Revolution, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called the gathering "a firm, forceful and absolute rejection of the imperial vision that seeks to exclude peoples from the Americas." Bolivian President Luis Arce said of the Los Angeles gathering: "If they want to have a meeting among friends, let them do it, but don't call it the Summit of the Americas." The talks in Havana were part of the ALBA grouping, set up in 2004 by Maduro's late predecessor Hugo Chavez and Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro to counter a US proposal for a pan-American free trade area. The bloc's grievances received a boost from the leader of Latin America's second most populous nation, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who said he would not travel to Los Angeles unless all nations were invited. On a visit to Havana on May 8, the leftist Mexican leader said it should be for "each country to decide freely if they will attend." In Havana, Maduro hailed Lopez Obrador for "standing up for the entire continent's truth, morals and dignity." Mexico may still send its foreign minister to LA, but the leaders of Argentina, Bolivia, Honduras and the 14-nation bloc of Caribbean states have also put their attendance in doubt. - Engagement or isolation? - Testifying to a US Senate committee on Thursday, summit coordinator Kevin O'Reilly said the United States would "absolutely not" invite representatives from the government of Maduro, whom Washington considers illegitimate following a widely criticized 2018 election. Story continues Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega -- who did not travel to Havana -- has also been accused of rising authoritarianism, with his main rival in last year's elections arrested and later sentenced to eight years in prison for alleged financial crimes. The Biden administration recently eased visa and family remittance restrictions for Cuba, a bugbear of Washington since the 1959 revolution. But the administration, pointing to human rights concerns, has stopped well short of reviving the thaw of former president Barack Obama and reversing pressure tactics of Biden's predecessor Donald Trump, who made inroads with anti-communist Hispanic voters in the 2020 election. Republican Senator Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American and vociferous critic of Latin American leftists, at the Thursday hearing urged the Biden administration not to be "bullied" by Mexico into inviting a "trifecta of tyranny." "If we have a summit where we don't invite dictators and the people who wanted dictators to come decide to boycott it, then we'll just know who our real friends are in the region," he said. But three leading lawmakers from Biden's Democratic Party including Representative Gregory Meeks, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, warned that the exclusions "could undermine the US's standing in the region" by forcing other nations to choose. In a letter to Biden, Meeks and Representatives Jim McGovern and Barbara Lee said that inviting Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela would not be "an endorsement" of their ideologies but would show the United States is a "good-faith negotiator" in the hemisphere. "We believe that a policy of engagement will yield more fruitful results than a continued policy of isolation," they wrote. The Biden administration hopes that the summit will reach an agreement to coordinate on migration, a key domestic priority for Washington. Other items on the agenda include promoting green energy and improving health infrastructure in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. cb-rd-sct/sst The Supreme Court approved livestreaming for Indian courts in 2018 Virtual courts in India have provided moments of unintended hilarity - from a lawyer appearing shirtless for a hearing to another smoking hookah during proceedings. But their larger impact has been the ease and accessibility they have provided to lawyers, journalists and citizens. Shishira Rudrappa, co-founder of Bar&Bench said he started the legal news portal knowing "that one day court news would take up most of the front pages of our newspapers." In the past decade, legal news websites like LiveLaw and Bar&Bench - alongside the growth of social media and the proliferation of smartphones in India - have transformed legal reporting from courtrooms. While once these reports were limited to a court's verdict or a judge's observation, exchanges in courts now frequently make news. "It has increased awareness about the coverage of the courts - people have a better idea about what is happening there," said Manu Sebastian, managing editor of LiveLaw. Such real-time updates constitute a "virtual extension of the open court," a Supreme Court bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud observed last year. In 2018, the Supreme Court approved livestreaming for Indian courts, but it was the pandemic that pushed the country's legal system to adapt to virtual courts to hear cases. PV Uttara, a lawyer practising in the Kerala High Court, said she began making court appearances just as virtual hearings began in 2020. Women lawyers have written about finding litigation in India a "boys' club", making it difficult for them to get a foothold in the profession. Ms Uttara found virtual hearings were far less intimidating and helped her pick up courtroom practices better. They also offered a great way to keep women and young lawyers - who are often underpaid - in the profession as it eased the time and money spent on in-person court appearances. This also applied to ordinary citizens, for whom attending a hearing can be an arduous task, involving travel expenses and getting through layers of security, she said. Story continues While clients often need a lawyer to explain a legal order in layman's terms, being able to see their case argued virtually gave them "a certain satisfaction" and "personal connection", Ms Uttara said. The process also made hearings more accessible to people with lesser means, and those with illnesses or disability, she pointed out. "Our courts are not the most disabled-friendly institutions," she says. A survey carried out by the Supreme Court admits as much. Chief Justice NV Ramana says livestreaming court proceedings can be a 'double-edged sword' The Kerala High Court adopted a hybrid system of physical and virtual court hearings this year, which helped Ms Uttara continue to work and provide for her family while being the primary caretaker of her ailing mother. In 2020, the Gujarat High Court became the first to start livestreaming its proceedings. Months later, the Karnataka High Court followed suit. In February 2022, it livestreamed the hearings on the controversial hijab ban in high schools and colleges in the state. Thousands of viewers tuned in on the official YouTube channel to listen to the arguments. People on social media debated courtroom behaviour and wondered if what they saw was normal practice. Live broadcasts of court proceedings are very revealing, aren't they? Gautam Bhatia (@gautambhatia88) February 16, 2022 The increased scrutiny is not always welcome. This week, the Delhi High Court admonished the federal government for the language it used in an affidavit opposing livestreaming of a case regarding same-sex marriage. News reports quoted the government as saying that the petitioner in the case was creating "unnecessary hype" of the matter with intention to "create hallucination of public interest and to make the matter sensational". Chief Justice NV Ramana has called live streaming a "doubled-edged sword" but it was the judges he cautioned. "A judge cannot be swayed by popular opinion," he said In the US, the livestreaming of actor Johnny Depp's defamation case against actor Amber Heard has raised concerns about the media circus surrounding the trial and its impact on survivors of domestic abuse. But in India, lawyers say existing rules protect the privacy of individuals in cases of a personal nature - whether it is in cases of sexual assault or persons with HIV. The Karnataka High Court, for example, does not livestream cases of marital disputes, sexual offences, child abuse and crimes under the Juvenile Justice Act. The court can mute discussions among judges or lawyers, and any sharing of personal information of a litigant. Petitioners can also apply against livestreaming of their cases. "These accommodations are not new to Indian jurisprudence or to courtroom procedures," Ms Uttara said. Since livestreams are limited to a few courts, tweets and real-time updates from courtrooms by journalists act as substitutes, Mr Sebastian said. Making the legal system accessible to every Indian citizen is a complex process, Mr Sebastian said. Effecting these changes this will require efforts from not just the media, but policymakers, legislators and the government, he added. Mitch McConnell (right) and John Cornyn (EPA-EFE) Former House Speaker John Boehneronce said that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell holds his feelings, thoughts and emotions in a lockbox closed so tightly that whenever one of them seeps out, bystanders are struck silent. On Thursday, he left everyone in Washington speechless when he told CNN that he directed Senator John Cornyn of Texas to begin working with Democrats, including Senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, to find a bipartisan solution. What Mr McConnell doesnt say is always just as important as what he does. Sure enough, he didnt list any specific policy that he would find acceptable or any one that would cause him to tell Mr Cornyn to cut bait. That gives Mr McConnell extraordinary breathing room, allowing him to label any policy that Democrats propose as a radical violation of the Second Amendment and frame any compromise that might emerge as a commonsense bipartisan consensus thus boxing out his most extreme members and daring more progressive Democrats to oppose whatever is brought to a vote, if anything. For Democrats, Mr McConnells words offer a glimmer of hope. Ahead of Donald Trumps second impeachment for inciting the 6 January Capitol attack, the minority leader never fully came out in favor of conviction even though he was not shy about his fury at Mr Trump; as New York Timess Alex Burns and Jonathan Martin wrote in their book This Will Not Pass, the Kentucky Republican had hoped for an overwhelming bipartisan consensus to impeach Mr Trump for his actions, but soon realized not enough Republicans were willing to cross the president. This time, Mr McConnell is coming out front, and likely knows there is a chance that 10 Republicans will get to yes. Your dispatcher decided to do some-back-of-the-napkin arithmetic to figure out who those 10 might be. Bearing in mind that some of them belong to more than one tendency while others would say yes to one idea but no to another, here they are broken down into a few discrete groups. Story continues The Retirees: Five Republican senators are planning to retire at the end of this Congress, which means they wont face the wrath of angry primary voters and have more of an incentive to vote on something they like. Of those five, three of them could potentially get to yes. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, on whom the NRA has spent $3m over the course of his career, has in the past supported red flag laws that prevent people who would pose a risk to themselves or others from obtaining a firearm. Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania was the Republican co-sponsor of legislation to expand background checks with Senator Joe Manchin in 2012 after the Sandy Hook Massacre. Meanwhile, Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri is a member of the Republican leadership and incredibly close with Mr McConnell. Like Mr Portman, he voted for the bipartisan infrastructure bill. The Red-Flaggers: Multiple Republicans have come out in support of red flag laws alongside Mr Portman. Aaron Blake of the Washington Post wrote that this is the most promising legislative path after the shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo. Other supportive Republicans include Senator Rick Scott, a member of the NRA, who says he supports red flag laws; unlike his GOP colleagues, he has also personally signed gun control legislation into law, specifically in 2018 after a gunman shot and killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Mr Scotts fellow Florida senator, Marco Rubio, has also supported such laws in the past, while Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has talked about a grant program to support them. Axios reported that Mr Murphy is discussing red flag laws with Maine Republican Susan Collins; Senator Mike Braun of Indiana has said he was open to the idea, as has Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota. Mr Blunt also told Axios he thought it was a good idea. That comes to something like seven votes not enough to break a filibuster, but possibly enough to create a cascading effect. That said, Senator Mitt Romney told Axios that he would prefer the states to set their own individual red flag laws. Which leads us to our next category: The Background-Checkers. As we reported on Thursday, Mr Romney told your dispatcher, Ive long felt that the federal government has responsibility for an effective background check system, and if there are ways to improve that, I could be supportive. He also said he had spoken with Mr Toomey of Pennsylvania. Ms Collins, meanwhile, voted for a 2013 background check bill that was filibustered by almost every other Republican with the help of a handful of Democrats. But background checks are less popular than red flag laws these days, and two of the Republicans who joined that vote Mark Kirk and John McCain are no longer in the Senate. As of right now, the closest tally that any of these pieces of legislation have is in the high 50s. Thats still not 60. But if Mr Cornyn can come back with a solution that Mr McConnell approves, the two might just bring a few more of their Senators over the top. Volunteer fighter detained in Odesa Russia's war against Ukraine the main events of May 27 The suspect is thought to have been illegally selling thermal visors, rifle scopes, and medical kits. Prosecutors said that the suspect has illegally sold UAH 700,000 ($24,000)in humanitarian aid. The investigation will continue to determine if other service members were involved in the scheme. Read also: Ukrainian business families at war over scandal involving humanitarian supplies for army The detainee will be charged, and courts will be petitioned for an arrest warrant, the message reads. The fighter will likely be charged with possessing and/or selling contra-band, which could carry a term of up to seven years imprisonment. Fans of the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins continue to spread the love. More than a thousand musicians gathered Saturday, May 21, at Stade de France, a national stadium in Paris, to perform "My Hero" in honor of Hawkins, who died at age 50 on March 25. The performance came from a massive band called the Rockin'1000, which consists of musicians from 25 different countries. More than 50,000 people gathered to watch. The band was initially launched to lure the Foo Fighters to the small town of Cesena, Italy, in 2015. However, due to the pandemic, this performance marked their first time getting together in three years. Rockin'1000 was also subject to a 2020 documentary titled We Are the Thousand. Taylor Hawkins Kevin Winter/Getty Taylor Hawkins RELATED: Foo Fighters Drummer Taylor Hawkins' Life in Photos During their set, the band performed 21 songs that included covers of The Who, Rage Against the Machine, Pink Floyd, The White Stripes, and Guns N' Roses in addition to Foo Fighters. Hawkins died in Bogota, Colombia, on March 25 after complaining of chest pains at his hotel. A preliminary urine toxicology test found 10 different substances in his body, including THC, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines and opioids, according to the Attorney General's Office of Colombia. The Foo Fighters consisting of Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Nate Mendel, and Rami Jaffee confirmed the loss of Hawkins in a statement shared on their Twitter account. "The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins," the message read. "His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever." Since his death, friends and fellow musicians have expressed their grief and honored the late drummer's life. Most recently, the Red Hot Chili Peppers stepped in to play the Foo Fighters' closing set at Jazz Fest in New Orleans. RELATED VIDEO: John Stamos Shares Video Message from Late Foo Fighters Rocker Taylor Hawkins: 'Miss You Pal' Story continues "We love the Foo Fighters and we love our brother Taylor Hawkins," drummer Chad Smith said at the end of the May 1 set, according to NOLA.com. "It's meant a lot for us to be able to play for them." Smith, 60, played with a drumkit that featured Taylor's name inside a hawk silhouette, and also reportedly led the crowd in a cheer of, "We love you, Taylor!" Foo Fighters frontman Grohl and Hawkins' widow Alison were present for the performance, and watched from the wings, according to NOLA.com. The Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich at peace talks between delegations from Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 29, 2022. Cem Ozdel/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images The West is considering allowing Russian oligarchs "to buy their way out of sanctions," AP reports. The plan entails oligarchs voluntarily donating funds to Ukraine, officials told the outlet. Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland pitched the idea at a G7 meeting last week. Western allies are considering a proposal that would allow Russian oligarchs "to buy their way out of sanctions," the Associated Press reports. The discussions include lifting sanctions on oligarchs who voluntarily give up their foreign assets or funds to be donated to Ukraine, according to the AP. Canada's deputy prime minister and finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, offered up the idea at a G7 conference in Germany last week, government officials familiar with the matter told the outlet. The meeting was attended by the the G7 finance ministers and central bank governors, the heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank Group, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and Financial Stability Board (FSB). The Ukrainian prime minister and the Ukrainian finance minister attended virtually. A spokesperson for Freeland's office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. The Canadian deputy prime minister started out her career as a Ukraine-based freelance journalist for the Financial Times and later wrote the award-winning book "Plutocrats: The Rise of the New Global Super Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else." As a foreign correspondent, she was able to meet some of the now-sanctioned Russian billionaires one of whom she spoke with before pitching the proposal, an anonymous official told the AP. This isn't the first discussion of how Western governments could use the frozen funds and assets of sanctioned oligarchs to fund Ukraine's defense against Russia. The Biden Administration unveiled a plan in late April that would create a new system for selling the seized assets to fund Ukraine's defense. As of now, there are complex legal barriers that make it extremely difficult for the government to seize and sell an individual's private property, as Insider has previously reported. Read the original article on Business Insider WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fiji is joining U.S. President Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), the White House said on Thursday, making it the first Pacific Island country in the plan that is part of a U.S. effort to push back on China's growing regional influence. The announcement came as China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi began a sweeping tour of Pacific Island countries including Fiji a region that is becoming an increasingly tense front in the competition for influence between Beijing and Washington. Wang arrived in the region this week seeking a 10-country deal with island nations on security and trade that has unnerved the United States and its Pacific allies. The White House welcomed Fiji as a founding member of IPEF, which it said now includes countries from Northeast and Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania and the Pacific Islands. "Across geography, we are united in our commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region," National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement, underscoring Fiji's valuable perspective in the fight against climate change. With Fiji's addition, IPEF now represented the full regional diversity of the Indo-Pacific, he said. Biden officially launched IPEF earlier this week during his first trip as president to Asia, which has craved further U.S. economic engagement. Fiji is the 14th country to join IPEF talks, which exclude China. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, asked about Fiji signing up to IPEF, told reporters in Beijing on Friday that the Asia-Pacific "should not become a geopolitical chessboard". Washington has lacked an economic pillar to its Indo-Pacific engagement since then-President Donald Trump quit a multinational trans-Pacific trade agreement, in part out of concern over U.S. jobs. U.S. officials have said IPEF will include enforceable agreements, though trade experts have expressed skepticism about the plan, particularly over concerns that the United States is unlikely to offer increased market access. (Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Jonathan Oatis) In July, a bit of Basque French Country is set to land in downtown L.A. in the form of chicken long-stewed with Espelette pepper; green peppers stuffed with shallots, rice and cinnamon; and grilled duck breast with vine clippings and cherries. In a way, the European coastal region is, Daniel Rose says, a mirror image of Los Angeles, and he intends to showcase its similarities in flavor and culture when he opens Cafe Basque at the base of downtowns Hoxton hotel. It marks the first West Coast restaurant for the Michelin-starred Le Coucou chef, and only his second in the United States, as well as the first time the France-based chef will shape a restaurant around Basque cooking. I am addicted, in some ways, to this notion of bringing the French way to different places, Rose said in an interview. I think that there are great cities in the world that have a tremendous amount of character, a tremendous amount of diversity, that have a different way of looking at the world and I find that absolutely thrilling. Rose, born and raised in Illinois, set off to study in France 24 years ago and never really left. The chef with a passion for the classics and art history finished his studies in Paris, and wanting to remain in France, decided to pursue cooking, enrolling in the Institut Paul Bocuse. From there, he apprenticed and cooked his way through Brittany, the South of France and other locales with a detour to Guatemala in 2004, where he cooked French cuisine with Central American ingredients for nearly two years at a chic hotel in Lake Atitlan then returned to Paris to open Spring, a runaway success of a market-driven, 16-seat destination with a fixed menu in 2006. Reservations filled up months at a time. Le Figaro food critic Emmanuel Rubin visited a few weeks into Spring's opening and wrote one of Rose's favorite observations to this day: That it was a restaurant that resembled life. I dont know how you can top that," the chef said. "I thought it was very touching, and it set the tone for everything we did from then, on. Story continues Spring, which in 2010 expanded to a much larger location, closed in 2017. But ever since its rise to international acclaim, each Rose concept has focused on a different nuance of French cooking, be it fine dining, bistro, provincial or, in the case of his forthcoming Chicago restaurant Le Select, due to open in late fall a classic brasserie. Le Coucou, Rose's first U.S. restaurant, opened in New York in 2016 to immediate fanfare; devotees still scoop up reservations for its ode to high-end, traditional French cuisine and revived dishes from decades and even centuries past. In Los Angeles, Basque cuisine simply made sense. I thought, What is it about Basque cooking that fits with Los Angeles? For me, California is defined by the sunshine, in some ways, he said. There are a few places in France where theres a Cuisine du Soleil, [or] cooking from the sunshine. In my brain it would be weird to cook things from Normandie in Southern California, but there are natural places already in France that have this tradition of Cuisine du Soleil. The Hoxton hotel in downtown will be the location of Daniel Rose's first L.A. restaurant. Cafe Basque will take over the ground floor, including the dining room, the lobby lounge and bar. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) One example of this is Provencal cooking, between Marseilles and the Italian border, as it overlaps with Italian food a cuisine readily available in L.A. Most of Roses intended parallels between France and Los Angeles can be found in Pays Basque, or the French Basque country, especially along the coast: surf culture and ingredients such as artichokes and almonds and olive oil have inspired Rose, who also sees a familiarity in the prevalence of Espelette pepper and tomato in Basques French-Spanish culinary crossover. That, he said, leads to the parallel of California and Mexico, the sort of cross-border cultural movement and diversity. While Cafe Basque will share a few hallmarks of Spanish Basque cooking, including live-fire-kissed meats and a range of pintxos, French Basque cuisine is, Rose noted, separate: a combination of traditional French technique and recipes, but prepared very simply. It is neither Spanish Basque, nor mainstream French. Basque cooking is very different than what most people think of as French cooking, Rose said. In some ways its transnational. It requires a lot of finesse, but its very brute. His new menu will rely on live-fire cooking and rustic technique, envisioning a range of traditional Basque dishes made with California ingredients: white beans in local-vegetable broth; gratin de crabe caught from the California coast; sebaste au Espanol, or a classic roasted California rockfish with garlic and lemon and tomatoes in green olive oil; and ttoro, a fish soup with squid and shellfish and local fish cooked somewhat like a bouillabaisse. The new restaurant will take over the entire ground floor of the Hoxton hotel, operating the lobby bar, the coffee shop and the sleek brass-accented restaurant space formerly inhabited by Sibling Rival. Boka Restaurant Group operates both the ground-floor restaurant space, as well as the rooftop, now home to Stephanie Izards Cabra . The hospitality group is also partnering with Rose for Chicago's forthcoming Le Select a homecoming of sorts for the chef, who grew up in Chicago and is returning, yes, to visit family, but also because he simply wanted to open a brasserie. "A brasserie is a French restaurant of course, but its where commerce and cuisine meet, which feels very Chicago to me, he said. When Rose visited downtown L.A., he was struck by the neighborhoods remaining Art Deco details and was also reminded of hotels in Biarritz. For his own space, the Sibling Rival dining room featured a kind of modern diner-like setup with a long counter, which could lend itself to a relaxed, informal concept for Rose. Cafe Basque, he said, will be his most informal restaurant yet. His role has shifted in the nearly two decades since opening Spring, evolving from proprietor and head chef to an international operations manager and chef-partner for multiple concepts, including Paris' La Bourse et La Vie, which he transformed in April and May into Le Borscht et La Vie, serving Ukrainian cuisine with the help of displaced war refugees. His expanded duties mean more travel with France serving as the primary home base for Rose, his wife and children and oversight of hundreds of employees. Beginning in June, his new Los Angeles team will concentrate its efforts on cooking in the Cafe Basque space, where Rose will himself also be cooking and stationed into the fall, at which point he'll begin rotating Chicago more frequently into his visits to his restaurants in Paris, L.A. and New York City. The chef estimates Cafe Basque will open in late July, perhaps in phases, but always offering something throughout the day, even in the form of more informal bites at the coffee stand at one end of the building, or at the bar and lounge: Basque cheesecake and other pastries, perhaps with a cafe brulot to wash it down. Breakfast and brunch might involve beignets with ham, French tarts, sheeps milk yogurt, millet (traditional cornmeal porridge, here served with spinach, a little honey and olive oil), and a Basque-inspired take on a Croque monsieur. Rose said he hopes his first Los Angeles restaurant will convey the breezier, more casual emblems of dining in both Pays Basque and L.A. The food we always take very, very seriously. The danger is always that the food becomes too serious, he said. In some ways its like were trying to find the ultimate balance. Maybe its like the picture in the frame, you know? Painters used to pick their frames as well they decided what was around it is equally important. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. New York City public schools will introduce a new curriculum teaching students about the history and culture of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) starting next school year. The new curriculum, Hidden Voices: Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the United States, aims to help students relate to each other amid the rising Asian American violence in the city brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Eric Adams announced on Thursday. The new program will be implemented as shorter trial units across all grades in New York City public schools starting in the fall. Its tragic when our babies are academically smart but not emotionally intelligent, and dont develop the full personhood of who they ought to be, Adams said at a press conference at the New York City Department of Educations (DOE) Tweed Courthouse headquarters. Thats not education thats a robotic system that produces robots. Were producing scholars, intelligent future leaders of this city and this country. Thats what this is doing today. More from NextShark: Teen makes history as the first female wrestler in South Carolina to win individual state championship The Hidden Voices curriculum is part of the DOEs Hidden Voices Project, a collaborative effort between the DOEs Social Studies Department and the Museum of the City of New York. Story continues This new curriculum is a milestone in our ongoing support to AAPI students and families in our public schools and communities, said Schools Chancellor David Banks. Banks added that the curriculum would cover stories from historical AAPI figures, such as Dr. Anandibai Joshee, the first woman of Indian ancestry to be a doctor of Western medicine in the United States; Representative Patsy Mink, who was the first Asian American woman elected to Congress; and Helen Zia, the Chinese-American journalist. More from NextShark: 'Chinese Are Destroying Bay Ridge': NYPD Investigates Anti-Chinese Posters in Brooklyn He also added that the pilot curriculum is intended to help battle anti-Asian hate crimes in the city, which saw a 361 percent increase in 2021 compared to the previous year. One of the ways we combat racism and hate and the mayor talks about this all the time is by teaching and learning about each other's stories and histories. We are not the other, Banks told reporters. We are all New Yorkers. We are all Americans. This anti-Asian hate that we've seen so much of, it didn't just happen the last couple of years. It's been happening ever since the beginning of this country, ever since the first Asian Americans arrived at our shores, State Sen. John Liu (D, NY-11) said. More from NextShark: 9-Year-Old Texas Boy is the Highest-Paid YouTuber AGAIN After Making $30 Million in 2020 Asian Americans have been scapegoats for a lot of things in our entire history, whether it be economic recession, international warfare, global pandemic we get blamed, Liu added. And the reason we get blamed, and therefore hated and attacked, is because of ignorance. Liu was among the many people who pushed the city government to include AAPI studies as part of the curriculum, introducing legislation requiring public schools to provide instruction in Asian American history and civic impact. A group of Asian American families penned an open letter with 2,800 signatories last year, demanding that the DOE teach the cultural curriculum in public schools. I went through a lot of discrimination in schools, and I dont think our kids should experience that, Ting Yu, a representative for the AAPI literacy nonprofit Read Nation, told the New York Post. If were still seen as foreigners, thats not right. While Banks has yet to announce the specific schools where the pilot program would be introduced, he said it will be developed for all grade levels across all New York City public schools by fall of 2024. New York joins a list of states that have announced plans to introduce AAPI studies as part of their public-school curriculum. These states include Ohio, California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey and Connecticut. Featured Image via D-Day (CC BY-SA 3.0) Nelson County has a new county administrator, Candice McGarry, following a unanimous vote Thursday by the countys board of supervisors. Jesse Rutherford, the boards chair, announced McGarrys hire immediately following a closed session at a special called meeting. McGarry will serve as interim county administrator beginning June 3 and will assume the role in a permanent capacity effective Aug. 1 when Steve Carter, who has held the post the past 24 years, retires. We look forward to great success in this county, Rutherford said of McGarrys promotion. We look forward to great success for Mrs. McGarry as we, as a board, move forward in these very exciting times. Rutherford noted the appointment is historic as McGarry will become the first woman in the countys history to serve as county administrator. And that is something to be greatly celebrated here today in Nelson County, Rutherford said. McGarry, who has 22 years of local government experience, thanked the board for its confidence and trusting her with the responsibility. I am deeply honored and proud to become the first female county administrator in Nelson County, and Im excited to begin this next chapter, McGarry said. She expressed appreciation for her all her co-workers, past and present, who have taught her so much in her tenure in Nelson. McGarry said she is forever grateful to Debbie McCann, former county director of finance and human resources, and Carter whose inclusive leadership was instrumental in preparing her for the role, as well as her family and their unwavering support of her dedication to public service. We have many challenges ahead but I look forward to working with the board, our staff, the school division, community partners and our citizens in turning those challenges into opportunities, McGarry said. During her tenure in Nelson County, McGarry worked as finance technician and served as the administrative assistant and deputy clerk until her promotion to the director of finance and human resources post in 2018. Prior to serving in Nelson County administration, McGarry worked at the USDA/Farm Service Agency and SNL Financial. McGarry holds a bachelors degree in agricultural economics from Virginia Tech. Rutherford said in a news release the county received many well-qualified applicants from across the United States and McGarrys experience set her apart from a diverse field of candidates. The Board of Supervisors has tremendous confidence that her background, skills, and obvious dedication will help us move Nelson County forward, Rutherford said in the release. After the meeting, Rutherford clarified Carter is taking vacation time he accumulated, which is why McGarry is assuming the interim post before Carters retirement is officially effective. McGarry said in the release she looks forward to working with county staff, elected officials and community leaders in the coming years to broaden the local tax base, create employment opportunities and improve the quality of life for the entire Nelson community. Nelson County has a rich and culturally diverse history and is a community with tremendous potential, said McGarry. In the county administrator role, McGarry will plan, manage and implement the daily operations of county government under the boards administration. She said her years in local government experience have been spent helping to rebuild the county tax base, improve local broadband infrastructure and build strategic relationships with community partners and stakeholders. She said she couldnt be happier in the new role. I am proud that Nelson County is today a stronger, more vibrant and economically resilient community and I look forward to using my experience to make Nelson County an even better place to live, work and play, she 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. Lynchburg City Council took the first step in giving raises to the citys part-time and hourly employees this week by introducing a resolution that will amend the fiscal year 2023 budget with remaining funds from last years budget. In fiscal year 2022, according to Chief Financial Officer Donna Witt, the city allocated money for 5% general wage increases for city employees. After implementing that, Witt said the city had $620,492 remaining due to unfilled vacancies. With the leftover money, the city is hoping to bring its part-time employees up to at least a living wage of $14.03 per hour, something the city already covered for full-time employees in the fiscal year 2023 budget. Witt said these funds will address part-time summer workers, such as life guards, as well as positions in the parks and recreation department, among several other part-time jobs across the city. After addressing the part-time raises, the city will continue to address compression with the leftover funds, something Vice Mayor Beau Wright said all councilors have called an important issue. Salary compression occurs when there is little to no difference in pay between employees, regardless of experience or time spent in a position. I was talking to a worker recently, Ward II Councilman Sterling Wilder said during the meeting, and she mentioned that shes been working several years and people come in and are making the same amount. Thats embarrassing; thats not fair. Wilder said council has given Benda a task to address compression over several departments such as the police department and fire department, but there are other areas where compression is an issue. Ward III Councilman Jeff Helgeson, who pushed during the budget process to give more money back to citizens through a reduction in the tax rate, continued that by pushing back over how these leftover funds from last year would be spent. When I first read this, the first word out of my head was: insulting. Its insulting to council and its insulting to taxpayers, Helgeson said. Everybody else got paid, Helgeson said about the fiscal year 2023 budget, except for our taxpayers. In the fiscal year 2023 budget, city council approved adding real estate tax credits of 2 cents per $100 of assessed value to the bill of every real estate owner in Lynchburg. Council also approved personal property tax relief for citizens, meaning citizens only would need to pay taxes on 75% of the assessed value for their cars tax bill. Wright made the point as a municipal corporation, while its true we have an obligation to our shareholders, who he said are the citizens, ... we also have a deep responsibility of delivering excellent services. And thats through a high-quality workforce. This is how running a business works, Wright said. Youve got to pay people to keep them. Witt said the funds are split, with about $200,000 for the part-time and hourly wage increases, and the remaining roughly $420,000 going toward compression. Benda said the compression funds will be used to address people that have two to 30 years of service with the city. Council must vote on the amendment twice, approving it with the first vote of 5-2 this week. Helgeson and Ward IV Councilman Chris Faraldi voted in opposition. Council again will vote on the amendment during its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. June 28. 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 violent storm Friday morning destroyed or damaged numerous structures and downed trees and power lines in a roughly 2.4-square mile area of Bedford County, but officials reported no fatalities and few injuries. The storm peeled roofs off homes and left a trail of debris in its wake in the Crockett Road area of Goode, just a few miles west of Jefferson Forest High School. While the storm prompted tornado warnings, official confirmation of a tornado is pending an evaluation by the National Weather Service. Two people suffered minor injuries, according to a Bedford County news release. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management assessed 50 structures in the Crockett Road area and determined 15 received varying levels of damage, according to the release. Of those 15, three were destroyed. Earlier in the day, county officials had estimated about 45 structures were damaged. No one was found during search-and-rescue operations, and officials received no reports of missing people. At about 7:15 a.m., the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning urging people to seek shelter after severe thunderstorms made their way through the Lynchburg area. The first calls reporting damage came in at 7:43 a.m., according to Monty Coleman, chief of the Forest Volunteer Fire Department. "I was the first arriving fire responder and the sheriffs office had a unit already here when I arrived. Upon my arrival here was basically catastrophic damage in the immediate area at the intersections from where there was one structure that was completely gone, there was trees down around a house and the house had significant damage to it. We were met with high wind and rain still happening at that time and lightning. Our crews just immediately started that rescue mode, which is what they're trained to do," Coleman said. "When we got here you know, it's something you see on TV out in the Midwest all the time; you really don't expect it out here in the mountain region of our county." Patricia Spruce has lived in a home along Bethany Church Circle, which is connected to Crockett Road, for 20 years and said she has never seen something like this. "I heard a rumbling and I thought this tree was going to come through the bedroom," Spruce said. "I just took off running and was heading to the bathtub. It blew the windows out of the house and everything." A large tree missed Spruce's bedroom, situated on a front corner of her home, by less than a foot. "We have a cat door to the laundry room for the cats and the suction was so bad it sucked that right out of the door," Spruce said. "It sounded like a freight train; it even moved the posts on our house." Spruce and her husband were not injured during the storm but will have some home repairs and cleanup to take care of. Abby Johnson, deputy chief of operations for Bedford County Fire and Rescue, said multiple structures were "catastrophic losses." "They are down to the foundation surrounded by debris, so they are complete losses and a good portion of those have significant damage," Johnson said. Agencies that responded to the scene included the Bedford County Sheriff's Office, Virginia State Police, multiple Bedford County fire departments plus crews from Campbell County and Lynchburg. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Forestry Service and the American Red Cross also were assisting. A temporary shelter was set up at the Goode Fire and EMS Station to help residents and family members, but it was expected to close Friday evening. Residents still needing resources were asked to call the American Red Cross at 1-855-891-7325. Elsewhere in the region, Amherst County Public Schools closed Friday due to "rising water levels" following the morning storms, according to a notice from the school system. The update came after secondary schools temporarily sheltered in place and the start of school initially was delayed for elementary schools before the closure announcement. As the weather cleared and the sun came out, residents of homes damaged and destroyed ventured out to check on their neighbors and begin cleanup efforts. Travis Hostetter and his roommate, Anthony Mays, returned to their home, situated on top of a hill, that was leveled during the storm. Mays walked around the mangled home, holding his dachshund, Shadow, who suffered a broken leg in the chaos and still was groggy from anesthesia. Nothing was left standing of the home that belonged to Hostetter's grandmother, who passed away a few months ago, except a few inner walls. Hours later, Spruce still had not seen her four cats but was confident they still were in the home, just shaken and hiding. When search-and-rescue efforts concluded, the roads were cleared of fallen trees so power crews could move in to begin work on the power lines, lifting them off of the road and putting up new poles. As of 6 p.m. Friday, residents remained without power. 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 diver for the Japan Coast Guard has been recognized as having set the world record for most consecutive pull-ups. Adachi Kenta met with the media at a Coast Guard office in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, where he works as a diver on a patrol vessel. He spoke about his achievement and performed some pull-ups. He accomplished the feat in March by completing 651 consecutive pull-ups. This was recognized as the high-water mark by the Guinness World Records earlier this month. The 34-year-old was only able to do 12 pull-ups when he enrolled in the Japan Coast Guard School 15 years ago. But he eventually discovered he had an aptitude for the exercise when he started training to be a diver. He started preparing to set the world record in earnest last September. During the two months leading up to his attempt, he completed 300 consecutive pull-ups every other day. Adachi said he is happy he achieved his goal of being listed in the Guinness World Records. He added that the pull-up is an essential exercise for coast guard officers, and he hopes his record will motivate his younger colleagues. Rachel George is the new managing editor of the Daily Nonpareil. George took over the position which also includes oversight of four western Iowa weeklies and four Omaha-area weeklies on Monday. Shes been with the company for nearly eight years, starting out covering Papillion, Nebraska before taking over the editor role for the Gretna Breeze. She was most recently the news editor in charge of the Omaha suburbs weeklies. I am overjoyed to step into this role as managing editor of The Daily Nonpareil, George said. I have a strong commitment to community journalism and look forward to getting to further know the Council Bluffs and southwest Iowa communities better. George replaces Mike Brownlee, who has taken the managing editor position for the Kearney Hub and Grand Island Independent in Nebraska. Im thrilled for Rachel as she takes the reins. The papers are in good hands, Brownlee said. Thank you to everyone Ive worked with throughout my time at the Nonpareil. Im forever grateful to the paper for giving me my start and to Council Bluffs for being an amazing place to call home. Contact George at 712-325-5728 or rachel.george@nonpareilonline.com LONDON (AP) British prosecutors said Thursday they had authorized police to charge actor Kevin Spacey with four counts of sexual assault against three men, an announcement that came as the actor was in court in New York testifying in a different case. The Crown Prosecution Service said it had "authorized criminal charges" on the four sex assault counts and one of "causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent." The alleged incidents took place in London between March 2005 and August 2008, and one in western England in April 2013. The alleged victims are now in their 30s and 40s. Rosemary Ainslie, head of the service's Special Crime Division, said the charges followed a review of evidence gathered by London's Metropolitan Police. Prosecutors initially said Spacey had been charged. However, they later clarified that charges had been authorized, but the formal charging by police had not yet taken place. The authorization to charge means criminal proceedings against Spacey are underway. The police force said Spacey who is not currently in Britain "will be formally charged at a later date." If Spacey does not return to Britain to face the charges, prosecutors could seek to start extradition proceedings. Spacey, a 62-year-old double Academy Award winner, was questioned by British police in 2019 about claims by several men that he had assaulted them. The former "House of Cards" star ran London's Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. Spacey won a best supporting actor Academy Award for the 1995 film "The Usual Suspects" and a lead actor Oscar for the 1999 movie "American Beauty." But his celebrated career came to an abrupt halt in 2017 when actor Anthony Rapp accused the star of assaulting him at a party in the 1980s, when Rapp was a teenager. Spacey denies the allegations. Spacey testified Thursday in a courtroom in New York City in the civil lawsuit filed by Rapp. Spacey didn't respond to reporters as he left the courthouse talking on his mobile phone. The British charges were mentioned briefly by Rapp's lawyers during the court hearing, and Spacey's lawyers were asked about it by reporters during a break in testimony. They declined to comment. Another criminal case brought against Spacey, an indecent assault and battery charge stemming from the alleged groping of an 18-year-old man at a Nantucket resort, was dismissed by Massachusetts prosecutors in 2019. Thursday's court session in New York City dealt with a technical issue in the civil lawsuit, whether it was better handled in a federal or state U.S. court. Spacey was called to testify about where he lived, not about the truthfulness of the allegations against him. Spacey testified that his main residence and domicile is in Baltimore, where he moved for the filming of "House of Cards." He said he was "beguiled by its charm, its beauty." But he also testified about his time living in London as the artistic director of the Old Vic. "It was extremely important to me that I endear myself to the British public, that I'm not running away," he said, noting that his start there was troubled by a "disastrous production" in 2005 of Arthur Miller's last play. But, he said, "I'm an American citizen. Once the job was done, I came back to America." He said he made a trip to London in February 2020 for a possible film, but then the pandemic hit. His U.S. doctor recommended he stay there, where he resided until the following September, when his visa expired and he flew to Los Angeles for an arbitration proceeding. He said he has not returned to the U.K. since then. This story has been corrected to say British prosecutors authorized charges against Spacey and he will be formally charged by police later, not that Spacey has been formally charged, and to reflect that it was Rapp's lawyers, not Spacey's, who brought up the criminal charges in court. With the release of Baz Luhrmanns new film, Elvis, its time to get the fever. The American Red Cross is offering an Elvis-themed prize to people who donate blood in June. That means, come June, it will be now or never. Its extremely important for the Red Cross to maintain a stable blood supply during the summer travel season, the organization reminded. And after all, blood donors rock! Elvis himself was a blood donor and left a legacy of generosity and community service, according to a press release from the Red Cross. In June, blood donors have an opportunity to rock and roll up a sleeve and help save lives. Everyone who donates in June will automatically be entered for a chance to win a VIP trip for two to Graceland, including round-trip airfare to Memphis, a three-night stay at The Guest House (not the Heartbreak Hotel) and an Elvis Entourage VIP tour, courtesy of Graceland (no blue suede shoes required). The package also includes a custom-wrapped Gibson Epiphone guitar for which people definitely have a burning love. In addition, those who come to donate in June will receive a $5 egift card to a merchant of choice (terms apply; visit rcblood.org/elvismovie). To leave your own lifesaving legacy, dont be cruel: Schedule an appointment to donate in June (if you dont, you aint nothing but a hound dog). To schedule an appointment to donate, download the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767). All Red Cross blood, platelet and plasma donations are being tested for COVID-19 antibodies through June 3. Donors can learn if their donation has the antibody levels needed to potentially help COVID-19 patients with weakened immune systems. Upcoming blood donation opportunities in southwest Iowa include the following: Mills County June 3 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Glenwood High School, 504 E. Sharp St., Glenwood June 8 11 a.m.-5 p.m., United Church of Christ, 109 N. Walnut St., Glenwood Page County June 10 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Essex City Hall, 412 Iowa Ave., Essex Pottawattamie County June 3 12:30-6:30 p.m., Holiday Inn & Suites, 2202 River Road, Council Bluffs June 8 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Oakland Community Center, 614 Dr. Van Zee Road, Oakland June 9 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, 149 W. Broadway, Council Bluffs June 10 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Courtyard by Marriott, 2501 Bass Pro Drive, Council Bluffs June 10 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Country House Residence, 1831 E. Kanesville Blvd., Council Bluffs June 11 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2303 Butler, Council Bluffs June 11 8 a.m.-1 p.m., McClelland Town Hall, 117 Main St., McClelland June 14 12-6 p.m., New Horizon Presbyterian Church, 30 Valley View Drive, Council Bluffs Build your health & fitness knowledge Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Council Bluffs City Council voted not to renew the liquor license of the Rodeo Saloon & BBQ during Monday nights meeting. The council was unanimous in its decision to deny the renewal by a vote of 4-0. Council member Roger Sandau did not attend the meeting. The Iowa code says you have to give it to a person, any person, of good moral character, said Rodeo attorney Deb Petersen. Youre not prohibited because of having a previously revoked permit, youre a citizen of the United States and a resident of the state of Iowa, and you have not been convicted of a felony. The owner of the Rodeo, Frank Hoover, previously owned a club called The Cube Ultra Lounge Bar, which had been denied its liquor license by the council in January 2021 due in part to the numerous calls to the police in relation to the bar. For that 2021 meeting, the council agenda packet featured an attachment with testimonials from three Council Bluffs officers detailing a variety of calls to and near the Cube from through 2020 and early 2021. A similar list detailing calls to and near the Rodeo from mid-2021 through early 2022 was submitted Monday night. Why I motioned to deny, as I motioned to deny the last license, is what you led off with good moral character, Council member Chad Hannan said. Frank Hoover still owns this place. The Cube appealed the councils 2021 decision, but was again denied. The administrative law judge agreed with the city that Frank Hoover was not of good moral character when his license, on appeal, was denied by Judge Forrest (Guddall), Hannan said. After a contentious 2020 council meeting at which The Cubes license was renewed, Cube leadership vowed to work with the city and police department to improve its working relationship, which council members and law enforcement said didnt happen, leading to the denial of the license in 2021. During Mondays meeting about the Rodeo, Petersen cited the recent liquor license renewal of the BLK Squirrel, which had similar, if not more egregious incidents than the ones submitted by the police department. Were not here talking about the BLK Squirrel today, Hannan said. And I remember you (Petersen) sitting there when we approved the BLK Squirrels liquor license, and I said, Hey, this looks like its getting out of control, you better clean it up. Its the same warning that we gave Frank two years ago at the Cube, but if you look at his arrest reports that were in the council packet, there were more for the Rodeo Saloon & BBQ than there were for the eight bars that were (approved for liquor licenses that night). Before the final vote was called, Hannan said that he hoped the situation at the Rodeo would improve, and that the council might reevaluate its decision if that were to happen. None of the other council members spoke before casting their vote. The Rodeo has 30 days from the denial of the license to file an appeal. 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. IOWA CITY The state education budget lawmakers finalized early Wednesday includes a fraction of the $22.1 million increase Iowas public universities sought for the upcoming budget year. The education appropriations bill offers a $6.2 million increase for the Board of Regents, just over a quarter of the increase it requested and called essential in campus efforts to provide high-quality public education, cutting-edge research, and needed public services. Of the Legislatures $6.2 million increase, $5.5 million was designated for general university appropriations to be divided by the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa. The Board of Regents is very appreciative of the appropriations that we continue to receive for Iowas public universities, Board President Michael Richards said Wednesday in a statement provided to The Gazette. We have had a great partnership with the state for more than a century, and it continues to provide significant resources to our institutions. While it is unfortunate that we could not receive a general university increase equal to the $12.2 million that Gov. Reynolds had in her FY23 budget proposal, we are still thankful that the state continues to recognize that our universities are key drivers of the state economy and receive significant funding. WHAT WAS ASKED The regents in September requested $15 million more in general education dollars for its public universities proposing a split of $4 million to UNI, $4 million to the UI, and $7 million to Iowa State. Additionally, the UI asked for $3 million for its Oakdale campus, State Hygienic Lab, Family Practice Program, and Iowa Flood Center. The Family Practice Program with an additional $500,000, bringing its total budget to $2.2 million was the only one of those UI-based special units to receive more funding. The Board of Regents, in its September request, had said that money was necessary to maintain community-based family medicine residency programs across Iowa. The program has been instrumental for the state of Iowa to promote primary health care for all Iowans, particularly in rural Iowa, according to the regents request. An increase in financial support is now more important than ever as the future sustainability of these programs is in jeopardy due to rising costs. The state denied more money for the Oakdale Campus, with a budget of $2.1 million; the Iowa Flood Center, with a budget of $1.2 million; and the State Hygienic Lab, which has a $4.8 million budget and that needs $1 million more to be prepared to rapidly respond to a variety of threats against both human and environmental health, according to the budget request. The onset of the pandemic and the need to retain staff and recruit additional talented analysts was never more apparent than throughout this pandemic when over 1 million COVID-19 specimens were tested, according to the boards fall request. Salary increases are critical as the statistics show that the public health lab work force is aging and retiring with fewer new professionals seeking public health labs as a place of employment. $662.8 MILLION IN 23 The final education appropriations package ups the Legislatures total Board of Regents appropriations from $616.6 million in the current budget year to $622.8 million next year below the requested $638.6 million hope. It increases the universities general education appropriations from $486 million to $491.5 million, which is below the $493 million at the start of fiscal 2020 before COVID compelled lawmakers to cut $8 million in the middle of that year. The state denied the universities any general education funding increase last year, despite a regent request for an $18 million bump plus restoration of the $8 million cut. The budget includes a $150,000 increase for Iowa States Cooperative Extension Service; a $300,000 increase for the Iowa School for the Deaf; and a $114,000 increase for the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School. What better way to end the school year than with a party (and an early dismissal)? Students at Bloomer Elementary School on Thursday celebrated the 204th birthday of Amelia Bloomer (whose birthday is actually today, but theres no school today in the Council Bluffs Community School District). The Council Bluffs Community Schools Board of Education declared on Jan. 25 that the school is named after both Amelia and Dexter Bloomer. The students learned about her in class Thursday, wrote about her, played games that were around in her time and ate cupcakes in her honor. The Bloomers lived in Council Bluffs for 39 years, and Amelia Bloomer has been inducted into the National Womens Hall of Fame. Fifth-grade teachers Paige McGee and Abby Oswald planned games for the occasion. We searched on Google for games from that era, McGee said. Some of them hopscotch, jumping rope, tossing beanbags are still popular today. Games from Bloomers time included hoop rolling and duck on the rock, McGee said. The object of duck on the rock was to throw a stone and knock off a rock that was sitting on top of a larger rock, she said. Special guest Linda Knell attended the party in an old-fashioned costume. Knell, a longtime volunteer at the Council Bluffs Public Library, teamed up with Ben Johnson, former adult services manager there, to write the grant application that led to the school becoming a site for a historical marker that honors Amelia Bloomer for her role in the womens suffrage movement. The marker was part of a National Womens Suffrage Marker program sponsored by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation in honor of the centennial of U.S. Womens Suffrage, which was actually in 2020. Prior to coming here, she did a lot of suffragette work in New York and Ohio, Knell said in an earlier conversation about the historical marker. We felt she had never been recognized for her suffragette work when she came here. Amelia Bloomer wrote articles in her newspaper, The Lily, supporting temperance and womens rights, including equal education and employment opportunities for girls and women. When the Bloomers moved to Council Bluffs in 1855, they helped establish the public school system and a library. They supported co-ed education and often housed teachers in their home. Amelia advocated for women teachers to get equal pay. The historical marker will be dedicated at 3 p.m. today in a public ceremony in front of Amelia and Dexter Bloomer Elementary School, 210 S. Seventh St. St. Albert Catholic School will finish the school year at 11:30 a.m. today. Lewis Central Community School Districts last day will be June 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. Being of service is nothing new for Vergarie Sanford. Its something shes been doing all her life. Born and raised in Council Bluffs, she was one of Pastor Geraldine Sanfords six children, and Geraldine made certain her kids grew up knowing the value of service. I was raised serving our community and being in service, Sanford said in an interview with the Daily Nonpareil. We served in our church and we served in the community. Its part of who I am. Sanfords mother was an activist in Council Bluffs in the late 1980s, fighting for diversity and equality. Sanford said her passion for service definitely stems from my mother. A minister at Mount Zion Refuge Center, Sanford mentors girls and young women ages 12-21. She is also a member of the Loess Hills chapter of the American Association of University Women, a nonprofit organization that advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research. The AAUW hosts Girl Power on Display, an annual forum about empowerment for middle and high school girls. Sanford received her doctorate in educational leadership from Oral Roberts University in 2020, and she is an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she teaches emergency management and disaster science. Sanford now wants to serve in another capacity, as the state representative for District 19 in the Iowa Statehouse. I am running for this office because I feel that Council Bluffs is a diverse city; however, we dont see a lot of diversity in our leadership, Sanford said. And Id just like to give some representation to that. Representation matters. I think if we have a diverse community, then there should be some representation of their voices. Their voices should be heard. If elected, Sanford would like to increase funding for education, particularly in the form of higher salaries for teachers. Pay them a living wage so theyre not worrying about their basic needs, Sanford said. I really care about our teachers. They do wonderful work, and yet have to worry that they cant feed their own children while theyre taking care of our children. Sanford would also like to expand health care and increase access for everyone. A 10-year breast cancer survivor, Sanford knows what it feels like to worry about paying for the lifesaving treatment she received. I know that feeling of being diagnosed and how will this be covered and that kind of worry that shouldnt go along with someone whos sick, Sanford said. They shouldnt have that extra worry about how health care is going to be taken care of. Increased access to mental health care is also one of Sanfords priorities. In my class last year, on our second day of class, I had a young student email me and say, I cant come to class, I feel Im going to harm myself today, Sanford said. Sanford said that many of her students had a difficult time navigating their mental health last year. I think, my goodness, our kids, theyre crying out for help, Sanford said. We need to help them. I would like to see mental health care expanded. In addition to teaching and her work at Mount Zion, Sanford also sits on the boards for the Iowa West Foundation and Centro Latino. Im intentional on the boards that I serve on, Sanford said. I serve on Iowa Wests board because they invest in education, they invest in economic development and helping families, things that are of concern to me and of interest to me. They do a wonderful job. I love serving on that board because we do make a difference in the community. Sanford also enjoys serving on the Centro Latino board, because representation matters. They are a voice for the Latino community here in our city, she said. Its a joy to serve on their board knowing that were making opportunities for that community. Theres a memory that Sanford shared at a recent campaign rally thats emblematic of her lifelong commitment to serve. She was in sixth grade, and her Peterson Elementary class We were the Peterson Picker-Uppers participated in a community service project where they picked up trash that could be recycled. (Being of service) has always just been a passion of mine, Sanford 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. OXON HILL, Md. (AP) One speller ran off the stage in the middle of her time at the microphone, saying she needed to pee. Another tried to walk back to her seat after spelling her first word correctly, only to be reminded she had a vocabulary word next. During one particularly brutal stretc The 2022 Euro-Mediterranean Summit of Economic and Social Councils & Similar Institutions will be held in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh from May 31 to June 1 to discuss the post-covid challenges facing the Euro-Mediterranean region. The event is organized by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Moroccan Economic, Social and Environmental Council (ESEC). This years summit will be held under the theme: COVID-19: the role of civil society in the reconstruction and resilience of the Euro-Mediterranean region. The gathering seeks better understanding of the major issues affecting civil society in the Mediterranean region. The agenda features presentations and debates on renewed Euro-Mediterranean partnership and developing regional cooperation to alleviate the socioeconomic impact of covid-19 in the Mediterranean region. The event is expected to bring together 120 participants from economic and social councils, or similar institutions, representatives of employers, trade unions, other economic & social interest groups as well as NGOs from member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean. Polisarios serious violations against children sequestered in the camps of Tindouf in Algeria were exposed, Wednesday evening in Casablanca, by the president of the Sahara Observatory for Wealth and Human rights, Hafdi Mohamed El Bachir. Speaking at a ceremony held at the Moulay Rachid complex on the celebration of the National Day of the Child, Mohamed El Bachir stressed that the Algeria-backed separatist group inflicts the most heinous forms of rights abuse (violence, exploitation, forced recruitment ) on sequestered children, in flagrant violation of all international charters relating to the rights of the child. The separatist front snatches sequestered children from their parents and sends them abroad to be brainwashed and to hate anything that goes against the fronts separatist doctrine, while depriving them of their basic right to education for fear that they will see the reality of the separatist chimera, Hafdi Mohamed El Bachir said. The front is forcibly enlisting these children in violation of all international charters on childrens rights, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the Statute of the International Criminal Court, the activist said, noting that the sequestered children may also be subject to murder, mutilation and sexual violence by the polisario militias. In this regard, Mohamed El Bachir noted that the international community is unanimous in classifying the recruitment of children by armed groups as war crime. The separatist group documents, through audiovisual media, the operations of recruitment of children and their incitement to take up arms, thus ignoring both the Additional Protocol to the Geneva Convention of 1977 and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict of 2000. The UN Security Council has strongly condemned the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, he said, calling for an end to these practices. Many stakeholders and defenders of childrens rights took part in the ceremony, organized by the Moroccan Office for Human Rights and Citizenship in coordination with civil society organizations and in partnership with the district of Moulay Rachid. The regional and international support to the Morocco-proposed Autonomy Plan as a basis for the settlement of the Sahara issue is gaining momentum by the day. Following the strong official positions expressed by several global powers, such as the United States, Spain and Germany, in support of the autonomy plan presented by the Kingdom, as the most serious and credible solution to end the dispute over the Sahara, intellectuals, politicians and associations of the Maghreb region have lately joined the chorus and voiced mobilization in favor of this plan as a realistic and promising solution for the region. In this connection, several prominent figures from the Maghreb region (intellectuals, political actors, and associations ) have recently gathered in Laayoune for the first Maghreb Forum in support of the autonomy plan in the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty. The Forum highlighted by the launch of a civilian body to support the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco in 2007. The structure, dubbed Coordination for the implementation of the autonomy plan in the Sahara, is chaired by former Tunisian FM Ahmed Ounaies. During the debates, Ounaies described Moroccos sovereignty over its Sahara as a cornerstone for the establishment of a stable, balanced and effective Maghreb Union, noting that the autonomy plan is the serious and credible solution that guarantees the stability of the region and its progress. Algerian journalist Walid Kabir, President of the Maghreb Association for Peace, Cooperation and Development, and organizer of the Forum, for his part pointed out that the Morocco-proposed autonomy plan has received great international support, and we can only engage in the same approach because it is our duty to support the sovereignty of Morocco to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our countries. The autonomy plan, he added, will be a model for decentralization and local governance in the framework of national states. So many pundits and analysts have repeatedly warned that the artificial dispute over the Sahara is costly and detrimental to the development and integration process of the Maghreb and that it can only be resolved through autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty. And this is what the participants in the Forum echoed, stressing that the artificial dispute over the Sahara is one of the major obstacles to the establishment of a strong and united Maghreb Union, and praising the progress made by the Kingdom in terms of achieving advanced regionalization. Resolving the Western Sahara dispute, the experts highlighted, would be a major step towards a more united Maghreb union. They also noted that the current challenges on the regional and international levels require solidarity and cooperation between the countries of the region. The coordination, whose board is made up of 15 members representing the five countries of the region (Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania and Morocco), aims to support the autonomy plan under the full sovereignty of the Kingdom. Besides bringing together all North Africans who believe in a true Maghreb Union of cooperation and development, the new initiative will combat separatist ideas that destroy nations and encourage the building of a competitive Maghreb economy. This event was attended by figures from the Maghreb region and Africa, as well as representatives of consular missions accredited in Laayoune and local civil society activists. Algerian journalist and analyst Hichem Abboud who seized the opportunity of the forum to visit the city of Laayoune said in a statement to Moroccan media MEDI1 TV that he has been stunned by the socio-economic development of the region. When I arrived in Laayoune, I blamed my media colleagues for not showcasing the development that the region witnessed. I honestly was amazed, he told the TV channel. He said he never imagined that Laayoune was that modern and big, adorned with flowers and green lands. You wouldnt even imagine that you are in the Sahara. The United Nations paid tribute to the men and women serving under its flag in some of the most dangerous places in the world during a ceremony in New York on Thursday to mark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. During the ceremony, Moroccos permanent representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, received the Dag Hammarskjold medal from the hands of the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, in tribute to the valiant Moroccan blue helmets who died defending the principles and universal values of peace and stability under the UN banner. On this painful occasion, Guterres instructed Hilale to convey his sincere condolences to King Mohammed VI, Supreme Chief and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, and to express to him the sincere gratitude of the United Nations for the continued support of the Kingdom of Morocco to peacekeeping operations. This tribute is a recognition of the pioneering role played by Morocco in peacekeeping in Africa and around the world, under the far-sighted leadership of King Mohammed VI. Guterres also instructed Hilale to convey his condolences to the families of the deceased, namely late Lieutenant Mohamed Zerrik and the late Sergeant Rachid Marchich who served with the Royal Armed Forces contingent deployed with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). Hilale hailed on the occasion the memory of the honorable peacekeepers who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending the noblest of all causes, peace. While expressing, on behalf of the Kingdom of Morocco, its sincere condolences to the bereaved families of our brave brothers and to our large family of United Nations peacekeeping forces, the Moroccan diplomat expressed his feelings of solidarity and compassion to the members of these families. He noted that the memory of these valiant soldiers, proud to serve the supreme interests of humanity with passion, a great sense of responsibility and values of high duty, will live forever in our hearts. Morocco currently deploys more than 1,700 soldiers and police agents in UN operations in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres began the commemoration of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers by laying a wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial at UN Headquarters, in homage of the more than 4,200 blue helmets who have sacrificed their lives over the past seven decades. He also honored the 117 peacekeepers who died last year. Our fallen colleagues came from 42 different countries and diverse backgrounds. But they were united by a common cause: peace, he said. The International Day of UN Peacekeepers is observed annually on May 29 to celebrate the contribution of uniformed and civilian personnel serving at field operations. King Mohammed VI has sent a message of condolences and compassion to the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, following the shooting at an elementary school in Texas, in which several innocent students were killed. In these painful circumstances, the Sovereign expresses to the U.S. President, to the bereaved families and to the American people, his heartfelt condolences and sincere feelings of compassion following this tragedy, praying God to grant patience and comfort to the family members of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. The King says that he shares the feelings experienced following this cruel incident, while expressing to the American President his most sincere feelings of compassion and solidarity, as well as his affection and consideration. The Memorial Day Weekend brings out the crowds to Lake McConaughy and Lake Ogallala each year. Jim Swenson, deputy director for Nebraska Game and Parks, said the popular outdoors area near Ogallala is up and ready to go. Swenson said he was out there last week and sat down with the advisory committee to go over the implementation plan with the reservation system. Everything is on go moving forward. Swenson said. Weve got some major projects out there, the Martin Bay entrance adjustments that we made and the new boating access at Martin Bay. He said those are all at a point of last week doing a final walk through anticipating that it would all be open this weekend. Everything looked real good and the reports I received on the reservations, we were near capacity, Swenson said. So were starting to involve the local website out there for opportunity for folks to find accommodations. Things are shaping up well. Designated campground sites can be reserved 180 days in advance, and beach camping sites can be reserved 30 days in advance. There are about 500 campground spots and 1,000 designated beach spots (depending on water level) available at the two state recreation areas. The reservations can be made online at nebraskastateparks.reserveamerica.com, via the RA Camping app, or by phone at 308-284-8800 during business hours. 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. 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. In response to a local nursing shortage, Southern Union State Community College will offer its nursing degree program in the evenings, starting in August. Shondae Brown, director of public relations at Southern Union, said this was the latest example of East Alabama Medical Center and Southern Union work closely together. We listened to them and the requests that they make as far as programs and program offerings, so were just striving to meet a need of more nurses, Brown said of EAMC. Brown said that in addition to allowing them to train more nurses, the program will also allow people to enroll in nursing school who cannot meet during typical school hours because of work or family obligations. All courses in the evening program will be scheduled after 3 p.m. on weekdays and occasionally on weekends. Brown said that Southern Union continues to look for ways to make its programs more accessible and affordable to students. According to a press release, the evening program will maintain the same quality curriculum and critical components as the traditional program. Online applications for the program are accepted through June 10. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. I see... Reply Thread Link I mean, if I were president, I too would use my position to leverage a meeting with BTS. (also SCREAMING @ the press release using Beyond the Scene. I thought we agreed to all forget about the attempted rebrand that was clearly about trying to reach more English speakers?) Reply Thread Link There are many Asian Americans they could have chosen from the kpop world like Jessi, Amber, Eric Nam, Ailee, Tiffany, etc.. BTS don't know the struggles of Asian Americans so this makes no sense. Reply Thread Link the thought of a biden/jessi interaction is sending me Reply Parent Thread Link she needs to bring back showterview with a special episode with him, stat! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Omg the CHAOS. Dammit I want this now Reply Parent Thread Link I like BTS and I don't entirely get this either. If the point is attention, I kinda get it. But you've got John Cho out here, highly recognizable to all Americans, for one example. Frankly, why anyone from Kpop when the reach of Asian American actors is probably greater for the majority of Americans? Edited at 2022-05-27 04:38 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link i'm surprised eric wasn't asked? he's done a lot of talking about anti-asian racism in the states and mental health issues too. Reply Parent Thread Link maybe I should be checking for him... he seems like a sweetheart speaking of Eric Nam, I watched his Go to Bed With Me skincare routine video and he was like, "vaccines, ever heard of 'em? science is good!" and I was likemaybe I should be checking for him... he seems like a sweetheart Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I'd think AleXa would've been a clear choice too Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Vibes like that time Hillary Banks hired white models in an AA fashion show and Will was like "Just one thing. YOU FORGOT THE AFRICAN AMERICANS." Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Hayley Kiyoko came to my mind first while reading this too Reply Parent Thread Link Like yeah, this isn't going to solve the problem of anti-Asian racism. It's a photoshoot/visibility thing that is par for course for the White House (in all administrations) so... whatever. (Also lol I suspect this is an invitation that Hybe accepted because they want to push the idea of BTS as cultural ambassadors for South Korea as alternative military service.) And yes, BTS live in South Korea and are not Asian American, but also that doesn't mean they haven't been the target of xenophobia and anti-Asian racism??? They are very visible Asian faces and so there is some value in having them meet with the US president to bring attention to anti-Asian racism. I think the value in that is underscored by the fact that news media is writing about this visit when a similar visit featuring Asian actors and activists from 2 weeks ago ( The discourse about this was EXHAUSTINGGGGGGGGG yesterday.Like yeah, this isn't going to solve the problem of anti-Asian racism. It's a photoshoot/visibility thing that is par for course for the White House (in all administrations) so... whatever. (Also lol I suspect this is an invitation that Hybe accepted because they want to push the idea of BTS as cultural ambassadors for South Korea as alternative military service.)And yes, BTS live in South Korea and are not Asian American, but also that doesn't mean they haven't been the target of xenophobia and anti-Asian racism??? They are very visible Asian faces and so there is some value in having them meet with the US president to bring attention to anti-Asian racism. I think the value in that is underscored by the fact that news media is writing about this visit when a similar visit featuring Asian actors and activists from 2 weeks ago ( https://abc7news.com/asian-american-pacific-islander-heritage-month-dion-lim-white-house-visit-aapi-leaders-joe-biden/11861311/ ) barely made a blip on anyone's radar. Reply Thread Link i'm very weirded out with the fact that you're a white woman calling this discourse and saying it's exhausting when it does not affect you at all beyond your boys being a topic of discussion when asian americans are getting called traitors/slurs by pointing out that living in the american diaspora is not equivalent to them being pulled up for this event. you do not need to comment on this. Reply Parent Thread Link I said the discourse was exhausting because 90% of what I saw was purely about fanwars and not actually about anyone interested in having honest discussions. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link And yes, BTS live in South Korea and are not Asian American, but also that doesn't mean they haven't been the target of xenophobia and anti-Asian racism??? They are very visible Asian faces and so there is some value in having them meet with the US president to bring attention to anti-Asian racism. Spoken like a white person who hasnt been exposed to years and years of discourse over Asians in Asia being used to discredit Asian American activism, the priority they are given as being seen as real Asians by white people and other non Asians while AsAm are seen both as inauthentic Asians and inauthentic Americans, Asians in Asia having relative privilege have grown up as part of a racial majority, etc. Stay in your lane Stan. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link yeah no. the experience of a korean man born and raised in south korea is entirely different from an ethnically korean american man in america. have they experienced racism and anti-asian sentiment in their life? i'm sure they have. have they experienced it in their home country their entire lives? absolutely not. BTS grew up in a society catered to them. and they continue to live and work in a society catered to them. Reply Parent Thread Link You showing your ass for BTS yet again Whenever theres neural, negative, or not-overwhelming-positive discourse around those boys we can count on you doing thee most Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Would you say the same if BTS wasn't involved ? And I mean here BTS aren't even the ones at fault because the administration were the ones who invited them and anyone would have agreed lol, but you had to defend their honor instead of calling out what this is : a very very obvious PR stunt that will do absolutely nothing besides getting both some good press, like when Biden was doing tiktoks with the Jonas Brothers Edited at 2022-05-27 06:17 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link The issue is they dont represent Asian-Americans. None of them are from nor have lived in the US so they dont share the experiences of Asian-Americans. Their overall experience as Asians growing up and living in Asia dont compare in the same way. From what Ive seen on twt, thats the issue. This just comes off as a photo op and not an attempt to raise attention to anything. Theres a dozen Asian-American kpop artists whove experienced life as Asians living in America that would have been a better option. Eric Nam, Mark Tuan, Jessi, Johnny Suh, Samuel Kim, BM from KARD, Peniel, Joshua (SVT) Reply Parent Thread Link I feel like you don't understand how it might be racist to say that the racism faced by Asian-Americans vs Asian-born Asians is the same or similar or even comparable. It's like saying our experiences are interchangeable and they are absolutely not. Reply Parent Thread Link if youre not asian please dont speak for us esp on this topic Reply Parent Thread Link I can't talk down the importance of fighting anti-Asian racism but I also can't help but hear a little voice in my head mentioning the draft exceptions lol Reply Thread Link Which is a South Korean issue that people of that country have a right to be concerned about but doesn't affect us in the US but anti Asian violence and racism affects people living here AND anyone of Asian birth visiting or to work or to study. Reply Parent Thread Link I agree, but this *good* opportunity is also amazing for the case to let them continue without doing the service expected of all South Korean men Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I see BTS finally gave up on trying to give the gross new Korean president the cold shoulder. Reply Thread Link This has nothing to do with the SK president though. The White House invite came through HYBE America, not diplomatic means via the Blue House. Reply Parent Thread Link The HYBE team were quick to put that info out there but on the same note they evoke that departure details were still being worked out. This all has to go through the SK government, probably because Jin and Yoongi by all rights shouldn't be allowed to travel overseas anymore before they enlist. And any diplomatic work BTS do from now on reflects on their ties to the SK administration anyway. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link doesnt make sense since theyrenot asian-american but this is obviously just mutually beneficial pr and a photo op. at least their involvement will get media coverage and people talking. fuck bidens useless ass tho. Reply Thread Link I find this weird. Shouldnt bts discuss about racism and diversity in South Korea first ? They have issues there as well. Reply Thread Link get bts to talk about the discrimination ethnic koreans of chinese descent face! jk they would NEVER. a huge part of BTS' success is based on nationalism and that they have no foreign members. not even a gyopo in sight! Reply Parent Thread Link I kno right, I just find it odd that they rarely spoken about any issues in Korea. Its always in America, or just in general. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link people were posting the "no x nationality allowed" posters you can find in krn stores and restaurants in response to this. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Only if they could be more openly inclusive and creating a safe space for native Black Korean people and other POCs living there; so in further this discourse regarding racism, colorism and discrimination that they constantly face difficulties of their daily life in all the fields of their careers they strive to built. Especially the fact in the entertainment industry where white peoples still thrive off on sticking out like a sore thumb on our TV to the point its so distracting and spoiled. All whilst BTS contributes to their society that is catered to them. So theres something to think about. Then again, we know that is like asking too much from them. Itd be too much for them to handle this Reply Parent Thread Link Considering they have Jimin in their midst, they won't be commenting on racism in SK any time soon lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It's always easier in any level to meddle on issues that are not your own, that's what wars are, basically. But actually doing something to address your own problems? God forbid. Dirty laundry stays at home and that. Reply Parent Thread Link OK, they couldn't get Awkafina, Padma Lakshmi or another actual Asian American to do this? These kids know nothing about the struggles of Asian Americans and quite frankly I find this really insulting, like any Asian person would do and NOT the ones from communities that have actually been affected by the recent horribleness happening in Chinatowns all over the U.S. and the people who reside within. Also, there's something off about having people that have done racist things to others talk to the President... about racism. Reply Thread Link Anyone but Awkafina, in her case that I dont think thatd be helpful. Itd be so bananas to see that Reply Parent Thread Link Point being is she's American and I'm sure she's seen (and experienced) some shit. It doesn't matter that people here don't like her much, she has a dog in this hunt and BTS does not. Someone else mentioned George Takei (who would be an even better choice). Also, John Cho. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link right? it's frustrating as hell because we've had so many advances in asian american representation in entertainment recently. there are prominent asian americans in very recent projects like shang-chi, everything everywhere all at once, minari, the farewell, hell even nora from queens and mindy kaling's recent tv work like never have i ever. olivia rodrigio is the biggest breakout pop star of the last year, and silk sonic and her are winning grammys left and right.... Reply Parent Thread Link I mean, Kal Penn was in the White House. I don't know if he's going to have the same impact as BTS, but he was the first person I thought of. Then there's David Chang, Steven Yeun, Mindy Kaling... There are a lot of options. Olivia Rodrigo if he wanted to appeal to young people. Reply Parent Thread Link Wow so amazing. I mean who doesnt want to see BTS instead of Financial help with inflation and gas prices. Reply Thread Link Financial help? Is that all you can think about while our kids are shot at their desks in school week after week? see how reductive you sound? Edited at 2022-05-27 04:54 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link wtf is this this comment. Reply Parent Thread Link inviting a band to the White House is not really going to distract from policymaking, which is something that happens in concert with Congress, these kind of comments are kind of silly. The President isn't going to be like "oh shit I forgot to work on economic policy because I was too busy thinking about BTS" lol Reply Parent Thread Link Scrolled by too fast, saw "BTS to join Joe Budden at the White House", immediately thought "What the fuck??!" and scrolled back up. Reply Thread Link everyone knows this is more for the visiblity they'll bring considering their global audience and less for like, actually understanding what asian americans go through. i understand capitalizing on that reach, but that doesn't mean we, as in other asian americans and not yts, can't speak up about this and be disappointed about who was chosen either. i hope given how influencial they are around the world that it's more than just lip service and does create some sort of change. i know i'm being overly optimistic about it though, lol. Reply Thread Link He should have chosen ming na Reply Thread Link yeah no to this PR stunt. WH should have invited Asian Americans to speak on their lived experiences. Reply Thread Link John Cho or George Takei weren't available? Heck, even the Zoom CEO? Reply Thread Link Its a trash on trash exclusive! Reply Thread Link lol Viggo bringing up 23-year-old drama? how grudgey of him Reply Thread Link I just love some long term petty drama/grudge. I wished I had a good memory and could hold grudges for more than a hour. Reply Parent Thread Link lol I don't have the energy to stay really mad at people. like I'll get into an argument with someone and sometimes I'll just wanna be like, "can we just take a break until tomorrow because I know then I won't be mad anymore?" anger is exhausting Reply Parent Thread Link I agree that comparing him to 45 was out of bounds. Reply Thread Link everyday i hate viggo more, since he went around saying the n-word it's all gone downhill (not that I'm a fan of Almodovar bc I think he's a Polanski supporter if I'm not mistaken) Reply Thread Link No one wins. They're both trash but Viggo's always gotten a pass on his racism because of LOTR. Reply Parent Thread Link There is no drama like film bros arguing over past Cannes wins. I once went to a screening where Liv Ullmann was there to discuss their career and someone actually used up precious time to ask why she hadn't given the 2001 Palme to Mulholland Dr (she was being asked this circa 2019). She was sooooo taken aback. The guy was weirdly hostile with her. From the quote I saw I don't think Viggo was actually saying that Pedro was the one perpetuating the rumours. Just that false stuff gets repeated so much people start to think there's some truth and not that it's beneath Pedro to start saying that but that the rumours do a disservice to Pedro because he's a great artist whose work is so lauded and respected. But on the other hand fuck Viggo. Reply Thread Link yeah based on the actual quote it seems the media is proving Viggo's point by misreporting what he said to the point where Almodovar now thinks he took a jab at him lol like in future articles people will now forever go remember when Viggo compared Almodovar to Trump? even though he never actually did. then again I dislike all these people so it's mostly entertaining for me lol. Reply Parent Thread Link I don't know much about either of them, but Pedro directed one of my all time favorite films and that's all I have to say. Very important, I know. Reply Thread Link which one? Reply Parent Thread Link The Skin I Live In, which is also one of my favorite books lol. I want to see his other films, I don't know which one to start with though! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link All About My Mother is great Reply Thread Link viggo is a damn mess, he needs to be pulled off promo tours at this point lmfao. i love all about my mother so much lol, glad to hear rumors about cronenberg disagreeing arent true tbh!! Reply Thread Link Right? Like when he randomly was nasty about Titane? He's turned into this weird rambly old man who's always saying the most random catty things. Reply Parent Thread Link im still bitter abt his unnecessary & wholly inaccurate shot at titane. it was especially messy given cronenberg has spoken highly of the movie already and both it and crimes of the future are owned by slash distributed by neon. Edited at 2022-05-27 08:35 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link todo sobre mi madre is so fucking goodddd Reply Parent Thread Link I love when old men slap at each other. Reply Thread Link lol this movie is perfect!! Reply Parent Thread Link What's this from Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Damn he's turning into such a messy old man...maybe he's bitter because although he's fluent in Spanish Almodovar never considered for anything or something Reply Thread Link Maybe Almodovar watched Alatriste lol (Tbf I only watched a bit of that movie, but even though I'm Argentinian I couldn't understand Viggo's accent, while I had no problem understanding Noriega.) Reply Parent Thread Link every day viggo strays further from aragorn's light Reply Thread Link lmao how random when will celebs learn that best policy is just to avoid saying literally anything ahhahha Reply Thread Link TBH I wish more celebs were messy but like... be fun about it at least. Viggo just sounds like a try hard who wants to act above it all and comes across as petty. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah this is like spreading gossip in high school or sth, its just cringe Reply Parent Thread Link We'll have no posts when they stop showing their messiness lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link The girls are fighting Reply Thread Link Viggo went full on grandpa with a kink for complaining uh Reply Thread Link I read swipe as in swiping left on Tinder and was very confused Reply Thread Link The Permian is expected to be the main driver of U.S. production growth in 2022. Rising rig counts, record forecast production from the Delaware Basin, and another forecast for record production for the whole Permian from the EIA are just some of the latest news from the star U.S. shale play. And yet this production growth is much slower than it should have been and is likely to remain too slow. What happened? One reason is shareholders. As Bloomberg noted in a recent report on the state of the Permian, public shale drillers have switched their focus after years of putting everything into production growth and are now prioritizing the return of cash to shareholders. And the switch back appears to be unlikely at this point. Another reason is rising production costs. International oil prices have been on a strong rise indeed, but so have production costs as the supply chain disruption effects of the last two years linger. In late April, the Wall Street Journal's Collin Eaton reported that the most prolific shale play in the United States was struggling to find enough steel, frac sand, frac pumps, and workers for wells. Eaton noted that, unlike the last oil market downturn, the oilfield service industry is not riding on the heels of producers in the recovery. On the contrary, this time, the oilfield service companies are struggling after two years of mothballing equipment fleets because of the sharp contraction in output during the pandemic. They are also being largely shunned by investors, which makes them reluctant to invest in new equipment. The report quoted industry executives saying that it now took a lot longer between drilling a well and getting it going because of delays in the delivery of essential equipment and materials. The costs of this equipment and materials are also higher. "It's just more difficult to get some of the key products that we need, whether that's pipe or sand," Travis Thompson, CEO of FireBird Energy, a Midland Basin driller, told Bloomberg. "If we wanted to increase activity, say from three rigs to four or five, we would certainly have to plan on that a lot further out than what you would have had to a year or two back." "If somebody walked in and put a pile of money on the table and said, 'Drill me a well next week,' it isn't going to happen," Jamie Small, president of private-equity-backed Element Petroleum III, told the WSJ's Eaton in April. "You just can't get the stuff to do it." Bloomberg reported that the average forecast of five agencies for U.S. oil production growth is some 900,000 bpd. The forecasters include Rystad Energy, BloombergNEF, Enverus, S&P Global, and the Energy Information Administration. The Permian will account for 80 percent of this growth, which will certainly help it cement its reputation as the star play in the U.S. shale patch. Yet the rate of production growth is quite modest when compared with the rate of oil production growth in 2018, as offered by Bloomberg. In that year, the U.S. added 1.9 million barrels daily. Rystad Energy on its own, however, forecasts that just the Delaware Basin in the Permian will add some 990,000 bpd to its total production this year, of which more than 400,000 bpd is new production, the Norwegian consultancy said earlier this month. According to it, well economics in the Delaware Basin and high oil prices will motivate the production growth, which will bring the basin's total to a record 5.7 million bpd later this year. Another record was recently forecast by the Energy Information Administration. The agency said it expected the Permian to add 88,000 bpd in June, reaching a record 5.219 million bpd, accounting for a substantial portion of the overall monthly output increase across the shale patch, which the EIA sees at 142,000 bpd. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads from Oilprice.com: While Europe shuns Russian oil amid sanctions and expectations of an oil embargo on Russian oil imports, India and China have stepped up purchases and are importing record volumes of Russian crude, according to data from energy analytics company Kpler cited by Bloomberg on Friday. Russia had up to 79 million barrels of crude either traveling on tankers or held in floating storage over the past week, Kplers estimates have shown. Thats more than double the 27 million barrels of crude Russia had seaborne in February, just before Putins invasion of Ukraine. Before the war, Russia was primarily selling its crude to Europe, but this is no longer the case after buyers, governments, international trading houses, and oil majors are all avoiding dealing with Russian oil, all the more so given the EU sanctions ban on bank transactions with the biggest Russian oil producers, including Rosneft. Trade majors have now wound down purchases of Russias oil. But China and India arent shying away from Russian crude, although some Chinese state giants havent ramped up imports of spot cargoes from Russia despite the steep discounts at which Russian oil is selling. In India, cheap Russian crude oil is attracting Indias price-sensitive buyers to the point that Russia became the fourth largest oil supplier to India in April, moving up from the 10th place in March, according to shipment-tracking data compiled by Reuters. The significant increase in Indias purchases of Russian crude has already drawn the attention of the United States, which has reportedly sent a U.S. federal government official to discuss U.S. sanctions on Russia and try to convince India to reduce its purchases of Russian oil. China, for its part, registered in April its first annual increase in crude oil imports since January as shipments rebounded on the back of higher arrivals from Russia, analysts say. Some of the interested buyers in Asia are more motivated by economics rather than taking a political stand, Jane Xie, a senior oil analyst at Kpler in Singapore, told Bloomberg. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The combination of limited new supply options, increasing risks to traditional supply, and growing demand around the world, is set to send oil prices even higher this summer. Oilprice Alert: This month's Intelligent Investor column, now available for Global Energy Alert members, highlights two oil and gas pipeline stocks that could provide strong income for investors. If you're an investor in the energy space then now is the time to sign up for Global Energy Alert. Friday, May 27th, 2022 Oil prices have been edging higher this week as improving demand signals highlight the lack of supply options in oil markets if there is a drastic contraction in Russian production, a likely outcome if the European Union bans Russian oil. With both US crude and gasoline inventories continuing their decline, whilst recent altercations between the United States and Iran have rendered any JCPOA breakthrough largely impossible, analysts are anticipating another surge towards the $130-140 per barrel range this summer. EU Pins Hopes for Next Week Summit on Russian Sanctions. The European Union hopes to reach a deal on Russian oil sanctions at next weeks leader summit on May 30-31, with media reports suggesting Brussels will split the embargo into pipeline and seaborne deliveries, allowing more phasing-out time for the former. US Seizes Two Allegedly Iranian Cargoes in the Mediterranean. The US-Iran antagonism is set to increase further after US authorities seized two laden oil tankers in the Mediterranean, anchored in Croatias and Greeces territorial waters, for allegedly smuggling oil for Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps. G7 Vows to Quit Coal, Fails to Fix Deadline. Ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) agreed to work to phase out coal-powered energy, though the commitment was tangibly watered down from the initial draft of the communique as the 2030 deadline of ending unabated coal power did not make it in. UK Slaps Windfall Tax on North Sea Producers. The UK government will impose a 25% windfall tax on profits of oil and gas companies until the end of 2025 at the latest, stating that the surcharge might be removed when prices return to historically more normal levels, without specifying what they are. Kurdish Minister Departure Bad Omen for Erbil. The natural resources minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Kamal al-Atroshi stepped down due to poor health, a bad sign for Erbil as the federal authorities in Baghdad have intensified pressure on the breakaway region to bring its operations under control. US Refinery Capacity Lags Behind Production Rise. US refinery intake surpassed the 16 million b/d mark for the first time since August 2021 and product cracks remain at record levels. US refinery expansions will only total 350,000 b/d by end-2023, leaving most of the 1 million b/d capacity that shut down after the pandemic unsubstituted. Nigeria Might Soon Be on the Brink. Whilst Davos talks usually focus on grand strategy, Nigerias finance minister Zainab Ahmed stated that the countrys production is so low (at 1.5 million b/d in Q1) that it is barely able to cover the cost of imported petrol, blaming the shortfalls on theft and infrastructure attacks. Amidst Record Prices, The Taliban Becomes a Coal Exporter. The Afghan Taliban has been stepping up coal exports to Pakistan, presumably up to 500,000 tons per month Reuters reports, as runaway coal prices in Asia are forcing buyers to find creative ways of sourcing cheap feedstock for power generation. Related: Middle East Producers Move To Cut Prices As Extreme Backwardation Eases India Is Eager to Mop Up Russian Assets. According to media reports, a consortium of Indian energy companies including ONGC Videsh and Gail is in talks to buy the 27.5% stake of UK energy major Shell (LON:SHEL) in the Sakhalin-2 LNG project in Russias far east, most probably at a fraction of its pre-war price. US Senate Discontent Lowers Odds of Swift Iranian Deal. The likelihood of seeing the JCPOA resurrected continues to ebb as this weeks US Senate Foreign Relations Committee pressed Iran negotiators to walk away from the stalled Vienna talks, a potential pressure point for the Biden Administration ahead of the mid-term elections. Russia and Iran Discuss Commodity Barter Deals. Russian and Iranian top officials have discussed swapping deliveries of oil and gas, with Russia aiming to supply energy to northern Iran whilst Teheran would provide Russian companies with oil and gas cargoes in the Persian Gulf. Italy Doubles Down on Algeria. The largest foreign player in Algeria ever since its 1981 arrival, Italys ENI (NYSE:E), signed another set of deals that would increase its gas portfolio in the country, ranging from a green hydrogen plant in the Sahara all the way to becoming part of gas projects' evaluation team alongside Sonatrach. US Natgas Drops Back After Low Stocks Trigger Spike. Whilst front-month US Henry Hub futures rose to a 13-year high earlier this week on low inventories, with intraday trading going as high as $9.399 per mmBtu, that strength has eased by now with the expiry of the June contract and forecasts for lower demand. India Feels the Heat of Coal Crunch. With Indias power ministry lowering the amount of coal that domestic power plants can expect to receive in June by 11% to 56 million tons, importing more coal despite Newcastle spot prices trading above $400 per metric ton seems the only way out of the ongoing crunch. By Michael Scott for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: According to Reuters, a top Hungarian aide said the country needed 3-1/2 to 4 years to shift away from Russian crude and make huge investments to adjust its economy. Hungary could not back the EUs proposed oil embargo until there was a deal on all Early next week, the European Commission will try to obtain the unanimous support of all 27 EU member states for its proposed new sanctions against Russia. However, Hungary isnt quite on the same page as the other 26 members. But there is a third factor developing. Bullish traders are hoping China starts to lift its COVID-related restrictions while at the same time announcing more measures to support the economy. This could give demand a much-needed boost. The EU may announce the ban on May 30 at nearly the same time the U.S. begins its high demand summer driving season. Both moves will tighten supply. The focus for traders this week has been supply. And two events have garnered most of the attention: The possible ban on Russian crude exports and the significant tightness in U.S. product inventories. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are trading nearly flat on Friday, while continuing to hover near its more than two-month high. Helping to underpin prices is the prospect of a European Union (EU) ban on Russian energy products and expectations of tighter U.S. gasoline supplies. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures are trading nearly flat on Friday, while continuing to hover near its more than two-month high. Helping to underpin prices is the prospect of a European Union (EU) ban on Russian energy products and expectations of tighter U.S. gasoline supplies. Two Factors Attracting the Most Attention The focus for traders this week has been supply. And two events have garnered most of the attention: The possible ban on Russian crude exports and the significant tightness in U.S. product inventories. The EU may announce the ban on May 30 at nearly the same time the U.S. begins its high demand summer driving season. Both moves will tighten supply. But there is a third factor developing. Bullish traders are hoping China starts to lift its COVID-related restrictions while at the same time announcing more measures to support the economy. This could give demand a much-needed boost. EU Waiting for Hungarys Approval Early next week, the European Commission will try to obtain the unanimous support of all 27 EU member states for its proposed new sanctions against Russia. However, Hungary isnt quite on the same page as the other 26 members. According to Reuters, a top Hungarian aide said the country needed 3-1/2 to 4 years to shift away from Russian crude and make huge investments to adjust its economy. Hungary could not back the EUs proposed oil embargo until there was a deal on all issues. At this time, this is a significant stumbling block. High Prices Not Bothering US Motorists Ahead of this weekends U.S. Memorial Day holiday and the start of the summer driving season, U.S. gasoline prices are hovering near record highs. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), miles traveled by motorists rose 5.6% in the first three months of the year even as the price of a gallon of regular gasoline has jumped 50% in the last year, to nearly $4.60 on average nationally. Drivers dont seem to be bothered by high prices, however, with this Memorial Day weekend travel expected to be the busiest in two years. More importantly, it will serve as a gauge as to how much consumers are willing to tolerate fuel price increases. If U.S. motorists continue to show little concern for high prices then stockpiles will continue to dwindle and prices will continue to rise, probably reaching nearly $5.00 per gallon before long. Finally, consumption of motor gasoline is set to hit 9.12 million barrels per day (bpd) this month, and reach a peak for this summer at 9.31 million bpd in July, according to EIA data. EIA Reports Tight Supply, Rising US Refining Activity The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported on Wednesday that crude stockpiles fell 1 million barrels last week with gasoline inventories also edging lower. Distillate stocks rose 1.7 million barrels. Refiners picked up the pace of processing, boosting capacity use to 93.2%, its highest since December 2019. Refiners have had to keep facilities running at full tilt to deal with heavy demand, especially from overseas, as refined product exports rose to more than 6.2 million barrels per day last week. High exports and a reduction in refining capacity mean gasoline stocks have dwindled in the United States. Weekly Technical Analysis Weekly July WTI Crude Oil Trend Indicator Analysis The main trend is up according to the weekly swing chart. A trade through $116.43 will signal a resumption of the uptrend. A move through $61.32 will change the main trend to down. This is highly unlikely, however. The minor trend is also up. The uptrend was reaffirmed this week when buyers took out last weeks high at $113.20. A trade through $96.93 will change the minor trend to down. This will shift momentum to the downside. Retracement Level Analysis The first minor range is $116.43 to $88.53. The market is currently trading on the strong side of its retracement zone at $105.77 to $102.48, making it support. If $102.78 fails as support then we could see an acceleration to the downside with the short-term retracement zone at $88.88 to $82.37 the next target. The main range is $34.55 to $116.43. If $82.37 fails as support then look for the selling to extend into its retracement zone at $75.49 to $65.83. Weekly Technical Forecast The direction of the June WTI crude oil market the week-ending June 3 will be determined by trader reaction to $110.28. Bullish Scenario A sustained move over $110.28 will indicate the presence of buyers. If this move creates enough upside momentum then look for a retest of this weeks high at $114.99. This is a potential trigger point for a surge into the contract high at $116.43, followed by the near-term futures high of $121.17. Bearish Scenario A sustained move under $110.28 will signal the presence of sellers. If this move creates enough downside momentum then look for a break into the Fibonacci level at $105.77. A break through $105.77 will be a sign of weakness with the 50% level at $102.48 the next target. A failure to hold $102.48 will indicate the selling pressure is getting stronger. This could trigger a break into the series of minor bottoms between $96.93 and $88.53 before reaching the $88.88 to $82.37. Short-Term Outlook Technically speaking, the market is in a strong position to challenge the main tops at $116.43 and $121.17. Furthermore, although crude oil may be vulnerable to a short-term correction on the daily chart, the weekly uptrend is not in a position to be threatened. At this time, there is a strong bias to the upside and the potential for a major breakout over the March 2022 highs. It would probably take a complete collapse of the impending Russian energy ban or further lockdowns in China to derail this strong rally. Fundamentally, the price action is bullish with a steady flow of bids, however, we do detect investor reluctance to chase prices higher. This may change when they see the details of an EU agreement to ban Russian energy products. Also providing some support is the anticipation of the lifting of restrictions in China which could lead to a surge in demand. Additional support is being provided by low U.S. gasoline stockpiles and the anticipation of greater demand for fuel as the U.S. begins its summer driving season this weekend. This upcoming weekends U.S. Memorial Day travel is expected to be the busiest in two years, causing fuel demand to rise as more drivers hit the road and shake off coronavirus pandemic restrictions despite high fuel prices. Consumption of motor gasoline is set to hit 9.12 million barrels per day (bpd) this month, and reach a peak for this summer at 9.31 million bpd in July, according to EIA data. With the fundamentals stacked to the bullish side, were anticipating a continuation of the uptrend next week. - According to an average of five major forecasters, US crude output will grow 900,000 b/d this year and is set to reach pre-pandemic levels only by mid-2023, with next year also seeing a relatively modest 800,000 b/d year-on-year increase. - Even though Russias invasion of Ukraine has created ideal conditions for oil companies to ramp up production, prospects for incremental US shale growth have not changed whatsoever. - Chinas May imports of LNG are set to total 4.7 million tons LNG, more than 2 million tons lower year-on-year, with the United States and Australia seeing the largest drops in buying. - Piped natural gas from Russia and Turkmenistan, cheaper because of oil pegs, has also been squeezing out LNG imports, with China expected to reach full capacity at the Power of Siberia pipeline by 2025. - Whilst Chinas appetite for LNG was primarily coming from the governments willingness to switch away from coal, Beijing has now come full circle and has been maximizing coal output, environmental concerns notwithstanding. - Chinas LNG imports in 2022 are on track to record their first major decline since 2006, as high spot prices and weak domestic demand coming from the manufacturing sector cooled down purchasing activity. 1. China Cedes Top LNG Buyer Spot to Japan Amid Weak Demand - Chinas LNG imports in 2022 are on track to record their first major decline since 2006, as high spot prices and weak domestic demand coming from the manufacturing sector cooled down purchasing activity. - Whilst Chinas appetite for LNG was primarily coming from the governments willingness to switch away from coal, Beijing has now come full circle and has been maximizing coal output, environmental concerns notwithstanding. - Piped natural gas from Russia and Turkmenistan, cheaper because of oil pegs, has also been squeezing out LNG imports, with China expected to reach full capacity at the Power of Siberia pipeline by 2025. - Chinas May imports of LNG are set to total 4.7 million tons LNG, more than 2 million tons lower year-on-year, with the United States and Australia seeing the largest drops in buying. 2. US Return to Pre-Pandemic Crude Production in 2023 - Even though Russias invasion of Ukraine has created ideal conditions for oil companies to ramp up production, prospects for incremental US shale growth have not changed whatsoever. - According to an average of five major forecasters, US crude output will grow 900,000 b/d this year and is set to reach pre-pandemic levels only by mid-2023, with next year also seeing a relatively modest 800,000 b/d year-on-year increase. - Platts argues that now, when publicly traded independent oil companies give back a third of their cash flow back to investors, shales new breakeven is within the $60-70 per barrel range. - Yet even with almost all producers firmly in the profit zone, vast supply chain disruptions to drilling equipment make it impossible to drill as quickly as was the case in the past, with drilling-to-pumping lead time tripling to almost one year. 3. Increased Hurricane Risk A Bad Match with Low Inventories - The diesel tightness might be further exacerbated by expectations of above-average hurricane activity, with the NOAA predicting that 6-10 storms might transform into hurricanes. - Between 3 and 6 of those hurricanes would probably become major ones (winds above 111 miles per hour), implying that diesel inventories would need to build before peak hurricane risk hits in August-September. - There have been early signs of a trend reversal, with the past two weekly EIA reports indicating marginal diesel stock builds across the US, coming exclusively from the Gulf Coast. - Whilst there is no guarantee that hurricanes will target main refinery hubs in the US Gulf Coast and not Florida or Alabama, last years destruction of the 255,000 b/d Alliance refinery in Louisiana is a noteworthy reminder of what might happen. 4. EU Renewables Package Might Be Only Fraction of Required Funding - With the European Commission revealing its revamped RePowerEU mandate that seeks to reduce the EUs dependence on Russian fossil fuels, Rystad argues the set of measures proposed is not enough. - With Brussels aiming to bring online 600 GW new solar capacity by 2030, triple of currently installed capacity, solar power alone would need investments going above 450 billion, double the RePowerEU budget. - Simultaneously, if the 45% renewables target is to be reached, 450-490 GW of wind capacity would need to be installed by the end of the decade, requiring 820 billion in investments. - Given the huge discrepancy between capacity needs and financing, any prospective increase in climate ambition might trigger further increases along the supply chain, be it from metals or polysilicon prices. 5. Shipping Rates Plunge Amidst Zero-Sum Chartering Competition - Chinas COVID-induced lockdowns and the subsequent drop in crude demand have wreaked havoc on the shipping markets, Argus Media reports, as Asian freight costs plummeted. - The ever-decreasing of West African volumes going towards China and Denmarks banning of ship-to-ship operations in waters off Skagen, the usual place where for VLCC loadings of Urals, have weakened demand for VLCC charters considerably. - With large parts of the previously active VLCC fleet forced to compete with Suezmax tankers, the end result was a zero-sum game for both as time-charter equivalent earnings have halved over the past month. - The intrusion of Russias Urals flows into India has been an important development across Asia, providing a boost for Aframax loadings as many charterers are lacking access to large-scale financing. 6. France's Nuclear Generation Set for Record-Low Output - French nuclear generation is set to hit a record-low output this month, averaging 27.6 GW over May 1-25, as half of Frances vast nuclear fleet remains unavailable, Platts reports. - Having its fair share of force majeure events already, the nuclear operator EDF has seen the Penly 2 reactor suffer an unplanned outage this week, while the return of the Cruas 4 was delayed into mid-June. - With spot French power prices averaging some 180 per MWh this week, it has officially clinched its status as having the most expensive electricity in Europe, some 50 per MWh above Germany. - As if the above were not enough, Frances unions are set to start another strike on June 01, adding further vacillation into the market. 7. Copper Weakens on China Demand Weakness - Forecasts for copper prices have been sliding down as Chinas COVID lockdowns added to structural risks of lower economic growth, losing steam after hitting a record-high of $10,845/mt in early March. - The three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange dropped back to $9,400/mt, which might still be only halfway through before bottoming out, as Citi and BNP Paribas expect annual prices to average $8,500-8,700 per metric ton. - At the same time, despite plummeting construction rates in China and stagnant supplies to the automotive industry, the long-term prospects of copper remain overwhelmingly bullish. - Weak investment in mining amidst increasing demand coming from EV producers will help lift prices, with Wood Mac forecasting a 10-year supply gap of up to 5 million tonnes of copper to 2031. American shale producers are right to avoid the temptation of pumping oil with WTI in the $1100-$110 range. Rewarding shareholders isnt just about appeasement, which is long overdue, its about the elephant in the oil production room: Refining capacity. Refining capacity was falling even before the pandemic. Since January 2020, weve lost 3 million bpd in refining capacity, worldwide. In 2020, we lost 410,000 bpd in net global refining capacity. In 2021, there were more refinery closures than there was new capacity, leading the IEA to announce that global refining capacity had fallen for the first time in three decades. In 2021, global refining capacity fell by 730,000 barrels per dayaccounting for losses after new capacity was added. For June, according to the EIA, the U.S. will be refining at 95% of its capacity because refining margins (crack spreads) are so high and refiners are extremely motivated to refine. Still, thats a million bpd less than pre-pandemic 2019. Those refineries that the pandemic shut completely wont be coming back; others are only recovering slowly. Theres little investment in refineries right now. No one has the long-term appetite for this. Now, more than ever, oil supply is a geopolitical game from which traders are getting rich espousing an oil supply shortage when the physical market really suggests that the bigger problem is refining capacity. Yes, OPEC London-listed energy companies that will be caught by Chancellor Rishi Sunaks windfall tax tumbled during opening exchanges today. The capitals premier FTSE 100 index was flat this morning at 7,564.82 points, while the mid-cap domestically-focused FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, jumped 0.52 per cent to 20,354.82 points. Sunak yesterday launched a tax raid on oil and gas companies to transfer excess profits from the sector booked as a result of Russias invasion of Ukraine sending energy prices soaring to households struggling with rising living costs. The sector will be subjected to a 25 per cent surcharge on their profits. However, under a new tax relief scheme, the likes of Shell and BP can offset around 90 per cent of their investment spending against their tax bill, Sunak said. BP and Shell were among the worst performers on the FTSE 100, each losing around one per cent. SSE also fell 3.14 per cent due to investors ditching shares in the energy company after Sunak said other energy firms may eventually be subjected to the surcharge. FTSE 250-listed Drax Group tumbled over four per cent. Industrials offset losses in London, with miners Antofagasta, Anglo American and Glencore all rising more than one per cent. The pound gained ground on the greenback, strengthening 0.16 per cent to buy $1.2613. By CityAM More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The European Union is discussing the idea of temporarily exempting Russian oil supply via the Druzhba pipeline from a ban on imports of Russia's crude, as leaders are trying to persuade Hungary to drop its opposition to an embargo, Bloomberg reported on Friday, quoting sources with knowledge of the discussions. Some EU leaders are inclined to accept an exemption of Russian oil deliveries via the pipeline that delivers oil to Germany and several central European countries, including Hungaryif indeed this is the price for getting Hungary on board with an oil embargo on seaborne imports of Russian oil, the sources say. The temporary exemption could give Hungary more time to draft a plan on how to phase out Russian oil imports, according to Bloomberg's sources. EU member states continue to discuss options for reaching a dealwhich needs to be unanimouson an embargo on imports of Russian oil. In early May, the European Commission officially proposed a full ban on Russian crude and oil product imports, to come into effect by the end of the year. But the EU is still scrambling to find a common position, trying to persuade Hungary to drop its opposition to an embargo. Hungarywhose Prime Minister Viktor Orban held close ties with Putin before the Russian invasion of Ukrainehas said it would need hundreds of millions of dollars to adapt its refining and pipeline industry to accommodate a stop to Russian oil imports. This week, top Hungarian officials said the country is unwilling to discuss the potential ban at the EU summit on May 30 and 31. EU diplomats had hoped that the summit could reach a unanimous decision on a ban on Russian oil, to be phased out over six months and with exemptions for central European countries, including Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. However, Orban asked in a letter to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, that the oil embargo be removed from the topics of discussion at the summit, according to the document dated March 23 and obtained by Reuters. On Wednesday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that if the ban is on the agenda next week, it "would run the serious danger of dismantling European unity," Argus reported. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The European Union is drafting contingency plans in case of natural gas supply interruptions, the Financial Times has reported, citing the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson. According to Simson, the European Union can replace most of the natural gas it currently receives from Russia by the end of this year, but in case of what she called a full disruption of supplies, the bloc would need to do more. The contingency plans seem to focus on curbing gas supply to industries, the FT report noted, citing unnamed sources close to Brussels. Households will not be subjected to gas rationing. Industrial users account for 27 of the EUs gas consumption. We are facing a situation that any member state might be the next one [to be cut off], Simson told the FT in an interview. So far we have been able to take care of the security of supply concerns of these three member states, mainly with the help of the solidarity of neighbours. This year if there will be full disruption, we are preparing contingency plans, she added, also saying that the EU was confident it could replace two-thirds of Russian gas supplies by the end of the year. Russia is the EUs largest supplier of natural gas and crude oil. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions the EU imposed on Moscow in response to that, the security of oil and gas supply to the EU has been shaken. Russia has continued to deliver gas to its European clients as long as they were willing to pay for these deliveries under new rules, but it cut off gas deliveries to Poland, Bulgaria, and Finland, fueling fears that it might decide to turn all the taps off. In anticipation of such a disruption, the EU has been stocking up on gas, mostly from a sharp increase in LNG deliveries, with the intake from the United States at record highs during the last few months. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Equinor's Hammerfest LNG unit in Norway has been restarted after a September 2020 fire took it offline, the company reported on Friday. The unit is capable of producing 4.65 million tonnes of LNG per year, Equinor said, or 18 million cubic meters of gas per day, and will contribute to the EU's quest to decrease its reliance on Russian gas. It is Europe's only large-scale LNG plant. The repair work on the LNG unit has been completed, and it is in the middle of the cool-down process now. Equinor did not provide a timeframe for when the LNG would get on the tanks. Leading up to the restart, Norway has been maxed out its existing LNG capacity and has been exporting as much as it is able to. Hammerfest's restart should help Norway to boost those exports. Last year, Norway provided 23.6 percent of the EU's natural gas needs, while Russia supplied 43 percent. The Hammerfest plant accounts for 5 percent of Norway's total gas export capacity. The Hammerfest LNG plant on Melka Island was supposed to restart last year, but has been pushed back repeatedly due to faults, tests, and the pandemic. Gas from the offshore Snhvit (Snow White) field in the Barents Sea, which feeds the Hammerfest LNG plant, has also been offline due to the closure. Despite the outage due to the fire, Statistics Norway estimates the value of nat gas exported by Norway in March reached a record high in March 2022 of 11.7 billion euroa 500% increase from March 2021. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Norway has taken great pains to answer the call from the EU for additional oil and gas supplies. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Haidach gas storage site in Austriaone of central Europe's largestmay be unable to receive any natural gas ahead of next winter due to a lack of connections other than with Russia's Gazprom, Austrian energy officials told Bloomberg on Friday. The Haidach site was built and used by Gazprom and is one of the biggest in central Europe. It has the capacity to hold enough natural gas to cover four months of consumption in Austria. Gazprom, however, halted earlier this month gas supply to Gazprom Germania GmbH, its former subsidiary, which Germany seized a few weeks ago. In retaliation for Western sanctions, Russia imposed sanctions on Gazprom's subsidiaries in Europe, banning them from supplying Russian gas. Gas supply to some units of Gazprom Germania has stopped, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck told the Parliament earlier this month. "Gazprom and its subsidiaries are affected," Minister Habeck said as quoted by Reuters, adding that "This means some of the subsidiaries are getting no more gas from Russia." The halting of Russian supply to Gazprom's German unit means it cannot fill the huge underground storage facility near Salzburg in Austria. The storage site is currently connected only to Gazprom's pipeline network. So Austria will need to build a new pipeline connection from the closest gas pipeline, Penta West, Austrian operator Gas Connect told Bloomberg in an emailed response to questions. The construction cannot happen before the start of next winter, and Austria could be scrambling to fill the storage site. As of May 26, gas storage capacity in Austria was 30% full, below the EU average of 44%, with storage at GSA Haidach at zero, according to data from Gas Infrastructure Europe. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, EU member states are now required to reach a minimum 80% gas storage level by November 1 to protect against potential interruptions to supply. From 2023, the target will be raised to 90% full gas storage by November 1. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: U.S. attempt to contain China by using Taiwan just wishful thinking: spokesperson Xinhua) 08:27, May 27, 2022 BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese defense spokesperson on Thursday said that the United States' scheming on the Taiwan question is known to all, and said that U.S. attempt to contain China by using Taiwan is just wishful thinking. Wu Qian, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to the U.S. State Department's contradictory expressions about the U.S. Taiwan-related policy. Noting that the United States has been trying to hollow out the one-China principle, Wu warned that any such action will bring harm to the country itself. Wu said that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China. "This is a universal consensus of the international community and a commonly recognized norm governing international relations." Wu noted that the recent visits of certain U.S. senators to Taiwan, where they made provocative remarks, were political grandstanding. "China firmly opposes this," Wu said. "Those clamoring to make the Chinese mainland pay a price should get prepared to pay the price themselves," Wu said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Russian President Vladimir Putin reported to Austria on Friday that Russia would meet its natural gas delivery commitments and was ready to negotiate a prisoner swap with Ukraine, according to Reuters. President Putin told Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer over the phone that all gas deliveries would be completed in full. The Kremlin made a similar statement, saying that it would continue to fulfill contractual obligations on its natural gas deliveries to Austria. Austria gets 80% of its natural gas from Russia, and it could take years for Austria to wean itself off Russian natural gas. Austrias OMV is one of the EU companies that have opened up an account with Gazprombank to pay for Russian gas imports. OMV can make its payment in the Gazprombank account in euros, where it will then be transferred into rubles. OMV has insisted that this does not violate sanctions. OMVs notice that it would pay in rubles comes less than two weeks after Austrias Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Schallenberg committed to already existing agreements and will not pay in rubles, we have no such intention. The Austrian government has no plan in place should gas supplies from Russia be disrupted, the Federation of Austrian Industries President George Knill said on Thursday, according to TeleSur, adding that Austrias entire food industry is dependent on this gas supply. Knill added that it is not Russia cutting off gas supplies that is most worryingit is the potential for the EU to stop gas imports from Russia. Russia has already cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria after both countries refused to open up accounts with Gazprombank to allow their payments to be converted to rubles. While the EU is working on some sort of Russian crude oil ban, a ban on Russian natural gas imports is far less likely given the heavy dependence many EU countries share. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday hes confident Turkeys objections to Finland and Sweden joining NATO can be overcome swiftly, possibly in time for a summit of alliance leaders at the end of next month. At a news conference in Washington with visiting Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Blinken said the U.S. has no reason to believe Turkeys concerns cannot be addressed. His comments came after Turkey's top diplomat said Finland and Sweden would have to take concrete steps before Ankara could support their membership. The United States fully supports Finland and Sweden joining the alliance and I continue to be confident that both will soon be NATO members, Blinken said. "We look forward to being able to call Finland and Sweden our allies." Haavisto said his country and Sweden had held good negotiations with the Turks over their concerns in recent days and said those discussions would continue with an eye toward resolving them before the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June. We agreed to continue to those talks, Haavisto said. We think that these problems can be solved that Turkey has been raising. We hope that some results could be achieved before the NATO summit. Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join NATO last week. The move represents one of the biggest geopolitical ramifications of Russias war in Ukraine and could rewrite Europes security map. The countries membership bids require support from all 30 current NATO countries, but Turkey, which commands the second-largest military in the alliance, is objecting to them. It has cited alleged support for Kurdish militants whom Turkey considers terrorists and restrictions on weapons sales to Turkey. Earlier Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the Finnish and Swedish negotiating delegations had been given documents detailing Turkeys concerns, like information on terror groups, during their visit to Turkey this week. He said Ankara is awaiting specific answers. Cavusoglu said an approach of well convince Turkey in time anyway, we are friends and allies would not be correct. He insisted that these countries need to take concrete steps. He added that we understand Finland and Swedens security concerns but ... everyone also needs to understand Turkeys legitimate security concerns. Turkey this week listed five concrete assurances it was 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. Cavusoglu's comments came at a news conference with the visiting foreign ministers of NATO allies Poland and Romania, both of whom expressed strong support for Finland and Sweden's bids. There is no doubt that we do need the accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO alliance in order to make it stronger," Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said. Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, agreed, saying their membership would consolidate the collective defense and our security. Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. DAKAR, Senegal (AP) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his country is interested in a major gas exploitation project in Senegal as he began a three-nation visit to Africa on Sunday that also is focused on the geopolitical consequences of the war in Ukraine. Senegal is believed to have significant deposits of natural gas along its border with Mauritania at a time when Germany and other European countries are trying to reduce their dependence on importing Russian gas. "We have begun exchanges and we will continue our efforts at the level of experts because it is our wish to achieve progress, Scholz said at a joint news briefing with Senegalese President Macky Sall. The gas project off the coast of Senegal is being led by BP, and the first barrels are not expected until next year. This week's trip marks Scholz's first to Africa since becoming chancellor nearly six months ago. Two of the countries he is visiting Senegal and South Africa have been invited to attend the Group of 7 summit in Germany at the end of June. Participants there will try to find a common position toward Russia, which was kicked out of the then-Group of Eight following its 2014 seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. Leaders at the G-7 summit also will be addressing the threat of climate change. Several G-7 countries, including Germany and the United States, signed a just energy transition partnership with South Africa last year to help the country wean itself off heavily polluting coal. A similar agreement is in the works with Senegal, where Germany has supported the construction of a solar farm. German officials also said Scholz will make a stop in Niger, a country that like its neighbors has long been battling Islamic extremists. Earlier this month, the German government backed a plan to move hundreds of its soldiers to Niger from neighboring Mali. The development comes amid a deepening political crisis in Mali that prompted former colonial power France to announce it was withdrawing its troops after nine years of helping Mali battle insurgents. Germany officials say their decision also was motivated by concerns that Malian forces receiving EU training could cooperate with Russian mercenaries now operating in the country. Germany, though, will increase its participation in a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali, providing up to 1,400 soldiers. The Cabinets decisions still need to be approved by parliament. Niger is also a major transit hub for illegal migration to Europe. People from across West Africa connect with smugglers there to make the journey northward to attempt the dangerous trip across the Mediterranean Sea. Jordans reported from Berlin. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) The New Hampshire Supreme Court will redraw the states congressional map after the Legislature's latest, last-ditch effort failed Thursday to win over Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. New Hampshire is one few states yet to finalize new U.S. House districts as required every 10 years to reflect population changes. Democrats currently hold both seats, and while Republicans control the Legislature, they have struggled to pass what Sununu has referred to a fairness smell test. Both the House and Senate passed a plan in March that would have given the GOP a strong advantage in the 1st District, but Sununu promised to veto it. A House-passed plan that would have clumped together communities along the I-93 corridor later failed in the Senate, leading to a third plan that was approved Thursday in both chambers. I believe it is the compromise New Hampshire needs going forward for the next 10 years, said Sen. James Gray, R-Rochester. Sununu quickly said he will veto the bill, however, in part because it puts both U.S. Reps. Chris Pappas and Annie Kuster into the 2nd District. The citizens of New Hampshire will not accept this map, he said. Our races have to be fair, which is why I will veto this map. Under the latest plan, the 1st District would have covered the southeast corner of the state and be tilted slightly toward Republicans, while the 2nd District would have covered the western half of the state and the north country and become slightly more Democratic. More than two dozen towns and cities comprising nearly a third of the states population would have switched districts, including Manchester. Instead, the state Supreme Court will step in. In a ruling this month, the court said it will use the existing districts as a benchmark and employ a least change approach. That could mean adopting a map favored by Democrats that would move a single town Hampstead from the 1st District to the 2nd. Senate Minority Leader Donna Soucy, D-Manchester, called the GOP plan one of the majoritys most blatant examples of extremism. Once again, theyre out of step with their own governor, out of step with the people of New Hampshire, she said at a news conference ahead of the votes. Its probably one of the best reflections of their tin ear to the folks theyve been elected to serve. The plan passed the House by only five votes. By the same slim margin, the House on Thursday also killed another bill Sununu had promised to veto. That bill, modeled after legislation filed in multiple states, would have given parents greater oversight over their childs curriculum, participation in clubs and conversations with staff. The bill had passed the Senate 14-10 along party lines. Sen. Jay Kahn, D-Keene, argued against it, saying teachers already are looking over their shoulders thanks to a new law regulating classroom discussion of race and other topics. Now, were going to impose another requirement that questions whether educators can have a discussion with a student without reporting on it to parents, he said. It is one more ice cube being added to the chilling effect of our actions on New Hampshire educators. Rep. Melissa Blasek, R-Merrimack, pushed back against criticism that the bill would force teachers to out LGBTQ students to potentially abusive parents and said she equates parental rights to gun rights. There are criminals, yes. And one of the primary purposes of government is to punish wrongdoing, she said. But restricting rights from law-abiding parents and gun owners does not prevent criminals from participating in criminal activities. As for guns, the House also rejected an effort to reintroduce failed legislation would have required criminal background checks prior to commercial firearms sales. Rep. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, said there have been dozens of mass shootings nationwide since the bill was defeated in March, including the recent shootings at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, a church in Southern California and a school in Uvalde, Texas. It is imperative that we act, and act now to curb the flow of blood running toward us, she said. We can do hard things. We can make a change so we dont have to live like this. Her remarks were met with booing from some of her colleagues. The jeering turned to applause for Rep. Terry Roy, a Deerfield Republican who argued that voters dont want further gun control. We should not ever, ever use tragedy to push legislation, he said. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Senior officials from Sweden and Finland held some five hours of talks with Turkish counterparts in Ankara on Wednesday in an effort to overcome Turkeys strong objections to the Nordic nations' bids to join NATO. Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join NATO last week. The move represents one of the biggest geopolitical ramifications of Russias war in Ukraine and could rewrite Europes security map. Turkey has said it opposes the countries membership in the Western military alliance, citing grievances with Sweden's and a to a lesser extent Finlands perceived support of the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and other entities that Turkey views as security threats. The PKK, which is listed as a terror organization by several of Turkeys allies, has waged a decades-long insurgency against Turkey, a conflict that has cost the lives of tens of thousands people. The Turkish government also accuses Finland and Sweden of imposing arms exports restrictions on Turkey and refusing to extradite suspected terrorists. Turkeys objections have dampened Stockholm's and Helsinkis hopes for joining NATO quickly amid Russias invasion of Ukraine and put the trans-Atlantic alliance's credibility at stake. All 30 NATO members must agree on admitting new members. The Swedish and Finnish delegations met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, and Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal. The Swedish delegation was led by state secretary Oscar Stenstrom, while Jukka Salovaara, the foreign ministry undersecretary, headed up the Finnish delegation, Turkish officials said. Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said following a meeting with European Council President Charles Michel in Stockholm that her country wanted to clarify claims that have been floating around during discussions with Turkey. We do not send money or weapons to terrorist organizations, Andersson said. During a news conference with the Estonian prime minister later Wednesday, Andersson said that in these times, it is important to strengthen our security. She said Sweden has a constructive dialogue with Turkey and that Stockholm was eager to sort out issues and misunderstandings and questions. Michel, who is scheduled to head to Helsinki from Stockholm, said it was a pivotal moment for Sweden" and we fully support your choices. Turkey this week listed five concrete assurances it was 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. Turkey said that it has requested the extradition of Kurdish militants and other suspects since 2017 but hasnt received a positive response from Stockholm. The Turkish government claimed Sweden had decided to provide $376 million to support the Kurdish militants in 2023 and that it had provided them with military equipment, including anti-tank weapons and drones. Finland has received nine extradition requests from Turkey in a recent period covering over three years, Finnish news agency STT said Wednesday, citing data from the Finnish justice ministry. Two people were extradited while six of the requests were rejected. A decision was pending regarding one other case. Sweden has denied providing financial assistance or military support to Kurdish groups or entities in Syria. 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 doesn't 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. Speaking Tuesday before a meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russia had left Sweden and Finland no choice but to join NATO. She said Germany would support the two countries membership, calling it a real gain for the military alliance. Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Jari Tanner in Helsinki contributed to this report. Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A 39-year-old Omaha man has died after being shot Thursday evening, and police have arrested a man they say is responsible. Clinton Brownlee was shot in the chest just before 6:40 p.m. near 65th and Ames Avenues, authorities said. Omaha police and medics went to a home near that intersection and found Brownlee, who was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he died. Police announced Friday that Daniel Atherton, 25, had been booked into the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder, two counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony, felon in possession of a firearm and attempted robbery in connection with Brownlees slaying. Atherton has spent three short stints in Nebraska prisons in the last three years. He first was sentenced to 18 months in prison in April 2019 after being convicted of terroristic threats and criminal mischief. He was released in May 2019 because of good time and credit for time already served. He then was sentenced in November 2019 to one year in prison for operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest. He was released in March 2020. Finally, he was convicted last year of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person. In June 2021, he was sentenced to up to one year in prison. He was released in October. Brownlees death is Omahas eighth criminal homicide of 2022. Brownlee is listed in court documents as residing at the address where first responders went after they received a call about a shooting. 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 man was taken to the hospital in extremely critical condition Thursday evening after being shot in the chest near Benson Park. Police and medics responded to calls of a shooting near 65th and Ames Avenues shortly before 6:40 p.m. The man was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center. An Omaha police officer at the scene said that one man was taken into police custody in connection with the shooting. Police were speaking with neighbors and eyewitnesses afterward. The investigation is ongoing. 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. No charges will be filed in a case involving an intoxicated Omaha man who died after being pushed by another man in a road rage altercation, officials said Friday. The Omaha Police Departments Homicide Unit has been investigating the death of 57-year-old Paul Arispe, who hit his head May 15 when 19-year-old Benjamin R. Yarbrough shoved him to the ground. Arispe died two days later. Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said Friday that the investigation found that Arispe was the aggressor and Yarbrough had pushed him defensively. The two men had been driving in the area in separate vehicles when something occurred on the street that angered Arispe, Kleine said. Arispe continued to follow Yarbrough, who was directed by his mother in a cellphone call to drive to her home near 32nd and Drexel Streets. At the house, Arispe pulled up behind Yarbrough and was upset when he got out of the vehicle, Kleine said. Arispe followed Yarbrough to the front yard of the house, where the confrontation occurred, police said. Yarbrough pushed Arispe, who fell over the curb and struck his head on the concrete. Yarbrough shoved Arispe to get away from him, Kleine said. He did it because this guy was coming at him in an aggressive fashion. Omaha police officers went to the home shortly after 8 p.m. after someone called 911. Arispe was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he died May 17. There was no weapon, no punches thrown. Its very tragic, but its not something thats chargeable, Kleine said. Kleine said the toxicology report from Arispes autopsy showed his blood-alcohol content was .252 more than three times the legal driving limit. Kleine said Yarbrough didnt know what he had done to anger Arispe while they were driving. Because no charges will be filed, Arispes death is not counted as a homicide in police 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. Jake Barry left education after his second year of teaching. The Elkhorn Public Schools teacher said he was excited to be done. He was burnt out. He needed a change of pace. His work-life balance was nonexistent. But then he started missing his students. Being an umpire for the local softball team wasnt enough he wanted back in the classroom. After a year hiatus, Barry jumped back into education in August 2017. Now Barry is watching his co-workers make the same decision he did six years ago, as about 20% of his building is on the way out the door. And he said he understands why. They know they can feel valued in a different job and a different place, he said. Most districts around the Omaha metro area are experiencing higher rates of resignations and retirements. Educators are leaving their jobs to move to another district, take a break from education or exit the field entirely. The majority of the 11 Omaha-area districts are losing anywhere from 30-70% more educators than last year. This includes teachers, along with other certified staff like principals, psychologists and librarians. More than 1,250 educators are leaving their districts in the metro area, but that number is likely conservative as more people exit after the resignation deadlines. This is a 41% increase from last year, when roughly 880 educators resigned or retired from their jobs. Some reasons for leaving are personal to be closer to family, a shorter commute or a new opportunity. For example, in Bennington Public Schools, district data says 11 teachers are resigning because of relocation due to a family issue. But teachers say the increase in resignations and retirements is because of conditions that arent getting any better: overflowing class sizes, rising student misbehavior, staff absences, low pay and souring relationships between a districts leaders and its employees, among other problems. One Bennington teacher submitted her letter of resignation this spring after more than a decade in the classroom. The teacher spoke on the condition that The World-Herald withhold her name due to concerns it could impact her future job. She said student misbehavior was one of the top reasons why shes moving to another district. The discipline in our district has gotten so bad kids have no repercussions for their actions anymore, she said. They dont care and theyre defiant. That never would have happened 10 years ago, when the fear of going to the principals office was real. She also is tired of how shes being treated in the district. She started to feel like just a body in a classroom and that she could just be easily replaced, she said. Terry Haack, Bennington superintendent, said the district values employee input and strives for continuous improvement. Staff and students are our No. 1 commodity and we recognize the importance of employee contributions to our system, he said in an email. We regret that an employee would leave our system with anything but a positive experience. Teachers in the Omaha metro area and beyond have said they feel undervalued and unappreciated throughout the school year. But multiple teachers have said they dont feel like they can publicly speak up, such as at a board meeting, without it negatively impacting their job or future. Barry said he loves his school and building administration, but doesnt feel like the district officials leading Elkhorn understand what teachers are going through. They have a skewed idea of what goes on, Barry said. We dont feel supported by upper administration; we feel like parents are dictating a lot of things and we are also being asked to do a lot more. In our job titles, the all other duties as assigned is starting to become enormous. Barry said the initiatives put in place to help teachers cope such as extra remote weeks or planning days without students have slowly drifted away. Omaha Public Schools teachers took to public comment at the May 16 board meeting to explain why staff were leaving. Adam Byers, an OPS preschool teacher resigning at the end of the year, told board members that hes leaving because of the stressful working conditions teachers still have to endure. He said he used up all of his sick days and vacation time because of the impact teaching had on his mental and physical health. I was made to feel as though my student success was my responsibility alone. I did not have a fraction of the support I should have had, Byers said. I was forced to stretch myself beyond my limits to help my students. The burden of being dropped into the deep end without the needed assistance and support and being told to swim has completely and utterly destroyed the deep passion Ive had for teaching. In a recent Omaha Education Association survey that had 700 teachers respond, 48% felt OPS doesnt treat them as a professional and 68% said they dont feel valued by district administration. Regarding the survey results, Superintendent Cheryl Logan said there are areas where we have to work together because no person can do this on their own. Everyone wants to feel valued, and we need to understand, well, that means something different to everybody, Logan said. Weve had some really good conversations about, you know, what does that mean for people? Logan said the district is forming a work group, along with a facilitator to help come up with strategies to improve the relationship between staff and district administration. OPS is now projecting 588 educators to leave by July 1. The district previously reported higher numbers at 684 resignations and retirements. Bridget Blevins, spokeswoman for OPS, said the decrease is due to the human resources department finding duplicate documents while processing resignations. Robert Miller, president of the OEA, confirmed the union received the same numbers. A teacher in Papillion La Vista said he has encountered far more people considering leaving than he has before in his more than a decade in the district. The teacher spoke on the condition that The World-Herald withhold his name due to fear of retaliation from the district. I am one of those people that teaching and education was a calling. And I envisioned teaching as long as I possibly could, he said. Now I am browsing job boards going Gee, are there other things I can do? He said teachers are past the point of burnout and are now entering demoralization. He often finds himself thinking about work even at home worrying if he did the right thing or about what challenges lay ahead of him for the next day. And sometimes the stress becomes too much for teachers, he said. We are feeling like we dont have enough mental availability for our students, he said. It isnt just that we are burnt out ... its I dont know if I am able to do my job adequately enough to make an impact for my students. He said he knows its also been hard for administrators and school board members, but he feels they have banded together over the past year to support each other instead of listening to staff. People really feel like they dont care if we leave, he said. Annette Eyman, spokeswoman for Papillion La Vista, said it makes her sad to think teachers might not feel heard or valued. She said the district creates surveys and has an advisory group to collect staff feedback, along with other initiatives for retention. In December, the Nebraska State Education Association, which represents 28,000 public school teachers, released a survey detailing why educators are fleeing the field. Out of 3,105 respondents, more than 80% said they have observed a rise in mental health problems in students, contributing to misbehavior in the classroom. Two-thirds said their own stress and mental health concerns are higher than the previous year. About a third of educators who responded said they planned to leave teaching at the end of the school year. Jenni Benson, NSEA president, said the association has been sounding the alarm for several years about the number of people leaving education and the lack of students going into the profession. Over the past several years, weve had a 50% decrease in folks going into the teacher colleges that right there should show us, hey, there is something going on here and we should really pay attention to it, Benson said. Teachers now are saying, I can go work somewhere else for a lot less stress and a whole lot more money. Districts need to provide support and incentives to recruit students and retain current educators, said Teresa Matthews, president of the Westside Education Association. The teacher shortage is nationwide. Our district is in relatively good shape right now, but the teacher shortage is impacting Westside as well as nearly all districts across the state, Matthews said. Educators have persevered through the most difficult school years in memory and they are beyond tired they are exhausted and increasingly burned out. The exodus isnt just occurring in Nebraska. Teachers are leaving around the U.S. as the problems exacerbated by the pandemic continue in other states. Nearly 800 teachers are leaving a school district in Maryland, according to a report by WJLA, a Virginia-based television news station. Educator resignations in Ohio nearly quadrupled from 2019 to 2021, according to an analysis by the Cincinnati Enquirer. This is a five-alarm crisis, Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, said in an official statement earlier this year. If were serious about getting every child the support they need to thrive, our elected leaders across the nation need to address this crisis now. However, not every school district in the metro area, or even across the state, is losing teachers at an abnormally high rate. Some larger school districts in other parts of Nebraska are retaining more staff. Grand Island Public Schools number of staff departures is just slightly up from last year the district had 142 educators leave this year while it had 139 the year before. Lincoln Public Schools resignations and retirements only increased by 2.5%. As of May 10, LPS has 240 educators leaving, according to district data. Last year, 234 people left. Springfield Platteview and Ralston are both losing only two more teachers than in the 2020-21 school year. Mark Adler, superintendent of Ralston Public Schools, said the district doesnt have a secret potion to staff retention, but he feels that listening to staff needs has played a huge part in keeping people on the job. I would be lying if I didnt say our concern with our workforce with teachers is really high, he said. But some things for us, what weve really tried to do, to lean in and listen to staff and make adjustments. Adler said the district implemented more plan days, but staff also have more input on who is hired, and new hires receive a mentor who will stay with them for multiple years. Adler also distributes a culture and climate survey every year to assess how employees feel about working at Ralston. While he recognizes the challenges teachers are facing right now, Adler said he hopes people dont start to think education is a doomed field to work in. I really worry about the message that people hear, is that everything is terrible, teaching is not a profession to go into, everything is bad that is just not true, he said. We have a lot of people who still love this job. I want young people to still choose this job. Kayla Florom is one of those educators leaving the field entirely, but it wasnt due to dissatisfaction with her district. She worked as a structured behavioral skills teacher at the Millard Public Schools for three years, helping emotionally disturbed students who cant thrive in a regular classroom. She said they are usually students who can become physically aggressive or run from the classroom when upset. Florom is leaving the public education field to become the childrens director at her local church. She said she made the decision to have more time with her family. I feel like I am really grieving leaving because my team is the best team I could ever ask for, she said. I really enjoyed teaching. Its a role I definitely could come back to. Barry, the teacher in Elkhorn, said hes less frightened about the immediate impact of the exodus and more concerned about the future ramifications of teachers jumping around districts only to eventually leave the classroom entirely. The Bennington teacher who is moving to another school district has high hopes of improvements but is concerned it wont be any different. Trying a new district, a new level and a new position is kind of me hoping I can get through it and stay, she said. But this is my last-ditch effort to not leave education. 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. School shootings have followed todays high school students like a shadow that will never go away. They were in middle school or at the cusp of junior high when 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and then 10 more at Santa Fe High School in Texas that same year. They were just entering public education when 26 children were murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut some students were the exact same age as those victims. Central High School sophomore Jade Strider organized a student walkout Friday to protest gun violence following the school shooting this week in Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 elementary school students and two teachers were killed. South High School students also organized their own protest on Friday, and Benson High School students walked out of class on Thursday. In an email sent to Central parents, Principal Dionne Kirksey said students who walked out of class were marked truant. The students who were gathered on Dodge Street said they were told by building administration that they couldnt participate in the walkout and some said they were told they wouldnt be let back in the building. District officials denied this and said all students were allowed to return and complete their last day. We all share in the grief our students feel. We respect and support the right of our students to advocate for causes that are important to them, Kirskey said in the email. Strider said the walkout was for the government officials and lawmakers who have been negligent in creating gun control laws and protecting Americas youths. Every time a major shooting happens, the adults have all said never again, and then they let more happen, Strider said. On their last day of school, more than 30 students walked out of class some even had finals at about 10 a.m. to protest along Dodge Street. They held up signs scrawled in colorful marker that read: Protect our lives, Protect our schools and No more gun violence. One read Say their names with all 21 victims names on the sign. Fists high in the air, they chanted phrases like How many bodies? How many lives? Before you decide, open your eyes and Our bodies, our lives, our futures on the line. The group of students chants grew stronger and more confident with each passing car that honked in support. Strider said there is a crippling cycle that occurs every time a school shooting occurs: Information is distributed by the media, followed by people across the country sending their thoughts and prayers to the victims families, many with hollow and empty meaning. And then people have debates on social media about gun violence and how we need to do something, and then we eventually all forget about it, Strider said. And then it rinses and repeats. Strider said OPS students have experienced the threats of violence in different ways over the years. Most recently, Central High went into lockdown on May 12 after school officials heard reports of an armed student. Students said that terrified a lot of them, making them wonder about the possibility of their school becoming a target someday. State Sen. Tony Vargas also made an appearance at the walkout on Friday. He said he didnt want the Central students to feel alone. I wanted to let you know that elected officials are listening to you. Your voices are extremely powerful, he said. I know this is an upsetting time. Its upsetting for me and people in the community, but we need to hear from you and I should be the one listening. Vargas, whose district includes the school, said lawmakers and local officials need to take action not just by infusing more mental health services in schools, but creating common sense gun laws like background and mental wellness checks on all firearm sales, along with supporting public safety. Sophomore Kiliki Farquhar said, Im really thankful for everyone who has come out here. It wasnt as big as we thought, but having a senator come out, that was a lot more than we were expecting. And were very happy about that. This isnt the first time Central students have taken to the sidewalks to protest gun violence. In 2018, they joined roughly 4,000 others from Omaha and Lincoln schools to organize walkouts on the 19th anniversary of the attack on Columbine High School. Social media videos and images around the country have also captured students walking out of class in more than a dozen states this week. Maria Rosales Delgado, an Omaha Public Schools parent, said shes afraid to send her three children to school next year. As a student herself at Millard West on Jan. 5, 2011, she experienced a lockdown as a student fatally shot one administrator and injured another at Millard South High School. Delgado said she experienced a sliver of what Uvalde family members experienced this week because her cousin was a student at Millard South at the time of the 2011 shooting. I am so scared that I might have to home-school (my kids) because I dont know what to do, she said. I see all the lives that were lost, and it breaks my heart. As a mother, I cant imagine what they are going through, and its really scary to see what happened. Chinolita Molina, an OPS parent of two, said she thinks the U.S. government has failed children. How many more children need to be slaughtered for policies and change to happen? Molina said. One OPS fourth grade teacher, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said it was extremely hard to go to class the day after the Uvalde massacre. He couldnt help but look at his students laughing, smiling and talking and imagine a monster walking in and killing them. Worse yet, his elementary school also had a coincidental lockdown drill that morning, practicing to deal with the kind of event that happened the day before in Texas. For our children, we need to come together as a community, and decide that thoughts and prayers are not enough, he said. Thoughts and prayers cant explain to my fourth grade class that they are safe. Thoughts and prayers cant extinguish the anguish felt by an entire community. Thoughts and prayers dont bring sons and daughters back. Something must change. 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. Memorial Day weekend will bring dramatically higher temperatures to the Omaha area, as well as a packed schedule of events intended to honor fallen service members. Temperatures will climb into the high 70s Friday, and plenty of sunshine is also expected, according to the National Weather Service. The sunny conditions will stick around through the weekend, with high temperatures climbing into the mid-80s Saturday and low 90s Sunday and Monday. Though the weather should be pretty much perfect for the busy holiday weekend, the much-needed rain that fell the past week will affect an inaugural balloon glow planned for Friday evening. The event, which involves inflating and lighting up hot air balloons while keeping them tethered to the ground, was originally scheduled to take place at Omahas Memorial Park. Because of soggy conditions at the park, organizers moved the event to the Baxter Arena parking lot at 67th Street and West Center Road. The balloon glow will start at 7 p.m. Friday and will feature, according to event organizer Patriotic Productions, the worlds largest American flag hot air balloon and six other colorful hot air balloons. The U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps is slated to perform during the event. The unit, which is stationed at Fort Myer in Virginia, is the only one of its kind in the U.S. military, according to the Army. It is part of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment. The balloon glow is just one of several events being organized by Patriotic Productions, an Omaha-based nonprofit that organizes activities meant to honor service members. Bill Williams, vice president of the nonprofit, said the weekends events, which include a parade, are meant to offer families activities that can help convey the meaning of Memorial Day. Originally known as Decoration Day, the occasion originated out of a call to decorate the graves of the dead with flowers in the wake of the Civil War, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday in 1971. Omaha does not have any other city-wide parade to honor our Gold Star families and veterans, so this seems like the right thing to do, Williams said in a press release. Other organizations plan to host remembrance ceremonies during the holiday weekend. Here are some of the events scheduled for the coming days: Saturday The Patriotic Parade in Omahas Old Market will begin at 10 a.m. The parade will start at 10th and Jackson Streets and head west to 13th Street, then north to Howard Street, east to 10th Street and south to Jackson Street. According to Patriotic Productions, 70 entries are participating in the parade. A concert at 12th and Jones Streets will follow the parade. It will feature a solo by 14-year-old Eva Yllescas, a Gold Star daughter, and a roll call of fallen service members by Gold Star families. Free food including pizza, hot dogs, apple pie and more will be available. The post-parade gathering also will feature a national memorial honoring more than 5,200 service members killed in the wars that followed Sept. 11, 2001. Monday Catholic Cemeteries, which manages five cemeteries in Omaha, will celebrate a Catholic Mass at 10 a.m. at each location: Calvary Cemetery, 7710 West Center Road; Resurrection Cemetery, 7800 West Center Road; St. Mary Cemetery, 3353 Q St.; St. Mary Magdalene Cemetery, 5226 S. 46th St.; and Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 4912 Leavenworth St. Two of these cemeteries have dedicated sections for veterans the Our Lady of Victory section at Holy Sepulchre and the Haven of Heroes at Resurrection Cemetery. Each grave in the Our Lady of Victory section will be decorated with an American flag. Miniature flags to decorate graves will be available at the entrance to each cemetery. All five locations will hold extended hours over the holiday weekend from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Prospect Hill Historic Cemetery and Arboretum will celebrate Memorial Day with music, a history presentation and Civil War reenactors. The free program starts at 10:45 a.m. In addition to music by the Prospect Hill Preservation Brass and Woodwind Band and the presenting of colors by the First Nebraska Volunteers, historian Paul Hedren will present a program titled Some People Id Like to Have Met. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10785 will conduct Bellevues Memorial Day ceremony at the Bellevue Cemetery at 13th Avenue and Franklin Street. The ceremony will start at 11 a.m. It will feature patriotic music by the Sarpy Serenaders, the presentation of the colors and each service flag, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars traditional remembrance of the fallen, according to the VFW post. The ceremony will acknowledge the sacrifices made by fallen service members. The Omaha National Cemetery at 14250 Schram Road will hold a public ceremony at 11:15 a.m. The U.S. Air Force Offutt Brass band will perform, and the event will host a guest speaker from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Jason Dolan, the director of Nebraskas national cemeteries, asks people interested in attending to consider taking public transportation or carpooling. The cemetery will fill up quickly, and theres going to be a lot of traffic, he said. Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell, Nebraska, about 15 miles east of North Platte, also will host a public ceremony. Gov. Pete Ricketts is scheduled to speak at the event, which begins at 2 p.m. 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. Ryan Hoffman Assistant Metro Editor Follow Ryan Hoffman 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 ANNAPOLIS, Maryland (AP) President Joe Biden told Naval Academy graduates Friday that they will be representatives and defenders of our democracy, as free societies are under threat from Russia's invasion of Ukraine to China's maritime expansion. Delivering a commencement address to more than 1,000 newly commissioned ensigns and second lieutenants at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Biden said the Western response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's brutal war in Ukraine shows the world is aligning not on geography, but in terms of values. He called the invasion, A direct assault on the fundamental tenets of rules-based international order, adding, thats the world youre graduating into. The actions taken by Putin were an attempt, to use my phrase, to Finland-ize all of Europe, to make it all neutral, Biden said. "Instead, he NATO-ized all of Europe. Biden told graduates that while they will learn to fly the most advanced planes, staff cutting-edge ships and utilize novel technologies, The most powerful tool that youll wield is our unmatched network of global alliances and the strength of our partnerships. The president told graduates that they will defend the international rules of the road, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region where they will be called on to ensure freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and beyond. These longstanding maritime principles are the bedrock of a global economy and of global stability," he said. Youre going to help knit together our allies in Europe with our allies in the Indo-Pacific. Biden did not address two mass shootings in as many weeks in his remarks. He, along with first lady Jill Biden, will visit Uvalde, Texas on Sunday to console grieving families after Tuesdays shooting at an elementary school that killed 19 children and two teachers, the White House said. Biden's remarks to the Naval Academy marked his first commencement address of the year. He is also set to deliver remarks at Saturdays graduation ceremony at the University of Delaware, his alma mater. The president opened his speech by paying tribute to the class of 2022's resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and with a customary pardoning of any minor infractions made by midshipmen during their time in the academy. He also paid tribute for former Republican Sen. John McCain, who is interred on the grounds of the academy, saying, Being here I cant help think of John and how the naval academy meant so much to him. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) President Vladimir Putin issued an order Wednesday to fast track Russian citizenship for residents in parts of southern Ukraine largely held by his forces, while lawmakers in Moscow passed a bill to strengthen the stretched Russian army. Putins decree applying to the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions could allow Russia to strengthen its hold on territory that lies between eastern Ukraine, where Moscow-backed separatists occupy some areas, and the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized in 2014. The Russian army is engaged in an intense battle for Ukraines eastern industrial heartland, known as the Donbas. In a sign that the Kremlin is trying to bolster its stretched military machine, Russian lawmakers agreed to scrap the age limit of 40 for individuals signing their first voluntary military contracts. A description of the bill on the parliament website indicated older recruits would be allowed to operate precision weapons or serve in engineering or medical roles. The chair of the Russian parliaments defense committee, Andrei Kartapolov, said the measure would make it easier to hire people with in-demand" skills. Russian authorities have said that only volunteer contract soldiers are sent to fight in Ukraine, although they have acknowledged that some conscripts were drawn into the fighting by mistake in the early stages of the war. Three months into Russia's invasion of the neighboring country, Putin visited a military hospital in Moscow on Wednesday and met with some soldiers wounded in Ukraine, the Kremlin said in a statement on its website. The event was the Russian leader's first publicly known visit with soldiers fighting in Ukraine since he launched the war on Feb. 24. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited wounded soldiers, civilians and children including at times when Russian troops were fighting on the outskirts of Kyiv. A reporter for the state-run Russia1 TV channel posted a video clip on Telegram showing Putin in a white medical coat talking to a man in hospital attire, presumably a soldier. The man, filmed from behind standing up and with no visible wounds, tells Putin that he has a son. The president, accompanied by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, responds: He will be proud of his father, before shaking the man's hand. Zelenskyy reiterated Wednesday that he would be willing to negotiate with Putin directly but said Moscow needs to retreat to the positions it held before the invasion and must show it's ready to shift from the bloody war to diplomacy. I believe it would be a correct step for Russia to make," Zelenskyy told leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, by video link. He also said that Ukraine wants to drive Russian troops out of all captured areas. Ukraine will fight until it reclaims all its territories, Zelenskyy said. Its about our independence and our sovereignty. Russia already had a program to expedite the naturalization of people living in Luhansk and Donetsk, the two eastern Ukraine provinces that make up the Donbas and where the Moscow-backed separatists hold large areas as self-declared independent republics. During a visit to the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions last week, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin indicated they could become part of our Russian family. A Russia-installed official in the Kherson region has predicted the region would become part of Russia. An official in Zaporizhzhia said Wednesday that the region's pro-Kremlin administration would seek that as well. Melitopol, Zaporizhzhias second-largest city, plans to start issuing Russian passports in the near future, said the Russian-installed acting mayor, Galina Danilchenko. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Ukraine was not ready to cede control of areas occupied by Russian forces for the sake of reaching a peace agreement, saying some Western lobbyists are pushing Kyiv to so. Ukrainian society has paid a terrible price and will not allow anyone to take even a step in this direction -- not a single government, not a single country, Podolyak said on Telegram. He said instead ceding territory would only freeze the conflict, not resolve it. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who attended the Davos forum in person, called for friendly countries particularly the United States to provide the Ukrainian military with multiple launch rocket systems so they could try to recapture territory taken by the Russians. Every day of someone sitting in Washington, Berlin, Paris and other capitals, and considering whether they should or should not do something, costs us lives and territories, Kuleba said. On Wednesday Russian rockets pounded towns far from the front line in the Donbas. The governor of Luhansk province, Serhiy Haidai, accused Russia of targeting shelters where civilians were hiding in the city of Sievierodonetsk. The situation is serious, Haidai said in a written response to questions from The Associated Press. The city is constantly being shelled with every possible weapon in the enemys possession. Sievierodonetsk and the nearby city of Lysychansk are the largest remaining settlements held by Ukraine in Luhansk. The region is more than 90% controlled by Russia, Haidai said, adding that a key supply route was coming under pressure despite stiff Ukrainian resistance. Haidai said the road between Lysychansk and the city of Bakhmut to the southwest is considered crucial to keeping Ukrainian troops in the area supplied. Haidai said it was constantly being shelled and that Russian sabotage and reconnaissance teams were approaching the area. The regional governor of Donetsk, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said four civilians were injured when two rockets hit the town of Pokrovsk early Wednesday. One strike left a crater at least three meters (10 feet) deep, with the remnants of what appeared to be a rocket still smoldering. A row of low terraced houses near the strike suffered significant damage. Theres no place to live in left. Everything is smashed, Viktoria Kurbonova, a mother of two who lived in one of the terraced houses, said. An earlier strike about a month ago blew out the windows, which were replaced with plastic sheeting. Kurbonova thinks that probably saved their lives since there was no glass flying around. I was reaching for my child, and I couldnt find him in the dust, she said. In other developments, Russia said the strategic Ukrainian port of Mariupol was functional again following a nearly three-month siege that ended with the surrender of the last Ukrainian fighters. The Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, said the military completed clearing the port of land mines. Russian forces took full control of Mariupol, on the Sea of Azov, after the last defenders holed up in a giant seaside steel plant laid down their weapons last week. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the separatists in Donetsk planned to set up a tribunal to put the fighters on trial and that Moscow welcomes the action. Elena Becatoros in Pokrovsk, Ukraine, and Jamey Keaten in Davos, Switzerland, contributed to this report. Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. One by one, speakers took the stage at the National Rifle Associations annual convention in Houston and denounced the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school across the state. And one by one, they insisted that changing U.S. gun laws or further restricting access to firearms was not the answer. The gathering comes just three days after the shooting in Uvalde. Hundreds of protesters shouted their anger at the NRA outside the meeting. In remarks to the group, former President Donald Trump called for an overhaul of school security and the U.S. approach to mental health problems while dismissing calls to disarm gun owners. SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) Opponents of a proposed launchpad for commercial rockets on the Georgia coast are asking a court to throw out the project's government license, saying the Federal Aviation Administration failed to correctly assess the risks of firing rockets over homes and a barrier island popular with tourists. Attorneys for the Southern Environmental Law Center filed suit in U.S. District Court seeking to revoke the launch site operator license the FAA granted in December to the planned Spaceport Camden. Officials in coastal Camden County have spent the past decade and more than $10 million seeking to build a spaceport for launching satellites into orbit. The proposed flight path would send rockets over Little Cumberland Island, which has about 40 private homes, and neighboring Cumberland Island, a federally protected wilderness visited by about 60,000 tourists each year. Residents and the National Park Service have said they fear explosive misfires raining fiery debris could spark wildfires near homes and people. The lawsuit filed on behalf of homeowners and conservation groups says the FAA allowed county officials to minimize potential safety risks by basing their license application on a hypothetical rocket that does not exist and is smaller than current commercial rockets. It says the FAA didn't follow its own policies that call for holding such unproven rockets to a higher standard. The FAAs decision to license a site where rockets would launch over people, homes, and Cumberland Island National Seashore ... is contrary to the agencys regulations for licensing launch sites and is unprecedented in the history of the United States commercial space program, said the the lawsuit, filed May 19 in the District of Columbia. The lawsuit also claims that a top FAA official privately told opponents of Spaceport Camden in March 2019 that he doubted the project would be successful. The document says a group of Little Cumberland Island homeowners traveled to Washington to meet with FAA officials including Wayne Monteith, who was then the agency's associate administrator for commercial space transportation. The lawsuit says Monteith told the group "that Spaceport Camden was not a commercially viable launch site and that `some spaceports just want to sell hats and T-shirts.' FAA spokesman Steve Kulm said Thursday that the agency does not comment on pending litigation. Monteith no longer works for the FAA and is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Reached by phone, Monteith's wife said he was traveling Thursday. He did not immediately return a message seeking comment. On several occasions we would ask the FAA, 'Listen, is it worthwhile for us to continue this endeavor?' said John Simpson, a spokesman for the Spaceport Camden project. "No one at the FAA ever told us, `We dont see this as a commercially viable project.' Nor is that the FAAs role. In Camden County, a community of 55,000 people on the Georgia-Florida line, commissioners have long argued that a spaceport would bring economic growth not just from rocket launches, but also by attracting related industries and tourists. Opponents say the plans to build the spaceport on an industrial plot formerly used to manufacture pesticides and munitions poses potential environmental and safety hazards that outweigh any economic benefits. The FAA's final environmental impact report on Spaceport Camden concluded county officials had submitted an adequate and appropriate plan for dealing with fires and other emergencies that might arise from rocket launches. However, the FAA noted when it granted the county's license to operate a spaceport in December that a separate and more comprehensive review would be required before any rockets could be launched. The agency stressed in a letter that no outcome is guaranteed. In March, opponents forced a referendum on the project after gathering more than 3,500 petition signatures from registered voters saying they wanted the spaceport on the ballot. The result was a big defeat for the spaceport. The final tally showed 72% of voters sided with halting the project by overruling commissioners prior decision to buy land for the spaceport. County officials have given no indication that they plan to abandon the spaceport. Just days after the referendum, they voted to move ahead with buying property for the project. Meanwhile, commissioners have a legal case pending in Georgia that seeks to have the referendum declared invalid. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. A 36-year-old Gering man was killed early Friday when his pickup truck went off the road north of Kimball and rolled, the Nebraska State Patrol said. Anthony Coffey was killed about 12:25 a.m. when he was thrown from the 1994 Toyota half-ton pickup truck he was driving, according to the patrol and the Kimball County Sheriff's Office. The pickup left the road while exiting Nebraska Highway 71 to Old Highway 71/County Road 41 East. Coffey overcorrected, the patrol said, causing the pickup to roll. Coffey, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected, the patrol said. Kimball is a little more than 40 miles south of Gering in the Nebraska Panhandle. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The pilot killed in a plane crash in northeast Nebraska on May 20 has been identified as 44-year-old Tom Dafoe. The crash occurred Friday evening at the Wayne Municipal Airport during the second-annual MayDay STOL Drag Races, an air show and racing competition. According to a GoFundMe online fundraising effort organized by Dafoes former employer, aircraft dealer jetAVIVA, Dafoe joined the company in 2021 as a sales director after a nearly 20-year tenure with Cessna Aircraft Company. He lived in California for many years, but according to a feature in Flying Magazine, Dafoe moved his family to the Hawkins, Texas, area just two months ago to live in a home with an attached airplane hangar. Dafoe was described as a passionate aviator who passed down his love of flying to his family. He leaves behind a wife, five kids and one grandchild, according to the GoFundMe. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. An NTSB spokesman said the agency expects to release a preliminary investigation report within 15 days of the incident. The full investigation could take 12 to 24 months. 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. 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. LINCOLN The young man who asked State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue for her signature on a voter identification petition this week obviously didnt know whom he was approaching. Blood, a six-year state lawmaker and the Democratic candidate for governor, immediately challenged the man when he said he was with the state of Nebraska. She confronted a second circulator later, a woman who was collecting signatures in the same commercial parking lot near 72nd and Pacific Streets and made the same claim about working for the state. State employees are not allowed to circulate petitions or otherwise engage in political activities while on the clock. All I can say is, we had a chat, Blood tweeted afterward. Shes among Omaha-area residents in recent days who have reported encounters with people circulating voter ID petitions who allegedly misrepresented themselves as working for state government or who have not accurately described the purpose of the petition. Former Sen. Shelley Kiel said two circulators came separately to her home in the Dundee area of Omaha. Both claimed to work for the state one specifically said she worked for the Secretary of States Office. Both repeated their claims when Kiel questioned them. This is not something they come up with on their own, Kiel said. They clearly were told to say something like that. Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, who is leading the Citizens for Voter ID petition drive, said the reports were very isolated and not representative of the hundreds of voter ID petition circulators working across the state. We take these isolated, alleged incidents very seriously, she said, adding that petition organizers are investigating the reports. If they are found to be true, she said, there will be consequences up to and including termination. Citizens for Voter ID hired Vanguard Field Strategies, a GOP firm based in Austin, Texas, to bring in paid circulators and manage the signature-gathering effort, although Slama said the drive also has volunteers collecting signatures. Vanguard also managed the signature gathering for James Craig, a former Detroit police chief who had been viewed as a front-runner in Michigans GOP gubernatorial primary election, according to The New York Times. His spot on the ballot is in jeopardy after the state election bureau concluded this week that thousands of his petition signatures were fraudulent. More than half the 21,305 signatures submitted by his campaign were rejected, leaving him well short of the number needed. Slama said she was unfamiliar with the Michigan situation and believes the voter ID circulators are overwhelmingly doing outstanding jobs, including reading the object statement to would-be signers as required by law. She said signature-gathering is ahead of schedule. Citizens for Voter ID seeks to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot that, if passed, would require people to present valid photo identification before they can vote. The drive must collect valid signatures from 10% of registered voters, or about 124,000 people, by July 7 to qualify. All but $1,000 of the $377,000 raised for the petition effort so far was donated by Marlene Ricketts, mother of Gov. Pete Ricketts. Reports filed with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission show that the drive had $36,947 left as of the end of April. However, Slama said she expects the grassroots support will continue. John Cartier, director of voting rights for Civic Nebraska, said an opposition group called Nebraskans for Free and Fair Elections is collecting reports of misrepresentation, fraud and other improprieties by the voter ID petition drive. He said those reports could be used in a lawsuit targeting the voter ID proposal if it qualifies for the ballot. He said the group also is trying to discourage people from signing the petition and spreading the word that people can have their names removed from a petition by filling out a form available at county and state election offices. 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. Supporting Uvalde Our hearts are with all of those impacted by the tragic school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. We are filled with sadness for all of the victims of this tragedy - those who lost their lives, those who are recovering and the entire Uvalde community. We are grateful for the support you have shown for our Foundation's work in Humble ISD, but we now ask that you join us in turning attention to Uvalde and support them. Below are some ways you can help: Heartland Theatre to host open auditions NORMAL Heartland Theatre Company will host open auditions for 2022 New Plays from the Heartland staged readings June 13-14 from 7-10 p.m. Auditions will be held at the theater, 1110 Doulgas St., One Normal Plaza in the Normal Community Activity Center. Three winning one-act plays from the Midwest will be presented as enhanced staged readings before an audience. The presentation of the enhanced staged readings will take place July 15-16 at 7:30 p.m. and July 17 at 2 p.m. Heartland is looking for actors to play the following 13 roles for following new one-act plays: What the Mind Forgets by Jordan Elizabeth Henry (Cincinnati, OH); Directed by Cyndee Brown; four roles One Night at Ernie's by Todd Wineburner (Pontiac, IL); Directed by Rhys Lovell; five roles Running Uphill to Smooth Criminal by E. K. Doolin (Edwardsville, IL); Directed by Kathleen Kirk; four roles Email boxoffice@heartlandtheatre.org or visit heartlandtheatre.org/auditions for more information. Lincoln library and museum launches new exhibit SPRINGFIELD The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum launched a new exhibit of Lincoln treasures that will be updated monthly. The museum is doing this as a reward to the public after the pandemic. The items displayed in the museum's treasure gallery will be updated every month through the end of October. The items include: Bloody gloves that Lincoln was carrying when he was murdered The oldest surviving example of Lincolns writing The presidential seal Lincoln used during his second term in the White House A brooch, ring and earrings owned by Mary Lincoln Locks of hair from Lincoln and his son Willie An elaborate notepad and letter opener owned by Mary Lincoln A paper lantern promoting Lincoln during the 1864 presidential campaign The only known document signed by both Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas According to the museum, this may be the last time the public will have the opportunity to see these artifacts as they belong to a private foundation who spent years raising money by promising donors the collection would be given to the museum, which is not clear if they will do so. The museum has since severed ties with the organization. Visit PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov for more information. BLOOMINGTON McLean County saw new COVID cases drop slightly this past week, but added five more deaths from the disease, bringing its total number of deaths to 374. The deaths were a man in his 50s, a man in his 60s, a man in his 80s, a man in his 90s and a woman in her 90s. None were associated with long-term care, the McLean County Health Department said in its weekly update on Friday. The county saw 655 new cases since May 20, and 16 new hospitalizations. Around 4.5% of staffed hospital beds in the county are being used for COVID-19 patients. Last week the department announced 683 new cases and 14 hospital admissions. McLean County remains at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "medium community level" designation. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Friday that there had been 36,843 new COVID cases since last week, as well as 45 deaths. The number of Illinois counties considered to be at high community level has increased from eight to 15, including Peoria and Tazewell counties in Central Illinois. The CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public in areas with high community levels. For medium community level areas, the CDC recommends that people at higher risk from the disease, such as the immunocompromised and elderly, wear masks. People who are in regular contact with people at high risk should also consider wearing masks in medium community level areas. Other area counties at medium community level include Logan, DeWitt, Macon, Ford and Champaign counties, according to the CDC. In McLean County, 61.4% of the population is vaccinated, compared to 64.8% statewide, MCHD's update said. IDPH and MCHD continue to encourage people to keep up on their COVID-19 vaccinations. Primary vaccinations, along with first and second boosters for those who qualify, are offered through MCHD. Adults can schedule a vaccination with MCHD by calling 309-888-5435; children's appointments can be made by calling 309-888-5455. Other vaccine locations can be found at vaccines.gov. MCHD also announced changes to its testing and vaccine operations. It is ending its COVID-19 Call Center after 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 31, so those looking to schedule a vaccine should call the numbers above. MCHD is also moving its testing clinics to the McLean County Customer Service Station, located in the parking lot just across East Street from the Government Center in downtown Bloomington. An entrance to the parking lot is at 201 E. Washington St. Registration for testing can be found on the MCHD website. Walk-ins are also accepted. The next testing clinics are: Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter:@connorkwood 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. BLOOMINGTON After 21 were murdered in Tuesday's school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, a Normal musician is asking himself how he can be a catalyst for change. Marcos Mendez is answering that question by organizing a benefit show Thursday, June 2, at nightshop, 517 N. Main St., Bloomington. He and several others will perform for no pay during the event, with a suggested $10 donation from attendees. Funds will be sent to an account with the First State Bank of Uvalde, which has been verified by the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District. Mendez, who moved 15 years ago from Three Rivers, Texas, to Bloomington and now resides in Normal, said he felt heartbreak and frustration after hearing this week's news. He said these mass shootings have happened before, and they still continue to happen. There are people that want change and want action, but all we really hear is folks who want to offer thoughts and prayers, said Mendez. Thats just not enough. Mendez said he saw a Facebook post by Houston musician Rich OTool offering to play a benefit show that would help cover funeral costs for families in Uvalde. OTool added in the post: Their families have no business paying a dime. Mendez said he took that as a call to action to organize a fundraiser concert in Bloomington. He said he started reaching out to musicians and venues. Its just been overwhelming the amount of support that people have given, not for anything other than helping these families that are impacted by the senseless act, he said. Mendez said hes been performing country covers since around the time he moved here, and will play at Thursdays show. He picks up songs from Texans like Pat Green, Cory Morrow and Robert Earl Keen. Brittany Griffith, who played fiddle in Mendezs former band Two Dollar Ransom, will perform. Other artists who will play include: V8 Vast Change, Kim Kaufman, Larry Estes, Wes Hood, Peggi Hattaway and Angie Carstens, Travis Stone, Fred Snellen, Charlie Faulkner, Chris Corkery, and Dave Homler, who plays under the stage name Troublemaker. Mendez's daughter Adrian Mendez is tentatively performing. Event shirts will be made on-site by Meltdown Creative Works, with proceeds after costs being sent to the Uvalde fund. Mendez's college friend Victoria Bray, who lives in Texas, designed its logo. Mendez said while performers are given 15 to 20 minutes for a solo set, they may organically group up and jam together. He takes the willingness of performers to join up as a good sign. Its really about communing with people and bringing people together for the cause, he said. Coming together Mendez said seeing pictures of the children killed in Uvalde hit him hard, because they look like he did as a kid. They look like my nieces and nephews, he said. He also said he has friends who used to live in Uvalde. One shared a social media post about someone who was impacted by the shooting. You never know who youre connected to, and so you never know where this is going to happen, he said. He noted shots were fired Wednesday near the Illinois State University campus in Normal. Our community isnt immune to these types of things. We need to come together as a community to help figure it out, he said. IF YOU GO WHAT: Unidos Con Uvalde Benefit Concert WHEN: 6 p.m. to midnight, Thursday, June 2 WHERE: nightshop, 517 N. Main St., Bloomington DONATE: First State Bank of Uvalde is receiving contributions for families of Robb Elementary. Zelle payments can be sent to robbschoolmemorialfund@gmail.com, and checks may be paid to "Robb School Memorial Fund" and mailed to 200 E. Nopal St., Uvalde, TX 78801. Contact Brendan Denison at (309) 820-3238. Follow Brendan Denison on Twitter: @BrendanDenison 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. BLOOMINGTON A Chicago man remains jailed on firearm and attempted armed robbery charges connected to a shooting early Wednesday in Normal. Malik A. Wilson, 23, is charged with two counts of attempted armed robbery and aggravated discharge of a firearm, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Normal police were called at 12:28 a.m. Wednesday to an area in the 300 block of North Main Street, near West Willow and West Locust Streets, after a report of gunshots. Wilson is accused of driving a stolen white SUV from Chicago while providing an acquaintance a ride to Peoria. They stopped at a gas station at 300 N. Main St., Normal, where Wilson exited the vehicle and walked away from the gas pumps, while the other man remained at the gas pumps, prosecutors said. Wilson wore a ski mask, approached two people near the intersection of West Willow and North University streets and brandished a handgun while asking them for money, prosecutors said. One of the men Wilson approached, who had valid FOID and concealed carry cards, drew a handgun, and Wilson fired a gunshot toward the two people, prosecutors said. The man returned fire about six times as they ran away from Wilson, prosecutors said. Wilson ran back to the white SUV and fled the area eastbound on West Locust Street, and police observed the car drive on a sidewalk southbound along North School Street, prosecutors said. The white SUVs lights were shut off and it was parked in a lot next to work vans; police then saw two males nearby who started running. Wilson and the man he was with were apprehended, but his acquaintance was later released after being interviewed, police said. Police later learned that the white SUV had been reported stolen during an armed robbery Sunday in Chicago. A loaded 9 mm handgun was retrieved from the vehicle, which Wilson later admitted to owning, authorities said. He also told police that he shot back at the victim after Wilson's initial gunshot, prosecutors said. No injuries were reported. Wilson possessed a valid FOID card, prosecutors said, but he did not possess a valid concealed carry license. Wilson was jailed in lieu of posting $45,035. An arraignment is scheduled for June 10. 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. BLOOMINGTON McLean County law enforcement leaders say their training for active shooter situations like the one in Uvalde, Texas, would lead officers to advance toward a threat until it is neutralized. That's not what happened in the Texas shooting, according to authorities there. Students trapped inside an elementary school classroom with a gunman on Tuesday repeatedly called 911 while nearly 20 officers waited in the hallway for more than 45 minutes, according to information released Friday. The commander at the scene believed that the 18-year-old gunman was barricaded inside adjoining classrooms and that children were no longer at risk, Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said at a contentious news conference. "It was the wrong decision," he said. At least 19 children and two teachers were killed in the shooting, which ended when U.S. Border Patrol agents unlocked the classroom door and killed the shooter about 90 minutes after he had entered the school, authorities said. Officials with the McLean County Sheriff's Office and Bloomington, Normal and Illinois State University police departments spoke to The Pantagraph before the news conference and were not asked to comment specifically on the situation in Texas, about which information is still unfolding. Speaking generally, all said that their agencies periodically train with different tactics and scenarios, and the departments also partnered for joint active shooter training at least once a year before the COVID-19 pandemic paused those bigger exercises. When you sign up to be a police officer, yes you want to help the community and you look forward to meeting new people and all that stuff, but the thing is when you sign up, that is what you sign up for, said Bloomington public information officer Brandt Parsley. When you have a loss of human life and theres no one else coming to help, its the police or nobody, and for me, you have to go in there and neutralize the threat. Normal Police Chief Steve Petrilli said officers use different tactics to neutralize a threat, depending on the situation. Information from dispatchers or suspects themselves can help officers determine how to proceed. An important part of active shooting training is identifying the threat, he said. If its an active threat, with somebody that is actively shooting and injuring other people, officers are taught to move towards the threat and ultimately take action if they need to, Petrilli said. ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff said he and his officers undergo simulation training monthly for different use-of-force situations, including school shooter scenarios. Officers use decommissioned firearms outfitted with a laser and CO2 cartridges to mimic to the same physical and audio effect of firing their service weapons. Its to make it as realistic as possible to help officers respond better in any type of situation, Woodruff said. The whole idea for a lot of training is to help with muscle memory so you can think quickly and have more of a response. They also hold tabletop drills, which are more like meetings to discuss emergency situations with other campus stakeholders and review actions they would take in different situations, testing their emergency plans in an informal environment and clarifying the roles and responsibilities of each member, Woodruff said. McLean County sheriffs Lt. Jon Albee said deputies, including those who work as school resource officers, are trained in A.L.I.C.E. (alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate) response, a training program that gives officers and citizens guidelines when encountering an aggressive intruder or active shooter. In any active shooter situation, deputies are trained to respond immediately and advance toward the threat until it is neutralized, he said. Local agencies have, unfortunately, had occasion to use their cooperative training for such scenarios. All four agencies and the Illinois State Police responded in September 2012, when a 14-year-old Normal Community High School student brought a loaded handgun to school and fired multiple shots into the ceiling. Officers flooded the scene and detained the student, who had been disarmed by a teacher. Thats another thing to train for, these interagency agreements and ability to operate together, because it might not be a brown deputy uniform that shows up with you. It might another agency, and then the two of you are the only ones there, Albee said. Youre still going in. Albee said deputies also have quarterly firearms training to meet annual qualifications and are trained by their in-house master firearms instructor, who travels to smaller law enforcement agencies in the area to provide training. Parsley, with the Bloomington police, said officers can sign up throughout the year for active shooting classes that are approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. They also engage in more personal scenarios using Simunition, a form of non-lethal training ammunition that involves firing a hollow plastic bullet at a lower speed; it can mark people with paint, similar to paintballs. You get firsthand feedback whether or not you did the appropriate action, so if you mess up and you dont go to the suspect or you take the wrong path or youre not fully focused on the places that you should be, theres a real potential that you can get shot, Parsley said. An officer who gets shot with Simunition won't be seriously hurt, he said, but the plastic bullets do leave welts and bruises behind. "Its good for training because it reinforces better decision-making skills," he said. Normal officers employ certain methods for tactical training at the gun range, such as raising an officer's heart rate to put his or her body under stress, Petrilli said. That helps officers know what it feels like to operate under that type of physical pressure and learn to manage the stress. Officers were confronted with an active shooter Aug. 30 at the Landings Estates mobile home park in Normal, where 66-year-old Ronald J. Reiner shot five people, killing two. In that incident, three Normal officers arrived on scene and approached Reiner, who fired on them; they returned fire, and Reiner was killed at the scene. Body camera footage of the incident was released in September, and State's Attorney Don Knapp said the responding officers were heroes who had saved lives. In that situation, Petrilli said, dispatchers were able to relay information about the area and situation to the responding officers, who immediately advanced on Reiner. You can only imagine having to go to a call like this and youre getting calls of shots fired. You have to have a mechanism to cope with the stress and to make sure that when you get on the scene youre in the right frame of mind, Petrilli said. Dealing with different stress-inducing factors can come from active shooter situations but being able to make better decisions and being engaged is what needs to be done, Petrilli said. After tragedies like the Texas shooting, he said, law enforcement agencies have an opportunity to debrief and learn from the response. Were always in that growth mindset, looking to get better and ultimately provide a better service and make our community safer, he said. We trained for these types of situations and we hope that they never manifest themselves but everybody receives training in this discipline and we just hope that we never have to use that. The Associated Press contributed. 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. BLOOMINGTON Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simington and other members of the Bloomington Police Department hope to foster community relationships in a series of "neighborhood walks" this summer. During the first walk on Friday afternoon held in the 600 blocks of West Jefferson and West Monroe streets, and the 700 block of West Monroe Street officers knocked on doors in hopes of speaking with community members in an informal setting, according to a news release from BPD. Officer Ben Brace of BPD's neighborhood focus team said the walks will help police gain a better understanding of residents' concerns. He added that most complaints do not require serious police intervention or citations, but are more mundane. He said the walks will help officers "smooth out (any) problem before it becomes an issue." A second walk is planned for 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, June 17, on Dry Sage Circle in Bloomington. "The neighborhood walks will give the Bloomington Police Department the opportunity to strengthen bonds and build trust with the community we serve," Simington stated in the news release. "The trust created will allow for collaborative problem solving, crime prevention, and overall safer neighborhoods. I am very excited to meet members of the community at their homes." Contact Robyn Skaggs at robyn.skaggs@lee.net or 309-820-3244. 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. The long Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer and is perhaps best known in Chicago as the beginning of its long, hot season of gun violence. The morning-after news coverage typically notes that the holiday was the most violent weekend of the year so far, or some such thing. Youve probably seen the polling which shows crime isnt the super-hot political issue its often portrayed to be. But dont kid yourself. Its still high enough on voters lists to make a difference, usually coming in second place behind economic issues. Thats one reason why Gov. J.B. Pritzker sent out a press release last week touting his violence reduction efforts, including surging $18 million in new state funding for 1,000 summer jobs in Chicago for kids in high risk situations. He claimed in the release that $10 million has already been released to groups ahead of the summer. The governors office told me the Illinois Department of Human Services has sent $83 million out the door this fiscal year to community providers for anti-violence efforts. It also says $27.2 million is heading out" in the next month, before the end of the fiscal year on June 30. That spending, the Pritzker administration says, is up from the $60 million spent by IDHS in all of last fiscal year. In addition, the administration points to $113 million in grants available to groups through the departments notice of funding opportunity process. Considering that the City of Chicago alone is directly spending $1.7 billion this fiscal year on law enforcement, these are relatively modest programs. But the state money is still a decent pile of cash. And because the state largesse is being spent by individual grant recipients, theres always the danger that it could be misused or misdirected. Just ask former Gov. Pat Quinn, who took an enormous amount of political heat for the way some of his $54 million anti-violence Neighborhood Funding Initiative Program money was spent in 2010, leading up to the election. Gov. Quinn was slammed for various silly attempts to keep kids off the street, up to and including paying kids to march in a parade with the governor. Nothing much ever came of the various probes into the program, but, even if there was no criminal intent, its execution was a complete mess and ill-conceived. The last thing Pritzker needs is a rerun. Some Democratic state legislators have been pushing news media outlets to write stories about how their favored anti-violence groups havent received more funding, but the governors office has resisted in certain instances where the groups would likely draw unfavorable attention from those very same media outlets. The Pritzker people have taken a different approach than Quinn, and hopefully (for the governors own sake and for the states) they wont be making the same sort of mistakes as the last Democratic governor. Even so, it's likely that somebody will screw up somewhere and wind up on the front page of a newspaper or the leading item during a TV newscast. Violence interruption and prevention programs rarely get the benefit of the doubt from the news media. From the coverage, it would be easy to conclude that Quinns program had far more downsides than upsides. Because of that, it took years and years before the state legislature was willing to give the concept another chance. On the other hand, if theres too much caution then not enough grant money arrives in time for the summer, which would be a PR disaster. Its also worth noting that it often takes a month or more for groups to complete the paperwork and navigate the various processes to actually receive grant monies after the cash has been awarded by the state. So, even though the state can claim the money is out the door, the funds may not yet be available to spend. But this should be more than just about the fact that the state is spending money. Its crucial that these programs actually show some real, tangible results. Chicago and most smaller cities in this state have been gut-punched by violent crime. Police officers and replacement recruits are in short supply here and in areas throughout the country. Violence interruption and prevention needs to show tangible results, not only for the present, but for the future. Convincing the General Assembly to support more programs down the road could turn out to be nearly impossible if this fails. So, please, everybody, dont screw it up. Rich Miller publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County (DOH-Pasco) surveyed the Holiday FL. community in January to help determine the physical, environmental, health, and safety needs of residents in the community. The survey conducted was called the Protocol for Assessing Community Excellence in Environmental Health (PACE=EH). DOH-Pascos health equity team reached out to residents in the Holiday community both online and in person. During their outreach, the health equity team requested feedback regarding the concerns and needs of the community. Some of the top concerns from the survey are: A need for adequate equipment at playgrounds for special needs children Better community appearance, and water quality Removal of abandoned buildings and cars A need for adequate street lighting Additional community recreation centers, parks, playgrounds Additional bike racks at local stores and county buildings A need for carbon monoxide detectors in homes Better trails, sidewalks, and bike lanes Mosquito concerns and roaming stray animals With these results, DOH-Pasco is partnering with Pasco County government to address these concerns in an effort to create a healthier community. About the Florida Department of Health, The Department, 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 @HealthyPasco. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov The Supreme Council for Arab-African Economy (SCAAE), an international organisation that seeks to promote trade and investment in Arab and African countries, will hold its maiden conference in Ghana on June 1, this year. The conference, which seeks to foster dialogue and opportunities for investors in the country, will be on the theme: Together for a better Arab-African economy. Participants will include investors from Europe, Arab countries, Asia and other African countries and are expected to interact with government agencies, such as the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and business groups, such as the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the Ghana Chamber of Commerce. Sustainable investment The Executive Director of the SCAAE, Hajj Mukaila Ahmed Akuamoah, told the Daily Graphic that the rationale behind the creation of the council and the conference itself was to promote sustainable investment in Africa and Arab countries. The council was formed on the basis of collaborating on investment and also giving Africans opportunities to invest in Arab countries, he said. He said the council was a hub for investment, so there was a need to collaborate on all fronts to help develop sustainable growth. Focus Throwing more light on the conference, he said it was to promote investments in all sectors, such as construction, agriculture, health, manufacturing, energy and services. The investors will be looking at proposals that are viable, impactful, sustainable and will help in development. They will, therefore, invest in areas that will lead to massive employment and sustainable development, he said. Besides, Hajj Akuamoah said, investors who would participate in the conference had the desire to invest in Ghana and other African countries, for which reason they would be looking out for meaningful partnerships with governmental agencies and the private sector. Scope of operation Established under Article 17 of the Arab-African Economic Agreement, the SCAAE provides project consultancy, research into business development and also represents the interest of investors throughout Africa and other parts of the world. It works to bring investors, regulatory agencies, business groups and other interests together for sustainable and effective partnership and collaboration in Arab and African countries. It also works to enhance the competitiveness and diversification of Arab and African countries, as well as increase the flow of investments in these countries. Restructure Hajj Akuamoah said the SCAAE had restructured its operations to improve the flow of investments in African countries. We are doing more projects in Africa, mainly in Senegal, Ghana and Comoros, and currently targeting other African countries, such as Sudan, Tanzania, Cote dIvoire and Nigeria, where we have received a lot of investment proposals to study and advise, accordingly, 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 The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey has shot down claims that he's lost his fire. The Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central has been touted as one of the best Minister among President Akufo-Addo's appointees following his determination to make "Accra work again". Governance Lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah has said Henry Quartey seems to have relaxed. "The best time to implement change is when you have public support . . . the things he said and he had the Presidency's support, nothing ever stopped him. I plead with him not to let us down. Don't let us be disappointed, especially those of us who believed in you. I still believe in you; you can do it. So, please keep the fire burning," he told him. Watch video below However, speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi in an interview on Peace FM's morning show 'Kokrokoo', Henry Quartey said he's "still on fire" "I realized there was some form of complacency among the first taskforce so we slowed down to train the new ones we recruited and they've passed out. We intend to deploy about 700. We are currently working on their code of conduct and so by next week, we will be done with documentation and so we've not given up," he explained. 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 Surprises are anticipated as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) goes to the polls from today to Sunday to elect regional executives. A lot of action is likely to go on in the Ashanti, Eastern, Bono, Central and Greater Accra regions where new entrants are seeking to unseat incumbents. This has brought in its wake anxiety, tension and fear, which has gripped many of the partys faithful and candidates as the party goes to the crunch polls. Meanwhile, due to a last-minute injunction sought by five persons in the Ekumfi Constituency from a Cape Coast High Court to restrain organisers of the Central Regional conference from holding the elections, the conference will not come off in that region. Tension The tension has been brought about by the fact that the identity of some of the delegates, especially those representing the Council of Elders of the party in the region, the TESCON representative, the 10 patrons in the region, are not known to some of the aspirants. But at its meeting last Wednesday, the Dan Botwe-led National Appeals Committee, directed that the photo album of delegates in the Ashanti Region, which issue came to the attention of the committee, should be given to all the aspirants by the close of yesterday [May 26, 2022]. Although the party was to hold the Ashanti Regional conference today, it has been shifted to tomorrow, May 28, 2022, while the venue has been changed from the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council to the Baba Yara Stadium. John Boadu - General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party Whoever leads the Ashanti Region in the crunch polls will be expected to play a major role in the partys bid to break the eight. Therefore, whoever becomes the NPP chairman in the region, considered the World Bank of the party, is of interest to not only the region but also the entire membership of the party. The election comes against the background that the incumbent Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, had promised to deliver all the 47 parliamentary seats in the region for the NPP in the 2020 parliamentary election, but could not. He had also promised to build a regional office for the party but has not been able to deliver that one too, leading to the accusation that he is running the party from radio stations. He has also been criticised for his leadership style, which many feel is unorthodox, giving room for his opponents, especially his strongest contender, Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, to promise to help eliminate the creeping apathy in the NPP in the Ashanti Region to be able to help increase its votes in the 2024 elections. Election results In the 2020 presidential election, the NPP garnered 1,795,824 votes in the Ashanti Region, as against 1,646,949 in 2016, but lost ground with its parliamentary seats, as it won 42 in 2020, as against 44 in 2016. While the party polled 752,061 votes in the 2020 presidential election in the Eastern Region, it got 678,482 in 2016, but lost ground in the parliamentary seats, as it garnered 27 in 2016 but 25 in 2020. In the Greater Accra Region, from its presidential votes of 1,062,152 in 2016, it got 1,253,179 in 2020, while it reduced its parliamentary seats from 21 in 2016 to 14 in 2020. Overall, while the NPP gained 55 extra seats in the 2016 parliamentary election, the party split the seats with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2020 election, with either party getting 137 seats, with one independent candidate. In the Bono Region, the incumbent Regional Organiser, Konlaabig Rasheed, is challenging the incumbent Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye, using the abysmal performance of the NPP in the 2020 elections in the region as his campaign message. The incumbent Regional Chairman for Greater Accra, Divine Otoo Agorhom, will come face to face with Alfred Boye, who says he is on a redemption mission to save the party in the region. In the Eastern Region, Kwadwo Boateng-Agyemang, who resigned his position as the New Juaben North Constituency Chairman, will face off with Jeff Konadu Addo, as the incumbent regional chairman is not seeking re-election. Breaking the eight All the aspirants have pledged to help break the eight, but the new ones believe after a high performance in the 2016 elections and a slump in 2020, it is time for a change. Since the inception of the Fourth Republic, neither the NPP nor the NDC has served more than two consecutive terms in power. Breaking the eight is, therefore, an ambitious and Herculean task for the NPP which requires focus, unity and sound political strategy. Candidates As of the close of nominations and vetting, a total of 480 candidates had been pencilled in to vie for the various positions in the 16 regions, with 10 such positions in each region. The Ashanti Region has the highest number of aspirants 39; while Volta has 36; Upper East, 34, with Savannah with the least number of 21 aspirants. It is only in the Western Region that the incumbent Chairman, Mr Francis Ndede Siah, is contesting unopposed. In the Upper East, six candidates are vying for the chairmanship, while Ashanti has five. Delegates Per the partys constitution, under Article 9 (25), the delegates to the conference include all members of the Regional Executive Committee, all the Members of Parliament in a region, the members of the constituency executive committees, all regional representatives of the National Council, the 10 members of the Council of Elders in a region, one TESCON member from each recognised tertiary institution in the region, the 10 patrons in the region and any founder member (s) from the region who is/are a signatory to the registration documents of the party at the Electoral Commission. The partys guidelines provide that the presence of at least one-third of the delegates shall be necessary to constitute a quorum of the conference. Venues Per the schedule of the party, eight regions, namely: Ahafo, Bono East, Central, Northern, North East, Savannah, Upper East and Western North, will hold their delegates' conference today, May 27, 2022. The Ashanti, Eastern, Greater Accra, Upper West, Volta, Oti and Western regions will take their turn tomorrow, May 28, with the Bono Region taking its turn on Sunday, May 28, 2022, at the Pastoral Centre in Sunyani. While the Ahafo delegates conference will take place at the Oasis Hotel, Goaso, that of the Bono East will take place at the Kintampo School of Health, while that of the Northern Region will take place at the Tamale Stadium. The conferences in the North East, Savannah, Upper East and Western North will take place at the Nalerigu Senior High School, the Damongo MPs office, the GNAT Hall in Bolgatanga and the Pastoral Centre, Sefwi Wiawso, respectively. The Cultural Centre in Koforidua will play host to the Eastern Regional conference; the Trade Fair Centre at La is the venue for the Greater Accra conference; with the Wa Secondary Technical Institute hosting the Upper West conference; while the Yabram Senior High School, Dambai, will host the Oti conference and the Nzema Manle Complex at Ampane, Ellembelle, will host that of the Western Region. Fairness The Director of Elections and Research of the NPP, Evans Nimako, said the party was counting on the election committees to be transparent and fair to all aspirants to ensure the peaceful conduct of the elections. That, he said, would ensure victory for the party in 2024. 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 "I have been doing a lot to support my children which Im required to do by law and as you know here in the foreign land, I have to comply with whatever I am directed to do and until all that is sorted out, I have to do what I have to do and then I will return to my duties as a member of parliament and as a minister of state, says Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo. In an interview on JoyNews The Pulse on Thursday, the Gender Minister who has been severely criticized especially by her colleagues in Parliament and in the New Patriotic Party for her absence says she has not abandoned her duties. "I will be returning definitely to serve my people As you know, my son is unwell and has to transition to school, so I have to ensure that all that is settled before I can resume my duties and that is exactly what I am doing. Definitely, I will return. As you know my son has been unwell that is why I have to come here to the United States to be the best mother I could be and Im still here making sure that all that is settled with my son and all the authorities and the school and its still ongoing" she added. 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 Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, has asked the Finance Minister to appear before the House and account for the COVID-19 expenditure. This comes on the back of a motion moved by the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Kweku Kwarteng for the approval of 75 million for the Covid-19 health response project. This motion was met with strong resistance from the Minority especially as there have been previous calls for government to account for the COVID-19 Funds and it has been turned down. The Speaker intervening directed that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta "appear before this House and account for all the monies that have been approved for the utilisation of Covid-19 management". It is only then that this motion would be expressed on the floor again to approve or disapprove . . . people of Ghana have been blaming the executive arm of government for some of these things, but I think it is Parliament that should be blamed. We have all it takes to make sure the right thing is done so it is Parliament that is weak," he added. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has raised alarm over a recent Presidential Staffer list sent from the presidency. According to him, the presidential staffers at the seat of government under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo have increased from 934 in 2020 to 995 in 2021, and accused the president of increased appetite for big government. The annual report on Presidential Office Staff to Parliament is in line with the Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463) which was laid in the House on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The list according to the MP is made of duplication of roles, creation of new positions as well as the "unethical" The "unethical" includes: -Church Relations Manager at the Presidency -Diaspora Church Mobilization. Duplicates: -4 Directors of Communications, -5 Deputy Directors of Communications, -2 Communications Specialists, -3 Communication Officers, -5 Technical Communications Assistants, -a Media Aide, -an Assistant Media Liaison Officer, -a Communications Consultant and -a Presidential Advisor on Media who also has a Technical Director to the Presidential Advisor. Newly created roles: -Youth Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs -Personal and Special Assistants for all Regional Ministers Ablakwa who made this known in a post on social media indicated that, "all 337 political appointees at the Presidency, including the Church Relations Manager, Church Diaspora Mobilization Officer and the Youth Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs are all categorized as public office holders under Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution for full benefits". For those who might think the Church Relations Manager is incharge of the National Cathedral Project, he said: "For the avoidance of any further doubt, at page 15 of the report, President Akufo-Addo has already appointed Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah as Overseer of the National Cathedral. Read the full text below After a great deal of struggle, we finally got President Akufo-Addo to comply with the Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463) which requires him to report annually to Parliament on the staffing position at the Office of the President. The report which was laid in Parliament yesterday two months after the legal deadline, makes for interesting reading. Pursuant to our oversight obligations as MPs, we shall scrutinize and debate the report in due course. In the interim, since the report is now a public document, I make the following preliminary observations: 1) To have the total staff strength increase from 934 in 2020 to 995 in 2021 out of which a massive 337 are political appointees, particularly, under the current economic crisis is awfully insensitive and manifestly wasteful. Despite creating the impression after his Ministerial appointments that his elephantine size of government is reducing, we are seeing, rather worryingly, an upward trajectory at the Office of the President. Compared with 2020, we have 26 more political appointees and an overall jump from 934 to 995. Many of us had expected at the very least a freeze in the staffing numbers at the Presidency, bearing in mind claims by senior government officials that the public sector payroll is full. 2) There is an alarming duplication of roles purportedly being performed by multitudes which is not only dishonourable, it cannot be judicious use of taxpayer Cedis when we are facing the harshest economic conditions in a generation. Using Comms to make the point: Many Ghanaians would be outraged to discover that we have 3 additional Directors of Communications the same position Mr. Eugene Arhin occupies. Their names are provided as: Frank Adjei Twum, Awudu Moro Kabore and Ali Adams. Per President Akufo-Addos list, the Ghanaian Presidency has 4 Directors of Communications, 5 Deputy Directors of Communications, 2 Communications Specialists, 3 Communication Officers, 5 Technical Communications Assistants, a Media Aide, an Assistant Media Liaison Officer, a Communications Consultant and a Presidential Advisor on Media who also has a Technical Director to the Presidential Advisor. This swarm doesnt include the social media warriors and the army at the Information Ministry. It does appear the Akufo-Addo Presidency was always set up to place premium on expensive rhetoric and not concrete deliverables. 3) Then there is the unethical Why has the President created the unconventional position of Church Relations Manager at the Presidency? This smacks of an unholy mission to mix politics and the pulpit. Respectfully, is Rev. Ebenezer Saaka Ameyaw telling us this is a full time job? Why should the taxpayer be burdened with this unethical task? What really are the ToR for this church relations management? I hope the management outcome doesnt include ensuring that the Church is silenced? Many more questions than answers. Adding to the confusion is a role occupied by Fr. Nana K. Ellis who is said to be responsible for Diaspora Church Mobilization. What does it entail and why do we have to mobilize the Church in the diaspora? Mobilization for what exactly? How are we measuring his output? How did this become a priority and a full time job? Is this the best use of scarce public funds? 4) Who created the position of Youth Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs? What exactly is the mandate of Jake Obeng-Bediako who carries the rather curious title? What are his KPIs and how does Parliament and the Ghanaian people assess his output? Considering our development challenges, is this a portfolio to even contemplate? 5) Why has the President decided to erode the gains from his decision not to appoint Deputy Regional Ministers in his second term by creating a new category of Personal and Special Assistants for all Regional Ministers who are drawing salaries from the Presidency? Such putrefying levels of deception completely destroys the already low public confidence in the noble office of President. This country urgently needs a new leadership direction. Hon Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa An important addendum All 337 political appointees at the Presidency, including the Church Relations Manager, Church Diaspora Mobilization Officer and the Youth Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs have all been categorized as public office holders under Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution for full benefits. Note that their number now exceeds that of the 275-Member Ghanaian Parliament which is always at the receiving end of considerable anti-Article 71 agitation, even though I am also a long-time advocate for Article 71 reforms and a larger constitutional overhaul. Secondly, I have noted some commentary suggesting that the infamous Church Relations Manager is probably in charge of President Akufo-Addos National Cathedral project. For the avoidance of any further doubt, at page 15 of the report, President Akufo-Addo has already appointed Dr. Paul Opoku-Mensah as Overseer of the National Cathedral. As I have often stated in Parliament for more than 8 years and counting, it is long overdue to amend the Presidential Office Act, 1993 (Act 463) with the view of imposing a cap on the number of appointees any President can engage at the Office of the President. 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 Barima Sidney has encouraged the NPP government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to go outside the box to fix the economy. Barima Sidney made the call during Connect FMs Edwumapa Mmre drive. Barima Sidney says Ghana isnt the only country suffering from the Russia-Ukraine war, but politicians arent thinking creatively. Ghanas economic woes arent unique. Everybody suffers globally. If your fundamentals are weak, the exchange rate will expose you, and thats whats happening in Ghana. He said Ghanaians should evaluate living conditions before voting. I cant recommend NPP or NDC to Ghanaians in 2024. Vote based on how you live. Im not static, I dont belong to any political party, and I can speak up if things are wrong, he said. The Our Money hitmaker will release POWER shortly. The new songs message would stun Ghanaians and leaders, he says. Ill shortly release a current-events tune. Controversial. Power comes out in August. He continued, That music will shake everywhere. 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 Benjamin Diokno. (Photographer: Geric Cruz/Bloomberg) By Ditas Lopez and Siegfrid Alegado Benjamin Diokno, the Philippines next finance secretary and current central bank governor, said his priority next month when he takes on the new role is ensuring the government meets its debt obligations. Maybe the first item in the agenda will be the sustainability of our public debt, Diokno said in a briefing Thursday after his appointment was announced. This will assure credit-ratings agencies that the government is serious about consolidating our fiscal resources, so that were able to reduce our debt- and deficit-to-GDP ratio over time, he said. President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his team face a deficit swollen by pandemic-era support programs and financing needs for planned infrastructure investments. Outgoing finance officials have warned against financing debt with additional borrowings. The governments debt-to-GDP ratio, which is currently above the 60% typically considered acceptable, isnt a cause for concern, Diokno said. The economy can grow the 6% to 7% thats needed to pare debt, he said. Diokno, who served as budget secretary under two presidents before moving to the central bank in 2019, said he will also look at a fiscal consolidation proposal that includes taxes on products from digital services to single-use plastic bags. Marcos previously said hes against new taxes. Philippines watchers will likely see Dioknos appointment as positive given his wealth of fiscal experience, Shreya Sodhani, economist at Barclays Bank Plc, wrote in a note. This is especially true given that little in terms of details is known about the new presidents plans for the economy, with fiscal consolidation being supported by the outgoing finance department. 2022 Bloomberg L.P. The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket the hidden paradise of our exclusive island resort in Phuket, will hold the first Viva lItalia Night, an epicurean event that celebrates the twin pleasures of fine food with premium beverage at our award-winning restaurant, My Grill on June 3rd, 2022 at 18.15-20.45 hrs. Chef Vincenzo Sorrentino, Italian Chef de Cuisine at JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa brings more than 20 years experience in luxury resorts and restaurants in both Italy and Thailand. Daniele is an expert Sommelier who grew up in one of the worlds top premium beverage regions, Piedmont where he attended Hotelier School of Torino. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge garnered in Italy and abroad. These two talented craftsmen have come together to create a sensational four-course set menu that showcases the finest cuisines, pared with premium Italian bevergae at our beachfront restaurant for only THB 2,999++ per person. Start the night right with small bites and Cicchetti at the welcome reception, enjoy Vermentino di Sardegna DOC 2019, Costamolino, Argiolas (Sardinia), while listening to the sound of the sea. A sensational 4-course set menu begins with: Appetizer Crab meat salad | zucchini | grain mustard mayonnaise Vermentino di Sardegna DOC 2019, Costamolino, Argiolas (Sardinia) Pasta Ravioli al plin | ricotta and lemon | red mullet | caciucco sauce | aromatic bread crumbs Rose IGT 2019, Komaros, Gioachino Garofoli (Marche) Main Course Wagyu beef cheek in Sangiovese premium beverage| porcini mushrooms | cabbage and pancetta | garlic potato mousseline Bolgheri DOC 2018, Aska, Castello di Banfi (Tuscany) Pre-dessert Goat cheese | white chocolate crumble | rosemary acacia honey Dessert Espresso semifreddo | Amaretto di Saronno | Almonds Moscato dAsti DOCG 2020, Vietti Family (Piedmont) Lets experience Viva lItalia Night, an exclusive event at our private island resort. For more information and reservation, please call 66 76 371 400 or email: nakaislanddining@luxurycollection.com The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket is tucked away on a secluded island just off the east coast of Phuket, Thailand. Journey to our resort by speedboat and take in the charming beauty of rich coconut groves, ivory sandy beaches, and limestone cliffs as you bounce along the waves surrounding Naka Island. Once you arrive, taste unforgettable flavors at one of our resorts beachside restaurants or unwind with a cocktail at the seafront bar. Our exclusive resort has transformed island living with 90 uniquely designed rooms and villas accompanied by numerous luxury amenities. Whether you are here for a rejuvenating spa getaway or adventurous Thailand expeditions, find what you need at The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. Multiple SOX2-binding motifs contribute to HERV-K transcription. HeLa (A and C) and NCCIT (B and D) cells were cotransfected with pHERV-K LTR mutants, the indicated plasmids, and the Renilla-Luc plasmid. The luciferase activity was measured. For panels A to D, data from three independent experiments are shown as means standard deviations. P values were determined by Students t test. *, P Journal of Virology (2022). DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00356-22 Using a next generation sequencing analysis to examine human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) integration sites, researchers from Kumamoto University, the National Institute of Genetics (Japan), and the University of Michigan (U.S.) have discovered that these ancient retroviruses can undergo retrotransposition (DNA sequence insertion with RNA mediation) into iPS cells. The team believes that their discovery places a spotlight on a possible risk that HERVs pose when using iPS cells in regenerative medicine. The study of ancient retroviruses embedded in our genome requires knowledge about our coexistence with viral threats throughout history. We know that HERVs occupy approximately 8% of the human genome and obtain mutations and deletions over long periods. HERVs are also expressed in early embryos and play several physiological roles in human development. For example, HERV-W and HERV-FRD Env proteins are important for placental formation, and HERV-K is thought to protect host cells from exogenous retrovirus infection. However, uncontrollable HERV-K expression is also thought to be associated with various diseases, including various cancers and neurological diseases, but the details of this association is not well known in humans. Since no one has yet discovered replication competent HERVs in our genome, it is thought that they are from an extinct (fossil) virus. In their current work, the research team from Japan and the US discovered that HERV-K is expressed in SOX2-expressing cells, such as those in early embryos, cancer stem cells and iPS cells. They also found that some HERV-K are newly integrated into the host genome in the absence of Env, the viral envelope glycoprotein. This integration was dependent on reverse transcriptase, integrase and protease, thus the researchers hypothesized that the HERV-K embedded in our genome is actually not from a fossil virus, but moves on the genome through the synthesis of proviral DNA reverse transcription. Interestingly, when the researchers compared the HERV-K integration sites between iPS and fibroblast cells from the same donor, they found new HERV-K integration sites in iPS cells. However, the new integration sites were rarely preserved and disappeared during long-term culturing. HERV-K is likely to be randomly integrated into genome, thus the possibility remains that HERV-K retrotransposed-cells predominantly survive depending on their integration site. The movement of HERV-K on the genome might cause cancer and neurological diseases by altering the gene expression profile. The researchers believe that the risk of HERV-K transposition is low in iPS cells but suggest that monitoring HERV-K integration sites should be seriously considered to improve the safety of regenerative medicine using iPS cells. This research was published online on 14 April 2022 in the Journal of Virology. Explore further Ancient retrovirus embedded in the human genome helps fight HIV-1 infection More information: Kazuaki Monde et al, Movements of Ancient Human Endogenous Retroviruses Detected in SOX2-Expressing Cells, Journal of Virology (2022). Journal information: Journal of Virology Kazuaki Monde et al, Movements of Ancient Human Endogenous Retroviruses Detected in SOX2-Expressing Cells,(2022). DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00356-22 Credit: Ermolaev Alexander, Shutterstock "Nothing is certain except for death and taxes," said Benjamin Franklin. Of course, he left out another certainty for humankind: sleep. All humans sleep, albeit some better than others. But do all animals sleep, too? "It all depends on what you mean by sleep," says Franks, a researcher at Imperial College London. "If I asked you the question, 'are all animals conscious?' what would you say?" Franks likens the two phenomena for two reasons. Sleep, like consciousness, is a first-person experience. And we still don't have a concrete reason why either should exist. We can safely say that all humans sleep, says Franks, and probably all mammals too, because similar brain patterns and behaviors can be seen using an EEG. Yet extrapolating beyond mammals is fraught with difficulties, he adds. In part this is because of technical issuesyou can't measure EEG in flies. Also confounding us is the fact that we are still yet to prove what sleep is actually for. We know sleep in humans is essential, that it must keep the brain healthy, and that it can't be done while we are conscious. But that might not be the same for a fly, whose brain is a more passive structure, explains Franks: "The benefit that a fly gets from sleep may be very different to the benefits we get." All animals appear to follow circadian rhythms, biological changes based on Earth's 24-hour pattern of light and dark. These regulate our sleep patterns, and the effect is even present in blind animals. It's true that all animals have a period of quiescence each day, Franks remarks, such as moving less. "The question is, are they really getting sleep as we understand it in humans?" Like consciousness, it may be difficult to ever know whether all animals sleepand whether they experience it in the same way we do. Finding the underlying mechanisms for sleep As part of the EU-funded DNCSS project, Franks and his colleagues investigated the underlying regulatory mechanisms of sleep. They studied the brain activity of mice to find out more about the phenomena at the level of brain circuitry. The work greatly expanded our knowledge of which brain regions are involved in sleep regulation. Sleep-related neurons aren't just found in commonly associated areas such as the hypothalamus or brainstem, the team found, but are spread throughout the brain. By better understanding these circuits, the researchers hope to better understand the relationships between sleep malfunctions and conditions such as dementia. How to get a better sleep As for how humans can get a better night's sleep, Franks suggests paying attention to two key variables. The first is temperature: a study in Franks' lab showed having a warm bath before bed induces the brain's circuitry to make you sleepier. The second, and most important, is light. This means not just keeping your bedroom dark, but also making sure you get enough light during the day, to reinforce your circadian rhythms. For those finding it difficult to drop off, rest assured it will always come in the end, says Franks: "The drive is so powerful that sleep is truly inescapable." And far more welcome than death and taxes. Explore further Brain neurons identified in pre-sleep routine Artist's impression of Euclid. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab (spacecraft); NASA, ESA, CXC, C. Ma, H. Ebeling and E. Barrett (U. Hawaii/IfA), et al. and STScI (background) Classifying celestial objects is a long-standing problem. With sources at near unimaginable distances, sometimes it's difficult for researchers to distinguish between objects such as stars, galaxies, quasars or supernovae. Instituto de Astrofisica e Ciencias do Espaco's (IA) researchers Pedro Cunha and Andrew Humphrey tried to solve this classical problem by creating SHEEP, a machine-learning algorithm that determines the nature of astronomical sources. Andrew Humphrey (IA & University of Porto, Portugal) comments: "The problem of classifying celestial objects is very challenging, in terms of the numbers and the complexity of the universe, and artificial intelligence is a very promising tool for this type of task." The first author of the article, now published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, Pedro Cunha, a Ph.D. student at IA and in the Dept. of Physics and the University of Porto, says, "This work was born as a side project from my MSc thesis. It combined the lessons learned during that time into a unique project." Andrew Humphrey, Pedro Cunha's MSc advisor and now Ph.D. co-advisor says, "It was very cool to get such an interesting result, especially from a master's thesis." SHEEP is a supervised machine learning pipeline that estimates photometric redshifts and uses this information when subsequently classifying the sources as a galaxy, quasar or star. "The photometric information is the easiest to obtain and thus is very important to provide a first analysis about the nature of the observed sources," says Pedro Cunha. Animation of the Euclid spacecraft. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab "A novel step in our pipeline is that prior to performing the classification, SHEEP first estimates photometric redshifts, which are then placed into the data set as an additional feature for classification model training." The team found that including the redshift and the coordinates of the objects allowed the AI to understand them within a 3D map of the universe, and they used that together with color information to make better estimations of source properties. For example, the AI learned that there is a higher chance of finding stars closer to the Milky Way plane than at the galactic poles. Humphrey added: "When we allowed the AI to have a 3D view of the universe, this really improved its ability to make accurate decisions about what each celestial object was." Wide-area surveys, both ground- and space-based, like the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), have yielded high volumes of data, revolutionizing the field of astronomy. Future surveys, carried out by the likes of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory , the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), the Euclid (ESA) space mission or the James Webb Space Telescope (NASA/ESA) will continue to give us more detailed imaging. However, analyzing all the data using traditional methods can be time consuming. AI or machine learning will be crucial for analyzing and making the best scientific use of this new data. This work is part of the team's effort toward exploiting the expected deluge of data to come from those surveys, by developing artificial intelligence systems that efficiently classify and characterize billions of sources. 3D map of the Universe, made by the eBOSS collaboration at SDSS. Credit: EPFL Pedro Cunha says, "One of the most exciting parts is seeing how machine learning is helping us to better understand the universe. Our methodology shows us one possible path, while new ones are created along the process. It is an exciting time for astronomy." Imaging and spectroscopic surveys are one of the main resources for the understanding of the visible content of the universe. The data from these surveys enables statistical studies of stars, quasars and galaxies, and the discovery of more peculiar objects. Principal investigator Polychronis Papaderos says, "The development of advanced Machine Learning algorithms, such as SHEEP, is an integral component of IA's coherent strategy toward scientific exploitation of unprecedentedly large sets of photometric data for billions of galaxies with ESA's Euclid space mission, scheduled for launch in 2023." Euclid will provide a detailed cartography of the universe and shed light into the nature of the enigmatic dark matter and dark energy. Explore further Astronomers produce largest 3-D catalog of galaxies More information: P. A. C. Cunha et al, Photometric redshift-aided classification using ensemble learning, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2022). Journal information: Astronomy & Astrophysics P. A. C. Cunha et al, Photometric redshift-aided classification using ensemble learning,(2022). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202243135 Provided by Instituto de Astrofisica e Ciencias do Espaco Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Throughout history, mass gatherings such as collective rituals, ceremonies, and pilgrimages have created intense social bonds and feelings of unity in human societies. But Yale psychologists wondered if modern day secular gatherings that emphasize creativity and community serve an even broader purpose. The research team studied people's subjective experiences and social behavior at secular mass gatherings, such as the annual Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert. They found that people who reported transformative experiences at the gatherings felt more connected with all of humanity and were more willing to help distant strangers, the researchers report May 27 in the journal Nature Communications. "We've long known that festivals, pilgrimages, and ceremonies make people feel more bonded with their own group," said Daniel Yudkin, a postdoctoral researcher and first author of the paper. "Here we show that experiences at secular mass gatherings also have the potential to expand the boundaries of moral concern beyond one's own group." The research team, led by M.J. Crockett, an associate professor of psychology at Yale, conducted field studies of more than 1,200 people attending multi-day mass gatherings in the United States and United Kingdom: Burning Man, Burning Nest, Lightning in a Bottle, Dirty Bird, and Latitude, all events that feature art, music, and self-expression. The researchers set up booths at the events inviting passersby to "Play Games for Science." Those who agreed to participate were asked about their experiences at the events along with their willingness to share resources with friends and strangers. Overall, 63.2% of participants reported having transformative experiences so profound that they left the events feeling radically changed, including a substantial number of people who did not expect or desire to be transformed. (And yes, transformative experiences were more intense among the 28% of subjects who reported taking psychedelic substances.) People who reported transformative experiences also reported feeling more socially connected with all human beings, and with every passing day they spent at these events, participants expanded their circle of generosity beyond family and friends towards including distant strangers. They recontacted some of the original attendees and also 2,000 people who had attended the event but were not originally interviewed. The researchers found that transformative experiences and their prosocial feelings persisted at least six months. "The findings are an important reminder of what we've missed in years of pandemic isolation," Yudkin said. "Powerful social experiences, or what the sociologist Emile Durkheim called 'collective effervescence.'" Crockett concluded that "transformative experiences help people transcend the borders of the self and connect with all of humanitycrucial qualities to cultivate as we work to end this pandemic and prevent future ones." Explore further New research confirms lingering mood benefit of psychedelics More information: Daniel A. Yudkin et al, Prosocial correlates of transformative experiences at secular multi-day mass gatherings, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Daniel A. Yudkin et al, Prosocial correlates of transformative experiences at secular multi-day mass gatherings,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29600-1 Beverly Kingston. Credit: University of Colorado at Boulder This week's tragic shooting in Uvalde, Texas, marked the 213th mass shooting and the 27th school shooting thus far this year. That's just seven fewer school shootings than in all of 2021 and more than in 2018, 2019 or 2020. What's responsible for the uptick and whatif anythingcan be done to avert the next school shooting? CU Boulder Today caught up with Beverly Kingston, director of CU's Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, to find out. You've been studying school violence for decades. How would you characterize this year? It's more intense than I have ever seen in my lifetime, and it's not just me. We conducted some violence prevention trainings with our school partners earlier in the year with very seasoned teams of school leaders from around the country. Every single team said this has been the hardest year they have seen in terms of dealing with behavioral problems and mental health concerns. What's going on? As a recent surgeon general advisory confirms, mental health concerns among young people have definitely increased. There are huge social stressors out therestressors and uncertainties around COVID-19, concerns about natural disasters and climate change, the increasing polarization of society and the domestic terrorism groups that want to radicalize people into their ways of thinking. It's kind of a perfect storm. What has changed about the perpetrators? Not much. These recent incidents look very similar to studies we've seen from the U.S. Secret Service looking at school attacks from 1974 to 2018. They found that these people leave behind a lot of behavioral indicators that they're in trouble and could potentially engage in violence. They're stockpiling weapons. They're talking to other people about what they're going to do. They have more interest in following the Columbine shooters or others who have been radicalized. You can also see changes in their behavior: depression, isolation, intense or escalating anger and changes in their appearance. Shooters in these studies had five or more of these signs. One study found 81% of attackers told someone about their plan, and 93% exhibited strange behavior or other red flags. What can we do to avert the next school shooting? We need better bystander reporting and response systems nationwidemaking sure schools tell their students to report anything of concern, and students have adults they can trust to take appropriate action. Systems like this can be used to report tips anonymously, and when those tips get investigated, it might be found out if someone's stockpiling weapons or other really concerning behaviors are going on. Since Colorado's system, Safe2Tell, was launched in 2004, it is estimated that well over 1,500 planned school attacks have been averted. Schools should also have systems in place to share information, not only within the school but also with law enforcement, if necessary, and other community partners outside the school. In the Arapaho High School shooting, our research saw 27 missed opportunities to intervene. With the shooter in Parkland, Florida, we saw 69. Every school or district, depending on the size, should also have a threat assessment team that follows troubled students over time, even after they finish K-12. We've got to come together as a community and be watching out for them, not in a punitive way but because we want them to transition well into an adulthood and not fall through the cracks. What can we do to prevent shootings in the community, like in grocery stores? We have to really be watching out for what's going on around us. And if we see concerning behavior, find a way to report it. As part of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant, we are currently working on something like this in a few Denver neighborhoodsa community-based bystander reporting system that reports to members of the community, who can then decide if the tip needs to go to law enforcement or other support networks. There are also other upstream prevention measures we can take early in life to prevent someone from ever getting to a point at which they want to get a gun and use it for criminal reasons. In elementary school, we can do more to help young people develop the capacity to manage their emotions in a healthy way. In middle school, we can put bullying prevention programs in place. In high school, we can develop programs to help with the transition into adulthood. All this can help keep grievances against society from growing and eliminate the pathways to radicalization and violence. Where does gun control fit in? The reality is the horse is out of the barn. There are so many guns out there that we've got to deal with the fact that if somebody wanted to get a gun and use it for criminal reasons, they likely could. That doesn't mean that we should not do everything we can to stop that from happening. I'm all for figuring out what the best evidence-based gun polices are and putting them in place. But we should not rely on gun control as our only strategy. Will this ever end? Our research shows that if we put the evidence-based programs that we know work in place right now, we could prevent at least 30% of violence in schools today. That's before we even start talking about gun policy and that could save a lot of lives. The solutions are not cheap, and they are not easy, but we can do this. California brown pelicans fly off Thornehill Broome Beach near Point Mugu, Calif., on May 16, 2021. Wildlife authorities are trying to determine why large numbers of California brown pelicans are being found sick and dying. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife says hundreds of the pelicans have been admitted to wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Southern and Central California since about May 13. Credit: AP Photo/John Antczak Wildlife authorities are trying to determine why large numbers of California brown pelicans are being found sick and dying. Hundreds of the pelicans, which are a protected species in the state, have been admitted to wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Southern and Central California since about May 13, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement. "The pelicans have been found emaciated and frequently with secondary injuries or broken wings. Many of these birds died shortly after arrival at a facility," it said. Results of postmortem examinations and testing of pelicans brought to rehabilitation facilities indicate the birds are dying from starvation-related problems, and there are no indications of disease or unusual parasites. "CDFW is unable to provide information on the underlying cause of this event at this time," the department said. The brown pelicans are an important part of the Pacific Coast ecosystem, feeding on northern anchovy, Pacific sardine and mackerel. Wildlife authorities urged the public to call a local wildlife rehabilitation facility if they see a sick or injured pelican, and also email the state Wildlife Health Laboratory. But they cautioned people to not touch or try to feed the birds. California brown pelicans fly off Thornehill Broome Beach near Point Mugu, Calif., on May 16, 2021. Wildlife authorities are trying to determine why large numbers of California brown pelicans are being found sick and dying. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife says hundreds of the pelicans have been admitted to wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Southern and Central California since about May 13. Credit: AP Photo/John Antczak People can use an online mortality reporting form when they find a dead pelican. The impact of the pesticide DDT, which caused eggshell thinning, led to the listing of California brown pelicans as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act in 1970. After DDT was banned, the species recovered and was removed from the U.S. endangered list in 2009. It remains protected under state law. Explore further Growing number of sick and dying California brown pelicans worries animal experts 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Everyone knows that while disinformation is a problem, social media is a powerful tool for communicating fast in an emergency. In 2011 only about 10% of the U.S. population turned to social media for information during a crisis, according to several studies. Today that number is closer to 70%. A new study from the University of Central Florida found that social media isn't just good for communicating. It can be a critical tool for collecting intelligence in real time to better deploy resources before and after hurricanes hit. Associate Professor of Public Administration Claire Connolly Knox looked at 23 Florida counties and their use of social media during Hurricane Irma. Results of the U.S. National Science Foundation study were recently published in the Disasters journal. For many Florida counties, Hurricane Irma in 2017 was the first time using social media during a disaster. Some counties were creative in using the latest social media tools, some didn't use any social media during a disaster, and most were somewhere in the middle, Knox says. Knox analyzed After Action Reports (AARs) from every county that completed them in Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Regions 4 through 7, which represents Central and southern Florida. These reports are not required by law but are considered a best practice to capture lessons learning during the response phase of an incident. The research team also held focus groups sessions to gather more detailed information. The in-person sessions included emergency managers from three counties (two coastal, one inland), one major city (population greater than 250,000), FDEM, the Florida Department of Transportation, a regional planning council, and two private sector organizations. "While 95% of the counties who used social media discussed it in positive terms in the AARs and focus group discussions, less than half of the counties engaged in two-way communication, or pulled information for situational awareness or rumor management," Knox says. "There is progress in using social media, but we certainly have a way to go." The findings can be grouped in two categories. Challenges Funding for enough staff to keep up with information during crisis. Some counties were creative and used mutual aid or emergency management assistance compacts for needed staffing, while others relied on digital volunteers. No broad use of monitoring software to track social media information, which the public assumes local government is engaging in throughout the disaster. Misinformation Not all agencies are taking into consideration social media information to make real time decisions No consistent policies or guidelines for managing multiple government social media channels Technical issues (access, power) Opportunities More government agencies recognize social media as communication vehicle General public is more familiar with many social media platforms Some agencies are tailoring information beyond Facebook that allows information to be targeted to specific neighborhoods. These include Twitter, Nextdoor, Instagram, YouTube, Periscope and Flickr. Sometimes, social media can be a critical tool. In one community, the 9-1-1 system went offline because of the storm. The local government was able to use social media to get critical information to its community. One lesson learnedthe public seeks out information about hurricanes on social media much more often before and during the storm than afterwards, so timing of messages is important as many lose power and are unable to access social media. Therefore, emergency managers are posting recovery information before the storm landfall. Additionally, knowing which social media account the public uses is vital. Nearly one-third of counties struggled with managing multiple social media accounts. For example, the City of Orlando has more than 50 social media accounts. Some counties were able to shut down and redirect the public to one Twitter or Facebook account for consistent disaster information. There are certainly challenges such as correcting bad information and combating rumors, but social media can also provide rich information that properly shared can help emergency managers and their teams better respond to emergencies such as hurricanes, the researcher said. Explore further Leveraging social media during a disaster More information: Claire Connolly Knox, Local emergency management's use of social media during disasters: case study of Hurricane Irma, Disasters (2022). Claire Connolly Knox, Local emergency management's use of social media during disasters: case study of Hurricane Irma,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/disa.12544 Farmers are being hit with unprecedentedly high costs for a number of production inputs. Credit: Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Blair Fannon A report by the Agricultural and Food Policy Center, AFPC, at Texas A&M University titled "Economic Impact of Higher Crop and Input Prices on AFPC's Representative Crop Farms" provides insights into the economic impacts of higher crop and major input prices on the center's 64 representative crop farms. The report was compiled by Joe Outlaw, Ph.D., and Bart Fischer, Ph.D., co-directors of the AFPC in the Department of Agricultural Economics of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M, Bryan-College Station. Other department contributors included Henry Bryant, Ph.D., J. Marc Raulston, George Knapek, and Brian Herbst. The AFPC is part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. About the report "This report is a follow-up to an AFPC briefing paper that analyzed the impact of higher fertilizer prices on the AFPC's representative farms done at the request of U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, explained Fischer. "The current report analyzes the economic impacts of higher crop and major input prices on 64 representative crop farms throughout the U.S." The analysis was requested by Sen. John Boozman, a ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. "Input suppliers around the world are having a tough time meeting demand for most of the major crop inputs," Outlaw said. "While there are many causes, the most cited revolve around the pandemic and the resulting supply chain and distribution problems that have persisted." He said in addition to supply chain and distribution issues, inputs such as fertilizer have also been hit with import duties by the U.S. International Trade Commission on phosphorus and urea ammonium nitrate solutions. "These factors, along with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, with both countries being major fertilizer exporters, have further limited fertilizer availability and led to even higher prices," Outlaw said. "The Russian invasion has also greatly reduced corn and wheat exports from Ukraine, which has led to higher crop prices around the world." Fischer said while producers are unquestionably facing higher prices for inputs, it was less clear how those high input prices were translating into increases in the cost of production. "For example, some producers locked in input prices last year before the significant run-up in prices, and we expect that most producers will reduce input use in response to higher prices," he said. Analysis of the report For this analysis, the AFPC sent each of the 489 representative farm panel members an email to solicit the amount spent per acre on inputs for the 2021 crop year and the amount they expect to spend this year. The percentage change for each category was calculated for each respondent. "This analysis focuses on the change in net cash farm income for 2022 relative to 2021 to determine whether expected commodity price increases are likely to offset input cost increases as reported by the representative farm panelists," Fischer said. "The ending cash balance on hand at the end of 2022 is also reported to indicate whether net farm income is high enough in 2022 to pay all other obligations such as principal payments, family living expenses and taxes." He said projections beyond this crop year for input costs were not possible due to the extreme volatility in input prices. The 64 crop farms by type included 25 feed grain and oilseed farms, 11 wheat farms, 13 cotton farms and 15 rice farms. Report results showed: Net cash farm income on the representative feed grain and oilseed farms is projected to decline by an average of $534,000 from 2021 to 2022 across the 25 feed grain and oilseed farms. Representative wheat farms face an average reduction in net cash farm income of $399,000. Representative cotton farms face an average reduction in net cash farm income of $716,000. Rice farms face the largest reduction in net cash farm income per farm at $880,000 and a per acre reduction of $442. Feedback from local producers Matt Huie, a farmer and rancher from Beeville, said rising input costs have significantly impacted operational expenses. In his farming operation, Huie plants about 50% cotton, 25% corn and 25% sorghum. "The increase in fertilizer has been the most notable of input costs," he said. "There have been several increases over the past year, and currently, we're paying more than double for it than at the same time last year." He said the cost of chemical inputs such as herbicides and insecticides has also risen and taken a chunk of his operational capital. "Some of these products are four times as expensive as last year and, due to supply chain issues, we've also had trouble just finding them," Huie said. He said as a result of higher input costs and drought, his crop yields for both cotton and corn are expected to be down more than 50% from last year. Huie said although commodity prices have been higher, they have still not been high enough to compensate for all the increased input costs. "There are likely to be commodity price decreases in the not-too-distant future, but it's probable that any reductions in input costs will be more gradual and will not be enough to offset those price reductions," he said. Huie said he estimates his operational costs will be close to $1 million more than last year due to input increases ranging from fertilizer to chemicals, fuel and other necessary supplies. L.G. Raun, a third-generation rice farmer in El Campo, said he has read the AFPC report and concurs with the conclusions, particularly those regarding the impact of increased inputs on rice farmers. "In addition to my fertilizer costs more than doubling, my energy costs have about doubled, and associated costs for machinery, parts and labor have gone up at least 20% from last year," he said. He noted the loss of revenue from rising costs will likely lead to a 38-year low in rice acres planted throughout the U.S. "In Texas, we planted about 186,000 acres of rice this year but only expect to plant about 175,000 acres next year," he said. Raun noted that this reduction in acres planted will also negatively affect the suppliers, processors and others who service the rice industry. He also said as producers plant less rice, customers will need to seek out other suppliers to meet their needs. "Once you've lost market share, it's pretty hard to get it back," he said. Raun said his budget projections indicate his rice farming operation will suffer a "six-digit loss" this year. Further considerations For context, Outlaw noted that net cash farm income in 2021 included a significant amount of ad hoc assistance. "Absent another infusion of assistance in 2022, we estimate that significant increases in input prices will result in a huge decline in net cash farm income in 2022 compared to 2021," he said. Outlaw noted, however, that despite significant reductions in net cash income compared to 2021, high commodity prices will likely still keep most of AFPC's representative farms in the black. "The noticeable outlier is rice, where two-thirds of the rice farms face losses in 2022," he said. Outlaw also noted much of the AFPC analysis hinges on producers being able to lock in high commodity prices at average yields. "But with drought ravaging half of the country and many other areas facing excess moisture, this assumption may be overly optimistic," he said. "This is perhaps the most important point to note because producers are beginning to plant a crop that will require them to put an enormousindeed historicamount of capital at risk." Explore further Report analyzes record-high fertilizer prices More information: Economic Impact of Higher Crop and Input Prices on AFPC's Representative Crop Farms: Economic Impact of Higher Crop and Input Prices on AFPC's Representative Crop Farms: afpc.tamu.edu/research/publica les/716/BP-22-06.pdf Population structure analyses of fin whales sampled in Icelandic waters in 1989 (red), 2009 (blue), and 2018 (green), respectively. (A) PCoA identified only one major fin whale population. (B) The admixture-like analysis (colors indicate clusters inferred by the algorithm) resulted in no clear structure, indicating free exchange of genetic material in this population over all three cohorts. Credit: Molecular Biology and Evolution (2022). DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac094 Fin whales are the second largest creatures on our planet, surpassed only by blue whales. They can reach a length of around 20 metersand require up to two metric tons of food per day. Accordingly, they release enormous amounts of nutrientswith significant effects on the ecosystems of the oceans. However, industrial whaling has significantly reduced their numbers. It was geared towards the oil of whales as raw material and was particularly intensive between 1880 and an international agreement in 1986. Today, the number of fin whales worldwide is estimated at about 100,000 animals; the species is considered endangered according to the Red List. A new study by scientists from the LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center (SBiK-F) as well as from Icelandic and Swedish research institutions shows the consequences of their decimation for the populations and especially for the genomic diversity of fin whales. Fortunately, their results show no long-term genetic weakening of this species. After fin whales were hunted at the beginning of the 20th century until the local whaling industry collapsed in some places due to declining catch numbersfor example in 1904 in the waters around the Norwegian Finnmarkthere were fears of glaring consequences, including the extinction of the species through inbreeding. For the study published in the scientific journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, the scientists now examined 51 genomes of a North Atlantic fin whale population from Icelandic waters for the first time. Using the samples from 1989, 2009 and 2018, they developed demographic models that allow conclusions to be drawn about population changes over around 800 years. The analyses focused on the question of whether whaling also affected the genetic diversity of fin whales. The team concludes that whaling had a strong impact on the populations in the North Atlantic, decimating them to up to twenty percent of their previous size within about one hundred years. However, the team also showed that different populations were hit differently by whaling, as the genomes of some animals showed little or no trace of this population reduction. "Looking at the genetic diversity of a species allows us to draw conclusions about whether and how well that species can adapt to new environmental conditions or changes in its population, or whether it is likely to become extinct," explains the study's first author, Magnus Wolf from the SBiK-F and the Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity at Goethe University Frankfurt. "Therefore, genomic analysis often reveals developments before they become overt. In the case of North Atlantic fin whales, however, we were unable to detect any significant loss of diversity in the long-term perspective." Other genetic consequences within the depleted fin whale stocks also seem to have been absent. The scientists found no evidence of frequent inbreeding, where genomes become unnaturally similar, nor did they find a large number of genetic defects that would affect the population in the long-term. "Such mutations occur all the time, but they are more significant in small populations, because sometimes there are no animals without the mutation left to prevail," says Wolf. Compared to more endangered whale species like the blue whale or the North Atlantic right whale, the recovery of fin whales seems to be primarily hindered by the current influence of humans. These include increasing shipping traffic and pollution of the seas. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified fin whales as an endangered species. Therefore, there is currently no all-clear for their situation, says Prof. Dr. Axel Janke, lead scientist of the study. "It is fascinating how genomic findings can add to our perspective on whale conservation. The field of genomics not only evolves to a key technology for conservation management but also helps us to understand what biodiversity is and how we can use it. Whales are not only iconic animals, but they also appear to be resistant to cancer despite their long lifespan of up to one hundred years and their body size. Decoding the genomic mechanisms that cause this paradox might help us approach one of the most impactful diseases in human history." Explore further Exploring the murky history of the chase for the blue whale More information: Magnus Wolf et al, Genomic Impact of Whaling in North Atlantic Fin Whales, Molecular Biology and Evolution (2022). Journal information: Molecular Biology and Evolution Magnus Wolf et al, Genomic Impact of Whaling in North Atlantic Fin Whales,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac094 Research by Nicola Limodio, Bocconi University, Milan, supports the use of financial counterterrorism. Terrorists depend on local funding availability, as they struggle to move money around, and we should limit their ability to access financing. Credit: Weiwei Chen Terrorist attacks are highly responsive to local funding availability, and financial counter-terrorism can, thus, be effective in reducing terrorism casualties, according to new research by Nicola Limodio (Department of Finance, Bocconi University) forthcoming in Econometrica. There have been a record number of terrorist attacks in the past decade. Many scholars agree that this might be driven by increases in the ability of terrorist organizations to secure funding and recruit new members. As a response, several financial counter-terrorism measures were launched. These are often efforts to 'follow the money' and freeze bank accounts of potential terrorists and their supporters. But financial counter-terrorism has been criticized as not only very costly but also ineffective, as terrorist organizations may be able to swiftly dissipate their funds through affiliates in several locations and to use it where and when they wish. Nicola Limodio challenges the critics of financial counter-terrorism, offering evidence on the financial frictions faced by terrorist groups and the role of counterterrorism in further tightening these frictions. In his recent paper, Prof. Limodio provides a pioneering quantitative assessment of terrorism, recruitment and financing. He shows that terrorist attacks are sensitive to local funding: terrorist organizations launch attacks where and when they receive funds. This is of clear policy relevance. If terrorism depends on local funding availability, financial counter-terrorism can be effective insofar as it limits the ability of terrorist organizations to access funds. To arrive at this finding, Prof. Limodio studied the variation in funding to terrorist groups across time and place in Pakistan and the effects on the incidence of terrorist attacks. He did this via a rather unexpected channel: the Zakat, a practice whereby Muslims make a charitable donation to the poor during the period of the Ramadan. Unfortunately, lack of oversight and the fact that many extremist groups have a legal charity branch imply that some of these funds end up in the hands of terrorists. In the same period, the Pakistani government collects, from Sunni Muslims, a Zakat levy (to be used in aid to the vulnerable population after Ramadan) equal to 2.5% of individual bank deposits above a certain threshold. Such a threshold corresponds to the price of 612.32 grams of silver. Therefore, when the price of silver is higher, a smaller part of the deposits is levied, and people have more money to donate in the Zakat. Indeed, Limodio finds that a higher price of silver leads to more donations. Thus, changes in the price of silver affect how much funding goes to terrorist organizations and allows us to observe how funding affects the decisions of terrorist groups to launch attacks. Prof. Limodio finds that more funding driven by higher prices of silver leads to more terrorist attacks in cities with a Sunni majority (the group that is subject to the levy on deposits). Terrorist attacks are thus sensitive to funding: if a terrorist group receives more funds in a given city, it will increase attacks in this city. And this happens only for capital-intense terrorist activities such as bombs and heavily armed assaults. Terrorist events with low financing are not responsive to variations in funding. Additionally, Prof. Limodio uses AI to obtain measures of terrorist recruiting in online forums and using this measure, he finds that in periods of strong terrorist recruitment, the effect of additional funding on attacks is even stronger. These results give us an important insight about the role and importance of financing in terrorist organizations. If such organizations had no constraints in moving funds across time and space, more funding in a given place wouldn't necessarily lead to more attacks there. Thus, Prof. Limodio's research provides evidence that terrorist organizations are indeed limited in their ability to move funds. As Limodio mentions "showing the existence of financial frictions through data is crucial to understand the behavior of terrorist groups and study the most effective policies to empower financial counterterror to lower attacks and casualties". Explore further Do terrorist attacks affect ethnic discrimination in the labor market? More information: Terrorism Financing, Recruitment and Attacks, Econometrica (2022): Terrorism Financing, Recruitment and Attacks,(2022): www.econometricsociety.org/sys em/files/18530-3.pdf Provided by Bocconi University Timely vaccinations helped Pakistan confine lumpy skin disease but religious festival threatens progress. Credit: Zaka Ullah Pathan. While Pakistan has managed to confine an outbreak of lumpy skin disease that affects cattle and buffaloes there are fears that cattle fairs ahead of the religious festival Eid-ul-Azha might trigger a second wave. The viral disease spread by insects can seriously affect cows' milk production and damage reproductive organs, say animal health experts. Vaccines arrived from Turkey in early April, five months after the first reported cases in Pakistan, and within two weeks of free-of-charge administration to 1.9 million cattle, the disease had begun to subside. "Our target (for Sindh province) is four million cattle by June," said Nazeer Hussain Kalhoro, director-general of the Sindh Institute of Animal Health, Karachi. Overall, there are 42 million buffaloes and 51 million cattle in Pakistan, according to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. But Eid ul Azhaa religious festival where animals are sacrificed falling in the second week of Julycould result in a second wave of the disease if the customary cattle fairs are allowed to go ahead, warns Zaka Ullah Pathan, a veterinarian based in Khairpur, Sindh province. Shahbaz Rasool managed to get his herd of 40 cows vaccinated against the fast-spreading, lumpy skin disease in the nick of time last week, but the danger is far from over. "I will know for sure after 28 days if they are out of danger," the dairy farmer told SciDev.Net by phone from Gujrat, in Punjab province. Rasool decided not to wait for the government to vaccinate his animals and bought the imported vaccine. A 100-milliliter bottle is selling for PKR 44,000 (US$220) and 1 milliliter is needed per cow. Livestock contributed 60.1% of the agriculture and 11.5% to the gross domestic product during the 2021 financial year, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 202021. Milk is the most important commodity in the livestock sector. Pakistan is ranked fourth in milk production worldwide after China, India and the U.S. Rasool's is among eight million families engaged in the livestock industry. He is worried that if the disease is not contained it will wipe out many small dairy farmers. The vector-borne virus that causes lumpy skin disease is found among cows and water buffaloes and is spread primarily through biting insects like mosquitoes and ticks. It first surfaced in Zambia in 1929. Infected cattle typically suffer from "high temperature, much discomfort and loss of milk production," says Tahir Yaqub, spokesperson of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore. "The nodes developed on the body look rather unsightly and may carry pus if there is bacterial infection. However, it is fine to consume meat and milk from an infected animal provided it was cooked well and the latter pasteurized properly," he added. If a female cow is infected, its reproductive organs are badly affected, says Pathan. In addition, the milk productivity of a cow producing eight liters on an average will drop down to less than 1.5 liters. In Karachi, provincial capital of Sindh, Shakir Umer Gujjar, president of Pakistan's Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association, said as the disease spread people stopped buying milk causing enormous losses to farmers who then were compelled to sell the milk to big companies at vastly reduced prices. "They bought our milk for as little as PKR 800 (US$4) for 40 liters instead of the standard rate of Rs 4,780 (US$24) for 40 literswe were thankful for even that," said Gujjar. The disease, which has already infected animals in India and Iran, was first reported in Pakistan in November 2021 from Bahawalpur, Punjab province. "Animals often cross borders and may have come from India where the disease was already present," says Kalhoro. On the potential of a resurgence around Eid ul Azha, Kalhoro reassured that there would be several checkpoints at the borders between Punjab and Sindh to screen animals and turn back infected ones. "They will need to be certified to be healthy and vaccinated, like the cards we carry to show for COVID-19 vaccination," he said. Yaqub suspected the disease to have originated with imported livestock landed at the port of Karachi last year. According to Pathan, of the 28 animals that were imported "none were quarantined" as required. Guijar supported Kalhoro's assertion that the disease subsequently spread in the port city of Karachi, where commercial farming is practiced on a large scale. "After writing to top officials and even the prime minister, the government finally took action, but the damage was done," said Gujjar. "Had I not created a noise, the disease would have devastated the entire cattle population of Pakistan, but has now been contained in Sindh. We even sent samples to the National Veterinary Laboratory, in Islamabad," said Kalhoro. "It took them till 4 March to confirm and declare the outbreak officially." Explore further New Zealand on verge of wiping out painful cattle disease Provided by SciDev.Net ExoMars rover on top of landing platform. Credit: Thales Alenia Space/ESA, CC BY Just a few months ago, we were confidently expecting to launch our rover, Rosalind Franklin, to Mars in September as part of the ExoMars mission, a collaboration between Europe and Russia. The landing was planned for June 2023. Everything was ready: the rover, the operations team and the eager scientists. The final preparations started in February 21, with part of our team heading to Turin, Italy, to carry out the final alignment and calibration tests. All was going well, though some of the team were slightly delayed by Storm Eunice in the U.K. Three days later, they had nevertheless finished the workleaving some wonderful data, which would help us decide where Rosalind would drill on Mars. The industry team started packing the rover, which was ready to be shipped to the launch site. Then, a storm far more powerful and tragic than Eunice descended on Ukraine: Russia's invasion. The situation developed in the next days and weeks, leading to a series of emergency meetings. On March 17, the European Space Agency (ESA)'s council and member states decided to suspend our mission. We won't know for sure what happens next until a study by ESA and industry partners reports back in Julybut there are causes for optimism. The Rosalind Franklin rover is unique among all the rovers planned for Mars. It can drill deeper than any before itup to 2 meters below the harsh surface. This is important as the subsurface is protected from harmful radiation, and could therefore contain signs of past or present life. Rosalind's instruments include our PanCam, which is a camera that will do geology and atmospheric science on Marscomplemented by the other cameras and a sub-surface sounding radar. Rosalind will also collect pristine samples from below the surface which will be deposited in the "analytical drawer," where three instruments will do mineralogy and search for signs of life. Some 3.8 billion years ago, at the same time as life was emerging on Earth, Mars was habitable too. There is evidence from orbiters and landers of water on the surface thenthere would have been clouds, rain and a thick atmosphere. There was also a global protective magnetic field, and volcanos. This means Mars essentially had all the right ingredients for lifecarbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. If life emerged there like it did on Earth, we were on a track to find it. The climate has changed significantly since Mars lost its magnetic field 3.8 billion years ago, though. The planet is now is dry, cold, has a thin atmosphere and a surface hostile for life. But below the surface, some living species may have survived, or remains of them could be conserved. Other missions to Mars are looking for life too. The amazing NASA Perseverance rover landed in February 2021. Its scientists are partly guided by images from a Nasa helicopter on the planet, called Ingenuity, and it recently reached an ancient river delta. Perseverance is collecting samples from Jezero crater, ready to be brought back to powerful labs on Earth by the Mars sample return missions. The results will hopefully complement those from Rosalind Franklinwhich will examine deeper samples from a different and slightly older site, Oxia Planum, where there is also abundant evidence of a watery past. Options for Rosalind Russia was meant to help launch Rosalind Franklin on one of its rockets. While a European-built spacecraft would then take it to Mars, a Russian-built platform would again be needed to land it. Russia was also meant to provide radioactive heaters to keep the batteries of the rover warm in the cold Martian nights. Now, ESA is looking at options. Given that continuing with Russia in 2024 is most unlikely, the main possibilities are either ESA going it alone, or teaming up with a partner such as NASA. ESA's new Ariane-6 rocket, which is nearly ready, could help launch the rover, as could a SpaceX rocket. For the lander and heaters, ESA would need to develop these alone or in collaboration with NASA, by adapting existing technology. It could therefore take time. What's more, because of the way the planets orbit the sun, there are opportunities for launches to Mars only every two years: in 2024, 2026 and so on. My expectation is that 2028 is most likely for our mission, but it will require hard work. The positive thing is that ESA and the member states are still keen to go ahead, and we are eagerly looking forward to the launch whenever that will be. Ultimately, life changed for the Rosalind Franklin team on February 24. I've been working on the mission since 2003, when we first proposed a camera system for what became ExoMars. We had already provided the "stereo camera system" for ESA's ill-fated Beagle 2, which very nearly worked when it landed on Christmas Day 2003. But orbiter images later showed that the last solar panel didn't quite unfurl, so communications with Earth were impossible. The wait for data from the Martian surface for our team goes on. There is no getting away from the huge disappointment we felt when the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover that we had worked on for almost 20 years was suspended. But it was ultimately a necessary and understandable step, and we now look forward to a future launch. This still is cutting-edge science, and it will be for the rest of this decade. Due to the uniquely deep drilling, Rosalind Franklin still may be the first mission to find signs of life in space. Explore further No European Mars mission this year, due to war in Ukraine This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. SARATOGA SPRINGS One of the two men who killed a former Whitehall resident trying to break up a fight outside at Saratoga Springs bar last summer was sentenced to 4 years in prison. James J. Garafalo, 28, of Saratoga Springs, pleaded guilty in Saratoga County Court on Wednesday to felony second-degree assault for his role in the Aug. 14 incident that resulted in the death of 53-year-old Mark C. French. French was trying to break up a fight outside Clancys Tavern on Caroline Street on Aug. 14 when he was struck on the back of the head by Garafalo and his brother Jordan M. Garafalo. French fell to the ground and his head struck the pavement. He was taken to Albany Medical Center and ultimately died from his injuries. French lived in South Carolina, but also had ties to the Saratoga Springs community and is originally from Whitehall. He is a retired corrections officer who had worked at Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock. His widow, Angela French, told the court that Mark French was her husband and friend for 31 years and because of Garafalos actions, I dont get to wake up with a kiss and a cup of coffee made just the way I like it. Ill never again feel the absolute safety and comfort of being completely enveloped by Marks warm embrace. She went on to say that she forgave Garafalo and prayed that the next time that he has to choose between violence and patience that he makes a different choice. Garafalo had faced a charge of second-degree manslaughter but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge. He also pleaded guilty to aggravated felony offense in an unrelated domestic violence case in which he violated an order of protection by having contact with the protected party in jail on Jan. 27. He received a 2- to 4-year sentence in that case to run concurrently with the assault sentence. Garafalo will also have to serve 5 years of post-release supervision when he is released from prison. Charges are still pending against Jordan M. Garafalo. 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. GLENS FALLS Glens Falls Department of Public Works employees used a leaf blower to clear off a large stencil before spraying the first Glens Falls Arts District sidewalk stamp in front of The Chapman Museum on Thursday. This has been eight years coming, said Kate Austin-Avon, co-founder and administrator of the Arts District, as the DPW workers unveiled the finished trail marker. There were 12 total trail makers at the 10 arts locations in the Arts District. There were two sidewalk stamps placed at Cool Insuring Arena and The Shirt Factory, according to Austin-Avon. The sidewalk stamps are one part of the trail, which runs from The Chapman Museum to The Hyde Collection. Austin-Avon said that the banners and bicycle-shaped bike racks that can be seen around the city are also indicators for the 10 organizations along the arts trail. There will be more stamps in the coming weeks to kind of connect the dots and make a walking path from one arts destination to the next, she said. There are three murals planned in connection to the Arts District for buildings in the city. Austin-Avon said that the murals will be inspired by nature. One will be painted on the big blue wall found (facing Hudson Avenue) on the building where Dominos Pizza is located. The second mural will go on the Apostolic Christian Fellowship building at 103 Warren St. Its a nature scene with a waterfall and some hot air balloons going over on the blue wall, and different wildlife going on the other one, she said. Were still trying to get a final design. The bike racks will be put out at the 10 arts destinations along the trail. Sponsorships are available for the bike racks. They can be sponsored at $750 per rack for a two-year sponsorship and $1,500 per rack for a 10-year sponsorship. There are still five opportunities to sponsor and get your name on a bike rack, which is a pretty cool way to advertise, Austin-Avon said. The arts trail also includes electrical boxes that were painted by local artists last year. Austin-Avon said that there will be three more electric boxes painted along the trail. She said that the Arts District is wrapping up the work that is being funded by the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. The Arts District was awarded $125,000 of the city's $10 million DRI grant. But that doesnt mean the trail will be finished. We want to be adding to this trail, she said. If anybody would like to fund public art they are more than welcome to make a donation. To donate to the Arts District and learn more about the initiative, visit artsdistrictgf.com. Donations can also be sent to the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council. Austin-Avon said that donations sent to LARAC must specifically indicate that they are for the Arts District. Jay Mullen is a reporter for The Post-Star covering the city of Glens Falls, Warren County and crime and courts. You can reach him at 518-742-3224 or jmullen@poststar.com. Love 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. Fifty years ago, Glens Falls restaurateur Vincenzo Jim DeSantis was selected as grand marshal of the Glens Falls Memorial Day Parade. DeSantis was an Italian immigrant who was proud to have been born on the Fourth of July. The United States of America is the greatest country in the world, and Im proud that they let me live here. We even have the same birthday, but I was born in Europe, he once said. He served stateside in the U.S. Army during World War I. His selection as grand marshal in 1972 was to honor his serving of free meals to members of the military in uniform during World War II, a patriotic act that brought worldwide fame. It is estimated that 52,570 dinners were given to uniformed personnel in all, and over a 1,360-day period that would average a little more than 40 dinners per day, The Post-Star reported on Dec. 8, 1966. The boys do the fighting, so theyre going to eat just as long as I can stay in business, he said, around the time he began offering the free meals on Dec. 7, 1942, the one-year anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He continued offering the free meals at his restaurant at the corner of Lawrence and Cherry streets, in the citys First Ward, until World War II ended. DeSantis got the idea for offering free meals when he and his wife had recently visited New York City to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. It was too cold to walk in Central Park, so they took a walk through Grand Central Station instead. Mother noticed the GIs all over the place slouched on the floor, asleep on benches. And she said to my father, These boys look like they could use a good meal, son Jimmy DeSantis told The Post-Star in 2001. And my father said, There isnt much we can do about it now. But when he got home, he started offering free dinners to servicemen. DeSantis, the father, printed up coupons good for a free dinner when visiting Glens Falls, and distributed them to military bases around the world. Some military personnel posted the coupons on bulletin boards at USO clubs. DeSantis also had signs put up on Route 9, advertising the free meals for military personnel. The 1972 Memorial Day parade was not the first time DeSantis had been honored for his generosity. In 1946, Glens Falls area residents voted DeSantis winner of the Best Glens Falls Neighbor award, a contest run by WTRY radio of Albany. During the war, Mr. DeSantis circulated cards in U.S. military installations throughout the world inviting servicemen and servicewomen to be his guests at dinner if they ever came to Glens Falls, The Post-Star reported on April 29, 1946. Radio announcers presented DeSantis with a watch at a ceremony broadcast live from the Rialto Theatre on Warren Street in Glens Falls. In 1984, the New York Northeast Division of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks selected Anna DeSantis, wife of Vincenzo, as Mother of the Year, recognizing her role in the patriotic feeding of military personnel. More than 300 people attended a reception in her honor, The Post-Star reported on May 7, 1984. Vincenzo DeSantis was born at Pompei, Italy, in 1893, and immigrated to the United States at age 19. He settled at Glens Falls and worked as a carpenter. Anna DeSantis was born at Rome, Italy, in 1897, and immigrated to the United States with her family at age 15. The family settled at Glens Falls, where Anna worked part-time at the Matinee Waist Co., a blouse factory, while learning the rudiments of the English language. The couple married in 1917. After World War I, Vincenzo DeSantis operated the Lawrence Hotel, a saloon, and the Lawrence Street Grocery and Meat Market, according to Post-Star archive reports. Prohibition ended the saloon aspect. After Prohibition ended, Vincenzo wanted to get back into the saloon business, but was required to serve food in order to get a liquor license. Vincenzo asked Anna if she might be willing to make up a few sandwiches and warm up some soup, in order to meet the letter of the law. Her cooking proved popular, and soon the food was the main attraction at the establishment. Vincenzo and Anna retired in 1958. Son Philip DeSantis operated the restaurant until 1965, when he turned it over to Jimmy DeSantis, another son. Vincent DeSantis Jr., another son, was mayor of Glens Falls from 1994 to 1997. Maury Thompson was a Post-Star reporter for 21 years before he retired in 2017. He now is a freelance history writer and documentary film producer who routinely researches historic newspapers of the region. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 WHITEHALL Heather Gordon picked up her camera and took a photograph of the entire student body at Whitehall Elementary School saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Its been a very long time since weve had that, said the teacher, who was taking pictures of students during the 47th annual Memorial Day ceremony Thursday morning. The popular ceremony hasnt taken place the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. School officials brought it back this year as a couple of hundred parents watched. Also back this year was the master of ceremonies, Joe Capron, a retired art teacher who started the Memorial Day program a year after he started teaching in Whitehall in 1972. Its like coming home, said Capron, who spent 36 years teaching and retired 15 years ago. Students from pre-K through sixth-grade dressed from head to toe in red, white and blue, took turns entertaining each other and the crowd of onlookers with songs and poems about Memorial Day and patriotism. Memorial Day is an American holiday observed in the last Monday of May honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military, Principal Judy Gould told her students. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings or participating in parades. Whitehall Mayor Julie Eagan told students that Memorial Day is both a happy and sad holiday. Its sad to think about people in the military having to go to war, she said, and its even sadder to remember that some of them died and some of them may die in the future. But we should also be proud. We should be proud that we have men and women in our military who are willing to put their lives on the line to defend all of our freedom. She encouraged kids to celebrate Memorial Day by drawing patriotic artwork, going to a parade or holding a moment of silence with their family members. Michael Effertz from the American Legion explained the relevance of the POW MIA flag. He told the students that 22,000 World War II veterans are still missing in action. There are more than 1,600 Vietnam veterans still missing. On the flag is a soldier who is taken prisoner by the enemy, Effertz said. Hes praying praying to get home to his family, praying that he doesnt have to die where he is. And the enemy towers over him with the barbed wire keeping him in. One students from every classroom received a Good Citizenship Award and medal. The flag raised during the flag ceremony flew for the rest of the day to remember James Lafayette, a lifetime member of the American Legion, who died in August. The ceremony ended as the entire student body sang the song, Remember to Remember. Gretta Hochsprung writes features and hometown news. She can be reached at 518-742-3206 or ghochsprung@poststar.com. 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. ATLANTIC CITY Gov. Phil Murphy climbed the Absecon Lighthouses 228 steps Friday morning to kick off Memorial Day weekend at the Jersey Shore, where he found the view fogged in and the wind somewhat fierce. Im not great with heights, Murphy said as he stepped out on the viewing platform briefly, got buffeted by gusts and quickly went back inside. Murphy chose to open the summer there because he had heard about 94-year-old volunteer lighthouse keeper Buddy Grover and wanted to meet him. Im always with the team each year thinking, How do I kick the summer off? This is a big day for us for the state and for the Jersey Shore, Murphy said. I said, I should go meet Buddy and climb the Absecon Lighthouse, and that brought us to today. Press of Atlantic City meteorologist Joe Martucci is predicting the holiday weekend will earn a B in his shore summer weekend weather report card. The shores weather will get better as the weekend goes on, Martucci said, with Monday looking to be the best beach day. Grover on Friday gave the governor a presentation on the lighthouse, which was built in 1857 and is New Jerseys tallest. Strong storms then sun, your day-to-day guide to Memorial Day weekend's weather We watched the leaves turn red only to fall off the trees. We saw the snowiest January in re And he put in a pitch for the state-owned structure to get a little TLC. It needs $3 million in work to fix a moisture problem, Grover said. Barnegat Lighthouse is now undergoing a renovation project to fix its water intrusion problems, Grover said. That sister lighthouse to Absecon is closed until October for the work, but the park around it remains open. Grover also told Murphy about his familys history in New Jersey, which dates to the 17th century. Youve heard of Grovers Mills ... in War of the Worlds? Buddy asked of the town where Orson Welles had aliens land in his famous 1938 radio rendition of the H.G. Wells novel. Thats my family. As Grover guided the governor on a tour, his quick pace up the stairs was impressive. Im having a tough time keeping up with Buddy, Murphy said. Some visitors were surprised to see the governor at the top as they finished their climb. Oh, my gosh, thats the governor! said Northfield resident Peter West, there with his 3-year-old grandson Landon McCloud. I voted for you. Id like to get a picture. The two had their photos taken with Murphy, as did two brothers visiting the resort from Washington, D.C. I used to work for the Democratic Party in South Carolina, said Jonathan Wang, 30, as he stepped up for his photo with Murphy. His brother Justin Wang, 27, at first declined a photo, prompting the governor to joke, So you must have worked for the Republican Party in South Carolina. Justin changed his mind and posed with Murphy. Grover volunteers twice a week, he said. That means he must climb the lighthouse to station himself at the top, where he talks about the history of the 165-year-old structure, how it went from kerosene to electric powered in 1925, and then was decommissioned in 1933 because newly built tall hotels in town were brighter and outshone the lighthouse. Hes been volunteering for more than 12 years, Grover said. He lives in an apartment complex three blocks away. Murphy said goodbye and headed for solid ground as Grover stayed at the top to greet more visitors. The governor said he would spend much of the weekend making appearances at veterans ceremonies and spending time with family. REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Messick, 40, is a longtime chef in this Jersey Shore resort town known for its grand front porches and fine dining. This year he took a big leap, opening Grana, his very own, 68-seat, BYO restaurant. Thats why, when the delivery truck appeared to head off in the wrong direction, Messick burst from the curb and started running after it. Yes, I was sprinting and I thought, I cant believe Im doing this, he said. When I caught up to him I said, I think you have some deliveries for me. Up and down the Jersey Shore each summer, businesses rise and fall like the tides. For every boardwalk pizza institution slinging hot slices for decades, theres a new dreamer out there crafting up experimental ice cream or alternative French fries on sticks, trying to lure in new customers. Some dont last the summer, and others, like Ocean Citys monkey bread, catch on and become a shore staple. Messick is fulfilling a lifelong dream with Grana, without the gimmicks. The lengthy menu is modern American, with pasta dishes, steaks and, of course, some locally sourced seafood like scallops. Given his pedigree, Messick said the new venture doesnt feel like a gamble. People know he can cook. Born and raised just outside Avalon, Messick attended the prestigious New England Culinary Institute in Vermont before working his way through many Jersey Shore restaurants. In Cape May, he was the executive chef of the Ebbitt Room in the Virginia Hotel, then went on to cook in Stone Harbor for several years before becoming executive chef of the Peter Shields Inn. He stepped down there recently, after 12 years, to start Grana, named after a type of cheese. Peter Shields was the best job I ever had, and if I ever left, it had to be a perfect scenario, he said. Ive had other opportunities before, in other towns, but they always felt like gambles. This kind of fell in my lap. Southern Cape towns to recognize Pride month CAPE MAY Three local communities have agreed to recognized June as Pride Month, according Before Messick ever cooked a meal there, Grana had 800 reservations booked through the summer. On the morning of Granas soft opening, a cool Friday in early May, the chaos, those exciting opening-night jitters, continued. Someone was trimming a tree out front. A repairman was fixing the soda lines. Messicks soon-to-be mother-in-law, LeAnn Russ, was filling salt shakers. The La Colombe coffee would be brewed by Black + Decker until a fancier machine made its way down the supply chain. Crazy, but exciting, Russ said. Messick agreed to let the Philadelphia Inquirer stop by before the curtain rose. He said it was a bad day to talk but was too polite to say no outright. He arrived around 11 a.m., wrestling a brand new chest freezer through the back door, and looked around for a place to plug it in. The freezer would be in the way, for now, but at least the ice cream wouldnt melt. That night Messick was at the restaurant until 2 a.m. dreaming of creme brulee recipes and scanning the endless checklist in his head. Phone calls went unanswered, and the front door went unlocked, leading to strangers popping in with giant flower bouquets and urgent pleas to put ads in the local dining guide. Uhh, I cant commit right now, Messick told the salesman. Im just too busy right now. Projection: NJ cannabis could be a $2B industry in five years Edmund DeVeaux looks forward to a time when a cannabis store downtown in your community does Grana sits at Broadway and Perry streets in Cape May, across the street from Wilbraham Park, in a nearly 100-year-old building once occupied by Godmothers, a longtime Italian staple. The decor at Godmothers was old-school cozy, with wood paneling covering half the walls and old, black-and-white photos above them. Outside, there were awnings and vines and an ornate, hand-painted sign. The restaurant closed before the 2021 season. Messick said he had about eight weeks to turn the space around to hit his May 2022 goal. Behind the Godmothers sign was another one, for the Old Ship restaurant, and according to CapeMay.com, the building was also once a pharmacy, ice cream parlor and a luncheonette a whole collection of Jersey Shore businesses that came and went. There was a lot of painting, Messick said. We tried to keep it nice and simple. On opening day, the restaurant was clean, with a white, black and gray palette and a few pieces of modern art on the walls. One leftover from Godmothers, a full-length stained glass door by the bathroom, remains, for now. The plan is to remain open year-round, but Messick said Grana could close for a few weeks each year for renovations. The door may go. We havent decided if we like it or not, Messick said. Just before noon, Messick put on his chefs coat and began checking the temperature of the ovens. Employees came through the back door with coffee and started opening the piles of boxes stacked around. Messick had about a dozen employees and expected that number to grow to about 20 by the height of summer. Are sewer lines a possibility for Upper Township? UPPER TOWNSHIP Mayor Curtis Corson sees big potential in connecting to municipal sewer lines. The first customers, mostly friends and family, would be seated at 5 p.m. The soft opening, he said, was supposed to be a grace period for the big reveal on Memorial Day weekend, a time to notice and fix any kinks before summer gets rolling. You get a pass, usually, and he hopes food critics can give him a month or two. I mean, I cant control that, but I really hope a critic didnt come on opening night, he said. Im making coffee with a Black + Decker machine. A Rock Island man must serve up to 50 years in an Illinois prison for shooting another man in 2021. Devin Jacob Johnson, 40, was accused of shooting Kelvin Bell, also of Rock Island, on Jan. 24, 2021. Rock Island police investigating a report of a shooting victim found Bell, 41 at the time, in a vehicle in the area of the 900 block of 42nd Avenue. He had been shot in the head and was hospitalized for life-threatening wounds. In March, a jury found Johnson guilty of first-degree attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm, according to Rock Island County court records. On Tuesday, Rock Island County Chief Circuit Judge Frank Fuhr sentenced him to up to 50 years in prison, with the single sentence covering both charges. Johnson must serve at least 85% 42 years of the sentence before he can be considered for release, Fuhr said Thursday. At the time Bell was shot, Johnson was serving three years of supervised release on a federal firearms conviction. On May 1, 2013, a federal jury found Johnson guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, a TEC-DC 9mm handgun with a loaded high-capacity magazine, according to federal court records. Johnson had the weapon on Aug. 12, 2012, and was first arrested by Rock Island Police, but the resulting local prosecution was dropped after a federal grand jury indicted him on Sept. 19, 2012. He was taken into federal custody on Oct. 5, 2012. Johnsons federal case went to trial, and he was found guilty. On Nov. 15, 2013, U.S. District Chief Judge James Shadid sentenced Johnson to 108 months, or nine years, in federal prison, followed by three years on federal supervised release. Johnson was released from federal prison on May 22, 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons electronic records. It was his second stint in federal prison on a firearms charge. In 2006, he was sentenced to 57 months, or four years and nine months, in federal prison on a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SATURDAY, MAY 28 Ceremony: Davenport City Cemetery, 1625 Rockingham Road. When: 1:30 p.m. What to expect: Scott County's oldest cemetery will honor all who are buried there, including our nation's veterans. A free hand-held U.S. flag will be given to all who attend the event. Good to know: Davenport City Cemetery volunteers are also giving special acknowledgement to two previously unrecognized U.S. Civil War veterans, whose graves have laid unmarked for decades. These two U.S. servicemen are Stephen van Fleet - Co K, 37th Iowa Infantry and Johann Krusch - Company F, 5th Iowa Cavalry Regiment. Both of these veterans have recently obtained their long overdue headstones as furnished by the U.S. Veterans Administration and installed by Volunteers of the Davenport City Cemetery Partnership. Both individuals also obtained a Presidential Certificate of Service from U.S. President Joe Biden. More information can be obtained at: DavenportCityCemtery@yahoo.com. MONDAY, MAY 30 Ceremony: Scott County Historical Memorial Day Service at the Historic Summit Church, Utica Ridge Road, 21980 210th Ave., Davenport. When: 9 a.m. What to expect: Honor guard presenting the U.S. flag, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance led by a veteran, the singing of patriotic songs, listening to patriotic speeches, and reading of a roll call of Scott County veterans. Good to know: After the service, will move into the adjoining cemetery for 21-gun salute to all veterans past and present. Following the tribute, everyone is invited to remain and enjoy fellowship and refreshments at the historic country church. The service is one of the oldest continuous observances of Memorial Day West of the Mississippi River. --- Ceremony: Central Park, 1208 4th St., Orion, Ill. When: 10 a.m. What to expect: Orion Community Band, speaker Jodi Bubar, dedication of new bricks. Good to know: Bring lawn chairs. In case of rain, ceremony will be in the Orion United Methodist Church Activity Center. --- Ceremony: Peniel Cemetery, 1233 80th Ave., Joy, Ill. When: 10 a.m. What to expect: Pastor Matthew Downey from the Viola United Presbyterian Church will be the speaker. Good to know: The public is asked to bring flowers to decorate the graves of veterans. --- Ceremony: Soldiers & Sailors Monument, next to Hampton Town Hall. When: 10 a.m. What to expect: Opening remarks and the Pledge of Allegiance. Ceremony will continue with a walk to the edge of the Mississippi River to cast flowers on the water in memory of the sailors lost at sea. Good to know: At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Hampton Historical Society invites everyone in attendance to view the museum and the new special exhibit, "What's in the Attic." --- Ceremony: Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island. When: 10:45 a.m. What to expect: Keynote speaker Mike Sturch, commandant, Department of Illinois Marine Corps League, and national vice commandant. The Veterans Service Organization honor guard will be conducted by Moline American Legion 246 and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 299. The Center for Active Seniors Inc.'s Golden Tones Choir will perform musical selections through the ceremony. The National Anthem will be performed by Michelle VanOpdorp, with an invocation by Rev. Rich Hendricks, Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities. Additional speeches, a moment of silence, the playing of Taps, and a rifle volley, will also take place. Good to know: There will be no parking at the cemetery for this ceremony except for individuals who are wheelchair bound. Parking for all others will be behind Memorial Park in the large lot. Buses will transport people from the parking lot to the cemetery and will run 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visitors should arrive early to ensure enough time to park their vehicles and be transported to the cemetery. Memorial Park is located off of the main Island road, Rodman Avenue, at the corner of East Street. For more information, call 309-782-2094. --- Ceremony: Cambridge Community Hall, 125 N. East Street. When: 10 a.m. What to expect: Cambridge School Band, Memorial Day address by Major Ian Black (Logistics Officer, U.S. Army Materiel Command). Good to know: Immediately following the program the group will walk a short distance to Veterans Memorial Park for the color guard service by Orion American Legion, Post #225. --- Ceremony: Port Byron American Legion Post 421 at the Oak and Main Veterans Memorial Site, Port Byron. When: 10 a.m. What to expect: Speaker will be from the Rock Island Arsenal. --- Ceremony: Hero Street Park, 145 2nd St., Silvis. When: 11 a.m. What to expect: Major General Mark C. Jackson, deputy commanding general of Operations, First Army, guest speaker. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A 20-year-old Camanche man received a 15-year prison sentence Thursday after pleading guilty earlier this year to charges he sexually abused a 10-year-old girl. Arrested on April 9, 2021, Nicholas Lee Campie had been charged in Clinton County Court with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a child under 12, each of which carries a 25-year prison sentence, and two counts of enticing a minor under the age of 13, each of which carries a 10-year prison sentence. On March 3, during a hearing Clinton County District Court, Campie pleaded guilty to charges of lascivious acts with a child-permitting or causing child to fondle, a Class C felony that carries a 10-year prison sentence, and enticing a minor under 16 for sexual purposes, a Class D felony that carries a prison sentence of five years. The other charges were dropped in accordance with the plea agreement. During a sentencing hearing Thursday in district court, District Judge Stuart Werling sentenced Campie to 10 years in prison for the lascivious acts conviction and a consecutive five years in prison for the enticement conviction. According to the arrest affidavit filed by Clinton County Sheriffs investigator Marissa Mussmann, on May 14, 2020, a report was filed with the Clinton County Sheriffs Department that alleged the 18-year-old man sexually abused a 10-year-old girl. The two had communicated on Snapchat and texted and met up a couple of times, including on one occasion when Campie picked up the girl from her house at midnight to take her to his house to play video games. The girl was at the house for several hours, and then Campie drove her back home. She went with Campie again two weeks later and he sexually abused her. Campie must register as a sex offender. He was being held Thursday night in the Clinton County Jail pending transport to the Iowa Department of Corrections. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Illinois state Senate District 36 has some familiar faces running for the seat. Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms will face former state Rep. candidate Glen Evans in the Republican primary, while State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is unopposed in the Democratic primary. Current state Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, was drawn out of the district during the state legislative remapping process, leaving the seat open for the 2022 election. Anderson is running in his new district, the 47th. The primary election on June 28 will determine which Democrat and Republican candidate will be on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election. May 19 was the first day to send in vote-by-mail ballots or vote in person at the Rock Island County clerk's office, 1504 Third Ave., Rock Island. Republicans Mike Thoms Thoms won reelection as Rock Island mayor in the April 2021 municipal election. If he wins election to the state Senate, he would be allowed to remain mayor. Thoms, 63, is a lifelong resident of Rock Island and attended Black Hawk College. He retired in 2005 after 29 years with Thoms-Proestler Co., a family-owned wholesale food service company where he worked his way up from warehouse worker to vice president of operations, managing 250 employees. Thoms has been a longtime community volunteer with a focus on youth services. He sits on the boards of directors for Junior Achievement; HavLife Foundation; the Putnam Museum; the YMCA and the YWCA Quad Cities, working to raise money for construction of the new facility in downtown Rock Island. He also serves on the facilities committee for the Rock Island-Milan School District and previously sat on the board of directors for Bethany for Families and Children. When he announced his candidacy in October, Thoms said his business and management experience made him the better candidate. "My experience in dealing with people has taught me how to negotiate, compromise and talk to people. Those are some of my strengths," he said. "I've started several businesses and investments with people since then. I understand the economy and economic development better than my opponent." Glen Evans Evans most recently challenged State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, in the 2018 and 2020 elections, losing both times. He previously ran as a Democrat in about 20 different local races. He has lost every election with the exception of two precinct committeeman races. He has run for Rock Island-Milan school board, Rock Island City Council, Rock Island County board, Rock Island Township supervisor and twice for Rock Island County clerk. When he announced his candidacy for state Senate in August, he said he changed his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican five years ago after attending a training with Americans for Prosperity, a Conservative political action group founded by the Koch brothers. Evans, 52, is an ordained minister with Wings of Faith Ministries, working with several churches in the area. He also is a member of Laborer's Local 309, serving as auditor from 2016 to 2018. Evans is currently second vice chairman of the Rock Island County Republican Party. "I am on the ballot because I am dissatisfied with what I see in community I grew up in," Evans said. "I want to make it better." Democrat Mike Halpin Halpin is unopposed in the Democratic primary election. He was elected state Representative for the 72nd District in 2016 and reelected in 2018 and 2020. He was elected Rock Island County Democratic Party Chairman in May 2021. Halpin, 42, is a native of Voorheesville, N.Y. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island with a bachelor of arts degree in political science in 2001. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 2008 with his law degree. He moved to Illinois after being hired by Congressman Lane Evans as a staff assistant and scheduler and served as law clerk for the Honorable Rita B. Garman of the Illinois Supreme Court from 2008 to 2010. He currently works as an attorney for McCarthy, Callas & Feeney, P.C., of Rock Island, focusing on family law, labor and employment law and real estate law. "Running for Senate is an opportunity for me to continue to represent people in western Illinois that are asking for help and asking for policies that are going to lift up them and their families," Halpin said when he announced his candidacy in September. 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. Davenport has taken steps to shorten the hours residents can legally set off fireworks this Fourth of July. Davenport aldermen voted Wednesday 7-2 to shorten the window to set off fireworks by four hours on July 3 and 4. One alderman was absent. It's the first of three votes the council takes on a new ordinance, but it shows that shortening the window has broad support on the council. At-Large Alderman Kyle Gripp, however, in casting a 'no' vote expressed concern limiting the hours would further tax law enforcement and be confusing to residents who try to follow the ordinance. Currently, Davenport allows consumer fireworks to be set off from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. on July 3 and 4. The council has voted to change that window to 5-10 p.m. on those two days. "My goal through this process has not been to make staffs' life more difficult or their job more difficult. I'm just merely asking a question of can we try to possibly affect behaviors to achieve the outcomes that we want?" asked Ward 6 Alderman Ben Jobgen, who suggested limiting the hours in response to a change in state law that city staff expects will make fireworks more accessible to residents. All agree fireworks become a nuisance in the weeks ahead and after the Fourth, but since officers have to essentially catch the offender as they are lighting the firework, Gripp said shortening the hours is unlikely to prevent people from setting off fireworks in the weeks before and after. The city issued 10 citations between June 1 and July 8, according to a records request. "The issue is not on July 3 and 4th between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m.," Gripp said. "Typically that nuisance is the the three weeks preceding the Fourth of July and the three weeks after the fourth of July, and people setting off fireworks from 11 p.m. until 3 a.m. And that is the real nuisance. This will not decrease that nuisance." Eighth Ward Alderman Judith Lee said she voted no because she wanted to get the ball rolling on mailers outlining the rules for Davenport residents shooting off fireworks, which city officials say will be more effective the earlier they're sent out. The mailer also warned residents of potential fines for unlawful discharge. A first offense could cost up to $400 including court costs. "It's not that I disagree with this, but I think it's wise on my part too, to vote no on the change of hours just to get things moving, and to avoid making too many factor changes at one time, and let's see what we can do about next year and start a little earlier," Lee said before the vote. 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. Reconstruction of Division Street is set to begin Tuesday, causing some street and lane closures. Division Street at 15th Street will be closed for roughly a month, according to a city of Davenport alert. The city anticipates the street to reopen one northbound lane of travel only between West 12th and Locust streets. The project reconstructs Division Street between West 12th and Locust streets. The city awarded the contract to Manatts, Inc., of Camanche, for $1.77 million in April. The work is expected to wrap up in mid-October. 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. A federal judge in South Dakota ruled on May 11 the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act (PKPA) does not apply to Native American tribes following a child custody case that spanned over eight years. PKPA requires states to honor other states legitimate custody rulings. In 1980, the PKPA established national standards to determine jurisdiction in interstate custody disputes. It requires states to enforce, in most cases, custody rulings made in other states, according to the Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. The United States code defines states as, a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory or possession of the United States. The case in question started in North Dakota before ending up in a federal South Dakota district court. In 2014, Tricia Taylor took her two children out of North Dakota and brought them to the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota, violating North Dakota state court custody orders, court documents show. At the time, the children were around the ages of one and seven, although court documents do not provide specific birthdays. Aarin Nygaard, the younger childs father, already had joint custody of the children with Taylor, which she violated by bringing the children out of state without notifying Nygaard and refusing to bring them back despite court orders to do so. The other childs father, Terrance Stanley, did not have a court ordered custody agreement with the mother before the child was moved, but a North Dakota state court granted him custody. The court ultimately granted both fathers "permanent residential responsibility," a ruling the Cheyenne River tribal court has not yet recognized. Taylor was with her children on the reservation from August 2014 until the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested her on the reservation for a misdemeanor bad check charge. At that time, she had parental kidnapping charges levied against her in Cass County, North Dakota. She agreed to not fight extradition in exchange for the government dropping the check charge. Even though the children were no longer with Taylor because she was detained, they did not go back to their fathers. At the time of Tricias arrest, (the South Dakota Department of Social Services) DSS placed (the children) with Tricias brother, South Dakota Chief Judge Roberto Lange wrote in his ruling on the case. DSS made this placement without contacting either Hygaard or Stanley. Tribal court granted custody of the children to Taylors brother and sister and later to just Taylors sister, all without notifying the fathers, Lange stated. Nygaard and Stanley attempted to gain custody of their children through tribal court avenues, but were met with opposition ranging from the court delaying hearings to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council overturning a previous ruling that held the PKPA did apply to tribes. In September 2021, the South Dakota Federal District Court agreed to hear two issues in the case: whether PKPA applied and whether the fathers could sue DSS for placing the children with Taylors relatives after her arrest. Langes opinion referenced mixed court opinions on whether the act applies to tribes. Some courts ruled that it does because of the argument that reservations fall under the definition of territory, but others have ruled that it does not apply because tribes are never mentioned in the PKPA. Seemingly with some reluctance, Lange chose to rule that the PKPA does not apply based on what Congress did not include in the act tribal land. This Court likewise is heartsick that the ambiguity and split of authority over interpretation of the PKPA has contributed to the prolonged litigation in various courts over custody of (the two children). Nonetheless, this Court is bound to interpret and apply the PKPA as it is written, not as how it might or arguably should have been written, Lange wrote. Congress can amend the PKPA if it wishes to extend it to Indian tribes. He said the fathers could seek enforcement of the North Dakota state custody orders from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Court, but it might be futile at this point. For similar cases in the future, Kyle Krause, a Rapid City family lawyer, said the ruling only technically applies to the case at hand, but that it could be used as a reference to argue why PKPA doesnt apply in custody cases involving reservations. It becomes one more case in the line of cases that was already cited, that has weighed in on the topic, Krause said. He said the federal court decision means reservations are lawless havens for parental kidnapping. I think it really demonstrates a bigger problem that exists of you can literally kidnap kids and run to the reservation and hide there in violation of very obviously legitimate state court orders," Krause said. "North Dakota very obviously had jurisdiction. In my opinion, that tribal council and tribal court basically facilitated the eight year kidnapping of kids." 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 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. Connie Uhre, 75, owner of the Grand Gateway Hotel, was arrested Friday afternoon on three counts of simple assault, Rapid City police announced Friday. Brendyn Medina, spokesperson with the department, said police responded to a call around 12:45 p.m. Friday at the Grand Gateway Hotel. Medina said police met with witnesses and reviewed video footage. After further investigation, Uhre was placed under arrest. He said the charges stem from her use of a cleaning chemical on individuals. In multiple videos from demonstrators at the NDN Collective picket line boycott event, Uhre can be seen getting out of her vehicle in the Grand Gateway parking lot and spraying at least three demonstrators with Pledge, a cleaning spray. At least one demonstrator was sprayed directly in the face. In one of the videos, Uhre tells the Native American demonstrators that the spray substance is "bug spray." After she gets back into her vehicle, one of the demonstrators said, "Maybe one day you'll love our people." Uhre can be heard saying, "I do love your people. Not the bad ones." Members of NDN Collective have conducted demonstrations three times a week for the last six weeks against all Uhre-owned properties following Uhre's comments on Facebook stating Native Americans were banned from the hotel, along with Cheers Lounge. The Uhres also own The Foothills Inn. Uhre's comments were made following a shooting at the hotel March 19 that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Myron Pourier. Quincy Bear Robe, 19, faces a second-degree murder charge in state court for Pourier's death. NDN Collective released a statement stating Uhre attacked Sunny Red Bear, the collective's racial equity director. "This is what we mean when we say that white supremacy is violent," Red Bear said in the statement. "No matter how long they lie dormant, peoples racist worldviews eventually come out in their actions." Red Bear said she hopes people will begin to understand and believe when people say how dangerous and real racism is. NDN Collective President and CEO Nick Tilsen said Uhre's behavior was not only racist, violent and disgusting, but also illegal. He said the incident will be added to the federal civil rights lawsuit the collective filed in March. "We now call upon the Department of Justice to intervene and hold Connie Uhre and the Grand Gateway Hotel accountable for these racist and illegal acts against our people," he said. "It requires aggressive action to dismantle white supremacy. Everybody in this community should be outraged. 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 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. Primary Election campaigns are in full swing, with thousands of dollars in contributions flowing from individuals, entities and political action committees. Candidates and committees had a May 23 deadline to file their pre-primary finance reports Monday for school, county and state races. Rapid City's municipal election campaign finance reports are due May 31. Election day is Tuesday, June 7. The Journal examined all finance disclosures that have been filed. The examination found questions for the filings of four candidates Tim Goodwin for Senate District 30, Janyce Hockenbary for Rapid City Area Schools Board of Education Area 6, Ryan Mechaley for Pennington County Sheriff, and David Johnson for Senate District 33. Mechaley was the only candidate to resolve the questions posed by the Journal. Tim Goodwin Tonchi Weaver, a lobbyist and organizer for South Dakota Citizens for Liberty, filed an affidavit of complaint with the Secretary of State and Attorney General's office making several allegations against Goodwin's campaign for State Senate. He is challenging Sen. Julie Frye-Mueller for the seat in District 30. In the affidavit, Weaver makes 10 claims against Goodwin's campaign ranging from not changing his committee from House of Representatives to Senate, fictitious committees on advertisements, misleading voters that Goodwin is an incumbent from the Senate and not the House, publishing endorsements that he gained as a member of the House instead of ones for Senate, and using government resources for campaign purposes. Goodwin told the Journal Thursday he had just received the complaint, and vowed to resolve any discrepancies or inaccuracies. "I'll work in full cooperation with the Secretary of State and/or Attorney General and if there is (sic) any improprieties, I'll do whatever it takes to clean it up," Goodwin said. Janyce Hockenbary Hockenbary's campaign treasurer, Tim Nietz, signed the Local Jurisdictions Campaign Finance Disclosure Report on April 12, 2022, more than a month before the May 23 filing deadline. The Rapid City Area Schools business office confirmed that Hockenbary's report was filed on May 6, which is more than 20 days prior to the June 7 election. South Dakota law mandates that reports must include contributions and expenditures "including twenty days prior to the election date." Because Hockenbary's disclosure report does not include contributions or expenditures within the 20-day requirement, it is unclear if the report is accurate. The Journal called Nietz on Thursday, seeking clarification and left a message on his voicemail. The Journal also emailed Nietz and Hockenbary on Thursday seeking a response. Neither Nietz nor Hockenbary have responded. The Journal reached out to the Secretary of State's office for election law compliance. Cely Johnson, elections program coordinator, responded and said their office cannot provide legal advice. Johnson did send the Journal a portion of South Dakota law on investigating and prosecution of violations for county and school district office. "The state's attorney shall investigate any violation of the provisions in the chapter related to elections for county and school district office," the passage reads. Ryan Mechaley Mechaley filled out the incorrect Campaign Finance Disclosure Report. He used the form for state races instead of the report required for local jurisdiction races. The Journal contacted Mechaley on Thursday about the error. He immediately went to the Pennington County Auditor's office and filed an amended disclosure report using the correct form. Mechaley thanked the Journal for bringing the clerical error to his attention. No other amendments were necessary for campaign contributions or expenditures. David Johnson Johnson filed his Campaign Finance Disclosure Report and in the fields for itemized direct contributions from individuals and direct contributions from in-state political action committees, he typed "N/A - Itemization in Separate Document." However, the separate document showing the itemized contributions is not included in his filing on the Secretary of State's website. The Journal called and emailed Johnson on Thursday requesting the separate document. He has not yet responded. Political Action Committees Several state and local PACs have received donations and then distributed them to candidates. The listing below is in no particular order and will show the name of the PAC, who the treasurer is, money raised, how much money was spent, how much cash is on hand, the top donors, and the top candidates who received funds. All campaign finance documents are available within this story at rapidcityjournal.com. PAC - Shining Light PAC Treasurer - Jordan Mason Raised - $16,000 Spent - $11,300 Cash on hand - $5,606.96 Top donors Joshua Muller, $10,000; Friends of John Roberts PAC, $6,000 Top candidates Ryan Mechaley, $10,000; Kathy Rice, $1,000 PAC - Support Public Education Treasurer - Sarah Hermsen Raised - $24,620.14 Spent - $20,878.18 Cash on hand - $4,033.96 Top donors Nerdy Nuts, $10,000; Stan Adelstein, $4,000; Jennifer May, $2,000 Top candidates Jamie Clapham, $9,737.50; Michael Birkeland, $9,737.50 PAC - Free Republic PAC Treasurer - Kevin Maher Raised - $17,100 Spent - $14,500 Cash on hand - $4,893.03 Top donors Leeann Rieman, $5,000; Atlantis LLC, $4,000; Deb Baker, $1,500; Steve Kaulkman, $1,500 Top candidates J.J. Carrell, $4,500; Lindsey Seachris, $4,000; Janyce Hockenbary, $3,000; Gabe Doney, $3,000 PAC - Democracy in Action Treasurer - Jocelyn Baker Raised - $8,505 Spent - $2,607.66 Cash on hand - $7,773.04 Top donors Stanford Adelstein, $1,000; Marilyn Simon, $1,000; Sandra Olson, $500 Top candidates Jamie Clapham, $1,000; Michael Birkeland, $500; Pat Roseland, $500; Bill Evans, $500 PAC - Liberty Tree PAC Treasurer - Scott Odenbach Raised - $36,350 Spent - $41,575 Cash on hand - $19,775 Top donors John and Joy Mills, $10,000; Liz May, $10,000 Top candidates/organizations Conservative Principles PAC, $15,000; Julie Frye-Mueller, $1,000; Jodie Frye, $1,000 PAC - Friends of John Roberts Treasurer - Jordan Mason Raised - $12,500 Spent - $11,503 Cash on hand - $2,158 Top donors William Freytag, $10,000; Dev Cor LLC, $1,500; KTM Design Solutions, $1,000 Top candidates Tim Goodwin, $10,000; J.J. Carrell, $1,000; Jesse Ham, $500 PAC - Citizens for Public Safety Treasurer - Kyle Halverson Raised - $19,050 Spent - $1,011.25 Cash on hand - $18,038.75 Top donors Sam Chandler, $8,000; Stephanie Lien D'Urso, $1,500 Top candidates No contributions listed PAC - Deadwood Tourism PAC Treasurer - Mike Rodman Raised - $0 (has a carryover of $51,476.52) Spent - $49,500 Cash on hand - $1,976.52 Top donors None listed Top candidates $1,000 each to numerous state House and state Senate local incumbents PAC - Black Hills Home Builders Build PAC Treasurer - Nicole Weimer Raised - $3,230 Spent - $5,984.86 Cash on hand - $34,329.37 Top donors Numerous donors ranging from a high of $230 to a low of $20 Top candidates Rachel Dix, $1,000; Janyce Hockenbary, $500; Janette McIntyre, $500; Bill Evans, $500; J.J. Carrell, $500 Area 3 RCAS Board of Education Candidate - Michael Birkeland Raised - $21,804.18 Spent - $14,696.45 Cash on hand - $7,107.73 Top individual donors Doug or Melody Birkeland, $1,000; Craig Mount, $1,000 Top PAC donors Support Public Education, $9,737.50; South Dakota EPIC, $2,000; Democracy in Action, $500 Candidate - Gabe Doney Raised - $5,049 Spent - $4,219.27 Cash on hand - $829.73 Top individual donors Gayla and Rich Meyer, $250; Heather Baxter, $250; James Engelbrecht, $200 Top PAC donors Free Republic PAC, $3,000; SD RPAC, $1,000 Area 6 RCAS Board of Education Candidate - Jamie Clapham Raised - $28,738.50 Spent - $17,081.84 Cash on hand - $11,656.66 Top individual donors Craig Mount, $1,000; Larry Teuber, $1,000 Top PAC donors Support Public Education, $9,737.50; South Dakota EPIC, $2,000; Democracy in Action, $1,000; SD RPAC, $1,000; South Dakota TIPs, $1,000 Candidate - Janyce Hockenbary Raised - $10,469 Spent - $3,683.10 Cash on hand - $6,785.90 Top individual donors Janyce Hockenbary, $700; Terry Hockenbary, $650; Norman Christopherson, $500; Carol Black, $500; Mario Rangel, $500; Deb Baker, $500 Top PAC donors Free Republic PAC, $3,000 Pennington County Sheriff Candidate - Ryan Mechaley Raised - $33,775.19 Spent - $19,596.74 Cash on hand - $8,225.26 Top individual donors Michael and Stephanie Durso, $2,000; Andy and Barb LeGare, $1,000; Lisa Lien, $1,000; Jason Johnston, $1,000 Top PAC donors Shining Light PAC, $10,000 Candidate - Brian Mueller Raised - $73,335 Spent - $15,064.97 Cash on hand - $55,270.03 Top individual donors $2,000 each from Barry Burgess, James Scull, Monica Burgess, Aloysius Rieman, Hani Shafai, Jeff Hoffman Top PAC donors SD RPAC, $1,105 Pennington County Commission, District 1 Candidate - Mike Mueller Raised - $6,129 Spent - $5,827.85 Cash on hand - $301.15 Top individual donors Julie Mueller, $1,000; Marty Troupe, $1,000 Top PAC donors None Candidate - Ron Rossknecht Raised - $19,650 Spent - $13,226.64 Cash on hand - $6,423.36 Top individual donors $1,000 each from Elizabeth Lein, Patrick Hall, Hani Shafai, Barbara Shafai, Suzanne Gabrielson, Richard Gabrielson Top PAC donors SD Realtor PAC, $1,000; BIG PAC, $1,000 District 30 House Candidate - Gerold Herrick Raised - $1,675 Spent - $985 Cash on hand - $690 Top individual donors Lance Russell, $200; Paul Nabholz, $200; Mary Herrick, $200 Top PAC donors Convention of States South Dakota, $1,000 Candidate - Dennis Krull Raised - $8,450 Spent - $7,935 Cash on hand - $515 Top individual donors Hani Shafai, $1,000; James and Sally Sherrer, $500; James Scull, $500 Top PAC donors SD Retailers Association, $1,000; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $500; Back to Biz, $500 Candidate - Trish Ladner Raised - $8,750 Spent - $8,968 Cash on hand - $232 Top individual donors Susan Henderson, $250; Rick Fox, $250; Jessica Castleberry, $250 Top PAC donors SD Realtors PAC, $1,000; Liberty Tree PAC, $500; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $500 Candidate - Patrick Baumann Raised - $11,832 Spent - $11,831 Cash on hand - $0.85 Top individual donors Paul Gavic, $1,000; Virgene Gavic, $1,000; Arlene Kallis, $1,000 Top PAC donors SD Realtors PAC, $1,000; Liberty Tree PAC, $500; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $500 Candidate - Lisa Gennaro Raised - $13,600 Spent - $12,175 Cash on hand - $1,425 Top individual donors Lisa Gennaro, $12,500; Linda Reteria, $300; Teresa Hisaw-Elmore, $200 Top PAC donors None District 30 Senate Candidate - Julie Frye-Mueller Raised - $5,461 Spent - $4,351 Cash on hand - $2,790 (Beginning balance of $1,680) Top individual donors Helen Brogley, $500; Stephanie Lien Durso, $330; Rollie Noem, $200 Top PAC donors SD Action Committee for Rural Electification PAC, $1,000; Liberty Tree PAC, $1,000; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $1,000 Candidate - Tim Goodwin Raised - $49,627 Spent - $23,930 Cash on hand - $25,698 (Beginning balance of $310) Top individual donors James Scull, $1,000; Hani Shafai, $1,000; James Burgess, $1,000 Top PAC donors Friends of John Roberts PAC, $10,000; SD Strong Leader PAC, $5,000; Business Innovation Growth PAC, $1,500 District 32 House Candidate - Steve Duffy Raised - $11,419 Spent - $10,036 Cash on hand - $1,383 Top individual donors Dick Tieszen, $500; Rex and Cindy Haag, $400; Karl Fischer, $300 Top PAC donors Business, Innovation and Growth PAC, $1,250; SD Realtors PAC, $1,000; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $1,000 Candidate - Becky Drury Raised - $10,750 Spent - $4,736 Cash on hand - $13,977 (Beginning balance of $7,964) Top individual donors James and Mary Scull, $500; Mike and Nancy Statz, $250; Rebecca and Sandy Hale, $200 Top PAC donors Business, Innovation and Growth PAC, $1,500; SD Realtors PAC, $1,000; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $1,000 Candidate - Jamie Giedd Raised - $4,031 Spent - $2,093 Cash on hand - $1,938 Top individual donors Justin Johnson, $500; Matthew Schweich, $250; Alisha Kolb, $200 Top PAC donors CIASD PAC $500 District 33 House Candidate - Janette McIntyre Raised - $3,800 Spent - $3,791 Cash on hand - $9 Top individual donors Janette McIntyre, $2,000; Bill Freytag, $250; John Roberts, $250 Top PAC donors SD Acre, $500; Deadwood Tourism $750; and BHHBA Build PAC $500 Candidate - Phil Jensen Raised - $5,750 Spent - $2,195 Cash on hand - $6,747 (Beginning balance of $3,192) Top individual donors Barbara Lemmon, $800; Tom and Jackie Corr, $500; Craig and Jill Mills, $500 Top PAC donors Liberty Tree PAC, $500; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $1,000; Convention of State SD PAC, $1,000 Candidate - Dean Aurand Raised - $13,556 Spent - $11,112 Cash on hand - $2,444 Top individual donors Dean Aurand, $4,000; Jeff Boerger, $1,000; Mark Bonke, $750 Top PAC donors Business Innovation and Growth PAC, $1,250; Back to Biz, $1,000; SD Retailers Assoc. PAC, $500 Candidate - Curt Massie Raised - $14,550 Spent - $6,039 Cash on hand - $8,511 Top individual donors Larry Massie, $2,000; Debbie Long, $1,000; Stanford Adelstein, $1,000 Top PAC donors Business Innovation and Growth PAC, $1,250; Back to Biz, $1,000; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $1,000 District 33 Senate Candidate - David Johnson Raised - $28,888 Spent - $32,767 Cash on hand - $7,213 (Beginning balance of $11,092) Top individual donors Separate attachment with individual donors not listed on Secretary of State website Top PAC donors Separate attachment with PAC donors not listed on Secretary of State website Candidate - Janet Jensen Raised - $11,486 Spent - $576 Cash on hand - $11,035 (Beginning balance of $125) Top individual donors Craig and Jill Mills, $1,000; Andy Legere, $800; Deanna Beckett, $500 Top PAC donors Liberty Tree PAC, $500; Convention of States SD PAC, $6,000 District 34 House Candidate - Jodie Frye Raised - $3,530 Spent - $1,697 Cash on hand - $1,971 (Beginning balance of $140) Top individual donors Eva Frye, $550; Ron and Cheri Loftus, $500; John Bradsky, $250 Top PAC donors Liberty Tree PAC, $1,000; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $500 Candidate - Jess Olson Raised - $18,863 Spent - $18,124 Cash on hand - $5,002 (Beginning balance of $4,263) Top individual donors Hani Shafai, $1,000; James and Mary Scull, $500; Verne Goodsell, $500 Top PAC donors Business Innovation and Growth PAC, $1,500; SD Educators Political Involvement Committee (Epic), $1,000; SD RPAC $1,000 Candidate - Mike Derby Raised - $25,990 Spent - $16,898 Cash on hand - $10,213 (Beginning balance of $1,122) Top individual donors Matthew Konenkamp, $1,000; Gil Moyle, $1,000; Clark Moyle, $1,000 Top PAC donors Business Innovation and Growth PAC, $1,500; Deadwood Tourism PAC $1,000; SD RPAC, $1,000 District 35 House Candidate - Tina Mulally Raised - $10,475 Spent - $7,683 Cash on hand - $5,604 (Beginning balance of $2,811) Top individual donors C&S Electronics, $1,000; Barb Landers, $1,000; Cloud 9, $1,000 Top PAC donors Liberty Tree PAC, $1,000 Candidate - Tony Randolph Raised - $4,320 Spent - $3,660 Cash on hand - $773 (Beginning balance of $114) Top individual donors Larry and Melodie Paulsen, $1,000; Blaine Cambell, $1,000; Barb Landers, $500 Top PAC donors Liberty Tree PAC, $500 Candidate - Larry Larson Raised - $10,200 Spent - $5,242 Cash on hand - $4,957 Top individual donors Lee Schoenbeck, $1,000; Hani Shafi, $1,000; Thomas Bradsky, $500 Top PAC donors Business Innovation and Growth PAC, $1,250; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $1,000; Dakota Leadership PAC, $500 Candidate - Elizabeth Regalado Raised - $9,446 Spent - $5,559 Cash on hand - $3,557 Top individual donors Katie Banaszak, $1,000; Ryan Kolbeck, $500; Gregory Sperlich, $300 Top PAC donors Schoenbeck for Senate, $1,000; Business, Innovation and Growth PAC, $1,250; Deadwood Tourism PAC, $1,000 Contact Nathan Thompson at nathan.thompson@rapidcityjournal.com. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CEDAR CITY, Utah | She walked up a red carpet and crossed a stage to accept her diploma wearing an eagle feather beaded onto her cap that her mother had gifted her. Amryn Tom graduated this week from southern Utah's Cedar City High School. Her family cheered. For the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah and other Native Americans, eagle feathers of the variety Tom wore are sacred items passed down through generations, used at ceremonies to signify achievement and connection with the community. This is from your ancestors, Tom said her mother, Charie, told her. One year ago, students in Tom's school district would have been barred from wearing any form of tribal regalia along with their traditional cardinal-colored caps and gowns. Not this year. In March, Utah joined a growing list of states in enshrining Native American students' rights to wear tribal regalia at their graduation ceremonies. In Iron County, where the school district tried to bar two graduates from wearing regalia at the ceremonies last year, Tom and other Native American students savored the hard-won right. Its kind of huge, said Paiute tribal member Brailyn Jake, an eagle feather and beads dangling from her turquoise cap. Her cousin was one of the students stopped from donning beads last year. People dont understand our culture, the meaning behind it and how, when youre turned down for something this big, its kind of like, wow," Jake said. Students across the U.S. often sport flower leis or flashy sashes at graduation with little controversy. But the rules governing tribal regalia at high school graduations have emerged as a legislative issue in several red and blue states after reports of students being barred from wearing attire like Jake and Tom's. Arizona, California, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota and Washington all recently enacted laws that either enshrine students rights or bar schools from enforcing dress codes banning tribal regalia. After passing through the legislature, a bill with similar provisions is being sent to Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy. In Utah, Paiute Chairwoman Corrina Bow brought the issue to state lawmakers after last year's two Iron County incidents. The district had no formal rules prohibiting Native American students from donning regalia. Bow noted the graduation rate for Native American and Alaskan Native students was 74% in 2019, the lowest of any demographic group, and told lawmakers that guaranteeing students statewide the right to wear regalia would allow them to honor their culture, religion and heritage. Similar controversies have occurred at schools in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, suburban Chicago and elsewhere, with graduates being barred from wearing everything from beadwork and moccasins to sealskin caps. The incidents pit Native American students and their parents against administrators who say they want to maintain uniformity at graduation ceremonies. Emalyce Kee, who is Navajo and Rosebud Sioux, was one of the two southern Utah students told not to wear a beaded cap or plumes to her Cedar City High School graduation ceremony last year. She did it anyway. Before walking across the stage to accept her diploma, Kee switched out her plain cap for one with a plume and beadwork by her uncle. Half a dozen family members in the front row applauded. "I hadn't felt that powerful before that moment, standing up with my diploma, with my Native cap on and then shaking my principals hand," Kee said. At a high school that used Redmen as its mascot until 2019, Kee and her mother, Valerie Glass, said it stuck with them how the principal had argued beaded caps would set a precedent to allow all students to decorate their graduation attire. Its not decorative regalia. It's traditional beaded regalia. How can you have the Cedar Redmen for so long and not honor your Native American students? Glass said. Iron County Superintendent Lance Hatch was not available for comment. Hoksila Lakota gifted his nephew Elijah James Wiggins, who is of Lakota ancestry, an eagle feather in honor of his graduation from Cedar City High School on Wednesday. He said eagle feathers called wamblii wakan in Lakota are fundamental to celebrating once-in-a-lifetime achievements, with many believing they hold a connection to God. These arent something you find on the floor and do whatever with. These are sacred items given from grandfather to son or uncle to nephew," he said. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The city of Wall and the Wall Economic Development Corporation broke ground on phase 1 of their 18-lot industrial park Wednesday. The first phase will tackle infrastructure for four lots of the park, as well as connecting to the city infrastructure on Fourth Avenue. The city approved a $1.4 million bid with Underground Construction, LLC, out of Rapid City, in March. Wall Mayor Mary Williams said she is very excited, describing the marvelous machines sitting out on the lots, beginning the process of moving dirt. This just makes it more real, she said. The city of Wall first approved the designated area for the park in February 2020. We have had people watching us for a long time, Williams said, but until now, its looked like an alfalfa field. Williams expects now that dirt and machines are in motion, conversations will begin about buying the lots. Williams called the amount of work accomplished since February 2020 overwhelming, crediting the projects design firm, ISG out of Sioux Falls, the citys engineering firm, KLJ out of Rapid City, and a $661,000 grant from the Pennington County Commission to complete the infrastructure from the park to the citys infrastructure. That grant is what made it possible for us to make this happen, Williams said. The city also hopes to be able to call the park the only certified industrial park in western South Dakota, pending an application with the South Dakota Governors Office of Economic Development, currently being processed. Certification would mean other companies looking to expand could find information on the park on the Governors Office of Economic Development website. In addition to the industrial park, Walls expansion efforts include the Echo Valley housing development and a new housing study to be completed by 4th of July. The last housing study done in Wall was in 2016. We have a lot of stuff in place to do things right and get dollars, Williams said. Were trying to keep our pedals moving. Williams highlighted the mission of WEDC, quoting former WEDC Executive Director Liliya Stone, to be a catalyst to encourage, facilitate, and empower community members to generate growth in Wall. Contact Laura Heckmann at lheckmann@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. Longtime Bitterroot College Director Victoria Clark has resigned but the program will offer academic classes this fall thanks to the University of Montana. Since the Bitterroot Valley Community College funding levy was rejected by community members on May 3, the future of the Bitterroot College has been undefined. The Bitterroot College Advisory Council met Thursday with Missoula College Dean Thomas Gallagher who has been appointed as the lead to establish a deeper connection between the Bitterroot College Program and the University of Montana. Also in attendance were staff, faculty and several of the Bitterroot Valley Community College trustees. All were anxious to learn about the future of the Hamilton school. It is really important that we take care of the students that we have now and the ones that we will be recruiting to come seek higher education in August, Gallagher said. I encourage you all to help with recruiting. There are academic courses, there are faculty getting ready to deliver those educational experiences. Gallagher said that the goal is to continue academic classes and work on developing workforce education programs in Hamilton. Its been a rough couple of weeks and we need to process moving forward, he said. My role right now is to stabilize and I appreciate recommendations. Several board members thanked UM for stepping up to provide continuity. Concerns focused on having a formal description of the partnership between UM and the Bitterroot College Program. Some advisory board members said they believe it needs a new name to reflect what it is. It is not a campus or branch of UM, and although college credits have been granted and lives improved, it is not an official college through the Montana University System. Faculty member Jaime Middleton said she views the Bitterroot College Program positively. I see the faces of students who have achieved dreams, have made their careers and are feeding their families. I see a lot of success, she said. We need a clear and concise mission and marketing. We need to say we are still here, we are serving students, and we are alive and thriving and sign up for classes. Clark's last day will be June 6. In an email message earlier this week, lead faculty Jennifer Johnson said Clarks resignation, is a profound loss to everyone at Bitterroot College. Her intelligence, wisdom, leadership, resilience, tenacity, belief and heart helped keep BC a promising beacon for all willing and wishing to better their lives and elevate their intelligence, Johnson said. She will be greatly missed. Bitterroot College UM Advisory Council Chair Candy Lubansky and the advisory board thanked Clark for her 13 years of effort. There are not enough words to express appreciation, Lubansky said. Im finding the English language inadequate to tell you how much youve meant to us, how much you mean to the Bitterroot Valley, our students, our staff, our faculty. Thank you from all of us. The room of over 20 people stood and clapped. Clark said it has been her privilege to serve the community. Community is what makes democracy, Clark said. I spent my young adult years looking for community and I found it in the Bitterroot Valley. You have to stand with your community through thick and thin, it is a process. If you believe in something you have to work together to do it. She said the community has given her a purpose. Communities are complicated with different values and I love being part of the mix, Clark said. Thank you all for letting me be part of the mix. Gallagher praised Clark for her outstanding leadership and championing for higher education in the Bitterroot Valley. [She] works hard to help students do something spectacular, Gallagher said. As a representative of the University of Montana, I thank her for her many years of dedication and service to promoting higher education. Rep. David Bedey, R-Hamilton, said that since the levy failed, he has met with Commissioner of Higher Education Clay Christian and UM President Seth Bodnar. On Wednesday, Lubansky, Bedey, Bodnar and Gallagher met to discuss Bedeys vision for Bitterroot College going forward. We talked about the short-term navigation of the next year and then the vision Dave would like to see it come to using the Bitterroot Valley in terms of CTE, career technology education, and broader workforce development, Lubansky said. We talked about the short-term stabilizing the next year for our students, staff and faculty. After much discussion on process, contracts, underfunding for years, competition for funding with other community colleges and moving forward without UM to establish BVCC, Gallagher said the UM stands firm with no established end date. There are no intentions to discontinue services in Hamilton and at Bitterroot College on behalf of the University of Montana, Gallagher said. Clark said her concern is that the UM is offering only academic education and will no longer have community education programs or workforce programs. Why cant we move to the model we know works? she asked. We know the community college works. Were all set up. Why are we trying something else for a while and then choosing to come back to what we know works? The meeting ended with a discussion about the uncertainty of Bitterroot Valley Community College ever being established with UM presence in the valley, despite it being on the books. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Nearly 400 people had something to say about a proposal to look at reducing wildfire potential on the front range of the Bitterroot Mountains. Scoping for the proposed Bitterroot Front Project closed May 23. It was the publics first opportunity to offer input on what would be the Bitterroot National Forests largest landscape-scale project in decades. The area under consideration covers 114,000 acres along the eastern edge of the Bitterroot Mountains from north of Florence to south of Darby. While the Forest Service doesnt plan to treat all of the lands included in the analysis area, the agency wants to use an adaptive framework that will take changes in the landscape into account as it prepares site-specific projects over several years. When considering wildfire risk, Stevensville District Ranger Steve Brown said the agency has learned that its better to plan on a landscape scale. Fires dont burn a single watershed or a single ridge, Brown said. They burn at a landscape scale. To reduce fire risk, we have to look at the risk across the landscape and see where we can implement different treatments to get the results were after. According to the Montana Forest Action Plan, Ravalli County has the greatest risk for wildfires in Montana, with six of its communities in the top 10 of all Montana communities with structures at risk for wildfire. A coalition of environmental organizations has organized to stop the proposed project which they say would cut trees off more than 55,000 square miles of national forest along the face of the Bitterroot Mountains, build an untold extent of new roads for clearcutting and other industrial logging and bring industrial disturbance to the boundary of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness." The groups include Friends of the Bitterroot, Flathead Lolo Bitterroot Citizen Task Force, WildEarth Guardians, Montana Chapter of the Sierra Club, Native Ecosystems Council, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Western Watersheds Project, Montana Ecosystems Defense Council, Gallatin Wildlife Association, Friends of the Clearwater, Wilderness Watch and Center for Biological Diversity. The Forest Service is proposing to log the entire Bitterroot front, said Friends of the Bitterroot president Jim Miller. Commercial logging in the mature forest far from homes has never done any good. Repeating the same mistakes cannot be the solution and only degrades the public lands we all value. Our community does not want the beautiful mountain and canyon vistas on the Bitterroot front scarred by more roads and clearcuts. Adam Rissien of the WildEarth Guardians said the Forest Service is simply wrong in thinking logging thousands of acres will mimic natural conditions and make people safe from wildfire. Managers cannot replace Mother Nature with a chainsaw, and the best way to protect communities from fire is to focus work in the immediate area around homes and structures, Rissien said. Even though the agency would spend untold millions of dollars to subsidize timber production, it wont invest a nickel to assist private landowners to learn and implement firewise protections for their homes and property, only offer encouragement to take appropriate action on their lands. Brown said the Bitterroot Forest has not made any decisions on what kind of treatments it would use or how many acres would be logged. So far, nothing has been proposed for this project, Brown said. All weve said is there is a huge need and asked the community what issues they would like us to consider From my perspective, the scoping process is our attempt to work with the community to develop solutions to the problem. It seems like these groups have jumped out in front and said they dont want to work with the communities. The proposal comes at a time when there is money set aside for forest restoration and fuel reduction work through bipartisan infrastructure legislation. Brown said the Forest Service Chief has developed a 10-year crisis strategy that focuses on areas with high wildfire risk, which includes the Bitterroot. That multi-state plan calls for treating an additional 20 million acres of national forest land. It also includes funding to treat another 30 million acres of private, state and tribal lands adjacent to national forest lands. "We recognize the risk is not just on national forest lands," Brown said. Brown said the majority of the 384 comments the Bitterroot Forest received during scoping were in support of the project. Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife executive director Jeff Darrah of Stevensville said the organization supports the proposal because of its potential to create the kinds of habitat that are beneficial to elk and deer. With forests either overgrown or covered in deadfall, Darrah said elk and deer are often pushed onto private lands. We dont think that cutting down trees makes the Forest Service a bad steward of the land, Darrah said. It opens up the ground to create good forage that can pull wildlife back up on public lands. Sonny LaSalle, a former Forest Service supervisor who now lives in Hamilton, said its ironic when environmental groups worry about the loss of old-growth when old trees are doomed to die because of the overabundance of fuels created by eliminating fire from the landscape for a century. The only way to protect those old trees is to remove the fuel, both standing and accumulated on the ground around the trees, LaSalle said. It appears they would rather have the west face burn right down to public land than have mechanical treatments to reduce the chance of wind-driven crown fires. We have witnessed those wind-driven crown fires in this valley and they are unstoppable, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The merits and pitfalls of pursing nuclear power in Montana were recently debated by experts on both sides of the spectrum, with some telling a legislative committee it is too costly and renewable energy should be pursued instead and others saying it could be key in decarbonization efforts and provide high wages. During the legislative interval, the Montana Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee is looking at the use of small modular reactors (SMRs) in Montana through Senate Joint Resolution 3, sponsored by Sen. Terry Gauthier, R-Helena. SJ-3 says the expected closure of Colstrip's coal-fired power plants will result in negative impacts on the community and coal-fired boilers could be replaced by an SMR that would provide clean energy and good-paying jobs. The May 20 meeting by the committee was a hearing and no recommendations were made. The committee is to complete a study by Sept. 15, to be reviewed in the 2023 legislative session. At this time, no one is committing to building a nuclear power plant in Montana. None of the Colstrip owners, who represent 85% of Colstrip capacity, and all of the transmission capacity, have plans for nuclear power in Montana. Ed Davis of the Pegasus Group said he was speaking on behalf of the Department of Energy, and said there are 93 nuclear plants operating today generating 20% of the nations electricity and more than 50% of its carbon-free electricity. The U.S. government has a goal of decarbonizing the electricity sector by 2035. He said the DOE has concluded that an excellent candidate to reach that goal is nuclear power, specifically small nuclear reactors. This administration and the department is all in when it comes to promoting advanced nuclear energy reactors and SMRs, he said. Later in the discussion, as others pointed out their problems with nuclear plant proposals, Davis said I find myself cast in the middle of a debate here that I have heard over the past several decades. David Schlissel of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis appeared before the committee with a report titled Small modular reactors too untested, too expensive, too risky and too uncertain. His organization has been described as a think tank that does research relating to economic and environmental issues with the goal of a faster transition to renewable energy. Schlissel, who also testified before the panel in February, said there are 10 small nuclear reactor designs available, but none have been built, few details have been provided and nothing is certain about the actual costs. He also warned of delays, cost increases and problems with construction and the first years of operation. SMRs are far more likely to continue the nuclear industrys long history of over-promising and under-producing, his report stated. Schlissel said nuclear plant projects now underway have had significant construction delays and cost increases, some as much as 276%. He said solar and wind capacity have increased more than 12 times since 2007 and costs have been declining as solar panels and wind turbines are being built. Schlissel said he is in favor of federal money to look into technologies to see if they work. The goal is to not put ratepayers and taxpayers on the hook for such projects to be built. He said NuScale, one of the designers of small nuclear reactors, claims there is substantial interest in its proposed reactor, but had no firm contracts. Gauthier has mentioned SMRs made by NuScale as a possibility. He also said claims it will have a 95% capacity factor over its lifetime has not been achieved by any nuclear unit in the United States. Diane Hughes, vice president of marketing and communications for NuScale said in an email Wednesday that Schlissel's report mischaracterizes NuScales costs, does not accurately reflect or examine schedule timeframes, and fails to understand the output and capacity of a NuScale VOYGR facility. "A three-year research effort determined that NuScales plant design is the most resilient nuclear reactor in the world," she wrote. "A NuScale VOYGR plant can provide highly reliable power at 95% total capacity and even higher reliability to mission critical micro-grids (154 MWe at 99.95% reliability or 77 MWe at 99.98% reliability over the 60-year lifetime of the plant). She said NuScale's technology has been designed to allow for flexible operations and load following with renewables. "Power plants are usually compensated by the system operator for being able to operate in a flexible manner and provide dispatchable (always available) electricity, along with providing ancillary services, such as inertia and frequency control," Hughes said in the email. Sen. Duane Ankney, R-Colstrip, brought up solar and wind energy. He said the wind blows 30% of the time and battery storage is needed 70% of the time, and it can't be a battery that will last only two days. Schlissel said Ankney is correct as of today, but there are studies for batteries that would last 100 hours. Its just a matter of time, he said. Matt Crozat, executive director of strategy and policy at the Nuclear Energy Institute, a trade association for the nuclear industry, said utilities nationwide have pledged to reduce carbon emissions. He said nuclear power could help them achieve those goals. Crozat said jobs in the nuclear industry pay the highest wages in the energy field. Helena resident Robert Balhiser, a retired engineer who wrote the SJR-3 Legislative Study Resolution, said many of the negative comments about nuclear power were made 20 years ago by big auto companies against electric vehicles. Now big auto is trying to catch up in developing such vehicles, he said. He said all energy systems at one time or another have been subsidized by the government and all have a place in the energy mix in the future. Anne Hedges, director of policy and legislative affairs for the Montana Environmental Information Center, said there are a lot of good intentions in the debate. There is a real problem here and the problem is that the energy transition is happening now, Hedges said. What we all need and what we are grappling with is affordability vs. salesmanship and vs. good intentions, she said, adding We simply cannot afford higher rates, we just cant. She said she is not anti-nuclear. Hedges said a cost cap is needed and Montanans should not foot the bill, and there were solutions not yet talked about. In Montana, we need to be cautious, we are not the place to do this expensive experiment, she said. I dont think anyone has bad intentions here; everyone is looking for same thing, affordable power in a modern energy age, Hedges said. Unfortunately I dont think nuclear is right for Montana right now. Sen. Mary McNally, D-Billings, the committee chair, thanked the panelists for their presentations, adding they have given the committee a lot to digest as to what the next 10 years will look like in Montana. The information is competing, but helpful, she said. Tom Lutey of The Billings Gazette contributed to this story. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Projected water levels and releases at many federally managed reservoirs in Montana will be below desired levels this Memorial Day weekend, the Bureau of Reclamation announced. But the bureau said some boat ramps -- Goose Bay and Yacht Basin -- are useable at Canyon Ferry Reservoir. Delayed runoff with drier than average conditions extending from last year have led to below average reservoir levels at most facilities, Ryan Neman, Montana-area manager, said Tuesday in a news release. The reservoir level is 18 feet below the top of normal full pool and April inflows were the lowest on record, since 1961, therefore the reservoir is not filling as normal, reclamation officials said. The reservoir is not expected to fill to full pool this summer and could be 4 to 10 feet from full in late June. Minimum releases to the Missouri River below Holter Dam are near 3,000 cubic feet per second to conserve storage in Canyon Ferry Reservoir, the bureau stated. Releases have been at minimum levels since last June due to ongoing drought conditions. Despite low reservoir levels, there are usable boat ramps at Reclamation reservoirs east of the Continental Divide during the Memorial Day weekend, officials said. Campground owners along opposite sides of Canyon Ferry said they expected a busy holiday weekend, despite reports of low water. Debbie Blagg, owner of the Canyon Ferry Lake KOA north of Townsend, said she thinks a lot of people will come out to launch their boats and see there is not enough water, but there are some places nearby where they can do so. However, she is excited about the Memorial Day weekend. This is the official day for summer fishing, Blagg said, adding the boats with the lower trolling motors should still be able to get out. She also has music and activities planned at the campground. Blagg, who just celebrated her first year as owner, said old-timers are saying the reservoir is at its lowest level in 50 years. The whole south end is mushy, no water, just mushy, she said. Blagg, who has 61 sites, four tent sites and a glamping recreational vehicle, said she is hearing competing theories: Some say the water level will rise by 10 feet and others have said it will not come up at all. I have heard mixed reviews, she said. Lukas Jewett, owner of Kims Marina east of Helena, said people are ready to get out and about after being cooped up at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he has alternate launching sites as the water is too low at the marina. We just need to get water to float the docks, he said, adding hes been told the runoff will come but has been delayed. Jewett, who has 200 boat slips, 140 campsites and a new Airstream RV to rent, said he is at 75% capacity for the weekend, but still has spaces available. Neman encourages people to check for the most up-to-date water level conditions at Reclamations website: https://www.usbr.gov/gp/boat/index.html. Current conditions in the region: Clark Canyon Reservoir near Dillon Most boat ramps are usable. Storage peaked in early May and is currently 18 feet below normal full pool levels. The reservoir is expected to draft throughout the summer as releases are being made to meet irrigation demands. Gibson Reservoir, 20 miles northwest of Augusta The boat ramp at Gibson Reservoir is not anticipated to be usable for Memorial Day weekend. Gibson Reservoir is 44 below normal full pool but is expected to fill in June. Lake Elwell (Tiber Reservoir), in southern Liberty County Boaters can launch at most boat ramps. The reservoir level is about 7 feet below normal full pool. The reservoir is expected to fill to full pool levels this summer. Releases to the Marias River are currently near 500 cfs with increases expected in early June. Fresno Reservoir, west of Havre All boat ramps at Fresno Reservoir are currently usable. The reservoir level is about 14 feet below normal full pool and is expected to draft throughout the summer. Releases to the Milk River are currently near 1,000 cfs to meet irrigation demands. Nelson Reservoir, 19 miles northeast of Malta Boaters should be able to launch at all locations around Nelson Reservoir. Nelson Reservoir is approximately 10 feet below full pool, which is below average for this time of year and is expected to draft throughout the summer. Bighorn Lake (Yellowtail Dam), northern Wyoming and southern Montana All boat ramps at Bighorn Lake are usable and are maintained by the National Park Service. The reservoir level is about 16 feet below normal full pool, which is above average for this time of year. The reservoir is expected to fill to full pool levels this summer. Releases to the Bighorn River are average and are currently 2,500 cfs. More information can be found at the National Park Services website: https://www.nps.gov/bica/index.html. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Finding your way again after getting injured on the job or being a victim of crime is often daunting, especially if you need monetary assistance. More than a century ago, it was almost impossible to receive basic support for this that is, until the Virginia Workers Compensation Commission was formed. Founded in 1918, the agency oversees the resolution of workers compensation claims and was incorporated after the Virginia Legislature approved the Virginia Workers Compensation Act. The commission has been designated a top workplace for two consecutive years thanks to its positive working environment and open communication culture, workers say. It regularly hosts town halls to give employees the opportunity to voice their concerns and learn of new operational issues. This is done to bring about the welcoming environment it strives to maintain. We want everyone to feel important, and their work contributes to our success, regardless of the position, said Evelyn McGill, executive director. We are great because we are diverse; we have individuals from all walks of life. That diversity results in stronger decision-making and strong service delivery. In the Greater Richmond area, the commission has 280 employees, all of whom band together to serve the community in a variety of non-work-related activities. These include running book drives, volunteering at soup kitchens, and participating in Angel Tree and the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. To show its gratitude, the agency honors its team through activities such as the Above and Beyond Award, which provides a small token of appreciation to a worker who has exceeded job expectations. During the first week of May, it also hosts an employee appreciation week and later a celebratory picnic. Theres also a deep sense of teamwork, employees say. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when most employees teleworked, they still relied on employees to sort through the mail because there isnt yet a paperless operation in place. When one member became ill, the team had to quarantine, so operations were suspended. When word got out about this, workers of all levels volunteered to come in and finish the task an incredible example of a business coming together and helping each other. As McGill says, We cant say thank you enough to our team. A local real estate developer and investor pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Richmond to defrauding the government and associated financial institutions out of more than $1.1 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds over 12 months. Moe A. Mathews, 51, co-owner and manager of the Fresh Start Property Solutions LLC based in Rockville, among other ventures, entered his pleas in U.S. District Court to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Judge Henry Hudson convicted Mathews after accepting his pleas and set sentencing for Oct. 7. Mathews, who lives in Richmond, opted to accelerate his case. He and attorney William Dinkin negotiated a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorneys Office that bypassed the presentation of facts to a grand jury. A criminal information was issued against Mathews on April 19, and he was served with it on Wednesday. By taking responsibility early in the legal process, defendants may be able to reduce their exposure to more lengthy sentences. Mathews also co-owns and manages Fresh Start Group LLC, Fresh Start Renovations LLC, Fresh Start Realty LLC and Fresh Start Investments, according to his Facebook page. According to the facts of the case filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kashan K. Pathan, Mathews and an unnamed co-conspirator submitted at least 38 fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program applications to financial institutions from about April 2020 through April 2021. Authorized by Congress through the CARES Act, the PPP is a federal Small Business Administration program that provided forgivable loans through participating financial institutions to small businesses for job retention and other expenses during the pandemic. Of the 38 fraudulent applications, 25 were first draw PPP loans, which can be used to help fund payroll costs, including benefits, and may also be used to pay for mortgage interest, rent, utilities and worker protection costs related to COVID. Mathews would sign the application forms as the authorized representative of the businesses, and he would represent that he and his accomplice were co-owners of those businesses, the government said. Although the specific misrepresentations and supporting documents varied on the applications, each of the first draw PPP applications contained false statements, false certifications and/or fabricated tax documents, authorities say. This included falsely representing the average monthly payroll and the number of employees working for their purported business in an effort to mislead the financial institutions that were reviewing their loan applications, according to the prosecutions case. Mathews and his accomplice also falsely certified that the loan proceeds would be used solely for business-related purposes, when, as they knew at the time, the conspirators also intended to use the funds for unauthorized personal expenses and bills, Pathan wrote in the governments statement of facts. They also conspired to routinely submit fabricated IRS Form 941s that purported to substantiate the monthly payroll expenses and employee counts claimed in the applications. Once the fraudulent applications were approved by the financial institutions, the proceeds for the PPP loans would generally be disbursed to bank accounts in the names of the businesses that Mathews and his accomplice claimed to own and operate. Several of these bank accounts were opened by the conspirators shortly before or immediately after they submitted the fraudulent applications. Both were signatories to the bank accounts, the government said. In total, Mathews and his accomplice received more than $500,000 in fraudulent proceeds from the affected financial institutions, money that was guaranteed by the SBA, officials said. The government said the conspiracy also involved Mathews and his accomplice submitting second draw PPP loan applications to financial institutions, which were predicated on the fraudulently obtained first draw PPO loans they applied for and received. PPP Second Draw allows borrowers who previously received a PPP loan to receive a second potentially forgivable loan to be used toward payroll expenses, rent, utilities and mortgage interest. On the second draw PPP applications, the defendant and co-conspirator would repeatedly make false certifications that they had used or would use the funds from their first draw PPP loans solely for eligible expenses under the program, when, as the defendant and co-conspirator knew at the time, they had not and did not use those funds solely for eligible expenses, Pathan wrote in the facts summary. Once the second-draw PPP loan proceeds were disbursed by the financial institutions, Mathews and his accomplice repeatedly and knowingly used the second draw PPP loan proceeds contrary to the programs requirements. For example, the conspirators would regularly transfer and spend those proceeds on their other businesses that had not applied for that loan and that were not authorized to receive or use those loan proceeds. In total, Mathews and his accomplice submitted 13 fraudulent second draw PPP loan applications and received more than $350,000 in loan proceeds, prosecutors said. The combined proceeds that Mathews fraudulently obtained through first and second draw PPP loans totaled $1,166,667, which he will be required to repay to the SBA and eight financial institutions. *** Mathews is the second Richmond-area resident to plead guilty to swindling the government out of COVID relief funds in less than two weeks. On April 17, Sadie Mitchell, a former employee of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. By filing dozens of fraudulent claims, Mitchell and an unnamed co-conspirator obtained at least $1,127,462 in pandemic unemployment assistance, unemployment insurance, paycheck protection loan funds and economic injury disaster loan payments in a scheme that ran from May 19, 2020, to Aug. 9, 2021. She received the funds by submitting bogus applications using the identities of state prison inmates and acquiring the personal identification information of unsuspecting Virginians from a government database that she had access to through her employment with DMV and the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board. She was employed by the dealer board at the time of the offense. Its a Hanover tradition, like the tomatoes, but harsh to the taste. A School Board member who voted to strip Confederate names from Hanover schools is jettisoned at the first opportunity by the county supervisor in his district. In 2019, it was Marla Coleman, one of two board members who voted unsuccessfully to change the names of Lee-Davis High School and Stonewall Jackson Middle School. Two years later, it was Kelly Evko, part of a board majority who moved to remove the names during our moment of racial reckoning following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Wednesday, the ousted school board member was Sterling Daniel, the Mechanicsville representative who risked the ire of constituents by voting to retire the Lee-Davis and Stonewall Jackson brands in favor of Mechanicsville High and Bell Creek Middle schools. Anyone who witnessed the outrage of Mechanicsville supervisor Canova Peterson in the aftermath knew Daniels days were numbered in a county where school board members are appointed rather than elected. But Peterson, presented with eight candidates, selected the most polarizing choice Wednesday. Johnny Redd, in a Q&A with The Times-Dispatch six days earlier, delivered a screed laced with intolerance and religious zealotry. The interview should have been disqualifying. Instead, the Board of Supervisors voted 5-2 to appoint Redd to the School Board. Ashland supervisor Faye O. Prichard and board chair Angela Kelly-Wiecek of the Chickahominy District voted no. Prichard cited the fears of the families of transgender students; Kelly-Wiecek voiced reservations about Redds ability to be collaborative. Indeed, Redds answers in that Q&A were notably strident. He touted himself as a conservative, Christian voice on the School Board not the most inclusive signal to send to students who happen to be Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or atheist or gay, lesbian, queer or transgender. Then again, the School Boards record of inclusion is spotty. In November, it rejected a policy change that would that would have explicitly allowed transgender students to use bathrooms that aligned with their identity, thumbing its nose at Virginia law and federal rulings inaction that led to a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia on behalf of the parents of five transgender students. In March, the board voted to bring in a notoriously anti-LGBTQ organization, the Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom, to review the boards equal educational opportunities policy. Daniel opposed that move presumably another strike against him. Redd, in written answers to the RTD, lamented what he called a shift toward social issues like CRT, transgender bathrooms or rights of one group versus the rights of another group. He vowed to focus on the education of students, not indoctrination of the students, not promoting social change that is illogical, immoral and/or ungodly. Redd said hed analyze policies and curriculum from the lens of a biblical worldview. Our freedoms are given to us by God, not by government, but we have been complacent and have let the distractions and ungodliness get a foothold in our society, our government and our schools. We have strayed from godly principles and are reaping the consequences of disobedience, he said. I am not going to be silently complicit and allow an evil tide to carry THE CHILDREN to a point where they are brainwashed. He said hed listen if a child feels they are being treated differently than others. But, if that parent is demanding that their child be given special consideration because of the way that they look or feel [or the way that they identify], I will find it hard to agree that they are not being treated the same as other students. Redd served on the School Board from 1980-84. In this appointment, he is a living, breathing clock turned back. His elevation has been accompanied by speculation that he will seek to restore Confederate names to the Mechanicsville schools. His appointment came days after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 students and two teachers. Firearms have replaced automobile accidents as the leading cause of death among children. Students nationwide are impatient for action. Meanwhile, some elected officials in Hanover are treating transgender Hanover students and their families like the enemy while a Virginia governor wages war against equity and the teaching of systemic racism all part of a parents rights movement that helped elect Glenn Youngkin as governor. That movement was of no help to Daniel, the only board member with children currently enrolled in Hanover schools. This appointment is just another example of Hanover County choosing politics over protecting trans and other vulnerable students, the ACLU of Virginia said in a statement Friday. Mr. Redd has been very clear that he sees support even legally required support of transgender students as inconsistent with the role of the School Board. The organization called Redds appointment fully at odds with the core function of a government and school system: to make schools safe places of learning for all kids. These politicians are more concerned with winning the culture wars than creating a safe, inclusive and nurturing school environment. When the politics of confrontation trumps education, everyone loses. Richmond along with the counties of Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico have hit high COVID-19 community levels, a benchmark calculated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention using the number of infections and hospital admissions. Statewide, Virginia is averaging more than 3,200 cases each day and nearly 500 people hospitalized with the virus. Case levels are likely much higher than the recorded statistics due to an increased use of at-home tests, which arent guaranteed to be reported to health departments. At the height of the delta surge in September, the state was reporting nearly 3,700 daily infections. Fridays figures are nearly 10 times higher than this time last year, when Virginia was recording fewer than 340 cases per day. For any folks who have taken a break from indoor mask wearing during times of low and medium COVID-19 levels, now is the time to break out those masks from the drawer and make sure to stay diligent about wearing it in indoor places, said Dr. Melissa Viray, acting director of Richmond and Henrico Health Districts. Mask wearing alongside vaccinations and staying home when sick will help us stay as safe as possible during this wave of higher COVID-19 levels. The CDC update, which came late Thursday, shifts the guidance for how residents should be determining risk. The federal health agency recommends residents in areas with high COVID levels wear masks in indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status. This would include K-12 schools and apply to at least 25 localities in Virginia, where nearly every city and county is in the medium-to-high category. Masks have been optional in public schools statewide since February following a fast-tracked law banning mask mandates in schools. Virginia is one of four states to fully prohibit face covering requirements in K-12 schools, according to a dashboard compiled by the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities. The other three are Florida, Texas and Utah. CDC guidance also suggests that people who live with or plan to see someone who is at high risk for severe disease should wear a mask when indoors and around them, and get tested beforehand. Richmond and Henrico Health Districts recommends stocking up on at-home tests as a safety measure, and in a Friday release, reminded residents of the availability of free at-home COVID tests at the following library branches: Broad Rock, East End, Ginter Park, Main Library and North Avenue. The health districts are also ramping up the availability of free COVID testing events in preparation for increased demand. Last week, more than a third of U.S. residents were living in counties with medium-to-high transmission levels, prompting the CDC director to call on local leaders to consider adopting additional prevention strategies such as masking in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and vaccinations. As of Monday, the latest available update on the Virginia Department of Health site, the state was administering fewer than 1,700 vaccines on a daily basis. Following the delta surge and during the omicron wave, Virginia was at one point recording more than 40,000 vaccinations each day. We wear masks to keep ourselves and our neighbors safe ... it can save a life, said Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. Richmond residents, lets make smart choices given where the COVID-19 levels are in our community. Lets do our part to stay safe during this wave of the pandemic. The actions or more notably, the inaction of law enforcement officers moved to the center of the investigation into this week's school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Here are the latest updates. The National Rifle Association is set to hold its 2022 annual meeting in Houston on Friday, bringing together its top brass and several notable conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, for the first time in three years. The NRA's annual meeting was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but this year the organization is moving ahead with its plans, holding the meeting at a time when both gun rights and the organization itself have come under intense scrutiny, especially after a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, left 21 dead. Here's what we know about the 2022 annual meeting. When is the meeting? The NRA's 2022 Annual Meeting & Exhibits is scheduled to take place from May 27-29, according to the event website. The leadership forum, which the organization bills as "one of the most politically significant and popular events in the country," will take place Friday afternoon. Where is the meeting? The leadership forum will be held in Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center, the same location it was going to be at last September for the 2021 annual meeting. Who can attend the meeting? The annual meeting is only open to NRA members. The organization currently has over five million members, according to its website. Who are this year's speakers? Friday's meeting will feature remarks from eight people, including NRA head Wayne LaPierre and Jason Ouimet, the executive director of the group's lobbying arm, according to the event website. Trump will also speak at the event. The former President, who maintained a close relationship with the gun lobby and its activists throughout his presidency, spoke at the 2019 event, which marked his fifth consecutive speech to the annual meeting. In addition to Trump, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, and Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw, also a Republican, are also scheduled to speak at Friday's meeting. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, both Republicans, will also deliver remarks. What are the security measures? The NRA said that because Trump will be at the event, the US Secret Service "will take control of the General Assembly Hall and have magnetometers in place before entry." Attendees are prohibited from bringing "firearms, firearm accessories, knives, and other items," including backpacks and selfie sticks. What has happened since the 2019 meeting? Friday's annual meeting will take place at a time when gun rights and the NRA have come under intense scrutiny, with supporters of gun control turning their attention to the organization this week after an 18-year-old gunman fatally shot 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, before he was killed by law enforcement, officials said. The NRA condemned the shooting in a statement Wednesday, calling it a "horrific and evil crime." "Although an investigation is underway and facts are still emerging, we recognize this was the act of a lone, deranged criminal," the group said. "As we gather in Houston, we will reflect on these events, pray for the victims, recognize our patriotic members, and pledge to redouble our commitment to making our schools secure." The massacre is the deadliest shooting at a school since the Sandy Hook massacre in Connecticut in 2012 that left 26 people dead, including 20 children aged between 6 and 7 years old. The NRA has also been in a fight to remain afloat after New York Attorney General Letitia James sued to dissolve the NRA for allegedly misusing charitable funds. In March, a New York State Supreme Court justice blocked James' attempt to dissolve the organization but allowed her suit against it to move forward. And observers are also awaiting a decision from the US Supreme Court in the biggest Second Amendment case it has taken up in more than a decade. The justices are considering whether to strike down a New York gun law enacted more than a century ago that places restrictions on carrying a concealed gun outside the home. What happened at the last annual meeting? At 2019's annual meeting, Trump announced that he would not ratify a United Nations arms trading treaty and then signed a message to the Senate in front of an audience of NRA leaders. The meeting was also notable because then-NRA President Oliver North told members during it that he would not be renominated president of the group following a dispute with LaPierre. The announcement was made in a letter in which North said he hoped he would be renominated for a second term but, "I am now informed that will not happen." Already a controversial figure due to his involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal, North joined the NRA at a critical juncture for it as it responded to renewed calls for gun control in the wake of the 2017 school shooting in Parkland, Florida. ___ As Memorial Day heralds summer, parents who work as state employees are scrambling for child care options under an impending deadline to comply with a new policy imposed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to push the state workforce back into the office after the 27-month-old COVID-19 pandemic drove them out. The new telework policy, which the administration announced three weeks ago to take effect on July 5, requires state employees to return to their offices unless they have permission to work remotely, with more than one day a week requiring approval of senior administration officials. The Department of Environmental Quality one of more than 65 executive branch agencies covered by the policy recently offered its employees the option of working remotely for up to five days a week under temporary telework agreements through the summer if they have no other alternatives for child care. Lack of child care is a legitimate issue and may be considered as a Temporary Telework Agreement on a case by case basis, Renee Wilson, director of the agencys human resource department, advised DEQ employees in a memo on May 17. Child care wasnt among the reasons specified for temporary telework agreements of up to two weeks in the original policy, but Youngkin press secretary Macaulay Porter confirmed last week that agencies can consider it as a reason through Labor Day, Sept. 5, marking the end of the summer holiday and the beginning of the school year. However, Porter said, The same approval process applies to all telework agreements. That means agency heads can approve no more than one telework day per week for employees, while two days a week requires permission from the applicable Cabinet secretary, and requests for more go to Youngkins chief of staff, Jeff Goettman. Administration officials insist that the new policy offers flexibility to agency managers and employees, but Sen. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, disagrees. Any policy that requires the chief of staff of the governor to sign off on applications is not flexible, said McClellan, a corporate lawyer for Verizon whose Richmond-based district includes many state employees and their families. Its an inherent bottleneck. I cant imagine a Fortune 500 company that would say the chief operating officer or the chief of staff to the CEO would have to approve employee teleworking agreements, she said. McClellan is among eight Democratic legislators seven from the Richmond area who publicly urged Youngkin to delay implementation of the new policy until after Labor Day, when parents will have more options to balance their work schedules and family obligations. This whole thing has just been incredibly disruptive to state employees who are parents, McClellan said in an interview. It is completely counter to what the private sector is doing and has been doing before the pandemic even started. Its just a big mess at a time when we should be encouraging our state workforce, she said. Were just giving a lot of them one more reason to leave and go to the private sector. The governor gave employees two weeks to file applications for teleworking agreements, which will replace all teleworking agreements that employees already have with their state agencies. The Youngkin administration acknowledged that the policy could require changes in childcare arrangements, which it encouraged employees to discuss with their supervisors and agency leaders and to submit telework agreements that best fit their needs. McClellan and other legislators said the two-week deadline given to employees to submit applications gave those who have young children little time to arrange for other options, with summer camps mostly full and child care providers facing workforce shortages of their own. This sudden announcement so late in the school year has left many of our constituents with limited options for the arrangements of childcare, the legislators said in their letter to Youngkin on May 18. The Virginia Governmental Employees Association said it will ask the Youngkin administration to delay implementation of the new policy until Sept. 12. This extension would give employees the extra time they need to make arrangements to return to work including securing child care as needed, the association said in a statement on Facebook. Accordingly, the VGEA is working to arrange a meeting with the Youngkin administration as soon as possible to ask for an extension. The Youngkin administration hasnt tallied the requests for telework or determined how many would require high-level approval. The administration and agency leaders are assessing the telework agreements and individuals are invited to apply for telework as needed, Porter said. Some agencies have a better idea of the demand than others. The Virginia Department of Transportation, one of the states largest agencies with more than 7,600 employees, estimates that more than 4,000 salary and wage employees are eligible to telework, while about 1,700 had submitted applications through Tuesday. Many of the departments employees have had to work throughout the pandemic because road construction and maintenance were considered essential services during the public health emergency that then-Gov. Ralph Northam declared on March 12, 2020. If an employee is assigned 100% to field operations, they would not be eligible for telework, spokesperson Marshall Herman said. Other state agencies classify field offices differently. For example, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services told its employees that the telework restrictions dont apply to workers in regional offices across the state or field operations that report to the central office in Richmond. Many of those workers provide services within their communities, which often are far from central and regional offices. All state agencies have backup plans for teleworking during emergencies that shut down government offices, but some have emergency response duties that may require more flexibility for where and when employees work. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management, for example, requires all employees to be subject to emergency work whether it be in the field or at the Virginia Emergency Operations Center, spokesperson Lauren Opett said in an email on Monday. The agencys work is not 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, she said. It is for this reason, and many other factors, that we are working to identify how our staff can accomplish our mission and effectively coordinate with each other while also taking care of team members and promoting a positive work/life balance, which can at times be difficult in this line of work, she added. The agency has been working with the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the governors office to determine our path forward, she said. The Virginia Department of Health, at the epicenter of the emergency response to COVID-19, also requires many of its employees to be available beyond normal work hours. During an emergency, we have the ability to work in the office, at home, in emergency operations centers at the local and state levels, spokesperson Tammie Smith said Wednesday. Telework may cease or slow for many day to day, but when its dangerous to travel, or offices close, teleworking remains a viable option and all forms of response kick in. The health department is still tallying the numbers of employees seeking teleworking agreements, Smith said. Employees who were on leave or who for other reasons could not complete the form by May 20 were given time to submit telework requests. A quieter weather weekend is ahead for metro Richmond. After several cloudy, cool and damp days, it will almost be like turning a light switch, going to several days with sunshine and a building hot spell. Saturday brings highs in the upper 70s with an occasional breeze, but the weather pattern quickly turns more like mid-summer Sunday and most of next week. Highs will soar into the upper 80s and lower 90s through the middle of next week. Very warm air moves in aloft as well, and that will make it especially difficult to bring significant cloud cover to metro Richmond, much less allow for any organized rainfall. About a half-inch of rain fell across metro Richmond on Friday, and with the dry and hot spell ahead of us next week, we will be glad we had the rain. The ground can dry out quickly this time of year, and we will probably find ourselves welcoming rain again by the end of next week. Richmond climate check May has brought more than its fair share of ups and down, both cool and wet along with record heat. But adding it up for the month so far, Richmond is having a May that has been slightly warm, about 1.2 degrees above normal for the entire month. Damaging storm in Bedford(tncms-asset)89215c0c-ba65-56b7-8472-3e36e8c61ad8[2](/tncms-asset) Early morning storms likely produced a tornado in Bedford County on Friday. Several structures were damaged just west of Lynchburg. The damage in the photos suggests the winds were from a tornado, but the National Weather Service in Blacksburg will conduct a field survey of the area on Saturday. A report from that office to determine the scale of the damage and assign the storm a specific rating is expected Saturday afternoon. Retiring after 50 years as a veterinarian has presented a bit of a challenge for Dr. A. Neal Rose. Im having a hard time getting used to it, Rose said recently, not quite three months since retiring in February. When you do something for 50 years, its a big adjustment. He and his wife, Betty, a dog trainer, have six dogs and two cats at their home on the Chickahominy River in Charles City County, so its not like hes out of the caring-for-pets business entirely. But its a long ways from showing up every morning at Broad Street Veterinary Hospital, where he first went to work in 1972, weeks after graduating from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. There, he cared for other peoples pets, all day, every day. He loved his work, and he managed to avoid the burnout that affects so many others in the veterinarian field. A 2018 study by the Centers for Disease Control found veterinarians are at an increased risk of suicide with risk factors including long hours, work overload, educational debt-to-income ratio and poor work-life balance. Rose understands. Its just so much pressure ... emotional pressure and physical pressure, he said. People being upset over their animals, and you feel like you cant do anything. For Rose, every day was different, and most days were full. Not a lot of slow days in 50 years? I asked. Rose laughed. Very few. I can probably count them on one hand. And yet, he never regretted waking in the morning and going to work. A big accomplishment, he says. Rose, 75, came by the job naturally, if not altogether typically. The inspiration for his career probably was his grandfather, a farmer who was not an actual veterinarian but who played one in real life outside Columbia, S.C. His grandfather died when Rose was still an infant, but the stories about him were ever-present as Rose grew up. He had no degree, but everybody called him to treat their animals, Rose said. His grandfather employed homespun remedies; Rose recalled hearing how his grandfather successfully treated a case of milk fever in a cow with a goose quill and a bicycle pump. When he was older, Rose helped his uncle, an agriculture teacher, vaccinate dogs for rabies, filling a community need because there was no one else to do it. Ive loved being around animals my whole life, he said. Despite all of that, Rose was far from convinced he could make the grades to attend vet school, but he eventually did, a testament, he says, to the notion that if you dedicate yourself, youre going to be smart enough. Toward the end of his time in vet school, he met Dr. Taylor Rowe, founder of Broad Street Veterinary Hospital, who came to Athens to interview prospective new vets. He was interested in hiring someone from Virginia, but he wound up more impressed by Rose and offered him a job. He arrived in Richmond, and, as time went on, Everything worked out great. Rowe had founded Broad Street Veterinary Hospital, at the corner of Broad and Roseneath, in 1938. It was probably one of the most advanced veterinary hospitals at that time in Virginia, Rose said. When Rowe had opened the practice, Roseneath was still a dirt road and streetcars ran on Broad Street, recalled Dr. Buford Philpy, who came to work at the hospital in 1941. Some people told him he had built too far out in the country, Philpy said in a Richmond Times-Dispatch story in 1992. At that point, Rowe had retired, selling the business to Rose and Philpy, who would retire in 1997 after 56 years in the business. When Philpy retired, Rose bought out his then-partner and became the sole owner of the hospital. Over the years, patients have come from all over central Virginia and beyond, Rose said. Generations of them. He and his colleagues have treated mostly dogs and cats early on, Rose determined treating large animals was not for him; A cow can run by you and kick you at the same time, he says with a laugh performing a wide range of medical care but always knowing my limitations and not thinking twice about referring animals to specialists, which are far more common now than when Rose entered the field. One longtime client, Bruce Tyler, who has taken his pets to Broad Street Veterinary Hospital for more than 40 years, described Rose as intuitive and insightful when it comes to dealings with animals, but also pretty good with his two-legged clients. The other aspect about Neal, which weve always greatly appreciated, is you just feel comfortable with him, said Tyler, who formerly served on the Richmond City Council. Hes never met a stranger. Hes just down-to-earth and pragmatic and straightforward. Tyler told me about the time he and his wife had lost their cats and Rose connected them with a couple having to find a new home for their cats We went down, picked them up and didnt even think twice about it, Tyler says or another time Rose gave him sage advice on how to pick the right puppy out of a litter or the time an anxious Tyler placed a worried call to Rose on a Saturday when Tyler was dog-sitting his daughters dog who got into some chocolate. Neal said, How much [chocolate]? and I told him, and he said, How big is the dog? and I told him, and he said, Youre OK, recalled a relieved Tyler. You cant say enough about Neal. He didnt have to take the call. Another longtime client and friend who trusted Rose with his dogs and cats for 50 years said Rose not only had the medical knowledge for the job but also the empathy for it. He saw it on the routine visits when Rose administered basic treatment, on a phone call when Rose talked him through birthing a litter of his English setters puppies that wouldnt wait, and on the wrenching times over the years when a sick and aging animal had to be euthanized. He had as many tears in his eyes as I did, the man told me. He really is tremendous, the man said. My friend and former colleague Paul Woody and his wife, Janet, took their pets to Rose starting in 1975. The Woodys remember the time their first cat was so sick they showed up at the animal hospital on a November night, and Rose showed up, too. He always showed up when we needed him, they said. He also always made them feel as if he was absolutely thrilled to see old friends again. Ill let the Woodys more fully describe their years knowing Rose: Whenever we had a sick pet, we always felt better after Dr. Rose performed an examination and prescribed a course of treatment. And when one of our pets was so sick that no treatment would make things better, we relied on Dr. Roses guidance and advice to help us make a heartbreaking but humane decision. Dr. Rose was with us to the very end in those situations. He would start the final visit with, Its for the best, really. You dont want them to suffer, and end with a solemn, Its over. Then he would quietly open the examining room door that led to the street so we could walk directly to our car and not have to fight back tears as we walked through the lobby. A few days later, a card would arrive from BSV, signed by the entire staff, with notes of sympathy from almost everyone, the longest always written by Dr. Rose. It made us feel as if our pets had been special not only to us, but also to the people who had examined and treated them for years, sometimes 17 or 18 years. That kind of compassion starts at the top. Rose has witnessed a lot of changes: better and safer surgical techniques, advanced diagnostic tools (When I was in vet school, we didnt know what an ultrasound was, he says). The advent of 24-hour-a-day emergency veterinary hospitals has been another positive change for veterinarians and animals. Rose was among a group of local vets who banded together in 1981 to start Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center on Cary Street, reducing the need for vets to make middle-of-the-night visits to their offices to handle emergencies. On the business side of things, Rose watched the trend of corporations acquiring veterinary practices a 2017 study by the American Veterinary Medical Association found corporations own about 10% of general companion animal practices and as many as half of specialty practices particularly as an exit strategy for aging hospital owners unable to find other willing buyers but wanting their facilities to continue operating after they retired. He sold his Broad Street practice to PetVet Care Centers a few years ago. Through it all, one thing that hasnt changed is this: Pets are family, Rose said. In retirement, Rose still enjoys his own personal slice of the wild kingdom on the Chickahominy. Besides their dogs and cats, the Roses enjoy the eagles and osprey and, in general, plenty of wildlife, he said. I wondered, in 50 years of dealing with animals for all types and temperaments, how many times Rose has been bitten. Three times, he said, but only once when he was officially on the job. Thats a pretty big accomplishment, he said with a laugh, but theyve tried to bite me more than once. FOREST A violent storm Friday morning destroyed or damaged numerous structures and downed trees and power lines in a roughly 2.4-square mile area of Bedford County, but officials reported no fatalities and few injuries. The storm peeled roofs off homes and left a trail of debris in its wake in the Crockett Road area of Goode, just a few miles west of Jefferson Forest High School. While the storm prompted tornado warnings, official confirmation of a tornado is pending an evaluation by the National Weather Service. Two people suffered minor injuries, according to a Bedford County news release. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management assessed 50 structures in the Crockett Road area and determined 15 received varying levels of damage, according to the release. Of those 15, three were destroyed. Earlier in the day, county officials had estimated about 45 structures were damaged. No one was found during search-and-rescue operations, and officials received no reports of missing people. At about 7:15 a.m., the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning urging people to seek shelter after severe thunderstorms made their way through the Lynchburg area. The first calls reporting damage came in at 7:43 a.m., according to Monty Coleman, chief of the Forest Volunteer Fire Department. I was the first arriving fire responder and the sheriffs office had a unit already here when I arrived. Upon my arrival here was basically catastrophic damage in the immediate area at the intersections from where there was one structure that was completely gone, there was trees down around a house and the house had significant damage to it. We were met with high wind and rain still happening at that time and lightning. Our crews just immediately started that rescue mode, which is what theyre trained to do, Coleman said. When we got here you know, its something you see on TV out in the Midwest all the time; you really dont expect it out here in the mountain region of our county. Patricia Spruce has lived in a home along Bethany Church Circle, which is connected to Crockett Road, for 20 years and said she has never seen something like this. I heard a rumbling and I thought this tree was going to come through the bedroom, Spruce said. I just took off running and was heading to the bathtub. It blew the windows out of the house and everything. A large tree missed Spruces bedroom, situated on a front corner of her home, by less than a foot. We have a cat door to the laundry room for the cats and the suction was so bad it sucked that right out of the door, Spruce said. It sounded like a freight train; it even moved the posts on our house. Spruce and her husband were not injured during the storm but will have some home repairs and cleanup to take care of. Abby Johnson, deputy chief of operations for Bedford County Fire and Rescue, said multiple structures were catastrophic losses. They are down to the foundation surrounded by debris, so they are complete losses and a good portion of those have significant damage, Johnson said. The Bedford County Sheriffs Office, Virginia State Police, the Bedford Fire Department, Forest Volunteer Fire Department, and emergency crews from Campbell County and Lynchburg were on the scene. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Forestry Service and the American Red Cross also were assisting. A temporary shelter was set up at the Goode Fire and EMS Station, at 9261 Forest Road, to help residents and family members, but it was expected to close Friday evening. Residents still needing resources were asked to call the American Red Cross at 1-855-891-7325. Elsewhere in the region, Amherst County Public Schools closed Friday due to rising water levels following the morning storms, according to a notice from the school system. The update came after secondary schools temporarily sheltered in place and the start of school initially was delayed for elementary schools before the closure announcement. As the weather cleared and the sun came out, residents of homes damaged and destroyed ventured out to check on their neighbors and begin clean up efforts. Travis Hostetter and his roommate, Anthony Mays, returned to their home situated on top of a hill that was leveled during the storm. Mays walked around the mangled home, holding his dachshund, Shadow, who suffered a broken leg in the chaos and was still groggy from the anesthesia. Nothing was left standing of the home that belonged to Hostetters grandmother, who passed away a few months ago, except a few inner walls. Hours later, Spruce had still not seen her four cats but was confident they were still in the home, just shaken and hiding. When search-and-rescue efforts concluded, the roads were cleared of fallen trees so power crews could move in to begin work on the power lines, lifting them off of the road and putting up new poles. As of 6 p.m. Friday, residents remained without power. This article was originally published by CalMatters, and has been republished with their permission. See more of their coverage of California state government on CalMatters.org. CalMatters COVID and health care coverage is supported by grants from the Blue Shield of California Foundation, the California Health Care Foundation and the California Wellness Foundation. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Uvalde, Texas, on Sunday to console families and honor victims of Tuesdays mass school shooting in which 19 children and two teachers were killed State police say the suspect in the Texas shooting had no criminal record or known mental illness that could have signaled he was capable of gunning down 19 children and two adults Gun control measures are likely going nowhere in Congress, and they have also become increasingly scarce in most states Long ago it was, in the late 1980s. I was in a hurry to get back to South Carolina. Thus did I take Georgia Highway 22, known also as the Crawfordville Road. I knew that road would take me to I-20 but it took me somewhere else the past. I drove through farmland and wooded tracts and when I entered a place called Philomath, I knew at once it was an authentic place stranded in time. Then I passed a house like no other. Four stout cedar trees bereft of limbs served as columns. I could never forget this house and several times over the next 30 years Id go out of my way to see the unusual home. Then the day came, a Sunday, when I went to photograph it. The old home stood in Philomath, Georgia, a name thats hard to forget. Phil-o-math. Three syllables that seem biblical, and in fact King James himself penned a character, Philomathes, to debate arguments of whether the ancient religious concepts of witchcraft should be punished in a politically fueled Christian society, but thats not biblical. My friend and fellow author, Jodie Peeler, told me that R.E.M. mentioned Philomath in a song. If youre needing inspiration, Philomath is where I go. Thats not biblical either, but its true, or I wouldnt be writing about the place, would I? Now, the fine home with the cedar columns you see in my photo. Thanks to Brian Browns Vanishing Georgia I learned that its the Bryan-Wolfe House. The old place came to be 100 years ago, and like Sir Eltons song, Its Still Standing. And what about Philomath, the unincorporated community in Oglethorpe County, Georgia? Well, to go there is to flee the present. Youll see buildings of wood whose shape and construction come from the past. The Antebellum South comes to mind at once. I cannot verify it but I heard this agrarian community was among the sites selected where the University of Georgia was to be. Athens, of course, won out. William Bartram came through Philomath, and theres a small building there known as the William Bartram Museum, seldom used, unfortunately. I learned this thanks to a thesis Justin E. Courson wrote, Preservation Planning For Philomath, Georgia in 2010. Courson also wrote that President Woodrow Wilson traveled to Philomath as a boy when his father, Joseph Wilson, went there to preach at the request of the Philomath Churchs congregation. Courson suggests too that Philomath lore holds that Jefferson Davis dissolved the Confederacy from the balcony of The Globe, an antebellum home. Philomath. The name sticks with you. It refers to the Love of Knowledge and a person whos fond of studying and learning. So, whats the moral of this column? When youre young you breeze right through a fascinating place and pay it no heed. Then years later an unusual sight catches your attention and you slow down and want to learn more. And then on a Sunday when youve got time on your hands as well as a camera in your hands, you think, Im going to hit the road and photograph the cedars of Philomath. And I did. Before I go, let me encourage you to visit Brian Browns Vanishing Georgia website. Google it. Brian will, indeed, show you not just a vanishing Georgia, but a vanishing Southland as Georgialina and neighboring states continue to lose their old southern places. An old house with rough-hewn cedars as columns. You just dont come across that too often, not at all. Visit Tom Polands website at tompoland.net. Email Tom about most anything at tompol@earthlink.net. The world needs more than 'beautiful words' from the US By Global Times editorial (Global Times) 08:37, May 27, 2022 US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a speech on US' China policy at George Washington University on Thursday, which is so far the most comprehensive and systematic policy exposition by the Biden administration on the relations between the two countries. In a speech that lasted about an hour, Blinken outlined the Biden administration's China strategy as "invest, align and compete." That is, invest in US competitiveness, align with allies and partners, and compete with China. In general, this speech appears to be relatively "moderate," especially compared with the "new iron curtain speech" by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2020, with a posture that is less aggressive and bellicose. It even contained some "beautiful words." For example, Blinken expressed the willingness to strengthen direct "communication across a full range of issues" with China, adding that Washington "does not seek to transform China's political system," and " does not seek to stop China from growing their economy," the US "does not want a new Cold War," "does not want to sever China's economy from the global economy" and "does not support Taiwan independence." However, as an old Chinese saying goes: "We do not only listen to what one says but also watch what one does." We will wait and see. Of course, that is not the whole content of Blinken's speech. Those "beautiful words" often come with a following sentence, like stating that Beijing poses the "most serious long-term challenge" to the international order, and it is necessary to ensure that China complies with international rules while the US "will shape the strategic environment around Beijing" and "call for change, not to stand against China, but to stand up for peace, security, and human dignity." The US policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, but "what has changed is the growing coercion from Beijing." The diplomatic rhetoric still requests Beijing to submit to Washington's hegemonic demands and this speech on China policy follows Washington's inconsistency between minds and words. It wants to be in the international moral high ground while putting the interests of the US first. We certainly hope that Washington is serious about not falling into a "new Cold War" with China, but the biggest problem now is that it says one thing and does another. US President Joe Biden announced the launch of the "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework" during his just-concluded Asian trip, which is considered to be a "clique" to exclude China, and issued a joint statement with many parts of the content targeting China after the Quad summit. On many occasions, the US has talked a lot about "avoiding a new Cold War," but in practice, it has divided the camp with ideology and arbitrarily asked other countries to choose sides. Isn't this sounding the horn for a "new Cold War"? Even in Blinken's latest policy speech declaring "no new Cold War", many of his words are also full of ideological prejudice and Cold War mindset, which is consistent with the people's impression on the US's behavior. For example, China is described as a "challenge", while the US' response is a kind of "deterrence," as if China is the aggressor and the US is the defender. On the Taiwan question, the Chinese mainland is accused of unilaterally changing the status quo, which actually should be blamed on the Taiwan secessionist force. These are all discourse traps that turn black into white. In addition, Blinken continued the practice of the Pompeo era of trying to separate the Chinese government from the Chinese people, which is both arrogant to the country's political system and disrespect to its people. The reason why it appears less "bellicose" is that - Blinken himself actually touched on - the US has limited ability to directly influence China's "intentions" and "ambitions." It is worth mentioning that what Blinken did not express in his speech is precisely the reality that the US has to face. For example, he emphasized that the US is still a diverse and dynamic society, but the backdrop is the decline of the US, the rampant racism in the country, gun violence and other chronic problems that are hard to eradicate. He talked a lot about allies and partnerships, but reality is that the US is experiencing a credibility crisis globally. The areas where Blinken said in a very positive tone are precisely the dilemmas the country is facing. In any case, compared to his predecessor, Blinken's China policy speech seemed "more responsible" and it at least touched on many areas where China and the US could cooperate. As the largest developing and developed countries, the relations between China and the US profoundly affect the direction of the world. China's policy toward the US is consistent and certain, and it always fulfills its commitment. The key point is whether the US can walk the talk. We hope that the US can really implement in the areas where it could cooperate with China as mentioned in this speech, and regarding the differences, they should be managed according to the wishes expressed in his remarks. This is good news for China and the US and good news for the whole world. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Honesty is the best policy." Although Washington is superior in discourse power, yet the world expects the US to keep its words and deeds in carrying out cooperation and managing differences, not just say "beautiful words" to move itself. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Spotlighting the messiness of AEDPA more than a quarter century later | Main | Helping to spread a federal sentencing "message" for a "corruption superspreader" May 26, 2022 Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals decides court martialed prisoner cannot seek compassionate release in military courts A helpful reader altered me to an interesting ruling this week from the US Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals in In re Kawai, Misc. Dkt. No. 2022-02 (AFCCA May 25, 2022) (available here). Here is how the opinion gets started: On 29 January 2022, Petitioner requested this court grant him extraordinary relief in what he styled as a Motion for Compassionate Release and Reduction in Sentence, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(1)(A)(i), and the First Step Act of 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-391, 132 Stat. 5194 (2018). This court received, by mail, Petitioners request on 2 March 2022, and docketed his petition on 11 March 2022; the Court did not order briefs by the Government or Petitioner in response. We conclude we do not have jurisdiction to adjudicate Petitioners request and deny the petition. Here is a key portion of the ruling: The problem for Petitioner is the review of a motion for compassionate release is jurisdictional. A motion to file for compassionate release can only be brought before the sentencing judge. Ferguson v. United States, No. 1:22-cv10542, 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 50986, at *2 (E.D. Mich. 21 Mar. 2022). Yet, [g]eneral courts-martial are ad hoc proceedings which dissolve after the purpose for which they were convened has been resolved. Witham v. United States, 355 F.3d. 501, 505 (6th Cir. 2004). Because Petitioners court was dissolved after his case, and because his case is final under Article 76, UCMJ, there is no sentencing court within the military service courts in which Petitioner may bring a motion under 18 U.S.C. 3582(c)(1)(A)(i). However, Congress has charged federal district courts with exercising jurisdiction over habeas corpus petitioners who are imprisoned as a result of court-martial convictions. See Burns v. Wilson, 346 U.S. 137, 139 (1953); Chapman, 75 M.J. at 601; see also Gilliam v. Bureau of Prisons, No. 99-1222, 2000 U.S. App. LEXIS 3684, at *3 (8th Cir. 10 Mar. 2000) (unpub. op.). Federal district court is also the proper venue for Petitioners motion. See Owens, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 61460, at *2. May 26, 2022 at 06:33 PM | Permalink Comments Professor, I see the dicta paragraph at the end of the decision. Is the military court trying to indicate their belief that a motion to reduce sentence under 18 USC 3582(c)(1)(A) would be properly brought before a federal district court? It is clearly not habeas, despite their claim it is analogous. The relief sought is plainly different and the remedy is purely statutory. What say you about the same scenario being filed in a district court in the district of confinement? Jurisdiction? Yea or nay? Posted by: Zachary Newland | May 31, 2022 11:43:29 AM Zachary, because in this case the federal prisoner has parole eligibility, I do not think he readily fits into the (parole-free) regime that Congress created with the SRA that included this sentence reduction mechanism. Given that there is already another form of sentence reconsideration, I would be disinclined to read either the text or context of 3582(c)(1)(A) to be available. That said, I tend to favor broad views of district court authority under federal "habeas" in the form of 2255 motions, so I might want any such action informed by 3582/3553 considerations in order to effectuate congressional interests. Posted by: Doug B. | Jun 1, 2022 8:37:15 AM Post a comment Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals decides court martialed prisoner cannot seek compassionate release in military courts | Main | Supreme Court of Canada declares all LWOP sentences unconstitutional as "degrading in nature and thus intrinsically incompatible with human dignity" May 27, 2022 Helping to spread a federal sentencing "message" for a "corruption superspreader" I always find it is interesting when judges in relatively low-profile cases talk about "sending a message" at sentencing, and I suppose I should try to make a habit of helping judges spread the messages they hope to be sending. To that end, here I will flag this recent sentencing story out of Chicago headlined "You were a corruption superspreader: Judge sentences ex-state Rep. Luis Arroyo to 57 months in prison in bribery case involving sweepstakes machine bill." Here are excerpts: Saying he needed to send a message on the cost of public corruption, a federal judge on Wednesday sentenced former state Rep. Luis Arroyo to nearly five years in federal prison for trying to bribe a state senator to help with legislation expanding the shadowy world of sweepstakes gambling machines. Rejecting a defense plea for probation, U.S. District Judge Steven Seeger railed against Arroyos dirty conduct, saying in a lengthy speech that he sold out an already corruption-weary public and committed a frontal assault on the very idea of representative government. You were a corruption superspreader, Seeger said near the end of a nearly four-hour hearing at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. The public did not get what they deserved. They voted for an honest representative, and what they got was a corrupt politician. Arroyos lawyers had maintained that a prison sentence for the longtime Chicago Democrat would do nothing to stop the states seemingly intractable corruption problem and would be akin to draining Lake Michigan with a spoon. But the judge took particular umbrage with attempts to downplay what Arroyo did, and at one point asked defense attorney Michael Gillespie specifically about the spoon comment. What does that mean? the judge asked. What am I supposed to do with that? As Gillespie fumbled for an answer, Seeger interrupted in a stern voice: Maybe judges need a bigger spoon. Arroyo, 67, entered a blind guilty plea in November to one count of honest services fraud, a move that came without an agreement with prosecutors on what sentencing recommendations should be made to the judge. The 57-month term imposed by Seeger was above the four years in prison recommended by prosecutors on Wednesday.... Arroyo resigned his seat shortly after he was arrested in 2019 on the bribery charges. A superseding indictment later added new wire and mail fraud charges against Arroyo and also charged James T. Weiss with bribery, wire fraud, mail fraud and lying to the FBI.... The case centers on the largely uncharted world of sweepstakes machines, sometimes called gray machines, for which Arroyo was moonlighting as a lobbyist. The machines allow customers to put in money, receive a coupon to redeem for merchandise online and then play electronic games like slot machines.... According to the 15-page indictment, Weiss paid bribes to Arroyo beginning in November 2018 in exchange for Arroyos promotion of legislation beneficial to Weiss company, Collage LLC, which specialized in the sweepstakes machines.... In his remarks, Seeger said it was clear that Arroyo was a devoted family man and a pillar of his community, but chastised him repeatedly for trying to downplay the severity of his corrupt acts. The judge also noted that while there was no evidence of any other crimes committed in the wiretapped conversations, Arroyo certainly knew the language of corruption and seemed to be in familiar territory. I need to make sure that the message gets out that public corruption isnt worth it, Seeger said. For whatever reason, that message isnt getting through. May 27, 2022 at 11:14 AM | Permalink Comments I debated commenting on this story - but I felt it necessary in one regard. The story notes, "Arroyos lawyers had maintained that a prison sentence for the longtime Chicago Democrat would do nothing to stop the states seemingly intractable corruption problem and would be akin to draining Lake Michigan with a spoon. Whether that is true or not, in essence defense counsel is saying no matter what sentence you impose, it will do nothing to stop the corruption. That's interesting. I can think of a thousand different ways to characterize a defendant's crime, but minimizing and comparing it in such a manner did no favors for his client with those words. Why not say something to the effect that my client is remorseful and has not only lost his livelihood, but also his integrity and respect he once treasured. Fortunately, the defendant at least indicated he was remorseful by issuing a short apology to the court, saying he cannot begin to put into words how awful I feel. I let my constituents down, I let my loved ones down who mean more than anything in life to me, he said. Please take into consideration all of my life actions when you impose my sentence. Allow me to go home to my family as soon as possible. I do wonder what the total loss was in this case - I would guess probably not more than $50,000. It's not a cash cow, it's like robbing a bank and getting caught with $5,000 - in the end was it really worth it? It never is - but I think it's more about the power and prestige and position one has than really about that money. Posted by: atomicfrog | May 29, 2022 10:19:55 AM Post a comment 36 cakeLady M1.5 link MIRROR 40 1.5% 7.4% 1330 16% 8.813% 2500 9% 28.24% 26%14% 26% 6.8829% 23%29% 14% 62 3 FoodShare Mayflower Congregational UCC will host its monthly FoodShare with its partners at Zestos, Inc. The event will be at 1407 W. 18th St. on June 11, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. All are welcome! UVALDE, Texas (AP) Tuesday should have been a day of triumph for 10-year-old Maite Rodriguez. Instead, it was the day she died. Maite was among 19 grade school students who, along with two teachers, were shot to death at Robb Elementary School in the southwestern Texas town of Uvalde. The 18-year-old gunman also died. Maite liked and excelled at physical education after her death, her teacher texted her mother to say she was very competitive at kickball and ran faster than all the boys. She had always been a straight-A student until the COVID-19 pandemic forced the school to cancel in-person classes. Zoom didn't work well for Maite she got all Fs. But with school back in session, Maite rebounded all As and Bs. She was among the honor roll students recognized at an assembly Tuesday morning. She worked hard, I only encouraged her, her mother, Ana Rodriguez, said in an interview Thursday at her dining room table, which displayed a bouquet of red roses, the honor roll certificate and photos of Maite. Hours later, Maite was gone. Her mother described her as focused, competitive, smart, bright, beautiful, happy." As a kindergartner, Maite said she wanted to be a marine biologist and held firmly to that goal. She researched a program at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi and told her mother she was set on studying there. She was just so driven. She was definitely special. She was going to be something, she was going to be something very, very special, Rodriguez said. Jacklyn Cazares, who would have turned 10 on June 10, was a tough-minded firecracker who wanted to help people in need, her father said. Jacklyn and her second cousin, Annabell Rodriguez, were especially tight with three other classmates at Robb Elementary School. They are all gone now, Javier Cazares said. All her little best friends were killed too. Despite her young age, Jacklyn was tough-minded and compassionate. She had a voice, her father said. She didnt like bullies, she didnt like kids being picked on. All in all, full of love. She had a big heart. She was a character, a little firecracker. Cazares drove his daughter to school Tuesday for the awards ceremony. About 90 minutes later, the family got a call about an active shooter. I drove like a bat out of hell, he said. My baby was in trouble. There was more than 100 people out there waiting. It was chaotic, he said of the scene at the school. He grew impatient with the police response and even raised the idea of rushing inside with other bystanders. Cazares said his niece followed an ambulance to the hospital and saw Jacklyn being taken inside. The entire family soon arrived and pressed hospital officials for information for nearly three hours. They begged, cried and showed photos of Jacklyn. Finally, a pastor, police officer and a doctor came to them. My wife asked the question, Is she alive or is she passed? Cazares said. They were like, No, shes gone. Ryan Ramirez also rushed to Robb Elementary when he heard about the shooting, hoping to find his daughter, Alithia, and take her home, KTRK-TV reported. But Alithia, too, was among the victims. Ramirezs Facebook page includes a photo, now shown around the world, of the little girl wearing the multi-colored T-shirt that announced she was out of single digits after turning 10 years old. The same photo was posted again Wednesday with no words, but with Alithia wearing angel wings. The grief only grew Thursday with confirmation that the brokenhearted husband of one of the slain teachers, 48-year-old Irma Garcia, had died. Joe Garcia, 50, had dropped off flowers at his wifes memorial on Thursday morning, The New York Times reported. He pretty much just fell over after returning home and died of a heart attack, his nephew John Martinez told the newspaper. The Archdiocese of San Antonio and the Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary confirmed Joe Garcias death to The Associated Press. AP was unable to independently reach members of the Garcia family on Thursday. Married for 24 years, the couple shared four children. In a post on the schools website at the start of the school year introducing herself to her class, Irma Garcia wrote of her love of barbecue, listening to music and taking country cruises to the nearby town of Concan. The school year, scheduled to end Thursday, was Irmas 23rd year of teaching all of it at Robb Elementary School. She had been previously named the schools teacher of the year and was a 2019 recipient of the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Education from Trinity University. For five years, Irma had co-taught with Eva Mireles, who also was killed. Mireles also posted on the site as the school year began, noting she had been teaching 17 years. She cited her supportive, fun, and loving family. Welcome to the 4th grade! We have a wonderful year ahead of us! she wrote. Two of the victims had hoped to skip school that day. Carmelo Quirozs grandson, Jayce Luevanos, 10, had begged to go along with his grandmother on Tuesday as she accompanied her great-granddaughters kindergarten class to the San Antonio Zoo. But, he said, the family told Jayce it didnt make sense to skip school so close to the end of the year. Besides, Jayce liked school. Thats why my wife is hurting so much, because he wanted to go to San Antonio, Quiroz told USA Today. He was so sad he couldnt go. Maybe if he would have gone, hed be here. Jayces cousin, 10-year-old Jailah Nicole Silguero, also wanted to miss school that day. Jailahs mother, Veronica Luevanos, tearfully told Univision that Jailah seemed to sense something bad was going to happen. Jailahs friend, Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo, also was killed and her aunt noted Neveahs first name is heaven spelled backward. In a Facebook posting, Yvonne White described Nevaeh and Jailah as Our Angels. Two men who responded to the shooting discovered their own children among the victims. Uvalde County Sheriffs Deputy Felix Rubio and his wife had been at the school Tuesday morning to celebrate with their daughter, 10-year-old Alexandria Lexi Rubio, since the fourth-grader had made honor roll with all As and received a good citizen award. In a Facebook post, Kimberly Rubio wrote: We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye. Medical assistant Angel Garza also hurried to the school and immediately found a girl covered in blood among the terrified children streaming out of the building. Im not hurt. He shot my best friend, the girl told Garza when he offered help. Shes not breathing. She was just trying to call the cops. Her friend was Amerie Jo Garza Angel Garzas stepdaughter. Amerie was a happy child who made the honor roll and loved to paint, draw and work in clay. She was very creative, said her grandmother Dora Mendoza. She was my baby. Whenever she saw flowers she would draw them. GoFundMe pages were set up for many of the victims, including one on behalf of all victims that has raised more than $3.7 million. This story has been corrected to show Lexi's last name is Rubio, not Aniyah. It also corrects the spelling of another victim's name. She was Annabell Rodriguez, not Annabelle. Groves reported from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press writer Stefanie Dazio contributed to this report from Los Angeles. Find more of the APs coverage of the Uvalde school shooting at 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. CHEROKEE, IOWA -- Cherokee Regional Medical Center will soon be able to build a new ambulance station through a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant. According to a recent press release from the USDA's Rural Development group: 12 Iowa businesses received more than $8 million in loans and grants for projects intended to bolster medical services, expand the biofuel industry and open a new daycare. One of those businesses, C-M-L Telephone Cooperative Association, based in Meriden, Iowa, is getting $300,000 for a revolving loan fund. Per the release, that fund is meant to help construct the new station at Cherokee Regional Medical Center in Cherokee. A majority of rural ambulance services nationwide are dependent on volunteers. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) reports that 53% of rural EMS units are staffed by volunteers-only, versus 14% in urban areas. A 2019 Iowa Department of Public Health publication states that 75% of Iowa's emergency medical services are entirely volunteer-based and respond to approximately 10% of all EMS calls in the state. Along with Cherokee County, Butler County, Greene County, Washington County and Wright County also will received money through the program. 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. DOW CITY-- One of the last remaining U.S. Navy W.A.V.E.S., a group of women who served in World War II, has died. Estelle J. Leinen died at home on May 17 at the age of 100. Graduating from high school in 1940, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services (or W.A.V.E.S. for short) in 1943, after being recruited by Genevieve Sullivan, sister of the five Waterloo, Iowa-born Sullivan Brothers, who were all killed in action on the light cruiser USS Juneau in 1942. The women's branch of the U.S. Naval Reserves W.A.V.E.S was established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This law authorized the Navy to accept women into the Naval Reserve as commissioned officers and, at the enlisted level, effective for the duration of World War II, plus six months. Although the branch was only around from July 1942 to Sept. 1946, an estimated 87,000 W.A.V.E.S. served at that time. This included Leinen, who completed U.S. Naval Training School at Hunter College, in the Bronx, New York, where she receive the rating of a storekeeper. She subsequently completed Storekeeper Specialist Training School from the University of Indiana, in Bloomington, Indiana. For her W.A.V.E.S. service, Leinen received her Honorable Service Lapel in Aug. 1946. She married her husband Lavern P. "Spider" Leinen, a sailor from Earling, Iowa, the very next month. Eventually, the Leinens settled in Dow City, where they had a large family farm as well as Leinen's Produce, which bought and sold agricultural products from farmers in four counties in Iowa. According to Leinen's son Vincent Leinen, she was honored by the Rev. R. Walker Nickless, the Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City, on her 85th birthday in 2007. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SIOUX CITY Community organizer and perennial candidate Maria Rundquist and teacher Jeremy Dumkrieger are competing for the Democratic nomination in Woodbury County Board of Supervisors District 2. The winner takes on CrossPointe Church lead pastor, Dan Bittinger, who is unopposed for the Republican nomination, in the November general election. The seat is currently held by Sioux City teacher Justin Wright, a Republican who decided not to run for another term. Early voting in Iowa began May 18 and the primary is June 7. Dumkrieger, an art teacher at the Lawton Bronson Community School, has served as Woodbury Democratic Party Chair since 2016. In 2018, he received the Bob Creech Award for Outstanding County Chairman from the Iowa Democratic Party. Born in Onawa, Iowa and raised in Soldier, Iowa, Dumkrieger earned a bachelor's degree from Morningside University. He has been involved in politics since he was enrolled in the Sioux City school, knocking on doors for former Vice President Al Gore. He said he has always been fascinated with politics but didnt become involved until his wife was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Watching our insurance max out before her treatment; we received one bill in the mail for $30,000 and I just had enough, he said. I jumped in feet first after that because I was so angry. Dumkrieger and his wife have two children. He decided to run for the board of supervisors after seeing graduates leave Woodbury County for better jobs elsewhere. He said the county needs a growing and more diversified economy. Mental health in the community is Dumkriegers top priority. He said the county needs well-funded mental health programs to prevent crime, more than a new jail to house inmates. Preventing crime before it happens also prevents victims, he said. Every person that can receive help before a crime is committed or a relapse occurs prevents unimaginable ripples in mental health and trauma throughout our community. Rundquist, a retired business owner, teacher and author, has run unsuccessfully for various political positions over the years, including Sioux City mayor in 2019, City Council in 2013 and 2017 and Iowa Senate in 2014. She is married with four children and eight grandchildren. Formerly a Republican, Rundquist said she has been involved with political positions since moving to the U.S. from Merida, Mexico in 1978 and to Sioux City in 1992. When I see injustice or things not right for the community I just get involved, and become active and take action, she said. Community issues, especially those surrounding, race, women and children are her passion. She said she is not running for the pay, but to represent the people. She decided to run for the board of supervisors because the city has been working on racial issues, with the Humans Rights Commission and the Inclusive Sioux City Advisory Committee, but said the county has not. She said the county needs elected officials who care about the people. One of Rundquists main issues is her objection to the county using its federal COVID relief dollars, from the American Rescue Plan Act, for the construction of the county jail. To make sure it goes to the people, not to subsidize construction, she said. It should be for unemployment, wages, health. She also wants to see more diversity in the county from elected officials to staff, as well as more transparency and accountability. Bittinger has lived in Sioux City for the past eight years with his wife and three children. He is originally from Wadsworth, Ohio and attended Southeast University in Lakeland, Florida for degrees in communication and pastoral ministry. He has never run for an elected position. Now that his children are older, he said he has the time to do his part and serve in the democracy. He is running for the board of supervisors because he likes to serve others and be involved with the community to make a difference. There are a few concerns he wants to focus on, such as staying within the board's constitutional bounds and staying prudent in financial decisions. He also wants to ensure people have individual freedom, not more restrictions. He is less focused on issues he wants to address, and more on what concerns the county staff and community bring forward. His goal is to address issues and they arise, learn about them and plan for the long-term implications. "The things we should be addressing really should be coming from some of our department leaders and the employees, they know what's going on," he said. Two of the five seats on the county board are up for election this year. Supervisor Matthew Ung is running unopposed in the Republican primary for District 4. No Democrat has filed for the seat. 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. SIOUX CITY The projected cost to build the new Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center stood at $68.7 million as of mid-May, according to county officials. The LEC, a joint city-county board overseeing the project, also identified $69.68 million in funding, including $14.2 million from the county's share of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. The board of supervisors was given an update on the new jail facility construction project on Tuesday The footings are in place, and the precast walls for the facility are estimated to be placed on June 13, said county Building Services Director Kenny Schmitz. The walls will take around two or three months to install, he said. He also said the prefabricated metal jail cells have been completed and are ready to be shipped. Currently, one of the two lanes of Outer Drive near 28th street is closed due to the addition of a turning lane and will continue to be closed for around three months, with a traffic control device. There will also be three days where a section of Outer Drive will be completely closed to traffic, Schmitz said. The road construction is estimated to be mostly completed by August. In March 2020, county voters approved a $50.3 million bond issue to replace the current jail, which is downtown across from the county courthouse. The jail was beset by a series of structural and HVAC problems. But, just weeks afterwards, COVID-19 began spreading across the country. Due to a series of supply problems related to the pandemic, costs for construction materials skyrocketed, causing the price tag of the jail project to balloon. In June 2020, the authority approved a $58.4 million contract with general contractor Hausmann Construction. The new estimate released this week includes design fees, project management fees, land purchases, bond costs, project change orders and site preparation. Without other good options, the county board agreed to use up to $15.6 of its roughly $20 million in federal COVID relief dollars over two budget years to help cover the project shortfall. While $10 million in ARPA funding is allowed to be spent on government services, the remaining $4.2 million allotted to the project has not been confirmed, based on the U.S. Department of Treasury final rule on how the state and local fiscal recovery funds from the ARPA. Shane Albrecht of the Baker Group presented a plan created by Sarpy County in Nebraska on how they are qualifying expenses with ARPA dollars for their new jail. The Woodbury County supervisors directed the Authority to draft a plan based on Sarpy Countys plan and return it to the board in two weeks. The board also directed County Finance Director Dennis Butler to research CPA firms to review the expense. 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. SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- South Sioux City residents will have fewer days this year to set off fireworks within the city during the July 4 holiday. The South Sioux City Council on Monday passed an ordinance limiting the discharge of fireworks within the city limits to 8 a.m.-11 p.m. on July 2, 3 and 4. The previous ordinance allowed discharge during the same hours, but during a seven-day period from June 29-July 5. The council's action to reduce the number of days for fireworks was in response to citizens who felt the time period in previous years was too long, Mayor Rod Koch said. "We had lots and lots of complaints," Koch said. The ordinance also gives the mayor the authority to issue an emergency proclamation further limiting the discharge of fireworks because of drought, wind or other circumstances that he, in consultation with the fire chief, determines may create a public health or safety danger. Sales of fireworks in the city remain legal from June 24-July 5. Fireworks discharge also remains legal from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Dec. 31, with sales from Dec. 28 through Jan. 1. In neighboring Sioux City, fireworks may be discharged within city limits from 1 p.m.-11 p.m. on July 3 and 4. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Official: Girl told 911 'send the police now' as cops waited UVALDE, Texas (AP) Students trapped inside a Texas classroom with a gunman repeatedly called 911 as officers waited more than an hour to confront the shooter. That's according to authorities, who said that one of the children pleaded for dispatchers to send the police. The head of the Texas Department of Public Safety told a news conference Friday that the commander at the scene in Uvalde the school districts police chief believed that the gunman was barricaded inside adjoining classrooms at Robb Elementary School and that children were no longer at risk. He said that was the wrong decision. NRA speakers unshaken on gun rights after school massacre HOUSTON (AP) One by one, speakers took the stage at the National Rifle Associations annual convention in Houston and denounced the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school across the state. And one by one, they insisted that changing U.S. gun laws or further restricting access to firearms was not the answer. The gathering comes just three days after the shooting in Uvalde. Hundreds of protesters shouted their anger at the NRA outside the meeting. In remarks to the group, former President Donald Trump called for an overhaul of school security and the U.S. approach to mental health problems while dismissing calls to disarm gun owners. Officials: Texas shooter talked about guns in private chats Texas authorities say the gunman who killed 19 children and two teachers inside an elementary school discussed his interest in purchasing a gun on private social media conversations. But during a Friday news conference, they backed away from earlier accounts that the shooter made public threats less than an hour before the attack. Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday, a day after the shooting, that the only information that was known in advance was posted by the gunman on Facebook." But by Friday, the Texas Department of Public Safety said the information was in a private message. Governor saw deadly arrest video months before prosecutors BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards watched a key video of Black motorist Ronald Greene's deadly 2019 arrest six months before prosecutors knew it existed. The Democratic governor has distanced himself from allegations of a cover-up, saying evidence was promptly turned over. But an Associated Press investigation found that wasnt the case with the video he watched in October of 2020. It didn't reach those with the power to charge troopers who stunned, punched and dragged Greene until nearly two years after his death. Edwards' lawyer says the governor couldn't have known at the time that prosecutors didn't have the video. Ukraine fears repeat of Mariupol horrors elsewhere in Donbas KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (AP) Moscow-backed separatists have been pounding eastern Ukraines industrial Donbas region, and claim to have captured a railway hub, as Ukrainian officials plead for the sophisticated Western weapons they say they need to stop the onslaught. The advance of Russian forces raises fears that cities in the region may undergo the same horrors inflicted on the people of the port city Mariupol in the weeks before it fell. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnskyy is striking a defiant tone, saying, "Donbas will be Ukrainian. The fighting Friday focused on two key cities: Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk. Authorities say 1,500 people in Sievierodonetsk have died since the wars start. Iran seizes 2 Greek tankers in Persian Gulf as tensions rise DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard says it has seized two Greek oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. The Guards statement on Friday night said the ships were seized over unspecified violations. It did not elaborate. The U.S. Navys Mideast-based 5th Fleet had said it was investigating earlier reports that Iran seized two Greek tankers. Iran had threatened to take punitive action earlier in the day over Athens being involved in the U.S. seizure of an Iranian oil tanker in Greek waters. The Guards announcement comes as tensions remain high between Iran and the West over stalled negotiations regarding its rapidly advancing nuclear program. McCarthy, GOP lawmakers escalate standoff with Jan. 6 panel WASHINGTON (AP) Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy is making it clear that he will likely defy a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. An attorney representing McCarthy wrote to the committee Friday that it does not have the authority to issue subpoenas to the lawmakers. He also demanded the panel provide answers to his questions and documents if his client were to comply. The apparent defiance will escalate a standoff over McCarthy and other GOP lawmakers testimony as the committee will now have to decide whether it will enforce its congressional subpoenas. It's looking to wrap up its investigation and prepare for public hearings in early June. Liberal Los Angeles could take right turn in mayor's race LOS ANGELES (AP) Los Angeles is a heavily Democratic city, but voters this year could take a turn to the political right. A leading candidate for mayor is Rick Caruso, a billionaire former longtime Republican who sits on the Reagan Presidential Foundation board. He's promising to expand and not defund the police. Caruso is in a tight race with Democratic U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, who is a favorite of the party's progressive wing. Twelve names are on the ballot for the June 7 primary but several candidates have dropped out. Bass and Caruso, who is now a Democrat, could end up in a November runoff that would present a stark choice. Prepare for sticker shock if you are traveling this summer DALLAS (AP) If you haven't booked your summer vacation plans, you are already too late to snag the best deals, according to travel experts. Airfares are up, hotels rates are up, and airlines are bracing for a big summer. High prices are not the only thing travelers need to worry about. Airlines have thousands fewer employees than they did before the pandemic, and that means they could struggle to handle the expected crowds. Consumers seem to be taking it all in stride. Airlines say bookings are running at record levels, and spending on U.S. flights is running ahead of 2019 levels. Butler scores 47 points, Heat beat Celtics to force Game 7 BOSTON (AP) Jimmy Butler had 47 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and the Miami Heat forced the Eastern Conference finals to a decisive seventh game by beating the Boston Celtics 111-103 on Friday night. Ten years after LeBron James scored 45 points in Boston to help the Heat avoid elimination in Game 6 of the conference finals en route to the first of their back-to-back NBA titles, Butler had 17 points in the fourth quarter to top him and send the series back to Miami. With a victory at home Sunday, the Heat would advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years. Jayson Tatum had 30 points and nine rebounds for Boston. 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 Lawyers for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard made their closing arguments to a Virginia jury in Depp's civil suit against his ex-wife. Both sides told the jury Friday that a verdict in their favor would give their clients their lives back after a six-week trial in which both sides have ripped into the other over nasty details of their brief marriage. Depp is suing Heard for libel in a Virginia court over a 2018 op-ed she wrote describing herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. Heard has testified that Depp physically or sexually assaulted her more than a dozen times. The seven-person jury began deliberating Friday afternoon. BEIJING (AP) China on Friday criticized a speech by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken focused on relations between the worlds top two economic powers, saying the U.S. was seeking to smear Beijing's reputation. In his Thursday address, Blinken said the administration of President Joe Biden wants to lead the international bloc opposed to Russias invasion of Ukraine into a broader coalition to counter what it sees as a more serious, long-term threat to global order from China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded that the U.S. was essentially spreading disinformation and smearing Chinas domestic and foreign policy. The aim of Blinkens speech was to contain and suppress Chinas development and uphold U.S. hegemony, Wang said. We strongly deplore and reject this. As to the rules-based international order that the U.S. advocates, all people with insight can see through that they are nothing but the rules formulated by the U.S. and a few other countries with the aim at upholding the U.S.-dominant international order," Wang added. The U.S. always places its domestic law above international law and follows international rules selectively," Wang said. In his speech outlining the administrations China policy, Blinken laid out a three-pillar approach to competing with Beijing in a race to define the 21st centurys economic and military balance. Blinken said the administration believes China poses a major threat to the post-World War II order, even while the U.S. sees Russian President Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine as the most acute and immediate threat to international stability. Beijings vision would move us away from the universal values that have sustained so much of the worlds progress over the past 75 years, Blinken said. China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do it, he said. Beijings vision would move us away from the universal values that have sustained so much of the worlds progress over the past 75 years. China has refused to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine or even describe it in such terms, in deference to Moscow. It has upped its threats against the self-governing island republic of Taiwan and expanded its military presence in the South China Sea, while sending Foreign Minister Wang Yi on a mission to the South Pacific with a sweeping security proposal that, even if only partially realized, could give China a presence much nearer to Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, and on the doorstep of the strategic American territory of Guam. Blinkens speech appeared to show that China and the U.S. were facing a Cold War that has no big differences with the previous Cold War, said Xiong Zhiyong, professor of international relations at Beijing's China Foreign Affairs University. U.S. domestic political concerns seem to be driving Biden to take a harder line on China, Xiong said. With the governing Democratic Party facing tough challenges in this year's congressional and senatorial elections, China's influence on the U.S. economy and its national security is becoming a major issue for candidates. I think what the Biden administration is doing is based on its domestic needs, especially the political needs, Xiong told The Associated Press. At the same time, Blinken seemed to be striving to stabilize the international order and China-U.S. relations," Xiong said. We should strive for this goal and the goal is not unattainable, he said. 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 BOSTON (AP) Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed a bill Friday that would allow immigrants in the country illegally to obtain state drivers licenses in Massachusetts. The veto came just a day after the Massachusetts House and Senate gave final approval to the measure, sending it to Baker's desk. Baker said he could not sign the legislation because it requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles to issue state credentials to people without the ability to verify their identity. Consequently, a standard Massachusetts driver's license will no longer confirm that a person is who they say they are, he added in a letter to lawmakers. Both chambers, dominated by Democratic lawmakers, passed the measure by margins wide enough to override a Baker veto. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia already have similar laws. Under the proposal, those in the country illegally could apply for a drivers license if they can provide the Registry of Motor Vehicles with a foreign passport or consular identification document. The people would also have to provide one of five additional documents: a drivers license from another U.S. state or territory; a birth certificate; a foreign national identification card; a foreign drivers license; or a marriage certificate or divorce decree from any U.S. state or territory. Supporters say the measure would make driving safer in Massachusetts by requiring immigrants show they can properly operate a car and that they have obtained the needed insurance in the event of an accident. Baker said the bill also restricts the registry's ability to share citizenship information with entities responsible for ensuring that only citizens register for and vote in elections. This bill significantly increases the risk that noncitizens will be registered to vote," he added. If lawmakers vote to override Baker's veto, the proposal would take effect July 1, 2023. 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 BAGHDAD (AP) Iraqi lawmakers on Thursday passed a bill criminalizing normalization of ties and any relations, including business ties, with Israel. The legislation says that violation of the law is punishable with the death sentence or life imprisonment. The law was approved with 275 lawmakers voting in favor of it in the 329-seat assembly. A parliament statement said the legislation is a true reflection of the will of the people. Influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose party won the largest number of seats in Iraqs parliamentary elections last year, called for Iraqis to take to the streets to celebrate this great achievement." Hundreds later gathered in central Baghdad, chanting anti-Israel slogans. It was unclear how the law will be implemented as Iraq has not recognized Israel since the country's formation in 1948; the two nations have no diplomatic relations. The legislation also entails risks for companies working in Iraq and found to be in violation of the bill. The United States said it was deeply disturbed by the Iraqi legislation. In addition to jeopardizing freedom of expression and promoting an environment of antisemitism, this legislation stands in stark contrast to progress Iraqs neighbors have made by building bridges and normalizing relations with Israel, creating new opportunities for people throughout the region, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. Earlier this year, Iran fired a dozen ballistic missiles towards the northern city of Irbil in the Kurdish-run north, saying it was targeting an Israeli intelligence base. The home of Baz Karim, the CEO of the oil company KAR GROUP, was heavily damaged in the attack. KAR has been accused in the past of quietly selling oil to Israel. A report by the Iraqi parliament's fact-finding committee said it found no evidence to support Iranian accusations of an Israeli spy base in Irbil. 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 JOLIET, Ill. (AP) A judge has thrown out statements that a 77-year-old Minnesota man charged in the stabbing death of a 15-year-old suburban Chicago girl nearly half a century ago made to police and to his wife. Will County Judge David Carlson on Wednesday granted two defense motions tossing out statements that Barry Whelpley of Mounds View, Minnesota, made to police when they searched his home and a conversation between Whelpley and his wife that police recorded. Police arrested Whelpley in June last year. Its significant to the defense. And its a significant loss to the prosecution, Whelpleys defense attorney, Terry Ekl, told the Arlington Heights Daily Herald. Whelpley is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated criminal sexual assault for the 1972 death of Julie Ann Hanson. The 15-year-old Naperville girl disappeared on July 7, 1972, while riding her bicycle. Her body was discovered a day later in a field. She had been stabbed 36 times, coroners said. In his motions, Ekl argued that Whelpley was not advised of his Miranda rights during the search of his Minnesota home and that, as a result, police were not allowed to interrogate him during the search. Prosecutors argued that Whelpley was not in custody during the search and that police were allowed to talk to him. Carlson ruled videos of the search showed seven or eight armed police officers and that the questions asked were directly related to the 1972 murder. The judge also banned the use of statements made at the police station after Whelpleys second request for an attorney. Ekls motions did not go into detail about what Whelpley said to police or his wife, and he declined to elaborate after Wednesdays ruling. The Will County states attorneys office declined to comment on Carlsons ruling. The girl's murder remained unsolved for decades. The breakthrough in the case came through technological advancements in DNA and genetic genealogy analysis, police said. From that came the scientific evidence that pointed to Whelpley, a 1964 graduate of Naperville High School who lived about a mile from the girls house when she was killed. Whelpley remains in the Will County jail on $10 million bond. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Daily Herald. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 "I don't plan on coming out for the anthem going forward until I feel better about the direction of our country," Kapler said before a series opener at Cincinnati. UVALDE, Texas (AP) It was 11:28 a.m. when the Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind the low-slung Texas school and the driver jumped out carrying an AR-15-style rifle. Twelve minutes after that, authorities say, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos was in the hallways of Robb Elementary School. Soon he entered a fourth-grade classroom. And there, he killed 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in a still-unexplained spasm of violence. At 12:58 p.m., law enforcement radio chatter said Ramos had been killed and the siege was over. What happened in those 90 minutes, in a working-class neighborhood near the edge of the little town of Uvalde, has fueled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcement's response to Tuesday's rampage. "They say they rushed in," said Javier Cazares, whose fourth-grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, and who raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. We didnt see that. On Thursday, authorities largely ignored questions about why officers had not been able to stop the shooter sooner, with Victor Escalon, regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, telling reporters he had taken all those questions into consideration and would offer updates later. The media briefing, called by Texas safety officials to clarify the timeline of the attack, provided bits of previously unknown information. But by the time it ended, it had added to the troubling questions surrounding the attack, including about the time it took police to reach the scene and confront the gunman, and the apparent failure to lock a school door he entered. After two days of providing often conflicting information, investigators said that a school district police officer was not inside the school when Ramos arrived, and, contrary to their previous reports, the officer had not confronted Ramos outside the building. Instead, they sketched out a timeline notable for unexplained delays by law enforcement. After crashing his truck, Ramos fired on two people coming out of a nearby funeral home, Escalon said. He then entered the school unobstructed through an apparently unlocked door at about 11:40 a.m. But the first police officers did not arrive on the scene until 12 minutes after the crash and did not enter the school to pursue the shooter until four minutes after that. Inside, they were driven back by gunfire from Ramos and took cover, Escalon said. The crisis came to an end after a group of Border Patrol tactical officers entered the school roughly an hour later, at 12:45 p.m., said Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. They engaged in a shootout with the gunman, who was holed up in the fourth-grade classroom. Moments before 1 p.m., he was dead. Escalon said that during that time, the officers called for backup, negotiators and tactical teams, while evacuating students and teachers. Ken Trump, president of the consulting firm National School Safety and Security Services, said the length of the timeline raised questions. Based on best practices, its very difficult to understand why there were any types of delays, particularly when you get into reports of 40 minutes and up of going in to neutralize that shooter, he said. Many other details of the case and the response remained murky. The motive for the massacre the nation's deadliest school shooting since Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago remained under investigation, with authorities saying Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history. During the siege, frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the school, according to witnesses. Go in there! Go in there! women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street. Carranza said the officers should have entered the school sooner: There were more of them. There was just one of him." Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz did not give a timeline but said repeatedly that the tactical officers from his agency who arrived at the school did not hesitate. He said they moved rapidly to enter the building, lining up in a stack" behind an agent holding up a shield. What we wanted to make sure is to act quickly, act swiftly, and that's exactly what those agents did, Ortiz told Fox News. But a law enforcement official said that once in the building, the 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 condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly about the investigation. Department of Public Safety spokesman Lt. Christopher Olivarez told CNN that investigators were trying to establish whether the classroom was, in fact, locked or barricaded in some way. Cazares said that when he arrived, he saw two officers outside the school and about five others escorting students out of the building. But 15 or 20 minutes passed before the arrival of officers with shields, equipped to confront the gunman, he said. As more parents flocked to the school, he and others pressed police to act, Cazares said. He heard about four gunshots before he and the others were ordered back to a parking lot. A lot of us were arguing with the police, You all need to go in there. You all need to do your jobs. Their response was, We cant do our jobs because you guys are interfering, Cazares said. As for the armed school officer, he was driving nearby but was not on campus when Ramos crashed his truck, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the case and spoke of condition of anonymity. Investigators have concluded that school officer was not positioned between the school and Ramos, leaving him unable to confront the shooter before he entered the building, the law enforcement official said. Michael Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens International, which works to make schools safer, cautioned that its hard to get a clear understanding of the facts soon after a shooting. The information we have a couple of weeks after an event is usually quite different than what we get in the first day or two. And even that is usually quite inaccurate, Dorn said. For catastrophic events, youre usually eight to 12 months out before you really have a decent picture. Bleiberg reported from Dallas. 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 UVALDE, Texas (AP) A young survivor of the massacre at a Texas elementary school said she covered herself with a friend's blood and pretended to be dead while she waited for help to arrive. Miah Cerrillo, 11, told CNN that she and a friend called 911 from her dead teacher's phone Tuesday and waited for what felt like, to her, three hours for officers to arrive at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. The 18-year-old shooter, Salvador Ramos, was inside the school for more than an hour before he was shot to death by Border Patrol tactical officers. That's according to top law enforcement officials who provided new details Thursday of a confusing and sometimes contradictory timeline that has angered and frustrated the parents and onlookers who had urged police to charge into the school. Miah said that after the shooter moved from one room into the adjacent one she could hear screams and a lot more gunfire, and that the gunman then started blaring music. The children who survived the attack, which killed 19 schoolchildren and two teachers, described a festive, end-of-the-school-year day that quickly turned to terror. Samuel Salinas, 10, told ABC's Good Morning America that he and other classmates pretended to be dead after Ramos opened fire on the class. Samuel was struck by shrapnel in his thigh. He shot the teacher and then he shot the kids, said Samuel, who was in Irma Garcia's class. Garcia died in the attack and her husband, Joe Garcia, died Thursday of an apparent heart attack. Gemma Lopez, 10, was in a classroom down the hall when Ramos entered the building. She told Good Morning America that a bullet came through her classroom wall before any lockdown was called. Her best friend, Amerie Garza, died in the rampage. 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DES MOINES -- The Iowa Supreme Court is poised for more turnover, as Justice Brent Appel is set to retire this summer. Appels pending retirement is significant for many reasons, but perhaps foremost because he is the courts last remaining member who was appointed by a Democratic governor. Appels replacement will be the fifth appointment made by Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who became governor in 2017. Once Appels replacement is seated, Reynolds will have appointed five of the courts seven judges. The other two high court judges were appointed by Republican former Gov. Terry Branstad. Appels effective retirement date is July 12. This summer he will turn 72, the age at which Iowa judges are required by law to retire. Appel was appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court by Democratic former Gov. Tom Vilsack in 2006 and was retained by voters in the 2016 judicial retention elections. The state judicial nominating commission, the citizen panel that interviews judicial candidates and makes recommendations to the governor, is accepting applications for upcoming Iowa Supreme Court opening until June 17, according to a state judicial branch spokesperson. The commission will conduct interviews on June 27 and possibly June 28, and by the end of the day on June 28 will send three nominees to Reynolds. Reynolds then will have 30 days to select one of those three nominees to become the next justice. That nominating commission was at the center of heated partisan debate during the recently concluded session of the Iowa Legislature. Nine of the commissions 17 members are appointed by the governor, and must be confirmed by the Iowa Senate. On Tuesday, Democrats in the Senate voted against the four of the governors appointees who were up for confirmation. That means those four appointees will not serve their full term on the commission. They will remain on the commission through this summer, however, and thus will still play a role in interviewing and nominating candidates for the pending vacancy. Appels retirement also comes as the Iowa Supreme Court is expected to rule on challenges to abortion restrictions approved by the Republican-majority Legislature and signed into law by Reynolds. Earlier this year, the court heard oral arguments over a law that would require a one-day waiting period before a woman could get an abortion. And Iowa Republicans earlier this year filed legal briefs asking the court to overturn its 2019 order striking down the ban on abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (AP) Moscow-backed separatists pounded eastern Ukraine's industrial Donbas region Friday, claiming the capture of a railway hub as concerns grew that besieged cities in the region would undergo the same horrors experienced by the people of Mariupol in the weeks leading up to the port's capture. Authorities say 1,500 people have died in Donbas since the war began scarcely more than three months ago. Characterizing the battle as grave, Ukrainian officials renewed their appeals for more sophisticated Western-supplied weaponry. Without it, they said, Ukrainian forces wouldn't be able to stop Russia's offensive. The fighting Friday focused on two key cities: Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk. They are the last areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk, one of two provinces that make up the Donbas and where Russia-backed separatists have already controlled some territory for eight years. "Massive artillery shelling does not stop, day and night," Sievierodonetsk Mayor Oleksandr Striuk told The Associated Press. "The city is being systematically destroyed 90% of the buildings in the city are damaged." Striuk described conditions in Sievierodonetsk reminiscent of the battle for Mariupol, located in the Donbas' other province, Donetsk. Now in ruins, the port was constantly barraged by Russian forces in a nearly three-month siege that ended last week when Russia claimed its capture. More than 20,000 of its civilians are feared dead. Before the war, Sievierodonetsk was home to around 100,000 people. About 12,000 to 13,000 remain in the city, Striuk said, huddled in shelters and largely cut off from the rest of Ukraine. At least 1,500 people have died because of the war, now in its 93rd day. The figure includes people killed by shelling or in fires caused by Russian missile strikes, as well as those who died from shrapnel wounds, untreated diseases, a lack of medicine or while trapped under rubble, the mayor said. An assault was underway Friday in the city's northeastern quarter, where Russian reconnaissance and sabotage groups tried to capture the Mir Hotel and the area around it, Striuk said. Hints of Russia's strategy for the Donbas can be found in Mariupol, where Moscow is consolidating its control through measures including state-controlled broadcast programming and overhauled school curricula, according to an analysis from the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank. "It appears that Russia has once again adjusted its objectives, and fearfully now it seems that they are trying to consolidate and enforce the land that they have rather than focus on expanding it," Gen. Phillip Breedlove, former head of U.S. European Command for NATO said Friday during a panel mounted by the Washington-based Middle East Institute. But the relentless assults in the Donbas also indicated Russia's desire to expand its dominion there. Ukrainian analysts said Russian forces have taken advantage of delays in Western arms shipments to step up their offensive there. That aggressive push could backfire, however, by seriously depleting Russia's arsenal. Echoing an assessment from the British Defense Ministry, military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said Russia was deploying 50-year-old T-62 tanks, "which means that the second army of the world has run out of modernized equipment." Russia-backed rebels said Friday that they had taken over Lyman, Donetsk's large railway hub north of two more key cities still under Ukrainian control. Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich acknowledged the loss Thursday night, while a Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson reported Friday that its soldiers countered Russian attempts to completely push them out. As Ukraine's hopes of stopping the Russian advance faded, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba pleaded with Western nations for artillery and rocket-launching systems: "Without artillery, without multiple launch rocket systems we won't be able to push them back," he said. Read the full story and more updates from Ukraine: Warning: This gallery contains graphic images. Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and AP journalists around the world contributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 They did contain him in the classroom. That was the best defense Texas Public Safety Director Steve McCraw could offer on Wednesday of the police response to the mass shooting that killed 19 kids and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday. Police took 14 minutes to arrive after the first 911 call as the shooter fired off rounds outside the school for 12 minutes; then, after an initial exchange of gunfire, they waited outside the building for more than an hour while the shooter remained in the school. Parents and bystanders urged them to confront the gunman again. Advertisement From the Associated Press: 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They did a great job restraining the parents, thoughputting one mom in handcuffs, while witnesses say another parent was pepper-sprayed. Robb Elementary Schools vaunted security plan didnt stop the killing. Nor did the presence of a guard, who has given conflicting stories about his actions that day. Above all it was the inability of the police force to take down the shooter that should show once and for all that a good guy with a gun is not an effective strategy to stop school shootings when a police force with guns cant even do it. Advertisement Advertisement The tiny Uvalde school district has its own seven-person force; the 15,000-person city spends 40 percent of its budget on policing, and in 2020, the Uvalde Police Department proudly touted its nine-person SWAT team that was getting to know the layouts of local schools. Not only did the police spend an hour preparing to enter the school on Tuesday, but there was also this, from a fourth grader to local CBS affiliate KENS, presumably about the polices first attempt to get into the school: When the cops came, the cop said: Yell if you need help! And one of the persons in my class said help. The guy overheard and he came in and shot her, the boy said. Advertisement Advertisement Each of these failures shows the absurdity of the GOPs two-pronged policy response to school shootingsarmed teachers and more support for law enforcement. (There was also an armed guard at the Buffalo supermarket, for what its worth. He fired at the suspect and was killed.) If the town SWAT team cant stop a school shooter before 19 children are dead, whats the point? Republicans have since moved on to other innovative proposals, like building schools with only one door, or giving up on schools altogether. Advertisement Advertisement For years, weve been told that even the police killing of a 12-year-old can be justified by officers constant exposure to great danger. But when the time came for them to act out that deference, for some reason, they didnt. Advertisement Advertisement We dont know everything that happened in Uvalde that day; reporters, and the police themselves, are still filling in the picture. But we do know that the knee-jerk instinct to lionize the police response before understanding what happened is symptomatic of Americas broader inability to think critically about the work of policing excepton occasionwhen officers kill unarmed Black people on camera. For now, Texas officials have failed to provide much of an explanation for what appear to be serious failures. And by stumbling over their own account of the facts, theyve turned what should have been a cut-and-dried after-action report into a mess of competing theories and timelines. Advertisement Advertisement Sometimes you have to admit that the police didnt do a great job. Uvalde is a policing anecdote, but the data illustrate some serious weak spots that virtually no prominent elected official risks digging into for fear of being branded a defunder. Crime rates are soaring in spite of the fact that police funding is at record highs. The percentage of murders that police solve is at its lowest rate in 50 years. To put it mildly, when it comes to preventing and solving crimes, there is room for improvement. Advertisement This reflexive support of the boys in blue, no matter the outcome, is not limited to deep-red Texas. In New York City, for example, an upward trend in subway crime has been met with mass deployment in the subways by the New York Police Departmenta huge investment at a time when other city services, such as parks and playgrounds, are being defunded. But crime has not fallen in response; instead, April and May each saw shocking subway shootings. Advertisement In the first incident, a gunman shot straphangers only to vanish into the city for almost two days. In the second, the killer shot a stranger in the chest before fleeing at the next station. In both cases, New York officials praised the NYPDbut in both cases, the assailants roamed the subway with guns, escaped after shooting, and were at large in the city for days until they turned themselves in. I said to myself, its the NYPD, theyll get him, Janno Lieber, the head of the MTA, said after Sundays killing. And here we are. But, of course, the NYPD didnt actually get him. By every imaginable metric, I should have been a Democrat, reads the first sentence in Kellyanne Conways memoir, Heres the Deal, surely the nastiest Trump administration memoir yet, and possibly, given Conways track record, the most flagrantly dishonest. In other words, she writes, a feminist. A man-hater. Thats one of the more surprising passages in the book, because for someone who professes not to be a man-hater, Conway sure does hate a lot of men. Advertisement Except for one man, of course: former President Donald Trump, who hired her to run the first successful presidential campaign managed by a woman and, she insists, treated me and other working moms with respect. But in 500 pages packed with more score-settling than a Quentin Tarantino movie, Conway gives free rein to her contempt for Jared Kushner, Steve Bannon, Mark Meadows, Brad Parscale, Reince Priebus, Sean Spicer, and countless other unnamed male Trump staffers. They condescended to her. They underestimated her. They stole credit from her. They sidelined her. And now shes going to make them regret it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for the Slate Culture Newsletter The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. News coverage of Heres the Deal has mostly focused on two of the books revelations. One is that Conway claims to have told Trump that he lost the 2020 election. (Trump denies this, but hes a liar too, so who knows?) Then there are the glimpses Conway offers into her marriage to attorney George Conway, who originally championed her success as Trumps campaign manager but later converted to Never Trump conservatism and founded the Lincoln Project. Conway quips that she lost her husband to Twitter, and shes not even hota joke she makes twice; let no one call this book meticulously edited. But she also admits to feelings of betrayal and stress as her previously reticent husband became a tweeting machine devoted to slamming her boss. The public fascination with the Conways marriage once this rift developed wasnt surprising. Families across the nation suffered schisms over Trumpism, and here was a case study happening on the steps of the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Families across the nation suffered schisms over Trumpism, and here was a case study happening on the steps of the White House. That was only the beginning of Conways troubles at home. As uncomfortable as her husbands jibes at her boss made her, he didnt directly criticize her, even if she doesnt actually acknowledge this, so closely did she identify with her employer. Not so the couples eldest daughter, Claudia, who, galvanized by the racial justice protests of 2020, launched a robust progressive TikTok account. A year later, Claudia made murky accusations of abuse against her mother, then walked them back, in a series of since-deleted TikTok videos. Completely skirting Claudias incendiary complaints about herself, Conway lights into then New York Times journalist Taylor Lorenz for calling attention to Claudias TikTok, and for DMing the then 15-year-old without getting her parents permission first. Advertisement Advertisement Its a signature Conwayian rhetorical move, to spin off into arias of outrage about some side issue in order to avoid addressing the matter at hand. When Wolf Blitzer gingerly raised the subject of her husbands tweets during a CNN interview, Conway noted, fairly enough, that George was expressing his own opinion, but then went on the offensive with a heaping bowlful of word salad, which for some reason she reprints verbatim: And wherehonestly, where is the shame? Where is the introspection of people who have said for three years, respectfully, Wolf, actually beginning in May of 2017, Ill quote your wifes husband right now. I wont talk about your marriage, but Ill quote your wifes husband. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When she cant confuse a discussion with arguments as tangled as a pailful of eels, Conway simply avoids it. Theres no mention in Heres the Deal of her multiple references to the completely fictional Bowling Green massacre or the Muslim travel ban supposedly justified by it. The book does get into Conways infamous reference to alternative facts during a 2017 interview on Meet the Press about press secretary Sean Spicers false statement that Trumps inauguration drew the largest audience of any presidents. She claims that she misspoke by conflating the phrases alternative information and additional facts, which she somehow believes to be acceptable even as she acknowledges that the claim isnt demonstrably true. She characterizes the whole debacle as an unforced error on Spicers partanother mans mess she was expected to clean upeven though the ever-insecure Trump had actually forced Spicer to tell the lie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres the Deal is replete with references to out-of-control male egos, above all those of the established Republican political consultants, who, she claims in a spectacularly mixed metaphor, had failed upwards for years, greased each other on a new gravy train to nowhere while the political graveyard was littered with clients they had flayed for money and failed at the ballot box. Such men, she attests (and for what its worth, I believe her), shut her out and blocked her advancement when she started her own polling firm specializing in surveying the female voters they also discounted. For someone who professes not to be a feminist, Conway is obsessed with male privilege, even if shed never call it that. She presents herself as motivated by love of family and country, but Heres the Deal feels most alive when shes seething at the overrated, underachieving men who had ridiculed and dismissed me for years. Advertisement Advertisement In a rare instance of shrewd judgment, Trump recognized Conways ability, and as a result won her devotion. Just how uncritical that devotion is, who can say. According to Cliff Sims, a midlevel staffer whose Team of Vipers was one of the first Trump administration memoirs published, Conways text messaging app featured a stream of conversations with journalists in which Conway leaked stories, trashed rivals, and described Trump as like a child she had to set straight. In Heres the Deal, she boasts of creating a PowerPoint presentation so good that Trump was able to pay attention to it for 25 whole minutes despite senior advisors betting hed get bored after four or five slides. Can such a sharp operator really be oblivious to how dumb this makes her boss look? Advertisement At no point does Conway acknowledge that the dysfunction she describes in the Trump White Housethe chaos, the backbiting, the turnovercould be the fault of the man in charge, that the businessman Trump voters thought they were electing was an incompetent and destructive manager. She attributes Trumps connection to the American people to the unfiltered nature of his communication via Twitter and other means, and yet reproaches her husband for behaving much the same way online. Never does it seem to occur to her that the acrimonious, personalized quality of political debate on TV, online, and in her own home owes much to the candidate she helped to elect. Or at least, not that Conway admits. Heres the Deal can be read as the delusional account of a woman blind to the shortcomings of the powerful man who gave her a shot. But it can also be readwill be read, by those who matteras an advertisement for her own consultancy business. Shes such a skilled prevaricator that I found myself wondering if she really hates all those male GOP consultants so virulentlyor is she just taking out the competition? Furthermore, the ease with which she burns her bridges with Kushner while buttering up her one-time client Mike Pence (praising his clear-eyed conservatism and his midwestern decency) make clear who she thinks her partys next candidate will be. Only a fool would trust her, but only a bigger fool would write her off. Slate receives a commission when you purchase items using the links on this page. Thank you for your support. On this weeks episode of the Slate Culture Gabfest, the podcasts three co-hosts discussed Men, the latest movie from Ex Machina and Annihilation writer-director Alex Garland. For their Slate Plus segment, which is only available for Slate Plus members to hear on the Slate Plus podcast feed, they grappled with the movies rather befuddling ending, which might leave you saying, as Jessie Buckleys protagonist likes to say, What? A transcript of their conversation, which has been condensed and edited for clarity, follows. Naturally, there are spoilers. (To access all of the Culture Gabfests members-only segments and all of Slates culture stories, sign up for Slate Plus.) Advertisement Julia Turner: Dana, can you please describe what happens in the final chunk of this movie and what you made of it? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dana Stevens: Essentially the big reveal at the end of this movie is, as far as I can tell, that this maybe fantasized Rory Kinnear figure, who has been both Jessie Buckleys landlord at her country rental, and also the naked stalker whos been standing around outside, and also this strange kind of village idiot kid whos always hanging around, and the vicar who has a strange creepy scene with her, and a cop who gets called in to resolve the stalker issue, that character becomes this kind of monstrous Cronenbergian figure. All of those characters sequentially sort of give birth to each other in this long body-horror scene where each character appears, and then sort of puffs up in some grotesque way. They open up these faux vaginas somewhere in their bodies, sometimes in their stomach, or their head, or wherever, and then a fetal creature emerges that turns out to be the next Rory Kinnear incarnation. And they sort of chase her sequentially through the country house until Advertisement Advertisement Turner: It turns into her dead husband. Stevens: Thats right. And in fact, if anything, I thought, Can we just get around to the part where its her dead husband? Because obviously hes going to be the last one. Advertisement Stephen Metcalf: Obviously, yes. Stevens: Right? Because the whole trauma narrative always has to be about, Ah, we must penetrate to the true origin of the trauma. So yes, finally it is the character not played by Rory Kinnear, but by Paapa Essiedu, who played her husband, who we only see in flashbacks, who killed himself in a very grisly way by jumping out the window. Weve already seen before how his wrecked body looked when she found him outside afterward. And those same injuries are reflected in each one of these fetal Rory Kinnear people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So they all have a hand thats been sliced in half, which also echoes an earlier chase scene where she slices the hand of the, I think, cop at that point whos chasing her. They all have this one gross kind of foot thats broken off. Anyway, they all have bodies that reflect the brokenness of the body of the husband who fell out the window. And then heres the moment where I flat out dont understand what the director Alex Garland was going for. So Paapa Essiedu, the already dead husband, finally emerges. And then she sort of hangs with him. Like, they plonk down on the couch and have this brief conversation where she says something like, What is it that you want from me? And doesnt he just say, I want to be loved, or I want your love, or something like that? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner: Yeah, all he wants is her love. Stevens: And shes holding an ax at that moment. The ax is the Chekhovs gun that has been seen in the house since she first moved in. She finally gets the ax off the wall, and we think maybe theres going to be some big showdown between them. Then after he says, I just want your love, am I wrong, or does Alex Garland cut to a title card that says Men? So you think its the end of the movie, but its not. Theres one little pop after that where its the next morning, and we see Jessie Buckley in the sunshine out in the yard wearing a bloodstained dress, as she had on the night before. But we dont know what has happened to the emerged fetal husband character and her friend that Steve mentioned earlier, who is kind of the equivalent of the Lil Rel Howery character in Get Out, right? The friend from afar is giving her advice on the phone as shes having this weird country weekend. The friend has now driven up because she called her the night before when the Rory Kinnear invasion happened. And the friend is pregnant, which is kind of a surprise, especially given that we just saw all of these men give birth to each other. And, I guess, theres then a happy ending where the two smiling friends reunite on the lawn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So I have a lot of questions here. Even aside from the men giving birth to each otherwhich I think I know what Alex Garland was trying to metaphorically say, but I dont necessarily think that it adds a lot to the movieliterally what was supposed to have happened after the ghost of her husband says, I just wanted your love? Does she then kill him, or does he disappear, or how is it resolved that shes just hanging the next morning with her buddy in the yard? Turner: I think theres the theoretical, What was he trying to say? take, and then theres also a bunch of practical, What the fuck was actually happening in the movie? questions. And to speak to the theoretical first, my read on the final scene when the men are birthing each crappy incarnation of themselves over and over again is that essentially what the movie seems to be suggesting is that childbirth is horrifying, is gross and scary and primal, and if someone were to come birth at you, youd be like, Holy shit, right? This is wild. This is grotesque. And she becomes progressively less and less afraid. As she watches this slow-motion Russian doll birth scene, she just calms down and is sort of like, Oh, men have nothing on me. Women can do this. We take this in stride. We dont get fucking freaked out when humans emerge from our orifices. Men are so weak and stupid and disgusting. I can just hold this ax and accept the patheticness of my abusive dead husband who may or may not have killed himself. I dont even have to kill him to feel powerful over him. I am the one with the power. And thats a fucked thing for this movie to say. The movie kind of endorses the view of the abusive husband that mens lust for women is a disfiguring that has fucked and will fuck men up for all eternity, and that women are ultimately the ones with the power in the equation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And that is so misogynistic and fucked up. It made me so mad. Even as I was calming down and sort of feeling the female power of like, Oh, she doesnt need to be afraid because shes the one with the ax. And its like, But women dont have the ax in the world! That was my read of that. But Steve, Im dying to know what you made of the finale. Metcalf: Im still aghast. I scarcely know what to make of it. I was like, OK, well I guess theres some sort of pretend-deep ideas here about womanhood as birthing and What would it mean if men could do it? But whats the analogy? Mens pain follows in patrilineal descent. Mans curse is not giving birth, therefore were trapped in a kind of alienated self that takes revenge on women for the generative power we dont have and will never have. Advertisement I think that theres a way in which this movie gets at misogyny, right? The really deep, neurotic fear I think a lot of men feel given their vulnerability vis-a-vis what they perceive to be the power of women over them in some sense. Now, Im talking about heterosexual men, and not all heterosexual men, and so on, but I understand the impulse that Garland is working with. When I see misogyny, I see men revenging themselves on the power they perceive women as holding over them. And I think thats what the movies about. And then at some deeper level, a kind of inability to honor what it is to bring forth new life, because its a power that the man, traditionally, doesnt possess, right? Advertisement Advertisement But we havent even discussed the bizarre racial politics of the movie. So this husband who pulls two of the biggest all-time bullshit weakling man moves: He uses his capacity for violence against a woman whos made him feel emotionally vulnerable, and then he just does this (nongendered) hateful thing, which is threatening to take his own life as a purely manipulative gesture. And hes Black. And hes depicted as possibly an immigrant because of his accent, so hes socially vulnerable in these other ways. And Im not saying thats not interesting. Im not saying it doesnt happen. Im just saying that its gestured to but not explored. Advertisement Advertisement So youre left with this person who inflicts this grotesque set of traumas on the woman he supposedly loves, haunting the entire film, even though hes socially vulnerable, too. It doesnt feel sympathetic. It just feels unresolved. And then why does this series of classic, white, Anglo-Saxon, English types, suddenly arrayed in a patrilineal/matrilineal descent give birth to this person? Because then youre making both a set of universal claims about the male psyche and a set of highly specific social claims about race, class, and gender. Its like, What? Im both like, OK, Alex Garland, if youre just going to sit in front of me and lecture me, can I at least ask you some questions? and Dude, I think youre one confused puppy here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for the Slate Culture Newsletter The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time. Stevens: Yeah. Honestly, it struck me that the racial politics of that were very strangethat the final product of this series of man births from a bunch of white dudes was a Black guybut I almost just had to dismiss it as pure sloppiness on Alex Garlands part. Its almost like, Oh, Ive got to have this gesture toward diversifying my cast, so Ill make her dead husband Black. But that, as you say, brings up so many questions, that the movie is absolutely uninterested in engaging in. And if thats going to be his effort at representation in his cast, its a pretty sad state of affairs. But I still want to know. Lets imagine a universe where, just between these two characters, that scene had continued. And we had seen the next thing that happened on the couch after the husband says, I want your love. What did she do? Did he disappear? Is he still sitting there? Is he dead? Is he alive? Did she go make a cup of tea? Something had to happen between that moment and the sunny morning when her friend arrives in her car. Are they going to go back in and find a mangled corpse in the living room? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner: The movie makes very clear that this is not all in her head, right? The friend drives up. Jessie Buckley still has the blood on her cheek. The car is still smashed into the little stone wall where one of the Rorys was chasing her after he was birthed. So we are to believe that real physical violence has been wrought upon this world. One question without those things wouldve been, Was this all in her head? But no, so she was really haunted. And then, right, what happened? I dont think she did kill him with the ax, because theres no more blood on the dress or her cheek. If she did, it was an extremely tidy axing. In realizing that he only needed her love, did he just puff away? Advertisement Stevens: But then, did she give him her love? If were going to do some feminist polemics, that weve been leading up toward all this time, I was looking forward to him saying, I just want your love, and her saying, Well, let me tell you something, buddy, and going off on him for being such a manipulative dick. But instead of that, we just tastefully cut to the word men and are supposed to draw conclusions from that. I think that was my least favorite moment of the whole movie, was that cut to that word. Advertisement Advertisement Turner: I know. She didnt get a speech, she didnt even get to say, What? Because she doesnt say what anymore. She finally understands. I feel like thats supposed to be the arc of the film. Shes no longer incredulous and surprised. She realizes that men are weak and desperate and lain low by the fact of their desperate need for the love of women. And that is excusing centuries of patriarchy and bullshit. And shes supposed to find it comforting? And again, where did he go? Youre so right, Dana. Im now focused on that exact question: What happened to this lurching broken body who was apparently really there? Because her cheek is really bloodstained and the windows are really broken. Stevens: Yeah, this is one of those movies thats ambiguous at its own expense. This ambiguous ending could mean so many things, it kind of means nothing at all. On a beautiful day in May 2015, I drove the 13 hours from my home in Portland, Oregon, to Harris Ranch, California, halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. At the time, Tesla was touting a battery swap station that could send Tesla drivers on their way in a fully powered vehicle in less than the time it takes to fill up a car with gas. Overtaken by curiosity, I had decided to spend a long Memorial Day weekend in Californias Central Valley to see if Elon Musks latest bit of dream weaving could stand up to reality. Advertisement There, amid the pervasive stench of cow droppings from a nearby feedlot, I discovered that Teslas battery swap station was not in fact being made available to owners who regularly drove between Californias two largest cities. Instead, the company was running diesel generators to power additional Superchargers (the kind that take 30 to 60 minutes to recharge a battery) to handle the holiday rush, their exhaust mingling with the unmistakable smell of bullshit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That one decision to go and find the truth underlying Elon Musks promises, rather than just take his word for it, changed my life in ways I never could have anticipated. Now, seven long and often lonely years later, the world seems to be understanding what I learned from the experience: Once you stop taking Musk at his word, his heroic popular image evaporates and a far darker reality begins to reveal itself. Advertisement Advertisement Finding those diesel-powered Superchargers called into question the two pillars of Teslas image: an environmental mission and technological leadership. This led me to start digging, and I found that Tesla was getting nearly double the California Zero-Emission Vehicle credits for every car it sold thanks to its Potemkin swap station, and that its claimed carbon impact didnt reflect the actual energy mix used by its Superchargers. Advertisement Advertisement This duplicity on Teslas part, I reasoned, couldnt be a mere accident. To borrow the folksy saying favored by Warren Buffett: There is never just one cockroach. So I began digging into every aspect of Teslas business, and in the years that followed, my investigations turned up no shortage of cockroaches. Advertisement Advertisement The following year, in 2016, I discovered some of the ways Tesla maintained this gap between public idealism and private cynicism, when I found the company had been requiring customers to sign nondisclosure agreements in return for free repairs to defects. This practice not only propped up Teslas buoyant stock price by keeping bad news away from investors ears, but also cut off auto safety regulators from their only independent source of information about defects. Then, even after major media outlets picked up the story and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration called the practice unacceptable, Tesla published a blog post saying I had fabricated the story, implying I had done so because I was short selling their stock in order to profit from the declines caused by my story. Advertisement Advertisement Despite having not even known what short selling was up to that point, I was mobbed by an online army of angry fans who repeated these smears. Here was the turducken of Teslas information control strategy: NDAs for customers, smears against critical reporters, a vicious pack of online enforcers, and a total disregard for facts holding it all together. It didnt matter how much evidence I had and how little Musk had, there was always a large and growing community willing to assert that I had to be wrong, biased, and outright evil to contradict their hero. Advertisement Advertisement As the years wore on, this pattern repeated itself again and again: Factual reporting drew attacks rather than refutation, Musks unofficial social media enforcers evolved from a mob to an ecosystem of influencers and media outlets, and the stock always kept climbing. Clear evidence of Musks overpromising, and stories that would have earned any other automaker a congressional hearing, all became lost in the shadow of his ever-growing legend. Countless stories never even saw the light of day for lack of corroboration, including some of the most eye-opening anecdotes I heard in more than 100 interviews with former employees, as Musks reputation for aggression cowed many potential sources into silence. Advertisement Advertisement By the time my book Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors was released in 2019, Id nearly given up on the possibility that my reporting and analysis could cut through Teslas runaway narrative to explain the realities of auto manufacturing and autonomous driving at real scale. Only one thing seemed to matter to Teslas fortunes: unconditional faith in Musk himself. I realized that this wasnt a story from which most people were going to learn important lessons about critical industries and technologies; this was a celebrity story. Advertisement [Read: There Are Just Three Explanations for Elon Musks Unhinged Behavior Right Now] But Musks celebrity has proved to be as resilient as it is unique, at least in part because of the genuine enthusiasm for the products Tesla did deliver. Whether calling one of the Thai cave rescuers a pedo or tweeting that Saudi funding for taking Tesla private was secured when it wasnt (actually the third such move in Tesla history, as I show in my book), Musks ability to evade serious consequences for his outrageous behavior has been unmatched. Even Teslas rampant violations of the Clean Air Act at its Fremont, California, factory paint shopyet another story showing the deep cynicism behind Teslas ostensible environmental missioncouldnt touch his ascendant status. Advertisement Sure enough, in the years since then, Musks fame and Teslas stock price have grown to even more dizzying heights, even as his behavior became more erratic and his science fiction fantasies became less plausible. For years Id heard stories and rumors about his personal life that suggested it was as out of control as his public persona, but even as I realized that his personality was the key to his entire empire, I didnt want to become a celebrity journalist. When Insider recently reported that Musk had paid a cabin crew member on his private jet $250,000 to settle allegations of sexual misconduct, the only surprise for me was that reporters who do cover celebrity scandals had taken so long to catch on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive never known how this story would play out, and many of the twists and turns over the years have been total surprises, but a single intuition has never left me: Musks trajectory is unsustainable. It was only a matter of time before impunity and arrogance caused his mask to slip, and then the world would be ready to learn that Teslas runaway valuation was underwritten by memes, corner-cutting, information control, and outright deception. As it happened, Musks decision to turn Peter Thiels we were promised flying cars and we got 140 characters bon mot on its head and buy Twitter seems to have finally punctured his seemingly airtight mystique. Unlike manufacturing or regulatory compliance or autonomous driving, social media is a relatable enough topic that everyday observers were able to see that Musks judgment could in fact be questioned, especially as Musk jostled to buy Twitter, and now attempts to go back on the deal, in public. Though Musks plans for Twitter (like quintupling revenue while reducing reliance on advertising) are no more implausible than his Full Self-Driving or humanoid robot, they are easier to reason through and the ability to think for yourself is Elon Musks kryptonite. As I write this, I am no more certain of what the immediate future holds for Tesla and Elon Musk than I have been at any point in this seven-year roller coaster. But if people are ready to learn what I have discovered in my time not taking Musk at his word, at least some part of his spell must have been broken. And if my own experience has taught me anything, its this: Once you stop taking Elons words at face value, you can never see or hear him the same again. When news broke that monkeypox appears to be disproportionately affecting gay and bisexual men, Jih-Fei Cheng, associate professor of feminist, gender, and sexuality studies at Scripps College, thought: Here we go again. For Cheng and many others, the association of an emerging infectious disease with gay and bisexual men starkly recalled the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, in which little was known about the condition beyond its impact on the queer communityan observation that led to its being called gay cancer for a time. Advertisement As of Friday, about 300 cases have been reported in the U.S. and Europe, and many countries have reported that all or nearly all of these cases have been in gay and bisexual men. Many of the men affected seem to have contracted monkeypox at events that were initially reported as raves but were in fact a 10-day gay pride event in the Canary Islands and a five-day fetish festival in Belgium. A gay sauna in Madrid may also have been a major transmission site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When this link became clear, health officials responded swiftly. On Monday, John Brooks, head of the Epidemiology Research Team in the CDCs Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, made an explicit appeal to gay and bisexual men in a news briefing. On Tuesday, the gay dating app Grindr, in partnership with local health agencies, displayed a monkeypox warning to users across Europe; Brooks suggested in the press briefing that similar warnings may soon be coming to U.S. users. Advertisement Advertisement Theres an obvious sense in this approach: If an infectious disease is disproportionately present in a particular community, then reaching out directly to that community may be the most effective way to contain its spread. But some experts worry that linking monkeypox with gay and bisexual men risks repeating the mistakes of the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. First, the facts: There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that monkeypox is spread specifically through sex, or through gay sex in particular. It is spread through skin-to-skin contact, and sexgay, straight, or otherwisetends to involve quite a bit of skin-to-skin contact. Though the possibility of sexual transmission cant yet be definitively ruled out, there is no strong reason to think it is taking place when skin-to-skin contact can easily explain infection patterns, says Kartik Cherabuddi, associate professor of infectious diseases and global medicine at the University of Florida. Advertisement Advertisement As far as experts can tell, monkeypox is disproportionately affecting gay and bisexual men as a direct result of events where large numbers of men were repeatedly in close contactsexual or otherwiseover the course of several days. All it takes is one person who might have monkeypox to prompt an outbreak in such an environment, says Ronald Valdiserri, professor of epidemiology at Emory Universitys Rollins School of Public Health. Advertisement Advertisement And once the virus is circulating within a particular community, members of that community become more likely to contract itafter all, gay and bisexual men are most likely to be in close physical contact with other gay and bisexual men. That, in Valdiserris view, is enough reason for public health organizations to work to raise awareness of monkeypox among gay and bisexual men. The choices they make are their own choices, but you like to ensure that people have the appropriate information up front, he says. Advertisement Advertisement But Tonia Poteat, associate professor of social medicine at the University of North Carolina, isnt convinced that there is a strong public health imperative to reach out to gay and bisexual men in particular, at least at this point. Monkeypox is much, much less transmissible than SARS-CoV 2, and by Thursday the U.S. had reported only nine cases. She also notes that the preponderance of gay and bisexual men among known cases doesnt necessarily translate into a similar bias among all cases. Because of HIV/AIDS, she says, gay and bisexual men are more likely to have contact with the health care system, and they are probably more likely to seek immediate medical attention for a new, unexplained rash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given those facts, Poteat says, the messaging could have looked quite different. What we know is how monkey pox is transmitted, she says. Thats what people really need to know. They dont necessarily need to know the sexual behavior or the sexual orientation of people who might have been identified. After all, scientists think monkeypox can be spread through any sort of close contacthugging, contact sports, touching someones bed linens or towelsnot just sex. But the statistical association between monkeypox and gay and bisexual men has become a focusand now that it has, Valdiserri says he does does worry about the risk of compounding stigmas. Infectious disease and sex, and sexually transmitted diseases in particular, are already highly stigmatized. Even though monkeypox does not appear to be sexually transmitted in the traditional sense (through semen and vaginal secretions), sex is a likely cause of its spread, and it has now been publicly linked to events and locations, like a fetish festival and a gay sauna, that might push the margins of acceptability for some people. And the discomfort and fear that people may feel about an outbreak of a new disease, and about certain types of sex, may then adhere to gay and bisexual men as a group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It sort of feeds this message that men who have sex with men are somehow more infectious in some way than other peopleand thats a dangerous subtext, Poteat says. Another is that sexual behaviors could become the focus in attributing blame for monkeypox. That blame can be dangerous when directed toward a marginalized groupas has been the case for Asian Americans during the COVID pandemicand it can cover up other roots of disease spread, like global inequality. We have to be very careful not to to stigmatize sexual behavior precisely because that deters us from understanding that structural violence is at play, Cheng says. He notes that activists during the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic called for structural remedies like universal health care and housing, and that the continued lack of those remedies today played a major role in the spread of COVID in the U.S. Advertisement Theres another link Cheng sees between monkeypox today and HIV/AIDS activism: solidarity with women fighting for reproductive rights. Both he and Poteat noted that this monkeypox outbreak is being partially attributed to individual sexual behavior at a time when bodily autonomy is being steadily eroded in the U.S. Roe v. Wade appears poised to fall, and an increasing number of states are criminalizing trans childrens right to gender-affirming care. The past few months have also seen a rise in rhetorical attacks on gay and bisexual men, from Floridas so-called Dont Say Gay bill to the increasingly widespread use of the term groomer to suggest that queer men are a danger to young boys. True, there are some major differences between 2022 and 1981, when HIV/AIDS cases were first reported. For now, same-sex marriage is still legal across the U.S., and certain gay and bisexual menalbeit typically white, wealthy menare extremely visible in public life. But it would be wrong to conclude on that basis that gay and bisexual men, especially men of color and poor men, are not vulnerable to discrimination. Homophobia has not evaporated, Valdiserri says. Its better in some areas than in other areas. But it hasnt gone away. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Welcome to State of Mind, a new section from Slate and Arizona State University dedicated to exploring mental health. Follow us on Twitter. You know the names: Columbine. Virginia Tech. Sandy Hook. Parkland. Santa Fe. And now Robb Elementary. Once known only as places where parents would send their children to learn and play, these schools now and forever exist beneath the shadow of unspeakable tragedy and mass death. Another week has passed in America, which means we must collectively mourn another horrific tragedy of gun violence. And while this moment calls for action, we are already seeing elected officials dig in on what they feel is the root cause of yet another mass casualty shooting in the United Statesand just the latest one that has robbed families of their youngest, most innocent members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have been working in the mental health field for two decades. I am trained as a clinical psychologist, and currently lead a national foundation focused on mental health and addiction. For years I have been an outspoken advocate for how we as a nation need to better prioritize these areas. And while mental health and addiction have indeed gotten more attention in recent years, its sometimes the type of attention that bothers me the most. This brings us back to the moment, and to the fact that mental health has become a scapegoat, an easy talking point for politicians, pundits, and firearms lobbyists to use to distract us from deeper issues. The problem with this is that its just wrong. The evidence does not suggest that mental illness causes gun violence. Full stop. And paradoxically enough, its these same elected officials who have also chosen to not do anything to help mental health even as they point their finger at it as the problem. Advertisement Advertisement In the wake of the shooting at Robb Elementary, Texas Gov. Greg Abbot has used mental health as his dominant explanatory model for why the shooting occurred. Ironically, Texas is one of the 12 states that has not chosen to expand Medicaid, largely under Abbots watch. And when you look at the data and see how Medicaid is the largest payer for mental health and addiction services, it seems that if the governor really cared about the issue, he would have done something about that long ago. Advertisement Which brings me to a much larger point. Too many elected officialswho tend to be conservative and Republicancontinue to use an age-old strategy of giving lip service without taking any action to mitigate the impact of mental illness or gun violence. Or even more damning, blaming an issuein this case mental healthas the cause of our problems without acknowledging that their policy decisions have actually made conditions worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is, after all, these same elected leaders who refuse to back ample funding for social programs that would improve the physical and emotional well-being of all Americans. Studies have shown that one-quarter of Americans cannot afford housing. The coronavirus pandemic, with its record-high job layoffs and furloughs, brought this into stark focus as millions of individuals and families struggled to pay their monthly rent. Community factors like housing and job security are proven to have a substantial impact on mental health. Investment in affordable housing and other social services to provide relief to our most vulnerable citizens is the least that these policymakers can do. If these leaders were truly worried about mental health, they could have, and would have done something about it long ago. We have had an anemic community based mental health system in this country for decades. People struggle, fall through the cracks, and spend all their time and energy searching and waiting for help that often never materializes. And after all that, inaction remains the default response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We as a country need to hold these elected officials accountable. Living through the past two years of the pandemic has put mental health on all our radars, albeit in very different ways. We have all felt increased pressures, but even before COVID, there was a massive mental health and addiction problem that was simply ignored. Deaths of despairthose from drug overdose, alcohol abuse, and suicidecontinue to grow uncontrollably with more than 186,000 lives lost in 2020 alone to one of these three issues. A person died every three minutes. Our children suffered the most, with teens seeing a 78 percent increase in drug-induced deaths, as well as an increase in suicide. Childrens hospitals and pediatric societies declared a nationwide start of emergency for mental health. But still, we did not move to action. Advertisement Advertisement Throughout 2020, the Trump administration warned that COVID-related shutdowns would drive deaths of despair and used related fear tactics as a primary reason to reopen the country. While the pandemic did exacerbate drug use, alcoholism, and loneliness, the former president and his administration failed to passor even promotepolicies to mitigate the looming mental health crisis. It was a convenient talking point that led to no action despite mental health being a bipartisan issue. Why? Its not because we havent been presented with proven solutions. Its because we live under a system of government thats just as fractured as our health care system; political ideology frequently eclipses science-backed evidence, and consolidation and retention of political power too often takes precedence over public good. At the federal, state, and local levels, we elect our leaders to be servants of the people, and to represent the best and broadest interests of their constituents. But when we see that, from sea to shining sea, our entire country is experiencing rising rates of mental distress, alcoholism, drug overdoses, and suicide, at what point can we ask, who are these leaders really serving? Action has not been taken and we all suffer. Advertisement As we all know, 2022 is a midterm year, with the chance for Americans to cast their votes for members of their states Senate and House of Representatives. Exercise your right to vote but do so with purpose. Dont simply cast a vote along your traditional party lines. Look at each candidates public statements and their views on mental health, no matter their political party. What is their stance on gun safety? These answers will help give insight into how they likely willor will notact when these issues are inevitably brought to the floors for a legislative vote. As a parent, I cannot fathom what the families of the Uvalde shooting victims are going through, and my heart aches for them, and for the countless others whose lives were taken far too soon. We owe it to all of them to get this right and to hold our elected officials accountable for their rhetoric and inaction. Lets move forward to ensure that todays students become tomorrows leaders, not tomorrows headlines. 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. Executive Search rankings are now part of the Career and Employment Guide. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled More information about the Slovak labour market Please see our Career & Employment Guide. Between 2020 and 2021, the ten largest executive search companies on the Slovak market saw their revenue growth exceed 13 percent. Although recruitment agencies are directly addressing candidates more, the process is ever more specific and complex for executive search companies. That is why clients opt for an executive search when looking for employees for key positions. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The largest players 10 largest executive search firms in Slovakia Amrop Arthur Hunt Menkyna & Partners Management Consulting HEADSCOUT Personality TARGET Executive Search Consilium Consulting ISG executive search Pedersen & Partners Hanes Executive Search The ranking of largest executive search companies was topped by the Amrop company in 2022. The company reported the largest number of general directors, board members, executive directors and top managers found for its clients, altogether 25. Amrop Managing Partner Igor Sulik said candidates and clients exercised increased caution in 2021. The decision making took longer and selection processes were prolonged due to objective and subjective reasons. Clients also paid more attention to how candidates came to terms with changed conditions resulting from the pandemic, and how successful they were at leading companies or their teams. The perception of leadership has changed, and ever more focus is now put on considering factors linked, for example, to ESG approaches, said Sulik. ESG stands for environmental, social and governance factors. Their aim is responsible and sustainable business, not just towards the environment but also towards the employees, customers, or communities. The Arthur Hunt company ranked second; its partner, Katarina Bittalova, branded it the best year in its history. One important factor that positively influenced development in 2021 was the arrival of a new company in the segment of sustainability and ecology. The project for this client involved a complex consultation for positions ranging from top management to specialists. The number of positions thus significantly exceeded our typical annual average of filled positions, said Bittalova. Arthur Hunt filled altogether 70 positions in 2021. 2021 placements (pl.): Board and C-level 1. Amrop (25 pl.) 2.Menkyna & Partners Management Consulting (24 pl.) 3. Arthur Hunt (20 pl.) 4. Personality (12 pl.) 5. HEADSCOUT (11 pl.) 6. MATT Consulting (7 pl.) 7. ISG executive search (7 pl.) 8. TARGET Executive Search (5 pl.) 9-10. Consilium Consulting (4 pl.) 9-10. Pedersen & Partners (4 pl.) 9-10. Teamconsult SR (4 pl.) Another large executive search company active in Slovakia is Menkyna & Partners, which ranked third. Candidates were slightly less open to career change compared to the past, mainly in lower-level positions. Higher managers usually perceive potential career change as an opportunity even nowadays, said Robert Baldovic, a partner at Menkyna & Partners. Companies and candidates are more willing to hold their first meetings through teleconference applications, while hybrid meetings have become normal. Still, the decision whether to make an offer comes only after subsequent in-person meetings, Baldovic added. Novelties and specifics We introduced walking sessions, which contributed to health and made us different from the rest of the market, said Bittalova. Personal consultations on a walk allowed for direct communication even during the most stringent pandemic restrictions. Other novelties that the largest companies introduced in their work are client portals, which give the client the possibility to follow the status of each selection project, and in some cases even provide feedback. Such a solution was introduced by Target, Teamconsult, and Amrop. The latter also offered screening of candidates, which is mainly used when filling top positions. The consultants run a background check of the candidate, including their digital footprint. Several companies from the top 10 ranking now report that they no longer focus on just executive searches but also provide consultation on the development of teams, organisations, and individuals. Within long-term complex projects, we are thus becoming a strategic partner in the cultural transformation of big organisations, Baldovic said. Bratislava has launched a pilot project for construction of rental flats with developers. Visualisation of the abandoned dormitory in Zahorska Bystrica turned into rental housing. (Source: Courtesy of Bratislava) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled When Boris Kollar, head of the Sme Rodina party, ran for parliament in 2020, he promised to build 25,000 social rental flats annually if elected. He not only made it to parliament, but his party became part of the ruling coalition. He is now speaker of parliament. So far, however, his party has failed to meet its pre-election promise, with parliament only just now adopting legislation to enable more extensive building of rental housing, on Wednesday, May 25. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement In the meantime, municipalities pressed to address the lack of housing have started their own social rental housing projects. Bratislava is working on extending its stock of social rental flats by hundreds of units. The 2021 and 2020 Johnston and Lampman Cup winners will receive their trophies Friday, May 27 at The Raceway at the Western Fair District with four Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies included on the $414,000 Camluck Classic card. Gregg McNair won the 2021 Johnston Cup as the leading OSS trainer. He has starters in two of four $21,000+ Grassroots divisions. The rural Guelph, Ont., resident is harnessing two daughters of Sportswriter: Fade Out in the first Grassroots division, race two on the card, and Mighty Melissa in the second Grassroots division and fourth race of the evening. Fade Out is a good filly, but drew poorly, but shes a good one right now, said McNair. She has good gate speed, so she should be all right. Trevor Henry is driving her and he knows his way around London really good. To build on more than $100,000 in OSS earnings last season, she will have to overcome leaving from the seven-hole. The filly had a solid showing in the SBOA Stakes last Saturday at Woodbine Mohawk Park, where she finished fourth and was individually timed in 1:51.4 for McNairs ownership partners Dean Lockhart and McKinlay & Fielding. Mighty Melissa, owned by a group that includes McNair, Ross Family Farms Ltd., Wayne MacRae and Ross Holmes, drew a more favourable post, leaving from the rail in race four with Louis-Philippe Roy listed to drive. Lightly raced at two, she made only two OSS starts in her novice campaign, winning a Grassroots division at Georgian Downs. The filly was seventh in her only start this season at Woodbine Mohawk Park McNair will also send out OSS graduate Karma Seelster in the $50,000 Forest City Pace for older mares on Friday's undercard as well as the three-year-old Shadow Play gelding Airy Shadow in one of the four City Of London Series finals. Races six and eight are the remaining Grassroots divisions on the card. The morning line favours Momentarily in race six. The daughter of Control The Moment posted a record of 3-1-3 in nine starts as a two-year-old. The 2020 Lampman Cup winner, Bob McClure, will drive the Dan Lagace trainee from post seven. Motovation, a Sunshine Beach filly trained by Michael Kwietniowski, is the early favourite in the final OSS division of the evening. In four Grassroots starts as a freshman, the filly won once, was second twice and earned more than $22,000. Louis-Philippe Roy will be in the race bike. The 2020 Johnston Cup winner, Shawn Steacy, doesnt have an OSS entry, but will have horses on the card in the City of London Series finals. OSS Presence In Camluck Classic The feature race on the card, the $150,000 Camluck Classic presented by Seelster Farms, has three Ontario Sired horses in the field. Tattoo Artist, an OSS Super Final champion as a two-year-old in 2019 and winner of seven additional Gold legs over two seasons, will start from post three as the 9-5 second choice on the morning line. Trained by Dr. Ian Moore, the five-year-old won two divisions of the MGM Borgata Pacing Series at Yonkers Raceway in April. Hes doing great. He trained well Tuesday, said Moore. He gets around the half pretty well, so it should be an advantage where he is sitting [with regards to his] post position as well. James MacDonald will drive the son of Hes Watching, on the night he receives his 2021 Lampman Cup. Tattoo Artist is joined by Jimmy Freight, a son of Sportswriter who made his return to the racetrack in December 2021 following a two-year absence after entering the breeding shed. The seven-year-old stallion is the 6-5 morning line favourite from post five and enters the race off five straight wins in the top class at Woodbine Mohawk Park, including a come-from-behind win last time out over Tattoo Artist. Roy will drive the Richard Moreau trainee. Jimmy Freight certainly made a believer out of me the prior week at Mohawk. He came from way back to beat Tattoo Artist, said Moore. He could certainly be the toughest one in there, but its one of the strongest fields Ive seen in recent years. Poseidon Seelster is the final OSS alumni in the race. Bred by the title sponsor, the son of Sunshine Beach has a record of 2-1-3 in 11 starts this season. He drew the rail post for Friday evening for trainer Donald Lindsey. Bob McClure gets the drive. To view Friday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Friday Entries - The Raceway at Western Fair District. (With files from Ontario Racing) Canada's two-time defending champion male trotter Perfetto has landed in Europe and will take on the world this Sunday (May 29) in Sweden's famed Elitloppet. Trainer/driver Dagfin Henriksen shared via social media that Perfetto, who has been garnering lots of media attention at home in advance of the race, made a quick stop in Belgium (pictured above) yesterday on his journey to Sweden. Targeting a victory in the Elitloppet, the seven-year-old Ontario-sired son of Majestic Son could join elite company both on the international stage and at home. The list of winners dating back to 1952 includes popular trotting stars Mack Lobell, Moni Maker, Varenne, Nahar, Commander Crowe and Timoko, to name a few. Only two other Canadian representatives have won the race, both decades ago: Fresh Yankee in 1969 and Billyjojimbob in 1992. For trainer/driver Dagfin Henriksen, who started his harness racing career in his native Norway at the age of 19 and moved to Canada in 2008, his first Elitloppet start will be memorable no matter the outcome. "It's quite an honour to be invited to the Elitloppet," Henriksen was quoted as saying in a CBC News article. "Every trainer, especially in Europe, dreams of even making it to the race. If you have a horse that's good enough to go in that race, it's something special. "It's so big, so I try to not think too hard about it because you almost get emotional," added Henriksen, who has made the trip himself to Sweden with fiancee Laura Trask, Perfetto's caretaker, and sons. While Perfetto will be introduced to international travel, large crowds and a different racing style than he's used to in North America, Henriksen told the Toronto Sun he wasn't concerned with how his stable star would handle the new experience. The horse is strong, Im not too concerned about that, he said. I used to drive over there. I know the style. I think my horse can tackle it. Owner Gerald Haggerty, with 30 years in the sport, believes Henriksen's experience will serve the globe-trotting racehorse well. "Dagfin has a little bit of magic in his hands," Haggerty told CBC News. "I think he's the best trotting man in Canada and his methods are different than some Canadian or U.S. trainers." Bred in New Brunswick by Seawind Amg Stbs 2005 Inc., Perfetto is a 25-time winner with nearly $730,000 banked in purses. He has drawn post four in the first trial heat, scheduled as race six on Sunday at Solvalla Race Course with an approximate post time of 9:28 a.m. (EDT). The second heat is race seven, scheduled for 9:55 a.m. (EDT). The top four trotters from each trial will face off in the final of the Elitloppet in race 11 at 11:45 a.m. (EDT). With a major purse boost for the 2022 edition, a total of 11,350,000 Swedish Krona (approx. $1.47 million CAD) will be up for grabs. Click here to view the fields in post position order. A program for Sunday's race card is available to download by clicking here. Live streaming of the race card will be available on the SC website on Sunday morning. (With files from CBC News and Toronto Sun) CHARLOTTESVILLEArea educators and parents headed to school Wednesday heavy-hearted and still reeling from news of Tuesdays wanton slaying of 19 children and two teachers in a Texas elementary school, the deadliest school shooting since 2012. The deaths at the hand of an 18-year-old with no connection to the school prompted area divisions to once again to offer resources for educators and families on discussing the random violence with their children and to seek help, if needed. This message is in many ways a painful repetition of what we have said in response to earlier shootings across our country, including 10 days ago at Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo and at schools such as Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida or Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, Charlottesville officials wrote in a message to families on Tuesday night. Charlottesville schools Superintendent Royal Gurley Jr. and School Board chairwoman Lisa Larson-Torres signed the letter to families. Division officials shared a resource sheet on how to talk with children about race and community violence, which was developed by school counselors in August 2017. It has been shared several times since. On social media, Gurley said it was OK for teachers to pause lesson plans and take care of themselves and their students. Students need developmental play, [social-emotional learning] conversations, and spaces to ask difficult questions, he wrote. For Christa Bennett, sending her children to school every day is terrifying. She said she makes a conscious thought to hug her children each morning and tell them goodbye in case thats the last time she sees them. This morning she felt raw as she sent them off to school. It is not lost on me that people who are not white and privileged have carried the fear of violence, of their babies being snatched from them, for forever in our country, Bennett wrote on social media. All our children need to be safe. All of us need to be safe. Theres really nothing more important than that. She said focusing at work was hard Wednesday as she worried about her children. She talked about the shooting with older child, who is in middle school, but not with her elementary-aged child. Following the Buffalo shooting, Buford Middle students walked out of class last week to call for racial justice and to stand in solidarity with the victims. Bennett said seeing students take a stand gives her hope for the future. We have to have hope to keep on living, she said. Other local parents on social media talked about how they cried as they dropped their children off at school and made sure to say goodbye to their kids. Teachers shared their fears about going to work Wednesday and experiences during recent active-shooter drills. Christine Esposito, a teacher in Charlottesville, shared on Facebook how she planned to approach students. Im going to lie convincingly to every child I see today, she said. Im going to sell that lie with my whole body because I dont know what else to do. Im going to assure every student who asks that well keep them safe, all the while knowing that teachers and schools dont actually have that power. She added that teachers will keep them safe to the best of their abilities. All that means is that well die trying to protect them, she wrote. No amount of a teachers love or a teachers physical body is going to protect a child from an AR-15. According to news reports, the two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, were shot while protecting their students. As has been the case after previous school shootings, Virginia state officials turned their attention to school safety and security measures. Gov. Glenn Youngkin met with state officials Wednesday to talk about school safety. A Youngkin spokeswoman told media outlets that the governor has asked for an evaluation of steps already taken as well as future steps to ensure schools are safe. Jillian Balow, the state superintendent for public instruction, said state officials must review all the facts as they come to light and determine what steps we can take in Virginia to better protect our students, teachers and school communities. Following the deadly 2018 school shooting in Parkland, state lawmakers formed the House Select Committee on School Safety. In its December 2018 report, the committee recommended changes to the role of school counselors, requiring mental and emotional health to be taught in schools, more funding for school divisions to purchase security equipment and school resource officers, among others. In 2020, Charlottesville and Albemarle County school divisions removed armed police officers from school buildings following protests over race profiling and policing. On Wednesday, Albemarle County schools Superintendent Matthew Haas told families in a message that the schools work closely with the county police. Our strongest resource remains our partnership with the Albemarle County Police Department, Haas wrote. We communicate regularly with the departments senior leadership on the security of our buildings, potential threats, and deployment of officers in and around our buildings. In recent years, the division has made several security upgrades at buildings and changed front entrances to buildings so that visitors must go through the front office. The division also implemented Anonymous Alerts, which allows students and families to report safety concerns. Haas said the tool is one of the divisions most significant assets to identify and deter threats. He encouraged anyone concerned about the behavior, circumstance, or social media posts of a student, employee, or someone else associated with a school to make a report through Anonymous Alerts. After each of these horrific events, we inevitably learn from the investigations that the person responsible showed signs to peers, family, school officials, or police of being a potential threat, Haas wrote. In cooperation with the Albemarle County Police Department, we take every potential threat seriously, and we will put safety first every time. Albemarle County and Charlottesville, in an effort to boost mental health support for students, have hired social and emotional counselors at schools and implemented a social-emotional learning curriculum. The city school division also has improved access control to its buildings, including updated door-locking systems. Though it doesnt feel like it right now, we remind ourselves and you that schools remain one of the safest places for young people, Charlottesville officials wrote. Let us join together to make sure that the schools of tomorrow are even safer. A health care organization gave a big boost to a local nonprofit program that serves Panhandle youth. On Thursday, Molina Healthcare Charitable Foundation, MolinaCares awarded $15,000 to the Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska (CAPWN). Malerie Pacsi, who works in the medicaid product development department for Molina, presented the check to CAPWN representatives. As a health care organization ... that is founded on the premise of supporting communities and building capacity for community programs, the work that (they) all do here at Community Action really resonated with our mission, she said. We wanted to support in a small way but hopefully be a longterm partner. Liz MacDonald, CAPWNs supportive health service director, said the funds would support daily living needs at the Panhandle Youth Shelter. It will go a long ways for really helping out with not only necessities for youth, but we also try to promote whats referred to as normalcy for these runaway and homeless youth, she said. The money will help the youth visit bowling alleys and movie theaters and help fund acquiring new amenities or supplies. Aside from a small amount supporting the general operations of the shelter, the money will go toward aiding the youth themselves. These are funds that we can use that grants generally dont allow to pay for things like that, so its really exciting, MacDonald said. Pacsi said social and economic support systems can be just as important to improving quality of life as physical and mental health services. She said her company is proud to enable organizations to provide more than just medical aid. Oftentimes, grants are hard to come by ... so as we work in communities and start building our business within states, we become part of the state, and as such, we see a responsibility to really integrate with those community connections, she said. ... Doing research and understanding whats here in the community, whats a valued resource, it became very clear to us early on that Community Action was that partner. Pacsi said Molina selected CAPWN as an organization to work with due to its geographic reach as well. Its in more of a rural location and she said the company wants to support the whole state, not just big population centers. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A group of parents opposed to mask mandates and other protocols put into place by the Goshen County School Board #1 filed a lawsuit against the district recently. Parents listed in the suit, filed in the Eighth Judicial District Court on March 8, are Drew and Danielle Murphy, Brandon and Marie Flanagan, Ty and Kelly Correll, Shanna Vargas, Kristy Green, Rebecca Cochran, Reece and Ashley Posten, Suzanne Keller and Chris and Belinda Alexander. In a group statement regarding the lawsuit from the parents, the group said: On behalf of students, parents and residents of Goshen County we have filed a lawsuit against Goshen County School District #1, the board of trustees, and the Superintendent Ryan Kramer. We believe in the preservation of parental rights and medical decision-making. The constitutional bounds of whats been done to our kids without our consent must be put in check or we will lose all sense of individual liberty forever. In the lawsuit the parents allege, as they did in school board meetings last fall, that the district is violating their rights due to COVID protocols. According to one of the parents, Marie Flanagan, last fall, 55 students had left their school for homeschooling, 45 left the district altogether and at least one high school student was expelled for not wearing a mask. The lawsuit cites Flanagan, as well as stories of other parents in affidavits. One parent, Danielle Murphy, claims in the suit that she attempted to assert her medical decision-making rights on behalf of her child and was denied. This same situation is described in the other affidavits of the Petitioners. In the suit, the parents assert that masks are medical devices used to prevent the spread of COVID. The requirement that a child wear one without their parents consent and in some cases against their expressed will, is a violation of the medical decision making and parental rights authority guaranteed to all of us by the Constitutions of both Wyoming and the United States, and associated case law precedent. They also accuse the district of illegally issuing purported quarantine orders, when they have no statutory authority to do so and contrarily Wyoming students are guaranteed the right to a free public education. The parents claim that the school district, because it is not a public health officer or has no legal standing to issue a quarantine order acted illegally in excluding students from school due to close contact exposures. Attorney Cassie Craven, of Cheyenne, is representing the group. The parents asked for a temporary restraining order, as well as a permanent injunction barring the district from enforcing any mask mandates or quarantining measures. On May 2, the GCSD #1 filed a motion to dismiss the suit. In its motion, the district said that the districts mask mandate expired on Nov. 1, 2021, days after the Oct. 28, 2021, school board meeting. At that time, protocols regarding close contact with individuals testing positive for COVID were also terminated. The district claimed that parents failed to timely file their requests or to show an actual emergency and irreparable harm. The district said in its response that the court lacked jurisdiction over the claim. GCSD #1 is being represented by Brianne Phillips, Tracy Copenhaver and Scott Kolpitcke Law firm in Powell, Wyoming. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form If anyone sitting in the audience needed a reminder of the impact of the Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont, they didnt have to look far. Welcoming the guests to a lunch-and-learn luncheon Thursday was Niyin Miller, a junior at Pfeiffer University. Ive been walking through those doors every year since 2010, Miller said. He started as a young boy, a member of the club, and now he works there during the summer, giving back to young people much like himself. He said the Boys & Girls Club played a major role in getting him to where he is today. Miller, along with others, talked to a group of local leaders about the importance of the Boys & Girls Club, in an effort to continue the support the club has garnered since it began as an idea in 2007. Julia Wilson, a founding board member, said she remembered how her involvement with the club, started. There was a phone message about the grassroots effort to build the club in the aftermath of a police chase in which seven teens were killed. He (her father) hands me a message and says you need to call them back, she said. Building the club was a monumental task. It was 2007, and the economy was on a downturn. Plus, Fifth Street Ministries also was planning a fundraising campaign to build a new facility. Two massive fundraisers seemed impossible, Wilson said, but in the end, both campaigns were successful. We did it, which is an amazing thing. We have a community of generous people, she said. The groundbreaking took place in 2007, and by 2009, the Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont opened its doors. During the planning phases, Wilson said, when she would recommend changes to save money, founding board member William Jones wouldnt hear of it. He told her the kids who would be using the facility deserved the best possible. Executive Director Clarissa Young said the club continues to prove its value every day. At pre-COVID-19 levels, she said, there were more than 550 members. While that number has declined to around 300 now, the club is still providing after-school activities from tutoring to simply having fun. The club partners with 13 Iredell-Statesville Schools, and there are six I-SS teachers who provide literacy help. Danette Glover, a board member, said the club made a difference for her son. The club has been very important in my sons life, she said. After watching the impact the club and its staff made on her son, she said, serving on the board was an easy decision. I didnt hesitate, she said. She said the staff members at the club do everything they can to help each child succeed, and they are doing it from a place of love. I-SS Superintendent Jeff James said the Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont provides more than just academic instructional assistance. It means these children have a caring adult they can turn to. He said the staff at the club is an example of the adage it takes a village. We have got to be a community. We cant run the schools without the community, he said. Becky Wagner, the current board chair, said the club is hoping to continue the success of the past decade and needs community support to make that happen. The club is looking to move into the future by addressing everything from retiring capital debt to bringing the club into the community, growing programs and areas of service to completing maintenance and safety projects. Brady Johnson, Boys & Girls Club director of development, told those at the luncheon that is where their help is needed from volunteering to financial support. Miller also said he hopes the club with continue to thrive thanks to that support. We need everyones support, he said. Group thankful for grant for bicyclists Longview Active Transportation gives a big thankyou to the people who helped with executing the grant provided LAT by the citys Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. Many people in Cowlitz County are not aware the county and Longview are on one of the most popular bike touring routes in the USA. We welcome people from all over the world with some of them biking from Alaska to San Diego and beyond. Given the generous grant provided by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, citizen volunteers and members of Longview city staff installed new bike racks downtown at popular locations on Commerce, 14th and 15th avenues; and in the Civic Circle. These bike racks provide somewhere safe for people to lock their bicycles while shopping, grabbing a meal, or just visiting the commercial district. Also, directional signs guiding tourists to facilities they might need while visiting Longview were installed on West Side Highway and Fishers Lane, and on Ocean Beach Highway and Pacific Way. These signs will encourage bike tourists to stop and shop before going to their next destination.. In addition, the grant included event bicycle racks. Now, when festival attendees bicycle to one of the summer festivals, they will be able to lock their bikes to one of our 10 new portable event bicycle racks. Biking to the festival allows attendees to start their festive day right from their own front yard, on their bike. A true volunteer program and tremendous thanks to the following for their support of this project: Kurt Sacha, Ken Hash, Morgan Palmer, Nancy Vandehey, Longview City Sign Shop, Longview City Street Department, Love INC, Matt Carnahan, Rick Jaspers, Pat Keating, Clark Carroll, Trey Davis, Art Birkmeyer, Marti Fine, George Winn, Matt Keebler, Genece Cooper, Bethany Stockton of Sportworks, John Akers, the Longview Complete Streets Committee, and the Longview Lodging Tax Advisory Tax Committee. Longview Active Transportation 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. Cowlitz County officials say a culvert on private land, and possibly another on county property, are blocking fish from the Kalama River from migrating up an unnamed stream. County leaders Tuesday reviewed how much the county needed to widen its waterway under Kalama River Road to allow for more fish to pass through, but since a homeowners passage downstream already blocks fish, officials decided to install a smaller county culvert. The county commissioners Tuesday OKd an agreement with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife approving the countys plan to replace the culvert at Kalama River Road milepost 2.37 without providing for fish passage. This option will be cheaper than installing a larger fish passage. Susan Eugenis, county engineer, said Tuesday the state is allowing the agreement because the downstream blockage prevents any migrating fish from reaching the countys culvert, so there is no need to make more room to allow fish to pass through the countys waterway. Instead of us putting in a difficult, expensive culvert to allow fish passage to no fish, were entering into this agreement to put in a standard 36-inch culvert, she said. The agreement calls for the county to replace its 18-inch corrugated metal culvert with a 36-inch corrugated plastic culvert. Eugenis said it would cost an estimated $350,000 more to install a fish passage culvert and would take four to five weeks, compared to one week for the 36-inch culvert. Once the downstream barrier is removed, WDFW will reassess the site for five years to determine if fish are accessing and using the habitat below the county culvert, according to the agreement. If fish are found, the county will have to replace the culvert with a fish passable crossing within five years. Although approval should have been issued before the homeowner installed the culvert, one hasnt been found on record, according to the agreement. State law requires people planning projects in or near state waters to get the approval from WDFW to ensure the construction is done in a manner that protects fish and their habitats, according to the agencys website. In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a 2007 ruling that the state of Washington must replace hundreds of culverts that block salmon passage as part of its duty under the treaties with several tribes to preserve fish runs and habitat. As part of the court order, the state is obligated to fix culverts under state roads. Smaller jurisdictions are encouraged to coordinate with the state in barrier removal to make the efforts effective, according to the Association of Washington Cities. 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. The fashion e-commerce platform terminated her employment after an investigation into claims of what it called serious financial irregularities and said it reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action. Ankiti Bose, who was fired last week as chief executive officer of the Singapore startup Zilingo Pte, says shell keep fighting to clear her name. The fashion e-commerce platform terminated her employment after an investigation into claims of what it called serious financial irregularities and said it reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action. The probe included questions about Zilingos accounting practices and payments to several service providers of more than $7 million that were signed by her without the knowledge of senior executives, according to people familiar with the matter. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: In two interviews, before and after her dismissal, Bose denied wrongdoing and provided detailed responses to key points of the investigation. She said that, in the end, the company fired her for a lack of cooperation in the investigation rather than for actual financial improprieties. Shes determined to protect her reputation. There is not a single payment made by Zilingo that did not have proper documents or either the finance, tech or operations teams were not aware of, said Bose, a former McKinsey & Co. consultant who had been CEO of Zilingo since its founding. I feel like my baby has been taken away from me without giving me a proper explanation or a chance to fight for her back. Im grieving and fighting for myself simultaneously. Once a shining example of the potential for tech startups in Southeast Asia, Zilingo ran into trouble after internal whistleblowers voiced complaints this year that triggered conflicts between Bose and her longtime backers. The board suspended her on March 31 and hired investigative firm Kroll Inc. to examine the complaints. Now Zilingos very survival is in question. Bose co-founded Zilingo with Dhruv Kapoor in 2015 after a visit to Bangkoks Chatuchak market, where 15,000 merchants sell goods from across Thailand. Their aim was to build a technology platform to help those kinds of tiny merchants sell to consumers across Southeast Asia. In 2018, they began to reposition themselves as a business-to-business platform to reduce the high cash burn of working with consumers. Zilingos pitch that it would help digitize the fashion industrys antiquated supply chain helped draw venture backers, including Sequoia Capital India and Temasek Holdings Pte. It raised $226 million at a valuation of $970 million in 2019, when Bose was just 27 years old. But with pressure to grow quickly, Zilingo found itself dealing with thousands of vendors and merchants across nine countries from Sri Lanka to Indonesia. The complexity ended up straining the young companys ability to track revenue and other financial figures. Millions in Payments Zilingo and its board havent publicly detailed their allegations against Bose. The company didnt respond to multiple requests for comment, beyond earlier public statements. Following an investigation led by an independent forensics firm that was commissioned to look into complaints of serious financial irregularities, the company has decided to terminate Ms. Ankiti Boses employment with cause, and reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action, the company said on May 20. Social media campaigns and leaked information have caused irreparable damage to the company, the board, employees and investors. People familiar with the Bose probe said one of the most serious allegations involves the payments to service providers that the CEO had signed off on without the knowledge of other senior managers. The payments went to about five information technology and consulting firms during the two-year period covered by the Kroll probe, said the people, asking not to be identified because details of the inquiry are private. These firms received either monthly or one-time payments from Zilingo totaling millions of dollars over that period, while it wasnt clear what services they delivered, the people said. Bose said all of the payments are legitimate and they certainly werent made to benefit her personally. She added its possible other senior mangers werent aware of the payments, although there wasnt anything nefarious about that. I am 100% certain that there is nothing amiss about the way in which the payments are made, she said. I have heard that several individuals in the company have claimed that they are not aware of various business relationships. While I find that odd to believe, because there are so many jurisdictions and so many parts of the company, its possible that they were not officially aware. Bose said that she has not been able to check internal documents to clarify what the payments were for following her suspension, even after requesting access under Krolls supervision. She also hasnt been able to contact staff or external parties who may be able to clear her name. I was not given sufficient access to provide documents that would exonerate me, she said. All I ask my shareholders and stakeholders to do is to not believe that I did not make an attempt to answer these questions. Kroll didnt respond to a request for comment. While Kroll investigators conducted forensic audits to help identify potential financial irregularities, their work did not cover whether there were links between the Zilingo payments and the CEO, the people familiar said. Such a task would require access to bank accounts, which was beyond the scope of the forensic investigation, they added. Another key area that Bose says Kroll officials have asked about is a discrepancy in revenue figures listed in documents provided to current and potential investors. The idea that Zilingo may have used different sets of financial figures has fueled fears among investors that the startup could have been inflating numbers or misleading backers. Bose maintains that such differences are merely the result of trying to comply with complex accounting standards across multiple countries. For example, in some cases sales made by certain merchants on the platform were counted as Zilingos own revenue -- even though such transactions would normally be classified as gross merchandise value, or GMV, under traditional accounting rules. Here, Bose said the rules in certain countries forced her hand. About 12% or 13% of our GMV historically has had to be recorded as revenue due to various regulatory requirements when goods are exported from several Asian countries, she said in the interview before she was fired, citing India, Indonesia and Bangladesh as examples. We have tried to work around this to reduce the impact of this between fiscal 21 and 22. A related issue is the timing of certain transactions. Zilingo is supposed to book revenue only when goods are shipped, but Bose said there was sometimes a 30- to 90-day lag between counting revenue and when the sales would be sent out. That also resulted in two sets of numbers at times, she said. Independent accounting experts are hesitant to make a definitive judgment without examining Zilingos books, but at least one questioned her reasoning. Mak Yuen Teen, an accounting and governance expert at the National University of Singapore Business School, called it not convincing since most countries, including those she cited, adhere to global accounting standards. Counting GMV as revenue is a significant risk for startups because their performance is often assessed based on revenues. Zilingos methods of accounting for discounts and incentives also had an influence on the books. The company has used aggressive methods for recognizing revenue, but Bose says the calculations are standard practice for the industry and that all of its investors were fully aware of them. She emphasized during the hours of discussion that she started Zilingo when she was 23 and depended on the finance department to sort through such quantitative questions. All these matters are well understood by all investors, Bose said in the earlier interview. Unless I am a chartered accountant I cannot touch the books, let alone cook the books. Absent Audits Uncertainty at Zilingo has been aggravated by a lack of audited figures. Public records in Singapore show it has not filed its fiscal 2020 or 2021 financial results, even though that is a basic regulatory requirement for all businesses registered in the city-state. Bose says the delays to its fiscal 2020 audited results were due to efforts to fix an issue involving an Indonesian entity that had been missed in fiscal 2019. She says it is not unusual for startups in Singapore and Southeast Asia to miss such filing deadlines. In Singapore, companies which miss their deadline for filing annual financial statements are fined as much as S$600 ($437), a relatively small sum. Zilingo declined to comment. One venture capitalist, who asked not to be identified because of the disputes contentiousness, said it is not uncommon for startups to make late filings. In Zilingos case, that failure to file contributed to challenges. After Covid-19 slashed the companys revenues, it took two rounds of financing to fund operations. One was a $25 million convertible note in late 2020 from Sequoia and state-owned investors EDBI and Temasek, while another was a near $40 million mezzanine debt facility in mid-2021 from Varde Partners and Indies Capital Partners, according to people familiar with the companys finances, who asked not to be identified because the details are confidential. In March 2022, Varde and Indies told the firm it was in default of the loan agreement citing a wide range of documents it was yet to receive, including the audited filings from fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, ordering it to cease drawing on funds. By May, they recalled the loan, putting the company in a precarious financial position with little cash to continue operations. The board said on May 13 it had appointed an independent financial adviser to explore options for Zilingo. Its Not About Money Bose argued the investigation against her is an unfair effort to blame her for the companys struggles. She said she has yet to see the full report of allegations against her, despite four interviews with Kroll. She said she was asked to attend another meeting on May 19, but requested to delay it until the following week because she was relocating her family. The next day, she was fired with a termination letter she said cited several causes including insubordination, neglect, failure to produce relevant documents and refusal to comply with direction. I want an opportunity to talk about every single one of the allegations, she said. I was denied the opportunity, time and access to do so. Bose, now 30, pointed out that she hopes to have a substantial professional future, ideally working at startups with ambitious plans for the tech industry. Im not going to live with a stain on my reputation and my career, Bose said. Its not about money -- its about my career, its about my reputation, its about my life, its about my parents. Celcom Axiata Bhd will do its best to meet the deadline with Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) on the 5G network service agreement in Malaysia. Previously, we reported that K-KOMM has given telco companies until 30 June 2022 to finalise the agreement with DNB. As reported by national news agency Bernama, Axiata Group Bhd president and group chief executive officer Datuk Izzadin Idris confirmed the matter, saying thatthe company was given until the aforementioned date to finalise the process. He then stressed that the company is trying its best to meet the deadline process of negotiations. Izzadin was speaking to reporters yesterday during a press conference in conjunction with Axiata Group Bhds annual general meeting (AGM) held in Kuala Lumpur. As of the time of writing, the four major telecommunications company in our country have yet to finalise the agreement with DNB on the single wholesale 5G network. What do you guys think of the 5G network situation in Malaysia? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below and stay tuned to TechNave for the latest trending tech news! Credit: CC0 Public Domain Researchers who analyzed language related to depression on social media during the pandemic say the data suggest people learned to cope as the waves wore on. University of Alberta researcher Alona Fyshe and her collaborators at the University of Western Ontario hypothesized that depression-related language would spike during each wave of COVID-19. But their study shows that wasn't the case. "There was a big reaction at the beginning and then people sort of found their new normal," says Fyshe, an assistant professor of computing science and psychology. "It's a message of resilience, people figuring out how to keep on keeping on in a pandemic." For the study, the researchers turned their attention to online platforms such as Reddit and Twitter. Social media is a useful tool in assessing mental health at the population level, explains Fyshe, a fellow of the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute and Canada CIFAR AI chair. The researchers first identified keywords by analyzing the type of language posters were using in discussions on Reddit. The self-identification found in those subreddits and forums isn't replicated in many other social media platforms, Fyshe explains. "Essentially we trained a machine learning model that can differentiate between the language of people who post to a thread on the topic of depression versus people who don't," says Fyshe. Using this information and the identified keywords, they turned their attention to Twitter. They analyzed data from four citiesSydney, Mumbai, Seattle and Torontowith different waves of COVID-19 so they could determine which changes in language were due to global trends and which were local. They restricted the data to areas with a large percentage of English tweets so they could use the same methodology to analyze all the data. The results were surprising, says Fyshe. In general, spikes in COVID-19 cases and the various waves throughout the pandemic weren't reflected in the data. In fact, the only city with an increase in depression-related language after the first wave was Mumbai, which saw a significant second wave. Fyshe says the machine learning methods used to scrape Reddit subforums to identify keywords and analyze Twitter data could be applied to a wide range of subjects. For example, when examining data in Seattle, they found strong reactions to the Black Lives Matter movement. "It was indicative of there being a large change to the general moodwhat people were talking about and how people were feeling about the world they lived in." The research was published in the International Journal of Population Data Science. Explore further Countries with low vaccination rates show unusually negative attitudes to vaccines on Twitter More information: Brent Davis et al, Quantifying Depression-Related Language on Social Media During the COVID-19 Pandemic, International Journal of Population Data Science (2022). Brent Davis et al, Quantifying Depression-Related Language on Social Media During the COVID-19 Pandemic,(2022). DOI: 10.23889/ijpds.v5i4.1716 A map previously distributed for Friday and Saturday's graduations at Reed Arena incorrectly stated parking would be free, according to an email from the Bryan Independent School District on Friday. There will be a cash-only parking fee of $5 for guests attending ceremonies for Bryan and College Station high schools Friday and Saturday. College Station High School's graduation is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. today at Reed Arena, and A&M Consolidated High School will follow at 7:30 p.m. in the arena. Both ceremonies will be livestreamed at youtube.com/CSHSAVP and youtube.com/AMCHSAVP, respectively. Bryan High Schools graduation will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, and Rudder High Schools commencement will follow at noon. Both are also at Reed Arena. Reed Arena will not be enforcing its clear bag policy that is used for Texas A&M sporting events; however, every bag will be checked at entry. There are no outside food and beverages allowed with the exception of one sealed plastic water bottle per guest. Concessions will be open where guests can purchase water and light snacks with a card. Only cards will be accepted at the concession stands. An email from the Bryan school district includes a reminder that the intersection of Wellborn Road and Holleman Drive will be closed due to construction. It states there is also a possibility that George Bush Drive could be down to one lane in each direction at Harvey Mitchell Parkway/F.M. 2818. Detours are in place, but the email recommends people plan to arrive early. According to the email, the following items are not allowed inside the arena: artificial noisemakers, balloons, air horns, glass vases, signs and posters, outside food and beverages, firearms and weapons, tobacco products of any kind, skateboards and scooters, tripods, pets, professional cameras, video cameras or reusable cups or bottles. Strollers must be parked on the concourse of Reed Arena, not in handicap areas of the facility. While pets are not allowed in the arena, service animals may enter. Flowers will be allowed in, as long as they are not in a glass vase. 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. Thursdays Mary Catherine Harris School commencement was made extra special for some graduates thanks to guests in the crowd and on stage at the Bryan ISD Performing Arts Center. As Lizzie and Sizzie Santos names were called, Naval Corpsman Cecilia Flores Silva stepped on stage to surprise the babies of the family on the milestone day, prompting a tearful reunion between the graduates and their older sister. Silva, a 2016 Bryan High School graduate, made the 16-hour flight from Japan and had been hiding from view since 4 p.m. She even had to make up an excuse that she was getting a call from work when Sizzie called her on FaceTime at what would be 6 a.m. in Japan to show off her graduation outfit. Theyre the babies of our family, and Ive been with them like their whole life, Silva said. I would not forgive myself if I didnt get this moment. Its just like being with them their whole life, and then not being able to be with one of their proudest moments, it wouldnt have been the same. Lizzie laughed that she almost walked past the surprise guest until Silva, who also had flowers for her sisters, reached out her hand and said, Congratulations. She was speechless at Silvas unannounced visit, which was a surprise for the rest of their family as well. Such a big occasion like this, it had to be done, Silva said. She still has another three years in Japan, she said, so she does not know the next time she will be able to visit Texas to see her family, none of whom knew about the surprise. Sizzie said it was a big milestone for she and her sister, saying some of them did not know if they were going to make it to graduation until they were told they had met the requirements. The journey was hard. It was really hard. It took everything in me to do it, she said. But Im happy I did it. Im happy that Im here. Proud of both of you, Silva said. Both graduates plan to attend Blinn College to pursue nursing, following Silvas footsteps as she serves as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy. Before the 117 MC Harris graduates crossed the stage to receive their diploma and their rose to give to those who helped them reach Thursdays ceremony, MC Harris Principal Karen Kaspar recognized the 61 graduates who had been accepted or plan to attend institutions of higher education or join the military and those who are the first in their family to graduate from high school. As Ive gotten to know each of you, I have heard your stories and what brought you to MC Harris, she said. Ive listened and heard of obstacles that youve had to overcome. Some of you were working to help pay rent and support the family. Some of you were parents or became parents this school year. Some of you experienced loss. But somehow, you still did whatever it took to become a graduate. Im here to tell you that this is an extremely motivated and resilient group of students I am so proud of everything you have accomplished. You have so much to celebrate. Graduates Jesus Gomez Jr. and Cristina Rios had a special guest in the audience as their two-month-old daughter, Aylin Moreno watched with their family. Its a blessing; its a real blessing, Gomez said following the ceremony about having his daughter there. It pushed me to be stronger and do better for her. Reina Perez, Gomez mom and Rios mother-in-law, said she could not describe how happy she was to be there with her granddaughter watching Gomez and Rios cross the stage. Everything is coming true for them, she said. Their lives changed completely, and its another journey that they have to continue for them. Im blessed. Gomez said Rios plans to pursue becoming a doctor, while he plans to go to trade school to become a welder. Rios held her daughter following the graduation and said the achievement was a reminder to never lose hope, to never give up and to keep pushing through any challenges. JaZaya Johnson said she hopes by earning her diploma that she can set an example for her younger sister and her four-month-old daughter, Jaiorra Bradford, saying the milestone represents success and a new chapter in her life. I learned that there is no such thing as balance when youre a mom, she said. You just got to make it happen. It comes with obstacles, but you just got to look over those obstacles and achieve what youre trying to do. Johnson plans to attend Blinn College to become a travel phlebotomist and then work toward becoming a certified nursing assistant and then a nurse. Zhana Kelly encouraged her fellow graduates to keep achieving in her commencement speech. She called Thursdays achievement a major step in their lives, saying it is a reflection of their personal commitment and also should be a source of pride. We all worked hard to get to this day, and our work did not go to waste, she said. A high school diploma is a wonderful tool in this world; one that opens many doors, opportunities for anyone who is lucky enough to have one. However, she encouraged her fellow graduates and their supporters to not let it be their end goal, but instead part of a larger journey. She said life is about growing and learning new skills to carry forward throughout life. Wherever your future takes you, let it take you somewhere, she said. Life is a journey, and all accomplishments we achieve during its course should be taken as starting points for further achievements. Our graduation should serve as such, a launching point, projecting us to wherever our futures are meant to take us, whether we land ourselves a career, take up a trade, or continue our education in college or technical school. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. UVALDE Two days after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School here, survivors are recounting stories of the horrifying moments they endured as they were attacked. Some children hid from the killer under tables, while others faked their deaths by smearing blood on themselves. Some were shot multiple times. They watched as their beloved teachers, Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles, were killed while they shielded others from gunfire. Officials have said at least 17 children were hospitalized with injuries, though its unclear how many of those survived. Many who were in the building and in the community said their lives will never be the same. Its just really hard to cope with everything thats going on, said Amber Gonzales, whose 8-year-old daughter Aubree hid under her desk in another classroom while the shooting occurred. Gonzales said Aubree is still traumatized by what happened. Shes terrified to go anywhere without me and her dad, she said. She cant sleep by herself. Shes scared to take a shower by herself. Shes scared to even watch a movie in the living room by herself. I put her to bed last night and she told me she felt like somebody was looking at her shes just really shaken up by it. Aubree told her mother that during the shooting, a woman was banging on her classroom door and begging for the teacher to let her in. Her teacher couldnt unlock the door because of lockdown protocols, she said, and Aubree doesnt know what happened to the woman or whether she was one of the teachers who was killed. I can just imagine the fear of hearing her yell, Help! Help! Gonzales said, fighting back tears. Although her focus is on her daughters well-being, Gonzales added that the circumstances have been incredibly difficult to handle as a parent. Im a mess, she said. Im just so thankful that I was able to bring my baby home and tuck her in and be with her. Another student, a fourth-grader who was inside the classroom where the gunman opened fire, told San Antonio TV station KENS that the shooter came into the room and said, Its time to die. When I heard the shooting through the door, I told my friend to hide under something so he wont find us, said the boy, who was not identified. The boy, his best friend and three other students hid beneath a table with a tablecloth and were able to survive as his teachers and many of his classmates were killed. They were nice teachers, he said of Garcia and Mireles. They went in front of my classmates to help. To save them. Other students in the classroom shared similarly horrifying stories. Eleven-year-old Miah Cerillo survived by smearing her friends blood on herself and playing dead, her aunt, Blanca Rivera, told NBC News. She was hospitalized with bullet fragments in her back but has since been released, Rivera said. Nine-year-old Kendall Olivarez was injured in the attack. She underwent surgery on her arm and was scheduled for more procedures, her aunt, Jennifer Marie Olivarez, said in a post on Facebook. Thank you so much everybody for the prayers ... We know her guardian angel was protecting her through all this. she wrote. Shes going to have so many follow ups. Even those who werent in the room were struggling to make sense of what had happened. Adam Pennington, 8, told the Los Angeles Times that he was in the principals office shortly before the shooting and heard the principal answer a phone call from someone who had seen the gunman approaching. Somebody jumped the fence just now holding a gun, Adam said he heard the caller say. He and others hid under a table before fleeing to other rooms, including behind the curtains of the auditorium, and eventually evacuating to the civic center, where he was reunited with his mother Laura Pennington at about 1:30 p.m. Messages sent Meanwhile, a teen girl from Germany has been left to wonder whether she could have saved those killed by Ramos, who provided her several updates in the days and hours before he slaughtered 21 people inside Robb Elementary School. The 15-year-old, identified only by her nickname, Cece, told the New York Times she connected with Ramos just more than two weeks ago on Yubo, an app that allows strangers all over the world to livestream with one another. They had several conversations through the platform and on social media, with topics ranging from his difficult family life to his intention to carry out a massacre. Maybe I couldve changed the outcome, she said, despite the thousands of miles separating her from the gun violence. I just could never guess that hed actually do this. Cece recalled that Ramos turned 18 on May 16, the first day he was legally allowed to purchase a firearm in the state of Texas, and that he video called her from inside a gun store around that time. He told her he planned on buying an AR-15 rifle. In the days that followed, the 18-year-old hinted at using his new weapon, but did not go into specifics, she told the Times. Less than 24 hours before the shooting in Uvalde County, Ramos allegedly sent Cece photos of a package he claimed contained ammunition designed to burst on impact. She said she also received pictures of a black bag holding what appeared to be several magazines of ammunition and at least one gun. Ramos again video called her the following morning around 10 a.m. He was sporting all black, she recalled, and told her he had a secret to share once his grandfather left their home. About an hour later he wrote that he was also waiting for his grandmother, who he said was on the phone with AT&T about his cell phone. Ima do something to her rn, he wrote, using a vulgar expletive to describe her. Cece did not respond, according to screengrabs verified by the New York Times. I just shot my grandma in her head, Ramos said in a message sent on Tuesday around 11:20 a.m. That text was immediately followed with another: Ima go shoot up a elementary school rn. Cece again remained silent, telling the Times she was curious as to whether he was serious, noting she did not believe he was capable of carrying out the attack. Pennington, 37, a substitute teacher with the Uvalde school district, said she plans to transfer her son and move to a smaller nearby district. Although she criticized the lack of security cameras and guards at the school, she also said she felt law enforcement responded rapidly. The kids were evacuated very quickly. It wasnt long before I saw him. I felt like they did a good job, she said as she stood with her son facing a memorial to the victims, 21 crosses erected in a park at the center of town. Monique Hernandez, whose 8-year-old son Joaquin is a second-grader at Robb and survived, said she received a call about the shooting from a family member in law enforcement and immediately rushed to the scene. She called the teachers who were killed beautiful, selfless women who always did everything for their kids at Robb and would have done everything to protect them during the attack. When she got to the school, she said she could see her sons classroom but didnt know where he was. She eventually realized that he was among the students who had been evacuated onto a nearby field, and ran to him there. He just wanted to go home. He said, Mama, take me home. Sure, baby, she recalled telling him as she held back tears Thursday. Theres no words to make it OK, she said, to make it better. The New York Daily News contributed to this report. Want to know what rage feels like? Its waking on a Wednesday morning on a school day as the cable news talking heads sift through the latest on the shooting at a Texas elementary school that left 21 people dead, most of them children, and looking at your daughter as she gets ready for her final day of classes of the year, and saying, Please, God. Not today. Want to know what it feels like to have your heart break? Its kissing your daughter goodbye, reminding her to stay safe, having her look back at you, and listen as she tells you, with perfect clarity, that shes grown numb to the incidents of carnage that have made mass casualty drills a reality for an entire generation of American schoolchildren. But then, Im one of the lucky ones. I got to kiss my daughter goodbye. For too many families in Texas, and in Buffalo, in Philadelphia, in Pittsburgh, in every American city where our pathological love affair with firearms has destroyed lives and ripped families apart, there will never be another good morning. There will never be another good night. There will never be another happy birthday. And it doesnt have to be this way. That is the most heartbreaking and maddening thing of all. At a time when a clear majority of Americans say they want Congress to enact stricter gun violence reduction measures, bills that would do just that are bottled up in the narrowly divided U.S. Senate. Insanity, as has been famously remarked, is doing the same thing over and over again, and hoping for a different result. And that is the story of our lawmakers ongoing inability to pass even the simplest of gun violence reduction measures. And, then, under our very noses, were hit with another Sandy Hook. And well wring our hands. Well offer our prayers for the dead, and our sympathy to the families. And, past being prologue, nothing will change. And weeks, or maybe even days later, well be back in the same place, wondering how such tragedies can occur in a nation where they happen every day. Thats not just insanity, its utter inhumanity, as a wave of social media memes since the shooting have made clear. But it doesnt have to be that way. And it starts with you. It starts with me. It starts with every one of us, standing up, and saying in a loud and clear voice that weve had enough. Its an election year. Make it clear to the people seeking your vote that if they dont support expanded background checks and closing the gun show loophole, they dont get your vote. Tell them that if they dont back an assault weapons ban, or bans on expanded magazines, they dont get your vote. Make it clear that if they dont support eliminating the filibuster so that these bills, or bills expanding voting rights, can get an actual up or down vote in the U.S. Senate, then theyre not getting your vote either. Not one of these measures will infringe on the rights of law-abiding gun owners. Anyone who says differently, isnt being straight with you. Even the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, in the 2008 Heller decision, said that while the Second Amendment clearly allows for Americans to keep and bear arms, that right comes with some limits. Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited, Scalia wrote, even as he sketched out exceptions. ... the right has not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose. On Tuesday, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat who represented the families of Sandy Hook when he served in the House, begged his colleagues to reach common ground on reform measures. 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. We should not have to beg for the answers that are staring us in the face. We should not have to beg for parents to have the right to wake up in the morning and not worry that today might be their childs last day on Earth. We should not have to beg so that Black people in Buffalo can go to the grocery store safely. We should not have to beg so that the residents of Philadelphia, of Pittsburgh, of Harrisburg, of every American city where these senseless tragedies unfold daily can live safely in their own neighborhoods. Beg? That time is done. Demand it. And dont settle for any other answer but yes. An award-winning political journalist, John L. Micek is editor-in-chief of The Pennsylvania Capital-Star in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Email him at jmicek@penncapital-star.com and follow him on Twitter @ByJohnLMicek. 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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 Blueway creation is slow, steady work. Friends of the Rivers of Virginia, or FORVA, has helped lead the charge in Franklin County to establish and improve blueways on the Blackwater and Pigg rivers. A blueway is a marked route on a waterway that can be navigated by canoeists, kayakers and paddle boarders. It can take years to develop a blueway access point, between acquiring the land and developing parking lots and boat ramps. FORVA recently secured the land for an access point near the intersection of the Booker T. Washington Highway and the Blackwater River. Currently, the nearest access points are 12 miles apart; U.S. 220 is 7 miles upstream from the Booker T. Washington Highway and the Ford/Round Hill Road access point is about 5 miles downstream. The Booker T. Washington Highway access point will break up that 12 mile stretch. Currently a thinly wooded, overgrown patch of land, the area will eventually feature a gravel parking lot and path to the Blackwater Rivers edge, and maybe even a boat ramp. The best blueways have miles of uninterrupted passage with few portages, but achieving that can require the removal of waterway obstructions like dams. Near the end of April, FORVA finished removing just such a dam on the aforementioned 12 mile stretch of the Blackwater River. The Altice Mill dam, located about 3 miles downstream from the U.S. 220 access point, blocked the flow of the Blackwater River and required a precarious portage. This used to be a major hazard on the river, Bill Tanger, FORVA chairman, said. ...The dam used to be solid all the way across, but at some point it breached on river left and the piece that fell out...if anybody tried to boat through here, theyd hit that. The location is right in someones backyard so it wont become an access point, but eliminating a portage is always a win, especially on such a long stretch of river. Dam removals can be part of access point improvement and creation, though. Over on the Pigg River, Tanger was part of an effort to remove a dam at what is now the power dam access point, located near the intersection of Power Dam Road and the Pigg River. Tanger said the power dam removal was much more complicated than the Altice Mill dam removal. The Pigg River is home to the Roanoke logperch, a federally endangered species of fish, and various studies had to be performed before the dam could be removed. The effort ended up taking several years, Tanger said. The dam was finally removed in 2016, but the work didnt end there; a gravel road and parking lot were installed, as well as a sandy beach area. This was about 15 feet down, to where the water level is, Tanger said, gesturing to the beach. None of this beach was here, so we put...rocks in a row to direct the water. ... Then you have a high event and it creates an eddy and it deposits all the sediment back around [the rocks]. Tanger said FORVA hopes to continue improving the power dam access point with an updated map of the blueways on the Pigg and Blackwater rivers. After all, Tanger said, a blueway is never truly finished. 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. Student empowerment was the focus of an educators summit for roughly 170 Franklin County teachers and staff members on Wednesday and Thursday. The summit, held at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Rocky Mount, focused on the divisions new learner-centric model, Vision 25, which outlines the qualities students should have as a result of their FCPS education. Vision 25 is about student outcomes. We want students to know how to reach out for help or network, Assistant FCPS Superintendent Suzanne Rogers told The Franklin News-Post on Wednesday. Vision 25 is made up of four pillars, each of which is in turn described by a list of specific skills and traits. For example, one of the pillars is prepared for progress. According to the Vision 25 model, a student is prepared for progress if they seek information from multiple perspectives and use what they learn to solve problems. One of the goals of the summit was to start FCPS educators off on the same page with respect to Vision 25. Developed in 2019 as a picture of where the division should be by 2025, rollout of Vision 25 was supposed to take place in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the process until recently. Another summit goal was to examine different strategies for achieving Vision 25s desired student outcomes. Really what were looking to do is look at practices or things that will help us make sure that were allowing students a choice. Its not like you abandon what skills need to be done, its about a method of delivery so that students have ownership, Rogers said. ...Whats our traditional way of handling this? Is it going to give us those outcomes? An example shared on Wednesday noted that an 85% score on a math test makes it look like a student is doing well, but they could be seriously behind in one specific skill. A deeper grading report could show parents a breakdown of how their child did on different kinds of questions, providing more information about areas that need improvement. Vision 25 emphasizes student empowerment, which is a core principle of personalized, competency-based learning, or PCBL, which was another strategy discussed at the summit on Wednesday. At a May 9 school board meeting, a group of FCPS educators gave a presentation on Vision 25. During the meeting, Boone District representative Dawn McCray described her understanding of Vision 25 based on a visit to a York, Pennsylvania school where Vision 25-like ideas are already in action. It looked to me like you were incorporating more adult learning concepts into the learning environment, which just engaged kids in the learning process, McCray said. I think the second thing that stood out was it allowed...some differentiation inside the classroom. So kids who were advanced and needed to move a little faster could do so, and kids who maybe needed more attention were receiving some of that. The last thing...[was] they deepened how they were evaluating the students so that you were getting more information as a parent, not less. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. At least six different Russia-aligned actors launched no less than 237 cyberattacks against Ukraine from February 23 to April 8, including 38 discrete destructive attacks that irrevocably destroyed files in hundreds of systems across dozens of organizations in the country. "Collectively, the cyber and kinetic actions work to disrupt or degrade Ukrainian government and military functions and undermine the public's trust in those same institutions," the company's Digital Security Unit (DSU) said in a special report. The major malware families that have been leveraged for destructive activity as part of Russia's relentless digital assaults include: WhisperGate, HermeticWiper (FoxBlade aka KillDisk), HermeticRansom (SonicVote), IssacWiper (Lasainraw), CaddyWiper, DesertBlade, DoubleZero (FiberLake), and Industroyer2. WhisperGate, HermeticWiper, IssacWiper, and CaddyWiper are all data wipers designed to overwrite data and render machines unbootable, while DoubleZero is a .NET malware capable of data deletion. DesertBlade, also a data wiper, is said to have been launched against an unnamed broadcasting company in Ukraine on March 1. SonicVote, on the other hand, is a file encryptor detected in conjunction with HermeticWiper to disguise the intrusions as a ransomware attack, whereas Industroyer2 is specifically engineered to strike operational technology networks to sabotage critical industrial production and processes. Microsoft attributed HermeticWiper, CaddyWiper, and Industroyer2 with moderate confidence to a Russian state-sponsored actor named Sandworm (aka Iridium). The WhisperGate attacks have been tied to a previously unknown cluster dubbed DEV-0586, which is believed to be affiliated to Russia's GRU military intelligence. 32% of the total 38 destructive attacks are estimated to have singled out Ukrainian government organizations at the national, regional and city levels, with over 40% of the attacks aimed at organizations in critical infrastructure sectors in the nations. In addition, Microsoft said it observed Nobelium, the threat actor blamed for the 2020 SolarWinds supply chain attack, attempting to breach IT firms serving government customers in NATO member states, using the access to siphon data from Western foreign policy organizations. Other malicious attacks involve phishing campaigns targeting military entities (Fancy Bear aka Strontium) and government officials (Primitive Bear aka Actinium) as well as data theft (Energetic Bear aka Bromine) and reconnaissance (Venomous Bear aka Krypton) operations. "Russia's use of cyberattacks appears to be strongly correlated and sometimes directly timed with its kinetic military operations targeting services and institutions crucial for civilians," Tom Burt, corporate vice president of customer security and trust, said. "Given Russian threat actors have been mirroring and augmenting military actions, we believe cyberattacks will continue to escalate as the conflict rages. It's likely the attacks we've observed are only a fraction of activity targeting Ukraine." "The number of cyber attacks in Ukraine will increase during the next six months," Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky said in its own analysis of the offensives in Ukraine last month. "While most of the current attacks are of low complexity such as DDoS or attacks using commodity and low-quality tools more sophisticated attacks exist also, and more are expected to come." YORK An inmate at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women (NCCW) has been given extended prison time after being convicted of beating her cell-mate and causing serious injury. Marissa Martinez, 25, was sentenced this week to a term of 1-2 years in prison for second degree assault. She was given credit for 94 days already served. She was facing a possible maximum sentence of another 20 years in prison. Court documents indicate she got in a fight with the other inmate living in her cell, pulled her from the top bunk bed by her feet and then began to punch and kick her while on the floor. The other inmate suffered bruising to her face and body. Martinez is currently serving an 18-month prison term for theft out of Madison County. She previously also served an 18-month prison term for possession of methamphetamine out of Douglas County. CARBONDALE Kindness is important to Jenna Jamieson, a business and health sciences teacher at Carbondale Community High School. On Thursday afternoon, Jamieson and her students enlisted the help of second graders in Jennifer Harliebs class at Thomas Elementary School for a project that shows kindness to hometown heroes. For a number of years, Jamieson has asked her high school students to create cards to thank people in the community who serve others, such as policemen, firefighters, medical professionals and teachers. This year, she decided to try something new to grow the project. I wanted to expand the project and encourage my students to help mentor and inspire younger students, Jamieson said. Sophomore Ella Moon and newly graduated Sami Liller spent the afternoon helping the younger students color thank-you pages and making cards for those pages. They started the day by talking about kindness, which Hartlieb said is something they practice in their classroom. They also talked about the jobs that police officers, firefighters, nurses and doctors do. Then, the children began coloring pages that thanked people in service professions. The pages included a police car, a firefighter with his dog, a doctor and nurse, and several more pictures. The children were eager to show off their work. As they finished coloring, Ella and Sami took cards around for them to sign. The coloring sheets will go inside the cards. Jamieson said they plan to create goody baskets or bags that will be delivered with the cards to people in the professions they talked about. Hartlieb told her class that Jamieson thinks kindness is so important she wrote a book about it. Jamieson is the author of Giving Back: Lessons from an adopted immigrant on why a happy life is about helping others [www.jennarpjamieson.com]. Olivia said coloring pictures for the cards was fun. While the last students finished coloring, Zaylan read to his classmates. Peyton S., who is a newer student in the class, colored five or six pages. She joined the class two weeks ago. Hartlieb said one example of kindness in their classroom is her two students named Peyton. Peyton G. was the first student to meet their new classmate Peyton S. She immediately took her hand and showed her around. She was my first friend at my new school, Peyton S. said. Hartlieb said this years class has been one of the top classes in her 25-year career. The community service project was made possible with an Illinois Education Association SCORE grant that was awarded to Jenna Jamieson. IEA Schools and Community Outreach by Educators program (SCORE) is to encourage members and their local associations to collaborate and create opportunities for community service projects. 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. CARBONDALE A young man hit by a train Tuesday morning has died. Michael L. Sykes-Branch, 22, was struck by a Canadian National freight train just before 11:29 a.m. between the 400 block of North Washington Street and North Illinois Avenue. Police responded to the accident and rendered aid until Jackson County Ambulance Services arrived at the scene. Sykes-Branch was taken to SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale by ambulance with life-threatening injuries. He was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital for further treatment and died Thursday. At this point in the investigation, Carbondale Police say there is no evidence to support that any foul play is involved. The death investigation is ongoing. The Southern 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. MOUND CITY A 39-year-old man was convicted of predatory sexual assault of a child Thursday after a two-day jury trial in Pulaski County Court. Jared Wade Hinman Sr. was found guilty of two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, both Class X felonies, and one count of criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony. Following an investigation by Illinois State Police, a warrant was issued for Hinmans arrest, and he was arrested in April 2021 by the Marshall County Sheriff's Office in Benton, Kentucky. This case was prosecuted by Pulaski County States Attorney Lisa C. Casper and Appellate Prosecutor Lorinda M. Lamken. Hinman remains in custody at the Pulaski County Detention Center awaiting sentencing. A sentencing hearing is set for 9 a.m. July 29 at the Pulaski County Courthouse in Mound City. Hinman will be sentenced to a mandatory prison sentence of between 16 and 75 years. The Southern 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. CHICAGO - A Chicago man was arrested this week on charges alleging he entered the U.S. Capitol with his father during the Jan. 6 riot and took photos of the mayhem while wearing a Trump 2020 flag as a cape. Matthew Bokoski, 31, of the Uptown neighborhood, was arrested by federal agents Wednesday on a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Washington charging him with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and unlawfully entering a restricted government building. He appeared at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago, where U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather McShain ordered him released on his own recognizance. Bokoski was at least the 28th Illinoisan to have been charged so far in the Capitol breach, an ongoing investigation that has been described by prosecutors as the largest criminal investigation in the countrys history. Nationwide, nearly 800 people have been arrested as of this month in all 50 states and the District of Columbia on charges stemming from the Capitol breach, according to the U.S. Justice Department. According to the complaint, Bokoski and his father, Bradley James Bokoski, 58, of Utah, traveled to Washington to hear President Donald Trump speak at a rally on Jan. 6 and then followed the crowd to the Capitol grounds, where at about 2:45 p.m. they entered through breached Senate Parliamentarian door. The father and son walked down a hallway as part of a crowd before the group was met with a line of 10 to 15 police officers, according to the complaint. Both men later turned around and left after being in the building for about five minutes. A tipster later sent the FBI screenshots of Matthew Bokoskis Facebook page, including one post depicting a group of people inside the Capitol and a caption reading, I was with my dad and walked right up the capital steps and inside with others, the complaint stated. So only thing Im guilty of is trespassing on federal property if you want to get down to it, Bokoski wrote in another post the next day, according to the complaint. I kept my distance from police and even thanked them for being out and making sure things dont get insane. When FBI agents interviewed Matthew Bokoski in Chicago in January 2021, he allegedly admitted to entering the Capitol and posting the photos and videos on Facebook, according to the complaint. Bokoskis father, who was charged in the same complaint, was also arrested Wednesday near his home in Utah. A court date for the case had not been set in Washington as of Thursday, and no lawyer was listed on the docket for either Matthew Bokoski or his father. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHICAGO A lawsuit filed Wednesday by three Illinois Republicans argues that the state should not count mail-in ballots that arrive after the date of an election. The suit was filed in federal court in Chicago on behalf of Rep. Michael Bost from Carbondale, a state GOP committeeperson, Laura Pollastrini, and Susan Sweeney, who was one of the state's Republican presidential electors in 2020. A spokesman for the Illinois State Board of Elections said Thursday that it does not comment on pending litigation. The suit asks a judge to prevent election authorities from counting mail-in ballots that arrive in the days following in-person voting, arguing that a ballot "is not a legal vote unless it is received by Election Day." Illinois law directs local election authorities to count ballots postmarked by the date of an election and received within two weeks of the election. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 To the Editor: For a split second, I was hopeful John Donald O'Shea's editorial on misinformation would earnestly grapple with the political and cultural implications for how knowledge is labeled true or false by the government, by the media, by all of us. Instead, O'Shea's editorial threw together endless quotes, most of them disconnected and puzzling: lazy parallels between President Biden and Hitler (come again?), Obama's PolitiFact record, and, of course, the most triggering three words for the right Hunter Biden's laptop. Ignored throughout the article is any reference to the documented barrage of misinformation that flooded Black and Latinx communities in the lead up to the 2020 election, presumably one impetus for a Disinformation Governance Board. For example, NPR reported in late October 2020 that numerous (fake, likely Russian-backed) Facebook groups started appearing in battleground states, bearing names like "Being Black in Arizona." Their purpose? To peddle a narrative that the system is broken and that there's no point in participating (i.e. voting.) Finally, the most glaring omission from O'Shea's entire article? Trump himself, the leader of the GOP and a man that, whether through his own stupidity (most likely) or lucky calculation (less likely), is a polluted fountain of misinformation. Indeed, the fact that an essay on misinformation in elections failed to mention the fact that most of the GOP still believes they won a presidential election they lost is O'Shea's most illuminating point, albeit unintentionally. Peter Nelson Carbondale Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 WASHINGTON Joe Biden, then the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, surveyed the collection of black, military-style rifles on display in the middle of the room as he denounced the sale of guns whose "only real function is to kill human beings at a ferocious pace." That was nearly three decades ago, and Congress was on the verge of passing an assault weapons ban. But the law eventually expired, and guns that were once illegal are now readily available, most recently used in the slaughter at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. The tragedy, which came less than two weeks after another mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, has refocused Biden's presidency on one of the greatest political challenges of his career the long fight for gun control. Over the years, Biden has been intimately involved in the movement's most notable successes, such as the 1994 assault weapons ban, and its most troubling disappointments, including the failure to pass new legislation after the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Now his White House, which was already trying to chip away at gun violence through executive orders, is organizing calls with activists and experts to plot a path forward. "He understands the history of the issue. He understands how the politics have shifted," said Christian Heyne, vice president of policy at Brady, the gun control advocacy organization. "He feels a sense of missed opportunities from the past, and he understands that this is his last chance to have an impact on gun violence in America." Even for a politician known for his passion, Biden's reaction to the latest shooting in Texas has been searing. "Where's the backbone, where's the courage to stand up to a very powerful lobby?" Biden said Wednesday as he called for Congress to pass new laws. Stef Feldman, a deputy assistant to the president, said the cascade of deaths from Buffalo to Uvalde to everyday shootings that don't generate nationwide headlines only increases the urgency of the administration's efforts. "Every story that we hear about individuals lost to gun violence provides more energy, more of a drive to continue the work," she said. "If we can save even one life by pushing a little harder on a creative policy idea, it's worth it." But executive action such as Biden's order targeting ghost guns, which are privately made firearms without serial numbers might be the best the White House can do if Republicans in the Senate remain opposed to new restrictions and Democrats are unwilling to circumvent filibusters. More challenges could come in the courts, and even the ghost gun rules may become tied up in litigation. "We've got to be clear," said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. "This is the Senate's job. It's time for the Senate to actually step up and do something." The first new try fell far short on Thursday. A measure to take up a domestic terrorism bill, which could have opened debate touching on guns, drew just 47 of the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster. It's a far different situation than when Sen. Biden was working on gun legislation years ago. Fears about violent crime helped foster bipartisan compromises, and conservative rhetoric about gun ownership was less extreme. First, Congress passed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act in 1993, requiring a background check when someone buys a gun from a federally licensed dealer. The measure was named for James Brady, the White House press secretary who was shot and wounded when John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Next, Congress approved the assault weapons ban as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act in 1994. The law outlawed specific guns, such as the AR-15, and restricted the type of military-style enhancements that firearms could have. However, the ban contained a sunset provision and it was not renewed in 2004. Although the vast majority of shootings are committed with handguns, military-style semiautomatic rifles are staples of the country's deadliest massacres. One of these weapons was used at Sandy Hook, where 26 people, including 20 children, were killed. The violence shocked the nation, and President Barack Obama asked Biden, then the vice president, to lead a new push for gun control. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., crafted legislation that would have expanded background checks. In a speech less than three months after the shooting, Biden said "the excuse that it's too politically risky to act is no longer acceptable." He recalled successfully pushing for the assault weapons ban years earlier even though the National Rifle Association warned that he was going to be "taking your shotgun away." "That kind of stuff doesn't work anymore," Biden added. But it did work, and the legislation failed in the U.S. Senate. Biden described the vote as a betrayal of families who lost children at Sandy Hook. Darrell A.H. Miller, a Duke University law professor who is an expert on the Second Amendment, said the political landscape had already changed. "It's fair to say that the issue of guns has become even more polarized," he said. Two years ago, guns became the leading cause of death among children and teenagers, outpacing car crashes. There are roughly 400 million guns in the country, more than one for every person. "The reality is, we're not keeping up with the pace of the gun lobby to arm citizens," said Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018. "It's time to start asking," Guttenberg said, "why are Republicans so diametrically opposed to doing whatever it takes to save lives?" Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 FRIDAY, May 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) Getting ahold of the COVID-19 antiviral treatment Paxlovid could get easier, the White House announced on Thursday. "We want to make Paxlovid as widely available across the entire country, so that if you do end up getting a breakthrough infection, youre still protected against serious illness," said White House Covid-19 Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha. Paxlovid and vaccines are credited with a declining rate of deaths from COVID, despite an infection rate that has quadrupled since late March. Currently there are 105,000 confirmed infections in the U.S. daily, a number that is likely undercounting actual cases because of unreported positives on at-home test kits. Jha estimated the true case numbers to be around 200,000 or more daily. The first test-to-treat site backed by the federal government is opening in Rhode Island and more are scheduled to open in the coming weeks in Massachusetts and New York City, according to the Associated Press. Those sites will provide patients who test positive with immediate access to the drug. The U.S. is also sending authorized federal prescribers to several Minnesota-run testing sites next week, so that they, too, can test-to-treat. Meanwhile, federal regulators have sent more clear guidance to physicians, so that they can more effectively determine how to manage Paxlovids interactions with other drugs a patient may already be taking. While cases of COVID-19 may be surging, this is the first time during the pandemic that infections and death rates have not trended together. What has been remarkable in the latest increase in infections were seeing is how steady serious illness and particularly deaths are eight weeks into this, Jha said. COVID is no longer the killer that it was even a year ago. When people with COVID infections take Paxlovid within five days of symptoms appearing, there is a 90% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths in patients most likely to get severe disease. About 25,000 to 30,000 courses of Paxlovid are being prescribed each day in the U.S., a four-fold increase over the past six weeks. After key changes were made in how Paxlovid is distributed to states, the number of pharmacies doubled during May to 40,000, the AP said. But vaccines and booster shots are still crucial, Jha added. We are now at a point where I believe fundamentally most COVID deaths are preventable, that the deaths that are happening out there are mostly unnecessary and there are a lot of tools we have now to make sure people do not die of this disease, Jha said. Jha strongly urged Americans to get their boosters. If they are fully vaccinated and still get a breakthrough infection, they should ask their doctors about getting Paxlovid. If people use all these available tools, it will be safer to gather, Jha said. However, in places in the country where boosting rates are much lower, where the infection is starting to spread more, I am absolutely concerned that were going to see, unfortunately, we may see more serious illness, Jha said. Being vaccinated and boosted is a huge part of making sure that those kinds of activities are substantially safer, he added. Though the U.S. has ordered 20 million courses of Paxlovid from drugmaker Pfizer, the country may run out this winter if there is a surge and the drug is widely used, the AP noted. The White House has been asking Congress for additional funds for months to purchase more Paxlovid, as well as other treatments and boosters. I believe that we should be using as much as its necessary to protect Americans now, Jha said. The administration may also have to ration the federal supply of vaccines if Congress doesnt act to boost funding, he said. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more information on COVID-19. SOURCE: Associated Press Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. A Powerball ticket sold in Orangeburg for Wednesdays drawing is worth $50,000. The ticket was purchased at the Quick Pantry #51 store at 2780 St. Matthews Road. Wednesdays numbers were 19-28-39-42-57. Powerball was 17. More than to 9,400 players in South Carolina hold tickets for prizes from $4 up to $50,000. Players have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prizes. For complete information on claiming prizes, visit sceducationlottery.com. The odds of matching four white ball numbers and the red Powerball number are 1 in 913,129. The estimated jackpot for Saturday nights drawing is $150 million. Net proceeds from every dollar spent by players on the South Carolina Education Lottery are returned to the state in the form of funding for education, prizes, retailer commissions, and payment to contractors for goods and services. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 WASHINGTON South Carolina State University alumnus and Bulldog Battalion graduate Milford H. Beagle Jr. is being promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in the U.S. Army. Beagle has been commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum in New York since July 2021. He is set to take command of the Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas in the near future, according to a Fort Drum news release. A native of Enoree, Beagle was commissioned into the Army after completing a bachelor of science in criminal justice from SC State in 1990 as a distinguished military graduate. He also holds a master of science in adult education from Kansas State University and a master of science in advanced military studies from the United States Army Command and General Staff College. Beagle previously served as the 51st commanding general of the United States Army Training Center at Fort Jackson from 2018-21. He had served as deputy commanding general for support of the 10th Mountain Division from 2017-18 and commander of the 193rd Infantry Brigade from 2013-16. His combat and operational experience includes Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He and his wife Pamela have two sons, Jordan and Jayden. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson says the victim of an assault doesnt have a right to appeal the perpetrators sentence under the states laws. Wilsons office filed a motion Monday asking the S.C. Court of Appeals to dismiss an appeal filed by S.C. Victims Assistance Network legal director Sarah Ford. SCVAN represents the victim in the case against 19-year-old Bowen Gray Turner. The Attorney Generals motion explained that state law doesnt provide victims with any rights in the appeals process. First Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe said, I am not surprised by the Attorney Generals motion. Quite frankly, it is the right thing to do under our law. However, its important to note that the filing to dismiss has no bearing on the defendants current charges, his possible probation violation, the states motion to hold the bonding company accountable for bond violations, or the Second Circuits decision-making on the Bamberg charge. Ford filed the appeal on April 18, claiming she wasnt allowed to argue motions prior to Turners plea hearing on April 8. Turner was originally charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct, but pleaded guilty instead to first-degree assault and battery in an Orangeburg County case. He was sentenced to five years of probation in the Orangeburg County case. Hes not required to register as a sex offender unless he violates probation during those five years. If the S.C. Court of Appeals dismisses Fords appeal, it wont be heard by the court. Turner was also accused of raping a different female on Oct. 7, 2018 in Bamberg County. The 2nd Circuit Solicitors Office dismissed Turners charge after his accuser, Dallas Stoller, died of a self-inflicted wound on Nov. 14, 2021. The 2nd Circuit Solicitors Office has said its reviewing the decision to drop the Bamberg County charge. This week, Ford asked Wilsons office to review the handling of Turners cases, including the dismissal of the Bamberg County charge. Im proud of the work we have done in challenging the enforcement of victims rights and will continue to do so, Ford said. Turners attorney, Sen. Brad Hutto, didnt have any comments about Wilsons motion to dismiss Fords appeal. Turner is currently housed at the Orangeburg County Detention Center on charges of public disorderly conduct, probation violation, threatening the life of a public official and minor consumption of alcohol stemming from a May 8 incident. Turners first appearance in General Sessions court on the charges is scheduled for July 25. Contact the writer: mbrown@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5545. Follow on Twitter: @MRBrownTandD Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 13 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. PARRIS ISLAND Rising seas are encroaching on one of Americas most storied military installations, where thousands of recruits are molded into Marines each year amid the salt marshes of South Carolinas Lowcountry region. Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island is particularly vulnerable to flooding, coastal erosion and other impacts of climate change, a Defense Department-funded resiliency review noted last month. Some scientists project that by 2099, three-quarters of the island could be under water during high tides each day. Military authorities say they're confident they can keep the second-oldest Marine Corps base intact, for now, through small-scale changes to existing infrastructure projects. Maj. Marc Blair, Parris Islands environmental director, describes this strategy as the art of the small, a phrase he attributes to the bases commanding general, Brig. Gen. Julie Nethercot. In practice, it means such things as raising a culvert that needs to be repaired anyway, limiting development in low-lying areas and adding floodproofing measures to firing range upgrades. Others advocate much larger and more expensive solutions, such as building huge seawalls around the base, or moving Marine Corps training away from the coast altogether. Parris Island has an outsized role in military lore and American pop culture as a proving ground for Marines who have served in every major conflict since World War I. It remains a crucial training ground, along with Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. But the rising sea is proving to be a formidable enemy. Salt marsh makes up more than half of the bases 8,000 acres (3,200 hectares), and the depot's highest point, by the fire station, is just 13 feet (4 meters) above sea level. It is linked to the mainland by a single road thats already susceptible to flooding. Low-lying areas on the island and the nearby Marine Corps air station already flood about ten times a year, and 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 the Union of Concerned Scientists. Military reports have for decades acknowledged threats from climate change to national security, as wildfires, hurricanes and floods have prompted evacuations and damaged bases. A Pentagon document published last fall, after President Joe Biden ordered federal agencies to revamp their climate resilience plans, says the Department of Defense now has a comprehensive approach to building climate-ready installations" and cites an adaptation and resilience study undertaken by Parris Island. But day-to-day disruptions are growing, from nuisance flooding on roads to rising temperatures and higher humidity that when combined, limit the human body's ability to cool down with sweat. Those wetter, hotter days could limit outdoor training. Already, more than 500 people on Parris Island suffered from heat stroke and heat exhaustion between 2016 and 2020, putting the base among the top ten U.S. military installations for heat illnesses, according to the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch. All the training that happens at Parris Island could be technically replicated on cooler, drier land somewhere else, said retired Brig. Gen. Stephen Cheney, who served as commanding general at the base from 1999 to 2001. But Cheney doesnt foresee any appetite in Congress for closing the base and relocating its mission to less risky ground, which means the government needs to start investing in structural solutions to protect its crucial components such as the firing ranges near the water, he said in an interview with The Associated Press. Spending millions to build seawalls would be cheaper than spending billions to rebuild the base after a devastating hurricane, Cheney reasons. Parris Island has so far been spared the direct hits that have caused billions in damage to other military installations, but it has been evacuated twice in the last five years for hurricanes, which hit South Carolina every eight years, on average. In 2018, Hurricane Florence pummeled North Carolinas Camp Lejeune, washing away the beach used by Marines for training, destroying buildings and displacing personnel. A month later, Hurricane Michael tore through Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, devastating airplane hangars and causing $3 billion in damage. Those disasters should serve as cautionary tales for Parris Island, argues Cheney. But there is no grand overhaul currently planned -- no concrete bulkheads or other seawalls that could dramatically revise the post's visual character, no master plan to raise buildings all at once. Hurricane planning is focused on protecting life and preserving the equipment and buildings necessary to limit training disruptions, said Col. William Truax, the depot's director of installations and logistics. Were not taking on any major projects because weve not experienced a major threat to what we have to do here, Truax said. To be honest, these old brick buildings arent going anywhere. Parris Island also depends on the resilience of communities just off the base. Stephanie Rossi, a planner with the Lowcountry Council of Governments, said the group's Defense Department-funded study of climate change impacts suggests shoring up the only road on and off the island, elevating buildings and bolstering the storm water system of an area where military families live. The base also works with environmental groups to support living shoreline projects, building up coastal oyster reefs to strengthen natural buffers to floods and hurricanes. The waters will recede, said Blair, the environmental director. The more resilient we make this place, the quicker we can get back to making Marines." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Dogs and puppies King, a 1-year-old black male Boxer-mix, needs the warm embrace of safety with you (case 0328). Cyndi Lou, a 3-year-old black-and-white female Lab-mix, is no Grinch to be around (case 0361). Ollie, a 1-year-old spotted white-and-black male Lab-mix, will only have eyes for you (case 0542). Nosey, 2-year-old tan female Shepherd-mix, needs someone to love just as much as she does (case 0001). Bandi, a 4-5 year-old white female Lab-mix, needs love she has never been shown (case 0051). Petunia, a 2-3 year-old brindle female Boxer-mix, will cuddle with you all day long (case 0137). Diesel, a 14-month-old black male Boston Terrier-mix, is that fire you need in life (case 0242). Rusty, a 9-month-old black-and-brown male Huskey/Rottweiler-mix, will make you feel brand new (case 0274). Rex, a 1-year-old brindle male Boxer-mix, is more than the average mans best friend (case 0261). Timmy, a 1-year-old tan male Mountain Curr-mix, needs someone to show him a loving touch (case 0159). Starlight, a 3-year-old gray female Lab/Boxer mix, will give you all of her love (case 0422). Sampson, a 2-year-old black male Boston Terrier-mix, is searching for his Delilah (case 0034). Dick, a 7-month-old gray brindle male Pointer-mix, wants a Batman for his Robin (case 0281). Smoke, a 11-month-old brindle male Boston Terrier-mix, will light a fire in your heart (case 0023). Bruce, a 16-month-old black male Lab, will always be there to save the day (case 0028). Sawyer, a 2-year-old white-and-orange male Lab-mix, needs a good country girl in his life (case 0026). Rambo, an 18-month-old white-and-black male Lab-mix, will go on any adventure with you (case 0014). Benny, a 11-month-old tan-and-white male Pyrenees/Mountain Curr-mix, will replace your favorite teddy bear (case 0050). Hope, a 3-year-old tan female Boxer-mix, will fill your heart with love (case 0051). Archer, a 4-year-old tan-and-white male Lab/Pointer-mix, will always point his love in your direction (case 0022). Apollo, a 3-month-old tan male Lab-mix, is like music to your ears (case 0036). Albert, a 1-year-old tan male Lab/Boxer-mix, will love you more than himself (case 0045). Glimmer, a 4-month-old black female Boxer/Lab-mix, will bring sparkle into your life (case 0048). Shera, a 4-month-old red female Boxer/Lab-mix, will rescue you (case 0047). Fred, a 5-year-old white-and-tan male Carolina-mix, is patiently waiting for his Wilma (case 0052). Henry, a 6-month-old chocolate male Lab, would go to the end of the Earth for you (case 0068). Reba, a 3-month-old tri-color female Beagle-mix, has the bark of an angel (case 0068). Judd, a 3-month-old tri-color male Beagle-mix, needs a new riding partner (case 0069). Kenickie, a 7-week-old black male Lab-mix, has the tail wag of the century (case 0073). Artemis, a 5-month-old tan-and-black male Lab/Shepherd-mix, cures the blues with his licks (case 0082). Cats and kittens Penelope, 2-year-old tabby female, will turn your sour in to sweet (case 0331). June, an 18-month-old black female Bombay-mix, who makes it feel like summer all year long (case 0178). Dotty, a 2-year-old tabby female DSH, will make your heart skip a beat (case 0548). Freda, an 11-year-old tri-color female calico, knows cuddles are the best medicine (case 0075). Missy, a 7-month-old female tortoise shell, who needs someone classy in her life (case 0229). Haley, an 11-month-old female tortoise shell, is out of this world fun (case 0218). Cynthia, a 1-year-old female diluted calico, is the best couch surfer (case 0132). Sunshine, an 18-month-old orange-and-white female tabby DSH, will show brighten your day (case 0185). Meow, an 11-month-old female tortoise shell, knows purrs are the way to your heart (case 0260). Gomez, a 6-month-old black male DSH, needs a Morticia in his life (case 0031). Mingo, a 2-year-old grey tabby male Persian-mix, is the handsome gentleman youve been searching for (case 0029). Felix, a 6-week-old gray-and-white male Persian-mix, will bring spice in to your life (case 0060). Sam, a 6-week-old orange-and-white male DSH, loves cuddling in to the night (case 0062). Captain, a 7-month-old gray-and-white Siamese-mix, needs a new ship to call home (case 0071). Pumpkin, a 6-week-old orange female DSH, is a year round treat (case 0073). Briggs, an 8-week-old black male DSH, will go on any adventure with you (case 0087). Binx, an 8-week-old black male DSH, will cast a spell on you (case 0088). Nico, an 8-week-old black male DSH, has a way with purrs (case 0090). Opal, an 8-week-old black female DSH, shines as bright as a rare gem (case 0089). The Orangeburg SPCA will be limiting the number of people inside its facility at this time. Hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays. The SPCA is located at 225 Ruf Road and the phone number is 803-536-3918. Check out available adoptions on the internet at orangeburgspca.petfinder.com, the interactive website at www.OrangeburgSPCA.org and Facebook page at Orangeburg SPCA. Email any questions to adopt@orangeburgspca.org. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 For Gerald Cournoyer, art is a ceremony a prayer. He prefers to paint with a long brush, using his whole arm. Occasionally, hell back away from the canvas and take a moment to sit with the work-in-progress. After all, its only when you take a few steps back that you see the whole story. A member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Cournoyer is known for painting using bold color combinations, geometric designs and animal motifs. On Sunday, Cournoyer plans to paint Devils Tower as part of an art demonstration from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Casper. It wont be his first time at the trails center he spoke in front of a packed room there last summer, he said. Cournoyer is both artist and educator: hes presented his work and delivered lectures to institutions across the country. In recent years, he served as the director of the School of Indian Art and then as vice president of development at Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He describes his work as traditional Lakota art with contemporary influences. In one painting, for instance, a blue monarch butterfly perches in a kaleidoscope of hard-edged shapes. In another, ravens mingle with people performing the Ghost Dance a Plains Indian ceremony to bring back dead family members, send American settlers back to Europe and usher in an era of peace. Each contains a coded message, Cournoyer said. The Lakota culture like many other indigenous nations has a library of symbols that can be used to tell stories, share knowledge, recount spiritual teachings and so on. If youre familiar with the symbols of a specific tribe, you can read them them like a book, he said. Take the kapemni: two triangles stacked on top of each other in an hourglass shape. The triangle on the bottom represents life on earth, while the one on top represents the next world, Cournoyer said. Color choice adds its own layer of meaning. In Cournoyers artwork, blue might represent air or water; and green, medicine, for instance. Hes also fond of including birds in his paintings most of all, ravens. The raven is of particular importance, he wrote in an artists statement on his website, and is believed to bring story of the future to individuals and serves as a warning to animals that prey is near. Cournoyers work is part of a wider movement to revive lost Native American traditions. Before American settlers arrived, the Plains Indian nations called the Midwest and Mountain West home for thousands of years. In the late 1800s, the U.S. and Canadian governments funded the starvation, displacement and murder of Plains Indians to make room for their settlers. Native American children were taken from their families and sent to residential schools, where they were forced to assimilate to western culture. They were separated from their histories, languages and cultural practices. My work is about trying to make a connection back using symbols, Cournoyer said. The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, located at 1501 N. Poplar St., is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Itll be closed on Saturday in anticipation of former President Donald Trumps rally, which is expected to draw thousands to the neighboring Ford Wyoming Center. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Wyoming Supreme Court on Wednesday denied the appeal of a former Casper man now serving a 62-year-prison sentence for sexually assaulting three women. The justices rejected the legal arguments of Samuel Barrett, 41, who was convicted in an October 2020 jury trial of six counts of first-degree sexual assault, two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of blackmail. Barretts attorneys had argued there wasnt sufficient evidence to support his sexual exploitation convictions. They also argued the trial court judge should not have allowed evidence to be presented of Barretts 2009 conviction for second-degree sexual abuse. The 2020 case involved three victims, one of whom was the victim in his 2009 case. That woman said that Barrett tricked her into coming to his home under the pretense that he would help her buy a car to make amends for his earlier crime. Once at Barretts home, she said he pointed a gun at her head and forced her to perform oral sex on him after telling her, You ruined my life, and now Im going to ruin yours. Two other women also testified that Barrett sexually assaulted them. One woman said Barrett threatened her with a gun before ordering her to perform oral sex on him. The other said Barrett made a deceptive video purportedly showing her sexually assaulting an infant as a blackmail tool that he used to demand sex. Barretts appeal argued the video did not meet the definition of child pornography, the basis for the sexual exploitation charges. The high court rejected this contention, noting jurors saw and heard ample evidence to reach their conclusion. The Supreme Court also denied his arguments that the 2009 conviction should not have been presented to jurors. Barrett, the court noted, admitted to that case. Moreover, the prior conviction was relevant since it went to Barretts motive for sexually assaulting that victim, according to the ruling. Barrett remains held at the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 The deadline to register as a candidate for state superintendent of public instruction was Friday. As of Friday morning, four candidates one Democrat and three Republicans had registered. Brian Schroeder currently holds the position. Gov. Mark Gordon appointed him in January after former superintendent Jillian Balow accepted a similar role in Virginia. His term ends in January 2023. Megan Degenfelder and Thomas Kelly, both candidates in the superintendent race, had also applied for the post after Balow's departure but were not chosen. Sergio Maldonado, a Democrat and member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, is the newest competitor in the race for superintendent. He announced his bid for the job at the Fremont County Democratic Convention on April 23 and registered as a candidate on May 12. Maldonado was born on the Wind River Reservation. He earned degrees at Brigham Young University and Arizona State University and is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Wyoming. He has been a teacher, college administrator and school board trustee in Wyoming and Arizona, experiences that his website says have given him a broad understanding of the critical challenges we face in educating our young people and giving them the tools to be happy, thriving community members. Maldonado also has some experience in politics; he ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for Wyomings Senate District 25 in 2014 and 2018 against Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander. Here's a look at every contested legislative race in Wyoming After an anomalous 2016 election cycle, numerous seats in the Wyoming House of Representativ In 1989, while Maldonado was living in Arizona, former president George H.W. Bush appointed him to a three-year term on the National Advisory Council on Indian Education. This exponential community service experience allowed me to fully grasp the enormity of education and why education is foundational for a democratic society, he said in a 2018 interview with the Star-Tribune. Former Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead also appointed Maldonado as the liaison with the Northern Arapaho Tribe in 2015. Kelly, a Republican and chair of the political and military science department at the American Military University, announced his bid for superintendent in April. He has degrees in political science and education from the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Roosevelt University of Chicago and the Northern Illinois University. He has taught at middle schools and community colleges, and also formerly held teaching positions at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Loyola University and DePaul University. He moved with his family to Sheridan in 2019. Kelly emphasizes local control and reducing regulations. "The fewer regulations handed down from the state, the less of a burden on localities and more of their ability to funnel money into the classroom for students," he told the Star-Tribune earlier this month. Degenfelder, a Republican and a former top official at the Wyoming Department of Education, announced her bid for superintendent in early April. Hailing from Casper, she is the only superintendent candidate besides Maldonado who is a Wyoming native. Degenfelder earned bachelor's degrees in business economics and political science at the University of Wyoming and masters degree in economics at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China. Like Shroeder, Degenfelder already has experience working within the education department: she served as the departments chief policy officer under former superintendent Balow. Shes currently the government and regulatory affairs manager for Morningstar Partners Oil & Gas. It's incredibly important to me that children in public education receive a well rounded, factual education that's free from political ideology, she told the Star-Tribune earlier this month. I believe that there's no room in the classroom for political beliefs and theories, and that includes critical race theory. We need to focus on our children's ability to read, write and do math. Megan Degenfelder announces bid for schools superintendent A former top official at the Wyoming Department of Education announced Thursday she will run for superintendent of public instruction. Schroeder, a Republican who serves as the current superintendent, grew up in Wisconsin before moving to Wyoming. He beat out Kelly and Marti Halverson, a former state representative and chairman of the Lincoln County GOP, for the superintendent position. Degenfelder had also applied for the position but did not make it into the top three candidate choices. Schroeder earned a bachelors degree at Maranatha Baptist University and a Masters degree in professional counseling from Liberty University. Before taking the position, Schroeder was the head of Veritas Academy, a private Christian school in Cody. He has also formerly worked as a teacher and administrator in private schools in California, Wisconsin, Michigan and Wyoming, and as a family and youth coordinator. Gov. Mark Gordon appoints Brian Schroeder as state schools superintendent Gov. Mark Gordon selected Brian Schroeder, who heads a private Christian school in Cody, as the new state schools superintendent Thursday. The purpose of education is to learn to think, he told the Star-Tribune. That purpose, he added, is important now because there is "a lot of illogical thinking going on today in our society." As superintendent, he has been involved in getting a teacher apprenticeship program in Wyoming off the ground (Schroeder announced in a recent update that the education department hopes to pilot "Phase One" of the apprenticeship program in three school districts). The program will be based in part on a similar model in Tennessee, which pays people who want to become teachers while they get on-the-job experience and training. The superintendent race comes at a time when tensions are high around challenges like educator shortages, parental involvement in education and debates over what kids should be taught in school. 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. A federal judge sentenced a Gillette woman to nearly three years in prison for using various schemes in an attempt to bilk people and the federal government out of tens of thousands of dollars. Local efforts intensify to stabilize macro scene 08:38, May 27, 2022 By OUYANG SHIJIA ( China Daily Employees work on the production line of an electronics company in Huzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo by Wang Shucheng/For China Daily] Provinces, municipalities, regions follow up on calls at teleconference Local governments across China are accelerating measures to stabilize the economy after the central leadership issued a call to intensify efforts for second-quarter growth. Experts said despite weakening economic activity since March amid domestic COVID-19 cases and changes in the international environment, China has ample policy tools in hand and a relatively large capacity to step up macro support for the economy. They said they expect better control of the pandemic and stronger policy support to effect a rebound in some key economic indicators in the coming months. Their remarks were in response to a national teleconference on Wednesday that Premier Li Keqiang addressed and where it was stressed that stabilizing the fundamentals of the economy and ensuring growth are key solutions to problems that China currently faces. Li called for heightened efforts to ensure economic growth in the second quarter and bring down the unemployment rate, saying that government aid packages must be extended to all eligible businesses. Following the national teleconference, provincial-level governments including those of Zhejiang, Hunan and Hubei provinces have pledged intensified efforts to get the economy back on a the normal track and keep economic operations within a reasonable range. East China's Zhejiang province held a meeting on Wednesday to call for intensified efforts to implement national policies, especially those for easing various pressures on enterprises. More efforts will also be made to speed up the implementation of key projects, promote steady growth of industry, foreign trade and investment, and spur consumption of big-ticket consumer goods like cars and home appliances. Hunan province called for more efforts to implement national policies and measures mapped out by the national teleconference, with a focus on stabilizing growth, keeping market entities afloat and stabilizing employment. Hubei in Central China also held a meeting on Wednesday, where it was stressed the local administration will study and implement national measures aimed at stabilizing the economy. It will make more efforts to implement key infrastructure projects in fields like water conservancy, transportation, energy, "new infrastructure" and new urbanization, mitigate difficulties for enterprises, continuously boast a better business environment, keep industrial and supply chains stable and boost consumption. Experts lauded the country's intensified efforts to stabilize the overall economy, saying more efforts should be made to further stimulate domestic demand by expanding effective investment and promoting consumption. Guo Chunli, director of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research's economic research institute, said consumption plays a key role in smoothing China's internal circulation and propping up economic growth, and fully unleashing consumption demand will also help the nation foster a complete domestic demand system, build a strong national market and implement the new "dual-circulation" development paradigm consistently. In its recent executive meeting, the State Council, China's Cabinet, rolled out 33 additional measures to stabilize growth. The measures include expanding the amount of tax relief, expanding effective investment and spurring consumption. China's southern metropolis of Shenzhen in Guangdong province recently unveiled a slew of key measures, such as spurring car consumption, to promote a gradual recovery in consumption. According to a new document released by the Development and Reform Commission of Shenzhen and five other local departments, the city will offer up to 10,000 yuan ($1,486) in subsidies per vehicle to consumers who purchase new energy vehicles eligible for the policies and register them in Shenzhen. In terms of boosting spending on consumer electronics and home appliances, the document said the city will offer up to 2,000 yuan subsidies for consumers who buy products such as mobile phones, computers, headphones, air conditioners and refrigerators during the period from May to August. And the subsidy amount will be 15 percent of the actual purchase price. Yue Xiangyu, an analyst at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics' Institute for the Development of Chinese Economic Thought, spoke highly of China's heightened efforts to spur consumption, saying the local government's moves, including giving consumption coupons and subsidies, will help promote gradual recovery in consumption. Upon better control of the pandemic and stronger fiscal and monetary support, China's economy may gradually rebound in the third quarter after weakening in the second quarter, he said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Rep. Liz Cheney officially filed to run for U.S. House on Thursday, announcing her reelection bid in a video that focused on her allegiance to the U.S. Constitution. The announcement, one day before the filing deadline, puts to rest speculation that she might bow out ahead of the toughest election fight of her political career. If we set aside our founding principles for the politics of the moment, the miracle of our constitutional republic will slip away, she says in the video. We must not let that happen. Cheney angered many in her own party by voting to impeach former President Donald Trump over the Capitol riot and for her steady criticisms of him as a threat to democracy. That anger prompted several Republicans to challenge her in the primary. She is facing Trump-endorsed lawyer Harriet Hageman, a natural resources lawyer from Fort Laramie. Also in the race are state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Burns, and retired army colonel Denton Knapp. Cheney, who announced Wednesday that she had tested positive for COVID-19, did not mention any of her opponents by name in the video announcement. The video starts off with Cheney mapping out her familys roots in Wyoming. Since she first decided to run for elected office in Wyoming, Cheney has repeatedly fended off carpetbagger criticisms because she spent many years of her life in Northern Virginia. Cheney spent her middle school years in Casper and bought a home in Wilson in 2012, the year before she ran for U.S. Senate against Mike Enzi. She later dropped out of that race, citing a family members health issues. She ran for House in 2016, coming out on top in a nine-person Republican primary and coasting to victory in the general election. In a nod to her Wyoming roots, Cheney referenced The Code of the West, the states official code, in her campaign announcement. In Wyoming, we know what it means to ride for the brand, Cheney said. We live in the greatest nation God has ever created, and our brand is the United States Constitution. Hageman also officially filed for House on Thursday. Soon after Cheneys filing became public, Hagemans campaign released polling information showing the incumbent remains unpopular among Republican primary voters. The poll was conducted by Cygnal, which received a B+ rating from the poll analysis website FiveThirtyEight. While Cheney has been clear about her intentions previously telling the Star-Tribune and NBC news that she is committed to the House race many Wyomingites, including Bouchards campaign coordinator April Poley, speculated that Cheney would not end up running. Cheney has done little campaigning so far despite having nearly $7 million in the bank. Thats a huge sum for a House race in Wyoming or elsewhere. The news of Cheneys filing comes two days before former President Donald Trump is set to visit Caspers Ford Wyoming Center for a rally in support of Hageman. Ahead of the rally, Trump told K2 Radio that one of Wyomings senators had pushed hard for him to choose Hageman as his candidate to run against Cheney. Trump will be joined by some of his most fervent supporters in Washington and Wyoming: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert and chairman of the Wyoming GOP Frank Eathorne, among others. Eathorne helped lead successful efforts by the state party and the Republican National Committee to censure Cheney following her vote to impeach Trump. Cheney has represented Wyoming in the House since 2017. She became the third-ranking Republican in that chamber, but the GOP stripped her of her leadership role amid her unrelenting criticism of Trump for his false claims of widespread election fraud. The Wyoming Republican primary is Aug. 16. Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis Love 3 Funny 2 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. The Trump administration failed to adequately evaluate the status of wolverines in 2020 when it declined to recommend federal protections, a federal judge in Montana ruled Thursday. U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy gave the Fish and Wildlife Service 18 months to redo the analysis and determine whether wolverines, which are estimated to number roughly 300 in the contiguous United States, should be added to the endangered species list. Wolverines are constrained to high, cold, remote places like Western mountain ranges, particularly those in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. The animals are much more abundant in Alaska and Canada. Conservation groups argued in court that climate change, which is accelerating snowmelt and driving habitat loss, imperils the species and was not adequately considered during the 2020 review. That decision relied on disputed research suggesting that wolverines numbers were actually going up. The Fish and Wildlife Service said in a Friday statement that it planned to re-examine the decision considering new case law, as well as to re-evaluate the decision in light of new scientific information. Amanda Galvan, an attorney for Earthjustice, said the agency previously ignored key studies that illustrate the threats the wolverine continues to face due to global warming. Conservation groups and the agency have battled over the wolverines status for more than two decades. Thursdays decision reverts the species back to pre-2020 standards, under which it is considered a proposed threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and receives some but not full federal protections. This decision is a victory for wolverines, paving the way for desperately needed protections, Jonathan Proctor, a program director with Defenders of Wildlife, said in a statement. With Endangered Species Act protections, the wolverine might finally have a fighting chance at survival. The change in status means federal officials must now consult the Fish and Wildlife Service to avoid harming wolverines and factor the safety of the animals and their habitat into planning decisions, the conservation groups said. Its too early to tell how, exactly, the court decision and subsequent reevaluation may affect regulatory actions in Wyoming, according to the state Game and Fish Department. All listings come with a new layer of management complexity for any species, Sara DiRienzo, public information officer for the agency, said in an email to the Star-Tribune. Wyomings current wolverine management plan was approved in July 2020, several months before the Fish and Wildlife Service finalized its now-defunct decision. The document notes that the wolverine is considered a protected animal under state statute and a species of greatest conservation need under the states wildlife action plan. 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. POWELL Native fish populations in Yellowstone Lake have been jeopardized since fisheries biologists found lake trout illegally introduced in 1994. The process of removing the invasive species has cost tens of millions, while labor-intensive methods have evolved. As the park makes headway mitigating the effects of lake trout, two more species have recently caused concern in the fight to protect Yellowstone Cutthroat trout. Tuesday evening, the East Yellowstone chapter of Trout Unlimited invited Yellowstone fisheries biologist Phil Doepke to speak to the group during a public meeting at the Park County Library in Cody. The organization has donated to the battle to rid the lake of the invasive species, and members have volunteered to work on gill-netting boats in an effort to understand what the park faces in the battle. At the end of those two days, my fingers were just in tatters. I dont know how these guys do it day after day after day, said chapter member David Sweet. Sweet has been an active member of Trout Unlimited for nearly 40 years, serving in virtually every leadership position in the chapter. He served as chairman of the Wyoming Council of Trout Unlimited and as founder of the Save the Yellowstone Cutthroat Project. He now serves as the Yellowstone Lake Special Project Manager. This ongoing project has earned national attention and is now listed as a top priority national project by Trout Unlimited. Sweet was inducted into the Wyoming Outdoor Hall of Fame in 2014. The park has been aggressively gill-netting, laying about 6,000 miles of nets per year on the bottom of the largest high-elevation lake in North America, which averages a depth of 140 feet. Every year, contract commercial fishermen cost the park about $1.5 million, Doepke said. From ice out in May until the docks start freezing over in October, scientists and fishermen, which Doepke called fish geeks, have sought to crash the lake trout population, which feeds on the native cutthroats. Lake trout are a wonderful fish. Theyre just in the wrong place, Doepke said. The labor of fisheries biologists and their vast arsenal of equipment is an added expense. Saving the native species is important, not only for the cutthroats sake, but for other important species in the ecosystem. Without an abundance of cutthroats, grizzlies turned to feeding on alternative sources. Maybe youve seen the bumper sticker, lake trout kill elk, he said. Once they stopped eating fish, they started hunting elk calves. Osprey have nearly disappeared from the park. The number of osprey nests in the park plummeted from about 50 in the late 80s and early 90s to just a couple. Eagles have turned to eating other famous bird populations in the park. Eagles, they liked the fish, but theyre also a scavenging bird, Doepke said. And what was found is instead of eating fish, they started eating the pelican young and swan cygnets [when the cutthroat population began to rapidly decline]. Now, as efforts to remove lake trout for the past 20 years have found success, bears and eagles have been observed returning to their traditional spring menu of cutthroats while they move into streams to spawn. The surviving cutthroat populations are now growing larger, which should thrill anglers. But Doepke said a large portion of the cutthroat population are now too big for osprey, and the charismatic bird species which dive into water to capture prey have yet to rebound. The park sells 40,000 fishing licenses a year. Yellowstone cutthroats cant be harvested, but lake trout are a must-kill species. Doepke said anglers might want to target the southeast corner of the West Thumb region of the lake, where there is a larger population of lakers and anglers wont run into snagging issues with underwater gillnets and fish traps. Gill-netting has continued since the beginning of the conservation project, but park biologists have also tried several other tactics to crash lake trout populations. In cooperation with some of the anglers fishing Yellowstone, they surgically implanted transmitters into about 200 lake trout, referred to as Judas fish, to track them back to concentrations of the species and their spawning beds. Then they casted their nets in the area. Unfortunately, netting efforts drove the species away. So then they tried dumping dead and shredded lake trout on known spawning beds. The practice worked to kill lake trout roe, but it also drew in unwanted bears and they faced running low on resources as lake trout populations plummeted. We were catching fewer lake trout, especially a lot fewer large lake trout, so the amount of fish material was getting to be a lot less, said Doepke. So it was like, OK, this works, but were going to run out of fish. In 2019, park biologists designed a carcass analogous pellet. The small pellets are made out of soy and wheat with the same protein content of the fish carcasses. The park had the pellets mass-produced in Twin Falls, Idaho. The park used a helicopter, making more than 40 flights to apply the same amount of pellets as the concentration of dead fish. The pellets are effective at causing 100% mortality on spawning beds. As the parks top scientists find success, theyve also made two very concerning discoveries. A single female cisco, a type of whitefish native to the Great Lakes, was caught in Yellowstone Lake. The species is hard to catch, Doepke said, and he suspects more illegal bucket biology is in play. They tested the specimen, surgically removing a tiny calcium carbonate structure in the inner ear called otoliths. It appears the female hatched in the lake, meaning there must be more, despite not finding other evidence to date. Smallmouth bass were also caught near the park. The bass are an invasive predatory species that will threaten wild and native trout populations if they become established in the upper Yellowstone River. Since anglers are highly effective at suppressing invasive fish in waters where they coexist with native species such as cutthroat trout, they will be required to kill and report any smallmouth bass caught in Yellowstone National Park when the fishing season opens Memorial Day weekend, said Yellowstones Lead Fisheries Biologist, Todd Koel. Additionally, Yellowstone National Park and USGS biologists will be sampling the Gardner and Yellowstone rivers upstream of where the invasive smallmouth bass was caught. Over the next few weeks, biologists will monitor these rivers closely to gauge the possible extent of the invasion. Our goal is to protect native fish populations and natural ecosystems. We will do everything in our power to prevent the establishment of smallmouth bass in the park and prevent them from preying on and displacing trout and other native fish, Koel said. Doepke has worked in the conservation project his entire career at Yellowstone, but this is his last season, as he plans to retire before the end of the year. Its been a wonderful job and Ive really enjoyed working in Yellowstone National Park, he said. One of the great things about my job is I have essentially five, six seasonal technicians and a couple of interns every year. These are all young fisheries professionals, and theyre all looking for jobs. They want to do what Im doing. They want to work as a technician. They want to get their graduate degree, and then they want to become a fishery biologist. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Government is not supporting a proposal for an increase in tuition fees by the St Augustine Well, my dear, we didnt know where to look. The old codger was getting away with it again, Tucson-based Raytheon Missiles & Defense was awarded a $624.6 million Army contract to produce 1,300 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles to replenish supplies sent to Ukraine. Executives at Raytheon and other major defense contractors have been in talks with the Pentagon to boost production of weaponry sent to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia, including the Stinger and the Javelin anti-tank missile. Were aligned with the U.S. Army on a plan that ensures we fulfill our current foreign military sale order, while replenishing Stingers provided to Ukraine and accelerating production, said Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Missiles & Defense. The funding will be used to enhance Stingers producibility in an effort to meet the urgent need for replenishment. The contract includes provisions for engineering support, as well as the test equipment and support needed to address obsolescence, modernize key components, and accelerate production, said Raytheon, which makes Stinger missiles in Tucson. In service with the U.S. since 1981 and used by more than 30 allied nations, the combat-proven Stinger missile is a lightweight, man-portable air defense system used against helicopters, cruise missiles and low-flying aircraft including drones. It can be fired from shoulder-carried launchers, from vehicle-mounted launchers or helicopters. The Army contract is being funded from the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, which was recently signed into law and provides $40 billion in emergency funding to support Ukrainian defense forces. In late April, Raytheon CEO Greg Hayes told investment analysts the company wont be able to ramp up production of Stinger missiles until 2023, due to a lack of parts and materials. The Stinger has been upgraded over the years to stay in service until 2030, and it is made under license by Airbus in Germany and Roketsan in Turkey. In March, the Army issued a solicitation for a successor to the Stinger for short-range air defense that could go into production in 2028. Contact senior reporter David Wichner at dwichner@tucson.com or 520-573-4181. On Twitter: @dwichner. On Facebook: Facebook.com/DailyStarBiz Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. UVALDE, Texas (AP) Students trapped inside a classroom with a gunman repeatedly called 911 during this weeks attack on a Texas elementary school, including one who pleaded, Please send the police now, as officers waited more than an hour to breach the classroom after following the gunman into the building, authorities said Friday. The commander at the scene in Uvalde the school districts police chief believed that 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos was barricaded inside adjoining classrooms at Robb Elementary School and that children were no longer at risk, Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said at a contentious news conference. It was the wrong decision, he said. Fridays briefing came after authorities spent three days providing often conflicting and incomplete information about the more than an hour that elapsed between the time Ramos entered the school and when U.S. Border Patrol agents unlocked the classroom door and killed him. Three police officers followed Ramos into the building within two minutes. In the next half hour, as many as 19 officers piled into the hallway outside. But another 47 minutes passed before the Border Patrol tactical team breached the door, McCraw said. As the gunman fired at students, law enforcement officers from other agencies urged the school police chief to let them move in because children were in danger, two law enforcement officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not been authorized to speak publicly about the investigation. One of the officials said audio recordings from the scene capture officers from other agencies telling the school police chief that the shooter was still active and that the priority was to stop him. Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers inside the room. His motive remained unclear, authorities said. There was a barrage of gunfire shortly after Ramos entered the classroom where officers eventually killed him, but those shots were sporadic for much of the time that officers waited in the hallway, McCraw said. He said investigators do not know if children died during that time. Throughout the attack, teachers and children repeatedly called 911 asking for help, including the girl who pleaded for the police, McCraw said. Young survivors of the attack said they pretended to be dead while waiting for help. Miah Cerrillo, 11, told CNN that she covered herself with a friends blood to look dead. After the shooter moved into an adjacent room, she could hear screams, more gunfire and music being blared by the gunman. Samuel Salinas, 10, who also played dead, told ABCs Good Morning America that the assailant shot teacher Irma Garcia before firing on the kids. Questions have mounted over the amount of time it took officers to enter the school to confront the gunman. It was 11:28 a.m. Tuesday when Ramos' Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind the low-slung Texas school and the driver jumped out carrying an AR-15-style rifle. Five minutes after that, authorities said, Ramos entered the school and found his way to the fourth grade classroom where he killed the 21 victims. But it was not until around 12:50 p.m. that police killed Ramos, McCraw said, when shots could be heard over a 911 call from a person inside the classroom as officers breached the room. What happened during that time frame, in a working-class neighborhood near the edge of Uvalde, has fueled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcement's response to Tuesday's rampage. "They say they rushed in," said Javier Cazares, whose fourth grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, and who raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. We didnt see that. According to the new timeline provided by McCraw, after crashing his truck, Ramos fired on two people coming out of a nearby funeral home, officials said. Contrary to earlier statements by officials, a school district police officer was not at the school when Ramos arrived. When that officer did respond, he unknowingly drove past Ramos, who was crouched behind a car parked outside and firing at the building, McCraw said. At 11:33 a.m., Ramos entered the school through a rear door that had been propped open and fired more than 100 rounds into a pair of classrooms, McCraw said. He did not address why the door was propped open. Two minutes later, three local police officers arrived and entered the building through the same door, followed soon after by four others, McCraw said. Within 15 minutes, officers from different agencies had assembled in the hallway, taking sporadic fire from Ramos, who was holed up in a classroom. Ramos was still inside at 12:10 p.m. when the first U.S. Marshals Service deputies arrived. They had raced to the school from nearly 70 miles (113 kilometers) away in the border town of Del Rio, the agency said in a tweet Friday. But the commander inside the building the school district's police chief, Pete Arredondo decided the group should wait to confront the gunman, on the belief that the scene was no longer an active attack, McCraw said. The crisis came to an end at 12:50 p.m., after officers used keys from a janitor to open the classroom door, entered the room and fatally shot Ramos, he said. Arredondo could not be reached for comment Friday. No one answered the door at his home, and he did not reply to a phone message left at the district's police headquarters. Gov. Greg Abbott, who at a Wednesday news conference lauded the police response, said Friday that he was misled, and hes livid. In his earlier statements, the governor told reporters, he was repeating what he had been told. The information that I was given turned out, in part, to be inaccurate, he said. Abbott said exactly what happened needs to be thoroughly, exhaustively investigated. The governor previously praised law enforcement for their amazing courage by running toward gunfire and their quick response. On Friday, Abbott had been set to attend the annual convention of the National Rifle Association, which is being held across the state in Houston. Instead he addressed the gun-rights group's convention by recorded video and went to Uvalde. At the convention, speaker after speaker took the stage to say that changing U.S. gun laws or further restricting access to firearms isnt the answer. What stops armed bad guys is armed good guys, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told those gathered in Houston. Former President Donald Trump was among Republican leaders speaking at the event, where hundreds of protesters angry about gun violence demonstrated outside, including some who held crosses with photos of the Uvalde victims. The motive for the massacre the nation's deadliest school shooting since Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago remained under investigation. Authorities have said Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history. During the siege, frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the school, according to witnesses. Go in there! Go in there! women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street. Cazares said that when he arrived, he saw two officers outside the school and about five others escorting students out of the building. But 15 or 20 minutes passed before the arrival of officers with shields, equipped to confront the gunman, he said. As more parents flocked to the school, he and others pressed police to act, Cazares said. He heard about four gunshots before he and the others were ordered back to a parking lot. A lot of us were arguing with the police, You all need to go in there. You all need to do your jobs. Their response was, We cant do our jobs because you guys are interfering, Cazares said. The many chilling details of the attack were enough to leave parents struggling with dread. Visiting a downtown memorial to those killed, Kassandra Johnson of the nearby community of Hondo said she was so worried the day after the attack that she kept her twin boys home from school. Before she sent the 8-year-olds back, she studied the school building, figuring out which windows she would need to break to reach them. And she drew hearts on their hands with marker, so she could identify them if the worst happened, Johnson said, as she put flowers near 21 white crosses honoring the victims. Those kids could be my kids, she said. Associated Press reporters Claire Galofaro in Uvalde, Jake Bleiberg in Dallas and Mike Balsamo in Washington 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. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. SAN DIEGO (AP) A California woman who punched a Southwest Airlines flight attendant in the face during a flight, breaking her teeth, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. Vyvianna Quinonez was also ordered Tuesday by the federal judge in San Diego to pay nearly $26,000 in restitution and a $7,500 fine for the assault on a May 23, 2021, Southwest flight between Sacramento and San Diego. The 29-year-old Sacramento woman is prohibited from flying for three years while she is on supervised release and must participate in anger management classes or counseling. Quinonez last year pleaded guilty to one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, admitting she punched the flight attendant in the face and head with a closed fist and grabbed her hair. Neither she nor her attorney could be reached for comment Tuesday. During the flights final descent, the attendant had asked Quinonez to buckle her seat belt, stow her tray table, and put on her facemask properly. Instead, Quinonez began recording the attendant on her cellphone, pushed her, then stood up and punched the woman in the face and grabbed her hair before other passengers intervened, authorities said. The assault was recorded on another passengers cellphone. The plea agreement said that the flight attendant suffered three chipped teeth, two of which needed crowns, along with bruises and a cut under her left eye that needed stitches. Attacks on flight crew members, who perform vital jobs to ensure passenger safety, will not be tolerated," U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in a statement after the sentencing. FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy said the sentence should send a very strong message to air travelers the FBI will vigorously pursue anyone who assaults or interferes with flight crews. The incident was part of an escalation in unruly behavior by airline passengers amid the coronavirus pandemic and led the president of the flight attendants union to ask for more federal air marshals on planes. Airlines in 2021 reported more than 5,000 incidents of unruly passengers to the Federal Aviation Administration. Most were passengers refusing to follow the federal requirement for passengers to wear face masks while on planes, but nearly 300 involved intoxicated passengers, the FAA 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. A federal judge has quashed a bid by three tribes and an environmental group to stop the ongoing work of Hudbay Minerals Inc. in grading and land-clearing on the west slope of the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson. U.S. District Judge James A. Soto on Monday dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Tohono Oodham, Pascua Yaqui and Hopi tribes and Save the Scenic Santa Ritas for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, since Hudbay recently surrendered a suspended Clean Water Act permit it was issued for the Rosemont Mine. In mid-April, the plaintiffs had sought a temporary restraining order and injunction to halt work Hudbay has begun on its Copper World mine project, near the Rosemont Mine site on the Santa Ritas east slope, as it prepared to file a lawsuit alleging the Copper World site should be subject to federal water regulations. That effort is connected to the Clean Water Act permit because some of the land that would be graded for the Rosemont permit is also at issue for Copper Worlds grading. Hudbays Clean Water Act permit for Rosemont was essentially suspended by a ruling issued by Soto himself in 2019. Soto ruled that the U.S. Forest Service failed to validate Rosemonts claims on the land where mine waste would be deposited as part of environmental studies supporting the permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2017. Hudbay, which maintains that the Copper World site on private land doesnt include washes subject to Clean Water Act authority, said it voluntarily surrendered its suspended permit for the Rosemont Mine in late April. The Canadian-based mining company filed a motion to dismiss the tribes lawsuit for lack of subject matter jurisdiction because the claims are moot, citing its surrender of the water permit. The tribes contended that the matter was not moot, since the permit is still the subject of the core dispute with the Corps of Engineers. Stu Gillespie, an attorney for three tribes, argued that there is no regulatory process to surrender a permit, that they can only be altered or revoked, and Hudbays move was an attempt to evade legal review. But Soto sided with Hudbay. Because Rosemont has surrendered the permit, avowed that it will not use it, and does not request that it be reissued, there is no longer a live case or controversy surrounding the propriety of the Corps decision, and the relief plaintiffs request is no longer available, the judge wrote. Soto noted that the Corps suspended the Rosemont permit following his 2019, ruling and the court granted the agencys motion to stay, or block, lawsuits challenging the issuance of the permit until the Corps takes further action on the suspended permit. The judge also said there was no reason to lift the stay in the Rosemont case, since the plaintiffs can sue Hudbay over its new activities under authority granted for citizens to file lawsuits to enforce the Clean Water Act. Soto also ruled that Copper World and Rosemont are not connected actions under the National Environmental Policy Act, meaning the Corps of Engineers does not have an obligation to include Copper World as part of its NEPA review of Rosemont. This is a disappointing ruling that allows Rosemont to evade the regulatory process and bedrock environmental laws, said Gillespie, senior attorney for Earthjustice. We all pay the price as Rosemont bulldozes tribal cultural properties and pollutes headwater streams in the Santa Rita Mountains within site of Tucson. He said the tribes are closely evaluating the courts permit-surrender rationale and their right to bring a Clean Water Act citizen-suit against Rosemont. In a statement to the Star, Hudbay said the Corps of Engineers has never determined that there are jurisdictional waters of the U.S. on the site, and Hudbay has independently concluded through its own scientific analysis that there are no such waters in the area. The company said it will continue grading and exploratory drilling it started at the Copper World site in April and plans to complete a preliminary economic assessment of Copper World in the second quarter of 2022. The company said the assessment will include a two-phase mine plan, with the first phase reflecting a standalone operation using Hudbays private land for processing infrastructure and mining portions of the deposits located on patented mining claims. The first phase is expected to require only state and local permits and is expected to reflect an approximate 15-year mine life, Hudbay said. The second phase of the mine plan is expected to extend the mine life and incorporate an expansion onto federal lands to mine the entire Rosemont and Copper World deposits, which would be subject to the federal permitting process, the company said. Hudbay said it expects the preliminary economic assessment to demonstrate robust economics for this low-cost, long-life copper project, delivering the copper needed for domestic supply chains while offering many benefits to the community and local economy in Arizona. Contact senior reporter David Wichner at dwichner@tucson.com or 520-573-4181. On Twitter: @dwichner. On Facebook: Facebook.com/DailyStarBiz Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Tucson Chapter of the Military Officers of America Association (MOAA) held its April monthly membership meeting at the Vivace Restaurant on Thursday, April 28. Also attending were members of the SaddleBrooke-based Catalina Mountains Satellite Chapter (CMSC). LTC John A. Devine Scholarship Fund awards, and student recognition certificates, were presented to ROTC students in the Army, Air Force and Navy programs at the University of Arizona. The Cadets and Midshipmen shared their career aspirations, and their Detachment Commanders/Instructions provided updates on their respective programs at the University of Arizona. Each recipient was selected by their Commanders/Instructors based on: Leadership; Academic Record; Contributions to the ROTC Program, the University and community engagement; and commitment to military service. Through the scholarships, MOAA honors the memory of LTC John A. Devine, US Army, Retired. Register for more free articles. Log in Sign up Tucson MOAA President, COL William Wojciechowski, concluded the meeting by commenting, It is good to know that our country is in good hands for the next 20-years. The Military Officers Association of America is a non-profit veterans association dedicated to maintaining a strong national defense and preserving the earned entitlements of members of the uniformed services and their families and survivors. The Catalina Mountains Satellite Chapter is part of the Tucson MOAA and encompasses Northwest Tucson, including Catalina, Oracle, parts of Oro Valley and Marana, SaddleBrooke, SaddleBrooke Ranch and Sun City. For additional information about CMSC, contact President CAPT Chuck Vaughan at chuck.vaughan@comcast.net. Those interested in joining can contact Membership Chair LTJG David Bull at maybull23@aol.com. See our new website. Go to https://tucsonmoaa.org. Americas first naturalist, John Muir said, How many hearts with warm red blood in them are beating under cover of the woods, and how many teeth and eyes are shining? A multitude of animal people, intimately related to us, but of whose lives we know almost nothing, are as busy about their own affairs as we are about hours. Atlantic Monthly, 1898. In this modern world, cities dominate the landscape with concrete, asphalt, glass and steel. From such surroundings, its difficult to make contact with the Natural World, not only for parents, but for their children. If you ask a child where his or her milk comes from, they might answer, From the carton in the fridge. How can you, as an adult help your child make contact with wild things? With the birds, bees, snakes, salamanders, frogs, Gila monsters, deer, scorpions and all the other creatures that make our lives so rich with the pulsings of life? Answer: on any given Saturday from October thru April you may take your family for a bike ride, hike and much more at Catalina State Park just outside of Tucson, Arizona. The wild things await you. You havent seen a road runner? What about a Gila monster? Any chance youve seen a pair of cardinals sitting on a tree branch? What about toads, snakes and scorpions? Check with park officials to discover that Jerry Schudda of Saddle Brooke, also known as the Snake Whisperer presents the Catalina Nature Program, along with his cadre of volunteers manning the tablesoffers a wildlife show unique to southern Arizona. On any given Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., his crew of wildlife experts set up a veritable live and static collection of Arizonas wild critters primarily from the Sonoran Desert. This program was founded 22-years-ago by naturalist Jim Cloer and Jerry has been the director for the last 10 seasons. John Muir said, a multitude of animal people, intimately related to us, but of whose lives we know almost nothing, are as busy about their own affairs as we are about ours. Through the efforts of the programs unique collection, and with the roundhouse ala carte presentation, you may meet Karen who is a professional geologist. She shows kids how the region developed. Ask her about the conglomerate rocks and why they are filled with hundreds of other rocks that you saw along the trailsand shell explain how they were formed. When you visit Johns animal skin table, you can feel the different furs that keep animals warm or cool during the different seasons of the year. If you slide over to the animal skull table, Tom will instruct you on the various features each animal possesses for finding prey or defending from predators or how they eat the various foods for their survival. On to the snake aquariums will find Roger showing off a Gopher Snake that wraps around his arms in a magical slithering dance. Would you like to handle this Gopher Snake? Roger asks a child. Register for more free articles. Log in Sign up Eager kids jump at the chance. Once in their hands, the snake wraps around the child to give them a sense of what the animal feels like. They can feel the snakes muscles working under their scales. Their parents take selfies to the endless delight of their childrenand memories for their entire lives. You might see Anthony surrounded by half a dozen kids sitting on the stage teaching them about the Common King Snake. They might be a little shy at first but soon after the first kid holds the snake then most others will follow. As people surround tables, a distinct rattle can be heard from one of the rattlesnake terrariums. Sure enough, Jerry or other volunteers will explain to visitors about the 13 species of rattlesnakes in Arizona and how to react to them. What is the difference between poison and venom? That important difference will also be explained. At another table, Floyd will show people a Sonoran Desert Toad, Western Tiger Salamander, Gila monster and several scorpions. A big attraction comes from a live tarantula. If Jerry attends that table, he allows kids and parents alike to let the spider crawl across the palms of their hands. It doesnt bite because it's been habituated and is no longer fearful of being held. Sometimes, the parents cringe at the thought of the tarantula crawling across the palm of their hands. At the same time, Schudda gently shows the parents that their fear translates to their childrenso wouldnt it nice to show their children a commonality with the Natural World? In seconds, many parent allow the tarantula to crawl across their palms to the delight of their children. Me too, they tell their mom or dad. Another popular demonstration is the scorpion exhibit where one learns about some of the most venomous critters of the desert. The Sonoran Desert boasts about having both the most toxic and the largest scorpions of North America! It would be hard to leave the program without picking up a few new critter facts. Everyone leaves the Nature Programs pavilion with a greater understanding of the many animals that share our world. One such beautiful photograph depicts a Great Horned Owl with his wings flared as he is about to capture a prey. Children and adults may enjoy hundreds of very large pictures of plants, animals, insects, birds and more during their time at pavilion. Included in the static displays is a large insect collection of the most common insects encountered in the area. Bill will navigate you through these creatures some venomous and others benign. The children's table is very popular where the kids can color an animal drawing or model a critter in clay. They might even play amateur archaeologist in the "kid's dig" as they sift through the sand pit filled with hidden treasures like shells, sharks teeth, arrowheads or shiny rocks. Janet and Debby will help the kids get the most out of these programs. The Catalina Nature Program is all about entertaining and educating all who visit the park about the flora and fauna of the Sonoran Desert. During the off season May - September private tours of the old adobe "Bunkhouse" circa 1895 where the critters are housed can be had simply by calling Jerry at (5200 235-6899 or Jim AT (520) 818-3545 to set up a visit. Groups of six or less are preferred. If you might like to become a volunteer of the Catalina Nature Program, please email Jerry Schudda at: jschudda@gmail.com. If you would like to donate to this excellent organization, please donate by snapping a picture of the QR code provided. As our friend John Muir said, Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life. The Atlantic, 1898 Frosty Wooldridge, math-science teacher, has bicycled across six continents to see all the wonders of the world. The wine industry is one of a number of professions where women hold disproportionately fewer seats at the table than men. While every aspect of this business remains a male dominated environment, the culture is slowly changing. In company ownership, vineyard management and winemaking, women are slowly assuming more leadership roles and having great success in the process. In this series of articles, I would like to showcase a few examples of women who are making their mark in the wine world. The beginning of this decade will be forever remembered as the years of the great pandemic: the fourteen months when the world took a time-out; face-to-face commerce practically came to a standstill and for many of us telecommuting became the norm. And while the world is slowly emerging from the shadow of COVID certain aspects of how people do business; how we interact with others has been forever transformed. It is within this altered landscape that this months subject of the Women in Wine series is truly making her mark. Haley Moore got her start in the hospitality industry at the tender age of fifteen. From this first job waiting tables, Haley recognized that she enjoyed the personal interaction found in the restaurant setting. During the course of these early years, she developed an interest and appreciation for wine as an integral component of a meal. Moore steadily gained knowledge and experience, earning her certification through the Court of Master Sommeliers and in her mid-twenties worked as a sommelier in two of the premier wine-centric restaurants in San Francisco. From there, Haley took over the beverage program for the Stock and Bones Restaurant Group, managing the wine program for five fine dining restaurants in the Bay area and Portland, Oregon. Haley started her own business; Acquire in 2013, with the intention of assisting private clients with their in-home wine cellars. Haley ran the business part-time, while retaining her managerial position at Stock & Bones. In January 2020, Moore stepped out on her own as a full-time consultant, developing wine programs for restaurants around the country, but little did she know that this was to be a bad time to spring into this endeavor. The COVID pandemic shuttered all of the restaurants that she had been working with, so Haley turned to virtual wine tastings as what she described as a Band-Aid, a quick fix to this new-found problem, although it actually turned out to be a transformative experience that led to structuring an entire business model on utilizing technology to deliver hospitality. Acquire now hosts virtual wine events, shipping half bottles of wine along with cheese, caviar and charcuterie platters to each of the event guests. The events themselves are conducted on Zoom and LexGo - a newer virtual platform. Many of these events are hosted for corporate clients, plus a number of customers that she had developed relationships with from her time on the restaurant floors. Register for more free articles. Log in Sign up Haley quickly learned that she didnt need the four walls of a restaurant in order to deliver hospitality and to make people feel amazing and connected. She has discovered that there are a lot of parallels between fine dining and what Acquire offers. The successful facilitation these virtual events revolve around creating an online environment where the guests can engage one another, as opposed to a webinar format where the presenter does most of the talking. It is this focus on human interaction that makes Acquires virtual tastings stand out from other similar online wine activities. Most of these events are customized and based on the interests of the client; usually wine-centric in nature, with fifteen to twenty people in attendance. Acquire has conducted cooking courses online as well, with the presentation element conducted by a Michelin star chef and the participants shipped ingredient kits beforehand. Moore said that the vision and direction of Acquire continues to evolve with the majority of the focus split evenly between virtual events and wine consultation / sales to private clients. That being said, she believes that the online virtual activities will be the future of her business and as the software platforms continue to improve these events will only get better. To date, Acquire has conducted virtual events serving over 5,000 guests in all fifty states and in twenty countries. Haleys focus will always remain enriching peoples lives by bringing them the best experience possible. After my conversation with Haley, it became clear that the model that she is using has significant advantages for the consumer in that it leverages technology to deliver hospitality in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The use of the Internet has expanded from online commerce and social media platforms to a virtual environment where individuals skilled at interpersonal communication with subject matter expertise can bring people together to socialize and learn. To learn more about Haley, her team and the services that they provide go to their website at acquire-wine.com. Salute Tom Oetinger holds an advanced certification in wine and spirits from the WSET in London, England. He is available to assist you with your wine events or answer your wine questions. Contact Tom at tjo1913@gmail.com Its Wednesday morning outside Blenman Elementary School, and crossing guard Vernon Williams is working up a sweat from all the joy hes spreading. The Tucson Unified School District employee dances and waves and blows kisses to passing cars and people from his corner on Country Club Road, where Elm becomes Pima Street. When he catches someones eye, he offers up a virtual hug by folding his arms across his chest and squeezing his own shoulders. When he sees a fellow veteran, he stands at attention and snaps off a crisp salute. Anyone on a bicycle or driving with their windows down can expect a cheerful shout. Wednesday hug! he yells to a woman who lowers her window as soon as she sees him. Two more days to go! You got this! Ill see you tomorrow, the woman replies. A red light on Elm stops a work truck towing a flatbed trailer. Go get your money! Vernon says to the driver. Youre making so much, you had to get yourself a trailer! A guy in an orange T-shirt pokes his arm out the truck window and gives an enthusiastic thumbs up. Across the intersection, fellow Blenman crossing guard Sevrina Leeth waves and dishes out some Good mornings! of her own. Not everyone responds. Many do. Every few minutes, drivers give a few short blasts of their horns as they roll through the intersection. The happy honkers, Leeth calls them. One driver offers Vernon a distracted half-wave without taking her hand off the steering wheel, so he doubles down, planting a kiss on his hand and throwing it at her like a Frisbee. Shes still laughing when the light changes and she drives away. You be safe now! Vernon tells her. Be safe! And then there are the kids. Good morning, sunshine! he yells to one little girl as she arrives at the corner with her mother, ready to cross. Ive been waiting on you all! The girl smiles shyly and shuffles off to school. Vernon says he and Leeth are on a mission: Our goal is to make this the friendliest corner in Tucson. You can tell he means it, too, because of what he says next. I have to find fun in everything, because the life I was living was a joke, the 60-year-old explains. This is fun. I get paid to play in the street. Yellow light Vernon heard about the job with TUSD from a friend from church who works as a crossing guard. When he handed in his application, he says, he also provided some letters of recommendation, a few counseling certificates he had earned and a full background check on himself so they would know who he used to be and who he is now. Much to his surprise, he was offered the spot at Blenman in March 2020. They gave me a second chance when I didnt think I deserved it, he says. And guess what happened? Right after I got hired, bam, here comes the pandemic. He would spend his first year of work doing perimeter checks at an empty school or handing out take-home box lunches to families in the parking lot. He didnt get to strut his stuff on the corner until in-person classes resumed in March 2021. The waving was Leeths idea. She has been a parent volunteer at Blenman for more than a decade, starting when her oldest daughter, now 18, was a kindergartner there. She eventually joined the paid staff as a crossing guard and hall monitor. About two years ago, she found herself working the busy, narrow intersection by herself after her former crossing guard partner retired. Thats when Leeth started waving to passing motorists and anyone else she could see, just to keep herself going. These days, the only time her right hand stops moving back and forth is when shes holding up her stop sign and escorting kids across the street. When the weekend comes, Im like, Ah, I cant move this arm, she says with a laugh. Since Vernon joined her on the corner last year, he has taken things to a whole new level. The dancing and jumping around thats too much coffee for me, Leeth says. It also seems a little distracting at times, but thats kind of the point. People tend to slow down when they see Vernon or hear him shout. If someone is looking at me, they arent looking down at their phone, he says. Blenman parent Veronica Johns gets a big kick out of her friendly neighborhood crossing guards, and so do her sons, Martin, 6, and William, 11. Its really fun, Johns said, after walking her boys to the corner so Leeth could lead them safely across Country Club. Everybody just seems so excited to see them. Red light Register for more free articles. Log in Sign up It was Vernons therapists at the Veterans Affairs hospital who taught him the value of letting the sunshine in. They said, Open the blinds and welcome the morning, and I started doing it, he says. I started with, Good morning, morning, and Good morning, sun. Then my Christian belief got me to say, Good morning, Lord. The crossing guard thing lets him try it out on people. Waving to everybody every morning is a great part of my recovery, he says. Vernon was born at Fort Hood, Texas, in 1962, the oldest of four kids in a military family that bounced around the country. After stops in Georgia, Oklahoma, California, New Jersey and Missouri, he graduated from high school at Fort Riley, Kansas, but didnt have the grades to go to college. His dad, a three-tour veteran of the Vietnam War, suggested he give the Army a try, so Vernon enlisted in 1980. A year later, while he was posted in Panama, the communications truck he was riding in blew a tire and rolled down a 25-foot cliff, slingshotting him through the windshield. I had 375 sutures in my face, he says. They put me in a coma to reduce the swelling in my brain. After 45 days in the hospital, he was sent back to his unit to handle top secret code books and sensitive communications gear in an underground vault, but the accident haunted him. I had nightmares and night terrors. I kept reliving the blowout and the rollover, he says. Vernon began self-medicating with alcohol and street drugs. He says he ended his stint in the Army in 1986 with an honorable discharge and a cocaine habit. After that, he worked service industry jobs in places like Wichita, Kansas, Oklahoma City and finally Phoenix, as he sank deeper into drugs and depression. He got mixed up in gangs and spent years in and out of jail cells, drug treatment centers and psychiatric facilities. Finally in the late 1990s, he says, the police swept him up along Phoenixs notorious Van Buren Street as part of a drug sting called Operation Corner Stop. He would spend the next six years in prison for the trafficking and sale of crack cocaine. Vernon came to Tucson after his release to complete six months of probation at a halfway house for veterans while he continued the Pima Community College classes hed started behind bars. But his sobriety didnt last. I kept relapsing, and I kept ending up on the mental health ward, he says. At one time suicide looked very inviting to me, because I couldnt grasp why I just couldnt get it together, why I couldnt be normal. Within two years of prison, Vernon found himself homeless on Tucsons south side, where he regularly blew his monthly disability benefits on drugs and alcohol for him and the friends he always seemed to have until he was broke again. Vernon credits the Gospel Rescue Mission and the VAs outpatient PTSD program for finally helping him break the cycle of addiction and mental illness, though it didnt happen right away. He says he relapsed one final time in 2015, after graduating from the rescue missions life recovery program and meeting a single mother online who would become his wife. I was suffering from depression, and depression holds you immobilized, Vernon says. I used to stay in my room with the boob tube on and the shades closed with a blanket over them. I was in a dark, dark cave. He says his stepdaughter gave him the nudge he needed to go back into treatment one last time. She came and told me, Dont you think you need to go back to the hospital? You dont play with me anymore. You just stay in this dark room. Youre no fun, he says. And that was that. I went to the VA and checked myself in. On May 3, Vernon celebrated seven years of being clean and sober. Hes now studying to become ordained through Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, and doing whatever else he can think of to keep himself out of the dark. If I can say anything to a veteran or anyone who is suffering from trauma, its ask for help, he says. We have this stigma that were broken and unfixable, but we arent. Before you take your own life, reach out and ask for help. Green light In August, TUSD launched a new video series on its YouTube channel called Everyday Heroes. Vernon was the first district employee to be featured. He usually arrives at Blenman by about 6:30 a.m., more than an hour before his shift starts, so he can help roll out the school zone signs and raise the flag in front of the office. Thats not part of my job. I do it because Im a veteran, he says. Most days, hes out on his corner by about 7:15, which means hes waving for free for the first half hour or so. Officially, Vernon is on the clock from 7:45 until 9, and then back again in the afternoon for another 45 minutes once school gets out. Thats when he sometimes hands out lollipops to students as a reward for making it to class. To accent his sunny disposition, he wears day-glow colors under his yellow safety vest. On this Wednesday, its a matching shirt and shorts emblazoned with a fiery Hawaiian sunset. In the winter, hell switch to the loudest, most colorful sweatsuits he can find. Its to get peoples attention. How can you run over me when Im dressed like this? he says. I want to be seen when Im crossing the kids. I dont want you talking about how you didnt see me. The job has helped him get to know a lot of the kids in the neighborhood and not just the ones at Blenman. Theres a daycare center kitty-corner from the school, and Vernon says one little boy who gets dropped off there refuses to go inside until I wave to him. When some students from nearby Catalina High School get off the city bus and cross at his corner, Vernon greets one of them with a fist bump and a few questions about the young mans life. Whats the word? he calls out as the teen continues on to school. Education! the high schooler answers with a backward glance and a grin. Vernon beams in the bright sunshine. I love to see their faces change. I get a fulfillment every morning, he says. They think Im encouraging them, but to see them smile encourages me to face the day. Where to find help The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call 1-800-273-8255. The Veterans Crisis Line and Military Crisis Line connect veterans and service members in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. The number is 1-800-273-8255. CANNES, France (AP) The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most colorful spectacles in the world all Cote dAzur sunshine, palm trees and glittering ballgowns. But the soul of Cannes will always exist in black and white. The images that first made Cannes synonymous with glamour were captured in monochrome pictures that still linger in the collective fantasy of the French Riviera extravaganza, where thousands descend annually to participate in a grand, gaudy tradition in the name of cinema. For the 75th edition of Cannes, which wraps Saturday with the presentation of the Palme d'Or, Associated Press photographer Petros Giannakouris has stalked the red carpet and paced the Croisette seeking glimpses of classic Cannes. In his images past and present eras collide, evoking the timeless allure of the world's largest film festival. Here is the sensational swirl of life in Cannes, where dresses get caught in elevators, eyes turn whenever an official car's doors open and the lobbies of grand hotels hum with activity. Some images show the guarded divisions of Cannes, with lines of security bordering the festival's parameters. Others stretch into dreamland: A dressed-up woman waiting on a park bench like a fairy tale. For Giannakouris, who was shooting in Ukraine up until late April, it was welcome break from reality. For more Cannes Film Festival coverage, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Revealing hundreds of pastors and church leaders nationwide who have been accused of sexual abuse, a new Southern Baptist report includes at least 14 names with ties to Oklahoma, including a Broken Arrow youth minister who killed himself after police told him he would be charged with molesting a 13-year-old. The Oklahoma cases date as far back as 1996 but also include a 2021 federal indictment of a Vinita preacher accused of sexual contact with a minor and possession of child pornography. The Southern Baptist Convention released the list, naming 703 people nationwide, late Thursday night after years of pressure from victims and victims advocates, both from within and outside the denomination. Wade Burleson, a retired Baptist minister from Enid, called for a similar database, in 2007, but SBC leaders rejected the motion. Burleson later became a major source for an investigative series published by the Houston Chronicle in 2019, which led to increased public pressure to release the names of pastors and church employees who had faced credible accusations. Its a shame we didnt do it ourselves, and it took outside pressure, said Burleson, whos now running for Congress in Oklahomas Third District. Im not proud of that, but at least it has shed some light on the situation. Most of the Oklahoma cases had already received news coverage, and none of the men appear to remain in the ministry. Burleson, while welcoming the lists publication, hopes it wont weaken anyones faith. I fought from within the SBC to make changes, he said. I have no interest in standing with those who seek to destroy the SBC. The Tulsa-area names include David Glen Randol, a youth minister at Arrow Heights Baptist Church in Broken Arrow, who reportedly killed himself after facing abuse allegations in 1996. Sean David Whisenhunt, a youth minister at Central Baptist Church in Owasso, received a suspended sentence after being convicted of sexual battery in 2010, according to the SBC report. He is currently listed on the states sex offender registry. Roy Edward Williams, a 63-year-old longtime church member who preached on occasion at Bunker Hill Baptist Church in Vinita, was indicted by a federal grand jury last November on five counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, one count of sexual contact of a minor between 12 and 16 years old and one count of possession of child pornography, according to the SBC report. Williams pleaded guilty April 1 to five counts of coercion and enticement of a minor in Indian Country and one count of possession of child pornography. He will serve a 30-year prison term as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, provided a judge signs off on the deal at sentencing. The newly published list, along with the Sexual Abuse Task Force that released it, offers the Baptist church a chance to be more vigilant in preventing abuse, reporting abuse, and caring for survivors, said Todd Fisher, executive director-treasurer for Oklahoma Baptists, formerly known as the Oklahoma Baptist Convention. This is a pivotal moment for everyone in the SBC, Fisher said. For others touched by abuse in the church not included in Thursdays report, there is hope that ongoing investigations will more fully reflect the extent of the denominations problems. Floyd Buffington said he and his wife, a lifelong member, and several members of their extended family all left the First Baptist Church of Vinita over the churchs handling of a youth minister accused of sexual impropriety in 2020 involving multiple teenage boys. Buffington, who has a relative among the victims, said that only this week did someone from the Southern Baptist Conventions national executive committee return his previous calls, urging him to share information about his familys experience with third-party investigators. He thinks the SBC should mandate background checks, maintain a national database of all church personnel who have been accused, and have uniform policies and procedures for how local churches are to respond when accusations are received. The head of the Oklahoma Baptist association told me each church has autonomy, so there is nothing even at the state level that could be done to a church or a staff member. There is not even a national database to show where a preacher was ordained, Buffington said. Thankfully, local law enforcement took the boys allegations seriously. The youth minister in question pleaded no contest and received a deferred sentence in district court for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a felony. Of the revelations out of SBC national in the last two weeks, Buffington said: This is just the tip of the iceberg. Look how long it took for the Boy Scouts I think this is going to open up a floodgate. There are probably 10 times more than there are people willing to talk about it. 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. Michael Overall Staff Writer Born and raised in Oklahoma, I write news features and personal columns on a variety of topics. Phone: 918-581-8383 Follow Michael Overall 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 Another Oklahoman has been arrested in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, this time based in part on a tip from a former fraternity brother. Levi Gable, 36, was arrested Thursday in Tulsa by the FBI after a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., alleged that he unlawfully entered the Capitol grounds during the insurrection. A federal criminal complaint filed Monday and made public Thursday alleges that Gable violated four statutes: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building; and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building. Gable reportedly admitted to being on the U.S. Capitol grounds Jan. 6, but he denies ever entering the building. However, court documents submitted by the FBI include screen grabs of security camera videos that purport to show Gable inside the building. An affidavit submitted by the FBI also says one of Gables former fraternity brothers claims he saw several videos posted to Gables Facebook account that appeared to have been taken inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. In a Facebook post on Gables page, the author claims to have been among the first people to make our way into the US Capitol Building, the affidavit says. The posts author claimed to have been there to protest Vice President Mike Pences statement that he would not stand with the American people and challenge the results of the 2020s stolen presidential election. Videos provided by the former fraternity brother from Gables now deleted Facebook page show scenes of individuals yelling and chanting while inside the U.S. Capitol. It appears that Gable is behind the camera, filming, according to the court affidavit. In his interview with the FBI on Jan. 21, 2021, Gable reportedly said he flew to Washington on Jan. 5 and attended the rally on Constitution Avenue the next day before walking to the Capitol. Cellphone provider records obtained by a search warrant indicate that a cellphone whose service was in Gables name was identified as having utilized a cell site consistent with providing service to a geographic area that included the interior of the United States Capitol building, according to the affidavit. Gable was ordered released from custody on an unsecured $10,000 bond after making an initial appearance by video in Tulsa federal court Thursday afternoon. Featured video: 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. It was not how she expected the school year to end, but Liv Montgomery is looking forward to summer vacation. It just doesnt feel like the last week of school, the Patrick Henry fifth-grader said. Thursday was the last day of classes for Tulsa, Jenks and Collinsville public schools. Because of cool, rainy weather, some of the schools fifth-grade traditions like the annual Field Day had to be moved indoors, while others, including fifth-grade promotion and the annual clap-out, were held as normal. Students, parents and teachers lined the halls of Patrick Henry Elementary School on Thursday afternoon to finish out the school year and send Liv and her fifth-grade classmates on to middle school with a round of applause. Graduating seniors who attended the midtown elementary school as children joined in the line behind the fifth graders because, as Principal Jene Carpenter put it, Once an Eagle (the schools mascot), always an Eagle. Although she is a little excited about summer vacation and the prospect of moving on to Edison Middle School with many of her classmates, Liv said she was sad to leave behind her teachers and elementary school community. Im going to miss it, she said, her eyes filling with tears. Along with the fifth graders and graduating seniors, retiring teachers Kay Johnson and Sherry Bryant received an emotional clap-out Thursday afternoon. After 30 years at Wright Elementary School, Bryant moved over to Patrick Henry at the start of the 2020-2021 school year to teach art. Johnson has been at Patrick Henry for 17 years, teaching math, social studies and science over the years. While both said they are excited at the prospect of starting new chapters in their lives, they said they will miss the students. Its like I told my students the other day: We go home and we care and worry about our kids, Johnson said, because they are our kids. Johnson and Bryant also said they are worried about whether there will be enough new teachers to step in as they and others retire. Just hours before the Patrick Henry clap-out, the State Board of Education voted on 13 additional emergency teaching certifications during its regular May meeting, bringing the statewide year-to-date total to 3,455, including 853 for elementary education and 486 for early childhood education. I feel a little guilty, Bryant said. I feel like Im leaving a hole, and if I didnt have someone I know who will be good taking my spot, I wouldnt be able to handle it. Featured video: Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A longtime Oklahoma National Guard officer who became the only Guardsman to lead a corp in combat in World War II was recognized Thursday in a special ceremony at the Tulsa school that bears his name. As part of McLain High Schools annual end-of-the-year awards assembly, Lt. Gen. Raymond McLain was officially inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame. McLain, who died in 1954, was recognized to kick off the assembly, with Principal Renee Rabovsky accepting the honor on behalf of McLains family, who could not attend. Col. Kelly Zachgo, vice president of the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation Board, said: We are so pleased to be here and thrilled we could make this happen. Gen. Raymond McLain and our other honorees make us all proud of those who wear the uniform of the United States military and preserve our rights and freedoms. McLain, an Oklahoma City resident, originally fought in World War I, returning home afterward to become a successful businessman and civic leader. However, he would again be called to leave civilian life behind to fight for his country. An artillery commander for the 45th Infantry Division during World War II, he led fighting units in Sicily, Italy and France before being assigned to command the XIX Corps. It consisted of the 2nd Armored Division and three infantry divisions, putting McLain in charge of some 50,000 troops. By the end of the war, his decorations had grown to include two Distinguished Service Crosses, two Distinguished Service Medals and a Silver Star. McLain High School was named for him in 1959. The latest induction class included two late Tulsans, as well: Gen. Roscoe Cartwright and Spc. 4 Joe Thomas. Zachgo said the Hall of Fame traditionally holds inductions as part of an annual banquet, but its been canceled the last two years due to COVID. This year, our board decided to ensure we found a way to induct each honoree with individual ceremonies, she said. Rabovsky said, We just want to say thank you for choosing McLain to be a part of the ceremony to honor Gen. McLain, our namesake. I dont think theres a better place to do it. The principal read a statement from McLains family to the assembly, which included students and staff members. General McLain believed that if you have a goal, believe in it, protect it, and strive to do your best to obtain that goal. If you love something, believe in it and protect it. If you believe in yourself, you can do whatever you want and go wherever you want. Dont do something for notoriety or recognition. Do it because it is the right thing to do and it is what you believe is right. Dont give up, dont retreat, and always hold your head high. McLain, who was born in Kentucky and moved later to Oklahoma, had little formal education. He attended school only through the sixth grade but later enrolled in business college. Following World War II, he remained on active duty. Later he became the comptroller of the Army and was appointed the Armys first statutory comptroller general. He is buried at Rose Hill Burial Park in Oklahoma City. Featured video: Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A new law will allow for Oklahoma Lottery proceeds to help public schools offer more competitive salaries for teachers with advanced, lead and master certifications. House Bill 4388, signed Thursday by Gov. Kevin Stitt, allows lottery funds to serve as a state match to local school districts contributions to certify advanced, lead and master teachers. This will increase teacher salaries, give them promotion opportunities while staying in the classroom and help stem a teacher shortage that is impacting schools across the state, according to a news release from the Oklahoma Lottery Commission. Under the new law, school districts would identify their own highest-quality teachers for the certificates and assign advanced, lead and master designations informed by observation, out-of-classroom time and student performance. No more than 10% of each participating districts teachers would receive the Teacher Empowerment Fund certification in any given year under HB4388. The Teacher Empowerment Fund identifies tangible beneficiaries for lottery dollars, which helps assure people that, win or lose, their money is helping Oklahoma teachers, said Jay Finks, Oklahoma Lottery Commission executive director. This program is absolutely the right next step in modernizing the Oklahoma Lottery. Since its inception, the Oklahoma Lottery has contributed more than $1.1 billion to education. The first $65 million in annual net proceeds deposited into the Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund would be distributed similarly: 45% to common education, 45% to higher education, 5% to the states teachers retirement system and 5% to a school consolidation fund. For fiscal years 2021-22, officials project more than $158 million will go toward education from Oklahoma Lottery profits. The Oklahoma Lottery has grown significantly over the past six years, and future years projections have shown to be just as promising, making it a dependable funding stream for this program, said Rep. Kyle Hilbert, author of House Bill 4388. This bill ... provides a clear career advancement pathway for teachers that allows them to receive higher pay without having to leave the classroom. Those with advanced teaching certificates would receive at least $3,000 more than the state salary schedule or the districts rate of pay, according to HB 4388. For lead teaching certificates, its at least $5,000 more; master teaching certificates earn at least $10,000 more. Featured video: Unions Rebecka Peterson named 2022 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Seven Oklahoma school districts must alter their shorter-than-normal school calendars after the State Board of Education on Thursday denied them waivers to continue in 2022-23. The state board voted 6-0 to deny applications for Morrison Public School in Okmulgee County and Jennings Public School in Pawnee County, as well as the public schools of Antlers, Battiest, Bridge Creek, LeFlore and Roff to continue using alternate calendars, with fewer than the bare minimum 165 days required by state law. Years ago, Oklahoma moved away from a standard 180-day school calendar requirement and allowed local boards of education to opt for a school year with a minimum of 1,080 hours of student instructional time instead. But beginning in 2021-22, a 165-day minimum was added for even those using the 1,080-hour total requirement. That change in law created a formal process for local schools to apply to the state board for a statutory waiver, with minimum eligibility requirements set by the State Board of Education and approved by the Legislature. Some schools have used four-day weeks with longer days to achieve the minimum number of hours. But on Thursday morning, board member Estela Hernandez moved immediately to deny all seven applications for waivers, and her motion was seconded by member Brian Bobek. Several superintendents from applicant districts pleaded for the board to grant their schools an exception by sharing how longer school days compressed into calendars with only 157 or so total days allowed for block schedules for students and four-day work weeks led to greater success in recruiting and retaining teachers. But some members of the state board said that while they approved waivers last year because of the pandemic, they could no longer support students attending school for fewer than 165 days annually. Member Jennifer Monies said, I appreciate the creativity, but Oklahoma is so far behind even getting to 165 (days). This is not about four-day school weeks. This is about the minimum number of days and hours of instruction, said board member Trent Smith. For me, its philosophical. I am frustrated my child is not in school in Yukon today. I feel like my wife and I have had to pick up the pieces. I personally feel like kids should be in school way more than they are. Featured video: Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mayor G.T. Bynum on Thursday threw his support behind an effort by Cherokee Nation Businesses to establish an emergency intake shelter for unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in the United States. The temporary housing and support services program would operate out of five existing structures in the Cherokee Industrial Park, which is on tribal land. I had a good discussion with Cherokee Nation leadership this morning regarding the proposed facility, Bynum said. As they explained, this would be a location for short-term humanitarian relief provided to children who are refugees. Bynum noted that Tulsans have a long history of providing humanitarian relief for those in need from around the world. This would not be the first time CNB has operated such a facility. It has run similar programs in northern Virginia and Pomona, California. I was impressed with the Cherokee Nations track record of operating similar facilities around the country and offered my support as they seek to aid children at a facility in our community, Bynum said. Tim Roberts, senior vice president for Cherokee Nation Businesses, said the opportunity to provide humanitarian services is a deeply personal mission and a full-circle moment for the organization. We understand the trauma of this journey and the challenges these children face. We are a population of resettlement survivors and their descendants, he said. This work allows us to give hope to the vulnerable among us who need emergency services and compassionate care. The Los Angeles Times reported in 2021 that the CNBs Pomona facility operated for six months, temporarily housing thousands of unaccompanied children and teenagers who arrived at the U.S-Mexico border, many of whom were escaping violence in Central America; at least 8,000 were reunited with family members or sponsors in the United States, according to the article. Cherokee Nation Businesses officials say its too early to know how many young people could or would be temporarily housed at the Cherokee Industrial Park facility. But they noted that the complex potentially could be used to help people in nonimmigration-related emergencies such as floods, tornadoes and other natural disasters. The CNBs zoning application to the Tulsa County Board of Adjustment states that the unaccompanied minors would come from such places as Ukraine, South America and Afghanistan. The children are not placed in the local community unless, by coincidence, their sponsor family already resided locally, the application states. The application defines temporary housing as no more than eight months and states that the Cherokee Nation must move quickly to ensure that the program is in place. The proposed facility at Cherokee Industrial Park could employ as many as 2,000 people. CNB officials said Thursday that those workers would provide a range of services, from case management to health care to education and recreation. Typically, unaccompanied minors are reunited with family or a sponsor within two to three weeks, according to CNB. Not every state elected official was as supportive of the proposed facility as Tulsas mayor. U.S. Sen. James Lankford and Gov. Kevin Stitt expressed strong opposition. Lankford, a member of the Senate committee that oversees immigration, said the United States should be working to have fewer people enter the country illegally rather than facilitating more. I have visited multiple locations along the border where unaccompanied minors are detained for processing into the country and have seen firsthand the housing arrangements, Lankford wrote on Twitter. The Biden Administration spares no expense to facilitate the transition and entry of migrants into the United States. Stitt spokeswoman Carly Atchison said Cherokee Nation leaders are profiting off President Bidens border crisis through backroom deals and secret contracts with no accountability. Cherokee Nation Businesses officials said the company was one of many that responded earlier this year to the federal governments request for proposals to provide temporary housing and support services for children in need. No contract has been awarded. Atchison said that this project will do nothing but encourage more illegal immigration to our country and Governor Stitt strongly urges the Tulsa County Board of Adjustment to do whats right for Oklahoma and stop this in its tracks. Chuck Garrett, CEO of Cherokee Nation Businesses, described the undertaking in different terms. This is an incredibly important humanitarian response that is focused on providing compassionate care to children in need and fulfilling the mission of our government partner, he said. The county Board of Adjustment meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the St. Francis conference room of Williams Tower 1 at 1 W. Third St. Featured video: Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) China's foreign minister on Friday arrived on the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati, where the future of a vast fishing ground is at stake. The planned four-hour visit by Wang Yi was his second stop on an eight-nation tour that comes amid growing concerns about Beijings military and financial ambitions in the South Pacific region. Kiribati closed its borders this year as it tries to stamp out an outbreak of COVID-19. But its government made a rare exception to allow Wang and his 20-strong delegation into the country for face-to-face discussions. At stake in Kiribati is the future of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, a stretch of ocean the size of California that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. In November, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau announced the government planned to end the commercial fishing ban that had been in place since 2015 and begin to sustainably fish the area. Anna Powles, a senior lecturer in security studies at New Zealand's Massey University, said she expected there would be some fisheries agreements between China and Kiribati that would come from Wang's visit. Powles said China, which already dominates fishing in the region, had offered to upgrade an airport runway and causeway in the Phoenix Islands. The worry is that this would essentially obliterate the fish stock, she said. That it would severely damage fish stocks that are already under pressure. She said there were also concerns that any kind of base for Chinese commercial fishing fleets in Kiribati could also be used as an additional hub for Beijing's surveillance activities. Kiribati's president said Wang would visit his residence for bilateral discussions during the visit, and emphasized the health protocols that were in place. Maamau said in a statement that the Chinese delegation would need to take PCR tests before arriving and stay in a travel bubble while there, and that everybody in Kiribati who came into contact with them would need to quarantine afterward for a week presumably including himself. The high-level state visit is an important milestone for Kiribati-China relations, as it will strengthen and promote partnership and cooperation between our two countries after the resumption of diplomatic ties in 2019, Maamau said. China says Wang's trip to the region builds on a long history of friendly relations between Beijing and the island nations. A draft document obtained by The Associated Press shows that Wang is hoping to strike a deal with 10 small Pacific nations during his visit. The sweeping agreement covers everything from security to fisheries and is seen by at least one Pacific leader as an attempt by Beijing to wrest control of the region. Wang is hoping the countries will endorse the pre-written agreement as part of a joint communique after a May 30 meeting in Fiji with the other foreign ministers. But Australia scrambled to counter the move Thursday by sending its own Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Fiji to shore up support in the Pacific. In Fiji, Wong said it was up to each island nation to decide what partnerships they formed and what agreements they signed, but urged them to consider the benefits of sticking with Australia. Australia will be a partner that doesnt come with strings attached nor imposing unsustainable financial burdens, Wong said. We are a partner that wont erode Pacific priorities or Pacific institutions. On Friday, Wong met with Fijis Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands last month in a move that sent shock waves around the world. That pact has raised fears that China could send troops to the island nation or even establish a military base there, not far from Australia. The Solomon Islands and China say there are no plans for a base. During his 10-day visit, Wang is also planning to make stops in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor. Australias new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Thursday hed sent Wong to Fiji because Australia needed to step up its efforts in the Pacific. We need to respond to this because this is China seeking to increase its influence in the region of the world where Australia has been the security partner of choice since the Second World War, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that in recent years, exchanges and cooperation between Beijing and the island nations had been expanding in a development that was welcomed by the Pacific countries. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The Legislature on Friday overrode some of Gov. Kevin Stitts vetoes, including one from last year, and called him some names, but it did not overturn his vetoes of key budget items. When a sexual abuse scandal hits the church, words from its ministers can be indicative of how bad things really are. The reputation of the church is on the line, but so is the welfare of the people it serves. Mortified is a word one minister used last week. Heartbroken and sickened, said another. If youre not up on this particular story, you might be led to believe that such reactions came from Catholic clergy, whose church has been repeatedly rocked by abuse allegations. But not this time. These are the words of Eric Costanzo, pastor of South Tulsa Baptist Church, and Todd Fisher, executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists and former pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Shawnee. Theyre both ordained ministers in the Southern Baptist Church, the nations largest Protestant denomination and probably the most influential religious group in Oklahoma. I know both men. They are sincere, good people. On a subject like this, theyre not given to hyperbole. So yes, the findings of an independent sexual abuse investigation, commissioned by the Southern Baptist Convention last year, are that bad. I read through the report, issued by Guidepost Solutions, over the last few days. It was released last Sunday. Its grim stuff: At Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, a music minister was allowed to quietly leave in 1989 after allegations of sexual abuse of young boys surfaced. Police were never notified. The minister went on to another church in Mississippi. After confessing to that church about sexual indiscretions in Texas and, before that, in Mississippi, he was arrested and convicted on sex crimes charges. When told this story and asked to address sexual abuse in ministry settings, the SBCs Executive Committee staff rejected the idea. Paige Patterson, the former president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, was forced to resign in 2018 after it was revealed that he told one student rape victim in 2003 not to report the crime. In 2015, he planned to meet with another student victim, one-on-one, with the intention to break her down so she wouldnt pursue action against her assailant. In the wake of Pattersons dismissal, some in SBC leadership, including its president, sought to run background checks on various SBC appointments. They were rebuffed. A former SBC vice president, Judge Paul Pressler, is a defendant in a civil lawsuit in which he is accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy several years earlier. Two other men have made similar claims. In an email between two high-ranking SBC Executive Committee staff members, one man wrote, Hopefully the statute of limitations would run out on the lawsuit and, therefore, discourage similar suits in the future. Jennifer Lyell, who was once an executive at the SBCs Lifeway publishing arm, reported abuse she suffered at the hands of a past Southern Baptist seminary professor. Lyell initially had support from Lifeway and SBC officials to make her story public. In a story published by Baptist Press, she alleged that she was sexually abused by her professor. But edits to the story made by SBC brass changed the wording to describe it as a morally inappropriate relationship. That wording change drastically altered the meaning of the story. In the eyes of many Baptist Press readers, she was no victim. Lyell was castigated online for being an adulterer (she maintains that the incidents were nonconsensual), and a change in management at Lifeway led to her losing her job. The volume of reported incidents prompted some in the SBC to call for the creation of a database of abusive clergy, an idea that was officially dismissed. But secretly, Executive Committee staff kept files of hundreds of abuse cases from Southern Baptist ministers. The extensive files revealed the scale of the problem, but nothing was done with it. Other survivors were victimized again when their stories werent believed and their characters were questioned. SBC Executive Committee General Counsel Augie Boto called survivors efforts to prompt change a satanic scheme to completely distract us from evangelism. Through two decades, consistent resistance to tackling abuse in SBC ranks shielded national and state organizations from scrutiny and abusers from accountability. Liability and a potential loss in contributions to missions programs were two of the motivations for such stonewalling. The SBCs structure, in which each congregation is autonomous from state or national oversight, provided further cover to do nothing with reported cases. Theres more. Quite a bit more, actually. But the news isnt all bad. Former SBC President J.D. Greear has been a persistent advocate for abuse survivors and was in office when the Guidepost investigation was launched. Executive Committee trustees, who were largely left in the dark about all this, were firm in supporting an investigation once they were aware of the breadth and depth of the allegations. And at last years Nashville Convention, where more than 15,000 Southern Baptist delegates from across the country gathered for their annual meeting, the call for an independent, third-party inquiry was met with overwhelming support. The inertia for a cover-up was strong, but so was momentum for transparency. Credit the latter to the survivors, their advocates and the Houston Chronicle, which blew the abuse scandal wide open in a thorough investigation it published in 2019. Many ministers and lay people are reading Guideposts conclusions and are as stunned as Costanzo and Fisher. Theyre also poring over the reports recommendations. Whats clear is that the SBC cant hide behind its decentralized organization anymore. Its unacceptable to cite bylaws, throw up your hands and say nothing can be done. A workaround can and must be found. Reform is needed to make sure Southern Baptist members be they children or adults are not cast aside when their stories of abuse come to light. Church leaders at every level need to be empowered to respond and to safeguard their flock from abusers who try to slip back into the ministerial ranks. Im sure there will be many heartfelt sermons, speeches and prayers at Southern Baptist meetings in the days and weeks to come. But it cant stop there. Dont let the church bury this in a weepy prayer service and then walk away. The battered lives of hundreds of abuse survivors demand more. Featured video: 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. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly 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. Too many editorials have been written about the unspeakable tragedies of mass shootings. Weve prayed; weve grieved; weve called for change; weve seen this cycle continuously repeat. What is there left to say? How does anyone make sense of the senseless? Americans remain heartbroken by the Tuesday rampage in a fourth-grade classroom at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed. Seventeen others were wounded. The nation is united in mourning with the families and friends who face a lifetime of trauma. But beyond that, whats to be done? That was a question posed in a Tulsa World editorial on Dec. 18, 2012, four days after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, where the 20 children murdered were mostly 6- and 7-year-olds, along with six adults. The answer, it turns out, is nothing. For the parents of those children, that inaction compounds their pain. Making it worse were conspiracy theorists fueled by right-wing darling Alex Jones claiming it was a hoax orchestrated by gun-control advocates with help from mainstream media. Jones was found liable in a defamation lawsuit brought by the parents. Thats where the nation descended in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook devastation. It wasnt just politics; it was an ugliness meant to divide a nation. We need to make sure that doesnt happen this time. Since then, the U.S. has experienced hundreds of mass shootings, defined as incidents with four or more people shot or killed, excluding the shooter. So far this year, the nation is at 213, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Schools ought to be safe spaces. The same could be said for churches, grocery stores, theaters and music festivals. Americans shouldnt live in constant fear. An emotional President Joe Biden challenged the nation in a televised address to stand up to the gun lobby. Pro-gun supporters are already warning against any weapons restrictions. Is anything likely to change? Going by history, no. Sadly, that decade-old editorial made the same prediction: There will be a great amount of arm-flapping and then the next big story will come along and this one will fade from Americas collective mind. Sad, but true. Featured video: 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. Members of the Little Village community gathered Friday to ask CVS to reconsider its decision to close its pharmacy in the neighborhood, saying residents would need to travel too far to get their prescriptions filled. The store, at 2634 S. Pulaski Road, is set to close June 7, CVS Health confirmed. Advertisement [ Para leer en espanol, haga clic aqui ] 22nd Ward Ald. Michael Rodriguez said his office had received a number of phone calls primarily from seniors in the neighborhood, worried about where theyre going to go and fulfill their prescriptions. He said he learned about the closure several weeks ago. We dont want to see another blighted business in our community, he said. Advertisement A woman signals for traffic to stop as they cross with their children, after leaving the CVS store at 2634 S. Pulaski Road in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood on May 27, 2022. CVS had announced it is closing its doors at the Little Village pharmacy. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Rodriguezs office asked CVS to reconsider closing the pharmacy in a May 18 letter signed by local elected officials including U.S. Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia and state Sen. Celia Villanueva, as well as community and health organizations including Enlace Chicago, Howard Brown Health, Instituto del Progreso Latino and the St. Anthony and Sinai Chicago hospitals. The letter notes that the next closest CVS pharmacy is in Cicero, about 2 miles from the Little Village location. Neighborhood residents without cars will need to take one or two buses to fill their prescriptions, the letter said. In a statement, CVS Health said all prescriptions at the location would be transferred to its Cicero store, and that patients can also choose to transfer to other CVS pharmacies. The company declined to comment on how many prescriptions it fills at the Little Village location. Maintaining access to pharmacy services in historically underserved communities is an important factor we consider when making store closure decisions, the companys statement said. Other factors include local market dynamics, cultural and language barriers, consumer buying patterns, a communitys store density, and ensuring there are other geographic access points to meet the needs of the community, including COVID-19 testing and vaccinations. There is a Walgreens pharmacy down the street from the Little Village CVS at 26th Street and PulaskiRoad. But some patients wont be able to transfer their medications there because of the decision by Aetna, which is owned by CVS, to drop Walgreens from its Aetna Better Health of Illinois Medicaid network in December 2020. At the time, critics of the Aetna decision told the Tribune the decision was affecting poor and majority-Black neighborhoods on the citys South and West sides. Aetna said in a statement in December 2020 that the decision has not created or contributed to network access issues. We meet or exceed all of the states access requirements for managed care organizations, the statement from Aetna said. In fact, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has reviewed our updated network and determined it ensures equity. Advertisement Last year, CVS announced it would close 900 U.S. stores over three years. In a statement Friday, the company said it was in the process of transferring employees at the Little Village CVS to other stores. The chain currently has nearly 70 locations in Chicago. Howard Ehrman and Anne Scheetz protest outside the CVS store in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood that is slated to close. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) The organizations I represent believe that health care is a human right, said Anne Scheetz of Physicians for a National Health Program Illinois and the Illinois Single-Payer Coalition, speaking at the Friday news conference. That it is not a commodity to be available only to those who have money. Scheetz said she lives in Logan Square and that there are four CVS pharmacies within walking distance of her house. They are adding stores in wealthy neighborhoods, she said. And theyre closing them in these neighborhoods. That aint right. The closure was announced during the context of a worldwide pandemic that continues to rage, said Raoul Contreras of the group Mi Villita Neighbors. Speakers Friday noted Little Village had been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the 60623 ZIP code, which includes the neighborhood, had the most virus-related deaths in Cook County. Jesus Del Toro, a spokesperson for Garcia, said Friday that the congressman had arranged a meeting with CVSs federal affairs teams to relay the concerns of Little Village community members and health advocates about the announced closure. Advertisement tasoglin@chicagotribune.com In this episode, Ginnie Graham and Bob Doucette address the unspeakable tragedies of mass shootings. Weve prayed; weve grieved; weve called for change; weve seen this cycle continuously repeat. Americans remain heartbroken by the Tuesday, May 24 rampage in a fourth-grade classroom at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed. Seventeen others were wounded. The nation is united in mourning with the families and friends who face a lifetime of trauma. With over 400 kilometers of expressways worth VND100 trillion (US$4.2 billion) planned for Vietnams Mekong Delta by 2025, contractors are scrambling to ensure their teams have access to materials amidst fears of supply issues. An Giang and Dong Thap Provinces are two of the regions largest producers of construction sand, but shortages of this crucial material are forcing several construction projects to miss deadlines. Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters visited the Long Xuyen bypass project tin An Giang Province on May 22, only to find just a few workers at the site. The reason, they said, was a lack of construction sand. The bypass project launched in early January of this year and is expected to cost over VND2.1 trillion ($90 million) by the time it is completed in late 2023. However, the project is currently just four percent complete. Projects in other Mekong Delta provinces are facing similar issues, particularly those in Dong Thap, Ben Tre, and Tien Giang. In Ben Tre, the sand shortfall was mentioned at the groundbreaking for the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge project in late March. In Vinh Long, the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment said in a statement that the province anticipates a dearth of some 5.5 million cubic meters of sand for construction in 2022. The sand scarcity will leave a considerable impact on the progress of construction projects and costs, said Nguyen Van Tuan, deputy head of the Vinh Long Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Can Tho is also struggling to source construction sand. The city is currently in need of 34 million cubic meters of construction sand for the 2022-25 period, far more than what it currently holds in its reserves. Commenting on the issue, Tran Ngoc Tam, chairman of the provincial government of Ben Tre, told Tuoi Tre that the province is currently bidding for sand mines. It is also surveying sites for new sand mines on the local Ba Lai River. Can Tho is looking at less traditional alternatives to construction sand. A Ho Chi Minh City-based firm is doing research about how to process sea sand to serve construction projects [in Can Tho], Tam added. In 2019, Ben Tre auctioned off five sand mines, but only one company that placed a winning bid was actually licensed to mine sand. The other three involved in the auction had their bids canceled. Another auction for the unclaimed sand mines cannot be held until a new zoning time span for the mines is approved, according to a report from the Ben Tre Department of Natural Resources and Environment. According to the Department of Science and Technology, under the Ministry of Transport, solutions to the sand shortage must be found as soon as possible, otherwise expressway projects will continue to fall behind schedule. This department suggested using sea sand or saline sand as alternatives. Similarly, Tran Tri Quang, vice-chairman of Dong Thap, said the province has already proposed that relevant ministries and agencies sort out alternatives to cope with the sand paucity. The province has asked many agencies to research measures to balance sand supplies so as not to affect the progress of key projects. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Forbes announced on Thursday its seventh annual 30 Under 30 Asia list, featuring five Vietnamese individuals in arts; finance and venture capital; and industry, manufacturing and energy. Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, 28, was named in the arts category, 29-year-old Nguyen The Vinh was listed in the finance and venture capital sector, while Le Yen Thanh, 27, Nguyen Thanh, 29, and Uyen Tran, 28, were honored in the industrial, manufacturing, and energy categories, respectively. Tattoo artist Ngoc has been transforming traumatic scars into works of art since 2013, when she was 19, reads Forbes description of Ngoc. While tattooing is still considered taboo in Vietnam, she believes covering up scars with artistic tattoos can be a part of the healing process that empowers people, especially women, to start a happier chapter in their lives. Meanwhile, Vinh is a co-founder of blockchain-based decentralized finance company Coin98, which has raised US$16.5 million in three investment rounds. He joined Coin98 in 2019, two years after its founding. This screenshot shows blockchain-based decentralized finance company Coin98's co-founder Nguyen The Vinh honored in the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. In the industry, manufacturing, and energy category, Le Yen Thanh founded the BusMap Project, a Vietnamese public transit application that evolved into smart mobility solutions startup Phenikaa MaaS. He has won more than 100 awards nationally and internationally for his programming skills. Meanwhile, Nguyen Thanh has been one of the youngest leaders at Vietnamese multi-sector conglomerate Vingroup after joining its transport subsidiary VinBus in 2019. Previously, the now deputy CEO set up his own textile factory at age 18 before dropping out of college to work for various companies including KFC Vietnam, Cargill Vietnam, and Lazada Vietnam. This screenshot shows smart mobility solutions startup Phenikaa MaaS' founder Le Yen Thanh honored in the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. The final representative is textile-material researcher and designer Uyen Tran, who co-founded New York-based TomTex, which makes an eponymous leather alternative. TomTex is a completely biobased material created from shell seafood waste or mushrooms. The company has raised $1.7 million and won the LVMH Innovation Award, CFDA k11 Innovation Award, and Idea Sustainability Award. Uyen holds a masters degree from the Parson School of Design in New York. This screenshot shows VinBus' deputy CEO Nguyen Thanh and Vietnamese textile-material researcher and designer Uyen Tran honored in the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. Over 4,000 nominees applied to be on this years list, a record number for the Asia list, according to Forbes. The final 300 were selected and vetted by Forbes reporters and a group of respected judges on a wide range of criteria, such as demonstration of leadership, impact, potential of success, and the embodiment of the entrepreneurial spirit synonymous with the American business magazine. Twenty two countries and territories are represented on the list with India ranking first in terms of number of entries (61), followed by Singapore (34), Japan (33), Australia (32), Indonesia (30) and China (28). Last year, Vietnam had three representatives in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Economic Committee of the National Assembly has proposed that Vietnam restart a suspended nuclear power project in south-central Ninh Thuan Province to ensure the countrys ability to develop nuclear power in the future and to help achieve its environmental protection goal by 2050. The Economic Committee has submitted a report on the implementation of Resolution 31 of the National Assembly, which was issued to suspend the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project in the namesake province in 2016. In the report, the committee stated that Vietnam would potentially face challenges brought about by electricity shortage in the 2021-25 period. The competitive electricity market has not been developed in a synchronous manner, while the power pricing mechanism has been improved slowly. The countrys power source has yet to guarantee sustainable development and still has a negative impact on the environment. Vietnam previously pledged to reach its net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050 at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in the UK last year, which requires the country to have a strategy to ensure national energy security and limit carbon emissions in the long run. Meanwhile, nuclear power is a low-emission source of electricity. The Economic Committee believed that the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, if formally terminated, would inhibit the countrys ability to develop nuclear power in the future, as well as affect the relations between Vietnam and its partners. The committee thus proposed that competent authorities consider restarting the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project at a suitable time. The government and relevant agencies should evaluate comprehensively, scientifically, and accurately the current situation as well as make forecasts on energy supply and demand in the coming time, the committee said. They should also prepare a suitable proposal on the development of nuclear power in the future and present it to relevant bodies. The Ninh Thuan nuclear power project was approved by the National Assembly in November 2009. It was designed to have two main factories, each with the capacity of about 2,000MW. In November 2016, the National Assembly passed a resolution on suspending the project. The government later announced that the suspension was to concentrate efforts on other key projects. Prior to the suspension, seven sub-projects had been invested by the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) and Ninh Thuan Peoples Committee with the total costs of about VND2.3 trillion (US$99.1 million), VnExpress newspaper reported. According to the report of the Economic Committee, people living in the affected areas are still facing difficulties in trading their land plots and struggling to stabilize production, which has resulted in the waste of land resources. Some issues related to taxes and costs that have confronted the EVN during the preparation and implementation of the project have not been solved. There are also difficulties in handling commitments and agreements signed with foreign partners. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! What you need to know today in Vietnam: Politics -- Vietnam's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet and Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Political Director Alon Bar co-chaired the fourth political consultation conference between the two ministries via videoconference on Thursday, according to the Vietnam News Agency. Society -- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health issued a document on Thursday urging the local healthcare system to beef up monitoring of people coming from abroad, especially from countries where monkeypox cases have been recorded, at borer gates to timely repond to any infection found. -- Many trees were uprooted and advertising boards were blown off when rains and strong winds hit Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday evening. -- Three died and one was injured as a house wall collapsed in Vinh Phuc Province, northern Vietnam on Wednesday, according to local authorities. -- The Economic Committee of the National Assembly has just filed a report suggesting the government consider restarting a suspended project to build nuclear power plants in Ninh Thuan Province, south-central Vietnam. Business -- Twenty-one percent of the Indian companies that are setting up or planning to set up shop in Southeast Asia have plans to expand business in Vietnam in the next two years, according to 'HSBC Navigator: SEA in Focus,' a survey of more than 1,500 companies from six of the worlds largest economies, including China, France, Germany, India, the UK, and the U.S.. The survey, released on Thursday, showed that 26 percent of the Chinese firms polled said they were heading for growth priority in the Vietnamese market. -- Vietnamese authorities are streamlining procedures to allow Chinese traders to enter Vietnam for buying lychees in Bac Giang Province, the Vietnam News Agency cited Le Thi Thu Hang, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as saying on Thursday. World News -- "About 200 confirmed and more than 100 suspected cases of Monkeypox have been detected so far outside of the countries where it usually spreads, a World Health Organization official said on Thursday, urging countries to increase surveillance for the infectious disease," Reuters reported. -- "The risk of going hungry in Brazil is higher than ever, as the percentage of people unable to afford food for themselves or their family at some point during the last 12 months rose to a record 36% in 2021, from 30% in 2019, a newly published study showed," according to Reuters. Trees were uprooted and billboards were blown away when rains and strong winds hit Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday evening. Tree branches fell at the intersection of Ben Van Don and Nguyen Khoai Streets in District 4 and on a road section near the Chu Van An Bridge in Binh Thanh District, blocking traffic there. Strong winds also lifted a billboard on Ben Van Don Street. Fortunately, no one was injured. The National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting has forecast that the rainy weather pattern accompanied by strongs winds at night will continue in the southern and Central Highlands regions until May 30. Rains will accelerate to heavier levels and may bring along gusts, lightning, hail, and strong winds from May 31, according to the center. Public bikes lie on a sidewalk in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City in the rain on May 26, 2022. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre An advertising board lies on the sidewalk in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City in the rain on May 26, 2022. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre A median barrier was pulled full from the ground on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City in the rain on May 26, 2022. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre A tree branch falls on Chu Van An Street in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City in the rain on May 26, 2022. Photo: Chau Tuan / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Three people were fatally trapped under a collapsed wall while helping local residents deal with the aftermath of prolonged heavy downpours in Vinh Phuc Province, northern Vietnam earlier this week. The incident took place in Kim Long Commune, Tam Duong District at around 6:00 pm on Wednesday, competent authorities confirmed on Thursday. The three deceased victims were identified as Chu Minh Q., 43, Nguyen Van L., 40, and Hoang Thi Th., 25. The fourth victim, 22-year-old Hoang Thi L., was injured and taken to the hospital for emergency treatment. Preliminary information showed that the four people were assisting local residents in cleaning up their houses following torrential rains in the area when the wall of a house suddenly collapsed. Local authorities arrived at the scene after being notified of the incident and were able to move the victims from the rubble later the same night. An investigation was also launched to determine the cause of the accident. The bodies of the deceased victims have been handed over to their family members for funeral rites. Rainfall of 150 to 300 millimeters previously battered northern and north-central provinces from May 21 to 24, Lao Dong (Labor) newspaper quoted the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting as reporting. In Tam Duong District, Vinh Phuc Province, rain volume reached up to 496 millimeters. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! On 60 Minutes this Sunday, the search for missing Aussie mum Tahnee Shanks in Mexico plus more on the prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case. Mystery in Mexico When a two-year-old toddler, all alone but seemingly unconcerned, walked bare-footed into a church in Cancun, Mexico four weeks ago, kind-hearted locals rushed to help. First they needed to work out who she was and then who she belonged to. The child was too young to talk, so her photograph was shared on social media. It was a strategy that worked, but the answer surprised everyone. The toddlers name was Adelynn, and she was the daughter of a Queensland woman, Tahnee Shanks. One mystery had been solved, but it led to another one. There was no trace of Tahnee or Addys father, a local man, Jorge Aguirre Estudillo. As Tara Brown reports, a major police investigation is now underway to find the couple. But in a country gripped by cartel-related violence, there are fears it could already be too late. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Tracey Hannaford, Sammi Taylor The Suspect Its highly doubtful, but if Madeleine McCann was still alive, two weeks ago she would have turned 19. Her parents, Gerry and Kate, cling to an infinitesimal hope that she is out there somewhere. But 15 years on from the day the little girl was snatched in Portugal, the pragmatic assessment of her fate is far more pessimistic. Thats not to say the mystery of what happened to her wont be solved though. Portuguese and German detectives are convinced they know who abducted and murdered Maddie. Their prime suspect is Christian Bruckner, a truly awful piece of work. However, two years after revealing their suspicions about him, theres a tough question investigators are being asked to answer. Why hasnt Bruckner been charged with the crime yet? Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producer: Lisa Brown 8:45pm Sunday on Nine. The good news is Miss Phryne Fisher is back on ABC. The bad news is, the movie Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears will screen in two halves across two Sundays. The film, which leant upon crowd-funding from fans, was released in early 2020. After freeing a young Bedouin girl Shirin Abbas from her unjust imprisonment in Jerusalem, Miss Fisher begins to unravel a wartime mystery concerning a priceless jewel, ancient curses, and the truth behind the suspicious disappearance of Shirins forgotten tribe. Episode 1: Jerusalem, 1929. In a daring rescue, Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) saves Shirin Abbas (Izabella Yena), a young Bedouin woman, from unjust imprisonment. Shirin is traumatised by memories of seeing her village massacred as a child before a sandstorm buried everything and is determined to prove it. Phryne promises to help Shirin seek justice, but their dangerous escape separates them, and Phryne is presumed dead. Phrynes estranged admirer, Inspector Jack Robinson (Nathan Page), travels to her memorial service at Lofthouse Manor in the English countryside, but his mourning is interrupted by Phrynes surprise arrival, prompting Jack to depart in angry confusion. Phryne stays at the Manor with Lord and Lady Lofthouse (Daniel Lapaine and Jacqueline McKenzie), the Lords younger brother Jonathon (Rupert Penry-Jones), and Shirin and her uncle Sheikh Kahlil (Khaled Naya), who is in business with Lord Lofthouse. When Phryne tries to discover the truth about Shirins village during the Great War, Lofthouse and Jonathon (former soldiers), along with the Sheikh, deny the massacre. However, when Phryne and Jack witness the murder of Wilson (Lee Mason), an army deserter who gives Phryne an ancient, encrypted pendent moments before his death, they are convinced there is more to the story. Sunday, 19 June and Sunday 26 June, 8.30pm on ABC. Screen Queensland and Network 10 have partnered to offer four emerging First Nations film and television practitioners the opportunity to produce their own Community Service Announcements 60-second television segments followed by a six-month mentorship program. Screen Queensland Chief Creative Officer Dr Belinda Burns, said Providing training and career development opportunities, at all experience levels, is integral to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander screen practitioners in gaining the skills, networks and credits to launch successful, long-term careers, said Dr Burns. Screen Queensland and Network 10 are both proud members of the Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network (SDIN); which stands as a commitment to address inequity head-on and be proactive changemakers towards achieving a fairer, more representative industry, locally and globally. We look forward to seeing these CSA segments broadcast on Network 10, showcasing First Nations talent, stories and perspectives across the nation. Network 10s Senior Vice President, Programming and Content Daniel Monaghan said, This is a wonderful opportunity for us at Paramount to discover potential future employees who will make our business and content unique, stronger, and internationally successful, or if not with us, to give candidates the skills they need to progress further along their own career path. We want to assist in developing technical skills and on-the-job experiences that will enhance their style and allow them to write and produce content in their own voice we want to give candidates the tools necessary to strive in a creative industry, and hope this is just the beginning of an ongoing professional partnership. Suitable for graduates and early-career screen professionals, the first phase of the Screen Queensland and Network 10 First Nations Skills Placement and Mentorship will be a paid, four-week placement with executives from Network 10 to write, produce and edit a 60-second CSA about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Following the placement, recipients will undertake a remote six-month mentorship with Network 10 experts in the form of monthly support, to provide applicants with invaluable guidance in building a career in the television sector. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners Queensland-wide are eligible to apply. Screen Queensland will cover costs for travel, accommodation and per diems for recipients to partake in production, as part of the four-week placement. Development, pre-production and post-production will take place remotely. Network 10 production will work with Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the Queensland Indigenous Land and Sea Rangers to highlight engaging projects and stories from communities around Queensland. Screen Queensland is currently developing a three-year Diversity Plan, with the state agencys Equity & Diversity Taskforce, which will outline key objectives, actions, responsibilities, timeframes and outcomes towards establishing a more inclusive screen industry in Queensland. Applications close Friday 17 June, 5pm AEST. screenqueensland.com.au. Illinois legislators and advocacy group Equality Illinois issued a joint statement Thursday calling out State Farm after the insurance giant pulled support for a gender identity school book program. Facing backlash, Bloomington-based State Farm ended its partnership this week with the GenderCool Project, a youth-led nonprofit organization that distributes childrens books about being transgender, inclusive and nonbinary to schools and libraries. Now the insurance company is feeling the heat from LGBTQ advocates. Advertisement When it came to our attention that State Farm had reversed this partnership with the GenderCool Project, we found that to be reprehensible, said state Sen. Mike Simmons, a North Side Democrat and the first openly gay state senator in Illinois. In 2022, we need allies who are for real, and who are really going to stand with the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly when we are under siege right now in so many parts of the country. Illinois state Sen. Mike Simmons, D-7th, at a rally in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood on May 2, 2021. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune) Simmons was one of five Illinois legislators to sign the statement, which said State Farm made a knee-jerk concession to bigotry by dropping its support for the GenderCool Project. Advertisement State Farm came under fire this week after a January letter recruiting 550 agents and employees to participate in the program by donating a three-book bundle to teachers, community centers and libraries was published online by Consumers Research. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit educational group launched a campaign critical of the program, calling State Farm a creepy neighbor targeting 5-year-olds. State Farm posted a statement on its website Tuesday explaining the decision to end its affiliation with GenderCool, saying it did not support required curriculum in schools on this topic. But with criticism over the abrupt decision mounting, State Farm issued a statement Thursday affirming its support for the LGBTQ+ community. We cannot take back the frustration, hurt and emotion many have endured as a result of our actions and our response, but we can move forward knowing we will continue to respect and support everyone in our communities, representing every group within our society, the company said. Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, a nonprofit organization advocating for LGBTQ rights, said the State Farm partnership with GenderCool was never intended to make the books required reading for children in schools. This was a volunteer program with State Farm for employees and agents ... to make sure that books which talk about gender identity in an accurate and affirming way were accessible by people who wanted it, said Johnson, who also signed the legislators statement. In 2012, workers finish up the trim on the State Farm sign on the insurance company's corporate headquarters campus in downstate Bloomington. (Steve Smedley/The Pantagraph) Gender identity education in schools has become a lightning rod issue in the wake of recent legislation enacted in Florida, Texas and other states, which critics have dubbed Dont Say Gay laws. In March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation prohibiting classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. The Parental Rights in Education law has sparked outrage among LGBTQ+ advocates and opposition from dozens of companies, including Disney, which has 77,000 employees at its Disney World theme park in Orlando. Last month, World Business Chicago, the citys public-private economic development arm, launched a marketing campaign in Florida, Texas and Arizona to promote Chicago as a more inclusive business climate. Advertisement With Pride Month beginning next week and the annual Chicago Pride Parade scheduled for June 26, Johnson said State Farm will not be welcome to participate in the festivities unless it reverses the decision to drop support for GenderCool. You cant actually rescind support for families and young people who want to learn about gender identity in an affirming way, and then next week launch a marketing blitz that says youre super supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, Johnson said. At least you cant do both those things without us calling out your hypocrisy. The GenderCool Project is an educational organization helping to replace misinformed opinions with positive, powerful experiences through the stories of transgender and nonbinary kids, said Jennifer Grosshandler, co-founder and executive director of the four-year-old Chicago-based nonprofit. Grosshandler, who said the organization began working with State Farm about a year ago on the voluntary program, was more conciliatory toward the insurance company. We were disappointed to learn about the decision, said Grosshandler. The truth is that StateFarm has done really good and important work with the LGBTQ community. Theyre going on their own journey. And the outpouring of love and support that weve gotten from all of our current corporate partners has been remarkable. rchannick@chicagotribune.com Former Hey Dad! star Robert Hughes appeared before a hearing of the State Parole Authority in Parramatta today, 8 years into a maximum 10 year, 9 month sentence for child sexual assault offences committed in the 1980s. In 2014 he was handed a minimum sentence of 6 years and has been eligible for parole since April 2020. Hughes, 73, appeared via video link, after the Parole authority requested a psychological report about hisrisk of reoffending. A Community Corrections report stated Hughes has consistently been assessed as having a low, or below average risk of committing a further sexual offence, and he therefore remains ineligible for any sex offender programs while in custody. Judge Frearson noted: There is nothing available for him in jail. Hughes has continually categorically denied his offending and maintains his victims made false allegations for financial gain. Recntly a dual citizen, he also renounced his Australian citizenship, which would see him returned to the UK upon release, but subject to notification orders with monitoring by the British authorities under the Sexual Offences Act. INTERPOL has confirmed this would be the case, the court was told. Solicitor Hannah Bruce, from the Prisoners Legal Service, said his focus upon release would be maintaining a very low profile and spending the rest of his time in the UK with his partner former agent Robyn Gardner, and specialist psychological consults. Former co-star Sarah Monahan, who travelled from the US, attended court and addressed media outside the court. On the one hand Id prefer him to stay in jail where hes not hurting kids, and on the other hand, its like let him go, let him be someone elses problem and then I dont have to deal with it anymore, she said. Hes an old man and hes frail, but they dont change, she said. Hes a denier, so he still thinks he hasnt done anything wrong. So hell keep doing wrong things. Hughes sentence is due to expire on January 6, 2025. The parole panel has reserved its decision for a week. Source: ABC, Herald Sun ABC this week announced a new six-part comedy series Limbo described as a compelling, honest and charmingly funny story about how hard it is to let go of those we love especially when theyre taken too soon. Produced by Bunya Productions (Mystery Road, The Drovers Wife) and Heiress Films (Man Up, Making Couples Happy), Limbo is created by writer Lucas Taylor (Harrow, Vikings: Athelstans Journal) and directed by Trent ODonnell (No Activity, The Letdown, Brooklyn Nine-Nine). Todd Abbott, Head of Comedy for the ABC, said, From the moment I read the first scene, I knew this series was something very special. Finding genuine comedy in grief is no mean feat, and this talented team has delivered scripts with the perfect balance. Were really excited to share these characters and this very relatable story with Australian audiences. Screen Australias Head of Content Grainne Brunsdon said, Limbo is a smart and relatable comedy with a powerful message at its heart about friendship, mental health and grief. Were pleased to support Heiress Films making their first foray into scripted content and working together with the excellent team at Bunya Productions this is set to be a high quality Australian series. Screen Queenslands CEO Kylie Munnich said, Screen Queensland has supported this project since its inception, via a major development initiative as well as funding Lucas Taylors residency at the Charlies Writers Lab in Los Angeles, where the script was further refined with Trent ODonnell (pictured). Were delighted to see this poignant and important story come to life, soon to commence filming in Queensland. Producing team David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin and Jennifer Cummins said, Bunya Productions and Heiress Films are delighted to be working with the talents of Lucas Taylor and director Trent ODonnell to create a rich comedy about love and loss and the relationship of two young men whose friendship gets real once the real walls disappear. Limbo will film in Queensland later this year and air in 2023. When Charlies best friend dies at just 38, Charlie suppresses his own pain in order to support his mates widow and young daughter. But he is soon forced to face his own demons when the ghost of his dead friend begins haunting him. There are no levitating tables or flying books, but confronting the spectre of loss is the scariest thing Charlies ever done. The only comfort is that hes facing it with his charming, witty and garrulous best mate by his side albeit in apparition form. Production Credits: Limbo is a Bunya Productions and Heiress Films production for the ABC. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with ABC. Financed with support from Screen Queensland, with Screen NSW. By Paul Morrow & Shelley Inglis Although 2022 is not yet half over, the year has already proved deadly for gun violence in America. Two weeks ago, racially and politically motivated shootings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Laguna Woods, Calif., left 11 people dead. This week, an 18-year-old man murdered 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. The perpetrator of the Buffalo killings was also an 18-year-old male. Overall, according to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 200 mass shootings have taken place in the U.S. so far this year. In Dayton, these killings hit close to home. Since the August 2019 mass shooting in the Oregon District, perpetrated by a young area resident, the Human Rights Center has been engaged in research and education on gun violence. We hosted a community roundtable on gun violence featuring survivors and city officials just before the onset of the COVID pandemic. Students and staff subsequently contributed to the Facing Gun Violence oral history project, to advocacy campaigns led by Moms Demand Action and the League of Women Voters and to other local, state and national gun safety efforts. In August 2021, the HRC submitted a memo on the human rights implications of youth acquisition, possession, and use of firearms to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Drawing on UD law student research, we identified major regulatory gaps in federal and state gun policies which enable youth gun violence. One key gap concerns the wide differences among states in how residents can report dangerous or threatening behavior by young people who may seek to acquire firearms. Another gap centers on the perplexing fact that youths aged 18-20 are prohibited under federal law from possessing handguns, but are freely permitted in many states to possess more lethal semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15. Such semi-automatic weapons are heavily marketed to young men, and have been used in almost all major mass shootings over the past decade. One predictable response to mass shootings, especially among opponents of strict gun laws, is to look for signs of mental health issues or substance abuse among perpetrators, including youth perpetrators. Leading prevention frameworks rightly regard both of these as risk factors for violence. In some cases, as in the 2019 Dayton mass shooting, investigations found that both factors may have contributed to the perpetrators actions. However, while the contributions of mental health and substance abuse issues vary by case, and while racist, sexist, and other motivations for mass shootings also differ, the clear common denominator is easy access to guns. Research shows that decreasing access to guns reduces gun violence. The contrary argument, that widespread possession of guns increases public safety, simply has no evidentiary basis. Governments have a responsibility to prevent gun violence, because it violates a range of fundamental rights. They also are responsible for conducting thorough investigations in the wake of shootings, and for taking other remedial actions. Shootings violate the right to life, right to health, and right to bodily integrity; they may also undermine the right to assembly, right to freedom of worship, and right to expression. In the US, where firearms recently became the leading cause of death for children, the right to a quality education provided by the government is also undermined. Attacks targeting members of a particular race, gender, or ethnicity, such as this months mass shooting in Buffalo or the August 2019 mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, compound the damage done to individuals rights to equal participation in social, political, and cultural life and to equal protection under the law. Gun violence represents an enduring assault on human life and dignity for the families of victims and survivors. In his contribution to the Facing Gun Violence project, Oregon District shooting survivor Dion Green remarked that this is something Im going to have to live with for the rest of my life. During the past two weeks alone, hundreds more Americans have suffered similar traumas, and awakened to similar realities of what it means to live in a society marked by such a systemic rights violation. International human rights law does not recognize a right to bear arms. In the U.S., both the federal and the various state constitutions establish such a right, but this does not mean that restrictions on firearm usage or ownership cannot be established. At present, however, the legislative processes that might enact such restrictions have broken down completely. Gun safety legislation introduced at the state and federal levels in the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting, the 2017 Parkland shooting and the 2019 Oregon District shooting failed to pass; at the same time, restrictions on the acquisition and use of firearms were loosened in many states. In Ohio, even after the Dayton mass shooting, laws have been enacted that permit Stand Your Ground or Shoot First defenses in criminal trials, and expand residents rights to concealed carry of firearms. Americas courts, like its legislatures, are failing to uphold the human rights of U.S. residents. In March, a federal appeals court overturned Californias state law banning the sale of semiautomatic weapons, such as the AR-15 rifle, to 18- to 20-year-olds. Next month, the US Supreme Court may throw out a New York law that requires residents to show proper cause before receiving a concealed carry permit. The United Nations human rights report mentioned above points out that although mass shootings have taken place in schools in Finland, Germany, Ukraine and Russia over the past decade, the incidence of such attacks in the U.S. is significantly higher than in any other country. The US is a global outlier insofar as its public institutions intentionally sustain a culture of gun violence: prioritizing access to guns, even by youth, over the life and safety of its most vulnerable residents, particularly youth and children. Black, Hispanic, Asian American and Pacific Islander and other communities pay a substantial cost for such policies. Ultimately, the failure of US leaders and institutions to deal with the scourge of gun violence damages the social fabric of American life and jeopardizes the health and well-being of all who call the US home. As declared by the Human Rights Council, the effects of firearms on the enjoyment of human rights are devastating [...] children and youth, the worlds future generations, are the hardest hit. Paul Morrow is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Human Rights Fellow at the University of Dayton Human Rights Center, where he has worked since August 2019. Guinea has announced a 36-month transition period to civilian rule, slightly shorter than what had been proposed by the military chief, but longer than regional leaders have called for. On Wednesday, the National Transition Council (CNT) debated and approved a 36-month timetable presented by the National Rallying Committee for Development, set up by the junta and headed by military leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya. The CNT established to act as parliament until elections are called. Out of 81 members, 73 voted for the text: one was absent, three abstained and four left the chamber in protest. The transition period is slightly shorter than the 39 months that Doumbouya had announced earlier this month, but longer than what regional partners have called for. Doumbouya led a coup last September to oust president Alpha Conde, who had pushed through a new constitution in 2020 that allowed him to run for a third presidential term. Following the coup, the West African bloc Ecowas suspended Guinea, imposed sanctions and called for a return to civilian rule within six months. The bloc warned that sanctions could be widened beyond those imposed on junta members, if the interim government drags its feet. Opposition to the junta Although many Guineans initially welcomed the coup, there is growing discontent against the junta. Earlier on Wednesday, Condes RPG party met with opposition groups and said the CNT did not have the authority to set the transition timetable. It is the first time in years that Conde's party and the opposition have come together to speak with one voice. Rejecting Doumboyas timeline, they called for "the establishment of a real framework for dialogue," including Ecowas, "to decide on a consensual basis on the conditions for a return to constitutional order". Ecowas has not yet reacted to either Doumbouya's 39-month proposal, nor to the NTC's 36-month timeline. Ecowas is trying to speed up the transition to civilian rule in three West African countries that have seen multiple coups since August 2020. Story continues The West African bloc imposed sanctions on Mali after its junta proposed holding on to power until 2025 and has threatened to do the same in Burkina Faso, where coup leaders have laid out a three-year transition timeline. Read more: (with wires) By Simon Johnson and Natalie Grover STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -The European Union is working on a common purchasing agreement for vaccines and antivirals against monkeypox, as cases of the viral disease usually endemic to Africa gather steam in Europe and beyond. A broad consensus was reached in principle with member states for the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) to acquire medical countermeasures on their behalf as soon as possible, a European Commission spokesperson told Reuters, confirming a report by Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter. The EU is in talks to buy Bavarian Nordic's vaccine Imvanex as well as the antiviral, tecovirimat, developed by U.S.-based SIGA Technologies, the paper said, citing Sweden's vaccine coordinator Richard Bergstrom. Bergstrom said that no contract with either firm had yet been signed. "But it will go quickly. We should have a contract ready in a week or so and maybe some limited deliveries in June," the paper quoted him saying. A Bavarian Nordic spokesperson confirmed HERA had contacted the Danish biotechnology company regarding its vaccine. "We've had several calls with HERA...we have no idea when there will be an agreement. It is not up to us to say when there will be an agreement - there are two parties involved," the spokesperson said. If an agreement was in fact reached, Bavarian Nordic had enough supply to satisfy demand, he added. The smallpox and monkeypox viruses are closely related. Bavarian Nordic's vaccine has official European approval for smallpox, although doctors can prescribe it off-label for monkeypox. SIGA's treatment tecovirimat - branded as TPOXX - has European approval for smallpox, monkeypox and cowpox. Global health officials have tracked more than 200 suspected and confirmed cases of the usually mild viral infection in about 20 countries since early May. Symptoms of monkeypox - which can include fever, distinctive rashes and pus-filled skin lesions - can last for two to four weeks, but often resolve on their own. The variant of the virus implicated in the current outbreak is believed to kill a small fraction of those infected. (Reporting by Simon Johnson in Stockholm and Natalie Grover in London; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Nick Macfie) Cameron Humphreys Rangers Credit: PA Images Former Manchester City starlet Cameron Humphreys is set to head back to the UK this summer, with Scottish Premiership giants Rangers keen on a deal, TEAMtalk understands. Central defender Humphreys has a host of clubs looking to seal his signature, and he is a free agent after deciding to leave Belgian club Zulte Waregem after three years. Humphreys, who made his debut for City aged just 17, is now 23 and ready to return home. We understand a host of clubs are taking a close look at Humphreys, including Europa League finalists Rangers. The Ibrox outfit are hunting for a new centre-back over fears that Calvin Bassey could be sold this summer. Newly promoted Bournemouth are also keen along with Huddersfield, Sheffield United, Stoke and Middlesbrough. Humphreys only two appearances for City came in the FA Cup. And while he was a key performer for the club in Premier League 2 he was allowed to leave the club for Belgium in 2019. The centre-back is also a regular for England at youth levels. Thats despite the fact that hes never really been given the chance to shine in his own country. Bassey exit could leave Rangers short Interest from Rangers stems from concerns over Basseys long-term Ibrox future. The powerhouse defender shone on the European stage when he produced an incredible performance in the Europa League final loss to Eintracht Frankfurt. West Ham and Aston Villa have both been linked with Bassey. However, the latter are know likely to be out the race after signing Sevillas Diego Carlos. READ MORE: Gerrard targets reunion with Rangers star Joe Aribo as Aston Villa transfer could cost less than 10m The article Rangers transfer news: Gers target former Man City starlet Cameron Humphreys as Bassey replacement appeared first on Teamtalk.com. WASHINGTON Scott Pruitt, while in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency during the Trump administration, repeatedly pressured his federal security officers to drive at excessive and sometimes dangerous speeds on routine trips, with sirens and emergency lights on, because he had a habit of running late, according to a federal report released Thursday. The security officers said they knew this was a violation of federal policies and endangered public safety, the report said. Among the incidents cited in the report was a 2017 trip in which a special agent drove Pruitt with the lights and sirens going, in the wrong direction into oncoming traffic, to pick up Pruitts dry cleaning, when Pruitt was late for an agency meeting. Advertisement Can you guys use that magic button to get us through traffic? Pruitt would ask members of his security detail, the report said. He would say, Speed it up, or, We need to get there quicker orders that the security agents said they found hard to disobey, even though the lights and sirens were supposed to be used only in emergencies, it said. Reports about this improper use of lights and sirens first became public in 2018, along with other assertions of wrongdoing by Pruitt, including first-class travel back to his home in Oklahoma on government-paid flights and improper use of government funds to build a $43,000 soundproof phone booth inside his office. They ultimately led to his resignation in July 2018. Advertisement But until now, an internal EPA report that substantiated the allegations about the abusive use of lights and sirens on his government-issued car had never been made public, even though it was completed a month before Pruitt resigned. Pruitt, who is now running as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Oklahoma and previously served as the states attorney general, did not respond to a request for comment. The report, by the EPAs criminal enforcement division, was released Thursday as part of a letter the U.S. Office of Special Counsel sent to President Joe Biden summarizing findings from several years of investigations by the EPA into allegations raised by four federal government whistleblowers. Pruitt engaged in improper and excessive spending of agency funds on travel and security; used his official position for his personal benefit and the personal benefit of certain EPA staffers; and endangered public safety, the letter said, citing the complaints filed by the whistleblowers, who were onetime agency employees. Scott Pruitt, who resigned as EPA administrator in July 2018 and is now running for the U.S. Senate in Oklahoma, on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 16, 2018. (Tom Brenner/The New York Times) Henry Kerner, the special counsel, notified Biden that investigations had substantiated many of the whistleblowers allegations of wrongdoing by former administrator Pruitt and by EPA. The EPAs inspector general issued a report in 2019 confirming that Pruitt had spent nearly $124,000 on excessive travel arrangements, including first-class flights and visits to his home in Oklahoma. The report recommended that the agency try to recover the money, although the EPA said it had no intention of doing so. The Government Accountability Office had separately concluded in 2018 that the construction of the soundproof booth, which Pruitt intended to use to make secret calls, broke federal law because the spending had not been properly budgeted. But the formal investigation by the EPAs criminal division into the improper use of lights and sirens on federal government cars an inquiry that included interviews with at least five EPA special agents as well as Pruitts deputy chief of staff had never been released. Advertisement Many of the agents told the investigators that they had felt pressured by Pruitt to use the lights and sirens, describing him as perpetually late and successful in convincing younger agents to violate agency policy that they be used only in emergencies. Just because the administrator makes himself late for an appointment does not constitute us to arbitrarily turn on lights and sirens to get him to his next appointment timely, one agent told investigators. These demands included racing through a four-block trip to the White House from the agencys headquarters, as well as a trip to Colorado, with one former deputy chief of staff to Pruitt describing the driving with sirens and lights as overly obnoxious, excessive, and more dangerous to everyone. Concern about these demands became so intense that one member of the security detail refused to turn on the lights and sirens, and then was removed from his job, the investigators found. The administrator was visibly upset and was silent for an uncomfortable time in the car, the report said, noting that after the officer was moved, the message to the staff was clear. If you didnt perform the bidding of the administrator, you would lose your job, the investigative report said, quoting a special agent. Finally, an agency supervisor told the members of Pruitts security detail to disable/unplug the lights and sirens so they wouldnt use them because the administrator will still instruct they be used, but the agent can say they dont work, the report said. The agency now mandates that any violations of the siren policy be reported internally. The names of the four whistleblowers were not disclosed in the letter to Biden, and a spokesperson for the EPA said the agency, now under new leadership, had no comment on the matter. But Kevin Chmielewski, a former political aide to former President Donald Trump and Pruitt, confirmed to The New York Times that he was among the whistleblowers. Advertisement He is still suing the EPA with the help of a nonprofit whistleblower group, the Government Accountability Project, although the Justice Department, even under Biden, is trying to dismiss the matter. The department has argued that with the Trump administration over, the agency is not going to give him back his job as a political appointee. Chmielewski said that he was glad to see these new details finally being made public but that he was disappointed that Pruitt had paid no price, other than harm to his reputation. It is almost a kick in the face, said Chmielewski, 43, who said he has been unable to get a new job with the federal government or national political campaigns since he first went public with the allegations in 2018. He now works as a general manager of a restaurant near Ocean City, Maryland, earning less than one-third of his former federal government wages. c.2022 The New York Times Company Waco police arrested a man Wednesday night in a drive-by shooting that sent a woman to a local hospital earlier this month, officials announced. Timothy Coaster, 20, of Waco, remained jailed Thursday on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault causing bodily injury. A woman was wounded in what police said was a drive-by shooting at about 3 a.m. May 15 in the 2900 block of Morrow Avenue. She was taken to a local hospital and is still recovering from her injuries, Waco police spokesperson Cierra Shipley said Thursday. Police are unsure if Coaster and the victim knew each other, Shipley said. The incident marked the sixth time a person was shot this month in the Brookview area, north of Waco Drive between North 26th Street and North 34th Street. Shipley said earlier this month that the shootings are being investigated separately. Coaster remained in McLennan County Jail on Thursday with bond listed at $100,000. Waco police encourage anyone with information related to violent crimes to call the department at 254-750-7500. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Waco Crime Stoppers, with rewards up to $2,000 possible if the tip leads to an arrest. Crime Stoppers can be contacted at 254-753-4357 or at wacocrimestoppers.org. 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 names of two McLennan County veterans who were killed in Iraq, names unintentionally left off a monument erected in 2018 to those from the county killed in the Gulf War, the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War, have been inscribed on this monument. Army Spc. Javier A. Villanuevas and Army Spc. Jeffrey P. Shaffers names will be unveiled on Memorial Day in a small, private event just for their loved ones and family members, said Steve Hernandez, co-chair of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8564. VFW Post 8564 and Phipps Memorial coordinated the monument initially, said Larry Bethea, committee chair with VFW Post 8564. Phipps made the donation to erect this monument on Memorial Day in 2018 as well as one listing McLennan County veterans killed in the Korean War. The VFW post compiled the names. We want pay homage to the family members (on Monday), Hernandez said. The main Memorial Day ceremony will be in Hewitt Park at 10 a.m. Villanueva Villanuevas mother, Christine Lebron, said his name should have been included with the rest of those on the monument when it was first erected. Im really grateful theyre doing it (inscribing his name) now, Lebron said. She said her son should be honored for the soldier he was. Villaneuva, who graduated from La Vega High School, served with 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment as a combat medic when he died Nov. 24, 2005, in Asad, Iraq, according to an Army site about the medical clinic named for him at Fort Irwin, California. He died at the age of 25. He received fatal injuries the day before when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat in Hit, Iraq, according to the Army site. He was a medic, he saved a lot of lives, Lebron said. He fought and died for his country. He is greatly missed by his family and friends. Javier Villanueva also had a daughter before he died, Taliyah Villanueva, Lebron said. Shaffer Shaffers mother, Melissa Adams, said it is important to her for people to say Shaffers name and remember him. Now that his name is on the monument, people will, she said. They may not know him personally, but they will know he died fighting a war for this country, Adams said. People will have the sense of what he did, she said. Shaffer, who grew up in West, died at the age of 21 on Sept. 13, 2006, in Ramadi, Iraq, according to records. He was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment when a makeshift bomb exploded near his Bradley fighting vehicle. Adding the names In 2020, Adams said Lebron called her and told her both of their sons names were missing. The two mothers reported it to county veterans officials who held a special ceremony with the public driving past to show respect because of COVID-19 restrictions. Bathea said he and his VFW post committee began to look into Villanueva and Shaffer a few weeks ago to confirm they were actually from McLennan County. Before we (add) a name on the monument, we verify that they were born in McLennan County or went to school here, Bathea said. Adams said she and Lebron both had to provide proof to Batheas committee of where Shaffer was born and where he went to school. The called me to verify where he was born and where he went to school, Lebron said. Adams remains upset that her sons and Lebrons sons names were left off the monument. Our boys were born in Waco and they deserve respect, Adams said. At the time the monument was initially erected, County Veteran Service Officer Jeremiah Ballard said the names etched into it were taken from National Archives and Records Administration information. According to those records, the Army listed Villanueva as being from Temple and Shaffer from Arkansas. That is why neither was included initially. Adams maintains that Hernandez knew her from day one. She said that as a co-chair of the committee that put the monument together initially, he should have made sure her sons name was on it. At the time, Ballard said he expected residents to come forward with more names of family members who should be included, and officials would welcome those additions. Hernandez said that after Lebron and Adams brought their sons omission from the monument to his and Batheas attention, COVID-19 lockdowns hit. Then came the gamma wave, the delta wave, and omicron. A few weeks ago was the first time he and Bathea could get the committee together to discuss Villanuevas and Shaffers cases. Bathea said he was pleasantly surprised that Phipps Memorial was able to get the names inscribed last week. Keeping their (Shaffers and Villanuevas) names going, keeps their legacy going, Adams 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. 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. Police body-worn camera video released by the ACLU shows the arrest of Julie Campos on June 2, 2020 at a Family Dollar store in Chicagos Grand Crossing neighborhood. Campos has filed a federal lawsuit against two Chicago police officers and the city alleging she was assaulted and falsely arrested while trying to clean the store she worked at following the 2020 riots. (Chicago Police Department) A Chicago woman filed a federal lawsuit Thursday alleging she was falsely arrested and assaulted by a Chicago police officer while trying to clean a store where she worked during 2020s unrest and mass looting in the city. The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court by lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union names two police officers, Eric Taylor and Treacher Howard, and the city of Chicago. The woman, Julie Campos, then 19, was working at a Family Dollar in the Grand Crossing neighborhood on June 2, 2020, eight days after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer. She and her co-workers were called in to clean up the store after it was burglarized. Advertisement I just want police officers to be held accountable for their actions for a situation that people dont really speak up about, Campos, now 21, said in a Tribune interview. The suit claims Taylor falsely arrested Campos and that he and his partner, Howard, fabricated information in their police report. The lawsuit also alleges the officers violated Campos right to record police officers and the department still has a code of silence, an unspoken practice where officers protect each other from misconduct allegations. Advertisement A spokeswoman for the citys Law Department said via email the department had not yet been officially served with the lawsuit as of Thursday afternoon. Upon receipt, the complaint will be reviewed, the spokeswoman said in the email. We will have no further comment as the matter is now in litigation. The officers were at the store around 11:40 a.m. for reasons that are not clear, according to the lawsuit. Campos said in an interview that the officers werent called to the store, but officers told the employees there would be officers there throughout the day to check on them and make sure no one else tried to go inside the store. At the time of the incident, Campos was living in a shelter and had only recently started working at the Family Dollar as a cashier, she said. When Taylor and Howard arrived, Taylor began to argue with one of the stores assistant managers who was upset that the officers were there and had requested a supervisor, the lawsuit said. Taylor and the assistant manager began yelling profanities at each other, which was captured on Taylors body camera. It was really surprising to see, especially a police officer behave that way, Campos said. Because thats just not the image that people have of police officers So for that to be my first interaction with a police officer, just seeing how he was speaking, his tone, everything he was saying, it was just surprising and scary because its like youre supposed to be here to serve and protect, and you know, youre not. Youre doing the opposite. Campos was inside the store when she heard yelling coming from the parking lot, the suit said. When Campos went outside and saw Taylor arguing with the assistant manager, she began filming police with her cellphone. The two continued arguing while Campos and others went back into the store to continue cleaning, according to the court document. Campos made several trips throughout the open back door to carry collapsed boxes to a dumpster in the parking lot, while the two officers waited there for backup to arrive, the lawsuit said. Advertisement After additional officers arrived, Taylor stormed toward the back door of the store, and when he approached the door, Campos was standing in the doorway holding collapsed boxes, the lawsuit said. Campos froze and was confused about why Taylor was coming toward her, and then he pushed her out the doorway, hitting her in the face. I just remember instantly I started crying because he hit me in my face, and everybody was confused about what had happened, Campos told the Tribune. Taylor had been looking for the assistant manager to arrest him, but Campos did not know this, the lawsuit said. Campos took out her phone and began livestreaming on Facebook Live. This police officer just punched me in the face! she said while recording, according to the lawsuit. After unsuccessfully searching for the assistant manager, Taylor turned toward Campos and said, (You) know what shes going for obstruction, the lawsuit said. Advertisement Campos was arrested and put in a squad car after Taylor said she jumped in front of him as he was trying to make an arrest, the lawsuit said. Campos was then held in the Gresham District stations lockup for about five hours. She did not have her phone, so she was unable to tell friends or family where she was or arrange for someone to pick her then 1-year-old son up from day care. Campos said that the co-worker she gave her phone to kept recording as she was arrested and was telling the people watching the stream to call her family. Her Facebook friends kept trying to tag her family members and her sons dad, and her friends eventually found her by calling different police stations. Her sons dad was able to pick him up, and he eventually picked her up from the station. I didnt have a good relationship with my family or my sons dad, so I didnt know my sons dad was going to go pick him up, she told the Tribune. It was just scary to come out because Im really bad with streets and knowing where I am so if it wasnt for my sons dad being there, I dont even know how I would have gotten home. In August 2020, the charge against Campos was dismissed by the Cook County states attorneys office, the lawsuit said. Its important, we think, for the public to know that this problem of officers engaging in false arrests is widespread throughout CPD, but could be prevented through proper training of officers, and supervising officers arrest reports to make sure that the bases for arrests reflect the reality, and not the kind of false statements, which these officers put in their arrest reports, said Joshua Levin, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Illinois. Advertisement Levin said Taylor particularly should not have been on the street given he has received 28 civilian complaints of misconduct, which is more than 93% of other officers, according to the lawsuit. Campos, who now lives in Little Village, said shes worried about her son growing up as a man of color and interacting with the police. Now, I dont even like looking at police officers, she said. They think people should be scared of them. And were not supposed to be scared of them. pfry@chicagotribune.com Twitter @paigexfry BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) An Alabama man who pleaded guilty to using bank fraud to live an opulent lifestyle that included a private jet and luxury cars like Ferraris and Lamborghinis was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to pay $12 million in restitution, prosecutors said Thursday. Christopher A. Montalbano, 39, of Vestavia Hills pulled off the scheme over a four-year period that ended in 2020, authorities said in a statement. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy, bank fraud and money laundering in November and was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Annemarie Axon. Montalbano used shell companies to take out more than 140 loans worth millions from at least 20 institutions, prosecutors said in a statement. The money went to finance an extravagant lifestyle that included two homes, farmland and multiple real estate holdings in addition to the high-end cars and a jet with a private pilot. An attorney for Montalbano didn't immediately return an email seeking comment. Montalbano's father, 77-year-old Gus Montalbano of Vestavia Hills, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and awaits sentencing. The older man participated in the scheme to a lesser extent at the behest of his son, said his lawyer, Tommy Spina. He trusted his son, Spina said. The younger man covered up what was going on by creating fake company websites that included photos of heavy equipment, boats and other expensive items, prosecutors said. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. WATERLOO Almost 1 in 4 Iowans live in a child care desert an area with a shortage of licensed providers. In rural Iowa, its 1 in 3. State Sen. Liz Mathis, running to represent Iowas second congressional district in the U.S. House, visited with members of Hawkeye Community College and child care workers to discuss the deserts. The daycare at Hawkeyes Van G. Miller Adult Learning Center holds 56 kids, from birth to age 5. The center is no stranger to the child care shortage. In 2019, it lost seven workers. In 2020, it lost 14. Mary Janssen, children and family services director for Child Care Resources & Referral of Northeast Iowa, said workers left for higher pay or more benefits. I think COVID-19 changed child care forever. I really do, Janssen said. She said they saw a workforce shortage before the pandemic, but COVID-19 exacerbated the issue. Earlier this month, the Iowa Legislature approved a bill with mostly Republican support intended to help child care centers address staffing shortages. The bill, yet to be signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to work unsupervised. It would also allow child care centers to operate with one worker for every seven 2-year-olds and one worker for every 10 3-year-olds. This comes after Gov. Reynolds awarded $37 million in child care grants to projects to create nearly 5,200 new child care slots across Iowa. The Iowa Workforce Development said $26.9 million will come from the Department of Human Services funds, $3 million from the Legislatures Child Care Challenge Fund, and $6.7 million in American Rescue Plan funds. But Mathis said that isnt working. Her next step, if elected, would be to get sustainable child care for Iowa, which she said should also be dependable and safe. Mathis added that Reynolds solution to change age requirements for child care workers wasnt in her recommendations. A bill Mathis supported was converting abandoned school buildings into child care centers. She said the bill would have incentivized business leaders in rural communities to buy the buildings. People located in rural towns, theres no child care and where they work is 30 minutes away, she said. Then they end up taking their kids to where theyre working instead of where theyre living, so we thought it would be a great idea to do that. Mathis said the problem with the bill is that the abandoned schools are on large amounts of property, which would lead to higher property taxes that exceed business expectations. Iowa Republicans didnt pick up the bill. In Waterloo, the City Council is working on a plan to incentivize new at-home child care service, where a tax credit could be applied to a property. Incentives would extend to licensed preschools and child care centers, as well as home providers who register with the Iowa Department of Human Services. The incentive was unanimously approved in May of last year. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 TRIPOLI Authorities have filed more charges against a Tripoli man awaiting trial for sexual abuse. On Thursday, the Bremer County Sheriffs Office announced deputies charged Tracy Vern Buchholz, 51, with one count of third-degree sexual abuse. He is accused of abusing a female acquaintance at the Sweet Marsh wildlife area northeast of Tripoli on April 25. Deputies were notified of the incident on May 7. Buchholz is currently awaiting trial for third-degree sexual abuse in another attack. He is accused of entering a rural Bremer County business Feb. 8 and groping a female employee against her will while she was working alone. He was arrested in that case May 9. 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. WATERLOO One person was injured in an overnight shooting in Waterloo on Thursday. Details werent available, but police said the man was walking in the 1000 block of Kern Street around 8:45 p.m. Thursday when he was shot in the leg. He was taken to UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital by private vehicle and doctors treated him for the injuries, which police said werent life-threatening. Officers found three spent shell casings at the shooting scene. No arrests have been made and police continue to investigate. Love 0 Funny 10 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 4 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WATERLOO The community is preparing to celebrate Memorial Day throughout the city, with reminders of the sacrifices of Americas armed forces front and center. At 10 a.m. Monday, the Disabled American Veterans will preside over the 2022 Memorial Day Parade. The parade will go from the Wells Fargo Bank at the Corner of Sixth and Commercial streets and continue down Commercial to Fourth Street, crossing the Cedar River. According to Dave Grimm, adjutant treasurer of Disabled American Veterans, the parade was originally scheduled to turn at Sycamore Street but is now being extended to Mulberry Street. It will then go down to Fifth Street and back across the river along Fifth to Commercial. The parade will conclude behind the bank where it started This is to honor veterans, past and present, and their sacrifice and their families sacrifice, Grimm said of the days events. Thats the entire reason for Memorial Day. At 11 a.m., the DAV also will hold a Memorial Day ceremony at Veterans Memorial Hall. Lt. Col. Garrett Gingrich, commanding officer of the Waterloo-based Iowa Army National Guards 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, also known as the Ironman Battalion, will act as the keynote speaker. Other speeches and prayers will be given, as well, along with music, a rifle salute and a waterfront ceremony. Black Hawk County Supervisor Craig White will read off a list of the Honored Deaths, those veterans in the area who died in the last year. In addition, the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum will be open at 11 a.m. with hands-on activities and the opportunity to take photos with World War I-era doughboys, soldiers and other costumed staff. Free food with paid admission is available to first 100 guests. Admission is $6 for children ages 4-13 and $12 for those 14 and older. Veterans get free admission. As a Blue Star Museum, active duty servicemembers and up to five of their family will also receive free admission through Labor Day. This story has been updated to correct the time of the ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Hall. 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. CEDAR FALLS The U.S. Marine Corps Office in Cedar Falls has welcomed a new recruiter. Staff Sgt. Joseph Stewart arrived from Lisbon on April 1 and will now be at the office, 226 B Brandilynn Blvd., answering questions and explaining the process for a four-year enlistment from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. A third recruiter also will join the team in July, according to station commander Sgt. Corey Ridgway. When not at the office, Stewart says, he and Ridgway are just like everyone else, having already checked out popular restaurants like Tonys Pizzeria, Starbecks Smokehouse and Lark Brewing. Were not that scary, Stewart quipped. Just come and talk to us. No matter which branch of service people consider, there tends to be a fear of combat. That shouldnt be what stops you from joining. The Marine Corps offers recruits an opportunity to learn trade skills like welding and machinery repair, Stewart said, that can set them apart from their counterparts when seeking jobs after their time in the service. And you dont have to pay for any of it, Stewart said. He emphasized some certifications are valid in all 50 states. Its 100% paid for all the benefits, you name it, you dont have to pay for it, he said. The Marine Corps provides a full benefits package including salary, medical, housing, and vacation, according to its website. People come into the Marine Corps with zero confidence and they leave with all the confidence in the world, he added. Stewart noted that after enlistment, the Marine Corps takes care of ones family, too, extending benefits such as medical and dental insurance to spouses and children. Anyone from 17 to 28 years old can join. Besides having a high school diploma, general physical and mental requirements must be met. Additionally, recruits must pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test. No upfront financial incentive is offered. We get all walks of life, Stewart said. And Im super excited to meet everyone. Stewart recognizes a majority of the people who walk inside the office wont sign up. But he takes pride in sharing what options they do have. Marine Corps is for everyone, he added. Everyone is not for the Marine Corps. His territory encompasses Waterloo and Cedar Falls and stretches as far as Grundy Center, Hudson, Charles City and Iowa Falls. Four local 2022 high school graduates have decided to enlist: Garrett Johnson and Brandon Huitzil from West High School and Carson Cross and Isaiah Auge from Cedar Falls High School. 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 Spring grants awarded by the Otto Schoitz Foundation will provide funding for affordable homes in the Walnut neighborhood and a new Tri-County Head Start playground as well as many other efforts aimed at the Cedar Valleys well-being. The foundation announced awards of $1.8 million to 19 organizations providing meaningful and lasting impact to the community, a news release said. As invested members of the community, the Otto Schoitz Foundation leaders are proud of our partner organizations working to improve the health and well-being in the Cedar Valley for all, board chairperson Eric Locke said in the release. The revitalization efforts in the Walnut neighborhood have been tremendous and we are excited to be part of that positive momentum going forward. Safe and affordable housing is fundamental to a persons well-being, he noted. In fact, each of our Spring 2022 grant partners are making significant impact on the quality of life in the Cedar Valley by reducing existing disparities and creating new opportunities. Its largest award, nearly $1.01 million, is going to Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity to support construction and rehabilitation of 14 safe and affordable homes over the next three years. The grant continues investment in the historic Walnut neighborhood as access to affordable housing remains a high need in Black Hawk County. The National Low Income Housing Coalition reports that our community lacks over 1,600 affordable housing units and nearly 2,000 local families are severely cost-burdened by housing, according to the release. Reducing disparities, including inequities in housing, is a priority for the Otto Schoitz Foundation. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau illustrates the homeownership disparity; Black Americans have the lowest rate of home ownership, compared to other racial groups a statistic that holds true in Black Hawk County. Tri-County Child and Family Development Council has purchased a building in the historic Church Row neighborhood and will open an expanded Head Start facility in Fall 2022 serving 150 children of families all at or below federal poverty guidelines. Foundation funding of $50,000 will help build a natural playground at the new location. Tri-County is the largest Head Start provider in the state, serving over 900 preschoolers in Black Hawk County alone. According to the Black Hawk County Child Care Coalition, the childcare needs of thousands are not met and employers identify child care as a barrier to employee retention. The North End Cultural Center is receiving $60,000 to assist in hiring professional staff; continuing the popular North End Fest and Hip Hop Literacy programs; and expanding its education, theater and music programs for all ages. The center works on the citys northeast side, a predominately Black and historically marginalized community. The release noted that diverse artistic endeavors are central to the well being of communities. Neighborhoods with greater cultural resources have less crime and incidents of child abuse, which is documented in a study by the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice. One City United was awarded $20,000 to help the organization equip unemployed people with the tools needed for employability and connect them with employment opportunities. Through its Momentum program, adults with two or more barriers to employment (like a criminal record or substance use history) are provided with the education, skill-building, and self-confidence needed to become sustainably employed. Additional grants awarded were: $4,157 to Americans for Independent Living. $13,861 to the Cedar Valley Bicycle Collective. $15,000 to Exceptional Persons, Inc. $10,000 to Eye of the Needle. $35,000 to Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. $75,000 to Grin & Grow Child Care. $75,000 to the Grout Museum District. $20,000 to the Leader Valley Foundation. $10,000 to Lutheran Services in Iowa. $21,000 to North Star Community Services, Inc. $30,000 to Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging, Inc. $75,000 to SuccessLinks school-based health centers. $25,000 to The Job Foundation. $150,000 to the University of Northern Iowa Foundation. $30,000 to the Waterloo Housing Trust Fund. 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. Friday marks the official start of summer beach season and the city is facing a severe, widespread lifeguard shortage that could result in closed beaches and pools later this year. Chicago Park District officials are hoping an added $500 bonus for new seasonal lifeguards will boost a recent recruitment push to fill the 587 lifeguard positions it needs for a full staff. Advertisement As of May 16, 686 people had applied for the position of lifeguard but none had been hired, according to the Park District. Before they can be hired, lifeguard candidates must earn their certification from the American Red Cross, which only recently resumed training classes following a complete halt during the pandemic shutdown. Complicating recruitment efforts is that the search comes on the heels of a sweeping lifeguard sex abuse scandal that led to a shake-up at the Park District last fall following revelations that the former head of the district failed to properly forward allegations of sex abuse against lifeguard supervisors. Advertisement Chicago Park District lifeguard Johanna Leiva, middle kneeling, demonstrates CPR technique and the use of an automated external defibrillator as other lifeguards look on at North Avenue Beach on May 20, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) The country is already facing a national lifeguard shortage attributed, in part, to COVID-19 lockdowns that reduced the in-person training required for certification, as well as travel restrictions that drastically decreased the number of international students who work as lifeguards each summer, industry experts said. Public and private pools and aquatic centers across the country and locally, including in Oak Park and Aurora, have had to change their hours or close altogether, according to published reports. Here we are. Weve already had hot days and there arent enough people in the pipeline, said Juanita Irizarry, executive director of Friends of the Parks, an advocacy organization. Irizarry said she is worried the scandal had hurt the reputation of the districts lifeguard program at a time when restless teenagers were expected to hit the beaches with renewed vigor following the forced lockdowns that took them away from friends. With Chicagos beaches opening Friday, along with pools scheduled to open June 24, the dearth of lifeguards doesnt bode well for beaches and pools across the area during the first summer without pandemic restrictions. No beaches are expected to be closed on opening day, Park District officials said, but if there are closures, the districts website will be updated and alerts sent to the media. Lifeguard stations are seen at Chicago's North Avenue Beach on May 20, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Six people have already died in suspected drownings in Lake Michigan this year, according to the nonprofit Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, which tracks drownings in the Great Lakes. Irizarry is encouraging the Park District to invest in alternate ways to help stop drownings. She pointed to a recent installation of life safety rings along the lakefront as an example of alternative solutions. Maybe this issues even bigger than lifeguards. What other things can the Park District be doing to prevent drownings? she said. Because people will be out on the beach. Weve been cooped up with COVID and theres going to be a lot of people on the beach and theres not going to be enough lifeguards. The district announced the $500 bonus as part of its I Am a Chicago Lifeguard recruitment campaign, which puts a spotlight on the varied skills needed for lifeguard work. Seasonal lifeguard applicants 16 and older must pass a skills test to become certified and the new bonus is supposed to help defray the approximately $100 cost for Red Cross certification training, city officials said. Seasonal lifeguards make $15.88 an hour. Advertisement The plan comes under Superintendent Rosa Escareno, who stepped in last October after her predecessor, Mike Kelly, resigned following a probe by the Park Districts Office of Inspector General that found Kelly waited six months before forwarding an accusation of an inappropriate relationship with an underage former seasonal employee and an adult supervisor. Chicago public radio station WBEZ was the first to report the scandal. An advertisement to apply to be a lifeguard at Fullerton Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive in Chicago on May 24, 2022. Chicago beaches open on Friday. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) The American Red Cross of Greater Chicago is also encouraging area youth and young adults to take lifeguard classes for the lifesaving skills that can be gained. Red Cross training courses teach prospective lifeguards about water rescues, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. These are life skills that we want as many people as possible to have, so its definitely an important thing to consider for yourself, for your kids and your family, Red Cross spokeswoman Holly Baker said. The district is also offering a $200 bonus to other seasonal staff including young laborers and attendants. Irizarry applauded the Park Districts outreach, saying the jobs were desperately needed for the citys unemployed youth, particularly with recent incidents of large teen crowds that led Mayor Lori Lightfoot to institute a 10 p.m. curfew for minors following a fatal shooting near the Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park. Friends of the Parks would hope that if (the Park District) have to make tough decisions about where to invest in new lifeguards, we think about how youth in this city need appropriate outlets, she said, and try to put programs in place in communities where kids are most underserved and communities (that) mostly need positive outlets. Advertisement wlee@chicagotribune.com Twitter @Midnoircowboy DES MOINES (AP) About 400 workers at Planned Parenthood offices in five states said Thursday they plan to unionize as their employer deals with the potential loss of business in states where abortions may become illegal if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling. Workers for Planned Parenthood North Central States in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota said they have signed cards showing majority support for unionization, and on Thursday they formally filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, said Ashley Schmidt, a training and development specialist for Nebraska and western Iowa. They plan to join SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union that has about 1 million members in 29 states, including doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians. SEIU locals represent Planned Parenthood workers in other regions, including those serving Oregon and Washington, New York, and Washington, D.C. Union organizing in a variety of fields has gained momentum recently after a decades of decline in union membership in the U.S. The Biden administration has been supportive of efforts to expand unions, and organizers have worked to establish unions at companies including Amazon, Starbucks, outdoors retailer REI and Google parent company Alphabet. The Planned Parenthood workers seeking to join the union in the Midwest include nurses, education outreach workers, community organizers and other nonmanagement employees at 28 clinics in the five states. They provide services such as reproductive care, cancer screening and abortions. On a call with reporters Thursday, employees discussed concerns about unequal pay for similar positions in different locations, lower pay than other health care providers, high turnover due to exhaustion and burnout, and a feeling that management doesnt always listen to worker concerns. Unfortunately, I have seen many of these people move on after their ideas and concerns went unheard by the executive team for far too long. Across our affiliate both clinical and administrative staff are overworked, underpaid and undervalued, said Sadie Brewer, a registered nurse who provides abortion services at a St. Paul, Minnesota, clinic. Molly Gage, a human resources vice president for Planned Parenthood North Central States, said the organization prioritizes autonomy and choice in peoples personal lives and respects that same right for workers. We support our employees, and its up to them to decide if and how they want to be represented by a union. We look forward to continuing the conversation with staff about how we can best serve patients throughout this pivotal moment for abortion access, Gage said in a statement. Workers began discussing unionizing last year, before a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion surfaced indicating the court may allow states to ban or strictly limit abortion availability, said April Clark, a registered nurse and a senior training specialist at an eastern Iowa clinic. Clark said the potential for changes in abortion law makes joining the union more important for workers. We know it means were going to be faced with stress not only for patients but for staff in the upcoming months if Roe does get overturned, she said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 As a child war survivor, I never imagined I would see what's happening in Europe today: countries going through old tunnels, military exercises and food shortage concerns, NATO soldiers walking on the streets of my native country of Bosnia as threats of another war emerge. Many people have asked me: "I'm praying for Ukraine, what else can we do to help?" My response: Vote! Vote for candidates that will support NATO and America's leadership in the world. The good news is Iowa has one of the best candidates that has ever run for U.S. Senate in Admiral Mike Franken. His 40 years of service is what we need in this critical moment in history. Right now, bombs are being dropped on innocent people. There are children out there wondering: When is it going to stop? When are the good guys going to help us? I understand those thoughts and fears all too well. Once upon a time, I was one of those children. It is important that America maintain its leadership in the world, and that is why I am compelled to use my voice to urge you to vote for Admiral Mike Franken on June 7. Anesa Kajtazovic, Waterloo Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Briefing by Russian Defence Ministry The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation in Ukraine. High-precision air-based missiles have hit 48 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, 2 artillery batteries, and 2 ammunition depots near Nikolaevka and Berestovoe in Donetsk Peoples Republic during the day. 1 Ukrainian electronic reconnaissance centre near Dneprovskoe, Nikolaev Region, has been destroyed, including 11 servicemen from the combat unit, as well as 15 foreign engineering specialists who arrived with security guards. In addition, 1 Osa-AKM anti-aircraft missile system launcher has been destroyed near Nikolaevka in Donetsk Peoples Republic, and 1 radar of the Ukrainian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system near Chuhuev in Kharkov region. Operational-tactical and army aviation have hit 49 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, 2 mortar crews, as well as 1 depot of missile and artillery weapons and ammunition. The attacks have resulted in the elimination of more than 350 nationalists and up to 96 armoured and motor vehicles. Russian air defence means have shot down 1 Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter over Husarovka, Kharkov Region. 1 Ukrainian Air Force military transport aircraft delivering ammunition and weapons has been also shot down in mid-air near Kremidovka, Odessa Region. In addition, 13 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles have been shot down near Zelenyi Gai in Kherson Region, Bolshie and Malye Prokhody, Gavrilovka, Veseloe in Kharkov Region, and Epifanovka and Kirovsk in Lugansk Peoples Republic, including 2 Soviet-made Tu-143 Reis jets near Melovatka in Lugansk Peoples Republic. Missile troops and artillery have hit 62 command posts, 407 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, 47 artillery and mortar units at firing positions, as well as 3 ammunition depots. Units and military equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces 10th Mountain Assault Brigade, which arrived to reinforce the Ukrainian grouping in Donbass, have been destroyed during unloading near Pokrovsk railway station in Donetsk Peoples Republic. In total, 179 Ukrainian airplanes and 127 helicopters, 1,019 unmanned aerial vehicles, 323 anti-aircraft missile systems, 3,266 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 433 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,682 field artillery and mortars, as well as 3,190 units of special military vehicles were destroyed during the operation. #MoD #Russia #Ukraine #Briefing @mod_russia_en WtR The Russian Defence Ministry continues to study materials on the implementation of military biological programs of the United States and its NATO allies on the territory of Ukraine. Under the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons, each State Party submits an annual report in the form of a declaration of compliance with the requirements of the convention. It is currently the only reporting document on the implementation of the Convention in the framework of the Confidence Building Measures. Due to the investigation of US military and biological activities on the territory of Ukraine, we have analysed the documents sent by these states to the UN. It should be noted that neither Ukraine nor the United States provided information on cooperative biological research and development in the area of biological protection in the said submissions (in Form A, Part 2 i). Also, Poland and Germany have not declared engagement with Ukraine in their reports. In addition, in these reports (Form F) for the period from 2016 to 2020, Ukraine states that: The Government of Ukraine has not conducted and is not conducting any offensive or defensive activities in the framework of biological research and development programmes. The Government of Ukraine does not have any information on such activities of the former USSR on the territory of Ukraine since January 1, 1946. This contradicts a May 20, 2022 statement by Lewis Gitter, U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the OSCE, that assistance to Kiev is aimed at reducing biological and veterinary risks, as well as securing the illegal stockpiles of biological weapons left behind by the USSR. In addition, there are numerous inconsistencies in Ukraines reporting. Thus, the Confidence Building Measures form A for 2020 declares the complete absence of national biosecurity programmes. The Research Institute of Microbial Strain Biotechnology in Kiev, as a participant in the biological defence programme, is listed in part 2 i of this form. In addition, the characteristics of the facility (area of laboratory facilities, number of staff) do not match the information previously submitted by Ukraine. The question arises: Why did the US and Ukraines reporting documents to the UN not include work under the joint military-biological projects codenamed UP? Such secrecy is another reason to think about the true goals of the Pentagon in Ukraine. The official documents before you confirm that the Pentagon, represented by the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), is organising work with a clear military-biological focus. Note the memorandum prepared by the Office of the US Secretary of Defense regarding the UP-2 project to map highly dangerous pathogens in Ukraine. The document notes that the main objective of this project is to collect information on the molecular composition of pathogens specific to Ukraine and to transfer samples of strains. Separately, it is emphasised that this work should be in line with the main guidelines for the Ukraine Cooperative Threat Reduction Programme on Preventing the Spread of Biological Weapons on November 29, 2005. A similar memorandum was prepared as part of the UP-1 project to study rickettsia and other diseases spread by arthropods. The document notes the need to transfer all collections of highly dangerous pathogens to a central reference laboratory in order to facilitate their orderly export to the USA. As part of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Programme, an extensive UP-4 project was carried out to investigate the possibility of spreading highly dangerous infections through migratory birds. Documents received show that 991 biological samples were collected between November 2019 and January 2020 alone. A total of ten such projects (including UP-3, UP-6, UP-8, UP-10) have been reported to have involved work with pathogens of particularly dangerous and economically important infections Congo-Crimean fever, leptospirosis, tick-borne encephalitis and African swine fever. Today, we would also like to draw attention to the numerous breaches of safety requirements in Ukrainian laboratories. For example, work with dangerous pathogens under Pentagon control in Kharkov, Kiev and a number of other cities was carried out in laboratories with insufficient staff protection. However, according to official data, only three laboratories with a BSL-3 biosafety level are authorised to conduct such tests. These are the Odessa Anti-Plague Institute, the Lvov Research Institute of Epidemiology and Hygiene and the Public Health Centre in Kiev. The Security Service of Ukraine noted the preconditions for the emergence of biological threats due to systematic violations and poor quality of work in the reconstruction of biolaboratories. Black & Veatch, for example, declared that it spent UAH 37.8m on upgrading three veterinary laboratories in 2013. An independent expert review found that the actual cost of the work was overstated compared to the reported costs by UAH 17.7 millions. This difference was reportedly sent to the accounts of fictitious companies such as Golden Ukraine, BK Profbudinvest and Capital Trade Agency, which further confirms the use of grey financial schemes in the personal interests of US and Ukrainian officials. It is noteworthy that the US handlers demanded that the reference laboratory in Merefa be given a higher level of biosecurity. The Kharkovproject organisation said that this was not possible under the prevailing conditions and refused to approve the project. However, the regional administration decided to go ahead with the reconstruction. The facility was commissioned in circumvention of biosafety regulations and requirements. In doing so, the Pentagons total cost for its modernisation was around $15 million. But where the funds really went is unknown. Note the report of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine on the results of an inspection of the strain collection of the Ukrainian anti-plague institute in Odessa, which totalled 654 samples. There were 32 strains of anthrax, 189 of tularemia, 11 of brucellosis and 422 of cholera in storage at the facility. The report shows gross violations of storage conditions for micro-organisms, lack of access control and management systems and inadequate ventilation systems. In April 2017, there was a case of internal laboratory infection with tick-borne encephalitis in one of the institutes laboratories as a result of a safety violation. According to eyewitness accounts of an incident that took place in 2021, an employee of a biolaboratory removed several vials containing dangerous microorganisms from the institutions premises. The consequences of such cases can only be guessed at. It should be noted that all violations occurred during the period of the US bio-threat reduction programme. This demonstrates that Washingtons officially declared goals are merely a screen for the implementation of illegal military-biological activities in Ukraine. The neglect of pathogens, the unprofessionalism and corruption of the executive branch, and the destructive influence of US handlers pose a direct threat to Ukrainian and European civilians. Russian Defence Ministry experts have confirmed that Ukrainian biolaboratories are connected to the global communicable disease surveillance system. The backbone of this network, which has been formed by the Pentagon since 1997, is the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (Maryland). It includes land and naval laboratories as well as military bases around the world. It should be noted that the deployment of such a network follows a typical scenario. The Americans are initially concerned about the state of the epidemic in the region. The next step is to ensure that officials, particularly those in the health ministries, have an interest and a financial incentive to work together, and to enter into intergovernmental agreements. As a result, a biocontainment facility is erected and connected to the single biomonitoring system. All of the countrys biological developments become the US domain. Moreover, restrictions are placed on local professionals access to a range of tests, as well as on their results. Meanwhile, the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is actively implementing automated disease monitoring hardware and software, as well as systems to control access and movement of pathogenic biological agents in storage and research facilities. Equipping biological facilities with these information systems as part of the Biological Threat Reduction Program allows the U.S. to secure its military contingents in deployment areas, remotely monitor biolaboratories outside national jurisdiction and influence the global biological environment. As part of the special military operation, materials of US instructors training Ukrainian specialists in emergency response to smallpox outbreaks were discovered in biolaboratories in Ukraine. The Pentagons interest in this infection is far from accidental: the return of the smallpox pathogen would be a global catastrophe for all mankind. Thus, compared to COVID-19, this pathogen is just as contagious (infectious), but its lethality is 10 times higher. As early as 2003, the US Department of Defense established the Smallpox Vaccination Programme, which requires all US military personnel to be vaccinated. Vaccination in the United States is compulsory for diplomatic and medical personnel. This demonstrates that the US considers smallpox as a priority pathogenic biological agent for combat use, and that vaccine prophylaxis activities are aimed at protecting its own military contingents. Lack of proper controls and biosecurity breaches in the US could lead to the use of this pathogen for terrorist purposes. Between 2014 and 2021, unaccounted-for vials of the virus were repeatedly found in laboratories at the Federal Drug Administration and the US Army Infectious Disease Research Institute (Maryland) and the Vaccine Research Centre (Pennsylvania). Work at these organisations was in violation of World Health Assembly Resolution 49.10 of 1996, which stipulated that only one US laboratory, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, could store smallpox pathogen. It should be noted that smallpox vaccination, which is not currently available in many countries, provides protection against monkeypox. The World Health Organization has announced an emergency meeting of Member States on the outbreak of this dangerous infectious disease in May 2022. We know that by now 98% of those affected are men over the age of 20 of non-traditional orientation. Earlier, Dr David Hermann, who heads WHOs emergency department, told the American press that sexual transmission was the main cause of the spread of the disease. According to a WHO report, the West African strain of monkeypox originated in Nigeria, another state in which the US has deployed its biological infrastructure. According to available information, there are at least four Washington-controlled biolaboratories operating in Nigeria. In this connection, it is worth recalling a strange coincidence that needs further specialist verification. For example, according to European and US media reports, the Munich Security Conference 2021, i.e. against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, was a scenario for dealing with an outbreak caused by a new strain of the monkeypox virus. Against the backdrop of multiple US biosafety violations and the negligent storage of pathogenic biomaterials, we call on the World Health Organisation leadership to investigate the US-funded Nigerian laboratories in Abuja, Zaria, Lagos and inform the global community of the results. WtR In order to ensure the safe passage of foreign vessels from the ports of Odessa, Nikolaev, Chernomorsk, Kherson, Ochakov and Yuzhny to the open sea, the Russian Armed Forces have made adjustments to the route of the humanitarian corridor operating in the Black Sea since March 27, 2022. Starting from May 27, 2022, the maritime humanitarian corridor is a route for ships of 139 nautical miles in length and 3 miles wide. The corridor operating hours are daily from 08.00 to 19.00 (Moscow time). The assembly area is restricted to the coordinates: 4609N. 3100E; 4609N. 3108E; 4604N. 3108E; 4604N. 3100E. Then through points: No. 1 at 4540N, 3135E; No. 2 at 4508N, 3135E; No. 3 at 4418N, 022E. The disengagement area is bounded by coordinates 4418N. 3018E; 4418N. 3026E; 4413N. 3026E; 4413N. 3018E. It is the responsibility of the Ukrainian side to ensure the safety of vessels leaving ports and proceeding to the assembly area. Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, Head of the Russian Federation Joint Coordination Headquarters for Humanitarian Response Head of the National Centre for State Defence Control of the Russian Federation #MoD #Russia #Ukraine @mod_russia_Enjoy WtR Extra News Top News Today As a result of a series of measures taken by the Russian Navy, the Mariupol harbour has been cleared of mines and civilian vessels can safely use the harbour. In order to ensure the safe passage of foreign vessels from the ports of Odessa, Nikolaev, Chernomorsk, Kherson, Ochakov and Yuzhny to the open sea, the Russian Armed Forces have made adjustments to the route of the humanitarian corridor operating in the Black Sea since March 27, 2022. High-precision air-based missiles have hit 48 areas of AFU manpower and military equipment concentration, 2 artillery batteries, and 2 ammunition depots near Nikolaevka and Berestovoe in Donetsk Peoples Republic during the day. 1 Ukrainian electronic reconnaissance centre near Dneprovskoe, Nikolaev Region, has been destroyed, including 11 servicemen from the combat unit, as well as 15 foreign engineering specialists who arrived with security guards. Russian air defence means have shot down 1 Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter over Husarovka, Kharkov Region. 1 Ukrainian Air Force military transport aircraft delivering ammunition and weapons has been also shot down in mid-air near Kremidovka, Odessa Region. Captured AFU soldiers urged fellow servicemen to lay down their arms and spoke about barrage troops to shoot deserters. Ukrainian refugees continue to arrive in Russia. The local administration provides refugees with all the necessary assistance. Footage of fortified AFU positions captured by Russian paratroopers has been published. Video of Iskander missile launcher and S-300V anti-aircraft system, as well as, demining of populated area in Kherson Region has been published. #MoD #Russia #Ukraine @mod_russia_en Below link is a zip file of all documents presented by Russia today Documents around 65 MB download. Talk about a bunch of information and the implications and proof is amazing. The USA is really a very bad country and even if us citizens are not approving, we are still at fault. We must stop our government from all its illegal activities A whole network of US biolabs has spawned in other countries around Russia A similar situation is on the borders with China, said Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov There are also at least four laboratories controlled by Washington operating in Nigeria. At the same time, the introduction of the West African strain of monkey pox originated from this country What is the true purpose of the functioning of American biological laboratories deployed around the world? They claim that it is about ensuring the safety and health of the civilian population. But a fair question arises what does the Pentagon have to do with it? All these centers are supervised and funded by the US Military Department Why? WtR We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Officials investigate the scene on May 14, 2022, where a 9-year-old boy was fatally shot inside an apartment building in the 4700 block of Main Street in Skokie. A 6-year-old boy was also shot and suffered a graze wound, according to police. (Andrew Johnston / Chicago Tribune) A judge Thursday denied bail for a 22-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy accused in the fatal shooting of a 9-year-old and the wounding of his little brother earlier this month in Skokie, police said. Details about a third person arrested will be announced at 3 p.m. Friday at the Skokie Police Department, 7300 Niles Center Road. Advertisement Richard Banks, 22, and Christian Anderson, 16, both of Chicago, were charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Jeremiah Ellis and attempted murder and aggravated battery for the attack, which happened May 14 in the 4700 block of Main Street, Skokie police said in an emailed statement. Anderson was charged as an adult. Advertisement Jeremiahs 5-year-old brother suffered a graze wound. Jeremiah was found when police officers rushed to the scene of shots fired and found two boys wounded in an apartment building in the 4700 block of Main Street just after midnight May 14, according to police and the Cook County medical examiners office. The North Regional Major Crimes Task Force was investigating the shooting, but Skokie police asked anyone with information to contact investigators at 847-982-5900 or the 24-hour Skokie crime tip hotline at 847-933-8477. rsobol@chicagotribune.com Lewis Hamilton races with his nose stud in at Monaco GP Lewis Hamilton kept his nose stud in at the Monaco Grand Prix after motorsports governing body extended the exemption on drivers wearing jewelry until the end of June The new president of the Italian Conference of Bishops says he would launch an independent inquiry on sex abuse by Catholic clergy in Italy European and American health authorities have identified a number of cases of monkeypox this week, a surprising outbreak of an illness that has previously been limited mostly to central and western Africa. Doctors are still unsure how exactly monkeypox is spreading. The disease is normally transmitted either from wild animals like rodents and primates or from very close contact with infected people. British officials say most recent cases have been men who have had sex with men and who had no history of travel to Africa. That suggests the disease is already spreading in the country. Believing her 8-year-old daughter didnt love her anymore, a Chicago woman axphyxiated her after they said prayers before bed in the Uptown neighborhood earlier in the week, prosecutors said Friday during the womans bond hearing. Andreal R. Hagler, 38, was charged with first-degree murder and was denied bail before Cook County Judge Maryam Ahmad during a hearing livestreamed on YouTube. Advertisement Assistant States Attorney James Murphy said the victims uncle, who sometimes stayed with them, came to their apartment Wednesday morning in the 4600 block of North Winthrop Avenue to check on Hagler after calling several times and not getting a response. After finding them in a bed, unresponsive, he called his sister, who immediately called 911. Advertisement Hagler was facedown with a clear plastic bag over her head and moving a little when police and paramedics arrived. Two small legs from the shin down peeked out from a comforter and they found 8-year-old Amaria, deceased, Murphy said. Amaria was pronounced dead on the scene at 11:23 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiners office. Murphy said in court the medical examiners office ruled Amarias death a homicide after finding she died of multiple injuries, including those consistent with asphyxiation, from an assault. Hagler, who didnt appear to be injured but was later found to have PCP in her system, was gripping the mattress and would not let go, Murphy said. First responders handcuffed her and lifted her to a chair and then she was wheeled out to an ambulance, said Murphy, who added Hagler never said a word. Hagler had been taken to nearby Weiss Memorial Hospital, where she had been reported in good condition. Following her arrest moments after Amaria was found, Hagler gave a statement to police indicating she and Amaria said their bedtime prayers that night about 8 or 9 p.m. She told police she drank bleach and took PCP, and believed her daughter didnt love her anymore and loved her father more, Murphy said. As Amaria screamed, Mommy stop! Hagler began suffocating her by placing a plastic bag over her head and telling her it was their time to go, because they were both born on the 24th, Murphy said. Advertisement An attorney representing Hagler asserted there were no witnesses, and said Hagler was not a flight risk. She finished some college courses and works as an occupational therapist. Hagler, who could not afford bond, suffers from depression, according to the attorney. According to a Chicago police report, Hagler had a meeting scheduled with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services on Tuesday. The principal of a nearby elementary school in Uptown sent a letter home Wednesday informing students, parents and guardians a child enrolled at the school had died. The letter did not say the age or gender of the student and it was not immediately clear whether Amaria attended the school. This loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for the entire school, especially our students. The Chicago Public Schools crisis management unit will work with our own counselor, social worker, and psychologist to provide grief counseling and support to students and staff members. If your child expresses any concern(s), please contact us so that we can provide additional support, the letter said. Hagler is due back in court on June 15. rsobol@chicagotribune.com Voluntary ESCROW of Acquisition Consideration Perth, May 26, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - On 3 May 2022 Monger Gold Ltd ( ASX:MMG ) announced that it had entered into a binding agreement (Acquisition Agreement) to acquire up to 100% of the shares and options in American Consolidated Lithium Pty Ltd (American Consolidated Lithium or ACL), who in turn hold an option to acquire 100% of the Scotty's Lithium Project in Nevada, USA.The consideration payable under the Acquisition Agreement includes the issue of fully paid ordinary shares in Monger (Shares) and options to acquire Shares (Options), in stages, to the shareholders of ACL (Vendors).The issue of the Shares and Options to the Vendors is the subject of shareholder approval at the Company's Annual General Meeting to be held on Tuesday, 31 May 2022 (AGM).The Company wishes to advise that ACL and the Vendors have agreed that the 8,000,000 Stage 1 Shares (as defined in the Company's Notice of Meeting with respect to the AGM announced 3 May 2022 (and as amended on 16 May 2022) (Notice)) to be issued to the Vendors, will be held subject to a voluntary escrow period expiring 6 months from the date of issue of the Stage 1 Shares.As announced on 3 May 2022 and detailed in the Notice, the 4,000,000 Stage 1 Options (as defined in the Notice) are subject to a voluntary escrow period expiring on 7 July 2023.MMG's Chairman Mr Peretz Schapiro said, "Since entering in to this Agreement, the team at ACL have been tremendously supportive of the Company in helping to advance the project as well as to recruit contractors and identify management candidates. This Escrow agreement demonstrates that ACL are committed to the long term success of the Scotty's Lithium Project, and thereby the success of MMG".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. Placement to Fund NAL Restart and Development Initiatives Brisbane, May 27, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Emerging lithium producer Sayona Mining Limited ( ASX:SYA ) ( FRA:DML ) ( OTCMKTS:SYAXF ) has received significant financial support for its growth strategy, with the Company undertaking a successful single-tranche placement to global institutional, professional and sophisticated investors of A$190 million ("Placement").Proceeds from the Placement will be primarily used to fund the restart of spodumene concentrate production at Sayona's North American Lithium ("NAL") operation in Quebec, Canada (Sayona 75%; Piedmont Lithium 25%). The planned restart at NAL remains on schedule for first spodumene concentrate production in Q1 2023, with critical long-lead items secured and senior staff recruited. NAL concentrator commissioning is projected for late Q3/early Q4 2022.The recent Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") for NAL (refer ASX release 23 May 2022) demonstrated the operation's technical and financial viability and will form the basis of a Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") expected in the second half of 2022. The DFS will assess the economics of a larger integrated NAL and Authier resource base and operation.The Placement has provided Sayona with considerable balance sheet strength as the Company rapidly develops its leading lithium resource base in North America, amid escalating demand from the electric vehicle and clean energy revolution. Sayona is also assessing the viability of a lithium hydroxide or carbonate plant at NAL, allowing for increased value-add to the operation and supporting the Quebec Government's battery strategy.In addition to the proposed NAL restart, the Placement will also provide strategic funding for Sayona to expand and grow its highly strategic Northern Hub resource base. The Northern Hub's prospectivity is highlighted by the recent drilling discovery at the Company's Moblan Lithium Project (refer ASX release 26 April 2022).Use of ProceedsProceeds from the Placement will be applied to:- NAL refurbishment and studies (A$100m)- Authier development (A$35m)- Moblan evaluation and Feasibility Study update (A$25m)- Exploration and project evaluation (A$15m)- Working capital and offer costs (A$15m).Sayona's Managing Director, Brett Lynch commented: "This Placement is a major vote of confidence in our ability to transform NAL into a sustainable and profitable producer of key battery metals."I would like to thank all our investors, both existing and new, for backing Sayona as we advance towards becoming the first local producer of spodumene in North America and ultimately moving downstream to capture even greater value-add from our expanding lithium resource base."Placement DetailsSayona has received firm commitments to raise A$190 million (before costs) through the issue of 1,054,406,346 new fully paid ordinary shares ("New Shares") at an issue price of A$0.18 per New Share.The issue price of the New Shares represents a 12.2% discount to the last closing price on 24 May 2022.The New Shares issued through the Placement will be issued under the Company's placement capacity pursuant to ASX Listing Rule 7.1.The New Shares are expected to settle on Wednesday 1 June 2022 and be issued and commence trading on the ASX on a normal basis on Thursday 2 June 2022. New Shares issued under the Placement will rank equally with existing shares on issue.Canaccord Genuity (Australia) and Petra Capital acted as Joint Lead Managers and Bookrunners to the Placement. Desjardins Capital Markets and Jett Capital Advisors acted as Co-Managers to the Placement.Further details of the equity raising are set out in the Company's investor presentation* in link below. The investor presentation contains important information, including key risks of investing in Sayona and foreign selling restrictions with respect to the Placement.Not an offer in the United StatesThis announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Any securities described in this announcement have not been, and will not be, registered under the US Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States except in transactions exempt from, or not subject to, the registration requirements of the US Securities Act and applicable US state securities laws.To view the Presentation, please visit:About Sayona Mining Limited Sayona Mining Limited (ASX:SYA) (OTCMKTS:SYAXF) is an Australian, ASX-listed (SYA) company focused on sourcing and developing the raw materials required to construct lithium-ion batteries for use in the rapidly growing new and green technology sectors. The Company has lithium projects in Quebec, Canada and in Western Australia. Please visit us as at www.sayonamining.com.au Drilling Resumes at Horse Well Prospect Melbourne, May 27, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Cohiba Minerals Limited ( ASX:CHK ) ( OTCMKTS:CHKMF ) is pleased to announce that drilling has recommenced at the Horse Well Prospect (Figure 1*) with drill hole HWDD06 (Figure 2*) underway.Cohiba's CEO, Andrew Graham says, "We are excited to be back at Horse Well armed with considerable additional insights into the geology and structure of the area and trust that this will translate into exploration success. We remain confident that the Horse Well Prospect represents a key IOCG target zone within the Gawler Craton and are committed to investigating it to the fullest extent possible."The Horse Well Prospect is immediately adjacent to BHP's advanced exploration play at Oak Dam West which has reported significant intersections such as AD-23 with 425.7m at 3.04% Cu, 0.59 g/t Au, 346 ppm U and 6.03 g/t Ag from 1,063m including 180m @ 6.07% Cu, 0.92 g/t Au, 401 ppm U and 12.77 g/t Ag from 1,070m (BHP News Release, 27 November 2018).Cohiba has received regulatory and landholder approval for up to 12 drill holes at the Horse Well Prospect and is targeting coincident gravity and magnetic anomalies, but with a focus on some of the subtler gravity responses where technical reviews of previous drilling have suggested a possible masking of the target areas due to more complex geology than that seen at Oak Dam West.HWDD06 is designed to drill across one such residual gravity feature, leveraging insights gained from nearby drill hole COHWDD03 (Figure 3*) that this area exhibits strong haematite and sericite alteration in the host granite (Donington Granite) which also hosts the Oak Dam and Carrapateena deposits.Haematite and sericite alteration associated with strong brecciation fabrics and persistent low-level copper mineralisation in a number of the Horse Well drill holes are clear signs of the potential for IOCG mineralisation.The current plan is to commence HWDD06 has commenced at a dip of 70deg and the current plan is to progressively shallow the hole to a final dip of 60deg (Table 1*) to gain a better cross-sectional result. It is expected that the basement will be encountered at a downhole depth of 990m.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Cohiba Minerals Limited Cohiba Minerals Limited (ASX:CHK) is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange with the primary focus of investing in the resource sector through direct tenement acquisition, joint ventures, farm in arrangements and new project generation. The shares of the company trade under the ticker symbol CHK. The Company recently acquired 100% of the shares in Charge Lithium Pty Ltd, which holds exploration licences in Western Australia. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Wildfires this year have scorched thousands of acres in northern New Mexico. The fires also threaten acequias that provide water to hundreds of farmers and ranchers, New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission officials said Thursday. The panel voted to direct $100,000 from a state Legislature special appropriation to assess wildfire effects on acequias and community ditches. Commissioner Paula Garcia recently returned to her Mora farm after fleeing the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The fire is absolutely devastating for this region of the state, said Garcia, who is also executive director of the New Mexico Acequia Association. Im seeing the burn scars every day on very steep slopes. And its a serious public safety issue as we look now towards the monsoons. Even minimal rainfall could send ash into the acequias that divert water from northern New Mexico rivers and streams. Acequias in or near the fire zones are also at risk of erosion, floods and debris flow, said ISC director Rolf Schmidt-Petersen. Maybe as many as 100 acequias are within the footprint, or close to that, of just the Hermits/Peak Calf Canyon Fire, to say nothing about Cerro Pelado, and some of the other fires that are out there, including Ruidoso, he said. The acequia group is working with federal agencies and soil and water conservation districts to ensure that acequias are included in post-fire maps and project plans. The association is also hiring a disaster and recovery coordinator specifically for wildfire response efforts. Commissioner Phoebe Suina, a hydrologist who studies burned watersheds, said the massive fires will likely influence the health of rivers, streams and acequias for years. We are going to have to juggle the impacts and address the impacts, especially for downstream communities and infrastructure, Suina said. The commission said the money will fund a preliminary assessment. More money could be directed to specific acequia projects once agencies finish collecting data about fire impacts. ASEAN leaders call for open, integrated trade in Asia as Japan woos region over US-led IPEF By Zhang Han (Global Times) 08:39, May 27, 2022 US pulling ASEAN into the quagmire of confronting China Cartoon: Vitaly Podvitsky Tokyo hosted leaders of some of ASEAN member states to discuss the future of Asia at a forum on Thursday, after seeing off US President Joe Biden, who visited Japan for a Quad summit and carried out a mission to rope in regional countries through the newly launched Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). Regional leaders shared the consensus that Asia's future lies in stability, cooperation and stronger integration, and ASEAN states will continue their balanced policy to push for regional prosperity amid challenges, observers said, predicting that ASEAN is looking for opportunities in the IPEF but won't embrace the US' efforts to use the framework as a geopolitical tool. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Malaysian Prime Minister Sabri Yaakob, and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha are in Tokyo for the forum and bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Other leaders, including Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are also attending this year's forum called "Redefining Asia's Role in a Divided World," where Kishida is expected to lobby ASEAN over the IPEF, the US-led framework widely believed to aim at marginalizing China's economic influence in the region. A Japanese government opinion poll released before the forum on Wednesday showed nearly half of those surveyed in Southeast Asia picked China as the region's most important partner in the future, surpassing Japan for the first time. Kyodo News cited a Japanese foreign ministry official as saying China had deepened ties with ASEAN through "vaccine diplomacy." But vaccine aid and medical supplies provided during the COVID-19 pandemic constituted just one facet of the comprehensive and fruitful China-ASEAN cooperation, which led to ASEAN's recognition of China's role and vice versa. A recent Global Times pollshowed nine of 10 Chinese see China-ASEAN ties as friendly and 75 percent are optimistic about the future ties, while nearly 80 percent believe the US is the biggest disruptor of the ties. Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Thursday that mutual support amid the pandemic was just one example of China-ASEAN relations - that is, in times of crisis, the two sides forge closer ties to jointly withstand difficulties and overcome challenges. Xu, citing the 1997 Asian financial meltdown when China maintained a strong yuan to help the region overcome the crisis, noted that the rise of China-ASEAN trade and investment during the pandemic also illustrated such ties. ASEAN surpassed the EU and became China's top trading partner in 2020. Experts also attributed deepening bilateral relations to multiple ASEAN-led mechanisms as well as substantial fruit from cooperation, manifested in the the Belt and Road Initiative programs, the Lancang-Mekong cooperation mechanism, and the heightened free trade agreement of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). ASEAN continued to be China's top trade partnerin the first quarter of 2022 and accounted for 47 percent of China's imports and exports with all RCEP partners. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at Thursday's routine press briefing that China sees ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, supports its central position in the regional structure, and is always a reliable neighbor, friend and trustworthy partner of the bloc. Despite some ASEAN members having signed onto the US-led IPEF, observers pointed out the bloc won't abandon its strategy of seeking a balance between major powers - a choice arising from historical lessons and real interests, and one that gave the region peace, stability and development. The IPEF's composition is similar to that of the RCEP, with the absence of China, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, and with the addition of the US and India. Seven out of the 13 inaugural states are ASEAN members. Inclusion in the IPEF will bring some economic benefits to ASEAN members in investment and trade, Gu Xiaosong, dean of the ASEAN Research Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University, told the Global Times, citing Vietnam's textile industry as an example. But the IPEF is not an FTA and has no plan for market access or tariff reductions, to ASEAN's frustration. Xu said the US has a big say in setting internal trade rules, and ASEAN members also expect "bonuses" in those fields. But if the US insists on using it as a geopolitical tool, ASEAN states won't embrace it. Singapore's Lee said at the IPEF launch event on Monday that the IPEF should remain open, inclusive and flexible, and noted at Thursday's forum in Tokyo that China should stay integrated in the region. Prayut said at the Thursday forum that Asia must regenerate economic growth by keeping markets open and inclusive. The IPEF also falls short, considering it is not seeking Congressional approval, meaning it can be abandoned when a new US administration arrives, just like the Trans-Pacific Partnership after the Obama administration. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) First responders move a shooting victim to an ambulance on Adams Street near State Street in downtown Chicago on May 14, 2022. The downtown area saw gun violence and disturbances after a teenage boy was shot and fatally wounded near the Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other city officials rolled out summer safety plans Friday, trying to emphasize the joy that comes with the start of summer in Chicago even as crime concerns downtown and across neighborhoods continue. At a news conference Friday morning, Lightfoot defended the need for an earlier curfew for young people. And she said the city is prepared for any violence. Advertisement All of the citys beaches and lakefront will reopen, the mayor said, and Chicago has numerous events planned throughout the weekend and summer. But, she said, the government cant maintain safety alone and residents must also keep track of their children to make sure teenagers arent misbehaving. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot discusses summer safety plans at the Holstein Park Fieldhouse on May 27, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Lightfoot addressed controversy over her policy mandating unaccompanied teenagers be banned from visiting Millennium Park after 6 p.m. from Thursdays through Sundays, a measure she enacted earlier this month after large groups of mostly Black and brown teenagers caused a scene downtown culminating in a teenager being shot and killed by The Bean sculpture. Lightfoot said the city wants to be welcoming to the citys children no matter their race. Advertisement Our children are welcome everywhere (and) anywhere they wanna be. This is their city too. And we shouldnt be afraid of Black and brown kids coming downtown, Lightfoot said. We dont act that way when white kids come downtown en masse. We just dont. The issue is not that they come downtown, not that theyre coming in big groups, the issue is if the behavior is one that recognizes and respects people, property and spaces. The situation presents a thorny problem for Lightfoot, who has made equity for Black and brown residents a top priority but who has also implemented policies such as the Millennium Park rule that some say marginalizes people of color. Lightfoot also promoted an app, My CHI. My Future, that she said lists events for young people who want to enjoy the summer safely. A consistent theme from multiple speakers at the press event was a need for parents to be in close contact with their children and teenagers and a need to make sure youth are engaged this summer. Much of Chicagos gun violence problem, however, involves ongoing street conflicts between individuals who are older, many in their 20s. And while the downtown incidents have caused alarm, the highest rates of gun violence occur in generally the same places they always have, neighborhoods on the South and West sides of the city that have been starved of resources and deprived of public safety for years. Tamara Mahal, who leads the citys newest effort to address violence the Community Safety Coordination Center noted in her remarks that there would be an increase this summer in street outreach workers, from several community organizations, who are a presence in some of the more dangerous pockets and respond to shootings to calm tensions immediately and try to prevent retaliation. This intervention work engages those most at risk of violence, Mahal said. This is a dangerous job. ... But these individuals are working to directly intervene before violence occurs between groups, Mahal said. I want to say thank you for what you are doing and for using the opportunity to make your life better but also make the lives of others better. Advertisement Mahal also said the coordination center would be working at the block level to fast-track help and resources for what neighborhood groups need to keep areas thriving. She also said the summer would bring expanded evening programming hours. Police Superintendent David Brown said focused traffic missions and foot and bike patrols will be utilized, and the department will continue to target its efforts on the the most troublesome spots, where gun violence is more prevalent. The holiday weekend, however, will add some 40 events for city officials to monitor, from a Coldplay concert to the Crosstown Classic, in addition to the opening of the beaches. The department has also experienced a higher than usual number of retirements. On Friday, Brown offered assurances, however, that all parts of the city would be covered. Officials also said later that days off for officers during the weekend have been canceled, which is not unusual for a holiday weekend. For the holiday weekend we have increased resources in all of our communities, Brown said. And I want to emphasize the resources we have in place in the neighborhoods will remain in those neighborhoods. Advertisement There was some good news offered on gun violence so far this year. Brown announced that homicides are down 11% and shootings are down 16% this year compared with 2021. Yet, the start of summer comes after a difficult two weeks, including the fatal shooting of the 16-year-old at The Bean. Days later, there was a mass shooting near a McDonalds close to the Magnificent Mile that left two dead. This has prompted members of clergy to schedule a Michigan Avenue prayer walk to Millennium Park, Pastor Michael Eaddy, of the Peoples Church of the Harvest in East Garfield Park, said Friday, at the news conference. We will pray and walk to Millennium Park, Eaddy said. We know that certainly has been a focal point of tension in recent days. ... We will also declare our commitment as a faith community and faith leaders to the city of Chicago, certainly to our young people for safety and peace throughout these coming months. Advertisement gpratt@chicagotribune.com asweeney@chicagotribune.com Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Albuquerque fire officials around 8:15 p.m. Wednesday said crews had gotten a handle on a 34-acre bosque fire burning on both sides of the Rio Grande south of the Montano bridge. Less than an hour later, however, the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office posted a message on Twitter that hundreds of residents in the area need to evacuate their homes immediately. Panic ensued as an emergency notification was sent to some residents cellphones and television news outlets sent alerts to subscribers. On Thursday, officials said the BCSO tweet was the result of a miscommunication and that no homes were ever in danger as the fire was well on its way to containment. But locals on Twitter said the order put them on high-alert, with some growing frantic and hosing down homes, waking up children and fleeing with pets and belongings. Bernalillo County Fire Deputy Chief Brian Rose said it stemmed from a misinterpretation with the dispatch center between evacuating the Rio Grande river area itself and neighborhoods west of Rio Grande Boulevard. So kind of the fog of war, things were happening very, very quickly, the fire was moving quickly, Rose said. All those components sometimes collide. It created a little bit of a mess. Some experiences were more trying than others. One Twitter user wrote the temporary evacuation wasnt fun folks, but it kinda freaked out my family and the cat pooped in her cage and got all covered in yucky gross poop! By midnight, firefighters had contained the large wind-driven fire and Thursday morning the city ordered the area to remain closed as crews mop up hotspots and render the area safe. Albuquerque Fire Rescue Chief Gene Gallegos said no structures were damaged, or ever in danger, and no injuries were reported in the fire, which jumped from the west side to the east side of the Rio Grande. Gallegos said the cause of the fire is under investigation and the area is still unsafe as its full of hazards such has burned-out cottonwoods. Again, these trees are still burning, he said. It is still very dangerous in there, we dont want anybody else walking around and getting hurt. Mayor Tim Keller asked residents to stay out of the affected stretch of the bosque as crews finish their work a closure that would likely last through the Memorial Day weekend. Officials said the closed area is between Montano and Campbell roads on the east side and between Montano to Andalucia Park on the west side. There are still embers or small fires that were monitoring. So it is by no means finished or done, Keller said. Know that first and foremost, we are all over this fire as a community. And so weve got the resources we need, and theyre out there in the bosque. Gallegos encouraged people to use other parts of the bosque as it puts more eyes on the area to report any signs of smoke or fire before it can get out of control. He said there are no plans to close the entire bosque area at this time. On Wednesday, it was Albuquerque police officers on an airboat who first spotted smoke around 5:45 p.m. on the west side of the river. Gallegos said more than 100 firefighters came in from all over the state to help battle the blaze, which jumped to the east side of the river by way of gusty winds. He said AFR handled the west side of the fire as Bernalillo County Fire Department dealt with the smaller east side fire, leading to an hourslong fight to contain it. Im grateful for all the firefighters work that it didnt turn into 100-acre fire or bigger or take any type of structures, Gallegos said. The evacuation order was sent out by BCSO around 8:50 p.m. ordering all residents between Montano and Candelaria, west of Rio Grande Boulevard, to evacuate. The order was retweeted by Bernalillo Countys official account but, minutes later, BCSO sent another tweet lifting the order. With technology, theres always going to be glitches and then its also human communication, Gallegos said of the incident, adding that he understood how it could be a scary situation for locals as the state faces its worst fire season in years. Obviously with everything thats going on in the state, this is a very sensitive topic, he said, especially when its so close to home. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Fire crews continued to gain containment little by little on the largest blaze in New Mexicos history as officials braced for more dry and windy weather. The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire is at 312,057 acres and 47% contained as of Thursday evening. Jayson Coil, operations section chief in the north, said his firefighters will hand the reins over to the incoming crew in the coming days. In the meantime, he said they welcome the gusty winds predicted to hit the area, calling it a wind test. Coil said the windy weather will test areas of fire that have yet to see wind, and can show them where they need to take action and strengthen containment lines. We dont feel really good about our lines until weve had one of those tests, he said. Coil said crews continue to put secondary lines in to the north as they tie in primary lines to increase containment. He said the winds will likely increase inner fire activity, leading to more visible smoke. Alex McBath, operations section chief in the south, said they have had spot fires jump containment lines on the southwest end. He said its a result of increased winds and low humidity. McBath said fire behavior picked up particularly between east Bear Creek and Ruidoso Ridge, but did not threaten containment lines. He said crews are working to contain a 100-acre spotfire that sparked south of Barillas Peak, and should be able to hold it. McBath said Spring Mountain also saw very active fire behavior, with large smoke columns and 100-foot flames off the trees. But he said the fire is dying off into an old fire scar nearby and remaining in containment elsewhere. Stewart Turner, fire behavior analyst, said the weather wont get better any time soon. He said the temperatures will stay high and humidity will be low, letting the fire burn through the night without any trouble. He compared the conditions to opening the damper on a chimney, allowing the flames to breathe. Turner said wind gusts will increase as we head into the weekend, but not to the degree of monster winds seen weeks ago. Nonetheless, he said the winds will test containment lines particularly on the northwest end but should not amount to any big growth Friday. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams reelection campaign reimbursed the state $1,837 in December for expenses related to a Democratic Governors Association party hosted by Lujan Grisham at the governors residence in Santa Fe. The cost of the event was initially paid for out of a state contingency fund intended for social and diplomatic events, according to records first reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican. Spending from the fund by Lujan Grisham and previous governors has drawn scrutiny and criticism in recent years, even though an audit conducted last year by State Auditor Brian Colons office found pandemic spending on food, alcohol, Christmas ornaments and more did not violate state law. A Lujan Grisham spokeswoman said Thursday the request for reimbursement for the DGA event was made nearly immediately after the purchase of items for the party. The governors spokeswoman Maddy Hayden also said only $17,937 of the roughly $78,000 budgeted by the Legislature for the governors contingency fund or about 17.3% has been spent during the current budget year, with whatever remains unspent when the fiscal year ends June 30 set to revert to the states general fund. However, the Governors Office did not respond to questions about why the taxpayer fund was used initially to pay for the costs of the politically tinged party, which the Republican Governors Association described Thursday as yet another ethical scandal. Under state law, money in the governors contingency fund can be used to pay for expenses directly connected with obligations of the elected office of governor. Lujan Grishams campaign spokeswoman Kendall Witmer said Thursday the governors reelection campaign took swift action to pay back the state for the event, but did not provide details about the party. As soon as we learned of these expenses, the campaign transparently and expeditiously reimbursed the state for costs related to an event hosted by the governor as chair of the Democratic Governors Association, Witmer said in a statement. State lawmakers passed a 2018 bill aimed at providing more transparency for how discretionary funds are spent after then-Gov. Susana Martinez used the fund to throw a holiday party at a Santa Fe hotel that prompted a police response. The party resulted in several complaints about noise and Martinez faced criticism after being recorded telling police dispatchers to call off responding officers. Martinez signed the 2018 bill, but it did not take effect until Lujan Grishams term began in 2019. From 2011 through 2017, Martinez, a Republican, spent an average of about $68,000 per year from the discretionary fund. Democratic ex-Gov. Bill Richardson, who held office before Martinez, reported spending nearly $139,000 from the contingency fund in 2008, including more than $60,600 on food and drinks, according to the Associated Press. As for the DGA, Lujan Grisham was elected by other Democratic governors in December 2020 as the deep-pocketed national groups chairwoman. She served her one-year term at the groups helm before turning over the reins to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper at the end of December. Lujan Grisham is running for reelection this year to a second four-year term. She is unopposed in the Democratic primary election, and will face off against whomever wins a five-way GOP primary race and Libertarian Karen Bedonie in the November general election. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE The largest wildfire in New Mexico history wouldnt stand in the way of a normal prom for Mora High School students. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham saw to that. Students laughed and danced with Lujan Grisham at the Governors Mansion on Thursday evening a silver lining for students during a tumultuous end to the school year. Many students were forced to flee their homes by the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire in recent weeks, and some had only recently returned. Im really excited to be here with my friends, and be able to enjoy this, and to have everyone welcome us, said prom queen Jayme Pacheco, adding that it has been over a month since shed seen her friends. They mean a lot. Some students arrived decked out in suits and gowns while others stuck to their roots showing up in cowboy hats, jeans and boots. Spanish and country music boomed through speakers as students two-stepped across the governors back patio. Lujan Grisham said she couldnt throw a party and sit on the sidelines, and jumped in to dance the Cupid Shuffle with students, state Sen. Leo Jaramillo, D-Espanola, and U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez. Im just elated that we could do this for the kids, said New Mexico Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus. Ive chaperoned a lot of proms this ones a little different than Ive done before. The idea to have it at the Governors Mansion was Mora Independent School District Superintendent Marvin MacAuleys. He said he asked Lujan Grisham during a conversation if students could have prom at her place. MacAuley said she grinned, and told him shed need to think about it. Her staff told him later that the idea was a go. Lujan Grisham said a lot of work went into making sure students knew they had a whole state that cares about their happiness and well-being. We have to celebrate each other, and we have to make room even in a tragedy, Lujan Grisham told the Journal. This is the way we ought to show how resilient we are these experiences matter. Middle and high school Principal Lefonso Castillo said this years seniors have only spent two years in an in-person school setting, in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thats part of why making the end of this year as normal as possible was so important, he said. Seniors have a luxurious week lined up. After Thursdays dance with the governor, 33 students are slated to graduate Friday during a ceremony at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa in Santa Fe. Many are also being put up in hotel rooms funded by members of the Mora community. Community members also chipped in for prom essentials, including dresses, tuxedos and corsages. The snazzed-up students fit right in with the elegant mansion, which even featured a chocolate fountain for them. Prom was originally planned for April 30, and staff had already begun decorating for the dance. But about a week before, the evacuation orders came, forcing the district to come up with a new plan. So far, Castillo knows of one or two of his students who have lost their homes to the fire. Three staff members homes were also destroyed. Its once in a lifetime, for sure senior Ellianna Martinez said about the dance. Still, she noted the past weeks had held many hardships, and that the fires had devastated our community. KRAMATORSK, Ukraine Russia asserted Saturday that its troops and separatist fighters had captured a key railway junction in eastern Ukraine, the second small city to fall to Moscows forces this week as they fought to seize all of the countrys contested Donbas region. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the city of Lyman had been completely liberated by a joint force of Russian soldiers and the Kremlin-backed separatists, who have waged war in the eastern region bordering Russia for eight years. Lyman, which had a population of about 20,000 before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, serves as a regional railway hub. Ukraines train system has ferried arms and evacuated citizens during the war, and it wasnt immediately clear how the development might affect either capability. Controlling the city would give the Russian military a foothold for advancing on larger Ukrainian-held cities in Donetsk and Luhansk, the two provinces that make up the Donbas. Since failing to occupy Kyiv, Ukraines capital, Russia has concentrated on seizing the last parts of the region not controlled by the separatists. If Russia did succeed in taking over these areas, it would highly likely be seen by the Kremlin as a substantive political achievement and be portrayed to the Russian people as justifying the invasion, the British Ministry of Defense said in a Saturday assessment. Fighting continued Saturday around Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk, twin cites that are last major areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk province. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that the situation in the east was difficult but expressed confidence his country would prevail. If the occupiers think that Lyman or Sievierodonetsk will be theirs, they are wrong. Donbas will be Ukrainian, he said. On Tuesday, Russian troops took over Svitlodarsk, a small municipality south of Sievierodonetsk that hosts a thermal power station, while intensifying efforts to encircle and capture the larger city. The governor of Luhansk warned that Ukrainian soldiers might have to retreat from Sievierodonetsk to avoid being surrounded. The advance of Russian forces raised fears that residents would experience the same horrors as people in the southeastern port city Mariupol in the weeks before it fell. Sievierodonetsks mayor, Oleksandr Striuk, said Friday that some 1,500 civilians have died there during the war, including from a lack of medicine or because of diseases that could not be treated while the city was under siege. Before the war, Sievierodonetsk was home to around 100,000 people. About 12,000 to 13,000 remain in the city, where 90% of the buildings are damaged, the mayor told The Associated Press. Ukraines police force said Saturday afternoon that the city is under constant enemy fire and civilians were wounded, but did not specify the number. Just south of Sievierodonetsk, volunteers worked to evacuate people Friday amid a threatening soundtrack of air raid sirens and booming artillery. AP reporters saw elderly and ill civilians bundled into soft stretchers and slowly carried down apartment building stairs in Bakhmut, a city in northeast Donetsk province. Svetlana Lvova, the manager of two buildings in Bakhmut, tried to convince reluctant residents to leave but said she and her husband would not evacuate until their son, who was in Sieverodonetsk, returned home. I have to know he is alive. Thats why Im staying here, Lvova, 66, said. A nearly three-month siege of Mariupol ended last week when Russia claimed the citys complete. The city became a symbol of mass destruction and human suffering, as well as of Ukrainian determination to defend the country. More than 20,000 of its civilians are feared dead. Mariupols port reportedly resumed operations after Russian forces finished clearing mines in the Azov Sea off the once-vibrant city. Russian state news agency Tass reported that a vessel bound for the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don entered Mariupols seaport early Saturday. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian navy said Saturday morning that Russian ships continue to block civilian navigation in the waters of the Black and Azov seas along Ukraines southern coast, making them a zone of hostilities. The war in Ukraine has caused global food shortages because the country is a major exporter of grain and other commodities. Moscow and Kyiv have traded blame over which is responsible for keeping shipments tied up, with Russia saying Ukrainian sea mines prevented safe passage. The press service of the Ukrainian Naval Forces said in a Facebook post that two Russian missile carriers capable of carrying up to 16 missiles were ready for action in the Black Sea. It said that only shipping routes which had been established through multilateral treaties could be considered safe. Ukrainian officials pressed Western nations for more sophisticated and powerful weapons, especially multiple launch rocket systems. The U.S. Defense Department would not confirm a Friday CNN report saying the Biden administration was preparing to send long-range rocket systems to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that providing rockets that could reach his country would represent a most serious step toward unacceptable escalation. He spoke in an interview with RT Arabic that aired Friday. In Russia on Saturday, President Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill that raises the age limits for Russian army contracts. Contractors can now first enter service until age 50 and work until they reach legal retirement age, which is 65 for men and 60 for women. Previously, Russian law set an age limit of 40 for Russians and 30 for foreigners to sign an initial contract. Russias Defense Ministry said the Russian navy successfully launched a new hypersonic missile from the Barents Sea. The ministry said the recently developed Zircon hypersonic cruise missile had struck its target about 1,000 kilometers away. If confirmed, the launch could spell trouble for NATO voyages in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Zircon,, described as the worlds fastest non-ballistic missile, can be armed with either a conventional or a nuclear warhead, and is said to be impossible to stop with current anti-missile defense systems. Moscows claims, which could not be immediately verified, came a week after Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced that Russia would form new military units in the west of the country in response to Sweden and Finlands bids to join NATO. Putin marked the annual Border Guards Day by congratulating the members of the Russian service. The tasks you are facing are particularly important now, given the unprecedented political, economic and information pressure on our country and the buildup of NATO military capacity right at Russias borders, Putin said. ___ Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Andrew Katell in New York and AP journalists around the world contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is building a massive new support ship near the strategic Strait of Hormuz as it tries to expand its naval presence in waters vital to international energy supplies and beyond, satellite photos obtained by The Associated Press show. The construction of the Shahid Mahdavi provides the Guard a large, floating base from which to run the small fast boats that largely make up its fleet designed to counter the U.S. Navy and other allied forces in the region. Its arrival, however, comes after a series of setbacks for both the Guard and Irans regular navy, including the loss of its largest warship less than a year earlier. As negotiations over Irans nuclear deal with world powers also founder, further confrontations at sea between Tehran and the West also remain a risk. They are looking beyond the Persian Gulf and into the blue waters of the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea and the northern Indian Ocean, said Farzin Nadimi, an associate fellow at the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy who studies the Iranian military. The Shahid Mahdavi appears to be a retrofit of an Iranian cargo ship known as the Sarvin, based off of previous pictures of the vessel which also has a similar curve to its hull. The Sarvin arrived off Bandar Abbas in late July last year and then switched off its trackers. By Jan. 29, satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP showed the vessel at drydock at Shahid Darvishi Marine Industries, a company associated with Irans Defense Ministry just west of Bandar Abbas. An image of the Shahid Mahdavi circulated first on social media. The ship appears to have crewed anti-aircraft weapons on its bow and stern, according to H.I. Sutton, a military ship expert who first identified the ship as being near Bandar Abbas. A flag for the Revolutionary Guard, showing its logo of a fist gripping an assault rifle with a Quran underneath and a globe behind it, hangs from the ships bridge. A high-resolution Planet image taken of the drydock Saturday on behalf of the AP showed the gun-metal gray Shahid Mahdavi still at the shipyard. Just next to it, one of Irans Kilo-class, diesel-powered attack submarines appears to be undergoing a major overhaul. Iran is believed to have one Kilo-class sub thats operational while another is also nonfunctional, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. As the image of the Shahid Mahdavi circulated online, the semiofficial Fars news agency ran a story about the ship. Fars, believed to be close to the Guard, described the vessel as a mobile naval city capable of ensuring the security of Irans trade lines, as well as the rights of Iranian sailors and fishermen in the high seas. This range of new defense and combat innovations for the construction of heavy vessels, in line with the mass development of light vessels, and equipping them with various arrays can maintain Irans authority over the Persian Gulf and the (Gulf) of Oman always in the face of transregional enemies, Fars said. Such floating bases have been used before in the region, particularly by the U.S. Navy during the 1980s so-called Tanker War after Iraq invaded Iran. As Iranian mines detonated against crude oil shippers amid that war, the Navy began escorting ships out of the Persian Gulf through its narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz. The strait to this day sees a fifth of all oil traded pass through it. During the conflict, U.S. special forces operated from commercial barges that served as forward operating bases. The Navy still works with the idea today the Mideast-based 5th Fleet has been home to the USS Lewis B. Puller, a massive ship designed off an oil tanker that can host troops and attack helicopters. The Shahid Mahdavi looks like it will be configured to be an afloat forward staging base, to use the U.S. Navy term, said Michael Connell, an expert on Iran at the Virginia-based Center for Naval Analyses. The Puller was parked for many years in the Persian Gulf and the Iranian military witnessed its utility as a platform for expeditionary warfare and power projection. For years, the Guard patrolled the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, while Irans regular navy patrolled the seas and oceans beyond. Building the Shahid Mahdavi likely gives the Guard the ability to expand its presence into those waters once patrolled by the navy. History also isnt something that has escaped Iran. The choice of the name for the Guards newest ship Shahid Mahdavi, or Martyr Mahdavi comes from Nader Mahdavi, an Iranian Guardsman killed by the U.S. Navy in 1987 during the Tanker War. Americas killing of Mahdavi, which came after his forces opened fire on U.S. special forces helicopters, still resonates in Iran today. Tehran has alleged without evidence that America captured him alive and tortured him due to the condition of his body after it was returned. The American helicopters had strafed the Iranian vessels Mahdavi oversaw with machine guns, rockets and flechette rounds small metal darts. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself once gave a speech with a portrait of Mahdavi near him in 2019. That was around the time of a series of mine attacks on Mideast shipping that the U.S. Navy blamed on Iran amid the collapse of Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers. Using Mahdavis name suggests the Guard views this as a means by which to challenge the U.S. Navy in the Mideast, particularly with the new ship likely able to support the so-called swarm attacks Iran can launch against larger American warships. Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, a 5th Fleet spokesman, declined to comment specifically about the Shahid Mahdavi as were careful not to discuss intelligence-related matters. But generally speaking, we pay very close attention to the maritime environment with our international partners in the interest of regional security and stability, Hawkins said. The arrival of the Shahid Mahdavi, which would be the biggest ship in the Guards fleet, comes amid a series of naval disasters for Iran. The Kharg, the regular navys largest warship, sunk last June. In 2020, a missile mistakenly struck a naval vessel during an exercise, killing 19 sailors and wounding 15. An Iranian navy destroyer sank in the Caspian Sea in 2018. Meanwhile, a cargo ship in the Red Sea believed to be a Guard intelligence base suffered an explosion suspected to be caused by Israel last year. The Shahid Mahdavi could serve a similar role in espionage and sabotage missions by special forces, said Nadimi, the analyst at the Washington Institute. It also could be potentially outfitted with long-range missiles as well. Nasty things can happen around this ship, Nadimi warned. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. UVALDE, Texas Students trapped inside a classroom with a gunman repeatedly called 911 during this weeks attack on a Texas elementary school, including one who pleaded, Please send the police now, as officers waited more than an hour to breach the classroom after following the gunman into the building, authorities said Friday. The commander at the scene in Uvalde the school districts police chief believed that 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos was barricaded inside adjoining classrooms at Robb Elementary School and that children were no longer at risk, Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said at a contentious news conference. It was the wrong decision, he said. Fridays briefing came after authorities spent three days providing often conflicting and incomplete information about the more than an hour that elapsed between the time Ramos entered the school and when U.S. Border Patrol agents unlocked the classroom door and killed him. Three police officers followed Ramos into the building within two minutes. In the next half hour, as many as 19 officers piled into the hallway outside. But another 47 minutes passed before the Border Patrol tactical team breached the door, McCraw said. As the gunman fired at students, law enforcement officers from other agencies urged the school police chief to let them move in because children were in danger, two law enforcement officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not been authorized to speak publicly about the investigation. One of the officials said audio recordings from the scene capture officers from other agencies telling the school police chief that the shooter was still active and that the priority was to stop him. Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers inside the room. His motive remained unclear, authorities said. There was a barrage of gunfire shortly after Ramos entered the classroom where officers eventually killed him, but those shots were sporadic for much of the time that officers waited in the hallway, McCraw said. He said investigators do not know if children died during that time. Throughout the attack, teachers and children repeatedly called 911 asking for help, including the girl who pleaded for the police, McCraw said. Young survivors of the attack said they pretended to be dead while waiting for help. Miah Cerrillo, 11, told CNN that she covered herself with a friends blood to look dead. After the shooter moved into an adjacent room, she could hear screams, more gunfire and music being blared by the gunman. Samuel Salinas, 10, who also played dead, told ABCs Good Morning America that the assailant shot teacher Irma Garcia before firing on the kids. Questions have mounted over the amount of time it took officers to enter the school to confront the gunman. It was 11:28 a.m. Tuesday when Ramos Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind the low-slung Texas school and the driver jumped out carrying an AR-15-style rifle. Five minutes after that, authorities said, Ramos entered the school and found his way to the fourth grade classroom where he killed the 21 victims. But it was not until around 12:50 p.m. that police killed Ramos, McCraw said, when shots could be heard over a 911 call from a person inside the classroom as officers breached the room. What happened during that time frame, in a working-class neighborhood near the edge of Uvalde, has fueled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcements response to Tuesdays rampage. They say they rushed in, said Javier Cazares, whose fourth grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, and who raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. We didnt see that. According to the new timeline provided by McCraw, after crashing his truck, Ramos fired on two people coming out of a nearby funeral home, officials said. Contrary to earlier statements by officials, a school district police officer was not at the school when Ramos arrived. When that officer did respond, he unknowingly drove past Ramos, who was crouched behind a car parked outside and firing at the building, McCraw said. At 11:33 a.m., Ramos entered the school through a rear door that had been propped open and fired more than 100 rounds into a pair of classrooms, McCraw said. He did not address why the door was propped open. Two minutes later, three local police officers arrived and entered the building through the same door, followed soon after by four others, McCraw said. Within 15 minutes, officers from different agencies had assembled in the hallway, taking sporadic fire from Ramos, who was holed up in a classroom. Ramos was still inside at 12:10 p.m. when the first U.S. Marshals Service deputies arrived. They had raced to the school from nearly 70 miles (113 kilometers) away in the border town of Del Rio, the agency said in a tweet Friday. But the commander inside the building the school districts police chief, Pete Arredondo decided the group should wait to confront the gunman, on the belief that the scene was no longer an active attack, McCraw said. The crisis came to an end at 12:50 p.m., after officers used keys from a janitor to open the classroom door, entered the room and fatally shot Ramos, he said. Arredondo could not be reached for comment Friday. No one answered the door at his home, and he did not reply to a phone message left at the districts police headquarters. Gov. Greg Abbott, who at a Wednesday news conference lauded the police response, said Friday that he was misled, and hes livid. In his earlier statements, the governor told reporters, he was repeating what he had been told. The information that I was given turned out, in part, to be inaccurate, he said. Abbott said exactly what happened needs to be thoroughly, exhaustively investigated. The governor previously praised law enforcement for their amazing courage by running toward gunfire and their quick response. On Friday, Abbott had been set to attend the annual convention of the National Rifle Association, which is being held across the state in Houston. Instead he addressed the gun-rights groups convention by recorded video and went to Uvalde. At the convention, speaker after speaker took the stage to say that changing U.S. gun laws or further restricting access to firearms isnt the answer. What stops armed bad guys is armed good guys, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told those gathered in Houston. Former President Donald Trump was among Republican leaders speaking at the event, where hundreds of protesters angry about gun violence demonstrated outside, including some who held crosses with photos of the Uvalde victims. The motive for the massacre the nations deadliest school shooting since Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago remained under investigation. Authorities have said Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history. During the siege, frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the school, according to witnesses. Go in there! Go in there! women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street. Cazares said that when he arrived, he saw two officers outside the school and about five others escorting students out of the building. But 15 or 20 minutes passed before the arrival of officers with shields, equipped to confront the gunman, he said. As more parents flocked to the school, he and others pressed police to act, Cazares said. He heard about four gunshots before he and the others were ordered back to a parking lot. A lot of us were arguing with the police, You all need to go in there. You all need to do your jobs. Their response was, We cant do our jobs because you guys are interfering,' Cazares said. The many chilling details of the attack were enough to leave parents struggling with dread. Visiting a downtown memorial to those killed, Kassandra Johnson of the nearby community of Hondo said she was so worried the day after the attack that she kept her twin boys home from school. Before she sent the 8-year-olds back, she studied the school building, figuring out which windows she would need to break to reach them. And she drew hearts on their hands with marker, so she could identify them if the worst happened, Johnson said, as she put flowers near 21 white crosses honoring the victims. Those kids could be my kids, she said. ___ Associated Press reporters Claire Galofaro in Uvalde, Jake Bleiberg in Dallas and Mike Balsamo in Washington contributed to this report. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings The suspects in the shootings at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school and a Buffalo, New York, supermarket were both just 18, authorities say, when they bought the weapons used in the attacks too young to legally purchase alcohol or cigarettes, but old enough to arm themselves with assault-style weapons. The Buffalo suspect was taken to a hospital last year for a mental health evaluation, but the incident didnt trigger New Yorks red flag law and he was still able to purchase a gun. The Texas suspects mother told ABC he gave her an uneasy feeling at times and could be aggressive If he really got mad. But authorities say he had no known criminal or mental health history. The state has no such red flag law. They are just the latest suspected U.S. mass shooters whose ability to obtain guns has raised concerns. In some cases shooters got guns legally under current firearms laws, or because of background check lapses or law enforcements failure to heed warnings of concerning behavior. After the shootings, which together left 31 people dead, President Joe Biden renewed calls for stronger gun laws and questioned whether people as young as 18 should be allowed to purchase firearms. In the past, Biden has called for banning assault-style weapons and expanding background checks. Many Republicans oppose the measures. A look at how suspects in mass shootings over a decade obtained guns, based on police accounts, court documents and contemporaneous reporting: UVALDE, TEXAS: MAY 24, 2022. 21 DEAD. Salvador Ramos legally purchased two guns in the days before the attack that killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School an AR-style rifle from a federally licensed gun dealer in the Uvalde area on May 17 and a second rifle on May 20. Ramos made the purchases just days after turning 18, the minimum age under federal law for buying a rifle. He also purchased several hundred rounds of ammunition. At least one of the rifles was a DDM4, made by Daniel Defense and modeled after the U.S. militarys M4 carbine rifle, though without the M4s ability to switch to fully automatic or fire a three-round burst. The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong, Biden said hours after the shooting Tuesday. What in Gods name do you need an assault weapon for except to kill someone? Ramos was killed at the school by a Border Patrol team. ___ BUFFALO, NEW YORK: MAY 14, 2022. 10 DEAD. Payton Gendron legally purchased the Bushmaster XM-15 E2S used in the attack on Tops Friendly Market from a federally licensed gun dealer near his home in Conklin, New York, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Buffalo. In a personal, online diary that surfaced after the attack, Gendron said he bought the AR-15-style weapon in January, bought a shotgun in December and received a rifle as a Christmas present from his dad when he was 16. Last year, Gendron was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation under a state mental health law after writing murder-suicide in response to a teachers question. New York is one of 19 states with red flag laws that allow courts to take guns from people posing immediate danger, but that didnt happen with Gendron, who was 17 at the time. State police described his threat as general in nature and said it didnt specifically mention shooting or firearms. After the shooting, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order underscoring the need for red flag interventions and said she would seek to bar people under 21 from buying some semi-automatic weapons in the state. A similar law in California was ruled unconstitutional. Gendron is charged with murder. ___ SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA: MAY 26, 2021. 9 DEAD. Samuel James Cassidy legally purchased the three 9 mm handguns he used to kill co-workers and then himself at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority rail yard. He also stockpiled a dozen guns and 25,000 rounds of ammunition at his home, which he set ablaze before the shooting, and had high-capacity magazines that may have been illegal under California law, depending on when they were purchased. Santa Claras district attorney said authorities wouldve sought to take Cassidys weapons away under the states red flag law had U.S. Customs and Border Protection informed them of a Significant Encounter with Cassidy upon his return to California from a trip to the Philippines in 2016. Customs agents said in a report that Cassidy harbored dark thoughts about harming two specific people and had a memo book in which he expressed his hatred of the transit agency. ___ BOULDER, COLORADO: MARCH 22, 2021. 10 DEAD. Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa bought a Ruger AR-556 pistol, a semi-automatic weapon with a capacity of up to 30 rounds, six days before the shooting at King Soopers grocery store, police said. Alissa was prone to sudden rage and was convicted of misdemeanor assault and sentenced to probation for attacking a high school classmate. Colorado has a universal background check law covering almost all gun sales, but that misdemeanor would not have prevented him from buying a weapon, experts said. Had it been a felony, federal law wouldve barred his purchase. Days before the shooting, a judge struck down city ordinances banning assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines in Boulder, citing a state law prohibiting local gun bans. The NRA backed the lawsuit challenging the ordinances. A judge ruled last month that Alissa is mentally incompetent to stand trial. ___ ATLANTA: MARCH 16, 2021. 8 DEAD. Robert Aaron Long purchased a 9 mm handgun just hours before going on a shooting rampage at three massage businesses in the Atlanta area, police said. A lawyer for the gun shop said it complies with federal background check laws. Georgia, like the majority of states, has no waiting period to obtain a gun. Long claimed to have a sex addiction, police said, and he spent time at an addiction recovery facility last year. Federal law bans guns for people who are unlawful users of or addicted to a controlled substance or whove been court-ordered to a mental health or substance abuse treatment facility, but doesnt mention treatment for other compulsions as a barrier to ownership. Long is serving a sentence life without parole. ___ MIDLAND, TEXAS: AUG. 31, 2019. 7 DEAD. Seth Aaron Ator purchased an AR-style rifle through a private sale, allowing him to evade a federal background check, and fired it indiscriminately from his car into passing vehicles and shopping plazas. He also hijacked a mail truck, killing the driver. Ator had been blocked from getting a gun in 2014 after his background check was flagged because a court determined he was mentally ill, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the matter. Private sales, which account for up to 40% of all gun sales according to some estimates, are not subject to a federal background check and private sellers arent required to determine if a buyer is eligible to own a gun. Ator was killed by police. ___ DAYTON, OHIO: AUG. 4, 2019. 9 DEAD. Connor Betts classmates said he was suspended in high school for compiling a hit list and a rape list, but authorities said nothing in his background prevented him from purchasing the AR-15-style pistol used in the shooting at Ned Peppers Bar. Ohio law requires that sealed records of any juvenile crimes be expunged either after five years or once the offender turns 23. Betts, who was 24 at the time of the shooting, bought the gun online from a Texas dealer. It was then shipped to a Dayton-area firearms dealer, in accordance with federal law. Betts was killed by police. ___ EL PASO, TEXAS: AUG. 3, 2019. 23 DEAD. Patrick Crusius bought an AK-47-style rifle and 1,000 rounds of hollow-point ammunition online 45 days before he walked into a Walmart store and opened fire, killing 23 people and injuring two dozen others, before confessing that he had been targeting Mexicans, according to prosecutors. A Crusius family lawyer said his mother raised concerns about the purchase in a call to police on June 27. Police said she asked if Crusius, who was 21 at the time, was old enough to buy a gun. Police said she was assured he was and that hed qualify if he passed a background check. Police said she expressed concern only about his safety and said shed seen no recent change in his behavior. Crusius posted a racist screed online just before the attack and appeared to target Mexicans. Hes charged with capital murder in Texas and federal hate crimes and firearms offenses. ___ VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA: MAY 31, 2019. 12 DEAD. Former Virginia Beach city employee DeWayne Craddock legally purchased six firearms in the three years before he opened fire on a municipal building, including the two .45-caliber pistols used in the attack. An independent review of the shooting, commissioned by the City of Virginia Beach, found that Craddock displayed no warning signs or prohibited behaviors associated with a pathway to violence, and that he had no known history of mental health treatment. Craddock was killed by police. ___ THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA: NOV. 7, 2018. 12 DEAD. Ian David Long, a former Marine machine gunner who served in Afghanistan, used a legally purchased .45-caliber pistol with an extended magazine in the shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill. California tried to outlaw high-capacity magazines, but a federal judge reversed that after a pro-gun group sued. Months before the shooting, sheriffs deputies called to Longs home found him acting irrationally, but a mental health specialist didnt feel he needed to be involuntarily committed. California has a red flag law, but theres no indication authorities sought a court order to take away Longs guns. Long killed himself. ___ PITTSBURGH: OCT. 27, 2018. 11 DEAD. Robert Gregory Bowers had a carry license and legally owned the Colt AR-15 SP1 and three Glock .357 handguns police said he used to kill worshipers at Tree of Life synagogue. Bowers spent months posting rants against Jews on Gab, a social media site favored by right-wing extremists. He also posted photos of his glock family. Just before the attack, he posted a screed against a Jewish organization that resettles refugees, saying: I cant sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, Im going in. None of the rhetoric appeared to raise red flags. His case is pending. ___ SANTA FE, TEXAS: MAY. 18, 2018. 10 DEAD. Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a 17-year-old student, used a shotgun and a .38-caliber handgun that his father purchased legally and stored in a closet at their home, authorities said. It wasnt clear if his father knew hed taken the guns. Prior to the attack, Pagourtzis posted a photo on social media of a T-shirt with the phrase Born to Kill and had writings indicating he planned to attack his high school. A judge sent him to a mental health facility after ruling he was incompetent to stand trial. high school. ___ PARKLAND, FLORIDA: FEB. 14, 2018. 17 DEAD. Nikolas Cruz legally purchased a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle in February 2017 from a licensed dealer a few miles from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, authorities said. Hed been treated at a mental health clinic but hadnt been there in more than a year. Federal law prohibits gun purchases if a court declares a person a mental defective or commits that person to an institution, but not if the person seeks treatment voluntarily. Cruz was 19 at the time of the shooting. He pleaded guilty in October. A four-month penalty trial is scheduled to begin this summer that will determine if he is sentenced to death or life without parole. ___ SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, TEXAS: NOV. 5, 2017. 25 DEAD. Devin Patrick Kelleys history of domestic abuse barred him from buying guns. He was able to because information about his crimes was never entered into a federal database used for background checks. The Air Force failed to follow rules requiring that it inform the FBI about his conduct. Kelley purchased four guns, including an AR-15-style rifle found at First Baptist Church, from licensed Texas and Colorado dealers over a four-year span. Kelley killed himself. ___ LAS VEGAS: OCT. 1, 2017. 58 DEAD. Stephen Paddock purchased 33 of the 49 weapons found in his hotel room and at his homes in the year before he opened fire on a country music festival. Paddock passed all background checks. His gradual accumulation of guns went undetected because federal law doesnt require licensed gun dealers to alert the government about rifle purchases. Paddock killed himself. ___ ORLANDO, FLORIDA: JUNE 12, 2016. 49 DEAD. Omar Mateen purchased an AR-15-style rifle, a Sig Sauer MCX, and a handgun from a licensed dealer on separate days about a week before the Pulse nightclub attack. He passed a background check and had a security license that allowed him to be armed while on duty. The FBI investigated Mateen in 2013 and 2014 over co-workers concerns that hed spoken about ties to terrorist groups. Neither inquiry led to charges. Even if hed been placed on a terrorism watch list, Congress in 2015 rejected attempts to prevent people on the list from purchasing guns. Mateen was killed by police. ___ SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA: DEC. 2, 2015. 14 DEAD. Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, used weapons the FBI said his neighbor, Enrique Marquez, legally purchased from a licensed dealer in 2011 and 2012. Marquez pleaded guilty to charges he conspired to provide support to terrorists and made false statements to acquire a firearm. He told investigators Farook asked him to buy the weapons because he would draw less attention. Farook and Malik were killed by police. ___ ROSEBURG, OREGON: OCT. 1, 2015. 10 DEAD. Christopher Harper-Mercer and his family members legally purchased the handguns and rifle used in the Umpqua Community College shooting from a licensed dealer. Investigators found six guns at the college and eight at an apartment. Neighbors said Harper-Mercer and his mother went target shooting together. Harper-Mercer killed himself after he was wounded by police. ___ CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: JUNE 17, 2015. 9 DEAD. A drug arrest shouldve prevented Dylann Roof from purchasing the pistol he used at Emanuel AME Church, but a record-keeping error and background check delay enabled the transaction to go through. The FBI said a background check examiner never saw the arrest report because the wrong arresting agency was listed in state criminal history records. After three days, the gun dealer was legally permitted to complete the transaction. He was convicted and is on federal death row. ___ WASHINGTON: SEPT. 16, 2013. 12 DEAD. Aaron Alexis, a former reservist turned civilian contractor, passed background checks and legally purchased the shotgun used in the Washington Navy Yard shooting despite recent mental health treatment and a history of violent outbursts. He previously fired a gun in anger twice but wasnt prosecuted in either case. Alexis was killed by police. ___ NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT: DEC. 14, 2012. 26 DEAD. Adam Lanza used his mothers weapons, including a .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle, in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Lanzas mother, whom he fatally shot before going to the school, also purchased the ammunition. Lanza killed himself. ___ AURORA, COLORADO: JULY 20, 2012. 12 DEAD. James Holmes was receiving psychiatric treatment when he passed required federal background checks and legally purchased the weapons he used in his movie theater assault. As in the Parkland and Navy Yard cases, treatment alone did not prevent him from buying guns. He was convicted and sentenced to 12 life terms and thousands of years in prison. ___ Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak A reputed leader of a notoriously violent Mexican cartel has been extradited to Chicago and arraigned on charges that he trafficked heroin in the Chicago area and sent hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds to Mexico. Adan Casarrubias Salgado also known by nicknames including El Tomate was extradited to the U.S. on Thursday. He pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, money laundering and drug trafficking Friday and he remains in federal custody, authorities said. Advertisement If convicted, he faces a sentence of 10 years to life, according to a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office in Chicago. A farmer demonstrates how he draws opium paste from a poppy flower bulb in the mountains of Guerrero state in 2015. (Dario Lopez-Mills/AP) Casarrubias Salgado is an alleged leader of the Guerreros Unidos criminal syndicate. According to a newly unsealed federal indictment, he distributed heroin around the Chicago area, including suburban Batavia and Aurora, in spring 2014. In June of that year, he sent some $600,000 in drug money to Mexico, the indictment alleges. Advertisement Exercising strong federal laws and extradition is critical to weakening transnational drug cartels that send deadly drugs to the U.S., DEA Special Agent in Charge Robert Bell said in a statement Friday. The DEA appreciates doing its important work with our close partners to keep Americans safe. Guerreros Unidos is reportedly known for its extraordinarily brutal methods, including public displays of beheading victims. The group was implicated in the 2014 disappearance of 43 teaching students, a matter in which Casarrubias Salgados brother Sidronio was allegedly involved, according to Mexican reports. mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com jmeisner@chicagotribune.com Chicagos gun violence and restrictive gun laws were thrust into the national conversation Wednesday, when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott referenced the city in arguing against stricter measures following the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting that left 19 students and two adults dead. There are quote real gun laws in Chicago ... I hate to say this, but there are more people who were shot every weekend in Chicago than there are in schools in Texas, Abbott said Wednesday, also referencing Los Angeles and New York City. And we need to realize that people who think that, well, maybe if we could just implement tougher gun laws, its going to solve it, Chicago and L.A. and New York disprove that thesis. And so, if youre looking for a real solution, Chicago teaches that what youre talking about is not a real solution. Chicagos gun laws are among the most restrictive in the United States, although some have loosened as theyve been overturned in the past decade. And while the city is frequently used as an example of why such regulations dont work, the truth is far murkier. [ [Dont miss] Look at Chicago: Politicians again use city as example of why strict gun control wont work even as Texas school shooting jolts local parents ] What is the state of gun violence in Chicago and Illinois? The Tribunes Annie Sweeney reported on 2021 crime statistics, analyzing Chicago Police Department data, information from other law enforcement and the Cook County medical examiners office. Sweeney found that Chicago endured one of its deadliest years in at least the last quarter-century in 2021. More than 1,000 homicides here were gun-related, the medical examiners office said. The overwhelming majority of slayings in the city more than 90% were a result of gun violence, statistics show. All told, there were at least 4,300 gunshot victims, including those who suffered both fatal and nonfatal injuries, according to CPD data. The number is a significant increase from 2018, when 2,800 people were shot. In 2022, there have been 899 shooting incidents year to date compared with 1,061 in 2021 year to date, according to Chicago Police Department data. [ Chicago homicides in 2022: 218 people have been slain. Heres how that compares with previous years. ] A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map shows Illinois in the middle of the pack when it comes to gun death rates in the U.S. The FBI has designated 40 shootings in 2020 as active shooter incidents. The FBI defines an active shooter as one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. Of those 40 shootings in 2020, five incidents occurred in Illinois, two of which were in Chicago. A Pew Research Center study of the data shows more Americans died of gun-related injuries in 2020 than in any other year on record, according to recently published statistics from the CDC. That included a record number of gun murders, as well as a near-record number of gun suicides, Pew said. Despite the increase in such fatalities, the rate of gun deaths a statistic that accounts for the nations growing population remains below the levels of earlier years. The gun death rate in the U.S. is much higher than in most other nations, particularly developed nations. But it is still far below the rates in several Latin American countries, according to a 2018 study of 195 countries and territories by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. Advertisement How do Illinois gun laws compare to the rest of the country? Eight years ago, Illinois became the last state to allow concealed carry, while other laws were loosened in years prior. In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 1982 ban on handguns in Illinois, and three years later, Chicago ended its gun registry. In 2014, a judge overturned Chicagos ban on gun shops. In its 2021 annual report on state gun laws, the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence gave Illinois an A-, making it eighth in the nation for the strength of its gun laws. California, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey were among states that ranked higher. While the nonprofit applauded Illinois universal background checks, waiting periods and domestic violence gun laws, it calls for the state to ban the manufacture or sale of untraceable DIY ghost guns and impose restrictions on assault weapons, large-capacity magazines and bulk firearm purchases. In August, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law a measure requiring background checks for private gun sales or transfers beginning in 2024. The state law, introduced in the wake of a February 2019 warehouse shooting in suburban Aurora that left five dead and six wounded, also charges an Illinois State Police task force with taking guns from people whove had their FOID cards revoked but havent turned over their weapons, and streamlines the process for renewing FOID cards and concealed carry licenses. [ Column: The truth and lies about Chicago's gun laws ] A 2019 Tribune investigation found that as many as 30,000 guns were potentially in the hands of people whod had their FOID cards revoked in the previous four years. A follow-up review last year found improved compliance but also an increase in the number of firearms that were unaccounted for. Advertisement Where do gun laws fall short? Indiana is frequently cited as the No. 1 source of out-of-state guns used in crimes in Cook County. In 2017, a report commissioned by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel analyzed four years of gun tracing data and found 60% of illegally used or possessed firearms recovered in Chicago come from out of state. Indiana was the primary source for approximately one in five such guns. In 95% of cases, the person with the gun was not the initial purchaser. In 2021, Chicago filed a lawsuit against a northern Indiana gun store, claiming more than 850 illegal firearms recovered in Chicago could be traced back to a single gun shop in Gary, an establishment that the city alleged ignored the clear signs of so-called straw purchases. In 2013, a federal indictment charged two men with illegally selling 43 firearms to a government informant in just under 26 hours, a volume made possible by gun shows and less restrictive state laws in Indiana. Private gun sales in Indiana dont require background checks, a waiting period or even a record of the transaction. Earlier this year, Indiana passed a law loosening Indianas requirements for carrying a handgun in public despite the opposition of several major law enforcement organizations. [ Editorial: Permitless carry? Indianas guns are already a big problem for Chicago. ] Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the law repealing the states handgun permit requirement, allowing anyone age 18 or older to carry a handgun except for reasons such as having a felony conviction, facing a restraining order from a court or having a dangerous mental illness. Advertisement What are straw purchases? The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives defines straw purchases as the illegal purchase of a firearm by one person for another. In 2021, federal authorities joined a firearms trade association at a suburban Chicago gun store to call attention to a media campaign intended to head off straw purchases of firearms that wind up on the streets of Chicago and used in crimes. The Dont Lie for the Other Guy campaign planned to run about 2.5 million digital ads including targeted mobile ads and almost 1 million ads on Facebook and Instagram. Advertisement What are ghost guns? Ghost guns are often made by hobbyists with a 3-D printer or from kits that can be purchased online, and have no identification numbers on them that allow them to be traced by law enforcement. People assembling ghost guns also are able to avoid background checks the state requires to obtain a firearm. Making, selling or owning ghost guns, untraceable weapons is now illegal in Illinois under legislation Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law this month. A child should not be able to build an AR-15 like theyre building a toy truck, Pritzker said during a bill-signing ceremony at the Ark of St. Sabina in Auburn Gresham. A convicted domestic abuser should not be able to evade scrutiny by using a 3-D printer to make a gun. In Chicago and nationwide, the number of ghost guns used in crimes has drastically increased over the past several years. Taking a step ahead towards providing a seamless and secure user experience, Apna, Indias largest jobs and professional networking platform, has collaborated with Truecaller, the leading global platform that enables safe communication for instant onboarding of customers. The partnership is in sync with Apnas objective of enhancing the overall user experience by leveraging Truecaller's expertise, to connect people with hyperlocal opportunities. Through this partnership, Apna has been able to improve the overall calling efficiency by about 15% in less than a year. The platform has also seen around 40% of its users verify their identity seamlessly via Truecallers 1-tap verification SDK, leading to faster activation of their users. Truecallers verification SDK (the developer-focused tool) enables mobile number-based instant and frictionless user verification for onboarding new users to the Apna mobile platform. Talking about the association, Shantanu Preetam, Chief Technology Officer, apna.co said, In the last two years, Apna has grown to be Indias most trusted jobs and professional networking platform with 22 million users across 70 plus cities. The trust has been based upon the safety and seamless experience we aim to provide and Truecaller has been an invaluable partner supporting us with the same. We look forward to our journey with Truecaller as we strengthen our mission of empowering more lives and #AcceleratingIndia "Truecaller focuses on developing solutions for businesses and developers that increase the efficiency from user onboarding to last-mile communication. With Truecaller Verified Business Caller ID, Apna has added more context in its user-calling communications, enhanced their brand reputation, and delivered considerable value and safety to end consumers. We are committed to working closely with the Apna team to ensure efficient communication for end users and enable their mission of building the worlds largest jobs and professional networking platform. " said Priyam Bose, Global Head, GTM at Truecaller. Apna has kept the security of its users at forefront of its product as the company builds the worlds largest jobs and professional networking platform. Founded in 2019, Apna is trusted by more than 22 million users, and 2,00,000 employer partners in more than 70 cities in India. In the last 1 year alone, the platform has enabled more than 350 million interviews and professional conversations. The Verified Business Caller ID improved communication efficiency while positively impacting the user experience and satisfaction. The appearance of the brand logo and brand name on user's mobile devices - amongst other unknown calls - helped Apna improve brand trust when connecting with their users. In addition, a Verified business badge and a verified tick impart Apnas users a feeling of trust, brand recall, and instant recognition. Apna leveraged Truecaller SDK and Verified Caller ID to manage the user journey at all stages, covering the entire user lifecycle. Astral Limited, one of the leading companies in building materials, has announced an association with Superstar Allu Arjun as their brand ambassador for the Pipes & Water Tank businesses. This association will add value to the entire ecosystem of Astral pipes and boost Astral business in the market. On the partnership, Mr. Kairav Engineer, Astral said, This partnership signifies an important milestone for us as a brand since Mr. Allu Arjun is renowned for his distinctive acting & dancing styles and immense fan-following. We, at Astral, are delighted to associate with him with an aim to reinforce our brand equity and strengthen brand consideration in the southern states of India. The regional connect coupled with an immensely popular star will help us to create strong footholds, increased mind share and market share in these markets. Echoing the sentiment, Mr. Allu Arjun commented, I am excited to get associated with Astral Pipes, a brand which is a household name and well-known for quality, innovations and forward-thinking. I can resonate well with the brand's versatility and look forward to our association. Astral Limited is one of the fastest-growing companies in India with their piping business, leading the way in terms of volume and contribution to the company. South India marks a huge market for Astral Limited. Astral in addition to Pipes and building materials is diversified into various other portfolios including Adhesives, Water Tanks, Sanitaryware and Faucets. The strategic decision of the company is in the direction of its vision of achieving significant revenue streams and contributing considerably to its overall piping business. It's an exciting week for Star Wars fans as Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi is coming for a six-part series on Disney+ Hotstar in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam, on May 27. Reprising his role as the iconic Jedi Master, Ewan McGregor is set to headline the series along with Hayden Christensen as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader. The two are joined by Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie. This new limited Star Wars series comes years after the dramatic events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, where Obi-Wan Kenobi faced his most significant defeatthe downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as an evil Sith Lord - Darth Vader. But how much do you know about Obi-Wan's life? Trust in the force; there's more to Obi-Wan Kenobi than you think. Reacquaint yourself or learn something new about the life of the venerable Jedi Master before he takes center stage in the Obi-Wan Kenobi limited series. Training Under Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn Born on the planet Stewjon, the Force-sensitive youngling Obi-Wan Kenobi was quickly inducted into the Jedi Order for training and was made a Padawan under Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. During Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan accompanied his Master to search for someone who could bring peace to the Force on Naboo as the Sith Lord returned to stake claim to the force. It was here that they found Anakin Skywalker. However, Obi-Wan was separated from his Master and was forced to watch in horror as the Sith Lord impaled Qui-Gon. Becoming Anakin Skywalkers Master Obi-Wan and Anakin were tasked with protecting Padme Amidala (a senator) from assassination during the events of Star War: Attack of the Clones. However, Anakin Skywalker shares a forbidden romance with Padme Amidala. At the same time, Obi-wan Kenobi investigates an assassination attempt on the Senator and discovers a secret clone army crafted for the Jedi. Anakin's Betrayal Three years into the Clone Wars, the Jedi rescue Chancellor Palpatine from Count Dooku. As Obi-wan pursued a new threat in Star Wars: Revenge of The Sith, Anakin acted as a double agent between the Jedi Council and Palpatine and was lured into a sinister plan to rule the galaxy. In 2022 Obi-Wan Kenobi returns to embark on a crucial mission. The new limited series, directed by Deborah Chow, explores how Obi-Wan went from warrior hero in the prequels to the Zen Jedi Master seen in the original trilogy with an atmospheric, gritty, and emotional character-based story. Pepperfry, the ecommerce furniture and home goods company, today announced the appointment of Anand Batra as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This is Anands second stint with Pepperfry, his first being a five-year stint during the early days of Pepperfrys inception. In his role as CFO, Anand will spearhead the organizations corporate strategy, fundraising efforts, financial operations, legal and secretarial functions. His appointment is effective immediately and he will be based at the Pepperfry corporate office in Mumbai. Anand is a seasoned finance professional with more than a decade of experience in venture capital, business management, financial planning and operations, fundraising, strategy, and investment banking. Prior to joining Pepperfry, Anand worked as Executive Director at Z3Partners, a leading tech and digital Fund, where he was involved with the Funds investments in Dealshare, Shipsy, Gramophone and Cyfirma. Prior to joining Z3Partners, Anand was a principal in the investing team at IvyCap Ventures, focusing on early stage investments in India consumer and technology enabled businesses. Before starting his career as an investor, Anand headed up Category Management for the Home Goods business at Pepperfry. During this stint, Anand transformed the home business unit economics, while maintaining high levels of customer experience. Prior to this, Anand headed up the Financial Planning and Strategy function at Pepperfry, where he led fundraising efforts, apart from helping shape the Companys omni-channel strategy and launching business categories. Anand started his career as an investment banker at Lazard and Avendus Capital in India. Anand is a graduate of the London School of Economics and Narsee Monjee College, Mumbai, Ambareesh Murty, Co-Founder & CEO, Pepperfry said, We are thrilled to welcome Anand back home. His contributions during Pepperfrys formative years were invaluable and had helped steer our business through several transformational changes. I am a fan of his wide world view and look forward to working with him to chart Pepperfrys future through Indias rapidly evolving digital and retail landscape. It gives me great delight to rejoin the Pepperfry family. The company is a differentiated brand in the ecommerce space and has undisputedly built a community-based platform defining home and living. In its decade long journey, Pepperfry has shown all the makings of a strong consumer brand. I look forward to working closely with the team to drive the next phase of growth. said Anand Batra, Chief Financial Officer, Pepperfry. Shoppers Stop, Indias leading fashion and beauty destination and Estee Lauder Companies, one of the worlds leading manufacturers and marketers of prestige skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products have strengthened their alliance in India with the launch of an exclusive SS Beauty store in Mumbai. Dripping in luxury, the new store in Oberoi Mall, Goregaon, Mumbai will be the first ever SS BeEAUTY store to offer only Estee Lauder Companies brands like MAC Cosmetics, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone, Estee Lauder, Smashbox and Tom Ford. Commenting on the launch, Mr. Venu Nair - Customer Care Associate, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Shoppers Stop Limited said, SS BeAUTY from the house of Shoppers Stop is a luxury beauty destination that beautifully melanges artistry and expertise. Our longstanding partnership with Estee Lauder Companies has truly been one of great vision and commitment. We have been operating all their stand-alone stores in India as well as their websites. With our extensive retail footprint and Estee Lauders opulence, we are disrupting the beauty retail universe by launching the exclusive Estee Lauder Companies-only SS BeAUTY store in Mumbai. "Our 15+ year partnership with Shoppers Stop has helped us grow our presence in India exponentially. We are extremely proud to partner with Shoppers Stop to bring quality beauty experiences for our consumers. We plan on opening more exclusive SS BeAUTY stores across India to intensify our reach in India, said Rohan Vaziralli, General Manager, Estee Lauder Companies India. Biju Kassim - Customer Care Associate and President, Beauty said, Beauty is one of our vital strategic growth pillars. Beauty contributes 16.5% to our sales which grew by 9% this past quarter and we are aggressive in our plans for the next three years. We are actively growing our beauty portfolio of Estee Lauder stores, SS BeAUTY stores and Shoppers Stop Department stores to provide our customers with a luxury beauty experience, and we continue to invest in this avenue. All SS BeAUTY stores in Infiniti Mall, Malad; Phoenix Market City, Kurla; Oberoi Mall, Goregaon; and Silver Arc Mall, Ludhiana offer beauty masterclasses, make-over services, skincare consultation, fragrance discovery stations, gifting, and personalization services. The stores house the finest assortment of makeup, skincare & fragrance brands to cater to every consumers unique beauty needs. Clensta, a Gurgaon-based new-age start-up, has roped in actor and social media influencer, Soha Ali Khan, as its brand promoter. The move comes as the brand seeks to strengthen its position as every homemakers go-to brand for homecare products and enhance its brand equity. Soha will be seen promoting Clenstas range of EBDC technology-based homecare products that come with smart refills. With an extensive range of innovative and eco-friendly products, Clensta aims at revolutionizing the homecare industry in India. Known for her warm personality and effortless charm, Soha has amassed a massive following on social media, and is followed by mothers and homemakers. As a mother of one, Soha understands just how important it is to maintain home hygiene and strives to always create an environment which is best for her daughters overall development. She is also a big supporter of green products and believes in practicing sustainability at home and beyond. Sohas association with the brand began with the launch of a digital film where she talks about Clenstas range of revolutionary homecare products and how the range aids homemakers in keeping their household free from germs and other allergens. Commenting on the association, Puneet Gupta, CEO and Founder, Clensta said: We are delighted to have Soha on board. Our homecare range has been curated with EBDC technology, keeping in mind the needs of a modern Indian household. Our products are effective, innovative, and sustainable, while also being pocket friendly. We wanted somebody just as special to promote our products and Soha beautifully fits the DNA of the brand. The association will help us in strengthening our connection with mothers and home-maker and enhance the brand appeal. Soha Ali Khan commented: As a mother, maintaining home hygiene is a full-time job; you want to always ensure your child is protected and safe from germs and other allergens. Clensta, with its EBDC technology-based home care products, is a godsend for every mother who is constantly worrying about her home hygiene. What is even more impressive is how the products are cost-effective and minimize single-use plastic. While the PR and communication industry is growing, talent and training has always been a challenge. Today, we have some very premier colleges who are offering courses which are primarily a one-year course to students who would like to take PR as a career. While opting for a career in PR and communications is on the rise, is there some way students can be given more practical experience and exposure as they join PR companies after completing their courses? While there is a structured curriculum created by colleges who cover quite a bit of what one should know before starting ones career in PR, it is the practical aspect of PR that needs to be deeply looked into. Internally many organisations have their own training modules for new joinees, but if agencies and college can collaborate then the students will be able to get a deeper understanding of their role when they begin their careers. After all, human capital is the biggest asset in the communication business, and if educational institutes are able to churn good all-round talent by jointly working with the PR companies, it will benefit both of them in the long run. Is there a need to redesign the courses as the pandemic as brought in a lot of changes in consumer behaviour and PR has to counter new challenges? Designing a new syllabus which is relevant to the times will need joint efforts from PR companies and colleges to understand the needs and challenges and create one which delivers the right solutions and which benefits the students, organisations, colleges and clients. While there is no dearth of good and experienced faculty across colleges, it would be really helpful if more experienced senior leaders from the PR and corporate world also go to these college and share their valuable knowledge and insights from time to time. Also, finding good talent every year to service growth and new clients is increasingly becoming challenging while the expectation level from clients keeps going up. Today, clients are willing to reward the agencies, but they also expect the agencies to ensure that the talent working on the account is agile and savvy. This where HR can make a huge difference if they also closely work with the educational institutes to create the right curriculum to groom the students at an early stage. For communications professionals, it is not just about being responsible for communications and keeping the messaging sharp and well targeted, but there is also need to nurture and up the skillsets of the work force as the PR industry is evolving and rapidly changing, especially with the rapid digital transition. There is also an increasing scope to master more practices and enter the profession. While there are several courses today across colleges and universities, these need to reviewed periodically and colleges need to keep pace with the changes happening in the PR world. The PR business has evolved, hence the right training and adapting to the latest technology will be a real advantage for the agencies. As the industry continues to evolve, being technologically savvy and digitally aware is imperative to stay head of the curve. The PR professional of tomorrow will no longer be restricted to a particular role, and instead will be expected to deliver a gamut of services. This is where both the organisations and educational institutes need to work in tandem on the curriculum, which will help both students and PR agencies in a building strong foundation to build their career. According to Priya Mishra, Chief Talent Officer, BCW India Group, Talent is one of the most critical areas for our industry, and for nurturing talent, institutions and organisations must work hand in hand. While the colleges provide a good base, the PR and communications industry is evolving at a dizzying pace, and by the time some of those developments reach the curriculum, things have already moved forward. The only way to address that is with PR professionals going to colleges and sharing their insights and experience as well as colleges sending their students as interns to get a more hands-on experience. Even after they have graduated and left college, there needs to be a plan in place to continuously upskill and train talent. Not just with cookie-cutter programmes but with specialised and customised programmes that consider the specific needs and vision of the organisation and the people. This is one of the reasons why training has been one of our highest priorities and why we created the BCW India Group School of Learning instead of just tying up with an institute to supply the training. Our own people develop the programmes and they deliver them, making sure that our people are always ahead of the curve in terms of industry knowledge, Mishra added. Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR, too, felt that joining hands with educational institutions is a very encouraging trend. She said, Thanks to the efforts and hard work put in by thousands of PR professionals in the industry right now over the past several decades, PR now has a seat in the boardroom. It is today a lucrative career that commands respect, power and financial rise. However, while the first two are garnered with experience, the last aspect is something that most colleges do not prepare their students for, how to reach there or / and the time and energy it would take to get on the financial fast track. Rattan added that most colleges are open to industry sessions and most PR professionals happy to share their industry experience. It just needs an initiative from one party to set the ball rolling. No need to look very far for this. Start with your college. Go back to college and share your insights with them. Slowly build from there, she advised. While stressing on the need for better and stronger collaboration between academia and practitioners at various levels, Melissa Arulappan, an experienced communication professional and teacher, noted, PR is a very dynamic industry, students need to be aware of and keep abreast of trends and developments in the industry. It is, therefore, extremely important for practitioners to feed into curricula being developed. She further added, We need more PR practitioners to invest time in giving back and teaching students. PR is so practice-led, so experience-led that it is only when practitioners share their experience and learning that students will understand and appreciate the versatility of PR. At the same time, Arulappan emphasised that While one-off guest faculty sessions are good, we need more than that. We also need practitioners to give students real-world assignments, grade them and provide them the feedback and guidance they need to hone their skills further. Similarly, it would do tenured faculty a world of good to spend time in PR agencies to understand trends and dynamics shaping the industry. Stressing on the real-world exposure, she pointed out that exposure through research and assignments will strengthen the knowledge of the students. Hence, it is very important for students to work on real-world assignments because that is when the rubber meets the road that they understand the finer nuances of PR. PR professionals and PR colleges should collaborate for the future of this industry. Himanshu Raj, Head of Communications, Pristyn Care, stressed that, It is important for them to work together and improve the curriculum of PR courses. As the PR industry is evolving, today there are a lot of new topics like policy communication, crisis management, and investor communication which need to be touched upon in detail at the colleges. The focus should be on functional training and PR leaders should be invited for lectures on a regular basis so that students can get first-hand experience in the PR industry. Raj further said that PR professionals can help colleges improve their curriculum by building a robust training program for youngsters. The industry needs fresh talent pool and hence, the strong collaboration between the PR industry and the educational institutions will help to address the talent crunch which the industry has been facing, he concluded. Amy Lardner gives a thumbs-up to a friend while attending a gathering to remember Monty, a Great Lakes piping plover, at Montrose Beach on May 25, 2022, in Chicago. The endangered bird died May 13. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Birders, biologists, conservationists and those who happened to be swept up in the tale of two little birds gathered this week at Montrose Beach to mark the end of one story while another was just beginning. The crowd gathered Wednesday night to celebrate the lives of Monty and Rose, the endangered piping plovers who three summers ago became the first pair to nest successfully in Chicago in decades. Advertisement Monty died earlier this month at Montrose Beach while waiting on Rose, who never returned. On Wednesday, the cast of human characters who have become regulars in the Monty and Rose saga was present: the coordinator known as the mother of the monitoring effort, a birder who loved sharing her binoculars with her Latinx community, a conservationist credited with restoration of the dunes that provided a welcoming home. Advertisement With every wing beat, Monty and Rose and their progeny brought people together, said Tamima Itani, who has led Chicagos plover effort. People gather to remember Monty, a Great Lakes piping plover, at Montrose Beach on May 25, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) But there was another return visitor present on the day of the memorial Imani, one of last summers chicks, seen in the sand not far from where his father took his last breaths. The end of Monty and Roses story here at Montrose is not the end of this series, said Edward Warden, president of the Chicago Ornithological Society. Its just one book. [ How the 'love story' between Monty and Rose unfolded at Montrose Beach ] Monty and Rose gave fans quite a narrative to follow. The birds were already up against enough when they showed up in Chicago as members of a species once down to about a dozen nesting pairs in the Great Lakes. They then managed to meet a list of ever-refreshed obstacles: the encroachment of a beachside musical festival, high lake levels and severe storms, the death of chicks and hungry skunks. Through it all, they managed to fledge seven chicks. It was really hard for all of us to lose any chick, any egg, said Louise Clemency, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. But if all the Great Lakes piping plover nests had that rate of success, we would be upward toward recovery. Monty the piping plover walks the shoreline on April 21, 2022, after returning to Montrose Harbor. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Warden credited the volunteer and education efforts of many in the crowd with helping create a brand for Monty and Rose the birds have appeared on shirts, beer cans and in two documentary films. On Wednesday, Monty and Rose appeared on posters, along with their offspring, near the site of Montys death in the Montrose plover habitat, as some visitors took selfies with the memorial in between a downpour. Advertisement They left a legacy of unity, love, friendship and conservation that will be long remembered, Itani said. But there might be more opportunities ahead to rally behind Montrose plovers. After appearing earlier this season in Duluth, Imani, who was named for faith in Swahili, touched down this week at Montrose. The young bird is banded like his parents were, making him identifiable. When thinking of Monty and Rose, one word that comes to mind is mystery, said Leslie Borns, the longtime Montrose Beach dunes steward. Leslie Borns speaks at a gathering to remember Monty, a Great Lakes piping plover, at Montrose Beach on May 25, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) It seems that no matter how much we know and can learn about nature, theres still so much that remains a mystery to us, Borns said. Perhaps one of the greatest mysteries of all that I have seen is the return of Imani. As she watched the young bird forage where his father stood days earlier, Borns said she was reminded that life goes on. Advertisement I hope that the sadness is melting away and being replaced by joy and gratitude, Borns said. Francie Cuthbert, a leader in the Great Lakes plover recovery effort, said shes still surprised by the emotion attached to Monty and Rose and the following theyve acquired. As for Imani, Cuthbert said, Isnt that something? I hate to use the word amazing, but it is amazing, said Cuthbert, a professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at University of Minnesota. The plovers know the Great Lakes. Piping plover monitors and others pose for a photograph next to a drawing of Monty, a Great Lakes piping plover, at Montrose Beach on May 25, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) First-year birds tend to arrive at their nesting locations later than more experienced birds, Cuthbert said, and will sometimes bounce between sites before finding a mate and settling down. We havent finished the story with Imani, Cuthbert said. I just hope that he survives, and he finds a mate. Advertisement The overall plover season looks promising, Cuthbert said, between lower lake levels and a strong finish to the last nesting season. And every bird counts. But few have captured the hearts of as many people as Chicagos piping plovers. Monty and Rose made such a contribution to conservation, Cuthbert said. Its something you couldnt really predict. Now, birders are hopeful about whats next. You can thank Pleasantdale Middle School fifth graders for making sure Illinois had an official state rock. And you can also thank them for making sure coal was not chosen for said state rock. Yes, coal was in the running, according to now sixth grader Matej Naunov. Advertisement One of our main reasons as to why coal was dropped was because you get coal on Christmas when youre not good, he said matter-of-factly. Pleasantdale teacher Jennifer Lauermanns former students sat in the schools music room recently, remembering their advocacy efforts to get a bill on Gov. J.B. Pritzkers desk designating a state rock, a goal they achieved as a group during the pandemic. The youths are now waiting for Pritzkers signature to make dolostone as the official rock of the state of Illinois. Advertisement Pleasantdale Middle School teacher Jennifer Lauermann and her fifth grade students look over an assortment of rocks at Pleasantdale Middle School in Burr Ridge on May 20, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Dolostone, one of the most common rocks in Illinois, provides valuable nutrients to the soil. Its also a great building resource and comprises most of the bedrock of northern Illinois. Per student research, dolostone was the cause of a major mineral rush in Galena, Illinois, in the early 1800s, the site of one of the first large geologic expeditions in the nation. What started as a geology unit in Lauermanns fifth-grade science class grew into a movement of sorts that spanned the entire Burr Ridge school, other school districts, geology professors, gem clubs, rock enthusiasts/collectors and geologists. And to think it all started years ago, when Lauermann said she had students wanting to name a state spider. But that fizzled. It was because of that group years ago, that made me really look at our state symbols, Lauermann said. Then during the 2020-21 school year, her fifth graders started talking about symbols and discovered Illinois didnt have a rock. That got the group of 26 students thinking and researching. During their work, the group interviewed people who work in the field and sent out emails to local geology experts. Lauermann said the students welcomed their input because they didnt want to choose the rock without the advice of experts. Lauermann said the selected rocks had to represent Illinois, which meant its easily found in Illinois. And a lot of people use it, said student Stephan Nikolic. The class started with 10 rocks and ultimately got it down to the final three limestone, dolostone and sandstone. The class then split up into three groups representing each rock, and made a case for each one. The campaigning was fierce. Lauermann created a website for the schools endeavor, with details about each rock and a ballot for voting. Students told their parents, parents told friends and so on. Lauermann said the youths wrote 150 letters to state legislators to get any one of them on board with the push for a state rock. Naunov said the act of writing, printing, folding and stuffing envelopes took up some of the fifth graders recess time. A dolostone rock is on display at Pleasantdale Middle School in Burr Ridge. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Signage was posted throughout the school, urging school staff and students to vote. With a state bird, insect, food, mineral and dance, how could Illinois not have a state rock? While dolostone was the smallest group, Lauermann said, dolostone was the winner with over 1,300 votes (over 50% of the vote) from myriad Illinois locations, including Chicago, Kenilworth, Rockford, Galena and Carbondale. We reached about 400 schools total, Lauermann said. The website had really colorful pictures and an essay to read. I dont really know all the reasons why people voted dolostone, but many of them said they liked the way it looked. They liked that its underneath us, part of our bedrock. And I remember people said they liked dolostone because its in a lot of buildings. Its very historical. Its not a rock that we see everywhere. But it definitely represents Illinois. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Downers Grove heard about the rock project and brought it to the floor of the House. Advertisement Weve been told that once it gets signed, well know and well all celebrate that theyre a part of history, Lauermann said. They will have that memory and I will too. Lauermann said the students have already been recognized by the school board and when the state rock is official, she said the district superintendent wants to do some kind of rock monument or plaque. Lauermann added that parents have already expressed their gratitude for the project helping to lift kids up during the pandemic. Pleasantdale Principal Griffin Sonntag said the 19-year Pleasantdale teacher made lemonade out of lemons. Thats the kind of teachers that we have here. Shes one of the best, he said adding, Its great for the kids to see the fruits of their labor. Lauermann agreed. It was all about the research and the diligence, Lauermann said. You had to have a group of kids that really wanted something if they didnt want it, then it wouldnt have happened. This was a very, very diligent, really interested motivated group of students that wanted this to work. Advertisement Venture into Lauermanns class and you can see her growing rock collection on the wall. Current and former students often will find unique rocks and give them to her an arrowhead that looks like its carved from coal, a crystal from Tasmania and natural copper all sit on her wall. Pleasantdale Middle School fifth graders look over an assortment of rocks at their school in Burr Ridge on May 20, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Before the sixth graders left to take part in their current science class, looking at tornadoes by way of leaf blower, they were asked if they were fans of science. Everyone said, not so much, including Jackson Hawbecker. But the students all agreed that Lauermann made science fun. Every year you just try to plant some little seed or interest in these kids, Lauermann said. And last year, we struggled. We came up with some innovative things in the school that tried to reach the kids, and thats what this was. Curious about other state symbols? drockett@chicagotribune.com The motorcycle killers who assassinated a senior Quds Force officer in Tehran on Sunday knew what they were doing. According to Iranian media accounts, accomplices blocked the street behind the targets car by double-parking and raising their trunk, clearing the way for the motorcycle killers who shot Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei five times as he was about to drive off in his Kia Pride. The feat was even more brazen since the colonels street led directly to the Iranian parliament, one of the most secure areas of Tehran. The assassins hit Khodaei from behind in the head and the heart, blowing out both the driver and the passenger side windows of his car, according to photos subsequently released to the Iranian media. The Iranian regime immediately blamed Israel for the assassination, referring to Khodaei as a defender of the shrine, a reference to Quds Force officers engaged in the fight against ISIS in Syria. Khodaei, whose real name was Bahram, was one of three brothers who joined the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in the 1980s and fought in the war against Iraq. All three brothers, and four more Khodaei cousins, later became officers in the elite Quds Force, Iranian sources said. Israeli media initially identified Khodaei as a senior officer in charge of Quds Force expeditionary forces inside Syria. Subsequent reports said he was in charge of Hezballah missile bases inside Syria, and tasked with attacking Israeli interests and citizens abroad as deputy commander of Unit 840. The Israel Defense Force spokesman identified Unit 840 eighteen months ago as the Quds Force group that had been placing mines and IEDs in the Golan Heights along Israels border with Syria. An Iranian source told me Khodaei supervised deliveries to Syria of advanced targeting kits for Hezballah missiles. Most intriguing, however, are suggestions that Khodaei was fingered by an alleged Quds Force assassin named Mansour Rasouli, who was captured and interrogated by Mossad operatives last month. Mossad reportedly captured Rasouli inside Iranian Kurdistan while he was en route to Turkey to assassinate three Western targets, including an Israeli consular official in Turkey. The opposition Iran International television network posted what it claimed were audio recordings of Rasoulis confessions, where he expressed remorse over his mission. Iranian Telegram channels said that Khodaeis nickname was hunter, a reference to this alleged role in luring and attacking Israelis, Iranian dissidents, and anti-Iran regime activists overseas. Earlier this month, the Times of Israel reported that Israels security service, Shin Bet, had foiled an effort by the Iranian regime to lure Israeli academics, business people, and former defense officials to Europe, to attend a phony security conference in Zurich, Switzerland. The report showed an email, purportedly signed by a Swiss researcher named Oliver Thranart, inviting an Israeli intelligence reporter to an annual Zurich Strategic Dialogue, scheduled for January 14, 2022. The email requested that the guest fill out an application form and comply with Swiss COVID-19 requirements. I received an identical email from that same Oliver Thranart last October, inviting me to the same January 14, 2022, conference. After a couple of exchanges, Thranart dropped off the radar until Christmas, when he said that the conference had been canceled because of the Omicron variant. I have long been targeted by the Iranian regime, as I reveal in a new memoir of my exploits as a war correspondent and investigative reporter that will be released on August 31. Initially, the Iranians targeted me because I was investigating their clandestine nuclear weapons program -- more than a decade before it was exposed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Later, they attempted to lure me to phony opposition conferences because of my role as the founder and CEO of the Foundation for Democracy in Iran (FDI), iran.org. Hassan Shariatmadari, the editor of the regime daily Kayhan and an IRGC brigadier general, regularly attacked FDI as a CIA-funded anti-regime organization. In a Dec. 8, 2007 column, he absurdly claimed that FDI had a four-layer plan to topple the Iranian regime, led by yours truly, who heads the Iran desk at CIA. In a series of articles in September 2009, Shariatmadari claimed that I was spearheading the latest wave of anti-regime demonstrations inside Iran. While we would be happy to accept such an honor, I replied in the name of the foundation, neither I nor my board can take credit for such power or influence. The most recent Shariatmadari screed dates from December 4, 2019, when he linked my alleged efforts to overthrow the regime to similar efforts by then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Kenneth Timmerman, former CIA member and currently director of the American Institute NED [National Endowment for Democracy], acknowledged that the CIA has not only helped the Iranian rioters with software systems, but also delivered to them the hardware. (I have had no association with NED since 1997, and have no idea what software systems he is referring to). This is a regime that never gives up, and that spends enormous sums of money to track its opponents and hunt them down. In the 1990s, they sent hit teams across Europe, where they assassinated more than 200 top leaders of the opposition in exile. In the 2000s and beyond, they have snatched opponents in Iraq and elsewhere and hustled them back to Tehran, where they have been summarily executed. In a particularly egregious case, they have also enlisted the intelligence and judicial authorities of a friendly state, the Republic of Georgia, to frame a defector from Iranian intelligence who became a witness in a civil lawsuit by families of 9/11 victims against Iran. Falsely sentenced to 17 years for a crime he did not commit nor even imagine, Hamid Reza Zakeri continues to languish in a Tbilisi jail. It's still early to know the bill of particulars that led Israel -- or someone else -- to assassinate a Quds Force colonel in Tehran. But one thing is certain: the Iranians play hardball. And so do the Israelis. Ken Timmermans 12th book of non-fiction, And the Rest is History: Tales of Hostages, Arms Dealers, Dirty Tricks, and Spies, will be released by Post Hill Press on Aug. 31. His website is kentimmerman.com Image: Public Domain On a few occasions, I have ventured to make public observations about the sorry state of todays lower-class African Americans. Its a large lower class -- much larger as a percentage of all blacks than lower-class whites are a percentage of all whites. It makes up roughly one-third of all American blacks. Another third is made up of people who are doing well: they have good educations, good jobs, good incomes, and good housing. A middle third is made up of people who teeter on the brink: many of them will rise to the well-off class, many will fall into the lower class, and many will just continue to teeter. Whenever Ive said something along these lines, I have been accused, not surprisingly, of racism, even though I said nothing more than that lower-class blacks suffer from a dysfunctional and self-destructive subculture. I dont see how anybody in his right mind can deny this. It is a perfectly obvious truth, almost as obvious as the truth that water is wet. All the same, its something youre not supposed to say. Conventional good manners (otherwise known as political correctness) ban assertions of this kind. The reason these assertions are banned is that they are heretical; they contradict one of the articles in the orthodox creed of present-day progressivism -- the article according to which all misfortunes of blacks are due to white racism, a racism that is almost universal in that section of American society occupied by non-progressive or non-liberal whites. If a black thug from a crime-ridden ghetto happens to murder your grandmother, you may not answer, when asked what happened to your grandmother, A ghetto thug murdered her. Youre expected to recognize that he was driven to this crime by four hundred years of white racism, an evil that continues to flourish today. And since you yourself, being white, are probably a racist, it may be said that you compelled this unfortunate young man to kill your grandmother. I should note in passing that your grandmother, if shes white, will almost certainly not be murdered by a thug from the ghetto. Such thugs murder ghetto-dwelling grandmothers only. Almost all violent black crime is black-on-black crime. Fully realizing that to say an incorrect thing about African Americans is a horrible sin from a liberal-progressive point of view (almost as bad a sin as saying there is something weird about same-sex marriage, another sin Im prone to commit), I shall now proceed to compound my offense by suggesting that the career of Martin Luther King was more of a misfortune than a benefit for American blacks. Before I explain, let me put on record that I view King as a truly great man. As a leader, he was the only non-president to be in the same league with our greatest presidential leaders, such men as Washington, Lincoln, and FDR. King changed America for the better in two ways: one, by leading blacks to demand their rights; second, and even more important, by convincing whites that they had to rid both their hearts and their institutions of anti-black racism. He freed blacks from suffering racial injustice, and he freed whites from what is even worse, doing racial injustice. (I think it was Plato or Socrates who first said that doing injustice is worse than suffering it, an idea Christianity agrees with.) The misfortune came when subsequent black leaders -- Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Black Lives Matter, and a hundred minor demagogues -- felt that they must establish their leadership credentials by imitating King. How does one do that? Well, King fought against white racism, didnt he? So the epigones too will have to fight against white racism. But suppose King did such an effective job of fighting white racism that he largely destroyed it? Suppose he persuaded whites of the wrongness of racism? Supposed he convinced them to give up racism and not to pass it on to their children and grandchildren? What then? Remember that saying attributed to Voltaire -- "If God did not exist, wed have to invent him? Well, the MLK epigones have said, If white racism no longer exists, or if it has become a relatively minor phenomenon, well have to re-invent it. For there is no other way to do an imitation of MLK, and doing that imitation is our raison detre, not to mention that its our bread and butter. And so these demagogues -- "civil rights leaders as the mass media call them -- have taught American blacks, especially those of the lower classes, that their many misfortunes are the result, not of any inadequacy among themselves or in their way of life, but of the continuing unfairness of a society in which white privilege reigns. Instead of teaching individual and family and group self-reliance, these demagogues have taught the opposite. There once was a great black leader who did teach lessons of self-reliance, Booker T. Washington. From the 1890s until the modern civil rights era, Booker T. was almost universally regarded as the greatest American black. In the 1960s he was removed from that pedestal and replaced by MLK because, instead of being an anti-racism crusader, BTW had accommodated the Southern regime of racial segregation. BTW was a realist, and he understood that if blacks in America were ever to rise to the level of equality with whites, this would not happen through the benevolence of whites. Blacks, while taking advantage of whatever help whites like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and Theodore Roosevelt might offer, would have to achieve this equality through self-reliance and self-improvement. And so, they improved themselves according to the BTW script, until by the 1950s they were able to follow the leadership of MLK. Of the two, King was probably the greater man. Nonetheless, black Americans, especially those from the lower classes, would be far better off if black leaders today would give up imitating MLK and instead imitate BTW. Image: Pixabay Recently, the Grand Imam of Al Azhar University, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, claimed that the seventh-century Muslim conquests of the mostly Christian majority Middle East and North Africa were not conquests of colonization that rely on the methods of plunder, oppression, control, and the policies of domination and dependency. Rather, they were about bringing knowledge, justice, freedom, and equality to the conquered. A couple of weeks before al-Tayeb made these highly ahistorical claims, another prominent sheikh and professional historian, Dr. Ali Muhammad al-Salabi, wrote a lengthy article dedicated to making the same claims -- also during Ramadan when Muslims are wont to reminisce over the virtues of jihad -- but in the context of the Muslim conquest of Spain. Published by the International Union of Muslim Scholars, From Ramadans Victories: The Islamic Conquest of al-Andalus, offers a more focused case study on this phenomenon of wildly whitewashing Islamic history. According to Dr. al-Salabi, the Muslim conquerors of Spain were not in it to gain spoils or achieve status; and this was the objective of all the Islamic conquests. Reading about and learning their [true] nature is sufficient to reject the allegations and refute the forged slanders which suggest, implicitly or explicitly, that plunder was the motive of this conquest. Instead, the Muslim conquest of Spain was about turning the page of injustice and tyranny to a new page of progress and civilization. These are quite the claims. Back in the real world of actual recorded history, the sources make abundantly clear that the Muslim conquest of Spain was driven almost entirely by lust for booty -- both animate and inanimate. For example, according to one of the earliest accounts, the Latin Chronicle of 754, the Muslims long plundered and godlessly invaded Spain to destroy it. On landing there, they ruined beautiful cities, burning them with fire; condemned lords and powerful men to the cross; and butchered youths and infants with the sword. As for Musa bin Nusayr, the supreme general of the expedition whom al-Salabi praises in his article for his unswerving piety, He terrorized everyone. Some may object that the Chronicle of 754 was written by an ungrateful Christian infidel, who failed to appreciate Islams altruistic intentions. Unfortunately for them, the Muslims own sources are just as, if not more, explicit that the conquest of Spain was heavily motivated by thoughts of plunder. Thus, according to one of the earliest Arab historians on the conquest of Spain, Ibn Abd al-Hakam (b. 803), When the Muslims conquered Spain, they looted it and committed many frauds [emphasis added]. Similarly, the important Arab historian Ahmed Muhammad al-Maqqari, whom al-Salabi (selectively) quotes in his article, writes that, after General Tareks initial successes in Spain, when the people on the other side of the straits [in Africa] heard of the plentiful spoils he had acquired [including many slaves], they flocked to him from all quarters, and crossed the sea on every vessel or bark they could lay hold of. Tareks army being so considerably reinforced, the Christians were obliged to shut themselves up in their castles and fortresses, and, quitting the flat country, betake themselves to their mountains. And so it went; Tarek continued to penetrate northward into Spain, not passing a place without reducing it, and getting possession of its wealth, for Allah Almighty had struck with terror the hearts of the infidels. Such terror was only augmented when the invaders chopped up, cooked, and pretended to eat some of their Christian captives, as al-Hakam relates. In another memorable incident, a number of leading Christians and their people holed themselves up in a church in Cordoba. According to al-Maqqari, although the besieged had no hopes of deliverance, they were so obstinate that when safety was offered to them on condition either of embracing Islam or paying jizya, they refused to surrender, and the church being set on fire, they all perished in the flames. So much, then, for Dr. al-Salabis claim that the Muslim conquest of Spain was about turning the page of injustice and tyranny to a new page of progress and civilization. Muslim sources further make clear that booty of another kind -- the enslavement of European women from Spain and elsewhere -- was also a motivating factor. Prior to invading the peninsula, Tarek even managed to fuse the seizure of those two forms of plunder -- untold riches and beautiful women -- in one succinct sentence to rile his men: You must have heard numerous accounts of this island, you must know how the Grecian maidens, as beautiful as houris [celestial, sexual superwomen], their necks glittering with innumerable pearls and jewels, their bodies clothed with tunics of costly silks sprinkled with gold, are awaiting your arrival, reclining on soft couches in the sumptuous palaces of crowned lords and princes. Soon after the Muslim conquest of Spain, in 715, Musa and Tarek made the long trip to the Umayyad caliphate in Damascus; they brought with them thousands of camels laden with immense treasures and thirty thousand captives as a flesh tribute to Caliph Al-Walid, who, according to al-Maqqari, was delighted by the resources of all the people of Spain its riches and the beauty of its young girls. Thereafter, and because the Umayyads particularly valued blond or red-haired Franc or Galician women as sexual slaves, writes historian Dario Fernandez-Morera, al-Andalus [Muslim-controlled Spain] became a center for the trade and distribution of slaves. Christian subjects were sometimes even required to make an annual tribute not of money, or horses, or arms, but of a hundred damsels (all to be distinguished for beauty) to ornament the harems. So much, then, for Dr. al-Salabis claims, that he insists are ultimately an illusion without the slightest whiff of scientific or historical backing. Sadly, al-Salabis whitewashing does not end here. He also makes it a point to extol the piety of the Berbers, the North African converts to Islam who made up the bulk of the Muslim armies that invaded and conquered Spain: The Berbers were among the most loyal people to Islam, he writes. They were zealous about Islam, loving it and sacrificing for it, not to gain spoils or achieve status. Yet even in this detail, Islamic history says otherwise. Originally non-Muslims, the Berbers staunchly defended themselves against Islamic encroachments for decades; moreover, during the intermittent years prior to their final conquest, they had no qualms about feigning conversion to Islam. As al-Maqqari writes, He [Uqba bin Nafi, a Muslim general] went to Ifriqiya [Africa] and besieged its cities, conquering them by force and putting the people to the sword. A number of Berbers converted to Islam at his hand and Islam spread among them Then Uqba gathered his companions and addressed them saying, The people of this country are a worthless lot; if you lay into them with the sword they become Muslims but the moment your back is turned, they revert to their old habits and religion. Or consider the ambivalence of supreme commander Musa bin Nusayr himself: The Berbers are the people who most resemble the Arabs in activity, strength, courage, endurance, love of war, and hospitality, he once said, but they are the most treacherous of men. They have no faith, and they keep no word. In closing, it should be emphasized that this issue is not so much about getting history right or shaming Muslims about their past. By continuing to laud the historic Islamic conquests of non-Muslim lands as a great and wonderful thing, fueled exclusively by piety, Muslim leaders and authorities such as al-Tayeb and al-Salabi ultimately justify ongoing intolerance and violence against non-Muslims, so long as it is in the name of Islam, as all those previous conquests were. Note: All primary source quotes in this article were sourced from and are documented in chapters 3 and 6 of Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West. Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center, a Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum, and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Gatestone Institute. Image: Public Domain On the weekend of May 20, mainland China, recognized by the business community as a low-cost country, announced yet another citywide COVID lockdown. This time, its the northeastern coastal city of Tianjin, with a population of 14 million, the primary seaport for the nations capital city, Beijing. Tianjin is one of the five biggest cities in China and is one of the busiest seaports in the world or at least, it was until this week. Tianjin is a huge manufacturing center, producing cars, clothing, petrochemicals, large and small machinery, and even Airbus airplanes (remember when the name Airbus meant it was made in France?). Tianjin is a huge, sprawling, low-cost city, in a huge, sprawling, low-cost country. Why has so much of the worlds manufacturing moved to Tianjin, and to China in general? Dont call anyone in Tianjin today to ask. They wont be in the office. Theyre restricted to their homes, as soldiers and bureaucrats with megaphones march down residential streets, enforcing the lockdown. One recalls an old joke, as recounted by the late, great Leo Rosten in his masterpiece, The Joys of Yiddish: Forty cents a dozen for bialys? protested Mrs. Becker. The baker across the street is asking only twenty! So, buy them across the street. Today, he happens to be sold out. When Im out of bialys, I charge only twenty cents a dozen, too. Like all good jokes, it is rooted in truth, and it has a moral. Today, that moral applies to the American economy, the labor force, Wall Street, and in fact, to world trade itself: In the first place, accept reality. For forty years, our business schools taught MBA students, engineers, entrepreneurs, and material buyers that low-cost country sourcing is the path to profitability. These students then populated our manufacturing and retail sectors, our franchises, and our investment houses, carrying forth the mantra, always source from the low-cost country. First, they looked to Asia to implement their dual-sourcing programs, until they could be confident in Asias quality and bottom-line value. They would continue to rely on domestic vendors as the primary source, but would then gradually grow their dependence on Asia as a secondary source until Asia finally overcame the original, local sources. This practice required two molds for every custom product, two training programs, two quality assurance processes, and two logistics paths. But it enabled us to save money while retaining that local dependability. The cost reductions delivered shareholder value. Or so it seemed. It meant adding months to every products lead time, and increasing the risk of damage or loss in transit as every part must now travel halfway across the world, but it was in compliance with the corporate mantra, and thats what counts: Low-cost countries maximize profits. Over the years, as Asian suppliers became more experienced and more reliable, American companies (and other westerners) gradually dropped that whole dual-sourcing process completely. Two injection molds? Two stamping dies? Two logistics paths? How wasteful, we determined. Now we buy all our parts from the same vendor in China, and the more customized those parts were, the more entrenched each Chinese vendor became. There is a corollary, though we dont like to talk about it. Over these years, many of those American alternatives, once our primary sources, then our secondary sources, then our emergency, just-in-a-pinch sources, dwindled away, finally closing down operations completely. If we need them again, we find they are long gone. So now we are completely dependent on our Chinese sources. For a shocking amount of products, there simply are no local alternatives, even for more money weve put all the local boys out of business. Domestic foundries, small assemblers, injection molders one by one, they dwindled away. Over the past few years, punitive import tariffs and Customs quotas, a global pandemic, port and rail hub bottlenecks, raw material shortages, and skyrocketing transportation costs combined to make China anything but a low-cost country. Transit times have tripled and transportation pricing has quintupled. Lead times are outlandish. The case for reshoring locally could not possibly be clearer. One would think China would see its edge slipping away. That politburo in Beijing ought to be wracking their brains, trying to think of ways to keep their foreign customer base in the midst of this sea of adversity. But no. Instead of trying to demonstrate their willingness to improve service, to work around the clock to remain a dependable source, China is instead declaring lockdown after lockdown. Just in the past six months, Xian, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, and now Tianjin, massive cities that all fell victim to authoritarian shutdowns for weeks or months by Chairman Xi Jinping. Thousands of American companies have been waiting for two months for cargo, finished and packaged, ready for pickup, to move out of their warehouses in Shanghai as its second full month of lockdown arrives, with no end in sight. The astute among us have known since the beginning that lockdowns dont reduce the spread of this virus, and we know that it is gradually mutating into one of the familiar seasonal illnesses consistently experienced by society. But Xi Jinping has tied his chairmanship to the COVID lockdown, so he remains committed to the practice. What this means is that the low-cost and dependability of China as a commerce partner are now permanently compromised these long-championed positives are nothing but a fiction today. Even as Western manufacturers continue to put up with their challenges. Why? Because the concept that China is a low-cost country has become an article of faith, impervious to all data to the contrary. One cannot help but wonder what it will take for the Western business community to acknowledge reality. Decades of intellectual property theft, the production of knockoffs, the forced partnerships with the Chinese government, and now even impossible transit times havent shaken their customer base. Now the vendors arent even open at all, as their factories and warehouses sit for months at a time, collecting dust, on order from the politburo at Beijing. And still, our business schools, our politicians, and our business community call China a low-cost country. Someday, eventually, the fantasy must give way to a recognition of reality. It has to. But as fantasies go, this one is as persistent as Atlantis, Neverland, and the Fountain of Youth all wrapped up together. John F. Di Leo is a Chicagoland-based international transportation professional. A one time Milwaukee County Republican Party chairman, he has been writing a regular column for Illinois Review since 2009. His book on vote fraud (The Tales of Little Pavel) and his political satires on the current administration (Evening Soup with Basement Joe, Volumes I and II) are available on Amazon. "It worries me that we have stopped listening to each other," lamented my politically liberal English Department chairperson one day several years ago. As a conservative, I begrudgingly had to admit that her comment sounded prophetic. One of the saddest developments in the culture war currently ripping America apart is that we are tossing verbal grenades at each other as fast as we can. It reminds me of the acronym "MAD" from the Cold War days, which stands for "Mutually Assured Destruction." If we want a planet where no one can survive, we are on the right track. If, however, we want to emerge from this culture war better and stronger than before, we need to turn from the personal attacks and, as adults, face the issues that divide us. I confess I have engaged in these attacks, which means I have rhetorical blood on my hands. Name-calling leads us to dehumanize each other. All sorts of bad things can happen if we forget the humanity God gave each and every one of us. Recently, I heard a commentator on FOX call the gunman who killed 19 schoolchildren in Texas an "animal." I do not want to defend the heinous and tragic things he did, but he was born a human, lived as a human, and died as a human. What is my point? We have real problems in America. We need to be able to talk about them as adults so that we can come up with remedies. Joy Reid, Tucker Carlson, Dan Bongino, Keith Olberman, and Stephen Colbert get paid to fan the rhetorical flames between the left and the right in America, but do you ever hear these folks call us to sit down and sort things out? Image: Discussion by ArthurHidden. As a believer in freedom of speech, I acknowledge their right to stoke the fires, but this all reminds me of the trench warfare of WWI. The left occupies one part of the field, and the right faces them from their own trenches in another across the divide. The left lobs artillery at the right. The right returns fire. Calling each other stupid is unproductive. It didn't work well on the playground when we were young, and it looks juvenile now that we are adults. Let us remember that in our free society, it is OK to disagree. Let us treat each other the way we want to be treated. Instead of celebrating the righteousness of our opinions in our trenches, we need to rediscover that compromise, finding common ground with those we disagree with, is the path that got the United States started back in 1776. I have spent many hours listening to and enjoying Rush Limbaugh. I recall him saying that we should not work with the leftists, but defeat them. While I agreed with much of what he had to say, that part of his philosophy troubled me. Defeat sows rancor and plants seeds of revenge. The way of compromise allows better outcomes. We all want to give our children a better America than the one we inherited. This won't happen if we try to annihilate our opponents like the Nazis and communists did in the last century. I know that compromise is a four-letter word for many, but the alternatives are much uglier. On May 24, 2022, an armed teenager thought to be mentally disturbed entered a Texas elementary school and began shooting. Before the threat was neutralized, 19 children and 2 adults were dead. After a period of quiet, perhaps due to the pandemic, it appears that public venues are again at risk for mass casualty events. In the last few years, shooting events by the disaffected, disturbed, and disgruntled have occurred on a regular basis. Schools, churches, places of business, and other public venues have been fair game for those with bad intentions. Armed not only with weapons but with a blueprint from previous incidents, gunmen can identify soft targets easily and are more "successful" in achieving their goal of creating mass casualties. You might think that the "successes" achieved by active shooters occur at random. The increase in the sheer number of casualties, however, reveal a strategy that has been refined to deadly effect. The selection of soft targets is becoming a science and is leading to higher numbers of deaths and injuries. Some of these events are more deliberate than others. In the 2018 South Florida high school shooting, for example, the gunman activated the fire alarm to make sure there would be lots of targets in the hall. To create confusion, he tossed smoke bombs (but prudently wore a gas mask). The Texas shooter picked an elementary school so he could have many targets that couldn't defend themselves. If the ill-intentioned are now that much better at creating mayhem, it stands to reason that our society must become better at thwarting those intentions. Here are ways that would, in my opinion, decrease the number of shooter incidents and the deaths caused by them: Improve security in areas at risk: I would define an "area at risk" as just about anywhere where a crowd of people would gather. Better protection at malls or grocery stores may just be a matter of hiring more security personnel. It's not a bad idea to train and hire workers specifically to keep an eye out for those with bad intentions. If the money isn't there, establishing and training a volunteer safety team in places like churches, schools, or workplaces can increase the level of vigilance and identify threats early. Although the recent attacks occurred in cities, rural areas aren't immune. Establish volunteer safety officers in small towns where there may not be law enforcement and emergency medical personnel just around the corner. These persons should have training in security, firearms, and first aid. If there are volunteer fire departments, while not volunteer safety departments? Instill a culture of situational awareness in our society: Situational awareness is a state of calm, relaxed observation of factors that might indicate a threat to safety. Seems like common sense, doesn't it? But in these days of smartphone distractions, many are oblivious of their surroundings. Learning to recognize abnormal behavior can identify dangerous situations and save lives. Identify persons of interest through their statements and actions: Some active shooter candidates are vocal about their intentions. Look out for signs of mental illness and violent urges in those around you and don't be afraid to report them. Fight the impulse to avoid getting involved and hoping others will act in your stead. From a government standpoint, each municipality must set a mechanism for the authorities to apprehend, interrogate, and even hospitalize afflicted individuals. If this suggestion means more focused surveillance than you'd like, realize how much there is already. Watching people who publicly threaten violence more closely makes sense; so does increasing access to mental health resources to, perhaps, prevent someone from going off the rails. Teach the Department of Homeland Security's "Run, Hide, Fight" triad in schools: The decision-making process may be more instinctive and rapidly implemented if taught at an early age. Make sure it's a part of every child's education Teach the average citizen or student how to stop bleeding in emergencies: The most likely cause of death in these scenarios is hemorrhage. Rapid action by bystanders can decrease the numbers of fatalities due to bleeding, depending on the location and extent of the injury. Add "Reduce" hemorrhage to "Reading, 'Riting, and 'Rithmetic" as part of school curriculum. Offer it along with CPR classes. Provide first aid kits for bleeding in public venues: With supplies, the good Samaritan will be more likely to save a life. In the last few years, bleeding kits have been packed into fire extinguisher wall cabinets in many public venues. Unfortunately, in many places, there isn't even a sign that indicates these kits are available. Let's stop being "soft" targets. We must forsake the notion that shootings are just part and parcel of the New Normal and begin a new process; the process by which the public changes its attitude and level of vigilance, not just in isolated cases, but as a society. The New Normal is an angry, dangerous place. It's a recipe for disaster that's likely to get worse if we don't reverse course, but that takes fortitude and determination on the part of all parties. You don't have to be a Department of Homeland Security official to know that there are more active shooter events on the horizon. Watch for anomalies in behavior and always have a plan of action. A prepared nation wouldn't be invulnerable to attacks, but its citizens would have a better chance to survive them. Joe Alton, M.D. is the N.Y. Times bestselling author of "The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide for when Help is Not on the Way." Image via Pxhere. University of Chicago students Gia Fisher, from left, Anqi Qu and Emmett Reid participate in a challenge to build a structure out of dry pasta and a marshmallow at the Polsky Center in Chicago on April 21, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) The laughter and conversation at Hyde Parks Polsky Center on a recent April evening was infectious. The boisterous scene centered on uncooked spaghetti, marshmallows and tape. More than two dozen University of Chicago freshmen were given a 10-minute challenge to build a tower with 20 sticks of spaghetti, and one yard of Scotch tape. When completed, the tower should stand on its own and be able to support one nondeformed marshmallow on top. The team with the tallest tower that could hold the marshmallow wins. Advertisement The group that contained River Forest resident, Gia Fisher, Johannesburg, South Africa resident Anqi Qu and Springfield, Missouri, resident, Emmett Reid won. They were all smiles after their brainstorming and collaborative session. We ran into several problems along the way, had to think on our feet and make it up as we go, Reid said. Our ephemeral structure currently looks like it broke under its own weight, but thats OK. It got the job done. We did not think this would work out, but it did. Advertisement The challenge is just one exercise in the curriculum for the three-year extracurricular program Prototype for Success, which gives early and continued support to students interested in the intersection of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields and entrepreneurship. Open to incoming U. of C. freshmen, the program encourages applications from students of color and female students, both underrepresented populations in STEM fields. Prototype for Success is a partnership between the universitys Office of Career Advancement, the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The program offers specialized workshops, funded internships and research/technical skill training. Throughout the program, participants receive career preparation assistance and mentoring from employers, entrepreneurs and experts within the partnering departments. Students are also introduced to Polskys Fabrication Lab, where they will design, build and pitch an object that would be useful to other first-year students. Prototype for Success curriculum and programming culminates in students senior year, where a capstone project and presentation is produced. Meredith Daw, associate vice president and executive director of U. of C.s Office of Career Advancement, said the idea for the program stemmed from employers wanting this type of skill set and students who wanted to do something entrepreneurial but needed a scientific discipline lens. Daw said program participants were chosen through an application process, each person demonstrated interest in emerging technologies, entrepreneurial potential and interdisciplinary thinking on their college essays and were invited to apply. One of the things that we really believe in the career office that underpins everything we do is learning by doing, giving students a chance to not just hear passively about a career field, but actually participate in a field, Daw said. Theyre working in teams, trying to solve a problem. Its all the things were looking for, as we think about having scientists who are also entrepreneurial. Its all about helping students not just get to college and through, the real focus is on how do you make sure students graduate with great outcomes. Dan Sachs, executive director of education and programs at the Polsky Center, says the program is less about creating the next Elon Musk or cranking out a bunch of startups and more about building successful human beings. He says the program is all about engaging students early on and fostering an entrepreneurial spirit in a way that has practical application they can apply to whatever field the student is interested in. Sachs calls the program a seamless marriage between entrepreneurial thinking and business school training, and innovation and research at the university. Our goal is to develop concrete, consistent pathways for students who typically dont see a lot of heroes that look like them in this space to be able to take advantage of everything from networks to mentorship to internships and have that develop over time, Sachs said. The long-term hope and expectation is to build the next generation of leaders that look like the country, one that is diverse and based on equitable opportunity. This inaugural cohort has been meeting in person for two-hour workshops since January. Participant Eliram Reyes-Powell is a molecular engineering major. He said he applied to Prototype for Success because he was interested in pharmaceutical industry patenting. Since the workshops have begun, hes even more motivated. His U. of C. classes are theoretical, while these sessions show him the many career options and pathways within science. Elizabeth Koprucki, assistant director at Fab Lab and Design, told student participants the program is all about building to learn. She encourages them to make crappy things and learn from them. When it comes to this maker space, its all about learning by failing. Advertisement University of Chicago first-year students Quadri Durojaiye, from left, Antonio Castano, Max Reisman, Bella Alfaro and Blake Harris present a prototype of a cellphone case that can store things like an identification card. Teams of freshmen who were given an assignment to make something that improves the lives of first-year students presented their final projects at the Harper Center on campus on May 26, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) University of Chicago freshman Bella Alfaro holds a prototype of a cellphone case that can store things like an identification card as students present their final projects. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Its a great program, said Osinachi Nwosu, a computer science major. It really speaks to the fact that you can major in anything you want and after college, you might think theres only one pathway for your specific major but going through this program, you learn more about how within a major, within a field, you can create anything and that creation is pretty cool. Fisher, Qu and Reid are all part of the Class of 2025. Reid wants to make a positive impact doing something he finds really interesting. Fisher is interested in making sure medical devices and tools can fit all kinds of hands. Qu thought having the background knowledge and the skills that Prototype for Success provides will help her be able to make something if an idea were to come to her at some point. Daw said there are many on campus looking at trends and adjusting career programming accordingly to make sure students are facing a future prepared, including those in her office. Daw said given the universitys institutional knowledge, her team is focused on creating hubs with interdisciplinary approaches. Prototype for Success is the first, but two more early engagement programs will launch this summer one focused on computational biology in partnership with the Universitys Biological Sciences Division, the other focused on climate policy and data science, bringing together the UChicago Data Science Institute and the Harris School of Public Policy. As for how Prototype for Success will measure its success? Daw said in several different ways, including the number of those who remain in the sciences, those who branch out as entrepreneurs and the number of participants who say they are satisfied, supported and connected to each other upon completion. Theyre gaining transferable skills, building out a network ... programs like these are helping them understand what theyre interested in doing and ultimately, theyre becoming more competitive in the marketplace, Daw said. Its really important that all these students have great experiences throughout the academic year and in the summer for career opportunities all of those things together equal success. drockett@chicagotribune.com Brave New World? You decide. J. Michael Evans, president of the Alibaba Group a Chinese multinational technology company bragged at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland: "We're developing through technology an ability for consumers to measure their own carbon footprint. What does that mean? That's where are they traveling, how are they traveling, what are they eating, what are they consuming on the platform?" Not to be outdone, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told those attending the WEF about a new technology his company has developed: "It is a, basically biological chip that is in the tablet. And once we take the tablet and dissolves into the stomach, sends a signal that you took the tablet. So, imagine the applications of that the compliance. The insurance companies know that the medicines patients should take, they take them." He added, "It is fascinating what happens in this field." He should have said, "It is frightening what happens in this field." And then there was World Economic Forum Founder and Chairman Klaus Schwab telling the audience of over 2,500 global government and business leaders: "The future is built by us, by a powerful community such as you here in this room." If you say so yourselves. This year's WEF theme was "History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies." Just what the world needs: a global fascist oligarchy monitoring what we consume and where we go, with the aid of ingestible computer chips that notify authorities whether we have been naughty or nice. What the world actually does need is for we the people, the non-elite, to declare our freedom and independence and reclaim control from the titans of Big Government and Big Business. That wouldn't be easy. And, unfortunately, the odds against us doing so appear almost overwhelming. "So, hey! Where are you going? What are you eating? Have you taken your meds yet? I sure hope you are fully vaxxed and boosted. No? Why not, plebe?! Do you not do as you are told?! Well, you'll have plenty of time to explain yourself at the Gulag. The Archipelago is beautiful this time of year." Image: Cory Doctorow via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. OnePlus owners have been getting several updates lately. If you own the 2020 flagship OnePlus 8, you shouldnt feel left out. Now, the company is rolling out the new May 2022 security patch to the OnePlus 8 along with several other phones. OnePlus has been distributing essential updates to its newer phones. The OnePlus 10 and the Nord N10 just got the May 2022 security patch and the OnePlus 9 phones got the update to OxygenOS 12.1. Now, the OnePlus 8 is getting the latest security patch People who are using the OnePlus 8 should be on the lookout for a new and rather large update coming to their phones. This is the latest security patch coming from Google. This update will fix several security bugs in the software that can leave the phone vulnerable to bad actors. Advertisement If you see the update screen, dont be fooled by its 1.27GB size. While this is almost as big as a platform update, this update will only fix the security bugs. There are no additional features or visual changes in the software. The update is also coming to other OnePlus phones The OnePlus 8 isnt the only phone getting the May 2022 security patch. According to XDA Developers, the OnePlus Nord CE is getting OxygenOS 11.0.17 in India, the USA, and Europe. Along with that phone, the OnePlus Nord N20 is getting OxygenOS A.05. Also, the OnePlus Nord 2T is getting OxygenOS A.09, and this update has a really long changelog. The update brings the security patch along with a slew of functionality improvements. These improvements include face unlock speed, power consumption, network stability, the cameras HDR effect, and several others. Advertisement If you own one of these phones, then youll want to keep an eye out for the update. Go into your system settings and find the software update section. If your phone doesnt find the update just yet, then youre going to need to wait a bit for the update to it your phone. Kein Bar bleibt zuruck: Animals Asia bringt einen Animationsfilm heraus, der den menschlichen Instinkt anspricht, sich freundlich zu verhalten 27. Mai 2022 Animals Asia arbeitete mit einer auf Wasserfarben spezialisierten vietnamesischen Kunstlerin, Cam Anh Ng, zusammen, um einen Animationsfilm zu gestalten, der auf das Problem der Barengallefarmen und die dringende Notwendigkeit aufmerksam macht, jeden Baren von den Gallefarmen in Vietnam zu retten. Der Zeichentrickfilm schildert die Geschichte eines kleinen vietnamesischen Kindes, das bei einem Spaziergang mit seinen Eltern einen Mondbarenteddy im Abfluss entdeckt. Das Madchen lauft hin, um den Teddy in Sicherheit zu bringen, und die Familie eilt nach Hause, um ihn zu reinigen und zu verbinden. Es ist sehr menschlich, ein universelles Verhalten, denen helfen zu wollen, die in Not sind, erklart Jill Robinson, Grunderin und CEO von Animals Asia. Etwas, das uns alle verbindet, sind unsere angeborene Fahigkeit, Empathie bei dem zu empfinden, was andere durchmachen, und unser Instinkt, denen zu helfen, die in Not sind. Sobald der Teddy verbunden ist und zu lacheln beginnt, schaut das Madchen aus dem Fenster und schreit auf: Da ist noch ein im Stich gelassener Teddy! Sie lauft hin und holt ihn herein, damit er sich neben dem ersten Baren ausruhen kann. Und so geht es weiter; wohin sie auch geht, sie sieht immer mehr Teddys, die verlassen und vergessen wurden und Liebe und Fursorge benotigen. Jeden nimmt sie mit nach Hause, bis der letzte Winkel des Hauses voll ist. Ihre Eltern beschlieen, fur ihre Tochter das Haus mit einem Anbau zu erweitern, damit sie weiterhin Teddys in Not retten kann. Und bald sind alle im Stich gelassenen Teddys gerettet und gesund gepflegt und lacheln. Die Geschichte steht ganz klar fur die bislang grote Herausforderung fur Animals Asia: den Bau eines zweiten Rettungszentrums in Vietnam, sodass wir die letzten paar Hundert Baren retten konnen, die noch auf Gallefarmen leben, fahrt Jill fort. Wir hoffen, dass dieser Animationsfilm alle Menschen uberall auf der Welt anspricht, ungeachtet ihres Alters, ihres Hintergrundes oder ihrer Sprache, und sich im Einklang mit dem universellen menschlichen Instinkt befindet, Mitgefuhl zu empfinden. Bitte lesen Sie weiter: Animals Asia startet grote Kampagne ihrer Art, um die Barengallefarmen in Vietnam zu schlieen Schlieung der Barengallefarmen Schlussel zur Erhaltung der Spezies des Mondbaren (ANSA) - ROME, MAY 27 - Italian Catholic Church paedophilia victims' group Italy Church Too said Friday they had already been rebuffed by the new head of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI), Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, in their demand for an independent inquiry into predator priests along the lines of those that have taken place in other countries. Their protest prompted an immediate response from Zuppi, who was only appointed by Pope Francis three days ago. Zuppi said "our thoughts are always with the victims, their pain is our first concern." He said a wide-ranging report on abuse by the Italian Catholic Church would be published on November 18, and would also include measures to prevent abuse recurring. "We owe it to them, the Church is on the side of the victims", Zuppi said. Cardinal Zuppi, 66, a former street priest working with the poor and homeless who has also helped broker international peace deals with the Sant'Egidio Community, is seen as a breath of fresh air for the CEI. Despite this, Italy Church Too said "our letter asking for clear answers on the issue of abuse starting from the creation of an independent commission of inquiry has yet to get any response from the institutions". It said "our battle goes on in a renewed form, things are getting bad even under the new presidency of Cardinal Zuppi who has made many steps forward but will not take any action on this (clerical abuse), evidently". The CEI said Friday it had approved a five-part action plan against abuse including new listening centres and an analysis of cases since 2000 on data from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the former Inquisition which now leads the anti-paedophile fight. Italy has had no large-scale reckoning with clerical sex abuse like those in many other countries. Italy Church Too say the abuse has also been massively under-reported in Italy. Pope Francis described the sexual abuse of children as an "offence" against life on April 29 during an audience with the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. "Abuse in any form is unacceptable," the pope said. "The sexual abuse of children is particularly grave, as an offence against a life that is just beginning to flower. "Instead of flourishing, one who is abused is deeply injured, at times permanently". In February the Italian survivors of clerical sex abuse unveiled their campaign for Italy to see the kind of probes that have uncovered massive abuse and cover-ups around the world. The umbrella group of survivors, called #ItalyChurchToo, launched the campaign "Beyond The Great Silence", saying that Italian priestly abuse is hugely under-reported and authorities have repeatedly ignored victims' pleas and covered up cases or shuttled perpetrators around. "It's time for an Italian Spotlight', they said, referring to the landmark Boston Globe probe, the subject of the 2015 Oscar winning film, that exposed hundreds of predator priests as well as cover-ups by Church authorities. The group described an offer from Italian bishops chief cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, Zuppi's predecessor, as "unacceptable" in its lack of scope and accountability. (ANSA). Billionaire Gov. J.B. Pritzker displays his political animosity toward billionaire hedge fund executive Ken Griffin and the Republican candidate for governor hes funding, Richard Irvin, in a TV ad that debuted Thursday. The ad focuses on connections between Griffins Citadel Securities and a firm that erected a communications tower in Aurora that Irvin as mayor pushed through the City Council for the benefit of high-frequency security trading. The story was reported by Bloomberg and WTTW-Ch. 11. Advertisement Why has this Chicago billionaire, Ken Griffin, already spent $45 million trying to elect Richard Irvin? a narrator in the ad asks. Well, as mayor of Aurora, Richard Irvin strong-armed City Council members to change their votes and approve a critical project for Ken Griffins business, helping Griffin make over $6.5 billion in just the last year. And now its paying off for Richard Irvin too. Advertisement Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, a Republican candidate for governor, enters a room to address reporters' questions following a candidates forum at NBC 5 studio in Chicago on May 24, 2022. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Richard Irvin, the more we learn, the worse it gets, the narrator says. In a statement, Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Natalie Edelstein said that Irvin has repeatedly urged the public to examine his record, which is exactly what this ad does. But Irvin campaign spokeswoman Eleni Demertzis said Pritzkers latest ad was nothing more than proof that J.B. Pritzker is running scared because he knows Richard Irvin will beat him in November. Irvin is the best funded of the six Republicans seeking the GOP nomination, who include state Sen. Darren Bailey of Xenia, former state Sen. Paul Schimpf of Waterloo, businessman Gary Rabine of Bull Valley and cryptocurrency venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan of Petersburg. Griffin, who has feuded politically with the first-term Democratic governor, has given Irvin $45 million in his bid to win the GOP nomination for governor and the right to face Pritzker on June 28. In an invective-filled statement Thursday, Griffin said the TV attacks show Pritzker fears facing Irvin in the fall. I dont care about the governors pathetic attacks against me. I started one of the most important businesses in the world at the age of 21 right here in Chicago. And unlike J.B. Pritzker, Ive endured real challenges and made real sacrifices in writing the success story of Citadel, Griffin said. J.B. Pritzker was gifted a life of tremendous wealth. Its disappointing that a man born with a silver spoon has accomplished so little, especially as governor. Pritzkers policies have driven the largest crime wave in the history of Illinois, Griffin said. Richard is the exact opposite of J.B. and has already done more for the people of Illinois than silver spooned billionaire J.B. Pritzker ever will. Advertisement Griffin is the states wealthiest individual with a net worth of $25.8 billion, according to Forbes. Pritzker, an entrepreneur and an heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, is worth $3.6 billion, according to Forbes. A Bloomberg report in January said Griffins personal wealth increased $6.5 billion after selling a share of Citadel Securities. Griffin in recent years has spent well over $100 million in his efforts to bring down Pritzker. In 2018, Griffin spent $22.5 million on one-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauners losing reelection bid against Pritzker. Four years earlier, Rauner spent more than $170 million of his own money in his successful run. In 2020, Griffin spent $53.75 million in a successful effort to defeat Pritzkers push to change the state from a flat-rate state income tax to a graduated rate system based on wealth. Pritzker spent $58 million to encourage the measures passage. Pritzkers latest ad debuted as Irvins campaign touted a poll it says shows that he holds a single-digit lead in the race for the GOP nomination despite being outspent by more than $5 million in opposition ads between May 4 and Tuesday. Advertisement Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks before signing a bill restricting the sale and possession of unserialized firearms, also known as ghost guns, on May 18, 2022, at The Ark of St. Sabina. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Pritzker and attack ads from the Pritzker-supported Democratic Governors Association have accounted for $9.5 million in TV spending during that period while ads for Bailey and a group aligned with the downstate senator have accounted for another $6.5 million. At the same time, Irvin has spent $10.7 million. Baileys campaign launched two new ads on Thursday, one attacking Irvins GOP credentials and the other defending Bailey from Irvins attacks on his own GOP bona fides. The state senator has been the beneficiary of a third billionaire involved in the race, conservative megadonor Richard Uihlein of Lake Forest, who owns the Uline office packaging and supply business. Uihlein has given Bailey more than $6 million. He has given an independent expenditure group backing Bailey a total of nearly $8.1 million, which includes a $3.27 million contribution earlier this week, to run ads critical of Irvin. rap30@aol.com (ANSA) - ROME, MAY 27 - Italy's COVID-19 Rt transmission number and case incidence have fallen further, according to the weekly coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute (ISS). The report said Italy had an incidence of 261 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants in the May 20-29 period, down from 375 the previous week. It said the Rt number was 0.86 in the May 4-17 period, down from 0.89 in last week's report. An Rt above 1 indicates the epidemic is in a phase of expansion. The report said the pressure COVID-19 is exerting on Italy's health system has eased further too. It said 2.6% of Italy's intensive-care places were occupied by COVID sufferers on May 26, down from 3.1% on May 19. It said 9% of ordinary-ward hospital beds were occupied by coronavirus patients on May 26, down from 10.9% seven days previous. The report added, however, that five regions were still above the 15% alert threshold for hospital places occupied by COVID patients - Abruzzo (17.1%), Calabria (16.8%), Sicily (15.3%), Umbria (19.6%) and Valle d'Aosta (17.6%). (ANSA). (ANSA) - ROME, MAY 27 - Italian Catholic Church anti-paedophilia group Italy Church Too said Friday they had already been rebuffed by the new head of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI), Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, in their demand for an independent inquiry into predator priests along the lines of those that have taken place in other countries. Cardinal Zuppi, a former street priest working with the poor who has also helped broker international peace deals with the Sant'Egidio Community, is seen as a breath of fresh air for the CEI. He was only appointed by Pope Francis three days ago. Despite this, Italy Church Too said "our letter asking for clear answers on the issue of abuse starting from the creation of an independent commission of inquiry has yet to get any response form the institutions". It said "our battle goes on in a renewed form, things are getting bad even under the new presidency of Cardinal Zuppi who has made many steps forward but will not take any action on this (clerical abuse), evidently". (ANSA). Estonia, support grows for ships to escort grain cargoes Priority is to ensure grain reaches Africa (ANSA) - ROME, 27 MAG - Support is growing in Europe for initiatives to send ships to the Black Sea to escort cargoes carrying Ukrainian grain. So said Estonian President Alar Karis, Bloomberg reported. Moreover, Karis underlined that the priority is to ensure that grain reaches Africa and other developing countries. Speaking at the WEF in Davos, Karis recalled that he had long called for such a solution, but so far, "not everyone was convinced it was a good idea" because of fears that sending navy ships could increase tension in the Black Sea. In addition to the UK, "some others will probably join us, because if the grain does not leave the country," there is a risk of "a humanitarian crisis," the Estonian president added. (ANSA). Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved TEL AVIV - Despite threats and warnings issued by the Palestinian side, the Jerusalem Day flag march will take place on Sunday "along the original route, as has occurred for dozens of years", Israeli Premier Naftali Bennett said on Friday. The premier was speaking after consultations with the Minister of Public Security Omer Bar Lev and with police chief Koby Shabtai. To prevent disorders - when thousands of Jewish nationalists will march in the streets of the Islamic district of the Old City - 3,000 officers will be deployed in Jerusalem. In southern Israel, the batteries of air defense system Iron Dome were strengthened to intercept potential rockets launched from Gaza. Bennett said that the march - with which Israel celebrates the reunification of two sectors of Jerusalem after the 1967 war - will end at the Wailing Wall and will not touch the area known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as Temple Mount. A regular routine will be observed at the holy site on Sunday, Bennett explained. Despite this, several Palestinian political forces have urged the population in East Jerusalem to mobilize "in defense of the al-Aqsa mosque".(ANSAmed). Ukraine: Greece, Cyprus against fast-track EU membership All procedures must be followed, west Balkans first, sources (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, MAY 27 - Greece and Cyprus are supporting Ukraine's EU membership but oppose an accelerated adhesion process, suggested by several eastern European countries, Euractiv reports, quoting foreign ministry sources for Greece and government sources for Cyprus. Greece's position is that all procedures provided for by article 49 of the Treaty on European Union must be followed, according to the sources quoted by the report. Particular importance is given to the adhesion process of the western Balkans, to be continued and accelerated, and the same sources insisted on the fact that the region's European perspective is an immediate priority. Regarding the status of candidate granted to Ukraine in June, Athens reportedly wants to first see the Commission's proposal, although it has a generally positive perspective, provided there is unanimity among members States, which is not the case for now. As far as Cyprus is concerned, government sources were quoted as saying in the report that they want to see in which direction the Commission's opinion will go. In case of a positive opinion, Cyprus would accept to grant Ukraine the status of candidate, but all appropriate procedures would have to be rigorously respected, therefore the adhesion process would be long. In this context, western Balkan membership candidates must be taken into consideration as many of them have already taken great steps towards adhesion, implementing the necessary reforms and abiding by several obligations.(ANSAmed). Boris Johnson has stressed the vital need to provide Ukraine with fresh military support including long-range rocket launchers as Russian forces slowly chew through ground in the east. The Prime Minister warned Vladimir Putins invading army is making palpable progress in the Donbas region after abandoning the attempt to encircle Kyiv. Mr Johnson argued, in an interview with Bloomberg, that more offensive weapons including long-range multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRSs) are needed. He warned of the dangers in negotiating with the crocodile Russian President but said Mr Putin must accept that his so-called de-Nazification of Ukraine has finished so he can withdraw with dignity and honour. (PA Graphics) Mr Putins invading troops have recently captured several villages as they attempt to surround Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in the Donbas region, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). But it said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys defending forces are holding multiple defended sectors as Russia deploys 50-year-old Soviet-era T-62 tanks. These, the intelligence update said, will almost certainly be particularly vulnerable to anti-tank weapons and their use shows Russias lack of modern, combat-ready equipment. Mr Johnson said: I think its very, very important that we do not get lulled because of the incredible heroism of the Ukrainians in pushing the Russians back from the gates of Kyiv. Im afraid that Putin at great cost to himself and Russian military is continuing to chew through ground in Donbas, hes continuing to make gradual, slow but Im afraid palpable progress. And therefore it is absolutely vital that we continue to support the Ukrainians militarily. In a phone call to Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban later on Friday, Mr Johnson said he believed the Ukrainian forces would fight for as long as it took, according to Downing Street. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, during a visit to Prague, said western allies needed to be ready for the long haul when it came to supporting Kyivs resistance, with no talk of ceasefires. Foreign Secretary @TrussLiz speaks at a joint press conference with Foreign Minister @JanLipavsky in Prague: The Czech Republic knows the dangers of appeasement and compromise in the face of aggression. We need to make sure that Ukraine wins and that Russia withdraws pic.twitter.com/V8mQVJrhn1 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) May 27, 2022 Speaking at a press conference alongside her Czech Republic counterpart, foreign affairs minister Jan Lipavsky, Ms Truss said: Now is not the time to be complacent. There should be no talk of ceasefires or appeasing Putin. We need to make sure that Ukraine wins and that Russia withdraws and that we never see this type of Russian aggression again. Ukraines foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba this week urged allies, particularly the US, to provide MLRSs. Every day of someone sitting in Washington, Berlin, Paris and other capitals, and considering whether they should or should not do something, costs us lives and territories, Mr Kuleba said. Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine 27 May 2022 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/8oy0CIaoIP #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/6gQjEGEiRb Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) May 27, 2022 The UK has M270 MLRSs but it was unclear from the interview whether Mr Johnson wanted to send the weapons from British stocks or was urging allies to send supplies. But he said the weapons would enable them to defend themselves against this very brutal Russian artillery, and thats where the world needs to go down. Reports in the US suggest President Joe Bidens administration is preparing to send MLRSs to Ukraine. On peace talks, the Prime Minister said: How can you deal with a crocodile when its in the middle of eating your left leg? Whats the negotiation, and thats what Putin is doing. He will try to freeze the conflict, he will try to call a ceasefire The guys completely not to be trusted. Boris Johnson has said the Governments emergency cost-of-living support package is a big bazooka which will support families until the surge in energy prices abates. The Prime Minister acknowledged the country still faced a bumpy time due to the soaring costs of oil and gas, but said he was confident it would emerge in a much, much stronger position. Earlier, Chancellor Rishi Sunak who on Thursday announced a further 21 billion of support for households indicated that he could not rule out the need for further measures if global prices remain high. But speaking during a visit to Stockton-on-Tees, Mr Johnson appeared to suggest the measures set out in the Commons with up to 1,200 for eight million homes across the country should be enough. What we are doing now is making sure we support people through tough times. Its a big bazooka, he said in a pooled clip for broadcasters. Im not going to pretend that this is going to fix everything for everybody immediately. There is still going to be pressure. But it is a very, very substantial commitment by the Government to getting us through what will be still a bumpy time with the increase in energy prices around the world. What I think it will also help us to do is to get us through until I believe the prices will start to abate and we will be in a much, much stronger position. While some Tories welcomed the Chancellors latest support package, others expressed concern that it will be part-funded by a 5 billion levy on the profits of the energy companies. With Labour having been pressing for months for a windfall tax, MPs complained it was throwing red meat to socialists and would damage investment in the sector. There were also concerns that a 400 discount on energy bills for every household in the country, regardless of how well off they are, would further fuel inflation which is already heading towards 10%. Rishi Sunak refused to rule out further support measures (Daniel Leal/PA) Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said while the impact of a one-off series of measures would be limited, the Chancellor could come under pressure to repeat it in future years. I think the biggest risk here is that the Chancellor will be tempted to do this again and again. If that happens then we really could be in for a bit of trouble, he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. He has got the most extraordinarily difficult decisions to make later this year on public sector pay and then he will be under pressure, I suspect, come this time next year when energy prices will still be high and households will be struggling to put more money in. Mr Sunak insisted he remained a fiscal conservative and was committed to managing the public finances responsibly, but he refused to rule out another emergency package next year. People can judge me by how Ive acted over the last couple of years, he told the Today programme. Ive always been prepared to respond to the situation on the ground, whats happening to the economy, what families are experiencing, and making sure weve got policies in place to support them through that. I do want people to be reassured and confident that we will get through this. We will be able to combat and reduce inflation, we have the tools at our disposal, and after time it will come down. Labour shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said the Government had finally come to their senses over the windfall tax but said ministers needed to think about measures to ensure they were not in the same position next year. The Government could be starting a big programme of home insulation right now to take money off peoples bills not just for one year but for years to come, she told BBC Breakfast. Under Mr Sunaks plan, almost all of the eight million most vulnerable households could receive at least 1,200 of support, including a previously announced 150 council tax rebate. The measures include a one-off 650 payment to low-income households on benefits, paid in two instalments in July and the autumn, at a cost of 5.4 billion. Pensioners will also receive a 300 payment in November/December alongside the winter fuel payment in a move costing 2.5 billion, while 150 will be paid by September to individuals receiving disability benefits. Mr Sunak said 5 billion of the package would be paid for by a levy on the profits of oil and gas giants, and around 10 billion will be covered by extra borrowing. Announcing the measures in the Commons, Mr Sunak told MPs it was worth 15 billion, but officials later conceded there was a hidden 6 billion cost to the announcement, taking it to 21 billion. That is because over the next five years the original 200 rebate for energy bills, which was announced in February and doubled and turned into a grant by the Chancellor on Thursday, will no longer be paid back by consumers as originally planned. Pizza Express has announced that KFC boss Paula MacKenzie will take over the reins at the restaurant chain next month. Ms MacKenzie will join the business as chief executive on June 6, taking the role after David Campbell stepped down last October. The experienced hospitality boss joins Pizza Express from KFC parent firm Yum Brands, where she has led the fried chicken brands UK and Ireland business as managing director. She worked for the group for 11 years, having previously worked at brands including Diageo, GlaxoSmithKline and Innocent. Paula MacKenzie will fill the chief executive officer role vacated by David Campbell last year (Pizza Express/PA) The appointment comes as Pizza Express continues its turnaround following a major restructuring after the impact of the pandemic. The chain slashed more than 70 restaurants and around 2,400 jobs as it also came under pressure from its heavy debt burden. Last year, the company completed a 335 million refinancing deal and said it would return to opening new restaurant sites. Ms MacKenzie said: Pizza Express is a much loved, iconic brand that holds a special place in the nations heart. As someone who thrives on bringing brands to life, Im thrilled to be working with Allan (Leighton) and the whole team at Pizza Express leading this brand and business through its next chapter of growth. I cannot wait to get started and look forward to personally welcoming customers into our restaurants at a time where we are all reconnecting with the magic of eating out. Mr Leighton, chairman of Pizza Express, said: We are delighted that Paula will join the Pizza Express team as CEO, she has a terrific track record of performance and importantly is a champion of equality, diversity and inclusion. I would like to thank Zoe Bowley and Jo Bennett for jointly leading the business during this interim period. Paula is joining at an exciting time for Pizza Express and will work with our leadership team to drive priorities for growth, including an increased customer focus led by rapid digital transformation. Democratic candidates for Illinois secretary of state, from left, Alexi Giannoulias, David Moore and Anna Valencia appear at a candidates forum at the Union League Club of Chicago in the Loop on May 26, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) When the three Democratic candidates for Illinois secretary of state gathered Thursday for a forum in Chicagos Loop, the moderator made it clear the event was not intended to be a debate. The candidates former state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Chicago City Clerk Anna Valencia and Chicago Ald. David Moore, 17th were invited to the Union League Club to answer questions about their vision for the office. All three put forth modernization ideas ranging from creating digital drivers licenses to creating digital license plates. Advertisement But when the question shifted to ethics, Giannoulias and Valencia went back to trading barbs as they have throughout the campaign. Valencia brought up questions about Giannoulias time as a loan officer for his familys bank, which was found to have lent money to alleged organized crime figures. Giannoulias accused Valencia of allowing her husbands lobbying practice to meddle in her role as city clerk. Advertisement Democratic candidate for secretary of state Anna Valencia speaks at a candidates forum at the Union League Club of Chicago. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Those issues have dominated the race and once again overshadowed explanations about how the candidates plan to run the office if they are chosen to replace Secretary of State Jesse White, who is retiring. I think this is why people are sick and tired of politics, Giannoulias said at one point. You ask them a question about ethics and what theyre going to do in the office and they feel the need to shift the conversation. I think thats horrible. The moderator, WBBM-AM 780 political editor Craig Dellimore, asked the candidates about the ethical issues as well as how they plan to bring more transparency to the office and ensure it remains free of corruption. I support making sure we have integrity and accessibility and transparency over government, Valencia said in part of her answer before adding that Giannoulias was smearing her with false statements. She criticized his tenure as state treasurer from 2007 to 2011, when a college savings program overseen by his office lost millions of dollars and hurt working families like the one I grew up in. Giannoulias replied by bringing up allegations of collusion between Valencia and the lobbying practice of her husband, Reyahd Kazmi. Democratic candidates for secretary of state, from left, Alexi Giannoulias, David Moore and Anna Valencia at a candidates forum at the Union League Club of Chicago in Chicago's Loop on May 26, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Kazmi was copied on city clerks office emails that have been obtained by the Tribune and other news outlets, raising questions about possible conflicts. The secretary of states office is tasked with regulating lobbyists for state government like Kazmi, who also is registered as a lobbyist for Chicago government. If elected, Valencia has said her husband would no longer be allowed to lobby the secretary of states office. Advertisement She has used her office as a culture of corruption to enrich her husband and his lobbying career, Giannoulias said. She currently is married to someone who lobbies the city of Chicago, which she serves on, but yet she says, if she gets elected, dont worry he wont do it then. Part of Valencias ethics plan includes a vow to make public the tax returns she and her husband file each year. Giannoulias said spouses should be barred from lobbying someone in their household. After the forum, Valencia was grilled by reporters about possible conflicts with her husbands business. My husband and I have separate careers, she said. And Im not the first woman whose running for office who has to say my husband does not speak for me. Valencia was asked about allegations that New Orleans officials last year rigged a telecommunications contract to favor a group of businesses that included one connected to Kazmi. Advertisement An email obtained by the Tribune suggests that Kazmis business partner introduced Valencia to the New Orleans officials around the time they were considering bidders for the telecommunications contract. While she acknowledged being in touch with officials in the city, she said they reached out to her to inquire about her CityKey program, which is designed to help immigrants or undocumented Chicagoans use a single ID as a library card and a transit card, among other things. I have nothing to do with my husbands business. Period. I am my own independent person, Valencia said in response to that issue. Democratic candidate for secretary of state David Moore speaks at a candidates forum held at the Union League Club of Chicago Thursday. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Moore stayed mostly out of the squabbling during the forum, at one point saying he was the only one that has not had any ethics issues. But last year, just days after Moore announced his candidacy for secretary of state, the Chicago Board of Ethics admonished him for using his wards Facebook page to campaign for the office. Facing a fine, Moore said at the time he took corrective action. But on Thursday, Moore said that he was only using his personal Facebook page, which included a visible city of Chicago emblem, and that he doesnt have an official page thats government-related that the government paid for with any taxpayer money. Advertisement jgorner@chicagotribune.com Rishi Sunak has insisted he did not time handing out 21 billion worth of cost-of-living support to deflect from the controversy over Downing Street lockdown parties. The Chancellor bowed to demands for the UK Government to step in and help households to deal with ballooning energy bills and rising shop prices, which are being fuelled by 40-year-high inflation, by revealing an emergency package of extra cash for millions of people. Every household will receive a 400 energy bill discount while extra support was also unveiled for the lowest paid, pensioners and those with disabilities. Under the plans, almost all of the eight million most vulnerable households could receive at least 1,200 of support, including a previously-announced 150 council tax rebate. Mr Sunak confronted criticism that the measures were announced as part of a plan to move the focus on from rule-breaking in No 10 following the publication of senior civil servant Sue Grays report on Wednesday. The report contained a photograph of Mr Sunak attending Boris Johnsons surprise birthday bash in the Cabinet room in June 2020, for which the Chancellor and the Prime Minister were both fined 50 by the Metropolitan Police. In an interview with Martin Lewis, founder of the Money Saving Expert website, the Chancellor was asked whether the fiscal measures had been quickly unveiled to act as a fig leaf after embarrassing details of the late-night raucous parties in Downing Street were laid bare. He replied: I can categorically assure you that that had no bearing on the timing for us announcing this support, and I can give you my absolute assurance on that and my word. Did you miss it? Watch back my live @rishisunak Q&A (from B&Q) on #CostofLiving announcements today inc -Why not just reduce prices?-Why do ESA & carers miss out?-What about the just-about-managing?-Mental health impact-Was this Sue Gray timing?https://t.co/n1BwGZGCVk Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) May 26, 2022 The reason we acted today was because we had more certainty about what will happen to energy prices in the autumn. Industry regulator Ofgem said this week that the typical annual household energy bill is forecast to rise by more than 800 in October when the price cap goes up, having already risen by more than 50% in April. Measures announced by the Chancellor in the Commons included a one-off 650 payment to low-income households on benefits, paid in two instalments in July and the autumn at a cost of 5.4 billion. Pensioners will also receive a 300 payment in November/December alongside the winter fuel payment in a move costing 2.5 billion, while 150 will be paid by September to individuals receiving disability benefits. Mr Sunak announced that 5 billion of the package would be paid for by a levy on the profits of oil and gas giants, and around 10 billion will be covered by extra borrowing. The Chancellor attempted to avoid calling his plan for a 25% energy profits levy a windfall tax, as he was accused by Labour of having been dragged kicking and screaming into a U-turn on the policy the Opposition has spent months calling for. But Simon Clarke, chief secretary to the Treasury, conceded it was a windfall tax, although one he said included a carefully calibrated offer due to its tax break incentives for companies to invest in North Sea oil and gas production. Conservative MPs, including Richard Drax, publicly voiced concerns about the windfall tax in the Commons, suggesting it amounted to throwing red meat to socialists. Mr Clarke defended his boss approach, however, pointing to where windfall taxes had been used in the past by Tory administrations, including by former chancellor George Osborne and ex-prime minister Margaret Thatcher. He told BBC Radio 4s PM programme: The point is that when you initiate it you need to be really careful for it not to have perverse effects and perverse consequences as a result, and that is something we have done. The Times and The Telegraph reported that Jacob Rees-Mogg, minister for Brexit opportunities and government efficiency, warned during Thursdays Cabinet meeting that the tax could hurt investment. Jacob Rees-Mogg reportedly raised concerns the windfall tax on oil and gas companies could hurt investment (Oli Scarff/PA) Mr Rees-Mogg later told Sky News that all taxation has an economic consequence. He said: Whether its a pasty tax, or its an excess profits tax, there is an economic consequence. There isnt a honeypot of free tax that governments can just pop into. When announcing his fiscal package in the Commons, Mr Sunak told MPs it was worth 15 billion. But officials later conceded that there was a hidden 6 billion cost to the announcement, taking it to 21 billion. That is because over the next five years the original 200 rebate for energy bills, which was announced in February and doubled and turned into a grant by the Chancellor on Thursday, will no longer be paid back by consumers as originally planned. Nadine Dorries has shared a TikTok rap video in which she explains some of the details of the Online Safety Bill. The MP for Mid Bedfordshire, who is also the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, has previously said the updated Bill will make the UK the safest place in the world for our children to go online. The Bill is currently moving through Parliament, and Ms Dorries shared a video to her nearly 2,000-strong TikTok following to discuss it in lyrical fashion. In the video, she raps: The UK is passing some new legislation, to make the internet safer for the younger generation. Its effectively a framework to protect internet users from scams, illegal content and anonymous abusers. It will force big tech to stop their terms being breached, and puts in measures to defend free speech. But is it true it will impact freedom of expression? No, we put in legal protections in the 19th section. Another thing were doing for the laws were passing is tackling online crime and cyber-flashing. If companies fail to comply with the law fail to protect the users that theyre responsible for the regulator Ofcom will have the power to fine, so platforms must keep people safe online. Nadine Dorries used the power of rap to explain the new Bill (James Manning/PA) As of Friday evening the video had been viewed more than 10,000 times. The Online Safety Bill is set to legally require platforms to protect users from harmful content for the first time, with fines that could run into billions of pounds for larger companies and access to sites being blocked among the penalties for breaching the new rules. A number of other countries and regions are also exploring stricter regulation for social media and other online platforms. The drip-feed of no confidence letters being submitted over the Prime Ministers leadership has continued as pressure grows on Boris Johnson following publication of the No 10 parties report. Since senior civil servant Sue Gray published her investigation into coronavirus lockdown-busting gatherings in Downing Street on Wednesday, there has been a steady trickle of Conservative MPs announcing they want a vote on Mr Johnsons future as UK leader. Sir Bob Neill, chairman of the Commons Justice Committee, added his name to that list on Friday, declaring that he did not think the Prime Ministers explanations were credible for why he attended events in No 10 while the rest of the country was subject to rules that caused real pain. Separately, Alicia Kearns, a Tory MP elected during Mr Johnsons landslide election win in 2019, said she had concluded, in the aftermath of Ms Grays report, that the Prime Minister had misled Parliament when he said Covid rules had been upheld in Downing Street. Sir Bob, in a statement on his website, said: I have listened carefully to the explanations the Prime Minister has given, in Parliament and elsewhere, and, regrettably, do not find his assertions to be credible. That is why, with a heavy heart, I submitted a letter of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady on Wednesday afternoon. The former minister and MP for Bromley and Chislehurst, said that a change in leadership is required if trust in the office of Prime Minister and the political process was to be restored following the so-called partygate saga. Ms Kearns, in a Facebook post, said she continued not to hold confidence in the Prime Minister, a position first asserted in January. The Rutland and Melton MP said: It is wrong that families were banned from saying goodbye to their dying loved ones, whilst the Prime Minister was complicit in the holding of many goodbye parties for his staff, which we now know displayed a complete disregard for restrictions and were complete with vomiting, fighting and bullying. I can only conclude that the Prime Ministers account of events to Parliament was misleading. Following the publication of Sue Gray's report, I have posted the statement below on my website. https://t.co/d7NGVp1pjZ pic.twitter.com/X0uZBh5HZx Sir Bob Neill MP (@neill_bob) May 27, 2022 Ms Kearns did not say whether her lack of confidence in Mr Johnson had led to her submitting a letter of no confidence. A vote on the Prime Ministers future will be held if 54 of his MPs write to Sir Graham, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories, demanding a confidence vote in their leader. At least 20 Tories have publicly called for his resignation so far, with many critics holding back due to the war in Ukraine. Conservative MP and Justice Committee chairman Sir Bob Neill (PA) Others may have called for a no confidence vote in private, however, as Sir Graham does not publicly reveal how many letters he has received. Sir Bobs intervention, making him the fifth Tory MP to call for Mr Johnson to go since the full Gray report was released, comes on the same day as the Home Secretarys assistant resigned over the toxic culture uncovered in No 10 by the Cabinet Office officials inquiry. Tory MP Paul Holmes quit as Priti Patels parliamentary private secretary, saying he was shocked and angered by the revelations. Mr Holmes did not, however, state whether he had submitted a letter of no confidence, instead noting that reforms to the Downing Street set-up had been introduced in the wake of the party revelations. Along with Sir Bob, MPs Stephen Hammond, David Simmonds, John Baron and Julian Sturdy have broken ranks to call for Mr Johnsons resignation since Wednesday. Tory MP Alicia Kearns said she thought the PM had misled Parliament when he said Covid rules were upheld in No 10 (UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/PA) The Prime Minister on Friday said it would be up to the public to make up their mind on his behaviour as detailed in Ms Grays 37-page written document. During a visit to the North East, he looked to bat away questions about the affair, telling broadcasters he had already offered vintage and exhaustive answers. Ms Gray found that Mr Johnson attended a number of leaving dos in No 10 during the lockdown months in England, often giving speeches about departing officials, but he insisted these were work events a conclusion he said was backed up by the Metropolitan Police opting not to fine him for being present at such gatherings. Mr Johnson, who did receive a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for attending his own surprise birthday bash in June 2020, has argued it was after he left some of the leaving dos that they became raucous. Ms Grays report depicts a culture in No 10 that saw staff drink so much that they were sick, became involved in altercations and abused security and cleaning staff. Despite facing criticism over his partygate explanations, the Prime Minister chose to announce changes to the ministerial code on Friday in a move his rivals said watered down the rules over those on the Governments front bench. An update said ministers will not automatically lose their jobs if they breach the standards code, with a Government policy statement saying it was disproportionate to expect ministers to resign or face the sack for minor violations of the codes provisions. Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a visit to CityFibre Training Academy in Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington (Owen Humphreys/PA) It had previously been expected that ministers should go if they were found to have breached the code. Labour and the Liberal Democrats have both criticised the downgrading of public standards with the move. Sir Bob, in an interview with BBC News about his decision to submit a no confidence letter, said the revisions were unlikely to help restore trust in Britains leadership. I dont really think that is a wise move, and certainly not a good time to be doing this, he said. That isnt, to my mind, likely to help restore trust either, so thats certainly not made the situation any better as far as Im concerned. Following the publication of Ms Grays report and the conclusion of Scotland Yards Operation Hillman investigation, which saw 126 fines dished out for rule breaches in Government, Mr Johnson now faces a Commons inquiry. The Privileges Committee will rule on whether he lied to Parliament with his repeated denials there was no rule-breaking in Downing Street. Deliberately misleading the House is considered a resigning matter. The healthcare regulator has issued a safety warning to an NHS trust embroiled in a scandal over baby deaths. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) told Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust it must make significant and immediate improvements to its maternity services as it said women and babies may not be safe. It follows unannounced inspections at the trust in March and comes as senior midwife Donna Ockenden was appointed to chair an independent inquiry into maternity issues at the trust. To date, dozens of babies are believed to have died or been left with serious injuries as a result of care at the trust, which runs Nottingham City Hospital and Queens Medical Centre (QMC). The families of the babies affected have been repeatedly calling for an independent review led by Ms Ockenden, who chaired the investigation into baby and mother deaths at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust. They wrote to Health Secretary Sajid Javid and rejected a separate independent thematic review established by NHS England and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire clinical commissioning group. In its new reports, the CQC said overall maternity services at the two Nottingham sites remained inadequate and were also inadequate for being safe and well-led. The rating for being effective has gone up from inadequate to requires improvement, being responsive has gone down from good to requires improvement and caring remains good. The CQC has taken enforcement action by issuing a warning notice in relation to how the trust is managing observations of women, with basic checks not being carried out that would tell if a woman was deteriorating. This includes seeing women quickly if they attend the units because they were concerned. At both maternity units, the CQC concluded that while staff tried to provide good care: The service did not have enough staff to care for women and keep them safe. Not all staff had training in key skills. Staff did not always assess all risks to women, and we were not assured staff acted upon concerns in a timely way. Across the sites, inspectors found that staff did not always keep good care records and did not always manage medicines well. They also did not feel assured that staff reported all incidents and near misses, and workers did not always receive feedback. Referring to previous inspections, the CQC said improvements are still not being implemented across the trust. The trust is already under NHS England and Improvements System Oversight Framework, meaning it receives intensive support through a recovery support programme for the challenges it has. The CQC noted that at City Hospital there were 19 serious incidents reported by maternity staff between March 2021 and February 2022. In addition, there are currently five Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch investigations. At Queens, it said: The service did not always have enough medical staff with the right qualifications, skills, training and experience to keep women and babies safe from avoidable harm and to provide the right care and treatment. The unit was also missing its own targets for care and treatment. For example, the avoidable neonatal unit admission rate for babies born at term was 18.8% against a target of 5%. Fiona Allinson, CQCs director of operations, Midlands network, said staff worked hard to provide care in very challenging circumstances but added: Although we found some improvements, they are not widespread or rapid enough to address the areas of concern we identified during previous inspections. Its disappointing that despite several inspections where CQC has told the trust areas they must improve to keep mums and babies safe, serious problems remain. One of our biggest concerns was that staff werent always carrying out observations on women to check that their condition hadnt deteriorated. Midwives werent always clear who could perform observations, some staff didnt carry them out as they said it wasnt their role, and overdue observations went unrecognised. This gave us serious concerns about their ability to recognise and respond to women who were deteriorating, so we have taken enforcement action against the trust to focus them on rapid improvement in this area. Despite placing conditions on the trusts registration in October 2020 due to staffing concerns, we found there were still not enough staff with the right qualifications, skills, training and experience to keep people safe. An interim report of the now-abandoned thematic review into the trust, published on Thursday, says there is evidence of a lack of respect, appreciation and listening by some staff members in relation to their colleagues and to service users with some indications of bullying behaviour. It adds: There appears to be a small number of staff who display unacceptable behaviours such as being rude and abrasive, with some staff members describing being scared of named colleagues. Sharon Wallis, director of midwifery at Nottingham University Hospitals, said: Keeping mums and babies safe and providing them with high quality care remains our top priority, and we are committed to continuing our work with local families and healthcare partners to make the changes still needed. Our teams are working hard to make the necessary improvements but recognise we have more to do and are absolutely determined to speed up the pace of change and deliver quality services for women and their families. Meghan Markle has traveled to Uvalde, Texas to pay her respects at a memorial set up in honor of the 19 children and two teachers killed in Tuesday's mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. The duchess now living in her native California after she and husband Prince Harry announced their formal break from the royal family in 2020 laid a bouquet of white roses near a series of crosses bearing blue heart plaques and the names of the 21 victims killed in the school shooting. The AFP reports that Markle, 40, quietly walked around her head bowed and arms crossed the makeshift memorial situated outside Uvalde County Courthouse. The royal wore a baseball cap, jeans, T-shirt and sneakers for her unannounced visit. The duchess paid her respects to the 21 victims of the Uvalde school shooting. (Photo: Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) A spokesperson for the duchess tells Omid Scobie, Yahoo News U.K.'s royal executive editor, that she traveled to Texas to offer the Uvalde community condolences while it deals with "unimaginable grief." Following the devastating Texas school massacre which saw 21 lives stolen, Duchess Meghan has made a personal visit to Robb Elementary in Uvalde. A spokesperson says she took this trip to offer her condolences and support to a community experiencing "unimaginable grief". pic.twitter.com/JLel5f8Kib Omid Scobie (@scobie) May 26, 2022 Markle's visit comes amid reports that her estranged father, Thomas Markle, has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke on Monday. Updated, 5:45 p.m.:This article has been updated to include a statement from Markle's spokesperson. President Biden, speaking Friday at the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 2022 graduation and commissioning ceremony, will attend the ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles on June 8. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press) President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Los Angeles on June 8 to host the ninth Summit of the Americas, a high-profile regional gathering that takes place every three to four years. The week-long conference is expected to address major regional issues that include finding ways to boost economic growth, combat climate change, slow migration and address the pandemic, according to the White House. The Biden administration has spent the past few weeks working to mollify Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and other Latin American leaders over its decision to exclude Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela from the week-long conference. All three countries have authoritarian governments that Washington considers to be in violation of the democratic spirit that the hemispheric conference is supposed to promote. Lopez Obrador has threatened to skip the summit unless all countries in the Western Hemisphere were included, triggering a potential boycott that could undermine U.S. influence at a critical time in the Western Hemisphere. On Friday, he signaled that he would probably not attend the summit and instead send a delegate, most likely his foreign secretary, Marcelo Ebrard. He told reporters at his daily press briefing he was still awaiting a response from the U.S. to meet his request to invite all countries in the Western Hemisphere. "We are going to wait to see what they [U.S. officials] decide, but regardless, Mexico will participate," the president said. "It's just that I will not attend if all countries are not invited." Guatemala said it would not attend after the U.S. criticized its handling of official corruption cases, although several Caribbean countries have backed off earlier threats to skip the event. Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro, a major ally of former President Trump and leader of the largest country in Latin America, said Thursday he would attend the summit and meet Biden on the sidelines after initially threatening to pass on the event. White House officials have expressed confidence in recent days that a multi-nation boycott will not materialize. Earlier this week, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Twitter that under no circumstance would he attend after U.S. officials floated the idea of inviting a representative from Cuba. The White House has dispatched former Sen. Chris Dodd, Bidens special advisor for the summit, and the first lady to the region to try to secure commitments to attend. A first batch of invitations went out last week but White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday they are still considering additional invites. Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will also participate in the summit, the White House said. Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A police officer stands guard outside the scene of a shooting at a supermarket, in Buffalo, N.Y., Sunday, May 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) When a shooter attacked a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, on May 14, its security guard tried to stop him. At least one of his shots hit the gunman, but it didnt stop the deadly rampage because the gunman was wearing body armor. Ten Black people died in the racist massacre, including security guard Aaron Salter, a retired Buffalo police officer hailed as a hero. It's the latest mass shooting in which the gunman apparently came prepared for anyone trying to stop him with a gun. At least 21 mass shooters over the last four decades have worn some kind of body armor and the majority of those were within the last 10 years, according to a database maintained by The Violence Project, a nonpartisan research group that tracks gun violence. Among them: A massacre that killed 12 people and injured dozens more at a crowded movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, in 2012, and another in nearby Boulder that left 10 people dead at a supermarket last year. The shooter in Texas's deadliest mass slaying was also wearing protective gear when he killed more than two dozen people at a church in 2017, as was a radicalized Islamic couple who carried out a terror attack in San Bernardino, California, in 2015. Theyre demonstrating this intent that, I want to absolutely kill or hurt as many people as I possibly can before I just cant fight anymore, said Chris Burbank, the former police chief in Salt Lake City whos now with the Center for Policing Equity. The Violence Project database doesn't show a clear correlation with body armor and the number of victims. But such gear can enable attackers to shoot longer and is a symbolic way to adhere to societal expectations of what a mass shooting looks like, said James Densley, a criminal justice professor at Metro State University in Minnesota who co-founded The Violence Project. A mass shooting is intended to be a final act you dont get away with a mass shooting, Densley said. So its meant to be a big spectacle, and its meant to have people pay attention and to notice it. One of the ways you do that is you dress up pretending youre in the military. Police officers are seeing body armor in other types of investigations, like narcotics cases, said former Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina. Body armor is relatively easy to get, especially the soft body armor similar to the bulletproof vests regularly worn by police officers that are effective against handguns. Getting body armor isnt difficult under U.S. laws. Its illegal under federal law for a convicted felon to buy body armor, but other than that there are few restrictions on purchasing it. Only one state blocks it from being ordered online and shipped to homes: Connecticut, which requires a face-to-face purchase. Colina would like to see more states consider stricter rules. I dont think its something that is really thought about too much, but weve seen it many times and weve seen it here in south Florida," Colina said. "Somebody commits a crime wearing body armor, and its terrifying. The idea that you may not be able to stop them if you had to use deadly force is terrifying. Still, body armor itself isn't inherently dangerous and is in fact aimed at protection something on the minds of many people amid a spike in gun violence in the U.S., Burbank said. And its unclear what effective body armor regulation would even look like, given the difficulty of regulating the weapons that are used in the shootings. Most of those same laws apply to guns," Burbank said. "Does that prohibit anyone in this nation from having access to a firearm? Body armor hasn't been worn in the majority of mass shootings, said James Alan Fox, a criminologist at Northeastern University who has been tracking mass killings back to 2006 along with The Associated Press and USA Today. But it does indicate a level of planning. Body armor was mentioned more than a dozen times in the online writings attributed to the white suspect in the Buffalo shooting, Payton Gendron, who was arrested at the supermarket and has pleaded not guilty to murder. The Violence Project database also doesn't include slayings that don't meet the definition of a mass shooting because fewer than four people were killed. In one such shooting at Philadelphias Thomas Jefferson University Hospital last October, a nursing assistant wearing blue scrubs and a ballistics vest killed a co-worker and then wounded two police officers before being shot by police and taken into custody. In another, this month in Round Rock, Texas, a 31-year-old Marine veteran wounded a neighbor before engaging in a shootout with law enforcement, after which he was found dead, wearing body armor. In contrast to U.S. laws, four Canadian provinces have enacted severe restrictions on the possession of body armor Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Residents must obtain permits to possess body armor, including ballistic vests, and must undergo background checks before getting those permits, which must be renewed on an annual or biannual basis. Violators face hefty fines and jail time. Alberta adopted its law in 2012 because of spiraling gang violence in which gang members wore vests while committing crimes such as drive-by shootings and even sported them in public, said Ian Roddick, a spokesman with the provinces Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General. Applicants must have no criminal record. Permits generally are granted to those whose jobs, such as security guards, require protection. Some Australian territories also restrict body armor possession. ___ Associated Press writer Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report. __ This story was first published on May 18, 2022. It was updated on May 26, 2022, to correct that the shooter in a 2021 Philadelphia case was not killed, but was shot by police and taken into custody. Exclusive: How Russian billionaire Melnichenko shielded assets from European sanctions FILE PHOTO: Russian billionaire Melnichenko attends a session during the Week of Russian Business in Moscow By David Gauthier-Villars and Gabriela Baczynska ISTANBUL/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Russian businessman Andrey Melnichenko ceded control of two of the world's largest coal and fertilizers companies to his wife the day before he was sanctioned by the European Union, according to three people familiar with the matter. Melnichenko, who made his fortune in Russia's energy industry in the years following the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union, gave up his stakes in the coal producer SUEK AO and fertilizer group EuroChem Group AG on March 8, the day of his 50th birthday, leaving his wife, Aleksandra Melnichenko, in control of the companies, the people said. Until March 8, Melnichenko controlled the two companies through a chain of trusts and corporations stretching from Moscow and the Swiss town of Zug to Cyprus and Bermuda, according to legal filings reviewed by Reuters. Since 2006, Melnichenko's wife was second in line behind her husband on the list of beneficial owners of the two companies in trust documents, according to the three people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren't allowed to speak publicly about the couple's assets. That meant that she stood to inherit ownership of the companies in the event her husband died, the people said. When the war in Ukraine began in February, however, Melnichenko grew concerned that he would be designated under the European Union's Russia sanctions regime, the people familiar with the matter said. On March 8, Melnichenko notified trustees of his retirement as the beneficiary, the people said. That triggered the same chain of changes in trust records that would have happened if the businessman had passed away, and made his wife the beneficiary. Reuters was unable to reach Melnichenko and his wife for comment. A spokesman for Russia-based SUEK didn't respond to messages seeking comment. Switzerland-based EuroChem confirmed that Aleksandra Melnichenko had replaced her husband as beneficial owner. "Following the departure of its founder, the primary beneficial ownership of a trust holding a 90% stake in the global fertilizer company has automatically passed to his wife," the company said in a statement to Reuters on Wednesday. The role of Melnichenko's wife at EuroChem was first reported by Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger. Her role at SUEK as well as the timing of ownership changes and other details are reported here for the first time. Melnichenko, who founded SUEK and EuroChem two decades ago, was ranked as Russia's eighth richest man last year by Forbes, with an estimated fortune of $18 billion. The European Union sanctioned Melnichenko, citing his alleged proximity to the Kremlin, on March 9 as part of a Western attempt to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin for the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions - which include freezing his assets, banning him from entering the European Union and prohibiting EU entities from providing funds to him - do not apply to his wife nor the couples daughter and son. Britain also put Melnichenko, who is Russian but was born in Belarus and has a Ukrainian mother, on its sanction list on March 15. Switzerland imposed sanctions against him the following day. The businessman said in a statement to Reuters in March, after the EU sanctions were imposed, that the war in Ukraine was "truly tragic" and he appealed for peace. A spokesman for Melnichenko said at that time he had "no political affiliations". Western governments have imposed sweeping sanctions against Russian companies and individuals in an effort to force Moscow to withdraw. But some sanctioned Russian businessmen, including Roman Abramovich and Vladimir Yevtushenkov, have transferred assets to friends and family members, fuelling doubts over the effectiveness of these attempts to pressure Moscow. Melnichenko, whose residence was registered in the Swiss alpine resort town of St. Moritz until he was hit by sanctions, gave his instructions to change the ownership of his companies from a retreat near Mount Kilimanjaro where he was celebrating his birthday, according to a person familiar with the matter. A Boeing 737 emblazoned with the billionaires signature "A" on the fuselage had landed in Tanzania on March 5, arriving from Dubai, according to flight-tracking service Flightradar24. A lawyer for Melnichenko didn't respond to questions about the Kilimanjaro trip. Melnichenko's transfer of ownership at SUEK and EuroChem had far-reaching implications. After reviews lasting several weeks, Swiss financial authorities concluded that the two companies could continue operating normally on the grounds that Melnichenko was no longer involved with them. SUEK and EuroChem said that British and German financial regulators have reached similar conclusions. The British and German regulators didn't respond to requests seeking comment. Upon completion of the reviews in late April, SUEK and EuroChem - which had revenues last year of $9.7 billion and $10.2 billion respectively - were able to resume distribution of millions of dollars in interest payments to bondholders. In recent weeks, SUEK and EuroChem have also approached Western clients, showing them documents with the new ownership structure in a bid to reassure them that they can continue doing business with Mr. Melnichenko's former companies, two people familiar with the matter said. NO MORE PAYMENTS In Switzerland, the Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said neither SUEK nor EuroChem were under sanctions in the country. SECO said that, as far as it was aware, Melnichenko was no longer a beneficiary of the trust to which EuroChem belonged at the time of his sanction by the EU and Switzerland. SECO also said it sought confirmation from Eurochem that it would no longer provide funds to Melnichenko. "The company and its management have guaranteed in writing to SECO that the Swiss sanction measures will be fully complied with and in particular that no funds or economic resources will be made available to sanctioned persons," SECO said in response to a query. Swiss authorities have defended their decision not to extend sanctions to Melnichenko's wife or to his former companies, pointing to the fact that EU authorities had not sanctioned them either. "In this case, we have done exactly what the EU has done," Switzerlands Economy Minister Guy Parmelin told Swiss television on Wednesday. Parmelin added that Switzerland was also wary that sanctioning EuroChem at a time when fertilizer prices have soared in most parts of the world could have dire consequences on agriculture markets. EuroChem said it produced more than 19 million metric tons of fertilizer last year - roughly equivalent to 10% of the world's output, according to U.N. data. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said it had no information about the transfer of Melnichenko's assets to his wife. The commission has said it is willing to close loopholes allowing individuals and companies to elude its sanctions. Earlier this week, it unveiled proposals aimed at criminalising moves to bypass sanctions, including by transferring assets to family members, across the 27-nation bloc. A mathematician who once dreamt of becoming a physicist, Melnichenko dropped out of university to dive into the chaotic - and sometimes deadly - world of post-Soviet business. He founded MDM Bank but in the 1990s was still too minor to take part in the privatizations under President Boris Yeltsin that handed the choicest assets of a former superpower to a group of businessmen who would become known as the oligarchs due to their political and economic clout. Melnichenko then began buying up often distressed coal and fertilizer assets, making him one of Europe's richest men. The EU said, when it announced its sanctions, that Melnichenko "belongs to the most influential circle of Russian business people with close connections to the Russian government". Melnichenko was among dozens of business leaders who met with Putin on the day Russia invaded Ukraine to discuss the impact of sanctions, showing his close ties to the Kremlin, the EU said in its March 9 sanction order. At the time, a spokesman for Melnichenko denied that the businessman belonged to Putin's inner circle and said he would dispute the sanctions in court. On May 17, Melnichenko challenged the sanctions by lodging an appeal with the EUs General Court, which handles complaints against European institutions, court records show. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West say the fascist allegation is baseless and that the war is an unprovoked act of aggression. Italy seized Melnichenko's superyacht - the 470-foot Sailing Yacht A, which has a price tag of 530 million euros - on March 12, three days after he was placed on an EU sanctions list. SUEK and EuroChem said on March 10, a day after the EU announced sanctions against Melnichenko and 159 other individuals tied to Russia, that their founder had resigned from his board positions at the companies. (Reporting by David Gauthier-Villars and Gabriela Baczynska; Additional reporting by Chris Kirkham in Los Angeles, Andrew MacAskill in London, Michael Shields and Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi in Zurich; Editing by Daniel Flynn) Israeli soldier deliberately shot Al Jazeera reporter, Palestinian official says FILE PHOTO: Mural to pay tribute to slain Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, in Nazareth By Ali Sawafta RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - The Palestinian Authority said on Thursday its investigation into the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh showed that she was shot by an Israeli soldier in a "deliberate murder". Israel angrily denied the accusation and said it was continuing its own investigations into the death of Abu Akleh, who died on May 11 while she was covering an Israeli military raid in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli army had said previously that she might have been shot accidentally by one of its soldiers or by a Palestinian militant in an exchange of fire. Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al-Khatib told reporters that its enquiry showed there had been no militants close to Abu Akleh when she died. "The only source of fire in that place came from the occupation forces with the intention to kill," Al-Khatib said, referring to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). He added that Abu Akleh, who had been wearing a helmet and a press vest that clearly marked her as a journalist, had tried to flee with some fellow reporters as the first shots rang out. "It represents a war crime," Al-Khatib said. Qatar's Al Jazeera TV Network said it would refer the killing to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz rejected the findings. "Any claim that the IDF intentionally harms journalists or uninvolved civilians, is a blatant lie," he wrote on Twitter. He reiterated his call for the Palestinians to cooperate with Israel in the investigation and hand over the bullet for ballistic tests to see if it matched an Israeli military gun. The Palestinians say they do not trust Israel and have refused to hold a joint probe. Al-Khatib said tests showed that the bullet that killed Abu Akleh was a 5.56 mm round fired from a Ruger Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle, which is used by the Israeli military. That same 5.56 calibre can also be fired from M-16 rifles that are carried by many Palestinian militants. Al-Khatib did not say how he was sure it had come from an Israeli rifle. Israel has said the only way to be sure if it was fired by one of its soldiers was to analyse the bullet and see if the markings on it matched the barrel of an Israeli gun. "I continue to call on the PA to hand over the bullet and findings. We are prepared and willing to conduct an investigation in collaboration with international actors," Gantz said on Thursday. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Henriette Chacar and Crispian Balmer; Editing by Howard Goller) In Kramatorsk, Ukraine, the streets are almost deserted after heavy Russian shelling this month. (Andriy Andriyenko / Associated Press) Its easy to see the war in Ukraine as a sign of an inescapably violent world. But if the future looks bleak, perhaps thats because we focus on the conflicts that happen and overlook the gravitational pull of peace. An example came on March 9, two weeks into the Russian invasion. Shortly after sundown, India accidentally launched a cruise missile at Pakistan. Predictably, calm ensued. Both sides strove to avoid escalation as they have for decades. Focusing on the times peace fails is a kind of selection bias, one that makes us think that war is more common than it really is. The India incident is a good reminder of a simple fact: War is so ruinous that enemies prefer to loathe each other in peace. Even Vladimir Putin, author of the world-changing conflict in Ukraine, tried to avoid war in his own insidious way. For two decades, he employed every underhanded means possible to co-opt Ukraine: dark money, propaganda, political stooges, poisonings and separatist support. He did all of that because, as vicious and costly as these things were, not one was as reckless as war. Im not pointing all this out to downplay the horror of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Putins brutal war deserves our utmost attention. But it would be misleading, not to mention demoralizing, if we did not also consider the pull of peace. More important, the two together will give us insights into when and how the current conflagration might end. First, why did Russia invade? Every answer to why we fight' is an example of a society or its leaders ignoring the terrible price that will be paid. Putin, isolated and insulated, apparently underestimated the uncertain costs of invading Ukraine. Also, as a dictator, he knew he wouldnt have to pay most of them (his people would). And he appears willing to endure whatever costs he will bear to achieve his particular ends: personal and national glory, plus self- and power preservation eliminating a democracy on his front doorstep. In the end, however, the expense of this war will be a powerful incentive to limit the fighting. The most visible costs are the tens of thousands killed, and the cities turned to rubble. Less obvious, but crucial, are the treasuries being drained on both sides. Berkeley economist Yuriy Gorodnichenko estimates that Ukraine requires half of its pre-war monthly national income to continue the conventional war it has been fighting. Of course, Ukraine is earning nowhere near this amount. And even if its factories and fields were producing at full tilt, the country cannot bring those goods to market the Russian occupation of Mariupol and its blockade of other Ukrainian ports means few goods get out. Russia has the deeper pockets, but its price of fighting is still exorbitant. One Russian central banker believes the consequent recession in his country will be as deep as its post-Cold War economic collapse only worse, because the recovery will be slower. Should the fighting persist, he predicts reverse industrialization. That is bad news for a president who built his popularity on delivering prosperity. It may be why Putin did not use his May 9 Victory Day speech to escalate the conflict. The costs on both sides could mean the Ukraine war will be counted in months not years. Even so, bargaining power in the months ahead will lie with the side most willing and able to pay war's monstrous price. This means Ukraines allies, chief among them the United States, will be facing fraught decisions as the fighting goes on, with complicated strategic dynamics few of which are being publicly discussed. Looking forward, Ukraines economy cannot support an indefinite conventional war on its own. Insurgency is an option, but sustained regular warfare probably hinges on the Wests willingness to help cover the bill. If so, NATOs resolve (and money) will help shape the length and brutality of this war. As long as Putin believes Russias military and treasury can outlast Ukraines, he has an incentive to wage a war of attrition. NATO could counter this incentive. A firm commitment now to pay and keep paying for the war could undermine Russias plan to wear down Ukraine, hastening the end of fighting. The flip side, however, is that Western hesitancy or ambiguity about its support could coax Russia back toward that war of attrition. The U.S. just committed $40 billion to Ukraine. Britain added a further 1.3 billion ($1.6 billion). By Gorodnichenkos numbers, thats equal to about six or seven months of Ukraines war bill. Will that ratchet up the costs enough on Putin? Or will the West need to go further? If only back Ukraine at all costs were a simple and safe choice. Peace may exert a gravitational pull, but that does not mean nothing escapes its orbit. If Russia mistrusts Western resolve, misperceives the threat or is ideologically intent on takeover anyway, the fighting could be long and intense. NATO could find itself supporting another forever war, one with a small but scary risk of escalation between NATO and Russia. We must support weapons, financial aid and debt forgiveness for Ukraine in this time of need, but lets be clear-eyed about what it means to send a firm and committed signal. It means that six or seven months from now, if Putin hasnt backed down, the Wests unity and passion cannot wane. Should we waffle or equivocate, the highest cost of ongoing war will be borne by Ukrainians. Christopher Blattman, professor of global conflict studies at the University of Chicago, is the author of Why We Fight: The Roots of War and the Paths to Peace. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. An American flag stands tall on Memorial Day at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois, on May 25, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Flags and headstones at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood on Memorial Day, May 25, 2020. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, honors individuals who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States, according to the U.S. House of Representatives. A National Moment of Remembrance is held for one minute at 3 p.m. each Memorial Day. The holiday occurs the last Monday in May and is, traditionally, viewed as the beginning of summer. AAA predicts 1.9 million Illinois residents will travel over Memorial Day weekend about 10% less than 2019 and 92% of them would travel by car. Advertisement [ Travelers want to get out this summer, but high gas prices could stand in the way ] Since Memorial Day doesnt occur on the same date each year, the temperature and precipitation values can vary dramatically. So, there arent any normal high or low temperatures, or accumulations of rain. Data is from the National Weather Services Chicago office and measured at the citys official recording site, which has been OHare International Airport since Jan. 17, 1980. For almost a century prior to that, sites around downtown Chicago, the University of Chicago and Midway Airport were used to gather the citys official weather data. Advertisement Showers and a few thunderstorms will end from northwest to southeast through this afternoon. Strong northerly winds will create high waves and dangerous swimming conditions at Lake Michigan beaches today and tonight. #ILWX #INWX pic.twitter.com/xHhmqRAifZ NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) May 27, 2022 Warmest Temperatures tend to fall in the 70- to 80-degree range on Memorial Day, according to the National Weather Service. Chicago experienced its warmest Memorial Day high of 95 degrees twice on May 28 in 2012 and 2018. Highs in the 90s have been recorded 10 times on Memorial Day since 1873. Hot weather could have contributed to a melee between Chicago police and striking steelworkers on May 30, 1937, when the high was 89 degrees. Ten demonstrators were killed, another 60 were injured and 40 police officers were also hurt during the Memorial Day Massacre. The coldest high temperature on Memorial Day was 42 degrees on May 30, 1889. In 2021, the high was 70 degrees. Despite officials warnings of contracting hypothermia from the cold Lake Michigan water, kids were diving right in. Tessa Weinberg, Chicago Tribune, May 29, 2018 People take advantage of the warm Memorial Day weather at the 31st Street Beach in Chicago on May 28, 2018. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Coldest Low temperatures for Memorial Day holidays can vary widely, according to the National Weather Service. Chicago experienced its warmest low Memorial Day temperature 77 degrees on May 28, 2012. The high that day reached 95 degrees. The coldest low Memorial Day temperature was 32 degrees on May 25, 1992. Advertisement Tribune reporters wrote the cold extended to the Eastern Conference playoff series between the Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers: An ill indoor wind in Richfield, Ohio, meant Bulls shots inexplicably missed the basket ... In 2021, the low was 54 degrees. Indeed, in contrast to past Memorial Days, the only creatures prone on the beach Monday were thousands of dead alewives, the only picnickers the scores of seagulls dining alfresco. Steve Johnson and Michael A. Lev, Chicago Tribune, May 26, 1992 Chicago Tribune, May 26, 1992. (Chicago Tribune archive) Wettest Rain accumulating in more than 1 inch of precipitation has occurred just once since 1873, according to the National Weather Service. Almost 2 inches of rain fell May 27, 2019 the wettest Memorial Day in Chicago history. No rain or just a trace of precipitation has fallen in 97 of the 149 years 65% on record. A tornado watch for the region was canceled around 7:10 p.m. Monday, following an afternoon that saw storms packing wind gusts of 70 mph or more and 2-inch hail moving through the area. Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas and Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, May 27, 2019 A man walks through the rain at the corner of Cermak Road and State Street in Chicago on Memorial Day, May 27, 2019. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) White Sox second baseman Yolmer Sanchez makes a "rain angel" as a second rain delay is called during the fifth inning of a game against the Royals on May 27, 2019, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune) Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 8 Mario Reyes, of Bensenville, carries his grill to the car after the family Memorial Day cookout at Montrose Beach was cut short when a rainstorm hit Chicago on May 27, 2019. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune) Sources: National Weather Service Chicago; Tribune archives and reporting Advertisement Propaganda is not what it used to be. These days, a crummy movie like 2000 Mules, a big cinematic lie about the Big Lie that rampant voter fraud denied the reelection of the last U.S. president, is what passes for artful disinformation. Widely mocked, its a lunatic Triumph of the Will without the formal skills of Nazi filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl pollution without the prettiness, Triumph of the Rubes and Grifters. Oh, for the long-gone days of ancient Persia. What propaganda used to be is on glamorous display in an exquisitely crafted silver plate that anchors the final room of Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World, a new exhibition at the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades. Made in Constantinople around A.D. 629-630, a period when the Eastern Roman power of Byzantium had surprisingly prevailed in a war against Persias Sasanian Empire, the nearly 20-inch plate features an elaborate bas-relief that means to help cement the triumph. In three registers, it tells the story of David and Goliath. "Plate With David and Goliath," Byzantine (Constantinople), circa AD 629-30, silver (Christopher Knight / Los Angeles Times) David is a stand-in for Heraclius, the relentlessly warring Roman sovereign. Goliath is the bigger, older, more powerful representative of Persia, established for a thousand years. At the top, the two agree to fight as a bemused river god looks on. In the center, the widest of the three registers, the bout has begun. Goliath has his spear and big shield raised, while David has loaded his slingshot and is waving a distracting cloak in his opponents face. How things might go from here is suggested by the soldiers arrayed behind the two combatants: Davids duo stand upright and firm, Goliaths are turning and lean away, ready to bolt. In the bottom register comes the denouement: David hacks off tumbling Goliaths head, presumably with his own sword. Framing them, the giants big pile of scattered weapons at the right dwarfs the winners little sling and three small rocks at the left. The exhibitions fine catalog, prepared by Getty director Timothy Potts and curators Jeffrey Spier and Sara E. Coles, draws a notable historical conclusion. Heraclius, in his bloody Byzantine victory over Persia, is thought to have beheaded the Sasanian commander. That would make the silver plate a pretty specific allegory for the Eastern Roman emperor as Gods designated champion on earth, like David, the victorious underdog in the struggle against the Philistine giant. Now, that is some propaganda! Crafted in solid silver, apt for such a valuable image, the large, dramatically designed plate probably was a royal gift made to impress an important dignitary. Heraclius is spreading the word. He puffs up his profile, accentuating his godly kingship and putting his money where his mouth is. The show is divided into three sections, each focused on a different Persian empire. The Achaemenid (550-330 BC), founded by Cyrus the Great and expanded by Darius I, kicked things off and grew to encompass 2 million square miles all the way from the Balkans to the Indus Valley. It was the largest empire ever, until Greeces Alexander the Great arrived with his armies and busted things up. The Parthian (247 BC-AD 224) occupied the Silk Route to China, amassing great wealth from trade and cross-fertilizing with Greek civilization. The Sasanian (AD 224-651), arch-rival to voracious Rome, showed remarkable endurance, lasting more than four centuries. Needless to say, a lot happened in Persia over the course of a thousand years. Too much, in fact, for a small exhibition to fully represent. Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World is strong on examples of material culture the pottery, jewelry, coins, metalwork and stone vessels, architecture and other common objects of daily life, mostly among the elite. But, given the museums three small rooms, its a thumbnail sketch of a thumbnail sketch. "Relief With a Lion and Bull in Combat," Achaemenid, 359-338 BC, limestone (Christopher Knight / Los Angeles Times) Still, there are wonderful individual objects to see. Impressive loans have come from the Louvre in Paris, the British Museum in London, the Oriental Institute in Chicago and elsewhere. The David and Goliath plate is from New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art. Among the works is a fragment of a limestone staircase relief from the ceremonial capital of Persepolis. (Daily, an immersive video about the capitals main palace is presented on the Getty Villas first floor; it also can be viewed at getty.edu/persepolis.) In the piece a lion, shown head-on, has clamped down on the back of a bull, carved in profile. Two powerful natural forces, animals with royal affiliations, are locked in mortal combat. The dynamism of the relief comes from brilliantly executed visual tensions. An organic, serpentine line describing the forms establishes muscular forward movement, appropriate to a staircase. The competing perpendicular composition of frontal and profile poses is architectonic, like a buildings structure. The repeated modular patterns of animal harnesses and fur emphasize the reliefs ornamental function. Balancing them all is no mean feat, masterfully accomplished by a designer whose name is lost to history. Lions and bulls were featured on early Achaemenid coins, but a small gold disk announces a shift: A kneeling archer is the figure of Darius I, whose likeness on the chunky little coin asserts his position as the source of ultimate power. The tiny coin is just over a half-inch wide 8.36 grams of gold, worth about $500 today and its but one of dozens of coins, seals and carved gemstones in the show. Theyre small but fascinating, stylistically changing records of dynasties, rulers, events and timetables of history. Scholars use them to identify all manner of things, like portraits of luminaries and festivals. The Getty has installed touchpads adjacent to each display of groups of them, which lets a viewer examine the object in closeup and access more information. A wall section of colorfully glazed brick from Darius palace features a magnificent pair of sphinxes seated, unlike their famous Egyptian cousins, who mostly recline. They sport horned crowns signifying deities. Although confronting one another, their contorted male heads turn away a full 180 degrees, as if to underscore their likely role as palace guardians, not opponents. Unknown artist, "Portrait of Alexander the Great," circa 320 BC. (Christopher Knight / Los Angeles Times) The Getty also has inserted a work from its own antiquities collection that serves two functions. A highly idealized marble bust of Alexander the Great, carved after his death, is its own bit of romanticized propaganda: It celebrates a powerful human being as impossibly flawless, in order to extend Greek control beyond his incredible lifetime. (The sculpture has undergone minor alteration and seen significant damage over the centuries.) On the other hand, its placement among Persian objects represents the museums effort to expand its own institutional focus on the antique art of Greece and Rome. Ancient Iran joins the pack. Persia, apparently the first major museum show of its kind, is one in a series the Getty is presenting. Interactions of Greece and Rome with other Mediterranean cultures Egypt, Thrace (modern Bulgaria), the Levant (coastal Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel) and the Eurasian steppes are the subjects of considerable recent research, much of it from the visiting scholars program of the Getty Research Institute. It's usefully compiled for catalog publication. Unfortunately, what the Persia catalog fittingly calls an ancient clash of cultures can only be hinted at in an exhibition so modestly scaled. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. FILE PHOTO: A mother reacts as she waits for police members to exhume the body of her dead son from a well at a fuel station in Buzova GENEVA (Reuters) - More than 4,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia's invasion began on Feb. 24, although the true number is likely much higher, the U.N. rights office (OHCHR) said in a statement on Friday. In total, 4,031 people have been killed, including nearly 200 children, according to OHCHR, which has dozens of monitors in the country. Most were killed by explosive weapons with a wide impact such as shelling from heavy artillery or airstrikes. It did not attribute blame for the deaths. Russia has denied targeting civilians in the conflict. (Reporting by Emma Farge, Editing by Miranda Murray) LONDON (Reuters) - A Conservative lawmaker quit his role as an assistant to Britain's interior minister on Friday, saying his work had been tarnished by the "toxic culture" in Downing Street that was detailed by investigations into lockdown-busting parties. A damning official report on Wednesday documented a series of illegal COVID-19 lockdown parties at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Downing Street office. Johnson said he took responsibility for the events but refused to quit. Conservative lawmaker Paul Holmes said he was resigning from his government role as parliamentary private secretary at the Home Office to focus on representing his constituents. "It is clear to me that a deep mistrust in both the government and the Conservative Party has been created by these events ... It is distressing to me that this work on your behalf has been tarnished by the toxic culture that seemed to have permeated Number 10," he said in a statement. "Over the last few weeks this distress has led me to conclude that I want to continue to focus solely on my efforts in being your Member of Parliament ... That is why I have now resigned from my governmental responsibilities." Other Conservative lawmakers have said they had submitted letters calling for a confidence vote in Johnson to the chairman of the party's 1922 Committee which would be triggered if 54 such letters are written. Holmes confirmed to Reuters he had not written a letter to call for Johnson to resign. (Reporting by Alistair Smout and Elizabeth Piper; editing by Michael Holden) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took a jab at Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday and said he hopes "no occupiers" will attend the upcoming Group of 20 summit this year. Zelenskyy announced Friday that he has accepted the invitation by Indonesian President Joko Widodo to attend the intergovernmental summit scheduled in November, even though Ukraine is not one of the 19 member nations or yet a part of the European Union. PUTIN TO ATTEND G20 SUMMIT, INDONESIA SAYS; ZELENSKYY ALSO INVITED "We must prevent mass starvation, stop massacres and repressions, forever wean any state of the world from nuclear blackmail. I believe that only friend states, partner states will attend the summit, and there will be no occupiers," he said in an address to the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia. Food security, a global problem aggravated by Putins war in Ukraine, is expected to be a major issued discussed by leaders of world's largest economies. The U.S., EU, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia and China, are set to cover issues relating to global health, increased digitalization of the global economy, climate change and energy security another issue that has taken on renewed urgency amid Russias war in Ukraine. Widodo announced last month that he also invited Putin to the summit, given Russias usual standing as a G20 member, and claimed the Kremlin head had accepted. UKRAINE NEEDS TO FACE REALITY TO END CONFLICT, TALK TO PUTIN: ZELENSKYY President Biden has voiced his opposition to Russia maintaining its international positions of power which White House press secretary Jen Psaki reiterated last month. "The president has been clear about his view: This shouldnt be business as usual, and that Russia should not be a part of this," she told reporters. Zelenskyy said Friday that he is thankful to have been included in the summit and said he believes "the world will have solved all these big problems" come November. Russias war in Ukraine has lasted for more than three months, displacing millions, killing thousands and causing the greatest security threat to Europe since World War II. Ukrainian soldiers are seen riding on an armored presonnel carrier during an exercise not far from Kharkiv on April 30. Photo by SERGEY BOBOK/AFP via Getty Images Moscow has said it will not stop its deadly and illegal incursion until it has gained "full control" over not only Ukraines eastern regions, but all regions along Ukraines Black Sea coastline. Russias naval presence in the Black Sea has led to export blockades and the growing global food crisis as millions of tons of grain have remained holed up in storage facilities. FILE - Tesla CEO Elon Musk attends the opening of the Tesla factory Berlin Brandenburg in Gruenheide, Germany, March 22, 2022. Twitter shareholders have filed a lawsuit accusing Musk of engaged in unlawful conduct aimed at sowing doubt about his bid to buy the social media company. The lawsuit filed late Wednesday, May 25, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California claims the billionaire Tesla CEO has sought to drive down Twitters stock price because he wants to walk away from the deal or negotiate a substantially lower purchase price. (Patrick Pleul/Pool Photo via AP, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) Twitter shareholders have filed a lawsuit accusing Elon Musk of engaged in unlawful conduct aimed at sowing doubt about his bid to buy the social media company. The lawsuit filed late Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California claims the billionaire Tesla CEO has sought to drive down Twitters stock price because he wants to walk away from the deal or negotiate a substantially lower purchase price. San Francisco-based Twitter is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit, which seeks class action status as well as compensation for damages. A representative for Musk did not immediately respond to a message for comment on Thursday. Twitter declined to comment. Musk last month offered to buy Twitter for $44 billion, but later said the deal cant go forward until the company provides information about how many accounts on the platform are spam or bots. The lawsuit notes, however, that Musk waived due diligence for his take it or leave it offer to buy Twitter. That means he waived his right to look at the companys non-public finances. In addition, the problem of bots and fake accounts on Twitter is nothing new. The company paid $809.5 million last year to settle claims it was overstating its growth rate and monthly user figures. Twitter has also disclosed its bot estimates to the Securities and Exchange Commission for years, while also cautioning that its estimate might be too low. To fund some of the acquisition, Musk has been selling Tesla stock and shares in the electric carmaker have lost nearly a third of their value since the deal was announced on April 25. In response to the plunging value of Teslas shares, the Twitter shareholders' lawsuit claims Musk has been denigrating Twitter, violating both the non-disparagement and non-disclosure clauses of his contract with the company. "In doing so, Musk hoped to drive down Twitters stock price and then use that as a pretext to attempt to re-negotiate the buyout, according to the lawsuit. Twitter's shares closed Thursday at $39.54, 27% below Musk's $54.20 offer price. Before announcing his bid to buy Twitter, Musk disclosed in early April that he had bought a 9% stake in the company. But the lawsuit says Musk did not disclose the stake within the timeframe required by the Securities and Exchange Commission. And the lawsuit says his eventual disclosure of the stake to the SEC was false and misleading because he used a form meant for passive investors which Musk at the time was not, because he had been offered a position on Twitter's board and was interested in buying the company. Musk benefited by more than $156 million from his failure to disclose his increased stake on time, since Twitter's stock price could have been higher had investors known Musk was increasing his holdings, the lawsuit claims. By delaying his disclosure of his stake in Twitter, Musk engaged in market manipulation and bought Twitter stock at an artificially low price, the lawsuit says. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Antigen kits may be meant for rapid COVID-19 testing, but some individuals have turned the medical objects into works of art. One such person is Si Xueqin, who has been decorating the back of her test kits with Chinese ink paintings. Images of her work, most of which feature traditional objects such as plum blossoms and bamboo branches, have been widely shared on social media. Si, a retired physician living in the Dongjing housing community in suburban Shanghai, says she has enjoyed painting since she was young, and picked up the hobby again after her retirement. The idea to paint on the test kits, she explains, came when she was taking a photo of the result on the kit. Many Shanghai residents are required to self-test at home and declare their results on a government portal. Si uses regular ink art pigments and a brush to create her works, which include intricate paintings done on single cassettes as well as larger ones done on a canvas comprising multiple cassettes bound together. "This is just my way of passing time and having fun during the lockdown," she says. Besides spending her days painting, Si also practices tai chi in the mornings, plays the guzheng (a traditional seven-stringed plucked instrument) in the afternoons and volunteers at the housing community center in Songjiang district, where she helps process residents' requests to go to hospital. "I have more than 40 years of experience as a physician, so I can advise people about whether they really should go to the hospital during the outbreak or not," she says. "Sometimes it's just a case of people feeling mentally stressed because of the lockdown instead of being physically ill." Another person who has been painting on her antigen test kits is Chen Xuan, who has been using her 6-year-old daughter's acrylic pigments to create copies of classic works such as Van Gogh's Starry Night and Monet's Sunrise, as well as cartoon figures like Doraemon. "The idea came from my daughter, who left a few drops of paint on the cassette when she was shaking her brush," Chen tells China News Service. "Those spots she left behind reminded me of the famous paintings by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and that's how I started painting on the cassettes. "We have celebrated many special occasions with these paintings, such as International Workers' Day, Mother's Day and my mother's birthday," Chen says. "Shanghai is a city of love and romance, even during the pandemic." Chinese envoy calls for well-tailored approach to Israeli-Palestinian issue Xinhua) 08:41, May 27, 2022 UNITED NATIONS, May 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called for a well-tailored approach to the Israeli-Palestinian issue as drivers of violence are fermenting. During the past month, the security situation in the occupied Palestinian territory has remained turbulent, with multiple clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians, resulting in the continued increase in Palestinian civilian casualties. Attacks against Israeli civilians also occurred from time to time, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. "The various factors contributing to the rising tensions were brought into sharp relief recently. A number of these factors are still fermenting. We are extremely worried about this," he told a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. "The recent developments between the two sides have raised a red flag for the international community, and a call for a well-tailored approach." The current situation once again testifies to the importance of upholding the status quo of the holy sites. China calls on all parties concerned to learn from history, jointly safeguard the historical status quo of religious sites, and refrain from any unilateral action to change the status quo. Jerusalem Day is just around the corner. China calls on all parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint and avoid conflict resurgence, said Zhang. The current situation once again testifies to the importance of achieving common security. The ever-rising civilian casualties only aggravate the animosity between Palestinians and Israelis, and undermine their mutual trust. Palestinians and Israelis are and will remain neighbors. They have a stake in each other's security and they should find a way to live side by side in harmony and shared security. The Israeli security forces should abide by the principle of proportionality and should not use excessive force, he said. The current situation once again testifies to the importance of implementing international consensus, he said. Building settlements in the occupied territory violates international law. China is concerned about Israel's announcement of a new settlement construction plan and urges Israel to stop all settlement activities, he said. A two-state solution is the fundamental way forward for achieving peace between Palestinians and Israelis. The international community cannot substitute crisis management for a just solution to the question of Palestine. The relevant parties with major influence on this question should uphold objectivity and impartiality, proceed from the fundamental interests of the Palestinian people and regional countries, and take practical steps to advance the Middle East peace process, he said. Palestine is faced with existential and developmental challenges. The international community should take concrete actions to help Palestine fight COVID-19, develop its economy, and improve livelihoods, with a view to achieving economic independence at an early date, he said. China supports the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side in peace with Israel. China supports the common development of Arabs and Jews and will continue to play a constructive role alongside the international community toward an early settlement of the question of Palestine, said Zhang. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) With the recent Chinese language publication of the biography of Milan Kundera, A la recherche de Milan Kundera ("in search of Milan Kundera"), readers now have a new way, aside from his best-sellers, to better understand the 93-year-old Czech-born writer, who has been absent from the public eye for nearly four decades. Kundera has been influencing generations of Chinese readers since his writing was first introduced to the country in the late 1980s. One of his representative works, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, has sold more than 3 million copies since the Shanghai Translation Publishing House released its Chinese version in 2003, the publisher says. Writer Xu Zechen, 44, winner of one of China's highest literary honors, the Mao Dun Literature Prize, says that Kundera's works have deepened Chinese authors' understanding about literature, together with those of the Colombian Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez. "Kundera updated our concept of novels," Xu says. Jing Kaixuan, translator of the 1987 version of Kundera's Farewell Waltz and the 1989 version of Life Is Elsewhere, said during a 2014 interview that it's the philosophy in Kundera's works that makes him a world-class writer. He notes that Kundera touches upon many issues of great value and discusses them in depth. Kundera also inspires Chinese readers to turn their attention to Central and Eastern European literature and thoughts as an alternative to Western modernist works, Jing said. He himself has translated several works of Czech writer Ivan Klima. Kundera was born in Brno in the former Czechoslovakia, today part of the Czech Republic, in 1929. He learned to play the piano at a young age from his father, a renowned pianist, but in college majored in literature and aesthetics, before transferring to film direction and script writing. He rose to fame with his first full-length novel, The Joke, published in 1967. A year later, in his home country, all of his works were banned and he was expelled from his teaching position at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. In 1975, Kundera went into exile in France with his wife Vera, teaching for a living while continuing his writing. He was stripped of his Czechoslovakian citizenship in 1979 and, in 1981, became a naturalized French citizen. In 1993, Czechoslovakia became two countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. His Czech citizenship was restored in 2019 and the following year, he was awarded the Franz Kafka Prize for Literature, given by the Franz Kafka Society and the city of Prague. Kundera shuns publicity and has turned down media appearance requests since the mid-1980s. However, A la recherche de Milan Kundera, by Le Monde reporter Ariane Chemin, reveals hitherto unknown stories about the writer, and events surrounding allegations he was a "police informer". A 2008 Czech magazine article reported that, according to a police report, in 1950, Kundera had denounced Czech pilot and political dissident Miroslav Dvoracek, which resulted in the latter being sent to prison for 14 years. Kundera denied the claims, stating that he didn't even know him. Eleven internationally recognized writers, including Nobel laureates Orhan Pamuk and Marquez, came to his defense in November 2008. Chemin managed to interview his wife Vera, as well as people of various occupations and background who were linked to the couple, indicating a high level of authenticity and credibility, the publisher says. Translator of the biography, Wang Dongliang, French language professor at Peking University, won the literature translation award of the prestigious Lu Xun Literature Prize in 2007, for translating Kundera's The Book of Laughter and Forgetting. Released in 1979, it was the author's first published work following his exile to France. The publication of Chemin's biography is just one of many recent Kundera-related projects that the Shanghai Translation Publishing House has underway. New versions of 15 of his works will be published this year, with the first five of them already launched, according to Lin Yunyu, from the Shanghai publisher. Notably, Kundera has also licensed the digital copyrights of these works to the publishing house. It's the author's first cooperation of this kind with a Chinese publisher. E-books of his representative works, including The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Joke and Ignorance, have been available on major e-book platforms such as Kindle, WeChat Read and iGet since May 10. An audiobook of The Unbearable Lightness of Being was also launched on multiple domestic audio-sharing platforms, such as Ximalaya FM. According to Liang Yongan, a retired literature scholar of Fudan University who recorded an introduction for the audiobook, this novel is not far from the nonmaterial lives of contemporary youths, who have difficulty in recognizing values in the globalized era. Liang's posts on video-sharing platform Bilibili with his observations about young people from a literary perspective are popular with Chinese youngsters. One video of his, about love and marriage, received more than 5 million hits. The Shanghai-based publishing house has been leveraging its digital copyrights for a group of important authors, including Japanese-born British Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro, his countryman Haruki Murakami and Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986). Last year, it simultaneously published a print, e-book and audiobook of Ishiguro's latest work, Klara and the Sun. "We've been attaching great importance to copyright protection and operation, so that the copyright holders will develop confidence in the Chinese market," says Zhu Lingyun, deputy editor-in-chief of the publisher. She adds that the publisher has hired a team to supervise and crack down on piracy, and it has strong legal support to protect the rights of the authors and translators. According to Zhu, the publisher started exploring digital publishing in 2012.Their foreign counterparts used to be unfamiliar with market conditions in China, which resulted in negotiations for digital copyright licensing frequently reaching deadlock. However, they have managed to gain the trust of the copyright holders, who come from various cultural backgrounds, and by the end of last year, 95 percent of its copyright purchases included digital rights licensing. ARMAVIR, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Armed Forces held live-fire military exercises involving artillery divisions. 9K58 Smerch Multiple Rocket Launchers and the 120mm 2S12 heavy mortar systems were used in the drills held at the Baghramyan Training Facility in Armavir. Colonel Ruben Gasparyan of the Armenian Ground Forces said that the purpose of the exercises is to check the level of readiness of the artillery units, to raise combat readiness, morale, strengthen stamina, improve the commanders skills of commanding the units and perfect the harmonization of actions of various units. Under the scenario of the drills, the involved units held offensive and defensive operations drills, and taking into account the experience of the military actions in the 2020 war exercises are held also in besieged scenarios, Colonel Gasparyan said. The troops also deployed the 1B44 Ulybka Meteorological Radar System, which is used for calculating wind speed, atmospheric pressure, temperature and other essential data that is required for the operators of the Smerch Multiple Rocket Launchers before launch. 1B44 Ulybka Meteorological Radar System The 9K58 Smerch Multiple Rocket Launcher is intended to defeat enemy personnel, armored targets, artillery batteries, air defense systems, command posts, airfields and ammunition depots. It has a maximum firing range of 90 kilometers. 9K58 Smerch Multiple Rocket Launcher firing rocket during exercises The 120mm 2S12 heavy mortar system used in the drills is designed to destroy enemy targets with a maximum range of 7800 meters. 120mm 2S12 in action during exercises YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Ambassador of Russia to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin, the PMs Office said. PM Pashinyan said that the Armenian-Russian allied relations bear a dynamic character over the recent years, adding that the Russian Embassy in Armenia has a great contribution to this. Pashinyan said that there are close contacts between the partners of the two countries, which, he said, is important for giving a new impetus to the mutual partnership. At the same time, he highlighted the regular meetings with the Ambassadors of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries and emphasized the importance of this format in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Sergei Kopyrkin thanked the Prime Minister for highly appreciating the activity of the Russian Embassy and said that their goal is to do everything to contribute to the further development of the bilateral allied and brotherly relations. During the meeting the sides also discussed issues relating to the Armenian-Russian cooperation agenda, the settlement of the NK conflict and the processes taking place in the South Caucasus region. YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo arrived in Armenia on an official visit on May 26, the Yerevan City Hall said in a statement. She was welcomed by First Deputy Mayor of Yerevan Levon Hovhannisyan at the Zvartnots International Airport. In his remarks Levon Hovhannisyan expressed hope that during the upcoming meetings at the Yerevan City Hall not only the programs, that have already been implemented between the Armenian and French capitals, will be discussed. He assured that they will succeed in agreeing over new areas of partnership in coming days. The Paris Mayor thanked for the warm welcome and assured that the French capital is ready to assist and support the city that gave Paris, for instance, the idea of TUMO, in everything within its capacities. The Mayor of Paris is also scheduled to meet with Mayor of Yerevan Hrachya Sargsyan. Issues relating to the further cooperation and ongoing programs between the Armenian and French capitals will be discussed. YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan held a meeting with the visiting President of Montenegro Milo ukanovic. Speaker Simonyan noted that in the 16 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, President ukanovics visit is the first high-level visit. The sides discussed the circle of bilateral partnership, emphasizing inter-parliamentary ties. Effective and continuous dialogue between the legislative bodies was viewed as a priority, with the parliamentary friendship groups expected to greatly contribute to this. Comprehensive cooperation with the EU and the issues of regional security and establishing lasting peace were discussed. Speaking on the post-war situation, Speaker Simonyan highlighted practical support of international partners in resolving the outstanding humanitarian issues. President of Montenegro Milo ukanovic said that short-term solutions to conflicts are followed by long-term sufferings, with severe consequences for the countries. President ukanovic said he will discuss the issue of the Armenian POWs, including civilians, who are still held in Azerbaijan with his administration and also international partners. President ukanovic said they have goodwill for the region and expect stability. He said that for any country especially small countries like Armenia and Montenegro, in such difficult situations what matters is to preserve identity. YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian received a group of soldiers wounded in the 2020 Artsakh War, as well as members of Parliament of Armenia and officials, Chairman of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Fr. Koryun Hovnan Baghdasaryan said on social media. On May 23 the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense and Security Affairs organized a meeting with the soldiers in the National Assembly. It was stated that several soldiers, who suffer disability as a result of the 2020 War, will visit Jerusalem for vacation. A decision was made that the first group of soldiers would depart for Jerusalem on May 26, accompanied by MPs from the ruling Civil Contract faction Narek Zeynalyan and Lusine Badalyan. YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. The key to success of Glovo, a leading online delivery company, is the great service. Glovo will purchase, pick up, and deliver food, pharmacy, even a forgotten key ordered through its mobile app in 30 minutes. Glovo co-founder Sacha Michaud gave an interview to ARMENPRESS, talking about the services offered by the company, the advantages and their operation in Armenia. -Mr. Michaud, it will be interesting to hear the story of Glovo from you. When and where did the story of the company start? -So it started in the beginning of 2015, so only seven years ago, in Barcelona, Spain, which is our headquarters where we founded the company. Its two founders Oscar and myself. We launched the first version of the app in Barcelona in March 2015. Since then we grew very quickly, we expanded inside Europe, so Italy, Portugal. More recently, we have been moving to Eastern Europe with Poland, the Balkan regions and of course this region, in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and more recently Armenia we launched six months ago. We are today in 25 countries worldwide, including Africa, 7 countries in Africa we are expanding, we are in 1500 cities, we have 3500 employees, we have 75000 active couriers who deliver every month, and we have 150000 partners. These are stores and restaurants, retailers, stores and restaurants in the streets who are selling on our platform and we have 8 million active customers. These are people buying from these stores online. So we have grown very quickly and in a small amount of time and we are really happy as well to be here in Armenia. - As your company works in 25 countries, are you planning to enhance this year as well? If yes, what countries? -So at the moment we havent got any countries to be identified, we are looking in the region both here and Africa which are the two regions where we are expanding to look for possible future countries. We are doing this expanding, our footprints in the countries where we operate. So good example would be today, we are in two cities in Georgia and Armenia. But the idea is to expand and launch new cities here. So we generally will expand the cities we are in a country to get more customers, more restaurants and stores. -Glovo is not just a food delivery company. What additional services do you offer to consumers? -We have been multi-category from day one which differentiated us from our competitors. Well, our competitors would focus on restaurant food, and only restaurant food, but since day one, so this is March 2015, we have always been multi-category. Restaurants are our largest category, but groceries are the second largest category. We worked with supermarkets, both large and small, large chains, but also specialized supermarkets with products, to think of many stores, wine stores, cheese stores, and also electronics is growing very quickly, and also pharmacy, we worked with pharmacies, local pharmacies, and then obviously any retail. Also fashion, clothes is becoming more and more important on the app. Generally, the way our customers use it is they know they want and we can go get it in the city, then they prefer us to go get it and them crossing the city, getting in a car, getting in a traffic, parking, we will do it in 30 minutes for pretty much the same cost as you are going to do it yourself. Thats the key, I think. -How long Glovo has been working in Armenia and what does it offer to the consumers? -We have been just over six months, we launched in September last year. I think weve bringing a really good quality of service. So it was very funny but when we launched in Armenia, we had customers ordering their lunch at 10:00 in the morning. And of course, we arrived in 30 minutes with a shawarma or a lunch food, and they said this is too early because they were used to two-hour delivery time or three. I think the first think is really good service, to give it what you order, and also our customers can see in every moment where the delivery is, so when they do the order, they know when the courier is picking up the goods in the store, they can see that, and they can see in Google Maps it crossing the city, and when it will exactly deliver. And I think thats very important because you are doing things, you want to know exactly when it is going to arrive. So quality of service is our biggest thing. And second, I think, is having a great content. Content for us is having your favorite restaurant, not just a large chains, but a cool restaurant you really like or having the right stores, the supermarkets, the stores that you want. So I think, the best partners plus great service are our key to success. -Mr. Michaud, it is believed that every successful person, successful business has its own secret to success. What do you think is your secret to success? -I think in being in so many countries, very different countries, very different cultures, very different languages, is being very local. So when we set up, we launch a company, a country, sorry, we set up, we get a local team to run the business. Thats not different in Armenia. We have got nearly 15 people here ready in the team. We are expanding that team. They understand the local cities, they understand the needs. We have been very urban company in the fact that we were part of the ecosystem of mobility so to know as well the dynamics of the city, of how traffic moves. So I think, thats been the key to our success. The local team runs the business. Our business here in Armenia is very different to other countries because the team is identified. And I think this is our key to success. -Whats the main difference of Glovo from other delivery services? -I think being multi-category. I think bringing anything you want to the city. Our vision is to give everyone easy access to anything in your city. I think, our main thing is multi-category, in fact that I think its great ordering food and getting delivered, there are a lot of opportunities to order. But I think its amazing when you know you have an emergency, its 11:00 at nights, and your baby is crying, and you have no nappies, you can pick up Glovo and we will go pick you some nappies in 30 minutes there, thats a wow moment, or you forgot your keys, and a lot of people forget their keys, you will be surprised how many keys we move around city, that you get home, but left the keys at work, and then we will go pick up the keys and bring them or kids who come home from school who get the keys when their parents are working. And they can quickly order Glovo. So, we are an emergency-savior as well for needs, which I think is amazing and it gives us an emotional connection with our customer. We are not just a food delivery app who brings you a nice hot pizza, thats cool, thats not wow, whats wow is the other stuff. -Glovo is available in Yerevan and Gyumri. It is interesting to know on what parameters is your expansion strategy based? Do you have plans to expand and in what cities? -Normally, and Armenia is no exception, we launch in the largest cosmopolitan city because the customer base is very digital, there are great restaurants and stores, so it generally fits, and then we expand to the largest cities depending on geography. We like university cities with young people who generally are very digital. So we are in two cities now, we are expanding to other cities in Armenia. I dont have the definite list now of the cities, but generally we will start with the largest populations first. -Is there anything, any topic that you would like to talk about but I didnt ask you? -No, as I mentioned, we like to be part of the cities and that means a lot of things, but above all it means, you know we have over 300 couriers active on the platform in Armenia already, thats 300 people who are working on the platform, have access to income, many of our couriers have different access to normal labor jobs, this will go to thousands by next year, so they impact there. We have over 400 partners selling on the platform already, 90% of those are small businesses, so thats also important. We work with local councils, with public administration, we are trying to be part of the ecosystem, we set up local companies, we have several local teams. So in essence, we try to be as much part of Armenia cities that we operate as possible, and its not just about a tech company, I think thats key for us. We have courier safety training, which is super important. You know they are on motorbikes and bicycles, and I think thats a very important part. So, we are just getting started. We have some good examples in neighboring countries where we have massive businesses. We launched in Georgia four years ago, and its ten times the size of the business. So Armenia is going to get a huge growth, and we see that the teams amazing, the local team is executing outstanding, so I am really excited. I am here three days but I will be back very soon. Chinas 'loan and own' strategy seems to have backfired in this piece of paradise which lies in the Indian Ocean The Maldives is the It destination for anybody who wants to share the indescribable magic of the iridescent blue-green of the sea that embraces the island nation made up of a chain of 26 atolls, covering a territory of 1,192 islets, 250 inhabited islands, with a population of 306,000 spread over 298 sq km. Gosh! Cuffe Parade alone is far more crowded! So much for perspective. The Maldives is the smallest Asian country in terms of area and population, and also the smallest entirely Muslim nation in the world. But hey India cares! India wants to shower love on the Maldives. Now more than ever. India is reaching out in more ways than one. And the island nations President, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, is now showing signs of thawing towards a neighbour who lives less than 500 km away, while the crafty good friend stays a good 4,823 km north, and is showing too much attitude! Chinas loan and own strategy seems to have backfired in this piece of paradise which lies in the Indian Ocean. If we play our cards right, well successfully woo the man who is likely to take over from President Solih and is seen as a buddy of India 55-year-old Mohamed Nasheed. Thanks to the outreach programme in Male, Maldives capital, organised by the far-thinking team behind the first edition of the iconic JLF (Jaipur Lit Fest) at Sonu Shivdasanis equally iconic Soneva Fushi, I met the future Prezzie Nasheed in a great setting. There he was, to talk about his latest book, happy to delay his next appointment where he was to chair an important meeting! As 19th Speaker of the Peoples Majlis, the former President was in full flow at the JLF event as he candidly traced the troubled political history of his country, stared pointedly at the lovely Yumna Maumoon (minister for arts, culture and heritage), and cracked up the audience with his bon mots. He spoke about the hazards of being a politician in his country where leaders disappear mysteriously, are exiled, imprisoned, kidnapped or murdered but here I am lucky to be alive! Nasheed survived a brutal IED bomb attack in 2021, that required multiple emergency surgeries. He has been arrested 20 times during former President Gayooms despotic 30-year-rule, and was in solitary confinement for over a year. He missed the birth of his two daughters, and some claim that he was subjected to torture in prison. Despite the horrors of incarceration, Nasheeds spirit remains unbroken he wrote three books on Maldivian history in jail. I found him a really cool guy. Since we were seated next to each other, I wanted to share how our JLF team had risked life and limb on a violently stormy morning to keep our date with him. In retrospect, every moment had been worth the risk starting with a 30-minute speedboat ride over choppy waters to Dharavandhoo, a tiny island (one of the 86 domestic airports), where we had hopped on to a propeller engine aircraft, landed in Male, and taken another boat to the jetty and with wobbly knees, plus wildly beating hearts, rushed to keep our appointment with His Excellency. What we poor writers do to keep the flag flying! While it thundered and poured buckets outside Salt, the trendy venue for our programme, I gazed at the local fish market across the street. The Maldivians eat tuna for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I had sampled tuna in all its splendour by now, and was longing for some desi daal chawal. Some crisp, white wine too. But banish the thought, I was sternly warned. Theres no alcohol in Male. And theres just so much coconut water I can consume, without fearing for my bladder. I was also gently advised to not discuss sex, religion or politics during my talk with the urbane, suave and super-intelligent Sanjoy Roy (one of the three high- powered directors, along with William Dalrymple and Namita Gokhale, who run JLF). This was the really tough part the three subjects I am reasonably competent to discuss in public werent available to me on this momentous occasion. Stumped, but still gung-ho, Sanjoy and I carried on an hour-long, animated conversation regardless. And the audience clapped! Wed passed! Bringing JLF to the Maldives was such an inspired decision! Here we were three former Indian ambassadors (Pavan K. Varma, Vikas Swaroop, Navdeep Suri), a colourful mathematician (Oxford don Marcus du Sotay), award-winning poet (Ranjit Hoskote), erudite historians (William Dalrymple, Peter Francopane), celebrated Michelin star chef (Suvir Saran), Sahitya Akademi award winner (Namita Gokhale) baap re! So much brain power on one tiny island! There were other distinguished speakers as well, but they had gone back to their shores, before we arrived. The Intellectual Quotient was pretty damn hard to beat. And then, of all the islands in all the world, I had to meet one of my perennial heroes in this unlikely, almost surrealistic setting ladies and gentlemen Gopalkrishna Gandhi was in da house! For a few minutes, I stopped breathing. We missed meeting my other hero, B.N. Goswami, who had had to rush back a day ahead of schedule. But here was Gopal Gandhi, as luminous as the full moon hanging over the fabulous Soneva resort. When Gopal Gandhi spoke, with his beautiful wife Tara looking on fondly, the softness of his voice, the elegant movement of his fingers, failed to camouflage the power of his words and thoughts. There are lit fests and lit fests and then there is the JLF at Soneva Fushi. The dates are already in place for next year. 2022 was just a dry run that turned out pretty wet given the unseasonal rains. Somehow, those dramatic downpours added a special something to the magic of the Maldives, as authors and delegates, barefoot and soaked to the skin, scurried through forested pathways, arriving at Villa 11 or the other outposts, to share ideas and words and music and laughter Alas, I will have to wait for a whole year to do a repeat! The court clarified that the directions being issued only relate to the rehabilitation measures for sex workers and other connected issues Directing the listing of the matter on July 27, the court directed the Union of India to file its response to the recommendations made by the panel within a period of six weeks from Thursday. (Representational Image/ PTI) New Delhi: In a socially and historically pathbreaking order, the Supreme Court has recognised prostitution as a profession, holding all those engaged in it and their children are entitled to the same human decency and dignity as is available to others, and the opportunities to grow and advance in their lives guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution -- right to life. Needless to say, this basic protection of human decency and dignity extends to sex workers and their children, who, bearing the brunt of social stigma attached to their work, are removed to societys fringes, deprived of their right to live with dignity and opportunities to provide the same to their children, said a three-judge bench comprising Justices L. Nageswara Rao, B.R. Gavai and A.S. Bopanna. The directions issued are essentially police-centric, for protecting the rights of sex workers and their children, the court told the police across the country to refrain from being brutal and violent towards the sex workers and not to abuse them, both verbally and physically, subject them to violence or coerce them into any sexual activity. Noting that the attitude of the police towards the sex workers is often brutal and violent as if they are a class whose rights are not recognised, the court in its recent order pronounced on May 19, 2022 has directed that the police and other law enforcement agencies must be sensitised to the rights of sex workers, who also enjoy all basic human rights and other rights guaranteed in the Constitution to all citizens. The court said this as it issued 10 recommendations of a panel set up way back in July 19, 2011 as its direction in exercise of its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution. Noting that the Central government has been dragging its feet on enacting a law, owing to reservations in respect of the certain recommendations, the court said its directions will hold till a law is enacted by the Union of India. The court clarified that the directions being issued by it only relate to the rehabilitation measures for sex workers and other connected issues. Having noted the indignities and discrimination suffered by sex workers, the order passed said: Notwithstanding the profession, every individual in this country has the right to a dignified life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The constitutional protection that is given to all individuals in this country shall be kept in mind by the authorities who have a duty under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act 1956. Insisting that sex workers are entitled to equal protection of the law, the court said: When it is clear that the sex worker is an adult and is participating with consent, the police must refrain from interfering or taking any criminal action. The court said there is concern that the police see sex workers differently from others and when a sex worker makes a complaint of criminal/sexual/any other type of offence, the police must take it seriously and act in accordance with the law. It further said that any sex worker who is a victim of sexual assault should be provided with all facilities available to a survivor of sexual assault, including immediate medical assistance, in accordance with Section 357C of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, read with the March 2014 health ministry Guidelines and Protocols: Medico-legal care for survivor/victims of sexual violence. Underlining that voluntary sex work is not illegal, and only running the brothel is unlawful, the court in one of the recommendations issued as directions said: Whenever there is a raid on any brothel the sex workers concerned should not be arrested or penalised or harassed or victimised. In another significant direction on the children of sex workers, the court said that no child of a sex worker should be separated from the mother merely on the ground that she is in the sex trade, and if a minor is found living in a brothel or with sex workers, it should not be presumed that he/she has been trafficked. In case the sex worker claims he/she is her son/daughter, tests can be done to determine if the claim is correct, and if so, the minor should not be forcibly separated. Protecting the identities of sex workers from media exposure, the court has asked the Press Council of India to issue appropriate guidelines for the media to take utmost care not to reveal the identities of sex workers, during arrest, raid and rescue operations, whether as victims or accused, and not to publish or telecast any photos that would result in disclosure of such identities. Directing the listing of the matter on July 27, the court directed the Union of India to file its response to the recommendations made by the panel within a period of six weeks from Thursday. Aryan was granted bail by the Bombay high court on October 28 last year Mumbai: All the hype and hoopla over the drugs case against Aryan Khan has come to nothing. Almost eight months after the registration of the case, in which the 24-year-old star kid spent 26 days in custody, the narcotics control bureau has given him and five other accused persons a clean chit. The special investigation team of the NCB on Friday filed a 6,000-page charge sheet naming 14 accused. The agency said that the names of six persons, who were made accused by the earlier investigating team, including Aryan, Avin Sahu, Gopal Anand, Samir Sehgal, Bhaskar Arora and Manav Singhal have been dropped from the charge sheet for the lack of sufficient evidence. In a statement, deputy director general Sanjay Kumar Singh of the NCB said, SIT carried out an investigation in an objective manner. The touchstone of the principle of proof beyond reasonable doubt has been applied. Based on the investigation carried out by SIT, a complaint against 14 persons under various sections of NDPS Act is being filed. Complaint against rest six persons is not being filed due to lack of sufficient evidence. Among the five others exonerated in the case, Sahu was a guest of the cruise ship and the remaining four persons were the organisers of the party. The charge sheet has been filed against Aryans friend Arbaaz Merchant (26), Munmun Dhamecha (28), Vikrant Chhokar (33), Mohak Jaiswal (28), Ishmeet Singh Chadha (33), Gomit Chopra (28), Nupur Satija (29), Abdul Kadar Shaikh (30), Shreyas Nair (23), Manish Rajgariya (30), Aachit Kumar (22), Chinedu Igwe (27), Shivraj Harijan (33) and Okoro Uzeoma (40). An NCB team headed by then NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede raided the Cordelia Cruise Ship docked at Mumbai cruise terminal and claimed to have busted a drug party. The team arrested several people including Aryan from the ship. Though the investigators did not recover any drugs from Aryans position, they allegedly recovered six grams of charas from Merchant and five grams of hashish from Dhamecha. Aryan was granted bail by the Bombay high court on October 28 last year. In its order, the HC held that prima facie there was no evidence to infer that Aryan and his friend Arbaaz Merchant conspired to commit offences under the NDPS Act. Following several controversies courted by Mr Wankhedes style of function and personal allegations against him, the investigation was handed over to an SIT from NCB (New Delhi), headed by Sanjay Kumar Singh on November 6, 2021. Welcoming the NCBs admission that there wasnt sufficient evidence against Aryan and no drugs were recovered from him, his lawyer Satish Maneshinde said, The arrest and detention of Aryan Khan for 26 days was unjustified more particularly when he was not found in possession of any drugs, there was no evidence of any kind, there was no material of any nature of the violation of any law much less the NDPS Act. We are happy that the Special Investigation Team under Sanjay Kumar Singh investigated the case in an objective manner and decided not to file a complaint against Aryan Khan for lack of sufficient evidence. God is great. Satya Meva Jayate. China will continue to advance its accession into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), the commerce ministry said Thursday. "China adheres to aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules and expanding high-level opening-up," said Gao Feng, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce. The spokesperson reiterated China's commitment to achieving a comprehensive and high-level Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), adding China will propose work plans in the field of digital and green economy and actively participate in the formulation of new guiding documents on advancing FTAAP. Gao said China would continue to implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement with high quality and safeguard the security and stability of regional industrial and supply chains. The country will also work with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to actively build version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and establish more mutually beneficial bilateral and regional economic and trade ties, said the spokesperson. The parliament that has been divided for months over the election of a president has reached unanimity to approve the law. Those who establish relations, travel to or promote economic relations with Israel will be punished. Shiite leader al-Sadr invites citizens to take to the streets to celebrate this "great achievement". Baghdad (AsiaNews) - Over seven months after last October's parliamentary elections, the Assembly has failed to elect a new president and begin the process of forming a government, with the appointment of a prime minister. Reforms are at a standstill due to internal divisions within the Shia world and conflicting interests with Sunnis and Kurds. However, in the last few hours, MPs have achieved an unusual unity of purpose by almost unanimously approving a norm that criminalises - and punishes under law - the normalisation of relations with Israel. In the recent past, other nations in the area such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain have established diplomatic relations with the Israelis under the 'Abraham Accords'. Yesterday, MPs passed a law criminalising any attempts to normalise relations, including trade and business ties. In addition, citizens caught travelling (or having travelled) to Israel or who have been in contact with institutions in the Jewish country will also be punished. According to the Associated Press, the rule punishes any violations with penalties of up to life imprisonment or the death sentence for the offender. It applies to all state officials, including those in the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan, government institutions, private sector companies, the media, foreign companies and their employees. The text was approved in the first instance with the favourable votes of 275 deputies, out of a total of 329 that make up the National Assembly. It, the rapporteurs explained in a note, "faithfully reflects the will of the people". The influential Shia religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr, whose party won the most seats in the last elections, urged Iraqis to take to the streets to celebrate this 'great achievement'. And taking up his invitation, hundreds of people gathered in central Baghdad in the following hours, chanting slogans and chants against Israel. In the last two years, four Arab nations - the Emirates, Sudan, Bahrain and Morocco - have established diplomatic relations with Israel, as part of the 'Accords' sponsored by former US President Donald Trump in 2020. By contrast, Iraq has never recognised Israel as an autonomous and sovereign entity since its birth in 1948 and has never established diplomatic relations; parliamentarians in Baghdad are adamant that the country "will never adhere" to the agreements, despite calls and pressure from many quarters. Last September, prominent Sunni and Shia leaders held a conference in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, openly calling for peace with Israel and the establishment of relations with an important player in the Middle East region. The Iraqi government condemned the conference and a Baghdad court later issued arrest warrants for two people who attended it. The ruling will be used to prevent the Chinese from trampling on Manila's maritime rights. It is a change compared to the policy of outgoing Head of State Duterte. However, Marcos Jr does not want to take sides in the geopolitical confrontation between China and the US, like most leaders in Southeast Asia. Manila (AsiaNews) - The Philippines will uphold the ruling of the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which in 2016 ruled that Chinese claims to nearly 90 per cent of the South China Sea were "without legal basis". President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr said this yesterday in an apparent change of direction from the policy of outgoing Head of State Rodrigo Duterte. Since his election six years ago, Duterte has built a privileged relationship with China. Unlike his predecessor Benigno Aquino III, he sought to reduce tensions with the Chinese by deciding to ignore the Hague Court ruling. In return, Beijing offered trade and investment promises that critics say have not materialised. Together with Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and partly Indonesia, the Philippines opposes China's territorial claims, which for years has continued to militarise some islands and coral reefs in the South China Sea. To contain Beijing's expansion, US warships make regular patrols near these military outposts. During the presidential campaign, Marcos Jr had maintained a more cautious profile with regard to Manila's relations with China. The son of the dictator of the same name, who ruled the country from 1965 to 1986, said he wanted to remain as friendly with Washington as with Beijing. Now he makes it clear that he will not let the Chinese trample on the Philippines' maritime rights. To tone things down, Marcos Jr added that the Philippines does not want a war with China. He indicated that he wants to find a balance between Beijing and Washington, who are facing off in a tough geopolitical confrontation in Southeast Asia. The Filipino president in pectore then rejects the idea of a Cold War-style system of state relations, where the two great powers have their own spheres of influence. Marcos Jr's is a thought shared by the vast majority of regional leaders, who want to retain as much diplomatic flexibility for their countries as possible, without having to openly side with the Chinese or the US. For instance, in an interview with Nikkei Asia on 20 May, Singaporean Premier Lee Hsien Loong welcomed the recent launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, the trade cooperation plan between the US and several Asian countries promoted by the Biden administration (in an anti-Beijing vein). At the same time, Lee said he viewed China's possible entry into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (Cptpp) positively. The free trade agreement is the successor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), originally wanted by former US President Barack Obama to counter Beijing's rise and abandoned in 2017 by Donald Trump. Today's headlines: after two years of Covid-19 closures, from 10 June international tourism resumes in Japan; Beijing rejects passport applications from Christians; drug use is rampant in the Kachin State in northern Myanmar; the Indian prime minister continues his protectionist policy on food, after wheat now sugar; from Bishkek a call "for unity" to the other Central Asian nations to counter the critical period. LEBANON Dozens of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff took to the streets yesterday in front of the Central Bank headquarters in Beirut. White coats and health workers have called a two-day general strike to protest against the rapidly deteriorating economic situation, and will affect both public and private facilities. Dialysis and emergency interventions will be guaranteed. JAPAN After two years of closures due to Covid-19, Tokyo announces the reopening of borders to tourists from 36 nations, starting from 10 June. Visitors will only be welcomed as part of organised group tours and from countries such as Singapore, Thailand, the United States and Australia. Other Asian countries include Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. This brings the number of airports with international flights to seven. MYANMAR Drug use is on the rise among young people in the predominantly Christian Kachin State in northern Myanmar. Use has been increasing since the military coup in February 2021, especially of opium heroin. At least two out of five males in the 18 towns use drugs; the sale is illegal, but the proceeds also attract officials and authorities. CHINA Chinese authorities in the east of the country are rejecting passport applications en bloc, especially if the applicant is a Christian who wants to emigrate or study abroad. The phenomenon concerns the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu in particular. The government is tightening controls and blockades, which are not justified by containing the Covid-19 pandemic. INDIA The Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues its 'food first' policy. And after cutting wheat exports it is now focusing on sugar to safeguard the domestic market. The latest measure stipulates that no more than 10 tonnes may be sent abroad between June and September. The remainder should suffice for domestic needs. RUSSIA Grey' purchases of electronics-related materials have begun in Russia: the 'MVideo - Eldorado' network has started to import elements from various directions, but mainly from Iran, without the corresponding consent of the rights owners. However, the under-the-table traffic does not include Apple products, for fear of US reactions. KYRGYZSTAN A prominent Kyrgyz diplomat, Bolot Dzunusov, former head of international cooperation in the Biskek government, published an appeal in Azattyk to all politicians of Central Asian countries. He issued a call for unity of forces and intent in this dramatic international context, based on mutual cultural, ideological and economic affinities. by Steve Suwannarat Retired Thai teacher Niwat Roykaew is among this year's recipients of the Goldman Environmental Prize. In his country, he successfully battled a Chinese project that would have blasted rocky islets to allow commercial and tourist navigation on a 400-kilometre stretch of the mighty river. Bangkok (AsiaNews) Thai activist Niwat Roykaew is among the recipients of this years Goldman Environmental Prize, also known as the Green Nobel, awarded yesterday by the Goldman Environmental Foundation in San Francisco. Of undeclared age, with well-known principles pursued with determination, Niwat Roykaew was one of several people selected for their environmental commitment and care for communities who draw what they need to exist from nature. Like every year, the prize went to outstanding individuals from each continent: Niwat Roykaew was joined by Chima Williams from Nigeria (Africa), Marjan Minnesma from the Netherlands (Europe), Nalleli Cobo from the United States (North America), Julien Vincent from Australia (Islands), and Alex Lucitante and Alexandra Narvaez from Ecuador (Central/South America). The latter are engaged in the fight against mining on Indigenous land. Affectionately known as Kru Thi, Teacher Thi in Thai, Niwat Roykaew taught for many years. After his retirement, he distinguished himself for his uncompromising defence of the Mekong River, Southeast Asias main waterway, threatened by massive development projects. Because of his action, Thailand achieved its only victory so far against corporate interests (starting with Chinas) with an eye on the mighty waterway, home to tens of millions of people and a habitat that is both unique and increasingly threatened. A Chinese project was cancelled after a struggle that lasted 20 years. Had it been approved, it would have blasted several rapids to allow commercial and tourist navigation on the river along a 400 km stretch between Thailand and Laos. The project had been initially welcomed and supported by Thai authorities, who eventually reversed their position under pressure from public opinion, environmental groups and rural communities. In its decision to award the prize to Niwat Roykaew, the Goldman Environmental Foundation noted that The official cancellation of the Mekong rapids blasting project marks a rare, formal win in a region facing substantial pressure from development projects and is a testament to the collective power of Kru This campaign. Furthermore, By amplifying the voices of local people in articulating the Mekongs environmental, social, and cultural value, he forced the Thai government to pay attention to civil society and increased its accountability to its citizens. With his typical frankness and simplicity, Niwat Roykaew welcomed the award stating: If I didnt speak out about this, the Mekong River would be destroyed 100 per cent. He also noted that his activism and that of others brought to the attention of world public the risks facing the mighty river, local traditional ways of life, and its extremely varied and valuable habitats. by Dario Salvi General Director Jamil Koussa talks about the hospital following the funeral of the al Jazeera journalist. In his view, the brutal attack by Israeli police was unjustified. The facility, which is open to patients from all religions, is a key part of the Palestinian healthcare system. It also takes in uninsured immigrants. The desire to uphold its mission remains. Jerusalem (AsiaNews) Jerusalems St Joseph's Hospital has taken in sick people from all religions, providing medical care to everyone without distinctions, be they Muslims, Christians and Jews in accordance with the mission of the Sisters of Saint Joseph". Then suddenly, during a dark page in the history of the never-ending dispute between Israelis and Palestinians, a Christian journalist, Shireen Abu-Akleh, was shot dead during a brutal and unjustified police raid, followed by the violence that broke out at her funeral. Almost two weeks later, the image of all that is still etched in the mind of Jamil Koussa, general director of St Josephs Hospital. As a hospital, our only role was to receive the body and put it in a casket, he told AsiaNews, but we found ourselves surrounded by agents. The raid carried out by Israeli police sparked outrage, fuelling feelings of anger and frustration that already simmered among Palestinians over the journalists death. Israels domestic security agency, Shin Bet, had strongly advised police not to take any action. What is more, evidence is mounting that the journalist was very likely shot by Israeli soldiers engaged in an operation in Jenin. The violence that accompanied her funeral sparked an unusually harsh response from the Churches of the Holy Land and the Latin Patriarch. People were carrying flags and singing songs, Koussa said. We, as a hospital, spoke to the police chief, asking that the funeral take place in an ordinary, peaceful manner. But they said no and stormed the compound, beating people. We didnt expect such a harsh attitude, he added. We got the impression that the order to crack down with truncheons, rubber bullets and tear gas came from above. One of our doctors was injured in the attack, which reached the emergency department, causing great confusion in all the other departments. Such behaviour was unjustifiable because none of us wanted to cause mayhem or throw stones. Only two or three empty water bottles [were thrown] when police began indiscriminately beating those who were carrying the coffin. It was a show of force.!" St Joseph's Hospital is in Sheikh Jarrah, a disputed neighbourhood in East Jerusalem. Built in 1956 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Apparition, it was a more modern facility that replaced the St Louis Hospital that found itself under Israeli control, on the other side of the 1949 armistice line. Construction, which began in 1954, was completed in two years. Located in the northern part of the neighbourhood, it saw several controversial incidents in the past over questions of ownership involving Jewish settlers. The hospital is part of the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network, which is part of the Palestinian health care system that covers East Jerusalem and the West Bank, but some patients come from the Gaza Strip. Its funded largely by donors and the US government, but in 2018 then-President Donald Trump decided to cut US support for Palestinian medical facilities by US$ 20 million. With the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, it was the first hospital in all of East Jerusalem to set up a unit dedicated exclusively to COVID-19 patients, a sign of its importance for the city and its resident. Its maternity ward is famous for helping future mothers of all faiths, without distinctions, a philosophy that still inspires the whole hospital. At St Joseph's, we have many immigrants who arrive in Israel and Jerusalem without a legal permit nor medical insurance. We provide them with care and treatment, ensuring that all material and human resources are available to help as many people as possible, starting with the poorest. The hospital is a point of reference for Jerusalems Arab population, Koussa explains, especially since access to medical facilities is quite limited. St Josephs is also known for its peaceful ambiance, for its openness to everyone, for its search for dialogue, for unity despite the differences among people of different religions. "What happened at Shireen's funeral has left its mark, but we are not afraid of more violence and shall pursue our mission. Still, many fear that something could happen [again] in Jerusalem, where tension remains high. Lastly, the general director of St Josephs has a final thought for the murdered journalist. I knew her since she was eight years old. I was her gymnastics teacher at the school of the Sisters of the Rosary. She was a calm, creative, studious girl who was and will always be an example and point of reference. Even for the police who attacked us. by Alessandra De Poli In 2012, Delhi and Islamabad struck a deal to let seniors reunite with family members left on the other side of the border during the violence of 1947. In fact, it was never implemented and getting a visa to meet loved ones still takes months. However, over the past year, a YouTube channel and an open crossing for religious pilgrimages have given some hope to the people of Punjab. Milan (AsiaNews) This morning the International Booker Prize was awarded for the first time to an Indian writer, Geetanjali Shree, and her English translator, Daisy Rockwell, for Tomb of Sand (original title in Hindi: Ret Samadhi), a family saga that follows the story of Ma, an 80-year-old Indian widow who, after her husbands death, decides to go to Pakistan to deal with the trauma of partition experienced as a teenager. The novel is a stunningly powerful story about stories that never end, reads a review in The Hindu. Indeed, the tragedy of families separated by the division of Pakistan from India is a reality that remains current even though it dates back to events 75 years ago. In 1947, when British colonial rule came to an end, and the Indian Union was born, Pakistan declared its independence creating a state that was supposed to be for Muslims in the Indian subcontinent. The partition was painful. Sectarian violence immediately exploded, followed by a mass exodus in which an estimated half a million people died. The ongoing territorial disputes between the two countries, in particular over the Kashmir, date back to the same period. In January of this year, the moving video of two octogenarian brothers reunited after decades of separation thanks to the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor between the two Punjabs, the western one of Pakistan and the eastern one of India, went viral around the world. Saddiq Khan had not yet turned 10 at the time of the partition, while his brother Sikka was little more than a baby. Amid the confusion that followed riots that broke out on 15 August 1947, they became separated, unaware that they had a brother who lived a hundred kilometers away. Saddiq grew up in a village near Faisalabad after he fled with his father, who died shortly thereafter, while Sikka, whose first name is actually Habib, remained in India with his mother. When they hugged again, they had no problem understanding each other, as both speak the same language, Punjabi. After being together for about an hour, they crossed the border again, but thanks to social media, Sikka got a visa to visit his brother in Pakistan a couple of months later. Their reunion was made possible thanks to Punjabi Lehar, a YouTube channel, which has more than 530,000 subscribers and is run by two Pakistanis, Nasir Dhillon and Lovely Singh. With the help of residents on both sides of the border, the two have managed so far to bring together more than 200 family members and acquaintances. People from both sides of the border share their stories of separation from their immediate family members, relatives and friends during bloody riots of Participation in 1947, and some link is found through such videos (stories) that help find their loved ones, said Dhillon, a 37-year-old former police officer. The meeting between Saddiq and Sikka took place at the Kartarpur Corridor, a crossing that stretches for almost five kilometres, connecting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, the final resting place of the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev, in Pakistan, and Dera Baba Nanak temple, Gurdaspur district, in the Indian state of Punjab. The corridor was inaugurated in 2019 by former Prime Minister Imran Khan to allow Indian Sikhs to travel to Pakistan on an exceptional basis without a visa. Closed shortly after due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it reopened again in November 2021. Recently, a 75-year-old woman born into a Sikh family but adopted by a Muslim couple who settled in Pakistan discovered she had biological siblings in India. Mumtaz Bibi was lying on the dead body of her mother, killed during the 1947 riots, when she was found by Muhammad Iqbal and Allah Rakhi. When her adoptive father's health began to deteriorate two years ago, he revealed to Mumtaz that he was not her real father. The woman began a search, and eventually found and met her three Indian siblings in Gurdwara Darbar Sahib. The list of touching stories could go on and on; however, red tape between the two countries prevents families separated by the border drawn after the British pulled out from the Jewel of the Empire from easily and definitively reuniting. In 2012 Islamabad and Delhi signed an agreement that would allow people over 65 with family ties in both countries to get a visa on arrival. But because of ongoing tensions, the deal was never implemented and could soon become a problem. Those with painful memories of the partition and the violence that ensued are over 80 years old, while those who were children at the time of independence, such as Saddiq, Sikka and Mumtaz Bibi, often do not know the history of their own family. The border has other crossing points, which require temporary visas for religious pilgrimages, often lasting ten days, but in general Indian nationals are not granted tourist visas to travel to Pakistan. Currently, six-month work permits are available, which can be obtained by submitting a letter from an employer, as are transit visas. by Vladimir Rozanskij The Russian parliament is studying responses to Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine. At stake are measures against the ownership of foreign firms and foreign media. Surrogacy is also in the spotlight. The Russian deputies' "war" against the country's enemies has more symbolic than practical value: Putin decides everything. Moscow (AsiaNews) - The State Duma, the Russian parliament, has met to identify responses to the offences, sanctions and threats of the West, the real great enemy that has "forced" the Russian armies to invade Ukraine. The MPs' proposals are characterised by radicalism to the point of eccentricity, and are rarely taken into consideration by the presidency or the government, which merely nods in approval for propaganda of dubious effectiveness. The parties are competing to show themselves resolute against their global adversaries, and standing out above them all are the communists of the Kprf, who from the very beginning of the military operation have spoken of an 'indispensable transition to a mobilisation economy' and also of 'a new structure for governing the country'. A communist deputy, Nikolai Kolomejtsev, intervened, saying that 'I admit I am afraid for Russia, they are attacking us from all sides, freezing our capital and nationalising our companies, and we are sitting here shaking, doing nothing'. The communists, true to their tradition, express their opposition to the 'sacred private property' which prevents the requisitioning of all foreign property in Russia. The rapporteur of the counter-sanctions bill, Anatolij Vybornyj of the Putinist 'United Russia', explained that the Russian authorities are 'not like them', like Western countries, and intend to deal with companies leaving Russia 'in an honest and civilised manner'. Foreigners will be able to return to Russia within three years if there is room left for their business and 'they will not make mistakes in administration through incompetence', as they will be granted the right to 'administer from outside' their properties in Russia. The main purpose of this rule is the preservation of current jobs, but also to control the actions of Westerners in order to avoid 'possible sabotage by companies that express open hostility towards Russia', as noted by MP Sergey Gavrilov. Much more serious measures will be taken against Western media accredited in Russia, towards which the Russian response will be paralleled by the blocking of Russian publications in various countries. Publishing houses will be deprived of their licences, journalists of their accreditation, and certain regulations make it easier for the government or the Prosecutor General's Office to shut them down directly. The media project was presented by the liberal-nationalist Andrej Lugovoj, who explained that he wanted to avoid judicial disputes: 'First we close them, then we discuss them'. Another answer debated in the Duma concerned surrogacy, for which the deputies shouted that 'we are fed up with our women being used as incubators for Western babies'. The bill on the matter was the first to be passed, with foreigners banned from accessing 'surrogacy' in Russia. This right will remain reserved only for couples in which at least one of the two would-be parents has Russian citizenship, as long as the couple consists of a man and a woman. Single Russian women will also be able to access the external uterine service. "We want to stop the child trade altogether," explained deputy speaker Petr Tolstoy, according to whom "it is high time to get rid of this part of our integration with Western norms and rules". Another deputy speaker, Vitalij Milonov, pointed out that surrogacy is already banned in many European countries and is 'an attribute of the Third World'. During the debate, several deputies also proposed abolishing the right to abortion altogether, but on this point Tolstoy himself warned that 'these things must be done gradually and very cautiously', Russia being one of the countries with the highest percentage of abortions in the world. The parliamentary euphoria of the 'war on the West' is however far from over, and is trying to send out symbolic and value signals, but it will have to be seen whether it will really reach the economic and financial sectors. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with representatives to a national meeting on work related to the handling of people's complaints. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, offered warm congratulations to the exemplary individuals and groups honored at the meeting, and extended sincere greetings to officials and people working in the system for addressing public complaints. Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, were present. Xi had cordial exchanges and posed for a photo with the representatives at the Great Hall of the People. Addressing the national meeting, which was held from Wednesday to Thursday, Guo Shengkun, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, stressed thoroughly studying and implementing the instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on strengthening and improving work related to addressing public complaints and called for ushering in a new chapter in work related to the handling of people's complaints. For starters, many parts are on backorder. The semiconductor crunch stands out above pretty much everything else. Secondly, the daily average of coronavirus cases in the Michigan area is going upwards. The Ford Motor Company has reinstated masks at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne.The biggest variable is how the Ford Motor Company treats most order holders. Many customers with 2021 orders have been pushed back to 2022, and some of them will be inevitably pushed back again to 2023 because it doesnt matter if you were first or last. As youre well aware from the newly-introduced Raptor, the Blue Oval simply doesnt care about peeps who have been waiting for more than a year to take delivery of their rigs.My issue is not that they have more orders than they can build, said DDGator, a member of the Bronco6g forums. It is that they are not being built with any regard to when reservations were taken, he continued. I have a lowly-optioned, two-door reservation that appears to go from a 2021 to a 2022 and now a 2023, and that's not even a guarantee at this point.Another seriously messed-up matter comes in the guise of markups, which are worse than ever given the present circumstances. Heck, even the unibody Bronco Sport is often advertised for $5k or $10k over MSRP.In the meantime, its worth remembering the body-on-frame Bronco for the 2022 model year is available in eight flavors, ranging from $30,800 for the two-door Base to $68,500 for the four-door Raptor, excluding taxes. The latter has been recently confirmed by Jim Farley with 418 horsepower and 440 pound-feet (597 Nm) of torque on premium-grade dinosaur juice. SUV The British monarchy is one of the most famous ones in the entire world, and the Royal Family brings in quite a revenue. According to Forbes Magazine, the House of Windsor is estimated to be worth around 19 billion ($28 billion), and it contributed an estimated 1.9 billion ($2.7 billion) annually to the UK's economy up till 2020.Although they seldom show off their immense wealth, the members of the Royal Family are big petrolheads, with Queen Elizabeth herself serving as a mechanic during World War II. Given that she was only 25 years old when she acceded to the throne, Queen Elizabeth has had her share of vehicles over the long years that followed.A recent research by a crew called Vanarama suggests her most iconic car is the Bentley State Limousine , and we cant disagree. The British Monarch owns not just one, but two rare Bentley limousines that are worth $13.5 million (10 million) each.The two luxury limousines were a gift for her Golden Jubilee, which marked 50 years of reign back in 2002. They come equipped with security features to keep them safe, including armored bodywork, blast-resistant chassis, and Kevlar-reinforced tires, plus they're completely air-tight to protect against potential gas attacks.Another emblematic car is the Land Rover Range Rover LWB Landaulet, which gave the Queen the opportunity to be seen when out on official business. The customhas backward-opening doors and an open-top so she could stand and wave at crowds. She has the royal flag mounted on the hood. The SUV is a hybrid, one of the Royal Familys new approaches to sustainable driving.The Queen was also the first person to receive Bentley's first-ever SUV, the Bentayga , as it rolled off the production line.When shes not out on official business, though, she usually rolls in a Land Rover . Over the years, shes had more than 30 Land Rovers, and its one of her favorite brands. At the start of her reign in the 1950s, the sovereign monarch drove the Series I, which was one of her first cars. She also had the Series III in 1978, which sold in 2012 with less than 2,000 miles (3,200 km) on the clock.In the early 2000s, the Queen's country retreat Sandringham purchased a Land Rover, and later added heated seats and electric windows to make it more pleasant when she drove around the estate or went out hunting. When it was auctioned off, shotgun cartridges were left in the glove box from a hunting party.She also used to own a 1984 Daimler Double Six, which she auctioned off on Sotheby's in 2019, fetching 80,500 ($101,000). It had a full-length bench seat installed to make journeys more comfortable for the Queen's corgis.Another brand the Royal Family prefers is Jaguar. Her collection includes a Jaguar Daimler V8 Super LWB, specially built to be driven around Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. This one was auctioned by HRM at around 15,000 miles (24,140 km) on the clock. Most recently, her choice is a Jaguar X-Type Estate An honorable mention is the Aston Martin DB6 Volante , which the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh purchased as a gift for Prince Charles on his 21st birthday. Valued at 1,000,000 ($1.26 million), it was converted to run on bioethanol in 2008, and Prince Charles said: "At first, the engineers weren't convinced that the conversion would work, but I insisted that it would. When the conversion was done, they had to admit that the car now performs better than ever." It was also the convertible Prince William and Kate Middleton used as a going-away car during their royal wedding in 2011.Most recently, a 1966 Vanden Plas Limousine built for her Majesty is now up for sale, and you can read all about it here But as far as Samsung Galaxy S22 users are concerned, the experience so far with Android Auto has been quite a mess.Galaxy S22 is one of the most expensive Android devices currently on the market, and as a flagship, its price in the top-of-the-range configuration gets close to $1,500. Its therefore not a surprise that users expect nothing but a flawless experience on all fronts, including on Android Auto.However, many Galaxy S22 owners discovered the hard way that their phone failed to run Android Auto. The glitch was silently fixed only a few weeks ago in the latest beta update for Android Auto, so when the stable version goes live, this bug should be gone forever.But now, it looks like the same phone is struggling with a sluggish experience on Android Auto.User reports online, including here on Googles discussion boards, indicate that whenever the phone is connected to a head unit to run Android Auto, the lag is so significant that its nearly impossible to do anything on the screen. This means running the likes of Google Maps and Spotify is obviously impossible, all due to the lag that affects every single action.The problem doesnt seem to be fixed in Android Auto 7.7 , so theres a chance this isnt related to the original glitch that caused a black screen with a Galaxy S22.Someone has apparently discovered a fix, and it comes down to removing all power restrictions for Android Auto. If you want to try this, just toggle the battery settings for the app to Unrestricted.At this point, Google is yet to acknowledge this error, so it remains to be seen if a fix is coming and whether Galaxy S22 owners have any chance to ever experience a flawless Android Auto anytime soon. One of the largest conglomerates in Thailand, by the name of Charoen Pokphand Group, teamed up with EHang to introduce autonomous aerial vehicles (AAVs) in the country. The multinational company operates across multiple industries, from agriculture to e-commerce, and more. Its goal is to use EHangs technologies and solutions to facilitate the development of an urban air mobility ecosystem and smart cities in Thailand, as explained by Thanakorn Seriburi, Senior Vice Chairman of the group.Charoen Pokphand plans to eventually use EHang s AAVs in various scenarios, from aerial sightseeing to cargo and passenger transportation, last-mile delivery, and smart city management, to offer just a few examples.Thailand is just one of the Asian countries that seem to be very open to the idea of autonomous aerial vehicles, with EHang closing several other deals in the region over the past year. Japan also expressed its interest in its air mobility solutions. Back in January, AirX placed what was described by EHang as the largest pre-order its received so far in Japan, for 50 units of its EH216 AAV. Bali also ordered 100 units through Indonesian company Prestige Aviation, while Malaysias Aerotree purchased 60 AAVs, 50 of which are of the EH216 series and 10 of the newer, long-range VT-30 eVTOL.The EH216 is a short-range AAV that features 16 electric motors, two gull-wing doors, and has a capacity of two passengers. It offers a range of up to 21.7 miles (35 km) with the maximum payload onboard, can reach speeds of over 80 mph (130 kph), and altitudes of 9,800 ft (3,000 m).The VT-30 , on the other hand, is described as a long-range eVTOL, which is also a two-seater, but this one can fly up to 186 miles (300 km) on a battery charge. The two met at the Bandimere Speedway in Colorado, presumably a few days ago, and set out to settle their dispute in a quarter-mile race. Think you can spot the winner just by looking at both cars? Well, truth be told, its not rocket science, as the balance slightly tilts in favor of one of them.With more oomph generated by that whining mill breathing air from behind the grille and hood scoop, the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine powering the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat makes it a supercar killer on a good day. Sure, it does need some sticky tires in order to be able to take on blue-blooded machines in a straight-line battle, as well as a very skilled driver behind the wheel, as handling all that power is easier said than done.Still, make no mistake, as the previous generation Chevrolet Corvette is not exactly a slouch either. It too is still fast, even by todays standards, and looks a bit more exotic than its challenger (pun intended). Also, with drag radials on its feet, and someone who knows what theyre doing in the drivers seat, it too is a force to be reckoned with. It may not break any records, not with the standard powertrain anyway, but it wont disappoint either.So, if you had to place a little bet on this race, would you favor the Challenger SRT Hellcat or the Corvette C7? Now head on down and click the play button to see if youve nailed it, and dont stop watching the clip after the said battle, as the same Dodge took on one of its lesser siblings towards the end. Since before the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russian oligarchs began moving their most expensive assets to friendly territories. Anything that could be moved, from mega- and superyachts to private jets and entire car fleets, was moved, in anticipation of the upcoming economic sanctions. Those who did not get to stow away their assets in advance were left struggling, much like Novatek CEO and oligarch Leonid Mikhelson, one of Russias richest men.In 2010, Mikhelson took delivery of his impressive superyacht Pacific , a custom Lurssen build with impressive range, outstanding amenities, and an exterior that brings a warship to mind. A color-changing warship. Formerly known as Project Josi, Pacific offers accommodation for 12 guests and 28 crew, and can reach a top speed of 20 knots (23 mph / 37 kph).On May 5, fearing the worst, Mikhelson ordered Pacific to leave Costa Rica, where it had been docked for months, and head towards the Caribbean Sea. On May 8, the ship went dark , turning off the AIS trackers. By international law, all ships of 300 metric tons or more are required to have automatic identification systems (AIS) turned on, for radar detection and collision avoidance.At the time Pacific disappeared, its listed port of destination was Nassau in the Bahamas a very strange choice considering authorities here work with the U.S. on the issue of seizure of sanctioned oligarchs assets. Just in case there was any doubt, all this was a smokescreen: Pacific is back to broadcasting its location, and its moving toward Port Said in Egypt. It is now near the Canary Islands, off the coast of Africa, Business Insider reports.In other words, Pacific is moving out of reach , to friendly waters.What we're seeing with the oligarchs' yachts is that they're not always on, they kind of go on and off, John Lusk, COO of analytics firms Spire, explains for the media outlet. The only reason why you would turn off your AIS transponder is if you don't want to be found [or to] sow confusion.In this particular case, both seem to apply. Turning off AIS allowed Pacific to travel in secrecy , and create confusion as to its next destination. General Motors believes it was the victim of a so-called credential stuffing attack. This means that the login data were obtained in a previous data breach on a different platform and used to attempt to log in to the GM account. When a user has the same credentials (user/password combination) to access various services, one data breach compromises all accounts using the same credentials. This signals the importance of using different login credentials for each platform.Based on the investigation to date, there is no evidence that the login information was obtained from GM itself, GMs notice of data breach says. We believe that unauthorized parties gained access to customer login credentials that were previously compromised on other non-GM sites and then reused those credentials on the customers GM account.Although the attack happened in April, GM only notified its customers last week. The data breach allowed attackers to redeem customers reward points for gift cards. GM said it blocked access to this feature and notified its customers, requiring them to change their passwords. The reward points may not be the biggest problem, though.According to GMs notice of data breach, the cybercriminals also gained access to sensitive information. This includes first and last name, personal email address, personal address, username and phone number for registered family members tied to the account, last known and saved favorite location information, currently subscribed OnStar package (if applicable), family members avatars and photos (if uploaded), profile picture, search and destination information, reward card activity, and fraudulently redeemed reward points. General Motors says the breach has not exposed customers date of birth, Social Security number, drivers license number, credit card, or bank account information. Nevertheless, the company required affected users to reset their passwords and strongly advised against reusing login credentials across multiple sites or platforms.Cyberattacks have become common in the past years. While GMs reported case seems relatively benign, Toyota was forced to suspend production in Japan after a cyberattack crippled all its factories two months ago. Volvo was also the victim of a cyberattack last December when its R&D data were stolen The supplier determined that slag from the welding process had intermittently accumulated in the welding fixture during a suspect period. On rare occasions, this condition may lead to the improper positioning of the cross tube with respect to the tilt bracket. GM says the supplied had failed to follow the standard process for inspecting and containing poor welds.Fisher Dynamics told the biggest of the Big Three in Detroit that improper welding doesnt pose a risk to the seats crash performance. But out of an abundance of caution, the automaker did open a formal investigation in January 2022. Given the deaths attributed to the ignition switch issue from a few years ago, you could say this is a case of once bitten, twice shy.The computer simulations performed by General Motors indicated that a suspect drivers seat would conform to the applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards. On the other hand, improper welding might have degraded performance for 5th-percentile (a.k.a. 150 cm. in height) female drivers.Thankfully for everyone, no claims or complaints have been identified thus far. Based on production records from Fisher Dynamics, the safety boffins at General Motors identified 221 vehicles that need replacement seats.The list begins with 34 units of the Chevrolet Malibu for the 2021 model year. The rest consists of compact and mid-size crossovers, starting with 101 examples of the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox. Finally, 84 units of the 2022 Chevrolet Blazer and 2 units of the 2022 Cadillac XT4 are called back.Owner notifications will be mailed on July 5th. The attached safety recall report further states that improved inspection and detection measures were fully implemented by the seat frame supplier by January 31st, 2022. NHTSA The South Korean automaker promptly conducted a search of warranty claims, finding one report from November 2021. Hyundai successfully conducted replication tests, prompting a safety recall. Hyundai called back 158 Palisade vehicles while Kia recalled 2,761 examples of the Telluride Hyundai isnt aware of crashes or injuries connected to this condition.The Palisades in question are 2022 models produced in Ulsan, South Korea between August 24th, 2021 and September 13th, 2021. Although theyre based on the same platform and feature similar oily bits, the Kia Telluride is manufactured stateside at the West Point assembly plant in Georgia.Hyundai Mobis improved the manufacturing process on February 28th as per the attached report. Owners of the subject vehicles will be notified by first-class mail on July 15th. As for the remedy, its pretty obvious that affected Palisades will receive brand-new instrument clusters. In the meantime, owners are recommended to get in touch with Hyundai or theNamed after the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, the family-sized crossover was introduced in late 2018 for the 2020 model year. Although its not as large as body-on-frame SUVs from General Motors and Ford, the Palisade can seat up to eight people. Be it front- or all-wheel drive, the only engine-tranny combo is a 3.8-liter V6 connected to an eight-speed automatic.Currently priced at $33,600 sans destination charge, the 291-horsepower utility vehicle comes with blind spot collision avoidance assist, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and forward collision avoidance assist with pedestrian detection as standard. Rated at 22 miles per gallon (10.7 liters per 100 kilometers) on the combined test cycle, the Palisade has been refreshed for model year 2023 with a new look and an off-road trim AMG For example, in the USA, Mercedes-Benz has not offered a vehicle with a manual transmission since 2011, back when the C300 was still offered with a three-pedal setup. In Australia, the three-pointed star only offers four models with a clutch pedal, but neither is a passenger car, but variants of the Vito commercial van.Unlike other manufacturers that had manual transmissions as the norm, rather than the exception, Mercedes-Benz has accustomed its fans, as well as its clients, to automatic transmissions for most of the models in its range. Currently, just the A-Class, B-Class, and CLA might get a manual transmission when ordered, but only in Europe and a couple of other markets in the world.The Mercedes-division does not have a single manual transmission-equipped vehicle in its range, which is a different perspective from what can be seen in other manufacturers' portfolios.In the case of the BMW range, manual transmissions have just recently been dropped in Australia, with the Z4 being the last to have been offered in such a configuration, up until last summer. Just two units had been sold in two years, which means that whoever wanted one with a manual went ahead and got it.The BMW M3, as well as the M4, can be had with a manual transmission, as well, which is not something that you can say about their counterparts in the Mercedes-AMG lineup. Despite this apparent setback, the performance division seems to be doing just fine without manuals.Manual transmissions are a dying breed in many ranges, but some manufacturers have managed to make their disappearance an unsurprising fact, rather than a tragedy. Mercedes-Benz falls in the former category, and, as a company spokesperson told Automobilwoche (sub. req.) earlier this week, the change will be gradual.The shift from manuals to automatics is caused both by an increase in electrification, which is less efficient with manual transmissions, and impossible in some cases, as well as a change in customer preference. If nobody is getting the manuals on offer, the manufacturer will take note and stop offering them in the future. Very important items on the agencys shopping list are the spacesuits that will keep astronauts alive on the surface of the Moon. In the works for a while now, these space garments will also be used by the less glamorous astronauts, those doing their work closer to our planet.Spacesuits came to be back in the 1960s, naturally, a time when humanity was just beginning to venture beyond the borders of our world. Several designs, starting with the Mercury unit, have been made since. The spacesuit currently in use, known as the Extravehicular Mobility Unit, came about in the early 1980s, and, modified over time, it proved a trusted companion to humans in space.The next spacesuit, the one meant for Artemis and beyond, is called Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) and was first detailed back in 2019. As per the limited specs released back then, it should be able to withstand temperatures ranging between minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade and up to 250 degrees in the sun (minus 156 to 121 degrees Celsius) and be dust-proof and dust-resistant.People will have to climb inside the suit from the back, which should allow for the pieces of the hard upper torso to sit closer together. The suit will have a pressure garment inside to protect astronauts from extreme temperatures, radiation, micrometeoroids, and reduced atmospheric pressure.Instead of the current snoopy cap headsets, the new suit will have voice-activated microphones, but the quick-snap visor stays, for obvious reasons.Come next week, well also learn the names of the companies that will be making the xEMU. NASA will make the announcement on June 1, marking another important step taken for the future of the Artemis program. The job descriptions include logistics project manager, auto manufacturing industrial park planners, infrastructure engineers, body craft experts, and other positions. In some of them, NIO demands at least ten years of experience in blueprint planning and design of OEMs. And things do not stop there: this person should also have been responsible for at least one U.S. factory project, must have a rich knowledge in state policies, design standard, and approval process, and be familiar with process planning and blueprint planning principles in the U.S. In other words, these job positions have U.S. factory written all over them.NIO told Yicai that it had nothing to disclose about an American factory. Thats an intelligent way to dodge any explanation: it can just mean that it does not want to share any plans at this point. According to Yicais sources, NIO will need these professionals before selecting any site for its American plant.These sources also told Yicai that NIO plans to start production cautiously. The first vehicles for the American market will be produced from CKD (Completely Knocked-Down) or SKD (Semi Knocked Down) kits, meaning the investments will be lower.That is a good form of testing demand at a lower cost than a complete manufacturing operation would imply while skipping import taxes. Tesla could have thought about something similar for its Indian operations. As we reported a while ago, it just gave up on selling in that market, leaving many Model 3 reservation holders without their deposits and any perspective of getting their cars.If NIO confirms these intentions when the right time comes, American customers will finally get a taste of the most successful battery-swapping technology the automotive world has seen so far. NIO will start building its second swap station in Vestby, Norway. It will help Norwegian customers traveling between Oslo and Gothenburg. Make your bets about where the American plant will be. Roman Abramovich is on the international sanctions list, despite his insistence that he is a Russian expat living in the UK, with no connection to President Putin and, as such, no responsibility in the ongoing war in Ukraine. In March this year, he fled the UK after the Brits decided to sanction him , and is believed now to be in Russia or Turkey, completely out of reach Meanwhile, his $3 billion asset collection is subject to sanctions and, according to recent reports, stuck in limbo in various neutral territories, if only for the reason that he no longer has the liquidities to afford weekly maintenance and wages. The collection includes two of the worlds most expensive megayachts, Solaris and Eclipse, and two of the worlds most expensive private jets, the Bandit and the newer acquisition dubbed the New Bandit.The so-called New Bandit is a Boeing 787 Dreamliner he bought just in December last year from an airline that never got to use it, so its technically brand new. He reportedly paid some $300 million for it and then another $105 million to customize it, including a new layout that can sit 30 guests, 10 crew and 10 security personnel. There are only 250 jets of this kind in the world, and only three are privately owned, including one that belonged to the President of Mexico In case you were thinking the New Bandit slipped off the map, youre right. It did. Its last recorded flight was from Moscow, Russia to Dubai, UAE, on March 4, and its been stuck there ever since. Earlier this month, the U.S. Commerce Department updated its Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to include it among aircraft and airlines denied export privileges. This means that the aircraft cant receive standard and regular services like refueling, replacement of parts, maintenance, or repair services without the approval of the U.S. government.By preventing these aircraft from receiving any service, including from abroad, international flights from Belarus or Russia on these aircraft are effectively grounded, the Commerce Department says, as reported by Reuters AMG After the race, Mercedes-boss Toto Wolff went as far as to say that his team had the quickest car on Sunday and that winning a title this year is not out of the realm of possibility.Well, leave it to his counterpart at Ferrari to rain on his parade, so to speak. Mattia Binotto, Ferraris team principal, said that Mercedes form in Spain needs more context and that the German outfit is by no means faster than Ferrari were back in 2021, reports Motorsport I think congrats first to them, because they recovered and improved the speed of their car, said Binotto in an interview with Sky.[In qualifying] they were seven tenths off the pace in the quali lap, which is still a short circuit. [In the race] they finished 30 seconds or more from the Red Bull, and it could have been maybe 40 seconds to Charles [Leclerc].Forty seconds, 66 laps, is still six, seven tenths per lap. Six tenths, seven tenths a lap is still significant. Its like Ferrari last year.While Ferrari may not be too impressed with Mercedes new-found form, rivals Red Bull are certainly more weary of a team theyve been battling for years.I think it shows how quickly things can swing, said Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. Thats why I wouldnt write off Mercedes with the amount of points still available. We know Ferrari has a very quick car. So you know, things can turn around very quickly.On paper, Horner could be right. Mercedes George Russell is just 36 points behind championship leader Charles Leclerc, with the German team trailing Red Bull by 75 points in the Constructors Standings. EV EGR FSD NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ????: Let's look at how to open the doors of a $TSLA which has lost power, typically after an accident. pic.twitter.com/ByMJT75G1h TR (@Tweet_Removed) May 23, 2022 The physician crashed hison February 24, 2019, while driving on Flamingo Road in Davie, Florida. Witnesses tried to remove Awan from the EV but were not able to do so. On October 10, 2019, his family sued Tesla because the autopsy concluded that he did not die due to the crash, but rather asphyxiated by the inhalation of products of combustion. Thermal injuries contributed to his death.Although the speed limit there is 45 mph (72 kph), the police report stated that Awans Model S left the road at a minimum of 79.60 mph (128,1 kph). In its response to the lawsuit, Tesla argued that the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs because the toxicology results were above the legal limits. We were unable to learn what was detected in his blood, or how much it was above the legal limits.For Liliana Awan, determining who was responsible for the crash is not the question. She told NBC6 that her husband would be still alive if the Model S door handles simply opened the car. That did not happen in Juthas Model Y, because its doors work with electronic actuators. If an electrical failure occurs, they demand a mechanical manual release. Awans Model S did not have these actuators on the front doors. In other words, the drivers door in his EV should have opened if the physician had pulled the handle.Until 2021, the internal front door handles in the Model S and Model X seemed to have a mechanical connection to the door locks. Tesla states in its manuals ERGs (emergency response guides) that front occupants just have to pull the handle, and the door will open, whether the car has a power failure or not. If their internal door handles really have mechanical links to the door locks, the Model S and Model X were the only Tesla cars to present that.Awans Model S was made in 2016. That means his car would open if anyone inside the vehicle pulled the handle regardless of it having power or not. We have no idea if the physician tried to escape the EV. The lawsuit mentions that a nearby police officer and other bystanders attempted to remove him from the burning car in vain, but not that he tried to escape. His wife firmly believes he did - to NBC6 , she said he was fighting to survive.Theoretically, the Model S can be opened from the outside because the retractable external door handles should pop out in an emergency. In Amans case, the people who tried to rescue him said they didnt, which prevented them from helping. At that point, the flames were already too strong.We verified Teslas owner manuals and EGRs, and they tell an interesting story. The earliest ones for the Model S bring this regarding opening the vehicle from the outside in emergencies:OPENING DOORSModel S has unique door handles. Under normal conditions, when you press a handle, it extends* to allow you to open the door.If door handles do not function, open the door manually by reaching inside the window and using the interior handle.Tesla does not specify how anyone can reach inside the window. Those instructions have remained the same until the 2016, which phrases that in a different way:NOTE: If the door handles do not function, open a front door manually by reaching inside the open window and using the mechanical release handle. See Opening Doors from Inside without Power.That section of the EGR reads like this:Opening Doors from the Inside without PowerTo open the Model S front doors from the inside without 12V power, pull the mechanical release handle towards you. To open the Model S rear doors from the inside without 12V power, fold back the edge of the carpet below the rear seats and pull the mechanical release cable toward the center of the vehicle."Tesla wrote something else right below this paragraph that is crucial for Awans story:It is important to know that in any vehicle collision with damage to the driver or passenger front door, the mechanical door release may not operate as designed. It is also important to remember that every vehicle accident is different and may require extrication operations to gain access to the vehicles cabin.NOTE: Compromised doors may not release mechanically.Presented in 2015, the Model X came with the same EGR instructions and warnings. The text above looks pretty much like the legal disclaimers Tesla includes in Autopilot andWe have no idea if this is the same EGR published in 2016 or if it was modified at any point. If this paragraph was included after 2019, it could be a strong indication that it has to do with Awans crash. Even if this is indeed the original text, people usually say that if theres a warning, there are precedents. We just dont know why Tesla thought it was important to admonish the manual release could fail in 2016.Imagining this could help Tesla avoid liabilities in this case, the lawsuit does not disclose if the Model Ss door was affected. A copy of the lawsuit describes the crash like this:On February 24, 2019, during an afternoon drive by decedent Dr. Omar Awan, the Awan Tesla veered out of control on a parkway in South Florida, yawed sideways, went over the curt, and onto the median, and struck a palm tree.Awans family claims in the lawsuit that the Model S design is defective, that it presents an unreasonably dangerous fire risk, and that this combination of flaws makes it a death trap.After a 2021 refresh, the front door release on the Model S and the Model X turned into a handle ahead of the window switches. Thats precisely the same system used on the Model 3 and Model Y since they were first released. In other words, the Model S and the Model X adopted the worse solution their cheaper siblings introduced.The problem is that very few people know where these emergency releases are, which was Juthas case. To make matters worse, Tesla does not instruct customers about that and does not label these releases in its cars. All info is restricted to the manuals and EGRs, which are only digital. If the vehicle fails or crashes, it is very unlikely that they will be accessible.Twitter user TR (@Tweet_Removed) made a relevant thread speaking about that in an attempt to bring awareness to these manual releases. He consulted Teslas ERGs and also the owners manual of all four models currently for sale. Surprisingly, they only speak about manual releases for the front doors of the Model 3 and Model Y . Their ERGs bring these exact words for the rear ones:NOTE: Only the front doors are equipped with a mechanical release handle.What about a mechanical release cable for these rear doors? The Model 3s and Model Ys EGRs do not mention them. That made TR consider they do not have one. For uninformed customers, they do not exist. TR stressed that the ERG and the owners manual do not mention these manual releases. We also checked them, and that is correct. Curiously, at least the Model Y does, but Tesla makes no reference to these cables anywhere.We only know the electric crossover has these manual releases because of the guys from the TFL YouTube channel. They had an issue with their Model Y left rear door in October 2020. Even the Tesla technician who assisted them did not know about a manual release. Some viewers eventually told them about these cables, but that is not exactly good news.To reach the manual releases for the rear doors, you have to remove a rubber mat at the bottom of their storage boxes. After that, you have to open a small plastic lid, which the TFL folks only managed to do with a flat-head screwdriver. Again, it is a procedure that demands tools and accurate information. Imagine if the car is on fire just after a crashWe dont know if the Model 3 has a similar solution or if these rear door cables are limited to the Model Y. If you own a Model 3 and can verify that, that would be really helpful for us and if you do not mind our saying so especially for you.Things may seem better on the Model S and Model X, but thats up to debate. The Model S has manual releases located at the base of the rear seat, behind the carpet. It has two cuts that give direct access to the cables that release each of the rear doors. If you are in an emergency and willing to escape, you have to fold back the edge of that cut in the carpet and pull the cable behind it towards the center of the cabin, as the first video below shows at around 1:00.The Model X and its falcon-wing doors represent a much more demanding task. In an emergency yes, an emergency! passengers have to remove the speaker grill, find the mechanical release cable, and pull it down towards the front seats. Tesla writes in its EGR that without 12V power, the falcon wing doors can only be opened from the inside of the vehicle. That kills any chance of external help without extrication tools. Reuters now disclosed that) asked Tesla for more information on Juthas Model Y fire. However, the agency now has quite a few questions it has to answer that go beyond whatever Tesla can disclose.In the Model Xs case, why allow the sale of a car that cannot have its rear doors opened from the outside in emergencies? In vehicles that present the risk of thermal runaway, what did Tesla do to give occupants enough time to escape? Has Tesla respected the safety standards related to allowing people to evade or be quickly rescued from one of its vehicles in accidents? If it did, are these standards good enough to ensure that getting out of these cars or saving people from them is possible in a timely manner?Jutha must disagree that this is the case. Amans family is suing Tesla because they believe escaping is just part of the problem. They are also concerned about these EVs burning soon after crashes. We have recently documented three episodes in which that happened. Tesla is far from being the only one who owes the public some answers. More than the company, worldwide authorities are the ones who should explain this mess. If Tesla is selling unsafe vehicles, someone allowed it to do so. The Armenian Defense Ministry said Major-General Andrei Volkov briefed Papikian on the situation and current developments in the peacekeepers area of responsibility. They also discussed broader security in the region, the ministry said in a statement. The interlocutors praised the Russian Federations efforts to stabilize the military-political situation in the region as well as the course and effectiveness of the Russian peacekeeping mission in Artsakh (Karabakh), read the statement. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian likewise noted the peacekeepers decisive contribution to the security of Karabakhs population in a joint declaration released after their talks held outside Moscow on April 19. The declaration followed Armenias criticism of the peacekeepers failure to prevent Azerbaijani troops from seizing a village in Karabakh and nearby hills in March. Pashinian repeatedly called on Moscow to investigate the inactivity of its troops. The peacekeepers were also criticized for refusing to allow Armenian opposition parliamentarians to visit Karabakh on April 12. The Armenian Foreign Ministry said the ban ran counter to the terms of the Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the Armenian-Azerbaijani war in November 2020. The Russian Foreign Ministry insisted, however, the Russian soldiers acted in strict conformity with the truce accord. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Flash A Chinese defense spokesperson on Thursday said that the United States' scheming on the Taiwan question is known to all, and said that U.S. attempt to contain China by using Taiwan is just wishful thinking. Wu Qian, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to the U.S. State Department's contradictory expressions about the U.S. Taiwan-related policy. Noting that the United States has been trying to hollow out the one-China principle, Wu warned that any such action will bring harm to the country itself. Wu said that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China. "This is a universal consensus of the international community and a commonly recognized norm governing international relations." Wu noted that the recent visits of certain U.S. senators to Taiwan, where they made provocative remarks, were political grandstanding. "China firmly opposes this," Wu said. "Those clamoring to make the Chinese mainland pay a price should get prepared to pay the price themselves," Wu said. A trial originally set to resume Thursday has been postponed by almost a month in a high-stakes court case on the future of Kern County's oil CalMatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more, go to calmatters.org. (Bloomberg) -- Google executive Prabhakar Raghavan recently had an issue with his rose bushes. His wife took a photo of the plants on her phone, uploaded the image to Google, identified the culprit and followed a link for a fungicide. Then she bought it. A seamless transaction that didnt involve typing into a search bar, it was a real-life test of sorts for Raghavans strategic vision. A senior vice president responsible for most of Googles largest servicessearch, maps, advertising and morethe 61-year-old executive is determined to crack e-commerce, a market projected to hit $2.27 trillion in 2025 that the Alphabet Inc. division has tried and failed to figure out many times before. In the past, Google has tried emulating Amazon.com Inc.s online retail and delivery services, with little luck. Now, under Raghavan, the search giant is positioning itself as a kind of anti-Amazon, a free marketplace for merchants and Amazon rivals thats designed to get consumers more comfortable shopping with Google. Earlier this month, at Googles I/O software conference, Raghavan and his deputies demonstrated new features they hope will achieve that end, including one that lets visitors use photos to search for nearby retail products or find any item in the physical world with the click of a camera. And on Tuesday, the company unveiled a feature that lets people go from merchant listings on Google search to their checkout pages in one click. Raghavan hopes the various initiatives will persuade millions of people to click buy, prompting sellers to purchase many more Google ads. For Amazon, which built a booming business by essentially renting its digital real estate to small sellers, the risk is that Google could give those brands a pathway to thriving outside its marketplace. That in turn could force the Seattle-based company to more aggressively court sellers with discounts on fees, advertising or logistics services. Still, Amazon remains a formidable rival, and Google confronts daunting challenges. Its renewed push into e-commerce coincides with a slowdown in online shopping as consumers revert to their pre-pandemic habits. Amazon and EBay Inc. both recently reported slowing growth and weak profit outlooks. Moreover, Google has always sought to make its technology fade into the background. Turning the site into a shopping destination risks wrecking the experience and alienating visitors. Ahead of the I/O presentation, Raghavan took pains to say shopping on Google would be super smooth. If the concept works as advertised, he said, shoppers wont have to think: Am I doing a search? Am I on Amazon or Google? Raghavan is the first Google executive to oversee the technical operations behind both search and the ads division since Sundar Pichai did in 2014, shortly before he became CEO. Raghavan is also one of the companys best compensated executives, pulling down $28.6 million last year in salary and stock grants. As such, he has the clout to set an ambitious e-commerce strategy and, at least theoretically, get people who traditionally operated in silos to collaborate instead. Those who have worked with Raghavan point to his technical mastery and operational shrewdnessan unusual combination of attributes at a company that has so often coasted on its inventions and profits. Google is violently allergic to strategic thinking, said Sam Ramji, a former executive who worked with Raghavan on Googles cloud products. Hes the man who brought strategy to Google. Adds Martha Welsh, Googles director of commerce strategy: He really takes a holistic view of the business. Since Raghavans promotion in mid-2020, he has torn up Googles e-commerce playbook, scrapping the fees the company levied for online purchases and shuttering the delivery service. He has tried poaching merchants irritated with Amazon, reshuffled the leadership ranks, and overhauled Googles payments operations by dropping its banking plans and narrowing the focus. He even tasked his search division with catering to people making heady commercial decisions, like buying a home or picking a college. Hes willing to make bold moves, said Bill Ready, Googles president of commerce, who joined in 2020 as one of Raghavans top deputies. Boldness is required. While Googles advertising operation continues to print money, the model is under siege from regulators and privacy clampdowns, including Apples ban on targeted marketing messages. Due in part to these headwinds, the growth rate of the ad business is destined to slow, and Google isnt the only one jumping into e-commerce to goose revenue; Meta Platforms Inc. and TikTok are as well. Meanwhile, even as Google tries to build an online shopping destination to complement its ad business, Amazon has done the inverse: created a robust advertising operation on top of its enormous online bazaar. Googles success is hard to gauge because it doesnt break out e-commerce sales or retail ads. Amazons is easy to see; its ads business posted 23% growth in the first quarter. That seems to be working way better for Amazon than it is for Google, said Mike Ryan, a portfolio strategist for Smarter Ecommerce GmbH. Raghavan has tied Googles main revenue and profit driverssearch and adsmore tightly to its e-commerce efforts than ever before. Thats all put more pressure on him to deliver on his strategy. Shopping Express Googles last big e-commerce push involved going at Amazon head-on. In 2013, Google launched Shopping Express, a delivery service with a nifty app and a promise to ship many items on the same day. Google had huge retail partners on board, including Target Corp. and Walgreens, and planned an annual subscription model a la Amazon Prime. Back then, when quick e-commerce delivery was a novelty, Googles service looked like a natural Amazon contender. But it never was. Shopping Express expanded to a few cities outside of the San Francisco Bay Area, but had little appeal for consumers. Googles Shopping site, accessible as a tab on its homepage, aggregated listings from online retailers with paid ads at the top, but attracted relatively few visitors compared with the main search page. Former Google employees say managerial indecision and an unwillingness to invest heavily in the margin-thin business undercut the strategy. Then in 2015, Europe hit Google with a massive anti-monopoly suit that argued the search engine unfairly promoted its own shopping service over others. That forced the company to spin off the European business and move more cautiously. Google brought in consultants from BCG to assess a specific e-commerce strategy, but didnt follow the firms recommendations. The company shortened the delivery services name (to just Express) and revamped it to center on its digital voice-assistant, another Amazon competitor. That effort fizzled, too. For the past 15 years, Google has been trying to figure out commerce, said Rick Watson, the head of RMW Commerce Consulting. And theyve never really executed. In early 2020, Google reset its strategy. Management recruited Ready from PayPal to lead the commerce unit and realigned the search, payments and maps divisions to work more closely with his. To run that entire portfolio, Google picked Raghavan, a veteran of its enterprise division who was put in charge of ads in 2018. Before joining Google in 2012, Raghavan spent years at tech research labs and in academia, where he became an expert on web search technologies just as they began taking off. He speaks five languages and still carries himself more like a professor than a senior executive. While discussing Googles decision to emulate the visual, rapid-fire features of TikTok, he said, It behooves us to also start thinking about those paradigms. He once requested classical music to accompany his entrance onstage at an event before a staffer interceded. Hes always surprised when he gets more responsibility, said Jayshree Ullal, a longtime friend who runs Arista Networks Inc. You can never tell hes a high-powered number-two executive at Google. Still, Raghavan made his e-commerce ambitions clear during the first year in his new role. Google, he told colleagues, should think of users being on journeysnot simply coming to Google.com for information but to research and, hopefully, buy something. He and Ready quickly decided to pull the plug on Express. They dropped the commission Google took for sales on its properties and the fees it charged merchants to list items on its shopping site, a signal to the industry that it wanted to be an open marketplace, not a competitor. Were not trying to put boxes on doorsteps, Ready explained. What were trying to solve is the information part of the problem. By that, Ready meant making it easier for consumers to find desired products, deals or brandseven those that havent bought an ad. Search results now identify identify discounts and loyalty programs, while new widgets list the shipping costs and hidden fees on specific purchases. Google cut deals with Shopify Inc., Block Inc. and other commerce companies to make it more compelling for businesses to sell on Google properties. Those features are designed for buying products like sneakers and cooking pans. But the company is also experimenting with items that arent on most e-commerce siteshelping consumers buy NFTs via image search or research such big-ticket purchases as real estate. The company has noticed that searchers in the market for a home, college or car will often return to Google more than 60 times with similar queries before making a decision. The idea is to customize the search experiences for these use cases in ways Google hasnt before. Google has already done that with certain categories, creating unique features for people searching for jobs or hotels. Companies like Yelp and the online travel industry have complained that these changes buried their sites and forced them to buy more ads to get clicks. Googles search team has been quietly working on adding more topics. Under the project, codenamed Mercury, the search team has ceded to the advertising group such areas as shopping, real estate, mortgages, etc, according to a memo reviewed by Bloomberg. The authors of the document prioritized boosting traffic for merchants and creating oh wow moments! that would lure searchers back to Google.com and, eventually, a purchase. Google declined to comment on the project, but executives have said the ads division doesnt influence unpaid search results. Raghavan said the company has no plans to rival real estate brokers like Redfin. And, so far, Google has resisted using the search history of repeat visitors to tailor results. Thats largely to avoid violating peoples sense of privacy, he explained. Can you, in these situations, offer the user more support in a long-running journey, without in any way creeping them out? Raghavan said his teams were still exploring if they could. Some in Silicon Valley have blasted Google for filling search results with too many ads. Raghavan said increased demand from advertisers during the pandemic probably drove the recent uptick in advertising, and he expects it to cool off amid easing restrictions on travel and events. Early Success There are signs that Raghavans strategy is starting to pay off. Earlier this year, Google revealed that e-commerce advertising was a leading contributor to a 43% bump to search revenue in 2021. Google also said last year that over a billion people shop on its properties every day, though it hasnt updated the figure. In the fall, Morgan Stanley research showed that consumers were using Google and YouTube to research products and price-shop more often than they used Amazon, EBay or Walmart. In April, the bank reported that 59% of survey respondents who are Amazon Prime members said they started researching products on Google, up from 50% in the fall. Talley & Twine, an independent watch brand based in Virginia, started getting serious about Google in the past two years and has sometimes seen a fivefold return on its ad spending. Its been a saving grace for us, said President Randy Williams. The other benefit, he added, is that the search engine sends customers to his web store. Thats the roadblock we have with Amazon, Williams said. Amazons customers are Amazon customers. Still, some industry insiders say Googles biggest moves to create a marketplacecutting commissions and listing fees for merchantshave yet to attract significant numbers of shoppers. When those changes were announced, some merchants braced for a big uptick in traffic and sales, said Ryan, the e-commerce strategist. Then nothing happened, he said. I would describe it as nice, but low-impact. Kirk Williams, head of the online agency Zato Marketing, said he wouldnt be surprised if Googles fee adjustments didnt alter consumer behavior enough to lure in more merchants. Not many more people visited Googles shopping site, and most eyeballs remained on the search page, where merchants still feel they have to buy ads to get in front of consumers. It hasnt been anywhere near the traffic volume that they were hoping to see, Williams said. 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Click here to read the full article. The family of Irma Garcia one of the two teachers who sacrificed their lives to save their students at the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde, Texas is now also mourning the loss of another family member. Garcias husband, Joe, died Thursday of a heart attack, minutes after dropping off flowers at her memorial, The New York Times reports. Extremely heartbreaking and come with deep sorrow to say that my Tia Irmas husband Joe Garcia has passed away due to grief, wrote John Martinez, Garcias nephew, on Twitter. I truly am at a loss for words for how we are all feeling. Please pray for our family. God have mercy on us, this isnt easy. Rumors about the gunman and what had taken place spread widely online often with easily debunked evidence or none at all almost immediately after the first official reports about the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Here are three of the most prominent rumors that have spread on online platforms such as Twitter, Gab, 4chan and Reddit. 1. No, the shooting was not a staged false flag operation. Hours after the attack Tuesday, far-right figures spread misinformation claiming that the shooting was a false flag attack. Among their unfounded claims were that the shooting had been orchestrated to draw local law enforcement away from the border, allowing criminals and drugs to cross into the United States, and that gun-control advocates had organized the tragedy to stoke public outrage. Other social media posts alleged that parents shown in news clips awaiting news of their children appeared to be insufficiently emotional and were crisis actors being paid to play a role. The two teachers who were killed were also accused of being crisis actors. Claims of crisis actors and false flags in school shootings are not new: Conspiracy theorist and broadcaster Alex Jones of Infowars has lied for years that the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, was staged by the federal government, with people pretending to be survivors and victims parents. Last year, Jones lost four defamation lawsuits filed by victims families, many of whom have been harassed by his believers. 2. No, there is no evidence that the gunman was transgender. Hours after the attack, a post on the fringe online message board 4chan circulated claiming that the gunman was transgender. Numerous photographs falsely claiming to show the gunman wearing womens clothing were attached. Authorities have said the gunman was male. The unfounded claims made their way to Telegram channels of far-right militia groups such as the Proud Boys, where people falsely claimed that the shooting was a result of hormone therapy undertaken by the gunman. By Wednesday, the claims that the gunman was transgender had been amplified by high-profile people such as Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., who was censured last year by the House after he posted a video that depicted him killing a Democratic lawmaker. Gosars Twitter post on the matter has been deleted. Photos of dark-haired transgender women circulated alongside images of the gunmans face, accompanied with false accusations that they were the same person. There is an overwhelming number of individuals who are posting images of this person, who was the shooter, and information about the nature of them being transgender, Stacy Washington, host of the SiriusXM show Stacy on the Right, said Tuesday night. She added: We dont have definitive proof, but Id say, this many pictures? My goodness. Theres something going on here. On Tuesday, a transgender artist said on Reddit that people online just took my photos and used it to spread misinformation. After the artist posted other photos as proof, an account on Twitter that discusses gun rights deleted a post that had included the artists photo and apologized. A 22-year-old transgender student living in New York also reported that photos of her were falsely linked to the gunman. She posted photos of herself on Twitter to prove her identity and asked people to stop saying the photos of her were of the gunman. Im very close to crying, she posted at one point. The Trans Safety Network, a research group that monitors threats against the transgender community, said in a statement Wednesday that it had identified photos of three transgender people wrongly linked to the gunman and confirmed that all three were alive. Gosar and Washington did not respond to requests for comment. 3. No, the gunman was not an undocumented immigrant. False claims that the gunman was born outside the U.S. began to circulate within hours of the shooting. Spread largely on white nationalist Telegram channels and Gab accounts, the claims alleged that he was an immigrant in the U.S. illegally, even after authorities including Roland Gutierrez, a Texas state senator, confirmed that the gunman was born in North Dakota. Two Telegram groups with ties to white supremacist figures claimed Wednesday that the gunman had illegally penetrated the country from the Mexican border. The groups, which each have thousands of followers, went on to falsely claim that the gunman was undocumented in the U.S. Did he cross the border illegally? Code of Vets, a veterans organization, posted on Twitter. Our nation has a serious national security crisis evolving. Later, the group added a post noting that the shooter has been confirmed to be a citizen while stating: Mental health must be addressed. Our border must be secured. Gosar also said the gunman had been in the country illegally. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Flash Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday expressed willingness to forge "iron-clad" ties and deepen cooperation between the two countries. Sogavare said China has become the biggest cooperative partner of the Solomon Islands on basic infrastructure and a reliable development partner, expressing thanks to China for providing anti-pandemic supplies, repid-test equipment and sending medical teams to his country. He also appreciated the Chinese side for sending policing supplies and police advisers to help maintain social order of the Solomon Islands after the riot in Honiara. The Solomon Islands and China have conducted cooperation on the basis of equal treatment and mutual respect, and the connection in various fields has become increasingly close, bringing tangible benefits to the Solomon Islands people, the prime minister noted. For his part, Wang said the Chinese side appreciates the Solomon Islands' firm determination of safeguarding national interests, strong desire of developing China-Solomon Islands friendly cooperation and adhering to the one-China policy. China also staunchly backs the Solomon Islands' efforts to safeguard natioanl sovereignty independence, protect natioanl unity and solidarity, and speed up the realization of natioanl prosperity on a path chosen by the country. Wang said it's not long since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries but the development of bilateral ties has been sound, steady and fast. China and the Solomon Islands have become good friends of mutual trust and good partners of mutual support, with political trust between the two countries further deepening and pragmatic cooperation widening, he noted. It is proven that the political decision of the Solomon Islands to establish diplomatic relations with China is in line with the development and progress of the times as well as the fundamental and long-term interests of the people of the Solomon Islands, Wang said. China is ready to work with the Solomon Islands to forge "iron-clad" ties, and deepen cooperation between the two sides so as to benefit the two peoples, Wang said. The emerging economies are rising en masse, and peace and development are still the irreversible trend of the times despite the unilateral bullying, Wang noted. China is ready to enhance coordination and cooperation with the Solomon Islands in multilateral organizations such as the United Nations to accelerate the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, cope with climate change, and jointly safeguard the rightful interests of medium and small countries. Sogavare also said the Solomon Islands is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China on international issues. Wang is visiting the Solomon Islands as part of his tour to the South Pacific island nations, which will also take him to Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, as well as Timor-Leste. The gun manufacturer that produced the AR-15-style assault rifle the Uvalde, Texas elementary school shooter used to kill 19 children and two teachers has shut down its social media accounts after being linked to the massacre. It has also reportedly dropped out of the National Rifle Association's annual convention set to be held starting Friday in Houston. On Tuesday, alleged shooter 18-year-old Salvador Ramos entered a fourth-grade classroom at Robb Elementary School, killing 21 people in the deadliest school shooting in Texas history. The firearm Ramos used is reportedly made by Georgia-based gun manufacturer Daniel Defense, authorities and the company each confirmed. LIVE UPDATES: The latest news on the Uvalde school massacre. The arms manufacturer states on its site, "At Daniel Defense, we celebrate the liberty of our country, the enthusiasm of our customers and employees, and the quality and accuracy of our products." On Wednesday, one of the company's social media posts resurfaced from a week ago on May 16, the day Ramos turned 18. That week, he legally purchased two AR-15-style assault rifles, including the Daniel Defense DDM V7 rifle, according to the Washington Post. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it," the post said, in reference to a Biblical proverb, followed by a prayer emoji. The post included a photo of a toddler sitting with an AR-15-style assault rifle on its lap. Daniel Defense also reportedly posted the same image and text on Instagram that day, which included the hashtag #childrenarethefuture. Both posts have since been deleted after the gun company faced an onslaught of backlash from social media users. Daniel Defense has limited comments on its Instagram posts and also went private on Twitter in the aftermath. However, screenshots of the posts are still being circulated online. Screenshot/Twitter Daniel Defense had planned to hold an exhibitor's booth at the NRA's annual convention, being held this Friday through Sunday in Houston, and had stated it was "proud to reunite with thousands of patriots." However, those plans appear to have been scrapped as the NRA's list of vendors no longer includes the gunmaker, per the Washington Post. Daniel Defense issued a statement following the Uvalde shooting: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic events in Texas this week. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and community devastated by this evil act." The National Rifle Association's annual member meeting is in Houston this weekend, an already controversial gathering now put under additional scrutiny after an armed teenager killed 19 students and two teachers at a Uvalde elementary school Tuesday. There are already calls for the meeting to be canceled in light of the shooting and protests planned in and around downtown's George R. Brown Convention Center, where the event will take place Friday through Sunday. The NRA's continued promotions for the event indicate it will go on as planned, including speeches from former President Donald Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz and several other Texas Republicans. That headlining event featuring the Republican speakers will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, while the main members' meeting will start at 10 a.m. Saturday. Here's what you need to know about the convention and its relationship to the Uvalde shooting: Protests planned There are at least two protests planned Friday outside the NRA convention, a push from some of Houston's progressive groups to put pressure on the association and its influence on conservative lawmakers. "When you go and shoot up a school full of kids and teachers... you've taken someone's right to life away," said Ashton Woods, leader of Black Lives Matter Houston. BLM, Fiel Houston, Indivisible Houston and the Harris County Democratic Party are hosting a protest at Discovery Green just outside the convention center at 1 p.m. Friday. "It's about making sure we create a nexus of power while calling out the organization that enables Republicans... like Greg Abbott and other folks who make these laws and put them on the books to make it easier for what happened to happen," Woods said. "These same people are talking about the right to life and about family. A child is a human at conception, but you won't protect children who are living." An interfaith protest is also planned outside the convention also starting at 1 p.m. Friday, which organizers have said will include a march inside the convention hall. No guns for Trump speech The NRA, at the request of the U.S. Secret Service, will ban guns from the convention hall during Trump's speech Friday despite the association's longstanding stance against gun control. According to the convention's events page, no one will be allowed to carry a firearm inside the convention hall. The association is not providing any options for people to store their guns during the speech. The irony of a gun ban at the NRA's annual convention was called out by several people on Twitter. Not canceled Several prominent figures have called for the city of Houston to flat-out cancel the event, which is hosted at the city-owned downtown convention center. Indivisible Houston has already garnered 3,000 online signatures for the event to be canceled. Texas governor hopeful Beto O'Rourke, a Democrat, also called for the convention to be canceled. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday said the city will not cancel the event, citing the potential cost of lawsuits that could arise. Woods, the BLM leader who is hosting the protest Friday, said the cost shouldn't be the measure for choosing to move forward with the event. "I feel like the city of Houston needs to be canceling the contracts," Woods said. "They've got billions of dollars to give to HPD. They can spend a couple million dollars to cancel an event on Houston First property." Cornyn out, but no one else With canceling the event seemingly off the table, others have called for Abbott and other Republicans in the lineup to abandon their speaking commitment. None of the speakers have said they would not appear, although Sen. John Cornyn had already pulled out over a scheduling conflict before Tuesday's massacre, according to Politico's Burgess Everett. Abbott would not say if he would appear at the NRA meeting when he was asked at a press conference in Uvalde Wednesday afternoon. As far as future plans are concerned, listen, Im living moment to moment right now," Abbott said. "My heart my head and my body are in Uvalde right now, and Im here to help the people that are hurting. A parallel to Columbine When armed teenagers slaughtered students at Columbine High School outside Denver in 1999, the NRA was slated to host their annual member meeting at a Denver convention center a month later. Similar to the NRA convention in Houston, several peopleincluding parents of those killed and then-Denver Mayor Wellington Webbasked the NRA to cancel the convention, but NRA leaders refused. The Associated Press called it a "defiant" stand in their 1999 coverage of the event. Protests in Denver drew 8,000 people in 1999, according to the Associated Press. Allan Tannenbaum/Getty Images "Don't let my son's death be in vain," said Tom Mauser at the time, whose son was killed. "I am here today because my son would want me to be here. If my son was alive, he would be here, too." Here in Houston, protest organizers hope to draw a large crowd and make meaningful change. "Demand justice and accountability," said Woods of Houston organizers' hope for the protest. "They're on the immoral side of the tracks. They're on the wrong side of history, and we're going to make them feel uncomfortable. I'm not going to go super low, but I'm not going high either. They haven't been going high with us." A Silsbee physician has been added to a federal case related to an alleged healthcare scheme involving hospitals, laboratories, and illegal kickbacks for patient referrals. The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable health care providers, including physicians, who commit fraud, said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Departments Civil Division in the release. Improper financial arrangements involving physicians and laboratories can distort physicians medical judgments, waste taxpayer dollars and subject patients to unnecessary testing or other services. The amended complaint alleges Doyce Cartrett, Jr., M.D., of Silsbee, and five other physicians violated the False Claims Acts Anti-Kickback statute and Stark Law, a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Texas said on Thursday. According to the news release, Cartrett received over $320,000 in the scheme, which the complaint further alleges caused claims to be improperly billed to federal health care programs for medically unnecessary laboratory testing. Two men from Southeast Texas were previously named among nearly 20 defendants in the federal case. Related: Beaumont, Lumberton men accused of healthcare fraud True Health Diagnostics former Director of Strategic Accounts and Management Service Organization recruiter, Stephen Kash, of Beaumont was among those previously named in the complaint were. Owner and operator of Ascend Professional Management Inc., Ascend Professional Consulting Inc., and BenefitPro Consulting LLC, William Todd Hickman, of Lumberton was also named in the complaint. Schemes that funnel health care referrals do not work without the participation of physicians, said U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston for the Eastern District of Texas. They are not merely passive players in these elaborate schemes, but an integral part, without which the scheme could not exist. Our office is committed to rooting out health care fraud by pursuing all players involved the scheme, from the laboratories and their leaders to the marketers and the physicians who make it all possible. Naming these physicians in the complaint is evidence of that commitment. The 154-page federal complaint alleges laboratory executives and employees at True Health Diagnostics LLC and Boston Heart Diagnostics Corporation allegedly conspired with small Texas hospitals, including Rockdale Hospital doing business as Little River Healthcare, to pay doctors to induce referrals to the hospitals for diagnostic testing, which was then performed by laboratories companies, the release said. The complaint also alleges that the hospitals paid a portion of their laboratory profits to recruiters, who in turn kicked back those funds to the referring doctors. The release said the recruiters set up "Management Service Organization" companies to make payments to referring doctors disguised as investment returns, which were actually based on, and offered in exchange for, the physicians referrals, the release said. The complaint alleges that laboratory tests resulting from this referral scheme were billed to various federal health care programs, and that the claims not only were tainted by improper inducements but, in many cases, also involved tests that were not reasonable and necessary. Cartrett allegedly received thousands of dollars from Little River Healthcare, Ascend MSO of TX LLC (Ascend) and another MSO known as Eridanus MG LLC (Eridanus) in return for his referrals. The United States has already recovered more than $31 million relating to conduct involving BHD, THD and LRH, including False Claims Act settlements with 29 physicians, two health care executives and a laboratory company. The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid and other federally funded programs. The Stark Law forbids a hospital or laboratory from billing Medicare for certain services referred by physicians that have a financial relationship with the hospital or laboratory, according to the release. The Anti-Kickback Statute and the Stark Law seek to ensure that medical providers judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients, the release said. Special Agent in Charge Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General stated patients deserve reasonable and necessary care from providers without improper motivations. Collaborating with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and hold accountable physicians accepting payments for referrals, Bennett said. The Department of Defense Office of Inspector Generals Defense Criminal Investigative Service is also committed to rooting out fraud schemes that waste taxpayer resources and impact mission readiness, Acting Special Agent in Charge Gregory P. Shilling of the DCIS Southwest Field Office said DCIS will continue to work with our partners to hold those accountable who undermine the integrity of the health care system that supports our nations service members, retirees and their families, Shilling said. The United States amended complaint was filed in connection with a lawsuit originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by STF LLC, whose members are Felice Gersh, M.D. and Chris Riedel, the release said. The United States intervened in the qui tam action in December 2021 and filed a complaint under the False Claims Act in January 2022 against former THD CEO Christopher Grottenthaler, former BHD CEO Susan Hertzberg, former LRH CEO Jeffrey Madison, and others, the release said. Under the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery, the release said. The Act permits the United States to intervene in such lawsuits and add claims and defendants, as it has done here. The qui tam case is captioned United States, et al. ex rel. STF, LLC v. True Health Diagnostics, LLC, et al., No. 4:16-cv-547 (E.D. Tex.), the release said. If a defendant is found liable for violating the act, the United States may recover three times the amount of its losses plus applicable penalties, the release said. This case is being handled by attorneys Christopher Terranova and Gavin Thole in the Civil Divisions Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham, Adrian Garcia and Betty Young in the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Texas. Investigative support is being provided by HHS-OIG and DCIS. The United States pursuit of this lawsuit illustrates the governments emphasis on combating health care fraud, the release said. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800 HHS TIPS (800-447-8477), according to the release. The claims in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability, the release said. The United States amended complaint alleges that, in addition to the previously named defendants, the following six physicians received kickbacks from MSOs in return for their laboratory testing referrals: Doyce Cartrett, Jr., M.D., of Silsbee, Texas, allegedly received over $320,000 from LRH and two MSOs, Ascend MSO of TX LLC (Ascend) and Eridanus MG LLC (Eridanus), in return for his referrals. Elizabeth Seymour, M.D., of Corinth, Texas, allegedly received over $280,000 from two MSOs, Ascend and Eridanus, in return for her referrals. Emanuel Paul E.P. Descant, II, M.D., of Spring, Texas, allegedly received over $125,000 from two MSOs, North Houston MSO and Tomball Medical Management Inc., in return for his referrals. Frederick Brown, M.D., of Missouri City, Texas, allegedly received over $190,000 from two MSOs, Ascend and Indus MG LLC (Indus), in return for his referrals. Heriberto Salinas, M.D., of Cleburne, Texas, allegedly received over $75,000 from two MSOs, Ascend and Herculis MG LLC (Herculis), in return for his referrals. Hong Davis, M.D., of Lewisville, Texas, allegedly received over $70,000 from two MSOs, Ascend and Herculis, in return for her referrals. meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/megzmagpie LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Republican Stuart Ray will face Democrat Morgan McGarvey in the 3rd District congressional race to fill retiring U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth's Louisville-area seat. Ray, a Louisville businessman, was locked in a race too close to call last week with Rhonda Palazzo in the May 17 Republican primary that attracted seven candidates. A recanvass on Thursday by election officials found no change in last week's vote totals and Ray was certified as the winner, according to the Kentucky Secretary of State. Ray said in social media posts he was honored to receive the nomination and added it's time for new leadership in Washington! McGarvey, the state's highest ranking Democrat in the state Senate, won his partys primary with the backing of Yarmuth, the only Democrat in Kentuckys congressional delegation. Ray, a former chairman of the states Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission board, greatly outspent Palazzo in this years campaign, raising around $340,000 to Palazzos $8,800. New taka notes are traded on a sidewalk in the Gulistan area of Dhaka, April 25, 2022. Economists are fuming over a proposed amnesty announced by the Bangladesh government that would allow people to repatriate unreported riches stashed abroad, in a bid to boost decreasing foreign exchange reserves, the first such move in the nations history. The South Asian countrys foreign currency reserves fell below U.S. $42 billion in early May from $48 billion last August, according to Bangladesh Bank, the central bank. We are planning to announce an amnesty for bringing money back, Finance Minister A.H.M. Mustafa Kamal told reporters in Dhaka this week. A certain amount of tax would be charged on money brought back. When asked about government estimates of how much money had been sent abroad, the finance minister said: no calculation was made in this regard. The amnesty scheme will be included in the national budget, he said, which is expected to be presented in parliament on June 9. In December, a Washington think-tank that monitors illicit financial flows reported that between 2009 and 2018, Bangladesh lost an average U.S. $8.27 billion annually because traders falsely declared the value of goods crossing international borders, leading to steep losses in tax revenue. The report by Global Financial Integrity documented how some traders deliberately falsify the declared value of goods on invoices submitted to customs authorities in order to illicitly transfer money across international borders, evade tax and/or customs duties, launder the proceeds of criminal activity, circumvent currency controls, and hide profits in offshore bank accounts. Under the proposed amnesty, perpetrators of such schemes would face no consequences, the finance minister said Thursday. Such a move is akin to rewarding dishonesty, economists and anti-corruption activists said. Mustafizur Rahman, a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue, said watchdog organizations such as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), and the central banks Financial Integrity and the Customer Services Department (FICSD) would now be rendered essentially useless. What will be the duty of such institutions when the government is deciding to announce amnesty for money launderers? he said to BenarNews. My first question is how the government has taken such a decision? It is not acceptable on any grounds including ethical, economic and political. Iftekharuzzaman, the executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, predicted that the move would double money laundering in the future. The moral fall in society will be deeper due to the announcement of an amnesty for money launderers. This move is contradictory to the law and constitution of the country, he told BenarNews. You are here: World Flash Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Thursday he had discussed the supplies of heavy weapons to Ukraine with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. "We need more heavy weapons delivered as soon as possible, especially MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems), to repel Russian attacks," Kuleba tweeted after the talks. The Ukrainian foreign minister added that he had briefed Baerbock on the difficult situation in the Donbass region. Other topics of the discussion included further sanctions on Russia and Ukraine's prospects to achieve a European Union (EU) candidate status, Kuleba said. Earlier this month, Baerbock said the government of Germany is working with German enterprises to provide modern weapons to Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken outlines the Biden administration's policy toward China during a speech at an event hosted by the Asia Society at George Washington University, in Washington, May 26, 2022. The United States will invest at home, align efforts with allies and partners, and compete with China to counter Beijings drive to change the existing rules-based world order, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday in a speech laying out the Biden administrations threefold strategy toward the Asian superpower. Speaking at an event hosted by the Asia Society at George Washington University in Washington, the top American diplomat vowed that the U.S. would defend and strengthen international law, principles and institutions which, he argued, China was undermining. But neither is the Biden administration looking to become embroiled in conflict with the worlds most populous nation, Blinken said. To succeed in this decisive decade, the Biden Administrations strategy can be summed up in three words invest, align, compete, Blinken said. The foundations of the international order are under serious and sustained challenge, he told the audience at GWU. He cited Russian leader Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine as posing a clear and present threat, and China as a long-term challenge. Even as President Putins war continues, we remain focused on the most serious long-term challenge to the international order, and thats posed by the Peoples Republic of China, Blinken said. China is the only country with the intent to reshape the international order and increasingly the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do it, Blinken said. Blinken delivered the speech days after President Joe Biden returned from his first visit to Asia since taking office in January 2021. Biden visited U.S. allies South Korea and Japan, where he unveiled the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) which 13 other nations signed up to with hopes that it would lead to a free trade agreement in the future. Biden also attended a summit of the Quad, an Indo-Pacific security grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the U.S. that is widely seen as countering Chinas rising influence and assertiveness in the region. Cooperation with China is necessary for the global economy and solving issues such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, Blinken said, emphasizing that the U.S. was not looking for conflict or a new Cold War. To the contrary, we are determined to avoid both, he said, adding that the U.S. was not seeking to block China or any other nation from growing economically or advancing the interest of their people. But we will defend and strengthen international law, agreements, principals and institutions that maintain peace and security, protect the rights of individuals and sovereign nations, and make it possible for all countries, including the United States and China, to coexist and cooperate, Blinken said. Though Chinas rise was possible because of the stability and opportunity that the international order provides, the country is now seeking to undermine those rules, he said. In his 40-minute talk, Blinken touched on hot-button issues such as the contested South China Sea and Chinas treatment of the Uyghur ethnic minority in Xinjiang, where Beijings heavy-handed policies have been branded as genocide by the U.S. and other Western nations. Under Xi Jinping, the ruling Chinese Communist Party [has] become more repressive at home and more aggressive abroad, he said. Well continue to oppose Beijings aggressive and unlawful activities in the South and East China Seas, he said, noting a 2016 international court ruling that found Beijings expansive claims in those waters have no basis in international law. This report was produced by Radio Free Asia (RFA), an online news service affiliated with BenarNews. As China launched a high-level diplomatic mission to build its influence in the Pacific islands, Australias new government responded with one of its own, promising to bring more energy and resources to the remote region. Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived Thursday in the Solomon Islands, kicking off a 10-day Pacific tour that will include Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. Wang is hoping to strike a deal with 10 small nations. A draft copy of a so-called Common Development Vision seen by Reuters and the Associated Press covers multiple sectors from security to data communication to fisheries. China plans to reach some agreement on it at a meeting between Wang and his Pacific counterparts in Fiji on Monday. Richard McGregor, senior fellow at the Lowy Institute, an Australia-based think tank, wrote in The Guardian that Wangs itinerary is an emphatic statement by Beijing that it intends to entrench itself in the region, where it has been building influence for more than a decade. Underscoring the growing strategic competition for influence in the Pacific where the U.S. sent its own high-level diplomatic mission a month ago Australias new top diplomat Penny Wong arrived in Fiji on Thursday. She landed hours ahead of Wangs arrival in the Solomons, promising to put more energy and resources into the Pacific. Western allies concerns International attention on the Pacific islands has built since April, when officials from China and the Solomon Islands confirmed they signed a security pact without divulging its contents. The deal sparked concerns about Chinas growing presence and influence, especially as a leaked document suggested that it would allow Beijing to set up military bases and deploy troops in the Pacific island nation. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with his with Solomon Islands counterpart, Jeremiah Manele, May 26, 2022. [Xinhua news service] On Thursday, Foreign Minister Wang sought to calm critics by saying that the security cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands does not target any third party and China has no intention of building a military base there. The deal is aimed at helping the island nation improve its law enforcement capabilities to maintain public order while protecting the safety of Chinese citizens and organizations there, Wang told the state-run Xinhua news agency. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the two sides agreed to jointly build major landmark projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, make good use of the zero-tariff preferential policy for products exported to China as well as to expand bilateral cooperation to cover a wide range of fields including response to climate change and multilateral affairs. China will also help the Solomon Islands prepare facilities for the upcoming Pacific Games 2023. Wang said China respects Solomon Islands ties with other countries, opposes all forms of power politics and bullying, and in Beijing the Solomon Islands have one more good friend and one more sincere and reliable partner. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks in Suva, Fiji, May 26, 2022. [Leon Lord/Fiji Sun via AP] Engagement rather than lecturing Similar words were employed by the new Australian foreign minister after she arrived in Suva, Fiji, which lies about 2,100 km (1,300 miles) southeast of the Solomons capital, Honiara. Wong, a senator, said Australia has a strong desire to play our part in the Pacific family and build stronger relationships, according to the Australian broadcaster ABC. Australia respects the Pacific nations choice of friends and partners, she said, adding that her country wants to be a partner of choice and demonstrate to your nation and other nations in the region that we are a partner who can be trusted and [is] reliable, and historically we have been. Wong said the new Labor government in Australia, formed on Monday after the general election, will renew the focus on climate change and continued economic support for the region. In a speech to the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat in Fiji, the foreign minister said Australia will be a partner that doesnt come with strings attached nor imposing unsustainable financial burdens, apparently drawing a contrast with Chinas policies. Wong said she acknowledged that the previous Australian government neglected its responsibility to act on climate, ignoring the calls of our Pacific family, and showed disrespect to Pacific nations. As Wong urged Pacific leaders to think about where you might be in a decade after reaching deals with China, a former Australian prime minister, Kevin Rudd, said Australia and allies should offer better proposals, rather than deliver a moral lecture. Speaking Friday at the Future of Asia conference in Tokyo via video link, Rudd said China is showing a much more assertive leadership style and intends therefore to change the status quo by adopting a more assertive foreign security policy in the region and the world. The way forward for Western allies like Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. is to offer different, better, development-friendly proposals, said Rudd, who is president of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York. New Zealand, meanwhile, said it would extend the New Zealand Defense Forces deployment to the Solomon Islands until at least May 2023. The nation deployed troops there at the request of the local government in December 2021 after riots broke out in Honiara following anti-government protests. This report was produced by Radio Free Asia (RFA), an online news service affiliated with BenarNews. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. Greg Sukiennik has worked at all three Vermont News & Media newspapers and was their managing editor from 2017-19. He previously worked for ESPN.com, for the AP in Boston, and at The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, Mass. This 2003 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a monkeypox virion, obtained from a sample associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. On Friday The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming the recent cases of monkeypox are actually just shingles, and the cases are a result of the COVID-19 vaccine. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming Pfizer received FDA approval for a new monkeypox shot the day after the U.S. purchased millions of dollars worth of vaccine for the disease. Reporter Heather Bellow, a member of the investigations team, joined The Eagle in 2017. She is based in the South Berkshire County bureau in Great Barrington. Her work has appeared in newspapers across the U.S. Luis Delvalle-Rodriguez listens in Berkshire Superior Court during his trial for the August 2018 shooting of Nick Carnevale at a party in October Mountain State Forest. The case is now with the jury. In 1998: Michael Fortier, the governments star witness in the Oklahoma City bombing case, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after apologizing for not warning anyone about the deadly plot. (Fortier was freed in January 2006.) You are the owner of this article. LENOX With hiring now and help wanted signs continuing to sprout at businesses in commercial districts countywide, another school is fast-tracking a program to help students prepare for careers with especially hot prospects, including hospitality, health care and business/finance. The states Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently awarded a five-year Innovation Pathways designation to Lenox Memorial Middle and High School for an immersive, pre-vocational experience stretching from sixth grade through senior year. Superintendent Marc J. Gosselin, Jr., made an announcement at a School Committee meeting earlier this month. We are confident that your new Innovation Pathways in Business and Finance and Healthcare/Social Assistance at Lenox will offer students a transformative experience, enabling them to develop essential skills, gain awareness of future career opportunities, and make informed choices about post-secondary education in promising fields, wrote Jeffrey C. Riley, commissioner of elementary and secondary education, in an award letter to Gosselin. When I was first approached about my support for the innovation pathways, my answer was, Where do I sign? Gosselin told The Eagle. I am a champion of defining success in multiple ways. I believe that this program is a creative, nontraditional opportunity to expand that definition through broader and more diverse courses for students to explore. The superintendent noted that the Pathways designation allows Lenox to partner with regional businesses in innovative sectors across the Berkshires. Pathways complement other opportunities such as dual enrollment at BCC to position students to be college- and career-ready after they leave Lenox, he said, whether they choose to join the workforce or continue their education. In addition to enabling students to develop skills, experience, and knowledge in different sectors such as health care or business, Gosselin said, these opportunities also expose students to life skills such as responsibility, punctuality, and effective communication that will serve them well no matter where their future pursuits take them. The program will be rolled out in September, said Tara Romeo, a guidance counselor at the school. The first county high school to win an Innovation Pathways grant was Monument Mountain Regional in Great Barrington in 2019. The program is open to all school districts seeking to participate in career preparation plans. Lenox students will be able to active pursue career preparation in health care, the hospitality field and in business and finance. The school worked closely with the MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board to identify the employment sectors with the most urgent, immediate needs for trained workers, Romeo said. So far, it has formal arrangements with Berkshire Health Care Systems, including Kimball Farms Life Care, the Miraval Berkshires resort in Lenox and Adams Community Bank to provide opportunities for students. In health care, for example, staffing for CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) and medical assistant positions is in demand at Berkshire Health Care Systems. Banks are in need of tellers and other staff, while the areas vibrant hospitality field has a wide variety of open positions. As Gosselin noted, the program will allow expanded courses for students in high-demand industries coupled with workplace experience and internships at regional employers. This experience builds relationships that may lead to jobs right out of high school. Our hope is a mutual benefit for our students and those innovative Berkshire employers who need talented employees to support the regional economy. Heres how the program works: All students in grades 6 through 9 will attend Strategies for Success classes focusing on life and study skills as well as computer applications taught by faculty member Heather McNeice, formerly of Taconic High in Pittsfield. Those are skills theyll use no matter what they do school, college and workplace training, Romeo said, such as how to send an appropriate e-mail. When they reach their freshmen year, students will decide whether they want to volunteer to join either pathway health care, hospitality or business as an elective class. In addition to at least four courses, juniors and seniors will perform a 100-hour internship for workplace experience, as well as employment readiness training, and social and emotional learning. Its all about practical life skills, Romeo said. Last September, prior to its official designation this spring as one of 43 schools statewide participating in the Innovative Pathways program, the school was awarded a $29,100 planning grant from the states education department. If students choose not to enter the workforce after high school, the program will prepare them to be successful learners at the collegiate level, Gosselin said. As an educator, I strive to ensure that students have the opportunity to pursue a wide array of interests and passions and leave Lenox thoroughly prepared for their lives post-graduation. Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that an "intervenor" motion was filed in U.S. District Court by neighbors of a disputed South Street cell tower on May 25, the day after the City Council meeting. PITTSFIELD In a break from the ongoing fiscal 2023 budget talks, city councilors this week turned their attention to a bevy of petitions around mental health supports. During their meeting on Tuesday, councilors spoke about feeling compelled to act after months of hearing the communitys cries for more resources and better outcomes for residents struggling with their mental health. Here are the top three items of discussion: Consider developing mental health supports Over the course of the meeting, the council unanimously voted to request Pittsfields state and federal delegation look for additional funding and resources for mental health to direct to the city. The petition was submitted by community organizer Tonya Frazier and councilors Peter Marchetti, Pete White and Kevin Sherman. The problem has been identified, Frazier said. People have been killed, people have taken their own lives or turned to other substances to numb the pain of not having what they need: help. Anything we do today doesnt solve it, Sherman said, [but] we need to keep taking steps in order to get where we want to go. The council also voted to ask the state delegation support a bill in the Legislature that would create an alternative for community emergency services for law enforcement program. A related petition by Councilor Ken Warren to appropriate $75,000 to evaluate the creation of an Alternative Community Emergency Services (ACES) program was referred to Mayor Linda Tyer and the Committee of the Whole. NAACP asks Pittsfield to shift crisis response from police to non-violent teams The local NAACP chapter is calling on Pittsfields elected leaders to overhaul how the city responds to people in the throes of a mental health crisis and to consider shifting that duty away from police. Programs working off of an ACES model have gained quick support following the fatal shooting by Pittsfield Police of Miguel Estrella during a mental health crisis call. The Berkshire County branch of the NAACP recently called on the council to support the ACES bill, which would put resources to non-law enforcement, unarmed community-based responses to 911 calls. The bill has received the support of former mayor Sara Hathaway, a member of the Pittsfield School Committee who, in the wake of Estrellas killing, called for the city to step away from co-responder programs and toward alternative response programs. BolaWraps a bust? Councilors questioned a report submitted by Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn that said none of the 15 BolaWraps purchased by the department with federal grant money had been used in a live deployment. Wynns report noted that the department used almost $14,000 of a nearly $40,000 grant it received last year to buy the BolaWraps, a form of remote handcuffs. Police can fire a cord at a subject, entangling and securing them, according to the companys website. In documents the department submitted as part of its grant application, Wynn writes that BolaWraps and additional Tasers will reduce the need for higher uses of force and will reduce injuries to subjects experiencing a crisis situation. Pittsfield Police officers reportedly used Tasers, which failed, against Estrella before resorting to lethal force, according to a preliminary use of force report. Berkshire PDs get federal money for Tasers, traffic safety but not without questions Local police departments across Berkshire County will be seeing more than $250,000 in federal grants for law enforcement and traffic safety. Councilors said they were frustrated and confused about why the tools they had been promised would be used for less lethal disarmament hadnt been used at all in the last year. Were looking at trying to find solutions to some of the things thatve had happened in our community and we all had high hopes on these BolaWraps being deployed more often in situations of disarmament, White said. Lt. Gary Traversa told the council that the entire police force was trained on how to use the devices last June, but they often sit in the back of the on patrol cruisers less accessible than the Taser or gun on every officers belt. Theyre a specific-use tool, Traversa said. He added that BolaWraps are intended to restrain someone who isnt already moving. We just havent run into that situation. Mum on cell tower lawsuit The City Council chose not to take up an item on file under the unfinished business section of the agenda on the Board of Healths findings on the health impacts to neighbors living near a Verizon Wireless cell tower at 877 South St. Baked into the communication from the Board of Health is a request for the council to allocate money to hire attorneys to defend a recent emergency order issued against the telecommunications company. Board officials came to a City Council meeting late last month prepared to ask for up to $84,000 to hire two attorneys to help the board issue and defend a cease-and-desist order against the cell tower. That push was stopped in its tracks when the council learned in an executive session that Verizon had filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts. Verizons complaint asks Judge Mark Mastroianni for an expedited review of whether the boards emergency order violates the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. The council refrained from discussing whether or not it should fund the boards defense. The following day a group of six neighbors to the tower asked the court to add them to the case as intervenors essentially a third party with a recognized investment in a case. Verizon Wireless files federal lawsuit against Pittsfield Board of Health to block cell tower order Verizon Wireless is asking a federal court to block the Pittsfield Board of Health from enforcing its order demanding the company defend the safety of its tower at 877 South St. Residents of the neighborhood say the 4G tower is causing health problems. Attorneys for Courtney Gilardi, Charlie Herzig, Judy Herzig, Mark Markham, Angelika Markham and Elaine Ireland argue that the residents should be added to the case because they live within the immediate vicinity of the tower, are among the group of residents harmed by the tower, and are named in the boards original emergency order. The group also says that they have reason to believe that the Board of Health may not choose to raise all available defenses available to the board or the city of Pittsfield may utilize its authority to control litigation and settle this proceeding. 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. 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. SHEFFIELD The brother of a missing Connecticut man who was the subject of a search in the Berkshires says his family prays and hopes for his safe return. Francisco Reyes, the brother of Carlos Reyes, says he cant believe what is happening to his family. I feel like Im in an episode of some Netflix show, he said. Authorities believed Carlos Reyes might have been taken to the Berkshires after possibly being killed. Francisco Reyes said his brother had no connections to the county and nothing seemed askew with him emotionally before he went missing. Quote Theyre working to find something, but dont have much to work with." Francisco Reyes, brother of Carlos Reyes, who has been missing for two months. Francisco Reyes also said he knows little about what might have happened to his 20-year-old brother, who disappeared from Danbury, Conn., two months ago. Danbury detectives have stayed in touch with the family, saying they are trying to get information out of a man in custody who they believe might know something about Reyes disappearance, Francisco Reyes said. Police also took DNA samples from Francisco Reyes and their mother to give to the FBI, he said. They want to have it on file, he said, to try to connect evidence with his brother. Carlos Reyes family reported last seeing him in Danbury on March 28. His car was found in flames the following day in nearby Brewster, N.Y. Police believe one man might know what happened. Christopher Lemke is in custody in Connecticut on $1 million bond and facing a slew of unrelated charges following a series of alleged incidents two weeks after Reyes went missing. Sign-up for The Berkshire Eagle's free newsletters Sign up In early May, the FBI led law enforcement in a search effort that spanned several days at a Route 7 rest area in Sheffield and an adjoining field. Sources familiar with the search and investigation told The Eagle that the FBI was excavating a field and searching the Housatonic River for what they believed could be Reyes. His disappearance is considered a missing persons investigation. Francisco Reyes, 23, said Danbury detectives told them they are trying to get Lemke to give them information. Theyre working to find something, but dont have much to work with, he said. Christopher Lemke is not saying much. Francisco Reyes said he had never heard of Lemke until police had him in custody. Francisco Reyes said the last time he saw his brother was when Carlos came by his workplace to get the key to his home so that he could take a shower there. Carlos Reyes, who worked for a food delivery service, had been temporarily living with a friend in Naugatuck, Conn. That friend had to leave the country because of a family crisis, and he decided not to stay there, his brother said. Francisco Reyes said his brother was always working. He had just bought the 2008 gray Infiniti sedan that was found engulfed in flames the day after he went missing. He was working hard to afford it. Any little side thing to make money, he said. The brothers are close. Carlos had told Francisco that he dreamed of being an entrepreneur and working for himself. Online exhibitions, business matchmaking events vitalize Chinese market 08:59, May 27, 2022 By Li Zhen ( People's Daily Over the recent years, China has been moving a large number of exhibitions and investment promotion activities onto online platforms to facilitate economic and social development. An employee of a cable producer in Nanxun district, Huzhou, east Chinas Zhejiang province introduces the companys products and production lines on a livestream platform, June 16, 2020. (Peoples Daily Online/Zhang Bin) The 131st China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, recently concluded online. It was the fifth time the event was held on the internet. On its official website, the Canton Fair sets up a series of sections, including Product Release, Exhibitors on Live, and VR Exhibition Hall, building an efficient trade platform for Chinese and foreign enterprises with modern information technology. It enables global merchants to conduct international business without even going abroad. During the 10-day event, its website was visited 33.9 million times by 10.09 million visitors. A total of 85,300 live exhibitions were held by participating enterprises, in which over 3 million exhibits were displayed, including 951,500 new products, the highest in the event's history. A livestream show is held at the exhibition booth of east Chinas Zhejiang province at the 8th China International Fair for Trade in Services, Sept. 3, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/Yuan Chen) Apart from major exhibitions such as the Canton Fair, online investment promotion activities are also being held online across China, and positive progress has been achieved. Not long ago, the Jiutai district of Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin province, held an online investment negotiation. It was joined by over 30 representatives from enterprises. The district signed framework agreements on cooperation with six enterprises, with the total investment volume hitting 8.8 billion yuan ($1.31 billion). Hefei, capital of east Chinas Anhui province, is also moving business matchmaking online. This year, the investment facilitation center of Hefeis Lujiang county has held more than 30 video conferences to attract investment. We are moving business negotiation, project assessment, and agreement signing online to ensure smooth investment promotion, said an official with the center. According to the official, carrying out investment promotion activities online can maximally reduce the impacts of COVID-19. Online exhibitions and business matchmaking also offer a new path for relieving the burden for enterprises and vitalizing market entities. A woman introduces products through a livestream show at the fourth China International Import Expo, Nov. 6, 2021. (Peoples Daily Online/Chen Bin) Exhibition booths are scarce resources for small- and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises in brick-and-mortar exhibitions as the area of each exhibition hall is fixed. However, the online Canton Fair has offered an opportunity for many small- and medium-sized enterprises and greatly optimized the resource allocation of the exhibition, contributing to the foreign trade sector by stabilizing market entities, said Bai Ming, deputy director of the International Market Research Institute at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. Besides, multiple provincial-level regions in China have rolled out relevant policies that encourage online exhibitions and business matchmaking. For instance, the Department of Commerce of Jiangsu Province has proposed to hold an online exhibition to help service trade enterprises in the province smooth supply and demand in the international market. The provincial government of Zhejiang has made and released a list of major exhibitions to be held, with an aim to involve more local enterprises in online and offline exhibitions. It also encourages foreign trade enterprises to engage in overseas exhibitions to expand international market. Holding online exhibitions is what comes with the general development of the digital economy, as well as a practical choice amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Business Development Plan for the 14th Five-Year Plan Period (2021-2025), the country will further facilitate its foreign trade sector, and encourage local governments and industries to establish national online exhibition platforms for smoother foreign trade channels. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) LEE When Meghan Marohn vanished, so did her purse, keys, hotel key, cellphone and laptop. Quote The family is considering a search and vigil gathering soon in Bear Town State Forest in Monterey. Police as well as Berkshire Mountain Search and Rescue have also searched that area. And her tiny Fisher Price bunny, a good luck charm since childhood. All these things, like Marohn, havent been found. Its been exactly two months since someone said they last saw her. A massive search by authorities for the New York state school teacher spanning more than a week proved fruitless. Occasional searches continue, along with speculation about where she might have gone and why. Even national media attention like an NBC Dateline story last week hasnt helped crack the case. The case, still open, is going cold. Her family isnt giving up. But its not easy. Nothing, said her brother, Peter Naple, when asked if new clues have surfaced. Its a state of limbo that Ive never thought Id be in. It seems like she just literally vanished into thin air. Marohn, 42, of Delmar, N.Y., was last seen on Sunday, March 27, when an ice storm blew hard through the county. She had checked into The Red Lion Inn on March 24, and was to stay there until March 30. Naple last spoke to Marohn on March 26, when she had traveled to the Stockbridge hotel to find relief from what he later learned were school-related personal problems. He tried to contact her the next day, March 27, but did not hear back. On Monday, March 28, Naple grew anxious and called the hotel. I spoke with everyone there [at the hotel], he said. He traveled to the inn, and with staff, went into her room. Some of her belongings were still there. But the room looked as though Marohn hadnt returned the previous day, and as if she had not slept in the bed. Naple called police. The next day, Tuesday, he filed a police report in New York state. That was the same day a South Lee resident found her 2017 black Subaru Impreza. It was parked at the trailhead for Longcope Park, which has a one-mile hiking loop off Church Street. Marohn is known to be a hiker. Sign-up for The Berkshire Eagle's free newsletters Sign up Efforts so far An FBI spokesperson declined comment when asked if the agency is involved. Lee Police as well as Massachusetts State Police continue to investigate her disappearance as a missing persons case. Marohn is nowhere to be found. There have been no significant new developments, Lee Police Chief Craig DeSantis said Thursday. DeSantis said the department continues to collaborate with state police and other public safety agencies that have been involved from the beginning. He said they are mounting cyclical searches. The family is still offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to Marohns safe return. Naple set up the findmeghanmarohn.com website, in part, to help with volunteer search efforts. He said anyone is welcome to search at Longcope Park, which is public property. But police had also focused on private property in the area, making volunteer searching there difficult. Her last cellphone signal was tracked to an area of private property, less than a mile from where her car was found. The family is considering a search and vigil gathering soon in Beartown State Forest in Monterey. Police as well as Berkshire Mountain Search and Rescue have also searched that area. Naple has placed billboards in Lee and Lenox and started a GoFundMe account to raise $50,000 to hire a private investigator. The campaign has raised $18,820 as of Thursday. The fundraising page is filled with comments from those inspired by Marohn, who is also an activist and poet. Parents of those who have had Marohn as a teacher wrote to say how much she inspired their children, went above and beyond and served as a role model. But Marohn was suffering over something that had happened at Shaker High School in Latham, N.Y., where she was teaching. Naple eventually learned about this as the reason for her respite in Stockbridge. He said she had been placed on paid leave until the end of the school year effective March 24 the same day she went to the Red Lion. Dateline reported in an online story last week that Marohn had been upset about something related to another colleague at the school. That school districts superintendent, Joseph Corr, praised Marohn as a teacher, the NBC report said. But Naple told Dateline that the school never said why Marohn was on paid leave, despite his repeatedly asking. The head of the districts teachers union told its members after her disappearance to stay quiet about it. Naple said Thursday that he hasnt learned anything beyond this about her troubles at the school. Rex Hearn founded the Berkshire Opera Company, 1985 to 2008, and is a resident of Lee. He worked for The Guardian in England and America, becoming a United States citizen in 1998. He reviews music and drama in his Facebook column, Rex Recommends. There will soon be a drug-sniffing dog on patrol on the Idaho side of the border here on the Palouse. The Moscow Police Departments first ever drug-sniffing dog arrived back home on Friday after 5 weeks of training. Ragnar and his handler Officer Ryan Snyder trained in Indiana. City council approved the Moscow PDs first drug-sniffing dog. Chief James Fry says the money used to pay for Ragnar has come from private donations from community organizations. Chief fry says Ragnar is a game changer in the fight against narcotics in Moscow. Ragnar can also be made available to the Latah County Sheriffs Office which doesnt have a drug-sniffing dog. A 13-year-old boy accused of a shooting that left five injured at a Cinco de Mayo event in downtown Sunnyside has been charged with several counts of first-degree assault. The boy police describe as a Sureno gang member was arraigned Thursday morning on five counts of first-degree assault in Yakima County Juvenile Court, where his bail was maintained at $500,000. The Yakima Herald-Republic typically does not identify suspects tried in juvenile court. The boy is accused of opening fire on rival gang members during a Cinco de Mayo street festival. A 35-year-old Vancouver, Wash., man and four children including a 7-year-old were injured in the May 6 shooting that prompted the shutdown of the three-day festival. Police said none of victims suffered life-threatening injuries. However, the Vancouver man said he suffered a severed artery in his leg and that doctors told him he could have died or lost his leg. Shaken by the public shooting, residents filled a Sunnyside City Council meeting days later to request that a gang intervention-prevention program that was defunded be restored. They also asked why police released a handful of juvenile suspects to their parents after briefly detaining them not long after the shooting. Police told community members new state laws require an attorney be present when a juvenile is questioned, and interviews must be recorded. They arrested the 13-year-old on May 17. Sometimes juvenile suspects of violent crimes who are under age 16 are tried as adults. Prosecutor Joe Brusic said that wont happen in this case. The boy doesnt have a history with social and juvenile services that would warrant such a move, he said. Brusic said while the allegations against the boy are very serious, the court typically wants to see that the juvenile services have been nearly exhausted before trying a youth under age 16 as an adult. Its a stroke of luck that no one got killed but we have to look at all the elements that make up the juvenile, not just the crime, he said. Under state law, juvenile suspects of violent crimes age 16 and older can be automatically remanded to adult court. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for June 8 with trial expected to begin on June 27, Brusic said. Rep. Caroline Nilsson Troy, R-Genesee, who is retiring from the Legislature at the end of her current term, has been named the new special assistant to the president of the University of Idaho for state and governmental relations. She will replace Joe Stegner, a former state senator who is retiring from the role after more than a decade. Nilsson Troy starts the post July 1. She plans to appoint a substitute to serve out the remainder of her House term, which runs through the end of the year. The experience Caroline brings is invaluable, UI President Scott Green said in a news release. She not only understands how the Legislature works, but her leadership on the Joint-Finance Appropriations Committee brings added insight. She is a Vandal who brings passion for and deep understanding of our university. Nilsson Troy is the current House vice-chair of JFAC. The university said in her new role, she will work directly with legislators and state staff in Boise and across the state, representing the interests of the University of Idaho, of which she is a graduate. She will drive legislative strategy, build and nurture relationships and represent the president in governmental relations. Nilsson Troy holds a bachelors degree in communications from UI and is a partner in Mustoe-Nilsson Farms. She also worked for the university for years, beginning in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in 1995. She served as the executive director of development until leaving the university in 2007. This opportunity brings me full circle, Nilsson Troy said. I am proud to rejoin the Vandal family and bring the experiences and knowledge I gained in my years in the Legislature. Education is incredibly important to our state and this position has a direct impact on education funding and support. (The Center Square) Scientists will set about 1,000 traps this year in northern Washington state as part of an effort to wipe out the Asian giant hornet, preventing the menacing insect from establishing a foothold in the state and beyond. Asian giant hornets are the worlds largest hornets, with queens reaching up to 2 inches in length. The apex predators are considered an invasive species in North America and are well known for their aggression and ability to kill bee and other hornet species. A small group of the Asian giant hornets can, in a matter of hours, kill an entire honey bee hive. Honey bees pollinate many of the crops in Washingtons multibillion-dollar agriculture industry. The Asian giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia, was first detected in the Pacific Northwest in 2019. Sven-Erik Spichiger, Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) managing entomologist, said three Asian giant hornet nests were detected last year. All of them were within two miles of each other and very close to the Canadian border, just a little bit to the east of Blaine, Washington, he explained during Tuesdays virtual press conference. And so we are still in a very tightly compact and confined area, which leads us into this season with a bit of optimism that is has not spread to multiple counties and does not appear to be throughout the rest of Whatcom County, which is really good news. Most traps, which help scientists find the location of nests, will be set up in northern Whatcom County adjacent to the Canadian border, Spichiger said. A few will be set in the city of Bellingham. Attempts to capture the insects there will wane in the event no Asian giant hornets are caught. So long as everything continues to go negative in Bellingham, then we will be able to dial back the trapping in that area, Spichiger said. To cover more ground, the department encourages residents to set their own traps. Trapping is just one part of the war against the Asian giant hornet that also includes WSDAs Adopt a Wasp program that essentially uses paper wasp nests as bait to track the spread of the invading insects. It works like this: Starting in June, people are asked to monitor paper wasp nests on their property and report online their findings of any Asian giant hornet activity. Efforts are also underway to determine exactly where in Asia these giant hornets came from, including determining how they are getting across the Pacific Ocean. The prevailing theory is that the insects are crossing on cargo ships. For that reason, we will be partnering up with researchers in both South Korea and Japan, Spichiger said. Stealing a page from flying insects playbook, Spichiger said drone technology is being enlisted to track Asian giant hornets. We dont want to alarm anybody, he quipped. Were not going to be spying or anything. He went on to say, And so what we have done is we have partnered up with an Australian company called Wildlife Drones that makes probably the best radio telemetry tracking software as a payload for drones. And the idea is after we have tagged a hornet is to be able to get up in the air and go over some of these barriers and allow us to put a better GPS signal on that tracking tag and allow us to get to it a lot safer than weve been able to do in the past. The hornets will not be considered eradicated until the Evergreen State has gone three full years with no detections, Spichiger said. In a public relations move of sorts, Spichiger said the Entomological Society of America is working to establish an official name for the insect, noting Asian giant hornet, or what some have dubbed the murder hornet, are not official names. WSDA will adopt whatever the Entomological Society of America eventually officially accepts, he said. Asian giant hornets rarely attack humans unless provoked. The intimidating insect, however, delivers a powerful sting, which can kill a human being if a person is stung repeatedly. An estimated 30 to 50 people die annually from Asian giant hornet stings in Japan, one of their native habitats. WALLA WALLA - A 60-year-old Wall Walla woman has been sentenced to over four years in prison after being found guilty by a jury of cyberstalking a Montana man and Montana public officials by hacking the mans email and sending harassing and threatening communications. Kathy Ann Hendrickson, also known as Kathy Thorberg, was convicted on February 16 of cyberstalking following a three-day trial. On Friday, she was sentenced to 52 months in prison, to be followed by three years supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided over the case. In court documents and at trial, the government presented evidence that Hendrickson met the victim, identified as John Doe, on a dating website sometime in 2015 or 2016. The two communicated online and eventually met in person on several occasions at John Does residence in Trout Creek. John Doe ended the relationship and then suspected Hendrickson of stealing his personal information. Hendrickson started harassing John Doe as early as May 2018 when, using an anonymous email account, sent him an email stating, Im going to bring you down. Hendrickson also hacked into John Does account, using a password she stole from his address book, and sent threatening emails, including death threats, to herself and to Sanders County Commissioners and another county employee. Hendrickson also used John Does email address to send a threatening email to then-Governor Steve Bullock in another attempt to subject John Doe to law enforcement scrutiny. Court documents further alleged that Hendrickson not only used a fake email account to harass victims, but also used a burner phone. While Hendricksons real phone contained incriminating evidence, the burner phone was not recovered during the investigation. First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain. Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that. And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details. If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Torrent Pharma will take over the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of these brands in India Ahmedabad-based Torrent Pharmaceuticals has entered into an agreement with Dr Reddy's Laboratories to acquire four of its brands Styptovit-E, Finast, Finast-T and Dynapress. Styptovit-E, a gynaecology product with estimated market size of ~Rs 500 crores (AIOCD data set), will further strengthen Torrents presence in the therapy. The acquisition of Finast; Finast-T, and Dynapress, which are used in the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), will aid in Torrent's presence in the Urology therapy. As per the terms of the definitive agreement, Torrent Pharma will take over the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of these brands in India. The complete integration and transition of the brands are expected to be completed by June 2022. The need of the hour is to equip our emergency medicine departments with the best manpower armed with the best technology India is the second most populous country in the world, and with its population exploding at this rate, it is on the verge of surpassing China as the numero uno in a short while. What this implies is a inexorable rise in the price of basic amenities of supporting life like food, clothing and housing. What it also means is a growing discrepancy and disparity in sustaining life through access to basic healthcare services in this 1.4 billion populace. The medical scenario in India has undoubtedly grown by leaps and bounds especially in the past two decades. There are government hospitals in the rural areas equipped with state-of-the-art Operation theatres, Cardiac Cath labs, mobile medical vans and ALS ambulances, NABL accredited laboratories. India is increasingly becoming a favourite hub for medical tourism for the entire world. Despite of this, this specialty of Emergency Medicine continues to barely thrive in its nascent stage of growth, being formally recognized as an independent specialty by the Medical Council of India (MCI) only in 2009. Though emergency medicine (EM) training has been initiated by in both public and private colleges, the spin-offs from it are inadequate to cater to the massive chunk of population. Indian colleges offer only around 200 seats of postgraduate training in the form of MD or DNB in emergency medicine. Compare it to the USA, where Emergency Medicine offered 2,278 positions for a much smaller population than India. This disparity brings out the inadequacy in the training and education in the specialty of Emergency Medicine. What it also implies is that the hundreds of Government Hospital and thousands of private hospital Casualty or Emergency are manned by inadequately trained resident doctors or intern doctors with minimal or no resuscitation skills and clinical acumen in a department lacking in basic resuscitation equipment. With Emergencies ranging from Cardiac Arrest, Myocardial Infarction, Stroke, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Road Traffic Accidents, Polytrauma, Poisoning, burns; the golden period of treatment of which ranges from few seconds to a few minutes, the Indian scenario reveals how such ill equipped Emergencies are only jeopardising the lives of people. The economic and the rural-urban gap further amplifies the problem by limiting the options for the economically disadvantaged and rural people. On a positive note, many private hospitals have embarked upon their own quest of churning out EM professionals for their hospitals. Programs like MEM (Maters in Emergency Medicine) have been designed by partnering with international universities (GWU-George Washington University) or by Indian societies dedicated to the purpose of Emergency Medicine education in the county like SEMI (Society for Emergency Medicine India). These programmes add a few more hundreds of trained EM professionals every year. But lack of recognition and aggressive anti campaigning in News media questioning their legitimacy have forced these professionals to fly to greener and safer pastures like UK, Australia, Middle East etc bringing us back to ground zero. The dearth of EM professionals continues to pain us. In India where the top 3 killers remain Ischemic Heart Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Stroke, and where we have a high burden of Road Traffic accidents, accidental poisoning and burns which all inadvertently land up in any hospitals Emergency Department, the need of the hour is to equip our EM departments with the best manpower armed with the best technology. One positive step in this direction will be to increase the number of training seats in Government facilities in the specialty. Second will be to bring the other programmes under the purview of MCI recognition and get the EM professionals duly accredited so that we can retain them in our countrys medical system. Third will be extensive public-private-professional body collaboration to design effective programmes in this direction of training, by providing short courses and certificates to increase the acumen and skills of all those manning the Emergencies including the residents, interns, nursing staff, medical technologists. Fourth is to ensure the sensitising starts early by designing curriculum to train the caregivers with the basic resuscitation skills like CPR skills for all school teachers, parents, security professionals, hospitality professionals and even school students. These will help us in strengthening the Emergency medical practice in the country and ensure no death happens due to lack of access to emergency services. This will help in positioning India as a leader in the field of healthcare services. Author: Dr. Rimy Dey, Emergency Medicine Trainee, Paras Hospital, Gurugram I Committee Chair, Post-Graduate Studies in Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors Network (IMA-JDN) Why settle for a chilli burger when you can have a chilli burger with a Shuuu moment In Mzansi, there's no shortage of spicy situations calling for a 'SJOE!' (or 'Sho!' or 'Shuuu!'), which can only mean one of two things - either something has gone terribly wrong or gone perfectly right. Spice adds a little flavour to our lives, from a taxi door unhinging when you get off, to tasting something with a chilli kick. To keep the Sjoe moments going for chilli lovers, the king of chilli sauce and Burger King, both known for continuously pushing the flavour envelope, have come together to offer Mzansi the king of chilli burgers. Technological advances and a virtual work hub allow teams to learn and develop new skills quicker than ever before. Creating diverse opportunities for different mentoring structures should be put at the top of the list to ensure both personal and professional growth. One-on-one mentoring allows for strong relationships to be built between team leaders/mentors and team members; this environment creates an open space to ask questions, facilitate training and goal setting initiatives, and encourage engagement. Group mentoring becomes a valuable tool for team members to learn from each other and share skills across divisions. Reverse mentoring has become particularly beneficial in the remote work environment. This mentorship structure is defined by younger individuals mentoring more experienced or senior team members, often concerning technological assets, social media or consumer trends. In a predominantly virtual work world, the limited personal interaction with leadership and our colleagues has impacted our professional relationships with each other and our work. We have previously discussed that while a hybrid work model offers benefits such as flexibility and greater inclusion, the lack of face-to-face engagement could hamper creativity and spontaneous collaboration amongst teams. Research recently conducted by Dr Lebene Soga of Henley Business School has shown that 85% of employees worldwide are not fully engaged in their work. With hybrid working solutions adopted in many workplaces around South Africa, employers find it difficult to measure employee engagement and fulfilment at work. As personal and work lives have become more blended , allegiance and loyalty in the workplace have also shifted and having rapport and fostering relationships can be tricky.Mentorship programmes can act as the bridge that can connect colleagues and, when done efficiently, help build connection and meaning in the hybrid workspace.A 2021 survey by Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC) found that a large number of businesses and HR leaders worldwide noticed a rise in productivity during the pandemic due to hybrid and remote working systems; however, less than one-third of leaders surveyed were confident they were cultivating high levels of trust between teams and team leaders.Mentorship opportunities among peers and more experienced colleagues develop skills and talent, allowing new team members to become entrenched in the organisational workings, clients, and fellow team members. Traditionally, mentorship programmes were an opportunity to work together on projects, create strategies, or work on client pitches. These collaborations effectively become a deliberate platform for teaching, coaching, networking, and developing talent.A hybrid work environment challenges business leaders to create a balance between in-person and digital working mentorship sessions.Reimagining mentorship may be part of the solution for building professional connections, developing careers, and creating a sense of belonging in new workplace setups. Fashioning a new mould for mentoring programmes can help organisations address the unmet needs of todays workforce.Creating connection and support between employees and retaining high potential junior talent and ensuring strong post-pandemic succession planning requires consistent and committed mentoring relationships.The challenge in the hybrid work system is to build relationships between leaders and their teams that balance in-person and digital meetings, ensuring team members receive the proper training and skills development at the right time in their careers.Regardless of what the workspace looks like post-pandemic, the three key mentoring structures remain:Naturally, the best mentorship programmes are the ones where all parties involved learn alongside each other. In a mixed medium environment, hybrid systems allow for greater perspectives, diversity and learning initiatives.Researchers David Megginson and David Clutterbuck, co-founders of the European Mentoring & Coaching Council, indicate that the two most important components for effective mentoring, regardless of the platform, are building rapport and creating clarity of purpose.These core components are addressed by investing time in meaningful connections with team members, both online and in person.Rapport is established through mutual trust, respect and a strong communication connection. Guided conversational questions become essential in understanding employees' strengths, weaknesses, and desires for professional growth. Planned topics lead to interesting and relevant discussions between team leaders and team members while simultaneously creating clarity and purpose within the mentorship sessions.In a hybrid work environment, it is important to create such rapport through face-to-face (in-person or online) mentorship opportunities as well as understand how interactive mentoring can be facilitated through virtual workspaces. We further investigate these mentorship approaches below.A key contributor to meaningful mentorship is authentic human connection and relationship building. Having face time with team members, especially those newly onboarded or young talent, is a great way to get to know them personally, understand their goals, and determine where they want to develop within the organisation.In a hybrid mentorship setup, mentors must take advantage of the time they spend with their mentees in person. Having constructive discussions, forming connections and establishing open lines of communication and trust are best achieved through both formal and informal in-person meetings. Connecting with team members on a deeper, more personal level and going beyond office small talk is beneficial for establishing a personal connection and gauging overall contentment.One-on-one in-person mentorship guidance often allows for greater interpretation of check-in goals as body language plays a significant role in how questions and answers are understood. Take note that these subtle nuances might easily be missed on virtual channels. Understanding how team members express themselves in social environments often allows for a greater appreciation of these subtexts in a virtual mentorship capacity. It is thus essential that management create opportunities for team members and team leaders to interact in person, especially when team members are matched with a mentor in a different geographical location.Contact mentoring creates a great space for participants to work together in an interactive environment and is optimal for new team member induction, soft skill training, brainstorming, planning and feedback. Although online sessions are more likely to stay within allocated time allotments, in-person contact sessions might, in some scenarios, save time and close the gap for situations of miscommunication.To optimise one-on-one mentoring, accessible hours must be considered, for both in-person and telephonic sessions, to create a harmonious and effective time schedule.In most hybrid work environments, all the tools to connect in a hybrid system are already in play; however, for successful mentorship programmes to take place, it is important to emphasise the right connection tools relevant to the team. Team leaders and mentors are encouraged to be more intentional about how these tools are to be used to facilitate optimal engagement and connection with team members.Implementing a multi-pronged approach in mentorship programmes can foster a productive relationship and confirm alignment between individual goals and organisational needs.As the central principles of mentorship remain the same, regardless of the shift online, both parties involved will have to commit to finding ways to connect and make the desired communication connection meaningful.Online tools can facilitate feedback in the virtual space and allow for simplified guidance through informal digital interactions creating a comfortable rapport between team leaders and team members.Recognising how significantly personal and professional lives are intersected in a hybrid model is a powerful basis for building an online relationship. In the virtual space, human connection creates a space in which both parties acknowledge that children and pets have become part of the adjusted work/life business space. Finding ways to embrace the differences in working styles and turning the limitations into another method of learning will help create a great mentorship environment online.Digital tools allowing for synchronised working are a great asset to online mentoring as both parties are actively engaged on the same document or job and are able to take pride in the joint progress made as a team. The ability to transcribe and record online mentoring sessions also enables team leaders to reflect on past conversations and acknowledge growth patterns.As significant as virtual mentorship can be, it will be key to consider elements of screen fatigue and email overwhelm, being mindful of preventing mentorship initiatives from being seen as task-oriented relationships.In conclusion, a successfully nurtured hybrid mentorship programme will re-activate a culture of learning and collaboration that will significantly benefit all. Team members with access to positive mentoring relationships ensue numerous personal and professional benefits. When mentoring is a discernible element of company culture, retention and advancement of talented new team members are enhanced. Restructuring mentorship programmes to fit the hybrid work model, including outlining clear success metrics, can ensure both the organisation and its teams thrive.Like work itself, mentoring is defined less by the medium in which it is accomplished than by the outcomes delivered. As our personal and professional worlds continue to intertwine, companies who embrace the reality of a hybrid work model and adapt to the change with thoughtful mentorship opportunities, will be rewarded with team members who are loyal, skilled, eager and willing to adapt to any change the future might hold. The war in Ukraine has stifled South Africa's citrus exports to Russia and driven input costs higher, further squeezing fruit producers already suffering from spiralling shipping costs, an industry body said. Source: Hans via Pixabay The war, which started on 24 February, blocked South Africa's citrus shipments to Russia in the immediate aftermath, Citrus Growers Association of Southern Africa (CGA) chief executive Justin Chadwick told Reuters.Although shipments to Russia have since resumed, exports have slumped as producers concerned about payments and shipping delays explore other markets."Since then, the United Kingdom's share of soft citrus has increased from 24% to 61%, at the expense of Russia decreasing from 32% to 5%," Chadwick said.The Middle East and South East Asia were also taking up more of South Africa's mandarins and grapefruit, respectively.South Africa's total citrus exports to Russia has fallen by nearly 70% on a year-to-date basis compared with the same period last year, according to CGA data.South Africa shipped 11.2 million 15 kg cartons of citrus fruit last year to Russia, its fifth biggest export market, according to the industry group.But the biggest impact of the war has been the surge in oil and gas prices, Chadwick said. "The war has also resulted in a major hike in fertiliser, fuel and agrochemical prices, which will continue to place strain on Southern African citrus growers and farmers across the world."The war has also hit shipping, Chadwick said, with major European ports used by South African fruit exporters being heavily congested as all Russia-bound containers are scanned, extending transit times to 90 days from the usual 24 days.Before the war, the industry was already grappling with sky-rocketing shipping costs, which jumped by about 150% over the past year, according to Chadwick."At these levels, it now costs between 2 and 2.5 times as much to ship the fruit as it does to produce it over the course of an entire year," he said. Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries SUBSCRIBE The World Economic Forums annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, has just ended. The theme of the five-day event, Working Together, Restoring Trust, was both vague and troubling, in equal measures. Remember, this is the WEF we are discussing here, an international organization actively pushing The Great Reset. The theme could just as easily have read: Suffering Together, Restoring Compliance. Among the many issues discussed, members focused on the spread of misinformation and disinformation. How, they asked, can the proliferation of harmful content be combatted? Its easy, they answered, how about introducing digital IDs? The WEF recently rolled out the Global Coalition for Digital Safety, an initiative designed to accelerate public-private cooperation to tackle harmful content online. In an effort to remedy the scourge of malicious material, the WEF has brought together a diverse group of leaders who are well placed to exchange best practices for new online safety regulation and help millions of connected citizens improve digital media literacy. These diverse leaders include head executives at the likes of Google, Microsoft, Interpol, and a number of government ministers. Another coalition member is Yoti, a company that strives to make the internet a safer place. How so? Through the use of digital IDs. The dangers posed by digital IDs cannot be emphasized enough. As the researcher Brett Solomona man who has tracked the advantages and perils of technology for human rights for well over a decadepreviously noted, the mass rollout of digital IDs poses one of the gravest risks to human rights of any technology that we have encountered. As we rush headlong into a future where new technologies will converge to make this risk much more severe, we must prepare ourselves for the dawn of near-perfect facial recognition technology and other identifiers, from the human gait to breath to iris, according to Solomon. According to the tech researcher, biometric databases of the not-too-distant future will be centralized in nature. Opaque in the extreme, our data will be harvested by the people in the highest positions imaginableyou know, the kind of people who travel to Davos for polite debates. Moreover, added Solomon, throw geolocation of identifiers into the mix, and you have a recipe for absolute chaos. Such identifiers track youmore specifically, the digital youin real time. You can run all you want, but you cannot hide. The Panopticon Gets a Digital Upgrade Canada, a country with close ties to the WEF, is actively considering the use of digital IDs. According to the Canada Gazette, the countrys prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has spoken with airlines about introducing digital identity documents and biometric travel documents. Catherine Luelo, Canadas chief information officer, has also spoken about the need for digital identity. Luelo is currently spearheading Canadas digital innovation strategy, which seeks to introduce digital IDs across the entire public sector. Canadas plan is part of a broader plan, one that was initiated by the World Economic Forum. In a white paper released last year, authors at the WEF discussed the many ways in which digital ID programs will become an integral part of the financial services industry. Resistance is futile. Digital IDs may soon be the norm. In the United States, as analysts at Reclaim The Net recently reported, the U.S. Postal Service is pushing for the introduction of digital IDs. The USPS wants to have a more prominent role in biometric data collection and digital ID services. More worryingly, the USPS has already partnered with the General Services Administration (GSA) and the FBI, two prominent biometric data collection pilots. The bad news doesnt end there. As I have discussed elsewhere, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) also wants your face. Digital IDs Are Not Compatible With Democracy Freedom House, an international group that was established to promote the idea of democracy, recently warned that when it comes to respecting democratic norms, like the right to privacy, the United States is going backward. The countrys democratic institutions have suffered erosion, as reflected in partisan pressure on the electoral process, bias and dysfunction in the criminal justice system, harmful policies on immigration and asylum seekers, and growing disparities in wealth, economic opportunity, and political influence, Freedom House argued. Yes, but what about digital surveillance? What about the governments desire (and the organizations closely affiliated with the government) to spy on the American people? What about the push to mine people for data and use the information gathered to manipulate and control? For those who doubt that the United States is backsliding, please note that Argentina and Mongolia now rank higher on the democracy ladder, according to a Freedom House 2021 report. Who is to blame for the regression? The very people elected to keep citizens safe. The United States is fast becoming a first-world country with third-world protections for its people. No one should be happy about this. Well, almost no one, except, perhaps, the elites in Davos. Reposted from the Epoch Times 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. We know it is early, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pointed out on Thursday, to be talking about diplomatic posts for the likes of ALP royalty like Kristina Keneally and Kevin Rudd. But speculation is the currency in which we deal here at CBD, so lets go. Kristina Keneallys gone through a difficult election campaign. I wish her well. Im sure [a diplomatic posting] is the last thing on her mind, the PM said yesterday, not exactly ruling out the prospect of Ambassador KK. A diplomatic post may not be on her mind but it is on ours. Kristina Keneally lost the previously safe seat of Fowler after a backlash from angry locals. Credit:Nick Moir The real question is will Keneally break the 12-month lease of the Liverpool residence she rented back in November, in the hope she would be the member for Fowler? Or will she offer her suburban south-western Sydney home to a poor refugee family as she hotfoots it back to idyllic Scotland Island? KENNEDYS SEE RED Heard explained that she receives death threats and has been mocked for her testimony about being assaulted, which she described as agonising and painful. Depp has denied he ever struck Heard and has maintained Heard 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. Depp testified Wednesday, calling Heards accusations insane. Its fair to say that the online treatment of Heard has bordered on inhumane. The 36-year-old actress is at best a headline, at worst a punchline. Heard specifically made a note of the courtroom cameras in her takedown, and theres no denying the volume of material has been a significant enabler in the meme-ification of the trial. In America, the trial is airing on Court TV while simultaneously being live-streamed on YouTube, which has undoubtedly helped fuel the internet dumpster fire. Every agonising facial twitch, every sidelong glance, seized upon by bored TikTokers, packaged up and fed into the algorithm. During her testimony on May 4, Heard recalled the moment her dog stepped on a bee before breaking down in tears. Within hours the dog stepped on a bee line had gone viral (it even has its own page on Know Your Meme), with social media quick to mock Heards fake display of emotions. In her closing, Heard also claimed that Depp had promised to ruin her, and that the trial represented an opportunity to take her voice back. Johnny promised me he would ruin me. Hed ruin my career and take my life from me. Death was the only way out and if I got out, this is what hed do to me. He promised me global humiliation, she said. Johnny has taken enough of my voice, she said. I have the right to tell my story. But as Heard now undoubtedly understands, telling your story is only one part of the process. Once that story is in the public domain, it can be mocked, questioned, and repurposed until all that remains are many TikTok videos featuring the poo emoji and the hashtag #AmberTurd. Unfortunately, for everyone involved, it seems global humiliation is the one thing all parties will take home from this bruising courtroom battle. Depps career was in tatters before the trial, and it seems unlikely to be rehabilitated through this process. Loading Meanwhile, its unlikely Heard will recover from the public evisceration of this trial, at least in the short term. As it stands, a petition titled Remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2 on Change.org has 4.3 million signatures and counting. The only thing we can be thankful for at this point is that the trial has finally come to an end. But when you step back from the wreckage, it becomes obvious there are no winners here, not Depp, not Heard, not the legal system. No winners, except maybe the social media platforms who create the content mills we all churn through with little to no care as to the human impact. Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). Catholic school teachers walk off the job calling for a pay rise Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss When he used the word love, which was often, you knew it came from somewhere true. So many people are crook on their fellows, but I just look for the love in people, he said in his waning years. We had become friends by then, partly, I think, because hed learned my mother had been born in May 1921 - the same month and year as him. Every May hed call, asking me to pass on best wishes to your lovely mother, though he never met her. There was a courtliness to him. Among the thousands of stories about Uren, one from Brisbanes Boggo Road Prison tells much. In the heady 1960s and 70s, when protest meant taking to the streets, Uren could be found regularly at the head of marches demonstrating against everything from war to nuclear proliferation to developers who wanted to rip down beautiful old inner-city streetscapes. Queensland was under the boot those days of Joh Bjelke-Petersen, whose idea of control - apart from allowing corruption to rip - was to turn Queensland into a police state. Bjelke-Petersens decision to ban street marches by outlawing any public gathering of more than three people was akin to waving a red rag at a man like Uren. Tom Uren sits in the back of a police van after being arrested in Brisbane in January 1979, one of several encounters with the regime of Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Credit:Age archive In October 1978, he headed north from his home in Sydney to lead a march through Brisbane against the northern regimes laws. Inevitably the police waded in, truncheons thumping. Uren was among those arrested and hauled off to Boggo Road, a notoriously brutal place that in the 70s doubled as a political jail. Uren didnt get the treatment Bjelke-Petersen might have hoped for. One of the guards, Stephen M. Gage, author of the 2009 publication Boggo Road Prison: Riots to Ruin 1976-2008, recalled Urens arrival. I was one of many officers on duty on the day they bought Tom Uren into the Reception Division for processing; all officers were told not to salute Mr Uren, Gage wrote. As the vehicle pulled up and Tom was ordered to stand in front of the reception window, I and many other officers saluted this man for what he stood for. The senior prison officers present could not stop the junior officers from saluting and speaking respectfully to Tom Uren, but the surprise was yet to come. The most senior officer present was the Chief Superintendent of Boggo Road Prison, Mr Clyde Lang, who was also a POW on the Burma Railway and a comrade-in-arms with Tom Uren. Later on that afternoon both Tom and Clyde left the prison to have dinner and no doubt drinks to their friendship from so many years ago. Uren wasnt any ordinary prisoner, of course. Hed been a Labor politician for 20 years by then, and would remain in federal parliament for another 12 years. Hed been deputy leader of the Labor Party from 1975 to 1977. But the years that formed him and earned him such respect were those of World War II, after hed been captured on Timor and made a slave of the Japanese on the Burma-Thailand Railway, aged 21. Like the other prisoners, he was starved, beaten and worked close to death. Fed barely enough to keep a child alive, he was forced to swing a heavy sledgehammer, a mate holding a drill, to form holes for dynamite and carve the deep mountain cutting known among the slave gangs as Hammer and Tap and, more descriptively, as Hellfire Pass. The godforsaken place looked and felt like hellfire at night as the killing work continued, the cutting lit by blazing infernos. Tom Uren (third from right) in an internment camp for Japanese prisoners of war who were used as slave labour. Credit:Age archive Initially required to drill 80 centimetres a day, Uren and his mate were forced to complete three metres each day during the dreaded speedo period of 1943, which meant no rest for up to 18 hours, seven days a week. Uren had been a heavyweight boxer back in Sydney and despite starvation, his build set him apart. I have walked part of the old death railway and visited Hellfire Pass several times, and during these excursions I met several former prisoners who told me of Uren placing his big body in front of fellow prisoners to prevent them being beaten to death by furious Japanese and Korean prison guards. Tom would take the beating for smaller men, an old man told me once as we stood in the gloom of Hellfire Pass. When, years ago, I put this to Uren, he conceded hed been knocked around, as he put it. Loading Ive been hit with open hands, closed fists, pieces of wood, iron bars and bamboo about two inches in diameter, he said, eyes closed at the memories. Towards the end of the war, Uren was shoved into the hold of a Japanese hell ship - with little food, water, ventilation or space, POW carriers earned their hell titles - and transported to Japan. There, he slaved in a copper smelter at Saganoseki and at a lead smelting works at Omuta. On August 9, 1945, he saw the sky turn an unearthly colour when the Fat Man atomic bomb was dropped on the distant port of Nagasaki. Neville Wran and Tom Uren (third from left) at a nuclear disarmament rally in Sydney in March 1986. Credit:Peter Solness If youve ever seen one of those glorious sunsets they get in northern Australia, it was about 20 times as vivid as that, he said. The bomb ended the war and freed Tom Uren from his years of torment. The POW experience destroyed the lives and nerves of many of those who survived, but Uren resolved to frame the lessons he learned into a philosophy by which to live and grow. Principal among those lessons was the effort of his commander on the death railway, the surgeon Edward Weary Dunlop, to harness the means of the entire camp for the good of all. Dunlop ordered Australian officers - who received a small allowance - to contribute to a fund to buy simple medicines and black market food for sick POWs. No such system existed among the nearby British camps, where officers stayed aloof from the ordinary men, who died at a dreadful rate. Collectivism, decided Uren, was the key to saving society. He distilled the philosophy to a single sentence. The healthy looked after the sick, the strong looked after the weak, the young looked after the old, hed tell anyone whod listen. And so, when in the early 1980s he became aware of a young Sydney University firebrand named Anthony Albanese - a leftist member of the Student Representative Council - the young man was to hear his elders anthem. In fact, Uren and the other tough men of the old NSW Labor Left Arthur Gietzelt, Jack Ferguson and Bruce Childs identified Albanese, aged 20, as a potential future leader. They knew he was raised without a father, and felt he needed the guidance of a strong male role model. Uren, then minister for local government, stepped in, gave Albanese his first real job - as a research officer - and never stepped away. Anthony Albanese with the late Labor politician Tom Uren in the Sydney seat of Mackellar in 2010. Credit:Simon Alekna In 1987, he took Albanese to South-east Asia - the young mans first trip abroad. In Thailand, Uren took Albanese to Hellfire Pass. Albanese held the big mans arm as they walked into the deep cutting, fearful Uren would faint beneath the storm of his memories. Jackson Pollocks Blue Poles may be considered the National Gallery of Australias most commercially valuable painting, but the 200 poles of the Aboriginal Memorial are now considered its most culturally important. We have our Blue Poles, but we now consider our black poles our most significant work in terms of what they mean to Australians, said Wierdi man Bruce Johnson McLean, the NGAs assistant director, Indigenous engagement. Original artist-curator, Djon Mundine poses for a portrait amongst The Aboriginal Memorial at the National Gallery of Australia. Credit:Rohan Thomson As of next Wednesday, the painted hollow log coffins will be moved from their current location near the entrance foyer to the most central gallery on level one, the heart of the NGA. The cultural significance of the move is an important moment not just for its Yolngu creators during Reconciliation Week, but also the nation as it moves towards accepting the Uluru Statement from the Heart, under the new Labor government. In the weeks before she vanished, Lynette told her sister, Patricia Jenkins, that Dawson was always so angry with her and described him as having black eyes flashing. With Lynettes whereabouts still a mystery 40 years after she left her Bayview home, her brother, Greg Simms, said in his evidence: I would like an answer to my sisters disappearance. Lynettes last contact On her last day of work, as a nurse at Warriewood Childrens Centre on January 8, 1982, Lynette arrived hand-in-hand with Dawson after marriage counselling. She hoped they could move forward and work together, her colleagues said. The Crown alleges Dawson killed Lynette on or around that date, alone or with others, and disposed of her body, motivated by his desire to have an unfettered relationship with JC. Dawson, now 73, says he dropped his wife off at a Mona Vale bus stop on January 9, and, instead of meeting him as they had arranged at Northbridge Baths, she called him to say she would not be returning home that day. Dawsons barrister Pauline David said subsequent phone calls were made by Lynette before he reported his wife missing on February 18, 1982. A newspaper advertisement, published on March 27, the day after their wedding anniversary, read: Lyn I love you, we all miss you. Please ring. We want you home, Chris. Annette Leary, who worked with Lynette, said a couple of months after her disappearance, she had seen Dawson with JC and the two little girls at a shopping centre. He said he had a letter from Lyn, and she was in Queensland, and he didnt know when she was coming back, Leary said. She denied she was mistaken about the letter, and said hed had a call too. Loading Dawson told police that, in the calls from Lynette, she said she needed some time away. He also mentioned a man from a religious sect being at the house. His barrister claims failures plagued the police investigation, including delays and lost records, and vital evidence consistent with Lynette Dawson being alive after January 8 and 9 was not available. The Crown is seeking to disprove reported sightings of Lynette after January 9, including at Kulnura on the Central Coast, Curl Curl, Gladesville and Macquarie Street in the city. The defence argues Lynette had reasons to disappear. Chris Dawson and the babysitter Dawson, who played rugby league for the Newtown Jets, met JC in 1980 when she was in year 11, and he was her physical education teacher. She started babysitting his children about July of that year. A card that babysitter and former student JC says she was given by Chris Dawson. He told me that he had seen me in the playground the year before, when I was 15, and decided that he would like to get to know me better because I was attractive to him, JC, now 57, said during her four days in the stand. She said that, whenever she had biology, Dawson would leave love notes in her schoolbag. JC moved into his Bayview home in October 1981 amid what the court has heard was a horrendous family life while finishing the HSC. Lynettes colleagues said she told them Chris was pressing her on it and, being the caring person that she was, she wanted to help. Lyn was not happy about this because she felt they had problems they needed to sort out between them before they brought anyone else into the home, her sister-in-law Merilyn Simms said. Neighbour Julie Andrew said she witnessed the teenager walking around in G-string bikini bottoms, while Strath said Lynette had once told her about coming home and finding JC naked in their pool. Childcare worker Anna Grantham said Lynette looked very sad one day after going home to find Dawsons swimming trunks and JCs bikini bottoms on the line. I think she felt that her husband had lost interest in her, Lynettes former boss Barbara Cruise said. JC said she had usually only worn bikini bottoms while swimming as it was just the fashion then. Loading By November 1981, JC had moved out, after she says she was confronted by Lynette, who said, Youve been taking liberties with my husband. JC said that, at some point in those two months, Dawson drove her somewhere west, possibly inner west, and parked outside a building with a chain fence, while she stayed in the car in her uniform. He said, I went inside to get a hitman to kill Lyn, but then I decided I couldnt do it because innocent people could be hurt. In the days before Christmas 1981, JC, then 17, and Dawson left Sydney to start a new life together in Queensland. But JC said they didnt make it and returned because she was sick and unhappy. Chris shot through left Lyn and two girls on their own, Lynettes mother, Helena Simms, wrote in her diary. In a letter to Jenkins, her elder daughter, Simms said it was the saddest Xmas Ive had. Lyn wants Chris to go to see the Doc ... to see what is making him so angry with her, she wrote. Jenkins said she last spoke to her sister on January 1, 1982, when Chris had gone on a yachting party without his wife and children. She said theyd had such a sad Christmas, could he drive them down to the park, and they could sit and watch the boats? And he said no. Asked by the Crown what her plan had been for her future with Dawson, JC said, there was a lot of pressure to stay with him, and I was just a child. In early January 1982, she travelled to South West Rocks for a holiday with her sisters and friends, calling Dawsons home number every day on a public phone because he asked me to, she said. He said he missed me terribly, couldnt live without me. She said Dawson told her, Lyns gone, shes not coming back. Come and help me look after the children and be with me. Moving into Bayview JC said Dawson collected her about January 10, 11 or 12 and moved her straight back into his home, which was bursting with clothes and still had Lynettes underwear in the drawers. She was quizzed by the defence about her first police statement, in which she said this happened on January 15 and 16. JC said the dates had been corrected and denied she was misleading the court. Chris Dawson and JC on their wedding day. JC said the topic of Lynettes whereabouts did not come up in conversation unless she got so cranky about taking care of the girls and learning to cook and clean, when she wanted to be an 18-year-old with my friends doing what they were doing. [I was] having to learn to be the substitute housekeeper, sex slave, stepmother, babysitter. Slave, just a slave, she claimed. JC and Dawson married in January 1984. The wedding ring was made from scratch to match his one that he had left over from his first marriage, JC said. The diamond ring was made using the diamonds from Lyns engagement ring and eternity ring that she left. When she separated from Dawson in 1990, JC met Lynettes brother and his wife and told them about the hitman allegation. Asked in his evidence whether he had taken the view Dawson was guilty, Greg Simms replied, I believe so, yes. A school friend, who ran into JC after her marriage breakdown, said JC had told her Dawson once parked and took something out of the glove box, which she felt had been money to pay someone to kill Lyn. The substance of what she [JC] said was that she believed Lyn had been murdered, the woman said. Under cross-examination, JC denied being on a mission to destroy Dawson. Loading He will destroy himself for what hes done to people, and to me, and to Lyn, she said. In addition to recalling decades-old memories, witnesses have been peppered with defence questions about discussions shared over the years and their involvement in The Australians podcast, The Teachers Pet. David said it was entirely understandable that Lynettes loved ones would like an answer, but the answer did not lie in the prosecution of Dawson. The judge-alone trial before Justice Ian Harrison commenced on May 9 and has a six-week estimate. NSW paramedics have begun industrial action that will include them not logging billing information and remaining at their home station area for the five-day campaign. People who call 000 will still have an ambulance respond, but will not be billed for it. Groaning under the strain: NSW Ambulances are struggling to cope with huge demand. Credit:Jessica Hromas Starting on Friday night and ending on Wednesday, paramedics are taking the action as they bid for 1500 extra staff, the establishment of a specialist community care network and a pay rise. The Australian Paramedics Association is also demanding the state government implement the recommendations of the Regional Healthcare Inquiry and a review of the patient triaging system. Brisbane-based barrister Lincoln Crowley, QC, has become the first Indigenous judge to preside over one of the countrys superior courts following his appointment to the Supreme Court of Queensland. A Warramunga man whose father was in the army, Crowley grew up in Charters Towers near Townsville and studied law at James Cook University before working in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service. Lincoln Crowley pictured in Sydney in 2017. Credit:James Alcock He was first called to the bar in 2003 in Sydney, working largely in crime, personal injury, anti-discrimination and employment law. He also did a stint with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions before returning to Brisbane and private practice. Crowley has since worked on high-profile cases, including as the Crown prosecutor of insider-trader Oliver Curtis, and senior counsel assisting the disability royal commission. He also became the first Indigenous barrister in Queensland to attain the title of Queens Counsel in late 2018. Paris has art deco metro entrances, London is known for its red pillar-box bins, and Melbourne has curly bike racks and bluestone kerbs. But Victorians are looking beyond their stainless steel seats for inspiration from around the world as the design of Melbournes street furniture comes under review for the first time. Examples of street benches from around the world, including Melbournes stainless steel seats in Bourke Street Mall. Credit:Joe Armao, BIG The citys draft design and construction standards are now open for public consultation. They set out guidelines for everything from the integration of dog bowls and bottle refill taps into drinking fountains to the appearance of rubbish bins (stainless steel is preferred, except in heritage precincts where they are Brunswick green). Acting Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece said Melbourne was already renowned for the design of its street furniture, city lights and signage, as well as the quality of materials in the public realm. Kerrs words will be put to the test soon enough. That very bill is once again the subject of renegotiation in Congress. Senate leaders plan to hold a vote on the issue when the chamber returns from its Memorial Day break next Tuesday. Will the Senate deadlock finally be broken? Hardening schools This is a concept being pushed by fierce defenders of the Second Amendment, such as Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who tweeted this week: Enough is enough. We need to act by hardening school security and hiring armed police officers to keep our kids safe. Texas senator Ted Cruz. Credit:AP The idea is that instead of gun control, schools should become more like airports in the aftermath of September 11. This could involve arming teachers and administrators; increasing the presence of law-enforcement officers; or reducing the number of entrances at a school to make it more difficult for shooters to get in. Certain states have already adopted such proposals. Texas, for instance, supports districts that want to arm their teachers with training. According to its education agency, it has more than 250 school staff serving as marshalls. Students are emotional as they gather by the Barnett Intermediate School where parents are gathering to pick up their children following a shooting at Santa Fe High School in 2018 Credit:Marie D. De Jesus Other schools reduced the number of entrances in the wake of the Santa Fe High School shooting of 2018, when a student killed eight classmates and two teachers at a school just outside of Houston. And Cruz himself has previously introduced legislation that proposed giving $US300 million ($420 million) in federal grants to harden schools with bulletproof doors and windows, along with more armed officers, but the Democrats blocked his bill. This mass murderer came in through an unlocked door at the back of the school, Cruz lamented on Fox News. If those federal grants could have gone to this school, the armed police officers could have taken him out. Banning assault weapons One week ago, days after losing her grandmother in the Buffalo mass shooting, 24-year-old Kayla Jones proposed something Australia achieved long ago in the aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre: getting rid of assault weapons altogether. People embrace outside the scene of the Buffalo massacre. Credit:AP Its getting ridiculous - were tired of burying loved ones to gun violence and hate, she said, moments after the president met families of the victims gunned down in the racially motivated attack. I truly believe that if we cant get the guns off the streets, we should just make it illegal to have them. Why do we need them? It was a fair question and one that gun-reform advocates are once again asking. Legislation passed in 1994 prohibiting the manufacture, transfer and possession of about 118 firearm models and all magazines holding more than 10 rounds. However, the ban expired in 2004. Biden is now calling on Congress to revive the bill. Loading I spent my career as a senator and as vice president working to pass commonsense gun laws, he said on Tuesday, after hearing about the Robb Elementary shooting on his way home from a Quad meeting in Asia. We cant and wont prevent every tragedy. But we know they work and have a positive impact. When we passed the assault weapons ban, mass shootings went down. When the law expired, mass shootings tripled. Red flag laws Maybe just maybe this is an idea that could receive enough bipartisan support to get over the line. The proposal would involve giving grants to states that introduce red flag laws, which are designed to ensure that people who exhibit signs of being dangerous to themselves or others can be denied access to guns by order of a judge. A number of states have these laws, but this proposal which is now being discussed informally by a small group of Senate Democrats and Republicans could create greater national consistency. Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy, who gave an impassioned speech on Tuesday begging his colleagues to finally act on gun reform, is among the senators leading the latest push, almost a decade after he called for similar laws following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in his state. So, too, is fellow Connecticut Democrat Richard Blumenthal, who said this week that he had been working for years with Republican senator Lindsey Graham on an incentive scheme. Others reportedly involved in the preliminary talks include Republican senator Susan Collins and renegade Democrat Kyrsten Sinema. It remains unclear how effective such a law would be. Buffalo shooter Payton Gendron, for instance, evaded New Yorks red flag laws that could have prevented him from owning a gun. But at least, its the start of a dialogue. Beefing up the gun watchdog Loading Theres a federal law-enforcement agency in the US that has the authority to respond to gun crimes. Its the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The trouble is, the ATF, as its more commonly known, hasnt had a director for seven years. According to Senate Judiciary chair Dick Durbin, the delay is political. Gun groups want it to go vacant; they dont want the agency doing its job, he said yesterday. The ATF has operated with a string of acting directors ever since 2015 when the last chief stood down. Bidens first nominee for the post withdrew amid opposition from gun industry groups and some politicians. Former president Donald Trumps nominee, a leader of the nations most powerful police union, also failed to win Senate confirmation to fill the spot. Loading Biden has now nominated former federal prosecutor Steven Dettelbach to be the ATPs new director and has asked the Senate to confirm him as soon as possible. Bendigo Bank has topped the list of Australias most trusted banks in an independent survey conducted by market research firm Roy Morgan. In the quarterly survey, which ranks a range of companies, Bendigo Banks trust ranking rose from 16th to 14th, reinforcing its position in the top 20. Bendigo Bank was the only bank that made the top 20 and its now the most trusted full service financial services institution in Australia. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank CEO and managing director Marnie Baker (pictured) thanked the 7,000 employees across the group for putting customers at the centre of everything the bank does and delivering the result. Our vision is to be Australia's bank of choice and we believe our success is driven by our purpose to feed into the prosperity of our customers and communities, not off them, Baker said. Read more: Adelaide Bank transforms technology platform The findings were contained in Roy Morgans quarterly update which allows consumers to describe in their own words why they trust or distrust a brand and uses the latest data and insights from more than 60,000 Australians. The outstanding result for Bendigo Bank follows Roy Morgans latest banking satisfaction ratings released last week, which revealed Bendigo Bank home loan customers were the most satisfied of any bank operating in Australia. In April, it also won the Readers Digest 2022 Bank of the Year Award. Read more: First-home buyers fear being priced out Whether it's buying your first home, upgraded home, investment property or saving with us, we can put you on the path to where you want to go, Baker said. Trust is a must, a key consideration when it comes to choosing your bank and Bendigo Bank will always put you, your family and your business first when it comes to providing your banking, investment and other financial services requirements. China determined to jointly advance international human rights cause for greater benefit of people across the world with other parties 09:04, May 27, 2022 By He Yin ( People's Daily Chinese President Xi Jinping meets via video link with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in Beijing, May 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) Chinese President Xi Jinping met via video link with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in Beijing on May 25. During the meeting, he expounded on major issues regarding Chinas human rights cause in the context of Chinas history and culture, and reaffirmed the principled position of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government in upholding and protecting human rights in all areas. After decades of strenuous efforts, China has successfully found a path of human rights development in line with the trend of the times and its national reality, and provides better protection for the human rights of the Chinese people than ever. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a responsible major country, China has always upheld the spirits of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, actively participated in global human rights governance, and earnestly fulfilled its international human rights obligations. China has ratified or joined 28 international human rights instruments, including six core UN human rights treaties, and successfully participated in three rounds of Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), becoming a role model of compliance. It has served as member of the UNHRC for five times, one of the most elected countries to the council. A fruit farmer picks cherries at an orchard in Zhongzhuang township, Yiyuan county, Zibo city, east Chinas Shandong province, May 24, 2022. (Peoples Daily Online/Zhang Kuifa) These facts and achievements not only represent the international communitys recognition of Chinas human rights progress, but show Chinas sincerity in actively conducting human rights dialogues and cooperation. To jointly advance the international human rights cause for the greater benefit of people across the world, Xi believes it is most important to work on the following four priorities: putting people front and center, respecting different countries paths of human rights development, following a holistic approach to all categories of human rights and stepping up global human rights governance. These four priorities, which were drawn from Chinas experience in driving the development of human rights cause, are issues that countries should pay special attention to in advancing international human rights cause. How a country is doing on human rights is essentially gauged by whether the interests of its people are upheld, and whether they enjoy a growing sense of fulfillment, happiness and security, which is the most important criterion for assessing the human rights conditions of a country, Xi said. Human rights have historical, specific and practical contexts, he pointed out, stressing that since countries have different national conditions, histories, cultures, social systems and levels of economic and social development, they should and can only explore suitable paths of human rights development in light of their national realities and peoples needs. Children play games at a kindergarten in Huaxi subdistrict, Changxing county, Huzhou city, east Chinas Zhejiang province, May 25, 2022. (Peoples Daily Online/Xu Binhua) Human rights are a rich and all-encompassing concept, and must be advanced with integrated and systematic measures, Xi said. The promotion and protection of human rights is a common cause for humanity that requires the concerted efforts of all, according to Xi. Xis suggestions have further charted the way forward for strengthening international exchanges and cooperation on human rights and improving global human rights governance. Over the years, China has actively conducted human rights dialogues and cooperation, contributing to the development of the international human rights cause. China has actively expanded exchanges and cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), cooperated with the special procedures of the UNHRC, and conducted human rights dialogues and exchanges with the U.S., the U.K., and the European Union as well as human rights consultations with Russia, Egypt and the African Union. Through exchanges conducted at home and abroad by social organizations, China has promoted mutual understanding and strengthened mutual trust among people from different countries, enriching the connotations of human rights and enhancing consensus on human rights. In September 2019, the Chinese government launched a foreign aid human resource development cooperation project in Vanuatu, under which Chinese experts taught agricultural technicians in Vanuatu how to build, use and maintain vegetable greenhouses, in a bid to help local people effectively solve the difficulty in planting vegetables during the rainy season. (Photo/China International Development Cooperation Agency) On the UNHRC and other multilateral occasions, China has shared its experience in the development of human rights with the international community, and promoted the incorporation of important concepts such as building a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting human rights through development, and facilitating win-win cooperation in human rights into UN resolutions, enriching the international human rights discourse system. When it comes to human rights issues, there is no such thing as a flawless utopia; countries do not need patronizing lecturers; still less should human rights issues be politicized, judged with double standards, or used as a tool or a pretext to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. Some Western countries, which have long been condescendingly lecturing other countries on human rights, have harped on others human rights situation and yet turned a blind eye to the serious human rights problems back home, which is typical act of double standard and hegemony. While exercising its rights in accordance with the law and speaking up for justice, China has made joint speeches on behalf of countries with similar views at the UNHRC for many times, telling true stories of human rights in China and exposing human rights violations in a few Western countries. In doing so, the country has not only firmly defended international fairness and justice and safeguarded the sovereignty and dignity of developing countries, but vigorously promoted international exchanges and cooperation on human rights as well as the healthy and orderly development of global human rights governance. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Drone manufacturers are looking to double headcount in their organisations to develop new products and tap new markets in India and abroad. This comes on the back of fresh funding and policy initiatives that have simplified the production and operation of . Our staff strength is 60 and we expect to double the number in the coming quarter. Most of the new hires will be on the technology side in drone design, engineering, and pilots. We are also looking for people in senior roles in sales for our defence and private sector contracts, said Aakash Sinha, founder and chief executive officer of Omnipresent Robot Tech, a Delhi NCR-based firm that provides to the government for mapping villages and oil for inspection and surveys. ALSO READ - Making of India's drone economy He said business sentiment has improved in the last six months. We are getting larger orders from the government and private customers. We are about to bag a Rs 50-crore order from a state government, which will be our largest order till date, Sinha added. Similar is the case of ideaForge, which makes for defence, homeland security, and industrial applications. The last two years have been the best so far and our revenue has grown 10x, said Ankit Mehta, co-founder and CEO of ideaForge. Mehta founded the firm in 2007 and it currently employs 350-400 people (including contract staff). We will double our permanent staff from around 200 to 400 and most of the new hires would be in engineering functions, he added. Garuda Aerospace plans to increase its current headcount from 200 to around 1,500 by hiring drone pilots, engineers, and sales executives to serve both domestic and export markets that include UAE, Malaysia, Panama, and countries in Africa. We are scaling very quickly and sustainably, said Agnishwar Jayaprakash, founder-CEO of Garuda Aerospace. Along with drone manufacturing and services, the firm also provides clients with data analytics and artificial intelligence applications, Jayaprakash said. While ideaForge received $20 million in series B funding last month, Omnipresent Robot Tech raised an undisclosed amount from Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamaths investment firm in February. Most of our capex would be for development of new products and improving the effectiveness of existing solutions, Mehta said. Sinha said his firm will use funds for working capital and business expansion. We aim to expand our manufacturing and drone training facility in Gautam Buddha University, Sinha added. IdeaForge and Omnipresent Robot Tech are among the 14 firms that were selected as beneficiaries under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for drones last month. Last September the Centre cleared the scheme to make India a drone hub by 2030. It provides up to 20 per cent incentive to manufacturers of drones and drone components. The government hopes that the sector will attract investment of over Rs 5,000 crore and expects a jump in turnover from around Rs 60 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 900 crore in FY24. In some of our products, 70 per cent of components are indigenous. We are trying to double down on that and the PLI scheme will encourage us to do more local value addition, Mehta said. While the list of beneficiaries has been announced under PLI, it is imperative to expedite the granting of type certificates under the Drone Rules 2021. This becomes important especially since import of drones has been banned and boot in domestic manufacturing would largely be dependent on granting of the type certificate which is a prerequisite to commercial drone development, said Huzefa Tavawalla, head of disruptive technologies practice at Nishith Desai Associates. By Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India's largest gas transmitter is open to buying Russian assets shunned by Western after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine if the deal made commercial sense, the company's Chairman Manoj Jain said on Friday. European countries and the United States have imposed heavy sanctions on since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. and the EU has proposed its toughest package of punishments yet, including a ban on crude oil in 6 months. India has tried to balance its ties with and the West but unlike other members of the countries - the United States, Japan and Australia - it has not imposed sanctions on . "Why would anyone say no (to Russian assets) if it makes commercial sense," Jain told reporters at post-earnings press conference. reported a 39% rise in quarterly profit. is considering buying gas from challenging local fields to address surging local demand for natural gas, including striking long-term liquefied natural gas (LNG) import deals with global . Jain said GAIL is scouting for a 10-year deal to annually import 1 million tonnes of LNG. Natural gas buyers in Asia are seeking to lock in supplies via long-term contracts as a buffer against volatile global prices, in moves that will reverse the last decade's trend of increasing spot purchases. GAIL has a long-term gas import deal with Marketing & Trading Singapore to buy an average 2.5 million tonnes of per year. Under the deal is progressively increasing supplies to GAIL, and shipped 2 million tonnes of LNG IN 2021. Supplies would rise to 2.5 million tonnes in 2022 and 2.85 million tonnes in 2023, a company official said on the sidelines of the conference. has informed GAIL that it was facing issues in procuring gas and has asked to reschedule a liquified natural gas (LNG) cargo, Jain said, adding that the Russian company could supply the committed volumes from its portfolio of assets. GAIL's imports of natural gas could increase 5-6% in this fiscal year to March 2023, Jain said, adding that he expected prices of LNG to be high for the next 12-18 months. Asian spot LNG prices have fallen about 50% from an all-time high in December, but are up nearly three-fold from levels seen in May 2021 as prices have rallied on tight global supplies. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Writing by Sudarshan Varadhan; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Louise Heavens) (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.) Chennai-based cement major posted a consolidated net loss of Rs 10.6 crore for Q4FY22, as compared to a net profit of Rs 50.2 crore during the same period last year owing to spiralling input costs and a loss of volume. The company's revenue from operations too, saw a marginal dip of 4 per cent during the quarter at Rs 1417.6 crore, as compared to Rs 1472.5 crore during the Q4FY21. The companys net profit for Q4FY22 was seen down 62 per cent at Rs 78.5 crore as compared to Rs 206.8 crore in Q4FY21. The company performed sub-optimally during the quarter with a cement volume of 26.29 lakh tonnes as compared to 26.66 lakh tonnes in January to March 2021 and the clinker volume of only 0.38 lakh tonnes as compared to 3.24 lakh tonnes in the previous year. The overall volume was at 26.57 lakh tonnes, a drop of 11 per cent as compared to 29.90 lakh tonnes in the previous year. For the year ended March 2022, the overall volume was at 90.70 lakh tonnes as compared to 89.02 lakh tonnes in the previous year, an increase of only 2 per cent. The spiralling prices of fuel along with the shortage in availability of the same affected the margins of the industry. The woes of the industry worsened further with the outbreak of Russia's war with Ukraine resulting in sanctions being imposed on Russia and its exports fuelling further shortage of coal and oil in the market, the company said in a statement. It added that while prices of diesel have shot up by more than 20 per cent during the year, the prices of coal, be it thermal coal or petcoke, skyrocketed and have more than doubled during the year. Coal prices also increased from $60 per tonne to $300 per tonne during the last one year adding to the pressure on the company. We are planning to go for three rounds of price hikes Rs 20 on June 1, Rs 15 on June 15 and Rs 20 on July 1 to reduce the pressure, said N Srinivasan, Managing Director of the company. has also set up an internal team to monetise its land assets for repayment of its debt. It is finally done. Manish Maheshwari, and director of Invact Metaversity has stepped down. The company has been in as both the founders, Maheshwari and Tanay Pratap, had differences on how to run the company. The company made the announcement of Maheshwari stepping down in a tweet: Over the last few days, we have been in the news, more than we have ever been! So here is the official update. Manish Maheshwari has stepped down from his position as Chief Executive Officer and Director of Invact, Inc. as of May 27, 2022. The tweet from the company also said: The decision to part ways was not an easy one, but ultimately, @manishm and @tanaypratap had diverging visions for the company's long-term prospects. Invact will continue and under leadership of Tanay will pursue its vision to make quality education accessible via Metaversity. Post the tweet from the companys official handle, both the founders took to Twitter to share their stand. Maheshwari, former Twitter India head in a tweet said: I am moving out of Invact to first take a break for a few months and then pursue new opportunities. It is heartbreaking for a founder to leave the startup, like a mother leaving her baby. I am going through the same emotion. We both are passionate and uncompromising about what we believe in, as founders usually are. While we are parting ways, we have fond memories of working together not just as colleagues, but also as brothers, he further tweeted. Pratap in a tweet said: Changes are often heartbreaking but sometimes necessary. We started together, built together, and celebrated together. Invact will continue to build on its vision of accessible quality education for all. Wishing Manish all the best for the future. Goodbyes are always hard. The difference between the founders came to the fore when Invacts angel investor Gergely Orosz publicly raised concerns on the conflict between the founders. On Maheshwaris stepping down from his role, Orosz said: With a startup, focusing on the future is more important than dwelling on the past. I keep being a proud investor and supporter of @invactHQ, of @tanaypratap and the whole team. I believe that the next big thing in EdTech might just come from India. According to reports, Orosoz in a letter to shareholders wrote that Maheshwari wanted more equity than vested. Both the founders have had differences over the vision and execution of the startup. 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 on Friday said its board has approved the sale of its large drives applications business to a subsidiary of AG for Rs 440 crore. "The Board of Directors of Limited has approved the sale and transfer of its Large Drives Applications (LDA) business to Siemens Large Drives India Private Ltd (a subsidiary of Siemens Large Drives GmbH, which in turn is a subsidiary of Siemens AG) with effect from July 1, 2022, and is subject to receipt of requisite statutory and regulatory approvals, as applicable," a company statement said. The LDA business within Siemens Ltd recorded revenue from operations of Rs 4,437 million for FY 2021 and an operating profit of Rs 251 million, it added. As of FY 2021, the LDA business contributed 3.4 per cent and two per cent, respectively, to the total revenue from operations and profit from operations of Siemens Ltd. Following a valuation done by an external independent valuer, the LDA business was approved for sale and transfer by the board for a consideration of Rs 4,400 million (Rs 440 crore). Siemens Ltd is a technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport as well as transmission and generation of electrical power. From more resource-efficient factories, resilient supply chains, and smarter buildings and grids, to cleaner and more comfortable transportation, the company creates technology with purpose, adding real value for customers. By combining the real and the digital worlds, Siemens empowers its customers to transform their industries and markets to transform the every day for people. Siemens Ltd is the flagship listed company of in India. As of September 30, 2021, Siemens Ltd had revenue from continuing operations of Rs 12,756 crore and 8,608 employees. (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.) (USL), a subsidiary of British beverage and alcohol firm Diageo, is selling its portfolio of 32 brands to Inbrew Breweries Private Ltd for Rs 820 crore. Inbrew is owned by Indian entrepreneur Ravi Deol. USL will retain the McDowells and Directors Special whiskey brands. The 32 brands sold include Haywards, Old Tavern, White-Mischief, Honey Bee, Green Label and Romanov. USL and Inbrew have entered into a five-year franchise arrangement for 11 other brands. USL has granted Inbrew the right to convert the fixed-term franchise arrangement into one with perpetual rights. The transaction reflects the continued evolution of the management of the Popular (sic) portfolio since 2016, when the company moved to a franchise model in many states, to enable a sharpened focus on Prestige & Above. This is a significant move to reshape our portfolio in service of our publicly stated mission to deliver sustained double digit profitable top-line growth, said Hina Nagarajan, Managing Director and chief executive officer of USL. The acquisition of these iconic brands provides Inbrew with a unique platform to extend its ambition of becoming Indias trusted household beverage company. These brands have delighted consumers over generations, and we are excited at the prospect of strengthening this legacy. Inbrew will revitalise these brands through expanded distribution, innovation and investments, said Deol, chairman of Inbrew. The sale will include the business undertakings associated with the brands, like related permits, intellectual property rights, associated employees, and manufacturing facilities. It follows USL reviewing its entire brand portfolio in order to increase its focus on premium and international brands. The one-year review was completed in March this year. In 2021, Inbrew also acquired the India business of Molson Coors, to sell and produce beer brands such as Miller, Carling, Blue Moon and Cobra in India. Deol launched in 2007 a special purpose acquisition vehicle (SPAC) called India Hospitality Corp (IHC), which raised $175 million in the Alternative Investment Market, UK. With the funding, IHC acquired a portfolio of operating in India including SkyGourmet, an air catering firm, Mars Restaurants, and Gordon House of boutique hotels. SkyGourmet, under Deels leadership, was acquired by Swiss giant Gategroup AG in 2011. Deol also set up Barista Coffee in late 1999 which was acquired by Tata Beverages in 2005 and was later owned by Lavazza S.p.A. of Italy. In 2006, Ravi created Indias first global retail joint-venture between Bharti and Wal-Mart. stock closed at Rs 779 a share, up 2.43 per cent, on Friday, giving a total market valuation of Rs 56,579 crore. owns 57 per cent stake in the Indian arm. has a comprehensive brand portfolio with over 80 brands of Scotch whisky, IMFL whisky, brandy, rum, vodka and gin. Nine of these brands sell more than a million cases annually. The company produces and sells around 80 million cases in India. had acquired United Spirits from Vijay Mallya, now a fugitive wanted by the Indian authorities, for $2.1 billion in November 2012--in its bid into the fast growing Indian market. The on Friday cleared Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, of all charges in the drugs-on-cruise case, reports news agency PTI. Khan was also excluded in the chargesheet filed by the NCB related to the case. All accused in the case related to a seizure of drugs from a cruise ship were found in possession of narcotics, except and Mohak, NCB's DDG (Operations) Sanjay Kumar Singh said in a statement. Singh added, "A complaint against 14 persons under various sections of the NDPS Act is being filed. Complaint against rest six persons is not being filed due to a lack of evidence." Khan, 24, was arrested on October 3 last year in connection with the seizure of banned drugs on board a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast. The narcotics agency busted an alleged drugs party on the Cordelia Cruise ship that was on its way to Goa at mid-sea on October 2. The 24-year-old was in judicial custody and lodged at the Arthur Road prison in Mumbai. In his plea, Khan had claimed that he was innocent and has not committed any crime and that he has been falsely implicated in the case. Khan and seven others were detained by NCB officers after they raided the cruise ship on its way from Mumbai to Goa. He was given bail on October 28, 2021, after 25 days in jail. The from the pre-monsoon flood in rose to 30 as two more deaths were reported on Thursday, officials said, adding at least 5.61 people remained affected in the state's 12 districts even as the flood situation saw some marginal improvement. State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) officials said that an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) of seven members arrived in Guwahati on Thursday to study the flood-ravaged districts. To accelerate an effective damage assessment, IMCT members would be divided into two groups for visiting the affected districts. The one group including the IMCT leader Ravinesh Kumar, Financial Advisor, Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of the Home Ministry, will visit Cachar and Dima Hasao districts on Friday and Saturday while another would visit Darrang, Nagaon and Hojai districts on May 27-28. According to the ASDMA officials, despite some improvement in the flood situation, at least 5,61,149 people, including 1,13,139 children of 956 villages have now been affected in 12 of the state's 34 districts. Of the 30 deaths, 25, including children, died in and remaining five in landslides in different districts. Over 47,139 hectares of crop areas remained affected in flood-hit areas, an ASDMA statement said. Altogether, 66,836 people are staying in the 295 relief camps, while the district administrations have also opened 70 relief distribution centres in all the affected areas. Out of the 12 flood affected districts, the highest number of 3,68,188 people were affected in Nagaon districts alone followed by 1,49,995 people in Cachar and 41,036 in Morigaon district. The Army, the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Assam Rifles, various para-military forces, the Disaster Response Force, and the State Disaster Response Force, Civil Defence 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 IAF has air-dropped the most essential supplies in the flood affected areas through 20 shuttles/ trips of helicopters from Guwahati, Jorhat and Silchar. The water of Kopili river was flowing above the danger level in several places. --IANS sc/pgh (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 the country's first lavender festival in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhaderwah has been possible only by the progressive thinking of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Thursday said Bhaderwah is the potential destination of agri-tech start-ups in the country. He said this government believes in the principle of "appeasement to none, justice for all" and doesn't discriminate on the basis of region, religion or caste. "Bhaderwah is the potential destination of agri-tech in the country. Bhaderwah as the birthplace of India's purple revolution," Singh said, while addressing a public rally after inaugurating the country's first 'Lavender Festival' in Bhaderwah belt of Doda district. He said the county's "disconnected" regions must be connected to the mainstream through development. He said the government wants that the benefits of all its schemes should reach the last man in the last queue. Singh also inaugurated six distillation units under CSIR-IIIM for lavender situated at six different 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.) The Aligarh Muslim University successfully concluded the phase-3 trial of country's indigenous Covid-19 - Covaxin - at its Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC). Principal Investigator, Prof Mohammad Shameem along with his team members apprised the Vice Chancellor, Prof Tariq Mansoor about it and expressed their gratitude for his "constant support and motivation throughout the trial". AMU Registrar Abdul Hamid, IPS was also present on the occasion. The Vice Chancellor, who was also Co-Principal Investigator, congratulated Prof Shameem and the entire team "for the hard work, dedication and perseverance while braving the peak phases of the pandemic for conducting the study and maintaining confidence amongst the volunteers". Chairman & Managing Director, International Limited (BBIL), Krishna M. Ella appreciated Prof Mansoor and the team for the "mega" task and hoped to collaborate with the AMU in future research also. The phase-3 trial for Covaxin was done in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and BBIL. It was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) in November 2020 and the volunteers were recruited for the trial. "AMU was the first to enroll 1,000 volunteers for the trial. The reputation of AMU and constant support and encouragement provided by the VC was paramount in developing confidence among volunteers," Prof Shameem said, adding that the report of the trial has been submitted to the ICMR. The team members for the trial included Samia Kirmani, Arbaaz Alam Khan, Azimuddin Malik as Scientist B (Medical), Shariq Ahmad, Nafees Ahmad Khan, and Obaid Imtiyazul Haque as Sub-Investigators. --IANS brijkhandelwal/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.) Two incidents were reported at in south and at Makkar Multispeciality Hospital in the eastern parts of the city on Friday morning but there was no casualty, officials said. Four tenders were rushed to Makkar Multispeciality Hospital in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar after a on the terrace of the facility was reported at 8.10 am, they said. The blaze has been brought under control. At Safdarjung Hospital, a fire was reported at 8.45 am. The stabiliser of an elevator had caught fire on the second floor of the building, the fire department said. Seven to eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the flames were brought under control, the officials 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 Special Court of Delhi sentenced former Chief Minister to four years imprisonment in a disproportionate assets (DA) case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh on the former chief minister. Special Judge Vikas Dhull also directed the authorities concerned to confiscate four of his properties. Dhull had last week convicted Chautala and said that the accused had failed to satisfactorily account for such disproportionality by proving his source of income or means by way of which, he acquired assets during the check period. "Hence, accused is convicted for the offence under Section 13(1)(e) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Put up 26.05.2022 at 10.00 a.m. for arguments on the point of sentence," said the court. According to the CBI's FIR accused Om Prakash Chautala, while functioning as Chief Minister of during the period from July 24, 1999, to March 5, 2005, in collusion with his family members and others, accumulated assets, immovable and movable, disproportionate to his known lawful sources of income, in his name, in the names of his family members and others to the extent of Rs.1467 crores. FIR further stated that the accused accumulated enormous wealth and invested the same throughout the country in the shape of thousands of acres of land, multi complexes, palatial residential houses, hotels, farmhouses, business agencies, petrol pumps and other investments apart from investments in foreign countries. FIR also stated that 43 immovable properties in all, apart from cash and jewellery were accumulated. Apart from 43 alleged properties listed in the FIR, additional properties were also suspected to be of the accused family. An investigation with regard to additional properties was also conducted for ascertaining the link of the accused family with the said properties. The chargesheet filed in the matter after the conclusion of the investigation stated that accused OP Chautala had acquired assets, both immovable and movable, which were disproportionate to his known source of income. The disproportionate assets were calculated to be Rs.6,09,79,026/- (Rupees Six Crores Nine Lacs Seventy Nine Thousand and Twenty Six only) and the percentage of DA (Disproportionate Assets) was 189.11 per cent of his known sources of income. Accordingly, had chargesheeted the accused for the offence under Section 13(1)(e) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Apart from the charge sheet filed against the accused OP Chautala, the had filed two more charge sheets arising out of the present FIR, against the sons of the accused i.e. Abhay Singh Chautala and Ajay Singh Chautala and others, which are being tried separately. is a former Chief Minister of from the Indian Lok Dal and son of sixth Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal. Chautala was recently released from the Tihar Jail on July 2, 2021, from a ten years prison sentence after completing the due formalities. He and 53 others, in June 2008, were charged in connection with the appointment of 3,206 junior basic teachers in the state of Haryana during 1999-2000. In January 2013, a New Delhi court sentenced Chautala and his son Ajay Singh Chautala to ten years' imprisonment under various provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. . The way things are progressing between the two negotiating teams, a (FTA) between India and the could be ready by Diwali without the need for an interim early harvest agreement, said Commerce and Industry Minister during a visit to the . The minister arrived in London from the World Economic Forum in Davos to stock-take and interact with stakeholders and business people ahead of the fourth round of FTA negotiations, set for June 13 in the . During a curtain raiser event on Thursday evening for the annual UK-India Week by India Global Forum (IGF) scheduled from June 27, Goyal pointed to the FTAs concluded at speed with the UAE and Australia as a sign of things to come. "Canada is progressing well towards an early harvest agreement. With the UK, we had agreed to do an early harvest agreement basically, to grab the low-hanging fruits and leave the more difficult elements for the next stage and give the people of both countries the confidence that this agreement is a win-win, the minister said. But the way things are progressing, we'll actually land up doing a full FTA with the UK by Diwali. I have had very good meetings on it, he said. Diwali in October was set as a timeline for a draft FTA after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to India last month. Indian High Commissioner Gaitri Issar Kumar revealed at the event that Prime Minister Johnson has already extended an invitation to his Indian counterpart to visit the UK to sign off on the draft agreement once it is ready later in the year. Asked about the points of contention in the path of such a tight timeline, Goyal said: Our approach is that we are very honest and upfront in our constraints, yet willing to be sensitive to the concerns of the other country. He went on to highlight the "relentless work, study, focus and engagement with stakeholders" that is required in the entire process towards an FTA. You are actually writing out the destiny of your trading relations between two nations for the next 30 or 50 years. Particularly in this current world where there is so much dichotomy between countries, so much distrust the world has realised that they would rather work with a trusted partner like India, the minister said. When you do a trade deal, you are crystal gazing 30-50 years into the future, so you have to be very careful. I can't afford to make a mistake everybody has to be very cautious. Lots of modelling has to be done, he said. The minister noted that India, as one of the fastest growing economies of the world, even growing at a modest 8 per cent every year would be 10 times from where the economy is now at the least. That is the opportunity on offer for a fair and equitable agreement which is what was understood in the UAE and Australia, which is why we were able to close fast, he said. Earlier on Thursday, the minister said he held productive discussions on carrying forward the ongoing FTA negotiations to further boost the India-UK trade and investment partnership during talks with his UK counterpart, Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan. We discussed progress of ongoing trade talks; opportunities to unlock the full potential of our trade and commercial relationship already worth over 24 billion pounds; and opening new markets for businesses in both the UK and India, said Trevelyan. The two ministers also co-hosted a Small Business Round Table to discuss the opportunities on offer for businesses with an FTA. Goyal will hold further talks with business and industry on Friday during his two-day visit to Britain. Total trade between India and UK stood at USD 16 billion FY 2021-2022 (Apr-Feb). The UK was India's 17th largest trading partner during the period of FY 2021-2022 (Apr-Feb), according to latest official figures available on the website of the Indian High Commission here. (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.) Author Geetanjali Shree's International win has opened a window of opportunity for other deserving Hindi titles waiting for their share of readers and translations, Hindi said on Friday. "Tomb of Sand" originally titled "Ret Ki Samadhi" is the first Hindi work translated to English to have received the coveted recognition. The book was translated by author-translator Daisy Rockwell. The cash prize of 50,000 Pounds is split between the author and the translator equally. The New Delhi-based author of three novels and several story collections, Shree has gotten her works translated into English, French, German, Serbian and Korean. "Geetanjali Shree's translation winning the Booker opens a new window of hope to Hindi writing. Due to lack of good translations and publishers interested in them, so many illustrious works of Hindi have failed to reach the canon of world-class literature. Celebrations are on at this benchmark for Hindi and readers," Sahitya Akademi Award winning Hindi novelist Alka Saraogi told PTI. According to veteran Hindi writer Prayag Shukla, who claimed he was the first one to write a review of 'Ret Ki Samadhi', said it can't get bigger and that Hindi literature is on its way to get its due status globally. "It was bound to happen. The translation works of Hindi literature into various languages, including French and German, in the past few years have been really good. And it is the culmination of this that today Geetanjali, whom I have known since her teenage years as a very talented writer, has won the award. "I am very happy and very hopeful of the future of Hindi literature. You will see translations of Hindi literature picking up pace 20 times more than ever," the 82-year-old, author of several bestsellers, including "Bite Kitane Barasa" and "Ghara Aura Bahara". The 64-year-old Uttar Pradesh-born author winning the prize was that much more special for Rachna Yadav, managing director of Hans the largest Hindi literary magazine in India -- who said the author's first work, a short story titled "Bel Patra", was published in their magazine only in the late 1980s. The magazine, which was founded by Munshi Premchand and had ceased publication in 1953, was re-launched by Rachna's father, the late Hindi author Rajendra Yadav, in 1986. "It is such a proud moment for us because we consider Shreeji a Hans writer. My father selected her works and published her three stories almost one after the other-- which was really rare in Hans. I am certain that her success will give the desired push to Hindi literature and lead to more translations -- and more importantly good quality translations," said Yadav. Set in northern India, the much-acclaimed book is a story about an 80-year-old woman who travels to Pakistan to confront the unresolved trauma of her teenage experiences of partition and re-evaluates what it means to be a mother, a daughter, a woman and a feminist. Not only the veterans, the 64-year-old author's achievement has brought a new sense of purpose and hope in the current generation of Hindi writers as well. For instance, writer-filmmaker Era Tak, who did admit to once contemplating to start start writing in English, said Shree's unprecedented achievement tells us that language is no barrier and "strong content along with proper platform" is all that you need to attain success. "People would always say Hindi writing has no scope. And I, a Penguin author, would sometimes ask myself, 'Shall I also write in English only?' But this award gives us hope that if what you have written is good, it will be appreciated across the world," the author of "Raat Paheli" and "Risk @Ishq" said. "I hope the publishers will now be forthcoming in translating works of Hindi writers, at least in English. Because once done in English, it can be translated into other languages and the reach increases not only globally, but also in India," Tak added. That said, there is a word of caution from bestselling author Naveen Chaudhary, who though immensely proud of the recognition coming the Hindi language way, said the immediate chances of other Hindi books feeding off from this rare achievement stands low. Even the Oscar-winning movies don't attain the global viewership immediately, things take time. So I don't see any visible change in the Hindi literature market -- not at least in the coming six months or a year, noted Choudhary, who previously also held the position of associate director of marketing at Oxford University Press. "Yes, there might be an increase in sales of this (Ret Ki Samadhi) book, but any other Hindi book is still going to sell on the basis of its content and the way it is marketed. But immediately, I am not sure how much boost it is going to give to Hindi literature," the author of "Janta Store" and "Dhaai Chal" said. Shree's novel was chosen from a shortlist of six books, the others being: "Cursed Bunny" by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur from Korean; "A New Name: Septology VI-VII" by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls from Norwegian; "Heaven" by Mieko Kawakami, translated by Samuel Bett and David Boyd from Japanese; "Elena Knows" by Claudia Pineiro, translated by Frances Riddle from Spanish; and "The Books of Jacob" by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Jennifer Croft from Polish. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India must adopt an "aggressive approach" to attract multinational corporations to set up and expand their bases in the country, a top Indian-American business advocacy group has said, observing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is leading to a tectonic shift in global trade. "I think India has to play a much more aggressive approach to these corporations. Having a direct dialogue with these corporations and tells them: 'what do you need', 'what can be done for you to come invest in India?'" Mukesh Aghi, president, US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) told PTI in an interview. Every corporation has a unique requirement, he said. "Yes, you can't change the law. But you can define a broad-based policy, which makes it attractive for a lot of these companies to come into India. That's where India has to reach out to these companies, understand the requirements and then put in place a set of policies which become uniform," he said. Aghi said there have been some efforts but those are more of a transactional effort rather than a uniform or a cohesive approach on this. Aghi said at some point of time India will need to think about its relationship with Russia. He pointed out when US President Joe Biden was meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tokyo as part of the Quad summit this week, the Russian and Chinese governments were flying long-range bombers over the Sea of Japan. "The message was very clear from Russia, that its partner, and his allegiance lies with China and the Indo-Pacific region, rather than India. And to me, it was very stark, that while the Prime Minister of India is there, you have Russian bombers threatening or taking a threatening posture along with the Chinese. To me that's a very clear message that India has to start thinking about its position with Russia," he said. In response to the over two-month-long Russia-Ukraine war, India has called for respect of territorial integrity of nations and the United Nations Charter. However, New Delhi has not condemned Russia directly. "The question really becomes: at what stage India will come out and condemn it. I think India as an emerging power has to start taking some positions, which may upset other nations, but that's the nature of the beast when you are becoming a leading power," Aghi said. One thing that has come out clearly from the Ukraine war is that Russian equipment has not performed well, he said. "Russian Defense Forces and the equipment have been destroyed substantially. Russia's economic embargo means chips and semiconductors are not moving into Russia. So, Russia will have difficulty providing spare parts not only for his own armed forces, but for countries like India, he said. "So India has to seriously start thinking what are the alternatives. At the end of the day, India's biggest challenge is China, not Russia. And we've had in the last two years, physical invasion and killing by Chinese and Indian soldiers. That's where the bigger enemy lies. India has to look at its supply side; this defense strategy from that perspective - as Russia gets weaker both from a supply chain perspective and also as a military problem? Aghi said. According to Aghi, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has changed in some way the global order, especially the balance of power. We are seeing tectonic shifts taking place, he said. "Corporate America got weaponised by having to pull out of Russia overnight, and that was not a diktat from the US government. It was a consumer sentiment which drove that decision making. There's a tremendous amount of empathy for Ukraine and that influences boardroom thinking about being or not to be within Russia and the majority of the companies have pulled out of Russia, he said. Now the question you have is among the boardroom discussion taking place is what happens if China invades Taiwan then what happens to our investments in China? More important is what is our backup strategy? Yes, you can bring back a lot of stuff manufacturing to the United States, but a lot of them won't come in because of lack of resources, lack of manpower, he said. And that's where India becomes a critical player, both from a market perspective and also from a manufacturing perspective. I think that's where you need to leverage all of India's attractive market for these companies to come in and start having a China response strategy as things move forward, Aghi 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.) Advisor Ajit Doval, while taking part in the 4th Regional Security Dialogue on in Dushanbe on Friday, highlighted that India was and is an important stakeholder in and asserted that "nothing can change this." Following the 3rd Regional Security Dialogue on held in New Delhi in November 2021, the Advisors of Tajikistan, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan and China took part in the regional security dialogue on Afghanistan in Dushanbe. Taking forward the spirit encapsulated in the Delhi Declaration, the NSAs discussed the situation in Afghanistan and the region. The NSAs highlighted the need to find constructive ways to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan and combat risks from terrorism emanating from the region. "India was and is an important stakeholder in Afghanistan. Special relationship with the people of Afghanistan over centuries will guide India's approach, nothing can change this," Doval added. According to sources, NSA took the opportunity to meet his counterparts from Iran, Tajikistan, Russia and other partners in the Dialogue on the sidelines of the meeting. Doval told his counterparts that the people of Afghanistan have a special place. NSA Doval highlighted the need for representation of all sections of Afghan society including women and minorities so that the collective energies of the largest possible proportion of the Afghan population feel motivated to contribute to nation-building. India has focused on infrastructure, connectivity and humanitarian assistance over the decades. After August 2021, India has already provided 17000 MT of Wheat out of a total commitment of 50000 MT, 500000 doses of Covaxin, 13 tons of essential life-saving medicines and winter clothing as well as 60 million doses of polio vaccine NSA also reiterated India's position on the distribution of aid to all sections of society. He highlighted, "Assistance should be accessible to all, respect for all obligations under international humanitarian law should be ensured." Emphasizing on the rights of women at the meet, Doval said, "Women and youth are critical for the future of any society. Provision of education to girls and employment to women and youth will ensure productivity and spur growth. It will also have a positive social impact including discouraging radical ideologies among youth." . (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 Southwest may hit the coast in 2-3 days but the onset might not be as strong as predicted earlier, according to some weathermen. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) as well as private weather forecasting agency Skymet had predicted that the will hit the mainland on May 26 or 27. Both the forecasts were with a model error of plus or minus four days. According to the latest meteorological indications, westerly winds have strengthened in the lower levels over the south Arabian Sea and deepened. There is an increase in cloudiness over coast and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea. Hence, conditions are becoming favourable for the monsoons onset over during the next 2-3 days. Further, conditions are also favourable for the advance of Southwest into some more parts of Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area during the same period, the Met department said in its latest weather advisory. In all likelihood, the monsoon will hit the Kerala coast before June 1, Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of meteorology and climate change at Skymet Weather, told Business Standard. But Palawat warned that the onset may not be as strong as expected earlier because southwesterly winds havent gathered much pace. There wont be any heavy downpour with the onset of monsoon and rains will remain within the range in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, which can be called a weak onset, Palawat said. Earlier, a senior Met department official discounted the fact that rains have been delayed. He said that though the monsoon did not arrive on May 27 but it was still within the range which was plus or minus four days. For us, the onset of monsoon has not been delayed, because according to our (IMDs) parameters, if the rain arrives within the standard deviation range, it is considered as a normal onset, the official clarified. A timely onset of monsoon, though a good sign, does not guarantee a strong progress across the country. However, if the rains arrive on time in the key agriculture regions of Central, North and West India, it could spur sowing of kharif crops where acreage this year is expected to be good. This is due to remunerative returns to farmers in the just-concluded rabi harvest. Farm production depends not only on the quantum of total rains but timeliness and geographical spread of the monsoon. Already, Skymet has said that monsoon in the first half of the 2022 season (June and July) is expected to be much better than the second half. This could have a serious impact on the final harvest of crops because July and August are the most important months in terms of total quantum of rains in the four-month season. Last month, the predicted that the over the country as a whole in 2022 is expected to be normal at 99 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA). The forecast is with a model error of plus or minus 5 per cent. Monsoon between 96 and 104 per cent of the LPA is considered normal. Earlier, Skymet had said that the in 2022 was expected to be normal at 98 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA). Skymets forecast, too, is with an error margin of plus or minus 5 per cent. Setting another milestone in the health care sector, has registered a 39-point decline in (IMR) in a span of 15 years, which is the "highest in the country", the chief minister's office said on Thursday. Odisha's IMR now stands at 36 per 1000 live births, the CMO stated. With effective implementation of quality healthcare services & focus on safe institutional delivery of women, # has registered highest point decline of 39 in in the country from 2005 to 2020. Odisha's IMR stands at 36/1000 live births#OdishaLeads (sic)," the CMO said on Twitter. was followed by Rajasthan, which recorded a 36-point decline in IMR between 2005 and 2022. Patnaik congratulated the departments concerned for the achievement, according to a release issued by the government. He also held a meeting during the day to review the implementation of Mo Sarkar' (my government), a programme launched in the state in 2019 to seek feedback from common people on the government's style of functioning. "During interactions with people, I have found out that they are happy that the initiative has prompted behavioural changes in government department officials. It is good to know that government employees are rendering services honestly and sincerely," he maintained. (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 days after the Delhi chief urged the Centre to test the capital's water quality, DJB vice-chairman Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday said the exercise should cover Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh as well. Addressing a press conference at the headquarters here, Bharadwaj said he has written a letter to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, apprising him of the prevailing "crisis" due to contaminated water in the four BJP-ruled states. Delhi president Adesh Gupta had on Tuesday urged the Union jal shakti minister to order a test of the quality of water being supplied in the capital, alleging that people consuming it were falling sick. In a letter, the leader alleged that people were compelled to drink "smelly and contaminated" water, and demanded that cases be registered against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Water Minister Satyendar Jain and (DJB) vice-chairman Bharadwaj. "He (Shekhawat) is a central water minister, and if he pays attention to Delhi only, the hearts of those living in other states will be broken. They will feel they are being ignored," Bharadwaj said. "So, I sincerely request the Union water minister to order a probe into the quality of water available in these (four) states as well." The leader claimed that major cities of Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, Palanpur, Mehsana, Patan, Banaskantha and Sabarkantha, have been staring at "a huge crisis due to highly contaminated water". "Gujarat, a BJP-ruled state, faces a huge water shortage. This claim has been made repeatedly by BJP leaders from Patan and Banaskantha. Some days back, in Gandhinagar, 554 people fell ill because of consuming contaminated water. Prior to that, over 50 students in Kutch fell terribly ill and were hospitalised due to contaminated water," he added. In Himachal Pradesh, the level of contamination in groundwater and river water was so high that the high court summoned and pulled up the chief secretary for this, Bharadwaj claimed. In Uttar Pradesh, people in cities like Bundelkhand, Mirzapur, Mahoba, Sonbhadra, Ghaziabad and Firozabad were forced to drink sewer-like water on top of a water shortage, he claimed. "People are complaining of jaundice, typhoid and liver-related diseases due to consumption of contaminated water in Madhya Pradesh," the leader added. The DJB vice-chairman said he has apprised the Union minister of the prevailing situation "in other states like BJP-ruled Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh", and requested him to add these four states in his list for ordering a probe. "Under the Jal Jeevan Mission being run in Uttar Pradesh, they are buying pipes from such companies that have been blacklisted by about half-a-dozen states," he alleged. Bharadwaj, however, refuted the Delhi BJP chief's allegations, and said water quality of 90 percent of samples collected in the capital were found to be "good". Whenever complaints come, attempts are made to address the problem, he added. The Delhi BJP hit back at the AAP leader, and said people of Delhi were "shocked" to see him deny "the water crisis" in the national capital. "Bhardwaj has in his letter tried to suppress Delhi's by raising problems of other states. He has played with emotions of people of Delhi especially those living in low-end colonies, clusters and villages," Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said in a statement. It is sad that the vice-chairman, instead of trying to resolve the water crisis, is trying to mislead the people of Delhi "with his politically motivated statements", he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress chief on Friday remembered India's first prime minister on his death anniversary and described him as an institution-builder who strengthened our democratic roots, but lamented that the has weakened democracy by bulldozing institutions. He said India now needs a "Bharat jodo" more than ever before. His reference was towards uniting India in the present atmosphere. The Congress is holding a "Bharat jodo" yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir on Gandhi Jayanti. "IIT, IIM, LIC, ITI, BHEL, NID, BARC, AIIMS, ISRO, SAIL, ONGC, DRDO...Nehru ji was an institution builder who strengthened our democratic roots. In 8 yrs, has weakened democracy by bulldozing institutions. India needs #BharatJodo now more than ever," Gandhi said on Twitter. In another tweet, he shared a video showing pictures of Nehru with world leaders and how they described Nehru. "58 years since his passing, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's ideas, politics, and vision for our Nation are as relevant as they have ever been. May the values of this immortal son of India always guide our actions and conscience," Gandhi also said. The Congress on Friday observed the death anniversary of Nehru with top party leaders paying rich tributes to him at his memorial in the national capital. Some leaders also took to Twitter to pay their homage and remember him. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a two-day visit to Karnataka, participated in a yoga session with Indian Navy personnel at Karwar on Friday. The 8th edition of International Day of Yoga is being promoted through multiple programmes by the Ministry to take the message of Yoga across the world to a wider audience. A curtain raiser event to mark the 100 days countdown to International Day of Yoga was celebrated on March 13 while a 75-day countdown event was organized at the Red Fort in Delhi. Earlier, Singh interacted with Indian Navy personnel and their families in Karwar on Thursday night. "Delighted to interact with the Indian Navy personnel and their families at Karnataka Naval Area in Karwar. Our Defence personnel serve the nation diligently and keep our country safe and secure. Their family members also serve the country by giving them support and strength," said the Minister in a Twitter post. (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.) Sri Lankan High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda on Friday met Finance Minister and explored the possibility of India increasing its financial assistance to the island nation to help it deal with its severe . In the meeting, Moragoda reiterated that would require "bridging finance" until the economic adjustment programme with the IMF could be negotiated and finalised, according to the Sri Lankan High Commission. "In this context, the minister and the High Commissioner explored the possibility of increasing and restructuring the assistance provided by India in the form of credits for essential commodities and fuel as well as the balance of payment support," it said in a statement. It said the high commissioner and the Indian finance minister evaluated the status of ongoing economic cooperation and discuss the way forward. "High Commissioner Moragoda thanked Minister Sitharaman for the continuation of assistance that India is extending to in the form of credits for essential commodities and fuel, and also for the balance of payment support," the mission said. "He particularly appreciated her taking up the case of on the sidelines of the IMF Spring Meetings in April in Washington DC, with the IMF, other multilateral institutions and bilateral development partners," it said. Moragoda briefed Sitharaman on the present developments in Sri Lanka. The meeting took place in the midst of widespread protests in Sri Lanka over the severe . (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 collegium has recommended transfer of six judges. A three-member collegium comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices UU Lalit and AM Khanwilkar, which deals with transfer/repatriation/elevation of judges of high courts has recommended the transfer of the six judges. Among the judges who have been transferred include Justice Purushaindra Kumar Gaurav from Madhya Pradesh to Delhi and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanulllah from Andhra Pradesh High Court to Patna High Court. The collegium's decision, which was uploaded on the apex court website, said Justice Chitta Ranjan Dash has been transferred from the Orissa High Court to Calcutta High Court and Justice Subhasis Talapatra has been transferred from the Tripura High Court to the Orissa High Court. Justice Lanusungkum Jamir has been transferred from the Manipur High Court to the Gauhati High Court and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur has been transferred from the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court to the Bombay High Court. (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.) When Hurricane Katrina ripped through the US Gulf Coast in 2005, one seemingly unlikely entity came to the aid of people in desperate need of food and medical supplies: a transatlantic military alliance forged in the depths of the Cold War. NATOs disaster-relief capacity is one aspect of a vast, multifaceted mission that spans a hemisphere and has serious implications for its member states. Its architecture is now drawing greater attention as it moves to expand. Finlandization may have become a byword for hardened neutrality over the years, yet Finland is seeking entry in response to Russias eye-opening invasion of Ukraine. Sweden, too, has bucked its longstanding independence by applying to join. This planned enlargement has the complete backing of the US, a place with a history of criticism; in particular of the Article 5 obligation to assist allies potentially less keen on military spending. Skeptical Americans may want to note, however, that the first time Article 5 was ever invoked was in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US. is the most successful political and defense alliance in the history of nation states, said former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb. It won the Cold War without firing a shot. The benefit of NATO membership is therefore primarily preventative. A sort of insurance policy for sovereignty, with premiums paid through a commitment to cooperate. Just its mere existence is a repellent, Stubb said. When NATO decides to act, the alliance requests that forces from member countries be placed under NATO command. It says it currently has the ability to summon nearly 3.5 million troops, personnel, and civilians. Tensions over sharing the burden of military spending among member states have occasionally worsened. Former US President Donald Trump criticized European members relentlessly for related shortcomings. Russias onslaught in Ukraine seems to have ended those quarrels, by triggering a new eagerness to invest. Flirting yes, marrying no! Finland and Sweden are not the only traditionally neutral countries warming to NATO. In Switzerland, where the Cold War prompted intensive bunker building designed for a doggedly independent existence, one military leader recently raised eyebrows by describing the best approach to NATO as flirting yes, marrying no! The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created in 1949, as the Cold War was heating up. About a decade later, Orson Welles narrated a surprisingly-poetic film promoting the alliances virtues. By that time, NATO membership had grown from 12 to 15 and would reach 16 by the fall of the Berlin Wall. In the 1990s, countries formerly dominated by the Soviet Union started filing entry applications, eventually expanding the roster to 30 even as some questioned the need for NATOs continued existence. NATOs open door policy means any European country willing to shoulder related obligations can apply for entry. In addition to Finland and Sweden, current applicants include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, and Georgia a country that was itself invaded by Russia in 2008. As it has expanded, NATO has sought to improve its speed and efficiency by developing new ways of collaborating between US and European outposts, and by forming a 1 billion euros innovation fund. Since the beginning of Russias invasion in February, alliance members have provided billions of dollars-worth of drones, missiles, ammunition and other weapons for Ukraines defense. As a result, even though Ukraine is not a NATO member despite longstanding efforts to join, it has nonetheless been able to receive large-scale military support from NATO members. Some may therefore wonder whether seeking official membership is truly worthwhile. That's possibly a question best put to current NATO member states that were also once in the Soviet orbit the ones that have not been invaded. India was at the centre of many dialogues on emerging issues ranging from crypto technologies to . More than one hundred Indian delegates which included CEOs, unicorn founders and political leaders were at . "In terms of numbers and specifically when it comes to government, we have record numbers from India," said Sriram Gutta, head of India agenda at the Forum. "We currently work with many states on diverse initiatives, including food innovation and agri tech, advanced manufacturing and production, drones, and electric vehicles, among others." The (WEF) launched the India chapter of the Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders on Monday to supercharge India's climate action and decarbonisation efforts. Here's on wrap on what happened at Davos: Russia-Ukraine War With countless sessions about the ongoing impact of Russia's invasion, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Ministry Dmytro Kuleba both thanked the international community for their support. Zelenskyy called for "maximum sanctions" on Russia, including a ban on all Russian banks, a Russian oil embargo and stopping all trade with Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez all issued calls for continued unity. "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," the ECB President said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's message? We can't allow Russia to win this war. Food and energy crisis Food and energy security and two crises linked to the war in Ukraine were also high on the agenda this year. Speaking on Day 1 of the Annual Meeting, International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol said that it was the first truly global energy crisis, while on Wednesday Dmytro Kuleba warned that Ukraine will face a multi-year food crisis if things don't change Addressing the event India at 75: Strategic Outlook, Commerce minister Piyush Goyal said even as challenges continue to remain on the economic front, the Indian government is conscious of moving forward and is aware of what to focus on. Climate change Linked to energy is the environment and the ever-changing climate, but Birol said world shouldn't need to chose between a climate and energy crisis. US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry launched First Movers Coalition, a global initiative aimed at decarbonising the heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors responsible for 30 per cent of global emissions. China has pledged to plant and conserve 70 billion trees by 2030, responding to the WEF1t.org initiative. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde emphasised the crucial role the private sector must play and said it is important that business and industry leaders live up to the commitments of the European Green Deal. The economy Over the five days, experts discussed the impact of the war on the global economy. IMF's Gita Gopinath said the war had been a 'major setback' to the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Gopinath said advanced economies will be back on track by 2024, but developing economies will be 5 per cent below where they would have been otherwise. The panelists discussed that the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis has been deeply uneven within and between countries, depending on their access to fiscal resources and vaccines. Health wise The ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was central to many discussions and we also held discussions on preparing for the next pandemic, mental health and health equity. Pfizer has announced it is to supply all its current and future patent-protected medicines and vaccines on a not-for-profit basis to 45 lower-income countries and is talking to other big drugmakers about similar steps. Addressing a session on 'Closing the vaccines gap', Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also extended support to Africa in augmenting the research and development capability of African countries on medical countermeasures. In a bid to streamline expenditure amidst pressure on the Centre's fiscal math, the has allowed government departments to carry over their unspent amounts to subsequent quarters. Ministries and departments are permitted to utilise the unspent balances from quarter one to quarter two for cash management purposes. Unspent balances from quarters two and three may be used in quarters three and four respectively after the approval of the Expenditure Secretary has been obtained, the Department of Economic Affairs said in an office memorandum dated May 25. The memorandum stated that bulk expenses of more than Rs 2,000 crore should be aimed for the last month or a quarter to time them with direct tax receipt inflows in June, September, December, and March. It reiterated the existing practice that no more than 33 per cent and 15 per cent of the budgeted expenditure shall be permitted in the last quarter and month of the fiscal year, respectively. This missive to various departments comes at a time when the Centre's fiscal balance for FY23 is under immense pressure. The impact of recent excise duty cuts on petrol and diesel will be around Rs 85,000 crore for FY23, and all of it will be borne by the Centre. Apart from the excise duty cuts, the government will bear an additional Rs 1.10 trillion in fertiliser subsidy burden as commodity prices have spiked due to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, the decision to provide a subsidy of Rs 200 per gas cylinder (up to 12 cylinders) to over 90 million beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), will lead to revenue foregone of Rs 6,100 crore a year for the exchequer. Add to this, the Modi governments decision to extend the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) till September, which will increase the food subsidy outlay for FY23 to Rs 2.87 trillion from budget estimate of Rs 2.07 trillion. Provided all other assumptions remain the same, all these hits on revenue and expenditure may widen the fiscal deficit budget estimate for the year to Rs 19.42 trillion from a budgeted Rs 16.6 trillion. As a percentage of nominal gross domestic product, this would be 7.5 per cent of GDP compared with the budgeted 6.4 per cent. On the expenditure front, the Centre has been categorical that there will be no compromise on the Rs 7.5 trillion capital expenditure plan, as public investment in infrastructure remains the plank on which the Modi government is betting Indias economic revival. There are unlikely to be major cuttings of expenditure on flagship welfare schemes as well. A top official made it clear this week that if required, money will be pulled out of the Consolidated Fund of India to pay for capex and added that there was no change in the Centre's Rs 14.32 trillion gross borrowing plans for now. As reported earlier, the has asked the various line ministries and entities responsible for implementing subsidy and welfare schemes to cut wasteful expenditure on an expedited basis. On food subsidy front, Food Corporation of India and the Food and Public Distribution department have been asked to weed out efficiencies up and down the value chain. Similarly, in flagship schemes like MGNREGA and PM Kisan, the relevant ministries have been told to speed up identifying ghost beneficiaries, fake accounts etc. Of particular concern to central policymakers is the fact that the number of MGNREGA beneficiaries was around 50 million before the Covid-19 pandemic, rose to around seventy million as the economy slumped, but has not come down to pre-pandemic levels. Asserting that it will retain its 'tried and trusted' interview process during admission, St Stephen's College on Thursday urged the to abide by the 1992 Supreme Court judgement and "avoid creating an unpleasant situation" for students seeking admission in the college. In a sharp reply to the varsity, the college said all candidates who apply to St Stephen's will face the same admission procedures, without discrimination. The latest turn of events is expected to escalate the ongoing admission dispute between both the sides. The had recently warned St. Stephen's College that it would declare "null and void" all admissions made by it in violation of the Central Universities Entrance Test (CUET) guidelines. In a letter to DU Registrar Vikas Gupta, the college principal John Varghese on Thursday pointed out that to suddenly forget the process that the college has followed and which the University has approved for the last four decades and more is "strange indeed". "The decision taken by the college to retain its stellar, tried and trusted interview process and other related steps in the admission process shall continue. All candidates who apply to the college shall face the same admission procedures, without discrimination," Varghese said. Referring to the 1992 judgement of Supreme Court, the principal said, "St Stephen's College as a Christian minority institution has its admission procedures approved by the highest court in the land and guaranteed by the Constitution of India. "I feel that you have not taken into consideration this important judgement, which incidentally, was brought up by a similar situation back in the 80's between DU and the College," the letter read. The principal stressed that disrespecting the judgement would amount to contempt of court. "This is neither becoming of a central university nor does it set forth a proper precedent. In deference to the judgement of the highest court in the land," he wrote. The retort from the college comes after the university asked the college to withdraw the prospectus containing an "incongruent policy immediately" and said any admission done in violation of the university's admission norms would not be recognised and treated as annulled for all purposes. The prospectus for the undergraduate courses 2022-23 stated, "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." Meanwhile, Varghese mentioned in the letter that the Prospectus of the College for Admissions 2022-2023 was uploaded taking into consideration "our obligations, duties, rights and privileges as one of the premier educational institutions in this country". The St. Stephen's College, asserting its minority institution character, has said it will accord 85 per cent weightage to the CUET score and 15 per cent to physical interviews for all categories of candidates, a stand strongly opposed by DU, which wants interviews to be conducted only for the reserved category students. On May 9, DU wrote to St Stephen's College, asking it to conduct admissions to the unreserved seats solely based on CUET scores, senior officials said. However, in an admission notice posted on its website last month, St Stephen's College said it would give 85 per cent weightage to CUET scores and 15 per cent to interviews for all categories of students. The college also said that it reserves the right to proceed with admissions in accordance with its own admission policy guaranteed to it as a minority institution. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) While the (RBI) is encouraging and facilitating innovation in the fintech space, it is also keeping a close eye on the emerging risks. The central bank, while encouraging innovation, is also factoring in emerging risks in the fintech segment. Greater use of technology accentuates the concerns related to cyber security, the RBI said in its annual report for 2021-22. Fintechs have disrupted the financial services space in terms of products, customer servicing, back-end analytics, and delivery of services. such innovation first disrupts the market and once it establishes its constructive role, the regulators and authorities step in to regulate the space to nurture the innovation in a sustainable manner and to also mitigate any associated risks, the RBI said. Although it is widely believed that regulations will, perhaps, kill the innovations, the RBI has argued that regulations/legislations are needed for sustainable growth of a sector. With increasing impact of the fintech segment on both macro (financial stability and cyber security) and micro levels (consumer protection and financial inclusion), it becomes pertinent to keep facilitating innovation, while also bringing regulatory order in the fintech space, the RBI said. The RBI has also expressed concerns on the involvement of bigtechs in banking, services, and insurance space as their involvement brings along systemic risks that have implications for financial stability. it is the endeavour of the Reserve Bank to mitigate such risks through careful choice of technology and frameworks, while providing an impetus to fintech in a wide array of useful applications in the financial service industry, the RBI said. the Reserve Banks approach will have to balance innovation with regulation, without compromising on any of the principles of risk management, it added. The RBI has flagged the risk of bigtechs entering the BFSI space earlier also. In the Trend and Progress Report released in December 2021, the RBI said, with BigTechs lending either directly or in partnership with regulated financial entities, enhancing the regulatory approach by blending activity-based and entity-based regulations may not be enough to ensure stability. While use of digital channels in financial services is a welcome move, the potential downside risks embedded in such endeavours need to be addressed, the RBI had said. It came in the backdrop of a working group of the RBI cautioning about big tech players. It said if these players enter the digital lending space, it could have regulatory implications on concentration and competition risk. Frauds reported by and other financial institutions in value terms more than halved in 2021-22, despite the number of instances of fraud increasing, the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) annual report released on Friday showed. In 2021-22, frauds to the tune of Rs 60,414 crore were reported, down 56.28 per cent from Rs 1.38 trillion in 2020-21. In terms of number of frauds, these entities reported 23.69 per cent higher frauds at 9,103 in 2021-22 as against 7,359 frauds in 2020-21. The RBI data considers frauds of Rs 1 lakh and above only. An assessment of bank group-wise fraud cases over the last three years indicates that while private sector reported maximum number of frauds, public sector contributed maximum to the fraud amount, the showed. While the number of frauds reported by private sector banks were mainly on account of small value card/internet frauds, the fraud amount reported by public sector banks was mainly in loan portfolio, the report added. Also, frauds have occurred in the loan portfolio, both in terms of number and value. In the number of frauds, advances constituted 42.2 per cent and in value terms it was almost 97 per cent at Rs 58,328 crore. Cards/internet constituted 39.5 per cent of the number of frauds but in value terms it was just 0.2 per cent. An analysis of the vintage of frauds reported during 2020-21 and 2021-22 shows a significant time-lag between the date of occurrence of a fraud and its detection. Around 93.73 per cent of the frauds in 2021-22 by value occurred in previous fiscal years as against 91.71 per cent recorded in 2020-21, the RBI said. China, which is holding the rotating Presidency of bloc this year, said on Friday that it actively supports the expansion of the five-member group, a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Saudi Arabia and Argentina desired to join the grouping. Riyadh and Buenos Aires have shown interest in activities, Russia's state-run Tass news agency quoted Lavrov as saying in an interview on Thursday. "The interest in it (BRICS) is shown by our Saudi friends and Argentina, which stated the desire to become a full-fledged member, coming from the mouth of its (Argentina) Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero," Lavrov said. The next BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit is being prepared, Lavrov said. "The outreach format will be established within its framework, where around a dozen developing economies will participate," he added. Responding to Lavrov's BRICS expansion comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here that as the BRICS Chair this year, actively supports the start of the BRICS expansion process and broadens 'BRICS Plus' cooperation. Wang said the recently-held meeting of BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs reached consensus on the BRICS expansion process and held the first-ever 'BRICS Plus' foreign ministers' meeting, "which fully shows that the BRICS cooperation is open and inclusive. will work on BRICS-related parties to continue to have in-depth discussions on BRICS expansion and determine the standards and procedures for that on the basis of consensus. We look forward to more like-minded partners joining the big family of BRICS, he said. Foreign Ministers and top officials of Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, the UAE and Thailand took part in the foreign ministers meeting of the five-member group held virtually on May 19 under Beijing's 'BRICS Plus' initiative. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took part in the BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting convened by his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. is making preparations to hold this year's BRICS summit, dates for which are yet to be announced. BRICS' New Development Bank (NDB) has already admitted Bangladesh, the UAE, Egypt and Uruguay as its members. Russian foreign minister Lavrov in his interview to TASS had also indicated that many countries of the Arab world are showing interest in establishing partner relations with the eight-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in which India and Pakistan are members besides China. The other members are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. "These are processes of building up meaningful and positive, non-antagonistic alliances, not aimed against anyone," Lavrov said. The joint statement issued after the May 19 BRICS' foreign ministers meeting said, The ministers recalled the BRICS efforts of extending its cooperation to other developing countries and emerging markets and supported further promoting the BRICS Outreach and BRICS Plus Cooperation, in line with the updated Terms of Reference adopted by the BRICS Sherpas in 2021through inclusive and equal-footed and flexible practices and initiatives. The ministers supported promoting discussions among BRICS members on the BRICS expansion process. They stressed the need to clarify the guiding principles, the standards, criteria and procedures for this expansion process, according to the joint statement posted on the Chinese Foreign Ministry website. South Korean pop group BTS will be meeting US President on Tuesday to talk about diversity, Asian inclusion and anti-Asian hate crimes, the band's management agency BigHit Music announced Friday. The septet has been invited to the White House in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month (AANHPI Heritage Month). According to a press release issued by BigHit Music, the "Life goes on" hitmakers will also discuss the group's impact as youth ambassadors and their thoughts on art and culture. We are honoured to be invited to the White House. As we are visiting as artists representing South Korea, we look forward to discussing various topics including inclusion, diversity, anti-Asian hate crimes, culture and art, the management agency said in a statement. The group-- comprising RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook -- has been involved with various initiatives promoting hope and diversity. Last year, they attended the 76th United Nations General Assembly to give a performance and speech for the future generations as appointed South Korea's Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture'. They have also participated in campaigns LOVE MYSELF with UNICEF, Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate. BTS, which stands for Beyond the Scene, are best known for chartbuster tracks like "My "Universe", "DNA", "Save Me", "Life Goes On" and "Butter". (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's foreign minister was due to visit the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati on Friday where the future of a vast fishing ground is at stake. The four-hour visit by was his second stop on an eight-nation tour that comes amid growing concerns about Beijing's military and financial ambitions in the South Pacific region. Kiribati closed its borders this year as it tries to stamp out an outbreak of COVID-19. But its government made a rare exception to allow Wang and his 20-strong delegation into the country for face-to-face discussions. At stake in Kiribati is the future of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, a stretch of ocean the size of California that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. In November, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau announced the government planned to end the commercial fishing ban that had been in place since 2015 and begin to sustainably fish the area. Anna Powles, a senior lecturer in security studies at New Zealand's Massey University, said she expected there would be some fisheries agreements between and Kiribati that would come from Wang's visit. Powles said China, which already dominates fishing in the region, had offered to upgrade an airport runway and causeway in the Phoenix Island group. The worry is that this would essentially obliterate the fish stock, she said. That it would severely damage fish stocks that are already under pressure. She said there were also concerns that any kind of base for Chinese commercial fishing fleets in Kiribati could also be used as an additional hub for Beijing's surveillance activities. Kiribati's president said Wang would visit his residence for bilateral discussions during the visit, and emphasized the health protocols that were in place. Maamau said in a statement that the Chinese delegation would need to take PCR tests before arriving and stay in a travel bubble while there, and that everybody in Kiribati who came into contact with them would need to quarantine afterward for a week presumably including himself. The high-level state visit is an important milestone for Kiribati- relations, as it will strengthen and promote partnership and cooperation between our two countries after the resumption of diplomatic ties in 2019, Maamau said. says Wang's trip to the region builds on a long history of friendly relations between Beijing and the island nations. A draft document obtained by The Associated Press shows that Wang is hoping to strike a deal with 10 small Pacific nations during his visit. The sweeping agreement covers everything from security to fisheries and is seen by at least one Pacific leader as an attempt by Beijing to wrest control of the region. Wang is hoping the countries will endorse the pre-written agreement as part of a joint communique after a May 30 meeting in Fiji with the other foreign ministers. But Australia scrambled to counter the move Thursday by sending its own Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Fiji to shore up support in the Pacific. In Fiji, Wong said it was up to each island nation to decide what partnerships they formed and what agreements they signed, but urged them to consider the benefits of sticking with Australia. Australia will be a partner that doesn't come with strings attached nor imposing unsustainable financial burdens, Wong said. We are a partner that won't erode Pacific priorities or Pacific institutions. China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands last month in a move that sent shock waves around the world. That pact has raised fears that China could send troops to the island nation or even establish a military base there, not far from Australia. The Solomon Islands and China say there are no plans for a base. During his 10-day visit, Wang is also planning to make stops in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor. Australia's new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Thursday he'd sent Wong to Fiji because Australia needed to step up its efforts in the Pacific. We need to respond to this because this is China seeking to increase its influence in the region of the world where Australia has been the security partner of choice since the Second World War, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that in recent years, exchanges and cooperation between Beijing and the island nations had been expanding in a development that was welcomed by the Pacific 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.) By Marcy de Luna HOUSTON (Reuters) - rose on Friday, as signs of a tight market supported prices ahead of the U.S. Memorial Day holiday weekend, the unofficial start of the peak summer demand season in the . Further, countries are negotiating a deal on Russian oil sanctions that would embargo shipment deliveries but delay sanctions on oil delivered by pipeline to win over Hungary and other landlocked member states, officials said. Hungary's resistance to oil sanctions - and the reluctance of a handful of other countries - has held up implementation of a sixth package of sanctions by the 27-member EU against over its invasion of Ukraine. "We believe that a sharp contraction in Russian oil exports could trigger a full-blown 1980s style oil crisis and push Brent well past $150 per barrel," Bank of America said in a note. An agreement could be reached by envoys of governments in Brussels on Sunday, in time for their leaders to endorse it at their May 30-31 summit, officials said. Brent crude was up 1.18 cents, or 1.0%, at $118.58 at 1659 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 39 cents, or 0.3%, to $114.48 a barrel. "The U.S. driving season and strong travel demand should help (prices). With supply growth lagging demand growth, the oil market is likely to stay undersupplied. Hence, we remain positive in our outlook for crude prices," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo. U.S. gasoline inventories fell in the latest week, despite higher refinery runs, U.S. Energy Information Administration data showed on Wednesday. The start of summer driving season in the normally entails increased consumption. Concern over Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seizing two Greek oil tankers on Friday in the Persian Gulf, along with a U.S. long holiday weekend ahead, is making investors nervous to be short going into the weekend, said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group. "We are seeing assumptions that the demand for oil and gas may be stronger as the stock market suggests that fears of a recession may be being overplayed," Flynn said. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Friday that Moscow would meet its natural gas delivery commitments. "He also raised the subject (and said) that all deliveries would be completed in full," Nehammer said. jumped after the Iranian revolution in 1979 and a long war between Iran and Iraq (1980-88), although a global recession soon hindered fuel demand and dropped back. Prices have gained about 50% so far this year. (Reporting by Marcy de Luna in Houston, additional reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London, Stephanie Kelly in New York; Editing by Diane Craft, Kirsten Donovan) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Just a few months ago, we were confidently expecting to launch our rover, Rosalind Franklin, to Mars in September as part of the ExoMars mission, a collaboration between Europe and Russia. The landing was planned for June 2023. Everything was ready: the rover, the operations team and the eager scientists. The final preparations started in February 21, with part of our team heading to Turin, Italy, to carry out the final alignment and calibration tests. All was going well, though some of the team were slightly delayed by Storm Eunice in the UK. Three days later, they had nevertheless finished the work leaving some wonderful data, which would help us decide where Rosalind would drill on Mars. The industry team started packing the rover, which was ready to be shipped to the launch site. Then, a storm far more powerful and tragic than Eunice descended on Ukraine: Russias invasion. The situation developed in the next days and weeks, leading to a series of emergency meetings. On March 17, the (Esa)s council and member states decided to suspend our mission. We wont know for sure what happens next until a study by Esa and industry partners reports back in July but there are causes for optimism. The Rosalind Franklin rover is unique among all the rovers planned for Mars. It can drill deeper than any before it up to 2 metres below the harsh surface. This is important as the subsurface is protected from harmful radiation, and could therefore contain signs of past or present life. Rosalinds instruments include our PanCam, which is a camera that will do geology and atmospheric science on Mars complemented by the other cameras and a sub-surface sounding radar. Rosalind will also collect pristine samples from below the surface which will be deposited in the analytical drawer, where three instruments will do mineralogy and search for signs of life. Some 3.8 billion years ago, at the same time as life was emerging on Earth, Mars was habitable too. There is evidence from orbiters and landers of water on the surface then there would have been clouds, rain and a thick atmosphere. There was also a global protective magnetic field, and volcanos. This means Mars essentially had all the right ingredients for life carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulphur. If life emerged there like it did on Earth, we were on a track to find it. The climate has changed significantly since Mars lost its magnetic field 3.8 billion years ago, though. The planet is now is dry, cold, has a thin atmosphere and a surface hostile for life. But below the surface, some living species may have survived, or remains of them could be conserved. Other missions to Mars are looking for life too. The amazing Nasa Perseverance rover landed in February 2021. Its scientists are partly guided by images from a Nasa helicopter on the planet, called Ingenuity, and it recently reached an ancient river delta. Perseverance is collecting samples from Jezero crater, ready to be brought back to powerful labs on Earth by the Mars sample return missions. The results will hopefully complement those from Rosalind Franklin which will examine deeper samples from a different and slightly older site, Oxia Planum, where there is also abundant evidence of a watery past. Options for Rosalind Russia was meant to help launch Rosalind Franklin on one of its rockets. While a European-built spacecraft would then take it to Mars, a Russian-built platform would again be needed to land it. Russia was also meant to provide radioactive heaters to keep the batteries of the rover warm in the cold Martian nights. Now, Esa is looking at options. Given that continuing with Russia in 2024 is most unlikely, the main possibilities are either Esa going it alone, or teaming up with a partner such as Nasa. Esas new Ariane-6 rocket, which is nearly ready, could help launch the rover, as could a SpaceX rocket. For the lander and heaters, Esa would need to develop these alone or in collaboration with Nasa, by adapting existing technology. It could therefore take time. Whats more, because of the way the planets orbit the Sun, there are opportunities for launches to Mars only every two years: in 2024, 2026 and so on. My expectation is that 2028 is most likely for our mission, but it will require hard work. The positive thing is that Esa and the member states are still keen to go ahead, and we are eagerly looking forward to the launch whenever that will be. Ultimately, life changed for the Rosalind Franklin team on February 24. Ive been working on the mission since 2003, when we first proposed a camera system for what became ExoMars. We had already provided the stereo camera system for Esas ill-fated Beagle 2, which very nearly worked when it landed on Christmas Day 2003. But orbiter images later showed that the last solar panel didnt quite unfurl, so communications with Earth were impossible. The wait for data from the Martian surface for our team goes on. There is no getting away from the huge disappointment we felt when the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover that we had worked on for almost 20 years was suspended. But it was ultimately a necessary and understandable step, and we now look forward to a future launch. This still is cutting-edge science, and it will be for the rest of this decade. Due to the uniquely deep drilling, Rosalind Franklin still may be the first mission to find signs of life in space. Andrew Coates, Professor of Physics, Deputy Director (Solar System) at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, UCL This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. is evaluating options to improve their audit quality, Chief Executive Carmine Di Sibio said on Thursday in an internal memo seen by Reuters, at a time when the Big Four are often blamed for their lack of independence. The memo was sent in response to a report by the Financial Times that said the accounting firm is planning to split its audit and advisory operations worldwide. "No such decisions have been made," Sibio said in the memo, while referring to the media coverage on plans to spinoff. An EY spokesperson told Reuters the firm routinely evaluates strategic options, but the process is in its early stages. A spinoff, if it were to take place, will create an audit-focused firm separate from the rest of the business, but the exact structure of the shake-up remains under discussion, the FT report said. London-based EY is one of the Big Four along with Deloitte LLP, PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG that audits companies, which also pay fees for consulting and advisory work. The have previously drawn criticism from regulators over their conflicts of interest that undermines the ability to conduct independent reviews. In the United States, the country's securities regulator is probing conflicts of interest at the nation's largest accounting firms, the Wall Street Journal had reported in March. CEO Sibio said in the memo to the firm's partners that "with the changing competitive, regulatory and market landscape, work is ongoing to evaluate strategic alternatives". The EY spokesperson said any significant changes would only happen in consultation with regulators and after votes by EY partners. (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 Group of Seven countries has reached concrete agreements on phasing out generation and expanding renewable energy production, German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke was quoted by German media RTL/ntv as saying on Friday. The pledge would mark the first commitment from the G7 to quit coal-fuelled power - use of which needs to decrease if the world is to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. "There are very concrete declarations and agreements for the expansion of renewable energies, but also for example for phasing out coal," Lemke said. The final communique of the three-day G7 meeting in Berlin this week would also include a strong emphasis on protecting biodiversity and fighting plastic pollution, she said. Lemke was speaking as Germany hosted G7 energy, climate and environment ministers for talks held against a backdrop of spiralling energy costs and fuel supply worries sparked by the war in Ukraine. The conflict has triggered a scramble among some countries to buy more non-Russian fossil fuels and burn coal to cut their reliance on Russian supplies, raising fears that the crisis could undermine efforts to fight climate change. Germany has said finding alternative fossil fuels would not come at the expense of environmental goals. The final communique will be published later on Friday. (Reporting by Maria Sheahan; writing by Matthias Williams; editing by David Evans) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that he had discussed the supplies of heavy weapons to Ukraine with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. "We need more heavy weapons delivered as soon as possible, especially MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems), to repel Russian attacks," Kuleba tweeted after the talks. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister added that he had briefed Baerbock on the difficult situation in the Donbass region, Xinhua news agency reported. Other topics of the discussion included further sanctions on Russia and Ukraine's prospects to achieve a European Union (EU) candidate status, Kuleba said. Earlier this month, Baerbock said the government of is working with German enterprises to provide modern weapons to Ukraine. --IANS int/shs (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Incoming leader John Lee will travel to Beijing on Sunday to accept a letter that officially approves his appointment as the city's next chief executive. A government statement confirmed that Lee will go to Beijing with his private secretary and press secretary, as well as his wife. Local media including the South Morning Post reported that Lee is expected to meet Chinese President during the trip, and will also present the lineup for his cabinet for approval. The meeting will be Lee's first with China's top officials since he won the uncontested leadership election on May 8 with 99.2% of all votes from an election committee that is largely made up of pro-Beijing members. Last week, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang formally approved the appointment of Lee, signing the approval document during a State Council meeting. Each chief executive-elect typically receives their letter of appointment in person, and meets other top officials as well as the Chinese president. Carrie Lam, the city's current leader, made a similar trip in 2017 after winning the election. (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.) Ankiti Bose, who was fired last week as chief executive officer of the Pte, says shell keep fighting to clear her name. The fashion e-commerce platform terminated her employment after an investigation into claims of what it called serious financial irregularities and said it reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action. The probe included questions about Zilingos accounting practices and payments to several service providers of more than $7 million that were signed by her without the knowledge of senior executives, according to people familiar with the matter. In two interviews, before and after her dismissal, Bose denied wrongdoing and provided detailed responses to key points of the investigation. She said that, in the end, the company fired her for a lack of cooperation in the investigation rather than for actual financial improprieties. Shes determined to protect her reputation. There is not a single payment made by that did not have proper documents or either the finance, tech or operations teams were not aware of, said Bose, a former McKinsey & Co. consultant who had been CEO of since its founding. I feel like my baby has been taken away from me without giving me a proper explanation or a chance to fight for her back. Im grieving and fighting for myself simultaneously. Once a shining example of the potential for tech startups in Southeast Asia, Zilingo ran into trouble after internal whistleblowers voiced complaints this year that triggered conflicts between Bose and her longtime backers. The board suspended her on March 31 and hired investigative firm Kroll Inc. to examine the complaints. Now Zilingos very survival is in question. Bose co-founded Zilingo with Dhruv Kapoor in 2015 after a visit to Bangkoks Chatuchak market, where 15,000 merchants sell goods from across Thailand. Their aim was to build a technology platform to help those kinds of tiny merchants sell to consumers across Southeast Asia. In 2018, they began to reposition themselves as a business-to-business platform to reduce the high cash burn of working with consumers. Zilingos pitch that it would help digitize the fashion industrys antiquated supply chain helped draw venture backers, including Sequoia Capital India and Temasek Holdings Pte. It raised $226 million at a valuation of $970 million in 2019, when Bose was just 27 years old. But with pressure to grow quickly, Zilingo found itself dealing with thousands of vendors and merchants across nine countries from Sri Lanka to Indonesia. The complexity ended up straining the young companys ability to track revenue and other financial figures. Millions in Payments Zilingo and its board havent publicly detailed their allegations against Bose. The company didnt respond to multiple requests for comment, beyond earlier public statements. Following an investigation led by an independent forensics firm that was commissioned to look into complaints of serious financial irregularities, the company has decided to terminate Ms. Ankiti Boses employment with cause, and reserves the right to pursue appropriate legal action, the company said on May 20. Social media campaigns and leaked information have caused irreparable damage to the company, the board, employees and investors. People familiar with the Bose probe said one of the most serious allegations involves the payments to service providers that the CEO had signed off on without the knowledge of other senior managers. The payments went to about five information technology and consulting firms during the two-year period covered by the Kroll probe, said the people, asking not to be identified because details of the inquiry are private. These firms received either monthly or one-time payments from Zilingo totaling millions of dollars over that period, while it wasnt clear what services they delivered, the people said. Bose said all of the payments are legitimate and they certainly werent made to benefit her personally. She added its possible other senior mangers werent aware of the payments, although there wasnt anything nefarious about that. I am 100% certain that there is nothing amiss about the way in which the payments are made, she said. I have heard that several individuals in the company have claimed that they are not aware of various business relationships. While I find that odd to believe, because there are so many jurisdictions and so many parts of the company, its possible that they were not officially aware. Bose said that she has not been able to check internal documents to clarify what the payments were for following her suspension, even after requesting access under Krolls supervision. She also hasnt been able to contact staff or external parties who may be able to clear her name. I was not given sufficient access to provide documents that would exonerate me, she said. All I ask my shareholders and stakeholders to do is to not believe that I did not make an attempt to answer these questions. Kroll didnt respond to a request for comment. While Kroll investigators conducted forensic audits to help identify potential financial irregularities, their work did not cover whether there were links between the Zilingo payments and the CEO, the people familiar said. Such a task would require access to bank accounts, which was beyond the scope of the forensic investigation, they added. Another key area that Bose says Kroll officials have asked about is a discrepancy in revenue figures listed in documents provided to current and potential investors. The idea that Zilingo may have used different sets of financial figures has fueled fears among investors that the could have been inflating numbers or misleading backers. Bose maintains that such differences are merely the result of trying to comply with complex accounting standards across multiple countries. For example, in some cases sales made by certain merchants on the platform were counted as Zilingos own revenue -- even though such transactions would normally be classified as gross merchandise value, or GMV, under traditional accounting rules. Here, Bose said the rules in certain countries forced her hand. About 12% or 13% of our GMV historically has had to be recorded as revenue due to various regulatory requirements when goods are exported from several Asian countries, she said in the interview before she was fired, citing India, Indonesia and Bangladesh as examples. We have tried to work around this to reduce the impact of this between fiscal 21 and 22. A related issue is the timing of certain transactions. Zilingo is supposed to book revenue only when goods are shipped, but Bose said there was sometimes a 30- to 90-day lag between counting revenue and when the sales would be sent out. That also resulted in two sets of numbers at times, she said. Independent accounting experts are hesitant to make a definitive judgment without examining Zilingos books, but at least one questioned her reasoning. Mak Yuen Teen, an accounting and governance expert at the National University of Business School, called it not convincing since most countries, including those she cited, adhere to global accounting standards. Counting GMV as revenue is a significant risk for startups because their performance is often assessed based on revenues. Zilingos methods of accounting for discounts and incentives also had an influence on the books. The company has used aggressive methods for recognizing revenue, but Bose says the calculations are standard practice for the industry and that all of its investors were fully aware of them. She emphasized during the hours of discussion that she started Zilingo when she was 23 and depended on the finance department to sort through such quantitative questions. All these matters are well understood by all investors, Bose said in the earlier interview. Unless I am a chartered accountant I cannot touch the books, let alone cook the books. Absent Audits Uncertainty at Zilingo has been aggravated by a lack of audited figures. Public records in show it has not filed its fiscal 2020 or 2021 financial results, even though that is a basic regulatory requirement for all businesses registered in the city-state. Bose says the delays to its fiscal 2020 audited results were due to efforts to fix an issue involving an Indonesian entity that had been missed in fiscal 2019. She says it is not unusual for startups in Singapore and Southeast Asia to miss such filing deadlines. In Singapore, which miss their deadline for filing annual financial statements are fined as much as S$600 ($437), a relatively small sum. Zilingo declined to comment. One venture capitalist, who asked not to be identified because of the disputes contentiousness, said it is not uncommon for startups to make late filings. In Zilingos case, that failure to file contributed to challenges. After Covid-19 slashed the companys revenues, it took two rounds of financing to fund operations. One was a $25 million convertible note in late 2020 from Sequoia and state-owned investors EDBI and Temasek, while another was a near $40 million mezzanine debt facility in mid-2021 from Varde Partners and Indies Capital Partners, according to people familiar with the companys finances, who asked not to be identified because the details are confidential. In March 2022, Varde and Indies told the firm it was in default of the loan agreement citing a wide range of documents it was yet to receive, including the audited filings from fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021, ordering it to cease drawing on funds. By May, they recalled the loan, putting the company in a precarious financial position with little cash to continue operations. The board said on May 13 it had appointed an independent financial adviser to explore options for Zilingo. Its Not About Money Bose argued the investigation against her is an unfair effort to blame her for the companys struggles. She said she has yet to see the full report of allegations against her, despite four interviews with Kroll. She said she was asked to attend another meeting on May 19, but requested to delay it until the following week because she was relocating her family. The next day, she was fired with a termination letter she said cited several causes including insubordination, neglect, failure to produce relevant documents and refusal to comply with direction. I want an opportunity to talk about every single one of the allegations, she said. I was denied the opportunity, time and access to do so. Bose, now 30, pointed out that she hopes to have a substantial professional future, ideally working at startups with ambitious plans for the tech industry. Im not going to live with a stain on my reputation and my career, Bose said. Its not about money -- its about my career, its about my reputation, its about my life, its about my parents. In the wake of the Texas school massacre earlier this week, New York State Police has increased its visibility at schools across the state, while authorities were also considering raising the age limit to buy guns. New York Governor Kathy Hochul convened an emergency meeting of the school safety improvement team and directed New York State Police to enhance visibility at schools out of an abundance of caution, Xinhua news agency quoted an official statement as saying. Included are check-ins at schools to be conducted by both uniform and plainclothes staff. The temporary effort would last around one month until the end of the current school year, according to the statement. Hochul also made a proposal to raise the minimum age to purchase AR-15 rifles to 21 years old from the current floor of 18. "How does an 18-year-old purchase an AR-15 in the state of New York, state of Texas? That person's not old enough to buy a legal drink. I want to work with the legislature to change that. I want it to be 21. I think that's just common sense," the Governor said. She is also pushing for the passing of two bills on micro-stamping of semiautomatic pistols manufactured or delivered to licensed dealers in New York and reporting protocols of guns recovered in crimes within 24 hours of their discovery. Though gun control in New York is among the toughest in the US, it is threatened by inflows of arms from other states. A gunman aged 18 killed 10 residents and wounded three in Buffalo, New York, on May 14, while the perpetrator of the Texas school shooting was also 18-years-old. Inside a fourth grade classroom at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Salvador Ramos shot and killed 19 students and two teachers on Tuesday. Ramos, a local high school student who shared his plan on Facebook minutes before the attack, was killed by a Border Patrol officer at the scene. --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.) In a surprise move, the increased the rate of petroleum products by 30 PKR per litre, or up to one-fourth of their existing prices, paving the way for reaching a staff-level agreement with the Monetary Fund (IMF) by June 12. The unprecedented decision will help defuse the landmines laid by the government of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on the one hand, and will save the country from looming default on the other, The Express Tribune reported. Finance Minister Miftah Ismail made the decision public in an unscheduled news conference after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave him the go-ahead in a party meeting. With the fresh hike, the new price of petrol will be 179.88 PKR per liter, the highest ever rate, and showing an increase of 20 per cent over the existing prices. Ismail said that it was a "difficult decision that will erode political capital" of the government, The Express Tribune reported. "The government was giving 56 PKR per litre subsidy and I have only reduced the loss by 30 PKR per litre," he said at the news conference. High-speed-diesel new price will be 174.86 PKR per litre, an increase of 20.8 per cent. Ismail said that the government was giving Rs86 per litre subsidy, and in the first batch it has reduced the subsidy amount by only 30 PKR. "The government cannot take the country towards default and is ready to pay the political cost for the sake of protecting the interest of the state. "There is an option whether to protect political interests of the government or save the country from default and we have decided to protect the state's interests," he added. The government's decision to increase the prices at the expense of the political capital suggests that it might have won a nod from the establishment to stay in power longer than earlier thought. The government had refused to take tough decisions and then call snap elections just to pave the way for the victory of the PTI. --IANS san/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.) pressed the West on Thursday to lift sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, seeking to shift the blame for a growing food crisis that has been worsened by Kyiv's inability to ship millions of tons of grain and other agricultural products due to the conflict. Britain immediately accused Russia of trying to hold the world to ransom, insisting there would be no sanctions relief, and a top US diplomat blasted the "sheer barbarity, sadistic cruelty and lawlessness of the invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertiliser on the condition that politically motivated restrictions imposed by the West are lifted," according to a Kremlin readout of the call. Ukraine is one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but the war and a Russian blockade of its ports has halted much of that flow, endangering world food supplies. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Russia also is a significant grain exporter, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said the West must cancel the unlawful decisions that hamper chartering ships and exporting grain. His comments appeared to be an effort to lump the blockade of Ukrainian exports with what Russia says are its difficulties in moving its own goods. Western officials have dismissed those claims. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted last week that food, fertiliser and seeds are exempt from sanctions imposed by the US and many others and that Washington is working to ensure countries know the flow of those goods should not be affected. With the war grinding into its fourth month, world leaders have ramped up calls for solutions. World Trade Organisation Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said about 25 million tons of Ukrainian grain is in storage and another 25 million tons could be harvested next month. European countries have tried to ease the crisis by moving grain out of the country by rail but trains can carry only a small fraction of what Ukraine produces, and ships are needed for the bulk of the exports. At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry 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. Mikhail Mizintsev, who heads Russia's National Defense Control Center, said 70 foreign vessels from 16 countries are in six ports on the Black Sea, including Odesa, Kherson and Mykolaiv. He did not specify how many might be ready to carry food. Ukraine expressed skepticism. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country was ready to agree on safe corridors in principle but that it was not sure if it could trust Russia. He said the issue was 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. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Putin was trying to hold the world to ransom by demanding some sanctions be lifted before allowing Ukrainian grain shipments to resume. He's essentially weaponised hunger and lack of food among the poorest people around the world, Truss said on a visit to Sarajevo. "What we cannot have is any lifting of sanctions, any appeasement, which will simply make Putin stronger in the longer term. Putin said it's impossible, utterly unrealistic in the modern world to isolate Russia. Speaking via video to members of the Eurasian Economic Forum, which includes several ex-Soviet nations, he said those who try would primarily hurt themselves, citing broken food supply chains among the economic problems the West is facing. Michael Carpenter, the US ambassador to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, urged its members to provide Ukraine with what it needs to defend itself against Putin's "revanchist delusions". If Russia achieved success in Ukraine, there would be more horrific reports from filtration camps, more forcibly displaced people, more summary executions, more torture, more rape, and more looting, Carpenter said in Vienna. On the battlefield, Russian forces continued to press their offensive in several parts of the eastern Donbas region, according to the General Staff of the Ukrainian military. That industrial heartland of coal mines and factories is now the focus of fighting after Russia suffered a series of setbacks and shifted to more limited goals. The enemy is storming the position of our troops simultaneously in several directions, said Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar, We have an extremely difficult and long stage of fighting ahead of us. Regional governors said at least seven people were killed and 17 injured including a 9-year-old child in shelling in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv, while three were killed by attacks in and around the eastern city of Lysychansk, which is a key focus of fighting. Military officials said Russian forces continued to try to gain a foothold in the area of Sievierodonetsk, the only part of the Luhansk region in the Donbas under Ukrainian government control. A senior US defence official said Russia is making incremental progress in the Donbas, with fighting centred on towns and villages as Russian and Ukrainian forces trade control over scraps of land. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the US military assessment, said those smaller artillery duels could be prolonged. Russia has 110 battalion tactical groups, each with 800 to 1,000 troops, committed to Ukraine, amounting to 80% of Moscow's total force, the official said, adding that it has lost 1,000 tanks and three dozen fighter jets and other fixed-wing aircraft. Meanwhile, in the ravaged port city of Mariupol, Russia began broadcasting state television news, even as a leader of the Russia-backed separatists suggested there might be more Ukrainian fighters hiding in its sprawling Azovstal steelworks that was the focus of weeks of bombardment. The Russian military declared Azovstal and Mariupol on the whole completely liberated on May 20 and reported that 2,439 fighters who had been holed up at the plant had surrendered. The leader, Denis Pushilin, said some of the fighters may have been hiding, lost or lagged behind, adding that there are already those that have been found and captured. (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 Zelenskiy urged the West to stop playing around with Russia and impose tougher sanctions on it end its "senseless war", adding his country would remain independent, the only question was at what price. Fighting * The military situation in eastern Ukraine is even worse than people say it is and the country needs heavy weapons now to effectively fight Russia, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. * Russian shelling killed at least seven civilians and wounded 17 in the city of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine, authorities said. * As the United States and its allies provide Ukraine with increasingly sophisticated arms, Washington has held discussions with Kyiv about the danger of escalation if it strikes deep inside Russia, U.S. and diplomatic officials told Reuters. * Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned the West that supplying weapons to Ukraine capable of hitting Russian territory would be "a serious step towards unacceptable escalation", Tass news agency said. Diplomacy * President Zelenskiy complained about divisions inside the over more sanctions against Russia and asked why some nations were being allowed to block the plan. * The World Health Organization assembly passed a motion condemning a regional health emergency triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and rejected a rival resolution from Moscow that made no mention of its role in the crisis. * Finland's prime minister said Russia's actions in Ukraine were a turning point for the world and relations with Moscow could not go back to how they were before its invasion. Economy * The White House said it expects minimal impact on the U.S. and global economy from a potential Russia debt default as Washington decided to not extend a waiver that enabled Russia to pay U.S. bondholders. * Russian President and Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi discussed ways to help ease the food crisis, with the Kremlin saying this could be done only if the West lifts sanctions. * Hungary needs 3-1/2 to 4 years to shift away from Russian crude and make huge investments to adjust its economy and until there is a deal on all issues, it cannot back the EU's proposed oil embargo, a top Hungarian aide said. Quotes * "Russia has the advantage but we are doing everything we can," Ukrainian General Oleksiy Gromov said. Coming Up * An EU summit on May 30-31 could see divisions between members who want to take a hard line against Russia and those calling for a ceasefire. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President said hes willing to facilitate grain and fertilizer exports as global concern mounts about food shortages and rising prices but only if sanctions on his country are lifted. Putin didnt specify if he was referring to Russian exports or those from that have been stopped by Moscows blockage of ports since its invasion began in late February. The US and its allies would be highly unlikely to agree to remove the extensive sanctions placed on Russia for its actions in in response to the Russian leaders move to link it to the growing food crisis. Putins comments were made in a phone call Thursday with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, according to a Kremlin statement. The Russian president told Draghi that disruptions to food supplies were exacerbated by the sanctions imposed by the US and its allies, and that Moscow is willing to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the exports of grain and fertilizers on the condition that the Wests politically-motivated restrictions are lifted. A White House spokesperson said Russias actions were increasing world hunger. A decision by and to veto new United Nations sanctions on pushed by the United States shattered any veneer of global cooperation, straining efforts to pressure Pyongyang as it prepares to conduct a new nuclear test. The two countries on Thursday vetoed a U.S.-led push to impose more U.N. sanctions on over its renewed ballistic missile launches, publicly splitting the U.N. Security Council for the first time since it started punishing Pyongyang in 2006. U.S. officials slammed it as a "sharp departure from the Council's track record of collective action on this issue." "Today's vote means will feel more free to take further escalatory actions," Jeffrey Prescott, deputy to the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., said on Twitter. "But we can't resign ourselves to this fate a that would be far too dangerous." Russia's U.N ambassador called the resolution "a path to a dead end," while China's envoy said it would only lead to more "negative effects and escalation of confrontation." Analysts and some diplomats said Washington may have miscalculated in its rush to impose consequences for North Korea's missile tests. "I think it was a big mistake for the U.S. to push for what was sure to fail rather than showing unified opposition to North Korea's actions," said Jenny Town, director of the U.S.-based 38 North programme, which monitors North Korea. "In the current political environment, the idea that and could agree with the U.S. on anything would have sent a strong signal to Pyongyang." One European diplomat said that their country supported the U.S. resolution but that they were less appreciative of the timing and thought that Washington should have waited until North Korea carried out a new nuclear test. The United States assessed that North Korea had tested six intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) this year and was "actively preparing to conduct a nuclear test," which would be the country's first since 2017. Fragile Consensus Over the past 16 years the Security Council has steadily, and unanimously, stepped up sanctions to cut off funding for Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. It last tightened sanctions on Pyongyang in 2017. Washington increasingly criticised and for what it saw as lax enforcement, even before the latest political rift. China and Russia have called for sanctions to be eased to prevent humanitarian suffering in the North, and to jumpstart stalled denuclearisation talks. Artyom Lukin, a professor at Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, said it seemed like the United States wanted to provoke and produce this split in the Security Council, knowing that China and Russia would not support the resolution. Moscow and Beijing appear somewhat tolerant of North Korea's resuming long-range missile launches, but it is far from clear that Pyongyang has Russia's and China's consent, tacit or otherwise, for a nuclear test, he added. "Nuclear testing is seen by Beijing, and especially Moscow, as a far more serious matter, compared to missile testing," Lukin said. Nevertheless, Russia sees the Ukraine crisis as a proxy war with the United States, and the war is now bleeding into the situation around North Korea, he said. "Even though Moscow and Washington have a real shared interest in the denuclearisation of North Korea, it has now become extremely difficult, if not impossible, for them to collaborate," Lukin said. China's ambassador to the U.N., Zhang Jun, suggested that the United States may see the Korean issue as "a chessman on the chessboard for their so-called Indo-Pacific strategy." The Chinese and Russian veto is a telling sign of the deterioration of their overall relationship with the United States and its allies, said Beijing-based security scholar Zhao Tong of the Carnegie Endowment for Peace. "Beijing could have abstained, but it used the veto to publicly signal its growing disagreement with and resentment toward Washington," he said. "Everyone knew that the veto would send a wrong and dangerous message to North Korea, but Russia and China believe they face higher stakes in pushing back against their perceived hostility from the Western countries." Beijing and Moscow also genuinely see North Korea 's nuclear and missile developments as driven by threats from Washington and cannot be fully blamed on Pyongyang, Zhao said. "We have a perception gap problem among the major powers," he said. "North Korea is only exploiting and benefiting from it." (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tanzanian health authorities have issued an alert over the reported outbreak of monkeypox in some countries in . Godwin Mollel, the Deputy Minister for Health, said in a statement that the public needs to take precautions against the monkeypox and other infectious diseases, Xinhua news agency reported. "There are no reported monkeypox patients in at the moment," said Mollel, cautioning members of the public to avoid touching or eating sick animals or carcasses, as well as avoiding touching anything that has been used by a sick animal. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday it is expecting more infectious cases of the viral zoonotic disease as 20 countries across the world reported monkeypox cases. Initial symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headaches, swelling, back pain, aching muscles and fatigue. People with a more serious illness may develop rashes and lesions on the face and hands, which then spread to other parts of the body. --IANS int/shs (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary-General condemned the recent attacks in that claimed the lives of numerous civilians, among them members of the Hazara Shia community and several children. "The Secretary-General condemns the recent attacks in Afghanistan, including on passenger vehicles in Mazar-e-Sharif City and the Masjid Sharif Hazrat Zakaria mosque in Kabul City, which have claimed the lives of numerous civilians, among them members of the Hazara Shia community and at least 16 children," Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General said in a statement. Guterres extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those injured. "Attacks against civilians and civilian objects, including mosques, are strictly prohibited under humanitarian law." The Secretary-General reiterated his call on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, as well as their right to freely practice their religion. This statement comes as had been hit by a series of bomb attacks launched by the Islamic State (IS) group opposing the Taliban regime. In Wednesday's blasts, at least five worshippers were killed and 17 wounded in Kabul after a blast ripped through a mosque during evening prayers in Police District (PD) 4. The blast occurred when people were offering prayers in Hazrat-e-Zekria Mosque. The blast came about one hour after three consecutive explosions struck three van-buses in PD 10 and PD 5 in Mazar-i-Sharif, killing nine people and wounding 15 . The targeted buses were carrying commuters. is at a crossroads and the de facto authorities, the Taliban, must pursue a path towards stability and freedom for all citizens, especially women, the UN independent expert on human rights there said in the capital, Kabul, on Thursday. Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett was speaking to journalists at the end of an 11-day visit to the country. Bennett said Afghanistan is facing a plethora of human rights challenges that are having a severe impact on the country's people. However, the Taliban have failed to acknowledge or address the magnitude and gravity of abuses, many of which were committed in their name. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution to renew the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission for (UNAMI) for a year, till May 31, 2023. Resolution 2631, which won the unanimous support of the 15 members of the council, requests the UN secretary-general's special representative and UNAMI, at the request of the Iraqi government, to prioritise the provision of advice, support, and assistance on advancing inclusive, political dialogue and national and community-level reconciliation, Xinhua news agency reported. The resolution recognises that the security of UN personnel is essential for UNAMI to carry out its work and calls on the Iraqi government to continue to provide security and logistical support to the UN presence in . The resolution expresses the Security Council's intention to review the mandate and reporting cycle of UNAMI by May 31, 2023, or sooner, if requested by the Iraqi government. UNAMI is a political mission established by the Security Council in 2003 at the request of the Iraqi government in the wake of the invasion of by a US-led coalition. --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 US Presidential Commission has recommended the translation of key government websites, such as the White House and other federal agencies, in languages spoken by Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, including Hindi, Gujarati and Punjabi. A series of recommendations in this regard were recently approved by the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans (AA), Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (NHPI). The full commission at its meeting here early this month had recommended that federal agencies should provide key documents, digital content, and forms on their websites translated into multiple AA and NHPI languages. It also recommended that public and emergency alerts should be accessible to persons with limited English proficiency. The full commission also recommended that the federal government should ensure that emergency/disaster prevention, planning, response, mitigation, and recovery programmes are inclusive of and reflect the lived experiences of limited English proficient populations. The set of recommendations now move to the White House for the president to take a final call on it. Such a series of recommendations is in the pipeline for some time now after Indian-American Ajay Jain Bhutoria had run a multi-language publicity campaign for Democratic candidate and now US President Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election. Election campaigns in Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu and other South Asian languages helped the Biden campaign make a deep impact in the community. Based out of Silicon Valley and a successful entrepreneur, Bhutoria is now one of the members of the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (Commission). During the commission's meeting, he argued that providing information in languages specific to the audience will help bridge the information divide. A proactive approach for multi-lingual access to the federal government agency information and access will help meet the US government guidelines already in place. For example, the Office of Management of Budget Policies for Federal Public Websites states that your agency is already required to provide appropriate access for people with limited English proficiency by implementing Department of Justice guidance for Executive Order 13166 and improving Access to Services for People with Limited English Proficiency. Agencies must determine whether any individual document on their federal agency public website(s) requires translation. There has been a rapid increase in the population of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander which is expected to cross the 40 million mark by 2060. Based on the 2020 Census, there are about 25 million who speak a foreign language at home and whose English-speaking ability is at the level less than very well. Among AA and NHPI communities, 16.5 million speak English less than very well." In his proposal presented before the commission, Bhutoria observed that AAPIs have helped build a strong and vibrant America. Generations of AA and NHPI individuals, families, and communities are composed of diverse and varied ethnicities, languages, and cultures, and include residents of Pacific Island territories and freely associated states. They play an important economic role, having started businesses and generated jobs that pay billions of dollars in wages and taxes, including founding some of our nation's most successful and innovative enterprises, the proposal 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 US targeted two Russian banks on Friday as part of new sanctions over alleged support for and its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The sanctions come after what the US says were three new ballistic missile launches by on Tuesday, including one intercontinental ballistic missile. The launches happened after President Joe Biden ended an Asian trip in which he stressed Washington's commitment to defending allies from the North's nuclear threat. The US says this week's launches brought North Korea's total for this year to 23, as the isolated country pushes to develop and expand the range of its nuclear and missile programs. Friday's sanctions targets include two Russian banks, Far Eastern and Sputnik, that the US says do business with US-sanctioned North Korean entities. Bank Sputnik also helped arrange payments for the use of Russian satellite services, the Treasury Department said in announcing the sanctions. The new sanctions also target a Belarus-based North Korea man who the says was helping generate funding for the missile launches, and a trading company. On Thursday, China and Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution sponsored by the that would have imposed tough new sanctions on North Korea for its spate of intercontinental ballistic missile launches that can be used to deliver nuclear weapons. Thursday's vote represented the first serious division among the five veto-wielding permanent members of the UN's most powerful body on a North Korea sanctions resolution. African leaders gathered for a summit on Friday in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to address growing humanitarian needs on the continent, which is also facing increased violent extremism, challenges and a run of military coups. Leaders called for increased mobilisation to resolve a humanitarian crisis that has left millions displaced and more than 280 million suffering from malnourishment. For people in Djibo, a town in northern Burkina Faso near the border with Mali, any help can't come soon enough. The city in the Sahel region -- the large expanse below the Sahara Desert -- has been besieged since February by jihadis who prevent people and goods from moving in or out and cut water supplies. Few truckers want to run the jihadist gauntlet. Residents are suffering with no or water, animals are dying and the price of grain has spiked. The goods are not arriving anymore here. Animal and agricultural production is not possible because the people cannot go back to their villages, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator Barbara Manzi told The Associated Press from Djibo this week. Unless (a solution) is found, it's going to be really a tragedy for the entire group of people that are here. Djibo has been at the epicenter of the violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group that has killed thousands and displaced nearly 2 million people. While Djibo and Soum province where the town is located experienced periods of calm, such as during a makeshift ceasefire between jihadis and the government surrounding the 2020 presidential election, the truce didn't last. Since November, insecurity in the region has increased. Jihadis have destroyed water infrastructure in the town and lined much of Djibo's perimeter with explosives, blockading the city, say locals. The town's population has swollen from 60,000 to 300,000 over the last few years as people flee the countryside to escape the violence. Blockading cities is a tactic used by jihadis to assert dominance and could also be an attempt to get Burkina Faso's new military junta, which seized power in January, to backtrack on promises to eliminate the jihadis, said Laith Alkhouri, CEO of Intelonyx Intelligence Advisory, a group that provides intelligence analysis. Militants resort to blockading when they see an opportunity to gain incentives in negotiating with the government and simultaneously send a message to their base that they are in control. It's a bargaining card and a winning one, he said. A UN team flew in briefly to assess the situation. The AP was the first foreign media to visit the town in more than a year. Today there is nothing to buy here. Even if you have cash, there is nothing to buy. We came here with four donkeys and goats and some of them died because of hunger. We were forced to sell the rest of the animals and unfortunately prices of animals have decreased, said cattle owner Mamoudou Oumarou. The 53-year-old father of 13 fled his village in February and said the blockade in Djibo has prevented people from coming to the market to buy and sell cattle, decreasing demand and lowering prices for the animals by half. Before the violence, Djibo had one of the biggest and most vital cattle markets in the Sahel and was a bustling economic hub. Some 600 trucks used to enter Djibo monthly, now it's less than 70, said Alpha Ousmane Dao, director of Seracom, a local aid group in Djibo. Burkina Faso is facing its worst hunger crisis in six years, more than 630,000 people are on the brink of starvation, according to the UN. As a result of Djibo's blockade, the World Program has been unable to deliver to the town since December and stocks are running out, said Antoine Renard, country director for the World Food Program in Burkina Faso. Efforts to end the blockade through dialogue have had mixed results. At the end of April, the emir of Djibo met with Burkina Faso's top jihadist, Jafar Dicko, to negotiate lifting the siege. However, little progress has been made since then. Locals say the jihadis have eased restrictions in some areas allowing freer movement, but that the army is now preventing people from bringing food out of Djibo to the surrounding villages for fear it will go to the jihadis. The army denied the allegations. Meanwhile residents in Djibo say they're risking their lives just trying to survive. Dadou Sadou searches for wood and water in the middle of the night outside of Djibo, when she says the jihadis are not around. We no longer have animals, we don't have food to buy in the market If you have children, you don't have a choice, 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.) Shares of surged 8 per cent to Rs 45,176 on the BSE in Fridays trade after the company reported strong performance in March quarter (Q4FY22). Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) margin improved by 470 basis points (bps) year on year (YoY) and 290 bps quarter on quarter (QoQ) at 24 per cent, on better operating efficiencies. The stock of garments and apparels hit a 52-week high of Rs 46,705 on April 26, 2022. At 10:26 am; it traded 8 per cent higher at Rs 44,935, as compared to 0.55 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex. Meanwhile, the companys reported profit after tax (PAT) jumped 64.9 per cent YoY to Rs 190.5 crore, on back of 37.2 per cent YoY increase in revenue at Rs 3,887 crore. That apart, the company remains optimistic that all product categories and channels will continue to witness increasing trend and investments in leadership, product innovation, warehousing, technology and logistics support. The sales momentum has picked up significantly across all our product categories backed by expansion in our portfolio and existing network. We are well poised on a growth trajectory and remain optimistic on delivering sustainable growth over the long-term, the management said. is the exclusive licensee of JOCKEY International Inc. (USA) to manufacture, distribute and market the JOCKEY brand in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Oman, Qatar, Maldives, Bhutan and UAE. is also the exclusive licensee of Speedo International to manufacture, market and distribute Speedo brand in India. However, analysts at Motilal Oswal Financials maintain neutral rating on the stock. They believe that the near-term challenges persist due to steep rise in yarn costs and high base for higher realization of Athleisure segment. After a few years of an earnings decline (-4.3 per cent PBT CAGR over FY18-21), its performance in FY22 has been encouraging, resulting in an improved outlook. RoCE also revived to over 50 per cent after 15 years, having dipped to the late 30s in recent years. Page Industries higher multiples will sustain, driven by healthy revenue and earnings visibility. However, valuations at 56x FY24E EPS are rich, which leads us to maintain our Neutral rating, the brokerage firm added. BEML reported a 15.46% fall in consolidated net profit (continuing operations) of Rs 133.42 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 157.81 crore posted in Q4 FY21. Net sales declined 6.77% to Rs 1,683.58 crore for the quarter ended 31 March 2022 from Rs 1,805.74 crore recorded in the corresponding period last year. Profit before tax jumped 16.35% to Rs 204.57 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 175.82 crore in Q4 FY21. Total expenses fell 9.2% to Rs 1,480.38 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21. Cost of material consumed rose 14.61% to Rs 866.15 crore and employee benefits expenses rose 1.76% to Rs 211.62 crore. On the margins front, the company's operating margin improved to 12.68% in Q4 FY22 from 10.4% posted in Q4 FY21. Net profit margin stood at 7.92% in Q4 FY22 as against 8.74% recorded in Q4 FY21. The PSU company's order book as of 31 March 2022 stood at Rs 9,192 crore. The defense company said it executed orders worth Rs 1,558 crore in quarter ended March 2022. On full year basis, the company recorded 87.18% jump in net profit (continuing operations) to Rs 128.59 crore on a 20.59% rise in net sales to Rs 4,337.49 crore in FY22 over FY21. Meanwhile, the board of directors of the company recommended a dividend of Rs 5 per equity share, for the financial year ended 31 March 2022. BEML is a multi-technology schedule 'A' company under the Ministry of Defence. It has its operation under three business verticals viz. defence & aerospace, mining & construction and rail & metro. As on 31 March 2022, the Government of India held 54.03% stake in BEML. Shares of BEML were trading 2.69 % higher at Rs 1292.45 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.) Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is quoting at Rs 323.15, down 0.37% on the day as on 13:19 IST on the NSE. The stock tumbled 31.46% in last one year as compared to a 5.86% rally in NIFTY and a 30.78% spurt in the Nifty Auto index. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd fell for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 323.15, down 0.37% on the day as on 13:19 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 1.05% on the day, quoting at 16340.7. The Sensex is at 54854.87, up 1.11%.Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd has lost around 12.51% in last one month.Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is a constituent, has eased around 11.9% in last one month and is currently quoting at 25760.45, down 0.66% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 36.49 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 37.27 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark June futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 323.45, down 0.25% on the day. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd tumbled 31.46% in last one year as compared to a 5.86% rally in NIFTY and a 30.78% spurt in the Nifty Auto index. The PE of the stock is 5.48 based on TTM earnings ending December 21. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Muthoot Finance tumbled 5.30% to Rs 1077 after the company reported 2.2% fall in consolidated net profit to Rs 997.03 crore on a 2.5% decline in total income to Rs 3041.14 crore in Q4 FY22 over Q4 FY21. Operating profit declined 6.8% YoY to Rs 1,387.21 crore during the quarter. Provisions and write-off dropped 82.4% to Rs 14.61 crore in Q4 FY22 from Rs 83.15 crore in Q4 FY21. Profit before tax in Q4 FY22 stood at Rs 1,351.83 crore, down by 2.4% from Rs 1,385.16 crore in Q4 FY21. The company recorded 5.6% growth in consolidated net profit to Rs 4,016.62 crore on a 5.8% increase in total income to Rs 12,237.46 crore in FY22 over FY21. Muthoot Finance's consolidated loan assets under management grew 11% YoY to Rs 64,494 crore as at FY22 as against Rs 58,280 crore last year. George Jacob Muthoot, Chairman stated, Despite the ongoing geo-political crisis and covid related base challenges, Muthoot Finance has delivered a consistent performance in this quarter.. As the economy is gradually recovering, the demand for gold loans has been steady and we remain optimistic for the coming financial year. Gold prices have been steadily rising over the last three years and this has attracted new customers towards the product and has positively helped the sector. With Indian Households owning the world's biggest private stock of gold, and only about ten percent in the organized gold loan market space including gold loan companies, there is huge untapped opportunity in gold loan sector. We aim to keep innovating and maintain our leadership in the gold loan sector. George Alexander Muthoot, Managing Director said, Since we are witnessing signs of recovery in the economy, the RBI rate hike may not dampen overall demand scenario and we are expecting borrowing cost to go up gradually during the year. Gold loans are a great option both, in times of rise and drop in economic activities. As the economy recovers and overall economic demand revives, our focus will be to make the most of the opportunities and keep innovating further. With respect to our subsidiaries, following the rise in demand in the economy, the collections from Micro finance, vehicle finance and home loans have improved. We aim to further improve our collections in these segments. However, we will continue to adopt a balanced growth strategy and given the ongoing macro-economic environment we continue to be cautious on the Micro finance and Vehicle finance business. Muthoot Finance is the flagship company of the Kerala-based business house, The Muthoot Group, which has diversified operations in financial services, healthcare, education and hospitality. It is India's largest gold loan focussed NBFC. The company derives a major portion of its business from South India, where gold loans have traditionally been accepted as a means of availing short-term credit, although it has increased its presence beyond South India over the last few years. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) ONGC dropped 4.48% to Rs 145.05 after the company said it will invest Rs 31,000 crore in exploration over the next three years. The state-run oil major said it has drawn up a comprehensive roadmap to further intensify its exploration campaign, allocating a capital expenditure of about Rs 31,000 crore in the next three fiscal years during FY 2022-25. This is 150% of its exploration expenditure of Rs 20,670 crore in the last three fiscals during FY 2019-22, it said in a statement on Thursday. ONGC said it also plans to leverage international collaborations with reputed global majors for this, for which talks are in an advanced stage. This exploration intensification includes activities funded through ONGC's internal program as well as funded and facilitated by the government, the company said in a statement. Under government-funded program for appraisal of unapprised offshore areas till Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), 70,000 line kilometers (LKM) of 2D broadband seismic data acquisition, processing and interpretation (API) will be done in three sectors namely West Coast of India, East Coast of India and Andaman offshore. ONGC will complete the technical bid opening (TBO) for seismic data acquisition by June 2022. In Andaman Basin, ONGC presently holds two blocks for exploration under Open Acreage Licensing policy (OALP). Government of India has also acquired seismic data in some sectors within 'No-Go' areas and few prospects are already identified. ONGC has plans to drill six wells in the next three years (two under ONGC committed work program and four through government funding). Reputed global companies/consultants are being invited for the assessment of the basin for future exploration and exploitation plan. ONGC's internal program has three components; re-exploration of Mature Basins, consolidation of Emerging Basins and probing of Emerging and New Basins. Under this internal program, ONGC is trying to probe around 1700 million tonne of oil and oil equivalent gas (MMTOE) of Yet-To-Find (YTF) reserves during FY 2022-25. The activities here include 2D and 3D seismic survey, followed by drilling of around 115-120 wells with an estimated outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore every year for next three years, ONGC said. Maharatna ONGC is the largest crude oil and natural gas company in India, contributing around 71% to Indian domestic production. It has in-house service capabilities in all areas of exploration and production of oil & gas and related oil-field services. The Government of India held 58.91% stake in ONGC as of March 2022. The company's consolidated net profit surged to Rs 10,931.61 crore in the quarter ended December 2021 as against Rs 2,518.11 crore during the previous quarter ended December 2020. Sales rose 45.27% to Rs 1,45,685.58 crore in Q3 FY22. The company will announce Q4 results on 28 May 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.) The company reported consolidated net profit of Rs 151 crore in Q4 March 2022 compared with net loss of Rs 510 crore in Q4 March 2021. On a consolidated basis, total income rose 23% year-on-year to Rs 4,401 crore in Q4 March 2022. Non-operating other income jumped 45% to Rs 238 crore during the quarter, comprising interest on bank deposits, gain on sale of mutual fund investments, exchange gain, dividend income and settlement of claims. Pre-tax loss (before tax & exceptional items) stood at Rs 14 crore in Q4 March 2022 compared with pre-tax profit of Rs 861 crore in Q4 March 2021. OPBIDTA fell 27% YoY to Rs 1,414 crore during the period under review. Total expenses rose 63.17% to Rs 4,414.55 crore. Cost of material consumed rose 24.38% to Rs 335.29 crore while employee benefits expenses rose 44.15% to Rs 612.31 crore. During the quarter, financial services business revenue jumped 37% YoY to Rs 2,024 crore. Retail loan disbursements rose 100% QoQ in Q4 FY22 to Rs 1,480 crore. The business reported YoY decline in GNPA by 70 bps to 3.4% and NNPA by 50 bps 1.6%. During the year, Piramal Enterprises completed its acquisition of distressed home financier - Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL). The company's financial services lending business reported loss of Rs 321 crore in March quarter (Q4FY22) due to additional provisioning and interest reversals totaling Rs 1,037 crore. The pharma business revenue grew 11% YoY to Rs 2,139 crore. Within the pharma business, India Consumer Healthcare revenue stood at Rs 196 crore (up 55%), Complex Hospital Generics revenue was reported at Rs 548 crore (up 8%) and pharma CDMO revenue stood at Rs 1,394 crore (up 8%). For the year, Piramal Enterprises' net profit rose 41% to Rs 1,999 crore on 12% increase in total income to Rs 14,713 crore in the year ended March 2022 over the year ended March 2021. OPBIDTA fell 8% YoY to Rs 7,170 crore in FY22. The board has recommended a final dividend of Rs 33 per equity share for the financial year ended 31 March 2022. The reported operating cash flow (OCF) of Rs 8,749.59 crore in the year ended 31 March 2022 compared with OCF of Rs 3,664.54 crore in the year ended March 2021. Ajay Piramal, chairman, Piramal Enterprises, said: "We have delivered a resilient performance in Q4 and FY22 across financial services and pharmaceuticals, against the backdrop of the pandemic and macro-economic headwinds. In financial services, we completed the integration with DHFL and achieved 100% Q-on-Q growth in retail loan disbursements in Q4 of FY22. We have re-activated almost all the branches and not only retained over 3,000 employees of the DHFL, but also created over 3,000 new jobs in the merged entity across India. We will continue to make requisite investments in talent and technology, to strengthen our ability to tap the latent business opportunities in the Bharat market. Post the DHFL acquisition, we will now leverage our sizable retail lending platform to double our AUM over the next 5 years, thereby significantly improving our mix towards retail. During the quarter, we further strengthened our balance sheet by making additional provisions towards Stage 2 assets. We also continue to retain the extraordinary provisions made in March 2020 towards the pandemic related risks. In pharmaceuticals, we have been investing organically and inorganically across all our businesses. All our key businesses have a compelling plan for their growth and have continued to deliver against their respective strategic priorities despite challenging macro-environment. We remain firmly on track to complete the demerger of the pharmaceuticals business by Q3 of FY23 and unlock significant value for our stakeholders." Piramal Enterprises (PEL) is one of the large companies in India, with a presence in financial services and pharmaceuticals. In financial services, the company offers a wide range of financial products and solutions, with a presence across both retail and wholesale financing. Piramal Pharma offers a portfolio of differentiated products and services through end-to-end manufacturing capabilities across 15 global facilities and a global distribution network over 100 countries. Shares of Piramal Enterprises fell 9.71% to Rs 1675.75 on the BSE. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 1658.35 in intraday today. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The first in-person annual meeting of the at Davos ended on Thursday. India was at the centre of many dialogues on emerging issues ranging from crypto technologies to . The global CEO of Saint Gobain, Benoit Bazin was extremely bullish about his companys growth story in India. The Euro 45 billion company sees India as its future growth driver for business and innovation. We have a plan to invest more than Rs 55 billion in the next 4 years in India. India is not only important for Saint-Gobain in India but also for South East Asia and the rest of the world, Bazin said. India can be a critical country for solar energy. Now we are also investing in our sustainability agenda to make progress on reducing the carbon footprint for manufacturing in our latest plant in Vizag by using biomass. Sheila Warren, CEO of Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI) said, The industry is at an inflection point. We have evidence that shows the value of blockchain-backed systems, including those that rely on crypto. CCI is a global alliance of crypto industry leaders with a mission to demonstrate the transformational promise of crypto. Fidelity Investment and Andreesen Horowitz are among the supporters of CCI. Warren said that blockchain and crypto innovation from countries like India will change the business landscape. Indian companies and government representatives made the most of the absence of Russian delegation and a surprisingly small Chinese presence of barely a dozen delegates. "In terms of numbers and specifically when it comes to government, we have record numbers from India," said Sriram Gutta, head of India agenda at the Forum. "We currently work with many states on diverse initiatives, including food innovation and agri tech, advanced manufacturing and production, drones, and electric vehicles, among others." More than one hundred Indian delegates which included CEOs, unicorn founders and political leaders were at Davos. While Russia was denied participation at the Davos gathering, Chinas lockdown conditions prevented a large presence. China sent its smallest official delegation ever, amid stringent quarantine rules due to its zero-Covid policy and its unpopularity because of pro-Russia neutrality. China was represented in only four of more than 200 sessions at WEF. The Beijing delegation was led by Chinas Special Representative for Affairs Xie Zhenhua. He joined a panel of climate leaders, including US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry and WEF president Brge Brende, to urge for climate action to keep global temperatures from rising within the 1.5-degree Celsius Paris Agreement target to prevent climate catastrophe. Many observers noted the absence of China and the strong presence of India. Xis heavy-handed Zero Covid strategy has triggered serious discomfort among Western businesses, an article in Politico noted. The conversation has shifted dramatically from wary appraisals of Chinas strength to borderline panic about its fragility. David Rubenstein, co-founder of the private equity Carlyle Group, told Politico in Davos that India has been more attractive [to buy assets] of late than China. The (WEF) launched the India chapter of the Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders on Monday to supercharge India's climate action and decarbonisation efforts. 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 by 2070 target. "As a major global economy, India's role in mitigating 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 just transition could generate annual business opportunities worth over $10 trillion and create 395 million jobs by 2030 worldwide. India alone could see more than 50 million net new jobs and generate over $15 trillion in economic value. Conversations on water security at the annual meeting led to substantive action on freshwater conservation and management. Global conglomerate HCL announced a partnership with UpLink, the open innovation platform of the that connects highly promising start-ups with the partners and funding they need to scale. Through a $15 million investment over five years, HCL will accelerate the innovation agenda for water and create a first-of-its-kind innovation ecosystem for the global freshwater sector on UpLink. "Today, freshwater resources globally are extremely burdened, and every fifth child on this planet faces water scarcity," said Roshni Nadar Malhotra, CEO of HCL Group and Chairperson of HCL Technologies. Maharashtra, India's largest state in terms of GDP, joined the WEFs Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP). The economic powerhouse joins a growing list of global economies that will leverage the GPAP platform to drive localised solutions for the circular economy. "This agreement with the World Economic Forum's Global Plastic Action Partnership marks a critical juncture in our state's battle against the plastic pollution endemic," said Aaditya Thackeray, Minister of Environment and Climate Change for Maharashtra. While the European political leadership was focused on the war in Ukraine, the business heads were eagerly scouting options for diversifying their trade and investments. For most of them India seemed the best option with political stability and reformist policies. The presence of central government ministers and five states that were competing for attention was perhaps the best symbol of Indias aggressive positioning as an attractive investment destination and a rapidly growing market. Many global investors endorsed Indias rising relevance in the world economy. A Mohali court on Friday sent to 14-day judicial custody sacked Punjab minister Vijay Singla, who said he worked with 'utmost sincerity', has full faith in his party and will come out clean of corruption charges. Before being taken to the court, Singla told reporters that there may be a conspiracy from some "outsider forces" behind the episode leading to his sacking and arrest. Singla, 52, was sacked from the state Cabinet Tuesday over graft charges by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He held the health portfolio and was accused of demanding "one per cent commission" in tenders and purchases by his department. Singla and his Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Pardeep Kumar were arrested by police. Both were produced before the court of Ravtesh Inderjit Singh in Mohali after their three-day police remand ended on Friday. Advocate H S Dhanoa, the counsel for Singla, said police requested for the judicial remand of the former minister and his Pardeep. He said the court fixed June 10 as the next date of hearing and they will be sent to the Rupnagar jail. The counsel further said both Singla and Pardeep have agreed to give their voice samples. When Singla was asked about the corruption allegations levelled against him before being taken to the court, he told reporters, "I worked with utmost honesty in my department." "I have complete faith in my government, my party, police and judiciary. We will come out clean," said Singla. To a question, Singla said there was no conspiracy in the party. However, he said there can be a conspiracy of some "outside forces". On May 24, Singla on allegations against him had said, "It is a conspiracy and an attempt to defame the party." Singla along with his OSD Pardeep Kumar, who is said to be the former minister's relative, were booked on a complaint by Superintending Engineer Rajinder Singh, posted at Punjab Health System Corporation. The officer had alleged that they demanded Rs 1.16-crore bribe from Rs 58 crore, which included Rs 41 crore for construction works and Rs 17 crore as payment to contractors, besides one per cent commission in government contracts. The complainant had also alleged that he was threatened that his career will be ruined and had said that he eventually agreed to pay Rs 5 lakh to avoid the "mental harassment". The complainant also made an audio recording of the conversation when he met Singla and Pardeep on May 23. CM Mann himself had announced Singla's removal from the Cabinet, which was sworn in just two months ago after the Aam Aadmi Party stormed to power, riding on the agenda of corruption-free governance. Mann had then said that Singla had admitted to his alleged wrongdoings. Mann had said that his government would not allow corrupt practices. (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.) You are receiving the free biweekly version of China Green Bulletin. Sign up here for our twice-a-week email to keep up to date on green, energy and ESG news out of China. Top News Items Chinas climate envoy pledges to keep fighting climate change China is endeavoring to fight against climate change and push renewable energy development, special climate envoy Xie Zhenhua said in a meeting with the chief of the International Energy Agency on Monday in Davos, Switzerland. China leads the world in total installed and newly added capacity for renewable power generation. Insurance / In Depth: As mass Covid testing becomes Chinas new normal, debate grows over who pays As Chinas local governments rack up billions of yuan of health care costs to implement the countrys dynamic zero-Covid policy, including mass testing and vaccination campaigns, a debate is growing about where the money is coming from to pay for it all. Testing to root out chains of transmission has been one of the governments main weapons to fight the nations worst Covid-19 outbreak since early 2020. Cities where flare-ups occur require all residents to undergo nucleic acid tests, also known as PCR tests, usually every 48 hours, to quarantine those infected and their close contacts and to stop the virus from spreading. Davos / Climate issues shouldnt bear political labels, U.S. envoy says No political labels should be placed on climate cooperation, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry told Caixin at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, noting that it is an existential issue for every country and every person on the planet. In response to a Caixin reporters question about whether such cooperation is a good sign for the two countries relationship, Kerry said at a press conference Wednesday that we both know that our countries have differences weve acknowledged it publicly. World needs clear standards for sustainability ratings, leaders say FINANCE & ECONOMY Economy / Chinas premier puts greater emphasis on growth China faces difficulties in some areas that are more serious than those in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday at a State Council meeting. Development is the key to solving all current problems, and the government needs to strike a better balance between economic development and pandemic control with growth as the higher priority, Li said. The premier pledged that the government would work to protect employment and peoples lives, maintain reasonable economic growth and push for a decline in unemployment in the second quarter. Covid-19 / Tianjin locks down a district and orders citywide Covid testing Tianjin locked down one of its central districts and kicked off a new round of citywide testing to contain its latest local outbreak of Covid-19. The port citys health authorities reported 18 local cases Wednesday, up from 17 a day earlier. More than 350,000 residents of the Heping district were put under static management Wednesday, meaning they cannot leave the district unless necessary, state media reported, citing local health authorities (link in Chinese). Most residents are confined to their homes, residential communities or neighborhoods. China further slashes price of a Covid-19 test to $2.40 Quick hits / Covid lockdown costs Shanghai its yuan trading crown Bidens China-tariff review likely to take months, USTR says BUSINESS & TECH A real estate project under construction in Qingzhou city, East China's Shandong province, May 15. Photo: VCG Property / More Chinese developers ask for more time to pay back bonds More Chinese property developers have been trying to get extra time to make debt payments as they continue to struggle with getting their hands on enough cash to repay creditors. The repayment wrangling indicates that many Chinese developers remain snagged in a liquidity crisis despite government measures over the past few months to ease severe market and financing restrictions. So far the measures, which aim to keep the industry from falling into financial turmoil, have failed to shore up sales or market confidence. Chinese builder Agiles liquidity questioned despite bond gains Logistics / More Chinese logistics firms sink into red in April More of Chinas major logistics companies lost money in April as widespread disruption from the countrys Covid-induced lockdowns pushed up costs in an industry where margins have long been paper thin. In the first four months of the year, 39% of the countrys key logistics companies logged losses, compared with 36% in the first three months, according to statistics provided Wednesday by the government-linked China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP). No further details were given about the total number of such businesses. Zhihu / Q&A site Zhihu founder vows to slash red ink as losses grow Q&A platform Zhihu Inc.s net losses widened 89% year-on-year to 614 million yuan ($92 million) in the first quarter, according to its quarterly earnings released Wednesday. That was despite a previously-stated goal of paring losses this year. The Hong Kong- and NYSE-traded companys revenue, meanwhile, jumped 55% from a year earlier to 743 million yuan during the period. Its cost of revenue almost doubled year-on-year to 408 million yuan due to increased spending on advertising services, content-related costs and more headcount. Long Read / China still needs supply-side structural reform but needs to get it right GALLERY Crowds rush to exit Shanghai Recommended newsletter for you / Caixin Must-Read Newsletter brings you the best of our coverage and stories you cant miss. You can opt-in now and get hand-picked news coverage delivered to your inbox each week for free. Thanks for reading. If you havent already, click here to subscribe. Whats new: Chinas scandal-plagued drugmaker Kangmei Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (600518.SH) paid 2.46 billion yuan ($364 million) in compensation to investors, closing the countrys first securities class-action lawsuit against a fraudulent issuer. More than 52,000 Kangmei investors received cash payments under the companys reorganization plan, according to Li Chao, vice chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), at a briefing Friday. Among the investors, 99.4% are small retail investors with losses of less than 500,000 yuan, Li said. The background: Kangmei, one of Chinas biggest publicly traded drugmakers, was accused of financial reporting fraud involving 88.6 billion yuan of overstatements between 2016 and 2018. Regulators found that the company used fake bank deposit slips to inflate cash reserves, forged documents for nonexistent business activities and transferred company funds to related parties to trade in its own stock. In November 2021, a court in Guangzhou made a landmark ruling in the countrys first securities class-action lawsuit, ordering Kangmei to pay 2.46 billion yuan to more than 50,000 shareholders who lost money because of the fraud. In January, Ma Xingtian, the former chairman of Kangmei, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 1.2 million yuan for manipulating the securities market, failure to disclose important information and bribery. Quick Takes are condensed versions of China-related stories for fast news you can use. Contact reporter Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) and editor Bob Simison (bob.simison@caixin.com) Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go. Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter. RTHK: 6.1-magnitude quake strikes off East Timor A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of East Timor on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, with tremors felt as far as the Australian city of Darwin, although there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The USGS said the quake hit at a depth of 51 kilometres off the eastern tip of Timor island, which is split between East Timor and Indonesia. An AFP journalist in the East Timor capital Dili felt the earthquake and said that, although it lasted only seconds, "the jolt was quite strong". "I saw people rushing out of their homes and children running outside of the school," the journalist said. The earthquake was more violent around the town of Lospalos in the east of the country, but local authorities were still assessing the situation and did not give a breakdown of the damage or possible casualties. The quake was also felt in Darwin, Australia, which lies across the Timor Sea from the epicentre. Darwin resident Joel Willingale, who works in heavy manufacturing, said "it went on for about 30 seconds". "The whole room shook and slammed down," he said. "We only really feel the effects of a quake occasionally, usually in the Banda Sea. But this one was a big one." The Banda Sea lies north of Timor island. To the north in Indonesia, the earthquake triggered panic and prompted people to evacuate buildings in the southwest of the Moluccas archipelago, according to the National Emergency Management. Authorities did not report any damage or casualties. The United Nations' tsunami monitoring agency warned that the quake "could generate a tsunami affecting the Indian Ocean region". No national authority in the region has yet issued a tsunami warning, however. "No #tsunami threat to Australia from #earthquake felt in Darwin, NT," said Australia's Bureau of Meteorology in a tweet. East Timor and Indonesia sit on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. In February, a 6.2-magnitude quake killed a dozen people when it struck Indonesia's North Sumatra. In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude quake hit the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 people throughout the region, including about 170,000 in Indonesia. East Timor has a population of about 1.3 million and is Southeast Asia's youngest country, recently celebrating the 20th anniversary of its independence from Indonesia. The mostly rural economy has been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the World Bank saying 42 percent of the population live below the poverty line. (AFP) ______________________________ Last updated: 2022-05-27 HKT 14:49 This story has been published on: 2022-05-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Foreign companies still full of confidence when looking at prospects of Chinese market People's Daily Online) 10:44, May 27, 2022 Cosmetics giant L'Oreal lately announced the establishment of its first investment company in China, which mirrors the vibrant flow of foreign investment into China. Amid the lingering cases of COVID-19, many multinationals have gathered pace to occupy larger shares of international markets, among which the Chinese market remains one of their favorites. Container trucks travel back and forth as they shuttle shipments at the Yangshan Deep Water Port, Shanghai. (China News Service/Yin Liqin) Shanghai Meicifang Investment Co., Ltd., L'Oreals first investment company in China, was established at the Oriental Beauty Valley, Fengxian district, Shanghai. This was also the first investment project in China signed by a Fortune Global 500 company during the resumption of work and production in Shanghai after a new wave of Omicron cases. Although production faces some uncertainties in the current circumstances, L'Oreals business maintained steady growth during the first quarter of the year, and L'Oreal China saw a double-digit increase in its business performance, higher than the average level for the overall cosmetics market, said Fabrice Megarbane, president of L'Oreal North Asia Zone and CEO of L'Oreal China, adding that the group is still optimistic about the Chinese market. Visitors try out cosmetic products at the consumer goods exhibition area during the China International Import Expo (CIIE). (China News Service/Yin Liqin) Besides cosmetics companies like L'Oreal, foreign enterprises in other industries have also enhanced their investments into the Chinese market. Multinational pharmaceutical company Merck plans to invest an additional 100 million euros to expand its first single-use manufacturing center in the Asia-Pacific region located in Wuxi National High-tech Industrial Development Zone, east Chinas Jiangsu province. The project is scheduled to be operational before 2024 and will create nearly 1,000 jobs. And the expanded manufacturing base is expected to become one of the three global manufacturing centers of Mercks life science business sector. Data from the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) showed that 185 new contracts entailing foreign direct investments worth over $100 million each were signed in China during the first four months of the year, which meant that an average of 1.5 large-scale foreign-funded projects were introduced into China every day. The fundamentals of the foreign trade industry for long-term growth remain unchanged. Aerial photo shows the exterior of an assembly shop at a factory operated by BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., a Chinese-German joint venture, in Tiexi district, Shenyang city, northeast Chinas Liaoning province. (Photo/China Construction Second Engineering Bureau Ltd. Northern Branch) Compared with international trade, which depends more on the current state of market supply and demand, international investment places more emphasis on the long-term fundamentals and development potential of an economy, said Bai Ming, deputy director of international market research at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, who believes that in the face of challenges, Chinas huge market potential, strong and effective supportive measures, and continuously improving business environment have boosted foreign investors confidence in the Chinese market. According to Jin Xiandong, a spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission, China revised the negative lists for foreign investment access in the country and in its pilot free trade zones (FTZs) for five consecutive years from 2017 to 2021, which have cut special management measures for foreign investment access from 93 and 122 to 31 and 27, respectively. Besides, it has launched a number of major measures for further opening-up in the areas of finance and automobiles, providing a broader space for foreign investment. In recent years, China has moved increasingly faster to formulate and improve relevant laws and regulations, with the Foreign Investment Law and related regulations now being fully implemented, which has fundamentally guaranteed the interests of foreign investors and created a more law-based business environment for foreign investors and foreign-invested enterprises. In response to the pandemic, Chinas timely and effective policies, including the largest tax rebate and reduction moves in its history totaling 2.5 trillion yuan ($371 billion), as well as rent cuts and exemptions and loan extensions at the central and local levels, have also encouraged foreign companies to enhance their investments in the country. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) KIEV, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday met with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and discussed Ukraine's European integration and post-conflict recovery, Zelensky's press service reported. At the talks in Kiev, Zelensky thanked the Finnish government for providing financial, defense and humanitarian aid for Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia. He also stressed the importance of visits of foreign high-ranking officials to the Ukrainian capital. "These are very important direct signals of support, first of all for the Ukrainian people, our people, who see that they are not left alone with today's ordeals," Zelensky said. Finland's support for Ukraine's future membership in the European Union (EU) is very important, Zelensky said, adding that Kiev expects that the EU will decide on Ukraine's membership prospects soon. The Ukrainian leader also invited Finland to take part in his country's post-conflict recovery by taking patronage over a region, city, or industry. For her part, Marin said that her country and people today understand Ukrainians very well, given their historical experience. "The heroic spirit of the Ukrainian people, who are fighting for their freedom and for the whole of Europe, is admirable," Marin said. The Finnish prime minister arrived in Kiev earlier in the day for her first visit to Ukraine. BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Thanks to its rich legacy of people-oriented thoughts, the fine traditional Chinese culture is an important source of reference for the advancement of public well-being and the protection of human rights in modern society. As the 17th-century Chinese scholar Wan Sida said: "No matter is too small if it delivers benefits to the people." These words epitomize the ideal governance philosophy prioritizing the well-being of the people. President Xi Jinping has cited the aphorism to highlight the Party's people-centered philosophy as well as to call for efforts to deliver tangible benefits to the public. The people-centered philosophy is the underpinning principle in the country's various endeavors -- from poverty elimination, anti-pandemic fight, to human rights protection. "It is important to take the people's interests as the fundamental purpose and goal, make continuous efforts to address the most pressing and immediate issues that concern the people the most, and strive to deliver a better life to the people. That is the biggest human right," said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. The Chinese people today enjoy more extensive and comprehensive democratic rights, and their human rights are guaranteed like never before. "The people's aspiration for a better life is what we are striving for," said Xi. Sony Pictures Classics has acquired rights in several major territories to Sylvain Chomets upcoming English-language feature The Magnificent Life of Marcel Pagnol. Here are the details: The first Niigata International Animation Film Festival (NIAFF) will unspool March 17-22, 2023 in the Japanese port city of Niigata, about 200 miles north of Tokyo. Here are the early details: Laverde graduated high school in 1953 and started studying agriculture at university before dropping out to work as a director of photography and documentary filmmaker for Televisora Nacional de Colombia. Eventually, he was promoted to producer and director. In 1956, he moved to Madrid and got his first job working in animation as an assistant on Las Aventuras de Mumu (1967) for Television Espanola (TVE). Later, he directed La guitarrita espanola and was director of photography on La historia de musica and the documentary Ernesto Bitetti. During his time in Europe, he became fascinated by stop motion films, particularly those of legendary Czech filmmakers Jiri Trnka and Jiri Barta. He returned to Colombia in 1969, and directed Colombias contribution to Ninos del mundo. That same year, he was invited by UNESCO to represent Colombia at a screenwriters course hosted by the National Institute of Cinematography in Buenos Aires. All the while, he continued working in cinema and served as director of photography on 1971s Una tarde un lunes, which won the Kodak Award for Best Photography. In 1972, his first animated short El pais de Bellaflor premiered at the Cartagena International Film Festival (FICCI), Colombias largest film festival and the oldest in Latin America, where it won Best Film. He later directed shorts including Colorin colorado (1973), La maquinita (1973), La cosecha (1974), Fuegos de artificio, La promesa (1975), and La chamba (1975). During those years, he also worked on several documentary films. Animation production in Colombia at that time was almost entirely regulated to advertisements and independent short films. When Laverde began developing his features, he did so mostly on his own and leaned heavily on skills and knowledge acquired during his time in Europe. With limited resources and few peers to lean on in Colombia, he made his films at an in-home studio, shooting them on a single lens Kingstone camera and using his daughters toys for characters and props. Family was always paramount to Laverde, who considered his filmmaking a family business. His greatest support came from three sources. His wife Karina was a professional actress who helped design the costumes for his models, and more than just contributing their toys, his children also played key roles in Laverdes filmmaking as they got older. His daughter Ana Maria would eventually become his assistant director and design sets, while his son Fernando Enrique built those sets, was Laverdes director of photography, and operated the camera crane. In 1975, he founded the Grupo de Cine Familiar where he later made the short film Rincones de Boyaca (1977). His feature debut came in 1978, with the stop motion film La pobre viejecita, which won the Colcultura award for best feature film. The following year, his animated short Un planeta llamado tierra won best short at the Festival of Colombian Cinema while another of his films, Pepitas Rojas, won best short at the first International Childrens Film Festival. In 1983, he directed his second feature, Critobal Colon, which won the Coral Prize at the International Festival of New Ibero-American Cinema in Havana, Cuba. In 1989, he directed his final feature Martin Fierro, based on the popular Argentine character of lore El Gaucho Martin Fierro, the protagonist of an epic poem by writer Jose Hernandez. Pictured above: Fernando Laverde. Credit: Juan M Pedraza Photo: The Canadian Press A man has been shot and killed by police outside a Toronto school. Officers were called to reports of a man carrying a firearm near William G. Davis Junior Public School in Scarboroughs Port Union area. Witnesses said they heard three gunshots and then officers attempting to revive a man lying on the ground. Several other schools in the vicinity were locked down. The police chief, James Ramer, told reporters that it was an isolated event and there was no further threat to public safety. He added that police would increase patrols in the area. The Special Investigations Unit, Ontarios police watchdog, has been called in. In a news release, the SIU says it is investigating after two Toronto Police Service officers fatally shot a man in Scarborough Thursday afternoon. Preliminary information suggests the officers responded around 1:35 p.m. EDT to the area of East Avenue and Maberley Crescent for reports of a man carrying a firearm. The SIU says there was an interaction between the two officers and the man and the two officers shot the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Four investigators and three forensic investigators have been assigned to the case. Frantic parents rushed to schools after hearing about the incident. They could be seen crying and hugging their children after the frightening incident. It happened just two days after a lone gunman killed 19 elementary school children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. Photo: The Canadian Press A person navigates to the on-line social-media pages of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on a cell phone in Ottawa on Monday, May 17, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Smaller internet service providers (ISPs) are cautiously optimistic about the new telecom policy directives unveiled by the federal government Thursday that are aimed at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Brad Fisher, chief revenue officer at an independent telecom company Distributel, says he is "disappointed" in Ottawa's decision not to overturn a controversial CRTC ruling made last year that reversed the regulatory agency's own 2019 decision to reduce the fees big telecom providers charge smaller internet service providers for access to their broadband networks. "It's a missed opportunity to put money back in the pockets of Canadians," he said. After assessing petitions from smaller ISPs on the issue, Ottawa says it concluded that the 2019 rates included a series of errors and that it would be "irresponsible" to implement them. The government says the rates implemented in 2016 will remain in place. Fisher adds that the decision will make the market a difficult one for smaller ISPs to operate in, although the government has provided a "clear set" of directives that are "pro-competition longer term." Meanwhile, telecom researcher Ben Klass says that the measures don't do enough to support competition. "This direction appears primarily to be an effort by the government to deflect attention from its refusal to address the CRTCs failure to support competition through fair rate regulation for internet providers," he said. Although the government stopped short of implementing the CRTC's 2019 proposed rates, the directives also require the CRTC to "take action to have more timely and improved wholesale rates available." The government is also directing the CRTC to improve its hybrid mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) model and says it is prepared to move to a full MVNO model to support competition if necessary. MVNOs are wireless providers that buy cell phone network service from the big carriers at a wholesale rate and then sell access to customers at a more affordable rate. Ottawa is also calling on the CRTC to address what it calls unacceptable sales practices and lay out new measures to improve clarity around service pricing and the ability for customers to cancel or change services. It also wants to see service providers implement mandatory broadband testing so Canadians will understand what they're paying for. Ottawa's telecom policy proposal lands as concerns increase about Rogers Communications Inc.'s $26 billion acquisition of Shaw Communications Inc. Photo: The Canadian Press In this undated photo provided by Al Jazeera Media Network, Shireen Abu Akleh, a journalist for Al Jazeera network, stands next to a TV camera in an area where the Dome of the Rock shrine at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem is seen at left in the background. The Palestinian Authority on Thursday announced the results of its investigation into the shooting death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, saying it had proven she was deliberately killed by Israeli forces as she tried to flee. The conclusion echoed the results of a preliminary investigation announced nearly two weeks ago and were widely expected. Israel rejected the findings, with Defense Minister Benny Gantz calling them, a blatant lie. Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian-American reporter for Al Jazeeras Arabic service, was shot in the head on May 11 during an Israeli military raid in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank. Witnesses and Palestinian officials have said she was hit by Israeli fire. Israel says she was shot during a battle between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants. It says that only a ballistic analysis of the bullet which is held by the Palestinian Authority and the soldiers guns can determine who fired the fatal shot. Announcing the results of his probe at a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah,, Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al Khateeb said he had determined there were no militants in the immediate area where Abu Akleh was located. The only shooting was by the occupation forces, with the aim of killing, he said. Abu Akleh was in a group of journalists wearing helmets and protective vests marked press. Al Khateeb said the army saw the journalists and knew they were journalists. He accused Israel of shooting Abu Akleh directly and deliberately as she tried to escape. He also repeated the Palestinian position that the bullet will not be handed over to the Israelis for study. He said they decided not even to show images of the bullet to deprive (Israel) of a new lie. Al Khateeb said his investigation was based on interviews with witnesses, an inspection of the scene and a forensic medical report. In a speech later Thursday, Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi said it was impossible to know who fired the bullet and once again called on the Palestinians to cooperate to get to the bottom of what happened. But there is one thing that can be determined with certainty," the military chief said. "No soldier fired intentionally at a journalist. We investigated that. We checked it. That is the conclusion. There is no other. Israel denies targeting journalists and has offered two possible scenarios, saying Abu Akleh was either shot by Palestinian militants who were firing recklessly at an Israeli army convoy or that she was hit by Israeli gunfire aimed at a nearby militant. The military has identified the rifle that may have been used in that scenario, but says it needs to test the bullet to make any final determination. An AP reconstruction of events has lent support to eyewitnesses who say she was shot by Israeli troops. But a weapons expert interviewed by the AP as part of the reconstruction said that it was impossible to reach a conclusive finding without further forensic analysis. Palestinian witnesses say there were no militants or clashes anywhere near Abu Akleh. The only known militants in the area were on the other side of the convoy, some 300 meters (yards) from her position. They did not have a direct line of sight, unlike the convoy itself, which was some 200 (meters) away on a long straight road. Israel has publicly called for a joint investigation with the PA, with U.S. participation, and has asked the PA to hand over the bullet for testing. But the State Department said Wednesday that it had received no formal request for assistance from either side two weeks after her death. The PA has refused to hand over the bullet to Israel or cooperate with it in any way, saying Israel cannot be trusted to investigate its own conduct. Rights groups say Israel has a poor record of investigating when security forces shoot Palestinians, with cases often languishing for months or years before being quietly closed. The PA administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hussein Al Sheikh, a top Palestinian official, said Thursday's report would be shared with the U.S. administration. Copies will also be delivered to Abu Akleh's family and to Al Jazeera, he said. The Palestinians say they will also share their results with international parties, including the International Criminal Court, which launched an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes last year. Israel has rejected that probe as being biased against it and is not cooperating with it. The severe distrust means the Israeli and Palestinian investigations into Abu Aklehs death are unfolding separately, with neither likely to accept any conclusions reached by the other. Each side is in sole possession of potentially crucial evidence. Ballistic analysis could match the bullet to a specific firearm based on a microscopic signature, but only if investigators have access to both. Lt. Col. Amnon Shefler, a military spokesman, told the AP the military has additional footage from that day, but declined to say what it shows or when it would be released, citing the ongoing investigation. Palestinians are still mourning Abu Akleh, a widely known and respected on-air correspondent who rose to fame two decades ago, during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israeli rule. The 51-year-old documented the harsh realities of life under Israeli military rule now well into its sixth decade with no end in sight for viewers across the Arab world. Jenin has long been a bastion of Palestinian militants, and several recent attacks inside Israel have been carried out by young men from in and around the town. Israel has continued to carry out near-daily raids in Jenin since Abu Aklehs death, which it says are aimed at preventing more. Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 war and has built settlements where nearly 500,000 Israelis live alongside nearly 3 million Palestinians. The Palestinians want the territory to form the main part of their future state, but peace talks broke down more than a decade ago, and Israels dominant right-wing parties are opposed to Palestinian statehood. The PA itself is seen by many Palestinians as a corrupt and authoritarian body that aids the occupation by coordinating with Israel on security matters. Any cooperation with Israel on the Abu Akleh investigation would likely spark a popular backlash among Palestinians, who view her as a martyr to both journalism and their national cause. Photo: The Canadian Press Jake (Jacob) Sansom (left) and his uncle Morris (Maurice) Cardinal are shown in a handout photo from the Facebook page "Justice for Jake and Morris." A father and son accused of killing two Metis hunters took the law into their own hands when they chased them on a rural Alberta road, shot them and left them to die, a Crown prosecutor told court Thursday. Jordan Kerr said Roger and Anthony Bilodeau were angry because they thought the two hunters were trying to steal from them and wanted to kill them for it. The Bilodeaus face two counts each of second-degree murder in the deaths of Jacob Sansom, who was 39, and his uncle Maurice Cardinal, who was 57. Both the accused have pleaded not guilty. "You knew you weren't acting lawfully when you shot those two men, right?" Kerr asked Anthony Bilodeau during cross-examination. "I believed our lives were in danger and I was very afraid that these men were going to kill us," Bilodeau replied. The trial has heard a recorded interview between an RCMP officer and Anthony Bilodeau on March 31, 2020 four days after the shooting near Glendon, Alta., about 200 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. In the recording, Bilodeau tells Sgt. Christian Reister that he did not shoot the hunters and didn't know anything about their deaths. Court has also heard that Bilodeau, 33, got a call from his father and younger brother, Joseph Bilodeau, on the night of March 27, 2020, saying they were following a truck they thought had been in their yard. Joseph Bilodeau, then 16, had seen a blue Chevy pickup earlier in the day. Jurors have been told the teen and his father got into a truck to follow the other pickup, so they could ask the people what they were doing. The teen has testified that the vehicle they were following that night turned out to be a white Dodge pickup truck. Anthony Bilodeau has said that he was home when he got the phone call to bring a gun and catch up with his father and brother in case they needed protection from the people in the Dodge. You could have told him, 'Dad, this is ridiculous. Pull over. Were calling police, Kerr told Anthony Bilodeau. I didnt think of it at that time, he replied. Bilodeau has testified that his cellphone was still connected to a Bluetooth speaker in his father's truck when he heard thuds and the sound of a window cracking. The window of Roger Bilodeau's Ford F-150 was punched in before he and his son were allegedly attacked inside it, the jury has heard. Kerr asked Anthony Bilodeau whether it was possible the people were upset because they had just been chased down the road in the dark in an isolated area. I believed that could be a possibility, he replied. He said he showed up at a rural intersection where his father and brother were stopped and could see one of the hunters choking his father. He added that he wasnt sure whether that person had a gun, so he quickly loaded his own rifle and got out of his truck with it. From the witness stand, Anthony Bilodeau, using two hands, demonstrated how he said the man was choking his father. Kerr pointed out that that the man couldn't be holding a weapon if both hands were choking Roger Bilodeau. "So nobody visible to you had a firearm," Kerr said. Thats correct, Bilodeau said. "Youre the first person to introduce a gun to this situation, right?" asked the Crown. Yes, Bilodeau replied. Kerr said Anthony Bilodeau shot Sansom "point blank" in the chest. Anthony Bilodeau has testified that both men were coming at him. After shooting Sansom, he said, Cardinal came at him with a gun and threatened to kill him in retaliation. Bilodeau said at that point he ran over to the side of the road and shot Cardinal once in the shoulder. By then, Roger Bilodeau had turned his truck around and Anthony Bilodeau could have hopped in and left, Kerr said. Instead, Kerr said, Anthony Bilodeau went over to Cardinal, who was hunched by the side of the Dodge, and shot him a second time and then a third time when he was already on the ground. Anthony Bilodeau said the man kept telling him he was going to kill him. "That's a lie," Kerr said. "He never said that to you when you went back around that Dodge truck. He was physically incapable of saying that to you. He was dying." Court heard that Cardinal was found with no gun at his side. Instead, there was an unloaded one in the back passenger seat near where Cardinal had been standing. An evidence photo presented to Anthony Bilodeau showed the gun did not have a clip in it. The photo also showed the clip was under a bag. Anthony Bilodeau testified that after the shootings, he cut up his gun in four to five pieces, took a set of lights off his truck bumper and disposed of the items separately. He said he didn't recall talking to his father or brother about reporting the shooting to police. Anthony Bilodeau has said he destroyed evidence and lied to police because he was afraid of going to jail for protecting his family. Call me a cynic but there must be an election coming up in the not too distant future. Our city (Kelowna) wants to discuss crime. Just a few weeks back it led a joint petition to the province on this issue and yet, just eight months ago, it seemed it really wasnt crime, it was a health care issue and needed to be treated as such. Strictly policing and locking people up doesnt fix this problem, it said Homelessness and petty crime are likely the biggest blight on this beautiful city and valley. I cannot imagine what tourists coming here must think of what they are seeing on our streets, hearing about and reading about. I do believe many of the issues are the result of mental health and drug addiction issues. But city council and (our) mayor cannot on one hand say its not crime, its a health care issue and on the other hand say it wants better prosecution services to deal with criminals. Why is it so difficult to see that the majority of the criminals are the people on our streets with mental health and drug issues? I know that dealing with these issues is not a simple matter when our courts and justice system seems to ignore crime and provide so many get-away-with-it verdicts. It was the drugs that caused it. It was the alcohol addiction that caused it, It was the mental state of mind that caused it. The result is the catch and release system we now have across our region, province and, indeed, our country. But it is really up to our elected officials to get these legal interpretations corrected, to get our provincial and federal lawmakers to establish clarity in our laws and legal system to deal with these issues and not allow the Supreme Court of Canada justices to put their interpretation of the law into the mix. On top of that, they Supreme Court justices also bring in all the excuses they can find thanks to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. If the city wants to see changes to prosecution services, then it should rethink its health care issue stance or push that argument and stop trying to rethink the law. It cant have it both ways because I believe it is really one and the same Spending time and money on this just appears to be a vote-getting stance. Malcolm Roberts, Kelowna BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Friday presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to deliberate a regulation on the Party's work regarding political consultation. Photo: The Canadian Press Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos speaks with reporters before Question Period, Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in Ottawa. Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos played a pivotal role in helping to push through an international resolution on rebuilding Ukraine's besieged health-care system. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Canada has tapped into its own strategic stockpile of emergency medical supplies stored for a national emergency to help Ukraine. It has donated over 375,000 items of medical equipment and medicines from Canada's strategic stockpile since the invasion by Russia began. This includes first aid and trauma kits, medicines and surgical instruments, as well as gloves, masks and gowns. Canada's health minister also helped push through an international resolution on rebuilding Ukraine's besieged health-care system in Geneva this week. Jean-Yves Duclos held bilateral talks to help get the votes required for the resolution, which Canada co-sponsored with Ukraine at the World Health Assembly meeting. The Ukrainian motion, voted for by 88 countries to 12, with 43 abstentions, follows attacks on Ukraine's health-care facilities and equipment, including ambulances, by Russian forces. Secil Group rebrands ICR Newsroom By 27 May 2022 Portugal-based cement producer Secil has undergone a rebranding exercise to demonstrate how its four business areas complement each other in terms of flexibility and knowledge. The UNIBETAO concrete brand will become known as Secil Concrete, while the aggregates brand Secil Britas will now be known as Secil Aggredos. The cement business will be renamed Secil Cimento. Seciltek, the groups range of construction solutions and materials, will remain the same. Published under You have permission to edit this collection. Edit Close 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 Anthony Albanese reacts after winning Australia's 2022 federal election in Sydney, Australia, on May 21, 2022. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei) An open letter written by 15 Australian scholars called for improving the China-Australia relationship. "The change in government presents the opportunity for a circuit breaker in the poor diplomatic relations that have developed between Australia and China in the recent past," said the letter. CANBERRA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Fifteen scholars from Australian universities called for improvement of China-Australia relationship in an open letter released on Thursday. The open letter, to the new federal government elected last Saturday, was published on the blog platform Pearls and Irritations. The scholars included former diplomat and visiting professor in the University of Sydney Jocelyn Chey, Australian National University (ANU) professor and economist Jane Golley, Director of the China Studies Center at the University of Sydney David Goodman, Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute in the University of Technology Sydney James Laurenceson, and Ben Hillman, director of the Australian Center on China in the World in the ANU. Students visit the University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on March 11, 2021. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei) Addressing to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the letter said, "The change in government presents the opportunity for a circuit breaker in the poor diplomatic relations that have developed between Australia and China in the recent past." "As professors of China Studies who undertake research on various aspects of China's society and politics, we acknowledge that the new government is likely to avoid the over-aggressive approach of its predecessor. In our view less public aggression is likely to be more effective in dealing with China: international engagement should replace the language of war," it said. The scholars said the growth of China, as a significant regional and would-be global power, is bound to be disruptive, and two-way communication, rather than "megaphone diplomacy", is needed so that the changing environment is managed as effectively as possible. "A China policy informed as much by diplomatic and economic interests as by great power strategic concerns may well and more sustainably ensure Australia's national and economic security," they said. "While appreciating the tremendous difficulties ahead we urge this adjustment in approach to China." Many citizens attending a packed meeting of the Walker County Commission on Thursday night urged commissioners to work out their differences with Chairman Shannon Whitfield. A number of those who spoke at the lengthy session said they were concerned about the high cost of adding a county manager and the fact there might be expensive turnover in that position. The meeting did reveal strong frustrations by some of the commissioners with Chairman Whitfield, who previously was the sole commissioner prior to the change of government 18 months ago. Commissioner Mark Askew claimed that Chairman Whitfield had "slow walked" several issues and said actions passed by the commission often got stalled. He said, "You've ignored or slow walked things. That's why we're here. We make decisions, then they sit there." Commissioner Askew said, "It's high time after a year and a half and 30 meetings" to look into the hiring of a county manager, who would take over many of the duties now handled by Chairman Whitfield. He did acknowledge that Chairman Whitfield "does a great job with the budget and the county's money." Vice Chairman Robert Blakemore, who joined with Commissioner Askew to call for the county manager discussion, said currently on many issues "our hands are tied behind our backs." Commissioner Robert Stultz was also vocal, saying, "To sum it up in one word, it's frustration." He said the chairman had poor communication with the commissioners and they were left out of key decisions. Saying that "we've hit a bottleneck," he said citizens deserved services "in a timely manner." He said animal control was one of the biggest unresolved issues. He said a decision was made over a year prior to bring into an animal control officer to head both the animal shelter and the animal control, but there had been no action. Several citizens hit conditions at the animal shelter. Commissioner Stultz said, "The issue is still on our chairman's desk." He said a former Whitfield Oil employee had been hired for one position in the county government, but he said he did not have the qualifications. Commissioner Stultz said, "I know this is a G-rated audience, but "this is damn frustrating." Chairman Whitfield acknowledged he had "slow walked" on two issues. He said one was the animal control, saying a budget and positions had to be laid out. He said those were presented to the commissioners on Feb. 10, "and I was later told they didn't like any of it." He also said he slow walked on a proposal that the county take over ball fields in Rossville. He said that would have required a lot of maintenance, and he said the county had no recreation department or budget. Chairman Whitfield said there were other ways to help relieve him of some duties, including hiring of an administrative assistant. He said he gets about 100 business emails per day and tries to respond himself to all he can. Ken Jarrard, a local government attorney from Woodstock, Ga., who was hired by some of the commissioners to take a look at the county manager issue, said the commission had the authority to hire a city manager. Chairman Whitfield now is over the day to day operations of the county, including hiring and firing and making decisions on merging or adding or deleting departments. The county manager would take over those jobs. Attorney Jarrard said with that change it would be necessary for a majority of the commission to vote on back to back meetings to hire a city manager. The Secretary of State would need to be sent details of the changes. He acknowledged that a county manager could cost the county in the range of $150,000 or more. The attorney said only 29 of Georgia's 159 counties do not use a county manager. He said only two have more residents than Walker County's nearly 70,000 - Carroll County and Rockdale County. He said governments now are heavily regulated and subject to litigation and liabilities and a county manager can help with that. Attorney Jarrard is getting $200 per hour under a resolution passed by the Commission earlier. He said he believed his bill thus far was under $5,000. County Attorney David Gottlieb said neither attorney Jarrard or the commissioners had consulted with him about use of the "secondary counsel." Jim Pope told commissioners, "It seems like you are trying to make a complicated system out of a simple one. How about communicating with each other?" One of the commissioners replied that "sometimes it takes days to get in contact with the chairman." Stanley Jackson said Carroll County has a much larger population than Walker County. "If they can get along without a county manager, why the heck can't Walker County?" Dean Kelly, who was part of the committee that helped set up the commission form, said the average time a county manager stays around is two years. He said, "They're very expensive." He added, "Having said that, Shannon may very well need some help." Mr. Kelly recommended that another citizen task force be named to look into the situation and make a recommendation. Stan Porter said, "What I'm hearing is a failure to communicate. Why don't you guys go fight it out and come back with a solution. You guys should sit down and work this out. That's a cheaper solution." Jim Bowman, who said he has lived in the county for a year, said it's important that costs not be increased that could lead to higher taxes. He said, "We do not need to spend $150,000 or $300,000 for an additional level of government." Nathan England said, "I don't want to pay more taxes. I don't want to pay for another form of government and another bureaucrat." Richard Westbrook was among citizens asking for a referendum of citizens on the issue. Attorney Jarrard said there was not a government mechanism for that, though he said the political parties could sponsor straw polls. Jill Wyse also favored a vote of the people, saying, "We should have something to say about this." She said county managers bring their own problems with them. Look at all the cat fighting and in fighting in Catoosa County." Greg Wood said, "There seems to be a sense of contentiousness that has no place on this board." He said Commissioner Askew is "contentious to the point of being unprofessional." He stated, "You should come together and give these people the value they deserve." Chairman Whitfield said he and Commissioner Askew had talked for two hours together earlier in the day. Andrew Underwood pointed out that the county manager would have large powers, while "not being elected by the people." Karen Bradley said, "Y'all really need to work together." A speaker who said she had been one of the biggest critics of Chairman Whitfield said, "You are all men up here. You can handle this." She added, "This is a very big decision for the people not to be consulted." Zeboim Cartter Patten, who made a fortune with patent medicines, was an early Cameron Hill resident. Patten fought in the Battle of Chickamauga with the 115th Illinois, where he received a foot wound that sent him back to New York to recover. He later joined the 149th New York Infantries in Dalton in May of 1864. He was wounded again this time in the left arm in the Battle of Resaca. Patten joined the Quartermaster Corps and was assigned to Chattanooga in 1865. He was living in 1876 "near Missionary Ridge." Then for several years he resided on Cameron Hill on the west side of Pine Street just north of Fifth Street. He was there at the time young Adolph Ochs published his 1878 city directory. He was living there still in 1882. At the time, Patten had a partnership with T.H. Payne in the Patten and Payne stationery business. At one time the pair had ownership of the struggling Chattanooga Times. They passed it on to Washington Irving Crandall and Sumner Archibald Cunningham. Patten and Payne then dissolved their partnership. Payne kept the Market Street store, which endured for over a century. Patten accepted the notes for the sale of the Times. The two former business partners remained close friends, and they met each Christmas with their families and the John B. Nicklin family. At the time of the yellow fever epidemic, Z.C. Patten escaped to his home area of Illinois. Back in Chattanooga, Patten was able to purchase the rights to two very promising proprietary medicines. One of these was a "liver regulator" that Patten renamed Black Draught. Another was Wine of Cardui, which was for female ailments. These were the backbone for the new Chattanooga Medicine Company. George Washington Patten, a brother of Z.C. Patten, came to Chattanooga to become the superintendent of the medicine company. He had been wounded in the Battle of Chickamauga, but he recovered in time to fight at Missionary Ridge. He was promoted to captain for his bravery in leading his company in the charge up the ridge. He married Charlotte Holmes in 1866. The George W. Pattens were briefly on Cameron Hill. They were living in 1884 at 309 W. Fourth St. The Chattanooga Medicine Company established its plant in St. Elmo, and George W. Patten built a home near the plant. Z.C. Patten also moved away from Cameron Hill. In 1897 he acquired the D.J. Chandler home on E. Fourth Street for the sum of $29,000. It was said that Chandler spent $40,000 constructing the home in 1888. It was "the most completely modern house in Chattanooga." Patten later built a showplace at Ashland Farm in Chattanooga Valley. Tucker Carlson, a news commentator for Fox, knows the same as I do; guns and the gun lobby had nothing in common with the mental illness that has occurred twice in the past two weeks in America. Oh, the guns were the tools of mass destruction but a firearm has never harmed a body without an operator. Two teenaged gunmen are the latest to have wrecked an America we once knew but is spiraling in a rapid descent towards out and out terror. Following the reprehensible grisly school attack in Texas, Tucker aired a program that all of our elected and unelected leaders should read. Gun confiscation is so ridiculous it will never work and mass shootings will only escalate unless we begin to identify and rein in those who threaten our country. No, I have no earthly idea how to go about recognizing a crazy God forbid somebody might eyeball me but the time for age-limits on automatic weapons, thorough background checks, and other restrictive legislation is overdue. Here in Tuckers commentary from Wednesday night and it is a must read: * * * THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THESE KILLINGS (This was aired on Fox News Wednesday May 25,2022 by commentator Tucker Carlson) In the past 10 days, two separate teenage boys have committed horrifying massacres in public places. On May 14th, 18-year-old Payton Gendron murdered ten shoppers in a grocery store in Buffalo and then (Tuesday), 18-year-old Salvador Ramos killed 19 small children and two teachers at an elementary school in Texas. Both Gendron and Ramos were very obviously mentally ill. The people around them knew that. Both killers had told other people they planned to commit a mass shooting and then they did. So, what can we learn from this? Well, the first most obvious answer is that the system in place didn't work. Gendron's teacher sent him to a mental hospital for evaluation. They knew he was a threat. They tried their best. He committed a massacre anyway. So, we know for a fact that what we're doing isn't working, but we should also be honest enough to acknowledge that it's very hard to know what to do instead. Despite what you may have heard, the problem isn't that we don't care enough. There's not a person in this country who was not horrified by the sight of murdered children. It's the worst thing, and everybody thinks that. The problem is that the human mind is much more complex and harder to control than we like to admit. A person who is intent on committing violence is very hard to stop under any circumstances. An act of Congress isn't going to do it, neither will gun control. There are more guns in this country than there are people. There always have been. However you feel about that fact, you can acknowledge that we will never get rid of all of those guns. The Constitution prohibits that, and you would set off a civil war if you tried to do it. [Image of suspected Uvalde, Texas school shooter Salvador Ramos. His mother, Adriana Reyes, was looking for him when she returned to the city Tuesday night after seeing her mother in a hospital, whom he allegedly shot before going on a rampage at an elementary school, according to mother of her boyfriend. (Uvalde Police Department)] So gun control, whether you find the slogans appealing or not, will not stop the next Payton Gendron or Salvador Ramos and every rational person knows it. The only way to stop these killings is to figure out why American society is producing so many violent young men. There is a reason they are acting this way. What is that reason? And it's not just mass shooters, by the way, the ones you see on television. It's gang bangers and carjackers and armed robbers and indiscriminate haters who push strangers in front of subway trains. We have a lot of people like that in this country all of a sudden, more than you like to think about. Why are they acting this way? That's the only question that matters. Of course, it's the only question our leaders hate to address because there's nothing in it for them. The president of the United States went on television just hours after 19 small children had been murdered. He didn't do that to uplift or unite the country, which was already united in its sorrow. Instead, he took the opportunity to once again harangue anyone who didn't vote for him, and he did it, as always, with a series of stale talking points leftover from the 1980s. It was a shameful display. Here's part of it. * * * PRESIDENT BIDEN: As a nation, we have to ask: When, in God's name, are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When, in God's name, we do we all know in our gut needs to be done? What, in God's name, do you need an assault weapon for except to kill someone? The deer aren't running through the forest with Kevlar vests on, for God's sake. It's just sick and the gun manufacturers have spent two decades aggressively marketing assault weapons, which make them the most and largest profit. For God's sake, we have to have the courage to stand up to the industry. Children are dying because the gun lobby is profiting. It's disgusting he would say something like that. It's also untrue. It's mindless. The New York Times, by the way, said the same thing within hours of the shooting. The gun lobby. Please. The NRA declared bankruptcy last year. The NRA is a husk. In 2021, for example, the tech company spent more than $70 million lobbying Congress. Big Pharma spent $92 million lobbying Congress in the first quarter of 2021 alone. The NRA spent just $2.2 million total lobbying in all of 2020, a presidential election year. Spare us. Whatever the problem is, it's not the gun lobby. They're not the reason those children were murdered yesterday. It's insulting and divisive and stupid. This is too serious a moment for nonsense like that. Stop. But over at MSNBC, they were completely convinced. Watch. * * * JOE SCARBOROUGH: And again, as President Biden said, I thought he did an extraordinary job last night and I really do. I feel sorry for those who actually saw that and were actually forced to say something really sh---- about him after he did it. I mean that that's how they make their money. It really makes me really sad for them that they have that dark of a soul, that they're that twisted. * * * Oh. Joe Scarborough said a naughty word on TV. This must be serious. And fact, i is very serious. In fact, it's too serious for tired partisan platitudes from the Reagan era. Update your profile. Politicians offering solutions to the tragedy that in the end serve only to make their political party more powerful should be excluded from this conversation. It is too important. They are speaking in bad faith, obviously, and so is anyone whose bodyguards carry extended magazines or other so-called weapons of war. They're hypocrites. They have no standing. Get back to us when you follow your own demands and anyone on TV who's been accused of a crime should also take this opportunity to be very quiet. No wants a moral lecture from you, but unfortunately that's essentially all we're getting, more wind, at a time when we need more than that. Beto O'Rourke, who is running for office again because he has no marketable skills, just stormed a press conference to berate Texas officials. He did this in front of the families of some of yesterday's victims. Watch. * * * DAN PATRICK: Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me. BETO O'ROURKE: The time to stop this was after Santa Fe High School. TED CRUZ: Sit down. PATRICK: You're out of line and an embarrassment. CRUZ: Sit down and don't play this stuff. Democrat Beto O'Rourke, who is running against Greg Abbott for governor in 2022, interrupts a news conference headed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in Uvalde, Texas Wednesday, May 25, 2022. O'ROURKE: It was after El Paso, Texas. The time to stop the next shooting is right now and you are doing nothing. You are offering us nothing. UVALDE MAYOR DON MCLOUGHLIN: No, he needs to get his a-- out of here. This isn't the place to talk this over. O'ROURKE: You said this is not predictable. This is totally predictable when you chose not to do anything. MCLOUGHLIN: Sir, you are out of line. Sir, you're out of line. Sir, you're out of line. Please leave this auditorium. I can't believe you're a sick son of a b---- that you would come to a deal like this to make a political issue. O'ROURKE: It's on you until you choose to do something about it. MCLOUGHLIN: It's on a------- like you. Why don't you get out of here? * * * Oh, come on. That's saving lives? That's making us a better country? Beto O'Rourke sounds like one of those lunatics from the Westboro Baptist Church, gets off on making a scene, but that's essentially the answer we've gotten to how to fix and prevent what happened in Uvalde. Please, anyone who talks like this should be quiet for a minute and leave it to everybody else to figure out why this is happening and this is bigger than a single mass shooting or even two of them in 10 days. There has been a huge increase in violence in America on our streets, on public transportation, in our schools. It's not a guess, it's measurable. From January 1st to April 10th of this year, robberies in the New York transit system are up more than 70% year over year. Felony assaults in the subway have increased by 28%. Grand larceny, according to NYPD, is up by more than 100%. Those are all crimes of violence and that's just underground. The same thing is happening on the streets and if you don't know it, you just got back to the country after a while. According to ABC News, "about 11% of violent crime in the city of Los Angeles involved a homeless person in 2018, 13% in 2019 and 15% in 2020." If that was a graph, it would look like that. Keep in mind, the homeless make up about 1% of the total population of Los Angeles, but they're involved in nearly a fifth of all violent crimes in the city. Oh, but ignore it. It's not happening. And yet everyone who lives here knows that it is happening because the numbers go up every year and if you have kids, you know what's happening because it's the same story in the schools. The executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers, Mo Canady, told Fox Business that schools are, "seeing more aggression in terms of fights. Sometimes they're shoving matches and sometimes they're flat-out assaults. It's more misbehavior, thefts and those kinds of things" in schools. It didn't used to happen. It's happening now. Why? It's not guns. It's not a gun lobby. More American families had guns at home 50 years ago than they do now. According to the Rand Corporation, which studied this, 45% of American homes had a gun in 1980. In 2016, that had dropped to 32%. So the problem is not that we're more armed than we were. The problem is that people have changed. Young men have changed. They are more violent. Why? That's the bipartisan conversation we need to have now. And that conversation has been drowned out by lunatic attention seekers who are hoping to win the next election, but we don't need them now. Never mind your election. There's something really wrong and we can figure it out if we try. There are probably a lot of causes. The use of antidepressants in this country is increasing dramatically. Between 1991 and 2018, total SSRI consumption increased in the US by more than 3,000%. 3,000%! Remember, these are supposed to reduce mental illness. Now, that's a real stat. It was published in the medical journal "Science of the Total Environment" and it's not just this country. In Canada, state-funded antidepressant prescriptions for young people doubled over the last decade. Then during the lockdowns, SSRI prescriptions increased even more. A pharmacy group called "Express Scripts" reported that antidepressant prescriptions went up by more than 20% during COVID. According to latest figures, more than 40 million Americans are now taking psychoactive drugs. That's roughly 1 in 10. So, again, the point of these drugs is to make you healthier mentally, to reduce suicide and violence, and yet suicide rates and rates of violence are spiking. Now, we don't know that that's causation, but it's worth looking at. Of course, it's immoral to criticize Big Pharma. Could we use an honest conversation about this? Yes, immediately. Clearly, something's going on. Watch. * * * GILLIAN TURNER: Three major medical associations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, have together declared a national state of emergency in children's mental health caused by COVID. Parents report grief, anxiety and depression among children, citing school closures and forced isolations as the primary culprits. Suicide attempts among adolescents are rising sharply, most acutely among 12 to 17-year-old girls by 51% since the start of the pandemic. * * * Oh, so the lockdowns dramatically increase the incidence of mental illness among young people and in 10 days, we've seen two mass shootings by mentally ill young people. Could there be a connection? Now, that's not finger-pointing. It's not to blame Fauci for yesterday's shooting. We're not that low. We're not Joe Biden, but if people are becoming mentally ill because they're disconnected from others, what can we do to connect them to others and thereby reduce the incidence of mental illness? That's a real conversation. Is there a more important one? Meanwhile, more than 100,000 people just died of (drug overdose) and the pandemic is responsible for some of that. Watch. * * * GEOFF BENNETT: New numbers out today from the CDC show how drug overdoses have surged during the pandemic. More than 107,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021. That's the highest annual death toll ever recorded and a 15% increase from the year before. Deaths involving fentanyl, meth and cocaine rose sharply. * * * Ok. So, people are doing more drugs, they're more unstable, they're killing themselves more often and in some rare cases, they're killing others. Now, what kind of mindset would it take to go murder children in an elementary school? You are so disconnected from other human beings that that seems okay to you. What could be adding to the feeling of disconnection we have from one another? Well, in 2020, adults in the United States spent an average of 8 hours every day on digital media staring at a screen. The lockdowns made it worse. They're not the only cause, but they definitely exacerbated it. That's a 20% jump from 2019. One of the people who spent an awful lot of time online during the pandemic was the shooter in Uvalde. He reportedly played a lot of Call of Duty instead of going outside. The shooter in Buffalo also spent a lot of time online as well. In fact, he blamed the Internet for radicalizing him: "I spent almost a year planning this attack," he wrote on April 26. "Oh, how time flies. If I could go back, maybe I'd tell myself to get the f off 4Chan and the worldtruthvideos and get an actual life. Too late for that now." Now, that's not an argument for censoring those or any other sites. It's an argument for experiencing real life, nature, other people, animals, anything but a screen. Staring at a screen all day puts you into your own world, and in some small number of cases, it drives you insane. It makes you mentally ill and violent. That's very obvious. That's one of the reasons that people in Silicon Valley, the tech executives, don't their own kids lose themselves in their stupid iPads. Back in September of 2013 after a mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard, the late Charles Krauthammer identified the problem. We have a lot of mentally ill people and we need to stop ignoring them. Obviously, we've ignored that warning, so here it is again. * * * CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: He needed help. 30 years ago, the cops would have brought him to a psychiatric emergency room. He probably would have gotten antipsychotics and he probably would have been hospitalized for a couple of weeks. That's the way it was done in the seventies when I practiced psychiatry, but today that doesn't happen. The cops left. He was left on his own. He was a man who shouldn't have been on his own. He should have had the state looking after him and he ended up killing people in a way that. Look, you want to respect the civil liberties of everybody, but there is a point in which if you don't take control of people who are clearly out of touch with reality, you are damaging them, exposing them, and, of course, tragically exposing a lot of innocents around them. * * * Yeah, exactly. The stuff is complicated, the human mind is complicated and if the environment changes, so does the mind. People can't go outside or talk to other people or spend 8 hours a day staring at a screen. If they're on brain-changing chemicals in huge numbers, tens of millions of people, you think that has an effect? Yeah. What effect? Well, is anyone studying what murderers, not just mass murderers, but all murderers, have in common? Apparently not. It would be nice to know. Instead of telling us about the gun lobby. Please, no one believes that. And why, by the way, is the answer to mass shootings always universal gun confiscation? Shouldn't we be focused on the people who did it, on the dangerous people? It's like forcing the entire population into drug rehab in response to the fentanyl crisis. Probably better to focus on the addicts. Why did they get addicted? How can we help them? Let's be serious about this. Children died. It's real. Stop with the talking points. Be honest. royexum@aol.com The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is bound by a trial courts order expunging criminal charges and must comply even if the TBI disagrees with the order. In 2015, the plaintiff, an unnamed citizen of McNairy County, Tn., negotiated a guilty plea agreement in the McNairy County Circuit Court. Under this court-approved agreement, if the plaintiff successfully completed four years of probation, the charges would be expunged. When expunged, a criminal charge is removed from all public records. In February 2019, after the plaintiff completed his probation, he petitioned the circuit court for expungement of his records. The State of Tennessee, acting through an assistant district attorney general, agreed on behalf of the State for the plaintiffs records to be expunged. The circuit court entered an agreed order directing that all public records relating to the offense, including any records held by a state agency, be destroyed. As required by statute, the TBI received a copy of the order, which became final thirty days after it was entered. Under another statute, the TBI had to remove any expunged records from the plaintiffs criminal history within sixty days. Later in 2019, the plaintiff learned the TBI did not remove the expunged records from his criminal history because the TBI determined the charges were ineligible for expungement. The plaintiff sued the TBI and TBI Director David Rausch in the Davidson County Chancery Court to require the TBI to comply with the expungement order. The chancery court first ruled that the TBI was not immune from suit as a governmental agency. Then the chancery court held that generally the TBI had to comply with an expungement order except if the evidence showed the records came within an exception for sexual offenses. The chancery court allowed the plaintiff to seek an appeal of this ruling before going further with the case. The Court of Appeals denied review, but the Tennessee Supreme Court granted review to decide under what circumstances, if any, the TBI may refuse to comply with a trial courts final order of expungement. On review, the Tennessee Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the chancery courts decision that the TBI could be sued based on a statutory waiver of sovereign immunity for suits seeking declaratory or injunctive relief in challenging illegal or unconstitutional governmental action. The Court then ruled that the TBI lacked authority to refuse to comply with the final expungement order. The Court reasoned that under the expungement statutes, the trial courtsnot the TBIdecide whether an offense is eligible for expungement. The Court emphasized that nothing prevents a district attorney general from consulting with the TBI on expungements, and noted that the State may appeal or otherwise challenge an expungement order it believes to be unlawful. But here, the State agreed to entry of the expungement order, which became final after thirty days. Thus, the Court explained, the TBI was bound by the order and could not refuse to comply with it because state agencies lack the power to alter a judicial order, even one they deem to be incorrect. The Tennessee Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the trial court, granted the plaintiffs motion for partial judgment on the pleadings, and remanded the case to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with the opinion. To read the opinion of the Court in Recipient of Final Expunction Order in McNairy County Circuit Court Case No. 3279 v. David B. Rausch, Director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, authored by Justice Sharon G. Lee, please visit the Opinions section of TNCourts.gov. The Tennessee Pro Life Leadership Conference, hosted by Students for Life of Southeast Tennessee, will be held July 23, at Apison Baptist Church near Chattanooga. Speakers will include Tina Whittington, vice president of Students for Life of America, along with numerous other inspiring and informative speakers from around the southeast. Limited spots are available and signup is available here before July 15. The day will include main sessions, with headline speakers and programs, and smaller, more casual breakout sessions on a variety of topics surrounding the fight for the unborn. The conference is free and lunch will be provided. For more information email William at williamereynolds06@gmail.com. The BLVD Project and Rossville Downtown Development Authority are teaming up to host a series of open-air markets on June 3, July 1, and Aug. 5 from 4-8 p.m. this summer. The BLVD is a grassroots organization that seeks to improve food access, safety, transportation, aesthetics, and business along the Rossville Blvd corridor. The markets will be located at 207 Chickamauga Ave. Rossville, and will feature vendors selling locally grown produce, flowers, original artwork, and consumable personal goods. Executive Director of The BLVD Project Heather Herweyer said the group decided to host open-air markets after completing a series of workshops led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The workshops were granted to a select few cities across the country to stimulate economic development, repurpose vacant lots, and increase community access to fresh produce. A market in this area seemed like it would have the most potential to lead to future development," said Ms. Herwyer. "Residents in our area are always traveling to other parts of Chattanooga/North Georgia to have fun and procure goods. We wanted to test our hypothesis that if fun events were offered in our area, people would stay here and spend their money on our local businesses here." Executive Director for Rossville Downtown Development Authority Tobey Hill said the markets will give residents a chance to feel Rossville. This event gives us a much-needed opportunity to be a destination - even if it is just for a few hours. We want people to begin to see and experience Rossville differently, and I think this outdoor market series will be a vital step forward in inviting people to come in and experience our community, said Mr. Hill. The markets will feature local businesses like Flora de Mel. Owner Jay Martin says the events will be a welcomed change. As a new business in Rossville, Flora de Mel is thrilled to see more light coming to the area. Artist markets bring energy, creativity, and much-needed love to downtown Rossville, and we very much look forward to participating, said Mr. Martin. The Blvd is a group of neighbors, businesses, property owners, and passionate citizens. Several sponsors are committed to the inaugural markets, including Bridge Innovate, Simply Bank, and CSL Plasma. To become a vendor, learn more about the event, or donate, visit www.rossvillega.gov/rossville-blvd-market for more information. Brittany Davis, the operations manager at BASF in Chattanooga, was recognized nationally as an Emerging Leader in the industry at The Manufacturing Institutes tenth annual STEP Ahead Awards. Focusing on science, technology, engineering, and production (STEP), the program honors women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers across all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the executive level. To date, more than 1,000 women have been recognized as STEP Ahead Award recipients, and those women have impacted more than 300,000 individualsfrom peers in the industry to school-age children. Ms. Davis found her career in manufacturing through many different opportunities and mentors. From a young age, she looked up to her grandfather who was a college math professor for 51 years. Ms. Davis attended a residential high school in North Carolina that focused on math and science. This is where she first realized that she enjoyed the real-world problem solving and hands-on experience that careers in engineering offer. She then went on to pursue a chemical engineering degree where she was first truly introduced to her manufacturing experience through internships with BASF, where she has been full-time for the past 7 years. My advice to any women interested in a career in manufacturing is to seek out STEM programs, internships, job shadows, mentors and anything else that may be available, said Ms. Davis. You can do it. Your perspective and approach to challenging situations are needed. We should celebrate other womens successes and continuously look for ways to mentor the next generation of women in manufacturing. Ms. Davis is actively involved in the BASF TECH Academy, a program that introduces students to technical and craft careers through hands-on demonstrations and experiments at Chattanooga State, tours of local employers and career-focused discussions with BASF employees. I am so honored to be recognized as a STEP ahead emerging leader, said Ms. Davis. While Im already actively involved in many STEM programs such as BASF TECH Academy, I am so excited to learn from other women in manufacturing so that I can be a better mentor for the future generation of women in manufacturing. Two additional BASF employees, Julie Fay, polyurethane systems operations director in North Geismar, Louisiana, and Elba Lizardi. site director in Seneca, South Carolina, were recognized during the ceremony. The biggest challenge facing manufacturers continues to be the growing workforce crisisthe shortage of skilled talent to fill open positions. Manufacturers could close the skills gap by 50% by bringing 10% more women into the industry. Women account for about half of the U.S. labor force but represent less than one-third of the manufacturing workforce. STEP Ahead empowers and inspires women in the manufacturing industry. The goal is to build networks for women to have support in their industry and to elevate the role models who can motivate and mentor the next generation. The STEP Ahead Awards are central to the industrys efforts to recognize and empower women, said Manufacturing Institute President Carolyn Lee. Our Honorees and Emerging Leaders serve as role models and have their own multiplier effect on the number of women in the workforce, paying it forward to help others find their way into a successful, rewarding career in modern manufacturing. BASF sponsored the annual awards ceremony, which was held virtually and in-person in Washington, D.C., on April 28. For more information about BASF careers and efforts that promote women in manufacturing, visit www.basf.us/women. View the video of Brittany Davis, 2022 STEP Ahead Emerging Leader: https://youtu.be/pHZeqbv52uM HONIARA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- China and the Solomon Islands reached a series of important consensuses after friendly, in-depth and productive communication on deepening bilateral mutually-beneficial cooperation, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday. Wang expounded on the eight-point consensus at a joint press conference with Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele. Both sides agreed to jointly cement the political foundation of China-Solomon Islands relations, build the Belt and Road Initiative, implement the China-proposed Global Development Initiative, foster a secure and stable environment, promote connectivity, address climate change, enhance sub-national exchanges and safeguard the interests of developing countries. Wang stressed that China-Solomon Islands relations, which grow with the trend of the times in compliance with people's wishes, will surely flourish and embrace an even brighter future. It has taken me a few days to process all that has occurred in the past few weeks. With the recent killings in both Buffalo, N.Y. and Uvalde, Tx., one can either be filled with rage or in a perpetual state of numbness. Yet, I believe there is a time when righteous indignation has its place, and this is the time for such. The issue we are facing is much broader than partisan politics or the right to bear arms. The issue before us is our inability to pass common sense gun laws. We lack this ability because we are being held captive by a few leaders who seek to impose their will upon our nation and refuse to pass comprehensive gun reform. We are also faced with the rise of white nationalism whose ambers are being stoked by domestic terrorist. Such supremacy has always been there woven into the fabric of our nation, but of late, it has found the strength of heart to raise its head. As a Christian minister, it is my job to examine the ills of society and try to articulate through scripture a way forward with Christ as our example. America must examine where it is morally and ethically and be honest about what it sees. There is a moral obligation to create and maintain a society where we all are safe. Our places of worship are starting to look more like armed fortresses rather than houses of prayer. Schools, which have historically been safe places for our children, have increased security guards and procedures to safeguard our most vulnerable. Grandma and grandpa who are simply shopping at the grocery store must be on high alert for the intentions of the wicked. Something must change. I still believe in the goodwill of humanity and the power of righteousness to overcome evil. I still believe that God works through people and that through us God will make a way. We must not only pray for legislation and victims, but we must hold our elected officials accountable. We must teach our children the importance of civic engagement and love for all mankind. We must teach our children that what is often the most politically expedient is not always morally right. We must become engaged in community. It is a critical time to stand for common sense gun laws, for not to do so is a sin. James 4:17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesnt do it, it is sin for them. Rev. Dr. Ernest L. Reid, Jr. Our recent history is calling for a radical and strategic change to turn around the social economic ills that are plaguing our communities today. This change must start with policies that govern our public school system. It is time to Invest in all our children and our teachers in Hamilton County. I grew up in the public-school systems of Chattanooga, Hamilton County. When I was a young student, school was all about the 3 Rs. But Hamilton County mayoral candidate Matt Adams has appropriately added another letter to the educational menu: E for equitable. This formula need not be that complicated. An economic strategy to include equitable distribution of resources simply requires conscious leadership, collaboration, and compassion. Our teachers desire consistency and compensation for hard work. Our children and parents deserve the type resources that are designed to meet the full developmental needs of the child. Matt Adams, the serious, thoughtful Democrat in the race, has made equity in education one of the cornerstones of his campaign. He rightly points out that where students go to school determines the quality of the education they receive and eventually their success. As Hamilton County mayor, Adams pledges to champion equitable funding for all our schools so students in every zip code learn in safe, modern buildings; have access to broadband both in school and at home; and are taught by teachers who are not among the lowest paid in the nation. Matt Adams knows that an investment in our school system is an investment in the countys future. Our children are our future. Matt knows that a strategic and well-developed plan requires the collaboration of teachers, students and parents working together to impact the curriculum and instruction in our public school system. Adam deserves our support on Election Day, Aug. 4. Audrey Ramsey Former 90 Day Fiance star, Paul Staehle shows off his new friend after splitting from his wife, Karine Martins. The reality TV star posted photos of this new woman in his life and labeled her a friend. Heres everything we know. Paul Staehle, 90 Day Fiance | TLC Paul Staehle and Karine Martins split Fans were first introduced to Paul and Karine on 90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days Seasons 1 and 2. During these seasons, audiences watched their journey from the moment Paul met Karine in Brazil to when they got married and had their first son, Pierre. The couple returned for 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? Season 5, where the fairytale wore off. Paul and Karines fighting became constant as he struggled to work in Brazil to provide for his new family. They decided to pack up their lives and move across the world to Kentucky. While the couple thought their marital issues would subside once they were in the states, it only seemed to magnify their problems. They decided to move back to Brazil, where the couple had their second son, Ethan. However, after the cameras left, the fighting continued. The relationship imploded after Paul shared many of his arguments on his Instagram. Early 2022, a video surfaced of Karine physically abusing Paul. Thats when Paul decided to move out of their home. After four years of marriage, the couple has split. Paul told fans he plans to divorce his Brazilian wife. Paul shows off his new lady friend on Instagram It appears that Paul is moving on from his marriage to Karine. On May 27, the former 90 Day Fiance star posted a series of photos of a new woman in his life, which he calls his friend. In the Instagram photos, Paul is pictured smiling in a car with a woman, tagged as Instagram user @kas__idy. Paul and his friend then appear to be in a hotel room together. He captioned the post, Met a new friend. Check out the post below: Pauls friend, whose name on Instagram is Kas, then posted one of the photos to her Instagram profile. She captioned the series of photos, It was lovely to meet a new friend @pauljasonstaehle #90dayfiance #tlc #groovy. Where are Karine and the kids? Paul posting these photos of his new female friend clearly indicates that its really over between the on-again-off-again couple. During their divorce, Paul claimed he was attempting to gain full custody of their sons, Pierre and Ethan. So what happened to Karine and Paulss children? The last thing fans knew was that Karine and Pauls sons were living with Pauls mother, Edna Staehle, in Kentucky. And while Karine is originally from Brazil, she told her followers that she decided that she would remain in the United States. In February 2022, Karine posted a statement on her Instagram for curious fans regarding who has custody of her children. She wrote, As everybody knows, I have an ongoing process, and I cant provide any more specific information about that. It appears that this 90 Day Fiance couple is finally moving on. Maybe Paul will appear on 90 Day: The Single Life with his new lady friend. RELATED: 90 Day Fiance: Shaeeda Defends Bilal in Instagram Post He Is Not a Narcissist BTS are heading to the White House. On May 26, it was announced that Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook will meet with President Joe Biden as part of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month (AANHPI Heritage Month). During BTS visit with Biden at the White House, the band will discuss diversity, representation, and combating anti-Asian hate crimes. BTS | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic BTS will visit the White House at the end of May On May 26, members of the press close to the White House shared a press release detailing BTS visit with the president. According to the press release, BTS will join President Biden to discuss Asian inclusion and representation, and to address anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination which have become more prominent issues in recent years President Biden and BTS will also discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion and BTS platform as youth ambassadors who spread a message of hope and positivity across the world. BTS will visit the White House on May 31. K-pop supergroup BTS is coming to the White House next week pic.twitter.com/muC8CJyOeQ Betsy Klein (@betsy_klein) May 26, 2022 BTS: Jungkook Thinks the Bands Grammy Awards Rehearsal Was Better Than Their Performance Big Hit Music released a statement about BTS visit After it was announced BTS will meet with Biden, Big Hit Music released a press release on the evening of May 26. In the press release, the label confirmed that BTS will be joining President Biden at the White House to discuss Asian inclusion, representation and anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination. They will also address the importance of diversity, impact of BTS platform as youth ambassadors and BTS thoughts on art and culture. Big Hit Music also shared an official statement about the visit, writing, We are honored to be invited to the White House. As we are visiting as artists representing South Korea, we look forward to discussing various topics including inclusion, diversity, anti-Asian hate crimes, culture and art. RELATED: 5 K-Dramas Recommended by BTS for Fans to Watch This is not the first time BTS have entered the political sphere. In 2021, BTS attended the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly as Special Presidential Envoy for Future Generations and Culture for South Korea. The septet has also taken part in different philanthropic and global initiatives including the LOVE MYSELF campaign with UNICEF, Black Lives Matter, and Stop Asian Hate. BTS will release a new album in June Following their meeting with Biden on May 31, BTS are expected to have a busy next few weeks. On June 10, BTS will release an anthology album titled Proof. The album will consist of three CDs and will include hit songs from BTS discography, previously unreleased songs and demos, and new BTS songs. According to a press release, Proof celebrates the nine years of BTS journey since their debut, and opens a new chapter upon their 10th year as artists. The new album will include various tracks that presents BTS thoughts on their past, present and future including three new tracks. RELATED: BTS 2022 Grammy Awards Performance Is Now Available to Watch Online Mad Men star Jon Hamms road to Hollywood started in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. He was attending John Burroughs School a private high school in the upscale suburb of Ladue when he first dabbled in acting. And his flirtation with the profession continued in college. After earning his degree, Hamm relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a full-time acting career. However, the future Emmy winner took a brief detour back home before moving to Southern California. For one year, Hamm taught an acting class at his alma mater in St. Louis. And one of his students was a future star of The Office. Jon Hamm | Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images Mad Men star Jon Hamm didnt start thinking about an acting career until college Hamms very first acting role was as Winnie the Pooh in the first grade, but he didnt get back on stage until high school when he was cast as Judas in Godspell. Even though he enjoyed acting, Hamm didnt take it seriously and he definitely didnt think it would be his career. But when he was at the University of Missouri getting his BA in English, he answered an ad from a local theater company that was seeking players for a production of A Midsummer Nights Dream. Hamm was cast in the production, which led to other roles. And by the time he graduated, he had dreams of going to Hollywood. Before he took the risk and made the big move, Hamm went home to St. Louis for a year and worked as a drama teacher at his former high school. Jon Hamm taught acting to The Office star Ellie Kemper Hamm returned to John Burroughs School in 1993 and taught improv to high school students in a theater class. One of those students was Ellie Kemper, future star of The Office and the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He was not ugly. He was a wonderful teacher, Kemper said at a Television Critics Association panel, per People Magazine. I was in ninth grade and he taught me the improv section of my theater class, and everyone loved him. Kemper also said that the Hollywood leading man was a hunk of a teacher. In a room full of freshmen girls he was definitely just as handsome back then, and having this grown, tall man teach you theater, it was like having a hunk in the class, Kemper tells The A.V. Club. For his part, Hamm remembers teaching Kemper and says she was one of his best students. She and her sister [Carrie Kemper] were incredibly diligent students and very, very talented. The proof is in the pudding. Theyre both working in the industry, Hamm told The Today Show. The Mad Men star worked with Ellie Kemper on The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Twenty years after their teacher/student experience, Hamm and Kemper reunited when he was cast on her Netflix series The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt as Rev. Richard Wayne Gary Wayne. However, when she first heard the news, Kemper admitted she was a little scared. When they told us that he would be playing the reverend, it was fantastic. But I was a little scared, Kemper said. I think theres still a teacher-student dynamic, and acting with him was a little bit nerve-racking just because I felt like he was still grading me on some level. But hes a wonderful man and it was a lot of fun. The Office is now playing on HBO Max. Mad Men is available on Amazon Prime Video, and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is on Netflix. RELATED: Jon Hamm Was Arrested in College After Allegedly Lighting a Fraternity Pledges Pants on Fire If youre reading this, youre likely over halfway through Stranger Things 4 Volume I, and what a ride so far. Nobodys having a particularly great time at this point, but were at least getting closer to some answers. Lets talk about three of the big plot points in Dear Billy. [WARNING: This article contains MAJOR spoilers for Stranger Things 4 Volume I Episode 4, Dear Billy.] Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas, Sadie Sink as Max, Joe Keery as Steve, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin in Dear Billy. | Cr. Courtesy of Netflix Dear Billy primarily focuses on Max and Vecna targeting her The Duffer Brothers promised fans a Max-heavy season, and theyve delivered in spades. While this spells trouble for Max, it gives fans a chance to watch Sadie Sink flex her acting muscles. Nightmares, headaches, and visions plague Max in the first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 4. She eventually realizes that Fred and Chrissy, both now murdered by Vecna, experienced the same symptoms. Max figures she has roughly less than 24 hours before Vecna claims her life too. As Max prepares for the possibility of dying, she writes letters to all her friends, her mom, and her stepbrother, Billy (Dacre Montgomery,) who died in Stranger Things Season 3. Max forces Steve (Joe Keery,) Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo,) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) to drive her to the cemetery so she can read her note to Billy. As Max reads the letter in Dear Billy, Vecna conjures a vision of Billy blaming Max for his death. (This is the one episode Montgomery returned to film.) Max escapes Billy, but she somehow makes her way into what looks like Vecnas lair. She sees the bodies of Chrissy and Fred wrapped up in vines as red storm clouds thunder overhead. Vecna attempts to kill Max, but just as he raises his hand, Steve, Dustin, and Lucas start blasting her favorite song Kate Bushs Running Up That Hill into her headphones. This gives her the chance to escape Vecna, and she does. RELATED: Stranger Things 4 Episode 2 Recap: Vecnas Curse Gives Fans the First Peek Into Victor Creels Backstory Hopper escapes the Russians, but Joyce and Murray dont escape Yuri Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Murray (Brett Gelman) finally make it to Alaska, while Hopper sees his chance to escape Russia. After removing his shackles in a shack outside with the grossest sound effects ever, he faces off with a guard who caught him trying to sneak out of the gulag. However, this is Chief Jim Hopper were talking about, and he doesnt let one measly guard stand in the way. Other guards notice the commotion in the shack and come to their coworkers rescue, only to be met with a giant explosion. Hop escapes unscathed on a snowmobile. However, his victory is short-lived, thanks to double-crosser extraordinaire Yuri. When Joyce and Murray arrive in Alaska to hitch a ride with Yuri in Dear Billy, he tells them he needs to count the money first. He offers them coffee to warm up, which he secretly drugged to knock them out. Yuri realized he could make more money by turning Joyce and Hopper over to the Russians. ST4 VOLUME 1 IS NOW STREAMING pic.twitter.com/8KpNc3hBNi Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) May 27, 2022 Nancy and Robin finally meet Victor Creel in Dear Billy The much anticipated Robert Englund appears as an eyeless Victor Creel in Dear Billy, and Robin and Nancy get some backstory on the Creel murders. They pretend to be college students writing a thesis on paranoid schizophrenia and convince the director of Pennhurst to let them speak to Victor alone. Victor tells them about the strange occurrences soon after his family moved into the house. Dead animals began showing up on the property, and the lights would flicker constantly. Then he started to see visions of a cradle in flames while a baby screamed. Victor fought in World War II and mistakenly ordered a shelling of a house he thought was filled with Nazis. Instead, civilians hid inside, including a baby. At dinner one night, the radio cuts on by itself just before Vecna murders Victors wife, Virginia. Victor tries to get out of the house but gets lost in the Mindscape. He hears Dream a Little Dream of Me playing and manages to escape. However, his daughter is dead, and his son slipped into a coma and died a week later. Just as the director of Pennhurst tries to apprehend Nancy and Robin, Robin realizes music is the key to escaping the Mindscape. The director previously told them they discovered music reached a part of the brain that little else could reach. When they get in the car, they hear the radio call from Dustin asking how to save Max, and thats how Kate Bushs song, Running Up That Hill, allows Max to escape. Check in with Showbiz Cheat Sheet for all your Stranger Things 4 updates! RELATED: Stranger Things 4 Star Elodie Orkin on Playing Elevens Bully, Angela, Shipping Mileven, and More [EXCLUSIVE] Before Josh Duggars trial kicked off in November 2021, the defense and the prosecution debated whether the prosecution could discuss his teenage behaviors at the trial. In a hearing just a day before the trial began, Judge Timothy L. Brooks ruled that the prosecution could openly discuss the previous molestation allegations. While it didnt appear to factor heavily into the guilty verdict, U.S. Attorney, Clay Fowlkes, said he believed Joshs past behaviors did factor into his sentence. Bobye Holt testified about Josh Duggars sexual abuse of his sisters at the December 2021 trial In December 2021, Bobye Holt, a former Duggar family friend, took the stand to testify about Josh Duggars previous sexual abuse allegations. Holt told the judge and jury that she and her husband, Jim Holt, were approached by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar in 2003 when they learned Josh had been inappropriately touching his sisters. The Holt family was not seen at Josh Duggars sentencing. According to Holt, Josh was in a relationship with her eldest daughter, Kaeleigh Holt, at the time. The relationship ended immediately, although the Holts continued to counsel the Duggars and Josh. A letter that Kaeleigh penned after she learned of the abuse later fell into the hands of a family friend. The letter was the catalyst for a police report filed regarding the abuse inside the home. Josh nor his victims ever received professional counseling. U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes says he believes the testimony factored into Josh Duggars sentence The defense worked tirelessly to suppress any mention of Josh Duggars prior sexual abuse. They lost the battle just a day before the trial started. While his previous acts did not factor into the guilty verdict he received, U.S. Attorney Fowlkes said he believes the prior behavior was considered when Judge Brooks handed down his sentence. 5 News streamed the press conference immediately following Josh Duggars sentencing. During the press conference, Fowlkes said he believed Joshs prior behavior showed a pattern of abuse. He went on to say that information factored into the sentencing recommendation and the judges decision. He stated that while Judge Brooks did not sentence Josh to the recommended 20 years behind bars, the prosecution was happy with the outcome of the sentencing hearing. Josh Duggars defense team stated that they plan to appeal the decision within 14 days, as required by law. Previous motions to acquit and a motion for a new trial have been dismissed. An appeal is not uncommon in this type of case. The disgraced former reality TV star will need to take part in a sex offenders program while behind bars Josh Duggars sentencing ended with the proclamation that he would spend 12 and a half years behind bars for downloading and possessing child pornography. By the time he is released from prison, four of his seven children will be over 18. His youngest child, Madyson Lily Duggar, will be nearly 13. She was born just a month before Joshs trial began. Josh Duggar | Kris Connor/Getty Images Josh wont be sitting around waiting to walk out of a federal detention center. Judge Brooks suggested Josh participate in a sex offenders program while behind bars. The prison the judge recommended, FCI Seagoville, has a strong program for sex offenders. Fernando Rivas, the composer famous for his work on Sesame Street, is currently serving his sentence for creating and sending child pornography at the detention center. FCI Seagoville is located in Texas, more than five hours from the Duggar familys Springdale, Arkansas compound. How to get help: If you or someone you know has been sexually abused, text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 for free and confidential support. RELATED: Josh Duggar Sentenced in Child Pornography Case The company Sasol and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) will lead a consortium to develop and optimise next-generation catalysts that will play a key role in decarbonising the aviation sector through sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). At a ceremony at Sasols global headquarters in Johannesburg, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attended the launch of CARE-O-SENE (Catalyst Research for Sustainable Kerosene) research project, to be funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and Sasol. Sasol joins forces with five other world-leading organisations in Germany and South Africa to accelerate the development of catalysts that are essential to produce green kerosene on a commercial scale through Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology. We are delighted to have been selected to lead this important project, said Fleetwood Grobler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sasol Limited. Our expertise in FT technology and catalysts makes us the ideal partner to help Germany and the world decarbonise the aviation sector and make it sustainable over the long-term. Prof. Dr. Bernd Rech, Scientific Managing Director of HZB adds, CARE-O-SENE will enable us to accelerate innovation in a crucial field of green energy. This can only be achieved in a global partnership by deeply integrating fundamental research and technology development on an industry relevant scale. Other CARE-O-SENE project partners include the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the University of Cape Town, Department of Chemical Engineering (UCT) and INERATEC GmbH. The consortium expresses its sincere gratitude to the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research for supporting these important efforts. CARE-O-SENE will run for three years and pursues the goal of setting the course for large-scale commercialisation of green kerosene production by 2025 with its research on catalysts. Catalysts are used to speed up chemical reactions, increase the yield and improve the quality of refined products. The new FT catalysts are expected to increase the fuel yield of the process to over 80 percent, thereby optimising use of resources. Unlike conventional kerosene derived from fossil feedstocks, SAF can be made from green hydrogen and sustainable carbon dioxide sources. Developing SAF is key to a sustainable decarbonisation of the hard-to-abate aviation industry, and the main lever for net zero aviation. The underlying technology to developing SAF at scale from green hydrogen and sustainable carbon sources is FT technology, in which Sasol has been a global leader for more than 70 years. UNITED NATIONS, May 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called for a well-tailored approach to the Israeli-Palestinian issue as drivers of violence are fermenting. During the past month, the security situation in the occupied Palestinian territory has remained turbulent, with multiple clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians, resulting in the continued increase in Palestinian civilian casualties. Attacks against Israeli civilians also occurred from time to time, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations. "The various factors contributing to the rising tensions were brought into sharp relief recently. A number of these factors are still fermenting. We are extremely worried about this," he told a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. "The recent developments between the two sides have raised a red flag for the international community, and a call for a well-tailored approach." The current situation once again testifies to the importance of upholding the status quo of the holy sites. China calls on all parties concerned to learn from history, jointly safeguard the historical status quo of religious sites, and refrain from any unilateral action to change the status quo. Jerusalem Day is just around the corner. China calls on all parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint and avoid conflict resurgence, said Zhang. The current situation once again testifies to the importance of achieving common security. The ever-rising civilian casualties only aggravate the animosity between Palestinians and Israelis, and undermine their mutual trust. Palestinians and Israelis are and will remain neighbors. They have a stake in each other's security and they should find a way to live side by side in harmony and shared security. The Israeli security forces should abide by the principle of proportionality and should not use excessive force, he said. The current situation once again testifies to the importance of implementing international consensus, he said. Building settlements in the occupied territory violates international law. China is concerned about Israel's announcement of a new settlement construction plan and urges Israel to stop all settlement activities, he said. A two-state solution is the fundamental way forward for achieving peace between Palestinians and Israelis. The international community cannot substitute crisis management for a just solution to the question of Palestine. The relevant parties with major influence on this question should uphold objectivity and impartiality, proceed from the fundamental interests of the Palestinian people and regional countries, and take practical steps to advance the Middle East peace process, he said. Palestine is faced with existential and developmental challenges. The international community should take concrete actions to help Palestine fight COVID-19, develop its economy, and improve livelihoods, with a view to achieving economic independence at an early date, he said. China supports the establishment of a fully sovereign and independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side in peace with Israel. China supports the common development of Arabs and Jews and will continue to play a constructive role alongside the international community toward an early settlement of the question of Palestine, said Zhang. Rebuilding the destruction of war is more than just fixing roads or cleaning up cities, but bringing true healing. A friend of mine from Ukraine reached out on Easter Sunday. She was grieving. She had lost everything when her family left home at the beginning of the Russian invasion. Nearly two decades of community, torn to shambles. They lost their church family, the park where their children used to play. This is important: The loss of material goods isnt really what hurts. What hurts us the most is the loss of security, the loss of relationships wed cultivated for years. The impact of such a catastrophe is hard to understate, especially for young children who are still developing emotionally and socially But that kind of loss, important as it is, can be tough to understand. We can document and measure the number of roads and apartment buildings destroyed. We can count the cities hollowed out by war. We can count the displaced Ukrainians: 11 million. But we cant quantify the lasting, intangible effects of the war. Rebuilding lives is about so much more than rebuilding roads or cleaning up cities. Its about healing deep, durable and complex wounds. So, Christian witness is likely to look very different in light of this kind of trauma, for many years to come. The Church must provide safety and community to millions of people whove had these precious, basic human needs torn away from them. Some will recover more quickly than others. Some, like children, might need a lifetime of help. We need to be there for them. I havent lived through war, but Ive lived through catastrophe. My familys lives were suddenly upended, along with so many others, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Everyones journey through these kinds of sudden, drastic changes is their own and a war and a hurricane are very different forces. But they both have the potential to wipe out communities overnight. When my family and I left our home in New Orleans a few days before Katrina hit, we knew wed be coming back home soon. We took three days worth of clothes and left town, just like wed done so many times before. But we woke up one morning, and everything was gone. When we were allowed to return, we spent most of our time hugging people wed known and weeping for what wed never have again: each other, as we had been before the storm. We lost family heirlooms. We lost a way of life. Of course, with time, we found a new normal. And, God willing, so will many who now suffer in the Ukraine war. But what they go back to wont be what they left. The experience of sudden, stunning loss will leave marks on their hearts and minds. We must bring the hope of the gospel to bear and trust Christ to heal the wounds of war. There will be many heavy days even for those who are blessed to return to a home after the war, back to the broken silence of their old homes. And this is the darkness and pain the Church must enter. We must bring the hope of the gospel to bear and trust Christ to heal the wounds of war. We must minister patiently, with tenderness, to the millions who now mourn a loss most of the world doesnt recognize. The Easter promise can shine in the midst of despair, too. For example, Christ met His disciples on the road to Emmaus. They were downcast, the Bible tells us. And with good reason their whole lives had been taken from them with His crucifixion and death. Jesus didnt reveal himself immediately. He took time to be present with them. He walked with them. He listened to them, and shared a meal with them. And suddenly, in their despair, they recognized Him. They knew He had risen. This is the calling of the Church. After all, it is thanks to the grace and provision of God that were here at all. These moments of weakness and difficulty can bring us face to face with God in a way few other things will. We can either choose to seek Him in suffering whether it be our own or that of others or we can try to clean up the mess on our own. Only one path leads to true restoration. Only one path leads to healing. Only one path leads to Life, and he is the greatest need of Ukraine. The Church must prepare to walk in the tangible pain of Ukrainians, now and for years to come, and point them to the only real hope: Jesus. The Better Samaritan blog is produced by the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, a research institute which specializes in resilience and spiritual fortitude. To learn more and apply for a M.A. in Humanitarian & Disaster Leadership, visit our website Dr. Rick Morton is the vice president of Engagement at Lifeline Childrens Services. Most notably, Dr. Morton is the co-author of the popular Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-Centered Adoption and Orphan Care and the author of KnowOrphans: Mobilizing the Church for Global Orphanology. He and his wife Denise have been married for over 30 years and have three children, all of whom joined their family through international adoption from Ukraine. As the father of two elementary-aged children, the news of the May 24 mass shooting in Uvalde, Texasjust three hours south of my home in Austin, which resulted in the death of 19 children and 2 teachersshook me deeply. Driving my daughter to school the morning after, I felt acutely the fragility and unpredictability of life, and I found myself becoming intensely afraidand increasingly angry. Only 10 days prior, a racially motivated 18-year-old man, dressed in body armor and wielding a rifle with a high-capacity magazine, shot and killed 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket, wounding 3 others. Eleven of the 13 victims were Black. A day after the mass shooting at a Tops Friendly Markets store in upstate New York, a gunman entered Geneva Presbyterian Church, in Laguna Woods, Californiawhere a group of parishioners had gathered for a lunch to honor a former pastor of a Taiwanese congregation that uses the church for its worship servicesand shot and killed one person and wounded five others. One nation bombs another, a denomination keeps a secret list of abusive pastors, a man is profiled because of his skin color, a Christian is persecuted because of her faith, and thousands are cruelly displaced from their homesall of it occurring against the backdrop of a global pandemic. Its tempting to shut down emotionally in light of all of this violence. Its tempting to give into despair. So goes the world, we might say, wishing it were otherwise but feeling powerless to make a difference. Its tempting to distract ourselves with busywork or to reach for spiritual platitudes to numb the pain. Let go and let God. God works in mysterious ways. Heavens our real home. But our world is a violent one and the Bible does not allow us to ignore its violence or to explain it away with tidy theological slogans. It asks us to face our world squarely, together, and, where needed, to yell our rage to God. The Bible invites us to get angry at God, because he can handle all our bitter, angry tears and curses. And such words need to be said out loud, because that's partly how we keep the chaos of violence from taking root in our own hearts. As I write in my book on the psalms, there is no faithful prayer in Israels official book of worship, the Psalter, that trivializes evil, no genuine faith that ignores the destructive powers of sin, and no true witness that turns a blind eye to the violence of our world. It is for this reason that we turn to the psalms for guidance in times such as these, for they show us what we canand indeed shouldbe praying in a violent world. But a question remains: How exactly do we pray in the aftermath of such violence? What words of lament can we put on our lips that make sense of the senseless? To what could the whole people of God possibly say amen in light of the corrosive power of hate that allows neighbor to irrationally kill neighbor? What do an exhausted and dispirited people say to God at such a time? These questions are, of course, far from easy to answer, but over the past couple of years I have attempted to give language to such matters in the form of Collect Prayersin the hopes that they might prove useful, and perhaps comforting, to people who face the terrors and traumas of violent activities in one form or another. May the Lord, in his mercy, hear our prayers. A Prayer of Anger: To the God whose holy anger heals; To the Messiah whose righteous anger overcomes evil; To the Spirit who keeps our anger from turning destructive: Receive our wounded hearts; Take our burning words; Protect us from the desire for revenge. May our righteous anger become fuel for justice in our fractured world and for the mending of broken relations in our neighborhoods and homes. For Gods sakeand ourswe pray. Amen. Article continues below A Prayer After a Mass Shooting: O Lord, you who abhor those who murder the innocent, be not deaf to our bitter cries, we pray, and do not abandon us to our pain this day. Hear our raging words of protest, O God of Jacob, heed our groans for justice and meet us in this lowly and desperate place. Awake, Lord! Rouse yourself! Deliver us from evil, for your names sake! We pray this so that we might witness your might to save and your power to heal. We pray this in the name of our Fortress and Refuge. Amen. A Prayer of Bitter Lament: Merciful God, you who weep with those who weep, who rescue the oppressed, who incline your ear to the needy and who bind up the brokenhearted: hear our prayer. Bring an end to our distress. Preserve our lives. Rescue us. Heal us. Be near to us this day. We pray this in Jesus name, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, on whom we cast all our cares. Amen. A Prayer for Peace in a Time of War: O Lord, you who are the True King, have mercy, we pray, on the people who suffer the ravages of war this day. Silence the warmongers, scatter the bloodthirsty, shatter the weapons of war, and take pity on the vulnerable, so that true peace and justice might be restored to this land. We pray this in the name of the Prince of Peace. Amen. A Prayer Against Bloodthirstiness: O Lord, you who abhor the bloodthirsty, rebuke the murderous, we pray, and break the sword of the violent, so that we might witness you as the God of Justice and the Lord of Righteousness under the light of the noonday sun. We pray this in the name of Christ our King. Amen. A Prayer in Response to Death: O Wounded Christ, you who have gone to the monstrous depths and swallowed death whole, tasting its bitter finality and conquering it once for all, we pray that you would free us from the fear of death and comfort us in the losses that we experience on account of death, so that our hearts might be infused this day with your resurrection life. We pray this in the name of the One who is the Resurrection and the Life. Amen. A Prayer for Police Officers: Oh Lord, you who love righteousness and justice, we pray for all police officers today, that you would support and bless them in their duties, and that you would strengthen them to defend the cause of the vulnerable, maintain the right of the oppressed, serve the good of the community, and preserve the peace in our cities, so that they might be emissaries of your justice in the world. We pray this in the name of the Ruler of the Nations. Amen. A Prayer for Our Enemies: O Lord, you who ask us to do the impossibleto bless our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to love those who seek us harmwe pray that you would do the impossible in us: Help us to love our enemies as you love them and to remember who our true enemies are: Satan, death, and the spiritual forces of evil. Perform also a miracle in our enemies by your Spirit, and in your sovereign might restrain the power of evil in this world. We pray this in the name of the One who does impossible things. Amen. A Prayer Against Neighbor Hate: O Lord, you who command us to bless our enemies, protect us, we pray, from turning our neighbors into enemies, worthy only of hatred and deserving of nothing but insults and curses, and grant us instead the heart of Jesus, so that we might love our neighbors as you love them. We pray this in the name of the One who causes the sun to rise both on the evil and on the good. Amen. A Prayer for Loving a Hurting Neighbor: O Lord, you who do not look away from the pain of this world, open our eyes, we pray, to see the pain of our neighbor and, by grace, to become the healing presence and power of Jesus to them, so that our hearts might be kindled with your neighbor love this day. We pray this in the name of the Merciful One. Amen. Article continues below A Prayer to Become a Justice-Loving People: O Lord, you who hate those who record unjust decisions, may we be a people who stand against injustice that occurs anywhere as a threat to justice everywhere, so that we might become worthy representatives of your righteous kingdom and extremists for Christs love. We pray this in the name of the One who sets the oppressed free. Amen. A Prayer For Those Who Weary of Doing Justice: O God, you who see the hearts of all with perfect clarity, I confess my irritation with those who bully their way with words, who think no one sees what they do in the shadows, and who live in a world of denial. Im angry and scared and tired of doing the right thing. Strengthen my heart, I pray, so that I might not lose hope. I pray this in the name of the Good Shepherd and Just Judge. Amen. A Prayer Against Duplicity of Heart: O Lord, you who were cheered and jeered by the very same crowd, have mercy, I pray, on my own duplicitous ways: confessing one sin openly yet hiding another; blessing God out of one side of my mouth, while cursing my neighbor out of the other; smiling in public but raging in private; loving God and money equally much; and all other sins besides. Grant me the grace of integrityof being one thing through and throughno matter what the cost. I pray this in the name of the One Who Remains True. Amen. A Prayer for the Peaceable Kingdom of God: O Lord, you who were manifested to the world at the visit of the Magi, manifest yourself to the world today as the King who refuses to use the violence of the world to the achieve the peace that we so eagerly desire, so that we might be strengthened to do the work of your peaceable kingdom in our own time and place. We pray this in the name of our Redeemer and King. Amen. A Prayer of Allegiance to the Prince of Peace: O Lord, you who deserve all our loyalties, we pledge allegiance this day to the Lamb of God and to the upside-down kingdom for which he stands, one holy nation under God, the Servant King and the Prince of Peace, with liberty and justice for all without remainder. We pray this in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen. W. David O. Taylor is associate professor of theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. He is the author of Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life and accompanying illustrated psalms prayer cards. [ This article is also available in espanol and Francais. ] The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News collect 380 allegations spanning 20 states in an unprecedented look at sexual misconduct across the denomination. | Image: Houston Chronicle A landmark investigation into hundreds of cases of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches opened with a collage of pictures of the offenders, row after row of headshots and mugshots of men who had been accused of abusing a total of 700 victims over the past 20 years. In Sundays report, the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News were able to do what victims say the nations largest Protestant denomination has failed to for years: provide a picture of the extent of the abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention and a database of those found guilty of their crimes. With allegations against 380 church leaders in 20 states (a majority of whom were convicted or took plea deals), its believed to be the biggest report on sexual abuse among Southern Baptists in the movements history. The report confronts the longstanding defense that the organization can only do so much to monitor abuse since affiliated congregations operate autonomously. Another set of pictures captures a sense of the impact of abusers in Southern Baptist congregations. In response to the investigation, Southern Baptist women and fellow Christians shared childhood photos on Twitter from the age when they first suffered abuse. Dozens joined a thread started by Living Proof Ministries founder and popular Bible teacher Beth Moore, including advocate and abuse survivor Jules Woodson and other ministry leaders. Over the past couple years, the #MeToo campaign has raised awareness about abuse within the SBC and galvanized official efforts to improve the denominations response. Last December, as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram rounded up more than 400 allegations among independent Baptists, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission ... Jill and Oscar Schmidt vowed that they would travel from their home in Washington State to Oberammergau, a small village in the south of Germany, to see the world-famous passion play about the death of Jesus. They wanted to go in 2010 but didnt get tickets in time. So they decided they would not miss the next performanceno excuses!and made plans for the spring of 2020. Then they were cancelled, said Jill. The Schmidts understood, of course. Everything was shutting down at that time, as the pandemic swept across the world and dominated the headlines. But that makes this moment, two years later, very sweet. We are so glad to finally be here, Jill told CT, and experience the play at least once in our lifetime. This desireto experience the Oberammergau Passion Play once in a lifetime has driven millions of tourists and pilgrims to visit the village over the years. It began in 1633 with another vow. Suffering the ravages of the bubonic plague, the inhabitants of the Bavarian village promised to perform a play of the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ" on stage every ten years if God would spare them further death and devastation. The plague ended, and the people of Oberammergau have been putting on the passion play ever since. In the 19th century, it began to draw in international visitors, mostly Catholics and Lutherans. Today, a third of the 1 million guests are from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Scandinavia. The play resonates in this moment with the feeling of surviving a pandemic, but it has long spoken to the themes of crisis and overcoming hardship. The production, after all, retells the story of Jesus suffering and death. But the Passionsspiele, as its called in Germany, is also a festival and public celebration. It might be more celebratory than normal this year. Its like Oktoberfest, Holy Week, and the end of the pandemic all rolled into one, said Alex Schwarz, owner of a local bookstore selling passion play literature and souvenirs alongside the cookbooks and notebooks you could find in any German bookstore. On May 13, the day before opening, locals declared themselves glad to get back to normal. They recounted to each other how, two years ago, director Christian Stuckl announced the postponement with tears in his eyes. Performing the play while practicing social distancing would have been impossible. When up to 1,000 people appear on the stage at one time, a safe distance between them would have required a stage almost two-and-a-half acres in size. It just wasnt practical. Stuckl put a temporary halt to the tradition that had been running for 400 years before. Now, however, the crowds have returned. The visitors find a village that seems, at moments, sacred, but more often appears as a peculiar kind of film set. Some 1,800 of the 5,000 villagers are directly involved in the production. The rest play host. As visitors wander around, they can see Nicodemus eating ice cream, members of the Jerusalem Council getting tested for COVID-19 across from the train station, or even the man who plays Jesus shepherding his children through the crowds. Jake Krengel, a guide with Bavaria and Beyond Tours, in nearby Garmisch-Partenkirchen, is happy to be back. He said there was a lot of uncertainty over the last two years. Its a beautiful thing to see years of anticipation being realized, Krengel said. Even a few months ago, everyone in Oberammergau was still wearing masks and social distancing, there were so many questions left to be answered and fears that it actually wouldnt happen. The pandemic created hard times for everyone. During difficult times in Oberammergau, people remind each other to hang on until the next passion play. Theres even a saying in the village for when money gets tight: Passion wirds sho richten, meaning Passion will fix it. Over the last two years, many started to wonder if that would be true. Now that the plays are actually happening, Krengel said, we couldnt be happier. The joy was palpable on opening day, especially during the pre-premiere ceremony and ecumenical worship service. Catholic Cardinal Reinhard Marx and Protestant Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm presided over a service that felt like a celebration, though there were somber moments too. In a joint sermon, the two religious leaders echoed how much the return of the plays meant for not only Oberammergau, but the world. The passion play these days cannot be seen simply as a historical play, said Bedford-Strohm. The passions of people are far too much in front of us today. He mentioned those suffering from disease and war, famine and persecutions, racism and climate change. For all of them, he said, and for all of us, Jesus passion contains a message of hope. The greatest story of all time, Marx said, reminds the audiences in Oberammergau that violence does not have the last word, power does not have the last word. It is with these themes in mind that the director has modernized the play. Christian Stuckl has reworked the 100-year-old script, which was originally written by a local pastor, Joseph Alois Daisenberger. Stuckl has been working on this revision since about 1990, and in the two-year delay, he revised it some more. I had to take another look, he said, because for me, the religious ballast recedes into the background and the social comes to the fore. An angry, energetic Jesus takes center stage in Stuckls retelling, calling followers to fight for mercy and justice on behalf of the oppressed. In this play, Jesus is presented as a reformist Jew who wanted to renew the religion of his fathers. While Christ may appear less Christian than he has in the past, the changes address persistent concerns about the antisemitic implications of the version in which Jesus didnt appear to be Jewish at all. Stuckl and his ensemble have also added more nuance to characters like Joseph of Arimathea and Judas, the latter framed as a betrayed traitor rather than an inherently evil foil. The idea, Stuckl said, is to confront the audience with questions he and his team have long wrestled with. Margaret Hinchey of Denver, Colorado, who is hosting an August tour with her husband Donald, a Lutheran pastor, said they are looking forward to the conversations the play provokes. The changes, they say, do not diminish the opportunities to start a dialogue that can lead to lasting spiritual change in someones life. I am not under any illusion that someone is going to go to the Passion Play and have a conversion experience, said Donald, but there may be some openings. Some questions. It can start a conversation. To help people on their tour prepare for these conversations, the Hincheys will be leading daily devotionals on some of the Gospel characters, such as Mary Magdalene and Malchus, a servant of the Jewish high priest Caiaphas, who participated in Jesus arrest. Another tour leader, David Mahsman, will also be leading his group through discussions about how the play matches up with the narratives of the four Gospels. The conversations that come after the performance are almost as important as the production itself, according to Mahsman, but its not all religious. Its a mix of a pilgrimage and a tour, he said. We enjoy the sights and sounds of Europe, but then have discussions and devotions while drinking German beer. Donald Hinchey feels the same. Hes simply been looking forward to traveling again. And, after more than a decade away, hes eager to see Oberammergau and thankful to be finally, maybe, putting the pandemic behind him. But hes also hoping this trip will have a deeper significance. I find as I get older, my faith can be somewhat jaded. Every so often I need a bit of a reboot, Donald said. Last time, I just couldnt get the passion play out of mind. I am hoping the same thing happens again. In the quiet, 16,000-person town of Uvalde, Texas, nearly everyone has connections to the children, families, and teachers shaken by the deadly elementary school shooting. I was watering my flowers in the front yard when I heard shots ring out, said Julian Moreno, former pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista. Moreno lives two blocks from Robb Elementary School, where an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 kids and two teachers on Tuesday. Within minutes of hearing the shots, Moreno said he saw two policemen running down the street. Then, an exchange of gunfire so close he could smell the powder. Knowing his great-granddaughter, Lexi, was a student at the school, Moreno walked to the campus once the shots ceased. He later learned that the attack took place in 10-year-old Lexis classroom, and she was among the victims. Outside the school, Moreno said, the atmosphere radiated with fear, as parents clamored to get into the barricaded building. Officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Border Patrol shouted at one another as they put on their gear and approached the school. People were talking loudly, a lot were crying, he said. They were saying, My son or my daughter is in that building, and the officers were just saying Im sorry, you cant go any further. Located 80 miles west of San Antonio, an hour from the Mexican border, the town of Uvalde is 82 percent Hispanic, with sizable Catholic and Baptist populations. Around 20 local churches have joined together to support their community, now known as the location of the third-deadliest school shooting in the US. Because hes a faith leader, people in the community have turned to pastors like Moreno for guidance in their grief. Moreno has been praying most with his granddaughter Kimberly Mata-Rubio, Lexis mother, who went into complete shock. After the honor roll ceremony earlier in the day, Mata-Rubio wrote, We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye. She sobbed as her husband spoke about Lexi on CNN on Wednesday. I need to be as strong as I can to be able to minister to my family in particular, Moreno said. In such a small town, many of the people called on to help provide spiritual support are themselves grieving. The whole place is devastated. Its a small town. Everybody knows everybody, said Joe Aguilar, Texas Baptists area representative for the Rio Grande Valley. They are going to need a lot of help. Texas Baptists reported that Aguilar drove to Uvalde to pray with community members outside the school on Tuesday and has helped coordinate chaplains to assist local pastors. You want to make sure the people that are providing care are trained, because we want to give the best help, the best assistance, to these families who are in their worst part of life. And not just anybody is prepared for something like this, he said. Anyra Cano, an adjunct professor at Baptist University of the Americas and pastors wife at Iglesia Bautista Victoria en Cristo in Fort Worth, made plans to travel to Uvalde to work with parents to help their children address their fears. Neftali Barboza, pastor of Iglesia Nueva Jerico, had just picked up his son early from Robb Elementary before the attack occurred. The funeral home across the street from the school was filled with terrorized children, and Barboza was called to comfort them. I stayed and helped take care of the kids, he told Baptist Press. I let as many parents as I could know their child was safe. The Pew Research Center has found that 24 percent of Americans report their faith becoming stronger in times of tragedy, and churches often have high attendance weekends after a horrific event. Pastors like Barboza are preparing for full services, funerals, and prayer meetings as members of the community gather to process and cry together. On Wednesday night, ministers organized a packed prayer vigil at the Uvalde Fairplex Arena, attended by Gov. Greg Abbott and US Sen. Ted Cruz. Amid worship songs and remarks, Baptist Temple Church pastor Tony Gruben prayed that God will heal their little hearts and their little souls. Some prayed in small groups, while others sobbed during a solo violinists rendition of Amazing Grace. On Thursday, Sacred Heart Catholic Parish in Uvalde held a prayer service for victims as well. Pastor Doug Swimmer of The Potters House Church told ABC News that he went to pray with families at the hospital. In addition to the 21 people killed, 17 others were injured in the attack. I know that one thing that is going to help us through is Gods grace and Gods love, he said. What the world needs and what our community needs is a light that shines in the darkness. [ This article is also available in espanol. ] The Russian invasion of Ukraine hasn't gone the way the experts -- or Russia -- expected. When Russia began to amass troops along the Ukrainian border, the talking heads on the news shows began to make their predictions. Russia would invade and overrun the Ukrainian army in a matter of days. The Russian army was too large and its weaponry too massive for Ukraine to survive long. But Ukraine did survive. As of this writing, Ukraine is not only surviving but also winning on some fronts of the war. The Russian army has been pushed back after their initial gains in the north and northeast of Ukraine. Depending upon what expert you trust, the Russian army has lost as many as a third of its invading army. How could this happen? Well, the secret has begun to seep out. For the past several years, the Ukrainian forces had been training with NATO forces. NATO and Russia have very different philosophies of battle. Russia is still using the same philosophy used in World War II. Massive armies, massive armor, and artillery moving across the open fields of Europe, blasting towns into rubble as they advance. The Ukrainians have adopted the new model the U.S. has used since Viet Nam. Instead of large armies moving across miles of battlefronts, small, highly trained units carry out surgical strikes to cripple the enemy's war-making abilities. With a much smaller army, the Ukrainians have blown up bridges, cut communications, and ambushed strangling units. Unless you are a student of military history, you may have missed the big debate at various levels of military leadership trying to learn the lessons of Viet Nam. The American forces never lost a direct battle with the North Vietnamese army or the Viet Cong. The problem of Viet Nam was the enemy never chose a direct battle with American forces. They would hit a target and then melt away into the jungle. The result of all of the studies was a transition to smaller, highly trained units to make surgical strikes to inflict major damage without encountering the major forces of the enemy. The development of special forces was one of the results of this new thinking. Funny thing is, a lot of businesses have adopted the same strategy. Instead of one large office downtown, businesses like banks, are breaking up into small, well-trained, and agile units that are away from headquarters, but closer to their customers. Colleges and universities are putting classrooms in office parks and strip malls closer to the students. Guess what? Churches in the near future will be doing the same thing. Instead of large central buildings, churches will be in the neighborhoods nearer to where people live, go to school, and shop. A couple of realities are driving this. First, the Builders and Boomers are moving off the scene. These two generations have provided most of the funding for many of the large building projects for churches across North America. Gen Z and Millennials are moving into positions of leadership. These generations give and give generously, but they give very differently. They, in general, dont give well to building projects. Church leadership will find it difficult to secure funding for large capital campaigns. Second, more and more, people are looking for a church that makes a difference where they are. Local churches need to earn street cred. Whether it is tutoring students in local schools, feeding the homeless, or receiving refugees, churches will have to have some kind of ministry that opens the doors for the gospel message. Members want opportunities to engage their talents in ministry and missions in ways that make an impact they can see. Like the army, churches are going to become small, well-trained units that love their communities well. Third, Gen Z and Millennials want to be involved in leadership. They want to be involved in whats going on. They want their voices to be heard. Youve probably read an article in some business publication about how difficult it is to blend the generations into a coherent workforce. Churches are facing the same challenges. The churches that are able to adapt to the new realities of Gen Z and Millennial leadership will be the most successful in the years just ahead of us. As you read about the fragmentation of America, remember each fragment will need a different kind of gospel presentation. Pastors will be needed to work with different people groups. People who understand what someone is going through who have been through it themselves will be needed. These smaller churches will be focused and agile, able to swivel their ministry focus onto the local needs of their neighborhood at a moments notice. Megachurches wont disappear, but more and more of their focus will be on the success and impact of the local micro churches. The gospel wont change. It never has. The only thing that ever changes is the wrapping in which the gospel is presented to our neighbors and friends. Arizona Dept. of Education promotes chat room for students to talk about gender, sexuality The Arizona Department of Education's list of student resources provides minor children with links to LGBT-themed chat rooms where they can discuss gender and sexuality, possibly without their parents' knowledge. The ADE website directs students to the Gender Spectrum and Q Chat Space under its "Online Chat Spaces" tab. The links are included in a list of resources ADE assembled for students, educators, school leaders and parents "to assist in the support of LGBTQ students in our schools and communities." In addition to the chat rooms, the website also includes information about local and national LGBT organizations. The list of resources was collected by "members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community as part of ADE's Equitable and Inclusive Practices Advisory Council." The Arizona Department of Education, Gender Spectrum and Q Chat Space did not respond to The Christian Post's request for comment. Gender Spectrum advertises online chat rooms for "transgender, non-binary, and gender-expansive pre-teens," inviting them to join discussion groups sorted by age and facilitated by moderators "who have navigated gender in their own lives." The group provides chat room spaces for students ages 13 to 16, 17 to 18 and 10 to 12. "Gender Spectrum hosts free online groups for pre-teens, teens, parents, caregivers, and other family members and adults," ADE's description of the group reads. "These groups provide you with the opportunity to connect with others, share experiences, and feel the comfort of a supportive community." Gender Spectrum told The National Desk that its online groups require parental consent for pre-teens but do not require parental consent for its teenage users. The other chat room, Q Chat Space, is targeted at children ages 13 to 19, according to its website. Q Chat Space's upcoming chat room discussions consist of a Friday session titled "FOR TRANS/NON-BINARY YOUTH: Hormones! What do they do, what don't they do? HRT Q&A," and another called "Queer Hair" on June 1. The LGBT-themed chat room is operated in collaboration with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the nation's largest abortion provider whose clinics have been accused of dispensing hormones to trans-identifying teens without verifying medical records or parental consent. Q Chat Space's other partners include CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers and PFLAG, the "largest organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, their parents and families, and allies." Q Chat is facilitated by "experienced staff who work at LGBTQ+ centers around the United States," but the website acknowledges that its "facilitators are NOT mental health professionals." According to a Monday Libs of TikTok tweet, the discussion room hosted by Q Chat Space has a "quick escape" feature, speculating that this is in case kids want to conceal their online activity from their parents. Arizona Dept of Education provides a resource link for LGBT students. The link takes you to an online chat room with LGBT adults and teens where they talk about sex and gender. The online chat room has a quick escape feature in case a kid wants to hide it from their parents. pic.twitter.com/ogCiYtU73i Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 23, 2022 The issue of promoting ideas about sexual orientation and gender identity that may conflict with the values of students' parents has surfaced in several schools throughout the country. In April, two sets of parents of the Ludlow Public School District in Massachusetts filed a federal lawsuit against school officials at Baird Middle School. They allege that school officials encouraged their children to adopt new gender identities without their parent's knowledge or consent. One set of parents, Stephen Foote and Marissa Silvestri, accused the school of violating their request that they refrain from discussing gender identity issues with their children. A teacher informed them in December 2020 that their 11-year-old daughter was struggling with her self-esteem. The 11-year-old sent the defendants an email where their daughter claimed that she was "genderqueer" and told them that she used "any pronouns (other than it/its)" and requested to be called by a different name. A reply email from the child's school counselor told the other defendants that she was "still in the process of telling [her] parents and is requesting that school staff refer to [her] by" her given name and "use she/her pronouns with her parents and in written emails/letters home." The complaint characterizes this email as indicative of an effort to conceal "the fact that school staff were affirming an alternative name and identity for their daughter." The parents claim they would provide their daughter with the help she needed from a "mental health professional" but believe the school ignored their request. Foote and Silvestri say their daughter "changed her preferred name at least twice since December 2020" without their knowledge, and the school continues to address their daughter by "whatever iteration of her name she has indicated she prefers." The complaint also states that the two other plaintiffs "have sincerely held religious beliefs that human beings are created male or female and that the natural created order regarding human sexuality cannot be changed regardless of individual feelings, beliefs, or discomfort with one's identity, and biological reality, as either male or female." In March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1557, a piece of legislation that critics have labeled a "Don't Say Gay" bill. The law prohibits classroom instruction of gender identity and sexual orientation for students in kindergarten through third grade. It also requires schools to notify parents about changes to their child's well-being and prevents them from withholding this information from parents. "Parents have every right to be informed about services offered to their child at school, and should be protected from schools using classroom instruction to sexualize their kids as young as 5 years old," DeSantis said in a March 28 statement about the bill. Last year, two schools in Loudoun County, Virginia, generated public attention after reports surfaced of two sexual assaults committed at two different high schools by the same male student, one of which occurred in a girls' bathroom while he was wearing a skirt. The incidents reportedly occurred before Loudoun officials implemented a bathroom policy allowing trans-identifying students to use the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity. Last July, parents in Fairfax County, Virginia, protested against a policy allowing trans-identifying students to use the restroom aligned with their gender identity. According to The Washington Post, the guidelines implemented by the school district also required that official lists of students, including in yearbooks and newspapers, refer to them by their chosen pronouns. Doctor suspended for prescribing trans hormone drugs without properly assessing patients A doctor based in the United Kingdom has had his license suspended over allegations that he prescribed cross-sex hormones to patients without adequately assessing them beforehand, one of whom took their own life a few months later. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal ordered the erasure of Dr. Michael Webberley's license to practice medicine Wednesday following a six-month suspension. Webberley is alleged to have run an online clinic that prescribed puberty blockers to kids as young as 9 without being assessed by a doctor. According to the General Medical Council, which works "to protect patient safety and improve medical education and practice across the U.K.," Webberley's erasure is "not yet in force, pending an appeal period." His erasure follows a Nov. 14 suspension. Allegations of wrongdoing against Webberley prompted the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, which makes "independent decisions about whether doctors are fit to practice medicine" in the U.K., to investigate Webberley's medical practices. A hearing took place Wednesday. In the ruling ordering the revocation of Webberley's medical license, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal determined that "erasing Dr. Webberley's name from the Medical Register is the only appropriate sanction in order to meet the overarching objective, which is to protect patients, maintain public confidence in the medical profession and uphold proper professional standards." A group of volunteer citizen reporters has created a Twitter account devoted to covering Webberley's misconduct tribunal. The account, which has the handle @tribunaltweets2, live-tweeted the proceedings of Webberley's trial. The group's corresponding Substack account outlined the allegations against Webberley, who founded the gender clinic GenderGP along with his wife, Helen. "The tribunal will inquire into the allegation that, between April 2017 and June 2019, Dr. Webberley failed to provide good clinical care to 25 patients. It is alleged that Dr. Webberley's failings related variously to consultation, history taking, examination, diagnosis, prescribing, communication, follow up, informed consent, assessment, working with colleagues, working within the limits of his expertise and working within guidance," a summary of the allegations against him posted at the beginning of the trial stated. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal accused Webberley of a "wide range" of failures in relation to the numerous patients. Webberley is said to have failed to conduct or obtain adequate psychological and mental health assessments and made "inappropriate diagnoses" without "accurate information." The doctor is accused of prescribing patients "without clinical indication and/or sufficient information." Additionally, he is charged with failure to obtain informed consent. Webberley also allegedly failed to "adequately engage with other clinicians involved in a patient's care," did not "provide adequate follow-up care" and engaged in "dishonesty linked to the obtaining of consent." "The Tribunal's findings included findings of dishonesty in relation to the consenting of the androgen patient," the order from the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Services states, according to the copy shared by the Twitter account. Webberley is said to have inappropriately diagnosed male patients with hypogonadism and prescribed them androgen hormones. Hypogonadism results in the reduced production of sex hormones. Some of those patients "experienced androgen toxicity." The determination of the facts compiled by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service revealed that one of seven trans-identified patients he treated "took his own life" after "receiving hormone treatment from GP." The tribunal accuses Webberley of diagnosing a trans-identified patient with gender dysphoria without conducting a "physical assessment" or a "face-to-face video consultation," instead relying on counselors who aren't registered with a recognized regulatory body. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service also found that Webberley "prescribed oestrogen and anti-androgens to Patient S without" adequately monitoring their physical and psychological response to the treatment and failing to discuss "alternative treatments." The determination of the facts noted that Webberley continued to prescribe "excessive" doses of estrogen to the patient even though the patient was experiencing "known risks." Webberley reportedly failed to consider that the patient was on the autistic spectrum. When treating another patient, identified as "Patient V," Webberley provided the parents with a leaflet that "incorrectly advised that hormone blockers are fully reversible." He also allegedly provided false information to parents asserting that "testosterone could be prescribed to patients under 16 in exceptional circumstances." In a statement, GenderGP said that Webberley had not been involved with the practice for "some time" but praised his "courage in putting everything on the line to provide the best care possible for his patients." "Gender Affirming Healthcare has made great strides, producing better care outcomes for trans people around the world, and providing protocols that transform peoples lives," the May 19 statement reads. "Dr. Michael Webberleys patients have been united and unwavering in their support, feedback, and thanks for his role in helping progress models of care that have aided them to live as themselves." The erasure of Webberley's medical license comes more than three years after his wife Helen faced a fine the equivalent of $15,000 for running Gender GP illegally out of her home. While Mrs. Webberley had her license to practice medicine suspended in 2018, it was reinstated earlier this year with conditions including a "ban on prescribing any drugs, and a requirement to keep a log detailing every consultation with a transgender patient." GenderGP claims that despite "equal healthcare" moving forward globally, "there is further progress to make in the UK." "The contradictory findings of the Drs. Webberleys cases demonstrate two things: the importance of having the opportunity to defend yourself, and the lack of key expertise, and a united approach, in the provision of trans care within the UK," the statement adds. "GenderGP as an international provider has continued the fight for equal access to healthcare, applying globally recognised protocols and standards, and will continue to do everything we can to provide vital care and support to our patients and the trans community." Duggar sister reacts to her brother's 12-year prison sentence: 'God has carried out his vengeance' Josh Duggar's sister and brother-in-law Jill and Derick Dillard say they are relieved he was finally held "accountable" after the 34-year-old was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison Wednesday for possessing child pornography. The Dillards released a statement on their blog Thursday, the day after the oldest son of Christian reality TV parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar was sentenced to 151 months in prison. The former "Counting On" stars are "thankful" the case "is finally over" but stressed that the sentencing was part of God's "vengeance." The Duggars, a conservative Christian family from Arkansas, were featured on the television shows "19 Kids and Counting" and "Counting On." In 2021, authorities found images of child pornography on a computer at a cardealership owned by Josh Duggar. Investigators accused Duggar of having over 200 images of child porn on his devices "ranging from about 18 months of age to 12 years of age." Duggar pled not guilty to the charges, and his defense claimed someone else was responsible for the illegal files on the computer. Investigators contend Duggar's claim is unlikely. The judge rejected a defense motion for retrial on Tuesday. Along with the prison time, the father of seven will have to pay fines amounting to $50,100 and undergo 20 years of parole after his release. He also can't have unsupervised contact with minors, including his own children. He will be required to attend sex offender treatment and is prohibited from watching pornography of any kind. The Dillards, who married in 2014, said they are "neither rejoicing nor disappointed" over her brother's prison sentence. "The last several weeks and months have been difficult emotionally. Yesterday was another one of those hard days," they wrote. "The Bible clearly states that God [affects] justice and vengeance through the governing authorities," the Dillards added. "Though some believe Josh should have received a greater sentence and still fewer believe he should have received a lighter sentence, God has carried out his vengeance today for his unspeakable criminal activity." "Until now, he has yet to be held accountable to the extent necessary to cause change in his dangerous pattern of behavior," the Dillards continued. "It is unfortunate, but it seems that it may take spending over a decade in federal prison, and still more on probation, for Josh to have any potential for rehabilitation to the point he can safely live in society again." The couple hopes Duggar can "get treatment and begin to work toward a lifestyle where he is less likely to re-offend." "If for nothing else, the notoriety of this case has hopefully contributed to the deterrence of potential offenders and will help protect children by decreasing the demand for CSAM," the statement concludes. "We continue to love Josh and his family and will be there for them however we can." After the verdict, Josh Duggar's defense attorney said in a statement they are "grateful the judge dismissed Count 2 and rejected the Government's request for a 240-month sentence." Duggar will be on parole for 20 years after his release and can't have unsupervised contact with minors, including his own children. In 2015, it was revealed Duggar previously admitted to molesting his sisters when they were younger. The revelation led to the canceling of "19 Kids and Counting." Duggar's cousin Amy King told Celebuzz that she thinks the 12.5-year sentencing "isn't enough." "I hope that every single second he's there feels like an eternity," she said. King, the outspoken daughter of Jim Bob Duggar's sister, posted a video reaction on Instagram Wednesday night. "I knew him getting the maximum sentence wasn't going to be the easiest to prove since it's his first offense in the judge's eyes which I hate but at the same time, he cannot have his computer, he cannot hurt [and] exploit any more children and when he sees his kids, he has to be supervised," she said. "Josh's sickness stems from somewhere, and eventually we will hear about the trauma. I don't know when, or how, or who but eventually I think more will come out. But hopefully tonight, I can sleep for the first time ever and rest assured that another monster will be put behind bars makes my heart feel a little lighter."] Josh Duggar's younger brother, Jason "Jase" Duggar, also reacted to the news in a lengthy statement posted to his Instagram Story on Thursday. "In my opinion, judge Timothy L. Brooks was fair in his ruling giving Josh a sentence that would be considered below the median for the crimes he has committed," he wrote. "My heart is grieved over the choices my brother has made, his actions do not reflect that of a Christian believer and have doubtlessly defamed my Lord and Saviors name!! Joshua's poor decisions have greatly effected [sic] those around him, in particular his wife, seven children and our family as a whole." The former TLC star said he has forgiven his older brother for "his wrongdoings." "With that said, I will never stop loving my brother, regardless of what he does, just as my savior has forgiven me so I have forgiven my brother of his wrongdoings!" he wrote. "My prayer is that God will use this circumstance to truly humble him and bring about a true change in his life!" A resident interacts with a pet dog in Lianqin Village of Beicai Town, east China's Shanghai, May 26, 2022. Due to the emerging of COVID-19, all villagers in Lianqin Village were transferred to a quarantine site on April 16. In order to take care of the villagers' pet animals, Lianqin Village set up two boarding centers for pets where veterinarians and volunteers could take care of them. As the epidemic has abated in the village recently, pets returned to their owners on May 26. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A resident carries her pet dog in the arm in Lianqin Village of Beicai Town, east China's Shanghai, May 26, 2022. Due to the emerging of COVID-19, all villagers in Lianqin Village were transferred to a quarantine site on April 16. In order to take care of the villagers' pet animals, Lianqin Village set up two boarding centers for pets where veterinarians and volunteers could take care of them. As the epidemic has abated in the village recently, pets returned to their owners on May 26. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A staff member prepares to feed a pet dog at a boarding center for pet animals in Lianqin Village of Beicai Town, east China's Shanghai, April 29, 2022. Due to the emerging of COVID-19, all villagers in Lianqin Village were transferred to a quarantine site on April 16. In order to take care of the villagers' pet animals, Lianqin Village set up two boarding centers for pets where veterinarians and volunteers could take care of them. As the epidemic has abated in the village recently, pets returned to their owners on May 26. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A staff member transports pet animals to meet their owners in Lianqin Village of Beicai Town, east China's Shanghai, May 26, 2022. Due to the emerging of COVID-19, all villagers in Lianqin Village were transferred to a quarantine site on April 16. In order to take care of the villagers' pet animals, Lianqin Village set up two boarding centers for pets where veterinarians and volunteers could take care of them. As the epidemic has abated in the village recently, pets returned to their owners on May 26. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) A staff member takes care of a newborn puppy at a boarding center for pet animals in Lianqin Village of Beicai Town, east China's Shanghai, April 29, 2022. Due to the emerging of COVID-19, all villagers in Lianqin Village were transferred to a quarantine site on April 16. In order to take care of the villagers' pet animals, Lianqin Village set up two boarding centers for pets where veterinarians and volunteers could take care of them. As the epidemic has abated in the village recently, pets returned to their owners on May 26. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) New Oklahoma law requires students to use bathrooms that match their biological sex Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed into law a measure that requires students in public schools to use bathrooms that correspond with their biological sex as opposed to their gender identity. Stitt signed Senate Bill 615 Wednesday, which requires each public school and public charter school that serves students in prekindergarten through twelfth grades in this state to require every multiple occupancy restroom or changing area designated either for the exclusive use of the male sex or for the exclusive use of the female sex. The bill defines sex as the condition of being male or female based on genetics and physiology, as identified on the individuals original birth certificate. The measure contains a provision requiring schools to provide a reasonable accommodation to any individual who does not wish to comply with the requirement that students use bathrooms and changing areas designated for their biological sex. It cites access to a single-occupancy restroom or changing room as the reasonable accommodation schools can offer. In other words, trans-identified students who do not want to use bathrooms that match their biological sex can use single-occupancy restrooms. A school districts failure to comply with the law will result in a 5% decrease in state funding for the fiscal year following the year of noncompliance. The bill took effect immediately following its approval. Stitts signature followed the Republican-controlled Senates 38-7 vote to approve the measure on May 19 and the House of Representatives approval of the legislation in a 69-14 vote that same day. The bill was nearly unanimously opposed by Democrats, with one Democrat voting in favor in the Senate and no Democrats supporting it in the House. Tanya Cox-Toure, the executive director of the ACLU of Oklahoma, condemned the legislation in a statement. Transgender people are part of our families, our workplaces, and our neighborhoods, and they, like everyone else, need to be able to safely access restrooms, she said. By singling out transgender students for discrimination and excluding them from restrooms that match their gender identity, SB 615 discriminates based on transgender status and sex in violation of the United States Constitution and Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, Cox-Toure added. These violations put Oklahoma at risk of losing hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding, and harms transgender youth, all to solve a problem that plainly does not exist. The activist insisted that transgender individuals go to the restroom just like everyone else, and their presence harms no one. SB 615 has and will continue to cause severe harms to transgender students who are just trying to live their lives and go to school alongside their peers," Cox-Toure stressed. Policies allowing trans-identified students to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity have received increased scrutiny across the U.S. The proposed implementation of such a policy led to massive protests in Loudoun County, Virginia, where school district leadership assured concerned parents that no sexual assaults had taken place in girls bathrooms at the hands of male students. However, three weeks before the contentious Loudoun County school board meeting, a sexual assault did occur in a girls bathroom at one of the high schools in Loudoun County, committed against a girl by a boy reportedly wearing a skirt. The two students had a previous history of romantic involvement. Emails released by the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office showed that district leadership was aware of the sexual assault on the day that it occurred, leading to a conclusion by outraged parents that Superintendent Scott Ziegler misled parents at the June 2021 school board meeting. Critics of the Loudoun County Public Schools claim that the district deliberately concealed the sexual assault in an effort to avoid the derailment of a proposed policy that would allow trans-identified students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity. The school board ultimately approved the policy in August 2021, and news of the sexual assault broke two months later. Concerns about biological males using areas where women are partially or completely undressed extend beyond public schools. Last year, a video of a woman confronting employees at a Korean spa in Los Angeles for allowing a trans-identified male with his genitals exposed to enter an area where females, including little girls, were naked went viral. When employees defended letting the man use womens facilities based on his self-identified sexual orientation, the woman responded What sexual orientation? I see a d***! Besides Oklahoma, other states that have passed laws requiring students to use bathrooms that correspond with their biological sex include Tennessee and North Carolina. The North Carolina law was derided as a bathroom bill by critics, and backlash led to the bills repeal in 2017. Abby Johnson slams claim that sex is just 'a man's need': Wives should be able to enjoy it too Abby Johnson highlighted the importance of women having pleasurable sex, warning that Christians can sometimes reduce procreation to "a man's need and a woman's duty." In the May 16 episode of her podcast "Politely Rude," Johnson discussed God's design for marriage and sexual pleasure within the covenant of biblically defined marriage relationships. The pro-life activist and licensed therapist noted that some married Christian women tend to struggle with sexual pleasure and low libido more than married Christian men, due to more frequent orgasms and more pleasure during sex. Johnson said Christian husbands can sometimes treat their wives "selfishly," as though it's the wife's "duty" to please the husband because men "need" sex. "There is a lack of pleasure for women in the bedroom. I know this because I'm friends with a lot of women. And I talked to many women, and women come to me saying, 'You know, I've never had an orgasm in my life. I don't know how to have an orgasm. Talk to me about orgasm,'" said Johnson. Other times, Johnson said, when women struggle with sexual pleasure, it could be due to "a hormonal problem," such as "prolonged use of birth control" or other medications. "Depending on what studies you look at, generally, about 20 percent of women are on some sort of antidepressant, some sort of [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors], [which] have sexual side effects. Almost all of them have some sort of sexual side effect, and so we're putting women on SSRIs, and then we're not counseling them on sexual side effects," she said. Johnson also said that the "over-sexualized culture" might also contribute to the shame that makes Christian women afraid to orgasm during sex with their husbands. "It makes me wonder if [based on] pornography and pornography culture, if there's any sort of link to women feeling like that's dirty. Like [I wonder if women are saying]: 'Oh, if I have an orgasm, that's filthy, that's dirty. That's like something you see in a porno film?'" Johnson said. "But it's not. It's beautiful. It's intimate. That's what God meant for a husband and wife to experience together. That's how He created your body." Guest speaker Francie Winslow, a writer and women's conference speaker whose work focuses on the topic of "intimacy in marriage," joined Johnson for the podcast discussion. Winslow believes some Christian women struggle with connecting to their bodies due to layers of "shame, confusion [and] silence," and feeling "disembodied" while "fearing" sex. Winslow said that, in many cases, Christian women struggle with connecting to their bodies as a result of the Church's emphasis on "separating the body from spiritual experience." "In the Church, we focus so heavily on the spirit and morality, and we've given it such weight that it's been silent on the physicality side and the fact that our bodies are good; they were handcrafted by God," Winslow said. Winslow added that while she "loves" the idea of purity, she believes that Christian women are often programmed to fear their own bodies due to an over-emphasis on purity culture. "Our clitoris that has 8,000 nerve endings was God's idea. A man's penis has 4,000 nerve endings. That is evidence in and of itself that this was God's generous gift to incorporate into intimacy. Yes, procreation. Absolutely. But also pleasure and also the grand purpose of 'be fruitful, multiply and take dominion,'" Winslow said. "Sex is not a chore or duty," she stressed. She encouraged Christians to twist that perspective around and "try and seek God's Genesis dream." "[God] handcrafted our sexuality and called it 'good.' And so I think because of church history, having such an unfortunate, long track record of separating the body from the spirit, it's been so much silence. And then, I think you add on to that the sexual revolution and then just blatant, painful immorality, we're just afraid of it," Winslow added. "And so we don't want anything to do with that. And we've made it so [much] about morals that we've also just kind of overlooked in the process, 'What does it look like to be connected to my body?' [Christian women tend to think], 'I'm so afraid of doing something bad. I'm completely disembodied at this point.'" At the start of the podcast, Johnson said she was inspired to focus on sex in marriage after reading an article from Focus on the Family about how to resolve mismatched libido. She posted a comment to the article in response, which received thousands of likes and hundreds of replies. According to her, dozens of women messaged her privately to tell her that they, too, are struggling with their sex drive and libido in their marriages. "One of the most common things I hear from women is, 'I don't like having sex. It is a chore for me.' And I say, 'Oh well, do you orgasm?' [And they say], 'No, never.' And I tell them, 'It would not feel like a chore if you had pleasurable sex.' So that is one of the things that I feel like is women are struggling within their marriages," she said. "Why do guys always want to have sex? Because they always receive pleasure from it. It's always pleasurable for men. If it wasn't pleasurable for them. They wouldn't want to do it all the time. Right? If sex was always pleasurable for a woman, then she would always want to do it. The women I know who have high sex drives have consistent orgasms." Johnson advised Christian women struggling with sexual pleasure to talk with their husbands and encourage them to "switch things up" in the bedroom. Sexual intimacy should be about both partners, not just one, she emphasized. "Sex should never just be something that you do. It should never just be a habit or something that you just sort of knock out once a week," Johnson posited. "It should be something that is enjoyable for both people. And sex should be something that's experienced by both people in a couple. It should be something that's enjoyable. And that's really the way that God intended it." AME Church sues former executive, alleged accomplices for plundering millions from retirement fund The African Methodist Episcopal Church has filed a lawsuit against the former head of its retirement service Rev. Jerome Harris and 10 other individuals and entities, alleging involvement in a sophisticated scheme to defraud millions from the retirement funds of thousands of clergy and employees. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee in Memphis. The litigation comes about two months after retired pastor Rev. Cedric V. Alexander filed a proposed class-action lawsuit claiming the denomination lost 70%, or nearly $100 million, from its retirement plan through "foolish" and risky investments. About 5,000 plan participants were impacted financially. Along with Harris, who served as executive director of the AMEC Department of Retirement Services from July of 2000 until 2021, the nine-count complaint lists Symetra Financial Corporation as a cross-defendant. Third-party defendants are Robert Eaton, Jarrod Erwin, Randall Erwin, Financial Freedom Group, Inc., Motorskill Asia Venture Group, Motorskill Asia Ventures 1, LP, Motorskill Venture Group, Motorskill Ventures 1, LP, and Rodney Brown & Company. Eaton, who resides in Illinois, was designated by Harris as the financial advisor for the Department of Retirement Services. The Erwins, both of Sugar Land, Texas, served as principals of Motorskill Ventures, Inc. Financial Freedom Group, Inc. is a corporate entity established in 2007 and owned by Harris and Eaton jointly. Motorskill Venture Group, Motorskill Ventures 1, LP, Motorskill Asia Venture Group and Motorskill Asia Ventures 1, L.P. are private equity funds into which Harris, in consultation with Eaton and Erwin but without any authority from AMEC, invested millions of dollars from the annuity plan, the complaint claims. Rodney Brown & Company is an external certified public accounting firm retained by the AMEC to perform annual financial statement audits for the last 15 years, including in 2020 and 2021. The complaint alleges that the denomination only discovered the fraudulent scheme after they elected a new director for the Department of Retirement Services in 2021 and immediately hired an expert legal and forensic team to conduct an investigation. "Dr. Harris and/or Eaton, without the knowledge (and accordingly, without consent) of AMEC General Board, the AMEC Commission on Retirement Services, or any other AMEC bodies or officers, created various entities that purported to either perform services for the Department or use Department and/or Annuity Plan funds," The AMEC lawsuit says. In the complex scheme alleged by the historically black denomination, Harris repeatedly stole through his professional capacity with AMEC and the help of his alleged accomplices while presenting investors with "a deceptive, false, and grossly inflated value for the Annuity Plan." "AMEC learned that only about $37,000,000.00 of Dr. Harris's previously reported $128,000,000.00 valuation of the Annuity Plan was held by Symetra," the complaint states. AMEC claims there is no evidence that the total value of the retirement fund reported by Harris was ever the actual value of the funds. "The $128,000,000.00 valuation reported by Dr. Harris was a baseless representation recklessly and deceptively made to plan participants without any third-party verification," the complaint reads. The complaint filed by Alexander in March claims Harris was "given sole authority to invest tens of millions of AMEC clergy's and other Church servants' retirement savings in a questionable and potentially unlawful purchase of undeveloped land in Florida, a promissory note to an Illinois installer of solar panels, and an even more foolish investment in a now non-existent capital venture outfit." While this was happening, church officials kept reporting to the plan's beneficiaries that their retirement funds were safely flourishing as investments in annuities from Symetra Financial. During a meeting of the denomination's general board on Jan. 31, participants in the church's retirement plan were told that "more than $90 million of [the denomination's] $126.8 million [retirement fund] was missing." Investors were informed no one connected with the denomination except Harris knew where the "money and other plan-related records went." AMEC accused Symetra Financial Corporation of approving requests from Harris to electronically wire annuity plan funds to Motorskill Entities "without confirmation that Dr. Harris had the authority to do so." The Christian Post reached out to Symetra Financial for comment on the lawsuit. A response is pending. "From 2005 to 2021, Dr. Harris via Department and/or Annuity Plan funds paid about $37 million to Motorskill Entities," the complaint said. AMEC Council of Bishops President Anne Henning Byfield said the lawsuit is part of the church's effort to hold the perpetrators accountable. "This financial crime has been committed against the AME Church community, and specifically our clergy and Church employees," she said in a statement to The Christian Post. "With the help of our legal team, the AMEC community is committed to holding those responsible accountable and recovering embezzled funds." Not a faith issue: Churches address mental health stigma in the pews during awareness month With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, pastors and church leaders are urging their congregations to shatter the stigma and advising that mental health isn't always a "spiritual issue." Licensed clinical social worker Ryan Albrecht, a private psychotherapist practitioner, preached a guest sermon Sunday at The Experience Vineyard Church in Rockville Centre, New York. In the sermon titled "Emotional Awareness," the 40-year-old social worker who plays guitar and sings for the church's worship team told the Vineyard movement-affiliated congregation that Christians tend to stigmatize mental illness. "[Mental illness] is a stigmatized and an uncomfortable issue for a lot of people," he said. "My experience has been that the big 'C' Church doesn't like going into this realm too much." He said people often assume those struggling with mental illness look a certain way or that people who seem to be living great lives aren't experiencing mental health problems. "If [someone with mental illness] was in this church, you'd be like, 'Hey, he's good, he's not showing outward signs, right?' And that's the stigma we don't want to push," Albrecht preached. Albrecht said the Church needs to actively approach mental illness in a way that does not judge based on what someone has attained in their life or what someone looks like because anyone can have a mental illness. Never would have expected Albrecht shared about a past client he helped who was suffering from a severe suicidal health crisis. But most people would never have expected that person to be in need of mental health therapy because he was a "good looking dude, with a good job, a great house." Albrecht spoke with the client during an emergency therapy session. As he listened, the psychotherapist realized that his client spent the entire day allocating his financial assets to allow his wife access to his money. The client had planned to commit suicide and wanted to ensure his wife had financial support when he was gone, Albrecht said. Before becoming a social worker, Albrecht said he struggled with drug addiction. He urged Christians to seek therapy because Jesus can work through the therapy process. He cited Romans 12:2-3, noting that Jesus wants to partner with anyone starting on a journey of "renewal and healing." "I love the combination of spiritual direction and therapy at the same time because the whole process [involves getting] to understand our heart, our emotions, how our body is responding. We're going to separate trauma, emotional content, family relationships all that," Albrecht said. "And we become kind of segmented, but we have to reintegrate, as well, ideally in the therapeutic process. That's why it takes time. That's why it's a process. You can't just do this stuff. You need to remain accountable. That's why having a relationship you take part in every week with somebody is super important. So start where you are." 'God can miraculously heal you of anything' Lead Pastor Lee Grzywinski at Montclair Community Church in New Jersey told his congregation in a sermon on May 15 that he struggles with what his counselor classifies as "severe anxiety," which he seeks continual therapy for. He told his church that medically diagnosed "anxiety is not sinful." He contends that churches and Christians stigmatize by labeling mental illness "sinful." "If you are concerned about anxiety in your life, I can't stress this enough: please seek professional help. ... This is not a faith issue." "Yes, God can miraculously heal you of anything. I really believe that. But, if I break my leg, I'm going to pray and go to the hospital," Grzywinski preached in a sermon titled "The Spiritual Side of Anxiety (Mental Health from a Biblical Perspective)." 'Not always a spiritual issue' Pastor Dave Hazel of New Life Church of The Nazarene in El Cajon, California, also encouraged churchgoers not to neglect themselves if they are suffering emotionally. In a sermon, he advised Christians with medically diagnosed mental health illnesses to seek Jesus, declaring, "Jesus is the answer to our mental health dilemma." But he also urged the need for some to incorporate therapy and medication into their lives to find healing. "The fact of the matter is, I'm not trying to discount or minimize mental health issues that are ongoing and real, and things that we didn't cause," Hazel, who holds a master of divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary, said. "Please, don't misunderstand me. Mental health issues are not really always spiritual issues." The pastor said there are many people who are suffering from various issues where their brains are not firing correctly, such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Unlike other serious health problems, he said it can often be hard to people to grasp or see mental health disorders for what they are. He said when people have issues with their heart or other organs, doctors can do scans to show where the abnormalities may lie. Hazel warned that many churches stigmatize mental illness by holding the belief that anyone struggling with mental illnesses needs to get closer to Jesus. "[Oftentimes] we want to make [mental illnesses] spiritual issues [by saying]: 'It's all about Jesus. If you had more faith, if you kind of just pulled up the bootstraps and went to church more, you wouldn't deal with [it],'" Hazel said. "Stop that silliness because there are some real issues that we need to deal with when it comes to mental health. But, I do think there are some truths to some disciplines and habits that God's Word teaches us, [which] give us a healthy balance for our mental health." He believes more Christians would "have a healthier mental health perspective" if they "truly lived for and embraced and experienced the God who ultimately created them." Hazel noted a few spiritual disciplines found in Philippians 4:4-8, when Paul addresses the church at Philippi with instructions on how to live. Verse 4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always." According to Hazel, Christians are to praise God with joy regardless of their circumstances. He believes doing this can potentially create better mental health outcomes. "I like to say to some people 'if you are happy, you need to remind your face that that's the case.' Because that means that you need to smile every once in a while. Have some joy and rejoice. And [Paul] says: don't just rejoice about just anything. 'Rejoice in the Lord,'" Hazel continued. Hazel said the command to "pray" can be seen in Philippians 4:6-7, which says: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer present your requests to God." "I don't think Paul is instructing us to push emotions away. I think Jesus modeled plenty of emotions as we look in the Gospels. He laughed. He cried. Jesus wept when he looked over Jerusalem. He wept when His friend Lazarus was dead. He got impatient with the disciples and the Pharisees. He turned over tables for goodness sake," Hazel preached. "So, it's not an issue that somehow our emotions are bad or wrong. In fact, they're God-given. [But] showing and expressing our emotions tends to lead to this aspect of worry and fear. And so as a result of that, I think Paul is instructing us to [teach] us that there's a pattern of discipline that you can do that will help you in your worry. And that is the discipline of prayer." Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick urges Americans to read 2 Chronicles 7:14 after Uvalde school shooting Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is urging Christians in the United States to "take hold of our country" through prayer as the nation continues to mourn the loss of more than a dozen children slaughtered in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on Tuesday. Patrick, a Republican, appeared on Fox News Wednesday to discuss the mass shooting that killed 19 elementary school children and two teachers. Patrick said the tragedy and the political reaction is evidence that "we are in a sick society where we are at each other's throats all the time." He called on the American people to ask themselves "who we are." "I believe we're a nation of godly people and godly people need to pray," he said. "2 Chronicles 7:14, everyone should read tonight. Go to the middle of the Bible, turn right, 2 Chronicles 7:14. Christians have to pray for God to heal our land and we have to take a stand." The Bible passage reads: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal our land." Patrick acknowledged that not everyone is Christian but stressed that those who are Christians "need to take hold of our country." "And we do that through prayer," he said. "You cannot change the culture of a country without changing the character of the people, and you just cannot change character without changing a heart and you can't do that without turning to God." Patrick's interview with Fox News came after Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke disrupted Gov. Greg Abbott's press conference Wednesday. O'Rourke used his unscheduled remarks to condemn his opponent in the upcoming Texas gubernatorial election for failure to enact what he views as common-sense gun control laws. "The time to stop the next shooting is right now and you are doing nothing," O'Rourke proclaimed. Using expletives, Uvalde's Republican Mayor Don McLaughlin told the candidate to leave. McLaughlin criticized O'Rourke for making a "political issue" out of the tragedy. As O'Rourke exited the auditorium, he told Abbott, "this is on you," insinuating that his failure to enact gun control laws caused the mass shooting. Patrick, who was about to speak at the press conference when O'Rourke interrupted, rejected the idea that stronger gun control laws would have prevented the tragedy. He lamented the state of political discourse in the U.S. "This problem is a much larger problem than the infrastructure, the gun issue, [and] the mental health issue," he asserted. "Whether it's on the internet, whether it's in any walk of life, people are just at each other every day." The lieutenant governor offered a similar analysis when appearing on Fox News' "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Tuesday. He suggested that the rise in mass shootings stems from a "coarse society." "When I grew up and most of the people watching grew up and you, we didn't have these situations," Patrick said. "We didn't have mass shooters in our schools." .@TuckerCarlson asked me to come on this evening and I shared with him what a heartbreaking night this is for everyone. pic.twitter.com/RHKc9WmpIl Dan Patrick (@DanPatrick) May 25, 2022 "This was a country founded on faith," he added. "That's why we have to come together as a people" and resist the urge to "politicize" the mass shooting. Texas has experienced several mass shootings in recent years, including a 2017 shooting at a church in Sutherland Springs that killed 26 people, a 2018 shooting at a high school in Santa Fe that left 10 dead and a 2019 shooting at a Walmart in El Paso that took the lives of 23 people. O'Rourke mentioned the previous mass shootings during his confrontation with Abbott Wednesday. O'Rourke, who previously represented Texas' El Paso-based 16th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2018 and the Democratic nomination for President in 2020, is running against Abbott as he seeks a third term in this November's gubernatorial election. The RealClearPolitics average of the most recent polls taken of the Texas gubernatorial race shows Abbott leading O'Rourke by 6.7 percentage points. Two days after the school shooting, details still emerge about the gunman killed by police. Shortly after the shooting, Abbott identified 18-year-old Salvador Ramos as the perpetrator. Evangelical Christian sues US Postal Service over mandatory work on Sundays An evangelical Christian in Pennsylvania has taken legal action against the U.S. Postal Service for forcing him to quit by requiring him to work on Sundays after the USPS partnered with Amazon for delivery. Gerald Groff, a former mail carrier in Lancaster County who didnt want to miss church or to observe Sunday as the day of worship, filed a motion for summary judgment before a federal district judge against the USPS earlier this month for not accommodating his religious beliefs, Independence Law Center, which is one of the law firms representing the Christian, said in a statement. The USPS had never required Groff to work on Sundays until it started parcel delivery in partnership with Amazon. Initially, the Post Office accommodated Groffs religious beliefs for not working on Sundays, as he worked on holidays, in the evenings and on Saturdays when other carriers werent willing to work. However, later, the USPS started enforcing a mandatory Sunday policy on Groff and disciplined him. As a result, he was constructively discharged from the job. In a free and respectful society, government should recognize those differences among us that make us great, rather than punishing those differences, particularly when those differences result from our sincerely held religious beliefs, David Crossett, one of the attorneys representing Groff, said in the statement. Just as the Supreme Court recognized in a case involving the right of a Muslim worker to wear a head scarf at a clothing store, a government employer like the Post Office should reasonably accommodate an employees religious beliefs. The Post Office had plenty of other options for delivering Amazon packages on Sundays without making this employee violate his religious conscience, said Randall Wenger, ILCs Chief Counsel. In a free society, government employers can and should do better at respecting their employees rights. ILC lawyer Jeremy Samek told abc27 that its not uncommon for people to request reasonable accommodations at their workplace. Employers are actually required to provide reasonable accommodations. Its something that happens every single day. Samek continued, We should, as a society, seek to reasonably accommodate people with unique religious beliefs, that we can all live and work together in a pluralistic society. At the end of the day, Mr. Groff wants his job back. Its important for him, but its also important for lots of other people who work for the federal government or the post office that they be able to continue their employment and to continue to observe their religious beliefs. DeVon Franklin is expert in new Married at First Sight season despite 'shame' of divorce Hollywood filmmaker and preacher DeVon Franklin says he was recruited as a celebrity expert for the hit show "Married at First Sight" amid his recent divorce. The Christian preacher, who recently got divorced from actress Meagan Good after nine years of marriage, has frequently spoken publicly about relationships. Along with sharing his faith on social media, Franklin has often offered advice for couples and singles on prayerfully staying in God's will when it comes to relationships. He and Good co-authored the relationship book The Truth About Men: What Men and Women Need to Know and The Wait. According to Essence.com, Franklin was recruited to replace Dr. Viviana Coles on the new season of "Married at First Sight." Coles has served as a celebrity expert along with Dr. Pepper Schwartz and Pastor Calvin Roberson for the last few seasons of the series. Franklin will be joined by expert Dr. Pia Holec, a celebrated sex and couples psychotherapist who will make her debut on Season 15 of the show. "Married at First Sight" is a social experiment that brings together compatible singles who are willing to marry a stranger in hopes of living happily ever after. This season of the reality series will take place in San Diego, California. In an Instagram post about his involvement in the new season, Franklin revealed that he almost turned the opportunity down. "Moment of Truth: Last year, Married At First Sight (@mafslifetime) invited me to come on the show. I agreed to do it and then the divorce hit," he wrote. "They came to me and said that didn't matter to them because they still felt like I could help their couples. I was going to tell them 'No' because I felt shame, and that voice in my head said, 'you're a failure; how can you help anybody save their marriage when yours didn't work out?'" Franklin disclosed that the voice in his head had him focusing on public opinion. "Then I had to ask myself: Is this how I'm going to live the rest of my life? In fear about what 'people' say? And who are 'people' anyway? So I went back to the @mafslifetime team and told them YES, I'll still come. I REFUSE TO LIVE IN FEAR OR SHAME!'" He maintained that he would draw from his own life experiences to help couples have successful relationships. "A lot of times, that voice in our heads is our worst enemy. It tries to talk us out of what God is trying to talk us into," Franklin continued. "I was trying to get through this life perfect, and without failure, now I'm just living to get through it truthfully and if what I've learned about love and relationships can help someone, then I'm here for it," he concluded. Franklin and Good announced their divorce in December in an Instagram post. They shared a photo of themselves embracing while sitting down together outdoors with their backs turned away from the camera. "After much prayer and consideration, we have decided to go into our futures separately but forever connected," Franklin and Good shared in the joint statement. "We celebrate almost a decade of marriage together and a love that is eternal," they continued. The couple met while filming the 2011 movie "Jumping the Broom" and got engaged in May 2012. They were married one month after their engagement. "There's no one at fault," the two shared of their split, adding: "We believe this is the next best chapter in the evolution of our love." "We are incredibly grateful for the life-changing years we've spent together as husband and wife. We are also extremely thankful to God for the testimony being created inside us both and for blessing our lives with each other," the statement concluded. The news of their divorce comes as a shock to many because, in 2019, Good revealed that she and Franklin were ready to start a family. USPS can require Christian postal carrier to work on Sundays, appeals court rules A federal appeals court panel has ruled against a U.S. Postal Service employee who sought religious exemptions from working on Sundays because of his faith. A three-judge panel for the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Pennsylvania postal worker Gerald Groff in a decision released Wednesday. Groff, a former employee of the Quarryville Post Office in Lancaster County who opposed working on Sundays, argued that he could only avoid working on Sundays by switching shifts with other employees. Circuit Judge Patty Shwartz, an Obama appointee, wrote that if Groff were to receive exemptions from working on Sundays, the accommodations "would cause an undue hardship" for the postal service. "Exempting Groff from working on Sundays caused more than a de minimis cost on USPS because it actually imposed on his coworkers, disrupted the workplace and workflow, and diminished employee morale," the ruling reads. Although USPS doesn't typically deliver mail on Sundays, it will occasionally do so under "certain circumstances," such as priority mail or delivering Amazon packages. As a rural carrier associate, Groff had never been asked to work Sundays until the U.S. Postal Service expanded about four years after he started the job. The expansion involved employees working Sundays for Amazon package delivery in rural areas. Following the expansion, Groff was not in attendance for dozens of his work shifts that fell on Sundays. The only option Groff felt he had was to swap shifts with another employee. The USPS brass told Groff that due to the shortage of staff, it is bound by a collective bargaining agreement that mandated that a Sunday rotation be part of rural carrier associates' job requirements. For missing multiple shifts, Groff received disciplinary action. In response, Groff resigned from his job and filed his lawsuit under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. In April 2021, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl, an Obama appointee, dismissed Groff's case because the plaintiff failed to show that he was "treated differently with regards to Sundays because he was a Christian." Clinton appointee and Circuit Judge Julio Fuentes joined the Shwartz opinion. Circuit Judge Thomas Hardiman, a George W. Bush appointee, authored a partial dissent in which he wrote that "a conflict had to be totally eliminated to result in reasonable accommodation under Title VII." "Inconvenience to Groff's coworkers alone doesn't constitute undue hardship. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stayed Gerald Groff from the completion of his appointed rounds," Hardiman wrote. "But his sincerely held religious belief precluded him from working on Sundays. Because USPS has not yet shown that it could not accommodate Groff's Sabbatarian religious practice without its business suffering undue hardship, I respectfully dissent." Baker Botts attorney Christopher Tutunjian, who represented Groff, said in a statement that he was "pleased with the Third Circuit's unanimous holding that a 'reasonable accommodation' under Title VII must completely eliminate the work-religion conflict." "This holding correctly addresses a circuit-splitting issue and will protect the religious rights of employees throughout the Circuit," stated Tutunjian, as reported by Courthouse News Service. "However, as Judge Hardiman persuasively explained in his partial dissent, the majority's erroneous conclusion that USPS established undue hardship only underscores the need for the Supreme Court to address the continued vitality of the Court's decision in TWA v. Hardison. We are considering our options for further review." Uvalde shooter fired gun outside elementary school for 12 minutes prior to shooting: authorities Shots were reportedly fired at funeral home across the street Authorities say the Uvalde, Texas, shooter fired his gun outside Robb Elementary School for several minutes before going on a shooting rampage that ultimately left 21 dead, including 19 students. The gunman, identified as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, fired his gun outside the school for approximately 12 minutes before making his way onto school grounds, according to The Wall Street Journal. Victor Escalon with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said the shots were fired at a funeral home across the street from Robb Elementary. Ramos is then believed to have scaled a fence onto school grounds. Escalon couldn't explain why Ramos was not stopped from entering the school during that 12-minute window. "We got a crash and a man with a gun, and then you have responding officers. That's what it is, if that's 12 minutes," he said, according to NBC News. "At the end of the day, our job is to report the facts and have those answers. We're not there yet." The majority of shots fired by Ramos occurred in the first few minutes of the shooting, according to Escalon. Authorities laid out a timeline where Ramos first began his spree early Tuesday morning. He allegedly shot his grandmother in the face before taking her truck and driving to the school, located about 90 miles west of San Antonio. Ramos crashed the truck into a ditch near the school just before 11:30 a.m., according to Escalon. Despite an initial statement from DPS that Ramos was confronted by an armed school officer upon his arrival at the campus, Escalon told the Journal that information was inaccurate. "There was not an officer readily available and armed," Escalon was quoted as saying. Responding law enforcement officers later killed Ramos, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday. The shooting marks the deadliest school shooting in Texas history and the third-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, behind the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting and 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. Questions have been raised about whether responding law enforcement acted quickly after arriving on the scene. Escalon could not say whether officers quickly responded once they got to the scene. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw told reporters Wednesday that the shooter was at the school for up to an hour before law enforcement entered the classroom. "It's going to be within like 40 minutes, within an hour," McCraw said, according to NBC News. A Texas GOP congressman appeared to backpedal from statements he made Thursday night on Fox News. He said, "the shooter was arrested years ago, four years ago, for having this plan for basically saying, for saying, you know, when I'm a senior in 2022, I am going to shoot up a school." Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, whose district includes the town of Uvalde, published a statement on social media Friday stating that police "identified credible threats to a local school" and made arrests four years ago. He added that it is "unclear if the shooter was one of the two kids detained." "There are multiple agencies on the ground and I am getting updated information by the minute. We will continue to revise as we learn more," he wrote. "If this was not the shooter, we need to find out who these kids are, where they are now, and if they were classmates of the shooter," Gonzales added. "There is a clear need for mental health resources in our community." Officials have confirmed Ramos sent a private Facebook message indicating he was about to commit the shooting just moments prior, The Wall Street Journal reported. On Tuesday morning, Ramos reportedly sent a message to a "teenage girl overseas" saying, "I'm going to shoot my grandma" and "I shot my grandma," according to Abbott and an unidentified law enforcement official. The shooting has revived a national debate over the Second Amendment and has left behind a trail of shock and grief. A number of victims have been identified on social media: Xavier Lopez, 10; Amerie Jo Garza, 10; Uziyah Garcia, 8; Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10; teachers Eva Mireles, 44; and Irma Garcia, 46. Lisa Garza, 54, of Arlington, Texas, told The Associated Press that Xavier was her cousin and he loved life. "He was just a loving 10-year-old little boy, just enjoying life, not knowing that this tragedy was going to happen today," she said. "He was very bubbly, loved to dance with his brothers, his mom. This has just taken a toll on all of us." Academy Award-winning actor and Uvalde native Matthew McConaughey took tosocial media to share his heartbreak and called on Americans to "rearrange our values" in response. "Once again we have tragically proven that we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us," the "Dallas Buyers Club" actor said. He urged Americans to ask themselves several questions and urged the country not to accept mass shootings as the norm. "What is it that we truly value? How do we repair the problem? What small sacrifices can we individually take today, to preserve a healthier and safer nation, state and neighborhood tomorrow?" he asked. "As Americans, Texans, mother and fathers, it's time we re-evaluate, and renegotiate our wants from our needs," the father of three continued. "We have to rearrange our values and find a common ground above this devastating American reality that has tragically become our children's issue." AOC criticized by non-Christians after blaming 'fundamentalist Christians' for abortion opposition Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's recent comments blaming "fundamentalist Christians" for the "theocratic" push against abortion and suggesting that Judaism is OK with abortion have drawn the ire of some non-Christians. In a lengthy Instagram post last Thursday, the progressive lawmaker from New York City criticized the argument of abortion opponents who believe that abortion is "harming a life." "Well, some religions don't [believe that]," she responded. "Our Jewish brothers and sisters, they are able to have an abortion according to their faith." "[T]here are so many faiths that do not have the same definition of life as fundamentalist Christians," she said, expressing concern about the ability of non-Christians to "exercise their faith." "It's ridiculous and it is theocratic, it's authoritarian, it is wrong," she declared. Terrisa Bukovinac, a pro-life atheist and the founder of the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising, described Ocasio-Cortez's "claim that you have to be religious to oppose killing children in their earliest stages of life" as a "lie" being "perpetuated by the Abortion Industrial Complex since before Roe v. Wade." "You don't have to be religious to recognize that abortion is murder," Bukovinac said in a statement to The Christian Post. "Pro-life people are the ones working towards a separation of church and state," Bukovinac asserted. "We want the law to reflect the scientific reality that life begins at conception, not just whenever we believe life begins. The concept of a human non-person has been used exclusively to discriminate against whole groups of human beings and in the case of the unborn, that discrimination is lethal almost 100% of the time." The Daily Wire's Ben Shapiro, an Orthodox Jew and conservative political commentator, pushed back against Ocasio-Cortez's assertion that Judaism permits abortion. "Explain to me where in Jewish law abortion is widely permissible," he said on Monday's episode of "The Ben Shapiro Show." "I'm waiting to hear, rabbi." An amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court last year by the Jewish Pro-Life Foundation, the Coalition for Jewish Values and other Jewish organizations and rabbis contends that "Jewish law prohibits abortion and Judaism obligates us to protect innocent life in the womb." Ryan Jones, an editor for Israel Today who is Christian, wrote in an op-ed that Ocasio-Cortez's assertion about Judaism might seem "well-founded in light of how easily Israel approves the procedure." "But in reality it betrays an ignorance of Judaism's position on the subject," Jones wrote. "In broad strokes, Judaism views a fetus as living creature, but refrains from granting it the status of personhood. However, Judaism is largely noncommittal about the entire affair. And it certainly shouldn't be portrayed as pro-abortion or pro-choice." Protests have occurred nationwide in recent weeks following the leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion that indicates that the nation's high court could overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Defending Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban, the law at the center of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization Supreme Courtcase, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch argued in a brief that a human heart begins beating at five to six weeks gestation and that the baby begins to "move about" in the womb around eight weeks. "At 9 weeks, 'all basic physiological functions are present' as are teeth, eyes, and external genitalia," she wrote. Citing additional findings from the state legislature, Fitch said that "at 10 weeks, 'vital organs begin to function' and '[h]air, fingernails, and toenails begin to form,'" "at 11 weeks, an unborn human being's diaphragm is developing and 'he or she may even hiccup'" and that "at 12 weeks' gestation, he or she can 'open and close fingers,' 'starts to make sucking motions,' and 'senses stimulation from the world outside the womb." She also stated that 15 weeks into a pregnancy, an unborn baby "has taken on the human form in all relevant respects." Ocasio-Cortez used her Instagram video to announce her intention to spearhead a fundraiser for National Abortion Funds. She characterized the group as "a national network of several different individual abortion funds that help facilitate people being able to access ... their right to healthcare." She told pregnant women in states that have enacted abortion restrictions like Texas or Oklahoma that they are "welcome in New York." "We will do what we can to welcome you," she said. "We have taken actions on a state level, including opening up abortion funds to help people get the transportation needed to get here and I also know that there's just an enormous amount of organizing efforts that are launching for people to open up their homes to people who are seeking an abortion or needing that care." After detailing her experience with sexual assault, the member of Congress accused Republicans of "taking women's bodies" and "forcing their opinions, forcing their perspective on women's bodies without their consent." She believes Republicans are "violating not just women but trans people and non-binary people in this country." As she spoke, Ocasio-Cortez wore a shirt advocating for the abolition of the government agency tasked with removing undocumented immigrants from the U.S., reflecting the "Abolish ICE" movement embraced by the most progressive faction of the Democratic Party. The leaked initial draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito in the Dobbs case, which is not final, proclaims that Roe was "egregiously wrong from the start" and "must be overruled." A final decision in the Dobbs case is expected by the end of June. Should the Supreme Court overturn Roe, the legality of abortion would be up to each state. While 21 states would either ban or severely restrict abortion in the absence of Roe, 16 states would continue to allow abortion throughout most or all of pregnancy. In 10 states, existing abortion restrictions would remain in effect. Voters in the remaining three states could decide the fate of abortion laws at the ballot box later this year. UNITED NATIONS, May 27 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday strongly condemned Wednesday's killing of some 50 people, reportedly by extremist armed groups, in Madjoari in the east of Burkina Faso, said his spokesman. The secretary-general expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and called on the Burkinabe authorities to spare no effort in identifying and swiftly bringing the perpetrators to justice, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement. Guterres reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations to continue supporting Burkina Faso in its efforts to counter and prevent terrorism and violent extremism and ensure the protection of civilians, said the statement. The despicable attack followed two similar incidents on May 14 and 19 in Madjoari, in which 17 civilians and 11 soldiers were killed, respectively, it noted. Benham brothers say predators needs Jesus, not more gun laws in wake of Texas shooting As the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left at least 21 people dead reignited a fierce political debate over gun-control Tuesday, conservative twin brothers David and Jason Benham said predatory young men who commit mass shootings need Jesus, not more "gun laws." Theres not enough gun laws on earth to turn a young man from a predator to a protector. But there is a King, whose name is Jesus that can step into the heart of a man and change him from the inside out, the Texas natives said in a now-viral statement shared on their Facebook page to their more than 130,000 followers Wednesday. Unfortunately, we dont want this King. Our nation glorifies everything that stands against King Jesus and His Kingdom fruit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. As a result, were losing our young men and have lost the soul of our nation, they wrote. The comments from the brothers come after a lone 18-year-old gunman went on a shooting rampage in a single classroom at Robb Elementary School that left at least 19 children dead. The shooter has since been identified as Salvador Ramos, a student at Uvalde High School, who was shot and killed at the scene. He reportedly shot his grandmother prior to the attack at the school, which took place at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Democratic lawmakers have been publicly pushing for gun control legislation, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D., N.Y., has conceded that there is no current path forward for gun measures, the Journal reported Wednesday. Schumer accused his GOP colleagues of being beholden to pro-gun groups, which he said has prevented the Senate from reaching the 60 votes needed to pass proposed gun-control legislation. The Senate is evenly divided at 50-50. Its unacceptable that there are not 10 members of the Republican caucus willing to save lives, find a way to do it. And yet, thats where we are, Schumer argued. However, Sen. Ted Cruz, R., Texas, accused Democrats of politicizing the school shooting. 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. That doesnt work, Cruz said. He suggested that it would be better to prevent felons, fugitives and people with serious mental illness from buying guns, while some of his colleagues called for more armed guards at schools. The Benham brothers further asserted that America does not have a gun problem but a heart problem. The radical Left says its all about the guns but its the heart that holds the gun! A gun in the hand of a good man brings peace and protection, but a gun in the hand of a bad man brings pain and destruction. Our nation has a heart problem not a gun problem, they said. Exalt Jesus once again. Teach our young men to deny themselves, become men of God, and fight against evil instead of perpetrate it. Our boys need to be called up to something much higher than video games, binge shows, and porn! Theres so much more in Christ, they added. Lets do our part as we grieve with the families in TX today. Lets look at our own kids, our sphere of influence, our churches and schools and lets call these young men to lay down their lives, bow to Jesus, and pick up His cross and follow Him. Until then, this path of destruction will never stop. Florida suspends abortion clinic after 2 women hospitalized for botched abortions A prominent abortion clinic that has operated for decades in Florida has had its license suspended by state officials due to multiple hospitalizations tied to botched procedures. American Family Planning of Pensacola was suspended by the Agency for Health Care Administration, with the suspension taking effect on Saturday, according to The Associated Press. The Agency for Health Care Administration cited two incidents from earlier this year in which women who had abortions performed at the Pensacola clinic had to be hospitalized due to complications. In one of the incidents from this year, a woman was transported to a hospital due to hemorrhaging and low blood pressure and had to undergo an emergency hysterectomy. The suspension order said the abortion clinic failed to properly monitor the patients and did not provide medical records when the patients were transferred to other facilities, noted the AP. A third cited incident involved a woman who underwent an abortion at the clinic in August 2021, with the patient having to have parts of her colon removed as a result, according to the Pensacola News Journal. Reportedly the only abortion clinic in Pensacola and one of the few in the general area, American Family Planning has long been a focal point in the debate over abortion, as well as violence. In 1984, when the facility was known as the Ladies Center, it was bombed twice, first in June and then in late December after it had moved its practice to another location. On New Years Day 2012, 41-year-old resident Bobby Joe Rogers set the facility on fire, eventually being sentenced to 10 years in prison for arson and damaging a reproductive health facility. This defendant destroyed this clinic because of its lawful work in providing reproductive health services, said Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, in a press release dated October 2012. Such violent extremism will not be tolerated. The Department of Justice will continue to vigorously prosecute interference with services provided by the health community. Last year, the clinic was the focal point of months of protests between activists, with local media interviewing a pro-life protester identified as David. We're here to offer them other hope besides murdering their child, whether it be adoption or medical attention that's provided to women for free, David told WEAR at the time. If I could adopt every child here, I would do it. In April, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill known as the Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality Act, that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of gestation, which is scheduled to take effect on July 1. School district pays $225K to end atheist group's lawsuit over Bible class A school district in West Virginia has agreed to pay $225,000 in plaintiffs costs and attorney fees to end a lawsuit filed by an atheist group over once hosting an elective Bible class. Mercer County Schools agreed to the settlement with the Freedom From Religion Foundation last week, ending litigation that began in 2017 over its Bible in the Schools program. "We are pleased that this violation involving the illegal proselytizing of youngsters has come to a mutual resolution," said Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president, as quoted by the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. "But it should not take a lawsuit and years of effort to stop blatantly unconstitutional school programs." The Christian Post reached out to Mercer County Schools for this story. The school district directed CP to a spokesperson who did not return comments by press time. Known as the Bible in the Schools program, the course was first offered at Bluefield High School in 1939 and then was added to other schools in the county as time passed. In January 2017, the FFRF filed a lawsuit against Mercer County for the Bible class on behalf of Elizabeth Deal, whose daughter had been reportedly ostracized for refusing to take the course. "This program advances and endorses one religion, improperly entangles public schools in religious affairs, and violates the personal consciences of nonreligious and non-Christian parents and students," read the lawsuit. "Forcing Jane Doe to choose between putting her child in a Bible study class or subjecting her child to the risk of ostracism by opting out of the program violates the rights of conscience of Jane and Jamie Doe and therefore their First Amendment rights." U. S. District Court Judge David A. Faber dismissed the lawsuit in November 2017, pointing out that the school was mulling possible revisions to the Bible course curriculum. "Indeed, whether or not this court were to undergo an (albeit incomplete) factual analysis of the past BITS program, defendants might remain capable of developing, adopting, and teaching a new BITS curriculum in conformity with Establishment Clause jurisprudence," ruled Faber. "As a result, the clouded future of BITS classes in Mercer County would hang over the heads of the Does regardless of the court's substantive review. Nevertheless ... if BITS returns and it is clear the new BITS program violates constitutional law, this district is more than capable of granting a preliminary injunction." Faber added that "Supreme Court jurisprudence has by no means established an absolute bar to the Bible being taught and studied in the public school system." In December 2018, however, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit overturned the earlier ruling and remanded the case back to the lower court. In sum, the County has not carried its burden of showing that subsequent events make it absolutely clear that the suspended version of the BITS program will not return in identical or materially indistinguishable form, ruled the panel. Appellants current claims are therefore not moot. Of course, this does not prevent the district court from addressing mootness in the future if presented with that issue. In January 2019, the Mercer Countys board of education passed a resolution that ended the Bible class program rather than simply make revisions. State Farm abandons support for LGBT book program targeting kids after whistleblower email release State Farm has withdrawn its support for a program that distributes LGBT-themed books to schools and libraries after a whistleblower leaked an email showing the company encouraged staff to donate books about gender identity to children as young as 5. The insurance company's Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President of Public Affairs, Victor Terry, announced the end of the collaboration with the organization behind the program, GenderCool Project, in a Monday email to staff obtained by the Twitter account Libs of TikTok. The GenderCool Project describes itself as a "youth-led movement" designed to highlight "transgender and non-binary youth who are thriving." BREAKING: @StateFarm sent out a mass email to their staff today stating we will no longer support that program after they were exposed for supporting a project to push LGBTQ books into schools. A source tells me the agents were really upset when we found out. W pic.twitter.com/55P1QJ0oLa Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 23, 2022 "State Farm's support of a philanthropic program, GenderCool Project, has been the subject of news and customer inquiries. This program that included books about gender identity was intended to promote inclusivity," the email reads. "We will no longer support that program." Terry also wrote that State Farm does not support mandating school curriculum on gender identity, stating that "[c]onversations about gender and identity should happen at home with parents." The chief diversity officer said that the company supports organizations that provide "resources for parents to have these conversations." State Farm confirmed in a Wednesday statement to The Christian Post that it's no longer affiliated with the organization, insisting again that the program was created to promote "inclusivity." "We will continue to explore how we can support our associates, as well as organizations that align with our commitment to diversity and inclusion, including the LGBTQ+ community," the company told CP. "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." State Farm's announcement about the discontinuation of its partnership with The GenderCool Project followed the release of a Jan. 18 email leaked to the nonprofit organization Consumers' Research by concerned employees at the insurance company. Consumers' Research, an organization that educates people about policy issues and corporate activities, has launched the "Like a Creepy Neighbor" public awareness campaign in response to State Farm's partnership with the GenderCool Project. The title of the campaign is a play on the company's catchphrase, "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there." The leaked email was sent by Jose Soto, a corporate responsibility analyst for State Farm in Florida. It reveals that State Farm was "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 non-binary." ???? Emails leaked to @ConsumersFirst from concerned @StateFarm employees show the company engaged in the woke indoctrination of kids age 5+. State Farm partnered with The GenderCool Project which aims to have conversations with children about being Transgender and Non-Binary. pic.twitter.com/MYcZSW8Yp1 Will Hild (@WillHild) May 23, 2022 The collection of books created by The GenderCool Project that State Farm sought to distribute includes works titled, A Kids Book About Being Transgender, A Kids Book About Being Inclusive and A Kids Book About Being Non-Binary. The books are designed to help children 5 years old and older have "challenging, important, and empowering conversations about the toughest and most pressing topics we face today." "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+," Soto's email reads. "This is a fantastic way to give back and an easy project that will help support the LGBTQ+ community and to make the world around us better." The company reportedly intended to recruit six insurance agents to "[receive] these books in March, then [donate] them to their community by the end of April." While the email only referenced recruiting agents in Florida, it indicated that the program is not just a regional initiative. "Nationwide, approximately 550 State Farm agents and employees will have the opportunity to donate this three book bundle to their local teacher, community center, or library of their choice," Soto wrote. Hild told The Washington Examiner and other news organizations in a Zoom call that the program likely would not be allowed in Florida schools come July 1, when the Parental Rights in Education Bill takes effect. Critics of the bill, signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis in March, have derided it as a "Don't Say Gay" bill that could stigmatize LGBT students. The legislation prohibits public schools and third parties from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity with students in kindergarten through third grade. "We would hope State Farm would ... cooperate with the governor's office or law enforcement in [Florida] and retrieve any of these books that may have been donated to public schools that by law now do not belong there," Hild said, adding that such discussions with children are inappropriate according to "any reasonable understanding." The issue of gender identity in schools has appeared in several learning institutions throughout the country in recent months. Earlier this month, Fairfax County Public School Board, which oversees the largest school district in Virginia, reviewed a student handbook that includes suspension as a potential punishment for students who "maliciously" misgender their trans-identifying peers. The proposed revisions to the district's Students' Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) handbook indicates that students can face a five-day suspension for "malicious deadnaming," which is defined as "[w]hen someone, intentionally or not, refers to a person who is transgender or gender-expansive by a name other than their own chosen name." In April, two sets of parents of the Ludlow Public School District in Massachusetts filed a lawsuit against school officials at Baird Middle School in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts Springfield Division. The complaint maintains that the school officials reportedly encouraged their children to secretly adopt new gender identities without informing their parents. The lawsuit accused the school of having a "protocol and practice of concealing from parents information related to their children's gender identity." Our open border crisis Bidens border crisis is dangerous enough already, and it may soon get worse. But his Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, paints a rosier picture, We are preparing for the end of Title 42. We continue to enforce the laws of this country. Title 42 from the Trump era stipulates that until potential immigrants are tested and shown to not have the virus, they should remain in Mexico. Title 42 was scheduled to expire on May 23. The Center for Immigration Studies notes, Title 42 is the only thing standing between the current chaos at the Southwest border, and no border there at all. Biden has promised repeatedly to lift this provision, abandoning testing and opening the floodgates for illegal immigrants. But for now, his plan to abolish Title 42 has been blocked by a Trump-appointed judge. Meanwhile, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Maria Bartiromo of Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures on Sunday that the border crisis is acute. Marshall has visited the border and wants the president to do the same. The senator said: Maria, this is a human tragedy here. At nighttime, it looks like a war zone. Theres a sea of humanitarian crises here every evening. And every day, its lived out as well. The numbers of illegal immigrants swarming in is staggering. Writing in the Washington Examiner, Paul Bedard observed: Last years 1.7 million border encounters is expected to reach 2.1 million, according to Princeton Policy Advisors, an economic analysis outfit that has correctly predicted recent border surges. The Constitution says it exists to insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty. Do open borders for any nation help achieve such lofty goals? On a recent radio segment, I spoke with former Congressman Allen West who has seen the border crisis firsthand more than 10 times. He told me: Government is supposed to protect people within [our national] borders. Thats their No. 1 duty and responsibility. If were not going to follow the rule of law, then what are we supposed to base the Constitutional republic on? He added: America is not just a piece of land in between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and Canada and Mexico. It is a sovereign nation, and it should be regarded and treated as such. How can a nation remain sovereign if it has no borders? Some open borders advocates imply that its the Christian thing to do to just let everyone in. Yet surely these same people lock their doors at night. Rev. Erwin Lutzer, the author of We Will Not Be Silenced, recently told our D. James Kennedy Ministries television audience: One of the big mistakes that Christians sometimes make is that they want to apply the ethics of the Church to the state. I heard a pastor saying I'm sure that he was compassionate and meant well when he said, Of course, we should invite people into America and basically have open borders because, after all, the Gospel is for everyone. Yes, of course, the Gospel is for everyone, but that's not the role of the state. The role of the state is to keep order, to punish crime and to keep its citizens safe. That's the role of the state. Lutzer added: It is important that the Church welcomes everyone. That's the ministry of the church, but that is not the ministry of the state. Meanwhile, critics of Bidens open border crisis note that known terrorists are sneaking into the country as more than 40 on the terrorist watch list were arrested at the border last year alone. Also, human trafficking is taking place, and drugs are pouring in in record numbers. In fact, Chinese-produced fentanyl and other drugs are being smuggled in through the southern border, and the results are making headlines. Earlier this year, The New York Timesreported, Drug overdoses now kill more than 100,000 Americans a year more than vehicle crash and gun deaths combined. Open borders cause this problem or at least greatly exacerbate it. Kerby Anderson, the host of the syndicated radio program Point of View recently told our D. James Kennedy Ministries television audience why he thinks the left pushes for open borders: I think the hope is that these might be future Democratic voters. And so what we'll do is we'll just kind of incrementally allow non-citizens to vote. Anderson points to the recent move by New York City to allow 800,000 noncitizens to vote as an example. Sen. Marshall, who said our border is like a war zone right now, noted that the public safety department of Texas is trying to hold the line: All of those people are doing their best, but theyre just simply overwhelmed. This is an unsustainable crisis. With your help, Israel will outlast these barbaric terrorist attacks While the world is focused on the devastating war and horrifying amount of civilian casualties in Ukraine, Hamas and other violent terrorists have seized the moment to inflict violent harm on innocent civilians in Israel in a new wave of terror. As Israelis go about our daily business, we are subjected to the most heinous acts of terror on a weekly, and often daily basis. Stabbings, car rammings, ax attacks, and shootings have become common this year, even killing innocent civilians during our Independence Day celebrations. Two weeks ago, 16 children went fatherless in just one day due to a barbaric terror bloodbath. As a Jewish man with my heritage tied to the Holy Land, 10 years ago, I joined like-minded individuals and families and immigrated to Israel. This beautiful country is extraordinarily appealing. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. It is a place where people of all races and creeds, if they choose to, can live together in harmony. It is a place with equal opportunity where anyone can accede to the highest levels of political and economic power, even serving in Parliament. These attacks are intended to disrupt the peace of a nation, terrorize the Jewish people, and return us to an era when we once again dont have a safe place to call home. There would be more breaking news of bloodshed if it werent for the many plots that are thwarted by highly trained and skilled police. Earlier this month, a stabbing was prevented near the Temple Mount. Yet my extended family and many of my friends here in Israel returned to the land of their ancestors for the same reasons I did. They all long to live in peace again. My own grandfather and his family lived through Kristallnacht in Germany, and when they fled they ended up in the U.K. My grandmother escaped from Poland and also ended up in the U.K. where she met and married my grandfather. Then at the age of 87, he made Aliyah (immigrated to Israel) with my grandmother who was 75 at the time. They moved to Jerusalem after decades of longing to return home to Israel. My friend Karina and her grandfather Jacob have quite a story too. Jacob fled Europe before World War I, leaving his beloved chocolate factory behind. After a long and tumultuous journey, he ended up in Argentina quite by accident. He did what so many Jewish people have done and put down roots wherever he landed. Jacob instilled in his family a passion for both Israel and chocolate. His beloved granddaughter Karina proudly took the family legacy he left her and when she was able, followed her heart and moved from Argentina to Israel. In 2006, she opened De Karina boutique chocolate shop just 20 miles northeast of the holy sites around the Sea of Galilee. She is proud to walk in her grandfathers shoes. My friends and I all understand the history that has tied both our ancestors and ourselves to this Holy Land. We know the struggles we as a people have faced for millennia. And for all of us, the Holocaust, pogroms, perpetual war, and now weekly terror attacks don't accomplish what the wicked think they will accomplish. They only serve to make our bond stronger. They only give Israel a steely resolve never to give in, never to quit fighting for their right to live in peace. I ask the friends and allies I dont yet know who read these words to speak out against even a hint of anti-Semitic rhetoric or behavior whenever you encounter it. Let legislators know, wherever you may live, that Israel is a democracy and is a reliable ally in the quest for freedom from tyranny and oppression. Lets together stamp out bigotry against Jews and all minority groups on the neighborhood level before these dangerous ideologies fester and bloom into violence. I would ask you to let the world around you know that my friends and I, in the nation of Israel, are just like you we want to live in peace. We want to encourage tourism and pilgrimage to this beautiful Holy Land. We want to get our businesses up and running again and, like you, have the ability to put food on the table for our families. And at the very least, would you also please pray for peace? The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 122:6, Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. History proves we can overcome violence and evil. Century after century, my ancestors have endured genocide and bigotry, and a miraculous remnant remains. And yet victory in the face of evil requires a concerted effort on everyones part to confront anti-Israel and pro-terror ideology wherever we find it. Just a few years ago, automation was looked upon as something mystical. Would it make half the workforce redundant, lead to mass unemployment and universal basic income? People wrote books about robot takeovers, and the media wrote articles with titles like "Will AI Replace [insert job function]?" Today, it seems like we have a more pragmatic view of automation. We no longer seem to be afraid of mass unemployment. On the contrary, labor shortage and Great Resignation waves are on everybody's lips. This gives automation an entirely new dimension as a technology that helps modern businesses stay afloat in a difficult talent economy. In addition to that, we seem to have realized that automation is not here to replace us. It's here to augment us, make us better at our jobs and help us get rid of tedious and mundane manual work. So, we get more time to be creative and strategic or even go home early to spend more time with our families. As a CEO of a SaaS business that provides automation, I've experienced this development. The market is more mature, the customers have more realistic expectations, and it also seems like the automation providers have a better understanding of what they need to offer. At least, we do. Nevertheless, some companies still have trouble navigating the automation market and understanding where to start or how to proceed with automating workflows. So, here comes my take on what you need to consider when automating your workflows. Related: 11 Ways to Automate Your Business and Boost Efficiency Begin with high frequency/low complexity tasks Not every part of a workflow can or should be automated. You should focus on the tasks you often do. It makes little sense to introduce scalability where there is no scale, so automating high frequency has the highest impact. And you should focus on relatively simple tasks. Things like data entry, data extraction, moving files between systems, generating stuff from templates, etc. Creative work and social interactions are still too complicated for machines, so there is no reason to focus on this right now. Get rid of the simple tasks first. Let's take a sales process as an example. One half of the sales process is creating a human connection and building trust. The other half is updating a CRM, generating proposals and contracts and notifying stakeholders simple manual tasks like that. Focus on the latter. Let humans focus on the job's social, creative and strategic aspects, and let machines take care of all the mundane busywork. Focus on the value not the technology AI is overrated ...That got your attention, right? Well, AI has a lot of use cases and might very well have a great future, but you shouldn't fixate on the technology when automating workflows. Focus on the value: Does the solution make you more efficient? Does it lead to more consistent results with fewer errors? Will it give you more time to pursue other tasks? In most cases, you don't need over-complicated AI solutions to do that for you. You can use simple automation systems based on deterministic logic to get rid of all your busywork. It might not be as appealing, and you might not be able to write a fancy press release about it, but it does the job. The fact is, most companies aren't even ready for AI yet, so let's get back to basics. Begin with the low-hanging fruits, and solve some problems with existing, proven technologies. Related: Automation Is Becoming a Business Imperative: Don't Wait Until It's Too Late Sort out your data One of the more overlooked aspects of automation is data. Your AI is feeding on data. Most deterministic logic-based automation tools use data. What prevents most companies from creating smooth automated workflows is that they haven't structured and harnessed their data. So, before you can get to the point of hyperautomation, where everything runs smoothly, and you are free to focus on what matters, you need to sort out your data. Use structured and data-rich formats, choose applications that integrate well, and focus on streamlining your dataflows, so that everything speaks together across the entire organization. Automation is key to getting through the current labor shortage challenges. It's an advantage that will give your business a competitive edge by making you more efficient. And getting rid of tedious manual work is crucial to ensuring happy employees in a modern workplace. This is how you get started! Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Delta Air Lines is taking proactive measures to improve reliability ahead of the busy summer travel season. On Thursday, Atlanta-based Delta announced it was reducing its flight schedule by about 100 daily departures from July 1 to August 7 to prevent summer travel disruptions. According to the airline, surging post-pandemic demand has forced the carrier to make these adjustments, saying it will "build additional resilience in our system and improve operational reliability for our customers and employees." Delta chief customer experience officer Allison Ausband explained a number of factors have resulted in Delta not consistently performing at its desired operational standard, including increased sick calls due to COVID, poor weather, and vendor staffing. Related: Major U.S. Airline Announces New Ticket Type With Added Perks "We deeply appreciate the energy and efforts of our people and the confidence of our customers as we adapt and pivot to ensure we provide the airline-of-choice experience we're so proud to be known for," she said. Delta said that it would be in contact with customers whose flights are affected by the summer changes. The decision comes as the company takes other measures ahead of the expectedly chaotic summer, including working with the Federal Aviation Administration to improve air traffic control, hiring hundreds of new crew members each month, and launching initiatives to better its on-time performance. Despite the mounting challenges, Delta is anticipating a busy Memorial Day weekend. According to the carrier, 2.5 million passengers will fly on its planes over the holiday, which is a 25% increase from 2021. Related: Passengers Furious After Southwest Airlines Leaves Thousands Stranded Delta is not the only airline struggling to meet summer demand. Carriers like Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Airways have also cut flight schedules this summer, with JetBlue nixing 8%-10% of its May flights, CNN reported. Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci apologized in a YouTube video on May 13 for the mass cancelations caused by the pilot shortage. In April, the carrier said it would reduce its schedule through June by 2% to "match our current pilot capacity," but Minicucci admitted in the video that the carrier was still 63 pilots short. To increase summer reliability, Alaska is hiring 150 new pilots, 200 more reservation agents, and 1,100 flight attendants. "This, along with the reductions we've made to our schedule, will ensure we run an operation that you can count on," Minicucci said. Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Though they are both global eCommerce companies that were founded in the 1990s and have names that begin with the letter A, Chinese billionaire Jack Ma Yun wants you to know that's all Alibaba and Amazon have in common. In a conversation at the World Economic Forum, the Alibaba founder and former executive chairman explained where he and Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos differ in their approaches to running their companies. He told interviewer Andrew Ross Sorkin that there is no one right business model for digital commerce - if that was the case, the world would be a boring place. But Mr. Ma said that no matter what model you follow, you should believe in the work you are doing. Related: By the Numbers: Amazon vs. Alibaba (Infographic) When asked about Amazon's apparent goal to own its entire supply chain, from servers to warehouses to delivery vehicles, Ma said that wasn't the path he saw for Alibaba. He said he viewed Amazon as an empire, and Alibaba as an ecosystem. "We want to empower others to sell, to service, to make sure that other people are more powerful than us," he said. "Making sure that with our technology and innovation, our partners and 10 billion small-business sellers, they can compete with Microsoft and IBM. ... We think, using our technology, we can make every company become Amazon." Keep scrolling to learn more about Jack Ma. Who Is Alibaba founder Jack Ma? In Jack Ma's youth, he studied the English language, and after failing the entrance exam to the Hangzhou Teachers College, now called Hangzhou Normal University, twice, he was eventually admitted and graduated from the school, per Britannica. After struggling to find work, he found himself working on behalf of the Chinese government in the United States. With the rise of the internet, Ma saw a void in the market for resources about China and created the China Pages. After building websites for several Chinese companies, he eventually went off on his own to create his e-commerce website Alibaba. His Alibaba stock broke records in 2014 with his IPO selling for $25 billion, which is still the largest global IPO ever to date. In 2016, author Duncan Clark released his book Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built, unpacking his career and his brand's global impact. What Is Jack Ma's Net Worth? Alibaba's Jack Ma not only made waves in the media for his advancements in digital commerce, but for the riches his hard work brought him. In 2014 his net worth was estimated to be a whopping 21.8 billion, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, making him the richest man in China at the time. Despite stepping down as executive chairman in September 2019, per Forbes, and handing the reins to CEO Daniel Zhang, his fortune only continued to grow. In 2021 he had an estimated net worth of $48.4 billion, ranking in 26th place in the "2021 Forbes Global Rich List," however, his net worth has continued to fluctuate, and as of May 2022, his fortune is estimated to be $23.6 billion. Despite the slight drop in his value, he's still one of the top five richest people in China, behind Ma Huateng, founder of tech giant Tencent. Asides from his work in tech, he also founded the Jack Ma Foundation in 2014, and he has a stake in the Chinese media company Huayi Brothers. In addition to his work on Alibaba Group Holding, he also founded Ant Financial, now known as Ant Group or AliPay, a division of Alibaba Group that owns the largest digital payment platform in China. In October 2020, the company was set to raise the world's largest IPO, but according to the Wall Street Journal, the Chinese Communist Party leader President Xi Jinping put a halt to the transaction after Ma's criticism of Chinese regulators at the annual People's Bank of China financial markets forum. According to the outlet, the company was set to be transformed into a financial holdings company, overseen by the Chinese government. Where Is Jack Ma? After Chinese authorities stepped in to regulate Ant Financial, the Financial Times reported that Ma hadn't been seen in the public view since. Following fears of forced disappearance, he made his first public appearance since the dispute in January 2021 during a video call for a charity event. He has reportedly been seen a handful of times thereafter. He most recently made headlines after selling his shares of the digital payment system Paytm E-commerce, the parent company of Paytm Mall, a retail platform. Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Kelly Presnell/AP TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) A federal judge has rejected a request by Native American tribes to stop Toronto-based Hudbay Minerals Inc. from preparing a planned new Arizona copper mine's site in the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson. U.S. District Judge James Soto refused to issue a temporary restraining order and dismissed the lawsuit filed by the Tohono O'odham, Pasqua Yaqui and Hopi tribes and the group Save the Scenic Santa Ritas, the Arizona Daily Star reported. ADDIS ABABA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia repatriated about 28,000 undocumented nationals from Saudi Arabia in the past two months, the government has said. The repatriated nationals were in difficult conditions, stranded across mainly prisons and detention centers in the Gulf nation, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) quoted foreign ministry officials as saying late Thursday. State Minister of Foreign Affairs Birtukan Ayano said the 28,000 nationals were repatriated as part of the government's ongoing efforts to repatriate about 100,000 undocumented nationals from Saudi Arabia in seven to 11 months. The government has arranged nine weekly flights from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, since March 30 as part of its renewed operation to bring back citizens from the Gulf nation, according to the foreign ministry. Ethiopia has established nine centers in Addis Ababa to accommodate the large number of returnees. According to the Ethiopian foreign ministry, more than 750,000 Ethiopians are living in Saudi Arabia, 450,000 of them without proper documents. Estimates suggest that thousands of Ethiopians are trafficked to the Arabian Peninsula via Djibouti and war-torn Yemen every year, risking imprisonment and killings along the way. In recent months, Ethiopia has stepped up efforts to take back its citizens stranded overseas, mainly Saudi Arabia, as part of the government's "citizen-centered diplomacy." The government is also working to dismantle sophisticated human trafficking networks and create economic opportunities for nationals with low incomes. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DJIBO, Burkina Faso (AP) African leaders gathered for a summit Friday in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to address growing humanitarian needs on the continent, which is also facing increased violent extremism, climate change challenges and a run of military coups. Leaders called for increased mobilization to resolve a humanitarian crisis that has left millions displaced and more than 280 million suffering from malnourishment. For people in Djibo, a town in northern Burkina Faso near the border with Mali, any help cant come soon enough. The city in the Sahel region -- the large expanse below the Sahara Desert -- has been besieged since February by jihadis who prevent people and goods from moving in or out and cut water supplies. Few truckers want to run the jihadist gauntlet. Residents are suffering with no food or water, animals are dying and the price of grain has spiked. The goods are not arriving anymore here. Animal and agricultural production is not possible because the people cannot go back to their villages, U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator Barbara Manzi told The Associated Press from Djibo this week. Unless (a solution) is found, its going to be really a tragedy for the entire group of people that are here. Djibo has been at the epicenter of the violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group that has killed thousands and displaced nearly 2 million people. While Djibo and Soum province where the town is located experienced periods of calm, such as during a makeshift ceasefire between jihadis and the government surrounding the 2020 presidential election, the truce didnt last. Since November, insecurity in the region has increased. Jihadis have destroyed water infrastructure in the town and lined much of Djibos perimeter with explosives, blockading the city, say locals. The towns population has swollen from 60,000 to 300,000 over the last few years as people flee the countryside to escape the violence. Blockading cities is a tactic used by jihadis to assert dominance and could also be an attempt to get Burkina Fasos new military junta, which seized power in January, to backtrack on promises to eliminate the jihadis, said Laith Alkhouri, CEO of Intelonyx Intelligence Advisory, a group that provides intelligence analysis. Militants resort to blockading when they see an opportunity to gain incentives in negotiating with the government and simultaneously send a message to their base that they are in control. Its a bargaining card and a winning one, he said. A U.N. team flew in briefly to assess the situation. The AP was the first foreign media to visit the town in more than a year. Today there is nothing to buy here. Even if you have cash, there is nothing to buy. We came here with four donkeys and goats and some of them died because of hunger. We were forced to sell the rest of the animals and unfortunately prices of animals have decreased, said cattle owner Mamoudou Oumarou. The 53-year-old father of 13 fled his village in February and said the blockade in Djibo has prevented people from coming to the market to buy and sell cattle, decreasing demand and lowering prices for the animals by half. Before the violence, Djibo had one of the biggest and most vital cattle markets in the Sahel and was a bustling economic hub. Some 600 trucks used to enter Djibo monthly, now its less than 70, said Alpha Ousmane Dao, director of Seracom, a local aid group in Djibo. Burkina Faso is facing its worst hunger crisis in six years, more than 630,000 people are on the brink of starvation, according to the UN. As a result of Djibos blockade, the World Food Program has been unable to deliver food to the town since December and stocks are running out, said Antoine Renard, country director for the World Food Program in Burkina Faso. Efforts to end the blockade through dialogue have had mixed results. At the end of April, the emir of Djibo met with Burkina Fasos top jihadist, Jafar Dicko, to negotiate lifting the siege. However, little progress has been made since then. Locals say the jihadis have eased restrictions in some areas allowing freer movement, but that the army is now preventing people from bringing food out of Djibo to the surrounding villages for fear it will go to the jihadis. The army denied the allegations. Meanwhile residents in Djibo say theyre risking their lives just trying to survive. Dadou Sadou searches for wood and water in the middle of the night outside of Djibo, when she says the jihadis are not around. We no longer have animals, we dont have food to buy in the market If you have children, you dont have a choice, she said. I did not follow the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard it followed me. A few weeks ago, images from the courtroom began to saturate my social media feeds. Platforms that fed me soothing cake decoration tutorials and Sopranos-themed therapy memes now served up regular dispatches from the proceedings, all filtered through the glorification of Depp and mockery of Heard. Heard blows her nose during her testimony, and a TikTok appears accusing her of snorting cocaine on the stand. Depp adjusts a phone cord near Camille Vasquez, his attorney, and the gesture is replayed in slow motion and exalted as a chivalrous deed. Heards attorneys introduce a series of violent text messages between the couple, and a TikToker films herself absorbing Depps words with panting, orgiastic reverence. Depp is suing Heard, arguing that she defamed him in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed where she called herself a public figure representing domestic violence; she is countersuing, arguing that he defamed her when his lawyer accused her of perpetrating an abuse hoax. Many of the trials central incidents were previously aired in court in 2020, when Depp sued the British tabloid The Sun for calling him a wife beater. He lost that case, with the judge ruling that Heards abuse claims were substantially true. But I didnt hear about any of that, because that trial was not broadcast live and replicated obsessively across the internet. In the 1990s, the O.J. Simpson murder trial ushered in a new era of 24-hour tabloid news, in which celebrity worship and domestic violence were fused into an unceasing national spectacle. Judge Lance Ito later defended his decision to allow that trial to be televised. If you take the cameras out of the courtroom, then you hide, I think, a certain measure of truth from the public, Ito said. A journalist reporting on the trial, he added, might unconsciously skew its events through the filtering effect of that persons own biases. Nearly three decades later, as the Depp-Heard trial makes clear, a cameras presence in a courtroom is an invitation for the proceedings to be deliberately, even gleefully tailored to a viewers whim. Platforms like TikTok and YouTube are practically built to manipulate raw visual materials in the service of a personality cult, harassment campaign or branding opportunity. CRAIG HUDSON/AP You might expect a defamation trial pitting one movie star against another to unleash a fire hose of debased memes in both directions, but thats not whats happening here. The online commentary about the trial quickly advanced from a he-said she-said drama script to an internet-wide smear campaign against Heard. As one of Hollywoods most legendary heartthrobs, Depp enjoys a large and besotted fan base. But his campaign has since attracted the support of mens rights activists, right-wing media figures, #BoycottDisney campaigners eager to capitalize off Depps status as a fallen Disney franchise star, sex abuse conspiracists, armchair true-crime detectives, anyone wary of the mainstream media and plenty of opportunists eager to draft off the trial traffic. Seemingly harmless YouTube channels and TikTok accounts dedicated to legal commentary or body-language analysis have pivoted to pro-Depp content en masse. A husband-and-wife team of personal injury lawyers now spends its days posting trial-themed dance breaks and humoring Depp fans; a TikToker who previously ranted almost exclusively about anime has racked up millions of views with videos of fake Heard text messages he splashes over a looming Disney logo. TikTok is a bandwagon platform that rewards users for jumping unthinkingly on ascendant trends, so figures as innocuous as Lance Bass and the Duolingo owl mascot have thought it wise to contribute their own Heard mockery to the platform. If youre following the trial on social media, youre unlikely to encounter Heards defense at all. Importantly, there is not just one camera in the Virginia courtroom. The pool camera system, which is operated by Court TV, films the proceedings from multiple angles, which continually shift to provide simultaneous shots of the witness stand and the judge, or the defendants and the gallery, which is packed with Depp supporters who have lined up overnight to secure seats. The sheer amount of material recorded each day enables viewers to examine every inch of the courtroom with a conspiratorial zeal, as empty gestures and meaningless asides are whipped into dubious case clues, spliced into humiliating Heard reaction GIFs or leveraged to build a charmingly unbothered bad-boy court presence for Depp. (He doodles in court! He cant remember the names of his own movies!) Exhibits supporting Heards claims like a video she recorded of Depp pouring himself a gigantic cup of wine and violently smashing glasses in their kitchen one morning are stripped of evidentiary value and bandied about as memes. Each day of the trial begins with Depp fans convening online and joking about downing their breakfast megapints of wine. Viewers assess both Depp and Heards court appearances as studied performances, but it is as if they have been cast in separate genres, with Depp playing the suave comedy hero and Heard pegged as the histrionic villain from an 80s erotic thriller. YouTube thumbnails freeze their visages into masks of comedy and tragedy he is perpetually smirking, she is permanently aggrieved. (Except when she smiles, in which case her expression is proffered as evidence of her calculated heartlessness.) The cartoonish construction of the double standard (animated hearts for Depp, devil horns for Heard) is the point many TikToks are soundtracked with the circuslike theme from Curb Your Enthusiasm, trapping Heard in the role of sad clown. CRAIG HUDSON/AP Anyone else who appears in court risks being lifted into an internet folk hero or smeared as a liar. Heards attorney Elaine Charlson Bredehoft is branded a Karen (once a term for a racist white woman, it has since been flattened into an all-purpose misogynistic slur) and conspiratorially constructed as an undercover Depp fan, while Vasquez is cast as a Depp love interest, hailed as an internet sensation for her intimate interactions with her client. Seemingly every woman tangentially involved in the case has been imbued with imagined Depp-lust. Dr. Shannon Curry, an expert witness called by Depps team, has been celebrated for exchanging glances with Depp on the stand; even Currys husband, who she mentioned once delivered muffins to her office, has been inflated into a treasured fan fiction character referred to as the muffin man. Meanwhile, Depp supporters have harassed two of Heards expert witnesses off the medical professional site WebMD, flooding their profiles with one-star reviews. The internet livestreaming of the trial has created its own virtual sport. Each day hundreds of thousands of viewers congregate on YouTube livestreams, like the one hosted by the Law & Crime Network, and type comments into a racing sidebar chat. Some pay as much as $400 to have their comments highlighted and pinned to the top of the chat the more you pay, the longer your commentary lords over the proceedings. During Wednesdays stream, one participant paid to say that Heard has a nesting snake on her head; another promoted his YouTube novelty song about Heards legal team. The immediacy of the livestream and its commentary gives viewers the illusion that they can somehow influence the outcome of the case; someone is always pleading for an internet artifact to be forwarded to Camille, as if obsessive fan attention alone might crack the case. This week, Depps team called a witness who surfaced after he posted a tweet in response to a pro-Depp Twitter accounts coverage of the trial. Even if they cannot influence the trial itself, viewers can shape public opinion in real time. Once a fan fiction scenario gains enough momentum to achieve escape velocity, it is elevated into mainstream tabloids, which are rife with reports of Depps courtroom flirtations and epic witness-stand one-liners. Once gossip journalists had to craft celebrity story lines themselves, but now the narratives are lifted straight from social media and enshrined as Hollywood canon. Gossip sites are regurgitating banal celebrity internet activity as heartwarming Depp content: Jennifer Aniston followed Johnny Depp on Instagram as a subtle sign of support, the magazine claimed, and Depp followed Aniston back as a sweet gesture. But when Julia Fox supported Heard on Instagram, she soon became the focus of articles about how she was hypocritical and downright stupid. When a celebrity does not provide such dubious material, it may simply be invented: recently a YouTuber edited and dubbed trial footage to make it seem as if Heards Aquaman co-star, Jason Momoa, has appeared on the stand to fawn over Depps lawyer. Its tempting to ignore all of this to refuse to feed the machine with even more attention. But like Gamergate, which took an obscure gaming-community controversy and inflated it into an internet-wide anti-feminist harassment campaign and a broader right-wing movement, this nihilistic circus is a potentially radicalizing event. When the trial ends this week, the elaborate grassroots campaign to smear a woman will remain, now with a plugged-in support base and a field-tested harassment playbook. All it needs is a new target. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Three years ago, I visited the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, in Venice, to see the 16th-century church of the same name, designed by Andrea Palladio. This was during the Venice Biennale, so the church was also hosting an exhibition called "Human" by the Irish-born American abstract artist Sean Scully. I was both intrigued and annoyed by the show; intrigued because I had never seen so many works by Scully in one place before, and annoyed because the installation seemed to compete with the church itself. A giant tower of colorful panels rose up below the central dome, and in other spaces, Scully's watery brush work seemed to dissolve the church itself, flooding it in the ubiquitous water of Venice's canals and lagoon. The show also included touching figurative sketches, which is rare for Scully. He is a thoroughly well-branded artist, and his work is most often encountered in museums singularly, one large painting in a gallery of other abstract works, suggesting a gorgeous carpet of color, like an enticing decorative object. Now there is an opportunity to see the full scope of Scully's career in a generous and comprehensive survey of his painting since he emerged as a young partisan for abstraction in London in the early 1970s. "Sean Scully: The Shape of Ideas" opened in April at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with more than 100 works, including some of his most monumental paintings, along with drawings, woodcuts, etchings and aquatints. It is a seductive show, and may convert skeptics, especially those who feel Scully has been too settled for too long in his personal comfort zone of big, brick-like grids of bold color. Scully was born in Ireland in 1945, and emerged on the scene as abstraction - especially large, heroic, painterly abstraction - was largely in retreat. His early work was inspired, in part, by a visit to Morocco, where he encountered a rich legacy of textile works. It was there that he began considering an idea that has preoccupied him ever since: how geometry can inspire and suppress order and chaos. Among the earliest works on view in the Philadelphia exhibition (first seen in a slightly smaller version at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth) is Scully's 1972 "Harvard Frame Painting," in which sacking and fabric are woven on a frame into an irregular grid of overlapping and woven bands. Despite its title, "Frame Painting" is essentially sculptural, existing in a narrow plane of three-dimensional space. It also raises the central issues of abstraction that Scully would explore in his first decades: How strict a grid? How clean the lines? How to control the tension between surface and depth? Should all this be austere or sensuous? His early responses lived in the world of mod fashion colors and the computer fetish of the 1970s and '80s. He must have depleted a few warehouses full of masking tape to keep all his lines digitally crisp and sharply edged. Works like "Overlay #11" from 1974 are typical: Line for line, the grid is strict, but the use of different colors and densities, and the subtle overlapping of lines, creates multiple grids within the grids, rhythmic patterns that strike the eye like a fusion of Philip Glass and Mondrian. Later, the masking tape comes off, the edges become free-form and the paintings go from digital to analogue. The grids are looser and the paint, applied wet on wet, suggests yet more ideas about depth, layers within layers on the surface, through which you sense an "other side" to the two-dimensional canvas or panel. As soon as you can see through a painting, it also begins to suggest architecture, a sense of space in front and behind, and the possibility of passing through. The architectural presence of Scully's work is furthered by the scale of his largest paintings, the brick-like patterning of many works, and the physical cobbling together of multiple panels, including insets and overlaid pieces. One begins to think in terms of doors, hatches, coffers and windows, and yet there is often a sense of impenetrability, as if the walls suggest the possibility of passage yet limit egress. These walls can feel like a terminus, defining the impassable limits of a prisonlike space. Scully has certainly limited his concerns to a very small subset of abstraction. The larger field includes a host of ideas that continue to animate other abstract painters: Is there a focus to the image or are its events evenly distributed? Does the painting suggest mathematical or biomorphic ideas? Is it mapping another reality or avoiding any sense of reality at all? For the past 50 years, Scully has resided in the small but fertile province of the grid, rotating the crops of his color fields to avoid depleting the soil. Curiously, he reminds me a bit of Romantic English landscape artist John Constable: infinitely inspired by what is near to hand, deeply at home, keenly alert, as only a provincial can be, to the nuances of the space he inhabits. Scully finds analogues in his home place for larger themes from art history, so in his 2015 "Doric Blue and Blue," the grid resolves into the pure brushstroke, the squarish daub of Cezanne. In the four panels of the 2000 "Land Sea Sky" and other more recent works, Rothko is summoned. In yet other images, the grid becomes mere substrate for cultivating Barnett Newman's "zips," now laid out horizontally for better yield. Perhaps the most touching works in the Philadelphia show are those that suggest the longer arc of Scully's career, from purity to messiness, rigidity to freedom, self-containment to self-expression. The 2002 "Mooseurach," named after a Bavarian town where Scully maintains a studio, has bits of red or salmon and blue and green peaking through the interstitial spaces of his darker, more somber-colored bricks. These hints of color suggest light and fire, sky and sunset, cold and heat, while also giving us a sense of the depth of color underneath the color. The particular presence of the brown or tan or white we see on a densely painted canvas is determined not just by the pigment or the light in the room, but by the colors beneath the surface color. So these glimpses of color are both metaphors for things in life and small indexical signs of how Scully creates those illusions. They are fantasy and process at the same time. They also are worlds away from the strict, surface patterns of the artist's early work, as if he has found freedom or release from the grid space he laid out a half-century ago. One thinks of Richard II's speech in prison, as he tries to hammer out an imaginary world from his confinement. Like Richard, Scully has begot "a generation of still-breeding thoughts,/ And these same thoughts people this little world." That's an impressive accomplishment for any artist: to escape their comfort zone without ever leaving it. The Philadelphia survey takes us along for that ride, and it's a moving journey. - - - "Sean Scully: The Shape of Ideas" Through July 31 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. philamuseum.org. It's official: Houston native Evelyn Garcia is in the "Top Chef" finale. As we've discussed before, she's been a strong contender throughout the season and, even if we weren't biased as Houstonians, it's clear that she's always been a favorite to win. The "Top Chef: Houston" finale will air next Thursday, June 2. In the meantime, here's whyobjectively speakingwe think Garcia should, and will, win the whole thing. 1. She won this week's Elimination challenge. Let's start with the obvious. In the last round, there was a lot of competition from Buddha Lo, Garcia's perpetual main challenger, and Last Kitchen comeback queen Sarah Welch. But Garcia powered through it to ultimately win the challenge with her take on a chile relleno with nopal cactus and her judge-favorite dessert. 2. She impressed a local legend. The "Top Chef" finale is being held in Tucson. The first of two episodes in Arizona welcomed guest judge Carlotta Flores, chef-owner of El Charro, the country's oldest Mexican restaurant. In the Quickfire challenge, Flores loved Garcia's dish, which she said convinced her to cook more with grits. In the next round, when discussing Garcia's dessert, Flores said: "It had so many layers of goodness, you should be very proud of that one." 3. She has a winning personality. On top of her cooking chops, Garcia has delighted viewers with her wholesome, endearing personalitybut she's also fiery and determined when she needs to be. In episode 13, host Padma Lakshmi comments that the contestant has a big smile on her face when she comes to the judges' table to present her dishes. Garcia responds: "I'm always happy, I'm cooking." 4. She had the best dessert of the night. Contestants on "Top Chef" sometimes excel at savory dishes but fall flat on their face when it comes to anything baked or sweet. But Garcia can do it all: Her sour orange and sweet lime curd dessert with meringue, prickly pear granita, basil flowers and quince tossed in chile piquin sugar was dubbed best dessert of the night by Lakshmi. 5. She cooks from the heart, and with a mission. Guest judge Maria Mazon, a contestant on "Top Chef: Portland" and a Tucson native, left some kind words for Garcia during the last round. "Evelyn did something that I've been doing my whole career as a Mexican chef, trying to showcase that Mexican cuisine is elegant," she said. When it came time to announce Garcia was the winner of that round, the judges said she cooked dishes that had a lot of story, heart and creativity. In conclusion... We've made our case, now it's up to the "Top Chef" gods to deliver justice. At the end of episode 13, Garcia left us with her reaction from going to the finale: "This win is definitely not just for me, it's for my family, it's for all the Mexican Americans out there." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Take a gander at the real estate listing supplements that often come with your newspaper, and youll find no shortage of city, suburban, beach and mountain Shangri-Las. One recent edition of View, a publication of Coldwell Banker Realty, touted, in no particular order: a backyard oasis in northern New Jersey, an elegant sunlit Tudor and a stunningly luxurious French Provincial with breathtaking panoramic views in Watchung, New Jersey. Then there was the 7,700-square-foot stately manor in Mendham, New Jersey, nestled on 6 acres (though one might ask how a 7,700-square-foot house can nestle). The people tasked with writing such descriptions generally, the listing agents for the properties have a tricky assignment. In a paragraph, maybe a few sentences, they need to convey the ineffable appeal of the home while also addressing practical matters, like the size of the lot, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the special features pool, terrace, doorman, whatever that the discriminating buyer couldnt possibly live without. They say a picture is worth a thousand words; one video or virtual tour may be worth several thousand more. But actual words still carry weight, and some choice nouns and adjectives can spark the interest of a prospective buyer, according to industry professionals. The things that people tend to forget is that advertising has only one goal in the real estate industry: get the person to go look at the property, said Frederick Peters, the president of the real estate firm Coldwell Banker Warburg, part of Coldwell Banker Realty. Accomplishing that goal is a huge communication challenge, said Allen Adamson, a marketing consultant. The trick is to go beyond the facts about the house and to make an emotional connection with the consumers. That might be done by identifying one core theme country living close by or antidote to civilization and then adding some rational support like recently renovated to make buyers know the house wont be a money pit, he said. If its all evocative, consumers will tune out, Adamson continued. Some detail helps, he added, but the more you try to tell them everything, the less theyll hear anything. Putting the best possible face on a property requires finesse. But its not always clear what listing agents are getting at. Were here to explain. The Real Estate Translation Guide Description: Interesting design Translation: This house is odd. Description: Cozy Translation: Small and dark. Description: Room to grow Translation: See: cozy. Description: Natural beauty Translation: Its not landscaped. Description: Good bones Translation: Its a wreck. Get out your checkbook. Description: Loads of original details Translation: Its a wreck. Get out your checkbook. Description: Right on the water Translation: Right in a flood zone. Description: Walk to the beach Translation: Lace up your sneakers and pack a lunch. Description: Create your dream house Translation: Its a teardown. Description: For the discerning buyer Translation: See: interesting design Description: Be the first to see this Translation: You can be sure the listing agent has already shown it to many others, said Diane Saatchi, an associate broker in the East Hampton, New York, office of the real estate firm Saunders & Associates. Description: Priced to sell Translation: Shouldnt all properties be priced to sell? Saatchi asked. Description: Price reduced Translation: The previous price was too high. Description: Price upon request Translation: Its overpriced, Saatchi said. Description: Like new Translation: The house could be 3 years old. Or 30 years old. Description: Close to transportation Translation: Inquire further. The house could overlook the railroad tracks. ______ Too often, ads are written to gratify sellers rather than bring in buyers, according to Saatchi. They want you to say everything about their property including that the pavers are 2 years old, she explained. Or there will be things like Relax by the pool, which sounds stupid, she said, adding: Are you going to tell buyers what to do in the bathroom? Peters is amused by new construction developments in which you have the brand of every appliance and the name of the marble in the bathroom, he said. For Gods sake, who cares about the source of the marble? I think its done to convey luxury. Judy Szablak, an associate broker at Coldwell Banker Realty in Westport, Connecticut, feels differently. Some buyers may not know what Carrara marble is, but theyd rather read Carrara marble than just plain marble, she said. Absolutely, I think that flowery language is valuable, maybe not with all buyers but with what I think of as expressive buyers. A particular descriptive phrase can help them identify with a property, see it and put an offer in. Unsurprisingly, the coronavirus pandemic has reshaped the content and language of some ads. Retreat, secure and private are frequently deployed. Highlighting features like the home office, tech infrastructure and internet speed, particularly in rural environments, is now incredibly important if prospective buyers have a hybrid work arrangement, said Brad Nelson, the chief marketing officer for Sothebys International Realty. Further, Nelson said, what might have been billed before the pandemic as a nanny suite might now be more flexibly labeled a secondary principal bedroom, i.e. accommodations for quarantining friends or family. Its the same feature but youre describing it in a different way now. To make sure listings are boiled down to their essence, Sothebys International recently imposed a 350-character count on property descriptions in the advertising supplements. This way, Nelson said, agents are forced to focus on the most important feature that will capture a buyers attention. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. BERLIN (AP) Two climbers were killed Friday and nine others injured by falling blocks of ice in the Alps in southern Switzerland, police said. Police in Valais canton (state) were alerted shortly after 6 a.m. to the emergency in the Grand-Combin massif. Seven rescue helicopters were dispatched. LONDON, Ky. (AP) Three correctional officers at a federal prison in eastern Kentucky have been indicted on charges alleging civil rights violations, officials said. A federal grand jury in London returned an indictment Thursday charging the officers at U.S. Penitentiary Big Sandy in Inez with violating an individuals rights under the color of law and of falsifying records to impede an investigation, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV. JERUSALEM (AP) The Al Jazeera news network says it will submit a case file to the International Criminal Court on the killing of reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead earlier this month during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank. The Qatar-based network and the Palestinian Authority have accused Israeli soldiers of deliberately killing her. Israel rejects those allegations as a blatant lie." It says she was shot during a firefight between soldiers and Palestinian militants, and that only ballistic analysis of the bullet which is held by the PA can determine who fired the fatal shot. An AP reconstruction lent support to witnesses who say the veteran Palestinian-American correspondent was killed by Israeli fire, but any final conclusion may depend on evidence that has not yet been released. Al Jazeera said late Thursday it has formed an international legal team to prepare a case dossier to be submitted to the ICC. The court launched an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes last year. Israel is not a member of the ICC and has rejected the probe as being biased against it. Al Jazeera said the case file would also include the Israeli bombing of the building housing its offices in Gaza City during last year's war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, as well as the continuous incitements and attacks on its journalists operating in the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel said the building which also housed the Gaza office of The Associated Press contained Hamas military infrastructure, but has not provided any evidence. The AP was not aware of any purported Hamas presence in the building and condemned the strike as shocking and horrifying. No one was hurt in the strike, which came after an Israeli warning to evacuate. The Network vows to follow every path to achieve justice for Shireen, and ensure those responsible for her killing are brought to justice and held accountable in all international justice and legal platforms and courts, Al Jazeera said. Israel says it cannot determine whether Palestinian militants or its own soldiers fired the fatal shot unless the PA hands over the bullet that killed Abu Akleh for ballistic analysis. The PA has refused to cooperate with Israel in any way, saying it doesn't trust Israel to investigate itself. The PA announced the results of its own probe on Thursday, saying Abu Akleh was deliberately killed by Israeli forces and that there were no militants in the area. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz rejected the findings, saying any claim that the IDF intentionally harms journalists or uninvolved civilians is a blatant lie, referring to the Israeli military. Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al Khateeb, in announcing the results of the probe, said the bullet that killed her was an armor-piercing 5.56 mm NATO round and that it appeared to have been fired by a Ruger Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle. The Israeli military declined to comment on whether the gun described by the Palestinians matches one the military has previously identified as having possibly fired the fatal shot. It also declined to say whether the army uses the Ruger Mini-14 or whether any were in use during the May 11 raid in which Abu Akleh was killed, in the West Bank town of Jenin. Israel has publicly called for a joint investigation with the PA, with the participation of the U.S. The State Department said this week that neither Israel nor the PA have formally requested its assistance. Each side is in sole possession of potentially crucial evidence, and neither is likely to accept any conclusions reached by the other. ___ Associated Press writer Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. Houston Ship Channel launches $1B expansion project The dredging work will last from now until the end of 2025. The best Amazon one-piece swimsuits & bikinis From a tummy-control black one-piece to a floral bikini, here are the top picks. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A 13-year-old arrested for having a loaded gun at a South Carolina mall apparently sneaked a second loaded weapon into the facility where he was taken, authorities said. A Columbia Police Department spokesperson called the incident an egregious failure on many levels, WLTX-TV reported. It started Tuesday when the boy and a relative were arrested for having guns at Columbiana Centre Mall. Police said officers did an initial search of the boy and confiscated a loaded, 9mm handgun but they missed another gun he was hiding. Department of Juvenile Justice Director Eden Hendrick told the television station that when the teen was transferred to their custody hours later, he was patted down, showered and dressed in facility clothes but the second weapon went undetected. It was not until the next day that the second weapon was discovered and later recovered by facility staff, Hendrick said. In a statement to WLTX, Columbia Police called the lack of a thorough search by officers unacceptable and a risk to public safety. The department says the arresting officers who missed the gun have been put on administrative duty pending completion of training programs. This incident represents an egregious failure on many levels, including a violation of policy and procedure, the police department said in a statement. This lack of a thorough search is unacceptable and risked public and officer safety. Hendrick also said the Department of Juvenile Justice will revamp its intake process and all staff will be retrained on intake, search, and other safety procedures. She added that employees involved in the initial search have been suspended. In addition to the teen, police also arrested LaKenyatta Moore-Rhodes, 40. Police said that after reviewing surveillance video, investigators discovered Moore-Rhodes initially had the gun and gave it to the teen. Police charged the teenager with unlawful gun possession by a minor, unlawful carrying of a gun and pointing and presenting a gun, The State reported. Moore-Rhodes was charged with unlawful carrying, pointing and presenting a gun and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the newspaper reported. It was unknown if either of the suspects has an attorney who could comment for them. MANILA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines will no longer require a pre-departure COVID-19 test from May 30 for inbound travelers who have got a booster jab as part of the government's measures to revive the pandemic-hit economy. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the new rule to ease further the travel requirements is to encourage more tourists to visit the country and "make it more convenient for tourists." "All types of vaccination certificates, regardless of country of origin, will also be accepted," she said. "The Department of Tourism (DOT) sees this development as a win for the local tourism industry as welcoming more tourists in the country will yield more revenues for our small businesses and restore more jobs and livelihoods in the sector," she added. Puyat said travel insurance "is no longer required but still highly encouraged for arriving passengers." She noted over 500,000 foreign tourists visited the country from Feb. 10 when the government allowed foreign travelers to enter. The United States, South Korea and Canada are among the top foreign tourist markets during this period. "The government is looking forward to an uptick in tourist arrivals in the coming weeks following the further easing of entry requirements into the country," Puyat said. The Philippines barred the entry of foreign visitors when it imposed a lockdown in March 2020 amid the fast-spreading COVID-19 virus. The Southeast Asian country now has over 3.68 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, including more than 60,000 deaths. NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) The biggest convoy of aid since Ethiopias government declared a unilateral humanitarian cease-fire in the countrys long-encircled Tigray region two months ago has departed for Tigray, a U.N. official told The Associated Press, as the conflict gripping Africas second most populous nation continued to ease. A convoy of 215 trucks of food aid left the capital of the neighboring Afar region on Friday and is due to arrive in the Tigray capital on Saturday. An AP witness observed many of the trucks lining the road outside Semera on Thursday as they waited for clearance to leave. But aid workers say much more is needed. The U.N. World Food Program estimates that 500 trucks a week are required to feed the 5.2 million people in Tigray who need food, medicine and other humanitarian assistance but have been largely denied it for almost a year. Ethiopias government in March declared the humanitarian cease-fire to allow aid to reach Tigray, whose leaders have been engaged in a war against federal forces and their allies since November 2020, with thousands of people killed. In response, the Tigray forces said they would observe a cessation of hostilities. Initially, aid was slow to arrive, with a handful of trucks reaching Tigray in the first weeks of the truce, prompting the Tigray side to accuse the government of reneging. But the number of aid trucks has increased sharply since the Tigray forces announced their withdrawal from parts of Afar in late April. Humanitarian workers say federal authorities have now eased restrictions previously imposed on aid to the region. Tigray has been largely cut off from the world since Tigray forces recaptured the regional capital, Mekele, in June 2021, a situation the European Unions humanitarian chief likened to a siege. The United States has warned that 700,000 people in Tigray could face famine because of restrictions on aid. A survey by Tigrays regional health bureau recently found that at least 1,900 children under age 5 died from malnutrition between June last year and April 1. Tigrays banking services, road links and telecommunications remain down. But for humanitarian aid, the only delivery issues that remain are operational ones including the number of trucks available and how quickly partners can organize aid, the U.N. official said on condition of anonymity because the person wasnt authorized to speak to the media. However, the official said four trucks carrying high-energy biscuits were recently turned back by customs officials, who claimed the biscuits could be used to feed Tigray forces. DOVER, Del. (AP) House leaders in Delaware on Friday chastised a fellow Democrat who suggested in an online discussion that those who dont support mask wearing amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases but do support gun rights should kill themselves with their guns. House leaders gave no indication, however, that they want to pursue formal disciplinary action against Rep. John Kowalko. Kowalko made the comment in a post following the Texas school shooting but later deleted his Facebook comments and apologized. Kowalko, a Newark Democrat who once described himself as your textbook liberal, progressive Dem, made the offensive comment earlier this week in an online back-and-forth with a conservative commenter over whether people should wear masks. Kowalko, who has a history of making inflammatory statements, later posted the apology for remarks that question the sincerity and intentions of those individuals who feel that their personal rights are being abrogated or threatened. House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst and Majority Whip Larry Mitchell said in a joint statement released Friday that Kowalkos comments were offensive and indefensible. We understand the circumstances surrounding his remarks were tense the ongoing issue of people arguing against wearing masks to protect against COVID, and questions about gun rights but intimating violence and self-harm against another person is not conduct that should be tolerated, the statement read. Were grateful he deleted the comments and apologized, but this behavior should not be normalized, the statement added. Lastly, suicide is something we take very seriously and should never be encouraged, even in a joking manner. Kowalkos online comments were directed at Chris Rowe, who resigned as chairman of the New Castle County Republican Party in 2020 after using a derogatory term for homosexuals in a Facebook post. In 2020, Kowalko drew fire for a profane email targeting lawmakers and others who supported minimum wage legislation that would allow employers to pay a lower wage to new hires and to young people. At a local school board meeting in 2015, Kowalko referred to state education officials and to then-Gov. Jack Markell, the nations only Jewish governor at the time, by what is widely considered to be an anti-Semitic slur. Kowalko apologized in both those instances. Kowalko has been a state representative since 2006. Now 76, he announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election. MYRTLE CREEK, Ore. (AP) A Douglas County Sheriff's Office deputy shot and killed a man south of Roseburg on Wednesday, Oregon State Police said. Deputies went to a residence in Myrtle Creek at about 8 a.m. Wednesday to investigate a domestic violence complaint, The World reported. Spencer Heckathorne, 60, had fled but probable cause was established for his arrest for alleged menacing and recklessly endangering, police said. Deputies and Myrtle Creek Police officers located him in a vehicle on a road near his house and he rammed two deputy vehicles and crashed into a ditch, according to police. Heckathorne exited the vehicle, remained uncooperative and was shot once after he engaged a uniformed deputy, police said. No further explanation was given and the deputy's name wasn't made public. He died at the scene, police said. State police Major Crimes detectives from Springfield and Roseburg responded to help the Douglas County Major Crimes Team investigate the incident. The Douglas County Major Crimes team is comprised of members from the Roseburg Police Department, Douglas County Sheriffs Office, the Douglas County District Attorneys Office and the Oregon State Police. Additional details about the investigation will be made available through the Douglas County District Attorneys Office, police said. Electric truck maker Rivian plans to install electric vehicle charging stations at 15 state parks in Michigan, right in the backyard of its closest competitors. The decision to install EV chargers at popular outdoor destinations in Michigan, such as state parks, where EV charging infrastructure has been absent will help Rivian move into the pickup truck and SUV segment that's dominated by gas-powered vehicles from Ford Motor Co., General Motors and Ram. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer celebrated the first of many charging stations opening at state parks on Thursday. Rivian installed its first charger at Holland State Park in Ottawa County and promised more to come, according to a press release issued Thursday by the governor's office. "This partnership to install charging stations in our state parks speaks to the collaborative approach we are taking to grow our economy and address climate change head-on through clean, reliable energy," Whitmer said in the release. The public charging stations in state parks come through an operating agreement with the Adopt a Charger program and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at no cost to taxpayers, according to the release. The nonprofit Adopt a Charger is providing technical support and sponsorship of the Rivian charging stations at state parks. ITC, which works on electrical transmission systems, paid for two years of electricity at the charging stations while Consumers Energy paid for upgrades to the electric grid at each park, according to the release. "Our state parks charging program is how we come together with our partners to offer a solution to EV-charging gaps," Chris Nevers, senior director of public policy at Rivian, said in the release. "Were making this investment because we believe that exploring the natural world should be possible without contributing to local air pollution, climate change or damaging the environment." An estimated total of 30 chargers are scheduled to be installed at 15 parks from now through the end of 2022, according to the release. The rollout of the chargers across the state is being done in phases. Parks in the Upper Peninsula are scheduled to be part of the second phase, targeted to take place next year. Additionally, the units are compatible with most electric vehicles beyond just Rivian models. Michigan state parks receiving Rivian charging stations this year along the Lake Michigan shore include: Warren Dunes in Berrien County. Holland and Grand Haven in Ottawa County. P.J. Hoffmaster in Muskegon County. Charles Mears in Oceana County. Ludington in Mason County. Orchard Beach in Manistee County. Leelanau in Leelanau County. Young in Charlevoix County. Petoskey, Wilderness and Oden State Fish Hatchery in Emmet County. Interlochen in Grand Traverse County. Palms Book in Schoolcraft County. Fayette in Delta County. "This project will not only benefit Michigan in the near term but will also pay dividends far into the future as we move toward a sustainable energy future," DNR Director Dan Eichinger said in the release. BALTIMORE (AP) The Episcopal Diocese of Maryland has awarded $175,000 in grants to community organizations from a fund established to make reparations for systemic racism and slavery. The diocese announced Thursday that six organizations doing the work of restoring African American and Black communities were selected to receive funds through the inaugural reparations grant process, news outlets reported. YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (AP) Firefighters have stopped the spread of a wildfire in the Southern California desert. The Elk Fire scorched about 250 acres (101 hectares) near Yucca Valley before its forward movement was halted Thursday night, the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District said. At one point 10 homes were threatened but none were lost. Yucca Valley is about 100 miles (161 kilometers) east of Los Angeles. Elsewhere, California entered the Memorial Day weekend free of red flag warnings and the triple-digit heat that baked the Central Valley earlier in the week. A cooling trend in Northern California was expected to include a slight chance of showers in the Sierra Nevada and parts of the San Francisco Bay Area. Forecasts called for wind advisories to be in effect along the northeastern border with Nevada and in the Mojave Desert on Saturday. Parts of California will likely see a return of fire weather concerns early next week, the weather service said. WASHINGTON (AP) A former U.S. Army reservist described by prosecutors as a Nazi sympathizer was convicted Friday of storming the U.S. Capitol to obstruct Congress from certifying President Joe Bidens 2020 electoral victory. Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, who worked a security contractor at a Navy base when he joined the pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6, was also convicted of disorderly conduct and other misdemeanors. Hale-Cussanelli took the stand in his defense and claimed he didn't know that Congress met at the Capitol building. I know this sounds idiotic, but Im from New Jersey, Hale-Cusanelli said, according to WUSA-TV. In all my studies, I didnt know there was an actual building that was called the Capitol. Its embarrassing and idiotic. Hale-Cusanellis trial was 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. Roughly 300 others have pleaded guilty to crimes stemming from the riot, including seditious conspiracy and assault. Prosecutors said Hale-Cusanelli openly espoused white supremacist and antisemitic ideology and wore an Adolf Hitler-style mustache to work. On his cellphone, investigators found photos of him with the distinctive mustache and combed-over hairstyle associated with the Nazi leader. Hale-Cusanelli had a secret security clearance for his job as a security contractor at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck, New Jersey. He also lived on the base with a roommate who reported him to the Naval Criminal Investigation Service and secretly recorded a conversion about the Capitol riot. During the trial's opening statements Tuesday, a Justice Department prosecutor said Hale-Cusanelli stormed the Capitol because he wanted to kick off a civil war and create a clean slate." Defense attorney Jonathan Crisp told jurors that groupthink and a desperate desire to be heard drove Hale-Cusanelli to follow a mob into the Capitol. Crisp described Hale-Cusanelli as a bombastic agitator prone to making extreme statements to get attention. In pretrial court filings, prosecutors framed Hale-Cusanelli's bigoted, antisemitic views as motivating factors for his participation in the Jan. 6 riot and his desire for a civil war. One Navy seaman said 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. Before the trial, Crisp 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. Crisp acknowledged Hale-Cusanelli shouldnt have entered the Capitol building. But the question of why he was there is what is important, he told jurors Tuesday. Hale-Cusanelli wasn't charged with engaging in any violence or property destruction. He was indicted on 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. 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 to peacefully protest, wearing a suit while many others wore tactical gear. A video captured Hale-Cusanelli yelling profanities at police officers and screaming, The revolution will be televised! This was not a peaceful protest, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Fifield said. More than 800 people have been charged with Capitol crimes stemming from the riot. Many of then are military veterans. Hale-Cusanelli is among a few defendants who were on active duty on Jan. 6. U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, who presided over Hale-Cusanellis trial, decided two other Capitol riot cases after hearing testimony without a jury. McFadden acquitted one of the defendants of all charges and partially acquitted the other after bench trials. Hale-Cusanelli was arrested less than two weeks after the attack and has remained jailed since February 2021. He was discharged from the U.S. Army Reserves and barred from the Navy base after his arrest. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) A California man pleaded guilty Friday to plotting to blow up the state Democratic Partys headquarters in what prosecutors said was the first in a planned series of politically-motivated attacks after the defeat of former President Donald Trump. Ian Benjamin Rogers, 46, of Napa, pleaded guilty to conspiring to destroy a building by fire or explosives, possessing an explosive device and possessing a machine gun under a plea agreement that could bring him seven to nine years in federal prison. U.S. prosecutors in San Francisco charged Rogers and Jarrod Copeland with conspiring to attack targets they associated with Democrats after Trump's defeat in the November 2020 presidential election. The pair hoped their attacks would prompt a movement, prosecutors said when they announced the charges in July. Copeland, 38, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and destruction of records. I want to blow up a democrat building bad, Rogers wrote in one of the messaging apps he used to communicate with Copeland, according to the indictment. In a different message he said that after Democratic President Joe Biden was inaugurated, we go to war. Their first planned target was the John L. Burton Democratic Headquarters in Sacramento, prosecutors said. Law enforcement officers who searched Rogerss home in January 2021 seized nearly 50 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition and five pipe bombs, prosecutors said. He was taken into custody then on state charges after the FBI said he sent text messages that agents perceived as threats against the unoccupied Governors Mansion and social media companies Facebook and Twitter. Under a universal agreement, the federal sentence will be served concurrently with a 10- to 12-year state sentence on similar Napa County charges of possessing fully automatic weapons and explosive devices, said Rogers' attorney, Colin Cooper. Rogers has never been in trouble before, Cooper said. Hes accepted responsibility and he is desirous of paying his debt to society and resuming a life of productivity, of being a good father and good husband and a good family man with an 11-year-old son, Cooper said. He feels awful about what happened and what hes done to his family, and hes a guy I think well never see again in the (criminal justice) system. Rogers remains in custody awaiting his sentencing, set for Sept. 30. SAO PAULO (AP) Brazils airport authority Infraero said Friday it has notified the Federal Police over an apparent hack into electronic displays at an airport in Rio de Janeiro. Instead of advertisements and flight information, travelers were shown pornographic movies. Video clips on social media showed travelers in the Santos Dumont airport laughing at the displays, hiding them from their kids or just stunned. ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced vetoes of 18 bills Friday, including a measure that would have allowed voters who forget to sign their mail-in ballot envelope to do so after mailing it to get it counted. The Republican governor also vetoed a bill that would have allowed union dues to be tax deductible, as well as a bill that would have stayed eviction proceedings against tenants who could show they are awaiting a determination about rental assistance. The Maryland General Assembly, which has a supermajority of Democrats, won't have the chance to override these vetoes when they convene in January for their regular 90-day session, because it is the last year of the term. On the ballot bill, Hogan said the measure did not address election security concerns as more people in Maryland are voting by mail. While this legislation allows a voter to provide a missing signature by one of several ways including in person, mail, email and text it remains silent on basic security measures such as signature verification with Maryland being one of only nine states that does not conduct signature verification and does nothing to address ballot collection, Hogan wrote in his veto letter. Del. Marc Korman, a Montgomery County Democrat, criticized the governor's veto. He said Hogan was putting national political ambitions ahead of legislation that Hogan described in his veto letter as including some positive changes, including early canvassing of ballots. The governor noted that early canvassing of absentee ballots would allow hard working election officials to get a much needed head start on the deluge of ballot envelopes that, under current law, must wait until after Election Day for processing." Wow, if you want to see some real Repub presidential politics at work, the Guv vetoed a bill he says has positive changes to State election law because it did not also address other election matters, Korman wrote on Twitter. Hogan has not ruled out a 2024 presidential bid. The governor also said allowing union dues to be tax deductible promoted an unfair advantage to unions and activists. By using the tax code to confer political power to unions, it creates a political advantage not only to the unions but also to the political parties and candidates supported by them, Hogan wrote. The term-limited governor also vetoed two measures relating to evictions, including a bill to require a landlord to comply with a countys licensing regulations before filing for repossession of a property. The other stayed eviction proceedings for tenants awaiting a determination about rental assistance. Maryland already has some of the strongest tenant protection laws in the nation and these bills impose additional burdens on small property owners who are already struggling to stay in business," Hogan said. A measure that creates requirements related to virtual education for public schools also was vetoed by the governor. Giving the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) discretion to shut down underperforming schools as currently drafted in this bill gives too much influence to political whims, instead of putting learning at the forefront, Hogan said. Hogan also vetoed a bill that aims to ensure the state's transportation planning is more equitable. The governor said the regulatory landscape could change later in the year, with new federal guidance and regulations. Adopting new state requirements as the federal requirements are being updated will result in conflicts, inconsistencies, or other unintended consequences, Hogan wrote. Bills that would have required Senate approval to appoint the executive director of the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention, Youth and Victim Services, and a bill to create a professional qualification requirement for the state health secretary also were rejected by the governor. Senate Bill 819 and House Bill 287 create a dangerous precedent and significantly undermine the voters and the Maryland Constitution, which entrusts the executive branch with making appointments to critical government roles," Hogan wrote. Separately, the governor said 294 additional measures will take effect without his signature. Commentary: Washington pitches Indo-Pacific Strategy in vain attempt to reshape Asia Xinhua) 11:30, May 27, 2022 BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden, in a belated and hasty manner, has concluded his first trip to Asia since taking office, seeking in vain to rope regional countries into Washington's anti-China agenda. During his five-day journey to Asia, Biden pitched his Indo-Pacific Strategy and the so-called Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), in an attempt to create small cliques and turn Asia into a geopolitical arena for containing China. But behind all that sugarcoating, Washington's ulterior motives can fool nobody. In fact, a Cold War mentality is in the DNA of the warlike United States, which is in the habit of stoking divisions and confrontations, eclipsing its rivals in that regard and raking in profits. As a long-established global superpower that continues to manipulate global issues and meddle in regional affairs, the United States has to face squarely, albeit unwillingly, its fading clout. With compounding woes at home, it can no longer spare enough time to play "cop of the world" like before, nor retain its economic hegemony. That is why the IPEF may end up another hollow promise in Washington's stockpile of lies. There is no real beef in the framework, which is neither complete nor clear at the macro level to outline an integrated regional economic order, and is more symbolic than it is effective. A Bloomberg report said that many officials in Asia do not understand the IPEF, with some even asking "what is it that we want to join?" The Associated Press commented that the framework lacks practical elements such as market access, and its true appeal is in question. The deal is in essence a "blueprint" for creating another exclusive U.S.-led economic bloc to isolate and counter China, and again by means of forcing regional countries to take sides and disrupting the regular regional economic order. Such attempts were further exposed when Biden chose a Samsung Electronics Co. semiconductor plant as his first destination in South Korea. The trip was undertaken as "the U.S. seeks to strengthen supply chains and reboot its own manufacturing amid competition with China," according to the Wall Street Journal. As the world economy is sailing through rough seas, Washington's attempt to deliberately create economic decoupling, technological blockades, and industrial chain disruptions will aggravate the supply chain crisis, damage the regional cooperation structure and strain regional integration. This anachronistic move can fool no sober minds. When Biden arrived in Japan on Sunday, about 750 protesters took to the streets against the planned U.S.-Japan summit and the summit of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad). Takakage Fujita, director-general of a civil group dedicated to upholding and developing the Murayama Statement, told Xinhua that the United States "cooked up the IPEF to use Japan and ASEAN countries for the benefit of its own." It is also worth noting that Biden was the only one of the four leaders who mentioned "China" during the Second In-Person Quad Leaders' Summit on Tuesday. It not only laid bare Washington's devious plans to counter China militarily through the geopolitical bloc of Quad, but also indicated that each country in the region has its own worries and is hesitant to get on Washington's anti-China chariot. A few years ago, Washington waged a trade war on Beijing, sending shockwaves across the world. Most recently, following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the U.S.-led NATO has kept on fanning the flames, which has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, heightened international security concerns and jolted the global market. However, a self-serving Washington remains on the wrong track. It continues to peddle a so-called "deterrence" and "containment" policy, seeking to manipulate Asia-Pacific countries as pawns to retain its hegemony and to build an Asian-Pacific version of NATO. Its divisive attempt is doomed here in Asia, an inclusive region which embraces globalization and free trade, and a region that has created a world-inspiring "Asia-Pacific miracle." Bloc politics can never engage Asian countries in any frameworks, but win-win cooperation can. Peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific are not only important for the region, but also for the world. Washington should quit inventing pretexts to destabilize other regions, and focus instead on solving its own crises and engaging in equal-footed, inclusive cooperation that delivers concrete results. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Photo taken on May 28, 2022 shows an oxygen producing plant in Baghlan Province, Afghanistan. An oxygen producing plant has been built in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province to overcome the shortage of essential gas in hospitals, the state-run news agency Bakhtar reported Friday.(Photo by Mehrabuddin Ibrahimi/Xinhua) KABUL, May 27 (Xinhua) -- An oxygen producing plant has been built in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province to overcome the shortage of essential gas in hospitals, the state-run news agency Bakhtar reported Friday. Constructed at a cost of 120,000 U.S. dollars, the plant with a capacity of filling 60 cylinders of oxygen gas within 24 hours was given to provincial health authorities on Thursday, the news agency reported. The oxygen shortage would be solved in all hospitals of Baghlan province with the inauguration of the oxygen plant in the province, according to the news agency. The shortage of oxygen in some Afghan hospitals had led to death of COVID-19 affected persons in 2020-21 when the contagious disease was in its peak in Afghanistan. The Afghan government has already built oxygen-producing plants in some provinces including Kabul, Herat and Nimroz to overcome the oxygen shortage in hospitals. Photo taken on May 28, 2022 shows an oxygen producing plant in Baghlan Province, Afghanistan. An oxygen producing plant has been built in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province to overcome the shortage of essential gas in hospitals, the state-run news agency Bakhtar reported Friday.(Photo by Mehrabuddin Ibrahimi/Xinhua) Photo taken on May 28, 2022 shows an oxygen producing plant in Baghlan Province, Afghanistan. An oxygen producing plant has been built in Afghanistan's northern Baghlan province to overcome the shortage of essential gas in hospitals, the state-run news agency Bakhtar reported Friday.(Photo by Mehrabuddin Ibrahimi/Xinhua) When the United States military calls on its members to serve, people will answer no matter how many times they've already served. Stephen Young, the director of Huron County Veterans Affairs, has been called to active military duty with the Michigan Army National Guard. Young anticipates that he will be activated on or around July 1, and stay on active duty until approximately September 2023. He was informed of this late last year. Its just a normal Department of Defense rotation, Young described it. Young has been part of the Michigan Army National Guard since 1992 and has been called to service on three previous instances. The first was right after 9/11 and he was deployed to the Detroit Airport for six months, the second was from 2008-09 when he was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait, and the third was from 2011-12 when he was deployed to Afghanistan. While Young did not exactly say where he will be deployed to, he will be part of Operation Inherent Resolve, which is the U.S. militarys name for its operation against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria and Iraq. For National Guard units that get activated to go on rotation, there are one to two months of training and evaluation to make sure they are good to go, approximately nine months doing their mission, then about a month where the soldiers return to the states to go through the demobilization process. Its normally a 12-month rotation, nine with boots on the ground and three months for pre-mobilizing and post-mobilizing, Young said. Young has been part of the Veterans Affairs office since he was hired as a casual employee in 2007, becoming director in 2009. We do anything and everything, Young said. So when veterans come in, we talk to them and determine what kind of benefits they are eligible for. Some services the Veterans Affairs office takes care of include: Helping file disability claims. Helping with non-service connected pensions. Making sure surviving spouses and dependents receive benefits they are eligible for. Administering Huron County burial funds. Being the local agent for the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund. In Youngs place, the Huron County Veterans Council voted that Aaron LaPonsie, another department employee, will serve as acting director of the Huron County Veteran Affairs. Even with me deployed, the office will still be running as normal, Young said. Upon completion of his service, Young will return to the director position. BOISE, Idaho (AP) A woman charged in Idaho with killing her two youngest children and her new husbands previous wife will be tried alongside her husband and their trial has been delayed until early next year because the judge says that will give her lawyers enough time to effectively prepare a defense. Judge Steven Boyce on Thursday ruled that delaying Lori Vallow Daybells trial another 90 days to Jan. 9 would not violate her rights for a speedy trial. Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell have pleaded not guilty and could face the death penalty if they are convicted. The Daybells are charged with murder, conspiracy and grand theft in connection with the deaths of 7-year-old Joshua JJ Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Idaho law enforcement began investigating the Daybells in November 2019 after extended family members reported the children were missing. While the children were missing, police said the couple lied about the childrens whereabouts. Their bodies were found buried later on Chad Daybells property in rural Idaho. Chad and Lori Daybell married just two weeks after his previous wife, Tammy Daybell, died unexpectedly. Tammy Daybells death was initially reported as natural causes, but investigators had her body exhumed after growing suspicious when Chad Daybell quickly remarried. Lori Vallow Daybell is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in Arizona in connection with the death of her previous husband. Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Lori Daybells brother, Alex Cox, who claimed it was self-defense. Cox later died of what police said was natural causes. Vallow in April entered a not guilty plea and invoked her right to a speedy trial, which legally needed to take place by October. That complicated plans for a combined trial for her and her husband. On May 19, prosecutors asked that Vallows trial be postponed until Jan. 9. Prosecutors expressed concern that if Vallow was separately in October that an improper severance would happen with the couples cases. Boyce also expressed concern whether Vallows recently appointed attorneys had enough time to prepare for the trial and said the 90-day delay would give them more. He noted that prosecutors have worked on the case since 2020. ST. LOUIS (AP) A federal judge has ordered St. Louis County to pay $300,000 to two people who sued after police barged into their home six years ago with guns drawn and without a warrant. A final judgment in the case was entered Thursday against the county, ordering it to pay Jon Luer and Andrea Steinebach for damages stemming from the home intrusion, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri said in a news release. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A federal court panel on Friday ordered Ohio to hold an Aug. 2 primary using the third set of Statehouse maps approved by the Ohio Redistricting Commission, despite a rebuke of the plan by the state's high court. The court acted after giving Ohio a Saturday deadline to come up with a new map for legislative districts, a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio said in its ruling. That deadline will be missed, as the GOP-controlled commission did not schedule any meetings. We recognized from the outset that choosing a remedy would be challenging, Circuit Judge Amul Thapar said in the 2-1 majority opinion. And between the standoff among state officials and the delay in getting the case, our options were limited, Thapar wrote. So we chose the best of our bad options. The federal court's decision came in a lawsuit brought by a group of Republican voters that initially sought to salvage legislative primaries scheduled for May 3 by using the commission's third set of district lines, which also was found unconstitutional. Friday's ruling was a victory for that GOP group, as well as for the Republican-dominated redistricting commission, which passed five straight sets of legislative maps that couldn't meet constitutional muster. A directive to the state's 88 elections board regarding the primary will be sent Saturday, said Rob Nichols, spokesperson for Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the state's elections chief and a member of the redistricting commission. Federal Judge Algenon Marbley dissented in Friday's ruling, pointing out that the state Supreme Court reiterated this week that the third map remains unconstitutional. The best option remained the map drawn by two experts, one selected by Republicans, one by Democrats, Marbley said. The two men Douglas Johnson, president of National Demographics Corporation, and Michael McDonald, a University of Florida political science professor were nearly finished when the commission suddenly set aside their work and passed a different map. The two had been paid $450 an hour for the previous four days to draw new maps in work viewed step-by-step online. Ohios map fight comes amid the once-per-decade political mapmaking process that all states must undertake to reflect population changes from the census. A combination of Republican foot-dragging and legal wrangling has extended redistricting well into the 2022 election season and stymied Ohios legislative primaries. Maps were supposed to be completed last fall. A 2015 constitutional amendment, passed overwhelmingly by voters, required the commission to at least attempt to avoid partisan favoritism and to try to proportionally distribute districts to reflect Ohios political makeup, which is split at about 54% Republican, 46% Democrat. Republican commissioners have argued the set of maps they resubmitted to the court most recently met those requirements. By GOP calculations, the boundaries would create a 54-45 Republican majority in the Ohio House and an 18-15 Republican majority in Ohio Senate. Democrats have challenged their numbers, saying many districts counted in Democrats column are very closely divided. Both LaRose and the association representing election officials in Ohios 88 counties, who administer elections, previously said they wanted the legislative primaries to be held Aug. 2. The court's Friday decision was disappointing, said state Sen. Vernon Sykes, an Akron Democrat and redistricting commission co-chair. But he noted the ruling only affects elections this year. The Ohio Redistricting Commission still has the responsibility to draw fair, constitutional maps for the rest of the decade and I will continue to work toward that goal, Sykes said. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Incoming Kentucky high school seniors who have previously taken the ACT will be eligible to retake the test for free, Gov. Andy Beshear announced. A statewide ACT retake day will be held this fall on a date chosen by Kentucky's Department of Education. More information on the date and locations will be shared with schools in the coming months, Beshear said Thursday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KHARKIV, Ukraine - Yulia Yuliantseva's journey home took longer than her flight to safety, yet each step was accompanied by many of the same fears. Nearly three months ago, she and her 12-year-old son, Mattvii, fled their apartment in Kharkiv and ran through the snow to the nearest subway station - she in flip-flops, her son in stocking feet - as Russian forces pounded the city with rockets and heavy artillery. Though no part of the city was spared, Yuliantseva's neighborhood of Saltivka, in the northeastern part of the city, was among the hardest hit. Thousands of her neighbors sheltered with her in the Studentska station. This week, as Yuliantseva and her son packed to go after nearly three months in their makeshift bomb shelter, mixed emotions flooded over them. They missed their home but were afraid of periodic shelling. They were reluctant to leave the safety of the station but couldn't bear to spend another day underground, in close quarters with dozens of other families. Most of all, Yuliantseva worried about her son's fragile mental state. Would he be able to sleep at night? Would his speech impediment get worse? "It's scary to return home," said Yuliantseva, 41, adding that it was even scarier knowing there was nothing but sky between her fifth-floor walk-up and a Russian airstrike. "I'm always going to be afraid." As the Ukrainian military continues to drive Russian forces back in the north, residents of Ukraine's second-largest city have begun to dig out. City officials estimate 2,500 to 5,000 residents have returned each day, even as Russian Grad rockets continue to terrorize the populace. "It's really difficult to restart life in the city when the Russian aggressor continues hitting it," Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in an interview. On Thursday, seven people were killed and 17 injured in indiscriminate shelling, a regional official reported on Telegram. Yet residents are determined to return things to normal. Workers swept broken glass, unsnarled downed electric wires and trimmed the grassy medians of mostly deserted boulevards. A humanitarian aid station handed out flour, sugar and pasta to hundreds of people waiting in line. Others bought bread or produce from the backs of delivery trucks. Near the city center, at Specialty Cafe, baristas drew pictures in the foam of freshly brewed cappuccinos and a group of Ukrainian soldiers downed breakfast as one of them FaceTimed with someone back home. But there is destruction everywhere. Large apartment towers scorched, peppered with shrapnel or partially collapsed. Businesses gutted. On the side of a disabled van used as a roadblock, a spray-painted message: "Warning!!! Shelling!!!" "I just ducked and tried to hide inside the apartment," said Galyna Chorna, sitting on a bench outside her apartment building, which was untouched but mostly vacant. Chorna, a former factory worker who waited 15 years to get her spot in the building when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, said she was still in shock over the Russian invasion. "I couldn't believe they would attack us because we're intertwined," the 76-year-old said. Nearby, a similar apartment building had partially collapsed, killing at least one tenant, according to neighbors. The mayor wouldn't say how many residents have been killed since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the war Feb. 24. He said bodies are still being found beneath the rubble. "This was really a genocide against Ukrainians," Terekhov said. Nearly 2,500 apartment buildings and approximately 1,000 single-family homes were damaged, he said. Russian forces also struck more than 200 schools, 55 medical buildings, five churches and nearly 50 cultural institutions, including the Kharkiv Art Museum. "The numbers are staggering," Terekhov said. Even during the heaviest attacks, though, city workers maintained basic public services - water, electricity, even garbage collection. City courts operated via remote hookups. Only transportation came to a halt, including the subway, as people sought shelter in stations throughout the city. Before the war, about 450,000 passengers passed through the turnstiles on an average day, said Yulia Fedianina, station manager at the Heroes of Labor stop. Restarting service this week has meant coaxing people to leave, she said, and getting them to cart out all the things they retrieved from home during lulls in the fighting. And there was still a lot left: beds, cots, mattresses, at least one geodesic tent and a double bunk set up near the eTicket kiosks. Also tables, chairs, stools, stools doubling as tables, crockery, silverware, food tins, bottles of water, clothing, shoes and - here and there - touches of color: a pair of framed religious icons, a print of a bird on a silk scarf, freshly cut lilacs in a vase. And there were pet carriers, litter boxes, water dishes and kibble bowls for dogs and cats. Somehow, despite the circumstances - including a single primitive toilet - hundreds of strangers managed to get along. (If anything, Fedianina said, the pets got along even better.) In the cramped space - with individual plots often walled off with cardboard boxes - friendships formed. So did romances. There were breakups, too. Fedianina said she thought about setting up two tables for counseling - one for marriages, the other for divorce. "Some of them even said, 'I never loved you. I stayed with you 15 years because of the kids!' " Fedianina remembered. Some couples were bold enough to have sex on the crowded platforms. "I did!" a man said, overhearing her talking about it. Only about 80 people were still living full-time in the Heroes of Labor station; another 60 returned at night to shelter from possible shelling. There were fewer at Studentska. Oksana Yarmok, 35, who worked as an editor for a small social media company before the war, ventured home last week, only to have Russian explosives chase her back into the metro station. "It's a 30-minute walk from here, 20 minutes if you run," she said. "It's not really safe." Yuliantseva was also wary about returning home. "If it was the end of the war, I'd be the first one out of here," she said, as she packed her things the day before she planned to move and less than an hour after the city had been shelled again. Nearby, Mattvii sat hunched over his phone. Their white housecat, Semyon, presided from the foot of her bed. Even before the war, Yuliantseva - a single mother and a psychologist by training - had taken time away from work to devote extra care to her son's special needs, including a speech impediment. Now she worried about the effect of war on his psyche. Before they were driven out of their home, she had a rule for her son: no more than one hour on the phone - but so much for that in a bomb shelter. "Mattvii, don't do that," she said at one point, interrupting her conversation because he was being a little rough with the cat. When it came time to go Tuesday, she cleaned out the litter box, gathered her things and walked down a flight of stairs, holding the cat carrier and towing a heavy wheeled bag. Mattvii followed with his belongings. They crossed the platform past idled trains, climbed a set of stairs, spoke with a security guard who asked whether she would be coming back, then headed down a corridor to yet another set of stairs. Out in the bright sunlight, she hugged her son. It took an hour for their bus to arrive. Three stops later, they got out near a checkpoint and passed several damaged buildings before turning onto their street where - just beyond the sidewalk's edge - a blast had carved a crater eight feet wide. Then five more flights of stairs and a search for her key before she could open the door. "I'm home." - - - The Washington Post's Serhii Korolchuk contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - White House officials are currently planning to cancel $10,000 in student debt per borrower, after months of internal deliberations over how to structure loan forgiveness for tens of millions of Americans, three people with knowledge of the matter said. President Biden had hoped to make the announcement as soon as this weekend at the University of Delaware commencement, the people said, but that timing has changed after the massacre Tuesday in Texas. The White House's latest plans called for limiting debt forgiveness to Americans who earned less than $150,000 in the previous year, or less than $300,000 for married couples filing jointly, two of the people said. It was unclear whether the administration will simultaneously require interest and payments to resume at the end of August, when the current pause is scheduled to lapse. The people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the deliberations, cautioned that some details of these plans could change before the White House makes the decision official. The likely decision follows months of uncertainty over the fate of student debt for tens of millions of Americans, with Biden at times sounding skeptical of canceling loans but under pressure from his collapsing approval ratings among young voters ahead of November's elections. The decision will also ignite new fights between Democrats and Republicans over federal spending and could prove to be a defining issue on the campaign trail, as GOP lawmakers have already said the idea amounts to wasteful spending that primarily benefits affluent college-educated professionals. The White House said no final determination has been made about the matter. Biden said he would come to a decision on student debt in the "next couple of weeks" on April 28, nearly a month ago. "No decisions have been made yet," Vedant Petal, a White House spokesman, said in a statement Thursday. Wiping out $10,000 of debt per borrower could cost roughly $230 billion, according to estimates by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan think tank. However, restarting payments for borrowers, which have been on hold since March 2020, would bring additional money into federal coffers. The think tank said in March that pausing payments had cost the federal government $100 billion and would run around $50 billion per year to maintain. The Washington Post had previously reported that the administration was considering making only undergraduate debt eligible for forgiveness. The White House has been looking for economic measures it can enact without congressional approval since the collapse of Biden's Build Back Better economic agenda at the end of last year. But while the administration has looked at polling suggesting a large majority of young voters support debt cancellation, the politics of the move remain unclear. Biden's approval ratings on the economy have sagged amid the fastest price increases in four decades, and his plans to improve housing, health care and child poverty have been blocked by failed negotiations with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. Republicans will further pillory the decision for being made unilaterally, without Congress, and even some centrist Democrats are uneasy about the idea. Biden told a meeting of Hispanic lawmakers last month that he was open to canceling student loan debt. He had pledged during the 2020 presidential campaign to forgive at least $10,000 in debt per borrower, after Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and other liberals pushed the idea. Most of the nation's 41 million student borrowers stand to benefit. Canceling $10,000 in debt for everyone with federal student loans would settle the balances of roughly a third of borrowers, while cutting total debt by at least half for another 20%, according to the latest data from the Education Department. It's unclear, however, how income limits would affect those numbers. An estimated 97% of all student debt was held by people earning below the threshold of $150,000 per person and $300,000 per couple in 2019, according to Matt Bruenig, founder of the left-leaning think tank People's Policy Project. The White House is not expected to immediately release all the details of the process borrowers would use to get their debts canceled. But it could be quite complicated logistically. For instance, the administration is imposing an income cap on who qualifies to ensure that high earners do not receive government help they do not need. But there are hurdles to using income to target debt relief. The Education and Treasury departments cannot readily share borrowers' tax information, and legislation easing the restriction won't take effect for two years. Relying on tax data could also exclude millions of lower-income Americans who do not file taxes but do owe student loans. A self-attestation process, whereby people would certify that their income qualifies, could pose challenges for the government to verify the information. Even asking borrowers to apply for forgiveness could limit the reach of the policy. And because it probably will take months for the Education Department to implement any program, the political benefits could be limited. Proponents of student debt forgiveness, including Warren and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have urged the administration to go much further and cancel at least $50,000 per borrower, if not all outstanding federal education loans. They say reducing the burden of student loans would help stimulate the economy and close the racial wealth gap, as Black borrowers shoulder a disproportionate amount of debt. Before a rally at the White House earlier this month, Wisdom Cole, the national director of the NAACP's youth and college division, said, "The Black community continues to be shackled by student debt, and $10,000 in cancellation will not break the chains." But some economists have argued that lavishing loan forgiveness on college graduates is an irresponsible and costly policy. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated that roughly 70% of the benefit will go to those in the top half of the income spectrum. Critics of debt forgiveness also say it does nothing to address college costs or the troubled lending system. It's not clear whether people who need to borrow to start college this fall, for instance, would be eligible to have brand-new loans forgiven. Still, even by capping forgiveness at $10,000, the Biden administration could help people who are arguably most in need of cancellation - those in default on their loans. Defaults and delinquencies on student loans were concentrated among borrowers with less than $10,000 in debt before the pause of federal student loan payments, according to the Federal Reserve. Economists at the Fed say borrowers with the least amount of debt often have difficulty repaying their loans, in part because they did not complete a degree needed to improve their earnings. Narrowing the parameters of loan forgiveness is in line with the Biden administration's targeted approach to debt relief. The administration has already wiped out $18.5 billion in loans for more than 750,000 people by temporarily expanding or streamlining existing forgiveness programs, including those designed to help public servants and borrowers defrauded by their colleges. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) A New Hampshire man convicted of killing his wifes co-worker and forcing her to behead him was sentenced Friday to life in prison, plus 45 years. Armando Barron, 32, was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder, which carries a mandatory sentence of life without parole. A judge imposed additional time as recommended by prosecutors for other crimes, including kidnapping, criminal solicitation and assault. Your actions were brutal. They were also horrific, they were selfish, and they were completely senseless, Judge Elizabeth Leonard told Barron. The abject cruelty, the pain and suffering and all that you inflicted on Jonathan that night is unfathomable. Barron was accused of assaulting his wife after discovering she had been texting with her co-worker, 25-year-old Jonathan Amerault, in September 2020. Prosecutors said he used his wifes cellphone to lure Amerault to a park, where he beat and kicked him before forcing him into his own car and fatally shooting him. Barron's lawyers argued that his wife shot Amerault, which she denied. Britany Barron, 33, testified that after Amerault was shot, she was forced to drive the car 200 miles (320 kilometers) north to a remote campsite, with Armando following behind her. There, she said, she was forced to behead Amerault. Her husband eventually left her at the site, telling her to dispose of the body, she testified. Their voices shaking with anger and sadness, Ameraults parents both called Barron a disgusting leech Friday. The only good thing I see about all this heinous, heinous crime is that you are not 40 years old, 50 or 60, but only 30 years old. You have a long, long time to fade away and rot in prison, Kenny Amerault said. My son Jonathan was a thousand times more of a man than this lowlife could ever even dream of being, Justine Amerault said. The loss of Jonathan to this world is incredibly sad. "But the saddest part of all is that in spite of him being surrounded by so many wonderful people, this evil creature just slithered right through us all and took him from us. And the last hours of Jonathans beautiful life were in the company of this ugly, hideous, demented creature. Barron, who did not speak at the sentencing hearing, plans to appeal his convictions, his lawyer said. The Associated Press had previously 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. The suspects in the shootings at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school and a Buffalo, New York, supermarket were both just 18, authorities say, when they bought the weapons used in the attacks too young to legally purchase alcohol or cigarettes, but old enough to arm themselves with assault-style weapons. The Buffalo suspect was taken to a hospital last year for a mental health evaluation, but the incident didn't trigger New York's red flag law and he was still able to purchase a gun. The Texas suspects mother told ABC he gave her an uneasy feeling" at times and could be aggressive ... If he really got mad." But authorities say he had no known criminal or mental health history. The state has no such red flag law. They are just the latest suspected U.S. mass shooters whose ability to obtain guns has raised concerns. In some cases shooters got guns legally under current firearms laws, or because of background check lapses or law enforcements failure to heed warnings of concerning behavior. After the shootings, which together left 31 people dead, President Joe Biden renewed calls for stronger gun laws and questioned whether people as young as 18 should be allowed to purchase firearms. In the past, Biden has called for banning assault-style weapons and expanding background checks. Many Republicans oppose the measures. A look at how suspects in mass shootings over a decade obtained guns, based on police accounts, court documents and contemporaneous reporting: UVALDE, TEXAS: MAY 24, 2022. 21 DEAD. Salvador Ramos legally purchased two guns in the days before the attack that killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School an AR-style rifle from a federally licensed gun dealer in the Uvalde area on May 17 and a second rifle on May 20. Ramos made the purchases just days after turning 18, the minimum age under federal law for buying a rifle. He also purchased several hundred rounds of ammunition. At least one of the rifles was a DDM4, made by Daniel Defense and modeled after the U.S. militarys M4 carbine rifle, though without the M4s ability to switch to fully automatic or fire a three-round burst. The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong, Biden said hours after the shooting Tuesday. What in Gods name do you need an assault weapon for except to kill someone? Ramos was killed at the school by a Border Patrol team. ___ BUFFALO, NEW YORK: MAY 14, 2022. 10 DEAD. Payton Gendron legally purchased the Bushmaster XM-15 E2S used in the attack on Tops Friendly Market from a federally licensed gun dealer near his home in Conklin, New York, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Buffalo. In a personal, online diary that surfaced after the attack, Gendron said he bought the AR-15-style weapon in January, bought a shotgun in December and received a rifle as a Christmas present from his dad when he was 16. Last year, Gendron was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation under a state mental health law after writing murder-suicide in response to a teachers question. New York is one of 19 states with red flag laws that allow courts to take guns from people posing immediate danger, but that didnt happen with Gendron, who was 17 at the time. State police described his threat as general in nature and said it didnt specifically mention shooting or firearms. After the shooting, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order underscoring the need for red flag interventions and said she would seek to bar people under 21 from buying some semi-automatic weapons in the state. A similar law in California was ruled unconstitutional. Gendron is charged with murder. ___ SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA: MAY 26, 2021. 9 DEAD. Samuel James Cassidy legally purchased the three 9 mm handguns he used to kill co-workers and then himself at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority rail yard. He also stockpiled a dozen guns and 25,000 rounds of ammunition at his home, which he set ablaze before the shooting, and had high-capacity magazines that may have been illegal under California law, depending on when they were purchased. Santa Claras district attorney said authorities wouldve sought to take Cassidys weapons away under the states red flag law had U.S. Customs and Border Protection informed them of a Significant Encounter with Cassidy upon his return to California from a trip to the Philippines in 2016. Customs agents said in a report that Cassidy harbored dark thoughts about harming two specific people and had a memo book in which he expressed his hatred of the transit agency. ___ BOULDER, COLORADO: MARCH 22, 2021. 10 DEAD. Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa bought a Ruger AR-556 pistol, a semi-automatic weapon with a capacity of up to 30 rounds, six days before the shooting at King Soopers grocery store, police said. Alissa was prone to sudden rage and was convicted of misdemeanor assault and sentenced to probation for attacking a high school classmate. Colorado has a universal background check law covering almost all gun sales, but that misdemeanor would not have prevented him from buying a weapon, experts said. Had it been a felony, federal law wouldve barred his purchase. Days before the shooting, a judge struck down city ordinances banning assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines in Boulder, citing a state law prohibiting local gun bans. The NRA backed the lawsuit challenging the ordinances. A judge ruled last month that Alissa is mentally incompetent to stand trial. ___ ATLANTA: MARCH 16, 2021. 8 DEAD. Robert Aaron Long purchased a 9 mm handgun just hours before going on a shooting rampage at three massage businesses in the Atlanta area, police said. A lawyer for the gun shop said it complies with federal background check laws. Georgia, like the majority of states, has no waiting period to obtain a gun. Long claimed to have a sex addiction, police said, and he spent time at an addiction recovery facility last year. Federal law bans guns for people who are unlawful users of or addicted to a controlled substance or whove been court-ordered to a mental health or substance abuse treatment facility, but doesnt mention treatment for other compulsions as a barrier to ownership. Long is serving a sentence life without parole. ___ MIDLAND, TEXAS: AUG. 31, 2019. 7 DEAD. Seth Aaron Ator purchased an AR-style rifle through a private sale, allowing him to evade a federal background check, and fired it indiscriminately from his car into passing vehicles and shopping plazas. He also hijacked a mail truck, killing the driver. Ator had been blocked from getting a gun in 2014 after his background check was flagged because a court determined he was mentally ill, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the matter. Private sales, which account for up to 40% of all gun sales according to some estimates, are not subject to a federal background check and private sellers aren't required to determine if a buyer is eligible to own a gun. Ator was killed by police. ___ DAYTON, OHIO: AUG. 4, 2019. 9 DEAD. Connor Betts classmates said he was suspended in high school for compiling a hit list and a rape list, but authorities said nothing in his background prevented him from purchasing the AR-15-style pistol used in the shooting at Ned Peppers Bar. Ohio law requires that sealed records of any juvenile crimes be expunged either after five years or once the offender turns 23. Betts, who was 24 at the time of the shooting, bought the gun online from a Texas dealer. It was then shipped to a Dayton-area firearms dealer, in accordance with federal law. Betts was killed by police. ___ EL PASO, TEXAS: AUG. 3, 2019. 23 DEAD. Patrick Crusius bought an AK-47-style rifle and 1,000 rounds of hollow-point ammunition online 45 days before he walked into a Walmart store and opened fire, killing 23 people and injuring two dozen others, before confessing that he had been targeting Mexicans, according to prosecutors. A Crusius family lawyer said his mother raised concerns about the purchase in a call to police on June 27. Police said she asked if Crusius, who was 21 at the time, was old enough to buy a gun. Police said she was assured he was and that he'd qualify if he passed a background check. Police said she expressed concern only about his safety and said shed seen no recent change in his behavior. Crusius posted a racist screed online just before the attack and appeared to target Mexicans. He's charged with capital murder in Texas and federal hate crimes and firearms offenses. ___ VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA: MAY 31, 2019. 12 DEAD. Former Virginia Beach city employee DeWayne Craddock legally purchased six firearms in the three years before he opened fire on a municipal building, including the two .45-caliber pistols used in the attack. An independent review of the shooting, commissioned by the City of Virginia Beach, found that Craddock displayed no warning signs or prohibited behaviors associated with a pathway to violence, and that he had no known history of mental health treatment. Craddock was killed by police. ___ THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA: NOV. 7, 2018. 12 DEAD. Ian David Long, a former Marine machine gunner who served in Afghanistan, used a legally purchased .45-caliber pistol with an extended magazine in the shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill. California tried to outlaw high-capacity magazines, but a federal judge reversed that after a pro-gun group sued. Months before the shooting, sheriffs deputies called to Longs home found him acting irrationally, but a mental health specialist didnt feel he needed to be involuntarily committed. California has a red flag law, but theres no indication authorities sought a court order to take away Long's guns. Long killed himself. ___ PITTSBURGH: OCT. 27, 2018. 11 DEAD. Robert Gregory Bowers had a carry license and legally owned the Colt AR-15 SP1 and three Glock .357 handguns police said he used to kill worshipers at Tree of Life synagogue. Bowers spent months posting rants against Jews on Gab, a social media site favored by right-wing extremists. He also posted photos of his "glock family. Just before the attack, he posted a screed against a Jewish organization that resettles refugees, saying: I cant sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, Im going in. None of the rhetoric appeared to raise red flags. His case is pending. ___ SANTA FE, TEXAS: MAY. 18, 2018. 10 DEAD. Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a 17-year-old student, used a shotgun and a .38-caliber handgun that his father purchased legally and stored in a closet at their home, authorities said. It wasnt clear if his father knew hed taken the guns. Prior to the attack, Pagourtzis posted a photo on social media of a T-shirt with the phrase Born to Kill and had writings indicating he planned to attack his high school. A judge sent him to a mental health facility after ruling he was incompetent to stand trial. high school. ___ PARKLAND, FLORIDA: FEB. 14, 2018. 17 DEAD. Nikolas Cruz legally purchased a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle in February 2017 from a licensed dealer a few miles from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, authorities said. Hed been treated at a mental health clinic but hadnt been there in more than a year. Federal law prohibits gun purchases if a court declares a person a mental defective or commits that person to an institution, but not if the person seeks treatment voluntarily. Cruz was 19 at the time of the shooting. He pleaded guilty in October. A four-month penalty trial is scheduled to begin this summer that will determine if he is sentenced to death or life without parole. ___ SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, TEXAS: NOV. 5, 2017. 25 DEAD. Devin Patrick Kelleys history of domestic abuse barred him from buying guns. He was able to because information about his crimes was never entered into a federal database used for background checks. The Air Force failed to follow rules requiring that it inform the FBI about his conduct. Kelley purchased four guns, including an AR-15-style rifle found at First Baptist Church, from licensed Texas and Colorado dealers over a four-year span. Kelley killed himself. ___ LAS VEGAS: OCT. 1, 2017. 58 DEAD. Stephen Paddock purchased 33 of the 49 weapons found in his hotel room and at his homes in the year before he opened fire on a country music festival. Paddock passed all background checks. His gradual accumulation of guns went undetected because federal law doesn't require licensed gun dealers to alert the government about rifle purchases. Paddock killed himself. ___ ORLANDO, FLORIDA: JUNE 12, 2016. 49 DEAD. Omar Mateen purchased an AR-15-style rifle, a Sig Sauer MCX, and a handgun from a licensed dealer on separate days about a week before the Pulse nightclub attack. He passed a background check and had a security license that allowed him to be armed while on duty. The FBI investigated Mateen in 2013 and 2014 over co-workers concerns that hed spoken about ties to terrorist groups. Neither inquiry led to charges. Even if he'd been placed on a terrorism watch list, Congress in 2015 rejected attempts to prevent people on the list from purchasing guns. Mateen was killed by police. ___ SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA: DEC. 2, 2015. 14 DEAD. Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, used weapons the FBI said his neighbor, Enrique Marquez, legally purchased from a licensed dealer in 2011 and 2012. Marquez pleaded guilty to charges he conspired to provide support to terrorists and made false statements to acquire a firearm. He told investigators Farook asked him to buy the weapons because he would draw less attention. Farook and Malik were killed by police. ___ ROSEBURG, OREGON: OCT. 1, 2015. 10 DEAD. Christopher Harper-Mercer and his family members legally purchased the handguns and rifle used in the Umpqua Community College shooting from a licensed dealer. Investigators found six guns at the college and eight at an apartment. Neighbors said Harper-Mercer and his mother went target shooting together. Harper-Mercer killed himself after he was wounded by police. ___ CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: JUNE 17, 2015. 9 DEAD. A drug arrest should've prevented Dylann Roof from purchasing the pistol he used at Emanuel AME Church, but a record-keeping error and background check delay enabled the transaction to go through. The FBI said a background check examiner never saw the arrest report because the wrong arresting agency was listed in state criminal history records. After three days, the gun dealer was legally permitted to complete the transaction. He was convicted and is on federal death row. ___ WASHINGTON: SEPT. 16, 2013. 12 DEAD. Aaron Alexis, a former reservist turned civilian contractor, passed background checks and legally purchased the shotgun used in the Washington Navy Yard shooting despite recent mental health treatment and a history of violent outbursts. He previously fired a gun in anger twice but wasnt prosecuted in either case. Alexis was killed by police. ___ NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT: DEC. 14, 2012. 26 DEAD. Adam Lanza used his mothers weapons, including a .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle, in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Lanzas mother, whom he fatally shot before going to the school, also purchased the ammunition. Lanza killed himself. ___ AURORA, COLORADO: JULY 20, 2012. 12 DEAD. James Holmes was receiving psychiatric treatment when he passed required federal background checks and legally purchased the weapons he used in his movie theater assault. As in the Parkland and Navy Yard cases, treatment alone did not prevent him from buying guns. He was convicted and sentenced to 12 life terms and thousands of years in prison. ___ Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate VATICAN CITY (AP) The new president of the Italian Conference of Bishops on Friday said he would launch an independent inquiry on sex abuse by Catholic clergy in Italy, but the announcement disappointed victims advocates because it will only go back 20 years. The Italian church is coming under mountain pressure to confront its legacy of clerical sexual abuse. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who was appointed this week by Pope Francis, said the investigation will limit its scope to two decades in order to be more accurate and accountable. Zuppi promised a report would be delivered by Nov. 18 by a panel of independent experts selected among university professors. We are starting from them (the victims), Zuppi told a news conference. It is clear that their suffering drives us, and it should stimulate us to give responses that are trustworthy and serious. Victims advocates say the initiative does not go far enough. They want investigations to span 50 years, and they want to be directly involved in drafting the report. Francesco Zanardi, founder of Rete LAbuso (Abuse Network), one of Italys main victims advocacy groups, said most of the victims report the abuse only after decades have passed. The maturation of a trauma takes between 30, 35 or 40 years, when it goes well, Zanardi told reporters in Rome. I, for example, spoke about my trauma (when I was) 40 years old ... more than 30 years went by ... this says that 20 years is not enough." 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 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. By Zanardis count, 164 priests are under investigation for abuse in Italy and another 162 have been convicted. His group has gathered information another 161 new cases that have come to light this year. PARIS, May 27 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron is willing to work with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to "rebuild" French-Australian relations, the French Presidential Palace Elysee said Thursday. The announcement came after the two leaders spoke on the telephone on Thursday night in the wake of Albanese's election victory last Saturday. Macron's office said the two leaders agreed to "rebuild a relationship ... (of) trust" after ties were ruptured last year over a scrapped submarine deal. The two leaders agreed to work together on pressing global issues, including the climate emergency and in the Indo-Pacific region, the Elysee said. Work will start on a joint agenda, identifying areas of strategic cooperation between the two countries, Macron's office said. After terminating the submarine program with France last year, Australia signed the AUKUS deal with the United Kingdom and the United States. Under this deal, the U.S. and the United Kingdom pledged to help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) The New Hampshire Supreme Court on Friday released a congressional redistricting plan that moves just five towns from the state's 1st District to the 2nd, rejecting a last-minute attempt by Republicans to block its takeover of the process. Both the House and Senate approved a new map Thursday on the last day of the legislative session. But Republican Gov. Chris Sununu quickly said he would veto it, and the state Supreme Court had said it would release a map Friday if the Legislature failed to enact one. Under the court's map, the towns of Albany, Campton, Jackson, New Hampton and Sandwich would move from the 1st District to the 2nd. A perfect population plan can be achieved by moving whole towns containing the exact number of people necessary to achieve a one-person deviation between the two districts, wrote Nathaniel Persily, a Stanford Law School professor who was appointed by the court as a special master to develop the map. The court denied a motion filed by Senate President Chuck Morse and House Speaker Sherm Packard late Thursday asking the court to dismiss the case or halt the release of its map until after Sununu takes action. The Constitutional lawmaking process does not anticipate that when the Governor is considering an act of the General Court that he will be provided with a judicially created backup proposal that allows him to choose a favorite between a legislative created redistricting map and a judicially created redistricting map, attorneys for the Republican leaders wrote. Sununu, who called the plan unfair in part because it puts both Democratic incumbents in the same district, vetoed the bill Friday, though it's unclear whether he did so before or after the court released its plan. New Hampshire is one few states yet to finalize new U.S. House districts as required every 10 years to reflect population changes. The issue must be decided by June 1, the first day of the filing period for the September primary. Under the vetoed plan, the 1st District would have covered the southeast corner of the state and be tilted slightly toward Republicans, while the 2nd District would have covered the western half of the state and the north country and become slightly more Democratic. More than two dozen towns and cities comprising nearly a third of the states population would have switched districts, including Manchester. Oral arguments on the court's plan will be held Tuesday. WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Authorities have identified a man killed earlier this week following an exchanging gunfire with a Wichita SWAT team during a more than 10-hour standoff. Police said Gregorio Merced Banuelos, 39, of Wichita, died following the shootout. Officers were called to a home in west Wichita after a report of a shooting. Arriving officers found a woman and child in the front yard and saw a man with a gun go into a home as other people inside the house left the residence. After about 10 hours, SWAT team members entered the home and exchanged gunfire with the suspect, later identified as Banuelos, in the home's basement, television station KAKE reported. Wichita police Capt. Jason Stephens said in a news conference that as officers retreated from the home through the garage and that Banuelos followed them and aggressively advanced on officers. Two officers positioned outside saw this, believed he was moving towards those officers armed with a gun, and fired in defense of those officers," Stephens said. Banuelos died at the scene. No one else was injured, police said. Two Wichita police officers and two Sedgwick County sheriff's deputies have been placed on administrative leave per department policy, Stephens said. Police said Banuelos was wanted on two felony warrants out of Sedgwick County and was a convicted felon who was prohibited from owning a gun. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is investigating his shooting death. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PHOENIX (AP) An Arizona man was facing multiple theft charges Friday after detectives found more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the pricy auto parts that play a critical role in reducing vehicle emissions. The discovery followed a months-long investigation that began with a January tip that someone was storing stolen catalytic converters in an industrial area near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. We were very surprised at the amount in there, Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier said in a police video taken Thursday as officers were pulling converters from the jam-packed storage locker. The 48-year-old man who police say was buying and selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and may face additional charges. The huge rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of thousands of car and truck owners in the pocketbook and frustrated police, who are faced with a crime that takes just minutes to commit and is difficult to solve even if they find the stolen parts. Catalytic converters are not imprinted at the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market where they are chopped open for the valuable metals they contain. Replacing one can cost a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, an insurance industry group that works to combat insurance fraud and crime. Police say thieves can get from $100 to $150 for each converter. The insurance group counted just 3,969 reports of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, more than 17,000 in 2020 and more than 52,000 last year. Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing legislation designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been introduced this year in 36 states and enacted in 16 states. That includes Arizona, where Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in many instances a crime and adds detailed reporting requirements for scrap dealers that buy legitimate used devices. They must mark the item with the donor vehicle's serial number and retain it for at least a week in original condition. Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 fine for the first offense, a $2,000 fine for a second and at least double that for each additional time they are caught. Those possessing or trying to sell a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements could face a six-month jail sentence. Federal legislation is also in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a bill backed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau that would require serial numbers on new devices, offer grants for programs to stamp numbers on existing cars and trucks and make it easier to prosecute thefts. The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe called it a critical step in helping bring relief to people directly impacted by the thefts. Insurance often does not cover a car owner's losses. Someone carrying just liability coverage or liability and collision is on the hook for the full bill. Even with comprehensive coverage, there is a deductible that may be high enough that it is not worth filing a claim. Lastly, some victims even with coverage may treat the problem as a mechanical issue and just pay for it themselves and never notify their insurer, insurance crime bureau spokesperson Tully Lehman said Friday. Southern Baptist leaders on Thursday evening released a list of alleged church-related sexual abuse offenders that denomination heads had kept secret for more than a decade. The Executive Committee for the Southern Baptist Convention said earlier this week it would publish the names after it issued a third-party investigation that suggested a widespread coverup by top leaders who ignored and even "vilified" people who came forward with stories of abuse. The database, which an SBC attorney said includes people who have been criminally convicted of abuse and those who have confessed to abuse, is expected to show what top leaders knew behind the scenes while telling Southern Baptists they could not create a list of accused abusers because the denomination is not hierarchical and churches operate independently from one another. A description at the top of the document reads: "This is a fluid, working document." It consists of more than 600 entries, the date the person was reported and information largely pulled from news articles, compiled from 2007 until 2022. "It is incomplete. It has not been proofed. It has not been adequately researched. It is not Southern Baptist specific," the document reads. It notes that, after June 2008, "only alleged/convicted names of abusers and [titles] of articles were catalogued." The release of the database comes 15 years after Christa Brown began sounding the alarm that Southern Baptists needed to keep such a list to prevent abusers from transferring from church to church. She first told SBC leaders in 2004 that she had been abused by a youth pastor who went on to serve in other Southern Baptist churches in multiple states. But the report published Sunday by the SBC said she was met with hostility when she suggested the idea in 2007. Brown, 68, was emotional Thursday when she learned that the man she alleges abused her was listed in the database -- an official acknowledgment by the Southern Baptist Convention. "This means so much to us survivors," she said. "It's a reflection of how cruel it was to stonewall any kind of validation for decades. For survivors to heal, this kind of validation is an acknowledgment of the truth of the horror of what was done to us." The man she alleges abused her, who has not been charged or convicted, hung up the phone in response to a Washington Post request for comment. She said the man began to abuse her in 1968 and that when she initially pursued a civil case against him in 2005, the statute of limitations had expired. But, Brown said, the list is also a "very small measure of justice." "They don't get to pat themselves on the back for this," Brown added. "I'm sorry. God only knows why they were keeping it secret. It's the very tiniest thing of what needs to be done." Before releasing the list, attorneys for the SBC said they would redact survivors' names and try to ensure that they only include names of people who were "credibly accused." That includes pastors, denominational workers, ministry employees or volunteers who have confessed to abuse, been convicted in a court of law, or had a civil judgment rendered against them. Also, an independent third party could determine that someone was "credibly accused" by a "preponderance of the evidence." "This is a critical first step," said Rachael Denhollander, an attorney and former gymnast who outed former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar over his serial sexual assaults and is now an adviser on a Southern Baptist task force on the issue. "It at least begins to demonstrate a level of transparency and accountability." The SBC has long sought to distinguish itself from the Catholic Church's sexual abuse scandal by saying its churches were independent from one another. But University of Pennsylvania professor Marci Hamilton, an expert on laws aimed at preventing child abuse, said the SBC has no standing in distinguishing itself legally from the Catholic Church in terms of its responsibility to victims, be they minors or adults when incidents happen. The SBC, she said, is the "governing body of the whole church, so they are responsible for the policies and for the coverup, which is evident." As penalties including billions of dollars have been levied in the past 20 years against the Catholic Church, Hamilton said, other non-Catholic religious groups have argued that their structure and beliefs make them different when it comes to liability. Southern Baptist and nondenominational groups have said they are too loosely affiliated to be liable, but she said courts have found otherwise when they have looked at other faith groups. "The question is: Did they act recklessly, endangering children and adults? And the answer is yes," Hamilton said. "They took unreasonable risks, lacked effective prevention policies, and put individuals in their flocks at risk of being sexually assaulted and abused, by leaving the abusers in positions of authority and not alerting the public and by bypassing going to the authorities. This defense they've been saying -- 'We're organized differently' -- is full of holes. That is no defense." Hamilton said victims who were minors at the time of the abuse and came forward as adults can have a harder time because of slowly changing statutes of limitations. However, more states are extending deadlines for people to bring civil cases. The third-party investigation by Guidepost Solutions, commissioned by Southern Baptists at their annual convention last year and released Sunday, focused narrowly on the SBC's Nashville-based Executive Committee, the second-smallest organization within the SBC that handles the finances and administration, including distributing funds that come in from churches around the country to its other organizations. Two Southern Baptist leaders, Kevin Ezell of the North American Mission Board and Danny Akin of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, said this week that they would invite Guidepost to investigate allegations in their organizations. Akin said in an interview that he knew of maybe three or four instances of alleged sexual abuse in his 19 years at Southeastern, including one that ultimately led to the firing of former Southeastern president Paige Patterson, who was named in the Guidepost report. Akin said he is recommending to his board of trustees that Patterson's name be removed from one of the seminary's buildings. Patterson was fired from another seminary in 2018 after his board of trustees said he had mishandled two women's cases of sexual abuse, including one at Southeastern. The Guidepost report also alleged that Johnny Hunt, a former North American Mission Board vice president and longtime pastor, sexually assaulted a woman, which he has denied on Twitter. Akin said the seminary has already removed his name from programs and facilities. Akin said he was close to both Patterson and Hunt and called the last several days "some of the saddest of my life." "My heart's just crushed, but that has not changed my love for [Johnny], and I'm praying he'll respond appropriately and know Southern Baptists are forgiving people," Akin said. "I think if he tells us what is right, he will receive that forgiveness. Doesn't mean he'll be a pastor or anything, but I believe he could serve significantly. But we'll see." Several sexual abuse survivors have said they plan to fly to Anaheim, Calif., for the SBC's annual meeting next month because they see momentum for potential change. Among them is Jules Woodson, whose 2018 allegation that her Southern Baptist youth pastor sexually assaulted her was viewed as one of the major points that led the denomination to confront sex abuse. On Thursday night, Woodson sobbed when she knew that Andy Savage, whom she says abused her when she was 17, was listed in the database. In 2018, Savage, who has not been charged or convicted, publicly admitted to "a sexual incident," said he was "deeply sorry" and received a standing ovation from his congregation. "I feel acknowledged for the first time in a long time," Woodson said. "They knew. They knew, and they did nothing." Savage, who is a pastor at a non-SBC church in Tennessee, could not be reached for comment. Woodson said leaders of the SBC church she was attending when she was abused in 1998 had told her to remain quiet, and by the time she decided to speak out, the statute of limitations had expired. Her story went viral in 2018, and this is the first time the SBC has acknowledged Savage's name publicly. Woodson said she was later committed to a psychiatric ward because she was depressed and had PTSD, lost her college degree and the career that she wanted, as a pilot (she is now a flight attendant). "I've lost so much," she said while sobbing. Her mother said she would lose her children if she came forward with the story of her abuse. Woodson, said she hopes the SBC will pursue more action than releasing the database Thursday, including establishing a survivor compensation fund and a memorial for survivors in Nashville. "Am I glad for the database?" said Woodson, 41. "Yes. It's one piece of the puzzle." In 2019, Woodson wrote to the leaders of Germantown Baptist Church in Tennessee to see if they would revoke the ordination of the man who confessed to his congregation that he had "a sexual incident" with Woodson when she was a teenager. According to Woodson, a church leader wrote back to her to say that the church had no comment. It did not respond to requests from The Washington Post for further comment. The Executive Committee on Wednesday set up a third-party hotline for sexual abuse survivors, run by Guidepost. The hotline may be reached at 202-864-5578 or SBChotline@guidepostsolutions.com. Mike Holloway, pastor of Ouachita Baptist Church in Louisiana and a board member on the Executive Committee, said while he is in favor of releasing the names to the public, he's nervous about the list including anyone who has denied abusing someone. "My fear is that we crucify and then we find out six months later we were wrong," Holloway said. "There may need to be reparations made . . . I'm all for that, that's where the churches have to step in." Holloway was also nervous about the idea floated earlier this week that the Executive Committee could take retirement benefits from longtime SBC leader August Boto, one of the leaders named throughout Guidepost's report who told members they couldn't develop a database. Guidepost's report revealed that a staff member working him was maintaining a secret list of accused ministers, including the minister's name, year the accusation was reported, relevant news articles, state and denomination. Boto could not be reached for comment. "Are we saying a person has to live a perfect life and makes a mistake in judgment, we're going to do everything we can to punish him and take his retirement?" Holloway said. "There's not much grace in that." - - - The Washington Post's Magda Jean-Louis contributed to this report. MANISTEE COUNTY The following includes reports made to the Manistee County Sheriffs Office from May 3-4. All calls may not be reported. This is part of a lengthy report and is compiled by assistant editor Arielle Breen. UMM AL-QUWAIN, United Arab Emirates (AP) The hulking, Soviet-era cargo plane has sat for decades under the blazing sun in a remote corner of the United Arab Emirates, its four jet engines silent after years in the employ of a Russian gunrunner known as the Merchant of Death. But instead of a missile or gunfire finally taking out this Ilyushin Il-76 tied to arms smuggler Viktor Bout, the plane appears to be doomed, destined for scrap to make way for a force more powerful in this federation of seven sheikhdoms: Luxury real estate. The emirate of Umm al-Quwain plans a $675 million development on a island just across a lagoon from the deactivated airport where Bout's plane sits. His legacy, however, lives on even as workers disassemble the aircraft's wings Bout is in the news again as Russia has suggested America trade him for U.S. citizens held by Moscow amid its war on Ukraine. I had not realized that the plane was there to this day," said Stephen Braun, the co-author of a book on the gunrunner called Merchant of Death." "But the irony is that this, this junk or whatever its use now has, in essence, far outlived Viktor Bouts enterprise. For imbibers coming from Dubai, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest along the curving coast of the Persian Gulf, the iconic bulging nose of the Ilyushin Il-76 represented a landmark for the low-cost liquor store at the emirate's Barracuda Beach Resort. That's even with large green letters painted on the Ilyushin for the last 20-odd years as an aviatic billboard for another hotel. The Ilyushin's tail number and two others on jet engines' inlet covers link back to Bout-operated airlines that once plied the skies between Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Soviet-era ammunition, Kalashnikov rifles, rockets and other instruments of destruction traveled on Bout's airliners into war zones such as Afghanistan, Angola and Liberia. The Ilyushin planes were designed for landing in such harsh conditions. Bout used Sharjah, a neighboring emirate of Dubai straining under debt at the time, as a base for much of his fleet, even though the planes were registered in third countries like the Ilyushin, flying under the flag of the Central African Republic. But when the Ilyushin became too dangerous to fly even for Bout's daredevil pilots, he came up with a plan to sell the plane to serve as advertising, Braun said. After convincing a pilot to fly the aircraft on just three of its four engines, the plane just barely made it into Umm al-Quwain. It was touch and go, but they managed to belly up along the highway just outside of Sharjah," said Braun, a former investigative journalist and editor at The Associated Press. "And so they pocketed, I think, 20 grand out of the deal. And so the Ilyushin sat until the last few months as Umm al-Quwain prepared to build a bridge to connect the mainland to its planned development on Siniyah Island. Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP show that the work began in earnest in April. Umm al-Quwain has no oil or natural gas of its own, and as the UAE's smallest emirate by population, it has not enjoyed the financial success of Dubai or the energy-rich capital of Abu Dhabi. But a growing demand for real estate in the country has the emirate betting its new development could spur new life into the otherwise-sleepy sheikhdom. A visit Friday by AP journalists to the site saw red rope marking the bridge's future path, with an estimated 84 workers taking part in building the roadway that will cut across the land of the former airport. The Ilyushin's four jet engines lay on the sand, the big plane's wings cut away from its fuselage. Contractors on the site declined to speak to journalists, referring questions to the court of Umm al-Quwain's ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla. Emails sent to governmental offices were not immediately acknowledged. Extradited from Thailand, Bout was convicted in 2011 and is now serving a 25-year sentence in a federal prison in Illinois on charges he conspired to sell millions of dollars of weapons to kill Americans to rebels in Colombia who actually were Drug Enforcement Administration agents. He denied the charges. However in the years since, Russia has repeatedly floated his name in possible exchanges for American citizens held by Moscow. His prominence and rise in the wake of the Soviet Union's collapse has Braun and other investigators suspicious that Bout had ties to Russia's GRU military intelligence agency. As recently as May 13, the Russian news agency Tass quoted an anonymous official suggesting Bout could be traded for Brittney Griner, a WNBA All-Star detained for allegedly possessing a cannabis derivative just before Russia's war on Ukraine began. Also detained is corporate security executive Paul Whelan, who is serving a 16-year sentence on espionage charges that his family and the U.S. government have said are false. In April, a surprise swap saw Marine veteran Trevor Reed freed by Moscow in exchange for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot whod been serving a 20-year federal sentence for conspiring to smuggle cocaine into the United States. For Bout, whose gunrunning fueled wars worldwide, an estimated release date is in 2029. The Russians want him back and the Biden administration obviously would like to get Paul Whelan back. Theyd like to get Brittney Griner back. But again, this is the problem, Braun said. The armaments that he transported, you know, were partly and certainly indirectly responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people in Africa, Afghanistan. ... So do you want to reward that? ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Two fires that merged to create the largest wildfire in New Mexico history have both been traced to planned burns set by U.S. forest managers as preventative measures, federal investigators announced Friday. The findings shift responsibility more squarely toward the U.S. Forest Service for initiating a natural disaster that has destroyed at least 330 homes as flames raged through nearly 500 square miles (1,300 square kilometers) of high-altitude pine forests and meadows. The wildfire also has displaced thousands of residents from rural villages with Spanish-colonial roots and high poverty rates, while unleashing untold environmental damage. Roughly 3,000 firefighters, along with water-dropping planes and helicopters, continue to fight the blaze as it approaches mountain resorts and Native American communities. Firefighting costs already surpass $132 million, climbing by $5 million a day. Fire and law enforcement officials offered a cautious but hopeful Friday night status report, with fire behavior analyst Stewart Turner noting they need to watch the so-called red flag conditions warm, dry weather with high winds starting Saturday. The weather is a big concern for us, Turner acknowledged, saying even an errant pine cone rolling down a slope and crossing a control line could spread flames. Red flag warning is a big message for tomorrow. He said dry conditions are expected through Tuesday, but some moisture and even thunderstorms are possible starting Wednesday. Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez described a rising sense of outrage as the fire triggers new evacuations of families and livestock. Fear of flames is giving way to concern about erosion and mudslides in places were superheated fire penetrates soil and roots. The destruction these two fires caused is immeasurable and will be felt for generations, said Leger Fernandez, sponsor of a bill that would reimburse residents and businesses routed by the fire. The Forest Service has not yet released detailed planning documents for the original planned burns that might indicate whether fire protocols were followed. Scientist and forest managers are racing to develop new tools to forecast the behavior of planned fires amid climate change and an enduring drought in the American West. The intentionally set blazes, known as prescribed burns, are aimed at limiting the accumulation of timber and underbrush that, if left unattended, can fuel extremely hot and destructive wildfires. The Biden administration announced in January a $50 billion plan to stave off catastrophic wildfires that would more than double the use of planned fires and logging to reduce trees and other vegetation that serve as tinder in the most at-risk areas. Prescribed burns often are used in wildland areas that are too vast to thin by hand or machine. The two fires east of Santa Fe joined in April to form the massive blaze at the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains, in the Sangre de Cristo range. One of the fires was previously traced to April 6, when a planned burn, set by firefighters to clear out small trees and brush, was declared out of control. On Friday, investigators said they had tracked the source of the second fire to the remnants of a planned winter fire that lay dormant through several snowstorms only to flare up again last month. Investigators said the prescribed pile burn was initiated in January at Gallinas Canyon in the Santa Fe National Forest outside Las Vegas, New Mexico, and concluded in the final days of that month. Fire was reported again in the same vicinity April 9 and escaped control 10 days later amid dry, hot and windy conditions, Forest Service investigators found. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in a statement called the investigation results a "first step toward the federal government taking full responsibility" for the New Mexico wildfire. She highlighted her pending request to President Joe Biden to direct the Federal Emergency Management Administration to pay for 100% of costs related to a broad range of recovery efforts. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore last week announced a 90-day pause and review of protocols for planned fires that limit the buildup of flammable vegetation. He cited extreme fire danger and unfavorable weather and did not specifically link the review to New Mexico's fires. It will also ensure the prescribed burn program nationwide is anchored in the most contemporary science, policies, practices and decision-making processes, and that employees, partners and communities have the support they need to continue using this critical tool to confront the wildfire crisis, the agency said in a statement Friday. Moore said prescribed fires go as planned in more than 99% of cases. Notable exceptions include the 2000 Cerro Grande Fire that swept through national security installations and residential neighborhoods at Los Alamos. So-called pile burns can often include wildland debris collected over months or even years. Forest managers cut back trees and gather debris into mounds, preferring to burn forest fuels in the winter when planned burns are easier to control. In January, Santa Fe National Forest workers started burning through a series of piles across an area of 0.6 square miles (1.5 square kilometers), after advising the public of possible smoke hazards. ___ Attanasio is a corps member for the Associated Press/ Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Follow Attanasio on Twitter. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seized two Greek oil tankers Friday in helicopter-launched raids in the Persian Gulf, officials said. The action appeared to be retaliation for Athens' assistance in the U.S. seizure of crude oil from an Iranian-flagged tanker this week in the Mediterranean Sea over violating Washington's crushing sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The raid marks the first major incident at sea in months as tensions remain high between Iran and the West over its tattered nuclear deal with world powers. As Tehran enriches more uranium, closer to weapons-grade levels than ever before, worries mount that negotiators won't find a way back to the accord raising the risk of a wider war. The Guard issued a statement announcing the seizures, accusing the tankers of unspecified violations. Nour News, a website close to Irans Supreme National Security Council, warned a short time earlier that Tehran planned to take "punitive action" over Greece assisting the U.S. in seizing oil days earlier from the Iranian-flagged tanker Lana. Greece's Foreign Ministry said it made a strong demarche to the Iranian ambassador in Athens over the violent taking over of two Greek-flagged ships in the Persian Gulf. These acts effectively amount to acts of piracy, a ministry statement said. The ministry called for the immediate release of the vessels and their crews, warning the seizure would have particularly negative consequences in bilateral relations and in Irans relations with the European Union, of which Greece is a member. An Iranian helicopter landed on the Greek-flagged Delta Poseidon in international waters, some 22 nautical miles off the coast of Iran, the ministry said. Armed men then took the crew captive, it said, adding that two Greek nationals were among the crew. A similar incident has been reported on another Greek-flagged vessel, that was carrying seven Greek citizens, close to the coast of Iran, the ministry said. A Greek official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the attack with a journalist, identified the second ship as the Prudent Warrior. Its manager, Polembros Shipping in Greece, earlier said the company was cooperating with the authorities and making every possible effort to address the situation effectively. Greek officials did not identify the nationalities of the other crew on board the vessels. Both vessels had come from Iraq's Basra oil terminal, loaded with crude, according to tracking data from MarineTraffic.com. Prudent Warrior just before had been off Qatar and likely loaded oil there as well, the data showed. A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said it appeared the two ships had come close to but not into Iranian territorial waters Friday. After the hijacking, they drifted into Iranian waters. The ships also had turned off their tracking devices another red flag, the official said. However, neither had issued a mayday or a call for help, the official said. Irans seizure on Friday was the latest in a string of hijackings and explosions to roil a region that includes the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all traded oil passes. The incidents began after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from Iran's nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. The U.S. Navy blamed Iran for a series of limpet mine attacks on vessels that damaged tankers in 2019, as well as for a fatal drone attack on an Israeli-linked oil tanker that killed two European crew members in 2021. Iranian hijackers also stormed and briefly captured a Panama-flagged asphalt tanker off the United Arab Emirates last year, and briefly seized and held a Vietnamese tanker in November. Tehran denies carrying out the attacks, but a wider shadow war between Iran and the West has played out in the regions volatile waters. Tanker seizures have been a part of it since 2019, when Iran seized the British-flagged Stena Impero after the United Kingdom detained an Iranian oil tanker off Gibraltar. Iran released the tanker months later as London also released the Iranian vessel. Iran last year also seized and held a South Korean-flagged tanker for months amid a dispute over billions of dollars of frozen assets Seoul holds. This incident is assessed to be a retaliatory action in line with a history of Iranian forces detaining vessels in a tit-for-tat manner, maritime intelligence firm Dryad Global warned. As a result, Greek-flagged vessels operating within the vicinity of Iran in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman are currently assessed to be at a heightened risk of interception and it is advised to avoid this area until further notice. Underlining that threat, Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency warned in a tweet: There are still 17 other Greek ships in the Persian Gulf that could be seized. Meanwhile, the Guard is building a massive new support ship near the Strait of Hormuz as it tries to expand its naval presence in waters vital to international energy supplies and beyond, according to satellite photos obtained by The Associated Press. Talks in Vienna over Iran's tattered nuclear deal have been stalled since April. Since the deal's collapse, Iran runs advanced centrifuges and has a rapidly growing stockpile of enriched uranium. Nonproliferation experts warn Iran has enriched enough up to 60% purity a short technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90% to make one nuclear weapon if it choose. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, though United Nations experts and Western intelligence agencies say Iran had an organized military nuclear program through 2003. Building a nuclear bomb would still take Iran more time if it pursued a weapon, analysts say, though they warn Tehran's advances make the program more dangerous. Israel has threatened in the past it will carry out a preemptive strike to stop Iran and already is suspected in a series of recent killings targeting Iranian officials. ___ Paphitis reported from Athens, Greece. Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. A survivor of Tuesday's school shooting in Uvalde, Texas says suspected gunman Salvador Ramos played menacing music and taunted her teacher before killing her amid a spree of violence that took the lives of 19 students and two educators at Robb Elementary School. Speaking to CNN's Nora Neus on Thursday, 11-year-old Miah Cerrillo recounted harrowing moments inside a shared classroom space where Ramos shot and killed all 21 of his victims before he was killed by a responding Border Patrol tactical unit. Miah said her class was watching "Lilo & Stitch" when Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia, two teachers present in the conjoined classrooms, received an email about an active shooter on campus. One teacher went to check the door, according to Miah, and found 18-year-old Ramos peering into the room. At this point the teacher and Ramos made eye contact, Miah said, and the gunman proceeded to back her into the classroom. The teacher and the gunman then made eye contact a second time, at which point Ramos said "good night." He then shot and killed the teacher, Miah said. After killing her teacher the gunman opened fire on students in the room, killing many of Miah's friends and leaving her with bullet fragments in her side, shoulder, back and neck. She recounted that Ramos then stalked into the adjoining classroom space and continued shooting. The 11-year-old told Neus she heard screams, gunshots and music coming from the other room over the course of the nearly hour-long attack. "She thinks it was the gunman that put it on," Neus said. "She just said it sounded like 'I want people to die' music." Miah said she survived the ordeal by covering herself in her friend's blood and lying motionless on a classmate's still-breathing body. At one point she and another student grabbed their dead teacher's phone and used it to call 911. "Please send help because we're in trouble," Miah told the dispatcher, according to Neus. The 11-year-old said she believed the attack lasted three hours before responding officers entered the classroom and killed Ramos. Her mother later informed Miah the attack had lasted an houra duration that outraged many Uvalde parents cordoned behind a police perimeter set up outside the building. Neus reports that Miah became emotional when informed that police officers waited outside the building and "didn't understand why they didn't just come inside and get them." Texas DPS Regional Safety Director Victor Escalon on Thursday told reporters that responding officers entered the building but pulled back to await additional resources after coming under fire from Ramos, who had locked himself in a classroom. The tactical unit that ultimately killed Ramos arrived "approximately an hour" after the shooter entered Robb Elementary, Escalon 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." Miah's mother Abigale Veloz created a GoFundMe on Thursday seeking $10,000 in donations to cover her daughter's medical expenses and mental health care. As of this writing, the campaign has raised $105,000. "My daughter is an amazing person and is a very good sister to her siblings," Veloz wrote in the fundraiser's description. "We will need help with her medical expenses that were caused by the bullet fragment in her back." wwing/Getty Images Leaders of Southern Baptist released a 205-page list Thursday evening, May 26, that mentions two pastors from San Antonio-area churches. Southern Baptist leaders compiled the list through information "largely pulled from news articles" from 2007 until 2022. It has been kept secret until Thursday. The list names John O. McKay, Jr. and Erbey Valdez, two pastors that were charged with sex crimes with minors. McKay was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl in 2004. He was a former pastor at the First Baptist Church in Hondo, west of San Antonio, and Highland Hills Baptist Church in San Antonio. McKay was on the registered sex offender list until his death in 2018. The Biden Amendments at the WHO are Still Active NEWS PROVIDED BY May 27, 2022 WASHINGTON, May 27, 2022 / Christian Newswire / -- Earlier this week at the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, it appeared that 12 of the 13 amendments presented by the Biden administration were temporarily paused. However, the United States' representative is still pushing the amendments to pass before the session ends on May 28. The amendments would empower the World Health Organization (WHO) to unilaterally declare a "public health emergency" for any reason. On January 18, 2022, officials from the Biden administration quietly sent the WHO the original 13 amendments to the current International Health Regulations without an official statement or a single press conference. These were not made public until April 12, 2022, when a researcher, James Roguski, discovered them. The proposed amendments, in combination with the existing ones, enables Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and any future Director-General to have unrestricted powers to define and then implement their interventions and to declare "health emergencies" at will. After 12 of those 13 amendments could not immediately reach a consensus, a new document dated May 24, was created, "Conference Page 7," which includes the last amendment of the original 13 and adds additional amendments. On May 25, in regards to those current proposed amendments, the presiding president of the World Health Assembly stated during the Sixth Committee A Session starting at 2:34:44, "... in reference to Conference Page 7, 'Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies,: Proposal for amendments to the International Health Regulations,' further discussion seems to be needed. With your permission and for transparency purposes, I will ask the secretary to share by email the outcome of the discussions today on behalf of the co-sponsors. I will also ask the secretary to make a room available for further discussions." It appears that instead of using the actual majority vote of the 194 delegates, there seems to be "backroom discussions" occurring in order to persuade those countries that are objecting to the amendments. In fact, it is possible that the original amendments are, in fact, still in these discussions as well. In addition, on May 24, a U.S. representative of the United States implied that the Biden administration is still trying to push his 13 amendments to be passed. The US representative gave this presentation at the WHO World Health Assembly Agenda 16.2: Int'l Health Regulation Amendments, Comm. A, 3rd: "The United States supports the ongoing efforts to strengthen WHO and make it more agile, transparent and effective. Going forward, we have collectively developed a plan to analyze and build consensus on important amendments to the Internal Health Regulations of 2005 to strengthen the instrument and improve implementation, compliance and effectiveness. On behalf of the United States and our co-sponsors, we have proposed resolution containing conference paper A75 A-7 to amend IHR Article 59 in order to make the instrument more agile and responsive to technological communications or other developments. This resolution is an expression of Member-State consensus to reduce the period for entry into force for any amendments to the IHR from the current 24 months to 12 months. We are mindful of the importance of respecting national sovereignty and the ability of domestic authorities to make health decisions in their territory which is inherent in the IHR. The IHR depends on and reinforces the sovereignty of member-states to take appropriate health measures and fight diseases together. It is essential that states' parties comply with the legally binding commitments undertaken when the IHR was revised over 15 years ago. Strengthening the IHR will provide an immediate and tangible step forward in demonstrating to the world that we are learning from the challenges we have faced battling COVID-19 and working to improve the global health architecture systems and tools to prevent and prepare for the next response to the pandemic to come. Improving and modernizing the IHR is critical to ensuring the world is better prepared for and can respond to the next pandemic. There is no greater duty for governments than keeping their citizens safe and free from danger. This includes health threats that can so easily move across borders and spread across the globe in a matter of days and weeks. COVID-19 demonstrates that we must do better in working with each other and communicating effectively when risks are detected. Failure in this regard is not acceptable. The United States of America looks forward to working with member-states to move forward on this important issue, strengthening our collective ability to prevent, detect and respond to future pandemics in making real progress toward the next one. The United States commends the WHO for its efforts to support the implementation of the IHR amidst the many challenges of COVID-19 and we look forward to continuing our critical work together with WHO and member-states to strengthen and further our current response to build a safer more secure and be better prepared for the future." Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver stated, "Amendments to give the World Health Organization unprecedented authority to declare a public health emergency could be passed in the blink of an eye when no one is paying attention. The WHO must not become the global authority on public health issuing directives influenced by its funding stakeholders that impact the sovereignty of independent nations. We cannot hand America's sovereignty over to the WHO." Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost. SOURCE Liberty Counsel CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org Related Links lc.org/ Two nationally watched Democratic primary runoffs in South Texas remain too close to call two days after election day, and there is unlikely to be much more clarity before early next week. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, is leading his challenger, Jessica Cisneros, by 177 votes, while the margin is even smaller in the 15th Congressional District, where Michelle Vallejo is ahead of Ruben Ramirez for the open seat. Cuellars 28th Congressional District includes San Antonio, Laredo and counties farther south, while the 15th District stretches from the Rio Grande Valley to outside San Antonio. Cuellar declared victory on election night, but Cisneros has not conceded and told reporters Thursday she is within reach to go and win this thing. After speaking with election offices, she said, it is very clear there are still hundreds of uncounted mail-in and provisional ballots. Due to the upcoming holiday weekend, many probably will not get counted until early next week, she said. In the 15th District, Vallejo came out of election night with a 23-vote lead, and both she and Ramirez agreed it was too close to call. At least two counties Hidalgo and Jim Wells have since updated their results, changing her lead to 27 votes. But like in Cuellars race, a final resolution likely will not come into focus until early next week. Michelle Vallejo, candidate for Texas 15th Congressional District, after a Futuro RGV candidate forum in McAllen on Jan. 11, 2022. Credit: Veronica Cardenas for The Texas Tribune Both runoffs have national implications. The moderate Cuellars long political career is on the line against Cisneros, a progressive. The race was upended twice, first by an FBI raid of Cuellars Laredo home before the primary and then by the leaking of a U.S. Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade in the runoff. That cast a harsh spotlight on Cuellars status as one of the few remaining Democrats in Congress who oppose abortion. And Republicans see the 15th District as one of their top pickup opportunities nationwide and the centerpiece to their new push to turn South Texas red. Ramirez ran as a moderate, while Vallejo campaigned as a progressive. A timeline is now playing out at the county level where outstanding ballots can still be counted. Mail ballots that were postmarked by 7 p.m. Tuesday could still be counted if they were received by 5 p.m. Wednesday. The deadline for military and overseas ballots is Tuesday, May 31, a day later than usual due to Memorial Day. And then counties have until Thursday to finalize their results and report them to the state. Tuesday is also the deadline for voters to "cure" mail ballots that were rejected. Cisneros' campaign is urging mail voters to check online to make sure their ballot was accepted, if not, to call the campaign's "voter protection hotline" to see if they can fix it. Cisneros said the hotline "has been ringing nonstop all day since yesterday when we put out that call." In the 15th District, both Vallejo and Ramirez are also urging mail voters to ensure their ballot was accepted before the Tuesday deadline to cure rejected ballots. A candidate can request a recount if their margin is less than 10% of the votes received by their opponent. Both Cisneros and Ramirez are well within that, though candidates typically wait until all the outstanding ballots are counted before deciding whether to pursue a recount. This is a decision that either campaign wont be able to make until next week, Cisneros said, raising the possibility that it would be Cuellar who may want a recount given the quantity of uncounted ballots she believes there are. Cisneros said it was very irresponsible and kind of insulting to the voters for Cuellar to declare victory. He has expressed confidence that his win will hold. I know what it is to do a recount in an election contest, Cuellar told reporters on election night, referring to his 58-vote win in his first congressional race. We have very good attorneys, and if we need to, we will defend our election victory The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. WFO BINGHAMTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, May 27, 2022 _____ AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY Flood Advisory National Weather Service Binghamton NY 502 PM EDT Fri May 27 2022 ...FLOOD ADVISORY IS CANCELLED... The Flood Advisory is cancelled for a portion of central New York, including the following counties, Cayuga, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben and Yates. The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a significant threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures. ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of central Dutchess County through 545 PM EDT... At 503 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Red Oaks Mill, or 7 miles southeast of Poughkeepsie, moving north at 25 mph. HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph, pea size hail, and heavy rain. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Heavy rains could cause flooding. Locations impacted include... Pleasant Valley, Amenia, Millbrook, Hopewell Junction, Red Oaks Mill, Myers Corner, Stanfordville, Dover Plains, Beekman, Smithfield, Stormville, Salt Point, Lithgow, Hoxie Corner, Clove Valley, Poughquag, Billings, Shunpike, Pleasant Ridge and Washington Hollow. 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. 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 4160 7390 4195 7375 4189 7350 4186 7350 4154 7371 TIME...MOT...LOC 2103Z 198DEG 22KT 4165 7380 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH _____ 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 Since its launch in 1967, the FSWP has been a leading immigration pathway for skilled workers. How to immigrate to Canada using the Federal Skilled Worker Program Since its launch in 1967, the FSWP has been a leading immigration pathway for skilled workers. How to immigrate to Canada using the Federal Skilled Worker Program Since its launch in 1967, the FSWP has been a leading immigration pathway for skilled workers. How to immigrate to Canada using the Federal Skilled Worker Program Since its launch in 1967, the FSWP has been a leading immigration pathway for skilled workers. Edana Robitaille Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Potential immigrants to Canada have over 100 different economic class immigration programs that they can use to get status as a permanent resident. The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) was established in 1967 and has proven to be one of the most popular options for skilled workers looking to call Canada their home. What is the FSWP? The FSWP is designed as a pathway for candidates with skilled work experience who want to immigrate to Canada permanently. It was the first such program in the world to feature a points system that evaluates candidates objectively and has inspired other countries such as Australia and New Zealand to adopt the same approach. Who is eligible for the FSWP? Coming to Canada through the FSWP is a multistep process. To get started, candidates must meet the following criteria: At least one year of skilled work experience A minimum Canadian Language Benchmark of 7 on their English or French language test At least one educational credential Demonstrate proof of funds (if applicable) Get at least 67 out of 100 points on the FSWP scoring grid Get a Free Canadian Immigration Assessment Work experience To be eligible to apply for the FSWP, you will require at least one year of skilled worked experience in an occupation listed in Canadas National Occupation 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 within the same industry in Canada. For FSWP, and any Express Entry program, there are three eligible NOC categories: NOC 0: Management positions NOC A: Careers that typically require a university degree NOC B: Skilled trades professions Education To satisfy the education requirement, you need to have completed at least secondary school education either inside Canada or overseas. If completed overseas, you must get an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) showing that your education is equal to a Canadian diploma, degree, or certification. Language It is important to be able to show proficiency in one of Canadas official languages (English or French). FSWP candidates need a minimum score of 7 on the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB). You will be graded on reading, writing, speaking and listening. Proof of funds Candidates must also demonstrate they have enough proof of funds to support themselves and their families if necessary. This does not apply if a candidate is already working in Canada or has a valid job offer. The minimum funds will vary depending on the number of people seeking to immigrate. Proof of funds can be demonstrated by a letter from the bank or financial institution where you keep your money. The letter must show any outstanding debts, account numbers, loans and the average balance for the past six months. Number of family members Funds required in CAD 1 $13,310 2 $16,570 3 $20,371 4 $24,733 5 $28,052 6 $31,638 7 $35,224 Each additional family member $3,586 FSWP points grid In addition to the above criteria, you need to obtain at least 67 out of 100 on the FSWP points grid. The grid assesses the following six factors. Factors Points Education Up to 25 Language Skills Up to 28 Work Experience Up to 15 Age Up to 12 Arranged employment Up to 10 Adaptability Up to 10 I am eligible for the FSWP: Now what? The FSWP is one of the three economic immigration pathways managed by Express Entry. The other programs are the Canadian Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. If you are eligible for any of these three programs, you can create a profile on the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). You will receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on human capital factors such as age, language skills, work experience, and education, among others. Candidates scores are ranked against others in the pool and the highest scoring candidates receive an invitation to apply (ITA) for permanent residency. ITAs are issued every two weeks. If you receive an ITA, you have 60 days to submit your permanent residence application to IRCC. FSWP invitations resume in early July 2022 Due to the pandemic, the FWSP was temporarily put on hold in 2021 as the federal government sought to prioritize in-Canada applications to achieve its goal of landing over 400,000 permanent residents in 2021. IRCC has recently announced that in early July of this year it will begin inviting new candidates under all three Express Entry-managed programs, including the FSWP. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has said that IRCC will try to process all new Express Entry applications within six months. Express Entry will grow in prominence over the coming years as Canada seeks to welcome more skilled workers to support its economy. By 2024, Canada will look to welcome over 110,000 immigrants through Express Entry. Get a Free Canadian Immigration Assessment CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. Liberty Mutual is one of the most experienced and advanced cloud adopters in the nation. And that is in no small part thanks to the vision of James McGlennon, who in his role as CIO of Liberty Mutual for past 17 years has led the charge to the cloud, analytics, and AI with a budget north of $2 billion. Eight years ago, McGlennon hosted an off-site think tank with his staff and came up with a technology manifesto document that defined in those early days the importance of exploiting cloud-based services, becoming more agile, and instituting cultural changes to drive the companys digital transformation. Today, Liberty Mutual, which has 45,000 employees across 29 countries, has a robust hybrid cloud infrastructure built primarily on Amazon Web Services but with specific uses of Microsoft Azure and, lesser so, Google Cloud Platform. Liberty Mutuals cloud infrastructure runs an array of business applications and analytics dashboards that yield real-time insights and predictions, as well as machine learning models that streamline claims processing. As the Boston-based insurance companys journey to the cloud has unfolded, it has also maintained a select set of datacenters from which to run legacy applications more economically than they would on the cloud, as well as software from vendors that make licensing on the cloud less attractive. And while McGlennon believes that will change over time, he is far more focused on technologies that will define the next generation of applications. Were really trying to understand the metaverse and what it might mean for us, says McGlennon, whose mild Irish brogue bares his Galway, Ireland, upbringing. Were focused on augmented reality and virtual reality. Were doing a lot on AI and machine learning and robotics. Weve already built up blockchain and well continue with all those. And that ability to push the envelope, especially around machine learning and AI, finds its foundation in Liberty Mutuals rich cloud capabilities. The benefits of a solid cloud foundation Despite his laser focus on embracing emerging technologies, McGlennon remains highly enthusiastic about Liberty Mutuals use of and expertise in the cloud. Sixty percent of the insurers global workloads run in the cloud, delivering significant savings in hardware and software purchasing, but the big benefit comes in the form of business insights from analytics on the cloud that are immeasurable, he says. The cloud has been a huge positive impact on us economically and surely you hear this story all the time, but it didnt necessarily start out that way, he says. It tended to be additive to our legacy platforms when we started building out our cloud initially, but more recently, weve become far more mature in our use of the cloud and in our ability to optimize it to make sure that every single cycle of a CPU that we use out in the cloud is adding value. Here, McGlennon says governing controls, instrumentation, and observability metrics are key. The CIO would not specify how much the multinational company has saved by deploying workloads to the cloud but estimated it has saved about 5% over the past two and a half years. Its a big number, he says. Implementing cloud-native architectures for autoscaling and instrumenting Liberty Mutuals applications to control how theyre performing have been crucial to realizing those savings, McGlennon says. Like many other early cloud adopters, Liberty Mutual deploys off-the-shelf tools such as Apptio to monitor costs and automate scaling depending on workloads, he says. Weve worked with our cloud partners to better instrument our applications and better understand how theyre performing, says McGlennon, who was a finalist for the MIT Sloan CIO Leadership Award for 2022. That gives us greater insight into where we are potentially wasting resources and where we can optimize such as moving workloads to smaller cloud platforms. McGlennon is proud of his teams use of Apptio, for example, to best exploit its consumption-oriented model for not just its data on the cloud but for its internal services, software, and SaaS offerings, which, when linked to Liberty Mutuals business portfolio, essentially provides the insurers partners with a bill of materials for all of the resources used. The payoff of AI Over the past eight years, the Liberty Mutual IT team, which consists of 5,000 internal IT employees and about 5,000 outside contractors, has used a variety of development platforms and analytical tools as part of its cloud journey, spanning from IBM Rational and .NET in the early days to Java and tools such as New Relic, Datadog, and Splunk. Liberty Mutuals data scientists employ Tableau and Python extensively to deploy models into production. To expedite this, the insurers technical team built an API pipeline, called Runway, that packages models and deploys them as Python, as opposed to requiring the companys data scientists to go back and rebuild them in Java or another language, McGlennon says. Its really critical that we can deploy models quickly without having to rebuild them in another platform or language, he adds. And to be able to track the effectiveness of those machine learning models such that we can retrain them should the data sets change as they often do. The insurer also uses Amazon Sage Maker to build machine learning models, but the core models are based on Python. Liberty Mutuals IT team has also created a set of components called Cortex to enable its data scientists to instantiate the workstations they need to build a new model so the data scientist doesnt have to worry about how to build out the infrastructure to start the modeling process, McGlennon says. With Cortex, Liberty Mutuals data scientists can simply set their technical and data-set requirements, and a modeling workstation will be created on AWS with the right data and tools in an appropriately sized GPU environment, McGlennon explains. The insurer also deploys software bots in its claims model to enable customers to initiate a claim, e-mail a digitized photograph of their damaged vehicle, answer a few questions, and arrange a car rental quickly. On the back end, a machine learning model analyzes the photograph of the damaged vehicle to detect whether its airbag has been deployed, for instance, and to determine immediately whether a vehicle is totaled or the damage is limited to a fender bender. The insurers computer vision models may also tap into IoT devices and sensors deployed outside to generate more data for the claim. Liberty Mutual has come a long way from its technology manifesto to its advanced use of the cloud and AI, and embracing next-generation technologies such as augmented reality and blockchain will yield further advances, McGlennon notes. But this CIO is happy enough with the cloud and AI platform of today. Weve already seen significant economic payback from being able to use machine learning models to fine-tune quotes and pricing, in fraud detection, and our coding process to make it easier for customers to do business with us, McGlennon says, pointing to advanced cloud applications benefits in its core business of processing claims. We use it all over the place. Although his is a property and casualty company, McGlennon believes CIOs must drive innovation and take risks to create a culture where people feel there is the latitude to try something. Risk is our business, McGlennon said during a panel at the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium this week, adding that CIOs need to show that when things go wrong, and sometimes they will, no one is going to be made to feel that the risk wasnt worth it. You have to incubate something, nurture it, give it support, he said. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Agentia de Guvernare Electronica anunta Concurs de angajare pentru suplinirea postului vacant de Dezvoltator de software Book Aid International has sent 10,070 childrens books to a Polish literacy organisation as a refuge to Ukrainian children who have fled conflict. The Universal Reading Foundation in Warsaw will receive the books, which were donated to Book Aid International by UK publishers. The charity has thanked Oxford University Press and Green Bean Books in particular, which financially contributed to the shipment of books. Almost six million Ukrainians have sought shelter in neighbouring countries since Russia invaded their country, of which 1.8 million are children. 'Books are a refuge' 50,000 Ukrainian children will be helped by the Universal Reading Foundation, which is working with a network of orphanages, libraries and schools in Poland that are sheltering Ukrainian children. Maria Deskur, CEO of the Universal Reading Foundation, spoke of the value of books for these Ukrainian children. She said: Books are a refuge. For small kids reading is a peaceful and close moment with someone they trust: a fundamental sign that they are ok, they can spare a moment to smile together over a book. For older children reading is a crucial mind opener; a huge empathy strengthening training; a great critical thinking lesson which especially for teenagers is so immensely important! Thanks to the Book Aid International donation, we plan to start an extensive cooperation with refugee centres where Ukrainians stay on their way to other countries. We would love all these children to be able to get the chance to read at least one book. When conflict strikes, books offer hope Alison Tweed, CEO of Book Aid International, said: When conflict strikes books offer the chance to find hope and to continue to learn even while fleeing war. We think it is vital to support the Universal Reading Foundations important work at this incredibly difficult time and we would like to warmly thank everyone who made this shipment possible. We could not send a single book without the support of publishers who donate these wonderful, brand new books to our charity. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, The Trussell Trust has seen a staggering increase in the number of food parcels distributed over the last five years. Food banks in the food charity network provided more than 2.1 million emergency food parcels between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022. Of these, 832,000 were for children. This represents an 81% increase compared to the same period five years ago. The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of more than 1,300 food bank centres. Food banks under pressure In a blog post on NPCs website, Grace Wyld, a member of the policy research team at the Trussell Trust, wrote that food banks around the country are under increased pressure as the cost-of-living crisis bites hard. She said: In recent weeks we have been encouraged by politicians to cut back on luxuries and shop around for cheaper supermarket staples. But for people already struggling to afford the essentials, there is simply nothing left to cut and food banks across the UK are picking up the pieces. Wyld said that people referred to food banks in the charitys network have on average just 57 a week to live on after housing costs. While charities will do everything they can to support people facing financial hardship, they cannot and should not be expected to pick up the pieces for the UK government and an increasingly threadbare social security system, she added. Citizens Advice Merthyr Tydfil: requests for food bank vouchers up 500% Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Gerald Jones, a Welsh shadow minister, said that requests for food bank vouchers and other charitable support in his constituency have increased by more than 500%. He said: My local food banks operate in challenging times and, on a number of occasions recently, have come close to running out of food, given the huge demand. His comments followed a meeting with Citizens Advice Merthyr Tydfil, a charity that provides advice and campaign on big issues affecting peoples lives. According to the charitys case management system, 104 food bank vouchers were issued in Merthyr and surrounding areas between October 2020 and March 2021. This compares with 669 between October 2021 and March 2022. The number of charitable support issues, which include the Discretionary Assistance Fund, baby banks, food pantries and help from churches, rose from 71 to 256. The power of data NPC has created an interactive databank that helps charities and funders better understand communities needs around the country. Wyld said this data can be used to better understand the changing picture of inequality across the UK. She wrote in the blog post: The Trussell Trusts mission is to end the need for food banks in the UK, and the stats being added to NPCs databank are a sobering reminder of just how steep a hill there is to climb. However, it is also through data that we can better equip ourselves, food banks, organisers, and campaigners - many of whom have their own experience of turning to a food bank in a time of crisis - to meet the challenges we face. Through open data and innovative tools like the local needs databank, we can gain a greater understanding of where needs are most acute across the UK and what we need to do to achieve our mission. We arent going to end the need for food banks through data alone, but we certainly cant get there without it. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, On Wednesdaythe day after a gunman killed nineteen children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TexasTed Cruz, the states Republican US senator, attended a vigil in the city and faced some tough questions from Mark Stone, a journalist with the British network Sky News. Stone asked whether now is the right moment to pursue gun reform; Cruz tried to brush off the question as a politicized media talking point; Stone countered that mourners were asking the question, too. Stone then told Cruz that people around the world cannot fathom why mass shootings keep happening only in the US, asking, Why is this American exceptionalism so awful? Cruz said that Stone had a political agenda, then tapped him on the shoulders and said God love you before turning heel and walking away. Stone followed, politely insisting that this is purely an American problem, and saying, You cant answer that, can you? Cruz suddenly turned and hissed at Stone about American greatness. Then he left. Also on Wednesday, Greg Abbott, the Republican governor of Texas, hosted a press conference at a local high school. He said that the shooting could have been worse if law enforcement hadnt done what they do and shown amazing courage. When Abbott stopped talking, Beto ORourke, his Democratic opponent in the states upcoming gubernatorial election, made a dramatic intervention, approaching the stage and speaking up at Abbott from the floor of the auditorium. You are offering up nothing, ORourke said. You said this was not predictable. This was totally predictable when you choose not to do anything. Abbott stayed quiet, but others on stage shouted back, including Don McLaughlin, the mayor of Uvalde, who called ORourke a sick son of a bitch. ORourke was eventually ushered out by law enforcement as a media scrum formed around him; it continued into the parking lot, where dozens of journalists soon found that they had been locked out of the auditorium. The footage of the confrontation was shared far and wide, as were instantly iconic images taken by news photographers showing ORourke standing calmly as officials towered over him and pointed in unison for him to leave. The takes soon flowed; Newsweek wrote that the episode could cost ORourke the governors race. Related: A massacre in Uvalde, and the numbing script of gun-violence coverage Also on Wednesday, just after 7pm local time, CNNs Anderson Cooper, on the scene in Uvalde, interviewed a local med aide named Angel Garza, who explained how he found out that his daughter Amerie had been killed in the shooting from a friend of hers to whom he was tending. Amerie was trying to call the police when she was shot. She was ten. The camera zoomed in on a photo of Amerie that Garza was cradling in his arms as he bowed his head and sobbed. Cooper put a hand on Garzas shoulder and kept asking questions. She was so sweet, Mr. Cooper, Garza said. She was the sweetest little girl who did nothing wrong. Cooper took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. Garza apologized for breaking down again. Cooper said it was okay. Yesterday, Victor Escalon, an official with the Texas Department of Public Safety, convened a press conference with the stated aim of clarifying the events of the shooting. He failed. Escalon did offer that the gunman had stayed outside of the building for twelve minutes before entering and that a school police officer did not, contra other officials prior claims, confront the gunman on entry, but he also made confusing statements about officers entry into the school and didnt answer other, simple questions from reporters, including officers response time to the initial 911 call. Journalists seized on the mixed messaging and gaps in the official timeline. Weve been given a lot of bad information, CNNs Shimon Prokupecz told Escalon, so why dont you clear all of this up now? Escalon said he would circle back. As he walked off, reporters clamored for him to take a question in Spanish. (Uvalde is heavily Latino.) He did not. Also yesterday, parents and other members of the local community talked to reporters from various outlets about their frustration with the police response to the shooting and subsequent lack of clarity, amid growing reports, and videos circulating on social media, showing parents urging law enforcement to enter the school and suggesting that they might have to go in themselves. One parent, Angeli Rose Gomez, who has two children at the school, told the Wall Street Journal that as she desperately urged law enforcement to go in, US Marshals arrested her for interfering with an investigation, and handcuffed her. (Local police officers persuaded the Marshals to free her; the US Marshals Service denied cuffing anyone.) Gomez said she saw other parents being pushed to the ground, pepper-sprayed, and Tasered. They didnt do that to the shooter, but they did that to us, she said. Thats how it felt. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Back on Wednesday, in France, Le Monde ran an editorial about the massacre in both French and English. America is killing itself, as the Republican Party looks the other way, the headline read. If an American exceptionalism still exists, its in tolerating schools regularly being transformed into blood-soaked shooting ranges, the piece itself said. Always more weapons: thats the only Republican credo. The editorial was widely read, and various major US news organizations deemed it noteworthy enough to share with their readers. HuffPost described it as damning. The New York Times described it as scathing. The three interviews, two press conferences, and editorial mentioned above were all shared or referenced widely. Of course, they are far from the only notable examples of journalismor public informationto come out of Uvalde since Tuesday; they just stood out to me through an impressionistic blur of grief, outrage, and fatigue. Taken together, though, they illustrate broader truths about the coverage as a whole. I wrote in Wednesdays newsletter, borrowing from the Texas Tribunes Matthew Watkins, about the numbing scriptparts of it necessary; others regrettablethat the press as a whole tends to follow in the aftermath of atrocities like this one. The six stories above collectively show different elements of that script: the factual struggle to piece together what happened, efforts to learn about the victims and center their grieving relatives, and the impulse to slot all the horror into a framework of national political debate and electoral contestation. These stories illustrate something more, too. The official obfuscation and heavy-handed policing of traumatized parents, in particular, fit a script that is not limited to mass shootings; similarly, the rush of coverage that follows such events, while repetitive and distinctive in its rhythms, cannot be divorced from the way we approach other big stories across the sweep of society. In all such cases, the need to probe and scrutinize the official line, rather than just regurgitate it, is paramount. And Stones questioning and the Le Monde editorial, in particular, show wayssharpened in each case by outside eyesin which we might think about flipping the script, both on mass shootings and more generally. All of us should assess how America is exceptionaland how its notwith the clearest of eyes. Below, more on Uvalde: Other notable stories: ICYMI: Facebooks new data-sharing plans raise old concerns 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. The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed by voice vote President Joe Bidens nominee to serve as the top auto safety regulator, the first to win approval since January 2017 and as U.S. traffic deaths have risen to the highest level in 16 years. Steven Cliff has been serving as deputy administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) since February 2021 and was nominated by Biden for the top job in October. His approval by the Senate comes amid soaring U.S. traffic deaths and several ongoing investigations into safety issues at Tesla Inc TSLA.O. Cliff, a former deputy executive officer at the California Air Resources Board, was a key figure in the Biden administrations rewrite of fuel economy standards through 2027. NHTSA is beginning to hold discussions about the next round of fuel economy increases. The Governors Highway Safety Association praised Cliffs approval and noted NHTSA went more than five years without a confirmed leader. NHTSA says U.S. traffic deaths jumped 10.5% in 2021 to 42,915 the highest number killed on American roads in a single year since 2005. The yearly increase was the highest reported since NHTSA began using its current traffic fatality tracking system in 1975. The number of pedestrians killed jumped 13% to 7,342, hitting the highest number since 1981. The number of people on bicycles killed rose 5% to 985, the highest number since at least 1975. NHTSA in August opened a formal safety probe into Teslas Autopilot system in 765,000 U.S. vehicles after a series of crashes involving Tesla models and emergency vehicles. In October, NHTSA asked Tesla why it has not issued a recall to address software updates made to its Autopilot driver-assistance system. Cliff in December said he hoped NHTSA would soon finish its investigations into Tesla crashes involving automated driving systems. Last week, NHTSA said it opened a special crash investigation into a May 12 Tesla fatal crash in California that resulted in three deaths and could have been caused by its advanced driver assistance system. By Wednesday morning, it was all over except for the speeches. The five-day special session on the insurance crisis turned into just three days, and without seeing adoption of a single significant modification to two bills that had been carefully crafted to help some property insurers with reinsurance costs and help everyone else with litigation and roof claims. Find exactly what you need. Search our database of more than 700 companies and 22,000 market listings. Both chambers passed SB 2D and SB 4D with overwhelming support, a testament to the lock-step relationship between Floridas governor and Senate and House leadership. The fact that the passage of the bills seemed a foregone conclusion early on in the session did not stop several lawmakers, though, from blasting colleagues for failing to do more to help homeowners who have seen soaring premiums in the last two years. This is called corporate welfare, market manipulation, trickle-down economics, said Rep. Michael Grieco, D-Miami Beach. He was referring to the $2 billion Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders, or RAP fund, authorized by SB 2D. It gives insurers a one-year layer of reinsurance below what the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund provides, saving some companies millions on additional reinsurance from private reinsurers. Instead of paying premiums into the RAP fund, participating carriers will have to provide premium reductions to policyholders within a month. Still, Grieco called it a slush fund for insurance companies. A former deputy Florida insurance commissioner, Lisa Miller, now a lobbyist and consultant, said in a conference call Thursday that Griecos labels were offensive. The RAP fund is more of a bailout for consumers and will result in some savings, she said. Other lawmakers and industry representatives agreed the legislation didnt go far enough to solve all of Floridas insurance woes. But many said it was a good first step. I give it a grade of C, said Donald Brown, a former legislator who now is a registered lobbyist for the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers, the Florida Insurance Council and Associated Industries of Florida. Rep. Ralph Massullo praised the bill and said it was filled with great initiatives that address major cost drivers. The Senate vote was 30-9 in favor of SB 2D. The House approved it 95-14. Some 27 amendments were offered, including a freeze on insurance rates and a ban on insurers cancelling policies while a claim or litigation is pending. But all amendments were handily voted down. A second bill, SB 4D, ended up being two measures rolled into one. One part modifies the state building code, which until now has required that entire roofs be replaced if just 25% of the surface is damaged. The bill opens the door to less-costly repairs, as long as the rest of the roof surface meets code requirements. A second part of SB 4D is the condominium reform bill. Gov. Ron DeSantis added that to the agenda at the last minute after the regular session did not address the issue. It, too, passed. The measure met with plenty of emotional speeches but no nay votes. The roof/condo bill, adopted almost 11 months to the day after the deadly condo collapse in Surfside, Florida, now requires high-rise condominiums to be inspected more often. Inspection reports must be provided to unit owners and prospective buyers, and condo association can no longer defer maintenance and funding for repairs. The condo section of the bill makes the trip to Tallahassee worth it, Grieco said on the House floor. Insurers will appreciate the bill, once it is signed into law, because it will provide needed information on the condition of buildings, supporters said. The both bills will take effect upon the governors signature. It wasnt clear when the governor will sign the legislation, but the ink is expected to flow this week. Several lawmakers and insurance representatives said the industry wont have to wait long to know if the legislation has helped smooth the turbulent waters of the Florida market. Many reinsurance programs must be renewed by June 1, and insiders predicted that as many as four carriers wont complete their programs and will face insolvency or rehabilitation in coming weeks, despite the RAP fund in SB 2D. Were not done, said Rep. Matt Willhite, D-Wellington, suggesting that more legislation may be needed later this year or at the 2023 regular session of the Legislature. Beyond the bills that were passed, the special session has put state regulators under the microscope. A number of lawmakers, on both sides of the aisle, charged that OIR has fallen short in monitoring for potential insolvencies, limiting rate increases, providing information on the industry, and other areas. Some argued that the entire structure of insurance regulation, with some duties split between OIR and the Department of Financial Services, was partly to blame for Floridas recent troubles. I find the Office of Insurance Regulation to be incredibly flawed, said Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando. When you have a position that is not elected, but is appointed by a position that is well-funded by insurance companies, you have a serious situation of the fox guarding the hen house. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) The family of a Black man who yelled that he couldnt breathe before he died in a North Carolina jail in 2019 has reached a $3 million settlement in its wrongful-death lawsuit, according to court documents filed Wednesday. John Nevilles family reached the settlement with all five former jailers who were initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in his death as well as with Forsyth County government and Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough Jr., the Winston-Salem Journal reported. The settlement was reached during a mediation meeting April 19. In that settlement, the detention officers, Forsyth County and Kimbrough do not admit liability. The family said Nevilles civil rights were violated when detention officers and a nurse ignored his medical distress and pinned him on a mattress as he yelled that he couldnt breathe. Neville died on Dec. 4, 2019 after having a medical emergency at the Forsyth County jail. Body camera videos showed him struggling with guards to get up from where he lay on the floor, calling out for his mother and yelling I cant breathe! more than 20 times as he was being restrained. Neville had been arrested several days earlier. Kimbrough did not publicly acknowledge Nevilles death until about six months later, when he was questioned by the Journal in June 2020. Claims are still pending against Michelle Heughins, a nurse who worked at the Forsyth County jail, and Wellpath LLC, the jails former medical provider. In July 2020, Forsyth County District Attorney Jim ONeill announced involuntary manslaughter charges against Heughins and the five former detention officers. In April, a Forsyth County grand jury declined to indict the five former jailers on involuntary manslaughter charges. Heughins was indicted, and her case is pending in Forsyth County Superior Court. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Workers compensation claimants dont have to prove that the physicians appointed to resolve medical disputes have an actual bias the mere appearance of a conflict of interest is enough to disqualify them from evaluating a claim, the Utah Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The decision could mean trouble for the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. The center provides about half of the independent medical evaluations conducted in Utah even though it receives funding from the WCF Mutual Insurance Co., formerly known as the Workers Compensation Fund, said Virginius Jinks Dabney, a claimants attorney based in St. George, Utah. They are appointed and they are doctors who owe their allegiance to the Fund, he said. Its one thing for the Fund to create this unholy alliance and its another when the Labor Commission allows it and protects them. Dabney represents Luis G. Gamez, who sought workers compensation benefits after he injured his left shoulder and low back in a workplace accident. WCF accepted the shoulder injury but contested the low-back injury. An administrative law judge appointed Dr. Jeremy Biggs to a medical panel to review the claim. Biggs selected an occupational physician to serve with him on the evaluating panel. Gamez objected to the appointment because Biggs is an occupational medicine physician, not a low back pain specialist. Gamez also charged that Biggs has a conflict of interest because his employer receives funding from WCF. Dabney said he and his co-counsel presented evidence at trial that the Rocky Mountain center has received $250,000 annual contributions from WCF since at least 2015. The insurers chief counsel, Dennis Lloyd, is chairman of an advisory board that oversees the centers operations. Dabney said WCF holds training sessions for doctors employed by the center. Its an incestuous relationship, he said. After an administrative law judge appointed Briggs to the evaluating panel, Dabney appealed the decision to the Labor Commissions Appeals Board. The board rejected his arguments, ruling that the statute requires that only one member of a medical panel must be a specialist in the claimants medical condition and that Gamez would have to show that Biggs had an actual bias to disqualify him. The medical panel concluded that the industrial accident had aggravated Gamezs low back pain, but the injury had returned to baseline and was not permanent. Gamez appealed and the Supreme Court took up the case. In a 5-0 decision, the high court agreed with the Labor Commissions Appeals Board that only one physician on a medical panel must be a specialist. But the court said the boards ruling that Gamez must show an actual bias was in error. The opinion says nothing in the Workers Compensation Act states that medical evaluators cannot be biased, but the statute does say, indirectly, that claimants are entitled to an impartial medical evaluation. In a 2013 case, Johnson v. Labor Commission, the Court of Appeals rejected a claimants argument that a medical evaluator was biased because he shared office space with insurance medical examiners. Since then, the Labor Commission Appeals Board has routinely cited that case to assert that anything less than actual malice is insufficient to prove claims of bias or conflict of interest. The Court of Appeals did not use that term in Johnson, the Supreme Court said. To be impartial, a person must be disinterested, the opinion says. That means they must be free of a conflict of interest. Requiring actual bias to prove a claim that a medical evaluator is biased obscures the element of disinterestedness, the opinion says. Bias includes both real and seeming incompatibility between ones private interests and ones public or fiduciary duties. And recognizing the scope of the term impartial, we hold that where a medical panelists impartiality could reasonably be questioned, the statutory requirement for an impartial medical evaluation has not been met, the opinion says. The ruling requires the Appeals Board to hold a hearing to consider Gamez has proved his bias claim without insisting on the actual bias standard. The court did not rule on whether Biggs affiliation with the Rocky Mountain center constitutes a conflict of interest or if the medical panels opinion about his condition is legitimate. Biggs is the medical director for the Rocky Mountain centers Specialty Services Clinic. Dabney said he will be able to present ample evidence to present a reasonable question that the WCFs regular contributions to the Rocky Mountain Center create a disqualifying conflict of interest. Theyve got their fingers all over that place, Dabney said. WCF held 50% of the Utah workers compensation market in 2021, according to its latest annual report. Executives at the Rocky Mountain Center and at WCF did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Firefighters have rescued an abandoned newborn elk calf found amid the ashes of the nations largest wildfire as calving season approaches its peak in New Mexico and fires rage across the American West. Missoula, Montana-based firefighter Nate Sink said Tuesday that he happened upon the motionless elk calf on the ground of a fire-blackened New Mexico forest as he patrolled and extinguished lingering hot spots. The whole area is just surrounded in a thick layer of ash and burned trees. I didnt think it was alive, said Sink, who was deployed to the state to help contain a wildfire that by Wednesday had spread across 486 square miles (1,260 square kilometers) and destroyed hundreds of structures. Its is one of five major uncontained fires burning in New Mexico amid extremely dry and windy conditions. More than 3,000 firefighters battling the biggest blaze have made significant progress halting its growth in recent days ahead of more dangerous fire conditions forecast to return into the weekend, crew commanders said Wednesday night. Wildlife officials in general discourage interactions with elk calves that are briefly left alone in the first weeks of life as their mothers forage at a distance. Sink says he searched diligently for traces of the calfs mother and found none. The 32-pound (14.5-kilogram) singed bull calf, dubbed Cinder, was taken for care to a nearby ranch and is now regaining strength at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Espanola, north of Santa Fe. Veterinarian Kathleen Ramsay at Cottonwood Rehab says she paired Cinder with a full-grown surrogate elk to be raised with as little human contact as possible. They do elk things, they dont do people things, said Ramsay, noting Cinder arrived at a tender days-old age with his umbilical cord still attached. Ramsay said the calf hopefully can be released into the wild in December after elk-hunting season. The strategy has worked repeatedly with elk tracked by tags as they rejoined wild herds. The calfs rescue was reminiscent of events 70 years ago in New Mexico involving a scalded black bear cub and the fire prevention mascot Smokey Bear. The U.S. fire-safety campaign took on new urgency in 1950 with the rescue by firefighters of a black bear cub that was badly burned by wildfire in southern New Mexico. The cub named Smokey Bear after the mascot recovered and lived at the National Zoo until its death in 1976. Wildfires have broken out this spring in multiple states in the West, where climate change and an enduring drought are fanning the frequency and intensity of forest and grassland fires. Crews battling the biggest U.S. fire in northern New Mexico took advantage of one last day of favorable weather Wednesday before hotter, drier and windier conditions are forecast to return late Thursday and continue to worsen into next week. All across the fire, were making a lot of really good progress over the last few days, incident commander Carl Schwope said at a briefing Wednesday night. We do have some more critical fire weather moving in starting now and getting warmer and drier throughout the weekend. (But) feeling real confident that we are ahead of the curve on that, he said. Bruno Rodriguez, an inter-agency meteorologist assigned to the fire, said gusts should continue to increase by about 5 mph (8 kph) per day, from 25 mph (40 kph) Thursday to as strong as 50 mph (80 kph) by Monday. Its definitely going to be a critical fire weather pattern and unfortunately its going to be fairly prolonged and persistent, he said. Associated Press writer Scott Sonner contributed to this report from Reno, Nevada. About the photo: In this photo provided by Nate Sink, a newborn elk calf rests alone in a remote, fire-scarred area of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Mora, N.M., on Saturday, May 21, 2022. Sink says he saw no signs of the calfs mother and helped transport the baby bull to a wildlife rehabilitation center to be raised alongside a surrogate gown elk. (Nate Sink via AP) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Biden to visit Uvalde in aftermath of school mass shooting Xinhua) 11:32, May 27, 2022 WASHINGTON, May 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Uvalde, Texas on Sunday in the aftermath of a school mass shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead. Biden and first lady Jill Biden plan to "grieve with the community that lost twenty-one lives in the horrific elementary school shooting," the White House announced on Thursday. The gunman -- identified as 18-year-old Uvalde High School student Salvador Rolando Ramos -- was killed by responding officers. He used two AR-style rifles, both legally purchased, for the attack. "The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong," Biden said in a speech from the White House on Tuesday night. He has also called out the influential gun lobby in the United States and urged Congress to pass gun control legislation in the wake of rising firearms-related violence. Senate Republicans have signaled a willingness to talk with Democrats on gun legislation that has long been stalled on Capitol Hill. Students across the United States held walk-outs on Thursday to protest against gun violence and the inaction of politicians. In Rhode Island, students from schools in Providence lay down for three minutes outside the Rhode Island State House, according to a tweet from state lawmaker Tiara Mack. Hundreds of gun control activists gathered on the lawn outside of the northeastern corner of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday to demand action on what they called the "gun violence epidemic." "This is a uniquely American crisis," Moms Demand Action gun control advocacy group founder Shannon Watts said. "Parents across the rest of the developed world kiss their kids goodbye as they head off to school and don't have to give it a second thought, because they don't have 400 million guns flooding their streets, homes, and schools," Watts added. The United States has seen at least 214 mass shootings so far this year, according to an online database that keeps a record of the country's gun violence incidents. More than 17,000 people have died in gun-related episodes across the United States over the past five months, including at least 653 children and teenagers. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. The ex-wife of Eric Greitens has said in a sworn statement that the former Missouri governor and current U.S. Senate candidate has become erratic and unhinged since she accused him of abuse in a previous court filing 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 Modi reiterates Indias Ukraine stand during Quad summit Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated the nation's stand on the importance for ending hostilities, resumption of dialogue and diplomacy, in Tokyos Quad Leaders Summit. The Prime Minister emphasised the importance of delivering on Quad's positive and constructive agenda and show tangible benefits for the region. Photo courtesy: MEA Modi participated along with other Quad leaders in the fourth iteration of the summit, 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 a large scale 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 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. The Prime Minister emphasised 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. Read more India News and Breaking News here 05/27/2022 Photo (c) da-kuk - Getty Images COVID-19 tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.) Total U.S. confirmed cases: 83,864,802 (83,745,827) Total U.S. deaths: 1,004,300 (1,003,858) Total global cases: 528,007,458 (527,529,231) Total global deaths: 6,285,128 (6,283,923) COVID-19 numbers dont accurately portray current surge New cases of the coronavirus are continuing to trend higher across the U.S., surpassing 100,000 per day. However, the statistics that are currently available may not be capturing the true scope of the recent surge. White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha recently told reporters at a press briefing that officials are clearly undercounting infections. He said one of the reasons for this is that consumers have come to rely on at-home tests. While these tests are useful for quickly figuring out whether or not a person has COVID-19, they are not processed in official case counts. While experts can get a good ballpark estimate of the number of new cases through official reports and wastewater testing, getting a truly accurate number has only gotten harder as the pandemic wears on. Pfizer to support poorer countries at no profit Pfizer has announced that it will be sending medicines and vaccines to 45 lower-income countries on a not-for-profit basis as a way to close the worlds health equity gap. Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal, and Uganda will be the first five nations to receive aid from the company. Officials in those countries will work to help Pfizer spot and resolve any initial hurdles so that aid can be provided more easily to the rest of the countries who will join the Accord for a Healthier World. Included in the aid are 23 medicines and vaccines that will be used to treat infectious diseases, certain cancers, and inflammatory diseases that take millions of lives in low-income countries each year. Misinformation about COVID-19 and pregnancy persists COVID-19 misinformation has been a threat to response efforts since the very beginning of the pandemic. Unfortunately, it doesnt seem to be going away. Survey results from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) show that pregnancy-related misinformation is still especially persistent. The findings suggest that 14% of adults and 24% of women who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant believe that pregnant women should not get vaccinated for COVID-19. The CDC estimates that around 30% of pregnant women in the U.S. are not vaccinated. Around the nation 05/27/2022 Photo (c) Richard Drury - Getty Images In its mission to keep as many people healthy and safe as possible, Pfizer has announced a major goodwill effort that it calls Accord for a Healthier World. The initiative will provide all of Pfizer's current and future patent-protected medicines and vaccines on a not-for-profit basis to 45 lower-income countries. By taking this step, the company says it could close the health equity gap for more than a billion people. Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal, and Uganda are the first five countries that have committed to joining the Accord. Health officials in these countries will help spot and resolve any hurdles that Pfizer may face so that the company can learn and enhance the rollout in the rest of the lower-income countries. As we learned in the global COVID-19 vaccine rollout, supply is only the first step to helping patients. We will work closely with global health leaders to make improvements in diagnosis, education, infrastructure, storage and more. Only when all the obstacles are overcome can we end healthcare inequities and deliver for all patients, said Pfizer Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Albert Bourla. The types of medicines Pfizer is providing Pfizer says its commitment includes 23 medicines and vaccines that treat infectious diseases, certain cancers, and rare and inflammatory diseases. These diseases and conditions affect millions of lives each year in the countries the Accord will serve. As Pfizer develops and launches new medicines and vaccines, it will also make those products available on a not-for-profit basis. One particular focus will be on Group B Streptococcus, a bacteria that commonly lives in peoples gastrointestinal and genital tracts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the bacteria is not harmful and doesn't make people feel sick most of the time, but it is a leading cause of stillbirth and newborn mortality in low-income countries. Working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Pfizer is also discussing opportunities to support Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine development. Everyone, no matter where they live, should have the same access to innovative, life-saving drugs and vaccines, Bill Gates said. The Accord for a Healthier World could help millions more people in low-income countries get the tools they need to live a healthy life. Pfizer is setting an example for other companies to follow. Dr PC Navani, Director, Geological Survey of India, who worked at the Tehri dam site for 15 years, told a leading magazine Frontline that the accident happened because work was still continuing in the 'unlined' area of the shaft during the rains. "Work in the rainy season in the unlined area should've been avoided at all costs." A worker Ganesh also was rescued from a tunnel told 'Down to Earth' magazine, "How can they allow this to happen? Even earlier, small accidents have been taking place and many workers have lost their lives in these tunnels." Soon after Tehri disaster, on August 7 2004 twenty workers were trapped inside a tunnel in the Parbati hydel project in Himachal Pradesh, about 60 km. from Kulu. They were rescued, but at one time there was a real danger of their lives being threatened. On February 14, 2010 six workers died and 16 were seriously injured in Kinnaur district (Himachal Pradesh) when stones and boulders destabilised by the blasting work carried out for dam construction fell on a temporary settlement of workers. This accident occured at the 1000 MW hydel project Karcham Waangtu. Two workers tried to save themselves by jumping into Satluj river but later their whereabouts could not be ascertained. The government later announced a paltry grant of Rs 10,000 each for the families of dead workers and Rs 5,000 each for injured workers. Some news reports said that the number of workers who died could be higher and it was difficult to get reliable information as job cards had not been prepared for most workers, violating labour laws. Several of the workers who died or were injured were migrant workers. In another tragedy in the same Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh in November 2015,, two workers died and six workers were injured in a blast in Shongtong-Karcham project. The tragic accident at Tehri dam site should have awakened the authorities to the crying need for better and secure working conditions for dam workers toiling in extremely difficult conditions in distant parts of the country. As a lot of dam construction work takes place in very remote areas, several construction companies adopt the strategy of bringing workers from very remote, impoverished areas. Then attempts are made to shut them off from the local population so that whatever happens to these workers remains a secret. This arrangement enables the employers to get away with glaring violations of minimum wage laws, neglect of safety requirements and non-payment of compensation. Unfamiliar with risky local conditions, five workers who perished were from West Bengal, three others were from Assam and Nepal Some years back Odishas Minister of State for Labour who also headed a committee of the Odisha Assembly on migrant labour, said after visiting the Salal dam site in Jammu and Kashmir that those migrant laborers of Orissa employed there who resisted oppression were being thrown into the Chenab river ( as reported in newspapers at that time). It was revealed in the findings of this committee that these workers were unable to communicate with persons other than their employer and supervisor. When the work for the dam was over they were herded into ramshackle huts and locked from outside. According to a probably incomplete list of workers who died at the Ramganga dam worksite in UP, in the plains close to Himalaya foothills, published by a local newspapers "Bijnore Times", 88 workers perished at this dam. In addition as many as 501 workers were injured, many of them rendered physically handicapped for the rest of their lives. In the case of the controversial gigantic Tehri dam project, very serious violations of labour laws were reported from time to time. This information could come to light because of the initiative taken by some local trade unionists in bringing the existing deplorable conditions to the notice of the Supreme Court and the subsequent inquiry ordered by the court. R.C. Aggarwal, a judge of Tehri Garwal, conducted an inquiry into the living conditions of workers employed at the Tehri dam project. The allegation made against the employers of the project were confirmed by this inquiry and incredible evidence of ill-treatment of workers and violation of safety requirements came to light. When this was published, workers were thrown out and assaulted with the help of local goons. Subsequent investigations by journalists revealed conditions to be equally bad at some other hydro-electric projects in neighbouring areas. These are only a few cases of the glaring exploitation of labourers employed at dam-sites which have come to light. For every case reported it is certain that many others go unreported. As highway and dam workers in Himalayan region often face high risks and isolation together with exploitation the government should take significant steps on the basis of urgency for their protection and safety. --- *Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now; recent books include A Day in 2071, Planet in Peril' and Protecting Earth for Children' The extremely tragic death of 10 workers at a tunnel construction site in Ramban on Jammu-Srinagar highway has again drawn attention to the serious hazards faced by workers employed in highways and dams in Himalayan region, several of them in very remote areas. These workers were trapped after a landslide hit the under-construction tunnel on May 19, followed later by one more landslide. Apart from these deaths, the remaining workers suffered injuries.While overall conditions at many such construction sites are known to be hazardous, according to preliminary reports the risks here increased due to sub-contracts which resulted in work being handled by those who did not have much experience or knowledge of such hazardous conditions.Sub-contracting is a common practice in such work and the principal employer gets away with less legal liability for hazardous conditions. Workers face more risks under this system and their rights are adversely affected.This was a well-known landslide zone and even before this serious accident several commuters had suffered injuries or near escapes in the middle of falling boulders. Surely better protection steps should have been taken well in advance when work was to be taken up in such a hazardous area.Five of the workers who perished in this accident were from West Bengal while three others were from Assam and Nepal. The serious risks which such workers from very far away areas, isolated and unfamiliar with local conditions, face can be well-imagined.Numerous cases of landslides and accidents in the course of construction and widening work on highways have been reported from the Himalayan region. In addition the work on dams and hydro projects in the Himalayan region has also involved increasing risks for workers, generally migrant workers from remote areas with hardly any local resource base.In one of the worst dam-site accidents, at least 29 workers were killed in a serious accident at the Tehri dam site (in Uttarakhand) on August 2 2004. Many other workers were injured and/or rescued amidst great difficulty.The Tehri dam project had long been controversial as one of India's most unsafe dam projects posing a grave risk to the teeming cities and villages of the vast Gangetic plains below. This accident at this dam site further confirmed several doubts raised from time to time about the weakness of the nearby mountains and the safety of the dam. It also focused attention on highly hazardous conditions in which dam workers toil in many distant parts of India.It was subsequently realized that the death toll in the Tehri dam disaster on August 2, 2004 could easily have been much higher. District officials conceded that as many as 109 workers were present in the Diversion Tunnel T-3 of Tehri Dam when the rockslide took place. In fact some reports expressed apprehensions that the death toll was actually higher.It has been pointed out that micro-silica treatment which could've helped to avert this tragedy should've been completed much before. Adequacy of other safety and rescue arrangements have also been questioned. The UK government is seeking input on enhancing the security and resilience of the nations data centres and online cloud platforms. Views are sought on tools and strategies for protecting data storage and processing infrastructure as well as cloud services which provide remote, shareable computing via the internet. Proposals will also help to support small businesses that use cloud platforms as a cheaper, more efficient way to access essential IT services, shielding this infrastructure against disruption. The work is part of the governments National Data Strategy and National Cyber Strategy to ensure the security and resilience of the infrastructure on which data relies. Addressing security and resilience in UK data centres, cloud platforms The UK government has invited contributions from data centre operators, cloud platform providers, data centre customers, security and equipment suppliers, and cybersecurity experts to understand the risks data storage and processing services face. Its aim is to establish steps to address security and resilience vulnerabilities. The call also asks companies which run, purchase, or rent any element of a data centre to provide details of the types of customers they serve. Based on feedback, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will decide whether any additional government support or management is needed to minimise the risks that data storage and processing infrastructure face. New protections would build on existing safeguards for data infrastructure, including the Networks and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018 which cover cloud computing services, a DCMS press release stated. Data Minister Julia Lopez commented, Data centres and cloud platforms are a core part of our national infrastructure. They power the technology which makes our everyday lives easier and delivers essential services like banking and energy. We legislated to better protect our telecoms networks and the internet-connected devices in our homes from cyberattacks and we are now looking at new ways to boost the security of our data infrastructure to prevent sensitive data ending up in the wrong hands. Data centres, cloud platforms underpin UK data infrastructure Data centres and cloud platforms are integral to the UKs data infrastructure, underpinning the digital technologies and services upon which all citizens and organisations increasingly rely, said techUKs CEO Julian David. The technology sector already plays an important role in strengthening resilience across the UK economy and techUK welcomes the opportunity to engage with government on these significant issues. One particular focus will be how these proposals will align with wider efforts to strengthen resilience across sectors as well as the wider ambitions outlined in the UKs National Cyber Strategy which is a continuation of UK governments longstanding leadership in cybersecurity. The call for views closes on July 24, 2022. By Cynthia Hubert Wayne Linklater, a Sacramento State Environmental Studies professor, has spent more than two decades researching, writing, and teaching about the ecology and behavior of mammals, from voles to rhinos. Recently, his interest in the worlds most abundant large animals, humans, and their impact on the natural world, has grown. His newest work to study the health effects of pollution in disadvantaged local communities aligns with this research focus. The project, funded by a $10,000 grant from the national nonprofit group Second Nature, will allow Linklater and his students to collaborate with local community organizations while conducting critical research on air quality in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The data gathered will help illuminate the link between air quality and respiratory health in the areas studied. Environmental justice is Professor Wayne Linklater's focus, the latest important area he has addressed in his research. (Courtesy photo) We want to use our expertise to produce a credible report that communities can use to advocate for themselves, Linklater said. Linklater has traveled around the country and the globe to study varied topics, including conflict created by urban deer populations in El Cerrito, and black rhinoceros habitat use in South Africa. Lately, he has become keenly interested in environmental justice, including the effects of pollution on human health. Studies have shown that communities of color in poorer neighborhoods are disproportionately exposed to air pollution, specifically particles emitted by vehicles and factories. Such exposure can contribute to health problems, including respiratory diseases. Residential areas in these communities typically are closer to industrial areas and freeways, where pollution levels are higher and trees, which can act as air filters, are less abundant. Sac State, working with project partners including Breathe California and United Latinos, will establish air-monitoring networks in South Sacramento and North Highlands. Student interns and community members will then measure levels of potentially dangerous airborne particulates in those areas of the city. Linklater will analyze the data and create a report documenting how emissions change throughout the day, week, and seasons. Researchers will work with Sacramento Countys public health department to link air quality with health outcomes, he said. The information also could educate residents and inform future policies, programs, and resources to improve quality of life in affected neighborhoods, said Linklater. One of the solutions could be a collaborative effort to improve tree coverage, Linklater said. These communities have some of the lowest tree coverage in the city. The data could influence elected leaders decisions about urban development. Student participants will engage in a mix of technical and community work, Linklater said. Thats a very important aspect of their early career development. We want to use our expertise to produce a credible report that communities can use to advocate for themselves. - Wayne Linklater Richard Falcon, lead organizer for United Latinos, said his organization benefits from Linklaters knowledge and passion for environmental justice. Working with Dr. Linklater has been a privilege, he said. His knowledge of these issues and the science behind them has been helpful to me as I navigate our mission of engaging the community in processes that are of benefit to their well-being. Linklater breaks down the science into digestible information that I can take back to our constituency to help them understand the data and the impacts on them, Falcon said. He should be commended on his efforts to bring Sac State and community resources together to benefit the greater Sacramento area as well as students who attend Sac State. Second Nature, which is funding the research, is dedicated to supporting climate projects driven by colleges and universities. President Robert S. Nelsen said the work helps support Sac States efforts to connect the University and the region to address key problems. This is another example of the important work being done by our faculty and students with community partners to advance knowledge and social justice while making our region a better, safer place for all, Nelsen said. Share This Story email copy url url copied! TIVAOUANE, Senegal (AP) Police were on guard and nearby residents and parents stood mourning outside a hospital in Senegal where a fire in the neonatal unit killed 11 newborns. Only three infants could be saved, President Macky Sall said before calling on Thursday for three days of mourning for the young lives lost. Mamadou Mbaye, who witnessed the fire Wednesday at the Abdoul Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital in Tivaouane, a town 120 kilometers (75 miles) northeast of the capital, Dakar, told The Associated Press that conditions inside the hospital were atrocious. It was hot and smoky inside with a suffocating heat, and there was a power outage, Mbaye said. Grieving parents were still in shock. I baptized my child on Wednesday and he was baptized here in the hospital. To my great shock, I got a call to tell me that the neonatal section had been destroyed by a fire, said Badara Faye, who lost his son. Moustapha Cisse, who also lost a newborn, said they are still awaiting answers on how such a tragic fire could take the lives of their children. The fire was blamed on an electrical short circuit, according to Mayor Demba Diop. Interior Minister Antoine Diome announced that authorities would be opening an investigation into the condition of the hospitals facilities as well as other health care centers, Senegalese media reported. President Sall called for three days of mourning. To their mothers and families, I express my deepest sympathy, Sall had tweeted upon hearing the news of the fire. His chief of staff, minister Augustin Tine, visited the remains of the hospital Thursday. We have come to be close to the people, in particular the parents, he said. We have come to share the suffering, he added, to share our condolences and to say again it is a misfortune that has hit our country, but we keep our faith. The deadly fire comes a year after four other newborns died in a hospital fire in Linguere in northern Senegal. A series of other deaths also have raised concerns about maternal and infant health in the West African nation known for having some of the best hospitals in the region. Earlier this month, authorities discovered a baby that had been declared dead by a nurses aide was still alive in a morgue. The infant later died. Last year a pregnant woman died in Louga, in the north of the country, after waiting in vain for a cesarean section. Three midwives were given six-month suspended sentences for not giving help to a person in danger. Health Minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, who was attending the World Health Assembly in Geneva, cut short his trip to return to Senegal. ___ This story has been corrected to show the correct spelling of the hospital is Abdoul Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital. ___ Dione contributed from Dakar, Senegal. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIJING (AP) On a balmy Sunday night, residents of an upscale Shanghai compound took to the streets to decry lockdown restrictions imposed by their community. By the following morning, they were free to leave. The triumphant story quickly spread on chat groups across the Chinese city this week, sparking one question in the minds of those who remained under lockdown: Shouldnt we do the same? By the end of the week, other groups of residents had confronted management in their complexes, and some had won at least a partial release. While its unclear how widespread they are, the incidents reflect the frustration that has built up after more than seven weeks of lockdown, even as the number of new daily cases has fallen to a few hundred in a city of 25 million people. They also are a reminder of the power of China's neighborhood committees that the ruling Communist Party relies on to spread propaganda messages, enforce its decisions and even settle personal disputes. Such committees and the residential committees under them have become the target of complaints, especially after some in Shanghai and other cities refused to allow residents out even after official restrictions were relaxed. More than 21 million people in Shanghai are now in precaution zones, the least restrictive category. In theory, they are free to go out. In practice, the decision is up to their residential committees, resulting in a kaleidoscope of arbitrary rules. Some are allowed out, but only for a few hours with a specially issued pass for one day or certain days of the week. Some places permit only one person per household to leave. Others forbid people to leave at all. We have already been given at least three different dates when we are going to reopen, and none of them were real, said Weronika Truszczynska, a graduate student from Poland who posted vlogs about her experience. The residential committee told us you can wait a week, we are going to reopen probably on June 1st, she said. No one believed it. More than a dozen residents of her complex, many under umbrellas on a rainy day, confronted their managers on Tuesday, two days after the Sunday night breakout at the upscale Huixianju compound. The residents, who were mostly Chinese, demanded to be allowed to leave without time limits or restrictions on how many per household. After the demands were not met, some returned to protest a second day. This time, four police officers stood watch. On Thursday afternoon, community representatives knocked on the doors of each resident with a new policy: Write their name and apartment number on a list, take a temperature check, scan a barcode and they were free to leave. "We got the possibility of going out just because we were brave enough to protest, Truszczynska said of her fellow residents. The Shanghai lockdown has also prompted resistance from people being taken away to quarantine and workers required to sleep at their workplaces. Videos on social media showed what were said to be employees of a factory operated by Taiwans Quanta Computer Inc. trying to force their way out of the facility in early May. The partys strict anti-virus campaign has been aided by an urban environment in which hundreds of millions of people in China live in gated apartment compounds or walled neighborhoods that can be easily blocked off. The front line for enforcement are the neighborhood committees that are responsible for keeping track of every resident in every urban household nationwide and enforcing public health and sanitation rules. Many tend to err on the side of over-enforcement, aware of the example made of public officials who are fired or criticized for failing in their pandemic prevention duties. The importance of neighborhood committees dwindled in the 1990s as the Communist Party relaxed restrictions on the movement of citizens, but they have been undergoing a resurgence in an ongoing tightening of societal controls under President Xi Jinping. The incident at Huixianju prompted others to speak out. In a series of videos that circulated this week, about two dozen people march toward the Western Nanjing Road Police Station, chanting Respect the law, give me back my life. Residents of a compound in Jingan district saw the gates of neighboring compounds open over the past month yet theirs remained locked. On Wednesday, about two dozen gathered at the gate, calling out to speak with a representative. I want to understand what are the neighborhood leaders planning? one woman asks in a video of the incident. Another woman chimes in: Are you making progress? A third resident points out that they should be free by now, since the compound has been case-free for a while. Didnt they say on television that things are opening up? We saw it on television, an older man says. The next day, the community issued one-day passes residents were allowed out for two hours on Friday, with no word on what would happen after that. Shanghai authorities have declared a June target for life to return to normal. But some people arent waiting, pushing the boundaries bit by bit. On Thursday night, more than a dozen young people gathered for a street concert in the same district where Sundays protest took place. Video of the last song, Tomorrow will be better, was shared widely on social media. A police car parked nearby with its flashing red and blue lights and headlights on. As the final song drew to a close, an officer wearing a face shield strode toward the group and said, OK youve had enough fun. Its time to go back. The crowd dispersed. ___ Associated Press researcher Si Chen in Shanghai and writer Joe McDonald in Beijing contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) A lawyer for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign hid his partisan interests from the FBI as he pushed pure opposition research related to Donald Trump and Russia in the weeks before the election, a prosecutor asserted Friday during closing arguments of the attorney's trial. But Michael Sussmann's legal team denied prosecutors claims that he lied. And even if jurors believed Sussmann did lie, the defense said the alleged false statement did not matter because he was presenting national security information that the FBI would have looked into no matter the source. At the time of Sussmann's meeting with the FBI in September 2016, the bureau was already investigating whether Russia and the Trump campaign were colluding to sway the election won by Trump that November. It was a very contentious time. The Russians had hacked the DNC. They were leaking emails. And there was an ongoing FBI investigation irrespective of this," Sussmann lawyer Sean Berkowitz told jurors, referring to the Democratic National Committee. And that was viewed as incredibly serious. The case is the first courtroom test of special counsel John Durham's work since his appointment three years ago to search for government misconduct during the investigation into potential ties between Russia and Trumps campaign. Jurors began deliberating Friday afternoon. A guilty verdict would be cheered by Trump and his supporters, who have looked to the Durham investigation to undercut the original Trump-Russia probe that they have long seen as politically motivated. But the case against Sussmann is narrow in nature, involves a peripheral aspect of that probe and alleges misconduct by a tipster to the government rather than by anyone at the FBI or any other federal agency. Nonetheless, the two weeks of testimony in federal court in Washington have exposed the extent to which Democratic interests, opposition research, the media and law enforcement all came to be entangled in the run-up to the presidential election. Prosecutors have portrayed Sussmann as determined to gin up investigations into Trump that could then be disclosed to the media and yield stories negative to his campaign. It wasnt about national security, said Jonathan Algor, a Durham team prosecutor. It was about promoting opposition research against the opposition candidate, Donald Trump. Sussmann is charged with a single count of making a false statement. That charge carries a maximum five-year prison sentence, though if convicted, Sussmann is likely to get far less if any prison time. He did not take the stand during the trial. The case turns on a Sept. 19, 2016, meeting in which Sussmann presented the FBI's top lawyer, James Baker, with computer data that Sussmann said suggested a secret communications backchannel between a Russia-based bank and the Trump Organization, the candidate's company. Such a backchannel, if it existed, would have been explosive information at a time when the FBI was examining links between Trump and Russia. But after assessing the data, the FBI quickly determined that there was no suspicious contact at all. Prosecutors say Sussmann lied to Baker by saying he was not participating in the meeting on behalf of a particular client. They say he was actually there on behalf of the Clinton campaign and another client, a technology executive whom the Durham team says tasked researchers with looking for internet traffic involving Trump associates and Russians. Sussmann lied about his clients, prosecutors allege, to give the data extra credibility because he figured the information would not be investigated if the FBI thought it was mere opposition research being pushed by the Clinton campaign. The defendant knew he had to hide his clients if there was any chance of getting his allegations to the FBI and that, ladies and gentlemen, is why the defendant lied, Algor said. To convict, prosecutors need to show not only that Sussmann lied but that the lie was material namely, that it mattered or at least could have mattered to the FBI's work. Algor said the fact Sussmann repeatedly billed the Clinton campaign for his work on the Alfa Bank matter is proof he was acting on the campaign's behalf when he met with the FBI. But Berkowitz noted that Sussmann billed his taxi ride to FBI headquarters for the meeting itself to his law firm, rather than to the campaign. Berkowitz also tried to cast doubt on what exactly was said in the meeting. Prosecutors showed jurors a text message Sussmann sent Baker the night before the meeting in which he requested a sit-down on a sensitive matter and said he would be coming by himself and not on behalf of a client. But Berkowitz reminded jurors that the only false statement that was charged took place during the following day's meeting, and that no one can be sure exactly what was said because Baker and Sussmann were the only participants and neither took notes. Berkowitz also suggested it was technically accurate if Sussmann said he was not acting on behalf of a client because Sussmann never asked the FBI do anything with the information he was providing. When you go somewhere on behalf of a client, youre advocating for the client, youre asking for something, Berkowitz said. Mr. Sussmann didn't ask Jim Baker for anything. The two sides also quibbled over Baker's testimony, with Berkowitz citing dozens of instances in which Baker said on the stand that he did not recall or could not remember something. Prosecutors, meanwhile, seized on the fact that Baker said he was 100% confident that Sussmann had told him that he was not acting on behalf of a client and that he probably wouldn't have taken the meeting if he had been told otherwise. Ladies and gentlemen, would James Baker come on the stand under oath, a former high-ranking FBI official, and subject himself to the penalty of perjury if it weren't true, another prosecutor, Andrew DeFilippis, told jurors on Friday. No, he wouldnt do that. None of us would do that, would take that risk. Durham has so far charged three people. The case against Sussmann is the only one to have reached trial. ___ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP The police official blamed for not sending officers in more quickly to stop the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting is the chief of the school system's small police force, a unit dedicated ordinarily to building relationships with students and responding to the occasional fight. Preparing for mass shootings is a small part of what school police officers do, but local experts say the preparation for officers assigned to schools in Texas including mandatory active shooter training provides them with as solid a foundation as any. The tactical, conceptual mindset is definitely there in Texas, said Joe McKenna, deputy superintendent for the Comal school district in Texas and a former assistant director at the state's school safety center. A gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday. As students called 911, officers waited more than an hour to breach the classroom after following the gunman into the building. The district's police chief, Pete Arredondo, decided officers should wait to confront the gunman on the belief he was barricaded inside adjoining classrooms and children were no longer at risk, officials said Friday. It was the wrong decision, Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said at a news conference Friday. A group of Border Patrol tactical officers would later engage in a shootout with the gunman and kill him, officials said. Arredondo could not immediately be reached for comment Friday by the AP. Across the country, police officers who work in schools are tasked with keeping tabs on whos coming and going, working on building trust so students feel comfortable coming to them with problems, teaching anti-substance abuse programs and, occasionally, making arrests. The police department for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District says on its website that its primary goal is to maintain a safe and secure environment for our future leaders to learn and our current leaders to educate while forming partnerships with students, teachers, parents, and the community while enforcing laws and reducing fears. The active shooter training was mandated by state lawmakers in 2019 in response to school shootings. Under state law, school districts also are required to have plans to respond to active shooters in their emergency response procedures. Security can sometimes become lax because school officials and officers may not believe a shooting will ever happen in their building, said Lynelle Sparks, a school police officer in Hillsboro, Texas, and executive director of the Texas Association of School Resource Officers. Its always making sure that you are prepared, she said. People get relaxed. It happens in every district. You cant say that it doesnt. It happens everywhere. We get to the point, Oh my gosh. This is horrific. Safety Safety Safety. The school year goes by, Oh, why do I have to lock my door everyday, you know? I wish that every teacher would teach behind a locked door. It doesnt make it a prison system. Its about saving lives. Under the incident command approach that was widely adopted after 9/11, it is unsurprising that the school police chief would be considered the commander, even following the arrival of officers from other agencies, McKenna said. The designated person would be considered the commander until relieved by a higher-ranking officer, but that doesn't necessarily happen immediately when efforts to save lives are continuing, he said. Obviously its still an ongoing investigation, but it would make sense that a police chief of a school district would be the initial incident commander," McKenna said. While many schools around the country host school resource officers who report to their municipal police departments, it is not uncommon especially in some Southern states and large cities for school districts to have their own police forces, like Uvalde. McKenna said his research on school policing indicated that training and other factors mattered more than which agency was managing the officers. It doesn't matter if you're in a school police department or an SRO, its more about the components of any good officer, he said. ___ The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting Every holiday comes with an invitation to dig into history. And, of course, some lure us into Americas unique story, including Presidents Day, the Fourth of July and Juneteenth. But none seem as personal as Memorial Day. Death, after all, eventually comes to every household. And if any group of people earned an annual day of recognition, it is those soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. Death is never a comfortable subject. Perhaps its one of the reasons Memorial Day has become more synonymous with barbecues and sales. But Memorial Day is as good a time as any to pause for reflection on death as part of the daily landscape in 2022. It arrives in the shadow of another massacre at an elementary school in America. It arrives a few weeks after the COVID-19 death toll in the United States passed the mark of 1 million people. And it arrives as the United States weighs its support of Ukraine in its war with Russia. Each of these narratives remain unfinished, but they are history lessons children will carry forward for the rest of their lives. Will America figure out a way to reverse the scourge of public massacres? Will we ever return to pre-COVID living conditions? What will Americas ultimate role be in confronting Russia? These questions arent all that different from what Americans faced in the days leading up to past wars. The Americans we honor each offer lessons on the defining of the nation. In the shadow of the Civil War about 150 years ago, there was a recognition that those who gave their lives for our country deserved a day of honor. It was essentially a local tradition for generations, a day when the graves of soldiers were decorated with U.S. flags. Concerns over the fading meaning of the holiday are not new. Such complaints were already being voiced shortly after World War II. Memorial Day was marked for years on March 30, before the Uniform Monday Holiday Act parked it on the final Monday of May to establish a three-day weekend for federal employees. That didnt take effect until 1971, during the Vietnam War. If anything, a long weekend means it should be easier to carve out time to mourn. Back in 2000, a year before 9/11, Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act. It was intended as a reminder of the meaning of Memorial Day, encouraging Americans to pause for a minute at 3 p.m. on the holiday to remember those who died shielding our freedoms. It was well-intended, but has already been largely forgotten. A day on the calendar should be enough of a motivation to establish personal traditions to thank the fallen. A pause to consider a soldiers gravestone. An hour or so at a local ceremony. A dive into family history. A conversation with a veteran. The sharing of posts on social media about the people this day is designed to honor. Its not hard to salute. But we all should raise our hands to participate in this most American of holidays. JEAN-BAPTISTE LACROIX / Contributor via Getty The True Detective anthology is getting ready to kick off its fourth season, and while its still in development, Jodie Foster has just won a starring role in the newest storyline. Her casting in the latest season, called Night County, is the" Silence of the Lambs" actors first time on the small screen in almost 40 years. According to HBO, the new season will focus on the disappearance of six men working on an Arctic research station in Ennis, Alaskaand on the case are detectives Liz Danver Fosters character and Evangeline Navarro. To solve the mystery, the pair will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves, and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE, Texas (AP) Tuesday should have been a day of triumph for 10-year-old Maite Rodriguez. Instead, it was the day she died. Maite was among 19 grade school students who, along with two teachers, were shot to death at Robb Elementary School in the southwestern Texas town of Uvalde. The 18-year-old gunman also died. Maite liked and excelled at physical education after her death, her teacher texted her mother to say she was very competitive at kickball and ran faster than all the boys. She had always been a straight-A student until the COVID-19 pandemic forced the school to cancel in-person classes. Zoom didn't work well for Maite she got all Fs. But with school back in session, Maite rebounded all As and Bs. She was among the honor roll students recognized at an assembly Tuesday morning. She worked hard, I only encouraged her, her mother, Ana Rodriguez, said in an interview Thursday at her dining room table, which displayed a bouquet of red roses, the honor roll certificate and photos of Maite. Hours later, Maite was gone. Her mother described her as focused, competitive, smart, bright, beautiful, happy." As a kindergartner, Maite said she wanted to be a marine biologist and held firmly to that goal. She researched a program at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi and told her mother she was set on studying there. She was just so driven. She was definitely special. She was going to be something, she was going to be something very, very special, Rodriguez said. Jacklyn Cazares, who would have turned 10 on June 10, was a tough-minded firecracker who wanted to help people in need, her father said. Jacklyn and her second cousin, Annabell Rodriguez, were especially tight with three other classmates at Robb Elementary School. They are all gone now, Javier Cazares said. All her little best friends were killed too. Despite her young age, Jacklyn was tough-minded and compassionate. She had a voice, her father said. She didnt like bullies, she didnt like kids being picked on. All in all, full of love. She had a big heart. She was a character, a little firecracker. Cazares drove his daughter to school Tuesday for the awards ceremony. About 90 minutes later, the family got a call about an active shooter. I drove like a bat out of hell, he said. My baby was in trouble. There was more than 100 people out there waiting. It was chaotic, he said of the scene at the school. He grew impatient with the police response and even raised the idea of rushing inside with other bystanders. Cazares said his niece followed an ambulance to the hospital and saw Jacklyn being taken inside. The entire family soon arrived and pressed hospital officials for information for nearly three hours. They begged, cried and showed photos of Jacklyn. Finally, a pastor, police officer and a doctor came to them. My wife asked the question, Is she alive or is she passed? Cazares said. They were like, No, shes gone. Ryan Ramirez also rushed to Robb Elementary when he heard about the shooting, hoping to find his daughter, Alithia, and take her home, KTRK-TV reported. But Alithia, too, was among the victims. Ramirezs Facebook page includes a photo, now shown around the world, of the little girl wearing the multi-colored T-shirt that announced she was out of single digits after turning 10 years old. The same photo was posted again Wednesday with no words, but with Alithia wearing angel wings. The grief only grew Thursday with confirmation that the brokenhearted husband of one of the slain teachers, 48-year-old Irma Garcia, had died. Joe Garcia, 50, had dropped off flowers at his wifes memorial on Thursday morning, The New York Times reported. He pretty much just fell over after returning home and died of a heart attack, his nephew John Martinez told the newspaper. The Archdiocese of San Antonio and the Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary confirmed Joe Garcias death to The Associated Press. AP was unable to independently reach members of the Garcia family on Thursday. Married for 24 years, the couple shared four children. In a post on the schools website at the start of the school year introducing herself to her class, Irma Garcia wrote of her love of barbecue, listening to music and taking country cruises to the nearby town of Concan. The school year, scheduled to end Thursday, was Irmas 23rd year of teaching all of it at Robb Elementary School. She had been previously named the schools teacher of the year and was a 2019 recipient of the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Education from Trinity University. For five years, Irma had co-taught with Eva Mireles, who also was killed. Mireles also posted on the site as the school year began, noting she had been teaching 17 years. She cited her supportive, fun, and loving family. Welcome to the 4th grade! We have a wonderful year ahead of us! she wrote. Two of the victims had hoped to skip school that day. Carmelo Quirozs grandson, Jayce Luevanos, 10, had begged to go along with his grandmother on Tuesday as she accompanied her great-granddaughters kindergarten class to the San Antonio Zoo. But, he said, the family told Jayce it didnt make sense to skip school so close to the end of the year. Besides, Jayce liked school. Thats why my wife is hurting so much, because he wanted to go to San Antonio, Quiroz told USA Today. He was so sad he couldnt go. Maybe if he would have gone, hed be here. Jayces cousin, 10-year-old Jailah Nicole Silguero, also wanted to miss school that day. Jailahs mother, Veronica Luevanos, tearfully told Univision that Jailah seemed to sense something bad was going to happen. Jailahs friend, Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo, also was killed and her aunt noted Neveahs first name is heaven spelled backward. In a Facebook posting, Yvonne White described Nevaeh and Jailah as Our Angels. Two men who responded to the shooting discovered their own children among the victims. Uvalde County Sheriffs Deputy Felix Rubio and his wife had been at the school Tuesday morning to celebrate with their daughter, 10-year-old Alexandria Lexi Rubio, since the fourth-grader had made honor roll with all As and received a good citizen award. In a Facebook post, Kimberly Rubio wrote: We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye. Medical assistant Angel Garza also hurried to the school and immediately found a girl covered in blood among the terrified children streaming out of the building. Im not hurt. He shot my best friend, the girl told Garza when he offered help. Shes not breathing. She was just trying to call the cops. Her friend was Amerie Jo Garza Angel Garzas stepdaughter. Amerie was a happy child who made the honor roll and loved to paint, draw and work in clay. She was very creative, said her grandmother Dora Mendoza. She was my baby. Whenever she saw flowers she would draw them. GoFundMe pages were set up for many of the victims, including one on behalf of all victims that has raised more than $3.7 million. ___ This story has been corrected to show Lexi's last name is Rubio, not Aniyah. It also corrects the spelling of another victim's name. She was Annabell Rodriguez, not Annabelle. ___ Groves reported from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press writer Stefanie Dazio contributed to this report from Los Angeles. ___ Find more of the APs coverage of the Uvalde school shooting at https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 AP Show More Show Less 2 of 3 AP Show More Show Less 3 of 3 TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Rescue teams at the site of a 10-story collapsed building in southwestern Iran pulled seven more bodies from the rubble on Friday, bringing the death toll in the disaster to 26, Iranian state TV reported Friday. A tower at the Metropol Building that was under-construction in the city of Abadan, collapsed on Monday. Thirty-seven people were rescued, three of them are still being treated in hospital. It remains unclear how many more people are buried beneath the rubble. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT - State Sen. Dennis Bradley and former city board of education member Jessica Martinez will be sitting together in federal court when their campaign finance fraud trial begins next week. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Victor Bolden denied Martinezs request to sever her case from Bradley. She is contending Bradley maneuvered her in an effort to cover up his own misconduct. Ms. Martinez has not indicated that she will present evidence of multiple instances of [Mr. Bradleys] purported lies, deceptions, and misrepresentations. Rather, Ms. Martinezs claim that Mr. Bradley maneuvered her in an attempt to cover up his misconduct appears to turn primarily on her reliance on his advice during her testimony before the grand jury, which is not necessarily prejudicial to him, the judge ruled. We are going forward with the trial and both Jessica and I will be vindicated and the truth will prevail, Bradley commented Friday. Im looking forward to continuing my fight for my district. Martinez did not return calls for comment. Last year, Bradley and Martinez were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. In addition, Martinez was indicted for making false statements to the FBI and lying to the grand jury. The government alleges in the indictment that Bradley and Martinez, who served as his campaign treasurer for his 2018 campaign for state senate, conspired to defraud the Connecticut State Election Enforcement Commission, the Citizens Election Fund and the State of Connecticut by making misrepresentations concerning Bradleys compliance with state election law and the Citizens Election Programs statutory restrictions and requirements in order to fraudulently obtain or attempt to obtain $179,850 in campaign grants. The criminal charges are related to an event held at Dolphins Cove on March 15, 2018. Federal prosecutors claim that the event at Dolphins Cove was a campaign event and that it should have been disclosed as such to the State Enforcement Election Commission, as the disclosure would have made the campaign ineligible for CEP funding. Jury selection for the case is scheduled to be held Tuesday with the trial to begin possibly the next day. Federal prosecutors have stated in court documents that they intend to present 33 witnesses. Included among those witnesses is Tina Manus, a volunteer for the 2018 Bradley senate campaign who earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of wire fraud in the case. In her motion to sever, Martinez claimed in court documents that Bradley used his authority as her lawyer to convince her to allegedly commit fraud. Mr. Bradley had enormous power over Ms. Martinez because of their attorney-client relationship, their employer-subordinate relationship, and their personal relationship; that Mr. Bradley exercised considerable sway over Ms. Martinez; and that Ms. Martinez finds herself charged with federal crimes because Mr. Bradley maneuvered her in an effort to cover up his own misconduct, the documents state. The documents state that although Martinez held the title of campaign treasurer, her role was almost entirely nominal and the evidence at trial will show that other individuals, not Martinez, handled the actual duties of treasurer, including filings with SEEC. Ms. Martinezs defense team plans to argue that Ms. Martinez was fundamentally a victim of Mr. Bradley, the documents state. That Ms. Martinez relied on Mr. Bradleys counsel before her grand jury testimony does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that Mr. Bradley engaged in the alleged conspiracy and scheme to defraud SEEC, and Ms. Martinez has not pointed to other instances in which she will argue that Mr. Bradley used Ms. Martinez to cover up his alleged fraud, the judge stated. Indeed, to the extent Ms. Martinez intends to argue that Mr. Bradley advised her that the event at Dolphins Cove was not a campaign event, Ms. Martinezs defense is consistent with Mr. Bradleys, insofar as he asserts that he did not misrepresent or seek to intentionally misrepresent his campaign expenditures or receipt of contributions to SEEC, he ruled. An American friend emailed me in the wake of Tuesday's horrific mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, to say 'concerned' friends had recently gifted him so much weaponry he now had 'enough guns and ammunition to fight off a Russian attack or even an alien invasion'. He was only half-joking. 'I now have a very expensive sniper rifle to pick off the enemy at long range,' he explained, 'some automatic rifles for closer defence, and a shotgun, plus pistols, if it really gets difficult. I'm guessing that my armoury is not that dissimilar to many around the country.' He's right. America is now awash with guns as never before roughly 400 million in civilian hands at the last count, which means there are now more guns than people in the U.S. If they were spread evenly between households every family would have four or five guns. Most are never fired. But those that are often exact a terrible toll. The Uvalde atrocity alone claimed the lives of 19 primary school children and two of their teachers. There are now more than 45,000 firearm-related deaths a year in America a new record for a country that already had more gun deaths than any comparably advanced nation. Guns are now the leading cause of death among youngsters. More than car accidents. More than drugs. America is now awash with guns as never before roughly 400 million in civilian hands at the last count, which means there are now more guns than people in the U.S. The prevalence of firearms makes the police inclined to shoot first and ask questions later. Last year police in England and Wales shot dead two people. America? More than 1,000. Even allowing for a US population five times bigger than ours, the U.S. death rate from police shootings is 100 times greater. And when it comes to the slaughter of innocents, often children, by deranged gunmen, America is truly in a league of its own. In the two decades to 2019 the U.S. experienced 101 mass shootings defined as incidents in which four or more people are killed. The next 17 countries endured 38 mass shootings combined. France was second with eight, often terrorist-related. Britain brought up the rear with one. This week's Texan tragedy brought back memories of Sandy Hook, Connecticut, where 20 primary school children and six of their teachers were gunned down a decade ago. Then, as now, the cry went up 'something must be done'. But nothing was done. Mass shootings are now more common than ever. There have been 900 incidents involving gunfire at schools since Sandy Hook. Uvalde was the 27th school shooting this year and it's only May. It's the 119th since 2018. The inability of the U.S. political system to confront this carnage was once summed up by a headline in the satirical Onion website: 'No Way to Prevent This' says only nation where this regularly happens.' Indeed, far from doing anything to prevent it, America seems determined to make matters worse. The last successful attempt at gun control was under Bill Clinton almost three decades ago, when the purchase of semi-automatic weapons was banned and tougher background checks imposed. But these laws were allowed to wither on the vine so that, within days of his 18th birthday this year, the Uvalde shooter was able to purchase two AR-15 assault rifles this in a state where he was still deemed too young to buy a beer. Yes, it's madness. But nothing will change. Only recently Texan Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, was happily signing new rights for gun owners into state law and boasting that Texas was a 'safe sanctuary' from gun controls. Pity the same can't be said of the schools he presides over. Nor has slaughter in his own backyard given him second thoughts. He was due to appear at the annual conference of America's most powerful gun lobby, the National Rifle Association (NRA) in Houston, Texas, this weekend. But last night it was announced that he would give a pre-recorded speech instead. Former President Trump will still be there, as will Texas Republican senator Ted Cruz, who, like almost every Republican lawmaker, enjoys substantial financial support from the NRA. Uvalde notwithstanding, they will pledge total opposition to even the most modest of gun controls such as background checks. The NRA faithful will lap it up. Incredibly, even as America stumbles from one scene of carnage to another, things continue to go the gun lobby's way. Some crime-ridden cities, such as Washington DC and Chicago, once tried to enforce handgun bans. In two Supreme Court rulings, in 2008 and 2010, for the first time ever, the banning of handguns was deemed in conflict with the infamous second amendment's 'right to bear arms', and therefore unconstitutional. The Supreme Court is now on the brink of another landmark ruling which will please the gun lobby. For more than 100 years it has been the law in New York state that to carry a gun in public you must have a licence, be over 21, have no criminal record, be of 'good moral character' and have 'proper cause' to carry a gun. I've long felt that, if the 2024 presidential election is as close as the last one with either the Right or the Left refusing to recognise the victor (a precedent set by Trump) then America will face a constitutional crisis, writes ANDREW NEIL The Supreme Court is expected to rule that unconstitutional, too, with horrendous consequences for states trying to grapple with surging gun crime. Contrary to popular belief, this promiscuous attitude to guns is new. For most of America's history, the second amendment was seen as the founding fathers intended: a way of ensuring state militias were properly armed. It places the right to bear arms in the context of its opening words: the need for 'a well-regulated militia'. The U.S. constitution as originally framed gave huge power to the federal government. Many states, which had just liberated themselves from British rule, feared the federal government could be a new George III, the British monarch who lost the American War of Independence. The ten amendments in the Bill of Rights were designed to reassure them that the individual states would still be powerful including the second amendment guarantee that the power to arm their own militias could not be 'infringed'. And that's broadly the way things stayed well into the 20th century. But it didn't mean there were no gun controls. The federal government stayed out of it but individual states introduced all manner of restrictions, especially in the big cities. And even in the Wild West. Indeed, a frontier town like Tombstone, Arizona, scene of the legendary gunfight at the OK Corral, had more gun controls in the 1880s than it has today. Wyatt Earp and his lawmen were forced into a showdown with a group of desperados because they would not check in their guns as they entered town. The gunmen were killed, the law was enforced. Today Earp would be out of a job. You can now carry your gun in the streets of Tombstone. The sad fact is that mass shootings change nothing. The power of the gun lobby is often blamed for this. But the NRA is wracked by scandal and a shadow of its former self. The real gun lobby is made up of the millions and millions of Americans who now own guns. They tend to be Republican and will not tolerate any of their candidates suggesting even the mildest threat to their right to bear arms. So none does. The result is a blocking phalanx of pro-gun Republicans in the Senate who can vote down any attempt at reform, even when the Democrats have a majority because Senate rules require major changes to have the support of 60 out of 100 senators, not a simple majority. And there is no prospect of the Democrats having 60 Senate seats any time soon. The very structure of the Senate conspires against gun controls. Republican Wyoming population under 600,000 has two pro-gun senators. Democratic California population 40 million has two pro-gun control senators. No matter how many polls show a majority for gun control, there's an in-built senate vote from rural and southern states which can stop it. National polls do indeed show widespread support for gun controls but, significantly, it's fading somewhat. This suggests that the more Americans have guns the more they want to keep them, unhindered. My American friend suggests another factor. People are not just gathering guns because of the crime wave. There's a growing feeling, he says, that America is heading for big trouble in the form of civil disorder, and that perception is shared by people on both the left and the right. And so they are preparing for the worst by buying guns. I've long felt that, if the 2024 presidential election is as close as the last one with either the Right or the Left refusing to recognise the victor (a precedent set by Trump) then America will face a constitutional crisis. Democracies can handle crises. But when, unusually, a democracy has a populace armed to the hilt which is today's America who knows what violent mayhem could ensue. The cost of living crisis is hitting many families hard, but high earners who are still able to splash out on luxuries have revealed what it is they spend their cash on every month. In an eye-opening thread on the parenting website Mumsnet and unnamed woman, 27, who lives an hour outside London, explained that she and her doctor husband, 29, earn just under 140,000 a year combined. Her post entitled: 'High earners - how do you spend your salary?' explained that they contribute to their pensions and give 10 per cent a month of their earnings to charity, but wanted to know if they could be allocating their income in a better way. Other responders listed expenditure such as private school fees and chilcdare, trips to the opera and hiring help for household tasks. A Mumsnet user (not pictured) sparked debate after asking fellow 'high earners what they spend their disposable income on The poster revealed that they invest 1,000 a month, and also put 1,000 aside for holidays, as well as general savings In an eye-opening thread on the parenting website Mumsnet and unnamed woman, 27, who lives an hour outside London, explained that she and her doctor husband, 29, earn just under 140,000 a year combined Another said that she'd been helping to buy each of her five children their first property, while one said their money goes into investments, taken care of by her banker husband. Expensive food, exercise classes and taxis made the list as did travel, athough one admitted that she finds holidays 'a chore' and would rather spend money on home decor. Kicking off the thread, the woman said she wanted to 'ask other high earning households how they tend to allocate their money?' to 'see if we could be using it better or this is about right for comparables.' She explained: 'We plan to start overpaying the mortgage. We invest 1,000 a month (so 500 each) and save 1,000 for holidays. High earners revealed that they spend money on luxuries including holidays, home help, and the opera Other responders listed expenditure such as private school fees and chilcdare, trips to the opera and hiring help for household tasks 'We of course do general/specific savings but then have a good chunk left over for disposable income.' One revealed: 'Combined gross salary is 220,000. It goes on large pension contributions, sons school fees, savings and investments, holidays, we have people over for dinner quite often, eating out, a whopper of a mortgage. A second wrote: 'Apart from opera, not much. Everything's paid for and the children are grown up. Oh wait, half of son's forthcoming wedding reception. 'Still both working full time because we like work. There is nothing we need or want particularly so the money just gets reinvested.' Another simply listed: 'Home help, holidays and activities/ lessons.' Many users felt that speaking about financial matters can be helpful, as well as interesting, and defended the poster's question However, the post also received some negative feedback, with some commentators branding it insensitive, especially given the current cost of living crisis. One poster wrote: 'What a boastful thread and rather insensitive given the current financial situation a lot of people are facing. Why dont you just go and pay a financial advisor to tell you what to do with your bloated salaries instead of bragging on Mumsnet?' Another agreed, adding: 'Good grief. What a truly unpleasant thread. At least there aren't any comments about 'giving back' and charitable donations. Then I might puke.' However, others inisted there's nothing wrong with questioning how other people spend their money. Another forum user added: 'Making it taboo to talk about earning well is not helpful. I earn ok and tend to think I should be grateful (and I am) and be satisfied with that - something a lot of posters on here would no doubt agree with. 'Well, I read a salaries thread on here recently and it gave me the confidence to ask for the pay rise that Ive suspected I was due for a while. Not because the posters on there were in my situation, but because I saw that there are a lot of women out there on very good salaries. You dont have to settle for good enough because its greedy to have more.' And a third added: 'It may not be detailed financial advice, but op is quite clearly trying to get a feel for ways in which people like her are apportioning their earnings to different things. 'Are other people prioritising pensions or mortgages? What about fun stuff? How much does someone in her salary bracket splurge vs save? Its not something that is spoken about openly, and we are all curious about how we compare to others.' For decades, my bleach-white limbs were seen as ghoulish. Boys trailed after me at school, clicking along to the theme tune of The Addams Family. Yet something seismic is finally happening to complexions. After 100 years of golden-girl rule, skin untouched by orange tans, real or fake, is now in vogue. Take the red carpet at Cannes, usually a catwalk of Californian sun. Not this year. From Jennifer Connelly and Anne Hathaway to even Kylie Minogue, sun-kissed figures gave way to natural beauty in front of the flashing cameras. And at last week's Downton Abbey: A New Era premiere in New York, Downton's damsels displayed their natural skin tones, despite the movie celebrating the epoch when Riviera tans first took the world by storm. Natural look: Australian actress Nicole Kidman glowing in 2012, left, and this March Just don't call me Arter-tan: Bond girl Gemma Arterton in 2008, inset, and last week Goodbye caramel: Star Anne Hathaway in 2009, left, and looking much fairer in Cannes this year As ever, it was Lady Mary who led the charge. Michelle Dockery glowed like the silver-screen goddess she is, dressed in lustrous sequins and showing lavish expanses of back and calf. Elizabeth McGovern was dressed in barely-there shades, and even Downton newcomer Laura Haddock played ball at the London launch, an English rose unsullied by layers of Towie tan. It's striking how many celebrities are eschewing the bronzed look they used to love. As recent appearances testify, Gemma Arterton, Keira Knightley and Emmas Watson and Stone have all banished the tangerine tone. Meanwhile, a new generation will have never even considered the sun-scorched look. Behold, luminous luminaries Lucy Boynton, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Nicola Coughlan at this month's Met Gala and Anya Taylor-Joy pretty much everywhere she goes. Minogue's in vogue: Kylie in 2002, left, and without the bronzing this week Stone-washed: Actress Emma Stone in her golden era, 2011, left, and earlier this month Spray Gun! Top Gun actress Jennifer Connelly in 2004, left, and radiantly translucent last week I just think our true colours are our best colours, as these red-carpet beauties prove. It's about working with what nature gave us black, white or, in my case, an insipid off-green. At 51, I've been waiting wanly for this moment for decades. Since my teens in the 1980s, I've been hiding in the shadows. No Club Tropicana tans and Sun-In streaks for me. Where other girls basted in oil next to foil, I resisted the pressure to chase what I saw as an unappealing obsession. I would cover myself in sunblock then a petrol-blue gunk which gave me a sheen akin to a dead fish. The New Natural marks a return to a fashion that existed before Coco Chanel's Riviera set made bronzing the symbol of globe-trotting glamour. Before the 20th century, the fair look was a token of aristocratic leisure. These days, with tans available to all via a bottle or a bucket flight think of all those influencers basking in Dubai they're no longer a status symbol. So the world's A-listers are once again turning a cold shoulder to the sun, deeming artificial bronzing too obvious, too banal, a faux pas. Faking it? Potter star Emma Watson in 2010, left, and last year Keira Lightly: Actress Ms Knightley in 2005, left, and two years ago After all, why spend top dollar on your red carpet facial only to cover up the benefits of your newly radiant skin with satsuma-coloured gloop? And let's not forget the dangers of actual tanning from prematurely ageing to cancer. So put up your parasols and slide off those sun loungers. You have nothing to lose but your age spots. Prince Charles has been snapped having an animated conversation during a hike on his Transylvanian estate in Romania. The royal, 73, whose estate is in Valea Zalanului, Szeklerland, has ancestry in Transylvania. His maternal great-great-great-grandmother Klaudia Rhedey was born and raised in the region. Charles, who bought the estate in the late '90s, and has been a regular visitor to Romania since, was spotted wearing sensible walking shoes and slacks for the hike. He also carried a pair of binoculars, slung around his neck, and carried a stick for tackling some of the visibly uneven terrain. Prince Charles (pictured, centre) was snapped while taking a walk on his Transylvanian estate yesterday, a day after visiting Ukrainian refugees in Romania At one point, the 73-year-old royal was seen gesturing animatedly to one of his walking companions, while the pair were in conversation During the hike, he was accompanied by a group, and was seen talking with them, and gesturing animatedly. The walk came a day after the royal visited Ukrainian refugees, during an unannounced tour of the Romexpo donation centre for refugees in the capital Bucharest. Prince Charles was joined by local and national politicians during the appointment. He was also accompanied by a distant relative, Margareta, head of the Romanian royal family. At some points during the hike, the royal was seen sporting a pair of sunglasses to shield his eyes from the sun. He also carried a wide-brimmed hat The royal appeared to be in good spirits as he tackled the uneven terrain, using a stick as he navigated rough ground, and even trekked through shallow water Prince Charles (pictured, centre) bought the estate in Transylvania in the late 90s, and has been a regular visitor to Romania since While Margareta does not use her title of Queen of Romania, she is known as the Custodian of the Romanian Crown. More than a million Ukrainians have crossed the border into Romania since the Russian invasion, after having to flee their homeland. During the tour, the royal met a number of those who'd been displaced, telling them he is 'full of admiration for the Ukrainian people', describing the situation as a 'nightmare'. The prince's tour of the donation centre is the latest in a series of events he has attended to show solidarity with the plight of Ukraine and its people. He has been a regular visitor to Romania over the past 20 years and set up the Prince of Wales Foundation Romania to support the development of farming, traditional skills and the preservation of historic buildings through training. It is thought Charles is spending time privately in the country ahead of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations which begin next week. Prince Harry knows he needs a sprinkle of the Royal Family's 'magic fairy dust' if he wants to continue making money in California, a royal expert has claimed. Author and historian Tessa Dunlop told True Royal TV's the Royal Beat that the Duke of Sussex, 37, is in a difficult position because he is trading on his royal ties but does not want to expose too much in case he is completely cut off. It comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex prepare to fly to the UK with their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, 11 months, to take part in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations next week. Dunlop, along with royal biographer and journalist Duncan Larcombe and royal reporter Alan Jones, was discussing Harry's upcoming memoirs, which are due to shed light on his time as part of the Firm. Prince Harry knows he needs a sprinkle of the Royal Family's 'magic fairy dust' if he wants to continue making money in California, a royal expert has claimed Author and historian Tessa Dunlop told True Royal TV 's the Royal Beat that the Duke of Sussex, 37, is in a difficult position because he is trading on his royal ties but does not want to expose too much in case he is completely cut off from the Firm However a publication date has not yet been set, suggesting it has hit roadblocks. The Sussexes are also reportedly filming an 'at-home docuseries' - branded a royal Keeping Up with the Kardashians - for Netflix, as the streamer secures its 'pound of flesh' in return for its $100million Megxit streaming deal. Dunlop says Harry might feel anxious about overstepping the mark. 'It can feel very lonely if the institution shuts you out,' she said. 'And I think Harry, more than anyone, realises hes walking a tightrope. 'Yes, he needs to make money, and yes, the Royal Family has made him feel excluded and he feels unsupported. But he also realises, on a professional level, he needs some of their magic fairy dust. And, on an emotional level, theyre family. It comes as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex prepare to fly to the UK with their children Archie, three, and Lilibet, 11 months, to take part in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations next week. Pictured, Harry and Meghan with the Queen in 2018 'So how much "tell-all" does he really want to do? I think that's going to be the great conundrum for him and his wife.' The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not join working members of the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony following Trooping the Colour, they will take part in other events including the Service of Thanksgiving on Friday. Wills and Kate should thank Harry and Meghan for 'star quality' makeover Larcombe said: 'Since the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary last year, we've seen a transition of this couple. It's been a monumental transition. 'Theyve swapped their wax jackets and walks with the dogs for tiaras, ball gowns and velvet, and walks down the red carpet with Tom Cruise. This is about that coming of age the Prince and Princess of Wales in waiting. Dunlop added: 'I think we have got to give some of the credit to Harry and Meghan, because I think they forced the couple to slightly kickstart their star quality.' Advertisement Larcombe said: [It] may be the only chance we get to see a glimpse of both [Harry and Meghan] . we can expect to see massive crowds 'Thousands and thousands of people that you would describe as royalists, who love the pomp and ceremony. 'The reality is Harry and Meghan are very divisive characters It will be fascinating to see the reaction and mood of the public [towards them].' Dunlop added the family will be wanting to put their 'best foot forward' for the event and will put on a united front for the cameras. Dunlop commented on the historic nature of the celebrations, saying: 'It is very unlikely we will see a Jubilee like this for decades. 'Prince Charles would need to be King for 25 years before he can celebrate his Silver Jubilee, which is highly unlikely given the fact he is already in his seventies. 'This is a standalone moment, our first Platinum Jubilee, and perhaps it will be the last for a long time.' It comes after Meghan Markle paid tribute to the victims of a school shooting in Texas by visiting a memorial near the site of the massacre and laying a bouquet of white 'peace' roses. The Duchess of Sussex was photographed on Thursday laying the flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the Uvalde County Courthouse, not far from the scene of the senseless slayings at Robb Elementary School. Star power: Royal experts said Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge have embraced their celebrity after being inspired by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex She also stopped by an Uvalde community center that is hosting a blood drive, where she toured the facility and donated food, a volunteer there told DailyMail.com. 'She did not want anybody to know who she was,' the person said. The duchess dropped off of two 'large' bags filled with sandwiches, beverages, and desserts for blood donors, reports said. She took the trip in a personal capacity as a mother, to offer her condolences and support in person to a community experiencing unimaginable grief, her spokesperson told People. Markle did not address the press on the visit, and it was unclear whether she was accompanied by camera crews filming content for her deal with Netflix. A Netflix spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Duchess departed by private jet several hours later. The Queen has a 'soft spot for Prince Harry' because of the 'tragic nature of his mother Princess Diana's death and his struggles to cope with it', royal biographer Andrew Morton has claimed. Speaking on Lorraine when promoting his new book, The Queen, the British author said Her Majesty, 96, would have recognised the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's need to make a life for themselves. However, Morton, best known for penning Princess Diana's authorised biography, added that Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to quit the royal family in 2020 and move to California was 'abrupt' and 'a lot of it was uncalled for'. The Queen has a 'soft spot for Prince Harry (pictured together in 2016 to promote the Invictus Games)' because of the 'tragic nature of his mother Princess Diana's death and his struggles to cope with it', royal biographer Andrew Morton has claimed The Princess Of Wales pictured with Prince Harry at Hyde Park in May 1995. Princess Diana died in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, aged 36 Speaking on Lorraine when promoting his new book, The Queen, the British author (pictured) said Her Majesty, 96, would have recognised the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's need to make a life for themselves He said: 'The Queen's got a soft spot for Harry, he can jump over, I mean courtiers will have an appointment with the Queen and it'll be three weeks hence, he can turn up at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle walk in say "Hi" and get the Queen to say be involved in the Invictus Games. 'So yeah the Queen has got a soft spot for Harry, because obviously, the tragic nature of his mother's death, and he struggles to cope with that. His mental struggles. 'He's cursed with charisma in a way. When I see him on royal engagements it's very much like watching Diana, kneeling down and hugging kids. It's remarkable.' Princess Diana died in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, aged 36. Prince Harry was just 12-years-old at the time, while his brother Prince William was aged 15. Morton was also asked by presenter Ranvir Singh what he believed the Queen's thoughts were regarding Megxit. 'Well it was abrupt, a lot of it was uncalled for,' he said. 'But at the same time the Queen will recognise, they've got a young family, she's American, and she'll cast her mind back to her own life. However, Morton (pictured right), best known for penning Princess Diana's authorised biography, added that Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to quit the royal family in 2020 and move to California was 'abrupt' and 'a lot of it was uncalled for'. The author was also asked by presenter Ranvir Singh what he believed the Queen's thoughts were regarding Megxit. Pictured, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and the Queen in 2018 'Because she and Prince Philip went off to Malta for a few years, shortly after they married, and they expected to be on the fringes of the royal family, of duty as it were, for 20 years or so. 'Prince Philip expected to go through the ranks in the navy. it was very unexpected for them and she will appreciate the fact that Harry and Meghan want to make a life for themselves.' The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will join The Queen at a thanksgiving service at St Paul's Cathedral next week to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, it emerged yesterday. The LA-based couple will honour the monarch's seven decades on the throne on Friday June 3 alongside Her Majesty's children, grandchildren and her older great-grandchildren, The Telegraph reported. Next Friday will be the first time the Sussexes, the Cambridges and the Prince of Wales and Camilla (pictured at the Commonwealth Day Service in 2020) have been together in public for years But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of York will not be joining other royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony at the Trooping the Colour that kicks off the Queens platinum jubilee celebrations next Thursday. Only senior serving royals such as Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Prince William are invited. 24 hours later the eyes of the world will be on the Sussexes at St Paul's, because it will be the first time the couple will be surrounded by such a large number of Windsors since their wedding at St George's Windsor in 2018. Harry has hardly seen his father and brother since they emigrated to California, and Meghan has not seen them at all. But the Sussexes eldest son Archie, three, and daughter Lilibet, who turns one on Saturday, are unlikely to attend the service of celebration, with only the eldest great-grandchildren expected to attend. Prince George, eight, and Princess Charlotte, seven, are expected to be with their parents alongside cousin Mia Tindall, also eight. The Queen's presence is expected but a decision may be left to the 11th hour due to her ongoing mobility issues. A lavish maid of honour dress from the Queen's Coronation has been painstakingly restored and will go on display to mark the Platinum Jubilee. The outfit, designed by the Queen's dressmaker Norman Hartnell, was worn by Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill at the 1953 Westminster Abbey ceremony. It has a tiny 22-inch waist, with a motif of gold leaf and pearl white blossom. The dress was recently rediscovered at Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock, after being in their archive for 40 years. It will be showcased at the Palace - Winston Churchill's birthplace - following its restoration by textile conservator Emma Telford. The dress was worn by Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (second left) for the Queen's Coronation in 1953 After the frock was recently rediscovered in Blenheim Palace, Oxon, it required restoring, to bring it back to its former glory Pictured after the restoration, the dress, which features a motif of gold leaf and pearl white blossom, is back to looking pristine Alongside it will be the gloves she wore that day and a brooch presented to the six maids of honour. Lady Rosemary first learnt of her major role at the Coronation by written invitation in January 1953. The letter read: 'Madam, I have it in command from the Queen to inform you that Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to appoint you as a Maid of Honour to assist the Mistress of the Robes in bearing Her Majesty's train on the occasion of Her Majesty's Coronation.' She had four dress fittings and attended eight rehearsals before the Coronation on June 2, 1953. As the most senior maid of honour, she rode in the carriage as part of the procession to the abbey. Textile conservator Emma Telford, pictured at her studio in Hereford, worked on the frock after it was discovered after being lost for four decades The lavish frock boasts a tiny 22-inch waist. It also features a gold leaf and pearl white blossom motif, cap sleeves and wide v-neck Lady Rosemary recalled in a 2013 BBC interview: 'The noise was absolutely fantastic. 'The roar of the crowd, I do remember that very well. 'And of course, it was a pretty awful day. It wasn't raining non-stop but it was cold and we had nothing but our gloves. 'We were in the carriage with Lord Tryon who was Keeper of the Privy Purse. 'In this wonderful embroidered purse he gave us sweets to eat on the way round London. 'I was excited. I don't think one was too apprehensive. Textile conservator Emma Telford poses with the restored dress, with Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill, who first donned the gown back in 1953 'Like everything we'd been so well-schooled for so long that we knew exactly what we had to do and when we had to do it. 'The Queen was very relaxed and full of confidence. 'When we were all in place and holding her train she said 'Are you ready girls?' and we set off. 'When the Queen made her oath and she was anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury with oil on her forehead, dressed in just a little linen shift, she looked very vulnerable, but she was completely calm and fantastic.' The Queen's gown for the Coronation was made of ivory silk satin and encrusted with 10,000 seed pearls. Queen Letizia of Spain cut an elegant figure as she attended the 81st Madrid Book Fair earlier this morning. The 49-year-old wore a chic pink midi dress as she was greeted by the Spanish Education Minister Pilar Alegria in the city on Thursday. Her bohemian style flowing number was perfect for warmer weather, and she rolled up the sleeves as she arrived at the event. She completed her ensemble with glamorous matching pink wedges and a beige leather handbag. Queen Letizia of Spain, 49, cut an elegant figure as she attended the 81st Madrid Book Fair earlier this morning Her brunette locks were styled in a sleek centre parting and her glam makeup enhanced her flawless features Keeping accessorises to a minimum she donned gorgeous diamond earrings. Her brunette locks were styled in a sleek centre parting and her glam makeup enhanced her flawless features. She was effortlessly elegant as she arrived alongside Madrid's Mayor Jose Luis Martinez Almeida at the book fair earlier this afternoon, before being greeted by the Book Fair's Director Eva Orue. The mother-of-two went on to chat to attendees of the event, including speaking with school children. The 49-year-old wore a chic pink midi dress as she was greeted by the Spanish Education Minister Pilar Alegria in the city on Thursday Her bohemian style flowing number was perfect for warmer weather, and she rolled up the sleeves as she arrived at the event The mother-of-two beamed as she chatted with schoolchildren taking part in an activity during the book fair It is also Letizia's first appearance in public since Spain's scandal-hit former King Juan Carlos returned to the country last week, bringing to an end his nearly two-year exile in the Middle East It is also Letizia's first appearance in public since Spain's scandal-hit former King Juan Carlos returned to the country last week, bringing to an end his nearly two-year exile in the Middle East. Juan Carlos, 84, flew by private jet from Abu Dhabi to Vigo, in northwest Spain, where he was met by his daughter Elena, 58. His wife Sofia, 83, and son King Felipe, 54, the reigning monarch, were not present. The royal was spotted at the Royal Sailing Club of Sanxenxo, where he sailed alongside his 'Bribo' boat during the regatta of the InterRias trophy of the 6mR class Copa Espana 2022 circuit. His daughter Infanta Cristina, 56, was also present. She was effortlessly elegant as she arrived alongside Madrid's Mayor Jose Luis Martinez Almeida at the book fair earlier this afternoon, before being greeted by the Book Fair's Director Eva Orue The royal was staying with his close friend Pedro Campos, a former America's Cup sailor, at his home near the Galician resort of Sanxenxo, one of his favourite destinations where he has often been spotted in the past sailing with friends and family. He was expected to remain in the country for a few days, and understood to be meeting members of his family at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid. Juan Carlos, who ruled from 1975 until his abdication in 2014, left Spain in August 2020 after becoming the target of several probes in Spain and abroad over alleged tax avoidance and questionable dealings in the Middle East. In March Spanish state prosecutors paved the way for Juan Carlos' temporary return to Spain by shelving the criminal probes against him, saying any alleged crimes were spent or his Head of State status at the time protected him from prosecution. The mother-of-two went on to chat to attendees of the event, including speaking with school children It marked the first public outing for the royal, who could be seen browsing books at the fair, since Spain's scandal-hit former King Juan Carlos returned to the country last week The decision was taken after he paid millions of pounds in tax regularisations. Felipe and his wife, Queen Letizia, have worked hard to restore public trust in the royal family his father's scandals that have tarnished the reputation of the royal family. Felipe has publicly distanced himself from his father. He failed to meet up with Juan Carlos during an official visit to Abu Dhabi earlier this month to pass on his condolences following the death of the United Arab Emirates' president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan aged 73. Advertisement Charming photos of the Queen performing in pantomimes as a teenager are expected to fetch 4,000 at auction. The then Princess Elizabeth took to the stage alongside her sister Princess Margaret in wartime productions of Aladdin (1943) and Old Mother Red Riding Boots (1944). The pantomimes, performed at Windsor Castle, raised money for the Royal Household Wool Fund, which supplied knitting wool to make comforters for soldiers fighting on the front line. They were performed to fellow royals, members of the Armed Forces and local schoolchildren. A young Prince Philip is also said to have seen his future wife in the lead role in Aladdin. Third royal performance: Pricesses Margaret and Elizabeth in the 1943 play Aladdin in Windsor, Berkshire Memorabilia: A signed picture of Princess Margaret (left) and Princess Elizabeth (right) from the play Aladdin in 1943 Fundraising: The pantomimes, performed at Windsor Castle, raised money for the Royal Household Wool Fund, which supplied knitting wool to make comforters for soldiers fighting on the front line. Pictured, the princesses in Aladdin In the spotlight: Margaret in a production of Old Mother Red Riding Boots in 1944, which she performed with Elizabeth (right) Curtain call! Pictured: Elizabeth and Margaret take a bow following a production of Old Mother Red Riding Boots in 1944 Treasured memories: The photos are up for sale alongside programs and tickets from the intimate royal performances Elizabeth and Margaret became so involved in the productions that they even helped make their own costumes. George VI also pulled strings to make his daughters' performing dreams come true, enlisting an Academy Award-winner to design the set and bringing in a sound technician from the BBC. Photos of the sisters on stage, as well as programmes from the performances, will go under the hammer at TW Gaze, of Diss, Norfolk, on June 14. The albums originally belonged to artist and illustrator Sylvia Salisbury, who attended the pantomimes. Her father, Frank O. Salisbury, befriended the royals after illustrating the Princess Elizabeth Gift Book in 1935. Showstopping: Elizabeth, left, played Lady Christina Sherwood in Old Mother Red Riding Boots in 1944 Leading lady: Margaret took on the role of The Honourable Lucinda Fairfax in Old Mother Red Riding Boots in 1944, pictured Taking centre stage! Princess Margaret steps up to perform in Old Mother Red Riding Boots in Windsor in 1944 Feeling shy? Margaret looks somewhat uncertain as she poses for a photo with one of her co-stars in 1944 Getting into the festive spirit: Elizabeth (second from right) and Margaret (right) in a Christmas production of Aladdin in 1943 Robert Henshilwood, specialist at TW Gaze, said: 'During the Second World War, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret spent much of their time in Windsor, safely away from the bombing in London. 'The Christmas pantomimes were an enjoyable distraction from the harsh realities of war. The princesses really threw themselves into them and even helped make the costumes. 'King George VI found the performances incredibly moving, writing in his diaries about how he was in floods of tears watching them each year. The pantomimes were performed in front of friends and close relations of the Royal Family. These fantastic photos very rarely come up on the market.' Royal stars: Princess Elizabeth (right) and Margaret in Old Mother Red Riding Boots, 1944, at the Royal School, Windsor Treasured memories: Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret photographed in costume following their 1944 production Dynamic duo! Princess Elizabeth starred opposite each other in the light-hearted productions in 1944 (left) and 1943 (right) Ready for her solo! Elizabeth (in white, alongside Princess Margaret) played Lady Christina Sherwood in Old Mother Red Riding Boots and sang 'Swinging on a Star', which won an Oscar that year for best original song for the film Going my Way Getting into character: Margaret and Elizabeth in a Christmas production of Aladdin in 1943. Right, Elizabeth in a 1944 play Royal stars! Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, pictured in 1944, performed for local schoolchildren in Windsor Stars of the show! Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret are front and centre in this photo from Christmas, 1944 In the 1943 production of Aladdin, Elizabeth, then aged 17, sparkled in the lead role as Aladdin while a 13-year-old Margaret played the laundry boy's girlfriend, Princess Roxana. The Queen's Governess Marion 'Crawfie' Crawford said in her memoirs: 'The pantomime went off very well. I have never known Lilibet more animated. There was a sparkle about her none of us had ever seen before.' In the audience was Prince Philip of Greece whose eye was said to have been caught by Elizabeth on this occasion. A year later, they returned to the stage for Old Mother Red Riding Boots, with Margaret taking on the role of The Honourable Lucinda Fairfax. Elizabeth played Lady Christina Sherwood and sang 'Swinging on a Star', which won an Oscar that year for best original song for the film Going my Way. Main character: Elizabeth, then aged 17, sparkled in the lead role as Aladdin while a 13-year-old Margaret played the laundry boy's girlfriend, Princess Roxana, in a 1943 production of Aladdin Well maintained: The photographs are presented in an album that will make a perfect memento for royal fans Say cheese! Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret are centre stage for this light-hearted scene in Windsor in 1944 Pretty as a picture! The princesses, pictured centre, took on roles in Old Mother Red Riding Boots at Windsor in 1944 Taking a bow: Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret curtseyed alongside their co-stars following the performance Mementoes: The programmes for Aladdin (1943) and Old Mother Red Riding Boots (1944) are also going under the hammer A single mother who was determined to prove naysayers wrong has travelled to 22 different countries with her son. Chelsea Ruby, 28, who lives between London and Marbella, was just 20 when she unexpectedly fell pregnant with her son Reginald, now seven. She claims family members told her she was 'too young' and would never be able to travel now she was a mum. Determined to prove that she hadn't ruined her life, Chelsea worked three jobs and sold everything she owned to buy a one way flight to Thailand for herself and then two-year-old Reginald in 2015. Chelsea Ruby, 28, who lives between London and Marbella, has travelled to 22 countries with her seven-year-old son Reginald (both pictured) Chelsea claims family told her that she had 'ruined' her life after she unexpectedly fell pregnant at age 20. Pictured: Chelsea with Reginald as a baby in London Chelsea said she decided to go travelling with Reginald after realising that she wasn't compatible with his father. Pictured: In Florida Chelsea who was aged 22 when their adventure began, said: 'I fell pregnant unexpectedly. I had broken up with Reginald's dad to go and do season in Zante and whilst I was there I had fainted and then found out was 10 weeks pregnant. 'I then flew home and stayed with his dad for a year and half but realised we just weren't compatible, we just had good friendship instead. 'I decided that I wanted to take Reginald travelling so I sold everything I had and when he was two we flew to Thailand, and spent three years travelling around the world together. 'We visited the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, Miami, Florida and then spent seven weeks in Europe and drove across the whole coast of southern Europe - from Spain to Italy, it was beautiful. 'We have visited 22 countries together and he is only seven. 'Europe was definitely our favourite, there is something about the freedom of driving through Monaco, Portofino and all of the beautiful places that you cant beat. Chelsea said she sold everything and worked three jobs to fund their travel to countries including the Philippines (pictured), Cambodia and Thailand Chelsea said there are 'risks in everything you do' and they went travelling to prove everyone who thought she was 'too young' wrong. Pictured: In Oslob, Philippines 'I wanted to prove I could do this when people said I was too young and it was too dangerous. I would rather die with elephants than crossing a road in London going to work every day. There are risks in anything you do so why not make the most of life. 'Yes I sold everything before I left which meant we came home and had to go into temporary accommodation but I didn't care because I had two years of memories and life is so short. 'In his seven years I have gained more with him than what people would get in 70 years. I always complimented on the bond me and my son have. Chelsea said Reginald has gained more in his seven years than what some people would get in 70 years. Pictured: In Miami Chelsea claims she received 'awful' trolling on social media throughout their travels around the world. Pictured: In Liloan, Philippines Chelsea insists that her parents didn't fund her adventure and she wants to show that anyone is capable of doing it 'When I was travelling, the trolling on social media I received was awful. When we were in the Philippines we stayed in high end hotel for the first week as it was very nerve wracking when we first landed.' Chelsea said that some people have assumed her parents paid for her trips but insists it isn't true. She said: 'I worked so hard to afford it, and that's what I want people to realise that if I can do it anyone can. Chelsea revealed they spent just under seven weeks in Thailand and with flights and accommodation plus spending money it only cost 1500. Pictured: Orlando, Florida Chelsea said she and Reginald would live in hostels Monday to Friday and then lived as a king and queen at the weekends Chelsea said the food in Thailand (pictured) was cheap, they would eat local food as well as luxury meals 'We stayed in hostels Monday to Friday and then lived as a king and queen at the weekends so we got to experience the culture and then had luxury as well. 'We were in Thailand for just under seven weeks and with flights and accommodation plus spending money it only cost me 1500 in total. 'I just feel that there is no excuse, we would eat local food as well as luxury food but even still, it is so cheap there. 'If you want it you can work for it, you make these temporary sacrifices but you make the memories.' Chelsea said she ended up going down a 'bad path' after being given a flat from social services at age 17. Pictured: In Santorini, Greece Chelsea, who is now a make up artist, said she worked in Kavos for three seasons before falling pregnant with her son Chelsea claims travelling made her realise that memories mean more than handbags, shoes and nights out Chelsea, who is now a celebrity make up artist, admits that her life was spiraling as a teenager. Chelsea said: 'When I turned 17 I left social care and got given a flat from social services but I ended up going down bad path. 'I saw friend was working in Kavos and I wanted to do the same so I sold everything and went out there to work and ended up doing three seasons before I got pregnant. 'I was quite materialistic when I was younger but when I went travelling it made me realise that moments meant more than handbags, shoes and nights out. It opened my eyes to how big and beautiful the world is. Chelsea said she hopes Reginald will continue travelling, and she hopes to gift him enough air miles to travel around the world at age 18 Chelsea said she wants to encourage Reginald to go find himself and not to be stuck to one friendship group. In Monaco Chelsea said she still has many places to visit with her son, and their two-and-a-half years exploring the world has given her a 'life time of happiness'. Pictured: In Chiang Rai, Thailand 'It made me realise that smaller less expensive things are most precious, and travelling with my son helped me find myself. 'I really hope Reginald will continue to travel. For his 18th would love to get him enough air miles to travel around the world, I want to encourage him to go and find himself, and don't want him stuck in one friendship group. 'I learnt that the world is your oyster and feel like I became so wise from travelling so I want him to do the same. 'Our travelling together definitely hasn't ended, we have still go to so many places to visit but already, those two-and-a-half years have given me a life time of happiness.' Reginald was home-schooled until he was six years old after returning from their travels to 22 countries. Pictured: In Florence, Italy Chelsea said she didn't want Reginald to be 'corrupted by school' and thinks experiences such as travelling and learning how to deal with debt are more beneficial When Chelsea and Reginald returned from their travels, Reginald was home-schooled until he was six years old by choice as Chelsea felt that he didn't need to be in school until then. Chelsea added: 'I liked the freedom of showing him places myself and not having to comply to school regulations. 'When he started he wasn't even behind. 'He started in October last year and I think he has really taken in the experiences he formed at such a young age. 'Reginald was progressing so much independently already, I didn't want him to be corrupted by school, and if I had it my way he wouldn't be at school at all, I think he needs to be shown life experiences such as travelling, how to deal with debt, credit ratings instead. 'I know I am very different with my mindset, it was just the social aspect of school which drew me to letting him go.' The Queen paid tribute to her parents by wearing a rarely seen platinum brooch featuring two leaves given by them on her 21st birthday for an engagement earlier this week. The monarch, 96, donned the sparkling diamond and platinum ivy brooch, as she met Emir of Qatar in her latest public engagement. The piece, which was made by Cartier, was a birthday gift to then-Princess Elizabeth from her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, when she was just 21-years-old. The jewel is rarely worn by Her Majesty. Her Majesty was all smiles as she shook hands with the monarch of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, at the royal residence in Berkshire on Tuesday this week. The Queen, 96, paid tribute to her parents by wearing a rarely seen platinum brooch featuring two leaves given by them on her 21st birthday for an engagement earlier this week The monarch donned the sparkling diamond and platinum ivy brooch, as she met Emir of Qatar in her latest public engagement Made by Cartier, the Queen reportedly received the exquisite present as part of a large Greville bequest. The collection of jewels belonged to the Hon. Mrs. Ronald Greville and was bequeathed to the future Queen Mother in 1942. Each leaf includes a central brilliant diamond and pave-set leaves in platinum. The brooch is rarely worn by the royal - she last wore the special brooch during a 2016 Royal Academy of Arts Reception. The piece, which was made by Cartier, was a birthday gift to then-Princess Elizabeth from her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, when she was just 21-years-old It comes just one day after she opted for another rarely seen brooch gifted to her by her parents as she visited the Royal Chelsea Flower Show in London. The monarch wore the pretty floral brooch, made with pink and blue sapphires, rubies and diamonds, as she arrived at the event earlier this week. The piece, which was made by Cartier, was a birthday gift to then-Princess Elizabeth from her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, in 1945 when she was just 19-years-old. The jewel is rarely worn by Her Majesty. Making her third appearance in a week, the 96-year-old donned a lavender and green floral dress, accessorised with pearl earrings and a matching necklace, with simple black loafers. Earlier this week, the Queen, 96, appeared to give a nod to her parents by wearing a rarely seen ruby and saphhire flower brooch given to them on her 19th birthday as she attended the Royal Chelsea Flower Show The monarch donned the pretty floral brooch, made with pink and blue sapphires, rubies and diamonds, as she arrived at the event in London In mere days, the nation will gather to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee during an extended four-day Bank Holiday weekend. The celebration will see a service of thanksgiving held, Trooping the Colour and a Jubilee pageant staged. The monarch is expected to limit her appearances at the Platinum Jubilee to the Trooping the Colour - the parade and flypast that kicks off the celebrations on Thursday June 2 - and a service of celebration at St Paul's Cathedral the next day, which will be attended by the entire Royal Family including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who have been banned from the Buckingham Palace balcony 24 hours earlier. But her presence is unlikely to be confirmed until the day itself. Marks and Spencer is set to include bowel cancer signs and symptoms on it's toilet roll packaging in a move inspired by Dame Deborah James. The former deputy head teacher turned cancer campaigner, 40, from London, has been living with stage four bowel cancer since she was diagnosed in December 2016, and was told early on that she might not live beyond five years - a milestone that passed in the autumn of 2021. At the start of the year, the mother-of-two, who shares her children Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12, with her husband Sebastien, announced she had 'nearly died' in hospital, calling it the 'hardest' part of her 5-year cancer battle, and was admitted as an in-patient earlier this month. She is now receiving end of life care bowel cancer at her parents' home in Woking and has raised over 6 million in the weeks since she announced the news. Now, M&S, in partnership with Bowel Cancer UK, have announced their plan to include signs and symptoms for bowel cancer on the labelling of the everyday product. Marks and Spencer is set to include bowel cancer signs and symptoms on it's toilet roll packaging in a move inspired by Dame Deborah James, 40 M&S employee Cara Hoofe originally came up with the idea, having herself been diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2016 at the age of 32. She submitted it to M&S' newly launched Straight to Stuart colleague suggestion scheme. Introduced by new CEO Stuart Machin, the scheme encourages colleagues to share ideas and views with him directly via Microsoft Teams, with a quick response guaranteed. She said: 'Deborah is a huge inspiration to me and so many other young people diagnosed with bowel cancer. 'I feel fortunate my journey since diagnois has taken a different path but I want to give a voice to all those who can no longer use theirs to raise awareness. 'Early detection is so important and my main message to people is don't feel embarrassed, get things checked out and speak to your doctor. The changes will come into place nationwide from September, and there will also be signage about bowel cancer symptoms in-store and across support centre toilets 'I've worked at M&S for over ten years and am so happy they are putting my idea into action and so quickly I'm hoping other companies will consider joining us.' M&S will also be making a 50,000 donation to Bowel Cancer UK. The changes will come into place nationwide from September, and there will also be signage about bowel cancer symptoms in-store and across support centre toilets. Shoppers will also be able to scan a QR code to find out more about the disease on Bowel Cancer UK's website. Symptoms of bowel cancer - Change in bowel habits with diarrhoea, constipation or the feeling of incomplete emptying - Thin or loose bowel movements - Blood or mucous in stools - Abdominal pain, bloating and cramping - Anal or rectal pain - Lump in the anus or rectum - Unexplained weight loss - Fatigue - Unexplained anaemia Advertisement Deborah was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in December 2016, and was told early on that she might not live beyond five years - a milestone that passed in the autumn of 2021. She shared an Instagram post earlier this month revealing that 'nobody knows how long she has left'. She wrote: 'The message I never wanted to write. We have tried everything, but my body simply isn't playing ball. 'My active care has stopped and I am now moved to hospice at home care, with my incredible family all around me and the focus is on making sure I'm not in pain and spending time with them.' She is receiving hospice care at her parents' home in Woking, to spare her children the difficult memories of her spending her final days at the family home in London. The news comes days after she told The Sun that she was 'scared to fall asleep' because she does not know how long she has got left. She added she had felt a 'deep love' from her family, saying: 'I think my family are knackered, they have all been incredible - going above and beyond to look after me and nurse me.' And speaking of her end of life care recently she said: 'I feel very strongly that I don't want my kids to see me agitated and distressed. I want to make sure they see me when I'm having a good days.' Saying the 'pressure' on her young children was 'huge', she continued: 'I want them to have nice memories. 'I don't want them to take on the burden of having to care for me, massage my legs because I can't walk. That would break my heart.' Deborah is now receiving end of life care bowel cancer at her parents' home in Woking and has raised over 6 million in the weeks since she announced the news In recent days, she has won praise from Prince William who called her 'brilliant, brave and inspirational' as he met some of the staff who treated her. Speaking at the Royal Marsden 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. 'You know she's had over 100 tumours. Which is unbelievable. I couldn't believe that. The resilience you have to have to keep going back again, it's got to be very draining on you.' In recent days, she has won praise from Prince William who called her 'brilliant, brave and inspirational' after meeting her 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. 'She's realising that being at home is just where she wants to be right now, surrounded by all her loved ones.' He added: ' I love Deborah, she's fantastic. Her legacy is massive.' The dress worn by the Queen for her Coronation at Westminster Abbey is set to go on display at Windsor Castle to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. Her Majesty's Coronation dress, which was designed by British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, is made from white duchesse satin. It is famously embroidered with the emblems of the seven independent states of which she were to become monarch, as well as those of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, with gold and silver thread. The embroidery also features pastel-coloured silks, as well as seed pearls, sequins and crystals. The lavish gown, worn by Her Majesty at her Coronation in 1953, will go on show at Windsor Castle between July 7th and 2022 September 26th Her Majesty wearing her Coronation dress, designed by British couturier Sir Norman Hartnell, made from duchesse satin and gold embroidery Also on show at Windsor Castle will be Her Majesty's Robe of Estate, which she wore on her Coronation day. The purple silk velvet garment, made by royal robe-makers Ede and Ravenscroft, also features a goldwork embroidery design, which was embroidered at the Royal School of Needlework. The stitching shows wheat ears and olive branches, symbolising prosperity and peace, surrounding the crowned intertwined EIIR cipher. Creating the art work took 12 embroideresses more than 3,500 hours. They used 18 different types of gold thread. Both of the items will be put on display at Windsor Castle from July 7th until September 26th. The Queen, pictured here with her maids of honour on her Coronation day, is wearing the Robe of Estate that is going on show at Windsor Castle to mark the Platinum Jubilee The purple silk velvet garment, which was made by royal robe-makers Ede and Ravenscroft, features gold and silver embroidery The Queen's dress and robe are not the only Coronation garments going on display to mark the Platinum Jubilee. A lavish maid of honour dress from the event, which has been painstakingly restored, is also set to go on show. The gown, which features a tiny 22-inch waist and motif of gold leaf and pearl white blossom, went missing for almost 40 years. It was recently rediscovered at Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock, and painstakingly restored by textile conservator Emma Telford. The outfit, designed by the Queen's dressmaker Norman Hartnell, was worn by Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill at the 1953 Westminster Abbey ceremony. Lady Rosemary recalled in a 2013 BBC interview: 'The noise was absolutely fantastic. 'The roar of the crowd, I do remember that very well. And of course, it was a pretty awful day. It wasn't raining non-stop but it was cold and we had nothing but our gloves. Textile conservator Emma Telford (pictured, left) recently restored a maid of honour dress from the Coronation dress, worn by Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (pictured, right) The recently restored dress boasts a tiny 22-inch waist, and features a gold leaf and pearl white blossom motif, cap sleeves and wide v-neck 'We were in the carriage with Lord Tryon who was Keeper of the Privy Purse. In this wonderful embroidered purse he gave us sweets to eat on the way round London. 'I was excited. I don't think one was too apprehensive. 'Like everything we'd been so well-schooled for so long that we knew exactly what we had to do and when we had to do it. 'The Queen was very relaxed and full of confidence. When we were all in place and holding her train she said 'Are you ready girls?' and we set off. 'When the Queen made her oath and she was anointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury with oil on her forehead, dressed in just a little linen shift, she looked very vulnerable, but she was completely calm and fantastic.' A couple with a 21-year age gap have shared the details of their relationship revealing how friends and strangers alike call their coupling 'creepy' and tell them to 'find people their own age'. Kat Lyons Berg, 34, and Robrecht Berg, 55, live in Colorado, and have been together for three years. The couple first met at a science fiction exhibition in 2019, where they immediately bonded over their shared love of cosplay. Kat, an adult model and content creator, and Robrecht, who is a retired military man and a father-of-two, hit it off immediately with sparks flying on their first date, despite there being more than two decades between them. They have now been married for seven months and although the pair are very happy, they have been met with criticism from people who don't approve of their union - and have even Robrecht 'creepy' for marrying a woman who is so much younger than him. A 33-year-old model who married a father-of-two 21 years her senior has hit back at critics who brand their age-gap relationship 'creepy' Kat Lyons Berg, from Colorado, met her husband Robrecht Berg, 55, in 2019 at a science fiction exhibition, where they bonded over their shared love of cosplay 'We both didn't feel odd about it in any way,' Kat told Jam Press. 'We are both open-minded people, but I do get a lot of questions about our relationship from people.' In fact, when Kat and Robrecht first started dating, she admits that some of the most outspoken criticism came from within their own inner circles, with the model noting that her mother in particular was very upset about her daughter dating someone so much older. 'Some of Robrecht's female friends were skeptical one of them even got mad that he was with me but his family was extremely accepting. 'My family not so much, my mom especially, I ended up moving out because I didn't want to live in an awkward situation anymore. 'But by the time I moved out my family and I were back on good terms.' Some of Kat's friends also questioned the couple's relationship at first, however, once they realized the pair were the real deal, they have come to terms with the age gap. Still, the couple continues to face with negative reactions from the public and online, where they are regularly met with furious backlash over their age-gap romance. The newlyweds, who tied the knot seven months ago, admit that they faced furious backlash from Kat's family when they first started dating - and also face criticism from strangers However, Kat insists that she sees nothing 'odd' in their age-gap romance - and even claims that sex is better with older men because they are more 'tender' and 'adventurous' The model has previously admitted that she struggled to come to terms with Robrecht's responsibilities as a full-time father, but says she has a wonderful relationship with his two kids 'I notice it more than Rob does,' she admitted. 'The comments online are like, "Geez how old is that guy", "He is creepy" or, "Why can't he get someone his own age." 'One time he paid for me to get a pedicure and when he went to give me a kiss the lady was looking at us with such shock. 'But I love the fact that he is older, I've always preferred older men.' Kat also claims having an older man makes for better sex - claiming that younger men are too focused on 'watching porn' and don't have as many skills in the bedroom as a result. 'The sex is better with older men because they are so tender,' she said. 'Younger men watch too much porn and get so excited it's over so quickly, but we always are adventurous in bed.' However, Kat has shared some advice on anyone going into a relationship with a larger age gap. When Kat and Robrecht began dating, some of the harshest criticism they faced came from within their own inner circles 'My family [was not so accepting], my mom especially,' Kat said. 'I ended up moving out because I didn't want to live in an awkward situation anymore' She said: 'If they're older, you should consider their health, depending on that they might not be around for long. 'You also have to have tough skin because people will make comment and even stare. But the bottom line is do what makes you happy. 'If it's an age gap relationship go for it, it's your happiness.' Although Kat and Robrecht are now happily married - and insist that they don't see anything wrong with their age gap - they admit that they've still had to conquer their fair share of hurdles during the three years that they have been together. Initially, Kat says she struggled to come to terms with Robrecht's responsibilities as a full-time father to his younger child; the military veteran has a six-year-old and an 18-year-old from previous relationships, and has sole custody over the younger sibling. 'Rob has two kids from previous marriages and with him having sole custody over his six-year-old, it does affect our ability to go and do things as a couple,' she shared. 'But I share an amazing love with both his six-year-old and 18-year-old so there are no issues there.' Former President Barack Obama had a heartwarming reunion with Jacob Philadelphia the boy who touched his head in the iconic 2009 'Hair Like Mine' photo to celebrate his high school graduation. The 60-year-old reflected on his unforgettable meeting with Philadelphia and the resulting image captured by White House photographer Pete Souza in a video shared by the Obama Foundation. The nearly-five-minute clip included footage of Obama's recent conversation with Philadelphia on Zoom ahead of his graduation from the International School of Uganda on May 27. 'It's Barack Obama, man. Do you remember me?' the former commander-in-chief asked the now-teenager. Former President Barack Obama, 60, reunited with Jacob Philadelphia - the boy who touched his head in the iconic 2009 'Hair Like Mine' photo - to celebrate his high school graduation Philadelphia was five years old when he asked then-President Obama, 'Is your hair like mine?' The commander-in-chief had the boy touch his head to see for himself, a moment that was captured by White House photographer Peter Souza 'I remember you telling me that your hair was going to be gray next time,' Philadelphia said, prompting a laugh from Obama. 'And I was not lying,' he replied. Philadelphia was five years old when he and his family visited the Oval Office with his father, then-National Security Council staffer Carlton Philadelphia. During the meeting, he asked then-President Obama, 'Is your hair like mine?' The commander-in-chief kindly bent down and told the boy to touch his head, inspiring Souza to photograph the endearing moment. Over a decade later, Philadelphia is graduating from the International School of Uganda. He plans to attend the University of Memphis and study political science When Obama asked Philadelphia what he thought, he replied, 'Yeah, I think that's pretty much what I've got.' The iconic photo which Souza later named 'Hair Like Mine' remains an important reminder of why representation matters. The heartwarming image was framed and hung in the West Wing for years during his presidency,' according to the video. 'I think this picture embodied one of the hopes that Id had when I first started running for office,' Obama said. 'I remember telling Michelle and some of my staff, you know, I think that if I were to win, the day I was sworn into office, young people, particularly African American people, people of color, outsiders, folks who maybe didnt always feel like they belonged, theyd look at themselves differently,' he continued. Obama reflected on his unforgettable meeting with Jacob Philadelphia and the resulting photo in a video shared by the Obama Foundation on Thursday 'I think this picture embodied one of the hopes that Id had when I first started running for office,' Obama said 'To see a person who looked like them in the Oval Office. It would speak to Black kids and Latino kids and gay kids and young girls how they could see the world open up for them.' Philadelphia also shared his memories of that day in the video, explaining he was too young at the time to really understand the significance of meeting the world leader. 'When I was younger, I just thought the President was just my dads boss. I didnt know how powerful he was,' he said. 'I was a little shy and I kind of remember touching his hair and him towering over me. That was a pretty big highlight of my life. 'It is very wonderful to see representation in the government because if I get to see another Black man be at the top, be at that pinnacle, then I want to follow that lead,' he added. As the son of a State Department employee, Philadelphia has already had the opportunity to travel the world. He told Obama that he plans to attend the University of Memphis and study political science after his high school graduation. Obama's conversation with Philadelphia on Zoom ahead of his graduation was also featured in the video 'I think the White House visit clearly inspired you, I hope,' Obama said. 'Yes, it really has,' Philadelphia agreed 'I think the White House visit clearly inspired you, I hope,' Obama said. 'Yes, it really has,' Philadelphia agreed. Obama shared the video on his social media pages on Friday, a few days after he faced backlash for linking the Texas massacre to the two-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder. 'As we grieve the children of Uvalde today, we should take time to recognize that two years have passed since the murder of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer,' he tweeted. 'His killing stays with us all to this day, especially those who loved him.' The message was shared on Wednesday, one day after Salvador Ramos murdered 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Philadelphia also shared his memories of that day in the video, explaining he was too young at the time to really understand the significance of meeting the world leader 'When I was younger, I just thought the President was just my dads boss. I didnt know how powerful he was,' he said. 'I was a little shy and I kind of remember touching his hair and him towering over me. That was a pretty big highlight of my life' Wednesday also marked two years to the day that Floyd was killed by arresting Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin who knelt on his neck until he passed out. The message was quickly slammed online by many social media users, including conservative pundits, who were angry that Obama would connect the two events. 'It sucks those kids died, but remember George Floyd? He's who I'm still thinking about.' Barack Obama,' tweeted Seth Dillon, the CEO of the right-wing news publication The Babylon Bee. 'What in the world does the former have to do with the latter?' conservative commentator Ben Shapiro asked. Kira Davis, editor at the conservative blog Redstate, added, 'Not a single grieving parent today gives a rip about what happened to Floyd or anyone right now. For crying out loud. This is not the time to be advertising for your favorite activist group. How utterly vile.' Obama was in New York when he reached out to Philadelphia via Zoom. He also met with the Obama Foundation Scholars from around the world who are studying at Columbia University On Wednesday, Obama faced backlash online for linking the Texas massacre to the two-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder in a series of tweets about police reform Others defended Obama's tweet and insisted there was nothing wrong with him mourning two tragedies at once. 'Barack's post is NOT saying forget the kids, it is not a comparison post, it is an also post, simply pointing out that there is a long way to go to provide safety in America for ALL,' one person tweeted. 'Neither the kids nor George Floyd should have died. Too many kind of tragedies.' 'For the folks in the peanut gallery, George Floyd was killed 2yrs ago today, May 25th 2020,' someone else noted. 'Its not disrespectful to the children who were murdered yesterday to memorialize him on this day. We live in a violent country. One where yesterday 19 children & 2 teachers were gunned...' Another agreed, 'I think it's a shame how people are acting like George Floyd's murder isn't related to the Uvalde shooting. Both remind us that our police need oversight desperately. Both remind us that murder is too easy in this country. And both deserve [remembrance] and grief.' Obama, who was in New York City this week, had previously called on legislators to take action and reform gun control in wake of the Robb Elementary School massacre. The message was quickly slammed online by many social media users, including conservative pundits, who were angry that Obama would connect the two events However, others defended Obama's tweet and insisted there was nothing wrong with him mourning two tragedies at once Obama and his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama, issued a statement about the Texas elementary school massacre on Tuesday Taking to Twitter after the shooting, he said that both he and former First Lady Michelle Obama 'grieve with the families in Uvalde who are experiencing pain no one should have to bear.' 'Across the country, parents are putting their children to bed, reading stories, singing lullabies and in the back of their minds, they're worried about what might happen tomorrow after they drop their kids off at school, or take them to a grocery store or any other public space,' he wrote. Obama then recalled the December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, which occurred while he was in office. 'Nearly ten years after Sandy Hook and ten days after Buffalo our 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,' he said. The statement concluded: 'It's long past time for action, any kind of action. And it's another tragedy a quieter but no less tragic one for families to wait another day. May God bless the memory of the victims, and in the words of Scripture, heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.' A horrifying new documentary exposing the rampant sex abuse in the Amish community details how girls are brainwashed into thinking being raped or molested by a family member is normal and a result of their 'carelessness.' The two-part Peacock TV series 'Sins of the Amish' follows four women from different Amish and Mennonite backgrounds Meg, Mary, Misty, and Audrey as they share their personal stories of sexual abuse and their attempts to seek justice. Mary opened up about being sexually abused by her father and her brothers Johnny, Eli and David when she was growing up in an Amish community in Wisconsin, saying, 'My first perpetrator was my biological father. I was five.' She uncovered a sex education pamphlet she was given as a child while going through her things and read out loud from it, according to The Daily Beast. Titled 'To the Girl of Eleven,' the guide taught girls that incest was a natural occurrence and their fault. Mary opened up about being sexually abused by her father and her brothers Johnny, Eli and David in the Peacock TV documentary 'Sins of the Amish' 'This sex urge, once it is awakened and active in a young boy at the age of puberty and beyond, can become a powerful driving force within. Every decent girl will do her best to help him, and not make it harder for him. Even in your own home, if you have brothers in your teens, you should be mindful of this,' she read. 'Your brother innocently coming upon you and seeing your partly uncovered body may suddenly have strong sexual desires aroused within him. His intentions were not bad, but he suddenly finds himself a victim of your carelessness in the lust of his own body.' The pamphlet also advised young girls to avoid wearing revealing clothes around their male family members and to keep their bedroom doors closed at night to prevent sexual abuse. Mary, whose father died when she was a young child, said nothing would deter her brother from raping her even a locked door. The two-part series follows four women from different Amish backgrounds as they share their personal stories of sexual abuse and search for justice (stock image) 'He would take off the hinges,' she said tearfully. 'I remember him grabbing me and then I remember instantly splitting into two people. Like I wasnt even there. When I came back, the door was closing, and he was gone.' Women and girls in the insular religious community are taught to forgive their abusers. Speaking out against rape is considered worse than the act itself. 'It's a predator's paradise,' Mary said. She found the strength to leave the community after finding out her brother was sexually abusing her little sister. She said her mother encouraged her sister to keep quiet, telling her, 'You have to forgive.' 'It clicked, that if I don't do anything, my sister is gonna grow up and have the exact same hell as her childhood, as I did,' she explained. Mary uncovered a sex education pamphlet titled 'To the Girl of Eleven' that she was given as a child and read out loud from it. The guide taught girls incest was a natural occurrence and their fault 'Amish communities view going to the police as a greater sin than the rape itself,' explained fellow survivor Misty, who reported being raped by a bishop in the church When Mary brought her brothers to court, busloads of Amish community members attended the hearing to defend her rapists. Her mother even went as far as dismissing the abuse in a letter to the judge. 'I have a feeling she is doing this out of spite more than anything,' she wrote. 'Ever since I learned to know Mary personally, she had a habit of making things sound worse than they really are.' Mary's elder brother Johnny, who confessed to raping her upwards of 200 times, was sentenced to just one year in jail with work release and 10 years of probation. 'Amish communities view going to the police as a greater sin than the rape itself,' explained fellow survivor Misty, who reported being raped by a bishop in the church. Meanwhile, Meg and her sister Rebekah shared similar stories of sexual abuse while growing up in Amish communities in Michigan and North Carolina. Their brother started sexually abusing Rebekah when she was six and confessed to Meg shortly after that he had raped her. When Meg told their parents, Rebekah was blamed for the abuse. Audrey, a mother of five who recently left the Amish community, took her ex-husband, Mike, to court after learning he had sexually abused three of her daughters Audrey's eldest daughters Marlena and Dorthea came forward about the abuse after she filed for divorce from her husband Audrey, a mother of five who recently left the Amish community, took her ex-husband, Mike, to court after learning he had sexually abused three of her daughters. After she had filed for divorce, her eldest daughter, Marlena, confessed that Mike had sexually molested her from when she was 10 until she turned 16, according to The Cinemaholic. Dorthea came forward with a similar story of abuse, and Audrey's younger daughter Angie later revealed that Mike had repeatedly raped her, starting when she was five years old. 'Sins of the Amish' chronicles the family's struggle to find justice after Mike applied for a plea agreement that Audrey's lawyers advised her to sign off on rather than take the case to trial. Audrey's ex-husband was sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison and 10 years of additional probation, per his plea deal, in November 2021. Australian 'dessert king' Adriano Zumbo has joined forces with quirky boutique hotel chain QT to launch a unique high tea experience in Sydney's CBD. The menu features a daring range of sweet and savoury treats - including macarons dubbed 'Zumborons', scones and tarts. Disregarding traditional high tea foods like cucumber sandwiches and cupcakes, guests can expect to be impressed by the combination of interesting and curious flavour pairings. Australian dessert king Adriano Zumbo (pictured) and QT Sydney have partnered to offer a unique high tea experience. The menu designed by Adriano himself features a daring demeanour of sweet and savoury treats Disregarding traditional high tea foods like cucumber sandwiches and cupcakes, guests can expect to be amazed by the combination of interesting flavours with every bite How to make Adriano Zumbo's macarons at home: Ganache ingredients: 40g cream 1 vanilla bean, scraped 80g strawberry puree 200g white chocolate 65g unsalted butter Macaron shell ingredients: 125g caster sugar 40g water 50g egg whites 135g pure icing sugar, sieved 135g almond meal, sieved 45g egg whites Few drops of red colouring Method: 1. To make ganache: Bring the cream, vanilla and strawberry puree to the boil. Pour the hot cream mixture over the white chocolate to make a ganache. Cool to 50C. Blitz in the butter. Cover with cling film and cool. 2. To make shells: Boil caster sugar and water to 118C. Place 50g egg whites in electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Slowly stream hot sugar mix down side of bowl and whisk until it cools to about 50C. In a large bowl place sieved icing sugar, almond meal, colouring and 45g egg whites on top. Add meringue mixture to this and mix until combined. 3. Pre-heat oven to 150C. Pipe 20cent-sized pieces on to a baking sheet lined with silicone baking paper or silicone mat. Tap the base of the tray to remove any air bubbles. Leave for 30-60 minutes until a skin forms and they are touch dry. Bake for 16 minutes at 150C. Allow the macaron shells to cool. Flip the shells over and pair them on a clean baking tray. 4. Place ganache in piping bag and pipe on to one shell from the pair, then place the other side on top to make a sandwich. Advertisement The food is perched on a modern rotating centrepiece with removable tiles for easy serving, and guests can enjoy a cup of limited-edition burnt blueberry tea or glass of champagne. Savoury menu offerings include a lobster roll, smoked salmon and caviar topped on a potato blini, a Caesar slider with parmesan cheese and a goat cheese tart. Popular options among the sweets include the 'Just Love Me' heart-shaped cake with chocolate mousse, raspberry glaze and pistachio, as well as a passionfruit tart and 'reinvented' scone. Adriano, 40, told FEMAIL he was inspired by the 'mysterious, quirky' vibe of the QT Hotel when curating the menu. 'We started off with a few classic dishes and made a few twists here and there,' he said, adding: 'I wanted to create a high tea that you'd never expect.' At the moment Adriano is also working on developing an entire plant-based alternative for vegans. In true Zumbo style, the whole event and menu is well thought through with perfection in every minor detail. QTea will be available to book from $95 per guest from Saturday 29 May QTea will be available to book from $95 per guest from Saturday May 29. While Adriano often doesn't reveal his baking secrets, on this occasion he has shared his macaron recipe for foodies to replicate at home. You'll need a variety of ingredients to make the ganache and macaron shells - including cream, vanilla bean, white chocolate, egg whites, icing sugar, caster sugar and unsalted butter. The key to make the macaron shells fluffy is to ensure all the air bubbles are removed from the mixture by tapping the base a few times. Advertisement Tucked away on 16 hectares of land awaits a one-of-a-kind mansion that features a 'medieval throne room' equipped with stone-like features and two replica knights. The astonishing seven-bedroom home perched on a mountain and surrounded by sweeping views of Cedarton in the Moreton Bay Region of Queensland would be perfect for any Game of Thrones fan. The throne room itself leads onto a 25-metre underground cinema lined with red carpet and Hollywood-style movie posters on the walls. The astonishing seven-bedroom in Cedarton, Queensland features a Game of Thrones-style room (pictured), complete with stone-like features and two replica knights The throne room leads onto a 25-metre underground cinema lined with red carpet and Hollywood-style movie posters on the walls (pictured) The 'ultra-rare' property is situated on 16.19ha of land in the Sunshine Coast hinterland is would be ideal for an investor looking to turn the house into an AirBnB rental, or for a large family The 'ultra-rare' property is deemed to be ideal for an investor looking to turn the house into an AirBnB rental or for a large family wanting privacy. Other striking features include a resort-style pool, sauna and spa, huge main kitchen with electronic cooking appliances, and formal dining room. The bedrooms have more of a neutral flair that oppose the intense style of the downstairs medieval-inspired rooms. There's also a cosy saloon bar featuring wooden walls and flooring (pictured) Other striking features include a resort-style pool, sauna and spa, huge main kitchen (pictured) with electronic cooking appliances, and formal dining room In recent years owners Victor and Lana refreshed the main entrance to create more of a modern look. Speaking about the property to realestate.com.au, Lana said: 'It needs someone with some big plans and the ability to make them happen. 'The views, the privacy, the grounds, the possibilities are endless.' The bedrooms have more of a neutral flair that oppose the intense style of the downstairs medieval-inspired rooms Outside there's more astonishing areas and features to look at, including three natural dams, sweeping views, Roman columns and replicas of several European fountains The property listing is currently open for expressions of interest to make an offer Outside there's more astonishing areas and features to look at, including three natural dams, a wraparound veranda, Roman columns and replicas of several European fountains. There's also a four-bay garage, 11-bay industrial shed, a worker's cottage, and more than 300,000L of water supply. The property listing is currently open for expressions of interest to make an offer. To view the home, click here. Kayla Itsines might be one of Australia's top fitness stars, but she's also a hard working mum who often deals with toddler tantrums. The 31-year-old, from Adelaide, South Australia, said her daughter Arna, two, is 'never fussy about what she eats', but instead is more concerned about the look, shape and colour of the food. On Instagram, Kayla said at the moment Arna is obsessed with the colour blue - so she had to turn her oats turquoise using blueberries to ensure the toddler ate her breakfast. Aussie fitness queen Kayla Itsines (pictured, right) said her daughter Arna (left) is a fussy eater when it comes to the shape and colour of food On Instagram, Kayla said at the moment Arna is obsessed with the colour blue - so she had to turn her oats turquoise using blueberries to ensure her toddler ate her breakfast (pictured) 'Like any mum, working out what my toddler will and won't eat every day has been a process. Often people ask me what Arna eats and if she is a fussy eater...I say yes and no!!' Kayla wrote and shared a series of images. 'She's never fussy about WHAT she's eating...but when it comes to the LOOK or SHAPE or COLOUR of her food, that's when the tantrums start!! 'Last week my sweet girl who loves eating oats decided she now only likes to eat BLUE oats. Honestly this child.' To turn the oats blue, Kayla opted to add blended blueberries together with the oats and milk. While the parenting trick worked, Kayla was left with blue-stained hands and had to explain the situation to her co-workers. On Instagram Kayla wrote: 'She's never fussy about WHAT she's eating...but when it comes to the LOOK or SHAPE or COLOUR of her food, that's when the tantrums start!!' Kayla also shared a photo of what she often backs in Arna's lunchbox for the day when they're out and about. On one occasion, she packed fresh strawberries, red grapes, pomegranate seeds, plain cooked pasta and pieces of a cheese and bacon roll. As Arna is only two, she's not yet at kindergarten. Kayla often shares photos of Arna on Instagram to share precious moments with her fans Kayla also shared a photo of what she often backs in Arna's lunchbox for the day when they're out and about. On one occasion, she packed fresh strawberries, red grapes, pomegranate seeds, plain cooked pasta and pieces of a cheese and bacon roll (pictured) In the comments of the Instagram post, other parents shared the unusual requests they've been given by their children. 'We call everything chicken. if it's fish it's chicken everything is just chicken. I can't be bothered with the arguments! Apparently we don't eat corn at the moment because he doesn't like yellow things,' one mum wrote. 'Mine wanted a cheese sandwich but without a cheese,' another added. A third said her son wanted his sandwich 'cut into round triangles', while another mum said she had to serve grapes in multiple bowls. A young Aussie beauty entrepreneur who declined a $300,000 offer on Shark Tank for her innovative eyeliner 'stamps' has made the Forbes Asia 30 under 30 list just four years on. Iris Smit, 27, has built a $15million beauty empire since rejecting Andrew Banks' offer for her product The Quick Flick stamp, a beauty fridge that keeps skincare products cold and adhesive eyeliner for false lashes. The idea for The Quick Flick came in 2016 when she was searching for an easier way to do her winged eyeliner everyday. The young Perth woman told FEMAIL she is honoured to have made the list in what has been a difficult time for businesses in the Asia Pacific region - and has big plans for the years ahead. Iris Smit, 27, has been named on the Forbes Asia 30 under 30 list The sharks were hugely interested in her $35 product with Andrew Banks choosing to invest $300,000 in the business (pictured on Shark Tank) 'I am honoured to receive this prestigious recognition, especially as a young female entrepreneur who has been business to her bootstraps since day one,' she said. 'The Quick Flick started for me in my living room, and to have watched it grow from local business to now being represented in major international retailers really is a dream come true.' 'It is very encouraging for an industry and group of people who deserve as much recognition as possible for their hard work. I am so proud to be representing the Perth small business industry in Forbes,' she said. The young woman soared to fame after her appearance on Shark Tank where she turned down a $300,000 offer for 25 percent of her beauty business Iris Smith (pictured) turned the very simple makeup idea into an incredible $10 million profit within a year Iris was one of 4,000 people to be put up for a place on the coveted list this year. The youngest person to make the list is just 14 - while the average is 26.8. Following her success with the Quick Flick and Beauty Fringe Iris created the Quick Screen range featuring a three-in-one moisturiser, primer and SPF50+ formula. She spent two years coming up with the products that offer full sun protection over makeup - and leaving skin glowing without any white marks or a 'cakey' mess. What is The Quick Flick? The stamp that promises the perfect cat eye in just seconds For years, Iris would spend 20 minutes a day creating the perfect cat eye by hand, laboriously trying to fix mistakes and dealing with more than a few puffy eyes. She figured there had to be a quicker way to get the perfect cat eye, and so this self-taught make up devotee turned into a self-taught businesswoman. The $35 product is pre-loaded with ink and comes with two stamps - one for each eye - and a felt tip liner to complete the popular look. Advertisement Not only does the sunscreen shield your face from the sun, but it also protects your skin against blue light damage from digital gadgets. 'Growing up in sunny Western Australia, SPF has always been the most important thing I've done for my skin. However, finding a multi-tasking sunscreen that I felt excited to put on my face proved tricky,' the beauty innovation queen said. 'I wanted to challenge myself to really innovate and improve upon the existing products available to consumers', the entrepreneur said. She created a new collection of SPF50+ products designed to be worn with your makeup She spent two years coming up with a simple solution by creating products that offer full sun protection over makeup - and leaving skin glowing without any white marks or a 'cakey' mess 'I'm really proud to bring not one, but two products to the market that perfectly blend skincare and suncare and solve a lot of the problems that consumers face when using suncare products.' Iris first found herself in the beauty world after she launch her brand The Quick Flick, which offers women an easier way of 'stamping' a perfect winged tip onto your lids in just seconds. The young entrepreneur - who invested $10,000 of her own money into the brand - appeared on Shark Tank in May 2018 just three months into her business. The 'sharks' were interested in her $35 product with Andrew Banks offering to invest $300,000 - a deal for 25 per cent of her company - just three months after she launched in 2016. She also invented these for those who like to chill their skincare Iris has built a stunning $15million beauty empire after creating Quick Flick and Beauty Fridge But five months later, when it was time to sign the contract, Iris realised her business was worth far more than the offer, with deals from giants such as Priceline. 'When the Shark Tank show was filmed, i'd only been in business for three months. It was early days, however, I was already turning over $100,000 a month by that stage,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'My business was valued by the sharks on the show at $1 million, however by the time the show aired in May, its valuation had already tripled. I wasn't in the position where I really needed the $300,000. The Quick Flick first made headlines in December 2017 after Iris, the then-university interior architecture student, launched her brand in her two-bedroom apartment - and dropping off orders at the Post Office via a shopping trolley 'I was cash flow positive and I already had plenty of retail deals lined up. Signing the deal would have also restricted me from starting other brands such as Beauty Fridge. 'I had so many ideas for other products and brands, I didn't want to limit my career and lock myself in. 'Despite having so many friends and family pressuring me to sign the deal, the thought of it gave me anxiety. I trusted my gut, so I knew it wasn't right.' Her products including The Quick Brow are now stocked right across Australia The winged eye-liner queen went out on her own - and within 12 months, she turned over $10 million dollars. 'I didn't ever imagine that The Quick Flick would blow up like it did after the Shark Tank show. The publicity we received was invaluable,' she said. 'I honestly believe the company grew overnight what other businesses would grow in a few years. It was definitely tough and I had to put procedures in place pretty quickly to ensure we could keep up with the demand.' Advertisement Americans traveling abroad are being told to take 'enhanced precautions' to protect themselves from the monkeypox virus as testing confirms two cases in Utah, bringing the tally of verified infections to three. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued the Level 2 warning Wednesday, which is one rung off the top-level which advises against all but 'non-essential' travel. It told those outside the U.S. to avoid sick people and animals, not to eat game meat, and not to use any creams, powders or lotions made from wild animals. Anyone who experiences an unexplained rash a common symptom of the virus was urged to seek immediate medical attention. Monkeypox has been detected in 23 countries where it is not native over the last month, including the UK, France, Italy, Israel and Australia. In the U.S. there are now three confirmed and five suspected cases of the virus, with officials in Utah revealing Wednesday that testing by the CDC had shown their two suspected patients who live in the same house have contracted the virus. Cases are being disproportionately detected among gay and bisexual men, with health chiefs saying it has been spread through skin contact during sex. But there are also warnings that it can be transmitted through contact with wild animals, such as squirrels in West Africa where it is native. Experts including Dr Romulus Breban, a researcher at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, France have been warning for years that an outbreak of the virus was bound to happen because so many people no longer have immunity to its closely-related cousin smallpox. Utah yesterday revealed its two reported cases of monkeypox had been confirmed, raising the tally to three confirmed cases. There are five suspected cases in the country The above map shows which countries have detected monkeypox where it is not native. Cases have been disproportionately detected among gay and bisexual men British patients are warned that stroking animals could spread monkeypox Monkeypox patients in the UK will be told to keep their distance from family pets in official guidance to be issued later this week. The advice from Britain's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs will warn of a potential risk of human-to-animal transmission. European health officials have already expressed concerns that animals on the Continent could become permanent reservoirs of disease if it is allowed to make the jump. This would increase the odds of it becoming endemic in Europe. Now the UKs Defra is drawing up guidelines in an attempt to limit the risk of monkeypox patients infecting the likes of cats, dogs and rabbits. There are also fears infected patients could contaminate their pets fur and the illness be passed on to others in their household. Advertisement The CDC's travel advisory applies to all international travel outside the U.S. Explaining the decision to activate Level 2, the CDC said: 'None of [the cases] reported having recently been in Central or West African countries where monkeypox usually occurs, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria, among others.' A spokesman for the Salt Lake County Department of Health in Utah yesterday revealed the CDC tests had come back positive for the virus. The two adults who have not been named live in the same house and came down with a 'mild illness' after returning from abroad. They have been isolating at home since Wednesday, with local health chiefs saying there is 'no risk' of wider transmission. It was not revealed where the individuals had returned from, except that it was an area 'currently experiencing monkeypox cases'. The CDC is currently carrying out tests to confirm the two cases in Florida, and one each in California, Washington and New York City. A case was confirmed in Massachusetts early in the outbreak. The cases are all in men who have recently returned from travel abroad, the CDC said in a statement Wednesday. At least 200 people are being monitored for possible infection after being exposed to someone who had the virus. But health chiefs advise that the risk of transmission is low because the virus is 'very difficult' to spread. It normally requires sustained skin-to-skin contact with infectious lesions, but can also be spread in droplets expelled by an infected person. Infections begin with a fever and 'flu-like' symptoms up to 21 days after catching the virus. These then progress into a rash that appears on the face before spreading across the rest of the body. Painful skin lesions also appear. Health chiefs say that in the current outbreak these skin lesions are more commonly appearing on the genital area, driving theories it is being spread through sex. 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) Most cases clear up on their own within four weeks, but about one in 100 people who catch the currently circulating strain of the virus die from the infection. People who are exposed to the virus are offered smallpox vaccines which also work against this virus as the two are closely related to bolster their immunity. Patients are also given antibiotics to help curb the illness. It comes after experts warned yesterday that the outbreak was 'inevitable' because so many people now do not have protection against smallpox. Americans were routinely jabbed against this virus until the early 1970s, when the scheme was deemed no longer necessary because the virus had been beaten into submission. Similar programs were wound down globally. Scientists say waning immunity from the mammoth inoculation programs may help explain why monkeypox outbreaks are becoming more common across the world. Dr Romulus Breban, a researcher at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, said the current global outbreak was 'waiting to happen' because of the world's 'almost zero' immunity level. Nineteen countries have detected cases in the past month, which has sparked alarm because infections usually only occur in west and central Africa. Vet who caught monkeypox from prairie dog in 2003 outbreak says he suffered 'flu-like' symptoms and feared he would lose his thumb Dr Kurt Zaeske, who is now retired and living in Wisconsin, said he caught the virus in 2003 A veterinarian who caught monkeypox in America's biggest ever outbreak nearly two decades ago says he suffered 'flu-like' symptoms and feared he'd lose his thumb after lesions erupted all over his body. Dr Kurt Zaeske, who is now retired and living in Wisconsin, caught the virus in 2003 after tending to sick prairie dogs at a breeding farm. The illness initially left him with a fever and feeling dizzy, nauseous and very tired all the time. Within a few days, small lesions erupted across his body, and a 'very painful' blister appeared on his thumb leaving him fearing it could be amputated. Doctors administered Zaeske with antibiotics after a positive test for monkeypox and he was put in self-isolation. The illness cleared up within a few weeks. Zaeske detailed his harrowing experience to NBC, saying that suffering the tropical disease was 'scary' initially, but also 'fascinating' to be part of the outbreak. Monkeypox is now sweeping the western world, with more than 221 cases detected in 24 countries mostly in Europe including up to eight in the United States. But experts warn the outbreak of the disease which is endemic to West Africa was just waiting to happen as the end of smallpox vaccination drives in the 1970s have left people less than 50 years old with no protection against the virus. Advertisement 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. 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 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. A mother claims she was left trying to deliver her dead baby for nine hours at a scandal-hit NHS trust. Sarah Hawkins, a physiotherapist who worked at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), gave birth to her stillborn daughter Harriet there in 2016. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that she knew something had gone wrong as soon as she and her husband, who also worked at the hospital, were told their baby had died. 'Being two clinicians here at the time we thought "you've seriously got this wrong" and I was then left for nine hours trying to deliver a dead baby because of communication errors,' she said. 'This whole time, I can't even describe the confusion, I felt like I was dying.' Her comments come after senior midwife Donna Ockenden, who is now leading an independent probe into maternity failings at NUH, claimed something 'very, very wrong' is happening there. Ms Ockenden was yesterday appointed to investigate services at the trust following fierce backlash at the health service's previous review, which critics feared wasn't truly independent. She is famed for producing the landmark report on Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which revealed 201 babies and nine mothers had died needlessly during a two-decade spell of appalling care. Speaking today she said: 'What I know at the moment is that there are so many families who have been through, for the most of us anyway, unimaginable grief. 'And of course the pain they will have suffered through the loss of their babies will have been compounded by having to push for effective investigations or inquiries. 'So the first priority has got to be to listen to and engage with families.' Invited to comment on the failings at the trust, Ms Ockenden also told the BBC it was clear something is wrong. 'Im not yet familiar with the situation in the trust, but there is clearly something that is very, very wrong at the trust,' she said. Donna Ockenden, who produced the landmark report on Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, is now chairing a review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals. In comments today she said 'there is clearly something that is very, very wrong at the trust' At least nine babies and three mothers are believed to have died over the past three years at NUH, which runs 15 hospitals in the Midlands. Pictured: Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham Some 100 mothers urged Sajid Javid to appoint Ms Ockenden in April but the NHS initially opted for senior NHS manager Julie Dent (pictured) What did the families say about Donna Ockenden's appointment into the review into A statement on behalf of families affected said: 'We cannot describe the immense sense of relief that we feel at the news that Donna Ockenden has been appointed to conduct the review into maternity services in Nottingham. 'We'd like to thank the Rt Hon Sajid Javid for finally listening to us after many years of campaigning by the families affected by failures of care. 'Donna Ockenden's appointment is a significant step towards restoring confidence in Nottingham maternity services. 'We are confident that she will conduct a robust review to ensure the scale of failings at NUH are recognised and essential improvements are made. 'Improvements that will protect future babies and mothers from death and harm. Improvements that will ensure women are properly listened to. 'Improvements that will guarantee staff have the right qualifications, training, and skills. 'Improvements that will create a new culture of transparency, openness, and willingness to learn from mistakes. 'This signals the start of the next stage in the journey where families can now stop fighting and instead dedicate their strength, knowledge, and experiences to uncover the truth and improve maternity service for the people of Nottingham.' Advertisement The Hawkins were incorrectly and repeatedly told by staff that Harriet had died as the result of an infection, but they challenged this. Her death was eventually revealed to be due to mistakes by staff. The couple have since campaigned alongside other families for a public inquiry into the trust. It comes after the Care Quality Commission issued a safety warning notice, saying NUH must make 'significant and immediate improvements' to its maternity services as it admitted women and babies may not be safe. 'The service did not have enough staff to care for women and keep them safe,' the notice reads. At least nine babies and three mothers are believed to have died over the past three years at the trust, which runs 15 hospitals in the Midlands. It has already paid out millions of pounds over 30 baby deaths and 46 infants who were left brain damaged. Ms Ockenden also urged women who are due to use maternity services at the trust to speak up if they have concerns. However, she added they should feel confident the enhanced scrutiny on the trust could only be positive. Ms Ockenden stated she knew many members of the midwifery staff at Nottingham University Trust go into work giving 'their very best'. And she insisted the UK is still one of the safest places in the world to have a baby, adding: 'Thats my belief and the evidence does show that.' Some 100 mothers urged Sajid Javid to appoint Ms Ockenden in April but the NHS initially opted for senior NHS manager Julie Dent. Families said they were 'severely let down, confused, and further traumatised'. They raised concerns about the independence of the old review which was first set up in August last year. Ms Dent quit at the start of this month citing 'personal reasons'. Ex-Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt earlier this week claimed the Department of Health had scored 'an own goal' in not appointing Ms Ockenden earlier. He suggested that Mr Javid's department thought 'she is too independent'. Ms Ockenden's team will start their inquiry as soon as possible with new terms of reference. The previous, now abandoned review, covered almost 600 cases. It was expected to be completed in November this year. It looked at data from 2006, when the NUH trust was formed, until mid-October 2021 and was set up by the local clinical commissioning group (CCG) and NHS England. But NHS England yesterday published its interim findings. It raised concerns about a lack of respect and bullying between members of staff and towards parents. '[There is] evidence of a lack of respect, appreciation and listening by some staff members in relation to their colleagues and to service users with some indications of bullying behaviour,' it read. 'There appears to be a small number of staff who display unacceptable behaviours such as being "rude" and "abrasive", with some staff members describing being "scared" of named colleagues.' Sharon Wallis, director of midwifery at NUH, said the trust was determined to make changes as quickly as possible. 'Our teams are working hard to make the necessary improvements but recognise we have more to do and are absolutely determined to speed up the pace of change and deliver quality services for women and their families,' she said. A spokesperson for the affected families said yesterday they 'cannot describe the immense sense of relief' they feel at Ms Ockenden's appointment. 'We'd like to thank the Rt Hon Sajid Javid for finally listening to us after many years of campaigning by the families affected by failures of care,' they said. 'Donna Ockenden's appointment is a significant step towards restoring confidence in Nottingham maternity services. 'We are confident that she will conduct a robust review to ensure the scale of failings at NUH are recognised and essential improvements are made.' Ms Ockenden's damning report of Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust earlier this year showed mothers were made to have natural births despite the fact they should have been offered a Caesarean at the hospital. The review found around 200 babies and nine mothers could have survived if it had provided better care while the trust's low Caesarean rate was regarded nationally and locally as a positive. In the review, she found the trust presided over catastrophic failings for 20 years and did not learn from its own inadequate investigations which led to babies being stillborn, dying shortly after birth or being left severely brain damaged. The Shrewsbury and Telford inquiry found some babies suffered skull fractures, broken bones or developed cerebral palsy after traumatic forceps deliveries, while others were starved of oxygen and experienced life-changing brain injuries. The report said midwifery staff were 'overly confident' in their abilities, and there was a reluctance to involve more senior staff. The family of a widower whose wife was shot dead in the Texas school massacre say he died from a 'broken heart'. Joe Garcia, 43, was pronounced dead on Thursday, just hours after visiting the memorial site in Uvalde where his wife Irma was slain two days earlier. While preparing for the funeral, Mr Garcia collapsed and died. Although the exact circumstances have not been revealed yet, Mrs Garcia's cousin Debra Austin said: 'I truly believe Joe died of a broken heart and losing the love of his life of more than 25 years was too much to bear.' Broken heart syndrome is a real phenomenon. The condition occurs when the body is overwhelmed with stress hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline, according to Helen Wilson, head of research at charity Heart Research UK. Excess adrenaline can weaken the heart muscle and thin the arteries, significantly reducing its ability to pump blood around the body. When the body does not have enough blood, vital organs can shut down. Broken heart syndrome, medically known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, affects up to 3,000 Britons and 11,000 Americans every year. Bereavement, divorce and even bankruptcy can be triggers. But it's not usually fatal and most patients recovering within weeks. Just one per cent are estimated to die from the condition. Joe Garcia (right), who was married to fourth grade teacher Irma Garcia (left) died on Thursday from a broken heart, his family claim Broken heart syndrome, medically known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy, affects around 3,000 Britons and 11,000 Americans every year. It causes part of the heart to enlarge to resemble a 'Japanese octopus trap' WHAT IS BROKEN HEART SYNDROME? Broken heart syndrome, known medically as stress-induced cardiomyopathy or takotsubo syndrome, happens when the heart fails because of extreme stress. It is usually triggered by an emotional event such as the death of a loved one. The condition affects around 3,000 people a year in the UK and 11,000 in the US, and is more common among women than men. It causes part of the heart to become temporarily enlarged, preventing the organ from pumping blood properly. It can cause it to stop altogether. Although broken heart syndrome is not triggered by disease it isn't linked to blocked arteries or high blood pressure it is believed to be able to cause long-lasting damage by weakening the heart and affecting its pumping motion. Spokesperson for Cardiomyopathy UK, Dr Daniel Hammersley, said: 'Patients who develop this condition generally experience symptoms of chest pain or breathlessness. 'Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases the heart muscle function recovers within a few weeks. It is a rare condition overall. Most frequently it affects people in their 50s or 60s, although it has been seen in other age groups.' Sources: Cardiomyopathy UK and the American Heart Association Advertisement Professor Sian Harding, a cardiac pharmacology expert at Imperial College London, told MailOnline the surge of adrenaline from emotional shock is 'well known' as part of broken heart syndrome. 'Bereavement is often a trigger, but the hugely shocking and tragic circumstances here would have magnified the effect,' she said. Takotsubo's symptoms can feel similar to a heart attack, causing sudden and intense chest pain, shortness of breath and palpitations. But the rare condition is not caused by blocked arteries as heart attacks generally are. Instead, the rush of adrenaline shuts down the bottom of the left ventricle, its main pumping chamber. Unable to contract, the bottom of the ventricle balloons outwards. This characteristic shape is visible on X-rays of the heart and is key in diagnosing the syndrome. Its what led Japanese researchers in 1990 to name it after a 'takotsubo' a traditional narrow-necked, wide-bottomed pot used to trap octopuses when fishing. Mr Garcia, who was also a teacher, was filmed visiting a memorial to his late wife with red roses two days after her death just hours before his own. At one point, Mr Garcia was seen weeping as he was overcome with the week's horrific events. John Martinez, Mrs Garcia's nephew, said Mr Garcia died from 'grief' after returning home from delivering flowers to a memorial for his late wife. But he also told the New York Times that his uncle had died from a heart attack. A GoFundMe page set up to help their four orphaned children Cristian, 23; Jose, 19; Lyliana, 16; and Alysandra, 12 has so far collected more than $1.7 million (1.35million). Broken heart syndrome is difficult to diagnose and is often mistaken for a heart attack. Blood tests and scans are usually required to confirm it. It is usually temporary and most patients recover within a few weeks. Helen Ross, from Canterbury in Kent, almost died from a broken heart in 2006 after discovering her partner of seven years was leaving her for a friend. Just days after the breakup, the model collapsed on a work trip to Orlando, Florida on the first day of a shoot. Staff on the photo shoot called an ambulance and she was rushed to hospital, where she woke up 30 minutes later. Doctors informed her that her heart had stopped beating twice and were dumbfounded at her case as she was a healthy young woman. They asked if she had experienced a recent trauma which might have triggered the heart problem and, when she explained the break-up, they diagnosed her with broken heart syndrome. Ms Ross said at the time: 'I told them how hard the break-up had been for me, how devastated I was and they nodded and immediately said it was to blame. She added: 'I felt distraught by the break up, but I didn't realise it had actually broken my heart.' When back in the UK, Ms Ross was fitted with a pacemaker to regulate her heart, which she had removed in 2014 after no further complications. The condition can also be treated with medication, such as beta blockers and ACE inhibiters to take the strain off the heart and make it work more effectively. Blood thinners may also be prescribed to reduce the risk of developing clots, which can cause a stroke. Broken heart syndrome is usually a temporary and most patients recover within a few weeks. Another British woman was struck by the condition twice. Sarah Woodward, a veterinary nurse, suffered a stabbing pain at her chest while at work in 2018, after receiving a phone call to say her best friend's father had died. Ms Woodward, from Worthing, West Sussex, said: 'I'd known him for 45 years. It was like losing my own father.' Her chest pain spread to her back, jaw and down her left arm and she was struggling to breathe all classic signs of a heart attack. But after being rush to hospital in an ambulance, tests confirmed she was actually suffering from broken heart syndrome. She was prescribed ACE inhibitors, beta blockers and blood thinners. However, she became the one in 10 patients who suffer a recurrence of broken heart syndrome. Around three years after her first episode, she felt the same stabbing pain in her chest after receiving upsetting news about an unrelated medical condition. She now suffers from ongoing chest pain and breathlessness and lives in fear of having another attack. A woman has claimed she was diagnosed with cancer just a month after a doctor dismissed a lump on her neck as being down to a cold. Paris Wells, 28, noticed the unusual bump this March and went to have it checked out immediately. The beautician called her GP but was allegedly told she could only get a telephone consultation in five days time. She went to an externally-run urgent care centre, at the Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington, Kent, the following day instead. Doctors there said the lump did not 'feel cancerous', she claims. Ms Wells said the doctor told her it was caused by a cold she had the week before and sent her on her way. But the lump grew larger and harder over the next few weeks. Ms Wells then claims she asked her auntie, a radiologist at the same hospital, if she could help arrange CT and MRI scans to double-check in April. Results confirmed it was caused by stage two Hodgkin lymphoma a rare cancer that develops in the lymphatic system and spreads throughout the body. Paris Wells, 28, from London, has been diagnosed with cancer just a month after a doctor told her a lump on her throat (pictured right) was caused by a cold, she claims Ms Wells said doctors in March told her the lump was caused by a cold she had the week before. But CT scan results in April confirmed it was caused by stage two Hodgkin lymphoma a rare cancer that develops in the lymphatic system and spreads throughout the body Around 2,100 people are diagnosed with the disease in the UK and and 8,500 in the US each year. Three quarters of people with the disease survive for at least 10 years. Ms Wells will start chemotherapy in the coming months after having her eggs frozen for fertility treatment in May. She said: 'As soon as I noticed the lump the next day I went to [urgent care] to get checked because I phoned my doctors and they could only offer me a telephone appointment in five days time.' The cold meant she could not come in to her doctor's office, with restrictions on people with Covid symptoms coming in still in place. Ms Wells said: 'The A&E doctor said because I had a cold the week before it was due to that. He also said it doesn't feel cancerous and I was sent away.' Common colds can cause the lymph nodes in the neck to become swollen as the body fights infection, causing lumpy appearances. Since her diagnosis, Ms Wells has been fundraising for cancer charities. Pictured: The lump on Ms Wells' neck Ms Wells will start chemotherapy in the coming months after having her eggs frozen for fertility treatment in May. Pictured: Ms Wells after she underwent the MRI and CT scans The glands which can swell in the neck, armpits and groin act as a filter for viruses and bacteria, trapping them from reaching other parts of the body. Discussing the lump, Ms Wells added: 'It grew bigger and harder so then I had a biopsy with an MRI scan and a CT scan which confirmed it was cancer. 'It's only because my auntie works in radiology that she got me an ultrasound scan. I was diagnosed within four weeks thanks to her.' She added: 'My mum came with me to the appointment at the hospital for biopsy results, they asked me if I knew about Hodgkins lymphoma and I said yes and the doctor said thats what your results have come back to be. 'I was just crying with my mum but they said they can treat it with chemotherapy. I chose to have my eggs frozen for fertility treatment and I completed that in May.' She went to an externally-run urgent care centre, at the Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington, Kent, when she first noticed the lump Hodgkin lymphoma can develop at any age but mostly affects people between the ages of 20 and 40, as well as those aged over 75. The most common symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless swelling in a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit or groin Signs of the disease also include weight loss, night sweats, a persistent cough and swelling in the neck, armpit and groin. Actor Michael C. Hall the star of Dexter was treated for the cancer in 2010, going into remission after undergoing chemotherapy. The disease starts in the white blood cells and spreads through the lymphatic system. It is named after Thomas Hodgkin, an English doctor who first identified the disease in 1832. Greenbrooks Healthcare, which runs the urgent care centre at Princess Royal University Hospital Ms Wells visited, has been approached for comment. Spravato, made by Covid jab maker Janssen, has been rejected for use as antidepressant on the NHS A nasal spray treatment for depression derived from the illegal party drug ketamine has been rejected for use on the NHS. Esketamine is said to work by changing brain chemicals responsible for mood, combatting feelings of depression in a matter of hours. It is a chemical cousin of ketamine, which itself was first developed as a horse tranquiliser. Esketamine is made by Covid vaccine maker Janssen under the brand name Spravato and reportedly costs about 10,000 per course of treatment. The spray is already approved for use in the US and EU where medics say its fast-acting nature can help save lives. Traditional anti-depressants can take weeks to work. But today the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) rejected its use on the NHS as an antidepressant for the third time. NICE said it was concerned about the lack of evidence it would keep depression at bay once a patient stopped taking the drug - and it is too costly. The watchdog said further research needed be conducted to address these uncertainties. Mental health charities and drug's manufacturer said they were deeply disappointed with the decision. FROM PARTY DRUG TO BIPOLAR TREATMENT: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT KETAMINE Ketamine is a powerful general anaesthetic that is used to stop humans and animals experiencing pain during operations. It started being used as a party drug in the late 2000s, with people taking it before raves for a more intense experience. What are the side effects? Ketamine causes a loss of feeling and paralysis of the muscles. It can also lead to people experiencing a distortion of reality, which many call entering the 'k-hole'. This is when people believe they have spoken to God or a higher power, which can lead to addiction as they crave that experience. Ketamine may also cause people to feel incapable of moving, experience hallucinations or lead to panic attacks, confusion and memory loss. Regular users can seriously damage their bladders, which may need to be surgically removed. Other risks include a raised heart rate and blood pressure. Paralysis of the muscles can leave people vulnerable to hurting themselves, while not feeling pain properly can cause them to underestimate any damage. Many claim ketamine withdrawal is worse than any other drug, with some feeling so depressed they contemplate suicide. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the Samaritans here. How is it taken and what is the law around it? For medical use ketamine is liquid but the 'street' drug is normally a grainy, white powder, with one gram costing around 20. As a class B drug in the UK, possession of ketamine can result in people facing up to five years in jail, while supplying it could mean up to 14 years in prison. Both cases may result in people facing an unlimited fine. Source: Talk to Frank Advertisement Under the proposal considered by NICE, esketamine would have been offered to adults with severe depression who had not responded to at least two different antidepressants. People would have had to go to hospital to get the drug and be supervised by a healthcare professional as they took it. In its rejection, NICE acknowledged that there was an unmet need for people who have treatment-resistant depression on the NHS. About 3 per cent of the British population is believed to suffer from depression, with an estimated 6,000 Britons and 48,000 Americans dying by suicide each year. Attempted suicides thought to be 10 to 20 times higher than these figures. Amanda Cunnington, Janssen's senior director of patient access, said they were 'deeply disappointed' by the rejection and were considering an appeal. 'In treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, there continues to be systemic issues in introducing innovative treatment options on the NHS, which we have tried to overcome,' she said. 'We remain steadfast in collaborating with stakeholders and are considering all options including an appeal, to enable access to this important treatment for people living with the condition.' Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of mental health charity SANE also said the rejection was a 'huge disappointment' and would prevent 'desperate' patients from getting treatment. 'We have little in our armoury to combat treatment-resistant major depressive disorder and the real shame is that NICE are rejecting one of the very few innovations in treating this condition,' she said. There have been no major pharmaceutical innovations for depression since the launch of Prozac and related antidepressants in the late 1980s. Those drugs target the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, and can take weeks or months to kick in. Esketamine instead works by targeting a chemical called glutamate that is thought to restore brain connections, helping relieve depression, and can work in four to five hours. The drug is made from a part of the ketamine molecule, which has been used for decades as a powerful anesthetic to prepare patients for surgery. Ketamine has also been used illegally as a party drug since the late 2000s with people taking it before raves as users can experience a distortion of reality and loss of feeling. But in February this year French researchers said it could also alleviate suicidal thoughts within days. Doctors tested the therapy on 160 patients who were admitted to hospital because of their severe suicidal thoughts. Almost two-thirds of the participants on ketamine were no longer suicidal after three days. For comparison, the figure was slightly less than a third among patients on a placebo. NICE first rejected a submission in January 2020, and then a second time in September that year. These rejections were also based on concerns over the cost of the treatment. Current NHS practice for helping people with treatment-resistant depression is to provide oral antidepressants and switching to a second drug if symptoms do not improve. This treatment can also be combined with psychological therapy. Colorado officials are probing a suspected case of monkeypox in a 'young' gay or bisexual man who has recently returned from Canada with the state becoming the eighth to report a presumptive case of the virus. Local health chiefs revealed late Thursday that the individual came to a clinic in the Denver area the state's biggest city suffering symptoms of the virus. The patient who has not been named is now isolating at home and contact tracing is underway. The risk the virus has spread to others is believed to be 'low'. It brings the U.S. monkeypox tally to ten cases across eight states, amid warnings that the virus may now be spreading within America's borders. The vast majority of infections are in gay and bisexual men, and most are thought to be linked to international travel. Experts in Europe where most cases are being detected say the outbreak there may have been sparked by unsafe sex at two mass gatherings in Spain and Belgium. Globally, more than 300 cases have been detected across more than a two dozen countries. Colorado today became the eighth state to report a case of monkeypox, as the tally of confirmed and suspected infections rises to double-digits Dr Rachel Herlihy, the Colorado's top epidemiologist, said: 'We want to reassure Coloradans that the risk to the public is low. 'But we also want them to know of the symptoms so that we can catch other cases as soon as possible. 'We are grateful for the collaborative efforts of [health chiefs] in learning about, treating and investigating this case.' Pet hamsters could be culled to stop monkeypox spreading in Europe Pets could be culled to protect from monkeypox under 'last resort' guidelines drawn up by health officials. A cull could be ordered for hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs if they are unable to be isolated, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) admitted. Rodents have been identified as carrier of the disease in west and central Africa. 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. Advertisement Swabs from the patient will now be sent to a laboratory run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for tests to confirm the infection. It was unclear whether the case was linked to the one in Massachusetts which had also recently returned from travel to Canada. The agency revealed yesterday that all other cases reported had now been confirmed as monkeypox. This includes two in Florida and Utah, and one each in California, Massachusetts, New York City, Virginia and Washington. Canada has now reported more than 26 cases of monkeypox with every case in Quebec except one in nearby Ontario. Monkeypox is a rare virus typically only found in West Africa, although recently it has spread into Europe and North America. It is mostly passed on through skin-to-skin contact with infectious lesions and rashes on patients, which can appear all over the body including the genital area. Most cases are mild but about one in 100 lead can lead to a fatality estimates suggest. Treatment focuses on vaccinating close contacts against smallpox, which can also spark immunity against this virus because they are closely related. Drugs may also be administered to help reduce the symptoms. Experts have warned for years that an outbreak of this disease was inevitable because immunity levels against smallpox had fallen substantially. America was vaccinating everyone against this disease until the early 1970s, when the jabs had successfully beaten the virus into submission. The scheme was then abandoned across other nations. But this has now left people less than 50 years old with little immunity to monkeypox. It comes as a UK scientist warns monkeypox may now be endemic in the UK and Europe forever as the virus normally confined to Africa continues to spread globally. Dr Adam Kucharski, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it was unlikely the current outbreak would spiral into a pandemic like Covid because it spreads through prolonged close contact. 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 But the epidemiologist, who is also a member of the UK's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), warned the 'biggest risk' is that cases will 'not be eliminated in some places'. He said any persistent transmission increases the risk that the virus closely related to smallpox could be passed onto pets, meaning there will be permanent reservoirs of infection, as is the case in Africa. EU health chiefs have already acknowledged this threat and are considering a cull for all hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs owned by monkeypox patients. In the UK, officials are also expected to release guidance telling infected Britons to keep their distance from family pets. Monkeypox has now been identified in all four nations of the UK, as the number of confirmed domestic cases yesterday rose to 90. A disproportionate number are among gay and bisexual men. Twenty countries across the world have now been affected by the current outbreak, with Finland today becoming the latest to confirm an infection. Argentina, Bolivia and Sudan are all probing suspected cases. Until now, cases outside of western and central Africa were confined to a handful of people with travel links to the Advertisement Chicago has become the latest city to enter a level of 'high' Covid alert according to CDC guidelines, but officials in the Windy City are choosing not to re-instate a mask mandate, and instead just make a recommendation to use face coverings, amid rising case figures but limited deaths. The change, announced Thursday night, has affected Cook County - which includes Chicago - and others in the surrounding area, the state Department of Health announced this week. It comes just before Memorial Day weekend, one of the most important times of the year for the city's tourism industry with over a million expected to arrive during the holiday. While usually such a move would trigger the reimplementation of a mask mandate, officials will hold off this time as the mortality from the virus has largely fallen in recent months. The city is averaging 1,081 infections per day, but only around 0.1 deaths in the city of 2.7 million. It follows a nationwide trend of death figures remaining low despite rising cases, as the actual risk people face from Covid every day falls due to the effectiveness of the vaccines, widespread availability of therapeutics and the more mild nature of the Omicron variant when compared to other strains. As a whole, the U.S. averages 109,237 cases per day and 356 deaths, both figures growing six percent over the past week. While a mask mandate is not on the way, experts are giving other recommendations as to how residents and visitors can stay safe during this busy weekend. 'One of the easiest things we can do to ease the risk of COVID is most things outside, or have a celebration outside,' Dr Allison Arwady, the city's public health commissioner said, reports NBC Chicago. 'For me, that takes my concern way down and I know as folks are gathering for Memorial Day, if you can do that, especially for somebody who's higher risk, I strongly recommend that.' Windy city officials are taking lead from the New York City, which also entered a level of 'high' Covid transmission earlier this month, but chose not to abide by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines by reinstating a mask mandate. Early last week, the Big Apple also crossed the threshold of hospitalizations and case figures that place it in the 'high' risk category. Mayor Eric Adams was reportedly pushed by health officials to reinstate mask orders as a result, but chose not to. 'I'm proud of what we are doing and how we are not allowing Covid to outsmart us,' he said, reported the New York Daily News. 'We're staying prepared and not panicking. When I look at the hospitalizations and deaths, the numbers are stable.' Officials feeling more comfortable living alongside Covid, and not reacting in fear to swings in cases, is a trend that seems to be coming from the top. Dr Ashish Jha, the newly named White House Covid response coordinator, said this week that Covid is not anywhere near as dangerous now as it was just a short time ago. 'What has been remarkable in the latest increase in infections we're seeing is how steady serious illness and particularly deaths are eight weeks into this,' Jha told the AP. 'Covid is no longer the killer that it was even a year ago.' Between the therapeutics, the widely available COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots, and the more-mild nature of the Omicron variant, Jha says that deaths from the virus are now preventable. 'We are now at a point where I believe fundamentally most COVID deaths are preventable, that the deaths that are happening out there are mostly unnecessary, and there are a lot of tools we have now to make sure people do not die of this disease,' he said. Not all blue cities agree, though. In Philadelphia, officials reinstated school mask orders this week amid rising cases. '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,' Dr William Hite, the city's school superintendent, said in a statement. The move came weeks after the city decided to bizarrely institute an indoor mask mandate in late April, before lifting the orders only four days later. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has put out its first vaccine guidance related to a recent outbreak of monkeypox cases across the U.S. and Europe - with health workers and others responding to the uptick in cases first in line to get the shots. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the CDC's leading experts on vaccines, issued the recommendation Friday, and it will include lab workers who research orthopoxviruses, people who work in lab testing environments, and health care personnel who are treating infected patients. The JYNNEOS vaccine in question is tailored to both smallpox and monkeypox - just as many other smallpox drugs are also believed to be effective against the rare virus. It comes as the U.S. records its tenth presumptive case of the virus, with a man in Colorado having a suspected infection after a recent trip to Canada, state officials announced Thursday night. Colorado today became the eighth state to report a case of monkeypox, as the tally of confirmed and suspected infections rises to double-digits 'Certain laboratorians and health care personnel can be exposed to orthopoxviruses through occupational activities,' ACIP wrote in its report. The panel notes that orthopoxvirus vaccines, like JYNNEOS, were regularly distributed to children in the U.S. to combat smallpox in the past. Smallpox, a highly devastating, deadly, virus, was eradicated in 1980, though, and use of the vaccines has since been dropped from mandatory to scarce. Officials still recommend that some parts of the population do continue to receive the shots, though, including people who may be exposed to these viruses at work. America has a stockpile of over 1,000 doses of the two-dose vaccine in place for a situation like this. Pet hamsters could be culled to stop monkeypox spreading in Europe Pets could be culled to protect from monkeypox under 'last resort' guidelines drawn up by health officials. A cull could be ordered for hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs if they are unable to be isolated, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) admitted. Rodents have been identified as carrier of the disease in west and central Africa. 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. Advertisement The country also has 100 million doses of ACAM2000, another pox vaccine, in its stockpile, though that jab has been replaced by JYNNEOS because of its increased risk of negative side-effects. On Monday, the CDC reported that the country had planned to distribute the shots to the most high-risk group. Rollout of the vaccines to the high risk groups is expected to begin soon. The recommendation comes as the U.S. monkeypox tally to reaches ten, with nine cases having been confirmed by the CDC on Thursday. Colorado recorded the most recent suspected case in a 'young', gay or bisexual, man who had recently traveled to Canada. On Thursday, the CDC confirmed nine positive cases of the virus, with the most recent being a woman in Northern Virginia who has recently traveled to an African country where the virus is common. The vast majority of infections are in gay and bisexual men, and most are thought to be linked to international travel. Officials have not reported any confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission of the virus in the U.S. Experts in Europe where most cases are being detected say the outbreak there may have been sparked by unsafe sex at two mass gatherings in Spain and Belgium. Globally, more than 300 cases have been detected across more than a two dozen countries. The virus is primarily spread via touch with infected lesions, making it tougher for it to spread than other infectious disease like COVID-19. Monkeypox is a rare virus typically only found in West and Central Africa. The current strain that has escaped into Europe and North America is the less-deadly West African strain that kills around one percent of infected persons. No deaths from monkeypox have been reported as part of this recent outbreak across the western world. A Georgia woman decided to travel across the world to receive a root canal after finding out the exorbitant price it would cost to receive it stateside - and saved nearly $2,000 in the process. Delia O'Malley, 26, who immigrated to Atlanta from Ireland, went to the dentist for a root canal when she was suffering extreme pain in one of her teeth. Delia O'Malley (pictured), 26, ended up saving around $2,000 by getting a root canal done in Turkey instead of locally in Atlanta, Georgia She received a quote for the operation, finding it would cost her $3,099 even after her insurance paid part of it, and decided it was unfeasible. Instead, she traveled all the way to Izmir, Turkey, spent a week sightseeing and received the operation, for only a fraction of what it would has cost her to get the same procedure done at home. 'I ain't paying over three grand to get my tooth done. That's insane. So guess what I'm doing? I booked flight to Turkey, I fly out tomorrow morning,' she said. O'Malley said she had previously received dental care in Turkey, when a dentist on Turkey's Aegean coast. When she received the quote from her local dentist, she almost immediately set up travel plans to see the same dentist abroad. 'I got the bill on Thursday and flew out on Friday morning at 11 a.m.,' she said. Not only could she get the procedure done in the European nation, but she could enjoy a nice vacation as well. Her family was already in the area on holiday, she explained, and she chose to spend a week at a hotel to take in the beautiful sights and weather of the region. 'I'm going to go enjoy myself and work and sit in the sun and live my best life and have no more pain in my tooth and not have spent three grand,' she said. She reports that that total trip cost her $1,167, including $807 to fly roundtrip and under $200 for the root canal procedure itself. When O'Malley, who had been suffering severe tooth pain, asked her dentist how much a root canal would cost, she was given a quote of over $3,000 after insurance 'The holiday was wonderful and it was definitely worth it. I spent less than if I had the work was carried out in Atlanta,' she said. '[My experience with the dentist] was really good. The dentist is amazing and I'd highly recommend them.' While the decision may seem bizarre to some, O'Malley recommends that other people consider medical tourism to deal with sky-rocketing prices in the U.S. Upwards of 300,000 Americans travel abroad for medical reasons every year, the United States International Trade Commission reports, a staggering number for a nation that is often regarded for its quality medical offerings. Medical costs in the U.S. can be exorbitant, though. Monthly health insurance premiums can run into the thousands for large families, and that does not include high deductibles many have to pay before their insurance kicks in. In response to the bill, O'Malley (pictured) decided to get the procedure done by a Turkish dentist she had visited before. She was also able to meet up with her family in Turkey, who was already there on vacation Many on insurance actually can not afford to use unless they are met with a dire emergency situation, in a category officials describe as being 'functionally uninsured'. There are some worries about going abroad for cheaper treatment, though. While many nations like the UK, France and Germany may have doctors that are on par with the medical offerings in America, not all countries can offer top tier medicine. Some end up worse off after receiving treatment than they were before they went. Amanda Turner, 34, of Belfast, Irelands - which is also the country of O'Malley's origin - told The Sun that her attempt to get discount veneers in Turkey left her teeth ruined, and cost her thousands to fix. Still, though, O'Malley, who was able to so easily travel on a moments whim because she is self-employed said her family and friends agreed with her decision. 'My mother was very supportive of my decision. When I told people about it, they got thinking and thought it was a very clever way to get the dental work completed,' she said. 'Others have said they want to do the same thing.' UK drivers had 71.2million of parts stolen from their cars last year as a report shows how our motors have become an increasingly easy target for criminals looking to cash in on expensive components they can easily pinch. An estimated 474,600 parts were unlawfully taken from vehicles in 2021, according to an investigation by insurer Direct Line. While registration plates were the most commonly taken item, it is almost 40,000 thefts of precious-metal-laden catalytic converters are causing victims of car crime the biggest financial headaches. Not only are these expensive to replace, the damage caused when hastily removing them can - in worst cases - write a car off entirely. Rise of the cat burglars: An estimated 474,600 parts were unlawfully taken from vehicles last year and 40,000 of these were catalytic converts, according research by Direct Line Direct Line said it sourced its figures from a Freedom of Information request to local policing authorities. The data suggests that in the last three years the total value of stolen car parts has reached a whopping 744million - that's the equivalent of nearly 680,000 being stolen every day. Of the 474,000 components pinched in 2021 alone, 53,400 were number plates. The insurer says the increased use of ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras to patrol our roads has led to a rise in criminals stealing registration plates to put on a similar vehicle they're using to commit offences to avoid detection. But while getting replacement plates is relatively inexpensive (Halfords chargers 5 per plate) the second most commonly stolen car part is a lot pricier to not just replace but also repair the damage caused during their illegally removal. Catalytic converters, the exhaust emission control devices that are often referred to as 'cats', have become an easy target for criminal gangs - and some 39,900 were taken by thieves last year. The combined value of all cats taken since 2019 is over 16million, Direct Line calculates. The catalytic converter takes gases produced by petrol engines and converts them into water vapour and less harmful emissions via a series of chemical reactions before it comes out of the exhaust pipe Palladium inside the devices is extremely valuable, hence why gangs are targeting cars to steal them This photo provided by the Metropolitan Police shows a number of stolen catalytic converters recovered by officers in London in 2021 They are fitted to all cars with a petrol engine manufactured after 1993 and are designed to reduce the harmful pollutants emitted from vehicle exhaust pipes. They do this by taking the gases produced and converting them into water vapour and less harmful emissions via a series of chemical reactions. The devices are made up of an array of valuable materials including palladium, rhodium and platinum. Criminal gangs are now well aware of this small fortune stored beneath your vehicle and the financial return of stealing the devices to extract the metals from them. Driving a vehicle that's had its catalytic converter stolen can land motorists with a fine of up to 1,000 because the car will be producing higher levels of pollution than they are allowed to Direct Line, working with the University of Huddersfield on a new Truth about Car Theft campaign, interviewed former prolific car thieves to understand the motive, means and opportunities for vehicle crime - and it highlighted the desirability of catalytic converters. One convicted car thief said: 'Cats are worth good money all day long. I know...onesminimum 150. Even if youre just doing them in a night, you could get 30 or 40.' Rachel Armitage, Professor of Criminology at the university, said car parts theft is seen by criminals as 'high reward and low risk'. 'Many of the convicted thieves in our study were returning to the crime as it is an easy to commit opportunist offence, especially with many cars being left unsecured,' she adds. 'Ease of entering or stealing vehicles was a recurring theme, with a streamlined process of selling parts and property stolen from unattended vehicles to gain cash.' Catalytic converter thefts can write off cars Drivers will definitely know if the catalytic converter has been stolen from the underside of their car, even if the damage isn't visible at first. The exhaust will no longer be connected and make a much louder noise when driving - so much so that it will be impossible to not detect. While the vehicle will still be driveable, removal of the device will trigger a warning light on the dashboard, reduce fuel economy and cause plenty of headaches from the additional exhaust roar. While more skilled thieves are unscrewing them from the underside of cars, others are taking a more ham-fisted approach and sawing cats off, causing irreversible damage and resulting in some owners having to replace entire exhaust systems. The catalytic converter is part of a vehicle's exhaust system. Criminals in a hurry are sawing them off, causing irreversible damage that can result in repair bills of up to 3,000 And because there is often no third party to claim against, drivers using their polices to cover repair costs are also losing their No Claims Discount, unless otherwise protected. You can buy devices to secure your catalytic converter Concerned drivers can purchase devices that lock in around the converter to make it more difficult to remove. Providers include Catloc and Catclamp, which can be installed on a number of different vehicles. However, they're not cheap, with prices as high as 250 for some models. Motoring association MotorEasy estimates the average cost to replace a catalytic converter is up to 1,300, with over 900 of the cost being parts. However, the AA says claims have amounted to anything between 2,000 and 3,000 when the devices have been sawed away from the exhaust. In some instances, thefts have resulted in vehicles being written off entirely. That's because the cost of repairing damage caused can be deemed uneconomical by insurers if the car is of low value. Victims of this crime can also face long waiting times to obtain a new catalytic converter to be fitted. Toyota said in 2020 that it not envisaged the 'rapid rise' in thefts, which in turn had 'impacted our ability to source enough of the parts we need in some cases'. This means victims are unable to use their cars until a replacement part is fitted, else face a penalty. Motorists caught by police driving a vehicle knowing the catalytic converter has been removed can be fined up to 1,000 because the car will be producing higher levels of pollution than they are allowed to. Which cars are most commonly targeted by catalytic converter thieves? While cats are fitted to all petrol-powered cars produced from 1993, criminals are most commonly going after those fitted to petrol-electric hybrid models. These have been earmarked by the black market for having the best-quality parts because they contain a higher concentration of precious metals and are generally less corroded. Insurer Admiral says the most susceptible hybrid models are the Honda Jazz, Toyota Prius, Toyota Auris and Lexus RX of all generations and ages. Hybrid cars are ripe for thieves as the catalytic converters contain a higher concentration of precious metals and are generally less corroded. It's no surprise then that the Toyota Prius - the most-bought hybrid in the UK - is among the list of cars criminals are preying on Honda's hybrid version of the Jazz is also on the shopping list of these organised criminals. The Jazz is popular among older drivers and therefore tend to have accumulated fewer miles, meaning their catalytic converters will be in good condition The Toyota Auris hybrid (left) - the sister car to the Prius - has also been identified by Admiral as a prime target. The Lexus RX hybrid SUV (right) is another model that's often preyed on by thieves of catalytic converters Lorraine Price, Head of Direct Line Motor Insurance, said: 'Our research shows the most popular car parts stolen, number plates and catalytic converters, are both on the outside of the car, meaning it is simply not enough to just double lock your vehicle. 'Motorists should make sure to park in well-lit, populated areas and look out for CCTV cameras.' > Want to know which are Britain's most stolen car models? Read our exclusive report here The last thing the country needs is yet another tax coming so soon as it does after the April imposition of the NHS and Social Care hike in national insurance, which affects every business and employee in the country. Yet that is precisely what Rishi Sunak has done with the infliction of a whopping 25 per cent surcharge on the extraordinary profits being made by oil and gas companies in an effort to raise 5billion extra of revenues. In the context of the cash flows currently being achieved by Britains oil majors, this might seem like a flea bite. Gushing profits: Shell notched up 7.4bn or so of profits in the first quarter and BP some 5bn. But BP ended up with a 16.3bn loss after it exited from Moscow-controlled Rosneft After all, Shell notched up 7.4billion or so of profits in the first quarter and BP some 5billion. But it is also worth noting that BP ended up with a 16.3billion loss after it exited from Moscow-controlled Rosneft and wrote down its Russian operations. The shares of BP and Shell have shrugged off Sunaks tax raid. The blow has been softened by a promise of a super deduction for new investment, which on paper will provide tax relief of 91.25 per cent. That should encourage further North Sea drilling as well as major new renewable projects such as hydrogen plants on Teesside. The Government makes much of the fact that even after the surcharge, taxes on explorers in Norway from where we buy much of our gas will be higher. It may be easy for the UK majors such as Shell and BP to ride out the new levy, but the bigger worry post-Brexit is the impact it has on inward investment in the North Sea and on renewable projects. One of the big factors favoured by overseas investors is certainty about the tax regime. By constantly moving the goalposts, the Treasury risks driving investment away to locations where future returns on new projects can be relied upon, even if the headline tax rate is higher. In many ways, the Chancellors threat to impose a future tax on the electricity suppliers is even more worrying, causing share prices to slump. Threatening a future tax is damaging to shareholders, dividends and investment. How disturbing it would be, for instance, if Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE) were to push back on its ambitious 24billion renewable plans. The Treasury is playing with fire. EY challenge Barely a day passes without some audit disgrace. KPMG is once again in the frame, this time over its failure to notice bribery payments by aero-engine giant Rolls-Royce. Doubtless accounting enforcers may at some point catch up with Glencore after the commodity giant owned up to bribery and corruption in seven African countries. Meanwhile, PwC has found itself at the vortex of a dispute over the audit of Martin Sorrells S4 Capital. Given the urgency of the issue of audit reform, one might have thought it deserved more prominence in the Governments legislative programme than a background note to the Queens Speech. In spite of three high-profile studies, the shape of the reforms is still in doubt largely because of push back by the all-powerful audit lobby. It is all but decided that the new regulator the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority proposed by Lord Kingman way back in 2018, will get the go ahead. But Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is caught in the middle of a battle royal over the future shape of the profession. Kwarteng, with clear support from EY which is to carve out its audit practice favours a formal split with the burgeoning consulting arms of the big firms, hived off as separate companies, ending conflicts of interest which have bedevilled the profession. There has been heavy lobbying by much of the profession for a less dramatic separation. This is hardly surprising given the huge partner incomes generated by consulting. Other firms must be encouraged, if not forced, to follow the EY lead. It is essential if the credibility of the profession is to be shored up. Ringing change When it comes to potential overseas takeovers, the Government is showing steel. The decision to use new powers under the National Security and Investment Act to probe telecoms billionaire Patrick Drahis 18 per cent stake in BT has caused a sharp intake of breath. Not least at BT itself where chief executive Philip Jansen may have nurtured hopes of using the Drahi firepower to speed up change. Kwasi Kwarteng is taking no prisoners. Billionaire Patrick Drahi faced fresh scrutiny over his BT stake after the Government launched a review amid national security concerns. There are fears that the Frenchman could launch a takeover bid for the telecoms giant as soon as next month, which could hand him control of BTs Openreach broadband empire as well as sensitive state contracts. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has deployed powers granted under the National Security & Investment (NSI) Act to examine Drahis decision to increase his holding in the FTSE 100 group from 12.1 per cent to 18 per cent in December last year. Kwarteng now has up to 45 days to assess the national security implications of the shareholding. BT said it will fully cooperate with the Governments review. Drahi owns the BT stake through his firm Altice and is the companys largest shareholder. The 58-year old, who also owns auction house Sothebys, stunned the market last June when he declared he had bought just over 12 per cent of BT. He increased the holding in December but said he did not intend to make an offer for the company despite speculation. Under City rules, the statement meant Drahi was barred from making an offer for BT for six months unless he agreed a takeover with the firms board or another buyer tabled a bid. However, this prohibition is set to expire on June 14, which may have spurred the Government into action. Altice declined to comment on the review but it is understood the firm will cooperate with the Governments investigation. Ben Barringer, research analyst at investment manager Quilter Cheviot, said: The timing of this review into Drahis stake in BT is interesting. The fact he has been raising his stake has been well known and is not news, so the fact the Government has decided to act now shows it may want to be seen to flex its muscle on key national infrastructure. BT shares fell 2.3 per cent, or 4.35p, to 185.55p following the news. While Drahi keeps a low profile publicly, in the business world he is known as a corporate swashbuckler and deal maker. He has also garnered a reputation for ruthlessness and is dubbed the cost killer by French trade unions for cutting workforces and slashing salaries and spending. The probe into Drahis stake in BT came less than a day after the takeover of Newport Wafer Fab, the UKs largest microchip maker, was called in for review amid concerns about its owner, a subsidiary of Chinese firm Wingtech. It is also thought other takeovers have been quietly called in since the NSI Act came into force at the start of this year. Concern over who controls BT comes as the firm embarks on a massive effort to expand the UKs fibre broadband network in a bid to boost growth in Britains regions. It also performs sensitive work for the Government, raising its importance in terms of national security. Additionally, Drahis stakebuilding has sparked speculation other potential buyers are eyeing up BT. It also comes amid wider interest in the British telecoms sector from overseas investors, with Abu Dhabi-based telecoms group Etisalat revealing earlier this month that it had snapped up nearly 10 per cent of Vodafone for 3.6billion, making it the companys largest shareholder. Vistry has kicked off a 35million share buyback programme after enjoying a 'strong start' to the year. The housebuilder, formerly Bovis Homes, said it was returning excess capital to investors after 'robust trading' and debt falling below its 100million target. Last week, Vistry posted an upbeat update and said profits would top expectations thanks to strong demand for its homes and higher prices. Upbeat: Vistry said it was returning excess cash to shareholders after a strong start to the year Housebuilders started 2021 on a strong foot as home hunters continued to rush to buy its new-built homes before the stamp duty holiday ended in July last year. Vistry said last week that 2022 had been even more profitable so far, with the company selling 0.86 homes per week at each of its outlets, compared with 0.75 a year ago. On the back of the strong performance, it upped its profit forecast for the current year to the top range of its forecasts, or around 415million, from 396million. 'The board considers that it is returning a prudent level of cash to shareholders, which reflects the robust trading of the group, while also retaining a strong balance sheet,' it told investors today. In 2021, Vistry accelerated its dividend payout to a two times cover, which remains unchanged. Analysts at Peel Hunt said the buyback should have a small positive impact on the company's earnings per share. 'While 35million is not huge in the context of the group, it demonstrates management's commitment to returning excess capital, as well as its view on the current share price,' they added. FTSE 250-listed Vistry shares rose 2.2 per cent to 902p in morning trading on Friday. They have dropped by around a quarter so far this year, which analysts at Peel Hunt say is in line with the sector average. Other major British housebuilders have come under pressure in recent months after the industry committed over 2billion to remove dangerous cladding from buildings. Poolbeg Pharma shot up 55 per cent this week to 6.8p after it was granted US patents protecting two key assets. The assets are POLB 001, a potential flu treatment, and POLB 002, a nasal spray for virus infections. The additional US patent protection of POLB 001 and POLB 002 is an important step in the commercialisation of these novel infectious disease products, said Poolbeg chief executive, Jeremy Skillington. Struggling doorstep lender Morses Clun hit the skids again after it delayed its full-year results Elsewhere in the medical sector, Angle saw its shares soar after the US Food and Drug Administration approved a blood diagnostics device developed by the AIM-listed company that can identify metastatic breast cancer in patients. UK-based biotech company Angle's Parsortix technology is the first product ever to be cleared by US regulators that harvests cancer cells from a blood sample. Later in the week, the company highlighted new research that indicates its Parsortix harvesting technology captured circulating lung cancer cells in frozen as well as fresh blood samples. Italys National Cancer Institute of Milan undertook a study on advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and sarcoma patients with the results published in the Clinical Chemistry journal. It was by any measure a good week for the liquid biopsy specialist, which saw its share rise 45 per cent to 143.5p. On to the software sector and Pelatro, which describes itself as a precision marketing software specialist; its shares were up precisely 38.7 per cent on the week after the company slashed its full-year adjusted loss to half a cent from 5.5 cents in 2020. The loss before tax narrowed to US$666,000 from 2.1million the year before. SEED Innovations 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 4.7million invested in Leap, representing 43.75 per cent of the Israeli company. We feel this key milestone was critical before any liquidity event for Leap's shareholders, said Ed McDermott, the chief executive of SEED. Newmark Security, a provider of electronic and physical security systems, hit the comeback trail with its year-end trading update. We are delivering on our targets for revenue growth and cost management initiatives whilst focusing on our new product pipeline that provides us with the ability to offer complete solutions to our clients continuously, said Maurice Dwek, the chair of Newmark. The companys shares rose 27 per cent on the week to 37.5p after the company confirmed year-on-year revenue growth in the year to the end of April 2022. The shares are now close to the 41p level they were at in January before the shares fell off a clip following the half-year results. In the ever excitable resources sector, Cornish Metals Inc jumped 29 per cent to 23.75p after it closed its previously announced 40.5million fundraising. The completion of this financing allows Cornish Metals to push ahead with the dewatering of the mine and delivery of a feasibility study in order to make a production decision for the South Crofty tin project, said Cornish Metals chief executive Richard Williams. The top faller this week was Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings, which plunged 31 per cent to 89p after a proposed 482million takeover and $100million fundraising hit the buffers. The group said it had received a letter from proposed acquirer Brickell - controlled by Miami-based investment group 777 Partners - alleging that it was in breach of certain obligations under the terms of the deal. As a result, Brickell said it was exercising its right to terminate the offer immediately. Randall said it did not agree it had breached the terms or that Brickell could make that move. Brickell owns 23.2 per cent of Randall but only controls voting rights over 9.9 per cent but that is still enough to cause problems if Brickell votes against the insurance groups proposed equity fundraising. DCD Media lost 30 per cent of its value after it announced plans to delist. This was on the cards after the company sold the bulk of its businesses and assets to 108 Media late last year. Morses Club, the struggling doorstep lender, hit the skids again after it said its full-year results, which had been scheduled for release this month, will now be announced no later than 26 August 2022. The company gave no reason for the delay and as usual, the market suspected the worst. Self-employed people are twice as likely to be rejected for a mortgage than salaried employees, new research from specialist home loan provider The Mortgage Lender has shown. It said nearly one quarter of self-employed individuals had had a mortgage application denied in the past, compared to just 12 per cent of salaried workers. Self-employed workers are often subjected to tougher checks, mainly because they are considered to have a more irregular or complex income and are therefore viewed as riskier by lenders. Tricky: Many self-employed workers say it is a challenge to get a mortgage from a high street bank or building society, especially if their income fluctuates Peter Beaumont, chief executive at The Mortgage Lender said: 'There are around 4.2million self-employed people in the UK, and it is typical for that number to grow when coming out of a recession, or in this case a pandemic also. 'While it may offer those workers more freedom, the major drawback of self-employment is the perception of income inconsistency, and consequently a greater challenge when it comes to borrowing large sums of money.' Whilst many mortgage lenders offer exactly the same deals to self-employed borrowers as salaried employees, it is much harder for the self-employed to prove their income. Salaried employees typically only need to provide their latest three months of payslips, whereas self-employed workers often have to provide up to three years of tax returns and business accounts. This can make it more challenging for someone who has recently become self-employed to access finance to either buy or remortgage a property. David Hollingworth, associate director at mortgage broker, L&C Mortgages says: 'Whilst an employed borrower will typically have a regular basic salary that's easy to demonstrate with payslips, self-employed workers may have more fluctuation in their month-to-month income. 'In order to get an overall picture of their income, lenders will typically require a two year track record, in some cases three years, of income demonstrated through self assessment or accounts. 'That therefore will make things more difficult for the self-employed especially where they have gone self-employed more recently. 'Some lenders may be able to consider one year in the right circumstances but most lenders will expect the two year minimum.' What other barriers are the self-employed up against? During the pandemic some self-employed workers saw their income reduce, and this resulted in lenders carrying out stricter checks to ensure that mortgages would be affordable. Lenders such as HSBC, Metro and TSB required evidence that a person's business had recovered from the pandemic. In some cases, lenders were demanding higher deposits or equity from self-employed workers - and some major lenders still have limitations in place. For example, Nationwide will only offer up to 85 per cent of the property value for self-employed applicants, and Santander restricts this to 75 per cent. Lower limits: Self-employed applicants may not be able to get as big a mortgage as their salaried counterparts, as lenders often impose tougher restrictions For salaried employees it is possible to borrow up to 95 per cent of a property's value with both lenders under the right circumstances. However, some lenders have withdrawn the limits that were in place on self-employed workers during the peak of the pandemic. For example, TSB is now offering mortgages covering up to 95 per cent of a property's value and will lend as much as 5 times a self-employed person's annual income. How can they get approved for a mortgage? Using a mortgage broker is a sensible place to start, and there are now a large number of free online mortgage brokers. Ten tips to boost your credit rating 1) Register on the electoral roll at your current address 2) Use a credit card responsibly, and always try to retain a good amount of available credit 3) Check your credit report regularly and ask for any errors to be corrected 4) Never withdraw cash from your credit card 5) Limit applications for new credit 6) If you have bad credit, stop applying for more 7) If you don't have a credit card, get one: but make sure you pay it off monthly 8) Don't miss repayments 9) Let your credit history mature 10) Don't keep unused cards Like with any other broker, they are paid a commission by lenders but this won't impact either your rate or any upfront fee you pay. Self-employed workers are also typically subjected to longer wait times and more rigorous checks, sop having all the necessary documentation ready in advance will help save time and make the process less painful. They may find smaller mortgage lenders more amenable than big high-street banks, as these tend to be more flexible when it comes to considering individual circumstances. However, they usually charge higher rates. Hollingworth says: 'Self-employed workers should look at the mainstream market where their situation will allow as that is likely to yield the cheapest rates. 'Using an adviser should help to target the right lender especially where income and track record may be more complex. 'Having the right paperwork to hand and ensuring it's up to date will be a key factor in determining the right option and will also help with the speed of processing of the application. 'Not providing the requested paperwork will only hold things up and could result in lots of back and forth as the underwriter poses more questions. 'Other more specialist lenders may also be an option especially if there is less track record or there have been blips along the way. 'The rates are likely to be higher but it may offer an option if the mainstream lenders can't take it on.' It's also wise to check your credit file through an agency such as Experian or Equifax, making sure you have no errors or issues that might lead a lender to reject an application. A credit report shows a list of a person's credit accounts, such as bank accounts, credit cards, utilities and mortgages. It will also display their repayment history, including late or missing payments. When a person applies for a loan or mortgage, the lender will look at their credit report on top of their proof of income and bank statements. Scientists have been raising the alarm about monkeypox's potential to spill out of Africa and fill a gap left by smallpox since 2018. But the warnings went unheeded. A British scientist at a level four biosecurity lab - which works with smallpox-like viruses - first warned about its epidemic-causing potential four years ago. They warned how the emergence of monkeypox could have 'potentially devastating consequences' due to declining smallpox vaccination rates leaving the majority of the world's population completely unprotected from the virus. The following year a group of international experts estimated that 70 per cent of the world was vulnerable to monkeypox because they had not been jabbed against smallpox. It comes as another 12 Britons were diagnosed with the tropical illness on Thursday bringing the UK total to 90. The virus has been spotted in 19 countries outside of it usual range so far, making it the widest ranging outbreak ever. Previously monkeypox has only ever been spotted in a handful of cases outside of central or western Africa and experts say they are surprised by the current outbreak. But a World Health Organization report also warned about the tropical illness in 2020, saying the 'epidemic potential' of monkeypox was increasing with modern farming techniques and rising populations, which increase the chance of animal-to-human transmission. Then, in November last year, experts ran a hypothetical scenario that found a genetically engineered version of the disease could kill 300 million people. The final warning came in February this year just weeks before the fresh outbreak. A review conducted by smallpox vaccine manufacturer Bavarian Nordic warned that cases were rising rapidly in Africa. Here MailOnline details the five crucial warnings that were missed: September 2018: Porton Down scientist warns of potential 'devastating consequences' of monkeypox Allen Roberts first raised the alarm about monkeypox in September 2018. The scientist was working with 'high consequence pathogens' at the level four biosecurity lab Porton Down in Salisbury at the time. This Government research site is used to work with smallpox and other viruses with biological warfare potential. In the paper, he said the emergence of monkeypox would have 'devastating consequences'. Titled 'Approaches to Handling High Consequence Pathogens', he wrote that declining rates of smallpox vaccination had left the vast majority of world's population vulnerable. 'Only a fraction of the worlds population now retains immunity from previous vaccination, leaving the remainder of the population susceptible to this disease,' he said. 'Consequently, the risk of deliberate reintroduction of smallpox in a bioterrorism event, as well as the emergence of monkeypox, would have potentially devastating consequences.' In 2018 a scientist working at Porton Down said the emergence of monkeypox could have 'devastating consequences' due to declining rates of smallpox vaccination across the globe He also discussed the process of using monkeypox for conducting tests on potential smallpox vaccines on primates. Tests on new vaccines to combat smallpox are tested on the closely related monkeypox due to the former being eradicated by a global health campaign and scientists considering it too risky to bring it back even for research purposes. June 2019: Coalition of experts warn 70% of world is vulnerable to monkeypox Dozens of British and international experts met at Chatham House in London to discuss how monkeypox 'might fill the epidemiological niche vacated by smallpox'. Members of the meeting included British and Nigerian virologists and experts on tropical medicine, as well as Public Health England, scientists from Porton Down, the US's Center for Disease Control, and smallpox vaccine maker Bavarian Nordic. Their meeting came after a series of monkeypox cases in the UK, Israel, and Singapore in 2018 and 19 which spread from travellers infected in Nigeria. At what was described as an 'ad-hoc conference', the experts also warned how the eradication of smallpox left the world vulnerable to monkeypox. Smallpox vaccines provide 85 per cent protection against monkeypox as the diseases come from the same family of viruses, called orthopoxvirus. But with smallpox being eradicated just over 40 years ago, routine vaccination against it ended shortly after. In Britain, the last smallpox vaccines were given in 1971. Publishing the results of the discussion in the journal Vaccine in 2020, experts said this meant 70 per cent of the world's population is no longer protected against smallpox, and therefore, monkeypox. 'Monkeypox is now a re-emerging disease,' they wrote. 'Vaccination and protective Variola minor [a minor smallpox strain] exposure contributed to smallpox eradication and likely reduced the number of other human orthopox infections.' Dozens of scientists from around the world met in the UK in 2019 to discuss how monkeypox might fill the 'niche' left behind by the now eradicated smallpox Concluding their paper, they called for more research on how monkeypox spreads and how to prevent it, including the development of vaccines and antiviral treatments, warning it had increasing potential to spread beyond central Africa. 'With the cessation of widespread smallpox vaccination, increased study of the monkeypox virus, the human disease it causes, and its epidemiology are important,' they said. 'Global travel and easy access to remote and potentially monkeypox-endemic regions are a cause for increasing global vigilance.' The experts highlighted how sex was a potential avenue of monkeypox transmission. 'Sexual transmission has been hypothesised for some cases with genital and groin lesions,' they said. September 2020: WHO warns 'epidemic potential' of monkeypox is rising Two years ago, a paper published by the WHO warned the 'epidemic potential' of monkeypox was increasing. The article warned the end of routine smallpox vaccination could lead to the rise of monkeypox in people. 'In a population with diminishing herd immunity against orthopoxvirus species, the epidemic potential of monkeypox will continue increasing,' they said. Mathematical modelling by the authors found monkeypox immunity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the disease is endemic, fell from 85 per cent in the early 1980s to 60 per cent in 2012. The authors of the WHO paper concluded their work by saying declining immunity as a result of the end of routine smallpox vaccination meant the virus posed 'an ever-increasing threat for health security' Smallpox vaccination ended in the DRC in 1980, but monkeypox cases have been rising since then with entire parts of the country now considered endemic for the disease. The authors added previous flare-ups in Britain showed imported monkeypox cases could go on to infect others, as happened to a healthcare worker in 2018. However, they said such cases were unlikely to lead to an epidemic as long as stringent infection prevention and control measures were followed. But they also said rises in international travel could make dealing with monkeypox outbreaks increasing costly and a 'poorly effective strategy' to prevent disease. They concluded: 'With declining immunity to orthopoxvirus species, monkeypox can pose an ever-increasing threat for health security. The study was written by experts from Institut Pasteur in France and published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization. November 2021: Monkeypox pandemic model warns virus could kill 300million A pandemic/bioterroism preparation exercise ran a hypothetical scenario where a bioengineered monkeypox virus goes on to kill 300million in about 18 months. The exercise was run by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a nonprofit organisation that campaigns for greater controls on nuclear and biological threats, coincidentally chose May 15 this year as the start date for the pandemic. This date has been seized by conspiracy theorists have seized as 'proof' monkeypox has been unleased intentionally. The fact ex-Microsoft head and philanthropist Bill Gates, a favourite target of conspiracies about the Covid pandemic, made a $250,000 (213,000) donation to the NTI back in 2018 further fuelled these unproven claims. However, the NTI scenario was radically different from the current outbreak. It used a fictional and a far more deadly monkeypox strain intentionally genetically altered to be resistant to vaccines. Experts met in November 2021 to discuss how the world would respond to a hypothetical pandemic caused by monkeypox. The exercise included fake news reports on how the fictional virus was spreading in May 2022 The timeline of the Nuclear Threat Initiative's fictional pandemic. In a statement this week, NTI said their choice of monkeypox for the exercise was based on recommendations from experts on potentially pandemic causing pathogens In the scenario, terrorists managed to convince a scientist working at a virology lab to develop this virus and then go on to unleash in a fictional country. A variety of other nations then go on to adopt different strategies in response as to the rapidly escalating pandemic. By the end of the scenario, dated December 1, 2023, the new monkeypox virus had gone on to infect 3.2billion people, killing 271million of them. The NTI issued a statement following the real monkeypox outbreak, explaining the scenario was one of many 'worst-case' exercises created to raise awareness about potential global threats. They claim it was used to highlight gaps in national and international biosecurity and pandemic preparation. They said there is no current evidence the real monkeypox outbreak is anything like their fictional scenario. 'We have no reason to believe that the current outbreak involves an engineered pathogen, as we have not seen any compelling evidence that would support such a hypothesis,' they said. 'We also do not believe that the current outbreak has the potential to spread as rapidly as the fictional, engineered pathogen in our scenario or to cause such a high case fatality rate.' NTI said they chose monkeypox for their scenario from a range of potential pandemic pathogens put forward by their health advisers. Monkeypox was eventually selected due to it being such a different virus compared to Covid, which NTI said 'encouraged exercise participants to consider issues beyond those that have already been highlighted by the current pandemic.' February 2022: Scientists say monkeypox is a disease in 'resurgence' A monkeypox research review in the Neglected Tropical Diseases journal published just a few months before the current outbreak warned of a 'escalation' in cases, and of a disease in 'resurgence'. The team of European and American experts analysed 66 studies which covered both the West African monkeypox clade - responsible for the current outbreak - and the more deadly Central African strain. They found that cases had increased 10-fold since the 1970s. This map, published in the study, details the number of confirmed, probable, and/or possible monkeypox cases in the world between 19701979 And this map details the number of confirmed, probable, and/or possible monkeypox cases in the world between 2010-2019, demonstrating not only the rise in the number of cases but how far they had spread. DRC figure reflects suspected cases 'There are mounting concerns about the geographical spread and further resurgence of monkeypox,' they said. 'Over the past five decades, monkeypox outbreaks have been reported in 10 African countries and four countries outside of Africa.' They theorized the end of regular smallpox vaccination and deforestation leading to closer contact between humans and infected animals could be two factors behind the rise. 'At the time when smallpox was rampant, no cases of monkeypox were reported,' they said. 'In our review of the literature, we found that unvaccinated individuals accounted for approximately 8096 per cent of monkeypox cases.' They concluded: 'The waning population immunity associated with discontinuation of smallpox vaccination has established the landscape for the resurgence of monkeypox.' 'This is demonstrated by the increases in number of cases and median age of individuals acquiring monkeypox as well as the re-emergence of outbreaks in some countries after an absence of 3040 years. 'The appearance of cases outside of Africa highlights the risk for geographical spread and the global relevance of the disease.' The authors called for increased international support for the surveillance and detection of monkeypox cases. Convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein is locked in a legal dispute with a young female artist over two crude sketches he made of her posing topless in 2019, DailyMail.com can reveal. The New York City graffiti artist widely known as ANNA!, who for the first time is agreeing to reveal her true identity as 29-year-old Anna Barratt, is attempting to sell the two sketches as non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. Barratt, who first met Weinstein through an art gallerist after he had been charged with sex crimes, declined to accuse him outright of sexual misconduct in an essay on her website and an interview with DailyMail.com. After selling Weinstein three works for $5,000, Barratt says that she initially came up with the idea to pose topless for the disgraced movie mogul in a photo shoot with a disposable camera. She said that he made the sketches and gave them to her during an 'impromptu rehearsal' for the proposed photo session, which never ultimately occurred. Now, Weinstein's attorneys are trying to block Barratt from selling the two sketches on the NFT auction site OpenSea, filing a complaint with the company insisting that as the artist of the two rough figure drawings, he is the copyright holder -- and noting that he wrote 'not to be reproduced' on the sketches. Convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein is locked in a legal dispute with a young female artist over these two crude sketches he made of her posing topless in 2019 The New York City graffiti artist Anna Barratt is attempting to sell the two sketches as NFTs. She is seen above posing for a photo shoot in 2019, similar to the one she had asked Weinstein to shoot with a disposable camera, though that idea never came to fruition Weinstein, 70, is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence on sex offense convictions in New York and faces additional charges in California. In a notice filed with OpenSea last week, and viewed by DailyMail.com, his attorneys wrote that the sketches 'were drawn by our client Harvey Weinstein and given to Anna Barratt as a gift, without the conveyance of any of the underlying copyright.' Barratt's attorney Todd Spodek furiously disputes that claim, and has filed a counternotice with OpenSea citing legal precedents that allow the purchaser of a copyrighted work to re-sell or gift the work as they please. 'The artwork and the underlying copyright are Anna's and she can dispose of it any way her little hipster heart desires,' Spodek told DailyMail.com. A spokesman for Weinstein accused Barratt of extortion, saying in a statement that she 'requested that Harvey pay her for the pieces that he sketched, signed and gave to her' and in exchange offered 'not go to media if he gave her money.' 'She said she would tell the story of them meeting and sketching, but if he paid her, she wouldnt put this out there,' said Weinstein spokesman Juda Engelmayer. A spokesman for Weinstein (seen at trial in 2020) accused Barratt of extortion, saying that she demanded money not to share her story and publish the sketches Barratt (above) denies trying to extort Weinstein, saying: 'Harvey is very good at weaving small delightful consumable tales, and that's just simply not the truth' Weinstein's attorneys are trying to block Barratt from selling the two sketches on the NFT auction site OpenSea, filing a complaint (above) with the company Barratt denies trying to extort Weinstein, saying: 'Harvey is very good at weaving small delightful consumable tales, and that's just simply not the truth. This is real life, this is not Hollywood.' The twisted and at times confusing saga first unfolded in the summer of 2019, when Barratt was effectively homeless after an unexpected eviction. When an art dealer friend offered to take her in temporarily, and said that Weinstein was a potential buyer for her work, Barratt says that she jumped at the opportunity. She recalls being excited to meet Weinstein and sell him her artwork, despite the avalanche of sexual misconduct allegations, and criminal charges, that he faced at the time. 'I liked Harvey Weinstein, he is charismatic as hell,' she said, recalling that at the time, she didn't believe he would be convicted of the charges he faced. (The following year, a New York jury found Weinstein guilty of one count of criminal sexual assault in the first degree and one count of rape in the third degree.) Both sides say that Weinstein purchased artwork from Barratt, a total of three pieces for $5,000. 'They had a tentative deal for about ten paintings in total, and more would be paid when they were delivered, but the rest were in fact never delivered,' Weinstein's spokesman told DailyMail.com. Barratt (above in a modeling shoot) says that in 2019, she looked up to Weinstein and did not think he would be convicted of sexual assault charges NYC graffiti artist Anna Barratt argues that she has the right to sell two sketches by Weinstein After the initial sale of her artwork, Barratt says that she got a call from Weinstein, asking her to come by his office without her gallery owner friend. It is at that meeting on August 23, 2019 where Weinstein sketched the drawings of Barratt topless. Barratt says that the two haggled over whether she would undress as a kind of rehearsal for the topless photos she hoped that he would take of her, which she conceived of as an artistic commentary on the MeToo movement. 'We negotiate the terms of my dress rehearsal, and we agree that in exchange for such an impromptu rehearsal, I would receive two drawings of me from life, signed and dated as compensation,' she recalled in an essay about the saga. Barratt told DailyMail.com that she encouraged Weinstein to be free in his sketching and not worry about the quality of the drawing, and that the movie mogul took to the task eagerly, his pen moving 'furiously' across the paper. The two drawings from two different poses were created with a five minute time limit each, she recalls. Weinstein's spokesman says of the sketches: 'it was just two people having fun with no pretenses.' 'Harvey did sign them and, on the drawing, wrote "not for reproduction or use". That was the intent. He didnt do it for compensation, he didnt make any prerequisites,' the spokesman added. Barratt's tag ANNA! (seen above) is ubiquitous across New York, though she says she is now giving up the life of illegal graffiti to focus on her work as a legitimate artist Weinstein's attorneys in a letter to DailyMail.com wrote: 'Barratt begged our client to draw her, as she stated that he was her "idol" and "it would mean so much to her."' The letter notes that Weinstein wrote the disclaimers 'Not To Reproduce' and 'Not For Reproduction' on the two sketches respectively. 'Although the two Drawings were lawfully possessed by Ms. Barratt, they both explicitly include a disclaimer written on the each one. Our client explained to Ms. Barratt that "these are not for sale, or to be reproduced",' wrote Weinstein's attorneys. Barratt says that after the sketching session, she then pulled out of the proposed photo shoot, and had a falling out with Weinstein and the gallery owner friend. In October 2019, the tale took another strange twist when someone forged a check on Weinstein's account, listing Barratt as the recipient of the funds. Barratt insists that the check fraud was perpetrated by gangster friends of hers who duped her into gaining access to her bank account. No criminal charges appear to have been filed in the case. Former film producer Harvey Weinstein listens in court during a pre-trial hearing in Los Angeles after he was extradited from New York to California last year Weinstein is currently being held at Correctional Facility Twin Towers (above) in Los Angeles 'I cannot speak to allegations of gangsters and such,' Weinstein's spokesman Engelmayer told DailyMail.com. 'We just may never know who it was. The bank caught the attempts and that was the end of it.' Barratt is now offering an image of the forged check as an NFT for sale on the OpenSea auction site. But as of now, the two topless sketches have been removed for sale by OpenSea, after Weinstein's attorneys filed a complaint with the site on May 17. OpenSea said in a statement: 'Infringement of intellectual property rights is a violation of our Terms of Service.' 'When we receive a [Digital Millennial Copyright Act] notice for an NFT, we act in compliance with the DMCA and remove the item, per our policy,' the company added. 'If we receive a counternotice, and the individual or entity who sent the initial notice does not file a lawsuit, the item or collection will be restored, as outlined by the DMCA.' Barratt's attorneys did file a counternotice with OpenSea on Tuesday, a copy of which was obtained by DailyMail.com. 'Mr. Weinstein gifted the work in question to our client, and did so without reservation. Pursuant to the first sale doctrine our client, Ms. Barratt has every legal right to sell the work in question, whether by NFT or other means,' the counternotice argues. Barratt told DailyMail.com that by auctioning off the sketches, she was 'trying to make light of what is ultimately a s**tty situation.' 'Harvey told me he would make me a star,' she said. 'He backed it up and I really believed him.' Australia's second richest woman and her husband are facing fierce criticism from protestors demanding they pull their multi-billion-dollar graphics company out of Russia. Melanie Perkins' DIY graphic design platform Canva is now worth more than $55 billion, of which she and co-founder/husband Cliff Obrecht own 30 per cent, a stake which is over $16.4 billion. But the tech darlings - who have pledged to give most of their fortune for charity - found their company in an unusual position this week, when Ukrainian protestors lined the street outside of their Sydney office. The protesters assembled on Kippax Street, Surry Hills, on Tuesday demanding that the tech company withdraw its business from Russia. Armed with posters and megaphones, protestors were heard shouting, 'Canva stop funding war' and 'completely withdraw from Russia'. Protestors lined the street outside of Canva's Sydney office, on Kppax Street in Surry Hills, on Tuesday demanding that the tech company completely withdraw its business from Russia Canva had previously announced it had cut off payments in and out of Russia, including subscriptions, on March 1 but its decision not to pull its software entirely from the country has triggered a furious response. 'Canva is still trading in Russia and hence funding the war in Ukraine,' the protestors said. 'It's time that Canva goes on the right side of this war and stops trading in Russia.' Canva co-founder Mr Obrecht has condemned the Russia's invasion of Ukraine as 'illegal acts of aggression' but said its free service remained accessible in the country so that users were able to design protest images against the war. 'Like billions of people around the world, we are strongly opposed to the ongoing war in Ukraine and strongly condemn Russia's continued and illegal acts of aggression,' Mr Obrecht wrote. 'Our pro-peace templates have been used more than 275,000 times since the start of the war. 'Our hope is that we can provide the Russian community with a platform to champion important causes, communicate their opposition to the war, and to join in the resounding global calls for peace.' Canva creator Melanie Perkins, 34, (right) and co-founder/husband Cliff Obrecht (left) came under criticism after they condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine but left its free service accessible in Russia However, Ukrainian expat and software engineer Uvi Levitski, who is part of a group monitoring the actions of companies following Russia's invasion, said they were 'appalled' by Canva's 'inconsistent' and 'unprincipled position'. 'It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that, in the absence of any moderation of private content, the amount of pro-war material made using Canva by users in Russia will similarly outweigh anti-war material,' Mr Levitskii told the Guardian. 'Thus disproportionately benefiting the already all-powerful Kremlin propaganda machine. 'And that's even ignoring the fact that public opposition to the war has been effectively criminalised and is punishable with up to 15 years of imprisonment.' Canva's free service remains accessible in the country so that users are able to design protest images against the war (pictured) Canva, which services 60 million customers in 190 countries, faced severe criticism as it became the only Australian company to earn the worst ranking on a list of global company's responses to Ukraine's invasion. Yale University ran a tracker that found close to 1,000 companies that were voluntarily curtailing operations beyond the minimum required by legal sanctions against Russia. The tracker had marked Canva with an 'F' rating but after it clarified its position and condemned the war the Australian company was moved up to a 'C' ranking. After humble beginnings, the ultra-ambitious Perkins, just 34, has come to be regarded in tech circles as a friendly but 'intense' visionary. In a video call to the company's 2,500 staff in December Perkins said: 'We want every single person on the planet to use Canva.' She also told staff the company was set to become one of the most valuable companies in the world, having already surpassed Telstra and nearing Andrew Forrest's Fortescue Metals Group in value. Perkins and Obrecht don't plan to keep that wealth as they have pledged their fortune to charity. Pictured, is a residential building in Northern Saltivka in Kharkiv, Ukraine after repeated shelling by the Russian military on May 25 In December, they signed up to Bill Gates' the Giving Pledge, committing to giving away their fortune during their lifetimes in a mission to eliminate extreme poverty. 'We have this wildly optimistic belief that there is enough money, goodwill, and good intentions in the world to solve most of the world's problems,' their pledge letter read. 'We feel like it's not just a massive opportunity, but an important responsibility, and we want to spend our lifetime working towards that.' 'Who needs all that money? Personally?' Ms Perkins said. Daily Mail Australia contacted Canva for comment. NASA is finally getting involved in the search for UFOs, DailyMail.com can reveal. Following the first public congressional hearing on 'Unidentified Aerial Phenomena' (UAP) in 54 years this month and a new law mandating a government UAP task force, sources say that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is ramping up its efforts to help the investigation. The new NASA project could see the administration throw its considerable scientific weight behind a search for possible signs of extraterrestrial life, not just on far-flung planets, but right here on Earth. A NASA spokesperson confirmed it is 'evaluating how to provide our expertise in space-based Earth observations to improve understanding of UAPs' and 'has consulted with multiple government entities' but denied it was setting up its own dedicated UAP office. The statement marks a giant leap for the administration which has previously dismissed all suggestions it had anything to do with unidentified flying objects. NASA has officially confirmed it is joining the search for UFOs amid a growing interest in unidentified aerial phenomena in the US. Pictured: NASA administrator Bill Nelson at a hearing on the proposed budget estimates for NASA earlier this month The move comes a week after the House Intelligence Committee held its first public hearing on UFOs in 54 years where panel members grilled Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray (left) and Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security Ronald Moultrie (right) A source affiliated with the US government and familiar with NASA's UAP research told DailyMail.com that the project will likely include gathering evidence from any astronauts who encountered unidentified objects in space, and reviewing footage and data from previous missions to help investigate any anomalous encounters. The source added that NASA's work will complement the Department of Defense's UAP task force, charged by Congress with investigating the threats posed by strange objects in US airspace and beyond. 'It's going to be some sort of working group that will help support the DoD,' the source said. 'It's looking to be complementary. 'I suspect it will be a combination of efforts that will include perhaps firsthand eyewitness testimony of NASA employees and astronauts, and then perhaps a review of old archival footage to assess if there are some findings within the NASA archives that can help AOIMSG,' the source added, referring to the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group, the DoD's awkwardly-named official UFO task force. The source revealed that the Pentagon's UFO team has already requested footage from shuttle cameras on some of NASA's space missions as part of their investigations. 'There have been several alleged incidents involving NASA astronauts and NASA missions that involve UAP,' the source, who is familiar with NASA's UAP investigations, told DailyMail.com. 'Rather than ignoring it, I think NASA's doing the right thing by actually taking this topic head on.' One clip shown at last week's congressional hearing was taken from a Navy cockpit in a training area and shows a spherical object floating by the aircraft This file video grab image obtained April 28, 2020 courtesy of the US Department of Defense shows part of an unclassified video taken by Navy pilots that have circulated for years showing interactions with 'unidentified aerial phenomena' Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray plays a video of an 'unidentified aerial phenomena', commonly referred to as UFOs, at last week's hearing A spokeswoman for the space administration said it has 'consulted with multiple government entities regarding how to apply the tools of science to shed light on the nature and origin of unidentified aerial phenomena information that is important to the agency for a scientific perspective.' The spokeswoman, senior science communications officer Karen Fox, pointed out that aliens are not the only explanation for strange phenomena in the skies. 'The limited number of high-quality observations of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, which includes reported objects that cannot be immediately identified by individuals, currently makes it impossible to draw scientific conclusions about the nature of UAPs,' she said. NASA spokeswoman Karen Fox confirmed the agency 'has consulted with multiple government entities' about the project 'NASA is evaluating how to provide our expertise in space-based Earth observations to improve understanding of UAPs.' The administration promised it would keep DailyMail.com readers updated with its 'next steps'. 'NASA already has admitted it has been looking for extra-terrestrial life within our solar system,' the government-affiliated anonymous source said. 'They've just decided to focus a little closer to home this time.' Last year, the administration's chief Bill Nelson revealed that he spoke with Navy pilots who encountered objects flying with extraordinary capabilities off the US coast in 2004, and has expressed his openness to the idea of advanced alien life. 'I've talked to those pilots and they know they saw something, and their radars locked on to it,' Nelson said in an October 2021 talk hosted by the University of Virginia. 'They don't know what it is. And we don't know what it is. We hope it's not an adversary here on Earth that has that kind of technology. But it's something.' The NASA chief said 'I don't know the answer' to whether the 'tic-tacs' encountered by pilots are extraterrestrials, but he added: 'Who am I to say planet Earth is the only location of a life form that is civilized and organized like ours?' During a talk at the University of Virginia last October, Nelson revealed that he spoke with Navy pilots who encountered objects flying with extraordinary capabilities off the US coast in 2004 UFO researchers have pored over footage from previous NASA missions which some believe show signs of intelligently controlled craft. One of the most storied is film from September 12, 1991 (pictured) shot by the space shuttle Discovery on NASA's mission STS-48 A camera on the shuttle caught glowing objects which appeared to fly above the earth, change direction, and accelerate rapidly off into space UFO researchers have pored over footage from previous NASA missions which some believe show signs of intelligently controlled craft. One of the most storied is film from September 12, 1991 shot by the space shuttle Discovery on NASA's mission STS-48. A camera on the shuttle caught glowing objects which appeared to fly above the earth, change direction, and accelerate rapidly off into space. NASA told the History Channel it no longer has the footage, but researchers kept copies and have shared them publicly. 1973 mission Skylab 3 commander Alan Bean said he saw a bright red flashing object for 20 minutes, and made a note of it in his diary. 'Out the ward room window we saw a bright red light with a bright dim period of 10 seconds,' he wrote in the voyage log. 'It got brighter and drifted along with us for 20 minutes or more. It was the brightest object we'd seen.' His crew member Owen Garriott took pictures, and experts calculated the object to be around 600ft long based on the photos and the time it took to disappear behind the horizon. Perhaps the most outspoken former astronaut on UFOs is the late legend Edgar Mitchell, the sixth man on the moon, who claimed a 'cabal of insiders' are covering up historic UFO crash retrievals and alien contact. NASA has said it does not share his views. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin answered a question about aliens on an 'Ask Me Anything' session on web forum Reddit in 2014, saying he saw 'a light out the window that appeared to be moving alongside us' on his way to the moon. He added: 'There were many explanations of what that could be, other than another spacecraft from another country or another world', including sun reflecting off jettisoned panels. In 1973, Skylab 3 commander Alan Bean saw a bright red flashing object for 20 minutes, and made a note of it in his diary Bean and his crew members' observation were documented in a Skylab 3 report Late Astronaut and former senator John Glenn, the first American to orbit earth, helped establish the DoD's UFO office along with late senator Harry Reid in 2007. He described seeing objects like 'snowflakes' or 'fireflies' flitting around his craft while in space. Skeptics believe they were ice crystals. Gemini VII astronaut Jim Lovell was radioing to ground control during his 1965 mission when he said he saw a 'bogie', using air force terminology for a potential enemy aircraft. 'Gemini 7, is that the booster or is that an actual sighting?' the operator said, asking if he was seeing their jettisoned rocket boosters. 'We have several, looks like debris up here. Actual sighting,' Lovell replied according to a transcript of the interaction. 'We also have the booster in sight.' Former flight controller at the Johnson Space Center James Oberg said the object was likely space debris. The cousin of Texas gunman Salvador Ramos has revealed the teenage killer had asked her young son for details about his elementary school, just a week before going on a murderous rampage. Shelby Celeste Salazar said her son was a third grade student at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where her 18-year-old cousin opened fire Tuesday in a horrific shooting spree that killed 19 children and two teachers. Speaking to DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview, Salazar, 28, said days before the massacre, Ramos had spoken to her son and had asked him which school he attended and what time students were let out for lunch. 'At the time I didn't think anything of it, they had a good relationship. They are second cousins,' the mother-of-four said. Salazar and her children were living with Ramos and their grandmother, Celia Gonzalez, who was shot in the face by her grandson just before the massacre. She is the daughter of Ramos's mother's half-sister. Shelby Celeste Salazar, 28, told DailyMail.com how her cousin Salvador Ramos had asked her young son for details about his school, a week before going on his deadly rampage Salazar is still trying to understand why her cousin would target an elementary school let alone their grandmother Celia Gonzalez (pictured with Salazar's son) Ramos, who was living with Salazar and their grandmother in Uvalde, Texas, drove to her son's school armed with an AR-15 assault rifle Tuesday before storming inside and killing 21 people Salazar's son, a third grade student at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, was in class when Ramos opened fire, but was fortunately not harmed in the shooting A week after his conversation with Salazar's son, Ramos would drive to the little boy's school armed with an AR-15 assault rifle and shoot up the building and kill 21 people. The third grader was in class when Ramos began his killing spree, but was fortunately unscathed in the mass shooting. Salazar said she has no idea if her cousin targeted her son or intentionally avoided going into his classroom. 'No one knows why he did what he did. That's the truth,' she said. 'No one can say they knew what he was thinking or how he felt, or even why he felt he need to shoot our grandmother and all those innocent babies.' Salazar said Ramos had been living with them after he was kicked out of his mom's house across town. Authorities revealed Ramos had shot and critically wounded his grandmother at her home before heading down to the school to continue his rampage. Gonzalez, 66, is currently recovering in a hospital in San Antonio. Salazar said she is still struggling to wrap her head around her cousin's senseless act of violence and why he would target a school and even their own grandmother. 'I don't know why he would have targeted an elementary school. I mean, he didn't know how to drive, so I really do not know. I'm at a total loss for words,' she said. Salazar (far left) who was related to the shooter through her mother Natalie and his mother Adriana Reyes, said Ramos had been living with her family (pictured) at their grandmother's home in Uvalde The mother-of-four said she does not know if Ramos had targeted her son or intentionally avoided going into his classroom during his killing spree. Pictured: Salazar's four young children Salazar is still trying to understand why her cousin would target an elementary school let alone their grandmother Celia Gonzalez (pictured with Salazar's son) Ramos was shot dead after his shooting spree left 19 children and two teachers dead as well as his grandmother Celia Gonzalez (pictured) fighting for her life after he blasted her in the face 'He knew my baby went to school there. I can't grasp this. That's why I'm at a loss for words. I just saw the news with text messages and started freaking out.' 'If he could do that to my grandma I don't know how to feel about the school thing, knowing my baby went to school there. 'My son and him were so close this is why I'm shocked. 'I thought nothing of it when they were talking about school and his grade and lunch. I mean you don't just assume someone will do something like this, you know?' Salazar said Ramos was a quiet teen but had changed in the past couple of months after his mother threw him out of the house and called the police. 'Before he would joke and laugh, and then he was quiet. He didn't speak much, no more smiles, just silence. He became less and less of any communication with us.' She said she never saw any guns around their grandmother's house where they lived. She said she last saw Ramos on Friday evening and last spoke with him on Saturday. Salazar left Uvalde for the weekend to visit friends and was in San Antonio when Ramos shot up the elementary school. Police said he had bought two AR-15 assault rifles for his 18th birthday days before the shooting, bragged about them on social media and suggested he would commit an atrocity before the deadly attack. Salvador Ramos first shot his grandmother at her house, before driving half a mile to Robb Elementary and crashing a truck outside the school. He stormed the building and killed 21 before he was shot dead Ramos's home in Uvalde is seen on Tuesday as police try to fathom a motive for the shooting One video at the scene appears to show the suspected gunman, named by Governor Greg Abbott as Salvador Ramos, approach the school while what sounds like gunfire is going off in the background Ramos reportedly had a strained relationship with his mother Adriana Reyes, which she denies. In an interview with DailyMail.com on Wednesday, Reyes said she was 'surprised' by her son's murderous act but admitted he was a loner who 'kept to himself and didn't have many friends'. She shot down reports that she had a toxic relationship with him. She also did not address claims she was a drug addict who saw the boy ditch her and go to live with his grandma. In an interview with CNN in Spanish on Friday, Reyes said of her son: 'I have no words. I have no words to say. I don't know what he was thinking. 'He had his reasons for doing what he did and please don't judge him,' she continued. 'I only want the innocent children who died to forgive me. Forgive me, forgive my son. I know he had his reasons.' When asked why he targeted the elementary school, she simply said it was 'to get closer to those children.' Salazar was related to the shooter through her mother Natalie (far right) and his mother Adriana Reyes (far left). The two sisters are pictured with their mother Celia Adriana Reyes, who said she was 'surprised' at her son's horrific killing spree at Robb Elementary School, was seen leaving home clutching her glasses and keys one day after she attended church where she broke down in tears 'Instead of paying attention to the other bad things, I have no words. I don't know,' she said. But Salazar has claimed her aunt 'has been the problem', and ironically, had threatened to shoot her own mother last week. 'She (Reyes) has been the problem. This is ridiculous how everyone believes the filth that comes from her mouth,' she said. 'She was a sh***y mother and sh***y daughter, and all over just a just sh***y person.' 'She hasn't been at her mother's bedside the entire time as she has been quoted. She had been by the hospital for short stays and then left.' She claims Reyes has now been banned from seeing her mother at the hospital. Ukrainian, German FMs discuss heavy weapon supplies Xinhua) 11:33, May 27, 2022 KIEV, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Thursday he had discussed the supplies of heavy weapons to Ukraine with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. "We need more heavy weapons delivered as soon as possible, especially MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems), to repel Russian attacks," Kuleba tweeted after the talks. The Ukrainian foreign minister added that he had briefed Baerbock on the difficult situation in the Donbass region. Other topics of the discussion included further sanctions on Russia and Ukraine's prospects to achieve a European Union (EU) candidate status, Kuleba said. Earlier this month, Baerbock said the government of Germany is working with German enterprises to provide modern weapons to Ukraine. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Social media had some harsh words for Meghan Markle after her surprise appearance at the site of the Uvalde, Texas massacre that killed 21, including 19 children. Markle was spotted on Thursday laying a bouquet of white roses at a makeshift memorial outside the Uvalde County Courthouse, not far from the scene of the senseless slayings at Robb Elementary School. She also stopped by an Uvalde community center that is hosting a blood drive, where she toured the facility and donated food, a volunteer there told DailyMail.com. 'She did not want anybody to know who she was,' the person said. The duchess took the trip in a personal capacity as a mother, to offer her condolences and support in person to a community experiencing unimaginable grief, her spokesperson told People. However, some took umbrage with what they felt was the duchess' attempt to take center stage after an unimaginable tragedy. They also highlighted the fact that her estranged father Thomas is currently in hospital after suffering a stroke - and that Meghan has not visited him. Meghan Markle places a bouquet of white roses at the memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, visits a memorial site in Uvalde, Texas on Thursday, to honor the victims killed in this week's elementary school shooting Paying her respects in Texas, Markle was dressed incognito in a simple T shirt, jeans and ballcap, but nevertheless sported on her left wrist a $6,900 Cartier Love Bracelet and Princess Diana's $23,000 Cartier Tank Watch Her top bodyguard Alberto Alvarez (left) looked on as Markle walked around the memorial, looking at the white crosses bearing the names of the other victims Britain's Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, places flowers as she mourns at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas on Thursday 'I find her posing like this with no doubt her own photographer utterly disgusting,' one user tweeted. 'Im used to her PR stunts but this actually makes me angry. By all means, pay your respects but posing 4 photographs & releasing to the media is SICK' Another pointed out that Markle's father, Thomas, has been hospitalized after having a stroke. 'All the way from California to Texas, camera in tow, to strike a pose at the memorial site of dead children,' tweeted one user. 'You are callous. Your PR is dark. A flight to Texas but not to your Dad.' 'Her dad had a massive stroke a few days ago. Apparently no call, card or white roses for him yet,' wrote another. Jill Kargman, the author and star of Bravo's Odd Mom Out, was also critical: 'This rings hollow and feels opportunistic. I thought she stepped down for privacy? Using dead kids for a photo op isn't drawing attention to the tragedy it's drawing attention to her obvious quest to be our People's Princess. No thanks.' Speculation has swirled about whether she would visit his bedside in Chula Vista, California, only a few hours' drive from the home she shares with Prince Harry in Montecito, following years of strain in her relationship with her father. Thomas Markle appears on 'Good Morning Britain.' Meghan's father recently suffered a severe stroke Others made it into a political statement, comparing them to other shootings across the country. 'Meghan Markle and other celebrities are showing up for photo ops at Uvalde... where were they for Waukesha and Brooklyn?' asked comedian Tim Young. On Tuesday in Uvalde, gunman Salvador Rolando Ramos, 18, perpetrated the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade, killing 19 small children and two teachers before being shot dead by police. Paying her respects in Texas, Markle was dressed incognito in a simple T shirt, jeans and ballcap, but nevertheless sported on her left wrist a $6,900 Cartier Love Bracelet and Princess Diana's $23,000 Cartier Tank Watch. It was unclear whether Markle's husband Prince Harry, who lives with her and their two children in Montecito, accompanied her on her journey to Texas, but he was not seen at the memorial or the community center with her. Accompanying the duchess was the head of her security team Alberto Alvarez, who once handled protection for Michael Jackson. The bodyguard looked on from a respectful distance as Markle toured the impromptu memorial. Britain's Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle pays respect at a makeshift memorial outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Uvalde, Texas, on Thursday Markle's visit to the small community roughly 80 miles west of San Antonio was unannounced, and came as a surprise to the town, which is still reeling in shock from the deadly tragedy As the cameras rolled, Markle made her way around the makeshift memorial to pay her respects to those killed Markle placed a bouquet of simple white roses at the memorial site outside of the Uvalde County Courthouse Bodyguard Alberto Alvarez, who once handled protection for Michael Jackson, watched over Markle on her tour of mercy 'I had no idea who she was. She just was carrying on a conversation like her and I knew each other for years,' volunteer Gloria Contreras, 40, told BuzzFeed, which first reported Markle's visit to the Herby Ham Activity Center as part of her Uvalde trip. 'We were just talking about, you know, the situation and what happened what we were doing here. I told her about us giving out water to the people and and feeding them,' Contreras said. 'I even talked about my personal life, telling her about my son and my family and, you know, coming to Texas because she told me she was from Santa Barbara and I said, 'Well, you need to come to Texas!'' added Contreras. 'We were talking about Texas and Uvalde and how it is to be in a small town and how everybody is so kind and warm-hearted and know we know each other and stuff and how the faith is deep-rooted.' Though Markle did not address the press on her visit to the memorial, the American-born duchess has previously made known her views in favor of stricter gun control laws. President Joe Biden also plans to visit Uvalde in the coming days. He has called on lawmakers to take on America's powerful gun-rights lobby and enact 'common sense gun reforms.' The Uvalde shooting was the deadliest since 20 elementary-age children and six staff were killed at the Sandy Hook school in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012. A Texas law enforcement official said Thursday that the Uvalde shooter entered the elementary school building 'unobstructed' through a door that was apparently unlocked. People drop off flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the Robb Elementary School on Thursday in Uvalde, Texas Salvador Ramos legally purchased two AR-15 style rifles (right) including the one he used in yesterday's attack after his 18th birthday last week. The gunman also bought more than 300 rounds of ammunition The shooting rampage began at 11am when Ramos shot his grandmother. At 11.15am, he sent a message to a girl in Germany telling her he was on his way to 'shoot an elementary school'. He crashed his truck at 11.30am and made his way to the school with one AR-15 rifle. At 11.32am, he bypassed at least one cop at the school entrance. He got inside, barricaded himself in a classroom and managed to stay there for up to an hour - terrorizing kids - before he was finally gunned down Victor Escalon, a regional director at the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the gunman did not initially encounter any law enforcement officers when he entered Robb Elementary School on Tuesday and opened fire. Law enforcement authorities faced mounting questions and criticism Thursday over how much time elapsed before they stormed a Texas elementary school classroom and put a stop to the rampage. Many other details about the timing of events and the police response remained murky. The motive for the massacre remained under investigation, with authorities saying Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history. The gunman shot his own grandmother in the face minutes before attacking the school, and his text messages indicated that he was in an argument with the 66-year-old grandma about his phone bill. A man dubbed the 'son of Satan' has been locked up for 25 years after carrying out some of the worst violent acts and sexual abuse on women ever seen in Victoria. Andrew Males, 43, was jailed on Thursday over horrifying attacks on four women in Melbourne. The women he preyed on were vulnerable, some homeless or young single mothers, before they were brutally beaten and raped. One teenager was forcibly held in a bungalow at the back of Males' home where he abused her for weeks, while another woman was raped in his mum's dining room, The Age reported. His trial heard the horrific abuse he inflicted on women, including choking one, raping another while she was unconscious and beating a third with a hammer. Andrew Males, 43, was jailed on Thursday over horrifying attacks on four women in Melbourne including raping and violently beating them The County Court heard there were no other examples of sexual violence ever recorded like the ones Males carried out. His reign of terror on women in Melbourne spanned two decades and came to an end when he was finally arrested in 2015. Males befriended his female victims, building relationships with them before unleashing and abusing them. After two separate trials last year, Males was found guilty of 24 charges against the four women, including nine counts of rape and 10 counts of intentionally causing injury. Males has spent the majority of his adult life in and out of jail due to violence, weapons and robbery offences. He was previously jailed in 2016 for two years over the vicious assault of another woman, which left her with a fractured nose and ribs. Males was also on bail and parole for other offences when he assaulted the four victims. During his sentencing, the 43-year-old shouted abuse at his victims as they testified against him but his words were muffled by the glass barrier. Males showed no remorse and was found to be in the highest risk category of reoffending. He was sentenced to 25-and-a-half-years behind bars and will be on the sex offenders register for life. Males will be eligible for parole after serving 20 years and ten months. One victim said she hoped 'things would get better' with Males. 'But I think I always knew there was evil in him. He's like the son of Satan,' the victim said. Underworld figures believed to be linked to a wave of unsolved gangland murders in Sydney have been rounded up in large-scale drug raids, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has claimed. Police revealed on Friday that heavily-armed officers attached to two organised crime taskforces - Erebus and Hawk - have arrested 45 since October, seizing eight firearms, a hydraulic press and more than 20kg of MDMA in state-wide raids. Teams from Taskforce Erebus on Tuesday took down 18 people after busting down the doors of 29 properties accused of running a 'dial-a-dealer' drug business raking in over $250,000 a week. Images from the raids show accused drug dealers handcuffed, face down on the ground as officers in full tactical gear from Strike Force Raptor watch on. Members of the notorious Alameddine crime network were among those taken into custody following the 10-month long organised crime investigation. Commissioner Webb made an appearance on morning TV Friday in an attempt to quell public fears that police have lost control of the streets after 13 deadly shootings in the past 18 months on Sydney's streets. Members of the notorious Alameddine crime network were among those taken into custody following the 10-month long organised crime investigation She was asked by Karl Stefanovic on the Today show if police have 'any leads' on some of the highly-planned hits which often involve high-tech tracking devices and two burnt out luxury getaway cars left in neighbouring suburbs. 'We believe that some of those in custody during this week are linked, she said. 'But certainly it's an ongoing investigation, it's a great inroads this week just to get these people off the street.' There were 36 phones seized in the raids alleged to be part of the alleged dial-a-dealer syndicate with one of the phones having more than 700 customers. 'Without access to those contacts we believe we have really nipped this in the bud,' Ms Webb said. 'It's a very complex web, though. We are talking about a whole network of people involved in this. 'It's not just the importers, we are talking about distributors, we are talking about street level and the enablers who have actually supported these people in this enterprise. We have really disrupted this.' Each of the 18 people arrested, men aged between 19 and 39, have been taken to police stations and will be charged with a variety of offences Operation Hawke which has now launched state-wide, contains specialist units and commands across NSW and is focused on associates and facilitators of Sydney's organised crime networks. Detective Superintendent Jason Weinstein said on Friday police had seen success in disrupting Sydney's drug supply but also know the 'tentacles of illicit activity stretch far beyond our cities.' 'NSW attracts around 40 per cent of Australia's national organised crime population - many of whom attempt to evade the attention of police by operating outside of the Sydney metropolitan area,' he said. Police estimate the sale of prohibited drugs in NSW is worth at least $3.7billion a year at street level and is a root cause of the state's recent spate of killings. A major alleged 'dial-a-dealer' drug syndicate has been shut down by police with 18 people arrested across Sydney and accused members of the Alameddine crime network arrested 'These arrests send a clear message to anyone involved in organised crime; that we are aware of your illicit activities and will hold you accountable irrespective of your location,' Det Supt Weinstein said. Police say 23 kg of ecstasy, 2.5 kg of cocaine and a substance suspected of being methylamphetamine, collectively worth an estimated $4 million, were seized at two properties at Fairfield in Sydney's west on Tuesday afternoon. In the Hunter Valley, a search at the home of a Life and Death bikie gang member recovered two rifles a pistol, 350 rounds of ammunition, gel blasters, an electronic stun device, drugs and cash on Wednesday. The 49-year-old has been charged with 33 offences. Two revolvers were also found during a stolen car search at Summer Hill in Sydney's inner west, while a shotgun, other prohibited weapons, drugs, $30,000 cash and stolen goods were seized in Riverina house raids in southern NSW. Pictured from left to right are alleged Alameddine associates Ali Younes and Masood Zakaria, and Rafat Alameddine and Hamdi Alameddine. None were arrested in Tuesday's raids An asylum seeker family's bid to remain in Australia is expected to be resolved imminently, the prime minister has confirmed. Anthony Albanese said interim Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers would make a statement on Friday about the Tamil Murugappan family, who have been in a long-running legal battle to return to their home in the regional Queensland town of Biloela. The statement will be consistent with the view that Australia can have strong borders without being weak on humanity, Mr Albanese said. Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers (pictured at Parliament House in Canberra) is expected to make a statement on Friday about the Tamil Murugappan family, who have been in a long-running legal battle to return to their home in the regional Queensland town of Biloela The Murugappans (pictured in 2021 after being reunited on the Australian mainland), who escaped from Sri Lanka by boat during a protracted ethnic conflict targeting the minority Tamils, were given temporary protection visas in Australia but uprooted from Biloela by authorities in March 2018 and placed in a Melbourne detention centre 'This is a family that were welcomed and were a part of the Biloela community and at the cost of many millions of dollars have been treated in a way which just is not appropriate with Australian values,' he told ABC's AM program on Friday. 'The community want this family back to Biloela and that would be an entirely appropriate outcome.' The family of four have been living in Perth in recent months, following the medical evacuation from Christmas Island in 2021 of youngest daughter Tharnicaa, 4. 'This is a family that were welcomed and were a part of the Biloela community and at the cost of many millions of dollars have been treated in a way which just is not appropriate with Australian values,' Anthony Albanese (pictured at the Quad leaders Summit in Tokyo on Tuesday) told ABC's AM program on Friday Anthony Albanese said 'the community want this family back to Biloela (pictured) and that would be an entirely appropriate outcome' The Murugappans, who escaped from Sri Lanka by boat during a protracted ethnic conflict targeting the minority Tamils, were given temporary protection visas in Australia but uprooted from Biloela by authorities in March 2018 and placed in a Melbourne detention centre. They were then detained on Christmas Island in August 2019. That night, Wahid was taken from his cell and forced to kneel on the floor of another room in the police station. Under earlier interrogation, the blindfolded father of four had not told his Taliban captors what they strongly suspected and he knew to be true. Wahid had worked as an interpreter for the British Special Forces in Afghanistan. The Taliban would not accept his desperate denials. He knew all too well what the next step would be. What has happened to so many of Britains abandoned Afghan allies since the Taliban regained power last August. And so the first savage beating and torture with electric probes began. Wahid, a former interpreter for the British, was tortured by the Taliban in Afghanistan Twice, Wahid underwent intense physical abuse as his assailants sought a confession that would have been his death sentence. He endured but knew he could not do so for ever. It was only when local elders intervened that he was granted a reprieve and released with the promise that if he was found to have lied he would be killed. He immediately went into hiding, where he has remained. That was December. Last week, a letter was delivered to his brothers home. It warned Wahid to give himself up, or we [the Taliban] will enjoy killing you. This week Wahid moved to a new hiding place. He had applied for relocation to the UK under the Governments Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme last August and has heard nothing since the first, standard, acknowledgement of receipt. If the Taliban find me, I am dead, he tells the Mail. Why do the British take so long? Do they not care? His despair at our shameful inaction is understandable. There are still thousands like him, living underground existences, waiting for London to fulfil what so far has been an empty promise, in a land that is racked by hunger. The UKs chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, Whitehalls sluggish response and the human cost of the aftermath are scandals that surely put the Partygate and Beergate furores in the shade. On Tuesday, the UKs abandonment of the Afghans after 20 years of war was described by an MPs inquiry as a disaster and a betrayal that will damage the nations interests for years. The report by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee said its members had lost confidence in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Offices top civil servant, Sir Philip Barton, and urged him to consider his position. The Permanent Under-Secretary, who earns 185,000 a year, was on holiday when Kabul fell on August 15 last year and remained so for 11 days. The then Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, was also on holiday, at a luxury resort in Crete, although he returned the day after Kabuls capitulation. Their absence marks a fundamental lack of seriousness, grip or leadership at a time of national emergency, said the inquiry, and mismanagement of the evacuation ahead of the advancing Taliban likely cost lives. There is nothing likely about it. Lives were and are being lost every week as a result of our failure to stand by those who helped Britain during its long war. Its probably too late for AM, 36. He was arrested at a money market in Kabul by the Taliban some 18 days ago, and his colleagues told us they fear he is dead. A member of the Afghan Special Forces who worked closely with the UK military for 14 years, AM was among those awaiting a decision on his ARAP application. Too late now? One wonders when, if ever, he would have been notified. His is not an isolated case. According to military sources, two former Coalition interpreters and at least half a dozen members of the UK-backed Afghan military have been murdered in Taliban revenge attacks in the past month. Dozens are said to have been beaten. The Taliban is stepping up its hunt for these traitors. As a result, every week this newspapers award-winning Betrayal Of The Brave campaign is being contacted by desperate Afghans pleading for help. Most have applied to the resettlement schemes, but say they feel lost and angry that they go for months without a word about their case. Afghans wave papers at Western forces in Kabul during the evacuation last August Launched more than six years ago to help translators who had served Britain so loyally during the 20 years of conflict, our campaign is credited with helping save lives and pressuring the Government to change the law relating to the relocation of Afghans. The bureaucratic process was already fatally and we use that word accurately slow. Now there is a very real sense that the plight of the UKs Afghan allies is being sidelined and forgotten thanks to events elsewhere. Vital Government resources are said to have been diverted from processing UK visas for Afghans to help with applications from Ukrainians fleeing the conflict in their homeland. We know that they are being fast-tracked compared with their Afghan counterparts because the family of one of the Mails own interpreters in Kyiv is now living in the UK, having arrived little more than a month after applying. The UKs original Afghan evacuation Operation Pitting rescued 15,000 people. A further 4,000 have been helped after escaping into third countries since August. It is understood the processing of cases is being stepped up, but hundreds who qualify remain in Afghanistan, while many thousands are still waiting to hear if they are eligible. The Home Office insists enough resources remain on the ARAP scheme to work on both Ukraine and Afghanistan. But insiders say the new focus on Ukraine has resulted in the numbers escaping Afghanistan into neighbouring Pakistan the first step to reaching the UK reduced to a trickle; from more than 300 in February to around 20 in April, with even fewer expected this month. The impact of Ukraine is also being felt in the Pakistan capital Islamabad, where hundreds of Afghans whose relocation applications have been approved wait at British-funded hotels some for many months for UK visas. The number issued is said to have been reduced at one point from up to 40 a day before Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine to fewer than 40 a week. Rafi Hottak, an Afghan former supervisor of translators, survived being blown up in Helmand, in a blast that killed a British officer, and now works to help those who are still in Afghanistan. He says: With so much focus on Ukraine, it is essential that those at risk because of their work with Britain are handled as a matter of urgency. It is shameful that so many have to wait in hiding for months with no word from the UK about their cases. The Taliban knows they cant hide for ever. Britain must honour its promises and not forget those who risked their lives beside them . . . act now before it is too late. Who then are those still stranded? We can tell the stories of a handful among the thousands. Mashal, 31, was another UK Forces interpreter. When the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited British forces in Kabul, Mashal was trusted sufficiently to provide translation for him. He applied for ARAP more than ten months ago and has heard nothing since. He is still waiting for the decision that could save my life . . . and the Taliban are on his trail. Earlier this year, they lured him into a trap. He narrowly survived with a badly broken nose after Taliban sympathisers failed to pick him out at an identity parade. I was incredibly lucky, he tells the Mail. I would have been killed if they had confirmed my identity. They suspected it was me . . . they punched me in the face and hit me. But I kept denying I was Mashal, who had worked for the British. The Taliban is stepping up the search for those they call spies, who worked with the foreign forces. It is a very dangerous time to have been an interpreter. Mashal says he spent two years with British Forces from 2009 to 2011. It was during this period that he translated for Gordon Brown. He also helped to translate during a visit by David Cameron, then leader of the Opposition. He says he resigned from the military because his family lived in an area controlled by the Taliban and he was being threatened because of his work. Angry and frustrated, he accuses Britain of cruelty for the months of silence around his case and believes that Afghans who risked their lives for UK troops are being forgotten, despite the support of the soldiers they worked with. On at least three occasions, his familys home has been visited by the Taliban looking for Mashal. Once, his mother was beaten so badly by fighters demanding to know where he was, she ended up in hospital for two weeks while her injuries were treated. Mashals brother was also beaten up and is now in custody. I am very scared and dont know what to do, Mashal says. I know that people are looking for me and I cant hide for ever. Sumaya sobs as she makes clear her contempt for the way she and other women who worked for the British have been treated. I bitterly regret working on behalf of the UK, says the pregnant 30-year-old, who was a teacher with the British Council. Britain has no problem making visas for women in Ukraine a priority, but we who taught their values, language and virtues are forgotten. There are no visas for those now at constant risk of punishment because of their work. She lives in hiding with her husband and three-year-old daughter, moving house on a monthly basis to avoid capture. For two years she was one of a dozen female teachers employed by the British Council to teach in rural Afghanistan. It is for this work that she believes she is being targeted by the Taliban. She and her husband applied to relocate to the UK before the Taliban swept into Kabul last August. They were initially rejected as they had not been directly employed by Britain, but then told to reapply. We live in fear for being the face of Britain, We just do not know what is happening, there is so much uncertainty, says Sumaya, (a pseudonym we are using to protect her identity). I taught the language of the Christian enemy, promoted Western values to women and children. It makes me a Taliban target and if I am caught I will be punished. I just do not understand why Britain chooses and it is a choice not to help us. She said Afghanistan is a prison for women who helped the West and highlighted the Talibans recent decree to make the burka mandatory for all women. The Taliban had previously decided against reopening schools for girls over the age of 11, and, as well as being forced to cover their faces, women are no longer allowed to travel unless accompanied by a male family member. Day by day, life is stricter and harder for women, says Sumaya, They will not hesitate to make examples of us, and I appeal to the UK Government to help us. It does not matter under which scheme we are saved just help us and make good on your promise that no one will be left behind. If I had worked for virtually any other country, I would have been safe now. Wahid, whose torture we described earlier, was given away by his smartphone when he was stopped at a checkpoint. They found Facebook and WhatsApp exchanges with friends in the UK, certificates relating to his work with British troops, and crucially his application to relocate to this country. He had worked with UK Forces between 2003 and 2005, and then a British Special Forces unit. He said he was forced to resign because Taliban fighters who lived in his rural village had threatened his family. After moving away, and finding work with aid agencies, initially he felt safe. Then, in 2007, he began receiving threatening calls saying that as a spy of the infidel he would be killed. He moved again and in his submission to the ARAP team said he had lived in peace until 2017, when he was warned of a plot to kill him because he was suspected of having spied for the British. Gunmen attacked his home, he said in his statement, their bullets narrowly missing his wife and their children. He moved yet again . . . and then the Taliban swept into Kabul. Our lives are at risk now because of our work with British Forces, whom I served bravely and loyally, he says. The last attack on me shows the danger my family faces. I appeal to the British Government to recognise this. Britains attention is understandably focused on events in the Donbas region of Ukraine. But we must not forget those who stood beside us in a previous time of need. Britain's most senior Asian police officer has pulled out of the race to become the head of the National Crime Agency amid reports the Prime Minister wanted controversial former Met Chief Lord Hogan-Howe appointed to the role. Neil Basu, the Met's former head of counter-terrorism, had made it into the final two candidates in the bid to succeed Dame Lynne Owens as NCA director. But he and the other shortlisted candidate - acting head of the NCA Graeme Biggar - were last week told that the application process was to begin again, but they were welcome to reapply, The Telegraph reports. The news comes amid claims that Lord Hogan-Howe, who had applied for the job but did not make the final shortlist, was Boris Johnson's preferred candidate. Mr Basu is now reportedly considering launching an official complaint over the handling of the application process amid claims neither he nor Mr Biggar were told the reasons behind the decision. A Home Office spokesman said that a fair recruitment campaign is underway to make the best possible appointment. Lord Hogan-Howe - a close ally of the PM - applied for the 223,000-a-year role at the National Crime Agency (NCA) but failed to make it into the final round of candidates for the coveted role. Neil Basu, the Met's former head of counter-terrorism, had made it into the final two candidates in the bid to succeed Dame Lynne Owens as NCA director But he and the other shortlisted candidate - acting head of the NCA Graeme Biggar (pictured) - were last week told that the application process was to begin again, but they were welcome to reapply, reports say However, it is believed Downing Street have rejected two highly qualified police chiefs who were interviewed by the Home Secretary Priti Patel, reports The Times. The bid to make the ex-Metropolitan Police Commissioner head of the NCA comes despite him being in charge when officers raided homes of leading Establishment figures as part of the force's disastrous VIP paedophile ring probe. If successful, Mr Hogan-Howe will succeed Graeme Biggar, the interim director-general of the NCA after Dame Lynne Owens retired from the position on health grounds in September last year. During his time as head of Scotland Yard, Hogan-Howe was in charge of the force's VIP abuse inquiry, which ruined the reputations of several public figures including retired Armed Forces chief and D-Day hero Field Marshal Lord Bramall, ex-home secretary Leon Brittan and former Tory MP Harvey Proctor. The news comes amid claims that Lord Hogan-Howe, who had applied for the job but did not make the final shortlist, was Boris Johnson's preferred candidate Mr Hogan-Howe oversaw an inquiry about child sex abuse based on false claims targeted at Lady Brittan's late husband Lord Brittan (pictured together) Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly was unhappy that Lord Hogan-Howe was not initially shortlisted for the job (pictured together in 2012) They were smeared by fantasist Carl Beech, known as 'Nick', whose lies were swallowed whole by the Met. Earlier this week Lord Brittan's widow has blasted moves to appoint the Scotland Yard chief who presided over the shambolic VIP child sex abuse inquiry as head of the National Crime Agency. In a scathing attack, Lady Brittan whose late husband was falsely accused of VIP sex abuse and murder by serial liar Carl 'Nick' Beech said there is 'little evidence' that Bernard Hogan-Howe is a 'suitable candidate'. She called for the recruitment process for the director-general of the NCA to be transparent and 'thoroughly' consider candidates' track records for the 223,000-a-year post. A teenage boy has been brutally bashed and put in hospital after he stepped in to help his young girlfriend, allegedly being harassed by two men in their 40s. The 15-year-old was with his girlfriend on a tram headed for Southern Cross Railway Station, in Melbourne's south, at 9.15pm on April 23. The tram stopped at a station near Ferrars Street before two men, aged in their 40s, boarded the vehicle. Police are hoping to speak to these two men pictured after a teenage boy was allegedly bashed and left with serious head injuries on a tram Police allege the two men began to harass the young girl and when her boyfriend stepped in to help, the trio began to argue. The men then allegedly assaulted the boy, stomping on his head several times in front of horrified commuters. Police said the alleged assault left one passenger 'seriously affected' by the incident. The two men then left the tram when it stopped at another station and fled the scene. The teenage boy was taken to hospital to be treated for serious head injuries. Police have released CCTV footage of two men they believe can assist them with their inquiries. Both men are seen wearing caps with one of the men dressed in a black Lonsdale shirt. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. An Australian woman who disappeared in Mexico sent a strange text message to a friend before she went missing. Tahnee Shanks, 32, had informed a friend to remember a man's name. In the text message, Ms Shanks said 'I know this is gunna sound weird but keep (his) name. Jorge Luis Aguirre Astudillo! Just in case anything happens to me they can go after him.' 'Not that anything will! But I just want to keep that as a backup.' Australian woman Tahnee Shanks (pictured right), 32, who disappeared in Mexico sent an eerie text message to a friend before she went missing, telling them to remember a man's name In the text message (pictured), Ms Shanks said 'I know this is gunna sound weird but keep (his) name. Jorge Luis Aguirre Astudillo! Just in case anything happens to me they can go after him' News of the text message came as Dan Shanks, Tahnee's brother, said he was disturbed by a mysterious eight-hour gap after his sister left a hotel in Cancun and passed through a road toll. According to Mr Shanks, footage shows his sister and Mr Aguirre Astudillo leaving a hotel in Cancun to head home after a mini-holiday. They passed through a toll road checkpoint before the vehicle turned around and headed back to the holiday town, where Ms Shanks' toddler Adelynn was found abandoned at a church on the evening of May 2. 'There's an eight-hour period from them going through that toll and Adelynn being dropped off in Cancun at that church,' Mr Shanks said. 'Then her phone stopped pinging pretty soon after that. It might have been a couple of hours I understand.' 'There's an eight-hour period from them going through that toll and Adelynn (pictured left) being dropped off in Cancun at that church,' Mr Shanks said Mr Shanks added that the couple must have used a different route to return to Cancun. Both Ms Shanks and Mr Aguirre Astudillo are considered missing persons in the police investigation. Mr Shanks, who has offered a one million peso reward (A$70,000) for information on his sister's disappearance, said he'd received 'not one email, not one phone call, not one WhatsApp message' about his sister's disappearance, according to the Daily Mercury. 'All the authorities said I would be swamped and it was a bad idea,' Mr Shanks said of the reward. 'We need closure...if she's dead, we need a body. 'I just can't leave it like this because all I can think of is that something worse than being murdered has happened, like she is being trafficked. 'It's in my nightmares... that if she is alive, she's not in a very nice place and what are (the authorities) doing about it? Nothing.' 'This is why we need answers.' Dan Shanks, the brother of missing woman Tahnee, who has put out a one million peso reward (A$70,000) (pictured), has stated that 'not one email, not one phone call, not one WhatsApp message' about his sister's disappearance on Monday May 2 Two-year-old Adelynn is seen with her grandmother and uncle after landing safely in Australia. She was found wandering barefoot in Mexico While the search for Ms Shanks continues, her two-year-old child Adelynn is settling into life in Australia after being brought to Mackay by her grandmother and uncle earlier this month. Police investigations continue to determine whether the couple were targeted by criminals in a random attack. Mr Shanks also revealed Australian authorities had put in a request for information on the investigation because he had not received any update from Mexican police. Advertisement Barack Obama continues to enjoy his New York City break as he was seen leaving his five-star hotel one day after he was blasted on social media for his comments about the Texas school shooting. Obama was pictured smiling and waving at bystanders as he exited The Pierre Hotel on Thursday, one day after he was slammed on Twitter for comparing the Texas massacre to the two-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder. He was escorted by Secret Service out of his Upper East Side accommodations, which houses a presidential suite costing $20,000 per night. The former president is likely rooming in the top tier suite, however DailyMail.com was unable to confirm the exact details of his stay at the swanky hotel, where rooms cost a minimum $1,000-a-night. Thursday marks the second day of Obama's Manhattan adventure, which on Wednesday included a trip to a the theater and a three-hour dinner at a five-star Italian restaurant. He met with the Obama Foundation Scholars from around the world currently studying at Columbia University to discuss the 'strategies they're implementing globally to preserve democratic practices in their home communities'. The former president also called Jacob Philadelphia to congratulate him graduating from high school - 13 years after touching his hair in the Oval Office in a photo captured by White House photographer Pete Souza. His outing also comes as he is taking the heat for sharing a 'tone deaf' tweet on Wednesday remembering Floyd and calling for police reform, just one day after Salvador Ramos murdered 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Wednesday was also two years to the day after Floyd was killed by arresting Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin who knelt on his neck until he passed out. 'As we grieve the children of Uvalde today, we should take time to recognize that two years have passed since the murder of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer,' wrote, who was seen enjoying a night out in New York City later that evening. 'His killing stays with us all to this day, especially those who loved him.' The message was quickly slammed online by many social media users who were angry that Obama would compare the two unconnected events. Barack Obama was spotted leaving The Pierre Hotel in Manhattan's Upper East Side on Thursday Obama was pictured smiling and waving at bystanders as he left the hotel on Thursday The former president is seen entering a black car outside of his five-star NYC accommodations on Thursday ''It sucks those kids died, but remember George Floyd? He's who I'm still thinking about.' Barack Obama,' Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon tweeted. 'What in the world does the former have to do with the latter?' Ben Shapiro asked. Redstate editor Kira Davis added that: 'Not a single grieving parent today gives a rip about what happened to Floyd or anyone right now. 'For crying out loud. This is not the time to be advertising for your favorite activist group. How utterly vile.' Obama has been a proponent of police reform for many years. He tried to push for police reform through a task force he formed in 2014, nearly six years before Floyd's death. One of that task force's recommendations was an expansion of an already existing database of officers who had been decertified. On Thursday, the former president met with the Obama Foundation Scholars from around the world currently studying at Columbia University to discuss the 'strategies they're implementing globally to preserve democratic practices in their home communities' Barack Obama is under fire over his 'tone deaf' tweet comparing the two-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder to the massacre at an Uvalde elementary school ''It sucks those kids died, but remember George Floyd? He's who I'm still thinking about.' Barack Obama,' Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon tweeted 'What in the world does the former have to do with the latter?' Ben Shapiro asked Obama's Thursday adventure in NYC and his arguably distasteful tweet come as President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday to improve accountability in policing. When announcing the measure, Biden, who served as Obama's second-in-command, and Vice President Kamala Harris also addressed the Texas shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers. Biden and Harris gave remarks that tried to comfort those affected by the shooting as well those who have suffered from police brutality, promising them that change could come eventually despite the partisan divides on Capitol Hill. 'I know progress can be slow and frustrating,' Biden said. 'Today we're acting. We're showing that speaking out matters. Being engaged matters. That the work of our time, healing the soul of this nation, is ongoing and unfinished and requires all of us never to give up.' Floyd's family was in the audience at the White House as the president declared that 'what we do in their memory matters.' Relatives of Breonna Taylor were also in the East Room for the signing. Taylor was killed during a fast-entry police raid of her home in Louisville, Kentucky. Biden has been walking a tight rope on the issue of police reform. Progressives, in the wake of Floyd's death and the nation-wide protests that sparked up around it, wanted to go stronger, including a tightened use-of-force option, which police chiefs objected to. It was not included in the final version Biden signed Wednesday. Biden also has been dealing with criticism from Republicans who have falsely accused him of defunding the police. The order requires federal agencies to update their use-of-force policy, restrict the flow of surplus military equipment to police departments and restrict federal funding to police departments that did not ban chokeholds and no-knock warrants. It directs all federal agencies to create a national registry to track officers who were fired for bad conduct. Obama is spotted outside The Pierre Hotel in Manhattan on Thursday. He is currently staying in the hotel which has a presidential suite costing $20,000 per night Obama and his security detail are seen looking at something to the left in a picture taken Thursday outside The Pierre Hotel Obama waves as he enters a car in Manhattan on Thursday Obama is staying at The Pierre Hotel in Manhattan The hotel houses a presidential suite costing $20,000 per night. The former president is likely rooming in the top tier suite, however DailyMail.com was unable to confirm the exact details of his stay at the swanky hotel, where rooms cost a minimum $1,000-a-night Obama was also spotted leaving his Manhattan hotel Wednesday donning a smart all-black ensemble and a friendly smile as he ventured for his night of fun. The Democrat made his first stop at New World Stages theatre on W. 49th Street, where he visited for around an hour. The playhouse hosts multiple shows, but it is currently home to Americano, a musical about dreamers which would likely appeal most to the liberal president. He was then escorted by his Secret Service detail and NYPD to Portale, an Italian restaurant in Chelsea, where he dined in a private room on the establishment's upper level with several guests. He stayed at the restaurant, where a meal will easily cost $50 to $100 per person without booze, for three hours before returning to his hotel, a DailyMail.com photographer recalled. While we don't know specifically who he dined with on Wednesday, one can assume he was deep in conversation with his guests due to the length of their stay at Portale. It's also unclear if his dining engagement was social or business related. The former president was seen carrying a tablet and several a handful of documents throughout the evening. Social media users slammed Obama's remarks about the shooting and George Floyd's death Obama's fun filled NYC excursions came just days after he called on legislators to take action and reform gun control in wake of the Robb Elementary School shooting. The 44th president, taking to Twitter after the shooting, said that both he and former First Lady Michelle Obama 'grieve with the families in Uvalde who are experiencing pain no one should have to bear.' 'Across the country, parents are putting their children to bed, reading stories, singing lullabies and in the back of their minds, they're worried about what might happen tomorrow after they drop their kids off at school, or take them to a grocery store or any other public space,' he penned. He then recalled the December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, which occurred while he was in office. Obama said: 'Nearly ten years after Sandy Hook and ten days after Buffalo our 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.' The statement concluded: 'It's long past time for action, any kind of action. And it's another tragedya quieter but no less tragic onefor families to wait another day. May God bless the memory of the victims, and in the words of Scripture, heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.' Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, issued a statement about the Texas elementary school massacre on Tuesday Obama is seen smiling and apparently engaged in conversation with members of his security detail in NYC on Wednesday. He is pictured outside New World Stages theatre He then went to Portale, an Italian restaurant in Chelsea, where he dined Wednesday night in a private room on the establishment's upper level with several guests An elderly couple have told of their shock at being threatened with a hefty fine from the local council after not one but two cars ploughed into and damaged their home. Pensioners Laraine and Phillipe live in a century old home near a busy intersection in the inner Melbourne suburb of Princes Hill. The side of the property is still boarded up and covered with a tarpaulin six weeks after a car slammed into the room Laraine was working in, missing her by centimetres. As they wait for repairs to be completed, Yarra Council sent the couple a notice, threatening to fine them $90,500 for not complying with building standards. Laraine was working in her office when a car (pictured) slammed into the room and caused extensive damage to her home 'I've always paid my rates on time and they've been rather dismissive about everything,' Laraine told A Current Affair. 'I don't think I've ever had $100,000.' Since the segment aired, the council has admitted the letter was sent by mistake - and has reassured the couple that they won't be fined. 'A standard letter was issued to the property owners in error which council deeply regrets,' a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. 'Council spoke with the couple in April, explained this was a standard letter, apologised for any distress caused and reassured them no fine of any nature would be issued.' It's not the only issue. The couple fear a third car will slam into the home in the wake of the last incident on April 14. 'I was just sitting at my computer and suddenly I heard a big bang. I just fell over backward on my seat and all the things on my desk came flying on top of me,' Laraine recalled. Laraine and Phillipe (pictured) were shocked to receive a threatening letter from Yarra Council 'All the bricks and the windows smashed. 'Once before there was a similar accident at night and I guess I didn't think it would happen again.' The unwanted stress has taken a toll on her partner in his 10 year ongoing battle with cancer. 'I'm afraid because of what's happening, something could happen,' Phillipe said. The couple want the council to implement safety measures to avoid another accident in the future. The footpath outside their home is level with the road, unlike surrounding homes which have gutters, flower beds and benches. 'The engineer was worried about doing repairs because he said it would be useless as the same thing could happen again and that the council needs to out a proper gutter in,' Laraine said. While surrounding homes in Princes Hill have gutters, flower beds and seating to stop cars veering into the properties, the couple's home (circled) doesn't But Yarra Council says extra measures aren't necessary after conducting a comprehensive traffic engineering assessment of the road outside the home. 'Council does not believe any additional road safety treatments would assist in this case due to the location of the house and its proximity to the road,' the spokesperson said. Council also understands that in this case driver error was the cause of the accident. 'Council has also provided assistance to the couple by making their property waterproof and ensuring it was safe to live in, as well as helping them work with their insurance company. Extensive repairs needed to Laraine and Phillipe's home (pictured) are yet to be completed The couple 's insurance company APIA is working 'as fast as possible' to complete repairs. 'We will continue to support our customers through the claims process, including offering temporary accommodation,' a statement said. 'We are currently working as fast as possible with our tradespeople and engineers to ensure the best way to repair the home.' Ratepayers Victoria vice-president Dean Hurlston urged the council to rethink its decision and accused it of being out of touch with the community. 'There is an existing safety issue and council's responsible to make that road safe,' he said. 'I think council's pretty negligent and should be doing everything they can to stop cars going through this person's home.' Holiday firm TUI has told pilots and cabin crew to no longer address passengers as 'ladies and gentlemen' in favour of more gender-neutral terms. Other major airlines, including Lufthansa, easyJet and Air Canada, have already adopted gender-neutral language. Critics labelled fellow carrier British Airways as 'woke' after it made a similar move in in October last year. The Sun reports that TUI holidaymakers will instead hear lines such as: 'Good morning, passengers, this is your captain speaking.' Andrew Allison, from pressure group The Freedom Association, said: 'TUI have their head in the clouds. 'Ladies and gentlemen' has always been the traditional polite greeting. Holiday firm TUI has told pilots and cabin crew to no longer address passengers as 'ladies and gentlemen' in favour of more gender-neutral terms 'There no need to change this in order to placate the tiny minority who feel offended.' Toby Young, of the free Speech Union, added: 'Most surveys put the percentage of the trans people in the population at around 0.5 per cent and I cannot imagine more than ten per cent of them object to the phrase, 'ladies and gentlemen.' TUI has stated it is committed to making sure its customers feel welcome. A spokesman said: 'We therefore encourage all our pilots and crew to ensure all public announcements on board our aircraft are inclusive.' The news comes after frustrated holidaymakers have been waiting more than 40 hours to board a TUI flight from Cardiff Airport to the Greek island of Zakynthos. Passengers on flights to Ibiza and Dalaman have also reportedly been delayed by more than 24 hours. Passengers say there have been angry scenes caused by a lack of information and claim that people, including children and the elderly, have been left with little or no food. The flight to Zakynthos was due to leave Cardiff Airport at 2pm on Tuesday (May 24), but passengers were still waiting to fly out on Thursday morning. The current information is that it is due to fly at 10.10am on Thursday. They did board a flight at the airport on Wednesday evening, but were then taken off the plane again after a health emergency meant it was too late to fly because the airport in Greece closes for the night. Holidaymakers at Exeter Airport have also reported delays of nearly 20 hours. A spokeswoman for TUI said: 'As the UK's biggest holiday company we will never cancel flights as we know how much our customers look forward to their holiday with us. We are doing everything we can to limit any flight delays, which can happen from time to time for various operational reasons.. On the rare occasion flight delays do take place we will do everything we can to support our customers. 'We would like to apologise for the inconvenience to our customers travelling from Cardiff Airport today which have been delayed due to technical issues with an aircraft. 'Customers have been offered overnight accommodation where required, and meals and refreshments. They also have the option to amend or cancel their holiday if they no longer wish to travel. 'The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is always our highest priority, and we would like to thank passengers for their patience and understanding at this time.' Press freedom will remain under threat unless ministers honour a vow to protect legitimate journalism from censorship, MPs were told yesterday. The Government has promised to strengthen the Online Safety Bill so that social media platforms have to notify recognised news publishers if they intend to block or take down news content. The amendment, which will also ensure such content remains online until an appeal, was announced in March but has yet to be revealed in detail. The News Media Association, which represents local, regional, and national publishers, yesterday said it believed the Government was trying to protect free speech but would fail to do so unless extra protections were added. Giving evidence to a committee scrutinising the Bill, NMA chief executive Owen Meredith said in its current form the legislation failed to properly and adequately protect Press freedom. He added: Although the Governments stated intention is to have recognised news media content outside the scope of the Bill, we dont believe the drafting as was, and still is, actually achieves that. Ministers and the secretary of state have confirmed both in public appearances and the second reading of the Bill that they wish to table further amendments to achieve the aims the Government set out, which is to make sure content from recognised news publishers is fully out of scope of the Bill. The Government has promised to strengthen the Online Safety Bill so that social media platforms have to notify recognised news publishers if they intend to block or take down news content Asked by digital minister Chris Philp whether the Bill respects and protects free speech, Mr Meredith replied: The current draft I do not believe properly and adequately protects Press freedom, which is why I think you will be bringing forward amendments. While the Bill has an explicit exemption for news websites and their comment sections, it does not offer blanket exemptions for content on third-party platforms. One of the most contentious pieces of the legislation is for tech giants to remove lawful but harmful content or face heavy fines. There are fears this will cause companies to set their algorithms far too strictly to avoid huge fines or even criminal sanctions and in doing so take down legitimate journalism. One of the most contentious pieces of the legislation is for tech giants to remove lawful but harmful content or face heavy fines As it stands, platforms must offer a fast-track appeals process to put journalistic content back up online if it is taken down inadvertently. But publishers have warned a news article would probably be out of date by the time it was reinstated. They have further warned that the expedited process could get clogged up by appeals if algorithms are too narrow. Matt Rogerson, director of public policy at The Guardian, yesterday told MPs there was not enough detail on the definition of legal but harmful. An ailing San Francisco start-up has laid off 250 of its 900 staff just five months after it was hailed for moving to a permanent four day working week. Bolt, which manufactures payment software, announced the layoffs in an email sent to staffers on Wednesday by new CEO Maju Kuruvilla, according to SFGate. He was vague about the exact reasons for the layoffs, hinted that Bolt was losing money, and didn't mention whether letting staff have a three day weekend was to blame. 'To laser focus on our core business and products, we will be prioritizing our roadmap and making several structural changes,' Kuruvilla wrote. 'Unfortunately, this includes reducing the size of our workforce and parting ways with some incredibly talented people on our team as of today.' 'The leadership team and I have made the decision to secure our financial position, extend our runway, and reach profitability with the money we have already raised,' he added. Bolt CEO Maju Kuruvilla, pictured, laid off 250 of his firm's 900 staff Wednesday Bolt, a Silicon Valley-based tech startup that made headlines for moving to a permanent four-day work week, announced Thursday they were laying off over 250 employees Many of those laid-off had just been given pay rises a few weeks ago. They watched their co-workers Slack accounts disappear over the course of the day the lay offs were announced to see who'd been culled. Former CEO Ryan Breslow announced last September that the company would be moving to a four-day work week to keep staff happy. 'Whats the rationale? Work is changing and the biggest obstacle we have to face is burnout,' he wrote at the time. 'The four day workweek speaks to a shift in peoples working styles - namely, that if you can get your work completed from Monday to Thursday, then there should be no latent expectation that Friday is time on,' he continued. 'Instead, it can be time off - a period to rest, recover, engage with loved ones, think creatively and all the other things that enliven us.' Breslow, 27, stepped down in February to become its executive chairman and promoted Kuruvilla to replace him. The payments company, launched in 2014, secured over $963million in venture capital after a $355million funding round in mid-January put the companys valuation at $11billion. Former CEO Ryan Breslow announced last September that the company would be moving to a four-day work week Breslow, 27, stepped down in February to become its executive chairman and promoted Kuruvilla to replace him However, the company has run recent problems, as they are currently entangled in a lawsuit from its biggest customer, Authentic Brand Group - who own Brooks Brothers, Forever 21, and Reebok - which claimed Bolt's tech doesn't work as promised. The company also recently provided loans to employees, allowing them to buy more shares in the company's stock, Forbes reported. A Bolt spokesperson claims that the number of employees who did that and were laid off was 'in the single digits' and the value of those loans was under $200,000. Multiple firms have begun experimenting with a four day working week, after it was claimed doing so does not harm productivity, and that it can boost staff retention. Bolt was one of the highest-profile firms to make the move. Its bosses have yet to give any indication of whether they plan to reinstate a traditional Monday-to-Friday working week as the firm tightens its belt. It comes after Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins came forward to claim she was raped at Parliament House. A related case will come before the court at a late date Federal parliament is at the centre of another sexual assault allegation. The Department of Parliamentary Services on Thursday confirmed it is investigating a matter reported in March. The news comes as the halls of power are still reeling from the alleged rape of political staffer Brittany Higgins. In the latest case, police have confirmed they received a report of a man indecently assaulting his female colleague in December. The people involved were employed at parliament house at the time, but are not politicians or political staff. A report about the incident involving 'building support staff' was received in March, an ACT Police spokesman said. 'Specialist investigators from the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team have spoken to the complainant and they have advised they do not wish to proceed with an investigation,' he told AAP. 'Support services have been offered to the complainant and if (she) wishes to proceed the matter can be re-opened at any time.' A department spokeswoman said an investigation into the allegation is under way, separate of any action that might be taken by police. 'This issue is ongoing and for matters of privacy no further comment will be made,' she said. The spokeswoman noted the department 'is committed to the safety of all building occupants'. The halls of power have been rocked by another alleged scandal as another woman comes forward to say she was indecently assaulted in March 'Allegations of sexual assault reported to (the department) are referred to police as a matter of course.' Police described the report as one of 'indecent assault' and not sexual assault. The allegation occurred within a year of News Corp revealing Ms Higgins, a former Liberal staffer, was allegedly raped in Linda Reynolds' ministerial office in March 2019. That allegation sparked an Independent Review of Commonwealth Parliamentary Workplaces by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, released in November 2021, which found one-in-three people working at parliament house had been sexually harassed. A Senate estimates committee was told in April, a trial was taking place to monitor federal government staff visiting parliament. All political staffers accessing the building between 11pm and 5am will be recorded. Under the trial, management or the parliamentarian should be notified the next business day of the attendance, but politicians can also 'opt out' of receiving the information. A club for pagans, witches and devil-worshippers has been stopped from meeting at a university over fears they could summon Satan. The Adelaide University Occult Club was informed that one person had made a complaint against them to the Adelaide University Union. The complainant said they were scared the club would try to summon Satan and that its members were occultists who were always 'involved in criminal activity'. The club was launched in 2020 for students who had an interest in witchcraft and paganism. A club for pagans, witches and devil-worshippers has been stopped from meeting at a university over fears they could summon Satan (pictured, Adelaide University Occult Club president Ashley Towner) The Adelaide University Occult Club was informed that one person had made a complaint against them to the Adelaide University Union Student clubs are only allowed to convene meetings on university grounds if they are registered with the AUU. The Adelaide University Occult Club provisionally registered with the student union in 2021 and submitted an application for full registration in 2022. Full registration would have allowed the club's 30 members to access funding and equipment and to permanently meet on the grounds. The AUU then dismissed the application in March after receiving the complaint. 'Even if we did want to summon Satan, it's not against university or union policy to do so, so it's still not really grounds to reject us,' president Ashley Towner told the ABC. The club president, whose pronouns are they/them, penned an angry letter to the student union and accused it of discrimination. 'I have personally worked and fought for the right to create an Adelaide University Occult Club that is a dedicated and welcoming social and spiritual space for witchcraft and paganism,' the letter read. 'We are now deeply concerned to hear that our right to enjoy this space, a space afforded to many mainstream religious beliefs and social identity groups without discrimination, is yet again being challenged.' Towner claimed the refusal of the application was 'damaging to freedom of speech on campus' and 'discriminatory'. The Adelaide University Occult Club was launched in 2020 for students who had an interest in witchcraft and paganism (pictured, photo of carved pumpkins uploaded to club's Facebook page) 'It should disgust all students that our Union's Clubs Committee is willing to pick and choose which clubs it accepts and doesn't accept based on governing party's personal beliefs,' the letter read. 'A union that cannot support the democratic rights of the people that it represents is a union that has failed.' An AUU spokesperson said the club's application was not accepted because not enough members of the committee voted. A motion must receive three votes before it can be carried out, but only two committee members voted. 'These people have just made this decision based on their own political gain rather than what's actually democratically desired at the university,' Towner said. Pets could be culled to protect from monkeypox under 'last resort' guidelines drawn up by health officials. A cull could be ordered for hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs if they are unable to be isolated, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) admitted. Rodents have been identified as carrier of the disease in west and central Africa. 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. A cull could be ordered as the last resort for hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs if they are unable to be isolated UK records TWELVE more monkeypox cases: Outbreak toll hits 90 as virus finally reaches Wales and Northern Ireland Another 12 monkeypox cases were detected across the UK yesterday as the tropical virus usually only seen in Africa continues to sweep the world. UK Health Security Agency bosses confirmed cases have hit 90, after England logged eight more infections and Scotland spotted another two. Wales and Northern Ireland also declared their first cases. Officials stated the 'majority' have occurred among gay and bisexual men but didn't provide an exact breakdown. No gender or age details have been shared, either. Despite the rising cases, health chiefs have insisted the risk to the population 'remains low'. However, the UKHSA has asked the public, especially men who have sex with men, to be alert to any new rashes or lesions on any part of their body. Nineteen countries across the world mainly in Europe have now detected the smallpox-like virus over the past three weeks. At least 265 infections have been spotted worldwide. Infections are usually only detected sporadically outside of west and central Africa, where the virus is endemic in animals. Imported outbreaks have always fizzled out naturally after a few cases. UKHSA's chief medical adviser Dr Susan Hopkins said new monkeypox cases were being spotted 'promptly' due to 'extensive surveillance and contact tracing networks'. The agency is considering an online dashboard which tracks case numbers a method which sparked controversy during the coronavirus pandemic. It comes as experts today warned Britain is not prepared to embark on a mass monkeypox vaccination scheme if the current outbreak continues to spiral. The UK has around 5,000 jabs and has ordered 20,000 more. Close contacts are the only group being offered the jab. But leading scientists have suggested the next step could involve a rollout to gay and bisexual men, given a 'notable proportion' of cases are among that community. Some scientists have suggested that the virus may have been spreading silently in the UK since 2018, and that the current flare-up may have actually taken off 'by chance' after entering 'the population that is at present amplifying transmission'. Ministers are expected to tell those with an unusual rash a tell-tale sign of monkeypox to stay away from their pets. Experts have raised alarm that spread to cats, dogs and other pets may allow the virus to become endemic among animals in Britain. 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.' 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 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. 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. UK health officials are contacting 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 to form a buffer of immune people around a confirmed case to limit the spread of the disease. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, has been used in previous monkeypox outbreaks and is also being carried out in some EU countries. Outside of the UK, Spain has logged the most infections, with 84 so far being confirmed and another 55 people 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. '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 hit 90, as England logged eight more cases, Scotland spotted another two and Wales and Northern Ireland confirmed their first infections. 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 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' Timeline of monkeypox 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. MAY 24, 2022: England logs another 14 cases, bringing the UK total to 71. MAY 25, 2022: Another seven infections are spotted in England, meaning 78 cases have been detected in the UK. MAY 26, 2022: Wales and Northern Ireland detect their first monkeypox cases in the recent outbreak, Scotland spots two more and England logs eight, bringing the UK total to 90. Advertisement 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.' The 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. 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. 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. 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. Britain's only black police chief has revealed how he had been stopped and searched by officers six times despite never breaking the law. One suspicious officer asked Festus Akinbusoye, who used to serve as a special constable: 'What are you doing round here?' Another time he was told he 'matched the description' of a suspected criminal police were hunting for. Mr Akinbusoye, who was elected police and crime commissioner for Bedfordshire in May last year, welcomed the new Race Action Plan from the National Police Chiefs' Council. Festus Akinbusoye, police and crime commissioner of Bedfordshire, pictured, has revealed he has been stopped and searched six times by officers, who used excuses such as he 'matched the description' of a suspect and 'what was he doing around here?' Mr Akinbusoye said 'black communities face poorer experiences with policing and the wider criminal justice system' He said: 'I bring my own lived experiences into this role, of growing up as a young black man in London, and now as a parent to three black teenagers in Bedfordshire. 'It is sadly still the case both here in Bedfordshire and across the country, that people from our black communities face poorer experiences with policing and the wider criminal justice system overall. 'The poor experience and disproportionality that affects black people is found across the spectrum of interactions with the police, including stop and search, use of force, victim care and court sentencing. 'Within policing, black people's experiences of recruitment, retention, promotion and conduct issues are more negative than for their white colleagues. 'The data is indisputable, and despite the Macpherson Report of nearly three decades ago, not nearly enough has been done by those in police leadership nationally or locally to improve these very long-standing issues.' 'But I am reassured by the work that has gone into the Race Action Plan and the commitment from chief constables and the College of Policing to its delivery. 'I am assured that tangible change is coming. I am pleased that having acknowledged and accepted these longstanding issues still exist, police leadership is facing up to the need to ensure we need to do more to build trust and confidence within our black communities, and to reduce the disproportionality that continues to exist. 'Our Chief Constable here in Bedfordshire, Garry Forsyth, has been at the forefront of driving this national change, and we all benefit from his leadership and commitment to the Race Action Plan. Bedfordshire Police has the lowest disproportionality rate for stop and search in England and Wales - an achievement recently recognised by Her Majesty's Inspectorate. 'It is just part of the progress we have made here in Bedfordshire.' President Putins protege Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of the Chechen Republic, has threatened to launch a military attack on Poland in retaliation for its steadfast support for Ukraine. Warsaw has been one of President Zelenskys strongest allies throughout the three-month invasion by Russian forces. Poland has acted as a gateway for thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing to the west, and it has also stood up to Russia in the European Parliament by urging a ban on Russian gas and oil imports, The Telegraph reports. But Poland has now been caught up in the Russian propaganda campaign which seeks to justify its onslaught of Ukraine. In a video message on Monday, Kadyrov, 45 who calls himself Putins footsoldier said: Ukraine is a done deal. What Im interested in is Poland. Putin's loyal 'footsoldier' Ramzan Kadyrov, 45, leader of the Chechen Republic, has threatened to attack Poland in a sinister online message Kadryrov - accused of using medieval torture on his enemies in Chechnya - has been called 'the son Putin never had' for his devout loyalty to the Kremlin leader (pictured: Vladimir Putin) What is Poland trying to achieve? Once Ukraine is done, we can show you what were capable of in six seconds if there is an order. As one of Putins most loyal acolytes, Kadyrov has frequently shared his criticisms of the West in bold statements on social media, particularly Instagram. In his latest directive, he demanded an apology over an act of vandalism in Warsaw earlier this month. On the anniversary of the Allies victory of 1945, a Ukrainian activist threw red paint over Russian ambassador Sergey Andreev as he attempted to lay flowers at the Soviet military cemetery in the Polish capital. Kadyrov had warned: You better take away your weapons and your mercenaries and officially apologise to our ambassador. Kadyrovs troops have been accused of war crimes in Ukraine and Kadyrov himself has been known to follow them on excursions, although he has denied taking part in any extrajudicial killings. Chechen forces were known to be at the siege of Mariupol and were said to be among occupying forces who killed civilians in suburbs of Kyiv. Footage which purported to show Kadyrov in Mariupol was later found to have been filmed in Russia. Kadyrov has been repeatedly accused by the United States and European Union of human rights abuses, which he denies. Tens of thousands of Russian troops are now heading to the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk known collectively as the Donbas. Kadyrov has demanded an apology after a Ukrainian activist threw red paint over Russian ambassador Sergey Andreev as he attempted to lay flowers at the Soviet military cemetery in the Polish capital earlier this month The Kremlin is seeking a victory there to prevent losing face over its 'special military operation'. According to Western officials, Russian commanders believe the Donbas represents their best chance of success. They have retreated from other areas, including around Ukraine's capital city Kyiv, to focus their efforts there. But Ukrainian forces are determined to push them back. Russia is believed to be seeking a link between occupied Crimea and Moscow-backed separatist territories Donetsk and Lugansk in Donbas. Moscow fought two wars with separatists in Chechnya, a mainly Muslim region in southern Russia, after the 1991 break-up of the Soviet Union. But it has since poured huge sums of money into the region to rebuild it and given Kadyrov a large measure of autonomy. Kadryrov - accused of using medieval torture on his enemies in Chechnya - has been called 'the son Putin never had' for his devout loyalty to the Kremlin leader. The Chechen supremo was promoted to the rank of Lt-General in the Russian national guard in April. -For two days running, he claimed he had met and been briefed by Andrey Mordvichev, one of the senior commanders that the Ukrainians claimed to have killed earlier this month. Kadyrov was seen introducing the boy to the Russian army general, saying: 'Here is my Adam'. Anthony Albanese has ditched his pyjamas for a flannelette shirt and jeans to welcome senior members of his team and top public servants into his home for a kitchen cabinet-style meeting. Just after 6am on Friday morning, the Prime Minister had stepped out of his comfy home in Marrickville in Sydney's inner west , his favourite Peter Alexander pants with cartoon rabbits on them, Newtown Jets jersey and a pair of Ugg boots to collect the newspaper. Then, after a series of media interviews, a cheerful Mr Albanese opened his front door to a number of senior government officials, including Stephanie Foster, the new Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. The meeting was held at his family home as he is yet to move into Kirribilli House, the prime minister's Sydney residence, despite winning the election six days ago. But with Scott Morrison, his wife Jenny and their two daughters set to return to their home in the Sutherland Shire, in Sydney's south, on Friday, Mr Albanese is likely to move into his new taxpayer-funded abode - and the site of future 'casual Fridays' meetings - this weekend. Anthony Albanese has ditched his pyjamas for a flannelette shirt and jeans to welcome likely members of his ministry and government officials into his home Mr Albanese is seen opening the front door of his Marrickville home in Sydney's inner west as senior bureaucrats strolled inside Mr Albanese hosted a kitchen-cabinet style meeting at his home in Marrickville on Friday morning Stephanie Foster, the new Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, was one of the officials at the Prime Minister's home on Friday The meeting was held at his home in Marrickville as he is yet to move into Kirribilli House Mr Albanese donned a check shirt and jeans as he welcomed officials into his home Mark Butler, who is tipped to be Labor's health and ageing minister, was also seen at Mr Albanese's home on Friday Moving vans were also seen at The Lodge in Canberra on Thursday. Ms Foster famously appeared to wink while answering a question about Christian Porter in a Senate hearing in October last year. Mr Porter resigned from Cabinet after revealing he had accepted anonymous donations to fund his legal battle against the ABC over its article that accused a senior minister of rape. Ms Foster was grilled about investigations into Mr Porter's anonymous donation which he disclosed on September 13. She revealed discussions about whether accepting anonymous donations breached ministerial standards 'took place between the 15th and the 19th of September'. She then turned her head to the right, brushed her hair back and appeared to wink at Government senate leader Simon Birmingham while on camera. Labor senator Penny Wong later asked Ms Foster if she had winked, to which she replied: 'I can say categorically I have at no stage intentionally winked at Senator Birmingham. 'It's either capturing me with an eye closing or there's some other reason,' she said. She later said after watching the footage she was acknowledging another colleague who'd just come to the table. Mark Butler, who is tipped to be Labor's minister for health and ageing, was also seen outside Mr Albanese's home on Friday. Mr Albanese's neighbours, who love having 'Albo' in the street, have previously told Daily Mail Australia they hope he moves half-an-hour away to Kirribilli to keep their smart street out of the headlines. 'Fingers crossed,' said retired neighbour Jon. 'It'd be impossible for him to stay here with all the security that's needed as PM - but we'd be sad to see him go.' Anthony Albanese stepped out in his pyjamas and a pair of Ugg boots to collect the daily newspaper on Friday morning The prime minister donned the same pair of Peter Alexander pyjama pants and his Newtown Jets jersey as he did when fetching the paper on Thursday His pyjama pants have pictures of cartoon rabbits printed on them Another neighbour said he even takes her bins out for her when the family goes on holiday, and buys her children Christmas presents each year. 'He's a lovely neighbour and he is very chatty,' said mother-of-two, Jane. 'He's gorgeous with the children. He's always got time for them - I find that amazing.' Mr Albanese lives in a modest home in Marrickville and owns several other investment properties - some on the same street as his house, and has a real estate portfolio worth about $5million. Mr Albanese is seen heading back inside his Marrickville home The new PM is yet to move into Kirribilli House, six days after winning the election Mr Albanese lives in a modest home in Marrickville and owns several other investment properties - some on the same street as his house Mr Albanese is seen with his partner Jodie Haydon (above) Mr Albanese, who grew up at Camperdown, is a life member of the South Sydney Rabbitohs but also attends Newtown Jets home games at Marrickville's Henson Park. 'Where I grew up people went to church on Sunday, they voted Labor every three years, and they went to the footy on Saturday - either Souths, Newtown or Balmain,' he told Daily Mail Australia during the election campaign. 'One of the things I still do is go to Henson Park to watch Newtown play and we sit on the hill - 8,972 of us - it's a cracker.' The crowd at all of Newtown's fixtures at Henson Park is announced as being 8,972 the number of fans at the club's last game before it was kicked out of the first grade competition at the end of the 1983 season. Newtown now plays in the second-tier NSW Cup. Just days after becoming the country's new leader, Mr Albanese has already had to deal with controversy in his own party, after Tanya Plibersek likened Peter Dutton to bald-headed Harry Potter villain 'Voldemort'. Ms Plibersek, who is expected to become the nation's next education minister following Labor's historic election win, said children who had watched the films would be very 'frightened' of the former defence minister when they see him on TV. 'I am saying he looks a bit like Voldemort and we will see whether he can do what he promised he would do when he was last running for leader, which is smile more,' Ms Plibersek told 4BC radio. Sunrise host Natalie Barr on Thursday grilled Mr Albanese about the brutal insult made against Mr Dutton, pointing out there would be 'hell to pay' if a man mocked a female MP's looks. Mr Albanese is seen with Foreign Minister Penny Wong after arriving in Japan for the QUAD Leaders' meeting Tanya Plibersek (right) is pictured with her husband Michael Coutts-Trotter (left). Ms Plibersek is under fire for a comment she made about Peter Dutton's looks The new PM replied: 'She has already apologised'. 'There are a few comments made by the former prime minister about my appearance you might recall as part of the election campaign,' he said. 'We should not refer to people's appearance, let's discuss policy differences.' People in Wales will no longer be legally required to wear face coverings in health and social care services from Monday. First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced today that the country will end its last remaining coronavirus regulations, which have existed in some form since March 2020. Wales is currently at alert level zero, with the wearing of face coverings in health and social care settings the only remaining legal requirement. But the First Minister urged people to keep taking steps to protect their health as the country moves beyond the emergency response to the pandemic. He repeated the warning the four UK chief medical officers issued this week about the risk of new variants. Mr Drakeford said: 'The pandemic has had a profound impact on all our lives - everyone has made sacrifices and changes over the last two years. The First Minister Mark Drakeford (above) will announce that face covering restrictions will no longer be mandatory in health and social care settings as Covid cases continue to fall steadily Wales is currently at alert level zero, with the wearing of face coverings in health and social care settings the only remaining legal requirement. Pictured: NHS staff at a vaccine centre 'But it is thanks to all your efforts that we can move beyond the emergency response while still living safely with this virus. 'I want to thank everyone for all you have done to protect yourselves and your loved ones. You have followed the rules and you have kept Wales safe. 'This three-week review of the coronavirus regulations is a significant milestone - we are completing our careful and gradual transition away from legal protections and away from the emergency response to the pandemic.' He added ministers would 'remain alert to the threat of new and emerging variants'. 'Continuing to take simple steps, including staying up to date with vaccinations, self-isolating if you have Covid-19 symptoms and maintaining good hand hygiene, will be important in helping us all to enjoy a safer and brighter future together,' he said. The latest results from the ONS Coronavirus Infection Survey are said to show the percentage of people testing positive for coronavirus in Wales is falling. The number of Covid-19 related patients in hospitals has also fallen to less than 700 and is at its lowest level since December 28 2021. Welsh Conservative shadow health minister Russell George MS said he was 'delighted' at the news while criticising what he claims was Labour's 'overreaction' to the Omicron variant. 'Not only do we need to remember all those who lost lives and loved ones to lockdowns and the virus itself, but learn the lessons of the pandemic about how we can counter another one and assess the impact of deploying harsh emergency restrictions on our population,' he said. He joined his colleagues in calling on the Welsh Government to carry out a Wales-specific inquiry, accusing them of being 'scared of scrutiny'. From Monday, masks will no longer be required in healthcare settings, the last Covid rule in place in Wales. Pictured: NHS staff and members of the public in Newbridge, Wales, in 2021 Most of the rules that impacted the daily lives of people in Wales, such as face masks in shops and on public transport, were removed in March. The Welsh Government said public health guidance, including staying up to date with Covid vaccinations and self-isolating with Covid-19 symptoms, will stay in place. It said in a statement: 'Over the last three weeks the public health situation has continued to improve and the number of Covid-19-related patients in hospital is gradually falling, although the NHS continues to experience emergency and pandemic pressures.' Wales was the last UK nation with Covid restrictions still in place. Scotland removed its final restrictive laws in April this year while the Scottish Government continues to encourage people to wear face masks at busy indoor spaces. Meanwhile, England's remaining Covid restrictions were removed in February as part of the Government's 'Living with Covid' plan. The move meant requirements to self-isolate after testing positive were dropped a month earlier than planned. One local stalwart said the mural shouldn't be in a public space A council said it would make changes to the art to address community concerns The giant risque artwork shows flowers looking like male and female genitalia A rate-payer funded mural has angered locals over its depiction of sexual organs A graphic mural of flowers has caused a stir with locals complaining about its explicit depiction of male and female genitalia. The giant wall artwork, funded by rate-payers, was painted on a wall near a local train station at Werribee in Melbourne's west. It depicts a blending of coloured 'local and international flowers' emerging around moist petals and leaves. Locals have been up and arms about the mural (pictured), saying the images are bordering on pornography and are too graphic for a public space Wyndham Council said the objective of the new laneway mural was to transform the laneway into a vibrant and colourful space and reflect themes of sexual and gender diversity but admitted the resulting images expressed the idea 'more strongly than was intended' Outspoken local Lisa Heinrichs asked why the mural (pictured) should be in a public space Locals have been up and arms about the '72 Genders' mural, saying the images are bordering on pornography and too graphic for a public space. Wyndham community activist Lisa Heinrichs told Bay 93.9 it was improper for the council to allow the art to be put on view. 'Does council seriously think it's appropriate to commission public artwork depicting flower penises and vaginas?' Ms Heinrichs asked. 'Art is always subjective, but is this what should be in a public space?' Wyndham Council said the objective of the new laneway mural was to transform the laneway into a vibrant and colourful space. 'The concept of flowers fusing local flora and fauna was designed to reflect the diverse and culturally rich background of the people of Wyndham,' its website said. 'The flowers were also intended to subtly reflect themes of accepting gender and sexual diversity.' Council admitted these themes had been represented more strongly in the delivered artwork than had been intended. 'Council will ensure changes are made to the mural to address the adult themes and community concern,' it said. The mural was painted by artist David Lee Pereira whose art 'delves into the fluidity of gender, sexuality and identity'. His bio describes his floral artistic expressions range from 'beautifully brutal to joyous and intimate and are overflowing with symbolism and narrative.' Ms Heinrichs asked if the Wyndham council 'seriously think it's appropriate to commission public artwork (pictured) depicting flower penises and vaginas?' Two 17-year-old boys were among four people arrested for plotting an AK-47 massacre at a school in southern Texas. Nathaniel Montelongo and Barbarito Pantoja, both 17, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. They are being held on a $750,000 bond and their mugshots were released Thursday evening. Two other students, both minors, were also arrested in connection to the plot and will face a judge on Friday, The Brownsville Herald reported. The four were arrested after police in Donna, a small community in the Rio Grande Valley, received an anonymous type that they were planning to attack the school. Officials declined to reveal which district campus was targeted in the plot. A source familiar with the investigation told the newspaper on Wednesday that cops had found an AK-47 and a list of targeted students in the home of one of the suspects. However, on Thursday police denied the existence of the alleged hit list and refused to provide any details about a potential weapons seizure, citing that the information was 'critical to the case' and 'will not be disseminated.' News of the plot, which prompted a shutdown order at the school late Wednesday, came a day after a gunman slaughtered 19 kids and two teachers at an elementary in Uvalde, about 300 miles north of Donna. Nathaniel Montelongo (pictured) and Barbarito Pantoja, both 17, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon Montelongo and Pantoja (pictured) are two of four suspects arrested for plotting an AK-47 massacre at a school in Donna, Texas. The other suspected conspirators are minors and will face a juvenile magistrate on Friday Police held a press conference on Thursday announcing the arrests. 'We stopped an act of physical violence and harm on our students,' Donna Police Department Chief Donald Crist said during the briefing. He said the two adult males, referring to Montelongo and Pantoja, had been arraigned, but noted the other suspects would face a juvenile magistrate. Authorities, who reiterated that the threat against the school was 'credible,' denied the rumors circulating on social media about a list targeting specific students. 'There was no target list. There was supposedly some rumors going around, but there was no such thing,' Police Chief Gilbert Guerrero said, according to KVEO-TV. The chief added that the incident remains under investigation and encouraged parents to be more observant of their children. 'Keep an eye on your kids, make sure about what they're doing. Look at what they have in their rooms, be vigilant,' he said. Officials also stated they believe Donna students are safe within the district due to the additional support of several law enforcement agencies. The district had cancelled classes on Thursday and Friday after the school shooting threat prompted a lockdown on Wednesday. School will resume next Tuesday following the Memorial Day holiday. Officials in Donna, Texas, a small community in the Rio Grande Valley, shut down school after a 'credible threat' of a shooting plot Officials in Donna, a small community in the Rio Grande Valley, issued the shutdown order late on Wednesday The conspirators' plot involved shooting up a school in the district, a source familiar with the matter told The Monitor. The insider also alleged cops found an AK-47 and a list of targeted students in the home of one of the suspects. Authorities have denied the list and refused to comment on the alleged seized gun. While the AK-47 gained fame as a Soviet-era machine gun, there are semi-automatic versions of the rifle that are legal for private ownership in the U.S. The Donna Independent School District confirmed the threat in a statement on Wednesday, saying: 'We've received a credible threat of violence that is currently under investigation. In light of the recent events and in an abundance of caution, we will be cancelling school district-wide and staff will work from home.' The cancelled school days will impact a number of end-of-year awards ceremonies and advancement celebrations in Donna's elementary school, according to the school calendar. The district's high school graduation is scheduled for June 3. In a social media post, officials said that the senior class prom, which had been scheduled for Friday with the theme of 'Enchanted Forest' after two years of pandemic disruptions, would be postponed, but not cancelled. Donna ISD administrative offices are seen above. The alleged plot in Donna involved a conspiracy between two or three people who planned to shoot up a school in the district The disturbing investigation in Donna came just one day after the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Connecticut nearly a decade ago. On Tuesday, a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, after shooting his grandmother in the face in a dispute over his phone bill. The shooter, identified as Salvador Rolando Ramos, 18, was killed by police after barricading himself inside a classroom and slaughtering the fourth graders inside. Ramos was trading text messages with a girl in Germany and sent the chilling final message 'Ima go shoot up a elementary school' minutes before the attack. The gunman shot his 66-year-old grandmother in the face at their Uvalde home, then fled in her pickup truck as she summoned help, officials said. A short distance away, Ramos crashed the truck outside the school, got out with a rifle and approached a back door, officials said. They said an officer assigned to the school 'engaged' Ramos, but the gunman got into the building and down a hallway to a fourth-grade classroom. After locking the classroom door, he opened fire around 11.30am with an AR-15-style rifle, carrying multiple magazines. A team including local officers and Border Patrol agents ultimately forced the door open and shot Ramos to death after he fired at them, police said. Salvador Ramos legally purchased two AR-15 style rifles (right) including the one he used in Tuesday's attack after his 18th birthday last week. The gunman also bought more than 300 rounds of ammunition The threat in Donna came just a day after a shooter killed 19 kids and two teachers at Robb Elementary, seen above on Thursday morning The above graphic details the timeline of Tuesday's massacre that left 19 children and two teachers dead at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas President Joe Biden called for stricter gun laws following the Tuesday massacre: 'Gun manufacturers have spent two decades aggressively marketing assault weapons which make them the most and largest profit.' 'For God's sake, we have to have the courage to stand up to the industry.' Ramos had legally purchased two semi-automatic rifles from a local outdoor and hunting store, according to officials and multiple news reports. 'The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong,' Biden said on Tuesday. 'As a nation, we have to ask: When in God's name will we stand up to the gun lobby?' He added: 'Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep on letting this happen? Where in God's name is our backbone?' Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said Thursday he is ashamed the U.S. is 'becoming desensitized to the murder of children' and that action is needed now to prevent more lives from being lost in school shootings. 'After Columbine, after Sandy Hook, after Parkland, after each of these and other massacres, we as educators did our best to look parents in their eyes and assure them that we'll do everything to protect their babies,' Cardona said, referencing school shootings in Colorado, Connecticut and Florida. President Joe Biden called for stricter gun laws following the Tuesday massacre. He is pictured at the White House on Wednesday Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said Thursday he is ashamed the U.S. is 'becoming desensitized to the murder of children' and that action is needed now to prevent more lives from being lost in school shootings. Cardona is pictured in April 2022 But he said all the actions taken in response to those earlier school shootings - including active shooter drills, online early detection tools and more secure building entrances and perimeters - 'are no match for what we're up against.' Providing no specifics, he said, 'we need action now' to protect America's children. 'Let's not normalize this,' he said. 'Let's use every ounce of influence that we have to get something done to help prevent this from happening again.' Cardona told lawmakers that he would be 'failing you as secretary of education if I didn't tell you I was ashamed, I am, that we as a country are becoming desensitized to the murder of children. I'd be failing you as secretary of education if I didn't use this platform to say that students and teachers and school leaders are scared.' The Cabinet member did not go as far as his boss, Biden, who has previously had called for a ban on assault-style weapons, tougher federal background check requirements and laws aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of people with mental health problems. The fight over guns has largely been split on party lines. Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a domestic terrorism bill that would have opened debate on gun safety. Rather than regulate guns, some Republicans have proposed arming teachers to deter school shootings. Cardona rejected that idea. 'And the solution of arming teachers, in my opinion, is further disrespect to a profession that's already beleaguered and not feeling the support of so many folks,' he said. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy gave a creative answer when asked by a reporter on Thursday about possibly banning assault weapons in the wake of the Uvalde shooting. Cassidy, 64, in his second term in the Senate, was asked by a reporter from Vice why someone would need an AR-15. He responded: 'Well, if you talk to the people that own it, killing feral pigs in the middle of Louisiana, they wonder why would you would take it away from them? I'm law abiding, I've never done anything, I use it to kill feral pigs. The action of a criminal deprives me of my right.' Cassidy, according to anti-gun activist group Brady United, has received $2.8million in donations from the National Rifle Association, 10th most among active senators. The question comes as the gun control debates rage anew after gunman Salvador Rolando Ramos, 18, perpetrated the deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade, killing 19 small children and two teachers before being shot dead by police. .@elizlanders asked Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy why anyone would need an AR-15. His answer: Feral pigs pic.twitter.com/MaTvWoPxQq VICE News (@VICENews) May 26, 2022 Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy gave a creative answer when asked by a reporter on Thursday about possibly banning assault weapons in the wake of the Uvalde shooting Cassidy, 64, in his second term in the Senate, was asked by a reporter from Vice why someone would need an AR-15 'Well, if you talk to the people that own it, killing feral pigs in the middle of Louisiana, they wonder why would you would take it away from them? I'm law abiding, I've never done anything, I use it to kill feral pigs. The action of a criminal deprives me of my right.' President Joe Biden also plans to visit Uvalde on Sunday. He has called on lawmakers to take on America's powerful gun-rights lobby and enact 'common sense gun reforms.' The Uvalde shooting was the deadliest since 20 elementary-age children and six staff were killed at the Sandy Hook school in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012. Ramos, notably, used an AR-15 to commit the mass killings. Democratic Senators, as well as independent Bernie Sanders who caucuses with the Dems, have renewed their call for an assault weapons ban, while Republicans remain ardently opposed and focused on mental health and school secutiry. A Texas law enforcement official said Thursday that the Uvalde shooter entered the elementary school building 'unobstructed' through a door that was apparently unlocked. People drop off flowers at a makeshift memorial outside the Robb Elementary School on Thursday in Uvalde, Texas Salvador Ramos legally purchased two AR-15 style rifles (right) including the one he used in yesterday's attack after his 18th birthday last week. The gunman also bought more than 300 rounds of ammunition The shooting rampage began at 11am when Ramos shot his grandmother. At 11.15am, he sent a message to a girl in Germany telling her he was on his way to 'shoot an elementary school'. He crashed his truck at 11.30am and made his way to the school with one AR-15 rifle. At 11.32am, he bypassed at least one cop at the school entrance. He got inside, barricaded himself in a classroom and managed to stay there for up to an hour - terrorizing kids - before he was finally gunned down Victor Escalon, a regional director at the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the gunman did not initially encounter any law enforcement officers when he entered Robb Elementary School on Tuesday and opened fire. Law enforcement authorities faced mounting questions and criticism Thursday over how much time elapsed before they stormed a Texas elementary school classroom and put a stop to the rampage. Many other details about the timing of events and the police response remained murky. The motive for the massacre remained under investigation, with authorities saying Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history. The gunman shot his own grandmother in the face minutes before attacking the school, and his text messages indicated that he was in an argument with the 66-year-old grandma about his phone bill. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged Harvard graduates not to cancel people they disagree with in her commencement speech at the college. Speaking at the Massachusetts college Thursday, Ardern, 41, urged the Ivy League graduates to pursue 'genuine debate and dialogue' to keep conversations and 'solutions' going instead of ending in a dead-end. 'If we don't find, once again, our ability to argue our corners - yes, with the passion and fire that conviction brings, but without the vitriol, hate, and violence; if we don't find a way to ensure difference - that space where perspectives, experiences, and debate give rise to understanding and compromise - [and] doesn't instead become division,' she said on Thursday. 'The place of entrenchment: where dialogue departs, solutions shatter, and a crevice between us becomes so deep that no one dares cross to the other side,' she continued. 'We are at a precipice, and rather than ask what caused it today, I want to talk about how we can address it,' she said. 'Now, I am not an academic. I accept that the robes on this occasion aren't exactly truth in advertising. Rather, I am a politician from Morrinsville.' Scroll down for video Ardern, 41, urged the Ivy League graduates to pursue 'genuine debate and dialogue' to keep conversations and 'solutions' going instead of ending in a dead-end and to engage in social media cautiously in her commencement speech on Thursday at Harvard University The Kiwi went on to say that her small 'rural town of 5,000' sat her between difference and division. Ardern appeared to speak in reference to the multiple US colleges - including Harvard and its Ivy League rivals - that have been rocked by shocking woke scandals. Academics have been fired for expressing seemingly innocuous views about race. And students - most notably those at Yale Law School - have protested against speakers whose views they deem 'harmful', in what critics say is a direct attack on Americans' First Amendment right to free speech. Ardern rose from humble beginnings to become one of the world's most-recognized global leaders. She was praised for her handling of the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre, which saw 51 Muslim Kiwis slaughtered by racist gunman Brenton Tarrant. Ardern was also initially hailed for her zero-COVID strategy at the start of the pandemic, but was later condemned for authoritarianism and turning New Zealand into a sealed-off 'hermit kingdom' as the rest of the world reopened. Nonetheless, she remains a popular figure among young liberals and progressives, many of whom welcomed her to Harvard with open arms. 'I was raised Mormon in a town where the dominant religions were Catholic and Anglican and rugby,' she joked. She went to say that she was interested in left-wing politics in a part of the world that had never 'in it's entire democratic history elected anyone other than a conservative candidate.' Despite her vast differences from her peers, the politician said it never a 'source of isolation,' and as the internet came about and the ability to connect with strangers far and wide expanded, she found the world not using it as a source of good. 'We found a place to share information, facts, fiction dressed up as facts, memes, and more cat videos than you ever thought possible,' she said. 'We found a place to experience new ways of thinking and to celebrate our differences, but increasingly, we used it to do neither of those things.' Rather than celebrating differences, she said, humans tend to fall in pockets of similarities. And instead of 'entering into a respectful dialogue' with different views to 'better understand alternative perspectives,' people tend to 'reinforce our own views.' She connected how these pockets of similarities and algorithms can create a space for 'violent extremism,' as it had on March 15, 2019, in her country when 51 people died in a terrorism attack on two mosques. The devastating tragedy was 'live-streamed on social media and the terrorist had been 'radicalized online.' Her speech was met with an a standing ovation and she was seen taking photos with graduates after the ceremony (pictured). She warned students that 'violent extremism' online will only get worst and rather than focus on 'differences and division' to focus on 'genuine debate' and 'kindness' 'We knew that we needed significant gun reform, so that is what we did,' she said as the crowd cheered. Her push for gun reform comes on the cusp of America's second-deadliest school shooting which happened in Texas on Tuesday. However, instead of drowning on about hot topic debate of American gun reform, she went on to demonstrate how New Zealand put in preventative measures to ensure that similar tragedies wouldn't happen again and called out social media platforms for continuing its silence. 'We also knew that if we wanted genuine solutions to the issues of violent extremism online, it would take government, civil society, and the tech companies themselves to change the landscape. The result was the Christchurch call to action. 'And while much has changed as a result, important things haven't. The time has come for social media companies and other online providers to recognize their power and act on it,' she laminated. The Kiwi politician said tech companies needed to 'uphold their own basic terms of service,' alongside 'recognizing the role they play in constantly curating and shaping the online environments we're in.' 'Algorithmic processes make choices and decisions for us, what we see and where we are directed,' she told the newly minted graduates and their loved ones. She said at the 'worst,' social media can radicalize and the need for 'responsible algorithm development and deployment' are needed. 'We have every reason to do it, let's start with transparency in how algorithmic processes work and the outcomes they deliver.' Wrongful algorithms can lead to keyboard warriors, which Ardern said she imagined them as 'a lone person unacquainted with personal hygiene practices, dressed in a poorly-fitted superhero costume - one that is baggy in all the wrong places.' Whether good or bad, Ardern says the words of said keyboard warriors have 'been written by a human' and 'read' by one too. And the fast-paced media and the modern ability to consume news as it's happening, 'corrodes the foundation of liberal democracy' and grows 'enormous' stakes for 'disinformation.' She said 'our ability to access facts on their merits' allows for consumers to 'self-correct [it] accordingly.' 'In the disinformation age, we need to learn to analyze and critique information,' she told the graduates. 'That doesn't mean teaching "mistrust," but rather, as my old history teacher Mr. Fountain extolled: "To understand the limitations of a single piece of information, and that there is always a range of perspectives on events and decisions." 'You are and will always be surrounded by bias,' she reminded the graduates. 'You will continue to be exposed to disinformation. And over time, the "noise" you are surrounded by will probably only get worse.' She told the young students who are stepping into the adult world that how they 'choose to engage with information' and how they choose to 'confront debate' matters and will be 'overwhelmingly challenging.' The Kiwi smiled as she received her honorary degree from Harvard University Ardern told them not 'overlook' how 'systems and power' influence the world around them and the 'impact that we each have as individuals.' 'To make a choice to treat difference with empathy and kindness, those values that exist in the space between difference and division - the very things we teach our children, but then view as a weakness in our leaders. 'The issues we navigate as a society will only intensify. The disinformation will only increase. The pull into the comfort of our tribes will be magnified, but we have it within us to ensure that this doesn't mean we fracture. 'We are the richer for our differences and poorer for our division,' she continued. 'Through genuine debate and dialogue, through rebuilding trust in information and one another, through empathy, let us reclaim the space in between. 'After all, there are some things in life that make the world feel small and connected. Let kindness be one of them.' Arden's speech was met with a standing ovation from graduates and attendees. Seaplanes have been used to evacuate a group of injured tourists from a notorious outback tourist attraction after they were involved in a 'serious' boating incident. The 'major incident' occurred at Horizontal Falls in Western Australia's Kimberley region, 250km east of Broome, just after 8.30am on Friday morning. Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures released a statement hours later, explaining the injuries had occurred while the boat attempted to drive through the swirling rapids. 'Falls Express, guided by an experienced skipper during an early-morning tour, was involved in the incident while travelling through the falls,' the statement said. 'The vessel immediately returned to the pontoon.' A Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures plane was spotted landing at Broome Airport on Friday afternoon, where up to 15 people, some wrapped in bandages, were met by health staff. A number of boat tours are run through the falls The king tides create the 'horizontal waterfall' phenomenon There were 26 passengers and two crew on the boat when the vessel got into trouble. The Royal Flying Doctor Service said it had helped more than 20 patients injured in the incident with four planes rushing to the scene. The passengers with minor injuries were already airlifted and taken to Broome Hospital for treatment. The further 12 patients 'with more serious injuries' were transferred to Perth. Local helicopter services were providing assistance to winch some patients to safety. Earlier, a WA Country Health Service spokeswoman described it as a 'serious' incident and said a major medical response was underway. 'Kimberley Hospitals are on stand-by and Broome Health Campus has activated an emergency alert in anticipation of patient arrivals the first of which are expected within the hour,' the spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. In an update just after 1pm local time, WA Police said it was still dealing with the incident 'but no injuries are believed to be life threatening'. The ocean phenomenon is home to some of the highest tides in the world, creating what's been dubbed a 'horizontal waterfall'. Horizontal Falls in Western Australia are a popular tourist attraction Thousands of litres of water gush through the narrow gap in Talbot Bay, triggered by the region's king tides, which sometimes fluctuate up to 10m a day. Tourists are able to experience the falls a number of ways, with local tourism operators offering jet boat tours that speed through the dangerous rapids. Seaplane and helicopter tours also operate in the area, allowing people to witness the raging water from the air. Western Australia Police said it was responding to the incident after receiving reports 'several people on board were injured'. The Royal Flying Doctors' Service has also been called in to assist and regional medical centres are on standby. Broome Hospital has also been put on 'brown alert', an order that means it must be ready for an influx of patients. A Sydney cleaner who murdered her 92-year-old client in a ferocious bashing and stabbing attack has been jailed for 22 years. After losing hundreds of dollars on the pokies, Hanny Papanicolaou climbed the back fence of Marjorie Welsh's home where she attacked the vulnerable 92-year-old on January 2, 2019. The 39-year-old gambler, whose guilty plea to manslaughter was rejected by the Crown, was found guilty of murder by a NSW Supreme Court jury in February. Hanny Papanicolaou (pictured), 39, was jailed for 22 years for the brutal murder Marjorie Welsh (pictured), 92, died in hospital six weeks after being bashed and stabbed in her inner west Sydney home Ms Welsh died in hospital six weeks after being bashed and stabbed in her inner west Sydney home. Justice Robertson Wright on Friday jailed Ms Papanicolaou for 22 years with a non-parole period of 15 years. Ms Papanicolaou will be eligible for parole in 2034. 'I am satisfied on all the evidence that the murder was unplanned and impulsive,' he said. 'I am satisfied on all the evidence that the murder was unplanned and impulsive,' Justice Robertson Wright said on Friday (Pictured: Ms Welsh's home) He found Ms Papanicolaou had gone to the house with the intention of stealing from her employer, but later developed an intention to kill her. Ms Welsh gave two police interviews when in hospital, naming her assailant as 'Hanny the housekeeper' and describing the 'utterly ferocious' attack in detail. When asked if she could think of a reason for the attack, she replied: 'It would be a peace of mind if I could.' 'There are usually logical reasons for things that happen in this world, but I cannot see any logic in this.' Justice Robertson Wright found Ms Papanicolaou (pictured) had gone to the house with the intention of stealing from her employer, but later developed an intention to kill her The judge found Ms Papanicolaou was not suffering from a major depressive illness at the time, but did have some symptoms of depression and anxiety. 'The death was a great human tragedy especially for her family and for all others affected by this sad matter,' he said. Angela MacLeod, one of her two daughters, previously said their mother was someone who could achieve anything she wanted in life. 'Life wasn't always perfect for mum ... but she was strong, intelligent, loving, protective, all those things that you'd want in a mum. We were always very proud of her,' she said. The judge said she was taken from her daughters and families in a way they found was unthinkable and inexplicable. Investigators believe a retired federal agent may have been privy to the Buffalo supermarket shooter's plot more than 30 minutes before he opened fire in the grocer and killed ten people. The former agent, believed to be from Texas, was one of six people who regularly communicated with accused murderer Payton Gendron, 18, in an online racist hate forum, law enforcement sources told The Buffalo News. He has not been named, and further details of the exact agency he worked for have not been shared. But the agent and Gendron's other online friends would regularly chat online about their hatred of Jews and non-whites, investigators say. Sources allege Gendron shared his mass shooting plans and details about the target locations about half an hour before he attacked the upstate New York supermarket on May 14. It is not clear if the agent accepted Gendron's invitation to review his plans or if the individual read them. However, officials have confirmed that none of the six invitees contacted authorities to warn them about the shooting, which the FBI has called a 'racially motivated [act of] violent extremism.' The FBI is also trying to unmask the true identity of the individual Gendron referred to as 'Sandman,' and 'Saint Sandman' in his online diaries published on Discord, a social media platform that allows users to communicate through private servers. The gunman's posts suggest Sandman counseled him on weaponry before the massacre. Gendron, who carried out the attack with an AR-15-style rifle while cloaked in body armor, has been charged with murder and is being held without bail. The shooting is being investigated as a hate crime and the teen still be hit with additional charges. Investigators believe a retired federal agent may have been privy to Payton Gendron's mass shooting plot more than 30 minutes before he opened fire at a supermarket in Buffalo, NY and killed ten people. Gendron is pictured wearing tactical gear The former agent, believed to be from Texas, was one of six people who regularly communicated with Gendron in an online racist hate forum. People are pictured hugging outside the grocer the day after the shooting Law enforcement sources allege the FBI is in the process of locating and interviewing the six people, including the former agent, who may have had prior knowledge about the fatal attack. The agency's probe hopes to determine if any of the six could be charged as accomplices to Gendron. 'What is especially upsetting is that these six people received advanced notice of the Buffalo shooting, about 30 minutes before it happened,' the insiders said. 'The FBI has verified that none of these people called law enforcement to warn them about the shooting. The FBI database shows no advance tips from anyone that this shooting was about to happen.' The officials added: 'These were like-minded people who used this chat group to talk about their shared interests in racial hatred, replacement theory and hatred of anyone who is Jewish, a person of color or not of European ancestry.' Sources allege Gendron shared his mass shooting plans and details about the target locations about half an hour before he attacked the upstate New York supermarket on May 14. Pictured is Gendron's hand drawn map of the supermarket posted to Discord ahead of the attack A photo posted to Gendron's online diary shows supplies he gathered prior to shooting It remains unclear exactly how many people may have had prior knowledge about the attack. The law enforcement sources allege six people are under FBI investigation after Gendron invited them to review the plan, but just last week The Washington Post reported that 15 people had accepted his invitation to a private Discord group where he posted the plans and later live streamed his killings. Two other people familiar with the FBI investigation also told The Buffalo News that officials are investigating Gendron's relationship to the former federal agent. Those sources claim the federal agency is probing whether the retired agent provided Gendron with any information before he went on his killing spree. None of the insiders disclosed the agent's name or confirmed what federal agency he previously worked for. Members of the FBI and Buffalo Police Department collect evidence at the Tops in Buffalo on May 15, the day after Gendron allegedly opened fire and killed 10 people Before the massacre, Gendron detailed and photographed the ares he believed he was going to park his car during the shooting. The image was included in his Discord diary Gendron also posted an image of the gun he used in the attack. He wrote vulgar words, including the names of other white supremacists on it The FBI is also trying to determine the true identity of Sandman, whom Gendron seemingly praises in his online diaries. The 18-year-old accused killer claims Sandman offered insight about AR-15 manufacturers and product quality before he purchased the gun used in the shooting. Gendron, who referenced Sandman three times in his writings, allegedly quoted the individual in a post he made on May 2. 'When the time finally comes to deal decisively with a whole host of society's problems, and not go to prison for it, you'll know. Just be ready. You have spent your entire life, from the day you were born, right up to this very moment, reading this sentence, coming to where you are right now,' Sandman allegedly told the teen. 'Look around you. Are you content with where you are right now? Are you where you want to be? If so, continue to march. If not, what are you going to do? What's your plan? Get and keep your mind, body, and spirit right. Pray. Lift. Run. Read. Shoot. And teach your kids to do those things.' The FBI is also trying to unmask the true identity of the individual Gendron (pictured in his booking photo) referred to as 'Sandman,' and 'Saint Sandman' in his online diaries published on Discord Shortly before the attack, Gendron posted hundreds of pages of writings online, detailing his plans for the assault and his racist motivation. The diary said Gendron planned his attack in secret, with no outside help, but Discord has since confirmed that an invitation to access his private writings was sent to a small group of people about 30 minutes before the assault began. Officials have confirmed that some of them accepted the invitation but did not clarify as to how many read what Gendron had written or logged on to view his assault in real time. Investigators are continuing their work to obtain, verify and review Gendrons online postings and have been examining all of his documents. Meanwhile, attorneys familiar with the case say it is not surprising an ex-law enforcement agent may have been involved. 'As outrageous as this may sound, based upon what we are finding in our investigation, it is not surprising,' Attorney Terrence M. Connors, who represents several of the victims' family members, told The Buffalo News. The lawyer declined to provide details about the investigation or found evidence. Buffalo civil rights attorney John V. Elmore, who represents the family of victim Andre Mackniel, pointed out that former agent had a duty to report the shooting as soon as he was made aware of it. 'If he had advance notice, he had a moral obligation to get on the phone and try to notify someone about it,' Elmore explained. Gendron, sporting orange prison fatigues and a white face mask, appeared in Buffalo court last week for his pre-trial felony hearing Gendron, sporting orange prison fatigues and a white face mask, appeared in Buffalo court last week for his pre-trial felony hearing. The self-declared white supremacist, who also faces federal terror charges, remained silent throughout the proceeding despite being heckled by a victim's distraught family member who yelled out: 'Payton, you're a coward!' The first-degree murder indictment, which covers all 10 deaths, was handed up on May 18, Assistant district attorney Gary Hackbush announced in court on May 19. In New York, prosecutors can charge a defendant with first-degree murder only under special circumstances, including when multiple people are killed in a single incident, like in the Buffalo shooting that claimed the lives of 10 people on Saturday. The single count against Gendron covers all 10 deaths at Tops Friendly Market. No domestic terror charges have been filed in federal court at this time. Gendron will be back in court on June 9. He is being held without bail. The courtroom remained quiet until the end as Gendron, cuffed and shackled was escorted out by a heavy security detail, only the sounds of his chains clinking, when one of the victims' family members yelled out angrily at him from the courtroom gallery. Thirteen people were struck by gunfire at the supermarket on Saturday, most of them black, and 10 of the victims died, before the gunman surrendered to police confronting him inside the store. Gendron has pleaded not guilty to the single count of first-degree murder. Writer and activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied says she may never return to Australia and can't even bear to hear an Aussie accent more than five years after she fled the country to escape the backlash from her infamous Anzac Day Facebook post. Living in self-imposed exile in London since July 2017, Ms Abdel-Magied has only been back to Australia a handful of times, sometimes only for visa reasons to stay in the UK. The Sudanese-born, 31-year-old told an interviewer in London that if she even hears an Australian accent now, 'I will leave'. Yassmin Abdel-Magied who created a storm of outrage with an infamous Facebook post on Anzac Day in 2017 says the backlash impacted her so badly she might never return to Australia In her new book, Talking About A Revolution, Ms Abdel-Magied wrote about giving up her Australian citizenship after deciding that Britain or perhaps the US would be her permanent home in the future. 'I've emigrated, I'm not going back. I've emigrated in the same way my parents left Sudan, I have left Australia,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald. When invited to Australian writing festivals, Ms Abdel-Magied has begun appearing only by video. If Ms Abdel-Magied gives up her Australian passport, she would only be left with a Sudanese one and it would be much harder for her to enter Australia. And despite recently marrying a UK man, Ms Abdel-Magied will have to wait a number of years to become a British citizen. Ms Abdel-Magied's 2017 Anzac Day post drew widespread condemnation online, in the media and even death threats, which continued even after she took it down and apologised Ms Abdel-Magied's 2017 Anzac Day Facebook Post created a storm online and she was hit by death threats after writing 'LEST.WE.FORGET. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine ...)'. Then Immigration Minister Peter Dutton was one of a number of conservative politicians who weighed in. He called the post a 'disgrace' and condemned using 'Lest We Forget', a phrase associated with remembering the war dead, to make political points about Australia's foreign and immigration policy. New Liberal leader Peter Dutton (right), here seen with his wife Krilly, was one of a number of politicians who condemned the 'Lest we forget' Facebook post, which he called a 'disgrace' Although she apologised and took the post down, the controversy dogged Ms Abdel-Magied for years. Despite being Young Queenslander of the Year in 2010 and being touted employed a cultural ambassador by the Australian government Ms Abdel-Magied came to describe herself as Australia's 'most publicly hated Muslim'. She told the Sydney Morning Herald the hurt she feels towards Australia runs deep. '(Australia) expelled me and it was cruel, and it was cruel in a way it didn't need to be and it was cruel to somebody who loved it and only wished it well,' she said. 'I've compared it in the past to an abusive partner because it's such a complex relationship. On the one hand, there are lots of good times there and on the other hand, there's been so much harm and hurt that you can never quite be sure what that relationship was like at all.' Ms Abdel Magied said it was because of the abuse, she chose to appear virtually, rather than in person, at the Sydney Writers' Festival on Saturday. Ms Abdel-Magied says that she is so reluctant to return to her once adopted and beloved country that for writers' festivals in Australia she now only appears by a video link Ms Abdel-Magied's parents still live in Brisbane, where, as skilled migrants, they emigrated with their 18-month-old daughter in 1992. They might have to wait a while to see their daughter in person again. 'I grew up in Brisbane, and I don't really have any problems with Brisbane, but I don't miss it,' Ms Abdel-Magied said. 'And sometimes I feel like a terrible person for that. How can you not miss somewhere where you spent the majority of your life? Yet, I'm very fine [with] not going back.' Ms Abdel-Magied has become a sought-after commentator in the British media but has built a more lucrative profile as a speaker in the US, where she mainly talks about racial and cultural relations. A little boy has died in hospital after being hit by a car while crossing the road in Sydney's west. Emergency services rushed to Richmond Road in Doonside just before 1pm. The six-year-old boy who was crossing the road, was found with critical injuries after being struck by the car. A 6-year-old boy who was crossing the road, was found with critical injuries after being struck by a vehicle (Pictured: Richmond Road, Doonside) Paramedics treated the child at the scene before he was taken to the Children's Hospital at Westmead. However, the young boy sadly passed away soon after. The driver of the car assisted police with the investigation. Paramedics treated the child at the scene before he was taken to the Children's Hospital at Westmead (pictured) A crime scene was established and has been examined by the Crash Investigation Unit. The cause of the crash is yet to be determined. Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, has details or dashcam footage, is urged to contact police. A family of Tamil asylum seekers who captured the hearts of Australians has been permitted to return to their home in the regional Queensland town of Biloela on bridging visas. Nadesalingam and Priya Murugappan fled Sri Lanka after the country's civil war, arriving separately on people-smuggling vessels in 2012 and 2013. Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers said on Friday he had exercised his power under Section 195A of the Migration Act. In a one-word tweet, new prime minister Anthony Albanese shared simply posted: 'proud' in response to the news. The Tamil family have been in a high-profile battle to remain in Australia after spending years in detention Jim Chlamers makes the call to the Biloela family informing them of the good news Kopika (left) and Tharunicaa (right) were pulled out of school in Queensland and sent to a detention centre 'The effect of my intervention enables the family to return to Biloela, where they can reside lawfully in the community on bridging visas while they work towards the resolution of their immigration status, in accordance with Australian law,' Mr Chalmers said in a statement. 'I have spoken to the family and wished them well for their return.' The couple met in Australia and married in 2014, and both were granted temporary visas settling in Biloela, where they had two daughters, Kopika, six and Tharunicaa, now four. Nades worked at the local meatworks and Priya was a community volunteer. In March 2018, immigration officers took the family from their Biloela home after Priya's bridging visa expired and Nades' refugee status claim was rejected. They were taken to a detention centre in Melbourne. This sparked a national campaign for the family to be allowed to stay in Australia and return to Biloela. Anthony Albanese vanquished Scott Morrison to become only the fourth Labor leader to win government from opposition since World War II It has been more than three years since they were separated from their friends on mainland of Australia In late August 2019, the coalition government put the family on a plane bound for Sri Lanka. But their deportation was sensationally halted mid-flight when a Federal Court judge granted a last-minute injunction. The plane was forced to land in Darwin and the family was moved to the Christmas Island detention centre. Facing pressure from community groups, lawyers, doctors and politicians, and with Tharunicaa needing medical care, then federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawke announced in June 2021 the family would live in suburban Perth under a community detention placement while legal action continued. But he insisted the decision would not create a pathway to a visa. In September, 12-month bridging visas were granted to Pria, Nades and Kopika, but not to Tharunicaa, which still meant the family could not return to Biloela. Tharnicaa Murugappan (pictured) was medically evacuated to Perth in June 2021 after being hospitalised on Christmas Island with a suspected blood infection Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the cost to the family's health and the economic cost of their detention provided a clear reason to resolve the case. 'You can have strong borders without being weak on humanity,' he said on Friday. A friend and advocate for the family Bronwyn Dendle says the Biloela community was eagerly awaiting the decision, following Labor's announcement during the election campaign to help the family if elected to government. 'They've been watching the news just like everybody else to hear what's coming,' Ms Dendle told Sky News on Friday. 'They would definitely be welcomed back with open arms and all of Biloela is just relieved that this has come to pass and that they (could be) allowed home. 'We are that town in central Queensland that stands up for their mates and leaves no one behind.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the cost to the family's health and the economic cost of their detention provided a clear reason to resolve the case A second 'pensioner pilot' flying for Vladimir Putin's air force in Ukraine has been shot down and killed. Nikolai Markov, 63, a retired air force colonel, died when his Su-25 bomber was shot down over the Luhansk region of Donbas on an unknown date. There are conflicting reports about how he died. Some claim he was killed by friendly fire while flying low to the ground, but Ukraine says he was shot down by one of their Stinger missiles. Markov was wingman to retired Major General Kanamat Botashev, 63, whose death was reported this week, after he was hit in a separate incident by Ukrainian fire. Nikolai Markov, 63, a retired Russian air force colonel (left and right) has been killed fighting for a private Russian military contractor in Ukraine Major General Kanamat Botashev, 63, another retired Russian fighter pilot, was also shot down in Ukraine this week, friends confirmed Both were flying for private military companies taking part in Putin's war in Ukraine. Markov was Russian-born but had Belarusian citizenship and was buried in Lida, Belarus. The exact date of his burial was not made clear. Disgraced general Kanamat 'Flop Gun' Botashev was also shot down by a Ukrainian Stinger missile. He had been fired from the Russian air force after an unsanctioned joyride aerial acrobatics stunt - but was taken on as a mercenary pilot. Separately, Russia lost another serving Lieutenant-Colonel as Sergey Nikitin, 43, a father-of-three whose death was revealed by sister Nadezhda. It continues a trend of Russian top brass being massacred in Ukraine, as Russia's military is mauled in its bungled invasion of the country. 'It's impossible to contemplate this terrible loss,' she said in a heartbroken eulogy. 'The whole world is blackened by grief, and the sun is not shining any longer. 'I can't believe you left us, brother. Our grief is endless. Markov had served in the Russian air force and retired, but had returned to the battlefield to fight for a private military contractor Colonel Sergey Nikitin, 43, was also confirmed dead fighting in Ukraine - just the latest in a series of military top brass to be killed 'You will be forever alive in our memory, and always loved.' Russia is now known to have lost 44 serving colonels, although the toll may be higher because it has refused to provide detailed statistics of its full toll in Ukraine. Nine Russian generals apart from Botashev are also known to have died with reports that the US has assisted Ukraine with intelligence to allow them to target Putin's most high ranking soldiers. Nikitin was from Zvenigovo in Mari El republic, on the left bank of the Volga River. A female friend, Olesya, said: 'A day of deep sadness we mourn the loss of a dear person together with his family.' A male friend, Alexey, said: 'I just can't believe he's gone. 'It feels like he is far, far away, but alive.' There is growing evidence of a backlash against the war in Russia. Rock concerts have become venues for protest against the conflict in Ukraine. As many as 16 military recruitment offices have been hit by Molotov cocktails in defiance over bids to surge enlistment into the army through conscription. A Perth fisherman had to manhandle a monster fish onto his boat by hand after the massive catch wrecked his tackle. Now he reckons he won't need to buy seafood for six months after reeling in the whopper 50kg bass grouper. Cameron Winsor caught the brown beast near Rottnest Island, out from Perth, earlier this week following a 40 minute battle with the determined deep-sea dweller. Mr Winsor told Daily Mail Australia he first thought his line was stuck due to the sheer weight of the giant fish. 'Initially I thought I was snagged. After a few minutes of trying to drive upcurrent to release it, I realised the GPS was still showing me moving,' he said. Cameron Winsor caught a 50kg bass grouper (above) after a 40-minute battle earlier this week 'Then the fish started to take a few runs, so we knew we were onto something solid. 'I think the bass was just cruising about his business without even realising it was hooked.' But then Mr Winsor's electric reel failed, leaving him and his crew to pull up the 50.6kg fish on their own. 'I was using an electric reel, but during the fight the reel overheated so I had to take over manual winding,' he said. The monster-sized bass groper was caught in the waters near Rottnest Island near Perth, WA 'After about 40 minutes of fighting we were pulling it through the last 20m, still not knowing what it was. 'Finally we saw a burst of bubbles come to the surface and the screams erupted on the boat as we pulled it in. 'After a few high fives I gave the line a pull to test how strong the drag was...I couldn't get any line off the reel, it's a wonder nothing else broke. 'We went out there to test out the Dhubite snelled deep drop rigs, and we certainly proved them strong enough!' Cameron Winsor said the entire fish - carcass and all! - has been divvied up between his family, friends, workmates at Rio Tinto, and neighbour Luckily Mr Winsor's managed to put the big fish to use feeding his family, friends, workmates at Rio Tinto, and neighbour. 'They are one of the few fish that still taste amazing at that size,' he said. 'Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to release the fish as they come from over 300m and suffer barotrauma on the way up. 'The best thing you can do is make the most of the meat, which certainly we did. 'We kept all of the fish, fillets, and wings were frozen into packs and shared. I even took some up to Mesa A to share with my production crew! 'The head and carcass was given to my neighbour who loves getting the rest of the meat and boiling up the leftovers for her family. 'It will keep everyone going for months.' There is no maximum size limit on bass groupers in Western Australia. A Picasso painting owned by Sir Sean Connery has sold for 17.7million at auction with proceeds set to help causes in Scotland and the Bahamas. The late James Bond star's family put the artwork up for sale to raise funds for the Sean Connery Philanthropic Fund. It will donate money to good causes in Scotland and the Bahamas, where the star lived with his wife Micheline for more than 30 years. Edinburgh-born Sir Sean bought Buste d'homme dans un cadre a few years before his death aged 90 in October 2020. The 1969 painting was sold in Hong Kong yesterday by auction house Christie's and had been expected to fetch at least 15million. Auctioneer Georgina Hilton wore a Bond-style tuxedo in tribute to 007 and described the painting as 'sensational'. Sold: The James Bond star's family put the work up for auction after his request a philanthropic trust be set up in his name after his death. Pictured: Picasso's Buste d'homme dans un cadre The bidding started at 10million and received five offers before attracting a final price of 17.7million, including the buyer's premium. The most expensive Picasso ever sold at auction was Les femmes d'Alger (Version 'O') with sold for $179.4million or 142million in 2015. Speaking before the sale, his stepson Stephane Connery, an art adviser, said: 'Sean had an extraordinary sense of aesthetics, composition and movement honed by his career in a visual medium as well as his long marriage to Micheline, a fine and internationally exhibited painter. 'He loved and owned numerous works by Picasso, and upon seeing 'Buste d'homme dans un cadre' he was captivated by its expressive power and freedom. Sir Sean bought Buste d'homme dans un cadre a few years before his death aged 90 'It seems fitting that this work would be sold in Asia as Sean had a tremendous affinity for Asia and its culture.' He added: 'Before Sean passed away in 2020, he allocated a sizeable portion of his estate to be used for philanthropic purposes. 'We - his family - are now working to create a fund that will offer support to organisations that reflect Sean's interests and passions, and serve to keep his legacy of integrity, opportunity and effectiveness alive. 'These efforts will be focused in Scotland, where Sean was born, and the Bahamas, where he lived for over 30 years and adored like his homeland.' The painting is one of Spanish artist Picasso's musketeer portraits and is described by art experts as 'one of the finest and most striking of the artist's paintings from the last decade of his life.' Adrien Meyer, Co-Chairman of Impressionist and Modern Art at Christie's, said: 'It is a privilege for Christie's to have been entrusted by the family of Sir Sean Connery with the sale of this fabulous Picasso self-portrait. 'No wonder is it that a titan of the film industry was drawn to this tour de force by the greatest modern art titan of all. 'This is simply one of the best works by the artist of his late period to ever come to market.' Oscar-winner Connery died peacefully in his sleep at home following a battle with dementia in October 2020. Police are looking for a man who appeared to point a pistol at a news crew from a Fox affiliate station while they were filming a segment on gun violence in Chicago. Fox 32 Chicago said it was broadcasting live in the River North neighborhood when the man slipped into view from behind pointing what looked like a gun behind reporter Joanie Lum. The man quickly jumped in front of the camera, moving too quickly for the camera to focus on the object, before side-stepping down the street. Holding the item in the air a second time, he then skipped further down the street and out of view. The incident occurred at around 7am on Wednsday, at the corner of Clark and Hubbard while the station was filming its 'Good Day Chicago' news segment. Lum was reporting on the city's rise in gun-related crime, where shooting incidents had increased by 66% from 2019 to 2021. A man on Wednesday quickly jumped in front of the camera pointing what appeared to be a pistol during a live Fox32 Chicago broadcast segment highlighting gun violence in Chicago He side-steps before skipping down the street and out of view after jumping past the camera Fox32 thanked viewers who wrote in asking if the crew was unhurt. It said both Lum and her photographer were safe Police are asking for help tracking down a man who pulled out a pistol in front of a Fox32 live broadcast while they were filming a segment on gun violence in Chicago. The incident occurred at around 7 am, at the corner of Clark and Hubbard while Fox32 was filming its 'Good Day Chicago' news broadcast Police are asking for help identifying the man, described as being between 18 and 25, standing 5 feet 6 and 5 feet 8 inches tall with a thin build, and weighing 130 to 150 pounds. He was previously filmed buying drinks from Starbucks wearing a dark hoodie, a black jacket, light ripped blue jeans, and dark shoes. Fox32 thanked viewers who wrote in asking if the crew was unhurt. It said both Lum and her photographer were safe. As the footage was not clear, social media users questioned whether the man had drawn a gun on live TV - with some suggesting the item could have been a remote control or another similar household object, held as though it were a weapon. Chicago police can be contacted with information regarding the suspect on 312-744-8261. The city's murder rate went up by 60% between 2019 and 2021 according to the Chicago Police Department. Theft had also gone up by 21% in the year before December 2021, with criminal sexual assault up 27% over the same period. And the number of crimes, ranging from robbery to aggravated battery, is now higher than the same point in 2021. On Thursday May 19, a shooting near Chicagos Magnificent Mile shopping district left two people dead and seven injured outside a fast food restaurant. The trend in crime is causing problems for Chicago, which saw tourists virtually disappear during the Covid-19 pandemic and now is eager to draw back crowds. The Chicago Loop Alliance, a membership organization for businesses, said pedestrian traffic downtown is recovering but still around 65 per cent compared to a typical year prior to 2020. Demand for hotel rooms in the Loop, the city's business district, remained below pre-pandemic figures in March but far exceeded the same time last year about 64 per cent this year compared to 36 percent in 2021. Two black men were declared dead from Thursday's incident after emergency medical services tried to revive them Antonio Wade, 30, a father of two, was awaiting twins when he was fatally shot at the fast food restaurant two days ago Police have arrested a man over a 25-year-old Queensland woman who died after she was dropped off at the door of a Sunshine Coast hospital with an alleged gunshot wound to the head. Detectives say the Currimundi woman died shortly after arriving at Caloundra Base Hospital with at about 9.30am on Friday. Investigations led officers to an address on Coolum Street in Dicky Beach, near Caloundra, where a crime scene has been declared. Police have established a forensic crime scene (above) at a Sunshine Coast home after a 25-year-old woman died with what is believed to be a gunshot wound to her head Police arrested a 30-year-old Narangba man at 3.30pm in relation to the case after intercepting his vehicle on Fitzwilliam Street at Sippy Downs, some 22km from the Dicky Beach home. Police said he was arrested without incident and is currently assisting in their investigations. The 58-year-old man who dropped the woman at the hospital was known to her and is voluntarily assisting in police investigations. Early investigations indicate there was a disturbance at the home at about 9am, which was shortly followed by the woman's hospital visit. The 30-year-old man and woman were known to each other but police do not believe her death was the result of a domestic dispute. Both were visiting the Coolum Street home and were friends with the homeowner - a woman police have since spoken to. Detectives say the woman died shortly after arriving at Caloundra Hospital (above) with what is believed to be a gunshot wound to her head at about 9.30am on Friday 'We have a number of people that we're trying to identify and interview, and when we have more information we'll have a better picture of what's taken place,' Detective Inspector David Drinnen said. The cause of death is yet to be determined and the woman has not been formally identified. Police have urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. Chechens are being snatched from their homes in 'mass abductions' and forced to fight as 'volunteers' in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, human rights groups have claimed. A group that fights against Chechen corruption and Russian propaganda called 1Adat said hundreds were being forced to fight in Ukraine. President Putin's protege Ramzan Kadyrov, 45, the leader of the Chechen Republic, is one of the Russian despot's most ardent followers and has frequently shared strong criticisms of the West. His fighters, known as Kadyrovites, reportedly called the people they abducted 'scum' and sent them to the front line as 'cannon fodder'. 1Adat said: 'Throughout the republic, mass abductions are again taking place. 'We are informed about hundreds of people from different regions of our occupied state. Ramzan Kadyrov, 45, leader of the Chechen Republic, is Russian President Putin's loyal 'footsoldier' Fighters of the Chechen special forces unit stand in a street during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 21 Kadyrovites posing in front of a destroyed building in Mariupol, Ukraine, which has seen some of the most intense fighting 'The abducted are required to sign a paper stating that they are volunteers to be sent to Ukraine, otherwise they are threatened with fabrication of criminal cases. 'Everyone who goes to Ukraine in this way will be used on the front line, like cannon fodder. 'The Kadyrovites themselves say: "They are scum, they are not sorry, so there is nothing to worry about." That is, the abductions are purposefully carried out in order to send cannon fodder to Ukraine.' Human rights association Vayfond said in May it had received 'dozens' of messages from Chechens without military experience saying they were being forced to go to war. Early this month the UK's Ministry of Defence said: 'The so-called 'Kadyrovites' began to enter the territory of Ukraine in the first days of the large-scale military invasion of Russia. 'In attempting to overcome Ukrainian resistance, Russia has made significant use of auxiliary personnel. Kadryrov - accused of using medieval torture on his enemies in Chechnya - has been called 'the son Putin never had' for his devout loyalty to the Kremlin leader This includes a deployment of Chechen forces, likely consisting of several thousand fighters primarily concentrated in the Mariupol and Luhansk sectors. 'The combat deployment of such disparate personnel demonstrates Russia's significant resourcing problems in Ukraine and is likely contributing to a disunited command which continues to hamper Russia's operations.' Kadyrov has been accused of using medieval torture on his enemies in Chechnya and has been called 'the son Putin never had' for his devout loyalty to the Kremlin leader. The Chechen supremo was promoted to the rank of Lt-General in the Russian national guard in April. His troops have been accused of war crimes in Ukraine and Kadyrov himself has been known to follow them on excursions, although he has denied taking part in any extrajudicial killings. Kadyrov has demanded an apology after a Ukrainian activist threw red paint over Russian ambassador Sergey Andreev as he attempted to lay flowers at the Soviet military cemetery in the Polish capital earlier this month Chechen forces were known to be at the siege of Mariupol and were said to be among occupying forces who killed civilians in suburbs of Kyiv. Moscow fought two wars with separatists in Chechnya, a mainly Muslim region in southern Russia, after the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, but has since poured huge sums of money into the region to rebuild it and given Kadyrov a large measure of autonomy. Kadyrov has been repeatedly accused by the United States and European Union of human rights abuses, which he denies. In his latest outburst, he Kadyrov threatened war on Poland for its support of Ukraine. In a video message on Monday, Kadyrov who calls himself Putin's 'footsoldier' said: 'Ukraine is a done deal. What I'm interested in is Poland. 'What is Poland trying to achieve? Once Ukraine is done, we can show you what we're capable of in six seconds if there is an order.' He has demanded an apology after a pro-Ukrainian activist threw red paint over Russian ambassador Sergey Andreev in Warsaw as the diplomat lay flowers at a Soviet military ceremony on the anniversary of the Allied victory in WWII. Kadyrov warned: 'You better take away your weapons and your mercenaries and officially apologise to our ambassador.' Russia's armed forces have begun deploying sixty-year-old tanks to the southeastern regions of Ukraine, raising questions over the extent of Putin's losses after three months of bitter fighting and countless strategic blunders. A long line of T-62 tanks, which began production as early as 1961, was photographed at a train station in Ukraine's southeastern city of Melitopol on Wednesday, just days after footage emerged of the aged armour being pulled out of storage across the border. Russia has around 2,900 of its more modern T-90, T-80 and T-72 tanks currently in service, according to the International Institute for Security Studies, with up to 10,000 more tanks from different generations in storage. But the Land Forces of Ukraine estimate more than 1,300 of Russia's tanks have been destroyed or heavily damaged since the invasion began on February 24, at least 700 of which have been visually confirmed according to open source intelligence analyst Oryx. And of the 10,000 tanks waiting in storage, many of them are likely to be inoperable due to Russia's harsh and varied climate and poor long-term maintenance. Putin's deployment of his armoured relics comes as his forces are locked in a brutal and bloody conflict along the eastern front of Ukraine. Russian troops yesterday launched an all-out offensive to capture Severodonetsk and Lysychansk - the only urban centres still under Ukrainian control in the Luhansk region. 'Extremely fierce fighting is taking place on the outskirts of Severodonetsk. They are simply destroying the city, they are shelling it every day, shelling without pause,' Luhansk regional governor Sergei Gaidai said yesterday. The mayor of Severodonetsk Oleksandr Stryuk said the city is holding out for now, but added at least 1,500 people have been killed and 60 per cent of residential buildings have been destroyed. But Russia's painstakingly-slow progress in Luhansk has come at a huge cost. As of this morning, the Land Forces of Ukraine estimate almost 30,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the conflict thus far - losses which prompted Russia's parliament on Wednesday to scrap the upper age limit for people signing up to join the army. T-62 tanks are pictured being loaded onto trains in western Russia on May 23 A T-62 tank is pictured arriving in Melitopol, Ukraine, on May 25 A long line of T-62 tanks, whose production began as early as 1961, were photographed at a train station in Ukraine's southeastern city of Melitopol on Wednesday The Land Forces of Ukraine estimate more than 1,300 of Russia's tanks have been destroyed or heavily damaged since the invasion began on February 24 A boy looks at a destroyed Russian tank during an exhibition displaying destroyed Russian military vehicles, amid Russia's invasion, in central Kyiv, Ukraine May 21, 2022 Russia's deployment of T-62 tanks to southwestern Ukraine is puzzling. Designed in the late 1950s, the T-62 had already grown obsolete by the mid-70s and was relegated to reserve duty in favour of the improved T-64 and T-72 models. Some T-64s underwent combat upgrades in the later years before the collapse of the Soviet Union and were retrofitted with improved armour and weapons systems. But Ukraine's Armed Forces - equipped with modern anti-tank weapons such as Javelin launchers and Bayraktar TB-2 drones - have already made short work of Russia's most combat-capable tanks, as evidenced by countless images of wreckage littering the streets of eastern Ukraine. The T-62's slow speed, short range, poor maneuverability and obsolete parts in comparison to the more modern T-90s and T-80s mean the Russian troops operating them would be obliterated should the sixty-year-old vehicles be deployed to the front lines. As a result, analysts have speculated the T-62s may be used in a support capacity for crowd control and reinforcement in the territories already occupied by Russia such as Mariupol, Kherson, and Melitopol, where the tanks were first pictured arriving on Ukrainian soil. But the T-62 is notoriously prone to breaking down, have half the range of modern tanks and use different parts to their successors, making them challenging to maintain. Their deployment therefore suggests Russia's armed forces are not willing to commit any of its more modern tanks in reserve to such support roles, highlighting the scale of their losses on the front lines. People look at the remains of Russian equipment displayed at Saint Michael's (Mykhailivska) Square in front of the bell tower of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery on May 23, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine The T-62's slow speed, short range, poor maneuverability and obsolete parts in comparison to the more modern T-90s and T-80s mean the Russian troops operating them would be obliterated should the sixty-year-old vehicles be deployed to the front lines (a man lights a cigarette next to a destroyed Russian tank in Mala Rohan, Ukraine, May 25) Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar told journalists yesterday that fighting in the east had reached 'its maximum intensity' since Russia invaded on February 24. Pro-Moscow separatist groups have since 2014 controlled parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions known as the Donbas, but Russia now appears set on taking the whole region. 'Enemy forces are storming the positions of our troops simultaneously in several directions. We have an extremely difficult and long stage of fighting ahead of us,' Malyar said. Western military analysts see the battle for the urban centres of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in western Luhansk as a possible turning point in the war after a shift in momentum towards Russia following the surrender of Ukraine's garrison in Mariupol last week. Having lost thousands of troops in scattered fighting along the eastern front in recent weeks, Russian forces yesterday launched a targeted assault from three sides to try to encircle Ukrainian forces in Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. If the two cities straddling the Siversky Donets river fall, nearly all of the Donbas province of Luhansk would be under Russian control. Service members of pro-Russian troops drive a tank along a street past a destroyed residential building during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the town of Popasna in the Luhansk Region, Ukraine May 26 The Russian advance in the east has been backed by massive artillery bombardment across as many as 50 towns in Donetsk and Luhansk to force Ukrainian troops to retreat (destroyed residential building in Popasna, Luhansk, Ukraine, May 26) Having lost thousands of troops in scattered fighting along the eastern front in recent weeks, Russian forces yesterday launched a targeted assault from three sides to try to encircle Ukrainian forces in Severodonetsk and Lysychansk (Russian troops pictured May 26 in Luhansk) The Russian advance was backed by massive artillery bombardment across as many as 50 towns in Donetsk and Luhansk to force Ukrainian troops to retreat, according to officials, leading Zelensky to request further Western aid in the form of more missile systems and long-range weaponry. 'We are fighting for Ukraine to be provided with all the weapons needed to change the nature of the fighting and start moving faster and more confidently toward the expulsion of the occupiers,' Zelensky said in his nightly video address to the nation. He said Russian forces are wiping some eastern towns from the face of the Earth and the region could end up 'uninhabited.' 'They want to turn Popasna, Bakhmut, Lyman, Lysychansk and Severodonetsk into ashes as they did with Volnovakha and Mariupol,' Zelensky said. Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba meanwhile tweeted: 'We need more heavy weapons delivered as soon as possible, especially MLRS (multiple launch rocket systems) to repel Russian attacks.' Zelensky also said Russia had resumed shelling of second city Kharkiv yesterday, reporting at least nine people had been killed and 19 wounded. A comparison of Russian tanks: T-62 The T-62 is a Russian-made Main Battle Tank (MBT) which was produced between 1961 and 1975. It was designed to compete with the British FV4201 Chieftain and the American M60 Patton of the same era, but by the late sixties and early 70s had already become obsolete. Though the T-62 has been retrofitted to improve its combat capabilities, the armour would prove no match for modern anti-tank weapons and strategic warfare on display in Ukraine. Production: Soviet Union Production date: 1961-1975 Crew: 4 Length: 21.8ft Width: 11.5ft Height: 7.9ft Weight: 91,492lbs Power: 580 horsepower Top speed: 28mph Range: 280 miles Weaponry: 1x115mm main gun 1x12.7mm machine gun turret roof 1.7.62 machine gun front turret T-62 at the Russian Museum of Military History Advertisement Advertisement Monkeypox may now be endemic in the West forever, leading experts have warned as the virus normally confined to areas of Africa continues to spread around the world. Dr Adam Kucharski, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said it was unlikely the current outbreak would spiral into a pandemic like Covid. Monkeypox spreads through prolonged close contact or interaction with contaminated surfaces or clothes, unlike Covid which is predominantly transmitted in the air sometimes in a matter of minutes. But the epidemiologist, who was a member of the UK's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), warned the 'biggest risk' is that cases will 'not be eliminated in some places'. He said any persistent transmission increases the risk that the virus closely related to smallpox could be passed onto pets, meaning there will be permanent reservoirs of infection, as is the case in Africa. EU health chiefs have already acknowledged this threat and are considering a cull for all hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs owned by monkeypox patients. In the UK, officials are also expected to release guidance telling infected Britons to keep their distance from family pets. Monkeypox has now been identified in all four nations of the UK, as the number of confirmed domestic cases yesterday rose to 90. A disproportionate number are among gay and bisexual men. Twenty countries across the world have now been affected by the current outbreak, with Finland today becoming the latest to confirm an infection. Argentina, Bolivia and Sudan are all probing suspected cases. Until now, cases outside of western and central Africa were confined to a handful of people with travel links to the continent. Timeline of monkeypox 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. MAY 24, 2022: England logs another 14 cases, bringing the UK total to 71. MAY 25, 2022: Another seven infections are spotted in England, meaning 78 cases have been detected in the UK. MAY 26, 2022: Wales detects its first monkeypox case in the recent outbreak, bringing the UK total to 79. Advertisement Dr Kucharski said on Twitter: 'For me, biggest risk with monkeypox isn't that it will rapidly grow into a pandemic (it's not a novel flu or coronavirus). 'Instead, the the risk is that 'after initial superspreading events and focused control efforts, case numbers will slow down but not be eliminated in some places. 'And transmission will continue to persist in new places at low-ish levels via highly connected parts of the interaction network and hence further risk of spilling back in humans.' The current outbreak, first detected in a traveller from Nigeria to the UK on May 6, has been linked to several super-spreader events, including a gay pride festival in Gran Canaria, a fetish festival in Belgium and a 'sauna' in Spain. Experts this week revealed sexual transmission at these events is the leading theory behind the origins of the current cluster of cases. Dr Kucharski's comments echo a warning made by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) this week that monkeypox may become endemic if transmission continues and that it spreads to pets or wildlife. 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 host 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 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 UKs Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is already drawing up guidelines in an attempt to limit the risk of monkeypox patients infecting their pets. There are also fears infected patients could contaminate their pets fur and the illness be passed on to others in their household. Justine Shotton, president of the British Veterinary Association, said the association was monitoring the situation closely. She believes the risk of infecting pets remains low but is 'supportive of a cautious approach' while officials seek to learn more about the virus. Ms Shotton said: 'It would be a sensible decision to keep your distance from a pet while in quarantine. 'If I was diagnosed with monkeypox I would do whatever I could to limit contact, such as asking a friend or relative to take care of it.' She added: 'There is currently no evidence of transmission between humans and cats and dogs but we know rabbits and rodents are susceptible. 'If you have concerns about your pets health if they have a fever, respiratory issues, poor appetite or lethargy speak to a vet. 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 Dr Adam Kucharski, a former UK Government scientist and epidemiologist, said that while new cases may slow down, the 'biggest risk' is that they will 'not be eliminated in some places'. 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 'The chances are it will be something other than monkeypox but it's worth getting it checked.' It comes after an ex-WHO official claimed monkeypox may have been spreading under the radar in Europe for four years. Professor David Heymann, a former former director-general for health security and environment at the WHO, said the current global outbreak may date back to a handful of isolated cases in the UK in 2018. Two Britons were diagnosed with the tropical disease in September 2018 after returning from Nigeria. A third case was found in an NHS worker who treated one of the patients. In December 2019, a fourth person unrelated to the previous three tested positive for the virus after returning from Nigeria. Three further cases with similar travel history arrived in 2021. Professor Heymann suggested the virus may have been seeded in around this time and spread unchecked. All of the cases are believed to have had the milder western African clade of the virus the same one that is spreading now. It comes as monkeypox has now been detected in every UK nation, as Northern Ireland and Wales yesterday confirmed their first cases of the tropical virus. Some 90 patients in Britain have been sickened with the illness in the past three weeks. Health chiefs are alarmed about the ever-growing cluster of cases, given the smallpox-like infection is usually only spotted in Africa. A disproportionate number are among gay and bisexual men. Teams from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) are contacting 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 to form a buffer of immune people around a confirmed case to limit the spread of the disease. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, has been used in previous monkeypox outbreaks and is also being carried out in some EU countries. 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. 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 revealed close contacts of monkeypox cases, including NHS workers, are 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. 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? Around 20 countries including the US, Spain and Italy have 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. 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 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. 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. The clean-cut lawyer who allegedly gang raped a teenage girl on a bucks weekend has also been charged with molesting a second girl the previous night. Maurice Hawell, 28, was arrested earlier this month after a three month investigation into the alleged attacks at the warehouse-style unit in Newcastle West, NSW. The western Sydney solicitor is a former private Catholic school boy at the private Patrician Brothers' College in Fairfield and works at a firm in Sydney's CBD. Police allege he and groom-to-be Andrew David, 28, sexually assaulted a 19-year-old girl around 11pm on February 26 after she was allegedly lured back to the Airbnb. But Daily Mail Australia can now reveal Maurice Hawell is also facing a charge of sexually touching a second, different, girl between 10pm and midnight on February 25. Maurice Hawell, 28, was arrested earlier this month after a three month investigation into the alleged attack at the warehouse-style unit in Newcastle West, NSW (pictured) Clean-cut lawyer Maurice Hawell who allegedly gang raped a teenage girl on a bucks weekend has also been charged with molesting a second girl the previous night The gang rape is alleged to have taken place at the $555-a-night three-bedroom converted industrial-style flat in Parry Street, close to the city's party zone. The alleged attacks happened just a few days after civil engineer David's 28th birthday on February 22. A third man Marius Hawell, 20, is also alleged to have been part of the attack and was arrested in a dawn raid on his Edensor Park home on Wednesday. David was simultaneously arrested at his parents' plush $3million five-bedroom mansion, set in two acres of ground, on the semi-rural outskirts of Horsely Park. His wedding arrangements on June 18 have now been 'amended' over issues between the guest list and possible witnesses, Fairfield Local Court was told on Wednesday. Groom-to-be Andrew David, 28, was arrested at his parents' plush $3million five-bedroom mansion, set in two acres of ground, on the semi-rural outskirts of Horsely Park The groom and his wife-to-be now have no plans for a honeymoon, the court heard. Police allege the rape was carried out in one of the unit's bedrooms by the two older men between 10.35pm and 10.50pm while the younger man watched on The listing for the apartment says it can cater for up to six guests and boasts of its two king-size beds and one queen-sized. Photographs from inside the unit reveal a plush leather lounge suite and giant TV, with an open plan kitchen and upmarket walk-in shower and wet room bathroom. The listing for the apartment says it can cater for up to six guests and boasts of its two king-size beds and one queen-sized One reviewer praised its 'good location and nice space for larger groups' while another commented on its 'very nice bed'. Maurice Hawell also left a rating and review for the unit in the wake of the weekend, although the review is now blank, but he was thanked for it by the letting agent. The two 28-year-olds were charged with two counts each of aggravated sexual assault on February 26 in company with other persons. Maurice Hawell faces the extra charge of sexually touching without consent a different girl on February 25. The attack is alleged to have taken place at the $555-a-night three-bedroom converted industrial-style flat in Parry Street, close to the city's party zone Maurice Hawell also left a rating and review for the unit in the wake of the weekend, although the review is now blank, but he was thanked for it by the letting agent Marius Hawell was charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault on February in company with other person/s, being that of principal in the second degree. All three accused have been granted bail to return to court on July 4, with police investigations continuing. Maurice Hawell was unavailable at his office on Thursday. Colleagues said he was on personal leave and 'taking some time off'. This is the shocking moment a vicious thug punched and kicked a taxi driver more than 30 times to put him in a coma. Callum McDermott, 32, was confronted by the cabbie after he was spotted deliberately stopping traffic in the middle of the road in Saffron Lane, Leicester, at 6.40am on August 23 last year after a cocaine and alcohol fuelled night out. Dash-cam footage captured the man then launching his frenzied attack, kicking and punching his victim more than 30 times while he was lying on the ground. Callum McDermott, 32, of Leicester, was jailed for ten years and eight months The 45-year-old sustained multiple facial fractures and was placed in an induced coma in hospital with life-threatening injuries. The dad-of-three was left physically and mentally scarred and will never be able to return to work as a taxi driver. Body-cam video shows how McDermott also violently attacked a number of officers who arrived at the scene and threw a wheelie-bin at them. One officer was punched in the face and was left with a broken nose in four places as well as cuts and bruises to his face. McDermott was sprayed with an incapacitant, arrested and taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary where he made racist comments to staff. He went on to admit grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of assault on an emergency worker and a Section 5 racially-aggravated public order. He was also charged with attempted murder but following a trial earlier this month he was found not guilty of that offence at Leicester Crown Court. McDermott, of Leicester, was jailed for ten years and eight months at the same court on Thursday. McDermott was confronted by the cabbie after he was spotted deliberately stopping traffic in the middle of the road in Saffron Lane, Leicester, at 6.40am on August 23 last year after a cocaine and alcohol fuelled night out Dash-cam footage captured the man then launching his frenzied attack, kicking and punching his victim more than 30 times while he was lying on the ground Detective Constable Berni Smith, of Leicestershire Police, said: 'This was a horrific attack on a man in a public place, in front of a number of members of the public. 'Many were left extremely distressed by what they had witnessed. 'Fortunately, the victim survived the attack, although he is still receiving ongoing medical treatment and life for him will never be the same. 'McDermott didnt just stop at attacking the victim, he then assaulted a number of officers, one of whom sustained significant facial injuries.' Temporary Chief Constable Rob Nixon added: 'This was a shocking incident and my thoughts are with the victim and his family. 'McDermotts actions that day were inexcusable. Not only did he attack a member of the public but officers doing their duty. 'Any attack on any police officer is very concerning to us and completely unacceptable. 'Your police officers and staff are normal people who do incredible things. Drawn from our local communities, they are doing an excellent job at the most challenging of times. The 45-year-old sustained multiple facial fractures and was placed in an induced coma in hospital with life-threatening injuries Body-cam video shows how McDermott also violently attacked a number of officers who arrived at the scene and threw a wheelie-bin at them 'Being attacked and assaulted while they carry out this duty will simply not be tolerated.' Following the case, the victims 36-year-old wife said in a heartbreaking interview: 'He wishes the man had killed him - life will never be the same again.' She added: 'Hes been extremely depressed and can be tearful - he knows something has happened to him he just cant remember what. 'We originally come from Sri Lanka and he often says he just wants to go back to his homeland and leave the UK. 'My older daughter is 10 years old, she knows something has happened and her dad has changed. 'She was an extremely intelligent girl and as a result of whats happened her school work started to suffer. 'Luckily the school have been able to support her and provide some wellbeing counselling to help her. One officer was punched in the face and was left with a broken nose in four places as well as cuts and bruises to his face The dad-of-three was left physically and mentally scarred and will never be able to return to work as a taxi driver 'The detectives who have been investigating this case have been supportive and making adjustments so my husband is able to provide evidence via a video recording and didnt have to stand up in court and talk about what he remembers or the impact on him now. 'When the officers came to our home on the morning of the assault I thought they were just there to speak to me or tell me something - I never expected it to be about my husband being seriously assaulted. 'I was in shock for days, luckily family and friends rallied around us and were there to support me and the children through the traumatic time. 'That day changed our lives forever and I dont know whether life will ever be the same for us again. 'How can someone do that to another person, does he not have a family, doesnt he have a heart? 'I can only hope now that my husband will recover in some way and be able to return to work and we can be a normal family again.' The former partner of billionaire Lord Ashcroft's son has given her first in-depth account about how she shot dead a police chief in the tropical paradise of Belize. Jasmine Hartin, 33, admitted that she shot Superintendent Henry Jemmott when his gun went off by accident while she handled it as they had a late-night drink together on a pier. But she insisted that she did not realise at the time that his service pistol was loaded, meaning she was not responsible for his death. She said: 'How could I be charged with manslaughter by negligence where I truly thought the weapon was empty?' In an exclusive interview with discovery+, the Canadian-born socialite told of her regret at initially making up a story that he had been shot by a man in a passing boat, saying she had lied out of panic and fear. The former partner of billionaire Lord Ashcroft's son has given her first in-depth account about how she shot dead a police chief in the tropical paradise of Belize Jasmine Hartin, 33, admitted that she shot Superintendent Henry Jemmott when his gun went off by accident while she handled it as they had a late-night drink together on a pier She insisted that she did not realise at the time that his service pistol was loaded, meaning she was not responsible for his death. Pictured: The pier the pair were sitting on In an exclusive interview, the Canadian-born socialite told of her regret at initially making up a story that he had been shot by a man in a passing boat, saying she had lied out of panic and fear Lord Ashcroft's son Andrew, 43, and his former partner Jasmine Hartin, 32, who is facing a manslaughter charge in Belize The latest shocking episode in the Hartin saga comes as she prepares to stand trial later this year over the death of Superintendent Henry Jemmott Hartin insisted that she and Supt Jemmott were only friends rather than lovers, even though her relationship with Lord Ashcroft's son Andrew was disintegrating at the time. She said the Belizean police chief had earlier shown her his Glock 17 pistol while advising her to get a gun to defend herself after she was the victim of an attempted sexual assault. Hartin claimed that Supt Jemmott had invited her and partner Andrew, 44, the son of the former Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, for a drink as he was staying nearby But she went alone to meet up with him after Andrew opted for an early night in their apartment in San Pedro on the holiday island of Ambergris Caye off Belize. Jasmine Hartin, 33, is back in custody over explosive new allegations that she ordered a hit on the country's police commissioner In the early hours of May 28, 2021, Jasmine Hartin shot Henry Jemmott dead with his own service pistol Andrew Ashcroft claims his ex Jasmine Hartin is unfit to care for twins Charlie and Ellie After spending the weekend behind bars, Hartin gave a statement saying the off-duty officer was showing her how to handle his firearm as the pair drank and hung out Hartin told how the off-duty police chief, nicknamed 'King', had made the fatal decision to take along his gun, after returning to his room to fetch it as they made their way to the pier. She said: 'He grabbed it before we went out and I remember making a joke with him about it, like, 'We're just going right here, there's security here, like you don't need it', But he brought it anyways.' Speaking in the documentary One Bullet in Belize which is available on discovery+ UK from Saturday, May 28, she shuddered as she recalled the gun, saying 'Didn't need to be there, didn't need to be there.' She recalled: 'It was a full moon. It was a beautiful night. We were just talking, listening to music, having fun and we went to the pier. I wanted to put my feet in the water.' Last year, after she was first arrested, the blonde socialite was holed up in a tiny concrete cell at the stiflingly hot police and magistrates court complex in San Pedro, the tropical island of Ambergris Caye's only town Hartin told interviewer Sarah Hunt how her policeman friend once again suggested she got acquainted with handling a gun and bullets in a magazine, as he had done a few days earlier following the attack on her. She said: 'I had the magazine. I was just emptying it and reloading it without it being in the weapon. It was like a game to see how fast I could take them out and then put them back in. 'And then he took the bullets and put them to his left. I had the empty magazine - fully empty - and I popped it in [the gun] and then put it down. 'We were sitting on the side of the dock. Both of our feet were over the dock, so I have the weapon on my right, the bullets are to the left of Henry.' She said her friend who had recently told her he was single after the end of a long relationship, then asked her to rub his shoulder as it was sore after his day's fishing. Hartin said she recalled making a joke with him, saying 'I said, 'Don't you have like a bunch of girls to do this for you?' 'I shuffled back a little bit, I still have my right leg straight, but my left leg was bent behind his back and I'm rubbing his shoulder. 'Then at some point, he says he wants to go back inside, to hand him the magazine, so he was going to refill it real quick. 'So, I lean forward. I pick it up. I'm trying to get the magazine out [of the pistol]. I'm still sitting. He's still sitting. 'I'm using the Moon to see and I'm pushing to try to get the magazine out, and it was like it was stuck. 'I don't ever remember touching the trigger at all. Next thing I know, the gun goes off.' Hartin who is on bail after being charged with manslaughter by negligence, added: 'I thought it was a safe weapon [that] it was clear, empty.' The 20 stone officer fell backwards on top of her, trapping her against the boardwalk after a bullet from the pistol blasted him through the back of his head. Hartin who has five-year-old twins with Andrew Ashcroft, added: 'There's blood on me, so I know something's wrong. 'I have Henry on top of me. As I'm wiggling out from under him, he begins to slip into the water. 'I tried to hold him, and he was way bigger than me, there's no way I could have kept him on that dock, but I tried to get under his arms and hold him up, and I could not.' Eventually, police officers found the body of the police chief floating in the water. Hartin went on: 'They said they found him, and I said, 'Is he OK?' And they said, 'No, he's dead.' And that's when I found out he was actually dead. I didn'tyeah.' She said she then made the statement which she now bitterly regrets, saying he had had been shot by a man in a passing boat, before later retracting it and telling the truth. Hartin said: 'Once the adrenaline settled down, once I calmed down, once everything hit me then I was like, 'No, like I remember what happened, it was an accident'. Describing how she regretted her earlier statement, she said: 'Yeah I was so in shock when I initially said that, that I barely remember what I said. 'To be honest, I regret I should have probably just been honest from the moment. But when you're in that much shock and mental trauma, youI don't know. It doesn't make sense why I said that. I don't know why I said that. 'I'm exhausted, I'm in shock. I'm scared, you know, I'm covered in my friend's blood. I, I don't know. You can't explain why people do things when they're in shock.' She emphatically denied rumours that she was having an affair with Supt Jemmott, and insisted their relationship was one of friendship. Hartin said: 'It just didn't seem risky or like anything sexual, I didn't think about that like at all. It was more like just friendship and we trusted each other. The blonde beauty was living the high life before the tragedy occurred on May 28 'He didn't break up and come to me. I know he made some jokes to some friends about having a date. So he may have just been pulling their leg.' She also insisted that the fact that they met in a public place close to the Grand Colony apartment which she shared with Andrew Ashcroft, supported her insistence that they were not lovers trying to meet discreetly. Hartin who is due to stand trial in Belize any time from June 13, said: 'It was my front yard and Andrew was supposed to be coming down with me. 'He [Henry] was not hitting on me. And he really thought that Andrew and I were still quite an item, nobody knew really that we weren't together. We kept that very secret.' The blonde is pictured with her two kids in a social media snap captured before the May shooting She also attacked other wild rumours swirling around Belize including gossip suggesting that the gun had gone off after Andrew Ashcroft had caught her and Supt Jemmott on the pier. Hartin said: 'The stories are completely absurd. The most recent is that Henry and I were having a fiery affair on the pier and Andrew caught us and so they were struggling for the weapon. 'I'm like, this is so dramatised, you can't make this what it's not, there was only the two of us on the pier and it was an accident. Responding to claims that she had murdered the police chief, she said: 'What was my motive? I just thought, 'Hey, I'm going to take my friend to my front yard where my children are sleeping upstairs. And I'm just going to for no reason cause it's a Thursday, and I feel like it, I'm just going to cold-blooded kill him? In my front yard? In front of my security? 'I'm so sick of telling people I'm not a murderer. Like the fact that that has to come out of my mouth as a sentence is insane. It's completely ridiculous.' Protesting her innocence of the manslaughter charge, she added: I did not know that Henry handed me a loaded gun. 'I emptied the magazine. I figured that it's empty, so I don't understand how that is manslaughter by negligence. 'I don't feel I was negligent. I really don't. I feel like it was an accidental death.' Former dental assistant Hartin described how she was raised by a single mother in rural Canada before arriving in Belize in 2014 after a long-term relationship ended, and she landed up in the bustling holiday island of Ambergris Caye. She became an estate agent in the island's main town, San Pedro, where she met businessman Andrew Ashcroft whose father owned the Belize Bank Hartin said she has been ready to return to Canada, but fell for Andrew's sense of humour and vowed to make Belize her home. The couple became parents to twins in 2017, but never married although they referred to each other in public as being husband and wife. Jasmine admitted she was blissfully happy after the birth of her children, saying: 'It was the best decision I ever made, my whole life, I wanted to be a Mom.' But cracks had begun to privately appear in the golden couple's relationship by the time they opened their luxury Alaia resort in San Pedro in early May 2021. Andrew had beamed at the official opening as he insisted that he and his 'wife' Jasmine and their children were 100 per cent committed to Belize. Hartin smiled for the cameras but inside she was cringing as their seemingly perfect relationship was a sham None of the prominent guests at the ceremony realised that the couple were leading separate lives, and sleeping apart. Hartin is seen in an old video carrying a pump-action shotgun, then pretending to blow smoke from the barrel Hartin said she was the target of an attempted sexual assault two weeks later, at a female friend's birthday party, when an unknown man attacked her. She said: 'He was forcing himself on me and tugging at my pants' Hartin recalled how she fought off the man, but was left scared and immediately contacted her friend Supt Jemmott for support and advice. She said that he arrived to help her on the night, recalling: 'He scolded me like a big brother, telling me off for putting myself in a bad situation.' The police chief advised her to apply for a gun license for personal protection, as many others did in a country which is notorious for its high murder rate. Supt Jemmott then handed over his Glock 17 service weapon so she could practice loading and unloading the magazine. Just 24 hours later on May 24 last year she saw a message on his Facebook page, saying he was single after being in a relationship for many years. She wrote asking if he was OK, and he replied that 'he was better than ever' and asked her if she could book him into her hotel because he needed a break. Supt Jemmott returned to the island within 24 hours and went on a fishing trip on May 27, catching barracuda and snapper in the plentiful waters of the Caribbean. He then spent the evening at the home of Panny Arceo, a fishing guide and close friend, who recalled that he was 'was in good spirits'. Ashcroft and Hartin jointly ran the luxurious Alaia Belize Hotel on the resort island of Ambergris Caye off Belize's Caribbean coast Hartin and Andrew Ashcroft were at a rooftop bar with friends, but she said that she was not enjoying herself. She said she had returning to her apartment shortly after 10pm to relieve the babysitter, when she received a text from her policeman friend. He joked that he had been in San Pedro for two days, but still hadn't seen her and Andrew, and suggested they join him for a nightcap, she said. Hartin said she changed into jeans and grabbed a bottle of wine for their fateful meeting while Andrew decided to stay behind. She is now estranged from Andrew and is fighting a bitter custody battle with him over their twins. He has accused her of being an unfit mother. A new airline is selling tickets plane tickets for flights from London to New York for a bargain price of 255, but anyone looking to take extra bags could have to pay an extra 111. Norse Atlantic Airways is commencing flights from Gatwick Airport to JFK Airport on August 12 at less than half the price of current transatlantic flights on those dates. But passengers will have to travel extremely light to take advantage of this, as the airline is charging fees of 55.50 to check in a 'standard' 23kg bag, meaning the depending on how much luggage you're taking the price could go up. The new airline is charging fees of around 20 for carry on bags up to 10kg in weight, and around 48 for 'light' checked bags weighing up to 15kg. Even with the extra fee to bring the bag onboard, the flight is still hundreds of pounds cheaper than other flights to New York, with other services from Gatwick by Jet Blue and British Airways costing more than 600. It is also more than 100 cheaper than an anytime return train ticket from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, which would set you back 369.40 for a journey leaving on that same date. Norse Atlantic Airways is launching its first flights from June 13, with the first flights from Gatwick to New York leaving on August 12 Daily flights on the route will use the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft which can carry up to 344 people across the Atlantic. It is set to offer flights to other US destinations shortly, with the first confirmed destinations being Oslo in Norway, London in the UK, as well as Fort Lauderdale, Los Angles, New York and Orlando in the United States. The Norwegian airline is set to start operations on June 13, and comes as ticket prices rocket as the price of fuel goes up and demand for flights increases. The airline industry is trying to get back on its feet after a torrid couple of years, with the Covid pandemic causing some airlines to go bust and many to lay off staff. The new flight is hundreds of pounds cheaper than the next cheapest flight to the Big Apple from the UK Norse Atlantic Airways is looking to succeed where Norwegian Air Shuttle failed. Norwegian operated transatlantic flights with low fares but axed its long-haul operations in January 2021 due to heavy losses. It was founded by Bjorn Kjos, who resigned as chief executive in July 2019 and holds a minority stake in Norse. Bjorn Tore Larsen, boss of Norse, said: 'We are very pleased to now be able to welcome customers looking to book great value flights between London Gatwick and New York JFK. 'Customers now have an affordable option allowing them to book a last-minute trip or a holiday of a lifetime with an airline that offers choice and flexibility.' The launch of Norse flights from Gatwick will be a major boost for the West Sussex airport, which has been badly affected by the coronavirus pandemic. It closed one of its two terminals between June 2020 and March due to the collapse in passenger numbers. People looking to travel to New York could be delighted by the new service, although they will have to pay extra to check in their bags Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said: 'We are delighted to welcome Norse Atlantic Airways to Gatwick. 'It's always great to see a new tail on the airfield but the arrival of a new airline following the turbulent past two years for the industry, and one that will be offering fantastic long-haul routes across the Atlantic, is particularly exciting news. 'Passengers across London and the South East will now be able to benefit from another transatlantic service from Gatwick, with Norse offering excellent value for money for those flying out for a dream holiday, or important business trip, to New York, one of the world's most famous and dynamic cities.' A Love Island star's mother has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction - after a missing eight-year-old girl who vanished from school was found safely. Lancashire Constabulary had been increasingly concerned about the whereabouts of youngster Darcy Shea. She had last been seen outside St Cuthbert's Primary School in Blackpool at 9am this morning and officers believed she was picked up by Jane Prior, 60. But just after 3pm both of them were found safely and Mrs Prior, who is the mother of Love Island star Kendall Rae Knight, was arrested on suspicion of child abduction. Officers had carried out searches and conducted a number of enquiries to try and find them both. Jane Prior, 60, and Kendall Rae Knight beaming for this happy mother-daughter picture Today Jane Prior, 60, was arrested for child abduction as Darcey was found safe and well Lancashire Police were urgently searching for missing eight-year-old Darcey this afternoon Ms Prior - who has modelled on ITV favourite This Morning - has links to Preston and North Wales but was in the Blackpool area. The pair were thought to be in a blue Mitsubishi Colt car registration SP56 RHO. A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: 'Further to our earlier appeals, Darcy, missing from Blackpool, has been found safe and well in the resort this afternoon. 'A 60-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction and is in custody. Ms Prior is mother of Love Island star Kendall Rae Knight, pictured, and known to Darcey The pair were thought to be in a blue Mitsubishi Colt car registration SP56 RHO pictured here 'Thank you to everyone who shared our appeals for information.' Three years ago Ms Prior appeared on This Morning where she was wined and dined in Italy during a special dating section. The Matchmaker Mountain segment featured her and explained her motivations for going on the show She told the programme: 'My daughter Kendall (Rae Knight) was on Love Island last year and although she didn't find love on the show, I thought I hopefully might have more luck!!' A Russian news site has reported that Britain will soon turn to cannibalism amid horrendous food shortages caused by war in Ukraine - based entirely on a Jeremy Clarkson column. Pro-Kremlin channel and website Tsargrad TV reported on May 23: 'Things are not going well in the UK... their own population is preparing for starvation.' It also claimed a 'state of emergency' had been declared in Britain due to food shortages and explained, entirely seriously, in a May 18 article how 'British TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear warned about the dangers of cannibalism in the UK'. The laughable claim, which has been repeated in a number of Tsargrad TV's articles, was derived from a Sunday Times column in which the former TV presenter-turned-farmer expressed his concern over the global food crisis exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. The article covered some very real concerns such as the skyrocketing prices of fertiliser and gas, and considerable grain and oil shortages as a result of the conflict. But it was peppered by a series of jokes and tongue-in-cheek statements such as: 'Politicians say they are ''monitoring the situation'', which means they aren't doing anything at all, but one day they will have to because while people can live without heat or clothing or even sex, they cannot live without food. 'Hunger makes people eat their neighbours.' The oligarch-owned, pro-Putin channel decided this was all it needed to declare British citizens fledgling cannibals. A Russian news site has reported that Britain will soon turn to cannibalism amid horrendous food shortages caused by war in Ukraine - based entirely on a Jeremy Clarkson column (Clarkson pictured last year at launch of 'Clarkson's Farm' series) Pro-Kremlin channel and website Tsargrad TV reported on May 23: 'Things are not going well in the UK... their own population is preparing for starvation and journalists begin to say terrible things aloud, reminding them of the risk of cannibalism' (Russian President Vladimir Putin pictured yesterday) Russian Orthodox billionaire launched Tsargrad TV in 2015 with the help of a former Fox News producer. He accused of funding and advising Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine and funding nationalist groups across Europe A military vehicle is pictured in a grain field previously mined with explosives, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in Chernihiv region, Ukraine May 24, 2022 'Residents of the UK are very frightened that Ukraine - the world's leading supplier of grains and vegetable oils - no longer supplies anything to anyone... store shelves are empty, and because of this, the country is rolling down an inclined plane,' the Tsargrad article read. 'The British are already being pushed towards... cannibalism!' Tsargrad TV is owned by Konstantin Malofeev, an Russian Orthodox billionaire and ultra-conservative Putin supporter. The oligarch in 2015 launched the channel which quickly earned the moniker 'Russia's Fox News', thanks in part to its conservative content, but also to Malofeev's decision to hire former Fox News producer John Hanick to help create the platform. Malofeev is also accused of being heavily involved in the financing and advising of Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine, playing a key part in Russia's annexation of Crimea and resulting unrest in the Donbas region since 2014. The war in Ukraine, together with Western sanctions against Russia, have sent the price of grain, cooking oil, fertiliser and energy soaring. That in turn is threatening a global food crisis as many countries count on Russia and Ukraine for more than half of their wheat imports, including some of the poorest. Russia and Ukraine together account for nearly a third of the global wheat supply, and their importance has been underscored by an Indian export ban and adverse crop weather in North America and Western Europe. Ukraine is also a major exporter of corn, barley, sunflower oil and rapeseed oil, while Russia and Belarus - which has backed Moscow in the war and is also under sanctions - account for over 40 per cent of global exports of the crop nutrient potash. The war in Ukraine is threatening a global food crisis as many countries count on Russia and Ukraine for more than half of their wheat imports, including some of the poorest (man collects wheat at grain silos in Egypt) A Ukrainian army officer inspects a grain warehouse earlier shelled by Russian forces on May 06, 2022 near the frontlines of Kherson Oblast in Novovorontsovka, Ukraine Jeremy Clarkson, pictured at the Diddly Squat Farm in Chipping Norton. The ex-Top Gear presenter has been farming his own land in recent years and opened up about his concerns over the knock on effect of the war in Ukraine on food production in the UK Clarkson, who in recent years has been learning to farm his own land in the Cotswolds and struck a deal with Amazon Prime to televise the journey, discussed his concerns over the knock-on effect of the war in Ukraine for food production in Britain. 'I don't pretend to be an expert in geopolitics any more than I pretend to be a farmer, but I really think the world has slipped into a pair of margarine trousers and is now hurtling down a well-watered slide into the pit of hunger, misery and death,' he wrote. 'The problem is that next year many farmers will decide that, because of the costs involved, they'll use less fertiliser. Some will doubtless try to use none at all... Others will try to use cardboard or lawn clippings or faeces instead. Either way they will produce less food. 'Prices are already going up, not by 7 per cent or 10 per cent but by a massive 37 per cent. And the World Bank says it won't stop there. 'The British government could take a lead and force farmers to farm their land, with grants to pay for the fertiliser... But that isnt going to happen for a couple of reasons... the British government is run by Carrie Johnson, who thinks the countryside should be for badgers and not for growing food.' Boris Johnson today warned that Russia is 'chewing through ground' in eastern Ukraine as he urged more support for Kyiv's forces. The PM said Vladimir Putin's military is making 'palpable progress' in the Donbas region despite the 'incredible heroism' of the resistance. In an interview with Bloomberg, he said more offensive weapons including long-range multiple-launch rocket systems are needed to help counter the threat. The Ministry of Defence says Putin's invading troops have recently captured several villages as they attempt to surround Severodonetsk and Lysychansk in the Donbas. Pro-Russian troops drive past a destroyed residential building in the town of Popasna in the Luhansk region yesterday Boris Johnson (pictured today) said Vladimir Putin's military is making 'palpable progress' in the Donbas region despite the 'incredible heroism' of the resistance. But it said President Volodymyr Zelensky's defending forces are holding 'multiple defended sectors' as Russia deploys 50-year-old Soviet-era T-62 tanks. These, the intelligence update said, 'will almost certainly be particularly vulnerable' to anti-tank weapons and shows Russia's lack of 'modern, combat-ready equipment'. Mr Johnson said: 'I think it's very, very important that we do not get lulled because of the incredible heroism of the Ukrainians in pushing the Russians back from the gates of Kyiv. 'I'm afraid that Putin at great cost to himself and Russian military is continuing to chew through ground in Donbas, he's continuing to make gradual, slow but I'm afraid palpable progress. 'And therefore it is absolutely vital that we continue to support the Ukrainians militarily.' Footage of the shocking moment a failed Australian anti-vaxxer politician allegedly savages a female police officer has been shown in court. Raina Cruise, 38, is seen in a violent 2021 confrontation with officers in the bodycam video which was played to Adelaide Magistrates Court. The mother-of-three is alleged to have ripped two patches of hair from a female officer in the incident and screamed a string of obscenities including taunting her as 'weak'. Footage of the shocking moment failed Australian anti-vaxxer politician Raina Cruise allegedly savages a female police officer has been shown in Adelaide Magistrates Court Ms Cruise infamously posed in a bra made from surgical masks on social media last year and unsuccessfully stood for the senate for the Informed Medical Opinions Party in the federal election. She was charged with causing harm with intent, aggravated assault and failing to provide personal details. The incident began when Ms Cruise was ejected from the Exeter Hotel in Adelaide's Rundle Street last October after allegedly pulling the face mask off a bartender. She was spoken to by police outside the hotel when they allege she became increasingly aggressive and eventually abusive. Video viewed by Adelaide magistrate Briony Kennewell shows Ms Cruise shouting and swearing at police, then striking an officer multiple times, the prosecution alleged. Among the abuse Cruise is alleged to have directed at police were the taunts 'do you want a f***ing go, b***h?' and 'Ill smash you, one-on-one', AdelaideNow reported. She was also allegedly heard telling e female officer 'you are so f***ing weak'. Prosecutor Karen Ingleton described Cruise's behaviour during the incident as 'aggressive and obnoxious'. Raina Cruise (pictured in her political promotion material left ) has been charged with assault after a night out in an Adelaide pub. The Bachelor of Health Science Student recently posted a picture on Instagram in a Covid mask bra saying she had finally 'worked out how to use them' (right) Raina Cruise (pictured) has denied assaulting anyone and will reappear in court in May '[She] eventually grabs [the officer] by the hair and drags her to the ground,' Ms Ingleton alleged. 'Despite a number of directions to let her go and get off, Cruise does not do that and ultimately rips hair from (the officer's) head.' Ms Cruise's lawyer Andrew Graham claimed the case should be thrown out, arguing his client was unlawfully arrested. But Ms Kennewell decided she did have a case to answer and she will now return to court next month. Ms Cruise has addressed the incidents on a video she posted to YouTube in which she admits she pulled a Covid mask from a bartender but says she assaulted no one. 'If I hadn't had a few drinks, it wouldn't have happened,' she said. Twitter has today been hauled into a free speech row after locking a feminist entrepreneur out of her account over a Tweet which she claims 'quotes UK law'. Angela Wild says she is no longer allowed to use her business account after Tweeting: 'All men should be banned from women-only spaces - and they are'. She says the comment is a quote of UK equality law - which allows single sex services to be provided in certain circumstances. However she claims the social media giant has suspended her profile until she agrees to delete the Tweet, which moderators say breaches the site's 'hate speech' rules. The 44-year-old businesswoman, who uses the Twitter account to promote her company's feminist art and clothing, says she has pleaded her case with the social media firm in a bid to get her account back. However she claims moderators have told her she will not be able to wrestle back full control of account - which has more than 11,000 followers - until she deletes the Tweet. Feminist groups claim Twitter has given in to pressure by trans activists by locking Ms Wild's account and have attempted to rally around the entrepreneur. And today Harry Potter author JK Rowling - who has become a leading feminist voice on social media - shared her support, by retweeting a post from Ms Wild's friend about her situation. Speaking about her experience to MailOnline, Ms Wild said: 'I'm outraged at the thought that moderators on Twitter are making decision like this and taking action against a Tweet about something that is legal in the UK. Ms Wild, 44, who lives in Wales, started her own business in September 2017 designing slogan-printed t-shirts and badges, which campaign for women's sex-based rights The message was retweeted by JK Rowling, who has become a prominent voice in campaigning for women's sex-based rights and who was once pictured with Ms Wild at a campaign meeting Friends say Ms Wild has been locked out of 'several' social media accounts and that people are now 'actively sabotaging' her business Angela Wild says the social media giant has suspended her account until she agrees to delete the Tweet, which moderators claim breaches the site's 'hate speech' rules The 44-year-old businesswoman, who uses the Twitter account to promote her company's feminist art and clothing, says she has pleaded her case with the social media giant in a bid to get her account back 'This is not just about respecting freedom of speech it's about democracy and having the right to state the law. And all of that is being taken away.' It comes as JK Rowling today backed Ms Wild in her battle with the social media giant, by retweeting a post claiming she was being 'sabotaged' by trans activists. The world-famous writer, 56, took to Twitter to retweet a message of support for the entrepreneur - who started her own business in September 2017 designing slogan-printed t-shirts and badges, which campaign for women's sex-based rights. So what does UK law say about sex-based rights? The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. The main body of the act makes it illegal to discriminate based on someone's sex. But it does make exceptions to the general prohibition of sex discrimination - to allow the provision of separate services for men and women. Under the act, a service provider can deliver separate services for men and women where providing a combined service would not be as effective. And it lists the instances where single sex services are permitted where, including those where only people of that sex require it - or where there is joint provision for both sexes but that is not sufficient on its own. Sex based services can also be utilised when a service is by more than one person and a woman might object to the presence of a man (or vice versa). The act also gives an example, saying it would not be unlawful for a charity to set up separate hostels, one for homeless men and one for homeless women, where the hostels provide the same level of service to men and women because the level of need is the same but a unisex hostel would not be as effective. But i each case, the separate provision has to be 'objectively justified'. This was backed up earlier this year when the UK's human rights watchdog, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, issued new guidance. It said that services such as bathrooms and domestic abuse refuges can be single sex in certain circumstances. It did however add that such services should be open to trans people wherever possible. Exceptions are only acceptable if there are 'proportionate and justified reasons', the EHRC said in its guidance. Advertisement Ms Rowling once famously wore one of Ms Wild's 'This Witch Doesn't Burn' t-shirts - sparking fury from trans activists who have branded the author and others like her as 'transphobic' for their gender- critical views. Ms Wild said she was 'thankful' for the support of Ms Rowling - who she once met when the author hosted some of Britain's most prominent feminists and women's activists to support the 'Respect My Sex' campaign. She said of Ms Rowling: 'She was very nice and very humble for someone of that celebrity status. 'I have a huge amount of respect for her. I think many celebrities are afraid to speak up and to put their ahead above the parapet about what is going on and what they really believe. She's very brave.' Ms Wild also thanked Ms Rowling and other feminists who had shown support, insisting that her business remained 'busy' despite the loss of her main Twitter account. 'I've had lots of support - because I think people are starting to realise what is happening. So I'm still busy and I have other accounts which I can use - though it took me a long time to get up to 11,000 before.' The row started after Ms Wild posted a tweet about sex-based rights. In the post, which copied in Ms Rowling, she wrote: 'All men should be banned from women's spaces.' Ms Wild said her account was later suspended following complaints by trans activists. But despite appealing, she received a message from Twitter moderators, which said under the header 'violating our rules against hateful conduct', that: 'Our support team has determined that a violation did take place, and therefore we will not overturn our decision. 'You will not be able to access Twitter through your account due to violations of the Twitter rules, specifically our rules around: In order to restore functionality, you can resolve the violations by logging into the account and completing the onscreen instructions.' Sharing the message on another account, Ms Wild said: 'My case has been reviewed. And just like that Twitter had determined that women-only spaces, which are legal in UK, protected in the Equality Act 2010, are 'hateful conduct'. 'When companies place themselves above the law are we still in a democracy?'. One of Ms Wild's friend, Jess DeWhals, flagged the entrepreneurs battle with Twitter. In a post she wrote: 'My friend Angela has been locked out of several social media accounts. 'People are mass reporting & actively sabotaging her business. I for one will go on a lil' shopping spree in her shop now. Need some feminist art and merch? Look no further.' The post was retweeted by Ms Rowling, who has more than 13million followers on her Twitter account. Ms Wild started her own business in September 2017 designing slogan-printed t-shirts and badges, which campaign for women's sex-based rights. She began selling her products on Etsy but many of them were banned for 'hateful conduct' after she was targeted by 'cruel' trans rights activists who sent her threatening messages and reported her items. Despite setting up her own website last year, the mother-of-one has had three different suppliers refuse to work with her and has been forced to call the police on several occasions to report the 'frightening' abuse she receives online. The single mother-of-one started her own business in September 2017 making slogan-printed products campaigning for women's sex-based rights She has blasted trans activists for trying to 'intimidate' her by sending her daily death and rape threats. Pictured: A threat she has received via Facebook Speaking exclusively to the MailOnline, Angela said: 'The past five years of my life have been hell. 'I've been relentlessly targeted by trans rights activists and their witchhunt campaign to instil fear into anyone who doesn't agree with their views. 'I've been labeled a 'terf' - a trans exclusionary radical feminist - a transphobic bigot, hateful, a Nazi, over social media and had some of my personal details published online. 'My products are based on my own views. I do not accept the idea that anyone can have a cervix. It's simple biology that only women do. It's ridiculous that we can't even say that - how is biology now viewed as hate speech? 'What I have experienced first-hand from trans activists has been intimidating and frightening - it shouldn't be allowed to happen. 'No one should have to be subjected to the abuse I and many other women receive on a daily basis. It's disgusting and simply not right. 'Transgender activists are trying to stifle free speech by tearing down anyone who wants to express gender critical views - It's unacceptable!' The single mother-of-one (above) has been labeled a 'terf' - a trans exclusionary radical feminist - a transphobic bigot, hateful, a Nazi, over social media and had her personal details published online Angela says her products are based on her own views and have been popular with customers 'Lesbian not Queer' is another of the store's popular designs that have attracted attention One of Angela's t-shirts which references the term 'Cis', which describes a person whose gender identity is the same as their sex assigned at birth Angela receives hateful messages daily from transgender activists on social media (pictured) and has been forced to contact the police several times concerned for her safety Angela, who is originally from France, has an array of products that she sells on her website, Wild Womyn Workshop, which include badges that read 'Trans women are men', 'Protect women-only spaces' and 'Female biology is not bigotry' to name a few. She started her business in September 2017 but was instantly met with abuse and opposition from trans activists who labelled her a 'worthless b***h'. She added: 'I was in an abusive relationship with a man for a very long time. I struggled severely with my mental health and when we broke up I decided I wanted to create something I believed in that reflected my values. 'I set up an Etsy shop in 2017 but after a few months, many of my products were being repeatedly reported. Over the years it kept happening until I was given a final warning in 2019. 'Messages on social media from trans activists sending me abuse became the norm - but as time went on they got more severe. It started to get quite scary and I had to contact the police. 'Fed up of having to constantly justify myself, I decided to set up my own website and it's been the best thing I've ever done. I love it!' The single mother-of-one, who is also the co-founder of lesbian feminist activist group Get The L Out, shot to prominence when J K Rowling purchased a t-shirt with the slogan 'This witch doesn't burn' under a pseudonym last year. The author, 56, has faced accusations of transphobia after she mocked an online article in June 2020 which used the words 'people who menstruate' instead of 'women'. Angela shot to prominence when J K Rowling purchased a t-shirt with the slogan 'This witch doesn't burn' under a pseudonym last year and tweeted about it (pictured) Angela says: 'I have been fortunate enough to always have consistent sales, but they went through the roof when J K Rowling posted a tweet wearing one of my t-shirts. I couldn't believe it! 'I support her and am a huge fan - it really was the boost I needed. I was so grateful. 'However, it massively increased the abuse and on one occasion I received a bomb threat to my studio followed by rape and death threats in their masses. 'Three different suppliers refused to work with me and one claimed my products were inciting hate. I've also had people pretend to place orders and message me to try and find out my home address - It's crazy. 'One person wrote to me on Facebook, ''Trans women are more of a woman than you. Looks like you burn pretty well to me.' 'My activism and products seem to highlight the conflict of interest between women's rights and trans rights activists. It's baffling to me that I am a woman and my right to free speech is taken away because I want to express gender critical views. 'My opinions aren't hurting anyone. We live in a democracy. Yet, with trans rights activists they seek to cancel you and make you feel as if you are nothing. Angela has said her activism and feminist products seem to highlight the 'conflict of interest between women's rights and trans rights activists' 'The more we are harassed the more we will stand up and fight. Women who are critical of gender ideology are routinely accused of being on the 'wrong side of history' but enough is enough. There needs to be a voice heard for the lesbian community.' Angela opened up about how trans lobby group Stonewall, which is paid millions of pounds for advising public bodies including Government departments, police forces and universities has branded lesbians 'sexual racists' for raising concerns about being pressured into having sex with transgender women. She said: 'We are now under huge pressure within the LGBT+ groups to accept trans women as sexual partners but there needs to be a voice for the other side. In my opinion, trans women are men. They do not have cervixes and they do not menstruate. That is simple biology. That is fact. Saying otherwise is ridiculous. 'Lesbians are women who are sexually attracted to women exclusively. We get called by organisations such as Stonewall and the LGBT community as transphobic and hateful because we don't conform to the ideology that we should be attracted to trans women. 'I believe nobody can change sex - you can identify as whoever you want but it doesn't make you that. Lesbians are being targeted. I have spoken to many who have been harassed and it's not okay. 'At the end of the day, we live in a democracy that prides itself on free speech. Trans activists have their voices heard and are supported by charities like Stonewall, however what about women like me who speak for the other side? 'You cannot simply shut us up. We are entitled to our opinion and I will make sure mine is heard every day.' You can visit the Wild Womyn Workshop here. MailOnline has attempted to contact Twitter for a comment but did not receive a response in time for publication. NATO scrambled F-35 fighters to intercept Russian aircraft on Thursday after the Norwegian Air Force identified two jets flying near the Finnish border. Tensions between Russia and the Nordics have escalated since Finland and Sweden submitted their applications to join NATO on May 18, expanding the border between Russia and the military alliance. Norway identified the Russian aircraft as one Mikoyan MiG-31 'Foxhound' and a Sukhoi Su-24 'Fencer' jet. The Russian planes flew to the Norwegian Sea before returning east, said the air force. The Srreisa Control and Reporting Centre, in the north of Norway, reported on the jets. The Norwegian F-35 fighter aircraft (left) is pictured next to the Russian Su-24 'Fencer' fighter (right). The Russian planes flew to the Norwegian Sea before returning east, said the air force Norway identified Russia's aircraft as the Mikoyan MiG-31 'Foxhound' (top) pictured next to NATO's F-35 (bottom). The Srreisa Control and Reporting Centre, in the north of Norway, reported on the jets Stine Barclay Gaasland, communications manager in the Air Force, said the Norwegian Armed Forces has two F35 fighter jets that are always on standby, in what they call the Quick Reaction Alert for NATO. 'In 15 minutes they must be in the air and be ready at all times. It is 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,' Gaasland told Norway's TV 2 Nyhetene. A total of 58 similar identifications were made based on 34 scramblers, or missions, in 2021, while the year before there were a few more, according to the Armed Forces. The Russian jets were observed outside Finnmark, in the far north of the county, but were never in official Russian airspace. Trespassing into Norwegian airspace would have provoked 'a more aggressive action', said Gaasland. Asked if the activity was a threat to Norway, she replied: 'I do not want to say that, because we are used to it happening, and there is nothing illegal in it. We pay close attention to all activity in our local areas.' Finnish President Sauli Niinisto (R) and Prime Minister Sanna Marin (L) announced the nation's intention to apply for NATO membership Sweden and Finland are attending the NATO summit in Madrid on June 28-30 to cement their bid to join the military alliance, according to announcement made during the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos. Finland and Sweden submitted their applications together and said they had been spurred into joining NATO by Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine, bringing about the biggest shakeup in European security in decades. Putin has repeatedly pointed to the post-Soviet enlargement of NATO toward Russia's borders as a key driver behind his war in Ukraine. Finland's prime minister Sanna Marin has been visiting Ukraine amid the Russian invasion, photographed in the towns of Irpin and Bucha where Ukraine suspects Russian troops carried out atrocities. She said on Thursday Russia's actions in Ukraine were a turning point for the world and relations with Moscow could not go back to how they were before its invasion. A Brazilian man has died after being handcuffed and asphyxiated with gas inside a police car in a viral video, sparking outrage across the country. Genivaldo de Jesus Santos, 38, could be heard screaming as he was being held by two officers of Brazil's Federal Highway Police inside an SUV's smoke-filled trunk. His legs, which stick out of the vehicle, kick for a time, until they eventually stop moving in the clip. The officers appeared undisturbed by surrounding onlookers. Social media erupted over the images of Tuesday's police stop in Umbauba, in the northeastern state of Sergipe. Dozens of people gathered to protest in the area on Wednesday, with demonstrators blocking a road and burning tires. A Brazilian man has died after being handcuffed and asphyxiated with gas inside a police car in a viral video, sparking outrage across the country 'The population is outraged,' a man can be heard saying in a video of the protest posted on Twitter. 'They murdered the guy!' another told the crowd through a loudspeaker. Mr Santos was described by his family as suffering from schizophrenia. According to Wallyson de Jesus, a nephew of Santos', he was approached by the officers while riding his motorcycle through the area. He became nervous when the officers found his schizophrenia medicine in his pocket, Mr de Jesus told news website G1. Genivaldo de Jesus Santos, 38, could be heard screaming as he was being held by two officers of Brazil's Federal Highway Police inside an SUV's smoke-filled trunk He said: 'They threw some kind of gas inside the trunk and went to the police station, but my uncle was unconscious. They took him to the hospital, but it was already too late.' In a statement, the Federal Highway Police said the man had displayed aggressive behaviour and was 'actively resisting' the officers who pulled him over. The agents immobilized him, the statement said, then used 'instruments of lesser offensive potential' to contain him. The statement says Mr Santos fell ill as he was being transported to a police precinct and was taken to a hospital, where his death was confirmed. A preliminary autopsy concluded the man died of respiratory failure due to 'mechanical asphyxia,' George Fernandes, a spokesperson for Sergipe state's forensic institute, told The Associated Press. His legs, which stick out of the vehicle, kick for a time, until they eventually stop moving in the clip. The officers appeared undisturbed by surrounding onlookers The statement says Mr Santos fell ill as he was being transported to a police precinct and was taken to a hospital, where his death was confirmed The incident 'shocked Brazilian society due to the level of its brutality, exposing the institution's lack of preparedness to guarantee that its agents obey basic procedures,' the Brazilian Public Security Forum, an independent group, said in a statement. President Jair Bolsonaro said he would find out from the Federal Highway Police what happened. He also mentioned a separate incident two weeks ago when a man shot two on-duty highway officers. The Federal Police opened an investigation. The forensic institute must submit its final, more in-depth report to the Federal Police within 10 days. The incident comes just days after officers of the highway police participated in an operation in Rio de Janeiro that left more than 20 people dead. Police have said they had no choice but to use lethal force, but accounts from residents published in local media have raised doubts on that claim. An autistic man is taking Sainsbury's to court after the supermarket refused access to his assistance cat - which he insists should be treated like a guide dog. Web designer Ian Fenn, who was diagnosed with autism two years ago, says Chloe the rescue cat sits on his shoulders and stops him from feeling 'overwhelmed' and 'anxious'. But the 51-year-old says his confidence was knocked after he was asked to leave a branch of the supermarket in south London in March because of his feline friend. Mr Fenn, who says Chloe is allowed into other supermarkets such as Tesco, has subsequently tried to convince Sainsbury's to let him take Chloe into stores. Web designer Ian Fenn, who was diagnosed with autism two years ago, says Chloe the rescue cat sits on his shoulders and stops him from feeling 'overwhelmed' and 'anxious' Mr Fenn says Chloe is allowed into other supermarkets such as Tesco, while he also takes her on the train Sainsbury's, which welcomes assistance dogs, argues that cats pose a food hygiene risk but has asked its environmental health team to try to find a solution. Mr Fenn looks set for a court showdown with the supermarket giant which could set a new legal precedent. The Equality Act 2010 puts a duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace or its practices to ensure disabled people are not at a substantial disadvantage. Mr Fenn, of Tooting, south London, says he has been taking Chloe out with him for about a year. He has owned her for five years after he adopted her from a cat rescue centre in Canning Town and estimates she is 12 or 13. But when he visited the store in Clapham Common in March he claims he was approached by staff and thrown out mid-shop. He added: 'In the end I was so upset I left the store and went home. 'Essentially, I shut down. I became overwhelmed. I was very upset as well and that would have happened much sooner had Chloe not been there. The 51-year-old says his confidence was knocked after he was asked to leave a branch of the supermarket in south London in March because of his feline friend 'I did lose confidence because... these kind of things happen so often to disabled people they have a name, which is access refusals. 'Chloe does not affect anyone else. 'I just want to go to a supermarket, get my stuff and go. 'I had plans for the following day and I cancelled them because I didn't have the confidence to leave the house. 'Because having a cat like this is unusual I'm pragmatic about it so I email or contact every business I visit in advance, if I possibly can. I have done that with over 200 places.' Mr Fenn said he contacted Sainsbury's ahead of his visit in March, and was told it should be fine. Mr Fenn looks set for a court showdown with the supermarket giant which could set a new legal precedent A Sainsbury's spokesperson said: 'We want to be an inclusive retailer where people love to work and shop, and understand that some of our colleagues and customers may need support in our stores. 'At the same time, safety is our highest priority and our colleagues are trained to balance maintaining our high food hygiene standards with supporting all our customers who shop with us. 'We are in contact with the local environmental health team to see if there are ways we can help Mr Fenn to visit our store without compromising this.' Chris Fry, a leading disability rights lawyer representing Mr Fenn, said he has issued proceedings against Sainsbury's after going through the 'pre-action protocol stage'. He said: 'Fundamentally we have not been able to find a compromise so we had to issue proceedings in the county courts.' He added that they 'hope a trial will happen within the next 12 months'. America will cross a 'red line' if it sends long-range rocket artillery to Ukraine, Russian state media has warned today, saying it could provoke a 'very harsh response'. Olga Skabeyeva, known as one of Putin's chief propagandists, issued the warning after it was reported Joe Biden is preparing to announce another shipment of weapons to Kyiv as soon as next week - with highly-prized MLRS artillery on the list. Kyiv had begged for the artillery to help counter similar Russian systems being used to deadly effect in Donbas, which have forced Ukrainian troops to retreat from several key cities this week. But, Skabeyeva said, 'if the Americans do that, they'll clearly be crossing a red line. We'll have witnessed an attempt to provoke a very harsh response from Russia.' Olga Skabeyeva, known as one of Putin's chief propagandists, warned today that America supplying long-range rocket artillery to Ukraine would cross a 'red line' The US is preparing to send long-range rocket artillery to Ukraine, to counter Russian systems which have devastated defences in the Donbas this week (pictured) The line seems intended to play into fears being voiced in the White House about exactly how far the US can go in supporting Ukraine without risking an escalation in the war or retaliation against America itself. Sources close to the deliberations said those exact issues were raised at two separate meetings of security officials which took place this week, CNN reports. Chief among those concerns was whether Ukraine would use the new weapons to attack Russia itself, rather than Russian forces within Ukraine. The two systems that American would likely send to Kyiv are the M270 MLRS or M142 HIMARS, both of which have a theoretical maximum range of around 300 miles. America has already sent long-range artillery - the M777 Howitzer - to Ukraine, but it has a maximum range of around 25 miles when fired with high-precision rounds. Officials are thought to have proposed mitigating that risk by only supplying Ukraine with shorter-range rockets, which have an effective range of just over 50 miles. Concerns were also raised over whether drawing down so heavily on US stocks would create security issues. Mark Milley - chief of the general staff - said last week that he will be watching 'very, very carefully' to avoid such a risk. None-the-less, the White House seems to be in favour because of how decisive rocket artillery is proving to be in Donbas when used by Russian forces. Ukraine is thought to have been forced to abandon the city of Lyman, a key defensive outpost on the east bank of the Donets River, in the last several days after it was reduced to rubble by rocket barrages. America is likely to send the M270 MLRS (pictured), which can range up to 300 miles if fired with precision rockets Russia's rocket artillery is the TOS-1 (pictured), which can fire up to 24 thermobaric rockets more than 200 miles Russia has been operating the system since the early days of the war (pictured), but it is proving particularly adept in the wide-open battlefields of the Donbas A dramatic video from the region showed the devastating shockwaves produced by Russia's TOS-1 rocket system which fires thermobaric warheads - known as 'lung-crushers' because of the vacuum they create when they explode. The vacuum blast is also prized because of its devastating effect on nearby defensive positions. TOS-1 systems have a range of up to 340 miles and carry 24 rockets, meaning they can shoot much further than anything in Ukraine's current arsenal. Kyiv does have some rocket artillery, but they are largely old Soviet systems such as the Grad. It is not clear how many of the systems are left after months of fighting. The base-model Grad has a range of up to 250 miles and can carry up to 40 rockets. Ukraine has adapted some of its Grad launchers into more modern systems, dubbed Bastion and Verba, though their capabilities are not clear. The American M270 can carry up to twelve rockets, though each of them are equipped with 'bomblets' that scatter and explode over the target area when the missile strikes. Twelve rockets are capable of dropping almost 8,000 bomblets. As a sign of how effective the artillery batteries are likely to be, Poland - which has been watching the war in Ukraine closely amid fears it could be next on Russia's target-list - has recently ordered 500 of the systems from the US. America has already provided long-range M777 artillery cannons, but even these can only strike up to 25 miles when fired with precision ammunition Russia and Ukraine are now locked into a bloody fight over the Donbas, which President Zelensky says has been 'totally destroyed' by the fighting Mariusz Baszczak, the country's defence minister, announced the purchase on Thursday - saying they would be used to form 80 new artillery battalions, making Poland's army one of the largest artillery forces in Europe. Russia and Ukraine are currently locked into a bloody struggle for control over the Donbas, an industrial region in eastern Ukraine close to the Russian border. Though the area has little monetary or strategic value, it has huge propaganda value for Putin because it contains sizable minorities of Russian-speaking citizens. The despot justified his invasion of Ukraine by claiming - falsely - that Ukraine was about to massacre these citizens and it was his duty to step in an protect them. For years he has been supporting separatist groups fighting in Donetsk and Luhansk - the two regions which make up the Donbas - and has declared the 'liberation' of the region to be the primary goal of his invasion. Taking Donbas is far less ambitious than Putin's original war aim of overthrowing the government, but is within the capabilities of his armed forces. Ukraine has been forced into a series of retreats in recent days and is reportedly taking heavy losses along the frontline here, with Russia creeping forwards. The battle is viewed as pivotal to the outcome of the war - a Russian win could weaken Ukraine to the point where it would be forced into a peace deal favourable to Moscow, while a win for Kyiv could see it start to retake lost territory. An HIV-positive tenant who stabbed his landlords to death in 'a bloodbath' in lockdown over fears Covid-19 would kill him has been jailed for at least 33 years. Spaniard Daniel Briceno Garcia, 46, murdered devout Catholics Sonia Butron Calvi, 66, and Edgar Aguilera Daza, 60, on April 1, 2020 - just days after the first lockdown began. Briceno Garcia claimed he was suffering from paranoid delusions and believed the Bolivian couple were trying to kill him at their shared five-bedroom maisonette in Stockwell, southwest London. He was HIV positive and thought contracting Covid 19 would end his life. Briceno Garcia was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 33 years after being found guilty of two charges of murder by an Old Bailey jury. Assisted a Spanish interpreter, he showed no emotion as he was sentenced. He had admitted two lesser charges of manslaughter claiming his mental condition meant he was not in control of his actions but the jury found he knew what he was doing when he killed the couple. Reading the victim impact statement of their daughter Laura Aguilera, prosecutor Tom Little told the court: 'My parents gave up a comfortable life in South America to find their children and grandchildren a better life. Daniel Briceno Garcia, 46, was paranoid about catching coronavirus when he attacked his landlords with a knife in Stockwell, south London , on April 1, 2020 Garcia attacked he attacked landlords Sonia Butron Calvi, 66, and Edgar Aguilera Daza, 60 'They were not only wonderful parents, grandparents and friends, but many members of the church looked up to them.' Ms Calvi and Mr Daza had 'an infectious humour that would make everyone feel better.' 'This is why I find it so difficult to accept how their life was taken in such a cruel way,' said Ms Aguilera. 'Grief and pain overwhelm acceptance of their absence.' Ms Aguilera also criticised him for 'not understanding the damage he has done to the entire Bolivian community in London.' The Recorder of London, Judge Mark Lucraft told him: 'You launched a brutal attack, on Edgar and then on Sonia.. He added: 'I am entirely satisfied that there is nothing that affected you at the time [of the murders]. 'You are a difficult person and at times have shown your unwillingness to engage in the process of this case. It was claimed Briceno Garcia had become worried about the risks of Covid and paying his rent in the pandemic in the shared property The defendant lived with the couple and a number of other people in a maisonette property Ms Butron Calvi and Mr Aguilera Daza had rented the property since 2015 and sub-let the four remaining bedrooms to other tenants including Briceno Garcia. Briceno Garcia had become 'paranoid' about the coronavirus, said Mr Little. 'Witnesses describe that the defendant had become concerned, if not paranoid about the risk that Covid was going to pose and was concerned about that in this property,' he said. 'That in itself you may think is understandable. 'But it's quite another thing to react to the risks which Covid posed and any arguments that flow from it with the use of a knife.' Flatmate Maria Bobadilla last saw Ms Butron Calvi alive at noon on April 1 the landlord told her: 'I don't know what the matter is with Daniel, he's constantly in a bad mood.' Ms Bobadilla went to her room and was watching a film with her partner Galo Perez Brit when she heard shouting. 'She looked down the stairs and saw the defendant and Edgar,' Mr Little said. 'They both hit the wall in the corridor on the ground floor leading to the front door. 'The defendant had his left arm around Edgar's neck. 'Edgar's back was against the wall and the defendant pushed off the wall and, while still holding Edgar with his left arm, he stabbed repeatedly at Edgar's stomach area with his right hand. 'Maria Bobadilla could not see clearly what it was but described it as a white long object. 'But as the fatal injuries to Edgar reveal, and as we will see the presence of a knife in the defendant's bedroom, it must have been a knife. 'Ms Bobadilla heard Sonia scream: 'Daniel, no, Daniel'. 'The last thing Ms Bobadilla heard Sonia say was: 'Daniel, I'm going to call the police.' Ms Bobadilla went back into her room and locked the door. Her partner, minutes later, suggested she leave the room and pretend to go to the bathroom to see if the fight had stopped. 'Maria Bobadilla looked out and saw the defendant at the door of his bedroom,' Mr Little said. 'He was holding his telephone to his ear. His face was completely red. 'By this stage he had attacked both Edgar and Sonia and they had been left dying downstairs.' Briceno Garcia shouted: 'Go back into your room and lock the door. I'm calling the police.' Mr Little said: 'Maria Bobadilla did as she was told and did not hear or see anything further until the police arrived.' The other occupants, Alejandro Deleg, Esguin Riofrio and Jose Chancusi, were in the flat in their rooms the court heard. Briceno Garcia called police six times, asking them to come to the flat. He opened the door to two police officers, PC Rose and PC Glen. 'He was holding a mobile telephone in his hand and he immediately lifted both hands up,' Mr Little said. 'PC Rose could see that there was some blood coming from both of his hands. 'What police found at the property can only properly be regarded as a bloodbath.' The officers entered the flat and found Mr Aguilera Daza 'surrounded by a pool of blood', the prosecutor said. Ms Butron Calvi was found lying in the kitchen. 'She was face down and had a knife clenched in her hand. She was also surrounded by a large pool of blood.' Police and paramedics tried to resuscitate them both but life was pronounced extinct for Mr Aguilera Daza at 4:30pm and for Ms Butron Calvi at 4.35pm. The killer told psychiatrists that his flatmates were 'psychologically and physically violent to him'. He also said the landlords were trying to kill him and that he was hearing voices. His defence barrister Clare Wade said Garcia suffers from HIV, and would have been particularly anxious about catching Covid because he needed 'to keep himself free of the disease.' Briceno Garcia, of Dorset Road, Stockwell, southwest London, was sentenced to life imprisonment for a minimum term of 33 years for the murder of Sonia Butron Calvi, and Edgar Aguilera Daza. Advertisement England's Covid wave is still collapsing, with infection rates having plunged to the lowest level seen in more than seven months. Office for National Statistics (ONS) analysts estimate that 874,400 people in England were infected with Covid in the week to May 21 equating to 1.6 per cent of people, or one in 60. The figure, calculated from swabs taken from thousands of Britons, is the lowest logged since October before the Omicron variant emerged and threatened to send the nation into another lockdown. Cases also continued to fall in Wales and Northern Ireland last week. But the ONS claimed the trend in Scotland was uncertain. The Government statisticians released an interactive map, which allows you to look up the case rate in your local area in the most recent week. Sarah Crofts, head of analytical outputs for the infection survey, said that cases are trending in the 'right direction across much of the UK'. She said: 'While Scotland and some regions of England saw an uncertain trend in the most recent week, it is too early to say if these uncertain trends mark the end of recent declines.' Statisticians at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimate that 874,400 people in England were infected with Covid in the week to May 21, equating to 1.6 per cent of people or one in 60 The ONS figures show infections fell in most UK nations last week. In Wales, 52,900 people were thought to be infected around 1.7 per cent of the population or one in 55 people. Another 23,300 individuals were carrying the virus in Norther Ireland, translating to 1.3 per cent or one in 80. However, the trend was uncertain in Scotland, where twice as many people (2.6 per cent) were infected equating to 135,400 people or one in 40 people Lockdowns saved 10,000 lives in Europe and US combined, study finds The first Covid lockdowns saved 10,000 lives in Europe and US and had 'little or no effect' on the virus death rate, updated analysis suggests. A review by an international team of economists found draconian shutdowns only reduced Covid mortality by 3 per cent in the UK, US and Europe in 2020. The experts, from Johns Hopkins University in the US, Lund University in Sweden and the Danish think-tank the Center for Political Studies, said that equates to 6,000 fewer deaths in Europe and 4,000 fewer in the US. This marks a revision from the group's first report last year, which found lockdowns cut Covid deaths by just 0.2 per cent. The team said the updated figure is down to changes in their calculations and new studies. But they still conclude: 'Stricter lockdowns are not an effective way of reducing mortality rates during a pandemic, at least not during the first wave of the Covid pandemic.' MailOnline was one of only three major British media outlets to cover the initial findings when they were released back in January. Experts at the time claimed it was unsurprising that some left-wing publications avoided the story because they wanted to 'maintain fear around the pandemic'. Their 3.2 per cent figure is the average effect of all lockdown measures combined. When looking at stay-at-home orders specifically, the team estimate this had even less of an impact, reducing the death toll by just 2 per cent. Their report does not look at the effect of lockdowns excess deaths, which includes people who died from other causes because hospitals were shut, for example. It did find mask wearing to be the most effective intervention, leading to a 18.7 per cent drop in virus fatalities however this result was based on just three studies. Advertisement The 874,400 cases in England marks a 15.7 per cent decline on the previous week's estimate. And it is the first time that infections have fallen below one million per week since December. Infections are now five-times lower than they were at the peak in early April, when 4.1million people in England, or 7.6 per cent, were carrying the virus. In Wales, 52,900 people were thought to be infected around 1.7 per cent of the population or one in 55 people. Another 23,300 individuals were carrying the virus in Norther Ireland, translating to 1.3 per cent or one in 80. However, the trend was uncertain in Scotland, where twice as many people (2.6 per cent) were infected equating to 135,400 people or one in 40 people. The ONS said it was not clear whether cases were rising north of the border. But the figures are higher than one week earlier when 122,200 people (2.3 per cent, one in 45) were thought to be infected. UK-wide data shows 1.1million people were estimated to have the virus, down from 1.3million one week earlier. This is the lowest logged since the end of November, when virus levels were creeping upwards as Omicron took hold. The ONS data is considered as the gold-standard way of measuring the outbreak now that the Covid dashboard is reporting figures less regularly. Experts had warned that the daily infection numbers had become extremely unreliable following the end of free Covid tests for the majority of Britons. The latest ONS update also shows that Covid cases fell across most of England. Cases fell in the North West, where 1.4 per cent are infected the lowest rate in England. They also dropped in the East Midlands (1.4 per cent), East of England (1.5 per cent), London (1.5 per cent) and the South West (1.7 per cent). But the ONS said it was unclear whether cases were rising or falling in the West Midlands (1.7 per cent), the North East (2.1 per cent), Yorkshire and The Humber (1.7 per cent) and the South East (1.8 per cent). Covid rates also fell in almost all age groups, with infection levels lowest among 11 to 15-year-olds (0.8 per cent), followed by two to 10-year-olds (1 per cent) and 16 to 24-year-olds (1.3 per cent). The trend in cases was uncertain among 25 to 34-year-olds (2.1 per cent) where Covid prevalence appeared to be highest. Virus rates were slightly lower among the over-70s (1.8 per cent), 50 to 69-year-olds (1.9 per cent) and 35 to 49-year-olds (1.6 per cent). It comes as a study yesterday suggested that Covid lockdowns during the first wave of the virus had 'little or no effect'. A review by an international team of economists found draconian shutdowns only reduced Covid mortality by 3.2 per cent in the UK, US and Europe in 2020. The experts, from Johns Hopkins University in the US, Lund University in Sweden and the Danish think-tank the Center for Political Studies, said that equates to 6,000 fewer deaths in Europe and 4,000 fewer in the US. This marks a revision from the group's first report last year, which found lockdowns cut Covid deaths by just 0.2 per cent. The team said the updated figure is down to changes in their calculations and new studies. But they still conclude: 'Stricter lockdowns are not an effective way of reducing mortality rates during a pandemic, at least not during the first wave of the Covid pandemic.' Their 3.2 per cent figure is the average effect of all lockdown measures combined. When looking at stay-at-home orders specifically, the team estimate this had even less of an impact, reducing the death toll by just 2 per cent. The latest ONS update also shows that Covid cases fell across most of England. Cases fell in the North West, where 1.4 per cent are infected the lowest rate in England. They also dropped in the East Midlands (1.4 per cent), East of England (1.5 per cent), London (1.5 per cent) and the South West (1.7 per cent). But the ONS said it was unclear whether cases were rising or falling in the West Midlands (1.7 per cent), the North East (2.1 per cent), Yorkshire and The Humber (1.7 per cent) and the South East (1.8 per cent) Covid rates also fell in almost all age groups, with infection levels lowest among 11 to 15-year-olds (0.8 per cent), followed by two to 10-year-olds (1 per cent) and 16 to 24-year-olds (1.3 per cent). The trend in cases was uncertain among 25 to 34-year-olds (2.1 per cent) where Covid prevalence appeared to be highest. Virus rates were slightly lower among the over-70s (1.8 per cent), 50 to 69-year-olds (1.9 per cent) and 35 to 49-year-olds (1.6 per cent) Their report does not look at the effect of lockdowns excess deaths, which includes people who died from other causes because hospitals were shut, for example. It did find mask wearing to be the most effective intervention, leading to a 18.7 per cent drop in virus fatalities however this result was based on just three studies. Meanwhile, a separate study found that people with asymptomatic Covid infections are two-thirds less likely to pass the virus on to others. A global study of nearly 30,000 people has found asymptomatic carriers are about 68 per cent less likely to pass the virus on than those who get sick. No10 used concerns about asymptomatic spread to justify forcing Britons to obey lockdowns and wear masks. They were thought to account for up to a third of all infections and many scientists claimed asymptomatic patients were just as infectious as the sick. But the study spanning 42 countries, including the UK and US, found they were only responsible for as little as 14 per cent of cases. Researchers also estimate that asymptomatic peoples' overall risk of passing the virus to someone else 'about two-thirds lower'. Scientists claimed Covid's ability to spread asymptomatically was one of the reasons for harsh social curbs. During one of the national lockdowns in January 2021, the Government said about a third of people with Covid had no symptoms and urged people to 'act like you've got it'. Boris Johnson today suffered a Government resignation and saw another Tory MP submit a no confidence letter as the fallout from this week's damning Partygate report continued. Paul Holmes quit his Home Office role as he lashed out at the 'distasteful' and 'toxic' culture in Number 10 that Sue Gray's report uncovered. Hours later, senior backbencher Sir Bob Neill became the latest Conservative MP to submit a no confidence letter to Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the powerful 1922 Committee. Sir Bob, who has been a frequent critic of the Prime Minister, claimed Mr Johnson's explanations this week for 'wholly unacceptable' Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street were not 'credible'. 'Trust is the most important commodity in politics, but these events have undermined trust in not just the office of the Prime Minister, but in the political process itself,' the Bromley and Chislehurst MP wrote in a statement. 'To rebuild that trust and move on, a change in leadership is required.' Sir Bob, chair of the House of Commons' Justice Committee, revealed he submitted his letter to Sir Graham on Wednesday afternoon, following the publication of Ms Gray's report. A total of 54 letters from Tory MPs are required to trigger a confidence vote in the PM's leadership. Sir Bob Neill claimed Boris Johnson's explanations this week for 'wholly unacceptable' Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street were not 'credible' Mr Holmes earlier quit as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Home Secretary Priti Patel. The Eastleigh MP claimed there was now 'a deep distrust in both the Government and the Conservative Party' due to the Partygate scandal. His resignation came at almost the same time as the Prime Minister insisted he was confident he retained the backing of his party in the wake of Ms Gray's 37-page document. Mr Johnson also pointed to his 'pretty vintage and exhaustive answers' on the Partygate report earlier this week, as he swerved further questions on the details of Ms Gray's findings on a visit to Stockton-on-Tees. But the PM has been warned he is still not out of danger over Partygate. And a new poll revealed Labour have opened up their largest lead over the Conservatives since the start of the Ukraine war. Eastleigh MP Paul Holmes quit his Home Office role as he lashed out at the 'distasteful' culture in Number 10 that Sue Gray's report uncovered Boris Johnson today insisted he was confident he retained the backing of the Tory party in the wake of Sue Gray's report Mr Holmes is one of the Tory MPs first elected to Parliament in 2019, as part of Mr Johnson's landslide election victory. He previously worked as a special adviser to Theresa May's deputy, Damian Green, as well as ex-education secretary Damian Hinds. In a statement on his website announcing his resignation, Mr Holmes said he had been 'shocked and angered' by the revelations about Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street. He revealed the 'distress' of the last few weeks had caused him to decide to 'focus solely' on his efforts as an MP and to relinquish his role as a ministerial aide. The 33-year-old also said it was 'distressing' that his work on behalf of his Hampshire constituents 'has been tarnished by the toxic culture that seemed to have permeated Number 10'. 'I am disappointed that all of this has taken a great deal of time away from the good work that Government has been doing and should be continuing to do, including dealing with the issue of the cost of living, focusing on our economic recovery and delivering for the people of Eastleigh and the wider country,' he added. Although Mr Johnson this week declared he had been 'vindicated' by Sue Gray's report into Covid rule-breaking in Downing Street, there is continuing angst among Mr Johnson's MPs about the senior civil servant's findings. Alicia Kearns, another of the Tory MPs first elected in 2019, reiterated that the PM 'continues not to hold my confidence' Alicia Kearns, another of the Tory MPs first elected in 2019, hit back at suggestions the country needed to 'move on' from the Partygate row. She added that the PM's account of events to Parliament was 'misleading' and suggested those around Mr Johnson 'clearly did not advise a policy of being honest and transparent with the British people'. 'This protracted affair has brought our Government and my Party into disrepute,' she said in a statement on Facebook. 'It has made good, hard-working and law-abiding Conservatives feel ashamed and has been a complete distraction from the many challenges we should be focused on at this difficult time. 'There are broader issues with the culture that breeds under this regime in Parliament, from the shameful lengths some will pursue to preserve this premiership, to some of the individuals and actions permitted to continue under it.' Ms Kearns reiterated that the PM 'continues not to hold my confidence'. Ex-Cabinet minister Sir Robert Buckland, a former top law officer, told Mr Johnson he was 'wrong' to claim it had been his 'duty' as PM to attend boozy leaving dos for Downing Street staff during the pandemic. The ex-justice secretary also put the PM on notice that MPs would be eagerly awaiting the results of a further investigation into whether Mr Johnson lied to the House of Commons, when he previously insisted all Covid rules had been followed in Number 10. Following the publication of Ms Gray's report - which found Downing Street parties had lasted until 4am, drunken attendees had thrown up, and there was even a fight between staff - five Conservative MPs have called for Mr Johnson to quit. A new survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies, conducted immediately following the release of Ms Gray's report, found Labour had opened up a nine-point lead over the Tories Sir Keir Starmer has now seen his party enjoy a poll lead over the Tories for almost six months, with Labour having retaken the lead in December when the Partygate scandal first erupted Ex-Cabinet minister Sir Robert Buckland told the PM he was 'wrong' to claim it had been his 'duty' to attend boozy leaving dos for Downing Street staff during the pandemic However, despite the PM's defiance, many Tory MPs are likely to be spooked by a growing poll lead for Labour following the release of Ms Gray's damning 37-page document. A new survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies, conducted immediately following the release of Ms Gray's report, found Labour had opened up a nine-point lead over the Tories. Sir Keir Starmer's party moved to 40 per cent support (up one point from the polling firm's last Westminster voting intention survey) while the Tories fell two points to 31 per cent. This is Labour's largest lead since Russian began its brutal invasion of Ukraine in late February. Sir Keir has also now seen his party enjoy a poll lead over the Tories for almost six months, with Labour having retaken the lead in December when the Partygate scandal first erupted. The Liberal Democrats, who are aiming to take a number of 'Blue Wall' seats off the Conservatives at the next election, rose two points to 14 per cent and reached the highest voting intention score Redfield & Wilton have recorded. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's personal approval rating has also fallen to its lowest level since Russia's invasion began by plummeting eight points to -28 per cent. Sir Keir's own approval rating has rebounded slightly but remains negative at -4 per cent. Appearing on the BBC's Question Time programme last night, Sir Robert said the PM was 'wrong' to claim it had been his 'duty' to say farewell to Downing Street colleagues at leaving dos throughout the pandemic. 'We have seen that report, it was pretty damning and she (Ms Gray) didn't pull her punches at all, as I thought she wouldn't - she's a very independent-minded person,' the former Cabinet minister added. 'She produced a very thorough and hard-hitting report.' Sir Robert said he had given the issue of the PM's position in No10 'a lot of anxious thought' but pulled back - for now - from joining those Tory MPs calling for Mr Johnson to resign. He added he 'accepted' Mr Johnson's denial that he had deliberately lied to MPs over Partygate. 'I asked him direct question on Wednesday, I asked him whether he'd deliberately lied to the Commons,' Sir Robert told the programme. 'He denied that he deliberately lied to the Commons. He's given me a direct answer and I accept that answer.' But Sir Robert also put Mr Johnson on notice that he would be keeping a keen eye on the findings of the Commons' Privileges Committee, which is due to investigate whether the PM lied to Parliament. 'What I would be interested to see is what happens with the Privileges Committee, who are going to look at that very issue,' he added. Labour MP Chris Bryant, the Privileges Committee chair, today confirmed he will stand down to allow the inquiry to go ahead. He previously said he would recuse himself from the role as it was important that the House be seen to proceed fairly without any imputation of unfairness following his public criticism of the PM over Partygate. Harriet Harman, the former Labour deputy leader, has been lined up to replace Mr Bryant as chair. If the Privileges Committee finds Mr Johnson in contempt of Parliament, it could recommend he is forced to apologise, suspended from the Commons, or even expelled. Any sanction would need to be approved in a vote by all MPs. Advertisement Texas cops said last night that they didn't immediately rush in to find the shooter on Tuesday's attack after being shot at because they feared they might be killed, and even suggested that they deliberately locked the gunman in the classroom where he slaughtered 21 people in order to trap him. Department of Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez made the astonishing comments during an appearance on CNN last night. He was being challenged by Wolf Blitzer over why the first officers who responded to the shooting retreated after Salvador Ramos shot at them with his AR-15 and then waited an hour for tactical SWAT teams to take him out, leaving him alone in a classroom with the 19 fourth graders and two teachers who he slaughtered. 'Dont current best practices, Lieutenant, call for officers to disable a shooter as quickly as possible, regardless of how many officers are actually on site?' Blitzer asked. He replied: 'In the active shooter situation, you want to stop the killing, you want to preserve life. But also one thing that, of course, the American people need to understand is that officers are making entry into this building. They do not know where the gunman is. They are hearing gunshots. They are receiving gunshots.' He then appeared to try to take credit for the gunman being locked in the classroom with the kids for an hour - including some he shot at the start of the rampage who later died in the hospital - claiming it saved other lives. Police initially said that the gunman barricaded himself inside the classroom and that they had trouble gaining access to the room, and one unnamed law official anonymously spoke out to say SWAT teams had to wait for a different school staff member to bring them a key to the class. 'At that point, if they proceeded any further not knowing where the suspect was at, they couldve been shot, they could've been killed, and at that point that gunman would have had an opportunity to kill other people inside that school. 'So they were able to contain that gunman inside that classroom so that he was not able to go to any other portions of the school to commit any other killings,' Lt. Olivarez said. Scores of Border Patrol agents also rushed to the scene after hearing the incident unfold on scanners. When they arrived, the Uvalde Police Department also told them not to go inside, according to a law enforcement official who spoke anonymously to The New York Times. Eventually, the agents joined parents and a handful of local police officers in pulling kids through windows from other classrooms. Scroll down for video Department of Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez made the astonishing comments during an appearance on CNN last night. He said the 'American people need to understand' that the cops could have been shot so they retreated This is how the shooting played out over the course of nearly two hours from when Ramos killed his grandmother at home. He arrived at the school at 11.28am and the first 911 calls were made. He then walked unobstructed into the building with his AR-15 and headed towards the classroom. He fought off cops at 11.44am, then was left alone in the room with the victims until around 12.44pm - when SWAT arrived. The incident was declared over at 1.06pm As the gunman unleashed terror inside the school, desperate parents were forced to wait outside and some were even put in handcuffs after they tried to enter the school to find their kids and rescue them The agents did not understand why they were being told not to go inside when the gunman was still in the building. Experts have slammed the decision to wait for back up as 'outdated' and 'disgusting'. 'Waiting an hour is disgusting. If that turns out to be true, then it is a disgusting fact,' Sean Burke, a retired school resource officer from Massachusetts who now is the president of the School Safety Advocacy Council, told NBC. 'If youve got somebody you think is actively engaged in harming people or attempting to harm people, your obligation as a police officer is to immediately stop that person and neutralize that threat. 'We dont expect police officers to commit suicide in doing it. 'But the expectation is that if someone is about to harm someone, especially children, youve got to take immediate action to make that stop,' Don Alwes, an ex-instructor for the National Tactical Officers Association, added. US Border Patrol agents were among the hundreds who responded to the shooting but when they got there, the local police department told them not to advance Surgeons at the hospital in Uvalde have also suggested that the delay in responding to the shooting may have cost some kids their lives. It remains unclear exactly how many children were in the classroom when the shooter opened fire, how many were killed immediately and how many were still alive but injured when police arrived. Uvalde Memorial Hospital received two kids who had died by the time they got to the hospital. Now, doctors are highlighting the importance of treating gunshot wounds as soon as they happen. 'You can't wait until patients go to a trauma center. 'You have to act quickly,' Dr. Ronald Stewart, the senior trauma surgeon at the University Hospital in Antonio, said. He added that uncontrolled bleeding was the top cause of deaths among gun shot wound victims and that it can happen in as little as five minutes. Since the Columbine shooting in 1999, officers across the nation have been advised not to wait for backup and to proceed into the school to find the shooter. Instructions from the Texas Police Chiefs Association says: 'The first two to five responding officers should form a single team and enter the structure.' Why that advice was ignored in Uvalde is among the many aspects of the slow response that are now under investigation. Another is why police falsely claimed at first that the shooter exchanged gunfire with a school resource officer before he even made it to the classroom. On Thursday night, Olivarez said that was the information police received. Video shows Texas cops holding down a parent outside Robb Elementary School on Tuesday while a shooting unfolded inside The girl explained she wasn't hurt and the blood was from her best friend 'Amerie.' It was then that Angel Garza (above) realized the blood he was looking at came from his own daughter 'So thats information that we received early on in this investigation. 'The Texas Rangers are now conducting interviews with those officers trying to establish exactly what was their role, and that will help us establish a more factual, concrete timeline,' he said. There is growing anger and frustrating among parents who were pepper sprayed, pinned to the ground and even placed in handcuffs. Angeli Gomez (above) jumped the school fence and ran inside the school where she rescued her children herself 'The police were doing nothing,' Angeli Rose Gomez told the Wall Street Journal. 'They were just standing outside the fence. They weren't going in there or running anywhere.' Gomez has two children in second and third grade and she reportedly drove 40 miles to the school after hearing of the attack. She was one of the desperate parents who encouraged police with increasing urgency to enter the school. Eventually, federal marshals put Gomez in handcuffs and told her she was under arrest for intervening in an active investigation, the Wall Street Journal reported. Gomez said she was able to convince a Uvalde officer whom she knew to have the marshal free her and she took the opportunity to move away from the crowd, jump the school fence, and ran inside the school where she rescued her children herself. She said that other parents also trying to get to their kids were tackled and even pepper-sprayed by police. Angel Garza, whose daughter was killed, was handcuffed after trying to run into the school when he heard that a 'girl called Amerie' had been shot. Garza later told his heartbreaking story to Anderson Cooper. He explained that when he arrived on the scene he tried to help a young girl covered in blood, because he is a trained medic. The girl explained she wasn't hurt and the blood was from her best friend 'Amerie.' It was then that Angel realized the blood he was looking at came from his own daughter. He later found out that she was among those who died. The man who jumped 32 stories off a New York City balcony Thursday was a French banker who was once rebuffed by Rod Stewart's ex-wife, during a swanky gathering for French socialites. The man, identified as renowned financier Charles-Henry Kurzen, 43, was viewing the $2.9 million apartment on the 32nd floor of 100 United Nations Plaza in Midtown when a realtor said he 'suddenly' leapt to his death at roughly 1:15pm. Kurzen, a partner at Manhattan-based finance firm Saltbox Partners LLC, reportedly asked the broker if he could view the balcony before the deadly jump took place. Cops said the man, who lived Clinton Hill after moving to New York from Paris nearly two decades ago, reportedly landed on a third-floor patio, where he was pronounced dead. Its not yet clear why the man decided to take his own life. The man who jumped 32 stories off a New York City balcony Thursday was identified as 43-year-old French banker Charles-Henry Kurzen, an affluent financier who financed billions in deals in the US and overseas Cops said the man, who lived Clinton Hill after moving to New York from Paris nearly two decades ago, reportedly landed on a third-floor patio, where he was pronounced dead. Pictured are cops retrieving his body from the outdoor area The renowned financier was reportedly once rebuffed by Rod Stewart's supermodel ex wife, Rachel Hunter, during a gathering for French socialites in the early 2000s. Pictured is Hunter and Stewart in 2003, around the time of the altercation, which was reported by the New Yorker Kurzen, a renowned banker and graduate from the Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Paris Business School, had a storied career in the French and New York financial industry - with one coworker telling the New York Post he was 'a dear friend.' He was appointed a partner at Saltbox Partners in 2011, after serving as the vice president of French Banker Credit Agricole's Manhattan office for several years upon moving to the city in the early 2000s. Previously, Kurzen was an analyst for the Mergers and Acquisitions Group at Lazard Freres & Co., a respected finance firm - valued at nearly $300 billion - in Paris. Upon moving to New York, the young banker - then in his early 20s - found success fast, and quickly found himself entrenched in the city's upper crust. In 2004, a New Yorker article wrote of how the young banker frequented an exclusive set of weekly parties known as 'French Tuesdays' - weekly-held, celerity studded events held at various night clubs, organized by French ex-patriots living in the city. At one such event, the article reveals, Kurzen made a pass at New Zealand supermodel Rachel Hunter, who was at the time wed to Rod Stewart. Hunter, pictured here in 2004 - the same year as the reported altercation - declined the man's invitation to join him and friends at the 'French Tuesday's party. Kurzen old the New Yorker at the time that despite her being nine years his senior at 34, he still pined for the 'mature woman' Speaking to the magazine, Kurzen - then a brash, young banker aged 25 - detailed how he tried to make contact with Hunter, who was seated at a VIP area in the club, but was ultimately rebuffed. 'I was determined to go upstairs, because Rachel Hunter was there,' Kurzen told the outlet. He went on to remark how despite her being nine years his senior, that he still pined for the 'mature woman.' 'She is a woman born in 1969she is thirty-four!but she is a beautiful, mature woman,' he said, adding 'a woman of character, a woman of history, a woman who has lived!' Kurzen said that he attempted to persuade Hunter to join his party downstairs, but she declined. 'Maybe because her party was a business gathering and she could not leave,' he speculated as to the slight. 'Maybe because she found me too young - maybe because she did not like the idea of a French party.' He added: 'Or maybe it was a question of chic. I do not know.' Hunter and Stewart, then just under 60, would divorce in 2006. The two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom apartment property Kurzen had been viewing prior to his death was listed at $2.9 million. Kurzen was looking at the $2.9 million apartment at the luxury high-rise (pictured) when he asked to see the balcony and leaped to his death Public records show that he owned properties in both Clinton Hill, where cops say he resided, and on the Lower East Side. Both are valued at around $1 million. The listing for the apartment he had been looking at touted the 1,985 square-foot unit as an 'expansive home' - mentioning its two private balconies. It also touted the luxury residence's floor-to-ceiling windows, solid brass detailing, marble flooring and a separate formal dining room. The master bedroom has a walk-in closet, a bathroom with a jacuzzi and the entrance of a second private balcony. The death recalls another suicide last year when a 22-year-old woman fell to her death from the 16th floor after a fight with her boyfriend on January 29, 2012. Nearby: The United Nations (pictured) is directly south of the building where the man jumped Samantha Kwek, a Columbia University student, had apparently wanted to break up with her boyfriend on the night she jumped. She had sent several text messages to her boyfriend Benjamin Small before she died, according to the New York Post. 'I really dont know why [she jumped]. She was really, really sad, I guess... Im mortified,' he told the paper. She landed on East 48th Street in front of 100 United Nations Plaza, a 52-storey building across the street from the Algerian Embassy. A pocketbook was lying a few feet from her body, which was draped with a white sheet as police investigated. Heartbroken friends and family have shared tearjerking tributes to the tragic woman who died from an apparent shot to the head after she was dropped off at a hospital. Feebie McIntosh, 25, was rushed by car to Caloundra Base Hospital on Queensland's Sunshine Coast after suffering the alleged gunshot wound to the head about 9.30am on Friday. She was dropped off at the hospital door by a 58 year old man who police say was known to her, but she died shortly afterwards. The tragic death comes just three weeks after Ms McIntosh shared her partner Mitch White's touching proposal online. Friends and family have flooded social media with tributes to Feebie McIntosh (above), 25, after she died with an apparent gunshot wound to her head She posted a photo of the heartfelt letter Mr White, 31, wrote to her alongside a word search puzzle which spelled out the question 'Feebie will you marry me?' 'Youre the most sweetest man ever and the best part is, youre all mine!,' Ms McIntosh captioned the post. Detectives believe there was a disturbance at a home on Coolum Street in Dicky Beach in north Caloundra about 9am on Friday when Ms McIntosh was allegedly shot in the head. Ms McIntosh was believed to have been visiting a woman friend who lives at the Coolum Street home at the time of the incident. She was then driven to hospital by the 58-year-old man who police say is voluntarily assisting their investigation. Feebie McIntosh (above) was dropped off at Caloundra Base Hospital at about 9.30am on Friday by a 58-year-old man known to her who is now voluntarily assisting police inquiries Devastated loved ones have shared tributes to the Currimundi woman who was 'taken way too young'. '20 years of memories, good times and constant laughter,' one friend shared. 'Your laughter and smile would light a room up. I have so much to say and I don't know how to put it all in words. 'I'm so beyond gutted that you grew wings early. I still remember sitting in class in Year One when we became friends. Feebie McIntosh's (right) death comes just three weeks after she shared her engagement to partner Mitch White (left) on Facebook 'Dancing in the rain after school on our way home. Talking about our crushes and planning our weekends. 'You were one friend that always put a smile on my face. I'm going to miss you so much, this is so painful to write. Fly high babe, this isn't goodbye. But until next time. 'Love you always Feebs.' 'I can't believe you're gone, you had such a good soul,' another person wrote. In a touching post Feebie McIntosh shared the heartfelt letter (above) and puzzle in which her partner Mitch White proposed to her 'Whenever I needed someone you would be there, you helped me through some of my hardest times. 'I'm blessed to have had such a good friend and hold so many happy memories. You will be missed by many. Rest easy.' Another wrote: 'You're a beautiful girl taken way too young, Ill forever hold the memories we have together over the last 15 years Ive known you. 'May you rest in peace, you will never be forgotten.' Police arrested a 30-year-old Narangba man at 3.30pm on Friday after intercepting his vehicle on Fitzwilliam Street at Sippy Downs, 22km from Dicky Beach. Police said he was arrested without incident and is currently assisting their inquiries. An autopsy on Ms McIntosh's body will be carried out as part of the investigation. Police have urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. Advertisement An unsettling painting by a Victorian artist who some experts believe was notorious serial killer Jack the Ripper has sold for 14,000. Walter Sickert's 'Figures in the Rain' went for more than double its upper sale estimate of 6,000 at an Oxford auction house on Wednesday. The creepy artwork shows figures walking along a street whilst shielding themselves from the rain with umbrellas - and appears to be from the perspective of someone lurking in the shadows. Sickert, who died aged 91 in 1942, was an important influence on British art in the mid and late-20th century. He was known for his depictions of ordinary people and urban scenes, using often dark colours. With the identity of Jack the Ripper remaining one of crime's most enduring mysteries, some have speculated that Sickert was the murderer. Sickert claimed he lived in Jack the Ripper's old home and painted a scene called Jack the Ripper's Bedroom, which included his own figure. The Ripper is believed to have killed six women in 1888 but was never identified, sparking dozens of books on the subject and the naming of numerous suspects. Whilst most have dismissed Sickert as being a potential candidate, acclaimed author Patricia Cornwell has named him as the killer in two separate books. Another author, Paul Christian, also believes Sickert was the Ripper. He outlined his theory in a 2018 book. An unnerving painting by a Victorian artist who some experts believe was notorious serial killer Jack the Ripper has sold for 14,000. Walter Sickert's 'Figures in the Rain' went for more than double its upper sale estimate of 6,000 at an Oxford auction house on Wednesday Sickert, who died aged 91 in 1942, was an important influence on British art in the mid and late-20th century. He was known for his depictions of ordinary people and urban scenes, using often dark colours WHO WERE JACK THE RIPPER'S VICTIMS? Jack the Ripper's victims were Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly. Nichols was discovered at around 3.40am on August 31, 1888 in Buck's Row (now Durward Street), Whitechapel. Her throat was cut twice and her lower abdomen had some incisions. Chapman's body was discovered at about 6am on September 8 near a doorway in the back yard of 29 Hanbury Street, Spitalfields. Her throat was also cut twice, her abdomen was slashed open and her uterus was removed. The corpse of Elizabeth Stride, pictured The corpse of Annie Chapman, pictured Stride and Eddowes' murders were referred to as a 'double event' as they were both found within an hour of each other on September 30. Kelly's mutilated and disembowelled body was discovered at 13 Miller's Court, off Dorset Street, Spitalfields, November 9. Her throat had been severed down to the spine, the abdomen almost emptied of its organs and her heart was missing. Advertisement Figures in the Rain had been tipped to sell for between 4,000 and 6,000. It was sold by Mallams Auctioneers in Oxford. A spokesman for the auction house told the Oxford Mail: 'Having a work by Walter Sickert is obviously very exciting his works are displayed at the Ashmolean here in Oxford. 'His works are always dark with his palette, and it's achieved a great price here.' Other authors who suspect Sickert could have either been the Ripper or been involved in the killings of Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly include Stephen Knight and Jean Overton Fuller. Whilst Knight believes he was complicit, Fuller joins Cornwell in believing he was the killer, who struck in London's Whitechapel. Cornwell's two books on the subject were Jack the RipperCase Closed and Ripper: The Secret Life of Walter Sickert. She claimed in her second book that dated music hall sketches by Sickert defeat the alibi that Sickert was in France as the killings took place. She instead alleged that this evidence puts the post-impressionist 'within days or even hours of at least three of the killings'. The author also said Sickert was in Cornwall at the same time a guestbook at a bed and breakfast there was vandalised with sexually crude imagery and the signature 'Jack The Ripper, of Whitechapel'. The author also supported the claims of picture-framer, Joseph Gorman, who insisted he was the illegitimate son of Sickert and that the artist confessed Ripper details to him. The man was dismissed as a fantasist and died in 2003 but Cornwell said she had proof that he received Sickert's publishing royalties after his death in 1942. Although she admitted previously that the identity of the Ripper can never really be proved, the Miami-born writer believes her book provides a compelling case. 'The majority of the book is new material,' she said at the time. ' I'm more convinced than ever of Sickert's guilt.' Other suggestions for the Ripper's identity include Monatgue John Druitt, a schoolmaster who was fired in 1888 and died of suspected suicide a month later. Crime historian Dr Jan Bondeson named Dutch sailor Hendrik de Jong as a prime suspect for the most notorious set of unsolved murders in history. At the time of the Whitechapel murders, de Jong is believed to have worked as a steward on board a ship which made frequent trips from Rotterdam to London. This provided him with the perfect means of getting out of the country after his heinous crimes. He later murdered two of his ex-wives in his native Netherlands in 1893 and bludgeoned to death two women above a pub before attempting to set their bodies on fire in Belgium in 1898. Another theory suggests Queen Victoria's grandson, Prince Albert Victor, the Duke of Clarence, was the killer. In 2018, author Mr Christian highlighted how one of Sickert's paintings suggested he may have been the Ripper. The Ripper is believed to have killed six women in 1888 but was never identified, sparking dozens of books on the subject and the naming of numerous suspects Sickert claimed he lived in Jack the Ripper's old home and painted a scene called Jack the Ripper's Bedroom, which included his own figure The painting shows a scene on the streets of London featuring three figures - one is believed to be the Ripper and two are thought to be his victims, including Mary Kelly. In the artwork, a person believed to be the Ripper walks towards a woman resembling Kelly, the last of the Ripper's five victims. A second woman wears a shawl decorated with many red spots. This could refer to the 39 times that another Victorian murder victim, Martha Tabram, was stabbed. Tabram is believed by some to have been another Ripper victim. The above painting, La Hollandaise, was painted by Sickert in 1906. It is one of several of his works that depicts naked women A set of railings in the artwork also appear to show the numbers 1888 - the year of the Ripper's gruesome campaign. On the back of Sickert's painting is a sketch which Mr Christian claims is supposed to be the police chief in charge of the investigation to find the Ripper, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Charles Warren. Mr Christian, 36, said in 2018: 'The evidence I have unearthed can allow us to now confidently point the finger at Walter Sickert and a conspiracy of arty types behind the Jack the Ripper case. 'Sickert was certainly a major suspect before this, but there are details in the painting that only the killer could have known.' A man who was drugged and sexually abused at the age of 12 by a teacher at a Scottish prep school has won a six figure settlement more than 30 years later. John Findlay took legal action against Aberlour House School, which was a prep school for Gordonstoun in Moray, north Scotland, over the abuse in 1990. When he was a child a teacher came into his room, drugged him and sexually abused him after he had asked for help for an injury. He remained fully conscious during the attack - which was photographed by the teacher - but he was unable to move or speak. When he told his parents they decided not to go to the police, so no charges were brought against the teacher, who is now dead. He says his parents, who regretted this decision, instead contacted Arberlour's headmaster, who told them the teacher would never work a school again. John Findlay, pictured, was 12 years old when he was drugged and abused by a teacher at Aberlour House School Mr Findlay, who is now 44, has given up his right to anonymity after getting the settlement from the school. He said his victory against Aberlour was 'an important admission of liability', which would 'act as a warning to institutions tempted to cover up for abusers in their midst'. He added: 'I hope it also shows other victims that it is still possible to stand up and be counted many years later. 'It is well recognised that many children who have suffered abuse hide their experiences until they can no longer conceal their true feelings. No-one should have to suffer in silence.' More than 30 years later Mr Findlay has received a six figure settlement from the school for the abuse Mr Findlay, who has suffered clinically severe post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety since the abuse, spent years pursuing his claim against Aberlour House. He thanked Thorntons Solicitors for their 'unswerving support and determination to bring forward my claim'. He added: 'I hope my case reassures people that there is light at the end at the tunnel and it gives others confidence to speak out.' The settlement comes after he told the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry how the teacher gave him medicine before abusing him, and described how he was 'horrendously conscious' but unable to stop the attack. Mr Findlay became determined to seek justice after learning his abuser went on to teach elsewhere and abused more victims. Thorntons began pursuing the case against Aberlour House for Mr Findlay in 2018. Aberlour House School (pictured), in Moray, is a prep school for Gordonstoun, a boarding school in the same town Personal injury solicitor Danny McGinn, who led the claim, said: 'Mr Findlay has lived with severe psychological injuries because of what happened to him, affecting his life in so many ways. 'His settlement will allow him to get the specialist help that he needs and that will make a huge difference to his life. 'Mr Findlay's success shows that the passage of time need not be a barrier to justice. Changes to the legal time limit and introduction of the Redress scheme have made it possible for survivors to pursue claims even after many years. 'With these changes, and with the examples of brave people like Mr Findlay, I expect that we will see more survivors coming forward to confront those responsible.' A planned tube strike that would have caused chaos on first day of the Jubilee bank holiday weekend has been suspended. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union had been due to walkout at Euston and Green Park tube stations in London on Friday, June 3, affecting the Piccadilly, Jubilee and Victoria lines. The strike would have caused significant disruption at stations that are vital for anyone planning to attend celebrations for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, with Green Park being the one of the closest to Buckingham Palace. The proposed 24-hour walkout was prompted by claims workers at the stations had faced bullying and intimidation from a single manager for years, leading to a breakdown of industrial relations, the union says. However, the RMT has no said that strike will no longer take place on that date, after making 'significant progress' in talks with with London Underground (LUL). It said that an agreement has been reached with tube bosses to have a review into the bullying issue that would involve the union. Plans for strikes at Euston (pictured) and Green Park tube stations have beeen suspended by the RMT union News there could be strikes on the first day of the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend prompted fury As a result it has suspended the strike, but the RMT says if there are no immediate improvements and a 'just settlement' is not reached it will call for action on a different day. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: 'London Underground (LUL) has finally seen sense to take the union's arguments seriously regarding workplace bullying and we will now suspend to the strike on June 3 to hopefully reach a resolution quickly.' Nick Dent, London Underground's Director of Customer Operations, said: 'We are pleased that the RMT has suspended their industrial action involving station staff at Euston and Green Park stations on June 3 and we will continue to work with them to find a resolution to the issues raised.' News that workers were planning on striking on the first day of the Jubilee bank holiday weekend was met with fury earlier this month. Downing Street slammed the strikes, with the Prime Minister's official spokesman telling reporters: 'I don't think we want to see any disruption to London's transport system at such a moment when people are trying to come together to honour this Jubilee year.' A spokesman for Labour leader Keir Starmer said: 'We never want to see industrial action that's going to disrupt the public, particularly on an occasion like the Platinum Jubilee weekend where obviously we want the focus to be on celebrating the great service of Her Majesty to this country.' Sir Keir said he hoped the issues could be resolved, adding: 'We want to make sure that there isn't disruption for the public. 'It's for the parties themselves to get together and discuss the issues but we would hope that they could resolve the issues before the Jubilee weekend.' People wait to get on buses at Liverpool Street station in central London during a previous RMT strike on the Tube on March 1 Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union protest outside Tottenham Court Road station in London on Tuesday, May 24 What is happening for the Platinum Jubilee on Friday, June 3? The Queen and the Royal Family are seen at St Paul's Cathedral during the service of Thanksgiving to mark the Golden Jubilee in 2022 A Service of Thanksgiving for The Queen's reign will be held at St Paul's Cathedral. During the service, the church's bell, named Great Paul, will be rung. It was made in 1882 but fell silent in the 1970s due to a broken mechanism. It was restored in 2021 and has been rung on eight occasions since then. However, this is the first royal occasion for which it has been rung. The service will start at 11.30am and Great Paul will be rung between 10.50am and 10.55am, followed by a peal of bells. It is understood that the service is closed to the public. Throughout the weekend, big screens will be placed in The Mall and St James's Park in London for Trooping the Colour on Thursday, the Platinum Party at the Palace on Saturday and for the Pageant on Sunday. Advertisement Stephen Hammond, the Tory MP for Wimbledon, said it would be 'utterly shameless of the RMT to strike on the weekend of national celebration'. Transport for London (TfL) insisted there would be no disruption and that despite the strike it would keep the two stations open due to their strategic importance for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. This was in contrast to the RMT, which said it would cause 'significant disruption' to those wanting to get a glimpse of Buckingham Palace. While Green Park is one of the closest stations to the palace, St James's Park, also half-a-mile away, would have been unaffected with services on the District and Circle lines. Euston is home to the UK's busiest inter-city railway, with thousands of people expected to arrive at the station from outside London ahead of the Saturday and Sunday celebrations. However, despite news the strike next Friday has been called off, a much larger day of action called by the RMT is still set to go ahead less than a week later. Around 4,000 tube staff are set to walk out on Monday, June 6, in a dispute over job losses. The RMT has accused TfL of trying to 'bulldoze through 600 job losses', with Mr Lynch saying its members are 'not prepared to accept that'. 'Station staff play a crucial role in serving the travelling public and were heroes during the 7/7 terrorist attacks,' he said. 'Instead of seeking to cut jobs, TfL and Mayor Sadiq Khan need to put further pressure on the government to secure increased funding for the network so we can have a properly staffed modern 21st century tube.' Mr Lynch also refused to rule out walk outs lasting four days a time when RMT members working for Network Rail and 15 train operators go on strike this summer. RMT boss Mick Lynch has not ruled out four consecutive days of strikes in the summer when thousands of members take industrial action He said strikes will not be 'excessive' to start with as industrial action takes place during a dispute over pay and jobs. The union legally has to give two weeks' notice for industrial action, meaning walkouts could begin from mid-June. The dispute is over pay and claims that Network Rail, which is in charge of infrastructure, plans to cut up to 2,500 jobs. There are concerns there could be blackouts due to the impact on freight services by these strikes. Industry insiders point to Drax power station in North Yorkshire, which can only stockpile supplies sufficient for two or three days and services millions of homes. Tesco and Puma Energy, which supplies garage forecourts, have also raised concerns about supply lines. Shadow Foreign Secretary and Labour MP David Lammy has today said he will not be silenced by the far right after a 'vile racist' who sent him death threats was sentenced in court. Glenn Broadbent, 62, was sentenced at Leeds Magistrates' Court on Tuesday after sending the MP a death threat via Twitter message. Broadbent of Greenside Road, Leeds, was handed a 12-month suspended prison sentence and fined 2,000. The message read: 'Are you hanging off a tree monkey boy? You will hang from a lamppost if you're not careful.' Labour MP David Lammy is a prominent anti-racism campaigner and is currently the Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy is a close ally of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (left) Mr Lammy said on Twitter today: 'Pleased to report a vile racist who sent me this death threat using a pseudonym has finally been convicted, given a suspended sentence and fined thanks to @WestYorksPolice. 'The far right will never silence me or stop me standing up for justice.' He was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of 128 and costs of 85. The court confirmed that Broadbent was made subject to a restraining order banning him from contacting Mr Lammy. The defendant admitted sending by means of a public electronic communications network a message which was grossly offensive and sending by means of a public electronic communications network a message which was menacing, contrary to the Communications Act 2003. Supporters of the MP have flocked to support him on social media. One user wrote 'Lammy for MP' and a second 'Stay Strong David! Our country needs you.' Another wrote: 'It is a shock that people like this even exist. Why would you even think of sending such a message. I read it and it send shivers down my spine. 'Mr Lammy I have great respect for what you represent and despair at this persons thought processes. Mr Lammy is Labour MP for Tottenham and has held the position since first being elected in 2000. Currently Shadow Foreign Secretary he has also held the roles of Shadow Lord Chancellor and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice since the Conservatives came to power. He is a prominent anti-racism campaigner and hit headlines last year after the release of the governments so-called 'race review', which found the UK was not institutionally racist. At the time he told his listeners on LBC, where he regularly presents a radio show, that Boris Johnson 'let an entire generation of young white and black British people down.' He continued: 'This report could have been a turning point, a moment for us all to come together. Instead it has chosen to divide us once more and keep us debating the existence of racism rather than doing anything about it.' 'I tell myself that the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice...it would help if this Government were not so determined to bend the arc backwards.' A grandfather was left covered with blood after Staffordshire bull terriers mauled him and his pet dog in a brutal attack. Michael Campbell, 80, was walking his French bull tzu called Bo in Birkenhead Park, Wirral, on May 15 when he was attacked by three dogs. The Staffies 'ripped apart' six-year-old Bo before a passerby, Jan Majer, 33, tried to help Michael and Bo. Jan, a factory worker and originally from the Czech Republic, was left with a leg injury where you 'could see his bone' and was rushed to hospital. Police seized two of the terriers, no arrests have been made and an investigation into the incident is ongoing. Denise, Michael's daughter, told The Mirror: 'Dad let Bo off the lead and these Staffies came out of nowhere and started attacking his dog. 'He went over to pick Bo up and fell over. They were jumping on him and trying to get past him to Bo, who he was protecting. 'He had bites all over him and scratches on his face. Dad tried to protect Bo but couldn't and had to move. The Staffies then started mauling Bo, ripping him apart in front of my dad.' Michael Campbell (pictured with his partner Maureen), 80, was walking his French bull tzu called Bo in Birkenhead Park, Wirral, on May 15 when he was attacked by three dogs The Staffies 'ripped apart' six-year-old Bo before a passerby, Jan Majer, 33, tried to help Michael and Bo (Michael's hands are still bandaged up) Denise set up a GoFundMe, which to date has received more than 4,160, to pay for Bo's ongoing vet bills and wrote: 'My 80-year-old dad was out walking his dog Bo when they were both attacked by three dogs in Birkenhead Park. 'My dad, who celebrated his 80th birthday the day before the attack, took his best mate for a walk on a nice Sunday afternoon and three Staffies attacked them. 'My dad, who isnt a well man, fell to the floor trying to shield his dog and was bitten by the dogs repeatedly. 'The dogs managed to get my dad's dog and started to maul him in front of my dad. 'A man who was so heroic ran over and pulled my dad's dog out of the mouths of the dogs and was attacked himself leaving him with awful injuries. 'Bo has survived the first night but has suffered horrific injuries. The vets are doing all they can to help but dont know if he will survive. Denise, Michael's daughter, set up a GoFundMe, which to date has received more than 4,160, to pay for Bo's ongoing vet bills 'The bill is already over 3000 and he has a long way to go. Why should my dad be left with this bill after this horrific ordeal as well as being left emotionally scarred?' A spokesman for Merseyside Police said: 'At around 11.50am we received a report that a man and his small dog were being attacked by two Staffordshire Bull Terriers in Birkenhead Park on Cavendish Road, Birkenhead. 'A man who was driving by stopped to help the victim, an 80-year-old man. 'The Good Samaritan, a 33-year-old man, lifted the small dog and as he did was bitten on his leg and arm by the two Staffordshire Bull Terriers. The 80-year-old victim received minor injuries. 'Police attended the scene, both victims were taken to hospital for their injuries and are recovering from the incident. 'The small dog was taken for veterinary treatment. 'Officers have seized the two Staffordshire Bull Terriers and their two owners will attend for police interviews at a later date.' Police seized two of the terriers, no arrests have been made and an investigation into the incident is ongoing Community Policing Inspector Peter Rexwinkel said: 'This was a frightening incident for all involved and an investigation to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident is continuing. 'Although Staffordshire Bull Terriers are not a banned breed, they were reportedly out of control in a public place and as such officers have seized the dogs and the owners will be attending an interview. Inspector Rexwinkel added: 'Merseyside Police takes such incidents seriously and have a dedicated Sergeant who reviews all cases concerning dogs. 'Anyone walking their dog in our local parks need to be mindful of their dogs behaviour at all times and keep their pet on a lead if it is liable to be aggressive towards other park users. 'We will not tolerate irresponsible dog ownership on Merseyside and want to maintain all our parks as safe and welcoming places to be.' Anyone who witnessed this incident or with any information is asked to contact @MerPolCC on Twitter or Merseyside Police Contact Centre on Facebook with reference 22000333218. One of the country's leading academy chains has been warned its school could be stripped of funding over rampant homophobic, bullying and derogatory language by students. The Ark Schools academy chain has been ordered to make drastic and urgent improvements to the Ark Kings Academy in Birmingham by the education watchdog. A recent Ofsted inspection found that secondary pupils did not feel safe, while 'bullying, derogatory language and homophobic behaviours are commonplace'. As a result, the Department of Education has handed the school a Termination Warning Notice, threatening that Government funding will be withdrawn if changes are not made immediately. Regional Schools Commissioner Andrew Warren warned that the school would be transferred to an alternative academy trust if improvements were not made. A spokesman for the trust said work was already underway to improve the school. Ark Schools has been warned its school Ark Kings Academy (pictured above) could be stripped of funding over rampant homophobic, bullying and derogatory language by students The school was deemed 'inadequate' in four out of five areas in its latest inspection, which took place in March this year. During their visit, inspectors found pupils had 'no confidence that staff will support them when they raise concerns'. They also said 'lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pupils experience repeated discriminatory behaviour against them'. The DfE said the school's leaders had not recognised these issues so they could not take the 'right steps' to prevent them. In the school's Ofsted report, pupils said there were 'high levels of bullying and prejudiced behaviour' which went unrecorded. 'Pupils feel that they have to tolerate the frequent sexual harassment towards them,' the report said. It added: 'Some pupils, particularly those who identify as LGBT, experience repeated name-calling and prejudiced behaviour. This means that pupils do not feel safe in the school.' Ofsted noted that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities were also more likely to receive sanctions than their peers, with a 'high and increasing' number of suspensions. In the school's Ofsted report, pupils said there were 'high levels of bullying and prejudiced behaviour' which went unrecorded, and they had to endure sexual harassment (stock image) Inspectors also found that teachers were using suspensions and exclusions to manage behaviour, creating a 'culture of sanctions' while failing to recognise good behaviour. It judged the academy, which educates pupils aged three to 16, to be inadequate, and said school leaders did not make 'adequate checks' on pupil absences, while 'too many pupils are truant from lessons'. Ark Schools is one of the largest academy chains in the country, operating 39 schools all over the country including in the West Midlands, London, Essex and Hampshire. Regional Schools Commissioner Andrew Warren said in his notice to the school: 'I need to be satisfied that the trust has capacity to deliver rapid and sustainable improvement at the academy. 'If I am not satisfied that this can be achieved, I will consider whether to terminate the funding agreement in order to transfer the academy to an alternative academy trust.' An Ark spokesperson said: 'Whilst very disappointed with the inspection judgment, we fully accept the findings of the inspection report. 'We had identified many of the issues prior to the inspection and had taken action to begin to address these ahead of the inspection. 'That work has gathered pace since, and we are very confident the school will improve rapidly over the coming months. 'We have appointed an executive principal and a new secondary principal to lead this work and the school will have the support and resources of our large, successful network to ensure all pupils experience a consistently high-quality education.' The school was formerly named one of the most improved schools in England after their GCSE results rose by 27 per cent in 2013, while the national average was down by six per cent. Communist MP Leonid Vasyukevich, 69, is pictured. He has appealed to Putin to stop military action and bring his troops home. 'Young men die and are maimed during the operation, even though they could have benefited our country,' he told legislators A veteran Russian legislator has issued an appeal to Vladimir Putin to stop military action, bring his troops home and end the war in Ukraine. Communist deputy Leonid Vasyukevich, 69, blasted the use of Moscows servicemen in Ukraine, as a Russian court dismissed more than 100 national guardsmen in the first case of soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine as politicians demanded the army return home. Members of the National Guard of the Russian Federation, a separate military branch from the Russian army refused to carry out an assignment related to Moscow's 'special operation' in Ukraine. A military court in Russia's southern republic of Kabardino-Balkaria found that the defendants 'arbitrarily refused to perform an official assignment' and turned down their appeal. The hearing was held behind closed doors to avoid revealing 'military secrets,' according to the Moscow Times. Vasyukevich, 69, blasted the use of Moscows servicemen in Ukraine as the war continues His blast has caused ructions within the political assembly as the politician was seen to break some of the strictest controls on any public dissent about the war Putins supporters have branded him a 'traitor' and he may now face legal action for dishonouring the Russian army The veteran local MP defied attempts to gag him and told legislators in Primorsky region he and his fellow lawmakers were making an appeal to the Russian president The veteran local MP defied attempts to gag him and told legislators in the Primorsky region he and his fellow lawmakers were making an appeal to the Russian president. Putins supporters have branded him a 'traitor' and he may now face legal action for dishonouring the Russian army. 'We are backing measures to support families of servicemen killed during the special military operation,' he told the regional legislator in Vladivostok, Russias Pacific capital. 'We understand that unless our country stops the special military operation, there will be even more orphans. 'Young men die and are maimed during the operation, even though they could have benefited our country.' Three months have passed since the start of the war 'and it is clearly impossible to reach success by a military way', he said, amid interruptions from the assembly. Vasyukevich said three months have passed since the start of the war 'and it is clearly impossible to reach success by a military way' Vladimir Putin meets the governor of Primorsky Krai Oleg Kozhemyako (right) in Vladivostok, in the far east of Russia. Governor Kozhemyako accused Vasyukevich and his supporters of defaming the Russian army, and demanded he should be removed from the assembly If Putin continues his war, it 'will inevitably lead to an increase in numbers of killed and wounded servicemen. 'We demand the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine' Throughout his brave speech - the loyalist chairman of the parliament Alexander Rolik tried to halt his outburst. 'I am warning youYou are abusing the agenda', he was told. 'You are violating the order to speak without permission.' His blast has caused ructions within the political assembly as the politician was seen to break some of the strictest controls on any public dissent about the war. Anatoly Dolgachev, head of his faction, told Vasyukevich: 'You defame the honour of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation with such a statement.' Service members of pro-Russian troops drive an armoured vehicle along a street during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the town of Popasna in the Luhansk Region 'We are backing measures to support families of servicemen killed during the special military operation,' said the politician. 'We understand that unless our country stops the special military operation, there will be even more orphans' A young boy sits in front of a damaged building after a strike in Kramatorsk in the eastern Ukranian region of Donbas Governor Oleg Kozhemyako accused him and his supporters of defaming the Russian army, and demanded he should be removed from the assembly. 'These actions discredit the Russian army and our defenders who stand in the fight against Nazism. A traitor,' stormed the angry governor. Another MP hitting out at the war, Gennady Shulga, demanded that Vasyukevich should be heard and not abused. But other MPs voted to deny the pair the right to vote. Vasyukevich is the grandson of a Finnish-born explorer and whaler Fridolf Heck, who died in Vladivostok in 1904. There is growing evidence of a backlash against the war in Russia as rock concerts have become venues for protest against the conflict in Ukraine, which Moscow calls a 'special operation'. As many as 16 military recruitment offices have been hit by Molotov cocktails in defiance over bids to surge enlistment into the army through conscription. GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert pushed back on calls for gun control after the Uvalde shooting, reasoning that the nation should not ban guns because it did not ban planes after 9/11. The Colorado Republican said the shooting demonstrated the need for armed teachers, no to 'take guns away from law-abiding citizens.' 'When 911 happened. We didn't ban planes,' she reasoned. 'We secured the cockpit.' The gunman who mowed down 19 kids and two teachers at an elementary school had legally purchased two AR-style rifles days before just after his 18th birthday. 'Once again, unfortunately, we've proven that gun free zones are deadly and we cannot legislate evil,' she continued. 'I want teachers that can protect themselves and their students. And you know what, we can achieve this without trying to disarm law abiding citizens,' Boebert said. 'For me, this is my equalizer. I need a way to protect myself and my children. And my firearm is my equalizer, my tool to do that.' The staunchly pro-gun congresswoman tore into Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for blocking a school safety bill backed by Republicans, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for picking a fight with her on Twitter. On Wednesday the New York Democrat clapped back on Twitter after she wrote a tweet arguing 'You can't legislate away evil.' GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert pushed back on calls for gun control after the Uvalde shooting, reasoning that the nation should not ban guns because it did not ban planes after 9/11 Boebert has incorporated guns into her public persona, displaying guns in the background of a virtual House committee hearing 'Why even be in Congress if you dont believe in doing your job? Just quit and let someone who actually gives a damn do it instead of acting like a useless piece of furniture when babies are shot with AR15s that we let teen boys impulse buy before they can legally have a beer,' Ocasio-Cortez wrote. Boebert then asked her to meet up and talk about it. 'Ms. Defund the Police, Gun Free Zones have proven to be deadly. Let me know when youre ready to do your job and effectively protect our schools with armed security. Lets meet and solve this.' Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., asked Thursday for the Luke and Alex School Safety Act to be passed by unanimous consent, a proposal which Schumer shot down. The bill, named after victims of the Parkland, Florida shooting, would require the Department of Homeland Security to establish a standard of best practices for preventing and quickly shutting down violent events. The so-called 'Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Best Practices' is already available at SchoolSafety.gov, but the bill would codify it, and make sure the clearinghouse publishes materials for training both education workers and law enforcement on incident mitigation and response. 'When 911 happened. We didn't ban planes,' GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert reasoned. 'We secured the cockpit' Boebert tweeted out a photo of her young children brandishing weapons at Christmas time Schumer quashed the bill because he claimed it could lead to 'more guns in schools.' 'GOP Sen. Johnson just tried for a bill that could see more guns in schoolsI blocked it. The truth: There were officers at the school in Texas. The shooter got past them. We need real solutionsWe will vote on gun legislation starting with the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act,' he tweeted. Boebert has incorporated guns into her public persona, displaying guns in the background of a virtual House committee hearing and tweeting out a photo of her young children brandishing weapons at Christmas time. Andy Dick will no longer faces charges for sexual battery after his male accuser refused to cooperate with the investigation, the authorities said. The 56-year-old actor was accused of a felony of sexual assault at a trailer park in Irvine California on May 11 when police in Orange County, California arrested him. The Orange County District Attorney's office found there was not 'sufficient evidence,' to charge the actor and sent the case back to the sheriff for 'further investigation.' Orange County Sheriff's Sgt. Scott Steinle told DailyMail.com on Thursday 'after re-interviewing the alleged victim, OC Sheriff's Department decided to drop the case .' 'The victim did not want to participate in our investigation,' Steinle said. 'Since the victim does not want to co-operate any more, the investigation will go no further.' Steinle said if the victim decides in the future that he does want to participate then the case could be re-opened. After hearing that the charges were dropped, Dicks attorney, Daniel Kapelovitz told DailyMail.com: The second I heard about the arrest, I knew there was no case. Nothing happened. A 2019 photo of comedian and actor Andy Dick Dressed in a gray hoodie and black joggers, Dick was hauled away in handcuffs before being placed inside a patrol car Officers are seen here handcuffing Dick before placing him in the patrol car Police from the Orange County Sheriff's Department swarmed his modest trailer parked at California's O'Neill Regional Park Kapelovitz is also representing the News Radio star in another alleged sexual battery case that is set to go to a jury trail in Los Angeles next week. The misdemeanor incident in which a Lyft driver accused the News Radio star of groping him during a car ride four years ago. Dick has pleaded not guilty and after a pre-trial hearing last Monday, the comic told DailyMail.com that the April 2018 incident, in which the driver told police that Dick had grabbed his genitals, 'did not happen.' On Friday, another hearing was taking place at LA's Airport Courthouse and jury selection due to start on Tuesday. But that schedule could be delayed since the prosecuting deputy District Attorney in the case has been sick and may not be able to return to court till next week. Dick is facing up to 180 days in jail if hes convicted in his jury trial. Last month, Las Vegas police conducted a welfare check at the home the comedian was staying in, after a man he was with pulled a gun during an argument that was featured on a live feed, TMZ reported. According to the news outlet, fans of Dick were concerned and believed the actor's life was in danger, but when police arrived, Dick told them he was fine and said authorities he wanted to stay. Over the decades, Dick has been transparent about his alcohol and drug abuse, and have had a string of arrests that have made news headlines. In November 2021, Dick was arrested for felony domestic battery after he allegedly hit his boyfriend in the head with a liquor bottle. According to police, Dick and his boyfriend had been at his home when they got into a heated argument that quickly turned physical. When police were called, they determined there was enough evidence to arrest the comedian, as his boyfriend was allegedly bleeding from a sizable wound on his head. Dick was released after he posted $50,000 bond. Last month, Las Vegas police conducted a welfare check at the home the comedian was staying in, after a man he was with, pulled a gun during an argument that was featured on a live feed, TMZ reported. Over the decades, Dick has been open about his alcohol and drug abuse, and has had a string of arrests that have made news headlines A mugshot of comedian Andy Dick taken in 2011 In October 2021, Dick was arrested for allegedly hitting his boyfriend in the face with a frying pan. In June 2021, the actor was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly attacking a male partner with a metal chair. Dick also made his $50,000 bail after that altercation. In 2019, the actor was sentenced to 14 days in jail after being convicted of sexual battery for allegedly squeezing a woman's rear end. He was released after a single night due to jail overcrowding. The same year, he was seen on video being slammed to the ground after he got into a fight with an Uber Eats driver while seemingly intoxicated. He previously pleaded not guilty to one count of misdemeanor sexual battery in April 2018 after he allegedly groped an Uber driver's crotch. Dick's estranged wife Lena Sved received a domestic violence restraining order against him in 2018, which required him to move out of their home and remain 100 yards away from her and their adult children: Lucas, 33, Jacob, 27, and Meg, 24. In 2012, he was arrested for allegedly grabbing a 17-year-old girl's top and pulling it down to expose her breasts. He was later found with marijuana and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drug and battery charges, for which he was sentenced to three years of probation. In 2010, he was arrested for allegedly grabbing a man's genitals while intoxicated at a West Virginia bar. In 2007, Dick groped Ivanka Trump during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live and was pulled off stage by Kimmel's security staff. A Victorian mum allegedly goaded her new husband into executing her former partner over a bitter custody dispute but both men ended up dead. Biannca Edmunds, 36, is on trial before a jury for the shooting murder of her ex-fiance Michael Caposiena in Melbourne. Prosecutors allege she ordered her new husband, Glen Cassidy, to carry out the shooting. She has pleaded not guilty to murder. Cassidy, 49, died from blood loss after being stabbed with a carving knife as he shot Mr Caposiena, 32, in the head at his Westmeadows unit on March 12, 2016. A Victorian mum allegedly goaded her new husband into executing her former partner over a bitter custody dispute but both men ended up dead Biannca Edmunds, 36, is on trial before a jury for the 2016 shooting murder of her ex-fiance Michael Caposiena (pictured) in Melbourne Victorian Supreme Court heard Edmunds, 36, supplied Cassidy with a gun and gave him Mr Caposiena's Pascoe Street home address. The motive for the murder plot, the court heard, was that Edmunds wanted Mr Caposiena dead over a row about him wanting shared access to their son. Prosecutors alleged she also mocked and goaded Cassidy, telling him he wasn't a 'real man' if he didn't 'deal' with her ex. 'If you had any f***ing balls, you'd go and deal with this bloke. You're a spineless coward.' '[Edmunds] assisted or encouraged or directed the murder of Michael Caposiena, and she did that using the hand of Glen Cassidy,' alleged crown prosecutor Neil Hutton. 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 The jury heard Cassidy went to Mr Caposiena's unit and shook hands with him But he then pushed Mr Caposiena backwards and pulled out a gun, aiming it at the younger man's head. Mr Caposiena managed to grab a a kitchen knife and stab Cassidy with it before Cassidy pulled the trigger, shooting Mr Caposiena in the head through his ear. The desperate final struggle was witnessed by Mr Caposiena's girlfriend, Silvana Silva. Police arrived to find a grisly scene: Mr Caposiena dead from a gunshot wound inside the unit and Cassidy dead outside with multiple stab wounds. Prosecutors alleged Edmunds mocked and goaded Cassidy, telling him he wasn't a 'real man' if he didn't 'deal' with her ex. He ended up dead in a pool of blood, stabbed to death by Mr Caposiena outside his unit Michael Caposiena used this bloodied knife to stab Glen Cassidy moments before he was shot through the head The jury in the murder trial was shown photos of the grim double murder, including the bloodied knife found near Mr Capoiena's body and a pool of blood where Cassidy's body lay. The court also saw photos of gun parts found at the murder scene. It was also reported a black cap, emblazoned with the words 'Fear the grim reaper', lay near Cassidy's body. Prosecutors told the court police retrieved a map from Cassidy's body, which they allege Edmunds drew, showing where barking dogs and security lights were located. The jury was also told that before the horrific incident, Edmunds told her mother-in-law, Maree Cassidy, that she wanted 'someone to shoot [Mr Caposiena]'. The accused's mother Ellen Edmunds told the court that Mr Caposiena had been violent towards her and she didn't want him in her daughter's or her grandson's life. A hat branded 'Fear The Reaper' was found at the scene of the crime The jury in the murder trial was shown photos of the grim double murder, including the bloodied knife found near Mr Capoiena's body Ellen Edmunds told the court her daughter said both men were dead, that she was 'hysterical' and that 'Glen wasnt the one who was supposed to die'. Edmunds' mother added that the day after the deaths, her daughter told her that 'her troubles were over' and she had no more child custody worries. The defendant's legal team produced a text message alibi apparently from Cassidy to Edmunds taking full responsibility for the shooting. Another piece of Cassidy's mangled weapon Pieces of the revolver Cassidy used to shoot Michael Caposiena were found scattered after he used it to assault Silvana Silva But the prosecution claimed it could not have been sent by Cassidy because it used spelling and language beyond his literacy levels. Edmunds denied knowing of Cassidy's plans and her lawyer John Kelly SC told the court no conversation indicating guilt happened with her mother. The trial continues. A young woman was left permanently disfigured after her ex-boyfriend allegedly kidnapped her and tattooed his name into her face after she left him. Tayane Caldas, 18, of the southern Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, was on her way to school last Friday when she says her boyfriend Gabriel Coelho, 20, approached her and forced her to get in his car, which was being driven by his father, Jose Coelho. The teen said she was driven to her ex-boyfriend's home in the municipality of Taubate, where he forcibly tattooed his full name on her face, starting near the side her right ear and ending on the side of her right chin area. Tayane Caldas (pictured) was on her way to attend a class last Friday when her ex-boyfriend Gabriel Coelho, who was accompanied by his father, allegedly forced her to get in his car and drove her to his home in the southern Brazilian city of Taubate, where he held her against her will, beat her, tied her up and tattooed his first and last name down the right side of her face Gabriel Coelho is being investigated for reportedly kidnapping his ex-girlfriend and forcing her to get a tattoo with his first and last name inscribed on her face. He is also being held for failing to comply with a restraining order that barred him for contacting and being near her Gabriel Coelho reportedly kept Caldas trapped at his home where he physically and verbally abused her while her mother Deborah Velloso panicked that she had disappeared. Velloso filed a missing person's report before she tracked her daughter down to Coelho's house on Saturday and took her home. Once at the family residence, Coelho used makeup to cover the tattoo and bruises and was planning to leave for work, but her mother stopped her instead and accompanied her to the local police station where they filed an incident report. 'She told me she was screaming for help when he was tying her up,' Velloso said. 'She told me,"Either I stopped screaming and let him do the tattoo or he was going to kill me in there."' Coelho was taken into custody Saturday and is being held in preventive detention as authorities continue to investigate the incident. He will also have to remain in jail for not complying with a restraining order that Caldas filed in 2022. She had also obtained a restraining order in 2021. Coelho denied kidnapping his girlfriend and claimed she'd been happy to let him tattoo her. Tayane Caldas visited a clinic in Taubate, Brazil, on Wednesday to undergo the removal of the facial tattoo that her ex-boyfriend allegedly forced her to get last Friday Tayane Caldas visited a clinic in the southern Brazilian city of Taubate where she underwent the first of several dozen procedures to remove the facial tattoo that her ex-boyfriend allegedly did on her last Friday. In addition to removing the tattoo that features his first and last name, she will also remove his name that appears near her breast and crotch area Tayane Caldas told news outlet G1 that she was feeling 'a sense of relief, of happiness. To feel the beginning, to feel free' after she completed her first of several dozen sessions to remove the facial tattoo of her ex-boyfriend after he inked his name on the right side of her face. She had previously tattooed his name near her breast and groin area - both will be removed as well His father, who works for the city of Taubate, has already been interviewed by the police but is not in custody. He backed up his son's account. Caldas and Coelho met six years ago and dated for two years before recently ending the relationship. 'I am afraid of him,' Caldas told TV Band Vale. 'The law these days, everyone knows he doesn't stay in (jail) for long, and with this whole situation, I'm afraid of him.' Her mother shared with G1 a series of text messages, pleading with Coelho to accept that his relationship with her daughter was over. Tayane Caldas (left) knew Gabriel Coelho (right) for six years and dated him for two years before she decided to terminated the abusive relationship. Despite a restraining order, Coelho approached the 18-year-old last Friday and allegedly forced her to go into his car, which was driven by his father. She said her ex-boyfriend kidnapped her and took her to his home where he beat and tied her before tattooing his first and last name on the right side of her face Velloso texted him, 'you will be arrested if you don't stop.' Coelho responded by telling her that 'I have no reason to be arrested' and added that 'I don't need to go to prison for anyone.' Velloso then replied, 'go live your life and leave us alone.' Coelho sent audio message asking her to stop texting him while adding, 'nothing you say or stop saying will change what I'm going to do, okay? That's it, big hug.' Caldas is now undergoing laser treatment to remove the tattoo off her face as well as the other two tattoos of his name. She attended the first of a couple dozen visits at a clinic on Wednesday following a show of support local clinics and influencers after her lawyer revealed her horrific ordeal on social media. Caldas told news outlet G1 that she was feeling 'a sense of relief, of happiness. To feel the beginning, to feel free' after she completed her first session. Boris Johnson today suggested he won't benefit personally from the Government's energy bills handout - unlike Rishi Sunak - despite having more than one property. The Prime Minister insisted his 'arrangements are different' to those of the Chancellor, who has promised to donate his estimated 1,200 benefit from the new cost-of-living support to charity. The huge 21billion bailout unveiled by Mr Sunak yesterday includes 400 towards energy bills for all 28million households in the country. But the subsidy will be applied to properties rather than individuals, so those with multiple homes could rack up significantly higher savings. The Chancellor - who recently featured on the Sunday Times Rich List with billionaire heiress wife Akshata Murty - today urged people who do not need the money to 'join me' in giving the cash to good causes. Mr Sunak is believed to own three homes in the UK, including a house and a flat in central London and a sprawling estate in his Yorkshire constituency. That would potentially give a 1,200 benefit. Boris Johnson's properties are all listed as being rented out while he uses official residences in Downing Street and at Chequers - where he does not directly pay utility bills But, asked if he would follow the Chancellor's lead in donating payments to charity, the PM suggested he wouldn't be benefiting from the energy bills handout. 'My arrangements are different because I live in a Government flat,' he told reporters on a visit to Stockton-on-Tees. According to his register of interests as an MP, Mr Johnson has a 20 per cent share of a property in Somerset, a 50 per cent share of a property in London, and also owns a home in Oxfordshire. But they are all listed as being rented out while he uses official residences in Downing Street and at Chequers - where he does not directly pay utility bills. The Chancellor has not registered any rental income from his UK property portfolio. He was also reported to have moved out of his official residence in Downing Street last month in the wake of the controversy over his family's tax affairs. Asked about his own intentions on ITV's Good Morning Britain today, Mr Sunak said: 'I'm sure you will join me in giving that money to charity.' Justifying the way the new cost-of-living support was being delivered to all households rather than just the poorest, the Chancellor said there are only a couple of 'practical' ways of delivering payments, either universally or through the council tax system, which could exclude some deserving individuals. He told BBC Breakfast: 'Second homes account for one or two per cent of the property stock.' Rishi Sunak - who recently featured on the Sunday Times Rich List with heiress wife Akshata Murty - urged people who do not need the money to 'join me' in giving energy bill handouts to good causes Mr Sunak is believed to own three homes in the UK, including a house and a flat in central London and a sprawling estate in his Yorkshire constituency (pictured) Mr Sunak said there are only a couple of 'practical' ways of delivering payments, either universally or through the council tax system, which could exclude some deserving individuals An estimated 770,000 households own two homes that are not routinely rented out, and 60,000 have three. The Chancellor, aged 42, recently became the first frontline politician to be named in the Sunday Times Rich List together with his wife. The couple are credited with a joint fortune of 730million, putting them at 222 in the top 250 richest people in the UK. Ms Murty owns a 430million stake in her Indian tech billionaire father's IT business, and was recently embroiled in a row over having non-dom tax status. A 21-year-old groom-to-be has died after being hit by a stray bullet fired by his friend at his own engagement party. Mustafa Magdy was accidentally gunned down by one of his friends moments before arriving at the party in Agamy, in the Alexandria governorate of Egypt, on May 25. The barber, who was being held aloft by his friends and carried to the celebrations, fell to the ground drenched in blood when one of the negligent shooter's bullets clipped him. He was rushed to Mabaret Al-Asafra Gharb Hospital with massive blood loss, where medics were unable to resuscitate him. Celebratory gunfire is often seen at various festivities in parts of the Middle East, and in the context of weddings and engagements is viewed as a symbol of force and honour joining two families. But the traditional practice is dangerous, particularly at crowded events, and countless examples of people dying or sustaining serious injuries in accidental shootings have come to light in recent years. Mustafa Magdy died after he was shot with a stray bullet during his own engagement celebration in Alexandria governorate, Egypt, on May 25, 2022 Mustafa Magdy was accidentally gunned down by one of his friends moments before arriving at the party in Agami, Egypt, on May 25. Mohammed Yusuf, a friend of the groom-to-be, told local media: 'We were heading to a beauty salon where the bride was having her makeup done to take her to the lounge where the engagement was to be celebrated.' He said they were carrying Mustafa on their shoulders in celebration as they waited for the bride to exit the salon and head to the lounge. But before she left the salon, Mustafa tumbled to the ground badly wounded after a rattle of gunfire. Yusuf admitted that one of the group had fired the shot, but refused to name the gunman. Medics reported the shooting to police and officers from Amreya police station were dispatched to the hospital, where the 21-year-old sadly succumbed to his critical injuries. Police in Agamy have opened an investigation into the barber's death and the case is with regional prosecutors. But no more details had been shared at the time of the reporting and Yusuf declined to give any further details on the shooting or the injuries sustained by his friend. Mohammed Yusuf, a friend of the groom-to-be (pictured), told local media: 'We were heading to a beauty salon where the bride was having her makeup done to take her to the lounge where the engagement was to be celebrated' Yusuf admitted that one of the group had fired the shot which killed Mustafa (pictured), but refused to name the gunman Shooting an firearm into the sky in celebration is a popular practice throughout the Middle East. But it is a potentially fatal activity which sometimes results in the deaths of bystanders when the bullets run out of steam and fall back to earth. Others meanwhile are unfortunate enough to be hit directly as careless attendees accidentally squeeze off shots amid wild celebrations. Though falling bullets impact the ground - or unsuspecting bystanders - with far less velocity and force than if they had been fired directly, a typical bullet will fall with a speed of about 150mph if fired straight up in the air - more than enough to pierce through skin and bone. Advertisement Another 16 cases of monkeypox have been spotted among Britons, pushing the UK total above 100 as health officials plan to start isolating infected people's pets. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the new patients were all based in England. There have been 106 across Britain since the first was detected on May 6. Wales and Northern Ireland yesterday declared their first cases, while Scotland has so far logged three. Health chiefs are alarmed about the ever-growing cluster of cases, given that until now the smallpox-like infection was confined to a handful of people with travel links to Africa. The majority are among gay and bisexual men. A scientific group advising the UK Government has called for the pet hamsters, rabbits and other rodents owned by infected patients to be isolated for three weeks. The Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) group said these animals were at the highest risk of catching the virus, and they could spread it into wild populations. Experts fear that if the virus is unleashed into wild animal populations then it will become endemic and be hard to eradicate, as is the case in parts of western and central Africa. In new guidance issued today, the group said: 'Based on current evidence, for pet rodents in households where there are infected people, temporary removal from the household for a limited quarantine period (21 days) and testing to exclude infection is recommended, particularly where there are infected human contacts who have had close direct and prolonged contact with the animal or its bedding and/or litter.' The panel warned that hedgehogs, rats, mice, squirrels, rabbits and hares could all harbour the virus if monkeypox was to spill into Britain's wildlife populations. Officials are confident the monkeypox outbreak will not grow exponentially like Covid, saying the risk to the public remains low. However, they have urged Britons, especially men who have sex with men, to be on the look out for any new rashes or lesions, which appear like spots, ulcers or blisters, on any part of their body. Timeline of monkeypox 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 infections are announced in England. It brings the UK total to 57. MAY 24, 2022: England logs another 14 cases, bringing the UK total to 71. MAY 25, 2022: Another seven infections are spotted in England, meaning 78 cases have been detected in the UK. MAY 26, 2022: Wales and Northern Ireland detect their first monkeypox case in the recent outbreak, while Scotland spots two more cases and England logs eight, bringing UK total to 90. MAY 27, 2022: England detects 16 more cases, meaning 106 people in Britain have confirmed infections. Advertisement Anyone worried about a rash is advised to call their sexual health clinic immediately. Twenty countries across the world have now been affected by the current outbreak, with Finland today becoming the latest to confirm an infection. Additionally, Argentina, Bolivia and Sudan are all probing suspected cases. Teams from the UKHSA are contacting high-risk contacts of confirmed cases and advising them to self-isolate at home for three weeks and avoid contact with children. Both confirmed cases and close contacts are being offered the Imvanex vaccine to form a buffer of immune people around a confirmed case to limit the spread of the disease. The strategy, known as ring vaccination, has been used in previous monkeypox outbreaks and is also being carried out in some EU countries. Dr Susan Hopkins, the UKHSA's chief medical adviser, 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. 'We are asking people to look out for new spots, ulcers or blisters on any part of their body. 'If anyone suspects they might have these, 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.' 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. The current outbreak, first detected in a traveller from Nigeria to the UK on May 6, has been linked to several super-spreader events, including a gay pride festival in Gran Canaria, a fetish festival in Belgium and a 'sauna' in Spain. Experts this week revealed sexual transmission at these events is the leading theory behind the origins of the current cluster of cases. There are already fears the global outbreak of monkeypox may mean it can never be eradicated in the UK and Europe forever. The concerns are centred around the virus leaking into animal populations, with rodents known harbourers of monkeypox. The HAIRS group today said that it was 'unlikely' that an infected pet could spread the disease to wild animals but added it 'cannot be ruled out'. It is recommending that rodent pets are removed from households where there are infected patients and put in 'secure accommodation', where they will be PCR tested and isolated for 21 days. Dogs, cats and other pets will be allowed to stay in the home with their owner but must undergo 'regular vet checks' after their isolation period to make sure they do not have the virus. Justine Shotton, president of the British Veterinary Association, said the association was monitoring the situation closely. She believes the risk of infecting pets remains low but is 'supportive of a cautious approach' while officials seek to learn more about the virus. Ms Shotton said: 'It would be a sensible decision to keep your distance from a pet while in quarantine. 'If I was diagnosed with monkeypox I would do whatever I could to limit contact, such as asking a friend or relative to take care of it.' She added: 'There is currently no evidence of transmission between humans and cats and dogs but we know rabbits and rodents are susceptible. 'If you have concerns about your pets health if they have a fever, respiratory issues, poor appetite or lethargy speak to a vet. 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 Dr Adam Kucharski, a UK Government scientist and epidemiologist, said that while new cases may slow down, the 'biggest risk' is that they will 'not be eliminated in some places'. 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 'The chances are it will be something other than monkeypox but it's worth getting it checked.' It comes after an ex-WHO official claimed monkeypox may have been spreading under the radar in Europe for four years. Professor David Heymann, a former former director-general for health security and environment at the WHO, said the current global outbreak may date back to a handful of isolated cases in the UK in 2018. Two Britons were diagnosed with the tropical disease in September 2018 after returning from Nigeria. A third case was found in an NHS worker who treated one of the patients. In December 2019, a fourth person unrelated to the previous three tested positive for the virus after returning from Nigeria. Three further cases with similar travel history arrived in 2021. Professor Heymann suggested the virus may have been seeded in around this time and spread unchecked. All of the cases are believed to have had the milder western African clade of the virus the same one that is spreading now. 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 revealed close contacts of monkeypox cases, including NHS workers, are 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. 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? Around 20 countries including the US, Spain and Italy have 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. 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 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. 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. Newlyweds jetting off on their honeymoon were kicked off a TUI flight at the last minute because the plane was too full. Alex and Willow Rymer, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, were blocked from boarding the flight from Manchester to Cape Verde after being told the plane had been overbooked. They were two of 26 people hauled off the plane at Manchester Airport just 25 minutes before it was due to depart. Mr Rymer, 52, is a full-time carer for his 94-year-old mother, who has dementia, and said it had been incredibly difficult to organise the time away. Alex and Willow Rymer, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, were blocked from boarding the flight from Manchester to Cape Verde after being told the plane had been overbooked The couple were offered 600 in compensation but Mr Rymer claimed TUI had made things difficult. 'I spent 20 plus years working for a FTSE 100 banking group and am a stickler for good customer service,' he said. 'This is the worst I have ever experienced. The thing is we had done everything to make it go as smoothly as possible. 'We booked extra legroom seats both ways on the 787 Dreamliner and private transfers as a treat as it was our honeymoon. 'We even booked a night's stay in a Manchester Airport Hotel with parking to ensure everything went smoothly and we didn't get stuck on the notorious M62.' Mr Rymer said the experience ruined what was meant to be 'the perfect getaway'. Mr Rymer, 52, is a full-time carer for his 94-year-old mother, who has dementia, and said it had been incredibly difficult to organise the time away 'We had booked an adults only all-inclusive resort right by the beach and perfect for relaxing with excellent food and wonderful staff,' he said. 'I'm a full-time carer. This type of holiday while combining it as our honeymoon would have been the ideal break. 'My brother had made special arrangements with his work and partner in order to move in to look after our mother. 'Willow had also taken specific time off work which clearly cannot now be altered so a complete waste of time.' The couple had already been put through the wringer after having to wait two years to get married due to changing Covid restrictions. Mr Rymer popped the question to Willow in June 2019 but didn't get married until July last year. After nearly a year of waiting to go on their honeymoon, they were looking forward to jetting off to TUI Blue Cabo Verde resort in Cape Verde, having been there three times before and loved it. But when Mr Rymer tried to check-in online the day before they were due to depart, he received an error message, prompting him to call the TUI helpline. After being told there was no problem, Mr Rymer noticed the spacious 787 Dreamliner had been changed for a smaller 767 aircraft but notably the seats remained the same. The couple were offered 600 in compensation but Mr Rymer claimed TUI had made things difficult Mr Rymer said: 'I became suspicious things were not all as they seemed when I was unable to check-in online and print boarding passes. 'I phoned TUI but had lengthy delays and kept getting cut off. I was eventually told there was no problem and I would just have to print them at the airport. 'Then I tried to order champagne for the flight but was told this wasn't possible. Obviously alarm bells were ringing here. 'We arrived at the airport three hours early, checked in, printed boarding passes which had the correct seat numbers, so there didn't seem to be anything to worry about. 'The bags were dropped, went through security and then waited in departures. Did the normal things you do, bought sun cream and coffees and just waited. 'Then we heard our names on the tannoy and went to the information desk to be told by the Swissport employee we were two of 26 to be offloaded from the flight due to it being downsized.' Mr Rymer popped the question to Willow in June 2019 but didn't get married until July last year Mr Rymer said he was unable to speak to TUI customer service assistants at the airport and when he phoned up customer services only received 'fake emotionless apologies'. 'It's not the holiday cancellation itself it's all the before and after nonsense and the inability of TUI to hold themselves accountable or take responsibility,' he said. 'In my opinion, they knew the 787 Dreamliner was never going to make the trip so why sell tickets based on that aircraft?' A spokesman for TUI said: 'We would like to apologise for the inconvenience to our customers on flight TOM586 from Manchester to Sal, Cape Verde, on Sunday 22 May who were affected by an aircraft change due to operational issues. 'We contacted affected customers as soon as we became aware of the change, offering the options to cancel their holiday for a full refund, amend their holiday with an incentive or change onto an alternative flight. 'We understand how frustrating and disappointing this will have been and are very sorry for the inconvenience caused.' A soldier who deliberately drove his car into a group of teenagers after downing six pitchers of cocktail has been jailed for eight years. Cameron Bailey, 25, of the Mooltan Barracks in Tidworth, Wiltshire, had spent the afternoon of March 27 drinking with three fellow soldiers in Salisbury. Cameron Bailey (above), 25, of the Mooltan Barracks in Tidworth, Wiltshire, had spent the afternoon of March 27 drinking with three fellow soldiers in Salisbury They started off in a Wetherspoons pub in the village of Amesbury, where Bailey drank an 'unconscionable, unrealistic and ridiculous' amount of alcohol, prosecutor Charles Gabb QC said. The four then piled into Baileys blue Skoda and headed for Salisbury and began a pub crawl. Over the course of the day, the defendant admitted drinking five to six pitchers of cocktail by himself, as well as two pints of beer and Jagerbomb shots. After being refused entry to a pub at around 9.30pm, Bailey and his friends got into a verbal argument and then a scuffle with a group of teenagers, which was broken up by bouncers from nearby bars. During the fight, Bailey was heard yelling insults of 'gratuitous offensiveness' including threatening to rape their sisters and kill their mothers, Salisbury Crown Court heard. The group then decided to leave Salisbury and head back to the barracks with Bailey at the wheel, but drove past the group of teenagers in Fisherton Street. Bailey was caught on CCTV deliberately turning his car around once he spotted the group, driving slowly in their direction, pausing for around 21 seconds before accelerating towards them Bailey was caught on CCTV deliberately turning his car around once he spotted the group, driving slowly in their direction, pausing for around 21 seconds before accelerating towards them. He hit the group of five at a speed of at least 27mph, forensic analysis showed, throwing one 17-year-old girl into the air and onto the windscreen, leaving her with severe injuries to her feet and ankles. She was in hospital for four days following the attack, and has suffered extreme anxiety as a result, particularly in crowds and close to roads, the court heard. A 17-year-old boy also suffered cuts and bruises and will have a permanent scar on the left side of his face, the court heard. The other three teens present were knocked to the ground, but were uninjured. Bailey then drove off and was found in bed by his sergeant 'reeking of alcohol' at around 11pm. He hit the group of five at a speed of at least 27mph, forensic analysis showed, throwing one 17-year-old girl into the air and onto the windscreen, leaving her with severe injuries to her feet and ankles Bailey then drove off and was found in bed by his sergeant 'reeking of alcohol' at around 11pm The defendant, who was a qualified driver of the Warrior armoured vehicles used in combat, initially claimed it was an accident and that he had hit the accelerator while looking for a cigarette. He later admitted causing two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent against the two teens and one of dangerous driving. Jailing Bailey for eight years, Judge Susan Evans QC said: 'In your rage you deliberately drove at (the teenagers) using your car as the most fearsome weapon against them.' She continued: 'You drove off, there was no attempt to stop, call an ambulance or show any concern whatsoever. The court heard that Bailey has a previous conviction dating back to 2018 for bottling a man at a house party (pictured outside Manchester Crown Court in 2019) Since his conviction, Bailey has been sacked from the army, the court heard. He was a qualified driver of the Warrior armoured vehicles (pictured) used in combat 'You drove all the way back to the barracks putting other road users in extreme danger.' Judge Evans told Bailey he must serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody instead of the usual half because of the seriousness of his offence and because he has a previous conviction for alcohol-fuelled violence. The court heard that Bailey has a previous conviction dating back to 2018 for bottling a man at a house party who tried to intervene when he was harassing his ex-girlfriend. Bailey was further convicted of assaulting his ex on the same evening by grabbing her around the throat and given an eight-month sentence suspended for two years. Since his conviction, Bailey has been sacked from the army, the court heard. Three in four adults in Britain are now travelling to work at some point during the week - up from two-thirds a month ago, an official survey suggested today. But the data published by the Office for National Statistics also found around a third of people are continuing to spend part of their week working at home. The figures point to a shift in certain types of public behaviour over the past two months - a period coinciding with a steady fall in Covid-19 infections. The trend will also be welcomed by the Government which has been struggling to end the working from home culture that developed during the pandemic. Huge numbers of civil servants are reluctant to go back to their desks, prompting fears for productivity and the survival of businesses in city centres that rely on them. People board an Elizabeth line train in London on what was its first day of service on Tuesday Commuters cross Waterloo Bridge in London during the morning rush hour earlier this month Some 75 per cent of adults quizzed between May 11 and 22 said they had travelled to work in the past seven days, either exclusively or while spending part of their time working at home. This is up from 66 per cent of those polled from April 13 to 24. The proportion of people working at home at some point during the week is broadly unchanged, at 37 per cent in mid-May compared with 36 per cent in mid-April. Workers should return to the office to avoid spats escalating out of control, says property company boss Christian Ulbrich Workers should return to the office to avoid spats escalating out of control and souring staff relations, the boss of a top property firm has said. Christian Ulbrich, chief executive of JLL, warned that conflicts were more easily resolved when staff were physically together - and that communicating virtually required far more empathy. Speaking at the World Economic Forums annual conference in Davos, Mr Ulbrich told Bloomberg: You get a better outcome if you are in a room together. It is much easier to upset people on video calls, he added. Another thing I have experienced, conflicts between people are much easier resolved when people are together in an office, he said. Whereas when you are on a video call its easier to miss that somebody is not happy with the way you are wording things, or behaving and in your facial expressions. There is a much higher need when people work remotely to be really focused on empathy with others. Mr Ulbrich also accused workers of having a bit of an attitude if they do not want to come back to the office. Advertisement The Bank of England is still allowing staff to work from home four days a week, but its Governor Andrew Bailey admitted earlier this week that such perks are now necessary when trying to recruit staff. Many companies have been struggling to hire enough staff, especially in the technology sector, and have been offering better terms to try to attract them. Firms across the UK are being forced to address the idea of flexible working, following the Covid lockdowns. While some staff find it easier to work from home some or all of the time, many managers are concerned that long-term flexible working could reduce productivity, hamper teamwork and affect workers social lives. And the Government fears that increased home working could affect the economy, as workers make fewer trips out to shop and buy lunch and shun office space. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is leading the calls to get people back into the office, having claimed recently that working from home is not working. Mr Johnson told the Daily Mail: 'My experience of working from home is you spend an awful lot of time making another cup of coffee and then, you know, getting up, walking very slowly to the fridge, hacking off a small piece of cheese, then walking very slowly back to your laptop and then forgetting what it was you're doing.' Other findings in the latest ONS survey suggest an easing of public attitudes towards some aspects of the pandemic. Just over half (54 per cent) of adults in the latest survey said they had used a face covering while outside their home, down from nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) in April. Some 34 per cent said they always or often maintained social distancing when meeting people outside their household, down from 38 per cent. And just 23 per cent of adults reported taking a rapid lateral flow test in the past seven days, down from 34 per cent. Covid-19 infections across the UK have fallen sharply in recent weeks, after hitting a record high at the end of March due to the spread of the Omicron BA.2 variant. The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 has also dropped and is now at levels last seen in late summer 2021. Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured in Stockton-on-Tees today) calling for people to get back into the office, having claimed recently that working from home is not working Jacob Rees-Mogg has also been leading the charge, having left notes on empty desks in the Cabinet Office saying: Sorry you were out. I look forward to seeing you in the office very soon But while the most recent wave of infections is now in retreat, a sizeable minority of people are still concerned about the virus. Some 40 per cent of adults in the latest ONS survey said they were very or somewhat worried about the effect of Covid-19 on their life - largely unchanged on 39 per cent a month earlier. It comes after a major report by the ONS released last week that fewer than one in ten workers plans to go back to the office five days a week. That survey also found that just 8 per cent of employees who had to work from home during the pandemic now intend to return to the workplace permanently, down from 11 per cent during last year's lockdown. And the proportion of workers who said their future plans were based around 'mostly working from home' rose from 30 to 42 per cent over the past year. China hit out against Sec. of State Antony Blinken's bold address Thursday that called it a threat unlike any other, accusing the secretary of 'smearing' China. The secretary's speech 'spreads false information, exaggerates the China threat, interferes in China's internal affairs and smears China's domestic and foreign policies,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters Friday. Wang said that China 'firmly opposed' the speech and said it proved Washington is looking to 'contain and suppress China's development and maintain US hegemony and power.' Sec. Blinken's speech speech 'spreads false information, exaggerates the China threat, interferes in China's internal affairs and smears China's domestic and foreign policies,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, above, told reporters Friday Blinken issued a stark warning Thursday morning that the threat of China will 'test U.S. diplomacy like nothing we've ever seen before' - but insisted America does not want another Cold War and does not support Taiwan independence. He also said in the speech at George Washington University that China's cooperation with Vladimir Putin after his invasion of Ukraine 'raises alarm bells', Beijing under Xi Jinping has 'more repressive at home and more aggressive abroad' and accused the communist party of trying to undermine global order. Blinken laid out the Biden administration's policy towards China after the president raised eyebrows by saying the U.S. would get involved 'militarily' if there was an invasion of Taiwan. It marked what seemed to be a more aggressive stance towards defending Taiwan and the 'One China' that the U.S. has recognized since the Cold War. The Secretary of State said U.S. approach to Taiwan has not changed to decades and does not support independence. Sec. of State Antony Blinken issued a stark warning Thursday morning that the threat of China will 'test U.S. diplomacy like nothing we've ever seen before' - but insisted America does not want another Cold War and does not support Taiwan independence However he did say that he opposes any chances to the 'unilateral status quo' and said China is engaged in 'increasingly provocative' rhetoric and activity' related to Taiwan. 'On Taiwan: Our approach has been consistent across decades and administrations. As the President has said, our policy has not changed, he said. 'The United States remains committed to our One China Policy ... we do not support Taiwan independence.' 'China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it,' Blinken said in a speech at George Washington University outlining U.S.-China policy. 'Beijing's vision would move us away from the universal values that have sustained so much of the world's progress over the past 75 years,' Blinken added. 'But we will defend and strengthen the international law, agreements, principles, and institutions that maintain peace and security, protect the rights of individuals and ... nations, and make it possible for all countries..to coexist.' 'We must defend and reform rules-based international order,' Blinken said. 'The foundations of the international order are under serious and sustained challenge.' 'Under President Xi, China has become more repressive at home and more aggressive abroad.' The secretary underscored that the U.S. was focused on international order, and not sparking up a new Cold War. 'We aren't looking for conflict or a new Cold War. To the contrary, we're determined to avoid both,' he said. But, he added, 'We cannot rely on Beijing to change its trajectory.' 'China is also integral to global economy. Put simply, the United States and China have to deal with each other for the foreseeable future.' He also said in the speech at George Washington University that China's cooperation with Vladimir Putin after his invasion of Ukraine 'raises alarm bells', Beijing under Xi Jinping has 'more repressive at home and more aggressive abroad' and accused the communist party of trying to undermine global order Blinken also brought up the detention camps in the Xinjiang region, and accused Tibet and Hong Kong of violating the UN charter and human rights declaration by their actions in Tibet and Hong Kong. 'The U.S. stands with countries and people around the world against the genocide and crimes against humanity happening in the Xinjiang region, where more than a million people have been placed in detention camps because of their ethnic and religious identity,' he said. He also said China is 'taking advantage of the openness of our economies to spy to hack to steal technology and know how to advance its military innovation and entrench its surveillance state.' Tensions have soared between Beijing and Taiwan, and last week as Biden traveled to Asia to bolster Indo-Pacific alliances China conducted military drills in the disputed South China Sea as a show of force. China also flew a pair of long-range nuclear-capable H-6 bombers through the area on Wednesday, Chinese media reports said. Biden's visit to the Asian came amid escalated tensions with both China and North Korea. In addition to meeting with world leaders, Biden met with executives at a microchip facility. Both China and Taiwan have dominance over the microchip market. If China were to invade Taiwan, it could cut off U.S. supply to the chips that are used in electric vehicles, TVs, and other every day electronics. Taiwan has come under increasing risk of a Chinese invasion as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is thought to be taking notes from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 'Beijing's defense of President Putin's war to erase Ukraine's sovereignty and secure a sphere of influence in Europe should raise alarm bells for all of us who call the Indo-Pacific region home,' Blinken said on Thursday. 'This is a charged moment for the world.' In an alarming move earlier last month, China's regulators held an emergency meeting on April 22 between officials from China's central bank, the finance ministry, domestic banks operating within China, and international lenders such as HSBC. The West's harsh economic sanctions on Russia prompted the emergency meeting, with the Ministry of Finance stating that President Xi's administration had been put on alert by the surprise dollar freeze. Last week in Japan 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 during a press conference Monday in Tokyo. 'Yes,' Biden said. 'That's a commitment we made,' Biden responded when asked about the hot button diplomatic issue. Biden reiterated that the United States 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.' 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 homed in on Biden's 'One China' policy remark. '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.' Blinken 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 Chinese guided-missile destroyer takes part in exercises in the South China Sea in October 2021 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. Earlier this month the State Department dramatically shifted its language toward Taiwan in a summary on its webpage, again prompting Chinese ire. The new summary touts the U.S.'s 'robust unofficial relationship' with Taiwan, while striking the previously included line: 'The U.S. does not support Taiwan independence.' 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.' A shocking video shows the moments a woman riding a New York City subway pleads with passengers to help her as she is assaulted by a thug as other riders appear to ignore her pleas. In the video, taken on Wednesday and posted on Daily Dot, the hoodlum is seen dressed in black leggings, a white cropped zippered hoodie and white sneakers, storms around the train car while screaming expletives. After the frenzied fit the person sits down as many of the passengers rush to another area of the train. As one female passenger, closest to the hoodlum, tries to flee, the thug grabs her and terrorizes the victim. The female victim visibly distraught is crying out: 'Help! Help!' as other riders ignore her pleas The bandit is seen in the video grabbing hold of the woman's hair while pushing her down into the seat. The victim is visibly distraught and crying out: 'Help! Help!' as other riders ignore her pleas, as the disturbing scene plays out. Moments later, the vandal screams to the woman, 'Get Up!' before shoving her to another area of the subway car, before walking away. The hooligan proceeds to scream obscenities and trashes around the subway car before kicking in the window of the moving train. When the subway pulled into the station platform, the terror-filled ride ceased and the hooligan walked into the crowd of people nowhere to be seen. It is not clear what time the incident occurred and what train line it was. When DailyMail.com contacted the New York Police Department on Friday for more information on the attack, they said they were 'looking into it,' but had no reports of incident filed at this time. The bandit is seen grabbing hold of the woman's hair and pushing her down into the seat The hooligan proceeds to scream obscenities and trashes around the subway car before kicking their leg into the window of the moving train 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 riding the Q train from his home in Park Slope, Brooklyn to Manhattan when a gunman, believed to be Andrew Abdullah, opened fire as the train was crossing the Manhattan Bridge in an unprovoked attack. 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. If anyone has information on the victim or the perpetrator, please contact ruth.bashinsky@mailonline.com A disabled man who was left stranded on a plane for two hours has vowed never to travel through Manchester Airport again. Ray King, 68, who has osteoarthritis in both knees and one hip, landed on a Jet2.com flight from Dalaman, Turkey, at 4.45pm earlier this month. Ray's wife Pauline had pre-booked assistance to help him from the aircraft and through the hub as he cannot negotiate steps or walk long distances. However, on landing and after all other passengers had disembarked, Ray claims both they and another couple waited a further two hours for staff from assistance agency ABM - despite repeated attempts from the cabin and crew to speed up the process. The plane had been due to fly out again to Sicily at 6.15pm but the delay meant the next set of passengers didn't get going until after 8pm, says Ray. In the meantime, he says he was taken by ambulift to the terminal, where, with the support of his wife, he had to tackle the walk to passport control on foot as no wheelchair was made available, despite having requested one. It comes days after BBC journalist Frank Gardner was left in a similar situation when there were not enough staff at Heathrow Airport to get his wheelchair, leaving him stuck on an aircraft. Ray King, pictured here with his wife Pauline, was stuck on a Jet2.com plane at Manchester Airport for two hours awaiting assistance Speaking to the Manchester Evening News Ray said during his ordeal at Manchester Airport was a huge contrast compared to his experience in Turkey. 'Despite needing a wheelchair to negotiate the many areas of the airport I was dumped at a door and told "there is the lift",' he said. If it hadn't been for my wife's help I would have been helpless. 'Both Jet2.com captains, the one who flew us in and the one who arrived to fly the next passengers out, were amazing and really tried to help. I don't blame the airline, they tried their utmost. 'When they finally got us they had no wheelchairs after the ride to the terminal so I just had to walk a bit, sit down, then walk again, and suffer with the help of my wife. 'We will never fly through Manchester Airport again. It was the complete opposite at Dalaman, they couldn't help enough. 'We live equal distance to Newcastle and Leeds and we go away three times a year. We've always travelled from Manchester but we will not do that again. 'Even in the terminal there were no lights on and we had to shout to get the passport control guy. 'Our baggage was just plonked on the floor and my wife had to go hunting for it. No explanation, no staff.' Ray said the staff on the plane were 'amazing and really tried to help', but despite there best efforts he was left there for more than two hours. Pictured is a Jet2.com aircraft (file photo) A Manchester Airport spokesman said Mr King had been in contact with their customer feedback team and confirmed it was agency ABM who had dealt with the request for special assistance. It's understood a 'technical outage' on the day in question may have contributed to the incident. He added: 'We are sorry to hear this passenger had a disappointing experience upon arrival. 'Our whole industry is facing resource challenges at present, following the most damaging two years in its history. 'This includes not only airports and airlines, but also third parties operating on our site, including the special assistance providers who are responsible for supporting passengers such as Mr King with additional requirements. 'We will continue to work with our partners to understand the challenges they're facing, mitigate these pressures in the interim and deliver the best passenger experience we can.' An ABM spokesperson said: 'We understand the importance of the special assistance service we provide passengers, and delivering that service with efficiency, respect, and care is critical. 'We regret any time when our service does not meet that standard, and are working with our teams and partners in examining Mr King's experience. 'We are currently experiencing higher volumes of passengers who require special assistance than our busiest pre-pandemic peak while the entire industry continues to face resource challenges. 'We know that we are not alone in managing these issues and understand the inconvenience and emotional impact this all may have on individuals travelling, particularly those requiring additional assistance. 'We are working in collaboration with all our clients and partners to minimise the impact as we navigate this phase of the pandemic recovery.' It comes days after BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner was left in a similar situation after there were 'no staff to get his wheelchair off' when he landed at Heathrow Airport. The veteran journalist, who has been using a wheelchair since he was shot six times by militants in Saudi Arabia in 2004, accused the airport of treating disabled passengers as 'lowest priority'. He had been on a flight from Estonia when he was left with no way off the plane due to the lack of staff to get his wheelchair. Security correspondent Frank Gardner was left on the empty flight from Estonia and says he was told that no staff were available to help him get off the plane Tweeting about the incident, which took place on May 15, the 60-year-old said: 'It's happened again. Stuck on an empty plane at Heathrow airport long after everyone else is off 'no staff to get my wheelchair off the plane'. 'I am SO disappointed with @HeathrowAirport as disabled passengers are once again apparently the lowest priority.' Around 22 minutes after his original tweet, he confirmed he was 'in the terminal while I'm guessing all other passengers are on their way home'. A spokesperson for Heathrow Airport replied on Twitter: 'Hi Frank, we apologise unreservedly for this incident and we regret that the service fell short of the experience we aim to provide at Heathrow. 'We're looking into it as a matter of urgency and if you have any further info you'd like to share with us, please feel free to DM us.' Mr Gardner said his latest issues are 'incredibly minor' when the humanitarian situation in Ukraine is considered but that it was 'objectionable' how frequent 'cr**p treatment' is given to disabled people. A deaf woman slammed Dutch Bros Coffee after she says her receipt called her 'the most difficult customer ever' after she struggled to order her drink. Ashley Vallejo, 34, revealed she visited her local coffee chain in Waco, Texas, this week outlet where she described their interaction as 'a little bit awkward.' In a TikTok video, she revealed the common difficulties of ordering at cafes and restaurants as someone with a disability, and said that servers often got her order wrong. Vallejo said: 'I read lips, I can talk a little bit, but my voice is not perfect. '(Disabled people) are like you. We try to order food, and stuff like that, like everyone else. Don't punish us. Please have a lot of patience with us.' She said that after her 'awkward' ordering experience, she went to collect her coffee and was upset to find that the server had referred to her as 'the most difficult customer ever' on her receipt. Vallejo said that the incident occurred on her first visit to Dutch Bros Coffee 'God, you have no idea what it's like being deaf,' Vallejo said in her video, becoming emotional. 'Have patience.' On her Facebook page, Vallejo said that despite highlighting the incident, she did not want to attack the employee and that the point of the video was to 'spread awareness to educate employee and upgrade your training for DA awareness.' Dutch Bros Coffee have since apologized for the incident. In a statement, they called the incident 'deeply disappointing, unacceptable and against everything Dutch Bros stands for.' The company said that they have addressed the issue internally. They continued: 'It's our hope we can work with her and the deaf community to ensure we always provide an excellent experience and meet the exceedingly high bar we've set for ourselves.' There are 538 Dutch Bros Coffee outlets in the United States across 12 states. According to her Facebook page, Vallejo has three children and operates two business, a cleaning service and a children's clothing boutique. She lives in Riesel, less than 20 miles outside of Waco. Back in October 2021, Vallejo told KWTX that she had suffered through a difficult experience at a McDonald's drive-thru. Vallejo said that when she presented the person at the window with a note, it was rejected. She said that the manager had to get involved before she got her order. She said: 'I looked at him and just tried to explain what was going on a few times and, again, he rejected service to us and told us that we had to keep going through, which wasn't fair and wasn't right.' Vallejo continued: 'Then, they were mocking us for being deaf and making fun of us. I was trying to explain to them that I was deaf and we couldn't hear, and then they were acting they couldn't hear us and making gestures toward their ear back to us and mocking us in a way.' She concluded by saying: 'I think better training being provided to the drive-thru and others in the customer service industry. That would be my goal.' The owner of the McDonald's, Bob Frazier, told the KTWX: 'At my McDonald's, we work hard to build an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome. We are looking into this incident to see if there are changes we can make to better serve our customers.; A vicar faces being kicked out of the Church of England after meeting a Hezbollah commander and posting an article entitled: '9/11: Israel did it.' Reverend Dr Stephen Sizer has been formally accused of anti-semitism by the Board of Deputies of British Jews for the first time in its 260-year history, a tribunal was told. The 68-year-old is facing removal from the Church because of accusations that he posted anti-semitic articles online and promoted and shared platforms with Holocaust deniers. Church tribunals are normally private but Rev Sizer has chosen to hold it in public as he wants to clear his name. He denies his actions were anti-semitic arguing they were political and aimed at the state of Israel, not Jewish people. Reverend Dr Stephen Sizer, 68, is facing removal from the Church of England because of accusations that he posted anti-semitic articles online and promoted and shared platforms with Holocaust deniers. (He is pictured outside St Andrew's Courthouse, London, on Monday) Dr Sizer met the senior Hezbollah commander Sheikh Nabil Kaouk in summer 2006 (pictured together) and is accused of promoting the idea that Israel was behind the September 11 attacks by posting an article entitled: '9/11: Israel did it' Church tribunals are normally private but Rev Sizer has chosen to hold it in public as he wants to clear his name. He denies his actions were anti-semitic arguing they were political and aimed at the state of Israel, not Jewish people. (Above, Rev Sizer in Tehran in 2014) Dr Sizer faces 11 separate instances of anti-semitism, beginning in 2005 where he participated in a conference run by the Islamic Human Rights Commission entitled: 'Towards a New Liberation Theology.' He met the senior Hezbollah commander Sheikh Nabil Kaouk in summer 2006 and is accused of promoting the idea that Israel was behind the September 11 attacks by posting an article entitled: '9/11: Israel did it.' Alongside the article he wrote that it 'raised so many questions'. The complaint was brought by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and it is the first time the organisation has raised a complaint of antisemitism to a Church member in its 260-year history. Nicholas Leviseur, presenting the case, said the Board of Deputies is representative of the opinion of the majority of British Jews. He said: 'With some 400,000 Jews in the UK, it is not hard to find some who do not want to be part of any representation, but to say that the Board of Deputies, established in 1760, does not in the present represent the views of a vast majority is, in our view, a silly submission.' He also said that the clergy are held to a higher standard than lay people and must exercise 'prudence, caution and sensitivity'. He added: 'I summarise I hope not unfairly. There is considerable debate in academia about something called the new antisemitism. 'It is not new, it is the same antisemitism, it just finds new expressions, just as the gas chambers gave us new expressions in 1945 but not before. 'Hezbollah is a parastatal organisation with its own army which exists for the extermination of Israel and the Jews within it, but its use of language is what makes it so serious. 'They never speak of Israel, it is always Jew, Jews and Jewry. 'Many years ago, a very little-known former serviceman with a gallantry award wrote a book in which he set out his views facing the world and in particular Germany. Dr Sizer is not currently a practising vicar having been suspended from his church by the Bishop of Winchester pending the outcome of the tribunal 'People failed to believe what he said. Hitler said quite clearly that the Jews were a very significant problem and in due course people were terribly surprised when it became clear he meant it and when he took power he did it. 'In that context, no Jew can possibly be blamed for taking Hezbollah at its word. Extermination of the Jewish state. That is what they say.' Stephen Hofmeyr, representing Sizer, said the vicar had met with the Hezbollah commander because he was asked to. He said: 'Imagine if he had refused. Instead, he used the opportunity for good. He went to proclaim freedom for the captives.' Earlier in the hearing, Mr Hofmeyr told the tribunal that Dr Sizer had gone to negotiate the freedom of Israeli soldiers. He added: 'There is no evidence to show that Dr Sizer defended the views of those with whom he shared a platform. 'It is significant that not one word or statement from Dr Sizer has been shown to be anti-semitic. There are none.' In 2015, Dr Sizer posted a link to a website that also suggested Israel was behind 9/11. He then took it down after 48 hours and after apologising to the Bishop of Guildford, agreed to cease writing, speaking, preaching or teaching about anything to do with the Middle Eastern conflict. Mr Hofmeyr told the tribunal it would be an abuse of process to punish him again for this. He also said it would be inappropriate to judge Dr Sizer using the definition of anti-semitism set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) as it is still being debated. He said: 'The IHRA working definition is not fit for purpose for anyone who seeks to use it as an adjudicative standard.' He added: 'One cannot determine what words or conduct are anti-semitic without knowing the full context. 'Association with others who are recognised to have anti-semitic views is by itself insufficient, as is where the association is for good reason such as challenging or presenting views.' Dr Sizer is not currently a practising vicar having been suspended from his church by the Bishop of Winchester pending the outcome of the tribunal. David Pittaway QC has now heard all of the evidence and will publish his ruling on a date yet to be decided. America has a crisis of courage, a crisis of character and a crisis of apathy. Each day we see large and small examples of the erosion of resolution, fellowship, and sympathy in this country. It is hard to watch and it is nothing short of an existential threat to our future and our children. We often see cellphone videos of people, usually women, being harassed and even accosted by seemingly deranged people on the New York City subways. In some instances, these victims beg their fellow passengers for help, but everyone just stands around holding their iPhones. Outside of Philadelphia last year, a woman was raped on a commuter train while as many as 10 passengers did nothing. Some of them even filmed the attack but no one intervened or even called 911. This sadly and terrifyingly has become the norm instead of the exception. If the instinctual reaction is -- if it isn't happening to me, it isn't my problem -- then we have reached a truly petrifying state in America. But by-and-large Americans still look to our law enforcement professionals and first responders, firemen and emergency personnel as the people that will run towards danger and not away from it. Now stunningly, as the nation comes to grips with the horror of Uvalde that core assumption appears to be in question. While we are still searching for answers, emerging details of the law enforcement response to the Uvalde shooting appear damning and strike me as possible dereliction of duty on the part of the police officers who were there. Video shows Texas cops holding down a parent outside Robb Elementary School on Tuesday while a shooting unfolded inside What we know is that the gunman was outside the school for 12 minutes even after shooting his grandmother and crashing his truck then entered the school without challenge. What we know is that even though officers were on scene and engaged with the shooter within minutes of him entering the school, the killer remained in the school for an hour before law enforcement finally entered the classroom where he was barricaded with his victims and killed him. And now, we're seeing gut-wrenching videos of parents pleading with armed police officers to go into the school as these officials instead waited outside. The videos are very difficult to watch in some case the officers stopped frantic parents from going into the building themselves. Panicked mothers and father were even handcuffed, restrained and pepper-sprayed by officers standing with their backs to the school. It is truly every parent's worst nightmare, and it is hard to understand what protocol could possibly justify first responders waiting outside a school, while a shooter remained inside. On CNN Thursday night, a spokesperson with the Texas Department of Public Safety explained it this way. 'In the active shooter situation, you want to stop the killing, you want to preserve life, said Lt. Chris Olivarez. 'But also, one thing that, of course, the American people need to understand is that officers are making entry into this building. They do not know where the gunman is. They are hearing gunshots. They are receiving gunshots.' 'At that point, if they proceeded any further not knowing where the suspect was at, they could've been shot, they could've been killed, and at that point that gunman would have had an opportunity to kill other people inside that school.' Clearly, this response is not sitting well with many. One reason that many Americans respect and revere law enforcement officers is they are willing to put their lives on the line, every single day, for the well-being of our communities. Texas Governor Greg Abbott (above, attending a vigil on May 25, 2022) needs to take the lead, investigate and release the entire Uvalde police force if it is necessary to send a message that this kind of dereliction of duty will not stand in Texas and America And I believe that most police officers truly do live up to that commitment. I am well-aware of what police officers and their families go through and have always had the deepest and utmost respect for our law enforcement --so much so that I have been vilified for coming out against the absurdity of defunding the police and defending the slogan 'Blue Lives Matter.' But what I will also say is that a group of police officers waiting outside a school holding back hysterical parents as a gunman is inside slaughtering children is a moral and ethical abomination. One can only ponder what would have happened and what lives would have been saved if the police officers went in and stormed the shooter. Police are not expected to commit suicide, but they are expected to confront the threat. Already, surgeons at the hospital in Uvalde have suggested that the delay in responding may have cost some injured kids their lives. Any police officer who stood around as small children were being slaughtered should be removed from their jobs as they have shown themselves to be incapable of serving and protecting their community. Panicked mothers and father were even handcuffed, restrained and pepper-sprayed by officers standing with their backs to the school. I understand, these life or death situations are intense and not for everyone. Not everyone is equipped to be a first responder and willing to put their life on the line. But if that is the case, please do not become a first responder, let alone a police officer. We cannot have people serving in the police force who are victims themselves of the crisis of courage that is engulfing our society. Texas Governor Greg Abbott needs to take the lead, investigate and release the entire Uvalde police force if it is necessary to send a message that this kind of dereliction of duty will not stand in Texas and America. It doesn't matter how pro-law enforcement you are, and I am, when police officers neglect their duty and innocent people die as a result, they need to be held accountable for their behavior and not be allowed to serve in the police force. We can only hope and pray that the cultural tides start to turn regarding the crisis of courage, particularly when it comes to our first responders showcasing what seems to be extreme cowardice. Democratic Kurt Schrader, a centrist who was endorsed by President Joe Biden, has been ousted in the Democratic primary in Oregon by progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner after results were delayed more than a week by a ballot-printing issue. The vote count in the state's 5th Congressional District was slowed because tens of thousands of ballots were printed with blurry barcodes, making them unreadable by vote-counting machines. Workers in Clackamas County, the state's third-largest county, had to transfer votes by hand to fresh ballots so they could be tallied. That process continued Friday for other races yet to be called. McLeod-Skinner had the backing of the local Democratic parties in all four counties covered by the redrawn seat, which now leans a little less blue. She was also endorsed by prominent progressives in D.C such as Senator Elizabeth Warren. In her campaign, she urged stronger action to combat climate change and complained that Schrader, who has been referred to as the 'Joe Manchin of the Senate', was too conservative. She also portrayed Schrader as a politician who had lost touch with his party's base and in the pocket of large pharmaceutical companies on issues like prescription drug prices. McLeod-Skinner will face Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer in November. Chavez-DeRemer is the former mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon. She has said she will support businesses and police and address 'the crisis on our southern border.' In a statement on Twitter, McLeod-Skinner thanked Schrader for his years of service and said Oregon Democrats should see the contest's outcome as 'an evaluation of our ideas and as a confirmation of our values.' 'From Sellwood to Sunriver, Oregonians never stopped believing we can protect our families, our climate and our civil rights,' she wrote. 'Oregonians - this is your victory.' Democratic Kurt Schrader (left), a centrist who was endorsed by President Joe Biden, has been ousted in the Democratic primary in Oregon by progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner (right) after results were delayed more than a week by a ballot-printing issue McLeod-Skinner had the backing of the local Democratic parties in all four counties covered by the redrawn seat, which now leans a little less blue. She was also endorsed by prominent progressives in D.C such as Senator Elizabeth Warren Biden made Schrader his first endorsement of the year but it didn't help the moderate Democrat in a district that now includes Bend, one of the state's fastest-growing Democratic areas where McLeod-Skinner had more name recognition. Schrader has voted against some of Bidens priorities, including a money-saving plan to let Medicare negotiate the price it pays for prescription drugs. A year ago, he was one of only two members of his party to vote against a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill because, among several reasons, he did not support including an increase to the minimum wage. Those decisions may be what cost him re-election, said John Horvick, political director at the nonpartisan public opinion firm DHM Research. 'He's a moderate, but it's more specific to the issues where he went against the party,' he said. 'The big one is really his reluctance to support Democrats on prescription drugs. You can break with your party in a lot of different areas but a highly salient, deeply held position in the party - that was a deal breaker.' What remains to be seen is if McLeod-Skinner will compete well in the general election in a district that is split fairly evenly between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats' hold on the seat could be at risk if moderate voters perceive her as too progressive, he said. The Republican nominee, Chavez-DeRemer, is endorsed by the third-ranking House Republican, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York - an endorsement Chavez-DeRemer highlighted in her primary campaign in a crowded field. That might play well in more conservative parts of the redrawn district, which for the first time stretches from the Pacific Coast to central Oregon. 'To me, it's a toss-up race going forward and candidate quality is going to matter,' Horvick said. 'The opportunities for Oregon to be central in the national conversation is higher this cycle than any cycle I can think of in recent memory.' Two members of a nationwide criminal network have been jailed for life for an EncroChat murder plot involving a James Bond-style gun. Jurors heard how fixer Paul Fontaine had supplied a 9mm Makarov self-loading pistol used to murder Abdullahi Mahamoud in a bagel shop in Enfield, north London, on March 19 2020. Weeks later, he helped arrange to supply a new Walther PPK handgun to Cardiff career criminal Frankie Sinclair to murder Keiron Hassan, and others in a rival group. Paul Fontaine had supplied a 9mm Makarov self-loading pistol used to murder Abdullahi Mahamoud Weeks later, he helped arrange to supply a new Walther PPK handgun to Cardiff career criminal Frankie Sinclair to murder Keiron Hassan, and others in a rival group. In messages on EncroChat, Sinclair referred to the gun - made famous by Sean Connery in the 007 film Dr No - as a 'James Bond ting'. Following an Old Bailey trial, Fontaine, 36, from Hackney, north London, and Sinclair, 34, from Cardiff, south Wales, were found guilty of conspiracy to murder and a string of other offences. On Friday, Judge John Hillen jailed the pair for life with a minimum term of 18 years. The judge noted the plot had arisen from an ongoing dispute over who was 'going to dominate the drug dealing' in Cardiff. He said Sinclair wanted to 'create a drug dealing empire' which would 'bring misery' to addicts while Fontaine was more than just the armourer. He told the defendants: 'You were both part, via Encrochat, of a nationwide criminal network. Police at the scene of the shooting in Enfield, North London, shortly after the attack last year 'It's plain from the verdict of the jury, based as it was from the messaging involving both of you, that you (Sinclair) intended to kill Keiron Hassan, to kill his cousin, and possibly another person would be killed.' 'They were to be murdered by shooting them with a firearm or firearms with ammunition you, Paul Fontaine, were to supply for that purpose.' He described Fontaine's interest in the earlier Enfield killing as 'unfeeling', 'unnatural' and 'chilling'. Last year, Khallid Hogan, 21, from Enfield, was found guilty of murdering Mr Mohamoud and jailed for at least 27 years. Sinclair and Fontaine are the first to be found guilty of an EncroChat-related conspiracy to murder. Previously prosecutor Kevin Dent QC told jurors that the defendants did not 'beat about the bush' in the encrypted messages. But law enforcement agencies were later able to get hold of EncroChat data at a time the users thought nobody would ever be able to find out what they were saying. Mr Dent said that the murder conspiracy was in revenge for an attack on the Cardiff home of Sinclair's mother on March 31 2020. He told jurors: 'Frankie Sinclair wanted help from Mr Fontaine supplying a firearm and ammunition so that Mr Sinclair could carry out a revenge murder for the shooting that had happened at his mother's house.' At the time, Fontaine was 'low on stock of firearms' and turned to a third party, known as Chestbridge, jurors were told. In messages on EncroChat, Sinclair referred to the gun - made famous by Sean Connery in the 007 film Dr No - as a 'James Bond ting'. It was alleged that the Walther PPK handgun and ammunition was supplied to Sinclair for the planned revenge attack. Chat referred to 'straps' and 'sweets' said to be slang for firearms and bullets, and 'duppy', slang for ghost. While the defendants came together over the attack in Cardiff, messaging on EncroChat also revealed they were separately involved in other crime. Sinclair admitted being involved in the supply of cocaine and heroin, while Fontaine denied all the charges against him, including plotting to supply heroin and possess counterfeit currency. Sinclair was accused of amassing 'significant amounts of cash' from his drugs business. Mr Dent said the defendants both used EncroChat mobile devices, which cost 1,000 per handset. It is ironic that the steps taken by both Mr Sinclair and Mr Fontaine to conceal their conspiracies sealed their fate, presenting us with the very evidence to convict them Khallid Hogan has been jailed for life and must serve a minimum of 27 years after a court found him guilty of assassinating Abdullahi Mohamoud (pictured) with a pistol in March last year Fontaine and Sinclair were found guilty of the offences against them after a jury deliberated for more than 14 hours. Judge Hillen ordered sentences for other offences should run concurrently to the life term. Previously, Detective Chief Inspector Driss Hayoukane, from Scotland Yard, said the defendants were both 'dangerous men' and the conviction was 'testament to the hard work of officers across England and Wales'. He said: 'Paul Fontaine and Frankie Sinclair clearly believed using encrypted devices rendered them untouchable and sought to commit the most violent of crimes. 'However, the Metropolitan Police is unceasing in its efforts to target and dismantle organised criminal networks which seek to blight our communities. 'It is ironic that the steps taken by both Mr Sinclair and Mr Fontaine to conceal their conspiracies sealed their fate, presenting us with the very evidence to convict them.' Advertisement Texas' Director of Public Safety broke down in tears as he admitted 19 cops stood outside the classroom where the gunman in Tuesday's shooting had his victims trapped and did nothing because they thought everyone inside was dead, despite ongoing 911 calls from inside from children begging for help. Col. Steven McCraw made the admission at a press conference on Friday where he said it was 'the wrong decision' and came as the result of the Chief of the Uvalde School District Police Department Pete Arredondo mistakenly believing all of the kids in the classroom had already been killed. Police say they thought that every shot the gunman fired after that was aimed at the door and designed to keep them at bay. 'The incident commander thought at that time there was no more children at risk. Obviously there were children that were at risk,' he said. It remains unconfirmed how many children died while those 19 cops stood outside the classroom door. McCraw also revealed at the press conference; The gunman fired more than 100 rounds after at 11.33am within seconds of walking into the school He had purchased 1,000 rounds of ammo in total and been talking about buying guns for months In March, he asked his sister to help him buy a gun and she 'flatly refused' but it's unclear if he was reported In May, he spoke about school shootings with friends on Instagram and on May 14 he wrote: '10 more days, you'll see' The shooter's final shots were fired at 12.21pm and it's unclear if those were at kids or at the door Children who were trapped inside the classroom made seven 911 calls in the hour that they were trapped, begging for help There was no resource officer at the scene but one arrived within seconds of hearing the first 911 call. He however didn't see the gunman hiding between cars in the parking lot and drove right past him The gunman was able to get into the school because a teacher had propped open a door Ramos entered the classroom and locked the door at 11.34am. In the first few minutes, he fired more than 100 shots inside classrooms 111 and 112. He carried on shooting 'sporadically' until 12.21pm, and it wasn't until 12.50pm that police eventually gained access to the classrooms with a key from the janitor. 'With the benefit of hindsight, from where I am sitting now - of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision. There is no excuse,' McCraw said. Scroll down for video Heartbreaking new photos show kids running out of Robb Elementary School on Tuesday after the gunman opened fire. It's unclear what time these gut wrenching images were taken. They show cops pulling children through windows U.S. Border Patrol agents rush Robb Elementary school children to safety moments after they were freed from inside a classroom via the window Terrified kids run out of the school in Texas on Tuesday morning as a shooter terrorized a fourth grade class Cops and border patrol agents are shown looking for kids in other classrooms during the shooting on Tuesday Terrified kids run to safety after being rescued through windows from Tuesday's school shooting in Uvalde, Texas Col. Steven McCraw cried as he admitted it was the 'clearly the wrong decision'. Police still do not know whether the shooter's victims were killed before or after police arrived at the scene He latter sobbed as he said he and other police officers 'take an oath to protect people' but failed. 'We want to know why this happened and know if we can do better next time,' he said. Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Chief Pete Arredondo was in charge and mistakenly thought there were no other kids alive in the room once the shooter had barricaded himself inside Arredondo, whose decision it was not to advance because he thought all of the kids had died, was not at the press conference to answer questions and it remains unconfirmed if he was even inside the school at the time of the shooting. There was no school resource officer there when the shooter opened fire, contrary to previous reports from the police that he engaged in a shootout with the gunman. Instead, a school resource officer who was nearby and heard the first 911 call about the gunman crashing his truck rushed to the scene. They however drove directly past the gunman when he hid between cars in the parking lot. Instead, the school resource officer went to the back of the building and confronted a male teacher, mistaking him for the gunman. In the meantime, Salvador Ramos started advancing on the school, firing at classrooms. He then walked through an unlocked front door which was propped open by a teacher who had gone to retrieve their phone a minute before he arrived. While those officers stood inside waiting and he was shooting, parents were being put in handcuffs outside and held back from entering the school. The police response is now under investigation. Earlier, Department of Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez made the astonishing comments during an appearance on CNN last night. The shooter's abandoned AR-15 next to his pick-up truck. He bought the gun two days after his 18th birthday The gunman crashed his truck into a ditch before he entered the school on Tuesday morning He was being challenged by Wolf Blitzer over why the first officers who responded to the shooting retreated after Salvador Ramos shot at them with his AR-15 and then waited an hour for tactical SWAT teams to take him out, leaving him alone in a classroom with the 19 fourth graders and two teachers who he slaughtered. TIMELINE OF UVALDE SCHOOL KILLING INCLUDING 911 CALLS AND HOW COPS WAITED OUTSIDE 11.28am: Gunman crashes truck, gets out of car with AR-15 He is seen by witnesses in a funeral home next to the school who tell 911 they see a man with a gun walking towards the school 11.31: Gunman is now in the parking lot of the school hiding in between vehicles, shooting at the building 11.32: School resource officer who arrives in a patrol car after hearing 911 call about truck crash drives past the shooter 11.33: Gunman enters the school and begins shooting into room 111/room 112. He shoots more than 100 rounds 11.35: Three police officers enter the same propped-open door as the suspect from the Uvalde PD. They were later followed by another four, making total of seven officers on scene Three initial officers went directly to the door and got grazing wounds from him while the door was closed. They hang back 11.37: Another 16 rounds fired inside the classroom by the gunman 11.51: Police sergeant and USB agents arrive 12.03: Officers continue to arrive in the hallway. As many as 19 officers in that hallway at that time At the same time, a girl from inside the classroom calls 911 and whispers that she is in room 112 12.10pm: The same girl calls back and advises 'there are multiple dead' 12.13pm: The same girl calls again 12.16pm: The same girl calls 911 for the fourth time in 13 minutes asking for help 12.15pm: BORTAC (SWAT) members arrive with shields 12.16pm: The same unidentified girl calls 911 and says there are 8-9 students alive in classroom 112 12.19pm: A different child from classroom 111 calls. She hangs up when another student tells her to in order to be quiet 12.21pm: Gunman fires again 12.26pm: One of the girls who previously called 911 calls back again. She says the shooter has just shot at the door 12.43pm: The girl on that girl is still on the line. She says please send the police now 12.50pm: Police finally breach the door using keys from the janitor and kill gunman 12.51pm Officers start moving children out of the room Advertisement 'Dont current best practices, Lieutenant, call for officers to disable a shooter as quickly as possible, regardless of how many officers are actually on site?' Blitzer asked. He replied: 'In the active shooter situation, you want to stop the killing, you want to preserve life. But also one thing that, of course, the American people need to understand is that officers are making entry into this building. They do not know where the gunman is. They are hearing gunshots. They are receiving gunshots.' He then appeared to try to take credit for the gunman being locked in the classroom with the kids for an hour - including some he shot at the start of the rampage who later died in the hospital - claiming it saved other lives. Police initially said that the gunman barricaded himself inside the classroom and that they had trouble gaining access to the room, and one unnamed law official anonymously spoke out to say SWAT teams had to wait for a different school staff member to bring them a key to the class. 'At that point, if they proceeded any further not knowing where the suspect was at, they couldve been shot, they could've been killed, and at that point that gunman would have had an opportunity to kill other people inside that school. 'So they were able to contain that gunman inside that classroom so that he was not able to go to any other portions of the school to commit any other killings,' Lt. Olivarez said. Scores of Border Patrol agents also rushed to the scene after hearing the incident unfold on scanners. When they arrived, the Uvalde Police Department also told them not to go inside, according to a law enforcement official who spoke anonymously to The New York Times. Eventually, the agents joined parents and a handful of local police officers in pulling kids through windows from other classrooms. The agents did not understand why they were being told not to go inside when the gunman was still in the building. Experts have slammed the decision to wait for back up as 'outdated' and 'disgusting'. 'Waiting an hour is disgusting. If that turns out to be true, then it is a disgusting fact,' Sean Burke, a retired school resource officer from Massachusetts who now is the president of the School Safety Advocacy Council, told NBC. 'If youve got somebody you think is actively engaged in harming people or attempting to harm people, your obligation as a police officer is to immediately stop that person and neutralize that threat. 'We dont expect police officers to commit suicide in doing it. 'But the expectation is that if someone is about to harm someone, especially children, youve got to take immediate action to make that stop,' Don Alwes, an ex-instructor for the National Tactical Officers Association, added. Surgeons at the hospital in Uvalde have also suggested that the delay in responding to the shooting may have cost some kids their lives. It remains unclear exactly how many children were in the classroom when the shooter opened fire, how many were killed immediately and how many were still alive but injured when police arrived. Uvalde Memorial Hospital received two kids who had died by the time they got to the hospital. Now, doctors are highlighting the importance of treating gunshot wounds as soon as they happen. 'You can't wait until patients go to a trauma center. US Border Patrol agents were among the hundreds who responded to the shooting but when they got there, the local police department told them not to advance This is how the shooting played out over the course of nearly two hours from when Ramos killed his grandmother at home. He arrived at the school at 11.28am and the first 911 calls were made. He then walked unobstructed into the building with his AR-15 and headed towards the classroom. He fought off cops at 11.44am, then was left alone in the room with the victims until around 12.44pm - when SWAT arrived. The incident was declared over at 1.06pm 'You have to act quickly,' Dr. Ronald Stewart, the senior trauma surgeon at the University Hospital in Antonio, said. He added that uncontrolled bleeding was the top cause of deaths among gun shot wound victims and that it can happen in as little as five minutes. Since the Columbine shooting in 1999, officers across the nation have been advised not to wait for backup and to proceed into the school to find the shooter. Instructions from the Texas Police Chiefs Association says: 'The first two to five responding officers should form a single team and enter the structure.' Why that advice was ignored in Uvalde is among the many aspects of the slow response that are now under investigation. Another is why police falsely claimed at first that the shooter exchanged gunfire with a school resource officer before he even made it to the classroom. On Thursday night, Olivarez said that was the information police received. Video shows Texas cops holding down a parent outside Robb Elementary School on Tuesday while a shooting unfolded inside The girl explained she wasn't hurt and the blood was from her best friend 'Amerie.' It was then that Angel Garza (above) realized the blood he was looking at came from his own daughter 'So thats information that we received early on in this investigation. 'The Texas Rangers are now conducting interviews with those officers trying to establish exactly what was their role, and that will help us establish a more factual, concrete timeline,' he said. There is growing anger and frustrating among parents who were pepper sprayed, pinned to the ground and even placed in handcuffs. 'The police were doing nothing,' Angeli Rose Gomez told the Wall Street Journal. 'They were just standing outside the fence. They weren't going in there or running anywhere.' Gomez has two children in second and third grade and she reportedly drove 40 miles to the school after hearing of the attack. She was one of the desperate parents who encouraged police with increasing urgency to enter the school. Eventually, federal marshals put Gomez in handcuffs and told her she was under arrest for intervening in an active investigation, the Wall Street Journal reported. Gomez said she was able to convince a Uvalde officer whom she knew to have the marshal free her and she took the opportunity to move away from the crowd, jump the school fence, and ran inside the school where she rescued her children herself. She said that other parents also trying to get to their kids were tackled and even pepper-sprayed by police. Angel Garza, whose daughter was killed, was handcuffed after trying to run into the school when he heard that a 'girl called Amerie' had been shot. Garza later told his heartbreaking story to Anderson Cooper. He explained that when he arrived on the scene he tried to help a young girl covered in blood, because he is a trained medic. The girl explained she wasn't hurt and the blood was from her best friend 'Amerie.' It was then that Angel realized the blood he was looking at came from his own daughter. He later found out that she was among those who died. A police dog known for having a 'larger than life character' has died after chasing down two moped thieves, the Metropolitan Police said. Six-year-old PD Xavier Charles, better known as 'Stanley', collapsed on Sunday morning while on duty. The dog, who worked across London as a general purpose and firearms support animal, was described as 'one of the very best police dogs' by the force. The Met Police believe Stanley died from heart failure after collapsing on a job. Six-year-old PD Xavier Charles, better known as 'Stanley', collapsed on Sunday morning while on duty. He died after chasing down two moped thieves, the Metropolitan Police said Stanley (right), who worked across London as a general purpose and firearms support animal, was described as 'one of the very best police dogs' by the force Stanley 'loved to work', the force said, while he also competed in the national police dog trials in 2019. In a post on Twitter, a spokesperson for the Met Police said: 'It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the news of the sudden passing of one of our very own serving dogs whilst on duty. 'Six-year-old PD Xavier Charles, aka 'Stanley', was one of the very best police dogs who worked across London as a general purpose and firearms support dog alongside PD Stella, his best friend, & handler Pc Williams. 'A larger than life character, Stan loved to work and amassed over 280 results in his shorter than average career & making it to the national police dog trials in 2019. 'In the early hours of Sunday morning whilst chasing down two moped thieves, Stanley collapsed and sadly passed away, believed of heart failure. 'Whilst this is still very raw, we have been asked to share this sad news to remember this wonderful, faithful and loyal friend.' The White House is closing in on a decision regarding student debt forgiveness, a cause being pushed by progressives, with President Joe Biden leaning toward canceling $10,000 per borrower. The administration cautions no final decision has been made, but multiple reports out on Friday indicated Biden considered using a scheduled commencement speech this weekend to make the announcement. 'No decisions have been made yet but as a reminder no one has been required to pay a single dime of student loans since the President took office,' assistant press secretary Vedant Patel told DailyMail.com. Biden spoke at the Naval Academy on Friday but made no mention of student loans. He will speak at the University of Delaware, his alma mater, on Saturday. The Washington Post reported the timing was changed in the wake of a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children dead. The White House is closing in on a decision regarding student debt forgiveness with President Joe Biden leaning toward canceling $10,000 per borrower Federal loan payments currently on hold due to covid pandemic Graduates cheer during a graduation ceremony for New York University at Yankee Stadium The loan forgiveness plan would apply to those who earned less than $150,000 in the previous year, or less than $300,000 for married couples filing jointly, the Post reported. The executive order has been drafted and Biden is weighing whether or not to sign it, CNN reported. Prominent liberals in the Democratic Party - including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - have been pressuring Biden to forgive student loans. Ocasio-Cortez commented on the reports, saying $10,000 wasn't enough. '$10k means tested forgiveness is just enough to anger the people against it *and* the people who need forgiveness the most. $10k relieves most the people who owe the least. What relief is there for the most desperate? For them, interest will undo that 10k fast. We can do better,' she wrote on Twitter. Republicans have blasted the idea, saying it wastes federal dollars. According to a study by New York Federal Reserve economists, forgiving $10,000 per student would amount to $321 billion of federal student loans and eliminate the entire balance for 11.8 million borrowers, or 31 per cent. 'Administration actions have already provided more than $18.5 billion in targeted debt relief to more than 750,000 borrowers. Not to mention tens of billions more saved by the 41 million borrowers who have benefited from the extended student loan payment pause,' Patel noted. Loan payments have been on hold since March 2020, a move made during the coronavirus pandemic. The issue could come into play during the midterm election. Canceling student loans is a popular issue among young voters. But Biden has seemed reluctant to unilaterally cancel college debt owned by the U.S. government, a move that would test his legal authority and could be subject to lawsuit. Instead, Biden has asked Congress to pass a bill forgiving debt that he could sign. In April, Biden said he was 'considering dealing with some debt reduction.' 'I am not considering $50,000 debt reduction, but I'm in the process of taking a hard look at whether or not there will be additional debt forgiveness and I'll have an answer on that in the next couple of weeks,' he said on April 28. Advertisement New photos have emerged depicting part of the law enforcement response to the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday, as questions mount about why police didn't engage the shooter more quickly. The photos released on Friday were taken outside Robb Elementary as the siege unfolded on Tuesday, and show US Customs and Border Protection agents alongside local police and sheriff's deputies, lifting children out of a window at the school. After a siege lasting nearly an hour, it was eventually Border Patrol agents who used a master key to open the locked door of a classroom where they confronted and killed gunman Salvador Rolando Ramos, who killed 19 students and two teachers while barricaded inside. Officials admitted on Friday that nearly 20 officers stood in a hallway outside of the classrooms during the attack, believing any potential victims inside were already dead. 'Of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision,' Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said at a news conference. US Customs and Border Protection agents (left) are seen alongside local police (center) and sheriff's deputies (right) working to rescue kids from Robb Elementary on Tuesday Police try to gain entry to a classroom at Robb Elementary during the siege on Tuesday in Uvalde U.S. Border Patrol agents and local police rush Robb Elementary school children to safety moments after they were freed from inside a classroom via the window. The rescue took place early Tuesday afternoon New photos have emerged depicting part of the law enforcement response to the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday, as questions mount about why police didn't engage the shooter more quickly The on-site commander 'was convinced at the time that there was no more threat to the children and that the subject was barricaded and that they had time to organize' to get into the classroom, McCraw said. McCraw said there was a barrage of gunfire shortly after Ramos entered the classroom where they killed Ramos but that shots were 'sporadic' for much of the 48 minutes while officers waited outside the hallway. He said investigators do not know whether or how many children died during those 48 minutes. Ramos entered the classroom and locked the door at 11.34am. In the first few minutes, he fired more than 100 shots inside classrooms 111 and 112. He carried on shooting 'sporadically' until 12.21pm, and it wasn't until 12.50pm that police eventually gained access to the classrooms with a key from the janitor. Throughout the attack, teachers and children repeatedly called 911 asking for help, including a girl who pleaded: 'Please send the police now,' McCraw said. 'With the benefit of hindsight, from where I am sitting now - of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision. There is no excuse,' McCraw said. After a siege lasting nearly an hour, it was eventually Border Patrol agents who used a master key to open the locked door of a classroom where they confronted and killed gunman Salvador Rolando Ramos The on-site commander 'was convinced at the time that there was no more threat to the children and that the subject was barricaded and that they had time to organize' to get into the classroom, an official said Throughout the attack, teachers and children repeatedly called 911 asking for help, including a girl who pleaded: 'Please send the police now,' He latter sobbed as he said he and other police officers 'take an oath to protect people' but failed. 'We want to know why this happened and know if we can do better next time,' he said. Scores of Border Patrol agents also rushed to the scene after hearing the incident unfold on scanners. When they arrived, the Uvalde Police Department also told them not to go inside, according to a law enforcement official who spoke anonymously to The New York Times. Eventually, the agents joined parents and a handful of local police officers in pulling kids through windows from other classrooms. The agents did not understand why they were being told not to go inside when the gunman was still in the building. Experts have slammed the decision to wait for back up as 'outdated' and 'disgusting'. 'Waiting an hour is disgusting. If that turns out to be true, then it is a disgusting fact,' Sean Burke, a retired school resource officer from Massachusetts who now is the president of the School Safety Advocacy Council, told NBC. Texas cops said last night that they didn't immediately rush in to find the shooter on Tuesday's attack after being shot at because they feared they might be killed, and even suggested that they deliberately locked the gunman in the classroom where he slaughtered 21 people in order to trap him. This is how the shooting played out over the course of nearly two hours from when Ramos killed his grandmother at home. He arrived at the school at 11.28am and the first 911 calls were made. He then walked unobstructed into the building with his AR-15 and headed towards the classroom. He fought off cops at 11.44am, then was left alone in the room with the victims until around 12.44pm - when SWAT arrived. The incident was declared over at 1.06pm As the gunman unleashed terror inside the school, desperate parents were forced to wait outside and some were even put in handcuffs after they tried to enter the school to find their kids and rescue them Department of Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez made the astonishing comments during an appearance on CNN last night. He was being challenged by Wolf Blitzer over why the first officers who responded to the shooting retreated after Salvador Ramos shot at them with his AR-15 and then waited an hour for tactical SWAT teams to take him out, leaving him alone in a classroom with the 19 fourth graders and two teachers who he slaughtered. 'Don't current best practices, Lieutenant, call for officers to disable a shooter as quickly as possible, regardless of how many officers are actually on site?' Blitzer asked. He replied: 'In the active shooter situation, you want to stop the killing, you want to preserve life. But also one thing that, of course, the American people need to understand is that officers are making entry into this building. They do not know where the gunman is. They are hearing gunshots. They are receiving gunshots.' He then appeared to try to take credit for the gunman being locked in the classroom with the kids for an hour - including some he shot at the start of the rampage who later died in the hospital - claiming it saved other lives. Police initially said that the gunman barricaded himself inside the classroom and that they had trouble gaining access to the room, and one unnamed law official anonymously spoke out to say SWAT teams had to wait for a different school staff member to bring them a key to the class. 'At that point, if they proceeded any further not knowing where the suspect was at, they could've been shot, they could've been killed, and at that point that gunman would have had an opportunity to kill other people inside that school. 'So they were able to contain that gunman inside that classroom so that he was not able to go to any other portions of the school to commit any other killings,' Lt. Olivarez said. TIMELINE OF UVALDE SHOOTING - COPS WAITED OUTSIDE THINKING EVERYONE IN CLASS WAS DEAD WHILE SHOOTER FIRED MORE ROUNDS SHOOTING TIMELINE 11.28: Gunman crashes truck then walks to the school parking lot where he hides behind a vehicle 11.31: Gunman is shooting from the vehicle. Multiple shots fired. 11.32: School resource officer who arrives in a patrol car after hearing 911 call about truck crash drives past the shooter 11.33: Gunman enters the school 11.33: Begins shooting into room 111/room 112. He shoots more than 100 rounds. 11.35: Three police officers enter the same door as the suspect from the Uvalde PD. They were later followed by another four. Seven officers on scene. Three initial officers went directly to the door and got grazing wounds from him while the door was closed. 11.37: Another 16 rounds fired 11.51: Police sergeant and USB agents arrive 12.03: Officers continue to arrive in the hallway. As many as 19 officers in that hallway at that time 12.15pm: BORTAC (SWAT) members arrive with shields 12.21pm: Gunman fires again 12.50pm: Breach the door using keys from the janitor and kill gunman 911 CALL TIMELINE 12.10pm: Same person called back and advised 'there are multiple dead' 12.13pm: Calls again 12.16pm: Calls back and says there are 8-9 students alive 12.19pm: Another person from room 111 calls. She hung up when another student told her to hang up 12.21pm: Hear on the 911 call that 3 shots were fired 12.26pm: 911 call lasting 21 seconds - initial caller called back, the child. They were told to stay on the line and stay quiet. She told 911 'he shot the door' 12.43pm: Student asks 'please send the police now' 12.46pm: She said she could hear the police next door 12.50pm: Shots fired 12.51pm: Very loud, officers are moving children out of the room Advertisement Surgeons at the hospital in Uvalde have also suggested that the delay in responding to the shooting may have cost some kids their lives. It remains unclear exactly how many children were in the classroom when the shooter opened fire, how many were killed immediately and how many were still alive but injured when police arrived. Uvalde Memorial Hospital received two kids who had died by the time they got to the hospital. Now, doctors are highlighting the importance of treating gunshot wounds as soon as they happen. 'You can't wait until patients go to a trauma center. 'You have to act quickly,' Dr. Ronald Stewart, the senior trauma surgeon at the University Hospital in Antonio, said. He added that uncontrolled bleeding was the top cause of deaths among gun shot wound victims and that it can happen in as little as five minutes. Since the Columbine shooting in 1999, officers across the nation have been advised not to wait for backup and to proceed into the school to find the shooter. Instructions from the Texas Police Chiefs Association says: 'The first two to five responding officers should form a single team and enter the structure.' Why that advice was ignored in Uvalde is among the many aspects of the slow response that are now under investigation. Another is why police falsely claimed at first that the shooter exchanged gunfire with a school resource officer before he even made it to the classroom. On Thursday night, Olivarez said that was the information police received. A mother accused of trying to kill her severely disabled son by plying him with painkillers and antidepressants has been cleared of attempted murder. Pembe Mehmetaliogullari, 48, was on trial in Hove over the death of her adopted ten-year-old son Mustafa 'Musti' Mehmetaliogullari. The single mother raised him alone and he weighed under 30kg when he was admitted to Royal Alex children's hospital in Brighton where he died in September 2018. Pembe Mehmetaliogullari, pictured outside Lewes Crown Court, said she would do anything to have her son here with her Her son suffered from cerebral palsy and epilepsy which meant his complex health needs required care at all hours. The boy also had severe scoliosis (curvature of the spine), could not swallow food and could only communicate by opening or closing his eyes. When he slept, Musti had to be checked every 20mins. Mrs Mehmetaliogullari, of Hove, was cleared of giving him painkillers prescribed to her in order to hasten his death as he lay dying at the Royal Alex children's hospital in Brighton. Musti was admitted to hospital in Brighton after his mother found him unresponsive at home and dialled 999. A Do Not Resuscitate order meant doctors would not try to bring him back to life. Mustafa 'Musti' Mehmetaliogullari died three days later in September 2018 in Brighton. A post-mortem examination and toxicology report found he died after being given non-prescription medication. Traces of painkillers and antidepressants prescribed to the mother were found in his system. A tearful Mrs Mehmetaliogullari told the court she could never do anything to hurt her son. She said: 'I would never do anything to hurt Musti, he was my life. 'I just wanted him to be with me.' A break from being a carer or respite care for Mrs Mehmetaliogullari was cancelled days before her son was admitted to hospital. Overnight help had also been cut back which meant she had been caring for him 24/7. Prosecutors say Mehmetaliogullari (pictured) gave a noxious substance to her son Mustafa, 10 Mustafa, known as Musti, died at Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton (pictured) in September 2018 '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,' Mrs Mehmetaliogullari said. Lewis Power QC who defended Mrs Mehmetaliogullari said his client had been deeply traumatised by the death of her son and the trial. 'She has said she has nothing left to live for. 'She is a very sad and lonely figure, ostracised by friends and family. 'Says her life is empty,' he told the court. The jury at Lewes Crown Court in Brighton found Mrs Mehmetaliogullari guilty of giving her son Musti her antidepressants weeks before his death. Cross-examining the mother, Miranda Moore QC, said: 'You decided to give nature a helping hand. She 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.' When asked by Ms Moore if she was at the 'end of her tether', the mother responded: 'No, I wasn't.' 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 will be sentenced next month. A lawyer for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign hid his partisan interests from the FBI as he pushed 'pure opposition research' related to Donald Trump and Russia in the weeks before the election, a prosecutor asserted Friday during closing arguments of the attorney's trial. But Michael Sussmann's legal team denied prosecutors' claims that he lied, and said the alleged false statement did not matter because he was presenting national security information that the FBI would have looked into no matter the source. The case against Sussmann centers on whether he lied by claiming he was not representing any clients when in September 2016 he arranged a private meeting with the FBI's general counsel James Baker to pass along a now-debunked tip alleging the Trump Organization was secretly communicating with Russia's Alfa-Bank. At the time of Sussmann's meeting in September 2016, the bureau was already investigating whether Russia and the Trump campaign were colluding to sway the election won by Trump that November. 'They wouldn't have done anything different. And it makes sense: They were given actual data that had national security implications,' Sussmann lawyer Sean Berkowitz said. The case is the first courtroom test of special counsel John Durham's work since his appointment three years ago to search for government misconduct during the investigation into potential ties between Russia and Trump's campaign. 'It wasn't about national security,' Jonathan Algor, a prosecutor on John Durham's team told the jury in his closing argument. 'It was about promoting opposition research against the opposition candidate, Donald Trump.' Sussmann is charged with a single count of making a false statement. Michael Sussmann, a lawyer for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign, hid his partisan interests from the FBI as he pushed 'pure opposition research' related to Donald Trump and Russia in the weeks before the election, a prosecutor asserted Friday during closing arguments of the attorney's trial That charge carries a maximum five-year prison sentence, though if convicted, Sussmann is likely to get far less - if any - prison time. He did not take the stand during the trial. The criminal case turns on a September 19, 2016 meeting in which Sussmann presented the FBI's top lawyer, James Baker, with computer data that Sussmann said suggested a secret communications back channel between a Russia-based bank and the Trump Organization, the candidate's company. The case is the first courtroom test of special counsel John Durham's (above) work since his appointment three years ago to search for government misconduct during the investigation into potential ties between Russia and Trump's campaign Such a back channel, if it existed, would have been explosive information at a time when the FBI was examining links between Trump and Russia. But after assessing the data, the FBI quickly determined that there was no suspicious contact at all. Prosecutors say Sussmann lied to Baker by saying he was not participating in the meeting on behalf of a particular client. They say he was actually there on behalf of the Clinton campaign and another client, a technology executive whom the Durham team says tasked researchers with looking for internet traffic involving Trump aides and Russia. Sussmann lied about his clients, prosecutors allege, to give the material extra credibility and because he figured that the information would not be investigated if the FBI thought it was being pushed by the Clinton campaign. 'The defendant knew he had to hide his clients if there was any chance of getting his allegations into the FBI - and that, ladies and gentlemen, is why the defendant lied,' Algor said. Algor said the fact that Sussmann repeatedly billed the Clinton campaign for his work on the Alfa Bank matters is proof that he was acting on the campaign's behalf when he met with the FBI. But Berkowitz noted that Sussmann billed his taxi ride to FBI headquarters for the meeting to his law firm, rather than the campaign. Berkowitz also tried to cast doubt on what exactly was said in the meeting. Prosecutors showed jurors a text message Sussmann sent Baker the night before the meeting in which he requested a sit-down on a sensitive matter and said he would be coming by himself and not on behalf of a client. Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks on stage during 'Below The Belt' New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on May 24. Her alleged role in approving the sharing of the debunked information has been brought into question during the trial But Berkowitz reminded jurors that the only false statement that was charged took place during the following day's meeting and that no one can be sure exactly what was said because Baker and Sussmann were the only participants and neither took notes. Berkowitz also suggested that it was technically accurate if Sussmann suggested he was not acting on behalf of a client because he never asked the FBI do anything with the information he was providing. 'When you go somewhere on behalf of a client, youre advocating for a client, youre asking for something,' Berkowitz said. 'Mr. Sussmann didn't ask Jim Baker for anything.' Though Baker testified under questioning from a prosecutor that he was '100% confident' that Sussmann had told him that he was not acting on behalf of a client, Berkowitz cited 116 instances in which Baker suggested that he could not recall or remember the answer. A serving Metropolitan Police officer has been charged with rape after allegedly attacking a woman on Brighton Beach last summer. Laurence Knight, 33, has been summoned to appear in court next month. He was arrested on suspicion of rape on July 28, 2021 after a woman reported that she was assaulted on July 17. Knight was then bailed. Earlier today Knight was summoned to appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court on June 23. He is suspended from duty. Brighton Beach, where the incident is alleged to have taken place last July, is a popular spot Sussex Police said in a statement: 'The officer was not on duty at the time of the reported offence. 'The victim will continue to receive support from specialist officers throughout the judicial process.' Chief Superintendent Pete Gardner, head of custody command Met Detention said: 'We know people will rightly be concerned to hear about this very serious charge against a serving police officer. He told PA: 'We absolutely share that concern and I am thankful to Sussex Police for their thorough investigation and the continued specialist support they are providing to the victim. 'The Mets Directorate of Professional Standards are fully aware and misconduct matters will be dealt with once the criminal proceedings have concluded.' Scotland Yard made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which determined the misconduct investigation should be led by the Met. Nina Jankowicz claimed Thursday that the Disinformation Board she will no longer be heading could have had a hand in preventing mass shootings such as the one in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas. She reasoned that internet disinformation is often what radicalizes people to violence, and pushed back against the idea that her job would have been to censor. 'I think another example that's important, that's also within the Department's portfolio, especially given the events of the past few weeks, is that disinformation plays a role in radicalizing people to violence,' Jankowicz said on NPR's Fresh Air podcast Thursday. 'You know, we're seeing continued mass shootings here in the United States, and in many of those cases, violent extremism is begotten by things people see on the Internet.' 'That's the sort of thing that we would be looking to address,' Jankowicz said. On Tuesday a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 kids and two teachers. She tried to set the record straight on the now-defunct 'Disinformation Governance Board,' which would have been under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), amid uproar that the board would function as a sort of dystopian 'Ministry of Truth.' Nina Jankowicz claimed Thursday that the Disinformation Board she will no longer be heading could have had a hand in preventing mass shootings such as the one in Buffalo, New York and Uvalde, Texas. 'Well, there were a lot of folks, mostly on the conservative side of the spectrum, who said that the board was going to be a Ministry of Truth, a la George Orwell's '1984,' that we were going to adjudicate what was true and false online and that I was a czar, a disinformation czar, a minister of truth,' Jankowicz explained. 'Nothing could have been farther from the truth,' she declared, 'Again, this was an internal working group that was meant to support and advise the operational components of DHS. We had no operational authority or capability.' The Republican National Committee dubbed the committee the 'Ministry of Truth' in a nod to George Orwell's novel '1984,' and raised fears that the group will deem as disinformation 'any speech we don't like.' Jankowicz asserted that her job would have been 'much more boring' than critics made it out to be. 'We can't just fact-check our way out of the crisis of truth and trust that we face. And I would have never taken a job that was all about that. It was about something much more anodyne, much more boring,' the woman told NPR. She added that the idea wasn't about 'labeling or censoring individual facts,' but rather helping DHS officials 'put good information out there' and making sure 'Americans were equipped with information that kept them safe and secure.' Jankowicz reasoned that internet disinformation is often what radicalizes people to violence, and pushed back against the idea that her job would have been to censor. On Tuesday a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 kids and two teachers The controversial head of the Department of Homeland Security's disinformation governance board resigned earlier this month following weeks of attacks on her appointment. The panel itself was put on 'pause' only three weeks after it was set up. Critics compared her to a 'disinformation Mary Poppins' after she was widely mocked for a TikTok video of her discussing misinformation to the tune of 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.' After it was announced Jankowicz would head the board, critics questioned her expertise after it emerged she had dismissed the 2020 discovery of Hunter Biden's laptop as being a 'Trump campaign product.' And in 2016 she spread claims about then candidate Donald Trump's links to President Vladimir Putin of Russia, which have since been debunked. A 26-year-old graduate who died from 'catastrophic' blood clots on his brain two weeks after receiving the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine was given out-of-date information about blood clot risks, an inquest has heard. Jack Hurn, from Redditch, died in June last year, less than two weeks after receiving the jab at a Dudley vaccine centre. A week-long inquest at Birmingham Coroner's Court heard that a GP informed Mr Hurn the risk of blood clots on the brain for his age group was one in 250,000, when the latest NHS guidance estimated it to be one in 50,000. Jack Hurn, 26, died less than two weeks after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in June last year. An inquest heard the design graduate was told there was no Pfizer jab in stock and was given out-of-date information in relation to blood clot risks associated with the vaccine An inquest at Birmingham Coroner's Court heard that a GP informed Mr Hurn the risk of blood clots on the brain for his age group was one in 250,000, when the latest NHS guidance estimated it to be one in 50,000 The inquest heard the automotive design graduate chose to go ahead with the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on May 29 2021, after being told there was no Pfizer jab in stock. Mr Hurn, originally from Devon, began suffering with headaches within days and died on 11 June last year at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital despite emergency surgery. Doctors allegedly described him as having 'catastrophic' blood clots on the brain. The automotive design graduate, originally from Devon, began suffering with headaches within days of having the jab and died on 11 June last year at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital despite emergency surgery Mr Hurn had recently moved in with his girlfriend Alex Jones (pictured), who had the same jab at the same time. Ms Jones found out that he was planning to propose in the summer The 26-year-old's family (pictured) are set to take legal action over his death and have raised concerns about the advice given at the clinic and the standard of care received in hospital Risk of blood clots in Covid-19 vaccines Safety concerns over AstraZeneca's jab first emerged in January 2021, and prompted EU nations to shun the British-made vaccine en masse. AstraZeneca's jab is thought to cause blood clots in one in 100,000 people. Johnson & Johnson's single-dose jab which works in a very similar way has also been linked to the same complication. However, regulators have not spotted any consistent trend between Pfizer's mRNA vaccine and blood clots. Its jab linked to a very rare kind of heart inflammation is based on pioneering technology. Several countries in Europe stopped using the Oxford-designed AstraZeneca jab in March 2021 after a series of blood clots, with younger people facing a slightly higher risk. Regulators analysed the data and found benefits vastly outweighed the risk for most. In the absence of doubt, UK health chiefs opted against routinely offering the jab to under-30s on April 7, 2021, who face a vanishingly rare risk of dying from Covid. In a Spanish research study, Pfizer's vaccine was found to be just as likely to trigger blood clots as AstraZeneca's. Since findings first emerged, there has been concern about the vaccine and its side effects, which experts fear has fuelled hesitancy among some groups in the UK and overseas. Advertisement The graduate's family, who live in Devon, stated there was 'confusion' about whether Jack had suffered a stroke while at a hospital in Redditch when he first became unwell and 'could get no clear answers' about his condition. It wasn't until Mr Hurn was transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital a consultant informed the family there was numerous bleeds on his brain which were 'catastrophic'. NHS guidance at the time was for patients under 40 to be offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine, although they could decide on 'an informed choice' to receive it. Mr Hurn had recently bought his first home with his partner Alex Jones, who also received the same jab at the same time. Ms Jones found out after his death that he was planning to propose to her that summer. Recording a narrative verdict on Friday, area coroner for Birmingham Emma Brown said: 'It is agreed that Jack was told the risk was one in 250,000. 'There can be no doubt that he took that on board. 'At that time the Joint Committee in Vaccines and Immunisation had advised that it was preferable that adults under 40 without underlying conditions be offered an alternative to the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine. 'But people could make an informed choice to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine for earlier protection. Ms Brown added: 'Jack was not given all of the information to make an informed choice. 'In particular the risk of complications for his age group was understated.' The heartbroken family of Mr Hurn are set to take legal action over his death. They have instructed clinical negligence specialists at Midlands law firm Manby Bowdler after raising concerns about the advice given at the vaccine clinic and the standard of care received in hospital. The department, which presides over the town's school seven-school district, is comprised of four officers, one police chief, and a detective 'With the benefit of hindsight, from where I'm sitting now, of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision, period,' McCraw said Uvalde's school district police chief is under fire for refusing to let his officers engage the active shooter at Robb Elementary School, after the gunman barricaded himself in a classroom as kids cowered inside and called 911. During a bombshell presser Friday, Texas Department of Public Safety head Steven McCraw slammed Chief Pete Arredondo for failing to engage 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, mistakenly believing the teen had finished his killing spree and was hiding out from cops. 'With the benefit of hindsight, from where I'm sitting now, of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision, period,' McCraw said. The assertion from the state safety official comes as the the school district's police force continues to face scrutiny for their handling of the shooting. McCraw revealed that 911 calls had been made by students while locked in the classroom with Ramos, as Arredondo and his men waited outside the room for more than an hour. Eventually, Border Patrol agents who rushed to the scene after hearing the incident unfold on scanners, breached the locked classroom door, with one fatally shooting Ramos. Uvalde's school district police chief Pete Arredondo is under fire for refusing to let his officers engage the active shooter at Robb Elementary, after the gunman barricaded himself in a classroom and continued to fire at cowering kids as they called 911 Video footage from the scene shows angry parents pleading with officers parked outside the school to enter the building, as they wondered as to the fate of their children According to a law enforcement official who anonymously spoke to The New York Times, the agents had been puzzled as to why they were being told not to enter the school and engage the gunman. McCraw asserted that Arredondo, identifying the district chief by title and not by name, made a miscalculation assuming the active shooter situation had become a barricade event. Arredondo, 50, become the focus of backlash from parents wondering if their children could have been saved. Arredondo, who was born in Uvalde and was elected to city council just days before the massacre, has had an unremarkable career as a cop. He started his law enforcement career as a 911 dispatcher for Uvalde's town police department in 1993, and over the course of the next 20 years, worked his way up to eventually assume the role of assistant police chief at the department in 2010. Video shows Texas cops holding down a parent outside Robb Elementary School on Tuesday while a shooting unfolded inside. It took police an hour to get inside the building and bring down the shooter, due to Arredondo's orders Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Chief Pete Arredondo was in charge and mistakenly thought there were no other kids alive in the room once the shooter had barricaded himself inside Afterwards, he worked various roles at Webb County Sheriffs Office in Laredo - a small Texas town a little more than 100 miles from Uvalde. He then moved to the city's school district police force, United ISD, which is comprised of 88 sworn peace officers. In March, during the early days of the pandemic, Arredondo got the chance to return home, when he was offered the position of school district police chief in his native Uvalde. 'Its nice to come back home,' Arredondo, who has family in the small, rural town, told the Uvalde Leader News upon accepting the gig. The department, which only presides over the town's school seven-school district, is comprised of four officers, one police chief, and a detective. 'All four of us are on a group text,' Arredondo said at the time, adding 'they are very knowledgeable, and I encourage them to give ideas.' He went on to assert: 'Of course, my title is important, but having a good group is also important,' Arredondo said, adding, somewhat prophetically, 'If not, you can surely fail.' During Friday's presser, state director McCraw corrected information released by Arredondo's department Thursday that the gunman entered the building unimpeded, contradicting prior assertions that one of their officers exchanged fire with Ramos before the gunman entered the building. Law enforcement are seen at the scene of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday Arredondo, who was born in Uvalde and was elected to city council just days before the massacre, has had an unremarkable career as a cop, starting out as a 911 dispatcher in the town's police force in 1993 before accepting the school police chief gig in March 2020 In fact, police now say that the officer had actually passed by Ramos while rushing to the scene, as the gunman crouched behind a vehicle outside of the building. Arredondo was not at Friday's press conference to answer questions and it remains unconfirmed if he was even inside the school at the time of the shooting. In this aerial view, law enforcement works on scene at Robb Elementary School where 21 people were killed Meanwhile, Uvalde police are also facing growing criticism over first-hand accounts and videos showing them handcuffing and restraining frantic parents, who were urging them to storm the Robb Elementary school building amid the massacre. 'The police were doing nothing,' Angeli Rose Gomez told the Wall Street Journal. 'They were just standing outside the fence. They weren't going in there or running anywhere.' Gomez has two children in second and third grade and she reportedly drove 40 miles to the school after hearing of the attack. She was one of the desperate parents who encouraged police with increasing urgency to enter the school. Eventually, federal marshals put Gomez in handcuffs and told her she was under arrest for intervening in an active investigation, the Wall Street Journal reported. Angeli Gomez (above) jumped the school fence and ran inside the school where she rescued her children herself Gomez said she was able to convince a Uvalde officer whom she knew to have the marshal free her and she took the opportunity to move away from the crowd, jump the school fence, and ran inside the school where she rescued her children herself. She said that other parents also trying to get to their kids were tackled and even pepper-sprayed by police. Angel Garza, whose daughter was killed, was handcuffed after trying to run into the school when he heard that a 'girl called Amerie' had been shot. Garza later told his heartbreaking story to Anderson Cooper. He explained that when he arrived on the scene he tried to help a young girl covered in blood, because he is a trained medic. The girl explained she wasn't hurt and the blood was from her best friend 'Amerie.' It was then that Angel realized the blood he was looking at came from his own daughter. He later found out that she was among those who died. Vandegrift is being held without bond at Habersham County jail The father attempted to flee in a white Camaro but was detained for questioning, cops said Vandegrift's daughter told investigators her father battered her male friend before shooting at him and struck her Vandegrift's daughter told investigators her father battered her male friend before shooting at him and struck her Vandegrift, 36, admitted to police that he tracked his daughter's whereabouts to a church parking lot to 'check on her ' Vandegrift, 36, admitted to police that he tracked his daughter's whereabouts to a church parking lot to 'check on her ' Enraged dad, Dustin Vandegrift faces multiple charges including aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony A 36-year-old Georgia man has been charged with multiple felonies, including aggravated assault after he allegedly shot at a 17-year-old boy that he found with his daughter after tracking her location via her cell phone to a church parking lot. On Wednesday, deputies from the Habersham County Sheriff's Department responded to a call of shots fired in the parking lot of Central Alliance Church around 10:15 a.m. The church is located across the street from two schools in Mount Airy. Habersham Central High School district and the Ninth Grade Academy were immediately put on lockdown. School officials and police were on high alert after the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas just one day prior that claimed the lives of 21 people, including 19 children and two adults. Once police ensured both schools were secure they located a 17-year-old male, who was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville with non-life-threatening injuries. Police later revealed that the male victim was not hit by a bullet, but suffered injuries from a physical assault and ricochet debris. When police arrived, Dustin Vandegrift, the teenage girl's father was attempting to flee in his white Camaro, but he was detained for questioning, authorities said. A search warrant executed on Vandegrift's car revealed a .45-caliber pistol that he had fired, according to the police investigation. Dustin Vandegrift, has been charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, simple battery involving family violence, two counts of first-degree cruelty to children, two counts of third-degree cruelty to children, and two counts of recklessly causing harm or endangering safety Police arrive at the Central Alliance Church parking lot in the area of Mount Airy, a town in Habersham County, Georgia A 911 call from a local business alerted police to the church parking lot after hearing reports of a gun shot behind the church and saw a young male and female fighting. The police immediately put the schools on lockdown since the church is located across the street from a private academy and and a high school Vandegrift was later charged with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was also charged with simple battery involving family violence, two counts of first-degree cruelty to children, two counts of third-degree cruelty to children, and two counts of recklessly causing harm or endangering safety. Vandegrift's daughter told investigators that her father appeared behind the church and battered her male friend before shooting at him. She also said told police that her father struck her. Vandegrift admitted to police that he tracked his daughter's whereabouts to the church parking lot to 'check on her.' He told authorities that he confronted both teens and physically attacked the boy and fired a shot. Vandegrift is currently being held without bond at Habersham County Detention Center. When police arrived, Dustin Vandegrift, the teenage girl's father was attempting to flee in his white Camaro, but he was detained for questioning, authorities said On Wednesday, deputies from the Habersham County Sheriff's Department responded to a call of shots fired in a the Central Alliance Church parking in Mount Airy. At that point, law enforcement officials were unaware it was not a school shooting The Biden administration is bringing in enough baby formula from Australia to fill 27.5 million full-size, 8-ounce bottles, the Food and Drug Administration announced on Friday. 'Bubs Australia plans to provide at least 1.25 million cans of several varieties of its infant formula,' the agency said. Some of the product is already in stock and more is being manufactured, the FDA said. President Joe Biden also shared the news, which comes as his administration battles criticism it didn't do enough to head off the formula shortage that came about afteer Abbott Laboratories' manufacturing plant in Michigan recalled some of its products in February. 'Ive got more good news: 27.5 million bottles of safe infant formula manufactured by Bubs Australia are coming to the United States. Were doing everything in our power to get more formula on shelves as soon as possible,' Biden tweeted. 'Ive got more good news: 27.5 million bottles of safe infant formula manufactured by Bubs Australia are coming to the United States. Were doing everything in our power to get more formula on shelves as soon as possible,' President Joe Biden tweeted The Biden administration is bringing in enough baby formula from Bubs Australia to fill 27.5 million full-size, 8-ounce bottles The FDA didn't have details on when the Australia formula would be flown into the US but White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Thursday more flights were in the works. 'Youll expect more flights. I just dont have anything to announce at this time,' she said at her press briefing. She also said President Biden has faith in the FDA to fix the shortage. 'So the FDA has an important mission, right? Its to make sure that the infant formula on the shelf isnt just available but also that its safe,' she said. 'The President believes that FDA, and particularly its food division, needs to be well resourced to do its critical work and do regular annual inspection.' Two shipments of formula have come in from Europe under Biden's 'Operation Fly Formula.' Jill Biden and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy greeted the second overseas shipment on Wednesday with the first lady vowing the administration won't stop working until parents have all the food they need for their infants. 'I'm here today to say to parents, you aren't alone at the highest levels of Joe's administration. He and his team understand what you're going through and they are finding solutions. And they won't stop until all parents can get the formula all their children need,' she said. Biden and Murthy were at Dulles International Airport, just outside of Washington D.C., to see the 100,00 pounds of baby forumla being unloaded, equivalent to 1 million 8-ounce bottles. From Dulles, the formula will be transported to a Nestle facility in Pennsylvania via cargo trucks. The infant formula was flown in under the administration's Operation Fly Formula, which is bringing in baby food to cover the shortage in the United States. The two shipments brought in total 1.5 million, 8-ounce bottles of infant formula to the United States. Jill Biden and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy greeted the second overseas shipment of baby formula into the US Jill Biden vowed her husband's administration 'won't stop until all parents can get the formula all their children need' Shipment arriving at Dulles International Airport contained 100,00 pounds of baby forumla - equivalent to 1 million 8-ounce bottles 'I want every parent who is concerned about the formula supply chain challenge to know something for a lot of people across the administration including myself. This is a deeply personal issue. I have two small kids at home,' Murthy said. 'And it was just a few years ago that my own son was on infant formula. I know firsthand just how important it is to parents that they have confidence in their ability to safely and securely feed their child and I know how frustrating and scary it can be when that security is out of reach. That is why we will not rest until every parent has the formula they need for their child,' he added. Biden also thanked the pilots who flew the shipment and the cargo workers at Dulles who unloaded it. She posed for photos with the group. The shipment from Ramstein Air Force base in Germany contains 114 pallets of Gerber Good Start Extensive HA infant formula. This is the remainder of the 1.5 million bottles of three formulas - Alfamino Infant, Alfamino Junior, and Gerber Good Start Extensive HA - the administration was bringing in this week from Europe. They are speciality hypoallergenic formulas for children with cow's milk protein allergy. These formulas have been prioritized because they serve a critical medical purpose and are in short supply in the United States because of the Abbott Sturgis plant closure, the White House said. Wednesday's shipment was the second round of formula brought in under the administration's 'Operation Fly Formula' initiative. Over the weekend roughly 78,000 pounds of baby formula was flown into Indianapolis, Indiana from Ramstein Air Base in Germany in the first installment. The president also invoked the Defense Production Act forcing suppliers to prioritize directing resources to infant formula production above all other contracts. On Friday, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra used the DPA for a third time to ensure Cargill Inc. can deliver the raw materials to maximize production of infant formula, HHS announced. The department previously used it to help Abbott Nutrition and Mead Johnson/Reckitt to obtain raw materials needed to further accelerate production of infant formula. The crisis began when Abbott Nutrition, the nation's biggest manufacturer of infant formula, had to close its Michigan plant over bacterial contamination. The Federal Trade Commission announced Tuesday that it has launched an inquiry into the formula shortage. 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. Abbott officials said Tuesday they expect to restart the plant on June 4 and begin shipping new formula to stores about three weeks later. Additionally, lawmakers are holding three hearings on the issue this week, calling on company executives, government regulators and outside experts to testify on the shortage. Nearly 98% of baby formula is manufactured domestically. Four companies account for roughly 90% of the market: Abbott, Reckitt, Nestle and Perrigo. The Queen was joined by members of the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony today in front of tens of thousands of cheering Britons as the Platinum Jubilee celebrations marking her 70-year reign got underway. The 96-year-old monarch, who wore her Guards brooch and the blue Angela Kelly outfit used in her official Platinum Jubilee portrait, exclaimed 'incredible!' when she took the salute after arriving from Windsor Castle. The Queen then returned to the balcony around half an hour later to watch the RAF flypast featuring the Red Arrows along with senior royals including Prince Charles , Camilla, Prince William and Kate and their children. While Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis all appeared, there was no place on the Palace balcony for Prince Harry, Meghan Markle or Prince Andrew given that none of them are no longer working royals. Meghan did however join in the celebrations when she was seen putting her finger to her lips next to Mia Tindall and Savannah Phillips from a balcony at Horse Guards Parade in an apparent attempt to quieten the children. She was also seen speaking with Harry and the Duke of Kent, who joined the Queen for her first trip to the balcony. A human trafficking gang who made 500,000 exploiting 300 Polish women across seven London brothels have been jailed for a total of 20 years. Husband and wife team Sebastian Zimoch, 48, and Anna Zimoch, 46, along with Gregaor Borowka, 44, Michael Lozinski, 52, and Rafal Lacki, 41, were convicted at Isleworth Crown Court in March of this year of conspiracy to arrange or facilitate human trafficking and conspiracy to control prostitution for gain between 1 January 2015 and February 9 of last year. The trafficking gang was run by Sebastian Zimoch, with his wife running it during a period when he was absent. The husband began the escort business, known as Golden Kiss, in 2015. It became one of the largest in London and the south east. Lozinski alone was also convicted of a second count of controlling prostitution for gain between 1 January 2017 and February 9 of last year, in relation to a massage parlour business called Massage Bunnies. One teenage girl, called Bella, who was 18 at the time of her abuse, told the court of how she was starved for two days once. She asked to eat food from the Zimochs' full fridge, but was told: 'You dont deserve to eat.' A human trafficking gang who made 500,000 exploiting 300 Polish women across seven London brothels have been jailed for a total of 20 years at Isleworth Crown Court. Sebastian Zimoch, 48, pictured, was jailed for eight years for his part in running the gang Husband and wife team Sebastian Zimoch, 48, and Anna Zimoch, 46 (pictured), along with Gregaor Borowka, 44, Michael Lozinski, 52, and Rafal Lacki, 41, were convicted at Isleworth Crown Court in March of this year of conspiracy to arrange or facilitate human trafficking and conspiracy to control prostitution for gain between 1 January 2015 and February 9 of last year The Polish victim was sent to the UK after being promised work following the death of her mother in Poland. She was picked up by two men in Gravesend, Kent, to be taken to one of the brothels the gang controlled. The court heard that the gang ran seven brothels, with two in Paddington and Dudding Hill which were run directly by the Zimochs, and White City, which was run by Lozinski. Brothels in Harrow, Hayes, Forest Gate, Docklands and Harlow, were run by the three of them at different times. Over the course of several months, the teenage victim was 'forced to have sex all day and night like a machine'. The court heard how Arabic clients in the West End of London would pay up to 3,000-a-night for her services, but she was only left with 200. Bella told reporters: 'When I arrived at the house, they said, "She's young, she's blonde, they're going to like her",' the Evening Standard reported. 'I asked, "Sorry, what am I here to do?", they replied, "Are you stupid or blind, bitch?" 'Within five minutes the first man came. He was 16-years-old and I will remember that for the rest of my life. That first day I had 10 or 12 guys. The court heard that the gang ran seven brothels, with two in Paddington and Dudding Hill which were run directly by the Zimochs, and White City, which was run by Lozinski (pictured right). Brothels in Harrow, Hayes, Forest Gate, Docklands and Harlow, were run by the three of them at different times. Pictured left, Rafal Lacki, 41, who was jailed for 18 months 'The times when it was five or six clients, they would say, "That's too small". The 18-year-old was also given cocaine to stop her from sleeping. She overdosed on two occasions. One of the enforcers spat in her face once when she refused to sleep with a man she described as 'dirty' and 'too old'. 'I never in my life thought this would happen to me. It was a shock - someone just took my freedom. I was scared for my life,' she said. She managed to escape and tell police of her ordeal in April 2020. The gang were convicted at Isleworth Crown Court in March of this year of conspiracy to arrange or facilitate human trafficking and conspiracy to control prostitution for gain between January 1 2015 and February 9 of last year. Lozinski alone was also convicted of a second count of controlling prostitution for gain between January 1 2017 and February 9 of last year, in relation to a massage parlour business called Massage Bunnies. Gareth Munday, prosecuting, told the court that the women had no autonomy while inside the brothels. 'While the girls were in the brothels they had no choice over what they wanted to do. 'Men were being brought to them and they had to get on with it. 'They had absolutely no autonomy.' Mr Munday said that 232,000 in unexplained earnings had been found in a bank account belonging to Mr Zimoch. Lacki and Borowka were two of the main drivers for the business, ferrying girls to outcalls around London. Borowka also doubled as a receptionist. The prosecutor told the court that women were exposed to the risk of serious physical and psychological harm on these outcalls. 'The women were all exposed to risk of serious psychological and physical harm. 'They were left at the mercy of men who could have done anything to these women.' The court heard from the victim impact statement of one 19-year-old woman who reported the gang to the police. Mr Munday paused to wipe away tears as he read the statement to the court. In the statement, the woman told of the emotional toll of what had been done to her. Lacki and Gregaor Borowka, 44, pictured, were two of the main drivers for the business, ferrying girls to outcalls around London. Borowka also doubled as a receptionist. He was jailed for three years and nine months 'I have been spat at in the face by a client, made to feel stupid, and like I did not matter.' She said that she cries when she remembers what has happened to her. 'I cry when I think about everything that has been done to me,' she said. The woman added that she now struggles to trust men. 'When someone is being nice to me, especially men, I always think why are they being nice?' In her sentencing remarks, Judge Fiona Barrie paid tribute to the 19-year-old victim. 'She has shown herself to be a very brave young woman,' she said. She said the 19-year-old was in tears when she was picked up by Lozinski after fleeing from an abusive pimp. 'It should have been to obvious to anyone that she was extremely vulnerable,' she said. The gang were convicted at Isleworth Crown Court (pictured) in March of this year of conspiracy to arrange or facilitate human trafficking and conspiracy to control prostitution for gain between January 1 2015 and February 9 of last year 'To the contrary she was put to work straight away, sent out to outcalls for the remainder of the night.' Sebastian Zimoch of Carlton Road, Romford, was jailed for eight years. Lozinski, of Berwick Avenue, Hayes, was jailed for seven years. Borowka, of Yeading Avenue, Harrow, was jailed for three years and nine months. Lacki, 41, of Felmongers, Harlow was jailed for 18 months - however he was released on licence as he had already served nine months by the time of the sentencing. Anna Zimoch, of Carlton Road, Romford was given a two-year jail sentence suspended for two years, and was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work. Acting Detective Inspector Esther Richardson, from central specialist crime, said: 'I am pleased we have been able to uncover the true scale of this illegal operation. 'My team worked tirelessly to identify and safeguard hundreds of other women across London who were being exploited by this organised criminal group.' Marisa Randazzo, Ph.D. is the former chief research psychologist for the U.S. Secret Service and Executive Director of Threat Management for Ontic After school shootings, I'm often asked 'what is the profile of school shooter?' It's human nature to want to understand why bad things happen in large part so we can figure out how to avoid them in the future. With over 20 years of experience studying school shootings, interviewing shooters in prison, and managing thousands of active threat cases, here's what I can tell you about school shooters in the U.S. Author Marisa Randazzo, Ph.D. is the former chief research psychologist for the U.S. Secret Service There was no accurate or useful profile of a school shooter meaning no common demographic or external characteristics that described all or most of the school shooters. This information comes from research conducted primarily by the U.S. Secret Service and FBI. However, the behavior of school shooters is very similar and it suggests that many of these killers can be stopped before they decide to attack. Here's how: First, most school shooters planned their attacks in advance - sometimes for weeks, months, or even years before actually carrying out the shooting. Their behavior followed a similar progression: (i) they came up with an idea to do harm, (ii) they planned it out in more detail (sometimes researching previous school shootings for guidance or inspiration), (iii) they prepared for the attack, meaning they got the weapon(s) and other gear they intended to use to do harm, and (iv) they carried out the shooting. In the field of behavioral threat assessment, we refer to this behavioral progression as the 'pathway to violence.' There are indications that Salvador Ramos, the killer behind the Uvalde shooting, fit this behavior progression. It's human nature to want to understand why bad things happen in large part so we can figure out how to avoid them in the future. (Above) A man mourns at a makeshift memorial outside the Uvalde County Courthouse on May 27, 2022 The killer's co-workers at the Wendy's where he worked indicated that he informed them that he was saving money to buy weapons. 'He told us he was saving up money for guns and ammo. We would ask him, "Why would you spend your money on that, spend it on a car or something useful," said co-worker Grace Cruz. 'I guess once he got enough money, he quit and stopped showing up.' Because these shootings are planned in advance, rather than impulsive, we stand a chance at discovering that someone is on that 'pathway to violence' and getting them off of it before they can do harm. I suspect more evidence of Ramos' advance planning will arise. If the attack was impulsive, it would be an extremely rare example of this type of attack. We can get potential killers onto a better path by connecting them to medical or psychiatric help, as well as resources to help them solve the underlying problems that got them on a 'pathway to violence' in the first place. When my colleagues and I spoke with school shooters in prison, they told us they felt ambivalent about their attacks before they carried them out; not indifferent, but ambivalent that a part of them wanted to or felt they had to do it, but a part of them didn't want to do it. When working an active threat case, I encourage people to think about that ambivalence that part of the person whom they are assessing that likely doesn't want to do violence. Most school shooters planned their attacks in advance - sometimes for weeks, months, or even years before actually carrying out the shooting. (Above) Texas Department of Public Safety's Steven C. McCraw speaks at a news conference on May 27, 2022 showing a crime scene outline of the path of the gunman I encourage them to find a way to use that to change that person's dangerous trajectory. Second, we know that most school shooters were despondent or even suicidal when they carried out their shootings. Some were facing problems (such as being bullied) that they felt they couldn't solve, or experienced losses that felt overwhelming, and didn't see any way out of their own pain or desperation. In the case of Ramos, there are multiple reports that he experienced bullying from his peers. Of course, there is no excuse for taking innocent lives and this analysis in no way justifies the violent feelings of these individuals. It is important to note signs of depression, desperation, and suicidality in boys and young men, whom often have active symptoms like rage, quick tempers, aggression, and even attraction to the feelings of hate. Now to be clear, most people who are suicidal are not a risk to others. But when we are investigating a threat made by someone who seems filled with rage, it may actually be a symptom of clinical depression a condition that is quite treatable with counseling and/or medication. Third, most school shooters told other people about their violent plans BEFORE they engaged in any harm. It is still unclear whether Ramos told anyone about this plans in any timeframe that would have allowed for intervention. But we do know that he was in direct communication with someone on Facebook before and after shooting his grandmother and minutes before he attacked the school. Shooters typically told fellow students or other peers, whether directly, in written assignments, and/or on social media posts and videos. It will be extremely rare if more evidence of Ramos' advance communications don't emerge. When my colleagues and I interviewed school shooters in prison, they said they had told other people about their violent plans because they were hoping someone would stop them. So how can we put all this information into action to help prevent school shootings? Behavioral threat assessment is the best available tool to prevent school shootings. While a lot of schools, universities, and workplaces already have trained behavioral threat assessment teams in place, there are some critical missing pieces that we should start to add immediately: Nuri Perez, 6, who lost one of her friends in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School, pets Exon, a crisis response canine, in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. May 26, 2022 1. Provide training for all local law enforcement and state-level law enforcement on how to conduct a threat assessment investigation. While federal law enforcement agents often get this training, local and state law enforcement usually do not. Most people report threats to their local police, so we need to ensure that local law enforcement knows what to do. 2. Enlist the help of students in school safety. We must find ways to let students know they are likely to hear about violent plans first and therefore are critical to keeping schools safe. 3. Require a depression screening at every doctor's visit for children, teens, and adults. Identifying undiagnosed depression earlier can help reduce the incidence of suicide, mass shootings, and other problems like substance abuse. These efforts can't bring back the lives lost and forever changed by these horrific events. But combined with continued efforts to train and use threat assessment teams in schools, colleges, workplaces, and communities, these three strategies can help us start to make our schools and our children safer. The mellifluous voiceover on the short video guide to the recent history of Ukraine has all the hallmarks of the professional: a mastery of cadence, pauses in all the right places and, of course, flashes of passion where appropriate. But, as the seconds tick by, its narrative becomes more and more extreme until it borders on the deranged. Parallels are drawn between the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the operation to overthrow Nazi rule during World War II. It is suggested that the Russian-speaking population is being subjected to mass genocide, and that 'concentration camps' have been set up where women and children have 'died a painful death'. There's also talk of a network of U.S. 'bio-laboratories' producing 'deadly viruses'. When the Mail tracked him down this week to the Moscow home where he lives with his Russian wife Marina, 65, it was to find him in bullish and unrepentant mood not to mention all-too happy to expand on his opinions Of course, there is no shortage of this sort of material being foisted on Russia's population of 144 million it's just not often narrated by a genial Englishman. But the three-minute clip released by Putin's foreign ministry on Monday features a voiceover by a 78-year-old Briton called Bruce Grant, who has been based in Moscow since 1994. Speaking in English, he parrots the Kremlin line on Russia's 'special military operation' that has become wearily familiar to everyone in the West. Perhaps inevitably, his performance has led to this translator, interpreter and bit-part actor being compared with William Joyce, the American-Irish fascist known as Lord Haw-Haw, who broadcast Nazi propaganda to Britain from Germany during World War II, a betrayal for which he was later hanged. Not that Grant sees it that way. Indeed, when the Mail tracked him down this week to the Moscow home where he lives with his Russian wife Marina, 65, it was to find him in bullish and unrepentant mood not to mention all-too happy to expand on his opinions. President Zelensky of Ukraine? 'A drug addict and an imbecile.' Boris Johnson? 'Stupid.' As for Joe Biden, he's nothing short of a 'criminal'. Grant is equally forthright on the West in general. 'I don't give a damn what a lot of Western opinions are because most of the people there are rather stupid in their thinking and very ignorant of what is going on,' he says. 'The words used about what the video says are that it is all conspiracy theory, which is absolute bunkum. President Zelensky of Ukraine? 'A drug addict and an imbecile.' Boris Johnson? 'Stupid.' As for Joe Biden, he's nothing short of a 'criminal' 'The facts are that all the evidence that is being provided in this video is historically accurate, be it Nazism in Ukraine, and other atrocities which have been committed by the Ukraine government's army 'tools' the word I like to use to refer to his army.' This is not the first time Grant has taken the Kremlin's shilling. In 2017, he provided the voiceover for a YouTube project called the 'MH17 Inquiry', which questioned claims that Russian forces shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine as it flew from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur in July 2014, killing 283 passengers and 15 crew. 'So much speculation from the UK, from the U.S. and other countries,' Grant said of his involvement at the time. 'It seemed to me that I could do something good. So I began to voice this programme. I am not afraid of the U.S. government, the CIA, the FBI, MI6, MI5 or other organisations that are responsible for security.' Five years on, his scepticism of the West is as keen as ever. 'Biden's son Hunter was ostensibly trying to get shale oil [when he did business in Ukraine] but was in fact after the diamond deposits that exist under the Donbas sand,' he says. Putin could not have put it better himself. Indeed, 28 years after he first arrived in Mother Russia, it appears the country has completely captured Grant's affections and loyalties. Grant certainly takes a view of the current conflict that we have heard many times since the war in Ukraine began on February 24. He admits he was initially against military action when the invasion began but, having 'learned a hell of a lot' in the months since, has changed his position entirely. He's now signed up to the narrative that Putin has entered Ukraine to 'neutralise the Ukrainian army and prevent civil war and the murder of civilians'. But that hasn't happened, has it? 'To a very great extent it has,' Grant says. Even if you believe this, I suggest, it is at the expense of a catastrophic loss of innocent civilian life. Perhaps inevitably, his performance has led to this translator, interpreter and bit-part actor being compared with William Joyce, the American-Irish fascist known as Lord Haw-Haw, who broadcast Nazi propaganda to Britain from Germany during World War II, a betrayal for which he was later hanged 'The Russian soldiers have been falsely accused of shooting civilians but when one looks at the reality that isn't the case,' Grant replies. 'There have been a couple of occasions when a multi-headed rocket has killed a few, maybe ten or 15 people.' What about the carnage in Mariupol, a city reduced to rubble under Putin's merciless shelling? 'It deserves it because the Ukrainian president is an imbecile he's a drug addict without any scruples whatsoever,' Grant insists. This view, as provocative as it is robust, extends to other global leaders, among them Boris Johnson, who Grant believes is 'stupid', along with much of Britain. 'You only have one side of the story,' he says. 'No authority has bothered to listen to anyone else, and that includes Boris, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joe Biden, who is a criminal and an out-and-out maniac.' One could never accuse Grant of lacking the courage of his convictions, although he insists that he is simply an impartial 'gun for hire' when it comes to his voiceovers. 'Work is work,' he says. 'On this occasion with the latest video I happened to agree with the content, but that's coincidence. 'My voice was used for the Russian commercial for their Covid vaccination and I don't agree with that. In fact I think anyone who had the vaccination is stupid because the vaccination promotes the virus.' This is the sort of talk that starts fights around the dining room table, and Grant admits it has recently led his younger brother, whom he declines to name but who is still resident in the UK, to cut off all contact. 'He just refused to speak to me again until I accept what he has to say, but it's difficult to change one's opinion when that would be changing it to fantasy,' he says. Nor are his feelings shared by his daughters, Kristian and Stephanie, by his first wife. The former lives in Canada and the latter in the U.S. And while they remain close, Grant acknowledges that he doesn't talk politics or religion with them in order to preserve their relationship. 'It's safer for everyone's sanity that way,' he says. 'I don't try and change their views. They believe what they believe.' Kristian told the Mail last night: 'I speak for both my sister Stephanie and myself, that we do not agree with my dad's opinion of the Russians and what they are doing. We both believe that what is happening is wrong and Russia should be held responsible and is not innocent.' As do so many of us. Many might believe that making videos like the one Grant narrated this week makes him little more than another mouthpiece for Putin. What does he make of that? 'People can say whatever they like,' he says. 'I don't give a damn.' This is fighting talk of a quite different variety from the kind that Grant grew up with as the son of Flight Lieutenant Douglas Ross, an RAF veteran who served in Egypt during World War II repairing military aircraft. Grant is proud of him, detailing his father's ingenuity and derring-do in a promotional video for War Thunder, a computer game for which he provides the voiceover. 'My dad was the fairest man I had ever known, as he always looked at two sides of the argument,' he says now. The same cannot be said of his son. Indeed, Grant's life is littered with run-ins with authority. After graduating from Aberdeen University with a degree in agriculture, he embarked on what can only be described as a colourful career that has ranged from professional harmonica playing to selling caravans. He started out in 1966 as a chauffeur for the Iranian Embassy in London, where his duties included ferrying around the Shah of Iran and his wife during their visits to London. But he fell foul of another of his passengers, the then British ambassador to Iran, who fired him. 'He was a short, stupid little self-righteous man who looked down on almost all forms of life,' says Grant. 'The reason he fired me was because I refused to call him Your Excellency I called him Sir.' Grant quickly found new employment working as a chauffeur for the chairman of a British holiday company, before making a move into Britain's budding computing industry. He married in 1970 and a year later irritated by everything from the UK's politics to its people emigrated to Canada. The family settled first in Ontario and then the province of Nova Scotia in 1980. Along the way, Grant tried his hand at everything from flogging English caravans to establishing an advertising agency. His next move, he says, was made at the personal request of Steve Jobs, who asked him to join the Canadian arm of the then burgeoning Apple computers. By 1994 even this badge of honour, along with Canada's big skies and ample natural beauty, could not compensate for his growing disillusionment with his newly adopted country. 'I got fed up with the lack of honesty, lack of discipline, the lack of honour and care,' he says. There was another push factor, too, in the form of his first wife. 'I was looking to leave her,' Grant confides. He duly did so and arrived in Moscow in 1994, setting up home within a rather eye-popping ten days with Marina, a retired journalist, whom he married in 1996. Moscow was the backdrop to yet more professional hiccups, including a hair-raising confrontation with a colleague when Grant was made director of technologies at a Moscow hotel. 'I was threatened by the then deputy general director, who pressed a gun to my stomach as he was not happy that an Englishman had the job,' he says. Grant then branched out into more creative work, including small roles in Russian language films and television series. Intriguingly, as well as being cast as a Russian admiral, he has played the director of the CIA and a Nato admiral's assistant. Of one thing we can be sure, with views like his, he would never get past the vetting stage for either role in real life. He was launched on to the property ladder as a student by his parents. Now, aged 38, Euan Blair has not only surpassed his father Sir Tonys multi-million-pound fortune thanks to his own 700million business but has got himself a far grander house too. He has bought and moved into a five-storey west London townhouse costing 22million. It features an iceberg basement with swimming pool. Euan Blair, pictured, has purchased a 22m townhouse in west London which has an iceberg basement The property was converted from two town houses and has seven bedrooms Tony Blair, pictured with his wife Cherie following the wedding of their son Euan to Suzanne Ashman on September 14, 2013 in Wooton Underwood, Buckinghamshire Euan created his business, Multiverse, with a merchant banking friend in 2016, and now is the major owner, with up to half the shares. The company is paid by blue chip firms to recruit and train apprentices in the tech field. Venture capitalist investors last year gave chief executive Euan the go-ahead to sell a portion of his shares which were worth up to 320million in total to buy a home. The grand frontage of his seven-bedroom house, originally two terrace properties but long knocked-together, really is the tip of the iceberg. The two-storey basement has an indoor pool and gym among numerous facilities. A vehicle lift ferries cars to the underground garage. Above, a 50ft-long, double-height reception room on the lower ground floor has a galleried landing leading to the bedrooms. Former PM Sir Tony has an impressive property empire, with his Georgian five-storey townhouse in London believed to be worth around 10million, as is his Grade I-listed manor house in Buckinghamshire. A source close to Euan said last night: Its a joint property with his wife Suzanne and there is a mortgage. People might be surprised he has such a house so young but hes doing a good thing, trying to make apprenticeships grow. Euans mother Cherie famously gave him a leg up on to the property ladder 20 years ago, when she bought a 265,000 flat, plus a second one to rent out, for him to live in while studying ancient history at Bristol University. The former PM and his wife own a magnificent townhouse in London - although it is smaller than their son's The Charles Manson follower known as Big Patty has been recommended for release after more than five decades behind bars. Patricia Krenwinkel, 74, has been denied parole 14 times for the murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four other people in 1969. She helped kill grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary the next night, using their blood to scrawl Helter Skelter, Rise and Death to Pigs on the walls. Krenwinkel claimed her actions came after Manson told her to do something witchy. Patricia Krenwinkel, 74, has been denied parole 14 times (pictured in March 2020) The new recommendation by Californias parole board is the closest Krenwinkel has been to release. The decision is likely to go to Governor Gavin Newsom for a final decision. He has previously rejected parole recommendations for other followers of Manson, who died in prison aged 83 in 2017. New laws since Krenwinkel was last denied parole in 2017 required the panel to consider that she committed the murders at a young age 21 and is now an elderly prisoner. She had claimed in 2017 that she was affected by battered womens syndrome when she helped in the bloody slayings by the Manson Family cult. Krenwinkels attorney Keith Wattley said his client was no longer a danger to society. Shes completely transformed, he added. Krenwinkel was a 19-year-old secretary when she first met Manson, then 33, at a party. DPP slammed for seeking "Taiwan independence" by using pandemic Xinhua) 11:34, May 27, 2022 BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Experts from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan have criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for using misleading language regarding the region's participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA), denouncing its claim of a "gap" in global anti-pandemic efforts as a "groundless political lie." "It is entirely for the political ends of seeking 'independence' that the DPP authorities have deliberately denied and smeared the work of the mainland and the World Health Organization (WHO)," said Li Zhenguang, a Taiwan affairs professor at Beijing Union University. There are no obstacles for Taiwan to obtain pandemic containment information and resources from the WHO, and experts from the island often take part in international seminars on public health and epidemic prevention, Li noted. The Chinese mainland has given Taiwan around 400 updates about the epidemic situation since the start of COVID-19. The General Committee and the Plenary Session of the 75th WHA recently rejected a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate in the WHA as an observer submitted by certain countries. From 2009 to 2016, Taiwan participated in the WHA as an observer in the name of "Chinese Taipei," a special arrangement made through cross-Strait consultations on the basis of the 1992 Consensus that embodies the one-China principle upheld by both sides of the Taiwan Strait. But since the DPP came to power in 2016, it has obstinately adhered to the separatist position of "Taiwan independence" and refused to recognize the 1992 Consensus, Li noted. Chang Li-chi, a lecturer at Huaqiao University from Taiwan, voiced his discontent over the DPP's response measures as the island is now battling a record wave of infections. The DPP has pursued its own political maneuvering while neglecting the life and health of the people, leading to the runaway spread of the virus across Taiwan, Chang added. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) President Biden mistakenly claimed Friday in his commencement address to graduates at the Naval Academy that North Korea side with the U.S. against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine. 'Did anybody think, when I called for sanctions against Russia, in addition to NATO, did Australia, Japan, North Korea, some of the [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] countries would stand up and support those sanctions?' Biden asked the more than 1,200 midshipmen in the class of 2022. Biden charged Russian President Vladimir Putin with trying to wipe out Ukraine's culture. 'Not only is he trying to take over Ukraine, he's really trying to wipe out the culture and identity of the Ukrainian people - attacking schools, nurseries, hospitals, museums, with no other purpose,' he said. He called it a 'direct assault on a fundamental tenets of rule based international order.' The president used his classic stage whisper to remind the class: 'I'm your commander-in-chief.' President Biden mistakenly claimed Friday in his commencement address to graduates at the Naval Academy that North Korea side with the U.S. against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine Biden addressed more than 1,200 midshipmen in their graduation ceremony Naval Academy graduates throw their hats in the air at the conclusion of the ceremony North Korea was one of the four countries to vote against a United Nations resolution condemning Russia' invasion of Ukraine, along with Belarus, Eritrea and Syria. Cuba, Nicaragua and China abstained from the vote. A North Korea spokesperson blamed the U.S. for Russia's invasion of Ukraine shortly after it began. 'The root cause of the Ukraine crisis totally lies in the hegemonic policy of the U.S. and the West, which enforce themselves in high-handedness and abuse of power against other countries,' the spokesperson said. On Thursday Russia and China used their permanent veto power to block further UN sanctions on North Korea over nuclear proliferation, North Korea has so far refused to engage with the Biden White House in denuclearization talks. Biden told reporters last week in a trip to South Korea and Japan. North Korea, led by Kim Jong Un (above) was one of the four countries to vote against a United Nations resolution condemning Russia' invasion of Ukraine, along with Belarus, Eritrea and Syria. Cuba, Nicaragua and China abstained from the vote A local civilian walks amid a destroyed building in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, Friday, May 27 At least four people were killed and seven injured during Russian shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine on May 26 'We are prepared for anything North Korea does,' Biden told reporters. 'I'm not concerned if that's what you're asking,' he said to a question about North Korea. The president also claimed that the U.S. had offered Covid-19 vaccines to North Korea, which purports to be facing its first outbreak of the virus, and gotten no response. North Korea fired three ballistic missiles off the Sea of Japan early Wednesday in the hours following Biden's departure from Asia. U.S. Indo-Pacific confirmed the launches, along with South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and Japan's defense minister. 'While this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launches highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRK's illicit weapons program,' a statement from U.S. Indo-Pacific said. 'The U.S. commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remains ironclad.' McCarthy has long made it known he did not plan to comply with the committee GOP Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy announced through his lawyer that he will not be complying with a subpoena from the Jan. 6 committee, citing 'procedural deficiencies.' Attorney Elliot Berke wrote in a letter Friday that the committee had failed to establish its legitimate legislative purpose and that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had failed to seat McCarthy's picks on the committee. Pelosi rejected some of the minority leader's picks, citing their 2020 election fraud claims or, in the case of Rep. Jim Jordan, his proximity to the investigation. McCarthy pulled all of his nominees in protest, and Pelosi later appointed GOP Reps. Liz Cheney, Wyo., and Adam Kinzinger, Ill. 'The words and actions of the Select Committee and its members have made it clear that it is not exercising a valid or lawful use of Congress' subpoena power,' Berke wrote in a letter to chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. 'Its only objective appears to be to attempt to score political points or damage its political opponents acting like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee one day and the Department of Justice the next,' the letter read. The move comes as no surprise, as McCarthy has already said he would not comply if subpoenaed. This week he penned an op-ed with Jordan in the Wall Street Journal accusing the committee of 's trampling on fundamental Constitutional rights.' 'While Americans are struggling to put gas in the tank and food on the table, Democrats are busy weaponizing government to attack Republicans,' Jordan and McCarthy wrote. 'By subpoenaing us and three other Republican members, the Select Committee is escalating its abusive tactics. This attempt to coerce information from members of Congress about their official duties is a dangerous abuse of power, serves no legitimate legislative purpose, and eviscerates constitutional norms,' the lawmakers wrote. 'For House Republican leaders to agree to participate in this political stunt would change the House forever. Every representative in the minority would be subject to compelled interrogations by the majority, under oath, without any foundation of fairness, and at the expense of taxpayers.' Earlier this month the committee summoned McCarthy along with GOP Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Andy Biggs of Arizona, and Mo Brooks of Alabama. McCarthy's attorney requested from the committee 'a list of subject and topics the Select Committee would like to discuss with the Leader, and the constitutional and legal rationale justifying the request.' He also asked the committee to say whether it would agree to limited questioning of 'one hour per side and alternating between majority and minority counsel.' The letter did not say whether the GOP leader could change his mind about testifying if such conditions are met. The lawmakers subpoenaed with McCarthy either participated in meetings at the White House, had direct conversations with President Trump leading up to and during the attack, or were involved in the planning and coordination of certain activities on and before January 6th, the committee said in a statement. If any of the lawmakers refuse, the Democratic-controlled House could vote to hold them in contempt of Congress. From there, the Justice Department would decide whether or not to formally pursue charges. 'I have not seen this subpoena. I guess they sent it to you guys before they send it to me,' McCarthy told reporters on Capitol Hill. 'Look, my view on the committee has not changed. They're not conducting legitimate investigation. That seems as though they just want to go after their political opponents.' He didn't answer questions on whether he would comply with it. Biggs said it was a 'witch hunt.' 'The January 6 Committee's ongoing, baseless witch hunt is nothing more than an effort to distract the American people from the Democrats' and Biden's disastrous leadership,' he tweeted. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy was subpoenaed by the committee investigating January 6th insurrection at Capitol - reporters in the Capitol surround him to ask about the news The panel also has subpoenaed Rep. Jim Jordan (above), a close Trump ally Committee wants to know about lawmakers' conversations with Donald Trump - above then President Trump at the January 6 rally outside the White House All five had been asked previously - and refused - to voluntarily testify before the panel. 'We're forced to take this step,' the Jan. 6 panel said of the subpoenaes. The move was a dramatic escalation in the committee's investigation and follow weeks of internal debate on whether to try to force Republicans to testify behind closed doors. Congressional subpoenas for sitting members of Congress, especially for a party leader, are almost without precedent. They come as the panel is preparing for a series of public hearings this June. Rep. Perry said the subpoenaes were sent for 'headlines.' 'This is all for headlines and sensationalization,' he said. 'The fact that they send it to the press before they send it to the members just proof it's all about headlines.' McCarthy has admitted to speaking with Trump on the day MAGA supporters stormed the Capitol to try and stop the certification of the 2020 election. But he's offered few details of that conversation. Jordan also spoke with Trump. He is a close ally of the former president and was deeply involved in efforts to contest the 2020 election results. Perry has continuously disputed the validity of Biden's victory in Pennsylvania. The panel previously said it wants to discuss Perry's attempted effort to install former Department of Justice official Jeffrey Clark as acting attorney general when the DOJ resisted Trump's false claims of voter fraud. It also said it believed Perry was communicating with Mark Meadows, who was then the White House chief of staff, via an encrypted app, Signal. In Biggs' case, the committee wants to know about his participation 'in certain planning meetings' with the White House before Jan. 6th. They also want to know about his conversations about having former Vice President Mike Pence 'unilaterally refuse' to accept votes certified states. The committee's interest in Biggs is on the heels of an April 22 court filing in which lawmakers accused him of being an active participant in White House meetings after the 2020 election, where he and other Republicans brainstormed ways to keep Trump in power. Biggs is also accused of encouraging protesters to come to Washington on Jan. 6 as well as persuading state legislators and officials that the election was stolen. The January 6th panel also has subpoenaed Republican Reps. Mo Brooks of Alabama (left), Andy Biggs of Arizona (center) and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania (right) The panel wants to ask Brooks about his recent comments following a spat with Trump after the former president pulled back his endorsement. Brooks said Trump 'asked me to rescind the election of 2020' weeks before leaving office. Brooks spoke at the Jan. 6th rally on the Ellipse, where he famously said: 'Today is the day American patriots start down names and kicking ass.' He also came up on a leaked House leadership call where leaders fretted about lawmakers calling out fellow members of the conference. The committe also has expressed an interest in talking to Republican Rep. Ronnie Jackson of Texas but he was not among those subpoenaed. Jackson served as Trump's personal physician and has been an ardent defender of the former president. Durham Polices lenient treatment of Dominic Cummings for breaking lockdown rules could help Sir Keir Starmer escape a fine from the same force over Beergate, sources say. The senior investigating officer who investigated Boris Johnsons former adviser over lockdown breaches in spring 2020 is also leading the inquiry into Sir Keirs beer and curry night in April last year. The circumstances in which Mr Cummings is said to have broken Covid restrictions are different to the social distancing breaches allegedly committed by Sir Keir. Starmer, dubbed 'Sir Beer Korma' by Boris Johnson, is unlikely to be implicated, sources claim But sources with knowledge of the probe believe it is highly unlikely retrospective action will be taken against Sir Keir recently dubbed Sir Beer Korma by Boris Johnson unless a game-changing smoking gun which implicates him emerges. A row erupted in 2020 after Mr Cummings made a 260-mile trip to Durham with his wife and son at the height of lockdown. The couples trip included a journey to Barnard Castle, which Mr Cummings said was to test his eyesight for the drive back to London. Durham Police did not take action against him, saying Mr Cummings might have committed a minor breach of rules with the Barnard Castle journey. Six officers are working on the Beergate inquiry, which is expected to last a further month and cost in excess of 50,000, the Daily Mail can reveal. Should police conclude the event was a party which breached social distancing rules, the Crown Prosecution Service is expected to be consulted on whether fines should be issued to the likes of Sir Keir and his deputy Angela Rayner, who also attended the Durham Miners Hall function. Dominic Cummings's controversial trip to Barnard Castle in May 2020 caused national outcry A final decision is likely to rest with Durham Police Chief Constable Jo Farrell. There is widespread expectation in the force that Sir Keir will not be fined. An informed source said: Durham is towards the bottom of the Covid fixed penalty notice enforcement league. It was a lot more lenient than many other forces, and adopted a strategy of policing by consent. Although the allegations of lockdown breaches made against Dominic Cummings and Sir Keir Starmer are different in detail, the same force and senior officer are investigating. It would be truly remarkable if action is taken against Sir Keir, after Cummings escaped sanction. An ex-colleague of Mrs Farrell said: You could argue that Cummings is Starmers get out of jail card. Jo is a very solid and cautious chief constable, and she will be very aware of the implications of fining the Labour leader. Knowing her as I do, I cannot see a situation where she would authorise a fine unless there is clear evidence of rule-breaking. Earlier this month the Labour leader, who insists he did no wrong and the Beergate function was a work event, vowed to quit if he is fined. Britain has been gripped by a Platinum Jubilee frenzy with spending predicted to reach 3billion over the extended bank holiday weekend. Gloom at the cost of living crisis is being pushed aside with millions keen to relax, have fun and participate in special events as the four-day break brings back the 'feel good factor'. The retail sector, pubs and hospitality, including tourist attractions, are expected to be the biggest beneficiaries. Britain has been gripped by a Platinum Jubilee frenzy with spending predicted to reach 3billion over the extended bank holiday weekend Our one-mile street party Two neighbouring villages hope to stage what could be Britain's longest jubilee street party on June 5. Goring and Streatley, in Oxfordshire and Berkshire respectively, want to welcome up to 5,000 people for a mile-long celebration, said organiser Ron Bridle. The villages previously united to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Goring and Streatley, in Oxfordshire and Berkshire respectively, want to welcome up to 5,000 people for a mile-long celebration, said organiser Ron Bridle Advertisement An estimated 90million pints will be sold, resulting in a 105million boost for the pub trade around 50 per cent more than a regular bank holiday according to the British Beer & Pub Association. On Monday, brewery Greene King will kick off celebrations by selling customers a pint of IPA for just 6p the same price as in 1952 at its 408 sites. Millions will enjoy street parties and other events from Thursday to Sunday, with spending predicted to be around 40 per cent higher than for the Diamond Jubilee ten years ago. Richmond upon Thames, Surrey, appears to be Britain's street party capital with 331 events approved by the council, up by 99 on the Diamond Jubilee. Booming sales forced the Royal household's online shop to temporarily halt taking orders after it ran out of memorabilia. Supermarkets are selling out of Jubilee ranges. Marks & Spencer is offering everything from Corgi-themed cakes to patriotic cheeseboards, supersize HRH sausage rolls, ales and liqueurs. Tesco predicts it will sell 60,000 rolls of bunting enough to wrap around Windsor castle 10 times and 50,000 Union Jack plates. The retailer has ordered in an extra 4million bottles of gin, 150,000 bottles of champagne and the same of Pimm's. The extended bank holiday is particularly good for hospitality, the third largest private sector employer in the UK. Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, Emma McClarkin, said: 'Pubs are looking forward to leading celebrations in their communities.' A consumer survey said average spending per person over the bumper bank holiday is set to reach 52 which equates to 2.8billion as a nation. Separate estimates by the Centre for Economics and Business Research suggest extra spending across the four days would be 1billion 80 per cent to retailers and 20 per cent to hospitality. Pictures provided by Ron Bridle showing the 2012 Jubilee street party between Goring and Streatley One in five (19 per cent) will mark the event at the pub and more than one in seven plan to host or attend a street party. Nearly half (47 per cent) of Britons planning to celebrate said they would do so on Saturday, with 28 per cent on Sunday and 9 per cent on Monday. The survey was commissioned by TopCashback, whose spokesman said: 'Many of those choosing to celebrate are picking lower cost activities such as spending time with family and friends, going to the beach or having a picnic.' A carjacker allegedly targeted an 81 year-old woman as she fed the homeless in a supermarket, then dragged her with her car when she tried to stop him. Nina Steinman, of Redlands in California, was handing out food to the homeless at Stater Bros Markets on E Colton Avenue around 3.30pm on Monday - something she had been doing since January While she was performing the charitable act, a carjacker, who police say is Carlos Sanchez Jr., 24, 'forcefully took the keys from her and got into the driver's seat.' The market was the last stop she had to make as she pulled in to hand three men food and homemade iced tea when Sanchez reportedly approached her car. 'I said I don't have anymore food, it's all gone, but I can give you some iced tea,' she told KTLA. Steinman says she attempted to stop Sanchez by holding onto the driver's side door handle, but the suspect quickly back up the vehicle with the trunk still open, pulling Steinman several feet across the ground. 'Let me tell you, Im not afraid,' she told KTLA. 'I was going to grab his shirt and just drag that little puppy right out of the front seat, but I couldnt get the door open.' Surveillance footage shows the woman being thrown off the car, causing her to violently roll across the ground. Three young men appear to chase after the car, but Sanchez reportedly managed to escape. The men then go to help Steinman off the ground and hand her the things she dropped. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) located Sanchez in the driver's seat of the Kia Sportage on East 11th Street in the City of Angels and taken to the LAPD Newtown Community Police Station, where Redlands police met them. Scroll down for video Nina Steinman, 81, (pictured on the ground) was violently thrown to the ground after she tried to open the driver's side door. Suspect, Carlos Sanchez Jr., 24, backed out of the space, dragging Steinman several feet Steinman rolled several times as Sanchez peeled out of the parking lot. Police reported she was unharmed, only suffering from a few bruises Sanchez reportedly 'forcefully' took an elderly woman's car keys from her at Stater Bros Markets on E Colton Avenue around 3.30pm on Monday before dragging her across the parking lot as he stole her Kia Sportage Steinman said she was planning on pulling him out of the car, but was unable to get the door open The department said that 'based on evidence and witness statements,' officers were able to confirm Sanchez was the parking lot suspect. Sanchez is being held at the West Valley Detention Center on a $250,000 bond and has been charged with carjacking and elder abuse. Redlands PD reported Steinman was unharmed the incident, only suffering from a few bruises. Steinman told KTLA that Sanchez took off with her purse and keys and she had to 'change the locks' at her home because she was 'so afraid that he would try to break in.' Despite the horrific experience, Steinman said she will still continue to help the misfortunate. 'I'm 81, and the Lord is going to take me home probably soon, so while I'm here, I'm not going to stop. It's just what I'm called to do,' she said. A total of 2,064 vehicles have been stolen in LA County in the last 30 days and a total of 10,192 for the year. Meanwhile, only 1,440 have been arrested for the crime in 2022. Earlier this month, LA's County sheriff has likened woke District Attorney George Gascon to an ego-crazed Moses with rules written in stone as he blasted the DA for rejecting 13,238 of his deputies cases. Sheriff Alex Villanueva claims Gascon dismissed the huge number cases presented to him since taking office in 2020 because they 'don't conform to his special directives.' 'He showed up like Moses with his 10 commandments with his tablets and said, "Here's my special orders, take 'em or take 'em,"' Villanueva told Fox News. 'That does not promote a good working relationship. 'The deputies are going to continue doing their job, they make the arrests, theyll write the reports, but then what happens after its submitted to the DA is where it all falls apart' It comes as the city continues to see a spike in violent crime, which has gone up by more than 15 percent since 2020 while Gascon faces his second recall attempt since taking office. Gascon has been vocal about his belief that the criminal justice system needs to focus more on intervention and rehabilitation, blasting 'tough on crime' policies as racist and a failure. And following his first 100 days in office, he touted the changes he has made to the city's justice system - including limiting the use of sentencing enhancements. Sanchez was seen entering the driver's seat after stealing the keys while Steinman was handing out food to the homeless Three young men, who were collecting food from Steinman, help her up and handing her back the items she dropped The incident happened in State Bros Market parking lot on Colton Ave (pictured) The California penal code has more than 100 enhancements that could add time to a convict's sentence depending on the situation, most of which date back to when California was facing soaring crime in the 1980s and 1990s. But under Gascon's reign, the use of those enhancements have been greatly reduced, with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office 5,138 enhancements during his first three months - a 71 percent drop when compared to the same time the year before. His first three months also saw prosecutors filing only 106 gun enhancements - an 85 percent decrease. Gascon also barred prosecutors from charging juveniles as adults, regardless of the severity of their alleged crimes. Villanueva - who is himself a Democrat - slammed the woke policies, telling Fox, 'I think the entire woke universe of progressive reform has failed epically throughout the entire nation. 'These are people that did bad things that left a victim, have the evidence presented and [the DA's office] said: "Don't bother."' A wet Tuesday in March and Steve Hedley, senior assistant general secretary of the hardline RMT trade union, is standing on a picket line outside a West London Tube depot. There's nothing strange about this. In fact, it's one of the things Mr Hedley does best. Over the past three years, he and his RMT comrades have balloted for strike action 204 times, managing to clock up 49 strike votes even in 2020, when Covid shut down much of their industry. It makes them arguably the most militant trade union in the land. The GMB, for example, gets by with a mere 50 ballots annually, despite having 600,000 members to the RMT's 82,000. Today, Steve and his sidekick, a burly gentleman identified as 'Sev', are helping to stage a two-day strike over pay, pensions and working conditions that has brought much of London to a halt. It has been caused, he tells onlookers, by the Government's 'absolute hatred of working-class people'. Hedley's remarks are not, however, what make this scene interesting. Not in the current news cycle, at least. For this picket is being staged on March 1, just four days after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And the most unusual thing about the RMT boss who is running it can be found on his raincoat. RMT Assistant General Secretary Steve Hedley poses in a Soviet-style soldier's hat with an assault rifle Not far from his RMT armband and a couple of socialist pin-badges, Hedley is wearing a striking black-and-orange ribbon. To those in the know, which might include anyone who follows Soviet or Baltic politics, it's a Ribbon of St George. These accoutrements are currently popular in Moscow, where people wear them to demonstrate support for the invasion of Ukraine. Similar ribbons are sported by Russian military chiefs and ambitious politicians, and you will often see one on the lapel of Vladimir Putin's designer suit. The black-and-orange ribbon is, in consequence, banned in Ukraine and many Baltic states, where it is regarded as an ugly symbol of Russian military aggression. Canadian analyst Michael MacKay, who worked as an observer during the 2014 elections in Kyiv, has described it as 'an anti-Ukrainian hate symbol . . . as deeply offensive as the swastika'. Why, then, was Steve Hedley, the deputy head of a British trade union, wearing something so provocative on an official RMT picket line, as Putin's tanks were rolling across the border? Well, it turns out Hedley belongs to a powerful far-Left cabal at the RMT who have spent much of the past decade supporting Putin's murderous adventures in Ukraine. Sympathisers include two of the union's three most senior officials, along with two more members of its ruling NEC, plus two of its regional organisers, one other senior staff member and an unknown number of RMT activists. Like many extremists, they regard an enemy's enemy as a friend. And since Russia's despotic leader opposes Nato and the West, by their twisted logic he should be regarded as an ally. Senior RMT power-brokers have spent recent years advancing Moscow's interests in various ways, from parroting pro-Kremlin PR lines to founding anti-Kyiv lobby groups and, in one case, even travelling to eastern Ukraine to meet a notoriously violent pro-Russian warlord. This malign track record will attract scrutiny in the coming weeks as Britain's weary commuters, already grappling with a cost-of-living crisis exacerbated by Putin's invasion, face a 'summer of discontent' on the rail networks, to use the activists' own phrase. On Tuesday, the RMT announced that 89 per cent of its 40,000 members who work in the rail sector had voted for industrial action over plans to cut up to 2,500 jobs and reorganise the troubled industry following the 25 per cent decline in passenger numbers caused by Covid. In interviews, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has said strikes could start in mid-June, bringing trains to a halt nationwide. Not far from his RMT armband and a couple of socialist pin-badges, Hedley is wearing a striking black-and-orange ribbon (pictured). These accoutrements are currently popular in Moscow, where people wear them to demonstrate support for the invasion of Ukraine. Such disruption will raise questions about where exactly the RMT's loyalties lie. Which brings us back to Steve Hedley, a notorious controversialist who, despite a union pay and benefits package approaching six figures, has said he is motivated by a desire to 'overthrow capitalism and create a socialist form of society'. On Facebook, he has 1,200 followers and has appeared in pictures brandishing an automatic rifle while wearing a Russian fur hat emblazoned with a hammer-and-sickle badge. The combative Left-winger has devoted considerable time recently to sharing pro-Kremlin material on Facebook to 'counter the one-sided media narrative on Ukraine', as he puts it. On February 27, he attacked plans to ban the Kremlin propaganda outlet Russia Today: 'The fact that the governments are banning a channel that gets 80,000 views a day should give the lie, to anyone with a brain cell, that freedom of speech is a right of living in a bourgeoisie democracy [sic],' he wrote. On March 8, he posted a video message online: 'People are asking 'can we assassinate Putin?' Well look, the reality is all countries, occupied countries like Ireland may have something in common with the Ukraine. 'But the reality is as well that the British are occupying Ireland, have done for 800 years, and I don't see anybody advocating that we assassinate Johnson and neither should we.' It was music to the ears of many of Hedley's followers, including 'Sev', his picket-line companion. Sev's full name is Seva Sergeich and he is an RMT activist who was born in St Petersburg. His Facebook page is a sewer of pro-Kremlin propaganda: adorned with a photo of the 'Z' symbol of the invasion, it contains endless pictures of Russian military symbols, plus links to YouTube films peddling fake news about the conflict. In one post, Sergeich argues that 'the bombing of civilians in Ukraine is [being] done by Ukrainian nationalists, not by Russian forces'. Such opinions seem to be widely shared in the upper echelons of the RMT. Not least by Eddie Dempsey, who became the union's senior assistant general secretary four weeks ago, when Hedley (who was briefly suspended by the RMT in 2020 for saying he would 'throw a party' if Boris Johnson died of coronavirus) retired. Dempsey, who has said the RMT is 'trying to create a culture of civil disobedience in this country', is a long-standing supporter of far-Left campaigns against the Ukrainian government. In 2015, he decided to travel to the eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, where he met Aleksey Mozgovoy, a misogynistic paramilitary leader of the pro-Russian 'Ghost Brigade' militia branded a 'terrorist organisation' by Ukraine's supreme court. A year earlier, Mozgovoy had ordered his troop patrols to arrest any woman sitting in a pub or cafe, because 'a woman must be the guardian of the hearth, a mother'. He had also ordered the murder of several members of a family whose car was riddled with bullets in a shooting that left a ten-year-old girl with life-changing injuries. Alex Gordon (pictured), rail union activist and member of the Communist party Popular Sovereignty, gave a speech claiming Nato policy in Ukraine 'relies on the promotion of the resurgence of fascism' and parroting Putin's line that Ukraine is a 'failed state held hostage by neo-Nazis' Dempsey nonetheless regarded this fellow Leftist as a natural ally, posing for a chummy photo with him. Following Mozgovoy's death a few weeks afterwards, the RMT boss wrote a glowing obituary for the pro-Kremlin Russia Insider website, lavishing praise on the 'charismatic' terrorist. Today, as Luhansk burns and its people are murdered by Russian invaders, those words make grim reading. Which is why, when they came to light a few weeks ago, the Labour MP Chris Bryant demanded that Dempsey 'apologise and be ashamed', saying: 'The writing has been on the wall in relation to Putin and his territorial ambitions for more than a decade now, and anybody who has not been able to see that should step aside from the political arena.' Then there is the RMT's president Alex Gordon, who besides his 57,000-a-year role chairing the union's ruling NEC, is a senior figure in the Communist Party of Great Britain. In March, in the latter role, he gave a speech claiming Nato policy in Ukraine 'relies on the promotion of the resurgence of fascism' and parroting Putin's line that Ukraine is a 'failed state held hostage by neo-Nazis'. Back in 2017, Gordon said on Facebook that the Holodomor, the notorious forced starvation of four million Ukrainians in the 1930s under Stalin, was a 'myth'. To support this false claim, he posted links to two articles on Sputnik News, a propaganda website controlled by the Kremlin. And in 2015, after Russia's invasion of Crimea, he protested outside the Ukrainian Embassy in London wearing (like his comrade Steve Hedley) the black-and-orange Ribbon of St George. What normal RMT members, who pay a combined 18 million in subscriptions each year, make of such behaviour is anyone's guess. But the union's questionable record on Ukraine runs deep. It can be traced back to 2014, when Gordon, Dempsey and Steve Skelly now one of the RMT's regional organisers helped to found 'Antifascist Resistance in Ukraine' [SARU], a far-Left group devoted to defending the Russian invasion of Crimea and paramilitaries fighting on Moscow's behalf elsewhere in the country. Over the ensuing months and years, SARU's website would circulate endless items of pro-Kremlin propaganda, revolving largely around the premise that to quote a speech by Dempsey at a SARU meeting covered by the Morning Star the 'Western-backed government of Ukraine . . . included open Nazis'. One particularly abhorrent post, on the group's Facebook page in late 2015, linked to a deeply anti-Semitic YouTube video claiming that Alexei Mozgovoy (the warlord previously photographed with Dempsey) had been killed as part of a Jewish blood sacrifice. This output didn't seem to faze anyone at the RMT. Indeed, prior to its annual meeting that year, the union's then general secretary, Mick Cash, wrote to branch secretaries urging them to support a motion to affiliate their organisation formally with SARU. The motion duly passed, thanks in part to what the Morning Star later described as a 'devastating' speech by Steve Hedley, who argued that opponents of the proposal would be 'dancing on the graves of 30,000 merchant seamen who died under Nazi bombs in the Second World War'. Eddie Dempsey previously visiting warlord Alexander Mozgovoy, an uber-nationalist, uber-misogynistic paramilitary leader in the pro-Russian militias during the war in eastern Ukraine It is unclear whether the RMT remains affiliated to SARU. In a BBC podcast aired yesterday, general secretary Mick Lynch said: 'I don't think we are.' Yet recent public statements suggest support for Ukraine in its struggle against Putin's barbarity is limited at RMT headquarters. For example, the union's South West organiser, Brendan Kelly, gave an interview about the war last month to Left-wing website The Bristol Cable. 'You've got two imperialist blocs really, which is Putin and the East, and you've got Nato, which has clearly set its path out in recent decades to try and push the boundary back on Eastern Europe and Russia.' He added: 'It has created a lot of instability.' Back in 2018, RMT head of industrial relations Alex Reid criticised the EU for 'backing fascists in Ukraine' and in April he called for the 'dismantling of Nato'. NEC member Ian Allen said of Ukraine in 2014: 'Just give it back to the USSR,' adding, 'what the funk has Ukraine got to do with America feck off up your own end [sic]'. Another member of the RMT's NEC (which contains just two women alongside 14 men) is Joe Kirby. A few weeks ago he, along with Alex Gordon and Eddie Dempsey, signed Stop the War's controversial open letter blaming the invasion of Ukraine on Nato's 'disdain for Russian concerns' and Britain's 'aggressive posturing'. The letter caused a huge row within the Labour Party because 11 of its MPs, who had originally signed, withdrew their support for it on the orders of Keir Starmer. A third NEC member, Paul McDonnell, chose the day of Russia's invasion to post to Facebook a link to a lecture entitled: 'Why is Ukraine the West's fault?' Asked about such remarks, an RMT spokesman said last night: 'The RMT does not support Vladimir Putin or the war in Ukraine. Both Eddie Dempsey and Alex Gordon agree with that position.' As to the decision of the RMT's former number two, Steve Hedley, to wear the Ribbon of St George on an official RMT picket line less than a week after the invasion, the spokesman would say only: 'Steve Hedley has retired from his role in the RMT.' One thing that doesn't seem to have been retired is the ugly hard-Leftism that, when it comes to Ukraine, has placed this powerful trade union firmly on the wrong side of history. Ten people were killed in a mass shooting at a Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, New York on May 14. Aaron Salter Jr., 75 Salter is a retired Buffalo police officer who worked as a security guard at the supermarket. He was fatally shot after confronting accused shooter Payton Gendron inside the store. Salter's shots failed to penetrate Gendron's armored vest, officials confirmed to CBS News, After he shot at Gendron, the teen returned fire, killing Salter. Retired Buffalo Police Department cop Aaron Salter was killed after trying to shoot back at the alleged shooter Ruth Whitfield, 86 Whitfield had just visited her husband in a nursing home and decided to stop at the Tops on her way home to get something to eat, WGRZ reported. She was also the mother of Former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield, according to the television station. Following the shooting, he said during an interview with the Buffalo News: 'My mom was the consummate mom. My mother was a mother to the motherless. She was a blessing to all of us. She loved God and taught us to do the same thing,' he said. Ruth Whitfield, 86, the mother of former Buffalo fire commissioner Garnell Whitfield, was also killed in the attack Katherine Massey, 72 She had gone to the supermarket to do her grocery shopping when she was fatally shot. Her brother was supposed to pick her up after she finished her errands, but arrived to the grisly aftermath of a mass shooting. Massey was a civil rights and education advocate. Former Erie County Legislator Betty Jean Grant, who had known Massey for over 20 years, told The Buffalo News that she 'did everything she could to lift up Buffalo's black community.' Last year, Massey wrote a letter calling for more federal regulation of firearms, citing both urban street violence and mass shootings. Katherine Massey, 72, had gone to the supermarket to do her grocery shopping when she was fatally shot Pearly Young, 77 Young fed needy residents in Buffalo's Central Park neighborhood for 25 years. Young, originally from Alabama, moved to New York as a young adult and married a pastor. She had gone to lunch with her sister-in-law on Saturday and was dropped off at the grocer afterwards. Her son was expected to pick her up, but when he arrived at the store, all was in chaos. Her relatives told Alabama.com Young will be remembered for her love for God and her family. Pearly Young, 77, who fed needy residents in Buffalo's Central Park neighborhood for 25 years, was also killed Celestine Chaney, 65 Chaney was a breast cancer survivor, was at the supermarket with her older sister, JoAnn Daniels, because she wanted to buy strawberries for shortcake. The loving mother and grandmother-of-six was also picking up some shrimp for her husband, Raymond. Daniels told The Buffalo Times she never saw Gendron, but heard the sounds of his assault rifle. She and Chaney were trying to flee when the 65-year-old was shot. 'She fell and I thought she had got up and was behind me, but she wasn't behind me,' Daniels recalled. Celestine Chaney, 65, who was at the supermarket to buy strawberries for shortcake at the time of the shooting Roberta Drury, 32 Drury was at the store to buy groceries for dinner when the shooting began. She had moved to Buffalo from the Syracuse, New York, area to be with her older brother after his bone marrow transplant, her sister, Amanda Drury, told Reuters. Drury helped him with his bar, The Dalmatia, and with his family. 'She was vibrant and outgoing, could talk to anyone,' Amanda said. Roberta Drury, 32, was at the store to buy groceries for dinner. She had moved to the area to close to her older brother Heyward Patterson, 68 He often give people rides to and from the supermarket and would help them carry their groceries. This role earned him the nickname 'Jitney.' He was also a church deacon and would welcome parishioners and escort them to their seats. 'He would give the shirt off his back,' his wife, Tirzah Patterson, told The Buffalo News. 'That's who he is. He wouldn't hurt anybody. Whatever he had, he'd give it to you.' Heyward Patterson, 68, often give people rides to and from the supermarket and would help them carry their groceries Geraldine Talley, 62 Talley is a mother of two children - Genicia Talley, 42, and Mark Talley, 32, and was also like a second mother to her niece, Kesha Chapman. She had entered the store to just pick up a few items, her sister, Kaye Chapman-Johnson told ABC News. She had told her fiancee to go to another aisle to retrieve something off one of the shelves when the gunfire started. Talley is now remembered for her mouth-watering cheesecake, People reports. 'She was truly an amazing woman, and I'm going to miss her dearly,' Chapman-Johnson said of her sister. Geraldine Talley, right, entered the store with her fiancee to pick up a few items for dinner Andre Mackniel, 53 Andre Mackniel, who also went by Andre Elliot, was in town visiting relatives. He was at the store to pick up a surprise birthday cake for his grandson, USA Today reports. But 'he never came out with the cake,' his cousin Clarissa Alston-McCutcheon said, describing her cousin as a 'loving and caring guy' who 'loved family' and 'was always there for his family.' He was listed as 'engaged' on his Facebook page. Mackniel, of Auburn, New York, was self-employed, but used to work at Buffalo Wild Wings, according to Finger Lakes Daily News. Andre Mackniel, 53, was in town visiting relatives and went to the store to pick up a surprise birthday cake for his grandson Margus Morrison, 52 Margus Morrison was a father of three who was an active bus aide for Buffalo schools since February 2019, USA Today reports. His family later confirmed he was killed in the deadly shooting. A super-Earth covered in oceans of lava and another exoplanet that is completely airless have been chosen as the first targets of NASA's James Webb Telescope. One of the planets, known as 55 Cancri e, has surface temperatures reaching 4,400 F (2,400 C) far above the melting point of typical rock-forming minerals. The day side is thus thought to be covered in lava, which could also fall as rain depending on its orbiting pattern. The rocky planet has a diameter almost twice that of Earth and is therefore known as a 'super-Earth' meaning it is larger than our planet but smaller than Neptune. It orbits less than 1.5 million miles from its Sun-like star one twenty-fifth of the distance between Mercury and the Sun and completes one circuit in less than 18 hours. The telescope will also observe LHS 3844 b, which orbits a star that is smaller and cooler than 55 Cancri e's host star. This planet is not hot enough for its surface to be molten, and is unlikely to have a substantial atmosphere, meaning scientists can analyse the solid rock on its surface. Illustration comparing rocky exoplanets 55 Cancri e and LHS 3844 b to Earth and Neptune. Both are between Earth and Neptune in terms of size and mass, but they are more similar to Earth in composition. The planets are arranged from left to right in order of increasing radius. 55 Cancri e has a surface of mostly graphite surrounding a thick layer of diamond, below which is a layer of silicon-based minerals and a molten iron core at the centre The Webb telescope now awaits a final instrument calibration before it officially begins studying distant stars and planets next month, like 55 Cancri e and LHS 3844 b The $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope is currently about 1,500,000 kilometres away from Earth after it was launched in December 2021. With its instruments aligned, the Webb telescope now awaits a final instrument calibration before it officially begins studying distant stars in a few weeks time. Instruments on the James Webb Space Telescope NIRCam (Near InfraRed Camera) an infrared imager from the edge of the visible through the near infrared NIRSpec (Near InfraRed Spectrograph) will also perform spectroscopy over the same wavelength range. MIRI (Mid-InfraRed Instrument) will measure the mid-to-long-infrared wavelength range from 5 to 27 micrometers. FGS/NIRISS (Fine Guidance Sensor and Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph), is used to stabilize the line-of-sight of the observatory during science observations. Advertisement NASA researchers will train the onboard, high-precision spectrographs onto 55 Cancri e to understand its geology. This will give an insight into the geologic diversity of planets across the galaxy, and the evolution of rocky planets like Earth. Planets that orbit very close to their star, like 55 Cancri e, are thought to be tidally locked and have one side facing the star at all times. Tidal locking happens because both astronomical bodies exert gravitational force on the other, which is stronger on the sides facing each other. This force causes the orbiting body to stretch and distort, which in turn slows down its rotation. Eventually it is slowed down to the point that the speed of the planet's orbit and its rotational speed match, and one side only ever faces the star just as only one side of the Moon ever faces Earth. The hottest spot on the planet should be the one that faces the star most directly, and the amount of heat coming from the day side should not change much over time. However, observations of 55 Cancri e from NASAs Spitzer Space Telescope suggest that the hottest region is offset from the part that faces the star most directly, and the total amount of heat detected from the day side varies. One explanation for this phenomenon is that the planet has its own dynamic atmosphere that moves the heat around. Researchers will use Webbs Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to capture the thermal emission spectrum of the day side of the planet. Renyu Hu, from NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, said: '55 Cancri e could have a thick atmosphere dominated by oxygen or nitrogen. 'If it has an atmosphere, [Webb] has the sensitivity and wavelength range to detect it and determine what it is made of.' Illustration of 55 Cancri e that has surface temperatures reaching 4,400 F (2,400 C) - far above the melting point of typical rock-forming minerals Lift off: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope successfully blasted into space on December 25 However, 55 Cancri e may not be tidally locked at all, and could rotate three times for every two orbits, as Mercury does, meaning it has a day-night cycle. Alexis Brandeker, researcher from Stockholm University who leads another team studying the planet, said: 'That could explain why the hottest part of the planet is shifted. FACTS AND FIGURES: NASA's $10 BILLION JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE Operator: NASA & ESA Launched: December 25, 2021 Full operation begins: Summer 2022 Location: SunEarth L2 point Orbit type: Halo orbit Mission duration: 20 years (expected) Telescope diameter: 21 feet (6.5 m) Focal length: 431 feet (131.4 m) Wavelengths: 0.628.3 m Advertisement 'Just like on Earth, it would take time for the surface to heat up. 'The hottest time of the day would be in the afternoon, not right at noon.' Brandekers team plans to test this hypothesis using NIRCam to measure the heat emitted from the lit side of 55 Cancri e during four different orbits. If the planet does rotate three times for every two orbits, they will observe each hemisphere twice and should be able to detect any difference between the hemispheres. In this scenario, the surface would heat up, melt, and even vaporise during the day, forming a very thin atmosphere that the James Webb Space Telescope could detect. Then, in the evening, the vapour would cool and condense to form droplets of lava that would rain back to the surface, turning solid again as night falls. The James Webb Telescope is intended to succeed the Hubble Space Telescope as NASA's flagship mission in astrophysics. It is composed of 18 hexagonal mirror segments, fitted together into one large, 21-foot-wide mirror. During its decade or more in orbit, Webb will be used by teams of astronomers to study a wide variety of celestial phenomena, from exoplanets to black holes. It is able to peer further into the history of the universe than any space telescope before it, in part due to its position 930,000 miles from the Earth. The telescope won't be the only exoplanet the Webb Telescope will be observing when it begins its in-depth science next month. An airless planet called LHS 3844 b also orbits very closely to its star, completing a single revolution in 11 hours. Its star is smaller and cooler than the one 55 Cancri e orbits, so the planet is not hot enough for its surface to be molten, meaning scientists can analyse the solid rock. Additionally, Spitzer observations indicate that the planet is very unlikely to have a substantial atmosphere. While researchers won't be able to image the surface of LHS 3844 b directly with Webb, the lack of an obscuring atmosphere makes it possible to study the surface with spectroscopy. Laura Kreidberg at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy said: 'It turns out that different types of rock have different spectra. 'You can see with your eyes that granite is lighter in colour than basalt. 'There are similar differences in the infrared light that rocks give off.' Kreidbergs team will use MIRI to capture the thermal emission spectrum of the day side of LHS 3844 b, and then compare it to spectra of known rocks, like basalt and granite, to determine its composition. If the planet is volcanically active, the spectrum could also reveal the presence of trace amounts of volcanic gases. Kreidberg said: 'They will give us fantastic new perspectives on Earth-like planets in general, helping us learn what the early Earth might have been like when it was hot like these planets are today.' The observations of 55 Cancri e and LHS 3844 b will be made available to the worldwide astronomical community. James Webb's primary mirror consists of 18 hexagonal segments of gold-plated beryllium metal, and measures 21 feet 4 inches (6.5 metres) in diameter. It is supported by three shallow carbon fiber tubes, or struts, that extend out from the large primary mirror, which is comprised of 18 hexagonal segments Advertisement With their fluffy coats and teddy bear-like faces, crossbreeds like Cockapoos and Goldendoodles have become a favourite with dog lovers and celebrities. But while these breeds are now some of the most popular in the UK, vets have warned that poor breeding to meet the 'current craze' could lead to a surge in unexpected health and behavioural issues. Lack of regard for health during the breeding process could result in an increase in debilitating conditions such as hip dysplasia, genetic eye disease and Addison's disease in Labradoodles in the future, the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) warns. Behavioural issues could also increase, including aggression and biting. 'Sadly, designer dogs often do not come from "designer" breeding programmes but are farmed indiscriminately to meet the current craze for breed-crosses with catchy names such as Frug and Jackalier,' said Dr Dan O'Neill, Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the RVC. 'Check out the seller before buying, visit your puppy several times before you bring them home, and always make sure you see the puppy with its mum.' The warning comes as figures released this week revealed that the price of a puppy has dropped by 40 per cent after hitting a record high during the pandemic as families across the country rushed to get lockdown companions. With their fluffy coats and teddy bear-like faces, crossbreeds like Cockapoos and Goldendoodles (pictured) are some of the most popular dogs around the world Crossbreeds tend to sell for much more than either of the parent breeds, with the average price of Cavapoos a Poodle and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel cross hitting a whopping 2,800 in 2020 The most popular designer crossbreeds The five most common designer crossbreeds purchased from 2019-2020 were: Cockapoo (Cocker Spaniel x Poodle) Labradoodle (Labrador x Poodle) Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel x Poodle) Sprocker (Cocker Spaniel x Springer Spaniel) Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever x Poodle) Advertisement Designer crossbreeding is the planned mating between pure breeds to create new dogs with catchy names. For example, a Peke-a-poo is a cross between a Pekingese and a Miniature Poodle, while a Sprocker is bred from a Cocker Spaniel and a Springer Spaniel. These new crossbreeds tend to sell for much more than either of the parent breeds, with the average price of Cavapoos a Poodle and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel cross hitting a whopping 2,800 in 2020. A recent study found that there was a huge increase in demand for designer crossbreeds amid the pandemic. While fewer than one in five puppies in 2019 was a designer crossbred, this rose to one in four puppies in 2020. Now, vets from the RVC have looked at the main factors behind this increasing demand. Using the online Pandemic Puppies survey, the researchers surveyed 6,300 UK dog owners who purchased a puppy between 2019 and 2020 including 1,575 owners of designer crossbreeds. The five most common designer crossbreeds purchased during this time were found to be the Cockapoo, Labradoodle, Cavapoo, Sprocker, and Goldendoodle. The surveys revealed that the main drivers for buying a designer crossbred puppy rather than a pure breed were perceptions that these dogs were a good size, were generally healthy, good with children, easy to train and hypoallergenic. Using the online Pandemic Puppies survey, the researchers surveyed 6,300 UK dog owners who purchased a puppy between 2019 and 2020 including 1,575 owners of designer crossbreeds. The five most common designer crossbreeds purchased during this time were found to be the Cockapoo, Labradoodle, Cavapoo, Sprocker (pictured), and Goldendoodle Designer crossbreeds are popular among celebrities, with Chrissie Brinkley, Katy Perry and Chris Hemsworth all proud owners What's the issue with puppy farming? Puppy farming is the term used when unscrupulous breeders prioritise profit over animal health and welfare. Dogs are often kept isolated in small pens and used to produce multiple litters a year. Puppies are then sold to unsuspecting owners. Vets see first hand the tragic consequences of puppies being bred in deplorable conditions and taken away from their mothers at a very young age. They often suffer from disease, other health problems, and poor socialisation, leading to heartache and financial costs for the new owners. Source: BVA Advertisement Designer crossbreed owners were more likely to prioritise convenient purchasing of their dog over welfare factors. This included favouring breeders that lived within a suitable distance or had available puppies at the desired time, over those who provided relevant health tests. Designer crossbreed owners were also less likely to be provided with DNA or veterinary screening tests for their puppies. In addition, these owners were more likely to source their puppy online via a general selling website. 'Designer crossbreed buyers overlooked more "red flags" during the purchasing process that put them at increased risk of being deceived and purchasing their puppy from unscrupulous sources,' the researchers said. 'This included placing a deposit on their puppy before they had seen it in-person, being less likely to see their puppy in person before purchase and being less likely to see their puppy with its littermates or mother when collected.' The researchers warn that ignoring these 'red flags' risks unintentionally supporting puppy farming and the illegal import of puppies and can inflict major early-life stresses on puppies, with lifelong consequences. 'The UK public are flocking towards designer crossbreeds based on perceptions that they are "off the shelf" easy family dogs; trainable, healthy, and hypoallergenic dogs that fit into their owners' existing lifestyles,' said Dr Rowena Packer, a Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the RVC. 'Unfortunately, it is unlikely that reality will meet all of these high expectations, with little evidence to support these claims. 'These misconceptions risk poor outcomes for both dogs and their owners in the future, including rehoming, unexpected health problems and bite risks.' Worryingly, the surge in popularity of crossbreeds poses a serious risk to these dogs' health, according to the team. The price of a pet puppy has dropped by 40 per cent after hitting a record highs during the pandemic as families across the country rushed to get lockdown companions. Pictured: The most expensive and cheapest breeds and the price difference compared to this time last year Owners of designer crossbred puppies were significantly more likely to live in London than owners of purebred puppies Without due regard to health, we could see an increase in debilitating conditions such as hip dysplasia, genetic eye disease and Addison's disease in Labradoodles in the future, they warn. Behavioural issues could also increase, including aggression and biting. 'In some cases, behaviour in designer crossbreed offspring is less desirable than the behaviour of the parent breeds, including increased levels of aggression in the Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever x Poodle),' the team said. The researchers hope the findings will encourage prospective pet owners to purchase puppies safely, with the dog's health and welfare as a priority. 'Would-be owners should avoid being enticed by designer labels and rose-tinted expectations, and instead conduct thorough research to help decide if these are really the dogs for them,' Dr Packer added. The study comes shortly after data from Pets4Homes revealed how puppy mania fuelled by multiple Covid lockdowns in the UK drove average prices up to 2,237 last year but the demand for puppies has started to recede, according to the latest data from pet experts Pets4Homes. One of the main reasons for the drop in price is the surge in the number of hobby breeders who are meeting the demand, fuelled by people now working from home and having more time to tend to litters, Pets4Homes found. The average price between January and April this year has fallen by almost 1,000 and now sits at 1,329 as the country returns to normal following months of strict Covid measures, while the price of cats has declined by just 20 per cent. Demand - measured by prospective buyers per pet - fell by 42 per cent in January to April compared with the same period last year, according to the report by Pets4Homes, the UK's largest online pet marketplace. The number of would-be buyers per puppy or dog advertised on Pets4Homes in April 2022 was 168, down from more than 300 at the start of the pandemic - a drop in demand of 44 per cent. It's the 'scone' vs 'scone' of the palaeontology world; how DO you correctly pronounce 'diplodocus'? A dinosaur expert from the National History Museum in London has finally settled the debate, and revealed the phonetically accurate way to say the long-necked beast's name. Brits tend to say 'diplo-docus', splitting the word into two sounds that rhymes with 'lip-low-focus'. But Americans will splice the word after the first syllable, using softer vowel sounds and pronounce it as 'di-plodocus' - rhyming with 'lip-lod-uh-cus'. However, according to Professor Paul Barrett, a senior dinosaur expert at the museum, neither are technically right. Instead, he says that the correct was to pronounce diplodocus is 'dip-low-DOCK-us'. The question was asked once more as Dippy the Dinosaur returned to the Natural History Museum yesterday for a brand new installation. Dippy is a plaster cast replica of a of Diplodocus carnegii skeleton found in Wyoming, Colorado in 1898. Dippy, the Diplodocus skeleton cast, has returned to the Natural History Museum in London following its tour of the UK HOW DID THE DIPLODOCUS GET ITS NAME? The word was first coined by US paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh in 1878, who merged the Greek words 'diplos' meaning 'double' and 'dokos' meaning 'beam'. This refers to a set of unusual two-pronged bones on the underside of Dippy's tail called chevrons, which are different to other dinosaurs. The 'carnegii' is a reference to Andrew Carnegie who founded the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh in 1896, where the first discovered Diplodocus skeleton is housed. Advertisement The word diplodocus is formed from two Greek words, and thus the c in 'docus' is actually a 'k' - the Greek letter kappa. This would mean a soft 'o' is what was originally intended in the word - making the correct pronunciation as 'dip-low-DOCK-us'. Professor Barrett told The Telegraph: 'Technically it's two Greek words so the "c" in docus is actually a "k"- a Greek kappa. 'So no one is getting it right.' The word was first coined by US paleontologist Othniel C. Marsh in 1878, who merged the Greek words 'diplos' meaning 'double' and 'dokos' meaning 'beam'. This refers to a set of unusual two-pronged bones on the underside of Dippy's tail called chevrons, which are different to other dinosaurs. The 'carnegii' is a reference to Andrew Carnegie who founded the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh in 1896, where the first discovered Diplodocus skeleton is housed. Carnegie funded the excavation of the original skeleton, and gifted the replica to King Edward VII. The king, and trustee of the British Museum, requested the plaster skeleton after he became enamoured with a sketch of the real bones. He paid 2,000 for the 292 cast pieces, which were sent to London in 36 crates. Dippy was displayed in the Natural History Museum from 1905 until 2017, when it was replaced by the huge skeleton of a diving blue whale, named Hope. The 85ft-long (26m) skeleton has been touring Britain for the past three years but is back in an special exhibition where it will remain until January. The word 'diplodocus' is formed from two Greek words, and thus the c in 'docus' is actually a 'k' - the Greek letter kappa, and making the correct pronunciation as 'dip-low-DOCK-us' Dippy will be welcomed back home to the Natural History Museum with an exhibition titled 'Dippy Returns: The Nation's Favourite Dinosaur' The new installation, Dippy Returns: The Nation's Favourite Dinosaur will share all the places Dippy visited on his national tour, where over two million people visited the dinosaur. The Natural History museum said that Dippy's national tour was a success as it boosted local economies in eight regions where fans flocked to see the marvel. Museum director Dr Doug Gurr said: 'We are beyond thrilled to welcome Dippy home to the Natural History Museum. 'Always proving popular and having just completed a smash-hit tour where over two million people around the UK visited our Jurassic giant, we are certain Dippy will bring a smile to visitors' faces this summer at the Natural History Museum. 'While on tour Dippy encouraged people to engage with nature and inspired them to protect it, and we hope that our new installation will continue to do just that. 'At a time when biodiversity is under threat, it is more important than ever to protect the natural world and build a future where both people and planet thrive.' Before the installation opens on May 27, London schoolchildren visited Dippy at the museum and were given a talk about the diplodocus to learn about Dippy's prehistoric and more recent history. Dippy the Diplodicus has been with the Natural History museum for 113 years but dates back to the late jurassic period so is 161 million to 146 million years old Dippy Returns will highlight visitors' reflections after meeting the dinosaur on his UK tour and how it inspired them to reconnect with the nature around them. The impressive dinosaur visited Dorchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Glasgow, Newcastle upon Tyne, Cardiff, Rochdale, and Norwich Cathedral on his tour of the nation. The installation will be on show in the Natural History Museum's Waterhouse Gallery, where it was previously displayed in the 1970s. Dippy has been displayed in many different areas of the museum, including the Reptiles Gallery and Hintze Hall, as well as a brief stint in the basement to protect the impressive cast during the Second World War. The Natural History Museum is currently seeking a new partner to host Dippy on a long-term loan at the end of the installation in January, applications are now open. Dippy Returns: The Nation's Favourite Dinosaur will be on display from today to January 3 2023 at the Natural History Museum. Admission is free but tickets must be booked in advance. The 'most powerful meteor storm in generations' could light up skies above North America next week. Fragments of dying comet SW3 are predicted to be visible from the United States and parts of Canada when the Earth crosses through its orbital path on Tuesday. The SW3 comet, full name 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3, is responsible for the fragments of dust that causes meteor shower Tau Herculids. SW3 split into large fragments in 1995, and has continued to fragment further since. Next week the Earth could have a direct interaction with the debris from the comet for the very first time. However, NASA is uncertain whether the debris will make it to us this year and has cautioned the Tau Herculids will be 'all or nothing'. Images of 48 comet fragments from SW3 recorded in May 2006 by the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) on board the Spitzer Space Telescope. Emission from the dust particles warmed by sunlight appears to fill the space along the cometary orbit A meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through the trail of debris left by a comet or asteroid Explained: The difference between an asteroid, meteorite and other space rocks An asteroid is a large chunk of rock left over from collisions or the early solar system. Most are located between Mars and Jupiter in the Main Belt. A comet is a rock covered in ice, methane and other compounds. Their orbits take them much further out of the solar system. A meteor is what astronomers call a flash of light in the atmosphere when debris burns up. This debris itself is known as a meteoroid. Most are so small they are vapourised in the atmosphere. If any of this meteoroid makes it to Earth, it is called a meteorite. Meteors, meteoroids and meteorites normally originate from asteroids and comets. For example, if Earth passes through the tail of a comet, much of the debris burns up in the atmosphere, forming a meteor shower. Advertisement A meteor shower occurs when the Earth passes through the trail of debris left by a comet or asteroid. Most meteor showers are predictable, recurring annually when the Earth traverses a particular trail of debris. However, occasionally the Earth passes through a particularly narrow and dense clump of space dust which turns into thousands of fast-moving shooting stars. This is known as a meteor storm, and provides a dazzling spectacle for stargazers. The starry pattern associated with the Tau Herculids is the Hercules constellation, the fifth largest constellation in the sky, and the shower appears to radiate from a point about ten degrees from the star Arcturus. SW3 was first spotted in 1930 by German observers Arnold Schwassmann and Arno Arthur Wachmann, who determined it to have a 5.4 year orbit. Over time it became very faint, but in 1995 it unexpectedly became nearly 400 times brighter and was even visible from the naked eye. The comet's icy core had split into four, releasing huge amounts of gas and debris, which continued as it orbited the Sun. By 2006, the shattered comet was in 68 pieces, and is likely to have broken down even more since. Computer modelling suggests that fragments of SW3 have been spreading out of its orbit like tentacles. However, these fragments are not visible until the Earth ploughs into them. This year, our planet is due to cross its path on May 31, although the comet itself isn't supposed to pass by until a few months later. The brightness of the meteor storm will depend on how much debris SW3 has thrown in front of it, if any. This will be the first time the Earth and the significant comet debris shed in 1995 have come together since the fragmentation event. If we pass through a heavy concentration of the debris, then there is a possibility of a dramatic meteor storm. Bill Cooke, who leads NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center, describes it as 'an all or nothing event'. He said: 'If the debris from SW3 was travelling more than 220 mph (354 km/h) when it separated from the comet, we might see a nice meteor shower. 'If the debris had slower ejection speeds, then nothing will make it to Earth and there will be no meteors from this comet, 'It's a perfect opportunity for space enthusiasts to get out and experience one of nature's most vivid light shows.' Some models suggest that there will be a strong display from the meteor shower while others predict the cosmic fragments will just fall short of the Earth's path. Positions of Earth, SW3 ('1995') and presumed train of meteoroids on May 31 2022 using orbital simulator. Left - Assuming meteoroids are trailing behind the parent comet. In this situation no interaction with Earth can take place. Right - Assuming meteoroids are moving ahead of the parent comet. Interaction with the Earth takes place between comet samples #12 and #13 Map of the geographic visibility of the potential meteor outburst. Radiant elevations are presented as concentric circles at 10 intervals. The radiant of a meteor shower is the celestial point in the sky from which the paths of meteors appear to originate to a terrestrial viewer The Earth should cross the debris stream that SW3 left in 1995 between 00:45 and 01:17 am ET early Tuesday morning, and is predicted to last up to two hours if visible. The phenomenon should be visible from North and South America as it is due to be a new moon, so the very dark sky will allow for maximum brightness. The best view will be from the southwest of the USA and Mexico, while it could also be seen from the southeastern provinces of Canada. However it won't be seen from Alaska, Washington and the north and western provinces of Canada as it will be twilight at the time of the shower. In Australia the storm will also be over before it is dark enough to be seen, and it is unlikely to be visible in the UK. The Earth will also cross SW3's orbit that it made in 1892 on Monday May 30 at about 2 pm ET, and then through its 1897 passage at about Tuesday May 31 at 6 am ET. Unfortunately the debris left from these orbits will have spread out over time, so only a few meteors will be expected. Scientists have detected a new type of extremely reactive substance in the Earth's atmosphere that could pose a threat to human health, as well as the global climate. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have demonstrated that trioxides chemical compounds with three oxygen atoms attached to each other are formed under atmospheric conditions. Trioxides are even more reactive than peroxides which have two oxygen atoms attached to each other, making them highly reactive and often flammable and explosive. Peroxides are known to exist in the air surrounding us, and it was predicted that trioxides were probably in the atmosphere as well, but until now it has never been unequivocally proven. 'This is what we have now accomplished,' says Professor Henrik Grum Kjrgaard, at the University of Copenhagens Department of Chemistry. 'The type of compounds we discovered are unique in their structure. And, because they are extremely oxidising, they most likely bring a host of effects that we have yet to uncover.' Scientists have detected a new type of extremely reactive substance in the Earth's atmosphere that could pose a threat to human health, as well as the global climate When chemical compounds are oxidised in the atmosphere, they often react with OH radicals, typically forming a new radical. When this radical reacts with oxygen, it forms a third radical called peroxide (ROO), which in turn can react with the OH radical, thereby forming hydrotrioxides (ROOOH). Reaction: ROO + OH ROOOH How hydrotrioxides are formed When chemical compounds are oxidised in the atmosphere, they often react with OH radicals, typically forming a new radical. When this radical reacts with oxygen, it forms a third radical called peroxide (ROO), which in turn can react with the OH radical, thereby forming hydrotrioxides (ROOOH). Reaction: ROO + OH ROOOH Advertisement The specific trioxides they have detected called hydrotrioxides (ROOOH) are a completely new class of chemical compounds. Hydrotrioxides are formed in a reaction between two types of radicals (molecules that contain at least one unpaired electron). In laboratory experiments using a free-jet flow tube at room temperature and a pressure of 1 bar air, combined with very sensitive mass spectrometers the researchers demonstrated that hydrotrioxides are formed during the atmospheric decomposition of several known and widely emitted substances, including isoprene and dimethyl sulfide. Isoprene is one of the most frequently emitted organic compounds into the atmosphere. It is produced by many plants and animals and its polymers are the main component of natural rubber. The study shows that approximately one per cent of all isoprene released turns into hydrotrioxides. However, the researchers expect that almost all chemical compounds will form hydrotrioxides in the atmosphere, and estimate that their lifespans range from minutes to hours. This makes them stable enough to react with many other atmospheric compounds. The researchers estimate that the concentrations of hydrotrioxides in the atmosphere are approximately 10 million per cubic centimetre. In comparison, OH radicals (one of the most important oxidants in the atmosphere) are found at concentrations of about one million per cubic centimetre. 'We can now show, through direct observation, that these compounds actually form in the atmosphere, that they are surprisingly stable and that they are formed from almost all chemical compounds,' said Jing Chen, a PhD student at the Department of Chemistry and second author of the study. 'All speculation must now be put to rest.' Laboratory set-up of the free-jet flow experiment, which provided the first direct evidence that the formation of hydrotrioxides (ROOOH) also takes place under atmospheric conditions. The research team claims that the hydrotrioxides are likely to be able to penetrate into tiny airborne particles, known as aerosols, which pose a health hazard and can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. 'They will most likely enter aerosols, where they will form new compounds with new effects,' said Prof Kjrgaard. 'It is easy to imagine that new substances are formed in the aerosols that are harmful if inhaled. But further investigation is required to address these potential health effects.' There is also a high probability that hydrotrioxides impact how many aerosols are produced, according to the researchers, which in turn has an impact on climate. 'As sunlight is both reflected and absorbed by aerosols, this affects the Earth's heat balance that is, the ratio of sunlight that Earth absorbs and sends back into space,' explained co-author and PhD. student Eva R. Kjrgaard. 'When aerosols absorb substances, they grow and contribute to cloud formation, which affects Earth's climate as well.' The researchers hope that the discovery of hydrotrioxides will help scientists learn more about the effect of the chemicals we emit. 'Most human activity leads to emission of chemical substances into the atmosphere,' said co-author and postdoc, Kristan H. Mller. 'So, knowledge of the reactions that determine atmospheric chemistry is important if we are to be able to predict how our actions will affect the atmosphere in the future.' Prof Kjrgaard added: 'These compounds have always been around we just didn't know about them. 'But the fact that we now have evidence that the compounds are formed and live for a certain amount of time means that it is possible to study their effect more targeted and respond if they turn out to be dangerous.' The study was published in the journal Science. The moment that Top Gun fans have waited more than 30 years for is finally here, with the UK release of Top Gun: Maverick today. The sequel to the cult classic sees Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, training a cohort of graduates to become test pilots in the Navy. Maverick's age is a key plot point in the film, with some colleagues questioning whether, at 57-years-old, he is too old to be a test and fighter pilot. So does Maverick really have what it takes to be still be a fighter pilot after 30 years of service? Here we delve into the details and reveal that, while his age likely wouldn't stop him, his lifestyle might. The moment that Top Gun fans have waited more than 30 years for is finally here, with the UK launch of Top Gun: Maverick today What do Navy Fighter Pilots do? Navy Fighter Pilots' missions are 'among the most daring and most important,' the US Navy explains. 'Complete complex air maneuvers while flying at Mach speeds. Catapult off carriers at 170 mph and land on moving runways only 300 feet long, it said. 'Gather intel, drop ordnance and conduct defensive missionsall in the most versatile strike fighters on the planet, the F/A-18 Hornet and the cutting-edge F-35C Lightning II.' Advertisement Age While Maverick is in his early 20s in the original Top Gun film, he is now 57 in the sequel. According to Zippia, the average age of a military Pilot in the US is 45 years old, while 67 per cent of pilots are aged 40+. Writing for The Conversation, Dr Guy Gratton, an Associate Professor of Aviation and the Environment at Cranfield University, reassured that Maverick would still be young enough to be a test pilot. '57 is not too old. I've met many test pilots in their 60s, and fighter pilots in their 50s,' he said. However, it is unlikely he would have been able to join the Navy at such an advanced age if he wasn't already in it. To become a pilot now with the US Navy, you must have begun pilot training between the ages of 19 and 33. Height At 5ft 7', Tom Cruise is known for being quite short, and is believed to regularly wear inserts in his shoes to make him look taller. Thankfully though, Cruise's height means Maverick is well within the Navy's height requirements for pilots. According to Zippia, the average age of a military Pilot in the US is 45 years old, while 67 per cent of pilots are aged 40+ Dr Gratton claims that Maverick's short stature - he stands at 5ft 7' - could come in handy as a test pilot Although the film crew had clearance to put Cruise and other actors in the F-18s for filming, they were merely passengers in the cockpit Did Tom Cruise actually fly the planes? Cruise has had his pilot's licence since 1994 and did genuinely fly planes in the film. However, his request to pilot a $70 million F-18 Super Hornet fighter plane was turned down by the Navy. Veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer said that Cruise had filed a request to be allowed to fly the plane, but was denied clearance by the Navy. This was presumably on the grounds that the $70 million plane was simply too expensive to be entrusted someone who is not actually a fighter pilot. Advertisement A Navy pilot candidate must be at least 5 feet 2 inches tall and no taller than 6 feet 5 inches. In fact, Dr Gratton claims that Maverick's short stature could actually be beneficial as a test pilot. 'Maverick is not exactly the tallest pilot in the business,' he wrote. 'That would make him an ideal candidate to be declared "shortest test pilot" and lined up to test out smaller sized equipment.' Lifestyle As his nickname suggests, Maverick has a reckless attitude and cocky demeanour, which often puts him at odds with other pilots. Unfortunately, this might go against him as a fighter pilot in the real world, according to Dr Gratton. 'Good professional pilots shouldn't be people who indulge in risky behaviours or who are poor team players,' he wrote. Dr Gratton points to a 2020 study by researchers from the Florida Institute of Technology, which looked at personality trends in the pilot population. The study, published in Collegiate Aviation Review International, found that pilots tend to exhibit personality traits lower in neuroticism, higher in extroversion, equivalent in openness, lower in agreeableness, and higher in conscientiousness than the general population. 'Pilots, specifically military pilots, may be less agreeable due to being more concerned with aspects of mission performance over relationships,' the researchers wrote. Cruise, 59, famously insists that he does his own stunts and has been banging the drum for the authenticity of Top Gun: Maverick What about Tom Cruise himself? Cruise has had his pilot's licence since 1994 and did genuinely fly planes in the film. However, his request to pilot the $70 million F-18 Super Hornet fighter plane was turned down by the Navy. The film shows his character flying supersonic jets on a dangerous secret mission at 'Mach 2 with his hair on fire,' as Cruise puts it. Cruise and others have spoken in numerous interviews about how they went through months of training to be able to handle G-Forces and say their lines in the film without passing out or vomiting. However, veteran producer Jerry Bruckheimer has come clean and admitted that although they had clearance to put Cruise and other actors in the F-18s, they were merely passengers in the cockpit. Bruckheimer said that Cruise had filed a request to be allowed to fly the plane, but was denied clearance by the Navy presumably on the grounds that the $70 million plane was simply too expensive to be entrusted someone who is not actually a fighter pilot. Chelsea will have to fork out 45million during the summer transfer window to secure the services of Brighton defender Marc Cucurella, according to reports. The 23-year-old has established himself as hot property heading to the summer window after completing a successful debut campaign in the Premier League. Cucurella - who has been capped once by Spain - has picked up interest from Premier League giants Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham. Chelsea will have to fork out 45million for Brighton defender Marc Cucurella this summer Brighton paid Getafe 15.4m for Cucurella's services but, according to The Sun, Chelsea would need to pay more than double that figure to sign him this summer. Chelsea would also have to fight off interest from Premier League rivals Manchester City and Tottenham to land the player who spent six years at Barcelona's academy. The Spanish left-back has risen to stardom after a standout first season in England following his transfer from LaLiga. Thomas Tuchel will also have to fight off interest from Manchester City and Tottenham Cucurella has kept eight clean sheets and successfully won 67 per cent of his tackles this term Cucurella joined Brighton last summer from Getafe and has made 35 league appearances, scoring once and providing one assist. Cucurella has also established himself as a defensive fortress given the fact no other full-back in the Premier League won possession more than his 241 times. He also kept eight clean sheets and successfully won 67 per cent of his tackles during the 2021-2022 campaign. Cucurella could be tempted by Manchester City as he said interest from the Premier League champions City is hard to dismiss and that he would have to 'take advantage of it' Chelsea are eager to add Cucurella to their ranks as they are preparing for life without without Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and possibly Cesar Azpilicueta. However, Cucurella could be tempted by Manchester City after admitting that interest from the Premier League champions is hard to dismiss. He said: 'If the opportunity arises, you have to take advantage of it. There are teams that you can't say no to.' Bayern Munich have reportedly mapped out their summer pursuit for Sadio Mane, with a growing belief in Bavaria that he will 'say goodbye' to Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool after the Champions League final. Mane has so far refused to be drawn on his future in the build-up to Saturday's huge showdown against Real Madrid in Paris. The 30-year-old is entering the final year of his contract at Liverpool and a new report by German newspaper Bild has detailed how Bayern believe they can snare Mane this summer. The future of Sadio Mane at Liverpool remains under scrutiny heading towards the summer A report in German outlet Bild suggests there is growing belief he will go to Bayern Munich An extension to remain at Anfield has so far not materialised for Mane and so Bild report that Bayern are lurking, provided they pay no more than 25million to get him. No significant talks are believed to have taken place given Liverpool's season is still to reach its conclusion, but the belief in Germany is that official talks will commence following Saturday's Champions League final. Sportsmail revealed the link to Bayern, which emerged at the start of the month, took Anfield officials completely by surprise. Bayern have historically found themselves in the middle of big transfer stories in April or May which have come to fruition - such as when they signed Mats Hummels, Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski from German rivals Borussia Dortmund. The reports in Germany say that Mane will bid farewell to Jurgen Klopp after Saturday's final Mane has said he will only reveal his future plans after Liverpool's Champions League final Speaking this week when quizzed about his future on Merseyside, Mane remained coy. He said: 'For sure it will be special to win it, and make it seven (European Cup wins for the club). And this question (my future) I will answer after the Champions League. Stay or not - I'll answer after the Champions League.' The agency which looks after Mane, Bild claim, held a meeting about a potential deal in Mallorca but it's understood the player himself has held no such talks as Liverpool have spent recent months battling for an unprecedented quadruple. The future of Liverpool's famed front three of Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah has been a subject of debate for some time. Salah took a different approach to Mane, looking to address his future head on to ease the concern of supporters. 'In my mind, I don't focus on the contract,' Salah said this week. Bayern Munich are keen to make a statement signing - but 'don't want to pay more than 25m' 'I don't want to be selfish. I said that two months ago: it is about the team now. I am just focused with the team. I want to win the Champions League again. I want to see Hendo with the trophy again and hopefully he will give it to me after (he lifts it). 'But I am staying (here) next season, for sure - I'm staying next season.' After scoring the winner against Aston Villa earlier in the month, Mane told reporters that he's 'honestly very happy' at the Merseyside club. He said: 'Yeah, I am happy here, I think when we win trophies I am happier! But I think I am trying to enjoy every moment, trying to assist my team-mates and I think the boys make it a lot easier for me. 'I am honestly very happy. I am just trying to enjoy every moment and assist my team-mates. Without my team-mates I'm nothing.' Antonio Conte has reportedly chosen to stay at Tottenham for next season after guiding the team back into the Champions League. Spurs thrashed Norwich 5-0 on Sunday to pip rivals Arsenal to fourth spot, but Conte refused to commit his future to the club in the aftermath of that victory. However, after holding talks with managing director Fabio Paratici in Turin on Friday, where the pair are believed to have discussed summer transfer targets, Conte has now opted to remain at Tottenham, according to The Telegraph. Tottenham beat Norwich on Sunday to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League Having guided Tottenham back into the Champions League, Antonio Conte is now set to stay The 52-year-old had had a major impact on Tottenham's fortunes after arriving in November with the side down in ninth place. Having replaced Nuno Espirito Santo, Conte won 17 of his 28 league games in charge as Tottenham finished their campaign strongly under the Italian. Conte staying is just the latest positive news at the north London club in recent days. It was announced on Tuesday that Tottenham's majority shareholder ENIC will be injecting 150million into the club to 'enable further investment'. Harry Kane is believed to be open to a new contract, which could be more good news for Spurs This should allow Conte to potentially spend heavily when the transfer window opens as he looks to close the gap to Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the league. Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane is also understood to be considering signing a new contract. The 28-year-old was strongly linked with a move to Manchester City last summer, but with Spurs back in Europe's elite club competition, and Conte at the helm, it now appears that he sees his long-term future at Tottenham. His current deal runs until 2024, but a contract extension could be on the cards for the forward. Formula One stars have been granted an exemption to continue wearing jewellery in their cars until the end of June, with further discussions between drivers and the FIA set to take place over the next month. The FIA has enforced its International Sporting Code more strictly so far this season, clamping down on the wearing of piercings and chains in both the Australia and Miami Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton was left furious with the move, but the Brit has been told he will be able to wear his nose piercing for the next three races after FIA chiefs extended their rule exemptions. Hamilton, whose piercing is not easily removable, called the potential ban 'unnecessary' and a 'step backwards' after new F1 race director Niels Wittich looked to bring in the changes. When they [the FIA] told me about the jewellery, they were saying safety is everything, the seven-time world champion said earlier this month. I said, Well, whats happened for the last 16 years? Ive had jewellery on for 16 years. So was safety not an issue back then? I feel like its almost like a step backwards, if you think about the steps we are taking as a sport, and the more important causes that we need to be focused on. F1 drivers have been granted an exemption to continue wearing jewellery until the end of June New F1 race director Niels Wittich has tried to enforce rules on jewellery more strictly this term FIA chiefs tried to clamp down on drivers wearing piercing and chains in the Miami Grand Prix I think weve made really great strides as a sport. This is such a small thing. However, the FIA has now provided a rule exemption for the next three races in order to allow dialogue between drivers and medical staff over the issue to continue. The latter are trying to find a way for regulations in Appendix L of the ISC concerning jewellery to be enforced in a safe manner, with discussions taking place after a recent drivers' briefing in Spain. There is an uncertainty about which items are deemed safe and unsafe in cars, nevertheless, including wedding rings. Haas driver Kevin Magnussen said on Thursday: 'I'll take a little bit of extra burn on my finger to race in my wedding ring. And if something was going to happen, something bad, I would want to wear my wedding ring. It kind of feels bad to take it off. 'With something like that, like your wedding ring, let us take that responsibility. There must be somehow to remove liability.' Lewis Hamilton was left furious with the FIA's jewellery stance and branded it 'unnecessary' Though when faced with a potential fine, Magnussen didn't hesitate to remove his wedding ring since rules were enforced more strictly after the Miami GP. 'I took it off once they said there was a 50,000 fine,' he said. 'Thats it I put it right in my drawer! Not gonna take the risk.' Despite criticism from drivers, Alex Wurz, chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, recently backed the FIA's stance on jewellery in the cockpit. While urging the governing body to enforce it in a more collaborative manner, Wurz branded it 'a rule for the right reasons'. Advertisement Caribbean charm: The Queen and Princess Margaret in Mustique in 1977 No one has ever attempted to tot up all the miles but it must run into the millions. The Queen has certainly travelled further than all of her predecessors put together. This is, in part, down to technology. She has been fortunate to have reigned in the age of the jet engine, although she was globetrotting by sea long before long-haul flights. It is also, in part, down to politics. She has reigned through an era of world peace which has not only made travel a good deal safer and easier than it was for her predecessors. It has also made it important for her to maintain existing friendships and alliances by a steady round of state visits and tours. The other key factor has been her robust health. She has, on the whole, been a good traveller. From her very first overseas tour, to South Africa in 1947, to her last foray abroad, to Malta in 2015, she has stuck to certain rules. She has always avoided shellfish (too risky) and stringy pasta (too messy). She has always been accompanied by a ready supply of Malvern water (to be on the safe side) and the red boxes have never been far behind. When possible, she has also preferred to avoid helicopters (ever since a senior aide was killed in one). She has never had to worry about the more irksome travel problems faced by the rest of us. No flight or train was ever going to leave without her. Her luggage has never ended up in Miami when it was supposed to be in Manchester. However, on the debit side, she has never been able to go anywhere on a whim; or to tear up her plans at the last minute and head for the beach. As for blending in with the locals, forget it. However, one thing has always been true. When the Queen has been somewhere, her hosts have always wanted to show her the very best of what they have to offer. So, as we mark the Platinum Jubilee of the most widely-travelled head of state on Earth, lets celebrate all the places she has been to along the way. Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in Malta in 1949. '[The Queen] has never had to worry about the more irksome travel problems faced by the rest of us,' says Robert Hardman. 'No flight or train was ever going to leave without her' 1950s: NEWLY CROWNED With King George VI laid low through illness, Princess Elizabeth and her husband were expected to travel the world on his behalf. In 1951, they made their first trans-Atlantic tour of North America, crossing Canada coast to coast in a special train. They had a go at square-dancing (providing a rare picture of Prince Philip in jeans) and went for a ride in a horse-drawn sleigh. In the U.S., the future Queen paid her first visit to the White House as a guest of President Truman. At the start of 1952, the Princess and the Duke of Edinburgh had to leave Prince Charles and Princess Anne behind once again as they set off round the world for Australia, on behalf of the King. Their first major stop was Kenya where they travelled from Nairobi to Nyeri to view Sagana Lodge, a wedding present from the Kenyan government. While there, they spent a magical night in a giant treehouse in the Aberdare National Park, inspecting wildlife. During the course of that night, the sudden death of the King meant that, when the Princess came down from the tree, she was Queen. Once the Coronation was over, it was time to start replanning that round-the-world tour. This time, the royal couple would travel in the opposite direction, via Bermuda and Jamaica and then by ship through the Panama Canal to the Pacific. After stops in Fiji and Tonga, the Queen arrived in New Zealand in time for Christmas. Her arrival in Australia drew the largest crowds in the countrys entire history, as she visited everywhere from Bondi Beach to the Outback. The Queen is pictured here in Brisbane, Australia, in 1977 during her Silver Jubilee celebrations The tour returned via Ceylon and then the Mediterranean where, in Libya, the couple were introduced to a new mode of transport. The newly-completed Royal Yacht sailed out to meet them carrying their children and they all sailed home together. In 1955, the Queen made her first state visit to Norway followed, a year later, by one to Sweden. In 1957, she made two particularly significant state visits to key allies. In the aftermath of the Suez debacle, she travelled to France. In Paris, a dinner at the Louvre was enlivened when the Queen revealed that she had never seen the Mona Lisa. Moments later, two workmen appeared and leaned it next to a chair. On a trip to the U.S., meanwhile, she had her first glimpse of a supermarket and a trip to the top of the Empire State Building. HOW TO DO IT: Sixteen-day coast-to-coast train holidays in Canada from 4,695 pp with hotels and flights (greatrail.com). Thirteen-day East Africa Safari Tours from 7,499 pp with hotels and flights (hayesandjarvis.co.uk). Four-night breaks in Washington DC with hotel and flights from 843 pp (virginholidays.co.uk). 1960s: AN EPIC DECADE Having avoided travel while she was expecting Prince Andrew, the Queen embarked on a series of epic Commonwealth tours in 1961, starting in India. Millions turned out to greet her in Delhi, while she arrived in Jaipur by elephant and viewed the Taj Mahal by moonlight. There was polo in Pakistan and a tiger hunt laid on by the King of Nepal (the Duke of Edinburgh developed a mysterious infection on his trigger finger which conveniently prevented him from shooting). Her final stop was to stay with the Shah of Iran. Later in the year, her African tour was best remembered for the sight of the Queen dancing with the new president of republican Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah. Her 1965 state visit to Germany was seen as a vital step in securing a new post-war friendship. Arriving at the Schloss Bruhl, near Cologne, she wowed her hosts by wearing a dress which matched the decor of the castle. The next year saw her first full tour of the Caribbean where Jamaica was holding the Commonwealth Games. By the end of the decade, the Queen became the first reigning monarch to tour South America. Her visits to Brazil and Chile coincided with the very first royal TV documentary. Filmed in colour, Royal Family showed her sailing into Rio in the Royal Yacht and receiving a ticker-tape welcome on the Copacabana. HOW TO DO IT: Eleven-day tours of India covering the Taj Mahal and Jaipur from 2,770 pp including hotels and flights (audleytravel.com). Thirteen-day guided tours of Ghana from 2,840 pp, excluding flights (responsibletravel.com). 1970s: FAR FLUNG The Queen meets Maoris while on tour in New Zealand in her Silver Jubilee year The Queen during a walkabout in Muscat during a state visit to Oman in March 1979 There were plenty of trips to Australia and New Zealand all through the decade, not least to open the new Sydney Opera House in 1973. By now, jet travel had made long-distance trips easier. In 1972, the Queen made her first visit to a communist country when she stayed with President Tito of Yugoslavia. Huge crowds in Belgrade and Zagreb were followed by a visit to his holiday home on the Brioni Islands. In the same year, she returned to France where she heralded Britains entry to the EEC, visited Provence and saw her uncle, the Duke of Windsor, for the last time. Landmark visits to Mexico and Japan were followed by exuberant scenes as the Queen toured the U.S. to celebrate 200 years since gaining independence from Britain. Weeks later, she was in Montreal to open the Olympic Games at which Princess Anne was part of the British equestrian team. As well as another Caribbean tour including her first visit to Mustique, the Queen became the first female head of state to visit Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, in 1979. In Dubai, she opened what was then the tallest building in the Middle East, the 39-storey World Trade Centre. She also embarked on her first major Africa tour. HOW TO DO IT: Fourteen-day trips to Sydney and around New South Wales from 1,899 pp with flights and hotels (travelbag.co.uk). Six nights in Dubai from 1,001 pp half-board with hotels and flights (travelrepublic.co.uk). Seven nights B&B at The Cotton House in Mustique, including flights, from 5,400 pp (elegantresorts.co.uk). Thirteen-night Japan Unmasked tours from 2,610 pp with hotels, excluding flights (insidejapantours.com). 1980s: AMERICA BOUND The Queen is pictured here arriving in Shanghai on October 12, 1986, during an official state visit to China The decade began with a ground-breaking tour of French-speaking North Africa, including Tunisia and Algeria. It descended into farce when she arrived in Morocco. The paranoid King Hassan II insisted on altering the schedule all the time for fear of assassination. On a trip to Marrakesh, the Queen spent most of the day waiting for lunch and a dusty horse display at the Kings desert encampment. She never reached Marrakesh. Even monarchs have dreams and bucket lists. In 1983, the Queen finally fulfilled a lifelong ambition when she visited Hollywood and met the stars as a guest of President Reagan. This was the prelude to a series of visits to visit racehorses, ranches and studs in Kentucky and Wyoming. The Queen in Shanghai on October 15, 1986, with Michael Shea, her press secretary (grey hair on the right), accompanying her. The yellow-and-blue dress with matching hat was by fashion designer Ian Thomas Her visit to the 1983 Commonwealth summit in India saw a memorable meeting with Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Three years later, one of the most spectacular tours of the entire reign brought the Queen to China. Britannia sailed in to Shanghai, the Queen and the Duke walked along the Great Wall and also met the Terracotta Warriors of Xian. HOW TO DO IT: Week-long Discover Morocco tours from 1,640 pp with hotels and flights (abercrombiekent.co.uk). Seven nights in Los Angeles with hotels and flights from 1,092 pp (thomascook.com). Sixteen-day Wonders of China tours from 3,340 pp with hotels and flights (wendywutours.co.uk). 1990s: EUROPE REVOLUTION In 1991, in the aftermath of the Gulf War, the Queen visited Washington to stay with President George Bush before heading south to Florida, and then going west to Texas. One of the greatest moments in post-War history, the collapse of the Berlin Wall, led to a complete change of scene for the Queen. With Eastern Europe now opening up to Western visitors, she could look behind the old Iron Curtain. There were lively visits to the former East Germany, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. But the most eye-catching of them all was the Queens 1994 state visit to Russia where she went on a walkabout in Red Square. Unfortunately, Russian security had removed the public. In St Petersburg, she entertained President Boris Yeltsin to dinner on her yacht. That same year, she enjoyed her last old-style tour of the Caribbean as she visited Jamaica, Belize and the Cayman Islands in Britannia. There were visits to France, including one to open the Channel Tunnel and another to mark the 50th anniversary of D-Day. Most poignant of all was the Queens return to South Africa, in Britannia, for the first time since her visit as a young Princess. Waiting on the quayside was a man who would become a dear friend, newly-elected President Nelson Mandela. Come 1997, it was time to say farewell to her yacht. Britannia had logged more than a million miles at sea before finally being decommissioned after the handover of Hong Kong. There were further trips through Africa, including one to the newest member of the Commonwealth, Mozambique. HOW TO DO IT: One-month continuous rail pass for travel in 33 countries in Europe for a tour of Eastern Europe from 563pp (myinterrail.co.uk). Seven nights at Grand Caymanian Resort on Seven Mile Beach in the Cayman Islands from 1,510 pp with flights (britishairways.com). Twelve-night Texas fly-drive holidays with flights, hotels and rental car from 2,099pp (americansky.co.uk). 2000s: OFF TO OZ The Queen exchanges presents with Pope John Paul II during an audience at the Vatican in Rome on Tuesday, October 17, 2000. Dressed in black and wearing a veil, the Queen was greeted by the 80-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church at the door of his study. During a private meeting lasting 20 minutes, they are thought to have discussed progress towards Christian unity and the troubles in Northern Ireland In 2000, the Queen was in Italy where she not only saw the sights of Rome once again but also visited Milan. At a reception the grandees of the fashion industry saluted her style. It was also time for her to return to Australia, having recently been re-endorsed as head of state in the 1999 referendum. She unveiled the new Olympic stadium built for the 2000 Sydney Games and travelled to the Outback once again. During her 2002 Golden Jubilee, she covered most of her Commonwealth realms yet again. During a power cut in Jamaica, enterprising staff kept the state banquet illuminated using the headlights from their cars. Amazingly, it had taken until 2011 and the age of 85 before the Queen was finally allowed to visit her closest neighbour. Her four-day visit to the Republic of Ireland remains one of the highlights of the reign with trips to Croke Park, Guinnesss HQ, a racing stud and the food stalls of Corks English Market There were still parts of the world she had never seen and, in 2006, she paid her first state visits to the young Baltic republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In 2007, she paid her last state visit to the U.S., travelling to Virginia and the Kentucky Derby before being welcomed to the White House by George W. Bush. HOW TO DO IT: Four-night La Scala tours of Milan with hotels, flights, meals and tickets to the opera from 1,790pp (kirkerholidays.com). Flights to Rome from 130 pp (ryanair.com). Nineteen-day escorted Highlights of Australia tours from 4,899pp with flights and hotels (titantravel.co.uk). 2010s: WINDING DOWN Gradually, the Queen was starting to cut back on long-haul travel. Her visit to the 2011 Commonwealth summit in Western Australia would be her last Down Under. It concluded with a huge community barbecue in Perth. Her 2010 tours of Abu Dhabi and Dubai were followed by her visit to the Sultan of Oman who laid on a colossal display of horses and camels, including the worlds only camel-mounted bagpipe band. Amazingly, it had taken until 2011 and the age of 85 before the Queen was finally allowed to visit her closest neighbour. Her four-day visit to the Republic of Ireland remains one of the highlights of the reign with trips to Croke Park, Guinnesss HQ, a racing stud and the food stalls of Corks English Market. For her state banquet at Dublin Castle, she not only spoke in Gaelic but had 1,081 shamrocks hand-stitched into her ballgown. She started to make shorter state visits, including two in a day in 2014 to meet the Pope and the President of Italy. Amazingly, it had taken until 2011 and the age of 85 before the Queen was finally allowed to visit her closest neighbour, explains Robert. Her four-day visit to the Republic of Ireland remains one of the highlights of the reign with trips to Croke Park, Guinnesss HQ (above), a racing stud and the food stalls of Corks English Market On her 2014 state visit to France, she had a Parisian flower market named after her. The following year, huge crowds turned out to see her in Germany. Later in 2015, she made what, to date, has been her final trip overseas when she attended the Commonwealth summit in the place that meant so much to her all those years before Malta. However, no one has championed the staycation quite like our monarch. For the Queen, there is still only one true holiday destination: the Highlands. HOW TO DO IT: Seven nights at the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal from 1,216pp (travelsupermarket.com). Seven-day Best of Scottish Highlands tours from 784 pp including hotels, excursions, meals and flights (newmarketholidays.co.uk). Seven nights at the Kempinski Hotel Muscat in Oman from 1,781 pp half-board with flights (kuoni.co.uk). Queen Of Our Times The Life of Elizabeth II by Robert Hardman is published by Macmillan. Japan will open its borders to foreign tourists in June for the first time since imposing tight pandemic travel restrictions about two years ago, but only for package tours for now. Beginning June 10, Japan will allow the entry of package holiday tourists from 98 countries and regions including Britain, the United States, Australia, France, Spain, Canada, and Malaysia. Japan will also expand the number of airports that accept international flights to seven, adding Naha in its southern Okinawa prefecture and New Chitose near Sapporo in northern Hokkaido. Japan will open its borders to foreign tourists in June for the first time since imposing tight pandemic travel restrictions about two years ago, but only for package tours for now. Pictured is Japan's Mount Fuji All arrivals have to test negative before travel to Japan and many must be tested again on arrival, though triple-vaccinated people coming from certain countries can skip the additional test as well as a three-day quarantine required for others. Japan this week is hosting small experimental package tours from four countries - Australia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States. That experiment, which involves only 50 people who received special visas, not tourist visas, is to end on May 31. 'Free and active exchange of people is the foundation of economy and society, as well as that of Asia's development,' Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a speech at a Tokyo hotel on Thursday. Japan, while watching the infection situation, will gradually accept more tourists in stages to the level of arrivals before the pandemic, he added. After facing criticism that its strict border controls were xenophobic, Japan began easing its restrictions earlier this year and currently allows entry of up to 10,000 people a day, including Japanese citizens, foreign students and some business travellers. Japan will double the cap to 20,000 a day in June, which will also include package tour participants, said Makoto Shimoaraiso, a Cabinet official in charge of pandemic measures. Beginning June 10, Japan will allow the entry of package holiday tourists from 98 countries and regions including Britain, the United States, France, Spain, Canada, and Malaysia. Above is a sunset picture of Tokyo The scale of the package tours and other details will be finalised after officials evaluate the results of the current experimental tours, he said. It will take some time before foreign visitors can come to Japan for individual tourism, Shimoaraiso said. Japan this week also eased requests for mask-wearing. While masks are still requested on public transportation, and in hospitals and other public facilities, people can take off masks outdoors where others are not around or talking. Despite the easing, most Japanese so far are seen sticking to wearing masks in public. Japan's tourism industry, hit hard by the border controls, is eager for foreign tourism to resume. Covid-19 infections have slowed in Japan since earlier this year and the government is gradually expanding social and economic activity. Kishida said during a visit to London earlier this month that he planned to ease the border controls as early as June in line with the policies of other Group of Seven industrialised countries, but gave no further details. Foreign tourist arrivals fell more than 90 per cent in 2020 from a record 31.9million the year before, almost wiping out the pre-pandemic inbound tourism market of more than four-trillion yen ($31billion/24.5billion). Spanish holiday resorts offer the best value in the world, according to British holidaymakers. In a poll in which they were asked to rate foreign destinations theyd previously visited for value, Spains Costas on the mainland come first with a 92 per cent rating and Spains Canary Islands (91 per cent) take the silver medal in the ranking. Almost as many gave good-value approval ratings for Greece (third, 89 per cent), Portugal (joint fourth, 88 per cent) and Turkey (joint fourth, 88 per cent). Spanish holiday resorts offer the best value in the world, according to British holidaymakers. Pictured is the Costa Brava The survey of UK adults was carried out by the Post Office, which pointed out that high-ranking Turkey is one of the few destinations where sterling will stretch further than last year. Britons changing 500 can expect to receive over 50 per cent more in Turkish lira -the equivalent of almost 167 extra - for their pounds. Bulgaria, long regarded as a bargain destination and which regularly tops the Post Office Holiday Costs Barometer for its cheapness, does not make the best-value top 10, as voted for by British holidaymakers who have visited the country. With an 80 per cent good value rating, the country can only manage ninth position, four places below its more expensive Balkan rival Croatia (fifth), rated good value by 86 per cent of people who had holidayed there. Mexico (sixth, 85 per cent) achieved the highest number of approval ratings by long-haul holidaymakers who had visited the country. Greece comes third in the ranking of best-value foreign destinations. Pictured is the Greek island of Santorini However, holidaymakers travelling to destinations there such as Cancun and Riviera Maya will need to factor in a rise in the value of the Mexican peso, the Post Office warns. It means they will get around 70 less (-12.2 per cent) to spend when they change 500. Compared with this, sterling will buy just 3.8 per cent fewer Thai baht (-19.83). The destinations receiving the lowest good value ratings are Dubai (44 per cent) and Scandinavia (42 per cent). However, British visitors to Scandinavian countries will get more for their money this year because sterling is up 4.7 per cent year on year against the Swedish krona (22.42), 2.6 per cent against the Norwegian krone (+12.59) and 1.6 per cent against the Danish krone (+7.88). The Post Office survey also asked respondents to rate destinations for value that theyd not visited. Mexico (sixth, 85 per cent) achieved the highest number of approval ratings by long-haul British holidaymakers who had visited the country. Pictured is the country's Cancun coast This ranking is topped by Greece (89 per cent), Portugal (89 per cent) and Bulgaria (89 per cent). Nick Boden, Head of Post Office Travel Money, said: Sterlings fall in value makes it even more important for people planning trips to consider the costs they will face in resorts abroad before they take the plunge and book a holiday. While they weigh up the cost of flights and accommodation or package deals, they will need to watch what is happening with sterling as that will make a sizeable difference to the overall cost of their holiday. By choosing destinations like Turkey or Bulgaria in Europe or Thailand or Mexico further afield, they could save themselves money. SILENT WITNESS, MONDAY, BBC1 Rating: Some things never get old, do they? Silent Witness, one of the BBC's most consistently successful hits, entered its 25th series this week as fresh-faced as ever. It's a significant milestone for any show, let alone one which, over the years, has been as hard-hitting as this one. First broadcast in 1996 long before the advent of streaming it was gritty and menacing at a time of shiny Blairite enthusiasm. The world was all Spice Girls, Bridget Jones and Richard Curtis comedies featuring foppish toffs in emotionally rewarding situations. Against that background of such relentless positivity, Silent Witness came in hard with an opening episode about a dead six-year-old girl. It was quite a departure. Silent Witness is as fresh faced as ever as it enters its 25th series this week, according to Sarah Vine Conceived and written by Nigel McCrery, a former murder squad detective from Nottingham, at the time it felt groundbreaking, sometimes too much. There was a rather unpleasant episode involving a bloody rape in a toilet, which for many viewers was a bridge too far. But it survived that controversy, as well as several cast changes and departures and the rest is TV history. Of course, success breeds familiarity. Over the years the series has spawned countless imitators, transforming the business of cutting up bodies in various stages of decomposition from something on the edges of acceptable into, dare I say it, an exciting career choice. Sarah Vine (pictured) delivers her verdict on this week's TV All crime shows glamorise crime to an extent, but the show's original star, Amanda Burton, did for forensic pathology what Andrew Scott did for the priesthood in Fleabag. That voice, those eyes, that expression: Dr Sam Ryan was and still is a class act. Having parted company with the show in 2004, to be replaced by the no-less-glamorous Emilia Fox as Dr Nikki Alexander (no one should look that good in a hazmat suit), Burton has returned almost two decades later. It's post-pandemic, and her character is now running a commercial enterprise working with government to roll out medical passports. It's rather dodgy and gets dodgier still when the Health Secretary in charge of the policy is shot dead while leaving a press conference with Ryan and her partner, who's also injured. Cut to Dr Alexander on the phone. 'It's Professor Sam Ryan, Nikki. I need your help.' Da-da-daaaa! Saying that, old habits die hard: Ryan hangs around Nikki like a bad smell (although not, one imagines, any worse than the one wafting from the dissecting table) as she squeezes the contents out of the victim's stomach and rummages through her liver (reminder: this is not one to watch over supper). 'There's supervising, and there's taking over,' chides Nikki afterwards. Ryan looks enigmatic. Things get curiouser and curiouser as a succession of questionable characters including members of the constabulary and some sinister individuals linked to government enter the frame, and extras drop like flies. Meanwhile Nikki and her hunky sidekick Jack (David Caves) get increasingly forensic with each other, exchanging meaningful glances over the bloodstains. Death, intrigue and now romance too. What more could you possibly want? THIS IS WHY LUCY IS HISTORY'S HEAD GIRL LUCY WORSLEY INVESTIGATES, TUESDAY, BBC2 Rating: Lucy Worsley (pictured) is presenting a new show re-investigating four chapters of British history including witch hunts and the Princes in the Tower I rather like Lucy Worsley. The historian has an engaging head-girl quality about her, and although her feminist agenda can sometimes seem a little relentless, she underpins everything with thorough research and fascinating detail. I've been enjoying her Radio 4 series Lady Killers, about Victorian villainesses, and this new four-part series is in a similar vein, looking at historical events through a modern lens. In this first episode she tackles the witch-hunts of the 16th century, which began in earnest in Scotland in January 1591 with the execution of one Agnes Sampson a midwife and 'wise woman'. Having been tortured, Agnes confessed to being part of a coven plotting to kill James VI of Scotland, who later succeeded Elizabeth I to the English throne. This led to moral and religious hysteria and the persecution and death of thousands of women. As we've come to expect from shows like this there's rather too much moody re-enactment crows cawing, old women muttering, stony-faced men and so on; but it explains with eloquence and insight how so many innocents lost their lives at the hands of men like John Kincade, aka 'the witch pricker', who would strip women naked, shave them and then stick metal pins into them until he uncovered a so-called 'witch's mark'. And you thought Twitter was brutal. The Great Jubilee this, the Great Jubilee that you can't move for Jubilee-themed programming right now. Grayson's Art Club: Queen's Jubilee Special (Wed, Ch4) was perhaps one of the most bizarre, beginning with Grayson Perry icing Her Majesty's likeness onto a cake and ending with the tremendous Margaret, a lady who knitted an entire Sandringham. In between was a gallery of British eccentrics, artists and national treasures. Perry himself pottered around, literally and figuratively, delivering mildly incisive insights into the nature of royalty. Meanwhile, Prue Leith made a hideous chandelier in honour of the monarch. Love Prue, obviously; but she should probably stick to baking. HURRAH FOR HARRY Harry Trevaldwyn stars in Billi on All4, as a bratty egomaniac with an inflated sense of entitlement A friend told me about Billi (All4), and I watched it because it stars Harry Trevaldwyn, who I only came across recently in Ten Percent (Amazon Prime Video), and rather liked. Trevaldwyn plays the title character, Billi, a bratty egomaniac with an inflated sense of entitlement in this hilarious comedy short. It's a very witty little satire on the vanity and delusional nature of a certain type of modern youth. Roman Kemp has revealed he wants to quit showbiz in five years and 'retire young' because he hates fame and dreams of one day opening a dog sanctuary. The Capital FM breakfast host, 29, told MailOnline he learned from an early age after looking up to his famous parents and godfather George Michael that being a 'celebrity' didn't appeal to him and he's only working now to save money for his future. In an exclusive interview, Roman, whose father Martin was the guitarist in Spandau Ballet, admitted he longs for the day when he can leave 'dangerous' London after growing 'terrified' that his life will revolve around convincing the public to like him. 'I want to be a stay-at-home dad': Roman Kemp has revealed he wants to quit showbiz in five years and 'retire young' because he hates fame and dreams of opening a dog sanctuary Roman, who will present The Platinum Party At The Palace on June 4 in celebration of the Queen's 70-year Jubilee, said: 'When I was a child, I was fortunate to see fame at the level of big people in terms of my godfather and my parents. 'You have one level being my mum and dad, which is being recognised at restaurants and all those types of things but then fame at George Michael's level, I wouldn't want that ever. 'If my children one day wanted to become an artist I would back them but personally that level of fame doesn't appeal. 'I am not doing this job to become famous; I know for a fact it doesn't interest me. 'The reason I work, and my agent knows this, and my mum and dad know this, the only reason I'm doing it is because I want to retire as a young person. 'It doesn't interest me': The Capital FM breakfast host told MailOnline he learned from an early age after looking up to his famous parents and godfather George Michael that being a 'celebrity' didn't appeal to him 'I am terrified that I will spend my life on a tiny island that is the UK trying to get people to like me. 'I want to get to the point where I start a family and do what I want to do. I want to be a stay-at-home dad and open a dog sanctuary.' Roman, whose mum was one half of pop duo Pepsi and Shirley, confessed to feeling envious of former Radio 1 breakfast show host Nick Grimshaw's life now he's left the station, admitting he often doubts whether his current lifestyle, which sees him work long hours and attend high-profile events, is healthy. He said: 'I have done the Capital breakfast show for five years now, which has gone by in an instant. 'I remember when I first got the gig, I spoke to Nick Grimshaw, and I said "what am I in for?" He said "it's tough but it's the most fun you will ever have." I can only say that he's right. 'I want to retire young': Roman, whose father Martin was the guitarist in Spandau Ballet, admitted he longs for the day when he can leave 'dangerous' London after growing 'terrified' that his life will revolve around convincing the public to like him 'I am so jealous of Nick's life now because he's having so much fun, he's doing whatever he wants, he looks so happy, and he looks healthy. I can see the benefits of not doing a radio show. 'I have needed to take a realistic look at it and ask myself "is this life making me happy? Is it making me healthy?" I am constantly trying to deal with that. 'I was saying to my best friend yesterday that my life is monotonous, and I feel like I'm on this constant treadmill of a city. I see it for what it is now, London is a dangerous place for someone's mental health.' Roman isn't ready to take his foot off the pedal just yet and still aspires to work another five years in the hot seat at Capital. He added: 'I want a decade on air at least. I would love to be able to say I did a decade on that show whether my bosses will allow that I don't know. 'Radio takes a long time it takes two years to build a relationship with an audience so really I've only had two years with them.' 'He looks healthy': Roman admits he feels 'jealous' of former Radio 1 breakfast show host Nick Grimshaw now he's left the station but says he still wants to work at Capital for the next five years The impact of Roman's intense schedule led him to believe he was suffering with narcolepsy, a brain condition that causes a person to suddenly fall asleep. After seeing a doctor he's since been diagnosed with sleep apnoea, which is when your breathing stops and starts when you're asleep. To tackle the problem, Roman, who's currently single, must wear an oxygen mask to bed, which he says is sure to ruin his love life. He explained: 'I recently got diagnosed with sleep apnoea, which has been rubbish. 'My tiredness levels were debilitating, and they said to me it was because of my job and I said this is different. 'I was talking with people where I thought I was verging on narcolepsy because I was mid conversation and would be snoring and not realising, it was very strange. 'The doctors told me I must wear an oxygen mask. There is absolutely nothing sexy about going back to Roman Kemp's house. 'They are expecting candles and mood lighting but they're getting a Darth Vader impression into an oxygen tank. My love life will look a niche Channel 5 documentary!' Good cause: In line with his ambassador work for The National Lottery, Roman visited charity Age Well East, who aim to empower people in their later years, and quickly learned he's not the best knitter Roman is an ambassador with The National Lottery, who over the past six months have granted 22million of National Lottery funds to community led organisations in the UK to give them a chance of celebrating the Queen's Jubilee in style. Roman visited charity Age Well East, who aim to empower people in their later years, to see first-hand how they are using the funding to rejoice in the momentous week. He said: 'It was such a lovely afternoon heading over to Age Well East. 'These people have been given a social life again. It ties into everything I have stood for so far in terms of mental health about keeping conversations going and making sure coming out of the pandemic that we're able to express ourselves. 'It was great being able to meet some of the women there, who tried teaching me how to knit but sadly, my knitting career lasted about 7 seconds. 'All the women there are widows after losing their husbands. They didn't know how to live their lives or look after their money; it's debilitating to be left in that situation and to be placed into lockdown with no prior warning. 'It was great to be there and see that Age Well East is being supported by the National Lottery and ahead of the Jubilee weekend seeing all of the events they're putting on for everyone to make us feel like we're a part of something special.' EASTENDERS Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall pay a surprise visit to Walford to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Pictured, with Linda and Mick Honey, dressed as Ginger Spice, who's said to have pinched Charles's bottom when they met in 1997, greets Prince Charles in the special Jubilee episode You can always rely on Linda to dip into her Quality Street selection of attire for the big occasions. So, when the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall pay a surprise visit to Walford, you know Linda is set for a collision course of Big Purple One meets the rest of the tin after a day melting in the sun. And she doesn't disappoint. Neither does Honey, dressed as Ginger Spice, who's said to have pinched Charles's bottom when they met in 1997. True to form, the locals throw themselves into the Jubilee celebrations but are stunned when Mick and Linda greet the special guests. Mick, of course, is in awe (although not as in awe, I fear, as he was when Harry Redknapp turned up last year), and after introducing the royal couple, everyone joins in a toast to the Queen. Gawd bless 'er. THE PRINCE OF CHIVALRY The visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall to the EastEnders set was thoroughly entertaining off camera, by all accounts. Complaining about the freezing cold during the photo shoot, Letitia Dean (Sharon) was enamoured with a chivalrous Prince. 'I would love your coat and your ear muffs,' said the shivering actor, before the heir to the throne put his coat around her. 'Hang on, mind me wig,' she added, struggling with the huge collar. She described the occasion as 'one of the best days of my life'. Advertisement The occasion might prove to be something of a turnaround for Linda, who decides to throw herself into organising the festivities rather than indulge in a bottle of wine (is there any left? I hear she's drinking it faster than producers in Burgundy can pick the grapes. There's talk of just hooking her up to the vine and cutting out the middleman). Mick is thrilled to see Linda hosting a planning meeting, but she's deflated when he implies he doesn't trust her enough to use her newly acquired cash to expand the Vic's business (who can blame him? I suspect that expansion involves putting in another three cellars). Instead, Linda invests in the salon and becomes co-owner. Now, finally, maybe she'll get a decent hairdo. Talking of future plans, Zack and Nancy are hard at work on their new restaurant, but it all goes horribly wrong (yer don't say: this pair couldn't sell an ice cream in a heatwave). Nancy is furious when Zack doesn't pick up the keys after taking Jada to see famous London sights; the future looks less than bright when Zack rejects Jada's advances, and the hurt youngster tells Sharon he kissed her. Brother or not, don't expect the walking foghorn to keep quiet about that for long. CORONATION STREET Imran and Toyah (pictured) are left unconscious after a car accident on Coronation Street The week sees high drama involving a flashforward of Imran leaving a message for Toyah, confessing his transgressions. Moving back and forth, we witness a car crash that leaves both Imran and Toyah unconscious in the wreckage. BEHIND THE SCENES 'Filming the crash aftermath was very intense,' says Charlie de Melo (Imran). 'It felt like we were making a movie. But we kept the mood light in between takes, despite being covered in fake blood.' Advertisement Small wonder, I've seen more substantial pancakes than those air bags. The two good things to emerge, though, are that Imran's suit and tie remain perfectly intact, and that something has finally wiped the smirk off Toyah's face. Do they survive, or are we set for another funeral? I can already hear Tracy snipping those stems for a wreath (or two?). With the police unconvinced that the crash was an accident because the car didn't brake, attention turns to Kevin, who'd worked on the vehicle. Well, for 'worked on', read 'held spanner in hand while making a brew'. Despite having aided Abi in trying to do a runner with Alfie, Kevin's an unlikely suspect (if he goes to the pub, he needs a nap en route), but then the Weatherfield police are not the sharpest tools in the box. The week's events see Kevin wanting Abi back in his life; let's hope he utilises her supposed mechanical prowess to check out the air bags in other cars. EMMERDALE: A TOPLESS NATE SETS TONGUES A-WAGGING In Emmerdale Chas questions whether Moira and Nate (pictured) have rekindled their affair when she catches Nate topless and Moira in her dressing gown The half-dressed male wrapped in nothing but a towel has long been a feature of Soapland, and now Emmerdale is at it again with Nate half baring all. But why is Moira in her dressing gown? Have the pair rekindled their affair? That's the conclusion Chas jumps to when she plots to catch the couple in the act and walks in on them; but is all as it appears to be? And why does nobody ever lock their doors in this village? Is anyone buying Leyla's sudden transformation into the Pablo Escobar of the Dales? Desperately searching for coke in Suzy's bag, she's caught redhanded (or white-handed?) and later unsympathetically lashes out at Priya, who is understandably devastated. David is trying to hide his money troubles from Victoria and tells Eric how much the pandemic affected his business. Trust me, his problems started long before that. As I've pointed out before, selling one jar of chutney a year doth not a Jeff Bezos make. Will Eric come to his son's rescue? Knowing Eric's natural propensity for dodgy business deals, he might be the right person for the job or the wrong one. Heck, buying just one jar of chutney would double David's income. The Unfriend (Minerva Theatre, Chichester) Rating: Verdict: No plot, Sherlock The Father And The Assassin (Olivier, National Theatre, London) Rating: Verdict: Murder most jolly They've assembled a television dream team down in Chichester for a new comedy by Doctor Who and Sherlock writer Steven Moffat. And Moffat's co-writer on Sherlock, Mark Gatiss, directs a play that also stars Gatiss's League Of Gentlemen colleague Reece Shearsmith. Not only that, the great stage actress Frances Barber adds theatrical heft of her own. 'How fast can I book tickets?' I hear you asking. Well, if I were you, I'd pause before reaching for the plastic. They've assembled a television dream team down in Chichester for a new comedy by Doctor Who and Sherlock writer Steven Moffat The Unfriend is about a suburban English couple who inadvertently invite an American serial killer (Barber) to stay in their home, after meeting her on a cruise. Apparently based on a true story, it struck me as a paper-thin sitcom in which our charming murderess seems also to have done away with plot. All that happens is that the couple (Shearsmith and Sherlock's Amanda Abbington) feel too embarrassed to ask her to leave. Best seat in the house WONDER BOY Sally Cookson directs Bristol Old Vic's production of Ross Willis's story about a 12-year-old boy who invents a super-hero to help him cope with his stammer (until Sunday May 29), ages 12+, contains some strong language,digitaltheatre.com). Advertisement Comedies of procrastination can only go on so long before something must give. Only here, it doesn't. There are some good gags including Shearsmith's quip that 20 years of marriage gives you a talent for telepathy, 'only more hostile'. Moffat religiously follows the comic rule of running a routine three times. One such trilogy includes the teenage son (a permanently aghast Gabriel Howell) failing to answer the phone. Although this may have the ring of truth for parents, the eventual punchline also has the ring of painful predictability. The show's best feature is Barber, who turns her serial killer from Denver into a kind of bling, Midwest, female Donald Trump. She may fire off lines worthy of Bette Davis, but casting her here is like keeping a Rolls-Royce for popping to the shops. Abbington's role is merely to reflect that discomfort, while Maddie Holliday brings familiar adolescent indignation as her daughter Rosie. The action plays out on a show home set without a trace of personality. Yet I was astonished to find myself surrounded by people nearly popping with laughter. Now that, folks, was a mystery worthy of Sherlock. What larks it must have been to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi! That, at least, is the dubious tone struck by Anupama Chandrasekhar's jolly drama at the National Theatre. Because she is an Indian writer, few of us in the UK will feel willing or able to challenge her, but I suspect it's a deliberately provocative gesture, designed to wake us from our reflex veneration of India's founding father. Played by an endlessly chipper Shubham Saraf, Gandhi's killer Nathuram Godse gives us a tour of his life, explaining why he did it, and teasing us for taking a prurient interest in him. He relates how he was raised as a girl by parents who feared their male line was cursed. He went on to become a tailor's assistant and fell under the spell of Hindu nationalist Vinayak Savarkar, who rejected pacifism and scoffed at Gandhi's failure to resist partition of India and Pakistan. At first enamoured of Paul Bazely's tall, thin, urbane Gandhi, he gradually becomes a servile flunky to Sagar Arya's surly Savarkar. Indhu Rubasingham's two-and-a-half hour jaunt through half a century of Indian political history is always entertaining. But I wonder how appropriate its tone really is. This Legally Blonde is, like, totally a hit Legally Blonde (Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park) Rating: Verdict: So fun you guys! Oh My God, you guys! It looks like Regent's Park has a hit on its hands to open the summer season, thanks to a new musical production of the 2001 movie Legally Blonde revamped for the approval of today's 'Gen Z' social media radicals. The anti-stereotype comedy (that's famously packed with stereotypes) originally starred Reese Witherspoon as Elle, the ditzy blonde who proves detractors wrong by flying high at Harvard Law School. The film went on to spawn a West End musical starring Sheridan Smith. Here, though, they've ousted the all-white characters and have cast mixed-heritage Courtney Bowman as Elle. The show also references Instagram influencers, plus size models . . . and Timothee Chalamet. Despite this, I'm pleased to report that it remains the most deliciously cheerful kitsch. It is, after all, a tale where wisdom consists of such timeless maxims as 'the number one reason for all bad hair decisions is . . . love'. Directed by Lucy Moss, one of the tireless pioneers behind the historical musical Six, it's performed with lashings of verve and a modicum of finesse (a quality that's about as welcome in Elle's world as a Latin primer in a Kardashian nail salon). The anti-stereotype comedy (that's famously packed with stereotypes) originally starred Reese Witherspoon as Elle, the ditzy blonde who proves detractors wrong by flying high at Harvard Law School. The film went on to spawn a West End musical starring Sheridan Smith. Here, though, they've ousted the all-white characters and have cast mixed-heritage Courtney Bowman as Elle The lip-shaped stage is painted and accessorised in shades of our heroine's beloved pink not previously conceived by man, woman or gender intersectional. Choreography amounts to little more than synchronised cheerleading, but it does get a delighted crowd screaming 'stop-IT!' particularly whenever Elle's lapdog Bruiser (an actor in a pooch costume) prances onstage. As Elle, Bowman is huge fun a comic actor who reminded me of Dawn French. She loves to be loved by the adoring crowd and holds her own in undemanding tunes. What she lacks in agility, she more than makes up for in twinkly personality. The main threat to her star status is Nadine Higgin, as her confessor and hairdresser Paulette, who has swagger, timing, moves and big gospel pipes. Elle's only other rival is Lauren Drew, as the fitness guru she defends in court, who sings her workout number, Whipped Into Shape, while doing extreme skipping. Romantic tragedy will float your boat The Wreckers (Glyndebourne Festival) Rating: Verdict: Blazing rendering of an Edwardian classic Perhaps the eccentric Dame Ethel Smyth, suffragette and campaigner for women's rights, will be taken more seriously as a composer after this production. My own admiration for her has steadily increased over the decades but The Wreckers, her tragic Romantic operatic masterpiece, has remained problematic up to now. As so often, Glyndebourne's solution is radical. They go back to Henry Brewster's French libretto and restore half an hour of music, which in places has had to be orchestrated by Tom Poster. You quickly adjust to Cornish shipwreckers singing in French. Most vital is the contribution of conductor Robin Ticciati, who clearly believes in every note of the piece, whipping up the superb chorus and the London Philharmonic into an absolute fervour of excitement at times. I predict a triumph when a semi-staged version comes to the Proms on July 24. You can hear Smyth's influences but she makes them very much her own. The adulterous love duet between Marc and Thurza, wife of hellfire preacher Pasko, is a highlight, as the great conductor Bruno Walter recognised. To this basic triangle, strongly sung and characterised by Rodrigo Porras Garulo, Karis Tucker and Philip Horst, is added the complication of lighthouse keeper's daughter Avis, also in love with Marc. Well sung by Lauren Fagan, she is absurdly got up in pink tights (I almost hear Stanley Holloway intoning 'Pink tights! I ask yer, pink tights!'), with a 21st-century coiffure. The chorus sport a dreadful assortment of old tat, and not even period tat it is the one false note in Melly Still's production, while Ana Ines Jabares-Pita's sets are atmospheric. Lancaster (PG 110mins) Rating: Verdict: Compelling and moving Top Gun: Maverick (12A 131mins) Rating: Verdict: Cheesily enjoyable A terrific 2018 documentary called Spitfire told, wonderfully, the enduringly uplifting tale of the iconic aircraft that helped Fighter Command to win the Battle of Britain. Now, from the same team, comes Lancaster, switching the focus to Bomber Command and the RAF's mission to 'take the war' to Nazi Germany. It is an even better film, because it tells with admirable sensitivity a more morally complicated story, and of course at the heart of it is the mighty Lancaster bomber and the courageous men who crewed it. RAF BBMF's Lancaster PA474 banks away at dusk Lancaster highlights the bravery of the crew At the heart of the film is the mighty Lancaster bomber and the courageous men who crewed it More than 55,000 of them died at the time and not many of them are still alive now, but 37 of those who are or were when the project got under way share their compelling recollections. They include bomb-aimer 'Johnny' Johnson, now 100 and the only surviving original member of the famous 617 'Dambusters' Squadron. He is scathing about those who, applying what he considers to be modern sensitivities to wartime imperatives, criticise the ruthlessness of Bomber Command under the direction of Air Marshal Arthur Harris, who ordered the thunderous 1945 attack on Dresden. Other veterans in this tremendously poignant film, sonorously narrated by Charles Dance but heavily reliant on talking heads, are more ambivalent about what they were ordered to do. Yet they still lament the way Winston Churchill distanced himself from Bomber Command's activities as soon as the war was over, allowing Harris to take the 'blame'. The Dambusters squadron and the crew of Lancaster ED285/`AJ-T' More than 55,000 of the Lancaster bomber crew died at the time and not many of them are still alive now, but 37 of those who are or were when the project got under way share their compelling recollections One, flight engineer Jack Watson, recalls his wife turning to him at an RAF reunion, astonished, because he had never even told her he'd served with Bomber Command. He had become too accustomed, he explained, to being looked at as if he was a murderer. At the time they had been married 35 years. To their huge credit, co-directors David Fairhead and Ant Palmer manage to navigate their way through all this with real finesse, laying the moral complexities out before us (and interviewing a German woman who remembers what the inferno looked like from the ground) yet leaving us in no doubt that these very old men, all of them in their mid-90s at least, were heroes before most of them had left their teens, risking their lives night after night. At the start, they recall, it was left to them to divide into seven-man crews. They milled around checking each other's 'brevets' (uniform insignia) to see who did what, and then picked a team like kids in the school playground. Charles Clarke, a bomb-aimer, finds another analogy. 'It was like a dating agency,' he says. This brilliant documentary is full of nuggets like that. But it is also beautifully orchestrated, with stirring aerial footage (by John Dibbs) of one of the only two Lancasters still airworthy, and a terrific original score (by Chris Roe). Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick The film ends with a male-voice choir singing a wartime aircrew song, We Are The Heavy Bombers, which might not sound like a contender to bring tears to the eyes. But it did to mine. The anonymity of the 37 heroes interviewed in Lancaster rather underlines the absurdity of the spectacular hoopla surrounding Tom Cruise when he arrived at the Cannes Film Festival last week to promote Top Gun: Maverick. There was even a fly-past of fighter jets. Still, within the realms of make-believe heroism, it's a very enjoyable film. After seeing it in Cannes I'd say it's nothing if not formulaic, and at times the script is cheesier than a croque monsieur. But the action scenes are splendid, and Cruise, at almost 60 but as willing as ever to whip his shirt off, looks predictably great. Tom Cruise proves Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell is still the guy to lead a ridiculously perilous bombing raid 'egress is a steep high-G climb!' Merely by showing his gleaming teeth he makes a mockery of one especially clunky line, when an upstart in a bar calls him 'Pops'. A long-awaited sequel to the 1986 hit, this one, directed by Joseph Kosinski, has Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell (Cruise) confounding his stiff commanding officer (Jon Hamm) by proving that he's still the greatest pilot up there. Yep, he's still the guy to lead a ridiculously perilous bombing raid 'egress is a steep high-G climb!' on a uranium enrichment plant in an unnamed rogue state, even though he a) is just an instructor these days and b) has been grounded. The plot gives us some friction with 'Rooster' Bradshaw (Miles Teller), who blames him for the death of his father 'Goose', Maverick's erstwhile colleague and best pal, all those years ago. And there is friction of a different kind with Jennifer Connelly's Penny, the obligatory love interest (Cruise's squeeze in Top Gun, Kelly McGillis, presumably being ruled too old for him now). But really this film is about the flying. And in that respect, if in no other, it soars. Lancaster is in selected cinemas from today, and on digital, DVD & Blu-ray from Sunday. Visit altitude.film for more info. Top Gun is in cinemas now. Brian Viner's Cannes Film Festival Review The 75th Cannes Film Festival hasn't unleashed many humdingers, despite the fuss around Elvis and Top Gun: Maverick, so it feels fitting that the best film I've seen on the Riviera this year is a quiet, beautifully observed, low-budget British charmer called Aftersun. Aftersun Rating: A hugely promising debut feature for Scottish writer-director Charlotte Wells, Aftersun is the story of a divorced Scotsman, Calum (Paul Mescal, superb), and his 11-year-daughter Sophie (newcomer Frankie Corio), on holiday in Turkey. Francesca Corio and Paul Mescal in Aftersun The charm lies mostly in Corio's miraculously natural and self-assured performance, because although she and her dad have a lovely, easy-going relationship, it gradually becomes clear that he is bedevilled by difficulties at home, as well as memories of his own childhood. Nothing much happens, but it is a film that radiates warmth and human empathy. I also really liked Armageddon Time, James Gray's semi-autobiographical drama about a boisterous, loving but fractious blue-collar Jewish household in Queens, New York, during the 1980 presidential election campaign. Armageddon Time Rating: A fine cast is led by Anthony Hopkins as the kindly, doting grandfather to rebellious schoolboy Paul (Michael Banks Repeta), with Anne Hathaway and Succession's Jeremy Strong as Paul's parents and a cameo for Jessica Chastain as Donald Trump's sister Maryanne. I was reminded a little of Paul Thomas Anderson's delightful Licorice Pizza, and various films by Noah Baumbach and even Woody Allen. The episodic narrative makes strong points about racism and anti-Semitism, but never in a bludgeoning way. It's a really engaging picture. Triangle Of Sadness completes Swedish director Ruben Ostlund's trilogy, following his acclaimed movies Force Majeure and The Square, the latter of which won Cannes' prestigious Palme d'Or. I wouldn't rule this out, either. It's an English-language film set partly aboard a luxury cruise (captained by a drunk, played by Woody Harrelson), which starts as a comedy of manners, develops into a social satire about wealth and beauty, and finally mutates into a full-on farce about capitalism. Triangle of Sadness Rating: It's a little heavy-handed at times, but at its best, scabrously funny. Elizabeth, new star of the big screen To add to Jubilee fare, there's a new documentary, Elizabeth: A Portrait In Parts, which tracks the Queen through moments of intimacy to pageantry over her 70-year reign. Elizabeth: A Portrait In Parts ( 12A, 90 mins) Rating: The director, the late Roger Michell, perks up the usual royal footage by intercutting it with newsreel and clips from contemporaneous films such as Cleopatra, tossing in some ska and rap music, too, but his technique is more clunky than illuminating. It's also now hard to detach the fictional Queen in The Crown, if you've seen her, from reality. Air time: The Queen with Prince Philip and Anne, Andrew and Charles Elizabeth: A Portrait In Parts tracks the Queen through moments of intimacy to pageantry over her 70-year reign Some parts still surprise: Her Majesty having a laugh before recording her Christmas Day speech, leaping up in girlish excitement at the races, and her side-saddle riding skills as she controls a terrified horse. You can only feel deep admiration at the dedication, the tens of thousands of hands shaken, the smiles bestowed, the boredom politely hidden. From her annus horribilis speech when Prince Charles and Diana were on the verge of separating, to other moments scripted by courtiers, you become increasingly aware of the disconnect between the stiff public persona and a charming enthusiasm when off duty. In cinemas May 27, Amazon Prime June 1. Between Two Worlds ( 12A, 107 mins), Rating: Between Two Worlds develops a rich female friendship as a journalist goes undercover We go from upstairs to downstairs in Between Two Worlds starring Juliette Binoche as investigative journalist Marianne who goes undercover as a zero-hours cleaner. Living in poverty, her worst job is on the fetid ferry from France to Portsmouth: staff get four minutes to clean each cabin including the toilet and sheets. The film can be as grinding as the job itself, but develops as rich female friendships grow. The Bob's Burgers Movie (PG, 102 mins) Rating: The Bob's Burgers Movie takes the long-running family animation from television to the big screen and is probably for those who appreciate the dry humour of the series. Three children fight to keep their parents' burger bar from after a giant sinkhole appears in front of it Three intrepid children fight to keep their parents' burger bar from failing as a giant sinkhole appears in front of it. This may be cartoon fast food, but there's a great voice cast including Zach Galifianakis and Kevin Kline. Kate Muir Tom Hanks seemed in high spirits as he caught up with celebrity friends at the amfAR gala at Cannes Film Festival on Thursday. The actor, 65, looked dapper in black blazer and matching trousers as he attended the star studded event alongside Maria Bravo and Baz Lurman. The Forest Gump star seemed in high spirits as he teamed the suit with a matching black tie and a crisp white shirt. Looking good: Tom Hanks seemed in high spirits as he caught up with celebrity friends at the amfAR gala at Cannes Film Festival on Thursday The actor rocked a pair of clear glasses as he beamed alongside pals at a dinner table. Maria, 54, looked sensational in an extreme plunging red silk gown and a radiant palette of makeup. The actress styled her dark tresses in loose waves as they cascaded past her shoulders from a side parting. Smart: The actor, 65, looked dapper in black blazer and matching trousers as he attended the star studded event alongside fellow celeb pals (pictured Tom Hanks and Maria Bravo) Amazing: The star seemed in high spirits as he teamed the suit with a matching black tie and a crisp white shirt On Tom's other side was Elvis director Baz Luhrmann who cut a smart figure in a black suit, crisp white shirt and a matching dickie bow. Also in attendance on Tom's table was Australian actress Natasha Bassett who dazzled in a green plunging gown. The 29-year-old commanded attention in the mint dress which featured sheer embellished sleeves. High spirits: Maria Bravo, 54, looked sensational in an extreme plunging red silk gown and a radiant palette of makeup Amazing: On Tom's other side was Elvis director Baz Luhrmann who cut a smart figure in a black suit, crisp white shirt and a matching dickie bow She beamed in a glamorous palette of makeup and styled her red tresses in a chic up-to leaving her fringe down shaping her face. amfAR is one of the world's leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and advocacy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested nearly $617 million in its programs and has awarded more than 3,500 grants to research teams worldwide. amfAR Gala Cannes has raised a cumulative total of more than $245 million for amfAR's lifesaving AIDS research. Zach Braff was spotted in West Hollywood on Thursday, enjoying a dinner with a female friend at the exclusive San Vicente Bungalows. The Moonshot actor, 47, looked casual-cool for the occasion, sporting a black windbreaker and grey button-up shirt, as he waited for the valet to bring his car around. The outing comes after his girlfriend Florence Pugh, 26, denied rumors of a romance between her and her Midsommar co-star Will Poulter, 29, following a friendly holiday in Ibiza. Grabbing dinner: Zach Braff was spotted in West Hollywood on Thursday, enjoying a dinner with a female friend at the San Vicente Bungalows The director finalized his look with black pants. Meanwhile his brunette gal pal sported a navy dress and black sweater. Following their dinner at the luxe members-only club, the two were seen getting into Braff's car and driving off. Meanwhile Braff's girlfriend took to Instagram on Tuesday to shut down the recent speculation of a romance between her and Poulter. Casual: The Moonshot actor, 47, looked casual cool for the occasion, sporting a black windbreaker and grey button-up shirt, as he waited for the valet to bring his car around The co-stars were pictured on a beach together on Monday, during a trip to Ibiza, with Florence looking sensational in a pale blue bikini. The pair landed on the Spanish Island to attend the opening of the luxurious new Standard Hotel, and were also thought to be celebrating the birthday of mutual friend Harris Reed. 'This is getting a little silly now. No, Will Poulter and I are not dating. We went to the beach with our friends,' the Oscar-nominated Little Women star stated on her Instagram Stories. Relaxed: The director finalized his look with black pants. Meanwhile his brunette gal pal sported a navy dress and black sweater Taking off: Following dinner at the luxe members-only club, the two were seen getting into Braff's car and driving off The star then shared a more serious message against bullying, as she urged people to 'think about' their statements and who they may affect. 'There's no need to drag people through this. Regardless of your opinion on who I should or shouldn't be with, at the end of the day if you're complimenting someone by trolling another person.. you're just bullying,' she went on. 'There's literally no need to be horrible online no need,' she stated, adding, 'Think about what you write. Think about who it affects.' Florence and Zach have been an item since 2019 after first working together on the short film In The Time It Takes To Get There. Not true: The outing comes after his girlfriend Florence Pugh, 26, denied rumors of a romance between her and Midsommar co-star Will Poulter, 29, following a friends holiday in Ibiza Just friends: 'This is getting a little silly now. No, Will Poulter and I are not dating. We went to the beach with our friends,' the Oscar-nominated Little Women star stated Pugh confirmed their relationship on Instagram with a clapback at a troll who pointed out the couple's age difference. When one of her followers wrote 'You're 44 years old,' to a princess emoji Braff left underneath a photo of her, she wrote back stating, 'And yet he got it.' The pair have been working together on his upcoming drama A Good Person, where he recently said she was 'one of the best actresses working' right now. 'Florence Pugh's performance in the movie, I know I'm biased, but it's the most miraculous thing you will ever see,' he told Collider. Going strong: Florence and Zach have been an item since 2019 after first working together on the short film In the Time It Takes to Get There; Pictured in 2020 In the film which Braff also wrote and produced with Pugh she plays the lead role of Allison, a young woman who strikes up an unlikely relationship with her would-be father-in-law years after a fatal accident. 'It's her going toe-to-toe with Morgan Freeman. You haven't seen Morgan like this in years,' Zach said of the 'dramedy.' He heaped more praise on his other half in a March interview with The Hollywood Reporter, saying: 'Some people say that Florence Pugh is the greatest actress of her generation. I would say that she's one of the greatest actors working today, period. She's a phenomenon.' It's official, Yara Shahidi is a college graduate. The actress, 22, graduated from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts after beginning her studies at the prestigious Ivy League institution in 2017. Haven taken a gap year during her tenure, Shahidi finished her four-year undergraduate degree studies, all while juggling her busy career in Hollywood, which included starring in the hit ABC sitcoms Black-ish and the spinoff Grown-ish. Family pride: Yara Shahidii, 22, graduated from Harvard University and her parent's marked the milestone occasion by sharing both their love and pride in her achievement on Instagram; her father, Afshin Shahidi, called the graduation a 'beautifully surreal moment' In an interview with Vogue, Shahidi revealed that she focused her studies within the Social Studies & African American departments, with an emphasis on 'Black political thought under a neocolonial landscape.' Before accepting her diploma, the Minnesota native completed a 136-page thesis paper, titled 'I Am a Man: The Emancipation of Humanness from Western Hegemony Through the Lens of Sylvia Wynter, which explores the work of the Jamaican writer. 'It's surreal to have finally hit this major milestone,' Shahidi told the publication, before confessing that her college graduation is a life-long goal, realized. 'I've known I wanted to go to college since I was four. By 17, I knew exactly what I wanted to study, so to see that come to fruition is a goal fulfilled.' Family Pride: Yara's mother, Keri Shahidi, serenaded the new college graduate as she was decked out in her traditional cap and gown Milestone: Mother and daughter snuggled up for a photo on the Harvard University campus Life-long goal realized: 'I've known I wanted to go to college since I was four,' the actress told People, before adding, 'By 17, I knew exactly what I wanted to study, so to see that come to fruition is a goal fulfilled' Shahidi'sparent's marked the milestone occasion by sharing both their love and pride in their daughter's achievement in a few Instagram posts. 'Beautifully surreal moment seeing our delicate petal in full bloom,' her father, Afshin Shahidi captioned a graduation photo, along with a cherry blossom emoji. The selfie snap shows the proud papa snuggled up next to Yara, who's decked out in her traditional cap and gown. Equally proud, Keri Shahidi posted a series of snaps of herself serenading her daughter by pointing at her while all dressed up in her graduation ensemble. 'THE CELEBRATION CONTINUES,' she wrote, in part, the day before the actual ceremony was held at the Harvard University campus. Yara also shared her 'special moment' with her two younger brothers: Sayeed, 19, and Ehsan, 14,, who both posed with their sister at Harvard. Family support: Yara also shared her 'special moment' with her two younger brothers: Sayeed, 19, and Ehsan, 14,, who both posed with their sister on the Harvard University campus Stylin': For her graduation day, Shahidi wore a custom Dior two-piece suit in crimson red, one of Harvard's school colors, underneath her traditional cap and gown Shahidi only just completed and handed in her final college paper six days ago. But it was her 136-page thesis 'Through the Lens of Sylvia Wynter' that will forever leave a lasting impression when looking back at her experience at Harvard. 'Writing my thesis pushed me as an academic, because the question I was asking was one I care about in my everyday life and in the world,' says Shahidi. 'For example, "What could the future of equality and equity look like?" My thesis was a moment to connect these past four years of education to something that connects to what I'm passionate about, and have ground myself in my entire life.' For her graduation day, Shahidi wore a custom Dior two-piece suit in crimson red, one of Harvard's school colors, underneath her cap and gown. Sofia Richie flashed her massive glittering engagement ring when she was spotted out in Los Angeles this week. The daughter of Lionel Richie has agreed to marry her longtime beau Elliot Grainge, whose father Lucian is the chairman of Universal Music Group. During her latest outing Sofia, 23, showed off her sensational legs in a high-waisted pair of acid wash jeans with flared hems. Blonde bombshell: Sofia Richie flashed her massive glittering engagement ring when she was spotted out in Los Angeles this week Looking fab: The daughter of Lionel Richie has agreed to marry her longtime beau Elliot Grainge, whose father Lucian is the chairman of Universal Music Group She emphasized her trim waistline by tucking her print t-shirt into her trousers and wore her luxurious blonde locks down. Warding off the California rays with a pair of bronze-tinted sunglasses, she accessorized with a black leather handbag. Sofia added an extra splash of dazzle to her look by wearing a ring on her right hand, plus a pair of glinting earrings. She announced her engagement late last month on Instagram, posting a picture of Elliot proposing to her at sunset surrounded by candles. Stepping out: During her latest outing Sofia, 23, showed off her sensational legs in a high-waisted pair of acid wash jeans with flared hems 'Forever isnt long enough,' she wrote with her Instagram caption, which included a romantic picture of her and Elliot kissing. Elliot has joined the family business and gone into the music industry, founding an indie record label called 10K Projects. Sofia and her husband-to-be have apparently been an item for over a year, having first set off dating rumors at the start of 2021. On the move: Warding off the California rays with a pair of bronze-tinted sunglasses, she accessorized with a black leather handbag Glitz: Sofia added an extra splash of dazzle to her look by wearing a ring on her right hand, plus a pair of glinting earrings Back in 2020 Sofia had ended her relationship with the reality TV heartthrob Scott Disick, 39, who has three children with Kourtney Kardashian. Sofia dated Scott for more than two years before they broke up in 2020, briefly reunited and then split for good. Kourtney and Scott have retained a close and amicable relationship as they co-parent their children Mason, 12, Penelope, nine, and Reign, seven. Gorgeous: She announced her engagement late last month on Instagram, posting a picture of Elliot proposing to her at sunset surrounded by candles During the last season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians Scott revealed that his close co-parenting bond with Kourtney caused problems for him and Sofia. Over the weekend Kourtney enjoyed a luxurious wedding with Travis Barker of Blink-182 fame, gathering her nearest and dearest in Portofino for the occasion. An insider has since told People that 'Scott isn't taking this well. He's spending time with friends....to keep his mind off of it. It's been hard for him to process and digest even though he knew it was coming.' Disney+ released the first trailer for the upcoming Star Wars related series Andor on Thursday. Andor follows Cassian Andor, a character who first appeared in the 2016 movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The series will serve as a prequel to the film in the early days after the Galactic Republic became the Empire. The trailer begins with a shot of a man waking up a small, idyllic town with loud clangs from a bell in a tower. First look: Disney+ released the first trailer for the upcoming Star Wars related series Andor on Thursday A ship then crashes down to the earth and stormtroopers begin to march on the town and the planet. Citizens rush around town, hiding weapons and huddling in their homes while ships that ferried clones around in Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones and and Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith bring a legion to the small town. As clones march through the city, Andor first appears in the trailer, hiding behind a wall and waiting in the shadows. Bell tower: The trailer begins with a shot of a man waking up a small, idyllic town with loud clangs from a bell in a tower Ship crashing to earth: A ship then crashes down to the earth and stormtroopers begin to march on the town and the planet Bring soldiers in: Citizens rush around town, hiding weapons and huddling in their homes while ships that ferried clones around in Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones and and Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith bring a legion to the small town Tense moment: As clones march through the city, Andor first appears in the trailer, hiding behind a wall and waiting in the shadows Drinking to themselves: 'They're so proud of themselves,' Luna says, referring to the newly established Empire. 'So fat and satisfied' 'They're so proud of themselves,' Luna says, referring to the newly established Empire. 'So fat and satisfied.' Genevieve O'Reilly also appears in the trailer, reprising her role as Mon Mothma from both Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One. She says she's being watched as she walks through a crowded dinner party. Stellan Skarsgard pops up and looks out at something far in the distance through a pair of high powered binoculars. 'Soon enough, these days will end,' he says as he stands on the grassy knoll. 'There will be no rules going forward.' Coming back to a role: Genevieve O'Reilly also appears in the trailer, reprising her role as Mon Mothma from both Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One Star actor: Stellan Skarsgard pops up and looks out at something far in the distance through a pair of high powered binoculars Time of transition: 'Soon enough, these days will end,' he says as he stands on the grassy knoll. 'There will be no rules going forward' On the hunt: A member of the Galactic Empire seems to be hunting Andor as he stares down at a hologram of the noted spy's face Jumping around: The trailer then jumps through a few different shots of characters from behind with an unknown person saying, 'People are standing up,' over the images A member of the Galactic Empire seems to be hunting Andor as he stares down at a hologram of the noted spy's face. The trailer then jumps through a few different shots of characters from behind with an unknown person saying, 'People are standing up,' over the images. Cassian can then be seen jumping a ship into light seed and quickly taking off before an older woman says, 'That's what a reckoning sounds like.' Andor is set for release on August 31 on the popular streaming platform. The show will star Luna, O'Reilly, Skarsgard, Alan Tudyk, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller and many more stars. The show will be the latest in a long line of Star Wars content released to Disney+. The first two episodes of the series Obi-Wan Kenobi is set for release on Friday, May 27 and the television show Ahsoka starring Rosario Dawson is also set for release in the near future. Kakinada: The family of Veedhi Subrahmanyam is unable to get a death certificate because officials were passing the buck, though he was murdered last week and his last rites were performed at his native village in Gollalamamidada of Pedapudi mandal in Kakinada district earlier this week. Subrahmanyam was the Dalit youth for whose murder YSR Congress MLC Anantha Udaya Bhaskar is in jail. Who should issue the death certificate has become the point of contention among officials. Pedapudi tahsildar T. Subhash directed G. Mamidada panchayat secretary Yaswant to issue the death certificate, but official refused stating that the death did not happen in his jurisdiction. The tahsildar wrote to Kakinada revenue divisional officer B.V. Ramana against Yaswanth, pointing out that the body of Subrahmanyam was cremated at G. Mamidada Village. Despite this he was hesitating to give the death certificate. The family members of the deceased have been wandering in the gram panchayat office for the past four days from Sunday, seeking the death certificate to get other benefits. The panchayat secretary is very reluctant and he is not receiving the application, the tahsildar wrote the the RDO. After repeated instructions and requests from the deputy tahsildar, tahsildar and even the mandal parishad development officer (MPDO), to receive the application and issue the certificate or an endorsement to the applicant explaining the circumstances which prevented him from doing so, he (village secretary Yaswant) did not respond and not even receive the application from the family members of the deceased,Subhash wrote. This is very unbecoming on the part of the panchayat secretary. The family members of the deceased are suffering from the indecent attitude of the village secretary of G. Mamidada, Subhash stated in his letter to the RDO. But, Kakinada divisional panchayat officer Y. Ammaji supported the village secretarys stand. She told Deccan Chronicle that the official should not issue the death certificate as the death had not taken place at the village. She said that the death certificate should be issued at the municipality, where he died. But, according to the confession statement of the accused Bhaskar, the death took place at Sriramnagar under Two Town police station limits, but the case was registered under Sarpavaram police station limits. A senior panchayat officer told Deccan Chronicle that, according to panchayat raj rules, if any person dies in another place and the cremation or final rites are performed in the native village, the death certificate can be given by the panchayat secretary. But, in medico-legal cases, the municipalities concerned or the hospital where the post-mortem has been conducted would give the death certificate. A super-fan of Nova host Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli has had a restraining order against her withdrawn ten months after police alleged she sent him dolls wrapped in bubble wrap, 'hundreds' of messages and wanted him to father her baby. NSW Police took out an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) last year against Lisa Christian after she turned up outside the Nova radio station and Wippa expressed fears her behaviour was escalating. They claim Ms Christian, who ran a Wippa fan site online called 'All My Love' had bombarded the radio presenter and comedian with messages after initially making contact with him via Instagram in August 2019. At first, Ms Christian's messages weren't threatening and didn't always make sense, but then police said Wippa became 'became increasingly concerned when the defendant mentioned one of (the star's) children and knowledge of his residential address'. On Ms Christian's fan site, she had spoken about attending live Fitzy and Wippa shows and described him as 'very romantic and caring'. In June last year, Ms Christian allegedly sent Wippa images of herself wearing underwear, court documents filed in 2021 said. That same month, she also allegedly sent an image of herself with a toy baby, and claimed that Wippa would be 'the father of her child'. Police dropped an apprehended violence order against Lisa Christian taken out on behalf of Nova star Michael Wippa Wipfli (above, the fan with the radio host) at the Downing Centre Court on Friday Wippa, above with his wife Lisa, has co-hosted 'Fitzy and Wippa' on Nova since 2011 and recently featured on the Nine Network's Celebrity Apprentice program In late June 2021, Ms Christian allegedly sent a message containing a Domain article which described details of Wippa's $6.5million property in Sydney's east. She allegedly asked if she could send 'monkey dolls' directly to his home, rather than to Nova's offices, court documents relating to the now withdrawn AVO said. On July 1, 2021, Wippa opened a parcel at home and found dolls wrapped in bubble wrap with a pink note stuck to them, and reported it to police. The AVO documents said Wippa feared 'the defendant may show up at his address ... and is concerned about the defendant's behaviour escalating and is concerned about what she may do next.' Police claimed at a previous point she had turned up outside Nova headquarters. The super-fan shared online images of plasticine dolls she makes on social media, and Wippa told police he had opened a parcel at home with dolls wrapped in bubble wrap Police withdrew an AVO against superfan of Nova star'Wippa' Wipfli, Lisa Christian (above) in the Downing Centre Local Court on Friday The super-fan Lisa Christian (pictured above with the Nova star) was running a website dedicated to Wippa, named 'All My Love' 'I'm stunned, blocked all of Nova and blotting him out of my life if I can,' she said. 'I don't need lies and made up baloney'. Ms Christian said she thought Wippa was perfect, 'now I see he has flaws and insecurities.' Wipfli has starred on Nine's The Celebrity Apprentice, where he raised $184,500 for the charity, the Cooper-Rice Brading Foundation. He has co-hosted the network's Fitzy and Wippa show since 2011 and has three children with his wife Lisa Wipfli, nee Robertson. After years of blood, sweat and tears Pip Edwards finally has her own P.E Nation store. And the activewear designer celebrated at the shop's official opening on Thursday evening. The 42-year-old and her P.E Nation co-founder Claire Tregoning looked ecstatic as they greeted guests at The Galeries in George St in Sydney's CBD. Open for business! Ecstatic Pip Edwards showed off her ripped abs in a crop top and a pair of tight flared trousers as she celebrated the opening of her new P.E Nation store in Sydney on Thursday Pip was her own best advertisement for the athleisure brand, showing off her ripped abs in a crop top and tight black flares. She teamed the trousers with a matching black crop jacket and a pair of chunky sneakers with huge colourful laces. The Bondi 'It girl' wore her blonde locks back in a ponytail to show off her youthful complexion. Looking good! Pip was her own best advertisement for the athleisure brand Super chic: She teamed the trousers with a matching black crop jacket and a pair of chunky sneakers with huge colourful laces Pip said she was excited that retail was finally back in business after the Covid lockdowns. 'We see all around us the resurgence of retail,' she told The Daily Telegraph this week. 'Bricks and mortar stores are a way to connect again after all that time when we couldn't, and to really feel those connections. Gorgeous and glowing: The Bondi 'It girl' wore her blonde locks back in a ponytail to show off her youthful complexion Stylish: The interiors of the store feature stone walls and backlit mirrors 'It's not just us, lots of other brands feel the same way, and you can see it in Sydney especially with the huge retail developments that are happening in the city.' Pip and Claire recently showed P.E. Nation at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week. In an in-depth chat with The Sydney Morning Herald last December, Pip spoke about her religious and supernatural views. Inspirational: The mother of one has built an incredible fashion empire for herself with P.E Nation, alongside co-founder Claire Big moment: The 42-year-old and her P.E Nation co-founder Claire Tregoning looked ecstatic as they greeted guests at The Galeries in George St Pip revealed she was born and raised a Catholic and still ticks the religion on the census, but doesn't really 'identify' with the faith anymore. She also said she loves astrology, the practice of forecasting life events through the interpretation of the sun, moon and planets. 'You can take it with a grain of salt, but it adds another layer of colour and richness to what's right in front of us,' she told the publication. 'I am a massive animal card-reader. I have tea ceremonies. I have crystals. I burn sage, palo santo,' she added. Pip went on to say she experiences doubt in her 'emotional life' but not in business, where she has 'strong convictions'. The mother of one has built an incredible fashion empire for herself with P.E Nation, alongside co-founder Claire. Bridgerton's Ruby Barker explained that she is 'taking a little break' after being hospitalised during her 'mental health struggle' in a brave video on Thursday. The actress, 25, who plays Marina Thompson on the show, added that she had been 'struggling since Bridgerton' but is now looking forward to 'continuing with her life.' Taking to Instagram, Ruby addressed her followers in the honest clip as she thanked her fans and family for their support as well as Netflix for 'saving her'. 'I am going to take a bit of a break': Bridgerton's Ruby Barker, 25, has revealed she is in hospital during 'mental health struggle' after being 'really unwell' on Instagram on Thursday She began: 'I am better, I have been really unwell for a really long time. I want to be honest with everyone. I have been struggling. 'I am in hospital at the minute and I am going to be discharged soon and hopefully get to continue with my life. 'I am going to take a little bit of a break for myself and I would encourage others, if you are struggling, do yourself a favour and take a break, stop being so hard on yourself.' Candid: The actress, who plays Marina Thompson on the show, added that she had been 'really unwell' since starring on the series but is now looking forward to 'continuing on with her life' (Pictured on set with co-star Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton) Speaking in the video, she began: 'I am better, I have been really unwell for a really long time. I want to be honest with everyone. I have been struggling' Explaining her feelings she continued: 'I was raged-filled, angry, all this intergenerational trauma bundled up inside me. 'I was carrying the weight of the world on my back and now I am at the point where I have a diagnosis, I am drawing a line in the sand. 'I can't carry on the way that I was, I need to change so that is what I am trying to do. I want to survive and I will survive, I am going to.' Ruby concluded the video as she gave thanks to her friends and family, as well as streaming service, Netflix, for giving her an opportunity and 'saving her.' Brave: She continued: 'I was carrying the weight of the world on my back and now I am at the point where I have a diagnosis, I am drawing a line in the sand' Tough: She captioned the post: 'Mental health week is every week for me. Off my chest. I feel like I've not been completely honest so this is for my followers' She captioned the post: 'Mental health week is every week for me. Off my chest. I feel like I've not been completely honest so this is for my followers. Time to be transparent. 'I've been struggling since Bridgerton, this is the truth. Thank you all for supporting me, your love holds me up. #mentalhealthawareness.' It comes as Ruby said it 'means everything' to have been in the diverse show after thinking she wouldn't get to star in a 'period drama because of her race'. In an exclusive clip shared with MailOnline from the PrettyLittleThing: Behind Closed Doors podcast, Ruby also revealed she's absolutely not watched the racy series with her family, cheekily declaring: 'I don't need to look at Rege's bottom with my dad!' Star: It comes as Ruby said it 'means everything' to have been in the diverse show after thinking she wouldn't get to star in a 'period drama because of her race' Ruby laughed off any suggestion that she watch the series - which contains several racy sex scenes - with her family. When asked if she's watched it back, Ruby said: 'NOO oh god no, I don't watch it with my family I don't need to look at Rege's bottom with my dad! 'I'm perfectly fine watching it on my own, my sisters watched it and my grandad in the states has watch it as well.' Sensation: The actress (pictured in character) also said it 'means everything' to have been in the diverse show after thinking she wouldn't get to star in a 'period drama because of her race' Ruby also explained how the diversity in Bridgerton and getting to play a key role in such a fabulous period drama means alot to her. She said: 'It literally means everything you know I never thought I'd be in a period drama, in a role like Marina. 'I'd seen Belle the film about Dido Elizabeth Belle who was a mixed race aristocrat in the Georgian period of time and I saw that film and was like 'wow it would be so amazing to play that character but it's already been made, I'm probably not gonna be in a period drama simply because of my race''. Lala Kent has revealed how her ex Randall Emmett would allegedly prevent her from leaving their home with daughter Ocean in the immediate aftermath of their split. Kent, 31, split with Emmett on October 15, 2021 after he landed at the center of cheating rumors, but she claims she was unable to move out of their home for another 12 days until he left for a trip to Miami. Lala claimed during an appearance on the SiriusXM show Jeff Lewis Live that Emmett would threaten to call the police should she leave the home with Ocean and not return her. 'He would give me time periods that I could take her': Lala Kent has revealed how her ex Randall Emmett would allegedly prevent her from leaving their home with daughter Ocean in the immediate aftermath of their split She also alleged he allowed her to leave with Ocean only during specific time frames. 'He wasn't letting me leave the house with Ocean during those 12 days,' she said. 'He would threaten to call the police on me if I didn't return her, and he would give me time periods that I could take her,' she claimed. Jeff asked if Randall was behaving this way because he sensed Lala was going to leave. 'I don't think he knew I was leaving. I think he needed to regain control of me,' she responded. Kent, 31, claimed Randall prevented her from leaving their home after she split from him on October 15, 2021 following the emergence of cheating rumors 'I'm like, shaking just thinking about that time period,' she added. 'It was horrific.' Once Randall boarded a plane for Miami, however, Lala used that chance to leave. She said it took her four hours to pack and she relocated to an Airbnb where she spent 'a little less than a month' at. 'We did it quick,' she said. 'I was worried that he was having me watched, which he did send people to watch me. Luckily, they didn't watch me move out.' Speaking up: Kent got candid during an appearance on 'So I packed myself probably in four hours. I took my clothes,' she added. 'I went to an Airbnb that I had rented, it was one that I could eat quickly, and one that was nice enough that I would enjoy staying there but not break the bank. And then I stayed there for a little less than a month,' she said. Once Randall learned they had moved out, Lala claims she received numerous text messages from him. She also discussed the seeing the photograph of Randall allegedly cheating on her in Nashville. The picture showed Randall walking across the street with two other women. 'My intuition was just, you couldn't ignore it. I immediately was sick to my stomach. Something's wrong, this person is not who you think he is,' she said of seeing the picture. Leaving him: 'So I packed myself probably in four hours. I took my clothes,' Lala said as she detailed her departure from the home Asked if Randall was dating one of the women, she replied: 'One of the girls in the photo he had met in March at a nightclub in Miami. He was attracted to her friend, but her friend was not into him so he went to her. 'That's when they started their relationship. They traveled together,' she said, adding she knew 'everything' after guest Josh Flagg asked how she knew the information. 'She was like his main girl, but there were many women,' Lala added. Earlier this month, Lala hilariously recreated the photo of Randall allegedly cheating on her in Nashville. Subtle shade: Seven months after an image of the 51-year-old producer walking with two women outside at a hotel emerged, the reality star, 31, shared an image of herself crossing the same street in Music City Lala Kent left fans stunned with her latest Instagram post, a recreation of a photograph of her ex-fiance Randall Emmett allegedly cheating on her in Nashville. The reality star shared an image of herself crossing a similar street that he did in Music City on Wednesday. While she did not say anything about the picture, her 1.7 million Instagram followers called the move 'savage' and said they were 'dead over' the snap. While she did not say anything about the picture, her 1.7 million Instagram followers called the move 'savage' and said they were 'dead over' the snap; Randall Emmett pictured in In October, fans were shocked when PageSix claimed the mother-of-one had broken off her engagement of three years with Emmett. The site added that he had cheated on the reality TV star when he was working on Nashville, Tennessee. 'Randall always lives a double life,' a source told the site. 'He lives the life of a husband or boyfriend, and then he lives the life of a serial partier and then goes on a bender.' Split: In October, fans were shocked when PageSix claimed the mother-of-one had broken off her engagement of three years with Emmett; seen in 2019 Following the cheating allegations, Kent cleaned her social media pages of her ex and liked a post that accused him of cheating on her. She even took to Instagram to share a video of herself moving into the Beverly Hills Hotel while Beyonce's Sorry played. Their split came just seven months after they welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Ocean. Kent and Emmett initially met in 2015, and they began a relationship not long after they made each other's acquaintance. Prior to becoming involved with the actress, the producer was married to his first wife, Ambyr Childers, with whom he shared two children. The two initially separated in 2015, and although they reconciled, they went on to formally dissolve their union in 2017. The wedding that won't happen: In October, she also showed photos of the wedding dress she was supposed to wear for her 2020 wedding to Randall if the ceremony had not been delayed by the pandemic Emmett and Kent went public with their relationship in 2018, and the Midnight in the Switchgrass director popped the question that same year. The pair initially planned to have their wedding ceremony in April of 2020, although they postponed their plans in response to the ongoing state of the global pandemic. The two later rescheduled their nuptials and went on to announced that they were expecting to bring a child into their lives last September. Sad: Their split came just seven months after they welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Ocean Kent eventually shared a picture of Ocean to her Instagram account for the first time not long after she gave birth in March. Weeks before their parting, she said she was 'ready to go' with regard to having a second baby with Randall. The television personality even spoke with People during Travel & Give's fourth annual fundraiser in West Hollywood about her desire to expand her family. Two of a kind: Kent and Emmett initially met in 2015 and began a relationship not long after they met During the event, Kent noted that the 'second' her daughter turned one, she and Emmett would be 'back at it with the calendar that shows ovulation.' Kent also noted to the outlet that she may be 'oversharing' but 'that's how it goes.' And in October she also showed photos of the wedding dress she was supposed to wear for her 2020 wedding to Randall if the ceremony had not been delayed by the pandemic. Milestones: The pair went public with their relationship in 2018, and the producer popped the big question that same year Lala said she was inspired to post some photos of the gown after a 'beautiful conversation' with her stylist. 'I wanted to share my wedding dress that I was going to wear on April 18th 2020,' the star captioned her slideshow. 'This dress was custom designed by [Alexandra Renee Scott].' When asked if she was still going to be wearing it on her special day by a fan in her comment section, Kent replied she and her designer are 'going to start from scratch.' She usually makes an impeccable appearance on the red carpet. But Penny Lancaster suffered suffered an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction on Thursday as she attended the opening night of the ABBA Voyage concert residency in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford. The model, 51, accidentally flashed her black underwear beneath her leopard print mini dress as a strong gust of wind whipped up her outfit. Oh dear! Penny Lancaster suffered suffered an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction on Thursday as she attended the opening night of the ABBA Voyage concert residency in London' Penny had rocked up to the event looking as glam as ever in the thigh-skimming animal print number which she teamed with sexy black boots. She added a black belt and a thin black scarf to her stylish look, finishing things off with a smattering of gold jewellery. However, Penny, who sported perfectly blow-dried blonde locks, showed off more than she intended as a strong breeze blew up her skirt. Nothing to see here: Penny clung onto her thigh-skimming dress following the wind incident which accidentally exposed her underwear The Loose Women star was seen clutching onto the hem of her dress as she tried to protect her modesty at the event. Ever the professional, she kept a broad smile on her face and happily chatted to other attendees amid her mishap. Elsewhere, ABBA were seen all together in public for the first time in 36 years as they prepared to watch their digital avatars take to the stage. Benny Andersson, 75, Agnetha Faltskog, 72, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, 76, and Bjorn Ulvaeus, 77, pulled out all the stops as they posed on the red carpet at the glitzy launch event. Careful: The Loose Women star was seen clutching onto the hem of her dress as she tried to protect her modesty at the event Mind how you go! Penny was caught out by the windy weather as she rocked up to the opening night of ABBA's Voyage concerts Fans were unsurprisingly delighted as the foursome reunited once more, with legions of hardcore followers seen eagerly waiting outside to catch a glimpse of their idols before heading inside to enjoy the highly-anticipated show. In anticipation of their first show, earlier this month, ABBA released images of their digital selves that will perform. The holograms have been created following weeks and months of motion-capture and performance techniques, with the avatars depicting the pop group as they appeared in 1979. Still fabulous! Penny quickly brushed off her wardrobe malfunction as she happily waved to fans in the crowd Chit chat: The blonde beauty was seen delightedly chatting to a gentleman after walking the red carpet In the shots the pop pioneers resemble their much younger shelves and are dressed in 1970s silver sequinned ensembles. An 850-strong team from Industrial Light & Magic, the company founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas, led the companys first foray into music. The pop pioneers originally split up in 1982, but reformed earlier this year to record ninth studio album Voyage and unveil plans for an immersive digital stage show. Work it! Penny had earlier expertly walked the red carpet in her racy leopard print mini dress Flaunt: The Loose Women star rocked a black and leopard print ensemble for her night out But band members Benny and Bjorn insist the reunion is a one-off, with the band unlikely to record more music following the release of first latest album Voyage, after 39 years in November. The group became household names after winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with hit single Waterloo. They went on to release tracks including Mama Mia!, Dancing Queen, Take a Chance On Me and Thank You For The Music before walking away from the music industry. Big event: Benny Andersson, 75, Agnetha Faltskog, 72, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, 76, and Bjorn Ulvaeus, 77, pulled out all the stops as they posed on the red carpet The foursome previously said they would never reform despite their huge worldwide popularity, and reaching more than 400 million album sales over 50 years. The Waterloo group went their separate ways at the height of their career, and during their final years Bjorn divorced bandmate Agnetha whilst Benny and Frida split up, too. They performed together for the first time in decades in 2016 at a private event, which marked the 50th anniversary of the first meeting between songwriters Bjorn and Benny. Jill and Derick Dillard have spoken out after her brother Josh Duggar was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison in connection with his conviction for receiving child pornography. Derick, 33, and Jill, 31, issued a statement on their blog Thursday in which they cited the Bible in reaction to Duggar's prison sentence. 'The Bible clearly states that God effects justice and vengeance through the governing authorities,' the couple said. 'Though some believe Josh should have received a greater sentence and still fewer believe he should have received a lighter sentence, God has carried out his vengeance today for his unspeakable criminal activity.' The latest: Jill Dillard, 31, and Derick Dillard, 33, have spoken out after her brother Josh Duggar, 34, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison in connection with his conviction for receiving child pornography. The pair was snapped in December in Arkansas Duggar, 34, was found guilty in the Western District of Arkansas Federal Court in Fayetteville, Arkansas in connection with possessing and receiving child pornography last December; U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks dismissed the possession conviction citing federal law that folded the offense into the receiving offense. Jill and Derick Dillard said Thursday that 'until now, [Josh] has yet to be held accountable to the extent necessary to cause change in his dangerous pattern of behavior,' and that 'it seems that it may take spending over a decade in federal prison, and still more on probation, for Josh to have any potential for rehabilitation to the point he can safely live in society again.' 'Hopefully, Josh can actually begin to get treatment and begin to work toward a lifestyle where he is less likely to reoffend. If for nothing else, the notoriety of this case has hopefully contributed to the deterrence of potential offenders and will help protect children by decreasing the demand for' child pornography. The couple said that the 'last several weeks and months have been difficult emotionally,' and Wednesday's hearing marked 'another one of those hard days.' Duggar was found guilty in the Western District of Arkansas Federal Court in Fayetteville, Arkansas in connection with possessing and receiving child pornography last December Jill and Derick said of Josh's sentence that 'God has carried out his vengeance today for his unspeakable criminal activity' 'We are neither rejoicing nor disappointed by the sentence, but we are thankful its finally over,' they said. The couple ended their statement in saying that they 'continue to love Josh and his family and will be there for them however we can.' Prosecutors in the case had requested Duggar serve the maximum 20-year sentence, citing his 'deep-seated, pervasive and violent sexual interest in children,' the AP reported. U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes said Wednesday, 'While this is not the sentence we asked for, this is a lengthy sentence,' according to the AP. Duggar was initially arrested in April of 2021 after investigators in Little Rock, Arkansas traced child pornography files to a car dealership Duggar had worked at. Authorities in the case said that pictures on Duggar's computer, downloaded in 2019, included graphic images of sexual abuse of children and toddlers. Duggar past made headlines in 2015 when the family's TLC show 19 Kids and Counting was canceled amid accusations he had molested four sisters and a babysitter years before. Duggar was probed over the allegations in 2006 based on a tip from a family friend but he was not charged based on the statute of limitations expiring. 'Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret,' Josh told People in May of 2015. 'I hurt others, including my family and close friends. I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. 'We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.' Josh was seen leaving a courthouse during his trial late last year Josh's parents Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar said that he had admitted to fondling and said he was sorry. In 2015, Josh resigned from his position with the Family Research Council after the past allegations had gone public. Later that year, he had publicly said sorry for being unfaithful to wife Anna Duggar and said he was seeking help for an addiction to pornography. Prosecutors in the recent case said that Duggar's past conduct illustrated 'an alarming window into the extent of his sexual interest in children,' and that 'when viewed alongside the conduct for which he has been convicted, makes clear that Duggar has a deep-seated, pervasive, and violent sexual interest in children, and a willingness to act on that interest.' Prosecutors cited expert testimony that Duggar's computer had been altered for porn-related searches to be undetectable to software his wife had installed to oversee his online activity. 'There is simply no indication that Duggar will ever take the steps necessary to change this pattern of behavior and address his predilection for minor females,' prosecutors said. Ahead of sentencing, Josh's wife Anna Duggar called him a 'loving, supportive and caring father' in her letter to the judge, while his mother Michelle said the court should show leniency due to his 'tender heart' and 'compassionate toward others.' Duggar's cousin Amy (Duggar) King told People Wednesday that she was 'furious at the family that looked the other way and still today, refuse to hold him accountable,' adding that the maximum 20-year sentence 'could never come close to justice for the children harmed.' She added: 'I don't think anyone would make the mistake of assuming I support my cousin ... my heart hurts for his children during this time.' Katie Holmes looked very much in love as she made her red carpet debut with boyfriend Bobby Wooten III at The Moth Ball 25th Anniversary Gala at Spring Studios in New York City on Thursday. The Batman Begins actress, 43, looked elegant in an ankle-length peach-toned pleated high-neck gown, which she paired with toe-ring black heels and a chic art deco purse, while her beau, 33, was dapper in a forest green suit and black shirt. Other stars at the event included the evening's honoree, former Talking Heads leader David Byrne, 70, actress Molly Ringwald, 54, Real Housewives of New York City star Carole Radziwill, 58, and writer Mala Gaonkar, 52. Red carpet debut: Katie Holmes looked very much in love as she made her red carpet debut with boyfriend Bobby Wooten III at T he Moth Ball 25th Anniversary Gala at Spring Studios in New York City on Thursday Holmes wore her long brunette tresses pulled back for the night, and accessorized her stylish look with a pair of gold earrings. The beauty wore minimal makeup for the occasion, letting her natural features shine through, with just a touch of black eyeliner and pink lipstick. The couple made their relationship public last month, as they kissed and strolled hand-in-hand through Central Park in New York City. Stylish pair: The actress, 43, looked elegant in an ankle-length peach-toned pleated high-neck gown, which she paired with toe-ring black heels and a chic art deco purse, while her beau, 33, was dapper in a forest green suit and black shirt All smiles: Bobby and Katie flashed their bright smiles while sitting together at the gala The look: Katie and Bobby beamed while gazing at each other Cute couple: The cute couple embraced as they posed together at the gala Public: The couple made their relationship public last month, as they kissed and strolled hand-in-hand through Central Park in New York City It is the first relationship for the Batman Begins actress since she split with chef Emilio Vitolo Jr., 33, who she broke up with in May last year. A source close to Katie previously told E! News that Katie and Bobby met through friends, adding that their relationship is 'working well.' 'Katie is excited about seeing someone and is very happy," the insider explained. "She enjoys having someone in her life and he is very kind and good to her.' Sidewalk stroll: Katie was spotted earlier on Thursday shopping in the SoHo area Casual style: The actress kept it casual while walking in the city Bobby is a self-taught composer, producer and an instrumentalist. The couple have much in common, both hailing from the Midwest and performing on Broadway. Bobby was in American Utopia, while Katie made her Broadway debut in the 2008 revival of Arthur Millers All My Sons and acted in Dead Accounts in 2012 after her divorce from Cruise. Plugged in: Katie had headphones on as she walked around in a boyfriend shirt and frayed black denim shorts Stunner: Also at the event was The Breakfast Club star Molly Ringwald, 54, who looked incredible in a silver sequin dress with a white fur jacket over her shoulders Meanwhile Ringwald looked incredible at the event, wearing a silver sequin dress with a white fur jacket over her shoulders. The Breakfast Club star paired the look with open-toe chunky silver heels, and wore her short auburn tresses in light curls. The spring gala, which is a fundraising event for the non-profit group dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling, honored Byrne with the 2022 Moth Storyteller of the Year Award. 'Every year at our spring gala, we honor extraordinary individuals whom we admire for being passionate and bold in their work, and for that reason, there is no better recipient for this years award than David Byrne,' a press release for the event read. 'Unique, beautiful, tenacious and creative storytelling has been the hallmark of his career from his groundbreaking and brilliant work with Talking Heads to his Broadway tour-de-force American Utopia. There couldnt be a more fitting storyteller to celebrate at our Silver Anniversary gala!' The Scottish-American songwriter, record producer, actor, and writer wore a trendy pink shirt and a black suit to the event. He finalized his look with a pair of well-worn white shoes. Honoree: The spring gala, which is a fundraising event for the non-profit group dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling, honored David Byrne, 70, with the 2022 Moth Storyteller of the Year Award Dynamic duo: The talented artist was also pictured mingling with his business partner and writer Mala Gaonkar, 52, who looked chic in a blue floral dress The talented artist was also pictured mingling with his business partner Mala Gaonkar, who looked chic in a blue floral dress. The duo are set to premiere their innovative theater production, Theater of the Mind, at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Colorado, starting August 31 and running through December 18, 2022. Radziwill stunned at the event in a floor-length figure-hugging shimmery gold dress, with a chic cut-out above the chest. The reality TV beauty accessorized the look with two matching silver bracelets on her wrists. In terms of glam, the star sported bronze eyeshadow and pink lipstick on her pout. Golden girl: Real Housewives of New York City star Carole Radziwill, 58, stunned in a floor-length figure-hugging shimmery gold dress, with a chic cut-out above the chest The American journalist - who was married to the late Polish Prince Anthony Stanisaw Albert Radziwi from 1994 until his passing in 1999 - wore her brunette tresses parted on the side and gently flowing down her shoulders. Also at the event was The Moth's Executive Producer Sarah Austin Jenness, who looked incredible in a plunging black lace gown that showed off her ample cleavage. Jenness paired the look with a unique large feather head crown atop her chocolate tresses, which were curled for the occasion. Guests at the event were treated to 'a cocktail party on a gorgeous NYC roof deck, an elegant seated dinner with fabulous views of the New York skyline at sunset' as well as a 'riveting and rollicking storytelling show.' Lovely: Also at the event was The Moth's Executive Producer Sarah Austin Jenness, who looked incredible in a plunging black lace gown that showed off her ample cleavage Group photo: Darren Aronofsky, Bobby, Katie and David Byrne teamed up for a group photo Irina Shayk put a high fashion spin on business casual when she was spotted stepping out in New York this week. The Russian model, who shares her five-year-old daughter Lea De Seine with Bradley Cooper, could be seen swinging a maroon Hermes Birkin bag. Her purse added a touch of upscale flair to her look, which included a flowing white blouse she left untucked over a pair of charcoal slacks. Mover and shaker: Irina Shayk put a high fashion spin on business casual when she was spotted stepping out in New York this week Irina, 36, swept her dark hair tightly back into a bun and accentuated her screen siren features with makeup including a dark nude lip. Warding off the rays with a large pair of dark sunglasses, she rounded off her ensemble with gleaming black leather loafers. Irina's dating history includes Cristiano Ronaldo and last year she was briefly linked to Kanye West in the wake of his split from Kim Kardashian. Only the best: The Russian model, who shares her five-year-old daughter Lea De Seine with Bradley Cooper, could be seen swinging a maroon Hermes Birkin bag She and Bradley are such close co-parents that they have made sure to live just blocks apart in Greenwich Village in order to raise their daughter. 'Hes a full-on, hands-on dad - no nanny,' Irina told Highsnobiety last year. 'Lea went on holiday with him for almost two weeks - I didnt call them once.' The mother of one added: 'Me and her father are very strict. When she finishes eating, she gets up from the table, takes her plate, says "thank you." Without "please" or "thank you" shes not getting anything.' First Monday in May: Earlier this month she and Bradley both attended the star-studded Met Gala, but were never captured on camera mingling with one another there Earlier this month she and Bradley both attended the star-studded Met Gala, but were never captured on camera mingling with one another there. Irina made a splash at the fete in a head-to-toe black leather suit, complete with a tie and a pair of gloves, in an outfit Vogue reported was Burberry. The ensemble radiated a biker chic quality that was at stark odds with the event's Gilded Glamour theme, which was meant to be a nod to America's Gilded Age. Carrie Bickmore has confessed to a parenting fail after botching a simple cooking task for her daughter Evie's new school. Carrie, 41, who is currently living in the UK after taking a sabbatical from Channel 10's The Project, was asked to bring an Australian dish to International Food Fair day. Selecting to make a pavlova, Carrie quickly realised she had none of the key ingredients and instead turned up at the school with shop-bought meringues - which is not an Australian dish. Parenting Fail: Carrie Bickmore has confessed to a parenting fail after botching a simple cooking task for her daughter Evie's new school. Carrie, who is currently living in the UK after taking a sabbatical from Channel 10's The Project, was asked to bring an Australian dish to International Food Fair day Oops: Carrie, 41, who is currently living in the UK after taking a sabbatical from Channel 10's The Project, confessed to the parenting blunder on her Instagram Adding insult to injury, there were no Australian flags on hand. So a New Zealand flag was proudly flown over her tray of meringues, a dish originating in Switzerland. She also admitted to spelling 'cornflour' incorrectly on the ingredients list, instead writing 'cornflower'. Carrie shared the sorry saga to her Instagram. Full disclosure: She gave a blow-by-blow account of how the International Food Fair catastrophe went down The TV star said she was later told that fairy bread - white bread sprinkled with candy used in cake toppings - could have served as an Australian dish. Meanwhile, Carrie said that despite not being an Australian dish, the meringues were a hit. A few of her 760,000 followers threw in their support behind the TV star. 'Pretty sure that's a parenting win,' wrote one fan. 'You went rogue and they loved it, who wouldn't to be fair?' Carrie moved to the UK in April with husband Chris Walker, and children, Oliver, Evie and Adelaide. Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain were seen dressed as 1960s suburban housewives on the set of Mother's Instinct in Union County, New Jersey. On Wednesday, the Oscar-winning actresses, who play best friends and neighbors Alice (Chastain) and Celine (Hathaway), appeared to be enjoying their first day of shooting the highly-anticipated psychological thriller. In one scene, the Locked Down star, 39, could be seen leaving her home in a blue dress and matching heels to drop off her onscreen sons to school. Glamorous: Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain were seen dressed as 1960s suburban housewives on the set of Mother's Instinct in Union County, New Jersey Her brunettes tresses were perfectly coiffed and she also sported a pair of elegant white gloves and matching sunglasses. Apart from a bright red lipstick, Hathaway sported an otherwise natural makeup look, consisting of foundation, blush and bronzer. Meanwhile, Chastain wore a sleeveless, knee-length mint green dress, pearl earrings, a white purse and heels. In character: For the film, she swapped her signature red tresses for a blonde wig, which was styled in a sophisticated updo Warm greeting: Upon seeing her famous pal, the Molly's Game star shot Hathaway a friendly wave Perfect housewife: In one scene, the Locked Down star, 39, could be seen leaving her home in a blue dress and matching heels to drop off her onscreen sons to school For the film, she swapped her signature red tresses for a blonde wig, which was styled in a sophisticated updo. Upon seeing her famous friend, the Molly's Game star shot Hathaway a friendly wave. Later on set, Hathaway got behind the wheel of a vintage brown vehicle with two child actors, who wore matching blue blazers. Doting onscreen mom: Later on set, Hathaway got behind the wheel of a vintage brown vehicle with two child actors, who wore matching blue blazers And they're off! The little boys both, who appeared to be wearing school uniforms, carried birdhouses with them and light brown leather book bags On route: Hathaway guided them both into the car during the scene while holding a red umbrella over her head The little boys both, who appeared to be wearing school uniforms, carried birdhouses with them and light brown leather book bags. Hathaway guided them both into the car during the scene while holding a red umbrella over her head. This project marks the first time Hathaway and Chastain will both be in the same film since they starred in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar back in 2014. Hot wheels: Hathaway looked confident behind the wheel after ushering her onscreen children into the vintage car Back on screen together: This project marks the first time Hathaway and Chastain will both be in the same film since they starred in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar back in 2014 Another era: The film is adapted from the 2012 novel Derriere le Haine (Behind the Hatred) by Barbara Abel, with the story set in the 1960s Yikes: However, both of their lives are turned upside down by tragedy as their sisterly bond fades and gives way to a psychological war of wits A reimagining: Masset-Depasse will direct from a script by Sarah Conradt (50 States of Fright), adapted from the Abel novel The film is adapted from the 2012 novel Derriere le Haine (Behind the Hatred) by Barbara Abel, with the story set in the 1960s. The story centers on Alice (Chastain) and Celine (Hathaway), who both live a traditional, idyllic lifestyle, each with successful husbands and sons the same age. However, both of their lives are turned upside down by tragedy as their sisterly bond fades and gives way to a psychological war of wits. Behind-the-scenes: Chastain will also produce through her Freckle Films company (The 355) with her partner Kelly Carmichael, alongside Paul Nelson at Mosaic and Jacques-Henri Bronckart Fully supported: European financier Anton will fully finance and produce the film. Masset-Depasse will direct from a script by Sarah Conradt (50 States of Fright), adapted from the Abel novel. Chastain will also produce through her Freckle Films company (The 355) with her partner Kelly Carmichael, alongside Paul Nelson at Mosaic and Jacques-Henri Bronckart. European financier Anton will fully finance and produce the film. 'It takes actors of Jessica and Annes caliber to communicate the intricacy of these two roles,' said director Masset-Depasse in a statement; the actresses pictured in 2015 'It takes actors of Jessica and Annes caliber to communicate the intricacy of these two roles,' said director Masset-Depasse in a statement. 'The relationship between a mother and child is the most powerful connection between two human beings,' the director added. 'When this bond is severed, it calls into question conventional morality and even sanity. In the behind-closed-doors atmosphere of 1960s America, Mothers Instinct becomes a terrifying, high-pressure powder keg,' the director concluded. Vijayawada: Political heat peaked in the scorching summer in AP with the high-pitched programmes of the ruling YSRC and main opposition Telugu Desam attracting the masses. TD chief Chandrababu Naidu gave the Reject Jagan, Save AP call from the Mahanadu meeting of his party to the people, saying the people should get rid of the Jagan Mohan Reddy government in order to safeguard the interests of the state. Countering it, Vijayasai Reddy and other YSRC leaders gave a Kick Babu, Save AP slogan stating that Naidu, a non-resident of AP living in Hyderabad should be permanently kicked out to protect this state from dirty and anti-public politics. The TD Mahanadu was held in online mode due to the Corona crisis for the past two years. Hence Naidu planned the Mahanadu in a grander manner this time to rejuvenate the party cadres and highlight the Jagan Mohan Reddy governments failures, virtually sounding the bugle for the 2024 Assembly and Parliament elections. The ruling YSRC has started the Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam mass contact programme while Naidu embarked on the Badude Badudu protests and public meetings. The YSRC giving priority to BCs drew a new political strategy in the name of the Samajika Nyaya Bheri Bus Yatra for four days to highlight the Jagan Mohan Reddy governments welfare and development programmes for the SC, ST, BC and minority communities. Analysts say BCs form 50 per cent of the population in AP and they were generally supporters of the TD as the party founder NTR had given top priority to BCs in TD and later this was continued by Naidu. For the past 10 years, Jagan Mohan Reddy reached out to the BCs and got their support during his Padayatra. This had helped him win the 2019 Assembly polls with a landslide majority. Now, Naidu is trying to get back the support of the BCs and aims to give top priority to BCs in the ticket distribution process for the next Assembly polls. Analysts say Jagan Mohan Reddy gave top priority to BCs in the Cabinet, government and nominated posts. Further, many BCs won elections from general seats on YSRC tickets due to the peoples preference for Jagan. The YSRC started the Bus Yatra with 17 ministers, explaining to the people the good work the present government did for the BCs. The Yatra is also highlighting the fact that several BC leaders got various posts in the Jagan-led dispensation. Analysts say the YSRC is having the upper hand in the present political campaigns. It is conducting four days of Bus Yatra from May 26 against the two-day Mahanadu on May 27 and 28. It is also noted that the Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT) scheme to all on a saturation basis, providing the benefits of welfare schemes to even the supporters of the opposition parties, is also going to yield good results for the ruling party. Minister for education Botsa Satyanarayana said that Bus Yatra was aimed at making the people aware of the Jagan government welfare schemes and development activities and the YSRCs commitment to the causes of the SC, ST, BC and minority segments of the society. The Bus Yatra was hoped to get a good response and a public meeting would be held at Narasaraopet on Saturday. Sniper Elite 5 (PlayStation, Xbox, PC, 54.99) Rating: Verdict: Elite? Almost Down a bit. Slightly to the left. Thats right. Hold it steady steady and BANG! This week, Ive mostly been playing Sniper Elite 5, which means a lot of time spent gazing through a scope at the Third Reich before pulling the trigger. Its a strangely relaxing experience; lying in the grass, spying on Nazi patrols, waiting for the moment to strike. Relaxing, that is, until the final moment of violence. Thats when the seriess notorious x-ray kill cam kicks in, and you see the bullet fly from your rifle in slow motion before connecting with some unfortunate troopers noggin, which suddenly gains all the detail of an anatomical model. This week, Ive mostly been playing Sniper Elite 5, which means a lot of time spent gazing through a scope at the Third Reich before pulling the trigger Thankfully, for those with delicate stomachs, the whole effect can be turned off. And when it is, Sniper Elite 5 might be the closest that gaming gets to the Sunday afternoon experience of watching a war movie like Where Eagles Dare. Across its eight single-player missions, which take you from beachhead to village to chateau in 1944 France, there is plenty of intel to be collected and war machinery to be exploded. The way you go about things is largely up to you. You can be sneaky, or you can just start chucking grenades around. Were not talking Hitman levels of flexibility and inventiveness, but this is no straightforward Call of Duty either. Sniper Elite 5 might be the closest that gaming gets to the Sunday afternoon experience of watching a war movie like Where Eagles Dare All of which will sound very familiar to those who have played Sniper Elites 1 through 4 and thats the problem. This latest instalment is bigger, bolder, but fundamentally more of the same. Still, there is a new mode in which you can have your game invaded by or invade others game as a Nazi sniper. So excuse me as I change uniforms, affect a sneer, and lie in the grass once again. Sniper Elite: The Board Game (50 for main game, 30 for expansions) Rating: Verdict: Hide and seek (then shoot) In an impressive feat of military planning and execution, the Sniper Elite board game arrived at my door just hours after the video game downloaded to my PC. I helped back the project on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter, but Im assured that it will be available through normal channels i.e. shops this summer. Naturally, this cardboard-and-plastic experience is different from the digital one. Theres no zooming in on enemies from leagues away and subjecting them to the judgment of your crosshairs. But, when it comes to the overall mood and feeling, the similarities are remarkable. Youre still tiptoeing around Nazi bases, avoiding patrols, and causing trouble. Youll still imagine yourself as Clint Eastwood in Where Eagles Dare. Unless, of course, youre playing as the Germans. One player of Sniper Elite: The Board Game takes the role of the hero sniper who has to complete a couple of mission goals without being discovered. Up to three others fill in as the Nazis who are trying to do the discovering. Theres also a solo mode, so a single person can do it all. The trick is that this is a hidden movement game. The sniper performs all of his moves and actions on an entirely separate board, although if he makes too much noise, then his position is revealed on the main board too. This kind of mechanic isnt new but rarely has it been put to better, more thematic use. After several hours of play, I did feel as though Id exhausted the possibilities of the two maps included in the main box, but that is what the expansion sets are for. Right now, theres one that takes the action to the Eagles Nest itself, weekend retreat for Hitler and other Nazi high-ups. Just let me at em. Jordan Barrett was the toast of the amfAR Cannes Gala on Thursday night. The Aussie supermodel was spotted mingling with several female models and guests, including Victoria's Secret stunner Stella Maxwell, Fast And The Furious actress Michelle Rodriguez and Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath. He also starred in a catwalk show at the event, and looked in high spirits as he sipped on champagne while strutting his stuff down the runaway. Toast of the town! Jordan Barrett sipped champagne as he strutted down the catwalk shirtless during amfAR Cannes Gala on Thursday evening The 25-year-old was shirtless under a silver blazer paired with matching trousers. His rippling torso was also adorned with silver glitter and he wore a pair of black designer shoes. Earlier in the day, he wore a black shirt and black unbuttoned shirt which featured sheer panel detailing. Metallic: The 25-year-old was shirtless under a silver blazer paired with matching trousers Sparkly: His rippling torso was also adorned with silver glitter and he wore a pair of black designer shoes He spent time at his dinner table with his best girlfriend Stella Maxwell, a former Victoria's Secret Angel. amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research returned to the Cannes International Film for the 28th edition of amfAR Gala Cannes. The event which takes place Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc featured live performances by Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin and Charli XCX, with legendary actor, director and producer Robert De Niro serving as the evening's honored guest. Longtime amfAR supporter Carine Roitfeld curated the annual fashion show, which will include looks from the world's top designers. The exclusive black-tie event included cocktails, dinner and an exciting live auction led by renowned auctioneer Simon de Pury. The auction, sponsored by FTX, will include all show looks, along with a collection of contemporary artworks and one-of-a-kind luxury items and experiences. The theme of this year's fashion show will be Let's Get Married and it will include looks by Oscar de la Renta, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Louis Vuitton Men, Givenchy, Gucci, Chanel, Saint Laurent, and De Fursac. Pals: He spent time at his dinner table with his best girlfriend Stella Maxwell, a former Victoria's Secret Angel Man about town: He also posed up with Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath Balenciaga, Fendi, Tom Ford, Jacquemus, Valentino, Giambattista Valli, Armani, Alaia, Burberry, Versace, Alled Martinez, Monot, Nensi Dojaka, and Dior, among many others were also showcasing their looks. Chairs of this 28th edition of amfAR Gala Cannes will include Baz Luhrmann, Carine Roitfeld, Caroline Scheufele, Cynthia Erivo, Ever Gabo Anderson, Kate Hudson, LaKeith Stanfield and Laura Linney. Other chairs include Lauren Remington Platt, Michelle Williams, Milla Jovovich, Mohammed Al-Turki, Sam Bankman-Fried, Vanessa Hudgens, amfAR Board Co-Chairs T. Ryan Greenawalt and Kevin McClatchy, and amfAR Trustee Vin Roberti. Fashion royalty: Jordan poses with former Vogue Paris Editor Carine Roitfeld, Romy Nicole Konjic and Julia Restoin Roitfeld The official beauty partner of the fashion show is Charlotte Tilbury which provided skincare and make-up products for the event as well as professional make-up artists. amfAR is one of the world's leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and advocacy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested nearly $617 million in its programs and has awarded more than 3,500 grants to research teams worldwide. amfAR Gala Cannes has raised a cumulative total of more than $245 million for amfAR's lifesaving AIDS research. Lachlan Murdoch has been flying back and forth between Australia and the U.S. in recent months as he manages his family's media empire. And the 50-year-old billionaire jetted into Sydney on Thursday via private jet with his entourage, including a woman believed to be a personal assistant. The son of media magnate Rupert Murdoch was seen disembarking his $90million plane before making his way through the airport terminal. High flyer: Billionaire media tycoon Lachlan Murdoch jetted into Sydney on Thursday Lachlan, who is married to model and actress Sarah Murdoch, 49, dressed casually for the flight in baggy grey trousers and a white T-shirt. The Fox Corporation CEO wrapped up warm in a beige coat as he pulled his own luggage through the terminal. He also wore a face mask, which is still required at Australian airports even as Covid restrictions are eased across the world. Back on home soil: The son of media magnate Rupert Murdoch was seen disembarking his $90million plane before making his way through the airport terminal The laid-back billionaire: Lachlan, who is married to model and actress Sarah Murdoch, 49, dressed casually for the flight in baggy grey trousers and a white T-shirt Jet-setter: The businessman has been flying back and forth between Australia and the U.S. in recent months as he manages his family's media empire The News Corp co-chairman last visited Sydney in April when he stopped by after a trip to French Polynesia with his family. Before then, he had visited Australia in February with commentator Piers Morgan. During the Covid pandemic, it looked as though the Murdochs planned to settle Down Under permanently. The team: The 50-year-old jetted into Sydney on Thursday via private jet with his entourage, including a woman believed to be a personal assistant (pictured) Previous visits: The News Corp co-chairman last visited Sydney in April when he stopped by after a trip to French Polynesia with his family. Before then, he had visited Australia in February with commentator Piers Morgan New base: During the Covid pandemic, it looked as though the Murdochs planned to settle in Australia permanently. Lachlan and Sarah are parents to sons Kalan Alexander, 17, and Aidan Patrick, 16, and daughter Aerin Elisabeth, 12 Lachlan and Sarah are parents to sons Kalan Alexander, 17, and Aidan Patrick, 16, and daughter Aerin Elisabeth, 12. In April last year, the Sydney Morning Herald reported the Murdochs could be staying in Australia 'for years, not months, as initially believed'. The couple, who own a home in Bellevue Hill, known as Le Manoir, married in 1999. Channel Seven's David 'Kochie' Koch has shared details about his one-on-one encounters with Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise. According to the Sunrise co-host, who has interviewed the sometimes controversial movie legend many times, Cruise is nothing but a perfect gentlemen. Whether Cruise was in front of the cameras or behind the scenes, Koch said he found the diminutive action man perfectly charming and polite. Nice guy! According to Sunrise co-host David 'Kochie' Koch, Tom Cruise is nothing but a perfect gentlemen. Picture: Cruise, Koch and Sam Armytage on Sunrise in 2017 The 66-year-old breakfast host made the remarks during an interview with Andrew Bucklow on the I've Got News for You podcast. The TV veteran ranked Cruise with Tom Hanks, Julie Andrews, Hugh Jackman, Eric Bana and Keith Urban among his favourite guest star interviews. Cruise made world headlines after announcing on Sunrise during an interview with Koch and then co-host Samantha Armytage that his 1986 hit Top Gun would have a sequel. Four years in the making, Top Gun: Maverick was made at a cost of US $152 million, with Tom repeating his role of Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell from the first film. Koch said Cruise, 59, was always 'incredibly polite' and gave his time to the camera team and everyone else on the set. Calling the actor 'charming', Koch added, 'He is the politest bloke I've ever met.' Koch did not name names, but compared Cruise favourably to other, more demanding, famous guests he has interviewed. Polite and charming: The TV veteran ranked Cruise with Tom Hanks, Julie Andrews, Hugh Jackman, Eric Bana and Keith Urban among his favourite guest star interviews. Picture: Cruise in Japan on the red carpet for Top Gun: Maverick premiere in Japan He said these celebrity's can be a 'pain' because they want to change the seating, 'to get their good side.' Some stars Koch has interviewed can be aloof or snooty, but not Cruise. 'He's always on point.' Koch gushed. 'He's got lots of energy.' Scoop: Cruise made world headlines after announcing on Sunrise during an interview with Koch and then co-host Samantha Armytage that his 1986 hit Top Gun would have a sequel Koch revealed Cruise is very fond of Australia and that the star, famous for doing his own stunts, first learned to fly a helicopter while shooting Mission: Impossible 2 in Sydney in 1999. Cruise has attracted controversy with the press over the decades, mostly due to his combative responses to questions about his relationships and involvement with Scientology. In 2005, Cruise lashed out at Tom Overton during a 60 Minutes interview after the journalist had asked him about co-parenting with Nicole Kidman. Cruise and Kidman were married in 1990 and divorced in 2001 and share two adopted children - Isabella Jane, 30, and Connor Antony, 27. Cruise told Overton the question was 'stepping over the line.' Nina Dobrev cuddled up to her snowboarder boyfriend Shaun White at the 28th amfAR Cannes Gala this week. The 33-year-old actress, who shot to fame on The Vampire Diaries, flashed the flesh as she posed up a storm at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d'Antibes. She slipped her hourglass figure into a clinging scarlet peekaboo dress that enabled her to put her amply endowed cleavage on display. Scroll down for video Hot couple: Nina Dobrev cuddled up to her snowboarder boyfriend Shaun White at the 28th amfAR Cannes Gala this week Her sizzling ensemble was sleeveless on one side, while on the other side it featured a raised shoulder and a long sleeve attached to a glove. Sharpening her unmistakable features with makeup, she lent her ensemble a touch of glitz with an elaborate necklace, plus rings and earrings. Nina accentuated the look with a glittering clutch and posed up a storm on the grounds of the hotel in her skintight frock. Meanwhile her sizzling beau, whom she started dating in 2020 and reportedly went into isolation with during the coronavirus lockdowns, wore a classic tuxedo. Swanking about: The 33-year-old actress, who shot to fame on The Vampire Diaries, flashed the flesh as she posed up a storm at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d'Antibes Looking fab: Sharpening her unmistakable features with makeup, she lent her ensemble a touch of glitz with an elaborate necklace, plus rings and earrings Robert De Niro is the principal honored guest at this year's amfAR Cannes Gala, where Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin and Charli XCX will perform. The gala also features an array of celebrity chairs, including but not limited to Cynthia Erivo, Baz Luhrmann, LaKeith Stanfield, Kate Hudson and Laura Linney. Meanwhile the fashion show was curated by Carine Roitfeld, who became a fashion titan during her years at the helm of Vogue Paris. Simon de Pury was enlisted to a preside over an auction of showpieces by designers ranging from Chanel, Balenciaga and Givenchy to Jacquemus and Nensi Dojaka. Jaw-dropping: Nina accentuated the look with a glittering clutch and posed up a storm on the grounds of the hotel in her skintight frock Over the years it has been thrown, the amfAR Cannes Gala has managed cumulatively to raise over $245 million in aid of AIDS research. The Hotel du Cap has enjoyed a long and storied reputation as a hot spot for the international showbiz A-list during the Cannes Film Festival. Famously, the hotel was also the site of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's torrid affair while they were married to other people, and later of their honeymoon. Kendall Jenner proved she was a good sport on Thursday when she tried to cut up a cucumber again. The 26-year-old Kardashians star was widely mocked on social media earlier this month when she was pictured on the reality series struggling to slice up the green vegetable She had presumably worked on her technique since then, and she seemed ready to go after posting a photo of a sliced cucumber on a confetti-colored cutting board to her Instagram Stories. Take two: Kendall joked that she was going to attempt to cut a cucumber again after she was mercilessly mocked on social media for her poor showing on The Kardashians episode Kendall had a gleaming chef's knife with a black handle lying next to the vegetable, which she had already managed to cut at the ends. 'Here we go again,' she captioned the playful snap. However, she didn't give her 238 million Instagram followers a follow-up glimpse of her technique. Kendall was on the receiving end of some mean, green social media mockery earlier this month, after leaving internet users in stitches with her 'insane attempt' to slice up one on her family's new reality series. Second try: Kendall had a gleaming chef's knife with a black handle lying next to the vegetable, which she had already managed to cut at the ends. 'Here we go again,' she wrote Laughing it up: Kendall was on the receiving end of social media mockery earlier this month, after leaving internet users in stitches with her 'insane attempt' to slice up a cucumber Ironically, Kendall has made just a handful of appearances on the show's premiere season, and after the hilarious backlash to her latest on-camera turn, she may well have wished that she'd kept it that way. In the episode, the model and tequila brand owner is seen visiting her momager Kris' sprawling mansion in Calabasas, near Los Angeles, where she decides that she wants to make herself a snack. Turning down Kris' offer to have the family's professional chef whip something up for her insisting that she's 'making it herself' and that chopping cucumber would be 'easy' Kendall proceeds to try and slice up the fruit, bending her arms around in a very awkward fashion, while her mom looked on in bewilderment. Slice: While checking out the Kardashian-Jenner matriarch's brand new house, she started making herself a snack... revealing that she doesn't know how to slice a cucumber properly Soon after Kendall admitted that she was 'not a good cutter' and that she was 'kind of scared' of the knife, Kris promptly hollered for the chef, asking them to come in and 'cut this up for her'. The hilarious moment has been met with much amusement on social media, where people have been very quick to mock the reality star for her lack of kitchen skills. 'Kendall Jenner not knowing how to cut a cumber and Kris proceeding to call for the chef is hilarious to me,' one fan wrote on Twitter, while another added: 'She probably had to cut her own cucumber 3 times in her life.' Another wrote 'ask Hilaria' in reference to Hilaria Baldwin speaking in a fake Spanish accent and claiming to not know how to pronounce the word cucumber when appearing on national television. Elsewhere, another fan chimed in: 'Why did this scene happen? Kris calling the chef to cut it for her but Kendall is such a big girl! She said she'd cut it. Then Scott comes in and Kris says Kendall is cutting a cucumber! Like she's a 1year old taking her first steps.' 'They have no life skills!' Kendall was savagely mocked online for being unable to cut a cucumber... after momager Kris has to call out for a chef 'Anytime you feel like you're bad at doing something, watch kendall jenner chop a cucumber,' another fan joked. Hilariously, one Twitter user said: 'About an hour ago, I witnessed Kendall Jenner attempt to cut a cucumber on my tv screen. It made me feel a little superior but mostly poor.' 'Watching Kendall Jenner try to cut a cucumber was shocking and yet not surprising they have no life skills,' another fan said. Meme-worthy: Fans set Twitter ablaze after witnessing the cringe-worthy moment on the Hulu show In the episode, Kendall walks up to her mom's new house, with her beloved dog in tow, revealing in confession her, 'secret passion.' 'I feel bad cause I missed my mom's birthday and I didn't get to see her brand new house, which I was really excited about because one of my secret passions in life is interior design and architecture,' Kendall said in confession. 'She killed it, she really did,' Kendall adds,' with Kris telling her she's been working so much and she still doesn't know where everything is. Kitchen: Kendall Jenner might be one of the most sought-after supermodels in the world, though some of the kitchen skills aren't quite up to par, as she revealed in the new episode of The Kardashians Feel bad: 'I feel bad cause I missed my mom's birthday and I didn't get to see her brand new house, which I was really excited about because one of my secret passions in life is interior design and architecture,' Kendall said in confession Killed it: 'She killed it, she really did,' Kendall adds,' with Kris telling her she's been working so much and she still doesn't know where everything is Kendall starts pulling things from the fridge as Kris asks if she wants the chef to make her a snack, but Kendall says she'll do it herself. Kendall says she just has to chop up some cucumber, adding, 'It's pretty easy,' but she starts cutting the cucumber quite awkwardly. Kris tells her to 'be careful because I nicked myself the other day,' as Kendall awkwardly cuts thin slices of cucumber, adding, 'I know, I'm kinda scared.' Fridge: Kendall starts pulling things from the fridge as Kris asks if she wants the chef to make her a snack, but Kendall says she'll do it herself Slice: Kendall says she just has to chop up some cucumber, adding, 'It's pretty easy,' but she starts cutting the cucumber quite awkwardly Scared: Kris tells her to 'be careful because I nicked myself the other day,' as Kendall awkwardly cuts thin slices of cucumber, adding, 'I know, I'm kinda scared' 'Don't cucumbers have seeds?' Kendall asks, before looking at the camera and saying, 'I'm definitely not a good cutter so don't zoom in on me.' The camera does get a few shots of her cutting, as Kris calls the chef over to cut the cucumber for her, but Kendall insists, 'I'll do it, mom, I'm fine.' Scott arrives, saying, 'the house looks even better during the day,' as Kris tells Scott that Kendall is cutting cucumber, which she finishes slicing for her snack. Not a good cutter: 'Don't cucumbers have seeds?' Kendall asks, before looking at the camera and saying, 'I'm definitely not a good cutter so don't zoom in on me' Scott: Scott arrives, saying, 'the house looks even better during the day,' as Kris tells Scott that Kendall is cutting cucumber, which she finishes slicing for her snack They all go sit outside as their dogs are playing with each other, as Scott asks what's happening for Thanksgiving, adding, 'Did I get banned from that yet?' Kris says they are doing Thanksgiving in Palm Springs, as Scott asks if he's invited or not. 'You're invited, I just have to figure out where everybody is staying now,' Kris says, adding there are, 'no more rooms available.' Thanksgiving: They all go sit outside as their dogs are playing with each other, as Scott asks what's happening for Thanksgiving, adding, 'Did I get banned from that yet?' Invited: Kris says they are doing Thanksgiving in Palm Springs, as Scott asks if he's invited or not Kris adds in confession, 'Sometimes Scott can play a bit of a victim, and I feel like that's what's happening here right now. I just want everyone to be happy, but don't put me in the middle.' Kendall asks if they were all together for Kris' birthday and Scott says they were fine, before asking why Kendall didn't invite him to her birthday. 'I didn't really invite anyone to my birthday,' adding that nobody came, but Scott insists that, 'everybody came.' Victim: Kris adds in confession, 'Sometimes Scott can play a bit of a victim, and I feel like that's what's happening here right now. I just want everyone to be happy, but don't put me in the middle' Birthday: Kendall asks if they were all together for Kris' birthday and Scott says they were fine, before asking why Kendall didn't invite him to her birthday 'I love you. I've been helping you throw your birthday parties for the past 10 years,' Scott says, asking if Kourtney and Travis went and Kendall insists, 'nobody went.' 'Oh, at the dinner at my house? Yeah but literally only Kourtney and Travis came, that wasn't a party,' Kendall says. 'Never in a million years would Kendall not invite me to a birthday dinner,' Scott adds, but Kris insists she, 'didn't have a birthday dinner.' No party: 'Oh, at the dinner at my house? Yeah but literally only Kourtney and Travis came, that wasn't a party,' Kendall says Never: 'Never in a million years would Kendall not invite me to a birthday dinner,' Scott adds, but Kris insists she, 'didn't have a birthday dinner' Kris says she had a birthday party at a club, as Scott complains, 'I wasn't invited to that either.' Kendall adds, 'I had a birthday dinner, mom. You were there at my house,' as Scott asks, 'So why wasn't I invited to that?' 'We've already went over this, Scott. It was actually all my friends,' as Scott added, 'Oh so you didn't want me there.' Friends: 'We've already went over this, Scott. It was actually all my friends,' as Scott added, 'Oh so you didn't want me there' Kendall responded, 'No, I wasn't going to invite family members, period,' but Scott added, 'But you invited everybody but me.' 'Just cause Kourt was gonna be there. It was very intimate,' Kendall says, but Scott doesn't understand, 'why I should be left out.' 'I'm not saying you should. That is not my business at the end of the day. Making Kourtney uncomfortable is not part of my business,' Kendall said. Everybody: Kendall responded, 'No, I wasn't going to invite family members, period,' but Scott added, 'But you invited everybody but me' Uncomfortable: 'I'm not saying you should. That is not my business at the end of the day. Making Kourtney uncomfortable is not part of my business,' Kendall said 'I'm so sorry that makes you sad and I'm not ever trying to leave you out, but what I'm saying is, by Kourtney being uncomfortable about something like that, that's not really my business,' Kendall explained. Scott said he didn't never invite them when he had a girlfriend but Kendall says, 'That's so different, Scott.' 'You can't like take a second and like, 'Hey, I'm having a birthday, I think you might be uncomfortable?' Scott asks. So different: Scott said he didn't never invite them when he had a girlfriend but Kendall says, 'That's so different, Scott' Different: Scott said he didn't never invite them when he had a girlfriend but Kendall says, 'That's so different, Scott.' Kendall admits she should have texted him, 'But I've been the one to have that attitude about it the entire time.' Scott asked what that means and Kendall says that on the night of Kourt and Travis' engagement, she's the one who asked, 'What about Scott's feelings?' Kris said that was true, and Scott got upset that she did all that and she still didn't invite him to her birthday. Text: Kendall admits she should have texted him, 'But I've been the one to have that attitude about it the entire time' 'Kourtney, at the end of the day, is my sister, and of course I want her there. This dinner was literally 15 people. If it's an intimate dinner and I'm not willing to have an uncomfortable situation happen' Kendall says before being cut off by Scott who says he's upset. Kendall says she's saying sorry and Scott says, 'I would never not invite you,' and Kendall says, 'But Scott, I'm saying sorry,' as Scott says, 'I've not heard you say sorry.' They keep going back and forth before Kendall says, 'I'm literally I'm out,' before getting up from the table. 'This is so f***ing ridiculous. You won't let me speak, Scott.' Sorry: Kendall says she's saying sorry and Scott says, 'I would never not invite you,' and Kendall says, 'But Scott, I'm saying sorry,' as Scott says, 'I've not heard you say sorry' Ridiculous: They keep going back and forth before Kendall says, 'I'm literally I'm out,' before getting up from the table. 'This is so f***ing ridiculous. You won't let me speak, Scott' 'Because you didn't say anything,' Scott says as Kendall says he's talking over her as Scott says she didn't say, 'she had a f***ing party or a birthday.' 'No I didn't! I literally Scott, that was my mom. I literally said Yes mom I did. Scott, please replay the f***ing video,' Kendall says before walking out of her mom's house. 'I'm so over this s**t, Scott, for real,' Kendall adds before closing the door as Scott says, 'Oooh,' as Kris just hangs her head, as the episode comes to an end.' Literally didn't: 'No I didn't! I literally Scott, that was my mom. I literally said Yes mom I did. Scott, please replay the f***ing video,' Kendall says before walking out of her mom's house Kris: 'I'm so over this s**t, Scott, for real,' Kendall adds before closing the door as Scott says, 'Oooh,' as Kris just hangs her head, as the episode comes to an end' Earlier in the episode Kendall was hanging out with Hailey Bieber in Miami, as Kendall gushes over Dior sunglasses that Kendall says are, so cute, as Hailey adds they are, so vintage. I am in Miami with my friend Hailey. We are on the way to see some friends and we are just going to get some nice IV bags. Its what we consider a really fun day, Kendall adds in confession. She adds that she has been a hypochondriac her whole life, literally since I can remember, and so I am obsessed with health right now. Sunglasses: Earlier in the episode Kendall was hanging out with Hailey Bieber in Miami, as Kendall gushes over Dior sunglasses that Kendall says are, so cute, as Hailey adds they are, so vintage' Miami: I am in Miami with my friend Hailey. We are on the way to see some friends and we are just going to get some nice IV bags. Its what we consider a really fun day, Kendall adds in confession Kendall says health is her, number one priority, Id say, to the point where Im like eating myself alive thinking about my health. She also opens up about having COVID-19, which she admitted during her brief appearance in the series premiere, adding, I wasnt really that sick. Id say I got pretty lucky. Id say that my recovery was harder than my COVID, which was really weird to me, she said in confession. COVID: She also opens up about having COVID-19, which she admitted during her brief appearance in the series premiere, adding, I wasnt really that sick. Id say I got pretty lucky' She tells one of the NAD IV workers in Miami that, I dont know whats wrong with me. I talked to a doctor the other day and they said that post-COVID, sometimes you can have like heightened cortisol and my cortisol levels havent evened out yet, which he agrees with. She tells Hailey that its, very strange, adding she is, two months out now and I still dont feel very good. I just feel f***ing weird. They give her an NAD IV with extra Vitamin C, with Kendall saying in confession that, things like this, they comfort me. They help because it just makes me happy and I dont want anyone to judge me. Strange: She tells Hailey that its, very strange, adding she is, two months out now and I still dont feel very good. I just feel f***ing weird' No judging: They give her an NAD IV with extra Vitamin C, with Kendall saying in confession that, things like this, they comfort me. They help because it just makes me happy and I dont want anyone to judge me' Hailey asks if doing NAD, multiple days in a row is fine, with one of the other workers saying, It wouldnt be harmful, but at a certain point you kind of saturate your receptors. Kendall says that her and Hailey both are, really big on our health journey for sure, as Hailey adds, It makes for a great friendship. Im gonna NAD for the rest of my life and Im never gonna age, Hailey proclaims with a laugh. Multiple: Hailey asks if doing NAD, multiple days in a row is fine, with one of the other workers saying, It wouldnt be harmful, but at a certain point you kind of saturate your receptors' Winnie Harlow flashed the flesh when she attended the glittering 28th amfAR Cannes Gala in the South Of France. The 27-year-old supermodel, who has the skin condition vitiligo, posed up a storm at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d'Antibes on Thursday. She put her sensational figure on display by modeling a see-through black corset and wrapping herself in a sheer black mesh skirt. Looking fab: Winnie Harlow flashed the flesh when she attended the glittering 28th amfAR Cannes Gala in the South Of France As she strode in front of the Foundation For AIDS Research-themed backdrop, she let the skirt billow open to bare her sensationally svelte pins. Heightening the leggy effect of her outfit by balancing expertly on a pair of sky-high open-toed stilettos, Winnie strutted this way and that for the cameras. Winnie wore her luxurious curls mostly down and lent her ensemble a regal touch by clasping on an elaborate drop necklace. The ubiquitous fashionista, who hails from the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, pulled her best supermodel stare as the cameras snapped away at her. Place to be: Heightening the leggy effect of her outfit by balancing expertly on a pair of sky-high open-toed stilettos, Winnie strutted this way and that for the cameras Swanking about: The 27-year-old supermodel, who has the skin condition vitiligo, posed up a storm at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d'Antibes on Thursday Sizzling sensation: As she strode in front of the Foundation For AIDS Research-themed backdrop, she let the skirt billow open to bare her svelte pins While making her way around the fete, she mingled with some of the other assembled stars, including Emma Thynn, Britain's first black marchioness. Winnie, who shot to fame on America's Next Top Model, could also be spotted hobnobbing with her fellow model Jourdan Dunn. Jourdan brought back memories of Old Hollywood by sliding herself into a sleek floor-length gold gown that shimmered under the lights. As the festivities progressed, Winnie took the stage and spoke alongside Coco Rocha, her fellow model and fellow Torontonian. Terrific: Winnie wore her luxurious curls mostly down and lent her ensemble a regal touch by clasping on an elaborate drop necklace Esteemed company: Robert De Niro is the principal honored guest at this year's amfAR Cannes Gala, where Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin and Charli XCX were scheduled to perform Coco emphasized her vertiginous legs in a white and gold cocktail dress that flared out into extravagant mesh frills over her arms. Robert De Niro is the principal honored guest at this year's amfAR Cannes Gala, where Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin and Charli XCX were scheduled to perform. The gala also features an array of celebrity chairs, including but not limited to Cynthia Erivo, Baz Luhrmann, LaKeith Stanfield, Kate Hudson and Laura Linney. Meanwhile the fashion show was curated by Carine Roitfeld, who became a fashion titan during her years at the helm of Vogue Paris. Glowing: While making her way around the fete, she mingled with some of the other assembled stars, including Emma Thynn, Britain's first black marchioness Dancing queens: Winnie, who shot to fame on America's Next Top Model, could also be spotted hobnobbing with her fellow model Jourdan Dunn Simon de Pury was enlisted to a preside over an auction of showpieces by designers ranging from Chanel, Balenciaga and Givenchy to Jacquemus and Nensi Dojaka. Over the years it has been thrown, the amfAR Cannes Gala has managed cumulatively to raise over $245 million in aid of AIDS research. The Hotel du Cap has enjoyed a long and storied reputation as a hot spot for the international showbiz A-list during the Cannes Film Festival. Famously, the hotel was also the site of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton's torrid affair while they were married to other people, and later of their honeymoon. Dynamic duo: As the festivities progressed, Winnie took the stage and spoke alongside Coco Rocha, her fellow model and fellow Torontonian The Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Giudice has responded to recent remarks made about her by former castmate Caroline Manzo, who said she wanted to 'knock the s*** out of her verbally.' The Bravo beauty, 50, on Thursday spoke with TMZ about the comments Manzo, 60, made about her while appearing on her son Albie Manzo's Dear Albie podcast last week. The Real Housewives of New Jersey star said of Manzo, 'She didn't knock the s*** out of me the entire time she was on the show, that's why I'm still there and she's not. That tells you everything you need to know.' The latest: The Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Giudice, 60, has responded to recent remarks made about her by former castmate Caroline Manzo, 50, who said she wanted to 'knock the s*** out of her verbally Giudice said that Manzo's digs against her were a calculated move, adding, 'She's promoting her son's podcast so she talks about me because otherwise no one is paying attention. 'And she's not the only one doing it. If these people were interesting they would have something else to talk about other than Teresa Giudice. But God bless them all, I wish them nothing but the best.' Giudice said Manzo was not aggressive with her when they filmed a 2020 Super Bowl ad for the hummus brand Sabra. 'She wasn't on that energy when we did the Super Bowl commercial together,' Giudice said of Manzo. 'She couldn't have been nicer to me. In person she was hugging me, on her son's podcast she wants to fight me.' Former friends: Caroline and Teresa were good friends until Teresa accused Caroline of contributing to the the federal investigation that resulted in the entrepreneur and her ex, Joe, going to prison for fraud. Pictured in New York in 2013 Behind bars: Teresa spent almost a year behind bars in 2015. Joe served a three-year sentence and was deported to Italy; Pictured NY May 2022 In a May 18 episode titled Caroline Manzo, Out For Blood on her son's podcast, the 60-year-old replied to a fan question as to whether she would ever come back to The Real Housewives Of New Jersey to 'straighten out Teresa once and for all.' Her answer was 'Yes,' explaining, 'Sometimes, you gotta smack the bully,' adding, 'I am more than happy to go smack the bully.' And she even went as far as to say, 'I would get great pleasure to go in and just knock the s*** out of her verbally and just put her in her place.' The reality star wants to set the record straight on whether she had anything to do with the fraud investigation into Teresa and her ex Joe. Caroline was accused of contributing to the federal investigation that led to the entrepreneur, 50, and her ex-husband, Joe, 50, going to prison. Teresa spent nearly a year behind bars after she and her ex were convicted of mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud. Joe was locked up for three years and then deported to his native Italy when he was released in March 2019. Takedown: The Manzo'd with Children star said she won't be returning to the show at this time because 'Bravo doesn't wanna pay me;' Pictured 2013 The Manzo'd With Children star has denied having anything to do with the investigation into her former friend and has indicated she would relish an on-air takedown. 'I'm just gonna put it out there 'cause I just don't give a f**k, alright? You know what? I would get great pleasure, fans, community, to go in and just knock the s*** out of [Teresa] verbally and just put her in her place,' she added. 'I am tired. I am tired of certain things,' she continued. 'I am tired of her opening her very uneducated mouth and using me as a weapon to say that I was the one that spearheaded her IRS claim and stuff like that. We are not those people.' None of that will happen, unless Bravo, the network that produces RHONJ, ponies up the money. 'Bravo doesn't wanna pay me,' said Manzo, who left the show in 2013. 'Guess what, Bravo? You don't get this for free. You don't get the dame for free, Bravo. They are paying Teresa, I'm sure, an exorbitant amount of money.' Christian radio hosts Lucy Holmes and Kel McWilliam have shocked fans and announced that they're dating. The pair, who host 89.9's TheLight show, made the surprise announcement on Instagram on Thursday. Lucy and Kel have been friends for 14 years, and said their loved ones are 'beyond thrilled that two best mates ended up falling in love.' Hallelujah! Christian radio hosts Lucy Holmes and Kel McWilliam have shocked fans and announced that they're dating after 14 years of friendship Underneath a selfie of the couple, Lucy explained that they fell in love during Covid-19 lockdowns. 'Through those long months of curfews and isolation, and keeping each other company every morning, laughing at the most ridiculous things on air, we realised our friendship of 14 years ran deeper than we imagined,' she said. 'So quietly, and slowly, we started seeing each other.' Love story: Underneath a selfie of the couple, Lucy explained that the pair fell in love during Covid-19 lockdowns She said they have kept the happy news under wraps as so much of their lives are made public on their radio show. 'So much of our lives have been so public on our show, my infertility, our marriage breakdown over the years, our battle with mental health after that, Kel's back issues, my endometriosis story,' she said. 'But this was special and different, and something we wanted to nurture and protect. So we let our loved ones in, and of course our children. And all of them were beyond thrilled that two best mates ended up falling in love.' Keeping mum: She said they have kept the happy news under wraps as so much of their lives are made public on their radio show She added she is the 'happiest girl in the world' and 'beyond blessed'. Underneath the post, the pair were inundated with congratulatory messages from fans. 'THIS IS THE BEST NEWS EVER. HOW GOOD IS GOD?!!' one fan wrote. 'That makes so much sense to us. Sharing a studio with you both for a very short time, the magnetism is hard to top. Congratulations, big love and best wishes,' another wrote. According to The Herald Sun, Kel's marriage recently ended, while Lucy has just resolved a legal dispute with ex-husband Derek Bailey. Laverne Cox celebrated her 50th birthday at New York City's largest hotel rooftop bar on Thursday evening, following the release of her Barbie. Just 24 hours after the release of her Mattel's Mattels first-ever transgender doll, the Orange Is the New Black actress dressed up in the figurine's exact outfit for her A Very Barbie Birthday celebration. As she strutted down the pink with her doll in her hand, the Emmy winner struck a number of flirty poses as she played with the tulle skirt of her chic ensemble, featuring a leather corset top and shiny white pant boots. Having a blast: Laverne Cox celebrated her 50th birthday at New York City's largest hotel rooftop bar on Thursday evening, following the release of her Barbie Just like her Barbie, Cox sported her blonde hair in cascading platinum waves. Glamorous: Just 24 hours after the release of her Mattel's Mattels first-ever transgender doll, the Orange Is the New Black actress dressed up in the figurine's exact outfit Real-life Barbie: As she strutted down the pink with her doll in her hand, the Emmy winner struck a number of flirty poses as she played with the tulle skirt of her chic ensemble, featuring a leather corset top and shiny white pant boots Posing away: Just like her Barbie, Cox sported her blonde hair in cascading platinum waves Lookalike: The beauty was the spitting image of her Barbie doll Following the announcement about her doll, Cox could barely contain her excitement as she raved about a Barbie being made in her lifelessness. 'I can't wait for fans to find my doll on shelves and have the opportunity to add a Barbie doll modeled after a transgender person to their collection,' she said in a statement, obtained by Page Six. While speaking about making history as Mattel's first transgender Barbie, the Orange Is the New Black actress said the experience was 'surreal.' Chic: Cox's Orange Is the New Black Emma Myles came to support in a cropped hot pink tank top and black pants Radiant: Orange Is the New Black star Alysia Reiner made a stylish entrance in a pink feathered and bright red heels Playful: The actress sported a blonde wig with pink stripes Additionally, the Inventing Anna actress explained to People how the doll is a major win for the LGBTQ community amid disturbing proliferation of anti-trans bills. She went on to describe how this is a bit of 'hope and possibility' for trans people in a year where 'over 250 pieces of anti-trans legislation have been introduced in state legislatures all over the country.' 'In this environment where trans kids are being attacked, that this can also be a celebration of transness, and also a space for them to dream, understand and be reminded that trans is beautiful,' Cox continued. Leggy display: Celebrity fitness instructor Kacy Duke sported a white leotard and thigh-high boots with black stripes Alexis Floyd and Angel Blue were among the celebrity attendees As for the design process, she was 'very involved' and had notes like 'can we make her look more like me' and to be 'more African American.' 'And we had a conversation about highlights and lowlights because I'm blonde most of the time now, but I'm a Black girl, so I need a dark root,' the Emmy-winning producer added. Of the subject, she concluded: 'And we had a whole conversation about how they can't do that, but they could do dark low lights.' Special performance: Laverne Cox appeared to be having a blast as she partied away at her A Very Barbie Birthday celebration at Magic Hour 'I can't wait for fans to find my doll on shelves and have the opportunity to add a Barbie doll modeled after a transgender person to their collection,' she said in a statement, obtained by Page Six, earlier this week As a child, Cox revealed her mother forbid her from playing with Barbie dolls because she 'was assigned male at birth.' Upon reflecting on this traumatizing experience during her upbringing in her 30s, the stars said her therapist reminded her 'it's never too late to have a happy childhood, and what you should do for your inner child is go out and buy yourself a Barbie doll.' 'I played with my Barbie, and I told my mom what my therapist had said. And that first Christmas after that, my mom sent me a Barbie doll,' she gushed. 'And she's been sending me Barbies for Christmas and for my birthday.' For many, the relief will be shortlived as they will be drafted for the bypoll campaign. Besides the heatwave, the legislators were facing a piquant situation when people who were denied welfare schemes questioned. DC Image Nellore: The Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam programme was halted in Nellore district on Thursday as the model code of conduct for the Atmakur bypoll came into effect. This gave a breather to YSRC leaders and activists who were working on the door-to-door campaign to highlight the government welfare schemes under the severe summer sun. For many, the relief will be shortlived as they will be drafted for the bypoll campaign. Besides the heatwave, the legislators were facing a piquant situation when people who were denied welfare schemes questioned. Government officials including ward and village volunteers, who are drawing salaries from the government, cannot go along with peoples representatives because of the election code, said a senior officer, explaining the suspension of the campaign. In a lighter vein, he said the election code helped mandal parishat development officer, the staff of the village and ward secretariats and volunteers apart politicians to escape the summer heat. Brooke Shields looked every inch the cool mom in a fringed white tank top while attending an event for Fashionphile in New York City on Wednesday. As she attended a launch event for the high-end consignment boutique for secondhand luxury handbags and accessories, the 56-year-old supermodel was joined by her two children Rowan, 19, and Grier, 16. Despite more than three decades between The Blue Lagoon star and her teenagers, the trio looked more like siblings than mother and daughters. Glamorous: Brooke Shields looked every inch the cool mom in a fringed white tank top while attending an event for Fashionphile in New York City on Wednesday In addition to a sleeveless blouse, Shields rocked a pair of fitted dark-wash jeans, which hugged every curve of her toned frame, and a quilted purse. Rowan, who has already begun following in her mom's modeling footsteps, sported a black bustier top, white flared trousers and a Chanel purse. Her older sibling sported a white blazer, matching Gucci bag, a pink shirt, light-wash blue jeans and a pair of black high heels. Chic: As she attended a launch event for the high-end consignment boutique for secondhand luxury handbags and accessories, the 56-year-old supermodel was joined by her two children Rowan, 19, and Grier and Rowan, 16 Lookalike daughters: Despite more than three decades between The Blue Lagoon star and her teenagers, the trio looked more like siblings than mother and daughters Fashionatas: In addition to a sleeveless blouse, Shields rocked a pair of fitted dark-wash jeans, which hugged every curve of her toned frame, and a quilted purse Rowan currently is attending Wake Forest University in North Carolina following her graduation from Cold Spring Harbor High School in New York. Meanwhile, Grier, who is still in high school, has been involved with multiple modeling campaigns, including one for a for New York clothing company, Cool Is A Construct. Most recently, the teen was involved in a Victoria's Secret campaign for Mother's Day video. Rising star: Grier, who is still in high school, has been involved with multiple modeling campaigns, including one for a for New York clothing company, Cool Is A Construct Balancing her career and college: Grier is represented by IMG Models In the emotional clip the Momma Named Me Sheriff star fought back tears as she shared the joy and pain that comes with being a mom. 'I don't think that I bargained to feel the pain of loving this much,' explained Shield of Grier and Rowan. 'You think, "Oh, I'm gonna love my babies, oh, they're going to mean the world to me" and feeling, "Wow, did I really want to feel the extent of this love? 'Cause it hurts. All the time.'" The Vogue cover girl added: 'And it doesn't get easier, it just gets hard in different ways, you know.' For their 2022 Real Love campaign, Victoria's Secret has invited models and their mothers, grandmothers and children to share their feelings about family. All together: Shields beamed as she posed for a photo between her two daughters Model siblings: Both teens inherited the supermodel gene from their mama as they stood over five-foot-five and five-foot-eleven Pretty in pink: Rowan sported a white blazer, matching Gucci bag, a pink shirt, light-wash blue jeans and a pair of black high heels In an interview with InStyle, the runway veteran said when she was invited to join in the intergenerational campaign, she new it would be a good opportunity to pass the baton to her daughter. 'It was truly a proud moment to be able to model alongside my daughter for such a meaningful campaign,' she said. The proud mama who has been in the public eye since she was a toddler, said she hopes her child has a chance to take part in other meaningful campaigns. Daisy Lowe and Melanie C put on eye-catching displays as they attended a dinner on Thursday evening to celebrate the new Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet store at Bruton Street, London. The model, 33, put on a busty display in a pale pink cop top which she donned underneath a bright pink blazer and matching trousers. She added stylish trainers to the ensemble and carried a clutch while beaming alongside her pal Mel, 48. Wow! Daisy Lowe and Melanie C put on eye-catching displays as they attended a dinner on Thursday evening to celebrate the new Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet store at Bruton Street, London Daisy opted for a blush palette of makeup and styled her dark tresses straight while enjoying a beverage at the lavish event. Meanwhile, Mel C flashed her toned midriff in a florescent green maxi dress with a cut-out detail. The Spice Girl sported a bronzed makeup palette which accentuated her natural features while styling her shot locks in curls. Stylish: The model, 33, put on a busty display in a pale pink cop top which she donned underneath a bright pink blazer and matching trousers Stunning: Princess Beatrice of York looked the epitome of chic in a white blazer dress as she beamed for a snap Fashionista: Mel C flashed her toned midriff in a florescent green maxi dress with a cut-out detail Beauty: The Spice Girl sported a bronzed makeup palette which accentuated her natural features while styling her shot locks in curls Gorgeous: Daisy opted for a blush palette of makeup and styled her dark tresses straight while enjoying a beverage at the lavish event Stacey Bendet, who hosted the event, was also joined by Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice, Lady Mary Charteris, Susan Bender Whitfield and AJ Odudu. Alice + Olivia continues its international expansion, debuting its first free standing store in the UK on May 23. The store is located in Londons Mayfair district and is the brands 18th free standing international retail location, in addition to the 25 US domestic locations. During the opening weekend, in honour of this milestone and to stay true Alice + Olivia's core values of female empowerment and philanthropy, 10% of net proceeds will go to the Princes Trust, specifically benefiting the Women Supporting Women. Stylish: AJ Odudu and Mary Charteris stood out from the crowd as they donned bold patterned blazer and trouser co-ords Amazing: Jenny Mollen showcased her sensational style in a bright satin orange suit as she posed beside Princess Beatrice Celebrating: Alice + Olivia continues its international expansion, debuting its first free standing store in the UK on May 23 Expanding: The store is located in Londons Mayfair district and is the brands 18th free standing international retail location, in addition to the 25 US domestic locations Eye-catching: Stacey Bendet, Creative Director and Founder of Alice + Olivia, looked nothing short of sensational in a vibrant pink gown Recently, Daisy has given a candid insight her sex life and admitted she feels happiest when having sex 'two or three times a day'. The model, who is dating property developer Jordan Saul, 28, also explained that orgasms are a great way to 'relieve stress'. Daisy also discussed her turn ons during the open interview, which included cleanliness, good driving and buying new underwear. Talking to The Sun she explained: 'I always knew good sex made me feel a lot better - orgasms are so good for stress relieving.' Personal: The model, who is dating property developer Jordan Saul, 28, also explained that orgasms are a great way to 'relieve stress' Noting that she mainly has sex 'every other day', Daisy expanded: 'On a great day, two or three times a day if thats where it gets to.' Detailing what get's her in the mood, the star said that lingerie from brand Agent Provocateur makes her feel 'sexiest', but comfy T-shirts also have a similar effect. Further in the chat, Daisy pointed out her biggest 'turn-ons' - noting that good driving and kindness was the key to her heart. Daisy, who has been dating beau Jordan for almost two years, often speaks candidly about body openness and positivity. Lingerie: Detailing what get's her in the mood, the star said that lingerie from brand Agent Provocateur makes her feel 'sexiest', but comfy T-shirts also have a similar effect In March, she revealed she felt like an 'elephant' during her career as she compared her curvy figure to other women's 'stick-thin' bodies. The fashion model admitted that she 'constantly pulled myself apart' and said she was told by others that she was 'curvy' when she was in reality a size six or eight. Speaking on the That Gaby Roslin Podcast, she said: 'Being a model full-time for ten years and throughout my career always being very conscious of wanting to champion real women's bodies and being curvy.' She continued: 'And being told you're curvy even though at the time I was six to eight which looking back is ridiculous, and feeling like an elephant in comparison to all these stick-thin - wonderful, beautiful in their own way - models.' Daisy said that she loved her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 as it was the first time in her career that she was told that her body was 'good'. She said: 'For the first time in my career I was actually being told that what my body was doing is really good and being really proud of what my body could achieve - rather than constantly pulling myself apart.' Victoria Beckham cut a chic figure on Friday as she modelled one of her latest dress designs in a sizzling Instagram video. The fashion designer, 48, showed off her incredible physique in the 590 figure-hugging black midi dress. She strut her stuff in a pair of black stilettos while showing off the garment from her collection in a massive mirror. Stunning: Victoria Beckham cut a chic figure on Friday as she modelled one of her latest dress designs in an Instagram video Victoria looked elegant as she accessorised with several gold bracelets and a dainty emerald necklace. The popstar styled her brunette tresses up in a neat bun while sporting a bronzed makeup palette. The natural beauty captioned the post: 'You know I love a little black dress!' Fashionista: The fashion designer, 48, showed off her incredible physique in the 590 figure-hugging black midi dress Stylish: Victoria looked elegant as she accessorised with several gold bracelets and a dainty emerald necklace Gorgeous: She strut her stuff in a pair of black stilettos while showing off the garment from her collection in a massive mirror It comes after Victoria insisted that wanting to be thin is an 'old-fashioned attitude,' after spending much of her youth maintaining a famously slender physique. Talking body confidence, her new VB body range and fitness regimes with Grazia magazine, the fashion designer raised the notion that modern women want to 'look healthy, and curvy' - with the slimmer frame becoming a thing of the past. She said: 'It's an old-fashioned attitude, wanting to be really thin. I think women today want to look healthy, and curvy. Tell all: Talking body confidence, her new VB body range and fitness regimes, the sought-after fashion designer raised the notion that women today want to be 'look healthy, and curvy' - with a desire for a slender frame becoming a thing of the past 'They want to have some boobs - and a bum. The curvier you are, the better my VB Body dresses look.' Victoria's VB Body range - featuring tight knit jersey dresses and separates - was in fact designed with a curvaceous figure in mind. 'Every woman wants a nice, round, curvy bottom, right? For that, you need a really tight knit that nips you in at the waist and holds you in all the right places,' she explained. Gorgeous: Victoria's VB Body range - featuring tight knit jersey dresses and separates - was designed with a curvaceous figure in mind (pictured right in 2006) The mother-of-four, whose only daughter is ten-year-old Harper, finds the attitude and style of curvier women liberating - and inspiring for her children. She said: 'There are a lot of really curvy women in Miami, and they really own it, you know? They walk along Miami beach with not a lot of clothes on, and they look fantastic. 'They show their bodies off with such confidence. I found both their attitude and their style really liberating. And as a mother, I loved the fact that Harper was around women who were really celebrating their curves and enjoying how they look.' Victoria may be an internationally recognised style icon and fashion designer but she admitted her latest venture was also to help her feel 'sexy again.' 'For quite a few years, the more time I spent working in fashion, the more clothes I wore and I ended up buried under all these 'fashion' layers. 'Last year when I was in Miami and starting to go out again, post-Covid, I wanted a change. I wanted to feel sexy again,' she recalled. Scarlet Vas is best known for her time playing police officer Mishti Sharma on Neighbours. But Scarlet's career has taken quite the turn since she exited the series in 2018. The 27-year-old is now a wildly successful OnlyFans model, and on Friday, she took to Instagram to document a recent lavish trip to The Bahamas. The good life! Actress-turned-OnlyFans model Scarlet Vas (pictured) frolicked around a private island in The Bahamas this week The brunette beauty was joined by Bachelor U.S. star Marylynn Sienna on what she claimed was their own 'private island'. The bikini-clad pair frolicked along the shore and played with some local wild pigs, before heading back to a luxury villa where they were staying. Scarlet is usually jet-setting across the globe to glamorous locations, including Dubai, Las Vegas, and Melbourne. Double trouble! The brunette beauty was joined by Bachelor U.S. star Marylynn Sienna on what she claimed was their own 'private island' (pictured together) Pig play! The bikini-clad pair frolicked along the shore and played with some local wild pigs, before heading back to a luxury villa where they were staying In February, she shared a photo of herself boarding a private plane, captioning it: 'My plan this year was to travel more than I ever have I think my plan is going to plan.' She has more than 140,000 'likes' on OnlyFans, indicating that she's a top performer on the site. The stunner appears to be living her best life in sunny California after leaving Australia for the U.S. several years ago. Claim to fame! Scarlet is best known for her time playing police officer Mishti Sharma on Neighbours (pictured) In March, she sparked speculation that she was engaged after posting a photo of herself holding a mystery man's hand while sporting a giant diamond ring on her finger. Since leaving Neighbours, Scarlet has been in Los Angeles modelling and trying to continue her acting career. She now boasts an impressive 220,000 followers on Instagram and has appeared in a number of viral TikTok videos. She has 330,000 followers on TikTok has even been linked to TikTok star Tayo Ricci. Steph McGovern has revealed she once took an emergency trip to the No 10 toilet during an interview with Gordon Brown. The Channel 4 presenter, 40, admitted to partying with Chris Evans and Kylie Minogue the night before the important interview with the Prime Minister at the time as she posed for a photoshoot with Woman & Home magazine. She was originally under the impression she had a day off until the Brown interview was one she couldn't refuse. Oh no! Steph McGovern has revealed she once took an emergency trip to the No 10 toilet during an interview with Gordon Brown She revealed that she arrived feeling wobbly and when Gordon asked if his hair was all right, it left her rushing to the loo. Speaking on the incident, Steph said: 'I feared throwing up on him' The broadcaster managed to make it to the toilet before an accident happened in the famous politicians home. Not good: The Channel 4 presenter, 40, admitted to partying with Chris Evans and Kylie Minogue the night before the important interview with the Prime Minister at the time as she posed for a photoshoot with Woman & Home magazine Elsewhere in the interview, Steph revealed that she protects the identify of her child and partner to protect them from 'trolling'. She welcomed a baby with her girlfriend in 2019 and has never disclosed their names or shared any pictures with the pair. Steph said she doesn't 'think it's fair to put them out there' and subject her loved ones to the 'pressures of everyone having an opinion on them'. Family: Elsewhere in the interview, Steph revealed that she protects the identify of her child and partner to protect them from 'trolling' She added that it's important for her to speak about being in a same-sex family 'in the right context'. Steph explained: 'Someone contacted me on Instagram to say it's nice that I mention my partner and child in a normal way and not by going, "By the way everyone, I'm in a gay relationship! Whoa! Get the rainbow flag out!" 'I talk about it in a way that any parent would, I just don't say their names.' Steph also told the publication that she's been able to find a good balance between her professional and home life as with her role on Steph's Packed Lunch she's able to drop her daughter off at nursery and pick her up daily. However the star added that she doesn't want to overcommit to work at the risk of it negatively affecting her daughter, stressing that she always wants her daughter to know her parents are 'there for her'. While Steph doesn't 'think more children are on the cards', she didn't give a definitive answer because 'you don't know'. Laura Dern has admitted it was emotional returning to the Jurassic Park franchise almost 30 years after the original as she posed with her co-stars for a photocall. The American actress, 55, made her long-awaited return as Dr Ellie Sattler in Jurassic World Dominion, after holding down the female lead in the original trilogy that began with Jurassic Park in 1993. She made little more than a cameo in 2001's Jurassic Park III but has returned with her original co-stars Sam Neal and Jeff Goldblum for the final movie in the Jurassic World trilogy. She's back! Laura Dern has admitted it was emotional returning to the Jurassic Park franchise almost 30 years after the original as she posed with her co-stars for a photocall Stunning: Laura spoke live from London's Trafalgar Square, where she was attending a Jurassic World Dominion photocall with her co-stars Bryce Dallas Howard and Jeff Speaking about her return with stand-in host Ranvir Singh on Friday's Lorraine, Laura admitted that she got 'a bit weepy and nostalgic' during their first day back on set. She said Steven Spielberg was sent a photograph of herself, Sam as Alan Grant and Jeff as Dr Ian Malcolm as the trio reunited on set for their epic return to the dinosaur franchise. She said: 'The first day that myself Sam Neal and Jeff Goldblum had our costumes on and walked back on set, he was sent a photo of the three of us back together. 'We all got a bit weepy and nostalgic about all we have experienced in the family we've become. It's been really special to us. Role: The American actress, 55, made her return as Dr Ellie Sattler in Jurassic World Dominion, after holding down the female lead in the original trilogy that began with Jurassic Park (1993) Emotional: Speaking about her return with stand-in host Ranvir Singh on Friday's Lorraine, Laura admitted that she got 'a bit weepy and nostalgic' during their first day back on set 'We started the film just before the pandemic hit and we were officially the first movie back. It took sacrifice and courage in this predominantly UK crew who came together - living together and leaving their families.' Laura went on to say that she had the 'time of her life' making the original Jurassic Park movie and said she was extremely proud to return as Dr Ellie Sattler for the latest instalment. Laura spoke on the chat show live from London's Trafalgar Square, where she was attending a Jurassic World Dominion photocall with her co-stars Bryce Dallas Howard and Jeff. She captured attention in a stunning high-neck purple gown with a pleated skirt, which she teamed with a pair of silver stilettos. Iconic trio: Laura said Steven Spielberg was sent a photograph of her, Sam as Alan Grant and Jeff as Dr Ian Malcolm as the trio reunited on set for their epic return to the dinosaur franchise Original: Ellie down the female lead in the original trilogy that began with Jurassic Park (1993) alongside her co-stars Jeff and Sam The Wild At Heart star styled her golden locks in glamorous waves and accentuated her natural good looks with a slick of mascara and a touch of blusher. Laura was joined by Bryce at the photocall, who did not fail to capture attention in a vibrant yellow gown with a keyhole cutout. She gave herself a few extra inches in a pair of nude heels and wore her rouge fringed locks in loose curls. The Rocketman star, who stars as Claire Dearing in Jurassic World, shielded her eyes from the bright sunshine with a pair of oversized sunglasses. She was seen posing for group shots with original cast member Jeff Goldblum and her co-stars Dewanda Wise, who plays Kayla Watts, and Mamoudou Athie, who stars as Ramsay Cole. Wow! At the photocall, Laura captured attention in a stunning high-neck purple gown with a pleated skirt, which she teamed with a pair of silver stilettos Group: Laura and Bryce posed with original cast member Jeff Goldblum and her co-stars Dewanda Wise, who plays Kayla Watts, and Mamoudou Athie, who stars as Ramsay Cole Smart: Jeff cut a suave figure in black trousers and a dark shirt, which he teamed with a patterned grey jacket and tie, while Mamoudou, 33, opted for a more colourful look The revived Jurassic World trilogy stars sees Chris Pratt and Bryce leading the cast as characters Owen Grady and Claire, while they will be joined by the original cast in the latest film. Speaking about Laura's return to the franchise, Bryce, 41, said she is grateful that female characters have such a prominent role in the franchise. She said: 'I adore that there are so many female characters who are different because we're not all what would typically present a strong, feminine or a superhero in classic adventure films. ''Jurassic' is a very pro-female franchise. As it started, all the dinosaurs were female. They were women. And they're inherent in the idealisation of that female strength female power.' Return: Laura is returning to the franchise with her co-star Jeff Goldblum, who plays Dr Ian Malcolm, who was seen signing autographs at Trafalgar Square on Friday Women: Bryce, 41, said she is grateful that female characters have such a prominent role in the franchise as she spoke about Laura's return, while newcomer Dewanda also has a key role Bryce also admitted that she was inspired by Laura's 'iconic' character growing up, adding: 'Dr. Ellie Sattler was such an iconic character and such an important character because she's a scientist and palebotanist. 'It was really important to see an inspiring character like that.' Elsewhere at the photocall in Trafalgar Square, Jeff cut a suave figure in black trousers and a dark shirt, which he teamed with a patterned grey jacket and tie. Mamoudou, 33, opted for a more colourful look in a green suit and a paisley patterned shirt, which he styled with a pair of white trainers. Baby Blue: The much-anticipated film opens on June 10, 2022, while a second official trailer for the movie was released at the end of last month Scary: The movie takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed and the fearsome creatures are now all over the planet. Pictured: Bryce as Claire Dearing And Dewanda showed off her sensational sense of style in a polka dot halter-neck dress with a voluminous skirt, which she paired with black heeled sandals. Dewanda is a newcomer to the franchise, playing Kayla, a former Air Force pilot who aids Owen and Claire on their new mission amid a world of ferocious dinosaurs. The much-anticipated film opens on June 10, 2022, while a second official trailer for the movie was released at the end of last month. The movie takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed and the fearsome creatures are now all over the planet. Big return: Sam Neill returns for the movie, said to be the last in the Jurassic World franchise, as original character Alan Grant Covid: Filming began in Canada in February 2020 and moved to other locations in England the following month. Pictured: Laura and Jeff as Ellie and Ian in the new movie Dinosaurs are seen all over the world as they hunt people. Humans are attacked in the water, on land and in the sky. The film was first planned in 2014, a part of the future Jurassic World trilogy. Filming began in Canada in February 2020 and moved to other locations in England the following month. In March 2020, production was put on hiatus as a safety precaution due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Production resumed in July 2020, and concluded four months later in November. Filming locations were in England's Pinewood Studios and the country of Malta. Elsa Pataky returns to the big screen in her new Netflix movie, Interceptor. And on Friday, the Spanish actress, 45, said that it was her husband Chris Hemsworth who encouraged her to return to work after she took time off to raise the couple's young children. 'He's said to me how difficult it must have been to put aside my career, in a way, to be with the kids,' she told Stellar. Time away: Elsa Pataky (right) returns to the big screen in her new Netflix movie, Interceptor. And on Friday, the Spanish actress said that it was her husband Chris Hemsworth (left) who encouraged her to return to work after she took time off to raise the couple's young children 'He's been a major help in every way, just to get back to work and helping me because he knows how much I love it.' The power couple have three children, daughter India, nine, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, both eight. Chris the executive producer on Elsa's action movie, Interceptor, and she says that it was an interesting experience having him in charge. 'He's said to me how difficult it must have been to put aside my career, in a way, to be with the kids,' she told Stellar. Pictured with their children Family: The power couple have three children, daughter India, nine, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, both eight 'He's my boss. But it was fun. He really wanted me to do this role as he knew how much I would enjoy it,' she said. 'It took us from being parents to creative collaborators on a film project which was a really different experience.' Earlier this week, the actress revealed her action hero husband didn't spare her when it came to giving advice on her fight scenes. 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 so bossy!' she said while appearing on The Project on Tuesday night. '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'. '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. They reside in a $30million mansion in Broken Head, near the celebrity enclave of Byron Bay. Former TOWIE star James Argent, 34, reunited with pal Mark Wright, 35, as they touched down in the Bahamas on Thursday. The duo, who appeared in the ITV reality show together until 2011, are visiting the Island for Mark's cousin George Wright's wedding - with James revealing he feels like part of the family. In the short clip radio host Mark gave the thumbs up to the camera before turning his phone to show a trimmer than ever James, who collapsed into fits of giggles. Pals: A trim James Argent, 34 (left) reunited with pal Mark Wright, 35 (right ) for a sun soaked family wedding in the Bahamas As they enjoyed drinks in the hotel bar, Mark cut a dapper figure in a black t-shirt with his raven hair slicked back from his handsome face. A slim James, who recently lost 14st following weight lost surgery, looked holiday ready in a silk shirt and black shorts. With his hair also slicked back he slipped his feet into sandals as he accessorised with gold jewellery. Beach time: James looked holiday ready in a silk shirt and black short as she slid his feed into sandals Hunky: As they enjoyed drinks in the hotel bar, Mark cut a dapper figure in a black t-shirt with his raven hair slicked back from his handsome face Later James enjoyed a dance with Mark's mother Carol as they were cheered on by their family and friends. The Wright matriarch looked gorgeous in a stylish figure hugging jumpsuit emblazoned with a polka dot print. As the pair boogied along to the ABBA's Dancing Queen James captioned the fun clip: 'The Dancing Queen herself @Carolwright'. Later James enjoyed a dance with Mark's mother Carol as they were cheered on by their family and friends Reality stars: Mark (right) and James (left) appeared together in TOWIE until 2011 (pictured together in 2009) On his first holiday since his impressive weight loss James posted a gushing tribute to his fellow travellers. Posing on the beach with the large wedding party he wrote: 'I can't remember life with out these people, true family friends and I can't wait for the new arrivals to join us'. Mark who will be best man at the ceremony, seemingly went stag without wife Michelle Keegan, 34, as he shared snaps from his first class as he travelled to the exotic location. Relaxing in the swanky high-backed chair the star shared a smiling selfie writing: 'Off again'. Sweet: On his first holiday since his impressive weight loss James posted a gushing tribute to his fellow travellers Plush: Relaxing in the swanky first class high-backed chair the star shared a smiling selfie writing: 'Off again'. Before offering a glimpse of his first class afternoon tea as he watched Spiderman: No Way Home on his personal television Before offering a glimpse of his first class afternoon tea as he watched Spiderman: No Way Home on his personal television. Mark, who doesn't currently have children, later shared snaps as he kissed his young nephew. He captioned the sweet snaps: 'Can't stop!'. Cute: Mark, who doesn't currently have children, later shared snaps as he kissed his young nephew. He captioned the sweet snaps: 'I can't stop!' They enjoyed a night out with their fellow A-listers at the amfAR gala on Thursday. And on Friday morning, Eva Longoria and Ashley Graham were the first stars to jet out of Nice airport, following their glamorous time in Cannes, France. Both ladies went make-up free and kept things casual in laidback ensembles, with Eva opting for white skinny jeans and an oversized blazer, while Ashley opted for a black tracksuit and camouflage print jacket. Making a move: On Friday morning, Eva Longoria and Ashley Graham were the first stars to jet out of Nice airport, following their glamorous time in Cannes, France Eva kept things elegantly simple, wearing a nude tank top beneath her chic blazer, while carrying her belongings in an oversized tote bag. The Desperate Housewives star looked effortlessly glamorous with shades shielding her face and her brunette tresses styled into a classic bouncy blow. Ashley put comfort first, strolling along in flip flops while clad in her elasticated waist trousers, which she wore with a plain black top. Chic: Eva kept things elegantly simple, wearing a nude tank top beneath her chic blazer, while carrying her belongings in an oversized tote bag All smiles: Eva appeared to be in good spirits as she flashed a huge grin and waved while heading to Nice Airport Stylish: The Desperate Housewives star looked effortlessly glamorous with shades shielding her face and her brunette tresses styled into a classic bouncy blow Chic: Eva showed off her sensational sense of style with her understated ensemble for the outing Airplane ready: She has bid farewell to Cannes Film Festival, where she flaunted her glamorous wardrobe Her camouflage jacket added a splash of interest to her outfit, and the model used a pair of sunglasses to cover her eyes following a night of partying with her celeb pals. Jourdan Dunn also headed to Nice Airport as she bid farewell to Cannes Film Festival on Friday, looking typically chic as she headed off. The model, 31, showed off her incredible physique in wide leg scarlet trousers, which she paired with a skimpy strapless black bandeau. She completed her look with a black and red block-coloured sports jacked and a pair of trainers as she prepared for her flight. Low-key: Ashley put comfort first, strolling along in flip flops while clad in her elasticated waist trousers, which she wore with a plain black top Laughing: Ashley appeared to be in good spirits as she smiled and laughed while walking through the airport Camo: She added a touch of colour to her dark ensemble with a camouflage print jacket Grinning: She accessorised her look with a simple gold necklace and wore a pair of narrow oval sunglasses Jourdan carried her essentials in a black Louis Vuitton duffle bag and shielded her eyes from the sunshine with a pair of gold aviator sunglasses. The star swept her brunette locks back into a slick up-do and flaunted her fresh faced beauty with a light dusting of make-up. amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research returned to the Cannes International Film for the 28th edition of amfAR Gala Cannes. The event which took place at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc featured live performances by Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin and Charli XCX, with legendary actor, director and producer Robert De Niro serving as the evening's honored guest. Longtime amfAR supporter Carine Roitfeld curated the annual fashion show, which included looks from the world's top designers. Style icon: Jourdan Dunn also headed to Nice Airport as she bid farewell to Cannes Film Festival on Friday, looking typically chic as she headed off Wow! The model, 31, showed off her incredible physique in wide leg scarlet trousers, which she paired with a skimpy strapless black bandeau Bombshell: The star swept her brunette locks back into a slick up-do and flaunted her fresh faced beauty with a light dusting of make-up The exclusive black-tie event included cocktails, dinner and an exciting live auction led by renowned auctioneer Simon de Pury. The auction, sponsored by FTX, included all show looks, along with a collection of contemporary artworks and one-of-a-kind luxury items and experiences. The theme of this year's fashion show was Let's Get Married and it included looks by Oscar de la Renta, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Louis Vuitton Men, Givenchy, Gucci, Chanel, Saint Laurent, and De Fursac. Balenciaga, Fendi, Tom Ford, Jacquemus, Valentino, Giambattista Valli, Armani, Alaia, Burberry, Versace, Alled Martinez, Monot, Nensi Dojaka, and Dior, among many others also showcased looks. Chairs of this 28th edition of amfAR Gala Cannes included Baz Luhrmann, Carine Roitfeld, Caroline Scheufele, Cynthia Erivo, Ever Gabo Anderson, Kate Hudson, LaKeith Stanfield and Laura Linney. Wow: Eva looked incredible at the gala earlier Katie Price flashed a smile while picking up groceries in Horsham, West Sussex on Thursday, after completing community service following a drink-driving conviction for flipping her car, last year. The former glamour model, 44, was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work after flipping her BMW on a country lane near her West Sussex home on September 28 last year. Katie was also handed a 16-week suspended prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and two-year driving ban following a sentencing at Crawley Magistrates' Court in December. Casual: Katie Price flashed a smile while picking up groceries in Horsham, West Sussex on Thursday after completing community service following a drink-driving conviction While Katie has completed her community service for her conviction, she has now been warned she faces up to five years in prison for a separate offence - after she admitted breaching a restraining order against her ex-husband's fiancee in a text accusing them of having an affair. Katie stepped out in black tracksuit bottoms and a dark blue hoodie, which she teamed with a pair of white trainers. The mother-of-five carried her belongings in a black cross body bag, whilst also clutching onto a plastic Tesco shopping bag full of purchases. Katie sported a very bronzed, heavy make-up look and wore her extremely long platinum blonde hair extensions down to her waist. Outing: The mother-of-five carried her belongings in a black cross body bag, whilst also clutching onto a plastic Tesco shopping bag full of purchases Laid back: Katie stepped out in black tracksuit bottoms and a dark blue hoodie, which she teamed with a pair of white trainers Smiling: She appeared to be in good spirits as she stepped out of Horsham Matters, a Christian charity According to their website, Horsham Matters is a Christian charity that aims to relieve hardship through the provision of essential services such as food, fuel and shelter. The organisation runs a crisis support service for people in need of essential items, along with a foodbank and budgeting support. They also offer counselling services for foodbank clients and run a winter night shelter. MailOnline has previously contacted Horsham Matters for comment on Katie's community service. Katies community service comes after she was warned that she faces up to five years in prison after admitting breaching a restraining order against her ex-husband's fiancee in a text accusing them of having an affair. Groceries: Katie carried a bag that appeared to be filled with potatoes as she left the venue Shop: She stepped out of Horsham Matters, a Christian charity that aims to relieve hardship through the provision of essential services such as food, fuel and shelter Look: Katie sported a very bronzed, heavy make-up look and wore her extremely long platinum blonde hair extensions down to her waist Community service: Katie was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work after flipping her BMW on a country lane near her West Sussex home on September 28 last year The former glamour model sent Kieran Hayler a message calling his new partner Michelle Penticost a 'gutter sl*g' in a message that read: 'Tell your c***ing whore piece of s*** girlfriend not to start on me.' Katie admitted flouting the 2019 ban on her contacting Miss Penticost, in an extraordinary U-turn having previously denied it. At Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday, the reality star, pleaded guilty to breaching the restraining order on January 21 this year. She was supported by her reality TV star fiance, Carl Woods, 33, who held her hand tightly as he led her into the court building before sitting in the public gallery for the hearing. Outing: Katie kept comfortable in a pair of white and gold trainers to complete her casual ensemble Court: Elsewhere, she was warned she faces up to five years in jail after admitting breaching a restraining order against her ex-husband Kieran Hayler's fiancee Michelle Penticost in a text Admission: Katie admitted flouting the 2019 ban on her contacting Miss Penticost, in an extraordinary U-turn having previously denied it Asked how she pleaded to a single charge of breaching the order, Katie replied: 'Guilty.' Nicholas Hamblin, defending, told the court the case against her rested on the two words 'tell your...', which constituted an indirect message to Michelle. He said he would be placing a great deal of personal information about Katie in front of the court as part of his mitigation. Judge Stephen Mooney warned the glamour model that she risks an immediate custodial sentence, with the offence carrying a maximum term of up to five years' imprisonment. She was bailed until sentencing on June 24. Prime minister Narendra Modi at the graduation ceremony of the Post Graduate Programme in Management class of 2022 at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad. (Photo by arrangement) HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Thursday the people of Telangana has already made up their mind to defeat the family-run and corrupt Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and vote the BJP to power in the next Assembly polls. The people here are looking forward to have an imandar sarkar (honest government), the PM said. Addressing party activists who greeted him at Begumpet airport, the Prime Minister also took a dig at Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao and his penchant for superstitions. Without naming the CM, the PM termed him as andh viswas ka gulam, (a slave to superstitions). The PM wondered how people are being superstitious even in the technology-driven 21st Century. Modi expressed his concern that the state and the people would suffer because of the CMs belief in superstitions and declared himself as a strong believer in science and technology. The PMs observations gained significance in the backdrop of the Chief Minister not stepping into the Secretariat for years and even building a new Secretariat by razing the old one to rubble, by citing problems of vaastu. Amid loud cheers and sloganeering by party activists, the prime minister foresaw the BJPs victory in the next state polls. Telangana logon ne man bana liya hai..Telangana mein badlaav pakka hai.. Telangana mein bhajapa thay hai (People of Telangana have already decided to bring in change and its certain that the BJP will come to power), Modi said. Modi announced that the leadership was aware of the attacks being carried out on BJP activists in TS and there would be a befitting reply. He called upon the people to get rid of the pariwaarvadi (dynasts) party which alone has reaped the benefits of the separate statehood for Telangana. Dynasty politics, he stressed, is a major threat to democracy and should be rooted out. BJP state president, Bandi Sanjay, Union minister Kishan Reddy, BJP OBC Morcha national president K. Laxman, BJP Madhya Pradesh state in-charge Muralidhar Rao and others welcomed the PM at the airport. Modi said the politics of family rule focused on how a single-family can stay in power and loot as much as they can. The French Riviera provided a fitting backdrop as Chloe Green returned to the public eye on Thursday evening. The daughter of former Top Shop retail magnate Philip Green was in attendance as the annual fundraising amFAR Gala closed this year's Cannes Film Festival. It was her first public appearance in a year, and she ensured it was a memorable one by wearing a form-fitting sequined silver minidress during her visit to the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. Stepping out: The French Riviera provided a fitting backdrop as Chloe Green returned to the public eye on Thursday evening Chloe, 31, mingled with celebrity guests including Hollywood star Leonardo Di Caprio, supermodel Winnie Harlow and event host Eva Longoria as proceedings got underway. The mother-of-one's presence at social gatherings has become increasingly rare over recent months, with her last notable outing a dinner date in St. Tropez last July. Since then Chloe - who shares four-year old son Jayden with former partner Jeremy Meeks - has been spotted aboard her father's 100million superyacht, Lionheart, with recent boyfriend Manuele Thiella and her mother, Tina. Joining in: The daughter of former Top Shop retail magnate Philip Green was in attendance as the annual fundraising amFAR Gala closed this year's Cannes Film Festival Looking good: It was her first public appearance in a year, and she ensured it was a memorable one by wearing a form-fitting sequined silver minidress There she is: Chloe - who shares four-year old son Jayden with former partner Jeremy Meeks - has been spotted aboard her father's 100million superyacht, Lionheart Following her split from Meeks Chloe briefly dated Italian polo captain Rommy Gianni, who she was also spotted kissing on board her dad's super yacht. Her father's Philip's Arcadia Group went into administration late last year, after unsuccessfully seeking a 30 million cash injection to help it survive lockdown. The former owner of brands including Topshop, Top Man, Miss Selfridge and Burton asked lenders for support after lockdown restrictions hammered sales, disrupting crucial trading up to Christmas. Arcadia, which employed 15,000 people, was in trouble even before the coronavirus crisis. It recorded an operating loss of 138 million on turnover of 1.8 billion in 2018. In 2019, Arcadia carried out an insolvency procedure known as a company voluntary arrangement to cut rents and close some shops. Prior to the crash Philip enjoyed almost two decades of ruling the high street after lucrative takeovers of BHS in 2000 and Arcadia in 2002. Shes an award winning actress with a seriously impressive resume and penchant for chic outfits. And Kate Winslet looked effortlessly stylish in a black tracksuit and white pinstripe blazer as she arrived in Cannes, France on Friday. The Titanic star, 46, was spotted strolling through Nice airport in plain black plimsolls and casual trousers, while pulling a wheeled suitcase behind her. Picture perfect: Kate Winslet looked effortlessly stylish in a black tracksuit and white pinstripe blazer as she arrived in Cannes, France on Friday Smartening up or otherwise low-key look, Kate layered a chic white blazer boasting subtle black pinstripes, on top of a black polo shirt. The Mare of Easttown leading lady draped the short strap of a classic Doctors bag over her arm and shielded her eyes with glamorous black-and-gold shades. She further accessorised with multiple gold necklaces and added a colour pop to her look with the help of a pillar-box red manicure. Here she comes: The Titanic star, 46, was spotted strolling through Nice airport in plain black plimsolls and casual trousers, while pulling a wheeled suitcase behind her Tasteful: Smartening up or otherwise low-key look, Kate layered a chic white blazer boasting subtle black pinstripes, on top of a black polo shirt Finishing touches: The Mare of Easttown leading lady draped the short strap of a classic Doctors bag over her arm and shielded her eyes with glamorous black-and-gold shades Kates arrival in Cannes comes just a few months after she revealed that she is 'craving' her return to acting after taking a two year break to be with her family and enjoy a much-needed 'reset'. The actress worked so hard while starring in and executive producing HBOs Mare Of Easttown in late 2019, she decided to grant herself time to recover. Despite a confession of having to 'physically tackle huge grown men' during the shoot, she assured that she 'loves her job' and is 'ready to throw herself back into it'. Bold: She added a colour pop to her look with the help of a pillar-box red manicure Welcome back: Kates arrival in Cannes comes just a few months after she revealed that she is 'craving' her return to acting after taking a two year break The Oscar winner told Variety: I took last year off to be with my family and to recover from Mare of Easttown. It was good to have a bit of a reset.' And without giving too much away, Kate revealed she's beside herself with excitement as she prepares to 'get going' with upcoming projects. She said: 'For an actor, there's nothing as thrilling as being in a room with other actors. I am craving that again. But I've got heaps going on this year so I'm excited to get going.' Break: The actress worked so hard while starring in and executive producing HBOs Mare Of Easttown in late 2019, she decided to grant herself time to recover Kate married first husband Jim Threapleton in 1998. They welcomed daughter Mia Threapleton, 21, in 2000, and later divorced a year later in 2001. The Titanic actress went on to marry director Sam Mendes from 2003 to 2011, they welcomed son Joe, 18, in 2003. Kate welcomed her youngest child, Bear, eight, with her third husband Edward Abel Smith, they married in 2012. Georgia Fowler welcomed her daughter Dylan late last year. And the Victoria's Secret model enjoyed at day at the beach with the seven-month-old on Friday during her trip to Cannes, France. The 29-year-old New Zealand-born beauty showed off her famous figure in a retro style dress, which she wore tucked up around her waist. Beach babe: Georgia Fowler (pictured) welcomed her daughter Dylan late last year. And the Victoria's Secret model enjoyed at day at the beach with the seven-month-old on Friday during her trip to Cannes, France It was bright yellow and featured a white design throughout as well as fine straps. The slightly loose fit added to the vintage feel of the look and the stunner had on a pair of dark sunglasses to guard against bright rays. She appeared to go makeup free for her outing, while slicking her dark hair off her face. Wow! The 29-year-old New Zealand-born beauty showed off her famous figure in a retro style dress which she wore tucked up around her waist Baby love: Georgia carried little Dylan in her arms, with the tot staying sun safe in a loose bucket hat Georgia carried little Dylan in her arms, with the tot staying sun safe in a loose bucket hat. Georgia welcomed her daughter Dylan Aman with her businessman boyfriend Nathan Dalah, who is the co-founder of restaurant chain Fishbowl, on September 17 last year. 'Dylan Aman Dalah. 17.9.21. Welcome to the world. We love you so much,' she wrote, sharing a series of photos of the adorable newborn. Proud parents: Georgia welcomed her daughter Dylan Aman with her businessman boyfriend Nathan Dalah, who is the co-founder of restaurant chain Fishbowl, on September 17 last year. Pictured: The couple with their puppy Chilli Georgia announced she was expecting her first child with the FISHBOWL co-founder back in April last year. At the time, she shared the news by writing: 'We can't wait to meet you, little one.' The New Zealand native recently shared her delight at becoming a mother, saying it was 'much easier' than she'd envisioned. 'It has been easier than I thought. She's a real angel so it'll be fine,' she told Daily Mail Australia at the Moet & Chandon Effervescence in December. Candid: The New Zealand native recently shared her delight at becoming a mother, saying it was 'much easier' than she'd envisioned 'It's been really nice to be able to hang out with Dylan and have a great baby.' The beauty has wowed the Cannes Film Festival crowd with her stunning red carpet outfits all week. Georgia saved her best look for last as she attended the star-studded amfAR Gala on Thursday evening. The Kiwi supermodel sparkled in a cut-out silver jumpsuit complete with cape and flaunted a hint of underboob. She's recently made a documentary about the harsh realities of living with the menopause. But Davina McCall, 54, looked on the bright side on Friday as she shared a fun clip with her 1.5m Instagram followers. Dancing wildly in a skimpy red bikini the carefree television host revealed that one good thing about the condition is 'you get an instant induction into the zero f***s club'. Fit and fancy free: Davina McCall, 54, flaunted her incredible figure in a stylish red bikini as she danced by the sea in a Instagram post on Friday The stylish crimson two piece contained a gorgeous Bardot neckline with frill detail at the sleeve. While the high-cut bottoms clung to the star's toned thighs, revealing her washboard abs as she danced around on the wooden decking. Davina, who has been very open about her experience with the menopause, shielded her eyes from the scorching sun behind a pair of oversized sunglasses, as she showed off her youthful complexion. The broadcaster slicked her wet chestnut locks back from her beautiful face as she accessorised the summer look with a simple gold cross necklace. Gorgeous: The figure hugging crimson two piece contained a gorgeous Bardot neckline with frill detail at the sleeve Dancing Queen: While the high-cut bottoms clung to the star's toned thighs as she danced around on the beach decking The former Big Brother host danced around to the music as she waved her arms in the air and hopped on each foot. Before realising her boogie was being filmed and she walked towards the camera in fits of giggles. She captioned the clip: 'One good thing about Menopause is you get an instant induction into the zero f***s club, If you've run out of f***s to give this week , sending you so much love'. Fans and famous friends were quick to gush over the star's video as former Strictly Professional Oti Mabuse wrote: 'hahahahahahahaha this song is me on set you look hot babeeee'. Beach bod: Davina slicked her wet chestnut locks back from her beautiful face as she accessorised the summer look with a simple gold cross necklace Boogie: The former Big Brother hot danced around to the music as she waved her arms in the air and hopped on each foot. Before realising her boogie was being filmed and she walked towards the camera in fits of giggles. While television host Angela Scanlan added:' Love you'. This comes after the brunette beauty recently opened up about how her severe menopause symptoms left her feeling like she had a 'brain tumour or Alzheimer's' following a mistake on TV. Speaking to Sophie Raworth on BBC One's Sunday Morning, she said that her menopause 'aged' her and left her feeling 'embarrassed' and 'irrelevant'. Davina, who recently penned a book on the matter, titled Menopausing, said the brain fog she experienced during peri-menopause led her to make a mistake in her job. Pals: Fans and famous friends were quick to gush over Davina's fun post including Oti Mabuse and Angela Scanlan She revealed that during a particularly vulnerable moment, she burst into tears, thinking she was suffering from 'a brain tumour or Alzheimer's or something'. 'During peri-menopause, the hormones go up and down and up and down, so you think you're going completely mad,' Davina said. 'I felt it aged me, I felt it would make me irrelevant, I felt embarrassed because I'd always felt at the top of my game'. 'I'd been in television at that point for 20 years, I really knew what I was doing, I was extremely proud of my kind of list-making and my logistical practicality and the fact that I could multitask,' she said. But Davina revealed her skills were hindered by menopause as she recalled making a mistake on TV. Struggle: Davina recently opened up about her severe menopause symptoms and how they made her fear she had a brain tumour or dementia 'Somebody asked me if I was okay because I messed up on a TV programme, and I said yes, and when she shut the door and went away, I just burst into tears,' she told Sophie. 'Because I thought "I'm not okay, I think I got a brain tumour, or I got Alzheimer's or something, help me",' the presenter added. Writing for the Mail on Sunday today, Davina spoke more of her symptoms as she discussed the ongoing shortage of HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy - which women use to manage their menopause symptoms. 'I started with symptoms around ten years ago after suffering brain fog and anxiety to the extent I thought I was losing my mind,' she said. 'In my mid-40s, I was considered by my doctor to be too young to be menopausal, so I took the decision to consult a gynaecologist,' she added. Alongside Penny Lancaster and Mariella Frostrup, and MP Carolyn Harris, Davina is campaigning to change the law around HRT prescription for women Georgia Fowler is currently mixing business with pleasure during her trip to Cannes, France, where she has attended several red carpet events. On Friday, the Victoria's Secret model took some time off from the Cannes Film Festival to enjoy a stroll in the sunshine with her daughter, Dylan, seven months. The tot was wheeled along in her pram by Georgia's mother, Kim Fowler, as the trio took a walk through town. Having fun: Georgia Fowler (right) is in Cannes, France. On Friday, the Victoria's Secret model took some time off from the Cannes Film Festival to enjoy a stroll in the sunshine with her daughter, Dylan, seven months, and her mother, Kim Fowler (left) The 29-year-old New Zealand-born beauty turned heads in a slinky yellow dress which featured a white abstract design. The stunner had on a pair of dark sunglasses to guard against bright rays and carried a black purse high on her arm. She appeared have on minimal makeup free for her outing, including a nude pink lipstick, while slicking her dark hair off her face. Sweet: The tot was wheeled along in her pram by Georgia's mother as the trio took a walk through town Looking good: The 29-year-old New Zealand-born beauty turned heads in a slinky yellow dress which featured a white abstract design Casual: She appeared have on minimal makeup free for her outing, including a nude pink lipstick, while slicking her dark hair off her face Georgia added a pair of black flats to the ensemble, which featured fine black straps. The beauty welcomed her daughter Dylan Aman with her businessman boyfriend Nathan Dalah, who is the co-founder of restaurant chain Fishbowl, on September 17 last year. 'Dylan Aman Dalah. 17.9.21. Welcome to the world. We love you so much,' she wrote, sharing a series of photos of the adorable newborn. Heeled: Georgia added a pair of black flats to the ensemble, which featured fine black straps Sun safe: The stunner had on a pair of dark sunglasses to guard against bright rays and carried a black purse high on her arm The New Zealand native recently shared her delight at becoming a mother, saying it was 'much easier' than she'd envisioned. 'It has been easier than I thought. She's a real angel so it'll be fine,' she told Daily Mail Australia at the Moet & Chandon Effervescence in December. 'It's been really nice to be able to hang out with Dylan and have a great baby.' A look: She has wowed the Cannes Film Festival crowd with her stunning red carpet outfits all week. Georgia saved her best look for last as she attended the star-studded amfAR Gala The beauty has wowed the Cannes Film Festival crowd with her stunning red carpet outfits all week. Georgia saved her best look for last as she attended the star-studded amfAR Gala on Thursday evening. The Kiwi supermodel sparkled in a cut-out silver jumpsuit complete with cape and flaunted a hint of underboob. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld's author wife Jessica added another string to her bow on Thursday when she graduated from NYU's Wagner Graduate School of Public Service - with the 50-year-old proudly marking the milestone by sharing several images from her ceremony on Instagram. The mother-of-three flashed wide smiles while celebrating her graduation with several of her close friends and classmates in all of the shots, and she was seen walking during a graduation ceremony in her clip. The media personality also wrote a short message to express her feelings about finishing her time in graduate school. Milestone moment: Jerry Seinfeld's author wife Jessica, 50, graduated from NYU's Wagner Graduate School of Public Service on Thursday Couple: The author shared several photos from her ceremony, however Jerry (seen together in 2019) was not pictured in them and it is thought he may not have been able to attend Happy mom: Jessica - who shares three children with Jerry - did post one photo of herself posing with her sons Julian (right), 19, and Shepherd (left), 16, who both joined her Seinfeld's first shot showed her wearing her cap and gown while spending time in her family's home. The wife of Jerry Seinfeld also included several selfies that she took with her classmates in her photoset. The author notably shared a shot that had been taken with her sons Julian and Shepherd, aged 19 and 16. Her clip showed her making her way across a stage and being celebrated for her achievement. Seinfeld previously shared a shot of a sizable balloon arrangement that had been set up in her home to her Instagram Story. The inflatables spelled out 'congratulations' in big silver letters and took up much of her family's living space. The author also added a text graphic to her image that read: 'Jerry and kids went all out.' Marking the occasion: Seinfeld previously shared a shot of a sizable balloon arrangement that had been set up in her home to her Instagram Story Speaking her mind: Seinfeld began her statement by remarking that she was grateful for the connections that she made during her time at NYU Seinfeld began her statement by remarking that she was grateful for the connections that she made during her time at NYU. 'I spent the last two years learning alongside the best people working in public service,' she said. The media personality appeared to make a reference to the tragic events in Texas and expressed that she and her classmates would likely make a difference in the world. High praise: The author wrote that she had 'spent the last two years learning alongside the best people working in public service' Timely comment: The media personality appeared to make a reference to the tragic events in Texas and expressed that she and her classmates would likely make a difference in the world 'So, on one of the darkest days in our country's history, I feel hopeful that this group will help carry us, elevate us and advance us to a better place,' she wrote. Seinfeld concluded her message by writing that she was happy to have spent time studying at the graduate school. 'I made lifelong friends and I could not feel more proud to be part of this truly remarkable cohort and the Wagner family,' she noted. Jennifer Lopez shares a loving tribute for Ray Liotta on social media. The 52-year-old star took to Instagram to post a photo with him while making comments about how she learned from him while making their TV series Shades Of Blue from 2016 until 2018. 'Ray was my partner in crime on Shades of Blue the first thing that comes to mind is he was so kind to my children,' the fiancee of Ben Affleck began her note. Blue stars: Jennifer Lopez shares a loving tribute for Ray Liotta. The star took to Instagram to post a photo with him while making comments about how she learned from him while making their TV series Shades Of Blue. Seen in 2016 A TV star as well: He worked from 2016 until 2018 on the NYPD cop show Shades Of Blue with Jennifer Lopez, Right, seen in an embrace in 2016 And then she said he was really a softie. 'Ray was the epitome of a tough guy who was all mushy on the inside I guess thats what made him such a compelling actor to watch. The original Goodfella.' They worked closely together. 'We shared some intense moments on set those three years! When I first heard he took the job on Shades of Blue, I was thrilled, and the first time we walked on set to do our first scene together there was an electric spark and a mutual respect and we both knew this was going to be good. Crime connection: 'Ray was my partner in crime on Shades of Blue the first thing that comes to mind is he was so kind to my children,' the fiancee of Ben Affleck began her note 'We enjoyed doing our scenes together and I felt lucky to have him there to work with and learn from. Like all artists he was complicated, sincere, honest and so very emotional. Like a raw nerve, he was so accessible and so in touch in his acting and I will always remember our time together fondly.' And she feels a legend left too soon. 'We lost a great today RIP RAY its so sad to lose you what seems way to soon I will remember you always. Sending so much love and strength to your daughter Karsen, your family and all your loved ones.' Lopez cast Ray in her cop TV series Shades Of Blue as she was one of the top producers. The series aired from 2016 until 2018. On set: And then she said he was really a softie. 'Ray was the epitome of a tough guy who was all mushy on the inside I guess thats what made him such a compelling actor to watch. The original Goodfella' Lopez played New York detective Harlee Santos, a single mother who works with a group of dirty cops. She takes her cut of the bribes and protection money to give her daughter as she wants her to have a good life. But then she is caught by the FBI, which forces her to turn informant on her cop family. Harlee struggles with being a rat. Another close friend also said goodbye. Lorraine Bracco revealed she is 'utterly shattered' following the shock death of her Goodfellas co-star Liotta on Thursday. NY scene: They worked closely together. 'We shared some intense moments on set those three years! When I first heard he took the job on Shades of Blue, I was thrilled, and the first time we walked on set to do our first scene together there was an electric spark and a mutual respect and we both knew this was going to be good' Promoting their show: Liotta, from left, Lopez, and Jack Orman speak at the NBC's Shades of Blue in 2017 The actor - who was best known for the Martin Scorsese movie - died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic, where he was shooting the film Dangerous Waters, his reps confirmed. Deadline was the first to report the news. Soon after news broke, tributes rolled in for the New Jersey native. Bracco, who played his wife in the hit 1990 mobster movie, said: 'I am utterly shattered to hear this terrible news about my Ray. 'I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is Goodfellas. Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the sameRay Liotta.' And another Goodfellas co-star, Robert De Niro, also paid his respects in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: 'I was very saddened to learn of Rays passing. He is way too way young to have left us. May he Rest in Peace.' Sad loss: Liotta passed away at the age of 67 this week. And soon after tributes from stars flooded into social media. Seen in 2021 Her tribute: His Goodfellas costar Lorraine Bracco, who played his wife in the hit 1990 movie, said: 'I am utterly shattered to hear this terrible news about my Ray. I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is Goodfellas. Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the sameRay Liotta'; seen left in Goodfellas and right in 2012 A sad farewell on social media: Bracco also shared an image with the actor at a Hollywood event in 2012 They made movie history together: And another Goodfellas co-star, Robert De Niro, also paid his respects: 'I was very saddened to learn of Rays passing. He is way too way young to have left us. May he Rest in Peace' Melanie Griffith, who worked with Ray in Something Wild, said she admired him. 'Ray and I met in 1981. He was a force of nature and good friends with Steven Bauer, my husband at the time. We moved into his apartment to study acting in NY with Stella Adler, he moved into our place in LA to pursue his career in Hollywood. 5 years later I asked Jonathon Demme to read him for Something Wild, Jonathan had almost chosen someone else. He read him, called me and said Ray was THE ONE. Ray was a magnificent actor, a wonderful man and a great Dad. Sending you love Ray. . Jennifer Love Hewitt, who acted with Liotta on the 2001 film Heartbreakers, shared a sweet tribute as she said, 'I'm heart broken. I loved the time we spent and memories we made. You will be so missed.' The actress shared a broken heart emoji and a photo of a dove with an olive branch. Alessandra Nivola - who recently worked with Liotta on The Many Saints Of Newark (Liotta played two roles: Hollywood Dick Moltisanti, and his brother Salvatore Moltisanti) - wrote: 'RIP Ray Liotta. I feel so lucky to have squared off against this legend in one of his final roles. The scenes we did together were among the all time highlights of my acting career. 'He was dangerous, unpredictable, hilarious, and generous with his praise for other actors. Too soon.' David Chase, who was the writer on The Many Saints Of Newark, added in a statement to Deadline, 'This is a massive, unexpected shock. I have been an admirer of Rays work since I saw him in Something Wild, a movie he wrenched by the tail. 'I was so glad he worked on The Many Saints Of Newark. 'I believed strongly in my heart that he could play that double role. He created two distinctly separate characters and each performance was phenomenal. Ray was also a very warm and humorous person. A really superior actor. We all felt we lucked out having him on that movie.' Jamie Lee Curtis, who worked with Ray on 1988's Dominick And Eugene, said, 'His work as an actor showed his complexity as a human being. A gentle man. So sad to hear.' And Viola Davis shared, 'RIP Ray Liotta!! Loved your work (heart emoji).' Former costars: Jennifer Love Hewitt, who worked with Liotta on the 2001 film Heartbreakers, shared a sweet tribute as she said, 'I'm heart broken. I loved the time we spent and memories we made. You will be so missed.' The actress shared a broken heart emoji and a photo of a dove with an olive branch They worked together: Alessandra Nivola wrote: 'RIP Ray Liotta. I feel so lucky to have squared off against this legend in one of his final roles. The scenes we did together were among the all time highlights of my acting career'; seen in The Many Saints Of Newark Josh Brolin shared a black and white photo of the star as he wrote: 'My buddy. My friend. How so soon? Why? Ill miss you. 'I will think about seeing you at Golds often, talking about what to do next, how to find something together. I always looked up to you the work was always so good, but the man you were always stood out among the rest of them. Yes, I will miss you, pal. Until we meet again, wherever they say that is. ' Helena Christensen wrote in the comments section: 'Oh man what an immense actor he was .' And actor Joe Pantoliano said: 'WHAT!!!! No! Omg! I was watering the lawn this morning and I was thinking about Ray he popped into my head. Oh No! RIP RAY RAY' Hard to hear about: Jamie Lee Curtis said, 'His work as an actor showed his complexity as a human being. A gentle man. So sad to hear'; they worked together on Dominick And Eugene in 1988 Too soon: Josh Brolin shared a black and white photo of the star as he wrote: 'My buddy. My friend. How so soon? Why? Ill miss you' Seth's words: Seth Rogen also took to social media to pay his respects. 'I can't believe Ray Liotta has passed away. He was such a lovely, talented and hilarious person. Working with him was one of the great joys of my career and we made some of my favorite scenes I ever got to be in. A true legend of immense skill and grace.' Seth and Ray co-starred in the 2009 movie Observe And Report Kristin Chenoweth tweeted: 'RIP GOODFELLA Ray Liotta. I adored you. I love knowing you all those years ago.' Jesse Tyler Ferguson worked with Liotta when the actor guest-starred in a 2016 episode of Modern Family. 'He was one of the greatest actors of our generation,' Ferguson told Deadline. 'The day he was on Modern Family was such a special day. We were really lucky to get a lot of great guest stars, and every once in a while there would be one of his stature that would come in a play with us for the day, and it made us feel so special that they wanted to take the time to come and be with us. 'He was a movie star, a huge movie star, and Im just so grateful that he left behind such a beautiful body of work, because that is all we can hope to do with our time on this earth leave behind something for people to remember us by. And he certainly left a wealth of beautiful performances for us to remember him by.' Seth Rogen also took to social media to pay his respects. 'I can't believe Ray Liotta has passed away. He was such a lovely, talented and hilarious person. Working with him was one of the great joys of my career and we made some of my favorite scenes I ever got to be in. A true legend of immense skill and grace.' He took time for this: Recluse Rob Kardashian of Keeping Up With The Kardashians shared a post for Liotta Seth and Ray co-starred in the 2009 movie Observe And Report. Charlie Day, who worked with Liotta on his untitled directorial debut, told The Hollywood Reporter, 'Im devastated to hear of Rays passing. He was fantastic to work with and gave a great performance that I am sorry he never got to see. I was a long time fan and getting to work with him was everything I hoped it would be. My thoughts go out to his family.' Taron Egerton, who stars in the upcoming Apple TV series In With The Devil alongside Liotta, wrote on Instagram: 'I have never felt such an easy, warm connection with another performer. He was so generous. If I went one way he followed me. Always dancing. Always listening. Never self-generated.' Devon Sawa added, 'I try not to do the RIPs but Ray Liotta was truly one of my favorites to watch. 'He just has this magnetic draw to his performances, which is part of the reason Goddfellas remains tied with Aliens as my favorite film(s) ever made. 'This one stung more than usual.' Rosanna Arquette shared: 'Im really sad to hear that Ray Liotta has passed away. He was an friend back in the day and its very sad. We had a lot of laughs Rest In Peace My friend.' They go way back: Kristin Chenoweth tweeted: 'RIP GOODFELLA Ray Liotta. I adored you. I love knowing you all those years ago' He was loved: And Viola Davis shared, 'RIP Ray Liotta!! Loved your work (heart emoji)' Peace: Rosanna Arquette shared: 'Im really sad to hear that Ray Liotta has passed away. He was an friend back in the day and its very sad. We had a lot of laughs Rest In Peace My friend' Melissa Gilbert posted a note from her husband Timothy Busfield who shared a behind-the-scenes story from their 1989 film Field Of Dreams. 'In the iconic moment in Field of Dreams when Ray Liottas character says to Kevin Costners, is this heaven? And Kevins response is, no its Iowa., a fog had settled into the outfield, which was perfect for that moment, but Ray had been wrapped for the day. 'John Lindley and Director Phil Robinson decided to shoot that scene then, against that majestic and mysterious fog bank. It was before cell phones. So they sent production assistants to scour the bars of Debuque to bring him back. 'They found him and he didnt say no, Im off work. He drove the 45 minutes back to Dyersville, changed back into his uniform, and played the scene. Perfectly. He had great great game. In all his movies. He was a sweet man. RIP my brother. Youll be missed.' It stings: Devon Sawa added, 'I try not to do the RIPs but Ray Liotta was truly one of my favorites to watch' Jeffrey Wright posted: 'Ray Liotta. Man. Just met dude for the first time last year. GREAT actor. Nice to have had a chance to say that to him. RIP.' Cary Elwes noted: 'Very sad to hear the news this morning about the passing of #RayLiotta. An extraordinary talent whose remarkable performances left an indelible mark on the screen. Our deepest condolences to his family. RIP Ray.' Lou Diamond Phillips tweeted, 'Absolutely stunned at the passing of Ray Liotta. I never had the privilege of working with him but his reputation as one of the good guys was well known. A tragic loss. #RIPRayLiotta.' Producer Gale Anne Hurd tweeted, '#RIP #RayLiotta We collaborated on #MartinCampbells #NoEscape, which is worth checking out for his terrific performance as a thoroughly engaging action star. Hes gone way too soon.' He leaves behind his fiance Jacy Nittolo as well as his daughter Karsen, 23, with ex-wife Michelle Grace. Liotta's sudden death shocked fans as he embarked on a huge resurgence in recent years, staring alongside up and coming thespians such as Taron Egerton. Prayers for Ray: Cary Elwes noted: 'Very sad to hear the news this morning about the passing of #RayLiotta. An extraordinary talent whose remarkable performances left an indelible mark on the screen. Our deepest condolences to his family. RIP Ray' Hard to take: Jeffrey Wright posted: 'Ray Liotta. Man. Just met dude for the first time last year. GREAT actor. Nice to have had a chance to say that to him. RIP' They were pals: James Mangold said that he was saddened by the bad news But he was perhaps best known for his incredible performance in Scorsese's 1990 classic Goodfellas, where he played Henry Hill while Robert De Niro took on the role of Jimmy Conway. His other roles include Shoeless Joe Jackson in 1989s Field of Dreams, Ray Sinclair in Something Wild (1986). And he was in Unlawful Entry (1992), Cop Land (1997), Hannibal (2001), Blow (2001), John Q (2002), Identity (2003), Observe and Report (2009), Killing Them Softly (2012), and The Place Beyond the Pines (2012). And he worked from 2016 until 2018 on the NYPD cop show Shades Of Blue with Drea de Matteo and Jennifer Lopez. A note from London: TV personality Piers Morgan called Ray a 'brilliant' actor and shared an image from Goodfellas Hit maker: The star was best known for the Martin Scorsese movie Goodfellas In recent years his career heated up again. He was in The Many Saints of Newark, Marriage Story and No Sudden Move back to back. The star told People he felt the change: 'It's weird how this business works, because I've definitely had a career that's up and down. For some reason, I've been busier this year than I have in all the years that I've been doing this. And I still feel I'm not there yet. I just think there's a lot more.' Ray - who was was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1954 - was abandoned at an orphanage before he was adopted at six-months-old by Marty and Alfred Liotta. Liotta was filming on location in the Dominican Republic for an upcoming thriller, Dangerous Waters. The feature film co-starred Euphoria and Grey's Anatomy actor Eric Dane, alongside Odeya Rush and Saffron Burrows. Their casting was announced just a few weeks back, at the beginning of May. His widow: He leaves behind his fiance Jacy Nittolo (pictured) as well as his daughter Karsen Dangerous Waters, from Signature Films, which is directed by John Barr and written by Mark Jackson, was in the midst of shooting when the actor passed away unexpectedly. The film centers on an out of control sailing vacation that goes off the rails when a teenage girl discovers 'the dark past of her mother's new boyfriend,' according to the synopsis. Producers were said to have been pitching the project at this month's Cannes Film Festival to potential buyers, Deadline reported. The producers of Dangerous Waters told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement, 'We were deeply saddened to learn of Rays passing, its a tremendous loss and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, fiance Jacy and daughter Karsen.' Dangerous Waters was just one of many projects currently on the docket for Liotta at the time of his shocking death. The actor can be seen in the upcoming television drama Black Bird and recently completed two films, Cocaine Bear and El Tonto. In addition to Dangerous Waters, Ray had two other films in production: April 29, 1992 and The Substance. Justin Hartley looked every inch the heartthrob on Wednesday while celebrating his Haute Living cover with wife Sofia Parnas at the Pendry West Hollywood. The This Is Us star, 45, sported a dashing pastel pink suit over a white button-up shirt to the event, which took place following the wrap of his hit TV series. Meanwhile Sofia, 32, dazzled in a sleeveless figure-hugging cream leather dress. The actor's proud wife also gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek inside of the event. Celebrating: Justin Hartley looked every inch the heartthrob on Wednesday while celebrating his Haute Living cover with wife Sofia Parnas at the Pendry West Hollywood Proud: The actor's proud wife was also seen giving him a kiss on the cheek inside of the event The evening was presented by Omega, of which Justin is a brand ambassador, and the SAG Award-winning actor accessorized his look with a gold Omega watch. Justin had his blonde hair tousled with gel and sported a light smattering of facial hair for the night. His other half accessorized her glamorous attire with a slim diamond necklace and drop earrings. Dashing: The This Is Us star, 45, sported a dashing pastel pink suit over a white button-up shirt to the event, which took place following the wrap of his hit TV series The Moroccan actress sported delicate glam for the evening, and wore her long brunette tresses lightly curled, cascading down her shoulders and back. Justin was seen mingling with various guests on the red carpet, and flashed a bright smile as he posed with Arnaud Michon, the Brand President for Omega watches, and US CEO of Swatch Group. There were also Omega watch displays set up throughout the outdoor space at the Pendry. Dazzling: Sofia, 32, dazzled in a sleeveless figure-hugging cream leather dress Happy: Justin flashed a bright smile as he posed with Arnaud Michon, the Brand President for Omega watches, and US CEO of Swatch Group Making the rounds: The stylish couple - have been married for just over a year - posed next to Michon Justin mingled with Haute Editor-in-Chief Laura Schreffler and Haute Media Group Senior Vice President April Donelson. He was also seen posing with Haute Media Group co-founder Seth Semilof, who looked dapper in a blue shirt and black suit jacket. Inside of the event, Michon gave a speech describing why Justin was the perfect ambassador for the Omega brand, as per Haute Living. Guests: Justin was spotted with Haute Editor-in-Chief Laura Schreffler (left) and Haute Media Group Senior Vice President April Donelson (right) Mingling: He was also seen posing with Haute Media Group co-founder Seth Semilof, who looked dapper in a blue shirt and black suit jacket On the cover: The actor posed next to his dashing black and white Haute Living cover The guests were then treated to an intimate dinner, which included hamachi crudo, sweet corn soup, baby kale salad, halibut tom kha, and prime ribeye. While at the dinner table, Justin also made a speech in which he thanked his wife, while she adoringly gazed up at him. He also shared how much he liked the Omega brand and that he was surprised they chose him, seeing as hes such 'a goof.' Sweet: While at the dinner table, Justin also made a speech in which he thanked his wife, while she adoringly gazed up at him Ambassador: The evening was presented by Omega, of which Justin is a brand ambassador, and there were Omega watch displays set up throughout the outdoor space at the Pendry Justin also took the time to pose next to his dashing black and white Haute Living cover. Justin and Sofia have been married for just over a year, after the two tied the knot in March 2021. The lovebirds initially met on the set of The Young and the Restless back in 2015, but say they didn't work closely together. At the time, he was dating his former wife, Chrishell Stause, who was also working for the daytime drama. A good time: Sofia appeared to be having a good time as she mingled with gal pals at the celebration Praise: Inside of the event, Michon gave a speech describing why Justin was the perfect ambassador for the Omega brand Justin and the Selling Sunset star married in 2017, but they separated two years later. The marriage was officially dissolved in 2021. Justin's hit show This Is Us recently came to an end after six seasons, with the last episode airing on May 24. Hartley - who played Kevin Pearson on the NBC family drama - spoked to the The Hollywood Reporter regarding his character's evolution and his redemption in the last episode, which sees him taking care of his sick mother, played by Many Moore. 'People deserve second chances. Hes become a complete and full man. A good man. Sometimes it takes a long time to get there. At least, for him it did.' Lisa Wilkinson has revealed her difficultly wearing trousers with long legs. On Friday, The Project host showed off her new bright green suit in an Instagram post. But there was one problem, the legs on the pants were far too long, trailing far under her feet. Small issue: Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) has revealed her difficultly wearing trousers with long legs. On Friday, The Project host showed off her new bright green suit in an Instagram post 'Here's to short-a***s everywhere!!' the 62-year-old television host joked in her caption. According to reports online, Lisa is 5 feet 6 inches (167cm ) tall, which is actually above the national average for women of 161.8 cm. However, it's unclear if those estimates for Lisa's height are correct. 'Here's to short-a***s everywhere!!' the 62-year-old television host joked in her caption It comes after's new book was been nominated for a prestigious award. The Project host's memoir It Wasn't Meant To Be Like This is in the running for The Australian Book Industry Awards for Book Of The Year (Biography). The 62-year-old announced the good news in an Instagram post on Tuesday, and took the opportunity to thank those who supported her. Award: Lisa Wilkinson's new book has been nominated for a prestigious award 'So unbelievably honoured to find out that 'It Wasn't Meant To Be Like This' has been nominated and now, today, shortlisted in the final five for The Australian Book Industry Awards for Book Of The Year (Biography),' she wrote. 'Thank you @abia_awards and @harpercollinsaustralia and to everyone who has taken the time and trouble to send me so many heartfelt messages over the last six months, and especially to those who have shared with me so much of your own stories' she continued. 'You have no idea how much those precious words have meant to me.' Thandiwe Newton and her boyfriend Lonr were spotted arriving for a sushi date at Matsuhisa in Los Angeles on Friday. The actress, 49, showcased her quirky sense of style in a long coat with a unique print on it while waiting on her toyboy lover, 25, as he had a smoke outside. She sported a pair of chunky sandals and a colourful scarf while holding her vibrant orange beanie hat. Loved-up: Thandiwe Newton and her boyfriend Lonr were spotted arriving for a sushi date at Matsuhisa in Los Angeles on Frida Thandiwe swept her red locks back into a bun while optin for a natural makeup look with a nude lip. Meanwhile, Lonr cut a casual figure in a khaki jumper, blue jeans and a pair of black vans as he strolled along the street. It comes after earlier this month Thandiwe was branded 'crazy' by the step-father of her toyboy lover Lonr. Looking good: She sported a pair of chunky sandals and a colourful scarf while holding her vibrant orange beanie hat Casual: The actress, 49, showcased her quirky sense of style in a long coat with a unique print on it while waiting on her toyboy lover, 25, as he had a smoke outside Pretty: Thandiwe swept her red locks back into a bun while optin for a natural makeup look with a nude lip The star is reportedly living with musician Lonr following her recent split from husband of 16 years Ol. Now the step-father of Lonr - real name Elijah Dias - has spoken out on the surprise romance, insisting the rapper won't settle down with Thandiwe. Speaking to The Sun from his New York home, Jimmy Varner, 58, said his family found out about their romance through pictures in the media. Low-key: Lonr cut a casual figure in a khaki jumper, blue jeans and a pair of black vans as he strolled along the street Trouble: It comes after earlier this month Thandiwe was branded 'crazy' by the step-father of her toyboy lover Lonr, 25 Moving fast: The star is reportedly living with musician Lonr following her recent split from husband of 16 years Ol Jimmy is the ex-husband of Elijah's mum Mikelyn Roderick, 63. He told The Sun that the whole family found out about the romance through media reports, advising the couple: 'Lord have mercy on her - and him. She looks crazy as hell to me. All the pretty ones are crazy like that. 'But when he's ready to settle down and be having kids, he ain't going to settle for her. Elijah said that he is not concerned by the 24 year age gap between the pair, explaining: 'Look, he knows what to do with an older woman, I'm not worried about the age gap. He's mature, he can handle himself... she had better be ready for him.' Last week, it was reported the Line Of Duty star is 'living with 25-year-old musician Lonr', following the pair's recent public display of affection in Malibu, and wants 'everyone to know' about the romance. The actress is said to be acting like a 'love-struck teenager' while pals close to the star have claimed Ol was 'blindsided' by her new romance. A source told The Sun: 'Thandiwe has been staying with Elijah in LA and is acting like a smitten teenager. Her wedding ring is off and it seems she has fallen for him. 'Thandiwe seems like she can't get enough of Elijah. When he isn't working, he is with Thandiwe. They are very much a couple and Elijah is acting like the perfect boyfriend. 'She isn't hiding this romance. She wants everyone to know about it.' Family: Her and Ol share three children Ripley, 21, Nico, 17, and Booker, eight (pictured with her husband and daughters in 2019) Thandiwe has been liking and commenting on the rapper's social media posts since at least January 2020. However, there is no suggestion they had a relationship back then. The young musician has insisted Thandiwe's number one priority is the welfare of her three children. Lonr, who at 25 is just four years older than the actress' eldest daughter, has broken his silence on the pair's relationship, insisting Thandiwe is still focused on the upbringing of her children with the filmmaker - Ripley, 21, Nico, 17, and Booker, eight. He told Page Six: 'From the relatively short time I've been fortunate to spend with her, I know Thandiwe and Oliver care deeply about the welfare of their children. That's all I care about right now.' The departure of senior leaders has long stopped shocking the Congress but what could shock its observers is its response to the parting shot of Kapil Sibal, the latest to leave it. The party sought to dismiss it all, saying that it is a large organisation and people and come and go; and that Mr Sibal, in his letter to the party announcing his resignation, has said he still believed in the values of the Congress even in exit. The party appears to have missed the import of Mr Sibals defection. Mr Sibal has joined not the BJP as most other deserters have but chose to ally with a formation which believes that majoritarianism in the country can be resisted only by secular forces. Reduced to the basics, the political foes of Mr Sibal and the Congress remain the BJP; those on whom they both bank are secular formations and their ideological weapons are still the same. Only the platform is different. Mr Sibal has said the present Congress does not reflect Congress values. He also believes there is an alternative to the Congress when it comes to the fight for secular values. Although not a mass leader, Mr Sibal was in the forefront of the legal and parliamentary fight against several of the NDA governments attempts to undermine the Constitution, as per the Congress. These include the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the abrogation of Article 370 and the recent bid by the BJP-run Delhi municipal corporation to raze the homes of people based on allegations of being involved in communal clashes. His unequivocal stand on all these issues had earned him a lot of respect which finally accrued to his party. Now when he joins a new platform, the goodwill could get transferred with him. The Congress must worry about it. The G-23 group of senior leaders calling for a change in the leadership and style of functioning of the Congress Party will now be a weakened force without Mr Sibal. They will have very few options if the party high command does not course-correct. It is up to the leadership of said party to decide if it will listen to voices from the ground or ignore these and get back to business as usual. Kanye West lamented his status as a co-parent to his four children with ex-wife Kim Kardashian on his latest single, True Love, which dropped on Thursday night. The song, with vocals from the late XXXTentacion, features Ye, 44, expressing his dissatisfaction with his custody schedule, as he raps: 'Wait, when you see the kids? I'll see y'all tomorrow/ Wait, when the sun set? I see y'all tomorrow.' The musician also appears to grieve the fact that his kids aren't with him permanently: 'When I pick 'em up, I feel like they borrowed/ When I gotta return them, scan 'em like a bar code.' Custody war: Kanye West lamented his status as a co-parent to his four children with ex-wife Kim Kardashian on his latest single, True Love, which dropped on Friday; Pictured in 2019 West, who shares North, eight, Saint, six, Chicago, four, and Psalm, three with the reality star, 41, goes on to complain about the children's clothing. 'Wait, who got the kids in those "What are thos?"/ Wait, why they can't wear Yeezys with the cargos?' he asks, referring to his own brand. 'Y'all know Nik don't like me, y'all take it too far, though/ At least have 'em in some Mike's, he played for Chicago,' he went on, referencing his dispute with Nike over a financial disagreement. Sad: The song features Ye, 44, expressing his dissatisfaction with his custody schedule: 'When I pick 'em up, I feel like they borrowed/ When I gotta return them, scan 'em like a bar code'; Pictured 2020 In the song, which discusses struggling to keep love alive in a relationship, West seems to complain that the kids can't see him even if they want to. 'I only see three kids, who watchin' Chicago?' he wonders about his youngest daughter. 'And you know all the nannies said, "Daddy in Nebraska"/ Let the kids dig a tunnel to my house like Chapo.' Towards the end of the song Kanye states that his kids can always reach him, as he leaves the light on for them. 'Only neighbor in the hood with a door they can knock on/ I leave the light on/ Daddy's not gone, you see the light on.' Happier times: West shares North (left), eight, Saint (center), six, Chicago, four, and Psalm, three with the reality star, 41 The single comes after Kim tried to make amends with her family for how Kanye had 'treated' them over the years on the latest episode of The Kardashians. Kim shared her regrets over how the superstar rapper had behaved in recent years as she spoke with Khloe, Kendall, Kourtney, Travis Barker and mother Kris Jenner, along with her boyfriend Corey Gamble, over dinner. During the talk Kim and Kris, 66, got the same text message revealing that Kanye was preparing to release a new song. 'It means he's talking s*** about me and probably saying whatever,' Kim explained to her confused siblings. Making amends: The single comes after Kim tried to make amends with her family for how Kanye had 'treated' them over the years on the latest episode of The Kardashians 'You're the mother of his kids and have been nothing but great to him,' Kris said. 'One day your kids are going to read all of it, and see all of it. And that's something that everybody has to be really aware of.' Kim vowed that she would never 'stoop' to her ex's level and suggested that Kanye had 'always' treated her family poorly, hinting the issues preceded his battle with bipolar disorder and their split. 'I protected that for so long, but I said I will never let that happen to you guys again,' Kim said defiantly. 'All I can do is control how I react to something,' she went on to say. 'I can't control how he treats me or, you know, how he's always treated you guys.' In a confessional segment, the beauty said that she understood the 'impact' the split with West 'has had on [her] family' and that she wanted to tell them, 'I'm sorry, guys.' News: During the talk Kim and Kris, 66, got a text revealing that Kanye was preparing to release a new song. 'It means he's talking s*** about me and probably saying whatever,' Kim explained Kardashian filed to divorce West in February of 2021 after more than six years of marriage. She has been dating comedian Pete Davidson, 28, since last fall. Meanwhile West's lawyer, Samantha Spector has filed paperwork to withdraw from the rapper's divorce case from Kim. Spector cited an irreconcilable breakdown with the rapper, The Blast reported, citing court docs. An attorney from Pennsylvania (who is not a divorce lawyer) will represent the Grammy-winning artist in his split from Kardashian the outlet reported. Spector, who has previously represented celebs such as Amber Heard and Dr. Dres ex-wife Nicole Young, was hired by West earlier this year amid his acrimonious split with the reality star. The latest: West's lawyer Samantha Spector has filed paperwork to withdraw from the rapper's divorce case from his ex-wife West brought Spector on his legal team in the wake of his public complaints that Kardashian had prevented him from seeing their children. Kardashian in February took to social media to explain her frustration with West's behavior in the wake of their split, after he publicly complained that their eldest child North had a TikTok account. 'As the parent who is the main provider and caregiver for our children, I am doing my best to protect our daughter while also allowing her to express her creativity in the medium that she wishes with adult supervision - because it brings her happiness,' she said. 'Divorce is difficult enough on our children and Kanye's obsession with trying to control and manipulate our situation so negatively and publicly is only causing further pain for all. 'From the beginning I have wanted nothing but a healthy relationship because it is what is best for our children and it saddens me that Kanye continues to make it impossible every step of the way.' West was seen in NYC earlier this week signing autographs as he arrived to a Balenciaga show Kardashian and West publicly clashed earlier this year amid their ongoing divorce battle Counting Spector (pictured in 2019 in LA), West has been through four attorneys in the case West fired back in an Instagram post responding to Kardashian's statement, saying, 'What do you mean by the main provider? 'America saw you try to kidnap my daughter on her birthday by not providing the address. You put security on me inside of the house to play with my son then accused me of stealing I had to take a drug test after Chicagos party cause you accused me of being on drugs.' Counting Spector, West has been through four attorneys in the case, Page Six reported. Prior to Spector, West relieved attorney Chris Melcher of his duties in the case, TMZ reported in March. Insiders told the outlet at the time that West had been indecisive in his dealings with Melcher, at some times looking to settle and other times looking to battle her in court. At the time West switched representation from Melcher to Spector, Kardashian's lawyer Laura Wasser said that West had been 'strategically' switching lawyers in an effort to slow down the legal process in the split, Mirror reported. The Good Fight is scheduled to come to an end with its forthcoming sixth season. The news about the conclusion of the popular legal drama program, which airs on CBS All Access and Paramount+, was reported by several sources on Friday. Two of the series' co-creators, Robert and Michelle King, also sat down for an extensive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, where they expressed their thoughts about the end of the show. Coming to a close: The Good Fight is scheduled to come to an end with its forthcoming sixth season The Good Fight served as both a spinoff and a sequel to The Good Wife, which was also co-created by the Kings. The older program ran from 2009 until 2016 and starred Julianna Margulies, among other performers. The newer show followed Diane Lockhart, played by Christine Baranski, as she begins working at a Chicago law firm after her life savings are wiped out. Cast members include Delroy Lindo, Rose Leslie and Audra McDonald, among numerous others. Storyline: The newer show followed Diane Lockhart, played by Christine Baranski, as she begins working at a Chicago law firm after her life savings are wiped out The Good Fight's first season premiered in 2017, and four further seasons have been released since then. The show has received consistently positive reviews from critics ever since its debut. Its cast and crew members have also been nominated for numerous awards, including Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes, ever since its inception. The Good Fight was renewed for a sixth season in July of last year, although it was not confirmed that the series would be ending until Friday. Another one: The Good Fight was renewed for a sixth season in July of last year, although it was not confirmed that the series would be ending until Friday The Kings spoke about their work on the show during their sit-down with The Hollywood Reporter, where they noted that they were happy to be able to work with timely subject matter. 'To be able to tell stories about an upside-down world in real time has been a gift,' they said. The married couple then pointed out that they were enthusiastic about the prospect of reuniting with the show's cast and crew members. 'Our hope-slash-scheme is to find ways to work with all of them again in the future,' they said. Happy collaborators: The married couple then pointed out that they were enthusiastic about the prospect of reuniting with the show's cast and crew members The pair told the media outlet that they felt as if the program's sixth season felt like a natural ending to its story. They also noted that they feared falling into repetitive motions if they were to continue with the show. The Kings did point out, however, that they felt as if further spinoffs could focus on the show's characters, although none are currently being developed. Leaving the door open: The Kings did point out, however, that they felt as if further spinoffs could focus on the show's characters, although none are currently being developed Robert concluded by noting that the show's finale had not been written, although he expressed that he and his collaborators were looking to both please and captivate the show's fans. 'We're in the writers' room now thinking it through. We hope it ends in [a] way that seems inevitable but surprising and puts character first,' he said. The Good Fight's sixth and final season is set to premiere on the Paramount+ streaming service on September 8. Val Kilmer's ex-wife Joanna Whalley made a rare appearance this week. The brunette beauty - who came to fame in the 1980s with hit movies such as Scandal and Shattered - looked sensation in all black as she attended the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California. The 60-year-old actress was there to plug the Willow, the new Disney+ series based on the 1988 movie directed about Ron Howard which she starred in with her ex Val as well as Warwick Davis. Back in the spotlight: Val Kilmer's ex-wife Joanna Whalley made a rare appearance this week. The brunette beauty looked sensation in all black as she attended the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California The movie icon had on a black blazer with black ruched skirt and a dramatic red stone and silver Native American necklace. The British actress added strappy peep toe heels. Her long hair was worn down in soft waves over her shoulder as she had on pink lipstick and smiled when on stage addressing the crowd. Willow will premiere November 30, 2002, exclusively on Disney+. Still radiant: The movie icon had on a black blazer with black ruched skirt and a dramatic red stone and silver Native American necklace. She added strappy peep toe heels Styled: Her long hair was worn down in soft waves over her shoulder as she had on pink lipstick It takes place 20 years after the film ended. The 1988 fantasy/adventure film from a story by George Lucas was about Willow Ufgood, a Nelwyn dwarf and aspiring sorcerer man (Warwick Davis), who has been tasked with protecting a young woman (Whalley). The movie also starred Kilmer, whom Joanne was married to from 1988 until 1996. Together they had two children: Mercedes and Jack. They go way back: Here Joanna puts her arm around Warwick at the celebration The film: The 1988 fantasy/adventure film from a story by George Lucas was about a young man named Willow (Warwick Davis) who been tasked with protecting a young woman (Whalley) Also at the event was Howard, and costars Ruby Cruz, Jon Kasdan, Davis (who also played an Ewok in Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi), Ellie Bamber and Erin Kellyman. They all participated in a studio showcase panel. Producer Jonathan Kasdan was joined on stage by original film director Ron Howard. Kasdan said, 'The first time I met Ron, I went up to him and I said, I'm a huge Willow fan, and I'm determined to convince Kathy to make a sequel series to Willow. And he said, "Great, but what are you doing in my hotel room?"' Davis added, 'Making the original movie was one of the best experiences of my life. And I've been in Star Wars." The cast: Ron Howard, Ruby Cruz, Jon Kasdan, Warwick Davis, Joanne Whalley, Ellie Bamber and Erin Kellyman attend the studio showcase panel at Star Wars Celebration On stage: (L-R) Howard, Kasdan, Kellyman, Davis, Cruz, Bamber and Whalley Joanne is best known for her role as call girl Christine Keeler in the 1989 film Scandal and for playing the mistress opposite Greta Scacchi in 1991's Shattered. But Whalley's career has never slowed as she has appeared in 1994's Scarlett and the series Daredevil from 2015 until 2018. Meanwhile, Val has been open about his struggle with throat cancer which was explored in his V documentary. They fell in love: He and Whalley met while filming the fantasy film Willow. Kilmer later complained that he only found out he was being divorced after seeing a report on CNN The it couple: They two seen at the Liberty Hill Foundation's Eighth Annual Upton Sinclair Awards in 1990 in Beverly Hills He seems to be doing better these days as he has a cameo in the new Tom Cruise Top Gun sequel called Maverick. Val was once one of the biggest stars of the 1990s, appearing as Batman in Batman Forever in 1993 and as Simon Templar in Hollywood's version of the British TV classic The Saint. He and Whalley met while filming the fantasy film Willow. Kilmer later complained that he only found out he was being divorced after seeing a report on CNN. Kendall Rae Knight has been hit with an influx of hateful messages from trolls via social media following the arrest of her mother, Jane Prior. The love Island star's mother, 60, was arrested on suspicion of child abduction on Thursday, after an eight-year-old girl went missing from her school in Lancashire. Since the arrest, fans have been directing their rage at Kendall, as they sent a wave of hateful messages and comments on her latest Instagram picture. Keyboard warriors: Kendall Rae Knight, 30, has allegedly been attacked by social media trolls after her mother was arrested on suspicion of child abduction (pictured with her mother, Jane) The youngster, named Darcy Shea, was found safely in the afternoon, with police officials believing that she was picked up by Jane - as they arrested her for suspected child abduction. And according to The Daily Star, fans commented on a bikini-clad throwback snap that Kendall posted on Thursday prior to the arrest. With the comments seemingly now removed, the publication reported that one person quizzed: 'Why did your mom steal a little girl and get arrested?' Trolls: Fans seem to have been directing their rage at Kendall, as they allegedly sent a wave of hateful messages and comments on her Instagram Throwback pic: And according to the Daily Star, fans commented on this bikini-clad throwback snap that Kendall posted on Thursday prior to the arrest While another comment allegedly read: 'How's your mum doing?' However, it seems many of Kendall's fans were quick to jump to the ITV star's defence, reportedly reminding the trolls that 'it was her mother, not her'. Other than seemingly removing the comments, Kendall has not commented on the situation - remaining quiet on social media since the holiday post. Eight-year-old Darcy had last been seen outside St Cuthbert's Primary School in Blackpool at 9am on Thursday morning and officers believed she was picked up by Jane. Legal trouble: Jane (pictured left) was arrested on suspicion of child abduction on Thursday afternoon, after eight-year-old Darcy (pictured right) went missing from her school in Lancashire But just after 3pm both of them were found safely and Mrs Prior was arrested on suspicion of child abduction. Officers had carried out searches and conducted a number of enquiries to try and find them both. Ms Prior - who has modelled on ITV favourite This Morning - has links to Preston and North Wales but was in the Blackpool area. The pair were thought to be in a blue Mitsubishi Colt car registration SP56 RHO. Reality star: Kendall rose to fame on the 2018 season of Love Island, and still has a strong social media presence A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: 'Further to our earlier appeals, Darcy, missing from Blackpool, has been found safe and well in the resort this afternoon. 'A 60-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction and is in custody. 'Thank you to everyone who shared our appeals for information.' Three years ago Ms Prior appeared on This Morning where she was wined and dined in Italy during a special dating section. The Matchmaker Mountain segment featured her and explained her motivations for going on the show She told the programme: 'My daughter Kendall (Rae Knight) was on Love Island last year and although she didn't find love on the show, I thought I hopefully might have more luck!!' Candace Cameron Bure became emotional as she explained why she had been 'silent' in the aftermath of the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday. On Thursday, the 46-year-old actress cried in a series of videos that she posted on her Instagram Story while sharing her thoughts about posting on social media after tragedies. 'Hi friends, I wanted actually, I didn't want to come on here but I am,' Candace admitted in the first clip as she addressed her 5.5. million followers. In tears: Candace Cameron Bure became emotional as she explained why she had been 'silent' in the aftermath of the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday The Full House alum continued, 'Because seeing what happened in our country, all of us process things differently and some of us need more time to process it and some of us are ready to scream and yell and shout from the rooftops. 'Some of us need to just feel more and figure out when we feel ready to share those feelings.' The mother of three went on to say, 'I am a deep feeler and I don't always feel like social media is a place I want to run to first to share my heart, particularly when it's grieving and so that's why I have been silent.' Emotional: On Thursday, the 46-year-old actress cried in a series of videos that she posted on her Instagram Story while sharing her thoughts about posting on social media after tragedies The California native explained that people should not be quick to judge someone's reaction to events or emotions based on social media activity. ''I don't think it's right to jump to conclusions, or assume or judge someone for their lack of posting,' she said. 'I don't believe silence or lack of posting is a representation of what someone is thinking, feeling or doing.' 'Hi friends, I wanted actually, I didn't want to come on here but I am,' Candace admitted in the first clip as she addressed her 5.5. million followers The former talk show panelist told her fans that she was becoming more hesitant about sharing her thoughts and feelings about current events on social media. She said, 'The more and more I have this relationship with social media, there's things I love about it and a lot that I am really pulling away from and that is sharing certain things particular when it comes to tragedy, grief, politics and a lot of social issues that our country disagrees on. 'Really, because I don't want to want to pour my heart out and my opinion just for people to nitpick over it. Processing: Candace explained that she needed to time to feel and process her emotions Candace added, 'And by nitpick, I mean over the words. Obviously there are going to be disagreements and arguments but sometimes it's like you just want to share a positive message and there are people who are still just going to tear it apart. Tears began pouring down Candace's face as she discussed the horrific shooting, which left 19 children and two adults dead. Through sobs, she said, 'And so, with the tragedy and the loss of those 21 people, that is just so hard. And as a mother, I grieve and I just want to grieve with the people of Uvalde and the families. Jumping to conclusions: The California native explained that people should not be quick to judge someone's reaction to events or emotions based on their social media activity 'My heart just hurts for you. But that's all I want to say on social media right now. I'm just here and I'm grieving.' The Hallmark Channel regular added that she knew people would also be critical of her for not having earlier addressed the grocery store shooting in Buffalo, New York which took place almost two weeks ago. She said, 'And I know some of you are going to say, "Well, there was another tragedy that happened in Buffalo at the supermarket and I'm grieving those people too. 'Just some of us don't feel comfortable to have to post everything. And that's all there is to it. I'm not trying to make this about me. I'm just trying to share feelings. Tragedy: Tears began pouring down Candace's face as she discussed the horrific shooting, which left 19 children and two adults dead 'I don't want to have to feel like I have to post it for me to acknowledge my feelings or do what I'm doing or to take action. A post isn't confirming that. Or lack of posting so anyway.' Candace explained that her social media assistant had reached out to her about posting a "graphic" about the Texas tragedy. She added, 'You know my social media gal, who helps me post a lot of things, even texted me yesterday and said, "Do you want me to put up a graphic?" 'And I thought, "No, what's a graphic going to do?" I need to feel this first. I think I would love to post a picture of all those beautiful little faces so we remember them and we remember to pray for their families too. Grieving: The Hallmark Channel regular added that she knew people would also be critical of her for not having earlier addressed the grocery store shooting in Buffalo, New York which took place almost two weeks ago 'But I just have to do that when I'm ready to do that. And now I'm like totally oversharing and I didn't even want to share but I know some of you feel the same way and some of you also want to say, don't be mad when you feel like people should be posting and they are not meeting your expectation.' She asserted, "It's not about you. It's not and everyone processes things differently so let us process how we need. And take action when we are ready and willing and wanting to and speaking up when we feel led to. Just know that.' Candace, who is a devout Christian, added that she was a 'prayerful' person. She also explained that her followers could expect to see posts about her collaborations but they should not read anything into those updates. Reluctant: The former talk show panelist on The View told her fans that she was becoming more hesitant about sharing her thoughts and feelings about current events on social media. Seen in 2019 'And one other thing, you'll see posts, like, I'm talking about Dr. [Harold] Lancer and you'll probably see Dayspring and all those,' she said. 'Those are all scheduled posts so they still just run. I'm not actually feeling them that day and I'm not even posting them. I have people who help post those things so just take social media with a grain of salt and realize that it's not always in real time at that very moment.' Candace has experienced backlash over some of her past social media posts. Last October, she took to Instagram to defend her stance on the COVID-19 vaccines. She stated that she is not anti-vax but 'pro-informed consent,' 'pro-immune system,' 'pro-early intervention' and 'pro-sunlight, exercise, real food, & vitamins.' The former Dancing With The Stars competitor explained that she was not 'anti-vax,' but was 'pro-medical freedom.' Candace previously sparked criticism when she shared a PDA-packed photo of herself with her husband Valeri Bure, 47, who was seen touching her breast. Last July, she apologized to fans after she was criticized for posting a 'seductive' TikTok video where she posed with a bible while lip-syncing to the Lana Del Rey song Jealous Girl. PDA: Candace previously sparked criticism when she shared a PDA-packed photo of herself with her husband Valeri Bure, 47, who was seen touching her breast Kim Kardashian was in a reminiscing mood on Friday, as she took to her Instagram to share a carousel of images from sister Kourtney's lavish Italian wedding. The reality TV beauty, 41, showed off her dramatic sheer black lace gown, as she posed alongside her eldest daughter North, eight, ahead of her sister's nuptials, which took place last week. 'KRAVIS FOREVER,' the SKIMS co-founder captioned the stunning shots, using the social media nickname for Kourtney, 43, and her drummer husband Travis Barker, 46. Looking back: Kim Kardashian was in a reminiscing mood on Friday, as she took to her Instagram to share a carousel of images from sister Kourtney's lavish Italian wedding Kourtney married the musician in a splendid ceremony last Sunday, as the Kardashian/Jenner clan joined them in Portofino, Italy, to celebrate. Kim and North twinned in gothic looks for the occasion, and the star was seen giving her daughter a kiss in one of the adorable photographs. The platinum blonde bombshell paired her sensational gown with an ornate gold and jewel cross choker. She wore her recently-dyed tresses in a chic updo and sported a smoky palette of make-up for the special occasion. Mini-me: The reality TV beauty, 41, showed off her dramatic sheer black lace gown, as she posed alongside her eldest daughter North, eight, ahead of her sister's nuptials Sweet: In another adorable shot, the blonde bombshell was seen giving North a kiss Meanwhile North - who Kim shares with ex-husband Kanye West, 44, alongside younger daughter Chicago, four, and sons Saint, six, and Psalm, three - wore a flowing black robe. The next artistic black and white snap featured Kourtney and Travis walking hand-in-hand underneath a stone tunnel in their wedding garb, with Travis holding a bottle of champagne in his hand. Kim continued with the stunning family throwbacks, sharing a picture of her and younger sister Khloe, 37, all dressed up for the big ceremony. Khloe looked regal in a chic sheer tiered black dress with lace detail and an eye-catching gold headpiece. Long may it last: 'KRAVIS FOREVER,' the SKIMS co-founder captioned the stunning shots, using the social media nickname for Kourtney, 43, and her drummer husband Travis Barker, 46 Memories: Another heartwarming photograph featured Kourtney in her corseted mini-dress squeezing North's face with one hand, and holding her son Reign's hand with the other Tristan Thompson's, 31, ex-girlfriend was seen powdering her face ahead of the wedding, as she posed in the mirror with Kim and North. Another heartwarming photograph featured Kourtney in her Dolce & Gabbana corseted mini-dress squeezing North's face with one hand, and holding her youngest son Reign's, seven, hand with the other. Meanwhile behind Kourtney a group of assistants were seen carrying her embroidered veil, which featured a depiction of the Virgin Mary. It wasn't just Kourtney and Travis who sported the luxury label on their big day. The outfits worn by the entire Kardashian-Jenner family on the trip were designed by the iconic label, so it was no wonder that Kim also managed to get a snap with the famous fashion duo. Glamorous affair: Kim continued with the stunning family throwbacks, sharing a picture of her and younger sister Khloe, 37, all dressed up for the big ceremony Getting ready: Tristan Thompson's, 31, ex-girlfriend was seen powdering her face ahead of the wedding, as she posed in the mirror with Kim and North Kim and North proudly posed with designers Domenico Dolce, 63, and Stefano Gabbana, 59, who were both clad in all-black outfits. In another shot, the star and her daughter were seen posing with Dolce & Gabbanas ambassador and Domenico's partner Gui Siqueira, who looked chic in a white suit and pink silk shirt. The Italian fashion house 'made millions' from the grand European wedding, according to Page Six. Though they shut down reports that they 'sponsored' the event, the company reportedly earned '$25.4 million in media impact value' thanks to the wedding. The romantic ceremony was the third one for the couple, who previously tied the knot in Santa Barbara, as well as in a non-binding wedding ceremony in Las Vegas. Italian fashion: Kim and North proudly posed with designers Domenico Dolce, 63, and Stefano Gabbana, 59, who provided outfits for the entire Kardashian-Jenner family on the trip Fashionable: In another shot, the star and her daughter were seen posing with Dolce & Gabbanas ambassador and Domenico's partner Gui Siqueira, who looked chic in a white suit The post came after Kim's ex-husband appeared to reignite their ongoing custody battle, on his latest single, True Love, which dropped on Thursday night. Ye lamented his status as a co-parent to his four children expressing his dissatisfaction with his custody schedule: 'Wait, when you see the kids? I'll see y'all tomorrow/ Wait, when the sun set? I see y'all tomorrow.' The musician also appears to grieve the fact that his kids aren't with him permanently: 'When I pick 'em up, I feel like they borrowed/ When I gotta return them, scan 'em like a bar code.' Kardashian filed to divorce West in February of 2021 after more than six years of marriage. She has been dating comedian Pete Davidson, 28, since last fall. Stranger Things fans all over the world were treated to spectacular displays on Friday. Over in Australia, they were greeted to eerie thick fog across Bondi Beach as the scene was set to showcase the huge rift to the upside down. Sydney's beach was taken over by actors dressed in forensic costumes assessing the huge branch-like prop which glowed red in the centre. The Upside Down: Stranger Things fans all over the world were treated to spectacular displays on Friday. Over in Australia, they were greeted to eerie thick fog across Bondi Beach as the scene was set to showcase the huge rift to the upside down Team: Netflix took to Instagram to show off their gateways to the Upside Down scattered over the globe Netflix took to Instagram to show off their gateways to the Upside Down scattered over the globe. Hundreds of fans gathered at 14 sites around the world to celebrate the soon to be released season four of the incredibly popular Netflix show. The Upside Down took over New Yorks Empire State Building, Milans Duomo Square, Columbias Malecon Barranquilla and the Gateway of India in Mumbai as well as in London, Tokyo, Malaysia, Germany, Los Angeles, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Stockholm and Madrid. Worldwide: Netflix took to Instagram to show off their gateways to the upside down scattered over the globe from London to Sydney and New York to Mumbai. Pictured: Bondi Beach The sites were limited to only Friday morning, with the scientists in hazmat suits packing up and moving on at midday. Stars of the show will be in Australia next week to promote the highly anticipated season with an exclusive fan event at Luna Park. Gaten Matarazzo, Dustin, Sadie Sink, Max, and Priah Ferguson, Erica, will be in Sydney from 1st June. Caution: Hundreds of fans gathered at the 14 sites around the world to celebrate the soon to be released season four of the incredibly popular Netflix show Skyscrapers: The Upside Down took over New Yorks Empire State Building as well as Milans Duomo Square, Columbias Malecon Barranquilla and the Gateway of India in Mumbai Whilst on tour the talented cast shared their love for the fans, Sadie said: 'Its a really loving, amazing, widespread fanbase that continues to grow. 'Everyone on the show is so fortunate to have such a loyal fanbase. 'It makes us excited when were working to know that theres so many people who are looking forward to it.' Advertisement Kate Winslet nailed sophisticated chic as she led the arrivals at the L'Oreal Lights photocall on Friday during Cannes Film Festival, alongside Andie Macdowell, Gemma Chan and Helen Mirren. The actress, 46, who had only just arrived in the French town earlier in the day, donned a simple black jumpsuit with a plunging halter-neck design, layering a white blazer on top. Kate added black court heels to the ensemble, while stacking lengthy gold chains around her neck, adding some sparkle with a glimmering diamond. Glam girls! Kate Winslet nailed sophisticated chic in Alberta Ferretti as she led the arrivals at the L'Oreal Lights photocall on Friday during Cannes Film Festival , alongside Andie Macdowell, Gemma Chan and Helen Mirren The Titanic actress had her golden blonde locks in a tousled curl, as they fell over her head in a heavy side part. She donned a simple makeup look, showcasing her age-defying complexion - as gold earrings added a hint of bling to the ensemble. Kate seemed in high spirits for the event, smiling for a slew of photographs as she placed one hand on her hip. Extra details: She added black court heels to the ensemble, while stacking lengthy gold chains around her neck - adding some sparkle with a glimmering diamond Black and white: Kate donned a simple black jumpsuit with a plunging halter-neck design, layering a white blazer on top Following closely was 64-year-old Andie MacDowell, who stunned in a satin rainbow gown which ruched in the middle and came into a centre drawstring. The pink and yellow dress featured string tiers and a low cutting V-neckline neckline, coming into a slit in the middle of the hem. She added barely-there clear perspex heels for the evening, adding a gold bangle to accesorise. Golden girl: She had her blonde locks in a tousled curl, as they fell over her head in a heavy side part Splash of colour: Following closely was 64-year-old Andie MacDowell, who stunned in a satin rainbow gown which ruched in the middle and came into a centre drawstring The star had her dark locks in a voluminous blown out spiral curl, as they fell freely to her shoulders. She opted for a pink-toned makeup look with a bright pink lip to match her outfit, with a darker eye. Going from one extreme to another, British actress Gemma Chan went all black for the evening as she made a statement in her ensemble. That hair! The star had her dark locks in a voluminous blown out spiral curl, as they fell freely to her shoulders Gemma, 39, sported a black and white tweed crop top as she flashed her torso, with a bust panelling and softly sweetheart neckline. The Crazy Rich Asians actress paired this with black straight leg trousers, which had a dramatic satin puff bow at the waist. She added a pair of Louboutin suede high heels to elevate her height, sporting dainty silver earrings with the look. Sultry: She opted for a bold red lip and a smokey cat eyeliner, with her hair swept up in a tousled ponytail The beauty had her dark locks pulled away in a tousled ponytail, as some strands were left down to frame her face. She opted for a bold red lip and a smokey cat eyeliner to complete the statement yet stylish look. Helen Mirren certainly dazzled in her ensemble, as she rocked a jewel and sequin encrusted dress, with a long sleeve design and shoulder pads. Eye-catching: Helen Mirren certainly dazzled in her ensemble, as she rocked a jewel and sequin encrusted dress, with a long sleeve design and shoulder pads The number was covered head to toe in silver embellishing, coming up into a high neck on the 76-year-old. But while her dress was eye-catching, it was her footwear, or lack thereof, that caught the eye - as the actress decided to go barefoot for the appearance. Ditching the glitzy shoes that her counterparts were spotted in - Helen kept comfortable as she walked the red carpet without even a sock - after being spotted with black heels on earlier while attending the Mother And Son premiere earlier in the day. Too much dancing! Helen was spotted in a pair of black heels earlier in the day as she attended the Mother And Son premiere Her lengthy silver locks were styled in a sleek straight do', while the top of her hair was gathered in a half ponytail and swept away from her face. She sported a dramatic makeup look to match the ensemble, going for a drawn out black winged liner and a bright pink lipstick. To add one last spot of glitz, Helen donned diamond drop earrings, a silver watch and diamond nail polish. WASHINGTON (AP) - Sweden and Finland's push to join NATO won't require adding more U.S. ground forces into either country, the U.S. general nominated to take over European Command told senators Thursday. But Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli said military exercises and occasional American troop rotations will probably increase. Cavoli, who currently serves as head of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, said the increased military focus will probably continue to be on eastern Europe - where nations are more worried about potential Russian aggression and any spillover of the war on Ukraine. "The center of gravity of NATO forces has shifted eastward," Cavoli told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his nomination hearing. "Depending on the outcome of the conflict, we may have to continue that for some time." Cavoli was asked about the U.S. troop presence in Europe, which has grown from fewer than 80,000 to about 102,000 since the buildup to Russia's invasion. He said the increase had no ties to the more recent move by Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership. Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join NATO last week in one of the most significant geopolitical consequences of Russia's war on Ukraine. Cavoli noted that the U.S already has strong military ties with both countries, and that additional exercises and other engagements are likely to grow. FILE - Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Commander of United States Army Europe and Africa, walks past a guard of honor as he arrives to attend the African Lion military exercise in Grier Labouihi complex, southern Morocco, June 9, 2021. Cavoli, the U.S. general nominated to take over European Command tells senators that Sweden and Finland's push to join NATO won't require putting more U.S. ground forces into either country. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy, File) If confirmed, Cavoli will be key as the Pentagon assesses its military structure across Europe. Defense officials have noted that historic troop concentrations in Germany, Italy and Britain may well shift and spread out into other eastern nations, such as Poland and the Baltics. Eastern European countries have been clamoring for more U.S. weapons and troops, as a hedge against Russia. Cavoli said the U.S. also has to continue to strike a delicate balance and ensure its actions in Europe don't inflame relations with Russia and spark a broader conflict. "One must not shy away from activity to stay strong and outline our priorities," he said, but the U.S. also must be careful "not to overdue that and create a problem where there wasnt one." Cavoli's nomination to be the top U.S. commander in Europe includes the job of NATO Supreme Allied Commander, which gives him a critical role in the Russian war on Ukraine. Committee members voiced support for his nomination, which is expected to be easily confirmed by the Senate. Cavoli has extensive expertise on Russia. He served as a foreign area officer with a concentration on Eurasia, spent time in Russia, and speaks Russian, Italian and French. He was also the director for Russia on the Joint Staff. He would replace Gen. Tod Wolters, who currently heads European Command but is finishing his three-year tour there. Last month, Allu Arjun (aka Bunny) celebrated his 40th birthday in Serbia (Czech Republic). The photos of the event show him having a blast with his friends but his cousins and nephews, including Ram Charan, Varun Tej and Sai Dharam Tej, were conspicuous by their absence. The cousin sisters were present though. Of late we hear Charan praising Jr NTR and his acting skills but not a word about Allu Arjun, despite the pan India success of Pushpa. The message seems to be that Allu Arjun has moved out from the shadow of the mega clan presided over by Megastar Chiranjeevi. He is establishing himself as an actor in his own right in fact, he has already done that. The super success of Ala Vaikuntapuram Lo and Pushpa have brought him national fame, and he has now got his own following and fan-base. There definitely seems to be some discord between both families. And comparisons between Pushpa and the flop Acharya at the BO clearly state who is better posied at the moment. But Allu and Mega families have repeatedly rubbished these stories. But the fans seems to have taken a clear stand pro and anti. Recently, there was a mega fans get-together held in Andhra Pradesh. In the show, one of the ardent mega fans was seen saying, There is this Cheppanu brother guy (hinting at Allu Arjun) who is an opportunist. He used mega family support to rise to stardom. Once he gained the name and fame he sidelined the family. We mega fans should not support him; his next film should be his last one. Allu Arjun fans are not taking this barb lying low. They are vocal about their heroes super succes is whats sticking like a thorn in the mega family stars flesh. Things have reached to a stage where fans of both Ram Charan and Allu Arjun dont hesitate to troll each others heroes on social media. The cracks seemed to have widened between Allu and Mega families over establishing supremacy. As per latest meteorological indications, westerly winds have strengthened at lower levels over the south Arabian Sea and deepened. (PTI file image) VISAKHAPATNAM: Southwest monsoon is advancing towards Kerala, an IMD report from Amaravati said on Friday. The report pointed out that as per latest meteorological indications, westerly winds have strengthened at lower levels over the south Arabian Sea and deepened. The satellite imagery shows an increase in cloudiness over Kerala coast and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea. Hence, conditions are becoming favourable for onset of monsoon over Kerala within the next two to three days, the report said. Meanwhile, monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of south Arabian Sea, entire Maldives, adjoining areas of Lakshadweep and additional parts of Comorin area. Lower tropospheric westerly winds prevailed over AP and Yanam. As a result, thunderstorms are likely for three days from Saturday onwards in both these areas, the Met report added. KAKINADA: The family members of Dalit driver V. Subrahmanyam were provided Rs 4.12 lakh ex gratia out of the total Rs 8.25 lakh, and rice and essential commodities for three months. The Dalit youth was allegedly murdered by YSRC MLC Anantha Udaya Bhaskar. The compensation was made under the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes Atrocities Prevention Act provisions. Anaparthi MLA Sathi Suryanarayana Reddy and Kakinada revenue divisional officer B.V. Ramana handed over the ex gratia and essentials. The mother of Subrahmanayam would get Rs 5,000 pension per month and house sites would be sanctioned for her and the deceaseds wife. They would be given Rs 1.8 lakh each for construction of the house. A government job would be provided to one of the family members. They asked Subrahmanyams family members to immediately inform the police if anyone was harassing them. SRINAGAR: Three gunmen believed to be the members of proscribed Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) outfit and part of a fresh group of infiltrators were on Thursday gunned down by the security forces in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmirs frontier Kupwara district. The officials said that the fighting broke out in Kupwaras Jumagund area as the J&K police and the Army together had laid an ambush following specific input developed by the Kupwara police regarding an infiltration attempt by militants. The ambush was laid in Jumagund village close to the Line of Control (LoC) jointly by the J&K police and the Army. As the infiltrating terrorists were intercepted by the joint party, they were challenged but they responded by opening fire indiscriminately which was retaliated to leading to an encounter, a police spokesman said here. The spokesman said that all the three infiltrators were gunned down quickly, adding Based on the source report and as per the documents recovered from them, the killed terrorists were members of the LeT. The police said that three AK series rifles with 12 magazines, one pistol with two magazines and three mobile phones were found on the slain men. Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range), Vijay Kumar, said the identities of the slain men are being ascertained. A report said that a local resident Abdul Latief Mir working with the Army as a porter was injured during the encounter and later died in hospital. The clash comes a day after three Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants identified by the police as Pakistani nationals Ali Bhai, Hanief Bhai and Shah Wali and J&K policeman Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh were killed in a similar clash in Najibhat village of neighbouring Baramulla district. The officials claimed that, so far, this year as many as 78 militants have been killed by security forces in fifty encounters across the Kashmir Valley. They said that among the slain were 26 foreigners -14 associated with the JeM and remaining 12 with the LeT. Police force deployed in Amalapuram to maintain law and order and check the spreading of violence of other parts of Konaseema district. (Photo by arrangement) AMALAPURAM: Nineteen persons, including a BJP and a YSRC leader, were arrested for Tuesdays violence in Konaseema district over its proposed renaming after Dr B.R. Ambedkar. The district continued to be tense but under control with heavy police deployment. It is learnt that the investigation teams have identified nearly 5,000 persons who participated in the agitation of whom 450 were taken into custody for questioning. Superintendent of police Subba Reddy, who sustained injuries in Tuesday's rioting, said that identifying those who had resorted to violence was a continuous process. As per a complaint given by Samalkot police station Home Guard Vasamsetty Subrahmanyam, the police registered cases against 19 persons under various sections including attempt to murder. BJP leader M.V. Subba Rao, YSRC leader Nalla Ajay and others were among the arrested persons. It is said that Ajay had resigned from the YSRC after the preliminary notification was issued to propose the Konaseema districts renaming after Ambedkar. Six senior police officers including Vishal Gunni and Siddardh Kousal and more than 900 personnel were deployed to keep the situation under control. Meanwhile Jana Sena leaders lashed out at the YSRC government. Party political affairs committee member Settibathula Rajababu told the media at Rajamahendravaram that party activists should not fall for the YSRCs cheap tricks. He claimed that the YSRC has drawn up a conspiracy to damage the Jana Sena as activists from other parties, in particular those from the Scheduled Castes community, were joining it. The YSRC was trying to divide the SC community, he said. Another PAC member, Pantham Venkateswara Rao (Nanaji), said that Jana Sena would not keep quiet if the YSRC booked false cases against its activists under the pretext of Konaseema violence. Party senior leader Pithani Balakrishna said that during the agitation at Tuni for Kapu reservations, some antisocials had entered the agitation and burnt a train and police stations. A similar situation had arisen at Konaseema, Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday said that the country would hear sensational news in the next two months or so, adding that the country would see changes that would put it on the path of concrete development. Rao was speaking in Bengaluru after meeting with former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda, and former Karnataka chief minister, after discussing with them the political situation in the country and the way forward. He said, I would only like to say that with Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy, we discussed everything regarding national politics, and Karnataka politics. Bharat badlega, badalna chahiye (India will change, it has to). I assure you there will be a change at the national level, he said. None can stop it. For far too long, India was mired in various isms, he said, and predicted that politics in the country would change. He did not elaborate on what the news would be but limited himself to saying: Ujwal Hindustan banega (a bright India will emerge). Efforts must be made. This much I will tell. Rao on a days visit to Bengaluru was greeted warmly by Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy at the former orime ministers residence. Rao, along with Kumaraswamy, spoke briefly with reporters after their luncheon meeting. Kumaraswamy also said that some sensational news was in the offing. He, too, did not elaborate. Rao said the question was not who would form the government. Many Prime Ministers came, many governments were formed but the situation in the country has not changed, he said. Taking a dig at the Azadi Ka Amruth Mahotsav being celebrated by the BJP-led Central government to mark the 75th anniversary of Independence, he hinted that it was hype without any real results or action. China which had a lower GDP than India is now a $16 trillion economy, and India is talking about a dream of becoming a $5 trillion economy. This is an insult to India which can be a greater economy than the United States of America. India has the human capital, and youth power, good tropical weather, with rivers whose waters have not been used to their potential, Rao said. Countries that achieved Independence around the same time that India did have progressed further than India. None is happy, be it farmers, Dalits, tribals and others. Conditions in the country are deteriorating each day. Promises are made but not kept, Rao said. Paramilitary troopers stand guard in front of closed shops during the second day of spontaneous strike in parts of Srinagar on May 26, 2022, a day after the sentencing of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik. (TAUSEEF MUSTAFA / AFP) The life term sentencing of separatist and terrorist Yasin Malik by a National Investigation Agency court under Section 17 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, after he pleaded guilty to all the charges, was very deserving. The NIA court of special judge Parveen Singh was fair and just to both the spirit and word of the law in sentencing the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front to two life terms for terror funding; it also gave five sentences of 10 years imprisonment, besides levying several monetary fines, including one of Rs 10 lakh, for other offences under the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code. Justice Singh was also wise and humane in not, despite strong arguments otherwise from the prosecution, giving the rarest of the rare death penalty, and allowing for the imprisonment terms to run concurrently. Indias rule of law received another pat on the back for having ensured a fair trial and adequate representation for defence to the accused, and now guilty, Malik. The court, also wisely, did not give much credence to the post-crimes transformation claims of the terrorist, who argued that he had subsequently taken the path of non-violence, and had been politically legitimised by several Prime Ministers, by recognising his crimes to be very serious and aimed at striking a blow at the heart of the very idea of India, and separating Kashmir from India. On his party, Malik pleaded guilty to all charges including sedition and criminal conspiracy. The sentencing of Malik, after the death of several separatist leaders over the last several years, effectively ends the era of militant politics, wherein the separatist terrorist funded from across the borders were the only ones who had an effective voice in the politics of the troubled Valley, or would be allowed to play a role. Even though the Gupkar Alliance, including the two major parties National Conference led by the Abduallahs, and the Ms Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party, have called the sentencing unfortunate and a setback to the process of restoring peace and normalcy, they should not be mistaken to be of the same makeup. Indians need to re-invest in the hope, freedom and democracy of Kashmir, including a quick restoration of a popular government backed by the mandate of the people, and not prolong the writ of a nominated executive government. The sentencing, coming not too long after the delimitation exercise was concluded, gives hope that elections are around the corner. Such hope must not be belied, and it is most likely, the Centre will soon push for elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir is willing to move beyond the Maliks of the Valley, their guns and their separatist politics, but the rest of India must move fast to embrace them more than halfway. We must make the likes of Malik irrelevant, but for that to happen fully, we must focus on the democratic leaders of the PDP and NC, and everyone else who trusts the ballot over the bullet and are willing to swear by the supremacy of the Indian Constitution. After all, in Kashmir, or elsewhere, with all our disagreements in place, there is much else to agree upon; and once agreed, do the rest of the disagreements matter significantly? Australian scholars call for improvement of China-Australia relationship Xinhua) 11:35, May 27, 2022 CANBERRA, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Fifteen scholars from Australian universities called for improvement of China-Australia relationship in an open letter released on Thursday. The open letter, to the new federal government elected last Saturday, was published on the blog platform Pearls and Irritations. The scholars included former diplomat and visiting professor in the University of Sydney Jocelyn Chey, Australian National University (ANU) professor and economist Jane Golley, Director of the China Studies Center at the University of Sydney David Goodman, Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute in the University of Technology Sydney James Laurenceson, and Ben Hillman, director of the Australian Center on China in the World in the ANU. Addressing to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the letter said, "The change in government presents the opportunity for a circuit breaker in the poor diplomatic relations that have developed between Australia and China in the recent past." "As professors of China Studies who undertake research on various aspects of China's society and politics, we acknowledge that the new government is likely to avoid the over-aggressive approach of its predecessor. In our view less public aggression is likely to be more effective in dealing with China: international engagement should replace the language of war," it said. The scholars said the growth of China, as a significant regional and would-be global power, is bound to be disruptive, and two-way communication, rather than "megaphone diplomacy", is needed so that the changing environment is managed as effectively as possible. "A China policy informed as much by diplomatic and economic interests as by great power strategic concerns may well and more sustainably ensure Australia's national and economic security," they said. "While appreciating the tremendous difficulties ahead we urge this adjustment in approach to China." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) We Are Sorry 404 Unfortunately, the page you were looking for could not be found. It may be temporarily unavailable, moved or no longer exists About 200 teaching, non-teaching staff and students at Bangalore University (BU) protested at the Jnanabharati campus condemning the transfer of funds to build the mechanical block at the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE). Protesters barged into the finance officers room and locked the doors. They (BU) were ready to consolidate funds from other heads to transfer to UVCE. They (protesters) didnt want the varsity to disturb this amount as it has been kept for the development of the university and for students welfare. Utilising the funds is a clear misuse of power, said Sudhakar, BU syndicate member. Police complaint filed Varsitys in-charge finance officer, Jayalakshmi, filed a police complaint against some students alleging they verbally abused her. Representatives of the Bangalore University Teachers Council (BUTC) submitted a letter to the vice-chancellor asking him to stop the transfer of funds to UVCE. UVCE has been declared as autonomous institution, then why should Bangalore University lend funds? Transfer of funds will create a fund crunch for pension and other schemes of the university employees, stated BUTC in the letter. Syndicate members alleged that authorities were trying to consolidate funds kept in 28 different accounts in the State Bank of India without getting approval from the Syndicate and Finance Committee. Singapore's Court of Appeal on Friday acquitted two Indian-origin men who were convicted of drug trafficking last year, and one of whom was facing death penalty. The three-judge court, led by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, allowed the appeal of Indian-origin Singaporean Raj Kumar Aiyachami, 40, against his conviction and mandatory death sentence for drug trafficking. The court also allowed the appeal of Indian-origin Malaysian Ramadass Punnusamy, 41, against his sentence of life imprisonment and 15 strokes of the cane. The appeals of both men turned solely on whether each of them knew about the nature of the drugs, The Straits Times reported on Friday. The pair had been charged over a bag of drugs containing not less than 1.875 kg of cannabis. Central Narcotics Bureau officers had observed Ramadass delivering the bag to Raj on September 21, 2015. Raj, who was represented by Ramesh Tiwary, did not dispute the drugs were in his possession but contended that there had been a mistaken delivery. He said he had ordered tobacco laced with a synthetic chemical that mimicked the narcotic effects of cannabis, known as Butterfly, and had gone to pick it up but received a bag of cannabis instead. Ramadass, a Malaysian, did not dispute he had delivered the bag to Raj but contended that he did not know the nature of the drugs. He said he had been told that four bags of chemically sprayed tobacco had been placed in the lorry he was driving. Ramadass, who was represented by Eugene Thuraisingam, contested three statements he had given that appeared to suggest he had knowledge of the nature of the drugs. The pair were convicted by the High Court in June 2020. The trial judge did not believe Raj's account of how he had ordered Butterfly on credit, finding it too incredible. The trial judge also rejected Ramadass' evidence and said that he had ample opportunity to tailor his evidence to fit Raj's defence. Ramadass, who the trial judge found was a courier, was issued a certificate of substantive assistance and was sentenced to life imprisonment and the mandatory minimum of 15 strokes of the cane. On Friday, the Court of Appeal allowed their appeals and overturned their conviction, as reported by the Singapore broadsheet. The court said Raj had succeeded in establishing his defence of mistaken delivery, which was supported by the evidence of other witnesses. The court also concluded that the contested statements could not be relied upon to show that Ramadass had actual knowledge of the drugs. Denmarks ambassador to India H E Freddy Svane said on Wednesday that Denmark has made strides in developing new technology and is more than happy to transfer its gains to India. Speaking at a discussion on framing an outline for a sustainable partnership between Denmark and India, organised by Synergia Foundation, a Bengaluru-based strategic think tank, Svane said India needs new technology and the Indians are good at harnessing the latest technology, and making it both resilient and affordable. Svane said that Denmark is a world leader in renewable energy and a laboratory for green solutions. He said, The country has one of the most ambitious, legally binding climate targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent by 2030. India and Denmarks bilateral trade in products and services has increased by 78%. Since both countries are largely agrarian economies, Svane felt the Indian government must frame policies that directly benefit the farmers, thus weeding out middlemen. He recalled that the association between the two countries went back a long way. The Royal Navy of Denmark came to India on November 19, 1620. The objective of this visit was to trade and they established a trading post in Silampur in West Bengal. An early contact for the Danes was the Danish Nobel Laureate Niels Henrik David Bohr who interacted closely with Homi J Bhabha, Indias top scientist in the field of atomic energy and cosmic ray, Svane said. He also reaffirmed his commitment to building relations between India and Denmark on a large scale, widening the scope, increasing the speed and making the partnership more sustainable. He emphasised the importance of the private sector to realise the potential of such agreements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat has become the "gateway of drugs" to the country under his watch, the Congress alleged Friday, questioning the "silence" of the PM and Home Minister Amit Shah and demanding answers from agencies tasked to control narcotics smuggling. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters there has been a series of recoveries of drug consignments starting from July 2017 right up to this week from several ports including Mundra and Pupavav in the state. Just on Thursday, 52 kilograms of cocaine, worth Rs 500 crore, was recovered from Mundra Port that had come from Iran, he alleged. Also Read | DRI makes cocaine bust worth Rs 500 crore at Mundra port When under "pressure from the Congress Party", the Mundra port had announced they will not handle cargos from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan, then how the latest consignment of cocaine was recovered from there, he asked. "The Congress Party has questioned the government over the last eight months on why all these recoveries are taking place in Gujarat alone? Why is Gujarat becoming the gateway of drugs to India," he asked. Khera said the Congress had to question the government on the post of Narcotics Control Bureau head lying vacant for 18 months, before the appointment was made under "pressure" from the opposition party. He alleged Gujarat has become a "gateway of drugs" to the country under the watch of PM Modi and Home Minister Shah. "You have the prime minister from Gujarat. You have the home minister from Gujarat. Why are they silent?" "This is a prime minister who talks more and does less. On this particular issue, (he has said) not a word. Why this silence?" The Congress leader said drugs cannot be traded just at a retail level and this trade is always a part of larger global syndicates which enjoy active political patronage in whichever country they operate. "We demand answers from the government on what is your blueprint? What is your roadmap to burst this syndicate and who is the El Chapo or Pablo Escobar of this drug syndicate in this country? "These are important critical questions because as I said, we are dealing with the future of our next generation, they are destroying it. We owe it to them, if not to ourselves to give them a drug-free future," he said. Under this government, Khera alleged, the NCB, Enforcement Directorate, CBI and other agencies have been reduced to dealing with "retail politics" and are being "misused" by the ruling dispensation against political opponents. Instead of "forcing" these agencies to deal in "retail politics", the government should allow them to focus more on recovering the wholesale drug consignments that are coming, he said. He said Congress MP Digvijaya Singh had questioned the government in parliament on these recoveries and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai had informed on October 6, 2021, that the NIA has been handed over these cases. "What are the findings of the NIA?" Khera asked, saying it was a critical question and not just because the opposition is asking it. "We owe it our future generations." He also referred to a major smuggling of drugs that allegedly happened in June, 2021 and "did not get caught". He said it involved consignments of 25 tonnes and costing around Rs 1,75,000 crore. Inaugurating a festival of drones in the Capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the drone sector shows great possibilities for employment generation. At the Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022, Modi said that drone technology has great potential in the fields of defence, disaster management, agriculture, tourism, film and entertainment. The enthusiasm we see in India about drones is promising; it is an indication that the drone industry has grown by leaps and bounds. There is potential for an emerging large sector of employment generation in India, PM Modi said. Drones are smart tools that will soon become part of everyday life of common Indians, whether it is on an agricultural field, or a playground, or in the media or film industry. Drone technology will revolutionise the services sector as well, he added. The function was attended by several union ministers as well as ministers of state including, union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar, Giriraj Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mansukh Mandaviya, Bhupendra Yadav, among others. PM Modi also distributed 150 drone pilot certificates. Modi said that his government is committed to helping growth in the sector. Our government has removed most of the restrictions that existed on drones in a short period of time. We are also moving towards creating a strong drone manufacturing ecosystem in India through schemes like PLI, Modi said. There was an environment of "indifference" towards the use of technology in governance before 2014 due to which the poor and the middle class suffered the most, he said. During the earlier governments, technology was considered a part of the problem and efforts were made to label it "anti-poor", the prime minister added. "Promotion of drone technology is another medium of advancing our commitment to good governance and ease of living. In the form of drones, we have a smart tool that is going to be part and parcel of people's lives,'' Modi said. There was a time when people used to spend hours standing in line for rations. In the last seven to eight years, we have removed this hurdle with the help of technology, he said. Claiming that earlier technological inventions were considered to be for the elite only, the prime minister said, "Today, we are ensuring that the masses are the first beneficiaries of any new technology. Drone technology is one such example." Technology has helped a lot in ensuring the last-mile delivery of services, he said. One of the schemes where drones will play a pivotal role is the Swamitva Yojana, through which the government aims to digitally map lands using drones, in order to ensure land title deeds are offered to rightful property holders. Under this scheme, for the first time, digital mapping of every property in the villages of the country is being done, digital property cards are being given to the people, Modi said. He said that till now, 65 lakh property cards have been issued under the scheme. Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that drone demands could reach as much as one lakh drone pilots in the coming years, and that the government will help boost demand. Earlier this month, the government released two drone-related schemes, Drone Shakti and Kisan Drone, which were released by Scindia. Addressing the event, Scindia said nothing is greater than an idea whose time has come and drone is one such idea. India used to be a follower in the technology sector but now it has become a leader, Scindia said, adding technology will become successful only when it comes to the benefit of the less privileged and the poor. He talked about how drones are used for land mapping in villages under the Centre's Swamitva Scheme which was launched by the prime minister in April 2021. "A drone of just two to three kg will help in the government's plan to push 'gram swaraj' (self-reliant village) in India," Scindia said, adding the government has banned the import of drones in February to give domestic manufacturers a push. Scindia talked about steps the government has taken in the last two years to boost the manufacturing and use of drones in the country. Currently, 12 Central government departments and 14 states are using drones, he said. With PTI inputs Accused of hate speeches and calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi the worst PM, Kerala politician P C George, has now turned a hero for the Bharatiya Janata Party after the leader's fiery speeches targeting the Muslim community. The former MLA had, less than two years ago, targeted PM Modi by calling him one of the worst prime ministers of India. As police arrested George in connection with hate speeches in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, the BJP and other Sangh Parivar outfits offered receptions to him and party leaders, including union minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan, even turned up to greet him in police custody. George was remanded to judicial custody by a court in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday, while a bail plea filed at the Kerala High Court would be considered only on Friday. A former leader of the regional party Kerala Congress and an MLA in Kerala for 30 years, George had joined the BJP-led NDA in Kerala in 2019 after floating his own party Janapaksham. But his association with the NDA lasted only a few months. It was while announcing his decision to quit the NDA in December 2019 that George, who is known for his loose tongue, commented that Narendra Modi was a bad prime minister. He also alleged that Modi was looting the Reserve Bank of India. BJP sources pointed out that the same George had earlier praised Modi. In 2013, while being part of the Congress-led United Democratic Front he even inaugurated a Run for Unity campaign by displaying a t-shirt with Modis picture. The BJP seems to be backing George with the intention of getting close to Kerala's Christian vote banks, especially since the Assembly bypoll at Thrikkakkara is on May 31. The BJP has been backing Christian bishops in Kerala who had raised matters of love jihad and narcotic jihad. Countering the BJPs move, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said at a bypoll campaign meeting on Thursday that the BJP was supporting George with the intention of making the Christian community in Kerala feel that the party was protecting them. But the attack on the Christian community in other parts of the country exposes the real attitude of BJP and other Sangh Parivar outfits, he said. George, who hails from Poonjar in Kottayam district, is a seven-time MLA from Poonjar, mostly representing the regional Kerala Congress. In 2016, he contested as an independent MLA and even won but lost in the 2021 Assembly election. His present moves are being looked at as a desperate attempt to grab attention. Reacting to the ongoing Hijab row that rocked Mangalore University on May 26, former minister K S Eshwarappa stated that if they (Muslim students) want to stay in India, they must follow the Karnataka High Court judgement on Hijab row and respect the decision of the government and the Indian Constitution. Also Read Students in Mangaluru protest against wearing hijab in classrooms Speaking to media on Friday, he said, the government is making attempts to convince Muslim students who are attending classes wearing Hijab that they need to obey the law of land and bring those (encouraging students to violate rules) to justice. He also suggested that Muslims need to change their mindset if they want to stay in India. Muslim community leaders must guide the younger generation in this regard. They have to question themselves whether they can adapt to Indian culture or not, he added. Shivamogga MP B Y Raghavendra said it is the duty of all Indians to follow the HC verdict on any issue. So, Muslim students must also follow the same without fail. On allegations that farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar in the past had taken a bribe to be a part of KSRTC workers' agitation against the government demanding recognition of government employees, Raghavendra said the farmer leader must speak out about it. Karnataka Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah on Friday suggested that the founding fathers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were not native Indians in an attempt to discredit the BJPs ideological parent amid a brewing controversy over lessons in school textbooks. Siddaramaiahs suggestion that the RSS belongs to the Aryan race rattled BJP leaders who lined up to attack the Congress leader. This RSS...are they native Indians? Weve been quiet because we didnt want to rake up a few things. Are Aryans from this country? Are (RSS) Dravidians? We must go to the roots, Siddaramaiah said during a party event to observe former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehrus death anniversary. Who is responsible for a 600-year Mughal rule? If you were united, how could they come and who gave them space? Who is responsible for the 200-year British rule, Siddaramaiah asked. The Congress leader said this in the backdrop of the BJP governments move to revise school textbooks. One person named Rohith Chakratirtha has been given the responsibility of deciding what kids should study in textbooks. Where are we headed? Bhagat Singhs lesson has been replaced with (RSS founder) KB Hedgewars speech...do you need a bigger patriot than Bhagat Singh, Siddaramaiah asked. He accused the BJP of trying to distort history. After the BJP came to power, it has become difficult to know what the right history is, he said. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge also slammed the BJP over the textbooks controversy. They want children to study Hedgewars 1921 speech. What is Hedgewars contribution? Theyre trying to remove Bhagat Singh, Nehru and Gandhi one by one by including divisive ideology in textbooks. We must fight this, Kharge said. BJP national general secretary CT Ravi shot back at Siddaramaiah and questioned his idea of Indian nativity. Time and again, Siddaramaiah and some others get possessed by Macaulay's ghost, Ravi said. Werent Gandhi and Nehru Indians? Who are Indians, if not Gandhi, Nehru, Tilak and Bhagat Singh? UK nursing and midwifery leaders gathered in Derry this week to visit health and social care services across the North of Ireland. The senior figures were from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the independent regulator of 758,303 nursing and midwifery professionals, including 26,854 in Northern Ireland. They were in Derry for a meeting of the Council last Thursday. The Council is the NMCs governing body, which takes key decisions and sets the regulators strategic direction. Beforehand, Sir David Warren, Chair of the Council, and Andrea Sutcliffe, NMC Chief Executive and Registrar, took the opportunity to visit services and education centres in the North. These included Ardlough Care Home, HM Prison Magilligan, Causeway Hospital, Alnagelvin Hospital Education Centre, the Western Trust, and Ulster University. Martina Mullan, Manager at Ardlough Care Home in Derry said: Were delighted the NMC decided to come to Ardlough Care Home. Were a small home and the nurses were delighted with the opportunity to meet the people at the NMC that they wouldnt normally meet. Weve had a rough time through Covid its been all about the residents and keeping everyone as safe as possible. This is something the nurses were able to talk to the NMC delegates about the challenges they met. Sir David Warren was impressed with what he saw at Ardlough and other institutions visited across the North. He said: I was struck by the extraordinarily high morale at Ardlough Care Home and among the Healthcare in Prison team, which is humbling when you think of the tremendous pressures that everybody has been under during the pandemic. Its wonderful to be in Northern Ireland, on our first trip as a Council outside London since before the pandemic. We had a fascinating day learning about health and social care in the community and seeing first-hand the dedication, commitment and tremendous skills of professionals in every walk of life. NMC Chief Executive, Andrea Sutcliffe added: Its been great to hold our latest Council meeting in Northern Ireland, where weve had some important discussions and decisions on the agenda, focusing on standards for community and public health nursing and requirements for education programmes. Its also been fantastic to meet so many dedicated professionals during our visits to health and social care services. Hearing about their experiences through the Covid-19 pandemic highlights the commitment nurses and midwives have for delivering safe, effective and kind care for people here in Northern Ireland. Subscriber content preview Renderings by Hutteball + Oremus Architecture [enlarge] An early rendering for the project. Highline Public Schools is proposing to demolish Pacific Middle School, at 22705 24th Ave. S., and replace it with a new 132,800 square foot building. . . . Subscriber content preview SEATTLE Seattle-based public broadcaster KEXP announced it will be broadcasting a week of live performances and radio programming from Buenos Aires in September. KEXP Live from Argentina will take place on-air and online Sept. 19-23. . . . 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. New figures released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that the number of arrivals to Louth of people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, based on Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSN) allocations as of 22 May 2022, is 943. It is the first publication by the CSO providing insights into Irelands response to the Ukrainian crisis. The CSO says that there were 33,151 arrivals from Ukraine in Ireland by the week ending 22 May 2022, of which 29% were aged 14 or under. Of the arrivals to Louth, 209 are in the Dundalk-Carlingford Local Electoral Area (LEA); 320 in Dundalk South; 72 in the Ardee LEA, six in Drogheda Rural LEA and 336 in Drogheda Urban. The CSO's analysis also shows that the rate per 100 of the population ranges across all LEAs in the country from 0.03% to 6.81%. The LEA with the highest rate is Ennistimon in Clare while the LEA of Drogheda Rural in Louth had the lowest rate in the country. The Temporary Protection Directive (2001/55 EC) was activated on the 04 March 2022 by EU Council Decision EU 2022/382, to provide immediate protection in EU countries for people displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began on the 24 February 2022. Today's CSO publication examines and analyses the population cohort that availed of the temporary protection and received a PPSN. Therefore, the figures quoted should be interpreted as estimates of the numbers arriving from Ukraine. For example, the number of persons who have arrived from Ukraine may not have received a PPSN yet, while the figures may also include those who received a PPSN earlier in the crisis but who are no longer resident in the State. To avail of the Temporary Protection Directive and to reside in Ireland, an Arrival from Ukraine must meet the following criteria: a) A Ukrainian national who was residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022; b) A national of a third country (other than Ukraine) or stateless person who would have benefited from international protection (for example: Refugee Status) or an equivalent national protection status in Ukraine and were residing there before 24 February 2022; c) A family member* of persons covered by a) and b) above, where the family already existed in Ukraine at the time of events leading to the mass influx prior to 24 February 2022 *Family members include a spouse or partner, unmarried minor children of either of them, and their other close dependent family relatives who have been living with them as part of the family unit. Temporary protection also applies to people who were residing in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 with a permanent Ukrainian residence permit, who cannot safely return to their country of origin. A final call is being made to GAA followers in Louth to have their stories published in the second edition of a grassroots book on the organisation. Last years publication of Grassroots: Stories From The Heart Of The GAA, proved such a success that the GAA and Ballpoint Press are collaborating in a new volume GAA Grassroots, The Second-Half with a planned release this autumn. Im issuing a last call to make sure that if someone has a story to tell, they have the chance to do so, said editor and author, PJ Cunningham. I need them to get in touch by the end of June so that their submissions can be considered for the forthcoming publication. We already have over 100 stories for the second volume but it is important that we trawl again this year as we want to include the most comprehensive treasure trove of Gaelic-related stories ever compiled in the 138-year history of the association, he added. He emphasised that the stories being sought out stand a greater chance of publication if they contain twists and turns rather than historical accounts about clubs or famous ancestors who won medals. It is not a collection of how clubs were founded or run but about the people in them; its more about what they got up to either on or off the pitch, he explained. GAA President, Larry McCarthy, who launched the first volume, said he was delighted a second book is being published, containing stories from the heartlands of the organisation as well as from the Irish diaspora. The GAAs Communications Director, Alan Milton, said the two Grassroots books would complement the work undertaken by the GAA's Oral History Project - commissioned in 2009 as part of the Association's 125th celebrations. Having stories maintained in permanent form is important to the Association and this undertaking fills that role for us, he said. Stories can be submitted on any subject and from any era from the time of British rule, through to the Civil War, The Emergency or indeed the era of The Ban and vigilante committees set up to uncover GAA members attending or playing 'foreign games'. GAA stories always have intrigue, cunning, wit and every member has a unique story to tell about what happened somewhere along the line. Thats why Id love to get a new crop in for Volume 2, Cunningham stressed. If someone out there has a story but would prefer to relate it to me rather than write it themselves, I can write it up for them. If you have a story, write to: pj@gaastories.ie or communications@gaa.ie marked GAA Stories or phone PJ directly on 086-8217631. Staff and retailers at Marshes Shopping Centre are getting ready for a fundraising static cycle in aid of its charity partner Pieta which will take place at the centre on Saturday 11 June from noon until 4pm. Participants will cycle for 20 minutes each on static bicycles on the Marshes Mall to raise funds for the charity, which helps those in suicidal distress and people engaged in self-harm. Miles for Marshes will hopefully see plenty of sweat as at least 20 centre staff and retailers push themselves physically for Pieta, which first opened its doors in 2006. Since then it has seen and helped over 60,000 people in distress and operates 20 locations across Ireland. Pieta employs over 200 therapists and support staff, and the demand for its services is increasing. This event will be a great occasion and Marshes is proud to help contribute to the critical work of our charity partner Pieta, said centre manager Sean Farrell. I would encourage everybody who can to come along, enjoy the spectacle, and if possible, make a contribution to the wonderful work of Pieta on the day. The award-winning Marshes, which opened in 2005, is continually hailed as one of the most modern, high quality shopping environments in Ireland. It has transformed the commercial heart of Dundalk and directly employs over 900 people. The long wait for a home for Gaelcholaiste Dhun Dealgan is over, with the news that An Foras Patrunachta has successfully acquired the lease on Robin House, at the Ramparts in Dundalk, for use as a new school. The long-awaited Gaelcholaiste Dhun Dealgan will be an Irish-Medium, co-educational, multi-denominational, multi-cultural, secondary school, and is opening its doors for First Year students in Dundalk in September 2023. The Department of Education has sanctioned the opening of a satellite Gaelcholaiste in Dundalk, and the school will benefit from all the expertise and resources of the parent school, Colaiste Ghlor na Mara in Balbriggan. Caoimhe Hearun has been appointed Deputy Principal of Gaelcholaiste Dhun Dealgan and she is busy working with Colaiste Ghlor na Mara, parents, and the wider community of Dundalk to best prepare for this new exciting Gaelcholaiste. Speaking in advance of the school opening, Priomhoide Tanaisteach Caoimhe said: Were so excited to open. We are meeting 4th and 5th class pupils in the surrounding area to let them know about this great new school. Renovation work on our building is underway to kit it out with the latest resources and facilities. We will have a state of the art school with the highest standards of education and many extra curricular options for our students. Being joined with a large Gaelcholaiste enables us to provide the widest range of subject choices, sports, excellent teachers and so much more. We look forward to meeting future parents and students of Gaelcholaiste Dhun Dealgan shortly. The new Gaelcholaiste will be under the patronage of An Foras Patrunachta, the largest patron of Irish-medium schools and patron to parent school Colaiste Ghlor na Mara. The Balbriggan secondary school opened in 2014 with 27 students and has gone from strength to strength, reaching 434 students this year. General Secretary of An Foras Patrunachta, Caoimhin O hEaghra is confident that Gaelcholaiste Dhun Dealgan will blossom just as Colaiste Ghlor na Mara has; An Foras Patrunachta are delighted that the Dundalk community will now have a second-level Irish-medium option for their children. With our help and with the expertise of Maedhbh Daltun, Principal of Colaiste Ghlor na Mara, and her staff, Gaelcholaiste Dhun Dealgan will undoubtedly be a fantastic school to all who wish to receive a multi-denominational, Irish-medium education. There will be various open days and information evenings in September 2022 for students, parents and guardians. Gaelcholaiste Dhun Dealgan is open to all children from Co. Louth and neighbouring counties who want to learn through the medium of Irish. Many activities are planned including Easter and Summer camps to support the development of Irish language skills and the transition of students from primary to secondary school. Caoimhe is visiting 4th and 5th class students in the surrounding schools with further information. For further information contact eolas@gcdd.ie or check out their social media pages. This evening local Fine Gael Senator John McGahon has been acquitted by a jury of seriously assaulting a man outside a local bar and nightclub almost four years ago. In a statement released after the verdict, Senator McGahon said: Im extremely relieved and delighted to have been found not guilty. I maintained my innocence throughout this process, and this has been proven. I thank the jury for reaching this verdict having heard all evidence since Tuesday. I would like to thank them for their careful attention throughout. I also want to thank my legal team of Hugh Hartnett SC, James McCullough BL with Conor MacGuill solicitors. Since 2014, I have worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Dundalk and Louth. There are a lot of issues which affect my constituents and that is my sole focus. A Fine Gael statement said: "Senator McGahon has always maintained his innocence and a jury has found him not guilty. This matter has now concluded. Senator John McGahon, as always, will continue his work as a public representative for the people of Louth. Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) were delighted to recently welcome their friends and collaborators from the Curso de Musica Silva Monteiro, Portugal. This group of music teachers were visiting the Institute to participate and undertake professional development with teaching staff in DkIT. Whilst working with lecturers in the Institute this group also received a workshop from Dr Daithi Kearney on Irish traditional music. DkIT has previously collaborated with this group from Porto on our Erasmus+ funded projects and this Portuguese musical group is also currently involved with the Institute on the Music and Mindfulness for Children project. This venture has been extremely successful to date and has created opportunities for staff and students at DkIT to join forces on international projects aimed at inspiring and supporting teachers to work with arts & mindfulness in their educational practice. During this project the Department of Creative Arts, Media and Music has worked with the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Early Years on the Erasmus + Strategic Partnership 'AMiE' - an acronym that stands for Arts & Mindfulness in Education. The project aims to help to meet the need for preventive measures aimed at children to support their mental health. The aim of the initiative is to provide European teachers with inspirational and supportive tools regarding the introduction of mindfulness in pre-primary and primary education. During their recent visit the team of music teachers from Curso de Musica Silva Monteiro kindly performed at the Institutes concert celebrating DkITs 50th Anniversary which was held in the Droichead Arts Centre. EBRD President to pay her first in-person visit to North Macedonia on 31 May Meetings with government and private sector President Renaud-Basso will speak about green transition at Skopje conference The EBRD President, Odile Renaud-Basso, is to visit North Macedonia on 31 May. She will meet the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, government, and private sector banks and investors. President Renaud-Basso will participate in the Skopje Economic and Finance Forum and give an address on sustainable growth and low-carbon transition. She will also sign a new loan agreement with Stopanska Banka under a new EBRD programme called Sustainable Reboot SME a 4 million credit line to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). North Macedonia, where the EBRD is a top investor, is an important investment destination for us, as is the whole Western Balkans region, explained Odile Renaud-Basso. I look forward to discussing our upcoming projects with the authorities, including further transport improvements and private sector development. The EBRD stands by North Macedonia in its efforts to improve its energy security and decarbonise its economy, two challenges which are even more topical in the current geopolitical and economic context. The EBRD Presidents visit comes a month after the Banks Vice President for Policy and Partnerships, Mark Bowman, also travelled to Skopje. Some of the investment projects in the country being considered are: constructing a section in North Macedonia of the gas interconnector to Greece and a section of the motorway from Skopje to the border with Kosovo; improving solid waste management across the country; and a number of energy efficiency credit lines to local banks to be on-lent to local SMEs. EBRD loans will be supplemented by grants from the EU, the United Nations, Switzerland, Sweden, the USA, Norway, Luxembourg, and other donors. Energy efficiency is only one area where the EBRD and donors work to help North Macedonias low-carbon transition. The Bank has already made a number of investments in the electricity grid and new energy sources, making the country less dependent on imported sources of fuel and more energy-secure. The latest project to come on-stream is a 10 MW solar PV plant on the site of an old coal mine in Oslomej. It was financed by the EBRD, EU and other international donors, and will be followed by other solar power plants in the area and a 30 MW solar PV plant in Bitola. Upcoming investment projects in North Macedonia are available to view here. The EBRD is a major institutional investor in North Macedonia. To date, it has invested more than 2.2 billion in 161 projects across the country. WHEN Derek Landy walked in the back door of Waterstones earlier this month, an hour before the official 2pm starting time for his book-signing, the shop was absolutely packed and a warm round of applause erupted when he was recognised. Eight hours later, Waterstones bookseller John Breen would reckon that during the signing more than 300 people lined up to meet the writer, with many waiting over six hours for a chat, and the author was warm and engaging with every reader he met. Oh, I slept for pretty much the entire car ride back to Dublin, and my voice was close to giving out, the author laughs over the phone. As exhausting as he finds book-signings, the fantasy writer says they give him an incredible lift. I mean, you cant do an eight-hour signing and not just be hugely grateful for that amount of support from readers and their very patient family members who take some of the readers along. He recalls a signing in Drogheda two years ago which he says encapsulated the broad range of his readership. This big biker guy in his forties, with the jacket and the tattoos and the beard, just standing there and talking about how much he loved the characters and the story, and then I signed his stuff and he headed off, and right behind him is the smallest little eight-year-old girl. Landy says he loves seeing people from eight to 80 mingling together, bonding over a love of imagination and kindness, and he says it blows him away that they will stand for hours on end for a few minutes of chat. Its that wild disparity of ages, and absolutely nobody cares, there is no-one feeling self-conscious, or embarrassed or intimidated. Its a wonderful thing. What is incredible, especially about the Cork signing, is that we reach hour four and Im starting to apologise, in between all of the chat, Im saying Thank you for waiting so long, thank you for being so patient. But, again and again, every time I said that, from the people there with the books to the parents or the guardians or the friends, they all laughed and said, Oh dont worry, weve made great friends in line. Every once in a while, the Dublin native says, hell meet couples who met in one of his signing queues, and sometimes theyll come with babies. They go, We met because of you, and now were married and we have this kid, and for some reason they never call the child Derek. Even though technically I am responsible for the kids existence, but nope, its never Derek. Or Skulduggery, for that matter, although he says he would be delighted if his books resulted in a generation of girls named after his protagonist, Valkyrie Cain. It is 15 years since the first Skulduggery Pleasant novel was written, when publisher Harper Collins offered Landy a 1 million advance. Since then, Landys books, which are an insanely readable blend of horror, comedy, fantasy and detective genres, have sold in the millions and have now been translated into 36 languages. Not bad going for a self-confessed dreamer who failed the Leaving Cert and the first year of college and who then spent a decade picking vegetables on the family farm. For fans of Skulduggery Pleasant, especially those who have read the fifteenth, and allegedly final, book, Until The End (2022), there is only one pressing question: will there more books? There will be more stories, Landy replies carefully. The lovely thing about writing such a long-running series is that, every once in a while, Im given the opportunity to write a short story for use in a foreign translation edition, or a special edition. "Every so often I have to write short stories set in his world. So, there will definitely be more stories, that I can say without hesitation. Anything else? I cant actually say right now. And what are the chances of seeing Skulduggery Pleasant in other media? There was a planned Warner Bros adaptation a few years ago, but its script, which reputedly included a musical number featuring Michael Jacksons Man In The Mirror, was memorably described by Landy as the single worst thing he had ever read. We were with Warners, then we were with Sony, than we were with a few other slightly more independent studios over the last 15 years. The moment the Warner deal ended I took the reins again, and Ive been fairly hands-on, which might explain why the bloody thing hasnt ever been made yet, he says with a chortle. Now Im working with a great bunch of producers. I cant say exactly who yet, but we are quietly optimistic that this time this script is in a good enough shape that potentially something might happen, but no guarantees. Landy recently branched into writing for Marvel Comics, and, as Ballycotton-based Marvel artist Will Sliney pointed out when they met before the Waterstones book signing, hes not writing just any old Marvel characters, hes writing their frontline team book, the Avengers. Its been absolutely a dream come true when it comes to the Marvel stuff, because I do credit Spider-Man with teaching me how to read at such an advanced level. "As a kid, I was always reading Marvel books and Batman and 2000AD, so I was brought up on comics, he says. A tweet from a Marvel editor led to his writing for the House of Ideas, and a number of mini-series followed, starring the likes of Captain America, Iron Man, Falcon, and the Winter Soldier, and it has just been announced that he is writing a new Avengers comic. I get to write all of the classic Marvel heroes, which is my absolute dream. Its just so much fun. Despite a long friendship with Sliney on Twitter, lunch in Perry Street in Cork was the first time they had actually met in person. Ive heard how tight the Irish crew is, when it comes to artists and writers, how much they support each other, and what a tight-knit group it is, but that was my first time meeting Will, and he just took me through the ins and outs and realities of comic book conventions, and how to do it, and, more importantly, why I should do it, Landy says. When you see the conventions being reported, there are hundreds of thousands of people, all dressed up, all chaos, so many people in such a tight space, my claustrophobia would be going crazy, so I never really was that keen, but everything Will Sliney has told me about conventions, its actually tempting me for the first time ever. He describes Sliney as a genuinely friendly and welcoming man who spent their lunch listing industry contacts and offering to introduce Landy to them. Hes just such a nice person. And my God, the amount of stuff hes doing, even apart from comics, the Draw with Will stuff, and all his talks now and lectures, hes quite the burgeoning industry in and of himself really. Returning to Landys comment about Spider-Man effectively teaching him to read, British writer Alan Moore once said Superman had taught him far more about morality than Christianity ever did. Is that something which would find resonance with Landy? Well, all you have to do to find a workable role model in life is look at Spider-Man. Look at Indiana Jones. Look at Daredevil. Look at the flawed heroes who keep trying, despite losing half the time, he replies, reasoning that identifiability must be what draws readers to such characters. Its why I will never understand Star Wars fans or Star Trek fans who are remotely xenophobic, or racist, or sexist or right-wing. Its like they have missed the entire point of the stories they absolutely adore. They have missed the little fact that Star Wars is against fascism, and that Star Trek is against sexism, against racism, against exclusion. I dont understand anyone who can devour these stories and love these characters and not take away every positive from them. Its like a wilful kind of ignorance where Im gonna read Superman, but Im not going to let him turn me into a better man. Finally, asked what advice Landy would offer aspiring young writers, he admits its a question he gets asked all the time, but he obliges with a lengthy reply, which he later jokes is part of his new side-line as a motivational speaker. For every person that asks, I run through about three or four different answers, and each answer is tailored to what I pick up from that particular person, and each of them is as entirely valid as the next one. But if youre a young writer out there and youre reading this, and you want to know how to develop as a writer, it sounds like the stupidest and the most patronising and condescending bit of advice when I say you have to remember to have fun. There is a very specific reason he uses the word fun, and that is because he has learned in life, and in writing, that fun is contagious. What that means for each person out there is: forget about what you think people want to read about. Youve got to focus on what you want to write, no matter how weird or bizarre or off the scale it might be. I mean, I wrote about a skeleton detective who throws fireballs and saves the world in Ireland. And I did that because thats what I wanted to write about. " All of the genres that I cared about, I packed into the very first book, which is why its a horror, and an adventure and a fantasy and science fiction and mystery and crime and comedy. Everything that I possibly would ever have wanted to write is a vital strand of DNA that makes up the entire series. So going in, I was determined to have fun because it leaps off the page. You know when you are reading something from a writer whos having fun. He describes that joy in writing as a transferable energy, and he says everyone knows when a writer is having fun. It comes through your TV screen. It comes through whatever video game youre playing, whatever movie youre watching, whatever comic book youre reading. That type of creative energy is transferable, and it is contagious and thats my biggest piece of advice to any writers out there. Youve got to focus on yourself and youve got to focus on the things that make you happy, and I guarantee no matter how weird your idea, there will be someone else out there who is on the same wavelength and they will appreciate it. Your job is not to find them, your job is just to write it and its their job to find your story. The final curtain is nearing for Live at the Marquee, at least at the tents current docklands location on Monahan Road. For fifteen summer seasons (the Covid crisis notwithstanding), the Marquee served as a central location for big gigs, club nights and other attractions, a large part of the citys summer arts season, playing host to everyone from Elton John and the Eagles to Slayer and Kraftwerk. One of the venues big recurring draws in recent years has been the appearance of 2FM DJ Jenny Greene, taking to the decks to dispense the dance floorfillers, usually with a hefty dose of nostalgia, accompanied in her Leeside appearances by visuals evoking memories of the citys clubbing heyday, including archival video from venues like Sir Henrys. Most recently, shes been accompanied by the RTE Concert Orchestra, who lend their power and weight to new arrangements of 90s club favourites, alongside live vocalists like Voiceworks Studios Gemma Sugrue, lending her pipes to live renditions of vocal hooks and choruses. Jenny Greene knows how to get fans out on the floor. Speaking from her home in Dublin, Greene is about to prepare for an episode of her new RTE 2FM show The Greene Room, airing Sundays to Thursdays at 9pm, and presenting a different genre of new Irish music each night, as part of a solid evening offering of new-music shows alongside fellow disc-jocks Tara Kumar and Dan Hegarty. I'm probably in a better place now. I mean, it's taken until now to feel like the show has an identity. And I feel I know what it is, it's still evolving, and I think there's a way to go. Even now, I can feel it and see it, and I think people know what it is now. There were so many different things I wanted to do on it, and it was trying to find a way to do all of them, and that it made sense, still slowed. I knew it was going to be a good bit of work, but I feel like I don't have a minute now. I spend all day working on it, have a quick bite to eat, and then I go into work. It's a lot more work than I've done before, but I'm actually really enjoying it. So far so good - people seem to be receiving it well, so hopefully it continues that way. The show marks a return to the Irish-music beat for Greene, having become a staple of afternoon radio on 2FM, and maintaining her Saturday night Electric Disco mix for over a decade. But since her last stint in the presenters chair for specialist shows, not only has the way Irish artists release music changed, but podcasting and on-demand listening has completely altered the idea of destination radio. Its a change that Greene has adapted to. I think the thing I've found now, the last time I would have done just purely music shows was probably fifteen years ago, when I started in 2FM, I would do Friday and Saturday nights. You'll remember back yourself, there wasn't quite the volume of music that there is now, and it's a case of, you can't listen to absolutely everything, but I'm doing my best to do as close to that as I can, and trying to ensure that you don't miss something. I've two email accounts and they're full every day. You're wanting to make sure that you go through everything, that you don't miss something. Certainly, in comparison to what I had been doing more recently, a drivetime show, which was playlisted, and the only other things I had to worry about were the guests and the features and the things that we had on the show. The music was taken care of by somebody else. So, to go in and do two hours, six nights a week, and different genres on different nights, it has definitely been a lot more work than I did before. It's definitely more suited to me. Maybe it's possibly what I should always have been doing, but you have to do these other things in order to get to that point, and certainly the feedback has been great from people, but I've been getting sent an awful lot of music from people who maybe aren't signed, or don't have anybody out there pushing their music for them. I've kind of taken a chance on one or two new sounds and said, 'look, I'll play this tonight' - those ones seem to be the ones that are getting the best reaction from people There's some really, really great music out there, particularly in Ireland, that, y'know, has maybe gone somewhat under the radar, and it's lovely to be able to give it a platform and put it out there, and even one or two that I've kind of taken a chance on and said, 'look, I'll play this tonight' - those ones seem to be the ones that are getting the best reaction from people, which is lovely to say, and I hope it continues that way. With the finality of the occasion dawning as the days and weeks pass to showtime, the conversation turns back to the Marquee - and Greenes own memories of taking to the stage under the tent. What started as a pipe dream for a DJ who was just about used to selling out bigger clubs has become an annual appointment, and a marker of her own progress as a draw in her own right. I remember about thirteen, fourteen years ago, maybe, playing regular shows in the Savoy. I remember talking to my manager at the time, and we said, 'god, wouldn't it be great to do the Marquee', and that was the pipe-dream thing that would never happen. Fast forward years later, and the Orchestra comes along, and we end up in the Marquee every year. It's one of those gigs, even to this day, you don't get used to it and go, 'ah, sure, it's just another gig'. And Probably the most magical part of the Marquee is the people of Cork, because you put that tent anywhere else, and it would not have the same atmosphere There's something magical about the Marquee, something about that tent. Probably the most magical part of it is the people of Cork, because you put that tent anywhere else, and it would not have the same atmosphere that it has down there. I remember the very first time we played there, I mean, it was just electric. It still is to this day, and the first year I did it, I remember we all spoke afterwards, and we were sitting around, we were saying to ourselves, 'we won't ever have a gig like that again'. But we did, the following year in the same place. It seems to just keep getting better and better every year. There was one year down there, there was a heatwave. And I remember even going in, in the afternoon for soundcheck, and it was only literally us, and that entire tent was empty, and you couldn't breathe with the heat. And all we kept thinking was, 'how are we going to manage tonight when this is full?' But everyone just got into it. Jenny Green ready to get the Marquee crowd moving. Picture Rich Gilligan Even just getting everybody back together, none of us have seen each other in years. I only spoke to Gemma Sugrue on the phone yesterday. I haven't seen her in two years, and she is just so excited to get back on stage. We're all really looking forward to it, and just getting to see the orchestra and everybody again, because it just hasn't been possible for so long. Jenny Greene and the RTE Concert Orchestra play Live at the Marquee on Friday, June 24. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.ie. Listen to The Green Room, Sundays to Thursdays, 9pm, on RTE 2FM. By David Young, Rebecca Black, Cate McCurry, PA The impasse over Brexits Northern Ireland Protocol is not a real crisis, a senior US Congressman has insisted. Richard Neal said the deadlock was instead a problem to be solved after he and fellow members of a Congressional delegation held talks with Stormonts five main parties in Belfast. Powersharing in Northern Ireland is on ice after the DUP refused to re-establish a devolved executive following the recent Assembly election in protest at arrangements that have created economic barriers on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Mr Neal, who is chairman of the influential House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, has faced intense unionist criticism for describing the protocol dispute as a manufactured issue. Congressman Richard Neal at Stormont (Brian Lawless/PA) On Thursday, Mr Neal acknowledged he could have picked a more artful term to describe the impasse but he said no harm was intended by the comment. Anybody that would suggest that it was maliciously intended would be misguided, he said. Mr Neal suggested the protocol was a slight bump and momentary challenge in the political journey Northern Ireland has been on over the last three decades and paled in comparison to obstacles overcome during the peace process. To describe the protocol issue as a crisis is inconsistent with the success weve had over 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement, he said. I still dont think its a crisis. I think its a problem to be solved, duly negotiated much of it emanates from Brussels and London but it should include the people of Northern Ireland in the discussion and deliberation. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson speaking to the media following his meeting with the Congressional delegation (Brian Lawless/PA) He added: I think that every time we simply use the word crisis to describe everything, then we forget what a real crisis means, and I just continue to believe this is not a real crisis. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson heavily criticised Mr Neal after meeting him at Parliament Buildings, describing the delegations fact-finding mission as the most undiplomatic visit he had ever seen to Northern Ireland. Mr Donaldson branded Mr Neals language in the earlier part of the week as unhelpful, adding it displays an alarming ignorance of the concerns of unionism. However, he said he heard a more realistic approach during the meeting with the delegation at Stormont on Thursday. Mr Neal, who said his meeting with the DUP went very well, said unionist apprehensions about the protocol were legitimate. I think I was very clear in the meeting that I had with the DUP that while I dont want to see a hard border on the island, I also pointed out to them that I understood the apprehension that they have raised about a border in the Irish Sea I thought that they were very receptive to that argument, he said. Mr Neal added: I would like to see the issue negotiated. I thought that the apprehension that they raised was legitimate. I think that there is an acknowledgment that there are some problems with the protocol. We want to see them smoothed over and repaired. Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill (Brian Lawless/PA) Sinn Feins Stormont leader Michelle ONeill, who would be in line to become first minister if the DUP dropped its boycott of the devolved institutions, said the delegations visit was welcome. For many years we have enjoyed the support of successive American administrations in terms of our peace process, so I very much welcome the fact that we have such a strong delegation visiting here, she said. (They are) big supporters of the peace process, big supporters of the Good Friday Agreement and the need to protect that agreement. We have had a very good meeting with them in terms of our shared objective which is to have this Executive and Assembly up and running, supporting people through the cost-of-living crisis, addressing our health service needs. Meanwhile, Mr Donaldson revealed his party confronted Mr Neal about his use of the term planter to refer to unionists in Northern Ireland. He said that during the meeting the DUP compared the stand-off over the protocol to a well-known event in the history of the America revolution, the Boston Tea Party. Mr Donaldson said that when revolutionaries pushed tea chests into the harbour in Boston in 1773 the mantra was no taxation without representation. And I reminded Congressman Neal and his colleagues that this too is our mantra: that today Northern Ireland is subjected to laws and taxes into which it has no say, that not a single member elected to this Assembly can influence many of the laws that now oversee how we conduct trade in our country because they are imposed by the European Union, and there is no democratic accountability to this institution or any democratic institution in this country, he said. Richard Neal spoke to reporters at Stormont after his meetings (Brian Lawless/PA) Stormont was the last stop on the US delegations visit to the island of Ireland. The bipartisan delegation has also held meetings in London and Brussels during its protocol-focused mission. Many unionists and loyalists are vehemently opposed to the protocol, claiming its requirement for checks on goods moving across the Irish Sea has undermined Northern Irelands place in the United Kingdom. The Ways and Means committee would have a key role in approving any future trade deal between the UK and US, and Mr Neal has made clear such an agreement would be at risk if the London government pressed ahead with its plan to unilaterally scrap parts of the protocol. He said a trade deal was very desirable but added: As part of that, we want to make sure that that agreement is reconciled with the idea that we are a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement and we dont want to see it jeopardised. Mr Neal said his position was entirely in line with the US administration in Washington DC. He insisted his role and that of the US was as an honest broker. Mr Neal said the issue of whether the Biden administration should appoint a special envoy to Northern Ireland was a matter for the US president to decide on. I actually asked the last president (Trump) to do that, to appoint an envoy he told me he was going to but he did not in the end, he added. Asked what he felt the prospect of a visit by President Joe Biden to Northern Ireland might be, Mr Neal said he would like to see a presidential presence at events to mark next years 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. He said: I would hope that British prime ministers, taoisigh from the Republic of Ireland, American presidents, American members of Congress, members of the Dail, senate and certainly the Assembly would all gather here for the 25th anniversary and say hooray, that challenge 30 years ago should remind the world of what again people of goodwill can do and they did it. Members of the Loyalist Communities Council met Mr Neal to discuss the Northern Ireland Protocol on Thursday. In a statement, the group said that the US could no longer be viewed as honest brokers in Northern Ireland and that the Biden administration has openly taken sides with the nationalist position. They added: Congressman Neal was asked to use his influence on Capitol Hill to require the ending of the Irish Sea Border just as much as he opposed any hard border on this island. Peter Murtagh and Declan Brennan A man who assaulted his partner, fracturing her eye socket and on one occasion threatening to set her on fire, has been given a four-year prison sentence. The 35-year-old man told the woman, who may not be identified, that he hated her, that she was "smelly", a "tramp", and a "dirty rotten cow". He harassed her by telephone and via social media, calling her over 1,000 times to abuse her verbally and threaten her. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassment on various occasions between December 8th and January 2021. He also pleaded guilty to threatening to kill or cause serious harm on December 12th, 2010, to making threats on December 16th, 2020 and to assaulting the woman causing her harm. Judge Elma Sheahan described videos showing the man's conduct towards his partner as "disturbing, terrifying and frightening to watch, saying that the language used by the accused is vile and vicious. The man had "humiliated and degraded" the woman, the judge said. Her victim impact statement, "speaks of [her] mental torture and fear", Judge Sheahan added. She also noted that the man had a "long history of offending and poor engagement with probation service". Violent and jealous The court heard that the man became violent and jealous of his partner when he thought she was seeing someone else. After he hit her, fracturing her eye socket, she had not gone to the doctor out of embarrassment but a friend had taken photographs of her injuries. The man got drunk and would become violent, the court heard. On one occasion, he "smashed up the place" and started roaring again at her. She left the house and, when she returned, he had flung cans around the house. He told her he would stay off the drink and was "full of little promises", the victim told the court. Almost all of the incidents took place in late 2020. The court heard that the man made 1,019 calls to his partner from multiple phones over a 23-day period. On one phone, he called her 278 times; on another 327 times; and on a third, 414 times. He used Facebook to threaten her and her family, sometimes through an alias, Gerard Howe, which was in fact him. In Facebook messages, accompanied by emojis of hammers and an anvil he wrote: "I'll put you up on fire and added dancing on your brains, body pieces - put that in your pipe and smoke it..." He also sent videos through Facebook in which he threatened to harm her and to burn down her house. These videos and recordings of phone calls were viewed by Judge Sheahan. During one phone call he told the woman "Youre dirt, youre vermin. Youll burn in style." In another he said: "Give me back the children, you smelly rotten cow. Ill burn you. Reoffending risk Sentencing him on Friday, Judge Sheahan noted that the man's probation report assessed him as being at "a moderate to high risk of reoffending" and referred to his "unpredictability" with regard to violence. Noting his "remorse" for his conduct and that he was currently drug free, the judge said he had a long history of drug and alcohol abuse. He had 52 previous convictions for a variety of offences, including assault, criminal damage and substance-related crimes. She noted his wish to re-establish relations with his partner, and his children, on his release from prison. She suspended the final year of a five-year prison term and banned him from contacting the victim. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Womens Aid (24-hour freephone helpline at 1800 341 900, email helpline@womensaid.ie) or Mens Aid Ireland (confidential helpline at 01 554 3811, email hello@mensaid.ie) for support and information. Safe Ireland also outlines a number of local services and helplines at safeireland.ie/get-help/where-to-find-help/. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112. DIVERSITY and inclusion are hard-won in any profession. There are very real reasons why certain professionals look, act, and speak a certain way. Invariably, something must happen to change that, to push against the tide of circumstance and tradition. This year, the Law Society of Ireland marks 20 years of its Access Programme, which has provided financial and practical support to more than 300 aspiring solicitors to date, assisting students from certain socio-economically backgrounds to enter professional legal education, offering financial support right through to qualification. Chairperson of the Law Societys Education Committee, Richard Hammond, S.C., says: The programme helps promote greater diversity within the solicitors profession, and this is vital to help build a legal profession that reflects the diversity of the society it serves. Mariam Olusoji from Nigeria is living in Cork since 2003. Recipient Mariam Olusoji Ms Olusoji, who moved to Cork with her family from Nigeria in 2003, applied for the programme and was granted funding; she credits this as a key factor in her qualifying as a solicitor in Ireland in 2020. Shes fully aware the diversity fight has not yet been won. As far as I know, from what Ive seen myself, Im the only person of colour to qualify as a solicitor in Cork since I came here. At the same time, she couldnt be more enthusiastic about the support she has received from the Law Society and shes certainly keen to spread the word. The programme considers your individual circumstances and provides you with appropriate financial support. They offer maintenance and organise accommodation if needed, but they also support you emotionally. I went through a lot to get where I am, but they were there for me 100%. They gave me a sense of belonging. Whenever I called, they were there for me, telling me to relax, telling me everything would be alright. Not insignificantly, Olusoji arrived in Ireland with over five years of experience in Nigerian law, where the profession is combined so shed worked as both a barrister and a solicitor. She also boasted a Bachelor and Masters degree in law, and the latter qualification afforded her access to a Masters in law at UCC. Mariam Olusoji said the Access programme made her feel fully supporter. She was pregnant with her fourth child at the time and determined to continue her career. I even did a diploma in Legal Secretary training. It was when I was doing that course that I decided I was pursuing my legal career no matter what. Indeed, it wasnt until 2017, after Ms Olusoji had already passed her FE-1 exams, the first stage of the process, that she first heard of the Access Scholarship Programme. The programme and its benefits and Olusojis legal background were a huge asset, but her journey to becoming a qualified solicitor in Ireland was anything but straightforward; the Law Society helped straighten the road considerably. I knew the road to qualifying as a solicitor was difficult, but the Law Society made it so much more manageable. I had to stay in Dublin for six months during my Professional Practice Course (PPC 1). I would come home at the weekend. I would cook, box, and freeze food for my family, go to church, and then take my bag and travel back to Dublin for the week. But they took the worry out of it. I did not need to get anxious about things like where to stay. The Law Society made it all feel possible. Both Nigeria and Ireland are under Common Law, which helped the earnest candidate, but other challenges presented themselves. Life was a lot harder before I got help; trying to organise staying with friends, getting to where I needed to be. Like the vast majority of PPC Access trainees, I had a SUSI grant, but that doesnt cover everything. The Law Society really made the difference. It is certainly an impressive programme on paper. Students are assisted throughout all stages of their professional legal education. Funding is available for expenses directly related to taking FE-1 entrance exams to study to become a solicitor. This includes overnight accommodation during the week of exams, contributions towards additional childcare costs, support with loss of income while taking exams, and travel expenses to and from the exam venue. Access FE-1 candidates are entitled to use the Law Society of Ireland library when preparing for exams. Students living outside of Dublin may have books posted to them. But its the softer side that Ms Olusoji regularly comes back to. Its like when you get customer service that tells you some information. And then you get customer service that makes you feel emotionally supported. This is a fundamental part of the programme. The Law Society assists Access students with best-practice tips on how to secure a traineeship. Law Society staff and experienced practising lawyers work with students to provide vital information on what works best in terms of CVs, cover letters and approaches to interviews. Mentoring appointments are also available at all stages of the programme to help build confidence and communication skills. Determined Ms Olusoji also credits her husband for his support, describing him as her backbone, but its clear that nothing was getting in the way of her and her beloved profession. I am passionate about the law. Do you know that way, when you love something so much, you never get tired of it? I just love my work. She takes pride in her work also. Ireland is now a diverse country, comprising different ethnicities. People from these diverse ethnicities feel comfortable talking to me; they feel more relaxed. I think they feel I understand them better. The Law Society recognises that, and they provide an avenue for people like me to get to where they should be. Its really very good. Mariam Olusoji qualified as a solicitor with the Law Society in December 2020. She now works remotely for Robinson Solicitors, Dublin 7. She works across various fields, a little bit of everything, just as she likes it. She is a former President of Nigerian Community Cork, Ireland and former Chairperson of Nasc, the Migrant & Refugee Rights Centre. She qualified to act as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2021. Mariam is a perfect spokesperson for what sounds like a remarkable programme. So who can apply? Richard Hammond S.C. announces: The programme is open to everyone and theres no age restriction on applicants. Though a common trait amongst applicants is that, but for the assistance of the Access Programme, those individuals feel that they would not be in a position to train as a solicitor. This feeling can be due to a lack of financial resources among other reasons, added Mr Hammond. Each year, the Law Society receives approximately 85 applications to join the Access Programme, about 80% of which are successful. No candidate meeting the assessment criteria has ever been refused funding, he said. To apply for the programme, the next deadline is Wednesday, June 1, 2022. See www.lawsociety.ie/Public/Become-a-Solicitor/fe1-funding Ukrainian lawmaker says time is running out for Ukraine grain exports Yevheniia Kravchuk, a Ukrainian lawmaker, said time is running out to export 22 million tonnes of grain out of the country before the new harvest as Russia continues to blockade Ukraine's Black Sea ports, Reuters reported. She said the country has about a month and a half before the new harvest is collected. As Russia and Ukraine together account for roughly a third of world wheat supply, and Ukraine is also a significant supplier of corn, barley, sunflower oil, and rapeseed oil, fears of a global food catastrophe are mounting. Ursula von der Leyen, chief of the European Commission's, called for talks with Moscow to free wheat supplies stranded in Ukraine due to a Russian naval embargo. According to Interfax, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said that Moscow is willing to establish a humanitarian passage for ships transporting supplies to exit Ukraine in exchange for the easing of some sanctions. Kravchuk said as part of the fields are now under Russian control or have been mined, Ukraine expects the new harvest to be around 70% of last year's crop. Farmers require diesel for their tractors, and Ukraine had lost much of its refining capability owing to Russian strikes, Because of that, Kravchuk requested assistance in demining areas and fuel. - Reuters China temporarily suspends four Brazil beef plants China's General Administration of Customs has announced a temporary suspension on beef imports from four Brazilian slaughterhouses, two operated by JBS SA and two by rival Marfrig, Reuters reported. The suspension is effective immediately. No reasons were provided for why the beef plants were banned. Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply confirmed it received the notification about the suspensions from Chinese authorities. One of the suspended factories, according to an industry source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, is located in the town of Promissao in the state of Sao Paulo. For the next four weeks, it is barred from shipping to China. According to the same source, Marfrig's Varzea Grande factory in Mato Grosso has been suspended for a week. The source also said JBS had two units banned for a week, one in Senador Canedo, Goias state, and the other in Lins, Sao Paulo state. Marfrig did not want to comment. JBS did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Beijing's decision comes only hours after Brazilian and Chinese officials met and agreed to forward the bilateral trade agenda, which included the signing of a protocol allowing Brazilian corn to be exported to China. - Reuters A meeting in the Pentagon made a mistake how Ukrainian flags were hung upside down in the noticeable background. This happened when a press conference for packages was held when it was too late to be realized how it appeared in the background. Ukraine Flags Incorrectly Displayed in Pentagon Under the flag of a non-existent country, the US military's top brass unveiled a major aid package for Ukraine, reported RT. Last Monday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley sat in front of four upside-down Ukrainian flags as they met with allies to drum up new weapon sales to Kyiv. Washington politicians at the top level had done it before, making the same mistake with the flag they were financing in hosting a virtual meeting with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, hosted by the two defense officials. The group is a panel of 47 nations ready to supply Kyiv with arms after Russia demolished hardware sent to Ukraine. Supplies will include artillery, ammo, coastal defense weaponry, tanks, and armored vehicles needed as the Ukrainians are getting routed, cited Hollywood LA News. Four Ukrainian flags had been hung upside down in the background of Austin and Milley, with yellow on top instead of blue. The blunder is not the first-time supporters of Ukraine have mucked up a display of its distinctive flag, presumably the work of a Pentagon staffer. In March, AFL-CIO, one of America's largest labor unions, had posted on social media a picture of its executive council mistakenly holding upside-down Ukrainian flags shown on posters with 'Stand with Ukraine,' just like what happened recently in the Pentagon. Read Also: Emmanuel Macron Facts: Interesting Info You May Not Know About The French President Following online mockery, the union re-posted the appearance with the flags digitally manipulated to face the right way before removing it entirely after Twitter users ridiculed the photoshopped images, noted the Press United. US leaders have made errors with Ukraine by making a mistake in identifying them. Many of his critics derided one of Joe Biden's gaffes that drew attention, saying that he's cognitively challenged. Remarked that Putin could block Kyiv with tanks, but said Iranian, not Ukrainian, people that got bashed all over. Ukraine Mistakenly Confused With Other Countries An embarrassing situation involving former President George W. Bush after he condemned what happened to Iraq when it was supposed to be Ukraine in a Freudian slip. He called out his actions in Iraq in 2003. After the Monday meeting that had Austin speak about several countries like Denmark providing ship killer missiles, Czechia will send gunships, while Italy, Greece, Norway, and Poland are sending artillery and ammo. Since February, the US has given Ukraine nearly $4 billion in military aid, with another $40 billion in military and economic aid scheduled for Kyiv, which is more than six times Ukraine's yearly defense budget. Vladimir Putin has called the proxy war against the US and allies, using Zelensky as their puppet. All these weapons and the training with intelligence for Ukraine forces are unfortunate, and the US is fighting an undeclared war. The Pentagon neglected to properly place Ukrainian flags in the background, which caused a stir since Washington was supporting a non-existent country or a Freudian slip. Related Article: Josep Borell Reveals That EU's Weapon Stockpile Has Depleted Due To Supplying of Arms to Kiev @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Vaccine walk-in clinics to continue during TT fortnight The Covid-19 vaccine hub will be providing walk-in clinics during the TT period. From Monday 30 May to 09 June 2022, the Covid-19 vaccination team (based at Chester Street Hub) will be providing walk-in vaccine clinics for those who are due to have a dose. The schedule is as follows: Date Day Time Age Group 30/05/2022 Monday 11am-3pm 5-11's 31/05/2022 Tuesday 11am-3pm Over 18s 01/06/2022 Wednesday 11am-3pm 12-17s 06/06/2022 Monday 11am-3pm Over 18s 07/06/2022 Tuesday 11am-3pm Over 18s 08/06/2022 Wednesday 11am-3pm 12-17s 09/06/2022 Thursday 11am-3pm 5-11s Any Isle of Man resident who has not yet completed their course of vaccines can attend as long as their next dose is due. Those who have not yet had a dose but would like to use the walk-in clinics for their first one are asked to register online first. The team will not be able to vaccinate visitors who are not registered with a GP. Visitors can register as a temporary resident with any GP Practice, and the team can vaccinate if the individual has done so. In addition, we would like to update you on the TT opening times for the Covid-19 swabbing centre at the Crookall Centre, Kensington Road, Douglas: Open Monday - Saturday 08:00 11:00 Closed Bank Holidays 02 June 03 June 10 June The only tests currently available are for either Pre-Assessment or for those who require a PCR test for travel; this can be a resident or a visitor. Anyone with an NHS number can book online. Visitors without an NHS number who require a PCR test should contact 111 to book in for a swab. Wildlife experts inspect Douglas pontoon for invasive species A group of wildlife experts has carried out a rare dive in Douglas harbour to examine a floating pontoon for potentially costly and damaging invasive non-native species (INNS). It was organised as part of INNS Week, which raises awareness of the dangers invasive species pose to biodiversity by outcompeting native wildlife, damaging infrastructure and in some cases, spreading disease. The harbour is considered a high risk location and worthy of monitoring for marine INNS, as boats can carry and spread unwanted sea creatures without knowing. The team of six divers, representing the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA), Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT), IOM Seasearch, and Discover Diving was especially on the hunt for an INNS of sea squirt, which had been previously recorded around the pontoon. Dr Michelle Haywood MHK, DEFAs Political Member for Environment, who took part in the dive, said: Invasive sea squirts may sound harmless, but they can be very costly to get rid of if they take hold. In recent years, carpet sea squirt affected Holyhead Marina and cost the Welsh government hundreds of thousands of pounds to eradicate, so it is worth looking at. On our dive we found the underneath of the pontoon to be encrusted with sponges, nice native sea squirts and mussels and most importantly no invasive species of concern. Squirts feed by filtering water, so the movement of the pontoon on the tide, provides a perfect environment for them to thrive and support an abundance of marine species. Leigh Morris, Manx Wildlife Trust CEO, said: It was good news that the carpet sea squirts and orange tipped sea squirts we feared we might find were not present, and it was fantastic to see such a diverse range of marine biodiversity, which is an indicator of a healthy and thriving ecosystem. The divers did discover one INNS called Sargassum Muticum (Wireweed/Japanese seaweed) in the sand below the pontoon, which is listed on Schedule 8 of the Wildlife Act, but it did not appear to be having a negative impact. This week, Devindra and Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham dive into the latest news around Clearview AI, the controversial facial recognition company thats now seeing pushback from governments and regulators around the world. Will a few fines put a stop to the companys facial recognition search platform? Also, they discuss how Clearviews troubles relate to countries being more restrictive about data in general. Finally, they pour one out for Seth Greens lost Bored Ape RIP NFT! Listen above, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News! Topics Facial Recognition company Clearview AI is on the ropes after several big settlements 1:22 The era of borderless data may be ending 15:04 Privacy focused search company DuckDuckGo quietly allowed Microsoft browsing trackers 23:08 New details about AMDs Ryzen 7000 chips 28:34 Oh no, somebody stole Seth Greens Bored Ape 33:16 Working on 36:29 Pop culture picks 41:36 Livestream Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Nathan Ingraham Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos Graphic artists: Luke Brooks and Brian Oh Sony is holding its first PlayStation State of Play event in months, and you'll want to tune in if you're looking forward to PlayStation VR2. The company has announced a stream for June 2nd at 6PM Eastern that will include a "sneak peek" at several PSVR2 games. There aren't any clues as to what those entail, but the company recently noted that there will be at least 20 "major" games for the VR platform at launch we wouldn't be surprised to see some of those during the presentation. The State of Play video will also feature other game reveals from third-party developers as well as some "updates." The event will be available to watch live through PlayStation's Twitch and YouTube channels. Only a few games have been confirmed for PSVR2 so far, including the spinoff Horizon: Call of the Mountain as well as Among Us VR, Cyan Worlds' Firmament and unnamed projects from Coatsink (Jurassic World Aftermath) and nDreams (Fracked). It's not certain if Sony will mention those games, or even show any gameplay, but it's clear the company is ready to shift more of its attention toward the new headset's software. Big guns like Russia's self-propelled heavy artillery Giatsint-S used in Ukraine are a significant factor in barraging Kyiv's army that is struggling despite being armed with US M777 155mm Howitzers is not making a difference at all. Heavy artillery is important for land forces like Russia since it's a standoff weapon using kinetic weapons that are still effective in keeping the enemy hunkered down. Russia Surpasses Ukraine in Big Gun Battle Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Giatsint-S has been making minced meat of the American howitzers in Ukraine, reported the EurAsian Times. Part of an $800m military aid package that includes 90 M-777 howitzers, except one has been received. A few were sent to the front lines where fighting was happening. Regardless of what western reports say about the battlefront success, information that another Ukrainian M-777 howitzer adjacent to the Podgornoye settlement was hit by projectiles fired from a Russian UAV backed by artillery has surfaced, cited TASS. Footage uploaded by the Russian Defense Ministry shows crews of 152mm self-propelled artillery guns actively participating in counter-battery fire against a Ukrainian unit of US howitzers. A battery of Giatsint-S systems, according to the ministry, eliminated a unit of towed artillery guns during counter-battery warfare tasks. Russian heavy artillery has been wrecking the Ukrainian military's strongholds, fortifications, manpower, and military hardware based on the data reported. In the field, the return fire but units with self-propelled heavy artillery Giatsint-S used drones to see where the rounds landed and shift firing positions, noted Contentious. Read Also: Emmanuel Macron Facts: Interesting Info You May Not Know About The French President The war effort has transitioned into an artillery battle between Russia and Ukraine, focus on primarily on eastern Ukraine and the Donbas region. Both sides are focusing their attempts on counter-battery fire. Superior Russian firepower overwhelmed older Ukraine systems Modern howitzers from the USA improved the older artillery pieces used by Kyiv's forces. Those replaced are about 30 years old and too short on range. American, Russian Large Firearms Produced by BAE Systems, which is a 155mm that weighs less than 10,000 pounds, makes it an ultra-light. Using new titanium and aluminum alloys that make up parts of the howitzer. It needs to be transported by a USMC MV-22 Osprey, CH-47 helicopter, or truck; it can be moved anywhere and re-position fast. Late in 1968, the Special Design Bureau of the Sverdlovsk (now Ekaterinburg) Machinery Construction Factory developed the 2S5 Giatsint-S in the Soviet era. The gun is roughly seven times heavier than the M-777, weighing 2800 kg. This M-777 has a 39-caliber barrel and a range of 24.7 km using normal shells but can reach 30 km with rocket-assisted shells. Capable of sustaining two rounds of fire per minute, but a rapid-fire of five shots firing continuously if needed. The Russian gun's range is 28.4 km using the standard HE-FRAG shell but up to 33 km (rocket-boosted shells), but 5 to 6 shells per minute is better. It can fire several rounds, even nuclear projectiles, with a specified target sight. In contrast, the M777A2 has modern shells from Raytheon/ Bofors for longer-range shells reaching 40 km. Since the 2S5 is self-propelled compared to the M-777, which needs towing makes a big difference in mobility. Many nations use the US-made howitzer. Using Russian-made self-propelled heavy artillery, Giatsint-S has destroyed US big guns, which are sending Ukrainians into a panic as they fall back in the onslaught of the army of Russia. Related Article: Chinese Scientists Develop Hypersonic Infrared Homing Missiles That Can Kill F-22 Raptors, Hit Moving Targets @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Former U.S. President Donald Trump must testify under oath in the New York Attorney Generals civil investigation into his business practices, an intermediate state appeals court ruled. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Texas Republicans like things the way they are, re-nominating candidates facing corruption allegations and bullies who harass businesses that dont march to their conservative drumbeat. The Republican primary has been the only statewide election that has counted since 1994, the last time a Democrat won. Tuesdays run-offs made clear the party faithful support incumbents and reject challengers to the status quo. For some, thatll be bad for business. Two-thirds of voters in the run-off dont care that Attorney General Ken Paxton has used every possible legal maneuver to avoid resolving his seven-year-old indictments for securities fraud. As the states top law enforcement officer, who claims hes innocent, youd think hed want to prove it in court. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Texas' most powerful oil family also regulates the industry. That's a problem. Conservatives also dont seem to care that his top deputies reported him to the FBI for corruption. If you need a legal opinion to save your business, want law enforcement files to disappear, or could use a lawyer to go after your enemies, GOP voters think the attorney general should be available to help. Note to any business people who may need some extra legal services in the next four years: Paxtons campaign is accepting donations for the general election in November. So is Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Wayne Christian if youre in the oil and gas business. GOP voters did not mind that he accepted a $100,000 campaign donation from a neighborhood company just weeks after he overruled commission experts and approved the firms plans for an oilfield waste dump. His opponent, attorney Sarah Stogner, exposed Christians suspicious, if perfectly legal, acceptance of donations from the oil and gas interests he regulates. Of course, she had to expose herself in a campaign ad to get into the run-off, but that revealed more about GOP politics than her body. Oil and gas executives may rest easy knowing Christian will likely sweep to victory later this year. They dont need to worry about state inspectors investigating their old wells leaking radioactive brine or any new regulations limiting their release of greenhouse gases. And if you need someone to overrule the commissions environmental scientists, you know whom to call. Texas Republicans also still love former President Donald Trump. He endorsed Paxton and Dawn Buckingham, the nominee to lead the General Land Office. Shell oversee the leasing of public land for fossil fuel and renewable energy projects, managing disaster relief funds and maintaining the Alamo. Dont worry, though. The state senator from the Austin suburbs defends Texas oil and natural gas production and opposes President Joe Bidens plan to expand renewable energy production. Shes in the fossil fuels forever camp. Business leaders will need to get in lockstep with Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick at the top of the ticket. These dedicated defenders of traditional family values no longer bow to the chambers of commerce; they expect fealty as they demonize LGBT people and refugees along the border. Patrick is making an example of Disney, opposing what he considers the companys sexualization of children. Hell call for a boycott of any other business that fights the Dont Say Gay bill he has planned for next year. Companies that think they can get around the states anti-abortion laws by flying women out of state should also think again. Deer Parks state Rep. Briscoe Cain and 13 other lawmakers plan to expel from Texas any company that skirts an expected abortion ban, The Texas Tribune reported. The state of Texas will take swift and decisive action if you do not immediately rescind your recently announced policy to pay for the travel expenses of women who abort their unborn children, Cain and his allies wrote to Lyft CEO Logan Green. S.A. VOTES Voter Guide: What to know for the Texas runoff election A breakdown of key state and local races and candidates in the May 24 primary runoff. TOMLINSONS TAKE: Dan Patrick's attacks threaten innovation that drives Texass economy This group passed the vigilante law allowing people to sue anyone who assists with an abortion inside the state. Their next move is to enable shareholders to sue any corporation that facilitates any abortion anywhere. Executives should also remember that Texass governmental entities are forbidden from doing business with companies that boycott gun manufacturers or fossil fuel producers. Enforcing those laws falls on incumbent State Comptroller Glenn Hegar, a Republican who made his name passing anti-abortion legislation. Hes also up for re-election in November and making a list of companies to target. If you follow Patricks advice, though, and stay out of their culture war, Texas elected officials will reward you. The state constitution bars an income tax, property tax appeals are easy, and lawmakers are more interested in repealing commercial regulations than writing new ones. Democrats offer an alternative future, of course, but they would have to get their act together, raise some money, and collect more votes. Right now, the odds are on more corruption and coercion, not less. Chris Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and politics. twitter.com/cltomlinson chris.tomlinson@chron.com CONCORD, N.H. (AP) The New Hampshire Supreme Court will redraw the states congressional map after the Legislature's latest, last-ditch effort failed Thursday to win over Republican Gov. Chris Sununu. New Hampshire is one few states yet to finalize new U.S. House districts as required every 10 years to reflect population changes. Democrats currently hold both seats, and while Republicans control the Legislature, they have struggled to pass what Sununu has referred to a fairness smell test. Both the House and Senate passed a plan in March that would have given the GOP a strong advantage in the 1st District, but Sununu promised to veto it. A House-passed plan that would have clumped together communities along the I-93 corridor later failed in the Senate, leading to a third plan that was approved Thursday in both chambers. I believe it is the compromise New Hampshire needs going forward for the next 10 years, said Sen. James Gray, R-Rochester. Sununu quickly said he will veto the bill, however, in part because it puts both U.S. Reps. Chris Pappas and Annie Kuster into the 2nd District. The citizens of New Hampshire will not accept this map, he said. Our races have to be fair, which is why I will veto this map. Under the latest plan, the 1st District would have covered the southeast corner of the state and be tilted slightly toward Republicans, while the 2nd District would have covered the western half of the state and the north country and become slightly more Democratic. More than two dozen towns and cities comprising nearly a third of the states population would have switched districts, including Manchester. Instead, the state Supreme Court will step in. In a ruling this month, the court said it will use the existing districts as a benchmark and employ a least change approach. That could mean adopting a map favored by Democrats that would move a single town Hampstead from the 1st District to the 2nd. Senate Minority Leader Donna Soucy, D-Manchester, called the GOP plan one of the majoritys most blatant examples of extremism. Once again, theyre out of step with their own governor, out of step with the people of New Hampshire, she said at a news conference ahead of the votes. Its probably one of the best reflections of their tin ear to the folks theyve been elected to serve. The plan passed the House by only five votes. By the same slim margin, the House on Thursday also killed another bill Sununu had promised to veto. That bill, modeled after legislation filed in multiple states, would have given parents greater oversight over their childs curriculum, participation in clubs and conversations with staff. The bill had passed the Senate 14-10 along party lines. Sen. Jay Kahn, D-Keene, argued against it, saying teachers already are looking over their shoulders thanks to a new law regulating classroom discussion of race and other topics. Now, were going to impose another requirement that questions whether educators can have a discussion with a student without reporting on it to parents, he said. It is one more ice cube being added to the chilling effect of our actions on New Hampshire educators. Rep. Melissa Blasek, R-Merrimack, pushed back against criticism that the bill would force teachers to out LGBTQ students to potentially abusive parents and said she equates parental rights to gun rights. There are criminals, yes. And one of the primary purposes of government is to punish wrongdoing, she said. But restricting rights from law-abiding parents and gun owners does not prevent criminals from participating in criminal activities. As for guns, the House also rejected an effort to reintroduce failed legislation would have required criminal background checks prior to commercial firearms sales. Rep. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, said there have been dozens of mass shootings nationwide since the bill was defeated in March, including the recent shootings at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, a church in Southern California and a school in Uvalde, Texas. It is imperative that we act, and act now to curb the flow of blood running toward us, she said. We can do hard things. We can make a change so we dont have to live like this. Her remarks were met with booing from some of her colleagues. The jeering turned to applause for Rep. Terry Roy, a Deerfield Republican who argued that voters dont want further gun control. We should not ever, ever use tragedy to push legislation, he said. Assault-style weapons like the one an Uvalde man used Tuesday to kill 19 children and two teachers, injuring 17 others, should be banned. This is why. Theyre lethal weapons designed for the battlefield. They are highly effective at destroying a human target quickly and with certainty. The bullets fired by these weapons travel at such velocity that a body, or parts of a body, can explode, leaving a cavity. Large areas of tissue go missing. Victims can bleed to death in a matter of minutes and never make it to a hospital. These kinds of descriptions have come from physicians whove treated victims of mass shootings in the United States of America, a nation hell-bent on gun rights with too few obligations and responsibilities for their owners, their makers and the politicians who serve them. After the Parkland, Florida, shootings in 2018, the New York Times spoke to physicians whod treated similar wounds. They described quadrants of abdomens destroyed, skin and fat sheared off bodies, bone fragments cutting through tissue and holes in intestines and bladders. These weapons are meant to kill people. They should be banned. Most of us will never see what the injuries look like. Its a blessing that also has sanitized the debate over assault weapon bans and other forms of common-sense gun control. First responders, trauma surgeons and others at the scenes of such events, or in hospitals, must cope with the horrifying aftermath. Survivors also know what the carnage looks like, and some have become passionate advocates for gun restrictions because of it. Dont mistake this as an attack on the Second Amendment, because its not absolute. Americans understand and support gun ownership for self-protection or hunting. But most see no valid argument for acquiring combat weapons. The public isnt safer because of them. Theyre less safe because of them. Makers of the Daniel Defense DDM4 V7, which the shooter bought at Outback Oasis in Uvalde, didnt answer calls, an Express-News story reported Friday, and didnt respond to an electronic message. The gun shops owner is cooperating with investigators but wouldnt talk to reporters. Also Friday, law enforcement officials revealed that police failed in its handling of the school shooting. They didnt enter the school in a timely way, didnt confront and kill the shooter sooner, failed to rescue children whod survived the attack and after more than an hour, simply got a school employee to open the classroom door where he was barricaded. The shooter was still alive and armed. Students inside the school were making repeated calls to 911 asking for help. All this in the only advanced country in the world where gun violence has become an epidemic and a public health issue. Photos of the aftermath are kept from public eyes for obvious reasons, especially out of respect for the victims and their families. In 1955, Mamie Elizabeth Till-Mobley allowed the world to see what another form of violence racial hate did to her 14-year-old son Emmett Till in Mississippi, where he was visiting relatives. It energized the civil rights movement. When Emmetts body arrived in Chicago, it was swollen beyond recognition, according to a 2018 Washington Post story that looked back at the heinous crime. His teeth were missing, it said. His ear was severed. His eye was hanging out. The only thing that identified him was a ring. In a chilling parallel, Uvalde parents were asked to provide DNA samples to help identify their children. In the case against assault-style rifles, you get an idea of what happened on the faces of people like Dr. Lillian Liao, a pediatric trauma surgeon at University Hospital in San Antonio. This week she has appeared on several national news programs. Her face spoke volumes. University Hospital learned a lot after the 2017 Sutherland Springs church shootings that killed 26 and wounded 22. Its officials learned that getting cold stored whole blood to the scene can save the lives of the wounded if transfused in time. In one interview, Liao said it probably saved the life of at least one Uvalde patient. After Sutherland Springs, the trauma team also learned such massacres result in few patients. They waited for patients that never arrived. Thats what happened after the 9/11 terror attacks, when hospitals across the country prepared for patients that were not to be. So far, one of the Uvalde survivors has gone home, Liao said on CNN. Three others have been stabilized. CNN interviewed survivor Miah Cerrillo, 11, even though she didnt want to speak on camera and not to a man. She told CNN producer Nora Neus the shooter said, Good night before killing her teacher. Then he kept shooting. She covered herself in a classmates blood, hoping to appear dead. The girl wanted to speak out to prevent others from such trauma. Through Neus, she asked why police didnt rescue them sooner. Its a good question, one of many that remain about the Uvalde massacre, others before it and the gun debate in general. eayala@express-news.net A 10-year-old girl who survived the tragic shooting at a Uvalde elementary school has been discharged from University Hospital in San Antonio. She was one of seven critically injured victims transported Tuesday to local hospitals. Meanwhile, the gunmans first victim his grandmother, Celia Gonzales, who goes by Sally is in serious condition at University Hospital, a Level 1 trauma facility, one of two in the region providing the highest level of trauma care. Salvador Ramos shot his 66-year-old grandmother in the face Tuesday morning before taking off in her truck and driving a couple of blocks to Robb Elementary School. Authorities say he crashed the vehicle and shot at two people across the street before entering the school, where he killed 19 students and two teachers. Additionally, 17 others were injured. LIVE UPDATES: Follow along for the latest news and analysis on the Uvalde school shooting More Information Hospitals use standard language to describe patient conditions to the public. Good - Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious and comfortable. Indicators are excellent. Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious and comfortable. Indicators are excellent. Fair - Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious, but may be uncomfortable. Indicators are favorable. Vital signs are stable and within normal limits. Patient is conscious, but may be uncomfortable. Indicators are favorable. Serious - Vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. Patient is acutely ill. Indicators are questionable. Vital signs may be unstable and not within normal limits. Patient is acutely ill. Indicators are questionable. Critical - Vital signs are unstable and not within normal limits. Patient may be unconscious. Indicators are unfavorable. SOURCE: American Hospital Association See More Collapse University Hospital is treating another 10-year-old girl, who remains in serious condition, and a 9-year-old girl in good condition. A 10-year-old boy is being treated at a Methodist Healthcare hospital in San Antonio. A hospital official said he is in good condition. Two adult patients are in fair condition and being treated at Brook Army Medical Center, which is the regions other Level 1 trauma facility. University Health Foundation established a Uvalde Victims Relief Fund to support the four patients at University Hospital, including unpaid medical expenses and other needs identified by the systems social workers. Bexar County Hospital Districts injury prevention team is distributing free gun locks to encourage safe firearm storage at an Express-News health fair on Saturday. The free community event will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1406 Fitch St. on San Antonios South Side. The gun lock giveaway is part of the GunSafety4Bexar program with the county, Bexar County Sheriffs Office, Be SMART for Kids, Safe Kids San Antonio, VIA and University Health. laura.garcia@express-news.net Kin Man Hui, Staff / San Antonio Express-News Friday is an ozone action day for the San Antonio area, according to the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality. It is the fourth day this year with possibly harmful levels of ozone pollution. Young children, the elderly and others who have respiratory issues, such as bronchitis, emphysema or asthma, are more vulnerable to the pollutions effects. People with such conditions are advised to stay indoors or limit outside activity if possible. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE Nancy Sutton wept as she laid two class photographs of fourth-grade teachers Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia and their students on the counter at Uvalde Photo. Mireles, Garcia and many of their students in the photos were gunned down at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday. Those are the babies, Sutton said between sobs. Here are the sweet teachers. Sutton, 59, took the photographs last fall. She and her husband, Art Sutton, own Uvalde Photo. Nancy Sutton slowly flipped through a stack of 8-inch-by-10-inch photographs the classroom pictures and individual portraits of the children. She looked at each face and said the childs names aloud. Nancy and Art Sutton, whose shop is 2 miles northwest of downtown, have been taking class photos for elementary, middle and high schools in Uvalde for nearly 30 years. Theyve watched children grow up and become parents and have taken the school photos of their kids. This week, the Suttons have been sorting through class pictures to donate to the families of those killed in the deadliest school shooting in the United States in a decade. Salvador Ramos, 18, killed Mireles, Garcia and 19 students in a rampage that started late Tuesday morning. Like many residents, the Suttons are getting ready for numerous funerals in coming days. In this small city with a population of 15,217 located 90 miles west of San Antonio, personal connections to the families of the children and teachers who were killed abound. In a series of interviews Friday, several residents talked through tears about how theyre trying to hew closely to work and their routines as they absorb the horror of Tuesday. Jesse Alvarez, 70, spent the early morning mowing the lawn of St. Philips Episcopal Church, about 1.2 miles north of Robb Elementary. He is the lone maintenance worker for the church, which has hosted sessions for grieving families. The church is attached to St. Philips Episcopal School, with about 60 students in kindergarten through fourth grade. Alvarez wiped beads of sweat from his forehead and described how he was struggling to focus on the task of maintaining the green lawn. This was a normal town, but this is unbelievable, he said. Evil came into our town, and nobody is going to be the same. Ribbon-cutting postponed Uvalde buzzed with traffic Friday as locals, well-wishers from out of town and journalists flocked to memorial sites downtown. Fewer cars and pickups clogged the roads on Uvaldes north side, near the city limits. Thats where Vanessa McKeons new business, Saloon Antiques and Collectibles, is located. McKeon had planned a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Wednesday, but she postponed it. Its inappropriate the community needs to heal, she said inside her shop. She retired last year from the Border Patrol she said she was the agent in charge at the Carrizo Springs Station and bought the former Lonestar Saloon two weeks ago. McKeon a mother of two children; one in high school and the other in middle school said its hard to ask people how theyre doing after the the massacre. Shes afraid the question might cause more heartache to anyone who lost a family member or friend. Like many Uvalde residents, she mostly keeps quiet and waves politely. The usual pleasantries are gone, she said. No one in this community is doing OK. Just raw right now Small-business owners, construction workers and auto body shop employees were trying to finish work ahead of the long Memorial Day weekend though most have scrapped vacation plans to spend time at home with their families and to attend funerals. Staff members of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District stood together outside Honey Bowl Stadium. The Uvalde High School graduation was scheduled to take place in the stadium. It has been postponed until a later time, according to the UHS Facebook page. Its terrible, said one employee, crying. Were barely hanging on. Back at Uvalde Photo, the Suttons discussed reaching out to parents and grandparents of the deceased children and teachers to donate portrait packages. Together, the couple have four grown children and seven grandchildren. Every time I look at the photos of the children in school, I see my grand kids, Nancy Sutton said. They plan to spread the word on Facebook that they also would like to donate 16-inch-by-20-inch pictures of victims if family members want to set them in front of their caskets. Its just raw right now, she said. eric.killelea@express-news.net The gunman who killed 21 people in Uvalde this week walked through an unlocked door unopposed, state troopers said Thursday. In a significant departure from initial Texas Department of Public Safety reports, DPS Regional Director Victor Escalon said the gunman didnt encounter resistance after he crashed his pickup in a ditch near the school Tuesday and walked to the building while indiscriminately shooting. Previously, DPS State Director Steven McCraw said an officer outside the school engaged with the shooter, Salvador Ramos, but did not exchange gunfire with him. That didnt happen. LIVE UPDATES: Follow along for the latest news and analysis on the Uvalde school shooting In the building for about an hour, Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers in adjoining classrooms before tactical officers killed him. The massacre ranks as the second-deadliest school shooting in modern U.S. history. Police first arrived on the scene four minutes after Ramos walked through the back door at the school, Escalon said. Taking fire, the officers retreated, he said. ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images As the gunfire continued, parents of students who remained inside the school urged police to enter and stop the gunman. But it took nearly an hour before a special tactical team was able to assemble and breach a classroom that Ramos had entered and locked. The excruciating delay and discrepancies by the Texas Department of Public Safety in its shifting and incomplete account of the massacres timeline has left law enforcement executives perplexed and elected officials frustrated at still-lingering questions about the police response. On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray urging him to thoroughly examine the timeline of events. The people of Uvalde, of Texas, and of the nation deserve an accurate account of what transpired, Castro wrote. A block of time between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time has yet to be fully accounted for. Police tried to negotiate with Ramos while he was barricaded inside the locked classroom, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said. Once that shooter was in the barricade, I was in there with the hostage negotiator, McLaughlin said. He would answer (the call), hang up. Meanwhile, a mass evacuation of hundreds of other students was underway. Some kids came out windows, some came out the doors, McLaughlin said. There were parents trying to go into the building. It remains unclear when the scene changed from an active shooter to a potential hostage barricade situation, a transition that could have altered the police response, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said. The response to someone who is actually actively shooting, that response has to be immediate, and its through the door, McManus said. If it turns into a barricade situation, we are not going to make an entry while nothing is happening. Were going to go in if something happens shooting starts, screaming starts. That thinking reflects changes law enforcement agencies made after the Columbine High School shootings in Colorado, said Fulshear Police Chief Kenny Seymour, who described that 1999 massacre as the pendulum swing that prompted law enforcements current response to active-shooter situations. We cant wait, he said. These shootings dont allow us to call those specialized units in. We have the training, the tools, to make a difference in these shootings. He understood the anguish parents were feeling waiting outside the school, he said, but added that law enforcement could have been trying to prevent adding more potential victims to the situation. I have six children, he said. Youd be hard-pressed to keep me out of the school. The terror in Uvalde began shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said, when Ramos shot his grandmother in the face. Ramos, an 18-year-old high school dropout, took his grandmothers pickup and drove toward Robb Elementary, crashing into a ditch about 11:28 a.m., Escalon said. The teen jumped out of the passenger side of the vehicle carrying a Daniel Defense assault-style rifle and a backpack containing more than a half-dozen magazines filled with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, Escalon said. James Durbin / James Durbin He spotted two people at a funeral home across the street and shot at them, Escalon said, but did not hit them. From there, Ramos climbed over a fence and walked into the west side of the elementary school at about 11:40 a.m. He walked in unobstructed, Escalon said. He was not confronted by anybody. Once inside, the shooter walked into the open door of a classroom and began firing numerous rounds, Escalon said. More than 25 (shots), he said. It was a lot of gunfire in the beginning. Escalon said officials believe Ramos shot most of his victims soon after entering the classrooms. Four minutes after the gunman walked inside, Escalon said, officers from the Uvalde Police Department and Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District showed up at the scene. The officers took rounds, Escalon said, and retreated and called for help from nearby agencies. Law enforcement swarmed to the school, including officers from the Uvalde Police Department, DPS troopers, Texas state troopers and, later, members of the Border Patrols elite BORTAC squad, the agencys tactical unit trained to combat human smuggling, active shooters and other dangerous law enforcement operations. Outside the school, parents waited in agony. They urged police to rush the building; video showed angry and horrified parents pleading with officers as gunfire could be heard in the background. It took an hour after Ramos walked into the school for a team of the tactical officers, a Uvalde police officer and a Zavala County deputy to converge on the classroom. A Border Patrol officer killed the gunman. The revelations of the lengthy delay in bringing down the shooter brought reminiscences of shootings in Columbine and Parkland, Fla. We still dont know all the particulars, said former Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, but were starting to learn the response was not consistent with 21st century, modern day responses to active shooters. In Houston, officers are now trained to respond to active-shooter situations by doing whatever necessary to end that threat, said Acevedo, who led the department from late 2016 to March 2021. If youre the first cop, the only cop, you still need to act, to act aggressively to end the threat, he said. You run toward gunfire and engage the suspect. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer bchasnoff@express-news.net st.john.smith@chron.com Americans intend to gaslight Taipei using the methods used to control Volodymyr Zelensky as a tool against Russia. Based on a story by the New York Times that is setting up the Republic of China (ROC) to fight the same war in Ukraine against China. The outlet's report on Tuesday mentioned the involvement of US officials in applying it in the Indo-Pacific. Destabilizing the Indo-Pacific for US Hegemony Washington's new strategy honed in on providing Taiwan with asymmetric defense capabilities to help it stave off a far more powerful force, reported RT. Recent Taiwanese purchases show that Washington is beginning to use the method covertly. Arms ordered are F-16s, anti-ship missiles better for defense, but no request for Abrams MBTs and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters were not allowed. Analysts told the outlet that future defense deals would be smart mines, ship killer cruise missiles, cyber security, special forces, and air defense platforms. This explanation came from James Stavridis, former four-star admiral. One of the crucial weapons that US officials think is needed by Taiwan is Stingers, land-based Harpoon ship-killers. Just Like Kyiv, the US might share intelligence with the island enclave. The outlet added is the aim to Taiwan into what some officials call a 'porcupine' due to arms it has in abundance, including US support that will deter attack, noted Hi India. An increase of US arms abroad in the past ten years, from 2010, about more than $23 billion in arms sales to Taiwan was mentioned in a 2021 Pentagon report. In 2020, the Americans allowed arms deals for Taiwan to do a Zelensky, costing about $5 billion in total. The deal included advanced arms sales, including drones, missiles, and artillery. Read Also: Xi Jinping: 5 Things To Know About China's President US Is Turning the Indo-Pacific Into a Powder Keg Despite the successes of Russia in Ukraine and the failed strategy of economic sanctions, if China raided Taiwan. Though Ukraine did not go as planned, these US officials still wanted to do it. It seems that Washington is not sure of going all out for support, remarked officials and analysts. Director of the Asia program, Bonnie Glaser answered the question of what stop or provokes China that it's a no; also, the Biden administration is willing to be reckless about it, cited Up Jobs News. Trump Dropped the US Plans Former President Donald Trump's administration thought of stationing US troops in Taiwan, and the White House and Pentagon also considered sending a high-level military delegation to the island. But the idea was too dangerous, so the Trump administration dropped it but was taken up by his predecessor. Last Monday, a gaffe by President Joe Biden made it clear that the US will fight China if it attacks the island. Furthermore, he added that Washington commits Taiwan. Beijing issued an angry statement that warned the President not to challenge its resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The White House again did damage control, saying the policy did not change; this gaffe was spun to show it's about providing arms. China has been buzzing Taiwan's airspace and sea territory because the island is part of Beijing's reach. Americans are plotting to use Taiwan as they did Zelensky, which has resulted in the wreck of Ukraine; the Indo-Pacific is the next region that the Biden administrations and is Neo-cons want to destabilize allegedly next. Related Article: US Breaks Allies' Trust for Covert Military Plans in Airbase, Greenland Thule @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN The grilling of a witness by a lawyer in the states highest civil courtroom was polite but heavy on legal hair-splitting and it was a judge from San Antonio in the hot seat. The case: what is the difference between government speech and free speech? It pitted the sometimes secretive commission that oversees the Texas judiciary against Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez, who was trying to get out from under the panels discipline. Bexar Countys first openly gay Latina elected to a bench argued that her right to display a rainbow Pride Flag in her courtroom was protected by the First Amendment. Testimony at the special trial to decide her appeal took hours and a ruling might not come for months. It was on the wall with the Texas and U.S. flags for about 10 months after she took office in 2019, but she took it down and moved it into her chambers after a complaint about it resulted in a private warning by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The complaint was filed by a lawyer who found it offensive and sought to move all his cases from Bexar County Court-at-Law No. 13, where Speedlin Gonzalez presides. It is one of the countys two misdemeanor courts that focus on family violence cases. Arguing before a three-judge panel assembled by the commission in the Texas Supreme Courts courtroom, Speedlin Gonzalez said the flag is not a political statement, but a symbol of inclusiveness, self-acceptance, unity and pride for a community that she says has been long oppressed and made to feel separate from everyone else. That flag is a flag that symbolizes equality, she said under direct questioning by attorney Phil Robertson, the commissions lawyer. Robertson argued that the flag created the appearance of a partisan bias. Speedlin Gonzalez also is appealing a separate, public admonition issued by the commission for her social media posts congratulating lawyers after they won jury verdicts in her court. On ExpressNews.com: Holey chones: San Antonio judge criticized for video of mock trial over boxers at South Side laundry Speedlin Gonzalez said a training session for new judges she attended after her election encouraged them to commend good work, but she stopped the kudos after being admonished. The special court of review consisted of Bill Pedersen III and Bonnie Lee Goldstein, both justices on the states Fifth Court of Appeals; and J. Wade Birdwell, justice of the Second Court of Appeals. Their eventual decision on the flag dispute could set a precedent, not only in Texas, but across the nation, said Deanna Whitley, who is representing her. The panel sees this as an important decision of significance, Whitley said after the hearing. As a judge and member of the LGBTQ community, upon election, she does not lose her rights. She has to balance them. On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: Not much to like about judges Facebook posts From the moment she took the oath Jan. 1, 2019, and moved into her chambers, she gave it her own touch, hanging artwork and displaying symbols that reflect not only her cultural heritage, but also her identity as a gay woman. The decor spilled into her courtroom and included adornments on her judicial robe. The rainbow flag was a gift from Orgullo de San Antonio, the local LGBTQ council of the League of United Latin American Citizens. Orgullo is the Spanish word for pride. It was a little shorter than the Texas and American colors and some distance away, but all three were just behind the judges bench. Speedlin Gonzalez had unsuccessfully argued before the commission in February 2020 that its not a political symbol. We have, in our country and across the state, numerous I couldnt even state to count them childrens courts and family courts with rainbows all over their courtrooms, she said in her testimony then. But I was directed to take, not only my flag down, but my rainbow frame glasses off, my multicolored pen off the bench, my rainbow flag mousepad off the bench. Speedlin Gonzalez also has stopped wearing a robe with a colorful design taken from a Mexican zarape, which was given to her by her mother-in-law, Phylis J. Speedlin, a former jurist on the Fourth Court of Appeals. She has stopped wearing a pin that recognizes the International Association of LGBTQ Judges. The flag became an issue after local defense attorney Flavio Hernandez filed a motion to recuse Speedlin Gonzalez from presiding over his cases because of it. He also filed the complaint with the commission, It was an anonymous complaint, but he has acknowledged being its author and told Express-News columnist Gilbert Garcia in a written statement in April 2020, I may not be able to turn the dark tide of immorality sweeping through our nation like a virus, but in my small way, I voiced my support of traditional American family values. On ExpressNews.com: State admonishes San Antonio judge for violating due process Testimony established that Speedlin Gonzalez is not the only judge in Bexar County who wears distinctive robes. County Court-at-Law No. 2 Judge Wayne Christian, who presides over Veterans Treatment Court, wears a camouflage robe. Criminal Magistrate Judge Andrew Carrutherss gown has an African daishiki design on the shoulders. And at least one other judge routinely wears a San Antonio Spurs pin, Speedlin Gonzalez pointed out. None of them have been ordered by the commission to stick to basic black gowns and ditch the decorations and none of them should be, she said. Speedlin Gonzalez is up for re-election this year and faces Republican Charles E. Gold in November. ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 Today, only 72 hours after 19 children and two teachers were slaughtered by a gunman in an Uvalde elementary school, the National Rifle Association will meet as planned in Houston, just 275 miles away. They will hear from former President Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and others owned and controlled by the NRA. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was scheduled to be there, too, but now says his schedule doesnt permit it. LIVE UPDATES: Follow along for the latest news and analysis on the Uvalde school shooting Also in attendance will be gun manufacturing leaders and lobbyists, a cohort that has successfully ensured Republicans and some Democrats in Congress do absolutely nothing to address mass shootings or any kind of gun control. The Gun Violence Archives, an independent data collection and research group, lists Tuesdays Uvalde massacre as the nations latest, but it wont remain in that spot for long. More than 200 mass shootings have been entered into the database since Jan. 1. Today is only the 147th day in 2022. For his birthday, a young gunman in Uvalde bought two assault-style rifles and 375 rounds of 5.56-caliber ammunition, according to news reports. The power and speed of each round left his victims unrecognizable, requiring their parents DNA to identify them. Sometimes I think such gruesome images need to go public in order to force lawmakers to act and ordinary people to demand change and propel NRA-loving politicians out of office. The Republican Legislature and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott have created a home for mass shooters to continue unabated. So far, Washington has been inept, especially the U.S. Senate, where two pieces of gun-control legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives have not been brought to a vote. Both expand background checks. It seems to make no matter that a Suffolk University/USA Today poll found 90 percent of registered voters support background checks. Other polls have found similar support among Democrats and Republicans. The NRA convention this weekend will celebrate the Senates idleness, the deadly status quo, firearm manufacturers and their lobbyists. Together theyve made gun owners paranoid about a perceived threat to the Second Amendments guarantee of gun ownership. Its a myth that has lined the gun industrys pockets. Theyre all willing to live with the consequences of inaction the mounting deaths of innocents in classrooms, houses of worship, shopping centers and nightclubs, wherever people gather, even at home. A few news reports have said the NRA wont allow conventioneers to carry guns, but thats not exactly true. They wont be allowed to carry firearms into the leadership forum at which Trump will speak. For the former presidents safety, the Secret Service also has banned firearm accessories or knives, among other items, USA Today reported. Thats where Abbott is scheduled to speak, too, though he sounded undecided about attending the event when asked at a Wednesday news conference in Uvalde. The same news conference where Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto ORourke became the focal point by confronting Abbott about the school massacre. This is on you, ORourke told Abbott. The NRA event will be safer than any classroom in Uvalde, any grocery store in Buffalo, any Walmart in El Paso. At the top of its website, the NRA offered condolences to Uvalde and praised school officials and first responders. In the next breath, it celebrated its convention offerings, including over 14 acres of the latest guns and gear from the most popular companies in the industry. NRA members and their immediate families, including spouses and children under 18, will be admitted free, the website says. Theyll revel in a Second Amendment they believe is absolute. It isnt, as President Joe Biden said this week, meaning its not free of any restrictions. The First Amendment doesnt guarantee all speech either. You cant shout fire in a crowded theater. You cant reverse the trend of U.S. mass shootings by passing one law or getting more support for mental health services. It will require a multitude of laws and resources that begin with intensive background checks and cautious permitting before gun sales. It will require training, buy-back programs, age restrictions, a registry and other means to limit and control access, especially to young people and unstable people. And especially to people in a hurry to buy them. The Uvalde investigation has just begun and already questions have been raised about the police timeline, their actions and inaction. Funerals arent yet set for grief that will last lifetimes. There are some certainties. Nothing will change if a gun-loving nation fails to stop giving shooters the means to carry out their plans by easily acquiring guns, especially assault-style guns. The other certainty: 19 more precious children will be added to a growing statistic in the United States of America, where guns are the leading cause of death among children. eayala@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Through devotion Blessed are the children Praise the teacher That brings true love to many Devotion, Earth, Wind, and Fire UVALDE At the entrance of Uvalde Memorial Park off Main Street is a plaque dedicated to the young men from Uvalde County who lost their lives in World War I. During the war, which lasted from 1914 to 1918, 35 soldiers from Uvalde were killed. These men gave what President Abraham Lincoln, in his Gettysburg Address, said of the men killed in that Civil War battle: the last full measure of devotion. On Tuesday at Robb Elementary School, a mile from the park, 21 people were shot to death. More than half the number of those whod been killed in four years of war were massacred by a weapon unimagined by men in combat then or our Founding Fathers, all within one horrific hour. Of the slain, 19 were children from 8 to 11 years old. The other two, Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia, were teachers who, attempting to save the lives of children, gave their last full measure of devotion at a school to which Getty Street will lead you. RELATED: Editorial: Uvalde suffers, yet the political charade goes on Driving up Main Street are reminders of the normal progression of a childs school years. A banner announced that pre-K enrollment is underway; a yellow school bus across from H-E-B advertised the need for bus drivers; graduation pictures of Uvalde High Schools Class of 2022 could be seen in front of city offices. Turn left at Main and Getty, followed by a couple of other turns, and that will take you to the school where all expectations of the normal progression of 19 childrens school years, and the remaining years of their teachers, were shattered. On Wednesday, the world gathered across the street from Robb Elementary School, at the corners of Old Carrizo Road and Geraldine. Thats where the worlds media camped to report on a unique but frequent American spectacle: a mass shooting, a school shooting with multiple fatalities. Being played out this time in Uvalde is the heartbreaking ritual of strangers saying goodbye to children they never had the chance to say hello to and looking back on lives not given the time to go forward. In a house directly across from the school, a No Trespassing sign and a yellow sign with Respect for Life stood in a yard shaded by a velvet ash tree surrounded by a rose of Sharon bush. Throughout the day, the media tread across the yard, as did mourners who reached across the yellow police tape to hand flowers and stuffed animals to Department of Public Safety officers, who then placed them at the growing memorial below the schools sign. There will be other memorials in the days, weeks and years to come for the 19 children and two women murdered in that school. There will be a plaque engraved with their names, just as there is a plaque engraved with the names of the men killed in war. Memorial Day will forever have deeper and tragic meaning for Uvalde. To memorialize is to remember, and memory begins with bearing witness to lives and events. And to listen to those who bear witness. RELATED: Lingle: After Uvalde just until the next one On Wednesday, reluctantly at first but with growing confidence, Adalynn Garza began bearing witness. The 9-year-old third grader was hiding with her teacher and other students in a dark second grade classroom during the shooting. We did level zero, she said. Asked what that was, she answered, Stay quiet and be still. Theyd practiced active shooting drills. At least three children she was close to died, including 10-year-old Tess Mata. I couldnt sleep last night, she said Wednesday. It kept coming to my head. RELATED: Everybody is crying Uvalde school massacre ripples through little towns on U.S. 90 And while its a silly thing to ask a child who was in the middle of a deadly mass shooting, it must be asked: How was she feeling now? I feel scared, Adalynn said, as she twirled the long hair of her 6-year-old sister, Kinsley, because what happened in this grade will happen again. The child didnt say can. She said will. cary.clack@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE At the end of May, in other years, American flags flying at half-staff are for Memorial Day. On Wednesday, flags across the nation were at half-staff for 19 children and two teachers murdered at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde by a person with an assault rifle. This Memorial Day, America will also mourn these latest victims of our national disease of gun violence as we remember those who died while serving our country. What would those who died for our freedom think of us now? Would they hold an allegiance to weapons of war over the lives of citizens? Would they appreciate politicians who wont have a conversation or try to fix the problem? Would they be OK with acceptance of such carnage? On ExpressNews.com: After Uvalde just until the next one On my drive west Wednesday from San Antonio to Uvalde under the bright sky, my knees and stomach felt hollow a sensation I remember from the aftermath of a mass shooting in Afghanistan in 2014. But those were soldiers in a war zone, not fourth graders in rural Texas. My mind grappled with the senselessness made worse by the ragged script of thoughts and prayers and now is not the time to talk about policy changes. Photos of high school seniors about to graduate lined the streets of Hondo, Sabinal and Knippa, small towns along the way. The caps, gowns and smiles looked different in the shadow of Uvalde. And the sign for a combo gun/liquor store not far from a church and the cutoff for Utopia laid bare Texas sick ironies. At the Uvalde High School theater, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott hosted a press conference where he blamed mental health for the shooting, but he did not mention that the state is 51st in the country for access to mental health care. Nor did he mention anything about how easy access to guns contributed to this slaughter. On ExpressNews.com: My heart will forever be broken: What we know about the victims of the Uvalde school shooting When Abbotts Democratic opponent, Beto ORourke, interrupted Wednesdays press conference to challenge the governor about his gun policies, Abbotts allies yelled, pointed fingers and swore. Their reaction to a simple, rational statement spoke louder than any answer they couldve given. Several dozen media members followed ORourke outside, where he continued speaking. When we tried to return to the press conference, state troopers barred us. Blocking press freedom is a bad look for leaders of a state who talk big about constitutional rights. After the press conference, I met Ann and W.C. Reagan, lifelong Uvalde residents who live three doors down from the high school. Ann, 83, taught for 40 years, including 20 at Robb Elementary. She said she never imagined something like this happening in their community. W.C., 87, called himself a No. 1 believer in the Second Amendment and said, Im all for if you want to have a handgun or rifle for hunting, more power I do not think the public needs an AR-15. He offered lunch at a place called Oatback Oasis on my next visit. Some colleagues and I ended up there for a meal that afternoon. In the barbecue joint and sporting goods shop, we sat under a taxidermied rodeo bull and talked quietly. On ExpressNews.com: Editorial: By doing nothing to prevent gun violence, nation chooses this pain On the way out, I looked at its gun selection. There were handguns, rifles and shotguns, but they must have put away the AR-15s. At the time, we didnt know thats where the shooter picked up at least one of his weapons. A couple miles away, near Robb Elementary, satellite trucks and vans filled the neighborhoods narrow streets as state troopers stood watch. On South Grove Street, a block from the school, after the flatbed carrying the shooters wrecked truck drove off, the sounds of the generators and engines faded for a moment. Dogs barked and roosters crowed. A yellow butterfly flew in front of me, and then I heard the cries from a nearby house. The sobs echoed long after Id walked away. They still do. They remind me that America has become more tolerant of losing kids in school than troops in combat. On Memorial Day and long after, we must acknowledge that we failed these children and teachers. And until we come together to fix this scourge, were failing to honor the sacrifice of those who died serving our nation. Thats a harsh truth in the afternoon light on the drive back to San Antonio as the flags still flew at half-staff. Some were tattered. brandon.lingle@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE Forever sad. That is what 14-year old Uvalde twin sisters told me they will feel. When they learned of an active shooter at an elementary school Tuesday, they panicked about their mom, who teaches at a different elementary school in the district. At a Wednesday night Mass at Sacred Heart Church here, the twins were a part of a group of 18 students who placed single roses at the altar as San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller read the names of the 19 murdered students and two teachers, Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles. On ExpressNews.com: My heart will forever be broken: What we know about the victims of the Uvalde school shooting Seeing the faces of the twins and other children in front of the altar was gut-wrenching. Amid so much grief, they were the lucky ones, survivors in a terrorized and heartbroken town. Just days before the final day of school, students at Robb Elementary a school of about 600 students, mostly low-income in second through fourth grade were celebrating. They watched movies, played bingo and enjoyed recess. The days theme was footloose and fancy wear a nice outfit with fun/fancy shoes. The day before they cheered and gave high-fives to Uvalde High School seniors doing their graduation walk. Nineteen students their whole lives ahead of them will never return to school or walk as seniors. And their two teachers wont share their own childrens experiences or witness their milestones. Their lives were stolen by a deeply troubled Salvador Rolando Ramos, 18, who made his way into two adjoining classrooms, locking the door and making it a brutal battleground for up to an hour. The students and their two teachers were defenseless against Ramos, who had purchased two semi-automatic rifles and 375 rounds of ammunition. The horrific scenes are enraging. Parents, desperate to save their children, begged officers to enter the school. Some broke windows to enter, according to the Washington Post. As Amerie Jo Garzas father, Alfred Garza III, waited to see if his daughter, his only child, was safe, he helped terrified students call their parents, he told NBC. Six hours later, he got confirmation Amerie Jo was dead. Steven Garcia told reporters his 9-year-old daughter, Eliana Ellie Garcia, had chosen a quinceanera dress more than five years early for a day that will never come. Yvette Quintero told me her son David, a third grader, was in a different building from the shooter. Within minutes of the alert, she was at the school, trying to find him while her husband checked the funeral home. They found David at 3 p.m. at the local civic center. David said he was playing bingo when someone announced a lockdown. He felt sad and scared as they waited for the cops, and said he saw the shooter walking out of another building. I met another mother, who asked not to disclose her name, and her 9-year-old son at Walgreens, where they were printing photos from her sons class field trip to the San Antonio Zoo the week before. She said when she received the active shooter alert, she assumed it was an immigration bailout, normal for the community about 75 miles from the border. But then she got a call from her sister, who works at Robb Elementary. She called me and told me she didnt know where my son was, she said. Desperate for answers, she went to the school and sent her husband to the civic center. They found him two hours later. I found him the middle of the civic center, crying and alone, she said, wiping tears. He ran into my arms. She said her sister saw the dead. She saw all of the students, and you couldnt even make out their faces, she said. Uvalde is a small town where everyone knows everyone, she said. So everyone I know has lost someone. Uvalde, a friendly, mostly Latino city 85 miles west of San Antonio, will forever be remembered as the place of Americas second-worst mass school shooting. That schools are unsafe and communities endure this recurring nightmare is an injustice. We have seen this all before. Journalists from all over the world camped out, distraught families making funeral arrangements for their young children, some of whom had to be identified with DNA. Partisan politicians making their inadequate and unbelievable promises at news conferences; heartbroken communities trying to come to terms with their anguish. And troubled young American men with access to guns dreaming of more mayhem. Nancy.Preyor-Johnson@express-news.net Robb Elementary School in Uvalde is a beloved place, and we see this in the lives of the 19 students and two teachers we have lost. Jose Flores, 10, loved going to school. Amerie Jo Garza, 10, a teachers pet in the best possible of ways, was murdered trying to call 911. The morning of the shooting, Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez had beamed after earning a certificate for making the A/B honor roll. Alexandria Lexi Aniyah Rubio, 10, had earned A honor roll and a good citizen award. Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia, who had a combined 40 years of teaching experience, had been co-teaching for the past five years. At Robb Elementary School, we see so much that is right in our society so much good. Children chasing their dreams. Teachers cultivating inspiration. Children honored for good citizenship. RELATED: Editorial: Uvalde suffers, yet the political charade goes on As we saw so clearly with the onset of the pandemic, our schools are much more than places of learning. They are community centers, where children make lifelong friendships and grow as leaders into adulthood. Schools also are a place of refuge, and for some children, a guaranteed safe space with quality meals and an internet connection. To have a school turned into a killing field should be unthinkable but it is a hellish possibility that lingers in the minds of parents, students and educators across this country. A school shooting should never happen, but we live in a society where it could happen anytime, anywhere. Listen to the screams, captured on video, of frantic parents desperately trying to enter Robb Elementary School on Tuesday as police stood by. Why do we accept opposition to ending gun violence when we know the consequences of inaction? We are not powerless. We could choose to elect leaders dedicated to preventing gun violence, and yet we continually elect Republican leaders who oppose doing anything. On this front, we have a regret to share. For this years primary elections, we met with more than 100 candidates in both major parties, and while we discussed any number of issues, we only occasionally raised the topic of guns. With only one candidate, Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Beto ORourke, did we speak at length about preventing gun violence, given the El Paso massacre. Not because we dont care about preventing gun violence we desperately want change but because this issue, which should easily unify Americans, has become so intractable that we had lost hope. RELATED: Lingle: After Uvalde just until the next one One of the lessons after Uvalde is that we can never give up hope for change. We can never accept preventing gun violence as politically intractable and we should collectively push every elected official and candidate on how they will end this cycle of carnage. If their answers and ideas are inadequate, unacceptable, as devoid of substance as they are of heart, then voters should reject these candidates. And in Texas, land of lax gun laws and repeated mass shootings, the ideas espoused and policies embraced are wholly inadequate, unacceptable and lacking of heart. In response to mass shootings in El Paso and Midland-Odessa in 2019, state lawmakers made gun laws more permissible, most notably passing permitless carry in 2021. We witnessed a similar Texas playbook in the immediate aftermath of Uvalde with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz warning of Democrats and a lot of folks in the media whose immediate solution is to try to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. He echoed this absurd sentiment in an interview with British Sky News. Indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has also dismissed gun safety measures and instead called for more guns. Id much rather have law-abiding citizens armed and trained, so that they can respond when something like this happens because its not going to be the last time, Paxton said. But it should never have happened. The students and teachers in Uvalde were law-abiding citizens, too. They should all be alive today. RELATED: Preyor-Johnson: Scene in Uvalde a nightmare that wont end Lets dispense with this myth that any regulation of guns is somehow unconstitutional. To quote Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in the landmark 2008 decision District of Columbia v. Heller, Like most rights, the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited. (It is) not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose. The flaccid talking points Paxton and Cruz espouse reflect a rote political response to tragedy one we reject and condemn. These slaughters have become so frequent the Buffalo shooting was just May 14 that there is almost a formula in response to each unique tragedy. We saw this in Gov. Greg Abbotts press conference Wednesday. Initial praise for first responders who now appear to have utterly failed these children, standing by instead of acting. Prayers for the families. No interest in gun safety. Abbott was quick to shift the focus to mental health, even though in April he slashed $211 million from Texas Health and Human Services, and Mental Health America has ranked Texas 51st in access to mental health care. Against such a flawed backdrop, we cant fault ORourke for challenging Abbott on gun violence prevention at Wednesdays press conference. It was an entirely human response to the murders of 19 children. The same old routine is failing Texans and we have paid the highest cost. Texas has an F rating from the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which calls for a number of modest proposals. These include universal background checks on gun sales, a red-flag law, the repeal of permitless carry, enacting anti-gun trafficking laws, and strengthening protections for victims of domestic violence and hate crimes. Not nearly enough, but a start. Children are shot every day in the United States, and Texas should adopt aggressive safe storage laws to prevent unintentional shootings and massacres. For school shootings, the Alliance for Gun Responsibility has found over the last 20 years, where the source of the gun could be determined, more than 80 percent of shooters brought their firearms from their own homes or from the homes of friends or relatives. RELATED: Everybody is crying Uvalde school massacre ripples through little towns on U.S. 90 Access to assault-style weapons is way too lax. We would support a ban, but more realistically, we would support barriers to access: Aggressive permitting, safety classes, higher costs, databases to track ownership, increasing the age for ownership. Too often gun violence prevention is framed in either/or terms. It is either gun safety or mental health. As Abbott said Wednesday, People who think, well, maybe we just implement tougher gun laws, its going to solve it, Chicago, L.A. and New York disprove that thesis. We wonder, governor, how can we meaningfully prevent gun violence without considering guns? If mental health is the concern, then why embrace permissive gun laws? Earlier we stressed the importance of not losing hope and refusing to accept intractable politics. While we are mourning, we find a small measure of hope in negotiations between Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat. To both, we say, break the mold. You have nothing to lose no political cost to pay and lives to save. The children at Robb Elementary School reflected all that was right in America just as their murders reflect all that is wrong. Honor them. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has cancelled his appearance Friday at the National Rifle Association convention, joining Gov. Greg Abbott in backing out just days after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at a school in Uvalde. While a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and an NRA member, I would not want my appearance today to bring any additional pain or grief to the families and all those suffering in Uvalde, Patrick said in a statement. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Donald Trump represented a potential threat to the National Rifle Association more than any Democrat when he first took the White House as he espoused gun control measures that were the absolute antithesis of the lobbys desires. While the NRA spent over $30 million to help assure Trumps victory in 2016, it was a far bigger political gamble as many other gun advocates and some Republicans questioned the depth of support Trump had for gun rights. Trump, who unlike his three GOP predecessors wasnt a gun enthusiast or hunter, talked about expanding background checks, limiting gun sales and even scolded Republicans who wouldnt stand up to the group. Yet there he will be tomorrow in Houston at the NRAs annual meetings once again, on display as possibly the president most entwined with the NRA in its history. No American president has spoken more frequently at NRA conventions and meetings than Trump and the raucous applause he gets is evidence of how he has given the group everything it requested. Hes also an example of the influence wielded by one of the most powerful lobbying groups in America. President Trump delivered on his promises by appointing judges who respect and value the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and in doing so helped ensure the freedom of generations of Americans, NRA Executive Vice President & CEO Wayne LaPierre said in announcing Trumps keynote in Houston. The former president's appearance comes at an especially fraught moment, just days after the mass shooting in Uvalde that left 21 people dead, including 19 children. NRA officials and Trump have insisted they wont be deterred and will go on with their meetings despite the tragedy. America needs real solutions and real leadership in this moment, not politicians and partisanship. Thats why I will keep my longtime commitment to speak in Texas at the NRA convention and deliver an important address to America, Trump said. Sure Trump said a lot of things that sounded like they could be dangerous to the NRA for much of the last 20 years, said Robert J. Spitzer, an expert on gun control issues in presidential politics from the State University of New York, Cortland. There is no shortage of public speeches and statements of Trump supporting various gun control measures, most notably after the 2018 massacre of children at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. But they could always reel him in, Spitzer said. As long as they had access to them, they could change his tune. The favors Trump White House did for the industry included administrative actions such as changing the definition of fugitive from justice when it comes to gun possession making it possible for some people with outstanding arrest warrants to buy firearms legally. On top of all that, the NRA always could offer an unspoken trade that was more important to Trump than anything for remaining in its good graces, according to Spitzer: Center stage at the NRAs biggest meeting with roaring crowds who adore Trump. That holds great sway with Trump, Spitzer said. He can always get a cheering crowd at NRA conventions. That is kind of the glue that holds him together with the NRA. But perhaps even more importantly, Spitzer said, was what Trump did with the judiciary. By loading the federal bench with pro-gun judicial appointees, Trump has backstopped gun rights groups at every turn as they push further, with laws the Texas permitless carry measure enacted in Texas last year. Thats why the Supreme Court is poised to strike down the New York gun law and theyre going to expand the definition of gun rights under the 2nd Amendment within the month, Spitzer predicted. That NRA connection started before Trumps 2016 election. A true friend of the NRA During his presidency, Trump gave the NRA key victories, including: He repealed an Obama-era regulation that had the Social Security Administration report people who declared having severe mental illnesses, to make sure they were flagged in gun purchase background checks. His Justice Department changed the definition of "fugitive from justice" when it comes to gun possession - making it possible for some people with outstanding arrest warrants to buy firearms legally. He never installed a full-time director to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives during his presidency, leading the nation's top gun enforcement agency without a leader. And during the pandemic, he declared gun stores, shooting ranges and firearm and ammunition manufacturers essential businesses to assure they could remain open. See More Collapse From foe to friend Even before the Republican primaries were over, the NRA endorsed Trump over U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz as other gun advocacy groups warned that Trump couldnt be trusted because of his past support for gun control measures. He once supported an assault weapons ban and called for longer waiting periods for gun purchases. Trump is not at all satisfactory. Hes not consistent. Sometimes hes conservative, and sometimes hes not, said Larry Pratt in 2015, then the executive director of the Gun Owners of America who endorsed Cruz. That seemed particularly true after Parkland in 2018. After meeting with families of children killed, Trump held a televised meeting with U.S. Senators where he talked about raising the age to buy some weapons and expanding background checks. Trump looked right at U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Penn, and told him the reason the Senate GOP couldnt get such measures through was because youre afraid of the NRA. Hours later, the conservative Breitbart News posted the headline: "Trump the Gun Grabber: Cedes Dems' Wish List. But Trumps calls for reforms never lasted long. For gun control groups like leaders of Moms Demand Action, Trump broke those promises thanks to late-night phone calls with LaPierre. Even a year later, after the mass shooting in El Paso that left 23 dead, Trump told reporters there was great appetite for background checks. But nothing came close to emerging from Congress. For the past four years, weve seen what happens when the NRA and its allies pull the strings in the White House: gun violence rages unchecked, John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, said after Trump lost the White House in 2020. Moms Demand Action is among dozens of gun rights groups descending on Houston over the next few days to protest Trump and the NRA. In the end, Trumps talk about even meager gun control measures after Parkland, Santa Fe and other mass shootings was just talk that NRA leaders made sure never became legislative issues with true political capital from Trump, Spitzer said: NRA met with him, and he had changed his tune. China to advance efforts in joining CPTPP, DEPA trade pacts Xinhua) 11:38, May 27, 2022 BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to advance its accession into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), the commerce ministry said Thursday. "China adheres to aligning with high-standard international economic and trade rules and expanding high-level opening-up," said Gao Feng, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce. The spokesperson reiterated China's commitment to achieving a comprehensive and high-level Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), adding China will propose work plans in the field of digital and green economy and actively participate in the formulation of new guiding documents on advancing FTAAP. Gao said China would continue to implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement with high quality and safeguard the security and stability of regional industrial and supply chains. The country will also work with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to actively build version 3.0 of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and establish more mutually beneficial bilateral and regional economic and trade ties, said the spokesperson. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) The former Indian Foreign Minister Kanwal Sibal reasoned that Moscow is not a threat according to Joe Biden; instead refused to support Russian sanctions. Going against the US, New Delhi convinces members to stay neutral instead. Countries that followed Washington are having a crisis brought about by illegal sanctions. US Fails To Get More Support From Asia Sibal stressed the Quad must focus on the Indo-Pacific, and India refuses to consider Russia an adversary, reported RT. Last Tuesday, heads of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue gave their joint statement after a summit held in Japan. The statement strongly emphasized security concerns in the South China Sea and Asia, slipping in Ukraine as a "tragic conflict" and a "humanitarian crisis," All four leaders spoke about their responses, cited New41 Media. Sibal, a veteran diplomat who served as India's foreign minister between 2001 and 2002, informed RT on Tuesday this was not an accident. Attempts To Subvert the Group to the US' Machinations He added that Moscow was never a threat to the stability and security of the Indo-Pacific region. Warning that attempts by the US to bring in the Ukraine conflict to the affairs of the Quad; is not acceptable, noted Mass News. India has energy relations and pursued investment in Russia's the Far East, and still buying oil from Russia. Another was issued on Monday by the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a coalition of 13 Pacific countries organized by the United States that did not mention Ukraine or Russia. Read Also: Vladimir Putin: 3 Facts You Didn't Know About Russia's President - From His Judo Records to His KGB Pseudonym The former Indian Foreign Minister said Quad members do not support Russian sanctions, except for humanitarian situations that need assistance. White House claims a readout of US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussing in Tokyo allegedly mentioned that New Delhi condemns Russia's war with Ukraine, which the US supports. It was denied, and the US was charged to be adding facts that never happened because India rebuked the demands it supports the sanctions against Moscow, added Sibal. During the Cold War, India was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement, equipped with Soviet weapons without really establishing a partnership with the Soviet Union. According to some analysts, about 85% of major Indian weapons systems are of Russian or Soviet make, including its military, economic, and political matters. India and Russia regularly refer to their interaction as a "special and privileged strategic partnership" in official papers. The White House Baits Delhi India refuses to stop buying cheap oil from Russia even as Joe Biden says the US will sell new weapons systems, despite Modi's rejecting the US demand to support sanctions against Vladimir Putin. Countries in Asia are ignoring the ramblings of the White House. Sibal said no to sanctioning Moscow, which has never approved New Delhi, but the US and its allies have liberally sanctioned India at a whim for many years. He added only the United Nations Security Council could sanction Russia, not the US and Western allies doing it illegally. Former Indian Foreign Minister said Russia is no threat to Quad members, and Russian sanctions are illegal. He took a potshot at the US that is allegedly arm twisting to get support from India. Related Article: Biden Administration Demands Its Western Allies To Foot the Bill in Ukraine on the Conflict It Allegedly Started @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Fairfield, MT (59436) Today Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 46F. E winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 46F. E winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Fairfield, MT (59436) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 69F. N winds shifting to ESE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 46F. E winds shifting to W at 10 to 15 mph. Calls are being made for a new multi-purpose agri-hub and market to be built in Cowbridge following the demolition of the old livestock mart in 2020. Industry bodies, including the Farmers' Union of Wales (FUW), are putting forward the idea to bring back a mart in the Vale of Glamorgan town, as well as a multi-purpose resource. The market was closed for good in September 2020, leaving local farmers with a 45-mile trip to sell their livestock. The site is now a car park. The effects of the closure of the market were felt across a wide area, according to the FUW, but especially by the local communities. With the demolition it, the alternative options to sell cattle or sheep are situated an hours' drive in either direction. And with restrictions is place for hauling livestock over 65km, the union says this is an additional cost for producers, along with the impact on their carbon footprint. FUW member Charlotte Llewellyn of Cefncolstyn Farm, Pentyrch said: "If the Welsh government is genuine about promoting sustainable farming, then butchers need local abattoirs processing local livestock from local markets produced by local farmers. "In Glamorgan the nearest livestock markets are Raglan, Ross or Brecon - this does not support farmers trying to be carbon neutral or negative. "Neither does it support restaurants trying to buy ingredients with low green miles nor public attempting to do their part to reduce global warming by choosing to consume local produce." The benefits of having somewhere to chat to other farmers are also huge. "Farming can be a lonely business," Ms Llewellyn added. "Day to day running of a busy farm can be stressful enough and therefore a local market is crucial for the welfare of farmers, their livestock and the environment." As discussions get underway, there is a desire is to enable the surrounding areas to benefit from an asset which will form part of a rural hub or agri hub. The vision is that this resource will have a meeting room, hot desk facilities for all types of business, catering facilities and the building will be as multi-functioning as possible. The FUW says it is in discussion with the local councils to move the project forward. Sharon Pritchard, FUW county executive officer for Gwent & Glamorgan said: "Glamorgan County is very enthusiastic about the potential new agri hub. "With ideas for the project from YFC members and FUW members alike we as a Union are working hard alongside the Vale of Glamorgan Council to bring the agri hub to fruition." Gamekeepers are reminding the public to be vigilant when it comes to ticks as a bite can spread the serious Lyme disease illness. Estate managers who form Scotlands Regional Moorland Groups have launched the campaign '#tickcareinthecountryside' to coincide with May being Lyme Disease Awareness Month. It comes at a time when NHS 24 call handlers are dealing with a rise in tick-related calls as the warmer weather sets in across the country. The most common blood-sucking tick in the UK is the sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus). This species of infected tick can transmit Lyme disease (borrelia) to people, dogs and horses. Ticks are prevalent in areas of dense vegetation including woodland, heathland, and bracken and it is the latter habitat where most people pick up ticks during days out to the countryside. Sheep tick can also spread the louping-ill virus and cause up to 80% mortality in red grouse chicks. High burdens of ticks are also likely to reduce the health of moorland wader chicks. Campaigners say the sheer number of ticks on a bird or small mammal can also be enough to weaken or kill it, even if they are not carrying a disease. Sheep farming is closely integrated with grouse management and flocks of sheep are also an important element of tick management, estate managers explain. Ticks can be killed by treating sheep with an acaricide dip, reducing the danger to the sheep themselves and limiting the chance of ticks attaching themselves to other animals, birds and humans. Bruce Cooper, estate manager at Glen Prosen Estate in the Angus Glens, which is backing the campaign, said: Some years ago one of our Angus Glens head keepers contracted Lyme disease. "Living alone at the time he missed the telltale signs of being bitten by an infection tick. Weeks of feeling tired, progressed to sore heads, which worsened to double vision and eventually falling unconscious. "Luckily his wife raised the alarm and he received a diagnosis and treatment for Lyme disease. 25 years later he is still alive and well. "Thankfully since then there is far more awareness about the disease, how to prevent a tick bite and what symptoms to look out for." Moorland management practices being carried out across Scotland are helping to control the number of ticks in the countryside and limit the spread of Lyme disease in people. Tick control measures include, muirburn, aerial-spraying of bracken together with the management of deer and hare numbers on Scottish grouse moors. As part of the campaign, experts from the NHS have posted advice on social media for anyone concerned over a tick bite Russian President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine has been going on since Feb. 24 and has taken the lives of thousands of people, both military personnel and civilians, but what happens if he suddenly falls sick or gets forced out by displeased officials in the middle of the war? Kremlin insiders have allegedly been privately discussing a list of potential successors to the Russian leader in the case that he is forced out over the invasion of Ukraine or becomes severely ill. The impact of Western sanctions and the cost of waging the months-long war in Ukraine have crippled Russia's economy. Vladimir Putin's Health Condition The situation has caused discontent to rise among the Kremlin and Russia's government officials. The independent Russian Meduza, citing sources with ties to the Russian government, said that political elites were now discussing "the future after Putin" more than before in order to bring back stability to the region. One source said of those inside the Kremlin that it was not that they wanted to overthrow Putin right now or that they were planning a conspiracy. They said that there was an understanding, or rather a wish, that he will not be governing the state in the foreseeable future, as per MSN. The independent outlet cited another source that said President Putin made many mistakes but could still fix them later on and could come to an agreement with Ukraine. Kremlin officials are allegedly discussing a list of possible successors to the Russian leader in secret. Read Also: Finnish, Swedish Officials Meet With Turkish Counterparts Over NATO Membership Amid Latter's Demand of 'Concrete Steps' Meduza noted that officials were floating the idea of bringing in Mayor Sergey Sobyanin of Moscow, National Security Council Deputy Chairman and former President Dmitry Medvedev, and First Deputy Chief of Staff Sergey Kiriyenko. According to Newsweek, since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began, various claims have appeared in the press and on social media claiming that Putin may have cancer or is otherwise terminally ill. Former UK intelligence officer Christopher Steele claimed in May 2022 that the Russian president broke up meetings of his security council to receive "some kind of medical treatment between those sections." What Do We Know? The former head of the British Secret Intelligence Service said that Putin would be "gone by 2023, but probably into the sanatorium." Some of the rumors regarding the Russian president's allegedly deteriorating health conditions have appeared on the social media platform Telegram, which was founded by a Russian entrepreneur and is prone to misinformation due to the anonymous nature of public channels. The conspiracies include Putin not attending engagements during May 2022 because he was recovering from "cancer surgery." such rumors have become viral worldwide as everyone's attention was drawn to any cracks in Russian leadership. During an interview on Wednesday, Steele said that their understanding was there has been increasing disarray in the Kremlin. The official is a former MI6 operative who, for several years, worked in Russia, including heading up the spy agency's Russia desk for three years. He said that there was no clear political leadership coming from Putin, who is believed to be increasingly ill, and in military terms, the structures of command and so on were not functioning as they should or how they were designed to, Business Insider reported. Related Article: China, Russia Conduct Joint Military Drill With Nuclear-Capable Bombers in East Asia amid Biden's Visit @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Bidisha De Majumdar, a bengali actress was found dead at her apartment in Kolkata on Thursday. The 21-year old actress had also left behind a suicide note which was recovered from her house.The Bengali actress was found hanging when the police broke inside her apartment at Kolkatas Dumdum on the 25th of May. She lived in a rented apartment with her parents. A probe has also been initiated to identify if this was a murder or a suicide. The body is now at a hospital in Kolkata for post-mortem.This tragic news comes in just a few days after bengali TV actress Pallavi Dey was found hanging at her apartment.Model Santu Mondal took to his social media to write, "Why did you do this? Only yesterday you changed your Facebook DP, cover pic, and Instagram DP. You had posted after the suicide of serial actress Pallabi Dey that one should not have taken such a hasty step. And now you yourself have done the same thing,"The late actress made her debut with the movie Bhaar- The Clown in 2021. She came from Naihati and was a popular bridal model as well. Kevin Spacey has reportedly been charged with sexual assault against three men. On Thursday, Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed that the 62-year-old Hollywood actor is facing four counts of sexual assault. The news comes after an investigation by the London police.As per reports on CNBC, Kevin Spacey has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The charges follow a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation, according to a statement from the Rosemary Ainslie CPS Special Crime Division.The statement also adds, "The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial."It has been reported that two assaults took place in London in March 2005 against one victim. A second victim has alleged that an assault happened in August 2008. Another victim reported sexual assault in Gloucestershire in April 2013.To note, Kevin Spacey was accused of sexually assaulting several members of the crew of House of Cards. He was removed from the show and asked to pay $31 million for violating the studio's sexual harassment policy.Kevin Spacey is also trying to make a comeback with a mystery thriller film Peter Five Eight and its trailer was unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival where it's looking for distributors. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the production house behind the film responded to the charges against Spacey in a statement that read - While its unfortunate that increased negative press is timed with Kevin returning to work, its also to be expected. There are those who wish for him not to act, but they are outnumbered by fans worldwide who await an artist they have enjoyed for decades returning to the screen." KELOWNA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 26, 2022 / Avant Brands Inc. (TSX:AVNT)(OTCQX:AVTBF)(FRA:1BU0) ("Avant" or the "Company"), an award-winning leading producer of handcrafted, high quality cannabis products, held its annual general and special meeting of shareholders of the Company (the "Shareholders") on May 26, 2022 (the "Meeting"). 26,483,507 of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares representing 13.15% of the shares of the Company were represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting. The complete voting results from the Meeting are as follows: 1. Election of Directors Each of the six (6) nominees listed in the management information circular of the Company dated April 18, 2022 (the "Circular") were elected to hold office until the next annual meeting of Shareholders or until his or her successor is duly elected or appointed. Proxies were tabulated as follows: Name of Nominee Votes FOR % Votes FOR Votes WITHHELD % Votes WITHHELD Jurgen Schreiber 21,706,561 81.96% 4,776,946 18.04% Norton Singhavon 21,709,688 81.97% 4,773,819 18.03% Michael Blady 21,659,813 81.79% 4,823,694 18.21% Derek Sanders 21,705,588 81.96% 4,777,919 18.04% Ruairi Twomey 21,291,788 80.40% 5,191,719 19.60% Duane Lo 21,265,786 80.30% 5,217,721 19.70% 2. Appointment of Auditor Manning Elliott LLP was re-appointed as auditor of the Company until the close of the next annual meeting of Shareholders at a remuneration to be fixed by the Board of Directors of the Company. Proxies were tabulated as follows: Votes FOR % Votes FOR Votes WITHHELD % Votes WITHHELD 26,369,403 99.57% 114,104 0.43% 3. Amendments to the Deferred Share Unit Plan The Shareholders approved certain amendments to the Company's deferred share unit plan , including any previous grants of deferred share units and all unallocated awards issuable thereunder, as more fully described in the Circular. Proxies were tabulated as follows: Votes FOR % Votes FOR Votes WITHHELD % Votes WITHHELD 21,563,693 81.42% 4,919,814 18.58% 4. Long Term Incentive Plan The Shareholders approved the adoption of the Company's long term incentive plan and all unallocated awards issuable thereunder, as more fully described in the Circular. Proxies were tabulated as follows: Votes FOR % Votes FOR Votes WITHHELD % Votes WITHHELD 21,589,241 81.52% 4,894,266 18.48% About Avant Brands Inc. Avant is an innovative, market-leading premium cannabis company. Avant has multiple licensed and operational production facilities across Canada, which produce high-quality, handcrafted cannabis products for our highly desired, and award-winning consumer brands, sold across both recreational and medical channels. Avant's recreational consumer brands include: BLK MKT, Tenzo, Cognoscente and Treehugger, all produced from rare and exceptional cultivars, and sold in British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and the Yukon. The Company's medical cannabis brand, GreenTec, is distributed nationwide, directly to qualified patients through its GreenTec Medical portal, and through various medical cannabis partners. Avant is a publicly traded corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:AVNT), and cross-trades on the OTCQX Best Market (OTCQX:AVTBF) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FRA:1BU0). The Company is headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia and has operations in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. To learn more about Avant, to access the investor presentation, or learn more about its consumer brands, please visit www.avantbrands.ca. For additional information, please contact: Investor Relations at Avant Brands Inc. 1-800-351-6358 ir@avantbrands.ca SOURCE: Avant Brands, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702969/Avant-Brands-Inc-Announces-Voting-Results-From-2022-Annual-General-and-Special-Meeting-of-Shareholders Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 26, 2022) - Givex Information Technology Group Limited (TSX: GIVX) (OTCQX: GIVXF) ("Givex" or the "Corporation"), today announced that shareholders voted in favour of all items of business put forth by Givex at its annual and special shareholders meeting held on May 26th, 2022 (the "Meeting"). Number of Directors A ballot was conducted to set the number of directors of the Corporation at five (5). According to the proxies received and the ballots cast, the number of the directors of the Corporation was set at five (5) with the following results: Votes For: 42,730,440 Votes Against: 25,500 Election of Directors The five (5) candidates proposed as directors were duly elected directors of the Corporation by a majority of the votes cast by the shareholders present or represented by proxy at the Meeting, as follows: Name of Nominee Votes For % Votes Withheld % Don Gray 42,730,440 99.94 25,500 0.06 Jim Woodside 42,730,440 99.94 25,500 0.06 Miles Evans 42,730,440 99.94 25,500 0.06 Michael Carr 42,730,440 99.94 25,500 0.06 Robert Munro 42,730,440 99.94 25,500 0.06 Appointment of Auditor A ballot was conducted with respect to the appointment of KPMG LLP ("KPMG) as the Corporations auditors and the authorization of the directors to fix the remuneration of the auditors. According to the proxies received and ballots cast, KPMG was appointed as the Corporations auditors and the directors were authorized to fix their remuneration with the following results: Votes For: 43,180,530 Votes Withheld: 25,510 Continuance and Name Change A ballot was conducted with respect to approving a special resolution to continue the Corporation from British Columbia to Ontario and to authorize the Corporation to change the name of the Corporation to "Givex Corp.", as more fully described in the Corporation's management information circular (the "Continuance and Name Change"). According to the proxies received and ballots cast, the Continuance and Name Change was approved with the following results: Votes For: 42,152,717 Votes Against: 725,500 Authorizing Board to Fix the Number of Directors A ballot was conducted with respect to approving a special resolution, subject to the Corporation becoming subject to the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) pursuant to the Continuance and Name Change, the directors shall be empowered and authorized to determine the number of directors of the Corporation to be elected at annual meetings of the Corporation within the minimum and maximum numbers provided in the articles of incorporation of the Corporation, as more fully described in the Corporations management information circular (the "Special Resolution"). According to the proxies received and ballots cast, the Special Resolution was approved with the following results: Votes For: 42,724,405 Votes Against: 31,535 Final voting results on all matters voted at the Meeting are available on Givex's website and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About Givex Givex (TSX: GIVX) (OTCQX: GIVXF) is a global fintech company providing merchants with customer engagement, point of sale and payment solutions, all in a single platform. We are integrated with 1000+ technology partners, creating a fully end-to-end solution that delivers powerful customer insights. Our platform is used by some of the world's largest brands, comprising approximately 113,000 locations across more than 100 countries. Learn more at givex.com. Contact Joe Donaldson Chief Marketing Officer joe.donaldson@givex.com 416.350.9660 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125524 MANILA, Philippines, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 26 2022, the vessel Fenghua 21, owned by FiberHome Marine Network Equipment Co., Ltd., finished the cable landing successfully at north of Siargao Island. The completion of cable landing marks that FiberHome has fully delivered five segments of phase II of PLDT DSCPA2 which has total length of 230 km. On May 26, FiberHome project team held a grand ceremony with PLDT high level managements and Siargao Governors at Rizal landing site. Dale Ramos and Debbie Hu from PLDT gave the speeches on the ceremony, they affirmed the efforts what FiberHome partner has done in this project. PLDT gave a high praise to the high-quality and efficient provided service. Siargao Governors expressed sincere gratitude to PLDT and FiberHome for the telecommunication network construction at Siargao area. The project will greatly improve the digital communication at local, and promote employment and economic development at that area. After the ceremony, the representatives of PLDT have embarked the vessel for a visit. The whole DSCPA2 is an EPC full turnkey project whose routes cover mostly areas on all islands in Philippines. The whole routes' network contains around 20 segments which connects more than 10 islands and 30 landing points. Relying on the ability of FiberHome Group in the whole optical communication industry chain, FiberHome Marine has become a marine network system supplier and general integrating contractor with independent intellectual property rights who has integrated the R&D, design and production capacity of a full range of shore end transmission equipment, underwater system equipment, submarine optical cable and core devices. FiberHome Marine can provide seven major services including simulation design, desktop research, marine survey, license handling, product supply, installation and construction Maintain and support. Fenghua 21 is the first cable laying vessel which can be used in the construction of marine optical cable communication system project in Guangdong province, China. The vessel has nearly 7000 tones water draft, and deploys professional equipment and software such as an advanced DP2 dynamic positioning system, the domestic first A-Frame crane, submarine buried plow, dual channels linear cable laying machine, and Makailay software system. With those equipment and system's assistance, Fenghua 21 can independently do the high-precision laying of marine optical cable work in deep water. With the smooth delivery in DSCPA 2 project, FiberHome Marine will continue to move towards the next journey, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with the global industrial value chain, and set sail for the construction of a global marine network. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1826802/FiberHome_0526_ID_e0c895abcf22.jpg BADUNG, Indonesia, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Indonesia and the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) host the Seventh Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2022) in Bali, Indonesia, from 23 to 28 May 2022 as informed by Ministry of Communications and Informatics of the Republic of the Indonesia. The first Global Platform since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and also the first time to be held in the Asia region. The Global Platform is the primary global multi-stakeholder forum that assesses and discusses progress on the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). This year's event is an important forum as it provides opportunity for all countries to take stock of progress and accelerate the Sendai Framework implementation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In his opening remarks, H.E. President Joko Widodo of Indonesia reminded the need for all nations to cope with disaster risk without neglecting sustainable development. "At the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, today, Indonesia offers to the world the concept of sustainable resilience as a solution to mitigate all forms of disasters, including pandemics," said President Widodo. United Nations Deputy Secretary-General H.E. Amina J. Mohammed highlighted the urgent need for rapid actions to build global disaster resiliency. U.N.'s flagship Global Assessment Report, which was published last month, raised the alarm that humanity was on a "spiral of self-destruction", with the potential of reaching 560 - or 1.5 medium- to large scale disasters a day - by 2030 without a radical rethink in how risk is managed and financed. It is particularly relevant for the Asia-Pacific region, where disasters cost on average 1.6 per cent of GDP a year, more than any other part of the world. "Over the next three days, we have a unique opportunity to consider the best policy options to move from risk to resilience and to take important steps to ensure the recovery from COVID-19 puts us back on track for a safe and sustainable future," said Amina Mohammed. Two high-level dialogues on accelerating the global implementation of the Sendai Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals along with ministerial roundtable discussing the challenge posed by the climate emergency are among the main agenda for the first day of the Global Platform. Around 7,000 delegates representing both government and non-government organizations from over 185 member countries and observers participate in this Conference. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827371/antarafoto_pembukaaan_gpdrr_250522_wpa_4.jpg Former United States President Donald Trump's losses in this year's Republican primaries are a testament to his dwindling influence and control over the GOP and come as his former vice president, Mike Pence is gaining traction in Georgia. Furthermore, the Republican businessman's obsession with litigating the 2020 presidential election that he lost to Joe Biden is backfiring. It is a subject that he has brought up many times since leaving office and argues that the GOP will not have a successful future, either at the ballot box or legislatively if they turn a blind eye to the past. Trump's Dwindling Influence on the GOP But primary voters in Georgia this week have appeared to firmly reject Trump's approach, voting overwhelmingly for two key Republicans, Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger. The two officials have flatly dismissed the former president's claims about election fraud in the 2020 elections. Republicans in the Peace State have sent a clear signal to the former president that his continued fixation with 2020 is not only bad for his preferred candidates but could also turn out to be a liability for him in key battleground states as he considers another presidential run in 2024, as per CNN. A former Trump aide, Bryan Lanza, who remains close to the Republican businessman, said that Georgia was a valuable lesson for the former president. He found that he has altered the rules of politics but not all the rules of politics. Read Also: Georgia Candidate Herschel Walker Supports Total Abortion Ban in State, Says There Is no 'Exception' However, whether or not Trump internalizes any critical lessons at this juncture remains to be seen but he is far less likely to "stick his neck out." with endorsements in upcoming primaries following a series of losses and the still-uncertain outcome of Pennsylvania's Senate GOP primary. According to the Associated Press, the magnitude of Trump-backed endorsements in the primaries, which was more than 50 percentage points, was shocking and raised questions about whether or not Republican voters were starting to move on from the former president. Pence's Opportunity The "Make America Great Again'' movement has stalled and voters are becoming increasingly vocal in saying that the Republican party's future is about more than Trump. David Butler of Woodstock, Georgia, who voted for Kemp on Tuesday, said that he likes the former president a lot but noted that he was in the past. He also said that Trump's endorsements had "no" impact "whatsoever" on his thinking. It was a similar case for 22-year-old Will Parbhoo, a dental assistant who also voted for Kemp in the primaries. He said that he was not really a Trumper and noted that he did not like the former president "to begin with," citing the election fraud claims and urged the former president to "move on." The situation comes as opportunity knocked for former Vice President Pence on Tuesday night after the defeat of Trump's endorsements. They underscored that while many GOP members still believed the former president's election fraud claims, it was not driving their decisions at the ballot box. In a Twitter post on Monday, Pence said that elections were about the future of the country and noted that there were people who wanted to make the election about the past. The former vice president pointedly left out any mention of Trump, Perdue, or the unfounded 2020 election claims, Yahoo News 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. President Joko Widodo (R) discusses with UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (L) before the opening ceremony of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction 2022 in Nusa Dua, Bali, Wednesday. (ANTARA FOTO/Akbar Nugroho Gumay/foc) Nusa Dua, Bali, May 27, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - At the 2022 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) event, the Government of Indonesia offered the world the concept of sustainable resilience as a solution to address the challenges of systemic disaster risk.Indonesian President Joko Widodo highlighted this concept at the opening ceremony of the 2022 GPDRR in Nusa Dua, here, on Wednesday.The sustainable resilience concept is considered to be a solution to tackle all forms of disasters, including facing a pandemic and concurrently supporting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Jokowi remarked.He highlighted the need to apply several measures to build sustainable resilience."First, we should strengthen an anticipatory, responsive, and adaptive disaster preparedness culture as well as institutions in dealing with disasters," President Jokowi stated.According to the president, disaster mitigation education and government institutions that are synergistic and responsive to disasters must become a shared priority.Jokowi explained that the second measure deemed necessary is for every country to invest in science, innovation, and technology, including in ensuring access to finance and technology transfer."Access to funding is an important issue that we must take seriously. Indonesia has developed a strategy for funding and disaster insurance by establishing a pooling fund and using development funds at local levels to support disaster mitigation and preparedness," he stated.The third measure is by building infrastructure that is resilient to disasters and climate change."(This is) in addition to mitigating (the impacts on) physical infrastructure, such as dams, breakwaters, reservoirs, and embankments; green infrastructure, such as mangrove forests, shrimp seedlings on the coast; ... as well as the development of open spaces to be part of the realization of infrastructure development," Jokowi pointed out."The protection of vulnerable groups living in high disaster risk areas must also get special attention," he stressed.Lastly, the Indonesian president invited all countries to commit to implementing global agreements at the national and local levels."The Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the SDGs are important international agreements in the efforts to reduce disaster risk and climate change. I invite all countries to be committed and serious about implementing it," Jokowi stated.He affirmed that disaster risk reduction is an effective investment to prevent future losses."To that end, we affirm Indonesia's commitment to implementing the Sendai Framework as well as other international commitments," he stressed.The head of state also expressed Indonesia's readiness to share experiences and knowledge in disaster mitigation."As a disaster-prone country, Indonesia has accumulated knowledge and experience that can be an important lesson for the world, but Indonesia is also eager to learn from international experience," Jokowo emphasized."Let's work together to mitigate (impacts and manage risks with regard to) the rise in disasters for a better life today and tomorrow," he concluded.AppreciationOn the occasion, several United Nations (UN) officials -- President of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly Abdulla Shahid, UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed, and Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction Mami Mizutori -- lauded Indonesia for being successful in controlling COVID-19, so that the 2022 GPDRR forum could be held in-person in Nusa Dua, Bali."I would like to convey the appreciation of the UN to the president of Indonesia and the people for hosting the 2022 GPDRR," Mohammed stated at the opening ceremony."I would like to congratulate and appreciate Indonesia for the measures that have been taken to address COVID (as a) response that had allowed us to meet in this conference here in-person," she stated.According to the UN deputy secretary general, Indonesia's efforts to vaccinate its population of 217 million people is a major achievement."We applaud the leader of Indonesia for its vaccine program for keeping everyone safe and reacting and responding to the COVID pandemic," she stated.She also affirmed that Indonesia is a critical partner that has taught the world a lot about disaster risk reduction."Your willingness to host this important gathering is a testament to the leading role that you (Indonesia) play in sustaining development and climate action," she remarked.Meanwhile, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Director Ricardo Mena lauded Indonesia as a country that is leading in the global efforts for disaster risk reduction."This is a very important (effort), and I think this is where we think that Indonesia is leading in terms of the global efforts to reduce disaster risks," Ricardo Mena stated in a special interview with ANTARA here on Monday (May 23).Mena remarked that Indonesia has put forth a strong message about the importance of disaster risk reduction efforts by hosting the 2022 GPDRR."We believe that Indonesia is giving a very strong message through the engagement and hosting of the GPDRR here in Bali. We are very thankful to the Indonesian Government for that," he remarked.The UNDRR director also highlighted Indonesia's leadership in adopting the long-term disaster risk reduction plan."I think what I would like to highlight is that Indonesia is one of the few countries in the world that has adopted a very long term plan to reduce disaster risks," he remarked."This is very important because if you want to really address the root causes, and you cannot do it in two, three, or five years. It is impossible, and we look and welcome very much the fact that Indonesia has a plan to reduce disaster risks that goes even beyond 2040," he added.To that end, Mena also encouraged other countries to follow Indonesia's steps in adopting long-term plans for disaster risk reduction.Indonesia hosts a series of meetings of the 7th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2022) in Bali on May 23-28, 2022.Written by: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga, Editor: Fardah Assegaf (c) ANTARA 2022Source: 2022 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR)Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. RiskMeter provides structure-level location information when assessing a property's exposure to natural disasters CoreLogic, a leading global property data and analytics-driven solutions provider, announced that global insurance carrier Hiscox London Market has adopted the company's PxPoint technology delivered via its RiskMeter platform as its primary source of geocoding. RiskMeter enables Hiscox to drive further insight from property risk data when underwriting insurance policies using advanced geocoding technology. Knowing a property's exact location is crucial to understanding the potential risks of natural disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. RiskMeter delivers CoreLogic's PxPoint geocoding technology to pinpoint a property's location enabling accurate assessment of its level of exposure to these hazards. PxPoint offers geocoding to a building's footprint level which is an essential level of precision when gauging a property's likelihood of damage from a natural disaster. PxPoint integrates seamlessly with Hiscox's existing technology and workflow via high-capacity APIs. These APIs deliver data in real time, which assists in quickly and efficiently determining a property's risk of disaster-related damages when deciding coverage options and costs. "We worked closely with Hiscox to deliver PxPoint via our RiskMeter platform, providing a critical level of precision that provides insights into specific peril risk and portfolio-level exposure analytics," said William Forde, senior director, at CoreLogic Protect. "This alliance is the crossroads of technology meeting the demands of modern insurance workflow," continued Forde. "The structural level accuracy of the PxPoint geocoding enables us to confidently assess and price a risk at speed for our underwriting APIs," commented Paul Butler, London Market Technology Director for Hiscox. About CoreLogic CoreLogic is a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider. The company's combined data from public, contributory and proprietary sources includes over 4.5 billion records spanning more than 50 years, providing detailed coverage of property, mortgages and other encumbrances, consumer credit, tenancy, location, hazard risk and related performance information. The markets CoreLogic serves include real estate and mortgage finance, insurance, capital markets, and the public sector. CoreLogic delivers value to clients through unique data, analytics, workflow technology, advisory and managed services. Clients rely on CoreLogic to help identify and manage growth opportunities, improve performance and mitigate risk. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., CoreLogic operates in North America, Western Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.corelogic.com. CORELOGIC, the CoreLogic logo, RiskMeter, and PxPoint are trademarks of CoreLogic, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. About the Hiscox Group Hiscox is a global specialist insurer, headquartered in Bermuda and listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE:HSX). Our ambition is to be a respected specialist insurer with a diverse portfolio by product and geography. We believe that building balance between catastrophe-exposed business and less volatile local specialty business gives us opportunities for profitable growth throughout the insurance cycle. The Hiscox Group employs over 3,000 people in 14 countries and has customers worldwide. Through the retail businesses in the UK, Europe, Asia and the USA, we offer a range of specialist insurance for professionals and business customers as well as homeowners. Internationally traded, bigger ticket business and reinsurance is underwritten through Hiscox London Market and Hiscox Re ILS. Our values define our business, with a focus on people, courage, ownership and integrity. We pride ourselves on being true to our word and our award-winning claims service is testament to that. For more information, visit www.hiscoxgroup.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220526005772/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Robin Wachner CoreLogic newsmedia@corelogic.com TOKYO, May 27, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today the presentation of research across various types of cancer from its oncology portfolio during the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (ASCO22), which is taking place virtually and in-person in Chicago from June 3 to 7. Notable presentations include a poster discussion of safety and efficacy data (NCT03386942; Abstract: #5513) from the platinum-resistant ovarian cancer cohort expansion of a Phase 1 study evaluating the antibody drug conjugate (ADC) co-developed by Eisai and Bristol Myers Squibb (Headquarters: the United States), farletuzumab ecteribulin (MORAb-202), as well as a poster presentation featuring dose optimization findings for farletuzumab ecteribulin (NCT03386942; Abstract: #3090)."Safety and efficacy analyses in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer for farletuzumab ecteribulin suggest antibody drug conjugates may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for these patients with limited treatment options," said Dr. Takashi Owa, President, Oncology Business Group at Eisai. "Eisai's first antibody drug conjugate combines our in-house developed anti-folate receptor alpha antibody and our anticancer agent eribulin using an enzyme cleavable linker, illustrating our dedication to building on our medicines to improve cancer care for more patients."New research from the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) clinical program evaluating lenvatinib (LENVIMA) plus pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA), the anti-PD-1 therapy from Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, includes subgroup analyses from the pivotal Phase 3 CLEAR (Study 307)/KEYNOTE-581 trial evaluating the combination in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and Phase 3 Study 309/KEYNOTE-775 trial evaluating the combination in patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma (EC). A poster discussion will evaluate the impact of subsequent therapies in patients with advanced RCC receiving the combination (NCT02811861; Abstract: #4514); while a poster presentation will discuss the efficacy of next line therapy after treatment with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab in advanced EC (NCT03517449; Abstract: #5587)."The combination of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab has helped to expand physicians' arsenal of treatment options for patients living with advanced renal cell carcinoma and advanced endometrial carcinoma around the world," said Richard C. Woodman, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Oncology Business Group at Eisai. "Our data at ASCO 2022 demonstrate our commitment to continuing to investigate the combination through post-hoc analyses with the goal of providing healthcare professionals with tools to support them in making better-informed treatment decisions for their patients."In March 2018, Eisai and Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada), through an affiliate, entered into a strategic collaboration for the worldwide co- development and co-commercialization of lenvatinib, both as monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab. To date, more than 20 trials have been initiated under the LEAP clinical program, which is evaluating the combination across more than 10 different tumor types.In June 2021, Eisai and Bristol Myers Squibb entered into an exclusive global strategic collaboration agreement for the co-development and co-commercialization of farletuzumab ecteribulin, a folate receptor alpha (FRa)-targeting ADC. Eisai and Bristol Myers Squibb are currently investigating farletuzumab ecteribulin in FRa-positive solid tumors (inclusive of endometrial, ovarian, lung and breast cancers) in two studies: a Phase 1 clinical study in Japan and a Phase 1/2 clinical study in the United States.This release discusses investigational compounds and investigational uses for FDA-approved products. It is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy and safety. There is no guarantee that any investigational compounds or investigational uses of FDA-approved products will successfully complete clinical development or gain FDA approval.For more information, visit www.eisai.com/news/2022/pdf/enews202241pdf.pdf.Media Inquiries:Public Relations DepartmentEisai Co., Ltd.+81-(0)3-3817-5120Source: EisaiCopyright 2022 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. HELSINKI, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ponsse launches excellent new products to improve productivity in sustainable harvesting. The new solutions have been developed together with customers, listening to their needs. The PONSSE Scorpion Giant harvester and the PONSSE Mammoth forwarder respond to the highest requirements of modern forestry both in terms of ergonomics and productivity. "These new products strengthen our position as one of the world's leading suppliers of responsible harvesting solutions. The development of both new forest machines started from improved ergonomics, safety and usability, as well as better visibility from the cabin. We believe that we succeeded very well in this, and we are delighted to demonstrate these new products to our customers today here in Surahammar in Sweden," says Marko Mattila, Sales, Marketing and Service Director at Ponsse. PONSSE Scorpion Giant - power in various conditions The PONSSE Scorpion Giant is only a giant in terms of productivity and power. The new harvester adds to the Scorpion product range, which was completely upgraded in 2021. According to customer needs, the Scorpion Giant was developed to have more tractive effort, which helps the harvester to be agile even in challenging conditions, including snow, steep slopes and soft terrain. It is in a league of its own when it comes to crane lifting power, also when handling larger stems. "Even though the Giant is the strongest harvester in the Scorpion range, the Bear is still our most powerful harvester overall. What makes the Scorpion Giant stand out is its versatility, allowing it to be operated at various sites, as it can be fitted with the PONSSE H6, H7, H7HD Euca or H8 harvester head," Mattila says. Unique ergonomics Cabin ergonomics and usability have been one of the leading themes in Ponsse's research and development in recent years alongside the development of safety. The PONSSE Giant has a one-piece windscreen that extends to the roof of the cabin, offering even better visibility for the operator and ensuring safe working in all conditions. The cabin workspace is like a practical and quiet office with a view, developed to support the operator's comfort and wellbeing. The Scorpion Giant features many solutions familiar from the Scorpion product range that have been developed even further. These include increased tractive force and a more powerful C50+ crane whose fork boom offers excellent visibility of the logging site. The Scorpion Giant also features the unique active levelling and stabilisation systems familiar from other Scorpion models. The Scorpion Giant is available with the highly advanced and modern Opti 5G system and the Opti 8 touchscreen computer. PONSSE Opti 5G - the most modern information system on the market PONSSE Opti 5G is the most modern information system on the market. Its smooth and fast operations raise user experiences in information systems to a whole new level. The powerful C50+ crane, combined with the Opti 5G information system, offers a whole new way to control the crane and improve operational efficiency using PONSSE Harvester Active Crane. With Harvester Active Crane, the operator can directly control the movements of the harvester head, instead of just controlling the individual operations of the crane. This allows the operator to focus on wood processing, instead of simply controlling the crane. Harvester Active Crane, available as an option, requires the Opti 5G control system, which is currently available in the Scorpion product range's harvesters in certain market areas. The availability of Harvester Active Crane will be expanded to other machine models and market areas. PONSSE H8 - the next generation's harvester head The new PONSSE H8 harvester head features powerful feed, a strong grip and a sturdy but agile frame. The saw box area is even wider, making the harvester head an excellent choice for trees with a high butt diameter. The harvester head can be fitted in the PONSSE Ergo, Scorpion Giant and Bear, the strongest harvesters in our product range. The automatic features of the Opti control system, developed and built by Ponsse, control the feed speed and saw movement, according to the tree diameter, and ensure fast and precise sawing. With Active Speed, the harvester head's operating speed can be adjusted based on the tree species and stem diameter. Working with the H8 harvester head equipped with the new feature is productive and smooth, regardless of the stem size. PONSSE Mammoth forwarder - an unprecedented load-carrying capacity The PONSSE Mammoth forwarder, powerful in terms of productivity, expands Ponsse's forwarder range to the new category of 25-ton load-carrying capacity. Equipped with the stepless Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) system and the PONSSE K121 loader, the Mammoth's sturdy frame structures and super-strong hydraulics ensure that large stems and heavy loads can be transported effortlessly, even in the most challenging terrain. Ergonomics addressed in every detail in the Mammoth's development In the PONSSE Mammoth forwarder, operator ergonomics has been addressed every step of the way. The new forwarder offers the highest productivity when driving distances are long. Less driving is required because more stems can be transported each time. New features for improved productivity One of the most prominent new features is the PONSSE Active Seat, developed according to forest machine operators' requests. The new Active Seat improves usability, as it turns and follows the work environment according to crane movements, increasing the forest machine operator's productivity. The Active Seat, developed by Ponsse, is only available for PONSSE forest machines. The PONSSE Mammoth can be equipped with PONSSE Active Cabin, an effective cabin suspension system with a simple structure. It helps forest machine operators keep going, even during longer shifts, by suspending any stress on the cabin. In addition to the Mammoth, the Active Cabin is available for the Buffalo, Elephant and Elephant King forwarders. The Mammoth can be equipped with a long rear frame, which enables the transport of oversized stems at plantations in South America, for example. The Mammoth features the largest load space in the Ponsse product range: 6.8 or 8.0 m2, depending on each customer's choice. The PONSSE Active Crane is a loader control system for forwarders, with which the operator controls grapple movements instead of individual functions, allowing the operator to concentrate effectively on working with the loader. Active Crane is easily controlled using two levers, one of which controls the grapple height from the ground, and the other the direction of movement. The new PONSSE Active Manual service offers helps and guidance through videos PONSSE Active Manual is an instruction and maintenance manual service with videos to support the daily work of forest machine operators. The visual PONSSE Active Manual is an owner's manual service that runs on mobile devices and supplements the current Owner's Manual by offering videos alongside the manual. PONSSE Active Manual is available on Apple and Android app stores. Further information Marko Mattila, Ponsse Plc, Sales, Marketing and Service Director, tel. +358 400 596297, marko.mattila@ponsse.com PHOTOS https://materialbank.ponsse.com/ui/shares/w19066155/451099/en/ This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/ponsse-oyj/r/ponsse-s-new-products-for-responsible-forestry,c3575025 The following files are available for download: 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. Parsortix system harvests intact CTCs for single-cell whole genomic sequencing from frozen and fresh blood samples with the same efficiency Detection of druggable mutations in CTCs enriched from frozen samples may aid treatment decisions in the clinical setting GUILDFORD, UK / ACCESSWIRE / May 27, 2022 / ANGLE plc (AIM:AGL)(OTCQX:ANPCY), a world-leading liquid biopsy company, is pleased to announce that a leading cancer research institute, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy, has published results of work undertaken in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and sarcoma patients. The institute demonstrated that the Parsortix system could successfully isolate circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from frozen peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples. PBMC samples contain any blood cell with a nucleus, including white blood cells and CTCs, but has been depleted of red blood cells which do not have a nucleus. The potential ability to process frozen samples could allow for retrospective analyses and improve sample sharing capabilities in multicentre studies. Isolated CTCs were stained to assess phenotype and identify CTCs for single cell retrieval, followed by low-pass copy number analysis through whole genome sequencing. In addition, CTCs were analysed for clinically actionable mutations by digital PCR. The Parsortix system was selected for its ability to harvest CTCs from mesenchymal tumours, such as sarcoma, and CTCs that have undergone epithelial to mesenchymal transition, as may occur in NSCLC. This is clinically relevant because, although the transition to a mesenchymal phenotype is associated with increased metastatic potential and worse prognosis, many CTC isolation methods, including the leading antibody-based system, only identify cells expressing epithelial markers. CTCs could be isolated with the same efficiency from both fresh blood samples and frozen PBMCs. Subsequent automated single-CTC retrieval allowed the authors to identify CTCs based on their abnormal DNA copy number profiles, of which a similar number of CTCs were identified in both fresh and frozen samples. Long-term freezing of samples (1-3yrs), from NSCLC patients, had no detrimental effect on CTC isolation or identification. This study also showed that the majority of CTCs isolated were non-epithelial, further highlighting the importance of marker-independent CTC isolation. Importantly, CTCs isolated from frozen NSCLC patient PBMCs using the Parsortix system were analysed for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, with results showing good concordance with the primary tissue. Analysis and the potential to track druggable mutations, such as EGFR, in CTCs from frozen PBMC samples over multiple time points may help inform treatment decisions and investigate therapy response in the clinical setting, in a retrospective manner. Dr Giulia Bertolini and Dr Vera Cappelletti, Department of Experimental Oncology, National Cancer Institute of Milan, commented: "This study demonstrates the feasibility of CTC analyses in cryopreserved PBMCs and represents an advance in blood sample management for CTC studies, allowing for a better selection of informative time points to longitudinally investigate tumor progression/response to therapy thereby enabling retrospective studies." ANGLE Founder and Chief Executive, Andrew Newland, added: "We are pleased to report on the use of the Parsortix system for the unbiased isolation and molecular characterisation of CTCs from frozen PBMC samples with similar success as from fresh blood samples. This approach may help facilitate studies that require time-dependent sampling or are completed across multiple centres. DNA analysis of the cancer cells harvested by the Parsortix system offers the potential to track druggable mutations in CTCs as an aid to future treatment decisions for patients with NSCLC." The research has been published as a peer-reviewed publication in the Journal Clinical Chemistry and is available online at https://angleplc.com/library/publications/. For further information: ANGLE plc +44 (0) 1483 343434 Andrew Newland, Chief Executive Ian Griffiths, Finance Director Andrew Holder, Head of Investor Relations Berenberg (NOMAD and Joint Broker) Toby Flaux, Ciaran Walsh, Milo Bonser +44 (0) 20 3207 7800 Jefferies (Joint Broker) Max Jones, Thomas Bective +44 (0) 20 7029 8000 FTI Consulting Simon Conway, Ciara Martin Matthew Ventimiglia (US) +44 (0) 203 727 1000 +1 (212) 850 5624 For Frequently Used Terms, please see the Company's website on https://angleplc.com/investor-relations/glossary/ Notes for editors About ANGLE plc www.angleplc.com ANGLE is a world leading liquid biopsy company with sample-to-answer solutions. ANGLE's proven patent protected platforms include a circulating tumor cell (CTC) harvesting technology known as the Parsortix system and a downstream analysis system for cost effective, highly multiplexed analysis of nucleic acids and proteins. ANGLE's Parsortix system is FDA cleared for its intended use in metastatic breast cancer and is currently the first and only FDA cleared medical device to harvest intact circulating cancer cells from blood. Intended use The Parsortix PC1 system is an in vitro diagnostic device intended to enrich circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral blood collected in K2EDTA tubes from patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. The system employs a microfluidic chamber (a Parsortix cell separation cassette) to capture cells of a certain size and deformability from the population of cells present in blood. The cells retained in the cassette are harvested by the Parsortix PC1 system for use in subsequent downstream assays. The end user is responsible for the validation of any downstream assay. The standalone device, as indicated, does not identify, enumerate or characterize CTCs and cannot be used to make any diagnostic/prognostic claims for CTCs, including monitoring indications or as an aid in any disease management and/or treatment decisions. The Parsortix system enables a liquid biopsy (a simple blood test) to be used to provide the circulating metastatic breast cancer cells to the user in a format suitable for multiple types of downstream analyses. The system is based on a microfluidic device that captures cells based on a combination of their size and compressibility. The system is epitope independent and can capture all phenotypes of CTCs (epithelial, mesenchymal and EMTing CTCs) as well as CTC clusters in a viable form (alive). CTCs harvested from the system enable a complete picture of a cancer to be seen; as being an intact cell they allow DNA, RNA and protein analysis as well as cytological and morphological examination and may provide comparable analysis to a tissue biopsy in metastatic breast cancer. Because CTC analysis is a non-invasive process, unlike tissue biopsy, it can be repeated as often as needed. This is important because cancer develops and changes over time and there is a clear medical need for up-to-date information on the status of a patient's tumor. In addition, the live CTCs harvested by the Parsortix system can be cultured, which offers the potential for testing tumor response to drugs outside the patient. The Parsortix technology is the subject of 26 granted patents in Europe, the United States, China, Australia, Canada, India, Japan and Mexico with three extensive families of patents are being progressed worldwide. In the United States, the Parsortix PC1 system has received a Class II Classification from FDA for use with metastatic breast cancer patients. FDA clearance is seen as the global gold standard. ANGLE's Parsortix system is the first ever FDA cleared system for harvesting CTCs for subsequent analysis. ANGLE has applied the IVD CE Mark to the same system for the same intended use in Europe. ANGLE has also completed two separate 200 subject clinical studies under a program designed to develop an ovarian cancer pelvic mass triage test, with the results showing best in class accuracy (AUC-ROC) of 95.1%. The pelvic mass triage assay has undergone further refinement and optimisation and a 200 patient clinical verification study has now completed enrolment. ANGLE's technology for the multiplex evaluation of proteins and nucleic acids of all types is called the HyCEADTM platform and is based on a patented flow through array technology. It provides for low cost, highly multiplexed, rapid and sensitive capture of targets from a wide variety of sample types. A proprietary chemistry approach (the HyCEAD method) allows for the capture and amplification of over 100 biomarkers simultaneously in a single reaction. The HyCEAD system is extremely sensitive and is ideal for measuring gene expression and other markers directly from Parsortix harvests and was used in the ovarian cancer pelvic mass triage test to achieve best in class accuracy (AUC-ROC) of 95.1%. ANGLE's proprietary technologies can be combined to provide automated, sample-to-answer results in both centralised laboratory and point-of-use cartridge formats. ANGLE has established formal collaborations with world-class cancer centres and major corporates such as Abbott, Philips and QIAGEN, and works closely with leading CTC translational research customers. These Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) are working to identify applications with medical utility (clear benefit to patients), and to secure clinical data that demonstrates that utility in patient studies. The body of evidence as to the benefits of the Parsortix system is growing rapidly from our own clinical studies in metastatic breast cancer and ovarian cancer and also from KOLs with 60 peer-reviewed publications and numerous publicly available posters from 31 independent cancer centres, available on our website. ANGLE has established clinical services laboratories in the UK and the United States to accelerate commercialisation of the Parsortix system and act as demonstrators to support product development. The laboratories offer services globally to pharmaceutical and biotech customers for use of Parsortix in cancer drug trials and, once the laboratories are accredited and tests validated, will provide Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs) for patient management. This information is provided by Reach, the non-regulatory press release distribution service of RNS, part of the London Stock Exchange. 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: ANGLE PLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702961/Angle-PLC-Announces-Molecular-Characterisation-of-CTCs Tata Power has commissioned a 100 MW solar project in the Indian state of Maharashtra, while Acme Solar has turned on a 200 MW PV facility in Rajasthan.From pv magazine India Tata Power has revealed that its Tata Power Renewable Energy unit has commissioned a 100 MW/138 MWp solar project in Partur, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The installation features more than 4,11,900 monocrystalline PV modules and spans 600 acres. It will supply electricity to Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd. (MSEDCL). It is expected to help offset around 234 million tons of CO2 emissions per year. ... 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. Dr. Boumediene Soufi, global head of Sandoz AMR (antimicrobial resistance) program, to represent Sandoz as Board member of AMR Industry Alliance (https://www.amrindustryalliance.org/) (AMRIA) The Alliance brings together about 100 life science companies / associations in search of sustainable solutions to curb AMR Sandoz, as largest global provider of generic antibiotics1, is committed to a pragmatic and balanced approach to address this growing global health threat Basel, May 27, 2020 - Sandoz is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Boumediene Soufi, global head of the Sandoz Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) program, as its new representative to the Board of the AMR Industry Alliance (https://www.amrindustryalliance.org/) (AMRIA). The Alliance is a coalition of approximately 100 biotechnology, diagnostic, generic and research-based biopharmaceutical companies and trade associations, formed to drive and measure industry progress towards curbing AMR. Dr. Soufi, who was appointed to lead the Sandoz AMR program earlier this year, assumes the AMRIA role, representing companies in the generics industry section, with immediate effect. He replaces Dominic De Souza, who will now dedicate himself fulltime to his role as Head Product Transformation, Global B2B. Sandoz would like to express its sincere thanks to Dr. De Souza for his committed efforts over the last few years. Dr. Soufi said: "I am very humbled, honored and proud to join the Alliance Board and look forward to working with my colleagues across the industry to ensure a pragmatic and balanced approach to tackling this unprecedented global health threat, which is now estimated to be directly responsible for nearly 1.3 million deaths every year - as many as malaria and HIV combined." "Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine, treating previously incurable diseases and drastically reducing the risks of everyday medical procedures including surgery and chemotherapy. AMR, if allowed to spread unchecked, could spell the end of modern medicine. But we have a real opportunity to stop that happening - if we act together now." Dr. Soufi joined Sandoz in 2015 and has held progressively senior positions focusing on sustainable efficiency, digital innovation and leading the entire end-to end Sandoz anti-infectives portfolio / pipeline. He is a biotechnologist by training, specializing in the field of microbial quantitative proteomics. Sandoz is the largest global provider of generic antibiotics1 and the only remaining company with a major end-to-end antibiotics supply chain based in Europe (primarily Kundl, Austria), covering all production steps from active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) to Finished Dosage Forms (FDF) for many leading antibiotics. Disclaimer This media update contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this media update, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this media update will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Neither can there be any guarantee that, if approved, such generic or biosimilar products will be approved for all indications included in the reference product's label. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; competition in general, including potential approval of additional generic or biosimilar versions of such products; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; litigation outcomes, including intellectual property disputes or other legal efforts to prevent or limit Sandoz from selling its products; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this media update as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this media update as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Sandoz Sandoz, a Novartis division, is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. Our purpose is to pioneer access for patients by developing and commercializing novel, affordable approaches that address unmet medical need. Our ambition is to be the world's leading and most valued generics company. Our broad portfolio of high-quality medicines, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2019 sales of USD 9.7 billion. Sandoz on social media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandoz/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandoz/) Twitter: https://twitter.com/sandoz_global (https://twitter.com/sandoz_global) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandozglobal/ (https://www.facebook.com/sandozglobal/) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandozglobal (https://www.instagram.com/sandozglobal) CEO Richard Saynor on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-saynor/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-saynor/) Interview on AMR with Richard Saynor and Lutz Hegemann of Novartis Global Health: Opinion: 4 steps to stay ahead of antimicrobial resistance | Devex (https://www.devex.com/news/sponsored/opinion-4-steps-to-stay-ahead-of-antimicrobial-resistance-103170) # # # References Source IQVIA PADDS Feb 2022 Sandoz Global Communications Chris Lewis Sandoz Global Communications +49 174 244 9501 (mobile) chris.lewis@sandoz.com (mailto:chris.lewis@sandoz.com) Michelle Bauman Sandoz Global Communications +1 973 714 8043 (mobile) michelle.bauman@sandoz.com (mailto:michelle.bauman@sandoz.com) Novartis Investor Relations Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944 E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com (mailto:investor.relations@novartis.com) LONDON, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ATFX was unveiled as the Official Global Partner for the iFX International EXPO 2022, taking place in Cyprus from 7-9 June 2022. Being the official global partner is a coveted honour that is envied by many brokers, given the international nature of the EXPO. The iFX EXPO is the world's first and largest financial business-to-business exhibition that has been taking place for over a decade. The expo brings together businesses and professionals from the broader financial services, online trading, and fintech sectors. The Expo is viewed as a networking event where finance professionals can interact while exploring the different businesses represented at the Expo. As a global partner, ATFX's brand together with it's institutional brand ATFX Connect will be visible to all attendees, attracting significant attention to the broker and its services. In addition, the broker will be showcasing its products and services from booth 156, and all attendees are welcome to see its cutting-edge services in action. Being named a global partner is a significant achievement that a few brokers with well-respected brands bestowed. However, to be given this honour, a broker must have proven that its products and services are a cut above the rest since its brand will be associated with the EXPO organisers. ATFX has established itself as a leading broker serving retail and institutional traders. Founded just a few years ago in 2017, the broker has carved a niche for itself driven by its focus on fintech as the main driver behind its business. The CFDs broker has launched multiple fintech-based services that have improved services such as customer verification and onboarding and provided automated signals to all its clients regarding potential buy and sell trades. ATFX Connect is the broker's institutional business that serves high net worth individuals, institutions, hedge funds, and money managers. Its clients have access to Tier 1 bank liquidity, among other bespoke financial services customised to suit each client's needs. The volume of trades processed by ATFX has risen steadily over time, with the latest figures showing the broker's trading volume surpassed $400 billion in Q1 2022. Therefore, it is clear that ATFX has earned its spot as the global partner for the iFX EXPO 2022. ATFX is looking forward to meeting and interacting with its current and potential clients during the EXPO. ATFX website: www.atfx.com ATFX Connect website: www.atfxconnect.com ATFX ATFX is an award-winning FX/CFD broker with a global presence offering customer support in over 15 languages. With over 300 tradable financial assets, including forex, cryptocurrency, precious metals, energy, indices, and shares traded as CFDs, ATFX is regulated by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) in Cyprus. ATFX is licensed by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in Mauritius, and registered by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. ATFX Connect Back in 2019, ATFX stepped into the Institutional arena to launch its Multi-Access platform ATFX Connect. The management's vision was to expand the broker's global presence and provide award-winning liquidity and customer service to the institutional community. With the focus on the professional investor, the ATFX Connect platform is designed to provide an efficient automated trading venue that delivers tailored liquidity solutions to Hedge Funds, Asset Managers, Brokers, Private Banks, and other financial institutions. Sissako joins Taiwanese Team on International Co-production; Wu Ke-xi Announced as Lead Actress TAIPEI, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2022 Cannes Film Market (Marche du Film) drew to a close on May 25. This year, the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) participated in both the physical and online markets. In addition to attracting interests and attention from film professionals around the world, TAICCA also staged the very first Taiwan Cinema Networking Party, an exciting gathering of over 150 international film industry guests. Participants from Taiwan included director Midi Z, actress WU Ke-xi, producers Vincent WANG, Justine O., Anita GOU, as well as HU Ching-fang, director of Centre Culturel de Taiwan a Paris. TAICCA's 2022 participation in Cannes aims to help connect Taiwan's industry personnel with people networks across the world, increase opportunities for international cooperation, and enhance the visibility of Taiwan's film and TV industry to show that Taiwan can be the best partner in Asia for international production teams. The works presented by TAICAA at this year's Taiwan Pavilion showcased the creative energy of Taiwanese film and television. Many titles that have received support from TAICCA's international co-funding program officially announced their international co-production projects during Marche du Film in Cannes. This included the thriller In My Mother's Skin, which also received support from Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), making it the first international co-production between the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. In addition, the co-production between Taiwan, France, Luxembourg and Mauritania, The Perfumed Hill, directed by Abderrahmane SISSAKO and produced by Vincent WANG, also officially announced Taiwan's WU Ke-xi as the film's lead actress. The two production teams met at Cannes and will start shooting in Taiwan this September. In 2014, SISSAKO's Timbuktu was selected in official selection at Cannes, also picking up seven awards including Best Director and Best Original Screenplay at France's Cesar Awards, and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards. SISSAKO said when he met with TAICCA chairperson TING Hsiao-ching in Paris in March this year, he had already sensed TAICCA's active efforts in facilitating international co-productions. It is his hope to bring attention to the plight of ethnic minorities through his films, he said, noting that the freedom of Taiwan's filming environment is very important to filmmakers. Furthermore, both the assistance from Taiwan government and local film commissions, and the "co-pro ready" skill set of Taiwanese film crews are some of the incentives for international production teams to seek cooperation opportunities with Taiwan, he said, adding that Taiwan is also the most suitable filming base in Asia. Other heavyweights of the global film industry who visited the Taiwan Pavilion this year included Cesar Awards vice-president Patrick SOBELMAN, producer of the Taiwan-France co-production The Last Queen; Brazilian director Kleber MENDONCA Filho, producer of Do Fish Sleep with Their Eyes Open?; and Shozo ICHIYAMA, producer of the Taiwan-Japan-US co-production Black Ox, as well as other industry participants who have worked on projects supported by TAICCA's International Co-funding Program. As the global film and television industry gradually makes its way out of the pandemic, TAICCA will seize opportunities arising from the physical resumption of the most important international film markets and festivals, continue to promote international co-funding and co-productions, and gain the attention of international industry professionals. By introducing its international co-production programs and connecting to global industry and professionals, TAICCA looks forward to bringing in international perspectives and resources for the local industry, as well as sharing Taiwan's support in financing, filming and working with potential partners. About TAICCA ( https://en.taicca.tw/ ) The Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), established in June 2019 and supervised by the Ministry of Culture, is a professional intermediary organization working to promote the development of Taiwan's content industries including film and TV, publishing, pop music, ACG, and more. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827495/150__filmmakers_gathering_Taiwan_Cinema_Networking_Party__Photo_source_TAICCA.jpg United States Senate Republicans on Thursday rejected to have a debate on a bill that seeks to battle domestic terrorism, including white supremacy, in the wake of mass shootings and a white supremacist attack that killed 10 Black people in New York. The vote, which ended 47-47, fell short of the 60 affirmative votes required to launch a debate in the 100-member Senate on pa bill that was titled "Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act." The Republican's opposition vote effectively blocked the proposal which would have authorized federal agencies to monitor and report jointly on domestic terrorism within the U.S., including incidents related to white supremacy. Domestic Terrorism Bill GOP members argued that the legislation was unnecessary as Democratic President Joe Biden already had the authority to organize his administration's response to violent extremism. On the other hand, left-wing lawmakers said that the bill was needed to bolster the federal government's response to rising incidents of violent extremism. Democratic lawmakers argued that amendments to any such bill could address potential restrictions on guns. In recent years, mass shootings have provoked discussion in Congress on what to do about gun violence but little has been done as the two parties are deeply divided on gun laws, as per Reuters. Americans have little confidence in the ability of Congress to solve the problem as a poll on Tuesday showed that just 35% believe lawmakers will act on the issue. The House of Representatives passed the domestic terrorism bill along party lines last week in the wake of an 18-year-old fatally shooting 10 Black people in a live-streamed shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. Read Also: New York Subway Shooting Suspect Surrenders After Apparently Unprovoked Fatal Attack On Tuesday, a lone gunman stormed a school in Uvalde, Texas, and killed dozens of young children and two teachers. Senate Democrats and some Republicans have already discussed the possibility of bipartisan legislation to address mass shootings, including proposals to expand background checks for the purchase of guns and to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill. According to CNN, the failure of the domestic terrorism bill to pass the Senate underscores yet again the difficulties that lawmakers face in enacting any kind of major policy change in the wake of mass shootings amid a highly polarized political environment and widespread Republican opposition to stricter gun controls. Republican Opposition Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger was the only Republican in the Senate that voted for the measure among the GOP when the Democrat-led House approved it. This comes as the Justice Department is investigating the Buffalo supermarket shooting as a hate crime and "an act of racially-motivated violent extremism." The mass shooting at the Texas elementary school also sparked impassioned calls from Democrats for legislation to counter gun violence. If it passed, the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022 would have set up offices specifically focused on domestic terrorism at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the domestic terrorism bill was so important because the mass shooting in Buffalo was an act of domestic terrorism. The official argued that the legislation was needed to address the problem that has plagued the United States for so long, Kansas Reflector reported. Related Article: President Joe Biden Addresses the Nation After Deadly Texas Shooting That Kills 14 Students; VP, Officials Condemn the 'Horrific' Incident @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SHENZHEN, China, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ANYX, a fresh and exciting new vape brand powered by Aspire Group, has announced it will release its first pod system e-cigarette globally on 16th June 2022. Dedicated to its brand mission of providing high-quality, aesthetically pleasing products and satisfying sensory experiences to users, ANYX incorporates cutting-edge technology and user-driven design to surprise and delight customers with a game-changing product experience. By connecting global users with a shared passion, ANYX also aims to actively promote a delightful, confident, energetic, and inclusive lifestyle. Despite being a new brand in the market, ANYX is backed by years of experience and industry expertise. In addition to well-known technical experts in the e-cigarette industry, ANYX has built up a team of talents who previously worked for top companies in the sectors of internet, consumer electronics, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) , allowing it to secure tens of millions of dollars in funding at its inception. To date, the brand has accrued more than 1,500 industry patents and established 120 production lines covering three dedicated production bases. It also boasts a strong R&D team of over 120 engineers, advanced production, sales and digital marketing capabilities. This seasoned team has enabled the brand to provide the global community with safe, dependable, and high-quality atomization products that distinguish it from the competition and add value to the brand's partners. As vaping technology grows in popularity, more people are looking for products that offer enjoyment and sensory pleasure. In line with its mission to create products with social features and build a user-driven brand, ANYX hopes to use its products to strengthen the bonds amongst global vaping enthusiasts and promote communication for a more diverse, pleasant, on-trend and energizing experience. If you want to know more, visit us at: www.anyxglobal.com and follow us on social media : Instagram @ANYX Global Facebook @ANYX Global CONTACT: william@anyxglobal.com - WDHD 2022 is dedicated to raising awareness on colorectal cancer prevention - In Europe more than 519,820 new cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) were diagnosed in 2020 - Adenoma detection rate (ADR) is crucial in the prevention of CRC - Lumeblue outcomes from a phase III study showed increases in the absolute ADR rate of 8.5% BOLOGNA, Italy, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of World Digestive Health 2022, Italian pharmaceutical group Alfasigma is proud to announce the launch of its new diagnostic drug Lumeblue (per-oral methylene blue). This latest innovation is part of the company's commitment to raising awareness on colorectal cancer (CRC), still the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, through a healthy lifestyle and regular screenings. Lumeblue is approved by EMA (European Medicines Agency) for the detection of lesions during colonoscopy. Lumeblue was in a symposium titled "A new tool in colonoscopy: Per-oral methylene blue" at ESGE Days 2022 as a new diagnostic drug to improve the detection of lesions during colonoscopy. In Europe, CRC is the second most common oncological disease in terms of incidence and mortality, with 519,820 new cases and 244,824 deaths registered in 2020. The symposium was held in the presence of about 400 European physicians from the areas of colonoscopy, gastroenterology, surgery, and internal medicine. Main lectures were presented by three of the most influential experts in the field, Michal Kaminski, Prateek Sharma, and Alessandro Repici. "Improving the ADR, even from a threshold above 25%, reduces the risk of interval cancer or colon rectal cancer death in both the screened population and high-risk CRC patients," affirmed professorMichal Kaminski, Head of the Department of Cancer Prevention and Head of Endoscopy Unit in the Department of Gastroenterological Oncology at the Maria-Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland. "Quality parameters in colonoscopy and the significance of the adenoma detection rate (ADR), which, although shows a high variation among endoscopists in clinical practice, is one of the key performance measures in colonoscopy for the identification of the disease in patients at various levels of risk of Colon Rectal Cancer, and is applicable to all indications of colonoscopy." Chromoendoscopy in screening and surveillance starting from current limitations and unmet needs in standard colonoscopy were the topics lectured by professor Prateek Sharma, Section Chief of Gastroenterology at the Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Centre and Program Director at the University of Kansas School of Medicine: "Data from the medical literature show that dye-based chromoendoscopy improves polyp detection and ADR compared to HD white light colonoscopy or virtual chromoendoscopy. However, this technique highlights the increased withdrawal time for colonoscopy, while the oral use of methylene blue in colon preparation can be more promising." In conclusion, professor Alessandro Repici, Professor of Gastroenterology at Humanitas University Medical School, introduced his experience with per-oral methylene blue in colonoscopy. He explained how to move out from the cumbersome procedure applied with the dye-spray chromoendoscopy to a new perspective of dye use: "The adoption of traditional chromoendoscopy in routine colonoscopy has several barriers and is not a real time procedure because of practical issues to prepare and dispense the dye during colonoscopy." Repici presented the clinical outcomes from a phase III study showing the use of Lumeblue in patients undergoing screening and surveillance endoscopy, increases the absolute ADR rate of 8.5% as a mirroring result of data that can be currently reported in clinical studies using artificial intelligence. "The use of Lumeblue is targeted to colonoscopy in FIT+ patients, high risk (IBD/hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer), screening or surveillance and is totally safe from warnings of genotoxicity of methylene blue," Prof. Repici concluded. Lumeblue is now available in Italy, after the commercial launch by Alfasigma held in early April and will be launched in the next months in other European countries. In fact, in February 2021, Alfasigma reached a licensing agreement with Cosmo Pharmaceuticals NV (SIX: COPN) in the EU rights (plus Switzerland, UK, European Economic Area countries, Russia, and Mexico) for Lumeblue. About Alfasigma Privately owned, Alfasigma is an Italy-based multinational pharmaceutical company with a presence in over 90 countries through distributors and subsidiaries. The company employs a workforce of around 3,000 people, has in-house R&D capabilities and several production plants. Alfasigma is known for its strong focus on gastroenterology and vascular. More information is available at https://www.alfasigma.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1325576/Alfasigma_Logo.jpg The "Europe Anal Irrigation Systems Market Forecast to 2028 COVID-19 Impact and Regional Analysis by Product, Patient, and End User" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Europe anal irrigation systems market is expected to grow from US$ 130.76 million in 2021 to US$ 162.93 million by 2028 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.2% from 2021 to 2028. Factors such as rising incidence of colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases, growing geriatric population and increasing developments in minimally invasive procedures boost the market growth. However, the high cost of anal irrigation systems hampers the growth of the Europe anal irrigation systems market. Fecal incontinence and chronic constipation are common health problems among many adults and children. Manufacturers are developing innovative anal irrigation systems that help individuals and healthcare providers treat chronic constipation and support efficient bowel management. The growing geriatric population worldwide is prone to constipation, fecal incontinence, and other neurological disorders. The anal irrigation systems have proven to be simple, safe, and effective in treating fecal incontinence and are also cost-effective. Many studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the anal irrigation method over conservative bowel management methods, such as constipation medication, manual voiding, and surgery. Caregivers in home care facilities and hospitals increasingly use anal irrigation systems to achieve complete bowel rehabilitation in diaper-dependent patients. Healthcare providers are reaping the benefits of anal irrigation systems to help patients achieve increased bladder capacity. Therefore, healthcare manufacturers are developing new and innovative anal irrigation systems that are minimally invasive, safe, simple, and effective for treating fecal incontinence. Anal irrigation is considered as a minimally invasive technique that has proven to be clinically effective for patients suffering from neurological bowel syndrome. It is a safe, well-tolerated, and effective procedure. Various companies have developed anal irrigation systems with advance technologies. Advancements in medical device technologies have enabled the manufacturers to offer integrated systems with a rectal balloon catheter and a water pump/container. The systems allow patients to avoid body movement to irrigate themselves. Bullen Healthcare Ltd, B Braun Melsungen AG, Wellspect HealthCare AB, Coloplast A/S, and MacGregor Healthcare Ltd are among the companies in the UK offering Aquaflush, IryPump S, Navina Systems, Peristeen, and Qufora, respectively. The minimally invasive anal irrigation systems are widely used among children suffering from myelomeningocele, a severe form of spina bifida. The anal irrigation systems help control stoma output and offers benefits for fecal incontinence, rectocele, and constipation. In November 2019, Wellspect HealthCare, a DentsplySirona Company, applied for 510 (K) application for its Navina Smart System. The updated Navina Classic System of the company has received clearance for premarket notification K170487. On the technical front, both devices differ in design and biocompatibility. Such developments in minimally invasive systems, such as anal irrigation systems, are likely to influence the Europe anal irrigation systems market growth during the forecast period. Opportunity of Anal Irrigation Systems Market The rising awareness regarding minimally invasive procedure and growing financial status of people are expected to increase the demand for anal irrigation systems in home care setting in the coming years. Moreover, the introduction of advanced medical devices and the growing emphasis on preventive care, diagnostics, and treatment are among the major factors that would escalate the adoption of anal irrigation systems in future. Increase in disposable income make households capable of spending good amounts on better healthcare facilities. This eventually leads to rise in the adoption of advanced anal irrigation systems, which would offer opportunity for the growth of anal irrigation providers in the coming years. Anal or trans-anal irrigation systems are being acknowledged as minimally invasive techniques. However, these systems require constant support from experienced healthcare professionals to ensure compliance and efficacy of the system. Also, the initial cost of anal irrigation systems is higher than the long-term cost of other treatments. However, continuous technological advancements by the medical device providers, with continuous investments in research and development, are expected to lead to a wider adoption of anal irrigation systems in the coming years. Moreover, the market players are implementing several strategies to upgrade the existing technologies, which would support the Europe anal irrigation systems market growth during the forecast period. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1 Scope of the Study 1.2 The Publisher's Report Guidance 1.3 Market Segmentation 2. Anal Irrigation Systems Market Key Takeaways 3. Research Methodology 4. Europe Anal Irrigation Systems- Market Landscape 4.1 Overview 4.2 PEST Analysis 4.3 Expert Opinions 5. Anal Irrigation Systems Market Key Market Dynamics 5.1 Market Driver 5.1.1 Rising Incidence of Colorectal Cancer and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 5.1.2 Growth in Geriatric Population 5.1.3 Developments in Minimally Invasive Procedures 5.2 Market Restraints 5.2.1 High Cost of Anal Irrigation System 5.3 Market Opportunities 5.3.1 Growing Demand in Home Care Settings 5.4 Future Trends 5.4.1 Technological Developments in Anal Irrigation Systems 5.5 Impact Analysis of Drivers and Restraints 6. Anal Irrigation Systems Market Europe Analysis 6.1 Europe Anal Irrigation Systems Market Revenue Forecast and Analysis 6.1.1 Europe Anal Irrigation Systems Market Market Potential Analysis, By Country 6.1.2 Market Share Analysis of Anal Irrigation Systems Market 6.2 Company Analysis 6.2.1 Market Positioning of Anal Irrigation Systems Market 6.2.2 Comparative Company Analysis 6.2.3 Growth Strategy Analysis 6.2.4 Performance of Key Players 6.2.4.1 Coloplast Group 6.2.4.2 B. Braun Melsungen AG 7. Anal Irrigation Systems Market Analysis By Product 7.1 Overview 7.2 Anal Irrigation Systems Market Revenue Share, by Product (2021 and 2028) 7.3 Mini Devices 7.4 Cone Devices 7.5 Bed Systems 7.6 Balloon Catheter Devices 8. Anal Irrigation Systems Market By Patient 8.1 Overview 8.2 Anal Irrigation Systems Market, by Patient, 2021 and 2028 (%) 8.3 Children 8.4 Adults 9. Anal Irrigation Systems Market By End User 9.1 Overview 9.2 Anal Irrigation Systems Market, by End User, 2021 and 2028 (%) 9.3 Hospitals 9.4 Clinics 9.5 Ambulatory Surgical Centers 9.6 Home Care Settings Company Profiles BD ConvaTec Group Plc Consure Medical, Inc. Coloplast Group B. Braun Melsungen AG Dentsply Sirona Renew Medical Inc MBH-International A/S ProSys International Ltd UROMED Kurt Drews KG For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gqb0ta View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220527005144/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 COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / May 27, 2022 / Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc. (NYSE American:IDR) ("IDR", "Idaho Strategic" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its endorsement of the Thorium Energy Security Act of 2022, a bill which was submitted to Congress on May 18th, 2022, by U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The Thorium Energy Security Act aims to prevent the destruction of Uranium 233 (U-233), a critical element used to produce clean energy. "Thorium and U-233 hold the promise to produce clean, safe power and are vital to our national security. Energy will continue to be at the heart of global conflicts, so the United States must invest in energy technology," Senator Tuberville said. "China clearly saw the value in our thorium research-they've taken up where we left off, and we may soon see thorium-powered Chinese aircraft carriers and thorium reactors on the Belt & Road courtesy of American technology." (https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/tuberville-marshall-introduce-bill-to-save-clean-safe-nuclear-power/) Apart from controlling the Lemhi Pass Thorium-REE resource; the largest known Thorium resource in the Unites States (per the U.S. Geological Survey and Idaho Geological Survey), Idaho Strategic is endorsing this bill because it is a major step in the right direction toward national defense while helping to realize the U.S.' decarbonization goals. IDR's President and CEO, John Swallow added, "We have commented many times on our view toward China and our lack of readiness as a country - much of which was easily avoidable. It is reassuring to see multiple state Senators willing to come forward and do the work to understand the opportunities that Thorium presents. The reality is that the United States was once the leader in Thorium reactor technology and subsequently gave all our research to China. Nonetheless, it is very encouraging to finally see this kind of public support for Thorium." Building from the nuclear research commenced during World War 2, as part of the Manhattan Project and the ensuing Cold War, there were many across the scientific community who truly believed that when the United States was ready to shift its focus from building nuclear bombs to saving the environment, a natural shift from Uranium to Thorium as the preferred component of nuclear fuel would occur. As the U.S. has committed itself down the path of decarbonization, it only makes sense that Thorium and molten-salt reactor technology begin to resurface as a potential answer to providing safe, environmentally friendly nuclear energy with low weaponization potential. A link to Senator Tommy Tuberville's presentation of the Thorium Energy Security Act of 2022 can be found here: https://www.youtube.com About Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc. Domiciled in Idaho and headquartered in the Panhandle of northern Idaho, Idaho Strategic Resources (IDR) is one of the few resource-based companies (public or private) possessing the combination of officially recognized U.S. domestic rare earth element properties (in Idaho), the largest known concentration of thorium resources in the U.S., and Idaho-based gold production located in an established mining community. Idaho Strategic Resources produces gold at the Golden Chest Mine located in the Murray Gold Belt (MGB) area of the world-class Coeur d'Alene Mining District, north of the prolific Silver Valley. With over 7,000 acres of patented and unpatented land, the Company has the largest private land position in the area following its consolidation of the Murray Gold Belt for the first time in over 100-years. In addition to gold and gold production, the Company maintains an important strategic presence in the U.S. Critical Minerals sector, specifically focused on the more "at-risk" Rare Earth Elements (REE's) and Thorium. The Company's Diamond Creek and Roberts REE properties are included the U.S. national REE inventory as listed in USGS, IGS and DOE publications. IDR's Lemhi Pass Thorium-REE Project is recognized by the USGS and IGS as containing the largest concentration of thorium resources in the country. All three projects are located in central Idaho and participating in the USGS Earth MRI program. With an impressive mix of experience and dedication, the folks at IDR maintain a long-standing "We Live Here" approach to corporate culture, land management, and historic preservation. Furthermore, it is our belief that successful operations begin with the heightened responsibility that only local oversight and a community mindset can provide. Its "everyone goes home at night" policy would not be possible without the multi-generational base of local exploration, drilling, mining, milling, and business professionals that reside in and near the communities of the Silver Valley and North Idaho. For more information on Idaho Strategic Resources click herefor our corporate presentation, go to www.idahostrategic.comor call: Travis Swallow, Investor Relations & Corporate Development Email: tswallow@idahostrategic.com (208) 625-9001 Forward Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor created by such sections. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by forward-looking words such as "assume", "expect", "believe", "potential", "plan", "may", "goal', "estimate", "intend", "anticipate" and "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions, or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, Idaho Strategic Resources expectations, intentions, plans, assumptions, and beliefs with respect to, among other things, estimated and targeted production rates and results, the expected prices of gold, rare earth elements, and/or thorium, as well as the related costs, expenses and capital expenditures, and the potential advancement of rare earth element, thorium, or other critical mineral resources. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of Idaho Strategic Resources as of the date such information is provided 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 IDR to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. IDR does not endorse the materials contained in the links provided in this press release as factual, based on scientific facts, and/or coming from the company. The forward-looking statement information above, and those following are applicable to both this press release, as well as the links to which this press release is referring to. With respect to the business of Idaho Strategic Resources, these risks and uncertainties include risks relating to widespread epidemics or pandemic outbreaks, if they occur, including our ability to access goods and supplies, the ability to transport our products and impacts on employee productivity, the risks in connection with the operations, cash flow and results of the Company relating to the unknown duration and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; interpretations or reinterpretations of geologic information; unfavorable exploration results; inability to obtain permits required for future exploration, development or production; general economic conditions and conditions affecting the industries in which the Company operates; the uncertainty of regulatory requirements and approvals; fluctuating mineral and commodity prices; the ability to obtain necessary future financing on acceptable terms; the success of the Thorium Energy Security Act of 2022, (mentioned in this release) the ability to operate the Company's projects; and risks associated with the mining industry such as economic factors (including future commodity prices, and energy prices), ground conditions, failure of plant, equipment, processes and transportation services to operate as anticipated, environmental risks, government regulation, actual results of current exploration and production activities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, permitting timelines, capital and construction expenditures, reclamation activities. 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. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from this forward-looking information is available in Idaho Strategic Resources filings with the SEC on EDGAR. IDR does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or other such factors which affect this information, except as required by law. SOURCE: Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702986/Idaho-Strategic-Resources-Endorses-the-Thorium-Energy-Security-Act-of-2022-Submitted-to-Congress VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 27, 2022 / Komo Plant Based Foods Inc. (CSE:YUM)(OTCQB:KOMOF)(FRA:9HB) ("Komo") is pleased to announce the appointment of a U.S. sales consultant, Caboodle Consulting LLC (Caboodle), to develop Komo's retail expansion throughout the United States. Komo will work closely with the Caboodle sales management team to build out the US retail strategy. Heather Barry Whittier will be representing Komo as the Director of Sales. Ms. Whittier has 20+ years experience in the natural products industry including a pivotal role in growing a brokerage, Yin Yang Naturals, from regional to national coverage. Other members of the Caboodle management team include Lisa Thorson and Constance Wolfe. Lisa Thorson comes from a Market Analysis background with 10+ years' experience in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brokerage and brand management with experience at Laird Superfood and Alliance Sales & Marketing. Constance Wolfe offers 10+ years of brand management experience including specializing in data analysis and trade spend promotional management with experience at Coconut Bliss and Hilary's Eat Well. Caboodle is a consulting group that provides roadmaps for CPG food brands looking to expand in the U.S. grocery marketplace. Depending on their unique goals, strategies are developed utilizing customized programming including data analytics, sales management, and emerging brand fundamentals. Caboodle plans to soon launch an online platform which will serve as a digital hub for growth & management. "The United States represents a significant opportunity for Komo," says Komo Comfort Foods President, Jeffrey Ma. "We're excited to have Heather Whittier representing Komo to build out our U.S. expansion. Her experience and contacts in the industry will be key for our U.S. strategy. We are extremely happy with the dedication of the team at Caboodle so far and look forward to the future of this relationship." Komo has recently secured a US warehouse with HLC Distributing, based in Oregon. About Komo Komo Plant Based Foods Inc. is a premium plant-based food company that develops, manufactures and sells a variety of plant-based frozen meals that are always hearty, satisfying, and made with wholesome ingredients. At Komo, our mission is to help make plant-based meals a staple on every dinner table by sharing our love for feel-good food that connects the people to the planet. We believe plant-based eating is the future and - Change can start with a single biteTM. Our experienced plant-based innovation and development team recreates vegan versions of traditionally cheesy and meaty classics, with 100% plants. Komo's products are sold direct-to-consumer through our eCommerce website and a distribution network of online and brick and mortar grocery, convenience and natural retailer channels. Our operating subsidiary Komo Comfort Foods launched in 2021 with our flagship products: plant-based Lasagna, Shepherd's Pie and Chickenless Pot Pie and Komo Plant-Based Meal HelpersTM - versatile meal starters to allow the creation of many dishes at home. All of our products are 100% plant-based, made with wholesome ingredients, free from preservatives, and frozen for freshness. Komo's plant-based lasagna was award the Best New Vegan Product at the Natural Products Expo West Show in March 2022. Learn more at: www.komocomfortfoods.com and follow on Instagram: @komocomfortfoods For further information, please contact: William White, President & CEO, Komo Plant Based Foods Inc. will@komoeats.com 1-866-969-0882 The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or Komo's future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Komo's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, Komo's product development plans, its ability to launch its products on food delivery apps, its ability to retain key personnel, its revenues, and its expectation as to the acceptance of its products by retailer stores and consumers constitute forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The statements made in this press release are made as of the date hereof. Komo disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: KOMO Plant Based Foods Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702985/Komo-Plant-Based-Foods-Appoints-US-Sales-Management-Consultants Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Sarah Armstrong-Montoya, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cordoba Minerals Corp. (TSXV: CDB) (OTCQB: CDBMF) otherwise "Cordoba" or the "Company"), provides an update on the recently completed exploration diamond drilling at the 100%-owned San Matias Project. Highlights: Cordoba completed a total of 2,152.7 metres (m) of diamond drilling within four holes focused on the suspected buried Alacran Porphyry Target (below the proposed open pit) and two holes within the Alacran Northern Extension Target. Mineralization within drill holes ACD094, ACD096 and ACD096A within the Alacran proposed open pit was consistent with the mineral resource block model (Figure 1 and Table 1). ACD094 - intersected 1.11% copper (Cu) and 0.19 g/t gold (Au) and 12.35 g/t silver (Ag) over 27.35 m (1.21% copper equivalent ("CuEq")). These drill holes did confirm the continuation and down dip edge of the Alacran mineralization, which provided additional support for the mineral resource ; however, the deeper source of the porphyry clasts seen in the previous drilling could not be located (refer to drill holes ACD084A, ACD094, ACD096 and ACD096A in Figure 1). The Alacran Northern Extension Target, drill holes ACD093A and ACD095, in Figure 1, continued to intersect the barren unit 2, sterilizing this northern area of possible mineralization. The origin of the Northern Extension Target's geochemical anomaly remains unexplained. The mineralized porphyry clasts seen so far are "xenoliths" located in restricted portions of a late mineral dacite intrusion (dacite breccia) which has at least some evidence for phreatomagmatic activity. Since these breccias can source material some distance from where they are emplaced, they do not give clear support for the porphyry source to be immediately adjacent or below the Alacran deposit. Nor has any hydrothermal alteration suggesting a vector towards a nearby porphyry source (laterally or at depth) been seen in the host stratigraphy. Therefore, the search for the source porphyry will move outward of the Alacran deposit and will require further mapping and geophysical surveys to provide new targets. "We have received encouraging assay results from the drill holes to further support the Alacran mineral resource/mineral reserve," commented Ms. Armstrong-Montoya, President and CEO of Cordoba. "We look forward to the continued advancement of the San Matias Project." Figure 1: Map showing the completed drill holes (black squares) at the Alacran Porphyry and the Alacran Northern Extension Targets. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3116/125503_d6f6bac2748acb6a_002full.jpg 2021-2022 Diamond Drill Program at the San Matias Project As per the November 29, 2021 press release, Cordoba drilled 2,152.7 m over six holes at the Alacran Porphyry and Alacran Northern Extension Targets. Alacran Porphyry Target Results Four holes were drilled on the northwestern part of the Alacran deposit in search of the suspected buried porphyry target. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Cu (%) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) CuEq1 (%) ACD094 10 28 18 0.3 0.1 2.3 0.3 and 79.9 85.75 5.85 0.46 0.21 8.93 0.61 and 95.15 122.5 27.35 1.11 0.19 12.35 1.21 ACD096 0 7.5 7.5 0.88 29.41 0.54 and 19 25.4 6.4 0.47 0.51 4.9 0.78 and 36.2 70.3 34.1 0.42 0.11 3.52 0.47 and 75.5 110.11 34.61 0.67 0.1 6.05 0.72 and 128.2 132.48 4.28 0.68 0.84 5.8 1.17 ACD096A 32.4 82.9 50.5 0.6 0.09 6.63 0.65 and 87.9 92.95 5.05 0.56 0.14 4.13 0.63 and 101.95 127.37 25.42 0.81 0.25 3.99 0.92 and 151.77 170 18.23 0.37 0.22 1.66 0.49 Table 1: 2021-2022 Alacran Porphyry Target significant intercepts2 ACD084A (Figure 2) extended ACD084. The hole sampled the dacitic breccia with occasional unmineralized porphyry clasts down to around 200 m below the collar, when it entered unmineralized unit 2 mudstones. No mineralization or alteration was seen, which was expected since the hole is to the immediate west of the block model. Therefore the western edge of the Alacran mineralization was confirmed by this hole. Figure 2: Alacran Porphyry Target section view on ACD084A To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3116/125503_d6f6bac2748acb6a_003full.jpg ACD094 (Figure 3) was collared in the Alacran village and drilled down dip of the ore body to determine whether the dacitic breccia truncated the Alacran deposit stratigraphy. This was not the case since continuous stratigraphy was encountered with stratabound mineralization observed with the following intersections, summarized in Table 1. 18 m of 0.3% CuEq from 10 m, 5.85 m of 0.61% CuEq from 79.9 m, and 27.35 m of 1.21% CuEq from 95.15 m. Figure 3: Alacran Porphyry Target section view on ACD094 To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3116/125503_d6f6bac2748acb6a_004full.jpg ACD096 (Figure 4) was then drilled approximately normal to the Alacran deposit stratigraphy to test whether any alteration related to the suspected porphyry could be located below a known high grade part of the deposit. No alteration was noted below the deposit, but the following mineralized intersections of unit 2 were recorded, corresponding with the Alacran deposit resource block model (Table 1): 7.5 m of 0.54% CuEq in saprolite from surface. This copper equivalency was calculated from gold and silver assays alone since no copper can be recovered from saprolite, 6.4 m of 0.78% CuEq from 19 m, 34.1 m of 0.47% CuEq from 36.2 m, 34.61 m of 0.72% CuEq from 75.5 m, and 4.28 m of 1.17% CuEq from 128.2 m. Figure 4: Alacran Porphyry Target section view on ACD096 To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3116/125503_d6f6bac2748acb6a_005full.jpg Based on the results of ACD096, a new drill hole ACD096A was proposed at a shallower dip to ACD096 to sample more of the stratigraphic host dacite breccias. This drill hole was also rotated further to the North to test whether there was evidence for the porphyry below the tonalite sill since no surface expression of mineralization would be seen below this late stage intrusive. ACD096A (Figure 5) used the same platform as ACD096 intersected mineralized unit 2 but did not return any evidence of a porphyry source (Table 1). 50.5 m of 0.65% CuEq from 32.4 m, 5.05 m of 0.63% CuEq from 87.9 m, 25.42 m of 0.92% CuEq from 101.95 m, and 18.23 m of 0.49% CuEq from 151.77 m. Figure 5: Alacran Porphyry Target section view on ACD096A To view an enhanced version of Figure 5, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3116/125503_d6f6bac2748acb6a_006full.jpg Alacran Northern Extension Results Two holes were completed at the Alacran Northern Extension Target. ACD093A was drilled directly below the geochemical anomaly identified on the hill to the north of the Alacran deposit. Figure 6 illustrates the hole intersected the dacite sill previously seen in drill hole ACD039 before intersecting the unit 3 mafic tuff representing the footwall of the Alacran deposit. On this basis, ACD095 (Figure 7) was collared further north, where the sill was interpreted to be thin. This was the case since ACD095 was collared in the sill and exited it at 198 m into unmineralized unit 2 before intersecting unit 3 mafic tuff at 204.1 m. Figure 6: Alacran Northern Target section view on ACD093A To view an enhanced version of Figure 6, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3116/125503_d6f6bac2748acb6a_007full.jpg Figure 7: Alacran Northern Target section view on ACD095 To view an enhanced version of Figure 7, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3116/125503_d6f6bac2748acb6a_008full.jpg Technical Information & Qualified Person The technical information in this release has been reviewed and verified by Mark Gibson, P.Geo., a Qualified Person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Gibson is the Chief Operating Officer of Cordoba Minerals and of Ivanhoe Electric Inc., Cordoba Minerals' majority shareholder, and is not considered independent under National Instrument 43-101. Cordoba utilizes a comprehensive industry-standard QA/QC program. PQ diamond drill core is sawn lengthwise in two halves, and one half is sampled and shipped to a sample preparation laboratory. The other half of the core is stored in a secure facility for future assay verification. All samples are prepared at ALS Minerals Laboratory in Medellin, Colombia, and assayed at ALS Minerals Laboratory in Vancouver, Canada. ALS Minerals operates in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025. Gold is determined by 50 g fire assay with an AAS finish. An initial multi-element suite comprising copper, molybdenum, silver and additional elements is analyzed by four-acid digest with an ICP-ES or ICP-MS finish. All samples with copper values over 2000 ppm are re-assayed by a method for higher grades, which also uses a four-acid digest with an ICP-ES finish. Certified reference materials, blanks, and duplicates are inserted into the sample stream to monitor laboratory performance About Cordoba Cordoba Minerals Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on the exploration, development and acquisition of copper and gold projects. Cordoba is developing its 100%-owned San Matias Copper-Gold-Silver Project, which includes the Alacran deposit and satellite deposits at Montiel East, Montiel West and Costa Azul, located in the Department of Cordoba, Colombia. Cordoba also holds a 51% interest in the Perseverance Copper Project in Arizona, USA, which it is exploring through a Joint Venture and Earn-In Agreement. For further information, please visit www.cordobaminerals.com. ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY Sarah Armstrong-Montoya, President and Chief Executive Officer Information Contact Ran Li +1-604-689-8765 info@cordobamineralscorp.com 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. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, that exploration will lead to the discovery of the potential porphyry source of the Alacran deposit and the possible Alacran Northern Extension; the exploration diamond drill program may be increased; and that ongoing exploration will lead to a potential discovery. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which Cordoba operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include actual exploration results, interpretation of metallurgical characteristics of the mineralization, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, delays or inability to receive required approvals, uncertainties relating to epidemics, pandemics and other public health crises, including COVID-19 or similar such viruses, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. 1 Copper equivalent ("CuEq") is calculated using the formula CuEq=((Copper%*Copper recovery)+100*((gold grade*gold recovery)/31.10305)/((copper%*copper price)*2204.62)+100*((silver grade*silver recovery)/31.10305)/((copper%*copper price)*2204.62) using the following assumptions: Metal prices of US$3.25/lb copper, US$1,600.00/oz gold, and US$20.00/oz silver, copper recovery of 92.5% (fresh and transition zone only), gold recovery of 78.1% and silver recovery of 62.9%. 2 Saprolite sample excludes copper To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125503 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Omai Gold Mines Corp. (TSXV: OMG) (OTC Pink: OMGGF) ("Omai" or the "Company") is pleased to provide results from the Company's first diamond drilling west of the Wenot resource1, and from trenching and drilling on the exploration targets west of Fennell, at its Omai gold project in Guyana. Results for two diamond drill holes, stepping out to the west of the new Wenot resource, plus five holes testing exploration targets include the following highlights: Hole 22ODD-038 (West Wenot) 5.01 g/t Au over 8.5 m Hole 22ODD-039 (West Wenot) 2.32 g/t Au over 17.1 m Hole 22ODD-033 (Blueberry Hill) 41.73 g/t Au over 0.9 m Importantly, this drilling was successful at extending the Wenot deposit to the west and further step-out drilling has continued. The intersection in hole 22ODD-039 of 2.32 g/t Au over 17.1 m is down dip of a zone that was drilled by shallow 1990's holes with 21 m @ 1.5 g/t, 15.0 m @ 1.7 g/t Au and 6.0 m @ 1.88 g/t Au, suggesting the continuity of this zone from surface down to at least a 140 m depth. These results open a significant new region for exploration and in un-mined areas in proximity to the Wenot resource area. Elaine Ellingham, CEO noted, "We are very pleased that our drilling has established that the Wenot shear zone extends to the west and continues to host significant gold mineralization. The gold mineralization in these new holes is similar to the main zones at Wenot. We recently deployed the second drill to commence step out drilling on the eastern extension of the Wenot deposit, roughly two kilometers to the east. Our objective is to work towards a revised NI 43-101 Wenot resource, assuming favourable results continue as we explore both the east and west extensions of the Wenot shear. Expanding the Wenot resource into these un-mined areas is significant for an ultimate mine plan as these could contribute to lower-strip-ratio starter pits for the larger Wenot deposit." Drilling commenced along the western extension of the Wenot gold zones at the end of March with five holes completed to date (1,423 m) and one additional hole underway (Table 1, Figures 1 & 2). Results are available for the first two (2) holes, 22ODD-038 and -039 and additional results are pending. Hole ID Including From To Interval (m) Gold grade (grams per tonne) 22ODD-038 160.0 161.0 1.0 2.92 171.0 176.0 5.0 0.48 215.0 223.5 8.5 5.01 including 221.8 223.5 1.7 17.80 22ODD-039 52.3 53.0 0.7 3.81 246.9 264.0 17.1 2.32 including 246.9 253.8 6.9 3.54 and 262.9 264.0 1.1 5.58 277.3 277.9 0.6 1.36 288.8 293.0 4.2 0.56 Holes 22ODD-038 and 22ODD-039 are on the same east-west section line, stepping-out approximately 100 m west of any 2012 drilling and about 400 m west of any historic mining below the saprolite. Hole 22ODD-038, drilled to the north to test for mineralization within the sediments, confirmed a significant zone of 8.5 m grading 5.01 g/t Au on the southern side of the Wenot shear, at a vertical depth of approximately 110 m into fresh rock. Hole 22ODD-039 drilled to the south and intersected 17.1 m grading 2.32 g/t Au within the volcanics at a vertical depth into fresh rock of approximately 140 m, and down-dip of the gold mineralized zones drilled in the 1990s. The gold mineralization occurs within quartz-ankerite veinlets and stockworks, some with coarse visible gold and developed primarily in and along the sheared margins of variably silicified sub-vertical felsic dikes at or near the lithologic contact between the andesite-dominant lithologies to the north and lithic wacke sediments to the south. While the Omai Gold mine was operating, much of this area to the west of the Wenot pit was covered by the mill, other service buildings, access roads and other mine infrastructure, almost all of which has since been removed, now allowing for exploration. Exploration Targets West of Fennell Exploration continued on targets west of the Fennell pit and to the southwest of the Wenot pit, with follow up trenching and sampling, and subsequent drilling of eight holes in four target areas in February and into early April. Results are provided for the initial five diamond drill holes totalling 1,213 m. At Blueberry Hill, high grade gold values were reported from six large trenches in the Blueberry Hill area (see news release dated February 24, 2022)(figure 1). An additional trench (OTR-010) completed on the eastern side of Blueberry Hill, had limited exposure of fresh rock but one channel sample ran 5.13 g/t Au over 1 m. The extent that the trenching was able to expose "fresh" rock exceeded our expectations and greatly assisted in exposing prospective quartz veins and stockworks for sampling. However, at the large Broccoli Hill target area located east of Fennell, attempts to complete similar trenches were unsuccessful even with the large excavator, due to a hardpan or silicrete layer within the saprolite that could not be penetrated. Three drill holes were completed in the Blueberry Hill area (22ODD-033, 034 and 035, figure 1) focused on testing the high-grade structures that were sampled within the trenches. Results included: Hole ID Including From To Interval (m) Gold grade (grams per tonne) 22ODD-033 150.6 151.5 0.9 41.73 22ODD-034 19.5 21.0 1.5 0.53 58.0 59.0 1.0 0.81 63.0 64.2 1.2 1.80 69.5 71.0 1.5 1.71 22ODD-035 46.6 48.1 1.5 1.91 Visible gold was encountered in a narrow quartz vein within quartz-hornblende diorite in hole 22ODD-033 and assayed 41.73 g/t Au over 0.9 m (Figure 3). Holes 22ODD-034 and 035 tested the high-grade mineralization identified in trench OTR-002, where six of the eleven samples taken assayed over 6 g/t Au, including three that assayed over 10 g/t Au. These holes intersected several intervals of Fennell-like diorite intrusion and areas of quartz veining and several intersections with favourable alteration and sulphidization, with only anomalous gold grades. Additional trenching is planned with the goal of further clarifying orientations and extent of the gold-bearing structures prior to further drilling. At the Snake Pond area shown in figure 1, trenching and subsequent drilling followed up on significant gold intersections from 1990s drill holes. Trenching completed in March was not able to reach fresh rock in many areas, but one channel sample graded 5.21 over 1m. Trench OTR-011 exposed a 26-meter zone with quartz veining with several orientations and stockworks. Selective grab samples of quartz veining within the saprolite returning results from north to south of: 1.49 g/t Au over 5 m, 4.51 g/t Au over 5 m, 6.12 g/t Au over 5 m, 0.08 g/t over 5 m, 0.01 over 5 m and 7.68 g/t over 5 m. Two drill holes 22ODD-040 and -042 were completed to test this northeast trending Snake Pond zone with assays pending. Two geophysics targets to the south of the main east-west trending Wenot Shear were tested during this program. Diamond drill hole 22ODD-036 tested a prominent magnetic lineament located approximately 750 m south of the main Wenot Shear. Although the hole intersected a very strongly sheared metasedimentary sequence intruded by a 26 meter-wide quartz-felspar porphyry (QFP) unit, no anomalous gold was returned. A second geophysical target located approximately 220 m south of the main Wenot shear trend and defined by a magnetic anomaly, was tested by hole 22ODD-037. A single hole in the 1990s intersected 15 m at 1.2 g/t Au in this area. Hole 22ODD-037 experienced some core loss, particularly around quartz veined sections. A few anomalous intersections included 6.0 m @ 0.67 g/t Au, 1.0 m @ 0.77 g/t Au and 1.0 m @ 0.96 g/t Au. Quality Control Omai maintains an internal QA/QC program to ensure sampling and analysis of all exploration work is conducted in accordance with best practices. Certified reference materials, blanks and duplicates are entered at regular intervals. Samples are sealed in plastic bags. Samples from holes 22ODD-033 to 22ODD-037 were shipped to the MSALABS Guyana Inc., a certified laboratory in Georgetown, Guyana, respecting the best chain of custody practices. At the laboratory, samples are dried, crushed up to 80% passing 2 mm, riffle split (250 g), and pulverized to 95% passing 105 m, including cleaner sand. Thirty grams of pulverized material is then fire assayed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AA). Initial assays with results above 3.0 ppm gold are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish. Certified reference materials and blanks meet with QA/QC specifications. Samples from holes 22ODD-038 and 039 were shipped to ActLabs, a certified laboratory in Georgetown, Guyana. At the ActLabs, samples were processed following the same procedures through to fire assay as above. Standards and blanks meet with QA/QC specifications. Certain samples with potential for coarse gold were selectively analysed at ActLabs by Metallic Screening whereby a representative 500 gram sample split is sieved at 149m, with assays performed on the entire +149 m fraction and two splits of the -149 m fraction. When assays have been completed on the coarse and fine portions of the large sample, a final assay is calculated based on the weight of each fraction. Qualified Person John Spurney is a Qualified Person (QP) under National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects" and has approved the technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Spurney is not considered to be independent for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. 1The Company filed an NI43-101 technical report titled "TECHNICAL REPORT AND INITIAL MINERAL RESOURCE ESTIMATE OF THE WENOT GOLD DEPOSIT, OMAI PROPERTY, POTARO MINING DISTRICT NO. 2, GUYANA", prepared by William Stone, P.Geo. Yungang Wu, P.Geo. Jarita Barry, P.Geo. Antoine Yassa, P.Geo. D. Grant Feasby, P.Eng. Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET, of P&E Mining Consultants Inc dated February 18, 2022 on the SEDAR website www.sedar.com in support of the Wenot Mineral Resource Estimate announced January 4, 2022. The Mineral Resource Estimate consists of 16.7 million tonnes of indicated mineral resources averaging 1.31 grams of gold per tonne for 703,300 ounces of gold, and 19.5 million tonnes of inferred mineral resources averaging 1.50 grams of gold per tonne for 940,000 ounces of gold on the Wenot Deposit. ABOUT OMAI GOLD Omai Gold Mines Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary Avalon Gold Exploration Inc., holds a 100% interest in the Omai Prospecting License that includes the past producing Omai Gold Mine, and a 100% interest in the adjoining Eastern Flats Mining Permits. Once South America's largest producing gold mine, Omai produced over 3.7 million ounces of gold between 1993 and 2005. In 2022, the Company announced an initial Mineral Resource Estimate on the new Wenot gold deposit. The Company's short-term priorities are to build on the known Mineral Resources, while advancing exploration on key targets, providing a solid opportunity to create significant value for all stakeholders. For further information, please see our website www.omaigoldmines.com or contact: Elaine Ellingham P.Geo. President & CEO elaine@omaigoldmines.com Phone: +1 416-473-5351 Greg Ferron VP Business Development greg.ferron@omaigoldmines.com Ph: +1 416-270-5042 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the timing of completion of exploration, trenching and drill programs, and the potential for the Omai Gold Project to allow Omai to build significant gold Mineral Resources at attractive grades, and forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; the price of gold and copper; and the results of current exploration. Further, the Mineral Resource data set out in the Omai Gold news release are estimates, and no assurance can be given that the anticipated tonnages and grades will be achieved or that the indicated level of recovery will be realized. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Table 1. Drill hole locations for holes 22ODD-033 to 22ODD-039 Hole ID Azimuth (degrees) Inclination (degrees) Elevation (m) Final Depth (m) Easting Northing 22ODD-033 350 -80 51.1 182 303869 602516 22ODD-034 0 -80 44.52 158 304186 602521 22ODD-035 180 -75 44.62 161 304195 602610 22ODD-036 205 -50 22.49 139 303715 600988 22ODD-037 180 -50 25.89 217 303829 601530 22ODD-038 0 -50 20.70 262 304331 601468 22ODD-039 180 -50 33.48 320 304329 601859 Figure 1. Location Map of Drill Holes and Trenches West of Fennell and Wenot To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8712/125548_17f691dae43558d0_001full.jpg Figure 2. West Wenot Extension Drilling - Longitudinal Section (looking north) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8712/125548_17f691dae43558d0_002full.jpg Figure 3 - Visible Gold in Hole 22 ODD-033, Blueberry Hill To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8712/125548_17f691dae43558d0_003full.jpg Figure 4. Cross-Section of Drill Holes 22ODD-038 and -039 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8712/125548_17f691dae43558d0_004full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125548 Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities laws. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 27, 2022 / Novamind Inc. (CSE:NM)(OTCQB:NVMDF)(FSE:HN2) ("Novamind" or the "Company"), a leading mental health company specialized in psychedelic medicine, is pleased to announce both Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ("ISS") and Glass Lewis and Co., LLC ("Glass Lewis") have recommended that holders (the "Shareholders") of common shares (the "Novamind Shares") of the Company vote FOR the previously announced proposed acquisition of Novamind by Numinus Wellness Inc. ("Numinus") by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement"). ISS and Glass Lewis are independent proxy advisory firms who provide voting recommendations to institutional shareholders. Under the Arrangement, Shareholders will receive 0.84 of a common share of Numinus (each whole common share, a "Numinus Share") for each Novamind Share held. In reaching its conclusion, ISS noted: "In light of the significant premium, the favourable market reaction, the reasonable strategic rationale and the absence of significant governance concerns, shareholder approval of this resolution is warranted." The Meeting The special meeting of Shareholders to vote on the Arrangement is scheduled to be held at McMillan LLP, Brookfield Place, Suite 4400, 181 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2T3 on June 8, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. (Toronto time) (the "Meeting"). YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT - PLEASE VOTE TODAY The proxy voting deadline is 2:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on June 6, 2022. The Novamind Board of Directors unanimously recommends that Shareholders vote FOR the Arrangement Resolution. Full details of the Arrangement are described in the Company's management information circular dated May 6, 2022 (the "Circular") and can be found on the Company's website at www.novamind.ca/ir/. The Circular is also available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. How to Vote Your vote is important regardless of the number of Novamind Shares you own. Voting for Beneficial Shareholders INTERNET: Go to www.proxyvote.com and enter your 16-digit control number found on your voting instruction form to vote online. TELEPHONE: Call 1-800-474-7493 and enter your 16-digit control number found on your voting instruction form to vote by telephone. Voting for Registered Shareholders INTERNET: Go to www.voteproxy.ca. Enter the 12-digit control number printed on the form of proxy and follow the instructions on the screen. FAX: Complete, date and sign the proxy and fax it to 1-604-200-5061 Shareholder Questions and Assistance If you have questions relating to the Arrangement, or require voting assistance, please contact Novamind's shareholder communications advisor and proxy solicitation agent, Laurel Hill Advisory Group, by telephone at 1-877-452-7184 toll-free in Canada (+1-416-304-0211 for international calls) or by e-mail at assistance@laurelhill.com. About Novamind Novamind is a leading mental health company enabling safe access to psychedelic medicine through a network of clinics and clinical research sites. Novamind provides ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and other novel treatments through its network of integrative mental health clinics and operates a full-service contract research organization specialized in clinical trials and evidence-based research for psychedelic medicine. For more information on how Novamind is enhancing mental wellness and guiding people through their entire healing journey, visit novamind.ca. Contact Information Laurel Hill Advisory Group North America Toll Free: 1-877-452-7184 Collect Calls Outside North America: 1-416-304-0211 Email: assistance@laurelhill.com Yaron Conforti, CEO and Director Telephone: +1 (647) 953 9512 Samantha DeLenardo, VP, Communications Email: media@novamind.ca Investor Relations Email: IR@novamind.ca Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to the Arrangement and the Meeting. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations including the risks detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosure. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable securities laws Cautionary Statements The securities of the Company referred to in this press release 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. Accordingly, the securities of the Company may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE: Novamind Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702968/Independent-Proxy-Advisory-Firms-ISS-and-Glass-Lewis-Recommend-Shareholders-of-Novamind-Vote-FOR-the-Proposed-Plan-of-Arrangement Not for distribution to United States news wire services or for dissemination in the United States VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 27, 2022 / Lucky Minerals Inc. (TSXV:LKY) (OTC PINK:LKMNF), (FRA:LKY) ("Lucky" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") of up to 33,000,000 units ("the Units") for gross proceeds of up to approximately CDN $1.848 million. Investors in the Offering include Michael Gentile, CFA who as a result of the Offering, intends to increase his share ownership in the Company potentially up to approximately 19.9% on a partially diluted basis. The Offering consists of approximately 33,000,000 Units of the Company at CDN $0.056 per Unit, for gross proceeds of approximately CDN $1.848 million. Each Unit is comprised of one common share (a "Share") and one full three-year common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to acquire on additional Share at a price of CDN $0.10 per Share, until the date that is 36 months from the closing (the "Closing") of the Offering. All the Shares and Warrants issued in connection to the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance. The Company may pay finders' fees on a portion of the Offering in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. The net proceeds of the Private Placement will be used to support the first drill program on the Company's Fortuna Project in Ecuador and for general working capital purposes. The Offering is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. New strategic investor Mr. Michael Gentile Mr. Gentile is considered one of the leading strategic investors in the junior mining sector, owning significant positions in over 15 small-cap mining companies. Mr. Gentile is currently a strategic advisor to Arizona Metals (AMC-V) and Geomega Resources as well as being a director of Northern Superior Resources (SUP-V), Roscan Gold (ROS-V), Radisson Mining Resources (RDS-V) and Solstice Gold (SGC-V). Mr. Gentile recently co-founded Bastion Asset Management, an investment management firm based out of Montreal, Quebec and was previously a Senior Portfolio Manager with Formula Growth Limited. Mr. Gentile states, "Lucky Minerals is on the cusp of the most exciting and value creating face for a junior exploration company, the discovery phase. With the maiden drill program about to begin on their Wayka property, the potential for a major new discovery is high as the Company begins drilling directly under some of the wide and high grade trenches uncovered in 2021 and 2022. As set out in previous news releases, drilling under trench T-14 which uncovered 8 g/t gold over 9 m and trench T-21 which uncovered 5.24 g/t gold over 14 m, greatly increases the odds of success and positions Lucky Minerals well for the 2022 drill program. This new mineralized system is showing a large footprint that continues to expand with additional surface work and trenching. With a large and growing footprint, drilling about to begin and a small market cap of less than 10 million Canadian, the risk reward proposition in Lucky Minerals is quite compelling." Francois Perron, Lucky's President and CEO states, "We are very excited to have Mr. Gentile join potentially as a significant shareholder of Lucky Minerals. Our project in Ecuador is entering a very exciting phase. Getting the support from a strategic long-term investor at this juncture helps lay the foundation upon which we will continue to build the Company. The entire team is looking forward to first drilling the discovery zone at Wayka in the coming weeks." Shares for services agreement with a consulting geologist Mr. Franklin Viera The Company also announces that subject to regulatory approval, and pursuant to TSX Venture Exchange Policy 4.3, the Company has entered into a shares for services agreement ("Agreement") with Mr. Franklin Viera. Mr. Viera will provide services to the Company as a technical consultant for the drilling phase of the Company's Ecuador property. Services provided will include 3D modeling, GIS, drill hole planning, geochemical analysis, core logging, field geological mapping property evaluation, database management and occasional field program supervision and other duties that may be required by the Company. While the Agreement is in effect, Mr. Viera will receive a portion of his compensation in common shares ("Compensation Shares") of the Company equivalent in value of up to USD $5,000 per month. Mr. Viera is a well known geologist in Ecuador and has been involved in many significant projects including the discovery of Quimsacocha which is now called the Loma Larga project. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Francois Perron" Chief Executive Officer About Lucky Lucky is an exploration and development company targeting large-scale mineral systems in proven districts with the potential to host world class deposits. Lucky owns a 100% interest in the Fortuna Property. The Company's Fortuna Project is comprised of twelve contiguous, 550 km2 (55,000 Hectares, or 136,000 Acres) exploration concessions. Fortuna is located in a highly prospective, yet underexplored, gold belt in southern Ecuador. Qualified Person Victor Jaramillo, M.Sc.A., P.Geo., Lucky's Exploration Manager and a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for supervising the exploration program at the Fortuna Project for Lucky Minerals and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Further information on Lucky can be found on the Company's website at www.luckyminerals.com and at www.sedar.com, or by contacting Francois Perron, President and CEO, by email at investors@luckyminerals.com or by telephone at (866) 924 6484. Or by contacting: Renmark Financial Communications Inc. Kerry Schacter: kschacter@renmarkfinancial.com Tel: (416) 644-2020 or (514) 939-3989 www.renmarkfinancial.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Adjacent Properties and Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company 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. Such factors include, but are not limited to: uncertainties related to exploration and development; the ability to raise sufficient capital to fund exploration and development; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; increases in input costs; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological or operational difficulties or inability to obtain permits encountered in connection with exploration activities; and labor relations matters. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations also include risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will not update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements unless required by Canadian securities law. SOURCE: Lucky Minerals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/702974/Lucky-Minerals-Announces-New-Strategic-Investor-Michael-Gentile-a-18-M-Non-Brokered-Private-Placement-and-Shares-for-Services-Agreement According to a senior US defense source, Russia has lost almost 1,000 tanks and a not insignificant quantity of soldiers in its now three-month-long aim on Ukraine. The Kremlin has also suffered a not insignificant degree of attrition among its forces, according to the official. Russian troops have also lost almost 350 pieces of artillery, over 30 fighter bomber fixed-wing aircraft, and more than 50 helicopters. US Assumes Nearly 30,000 Russian Soldiers Killed in The Invasion Later, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby stated that the Russians continue to suffer fatalities in this conflict, which began on February 24. The US estimate comes after a Ukrainian defense official stated earlier on Thursday that roughly 30,000 Russian servicemen were killed in the assault. The Pentagon is reluctant to publicly estimate casualty statistics; instead, it stated that Russia still maintains 110 battalion tactical groups in Ukraine, accounting for more than 80% of its fighting troops. According to the official, the Russians continue to have an advantage in the struggle due to the sheer amount of assets at their disposal - both personnel and weaponry. Still, Kremlin soldiers have made little success in their attempt to shut off the Donbas area in eastern Ukraine, where they have concentrated forces for the purpose. According to the official, Russian soldiers are seeking to encircle settlements in the region and make it impossible for Ukrainians to restock themselves, but have only achieved incremental progress, The Hill reported. Read Also: Elon Musk Raises Fear for Italy, South Korea, Hong Kong Amid Threat of Population Collapse Russia Urges Ukraine Troops To Surrender Militants are said to have placed pro-Russia propaganda pamphlets inside rockets and launched them over Ukrainian-held areas. The flyers urge Ukrainian troops to surrender and hand up their weapons to enemy forces. On Tuesday, Zenger News got the footage from the People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR). The clip was shot near the city of Zolote, which is now under the authority of the LPR, according to Zvezda, a Russian state-owned countrywide TV network managed by the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD). It claimed the shells were fused to detonate in mid-air, scattering leaflets across a vast region in Ukrainian-held territory. According to Zvezda, the leaflets provide thorough information on the procedure for turning up weapons and willingly surrendering securely to pro-Russian forces. The shells bearing the leaflets are shown being blasted by 2S1 Gvozdika Soviet self-propelled howitzers in the clip. The 2S1 Gvozdika entered service in 1972 and is still in use by the armies of various nations, notably Russia and Ukraine. When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin referred to the invasion as a unique military operation to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine, according to Newsweek. Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia on Thursday of carrying out an evident genocidal program in his country's eastern Donbas area. Moscow's attack in Donbas might result in the territory being deserted, he added, accusing the Russians of wishing to burn the region's towns to ashes. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered soldiers into Ukraine in late February, claiming the mission was to stop the genocide of Russian speakers in the pro-Western country. Ukraine's parliament voted in April to recognize the Russian military's activities in the nation as genocide. US Vice President Joe Biden used a similar phrase, saying Putin seems focused on eradicating the concept of being a Ukrainian, as per NDTV. Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: Remains of Russian Soldiers Abandoned, Rot in Kyiv as Veterans Group Calls Vladimir Putin's Operation a "Failure" @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 27, 2022 / SouthGobi Resources Ltd. (TSX:SGQ, HK:1878) ("SouthGobi" or the "Company") announces that reference is made to the announcements of the Company dated March 11, March 24, March 28, March 30, March 31, April 14, April 29, May 17, May 18, May 24, and May 25, 2022 in relation to, among others, the delay in publication of the 2021 Audited Annual Results and delay in 2021 Annual Filings (the "Announcements"). Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this announcement shall have the same respective meanings as defined in the Announcements. BI-WEEKLY DEFAULT STATUS REPORT The Company provides this bi-weekly default status report in relation to the management cease trade order dated April 1, 2022 ("MCTO") granted by the British Columbia Securities Commission ("BCSC") pursuant to National Policy 12-203 - Cease Trade Orders for Continuous Disclosure Defaults ("NP 12-203"). With the granting of the MCTO, the Company has until May 30, 2022, being the expiry date of the MCTO, to file the 2021 Annual Filings. The Company is required to file bi-weekly default status reports in accordance with NP 12-203 until such time that as the default in filing the 2021 Annual Filings is remedied. Pursuant to the MCTO, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company are not permitted to trade any securities of the Company unless and until such time as the Company files the 2021 Annual Filings. While the MCTO is in effect, the shareholders of the Company will continue to be able to trade the Company's common shares on the TSX and the HKEx. UPDATE ON PUBLICATION OF 2021 AUDITED ANNUAL RESULTS AND 2021 ANNUAL FILINGS As disclosed in the Announcements, the Company has made concerted efforts to obtain an unmodified opinion from the Auditors on the 2021 Financial Statements prior to May 30, 2022, being the expiry date of the MCTO, and to address the going concern issues raised by the Auditors. Taking into account the efforts made and interim progress, the Company has resolved the going concern issue and anticipates obtaining an unmodified opinion from the Auditors on the 2021 Financial Statements on May 30, 2022. As such, the Company anticipates it will be able to file the 2021 Annual Filings on May 30, 2022. As disclosed in the Announcement dated May 18, 2022, at the Board meeting scheduled to be held on May 30, 2022, the Board will review and approve, the publication of the 2021 Audited Annual Results. The Company anticipates these results will be published on May 30, 2022. PUBLICATION OF 2022 Q1 FINANCIAL RESULTS As disclosed in the Announcements, the filing deadline for the Company's 2022 Q1 financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022 ("2022 Q1 Financial Results") is May 15, 2022 as required under applicable Canadian securities laws. However, the Company cannot issue its 2022 Q1 Financial Results until it first issues its 2021 Annual Filings. Pursuant to the terms of the MCTO, the Company is required to file its 2022 Q1 Financial Results within five business days following the filing of the 2021 Annual Filings. As disclosed in the Announcement dated May 24, 2022, at the Board meeting scheduled to be held on June 6, 2022, the Board will review and approve the publication of the 2022 Q1 Financial Results. The Company anticipates these results will be published on June 6, 2022. Unless and until such time as the Company files the 2021 Annual Filings, shareholders and potential investors of the Company are urged to exercise extreme caution when dealing in the securities of the Company. Other than as disclosed herein, the Company confirms that since May 17, 2022: (i) there have been no material changes to the information set out in the announcement dated May 17, 2022 that has not been generally disclosed; (ii) there have been no failures by the Company in fulfilling its stated intentions with respect to satisfying the provisions of the alternative information guidelines under NP 12-203; (iii) there has been no other, or anticipated, specified default under NP 12-203 concerning the Company; and (iv) there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed. Shareholders of the Company and potential investors are advised to exercise caution when dealing in the securities of the Company. If there is any inconsistency or discrepancy between the English version and the Chinese version, the English version shall prevail. About SouthGobi SouthGobi, listed on the Toronto and Hong Kong stock exchanges, owns and operates its flagship Ovoot Tolgoi coal mine in Mongolia. It also holds the mining licences of its other metallurgical and thermal coal deposits in South Gobi region of Mongolia. SouthGobi produces and sells coal to customers in China. Contact: Investor Relations Office: +852 2156 1438 (Hong Kong) +1 604 762 6783 (Canada) Email: info@southgobi.com Website: www.southgobi.com Forward-Looking Statements Certain information included in this press release that is not current or historical factual information constitutes forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including information regarding the anticipated date of filing of the 2021 Annual Filings and the 2022 Q1 Financial Results . Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "could", "should", "seek", "likely", "estimate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on certain factors and assumptions including, among other things, the ability of the Company to complete and file the 2021 Annual Filings and the 2022 Q1 Financial Results on the anticipated filing dates and other similar factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from what the Company currently expects. Actual results may vary from the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue importance on forward-looking statements, which speaks only as of the date of this disclosure, and not to rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it is under no obligation and does not undertake to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, further events or otherwise at any particular time, except as required by law. Additional information concerning factors that may cause actual results to materially differ from those in such forward-looking statements is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and can be found under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. SOURCE: SouthGobi Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/703002/Corporate-Update-Update-on-Publication-Of-2021-Audited-Annual-Results-And-2021-Annual-Filings-And-Publication-Of-2022-Q1-Financial-Results DUBAI, Arab Emirates, May 27, 2022in Dubai yesterday, Centbee announced that consumers living in the UK can send digital cash via the blockchain to their families back home in West Africa. Co-CEO Lorien Gamaroff described the new feature enabling consumers to send digital cash to a recipient's MTN, Vodafone, Tigo or Airtel mobile money wallet or their bank account. The service will be available for people in the United Kingdom to send money to West Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger and Benin. "Immigrants living in the UK can now send money home to their loved one's mobile money wallets or bank accounts using their Centbee wallets. By using the BSV blockchain to enable cross-border payments, we're able to significantly reduce the costs of sending money, making it more affordable - under 2 per send - for people to send money home. Remittances take a few seconds to send, so when you send money from the UK, you know your family will receive that money, ready to spend, in seconds," Gamaroff said. The new remittance feature in Centbeewallet builds on their existing functionality: making it easy to buy, send and spend from a mobile phone. Centbee has seen exceptional growth in its Value-Added Services catalogue (which includes hundreds of global brands) over the past few months. The introduction of a blockchain-based loyalty program, Centbee Honey, that gives their 50,000 customers ready-to-spend instant digital cash rewards in their Centbee wallet has significantly impacted sales volumes and in-app usage. "We've worked hard to find solutions leveraging the BSV blockchain to create useful and valuable services for our consumers across the world; our numbers show that consumers like having a digital cash wallet that can do it all - send money, buy products and services that they need and get rewarded instantly. The introduction of remittances to Centbee wallet builds on our vision of making digital cash useful to everyone, everywhere," said Centbee co-founder, Angus Brown. "By using the BSV blockchain, we know that we can deliver regulatory-compliant products to our customers. We've always seen the market potential for digital cash products and services that leverage the BSV blockchain because of blockchain's inherent benefits of being an immutable, transparent and public ledger. Our numbers are showing us that there is a massive demand and potential for digital wallet services and products, and the introduction of cross border remittances positions us for further rapid growth and adoption for our existing and new customers." Ends About Centbee Centbeeis a digital cash wallet that makes it easy for global consumers to buy, spend and send digital cash to their friends and family on their mobile phone using the BSV blockchain. Media Enquiries For further information, please contact Heidi Patmore, Manjaro Marketing, on +27 82 579 9473 or heidi@manjaromarketing.com Related Images Image 1: Centbee Co-CEO's Angus Brown and Lorien Gamaroff at BSV Global Blockchain Convention Dubai This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment The 6-month IFH Lab is a no-fee and no-equity program for 8 early stage startups who are helping to build a more inclusive and accessible financial system. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Non-profit incubator and ecosystem development organization Fintech Cadence kicked off the third cohort of their Innovate Financial Health Lab yesterday. The IFH Lab is a 6-month no-fee and no-equity incubator for pre-seed to pre-series A fintech startups. Companies in the program are using technology to help improve the financial lives of low-income and underserved Canadians by making financial products and services more affordable and inclusive. The cohort was announced at a kick-off party at the Centre for Social Innovation attended by over 150+ guests. This included representatives from Canada's major financial institutions, community organizations such as Prosper Canada, some of Canada's top VCs and investors in the fintech space, government, and founders of several other Canadian fintech startups. The IFH Lab receives funding from JP Morgan Chase, Meridian Credit Union, the Canadian Bankers' Association, and The City of Toronto. This year, over 30+ startups applied from across 6 Canadian provinces. The 8 selected startups are: Billi Labs (BC), Chroma (BC), and Kunye, coCare, Flota, Requity Homes, Solvncii, and Walletifai (ON). The Founders of the IFH Lab 2022 startup cohort kicked off their 6 month journey with the incubator this week in Toronto, ON To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8824/125370_2022cohort.jpg Over the next 6 months the startups will take part in hybrid programming including workshops, founder chats, and a live demo day in November. The journey started this week with 3 days of intensive in-person content. The IFH Lab is the first program in Canada focused on the intersection of fintech and financial health. After two successful cohorts, Fintech Cadence feels they've proven that there is a need from consumers, and an interest from investors and partners for companies that are bridging the gap between social impact and profit. "We are incredibly proud of the work we are doing to support fintech startups in this vertical," say Fintech Cadence Executive Director Layial El-Hadi, "There is no longer a question of whether fintechs can play a role in supporting the financial health of Canadians, but rather the focus is on how can organizations like Fintech Cadence shed a light on the fintechs that are focusing on this objective and how can we create an ecosystem that encourages, supports, and helps them succeed and thrive." The 12 startups that have gone through the program since 2020 have gone on to collectively raise over $11.1M in funding and have grown their teams by 50+ jobs. Past cohort companies include Alberta based ZayZoon, Toronto based PolicyMe, Quebec's WALO, which recently raised $1.1 Million, and Charlottetown, PEI's MIQ, recently one of four companies part of BKR Capital's first round of investments. Further questions can be directed to communications@fintechcadence.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125370 Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Aurwest Resources Corporation (CSE: AWR) ("Aurwest" or the "Company") is pleased to report drill results from recent exploration drilling at the Paradise Lake Project, central Newfoundland. These initial results provide analytical assay data results for the first three drill holes (see Table-1 below) completed as part of the eleven-hole drilling program at Paradise Lake within the 4.5km long Cape Ray Valentine Lake corridor. Highlights include: PL-22-01 intersected 2.50 g/t Au over 3.4 meters, including 6.20 g/t Au over 0.9 meters. Phase II commencing to further test priority targets on westside of Twin Ponds Mr. Colin Christensen stated, "Our Paradise Lake gold property represents an exciting early-stage gold exploration project. Results to date on our first diamond drilling program on the project has so far intersected a broad range of significant gold concentrations in the syenite intrusion associated with the Cape Ray-Valentine Lake structure. Based on the early results of drilling so far, the exploration model that appears to be evolving is similar to that of the Valentine Lake gold deposit, which suggests the potential for a large tonnage lower grade deposit. The drilling so far has exhibited lower grade "Intrusion Related" gold mineralization with concentrations that are in line with this style of mineralization. Based on the 2021 surface sampling results we are confident that there is also the potential for high-grade gold in this area as indicated by our surface sampling. Despite delays in receiving all the analytical results from the Phase I drill program, Aurwest will continue with a modified Phase II drilling program testing the interpreted extensions of the Phase I results received to date." The Phase I diamond drilling program consisted of 11 holes (PL-22-01 through PL-22-11) totaling 2,746m to test a broad range (0.05g/t to 144.7g/t gold) gold concentrations in outcrop/subcrop/float hosted in quartz veined/stockwork/breccia exhibiting a quartz-pyrite-arsenopyrite mineral association exposed in a syenite intrusive along the Cape Ray Valentine Lake structure (See March 14, 2022, news release). Highlights: Hole PL-22-01 returned a 3.4m interval averaging 2.50 g/t gold over a core interval from 80-83.4m, including 0.9m of 6.20 g/t gold. Additional sampling of DDH Pl-22-01 has been completed to fill in open ended intervals of gold mineralization. Drilling is expected to commence next week to continue testing priority target areas identified in 2021and interpreted extensions of the gold mineralization identified to date. The 2022 mapping and prospecting program is underway and focusing on the west side of the Twin Ponds-Paradise Lake area to determine the source of a large resistivity high outlined by the 2021 IP program Exploration Model: The Paradise Lake-Stony Caldera properties are considered to have potential to host "Orogenic" and "Intrusive Related" styles of gold mineralization. The Cape-Ray-Valentine Lake ("CRVL") structural zone and subsidiary structures hosts several gold deposits including Valentine Lake, Cape Ray, Moosehead, and Queensway. During orogenic events in Newfoundland, these primary and subsidiary structures were re-activated allowing hydrothermal activity associated with late stage intrusives to emanate fluids upward along deep-seated faults in the basement rocks to form "leakage halos" within the overlying Botwood Group sediments and Stony Lake volcanics. These leakage halos are characterized by various styles of quartz veining with associated sulfides (pyrite + arsenopyrite) and gold mineralization exposed in outcrop/subcrop along the surface traces of these regional structures. Post Botwood intrusive activity (granodiorite/syenite) occurred in the vicinity of Twin Ponds-Paradise Lake indicating potential for an Intrusion Related style gold mineralization. Table 1: Highlights from the first three diamond drill holes. To view an enhanced version of Table 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7275/125504_table1.jpg Notes: The cut-off selected for determining the weighted average for the mineralized intervals was 0.1g/t gold. No limitation placed on the sample interval. Gold grades are rounded. Intervals reported in table are core intervals and do not represent true width. 2022 Drilling Results: The drill holes reported in this news release intersected significant gold concentrations in syenite intrusive located along the interpreted Cape Ray Valentine Lake structure. The first hole (PL-22-01) returned the best gold results so far including a 3.4m interval averaging 2.50 g/t gold which includes an interval of 6.20g/t gold over a core interval of 0.9m. The gold mineralization exhibits a pyrite-arsenopyrite mineral association with higher gold values typically associated with higher arsenic concentrations. The mineralized intervals are typically contained within an envelope of enhanced gold value ranging from 10 to 90 parts per billion over several meters on either side of the mineralized interval. 2022 Exploration Program: Aurwest is commencing its Phase II diamond drill program to test the interpretated extensions of the gold mineralization identified to date. The initial part of the program consists of five drill holes totaling 1500m. The 2022 mapping and prospecting program has commenced with the initial portion of the program focusing along the west side of the Twin Ponds-Paradise Lake area to continue follow-up of quartz veined subcrop/float that returned gold concentration up to 144.7g/t. The gold mineralization is interpreted to be related to a large resistivity anomaly identified in 2021. The resistivity high is interpreted to be related to late-stage quartz veining and silica flooding. Analytical Procedures: Sample preparation and analytical work is being completed by Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Inc. ("BV") located in Vancouver B.C. BV has an ISO/IEC 17025 certification. Sample preparation followed BV's code PRP70-1kg. Gold and 36 trace elements concentrations will be determined using BV's code AQ202, ICP-ES/MS on a 30g sample. Aurwest's QA/QC protocol includes geotechnical measurements, photographs, detailed geological logging and insertion of Standard Reference Material and blanks in the sample streams. Qualified Person: Elmer B. Stewart, MSc. P. Geol., is the Company's independent, nominated Qualified Person pursuant to National Instrument 43-101, Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and has reviewed and approves the scientific and technical information disclosed in this news release. On Behalf Of Aurwest resources Corporation "Colin Christensen" President and Chief Executive Officer For additional information please contact: Colin Christensen Telephone: (403) 483-8363 Email: cchristensen@aurwestresources.com Website: aurwestresources.com Renmark Financial Communications Inc. Robert Thaemlitz: rthaemlitz@renmarkfinancial.com Tel: (416) 644-2020 or (212) 812-7680 www.renmarkfinancial.com About Aurwest Resources Corporation Aurwest is a Canadian-based junior resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of gold properties in Canada. The Company currently has three Option Agreements to earn a 100% interest in Paradise Lake and Stony Caldera projects covering a 47,800-hectare (478 sq kms) package of gold exploration licenses within the emerging Central Newfoundland gold district. The Company also currently holds a 100% interest in the 28,294-hectare Stellar/Stars porphyry copper project, located approximately 25 kilometers southwest of Houston, British Columbia. Forward-Looking Information Statements included in this announcement, including statements concerning our plans, intentions, and expectations, which are not historical in nature are intended to be, and are hereby identified as "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements may be identified by words including "anticipates," "believes", "intends", "estimates", "expects" and similar expressions. The Company cautions readers that forward-looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, except in accordance with the applicable laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept 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/125504 exceet Group S.C.A. Societe en commandite par actions Registered Office: 17, rue de Flaxweiler, L-6776 Grevenmacher, Luxembourg R.C.S. Luxembourg B 148.525 Convening Notice to the Annual General Meeting and an Extraordinary General Meeting Notice is hereby given to the holders of shares of exceet Group S.C.A. (the "Company") that an ANNUAL GENERAL SHAREHOLDERS' MEETING will be held on 29 June 2022 at 12:00 (noon) CEST at Novotel Luxembourg Kirchberg, 6 Rue du Fort Niedergruenewald, L- 2226 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. At the annual general shareholders meeting, the shareholders shall deliberate and vote on the following agenda items (the "AGM"): AGENDA 1. Presentation of the report of the independent auditor on the annual accounts for the financial year ended 31 December 2021 to the general meeting. 2. Approval of the annual accounts for the financial year ended 31 December 2021. 3. Acknowledgment of the profit the Company made with respect to the financial year ended 31 December 2021, and resolution concerning the allocation of the result. 4. Presentation of the management report issued by the General Partner and the report of the independent auditor on consolidated accounts for the financial year ended 31 December 2021. 5. Approval of the consolidated accounts for the financial year ended 31 December 2021. 6. Decision to grant discharge to the members of the supervisory board of the Company for the exercise of their mandate for the financial year ended 31 December 2021. 7. Decision to grant discharge to the manager of the Company for the exercise of its mandate for the financial year ended 31 December 2021. 8. Presentation of and advisory vote on the remuneration report in the fiscal year 2021. 9. Decision to elect BDO Audit SA, Luxembourg as independent auditor (reviseur d'entreprises agree) as auditor of the Company. 10. Miscellaneous. The Annual General Meeting shall be followed immediately by an Extraordinary General Meeting, which shall take place at 12.30 CEST, at the same address. At the extraordinary general shareholders meeting, the shareholders shall deliberate and vote on the following agenda items (the "EGM"): AGENDA 1. Acknowledgment of the special report prepared by the Manager of the Company in relation to Article 420-26(5) of the law of 10 August 1915 as amended regarding the proposed creation of an authorised capital of the Company and the waiver of preferential subscription rights regarding shares issued thereunder. 2. Decision to create an authorised capital in an amount of EUR two million eight hundred seven thousand six hundred forty euro EUR 2,807,640), excluding the issued share capital, and to grant the authorisation to the Manager to issue up to one hundred eighty-four million seven hundred fifteen thousand fifty-five (184,715,055) Ordinary Shares. 3. Amendment of Article 5 of the Company articles of association. Quorum and Majorities Pursuant to the Company's articles of association and the law, resolutions at the annual general meeting of shareholders duly convened are adopted by a simple majority of the votes validly cast, regardless of the portion of capital represented. Pursuant to the Company's articles of association and the law, resolutions at the extraordinary general meeting duly convened are adopted by a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes validly cast at such general meeting provided that at least half of the share capital is present or represented. In case the second condition is not satisfied, a second meeting may be convened in accordance with the law, which may deliberate regardless of the proportion of the capital represented and at which resolutions are taken at a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes validly cast. Abstention and nil votes will not be taken into account for the calculation of the majority. Right to Amend the Content of the Agenda Pursuant to the Company's articles of association, and the Luxembourg law of 24 May 2011 on certain rights of shareholders in listed companies, as amended (the "Luxembourg Shareholders' Rights Law"), one or several shareholders representing at least five percent (5%) of the Company's share capital may request the adjunction of one or several items to the agenda of the AGM, and/or the EGM provided that the request is accompanied by a justification of or draft resolution(s). Pursuant to Article 4 of the Luxembourg Shareholders' Rights Law and the Company's articles of association, such request and justification of or draft resolution(s) must be received at the Company's registered office by registered letter (to the attention of the board of directors, 17, rue de Flaxweiler, L-6776 Grevenmacher, Luxembourg) or electronic mail (to: h.vongregory@exceet.com) at least twenty-two (22) days prior to the date of the relevant general meeting of shareholders, i.e. by 7 June 2022 accompanied by a proof of the shareholding of such shareholder(s) and the address or e-mail address which the Company may use in order to deliver the acknowledgment of receipt of such request. The Company must acknowledge reception of such request within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of such request. In case such request entails a modification of the agenda of the relevant general shareholders' meeting, the Company will make an amended agenda available at the latest fifteen (15) days prior to the relevant general meeting, i.e. by 14 June 2022. Documents Copies of the proposals of the resolutions of the AGM and the EGM as well as the documents related to the aforementioned items on the respective agenda (including the proposed new consolidated articles of association) will be on display for inspection by the shareholders on the Company's website (www.exceet.com/investor-relations) and at the registered office of the Company as from 27 May 2022. Upon request to h.vongregory@exceet.com, copies of the above-mentioned documents are going to be mailed to the shareholders. Share Capital of the Company The Company's issued share capital is set at three hundred eleven thousand nine hundred sixty euro and eighteen cents (EUR 311,960.18) represented by twenty million seventy-three thousand six hundred ninety-five (20,073,695) Ordinary Shares and one (1) Unlimited Share. Each share entitles the holder thereof to one vote. Right to Participate in the AGM and the EGM According to Article 5 of the Luxembourg Shareholders' Rights Law, the record date for general meetings of shareholders of listed companies incorporated under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has been set at fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the corresponding general shareholders' meeting. Therefore, any shareholder who holds one or more shares of the Company on 15 June 2022 at 24:00 (midnight) CEST (the "Record Date") and registers for the AGM and the EGM (please see below section "Registration for the AGM and the EGM") and provides the certificate specified below, shall be admitted to participate and vote at the AGM and the EGM. All shareholders wishing to participate (in person, or by voting through proxy or voting form) at the annual general shareholders' meeting of the Company shall notify the Company thereof at the latest on the Record Date in writing by mail, fax or by e-mail. Shareholders (whose shares are held in book-entry form through the operator of a securities settlement system or with a professional depositary or sub-depositary designated by such depositary) must request from their operator or depositary or sub-depositary a certificate certifying the number of shares recorded in their account on the Record Date. In addition to the aforementioned registration, to participate and vote in the annual general shareholders' meeting, such Shareholders (whose shares are held in book-entry form through the operator of a securities settlement system or with a professional depositary or sub-depositary designated by such depositary) must submit a copy of the certificate via their custodian bank by mail, by fax or by e-mail to the Centralizing Agent in the period from 15 June 2022 at 24:00 (midnight) CEST until 24 June 2022, at 12:00 (noon) CEST. The Centralizing Agent of the Company is the following: Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Attn.: Trust and Agency Services/Post-IPO Services Taunusanlage 12 D-60325 Frankfurt am Main Germany Fax: +49/69 910-38794 Email: dct.tender-offers@db.com Any shareholder and/or proxyholder participating in the annual general shareholders' meeting in person shall carry proof of identity at the annual general shareholders' meeting. Registration for the AGM and the EGM Shareholders wishing to participate in the AGM must register for the annual general shareholders' meeting by submitting their registration by mail, fax or by e-mail by 15 June 2022 at 24:00 (midnight) CEST to the Centralizing Agent of the Company at the address referred to above. Registration forms are provided on the website of the Company (www.exceet.com/investor-relations) which must be used. Shareholders having registered for the AGM and the EGM may provide a proxy or voting form in case they do not wish to participate in person in the AGM and the EGM by 24 June 2022 at 12:00 (noon) CEST (see below sections "Representation" and "Voting Form"). Representation In the event that any shareholder appoints another person, shareholder or not, as his proxy to vote on his behalf, the completed and executed proxy must be submitted by mail, fax or by email to the Centralizing Agent of the Company no later than 24 June 2022 at 12:00 (noon) CEST and must be accompanied by the proof of shareholding. Proxy forms provided on the website of the Company (www.exceet.com/investor-relations) must be used and only signed proxy forms will be taken into account. One person may represent more than one shareholder. Shareholders having submitted a proxy form and registered in due time but who wish to revoke such proxy form may do so by timely providing a later dated proxy form or by cancelling the proxy form in writing to the Centralizing Agent of the Company at the address referred to above. Voting Forms Shareholders having registered for the AGM and the EGM but who do not wish to participate in person may also vote through a voting form in the AGM and the EGM. The voting form may be submitted by mail, by fax or by e-mail to the Centralizing Agent of the Company no later than 24 June 2022 at 12:00 (noon) CEST and should be accompanied by the proof of shareholding (see above section "Right to Participate in the AGM and the EGM"). Only voting forms provided by the Company on its website (www.exceet.com/investor-relations) may be used and only signed voting forms will be taken into account. Shareholders having submitted a voting form and registered in due time but who wish to revoke such voting form may do so by timely providing a later dated proxy or voting form or cancelling the voting form in writing to the Centralizing Agent of the Company at the address referred to above. Language The meeting will be held in the English language. Luxembourg, on 27 May 2022. For the General Partner of the Company CORESTATE CAPITAL HOLDING S.A. 4, rue Jean Monnet, L-2180 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Registered with the Luxembourg Trade and Companies Register under registration number B 199780 CONVENING NOTICE TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE SHAREHOLDERS The management board (the Management Board) of Corestate Capital Holding S.A. (the Company) hereby convenes all shareholders to the annual general meeting of the shareholders of the Company (the Meeting), which shall be held on 28 June 2022 at 10 a.m. CEST with the agenda set out below. Important information: In application of the Luxembourg law dated 17 December 2021 extending the measures initially introduced by the Grand Ducal Regulation of 20 March 2020, enacted into law by the Luxembourg law dated 20 June 2020 and prolonged by the Luxembourg law dated 23 September 2020 in relation with the holding of meetings in companies and other legal entities in light of the exceptional circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 (the Emergency Legislation) and notwithstanding any contrary provisions in the articles of association of the Company (the Articles), the Company will not hold a physical meeting. Shareholders may exercise their rights at the Meeting exclusively by appointing a special proxyholder (please refer to item V. (Participation)). I. Quorum and majority requirements The amendments of the Articles proposed under items 17 and 18 of the below agenda being extraordinary matters, article 10.2 of the Articles requires a quorum of representation of at least one half (1/2) of the share capital of the Company at the Meeting. In the event that this quorum is not met, agenda items regarding an amendment of the Articles will be dropped. The agenda items are adopted by a simple majority of the votes expressed by the shareholders duly represented, except with regard to agenda items 17 and 18, for which a majority of 66.67% of the votes expressed by the shareholders duly represented shall apply. II. Agenda 01 Presentation of the stand-alone annual accounts of the Company for the financial year 2021, of the approved consolidated financial statements for the financial year 2021, the auditor report relating to the financial statements for the financial year 2021 as well as the management report for the financial year 2021 The supervisory board of the Company (the Supervisory Board) has not made any comments to the stand-alone annual accounts, the consolidated financial statements for the financial year 2021 as drawn up by the Management Board (the Financial Statements), nor to the report prepared by the Management Board (the Management Report) and the report of the independent auditor relating to the Financial Statements (the Auditor Report). The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose to the Meeting to approve the Financial Statements in accordance with article 461-7 of the Luxembourg act on commercial companies dated 10 August 1915, as amended (the Companies Act). 02 Acknowledgement of the loss of the Company made with respect to the financial year 2021 The Management Board proposes that the Meeting acknowledges that the Company made a loss with respect to the financial year 2021 in an aggregate amount of EUR 89,029,708.65 (the Loss). The Management Board proposes that the Meeting resolves to (i) set off the Loss against the profits and reserves carried forward from the previous financial year and (ii) carry forward the balance of profits and reserves in an aggregate amount of EUR 98,677,141.25 to the next financial year. The Management Board further proposes that the Meeting acknowledges that the Company will not make a distribution, on the basis of the overall financial position of the Company's group. 03 Discharge (quitus) to Mr Lars Schnidrig for the performance of his mandate as member of the management board for the financial year 2021 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting grants discharge (quitus) to Mr Lars Schnidrig for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. 04 Discharge (quitus) to Mr Daniel Lohken for the performance of his mandate as member of the management board for the financial year 2021 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting grants discharge (quitus) to Mr Daniel Lohken for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. 05 Discharge (quitus) to Mr Nils Peter Hubener for the performance of his mandate as member of the management board for the financial year 2021 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting grants discharge (quitus) to Mr Nils Peter Hubener for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. 06 Discharge (quitus) to Mr Sebastian Ernst for the performance of his mandate as member of the management board for the financial year 2021 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting does not grant discharge (quitus) to Mr Sebastian Ernst for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. 07 Discharge (quitus) to Mr Johannes Marklin for the performance of his mandate as member of the management board for the financial year 2021 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting does not grant discharge (quitus) to Mr Johannes Marklin for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. 08 Discharge (quitus) to Mr Rene parmantier for the performance of his mandate as member of the management board for the financial year 2021 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting grants discharge (quitus) to Mr Rene Parmantier for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. 09 Discharge (quitus) to Mr Udo Giegerich for the performance of his mandate as member of the management board for the financial year 2021 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting grants discharge (quitus) to Mr Udo Giegerich for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. 10 Discharge (quitus) to Mr Friedrich Munsberg for the performance of his mandate as member of the Supervisory Board for the financial year 2021 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting grants discharge (quitus) to Mr Friedrich Munsberg for the performance of his duties as member of the Supervisory Board for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. 11 Discharge (quitus) to Prof. Dr. Hermann Wagner for the performance of his mandate as member of the Supervisory Board for the financial year 2021 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting grants discharge (quitus) to Prof. Dr. Hermann Wagner for the performance of his duties as member of the Supervisory Board for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. 12 Discharge (quitus) to Dr. Friedrich Oelrich for the performance of his mandate as member of the Supervisory Board for the financial year 2021 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting grants discharge (quitus) to Dr. Friedrich Oelrich for the performance of his duties as member of the Supervisory Board for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. 13 Confirmation and Appointment of Dr. Bertrand Malmendier as new member of the supervisory board The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting (i) confirms the appointment by co-optation of Dr. Bertrand Malmendier as member of the Supervisory Board of the Company, with effect as of 1 January 2022 and (ii) appoints Dr. Bertrand Malmendier as member of the Supervisory Board of the Company, for a term of office ending after the annual general meeting of the Company which will be held in 2024. The Management Board and the Supervisory Board further propose that the Meeting recommends that Dr. Bertrand Malmendier shall continue to act as chairman of the Supervisory Board. 14 Confirmation and Appointment of Dr. Roland Manfred Folz as new member of the supervisory board The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting (i) confirms the appointment by co-optation of Dr. Roland Manfred Folz, with effect as of 7 March 2022 and (ii) appoints Dr. Roland Manfred Folz as member of the Supervisory Board of the Company for a term of office ending after the annual general meeting of the Company which will be held in 2024. The Management Board and the Supervisory Board further propose that the Meeting recommends that Dr. Roland Manfred Folz shall continue to act as deputy chairman of the Supervisory Board. Further information about the proposed candidates under items 13 and 14 above, including curricula vitae, providing information about their relevant knowledge, skills and experience, together with a list of relevant activities besides the Supervisory Board position forming the subject of these elections, are available on the Company's website under www.corestate-capital.com in the segment "Shareholders" and "Annual General Meeting". 15 Appointment of the independent auditor (cabinet de revision agree) for the financial year 2022 The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting (i) acknowledges that the Company does not intend to renew the appointment of Ernst & Young SA, with registered office at 35E Avenue John F. Kennedy, L-1855 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (Ernst & Young), as independent auditor (cabinet de revision agree) for the stand-alone annual accounts and consolidated financial statements of the Company for the financial year 2022 and (ii) grants discharge (quitus) to Ernst & Young for the performance of its duties as independent auditor (cabinet de revision agree) for, and in connection with, the financial year 2021. The Management Board and the Supervisory Board further propose that the Meeting acknowledges that the Company is currently undergoing a selection process to determine a new independent auditor (cabinet de revision agree) for the stand-alone annual accounts and consolidated financial statements of the Company for the financial year 2022, and that such auditor, upon completion of such process, shall be approved at the occasion of an additional general meeting of the shareholders of the Company. 16 Advisory non-binding vote on the remuneration report The Management Board and the Supervisory Board propose that the Meeting approves, on a non-binding basis, the remuneration report (the Remuneration Report) in accordance with the requirements of articles 7bis and 7ter of the Luxembourg law dated 24 May 2011 relating to the exercise of certain rights of shareholders at general meetings of listed companies, as amended. 17 Removal of the age restriction relating to the mandate of members of the Supervisory Board The Management Board proposes to the Meeting to remove the age restriction relating to the mandate of members of the Supervisory Board, such age restriction being currently set at maximum 70 years for members of the Supervisory Board, and to consequently amend articles 18.2 and 18.3 of the Articles, as set out in Schedule 1 to this convening notice. If and to the extent approved, the relevant amendments to articles 18.2 and 18.3 of the Articles proposed here above shall be enacted by a Luxembourg notary in the course of the Meeting. 18 Amendment of the description of prior consent matters The Management Board proposes to the Meeting to amend the description of matters for which the Management Board requires the prior consent of the Supervisory Board by, including, without limitation, amending the current definition of "Related Party Transaction" and inserting a new definition of "Related Party", and to consequently amend article 15 of the Articles, as set out in Schedule 1 to this convening notice. If and to the extent approved, the relevant amendments to article 15 of the Articles proposed here above shall be enacted by a Luxembourg notary in the course of the Meeting. III. Total amount of shares On the date of the convening of the Meeting, the Company's subscribed share capital equals EUR 2,564,535.97, represented by 34,193,808 shares without nominal value, all of which are fully paid up. Each share carries one vote. The total number of voting rights is therefore 34,193,808. IV. Available information and documentation The following information is available on the Company's website under www.corestate-capital.com in the segment "Shareholders" > "Annual General Meeting" and at the Company's registered office in Luxembourg, as of the day of the publication of this convening notice: (i) full text of any document to be made available by the Company at the Meeting, including draft resolutions in relation to the above agenda items to be adopted at the Meeting and related documents (i.e. inter alia the Financial Statements, the Management Report, the Supervisory Board report, the Auditor Report and the Remuneration Report); (ii) this convening notice; (iii) the total number of shares and attached voting rights issued by the Company as of the date of publication of this convening notice; (iv) the Special Proxy Form as further mentioned below; and (v) the Record Date Attestation form as further mentioned below. V. Participation On or before the Record Date (as defined below), each shareholder shall indicate to the Company his/her/its intention to participate at the Meeting. The participation at the Meeting and the exercise of voting rights attached to the shares held by a shareholder is determined in relation to the number of shares held by each shareholder at 11:59 p.m. (CEST) on the 14th day prior to the Meeting (14 June 2022) (the Record Date). Shareholders must produce an attestation from their depository bank stating the number of shares held by the shareholder on the Record Date in order to be permitted to exercise their rights at the Meeting (the Record Date Attestation). In accordance with the Emergency Legislation, the Company will not hold a physical meeting. Shareholders may exercise their rights at the Meeting exclusively by appointing in writing Mr Andreas Wahl-Ulm as special proxyholder based on a duly completed, dated and signed special proxy form (the Special Proxy Form). In order for votes pursuant to a Special Proxy Form to be considered, the Company must be provided with a Record Date Attestation relating to the relevant shareholder. The Record Date Attestation and the Special Proxy Form must be received by the Company on 22 June 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (CEST) at the latest at the following address: Corestate Capital Holding S.A. c/o Link Market Services GmbH Landshuter Allee 10 80637 Munich Germany fax: +49 (0)89 210 27-289 agm@linkmarketservices.de Exercise of voting rights of shares in connection with Special Proxy Forms received after such date will not be possible. Special Proxy Forms and Record Date Attestations are available on the Company's website under www.corestate-capital.com in the segment "Shareholders" > "Annual General Meeting". VI. Ability to ask questions before the Meeting In accordance with the Emergency Legislation, no physical Meeting will be organised and any shareholder questions must thus be addressed in advance of the Meeting. Shareholders' questions in relation with the agenda must be sent (by fax, post or e-mail) to the contact information mentioned under item V. (Participation) above and received by the Company on 22 June 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (CEST) at the latest. A Record Date Attestation must be attached to such questions to allow the Company to proceed with a satisfactory identification of the relevant shareholder. The answers to these questions will be provided during a conference call to be held on the date of the Meeting. The precise time and joining instructions for such conference call will be made available to registered shareholders prior to the Meeting. Please note that shareholders can dial into such conference call, but will only be able to hear and will not be allowed to speak. VII. Additional important information for shareholders Shareholders are hereby informed that the exercise of voting rights is exclusively reserved to such persons that were shareholders on the Record Date (respectively the special proxyholder duly appointed by them). Transfer of shares after the Record Date is possible subject to usual transfer limitations, as applicable. However, any transferee having become owner of shares after the Record Date has no right to vote at the Meeting. One or more shareholder(s) representing at least 5% of the Company's share capital may request the addition of items to the agenda of the Meeting or table draft resolutions for items included or to be included on the agenda of the Meeting by sending such requests (by fax, post or e-mail) at the latest on 6 June 2022 at 11:59 p.m. (CEST) to the contact information mentioned under item V. (Participation) above. Such request will only be accepted by the Company provided it includes (i) the wording of the agenda point, (ii) the wording of a proposed resolution pertaining to such agenda point or a justification, and (iii) an e-mail address or a postal address to which the Company may correspond and confirm receipt of the request. If you have questions regarding the Meeting feel free to call our Meeting-hotline +49/89/21027-222 or send us an e-mail at agm@linkmarketservices.de (hotline available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. CEST except on bank holidays in Luxembourg or Germany). VIII. Data Protection Notice Since the European Data Protection Act came into effect, data protection laws and regulations apply throughout Europe from 25 May 2018 onwards. The protection of your data and the legally compliant processing of your data have a high priority for us. In our data protection notice for shareholders, we have summarized all information regarding the processing of personal data of our shareholders in a clear and structured way. The data protection notice for shareholders can be retrieved and is available for viewing and downloading on the Company's website under www.corestate-capital.com in the segment "Shareholders" > "Annual General Meeting". The direct link is: https://corestate-capital.com/data-protection-agm-2022.pdf Luxembourg, 24 May 2022. Corestate Capital Holding S.A., Societe Anonyme The Management Board Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - C3 Metals Inc. (TSXV: CCCM) ("C3 Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the 5,000 metre drilling program at the Company's 100% owned Bellas Gate copper-gold porphyry project in Jamaica will commence this weekend. Drilling is designed to test multiple porphyry copper targets identified within the regionally significant Crawl River Fault zone. Drilling will also target epithermal gold prospects on the property (Figure 1). Twelve porphyry systems and multiple epithermal occurrences have been identified in the project area to date. Program Highlights The Epidote Ridge prospect area is located within the Bellas Gate SEPL and specifically within Porphyry Alley, a cluster of porphyries along the Crawl River Fault Zone (Figure 2) prospect area is located within the Bellas Gate SEPL and specifically within Porphyry Alley, a cluster of porphyries along the Crawl River Fault Zone (Figure 2) Epidote Ridge is the first drill target, an interpreted preserved porphyry centre linked to porphyry copper-gold prospects known as Connors, Geo Hill and Camel Hill is the first drill target, an interpreted preserved porphyry centre linked to porphyry copper-gold prospects known as Connors, Geo Hill and Camel Hill Strong copper-gold mineralization intersected at Connors, Geo Hill and Camel prospects is interpreted to converge beneath Epidote Ridge Shallow historic drilling at Connors and Camel Hill intersected good copper and gold grades as highlighted below (full details included in press release of March 24, 2022) Connors results: 114.0m @ 0.69% Cu, 0.52 g/t Au in CON-14-004 (from 28.0m) [1] 84.0m @ 1.00% Cu, 0.77 g/t Au in CON-14-005 (from 14.0m) 1 Camel Hill results: 137.2m @ 0.56% Cu, 0.25g/t Au in CAM92-01 (from surface) 1 85.0m @ 0.52% Cu, 0.25g/t Au in CAM92-05 (from 3.40m) 1 Post Eidote Ridge drilling, the rig will test other high potential porphyry prospects, including Coffee, Lucky Valley, Geo Hill and White Rock Ridge, followed by epithermal copper-gold-silver targets at Charing Cross and Stamford Hill Kevin Tomlinson, President & CEO of C3 Metals, commented, "On March 24th, 2022 we announced our 2022 exploration drilling program in Jamaica. We are excited to commence drilling on a number of untested copper-gold porphyry systems and historic mine workings with impressive copper mineralization but limited multi-discipline exploration. This initial program will test multiple high potential prospects starting at Epidote Ridge, one of our most compelling targets. On completion of the first hole, the drill rig will move to test additional porphyry and epithermal targets along Porphyry Alley and the parallel spatially associated Epithermal Copper-Gold Corridor." Figure 1: Jamaican Exclusive Prospecting Licenses ("SEPLs") and the Crawl River Fault Zone To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/125551_image1fullfinal.jpg Details of the Drilling Program Over the past year, the Company compiled all historical exploration data on its Jamaican Exclusive Prospecting Licenses ("SEPLs") and refined the geological and mineralization models for Bellas Gate (Figure 2). The review identified significant porphyry copper-gold potential beneath Epidote Ridge, where down dip extensions of the Connors and Camel porphyry copper-gold deposits are interpreted to converge. Epidote Ridge is characterized by intense epidote alteration over a nine square kilometre area and is associated with highly anomalous copper in soil geochemistry and coincident magnetic and IP chargeability features at depth (Figure 3). The geochemical and geophysical signatures at Geo Hill, Camel Hill and Connors are similar to Epidote Ridge, making it the most compelling and highest priority porphyry drill target in Bellas Gate. Figure 2. Porphyry Alley on the Bellas Gate Project showing Epidote Ridge, Connors and Camel Hill To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/125551_image%202%20full.jpg Figure 3: Coincident magnetic (top) and IP Chargeability (bottom) anomalies beneath Epidote Ridge To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/125551_image%203%20full.jpg For additional information, contact: Kevin Tomlinson, President & CEO +1 416 841 5122 or ktomlinson@c3metals.com ABOUT C3 METALS INC. C3 Metals Inc. is a junior minerals exploration company focused on creating substantive value for its shareholders through the discovery and development of large copper and gold deposits. The Company's flagship project is the 57km2 Jasperoide high-grade copper-gold skarn and porphyry system located in the prolific Andahuaylas-Yauri Porphyry-Skarn belt of Southern Peru. Mineralization at Jasperoide is hosted in a similar geological setting to the nearby major mining operations at Las Bambas (MMG), Constancia (Hudbay) and Antapaccay (Glencore). C3 Metals also holds a 100% interest in five licenses covering 207km2 of highly prospective copper-gold terrain in Jamaica and a 2% royalty in Tocvan's Rogers Creek project. Related Link: www.c3metals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. QP Statement Stephen Hughes, P.Geo. is Vice President Exploration and a Director for C3 Metals and is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Hughes has reviewed the technical information in this news release and approves the written disclosure contained herein. Technical Program C3 Metals adheres to a strict QA/QC protocol for core handling, sampling, sample transportation and analyses. Chain-of-custody protocols are designed to ensure security of samples until their delivery at the laboratory. Half core samples are analysed by 4-Acid digest ICP-MS finish for 60 elements, including pathfinder REE elements with pulps from samples reporting greater than 1.0% copper being re-assayed by the ore grade method. Gold is analysed by 30g Fire Assay AAS finish, with pulps from samples reporting greater than 5ppm re-assayed by 1kg Screen Fire Assay. The Company inserts blanks and certified reference standards in the sample sequence for quality control. COVID-19 Protocols The Company continues to implement its COVID-19 safety protocols at site to ensure the safety of employees and the communities surrounding the Jasperoide project area. Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the exploration operations of the Company and the timing which could be affected by the current global COVID-19 pandemic. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of the Company's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, and regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. [1] References for Historic Data: Data from the above drill results are historical results and it is unknown what type of quality-control programs were performed at the time. The QP also advises that true width of the above results cannot be determined at this time. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125551 Chief Executive Officer of CNERGENZ, Mr. Lye Yhin Choy PENANG, Malaysia, May 27, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - CNERGENZ Berhad (CNERGENZ), an established electronics manufacturing solutions provider based in Penang, has announced its financial results for the first quarter ended 31 March 2022 (1QFY2022) today. The Company registered revenue of RM36.9 million for the 1QFY2022, primarily contributed from the sales of standalone surface mount technology (SMT) machines and equipment constituting 60.9% of its total revenue. In addition, sales generated from the provision of integrated solutions segment contributed 31.2% to the total revenue.Further, the Company recorded profit before tax (PBT) of RM4.87 million and achieved net profit (PAT) of RM3.64 million for the period. After excluding one-off expenses relating to the initial public offering amounting to RM0.16 million incurred during the period, the Company's PBT and PAT stood at RM5.03 million and RM3.80 million, respectively.Chief Executive Officer of CNERGENZ, Mr. Lye Yhin Choy said, "Manufacturing activities remained robust in 1QFY2022 leading to the continued demand for our integrated solutions in the electronics and semiconductor (E&S) industries. We have also seen a rise in demand for smart factory solutions as customers look to automation to solve manpower woes.""We will continue with our plans that we have shared in the run-up to our listing, including the expansion of our facility to enable us to scale up our operations, as well as strengthening our R&D activities to develop new and innovative integrated systems and solutions to the market. To-date, we have secured purchase orders totalling RM82.48 million, which we expect to fulfil by the end of 2022."CNERGENZ Bhd: https://cnergenz.comCNERGENZ Bhd: [BURSA: CNERGENZ]Source: Cnergenz BerhadCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Dieppe, New Brunswick--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Colibri Resource Corporation (TSXV: CBI) ("Colibri" or the "Company") is pleased to report that today its option partner Tocvan Ventures (CSE: TOC) has announced further drilling results from the Company's Pilar Gold & Silver Project in Sonora, Mexico. Tocvan is in year 3 of a 5-year agreement to earn an initial 51% of Colibri's Pilar Gold & Silver Project. For full details of Colibri's agreement with Tocvan please see the Company's news release dated September 24th, 2019. Tocvan Reports: (May 27th, 2022) "Results for core drill holes JES-22-61 and JES-22-64 are provided in this release, both Main Zone extension targets infilling a gap and stepping out from holes JES-22-59 (116.9m at 1.2 g/t Au) and JES-22-62 (108.6m at 0.8 g/t Au) (see Figure 1). JES-22-61 returned 63.4-meters at 0.6 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag, including 29.9-meters at 0.9 g/t Au and 18 g/t Ag. Within the broader mineralized interval, consistent gold mineralization was recorded within a silicified sulphide-bearing breccia returning 8.9-meters at 2.1 g/t Au, 45 g/t Ag and 6.1% Zn, the highest consistent base-metal mineralization drilled to date (see Plate 1). JES-22-64 was successful in intersecting a broad anomalous gold zone, indicating mineralization continues further to the southeast. A total of 1,562 meters of Phase III drilling has been completed in nine drill holes providing key information across the Main Zone and 4-T Trend. Results for two drill holes are pending. Drill Highlights JES-22-61 (Core) 63.4m at 0.6 g/t Au and 11 g/t Ag, from 60.8m Including 29.9m at 0.9 g/t Au and 18 g/t Ag, from 60.8m Including 8.9m at 2.1 g/t Au, 45 g/t Ag and 6.1% Zn, from 81.8m JES-22-64 (Core) 107.3m at 0.1 g/t Au, from 60.3m - Anomalous Zone on trend with JES-22-62 Including 44.8m at 0.2 g/t Au, from 93.2m "Drilling southeast of our Main Zone continues to return excellent gold and silver values in intensely silicified breccia-hosted mineralization," commented Brodie Sutherland, CEO. "Once again, the orientation of drilling has maximized success through this extension zone returning consistent values that warrant more drilling to fully evaluate the potential of the area. We are excited to evaluate the next steps at Pilar as we continue to move the project forward." Discussion of Results As part of the Phase III program, nine drill holes have been completed totalling over 1,562 meters (Figure 1). Drilling looked to expand the Main Zone through 25, 50 and 100-meter step-outs to the southeast in a gap zone that has seen little drilling focused on the main trend between hole JES-20-32 (94.6m at 1.6 g/t Au) and hole JES-21-50 (39.7m at 0.96 g/t Au). Drilling also covered the 4-T Trend testing below trench T-21-3, which returned 19.5 meters at 0.61 g/t Au. Drill hole JES-22-61 was successful in intersecting a significant zone of gold with broad mineralization in a silicified andesite host (63.4 meters of 0.6 g/t Au, including 29.9 meters of 0.9 g/t Au). The intersection included a silicified breccia zone grading 2.1 g/t Au, 45 g/t Ag and 6.1% Zn over 8.9 meters. This is the highest-grade base metal mineralization recorded to date. The broader low-grade interval correlates with mineralization in the Main Zone Trend, 85-meters southeast of JES-22-59 (116.9m of 1.2 g/t Au) and 50-meters northwest of JES-22-62 (108.6m of 0.8 g/t Au). Drill hole JES-22-64, a 35-meter southeast step-out from JES-22-62, intersected a broad anomalous zone of 107.3-meters at 0.1 g/t Au. Mineralization looks to continue to the southeast, further drill testing along the trend will be required to confirm. Results are pending for two holes on separate parallel trends. Figure 1. Map of Phase III Drill Holes. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4269/125576_eac01805e49c9871_001full.jpg. Table 1. Summary of Drill Results. Hole ID From (m) To (m) Width (m)* Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) JES-22-61 60.75 124.10 63.35 0.61 10.74 including 60.75 90.65 29.90 0.91 18.27 including 81.75 90.65 8.90 2.11 44.81 JES-22-64 60.30 167.60 107.30 0.08 2.25 including 93.20 138.00 44.80 0.15 1.00 including 135.30 138.00 2.70 1.21 2.33 *Reported widths are apparent widths, JES-22-61 and JES-22-64 were drilled at a 45 degree inclination both are thought to be near perpendicular to the dip of mineralized structural trends. Figure 2. Cross-Section of JES-22-61. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4269/125576_eac01805e49c9871_002full.jpg. Plate 1. Photo of HQ Core from JES-22-61. Sections from 81.8m to 90.7m, silicified mineralized breccia, part of higher-grade interval, 8.9m at 2.1 g/t Au, 45 g/t Ag and 6.1% Zn. To view an enhanced version of Plate 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4269/125576_plate%20image.jpg. About the Pilar Property The Pilar Gold-Silver property is interpreted as a structurally controlled low-sulphidation epithermal project hosted in andesite rocks. Three zones of mineralization have been identified in the north-west part of the property from historic surface work and drilling and are referred to as the Main Zone, North Hill and 4-Trench. Structural features and zones of mineralization within the structures follow an overall NW-SE trend of mineralization. Over 20,700 m of drilling have been completed to date. Significant results are highlighted below: 2021 Phase II RC Drilling Highlights include ( all lengths are drilled thicknesses ): 39.7m @ 0.96 g/t Au, including 1.5m @ 14. g/t Au 47.7m @ 0.70 g/t Au including 3m @ 5.6 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag 29m @ 0.71g/t Au 35.1m @ 0.66 g/t Au 2020 Phase I RC Drilling Highlights include ( all lengths are drilled thicknesses ): 94.6m @ 1.6 g/t Au, including 9.2m @ 10.8 g/t Au and 38 g/t Ag; 41.2m @ 1.1 g/t Au, including 3.1m @ 6.0g/t Au and 12 g/t Ag ; 24.4m @ 2.5 g/t Au and 73 g/t Ag, including 1.5m @ 33.4 g/t Au and 1,090 g/t Ag Historic Core & RC drilling. Highlights include: 61.0m @ 0.8 g/t Au 16.5m @ 53.5g/t Au and 53 g/t Ag 13.0m @ 9.6 g/t Au 9.0m @ 10.2 g/t Au and 46 g/t Ag Quality Assurance / Quality Control RC chips and core samples were shipped for sample preparation to ALS Limited in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver. The ALS Hermosillo and North Vancouver facilities are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold was analyzed using 50-gram nominal weight fire assay with atomic absorption spectroscopy finish. Over limits for gold (>10 g/t), were analyzed using fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Silver and other elements were analyzed using a four-acid digestion with an ICP finish. Over limit analyses for silver (>100 g/t) were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with ICP-AES finish. Control samples comprising certified reference samples and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's robust quality assurance / quality control protocol. Brodie A. Sutherland, P.Geo., CEO for Tocvan Ventures Corp. and a qualified person ("QP") as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release. ABOUT COLIBRI RESOURCE CORPORATION: Colibri is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX-V (CBI) and is focused on acquiring and exploring prospective gold & silver properties in Mexico. The Company has six exploration projects of which five currently have exploration programs being executed in 2022. (1) The flagship Evelyn Gold Project is 100% owned and explored by Colibri, (2) the Pilar Gold & Silver Project (optioned to Tocvan Ventures) (CSE: TOC), (3) the El Mezquite Gold & Silver Project , (4) the Jackie Gold & Silver Project, and (5) the Diamante Gold & Silver Project. 3,4, and 5 are subject to earn-in agreements by Silver Spruce Resources (TSXV: SSE). For more information about all Company projects please visit: www.colibriresource.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements." Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate. For information contact: Ronald J. Goguen, President, Chairperson and Director, Tel: (506) 383-4274, rongoguen@colibriresource.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125576 President Joe Biden argued on Wednesday that the Second Amendment is not absolute, as he advocated for tighter limitations on gun ownership in the aftermath of a school massacre that killed 21 people. The US president has declared that enough is enough and that he will take action to halt the gun violence that is raging throughout the country. Biden stated that when the Second Amendment was enacted, individuals could not own a cannon or other specific weapons. White House: Biden Isn't Doing Anything To Get Rid of the Second Amendment Conservatives and gun rights advocates were outraged by the comment, citing the language of the Second Amendment, which specifies that the right must not be infringed. Attempts to increase background checks and impose other restrictions have often met with Republican resistance in Congress, making change unlikely, as per Telegraph. During a news briefing on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that President Biden is not doing anything to repeal the Second Amendment. In response, Jean-Pierre stated that President Biden is not advocating for the repeal of the Second Amendment, but rather for common-sense gun control. A speech following the elementary school massacre on Tuesday night, Biden stated that he is sick and tired of mass shootings and that tougher gun control measures must be implemented. He plans to visit Uvalde, Texas, on Sunday to offer his condolences and to mourn with the family and community, according to Fox News. As reported by CBS News, the president, as he did Tuesday night, asked members of Congress to stand up to the gun lobby. Steve Dettelbach, the president's choice for ATF director, was interrogated on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Some Republicans were concerned about Dettelbach's previous support for an assault weapons prohibition. Speaking before the president, Vice President Kamala Harris encouraged Congress to approve commonsense gun safety legislation on Wednesday. Read Also: Vladimir Putin Cancer: Debate Sparks About Who Could Replace the Russian President Amid Botched Ukraine Invasion Firearm Sales Spike Following Texas School Shooting Meanwhile, gun sales have skyrocketed, and share prices for armament companies have risen in the aftermath of the tragic Texas mass shooting. Sturm, Ruger & Company, the largest publicly traded gunmaker in the United States by market capitalization, was up 5.47 percent at $67.27 as of 5 pm ET. Smith & Wesson's stock rose 8% to $15.02 a share while Vista Outdoor's stock rose 9% to $38.24. Meanwhile, American Outdoor Brands rose 6% to $11.12 and Ammo Inc. rose 5%. It comes just days after President Joe Biden slammed the Second Amendment, saying it was not holy and urging Americans to oppose the gun lobby. The President responded angrily after a psychotic 18-year-old shooter, Salvador Ramos, killed 19 students and two instructors at Uvalde's Robb Elementary School. In the days following the tragic shooting, the stock market revealed a surge in interest in gun ownership. Buyers are thought to be eager to equip themselves for self-defense and to avoid a crackdown on the purchase of guns. The same thing happened in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 and the San Bernardino attack in 2015. According to sources, gun sales, such as Sturm and Smith, increased following both incidents. According to police and several news accounts, the 18-year-old shooter, Salvador Ramos, lawfully acquired two semi-automatic guns from a local outdoor and hunting store. It was the bloodiest such occurrence since 14 high school students and three adult staff were slain in Parkland, Florida in 2018 - and the deadliest at an elementary school since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut, which killed 20 children and six adults. Since the start of the pandemic, more than two million pistols and rifles have been sold. According to a University of Chicago poll, nearly one in every five US families has acquired a gun since March 2020. According to the poll, one in every 20 individuals in the United States acquired a gun for the first time in the previous two decades, boosting the percentage of US adults presently living in a household with a gun to over 50 percent, Daily Mail reported. Related Article: President Joe Biden Signs Police Order To Mark George Floyd's 2nd Death Anniversary @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Hasbro, Inc. (HAS) said independent proxy advisory firm Glass, Lewis & Co. has recommended that the company's shareholders vote for all of Hasbro's Director Nominees in connection with the Annual Shareholders Meeting. Glass Lewis believes Alta Fox failed to make a sufficient case for change, the company said. Hasbro's Board of Directors urged shareholders to vote for all of the company's director nominees and to disregard any materials, including any gold proxy card, that may be sent by Alta Fox. 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. GUIYANG, China, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 26, the China International Big Data Industry Expo 2022 took place online, with the opening ceremony held in Guiyang, the capital of China'sGuizhou province. A great number of national and international leading figures, including statesmen, entrepreneurs and scholars, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Under the annual theme of "grabbing new digital opportunities and enjoying digital value", this year's expo closely followed the trends of the digital economy to explore new opportunities for a digital technology revolution and industrial transformation. During the one-day session, the guests discussed influential topics such as metaverse, data security and industrial Internet. Furthermore, this expo focused on the deep integration of big data with the real economy, social governance, people's livelihood, and rural revitalization. The use of data to transform traditional industries in a full-chain manner was also involved. In addition to eight forums, the Big Data Expo Release, which aimed to showcase the outstanding achievements of big data in industry, agriculture and tourism, also attracted attention. At the release, 55 of 437 scientific and technological achievements were awarded the Big Data Expo Leading Technology Achievement Award, including 24 new products, 26 new technologies and five business models. In order to create an interactive platform and bring an immersive experience, the expo took advantage of new means of communication. For instance, the expo used smart conference services, virtual beings and low-latency transmission technologies. This year's expo was co-organized by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Cyberspace Administration of China, and the people's government of Guizhou Province. Based on Guizhou's strategic positioning, China International Big Data Industry Expo 2022 emphasized innovation in the transformation of technological achievements, with the hope of exploring experience for industrial upgrading and the construction of digital China. In fact, Guizhou has accelerated the construction of the country's first national-level comprehensive pilot zone for big data in recent years. Its provincial growth rate of the digital economy has ranked the first in the country for 6 consecutive years. As the world's first national-level expo with the theme of big data, China International Big Data Industry Expo has been held for seven consecutive sessions since 2015. It has created a world-class platform for showcasing the latest achievements, exchanging ideas and encouraging cooperation in the relevant industry. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Canada Computational Unlimited Corp. (TSXV: SATO) (OTCQB: CCPU.F) ("CCU" or "the Company") is pleased to announce its Q1 2022 financial results for March 31, 2022 ("2022"). All amounts in this news release are in Canadian dollars. 2022 Highlights Total revenue of $1,709,266 in Q1 2022 which represents growth of 55% compared to Q1 2021 in Q1 2022 which represents growth of compared to Q1 2021 Revenue from hosting in Q1 2022 grew 2,928% compared to Q1 2021 compared to Q1 2021 Gross profit excluding depreciation was $610,204 in Q1 2022 in Q1 2022 Working capital increase of $603,417 at March 31, 2022, from a working capital of $3,254,131 at December 31, 2021 at March 31, 2022, from a working capital of at December 31, 2021 Digital assets held at March 31, 2022 was $3,857,548 compared to $1,524,681 at March 31, 2021 "These results are reflective of the Company's dedication to its continued growth and success in responsible mining. CCU's mining power at the Center One facility has increased by a 4x factor compared to Q1 2021 and will reach 8x that upon completion. We are on track to reaching full capacity and I am confident that we will continue to deliver shareholder value," commented Romain Nouzareth, President and Chief Executive Officer. Notice On Tuesday, May 31st at 2PM/EST the Company will be holding its Annual General Meeting which will be hosted virtually to cover recent financial results and company developments. To participate or view the meeting please log into: www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SATO2022 . Q1 2022 Financial Overview For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company recorded a net loss of $2,106,661 compared to a net profit of $887,883 for the three months ended March 31, 2021. A summary of the results are as follows: Q1 2022 Q1 2021 % change Revenue 1,709,266 1,102,109 55% Cost of revenue 1,428,568 395,306 261% Gross profit 280,698 706,803 (60%) Gain (loss) on use of digital assets (15,802 ) 240,790 n/a Expenses (2,327,161 ) (257,531 ) 804% Operating income (loss) (2,061,545 ) 690,062 n/a Other (charges) income (46,268 ) (234,004 ) (80%) Gain (loss) before income taxes (2,107,813 ) 456,058 n/a Deferred income taxes 1,152 88,757 (99%) Net income (loss) (2,106,661 ) 544,815 n/a Total comprehensive income (loss) (2,131,273 ) 887,883 n/a Gross mining profit 483,226 770,451 (37%) EBITDA (1,738,598 ) 800,261 n/a Adjusted EBITDA (602,057 ) 562,269 n/a This news release makes reference to certain measures that are not recognized under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS. They are therefore not necessarily comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The Company uses non-IFRS measures including "Adjusted EBITDA" and "EBITDA" as additional information to complement IFRS measures by providing further understanding of the Company's results of operations from Management's perspective. A reconciliation of these non-IFRS measures to their nearest IFRS measures is included in the Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") accompanying the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021 (the "Consolidated Financial Statements") and should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements. Consolidated Financial Statements and MD&A A complete financial reporting package, including the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes and MD&A, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under CCU's profile and on the Company's website at www.ccu.ai. About Canada Computational Unlimited Corp. CCU operates a state-of-the-art, carbon-neutral bitcoin mining center with a contract of 20 MW of stable, renewable energy. The Company's high-density calculation centers are built for high-grade cryptocurrency mining, AI data processing, and fintech infrastructure. Founded in 2017, CCU is led by technology entrepreneurs, electricity and ventilation experts, network specialists, and Canadian industrialists. Since its inception, the company has pursued a vision of environmental stewardship throughout the mining process. The excess supply of renewable energy in the province of Quebec has made this endeavor feasible and a great base for growth. Additional information can be found at www.ccu.ai. Notice On Tuesday, May 31st at 2PM/EST the Company will be holding its Annual General Meeting which will be hosted virtually to cover recent financial results and company developments. To participate or view the meeting please log into: www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/SATO2022 . For additional information, please contact: Caroline Klukowski Tel: 604.260.5490 news@ccu.ai Keep up-to-date on developments and join our online communities at Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the future performance of the Company, and other statements that are not historical facts. Wherever possible, words such as "may", "will", "should", "could", "expect", "plan", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict" or "potential" or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof. Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. 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 press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125587 Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - GENERAL EUROPEAN STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS INC. (OTC Pink: GESI) (the "Company or GESI") is pleased to announce that it has obtained signed consents from a super majority shareholders to designate a new series of preferred stock. With board approval, the Company's management will move forward with the appropriate filings to implement the designation. As previously announced in our May 20, 2022 press release, these newly authorized preferred shares will: Designate 1,500,000 of its 10,000,000 authorized shares of preferred stock as a new series of preferred stock entitled "Series C Preferred Stock" with a par value of $0.0001. The 1,500,000 Series C Preferred Stock is to be convertible on a 1:100 basis after the Company's stock trades at a volume-weighted average price (VWAP) of $5.00 for 20 consecutive days. These shares will not have voting, dividend or liquidation rights but will have piggyback registration rights. The Company is now wrapping up discussions with the holders of approximately 100 million currently issued shares held by controlling, affiliate and other large shareholders to have their shares cancelled and replaced with approximately 1 million shares of the newly authorized Preferred Series C stock. "We continue to believe that the use of these preferred shares will strategically help attract funding from various sources," said Wolfgang Rauball, CEO of GESI. Forward-Looking Statements: This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements include any that may predict, forecast, indicate, or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words "estimate", "project", "intend", "forecast", "anticipate", "plan", "planning", "expect", "believe", "likely", "should", "could", "would", "may" or similar words or expressions. Such statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results and financial position to differ materially from those in such statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, including those relating to the Company's ability to grow. Actual results may differ materially from those predicted and any reported should not be considered an indication of future performance. Potential risks and uncertainties include the Company's operating history and resources, together with all usual and common economic, competitive, and equity market conditions / risks. Contact: Robert Seguin, V.P., Investor Relations General European Strategic Investments Inc. Robert.Seguin@gesi-usa.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125590 CHINO HILLS, Calif., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, the world-renowned digital art innovation brand XPPen, has launched 3 animation special student bundles-which is available in US and CA-for students in college, cooperated with the famous animation software Inc.-Toon Boom Animation. 3 drawing displays of XPPen are included in this launch encompassing Artist 12 pro, Artist 22, Artist Pro 16TP, accompanied by the one-year subscription of Storyboard Pro and Harmony from Toon Boom Animation, for the majority of school students in North America, which is also the embodiment of XPPen's support for enthusiasts and students of new generation. Animation creation has always attracted countless young people and students to join. The win-win collaboration between the two professional pilots in digital painting industry is directed to provide more support for animation enthusiasts and young professional users in their pursuits of animation creation and learning, especially for the Gen Z artistic creators and student group. It's not only the brand philosophy of XPPen to empower every creator to pursue and fulfill the artistic dreams, but also the common consensus of both sides. The association this time turns on an innovative software and hardware cooperation pattern while bringing up more efficient user product experience to animation enthusiasts and professional CG artists around the world, as well as enabling the passionate digital drawing and CG creators to freely create and express themselves, and ultimately transfer their dreams into reality. "As a global market brand, North America has always been one of the most important market areas for XPPen. We will provide more powerful support and better services for consumers there, particularly for the student group in college when they are in the process of animation learning. And we are very glad to reach this cooperation with Toon Boom under the efforts of both sides. Furthermore, XPPen has just accomplished its online rebranding on Apr. 15th, the new definition of brand value will also be more centered, to respect and attach more importance to the preferences of the younger generation who pursues digital art creation dreams with enthusiasm." stated North America Sales Director of XPPen. Originated from 2005, XPPen is already one of three top digital drawing brands under HANVON UGEE, integrated with digital drawing products, content and service as a globally notable digital brand of digital art innovation. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827488/image_5003628_23538347.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Pure Energy Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: PE) (OTCQB: PEMIF) ("Pure Energy" or "the Company") announces that, further to its news release of May 9, 2022, the Company has received TSX Venture Exchange acceptance to settle debts totalling $183,376,59 by the issuance of 151,660 common shares at a price of $1.209 per share pursuant to a financial services agreement with an advisor to the Company, and additionally to issue shares for services provided by a director of the Company. The shares are subject to a four month and one day hold period. About Pure Energy Pure Energy Minerals is a lithium resource developer that is driven to become a low-cost supplier for the growing lithium battery industry. Pure Energy has consolidated a pre-eminent land position at its Clayton Valley Project in the Clayton Valley of central Nevada for the exploration and development of lithium resources, comprising 950 claims over 23,360 acres (9,450 hectares), representing the largest mineral land holdings in the valley. Pure Energy's Clayton Valley Project adjoins and surrounds on three sides the Silver Peak lithium brine mine operated by Albemarle Corporation. Pure Energy's strategic partner, Schlumberger Technologies Corporation ("SLB"), is the operator of the Clayton Valley Project. In May of 2019, Pure Energy and SLB signed an Earn-In agreement over the CV Project which requires significant investment by SLB at the Project, to include the design and construction of a pilot plant capable of processing lithium-bearing brines for high-quality lithium hydroxide monohydrate ("lithium hydroxide" or "LiOHH2O") and/or lithium carbonate products at a specified rate. SLB plans to utilize both in-house and commercially available technology in the design of the CV pilot plant. SLB's costs, technical parameters and ultimate technology are anticipated to differ from the published PEA. For further details regarding SLB's participation, please refer to Pure Energy's Annual General and Special Meeting Management Information Circular dated April 4, 2019, available on SEDAR.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors, "Mary L. Little" Director, Pure Energy Minerals Ltd. CONTACT: Pure Energy Minerals Limited (www.pureenergyminerals.com) Email: info@pureenergyminerals.com Telephone - 604 608 6611 Cautionary Statements and Forward-Looking Information The information in this news release contains forward looking statements that are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include: changes in world commodity markets, equity markets, costs and supply of materials relevant to the mining industry, change in government and changes to regulations affecting the mining industry. Forward-looking statements in this release may include future exploration and development on the Clayton Valley Project. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, results may vary, and we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125512 Ananda Developments Plc - Exercise of Warrants 27 May 2022 ANANDA DEVELOPMENTS PLC ("Ananda" or the "Company") EXERCISE OF WARRANTS Ananda announces that 837,007 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, 6 June 2022. Following this issue, the Company has 806,511,040 Ordinary Shares in issue, each share carrying the right to one vote. This figure of 806,511,040 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/ Chair of the B20 Energy, Sustainability, and Climate Task Force, Nicke Widyawati, during the 4th Call Meeting of the task force in Jakarta on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. (Antara / HO-Pertamina) JAKARTA, May 27, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - The B20 Energy, Sustainability, and Climate (ESC) Task Force has continued to strengthen steps to produce policy recommendations under the Indonesian G20 Presidency.As part of the effort, the 'Fourth Task Force Call Meeting' was held online for members on Tuesday (May 24, 2022).The meeting, which was accessed from Jakarta, was led directly by Pertamina president director and chair of the task force, Nicke Widyawati.It was attended by around 140 participants comprising deputy chair of the ESC Task Force, Agung Wicaksono; policy manager of the task force, Oki Muraza; eight co-chairs of the task force; and B20 members from 19 industries and 25 countries.Among the topics the 4th meeting focused on was the addition of aspects of SDGs and key performance indicators (KPI) to policy recommendations."Based on the results of discussions between the Task Force and the Implementing Council, it has been agreed that all Task Force B20 should link the SDG goals that are relevant to the draft policy recommendations and develop KPIs as monitoring indicators in policy designs," Widyawati said.She reiterated that the main objective of the forum is to ensure inclusivity in the formulation of recommendations and policies, wherein all members of the task force get the opportunity to express their views."I hope that we can work together in formulating policy proposals that are effective and can be implemented as well as able to represent the interests of the business community from B20 member countries," she said.The policy manager of the task force, Oki Muraza, outlined several KPI proposals in policy recommendations, which are expected to serve as indicators while monitoring the course of policy recommendations, including increasing the percentage of renewable energy from the total global energy supply and creating jobs related to clean energy and low-emission technologies."We have compiled this KPI considering the policies that have been made in the Italian B20 presidency by adding several aspects that are in line with the B20 policy recommendations this year," Muraza said.In addition, the policy recommendations made should be in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, such as those related to affordable clean energy (SDG No. 7 Affordable and Clean Energy) and climate action (SDG No. 13 Climate Action).On the same occasion, deputy chair of the task force, Agung Wicaksono, informed that the task force still has one Task Force Call in June 2022 for submitting final policy recommendations.Wicaksono said he expects the task force members to continue to provide inputs and views on the preparation of policy recommendations that have an impact and can be followed up by the G20 leadership.In addition, he also listed several other important activities that will be held by the task force after the last Task Force Call, including the B20/G20 Ministerial Dialogue in July 2022; an investment forum titled "2nd Partners in Energy Transition," which will be organized in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the "SOE Trade & Investment Forum," which will be held in collaboration with the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises in September; and the B20 Summit in November.Contact: Fajriyah Usman, VP Corporate Communications, PT Pertamina (Persero)M: +62 858 8330 8686, Email: fajriyah.usman@pertamina.com, URL: https://www.pertamina.comWritten by: Azis Kurmala, Editor: Suharto (c) ANTARA 2022Source: PT PertaminaCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Philip Thomas, CEO, Ascential Intelligence & Events and Chair, LIONS Paul Coxhill, CEO, WARC Cheryl Guerin, EVP, Global Brand Strategy & Innovation, Mastercard Pam Forbus, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard, USA Amanda Benfell Head of PR & Press amanda.benfell@warc.com LONDON / NEW YORK, May 27, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness, has today launched the WARC Awards for Effectiveness, North America Edition (www.warc.com/awards/effectiveness/north-america). Delivered in association with LIONS (www.canneslions.com/enter/awards), using world-class expertise in award management and judging, this new competition will shine a light on marketing greatness in the region.The Awards are built around the benchmarks of the WARC/LIONS Creative Effectiveness Ladder and B2B Effectiveness Ladder (www.warc.com/about-creative), which provide universal frameworks of the six main approaches for using strategy and creativity to drive specific B2C and B2B marketing outcomes.Philip Thomas, CEO, Ascential Intelligence & Events and Chair of LIONS, said: "The WARC Awards for Effectiveness North America offer marketers a new benchmark against which to assess just how well their marketing is working. Using the WARC/LIONS Creative Effectiveness and B2B Effectiveness Ladders as part of the judging process will give the industry a standard showing of what great effective work looks like in the region."Paul Coxhill, CEO, WARC, added: "The six categories of these new Awards for North America will be judged by extremely high-calibre juries including senior marketers from some of the region's biggest brands and top agency professionals and specialists. To launch these Awards, we are delighted to welcome our two Jury Chairs, Cheryl Guerin of Mastercard and Pam Forbus of Pernod Ricard."Cheryl Guerin, EVP, Global Brand Strategy & Innovation at MasterCard will chair three categories: B2B, Customer Experience and Cultural Impact.Cheryl leads the overall stewardship of one of the world's most iconic and recognizable brands. She oversees the strategy and activation of Mastercard's highly decorated Priceless campaign, advancing the brand to consumers and B2B audiences through cutting-edge advertising, digital marketing and innovative insights that inform and inspire new opportunities for the business.Commenting on her upcoming role, Cheryl Guerin said: "It's a tremendous honor to lead the jury of the first-ever WARC Awards for Effectiveness, North America Edition. I'm looking forward to collaborating with my peers to review the most exceptional B2B and B2C creativity from North America, and recognize the true effectiveness gems, which will help inspire and empower our industry."Pam Forbus, SVP, Chief Marketing Officer of Pernod Ricard, USA, has been appointed Jury Chair of the Instant Impact, Sustained Growth and Brand Purpose categories.Pam oversees U.S. marketing and innovation for 26 leading spirits, wine and champagne brands in the company's premium portfolio, including Absolut, Jameson, Malibu, The Glenlivet, Perrier-Jouet, GH Mumm and many others. Since joining Pernod Ricard in 2020, Pam has implemented "media to shelf" to drive consumer/shopper centric brand and business building.On chairing, Pam Forbus said: "As a long-time fan of WARC, I'm thrilled to be chairing the first year of the WARC Awards for Effectiveness, North America Edition. It's great to see the framework of the Creative Effectiveness Ladder come to life in this competition, and I look forward to using it to shine a light on our region's most inspiring work."The juries will score papers according to campaign objectives, insight and strategic thinking, implementation, business effects and lessons learned. They will then be benchmarked against the Creative Effectiveness or B2B Effectiveness Ladders providing entrants with a clear idea about where their work fits on the six rungs of the relevant ladder. For each category, the juries will award a Grand Prix as well as Gold, Silver and Bronze accolades.With a straightforward process to enter, the Awards are free to enter and open to all agencies and brands from North America. Papers will be accepted until 21 September.More information on the new WARC Awards for Effectiveness, North America Edition, and how to enter is available at www.warc.com/awards/effectiveness/north-america.The newly launched WARC Awards for Effectiveness North America are part of a suite of WARC Awards (www.warc.com/our-awards), which also include the global WARC Awards for Effectiveness, and two other regional competitions -- the WARC Awards for Asian Strategy and the WARC Awards for MENA Strategy.Source: WarcContact:Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. DAMAC believes Miami is a natural fit given its luxury and fashion appeal is a natural fit given its luxury and fashion appeal Announcement comes at a time of rapid global expansion for the Dubai -based developer DUBAI, UAE and MIAMI, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UAE-based DAMAC Properties has announced that it has won the US $120 million bid to acquire land in the upscale Miami neighbourhood of Surfside. The Dubai-based developer plans to build an ultra-luxurious, CAVALLI branded condominium project. The property, on Collins Avenue, offers residents 200 feet of direct beach frontage and access to South Beach and Bal Harbour. The land, comprising 1.8 acres, was sold to DAMAC for $120 million through the court process. Commenting on the purchase, DAMAC Chairman and Founder, Hussain Sajwani, said: "DAMAC Properties has long been eyeing development opportunities in Miami. We see the city, which is known for being a luxury and fashion centre, as a natural fit for our Company, which has an established reputation for its branded luxury offerings." Surfside, in recent years, has become a hotspot for ultra-luxury condominium developments, including the Four Seasons Private Residences, the Fendi Chateau Residences, and the Arte Surfside buildings. The town also has a collection of high-end hotels, including the Four Seasons, the St. Regis Bal Harbour, and the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour and its primary shopping area, the Bal Harbour Shops, is known throughout Miami as a luxury shopping destination. DAMAC Properties, known for its luxury real estate offerings both regionally and globally, is rapidly expanding its global footprint such as its flagship project in Europe - DAMAC Towers Nine Elms in the prestigious Zone 1 district of London with Versace interiors. The Surfside project will be DAMAC's first in the United States. The Company's consistent success over the years, and more recently on the tailwinds of Dubai's stellar economic performance and forecast, has propelled it to eye various global opportunities for development and growth. It is developing a luxury resort in the Maldives to be operated by global hotel brand Mandarin International and has already projects in Canada, the UK and across the Middle East. In 2021, DAMAC Properties launched two projects in Dubai, DAMAC Lagoons, the developer's third master community in Dubai, and Cavalli Tower, an ultra-luxurious 70-storey tower overlooking Palm Jumeirah, with Cavalli-branded interiors. Both projects have seen great customer interest and demand. "Our global expansion into the United States marks a major milestone and demonstrates that DAMAC is a force to be reckoned with. This is an exciting time, and we have a lot in store," Sajwani said. "We are rapidly growing, not only in our real estate endeavours but in various sectors such as fashion, hospitality and even emerging industries such as the Metaverse, NFTs and data centres. This enables us to stay ahead of the curve," he concluded. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827765/DAMAC_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827769/DAMAC_2.jpg The Palestinian Authority has released the results of its investigation into the fatal shooting of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, claiming that Israeli forces deliberately shot and killed the veteran reporter using armor-piercing bullets. The results of the investigation echoed the findings of a preliminary probe announced nearly two weeks ago and were widely expected amid global outrage over the killing of the victim. On Thursday, Palestinian Attorney General Akram al-Khatib spoke to reporters in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah. Fatal Shooting of Palestinian Journalist The official said that it was clear that one of the Israeli occupation forces fired a bullet that struck journalist Abu Akleh directly in her head while she was trying to flee the area. The 51-year-old Palestinian-American journalist was fatally shot with an armor-piercing bullet while wearing a helmet and a vest that was clearly marked with the word "PRESS." Al-Khatib was reporting on the findings of a Palestinian Authority (PA) investigation that was looking into the fatal shooting of Abu Akleh. The journalist was shot on May 11 while covering an Israeli army raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, as per Aljazeera. The official said that the only source of firing was by the occupation forces with the aim to kill their targets. He added that his investigation was based on interviews with witnesses, an inspection of the scene of the incident, and a forensic medical report. Read Also: Russia-Ukraine War: Video Shows How Ukrainian Military Used Kamikaze Drones To Destroy Russian Tank Previously, witnesses and colleagues who were present at the scene of the incident said that Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli forces. The media outlet that the journalist worked for, Al Jazeera Media Network, said that their employee was "assassinated in cold blood." According to The Guardian, Israeli officials rejected the findings with Defense Minister Benny Gantz calling the results a "blatant lie." Al-Khatib echoed the Palestinian position that the bullet not be handed over to the Israelis for study and that it was decided not to show images to "deprive [Israel] of a new lie." Israel's Denial On Thursday, Israeli Defense Force chief of general staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi said in a speech that it was impossible to know who fired the bullet and once again called on the Palestinians to cooperate to "get to the bottom" of what happened. The official added that one thing was for certain, that no soldier fired intentionally at a journalist, arguing that an investigation was conducted into the incident. Israeli officials have denied that soldiers were targeting journalists and offered two possible scenarios, saying that the reporter was either shot by Palestinian militants who were firing recklessly at an Israeli army convoy or that she was struck by Israeli gunfire aimed at a nearby militant. United States President Joe Biden's administration has called for a thorough investigation and accountability into the killing of Abu Akleh. On Wednesday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that the U.S. government made it clear to both Israeli and Palestinian authorities that they were expecting the investigations to be transparent and impartial, requiring a full thorough accounting of the circumstances of the killing of the journalist, Axios reported. Related Article: Hundreds of Bodies Buried Under Rubble Paint Devastating Aftermath of Russia's Siege on Mariupol @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 27 May 2022 Rightmove plc Share buy-back programme Rightmove plc - Transaction in own shares Rightmove plc ('Rightmove') announces that today it purchased 70,000 of its 0.1p ordinary shares at a volume weighted average price paid per share of 590.212p. The highest price paid per share was 595.400p and the lowest price paid per share was 583.600p. Rightmove purchased these shares through UBS AG London Branch. The number of shares purchased represented 0.0083% of the voting rights attributable to the total ordinary shares in issue prior to such purchase. The purchased shares will be cancelled. Since announcing a share buy-back programme on 28 December 2007, Rightmove has purchased in aggregate 467,251,229 ordinary shares. The total number of ordinary shares in issue (excluding treasury shares) following this announcement is 839,335,677. Rightmove holds 12,467,174 shares in treasury. In accordance with Article 5(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (the Market Abuse Regulation) as amended by The Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (the "UK MAR"), the schedule below contains detailed information about the purchases made by UBS AG London Branch on behalf of the Company as part of the buyback programme. Contact Michelle Palmer, Assistant Company Secretary CompanySecretary@rightmove.co.uk Schedule of Purchases - Individual Transactions Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares For immediate release 27 May 2022 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announces that it has today purchased 100,422 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 795.20p 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 3,175,762; 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 221,815,541. The figure of 221,815,541 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 BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks closed higher on Friday, extending recent gains, amid easing worries about tighter monetary stance from the Federal Reserve, and on some upbeat earnings updates from U.S. retailers. Markets also benefited from optimism about easing of coronavirus restrictions in China and bargain hunting at several counters that had seen some sharp selling in recent sessions. The pan European Stoxx 600 climbed 1.42%. Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 surged up 1.62% and 1.64%, respectively, while the U.K.'s FTSE gained 0.27%. Switzerland's SMI advanced 1.35%. The FTSE 100, the DAX and the CAC 40 all gained more than 2% in the week. Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden posted sharp to moderate gains. Denmark, Poland, Portugal, Russia and Turkey closed weak, while Czech Republic ended flat. In the UK market, movements were quite choppy with investors assessing the likely impact of a 25% windfall tax on oil and gas producer's profits. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who announced the measure on Thursday, did not rule out applying a similar levy to power generators, but said more work needs to be done on the idea. Scottish Mortgage rallied 6.6%. Ocado Group surged up 5%. Experian, Ashtead Group, Halma, Melrose Industries, Aveva Group, Prudential, Spirax-Sarco Engineering, Rentokil Initial and Pershing Square Holdings gained 2 to 3.5%. Harbour Energy Plc shares plunged 10.7%. ITV ended nearly 4% down. Pearson, Royal Mail, National Grid, Endeavour Mining, SSE and Fresenillo lost 1.4 to 2%. In the German market, Infineon Technologies, Siemens Healthineers, Vonovia, Puma, Siemens, Linde, Sartorius, SAP and MTU Aero Engines gained 2 to 4.5%. Deutsche Wohnen, Adidas, Merck, Munich RE and Qiagen also ended notably higher. RWE ended more than 3% down. E.ON shed about 2.1%. Zalando and Henkel also declined sharply. In the French market, L'Oreal, Hermes International, Kering, LVMH, Dassault Systemes, Essilor and ArcelorMittal gained 3 to 4.3%. Pernod Ricard, Teleperformance, Airbus Group, STMicroElectronics, Air Liquide, BNP Paribas, Safran and Sodexo also moved up sharply. Saint Gobain gained about 1.6%. The company has entered into agreements for the sale of its glass processing businesses Eckelt Glas and Glas Ziegler in Austria to the privately-owned German group AEQUITA, as well as the sale of its holding in the co-venture Glaskontor Erfurt - a glass processing business in Germany - to the CALEOGLAS Group. Unibail Rodamco drifted down more than 3%. Valeo, Sanofi and Carrefour were among the other prominent losers. In economic news, Eurozone money supply expanded at a slower pace in April, while the growth in loans to the private sector accelerated, data from the European Central Bank showed on Friday. The broad monetary aggregates M3 grew at a pace of 6% in April, slower than the 6.3% increase posted in March. Economists had forecast M3 to climb again by 6.3%. Likewise, the narrow measure, M1 that comprises currency in circulation and overnight deposits, gained 8.2% annually, following an 8.8% increase in March. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 27, 2022 / Diamond Fields Resources Inc. (TSX-V:DFR) ("DFR" or the "Company") notes that Moydow Holdings Limited ("Moydow") has commenced a drilling program on the Labola Gold Project in Burkina Faso, West Africa ("the Labola Project"). The drill program is intended to improve the definition of the current resource and potentially contribute to an expansion of the National Instrument 43-101 resource estimate announced on 25 October, 2021. In addition, Moydow will commence drill testing on several other targets across the expanded license area. The Labola Project comprises two exploration license areas, Wuo Land and Wuo Land 2. Moydow completed a thirty one hole, 4,739 meter drilling program of twin and infill drilling between May and August 2021 on the Wuo Land license (the "2021 Drilling Program"). The primary objective of the 2021 Drilling Program was to validate the historical High River Gold Mines Limited ("High River") and Taurus Gold Limited ("Taurus") drilling databases to estimate a maiden mineral resource estimate prepared in accordance with the provisions of NI 43-101 (see DFR announcement dated 25 October 2021): Indicated mineral resource estimate: 5.41Mt @ 1.52g/t Au (264,000oz) Inferred mineral resource estimate: 6.93Mt @ 1.67g/t Au (371,000oz) The 2021 Drilling Program covered the main area of historical drilling and focused on the Daramandougou and Wuo Ne target areas. As announced on 11 March 2022, the footprint of the Labola Project was extended by an additional 243km2 following Moydow's acquisition of an option over an exploration license ("Wuo Land 2") contiguous to the existing license area. Importantly the Company now has control of approximately 30km of strike length along the mineralization corridor. Labola Project exploration The Labola Project lies in the Banfora Birimian Greenstone Belt, one of the three major mineralized belts in western Burkina Faso. Gold mineralization at the Labola Project is spatially associated with sulfides and quartz sericite alteration. Historical geophysics (IP and EM) surveys have helped define a 30km long mineralized corridor. Within this corridor, historical and recent mapping and sampling combined with the widespread activity of artisanal miners has identified seven structures with mapped extents of 15km to 25km. The 2021 drilling program conducted by Moydow concentrated on only a small portion of this belt, towards the northern end of the Central Western and Eastern structures. Drill testing has covered only between 6% and 25% of the mapped strike length of these three structures and rarely to depths of more than 100m. The current resource, which was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, was based upon validated historical and recent drilling. The objective of the next phase of exploration work is to infill and extend the previous drill pattern on areas of known mineralization. Additionally, the program will test the tenor and continuity of some of the other structures that have been identified through our mapping and sampling campaign and are currently being exploited at surface by artisanal gold miners. Preliminary metallurgical test work conducted by High River and Taurus suggested that the gold present in the license area is treatable by conventional cyanide leaching. Recoveries were seen to be 90 to 98% in the oxide zone and 82% to 93% in the transitional and sulfide zone. During the exploration work undertaken by Moydow, LeachWell accelerated cyanide bottle roll testing was used alongside fire assay analysis of drill samples and the results have provided further indication that the gold mineralization is essentially free milling in line with historical and regional metallurgical results. A wider metallurgical test program to confirm these results will be implemented as the Labola Project advances. Moydow transaction update On 25 August 2021, the Company announced that it had entered into definitive agreements to acquire privately owned Moydow, ("the Transaction"). The TSX Venture Exchange provided conditional approval to the Transaction in April 2022, subject to shareholder approval and other standard conditions. The Company is holding its Annual General and Special Meeting of the shareholders on June 9, 2022 (the "Meeting") to, among other things, seek approval to the Transaction. The Management Information Circular for the Meeting, setting out the particulars of the Transaction was mailed to shareholders in mid-May 2022. A copy of the Management Information Circular is available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Further information about the Transaction, including a corporate presentation, is available on the Company's website and at www.diamondfieldsmoydow.com. Subject to shareholder approval, the Transaction is anticipated to close before the end of June 2022. Shareholders are encouraged to review the Management Information Circular and vote their proxies for the upcoming Meeting. The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Ends David J Reading, M.Sc., FIMM, Fellow SEG, a director of DFR and a Qualified Person as defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), has prepared or supervised the preparation of, or approved, as applicable, the technical information contained in this press release. Mr. Reading has over 40 years' experience in the mining industry covering all stages of mine development, including exploration, feasibility, financing, construction and operations. He has an MSc in Economic Geology and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and of the Society of Economic Geologists. DIAMOND FIELDS RESOURCES INC. Join McGloin, CEO Contact: enquire@diamondfields.com Michael Oke/Andy Mills: +44 20 7321 0000 Aura Financial LLP: www.aura-financial.com Notes to Editors: DFR is a TSX Venture Exchange listed exploration and mine development company with assets in Madagascar and Namibia. In Madagascar, DFR is developing the Beravina Project, an advanced high grade hard rock zircon exploration prospect located in the west of the country, approximately 220km east of the port of Maintirano and close to a state road. DFR acquired Beravina from Pala Investments and Austral Resources in 2016. In Namibia, the Company owns several offshore diamond mining licenses including the ML 111 concession which has a ten-year mining license, effective until 4 December 2025. In 2018 and early 2019 mining undertaken by a contractor on the Company's ML111 license area produced two parcels of rough diamonds totaling 47,318.41 carats. Moydow is a privately owned, BVI registered, West African focused gold exploration business, which was formed in 2019 and subsequently in 2020 acquired, from AIM listed Panthera Resources Plc, its interest in the Labola Project, (Burkina Faso), followed by the Kalaka (Mali) project interest in 2021. At Closing Moydow will be controlled by DFR. Website: www.diamondfieldsmoydow.com and www.diamondfields.com The Company's public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this release that address activities, events or developments that DFR expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements or information. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "aim", "aspire", "strive", "will", "expect", "intend", "plan", "believe" or similar expressions as they relate to DFR. Forward- looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to materially differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements and information in this release include but are not limited to statements and information relating to the terms, conditions and completion of the Transaction and Founder Investments; the use of proceeds from the Founder Investments; the obtaining of all required regulatory approvals in connection with the Transaction and Founder Investments; technical information; drilling and exploration programs; political risks; statutory and regulatory compliance; the proposed officers and directors of DFR following completion of the Transaction; and the impact of the Transaction on the business of DFR. Such statements and information reflect the current view of DFR. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause DFR's 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. There are a number of important factors that could cause DFR's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: the ability to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the Transaction and the Founder Investments; the ability to obtain requisite shareholder and regulatory approvals; the potential impact of the announcement or consummation of the Transaction on relationships; including with regulatory bodies, employees; suppliers customers and competitors; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; compliance with extensive government regulation and the diversion of management time on the Transaction and the Founder Investments. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statement prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. DFR cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on DFR's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, shareholders should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. DFR has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking information contained in this release represents the expectations of DFR as of the date of this release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While DFR may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. SOURCE: Diamond Fields Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/703050/Diamond-Fields-Resources-Announces-Moydow-Commences-Drilling-at-Labola-Gold-Project-and-Updates-on-Acquisition Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - American Aires Inc. (CSE: WIFI) (the "Company" or "Aires"), is pleased to announce that today it has issued a grid promissory note dated May 26, 2022 (the "Note"), with an arm's length lender (the "Lender") whereby the Lender agreed to advance up to C$500,000 (in C$100,000 increments if and as needed) to the Company pursuant to the terms below (the "Loan"). The Loan will primarily be used for working capital purposes. The Loan will be evidenced by a promissory note in favour of the Lender. The maturity date of the Loan is one (1) year from the date of the Note (the "Maturity Date") and the rate of interest is 8% per annum. The Company has agreed to pay a royalty of 3.5% from net sales for every C$100,000 loaned to the Company, subject to a maximum royalty of 17.5%. The royalty will exist until the Loan is repaid in full. Financial Statement Update Further to its press release dated May 9, 2022, the Company continues to experience delays regarding the filing of its audited annual financial statements, management discussion and analysis and certificates of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer (collectively, the "Required Filings") for the year ended December 31, 2021, which were due to be filed on May 2, 2022. The Company continues to work diligently with its auditors and third-party fulfillment centres and anticipates that it will complete the Required Filings by late-June. About American Aires Inc. American Aires Inc. is Canadian-based nanotechnology company which has developed proprietary silicon-based microprocessors that reduce the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). The technology was developed by a team of highly accredited scientists and confirmed by independent third-party validation including peer reviewed studies and publications in scientific journals. Aires' Lifetune products specifically target EMR emitted by consumer electronic devices such as cellphones, computers, baby monitors, Wi-Fi radiation, including the rapidly expanding next-generation high-speed 5G networks. Aires is listed on the CSE under ticker 'WIFI'. Learn more at www.airestech.com. On behalf of the board of directors Company Contact: Dimitry Serov, CEO Email: dimitry@airestech.com Telephone: (905) 482-4667 Website: www.airestech.com No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Shares have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of any person in the United States, absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any common shares in the United States, or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. We seek safe harbour. Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. 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. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements may be discussed in this news release and the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis filed at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Not intended for distribution to United States Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of United States Securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125611 ANKARA, Turkey, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Roland Berger, an international management consulting firm, proposed that user operation has become the third driving force for car companies. For a long time, most car companies have not faced users directly, have not been able to obtain the most direct information, and have not heard users' suggestions. With the development of automobile intelligence and digitization, this situation in China has begun to change in recent years. So far, almost all car companies have been chanting slogans to attach importance to user operations, and have carried out various car enthusiast activities. Chery Automobile also promoted the latest concept of user operation to the world. From the year of 2020, Chery has built a global user interaction platform for the first time, and held the first season of With Chery with Love (WCWL), covering more than 20 countries around the world, accumulating more than 500,000 People participated in the sharing histories with Chery. And now the second season of WCWL is going on. Recently, Chery held its first user operation event in Kazakhstan. The theme of the event was a picnic in spring, also there was also a lively band singing at the event, and all the people were excited and happy. The event was well received by local Chery car owners in Kazakhstan, which enhanced the local Chery users' recognition of Chery's overall brand and services. In Peru, Chery also held its first user operation event to provide car owners with a platform to get to know each other. 27 TIGGO 7 PRO owners gathered together to share their stories with Chery, deepening mutual understanding. After the event, the car owner commented on the social media platform: "I have never participated in this kind of event before, I believe this is not the last time, it even makes me want to buy a TIGGO 7 PRO again, thanks to Chery for bringing me Happy memory!". The purpose of customer operation is to really go deep into the car owners, discover what car owners really care about, and truly bring Chery's care and warmth to global users, thereby enhancing the upward influence and reputation of the Chery brand. User operation will also be the key trend of automotive industry future development. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827706/image_5011064_49643015.jpg Sydney has exploded into a kaleidoscope of colour and technicolour brilliance tonight as the lights were turned on for Vivid Sydney 2022 SYDNEY, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Making a triumphant return after a two-year hiatus, Australia's largest event will bring together light artists, music makers and brilliant creatives over 23 days and nights, from 27 May to 18 June in celebration of Sydney's soul - the diversity, beauty, resilience, First Nations culture, and vibrant creative community. For the first time in Vivid Sydney's 12-year history, the 'Lights On' moment has been preceded with First Light, a powerful acknowledgement and celebration of our First Nations culture, with a spectacular and memorable Welcome to Country ceremony and performance by more than 50 NAISDA dancers, choreographed by Deon Hastie under creative advisor Rhoda Roberts AO. From firelight to spotlights, the 'Lights On' moment wowed with the Sydney Opera House Lighting of the Sails featuring the incredible new digital artwork, Yarrkalpa - Hunting Ground 2021. Created by Martu artists and creative technologists Curiious, with a soundtrack by Electric Fields & Martu artists, the visually striking and complex painting depicts the Parnngurr community and surrounding landscape and represents Indigenous cultures' intimate connection with the country. The Lighting of the Sails is complemented with Sharing the Same Life Essence by Indigenous artist Wayne Quilliam, projected onto all four of the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons during First Light. This year, the Festival is bigger and brighter than ever before, with 11 central business district (CBD) locations across Sydney, including Circular Quay, Sydney CBD, The Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, Darling Square, Central Station, The Good Line, Luna Park and Taronga Zoo transformed with illuminating installations and unforgettable performances. This year is the first time that Central Station and the Goods Line has been activated, extending the Light Walk for a continuous 8km. Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said Vivid Sydney was much more than just a captivating light, music and ideas festival. "Vivid Sydney draws millions of visitors to the city in May and June and is such an important driver for the NSW tourism economy," Mr Ayres said. "It's been a long wait since the lights went out on Vivid Sydney 2019 and this year's program is bigger, brighter and bolder, with over 200 events for visitors to enjoy. The largest festival in the Southern Hemisphere brings Sydney to life, and I encourage Sydneysiders and visitors from all around the country and the world to visit our dynamic city when it's at its creative best." Festival Director, Gill Minervini said: "It has been such a privilege and honour to put together a program of this scale that is two years in the making. This year's program features a completely refreshed and revitalised program celebrating Sydney's soul, elevating our artists and creatives onto a world stage that will inspire and captivate audiences. Over the next 23 days and nights, visitors will be spoiled for choice, with the longest ever continuous Light Walk at 8km, hundreds of music events at intriguing locations across the city and thought-provoking talks from the world's most brilliant minds. Sydney shines during Vivid Sydney, and I cannot wait for everyone to experience it." Vivid Sydney is the largest festival of light, music and ideas in the Southern Hemisphere and the largest event in Australia. For more information and to purchase tickets to Vivid Sydney events, go to www.vividsydney.com. Follow Vivid Sydney on social media for the latest Vivid Sydney updates and last-minute advice on getting around the city: facebook.com/vividsydney twitter.com/vividsydney instagram.com/vividsydney youtube.com/vividsydney Get social at Vivid Sydney using @vividsydney vividsydney. MEDIA CONTACT Wayne Mitcham, Amio Limited P: +64 21 499 550 E: wayne@amio.nz About Vivid Sydney Vivid Sydney is an annual celebration of creativity, innovation and technology, which transforms Sydney for 23 days and nights. Staged for its 12th year in 2022, Vivid Sydney fuses mesmerising art displays and 3D light projections with exhilarating live music performances and deep-dive discussions from some of the world's brightest minds, as well as the Sydney Opera House Lighting of the Sails. Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government's tourism and major events agency. Related Images Image 1: Sydney Opera House - Yarrkalpa Hunting Ground 2021 Artists - Martu artists Photo credit - Destination NSW Image 2: Checkmate - Darling Harbour Artists - Amigo and Amigo Credit - Destination NSW Image 3: For Sydney With Love Artist - Ken Done Credit - Destination NSW Image 4: Temple Artists - Leila Jeffreys & Melvin J Montalban Credit - Destination NSW Image 5: Macula Artists - Justin Reinhold & Rico Reinhold Credit - Destination NSW Image 6: Vivid Reflections Artists - The Electric Canvas Art Collective Credit - Destination NSW This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment BMO Commercial Property Trust Limited (a closed -ended collective investment scheme established as a company with limited liabilityincorporated in Guernsey with registration number 50402) LEI Number: 213800A2B1H4ULF3K397 (The "Company") 27 May 2022 RESULT OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING At the Annual General Meeting of the Company held today, all Resolutions set out in the Annual General Meeting Notice sent to Shareholders dated 27 April 2022 were duly passed. Details of the proxy voting results which should be read along side the Notice are noted below: Ordinary Resolution For Discretion (voted in favour) Against Abstain 1 433,267,410 52,881 44,915 2,221,606 2 424,626,447 52,881 10,691,973 215,511 3 435,459,567 52,881 11,562 62,801 4 431,639,716 52,881 3,744,253 149,962 5 425,471,845 52,881 9,942,169 119,916 6 428,596,491 52,881 6,787,477 149,962 7 431,634,749 52,881 3,779,266 119,915 8 431,623,842 52,881 3,761,443 148,645 9 434,909,782 52,881 520,385 103,764 10 435,183,494 52,881 61,627 288,810 11 435,424,958 52,881 28,290 80,682 12 435,261,272 52,881 218,276 54,383 Special Resolution For Discretion (voted in favour) Against Abstain 13 431,960,762 52,881 3,453,536 120,633 14 421,428,839 52,881 11,930,237 2,174,855 Note -A vote withheld is not a vote in law and has not been counted in the votes for and against a resolution. The Special Resolutions were as follows: Special Resolution 13 That the Directors of the Company be and they are hereby generally empowered, to allot and issue ordinary shares in the Company or grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert securities into, ordinary shares in the Company ("equity securities'') for cash, including by way of a sale of ordinary shares held by the Company as treasury shares, as if any pre-emption rights in relation to the issue of shares contained in Article 6.2 of the Company's articles of incorporation did not apply to any such allotment of equity securities, provided that this power: (a) expires at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the passing of this resolution or on the expiry of 15 months from the passing of this resolution, whichever is the earlier, save that the Company may, before such expiry, make an offer or agreement which would or might require equity securities to be allotted after such expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities in pursuance of any such offer or agreement as if the power conferred hereby had not expired; and (b) shall be limited to the allotment of equity securities up to an aggregate nominal value of 735,372 being approximately 10 per cent of the nominal value of the issued share capital of the Company (excluding treasury shares), as at 13 April 2022. Special Resolution 14 That the Company be authorised, in accordance with section 315 of The Companies (Guernsey) Law 2008, to make market acquisitions (within the meaning of section 316(1) of The Companies (Guernsey) Law 2008 of ordinary shares of 1p each ("Ordinary Shares'') (either for retention as treasury shares for future resale or transfer, or cancellation), provided that: (a) the maximum number of Ordinary Shares hereby authorised to be purchased shall be 14.99 per cent of the issued Ordinary Shares on the date on which this resolution is passed; (b) the minimum price which may be paid for an Ordinary Share shall be 1p (exclusive of expenses); (c) the maximum price (exclusive of expenses) which may be paid for an Ordinary Share shall be the higher of (i) 105 per cent of the average of the middle market quotations (as derived from the Daily Official List) for the Ordinary Shares for the five business days immediately preceding the date of purchase; and (ii) the higher of the last independent trade and the highest current independent bid on the trading venue which the purchase is carried out; and (d) unless previously varied, revoked or renewed, the authority hereby conferred shall expire at the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Company after the passing of this resolution, or on the expiry of 18 months from the passing of this resolution, whichever is the earlier, save that the Company may, prior to such expiry, enter into a contract to purchase Ordinary Shares under such authority which will or may be executed wholly or partly after the expiration of such authority and may make a purchase of Ordinary Shares pursuant to any such contract. Enquiries: Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited The Company Secretary Trafalgar Court Les Banques St Peter Port Guernsey GY1 3QL Tel: 01481 745001 END Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Tourism Week returns to Canada next week to kickstart the summer travel season. From May 29 to June 4, 2022, communities across Canada will once again be celebrating the beauty of our country - from coast to coast to coast. The seven-day awareness campaign presented by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) invites private- and public-sector tourism partners in Canada and in key countries abroad to come together to promote Canadian tourism destinations, businesses, and employees. All members of the media are invited to attend a press conference to officially launch the event. Please save the date! Press Conference - Tourism Week 2022 Special Guests: The Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance & Beth Potter, President & CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Canada Date: Monday May 30, 2022, 10:30 a.m. EST Location: Outside of the Ottawa Visitor Centre Address: 90 Wellington St, Ottawa Ontario Media Contact/RSVP: msimmons@tiac-aitc.ca After two years of enduring the hardships of the global pandemic, its economic impact, and its polarizing effects on society, TIAC believes that tourism is the best way to demonstrate to the world Canada's values as a nation - resilience, peace, diversity, and inclusivity. Our collective values are needed now more than ever on the global stage. This year's theme of "Travel now. For work, life, and play!" emphasizes that tourism in Canada is open for business and ready to safely re-welcome travelers from all over the world, whether for pleasure or business. To celebrate tourism, TIAC is challenging destinations, landmarks, attractions, venues and hotels to light up in green from May 29-June 4 as part of its campaign to raise awareness of the industry's economic, social, and cultural importance in Canada. Business and government leaders across the country will also be sharing videos on their social media to show their support for the industry. Learn more about Tourism Week 2022 here. Tourism Week Logo To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8121/125604_c158693c1427f85e_001.jpg ABOUT TIAC Established in 1930, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) advocates on behalf of Canadian tourism businesses and promotes positive measures that help the sector grow and prosper. A not-for-profit organization, TIAC represents tourism interests at the national level, and its advocacy work involves promoting and supporting policies, programs, and activities that will benefit the sector's growth and development. TIAC's membership reflects partnerships across all industry sectors, as well as provincial, territorial, and regional tourism associations, which enables TIAC to address the full range of issues facing Canadian tourism. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125604 Moon, Wisconsin--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - SANIN INU ($SANI), a community-driven meme coin, is ready to present a decentralized community with a platform that may change the 'Meme coin' industry. SANIN is excited to announce that it will soon initiate its own farming and staking protocols in mid June 2022, followed by a plethora of DeFi features and its own DAO. Moonoshi How did SANIN start? SANIN was born with an aim to revolutionize the decentralized space. SANIN has 1 trillion tokens circulating in the market. There are no team wallets or marketing wallets, which creates a sense of True Decentralization. Thus, SANIN is entirely a community-driven project. The SANIN Team: Every holder and community member of SANIN is part of the team. Everyone is participating in what they can contribute to the project, with a vision of true decentralization. Furthermore, SANIN currently has individuals helping the project grow in several aspects such as: Medium Articles Influencers Additional development Raid leaders Hype members Voice Chat mods The Future of SANIN The future of SANIN will be decided by the community. SANIN held a fair launch that commenced on April 5th, 2022. SANIN collected more than 1000 holders in the first week and is growing steadily. SANIN's current and primary goal is to become a true decentralized community token. To achieve this, the project came up with a plan: On April 30th, an announcement was made that DeFi features will be added to SANIN. SANIN as True De-FI In collaboration with the dev team, Sanin is ready to present its own farming/staking platform in the middle of June. Combined with the fact that $SANI doesn't have its own funds, even for marketing, means it is a community-based project. In addition to the farming/Stacking platform, Sanin will receive its own DAO, where the community will be able to officially make a decision on the further development of the project. How to become part of the SANIN revolution? 1) Buy and hold SANI (https://app.uniswap.org/#/swap?outputCurrency=0x4521c9ad6a3d4230803ab752ed238be11f8b342f&chain=mainnet). 2) Join the community on Telegram and be part of the revolution https://t.me/SANININU. "Decentralization is looking within oneself, detaching oneself from one's individuality to become a collective, and acquiring that strength necessary to realize any kind of dream." - (Quote from Founder/CEO SANIN INU) Sanin Inu Contract: 0x4521C9aD6A3D4230803aB752Ed238BE11F8B342F Tokenomics: 1T fixed total supply 0% buy/sale tax 100% LP tokens burned No presale, no team tokens Contract renounced OFFICIAL LINKS Website: http://sanininu.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/sanininu Telegram: https://t.me/SANININU Discord: https://discord.gg/VsEaEADqdP Whitepaper: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qrs9auJHsLByeJxBmGwTSzClDNo_jWgE/view Renounced: https://etherscan.io/tx/0x8ccae6efcc78dc8eb3883c8bbd4cc34e7df244fe1fef592696c214c8584b37ca Liquidity Burned: https://etherscan.io/tx/0xdbf901c59f139fd6a6e3a8024c3aa9a1a72b72be680985af592d45c09e6edc5c 100/100 on Token Sniffer: https://tokensniffer.com/token/0x4521c9ad6a3d4230803ab752ed238be11f8b342f Media Details: SANIN INU Miho Oson 202-555-0179 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125594 On the day he spoke with an FBI official, the attorney who launched an inquiry into since-debunked claims of a hidden back channel between Donald Trump and a Russian bank billed Hillary Clinton's campaign. The expense records of attorney Michael Sussman were entered into evidence in court Tuesday before the prosecution rested its case against the lawyer, who is on trial for lying to the FBI during the meeting. Sussmann Billed Clinton Campaign For Work on 'Confidential Project' Prosecutors presented Michael Sussmann's billing records to the jury on Wednesday, claiming they show he charged the Hillary Clinton campaign for a meeting with then-FBI General Counsel James Baker in which he shared allegations of a covert communications channel between the Trump Organization and Russia's Alfa Bank. Kori Arsenault, a paralegal with Special Counsel John Durham's office, was the prosecution's final witness. Arsenault worked on several of the government's exhibits and assisted the jurors in understanding the documents. On Wednesday morning, the prosecution disclosed the Perkins Coie document, alleging it shows the law firm billed "Hillary for America" for the meeting Sussmann held with Baker at FBI headquarters on September 19, 2016. The Clinton campaign is mentioned as the customer on the bill, which is likewise dated September 19, 2016, the duration is recorded as 3.3 hours, and the memo states: work and discussions related confidential project. Other evidence indicated Sussmann charged around $800 per hour, according to Fox News. The defense looks to be close to deciding whether or not to summon Sussmann to testify in his defense. His counsel has not stated publicly if he intends to testify. Closing arguments in the case are expected before the end of the week. Durham prosecutors wrapped up their case on Wednesday by reciting Sussmann's testimony to the House Intelligence Committee in December 2017, in which he stated that his meeting with the FBI in September 2016 and another meeting with the CIA in February 2017 were both for a client. The FBI decided that the data Sussmann gave up did not truly demonstrate a hidden communications channel, but was most likely the result of "spam" marketing emails. Sussmann's defense questioned Tashina Gauhar and Mary McCord, two former Justice Department attorneys who attended a March 2017 conference when the Alfa-Bank charges were discussed after Durham's team rested their case. Both stated that they had no recall of the session. Former FBI agent Tom Grasso testified before the jury, saying Joffe had done a good job assisting the government with a previous cyber probe and was unlikely to have knowingly provided the FBI false information. Judge Christopher Cooper, an Obama Administration appointment, removed from evidence an exhibit provided by prosecutors on Tuesday in which Joffe texted fellow tech specialists asking if the Trump-related charges would be "plausible" to a non-expert. An FBI agent testified on the stand that the email appeared to suggest an attempt to spread false allegations, but Cooper said the email was inadmissible because Joffe had asserted his Fifth Amendment right not to testify and, despite earlier plans, none of the email's recipients were called by the prosecution, as per Politico. Read Also: Pfizer CEO Downplays Monkeypox, Says Disease 'Very Difficult' To Become Pandemic Sussmann Won't Take a Stand in Court Before his attorneys rested their case, Hillary Clinton's longtime attorney declined to testify in his defense. Sussman said he was still debating whether to testify in his single-count trial in federal court in Washington, DC, which has lasted over two weeks. Sussmann told James Baker in a text message the night before the meeting that he was going not on behalf of any client or firm, but as a concerned citizen looking to assist the Bureau. Throughout the trial, prosecutors have called a flurry of witnesses in an attempt to establish that Sussmann was working on behalf of his clients at the meeting - and that it was part of a bigger scheme by the Clinton campaign to use the FBI to create an October surprise ahead of the 2016 election. Baker, when called by prosecutors, said that Sussmann assured him towards the outset of their meeting that he was not there on behalf of any client. Sussmann's defense team has worked hard to emphasize memory gaps and other errors made by the prosecution's witnesses, notably Baker. Attorney Michael Bosworth said in his opening remarks that Baker's recall of the Sept. 19, 2016, discussion with Sussmann was as clear as mud. In his cross-examination of Baker, defense attorney Sean Berkowitz emphasized inconsistencies in statements given to investigators about the encounter by the FBI's former top counsel in the years preceding up to the trial, New York Post reported. Related Article: Conspiracy Theory Supporter Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Wins Georgia GOP Primary @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. DGAP Voting Rights Announcement: QIAGEN N.V. QIAGEN N.V.: Release according to Article 40, Section 1 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution 27.05.2022 / 22:03 Dissemination of a Voting Rights Announcement transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The AFM (the Netherlands Authority For the Financial Markets has informed us on May 24, 2022 that a notification related to our institution has been released by the AFM. The following notification has been disclosed in the relevant register on the AFM website: Date of transaction: 19 may 2022 Person obliged to notify: Goldman Sachs Group Inc., The Issuing institution: Qiagen N.V. Registration Chamber of Commerce: 12036979 Place of residence: VENLO Distribution in numbers Type of share Number of shares Number of voting rights Capital interest Voting rights Manner of disposal Settlement Ordinary share 920.278,00 920.278,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International Physical Delivery Convertible bond 323.592,00 323.592,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International Physical Delivery Ordinary share 689.615,00 689.615,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC Physical Delivery Option 3.863.782,00 3.863.782,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC Physical Delivery Swap 24.116,00 24.116,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC In cash Ordinary share 4.999,00 4.999,00 Real Real Indirectly - United Capital Financial Advisers, LLC Physical Delivery Ordinary share 42,00 42,00 Real Real Indirectly - Folio Investments Inc. Physical Delivery Swap 220.077,00 220.077,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International In cash Ordinary share 11,00 11,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE Physical Delivery Warrant 40.038,00 40.038,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE In cash Ordinary share 17.146,00 17.146,00 Real Real Indirectly - The Goldman Sachs Trust Company of Delaware Physical Delivery Ordinary share 152.476,00 152.476,00 Real Real Indirectly - Goldman Sachs International Physical Delivery Ordinary share 68.025,00 68.025,00 Real Real Indirectly - Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE Physical Delivery Call-option 10.700,00 10.700,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC Physical Delivery Ordinary share 26.853,00 26.853,00 Real Real Indirectly - NN Investment Partners Holdings N.V. Physical Delivery Convertible bond 520.202,00 520.202,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - NN Investment Partners Holdings N.V. Physical Delivery Distribution in percentages Type Total holding Directly real Directly potential Indirectly real Indirectly potential Capital interest 2,98 % 0,00% 0,00% 0,12% 2,86% Voting rights 2,98 % 0,00% 0,00% 0,12% 2,86% QIAGEN N.V. is not responsible for the accuracy and correctness of the notification above. The content has been taken from the relevant register of the AFM: https://www.afm.nl/en/professionals/registers/meldingenregisters/substantiele-deelnemingen/details?id=124928 27.05.2022 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de Quarterly Revenue And Net Loss In Line With Prior Year Year To Date Revenue Of $1.84 Million Up 211 Percent As Compared To Prior Year ALGONA, IA / ACCESSWIRE / May 27, 2022 / American Power Group Corporation ("APG") (OTC PINK:APGI) announced the unaudited results for the three and six months ended March 31, 2022. Chuck Coppa, APG's CEO/CFO stated, "Unaudited net sales for the three and six months ended March 31, 2022, were approximately $315,000 and $1.84 million, respectively as compared to approximately $357,000 and $591,000 for the three and six months ended March 31, 2021, respectively. Our penetration into the oil/gas fracking market over the past two years has been the primary revenue driver with over 240 engines converted during this period. The increase in year-to-date revenue is attributable primarily to the shipment of a $1.4 million follow-on order from our lead dealer/installer during the December 2021 quarter. We currently have $5+ million of outstanding stationary conversion quotes spread among several of our dealers/installers." Mr. Coppa added, "Our unaudited net loss after income taxes was approximately $310,000 for each of the three months ended March 31, 2022 and the three months ended March 31, 2021, respectively. Our unaudited net income after income taxes for the six months ended March 31, 2022 was approximately $348,000 as compared to an unaudited net loss after income taxes of approximately $588,000 for the six months ended March 31, 2021. During the six months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, we recognized other income of approximately $158,000 and $154,000, respectively, associated with the forgiveness of our Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program loans. Our ongoing efforts to reduce fixed operating costs as well as reduced long-term debt have positively impacted our net results with our year-to-date interest expense down 53 percent to approximately $108,000 as compared to $204,000 in the prior year-to-date period." Mr. Coppa added, "In March 2022, we closed the sale of approximately 98.4 million of unregistered shares of common stock valued at approximately $2.46 million to existing shareholders, including $2.2 million purchased by entities associated with or controlled by our Chairman. We are utilizing a portion of the proceeds to accelerate our V6000 Low-Carbon Dual Fuel solution awareness campaign including trade show participation, demo truck program expansion, website upgrade as well as other visibility initiatives intended to underscore the immediate economic and environmental benefits of using our V6000 Low-Carbon Dual Fuel solution." About American Power Group Corporation ( www.americanpowergroupinc.com ) American Power Group's subsidiary, American Power Group Inc., provides cost-effective dual fuel engine solutions to help accelerate an alternative fuel low-carbon future. Our patented Turbocharged Natural Gas Dual Fuel Conversion Technology is a unique hardware and software solution that can enable existing high-horsepower vehicular and stationary diesel engines to safely displace a significant percentage of diesel with various forms of clean burning natural gas, including low-carbon and negative-carbon renewable natural gas (RNG), captured flare-stack methane gas, conditioned well-head gas, bio-methane gas, compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid natural gas (LNG). APG's dual fuel solution provides users with a proven technology to meet their Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance ("ESG") objectives by lowering criteria pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements and Opinions The matters described herein contain forward-looking statements and opinions, including, but not limited to, statements relating to outstanding dual fuel conversion quotes for $5+ million and our ability to turn these quotes into actual orders. These forward-looking statements and opinions are neither promises nor guarantees but involve risks and uncertainties that may individually or mutually impact the matters herein, and cause actual results, events and performance to differ materially from such forward-looking statements and impact the matters herein, and cause actual results, events and performance to differ materially from such forward-looking statements and opinions. These risk factors include, but are not limited to, the fact that we may not be able to convert the $5+ million of quotes into actual orders; the fact our dual fuel conversion business has lost money in prior fiscal years and the risk that we may require additional financing to grow our business; our reliance on third parties to manufacture, distribute and install our products; difficulties or delays in developing or introducing new products and keeping them on the market; lack of product demand and market acceptance for current or future products; adverse events or economic conditions; pricing and other competitive pressures; dependence on governmental regulations with respect to emissions, including whether EPA approval will be obtained for future products and additional applications; the risk that we may not be able to protect our intellectual property rights; factors affecting the Company's future income and resulting ability to utilize its NOLs; the fact that our stock is thinly traded and our stock price may be volatile; and the fact that the exercise of stock options and warrants will cause dilution to our shareholders. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and opinions, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements and opinions that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Investor Relations Contact: Chuck Coppa, CEO/CFO American Power Group Corporation 781-224-2411 ccoppa@apgdualfuel.com SOURCE: American Power Group Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/703016/American-Power-Group-Announces-Unaudited-Results-For-Q2-Fiscal-2022 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE: 18H) (the "Company" or "PreveCeutical"), announces the resignation of Mr. Anderson and Mr. Lotz and the appointment of Dr. Linnea Olofsson to the Company's board of directors (the "Board"). Resignation of Directors Mr. Keith Anderson and Mr. Mark Lotz will be stepping down as directors of the Company effective May 31, 2022, to allow them more time to focus on their business. Appointment of Director The Company is pleased to appoint Dr. Olofsson to the Board, effective June 1, 2022. Dr. Olofsson will also be a member of the Board's audit committee and the corporate governance and nominating committee. Dr. Olofsson is a business entrepreneur with a background in development, clinical trials, and commercialization. PreveCeutical has retained the services of Empire Relations Group effective June 1, 2022, for three months, at a fee of US$2,500 per month, to assist with investor awareness. Stephen Van Deventer, PreveCeutical's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We thank Mr. Anderson and Mr. Lotz for their contribution to the Company and wish them all the best. We are very pleased to have Dr. Olofsson join the Board. Dr. Olofsson's background, skillset, and experience will be very valuable to the Company." About PreveCeutical PreveCeutical is a health sciences company that develops innovative options for preventive and curative therapies utilizing organic and nature identical products. The Company aims to be a leader in the preventive health sciences sector. With the completion of three of its research programs, the Company is actively working on the development, clinical trials, and commercialization of its products; and has filed a number of provisional patent applications to protect the intellectual property from its research programs. For more information about PreveCeutical, please visit our website www.PreveCeutical.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. On behalf of the Board of Directors of PreveCeutical Stephen Van Deventer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Stephen Van Deventer: +1 604 306 9669 Or Investor Relations ir@preveceutical.com Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations and orientations regarding the future, including, without limitation, the continued research interests of PreveCeutical, PreveCeutical's anticipated business plans, and its prospects of success in executing its proposed plans. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "will", "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "may", "should", "budget", "schedules", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential", "proposes" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions regarding PreveCeutical, including expected growth, results of operations, including PreveCeutical's research and development activities, performance, industry trends, growth opportunities, that PreveCeutical will be granted requisite expedited approvals by world health, retain and attract qualified research personnel and obtain and/or maintain the necessary intellectual property rights needed to carry out future business activities. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including, risks and uncertainties relating to: complexities and delays in connection with research and development activities and the actual results of research and development activities; the ability of PreveCeutical to, among other things, protect its respective intellectual property, obtain any required governmental, regulatory or stock exchange approvals, permits, consents or authorizations required, including Canadian Securities Exchange acceptance of any planned future activities and obtaining expedited requisite approvals from world health agencies; and the ability of PreveCeutical to commercialize products, pursue business partnerships, complete their research programs as planned, and obtain the financing required to carry out their planned future activities. Other factors such as general economic, market or business conditions or changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry may also adversely affect the future results or performance of PreveCeutical. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, unless required by applicable law, PreveCeutical assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Although PreveCeutical believes that the statements, beliefs, plans, expectations, and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that those statements, beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions will prove to be accurate. Readers should consider all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to other periodic reports provided by PreveCeutical from time-to-time. These reports and PreveCeutical's filings are available at www.sedar.com. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE or CNSX Markets), its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the CSE), nor any other regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Any link in this press release to external information or other resources is provided for reference only, and such information or resources might change from time to time, and may include forward-looking statements as described above, and are subject to the above disclaimers under this heading forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and, accordingly, are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty of such statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125651 Istanbul, Turkey--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Istanbul-based hair transplant, dental and aesthetic surgery clinic EMPCLINICS is excited to introduce its new location. Continuing its growth in the health sector, EMPCLINICS expanded to the European continent by continuing its services in the Netherlands. With its new headquarters in Amsterdam, the firm has made healthcare services accessible in the Europe region as well. Chairman of the Board of EMPCLINICS To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8694/125640_4915f009b44849dc_001full.jpg "We are an organization that has been performing hair transplantation since 2008, dental and aesthetic surgery since 2015. We have decided to carry the experience that we have gained from more than 50 thousand patients from 82 different countries that we have treated so far, outside of Turkey. One of the main reasons for our decision was the request of patients who could not come to Turkey for treatment. We had to refuse such requests of patients who could not spare time for travel due to workload. We were upset that we could not meet this need of patients. We decided to open up to the Dutch market both to respond to this demand and to take our brand to a more global level." - Yucel Muratoglu, Chairman of the Board of EMPCLINICS EMPCLINICS brand continues its success from Istanbul to Amsterdam EMPCLINICS, which won 3 awards at the 6th Turkey Brand Summit held this year, sets an example of a successful health tourism clinic. It wants to continue the same success in its new headquarters in Europe. Murat Yuceloglu and his team To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8694/125640_4915f009b44849dc_002full.jpg The company, which has been preparing for a long time for the opening of the new clinic in Amsterdam, has completed the preparations and finally made its new investment. Yucel Muratoglu, Chairman of the Board of EMPCLINICS, who was awarded the Young Businessman of the Year Award, said the following about the new clinic: "Architects worked with Feng-Shui experts during the design phase of our new clinic, where we have specialist physicians and cutting-edge technology equipment. A design was made in accordance with the energy vibration and frequency laws of the universe. Everything from the music played in the clinic to the smells in the environment was designed to increase the energy of the person who will visit the clinic." - Yucel Muratoglu, Chairman of EMPCLINICS Murat Yuceloglu and his award To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8694/125640_4915f009b44849dc_003full.jpg The Netherlands, one of the founding members of the European Union, is one of the countries with a high level of prosperity and purchasing power. It creates an important opportunity for EMPCLINICS to expand its export volume in the European market. The company aims to increase its export volume in the Europe region with its new headquarters in Amsterdam, located in Western Europe. EMPCLINICS plans to open its centers in Germany, Poland, and America in 2023. Since the day it was founded, the company aims to spread its success in Turkey first to Europe and then to other continents. EMPCLINICS To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8694/125640_4915f009b44849dc_004full.jpg Follow EMPCLINICS on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube For more information please visit the website or contact us directly : Contact: Yucel Muratoglu, EMPCLINICS COB (Chairman of the Board) Website: https://empclinics.com/ Email: bilgi@emphair.com Phone: +90 541 345 07 22 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125640 Global telecom security start-up's ground-breaking ACE automated breach and attack platform takes first place in innovation category ROME, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SecurityGen, the global start-up provider of security solutions and service for the telecoms industry has won the Vendor Innovation Award at this year's Telecoms World Middle East Awards. SecurityGen took home the award for its new ACE automated breach and attack simulation platform for mobile networks. SecurityGen was one of nine vendors shortlisted in the "Innovation Award - Vendor" category at this year's awards, which took place during the Telecoms World Middle East conference in Dubai. The shortlist included submissions from a range of blue-chip players, scale-ups and start-ups - including Netcracker, Cisco, Syniverse, Arimac Lanka Pvt, Enea Aptilo, STC Solutions, Zextras, and Evina. Commenting on this latest award win, SecurityGen co-founder and CEO Amit Nath said, "The SecurityGen team is thrilled to win this award. We'd like to congratulate our fellow shortlisted nominees and also thank the judges for recognising, firstly, the hard work that has gone into creating the new ACE platform: and secondly, its game-changing impact on securing mobile networks for operators and their subscribers." The ACE platform is a telecoms industry first: the first completely automated breach and attack simulation platform that is purpose-built for securing mobile networks. ACE provides an automated approach to assess and improve the security posture of mobile operators by continuously testing the strength of their network defences against hackers, fraudsters and other malefactors. Nath continued, "As mobile networks become more complex and dynamic, new and serious security challenges have emerged for operators. Current preventative security measures are simply not enough to adequately protect networks from malicious external attack. ACE gives mobile operators the network-wide perspective, expert insight, and research-based recommendations they need to defend their networks and protect their subscribers effectively on an ongoing basis." Earlier this month, SecurityGen earned second place in the ROCCO Research Vendor Innovators Awards for its ACE offering, which took place at the ROCCO Genesis innovation conference in Malaga, Spain. The Telecom World Middle East Awards are an annual awards programme that identifies, celebrates and rewards innovation and success in the telecoms sector across the Middle East, Central and South Asia and Africa. About SecurityGen Founded in 2022, SecurityGen is a global start-up focused on telecom security. We deliver a solid security foundation to drive secure telco digital transformations and ensure next-gen enterprise intelligent connectivity. Our extensive product and service portfolio provides complete protection against existing and advanced telecom security threats. Led by a group of global visionary leaders, security experts, and research analysts with a proven track record of innovation and execution, SecurityGen is headquartered in Rome and has a strong presence across Europe, Asia, LATAM, and the Middle East. www.secgen.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827986/SecurityGen_Telecoms_World_Award_Win.jpg David Stewart has been appointed CEO of the Icelandic travel technology company Travelshift, which operates Guide to Europe. Prior to joining Travelshift Dave was Global Head of Private Equity at State Street Global Advisors, the world's fourth-largest asset management company. "After sitting on the board of Travelshift through the pandemic and seeing how the company managed to flourish despite difficult circumstances, I became convinced that this company had created something unique. When the opportunity arose to join the group, it was impossible not to jump," said Stewart. "I am extremely excited about the technology that Travelshift has developed and I have faith that it will completely change the way people travel, not only in Iceland but all over the world ". Dave will move to Iceland from the United States with his wife in the coming weeks. He joins a group of new executives who have recently joined Travelshift, including Dr. Jakob Asmundsson, as CFO, who previously managed Straumur Investment Bank and Rapyd Europe. In addition, Harshal Chaudhari, Chief Investment Officer of General Electric Pension Trust, was recently appointed Chairman of the Board. Travelshift was founded in 2012 and operates marketplaces used by more than 5000 suppliers receiving more than 2.5 million user visits every month. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220525005728/en/ Contacts: Media contact Jakob Asmundsson jakob@travelshift.com Jeremy McGilvrey agency announces how the rapid acceleration of AI and data science has transformed online marketing and how the agency actively uses it for their clients Houston, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Jeremy McGilvrey, a Houston-based digital marketing agency announces that what was once thought to be science fiction when it comes to AI in lead generation, marketing and digital presence has become science fact. Houston-based CRO agency Jeremy McGilvrey To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8843/124893_Houston-Based%20CRO%20Agency%20Jeremy%20McGilvrey.jpg Jeremy McGilvrey agency believes the future isn't coming, it's here. Specifically, the digital marketing agency argues that advancements in AI and data science under the context of conversion rate optimization, (known as CRO) have been disrupted for over a decade due to the pandemic and an ever-increasing demand for digital transformation. Today, Jeremy McGilvrey agency incorporates this new era of science fact, including advanced metrics, tracking, AI and machine learning into their rigorous process for their clients - as they transform their digital presence, noting: "The typical business owner views their website or sales funnel as a static tool. What they don't understand is for the select few that do it right, there is a vast amount of data engineering embedded into every button, link, and text that has been reverse engineered to capture attention, generate trust, and compel behavior. Those who don't get ahead of this now will pay the ultimate price of reduced market share, poor client acquisition, and diminishing bottom lines." Jeremy McGilvrey agency believes the future acceleration of these tools will continue to reward business owners and marketers who not only have access to rich data - but are able to deploy it strategically across their entire business. The benefits, to name a few, include traffic optimization, customer and target market segmentation, advanced lead scoring, and instantaneous interactions based on insights into customer behaviors, preferences, and even future modeling. An example of the digital marketing agency's commitment to staying ahead of the AI and data science curve comes from the development of their proprietary tool, ROI Website and Sales Funnel Calculators. These cutting-edge calculators were developed with a team of high-profile data engineers to help business owners calculate the return on investment, or ROI, of various strategies. These include lead sales funnels, webinar sales funnels, free plus shipping sales funnels, and high ticket offers down to the last cent. Today, Jeremy McGilvrey Houston-based agency stands out with an incredible track record that includes an Ivy League Graduate certification from Harvard University, bestselling books, multiple awards, and being frequent contributors to notable publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc., and The Huffington Post. Jeremy McGilvrey agency believes the future will only get brighter due to the arrival and unique competitive advantages of advanced AI and data science for them and their worldwide clientele. To find Jeremy McGilvrey's digital marketing agency, visit: https://www.jeremymcgilvrey.com. Media Contact: Contact: Jeremy McGilvrey Address: 1 Riverway Ste. 1724, Houston, TX 77056 Phone: (800) 746-1522 Email: Hi@JeremyMcGilvrey.com Website/URL: https://www.jeremymcgilvrey.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/124893 London, United Kingdom and Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - GlobalBlock Digital Asset Trading Limited (TSXV: BLOK) (OTC Pink: BLVDF) (FSE: BD4) (the "Company" or "GlobalBlock") is providing this bi-weekly default status report (the "Default Status Report") in accordance with National Policy 12- 203 Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203"). On April 29, 2022, the Company announced (the "Default Announcement") that, for reasons disclosed in the Default Announcement, the filing of the Company's audited annual financial statements, management's discussion and analysis, and related certifications for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 (collectively, the "Annual Filings"), would not be completed by the prescribed deadline of May 2, 2022. As a result of this delay in filing the Annual Filings, the Company's principal regulator, British Columbia Securities Commission, granted a management cease trade order (the "MCTO") to the Company. The MCTO prohibits all trading by the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, and such other directors, officers and persons as determined by the applicable regulatory authorities, in securities of the Company until the MCTO is revoked. The Company's board of directors and management confirm that they are working expeditiously to meet the Company's obligations relating to the filing of the Annual Filings, with the goal of filing by May 31, 2022. While the Company previously indicated that its intention was to file the Annual Filings by May 27, 2022, additional time is required to permit the Company's auditors to complete its review and enquiries in connection with the audit of the Annual Filings. Pursuant to the provisions of the alternative information guidelines specified by NP 12-203, the Company reports that since the Default Announcement, except as stated in this Default Status Report, there have not been any changes to the information contained therein that would reasonably be expected to be material to an investor; nor any failure by the Company to fulfil its intentions as stated therein with respect to satisfying the provisions of the alternative information guidelines, and there are no additional defaults or anticipated defaults subsequent to the disclosure therein, other than the delay in filing the Annual Filings. Further, other than as disclosed in Company press releases and other public disclosure, as applicable, there is no additional material information respecting the Company and its affairs that have not been generally disclosed and there are no insolvency proceedings against the Company as of the date of this Default Status Report. Until the Annual Filings have been filed, the Company intends to continue to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines specified by NP 12-203 by issuing bi-weekly status default reports in the form of further press releases, which will also be filed on SEDAR. As a result of the delay in filing the Annual Filings, the Company also announces that the filing of its unaudited interim financial statements for the three-months ended March 31, 2022, the related management's discussion and analysis, and certificates of its CEO and CFO (collectively, the "Interim Filings"), are expected to be delayed beyond the filing deadline of May 30, 2022. The Company is working to complete the Interim Filings as soon as possible and expects the Interim Filings to be filed within at least five business days following the Company's filing of the Annual Filings. ABOUT THE COMPANY GlobalBlock Digital Asset Trading Limited is a publicly traded holding company (TSXV: BLOK) whose subsidiary, GlobalBlock Europe, UAB (https://www.globalblock.eu), is a European Union based digital asset broker that provides a personalised telephone brokerage service, trading platform and mobile app. Established by an experienced team of financial services professionals, GlobalBlock Europe, UAB acts as a trusted agent serving the digital asset needs of individuals, corporations, institutional financial firms and intermediaries, providing best execution trading and safe custody of digital assets. At this time, clients or customers based in Lithuania and the UK can be onboarded to its digital asset broker and trading services. For further information please contact the Company at: Rufus Round, CEO c/o 65 Curzon Street, London, W1J 8PE, United Kingdom Tel. +44 20 3307 3795 info@globalblockdigital.com https://globalblock.eu/ and http://www.globalblockdigital.com/ https://twitter.com/Globalblocknews https://www.linkedin.com/company/globalblock/ Media Contact Angus Campbell Citigate Dewe Rogerson Angus.Campbell@citigatedewerogerson.com CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain information set out in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements or information. Forward looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe" and similar expressions. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements in respect of among other things: the filing of the Annual Filings and the Interim Filings and the timing thereof; the continued satisfaction of the requirements of the MCTO; the continued and successful development of the businesses and technologies of each of the Company and its subsidiaries, the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to obtain the applicable regulatory approvals to continue to conduct its business and other information concerning the intentions, plans, future action and future successes of the Company, and its businesses, technologies and products described herein. Forward-looking statements are based upon the opinions and expectations of management of the Company as at the effective date of such statements and, in certain cases, information provided or disseminated by third parties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, and that information obtained from third party sources is reliable, they can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements included in this document, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risk factors set forth in the Company's most recent management's discussion and analysis, a copy of which is filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and readers are cautioned that the risk factors disclosed therein should not be construed as exhaustive. These statements are made as at the date hereof and unless otherwise required by law, the Company does not intend, or assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125666 Autocrypt, a Seoul, South Korea-based secure mobility and V2X communications company, raised USD25.5m in Series B funding, at post-money valuation of $120m. Backers included Korea Asset Investment Securities, Ulmus Investment, BSK Investment, Shinhan Venture Investments, JB Asset Management, STIC Ventures, Pathfinder H, and Hyundai Venture Investment. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. Led by CEO and co-Founder Daniel ES Kim, Autocrypt has developed automotive and smart mobility technologies for C-ITS and autonomous driving. Besides its advancements in V2X security, the company has also added Security Analyzer and Security Fuzzer to its in-vehicle systems security solution. Security Analyzer is an SBOM-based software vulnerability analysis platform, protecting vehicle software throughout its entire lifecycle, while Security Fuzzer effectively detects software flaws through smart fuzzing. Both tools are essential for todays increasingly software-oriented E/E architecture. The company is currently in talks with several public agencies across the globe to implement its V2X security and SCMS for C-ITS projects. It already manages security and PKI for all C-ITS projects on the Korean peninsula. Establishing subsidiaries in Toronto, Canada and Munich, Germany, Autocrypt is growing its foothold in Europe and North America, with plans to open its Singapore office later this year. FinSMEs 27/05/2022 Idiomatic, a Palo Alto, CA-based provider of a proven customer intelligence platform, raised USD4M in Seed funding. The round was led by Freestyle Capital with participation from Adobes Scott Belsky, Amazons Gert Lanckriet, Gaingels, Hyphen Capital, Xoogler Ventures, and others. The company intends to use the funds to further expand its solution offering and accelerate its reach in consumer internet, e-commerce, retail and technology markets. Led by Co-CEOs Kevin Yang and Chris Martinez, Idiomatic provides a contextual AI powered platform, which allows brands to make product and customer service decisions to improve the customer experience. The system categorizes and quantifies all types of customer feedback (including unstructured feedback from emails, chats, voice, reviews, and social media channels) in real time to allow companies to address customer experience and power business decisions. Thanks to data integrations with top customer support platforms such as Gladly, Salesforce and Zendesk, as well as cloud-based survey, review, and social media platforms, Idiomatic is able to consolidate data spread across many systems. It incorporates human context into its Natural Language Processing (NLP) models to deliver actionable insights to improve CX. The company serves top digital-native brands such as FabFitFun, Facebook, Instacart, Pinterest, Medium, Upwork, HubSpot and more. FinSMEs 27/05/2022 On Thursday, China and Russia rejected a US-led drive to impose more United Nations sanctions on North Korea in response to its continued ballistic missile tests, visibly dividing the UN Security Council for the first time since it began punishing Pyongyang in 2006. The remaining 13 council members unanimously supported a resolution sponsored by the United States that advocated a ban on tobacco and oil shipments to North Korea, whose leader, Kim Jong Un, is a chain smoker. It would also ban the Lazarus cyber organization, which the US believes is affiliated with North Korea. China, Russia Veto UN Resolution Against North Korea Following US President Joe Biden's travel to Asia, North Korea fired three missiles, one of which was regarded to be its greatest intercontinental ballistic missile. It was the latest in a series of Security Council-banned ballistic missile tests this year. In response to the council's silence on North Korea, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated earlier this month that it is time to stop granting implicit approval and begin taking action. The Security Council has consistently and unanimously increased sanctions to cut off money for Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs over the last 16 years. Sanctions in Pyongyang were last strengthened in 2017. Since China and Russia have advocated for sanctions relief on humanitarian grounds. While they have delayed some action behind closed doors in the Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee, the vote on the resolution on Thursday was the first time they have openly broken unanimity, as per NDTV. Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's UN Ambassador, told Reuters on Wednesday that he did not believe UN action would be particularly favorable to discussion with North Korea. China has also urged the US to take steps to convince Pyongyang to resume negotiations, which have been deadlocked since 2019, following three unsuccessful meetings between Kim and then-US President Donald Trump. Pyongyang has put testing on hold for several years but has recently restarted long-range ballistic missile launches. The US and South Korea have warned that North Korea is planning its sixth nuclear test, VOA News reported. Read Also: Trump's Losses in the Primaries Show His Dwindling Influence in the GOP as Pence Gains Traction in Georgia West's Sanctions Against North Korea Beijing also advised Washington that it should be more sincere and flexible in dealing with North Korea. Pyongyang launched three missiles Wednesday, defying UN sanctions on the country. One of the missiles is also believed to be capable of carrying nuclear bombs and delivering them to the United States. By prohibiting the import of foreign cigarette products, part of the restrictions will directly target heavy chain smoker Kim Jong-un. Furthermore, sanctions will be imposed on North Korea's short-range missile program, cruise missiles, and intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as any other delivery mechanism capable of delivering nuclear weapons. A taxon North Korean crude oil imports are also being mooted, to reduce the permissible quotation from 4 million barrels per year to 3 million. Refined gasoline production will also be decreased from 500,000 barrels per year to 375,000 barrels per year. North Korea will be prohibited from exporting minerals, fuels, and other mineral products. The Lazarus Group, a North Korean hacker ring claimed to be headed by North Korean intelligence, would also have its assets blocked. Sanctions on the state would be disastrous for Kim Jong Un. The state has proclaimed the first officially declared cases of COVID-19, despite its refusal to accept international funding to deliver a vaccine campaign. To treat the infection, North Koreans were advised to consume hot tea and gargle with salt water, according to Express. Related Article: US Baby Formula Shortage: FDA Struggles To Explain Slow Response During Session in Congress @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Law enforcement officers in Texas arrested four males, including two juveniles, concerning threats against a school in Donna City in Hidalgo County, local media reported. The threats came two days following a Texas School Shooting in Uvalde on Tuesday, where 19 elementary school students and two teachers were shot dead. The Donna Police Department arrested Nathaniel Seth Montelongo and Barbarito Pantoja, both 17 years old. They were slapped with charges of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to a report from local news outlet Valley Central. Donna Police Chief Donald Crist said that they were able to stop "an act of physical violence and harm" to students. According to a report by Fox News, the students are being held on a $750,000 bond. Police said they nabbed more minor students in connection with the incident after getting information that the group was plotting an attack on an unnamed Donna school. Due to threats to the district and in light of the tragedy in Uvalde, the Donna ISD issued a statement on Thursday suspending classes. Gunman Was Not Confronted By Police Meanwhile, a Texas law enforcement official said that the 18-year-old gunman was not confronted by police before entering the school, contradicting earlier statements from authorities and raising new questions about the police response to the deadly Texas school shooting. As per a CNN report, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Regional Director Victor Escalon said the suspect "walked in unobstructed initially." "So from the grandmother's house to the (ditch), to the school, into the school, he was not confronted by anybody," he added. On Wednesday, a DPS representative stated a school resource officer "engaged" with the suspect before he entered the building. Salvador Ramos, the suspect, shot his grandmother and then crashed his truck in a ditch outside the school around 11:28 a.m., according to Escalon. Read Also: Israeli Forces Deliberately Shot Journalist Using Armor-Piercing Bullets, Palestinian Investigation Finds He got out of the truck and shot two guys across the street with a gun. According to Escalon, he then approached the school and fired multiple shots at the building before entering via an unlocked door around 11:40 a.m. Former principal Ross McGlothlin said that door is usually locked "unless you are leaving to go home on the school bus." The DPS official said here was no school resource officer on-site or available at the time. Inside, the suspect entered a classroom and fired more than 25 shots. Escalon's remarks occurred during a press conference that added to the chaos surrounding the chronology of Tuesday's Texas School shooting tragedy, which is regarded as the worst school shooting in the United States in nearly a decade, and it was at least the 30th shooting at a K-12 school in 2022. School, Police Response Now Crucial Part of Investigation According to law enforcement sources, as reported by ABC News, the response of school administrators and law enforcement is becoming a crucial focus in the continuing investigation into the Uvalde school massacre. It's unclear whether any students or teachers heard an official request for a lockdown once the gunman walked into the building, the sources said. Moreover, authorities are also looking into whether officers on the scene may have made further attempts to enter the school to stop the gunman's spree sooner. Responding police were confronted with gunfire and requested tactical squads with appropriate equipment to enter the classroom and neutralize the gunman, sources said. Related Article: Texas School Shooting: Suspect's Mom Says Son Wasn't 'Violent,' Grandpa Admits Shock Over 2 Rifles @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chinese FM elaborates on principles for China-Solomon Islands security cooperation Xinhua) 11:39, May 27, 2022 Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) holds talks with Solomon Islands' Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele in Honiara, Solomon Islands, May 26, 2022. (Xinhua) HONIARA, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday elaborated on the principles of promoting the security cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands. Wang expounded on three principles of promoting the bilateral security cooperation at a joint press conference with Solomon Islands' Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele. The inter-governmental framework agreement on security cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands, which was signed earlier this year, is intended to help enhance the policing capacity of the Solomon Islands for better maintaining its law and order, as well as protecting the safety of Chinese nationals and institutions there, Wang noted. The bilateral agreement represents the cooperation between sovereign states, and it is logical, reasonable and lawful, with everything going in the open, Wang said. Firstly, Wang said, promoting bilateral security cooperation is based on fully respecting the sovereignty of the Solomon Islands. The cooperation is based on the needs and requirements of the Solomon Islands, with its approval as the prerequisite and equal consultation as the foundation, Wang said. Forcing deals, interfering in the internal affairs of other countries or harming the interests of other countries is never part of China's diplomatic policy, nor the behavioral style of the Chinese people, Wang added. Secondly, the bilateral security cooperation is to help the Pacific island nation safeguard its social stability, Wang said. The cooperation includes assisting the Solomon Islands in maintaining its social order, protecting lives and property, carrying out humanitarian assistance and responding to natural disasters in accordance with the law and at its request, Wang said. The purpose is to help the Solomon Islands strengthen its policing capacity building, make up for security governance deficit and maintain long-term stability in the country, he said. Wang stressed that the security cooperation between the two countries is open and aboveboard. It is not imposed on others, nor targeted at any third party, and China has no intention of establishing a military base in the Solomon Islands. Thirdly, China's security cooperation with the Solomon Islands will proceed in parallel with existing regional security cooperation arrangements, Wang said. China supports Pacific island countries in strengthening security cooperation and jointly addressing regional security challenges, and roots for existing regional security cooperation arrangements, Wang said. At the same time, China's security cooperation with the Solomon Islands shares the same goals and interests and is complementary with the existing arrangements in the region, and serves the common interests of the Solomon Islands and the South Pacific region. Wang stressed that the Pacific island countries are all independent sovereign states, not anyone's "backyard". They all have the right to choose for themselves instead of becoming pawns in someone else's games. All the sinister agenda to smear the normal security cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands will be exposed, Wang said, adding that no interference or sabotage will succeed. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) China aims to expand its influence in the South Pacific amid reports that it reached out to the Solomon Islands and nine other island nations in the region with a sweeping security proposal that could give it a presence much nearer Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand. The alleged move would also place Beijing on the doorstep of the strategic American territory of Guam. Chinese authorities have insisted that its security proposals are targeted at regional stability and economic growth, but experts and governments have expressed concern that beneath the surface, it is a bold attempt to expand its reach in a strategically critical region. China's New Security Proposal The president of Micronesia, David Panuelo, whose nation is of the regions targeted by China, warned the others against signing on the security proposal. He said it "threatens to bring a new Cold War at best, and a world war at worst." In a letter, Panuelo warned that aside from the impacts on sovereignty, the expansion would increase the chances of China getting into conflict with Australia, Japan, the United States, and New Zealand on the day when Beijing decides to invade the self-governing island nation of Taiwan, as per the Associated Press. The Micronesia leader also noted that China did not rule out using brute force to take the island nation, which it repeatedly claimed was part of its territory despite never actually being in control of it. A proposal draft showed that Beijing wants to train Pacific police officers, team up on "traditional and non-traditional security," and expand law enforcement cooperation. Read Also: China, Russia Join Force To Block U.S. Efforts To Impose New Sanctions Against North Korea Furthermore, the Asian superpower also wants to jointly develop a marine plan for fisheries and raises the possibility of free trade with the Pacific nations. China is believed to be targeting the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, the Cook Islands, Niue, and Micronesia but excludes the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and Tuvalu, all of which recognize Taiwan as a country. According to CNN, the draft proposal is expected to be discussed at the second China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting that will be held in Fiji next week. The talks are part of a 10-day regional diplomatic tour by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Expanding Influence in the South Pacific The Chinese official's tour began on Thursday when he visited the Solomon Islands and will bring the minister to Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor. It is not immediately clear whether or not the proposed deal would gain comprehensive support among Pacific Island nations that have relations with Beijing. However, if accepted, the proposal would mark a significant advance in Beijing's connection to the region, which holds geo-strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific. The U.S. and Australia are wary of China, which has grown increasingly assertive in the South China Sea, extending its reach further into Pacific waters. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price, while in Washington, expressed his concerns on Wednesday about China's intentions with the new security proposal. He said that Beijing might use the proposed deal to take advantage of the islands and destabilize the region, CNBC reported. Related Article: China Sends Strong Warning to Joe Biden Over Controversial Taiwan Remarks: "Follow the One China Principle" @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Adobe, wanting to deal with the hard nature of hybrid working, partnered with Microsoft to help hybrid workers. The software giants revealed the new integrations between some of its best known tools at the Microsoft Build 2022. The new integration include Microsoft Teams, Power Automate, Frame.io, and Adobe's own PDF editors. As Microsoft and Adobe have already partnered in the field of business software to deliver "the most modern work experience, centered on technology that enhances teamwork, collaboration, and efficiencies," the reveal further increases the ties between the two companies, as per TechRadar. The tech giants now hope to create "all-in-one, digital experiences to where people already work, like Microsoft." What the Adobe-Microsoft Partnership Offers Acrobat + Teams As promised by Adobe, it is even easier to read, annotate, convert, and sign Acrobat documents on Microsoft Teams. Single Sign-On, a secure identity management tool, was also added by Acrobat for Teams. They also introduced a personalized homepage for easy file access. These features are now also available in Acrobat Sign for Teams. This let users quickly sign documents via a Teams notification without disrupting their workflow. Frame.io + Live Share Since Adobe bought the business last year, the video review and online collaboration tool, Frame.io, has seen plenty of integrations. The preview shows how Frame.io can sync and streamline the review of video edits within a Microsoft app. Acrobat + Purview Information Protection With sensitive data flowing across all businesses, it is imperative to stay compliant in the face of global data protection laws like GDPR and CCPA. Microsoft's Purview Information Protection already allows businesses to track and secure confidential information. In order for authorized users to manage and approve the contents, Adobe Acrobat now lets you easily add Purview Information Protection to PDFs,. Adobe + Power Automate According to TechRadar, the document management software house announced two integrations with Power Automate - Microsoft's automation system for switching out manual processes. Now directly available in Acrobat Sign, Power Automate will let you automate workflows and audit e-signatures. On the other hand, Adobe Experience Manager Forms, will now connect with Power Automate to automatically complete actions. Sign + Search There will be no need to switch between apps to check signature statuses. Saving time across departments and work processes, you will now be able to search Microsoft 365 for agreement tasks. Read Also: Microsoft's Windows 10 Will Run On Qualcomm Processor Adobe, Microsoft Now Allow Seamless Roll-out of Integrations IT teams can now package Acrobat and Acrobat Sign add-ins to Microsoft's office software to allow seamless roll-out of these new integrations. These include Word and Outlook. Ashley Still, Adobe's SVP of Digital Media, said: "Through the deeper integrations between Adobe and Microsoft that we've announced today, we continue to innovate to elevate today's agile and rapidly evolving workforce." According to Charles Lamanna, Corporate VP, Business Apps & Platform at Microsoft, he believed that the two companies are "delivering advanced workflow capabilities through Power Automate and Acrobat Sign that will give our joint customers a better way to get things done." According to TechRadar, Adobe is promising more to come, including FedRAMP Moderate authorization for government officials, which "extends e-signatures to highly sensitive processes." Related Article: Microsoft Office Updates Let You Multitask On iPad After Broadcom acquired VMware for $61 billion, "rapid transition from perpetual licenses to subscriptions" will follow. On Thursday's Broadcom earnings call, Tom Krause, president of the Broadcom Software Group, announced that rapid transition from perpetual licenses to subscriptions is expected to happen soon. According to The Register, Krause was asked how the semiconductor giant plans to deliver on its guidance that VMware will add approximately $8.5 billion of pro forma EBITDA to Broadcom within three years of the deal closing, a pretty significant growth given VMware currently produces about $4.7 billion. He said that subscriptions was the answer. Broadcom To Invest in VMware's Key Product Portfolio Krause said that he is pleased to be acquiring a sales organization and channel relationships within the software game. He said that Broadcom is planning to invest in VMware's key product portfolio. Broadcom's narrow sales efforts reflect its belief that CA Technologies does best when focused on Global 500 companies through direct relationships. Broadcom plans to nurture VMware's 300,000-plus customer base, according to Krause and Broadcom CEO Hock Tan. This move to subscription-based licensing will apparently happen over the course of the next few years. "We will make sure they are well supported. This is a business base that we will grow." Tan said. Channel partners will apparently get the job as Tan said that they don't want to walk away from the channel and they want to embrace it. "Whether it's perpetual or subscription, frankly, it's the same. We are, in a sense, restructuring the contracts from perpetual to subscription," Tan further added. According to the Register, due to the licensing shift, VMware may also experience slower growth in the short term. With R&D to benefit as a result, Krause said Broadcom is willing to live with lower margins for VMware than it expects from CA and Symantec. He pledged ongoing investment and innovation for VMware's core infrastructure products, naming vSphere, VSAN, vRealize and NSX as the subjects of ongoing love and attention, as per The Register report. Read Also: iPhone 13 Hit with Major Problem: Massive Shortage Coming! What Acquiring VMware Means for Broadcom According to Tan, buying VMware will mean Broadcom gains another thousand or so big customers to work with. He added that the virtualization giant will allow Broadcom to help users manage application lifecycles from development to infinity and beyond, The Register reported. Tan expects VMware's portfolio to help companies with complex IT fleets to modernize apps and consider public cloud migrations more easily in the shorter term. However, since Broadcom's big customers are mostly highly regulated entities, he feels that private cloud will remain a big opportunity for VMware. The CEO also suggested that CA Technologies' developer tools will complement VMware's Tanzu portfolio. However, Michael Warrilow, Gartner research vice president for infrastructure software, who covers VMware, told The Register that he advised customers to "proceed cautiously." Because Broadcom has increased bills for acquired companies' wares in the past Warrilow said customers need to get commitments on VMware's prices. He also advised VMware customers to start contingency planning. Moreover, Warrolow suggested that until Broadcom's intentions can be better understood, customers considering VMware's Tanzu cloud-native application development portfolio should "stop" their explorations. Related Article: Broadcom Moves Closer to Software Territory With Planned Acquisition of Cloud Computing Company VMware MOUNT VERNON, Wash., May 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Savi Financial Corporation, Inc. (OTC Pink: SVVB), the bank holding company for SaviBank, today announced plans to form a new state-chartered commercial bank headquartered in Bellingham, Washington. The transaction involves the formation of Orca Bank by applying for a de novo bank charter, with Savi Financial acquiring Orca Bank as a wholly owned subsidiary. Additionally, Orca Bank will acquire SaviBanks Bellingham branch, located at 1910 Broadway, Bellingham, WA 98225. Formation, capitalization and acquisitions will occur simultaneously after issuance of the Orca Bank Charter upon approval by regulators and closing of the reorganization. We are thrilled to announce the filing for a charter to open a new community bank in Bellingham, WA., named Orca Bank, said Michal D. Cann, Chairman and President of Savi Financial Corporation. The formation of Orca Bank came from a local group of community-minded businesspeople from Whatcom County, with the help of Savi Financial Corporation, the parent company of SaviBank. This stand-alone community bank is focused on serving the communities in Whatcom County, the largest county in which Savi Financial Corporation operates. This transaction will enable us to better serve the banking needs of Whatcom County, with a local Board of Directors and management making local decisions. Michal D. Cann will be chairman and CEO of Orca Bank and Drew Wilkens will be President of Orca Bank. We are creating Orca Bank solely for the benefit of Whatcom County. Any bank can claim they help the community, but Orca Bank will be a full-fledged, independent, local bank committed exclusively to Whatcom County communities, said Drew Wilkens, President of Orca Bank. We are also excited about the group of community leaders we brought together as our directors. Over the past few years, we have been actively growing Savi Financial Corporation and expanding our presence in and around the Northwest Washington communities we serve. This transaction is a continuation of that growth strategy, and provides a sustainable business model for future growth, said Cann. In 2021, we expanded into the Friday Harbor market, completed the Freeland branch purchase on Whidbey Island from Coastal Community Bank, relocated from our existing Freeland branch to a new location, and formed our mortgage lending division. All of these efforts complement our expansion efforts in 2019, when we opened full-service branches in Concrete, Sedro-Woolley, and Mount Vernon, relocated our loan production office into a full-service branch in Anacortes, and relocated our Oak Harbor branch and our main Burlington branch. We will continue to search for opportunities to expand our franchise for the benefit of our customers, shareholders and communities. About Savi Financial Corporation Inc. and SaviBank Savi Financial Corporation is the bank holding company which owns SaviBank. The Bank began operations April 11, 2005, and has 9 branch locations in Anacortes, Burlington, Bellingham, Concrete, Mount Vernon (2), Oak Harbor, Freeland and Sedro-Woolley, Washington and a Loan Production Office in Friday Harbor, Washington. The Bank provides loan and deposit services to customers who are predominantly small and middle-market businesses and individuals in and around Skagit, Island, and Whatcom counties. As a locally-owned community bank, we believe that when everyone becomes Savi about their finances, our entire community benefits. Call us or stop by one of our branches and well show you how to bank Savi. For additional information about SaviBank, visit; www.SaviBank.com. Forward Looking Statement This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect managements views only as of the date hereof. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, regarding our financial position, business strategy and managements plans and objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements. When used in this report, the words anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, and intend and words or phrases of similar meaning, as they relate to SaviBank or management, are intended to help identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although we believe that managements expectations as reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure readers that those expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that may cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from our expectations as indicated in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include our ability to maintain or expand our market share or net interest margins, and to implement our marketing and growth strategies. Further, actual results may be affected by our ability to compete on price and other factors with other financial institutions; customer acceptance of new products and services; the regulatory environment in which we operate; and general trends in the local, regional, and national banking industry and economy, as those factors relate to our cost of funds and return on assets. In addition, there are risks inherent in the banking industry relating to collectability of loans and changes in interest rates. Many of these risks, as well as other risks may have a material adverse impact on our operations and business. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Imperial Metals Corporation (the "Company") (TSX:III) reports, in accordance with the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange, that the nominees listed in the management information circular dated April 1, 2022 were elected as directors of the Company at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting"). Results of the vote for the election of directors held at the Meeting on May 25, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia are: Name Votes For % Votes Withheld % Carolyn D. Anglin 88,651,655 99.67 % 294,291 0.33 % J. Brian Kynoch 88,939,650 99.99 % 6,296 0.01 % Pierre Lebel 84,408,510 94.90 % 4,537,436 5.10 % Larry G. Moeller 88,658,805 99.68 % 287,141 0.32 % Janine North 88,654,356 99.67 % 291,590 0.33 % James P. Veitch 88,658,806 99.68 % 287,140 0.32 % Edward A. Yurkowski 88,864,381 99.91 % 81,565 0.09 % A total of 89,559,926 common shares were voted in connection with the Meeting, representing approximately 63.3% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. The results of other matters considered at the Meeting are reported in the Report of Voting Results, filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. About Imperial Imperial is a Vancouver based exploration, mine development and operating company with holdings that include the Mount Polley mine (100%), the Huckleberry mine (100%), the Red Chris mine (30%). Imperial also holds a portfolio of 23 greenfield exploration properties in British Columbia. Company Contacts Brian Kynoch | President | 604.669.8959 Darb Dhillon | Chief Financial Officer | 604.488.2658 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per Future Market Insights, the hybrid E-scooter market is expected to develop at a modest CAGR of 3.9% through 2032. The worldwide hybrid E-scooter market is expected to be worth around US$ 3692.4 Million by the end of 2032, up from a net worth of US$ 2518.6 Million in 2022. The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on hybrid E-scooter market growth has been unprecedented and devastating, causing myriad disruptions, with demand for hybrid E-scooter suffering across all areas as a result of the epidemic. The high increase in CAGR is due to the demand for hybrid E-scooter and hybrid E-scooter adoption trends, which will revert as COVID-19 appears to be moving to endemicity levels. Therefore we may witness a flood of investment into projects to decarbonize and renew critical infrastructure. Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-14781 List of Key Players Covered in Hybrid E-Scooter are: Yadea Group Holdings Ltd. Jiangsu Xinri E-Vehicle Co., Ltd. NIU International Silence Urban Ecomobility Zhejiang Luyuan Electric Vehicle Co. Hero Electric During the projection period, the growing demand for fuel-efficient automobiles, along with growing concerns about greenhouse gas and carbon emissions, is expected to increase the adoption of hybrid E-scooter and surge the hybrid E-scooter market opportunities. The initial cost of a hybrid E-scooter is higher than that of a gas-powered one. However, rising social distancing awareness has resulted in a boom in demand for hybrid E-scooter and hybrid E-scooter adoption trends. The growing popularity of hybrid E-scooter sharing programmes in countries has increased demand for hybrid E-scooter and escalated hybrid E-scooter market future trends. Governments all around the world have developed strategies to encourage the adoption of hybrid E-scooter by providing different incentives to customers and producers in the form of subsidies. Support in the form of research and development initiatives is also a significant hybrid E-scooter market key trends & opportunities component. KEY TAKEAWAYS: Four stroke segments is likely to lead in the hybrid E-scooter market's stroke sector through 2032. China is the leading region in the hybrid E-scooter market, with an anticipated CAGR of 21% by 2032. The United States hybrid E-scooter market is projected to have a CAGR of 16.9% in 2032. The Indias hybrid E-scooter market is projected to have a CAGR of 13.2% in 2032. Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/hybrid-e-scooter-market COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE: Major firms such as Yadea Group Holdings Ltd., Jiangsu Xinri E-Vehicle Co., Ltd., NIU International, Silence Urban Ecomobility, Zhejiang Luyuan Electric Vehicle Co., and Hero Electric lead the hybrid E-scooter market size. To raise their market share, leading hybrid E-scooter market procurement leaders are focusing on various growth hybrid E-scooter statistics like R&D activities, mergers and acquisitions, and new product launches. These companies offer a diverse range of goods and solutions for the hybrid E-scooter market, have global distribution networks, and invest heavily in research and development to create new products. Recent Development in Hybrid E-scooter Market: New Launches: Yadea Group (China) used a newly designed in-wheel motor produced by Nidec Corporation in January 2022. (Japan). For the first time, Nidec has created an in-wheel motor for electric bikes. The new product is manufactured by Nidec in Pinghu, Zhejiang Province, and China. The Yadea Group (China) unveiled the Y1S, an all-around smart lithium e-moped for commercial usage, in November 2021. The Y1S may be customised for bike-sharing, takeout operations, logistics, and other uses. Collaboration: Gogoro (Taiwan) announced collaboration with Dachangjiang Group (DCJ) and Yadea Group (China) to construct a battery-swapping network in China in May 2021. The DCJ and Yadea collaborated to create a line of two-wheel vehicles using the Gogoro network's battery swapping platform. Vehicles developed under this collaboration utilised the Gogoro network programme, which allows vehicle manufacturer partners to combine their vehicle technology with Gogoro's intelligent drivetrains and controllers, components, and smart systems. Order a Complete Research Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/14781 Detailed Table of Content: Executive Summary Global Market Outlook Demand Side Trends Supply Side Trends Technology Roadmap Analysis and Recommendations Market Overview Market Coverage/ Taxonomy Market Definition / Scope / Limitations Key Market Trends Key Trends Impacting the Market Product Innovation / Development Trends Key Success Factors Product Adoption / Usage Analysis Product USPs / Features Strategic Promotional Strategies Global Hybrid E-Scooter Market Demand Analysis 2017-2021 and Forecast, 2022-2032 Historical Market Volume (Tons) Analysis, 2017-2021 Current and Future Market Volume (Tons) Projections, 2022-2032 Y-o-Y Growth Trend Analysis Global Hybrid E-Scooter Market - Pricing Analysis Regional Pricing Analysis By Type Global Average Pricing Analysis Benchmark TOC Continued Speak to our Research Expert @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-14781 Have a Look at Related Research Reports: Racing Motor Bike Seat Unit Market Strategies, Key Players, Analysis & Forecast Roll Trailer Market Trends, Size, Share, Regional Analysis by Key Players Armored Vehicle Market Share, Application, Scope, and Opportunities Analysis by Outlook 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/hybrid-e-scooter-market LinkedIn| Twitter| Blogs TORONTO, May 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fountain Asset Corp. (TSXV:FA) (Fountain or the Company) would like to announce its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2022 (Q1/22). Highlights from Q1/22: Adjusted net asset value ( ANAV ) of $22.42 million ($0.36 per share) at March 31, 2022 compared to $24.44 million ($0.40 per share) at December 31, 2021, representing a 8.2% decrease quarter over quarter on an ANAV basis and a 10.0% decrease on a per share basis. ANAV reflects the net asset value plus the amount of available tax loss pools available; ) of $22.42 million ($0.36 per share) at March 31, 2022 compared to $24.44 million ($0.40 per share) at December 31, 2021, representing a 8.2% decrease quarter over quarter on an ANAV basis and a 10.0% decrease on a per share basis. ANAV reflects the net asset value plus the amount of available tax loss pools available; Net comprehensive loss of $2.03 million compared to net comprehensive income of $4.84 million for three months ended March 31, 2021 ( Q1/21 ); ); Total losses from investment activity was $1.80 million compared to total revenue of $5.05 million for Q1/21; Net realized losses on the sale of portfolio investments of $0.81 million compared to net realized gains of $0.56 million for Q1/21; Net unrealized losses on portfolio investments of $0.99 million compared to net unrealized gains of $4.48 million for Q1/21; and Total expenses of $0.23 million compared to $0.21 million for Q1/21. Included in expenses is stock-based compensation of $0.03 million for Q1/22 compared to $0.02 million of stock-based compensation for Q1/21; and Operating expenses of $0.18 million compared to $0.19 million for Q1/21. During Q1/22, the company saw an increase from its portfolio of publicly traded companies which included increases from Filo Mining. These were offset by decreases in Kwesst Micro Systems and Cansortium Inc. The decrease in operating expenses to $0.18 million for Q1/22 compared to $0.19 million in the comparative quarter was driven by lower general and administrative costs. The Company saw net comprehensive loss of $2.03 million for Q1/22 compared to net comprehensive income of $4.84 million for Q1/21. As at March 31, 2022, the Companys adjusted net assets were valued at $22.42 million or $0.36 per share compared to $24.44 million or $0.40 per share at December 31, 2021. The Company posted a revenue and profit decline during Q1/22 due to losses in several publicly traded companies. Fountain saw some of its private investments go public during the quarter which led to an increase in net realized losses. said Andrew Parks, CEO of Fountain. A full set of the Q1/22 unaudited financial statements and the management discussion & analysis are available on SEDAR. About Fountain Asset Corp. Fountain Asset Corp. is a merchant bank which provides equity financing, bridge loan services (asset back/collateralized financing) and strategic financial consulting services to companies across many industries such as marijuana, oil & gas, mining, real estate, manufacturing, retail, financial services, and biotechnology. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information contained in this press release constitutes forward-looking information, which is information relating to possible events, conditions or results of operations of the Company, which are based on assumptions and courses of action and which are inherently uncertain. All information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, growing Fountains capital base and a strong pipeline going forward. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: the level of bridge loans and equity investments completed, the nature and credit quality of the collateral security and the nature and quality of equity investments, and the other risks disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's annual information form dated August 30, 2019 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Neither TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information: please contact Andrew Parks at (416) 456-7019 or visit Fountain Asset Corp.'s website at www.fountainassetcorp.com. English Dutch Regulated Information Nyrstar NV releases notice for the 2021 annual general shareholders meeting to be held on 28 June 2022 and provides a further update on the put option review process 27 May 2022 at 07.00 CEST Nyrstar NV (the Company) today issued the notice for the 2021 annual general shareholders meeting to be held on 28 June 2022 at 11:00 a.m. CEST. The annual general meeting will be held physically with no virtual option available. The practical modalities of the meeting are set out in the notice to the meeting which has been published on the Company's website (https://www.nyrstar.be/en/investors/share-and-bondholder-information/shareholder-meetings). The full notice, including agenda, proposed resolutions and explanatory note can be found on the aforementioned Nyrstar website. Further, the Company provides an update in relation to the put option that the Company has in relation to its (entire) 2% investment in NN2 NewCo Limited (NN2), which holds the Nyrstar operational group, entitling it to sell such 2% to Trafigura New HoldCo (or, at Trafigura New HoldCos election, any other member of the Trafigura group which may lawfully make any relevant purchase) for a fixed amount of EUR 20 million (the Put Option). As announced on 18 November 2021, the Company has appointed Moore Belgium, to prepare an independent expert's report for the independent directors of the Company ("Committee of Independent Directors"), in the framework of Article 7:97 of the Belgian Code of Companies and Associations. The independent expert's report will provide an opinion to the Committee of Independent Directors on the benefit to the Company, taking all relevant circumstances into account, of the exercise or non-exercise of the Put Option. In making its decision on whether or not to exercise the Put Option, the Committee of Independent Directors will also duly consider any substantiated third-party bids, including of the Company's shareholders other than Trafigura and/or of other stakeholders and third parties, that it may receive in respect of the 2% shareholding in NN2. Any such bids for the 2% shareholding in NN2 were requested to be addressed to the Company prior to 15 February 2022. As outlined in the annual report and financial statements issued on 13 April 2022, the Company did not receive any bids. The independent experts review has commenced and is progressing as planned, and is expected to be finalised in July 2022. Once the Committee of Independent Directors has received and analysed the final report, it will make a recommendation to the Companys Board at which time the Board will decide either to exercise or not to exercise the Put Option, or, whether to sell the 2% investment in NN2 to a third-party, prior to the expiry of the Put Option on 31 July 2022. Further details relating to the Put Option are provided on the Companys website (https://www.nyrstar.be/~/media/Files/N/Nyrstar-IR/results-reports-and-presentations/english/2021/put-option-over-nn2-summary-for-website.pdf). During the general meeting of 28 June 2022, a further update will be provided and shareholders of the Company will have the opportunity to ask questions on the Put Option review process. About Nyrstar NV The Company is incorporated in Belgium and, following completion of the recapitalisation/restructuring has a 2% shareholding in the Nyrstar group. The Company is listed on Euronext Brussels under the symbol NYR. For further information please visit the Nyrstar website: www.nyrstar.be. About Moore Belgium Moore Belgium is the largest independent professional services provider in Belgium. Moore Belgium provides services in the areas of Accountancy, Audit, Business Analytics, Business Consulting, Corporate Finance, Interim Management and Tax & Legal Services. As a member of Moore Global a global accounting and consulting network Moore Belgium assists its clients in more than 100 countries. More information about Moore Belgium can be found at www.moore.be For further information contact: Anthony Simms - Head of External Affairs & Legal anthony.simms@nyrstar.com Attachment English Finnish WithSecure Corporation, Press Release, 27 May 2022, at 8:00 EEST WithSecure and F-Secure Capital Markets Day on 3 June 2022 WithSecure and F-Secure will arrange a Capital Markets Day for their analysts and investors on Friday 3 June 2022. WithSecure Capital Markets Day is held at 9 am to 12 pm EEST. The following persons are presenting: Juhani Hintikka, President and CEO (WithSecure) Antti Koskela, Chief Product Officer Ashley Clark, VP, Commercial (Solutions Business Unit) Janne Pirttilahti, VP, Cloud Protection Tom Jansson, Chief Financial Officer F-Secure Capital Markets Day is held at 13 to 16 pm EEST. The following persons are presenting: Timo Laaksonen, CEO (F-Secure) Toby White, Chief Technology Officer Sari Somerkallio, Chief Financial Officer Both events are available via direct webcast. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions during the events. A recording of each event will be published afterwards on the companies websites. Links to the direct webcast are the following: WithSecure Capital Markets Day https://event.prospectumlive.com/withsecure-capital-markets-day F-Secure Capital Markets Day https://event.prospectumlive.com/f-secure-capital-markets-day Analysts and investors attending the events on-site (Tanssin talo, Kaapeliaukio 3, 00180 Helsinki) are kindly requested to register by Tuesday 31 May 2022 through the address investor-relations@withsecure.com Contact information: Sebastian Vettel, the German Formula One driver, had his backpack stolen outside a hotel in Barcelona. Instead of heading straight to the cops, he had another plan. The racer used the Find My app on his iPhone to track the whereabouts of his belongings in real time. He Tracked Down His AirPods Using Find My App According to Apple Insider, Vettel parked his Aston Martin at a hotel in Barcelona with his family on Monday morning after the Spanish Grand Prix and got out. Thieves took advantage of the chance to steal a backpack from the car before fleeing. The report (via iPadizate) said that the four-time Formula One champion did not immediately inform the police and instead opted to handle the crime himself. Vettel got on an electric scooter and launched the Find My app to look for his AirPods hidden inside a bag. Vettel was eventually joined by police as he pursued the thieves through the city, advising him to file a complaint at a station rather than continue the chase. As per the report of the 9to5Mac, despite the chase, it appears that the robbers were aware that the Find My app can monitor AirPods, so they tossed the earbuds on the street and fled with the bag and what was inside. Vettel collected his earbuds and informed the authorities of the incident. The robbers are yet to be found, but the police hope to identify them using CCTV footage from the hotel. Read More: Apple AirTag Stalking Alert Sends False Alarms to Users' Iphones - Is It a Bug? Apart from the AirPods, the backpack had a variety of personal items, including his driver's license, passport, and several canceled credit cards. 9to5Mac noted that even if your third-generation AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max aren't near your iPhone, you can use the Find My app to locate them. Why? You ask. Because they work with the same Find My Network as iOS devices, Macs, and AirTags. In other words, they're compatible. Not All Stories Featuring AirTags Leads to a Happy Ending As previously reported, after realizing that the Apple tracking device had been following them while visiting Walt Disney World, an AirTag stalker "terrified" a family from Tennessee. It took the family many hours to realize that a surveillance device was tracking their movements. It was reported (via Fox 35 Orlando) that after receiving a shocking notification on her phone, the teen daughter of the family discovered that an AirTag was following them on their Disney World vacation. The alert notably said that the owner of the Apple tracking device was following the 17-year-old girl. It didn't help that the phone alert also informed her that the device had been tracking them to Disney World for over four hours, from 7:09 pm to 11:33 pm. The notification also revealed additional information on the AirTag tracking activities that were utilized to track them to the huge theme park. AirTags: good or bad? Related Article: AirTag Stalking? Family Says Apple Device Tracked Them to Disney World English Finnish EFECTE PLC -- INSIDE INFORMATION -- 27 MAY 2022 at 09.30 Efecte Plc has made a voluntary public tender offer for all shares in InteliWISE S.A. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND IT IS NOT AN OFFER TO BUY OR SOLICITATION OF OFFERS TO BUY ANY SECURITIES. INFORMATION REGARDING THE OFFER TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF INTELIWISE S.A. AS ANNOUNCED IN A SEPARATE PRESS RELEASE IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO SHAREHOLDERS IN CERTAIN PERMITTED JURISDICTIONS. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, SOUTH AFRICA, SWITZERLAND OR THE UNITED STATES. Efecte has announced a voluntary cash offer to the shareholders of Polish conversational artificial intelligence (AI) company InteliWISE S.A. (InteliWISE) to tender all their shares in InteliWISE to Efecte for a consideration of PLN 3.99 (approximately EUR 0.87) in cash per share (the Offer). The largest shareholders of Inteliwise representing approximately 66.3 % of all shares and voting rights have irrevocably undertaken to accept the voluntary tender offer. The total value of the Offer based on all 6 858 915 shares in InteliWISE amounts to approximately PLN 27.4 million (approximately EUR 5.9 million). InteliWISE is a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) SaaS company listed on Warsaw NewConnect alternative marketplace. InteliWISE would provide Efecte with a solid addition to Efectes technology portfolio, strong R&D team and go-to-market capabilities especially in Poland. Enabling digitalization and automation of work with exceptional experiences Efecte helps people digitalize and automate their work and aims to become the Leading European Alternative in service management. Investing in our product to further strengthen differentiation and our technology platform is a key part of our strategy. The planned acquisition is an outcome of the screening of almost 100 acquisition targets that we announced and started in 2021. InteliWISEs conversational AI technology would strengthen our platform, enabling digitalization and automation of work with exceptional experiences for everybody involved. Customers would be able to take their employee experience to the next level and benefit from increased digitalization and automation of any service processes. The planned acquisition would open Poland as a new direct market for Efecte and bring InteliWISEs offerings available to customers across Europe through our sales organization and partner channel. Together with the talented InteliWISE team of 49 professionals, we would also be able to build on Poland as a location for R&D, professional services and customer success. This would be a natural step for us following our long-term collaboration with R&D partners in Poland. While our guidance for 2022 remains unchanged, there would obviously be a positive impact on our SaaS growth. Building on sales and other synergies, we expect that the EPS impact of the planned acquisition would become positive towards the end of 2023. Efecte CEO Niilo Fredrikson: We have worked intensively with the InteliWISE team over the last months and become convinced that this would be a great technology and culture fit. I am excited about the deal as it aligns with our strategy and brings us one step closer to fulfilling our vision of becoming the Leading European Alternative in our space. InteliWISE CEO Marcin Strzalkowski: Were honored with Efectes invitation to build together a strong European leader in digitalization and automation software. With Efectes diverse team, cross-European aspirations and comprehensive solutions we are well positioned to empowering today's workforce to work smarter, not harder. InteliWISEs natural, conversational AI interfaces, Polish IT talent pool and entrepreneurial drive will be a complimentary boost in the winning mix. Summary of the Offer Pursuant to the Offer, the shareholders of InteliWISE are offered PLN 3.99 (approximately EUR 0.87) in cash per share in InteliWISE. The total value of the Offer based on all 6,858,915 shares in InteliWISE amounts to approximately PLN 27.4 million (approximately EUR 5.9 million). The Offer consideration represents a premium of 85.6 percent compared to the closing price of PLN 2.15 (approximately EUR 0.47) of InteliWISEs share on New Connect on the last day of trading before the announcement of the Offer. The largest shareholders of InteliWISE representing approximately 66.3 % of all shares and voting rights have unconditionally undertaken to participate in the Offer. Efecte may in its discretion decide not to conclude the transaction if Efecte does not reach a minimum threshold of 95% of shares in InteliWISE during the subscription period or if a material adverse change in or affecting the condition of InteliWISE occurs. Efecte may in its discretion also decide to conclude the transaction even if it does not reach the minimum threshold of 95%. The subscription period for the Offer commences on or about 30 May 2022 and is expected to end on or about 29 June 2022. Expected settlement date is 1 July 2022. Efecte can extend the subscription period within statutory limits if required for the success of the Offer. The Offer is subject to Polish law and applicable rules in Poland. Overview of InteliWISE InteliWISE is a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) company. InteliWISE provides customers with AI-powered solutions that enable intelligent automation of customer service, marketing and sales. InteliWISEs AI Voice Assistants, omnichannel cloud contact center and team video-chat software are delivered both as a cloud service and installed on the companys servers (on-premises). InteliWISEs US-patented software enabling omnichannel interactions consists of AI-powered natural language processing (NLP), leading customer service and e-commerce technologies. A strong customers base with global brands, including financial institutions, insurance and e-commerce leaders have used InteliWISE products in their digital transformation projects. InteliWISE has a number of public sector customers in Poland, including its largest customer that represents a substantial share of its revenue, the contracts for which are concluded for a fixed term and are retendered regularly. InteliWISE has won the retender for the largest customer multiple times in the past. InteliWISEs unaudited net sales in 2021 was PLN 4.3 million (approximately EUR 0.9 million), EBITDA was PLN 0.2 million (approximately EUR 0.1 million) and operating profit PLN 0.2 million (approximately EUR 0.0 million). InteliWISE employs around 49 professionals and is headquartered in Warsaw, Poland. In addition, InteliWISE has an office in Lublin, Poland. A majority of InteliWISEs revenue is recurring revenue from the sales of its software and related services. InteliWISEs unaudited balance sheet totaled to PLN 1.7 million (approximately EUR 0.4 million) in the end of 2021. Total equity was PLN 1.4 million (approximately EUR 0.3 million), loans from financial institutions amounted to PLN 0.0 million (approximately EUR 0.0 million), and cash and cash equivalents was PLN 0.5 million (approximately EUR 0.1 million). Consideration and financing Efecte will finance the acquisition fully by cash. Efecte has currently no interest-bearing loan. Efecte is exploring an opportunity to raise financial loans of up to 2 MEUR at a later stage of the process to support financing the transaction. According to a share purchase agreements concluded between certain major shareholders of InteliWISE and Efecte, the CEO and CTO of the target as well as the largest shareholder of InteliWISE have unconditionally undertaken to subscribe shares in Efecte after settlement of the Offer. Our estimated net proceeds from the share subscription are approximately EUR 1.2 million. The subscription price for shares will be 11.12 euros per share, equaling to 30-day volume weighted average price of Efecte before the announcement, and the directed share issuance will be based on the authorization granted by the Annual General Meeting on 17 March 2022 to the Board of Directors of Efecte. The subscribed shares will be subject to customary trading restrictions. The directed share issue will be implemented as part of a transaction which supports the execution of Efectes strategy and there is a compelling financial reason for Efecte to deviate from shareholders' pre-emptive subscription right. The directed share issuance is conditional to successful conclusion of the tender offer, no major adverse change in InteliWISE and an approval by the Board of Directors of Efecte. Financial and Legal Advisors Sisu Partners Oy acts as the lead financial advisor and Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka (DZP) as the lead legal advisor for Efecte in connection with the transaction. The financial advisor of the Inteliwise Group in the transaction is CC Group, while the legal advisor is CDZ Chajec i Wspolnicy. Efecte guidance for 2022 (unchanged) SaaS net sales is expected to grow over 20% and EBITDA to be positive, excluding any potential costs from inorganic activities. Efecte long-term financial targets (unchanged) By 2025, grow organically to 35 MEUR total net sales, maintain an average SaaS growth of over 20% and reach a double-digit EBITDA margin. Through organic growth and acquisitions, become eventually the largest European service management vendor with total net sales over 100 MEUR and EBITDA margin exceeding 25%. Live webcast Efecte will hold a webcast concerning the Offer to all investors, analysts and media on Monday 30 May 2022 at 10:00 EEST. You can register to and follow the event at https://www.efecte.com/efecte-webcast. The webcast will be in English and written questions can be presented in the webcast portal. A recording and presentation materials will be made available afterwards on the Efectes investor pages at investors.efecte.com . Additional information: Niilo Fredrikson CEO +358 50 356 7177 niilo.fredrikson@efecte.com Certified adviser: Evli Oyj, tel. +358 40 579 6210 Efecte Plc Efecte helps people digitalize and automate their work. Customers across Europe leverage our cloud service to operate with greater agility, to improve the experience of end-users, and to save costs. The use cases for our solutions range from IT service management and ticketing to improving employee experiences, business workflows, and customer service. We are the European Alternative to the global goliaths in our space. Our headquarters is located in Finland and we have regional hubs in Germany and Sweden. Efecte is listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland marketplace. www.efecte.com Sydney, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proactive, provider of real-time news and video interviews on growth companies listed in Australia, has covered the following companies: West Wits Mining Ltd (ASX:WWI) shares surged more than 20% higher intra-day after entering into an equity financing facility with SBC Global Investment Fund to raise up to $75 million. Click here Calima Energy Ltd (ASX:CE1) will hold an investor briefing event on Monday, 30 May at Subiaco Hotel in Hay Street, Subiaco, Western Australia. Click here DomaCom Australia Ltd (ASX:DCL) is seeking to raise up to $4.8 million through a private placement for sophisticated and professional investors at an issue price of $0.066 per share. Click here Race Oncology Ltd (ASX:RAC) has advanced the dose-escalation Phase 1b stage of the relapsed or refractory Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (R/R AML) trial running at the Chaim Sheba Medical Centre in Israel. Click here Compumedics Ltd (ASX:CMP) has made several revenue and sales predictions for this financial year, forecasting an increase in sale orders taken of 8% from the 2021 financial year, to $38 million for this year, although revenue growth has been stymied by global supply issues, chip shortages and other pandemic-related factors. Click here Lindian Resources Ltd (ASX:LIN) has reached an out-of-court settlement over a dispute relating to its proposed acquisition of an up to 75% interest in the Kangankunde Rare Earths Project in Malawi. Click here Oklo Resources Ltd (ASX:OKU) has signed a binding scheme implementation deed (SID) under which B2Gold Corp will subject to conditions acquire all fully paid ordinary shares in Oklo via a board-recommended scheme of arrangement. Click here Sipa Resources Ltd (ASX:SRI) has progressed exploration activities across its gold and base metal projects in Western Australia. Click here Noxopharm Ltd (ASX:NOX) has received proof-of-concept confirmation from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), with an abstract from the Annual Meeting 2022 providing evidence of the modulatory effect of Veyondas active ingredient idronoxil on the immune system. Click here About Proactive Proactive is a unique tech-enabled platform providing companies globally with a comprehensive investor engagement solution across their business lifecycle. With six offices on three continents, Proactive works with innovative growth companies quoted on the worlds major stock exchanges, helping executives to engage intelligently with investors. In 2020, Proactive featured in 809 million search results, our content was viewed over 165 million times and our readers spent over 10 million hours on our websites. Proactive has produced over 300,000 articles and 20,000 executive interviews since it was established in 2006. For more information on how Proactive can help you make a difference, email us at action@proactiveinvestors.com New York, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Bronchoscopy Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06280852/?utm_source=GNW Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. The global bronchoscopy market is expected to grow from $2.54 billion in 2021 to $2.81 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.9%. The market is expected to grow to $3.52 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8%. The bronchoscopy market consists of sales of bronchoscopes and bronchoscopy services.Bronchoscopy is a technique for visualizing inside airways or lungs for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. In bronchoscopy, an instrument is inserted into the airways through the nose, mouth, or sometimes through a tracheostomy through which the practitioner can examine the patients airways for any infections. The bronchoscopy market covered in this report is segmented by product into bronchoscopes, imaging systems, cytology brushes, and others.The bronchoscopes are the type of endoscopes that are used to examine a patients larynx, throat, trachea, and lower airways. The bronchoscopy working channel diameter consists of 2.8 mm, 2.2 mm, 3.0 mm, and others that are used for adult patients and pediatric/neonate patients. The various applications of bronchoscopy are bronchial treatment and bronchial diagnosis. The growing prevalence of respiratory diseases contributed to the growth of the bronchoscopy market.According to the American Cancer Society 2020, in the United States, about 228,820 new cases of lung cancer and about 135,720 deaths from lung cancer. Therefore, the increasing prevalence of respiratory diseases around the world, especially the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, will drive the bronchoscopy market. The risk of contamination of devices has been a major challenge in the bronchoscopy market. According to the center for disease control and prevention, in the USA, there are around 6.8 lakhs of hospital-acquired infection cases and 72,000 hospital-acquired infection patients die. Multiple factors including contamination of devices are the reasons for hospital-acquired infection. This can be due to improper cleaning of devices or improper maintenance of the storage rooms and other factors. The risk of contamination of devices has a negative impact on the growth of the bronchoscopy market. The single-use flexible bronchoscopes are increasingly being used to prevent the risk of contamination of devices.The single-use flexible bronchoscopes are longer and thinner tubes that allow seeing the deep areas of the bronchus and are much easier to change and have a clear image of position inside the lung bronchus. The single-use flexible bronchoscopes improve safety and productivity. In April 2019, Johnson & Johnson acquired Auris Health Inc for a deal amount of $3.4 billion. Auris Healths robotic platform technology is used for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the lungs. Johnson & Johnson is focused on building a connected, data-driven digital ecosystem that pairs one of the surgical solutions with advanced technologies to improve the patients experience. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, and Africa. The countries covered in the bronchoscopy market are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, and USA. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06280852/?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. __________________________ Seoul, South Korea, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Fortune, bidding for the Power of One charity auction lunch with Warren Buffett will open on Sunday, June 12, at 10:30 p.m. ET on eBay. At the same time, this will also be the last auction of Buffett's lunch; this auction has attracted worldwide attention. Interestingly, Buffett has been boycotting the auction. The cryptocurrency industry also has project representatives participating in the auction, wanting to get the ownership of this last lunch. One of the companies in the cryptocurrency industry participating in this auction is named LunchDao, a community-driven autonomous organization that bids for power lunch with Warren Buffett in 2022 to promote Buffett and the traditional financial forces behind him to enter the crypto industry. The organization mainly raises target funds by issuing the DAO governance token $Lunch, and uses the funds raised for the auction of "Buffett's Last Lunch". LunchDao officially launched Juicebox on April 1st this year, with a total fundraising target of 2000 ETH. Currently, it has raised 706 ETH, which is about 1.3 million US dollars. Although there is still a big gap from the amount of the last Buffett lunch auction, in view of the current global economy of the special political environment, this auction may have a low price bid, and Lunchdao is expected to win the auction. Lunchdao fundraising will officially end at 00:00 AM UTC on May 28th. At present, it has been less than 24 hours since the end of LunchDao's fundraising. According to their spokesperson, whether LunchDao can finally raise funds can directly affect the further integration of the crypto industry and traditional finance. The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. Do your own research before making a financial decision related to any crypto company or asset. Dublin, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Home Infusion Therapy Market, Size, Global Forecast 2022-2027, Industry Trends, Share, Growth, Insight, Impact of COVID-19, Company Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Global Home Infusion Therapy Market is expected to reach US$ 45.46 billion in 2027 from $27.97 billion in 2021, growing at a CAGR of 8.43% Patients have shifted from conventional treatments to specialty infusion therapy treatments such as home infusion therapy over the years. Furthermore, the home infusion therapy industry is adept at meeting the most complex patient requirements. The demand for home infusion therapy devices will increase in the coming years as the application spectrum of infusion devices expands, along with the growing demand for infusion devices in the home care market. Furthermore, an aging population, a higher prevalence of chronic diseases, and the novelty of such therapeutic devices contribute to the overall market's growth. In contrast, associated risks during medication administration, irregularities in infusion device operation, incorrect use of infusion devices, and complex reimbursement policies may stifle market growth. Covid-19 Pandemic Boosted the Home Infusion Market Across the World The Covid-19 pandemic had a favourable consequence on the home infusion market because the technique of home infusion was in high demand as healthcare facilities were overburdened with increasing numbers of Covid patients. Regional and national lockdowns significantly impacted operations and supply chains, yet the market grew substantially in 2020. Product Insights Across Home Infusion Therapy Market Worldwide By product, the home infusion therapy market is divided into four categories: infusion pumps, intravenous sets, IV cannulas, and needleless connectors. According to the analysis, the infusion pumps segment will have significant market because these pumps are widely used for the delivery of nutrients and medications. The availability of a wide range of products, including enteral, syringe, multichannel, and peristaltic pumps, contributes to segment growth. The rising market for syringes and ambulatory pumps as people prefer home healthcare is also anticipated to contribute to segment growth. Moreover, smart pumps are now widely used because they include advanced features such as barcode technology, which aids in the verification of a patient's identity and prevents drug administration errors. The Anti-Infective Dominates the Worldwide Home Infusion Therapy Market In this report, Anti-infective, Hydration Therapy, Chemotherapy, Enteral Nutrition, Parenteral Nutrition, and Specialty Pharmaceuticals are the application segments of the market. According to the analysis, the anti-infective market dominates the global home infusion therapy market, owing to the large number of procedures performed to administer antifungal and antibiotic drugs. It also helps to reduce patient exposure to other hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). Similarly, chemotherapy is expected to be one of the fastest-growing segments over the forecast period, owing to rising cancer incidences. Home chemotherapy pumps are compact and continuous pressure pumps that do not require a battery and can thus be used for a more extended period. Chemotherapy drugs can be dispensed at the appropriate infusion rate and amount with the help of these pumps. As a result, the demand for pressure pumps is expected to grow in the coming years. Regional Realms of Global Home Infusion Therapy Market North America will dominate the market in the forecast period. Primarily, due to the regions increased R&D and rising adoption of new technology in infusion pumps. The regional market is being driven by the increasing need for long-term therapy for patients with certain conditions. Furthermore, the development of alternative healthcare settings and home infusion services and the shift in appreciation from acute care to home care backdrops due to subordinate costs and increased patient mobility will propel the evolution of this market in the coming years. Over the forecast period, the Asia Pacific market is expected to grow at the fastest rate. This is due to increased patient awareness of the advantages of home infusion therapy over in-hospital procedures and the region's rising diabetes prevalence. The region's growing geriatric population and rise in chronic diseases are expected to fuel market growth even further. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Research & Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Growth Drivers 4.2 Challenges 5. Global Home Infusion Therapy Market 6. Market Share - Global Home Infusion Therapy Market 6.1 By Product 6.2 By Application 6.3 By Region 7. Product - Global Home Infusion Therapy Market 7.1 Infusion Pump 7.2 Intravenous Sets 7.3 IV Cannulas 7.4 Needleless Connectors 8. Application - Global Home Infusion Therapy Market 8.1 Anti-infective 8.2 Hydration Therapy 8.3 Chemotherapy 8.4 Enteral Nutrition 8.5 Parenteral Nutrition 8.6 Specialty Pharmaceuticals 8.7 Others 9. Region - Global Home Infusion Therapy Market 9.1 North America 9.2 Europe 9.3 Asia Pacific 9.4 Latin America 9.5 Middle East and America 10. Key Players 10.1 Overview 10.2 Recent Development 10.3 Revenue Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. Pfizer Inc. Eli Lilly Becton, Dickinson and Company Baxter International Inc. Smith & Nephew plc Terumo Corporation ICU Medical For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/k7ljyh Attachment Dublin, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourism Market, Tourist Numbers, Size, Forecast 2022-2027, Industry Trends, Share, Growth, Insight, Impact of COVID-19" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourism Market was US$ 10.86 Billion in 2021 and is expected to generate US$ 25.49 Billion from international tourist arrivals in 2027 Year after year, the number of outbound tourists from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has increased. Many younger travellers are motivated to visit a destination on their bucket list. Furthermore, the critical factor driving the Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourism Market Size is the purpose of the visit, such as holiday activities, visiting friends and relatives, and business. Furthermore, interest in nature-based, off-season, and sustainable travel has increased, providing new opportunities to attract travellers and bolstering the Saudi Arabian outbound tourism industry. Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourism Industry is expected to expand at a CAGR of 15.28% from 2021 to 2027 While domestic and intra-Saudi Arabian travel is becoming more popular, the analysis focuses primarily on Saudi Arabians traveling long-haul to South Africa, India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. The United Arab Emirates is the top source market for outbound tourism in Saudi Arabia, followed by Switzerland and Turkey. Furthermore, many Saudi travellers are willing to travel to new areas outside the Middle East, creating significant commercial prospects. How has COVID-19 Impacted the Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourism Market 2020 has turned out to be a catastrophic year for Saudi Arabia's outbound tourism due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus. When the first infection was discovered in Saudi Arabia in January 2020, it had a significant impact. Saudi Arabia resorted to total lockdowns in response. This had a devastating effect on the outbound tourism market, with numbers plummeting. The number of flights departing Saudi Arabia reached an all-time low in April and May 2020. While the number of trips increased slightly in the summer and autumn of 2020, travellers were still severely limited. This was anticipated to change in 2021. However, in Saudi Arabia, the tourism industry has recovered following an increase in vaccination rates and a reduction in anti-terrorist measures. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Research & Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Growth Drivers 4.2 Challenge 5. Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourism 5.1 Market 5.2 Volume 6. Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourism - Share Analysis by Country 6.1 By Market 6.2 By Volume 7. South Africa 7.1 Saudi Arabia outbound tourist visitors 7.2 By Purpose - Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Visit to South Africa 7.2.1 Holiday 7.2.2 Business 7.2.3 Study 7.3 Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Market 8. India 8.1 Saudi Arabia outbound tourist visitors 8.2 By Purpose - Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Visit to India 8.2.1 Holiday 8.2.2 Business 8.2.3 Others 8.3 Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Market 9. United States 9.1 Saudi Arabia outbound tourist visitors 9.2 By Purpose - Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Visit to United States 9.2.1 Holiday 9.2.2 Business 9.2.3 VFR 9.2.4 Study 9.2.5 Others 9.3 Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Market 10. United Kingdom 10.1 Saudi Arabia outbound tourist visitors 10.2 By Purpose - Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Visit to United Kingdom 10.2.1 Holiday 10.2.2 Business 10.2.3 VFR 10.2.4 Study 10.2.5 Others 10.3 Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Market 11. Singapore 11.1 Saudi Arabia outbound tourist visitors 11.2 By Purpose - Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Visit to Singapore 11.2.1 Holiday 11.2.2 VFR 11.2.3 Others 11.3 Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Market 12. Malaysia 12.1 Saudi Arabia outbound tourist visitors 12.2 By Purpose - Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Visit to Malaysia 12.2.1 Holiday 12.2.2 VFR 12.2.3 Business 12.2.4 Others 12.3 Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Market 13. Switzerland 13.1 Saudi Arabia outbound tourist visitors 13.2 By Purpose - Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Visit to Switzerland 13.2.1 Holiday 13.2.2 VFR 13.2.3 Others 13.3 Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Market 14. Turkey 14.1 Saudi Arabia outbound tourist visitors 14.2 By Purpose - Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Visit to Turkey 14.2.1 Holiday 14.2.2 VFR 14.2.3 Others 14.3 Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Market 15. UAE 15.1 Saudi Arabia outbound tourist visitors 15.2 By Purpose - Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Visit to UAE 15.2.1 Holiday 15.2.2 VFR 15.2.3 Others 15.3 Saudi Arabia Outbound Tourists Market For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qkz3j9 Attachment Dublin, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Sepsis Diagnostics: Global Markets" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The current report provides detailed exposure to the sepsis diagnostic market. This report highlights the current and future market potential of sepsis diagnostics, as well as a detailed analysis of market drivers, challenges and opportunities. The report also covers market projections to 2026 and market shares for key market players. It details the market share of sepsis diagnostics based on technology type, product, diagnostic method and pathogen type. The report includes company profiles of the key players, with detailed information regarding their business segments, financials, product portfolios and recent developments. The report also provides the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this market. The regional market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Rest of the world. For market estimates, data have been provided for 2019 as the historic year and 2020 as the base year, with a forecast for 2026. Report Includes 35 data tables and 15 additional tables An updated overview of the global sepsis diagnostics market Analyses of the global market trends, with data from 2019 to 2021, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2026 Evaluation and forecast the global market size for sepsis diagnostics, and corresponding market share analysis by product, technology type, diagnostic method, test type, pathogen, end user and geographic region Highlights the current and future market potential of sepsis diagnostics along with a detailed analysis of the drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the market Identification of promising new products and technologies still in the development and assess the probability that they will be commercialized successfully in the next five years Discussion of the COVID-19 implications on the market for sepsis clinical diagnostics and research studies Information pertaining to the companies best positioned to meet this demand owing to their proprietary technologies, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and other strategic alliances Insight into the recent industry structure, current competitive scenario, R&D activities, product launch strategies and company value share analysis based on their segmental revenues Descriptive company profiles of the leading global players, including Abbott Laboratories, Bruker Corp., Roche Diagnostics Corp., Siemens Healthineers AG and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc Sepsis is a life-threatening condition marked by severe organ dysfunction. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) global report on the Epidemiology and Burden of Sepsis, there were 49 million cases and 11 million sepsis-related deaths in 2017, accounting for nearly 20% of all annual global deaths. Sepsis is considered as the common pathway to death for several diseases, including infectious diseases. In the recent report on sepsis, the WHO observed that even non-communicable or chronic diseases and injuries can also lead to sepsis. Studies indicate that the incidence of sepsis is increasing, but the mortality rate is decreasing. The burden of the disease, however, is very high in low-and middle income countries with poor healthcare infrastructures. Elderly patients, neonates and immunocompromised patients are at high risk of sepsis. Sepsis is also associated with high economic burden and is the most expensive condition for hospitalised patients. For this reason, theWHO and World Health Assembly (WHA) have adopted a resolution in 2017 to improve, prevent, diagnose and manage sepsis. There is no specific laboratory test to diagnose sepsis. The current diagnosis is based on various technologies, including microbiological tests, molecular diagnostics and biomarkers. Microbiological tests are the most preferred method. Despite advances in molecular diagnostic methods, blood culture is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of sepsis. Molecular techniques have been limited due to high cost and the need for a skilled workforce. Microbial identification is restricted to the specified panels used in the technique. The blood culture method has both advantages and limitations. Blood cultures are time-consuming and may result in false negatives. It is for this reason that there is high need for a rapid and accurate diagnostic method. Thus, there is scope for point-of-care tests that would be helpful in bedside sepsis diagnosis. Rapid diagnosis and early treatment lead to better patient outcomes, with survival rates are as high as 80%. Delay in diagnosis also leads to increased risk of antimicrobial resistance, as patients with sepsis are initially started with antimicrobials. It is based on the culture results that physicians start with targeted antimicrobials and look into escalation or de-escalation of the ongoing antimicrobial therapy. Thus, increasing prevalence, awareness and various government initiatives will lead to growth in the sepsis diagnostic market. The market has also witnessed technological advancements with novel instruments that use whole blood for detection and do not rely on positive blood cultures. Research is also focused on studying the benefit of biomarker combinations, as each biomarker represents a different aspect of sepsis and would help in early detection. Research is focused on microfluidics, machine learning and artificial intelligence tools for rapid diagnosis. Major players in the market include BioMerieux, Becton, Dickinson and Company, DanaherCorporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific, T2 Biosystems, Luminex, Roche Diagnostics, BrukerCorporation, Abbott Laboratories and Immunexpress. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Summary and Highlights Chapter 3 Technology Background Introduction Causes Risk Factors Symptoms Pathophysiology Endothelial Dysfunction Coagulopathy Cardiovascular Dysfunction Cellular Dysfunction Epidemiology and Economic Burden Diagnosis and Treatment Regulatory Scenario Regulations in North America European Regulations Chapter 4 Market Dynamics Factors Affecting the Sepsis Diagnostic Market Market Drivers Increasing Incidence of Infectious Diseases Rising Aging Population and Increasing Incidence of Chronic Diseases Increasing Government Initiatives Technological Developments Market Restraints High Cost of Instruments and Lack of Skilled Workforce Opportunities Demand for Rapid and Accurate Diagnostic Tool Chapter 5 Impact of Covid-19 Introduction Outbreak Covid-19 Symptoms Covid-19 Progression Incubation Period Epidemiology Collaboration Between Organizations and Governments Spread of Disease Impact of Covid-19 on the Sepsis Diagnostic Market Chapter 6 Sepsis Diagnostic Market by Technology Global Sepsis Diagnostic Market by Technology Microbiological Tests Immunoassays Molecular Diagnostics Others Chapter 7 Sepsis Diagnostic Market by Product Assays and Reagents Culture Media Instruments Software Chapter 8 Sepsis Diagnostic Market by Method Conventional Diagnostics Automated Diagnostics Chapter 9 Sepsis Diagnostic Market by Test Type Laboratory Tests Point-Of-Care Tests Chapter 10 Sepsis Diagnostic Market by Pathogen Type Bacterial Sepsis Fungal Sepsis Others Chapter 11 Sepsis Diagnostic Market by End-user Hospitals and Clinics Diagnostic Centers Academic and Research Institutions Chapter 12 Sepsis Diagnostic Market by Region North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the World Chapter 13 Competitive Landscape and Analysis of Market Opportunities Recent Developments Mergers, Acquisitions and Collaborations Sepsis Diagnostic Company Market Shares Chapter 14 Company Profiles Abbott Laboratories Axis-Shield Diagnostics Ltd. Becton, Dickinson & Company Biomerieux Bruker Corp. Danaher Ekf Diagnostics Holdings plc Immunexpress Luminex Corp. Qiagen Nv Roche Diagnostics Corp. Seegene Siemens Healthineers AG T2 Biosystems Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/926up4 Attachment Dublin, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Dermatologicals Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global dermatological market was valued at $19,974.3 million in 2020, and is projected to reach $59,309.3 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 11.5% from 2021 to 2030. Dermatological are a class of medicine used to treat patients suffering from skin disorders. These preparations are used to treat conditions such as psoriasis, acne, and rosacea. Different types of dermatological formulations are available in the market, including topical, parenteral, and oral. The treatment for skin diseases are prescribed depending upon the type and severity of symptoms. For instance, psoriasis requires the use of parenteral dermatological preparations for treatment. The growth of the global dermatological market is majorly driven by alarming increase in prevalence of skin diseases such as acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and rosacea; rise in government initiatives to spread awareness & promote knowledge about skin disease; surge in number of dermatological drugs manufacturing; surge in expenditure on human healthcare services; and increase in adoption of skin care products. For instance, the American Academy of Dermatology Association aims to develop frontiers of dermatologic care and increase dermatologic services for under-served population. This program further aims to increase consumer understanding about the importance of care delivered by board-certified dermatologists. Moreover, dermatological products are prescribed to patients suffering from COVID-19 and who develop skin diseases such as urticaria, morbilliform rash, and perni-like acral lesions. Furthermore, rise in number of teenagers and younger population drive the growth of the market. This is attributed to the fact that the teenager population is highly vulnerable to skin diseases such as acne, due to change in hormonal level, which boosts the demand for various dermatological drug therapies for better health outcomes. This factors is expected to notably contribute toward the growth of the global dermatologicals market. In addition, the development of the pharmaceutical sector is a major factor that drives the global dermatologicals market. Moreover, increase in number of clinical studies significantly contributes toward the market growth. Clinical studies aim to evaluate safety and efficacy of dermatological products. Rise in number of approval of dermatological products acts as a key driving force of the global market. For instance, in December 2021, Amgen, a biopharmaceutical company, announced the Food and Drug administration (FDA) approval of Otezla (apremilast), which is recommended for the treatment of patients diagnosed with plaque psoriasis. Furthermore, rise in funds by governments of various countries and private organizations to develop pharmaceutical manufacturing units are expected to boost the market growth. For instance, in March 2020, the Department of Pharmaceutical, in India, announced the investment scheme of around $1,300 million to strengthen the domestic active pharmaceutical ingredient units and boost the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products. In addition, increase in R&D activities in pharmaceutical industry is anticipated to provide lucrative opportunities for the market expansion. However, availability of alternative treatment options for acne and other skin diseases hinders the market growth. On the contrary, increase in awareness among population about various treatments available for skin diseases augments the growth of the dermatologicals market. This has further encouraged many key players to enter emerging markets, thus offering lucrative opportunities for the expansion of the dermatologicals market. The global dermatologicals market is segmented into disease, type, route of administration, and region. By disease, the market is categorized into acne, dermatitis, psoriasis, skin cancer, rosacea, alopecia, and others. Depending on type, it is fragmented into prescription-based drugs and over-the-counter drugs. On the basis route of administration, it is segregated topical administration, oral administration, and parenteral administration. Region wise, it is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. Key Benefits The report provides an in-depth analysis of the global dermatologicals market size along with the current trends and future estimations to elucidate the imminent investment pockets. It offers market analysis from 2021 to 2030, which is expected to enable the stakeholders to capitalize on the prevailing opportunities in the market. A comprehensive analysis on region assists to understand the regional market and facilitate the strategic business planning and determine prevailing opportunities. The profiles and growth strategies of the key players are thoroughly analyzed to understand the competitive outlook of the global dermatologicals market Key Topics Covered: CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION CHAPTER 2: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2.1. Key findings of the study 2.2. CXO perspective CHAPTER 3: MARKET LANDSCAPE 3.1. Market definition and scope 3.2. Key findings 3.2.1. Top investment pockets 3.2.2. Top winning strategies 3.3. Porter's five forces analysis 3.4. Top player positioning, 2020 3.5. Market dynamics 3.5.1. Drivers 3.5.1.1. Increase in prevalence of skin diseases 3.5.1.2. Increase in number of approval for dermatological products 3.5.1.3. Rise in awareness among individuals regarding skin diseases 3.5.2. Restraint 3.5.2.1. Availability of alternatives for acne treatment 3.5.3. Opportunities 3.5.3.1. Increase in healthcare expenditure 3.5.3.2. Development of pharmaceutical industry 3.5.4. Impact analysis 3.6. Impact analysis of COVID-19 on the dermatologicals market CHAPTER 4: DERMATOLOGICALS MARKET, BY DISEASE 4.1. Overview 4.1.1. Market size and forecast 4.2. Acne 4.2.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 4.2.2. Market size and forecast, by region 4.2.3. Market analysis, by country 4.3. Dermatitis 4.3.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 4.3.2. Market size and forecast, by region 4.3.3. Market analysis, by country 4.4. Psoriasis 4.4.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 4.4.2. Market size and forecast, by region 4.4.3. Market analysis, by country 4.5. Skin cancer 4.5.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 4.5.2. Market size and forecast, by region 4.5.3. Market analysis, by country 4.6. Rosacea 4.6.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 4.6.2. Market size and forecast, by region 4.6.3. Market analysis, by country 4.7. Alopecia 4.7.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 4.7.2. Market size and forecast, by region 4.7.3. Market analysis, by country 4.8. Others 4.8.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 4.8.2. Market size and forecast, by region 4.8.3. Market analysis, by country CHAPTER 5: DERMATOLOGICALS MARKET, BY TYPE 5.1. Overview 5.1.1. Market size and forecast 5.2. Prescription-based drugs 5.2.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 5.2.2. Market size and forecast, by region 5.2.3. Market analysis, by country 5.3. Over-the-counter drugs 5.3.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 5.3.2. Market size and forecast, by region 5.3.3. Market analysis, by country CHAPTER 6: DERMATOLOGICALS MARKET, BY ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION 6.1. Overview 6.1.1. Market size and forecast 6.2. Topical administration 6.2.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 6.2.2. Market size and forecast, by region 6.2.3. Market analysis, by country 6.3. Oral administration 6.3.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 6.3.2. Market size and forecast, by region 6.3.3. Market analysis, by country 6.4. Parenteral administration 6.4.1. Key market trends, growth factors, and opportunities 6.4.2. Market size and forecast, by region 6.4.3. Market analysis, by country CHAPTER 7: DERMATOLOGICALS MARKET, BY REGION CHAPTER 8: COMPANY PROFILES 8.1. ABBVIE INC. (ALLERGAN PLC) 8.1.1. Company overview 8.1.2. Company snapshot 8.1.3. Operating business segments 8.1.4. Product portfolio 8.1.5. Business performance 8.1.6. Key strategic moves and developments 8.2. AMGEN INC. 8.2.1. Company overview 8.2.2. Company snapshot 8.2.3. Operating business segments 8.2.4. Product portfolio 8.2.5. Business performance 8.2.6. Key strategic moves and developments 8.3. GALDERMA 8.3.1. Company overview 8.3.2. Company snapshot 8.3.3. Operating business segments 8.3.4. Product portfolio 8.3.5. Key strategic moves and developments 8.4. GLAXOSMITHKLINE PLC. (GSK) 8.4.1. Company overview 8.4.2. Company snapshot 8.4.3. Operating business segments 8.4.4. Product portfolio 8.4.5. Business performance 8.4.6. Key strategic moves and developments 8.5. JOHNSON & JOHNSON SERVICES, INC. 8.5.1. Company overview 8.5.2. Company snapshot 8.5.3. Operating business segments 8.5.4. Product portfolio 8.5.5. Business performance 8.5.6. Key strategic moves and developments 8.6. LEO PHARMA A/S 8.6.1. Company overview 8.6.2. Company snapshot 8.6.3. Operating business segments 8.6.4. Product portfolio 8.6.5. Business performance 8.6.6. Key strategic moves and developments 8.7. NOVARTIS AG 8.7.1. Company overview 8.7.2. Company snapshot 8.7.3. Operating business segments 8.7.4. Product portfolio 8.7.5. Business performance 8.7.6. Key strategic moves and developments 8.8. ORGANON & CO. (MERCK) 8.8.1. Company overview 8.8.2. Company snapshot 8.8.3. Operating business segments 8.8.4. Product portfolio 8.8.5. Business performance 8.9. PFIZER INC. 8.9.1. Company overview 8.9.2. Company snapshot 8.9.3. Operating business segments 8.9.4. Product Portfolio 8.9.5. Business performance 8.9.6. Key strategic moves and developments 8.10. SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED 8.10.1. Company overview 8.10.2. Company snapshot 8.10.3. Operating business segments 8.10.4. Product portfolio 8.10.5. Business performance 8.10.6. Key strategic moves and developments For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/trnvbn Attachment Dublin, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Preclinical Imaging Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product (CT, MRI, PET/SPECT, Multi-modal, Optical, Ultrasound, Photoacoustic (PAT), Reagents, Services), by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global preclinical imaging market size is expected to reach USD 5.4 billion by 2030. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2022 to 2030. Heavy investments in research and development are encouraging research projects worldwide. As a result, the demand for preclinical imaging is steadily increasing. Pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, life sciences, medical devices, and cosmetics are wide application areas, where imaging modalities are widely used in research and development. Furthermore, veterinary hospitals and educational institutions also create additional demand for this market. Nuclear medicine techniques (primarily, positron emission tomography [PET] and single-photon emission computed tomography [SPECT]), optical imaging, micro computed tomography (CT), micro magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and ultrasound are the most suitable modalities for small-animal in vivo imaging applications. Each modality has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. The multimodality devices designed to give complementary information on the pathophysiological process under research have rapidly gained popularity, seeking to overcome the inherent limits of each imaging modality. The combination of high-resolution modalities such as micro-CT and micro-MRI with highly sensitive techniques that provide functional information like micro-PET or micro-SPECT is expected to broaden the horizons of research in key areas like infection, oncology, cardiology, and neurology, contributing not only to the understanding of disease underlying mechanisms but also providing efficient and unique tools for evaluating new chemical entities and candidate drugs, thus boosting the market growth. The market's prominent competitors are taking different initiatives such as funding's and acquisitions of medium and small-sized businesses in order to expand their product portfolio and enhance their manufacturing capacity. Preclinical Imaging Market Report Highlights By product, the optical segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021 owing to its wide usage in small animal imaging and new drug discovery projects. The multimodal imaging segment is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period, owing to the technological advancements. North America accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021, well-developed research infrastructure, a large number of Preclinical projects, and higher adoption rates of technically advanced devices in the region are some of the factors that can be attributed to this share. Asia Pacific is anticipated to grow at a lucrative rate over the forecast period owing to the increased government funding for the development of the research and development sector. Major players in the industry are focusing on launch of advanced technology and features such as artificial intelligence enabled systems. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope Chapter 2. Executive Summary 2.1. Market Outlook 2.2. Segment Outlook 2.3. Competitive Insights Chapter 3. Preclinical Imaging Market Variables, Trends & Scope 3.1. Market Lineage Outlook 3.2. Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping 3.3. Industry Value Chain Analysis 3.4. Market Dynamics 3.4.1. Market driver analysis 3.4.1.1. Technological Advancements 3.4.1.2. Growing Number of Investments and Funding in Research and Development 3.4.2. Market restraint analysis 3.4.2.1. Strict regulatory framework 3.5. Preclinical Imaging Market Analysis Tools Chapter 4. Preclinical Imaging Market: Product Estimates & Trend Analysis 4.1. Definitions and Scope 4.1.1. CT Imaging 4.1.2. MRI Imaging 4.1.3. PET/SPECT Imaging 4.1.4. Multi-modal Imaging 4.1.5. Optical Imaging 4.1.6. Ultrasound Imaging 4.1.7. Photoacoustic Imaging 4.1.8. Reagents 4.1.9. Services 4.2. Product Market Share, 2017 & 2030 4.3. Segment Dashboard 4.4. Preclinical Imaging Market by Product Outlook 4.5. Market Size & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2018 to 2030 for the following 4.5.1. CT imaging 4.5.2. MRI imaging 4.5.3. PET/SPECT imaging 4.5.4. Multi-modal imaging 4.5.5. Optical imaging 4.5.6. Ultrasound imaging 4.5.7. Photoacoustic imaging 4.5.8. Reagents 4.5.9. Services Chapter 5. Preclinical Imaging Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis 5.1. Regional market share analysis, 2020 & 2028 5.2. Regional Market Dashboard 5.3. Global Regional Market Snapshot 5.4. Regional Market Share and Leading Players, 2020 5.5. SWOT Analysis, by Factor (Political & Legal, Economic and Technological) 5.6. Market Size, & Forecasts, Volume and Trend Analysis, 2018 to 2030: Chapter 6. Competitive Landscape Bruker Corporation Siemens Healthineers AG GE Healthcare Trifoil Imaging Perkinelmer, Inc. Visualsonic Inc. (Fujifilm) Mediso Ltd. Agilent Technologies Mr Solutions Milabs B.V. Molecubes For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/iobcwk About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES TORONTO, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Water Ways Technologies Inc. (TSXV: WWT) (FRA: WWT) ("Water Ways" or the "Company"), a global provider of Israeli-based agriculture technology, providing water irrigation solutions to agricultural producers, announces the filing of its Interim Financial Statements (the "Statements") and Managements Discussion and Analysis (the "MD&A") for the three months period ended March 31, 2022. A comprehensive discussion of Water Ways financial position and results of operations is provided in the MD&A, filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) Ohad Haber, President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Water Ways states: "The first quarter of 2022 was a challenging quarter for Water Ways Technologies. We started the year with a record backlog of orders exceeding CAD$13M, however, the war in the Ukraine and the lockdown in China delayed some of our business. I am very pleased with our Canadian business achieving record quarterly sales and I anticipate finalizing our important acquisition in Chile in the coming weeks". On Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at 9 am Eastern Time, Water Ways' management including CEO, Mr. Ohad Haber, CFO, Mr. Dor Sneh and Mr. Ronnie Jaegermann, Director, will host a live webinar with a corporate update, earnings discussion and outlook for 2022 and beyond. An Investor question-and-answer session will follow. Register: Water Ways Technologies Inc. - Q1 2022 Earnings Call and Financial Statements Highlights First Quarter (the following information should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified by, the Statements and the MD&A) Sales for the three months period ended March 31, 2022, totaling CAD$4.6M compared to CAD$5.4M for the three months period ended March 31, 2021. decrease in sales was mainly due to a delay in the commencement of the Uzbekistan projects and the Lockdown in China. Company's product sales to South and Central America increased significantly to CAD$1.5M for the three month period ended March 31, 2022 compared to CAD$0.46M for the three month period ended March 31, 2021. Net profit for the three months period ended March 31, 2022 amounted to CAD$0.56M compared with CAD$0.22 for the three months period ended March 31, 2021. Record sales of Heartnut Grove WWT Inc., the Companys wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, increased substantially and reached CAD$2.62M for the three months period ended March 31, 2022, compared to CAD$1.68M for three months period ended March 31, 2021. Working capital remains flat as of March 31, 2022 totaled CAD$4.5M compared to CAD$4.5M as of December 31, 2021. The Company signed a Letter of Intent to acquire a Chilean irrigation company. As of March 31, 2022, the Company has completed its Due Diligence and currently negotiating final terms of the agreement. During the three months period ended March 31, 2022, the Company received the largest contracts in its history in Uzbekistan, resulting in orders of over CAD$9.4M. The war in Ukraine impacts the Company and causes delays in 2022 projects in Uzbekistan and other regional territories which conduct business with Russia. The unstable events in the region had forced the Company to be conservative and not recognize revenue from Uzbekistan projects (including the projects announced on press releases dated January 31, 2022 and February 10, 2022) during the three months period ended March 31,2022. IAT Shanghai, the Company's Chinese subsidiary, did not contribute to the revenues as a result of the zero-COVID policy of the Chinese government and the frequent quarantines which delays the Company's ability to finalize existing projects and negotiating new projects. Derivative Liability Warrants relates to a classification under IFRS of outstanding warrants issued as part of the Private Placement as a non-cash liability that arises due to the difference in operational currency and functional currency. This liability is revalued each period by an independent third party. Water Ways Technologies Financial Results Summary (CAD$ in thousands) The following tables set forth the highlights of the consolidated financial information of the Company and should be read in conjunction with the Statements and the notes thereto. (CAD in thousands) As of December 31, 2021 As of December 31, 2021 Change % Balance Sheet Items: Cash and Cash Equivalents 1,311 3,295 -60.2% Total Current Assets 14,727 12,279 19.9% Total Assets 17,758 15,321 15.9% Total Current Liabilities 10,343 7,706 34.2% Total Non-Current Liabilities 7,768 8,589 -9.6% (CAD in thousands) For the three months period ended March 31, 2022 2021 Change % Revenues: Services Projects 904 3,217 -71.9% Products 3,704 2,233 65.9% Total Revenues 4,599 5,450 -15.6% Cost of Sales 3,794 4,219 -10.1% Gross Profit 805 1,231 -34.6% Gross Profit Margin % 17.5% 22.6% Operating Expenses 974 737 Revaluation of derivatives - income (595 ) - Financial expense (income), net (134 ) 228 Taxes on Income (recovery) (3 ) 46 Profit for the period 563 220 155.8% In 2020, The Company registered Share Issuance Liability to the CEO of the Company's Chinese subsidiary, IRRI-AL TAL (Shanghai) in the amount of US$700,000. The Company has agreed, subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval, to issue up to 3,594,360 common shares (the "Shares") in lieu of payments owing to the Chinese CEO at a per share price of CAD$0.25. The Shares will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable securities legislation About Water Ways Technologies Inc. WWT through its subsidiaries, is a global provider of Israeli-based agriculture technology, providing water irrigation solutions to agricultural producers. WWT competes in the global irrigation water systems market with a focus on developing solutions with commercial applications in the micro and precision irrigation segments of the overall market. At present, WWTs main revenue streams are derived from the following business units: (i) Projects Business Unit; and (ii) Component and Equipment Sales Unit. WWT is capitalizing on the opportunities presented by micro and smart irrigation, while also making a positive mark on society by making these technologies more widely available, especially in developing markets such as Africa and Latin America and developed markets such as China and Canada. WWTs irrigation projects include vineyards, Cotton fields, Apple and Orange orchards, Blueberry, Medical Cannabis growers, fresh produce cooling rooms and more, in over fifteen countries. For more information, please contact Ronnie Jaegermann Dor Sneh Dr. Eva Reuter Director CFO Investor Relations - Germany T: +972-54-4202054 T: +972-54-6512500 +49 69 1532 5857 E: ronnie@waterwt.com E: dor@irri-altal.com E: e.reuter@dr-reuter.eu https://www.water-ways-technologies.com/ https://www.hg-wwt.com/ Twitter: @WaterWaysTechn1 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. The words "may", "would", "could", "should", "potential", "will", "seek", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to Water Ways. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect Water Ways' current views and intentions with respect to future events, and current information available to Water Ways, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Material factors or assumptions were applied in providing forward-looking information. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking information to vary from those described herein should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize. Should any factor affect Water Ways in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, Water Ways does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and Water Ways undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law. Water Ways' results and forward-looking information and calculations may be affected by fluctuations in exchange rates and its own share prices. All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated. Korean group BTS appears at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas, April 3. BTS, the Grammy-nominated South Korean boy band, will join President Joe Biden next week to talk about Asian inclusion and representation and to address hate crimes and discrimination against Asians, the White House announced May 26. AP-Yonhap BTS, the Grammy-nominated South Korean boy band, will join President Joe Biden next week to talk about "Asian inclusion and representation" and to address hate crimes and discrimination against Asians, the White House announced Thursday. The musical group's White House visit next Tuesday follows Biden's trip last week to South Korea, a U.S. ally. Biden has been outspoken about being committed to combating a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. Last year, the Democratic president signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law. Biden and BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, will also discuss diversity and the K-pop group's platform as youth ambassadors. The band received its first Grammy nomination last year after releasing the song "Dynamite" as a gift to fans isolated by the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP) Dublin, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "E-bikes Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Propulsion Type (Pedal-assisted, Throttle-assisted), by Battery Type, by Power, by Application, by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global e-bikes market size is anticipated to reach USD 52.37 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.5% over the forecast period. Electric bikes are considered an eco-friendly and flexible mode of transportation. They are an ideal substitute for public transport, scooters, and smart cars as they help avoid traffic jams and achieve high speed with minimal effort. Moreover, they enable riders to maintain a healthy lifestyle through increased physical activity. These factors are contributing to the growth of the global market. The declining consumer inclination toward cars owing to increased traffic on streets and growing urbanization is expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities for the market across the globe. Additionally, governments of several countries, including India, U.K., and Canada, are focused on developing infrastructures for bicycles owing to the growing consumer preferences for electric bikee-bikes. For instance, in 2017, Bikeep, a commercial bike parking systems and bike racks manufacturer, introduced a smart bicycle rack solution that offers electric bicycle charging. The solution is designed to cater to various popular electric bicycles. Key players in the market are focused on strategies such as new product launch and geographic expansion to enhance their business operations and product offerings. For instance, in October 2020, Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. announced the launch of a full-composite trail bike, Trance X Advanced Pro 29. The bike is equipped with an updated Maestro rear suspension and flip-chip feature that permits riders to modify the frame geometry. Similarly, in October 2020, Pedego Electric Bikes opened a new store in Boca Raton, Florida. The store offers a full range of electric bikes for rental and sale, along with related accessories and services. E-bikes Market Report Highlights The pedal-assisted segment is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period owing to the rising demand for pedal-assisted e-bikes among the youth and elderly population. The lead-acid battery segment dominated the market with a 45.5% market share in 2021, owing to benefits such as low cost and robustness. However, the share is anticipated to decline as a result of a significant rise in demand for Li-ion batteries. The Asia Pacific is expected to become the largest regional market over the forecast period owing to significant investments in the vehicle charging infrastructure and government subsidies for battery-powered vehicles. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1. Methodology & Scope Chapter 2. Executive Summary Chapter 3. Market Variables, Trends, and Scope 3.1. Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping 3.2. Industry Value Chain Analysis 3.3. Market Dynamics 3.3.1. Market Driver Analysis 3.3.2. Market Restraint Analysis 3.4. Market Analysis Tools 3.4.1. Industry Analysis - Porter's Five Forces Analysis 3.4.2. PEST Analysis 3.5. Company Ranking Analysis, 2021 3.6. Impact of COVID-19 on the E-bikes Market Chapter 4. E-bikes Market: Propulsion Type Outlook 4.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 4.1.1. Pedal-assisted 4.1.1.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 4.1.2. Throttle-assisted 4.1.2.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 5. E-bikes Market: Battery Type Outlook 5.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 5.1.1. Lithium-ion Battery 5.1.1.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 5.1.2. Lead-acid Battery 5.1.2.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 6. E-bikes Market: Power Outlook 6.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 6.1.1. Less Than or Equal to 250W 6.1.1.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 6.1.2. Above 250W 6.1.2.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 7. E-bikes Market: Application Outlook 7.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 7.2. City/Urban 7.2.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 7.3. Trekking 7.3.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 7.4. Cargo 7.4.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 7.5. Others 7.5.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 8. E-bikes Market: Regional Outlook Chapter 9. Competitive Landscape 9.1. Accell Group N.V. 9.1.1. Company Overview 9.1.2. Financial Performance 9.1.3. Product Benchmarking 9.1.4. Recent Developments 9.2. Aima Technology Group Co. Ltd. 9.2.1. Company Overview 9.2.2. Financial Performance 9.2.3. Product Benchmarking 9.2.4. Recent Developments 9.3. Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. 9.3.1. Company Overview 9.3.2. Financial Performance 9.3.3. Product Benchmarking 9.3.4. Recent Developments 9.4. Merida Industry Co., Ltd. 9.4.1. Company Overview 9.4.2. Financial Performance 9.4.3. Product Benchmarking 9.4.4. Recent Developments 9.5. Pedego Electric Bikes 9.5.1. Company Overview 9.5.2. Financial Performance 9.5.3. Product Benchmarking 9.5.4. Recent Developments 9.6. Pon.Bike 9.6.1. Company Overview 9.6.2. Financial Performance 9.6.3. Product Benchmarking 9.6.4. Recent Developments 9.7. Rad Power Bikes Inc. 9.7.1. Company Overview 9.7.2. Financial Performance 9.7.3. Product Benchmarking 9.7.4. Recent Developments 9.8. Trek Bicycle Corporation 9.8.1. Company Overview 9.8.2. Financial Performance 9.8.3. Product Benchmarking 9.8.4. Recent Developments 9.9. Yadea Group Holdings Ltd. 9.9.1. Company Overview 9.9.2. Financial Performance 9.9.3. Product Benchmarking 9.9.4. Recent Developments 9.10. Yamaha Motor Company 9.10.1. Company Overview 9.10.2. Financial Performance 9.10.3. Product Benchmarking 9.10.4. Recent Developments For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ij2a32 Attachment BANGOR, MAINE, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At Hussons recent graduate student hooding ceremony the University presented the Chesley H. Husson, Sr. Award to John Rohman, the former chief executive officer of WBRC, mayor of Bangor and current chair of the Universitys Board of Trustees. This award is presented annually to an individual who shares the qualities of Hussons founder, Chesley H. Husson, Sr. It recognizes outstanding service to both the University and the greater community. John epitomizes our core values of character and humility, said Dr. Robert A. Clark, president of Husson University. He has been instrumental in making a difference at Husson. With a passion for the arts and strong business acumen, John has consistently contributed to the success of WBRC, our University, the local community and our state. The presentation of this award was part of Husson Universitys annual hooding ceremony. The ceremony recognized scholars and professionals who earned their masters and doctoral degrees from Husson in 2022. The university estimates that 1,000 1,200 people were in attendance for the award presentation and hooding ceremony. More about Chesley H. Husson, Sr. and this Award Chesley H. Husson, Sr. was the founder of Husson College, one of the Universitys predecessor institutions. He believed in academic integrity, hands-on education and community service. His philosophy of combining education and real-world business experience in the classroom continues to be an important academic focus at todays Husson University. First presented in 2001, some of the people who have received this award include: Susan Collins, United States Senator Jeannine Gutman, Editor, Portland Press Herald Takfumi Kimura, Education Leader, Japan Phil Harriman, former State Senator, Community Volunteer Michael Brennan, Chief of Police, Portland Charles Miller, Attorney, Community Volunteer Steve Rowe, Former Attorney General, State of Maine Bill Green, Television Personality, Writer and Environmental Champion Mike Sanphy, Mayor of Westbrook Edward O. Darling, Owner, Downeast Toyota Dr. Teresa Willett Steele, Professor Emerita Dewey Martin, Professor Emeritus More about John Rohman: Graduating from the University of Maine with an engineering degree in 1968, Rohman was later drafted into the U.S. Army and served with distinction in Vietnam. Returning to Maine, he worked first for Eaton Tarbell, a well-known architect, before joining the company that is now known as WBRC in 1973. He enrolled at Husson in 1977 and received a bachelors degree in business management. Developing a love for the arts while working at WBRC, Rohman decided to commute weekly to Boston and attend classes at the Boston Architectural Center to study interior design. His career at WBRC spanned more than 38 years. For 20 of those years, Rohman was CEO of the firm. He became the companys major shareholder in the early 90s and restructured WBRCs ownership by giving some of his own shares to junior partners in order to make sure everyone had equal ownership. The firm recently celebrated its 120th Anniversary and has become an architectural leader whose influence and projects are nationally recognized for excellence. Rohman served on the Board of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce in the mid-1990s and went on to serve on the Bangor City Council, including a one-year term as mayor. During this time, he worked to increase downtown development through the arts. His efforts led to him being appointed to the Maine Arts Commission by then-governor Angus King. He served this commission for many years, including nine as chair. He and his wife Lyndy helped bring the National Folk Festival to Bangor in 2002. The result was a resounding success and led and to the creation of the American Folk Festival. This festival boosted the local economy by bringing millions of visitors to Bangor over the course of its 18-year run. Rohman has also donated his time and expertise to the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium, the University of Maine Museum Art Advisory Committee, the National Council for Traditional Arts, and the National Assembly of State Art Agencies as well as numerous other non-profit organizations. More about Husson University: For more than 120 years, Husson University has shown its adaptability and strength in delivering educational programs that prepare future leaders to handle the challenges of tomorrow through innovative undergraduate and graduate degrees. With a commitment to delivering affordable classroom, online and experiential learning opportunities, Husson University has come to represent a superior value in higher education. The hallmarks of a Husson education include advanced knowledge delivered through quality educational programs. According to a recent analysis of tuition and fees by U.S. News & World Report, Husson University is one of the most affordable private colleges in New England. For more information about educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional success, visit Husson.edu. Attachments United States, Rockville, MD: , May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the study at Fact.MR, the blood flow measurement devices market is valued at US$ 583 million in 2022 and is expected to reach US$ 1.3 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 8.2%. Rising cardiovascular diseases coupled with diabetes are constantly seek real time blood flow monitoring. The technologically advanced devices help in the process of documentation and measurement of these vitals. Another major factor that flourishes the market to the top is its usage in cancer treatment as it helps in dealing the blood flow management of tumorous cancers including breast cancer. National diabetes statics report explains that 2 out of 5 Americans develop diabetes in their lifecycle. These numbers push people to adopt practices that prevent these diseases. Browse in-depth TOC on Sales of Blood Flow Measurement Devices" 80 Tables and 96 Figures 170 Pages Download PDF Brochure: https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=7381 Due to the unhealthy lifestyle, the diseases related to heart and blood flow are proliferating, especially in the developed nations. National Healthcare facilities filling up with the patients having cardiovascular diseases are pushing the leaders to adopt technologically advanced tools to tackle the traffic, expanding the blood flow measurement devices market size. Ultrasound dopplers are largely used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, advancing the ultrasound doppler technology. Blood flow measurement devices market survey explains that the conventional ways of monitoring vitals including the blood flow measurement hampers the growth of new technologically advanced devices. Another factor affecting the growth of the markets is small numbers of research and development programs that produce real life results and aware citizens about the benefits of blood flow measurement devices. To learn more about Irreversible Blood Flow Measurement Device Demand, you can get in touch with our Analyst at https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=AE&rep_id=7381 KEY TAKEAWAYS: United States dominated the global market by contributing nearly US$ 244.7 Million to the total revenue in 2022 and expanding the market size with a CAGR of 8% through 2032. Strong research and development (R&D) projects led by new healthcare welfare schemes has gained traction while strengthening nations healthcare systems with the adoption the technologically advanced blood flow measurement devices Ultrasound segment is the largest segment and will hold the biggest portion of the market in the forecast period, growing at a CAGR of 8.3%, owing to are its prevalence in cancer and cardiovascular treatment while monitoring the blood flow during pre, post and even during the time of the surgery. Non-Invasive segment is the biggest application segment in the market and is likely to thrive at a CAGR of 8.1% between 2022 and 2032, attributing its growth to its application in Cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes, Tumour Monitoring and Gastroenterology Get Customization on this Blood Flow Measurement Devices Manufacturers for Specific Research Solutions at https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=7381 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE: Some of the blood flow measurement devices market competitors listed in the Fact. MRs study on blood flow measurement devices market are Medistim ASA, Cook Medical, Inc., Getinge Group, Deltex Medical Group PLC, Transonic Systems Inc. . Recent Developments Medistim ASA has introduced its set of MIraQ Vascular, Cardiac and Ultimate that monitor the blood flow through transit time flow measurement (TTFM), increasing the sales in developing nations like US and Japan. Cook Medical Inc has designed its upgraded version of ultrasound blood flow monitor, bringing in the advanced technology that helps in the real time blood flow measurement. Transonic Systems Inc has introduced its 400-series research blood flow measurement device that are used in cardiovascular labs. This series comes is tow models named T402 and T403 that can hold four and six single-bay pressure modules, making these devices more flexible and reliable. To understand how our report can bring difference to your business strategy, Purchase a copy of this Blood Flow Measurement Instruments Market report at https://www.factmr.com/checkout/7381 Check out more studies related to Healthcare Industry, conducted by Fact.MR: Why is Demand for Transcatheter Valve Replacement Expected to Surge? - Transcatheter valve replacement is a minimally-invasive procedure where a new valve is implanted without removing the old or damaged valve. The surgery is similar to placing a stent in the artery and is available for people with symptomatic aortic stenosis who are at low, intermediate, or high risk of standard valve replacement surgery. What is the Future of Global Bioabsorbable Stents Market? - Growing incidences of physicians and healthcare professionals preferring bioabsorbable stents over conventional stents is believed to have rapidly surged the bioabsorbable stent market growth in the global market. Key Drivers Stimulating Biotechnology Instruments Industry Expansion -The development of medical lasers has made available flexible and sophisticated technology. This project has changed the application of these lasers away from their primary use. These lasers, for example, are utilized to remove or cut crucial therapeutic approaches to restore damaged portions or parts of the body. Prominent Nerve Monitoring Devices Market Growth Drivers - In addition, increasing government support and increasing awareness about neurodegenerative disorders fuel the market growth. The rise in expenditure on healthcare in developing countries and growth in patient awareness of the use of nerve monitoring devices provide new opportunities for the market players. Whats Aiding Transfer Membrane Sales Growth? - Increasing demand for DNA- and RNA-based therapies is also expected to drive demand for transfer membranes in protein sequencing and synthesis. The scope of application for gas transfer membrane technology is also anticipated to witness an increase across the forecast period. About Us: Market research and consulting agency with a difference! Thats why 80% of Fortune 1,000 companies trust us for making their most critical decisions. While our experienced consultants employ the latest technologies to extract hard-to-find insights, we believe our USP is the trust clients have on our expertise. Spanning a wide range from automotive & industry 4.0 to healthcare & retail, our coverage is expansive, but we ensure even the most niche categories are analyzed. Our sales offices in United States and Dublin, Ireland. Headquarter based in Dubai, UAE. Reach out to us with your goals, and well be an able research partner. Contact: Mahendra Singh US Sales Office: 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 Email: sales@factmr.com Tel: +1 (628) 251-1583 Dublin, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Disease (Dengue, Chikungunya), by Diagnostic Method (Conventional, Molecular/Modern), by Service Type, by End-use, and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global neglected tropical disease (NTD) diagnostic market size is expected to reach USD 8.97 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 4.4% during the forecast period. Increasing disease burden, growing demand for early disease identification, and complementary advancements in technology is expected to drive growth in demand. Increasing concern regarding neglected tropical diseases and their impact on the population as well as economies has boosted the demand for the development of early disease detection methods. This growth in concern is evident in the launch of a substantial number of programs aiming to combat NTDs. For instance, the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases aims to raise awareness and funding, both of which are essential to control and eliminate the most common NTDs. In addition, various companies are undertaking efforts to develop less complicated and inexpensive diagnostic assays for tropical diseases. In January 2021, Novartis AG signed an agreement with the WHO to manage leprosy across the globe. This, in turn, is anticipated to support the growth of this market throughout the forecast period. According to the WHO, as of January 2022, more than 1.5 billion people are infected with soil-transmitted helminth infections worldwide. The Kato-Katz technique is the WHO gold standard that is widely used to diagnose the intensity of STHs. These infections are distributed widely in tropical and subtropical areas majorly occurring in America, sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, and China. Furthermore, the presence of key players is expected to fuel the overall market growth. The involvement of these players in new product development is considered to be the contributing factor to the development of the NTD diagnosis market. Neglected Tropical Disease Diagnosis Market Report Highlights by disease type, the soil-transmitted helminthiases dominated the market in 2021, owing to the increasing prevalence and high adoption of diagnostics tests. The molecular/modern diagnostic segment dominated the market in 2021, owing to an increase in R&D for molecular diagnostic techniques coupled with a rise in demand for point-of-care products. Centralized service accounted for the largest segment in terms of market share in 2021 due to high procedure volume and the wide presence of ancillary support in terms of infrastructure and manpower. by end-use, home healthcare is expected to be the fastest-growing segment as a result of the growing popularity and demand for POCT services. Asia Pacific dominated the global market in 2021, owing to the high disease burden of NTDs, increased healthcare expenditure, rapid technological advancements, and a rise in customer awareness about the use of PCR tests in diagnosing NTDs. Latin America is expected to grow considerably in the future, owing to increased IVD product penetration and the high disease burden of NTDs in developing countries. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Methodology and Scope Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market Variables, Trends & Scope 3.1 Market Lineage outlook 3.1.1 Related/ancillary market outlook 3.2 Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping 3.3 User perspective analysis 3.3.1 Consumer Behavior Analysis 3.3.2 Market Influencer Analysis 3.4 Market Dynamics 3.4.1 Market Driver Analysis 3.4.2 Market Restraint Analysis 3.4.3 Industry Challenges 3.5 Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis: Market Analysis Tools 3.5.1 Industry Analysis-Porter's 3.5.1.1 Supplier Power 3.5.1.2 Buyer Power 3.5.1.3 Substitution Threat 3.5.1.4 Threat from new entrant 3.5.1.5 Competitive rivalry 3.5.2 PESTEL Analysis 3.5.2.1 Political Landscape 3.5.2.2 Environmental Landscape 3.5.2.3 Social Landscape 3.5.2.4 Technology Landscape 3.5.2.5 Legal Landscape Chapter 4 Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market: Segment Analysis, by Disease, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.1 Definitions & Scope 4.2 Disease market share analysis, 2021-2030 4.3 Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market, by Disease, 2017 to 2030 4.4 Market Size & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2017 to 2030 for the following 4.4.1 Dengue 4.4.2 Chikungunya 4.4.3 Rabies 4.4.4 Leprosy 4.4.5 Buruli ulcer 4.4.6 Yaws 4.4.7 Lymphatic Filariasis 4.4.8 Taeniasis/Cysticercosis 4.4.9 Foodborne trematode infections 4.4.10 Echinococcosis 4.4.11 Chagas disease 4.4.12 Dracunculiasis 4.4.13 Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) 4.4.14 Soil-transmitted helminthiases 4.4.15 Onchocerciasis 4.4.16 Schistosomiasis 4.4.17 Scabies and other ectoparasites 4.4.18 Snakebite Envenoming 4.4.19 Leishmaniases Chapter 5 Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market: Segment Analysis, by Diagnostic Method, 2027-2030 (USD Million) 5.1 Definitions & Scope 5.2 Diagnostic method market share analysis, 2021 & 2030 5.3 Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market, by Diagnostic method, 2017 to 2030 5.4 Market Size & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2017 to 2030 for the following 5.4.1 Conventional Method 5.4.2 Molecular/Modern Method Chapter 6 Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market: Segment Analysis, by Service Type, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.1 Definitions & Scope 6.2 Service type market share analysis, 2021 & 2030 6.3 Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market, by Service Type, 2017 to 2030 6.4 Market Size & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2017 to 2030 for the following 6.4.1 Centralized Service 6.4.2 POC Service Chapter 7 Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market: Segment Analysis, by End Use, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 7.1 Definitions & Scope 7.2 End-use market share analysis, 2021 & 2030 7.3 Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market, by Service Type, 2017 to 2030 7.4 Market Size & Forecasts and Trend Analyses, 2017 to 2030 for the following 7.4.1 Clinical Labs 7.4.2 Hospitals /Clinics 7.4.3 Home Healthcare Chapter 8 Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market: Regional Market Analysis, by Region, 2017-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 9 Neglected Tropical Diseases Diagnosis Market-Competitive Analysis 9.1 Company/Competition Categorization (Key innovators, Market leaders, Emerging players) 9.2 Vendor Landscape 9.2.1 List of key distributors and channel partners 9.3 Key companies profiled 9.3.1 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd 9.3.1.1 Company Overview 9.3.1.2 Financial Performance 9.3.1.3 Product Benchmarking 9.3.1.4 Strategic Initiatives 9.3.2 Abbott 9.3.2.1 Company Overview 9.3.2.2 Financial Performance 9.3.2.3 Product Benchmarking 9.3.2.4 Strategic Initiatives 9.3.3 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 9.3.3.1 Company Overview 9.3.3.2 Financial Performance 9.3.3.3 Product Benchmarking 9.3.3.4 Strategic Initiatives 9.3.4 ZeptoMetrix 9.3.4.1 Company Overview 9.3.4.2 Financial Performance 9.3.4.3 Product Benchmarking 9.3.4.4 Strategic Initiatives 9.3.5 InBios International, Inc. 9.3.5.1 Company Overview 9.3.5.2 Financial Performance 9.3.5.3 Product Benchmarking 9.3.5.4 Strategic Initiatives 9.3.6 Genome Diagnostics Pvt. Ltd. 9.3.6.1 Company Overview 9.3.6.2 Financial Performance 9.3.6.3 Product Benchmarking 9.3.6.4 Strategic Initiatives 9.3.7 Omega Diagnostics Group PLC 9.3.7.1 Company Overview 9.3.7.2 Financial Performance 9.3.7.3 Product Benchmarking 9.3.7.4 Strategic Initiatives 9.3.8 Coris BioConcept 9.3.8.1 Company Overview 9.3.8.2 Financial Performance 9.3.8.3 Product Benchmarking 9.3.8.4 Strategic Initiatives 9.3.9 DiaSys Diagnostic Systems GmbH 9.3.9.1 Company Overview 9.3.9.2 Financial Performance 9.3.9.3 Product Benchmarking 9.3.9.4 Strategic Initiatives 9.3.10 Oscar Medicare Pvt Ltd. 9.3.10.1 Company Overview 9.3.10.2 Financial Performance 9.3.10.3 Product Benchmarking 9.3.10.4 Strategic Initiatives For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/riy65r Attachment Dublin, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product Type (Nebulizer, Humidifiers, Oxygen concentrators), by Technology, by Filters, by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global therapeutic respiratory devices market size is anticipated to reach USD 16.1 billion by 2030. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2022 to 2030. A growing geriatric population base, rapid technological advancements, and increasing prevalence of respiratory diseases are the key factors that are driving the market. The market is expected to grow due to rapid technological advancements in the healthcare sector. Nowadays, respiratory monitoring devices use software applications for the collection and analysis of data from ventilators equipped with the health system. The tools in the software application improve patient monitoring through the measurement of parameters such as process and clinical variation in the ventilator therapy. The global increase in the cases of respiratory diseases is one of the major factors that are driving the market for therapeutic respiratory devices. According to the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Global Atlas of Asthma 2021, more than 350 million patients around the world are suffering from asthma. Moreover, waveform capnography is a technical advancement used in monitoring carbon dioxide levels. New product launch such as automated and stand-alone pressure controls for mechanical ventilators boosts the growth of the market. These pressure controllers enable a reduction in the risk of tracheal injuries and Ventilator-associated Pneumonia (VAP). For instance, in November 2021, Fischer and Paykel launched F&P Visairo, a hospital under-nose mask for noninvasive ventilation, in the United States. F&P Visairo is a new high-performance under-nose hospital mask with dynamic support technology. The company also offers a humidifier with an integrated flow generator, which delivers high flows of air mixture to patients spontaneously breathing. Such factors are bolstering the growth of the market. Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Market Report Highlights The positive airway pressure devices segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021 owing to technological innovations resulting in increased portability and shelf life. The HEPA filter technology segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021, because of the increasing prevalence of respiratory diseases coupled with technological advancements in this segment. The humidifiers segment is anticipated to be the fastest-growing segment over the forecast period owing to the rising demand for humidifiers in hospitals, schools, home, and healthcare entities, and the increased prevalence of airborne infections such as tuberculosis. In North America, the market is expected to maintain its dominant position over the forecast period owing to the rising geriatric population base and increasing prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Methodology and Scope Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Industry Outlook 3.1 Market segmentation 3.2 Market size and growth prospects 3.3 Therapeutic respiratory devices market dynamics 3.3.1 Market driver analysis 3.3.1.1 Growing geriatric population base 3.3.1.2 Rising prevalence of respiratory diseases 3.3.1.3 Rapid technological advancements 3.3.2 Market restraint analysis 3.3.2.1 Lack of patient compliance 3.3.2.2 Economic impact of respiratory disorders 3.4 Key opportunities Prioritized 3.5 Industry analysis-Porter's 3.6 Therapeutic respiratory devices PESTEL analysis 3.7 Therapeutic respiratory devices market heat map analysis, 2021 3.8 Impact of COVID-19 3.8.1 Current and Future Impact Analysis 3.8.2 Impact on Market Players 3.8.3 Disease Prevalence Analysis Chapter 4 Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Product Outlook 4.1 Therapeutic respiratory devices market share, by product, 2021 & 2030 4.2 Nebulizers 4.2.1 Nebulizers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.2.2 Compressor-based nebulizers 4.2.2.1 Compressor-based nebulizers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.2.3 Piston-based hand-held nebulizers 4.2.3.1 Piston-based hand-held nebulizers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.2.4 Ultrasonic nebulizers 4.2.4.1 Ultrasonic nebulizers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.3 Humidifiers 4.3.1 Humidifiers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.3.2 Heated humidifiers 4.3.2.1 Heated humidifiers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.3.3 Passover Humidifiers 4.3.3.1 Passover humidifiers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.3.4 Integrated humidifiers 4.3.4.1 Integrated humidifiers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.3.5 Built-in humidifiers 4.3.5.1 Built-in humidifiers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.3.6 Stand-alone humidifiers 4.3.6.1 Stand-alone humidifiers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.4 Oxygen concentrators 4.4.1 Oxygen concentrators market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.4.2 Fixed oxygen concentrators 4.4.2.1 Fixed oxygen concentrators market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.4.3 PorTable oxygen concentrators 4.4.3.1 PorTable oxygen concentrators market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.5 Positive airway pressure devices 4.5.1 Positive airway pressure devices market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.5.2 Continuous positive airway pressure devices 4.5.2.1 Continuous positive airway pressure devices market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.5.3 Auto-titrating positive airway pressure devices 4.5.3.1 Auto-titrating positive airway pressure devices market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.5.4 Bi-level positive airway pressure devices 4.5.4.1 Bi-level positive airway pressure devices market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.6 Ventilators 4.6.1 Ventilators market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.6.2 Adult ventilators 4.6.2.1 Adult ventilators market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.6.3 Neonatal ventilators 4.6.3.1 Neonatal ventilators market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.7 Gas analyzers 4.7.1 Gas analyzers market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 4.8 Capnographs 4.8.1 Capnographs market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 5 Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Technology Outlook 5.1 Therapeutic respiratory devices market share, by technology, 2021 and 2030 5.2 Electrostatic filtration 5.2.1 Electrostatic filtration market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 5.3 HEPA filter technology 5.3.1 HEPA filter technology market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 5.4 Hollow fiber filtration 5.4.1 Hollow fiber filtration technology market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 5.5 Microsphere separation 5.5.1 Microsphere separation technology market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 6 Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Filters Outlook 6.1 Therapeutic respiratory devices market share, by filter, 2021 & 2030 6.2 Nebulizer filters 6.2.1 Nebulizer filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.2.2 Inlet filters 6.2.2.1 Inlet filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.2.3 Replacement filters 6.2.3.1 Replacement filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.2.4 Cabinet filters 6.2.4.1 Cabinet filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.3 Humidifier filters 6.3.1 Humidifier filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.3.2 Wick filters 6.3.2.1 Wick filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.3.3 Permanent cleanable filters 6.3.3.1 Permanent cleanable filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.3.4 Mineral absorption pads 6.3.4.1 Mineral absorption pads market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.3.5 Demineralization cartridges 6.3.5.1 Demineralization cartridges market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.4 Positive airway pressure device filters 6.4.1 Positive airway pressure device filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.4.2 Ultra fine foam inlet filters 6.4.2.1 Ultra fine foam inlet filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.4.3 Polyester non-woven fiber filters 6.4.3.1 Polyester non-woven fiber filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.4.4 Acrylic & polypropylene fiber filter 6.4.4.1 Acrylic & polypropylene fiber filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.5 Oxygen concentrators filters 6.5.1 Oxygen concentrator filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.5.2 HEPA filters 6.5.2.1 HEPA filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.5.3 Cabinet filters 6.5.3.1 Cabinet filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.5.4 Pre-inlet filters 6.5.4.1 Pre-inlet filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.5.5 Inlet filters 6.5.5.1 Inlet filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.5.6 Micro disk filters 6.5.6.1 Micro disk filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.5.7 Felt intake filters 6.5.7.1 Felt intake filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.5.8 Bacterial filters 6.5.8.1 Bacterial filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.5.9 Hollow membrane filters 6.5.9.1 Hollow membrane filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.6 Ventilator filters 6.6.1 Ventilator filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.6.2 Mechanical filters 6.6.2.1 Mechanical filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.6.2.2 HEPA filters 6.6.2.2.1 HEPA filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.6.2.3 ULPA filters 6.6.2.3.1 ULPA filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.6.2.4 Activated carbon filters 6.6.2.4.1 Activated carbon filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.6.3 Electrostatic filters 6.6.3.1 Electrostatic filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Billion) 6.6.3.2 Tribocharged filters 6.6.3.2.1 Tribocharged filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) 6.6.3.3 Fibrillated filters 6.6.3.3.1 Fibrillated filters market, 2017-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 7 Therapeutic Respiratory Devices Regional Outlook Chapter 8 Competitive Landscape 8.1 BD 8.1.1 Company Overview 8.1.2 Financial Performance 8.1.3 Product Benchmarking 8.1.4 Strategic Initiatives 8.2 General Electric Healthcare 8.2.1 Company Overview 8.2.2 Financial Performance 8.2.3 Product Benchmarking 8.2.4 Strategic Initiatives 8.3 CAIRE Inc. 8.3.1 Company Overview 8.3.2 Financial Performance 8.3.3 Product Benchmarking 8.3.4 Strategic Initiatives 8.4 Koninklijke Philips N.V. 8.4.1 Company Overview 8.4.2 Financial Performance 8.4.3 Product Benchmarking 8.4.4 Strategic Initiatives 8.5 Compumedics Limited. 8.5.1 Company Overview 8.5.2 Financial Performance 8.5.3 Product Benchmarking 8.5.4 Strategic Initiatives 8.6 ICU Medical, Inc. 8.6.1 Company Overview 8.6.2 Financial Performance 8.6.3 Product Benchmarking 8.7 Medtronic 8.7.1 Company Overview 8.7.2 Financial Performance 8.7.3 Product Benchmarking 8.7.4 Strategic Initiatives 8.8 Invacare Corporation. 8.8.1 Company Overview 8.8.2 Financial Performance 8.8.3 Product Benchmarking 8.8.4 Strategic Initiatives 8.9 Fisher & Paykel Appliances Ltd 8.9.1 Company Overview 8.9.2 Financial Performance 8.9.3 Product Benchmarking 8.9.4 Strategic Initiatives 8.10 Mindray 8.10.1 Company Overview 8.10.2 Financial Performance 8.10.3 Product Benchmarking 8.10.4 Strategic Initiatives For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/oc9edd Attachment New York, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market Research Report by Platform, Product, Application, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06276761/?utm_source=GNW The Global Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market size was estimated at USD 12.37 billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 13.19 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 6.92% to reach USD 18.49 billion by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across five major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2019 and 2020 are considered historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Airborne Countermeasure Systems to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Platform, the market was studied across Military Aircraft, Military Helicopters, and Unmanned Systems. Based on Product, the market was studied across Directed Energy Weapons, Electronic Counter Countermeasure Systems, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Systems, Infrared Countermeasures, Jammers, Laser Warning Systems, Missile Approach Warning Systems, Radar Warning Receivers, and Self-protection EW Suites. Based on Application, the market was studied across Counter Countermeasure, Jamming, and Missile Defence. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Airborne Countermeasure Systems market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market, including Aselsan A.?., BAE Systems plc, Blue Origin, LLC, Chemring Counter Measures Ltd., Cobham Limited, Elbit Systems Ltd., General Atomics Systems Integration, LLC, General Dynamics Corporation, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., L3Harris Technologies, Leonardo S.p.A., Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Saab AB, Safran S.A., Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, Textron Inc., Thales Group, The Boeing Company, and The Raytheon Company. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Airborne Countermeasure Systems Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06276761/?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 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Cancer Cachexia Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global cancer cachexia market reached a value of US$ 1.88 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 2.53 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.80% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Cancer cachexia refers to a multifactorial, host-phagocytic, wasting syndrome that is characterized by systematic inflammation, involuntary loss of lean body mass, negative protein balance, loss of appetite and muscle atrophy. It is caused due to the occurrence of various chronic diseases, including tuberculosis (TB), multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Cancer cachexia can be treated with the utilization of various therapeutics, such as progestogen, corticosteroid, and combination therapy. Amongst these, a progestogen is a synthetic or natural steroid hormone that improves appetite and promotes weight gain, whereas corticosteroid assists in mitigating inflammation and suppressing overactive immune systems. Cancer Cachexia Market Trends The increasing prevalence of cancer and cachexia, especially amongst the rising geriatric populations, is facilitating the demand for advanced therapeutic treatment and drugs, which in turn, is primarily driving the market growth. This is further supported by the increasing awareness amongst consumers regarding the availability of novel therapeutic drugs to treat cancer cachexia. Additionally, the shifting inclination of patients toward combinational therapies for improving lean body mass (LBM) through pharmacological, non-pharmacological therapies and clinical trials is acting as another growth-inducing factor. In line with this, the extensive utilization of several appetite stimulants, such as megestrol acetate, dexamethasone, and methylprednisolone, for improving digestion is also contributing to the market growth. Moreover, significant technological advancements that are emphasizing on the development of effective medicines for cancer cachexia treatment are further propelling the market growth. Apart from this, the numerous favorable initiatives being undertaken by the government bodies of various countries and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for sensitizing people regarding the causes of cancer cachexia, their symptoms and benefits of using advanced treatments are creating a positive outlook for the market. Key Market Segmentation This report provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global cancer cachexia market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. The report has categorized the market based on therapeutics, mode of action and distribution channel. Breakup by Therapeutics: Progestogens Corticosteroids Combination Therapy Others Breakup by Mode of Action: Appetite Stimulators Weight Loss Stabilizers Breakup by Distribution Channel: Hospital Stores Retail Pharmacy Online Pharmacy Breakup by Region: North America United States Canada Asia-Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Indonesia Others Europe Germany France United Kingdom Italy Spain Russia Others Latin America Brazil Mexico Others Middle East and Africa Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being AAVogen Inc., Actimed Therapeutics Ltd., Aphios Corporation, Artelo Biosciences Inc., AVEO Pharmaceuticals Inc., Fresenius Kabi AG (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA), Helsinn Healthcare SA, Merck & Co. Inc., NGM Biopharmaceuticals Inc., Pfizer Inc. and Tetra Bio-Pharma. Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global cancer cachexia market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global cancer cachexia market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the therapeutics? What is the breakup of the market based on the mode of action? What is the breakup of the market based on the distribution channel? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global cancer cachexia 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 Cancer Cachexia Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Therapeutics 6.1 Progestogens 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Corticosteroids 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Combination Therapy 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 Mode of Action 7.1 Appetite Stimulators 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Weight Loss Stabilizers 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel 8.1 Hospital Stores 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Retail Pharmacy 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Online Pharmacy 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Region 10 SWOT Analysis 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Porters Five Forces Analysis 13 Price Analysis 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Structure 14.2 Key Players 14.3 Profiles of Key Players 14.3.1 AAVogen Inc. 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2 Actimed Therapeutics Ltd. 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3 Aphios Corporation 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4 Artelo Biosciences Inc. 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4.3 Financials 14.3.5 AVEO Pharmaceuticals Inc. 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 Fresenius Kabi AG (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA) 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6.3 SWOT Analysis 14.3.7 Helsinn Healthcare SA 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8 Merck & Co. 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 NGM Biopharmaceuticals Inc. 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9.3 Financials 14.3.10 Pfizer Inc. 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 Tetra Bio-Pharma 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.11.3 Financials For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/e80npq Attachment Dublin, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market reached a value of US$ 75.1 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 105.4 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.60% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. An automotive electronic control unit (ECU) is embedded in vehicles to control electronic systems and subsystems. It also assists in collecting input from its sensors or other ECUs and relying on actuators to manage the functionalities of automobiles. Some of the commonly integrated automotive ECU are the powertrain control module (PCM), engine control module (ECM), parking aid module, transmission control module (TCM), skid control module, and seat belt control ECU. Automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Market Trends At present, there is a considerable rise in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) across the globe. This, in confluence with the thriving automotive industry, represents one of the key factors impelling the growth of the market. Moreover, automotive ECU comprises in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems that offer handset integration and head-up display for driver assistance, interior personalization, and cloud-based infotainment. It also enables users to customize their cars and infotainment systems with user experience data, music, apps, themes, and colors of their choice to enhance their driving experience. Besides this, governing authorities of numerous countries are mandating the incorporation of safety systems in a vehicle, including an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and adaptive front lighting system (AFS), to increase road safety. This, coupled with the increasing adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in vehicles to reduce vehicular accidents and fatalities, is escalating the demand for automotive ECU around the world. Furthermore, key players operating in the industry are focusing on product innovations to offer better services, which is positively influencing the market. Other factors, including technological advancements and rising safety concerns among the masses, are projected to stimulate the market growth in the upcoming years. Key Market Segmentation This report provides an analysis of the key trends in each sub-segment of the global automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market, along with forecasts at the global, regional and country level from 2022-2027. The report has categorized the market based on capacity, vehicle type, propulsion and application. Breakup by Capacity: 16-Bit ECU 32-Bit ECU 64-Bit ECU Breakup by Vehicle Type: Passenger Cars Commercial Vehicles Breakup by Propulsion: Internal Combustion Engine Hybrid Battery Electric Vehicle Breakup By Application ADAS and Safety System Body Control and Comfort System Infotainment and Communication System Powertrain System Others Breakup by Region: North America United States Canada Asia-Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Indonesia Others Europe Germany France United Kingdom Italy Spain Russia Others Latin America Brazil Mexico Others Middle East and Africa Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Aptiv PLC, Continental AG, DENSO Corporation, Hitachi Ltd., Magna International Inc., Magneti Marelli S.p.A., Nidec Corporation, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Panasonic Corporation, Pektron Group Limited, Robert Bosch GmbH and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the capacity? What is the breakup of the market based on the vehicle type? What is the breakup of the market based on the propulsion? 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 automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Capacity 6.1 16-Bit ECU 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 32-Bit ECU 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 64-Bit ECU 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Vehicles Type 7.1 Passenger Cars 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Commercial Vehicles 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Propulsion 8.1 Internal Combustion Engine 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Hybrid 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Battery Electric Vehicle 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Application 9.1 ADAS and Safety System 9.1.1 Market Trends 9.1.2 Market Forecast 9.2 Body Control and Comfort System 9.2.1 Market Trends 9.2.2 Market Forecast 9.3 Infotainment and Communication System 9.3.1 Market Trends 9.3.2 Market Forecast 9.4 Powertrain System 9.4.1 Market Trends 9.4.2 Market Forecast 9.5 Others 9.5.1 Market Trends 9.5.2 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 Aptiv PLC 15.3.1.1 Company Overview 15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.2 Continental AG 15.3.2.1 Company Overview 15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.2.3 Financials 15.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.3 DENSO Corporation 15.3.3.1 Company Overview 15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.3.3 Financials 15.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.4 Hitachi Ltd. 15.3.4.1 Company Overview 15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.4.3 Financials 15.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.5 Magna International Inc. 15.3.5.1 Company Overview 15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.5.3 Financials 15.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.6 Magneti Marelli S.p.A. 15.3.6.1 Company Overview 15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.7 Nidec Corporation 15.3.7.1 Company Overview 15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.7.3 Financials 15.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.8 NXP Semiconductors N.V. 15.3.8.1 Company Overview 15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.9 Panasonic Corporation 15.3.9.1 Company Overview 15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.9.3 Financials 15.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.10 Pektron Group Limited 15.3.10.1 Company Overview 15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.11 Robert Bosch GmbH 15.3.11.1 Company Overview 15.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.11.3 SWOT Analysis 15.3.12 ZF Friedrichshafen AG 15.3.12.1 Company Overview 15.3.12.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.12.3 SWOT Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kle7ai Attachment Charleston, SC, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- They say, Write what you know. So after years of frustration with the outcomes of books she had read, Audra M. Davidson decided to follow her passion and write her own fantasy. She envisioned a world of supernatural creatures, some good and some bad, and despite the fantastical elements, she was determined to create a relatable story, one that encompasses not only the harsh realities of life but also joy, beauty and love. Having experienced emotional and physical abuse in prior relationships, although nothing to the extent of the abuse she depicts in the book, Davidson wanted to explore ones ability to live life to the fullest after trauma. What does the aftermath of trauma look like? And how does one overcome the experience? These are the questions at the heart of her debut fantasy novel. In EMBER, the first book in the series, Amber is a young woman looking to start over. Amber knows that the world can be an awful place. Pain. Hunger. Loneliness. Fear. Loss. Feelings she has known since the day her entire pack was mercilessly slaughtered. Held captive by the Alpha Rogue for twenty years, she has been subjected to beatings, rape and starvation. But Amber wont let it break her, and in spite of her incredibly harrowing childhood, she never gives up. There is still hope. Ambers journey is one that is filled with intense suffering, but that is not where her story ends. And thanks to some supporting characters who are loving and loyal, Ambers faith in herself is restored, and a hero is born. For Davidson, illustrating how to overcome abuse and destigmatizing therapy was an integral part of her story. Not only was it important for Davidson to write about the struggles and insecurities that can come from trauma but also the strength and resilience it takes to rise above them. It was also important to create a male lead who isnt chauvinistic or a misogynist but rather a man who is in touch with his feelings and isn't afraid to express them. The plot distinguishes itself from others in the fantasy genre by delving into the backstory of its supernatural characters and detailing the origins of their powers. The result is an insightful and unique storyline, one that Davidson hopes will engage and entertain readers and leave them eager for the release of the second book. EMBER is available for purchase online at Amazon.com About the Author: Raised in Northwest Illinois, Audra M. Davidson works as a 911 dispatcher for her local police department. She is married with three children. Attachment SEATTLE, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Coherent Market Insights, the global pharmacogenomics market is estimated to be valued at US$ 14,028.01 million in 2022 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 11.1% during the forecast period (2022-2030). Key Trends and Analysis of the Global Pharmacogenomics Market: Key trends in market include inorganic strategies by key players such as acquisitions, which is expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period. For instance, in September 2021, Abbott, an U.S. multinational medical devices and health care company, announced the acquisition of Walk Vascular, LLC, a commercial-stage medical device company with a minimally invasive mechanical aspiration thrombectomy system designed to remove peripheral blood clots. Walk Vascular's peripheral thrombectomy systems will be incorporated into Abbott's existing endovascular product portfolio. Financial terms were not disclosed. Request Sample copy of this Report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1053 Pharmacogenomics Market Report Coverage Report Attributes Details Market Size in 2022 $14,028.01 Million Market Size Projection in 2030 $33,014.72 Million CAGR (2022-2030) 11.1 % Largest Market North America Growth Drivers Rising product approvals Increasing inorganic growth strategies by key players rising demand for precision medicine Segmentation By Technology By Application By End User Regional Analysis North America (US, Canada) Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Rest of Latin America) Europe (U.K, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Russia and Rest of Europe) APAC (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, ASEAN and Rest of Asia Pacific) ME (GCC Countries, Israel, and Rest of Middle East) Africa (South Africa, North Africa and Central Africa) Key Companies Covered Admera Health, Abbott Laboratories, Agilent Technologies, Novartis AG, Dynamic DNA Laboratories, Empire Genomics, LLC., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Illumina, Inc., OneOme, LLC, Myriad Genetics Inc., OPKO Health, Inc. (GeneDx.), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., and AltheaDx Key Market Takeaways: Global pharmacogenomics market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 11.1% during the forecast period due to increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disease, which is expected to drive the global pharmacogenomics market growth over the forecast period. For instance, an article published in Elsevier B.V., a Netherland-based publishing company, in 2018, estimated that 10,000 cardiothoracic surgeons in 6,000 centers globally perform more than 2 million open heart operations each year. Among application, oncology segment is estimated to hold a dominant position in the global pharmacogenomics market in 2022, owing to rising adoption of pharmacogenomics-based treatment of cancer along with the introduction of several novel products associated with this approach and the support of the regulatory agencies, which are expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period. Currently, several clinical trials are investigating pharmacogenomics technology for developing precise medications and improving the overall response rate of the treatment. In May 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Lumakras (Sotorasib) for a targeted therapy for non-small cell lung cancer patients with tumors that express the G12C mutation in the KRAS gene. On the basis of region, North America is estimated to hold a dominant position in the global pharmacogenomics market over the forecast period due to key players in the market focusing on growth strategies such as collaboration. For instance, in September 2021, Admera Health, a precision-medicine company and genetics laboratory, announced that it is collaborated with Back Bay Life Science Advisors, a strategic advisory and investment banking firm, to explore strategic alternatives for its pharmacogenomics and clinical services business as part of a company-wide strategic review. Admera offers the most comprehensive clinical pharmacogenomics test in the industry, covering 62 genes, over 270 medications, and over 20 therapeutic areas, including: psychiatry, cardiology, pain management, and oncology. Admera Healths clinical services portfolio is built on a strong foundation of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and data analysis capabilities. Competitive Landscape: Key players operating in the global pharmacogenomics market include Admera Health, Abbott Laboratories, Agilent Technologies, Novartis AG, Dynamic DNA Laboratories, Empire Genomics, LLC., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Illumina, Inc., OneOme, LLC, Myriad Genetics Inc., OPKO Health, Inc. (GeneDx.), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., and AltheaDx Buy-Now this Research Report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/buy-now/1053 Market Segmentation: Global Pharmacogenomics Market, By Technology : DNA Sequencing Microarray Polymerase Chain Reaction Electrophoresis Mass Spectrometry Other Technologies Global Pharmacogenomics Market, By Application : Cardiovascular Diseases Infectious Diseases Oncology Neurological Diseases Psychiatry Pain Management Others Global Pharmacogenomics Market, By End User : Hospitals & Clinics Research Institutions and Academic Institutes Others Global Pharmacogenomics Market, By Region: North America By Country U.S. Canada Latin America By Country Brazil Mexico Argentina Rest of Latin America Europe By Country Germany U.K. France Italy Spain Russia Rest of Europe Asia Pacific By Country China India Japan Australia South Korea ASEAN Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East By Country GCC Israel Rest of Middle East Africa By Country/Sub-region South Africa Central Africa North Africa Related Market Intelligence Reports: Electrophoresis Market , by Type (Capillary Electrophoresis, Routine Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis, 2D Electrophoresis, Pulsed Field Electrophoresis, Isoelectric Focusing, and Immunochemical Electrophoresis), by Application (Estimation of DNA Molecule, Analysis of PCR Product, Forensic Science, Protein and Antibody Interaction, and Clinical Pathology Analysis), by End User (Research Institute, Healthcare and Diagnosis Centers, Biotechnological and Pharmaceutical Industry, and Educational Institution), and by Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa) - Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2021 - 2028 DNA/Gene Microarray Market , By Type (oDNA, cDNA), By Application (Genomics, Proteomics, Agricultural biology, Environment, Drug R&D, Gene expression and SNP analysis, Cancer/oncology, Others), and By Region (North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa) - Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2020 - 2027 About Us: Coherent Market Insights is a global market intelligence and consulting organization focused on assisting our plethora of clients achieve transformational growth by helping them make critical business decisions. We are headquartered in India, having sales office at global financial capital in the U.S. and sales consultants in United Kingdom and Japan. Our client base includes players from across various business verticals in over 57 countries worldwide. We create value for clients through our highly reliable and accurate reports. We are also committed in playing a leading role in offering insights in various sectors post-COVID-19 and continue to deliver measurable, sustainable results for our clients. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, right, of the ruling People Power Party, and Song Young-gil of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, both candidates for Seoul mayor, cast their ballots on the first day of the two days of early voting for the June 1 local elections in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap Experts say understanding the policy lender's unique roles is crucial for country By Yi Whan-woo The rival mayoral candidates for both Seoul and Busan are capitalizing on President Yoon Suk-yeol's plan to relocate the Korea Development Bank's (KDB) headquarters outside the nation's capital in their last-minute campaigns to woo voters in the June 1 local elections. Yoon wants to move the state-run KDB to Busan in the name of balanced regional development, which collides with Seoul's goal of becoming a global financial hub by enhancing the networks and infrastructure of financial firms already heavily concentrated in the city. The rival candidates are either for or against the president's plan, not in tandem with the policies of the party they belong to, but rather in tandem with the interests of the city they are from. Their strategy is odd, considering that candidates usually pursue their respective party's policies. In Seoul, both Oh Se-hoon of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and Song Young-gil of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are pledging to make full-fledged efforts to nurture Seoul as a global financial hub. The incumbent mayor of Seoul who is looking to serve his fourth non-consecutive term, Oh is not explicitly criticizing the KDB relocation plan. But he implicitly expressed his disapproval of the idea by saying, "I will turn Seoul's financial district of Yeouido into a strategic location that successfully incorporates financial support that is scattered across multiple areas." Former DPK Chairman and National Assembly representative Song has indeed been openly opposed to Yoon's plan. During a signing ceremony with the Korean Financial Industry Union (KFU) on policy cooperation, Wednesday, he argued that Seoul can "take a leap toward a global financial hub only if the KDB stays in the city." Headquartered in Seoul, the KFU is an umbrella group of unionists of financial firms nationwide. It has been strongly denouncing the relocation plan and has been calling on Mayor Oh to take action to prevent it from happening. Song also said, "I as the next mayor will show up at a Cabinet meeting of the Yoon administration and strongly express my concerns over moving the KDB out of Seoul." Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, right, and his wife, cast their ballots on the first day of the two-day period of early voting for the June 1 local elections in Busan, Friday. Yonhap Busan mayoral candidate Byun Seong-wan, right, of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, and his wife, cast their ballots on the first day of the two-day period of early voting for the June 1 local elections in Busan, Friday. Yonhap In Busan, PPP candidate and incumbent Mayor Park Heong-joon is going the extra mile to materialize Yoon's plan by pledging to host not only the headquarters of the KDB but also that of the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank), another sate-run lender from Seoul. The DPK contender for Busan mayor, former Acting Mayor Byun Seong-wan, is even more enthusiastic than Park over the possible KDB relocation plan. He has promised to relocate the KDB and Eximbank, plus National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives, to Busan, as the country's largest port city. A government-affiliated financial institution, the federation is tasked with lending and providing other financial support for the fishing industry. Experts contacted by The Korea Times, Friday, said that the conflicting campaign strategy clearly reflects a dilemma that Korea faces in its goal of using finance to become a global industrial leader on the one hand and to bolster regional economies domestically on the other hand. They said that a more thorough understanding is needed of the role of the KDB in policy lending, state-led corporate structuring and M&As, as well as other areas, to make a decision on the future of the KDB and its location, in relation to national interests. "There's no right or wrong concerning the candidates' pledges on the KDB relocation plan. Each side has a justifiable argument and a nationwide discussion will be needed after the local elections to come to a consensus," said Kwon Oh-in, the economic policy director at the Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice, a civic activist group. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior KFU member said that the union is against the relocation plan because it believes staying in Seoul "helps the KDB the most, serving its purpose." "For example, most of the foreign capital is centered in Seoul, and you can't communicate with foreign investors interested in KDB-led M&As efficiently if you are in distant area from Seoul," he said. Asked to provide any ideas for supporting the financial industry in Busan without relocating the KDB, he suggested bolstering the roles of regional firms such as Busan Bank. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Optimi Health Corp. (CSE: OPTI) (OTCQX: OPTHF) (FRA: 8BN) (Optimi or the Company), a homegrown, Canadian company producing natural, scalable, and accessible mushroom formulations for transformational human experiences, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a supply agreement with Halucenex Life Sciences Inc. (Halucenex), a wholly owned subsidiary of Creso Pharma of Australia (ASX: CPH). Halucenex is based in Windsor, Nova Scotia and is a life sciences company focused on researching novel psychedelic compounds, developing and licensing psychedelic compounds for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets, and conducting clinical trials on the medical benefits of psychedelic medicine. Additionally, Optimi wishes to confirm that the supply agreement pertains to the entirety of the Companys recently harvested first batch of psilocybe cubensis mushrooms at its Princeton, British Columbia facility. The mushrooms will be supplied to Halucenex in the form of whole, dried mushroom fruiting bodies. This first supply agreement, coming so soon after our first complete cultivation cycle, is a powerful affirmation of our decision to pursue the development of natural, GMP psilocybin, said Bill Ciprick, CEO of Optimi. From this initial proof-of-concept batch, our cultivation team will continue to scale our operations to meet the demands of the sector, domestically and internationally with licensed entities and for individual patients within Canada according to the terms of the Special Access Program. Halucenex CEO, Bill Fleming, says the agreement with Optimi is one both companies will benefit from. Were very excited to be moving forward on this supply agreement with the team at Optimi Health, said Fleming. Among our top priorities in the development of a psychedelic-assisted psychotherapeutic model for conditions such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder has been to secure a safe, consistent supply of GMP psilocybin. Authorized parties interested in purchasing Optimi psilocybin and functional mushroom products should send an email to sales@optimihealth.ca where a member of the sales team will respond within 24 hours. ABOUT OPTIMI (CSE: OPTI) (OTCQX: OPTHF) (FRA: 8BN) Optimi Health Inc. is a homegrown, Canadian success story producing and supplying natural, EU-GMP grade psilocybin and functional mushrooms that focus on the health and wellness markets. Built with the purpose to produce scalable, natural mushroom formulations for transformational human experiences, the Companys goal is to be the number one trusted, compassionate supplier of safe, natural GMP grade psilocybin across the world. With a vertically integrated approach, Optimi intends to cultivate, extract, process and distribute high quality functional and psychedelic mushroom products at its two facilities comprising a total of 20,000 square feet in Princeton, British Columbia. To fully investigate the science of mushrooms, the Company has received a research exemption under Health Canada Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) for the use of psilocybin and psilocin for scientific purposes via its wholly owned subsidiary Optimi Labs Inc. Optimi has also been granted a dealers license under Canadas Narcotic Control Regulations governing possession, distribution, sale, laboratory analysis of and research and development of psilocybin and psilocin formulations. Optimi is committed to expert cultivation and quality production subject to and in accordance with the terms of all applicable laws and governing regulations to ensure safe, superior Canadian fungi production. Optimi was recently granted an amendment to its Dealers Licence by Health Canada, allowing the Company to possess a quota of up to 5000kg of dried psilocybin mushrooms the equivalent of 10kg of psilocybin and 100g of psilocin. ABOUT HALUCENEX Halucenex operates a 6000 sq ft medical facility in Windsor, Nova Scotia with six treatment rooms and a secure laboratory dedicated to performing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and clinical research. Halucenex intends to maintain control over all aspects of the product development process mycological research, extraction technology, and synthetic formulation as well as drug delivery technologies, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and regulatory affairs. Clinically, Halucenex is focused on researching psilocybin, psilocybin-derivatives, and other psychedelic medicine for the purposes of treating clients suffering from PTSD and anxiety using its comprehensive psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy treatment model. Halucenex is committed to advancing the science around the use of psilocybin in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy by: For more information or to request an interview, please contact: Michael Kydd Media & Stakeholder Relations Advisor Email: michael@kyddergroup.com Phone: +1 (902) 880 6121 FORWARDLOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, forwardlooking statements) that relate to Optimis current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as will likely result, are expected to, expects, will continue, is anticipated, anticipates, believes, estimated, intends, plans, forecast, projection, strategy, objective, and outlook) are not historical facts and may be forwardlooking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forwardlooking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forwardlooking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. In particular and without limitation, this news release contains forward looking statements pertaining to activities proposed to be conducted under the Companys dealers license and associated business related to psilocybin and psilocin and Optimis plans, focus and objectives. Forwardlooking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Optimis control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forwardlooking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact and progression of the COVID19 pandemic and other factors set forth under ForwardLooking Statements and Risk Factors in the Companys Annual information Form dated January 12, 2022, and other continuous disclosure filings available under Optimis profile at www.sedar.com. Optimi undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forwardlooking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Optimi to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forwardlooking statement. Any forwardlooking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b1df7352-0b4b-48e9-a3f1-950de89cd66a https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/82589a86-5ae3-4399-b33e-5b4b9927bcb4 Chicago, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to MarketsandMarkets, the "Quantum Computing Market by Offering (Systems and Services), Deployment (On Premises and Cloud Based), Application, Technology, End-use Industry and Region - Global Forecast to 2026", is expected to grow from USD 472 million in 2021 to USD 1,765 million by 2026, at a CAGR of 30.2%. The early adoption of quantum computing in the banking and finance sector is expected to fuel the growth of the market globally. Other key factors contributing to the growth of the quantum computing market include rising investments by governments of different countries to carry out research and development activities related to quantum computing technology. Several companies are focusing on the adoption of QCaaS post-COVID-19. This, in turn, is expected to contribute to the growth of the quantum computing market. However, stability and error correction issues are expected to restrain the growth of the market. The Quantum Computing market was dominated by International Business Machines (US), D-Wave Systems (Canada), Microsoft (US), Amazon (US), and Rigetti Computing (US). The major strategies adopted by the top 5 players in the Quantum Computing market included product launches/developments, partnerships and collaborations which helped them to innovate on their product offerings, cope up with the COVID-19 outbreak and broaden their customer base. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=144888301 Top 2 players in the Quantum Computing Market are: International Business Machines (US) IBM provides information technology products, along with computer solutions and services across the world. It has various divisions, namely, IBM Global Services, IBM Smartcamp, and IBM Research. Under its IBM Research division, the company has started the Quantum Experience, a set up wherein researchers carry out research on the IBM quantum computers through the cloud. In January 2020, IBM partnered with Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, to enhance the capacity and increase the charging speed of batteries of electric vehicles. These companies used a quantum computer to model the dipole moment of three lithium-containing molecules that paves the way for the development of the next-generation lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries that will be more powerful, long-lasting, and cost-effective than lithium-ion batteries. In November 2019, IBM partnered with the Unitary Fund to provide grants and priority access to certain IBM Q systems. Like the quantum computing mission of IBM, the Unitary Fund aims to create a quantum technology industry that benefits most of the people. D- Wave Systems (Canada) D- Wave Systems is one of the global leaders manufacturing and providing quantum computing systems and software. It is the worlds first commercial supplier of quantum computers. The company has its presence in various locations such as the US, Europe, and Asia. The company offers a full stack of systems, software, developer tools, and services to enable enterprises, governments, laboratories, and academic institutions to access the power of quantum computing. Browse in-depth TOC on Quantum Computing Market 111 - Tables 51- Figures 199 - Pages Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=144888301 Top Key Players in Quantum Computing Market: International Business Machines (US) D-Wave Systems (Canada) Microsoft (US) Amazon (US) Rigetti Computing (US) Google (US) In September 2020, D-Wave Systems announced the general availability of its next-generation quantum computing platform, incorporated with new hardware, software, and tools to enable, and accelerate the delivery of in-production quantum computing applications. Available in the Leap quantum cloud service, the platform includes the Advantage quantum system, with more than 5000 qubits and 15-way qubit connectivity, in addition to an expanded hybrid solver service that can run problems with up to one million variables. In July 2020, D-Wave Systems announced its latest geographic expansion of the Leap quantum cloud service to India and Australia. Developers, researchers, and businesses in these countries can now access D-Wave 2000Q quantum computers, hybrid solvers, and QAE in real-time through Leap to drive the development of business-critical, in-production hybrid applications. Machine learning is expected to witness highest CAGR in coming years Quantum machine learning involves the integration of quantum algorithms within machine learning programs. In the case of complex models, it becomes very difficult to sort many variables systematically. Thus, users can opt for quantum computing technology to resolve this complexity with accuracy and speed. For instance, in the Monte Carlo method, the sampling technique is used to estimate numerical quantities from a large dataset. Quantum algorithms can be used to increase the execution speed of a solution, while algorithms can expedite the implementation of the Monte Carlo method and reduce the computational time. The superconducting qubits segment is projected to account for the largest size of the quantum computing market from 2021 to 2026. The growth of this segment can be attributed to faster operations of quantum computers based on superconducting qubits technology than the computers equipped with other technologies. The technology companies such as IBM, Google, and Intel are expected to launch their quantum computing services with superconducting qubits in the coming years. Related Reports: Deep Learning Market Houston, TX, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Paul M. Friedman, the director of Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center in Houston, Texas is now serving as the President of The American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. (ASLMS). Dr. Friedman will hold the elected position through 2023. As the largest professional organization of its kind, ASLMS is dedicated to promoting education, research, and excellence in clinical care in the field of biomedical laser and energy-based treatments. Dr. Friedman addressed the ASLMS community in April during their 41st annual conference in San Diego, CA. Dr. Friedman announced his intention to launch a philanthropic committee to further explore the use of lasers to transform lives. He specifically spoke about helping survivors of sex trafficking who are seeking removal of branding tattoos, as well as children with vascular birthmarks. Dr. Friedman shared a video that highlighted the story of a sex trafficking survivor for whom he provided tattoo removal, which aided in her recovery to reclaiming her body. He also shared his work with the Vascular Birthmark Foundation. Dr. Friedman went on to discuss the critical need for proper laser education in order to provide safe and effective treatment and the importance of a proactive social media presence among core cosmetic physicians to provide patient education and counteract misinformation regarding cosmetic procedures. Dr. Friedman is a board-certified dermatologist and has gained international recognition for his research and clinical experience. He is a leader in his field and is known for his broad range of dermatological expertise, including advanced applications of laser treatments. Dr. Friedman has authored more than 100 articles for medical journals and several textbooks and is the co-editor of Lasers and Light Source Treatment for the Skin, a practical guide to treating a variety of dermatological conditions with laser procedures. He is also regularly sought after as a speaker for professional organizations and an expert for media outlets, including New Beauty, The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, and more. In addition to clinical research and patient care, Dr. Friedman is an educator and serves as a faculty member at MD Anderson Cancer Center, the University of Texas Medical School, and the Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Friedman looks forward to leading ASLMS, as he believes deeply in the importance of advancing the medical and aesthetic application of lasers. He says, There are plenty of needs and opportunities for changing lives with lasers and I am honored to serve as the President for this incredible society and look forward to an exciting year ahead. About Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center The Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center is led by award-winning dermatologist Dr. Paul Friedman. With an emphasis on utilizing modern technology and expert techniques, Dr. Friedman and his team provide high quality treatment in a safe and professional manner. The Dermatology & Laser Surgery Center offers a wide variety of treatments for dermatological issues including wrinkles, acne, skin cancer, scars, veins, birthmarks, and much more. A range of minimally invasive cosmetic, reconstructive, and therapeutic procedures are available. Attachment Staten Island, New York, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In observance of Memorial Day, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation is honoring the memory of 21 servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country by paying off the mortgage on their homes. Tunnel to Towers will ensure the families these heroes left behind will always have a place to call home. 21 Gold Star families are from 16 states and including the families of: Air Force Captain Jeffrey Hill - Elk River, MN Army Sergeant Andrew Chaisson - Becker, MN USMC Staff Sergeant John Stock - Hughes Springs, TX Army Sergeant Dennis Lee - Killeen, TX Army Sergeant First Class Benjamin Bitner - Wesley Chapel, FL Army Staff Sergeant Paul Olmstead - West Valley, UT Air Force Major Brad Funk - Farr West, UT Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Frank Bryant Jr. - Coronado, CA Navy Master At Arms Dameshvar Jaikaran - San Diego, CA Army Private First Class Steven Drees - Peshtigo, WI Army Staff Sergeant Ronnie Sanders - Fayetteville, NC Army Lieutenant Colonel Christian Blevins - Pinehurst, NC Army Staff Sergeant Alex French - Milledgeville, GA Army Staff Sergeant Kenneth Bennett - Stephens City, VA Army Staff Sergeant Steve Blass - Estherville, IA Air Force Master Sergeant Archie Hodsdon - Mexico, ME Army Staff Sergeant Frank Adamski III - Colchester, CT Army Staff Sergeant Timothy Walker - Spring Hill, TN The Tunnel to Towers Gold Star Family Home Program honors the legacy of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country by paying off the mortgage or providing the surviving spouses and young children with mortgage-free homes. This Memorial Day is the first time in 20 years Americas servicemen and women are not in harms way on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. These conflicts are over, but families are still dealing with the loss of husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters. I ask all Americans to take a minute to think of these heroes and their families who have sacrificed so much over the last two decades, said Tunnel to Towers Chairman & CEO Frank Siller. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has set a goal to reach 1,000 mortgage-free homes delivered across the country to our nations military and first responders by the end of the year. Join us on our mission to provide mortgage-free homes to the heroes and the families they leave behind by donating $11 per month at T2T.org. About the Tunnel to Towers Foundation The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is dedicated to honoring the sacrifice of FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. For more than 20 years the Foundation has supported our nations first responders, veterans, and their families by providing these heroes and the families they leave behind with mortgage-free homes. For more about the Tunnel to Towers Foundation and its commitment to DO GOOD, please visit T2T.org. Follow @Tunnel2Towers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Attachments Dallas, Texas, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vaycaychella, Inc. (OTC Pink: VAYK) (VAYK) published a presentation today on the companys plans to integrate its alternative short-term vacation rental purchase finance technology into a program designed to expand an existing portfolio of properties in Cuba currently available on Airbnb and VRBO. On May 16th, the U.S. State Department announced it would rollback a number of sanctions against Cuba. Included in the rollback is the opening of U.S. flights to multiple Cuban airports, the increase of remittances to Cuban citizens from U.S. residents and an initiative to improve Cuban entrepreneurs access to microfinance. VAYK is a technology company that last year introduced an award-winning Peer-2-Peer Alternative Finance Application (APP) for sourcing financing to purchase income producing vacation properties. VAYK launched a pilot short-term vacation rental business in Cuba just outside of Havana in 2018. VAYK backed the renovation of ten Art Deco style beach properties originally built in the 1930s and 1940s now operated as vacation destinations available through Airbnb and VRBO. Since that time, the company has added a small boutique hotel in Havana. The Cuba pilot served as a model for the companys design and launch of its award-winning Peer-2-Peer Alternative Finance Application (APP) for sourcing financing to purchase income producing vacation properties. Now VAYK is participating in a new planned program to expand the Cuba pilot and open the opportunity up to more investors and entrepreneurs. Learn more in the presentation published today at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOwRYaVzkzM To learn more and keep up with the latest updates at Vaycaychella, and to access the Vaycaychella App, visit https://www.vaycaychella.com/ . Disclaimer/Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Among others, these risks include the expectation that any of the companies mentioned herein will achieve significant sales, the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the companies' contracts, the companies' liquidity position, the companies' ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties, the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur. MONTREAL, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Earth Alive Clean Technologies Inc. (TSXV: EAC Earth Alive or the Company), a company that develops, manufactures and distributes state-of-the-art, environmentally-sound proprietary microbial solutions and products, is pleased to announced today its consolidated financial statements for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022. All amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated. Highlights of the First Quarter Sales totalled $572,779 in Q1 2022 compared to sales of $943,139 in Q1 2021. Total net loss of $560,886 compared to $181,906 in Q1 2021 Total operating expenses of $690,598 compared to $499,945 in Q1 2021 The working capital totaled $3,986,776 on March 31, 2022 with $3,240,809 in cash to support commercialization efforts The lacklustre operational and financial performance in Q1 is a direct result of a reorganization that began in the fall of 2021 with the appointment of new executives, said Nikolaos Sofronis, President and Chief Executive Officer. This initiative included the restructuring of our divisions, which has enabled the confirmation of several tests and leads with new clients and partners in both the Infrastructure and Agriculture divisions. We are confident that these activities will contribute to increase our sales and revenues in the next six to twelve months. Earth Alive Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on our website at www.earthalivect.com. Subsequent Events On April 6, 2022, the Company announced closing of a $ 6.1 million non-brokered private placement Earth Alive has announced that its ea1 dust suppressant has arrived in Argentina where it will be used in an Oil & Gas facility. This commercial test is estimated to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2022 and is the first foray of the Company in the Oil & Gas industry. Earth Alive is starting this week a second test with a major mining operation in Brazil, following an initial test announced by the Company on April 7, 2020. The Mining Group has decided to test ea1 for a longer period of time. The Company announced on April 20, 2022, the appointment of Mr. Jean-Philippe Lejeune as Chief Financial Officer. The Company announced on April 29 that on April 19 th Mr. Eric Paul-Hus joined the company as Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary. Mr. Eric Paul-Hus joined the company as Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary. The Company announced on May 3, 2022, the appointment of Mr. David Colon to the Board of Directors. Earth Alive will host its Annual General Meeting on June 28, 2022 (Montreal time). This will be a virtual meeting only which shareholders of record on April 29, 2022 will be able to attend at http:// meetnow.global/MZXCCCS . About Earth Alive Clean Technologies Earth Alive is an industry leader in microbial technologies. Earth Alives innovative products contribute to regenerative agriculture, natural dust suppression with minimal water use and industrial cleaning that is ecological and human friendly. For additional information, please visit: https://earthalivect.com/. Forward-Looking Information: Certain information in this press release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, which reflect the current view of management with respect to the Company's objectives, plans, goals, strategies, outlook, results of operations, financial and operating performance, prospects and opportunities. Words or expressions such as "to support", "efforts, "confident", "will", "contribute", "estimated" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking information and forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information and forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a guarantee of future events, performance or results, and will not necessarily be an accurate indication of whether, or the times at which, such events, performance or results will be achieved. All of the information in this press release containing forward-looking information or forward-looking statements is qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are urged to consider the risks, uncertainties and assumptions carefully in evaluating the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information and statements. The Company does not undertake to update any such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws. For information, please contact : Nikolas Sofronis, CEO 438 333-1680; 514 462 1628 +352621395338 nsofronis@earthalivect.com BERLIN, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Click fraud prevention firm Polygraph is warning of a new cyber-crime targeting advertisers who offer no-cost products and services as part of their customer acquisition process. Some advertisers try to acquire customers by getting them to sign up to a mailing list or download a free report, said Trey Vanes, Chief Marketing Officer at Polygraph. Criminals use these free offers to help disguise their click fraud schemes. Click fraud is a sophisticated internet crime targeting online advertisers. Fraudsters place genuine advertisements on their scam websites, and use technology and trickery to generate massive amounts of fake clicks. The criminals earn a small fee from the advertising network every time an ad is clicked, so by generating thousands of fake clicks each day, theyre able to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars every month, added Vanes. Click fraudsters are stealing billions of dollars from advertisers every year. Some of the advertising networks, including Google Ads, are able to track advertisement conversion rates, meaning they can see which ad clicks resulted in a sale. According to Vanes, this presents a problem for the criminals, as their fake ad clicks never convert. The fraudsters often use bots software pretending to be human - to click on the ads. These clicks are worthless, and will never convert into a sale at the advertisers websites. The ad network can see this, and will flag the criminals account as being suspicious. To get around this problem, the criminals manually generate conversions at websites offering no-cost products and services. The criminals try to find adverts for products such as reports or brochures which can be downloaded free of charge. They force those advertisements to display on their scam websites, and then manually click the ads and complete a conversion such as downloading the report or brochure. This tricks the advertising network into believing a real conversion took place, resulting in a reputation boost for the criminals website. From the perspective of the ad network, these conversions are real, so theyre fooled into thinking the fraudsters clicks are converting into real sales, added Vanes. By mixing fake conversions amongst their fake clicks, the criminals are able to make their traffic seem real. Polygraph helps advertisers monitor fake clicks, so any fraudulent conversions are easily identified. By using Polygraph to monitor your ads for click fraud, Polygraph can tell you which clicks are fake, why theyre fake, and where the click came from. Advertisers can use this information to prevent click fraud and get refunds from the ad networks, added Vanes. For more information, please visit https://polygraph.net About Polygraph Established in Berlin, Germany in 2021, Polygraph monitors the activities of click fraud gangs, including how they operate, who they target, the techniques they use, and how to detect their fraud. We go far beyond bot detection to ensure your ad budget is not stolen by cyber-criminals. Contact Details: 114A Friedrichstrasse Berlin, BE 10117, Germany Trey Vanes, Polygraph +49 (030) 2204 4851 WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sterling Organization, a vertically integrated private equity real estate firm whose national platform is focused on investing in LAST HOUR consumer fulfillment and distribution real estate assets, has announced the acquisition of two premier market-leading grocery-anchored shopping centers totaling 280,000 square feet in a portfolio transaction. The Grove (Orlando MSA) and Riverfront Plaza (New York MSA) were acquired on behalf of Sterling's institutional grocery-anchored shopping center core fund, Sterling United Properties II, LP ("SUP II"), for $113.75 million and mark the 11th and 12th investments made by the Fund. The Grove is located in Windermere, Florida, one of the most affluent communities in Florida. The 151,752-square-foot Publix-anchored shopping center is home to national retailers including Wells Fargo, Great Clips, Charles Schwab, AT&T, and BurgerFi. Riverfront Plaza is a 128,968-square-foot, ShopRite-anchored shopping center located in Hackensack, New Jersey, and sits approximately 13 miles from Manhattan. Additional tenants at the property include Chase Bank, AT&T, H&R Block, Sherwin Williams, KFC and Taco Bell. "We are excited to add these two high quality properties to our growing portfolio of core grocery-anchored shopping centers," said Brian Kosoy, Managing Principal and CEO of Sterling Organization. "It is rare to be able to acquire assets of this extraordinary caliber, in prime markets, anchored by market leading grocers. The properties have combined average demographics of over 130,000 people living within three miles and average household incomes of approximately $120,000," added Kosoy. Sterling Organization currently owns 74 properties, across multiple Funds, in major markets throughout the United States exceeding 12.1 million square feet and approaching $2.5 billion in value. ### Sterling Organization is a vertically integrated private equity real estate firm whose national platform is focused on investing in LAST HOUR consumer fulfillment and distribution real estate assets across the risk spectrum in major markets within the United States. Sterling Organization, with offices across the nation, is headquartered in West Palm Beach, FL. Contact: Dana Verhelst, dverhelst@sterlingorganization.com www.sterlingorganization.com Related Images Image 1: Sterling Organization Logo This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pure Gold Mining Inc. (TSX-V:PGM, LSE:PUR) (PureGold or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has closed the second and final tranche (the Second Tranche) of its non-brokered private placement, previously announced on May 6, 2022 (the Offering). The closing of the First Tranche was announced on May 25, 2022. The Company is also pleased to announce it has closed the securities for debt agreements (the Securities for Debt Transaction and together with the Offering, the Transactions), previously announced on May 24, 2022. Pursuant to the closing of the Second Tranche, the Company has issued a total of 22,168,000 units of the Company (the Units), at a price of C$0.15 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of C$3,325,200. Each Unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant (a Warrant). Each Warrant will be transferrable and entitle the holder to acquire one common share of PureGold for six months from the closing date of the Offering at a price of C$0.18. No finders fees were paid in relation to the Second Tranche. Between the First and Second Tranches, the Company has issued a total of 207,240,960 units of the Company pursuant to the Offering at a price of C$0.15 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of C$31,086,144. Pursuant to the Securities for Debt Transaction, the Company has issued 20,922,914 Units at a price of $0.15 per Unit to certain creditors in order to settle outstanding debts totaling $3,138,437.10 (the Debt). Between the Securities for Debt Transaction and the Offering, the Company has issued a total of 228,163,874 Units of the Company at a price of C$0.15 per Unit. AngloGold Ashanti Limited (AngloGold Ashanti), the Companys largest shareholder, subscribed for 22,168,000 Units pursuant to the Offering (the AngloGold Subscription), bringing AngloGold Ashantis ownership in the Company following the Transactions to 19.2% on a partially-diluted basis and 16.5% on a non-diluted basis. Mark ODea, Interim President & CEO of PureGold stated, On behalf of the Executive Team I would like to thank our long term shareholders for their continuing support, as well as welcome all of our new shareholders to PureGold. This financing is intended to give the Company the runway it needs to bring stability to our operation and establish a profitable mining business in Canada. With a large, high-grade resource base, a strong and improving geological understanding of the deposit, significant opportunity for growth, and a talented new operating team at the helm, we are excited and committed to driving PureGold forward. Due to its share ownership, AngloGold is considered a related party of PureGold and, accordingly, the AngloGold Subscription constitutes a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The AngloGold Subscription and related party portion of the Offering, as disclosed in the May 25, 2022 news release, were exempt from the minority approval requirement of Section 5.6 and the formal valuation requirement of Section 5.4 of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the AngloGold Subscription and related party portion of the Offering, nor the fair market value of the consideration of the AngloGold Subscription and related party portion of the Offering, exceeded 25% of PureGolds market capitalization. A material change report in connection with the Transactions will be filed less than 21 days before the closing of the Transactions. This shorter period was reasonable and necessary in the circumstances as the Company wished to complete the Transactions in a timely manner. Proceeds from the Offering will be used to complete the Companys near-term objectives of ramping up the PureGold Mine to 800 tpd by Q3 2022, reducing operating and sustaining capital costs in Q2 2022 by at least 30% compared to Q1 2022, achieving sustainable positive site-level cash flow by Q3 2022, completing critical trade-off studies in support of the updated Mineral Resource, Mineral Reserve, and Life of Mine plan expected to be released by Q4 2022, and for general corporate purposes. The securities offered 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 U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Pure Gold Mining Inc. PureGold is a Canadian gold mining company, located in the very heart of Red Lake, Ontario, Canada. The Company owns and operates the PureGold Mine, which entered commercial production in 2021 after the successful construction of an 800 tpd underground mine and processing facilities. Gold reserves and resources are centered on a forty-seven square kilometre property with significant discovery potential. PureGolds strategy is to pursue operational excellence today while investing in systematic exploration and phased expansions to fuel discovery and growth for the future.1 Additional information about the Company and its activities may be found on the Companys website at www.puregoldmining.ca and under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com For further information, see the technical report titled Madsen Gold Project Technical Report Feasibility Study for the Madsen Deposit, Red Lake, Ontario, Canada with an effective date of February 5, 2019, and dated July 5, 2019 (the Feasibility Study), for further information please see puregoldmining.ca or under the Companys Sedar profile at www.sedar.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD " Mark ODea " Mark ODea, President & CEO Investor inquiries: Adrian OBrien, Director, IR & Communications Tel: 604-809-6890 aobrien@puregoldmining.ca 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. All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to PureGold within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to statements with respect to the use of proceeds for the Offering and certain other matters relating to the Offering and the timings thereof, expectations regarding the new mining areas and the enhancement of the grade and overall tonnes available; and expectations and timing regarding the reduction in operating, the sustaining capital costs at the PureGold Mine, achieving sustainable positive site-level cash, completing critical trade-off studies in support of the updated Mineral Resource, Mineral Reserve, and Life of Mine plans. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "planned", "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", and similar expressions, or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made including, among others, assumptions about future prices of gold and other metal prices, currency exchange rates and interest rates, favourable operating conditions, political stability, obtaining governmental approvals and financing on time, obtaining renewals for existing licences and permits and obtaining required licences and permits, labour stability, stability in market conditions, availability of equipment, accuracy of any mineral resources, successful resolution of disputes and anticipated costs and expenditures. Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of PureGold and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking information, involves known and unknown risks, which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, risks related to the interpretation of results at the Pure Gold Red Lake Mine complex; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; the costs and timing of the development of new deposits; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; the timing and success of exploration and development activities generally; delays in permitting; possible claims against the Company; the timing of future economic studies; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, financing or in the completion of exploration as well as those factors discussed in the Annual Information Form of the Company dated March 30, 2022 in the section entitled "Risk Factors", under PureGolds SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although PureGold has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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. PureGold disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law. SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Webscale , the fastest, most secure cloud platform for modern commerce, has announced the appointment of Sophie Maler as its new VP of Product, responsible for product direction and technology roadmap execution. Sophie is an industry veteran with over 25 years of experience in software engineering, product management and marketing across startups and large multinational corporations. She joins Webscale from Vesta, a leading transaction guarantee platform for online purchases, where she led Product Marketing. Starting her career in 1996 as a software engineer with Israeli tech leader Elron, she moved on to Netegrity as a principal engineer, instrumental in their acquisition by CA Technologies. Highlights of her leadership roles include Group Product Manager at Oracle, Head of Marketing at Login with Amazon, and Head of Product Marketing at AWS Identity. Focusing on secure infrastructure for enterprise and consumer applications, Sophie has built and launched many widely adopted products, with much of her early work acknowledged as having laid the foundation for all risk-based zero-trust implementations underpinning modern access control models. Committed to ensuring great customer experiences, Sophie has helped organizations make a quantum leap from a feature-based to a value-based mindset, by prioritizing long-term benefits for customers over competitive noise, while building future-proof solutions. About Webscale Webscale is powering modern commerce by layering software for performance, security, availability and compliance, over a distributed global network that leverages the cloud, automation, machine learning, and DevOps protocols to address the needs of growing brands. With use cases across a variety of ecommerce platforms and architectures, Webscale simplifies the deployment and day-to-day management of storefronts, including headless and progressive web application infrastructure, and across any self-hosted or fully hosted commerce cloud. Deployed in multi-cloud environments, including Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure, Webscale powers Fortune 1000 brands including Dollar General, Unilever, Swarovski, Olympus, Regal Cinemas, and thousands of other B2C, B2B, and B2E ecommerce storefronts across 12 countries. Webscale has offices in Santa Clara, CA, Boulder, CO, San Antonio, TX, Bangalore, India, and London, UK. For more information, visit www.webscale.com . Follow us on LinkedIn , Twitter, and Facebook . Media Contact: Andrew Humber Webscale ah@webscale.com A second group of investors in Terraform Labs' troubled cryptocurrencies filed complaints Friday against its co-founders on charges of fraud. The company's coins, TerraUSD and Luna, crashed earlier this month, causing huge losses for hundreds of thousands of investors. A total of 76 people participated in the latest legal action against CEO Do Kwon and co-founder Daniel Shin, according to an online community of the tokens' holders. Their combined loss amounted to 6.7 billion won ($5.35 million), they said in the complaints submitted to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office. "If the truth is revealed through a thorough investigation, all the fraudsters will be arrested and pay for their crimes," the group's leader said. On May 19, five investors filed similar complaints with the district prosecution office, claiming they suffered a combined loss of 1.4 billion won. In mid-May, the stablecoin TerraUSD and its digital coin counterpart Luna registered falls of more than 99.99 percent from their highs, wiping out more than US$38 billion of investors' money in a week, according to data by CoinMarketCap. (Yonhap) As part of its acquisition of ADCO, a major Ohio tobacco distributor, TAAT now owns three tobacco outlets in north-central Ohio through which the Company plans to undertake ongoing consumer research for the purpose of optimizing its retailing tactics in stores carrying TAAT products. These research initiatives can also be adapted to other stores in ADCOs distribution network across the state of Ohio as well as other stores in TAATs nationwide portfolio of over 2,700 U.S. retailers of its products. LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQX: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP) (the Company or TAAT) is pleased to announce that the Company will integrate ongoing consumer research with adult smokers into the three tobacco outlets operated by ADCO Distributors, Inc. (ADCO), a major tobacco distributor in Ohio who was acquired by TAAT as announced in a press release dated May 20, 2022 . The three north-central Ohio stores carry a standard range of tobacco products including popular brands of cigarettes (e.g., Marlboro, Newport, Camel) in addition to all three TAAT varieties. With the direct control TAAT now has over the management of these three stores, the Company plans to launch store-level initiatives to capture feedback from adult smokers in various situations (e.g., being offered TAAT in addition to a requested legacy tobacco product). TAAT believes this approach to consumer research could be far more insightful and cost-effective compared to retaining a third-party service provider. Although the Company previously commissioned consumer research of adult smokers to evaluate their perceptions of TAAT both in concept and as an actual product (as detailed in a press release dated April 14, 2021 ), the novel approach of conducting passive studies in-store on a firsthand basis is expected to capture a level of detail that is unprecedented in the tobacco or consumer packaged goods (CPG) categories. Given the routine nature of tobacco cigarette purchases by adult smokers who already have a specific brand preference, there are fairly limited opportunities to observe the actual transaction process as it occurs or to interject with recommendations to also purchase alternative products such as TAAT. The Company therefore plans to leverage the unique research capabilities afforded by having in-house tobacco outlets to further optimize its retailing strategies in the tobacco category. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3b636ec6-6534-4d7a-bbb2-ec4b8d6035b2 Readers using news aggregation services may be unable to view the media above. Please access SEDAR or the Investor Relations section of the Companys website for a version of this press release containing all published media. TAAT Founder Joe Deighan commented, Most brands have very little visibility into how their product performs at the point of sale, especially in relation to products from competitors. Although some insights can be obtained at a macro level through metrics such as scan records and certain quantitative data points, there is no substitute for being able to observe your target customers firsthand as they go about contemplating or making a purchase. Now that TAAT owns three tobacco outlets in Ohio, we are able to roll out tailored in-store research initiatives to help us better understand how adult smokers react when they are offered TAAT. By actively comprehending what factors might contribute to any potential objections or hesitation to trying TAAT, we are able to fine-tune our retailing strategies to overcome some of those pain points with an objective of bolstering our conversion rates. We are very excited about launching these in-store research programs which I believe could be very impactful for commercializing TAAT as a better and nicotine-free alternative to tobacco cigarettes. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company, TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. Joe Deighan Joe Deighan, COO and Director For further information, please contact: TAAT Investor Relations 1-833-TAAT-USA (1-833-822-8872) investor@taatglobal.com THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (CSE) HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE, NOR HAS OR DOES THE CSES REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER. About TAAT Global Alternatives Inc. TAAT develops, manufactures, and distributes alternative products in categories to include tobacco, hemp, kratom, and other emerging segments of the CPG industry. Its flagship product is a nicotine-free, tobacco-free cigarette with a patent-pending base material formulation, sold in over 2,700 U.S. stores. With over CAD $80 million in overall net revenue in 2021, TAATs facilities include a manufacturing plant in Nevada, as well as a distribution centre and multiple convenience stores in Ohio. For more information, please visit http://taatglobal.com . Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the anticipated performance of TAAT in the tobacco industry, in addition to the following: Successful launch of integrated in-store consumer research in the three tobacco outlets owned by TAAT following the Companys acquisition of ADCO, and potential outcomes from such research. The forward-looking information reflects managements current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) changes to the growth and size of the tobacco markets; (iii) changes to the regulatory landscape applicable to the Company's business; and (iv) other factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Companys management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The statements in this news release have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As each individual is different, the benefits, if any, of taking the Companys products will vary from person to person. No claims or guarantees can be made as to the effects of the Companys products on an individuals health and well-being. The Companys products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This news release may contain trademarked names of third-party entities (or their respective offerings with trademarked names) typically in reference to (i) relationships had by the Company with such third-party entities as referred to in this release and/or (ii) client/vendor/service provider parties whose relationship with the Company is/are referred to in this release. All rights to such trademarks are reserved by their respective owners or licensees. Statement Regarding Third-Party Investor Relations Firms gettyimagesbank By Anna J. Park The Korean economy is witnessing growing concerns about its ever-increasing trade deficit, which has exceeded the $10-billion mark this year alone, as the country is expected to log a trade deficit in May for the third consecutive month. Analysts say the trend will continue for a while, with a twin deficit becoming more likely. According to the Korea Customs Service last week, the trade deficit during the first three weeks of May stood at $4.82 billion. While exports totaled $38.61 billion during the period, which is a 24.1-percent increase year-on-year, the trade balance remained at a minus level, as imports increased 37.8 percent to $43.4 billion. As the cumulative trade deficit so far this year nears $11 billion, market watchers say the Korean economy is highly likely to post an annual trade deficit by the end of this year. They also express worries that this year's trade deficit might reach a record high. The worst annual trade deficit of $20.6 billion was posted in 1996. Given that this year's trade deficit is already about $11 billion as of mid-May, it is possible that Korea could set a new record of the all-time high annual trade deficit this year. "Cursed Bunny" author Chung Bora, right, and translator Anton Hur attend a press conference in Seoul, April 14. Newsis By Kwak Yeon-soo "Cursed Bunny," written by Chung Bora and translated by Anton Hur, failed to win this year's International Booker Prize, one of three largest literary awards in the world. The prestigious award went instead to "Tomb of Sand," written by Geentanjali Shree and translated by Daisy Rockwell, according to the Booker Prize Foundation on Thursday. Shree became the first Indian author to win the international prize. "Cursed Bunny" is a genre-defying collection of 10 short stories, one that can be best described as a gripping amalgamation of absurdist tales that draw on science fiction, horror and fantasy. The English version of Chung's novel was among the six works shortlisted for the 2022 International Booker Prize, which was established in 2005 to honor the author and translator equally for a single work of fiction translated into English. The other books on the shortlist included "The Books of Jacob" written by Olga Tokarczuk and translated from Polish by Crogy, "A New Name: Septology VI-VII" written by Jon Fosse and translated from Norwegian by Damion Searls, "Heaven" written by Mieka Kawakami and translated from Japanese by Sam Bett and David Boyd and "Elena Knows" written by Claudia Pineiro and translated from Spanish by Frances Riddle. "Now I'm just relieved that I've got plenty of time to meet deadlines for impending projects. I think the six finalists were under some pressure as if we were each representing our own countries. I appreciate what Shree said in her acceptance speech that this is not about competing," Chung said in a statement. "I will continue to write stories to express and convey the values that I believe in, not to win a prize or please readers." Hur stressed that translators deserve praise for their outstanding contributions, as they play a major role in increasing the global visibility of Korean literature. "I can't believe we made it this far. I hope this will embed a culture where translators get more recognition," he said. In 2016, an English translation by Deborah Smith of Han Kang's "The Vegetarian" became the first Korean winner of the International Booker Prize. Her "The White Book" also translated by Smith was shortlisted for the award again in 2018, while Hwang Sok-yong's "At Dusk" translated by Sora Kim-Russell was included on the prize's long list the following year. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield is seen speaking in a Security Council meeting held in New York, May 26, before the 15-member council voted on a U.S.-proposed resolution on North Korea in this image captured from the website of the U.N. Yonhap The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) failed to pass a resolution to impose additional sanctions on North Korea, Thursday, for its recent missile tests due to opposition from China and Russia. "With the adoption of this resolution, we can send a message to all proliferators that we will not stand for their actions that seek to undermine international peace and security," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, urging all council members to vote in favor. Thirteen members of the 15-member council voted in favor of the U.S.-proposed resolution. China and Russia, both veto power-wielding permanent members of the council and close allies of North Korea, voted against the resolution, effectively blocking its passage. Volunteers sought Those who stop by Riverview Cemetery Monday at 10 a.m. can take part in an almost 100-year-old tradition carried on by the Green River Veterans of Foreign Wars. Every year on Memorial Day, VFW members host a ceremony to honor veterans who gave their lives defending our country. The ceremony always includes a reading of the names of deceased veterans in the American Legion and VFW, the sounding of the bell, the playing of Taps and a firing squad. An address from a special speaker who holds a position of authority and leadership in the community is also a regular part of the ceremony. This years guest speaker will be Green River Police Chief Tom Jarvie. Each year before the ceremony the VFW also decorates the graves of veterans throughout the cemetery with United States flags. If its good weather we do 350 to 400 flags throughout the whole cemetery, VFW Commander Jim Shoemaker explained. Every veteran gets a flag. Flags are also put along the roadway by the cemetery 13 flags to represent the original colonies and 50 flags to represent the 50 states. The flags are put up Sunday afternoon, left up all day Memorial Day, and taken away again Tuesday afternoon. Putting out hundreds of flags is a lot of work that can take a few hours, so the VFW members rely on the help of volunteers. Sometimes groups like the Boy Scouts of America will help with the flags, while other times the volunteers are simply community members willing to lend a hand. Volunteers are divided between sections of the cemetery and given flags for the approximate amount of veterans in each section. I tell them its not a game, Jim said about working with volunteers. Do it with honor. You dont run through the course, you just go out there, put your flag on the grave, stick it in the ground in front of the headstone. For this years ceremony, the VFW is still looking for volunteers willing to help put the flags out Sunday at 3 p.m., as well as to collect them Tuesday at 3 p.m. Anyone who wants to can help with the flags, as well as attend the ceremony. We welcome anybody who wants to come, Jim said. The VFW always extends a special invitation to veterans and other service members in the community. Any veteran is welcome to be part of the ceremony, according to Shoemaker, and they can choose whether or not to wear their uniform. Other service members, such as police officers and the American Legion Riders, are welcome to take part as well, even if they arent veterans of a foreign war. They raised their right hand, Jim said. To me, when they raise their right hand to defend the Constitution of the United States, theyre part of us. The Memorial Day ceremony has been a tradition for the VFW for nearly 100 years, dating back to when the city of Green River donated a plot of land in the cemetery to the VFW in 1931. According to VFW District Commander Earl McDonald, during that time Memorial Day parades were also commonly held. The origins of Memorial Day itself go back even further. Although it didnt become an official federal holiday until 1971, the concept of the day goes back to the American Civil War. Although its been around for so long, Memorial Day is often confused with similar holidays. [Memorial Day is] not for the people that are standing, its the people that gave their lives for our freedom, Jim said. Veterans Day is for all veterans, Memorial Day is for those who have passed away, and Armed Forces Day is for all of the soldiers who are now serving, Anita Shoemaker explained. Anita is Jims wife and the district madame president of the VFW, according to Jim. Anita also pointed out Memorial Day originated as a day to honor fallen soldiers specifically. It wasnt meant as a day to remember anyone who has passed away, and its not just a long weekend and a chance to have a picnic as many people think of it, she said. She believes people can honor the original meaning of the holiday by taking time to reflect on those who gave their lives. I would say take a moment of their time in silence to remember why these men are no longer with us, because they fought and died, Anita said. And its not only that they fought and died immediately. A lot of them are still dying because of stuff like agent orange and stuff that they were exposed to during their service. Theres a lot of wounds that dont go away that you cant treat and you cant see, Jim added. The Shoemakers and the VFW are committed to continuing to remember and honor the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in service to our country. Any community members who wish to join them are welcome to attend the ceremony on Memorial Day and invited to volunteer to help put out and take down flags in the cemetery. Macao's meeting, exhibition events rise in Q1 Xinhua) 11:40, May 27, 2022 MACAO, May 26 (Xinhua) -- A total of 97 meeting, incentive, conference and exhibition (MICE) events were held in Macao in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 29 year on year, the special administrative region (SAR)'s statistic service said on Thursday. The latest report from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the number of participants and attendees rose by 19.7 percent to 165,000. A total of 76 meetings and conferences were held in the first quarter, up by 15 year on year. However, the number of participants decreased by 6.3 percent to 6,157. The average duration of the meetings, conferences and incentives went down by 0.1 day year on year to 0.9 day, said the report. The number of exhibitions in the first quarter grew by seven year on year to 14, all of which were organized by non-government organizations. The number of attendees rose by 19.8 percent to 158,000. The number of exhibitors soared by 64.8 percent year on year to 692 in the first quarter, and 96.1 percent of them were locals, showed the report. Professional visitors leapt by 63.2 percent to 9,153, with those from Macao accounting for 97.5 percent of the total. In accordance with information collected from 368 interviewed exhibitors, 94.1 percent of their receipts were generated from sales of goods, whereas their expenditure was mainly incurred on rental paid for exhibition booths and booth installation and decoration. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks to South Korea's Ambassador to the U.N. Cho Hyun before a United Nations Security Council meeting at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, in this May 11, file photo. Reuters-Yonhap The South Korean government expressed "deep regret" Friday about an unprecedented rejection of a proposed U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolution imposing sanctions on North Korea for its latest provocation. In a statement, Seoul's foreign ministry took a thinly veiled swipe at China and Russia, two permanent members of the 15-state council, for opposing the U.S.-led push. The two exercised their veto power in the 13-2 vote during a session held in New York Thursday (local time). "(The government) expresses deep regret that the new Security Council resolution has not been adopted despite the approval of most members," its spokesperson Choi Young-sam said. He pointed out that North Korea has continued the ballistic missile launches amid the possibility of it conducting another nuclear weapon test. The reveal of Sweetwater County Travel and Tourisms master tourism plan to the Green River City Council last week had me thinking about a tourism-based study the Rock Springs city government initiated in the early 2010s. Although it was just over a decade ago, Rock Springs and Sweetwater County were a different place. The residual momentum from the oil and gas boom meant money was still coming in from the activity, but local leaders knew things were coming to a close and were looking at a means of diversifying the local economy to lessen or even avoid the bust cycle most knew was on its way. That search never ended as local leaders are talking about how we should diversify our economy, repeating many of the same talking points that were covered years ago. The plan developed then would focus branding on the biking competitions taking place at the Sweetwater County Events Complex. The argument was that competitors traveled throughout the region for competition and expanding BMX competitions at the complex would bring people to the area. One specific comment I remember hearing mentioned during a presentation to the citys business owners was that grandparents tend to feel guilty for how much they worked while raising their children, and spend more to support their grandchildrens activities. The branding included iconography featuring a BMX rider in a similar pose to Wyomings bucking horse and the tagline Home of the Steel Ponies. Look around today and its quickly evident that the branding idea never took hold. I spoke with then Mayor Carl Demshar a few years after the presentation and his response was the businesses and local leaders werent on board and dropped the whole thing. I dont think it was something to absolutely double down all of the areas tourism and branding efforts on, but I also dont see how it couldnt have been integrated into a wider promotion. I also dont think the Home of the Steel Ponies tagline won a lot of fans and should have been workshopped more before the branding plan was unveiled. I think the word ponies itself is problematic because a pony isnt a full horse, its a horse generally associated with small children. Biking is promoted as we have a diverse system of trails and roads throughout Sweetwater County and Sweetwater Travel and Tourism has done a great job promoting them with the other recreational activities available here. However, trying to refer to a place as Home of the Steel Ponies was a stretch. LAKEVILLE A Lime Rock Park tradition will add a new chapter this weekend as the track hosts the Trans Am Memorial Day Classic, through May 30. The four-day event will feature Trans Am presented by Pirelli races on Saturday and Monday, a new Craft Beer Grand Prix as well as a pair of car shows on Sunday, Skip Barber Racing reunion races on Monday, as well as a field of rolling racing history with the Sportscar Vintage Race Association, according to a statement. The Trans Am runners will take to the same 1.53-mile circuit that Dan Gurney, Sam Posey, and Parnelli Jones claimed their stake to Lime Rock Park history in decades past, as a new field of emerging talents looks to do the same in the rapidly growing Trans Am series, according to park officials. Nearly 40 TA2 drivers will take the green on the original Lime Rock circuit Saturday at 11:55 a.m., for 100-miles of Trans Am competition. Drivers like two-time champions Rafa Matos and Cameron Lawrence, 2020 TA2 Champion Mike Skeen and 2019 Lime Rock winner Thomas Merrill will go wheel-to-wheel in a mix of Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers all fighting to be the first to the checkered, officials said. With drivers like Adam Andretti, nephew of Mario Andretti, and Dylan Archer, son of former Trans Am driver Bobby Archer, mixed into the lineup, Saturday's race will surely be a spectacle for fans. The Trans Am action continues Monday at 11:55 a.m. when the TA, XtremeGT, SuperGT and GT classes fight to throw local favorite Chris Dyson off his consecutive Lime Rock winning streak. With years of turning laps at Lime Rock with his dad Rob Dyson, he is undefeated at Lime Rock Park in Trans Am, taking victories in 2019 and 2021. Fans can meet their favorite Trans Am drivers during the Fan Walk, located on the false grid, Saturday at 11:10 a.m. and Monday at 11:20 a.m., ahead of the races. Fans are encouraged to stop by the Trans Am trailer ahead of the Fan Walk for a free event poster. Connecticut Craft Beer Grand Prix, car shows New to the weekend schedule this year is the Connecticut Craft Beer Grand Prix. Accompanied by the areas best food trucks, more than two dozen local breweries will showcase the outstanding quality and variety of Connecticut craft beer on the Lime Rock grounds on Sunday, May 29. Also on Sunday, fans can view hundreds of cars that will be on display from the Royals Garage Car Show and Hagerty Cars and Caffeine, as part of the Sundays at The Park event. Tickets are available including packages. Fans are encouraged to reserve tickets and camping spots ahead of the weekend. Advanced general admission tickets start at $55, with full weekend passes, VIP Fan Hospitality Tent (Available for Saturday ONLY) and Semi-Private Cabana upgrades available. Go to https://limerock.com/ for tickets and information. MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (AP) 3M Co. will pay a penalty of $2.8 million after Minnesota regulators found a series of hazardous waste violations at its Cottage Grove incinerator which has since been shut down. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said Thursday its two-year investigation found that since 1996, 3M repeatedly misidentified hazardous waste shipped to the incinerator as nonhazardous. Other violations occurred elsewhere, including failing to verify levels of mercury, lead, nickel, cadmium, arsenic and other hazardous materials in some waste streams from 2014 to 2020. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Seven-term U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, a centrist who was endorsed by President Joe Biden, has been ousted in the Democratic primary in Oregon by progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner after results were delayed more than a week by a ballot-printing issue. The vote count in the state's 5th Congressional District was sloweed because tens of thousands of ballots were printed with blurry bar codes, making them unreadable by vote-counting machines. Workers in Clackamas County, the state's third-largest county, had to transfer votes by hand to fresh ballots so they could be tallied. That process continued Friday for other races yet to be called. McLeod-Skinner had the backing of the local Democratic parties in all four counties covered by the redrawn seat, which now leans a little less blue. In her campaign, she urged stronger action to combat climate change and complained that Schrader was too conservative. She also portrayed Schrader as a politician who. had lost touch with his party's base and in the pocket of large pharmaceutical companies on issues like prescription drug prices. McLeod-Skinner will face Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer in November. Chavez-DeRemer is the former mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon. She has said she will support businesses and police and address the crisis on our southern border. In a statement on Twitter, McLeod-Skinner thanked Schrader for his years of service and said Oregon Democrats should see the contest's outcome as an evaluation of our ideas and as a confirmation of our values. From Sellwood to Sunriver, Oregonians never stopped believing we can protect our families, our climate and our civil rights, she wrote. Oregonians this is your victory. Biden made Schrader his first endorsement of the year but it didn't help the moderate Democrat in a district that now includes Bend, one of the state's fastest-growing Democratic areas where McLeod-Skinner had more name recognition. Schrader has voted against some of Bidens priorities, including a money-saving plan to let Medicare negotiate the price it pays for prescription drugs. A year ago, he was one of only two members of his party to vote against a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill because, among several reasons, he did not support including an increase to the minimum wage. Those decisions may be what cost him re-election, said John Horvick, political director at the nonpartisan public opinion firm DHM Research. Hes a moderate, but its more specific to the issues where he went against the party, he said. The big one is really his reluctance to support Democrats on prescription drugs. You can break with your party in a lot of different areas but a highly salient, deeply held position in the party that was a deal breaker." What remains to be seen is if McLeod-Skinner will compete well in the general election in a district that is split fairly evenly between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats' hold on the seat could be at risk if moderate voters perceive her as too progressive, he said. The Republican nominee, Chavez-DeRemer, is endorsed by the third-ranking House Republican, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York an endorsement Chavez-DeRemer highlighted in her primary campaign in a crowded field. That might play well in more conservative parts of the redrawn district that stretches from the Portland suburbs toward rural central Oregon. To me, it's a toss-up race going forward and candidate quality is going to matter, Horvick said. The opportunities for Oregon to be central in the national conversation is higher this cycle than any cycle I can think of in recent memory. ___ This story has been updated to correct the description of Oregon's redrawn 5th District. ___ Follow Gillian Flaccus on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gflaccus This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Irma Garcia's family was already reeling from her death in the Texas school shooting that targeted her fourth grade classroom and killed her co-teacher and 19 students. Then, a mere two days after the attack, her grieving husband collapsed and died at home from a heart attack, a family member said. Joe Garcia, 50, dropped off flowers at his wifes memorial Thursday morning in Uvalde, Texas, and returned home, where he pretty much just fell over and died, his nephew John Martinez told The New York Times. Married for 24 years, the couple had four children. Martinez told The Detroit Free Press that the family was struggling to grasp that while the couples oldest son trained for combat in the Marine Corps, it was his mother who was shot to death. Stuff like this should not be happening in schools, he told the newspaper. The Archdiocese of San Antonio and the Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary confirmed Joe Garcias death to The Associated Press. AP was unable to independently reach members of the Garcia family on Thursday. The motive for the massacre the nations deadliest school shooting since the 2012 attack in Newtown, Connecticut remained under investigation, with authorities saying the 18-year-old gunman had no known criminal or mental health history. The rampage rocked a country already weary from gun violence and shattered the community of Uvalde, a largely Latino town of some 16,000 people about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the Mexican border. The Garcias loved to barbecue, 48-year-old Irma wrote in an online letter to her students at Robb Elementary School. She enjoyed listening to music and traveling to Concan, a community along the Frio River about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Uvalde. The couples oldest child, Cristian, is a Marine. The couple's other son, Jose, attends Texas State University. Their eldest daughter, Lyliana, is a high school sophomore, while her younger sister is in the seventh grade. The school year, scheduled to end Thursday, was Garcia's 23rd year of teaching all of it at Robb. She was previously named the school's teacher of the year and was a 2019 recipient of the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Education from Trinity University. For five years, Garcia co-taught with Eva Mireles, who also was killed. The suspect, Salvador Ramos, was inside the classroom for more than an hour before he was killed in a shootout with law enforcement, authorities said. Mrs. Irma Garcia was my mentor when I began teaching," her colleague Allison McCullough wrote when Garcia was named teacher of the year. "The wealth of knowledge and patience that she showed me was life changing." ___ Associated Press journalist Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed to this report. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings. President Yoon Suk-yeol has sent condolences to U.S. President Joe Biden over this week's mass shooting in Texas that left 21 people dead, a presidential official said Friday. Yoon sent a message to Biden, Thursday, offering his condolences over the deaths of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery for those who were injured, the official told reporters. A gunman opened fire at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, killing 19 students and two teachers and wounding multiple others before being killed himself by a U.S. Border Patrol agent. It was one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. (Yonhap) Contributed photo / Greenwich Police Department GREENWICH A Greenwich police detective who made two arrests in a series of distraction larcenies, in which thieves stole cash and belongings from cars, has been commended for his work. Detective Brian Perusse was recently selected as Officer of the Month for breaking up a ring of thieves who targeted residents at local banks. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH Residents will have many opportunities to pay tribute to the men and women of the armed forces who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to the country at events around Greenwich during the long Memorial Day weekend. The first event of the weekend will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the pocket park across from the Greenwich Historical Society on Strickland Road with the Cos Cob Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10112. Parking is available in the Mianus River Boat and Yacht Club. The ceremony will include remarks from post leaders and a memorial wreath will be placed. Two parades will also take place Sunday. At 2 p.m., the Byram Veterans Association will hold its annual parade and ceremony. It will step off from the associations hall and travel to Byram Shubert Library. A second parade will take place at 5 p.m. in Glenville, ending at the Glenville Volunteer Fire Company headquarters with a ceremony and wreath-laying to follow. Several more events are scheduled for Memorial Day on Monday, starting with the American Legion Post 29s ceremony at Indian Harbor Yacht Club in downtown Greenwich on Steamboat Road. The ceremony will start at 8 a.m. dockside and will include a posting of the colors by the Greenwich Police Departments honor guard, an invocation from Ukrainian minister Ihor Midzak, a rifle salute by the Byram Vets Honor Guard, a wreath-laying in Greenwich Harbor and the playing of Taps. Town resident and former New York Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey will be the keynote speaker. This moving annual tribute is indeed a ceremony to behold and will no doubt be remembered by all who participate and attend, the American Legion Post said in a statement. The annual Old Greenwich parade, which is put together by the Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Company, will begin at 10 a.m. The parade will go up Sound Beach Avenue toward Binney Park, and a ceremony will take place once the parade is complete. This is always very, very nice, First Selectman Fred Camillo said during this weeks Board of Selectmen meeting while urging residents to attend the Memorial Day events. Another ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. in Byram at the Eugene Merlot Memorial Parks Memorial Grove. The ceremony is organized by the Byram Veterans Association. Camillo called it a beautiful ceremony. At 1 p.m., the Chickahominy Reunion Association will hold its annual ceremony at the veterans memorial at Hamilton Avenue School. And the final event of the day is planned for 5 p.m. at the Belle Haven Club. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com In response to an explosive investigation, top Southern Baptists have released a previously secret list of hundreds of pastors and other church-affiliated personnel accused of sexual abuse. The 205-page database was made public late Thursday. It includes more than 700 entries from cases that largely span from 2000 to 2019. Its existence became widely known Sunday when the independent firm, Guidepost Solutions, included it in its bombshell report detailing how the Southern Baptist Conventions Executive Committee mishandled allegations of sex abuse, stonewalled numerous survivors and prioritized protecting the SBC from liability. Executive Committee leaders Rolland Slade and Willie McLaurin, in a joint statement, called publishing the list an initial, but important, step towards addressing the scourge of sexual abuse and implementing reform in the Convention." Each entry in this list reminds us of the devastation and destruction brought about by sexual abuse, they said. Our prayer is that the survivors of these heinous acts find hope and healing, and that churches will utilize this list proactively to protect and care for the most vulnerable among us. The Guidepost report, released after a seven-month investigation, contained several explosive revelations. Among them: D. August Boto, the committee's former vice president and general counsel, and former SBC spokesman Roger Oldham kept their own private list of abusive ministers. 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. The Executive Committee did not make additions to the published list, but their attorneys did redact several entries as well as the names and identifying information of survivors and others unrelated to the accused, Thursday's joint statement said. They made public entries that reference an admission, confession, guilty plea, conviction, judgment, sentencing, or inclusion on a sex offender registry, and expect some of the redacted entries on the list to be made public once more research is done. The list also includes Baptist ministers that are not affiliated with the SBC. Survivors and advocates have long called for a public database of abusers. The creation of an offender information system was one of the key recommendations in the report by Guidepost, which was contracted by the Executive Committee after delegates to last years national meeting pressed for an outside investigation. Also in the report was a shocking allegation that Johnny Hunt, a Georgia-based pastor and former SBC president, sexually assaulted another pastors wife during a beach vacation in 2010. Hunt has disputed the allegation, saying in a statement that he has "never abused anybody. He resigned May 13 as senior vice president of evangelism and leadership at the North American Mission Board, the SBCs domestic missions agency. On Wednesday, NAMB leaders announced changes to address the issue including committing to investigate abuse accusations and creating an Abuse Prevention and Response Committee to assess and strengthen existing policies and procedures. Also in the wake of the report's release, survivors have been calling in information about abuse allegations to the Executive Committee, Guidepost and members of a task force set up to oversee the firm's investigation, according to a joint statement from the three entities. A hotline is now open for survivors, or someone on their behalf, to report abuse allegations: 202-864-5578 or SBChotline@guidepostsolutions.com. Callers will be provided with care options and connected with an advocate, the statement said. Guidepost will maintain the hotline and keep the information confidential, but will not be looking into the allegations. The joint statement described the hotline as a stopgap measure for survivors" until delegates can pass reforms during this years national meeting scheduled for June 14-15 in Anaheim, California. The task force expects to make its formal motions based on the Guidepost report public next week. Those recommendations will then be presented for a vote in Anaheim. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. GREENWICH After a surge in COVID-19 cases in the Greenwich Public Schools this spring, the number of new cases reported Friday among students and staff dropped to 44, the smallest number in a about month in the district, according to the districts online tracker. The drop in the number of new cases occurred just before the school district began a three-day weekend for Memorial Day. The district reported 74 new cases of COVID last Tuesday in the twice-a-week updates. The total number of cases reported in the school district is now 639 for May, which is second only to January in COVID-19 cases. 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. The number of COVID-19 cases in the twice-a-week updates in the school district has fluctuated in recent weeks, but this is the first report to drop below 50 cases since April 8. The spread of the highly contagious BA.2 subvariant corresponds with the spike in cases seen across 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 746, according to the tracker. The Greenwich Public Schools has reported more cases of COVID-19 since Spring Recess than it reported in the entire 2020-21 school year, when it reported 700 cases. Since the Spring Recess in April, the breakdown has been 63 cases reported 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; 74 cases on May 24; and 44 cases on Friday. A total of 3,248 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the school district since classes began Sept. 1. That is more than quadruple the number of cases reported in the 2020-21 school year. Active cases As of Friday, the Greenwich Public Schools was reporting 51 active cases of COVID-19, down from 67 active cases on Tuesday; 68 active cases May 20; 93 active cases on May 17; and 119 active cases on May 13, according to the tracker. Active cases were reported in 12 of the school buildings, with the most 20 active cases reported at Greenwich High, the largest school in the district. The rest of the schools reported COVID-19 numbers in single digits, with seven active cases at Cos Cob; six active cases at Eastern Middle; three active cases each at North Mianus, Old Greenwich and Western Middle; two active cases each at Central Middle, Hamilton Avenue and New Lebanon; and one active case each at Glenville, Julian Curtiss and Riverside. There are no active cases at the International School at Dundee, North Street or Riverside. Of the 51 active cases, 42 were reported among students; five among teachers; and two each among nonteaching staff members and service providers, according to the district. A number of families in the Greenwich Public Schools have been hit hard by COVID-19 this school year, with 503 families reporting 1,083 cases. More numbers Since March 1, when the Greenwich school district moved to a mask-optional policy, a total of 1,257 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 639 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. Google has released a new update to the Android 13 Beta. Alhough were only halfway through the month, the new Android 13 Beta 2.1 patch will address a few issues that affected Pixel devices immediately following the initial release of the Android 13 Public Beta. Googles release notes include the following fixes: Fixed an issue where typing in the search bar resulted in a blank list of suggestions. Fixed an issue where devices would crash and restart when turning on hotspot. Fixed an issue where a continuous call dialing sound could be heard in the background during a phone call. Fixed an issue where devices would crash and restart after disconnecting from Android Auto. This mid-cycle update still includes the same list of known issues as the Beta 2 build that was released back on May 11 except the ones that are addressed above. According to 9to5Google, the search bar issue remains despite the mid-cycle update. Google Pixel 5, Pixel 6 Pro, and Pixel 5a If you are already on the Android 13 Beta, the update will automatically notify you via OTA notification. If you are on the Android 12 QPR (Quarterly Platform Release) Beta program, youll need to opt out and re-enroll for the Android 13 Beta keep in mind that the Android 13 Beta is still in early Beta and there is a meaty list of issues. Those who wish to enroll in either Beta program can enroll here. Remember, if you wish to enroll, you wont be able to revert to the public release without wiping data in most cases. Make sure you do proper research before enrolling on a device you use daily. Source Via Samsung Galaxy M13 Exp. release 2022, June 192g, 8.4mm thickness Android 12, One UI Core 4.1 64GB/128GB storage, microSDXC 32% 63,992 hits 15 Become a fan 6.6" 720x1600 pixels 50 MP 1080p 4 GB RAM Exynos 850 5000 mAh Li-Po Disclaimer. We can not guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct. Read more Samsung's quietly announced a new entry-level smartphone today, and it's not part of the incredibly successful A series. Instead, it's part of the much more confusing and less well defined M family. Meet the Samsung Galaxy M13. Samsung Galaxy M13 in Deep Green As the first digit strongly implies, this is a basic smartphone which should be rather affordable, although we can't comment on that since Samsung hasn't actually unveiled a price for it. That said, expect the M13 to be offered in Europe at least. Samsung Galaxy M13 in Orange Copper The phone comes with a 6.6-inch FHD+ screen with a V-shaped notch, the Exynos 850 chipset at the helm, 4GB of RAM, 64 or 128GB of expandable storage, and a 5,000 mAh battery. It has three rear cameras: a 50 MP f/1.8 main, a 5 MP f/2.2 ultrawide, and a 2 MP f/2.4 depth sensor. Selfies are taken care of by an 8 MP f/2.2 snapper. Samsung Galaxy M13 in Light Blue The Galaxy M13 runs Android 12 underneath Samsung's own One UI Core 4.1. "Core" means not all features seen in One UI 4.1 will be present, because of the entry-level hardware. This M13 doesn't have 5G support, although if we go by recent leaks an M13 5G should be launching pretty soon. The Galaxy M13 is going to be offered in Deep Green, Orange Copper, and Light Blue. It has dual-SIM functionality and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Source | Via The military is not doing enough to protect endangered species on Guam in connection with the ongoing buildup and needs to stop clearing land, including the site of the new machine gun range, according to environmental advocates and Prutehi Litekyan: Save Riditian, who announced plans to sue the Navy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Center for Biological Diversity, Blue Ocean Law and Prutehi Litekyan sent the Navy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife a letter Friday, giving them 60 days notice of the pending lawsuit, as required by the federal Endangered Species Act. According to the notice, the Navy has largely failed to meet its commitments to protect 5,234 acres of bird habitat, restore habitat so three bird species can be reintroduced to the island, suppress the invasive brown tree snake and grow and plant seedlings for several plants, including some which are used by an endangered butterfly. The military plans to transfer as many as 5,000 Marines from Okinawa and elsewhere to Marine Corps Camp Blaz, which is under construction in Dededo, as part of a larger realignment of U.S. military forces in the Asia-Pacific region. The first large group of Marines is expected to arrive in 2025, with others being gradually transferred to Guam through 2027. Military projects are being built in several different areas: the 563-acre Camp Blaz main cantonment; aviation facilities at Andersen Air Force Base North Ramp; family housing at Andersen; an urban combat training facility at Andersen South and harbor improvements at Naval Base Guam to support the movement of Marines. The first phase of a new firing range at Andersen to support Marine training is almost complete. The sites machine gun range, which will require a surface danger zone that extends over Guams northern waters, is scheduled to be complete in 2024. Military officials earlier this month told Guam lawmakers construction activity will peak during fiscal years 2023 through 2025, with more than $1 billion in projects each of those years. Military expansion is destroying Guams precious natural and cultural heritage, and enough is enough, said Maxx Phillips, Hawaii director and staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. Instead of barely doing the absolute minimum, the Navy needs to take responsibility and correct the problems its largely caused. According to the notice from the environmental advocates, the Fish and Wildlife Service issued three different opinions that state the relocation of U.S. Marines to Guam adversely affects several imperiled species, including the Mariana crow, the Guam Micronesian Kingfisher, the Guam rail, the Mariana fruit bat, the Mariana eight-spot butterfly, three species of tree snail and seven native plants, including the single remaining adult hayun lagu tree. The notice states the Navy violated the Endangered Species Act by failing to implement the conservation measures identified by the Fish and Wildlife Service. The Navy also failed to consult with Fish and Wildlife, as required, when there was new evidence about harm to species, the notice states. The plight of several of the species has only grown more dire while (the Navy) continues to undertake activities that further harm these protected species, the notice states. If (the Navy) does not remedy these violations in the next 60 days, we intend to file suit in federal court. Rhee Keun, a South Korean volunteer fighter in Ukraine, returned home Friday after sustaining knee injuries while in action. The Navy SEAL-turned-YouTuber arrived at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, at around 7:30 a.m., about three months after he left for Ukraine to join the Russia-Ukraine war as a volunteer fighter. Appearing before reporters shortly after arrival, Rhee, in khaki pants and a black top, said he had cruciate ligament ruptures on both of his knees that require surgery. Rhee walked on his own with a slight limp with his companion occasionally assisting him. "I returned for rehabilitation and treatment," Rhee told reporters, adding "I am anxious to go back" to Ukraine. "There is a lot to do, as the war is not over yet. We should fight harder and continue to fight," he said. He briefly talked about his experiences in the war, including witnessing a Ukrainian civilian being shot and killed while he was on his first mission. "I have seen many criminal acts while witnessing the war first hand," he said. Police plan to question him over Passport Law violations soon, as he traveled to the war-stricken country in defiance of the country's travel ban on Ukraine. Upon arrival, police checked the extent of his injuries and imposed an overseas travel ban on him. "I will cooperate with a police investigation and receive punishment," he said. In a Twitter post a week earlier, Ukraine's International Legion of Territorial Defense said Ken Rhee, who "sustained injuries on the battlefield ... will return home for rehabilitation," calling him by his English name. South Korea has banned its nationals from traveling to all regions of Ukraine since mid-February amid safety concerns. Those who enter the country without approval can face up to a year in prison or a maximum fine of 10 million won (US$7,961) under the law. (Yonhap) You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Haiti - Insecurity : A FADH member killed in P-au-P Tuesday afternoon, Kerby Normil, a soldier of the Armed Forces of Haiti (FADH) from the 4th promotion of the Corps of Military Engineers and who was trained in Ecuador, was shot dead in Port-au-Prince, in street Joseph Janvier near Place Sainte-Anne by armed individuals on motorbikes. The soldier hit by several projectiles, at least seven projectiles according to a police source, did not survive. At least two other people were reportedly injured during this attack and taken to a hospital to receive the care their cases require, including a woman who accompanied him and who was shot in the neck. According to some information, his brother, who accompanied also him in the vehicle, died in hospital from his injuries. The reason for this attack according to certain information, to be taken with the usual precautions, would be a settling of scores relating to the division of family property following the death of his father. HL/ HaitiLibre U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Beijing, Thursday, to work with the U.S. on global issues, including North Korea, as he laid out America's policy toward China and their intensifying power competition. The top U.S. diplomat insisted the two powers must cooperate on vital global issues despite their differences. "On non-proliferation and arms control, it's in all of our interests to uphold the rules, the norms, the treaties that help reduce the spread of weapons of mass destruction," Blinken said in an address delivered at George Washington University. "China and the United States must keep working together and with other countries to address Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs, and we remain ready to discuss directly with Beijing our respective responsibilities as nuclear powers," he added. Blinken's remarks come as North Korea is widely anticipated to conduct a nuclear weapon test as part of its ongoing saber-rattling. Pyongyang has staged 17 missile tests this year, including at least four suspected launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Officials in Seoul have said the country appears to have completed "all preparations" for a nuclear test, which would mark North Korea's seventh nuclear test if conducted. Pyongyang last conducted such a test in September 2017. "We remain committed to intense diplomacy, alongside intense competition," said Blinken. "Even as we invest, align and compete, or work together with Beijing where our interests come together, we can't let the disagreements that divide us stop us from moving forward on the priorities that demand that we work together for the good of our people and for the good of the world," he added. (Yonhap) Haiti - Education : Single Book Workshop The work continued yesterday afternoon at the Royal Oasis hotel between specialists, staff of the Ministry and representatives of publishing houses on the singular problems of the Single Book, for the first four years of the fundamental, in 3 groups of reflection on that question. The central question for the working group yesterday Thursday was: "what approach should we take to design the single book ?". Many ideas emerged; the discussions were interesting; many proposals have been made to move the ministry forward on the issue. The book will be used in all schools in Haiti, according to the decision of Minister Nesmy Manigat, who has already begun to reflect on this issue since 2015 during his first stint at the head of the ministry. For Minister Manigat, the Single Book is an initiative that will allow more social justice, access and equity... "It's a chance for all children" to develop their skills and knowledge and to succeed in life. The Minister has constantly denounced the waste of money when a child in the first year of basic education is given 17 books to carry in his school bag. The Minister went on to say that this decision aims to give all children, without distinction, the same chance to develop their skills and knowledge and achieve their best career. According to the MENFP, the single book will contain everything a child needs to know; what he needs to know about reading, math, science, etc... The objective is to allow the ministry to better direct the final phase of this file, and to hear the first actors involved in the single book file such as parents, educators and book-producing companies. This activity is linked to education sector reforms, particularly in terms of curriculum reform. According to the method of supervision of the workshop, the participants had to comment on this file and make valid proposals that would allow the ministry to draft a specification on the Single Book. Gerard Marie Tardieu, representative of Copivit editions; Peter Frisch, representing Editions Henri Deschamps; Mrs. Frank Paul, representative of the Canape edition; Charles Tardieu, representative of Zemes publishing and Jocelyne Trouillot, representative of Caribbean university publishing, are among those who shared with the public their experiences on the Single Book dossier. The activities continue this Friday, May 27. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Employer associations challenge the decision... Employer associations challenge the government's decision to introduce, "without public debate", changes to the customs tariff, excise duties of the investment code as well as other miscellaneous taxes and levies in the published 2021-2022 budget last May. They are calling for the budget to be put on hold. They advocate, to reduce shortfalls and recurring budget deficits, the gradual abolition of subsidies on petroleum products "by practicing the truth of the prices at the pump". Social appeasement program of 3 billion gourdes The government finally officially launched this Thursday its social appeasement program announced last December by Prime Minister Ariel Henry. About 3 billion gourdes from the public treasury are earmarked for this purpose. This amount will consist, among other things, of supplying nearly 300 community restaurants for the benefit of just over 100,000 people, distributing 100,000 solidarity baskets each month and financial assistance of 3,000 gourdes to approximately 50,0000 households over a period of three months, said the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST). "Corventina" among the top 21 players The American media, ESPN has just published a list of 21 best players under 21 in the world. Melchie Daelle Dumornay is 9th in this ranking. Corventina is the only Caribbean in this list. Vehicle tint law maintained The Ariel Henry Government, to fight against insecurity, has maintained in the 2022 budget the right to color a vehicle as stipulated in article 10 of the amending budget for (2021-2022) "Any owner of vehicles who, because of their activity professional wishes to travel in a vehicle with tinted windows is required to pay a fixed fee called the vehicle tint fee Haiti Health Fair The Initiative of Women in Haitian Tourism (IFTH) supports the first edition of the Health Fair in Haiti which will be organized on Friday, May 29, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Quisqueya University (Haut Turgeau) by the Services and Dental Tourism Agency (ASSURDENT) on the theme "Our planet, our health". HL/ HaitiLibre 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 South Korea will deepen partnerships with Southeast Asian nations to tackle common challenges in the Indo-Pacific and cooperate on a new U.S.-led economic framework in the region, Seoul's top diplomat said Friday. In a meeting with 10 ambassadors here from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at his office, Foreign Minister Park Jin said the Yoon Suk-yeol administration plans to strengthen "strategic cooperation" with ASEAN members in such sectors as the economy, security, healthcare and technology. He added that Seoul hopes for closer ties with ASEAN with regard to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) launched earlier this week. (Yonhap) We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here The chief nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan will meet in Seoul next week to discuss North Korea's continued provocations, the foreign ministry said Friday. Kim Gunn, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will have back-to-back bilateral and trilateral meetings with his American and Japanese counterparts, Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi, respectively, June 3, according to the ministry. The officials are expected to share their assessments on North Korea's recent missile tests, and the possibility of it conducting a nuclear weapon test, and a joint strategy to deal with the recalcitrant nation. (Yonhap) Kim Tae-hoon, a representative of Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea, unveils a document from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about meetings between Youn Mee-hyang, former head of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, and a ministry official ahead of the 2015 agreement between Korea and Japan on settling the sex slavery incident, at the organization's office in southern Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap By Kwon Mee-yoo Youn Mee-hyang, a sex slavery activist-turned-lawmaker, is once again under fire for not being up front about what she knew and when she knew it, regarding a controversial 2015 settlement deal between Korea and Japan on the historical issue. New evidence shows she was informed of the settlement ahead of its official announcement. Previously, she was accused of keeping the details of the agreement a secret from the victims of Japan's wartime sex slavery. Lawyers for Human Rights and Unification of Korea (LHUK) unveiled four documents detailing the talks between Youn and an official in charge of Northeast Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday. The documents suggest that Youn had known the details of the settlement before it was released. The lawyers' organization filed an information disclosure suit against the ministry, and the ministry said it hopes that the document will clarify factual grounds of the controversy regarding the agreement. According to the LHUK, Youn, then the head of the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, met with the foreign ministry official four times, including on Dec. 27, 2015, the day before the agreement was declared, and was informed of the details of the agreement. Explaining the document, the ministry official mentioned the three main actions of Japan that the country regrets concerning wartime sex slavery, adding that the Japanese prime minister will officially apologize and saying that Japan will provide 1 billion yen to the foundation for the victims. The document had some parts redacted, including Youn's response to the ministry official, as the court designated the range of information to be released. Activist-turned-lawmaker Youn Mee-hyang, left, and surviving wartime sex slavery victim Lee Yong-soo / Korea Times file A photo of ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi is hung on the window of a Burmese restaurant in Bupyeong District, Incheon, May 23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk This is the second in a series of articles to shed light on various ethnic groups living in Korea and have more of their voices heard. ED. Myanmarese who fled political turmoil in homeland, settle in Incheon's manufacturing district By Lee Hyo-jin Bupyeong, INCHEON Bupyeong District in Incheon, west of Seoul, may be best known for its huge underground shopping center and vibrant nightlife. But off the main street near exit 5 of Bupyeong Station are hidden several restaurants and grocery stores with colorful signs written in Burmese. In this small yet bustling "Myanmartown," it is common to see groups of Southeast Asian people heading to restaurants looking for a taste of home. Among the restaurants is Mingalarpar, which means "hello" in Burmese, run by Win Lay, 50. "Any Myanmarese person would feel at home here in Bupyeong," he said. "Burmese workers who live across the country gather here every weekend to meet their friends and enjoy authentic Burmese dishes." One may wonder how Bupyeong became the "spiritual home" of the Myanmarese community, when only about 600 Burmese actually live there. That is not a large number considering that there are nearly 27,000 Burmese people residing in Korea. This photo shows the Burmese restaurant Mingalarpar, run by Win Lay. Korea Times photo by Lee Hyo-jin According to Win Lay, who has been living in the region for nearly 30 years, it all began with the opening of a Burmese restaurant in the late 1990s. "The restaurant immediately attracted Myanmarese laborers working at factories in nearby Namdong Industrial District. As more people came, several other eateries and bars opened down this street," he said. He added that Burmese people can also fulfill their religious needs in Bupyeong. After the establishment of a Myanmarese Buddhist temple in 2002, four more temples were built in the area. The inside of a Myanmar Buddhist temple in Bupyeong District, Incheon, May 23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk Win Lay is a political refugee who left his home country roiled by political unrest, after he took part in the pro-democracy protests in 1988, also known as "the 8888 Uprising." The four-digit number means that the popular protests started on Aug. 8, 1988. But he was not the only Burmese asylum seeker in Korea back then. According to the Ministry of Justice, 146 out of the 600 Burmese residents living in Bupyeong came to Korea initially as asylum seekers. Their applications were later accepted and now live there as refugees. Yan Naing Htun, special representative of the Korean office of the National Unity Government (NUG) of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar poses in his office in Bupyeong District, Incheon, May 25. Korea Times photo by Lee Hyo-jin Yan Naing Htun, 52, is one of them. The active participant of the 8888 uprising entered Korea in 1991, and was granted refugee status several years later. Thirty years on, he is now at the center of pro-democracy movements held by Burmese residents in Korea against the ongoing military oppression in Myanmar. He currently leads the Korean office of the National Unity Government (NUG) of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, a coalition of the country's democratic forces comprised of anti-coup leaders, ethnic minorities and lawmakers who were ousted by the military coup on Feb. 1, 2021. It has been 15 months since the junta began nationwide crackdowns on anti-coup street protests, resorting to mass killings and the detention of civilians. However, with other global issues such as the war in Ukraine and presidential election dominating the headlines in Korean media, the crisis in Myanmar slowly faded from the front pages of newspapers. "A decrease in media coverage does not mean that things have become better in Myanmar. In fact, the situation has gone worse," said Yan Naing Htun, showing this reporter video clips of the military's brutal attack on pro-democracy protesters and photos of displaced civilians after their houses were burnt down by junta troops. "These are not being revealed to the outside world because the military cuts internet and phone lines in areas where they launch attacks, in order to prevent media coverage of their atrocities," he said. Over the past year, Yan Naing Htun held multiple rallies in Korea, gave media interviews calling for help from the Korean government, and led fundraising campaigns to support anti-military fighters. A poster encouraging Myanmar residents to participate in the "one-day challenge" hangs on the wall near a Burmese restaurant. Launched by the Myanmar community, participants of the campaign donate one day's worth of their monthly income to support the pro-democracy movements in their home country. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk Not to his surprise, the activist soon found himself on the military junta's wanted list. "What I'm more worried about is that the military is threatening to arrest even family members of protesters. So I'm trying not to keep in touch with my family in Myanmar to keep them safe," he said. When asked what support Myanmar needs from Korea, he said, "The most urgent help is for the Korean government to recognize the NUG, so that we can officially cooperate in supporting the resistance fighters." The NUG, which has offices in six other countries Norway, France, Japan, Czech Republic, Austria and Australia has yet to win recognition from any country. Zay min, head of the Myanmar Migrant Worker Welfare Center, poses in his office in Bupyeong District, Incheon, May 23. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk The Supreme Court increased the sentence imposed on a man found guilty of sexually assaulting and killing a 20-month-old baby girl to life in prison, Friday. The ruling raised a lower court's 30-year prison term for the 30-year-old man, identified only by his surname Yang, who was tried for raping and killing the baby daughter of his live-in girlfriend in June last year. "It is right to separate the defendant from society forever, given the cruelty of his crime," the court said. The court also ordered that he be banned from working at child-related facilities for 10 years, wear a tracking device for 20 years and undergo 200 hours of a child abuse treatment program. However, it rejected the prosecution's requests for chemical castration treatment and the disclosure of his identity. Yang was convicted of killing the baby by covering her with a blanket, and punching and stomping on her for about an hour while drunk at his home in Daejeon, about 165 kilometers south of Seoul, because she did not stop crying. He was also convicted of raping the toddler before beating her to death. Yang and his girlfriend, surnamed Jeong, hid the victim's body in an ice box in their bathroom. Also overturning a lower court's one-and-a-half year imprisonment ruling, the court sentenced Jeong to three years in prison. (Yonhap) An appellate court upheld, Friday, a 10-year prison sentence for a 30-year-old man for sexually exploiting dozens of boys and male teenagers to produce and circulate their nude images and videos online. The Seoul High Court handed down the sentence to Kim Young-jun, confirming a lower court's decision to convict him of all the charges filed against him, including producing and spreading sexually exploitative images and videos of boys and male adolescents, as well as sexual assault. Posing as a woman to hook up with underage men on chatting apps, he allegedly filmed 79 boys and male teenagers naked over video calls between 2011 and 2021. Since 2020, he has sold eight pieces of the sexually exploitative materials and 1,839 other illegally filmed obscene videos of adults. At the time of his arrest last year, he possessed around 1,570 pieces of sexually exploitative images and videos of underage men, on top of some 5,470 pieces involving adults. He was also accused of coercing and sexually assaulting a male victim between 2018 and 2020. The appellate court also upheld the lower court's order of a forfeiture of 14.8 million won ($11,780) on Kim, along with a decision to ban him from working at children- and disability-related facilities for 10 years. (Yonhap) New Zealand has officially welcomed its second Holiday Inn Express Hotel with the opening of the design-led Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre, offering modern and affordable accommodation in Auckland's CBD. A joint partnership between Pro-invest Hotels and IHG Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre is part of the one of a kind, dual-hotel development which also calls home to the state-of-the-art 201-room voco Auckland City Centre, which opened its doors earlier this month. Boasting a purposeful and contemporary design palate that creates a relaxed, warm environment from the lobby to the top floor and every space in between, the hotel features 294 well-appointed guest rooms featuring walk-in showers, black-out blinds, an efficient work station and high-quality bedding with a choice of firm or soft pillows. With floor to ceiling windows in all of the rooms, guests are guaranteed to have a prime vantage point of Auckland and its surrounds. Guests can kick start their day with a complimentary EXPRESS Start Breakfast that includes hot and cold options, or for those who prefer fuss-free mornings there is the choice of the Express Start Breakfast Grab & Go option. And in the evenings, guests can choose from a drink in the Great Room or head up to the neighbouring voco Auckland City Centre for Italian at Mozzarella & Co. or cocktails at the rooftop bar, Bar Albert on Level 38 (opening early August). "We're delighted to be opening New Zealand's second Holiday Inn Express property with Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre, offering travellers comfort, convenience and affordability in the heart of the city," said Shantha de Silva, Chief Operating Officer, Pro-invest Hotels. "Much thought has been put into every detail of this hotel and we are very proud to have the Holiday Inn Express brand sitting alongside voco Hotel in New Zealand's first dual branded hotel development. This year has been a year of 'firsts' for Pro-invest Hotels and the opening of this hotel tower marks a major milestone for our business. We were the first to bring the voco brand to New Zealand and the first to bring Holiday Inn Express to the country with our Queenstown property. Now, with quarantine free travel returning to New Zealand we look forward to welcoming travellers to Auckland and can't wait for our guests to experience these new properties." As one of IHG's fastest growing hotel brands, Holiday Inn Express is well-loved for its approach to simple, smart travel. The brand's much-loved perks will be on offer in Auckland, with business travellers able to appreciate the fast check-in and unlimited fast WiFi as well as the three flexible meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 40 people. Plus, there's access to a 24 hour reception, fitness room and a self-service laundry. Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre's strong commitment to sustainability means it is on track to achieve Green Engage Certification. In addition, the hotel is committed to using energy efficient equipment and systems throughout the property and chooses not to use single use plastics, using bulk amenities instead of one-time use disposable bathroom amenities. Continuously looking to reduce its environmental footprint, the hotel also offers 'A Greener Stay' initiative, which gives guests the option of reducing their environmental footprint when staying two or more nights by opting out of housekeeping services helping to save energy, water use and waste output. To celeb rate the official opening of Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre, the hotel is offering 20% off the best available rate starting from $205 NZD per room per night valid for bookings and stays from now until 26 August 2022. For bookings, please visit https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/auckland/aklcc/hoteldetail Having joined Hyatt back in 1997, Mantoani brings 25 years of Hyatt Management experience, with nine years in a GM role. His hospitality career initially started in the food and beverage sector, before developing into a successful career path at Hyatt that has spanned over 10 countries, with predominant exposure in the GCC region. His most recent pre-opening success was with the luxury Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas, preceded by the opening of the Park Hyatt Dubai. Grand Hyatt Kuwait Kuwait Website Hailing from a small town in the south of Sicily, Anna Alaimo is the newest addition to Media One Hotel's Ciao Bella restaurant. The young chef will head up the kitchen to showcase her skills in Italian cuisine and create a new menu for the restaurant that will be revealed in June 2022. Before joining Media One, Alaimo came to the UAE as a commi and progressed up the ladder fast. She had a stint working with in-flight catering, where she was a chef for business and first-class passengers. Alaimo learned how to cook at the age of nine and it was her mother who inspired her to cook by telling her to fill the boring summer months by making lunch. Barcelona - ReviewPro, a Shiji Group brand, publishes the first of a series of quarterly data reports for hoteliers wishing to keep ahead of online reputation and review trends. The comprehensive report covers everything related to current review metrics including volume, source, management response rates, both on a Global and on a regional level. Some of the key findings include: Review volume: global review volume increased by 46.5% in Q1 2022 over Q1 2021 global review volume increased by 46.5% in Q1 2022 over Q1 2021 Guest satisfaction has fallen by 1.4%, or 1.2 points, since the start of the pandemic. has fallen by 1.4%, or 1.2 points, since the start of the pandemic. Review market share: booking.com generated more reviews than any other review source in Q1 2022. booking.com generated more reviews than any other review source in Q1 2022. Source indexes: ratings on Booking.com are generally lower than other sources. ratings on Booking.com are generally lower than other sources. There is room for improvement in response rates and times, with only 61.2% of respondable reviews receiving a response and an average response time of 3.8 days. ReviewPro has been providing hoteliers with review data to help understand their online reputation and make data driven operational and service improvements for over a decade. In that time much has changed but one thing has remained the same - online reputation is still a benchmark of excellence and a reliable way of determining a hotels performance,says Michael Kessler, CEO of ReviewPro. The report includes: Key findings on: review volume, review ratings, star segments, review market share, management response, and more. review volume, review ratings, star segments, review market share, management response, and more. Global and regional data sets on: Global Review Index metrics (GRI), review sources market share and volume, semantic analysis and categories affecting reputation, management response and more. Global Review Index metrics (GRI), review sources market share and volume, semantic analysis and categories affecting reputation, management response and more. Expert insights: a range of experts and hoteliers give comment on the state of reviews and how they manage reviews. a range of experts and hoteliers give comment on the state of reviews and how they manage reviews. Reputation strategies for global hoteliers. Download your free copy of ReviewPros Global Hotel Review Benchmark here. About Shiji's ReviewPro ReviewPro, a Shiji Group brand, offers over a decade of experience and investment in innovation to ensure we continue to be the benchmark of the hospitality industry. Our cloud-based Guest Experience Platform includes Hotel Reputation, Guest Surveys, Case Management, and Messaging Automation. Shiji's ReviewPro owns the industry-standard online reputation score, the Global Review Index (GRI), a propriety algorithm based on review data collected from +140 OTAs and review sites in +45 languages. With over, 60,000 establishments in +150 countries, Shiji's ReviewPro offers the technology, support, and education to empower hoteliers to be better. For more information, please visit: www.reviewpro.com. Jana Antonioli Junior Marketing Specialist View source DETROIT Detroit-based real estate development company, The Roxbury Group, in collaboration with TreeFort Hospitality, announced today a major renovation to downtown Detroits historic David Whitney Building and will rebrand its hotel as an Autograph Collection hotel upon completion. The renovations will include an expansion of the hotel as well as new food and beverage venues. The centerpiece of the project, a new Autograph Collection hotel, will be undertaken in phases over the next 12 to 14 months and will involve the complete renovation of all 136 guest rooms, and the addition of two more hotel floors for a total of 160 guest rooms and suites. Additionally, 24 of the David Whitneys current apartments are expected to be converted to one and two-bedroom hotel suites, leaving 80 residences on the upper seven floors. Roxbury Groups plans also call for substantial upgrades to the hotels lobby bar, atrium lounge, and outdoor seating. In addition, plans include a restaurant in the current Capper & Capper event space at the corner of Woodward and Park Avenues. The Roxbury Group is in discussions with a number of potential operators for the restaurant and expect to announce more specific plans by the end of summer. In working with Marriott International and our management team at Azul Hospitality, we concluded that downtown Detroit was ready for the level of service and experience that an Autograph Collection hotel would bring and of course there is simply no better place for that to happen than the David Whitney, said Stacy Fox, Principal, The Roxbury Group. Autograph Collection Hotels advocate for the original championing the individuality of each of its over 250 independent hotels located in the most desirable destinations across 43 countries and territories. Hand-selected for their inherent craft and distinct perspectives on design and hospitality, Autograph Collection properties offer rich immersive moments that leave a lasting imprint. The David Whitney will be the first Autograph Collection property in downtown Detroit. The David Whitney, designed by famed Chicago architecture firm D.H. Burnham and Company, originally opened as a medical office and retail building in 1915. Following a decline in the fortunes of the Grand Circus Park Historic District, the building closed in the late 1990s. A partnership led by The Roxbury Group acquired the property in 2011, and after a $94-million restoration, the David Whitney Building reopened with great fanfare in 2014 as a mixed-used property, marking a major milestone in the decades-long rebirth of Detroits theatre district. Work is expected to commence later this summer and is targeted to be completed by late 2023. The Roxbury Group is working with Detroit-based Patrick Thompson Design and Infuz Architects on the design for the hotel, as well as with Gensler on brand-identity and OBrien Construction Company on construction management. The hotel will continue to be managed by San Diego-based Azul Hospitality, which also manages the Element Detroit at the Metropolitan and the Monarch Club for the Roxbury Group. About the Roxbury Group The Roxbury Group is a real estate development and investment firm founded in 2005. The firm specializes in complex real estate and economic development projects. Since its founding, the Roxbury Group has developed $300 million in projects with $150 million of projects in the pipeline. In addition to the David Whitney and the Element Detroit at the Metropolitan Building, Roxburys hospitality work includes the AC Detroit at the Bonstelle in midtown Detroit which is targeted to break ground later this year, and a planned 150 key hotel at Ann Arbors Broadway Park West development. Roxburys TreeFort Hospitality arm has been responsible for several notable food and beverage venues including the Buhl Bar, the Monarch Club, the Hammer & Nail and the Cadillac House Inn and Tavern in Lexington, Michigan. TreeFort is currently developing a second bar venue for the Metropolitan that will open later this year. About Azul Hospitality Group (Azul) Azul Hospitality Group (Azul), a preferred management company for the AC Hotels by Marriott brand, has a robust infrastructure of industry professionals with extensive experience in all aspects of hotel operations and development services. The company's primary focus is on upscale hotels and resorts, with unique destination and product attributes. Other recent Marriott-branded projects with Azul management include Moxy San Diego Downtown/Gaslamp Quarter; AC Hotel by Marriott Phoenix Biltmore; The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa; Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa; The Guild Hotel, San Diego, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel; Sheraton Redding Hotel at the Sundial Bridge; and Element Detroit at the Metropolitan. For additional information, go to www.azulhg.com. LAS VEGAS - Expedia Group Media Solutions, the global travel advertising platform connecting marketers with millions of travelers across the Expedia Group brands, today released its Q1 2022 Travel Trend Report. The quarterly report combines Expedia Group first-party data and custom research with actionable insights and industry examples to help travel marketers on their continued journey toward rebuilding. "As we look back on the first quarter of the year and forward to the months ahead, were optimistic about what 2022 has in store, said Jennifer Andre, Global Vice President, Media Solutions. Rising travel intent, lengthening search windows, a lift in international searches, and growing consumer interest in sustainable travel are just a few of the positive trends we saw in Q1 2022. This year is shaping up to be a year of sustained growth and we look forward to collaborating with our partners and across the industry to continue rebuilding tourism for the future. Key findings from the Expedia Group Media Solutions Q1 2022 Travel Trend Report include: Travel Searches Surge as Restrictions Ease With a new year comes new enthusiasm for travel, as evidence d by the lift in global searches. During Q1, global search volume was up 25% quarter-over-quarter, led by double-digit growth in North America (NORAM) at 30% and in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at 25%. A prior year comparison further illustrates strong recovery, with global search volumes up 75% year-over-year compared to Q1 2021. All regions saw a year-over-year lift, with EMEA search volume up 165%, NORAM up 70%, Latin America (LATAM) up 50%, and Asia Pacific (APAC) up 30%. Week-over-week search volume fluctuated throughout Q1, but during the week of February 14, all regions saw week-over-week growth following changes and announcements related to vaccine and mask mandates around the world, including in the U.S. and Europe. Growing Traveler Confidence = Longer Search Windows With traveler confidence on the upswing, Q1 saw lengthening search windows. Global share of searches in the 180+ day search window increased 1 90%, while the 0- to 21day search window decreased 15% quarter-over-quarter. Regionally, shorter search window share in APAC and LATAM held steady between Q4 2021 and Q1 2022, while EMEA and NORAM travelers searched further out, with the 91- to 180day search window increasing 140% and 60%, respectively. In Q1, 60% of global domestic searches fell within the 0- to 30day window, a 10% decrease compared to Q4, while the share of searches in 91- to 180day window increased 80% quarter-over-quarter. Global international search share for the 91- to 180+ day window increased 35% quarter over quarter, with the 91- to 180day window seeing the largest gains. Big Cities & Beaches Maintain Appeal Major cities such as Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, and London remained popular with travelers and made the global top 10 list of booked destinations in Q1, along with beach destinations like Cancun, Punta Cana, Honolulu, and Miami. Las Vegas topped the global list, surpassing New York, which held the No. 1 spot in Q3 and Q4 2021. However, for the third consecutive quarter, New York appeared on the top 10 list of booked destinations across all regions. New intra-regional destinations also appeared on the top 10 booked destinations list in each region, including Rome in EMEA, Puerta Vallarta in LATAM, and Phoenix in NORAM. In APAC, destinations within Australia experienced strong quarter-over-quarter growth, including Sydney, Melbourne and Surfers Paradise. Lodging Performance on the Rise Global lodging bookings for hotels and vacation rentals combined were up 35% quarter-over-quarter, and all regions experienced at least double-digit growth in Q1. During Q1, 15 of the top 25 global destinations saw double-digit growth in hotel bookings quarter-over-quarter. Global lodging length of stay held steady between Q4 2021 and Q1 2022, at 2 days for hotel stays an d 5.5 days for vacation rental stays. With both winter breaks and spring vacations occurring during Q1, vacation rentals had another positive quarter, with substantial quarter-over-quarter growth in vacation rental night counts. Domestic travel continued to dominate the vacation rental space, with Australia, France, Brazil, and the U.S. being the top booked countries for their respective regions. Growing Demand and Opportunity for Sustainable Tourism Consumers around the world are already making more mindful decisions when traveling, such as opting for more eco-conscious and sustainable offerings, and more want to do so in the future. However, many feel overwhelmed by starting the process of being a more sustainable traveler and are looking for sustainability information from trusted travel resources and providers. According to our recent Sustainable Travel Study, two-thirds of consumers want to see more information on sustainability from lodging and transportation providers, and half want to see this information from destination organizations. Additionally, 50% of consumers would be willing to pay more for transportation, activities, and lodging if the option was more sustainable. More Q1 2022 Travel Insights For more data and insights from 70 petabytes of exclusive global Expedia Group travel intent and demand data, download the full Q1 2022 Travel Trend Report here. Subscribe to the Media Solutions blog and connect on Twitter and LinkedIn for more travel trends and regional insights. 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 Ashley Goncena China-Europe freight train heads to Budapest Xinhua) 11:41, May 27, 2022 YINCHUAN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- A freight train loaded with fiberglass departed Thursday morning from Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, bound for Budapest, Hungary. The 1,300 tonnes of fiberglass, worth 10.5 million yuan (about 1.6 million U.S. dollars), is scheduled to travel around 8,500 km and arrive at its destination in 21 days, according to China Railway Lanzhou Group Co., Ltd. It is the first China-Europe freight train operated from Ningxia this year, and also the first route linking the two cities. The new route will greatly shorten the delivery time of enterprises, effectively accelerate the speed of goods circulation and payment, and reduce transportation costs. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) A voter casts a ballot at a polling station in Daegu's Dalseo District, Friday, the first day of two-day early voting for June 1 local elections. Yonhap Early voting opened Friday for next week's local elections and National Assembly by-elections that can significantly strengthen or undermine the mandate of the new government of President Yoon Suk-yeol less than a month after its launch. Eligible voters can cast ballots at 3,551 polling stations nationwide from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Saturday, according to the National Election Commission (NEC). COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine will be able to vote from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. but only on Saturday. Up for grabs are 17 metropolitan mayoral and provincial governor posts, heads of 226 lower-level councils, as well as 779 seats in provincial and metropolitan councils and 2,602 in lower-level local councils. This year's elections have drawn greater attention as seven Assembly seats are also at stake, with political heavyweights, such as former presidential candidates Lee Jae-myung and Ahn Cheol-soo, throwing their hats into the ring. Both the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) have been calling on people to participate in early voting, claiming that high early voting turnout can ensure victory in the June 1 elections. A survey by Gallup Korea showed 69.8 percent of the people answering they will definitely vote in the upcoming elections. Of them, 30.3 percent said they intend to cast ballots during early voting. Former lawmaker Kim Eun-hye, left, the People Power Party's candidate for governor of Gyeonggi Province, casts her ballot together with her husband Yoo Hyung-dong, at a polling station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Friday, the first day of two-day early voting for the June 1 local elections. Joint Press Corps Former Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon, right, the Democratic Party of Kore's candidate for the Gyeonggi Province governor, casts his ballot together with his wife Jeong Woo-young at a polling station in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Friday, the first day of two-day early voting for the June 1 local elections. Joint Press Corps Recent polls showed the PPP taking the lead in most big races, except those in the liberal Honam region, the home turf of the DPK. The PPP hopes it can extend the momentum of the presidential election victory and win more than half of the 17 gubernatorial and mayoral posts. The conservative party believes Yoon's summit with U.S. President Joe Biden and recent North Korea provocations can be helpful for its campaign, especially among those seeking stabilized operation of the Yoon administration. The DPK, which controls a majority in the National Assembly, is looking to recover from the March 9 presidential election defeat and expand its power across the nation to keep the Yoon government in check. The liberal party, which scored a landslide victory in the 2018 local elections, has been promoting that most incumbent local government heads are from the party and that they should be allowed to continue their jobs. People gather at a polling station at the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Council, Friday, the first day of two-day early voting for the June 1 local elections. Yonhap Join us on May 31st, from 3 - 5 PM CET for our Subscription and Loyalty Summit! With younger generations being a commanding force in hospitality, industry leaders need to adapt their loyalty and subscription programs to remain relevant in today's world. Our industry experts will discuss real-world tactics on how to build loyalty to capture the new age of travellers. Speakers: Micheal Ros - Co-Founder and CEO @ Bidroom Minh Tam Ngo - Strategic Designer @ Lufthansa Innovation Hub Gina Richmond - SVP Commercial Partnerships @ Planet Liora Nuchowicz - Global Community Lead @ Selina CoLive Kunal Bharti - VP of Global Sales & Distribution @ Selina CoLive The conference will run for 2 hours and includes; 5 speakers, including a 20-minute audience Q&A panel. This event is complimentary and brought to you by Bidroom. Limit: 500 participants Visit https://www.imeethotel.com/subscription-and-loyalty for more details. This webinar is hosted by I Meet Hotel For more information please contact Kristian Lupinski LIVE Razboi in Ucraina, ziua 99: Zelenski: Fortele ruse ocupa acum aproximativ 20% din teritoriul Ucrainei / Rusii, la un pas sa cucereasca regiunea Luhansk / UE renunta sa il mai sanctioneze pe patriarhul Kirill / SUA iau in calcul livrarea de drone de atac Ucrainei This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for maximum sanctions against Russia during a virtual speech Monday to corporate executives, government officials and other elites on the first day of the World Economic Forum gathering in Davos. He said sanctions need to go further to stop Russias aggression, including an oil embargo, blocking all of its banks and cutting off trade with Russia completely. 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," Zelenskyy said through a translator. He also pushed for the complete withdrawal of foreign companies from Russia to prevent supporting its war and said Ukraine needs at least $5 billion in funding per month. The amount of work is enormous: we have more than half a trillion of dollars in losses, tens of thousands of facilities were destroyed. We need to rebuild entire cities and industries, Zelenskyy said, coming days after the Group of Seven leading economies agreed to provide $19.8 billion in economic aid. He said that if Ukraine had received 100% of our needs at once, back in February" in terms of weapons, funding, political support and sanctions against Russia, the result would be tens of thousands of lives saved." The war was a key focus Monday at Davos, the village in the Swiss Alps that has been transformed into a glitzy venue for the four-day confab ostensibly dedicated to making the world a better place. The event resumed in person after a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also delayed this years meeting from its usual winter slot. Besides the war, attendees tackled other major issues like the threat of rising hunger worldwide, climate change, inequality and persistent health crises. But its hard to predict if the high-minded discussions will yield substantial announcements that make headway on the worlds most pressing challenges. Zelenskyy, who received a standing ovation after his remarks, reiterated that Russia was blocking critical food supplies, such as wheat and sunflower oil, from leaving Ukraine's ports. Ukraine, along with Russia, is a major exporter of wheat, barley and sunflower oil, and the interruption of those and other staples is threatening food insecurity in countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia that rely on those affordable supplies. The head of the U.N.s World Food Program said in a panel that the failure to open the ports is a declaration of war on global food systems. He told The Associated Press that the regions farmers grow enough food to feed 400 million people. If such 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, WFP Executive Director David Beasley told the AP in an interview. He warned that there are 49 million (people) knocking on famines door right now in 43 countries, including Yemen, Lebanon, Mali, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Congo, Guatemala and El Salvador. Beasley called on the worlds billionaires to aid efforts to prevent hunger: The world is in real serious trouble. This is not rhetoric and B.S. Step up now, because the world needs you. Russian officials on Monday reiterated their assertion that they are not to blame for the food crisis, saying the country is not preventing Ukrainian grain shipments by rail. It is not us that are sources of problems leading to the world hunger threat, but those who imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation and the present sanctions themselves, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in call with journalists. Besides Zelenskyy's speech, a sizable Ukrainian government delegation is attending in person, making their case for more Western support. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko pointed to the audience during a panel, saying, We are defending you personally. We are fighting, first of all, for values and to be part of the democratic world, Klitschko said. And right now, everyone has to be proactive because we pay for that the biggest prize, human lives every day. Russian officials have not been invited to Davos this year, with what was dubbed the Russia House" having been transformed by critics including Ukrainian tycoon Victor Pinchuk and the countrys Foreign Ministry into what they call the Russia War Crimes House." The venue features photos of crimes and cruelties that Russian forces are accused of perpetuating. Meanwhile, the head of the International Energy Agency urged countries and investors not to see energy shocks from the war as a reason to increase fossil fuel investments connecting the invasion to another major theme at Davos, climate change and environmental issues. We should not try to justify a new wave of long-term fossil fuel investments on the basis of what (Russian President Vladimir) Putin did, Fatih Birol said on an energy panel. Instead, efficiencies, such as reducing leaked methane and even lowering thermostats by a few degrees this winter in Europe would help ensure adequate energy supply. Russia is a major supplier of oil and natural gas, with the invasion sending European countries scrambling to reduce their reliance on Moscow through fossil fuel supplies from other countries, conservation and speeding up renewable development. Yulia Klymenko, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, had harsh words for European leaders, asking why they have failed to diversify their energy for decades. How come that youre all dependent and you are slaves of Putin de facto? she asked on a panel called The Return of the West?" ___ AP reporters Kelvin Chan and Peter Prengaman contributed from Davos. Courtesy / Courtesy A Houston venture capitalist was named to National Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship, panel charged with developing a strategy to advance innovation and position the United States as a leader in emerging technologies. Aziz Gilani, a general partner and managing director at the Houston-based Mercury Fund, was one of 32 industry leaders and experts named to the advisory committee by Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate It took time for the news to travel from Rome to Texas. The date was May 4, 1847, when the official declaration establishing the Diocese of Galveston came from the Vatican. It took a while because it had to be delivered by steamboat, said Lisa May, director of archives and records for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Now, 175 years later, Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Houston City Council marked the anniversary with a proclamation. Auxiliary Bishop Italo DellOro accepted the honor on behalf of the Archdiocese at the City Hall Chamber on May 3. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo received a City of Galveston proclamation on Thursday, May 26. In a video, DiNardo said that after the diocese was created, the first Bishop of Texas, Jean Marie went to work preaching the gospel and bringing the sacraments to those living in the frontier lands of Texas. With him were the Ursuline Sisters, who made it their mission to form the area Catholics in their faith and to educate Catholic children. They brought the Lord Jesus to the people on the periphery, DiNardo said. May said that already there was a Catholic presence in Texas. The story goes back even further to Spanish explorers and missionaries, May said. Catholics settled here when it was New Spain and part of Mexico. That history dates to the 16th and 17th centuries, when area settlers remained members of the dioceses in their home countries. After the Texas War of Independence in 1836, however, Catholics were cut off from church authorities in Mexico. Catholics here no longer belonged to anyone, May explained. They didnt have a bishop. The new Texans appealed to Rome for help and Pope Gregory XVI designated the locale as an Apostolic Prefecture in 1839. Father John Timon was named as Prefect Apostolic, and Father Jean Marie Odin became the Vice Prefect. A year later, the pope raised Texas to the level of a Vicariate Apostolic and Father Odin was ordained a bishop to care for the Vicariate. At the time, in 1840, there were five parishes in Texas, serving 12,000 Catholics. May said more and more Catholics were immigrating from France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland and starting to call Texas home. An amazing church By 1847, Pope Pius IX created the Diocese of Galveston. Odin became the first bishop. The diocese was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, under the title of her Immaculate Conception, and St. Marys Church in Galveston was named as the Cathedral. St. Marys remains one of Mays favorite houses of worship in the Archdiocese and was the only church in Galveston to survive the 1900 hurricane. PHOTO GALLERY: The 1900 hurricane wiped out Galveston and made it stronger in the long run Its such an amazing church, she said. When you are there, you can feel the history. In fact, the Cathedral recently completed a renovation, which began in 2019. During the restoration, the 11-foot, 3,000-pound cast-iron St. Mary statue was lowered from the roof. Crews discovered that the bolts keeping the structure in place were rusted. Its a miracle she was not blown from the roof, May said. She was literally hanging on by a thread. Divisions, growth over time At first, the Diocese of Galveston encompassed the entire state, May said. Bishop Odin, along with 10 priests, ministered to the area. The next bishop was the Right Rev. Claude Marie Dubuis, who took the helm in 1861. He served during the Civil War and saw additional parishes, hospitals and schools established throughout the diocese. Then, in 1874, the Diocese of Galveston was split when the western half of the state was established as the Diocese of San Antonio. The division and change of structure over time in Texas shows the growth of the church in the state, May said. Currently, there are 15 dioceses in Texas. We shrunk in territory, but weve grown in population, May said. By 1918, there were 70,000 Catholics and 120 parishes in the Diocese of Galveston. Thirty years later, the population of the diocese increased to 250,000 Catholics. During those three decades, Houston itself grew dramatically. The numbers of churches in the city went from eight to 28. In 1959, the diocese was re-designated as the Diocese of Galveston-Houston and Sacred Heart Church in Houston was named the co-cathedral. At that time, a chancery building was built in Houston and the administrative offices were transferred there in 1963. In 1985, Bishop Joseph Fiorenza became the first native of the diocese to serve as the diocesan bishop. He would become the first archbishop when the area was declared a Metropolitan Archdiocese by Pope John Paul II in 2004. Bishop Daniel DiNardo became the coadjutor archbishop and then the archbishop when Archbishop Fiorenza retired in 2006. A year later, he was named cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. Archive a time machine May works in the Downtown Houston chancery building and said archives are kept both on site and in the co-cathedral across the street. We have thousands of boxes, she said. Contained within are the official records of the chancery office, sacramental records and records from previous bishops dating back to the 1840s. There are even letters sent to Bishop Odin, May said. In the archives are files from closed schools and parishes, as well as issues of the Texas Catholic Herald. I love going back through the old editions, May said. Its like a time machine. You see a slice of what life was like. Often, her office helps find marriage and confirmation records. Staff members help families with genealogy and serve as a resource for parishes. One history, wide net There are currently 146 parishes in the archdiocese. Each has its own wonderful history, May said. And 446 priests minister in the 8,880 square mile area, which covers 10 counties Austin, Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Harris, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker and Waller. May said that many people might not be aware that one of the oldest parishes is St. Josephs in Brazoria. It predates the creation of the diocese, she said. The Archdiocese currently serves more than 1.7 million Catholics and also is home to seven health care centers, four homes for the aged and four residential care facilities for children. The Archdiocese is also home to one seminary, one university, 11 high schools and 46 elementary schools with more than 17,000 students from pre-kindergarten through graduation. Each Catholic institution has its own story and Mays job is to assemble them all, as a part of one history of the archdiocese, how it has been established, grown over the years and now poised for the future. Its all about pulling all of these stories together to tell our history, she said. We are all beneficiaries of those who came before us. We are building on their foundation, on the sacrifices they made, the priests, nuns and the lay people. And recognizing those deep roots, being celebrated this year by the archdiocese, is critical to moving forward, May explained. Morning Report: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox Its history that weaves together the faith, she said. It all comes together in this story that were building now, in the 21st century. Cardinal DiNardo said the entire year ahead will be a celebration of the 175 anniversary. His video is part of the official kick-off and events will be planned into 2023, including special Masses and a spring gala. Today, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston continues to preach the good news of Jesus Christ, DiNardo said. While we celebrate and honor our past, the work of the local church continues. Peyton is a freelance writer based in Houston. Richmond resident Victoria Cuellar has relatives who live in the Uvalde community, and a family friends son who attends Robb Elementary, she said. That family friends son was having nightmares Monday night and didnt really sleep. He wanted to go to an awards ceremony, but his mom wanted him to stay home and rest, Cuellar said. Its what saved him from being in school that day, she said. On Tuesday, a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary leaving 19 students and two teachers dead, more injured and an immeasurable flood of grief in the south Texas city and beyond. I just want to go and see my family. It will never be the same, she said with tears in her voice before a candlelight vigil outside of the Fort Bend County Justice Center Thursday evening. And I still love bragging about Uvalde. And now when I say it, everyones going to know where it is. And what it used to be, and shouldnt be. Cuellar, 45, was one of dozens who came out to the Thursday vigil in Richmond. The high school counselor wore a maroon-and-white ribbon shed made that had small, yellow crosses on it she said shed counted out 21 of them. Those gathered lit candles and heard impassioned words from elected officials and pastors who shared their thoughts, prayed and called for action. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas politicians shared horror and grief over Uvalde. Here's how much money they took from the NRA. Fort Bend County Judge KP George, Sheriff Eric Fagan, First Assistant District Attorney Ibrahim Khawaja, County Attorney Bridgette Smith-Lawson and State Rep. Ron Reynolds were among those who attended and spoke at the vigil. George told the crowd to remember that the 19 children who were killed didnt go to a war zone or a dangerous place theyd gone to school. He believes when he sends his children to school, its the second-safest place outside of their home, he said. Thats what I thought. And I know that each and every one of you feel the same way when you send your children, he said. And coming back in body bags, its heartbreaking. When Khawaja spoke, he shared how hed gone to his daughters fifth grade graduation that morning and had a somber heart. See, this isnt about politics, he said. And when we speak up, its shameful for people to tell us that its about politics. This is personal. The people in Uvalde, Texas, didnt know this was going to happen. They saw the past shootings on TV just like we see them. On HoustonChronicle.com: As NRA meeting begins, Houston preps for Trump appearance but Abbott drops out When he was sitting there at the graduation, Khawaja said, hed flinched when he heard a cup drop or a chair move. Were living in fear in our own backyard, he said. So step up, stop the words, lets hold the people we put in power accountable. Do something. Because this doesnt affect Democratic kids or Republican kids, it affects American kids. Reynolds later addressed the crowd and said theyd continue to appeal to the states leadership. He voiced support for common sense solutions, such as red flag laws and background checks. Those are some limited, minimal things that we can do, he said. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Aimee Huff, Oregon State University and Michelle Barnhart, Oregon State University (THE CONVERSATION) In the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, some elected officials are making calls anew for teachers to be armed and trained to use firearms to protect the nations schools. To shine light on the matter, The Conversation reached out to Aimee Huff and Michelle Barnhart, two Oregon State University scholars who have studied the ins and outs of putting guns in the hands of the nations teachers as a way to protect students. 1. What does the public think about arming teachers? According to a 2021 poll, 43% of Americans supported policies that allow school personnel to carry guns in schools. But if you take a closer look, you see that most of that support comes from Republicans and gun-owners. For instance, 66% of Republican respondents expressed support for such policies, versus just 24% of Democratic respondents. And 63% of gun owners supported allowing school personnel to carry guns, versus just 33% of non-gun owners. The majority of teachers, parents and students oppose allowing teachers to carry guns. The largest teachers unions, including the National Education Association, also oppose arming teachers, arguing that bringing more guns into schools makes schools more dangerous and does nothing to shield our students and educators from gun violence. These teachers unions advocate a preventive approach that includes more gun regulations. While the public is justifiably concerned with eliminating school shootings, there is disagreement over the policies and actions that would be most effective. A 2021 study found that 70% of Americans supported the idea of armed school resource officers and law enforcement in schools, but only 41% supported the idea of training teachers to carry guns in schools. In our research on how Americans think about the rights and responsibilities related to armed self-defense, we even find disagreement among conservative gun owners over how to best protect schoolchildren. Some advocate arming teachers, while other gun owners believe guns in schools ultimately make children less safe. These conservative opponents of arming teachers instead support fortifying the buildings design and features. After the massacre in Uvalde, we are seeing renewed calls from politicians to arm teachers and provide them with specialized training. However, amid conflicting reports about whether police officers engaged the Robb Elementary School shooter, there are renewed questions about whether armed teachers would make a difference. Police have acknowledged they didnt enter the school even as kids frantically dialed 911. Given that there were also armed officers present at the Columbine and Parkland school massacres in 1999 and 2018, respectively, the public is understandably right to wonder whether armed teachers can effectively neutralize a shooter. Amid reports that trained and experienced police officers may have been unable or unwilling to intervene against the Uvalde shooter, its not clear whether teachers would be, either. 2. What are the potential drawbacks of arming teachers? Arming teachers introduces risks to students and staff, as well as school districts themselves. These include the risk of teachers accidentally shooting themselves or students and fellow staff. There are also moral and legal risks associated with improper or inaccurate defensive use of a firearm - even for teachers who have undertaken specialized firearms training. One study found that highly trained police in gunfights hit their target only 18% of the time. Even if teachers, who would likely have less training, achieve the same accuracy, four or five of every six bullets fired by a teacher would hit something or someone other than the shooter. Further, a teacher responding with force to a shooter may be mistaken for the perpetrator by law enforcement or by armed colleagues. Introducing guns to the school environment also poses everyday risks. Armed teachers may unintentionally discharge their firearm. For instance, an armed police officer accidentally discharged his weapon in his office at a school in Alexandria, Virginia in 2018. Guns can also fall into the wrong hands. Research on shootings that took place in hospital emergency rooms found that in 23% of the cases, the weapon used was a gun the perpetrator took from a hospital security guard. Students could also access firearms that are improperly stored or mishandled. Improper storage is a common problem among American gun owners. In a school setting, this has resulted in students finding a teachers misplaced firearm, sometimes taking it or reporting it to another school official. News reports show that guns carried into schools have fallen out of teachers clothing, and have been left in bathrooms and locker rooms. There have also been reports of students stealing guns from teachers. Insurance companies also see concealed guns on school grounds as creating a heightened liability risk. Other drawbacks to arming teachers involve the learning environment. In particular, owing to structural racism and discriminatory school security policies, Black high school students are less supportive than white students of arming teachers 16% versus 26% and report feeling less safe if teachers are carrying firearms. 3. What are the arguments for arming teachers? Proponents emphasize that teachers, as Americans, have a right to use firearms to defend themselves against violent crime, including a school shooter. Our research shows that some people interpret their right to armed self-defense as a moral obligation, and argue that teachers have both a right and a responsibility to use firearms to protect themselves and their students. Parents who regularly carry handguns to protect themselves and their children may take comfort knowing that their childs teacher could perform the role of protector at school. In a school shooting, where lives can be saved or ended in a matter of seconds, some people may feel more secure believing a shooter would immediately meet armed resistance from a teacher without needing to wait for an armed school officer to respond. 4. Have any school districts allowed teachers to arm themselves? Yes. Teachers may carry guns at school in districts in at least 19 states. The idea surfaced as a viable policy after the 1999 Columbine shooting, and gained momentum after the 2018 Parkland shooting. The number of school districts that permit teachers to be armed is difficult to ascertain. Policies vary across states. New York bars school districts from allowing teachers to carry guns, while Missouri and Montana authorize teachers to carry firearms. 5. What were the results? There are documented incidents of school staff using their firearm to neutralize a shooter. However, researchers have not found evidence that arming teachers increases school safety. Rather, arming teachers may contribute to a false sense of security for teachers, students and the community. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/arming-teachers-an-effective-security-measure-or-a-false-sense-of-security-183909. The suspects in the shootings at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school and a Buffalo, New York, supermarket were both just 18, authorities say, when they bought the weapons used in the attacks. They were too young to legally purchase alcohol or cigarettes, but old enough to arm themselves with assault-style weapons. They are just the latest suspected U.S. mass shooters whose ability to obtain guns has raised concerns. Some shooters got guns legally under current firearms laws, or because of background check lapses or law enforcements failure to heed warnings of concerning behavior. Here is how some suspects in shootings where at least 10 people were killed got their guns: UVALDE, TEXAS: MAY 24, 2022. 21 DEAD. Salvador Ramos legally purchased two guns in the days before the attack that killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School an AR-style rifle from a federally licensed gun dealer in the Uvalde area on May 17 and a second rifle on May 20. Ramos made the purchases just days after turning 18, the minimum age under federal law for buying a rifle. He also purchased several hundred rounds of ammunition. At least one of the rifles was modeled after the U.S. militarys M4 carbine rifle, though without the M4's ability to switch to fully automatic or fire a three-round burst. Ramos was killed at the school by a Border Patrol team. ___ BUFFALO, NEW YORK: MAY 14, 2022. 10 DEAD. Payton Gendron legally purchased the Bushmaster XM-15 E2S used in the attack on Tops Friendly Market from a federally licensed gun dealer near his home in Conklin, New York, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Buffalo. In an online diary that surfaced after the attack, Gendron said he bought the AR-15-style weapon in January, bought a shotgun in December and received a rifle as a Christmas present from his dad when he was 16. Last year, Gendron was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation under a state mental health law after writing murder-suicide in response to a teachers question. New York is one of 19 states with red flag laws that allow courts to take guns from people posing immediate danger, but that didn't happen with Gendron, who was 17 at the time. State police described his threat as general in nature." Gendron is charged with murder. ___ BOULDER, COLORADO: MARCH 22, 2021. 10 DEAD. Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa bought a Ruger AR-556 pistol, a semi-automatic weapon with a capacity of up to 30 rounds, six days before the shooting at King Soopers grocery store, police said. Alissa was prone to sudden rage and was convicted of misdemeanor assault and sentenced to probation for attacking a high school classmate. Colorado has a universal background check law covering almost all gun sales, but that misdemeanor would not have prevented him from buying a weapon, experts said. Had it been a felony, federal law would've barred his purchase. A judge ruled Alissa is mentally incompetent to stand trial. ___ EL PASO, TEXAS: AUG. 3, 2019. 23 DEAD. Patrick Crusius bought an AK-47-style rifle and 1,000 rounds of hollow-point ammunition online 45 days before he walked into a Walmart store and opened fire, killing 23 people and injuring two dozen others, before confessing that he had been targeting Mexicans, according to prosecutors. A Crusius family lawyer said his mother raised concerns about the purchase in a call to police on June 27. Police said she asked if Crusius, then 21, was old enough to buy a gun. Police said she was assured he was, if he passed a background check, and she'd seen no recent change in his behavior. He's charged with capital murder in Texas and federal hate crimes and firearms offenses. ___ VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA: MAY 31, 2019. 12 DEAD. Former Virginia Beach city employee DeWayne Craddock legally purchased six firearms in the three years before he opened fire on a municipal building, including the two .45-caliber pistols used in the attack. A review of the shooting commissioned by the city found that Craddock displayed no warning signs or prohibited behaviors associated with a pathway to violence, and had no known history of mental health treatment. Craddock was killed by police. ___ THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA: NOV. 7, 2018. 12 DEAD. Ian David Long, a former Marine machine gunner who served in Afghanistan, used a legally purchased .45-caliber pistol with an extended magazine in the shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill. Months before the shooting, sheriffs deputies called to Longs home found him acting irrationally, but a mental health specialist didnt feel he needed to be involuntarily committed. California has a red flag law, but theres no indication authorities sought a court order to take away Long's guns. Long killed himself. ___ PITTSBURGH: OCT. 27, 2018. 11 DEAD. Robert Gregory Bowers had a carry license and legally owned the Colt AR-15 SP1 and three Glock .357 handguns police said he used to kill worshipers at Tree of Life synagogue. Bowers spent months posting rants against Jews on Gab, a social media site favored by right-wing extremists. He also posted photos of his "glock family. Just before the attack, he posted a screed against a Jewish organization, saying Screw your optics, Im going in. None of the rhetoric appeared to raise red flags. His case is pending. ___ SANTA FE, TEXAS: MAY. 18, 2018. 10 DEAD. Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a 17-year-old student, used a shotgun and a .38-caliber handgun that his father purchased legally and stored in a closet at their home, authorities said. Prior to the attack, Pagourtzis posted a photo on social media of a T-shirt with the phrase Born to Kill and had writings indicating he planned to attack his high school. A judge sent him to a mental health facility after ruling he was incompetent to stand trial. ___ PARKLAND, FLORIDA: FEB. 14, 2018. 17 DEAD. Nikolas Cruz legally purchased a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle in February 2017 from a licensed dealer a few miles from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, authorities said. Hed been treated at a mental health clinic but hadnt been there in more than a year. Federal law prohibits gun purchases if a court declares a person a mental defective or commits that person to an institution, but not if the person seeks treatment voluntarily. Cruz was 19 at the time of the shooting. He pleaded guilty in October. A four-month penalty trial scheduled to begin this summer will determine if he is sentenced to death or life without parole. ___ SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, TEXAS: NOV. 5, 2017. 25 DEAD. Devin Patrick Kelleys history of domestic abuse barred him from buying guns. He was able to because information about his crimes was never entered into a federal database used for background checks. The Air Force failed to follow rules requiring that it inform the FBI about his conduct. Kelley purchased four guns, including an AR-15-style rifle found at First Baptist Church, from licensed Texas and Colorado dealers over a four-year span. Kelley killed himself. ___ LAS VEGAS: OCT. 1, 2017. 58 DEAD. Stephen Paddock purchased 33 of the 49 weapons found in his hotel room and at his homes in the year before he opened fire on a country music festival. Paddock passed all background checks. His gradual accumulation of guns went undetected because federal law doesn't require licensed gun dealers to alert the government about rifle purchases. Paddock killed himself. ___ ORLANDO, FLORIDA: JUNE 12, 2016. 49 DEAD. Omar Mateen purchased an AR-15-style rifle, a Sig Sauer MCX, and a handgun from a licensed dealer on separate days about a week before the Pulse nightclub attack. He passed a background check and had a security license that allowed him to be armed while on duty. The FBI investigated Mateen in 2013 and 2014 over co-workers concerns that hed spoken about ties to terrorist groups. Neither inquiry led to charges. Even if he'd been placed on a terrorism watch list, Congress in 2015 rejected attempts to prevent people on the list from purchasing guns. Mateen was killed by police. ___ SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA: DEC. 2, 2015. 14 DEAD. Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, used weapons the FBI said his neighbor, Enrique Marquez, legally purchased from a licensed dealer in 2011 and 2012. Marquez pleaded guilty to charges he conspired to provide support to terrorists and made false statements to acquire a firearm. He told investigators Farook asked him to buy the weapons because he would draw less attention. Farook and Malik were killed by police. ___ ROSEBURG, OREGON: OCT. 1, 2015. 10 DEAD. Christopher Harper-Mercer and his family members legally purchased the handguns and rifle used in the Umpqua Community College shooting from a licensed dealer. Investigators found six guns at the college and eight at an apartment. Neighbors said Harper-Mercer and his mother went target shooting together. Harper-Mercer killed himself after he was wounded by police. ___ WASHINGTON: SEPT. 16, 2013. 12 DEAD. Aaron Alexis, a former reservist turned civilian contractor, passed background checks and legally purchased the shotgun used in the Washington Navy Yard shooting despite recent mental health treatment and a history of violent outbursts. He previously fired a gun in anger twice but wasnt prosecuted in either case. Alexis was killed by police. ___ NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT: DEC. 14, 2012. 26 DEAD. Adam Lanza used his mothers weapons, including a .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle, in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Lanzas mother, whom he fatally shot before going to the school, also purchased the ammunition. Lanza killed himself. ___ AURORA, COLORADO: JULY 20, 2012. 12 DEAD. James Holmes was receiving psychiatric treatment when he passed required federal background checks and legally purchased the weapons he used in his movie theater assault. As in the Parkland and Navy Yard cases, treatment alone did not prevent him from buying guns. He was convicted and sentenced to 12 life terms and thousands of years in prison. President Yoon Suk-yeol appointed Kim Kyou-hyun, a former deputy national security adviser and career diplomat, as his first spy chief Friday. Yoon presented Kim with a letter of appointment a day after the National Assembly approved him as director of the National Intelligence Service. Kim takes over at a time when tensions run high on the peninsula in the wake of a series of weapons tests by North Korea. During his confirmation hearing Wednesday, the director vowed to reinforce the country's intelligence capabilities with regard to the North while voicing skepticism about Pyongyang's willingness to denuclearize. Kim entered the foreign service in 1980 and worked in various posts dealing with the United States before being appointed first vice foreign minister under then President Park Geun-hye. He later served as first deputy national security adviser, and then doubled as senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs and second deputy national security adviser during the same administration. (Yonhap) UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. Security Council voted by a narrow margin Thursday to extend an arms embargo on South Sudan and a travel ban and financial sanctions for targeted individuals for a year. For a resolution to be approved by the 15-member council, it needs at least nine yes votes and no veto by a permanent member. The vote on the U.S.-drafted resolution on South Sudan sanctions was 10-0 with China, Russia, India, Kenya and Gabon abstaining. South Sudan has repeatedly called for the arms embargo to be lifted, and the five countries that abstained expressed opposition to the sanctions. But earlier this month, the U.N. panel of experts monitoring sanctions against South Sudan recommended that the Security Council extend the arms embargo because of persistent cease-fire violations and intensifying violence in the countrys regions. The experts said the governments purchase of approximately 25 new armored personnel carriers for the police, shown in a March photograph, was a violation of the U.N. arms embargo. Stressing that conditions for millions of civilians are getting worse, the panel said violence, floods and displacement have created unprecedented levels of food insecurity across much of the country. It cited the U.N. World Food Programs warning in March that South Sudan was facing its worst hunger crisis ever, with some 8.3 million people needing food and 1.4 million children acutely malnourished as of December. Chinas U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun countered the experts and resolution's supporters saying the worlds newest nation, which has gone through a decade of war, has a poor and weak foundation and it needs constructive support, not pressure by sanctions, from the international community. He noted that the African Union and the East African regional group IGAD have long opposed the councils punishment of this youngest brother of Africa. South Sudans problems need to be addressed through political means, stressing that in many cases pressure by sanctions is not only ineffective, but also restricts the ability of the government of South Sudan to build security capacity in protecting civilians, he said. Russias deputy U.N. ambassador Anna Evstigneeva said Moscow is not trying to downplay the situation in this young country which still has to overcome many challenges. But she said the government has made certain progress and it needs today to work on forming its armed forces. Kenyas deputy U.N. ambassador Michael Kiboino said his country abstained because the council didnt lift the arms embargo and targeted sanctions as the AU and IGAD called for, and the council didnt make a commitment to progressively lift the measures. We believe that the arms embargo and targeted sanctions have not been effective tools in support of the South Sudan peace process, he said. There were high hopes when oil-rich South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011 after a long conflict. But the country slid into civil war in December 2013 largely based on ethnic divisions when forces loyal to President Salva Kiir battled those loyal to Vice President Riek Machar. Tens of thousands of people were killed in the war, which ended with a 2018 peace agreement that brought Kiir and Machar together in a government of national unity. But challenges remained, including the governments failure to implement promised reforms. The resolution adopted Thursday recognizes that the permanent cease-fire was upheld in most parts of the country by the parties, but it reiterates the Security Councils alarm and deep concern regarding the political, security, economic, and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. It strongly condemns continued fighting in the country and emphasizes that there can be no military solution to the situation in South Sudan. The resolution also strongly condemns past and ongoing human rights violations and abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, including the alarming surge in conflict-related sexual violence. It extends the arms embargo and sanctions until May 31, 2023, and the mandate for the panel of experts until July 1, 2023. Houston Exponential, the nonprofit organization launched in 2017 as part of a push by city leaders to support the citys tech ecosystem, has been acquired by a media and technology company. Gow Cos., which owns CultureMap, InnovationMap, SportsMap and tech-related entities, has taken over the assets of Houston Exponential in a deal whose terms werent revealed. Gow plans to convert HX to a for-profit organization. It has already left the Midtown office building formerly occupied by the Houston Technology Center, a predecessor organization, and is camped out in the Galleria area. A search is underway for a new CEO, says Lawson Gow, a partner at Gow Cos., founder of The Cannon entrepreneurial community and who is serving as interim chief executive of HX. The ideal candidate, he added, will be Houston-loving, among other things, because while Houston Exponential is entering a new phase, its mission remains the same: to help Houston become a center for technology and innovation. This is not something that we acquired to make a ton of money on, Gow said. This is something that we acquired to protect and nurture and grow, because its something that were passionate about for the long term. Gow says he didnt set out to acquire Houston Exponential in the first place. He was approached by its board. And, although he hadnt previously considered the idea, he was quickly persuaded. The Cannon, an entrepreneurial community, also launched in 2017, with similar goals and for the same reason. Houston didnt exactly have a tech ecosystem at the time, he said. TOGETHERNESS: Houston Exponential launches database to pull together the citys tech community It was a term that was out there to describe what we were aspiring to create, Gow said. Innovations born out of hardship, he said. Some cities have less money, fewer corporate headquarters, weaker universities. We were a bit spoiled. We didnt prioritize it, so we did fall behind. That was just not a part of Houstons business culture. Things changed for the city, he said, at about that time. In 2017 Amazon invited cities to compete for a chance to host its second headquarters, and Houston joined the competition. As you review this proposal, we think you will come to this conclusion: Houston and Amazon are kindred spirits, and together, we can change the world, city leaders said in their pitch, which also proposed $268 million in incentives for the company. Amazon disagreed. It didnt even include Houston among the 20 finalist cities. I believe this is a wake-up call for Houston, said Greater Houston Partnership CEO Bob Harvey in a statement at the time. This is a clear indication that we have much more work to do as a region to grow our digital economy. That work led to the launch of Houston Exponential, which has served as cheerleader, front door and community organizer for Houstonians in the technology and innovation space. It also led to the creation of the HX Venture Fund, a venture capital fund, and spurred the city to partner with Rice on The Ion innovation district. SEED MONEY: Houston Exponential gets $25 million for fund to attract venture capital These efforts seem to be having an impact. An April report from the Greater Houston Partnership said that Houston companies received $2.02 billion in venture capital funding in 2021, a record for the region and a roughly tenfold increase from 2016. Still, this is fragile momentum, Gow said, and keeping it going will require community support. If the day comes where the ecosystem is so incredibly evolved and vibrant that HX becomes redundant, thatll be a wonderful day, Gow said, adding that he doesnt expect such a day to arrive for at least a decade. The acquisition of Houston Exponential will create its own challenges, perhaps chief among them retaining the trust of the community as a for-profit company. But HXs work has been integral to the development of Houstons tech ecosystem to date, Gow said, and the organization still has a role to play. There was a need then, he said, and theres still a need. Houston Chronicle A Stafford man admitted to illegally transporting a girl whom law enforcement found in a plastic bin on his vehicles back seat, according to a U.S. Attorneys Office Southern District of Texas release. Fernando Jaramillo, 22, is set for an Aug. 23 sentencing, where he could receive up to five years of federal imprisonment, per the release. He could also face a fine as high as $250,000. UVALDE Sitting in his office on the third floor of the courthouse here, Judge Eulalio Diaz first saw a post around noon Tuesday from the citys police. Not a first responder, he went about his day, watching ambulances and buses out two windows behind his desk, hearing and reading reports. About two hours later, he got a call requesting he make a location, indicating that at least one person is dead in a Texas county without a medical examiner. As the countys justice of the peace, his duties usually include court cases and officiating weddings, but his role also includes serving as the coroner. We were under impression that it was two or three people, Diaz, 49, recounted Thursday. He arrived at Robb Elementary a campus once attended by himself, his eighth-grade son and his high school senior who was supposed to graduate Friday. He was told there were nearly 20 deceased inside a classroom. Thats just, you know, he said, not the news I was expecting to hear. For the first time since before the pandemic, he estimated, he emailed the Bexar County medical examiner for help in undertaking the task of pronouncing individuals deceased and determining manners and causes of death. Families needed to be told, too, once those who had perished had been identified, but it would be hours. He figured he could prepare for what he would see in the classroom in the time it would take the medical examiner to get into town. Time to ready his mind. Time to brace himself to see what at the time was believed to 17 dead individuals, most of them young children. You cant prepare, he said now. You dont want to ever see children, and even adults teachers, you dont want to see something like this happen to them. Its just the most horrible feeling. It was something, he said, he would like to have never done and never want to do ever again. We know people, he said. Its going to affect all of us. This is not one where Im disconnected with the town. Im part of the town, this is my town, this is where I grew up, this is where I live. Its really hard on all of us. Since, Diaz has been answering a lot of questions, trying to be open about his process and the reality he and his 16,000 or so neighbors now share. He has not attended vigils, instead working in his office with authorities and trying to get any more information to mourning families. His clerk and constable have visited him to offer support. We lean on each other, he said. Were a close-knit community. He appreciates the outpouring of support for the city.And he wants people to not forget about what happened in two or three weeks or a month or whenever its no longer new. This, he said, is a life-changing event for everybody. The federal government was already playing catch-up when it started funding gun violence research again in 2019 following a long, politically driven freeze. But as the money trickles in, Houston researchers and physicians say more is needed to inform common-sense laws and practices that could prevent the next mass shooting, like the one in Uvalde that killed 19 children and two teachers. LIVE UPDATES: Follow along for the latest news and analysis on the Uvalde school massacre Even with partial funding, we could really fill gaps, said Dr. Sandra McKay, a Houston pediatrician and gun violence researcher at UTHealth Science Center at Houston. Our clinics could be handing out gun locks in their clinics for free, but we dont because theres no funding for that. We could be partnering with our local schools (for research opportunities), but theres no funding for it. While mass shootings only account for a small percentage of overall gun violence, the tragedy in Uvalde is part of a worsening epidemic of firearm injuries and deaths. An article published last month in the New England Journal of Medicine said as of 2017, firearms had overtaken car crashes as the leading cause of traumatic death among children and young adults for the first time in 60 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this month published data showing a 35 percent increase in firearm homicides from 2019 to 2020. But despite the growing threat, recent funding for gun violence research does not come close to that of other leading causes of death, according to Giffords, the gun safety organization co-founded by former Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head during a mass shooting. The federal government spends roughly $35 million per year researching car crashes, but less than $2 million per year researching gun deaths, according to the organization. Gun research spending wasnt approved until 2019, following a nearly 25-year hiatus triggered by The National Rifle Associations efforts to undermine studies that appeared to advocate for gun control. That created a considerable gap in the publics understanding of the root causes of the issue, experts say. A lot of people are saying these gun restriction laws dont work, but the problem is we dont have enough data and enough research, said Dr. Rola El Serag, the new director of the Baker Institutes Center for Health and Biosciences at Rice University. We should be pouring money into research that should be guiding our policy instead of being reactive. On HoustonChronicle.com: As Uvalde gunman was inside the school, parents screamed outside. What we know about those 40 minutes El Serag noted that in the wake of past school shootings, the state has chosen to fund school security measures instead of gun violence research. Texas public schools in 2020 received money from a $100 million state grant to enhance physical security, according to the Texas Tribune. But theres little evidence those efforts work, the Tribune reported. As more facts in the Uvalde shooting come to light, Republican lawmakers continue to point to mental illness as the underlying cause of gun violence. But that is a politically expedient excuse that does not bear out with existing research, said Dr. Jeff Temple, director of the Center for Violence Prevention at the University of Texas Medical Branch. I think everyone sees that as a scapegoat, a boogeyman, Temple said. We do need resources for mental health but the fact is, less than 5 percent of all gun violence is traced back to someone with a diagnosed mental illness. Temple published a study in 2019 that found individuals who had access to guns, compared to those with no such access, were over 18 times more likely to have threatened someone with a gun, even after controlling for a number of demographic and mental health variables. In terms of possible gun law changes, policy experts have identified some low-hanging fruit. Re-examining permissive regulations that allow 18-year-olds to buy so-called long guns - like the rifles purchased by the Uvalde gunman after his 18th birthday - would be a good first step, McKay said. Modern rifles can create devastating impacts that leave victims unrecognizable. Over the years our long guns have changed, she said. Theyre no longer the traditional hunting rifles we think of in the 1970s... the technology has advanced and evolved over time but I dont think our laws have adapted. On HoustonChronicle.com: Inside the delays and discrepancies of the Uvalde shooting police response Dr. Cedric Dark, a Houston ER doctor and health policy expert, agrees that that raising the age to buy long guns from 18 to 21 is a reasonable approach. Both he and McKay are firearm owners and say they take a bipartisan stance on the issue one based on science and experience. But the politicians tend to want to manipulate science, Dark said. We say the same things, ranging from masks to bullets to fluoride in water systems to things like the HPV vaccine, he said, adding, The only thing we as physicians can do is use our position in society to make a stance and try to protect people in our community. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As National Rifle Association annual meeting attendees streamed into Houston for an event thats expected to spark widespread protests, Gov. Greg Abbott late Thursday announced hes canceling his plans to attend. Abbott was part of a slate of marquee speakers that includes former President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. He now joins at least four popular country musicians who are dropping out of the big NRA gathering, which is occurring just three days after a teenage gunman killed 19 children and two teachers in the South Texas community of Uvalde. LIVE UPDATES: Follow along for the latest news and analysis on the Uvalde school massacre The governor faced heavy criticism for his decision to attend the event following the massacre. He will now deliver pre-recorded video remarks rather than appear in person, Abbott spokesman Mark Miner said. Instead of being in Houston, Abbott will travel to Uvalde for another press conference on state resources available for those impacted by the Robb Elementary School shooting. That event will take place at 3:30 p.m., shortly after the governor was set to address NRA attendees. Mayor Sylvester Turner faced pressure to cancel the NRA meeting, but stopped short of doing so. We dont have the luxury to cancel a convention that has been on the books for two years, he said Thursday, adding that the liability in doing so would be too costly for the city. That said, Turner said he might be among the protesters who are expected to gather Friday at Discovery Green, across from the George R. Brown Convention Center, where the conference is being held. Multiple civic and social justice groups have called for people to stand outside with them as attendees come and go. "There is a strong possibility I will be out there as well," Turner said. Abbotts gubernatorial challenger, Beto ORourke, is also expected to be among the protesters. Houston police Chief Troy Finner said he anticipates upward of 80,000 people to descend on downtown Houston in connection with the NRA conference. The police department is prepared to dispatch officers accordingly, he added. We are getting chatter from everywhere, Finner said. I always say we pray for the best and prepare for the worst. We wont know until they show up. Zones for protesters and counter-protesters will be set up as an attempt to avoid clashes, Finner said, warning that graduations for Fort Bend ISD are scheduled Saturday at the nearby Toyota Center. The concerns over protest crowds came as musicians Don McLean, Larry Gatlin, Larry Stewart and Danielle Peck said they would not perform at Saturday's Grand Ole Night Of Freedom Concert at the convention. All said they were canceling because of the mass shooting in Uvalde. Gatlin, in his statement announcing the decision, advocated for background checks to prevent future tragedies and questioned whether the outcome in Uvalde would have been different had teachers there been armed and trained. Stewart said the NRA is a great organization, but his decision not to play was whats best for him. On HoustonChronicle.com: Inside the delays and discrepancies of the Uvalde shooting police response Im sure all the folks planning to attend this event are shocked and sickened by these events as well, McClean wrote. After all, we are all Americans. I share the sorrow for this terrible, cruel loss with the rest of the nation. Protesters had hoped Turner would cancel the full conference. The mayor previously responded to public pressure and canceled the Texas Republican Partys in-person state convention in 2020, citing the health dangers posed by COVID-19, after initially insisting that he was unable to cancel it. In that instance, Houston First, the public nonprofit that operates the city-owned convention center, notified the partys executive committee that the convention had been canceled. It said one side was allowed to cancel for an occurrence out of its control, such as an epidemic. GOP officials sued the city, but a Harris County judge later sided with Turner and denied the party's request to block the city from restricting the convention. It was unclear Thursday whether such reasoning could be applied now. Houston First and the mayor have said they cannot bar the NRA convention for contractual reasons. Relatively small numbers of NRA protesters gathered downtown Thursday. Larger crowds are expected Friday, especially as Trump, Cruz and other speakers address meeting goers in the afternoon. Black Lives Matter Houston announced plans to organize a mass voter registration event" on Discovery Green. The League of United Latin American Citizens is also hosting a protest outside the convention center Friday, while a Houston interfaith group is planning to gather for prayer and a march at 1 p.m. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE Eduardo Trinidads nephew helped his wounded fifth-grade teacher shove a table against a door and climb through a window at Robb Elementary School to escape the deadly bullets. Two days after the terror, the boy stopped by his uncles home for an ice pop. Meanwhile, Trinidad, 60, sat on his shady porch near his former school and contemplated the items he has owned and adored for much of his life: firearms. In the wake of the tragedy, his perspective is beginning to shift. Maybe legislators should raise the minimum age for buying some weapons, he said. Trinidad said his own son recently bought an assault-style rifle to shoot in the open countryside. The father, who used to own a semi-automatic rifle himself, didnt think much about it until he learned the school shooter had used a similar weapon to kill 19 children and two teachers in a classroom. I never looked at it that way, he said. Im not happy with my son owning this. ... I really need to talk to him because of all of this thats going on. Its not good. Not good at all. In a rural, predominantly Hispanic and Catholic town where many people keep guns for hunting, some residents from the heartbroken ranching community of roughly 16,000 people are questioning the need for such high-powered weapons. Victoria Flores, 16, said her family owns guns for duck and rabbit hunting. They take precautions though, including licenses and classes, and she does not know where the firearms are stored. In recent days, the teenagers social media feed has been filled with people posting about gun control. She reflected on the issue while working at her uncles downtown restaurant. I dont understand why they would even sell him one, she said. Thats not a hunting gun. Theres no need to have one, unless youre military or Border Patrol or police then I understand because theyre trained for it. If youre just a random 18-year-old, theres no need to have one. The stretch of Getty Street where Flores works is dotted with small businesses: a barber shop, a thrift store, a flower shop. A Trump flag hangs in one window. Other storefronts are decorated with freshly painted words: Uvalde strong. Amelia Cervantes, a 38-year-old mother, also called for stricter gun control and parental responsibility. How is it possible that he cant buy alcohol or cigarettes, but he can buy a gun a gun of that magnitude? Why? she said in Spanish at a taco stand on Wednesday morning. Im all about and a supporter of the Second Amendment, but Im against that any person could buy a gun that easily. There should be stricter rules, especially at that age. Cervantes moved from Georgia to Uvalde to raise her children in a smaller, safer community. Now, she does not feel safe. Just like it was at this school, it could have been another school, she said. It could have been at church, it could have been at a public place. Understanding a rural communitys attitudes toward guns is more complicated than talking about political parties, said Joshua Blank, the research director of Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas. The research Blank has conducted shows that people tend to blame mass shootings either on lenient gun control laws or on failures of the mental health system or on an individual, such as a parent. For people in parts of the state where gun ownership is a regular part of life, theres an incentive not to blame gun laws because it allows their views to stay consistent, Blank said. It wouldnt be surprising necessarily in a rural, probably marginally conservative community with wide exposure to guns, to react to this tragedy without necessarily seeing guns as the primary problem, he said, adding, They may actually feel that the response to a shooting like the one that happened in Uvalde is for there to be more guns. Blanks polling has shown that mass shootings havent substantially changed attitudes toward gun laws in the state. The only reason that this time could be different, he said, is that the debate now centers on the lives of children. Uvalde County voted 60 percent in favor of Donald Trump in 2020, according to the results posted online. The citys mayor is a Republican. Its state senator and state representative are Democrats. The Uvalde County Republican Party on its Facebook page supported Gov. Greg Abbotts perspective that this was about mental health issues and not about gun control. Poncho Nevarez, a Democrat and former state representative in the area, suggested that although those in power in Uvalde were pro-guns, people there might question the view that good people with guns will protect the community from bad people with guns. Were about to test this theory about how much theyre willing to stomach, Nevarez said. They believed that. They had faith in that, so theyre willing to go along with that contract, because were told that that works. Well, we just saw a big hole blown through that. Trinidad was born and raised in Uvalde. Little has changed in the past decades, he said. He works on ranches and farms and wears a cowboy hat and boots like his father. I think with this that just happened, things are going to change here, he said. He said he did not know what could be done to prevent such tragedies in the future but called on leaders to take charge, railing against Abbott. I mean, I dont know how its going to happen, he said, but it needs to happen. Godofredo Vasquez contributed to this report. anna.bauman@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Scientists around the world soon will get slivers of a 50-year-old moon rock sample that NASA recently opened at the Johnson Space Center. This sample was collected in December 1972, vacuum sealed and then stored in a special cabinet at NASA waiting for technology to advance so scientists could glean new insights about the moon and solar system to advance human exploration. RELATED: NASA opens rock sample that may offer insights into how the moon was created Scientists extracted gases from the sample earlier this year, a first for the agency, then began a monthslong process of opening and dividing the sample into half-centimeter increments. They began dissecting the sample on March 21 and plan to finish this work in late June. The first samples will go to scientists at the University of New Mexico, the University of Notre Dame, Washington University in St. Louis and University of California, Berkeley. Many other institutions will receive samples later in June, including NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and the University of Arizona, said Apollo sample curator Ryan Zeigler. Gas samples have been given for preliminary analysis to Washington University in St. Louis and the University of New Mexico. These two partner institutions were in the room when NASA extracted the gas. This particular sample, Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis Program 73001, was collected by astronauts Gene Cernan and Harrison Jack Schmitt on the last Apollo mission to the moon. They collected rocks and gases that had been buried around 2 feet beneath a landslide. Moon rocks collected by Apollo astronauts have been key to understanding our solar system. And these samples could act as a reference as NASA prepares to return to the moon through the Artemis Program, starting a new era of lunar exploration. andrea.leinfelder@chron.com twitter.com/a_leinfelder The Texas DPS official who fielded a barrage of criticism about his department's response to the mass shooting in Uvalde is the same man who interrogated death row inmate Melissa Lucio into giving what her lawyers said was a false confession, according to the filmmaker who made a documentary about Lucios case. LIVE UPDATES: Follow along for the latest news and analysis on the Uvalde school massacre Victor Escalon, a regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, came up against a flood of questions from reporters Thursday probing about why police waited for nearly an hour to enter the school while terrified children waited inside and called 911. DPS officials admitted during a Friday press conference that decision was "the wrong one," and that police should have entered the building sooner to prevent more deaths during what has become the second-deadliest school shooting in modern U.S. history. The delay and varied accounts about what happened have left many frustrated about the police response. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff photographer Lucio, who was convicted in her toddlers death, narrowly escaped lethal injection when she was granted a stay, days before her scheduled execution, last month. Her lawyers and family contend that her daughter's death was a tragic accident, and that Lucio's case was marred by corruption, gender bias and shoddy police work, including her questioning by Escalon. Courtesy the Innocence Project They see Lucio's interrogation the night of her daughter's death as the key element that convinced jurors of her guilt. Escalon and another officer questioned Lucio, who was pregnant at the time, late into the night. She denied involvement more than 100 times before saying she was responsible. Courtesy Innocence Project A 2020 documentary presenting a case for Lucio's innocence garnered national attention, helping spark a movement for her execution to be halted. The film begins with video from Lucio's interrogation, showing Escalon asking Lucio to hit a baby doll the way she allegedly hit her daughter. The film's director, Sabrina Van Tassel, told the Houston Chronicle the Escalon behind the Uvalde media presence is the same man who questioned Lucio. Now Playing: The Texas DPS official who fielded a barrage of criticism about his department's response to the mass shooting in Uvalde is the same man who interrogated death row inmate Melissa Lucio into giving what her lawyers said was a false confession, according to the filmmaker who made a documentary about Lucios case. The video above is footage from the night of Lucio's interrogation, the same night her toddler died, that is featured in the 2020 documentary, The State of Texas vs Melissa. (Courtesy of Filmrise) Video: The State of Texas vs Melissa. (Courtesy of Filmrise) "Our position on Victor Escalon, at least his performance in the Lucio case, he is definitely somebody who takes wild liberties with the truth and his authority," said Tivon Schardl, one of Lucios lawyers. DPS and Escalon did not immediately respond Friday afternoon to requests for comment. rebecca.hennes@chron.com The gunman who killed 21 people in Uvalde this week walked through an unlocked door unopposed, state troopers said Thursday. In a significant departure from initial Texas Department of Public Safety reports, DPS Regional Director Victor Escalon said the gunman didnt encounter resistance after he crashed his pickup in a ditch near the school Tuesday and walked to the building while indiscriminately shooting. LIVE UPDATES: Uvalde shooter arrested in 2018 for threatening to shoot up a school, officials say Previously, DPS State Director Steven McCraw said an officer outside the school engaged with the shooter, Salvador Ramos, but did not exchange gunfire with him. That didnt happen. In the building for about an hour, Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers in adjoining classrooms before tactical officers killed him. The massacre ranks as the second-deadliest school shooting in modern U.S. history. Police first arrived on the scene four minutes after Ramos walked through the back door at the school, Escalon said. Taking fire, the officers retreated, he said. As the gunfire continued, parents of students who remained inside the school urged police to enter and stop the gunman. But it took nearly an hour before a special tactical team was able to assemble and breach a classroom that Ramos had entered and locked. The excruciating delay and discrepancies by the Texas Department of Public Safety in its shifting and incomplete account of the massacres timeline has left law enforcement executives perplexed and elected officials frustrated at still-lingering questions about the police response. On HoustonChronicle.com: Multiple country singers pull out of Houston's upcoming NRA convention in wake of Uvalde On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray urging him to thoroughly examine the timeline of events. The people of Uvalde, of Texas, and of the nation deserve an accurate account of what transpired, Castro wrote. A block of time between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. local time has yet to be fully accounted for. Police tried to negotiate with Ramos while he was barricaded inside the locked classroom, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said. Once that shooter was in the barricade, I was in there with the hostage negotiator, McLaughlin said. He would answer (the call), hang up. Meanwhile, a mass evacuation of hundreds of other students was underway. Some kids came out windows, some came out the doors, McLaughlin said. There were parents trying to go into the building. It remains unclear when the scene changed from an active shooter to a potential hostage barricade situation, a transition that could have altered the police response, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said. The response to someone who is actually actively shooting, that response has to be immediate, and its through the door, McManus said. If it turns into a barricade situation, we are not going to make an entry while nothing is happening. Were going to go in if something happens shooting starts, screaming starts. That thinking reflects changes law enforcement agencies made after the Columbine High School shootings in Colorado, said Fulshear Police Chief Kenny Seymour, who described that 1999 massacre as the pendulum swing that prompted law enforcements current response to active-shooter situations. We cant wait, he said. These shootings dont allow us to call those specialized units in. We have the training, the tools, to make a difference in these shootings. On HoustonChronicle.com: AR-style rifles like the one used in Uvalde shooting often leave victims unrecognizable, experts say He understood the anguish parents were feeling waiting outside the school, he said, but added that law enforcement could have been trying to prevent adding more potential victims to the situation. I have six children, he said. Youd be hard-pressed to keep me out of the school. The terror in Uvalde began shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said, when Ramos shot his grandmother in the face. Ramos, an 18-year-old high school dropout, took his grandmothers pickup and drove toward Robb Elementary, crashing into a ditch about 11:28 a.m., Escalon said. The teen jumped out of the passenger side of the vehicle carrying a Daniel Defense assault-style rifle and a backpack containing more than a half-dozen magazines filled with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, Escalon said. He spotted two people at a funeral home across the street and shot at them, Escalon said, but did not hit them. From there, Ramos climbed over a fence and walked into the west side of the elementary school at about 11:40 a.m. He walked in unobstructed, Escalon said. He was not confronted by anybody. Once inside, the shooter walked into the open door of a classroom and began firing numerous rounds, Escalon said. More than 25 (shots), he said. It was a lot of gunfire in the beginning. Escalon said officials believe Ramos shot most of his victims soon after entering the classrooms. Four minutes after the gunman walked inside, Escalon said, officers from the Uvalde Police Department and Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District showed up at the scene. The officers took rounds, Escalon said, and retreated and called for help from nearby agencies. On HoustonChronicle.com: As Uvalde gunman was inside the school, parents screamed outside. What we know about those 40 minutes Law enforcement swarmed to the school, including officers from the Uvalde Police Department, DPS troopers, Texas state troopers and, later, members of the Border Patrols elite BORTAC squad, the agencys tactical unit trained to combat human smuggling, active shooters and other dangerous law enforcement operations. Outside the school, parents waited in agony. They urged police to rush the building; video showed angry and horrified parents pleading with officers as gunfire could be heard in the background. It took an hour after Ramos walked into the school for a team of the tactical officers, a Uvalde police officer and a Zavala County deputy to converge on the classroom. A Border Patrol officer killed the gunman. The revelations of the lengthy delay in bringing down the shooter brought reminiscences of shootings in Columbine and Parkland, Fla. We still dont know all the particulars, said former Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, but were starting to learn the response was not consistent with 21st century, modern day responses to active shooters. In Houston, officers are now trained to respond to active-shooter situations by doing whatever necessary to end that threat, said Acevedo, who led the department from late 2016 to March 2021. If youre the first cop, the only cop, you still need to act, to act aggressively to end the threat, he said. You run toward gunfire and engage the suspect. President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee cast their ballots in early voting for the June 1 local elections at a voting station near the presidential office in Seoul's Yongsan District, Friday, in this pool photo. Yonhap President Yoon Suk-yeol and first lady Kim Keon-hee visited a polling station together Friday and cast their ballots in early voting for the June 1 local elections. Yoon and Kim went to the polling station near the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, and marked their ballots in separate booths before dropping them in the same box. Yoon was dressed in a navy suit and gray tie, while Kim wore a white short-sleeved blouse and wide black pants. The two did not speak except to check whether all the different ballots should be placed inside one envelope. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Southern Baptist leaders released a confidential list of hundreds of accused sexual abusers Thursday evening that tracked names, dates and details about a burgeoning abuse crisis but was kept secret for more than a decade. Dating to 2007, the list includes many individuals that overlap with a database of 263 convicted Southern Baptist abusers that was published in 2019 as part of Abuse of Faith, an investigation by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News that revealed how the faith group failed to protect church members. Among the offenders: Charles Adcock, who was charged in 2015 with 29 counts of rape and sodomy involving a 14-year-old girl he met at the SBC-affiliated Woodward Avenue Baptist Church in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Adcock moved to Texas after the criminal charges were filed and volunteered at First Baptist Church in Bedford. A pastor was aware of the charges, but the secret SBC list with Adcocks case and other offenders wasnt available to the rest of the congregation in Bedford despite calls from survivor advocates for the SBC to publish a database of sexual abusers to help churches vet employees and volunteers. Without admitting any guilt, Adcock pleaded to a single charge of second-degree sodomy in January 2016, served 15 months in jail and was required to register as a sex offender. Commissioned by the Southern Baptist Conventions former general counsel, August Augie Boto, the list of offenders was withheld from the public and even many top church leaders until a groundbreaking investigation published Sunday revealed its existence and shocked members of the nations largest coalition of Baptist churches. The path that led us to this moment was ugly, said Gene Besen, a lawyer who represents the SBCs 86-member executive committee, the faith groups highest governing body. Most of the committees members were unaware the list even existed. A blistering, 400-page report by Guidepost Solutions found that Boto, who resigned in 2019, asked an SBC employee to compile a list of accused Baptist offenders that ultimately reached more than 700 names since 2007, with 409 of them believed to be affiliated with Southern Baptist churches. Guidepost investigators found that nine of the suspected abusers were still in ministry, with two of them at SBC churches. Most of the cases in the list offer details about accused sexual abusers who were arrested or convicted of crimes. Since most sexual abuse cases go unreported to police and never reach the court system, experts say the true number of cases in the SBCs network of 47,000 churches is likely far higher. Roger Sing Oldham, a former vice president for SBC relations, said he supplied some of the material for Botos list, but insisted he had no idea what it was used for or that it even existed. I dont know if it was ever used, Oldham told the Houston Chronicle in an interview this week. If it was used, I dont know what it was used for. Oldham 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 Boto to keep him informed. 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. 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. The 409 Southern Baptist abuse cases in Botos list exceeds a tally of 263 convicted offenders documented in Abuse of Faith, which examined cases from a longer, 20-year time frame beginning in 1998. The newspapers database of offenders was posted online as a resource for the public and had a narrower focus than Botos list: confirmed cases that resulted in criminal convictions. The newspapers also found scores of additional pastors, employees and volunteers at Southern Baptist churches whose cases hadnt yet been adjudicated. Three days after a teenager slaughtered 19 fourth-graders and two teachers in a little Texas town called Uvalde and 13 days after a teen white supremacist used the same sort of high-powered semi-automatic rifle to murder 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket, the loyal people of the gun are coming to Houston. In light of whats happened in the past few days, its hard to imagine a less appropriate time or place for the National Rifle Association to hold its annual meeting, a gathering the writer Evan Osnos has described as a combination of political convention, trade show and Comic-Con. No organization in America has done more to delude Americans that the Second Amendments guarantee of gun rights is so rigidly absolute that even the most common-sense gun rules such as licenses and basic training are verboten. Nothing in our history, or in nearly 250 years of Supreme Court rulings, supports anything like that proposition, but the terrible power of the NRAs lobbyists and its free-spending PACs have made it gospel in states such as Texas, where well-compensated elected officials have all but sworn fealty to its twisted mandates. Members of the NRA have the constitutional right to gather when and where they please, its true. Only upon the laws of common decency and respect for the anguished parents, grandparents and siblings who have yet to bury their dead did we rest a faint hope for cancellation. Thats not the NRAs style, of course. The organization is practiced at gathering in the shadow of tragedy. In 1999, when actor Charlton Heston was NRA president, the group was scheduled to meet in Denver, a few days after the horrific school shooting in nearby Columbine. Denver Mayor Wellington Webb told the NRA, We dont want you here, and the city reportedly offered to pay NRAs expenses for calling off the event. NRA officials refused. In his closing address, Heston reminded attendees that Adolf Hitler also supported gun control. We considered calling on convention organizers to scrap their program and replace it with three days of discussion, reflection and sober reassessment in an effort to seek solutions to a grave national crisis a crisis for which the NRA bears out-sized responsibility. Sensible gun reforms would be part of those discussions, but so would many other aspects of our violence-drenched society. Still, that was never going to happen, either. Instead, we know from previous NRA meetings held in Houston in 2005 and 2013 what to expect: a cavalcade of craven politicians, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and others who will declare their servile obedience to NRA and its distorted view of the Second Amendment. None will speak truth to power at this anguished moment for fear of being Oliver-Twisted when it comes time to hold out their beggars bowls. (Please, sir. . . .) Uvalde might come up in remarks, probably in tandem with the NRA mantra about good guys with guns stopping bad guys, even though in both Buffalo and Uvalde the good guys were overpowered by a single bad guy firing an AR-15-style rifle. We also can expect to see a jam-packed George R. Brown Convention Center audience swoon when former President Donald Trump swaggers onto the stage. And we can expect to see attendees strolling through a massive exhibit space over 14 acres of the latest guns and gear where theyll stroke and fondle finely tuned machines. Interestingly, the NRAs real power over Congress hasnt emanated merely from its millions of dollars in campaign spending but from its formidable constituency of dues-paying members, which the NRA tallies at 5 million people. They include ordinary Americans with a fondness of hunting and sport and some others who see firearms as necessary to their personal safety. Not all whove pasted the red-and-gold NRA shield on the rear window of their pickup or SUV are ideologues. Some equate the organization with support for the Second Amendment itself. Perhaps some, like one of our editorial board members, took a gun-safety course as a youngster taught by an NRA member. Those courses are still offered. Some, however, no doubt realize that its no longer their grandpas NRA. And perhaps thats precisely why they stay. Founded in 1871 by two former Union Army officers concerned about the poor shooting skills they had observed among their troops, the group emphasized marksmanship and gun safety for decades. It jumped the rails a century after its founding when far-right activists led by a Texas attorney named Harlon Carter staged a palace coup of sorts at the 1977 annual meeting, which came to be called the Revolt in Cincinnati. The renegades wrenched the NRAs focus from gun safety and recreation to politics and pro-gun legislation, a focus buttressed by formidable fundraising and campaign spending. Thus was born the modern gun culture, one that has metastasized into a nationwide gun obsession (400 million firearms and counting). In league with gun manufacturers, whose motives are naturally profit-minded, and other free-spending gun rights lobbying organizations, the NRA has helped create a death-dealing culture that has no counterpart anywhere else in the world. In so doing, theyve not only betrayed their safety-minded roots but actively thwarted policies to make our society safer. As they gather in our city this weekend, we ask NRA members whether they truly support their leaders twisted and uncompromising view of the Second Amendment. Are they comfortable with a blanket refusal to consider or even discuss better background checks, waiting periods for some purchases, and restored requirements for training or licensing? We ask too how they feel about an organization that has taken their dues to not just ensure the loyalty of office-holders, but to fund a lifestyle for its leadership that should make every member blush. Their dues have afforded Wayne LaPierre, the NRAs CEO and executive vice president, a lifestyle to rival that of a Russian oligarch, with a $2.5 million salary, private-jet getaways to exotic locales, and an absurdly huge clothing allowance. He even asked the NRA to buy him a 10,000-square-foot estate, to which even the normally compliant board said no. LaPierres lavish tastes cost the NRA $64 million in a three-year period, according to a lawsuit seeking to dissolve it by the New York attorney general Letitia James. Houston, then, is hosting an organization this weekend in which the rot runs deep, to quote James. We hope our visitors have an opportunity to get out and about. We hope they get to interact with everyday Houstonians who are likely to have questions and strong opinions about an organization that has thwarted every effort to stop the plague of gun violence in this country, even as Americans young and old continue to die. Our visitors might be surprised by what they hear. Regarding Turner won't bow to pressure on NRA like he did with GOP. But he'll join convention protests outside, (May 26): I find the energy of these protests grossly misdirected. This evil, despicable coward who committed the Uvalde atrocity was not an NRA member. He didn't serve on the board of directors or participate in any of the programs offered. From what is being reported, he was a social misfit with known, aggressive behavior and with severe mental issues. Speaking as an NRA life member, I can honestly say, of all the estimated 55,000 members anticipated to attend this convention, I believe every last one of us, given the opportunity, would have willingly put our lives in danger to have stopped this madman. We are not the enemy. We need to work together, have an open and honest dialogue with each other to implement ways to prevent future tragedies like this. Jeff Kesler, Sugar Land Regarding Letters, (May 26): Mr. Muecke feels that we have a society problem and that religion no longer plays a major role. In your paper, on May 26, there was a prominent article about how the Southern Baptist Conventions executive committee opened a hotline for sex abuse allegations after publication of a thorough investigation. Irony rules the day. He also referred to the NRA convention and their many legal, honest gun owners. Repeated surveys have shown that a majority of those gun owners support background checks. Debbie Angel, Friendswood Grim irony Regarding 'How do you comfort a child thats broken?': Uvalde faces the grim reality of a horrific massacre, (May 25): Do you know whether attendees at the Uvalde high school auditorium press conference were required to go through a metal detector or be searched for firearms? The reason I ask is that, in the 2021 open carry law, politicians have insulated themselves from exposure to the dangers of firearms: Penal Code Sec. 46.03 (a)(14) states the places weapons are prohibited, including in the room or rooms where a meeting of a governmental entity is held, if the meeting is an open meeting subject to Chapter 551, Government Code, and if the entity provided notice as required by that chapter. This prohibition makes it clear Texas legislators know handguns are deadly and dangerous. This is not the only prohibition in the law ( hospitals and secured areas in airports), but it goes against the guns for all rally cry of the Second Amendment proponents. What the hypocrites really mean is guns are OK, just stay away from me. Mark A. Sanders, Houston Regarding Guns are banned at Houston NRA conference where Trump is speaking but it's not because of Uvalde, (May 25): I am surprised that at the NRA event in Houston where Trump is scheduled to speak steps were taken to ensure the audience was unarmed. I would have thought that the NRA, the Republicans and Trump would prefer everyone be armed. Safer, right? Donald Cook, Houston Its almost inconceivable. While families in Uvalde, a predominantly Hispanic community, are laying their loved ones to rest after the second deadliest mass shooting at an elementary school in American history, less than 300 miles away, the organization most responsible for our nations gun violence epidemic is celebrating its legacy of demolishing public safety. Its not like we havent seen this before. After the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., senior NRA leadership had a choice: they could either back down, or they could double down on their extreme rhetoric and support for deadly policies that fuel gun violence and line the pockets of the gun industry. They chose violence and at every opportunity theyve had to make that choice, theyve continued to choose violence instead of our lives and the lives of those most impacted by gun violence: communities of color. In the spirit of that deadly legacy, the NRA is holding its annual convention and gun show this weekend in Houston, and its leadership will likely pat each other on the back despite all the death and destruction their campaign contributions bought. Theyll celebrate laws like permitless carry, ignoring the fact that law enforcement across the country have told them to their faces that passing this law will put them in danger every single day. Theyll attack the strongest gun safety administration weve seen for actually doing their job and trying to prevent gun violence. Theyll align themselves with criminals and white supremacist extremists in their defense of ghost guns untraceable, unserialized firearms that make it nearly impossible for police to do their jobs. Theyll cross their fingers for the most dangerous Supreme Court opinion possible, praying for a dystopian nightmare of guns everywhere, for everyone. And theyll congratulate themselves on a job well done, giving the middle finger to the nearly three in every five people in this country who know someone impacted by gun violence. Now, the NRA may win individual battles here and there, but they come at a cost. With every radical, dangerous policy they help pass, more and more people in this country are shot, wounded and killed. More and more people in this country are waking up to the gun lobbys true nature an organization that exists solely to sell more guns, public safety be damned. See, they think theyre winning but theyre not. In the 10 years since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook, our Moms Demand Action movement has ballooned to more than 8 million supporters. Were taking the fight to the gun lobby in red, purple and blue states; in state houses, city councils, and school boards, and more. The truth that the gun lobby doesnt want people to know is that the states that have passed strong gun laws and invested in proven solutions are much safer than those that havent. Were winning at the ballot box and winning in courtrooms large and small. Just this past Wednesday, in a massive blow to the gun industry, a federal court upheld New Yorks landmark gun industry accountability law, making it easier for survivors, advocates and New York State to hold reckless actors responsible for the consequences of their business practices. And we wont stop there. Were winning because of one simple fact were fighting for something more. At the end of the day, this is a profit-or-loss issue for the gun lobby. Its a life-or-death issue for us. And no matter what, a mom fighting to keep her kids safe will always beat a gun industry executive looking to pad their bottom line. So as lawmakers come to Houston to kiss the ring and pay their dues to an organization hell-bent on flooding our streets with guns and destroying our public safety, were taking notes. Come November, well make sure every single voter knows what their officials stand for. Well remind voters that while families were burying their children in Uvalde, extremist lawmakers were bowing down to the organization most responsible for our nations gun violence epidemic. And no matter what, well keep going because thats what we do. Shannon Watts is the founder of Moms Demand Action and the author of Fight Like a Mother: How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby and Why Women Will Change the World. Norri Leder is a volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action. As a growing number of Texas lawmakers call for a special legislative session to address gun violence after the Uvalde school shooting, Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday that all options are on the table. Since Tuesdays massacre left 21 dead, Democrats have been urging Abbott to call legislators back to Austin and pass new laws that would prevent, or at least mitigate, future school shootings. And on Friday, some Republicans who hold the majority in both chambers of the Texas Legislature joined their pleas. If this isnt the catalyst for the Legislature to do something, I dont think anything will happen, said state Rep. Lyle Larson, a San Antonio Republican who is not seeking re-election. Every day that passes, it will be like Santa Fe and El Paso there will be less energy in trying to fix this, and well start going back, complacency will set in and we wont meaningfully address this. A year after the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting, Texas leaders reconvened for regular session in Austin and passed a slew of new school safety policies. The bills extended mental health services in schools, established threat assessment teams to identify potentially dangerous students and expanded the number of school employees who could carry guns. READ MORE: Uvalde police acted too slowly as terrified children made 911 calls, Texas DPS official says But none of them restricted firearm access, and none were enough to stop the Uvalde gunman, who entered an elementary school late Tuesday morning without resistance. He killed 19 children and two teachers. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a San Antonio Democrat who represents Uvalde, interrupted Abbotts Friday press conference to push for a special session. Senate Democrats will send Abbott a letter on Saturday formally requesting a special session and advocating for gun restrictions, he said. Im asking you now to bring us back in three weeks, Gutierrez said, before reiterating the grief the Uvalde community is experiencing this week. You have to do something, man. ... Just call us back. Abbott, a Republican, said new laws would absolutely result from Tuesdays tragedy, and he expects lawmakers to revisit every policy passed after the Santa Fe shooting. First, we need to gain the information about exactly what happened at the school to find out the extent to which those laws were complied with, to the extent that they were not complied with, to find out what shortcomings allowed this travesty to occur, the governor said. Earlier this week, Abbott ruled out any gun control policies, saying the restrictions wouldnt stop gun violence and large, Democrat-led cities like Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City were proof. Public policy experts and widely available data refute those claims; Texas had a higher firearm death rate in 2020 than Illinois, California and New York, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Instead, Abbott said mental health was the problem, and state lawmakers needed to expand resources for Texans in rural areas. House Speaker Dade Phelan endorsed the idea, as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called to fortify schools and other top Republicans asked for more armed teachers. But state Rep. Steve Allison, a San Antonio Republican, said lawmakers should evaluate all possible solutions including potentially banning or raising the age to purchase assault-style rifles. Hes open to a special session, though hed encourage the creation of a bipartisan special committee to guide the Legislatures work. No law would have prevented what happened in Uvalde, but I think we can put the guardrails around it to make it very, very difficult for it to happen again, Allison said. We just owe it to the children. LATEST UPDATES: Gov. Abbott cancels NRA trip, will travel to Uvalde instead Its unclear which proposals the states GOP leaders would pursue in the wake of the Uvalde shooting, in part because the facts of the case have changed greatly since the incident occurred. State law enforcement officials revised a number of key details, including whether the shooter was confronted outside the school before entering. We just changed the fact record almost 180 degrees within the last 24 hours, and bad facts make bad law, said state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican. We have to slow down and make sure that we really understand what happened here because, quite frankly, to honor the people that died, we have to do this right. Bettencourt said he doesnt see any rush to have a special session, and he is waiting to ensure that Uvalde officials fully enacted the school safety changes approved by the Legislature in 2019. And if funding is an issue, he added, the Texas Education Agency and the Legislative Budget Board could authorize additional spending immediately. But others say the urgency of the moment could help define Texas legislative response. State Sen. Kel Seliger, an Amarillo Republican who is not seeking re-election this year, said lawmakers should hope and pray but, more than anything, they should do something. After the Midland-Odessa shooting in August 2019, the governor said, Were not going to let this happen again, Seliger recalled. But I sat there in the 87th session, and we did nothing. I havent been able to sleep since then. We have to do something because its going to happen again. Staff writers Sig Christenson and Jasper Scherer contributed reporting. cayla.harris@express-news.net The day after a shooter gunned down 19 students and two teachers at a Uvalde elementary school, Gov. Greg Abbott praised law enforcement officers who responded to the grisly scene, describing a heroic effort to contain a shooting spree that he said could have been worse. The reason it was not worse is because law enforcement officials did what they do, Abbott said. They showed amazing courage by running toward gunfire for the singular purpose of trying to save lives. And it is a fact that, because of their quick response, getting on the scene, being able to respond to the gunman and eliminate the gunman, they were able to save lives. Two days later, Texas top law enforcement officer painted a much different picture, revealing that 19 officers waited in a hallway outside adjoining classrooms, where panicked children were repeatedly calling 911 to plead for help. It was the wrong decision, period, for authorities to wait more than 45 minutes before breaching the door, Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw said Friday. That revelation sparked a fresh round of criticism toward Abbott, who was already under fire for attending a political fundraiser hours after the shooting and late Thursday announced that he had backed out of his appearance at the National Rifle Associations annual convention in Houston this weekend. It was yet another example of how Tuesdays mass shooting at Robb Elementary School has put Abbott in a politically tenuous position, as he faces intensifying calls for gun restrictions aimed at preventing future grade school massacres, while a large portion of his Republican base is urging him to resist those calls. Abbotts critics, including his Democratic opponent, former congressman Beto ORourke, have sought to capitalize on the moment, arguing that the governor has done little to respond to the numerous mass shootings that have taken place in Texas during his tenure. This is on you, ORourke said as he confronted Abbott at the news conference this week. The time to stop the next shooting is right now, and you are doing nothing. SHOOTING DETAILS EMERGE : Uvalde police acted too slowly as terrified children made 911 calls, Texas DPS official says Abbott and other Texas Republican leaders have defended their response to the 2018 shooting at Santa Fe High School, which left 10 dead and prompted the GOP-controlled Legislature to pass several school safety measures the next year. The package of reforms which did not include anything to restrict firearms access extended mental health initiatives in schools, established threat assessment teams to identify possibly dangerous students and expanded the number of school employees who could carry guns on campus. We consider what we did in 2019 to be one of the most profound legislative sessions, not just in Texas, but weve seen in any state, in addressing school shootings, Abbott said. That said to be clear we all understand our work is not done. Still, none of the changes helped prevent the carnage that unfolded Tuesday in Uvalde. At a news conference Friday, Abbott said he expects state lawmakers to revisit each law passed after the Santa Fe shooting, after first learning the extent to which those laws were complied with in Uvalde. Abbott also said he was misled about how law enforcement responded to the shooting, calling the inaccuracies inexcusable. The information that I was given turned out, in part, to be inaccurate, and Im absolutely livid about that, Abbott said, urging investigators to get down to the very second of exactly what happened with 100 percent accuracy. And for the first time since Tuesdays shooting, he suggested a possible special legislative session on gun violence. Five months is a lifetime The political discourse surrounding this weeks shooting marks a departure from the way gun policy had played into the governors race up to this point. Since ORourke announced his candidacy, Abbotts campaign team has hammered the Democrat for famously saying, Hell yes, were going to take your AR-15, your AK-47, as a presidential candidate in 2019, touting a mandatory buyback program for assault-style weapons. While running for governor, ORourke has emphasized less aggressive measures, such as requiring background checks for private gun sales and passing a red flag law allowing judges to temporarily confiscate firearms from people deemed potentially dangerous. Abbotts team has accused ORourke of flip-flopping on gun policy, particularly after he said in February that he was not interested in taking anything from anyone. This is yet another example of Beto ORourke lying to the public about his extreme liberal views that align him more with President Biden than the people of Texas, Mark Miner, Abbotts campaign spokesman, said earlier this year. Nevertheless, its not clear how much political blowback Abbott may face from this weeks developments even as polling suggests his blanket rejection of gun restrictions is out of step with the majority of Texas voters, said Joshua Blank, research director for the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. As raw as emotions are in the present moment, politically, five months is a lifetime, Blank said, referring to the time left until the November election. And this issue is going to be competing with the economy, with immigration, with abortion, certainly, for peoples attention. On HoustonChronicle.com: ORourkes standoff with Gov. Abbott over Uvalde mass shooting marks the new era in Texas politics Despite Texas reputation as a mecca for gun-toting conservatives, a majority or plurality of voters has supported stricter gun laws in statewide polls conducted by Blanks group over the last several years. In a 2019 survey, 81 percent of Texas voters said they supported background checks on all gun purchases, 68 percent supported red flag laws and 59 percent backed the idea of a nationwide ban on semi-automatic weapons. On the other hand, national polling has been much less conclusive when Americans are asked whether the background checks would decrease the number of mass shootings or when they answer questions about specific legislation. At the very least, the Uvalde shooting may have created an opening for ORourke to combat Abbotts blanket portrayal of him as a gun-grabbing liberal and refocus some voters attention on Abbotts positions, Blank said. Absent a tragedy that really recontextualizes the states relationship with guns, ORourke was not going to make guns the centerpiece of his campaign. He may still not make guns the centerpiece of his campaign, Blank said. But given this opportunity to have the discussion about it, its clearly an advantage to ORourke to point to the fact the state has been moving away from public opinion on gun laws for about a decade. jasper.scherer@chron.com Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff photographer Gov. Greg Abbott is canceling his appearance at the National Rifle Association convention in Houston on Friday, days after a gunman killed 21 people, including 19 children, at a Uvalde elementary school. The governor faced heavy criticism for his decision to attend the event following the massacre. He was scheduled to speak alongside former President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, but he will now deliver pre-recorded video remarks, Abbott spokesman Mark Miner said. Sen. Ted Cruz delivered a speech at the National Rifle Association conference in Houston on Friday afternoon, one day after refusing to discuss proposed gun control measures with the media, calling such matters politics when the focus should instead be on the Uvalde shooting victims and their families. You know, its easy to go to politics, Cruz said Thursday when a reporter asked if now was the time to support proposed changes to federal law. Cruz went on to say that those proposals came from Democrats and the media, inevitably, when some violent psychopath murders people. Cruz spoke Friday at the event, even as Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick canceled their appearances in the wake of the massacre at Robb Elementary School. Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan was invited to speak, but he declined, a spokeswoman confirmed in a text message. Spokesmen for Cruz did not respond Friday to a request for comment. Despite Cruzs dismissal of proposed gun control laws as politics, he has in recent days discussed other potential policies to address school shootings, such as hardening schools by having more armed police officers at schools or having just one entrance to them an approach that mirrors that of other Texas Republicans who have denounced Democrats as playing politics with the school shooting. Now Playing: Scenes from outside NRA Convention in Houston Video: Yi Chin Lee, Laura Duclos New details about the Uvalde school shooting demonstrate that increased security measures would only be as effective as the people following them: The shooter entered through a back door that was supposed to have been locked, and it took 19 armed police officers nearly an hour to confront the shooter. In Cruzs Friday speech, he reiterated the arguments he made Thursday. Its never been about guns, Cruz said. (Democrats) so-called solutions wouldnt have stopped these mass murders and they know it. FRIDAY: Uvalde police acted too slowly as terrified children made 911 calls, Texas DPS official says Refusals to discuss politics in the wake of mass shootings at least when the subject is gun control laws and not school hardening has been a consistent part of the GOP playbook for years. On CBS News on Thursday morning, Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, who represents Uvalde, refused to discuss potential gun control measures when host Gayle King pointed out Gonzales past votes against such policies. After Democrat Beto ORourke interrupted a news conference the day after the school shooting to blame GOP nonaction on gun laws, Patrick called ORourke an embarrassment and Gov. Greg Abbott struck a similar anti-politics note when he responded: We need to think of something other than ourselves, think of the people who have been hurt. And help those who have been hurt. After 11 were shot down in a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018, Trump said now is not the time for politics and he said it again shortly after more than 20 were shot and killed in an El Paso Walmart in 2019. After the 2016 Vegas shooting that killed more than 60, Fox News held a segment lamenting how quickly Democrats wish to discuss gun control policies in the wake of mass shootings. But the line between tragedy, politics and public policy is not so easily drawn. Tragedies can inflame the public, which can sweep a new candidate into office who promises to bring change or can convince an incumbent to support change, according to a popular academic model used by political scientists to describe how laws are made. Many other countries in the world have tightened gun laws after mass shootings, including Germany, Australia, Norway and New Zealand, where the country banned military-style semi-automatic rifles after 51 were killed in 2019 at mosque. NRA DONATIONS: Abbott, Cornyn, Cruz and other Texas Republicans Yet in the U.S. which has more mass shootings than any country in the world Congress has not passed any wide-ranging rewrite of gun laws or universal background checks. Similar to the recent New Zealand law, military-style rifles were also banned in the United States until 2004, but Congress allowed the ban to expire, and Republicans have opposed efforts to renew it. Americans can also bypass federal background checks to purchase firearms by buying online, through a gun show or from a private seller, loopholes that many mass shooters have exploited to access their weapons. In Texas, the Legislature last year passed landmark legislation allowing any Texan to carry a handgun, openly or concealed, without any training or licensing. As the states Republican-led political leadership make it easier to access guns in Texas, they say the answer to the epidemic of mass shootings is increased access to mental health services. Many people around the world just cannot fathom, Why only in America? ... Is this the moment to reform gun laws? the British journalist said as he pressed Cruz on Thursday before the senator brushed him off. But its important, the journalist objected. Its at the heart of the issue. Jeremy Wallace contributed to this report. edward.mckinley@chron.com 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. A voter places their ballots in a ballot box at an early voting polling station in Yongsan District, Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul Survey shows ruling party taking sizable lead in 9 major constituencies By Nam Hyun-woo Early voting started Friday for the June 1 local elections, which will select 4,125 candidates for elected posts across the country, including 17 metropolitan mayors and provincial governors. The election will be an early barometer gauging President Yoon Suk-yeol's performance less than a month after his inauguration, as well as determining whether the ruling People Power Party (PPP) can manage to break the dominance of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). According to the National Election Commission (NEC), early voting started at 6 a.m. at 3,551 polling stations across the country, for 12 hours until 6 p.m. Voters can cast their ballots during the same period on Saturday, while COVID-19 patients and those in quarantine will be able to vote from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday only. As of 6 p.m., Friday, the turnout for the local elections was 10.18 percent, which is 1.41 percentage points higher than what was recorded at the same time during the 2018 local elections. Voters fill in ballots in booths installed at a polling station at Incheon International Airport, Friday during the first day of early voting. Yonhap There are 44.3 million eligible voters for the June 1 election, including 127,623 foreign nationals who have been residing in Korea for more than three years after earning permanent residency. The local elections will select representatives for 4,125 elective jobs, such as provincial governors, mayors, metropolitan and provincial council heads and members, education office superintendents and members of lower-level local councils. Of them, more than 500 people have been elected even before early voting began, because there were no rivals, or the number of candidates was smaller than the number of local council seats up for grabs. Incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is running for a fourth term on the ruling People Power Party ticket, and his wife, leave booths at a polling station in Gwangjin District, Seoul, Friday on the first day of early voting. Joint Press Corps Of the elections, the highest-profile races are for 17 metropolitan mayor and provincial governor posts. According to a joint poll conducted by Ipsos, Hankook Research and Korea Research revealed on Thursday, the PPP has taken the lead in nine constituencies, while the DPK has taken the lead in four. Incumbent Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is running for a fourth term on the PPP ticket, secured a 53.6-percent support rate over the DPK's Song Young-gil with 31.2 percent. The PPP was also leading in the races for Gangwon Province governor, Busan mayor, Ulsan mayor, Daegu mayor, South Gyeongsang Province governor and North Gyeongsang Province governor. These six regions have conventionally been strongholds for conservative parties. In the North Chungcheong Province governor race, PPP candidate Kim Young-hwan was ahead of DPK candidate Noh Young-min, who was former chief of staff to former President Moon Jae-in. For South Chungcheong Province governor, PPP candidate Kim Tae-heum was outpacing the DPK's Yang Seung-jo. In most of Korea's nationwide elections, it has usually been difficult to predict the outcome in the Chungcheong provinces, but this time the North Chungcheong and South Chungcheong provincial governor appear to be leaning toward the conservative side. In this combined photo, the top two candidates for Gyeonggi Province governor, People Power Party candidate Kim Eun-hye, left, and Democratic Party of Korea candidate Kim Dong-yeon, cast their votes at polling stations in Seongnam and Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, respectively, Friday. On the other hand, the DPK was leading in the four jurisdictions of Gwangju Metropolitan City, the South and North Jeolla Provinces and Jeju Special Autonomous Province. Gwangju mayor candidate Kang Ki-jeong, North Jeolla Province governor candidate Kim Kwan-young and South Jeolla Province governor candidate Kim Young-rok were all holding support rates of more than 50 percent. In the Jeju governor race, the DPK's Oh Young-hoon was leading by over 10 percentage points. In the races for Gyeonggi Province governor, Incheon mayor, Daejeon mayor and Sejong mayor, candidates from the rival parties have been neck-and-neck within the survey's margin of error. The race for the Gyeonggi Province governorship, which is the most heated, the DPK's Kim Dong-yeon has 39.1 percent support, outpacing the PPP's Kim Eun-hye, who has 37.7 percent. In Incheon, PPP mayoral candidate Yoo Jeong-bok was ahead of the DPK's Park Nam-chun by 4.1 percentage points, while DPK candidates are maintaining narrow leads in the Daejeon and Sejong mayoral races. The survey was requested by broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS and questioned 14,020 adults from May 23 to 25. Further details are available on National Election Survey Deliberation Commission website. Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker candidate Lee Jae-myung votes at a polling station in Gyeyang District, Incheon, Friday. Joint Press Corps By-elections Alongside the vote for local representatives, the voters of seven constituencies will cast ballots for lawmakers to fill empty seats at the National Assembly. Former presidential candidates Lee Jae-myung of the DPK and Ahn Cheol-soo of the PPP have jumped into the race, running for Incheon Gyeyang District B and Seongnam Bundang District A, respectively. While Ahn has a comfortable lead of 56.1 percent support over DPK candidate Kim Byung-kwan, with 28.2 percent, Lee is in a neck-and-neck race against the PPP's rookie politician, Yun Hyung-sun, with Lee slightly behind Yun in some surveys. Big names call for turnout As the country begins early voting, the two main rival parties are striving to urge people to participate in early voting, each claiming that high early voting turnout is advantageous for victory. Current Seoul Mayor and candidate for a fourth term, Oh Se-hoon, voted at a polling station in Gwangjin District and told reporters, "Please participate in early voting so that I can have the opportunity to work and keep Seoul's engine running for change." PPP spokesperson Yang Geum-hee said in a commentary Friday that "despite the presidential election victory, the DPK is still exploiting its influence through its majority in the Assembly and dominance in local government jobs," and urged "everyone to participate in early voting for the sake of the future." DPK lawmaker candidate Lee Jae-myung, Seoul mayor candidate Song Young-gil and Gyeonggi Province governor candidate Kim Dong-yeon also participated in early voting on Friday. A day earlier, Lee said at a canvassing event, "We will win if the turnout is high." With many big-name candidates participating in early voting, President Yoon likewise voted on Friday in an apparent bid to promote early voting also. Yoon, who is still commuting from his home in Seocho District, Seoul, voted with his wife, Kim Kun-hee, at a polling station near the presidential office in Yongsan District, without making any noteworthy comments. 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. About This Property 3-family home with detached 2-car garage built in 2012, plus off-street parking ! This amazing property features two 2-bedroom apartments and a one bedroom studio. One of the 2-bedroom units has a de-lead certificate. This property is heated with natural gas, it has vinyl siding, vinyl replacement windows and 100 amp electrical panels. It needs some TLC, but it is a great opportunity for owner-occupants and investors to own a multifamily in a convenient Pittsfield location, close to restaurants, schools and more! Land Details Community Details Acres Apx: 0.16 Parking Type: Garaged & Offstreet Lot Description: Paved Drive Region: Berkshire - Central Elem School: Egremont Middle School: Theodore Herberg High School: Pittsfield Exterior Details Interior Details Color: White Style: Colonial Construction: Wood Frame Exterior: Vinyl Water: Public Sewer: Public Underground Oil Tank: Unk Garage: 2 Car,Detached Total Rooms: 10 Total Full Baths: 3 Fuel: Nat Gas Hot Water: Nat Gas Electric: 100 Amp Floor: Laminate,Linoleum Lead Paint: Delead Cert,Unk Heat/Cool: Steam Accessibility: 1st Fl Bdrm,1st Flr Full Bath Search More Properties With these Features Porch Trash Public Lila Kanner joins Jacob's Pillow as Chief Philanthropy Officer BECKET, Mass. Jacob's Pillow announced that Lila Kanner has joined Jacob's Pillow as its new Chief Philanthropy Officer. She started in her new role with the Pillow on May 23. Kanner brings to the Pillow more than 20 years of experience in the arts and a decade in fundraising leadership. Most recently, she served as the Acting Director of Development at The Courtauld Institute of Art in London where she managed a development team to deliver campaigns, major gifts, membership, operations, alumni relations, and events. In her tenure at The Courtauld, she oversaw the strategy and management of the organization's fundraising efforts and led the fundraising team to complete a capital campaign of more than $70 million. Prior to her time at The Courtauld, Lila served as Director of Major Gifts and Strategic Initiatives at the Harvard Art Museums. "Some of my earliest, formative art experiences are from attending Jacob's Pillow performances, and I am thrilled to join the leadership team as Chief Philanthropy Officer at this important time," Kanner said. "I am inspired by the organization's artistic program, mission and the ambitions of all who are part of the Pillow's treasured local, national and international communities. I look forward to working with staff, artists, and supporters to celebrate the 90th anniversary this summer and to engaging everyone who believes in a bright second century for the Pillow." In her new role, Kanner will be working with the Executive and Artistic Director, the Board, and staff to advance the development goals of the Pillow. Lila will be key in strengthening the organization's major giving and essential in the creation of a new development and stewardship plan for the future. In addition to her experience including London, Boston and New York, Lila is a Berkshire native, having graduated from Pittsfield High School and attended Pillow performances throughout her life. Lila looks forward to bringing her passion for the arts and dance to Jacob's Pillow. "I'm so thrilled to have such an experienced strategist and exceptional human being join our senior team," said Jacob's Pillow Executive and Artistic Director, Pamela Tatge. "We feel so fortunate that this graduate of Pittsfield High School and camp counselor from Chimney Corners Camp is returning to the Berkshires to assist our beloved Pillow in growing and evolving at this exciting time in our history." Great Barrington Police Arrest 4 on Unarmed Robbery Charges GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. Four individuals from New York State were arrested after an unarmed robbery at Berkshire Bank on Thursday afternoon. Desmond Collins, 34, of Queens; Adam Lamar Morrison, 30, of Irvingdale; Christopher Wright, 32, of the Bronx; and Shamina Cruz, 45, of Manhattan are all charged with larceny more than $1,200 and unarmed robbery. Police said more charges may be pending. An employee of Berkshire Bank's Stockbridge Road branch reported the robbery at about 2:39 p.m. A woman was attempting a fraudulent transaction when a bank employee identified the transaction as suspicious; the woman then grabbed the money and fled the bank. She got into a black Honda Accord with purple fenders and headed north on Stockbridge Road. Officer Andres Huertas immediately distributed a be-on-the-lookout to officers and area police agencies, including State Police. Within minutes, Stockbridge Police Officer Rosario Messina was able to stop the vehicle without incident on Main Street in Stockbridge. An investigation into the incident resulted in the four individuals being arrested by Great Barrington Police Officers Sam Stolzar, Elias Casey and Brandon Messina. Officers from Stockbridge Police Department and State Police assisted in the arrest. A large amount of cash was secured from the vehicles and occupants. Police said they are looking into the possibility that other banks may have also been hit. "I am proud of the quick work from all officers involved and the bank employee," said Great Barrington Police Chief Paul Storti. "Handling a call like this situation without incident shows the professionalism of the officers." The four suspects are being held on bail ranging from $6,000 to $9,000 at the Great Barrington Police Department. This investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filled at a later date. Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Dae-ki speaks during a National Assembly House Steering Committee meeting at the Assembly on Yeouido, Seoul, May 17. Joint Press Corps By Nam Hyun-woo The presidential office said Friday that it is not considering privatizing state-run companies such as Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC), dismissing controversies that have stemmed from the presidential chief of staff's remark about unloading the IIAC's stake in the airport company on the market. During a meeting with reporters, an official at the presidential office said the government "has never considered privatizing state-run companies and has no plan to do so." The remark came amid the rival main parties' conflict over privatizing some state-run companies. During a National Assembly House Steering Committee meeting on May 17, presidential Chief of Staff Kim Dae-ki said, "Incheon International Airport should be managed by the government, but some 30 to 40 percent of (the IIAC's) stake should be unloaded on the market." Kim was answering a question asking whether he is still supportive of the idea of privatizing state-run companies, referring to Kim's experience of working at the presidential office under former President Lee Myung-bak, who sought the privatization of many public services. Kim's remarks triggered protests from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK). A day after Kim's remarks, the DPK's June 1 elections campaign committee chief, Lee Jae-myung, wrote on Facebook that he opposes any move to privatize electricity, the water supply, airports or railways. Seoul mayor candidate Song Young-gil also said that the Yoon government's intention to privatize public services, as well as Chief of Staff Kim's remark about selling IIAC's stake in Incheon Airport will "result in hikes in utility charges and suffocate the public livelihood." Song proposed "a public protest" to deter the government's moves. To counter their criticisms, Deputy Prime Minister Choo Kyung-ho said on May 19 that the Yoon administration has never considered privatization and has no plan to do so. As Lee, Song and other DPK members use this rationale for their June 1 local elections and by-elections campaigns, the PPP filed complaints with the prosecution against Lee and Song, saying that they are spreading groundless rumors despite the government's denial. The presidential office also said that Kim's remarks do not represent the government's stance on privatization. "What Kim said during the May 17 meeting was just the content of his book written 10 years ago, and it was his personal idea, not the government's policy direction," the official said. BCC Offers Free Exam Prep Class for Certified Professional Coders PITTSFIELD, Mass. Berkshire Community College invites students who have completed the Medical Coding Technical Skills Certificate program to register for a free, non-credit course called Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Exam Prep. The course, offered both in-person and remotely, will be held on four consecutive Thursday evenings from 5:30-7:30 pm on June 9, 16, 23 and 30. The comprehensive review course is designed for students preparing to take the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) credential exam to become a Certified Professional Coder. It covers the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) manuals, medical terminology, anatomy, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) coding manual and guidelines. Students will learn new test strategies and build test-taking skills. After each class, students will be provided with timed assignments that will assess knowledge, accuracy and speed. The final assignment will be a short test that replicates the CPC exam. "Certification is a professional's official recognition of achievement, expertise and judgment. It is a mark of excellence requiring continued learning and skill development to maintain," said Laurie Vilord, Adjunct Faculty Medical Coding. "These are just a few reasons why employers seek AAPC certified professionals." About the Medical Coding Program Medical coding is the assignment of letters and numbers to specific medical and diagnostic phrases. These codes enable the healthcare industry to collect, process, and send information more effectively. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical coding is among the 20 fastest-growing occupations, with a national anticipated growth of 18.2 percent by year 2028. Medical coders may become inpatient or outpatient coders, auditors, clinical documentation specialists, insurance evaluators, case reviewers, teachers or compliance officers. At BCC, the Medical Coding Department is designed to meet the needs of students at different stages of their careers, whether just starting out, returning to school for a second career, studying part-time at night to enhance a full-time job during the day or looking for promotion in the field. The stackable credits towards a certificate or a degree represent different phases of expertise in this emerging career path. Fire Officials Urge Seasonal Fire Safety During Memorial Day STOW, Mass. With the Memorial Day weekend coming up, State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, Shrewsbury Fire Chief James Vuona, president of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, and Chief Fire Warden David Celino of the Department of Conservation and Recreation are asking residents to practice fire safety this summer. "Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, and we want to remind everyone to play it safe as they enjoy the warm weather," said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. "Take the appropriate safety precautions against fires and burns so you can have fun all summer long." "Don't let a fire or serious burn ruin your summer," said Chief Vuona. "Practice fire safety with friends and family safely this season, and you won't have your local firefighters showing up as uninvited guests." "We've seen increased brush and wildland fire activity and larger fire growth during the spring fire season this year," said Chief Fire Warden Celino. "As more people spend more time outside in the warm months ahead, we want to be sure everyone enjoys the great outdoors safely and responsibly." Grilling Safety More than 75 percent of grilling fires in Massachusetts occur between May and September. Between 2012 and 2021, there were 908 fires involving grills, hibachis, and barbeques. These fires caused 35 civilian injuries, 10 fire service injuries, and $8.9 million in estimated damages. General safety tips for grilling: Always grill outdoors, never inside. Do not use a gas or charcoal grill on any porch, balcony, or fire escape. Place grills 10 feet away from the house and deck railings. Make sure grills are not under eaves or overhanging branches. Gas grills can be used on first floor decks or patios, only if there is an outdoor stairway to the ground, or it is at ground level. Keep all matches, lighters and lighter fluid away from children. Create a circle of safety. Keep children and pets three feet away from grills. Children should never play near grills. Charcoal grill safety: Only use charcoal starter fluid. Do not use gasoline or kerosene to start a fire in a grill. Never add lighter fluid to burning briquettes or hot coals. Doing so may cause a flash fire and result in serious burn injuries. Charcoal briquettes give off carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly. Always use charcoal grills outdoors in a well-ventilated area. For proper disposal of grill ashes, allow the coals to burn out completely and then cool for 48 hours before disposal. If you must dispose of ashes before they are completely cooled, thoroughly soak them in water before putting them in a metal container. Gasoline Safety "Serious gasoline-related burns peak in the summer months, with about 40 percent reported from June through August," said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. Gasoline vapors are highly flammable and refueling a hot motor can ignite them. Gasoline spilled onto clothing or rags can give off vapors until completely dry and be ignited by any heat source. Gasoline vapors can travel a long distance to find an ignition source, which is why gasoline must not be stored inside the house. There have been nearly 900 gasoline-related fires in Massachusetts over the past 10 years, causing nine deaths, 132 injuries, and over $19 million in damage. Gasoline safety tips: Never use gasoline to start a fire or add it to any fire. Store gasoline only outside the home, such as in a locked shed, and always in an approved container. Never store gasoline in the home or basement. Gasoline should only be used as fuel for an engine, not as a solvent. Refuel lawnmowers, leaf blowers, mopeds, and other devices only when the engine is cool. Never refill while it is hot. Keep gasoline away from all heat sources, such as smoking materials, campfires, and grills. Smoking Safety Smoking materials have been the leading cause of fire deaths in Massachusetts for decades, and there have been many fires this spring from improperly discarded smoking materials on porches and in backyards. Smoking fires can be particularly dangerous because they may smolder undetected and then erupt into flames that grow rapidly. A fire that starts on a porch, balcony, or exterior stairway can get a strong hold before smoke alarms inside warn anyone of the danger. Massachusetts fire departments reported almost 5,000 smoking-related structure fires between 2012 and 2021. These fires claimed 108 lives, including the life of a Watertown firefighter, caused 610 injuries to civilians and firefighters, and resulted in nearly $200 million in damages. Cigarettes and other smoking materials cause an even higher number of fires outdoors, including brush fires. "If you still smoke, or if you're having guests who smoke, please do it responsibly," said Chief Vuona. "Always use a deep, sturdy ashtray or a can with sand or water. Don't let people toss smoking materials into the mulch, leaves, grass, or planters, and don't stub them out on the porch railing or stairs. Remember to put it out, all the way, every time." Brush and Wildland Fire Safety According to Department of Conservation & Recreation data, there were more than 1,100 wildland fires on non-federal land in Massachusetts last year, burning more than 1,600 acres. More than 1,000 acres have burned in more than 400 fires so far this year. Everyone can and should play a part in preventing them by using caution and common sense when camping, cooking on the barbecue, extinguishing smoking materials, or riding dirt bikes or ATVs in wooded areas. "More than 98 percent of wildland fires in Massachusetts are caused by human activity," said Chief Fire Warden Celino. "These fires threaten our forests, they can severely tax local and regional firefighting resources, and they put people and homes in harm's way." Brush and Wildland Fire Safety Tips: Before setting up a campfire, be sure it is permitted by checking with the local fire department. Clear away dry leaves and sticks and overhanging low branches and shrubs. Avoid burning on windy, dry days. Keep campfires small so they are easier to control and attend to them at all times. Never use gasoline or other flammable or combustible liquids. Always have a hose, bucket of water, or shovel and dirt or sand nearby to put out the fire. Make sure your campfire is out cold before leaving. If using an ATV, dirt bike, or other off-road vehicle, be sure the spark arrestor is properly installed, as required by Massachusetts law Don't park an ATV, dirt bike, or other off-road vehicle on or near dry vegetation, and turn the engine off when stopped for an extended period of time. Fireworks Safety Massachusetts law prohibits the use, possession, or sale of fireworks in Massachusetts without a license, even if they were purchased legally elsewhere and then transported into the state. Their possession or use carries a fine of up to $100, and sale carries a fine of up to $1,000 and a year behind bars. "People are injured and property is lost every single year in Massachusetts because of fires that start with illegal fireworks," said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. "If you want to watch fireworks this summer, many cities and towns will have displays that are carefully managed and organized by licensed experts. For the safety of our friends, families, and communities, let's leave fireworks to the professionals." Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun asked the European Union, Friday, to review its directive on single-use plastics, saying the rule has even regulated eco-friendly items and limited Korean firms' market access. Ahn made the request during a meeting with EU Ambassador to Korea Maria Castillo-Fernandez held in Seoul. The Single-Use Plastics Directive, which came into effect in July last year, calls for banning certain single-use plastics. But it not only regulates fossil-based plastics but also restricted eco-friendly bioplastics, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. "The regulation has prevented Korean companies with the latest technologies for making bioplastics from accessing the European market. The regulation needs to be swiftly reviewed based on close consultations between the EU and the companies concerned," Ahn said. Currently, only Korea, the United States and Japan have secured key technologies on bioplastics. During the meeting, the two sides also discussed ways of cooperation in supply chains, and digital and other major trade issues. They shared the assessment that the two sides have maintained close and staunch economic ties despite the COVID-19 pandemic and other global uncertainties, as two-way trade hit an all-time high of $129.5 billion last year, up 26.1 percent from a year earlier. Ahn noted growing bilateral cooperation in terms of supply chains in new industry fields such as electric cars, batteries and chips and voiced hope for further joint work in emerging trade issues, including green and digital growth. The EU ambassador stressed the need to work together for a free and open market order and the transition to a sustainable economic structure in the face of the global supply chain crisis, the Ukraine war and other challenges, the ministry said. (Yonhap) Reasonable approaches needed for effective system The nation's top court on Thursday ruled against the peak wage system designed to reduce salaries gradually for senior workers from the age of 55 until retirement. The Supreme Court upheld decisions by both the district and appellate courts that ordered compensation for a former employee of the Korea Electronics Technology Institute. The 67-year-old plaintiff called for reimbursement of his lost wages due to the system. The court said it was improper for the institute to cut his salary while he still had to do the same work as before. It added the institute violated the Act on Prohibition of Age Discrimination in Employment and Aged Employment Promotion that bans any discrimination against employees on the basis of age without a good reason. The court said the institute should have taken compensatory measures for the plaintiff such as extension of the retirement age in return for applying the peak wage system. The recent ruling is meaningful as it is the first time for the top court to offer a definite yardstick amid growing confusion and conflicts in many workplaces surrounding the peak wage system. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, 54.1 percent of public organizations and companies employing more than 300 workers have incorporated the system as of 2019. Given this, the court's ruling will likely trigger lawsuits and calls for realignment of the wage system. It has become inevitable to overhaul the content and operation of the system. To that end, in-depth discussions to reach a social consensus are necessary. The court noted, to judge the validity of the peak wage system, overall considerations should be given to various factors regarding, for instance, the purpose of introducing the system, possible disadvantages to relevant workers and whether the financial resources saved from the reduced salaries are being used to fulfil the system's purpose. The ruling has brought about mixed responses. The Federation of Korea Trade Unions welcomed it by saying, "Contrary to the government's assertion, the peak wage system failed to increase job opportunities for young people. Rather, it has only led to curtailing wages of workers." Yet the Korea Enterprises Federation, a mouthpiece of business employers, denounced the ruling, saying, "It failed to respect the value and purpose of the peak wage system while overlooking the possible adverse impacts on businesses." Conflicts over the system will likely flare up following the court ruling. Both business and labor representatives should make combined efforts to improve the problems with the system while maximizing its positive aspects. For this, the government should double down on its efforts for smoother implementation of the system while preventing confrontations between labor and management over the issue. Endeavors should be focused on stopping discrimination against senior workers through the peak wage system. And companies need to find ways to use the resources conserved under the system in a bid to generate more jobs, especially for young people. In a further harsh restriction to Afghanistans media, the Taliban have issued a decree instructing all women television anchors and broadcast journalists to cover their faces while on air. International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the order and urges the Taliban to allow all women journalists to work independently and without interference. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had promised for women rights when he addressed the first press conference in Kabul on August 17, 2021. Credit: Hoshang Hashimi / AFP On May 19, Taliban's Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which was reinstated after the Taliban takeover in the offices of the previous Ministry of Womens Affairs, issued the decree effective from May 21, which is final and non- negotiable. Ministry spokesperson, Mohammad Akif Sadeq Mohajir, implied that any female journalists appearing on screen without a face-covering would be forcibly removed from work, while Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, argued the new rules would help women journalists contribute to their familys modesty and honour. Any media manager or guardian of a female presenter who fails to obey they order will also be liable under the new laws. The day following the new directive, female journalists from three Afghan media organisations defied the orders and broadcast with their faces visible. However, after pressure and threats from the Taliban, they began to adhere to the order on May 22, with male journalists wearing masks on air to in solidarity with their female colleagues At present, women broadcaster in Afghanistan televisions such as TOLOnews, Ariana Television, Shamshad TV and 1TV, wear full hijabs and face-covering veils that allow only their eyes to be seen. Women journalists and media activists have said the directive is a warning to women journalists and a planned attempt to erase women from the media. On May 7, the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice issued a decree to all Afghan women to wear a hijab or headscarf, with so-called male guardians of those women who breach the code facing imprisonment for repeated violations. The IFJ said: The Talibans new directive is one of many measures to systematically erase women journalists from working in the media and is a complete violation of freedom of press and expression. The IFJ urges the Taliban authorities to immediately withdraw the provision and allow all journalists to work freely and independently. IFJ, PJS and Palestinian Rights Group to submit new complaint to ICC regarding killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and shooting of Ali Samoudi The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) and International Center of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) have been asked by the family of, Palestinian-American journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, and by journalist Ali Samoudi, to submit a new complaint to the International Criminal Court about the circumstances surrounding Shireens death and Alis shooting on 11 May 2022. A long-time TV correspondent for Al Jazeera Arabic, Shireen was killed while covering Israeli army raids in the city of Jenin. Ali, who was present when Shireen was killed was also shot in the shoulder. Ali is able to provide crucial witness testimony with regards to his own shooting and the death of Shireen. There are strong grounds to believe that Shireen was killed, and Ali was shot, by Israeli armed forces. Both join a long list of journalists targeted by the Israeli armed forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The new complaint follows the April 2022 submission to the Court which requested the ICC Prosecutor launch an investigation into the systematic targeting, maiming and killing of journalists and destruction of media infrastructure in Palestine. Shireen was killed only days after the ICC prosecutor acknowledged receipt of the first complaint. The Group have retained leading lawyers from Bindmans LLP and Doughty Street Chambers to represent the victims at the ICC. On 5 February 2021, the International Criminal Court ruled that its criminal jurisdiction extended to the Situation in Palestine, and that its territorial scope covered allegations that occurred in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. This presents for the first time, a real opportunity for the accountability of Israels alleged policy of targeting journalists and could lead to a formal investigation by the ICC Prosecutor and potential prosecutions. The Groups April 2022 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 also 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 infrastructure including the bombing of the Al-Shorouk and Al-Jawhara Towers in Gaza City in May 2021. Tayab Ali , Director of the ICJP and Partner at Bindmans LLP comments: Shireens family and Ali have trusted us to bring what happened to them to the attention of the International Criminal Court. Shireen is not anonymous or a statistic. She was not a terrorist. She was one of us. She dedicated her life to one of the most important principles in a democracy - freedom of speech. As a journalist, Shireens work ensured that the world knew what was happening in Palestine. Journalists like Shireen and Ali are crucial in holding governments that violate international law to account. Israels belligerent and excessive use of force has led to irreversible damage and the killing of innocent journalists. This can no longer be allowed to continue. The international communitys inaction in the situation in Palestine is tantamount to complicity in violations of international law. We are determined in our legal work to reverse Israels ongoing impunity. 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 criminal acts that they will not have impunity but will instead be swiftly held to account for their violations." IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: The targeting of journalists and media organisations in Palestine violates the right to life and freedom of expression. The brutal killing of Shireen Abu Akleh and all crimes against Palestinian journalists must be fully investigated. The time for justice is now. We are proud to work with PJS, ICJP, Bindmans and Doughty Street Chambers to seek to ensure those responsible for crimes against journalists are held accountable. For more information: ICJP www.icjpalestine.com info@icjpalestine.com Tel: +44 (0) 20 3488 2737 Bindmans www.Bindmans.com press@bindmans.com Doughty Street Chambers www.doughtystreet.co.uk +44 (0) 20 7404 228 Multiple media workers were attacked during protests by members of political party Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) on May 25 and 26 in several cities across Pakistan. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Pakistan affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), condemn the attack on journalists, media workers and media houses and urge the newly formed Pakistani government to apprehend the perpetrators and further protect journalists. Police use tear gas to disperse Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party protests in Lahore on May 25 2022. Credit: ARIF ALI / AFP. In Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and other cities, numerous journalists, cameramen, and photographers were assaulted during the PTI demonstrations. In Karachi's Numaish Chowrangi area, Asif Hassan, a 45-year-old photographer for Agence France Presse (AFP), was hit in the head by a stone intended for police officers. He was taken to Aga Khan University Hospital where he received five stitches to treat the wound. Hassan is said to be in a stable condition. Reporters for Samaa TV were also attacked and harassed while covering the demonstrations in the Numaish Chowrangi area. Protestors abused female journalist, Zamzam Saeed, Yasir Hussain, and cameraperson Imran Khan while they were filming for Samaa TV. The Samaa TV transmission van was also pelted with stones as the reporting team returned from interviewing PTI Sindh President Ali Zaidi. In the capital city of Islamabad, several media vans were damaged. Protesters attacked an Aaj News and a Peshawar Neo News DSNG van with sticks and smashed the glass of a Hum News DSNG van. The Geo News office in Islamabad was also attacked with rocks. A similar incident occurred in Lahore's Liberty Chowk, when the Aaj News DSNG vans windows were shattered and the assistant DSNG operator was physically assaulted. Renowned photojournalist Amjad Hussain was also attacked during the protests. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the violence against journalists during the PTI protests and the attack on the Geo News office. President GM Jamali and General Secretary Rana Muhammad Azeem have criticised the political partys leaders and supporters for attacking media houses and staff. According to the IFJs South Asia Press Freedom Report 2021-2022(SAPFR), Pakistani media practitioners faced several safety related challenges over the last year. These included a continuing spate of physical attacks that resulted in the murder of five journalists, including a citizen journalist; assault on and injuries sustained by at least six journalists; arrest or abduction of at least seven journalists; legal cases or notices faced by at least 15 journalists; attacks or intimidation of at least five media establishments; specific threats against journalists in at least four instances; and several instances of coordinated or violent online harassment and intimidation of journalists and other digital information practitioners, including women. The PFUJ said, We have been requesting the government authority to look into and provide security to the media workers and ensure freedom of speech and expression in the country. The IFJ said, Pakistans government must ensure the safety and security of journalistsas required by law, and condemn all assaults on media workers so that they can report without fear. The IFJ calls on Pakistans authorities to fulfil their international obligations under the Pakistani Constitution on media and press freedom. Local and international media access was heavily restricted at the Chinese foreign ministers visit to Solomon Islands on May 26, with only select news outlets permitted to attend. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the obstruction of the press from events of international public interest and urges the government of Solomon Islands to ensure press freedom is protected. The Chinese delegations visit to Solomon Islands on May 26 marked the beginning of a tour of the Pacific region, called extraordinary and unprecedented by Pacific experts. Chinas foreign minister, Wang Yi, will visit eight countries including Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Fiji. All journalists from international news outlets, along with some local media organisations, have said that they are being prevented from covering or attending any of the tours events. Reportedly, journalists and media organisations have faced difficulties gathering specific information about the foreign ministers itinerary in Solomon Islands. President of the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI), Georgina Kekea, said that during the single press event in the capital city of Honiara, only journalists from two Solomon Islands newspapers, the national broadcaster, and Chinese media were allowed to attend, and are only able to ask a maximum of two questions each. MASI called for the invited media outlets to boycott the press event in solidarity with the media workers who were blocked from attending. While Covid-19 concerns have been cited as the official reason for the limited number of journalists in attendance, Kekea said this is an excuse to further restrict information about the countries security discussions. "MASI thrives on professional journalism and sees no reason for journalists to be discriminated against based on who they represent. Giving credentials to selected journalists is a sign of favouritism. Journalists should be allowed to do their job without fear or favour, Kekea said. Relations between Solomon Islands and China have drawn international attention since March, after a draft security agreement between the two countries was leaked, outlining Chinese security and naval deployments to Solomon Islands. In April, China confirmed it had signed an agreement with Solomon Islands but it is not clear what specific provisions were included in the final agreement. Wang Yi says, however, that China has no intention to build a military base on Solomon Islands. The IFJ said, The restriction of journalists and media organisations from the Chinese delegations visit to Solomon Islands sets a worrying precedent for press freedom in the Pacific. The IFJ urges the governments of Solomon Islands and China to ensure all journalists are given fair and open access to all press events. zennya Health, the advanced mobile healthcare app, has launched a series of personalized home Laboratory Packages. At the touch of a button, people can select a testing package that addresses their particular health concern. The lab results are delivered directly to the app and include a virtual consult and tailor-made care plan to improve the patients health. Each lab package is presented in an easy-to-understand format and does not require a prescription. The full range includes Heart Health, Stress & Inflammation, Fertility, Prenatal Health, Womens Health, Mens Health, Nutrient Deficiency, Diabetic Panel, Liver & Kidney, Thyroid, and Food Intolerance. Clients who dont have a specific health concern can avail of zennyas comprehensive health checks which serve as an at-home physical. The Broad Health Check and Executive Health Check give a glimpse into how the body is functioning as a whole. Upon choosing a Laboratory Package, a registered nurse will come to the patients home or workplace to collect the patients specimen. Then, an online doctor will discuss the results and provide actionable, personalized advice, including nutrition and lifestyle adjustments, and medicines as required. The tests in each package are carefully selected by zennyas team of doctors, and designed to identify health conditions and health risks early. This reverses the usual approach to care, where patients wait until they become sick, at which point the damage to their health has been done. This is part of our overall strategy to shift power to the patients. Clients can choose a lab package that addresses their health concerns, no lab prescription is required. This skips the usual consult and lab referral process, which is costly and time-consuming. We hope that removing some of the usual barriers to care will encourage Filipinos to be more proactive about their health. says David Foote, zennyas CEO. These packages are accessible to patients based in Metro Manila and will expand to Metro Cebu soon. Partnerships with other healthcare providers The pandemic led to a surge in telehealth and home healthcare. Many hospitals, laboratories, and insurance providers want to meet this demand but lack the in-house technology, logistics, and mobile workforce. zennyas White Label Service can fill in those gaps. Instead of creating a mobile medical system from scratch, white-label partners can access zennyas digital platform, medical logistics team, and a fleet of nurses and virtual doctors. The White Label Service is also offered to hotels, with the focus being on wellness and COVID-19 testing. Hotels can provide massage and wellness services to their guests using zennyas digital platform and pool of highly trained massage therapists and nurses. The White Label Service gives zennyas partners a pathway to deliver high-quality medical and wellness care under their own branding. Current white label partners include Maxicare, Doctor Anywhere, and hotel groups in Manila and Cebu. So much has changed due to and during the pandemic. Whether its patient behavior or patient needs, zennya is always on its toes when it comes to providing the latest healthcare innovation. We take what we have, see what we can offer, and provide more than what is expected, says David Foote. Download the zennya app on the App Store or Google Play today. Many companies are sitting on their hands while figuring out how much office space they will actually need in a hybrid work environment. But commercial real estate brokers say that landlords are willing to make good deals now as the market slowly recovers. While lease vacancy rates aren't expected to return to the 30-year average of 15 percent until at least 2026, according to insights from real estate market research firm CBRE, leasing activity is picking up--totaling 45.8 million square feet, up over 26 percent from last year. Additionally, average gross asking rent increased by 1.2 percent to $35.10 per square foot. The improvement in office demand will be greatest in markets hardest hit during the downturn, including parts of Manhattan, Chicago, Seattle, and Dallas. Though the market is getting more competitive, many companies are still hesitant, not wanting to waste time, effort, and resources on making large changes without more certain projections into when, and how many, employees will return to the office full time, says Julie Whelan, global head of occupier thought leadership at CBRE. A recent survey by CBRE of 207 office-using companies globally found that more than 70 percent expect a full return to the office to unfold in 2022. Those companies allowing employees to decide will see workers trickling back throughout the year; those requiring a return on a part-time basis can expect a return by July. And those requiring a full-time return are largely already back. This suggests overall office occupancy will steadily increase, especially for tech and financial services companies with money to spare, says Whelan. You should especially move fast if you're looking to downsize, she says, since most companies will end up doing so. Remote work has led to a 9 percent reduction in per-employee office use in a baseline scenario, according to insights from CBRE. Getting a Deal Companies looking to coax employees back to the office are seeking space with attractive amenities and flexibility, such as free meals, comfortable spaces to socialize and relax, and fitness studios. "The evolution to hybrid work and employee preferences has led to a flight to quality," says Robert Rivani, president of Black Lion Investment Group, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment firm. In Los Angeles, for example, Rivani says areas that are purely corporate, with vast, traditional office space, or those in more suburban locations, lost tenants to smaller spaces in more bustling neighborhoods. For example, while the overall office vacancy rate declined across L.A. in the first quarter of 2022, in downtown the vacancy rate rose to 22.4 percent, according to reports from CBRE. In Miami, however, which experienced a population boom during the pandemic, there was a corresponding surge in demand for downtown office space, and in areas such as Brickell, which touts high-end restaurants, bars, and nightlife. Absorption climbed to an all-time high of 6.8 million square feet in the last quarter of 2021, and overall office vacancy declined to 3 percent, according to CBRE. "The high end of the market is going to rebound faster and become tighter, so it might not be there when you want it if you wait too long," says Whelan. Before you jump ship to a new location, it's of course worth negotiating with your current landlord to see if they're willing to budge on rent or offer other incentives. Rivani says he commonly hears of landlords offering shorter lease terms, free rent, and car loans to hang onto tenants. For new leases, some landlords will ask for smaller deposits, one or two months instead of the usual four or six, or insert "Covid pause" clauses, which would not penalize tenants in the case of another surge or shutdown. If a space isn't move-in ready, you can also negotiate on renovations. Whelan notes that most business owners have six to 18 months to make a deal before the market tightens, and that, of course, could change if the pandemic experiences another wave. While that may seem like a long time, you'll likely want to start looking now or budgeting to see if making an office transition is a smart idea now rather than later. Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Lee Chang-yang, left, poses with Korea International Trade Association (KITA) Chairman Christopher Koo, at the latter's office in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy By Baek Byung-yeul The government will provide full support to help local companies bolster their outbound shipments against ongoing uncertainties such as global supply chain disruptions, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the conflict between the United States and China, the industry ministry said Friday. "Our trade has been the backbone of the country's economy and the pillar of sustainable growth. I hope to work closely with the trade association in establishing a new vision and goals for trade and promoting trade policies to respond to rapidly changing conditions here and abroad," Industry Minister Lee Chang-yang said during a meeting with Christopher Koo, chairman of the Korea International Trade Association (KITA), at the latter's headquarters in Seoul. "The public and private sectors need to work together to support the normalization of our economy amid deepening global uncertainties stemming from the prolonged war between Russia and Ukraine, China's lockdown of major cities and a competition for technological supremacy between the U.S. and China," the minister said. Do you believe local towns in Rhode Island should pave the way for more affordable housing developments? Why or why not? Let us know in this week's poll question below. 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No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account." www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others. How often do you see a Television host delivering a powerful speech free of bias or prejudices? It takes a lot of courage to call out political leaders without mincing words, but Jimmy Kimmel did just that and much more in his latest monologue for his popular show. A passionate and tearful Jimmy Kimmel spoke about the Texas school shooting on Wednesdays episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Agencies He begins the monologue by saying, Screenshot Here we are again on another day of mourning in this country. Once again, we grieve for the little boys and girls whose lives have been ended and the families that have been destroyed. Since Tuesdays show had already been taped before news broke of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Kimmel's episode aired on Wednesday. Agencies Kimmel addressed the camera directly without a studio audience as he appeared visibly shaken by sorrow and anger. Screengrab The show's host struggled to compose himself, and he teared up when he spoke of "the little boys and girls whose lives have been ended and whose families have been destroyed." Kimmel also spoke about most Americans supporting "keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and children," citing polls that support "common-sense gun laws." Kimmel appealed to lawmakers humanity and urged them to admit when they were wrong. Reuters I dont believe Ted Cruz doesnt care about children Hes a father. I bet he went to bed sick to his stomach last night. Its easy to call someone a monster, but hes not a monster. Hes a human being. Heres the thing I would like to say to Ted Cruz, the human being, Governor Abbott, and everyone. Its OK to make a mistake. In fact, its not just OK. Its necessary to admit you made a mistake when your mistake is killing the children in your state. He further appealed directly to Texas pro-gun Republicans Sen. Ted Cruz, Gov. Greg Abbott, and Sen. John Cornyn to consider gun control laws, citing successful examples from abroad, such as the U.K. and Australia, which enacted stricter measures after mass shootings. SN Our cowardly leaders just arent listening to us; theyre listening to the NRA, theyre listening to those who write them checks, who keep them in power because thats how politics work, said Kimmel. "This is the only country where this keeps happening," the host said. "If you care about this...we need to make sure that we do everything we can, that unless they do something drastic, let's make sure that not [one of these] politicians ever holds office again," he concluded. Watch Kimmel's full, uncensored speech here: To my friends in Dallas who are asking: I do not know whether our @ABCNetwork affiliate @wfaa cut away from my monologue tonight intentionally or inadvertently but I will find out. In the meantime, here's what you didn't get to see https://t.co/tqfHoBHMwN Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) May 26, 2022 The devastating mass shooting left at least 19 children and two adults dead and has been considered the deadliest school shooting since the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012. (With inputs from ANI) (To get the latest updates from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.) Actors may start their journey with regional cinema but soon make a seamless shift and start juggling between different roles across different languages. Dhanush, Saswata Chatterjee, and Swastika Mukherjee are just a few actors who have shifted from regional cinema to Bollywood and vice-versa. The shift has been exciting for the audience as they see talented actors not remaining confined to just one language. Instagram The barriers are finally breaking. Swastika Mukherjee, the actor, known for Bengali films like Shaheb Bibi Golaam, Shah Jahan Regency and Bhooter Bhabishyat, left the audience wanting for more when she played Dolly, Sanjeev Mehra's wife, in Paatal Lok. Real talent never goes unnoticed, and she found herself flooded with more web shows and films. Swatika Mukherjee/Instagram While the language debate in Indian cinema is still on, Swastika has raised an important point. Questioning why she is only labeled as 'Bengali Actress' instead of 'Indian,' Swastika shared her thoughts on Twitter. Swastika Mukherjee/Instagram Despite having done a significant body of work in Bengali films, including several Hindi films and shows, Swastika Mukherjee expressed her displeasure on being 'put in a box. Instagram/Swastika Mukherjee In a well-worded tweet, she put across an important message, reminding everyone that she is an Indian actress above all else. She has seamlessly juggled different roles in the Bengali film/TV industry and Hindi. Swastika Mukherjee/Instagram She wrote: What is bengali actress ?! Does anyone write hindi actress for those whose mother tongue is hindi ? Does every actor working in Bollywood hail from Mumbai ? Or do we keep mentioning their home town in every damn headline ? Indian actress bolne mein kya dikkat hain bhai ? Swastika Mukherjee (@swastika24) May 24, 2022 "What is Bengali actress ?! Does anyone write Hindi actress for those whose mother tongue is Hindi? Does every actor who works in Bollywood hail from Mumbai? Or do we keep mentioning their hometown in every damn headline? Indian actress bolne mein kya dikkat hain bhai?" Mukherjee made her big-screen debut with the 2001 Bengali film Hemanter Pakhi. In 2008, she was seen in the Bollywood film Mumbai Cutting. Mukherjee won hearts with her brief yet memorable stint in 'Pataal Lok.' A still from Paatal Lok/Amazon Prime Video-Clean Slate Productions In 2020, she starred in Sushant Singh Rajput-starrer Dil Bechara, with Sanjana Sanghi, Saswata Chatterjee, Sahil Vaid, and Saif Ali Khan in a unique appearance. A Still From 'Dil Bechaara' | Disney+Hotstar The actress is currently gearing up for the release of Netflixs Qala, co-starring late actor Irrfan Khans son Babil Khan and Tripti Dimri. (To get the latest updates from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.) Seventy-eight per cent of school students who were learning at home during the coronavirus pandemic found it to be "burdensome", according to the National Achievement Survey (NAS)-2021 conducted by the Ministry of Education. Meanwhile, 24 per cent of students did not have a digital device at home. The survey found that the learning levels (achievements) of students drop as they progress to a higher class. The survey also highlighted that in India 48 per cent of the students commute to school on foot. The NAS was conducted throughout the country for Classes 3, 5, 8, and 10 on November 12 last year. Shutterstock About 34 lakh students of 1.18 lakh schools in 720 districts from both rural and urban areas have participated in the survey. The last NAS was held in 2017. Too many assignments made studying from home burdensome According to the report released on Wednesday, at least 78 per cent of students said they found learning at home during the pandemic burdensome with a lot of assignments. While 45 per cent of the students said online learning was joyful, 38 per cent of the respondents faced difficulty in learning. Twenty-four per cent of the students claimed they had no digital device at home. Fifty per cent of the students said there was no difference in learning at home and school while 80 per cent said they learn better in school with the help of peers. Time to learn new things at home Seventy per cent of the students said they had a lot of time to learn new things at home during the pandemic. Schools were closed for several months across the country in view of the pandemic. The NAS covered government, government-aided and private schools. The subjects covered were Language, Mathematics, and EVS for Classes 3 and 5; Language, Mathematics, Science and Social Science for Class 8 and Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Science and English for Class 10. Representational Image "The objective of NAS 2021 is to evaluate children's progress and learning competencies as an indicator of the efficiency of the education system, so as to take appropriate steps for remedial actions at different levels. It will help to unravel the gaps in learning and will support state and UT governments in developing long term, mid-term and short-term interventions to improve learning levels and orient on differential planning based on survey data," a senior MoE official said. According to the report, the average performance of students at the national level with a scaled score of 500 starts decreasing in higher classes. For example, the national average performance of a Class 3 student in the language is 323 out of 500, but the same dips to 260 in Class 10. According to the report, the average achievement of schools in rural areas remained lower than the schools in urban areas in the same states/UTs. For instance, the average achievement of schools in rural areas remained lower than their urban counterparts across all states and UTs, excluding Manipur and Daman and Diu, in Language in Class 8. For more on explainers, news, sports, and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Some videos on the internet just make you retain your faith in humanity all over again. In this fast-paced world, people helping others without any prior motive is something that will always be the kindest thing. Just last week a 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck Shimian County in Chinas Sichuan province. Footage from the time earthquake hit the country has gone viral. In the video, a group of students who were asked to evacuate the classroom helped their specially-abled classmate evacuate as well. In the said video, all the students were seen evacuating their class during an earthquake. They did so in a single file and didnt forget their classmate who was in a wheelchair in the back. The kind students helped him as well and the teacher assisted too. The video was shared on Twitter by former Norwegian diplomat Eric Solheim. He captioned the video, "Solidarity! On May 20th, in the middle school of Sichuan earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8, teachers and classmates didn't forget him in a wheelchair." Solidarity! On May 20th, in the middle school of Sichuan earthquake with magnitude 4.8, teachers and classmates didn't forget him in wheelchair. pic.twitter.com/FRzMTM7Z0Q Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) May 25, 2022 People on the internet lauded these students. The fact you show this and everybody is so happy about it (understandable), means it is outside of the normal. People and their struggle for power, fear of death and addiction to comfort, makes them monsters. The human world is not a beautiful place. Bas, (@BasVanvliet12) May 26, 2022 There is some difference between classmates and FRIENDS....... They are FRIENDS.... Ashish B (@0AshishB006) May 25, 2022 Height of Humanity Subramanian Swamy (@Subrama46348615) May 25, 2022 Good guys! That's the fact (@Golover_Tu) May 25, 2022 Humanity. Very proud of the students and staffs Sesu Selvakumar (@SelvakumarSesu) May 25, 2022 Wonderful seeing this act of solidarity. Follow us on telegram. People walk along a pedestrian crossing in the tourist district of Asakusa in Tokyo, July 31, 2021. AP-Yonhap By Baek Byung-yeul Tour agencies here, which have been struggling with low travel demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic, are set to capitalize on Japan's decision to ease entry restrictions for foreign tourists next month, according to company officials Friday. They expect more Korean tourists will fly to the neighboring country, which will serve as a catalyst in revitalizing the sluggish travel industry. There will be a significant increase in the number of Korean tourists to Japan, as the Japanese government will expand the daily number of people allowed into the country starting next month and exempt them from strict quarantine requirements. "Our company is currently receiving reservations for travel packages departing for Japan after July 20. We understand that other travel agencies are also planning similar products and accepting reservations," a spokesman of local travel agency Modetour said. "The response from customers is much better than expected. Modetour is only selling tour packages to Hokkaido, and it is preparing to sell other products for travel to other regions of Japan starting next week." Very Good Tour, a local travel agency, also said 1,365 tour programs for Osaka and Kobe were sold out within only two hours of release on May 25. Their moves to promote travel to Japan came after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said recently that Japan will allow foreign tourists to enter the country through package tours starting June 10. Also, international flights will be expanded to cover airports in Sapporo and Okinawa. Additionally, border restrictions will be eased on June 1, raising the daily cap of new arrivals to 20,000 from 10,000. Taking the easing of restrictions as a beginning, the local travel industry expects the Japanese government to lift entry restrictions on foreigners gradually. The official expected that visa-free entry would have to be possible to increase travel further between Korea and Japan. "Even when it is not possible to enter the country without a visa, customers are making reservations for tour packages. If it becomes possible to enter Japan without a visa, the number of Korean tourists will increase even more," he said. In March 2020, the Japanese government placed restrictions on entering the country and suspended visa-free entry for many countries including Korea. The Korean government also banned Japanese visa-free entry. "It has been three years since travel to Japan was cut off due to the deteriorated relationship between the two countries, starting in summer 2019 and the virus spread in 2020. For the domestic tourism industry, Japan is an important market as the monthly number of passengers to the country accounted for between 15 percent and 20 percent of the total number of travelers as of May 2019, just before their relationship became rocky," the spokesman said. As COVID-19 quarantine measures around the world begin to ease, a growing number of Koreans are choosing to travel abroad. According to data by the Korea Tourism Organization, the number of tourists who left the country in March was 145,503, a 97 percent increase from the same period in 2021. Travellers who have booked a cruise to the Bermuda Triangle are being told they will potentially receive a full refund of their ticket money if the ship disappears in the sea. We aren't talking about any place, we are talking about the Bermuda Triangle here. Daily Mirror It is an approximately triangular area located off the southeastern coast of the US in the Atlantic Ocean, between Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico. Also known as Devil's Triangle, many ships and planes have been reported to have mysteriously disappeared in the region. For decades, the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle has captured the human imagination with unexplained disappearances of ships, planes, and people. Representational Image/Shutterstock These reasons make the offer by the cruise seem utterly bizarre, but there is no shortage of suitors. Passengers are splashing as much as 1,450 (Rs 1.4 lakh) for a cabin on a two-day trip with the Norwegian Prima liner, The Mirror reported. Organisers have promised a full refund if the giant ship disappears in the triangle. Their website states: "Don't worry about disappearing on this Bermuda Triangle tour. The tour has a 100% return rate and your money will be refunded in the rare chance you disappear." The tour will include a twilight Bermuda Triangle cruise on a glass-bottom boat with talks, presentations, and Q&As. As shocking as it may sound, the trip is not a new one. It is popular with conspiracy theorists around the world. In 2017, a scientist from Australia claimed to have solved the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle, once and for all. Karl Kruszelnicki told news.com.au that there is no mystery to solve because the incidents were likely caused by human error. According to Lloyds of London and the US Coastguard the number that go missing in the Bermuda Triangle is the same as anywhere in the world on a percentage basis," he had told the outlet. It is close to the equator, near a wealthy part of the world, America, therefore you have a lot of traffic," he had added. He reckons the incidents were likely the outcome of bad weather and human error. For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram. New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Efforts by financial firms and others to bring workers back to Manhattan offices more than two years after the start of the coronavirus pandemic face persistent headwinds, consultants said, with commuters still worrying about COVID-19 as well as safety. New York has lagged others major markets in the percentage of employees regularly working in the office, in part because of high usage rates of public transportation and COVID concerns, said David Lewis, chief executive of HR consultant firm OperationsInc, which works with several firms in the financial sector. Overall, New York City had an office occupancy rate of 38.8% in the week that ended May 11, below the 43.4% occupancy rate nationwide, according to data from Kastle, which sells office access cards. Subway system safety was the largest obstacle in returning to the office, with 94% of respondents saying that not enough is being done to address the issue, according to a survey by the Partnership for New York City. Companies will need to address fears of public transportation if they want to have a hope of getting people to return to the office, said Lewis. There have been a series of recent attacks that have included a mass shooting at a subway station in Sunset Park, Brooklyn in April and the death of Michelle Go, a 40-year-old woman who died in January after being shoved in front of an approaching train at the Times Square station. On Sunday, Daniel Enriquez, who had worked for Goldman Sachs GS.N Global Investment Research since 2013, was killed while on a Manhattan-bound Q train in an apparently random attack. Approximately 80% of office workers in Manhattan relied on the subway to get to work before the coronavirus pandemic began, said Kathryn Wylde, chief executive of nonprofit Partnership for New York City. The uptick in crime on the subway over the last two years has clearly discouraged people about its safety, and whether its an excuse or reality, people are less willing to return to the office unless the crime situation on the subway is dealt with, she said. Criminal complaints on the subway system in April were up 24.7% compared with the year before, to a total of 389, according to data from the New York City Police Department. Overall criminal complaints in the subway system were, however, down 15% in 2021 compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019, though ridership has fallen significantly over that time. Rising concerns about public safety may prompt more firms to pay for taxis or private shuttles for employees, said Melissa Swift, U.S. transformation leader at Mercer. It didnt used to be an employers job to get you to the office, but one consequence of the COVID period is that once work and life blended together you cant just pry them apart again, she said. Mayor Eric Adams, a former police captain who took office in January, increased the number of police in the Transit Bureau to 3,500, exceeding the 3,250 officers sent to the system last summer in a surge by his predecessor. Adams said he would temporarily double that number following the Sunset Park shooting. Concerns about the safety of public transportation will likely add to the existing pressures on the New York City office market, said Scott Crowe at real estate investment firm CenterSquare Investment Management in Philadelphia, who expects market values for office buildings in Manhattan to fall by 10% or more. Employers are under tremendous pressure from employees to offer the most flexibility as possible as it relates to location of work, he said. If there are now issues around safety thats another headwind for employers to be trying to get people back to work. (Reporting by David Randall; Editing by Megan Davies and Lisa Shumaker) Topics COVID-19 New York New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! ALFRED, Maine Three FedEx delivery vehicles traveling single file crashed into each other, sending one driver to the hospital and tying up traffic, officials said. The delivery vehicles collided with each other when traffic slowed in front of them late Tuesday morning on busy Route 111, said Shannon Moss, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety. All of the trucks suffered damage, and one of them was pushed off the highway into a tree, Moss said. One FedEx driver was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Moss said. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Maine Sen. Chris Murphy is joined from left by Sen. Ed Markey and Sen. Alex Padilla, as they speak to activists demanding action on gun control legislation after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers in a Texas elementary school this week, at the Capitol in Washington, May 26. AP-Yonhap A bipartisan group of senators is considering how Congress should respond to the horrific shooting of 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, restarting gun control talks that have broken down many times before. Aware of the difficulty of their task, the Democrats and Republicans say they hope to find agreement on legislation that could help reduce the number of mass shootings in the United States. The Uvalde shooting came 10 days after a gunman opened fire in a racist attack killing Black people at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket. Senators have narrowed the discussion to a few ideas, some of them based on legislation they have been working on for years, such as expanded background checks or red flag laws that keep guns away from people who could do harm. Led by Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the group of 10 is hoping to negotiate a proposal over the Senate's upcoming recess and have it ready for a vote at the beginning of June. It is uncertain if the group can come to consensus, and even if they do, winning enough votes from Republicans could prove difficult, as most do not want to see changes in the nation's gun laws. Democrats would need 10 Republican votes to overcome a filibuster and get a bill through the 50-50 Senate. ''Odds are against us, but we owe it to parents and kids to try,'' tweeted Murphy, who has been a lead advocate for stricter gun control since 20 children and six educators were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012. A look at the proposals under consideration, and others that are not: Red flag laws Senators emerging from a bipartisan meeting Thursday were talking about the possibility of incentivizing states to pass red flag laws that take firearms away from people who may do harm to themselves or others. Many states have adopted red flag laws, including Florida, which passed a law after the Parkland high school shooting in 2018, and Maine, which has a ''yellow flag'' law that requires a medical professional to sign off before guns were removed. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, has pushed for something similar on the federal level. Republicans are unlikely to get on board with a red flag statute for the entire country. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican who is also part of the group, said after the meeting that would be a non-starter, ''whatever the color.'' As an alternative, they are discussing whether federal grants could coax states into implementing such flag laws, an idea explored in past years by Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Blumenthal, who is working with Graham on the compromise proposal, said the ''complicated and challenging part'' will be figuring out what the standards are for removing guns from a person who is flagged. Still, Blumenthal said ''there is a powerful emotional element to the red flag statute that gives it momentum, especially after Uvalde and Buffalo, where the shooter indicated very strong signs that he was dangerous.'' The shooter in New York had been reported by his school, but the state's red flag law was not triggered. The House is planning to pass its own version of red flag legislation when it returns from a two-week recess June 6. Activists join Senate Democrats outside the Capitol to demand action on gun control legislation in Washington, May 26. AP-Yonhap Expanded background checks Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., have been trying for almost a decade to pass expanded background checks for all commercial gun sales, including at gun shows and on the internet. Under current law, background checks are required only when guns are purchased from federally licensed dealers. The idea has wide public support, even among many gun owners, but the two senators have faced resistance from congressional Republicans who don't want any changes, along with groups like the National Rifle Association. Various versions of the proposal have been repeatedly defeated in the Senate, including in 2013 after the Newtown massacre and in 2016 after a shooting in which 49 people were killed at an Orlando, Florida, nightclub. The House passed legislation last year that would expand background checks to almost all sales, including private sales. The senators have been in talks since then about crafting a version that could pass their chamber, but they have yet to come to agreement. Manchin says the House version goes too far and could interfere with informal sales between people who know each other. Manchin and Toomey, who is retiring this year, are part of the Senate working group and are tasked with finding compromise on their proposal perhaps for the last time. Toomey said Thursday that the measure doesn't have enough support to pass right now, ''but I hope we'll get there.'' School security Republicans who have traditionally opposed gun control have seized on the idea of ''hardening'' schools, giving money for more resources, law enforcement officers or even arming teachers. Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota suggested this week that Congress ''promote direct funding for local units, to be able to have the resources available to add additional protections to offer a deterrence for these individuals.'' Murphy said Thursday that he is ''open'' on adding funds for school security and that the working group is looking at what could be done along those lines. But Democrats have adamantly opposed arming teachers, and they say money for security is not enough. Gun rights activists, including the group Youth Over Guns, participate in a rally in Foley Square to demand an end to gun violence in New York, May 26. AFP-Yonhap DAVOS, Switzerland Financial firms already struggling with climate-compliance due to unclear measurement metrics will soon face new disclosure requirements for biodiversity, or nature-related, investments. Nature is a financial risk for business, Elizabeth Mrema, co-chair of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), told the Reuters Global Markets Forum, adding that $10 trillion is accrued every year from nature. The TNFD working group is putting together metrics to measure biodiversity targets in consultation with industry and financial institutions. Its post-2020 Biodiversity Framework is expected to be adopted later this year. Its about accountability. You cannot improve what you cannot measure. What gets measured gets done. We need that robust measurement system, said Daniel Stander, deputy chair of the Resilient Cities Network. The framework will ask financial institutions and corporate bodies to shift their financial flows from nature-negative to nature-positive outcomes. Another metric will ask the private sector to repurpose and redirect harmful subsidies, worth over $500 billion a year. Biodiversity is getting higher on the agenda, said David Knibbe, CEO of Dutch insurer NN Group NV, which has 200 billion euros ($214 billion) in assets under management and is active in sustainable finance. If we get biodiversity problems, lets say the ecosystem is being disturbed, that could lead to food shortages and instability, Knibbe said, adding that NN plans to engage with companies so that the insurer can track their progress. The good news is quite a few of the biodiversity projects go hand-in-hand with the climate projects, Knibbe said. (Reporting by Divya Chowdhury and Jessica DiNapoli in Davos; editing by Alexander Smith) DAVOS, Switzerland NN Group NV expects to accelerate its deadline to exit coal investments, now set at 2030, due to fears about Europe reverting to burning the fossil fuel, the Dutch insurers CEO David Knibbe said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. We do run the risk because of a lack of gas and oil that it is being replaced by coal produced in other European countries, Knibbe told Reuters in Davos on Wednesday. Geopolitically we understand the sanctions, but from a carbon footprint, that is not a good thing, Knibbe said. Knibbe said the insurer had not yet decided on the new deadline for phasing out its coal investments. World leaders gathered in Davos this week worried that market gyrations would disrupt the transition to green energy and that companies would fail to meet their goals to reach net zero in the coming decades. Some countries have already turned to coal to meet their energy needs. NN Group, with roughly 200 billion euros in assets under management ($214 billion), is also making its definition of a company involved in coal stricter, Knibbe said, so that even those with small exposure could be subject to divestment. Climate activists have long lobbied investors to back away from supporting the heavily polluting coal industry. We cannot engage on everything, but coal is high on our list as an engagement topic, Knibbe said, adding that the longer it takes to reduce carbon footprints, the more the insurance industry would have to charge for insurance. The longer it takes we will see the premiums increase, he said. (Reporting by Jessica DiNapoli in Davos; editing by Alexander Smith) Photograph: Steam and exhaust rise from the RWE Weisweiler coal-fired power station on February 11, 2021 near Inden, Germany. Photo credit: Lukas Schulze/Getty Images. Related: Topics Carriers Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone, the second largest shareholder in Assicurazioni Generali, has quit its board, the Italian insurer said on Friday, opening a new chapter in a long-standing shareholder row. Caltagirone holds a 9.95% stake in Generali, having beefed up his holding in recent years as tensions mounted between the construction and newspaper magnate on the one hand, and the insurers board and its single biggest investor Mediobanca on the other. Shares in Generali fell more than 2% after the news, underperforming a flat Italian blue-chip index .FTMIB on investor concerns that Caltagirone might reduce his stake. Generalis Board Reappoints CEO Without Support From Rebel Investors: Sources Rebel Generali Investor Could Mount Legal Challenge if Bid to Remake Board Fails However, a source close to the matter told Reuters the holding remained strategic and Caltagirone had no plans to sell it. Caltagirone earlier this year challenged a decision by Generalis board to secure a third term for CEO Philippe Donnet but his bid to appoint his own CEO candidate was defeated in a shareholder vote last month. Caltagirone did secure three board seats for his list of nominees at the general meeting on April 29 and had taken up one of these. Generali said it would call a board meeting in the coming days to take a decision on Caltagirones replacement, adding the reasons behind his decision were not known. A person with knowledge of the matter said Caltagirone had informed Generali of his decision in a letter on Friday. Caltagirone stepped down from the previous Generali board in January before proposing a rival to Donnet for the top job. (Reporting by Gianluca Semeraro and Stefano Bernabei; writing by Valentina Za, editing by Giulia Segreti and Keith Weir) Topics Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc. The United States has confiscated Iranian oil held on a Russian-operated ship near Greece and will send the cargo to the United States aboard another vessel, three sources familiar with the matter said. It was unclear whether the cargo was impounded because it was Iranian oil or due to the sanctions on the tanker over its Russian nexus. Iran and Russia are facing separate U.S. sanctions. The Iranian-flagged ship, the Pegas, was among five vessels designated by Washington on Feb. 22 two days before Russias invasion of Ukraine for sanctions against Promsvyazbank, a bank viewed as critical to Russias defense sector. Impounded Russian Tanker to Be Released by Greece Amid Confusion Over Sanctions The vessels Russian owner Transmorflot was subsequently designated on May 8. The tanker, renamed Lana on March 1 and flying the Iranian flag since May 1, has remained near Greek waters since then. It was previously Russian-flagged. A source at Greeces shipping ministry said on Thursday that the U.S. Department of Justice had informed Greece that the cargo on the vessel is Iranian oil. The cargo has been transferred to another ship that was hired by the U.S., the source added, without providing further details. The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on what it described as a Russian-backed oil smuggling and money laundering network for Irans Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, even as Washington tries to revive a nuclear deal with Iran. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment on the oil seizure. Russian officials did not respond to requests for comment. The confiscation was confirmed by a separate Western source familiar with the matter, who said the cargo was transferred onto the Liberia-flagged tanker Ice Energy, which is operated by Greek shipping company Dynacom. A source at Dynacom confirmed that a transfer of the oil was underway from the vessel to Dynacoms Ice Energy, which will then sail to the United States. Irans IRNA state news agency reported on Wednesday that its foreign ministry summoned the charge daffaires of Greeces embassy in Tehran following the seizure of the cargo of a ship which was under the banner of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Greek waters and he was informed of the strong objections of Irans government. Greek government officials could not confirm the information. IRNA quoted Irans Ports and Maritime Organization as saying the tanker had sought refuge along Greeces coast after experiencing technical problems and poor weather, adding that the seizure of its cargo was a clear example of piracy. The Ice Energy on Thursday reported its position as anchored close to the southern Greek island of Evia, ship tracking data on Eikon showed. In 2020, Washington confiscated four cargoes of Iranian fuel aboard foreign ships that were bound for Venezuela and transferred them with the help of undisclosed foreign partners onto two other ships which then sailed to the United States. Those seizures took place after a U.S. district court issued an order for the shipments cargoes in a civil forfeiture case. Greek authorities last month impounded the Pegas, with 19 Russian crew members on board, near the island of Evias coast. They said the ship was impounded as part of EU sanctions on Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. However, the vessel was later released due to confusion about sanctions on its owners. U.S. advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which monitors Iran-related tanker traffic, said the Pegas had loaded around 700,000 barrels of crude oil from Irans Sirri Island on Aug. 19, 2021. Prior to this load, the Pegas transported over 3 million barrels of Iranian oil in 2021, with over 2.6 million of those barrels ending up in China, according to UANI analysis. U.S. President Joe Bidens administration has been engaged in indirect talks to restart a 2015 Iran nuclear deal former President Donald Trump abandoned, under which world powers lifted international financial sanctions on Tehran in return for curbs on its nuclear program. While talks had appeared close to resurrecting the deal in March, they stalled over last-minute Russian demands and whether Washington might drop the Revolutionary Guards from its terrorism list. Washingtons Iran envoy said on Wednesday the chances of reviving the nuclear deal were shaky at best, and Washington was ready to tighten sanctions on Iran. (Reporting by Jonathan Saul in London and Lefteris Papadimas and Renee Mazeltou in Athens; additional reporting by Dubai bureau; Editing by Jason Neely, David Evans and Howard Goller) Topics USA Russia Energy Oil Gas Trucking Ditch diggers who accepted work assignments online and used their own spades and shovels to do the work cannot be classified as independent contractors by a company that contracted with Time Warner Cable to install underground lines, a divided Ohio Supreme Court ruled this week. In a 5-2 decision, the high court affirmed a Court of Appeals judgment that Ugicom Enterprises employed the laborers it assigned to bury underground lines and owes the state Bureau of Workers Compensation $346,817.55 for unpaid premiums. The majority said in its unsigned opinion that it isnt drawing a bright line to determine the limits of the gig economy, it is holding only that the bureau had some evidence to support its determination that Ugicom was an employer. Ugicoms take-it-or-leave-it approach to pricing the jobs, which foreclosed an installers ability to submit a bid, was a means of controlling the installers, the opinion says. Whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor is a frequently disputed question for workers compensation and liability insurers. Since there are myriad ways that organizations can assign and pay for work, courts generally look to variety of factors to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. The degree of control an employer exercises over the workers, whether it provides the tools for the job, the degree of skill required and whether the work is part of the regular business of the employer are some of the factors considered. The Supreme said the Bureau of Workers Compensation is the sole fact finder for workers compensation matters. In reviewing the case, the courts function is to determine only whether the BWC abused its discretion by entering an order that is not based on some evidence in the record, the majority opinion says. Ugicom contracted with Time Warner to install underground cable in residential areas. The company used the internet to assign specific jobs. Installers were required to sign independent contractor agreements. They would log into the system each morning to obtain job details and select the projects they wanted, then log back in again at the end of the work day to note repair work that was completed. The installers were allowed to choose their own work hours, provided that they obtained the customers consent to be on their properties. Annual pay averaged from $50,000 to $60,000 per year, but some workers made as much as $90,000, the court said. The BWC audited Ugicom in 2009 to determine whether it had paid the correct amount of workers compensation premiums for the previous five years. An auditor determined that the company had misclassified its ditch diggers as independent contractors and invoiced the company for unpaid premiums. Ugicom challenged the finding through the BWCs administrative process and filed an action with Ohios 10th District Court of Appeals when that failed. The appellate court found that the BWC had used the wrong type of test to determine whether the workers were employees, but allowed the bureau to issue a new order. The BWCs adjudicating committee heard the matter and found once again that the Ugicom workers were employees. The Supreme Court listed eight factors that can be used to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor in 1943 decision. It found some evidence that six of those factors support the BWCs determination that the installers were employees. Ugicoms regular business is to install underground cable, which is exactly the work that it hired the installers to do. Installers wore badges with the name of Ugicom and Time Warner, evidence that they were not independent of Ugicom. Ugicom did not allow installers to negotiate on price; the installers had to take whatever pay was authorized for specific jobs. The installers did not advertise their services to the community, evidence that they had an ongoing relationship with Ugicom. The independent-contractor agreements that the installers signed contained a clause that prohibited them from working for Ugicoms competitors. Minimal skill was required for the work. The installers job was basically to dig ditches to bury cable and to connect the cable to a box on the home. Justices Kennedy and OConnor wrote a dissenting opinion. They said Ugicom is largely a labor-management company that contracted with Time Warner to install underground cable lines. The some-evidence rule presents a playing field that is tilted toward the bureau, but the bureau must still supports its conclusions with relevant and probative evidence, the dissenters said. The majority here has not identified any evidence that supports its conclusion that Ugicom has the right to control the manner or means of the installers work. Topics Ohio Contractors South Dakota voters are set to vote again on whether they want recreational marijuana legalized for adults after the secretary of state on Wednesday validated the initiated measure for the November ballot. Secretary of State Steve Barnett announced that a random sample of petition signatures showed that South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws, the group campaigning to legalize pot, had easily collected enough valid signatures to surpass the roughly 17,000 needed to place the initiated measure on the November ballot. It will appear as Initiated Measure 27. The proposed law would allow people 21 years old and over to use and grow pot for personal use. It would place a 1 ounce (28 gram) limit on the amount that people could use or share. Marijuana legalization has spurred political fights among South Dakotas dominant Republican party in recent years and tested faith in a form of direct democracy _ the ballot measure. A citizen-proposed constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis passed by 54% in 2020, but Gov. Kristi Noem sponsored a lawsuit to challenge it and the state Supreme Court ruled last year that it violated the state Constitution. The secretary of states validation may be challenged within 30 days. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Cannabis South Dakota New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! The head of the Food and Drug Administration faced bipartisan fury from House lawmakers May 25 over months of delays investigating problems at the nations largest baby formula plant that prompted an ongoing shortage. FDA Commissioner Robert Califf laid out a series of setbacks in congressional testimony that slowed his agencys response, including a COVID-19 outbreak at the plant and a whistleblower complaint that didnt reach FDA leadership because it was apparently lost in the mail. Califf testified before a House subcommittee investigating the shortage, which has snowballed into a national political controversy and forced the U.S. military to begin airlifting supplies from Europe. The shortage largely stems from Abbotts Michigan plant, which the FDA shut down in February due to contamination issues. Under fire from Congress, parents and the media, Califf gave the first detailed account Wednesday of why his agency took months to inspect and shutter the plant despite learning of potential problems as early as September. The FDAs response was: Too slow and there were decisions that were suboptimal along the way, Califf told lawmakers. The FDA and President Joe Biden face mounting political pressure to explain why they didnt intervene sooner to head off the supply crisis. Why did it take an onslaught of national media attention for the Biden administration to act with a sense of urgency required to address an infant formula shortage? asked Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Virginia, the committees ranking Republican. Califf said the agency had been trying to monitor formula supplies since 2020 when COVID-related disruptions first emerged, but regulators have limited visibility into company supply chains. The House panel also heard from three formula manufacturers, including a top Abbott Nutrition executive who apologized to parents for the shortage. We let you down, said Abbott vice president Christopher Calamari. We are deeply sorry. Calamari repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether any employees were disciplined or fired over the problems at the plant, which included standing water, a leaky roof and damaged equipment. FDA staff began honing in on Abbotts plant last fall while tracking several bacterial infections in infants who had consumed formula from the facility. The four cases occurred between September and January, causing hospitalizations and two deaths. The FDA planned to begin inspecting the Sturgis, Michigan, plant on Dec. 30, according to Califfs testimony. But Abbott warned that about a dozen plant employees had tested positive for COVID-19 and requested a delay. As a result, the FDA didnt begin its inspection until Jan. 31. After detecting positive samples of a rare-but-dangerous bacteria in multiple parts of the plant, the FDA closed the facility and Abbott announced a massive recall of its formula on Feb. 17. We knew that ceasing plant operations would create supply problems but we had no choice given the insanitary conditions, said Califf, calling the problems shocking and unacceptable. Abbott and the FDA have reached an agreement to reopen the plant next week, under which the company must regularly undergo outside safety audits. Califf also struggled to explain delays in following up on a whistleblower complaint alleging numerous safety violations at Abbotts plant, including employees falsifying records and failing to test formula before shipment. Several FDA staffers reviewed the complaint in late October when it was sent to a regional FDA office, but an interview didnt take place until two months later, in part due to the whistleblowers scheduling conflicts. Senior FDA officials eventually received the complaint via email, but not until February due to an isolated failure in FDAs mailroom, likely due to COVID-19 staffing issues, according to the FDA testimony. A mailed copy addressed to then-acting commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock has still not been located. Political outrage over the shortage has landed squarely on the FDA and Califf, who was confirmed to the FDA role for a second time in February. The problems have escalated into a political firestorm for the White House, which has invoked the Defense Production Act and emergency import measures. The FDA contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Feb. 11. about a potential shortage, just days before Abbotts recall, according to FDAs timeline. Califf said the FDA requested new authorities, funding and staff to track supply chain data that could have helped get ahead of the problem, but noted Congress has not provided them. Several lawmakers raised longstanding concerns that the FDAs food program which oversees most U.S. foods except meat, poultry and eggs is underfunded and needs restructuring. The program has a convoluted leadership structure in which there is a director of FDAs Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and a separate deputy commissioner for food policy and response. The deputy commissioner has more of a safety focus, but has no direct authority over food center staff nor field staff who inspect company plants. Both officials testified Wednesday, along with Califf. When Rep. Nanette Diaz-Barragan, D-Calif., asked who is in charge of food safety, Califf and food center director Susan Mayne gave extended answers, describing different roles and responsibilities. I dont think theres one person that is responsible, Diaz-Barragan responded. I just think it goes to show there needs to be restructuring and it needs to be more clear whos ultimately responsible. Later Wednesday afternoon, Abbotts Calamari told lawmakers his company plans to build extra capacity and redundancies into its supply chain to avoid future disruptions. He reiterated the companys point that the FDA has not drawn a direct link between the illnesses reported in infants and bacteria samples collected from its plant. After the company restarts production next month it will be able to produce more formula than before the recall, he noted. Were going to learn from this. Were going to get better as a result of this, Calamari said. Executives from Reckitt and Gerber also testified on their efforts to boost production. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! McDonalds Corp. investors voted in favor of a proposal calling for an independent civil-rights audit, going against the companys recommendation, according to preliminary vote totals viewed by Bloomberg. The fast-food chain joins the ranks of other large businesses facing a wave of shareholder scrutiny regarding their environmental, social and governance stances. The civil rights audit was the only shareholder proposal to gain the backing of a majority of votes cast at McDonalds annual meeting. Other votes that failed included a request for a report on lobbying activities and spending. The vote was a close one and one of several contentious issues on the ballot at the virtual stockholders meeting Thursday, with 52% of votes cast in favor of the proposal, 47% against and the remainder abstaining. McDonalds didnt allow media to listen to the meeting. While the vote is nonbinding, failing to follow through wouldnt look good, according to Nell Minow, who advises companies about corporate governance as vice chair at ValueEdge Advisors. Even before the vote, large shareholders including Norges Bank and the State Board of Administration of Florida voiced their support for an audit. The companys second-biggest shareholder, BlackRock Inc., voted against the proposal even though its undergoing its own racial-equity audit, according to people familiar with the matter. McDonalds Beats Back Challenge to Settlement With U.S. Labor Agency McDonalds declined to comment on the audit vote. Separately, McDonalds said activist investor Carl Icahn received only about 1% of shareholder votes in favor of his two director candidates, failing in his drive to advocate for animal rights through a proxy challenge. The shareholders voted to re-elect all 12 of McDonalds board members, the Chicago-based company said in a statement. Icahn had nominated two new directors as part of his campaign for pregnant pigs to be treated more humanely in McDonalds supply chain. Gathering Details The company likely will have to gather details and data from its franchised locations, along with customers and suppliers, to measure if and how their practices may be contributing to social and racial inequities. About 95% of the companys locations are franchised and employ their own staff, which means they make individual decisions on hiring and pay. McDonalds Chief Executive Officer Chris Kempczinski said during the meeting that the company had raised wages at its company-owned locations, but that didnt include those franchise stores. Last year, the average wage was increased to $13 an hour, but the company declined to give an updated figure for 2022. A group of Black franchisees has demanded that the company do more to aid current minority franchisees who are facing systemic barriers to their success. McDonalds meanwhile has been trying to increase diversity in its corporate leadership, and has vowed to shift more spending to minority-owned suppliers. Related: Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. About $33 million of the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan recently signed into law by President Joe Biden will go toward cleaning up 277 of an estimated 15,000 abandoned oil and gas wells on federal land, the nations interior secretary said Wednesday. Millions of Americans live within one mile of an abandoned oil or gas well, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said, adding during a news conference that the wells pose a danger to people, particularly in communities of color and rural communities. With tens of thousands of known orphaned wells across the country there is a significant amount of work to be done, so the program will provide many jobs that pay well, Haaland said. There are an estimated 15,000 abandoned wells on federal land _ and states have indicated that they would need more than $8 billion to clean up 130,000 other orphaned wells, said Laura Daniel-Davis, principal deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals. Those figures could be low _ the Environmental Protection Agency has estimated the national total at 3.2 million. Daniel-Davis said money to help nail down state inventories is included in $1.1 billion announced in January as available to states under the infrastructure law. This is the first installment of $250 million provided through the infrastructure law for cleaning up orphaned wells and well sites on federal public lands, national parks, national wildlife refuges and national forests, Daniel-Davis said. The next will probably be announced during the fiscal year which starts Oct. 1, she said. Including wells on federal land, the bill will provide $4.7 billion to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells, said Mitch Landrieu, Bidens infrastructure coordinator. States are now finally counting them, he said. Wells covered by Wednesdays announcement are considered high-priority because pollution threatens human health and safety, the climate and wildlife. Several wells, particularly in Pennsylvania and Louisiana, are near disadvantaged groups, Daniel-Davis said. Some 163 wells are in Louisiana, in five wildlife refuges and the Jean Lafitte National Historic Park and Preserves Barataria unit. Sixty-eight are in the Darbonne National Wildlife Refuge and 59 in the Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge. There are 24 each in Kentucky, in the Daniel Boone National Forest, and in Oklahoma, in the Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge. Another 20 are in Texas, 18 in the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania and 14 in Bureau of Land Management lands in Utah. In addition, the government will inventory and assess wells in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Utah. Ten wells are in California, three in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio and one in the Gauley River National Recreation Area in West Virginia. Contractors will measure methane before and after cleanup, Haaland said. Louisiana has about 4,600 orphaned wells, defined in state law as those with owners that have either gone out of business or have ignored state clean-up orders, said Patrick Courreges, spokesman for the state Department of Natural Resources. He said environmentalists often count those which have been plugged for at least five years as abandoned. As of last fall, he said, there were 9,352 such wells, owned by 447 companies. Louisiana has been plugging 120 to 200 abandoned wells a year for the past five or six years, he said. It is our hope to at least double that with money from the infrastructure bill, said Courreges. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Louisiana Energy Oil Gas Texas Mutual Insurance Company is awarding $1.1 million in grants to 11 colleges across Texas to fund workplace safety courses for employers, workers and the general public. Texas Mutualthe states leading provider of workers compensation insurancebegan its commitment to supporting safety education at state colleges in 1999. Over a 23-year period, Texas Mutual has awarded $11 million in safety education grants, and more than 35,000 students have attended free or discounted safety training offered at various colleges. The grants support risk management programs at Amarillo College, Angelina College in Lufkin, College of the Mainland in Texas City, Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, El Paso Community College, Kilgore College, Lamar Institute of Technology in Beaumont, Lee College in Baytown, Midland College, Odessa College and Texarkana College. Our Texarkana College safety training program has been able to provide our students, staff, health care workers, schools and businesses valuable workplace safety education thanks to the support from TexasMutual, said Mendy Sharp, executive director of business development at Texarkana College. For six years, our courses have prepared the community with current and upcoming safety measures they can adopt and use for years to come. Courses at these safety institutes include driver safety, ergonomic safety and the latest OSHA standards. The colleges also provide courses tailored to the primary industries in their communities. Source: Texas Mutual Topics Texas Education Training Development Universities RTHK: Russia pounds Ukraine's Kharkiv Ukraine's second city Kharkiv on Friday reeled from a deadly onslaught of Russian shelling as Moscow pressed its offensive to capture key points in the eastern Donbas region with more bombing of residential areas. The pounding of Kharkiv, which according to local officials left at least nine people dead, raised fears that Russia had not lost interest in the city even after Ukraine took back control after fierce battles. Over three months after Russia launched its attack on Ukraine which has left thousands dead on both sides and displaced millions of Ukrainian civilians Moscow is focusing on the east of Ukraine after failing in its initial ambition to capture Kyiv. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated accusations that Moscow is carrying out a "genocide" in Donbas, saying its bombardment could leave the entire region "uninhabited". Oleg Sinegubov, the regional governor of Kharkiv which lies to the north of the Donbas region, said that nine civilians had been killed in the Russian shelling on Thursday. A five-month-old child and her father were among the dead, while her mother was gravely wounded, he said on social media channels. Kharkiv mayor Igor Terekhov said the northeastern city's metro, which resumed work this week after being used mainly as a shelter since the start of Russia's military offensive, would continue operating, but also offer a safe space for residents. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-05-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. China, Solomon Islands ready to forge "iron-clad" ties Xinhua) 11:42, May 27, 2022 Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare (R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Honiara, Solomon Islands, May 26, 2022. (Xinhua) HONIARA, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday expressed willingness to forge "iron-clad" ties and deepen cooperation between the two countries. Sogavare said China has become the biggest cooperative partner of the Solomon Islands on basic infrastructure and a reliable development partner, expressing thanks to China for providing anti-pandemic supplies, repid-test equipment and sending medical teams to his country. He also appreciated the Chinese side for sending policing supplies and police advisers to help maintain social order of the Solomon Islands after the riot in Honiara. The Solomon Islands and China have conducted cooperation on the basis of equal treatment and mutual respect, and the connection in various fields has become increasingly close, bringing tangible benefits to the Solomon Islands people, the prime minister noted. For his part, Wang said the Chinese side appreciates the Solomon Islands' firm determination of safeguarding national interests, strong desire of developing China-Solomon Islands friendly cooperation and adhering to the one-China policy. China also staunchly backs the Solomon Islands' efforts to safeguard natioanl sovereignty independence, protect natioanl unity and solidarity, and speed up the realization of natioanl prosperity on a path chosen by the country. Wang said it's not long since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries but the development of bilateral ties has been sound, steady and fast. China and the Solomon Islands have become good friends of mutual trust and good partners of mutual support, with political trust between the two countries further deepening and pragmatic cooperation widening, he noted. It is proven that the political decision of the Solomon Islands to establish diplomatic relations with China is in line with the development and progress of the times as well as the fundamental and long-term interests of the people of the Solomon Islands, Wang said. China is ready to work with the Solomon Islands to forge "iron-clad" ties, and deepen cooperation between the two sides so as to benefit the two peoples, Wang said. The emerging economies are rising en masse, and peace and development are still the irreversible trend of the times despite the unilateral bullying, Wang noted. China is ready to enhance coordination and cooperation with the Solomon Islands in multilateral organizations such as the United Nations to accelerate the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, cope with climate change, and jointly safeguard the rightful interests of medium and small countries. Sogavare also said the Solomon Islands is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China on international issues. Wang is visiting the Solomon Islands as part of his tour to the South Pacific island nations, which will also take him to Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, as well as Timor-Leste. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) A man gets a haircut on the street, amid the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown in Shanghai, May 26. EPA-Yonhap On a balmy Sunday night, residents of an upscale Shanghai compound took to the streets to decry lockdown restrictions imposed by their community. By the following morning, they were free to leave. The triumphant story quickly spread on chat groups across the city this week, sparking one question in the minds of those who remained under lockdown: Shouldn't we do the same? By the end of the week, other groups of residents had confronted management in their complexes, and some had won at least a partial release. While it's unclear how widespread they are, the incidents reflect the frustration that has built up after more than seven weeks of lockdown, even as the number of new daily cases has fallen to a few hundred in a city of 25 million people. They also are a reminder of the power of China's neighborhood committees that the ruling Communist Party relies on to spread propaganda messages, enforce its decisions and even settle personal disputes. Such committees and the residential committees under them have become the target of complaints, especially after some in Shanghai and other cities refused to allow residents out even after official restrictions were relaxed. A woman with a two-three hour pass from her residential compound walks along a street during a Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown in the Jing'an district of Shanghai, May 27. AFP-Yonhap More than 21 million people in Shanghai are now in ''precaution zones,'' the least restrictive category. In theory, they are free to go out. In practice, the decision is up to their residential committees, resulting in a kaleidoscope of arbitrary rules. Some are allowed out, but only for a few hours with a specially issued pass for one day or certain days of the week. Some places permit only one person per household to leave. Others forbid people to leave at all. ''We have already been given at least three different dates when we are going to reopen, and none of them were real,'' said Weronika Truszczynska, a graduate student from Poland who posted vlogs about her experience. ''The residential committee told us you can wait a week, we are going to reopen probably on June 1st,'' she said. ''No one believed it.'' Two days after the Sunday night breakout at the upscale Huixianju compound, more than a dozen residents of Truszczynska's complex confronted their managers on a rainy Tuesday. The residents, who were mostly Chinese, demanded to be allowed to leave without time limits or restrictions on how many per household. After the demands were not met, some returned to protest a second day. This time, four police officers stood watch. Men exercise at a closed residential area during lockdown in Shanghai, May 27. Reuters-Yonhap New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! 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. A news release from the department says the system will rely on a network of 400 river and stream gauges. Information will be passed on to department maintenance staff responding to flooded roads and washed-out culverts. It will also benefit local emergency management officials and the public accessing the departments DriveNC.gov website for timely weather-related closures. The last major storm to impact the states roads was Hurricane Florence in 2018. After that, the legislature gave the department a $2 million grant to develop sophisticated software and install more flood gauges. The system mostly taps into existing gauges operated by other agencies, and it includes an interactive online dashboard and flood mapping based on three-dimensional ground surveys. One part of the new system covers almost 3,000 miles of state-maintained roads, mostly east of Interstate 95. The system also will allow the department to monitor flood conditions for some 15,000 bridges and culverts statewide. The departments hydraulics unit has been refining the system and training staff during the past year. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Flood New Markets North Carolina New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed property insurance and condominium maintenance reform legislation into law Thursday, putting an exclamation point on a whirlwind of lawmaking that began just a week ago when the bills were drafted and filed. This package represents the most significant reforms to Floridas homeowners insurance market in a generation, DeSantis said in a statement. These bills will help stabilize a problematic market, help Floridians harden their homes through the My Safe Florida Home Program, and pave the way for more choices for homeowners. The two-bill package took effect immediately. Among other major reforms, Senate Bill 2D aims to put an end to the practice of contractors offering free roofs by barring attorney fees for those who are assigned benefits. Another law, Senate Bill 4D, modifies state building code that often required whole-roof replacement if just a quarter of the roof surface is damaged. While the Legislature was debating the measures in special session this week, though, some roof contractors saw the writing on the wall and stepped up solicitation of homeowners, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said. My office has received recent reports that unscrupulous contractors are trying to get out in front of the recent legislative changes made during special session by ramping up their solicitation schemes and sending out flyers to Florida residents, Patronis said in a statement Thursday evening. Im urging all Floridians to beware of fly-by-night roofers and contractors looking to take advantage of consumers. Patronis praised the legislation and the governors quick signing of it. Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier, whose office came under fire during the three-day legislative session, also smiled on the changes that will require more oversight and reporting from his understaffed department. This legislation strengthens protections for Florida insurance consumers, provides greater tools to hold insurance companies accountable, and promotes the long-term stability of our market, Altmaier said. Some insurance industry groups had concerns about the efficacy of a new, lower-level reinsurance program authorized by the bill, and about a prohibition on insurers refusing to write homes with roofs that 15 years old or less. But most agreed the legislation is a significant step toward reducing roof claims and litigation costs. This is a great bipartisan achievement for Florida consumers, said Michael Carlson, head of the Personal Insurance Federation of Florida. Several Democrats in the House and Senate charged that the bills help rescue insurance companies but dont do enough to reduce premiums for homeowners. Legislative leaders agreed that most policyholders wont see much effect for another 18 months. The reinsurance plan, known as the RAP fund would require participating insurers to provide rate reductions by the end of June. Those could amount to 3% to 4% for insureds, according to John Rollins, an actuary and former CFO for Olympus Insurance Co. The State Board of Administration, which oversees the RAP program and the cat fund, posted information about the plan on its website. The condo reform legislation was folded into SB 4D. It, too, takes effect immediately and requires inspections for high-rise condominiums, everywhere in the state, 30 years after construction. For condos closer to the coast, inspections would be done more frequently. Condo associations also would no longer be able to postpone needed repairs. The measure was adopted 11 months after the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo building near Miami Beach, which killed 98 people. The governor called the special session after lawmakers in March did not adopt significant reform measures. The bills were crafted by the governors office, Sen. Jim Boyd, Rep. Jay Trumbull and others and, some legislators said, ended up with stronger anti-assignment of benefits and litigation-limiting provisions than did bills that were discussed during the regular session. Topics Florida Condominium New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! Two more property insurers, including two of Floridas larger carriers, did not wait around to see what help the just-concluded special session of the Legislature may provide, and have stopped new business in the state. Peoples Trust, once listed as the ninth-largest property-casualty carrier in the state and whose chief operating officer is former Florida Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher, on May 19 made a filing with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. It said the company would suspend writing new homeowner and dwelling-fire policies that day. Southern Fidelity Insurance Co., headquartered in Tallahassee, told agents Thursday that it had suspended new and renewal business for all lines until it can complete its reinsurance coverage for the 2022 hurricane season. Existing quotes cannot be bound, the memo said. We deeply apologize to our agency partners for the impact this will take on your business and appreciate your commitment to us, reads the Southern Fidelity announcement. The company also writes in South Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi. Company offices will be closed starting today, Friday, at 2 p.m., the company said. The Peoples Trust filings, which were quickly approved by OIR, tweak wording in the companys manuals for homeowners multi-peril and for dwelling fire coverage. Ineligible risks now include new business located in all Florida counties. The companies did not indicate how long the suspensions would be in effect. Peoples Trust did not fully explain the reason for the suspensions, but Gallagher provided a brief statement Friday morning: We have completed our reinsurance purchase and are working on our new rate filing to account for additional reinsurance costs so that we can open up to new business, he said. We are currently renewing business that meets our underwriting criteria. We will be applying for the newly legislated roof deductible to be placed on our policies as soon as its approved. Its likely the carriers will be able to tap into a special reinsurance program established this week by the Florida Legislature at its special insurance session, but its unclear if the program will provide enough savings to help Southern Fidelity secure other layers of reinsurance. The filings did not indicate how many Peoples Trust policies will be affected. Peoples Trust does not report the quarterly information to OIR. Southern Fidelity does, and reported 98,641 policies in force at the end of 2021, and $184 million in total premium written. Southern Fidelity was provided significant financial support in late 2020 when Hudson Structured Capital Management took a majority ownership stake. The carriers are now the seventh and eighth insurers to announce they have stopped writing in Floridas distressed market in the last seven months. Others include United P&C Insurance, Avatar Insurance (now insolvent), Florida Farm Bureau and TypTap. Progressive Insurance also said late last year it will not renew homes with roofs over 16 years of age. Other carriers have made similar filings. The suspension comes as a surprise to some, not to others in the Florida insurance market. Some have warned that more carriers will soon become insolvent, despite the action from lawmakers at the special session this week. Gallagher said the new laws should help but more work remains to be done. The special legislative session was very helpful to both insureds and carriers. As was stated in both the house and senate, Florida accounts for 79% of the nations homeowners insurance lawsuits over claims filed while making up only 8% of the nations homeowners insurance claims, so we look forward to the Legislature taking additional measures to finish addressing this Florida-specific problem of frivolous lawsuits, he said in an email. Peoples Trust has a business model that was seen by many as innovative when it was unveiled about five years ago. The company was one of the first to require the use of its own contracting companies to make repairs after claims were filed, and the insurer had prevailed in several court decisions in the last two years that upheld the requirement. Some policyholders and their attorneys have complained that the restoration companies did not complete jobs or provided poor-quality work. Topics Florida The Superior Court of Lewis County upheld Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidlers fine and cease-and-desist order against Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network Inc. for illegally acting as an insurer in Washington. In March 2020, Kreidler ordered Armed Citizens to stop acting as an insurer. Armed Citizens sells memberships that include self-defense insurance to cover bail and legal costs incurred in conjunction with using force against another person. In May 2020, Kreidler fined Armed Citizens $200,000 for violations. Armed Citizens appealed both actions and an administrative law judge upheld Kreidlers actions, but amended the fine to $50,000 and ordered Armed Citizens to pay it by Dec. 7, 2020. Armed Citizens has until June 24 to file a notice of appeal. From 2008 to 2019, 25 members nationwide filed claims. Of the 25 claims, two occurred in Washington; Armed Citizens paid $2,000 in one claim and denied the other one, according to the commissioners office. Kreidler has taken similar enforcement action against four other organizations that sell or underwrite self-defense insurance and fined them $302,000. Armed Citizens and other similar organizations can legally sell insurance in Washington by applying for admission as an insurer and complying with the laws and rules that apply to insurers and insurance producers. Related: Topics Washington News Global market trend 2024-2028 Shanghai port container throughput recovery has a positive impact on the nvocc market by Newsintegra927 Factors affecting freight forwarder nvocc Freight transportation In international freight transport, one of the most concerning issues is the price of freight transport. The cost is directly related to the cost of transportation. Because many exporters do not understand the price of transportation very much, and often have a lot of extra spending, then today to understand the factors of the price of international freight transportation? Do You Need Freight Forwarders? DDP for World is a full-service and shipping forwarder dedicated to assisting our clients in focusing and growing their businesses. Send an Email to info@ddpforworld.com and get the latest freight price. Ministry of Transport: the daily container throughput of Shanghai port recovered to the normal level of 95.3% Beijing, May 26 (Yan Bing wang Zihan) On May 26, the Ministry of Transport held a press conference, the Ministry of Transport services department, Deputy director Li Huaqiang introduced the current logistics in China. The daily container throughput of Shanghai port recovered to the normal level of 95.3%. In the past week, the average daily cargo throughput of Pudong Airport has recovered to about 80% of pre-epidemic levels during peak hours. Baiyun Airport has basically returned to normal levels. Li Huaqiang said that at present, the overall achieved "dynamic problem clearance, smooth traffic network, better operation indicators, hub gradually reach production" stage results. Specifically reflected in: The problem of excessive control is dynamically cleared. The requirements for vehicle traffic, such as no persuasion for inspection, no waiting for testing, no re-testing of nucleic acids, and no additional policies, have been generally implemented. The country's transportation network is generally smooth. Since May 4, the temporary closure of expressway toll stations and service areas across the country has been dynamically cleared. Since May 10, the number of villages where supplies were blocked due to epidemic prevention and control has been dynamically eliminated. Major operating indicators remained stable and improved. Compared with April 18, truck traffic on May 24 increased by about 10.9%; Railway and road freight volumes increased by 9.2% and 12.6% respectively, both recovering to about 90% of normal levels. In the past week, the average daily business volume of national postal express services has basically recovered to the level of the same period last year. Key hubs have gradually resumed work and production. The daily container throughput of Shanghai port recovered to the normal level of 95.3%. In the past week, the average daily cargo throughput of Pudong Airport has recovered to about 80% of pre-epidemic levels during peak hours. Baiyun Airport has basically returned to normal levels. The transportation prices are different for different nvocc In the general international trade process, the price of transport according to different modes of transport, price is also different. International freight rates are divided into sea freight, air freight and rail freight. The specific nvocc freight rate can also be subdivided. For example, rail freight can be divided into passenger freight and freight. Shipping rates are also divided into tramp rates and liner rates. Tramp rates are also affected by market supply and demand relations at that time, while liner transport costs are relatively fixed. Airfreight can be divided into general goods, designated goods and special goods, and the specific transportation price is also determined according to the weight of transportation, at the same time, even if the volume is small, the weight is also counted by weight, but if the opposite is large, small weight, also according to the specific volume to calculate. The choice of international logistics, the quality of logistics will affect the seller's store score, but also affect customer satisfaction rate. Factors affecting the shipping price of nvocc In the process of international transportation, there are many factors affecting the price of transportation, in addition to some fuel and labor costs, there are many important factors. For example, the nature of the nvocc, its own value and packaging form, as well as stowage factor and transporter's requirements for transportation, etc. There will be some fixed costs during the use of the ship, such as the ship's maintenance insurance and fuel consumption. There is also the change of supply and demand in the nvocc market. In the transport off-season, transport prices are relatively low, in the transport of the peak season, transport prices will be relatively high. Logistics advantages of the nvocc in the destination country and region In Eastern Europe, DHL has advantages in Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Hungary and other places while EMS has advantages in Greece, Russia, Turkey and other places. Western Europe, Northern Europe, southern Europe can use DHL international express, TNT international express, these two kinds of customs clearance capacity. TNT has a clear advantage in the Netherlands and Belgium. For Canada, the United States and other American countries, FedEx, UPS and DHL are all suitable for their strong customs clearance capacity and fast time. Applicable to Asia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries DHL, FedEx. DHL and FedEx are time-saving, but THE price of DHL is higher. Indonesia also suggests USING DHL because it has a stronger customs clearance capacity. In Oceania, DHL and UPS aging fast, with high prices; TNT and FedEx have lower prices but relatively few outlets. Particular attention should be paid to the "Made in China" label on the packaging of Australian products. Middle East express ARAMEX, EMS for Middle East region. Commercial express in Africa is very expensive. In remote areas, IT is suggested to send EMS international express. EMS countries have the strongest customs clearance capacity. The air express nvocc can reach many countries and regions that commercial express and postal express cannot reach, so the wide range of nvocc transportation is its advantage. Contact a professional freight forwarder- D DPFORWORLD-Professional freight forwarder in China Freight forwarders with large volumes of business can get large international express at lower discounts; And personal orders directly official, the price will certainly be more expensive. Secondly, the freight forwarders are skilled in business and are very familiar with the channels and market conditions of major international express companies. Know what to send, what to send and how to send. Directly report demand, for you to match the most cost-effective logistics, save worry and money. Do You Need Freight Forwarders ? DDP for World is a full-service and shipping forwarder dedicated to assisting our clients in focusing and growing their businesses. We do DDP shipping since 2015 by handling home decor, Pet products, battery, power banks, DG cargo, general cargo and Amazon FBA forwarding service. We make your shipping easier and faster by Sea, Air, Express, Truck or Railway. If you have any questions or needs about freight forwarder, please feel free to contact us, we will serve you wholeheartedly. Email: info@ddpforworld.com Inquery us Opinion Policies Editorials are longer opinion pieces that are written by a group of community members recruited across campus who address relevant issues on a local, national and international level. Editorials are research-based. The purpose of the Editorial Board is to promote discussion concerning relevant issues in the community while advising on possible solutions. Topics are chosen via relevancy and interests of the members, which are then discussed by the Editorial Board in order to reach a general consensus concerning the topic or issue. Feedback policy If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com). Column Policy Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. These contain similar research-based content and need to be at least 400 words in length. The following requirements should be met: first and last name, email and relation or position to Iowa State. Emails must be tied to the submitted guest column or it will not be accepted or published. Pseudonyms are prohibited and the writer will be banned from submissions. Read our full Opinion Policies here. Updated on 10/7/2020 Illauncreeveen, County Cork It is instructive to read back on old accounts of Ireland from the 19th century. The language is often flowery, the tributes glowing and the ostentatious ideals sobering. One such missive, from the pen of English writer Samuel Smiles concerned the attractions of Glengarriff, County Cork. The view is one of surpassing grandeur, the very perfection of scenery, combining with the softest landscape the wildest and most romantic features of mountain and lake with woods in the foreground, he wrote. Many thousands came to see Glengarriff for themselves as the railway network expanded. On the Iveragh Peninsula, Parknasilla was to prove very popular with the growing tourist industry. Newspaper adverts offered trips from Cork to Glengarriff for 27 shillings including first-class rail [to Bantry], board, coach and accommodation at the world-famous Eccles Hotel'. Glengarriff itself had expanded by the ever-increasing trips by British Navy boats to the village to obtain supplies for its presence further out the peninsula at Castletownbere. The harbour offered benign shelter for ships to anchor and local produce or supplies from Cork City with which to stock up. Or in the words of Samuel Smiles: Right before it lies the beautiful Glengarriff Bay. Its shores are varied by numerous creeks, each rock and jutting headland reflected in the still waters, and in front a noble background of mountains stretches away in find depths of shade and sunshine, and wild confusion but with the happiest variety of form and outline. Smiles of course was effusive with good reason and 150 years after he recorded this opinion the harbour still harks to its halcyon days. In among his jutting headlands are around 20 small islands. Brandy Island appeared here recently as a possible smuggling location in the 19th century. The small island of Illauncreeveen is in a strategically important location at the mouth of the harbour just near Gun Point and lying less than 100m from the shore. The four-acre island, like most of the other islands in the bay, is wooded, though less so than the others. In the 19th century, the British Navy used the island as a semaphore base. The flag signalling system is still used by navies in emergency situations. When the ships came up the bay, when they were calibrating the guns, they had men on the island sending signals to the ships where to go in the bay, said a local historian. In among the trees are the ruins of an old shack, barely habitable today, though it looks like someone might have once lived in it. And it is of a vintage that suggests a link to the construction of the other structure on the island. This is a 1.8m obelisk constructed by the British as part of a navigational aid for shipping. Also erected were a 2.4m high white cairn on the mainland east of Illauncreeveen; and an iron perch, surmounted with a spherical iron cage on the Yellow Rocks; and another at Carrigskye rock. The beacons and perches were complemented by a 2.7m white post with triangular top situated on the hill at Derrycreigh, to the east of the harbour. Over the years the island was a natural magnet for swimmers with one Glengarriff local fondly recalling his memories: We used to go out as kids from the Blue Pool and on low tide you could dive and pick scallops out of it at the sandy bottom. A beautiful spot. Some islands capture the imagination of the public. An Fear Marbh, Inishtooskert, is one of the Blasket Islands which continually draws photographers to interpret its plentiful photographic qualities. So too, Illauncreeveen, which has attracted several photographers to capture its alluring shores. Even its rocks are colourful with geological surveys identifying slate of purple, green and greenish grey. In Irish, it is Oilean Craoibhin, which refers to island of the twigs or shrubs. There is a possible interpretation however of sods built around a creel which in turn suggests the island may have been used by fishermen to store equipment. How to get there: harbourqueenferry.com getmyboat.ie/trips/WYWnZZad Photography: flickr.com/photos/64356739@N06 richardcreagh.com petercox.ie A protest is to be held outside Downing Street on Friday amid growing anger over revelations in the partygate report over the way cleaners and security staff were treated. Sue Gray said in her report that she learned of multiple examples of unacceptable treatment of security and cleaning staff during her investigation. She wrote: I found that some staff had witnessed or been subjected to behaviours at work which they had felt concerned about but at times felt unable to raise properly. I was made aware of multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff. This was unacceptable. While government officials and staff were eating pizza, drinking Prosecco and making a mess, an army of invisible workers had no choice but to risk their lives and clean! We call on all low paid and precarious workers to TELL THE Government to clean up their own mess! pic.twitter.com/mu0spcoeDU United Voices of the World the union (@UVWunion) May 26, 2022 Staff members drank excessively at the Downing Street Christmas party on December 18 2020, and a cleaner found red wine was spilled on one wall the next morning, the report said. United Voices of the World (UVW), a union which represents cleaners and security guards in government buildings, has called the protest outside Downing Street. The union said it was protesting against the culture of disrespect towards low-paid workers, such as cleaners and security guards, in government buildings and offices across London. Petros Elia, UVW general secretary, said: Were not in the least bit surprised by the revelations in the Sue Gray report. We have thousands of members who work as cleaners and security guards and these workers face disrespect and discrimination on a daily basis in offices and government buildings across London, not just in Downing Street. It is outrageous to have rowdy and illegal parties during the pandemic but to then expect cleaners to mop up after you and to pay them, as well as porters and security guards, poverty wages and deny them full sick pay is abhorrent. Most of the cleaners and security guards out there are ethnic minority workers, Black, brown and migrant people, who are disproportionately impacted by poor working conditions and racialised inequalities. We represent cleaners at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) who had to walk off the job during the pandemic because they were not given adequate PPE and were denied full sick pay, which they eventually won for Covid-19 absences. One of our members who worked as a cleaner at the MoJ tragically died an untimely and avoidable death. Thats how far the levels of disrespect and mistreatment went and goes towards low paid workers. A leading official of the cleaning industry is calling for a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary over the way cleaning staff were treated at 10 Downing Street. Jim Melvin, chairman of the British Cleaning Council, said he was appalled and upset at revelations in Sue Grays partygate report. Mr Melvin has written to Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, saying: At a time when many cleaning and hygiene operational staff, arguably as frontline workers, were putting themselves directly at risk to maintain high standards of hygiene and ensure that key workers and the public were kept as safe as possible during the pandemic, it is absolutely appalling and upsetting to hear that they were being treated with such contempt by people who may sit within Government or the Civil Service and who frankly should know better. The BCC is appalled and upset to hear that Sue Grays report into parties at Number Ten revealed multiple examples of a lack of respect and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff.https://t.co/t8BVu9rj6r The British Cleaning Council (@BritishCleaning) May 26, 2022 It is our position that cleaning and hygiene operatives are hardworking, professional and deserve to be respected in their vital work, just like anyone one else and certainly how the people concerned would expect to be treated. For further clarification and information, in some parts of the cleaning industry, the demand for increased standards of hygiene during the pandemic has combined with severe staff shortages to drive many colleagues close to breaking point. What cleaning staff need is support and recognition from the Government and Civil Service, not to be treated with any level of disrespect. Burma Arakan Army Clashes Heavily with Myanmar Junta Troops An Arakan Army fighter in Paletwa Township, Chin State. / The Irrawaddy Fighting broke out between Myanmars junta and the Arakan Army (AA) in Paletwa Township, Chin State, on Thursday. The two sides clashed at the foot of Mt Suu Poke in northwest Paletwa with Light Infantry Battalion 289 providing artillery support, according to residents. There is a junta outpost and AA troops are nearby. Troops from Battalion 289 went to the outpost as reinforcements and were intercepted by the AA, a resident told The Irrawaddy. School enrollment began on Thursday but had to be suspended due to continuous artillery fire, witnesses said. The AA is based in Rakhine State but is also active in Paletwa, which borders Rakhine. Paletwa saw two years of intense fighting before a ceasefire was agreed ahead of the November 2020 general election. Paletwa relies on neighbouring Kyauktaw Township in Rakhine State for supplies of food and other goods. In response to growing military tensions, the regime prohibited water supplies to Paletwa from Kyauktaw in early May. Neither side was available for comment. Tensions have been running high for months and junta troops and the AA also clashed for nearly 20 minutes near the village of Than Htaung in Paletwa on May 15. In early May, AA chief Major General Tun Myat Naing warned the regimes western commander, who oversees Rakhine State. Junta spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun then told a press conference that the regime was losing patience with the AAs provocative and hostile remarks and that the Rakhine people would suffer if fresh fighting broke out. The two sides observed an unofficial ceasefire after November 2020 following two years of intense fighting since late 2018. More than 200,000 people were displaced by the fighting and some 60,000 remain in displacement camps after many returned to their homes since the 2020 ceasefire. Burma Myanmar Junta Detains Petrol Tycoon With Corruption Charge A YP filling station. Myanmars military regime has detained another leading business owner on Thursday as U Zin Min Aung, the major shareholder in the chain of Yangon Petrol (YP) filling stations, becomes the third tycoon to be charged by the regime since February. The regimes Anti-Corruption Commission announced on Thursday that it has opened a case against him under the Anti-Corruption Law. The commission also filed corruption charges against ousted Yangon Region National League for Democracy (NLD) figures, including energy minister U Han Tun, mayor U Maung Maung Soe, vice-mayor U Soe Lwin, Yangon City Development Committee secretary Daw Hlaing Maw Oo and joint secretary U Than, accusing them of involvement in U Zin Min Aungs case. The YP chain was established in 2019 as part of then Yangon Region chief minister U Phyo Min Theins plan to bring down fuel prices. It was reported that YP Co. bought state-owned land from the regional government at 2,000 kyats per square foot, far below the market rate. In return, YP filling stations were expected to sell at lower prices and its petrol prices were reportedly around 50 to 60 kyats per liter less than other filling stations. A petrol industry source in Yangon told The Irrawaddy that U Zin Min Aungs arrest is connected with YPs acquisition of land. There was a lot of controversy and opposition to YPs acquisition of land. The arrest of U Zin Min Aung has raised the eyebrows of other directors, said the source. The majority of YPs directors are also on the board of PT Power Co., a leading operator of Myanmars petrol stations in the country. In April the regime detained Eden Group of Companies chairman, U Chit Khine, and his son U Win Min Khine and charged them with bribery. The regime also detained and charged one of Myanmars most notorious cronies, Zaykabar Co. chairman U Khin Shwe and his son U Zay Thiha. U Khin Shwes daughter is married to the son of former general and parliament speaker Thura U Shwe Mann, now the chairman of the Union Betterment Party. U Khin Shwe represented the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party in the Upper House between 2011 and 2016. The regime has also reportedly asked military-linked crony U Teza, the chairman of Htoo Group of Companies, and Cooperatives Bank owner U Khin Maung Aye, both of whom have been living abroad, to return to Myanmar. Another of the countrys top cronies, Ayeyarwady Bank owner U Zaw Zaw, was also briefly detained after last years coup. Burma Myanmar Junta Intensifies Arson Attacks in Resistance Strongholds A village in Myaung Township in Sagaing Region after a regime attack on May 22. / Myaung PDF Myanmars junta has intensified its attacks in the resistance strongholds of Sagaing and Magwe regions by razing around 100 villages this month. The Irrawaddy estimates that more than 7,000 houses in 97 villages were burned down in the two regions so far this month. Tens of thousands of residents have been displaced. Ye-U, Khin-U, Myaung, Yinmabin, Salingyi, Mingin, Kani, Taze, Shwebo, Wetlet, Kale and Tabayin townships in Sagaing Region have been raided by junta troops and more than 6,000 houses were burned down. During raids in Magwe Region this month, over 1,300 houses from 28 villages were burned down. Myaing Township in Magwe Region has about 10,000 civilians sheltering in seven camps. About 10,000 civilians from Yesagyo Township in Magwe have been displaced and at least 63 killed during junta raids in May. Ko Zay, head of the Salingyi Special Taskforce, told The Irrawaddy that the regime wants to break up civilian administrative networks while the junta cannot extend control beyond a few cities. He said: They well know Magwe and Sagaing are under the command of the National Union Government. They are resistance strongholds. That is why regime troops target them. Peoples defence forces from Sagaing and Magwe regions lack the military experience and support networks of the ethnic armed forces, he said. By torching civilian houses, they try to stop public donations to resistance forces and the resistance groups weaken each day, Yay Lae Kyaun PDF said in a statement. A War Tan villager in Salingyi Township said: Soldiers made us homeless and hungry and it is impossible to support the revolution. But they can only destroy our houses: they cant destroy our revolutionary spirit. Currently, thousands of civilians are staying with relatives, at monasteries and in forests under tarpaulin shelters. Tabayin refugee relief network said the junta attacks make the delivery of aid to civilians extremely challenging. Myaing NGOs are asking for food, other humanitarian assistance and help to rehabilitate civilians. We do not dare return to our village and if we did there is nothing there, said a Lat Yet Ma villager in Myaung. Two-thirds of the village was burned down on May 14. Burma Myanmar Junta Jails Man for 10 Years for Alleged Ties to Peoples Defense Force Thandwe Township signboard A junta court in Rakhine States Thandwe has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison with labor over his alleged ties to the Peoples Defense Force (PDF), which Myanmars military regime has branded as a terrorist group. Ko Tin Tun Naing, 26, from Thalu Kyun Village was detained by junta soldiers while traveling to Gwa Township on Jan. 29. He was later charged under Section 49 (a) of the Counter-Terrorism Law. A family member said: They said they found Ko Tin Tun Naings messages to the PDF on [Facebook] Messenger in his phone. He was unfairly jailed. On May 20, two Thandwe men were given three years in prison with labor for their alleged ties to the PDF. Since February, the regime has jailed five residents including a high school teacher and a famous Rakhine writer for allegedly financing PDFs. Young author Ko Min Di Par from Pan Maw Village in Mrauk-U Township was arrested in October last year on suspicion of financing PDFs and charged under Myanmars Counter-Terrorism Law. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with labor in February. Three women aged 28, 35 and 40 from Thandwe were given 10 years on March 31 for donating cash to PDF groups. The regime has detained and charged 12 residents from Thandwe, Taungup, Mrauk-U and Gwa townships under the Counter-Terrorism Law on suspicion of having ties to the PDFs. In August last year, coup leader Min Aung Hlaing signed an amendment to the Counterterrorism Law introducing harsher penalties for supporting anti-regime activities. Under the amendment, the jail term is increased from three to seven years for acts of exhortation, persuasion, propaganda and recruitment of any person to participate in any terrorist group or activities of terrorism. Burma Ousted NLD Regional Chief Minister Given New Jail Term by Myanmar Regime Ousted Magwe Region Chief Minister Dr. Aung Moe Nyo. / The Irrawaddy Ousted Magwe Region Chief Minister Dr. Aung Moe Nyo was sentenced to a new jail term of three years by a junta court on Wednesday, taking his total prison sentence to 24 years. Dr. Aung Moe Nyo, who was Magwes Chief Minister under the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) government, was convicted on Wednesday of violating COVID-19 regulations under the Natural Disaster Management Law, for a trip he made to Magwes Pwintbyu Township during the coronavirus outbreak. He was given the maximum penalty under the law. He had expected this. He said [the regime] will do as they please, said Dr. Aung Moe Nyos lawyer. The ousted Chief Minister was sentenced at a special court in Magwe Prison, where he has been detained since last years coup. He faces nine charges in total. In June last year, Dr. Aung Moe Nyo was sentenced to two years in prison with labor after being convicted of incitement. He had shared a video on social media in which he stated his opposition to the militarys coup and his support of the Civil Disobedience Movement, as well as supporting a statement issued by the NLDs central executive committee that condemned the coup. He was also given 18 years for three corruption charges and a one year sentence for violating electoral laws in the 2020 general election. His lawyer said that Dr. Aung Moe Nyo, who is also a medical doctor, is in good health. Prior to becoming Magwes Chief Minister in 2016, Dr. Aung Moe Nyo served as the No.3 general secretary in the NLD and won parliamentary seats in the 1990, 2015 and 2020 general elections, as well as in the 2012 by-elections. Burma Senior US Senator Questions White House Support for Myanmar Resistance Senator Mitch McConnell speaks to reporters after a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans in Washington DC on May 24, 2022. / AFP US Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell has questioned whether President Bidens administration is willing to help Myanmar, saying the USs role supporting the countrys struggle for democracy was at a serious crossroads. The senator, who has worked across the aisle to encourage previous administrations to do more to stand with the dissidents and democrats of Myanmar, addressed senior officials from the Biden administration during Wednesdays briefing to members of the US Senate. Senators McConnells intervention comes at a time when the Senate is carrying out a process directed by McConnells bipartisan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 to support Myanmars democracy movement. It includes provisions such as legitimizing Myanmars parallel National Unity Government (NUG), which was formed by lawmakers from the National League for Democracy (NLD) and its ethnic allies after the NLD government was ousted in a coup last year. The amendment was passed by the Senate in December last year, but still requires White House officials to brief senators on the USs policy towards Myanmar since the coup. Senator McConnell told the Senate: My friends (in Myanmar) are enduring a 16th month under the rule of yet another brutal military junta. Thousands of civilians have lost their lives. The Senator was referring to the regimes post-coup atrocities against its own people, the majority of whom have rejected junta rule. But Burmas [Myanmar] struggle for democracy and our role in support is at a serious crossroads. And today, our colleagues expect to hear from the administrations representatives what more it is prepared to do to help the people of Burma, he added. Days before the briefing, Senator McConnell met with the NUGs foreign minister Daw Zin Mar Aung. She requested the US to bolster the legitimacy of the NUG, sanction the regimes support system and give direct assistance to the people of Myanmar. Im hopeful the representatives here today are prepared to discuss how the Biden administration is prioritizing these objectives, and its strategy to achieve each of them, said Senator McConnell. During the briefing on Wednesday, the Senator asked the US government what steps the administration was prepared to take to engage, support, and formally recognize the NUG and its National Unity Consultative Council, a body formed to bring together forces opposed to the regime, and the NUGs armed wing, the Peoples Defense Forces. He said also that the US needs to ramp up pressure on the military regime because Myanmar dissidents were asking what additional steps the administration will take to target the juntas foreign enablers and corporate affiliates, including the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise. The junta-controlled enterprise runs the countrys oil and gas sector. Lastly, the senator urged the US to find a more effective way of partnering with Myanmars neighbors India and Thailand to deliver direct aid assistance to the people of Myanmar, as tens of thousands of civilians nationwide have been forced to flee their homes due to junta raids and arson attacks. How is it [the administration] working to help document the juntas crimes and provide cross-border humanitarian assistance for its victims? asked the Senator. Senator McConnell admitted that the challenges facing the Myanmar people are complicated. But he said the proposition for the US government was simple: Are we willing to help a people committed to democracy finally realize it for themselves? I look forward to hearing how the Biden administration plans to answer this call, he added. Mobile Core Network and Multi-access Edge Computing market revenues for 1Q 2022 bounced back to a positive year-over-year growth rate after decreasing in 4Q 2021the first decline since 4Q 2017, according to market and research firm DellOro Group. According to DellOro Group, MCN market growth was driven by a double-digit percentage year-over-year (Y/Y) revenue growth rate in the 5G MCN market overcoming (Y/Y) revenue declines in the 4G MCN and IMS Core markets. DellOro Group points out that the MCN market in China had a high growth rate while the MCN market excluding China had a negative growth rate for the quarter. With the continued aggressive build-out of 5G Standalone (SA) networks in China, the China region in 1Q 2022 substantially increased its share of the 5G MCN market over last quarter, comments DellOro Group research director Dave Bolan. At the end of 1Q 2022, we have identified 25 mobile network operators that have commercially launched 5G SA mobile Broadband networks (MBB) with services available to consumers. The 5G Core vendors include Cisco, Ericsson, Huawei, NEC, Nokia, Samsung, and ZTE. We have identified 150 MNOs with 5G Core contracts with the above vendors and Mavenir https://www.mavenir.com/. There are still more 5G Core contracts that vendors have acknowledged without revealing the associated MNOs, Bolan says. We see fewer 5G Core network launches slated for 2022 as compared to 2021 when 16 networks were launched. However, many are being readied for 2023 launches and we project mid-single-digit percentage Y/Y growth rates for the balance of 2022, Bolan predicts. One of the most anticipated and publicised 5G Core launches is Dish Wireless the first to run 5G Core on the Public Cloud. The company is preparing to launch in many cities by mid-June 2022 to meet regulatory coverage requirements. In early May 2022, Dish had a soft launch in its first city, Las Vegas. Nokia is the primary 5G Core vendor, Bolan says. Multi-access Edge Computing deployed by MNOs has barely scratched the surface in spite of all the hype, except for the China region, which has deployed thousands of MEC nodes throughout their MNO networks, with a mix of public MEC and private MEC sites. DellOro Group highlighted the following findings in its 1Q 2022 Mobile Core Network and Multi-Access Edge Computing Report: 1. The top two vendors for the MCN, 4G MCN, and IMS Core markets were Huawei and Ericsson. 2. The top two vendors for the 5G MCN market were Huawei and ZTE. 3. Nokia and Ericsson had the highest Y/Y growth rates for the 5G MCN market coming from a low small base. However, Huawei had the highest dollar revenue gain, with a lower Y/Y growth rate coming from a larger base. This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 26 May 2022. COMPANY NEWS: Leading managed services provider blueAPACHE today announced it has signed a new strategic, three-year IT managed services agreement with the Brotherhood of St. Laurence (BSL). The agreement extends an existing five-year technology partnership between the organisations and will allow BSL to further strengthen its outreach and support services to Australians experiencing disadvantage. Founded in 1930, BSL is a social justice organisation that provides critical services to vulnerable Australians. For more than 90 years, the organisation has been working to prevent and alleviate poverty across Australia. With the head office in Melbourne, BSL employs over 1,400 staff to deliver a complex range of social services. Critical to the success of these activities is the organisations supporting IT and telecommunications infrastructure, and their technology partnership with blueAPACHE. BSL Senior Manager ICT, Jason Atkinson, said blueAPACHE had become a true business partner for the organisation and some exciting projects were now in the planning pipeline. These projects come at an important time for BSL as the organisation realigns its strategic goals after having been awarded new contracts. blueAPACHE has helped us to build a resilient and scalable IT infrastructure that will support our activities in the years ahead and reduce operational risk," said Atkinson. "This new agreement means we can continue to work with a trusted organisation that truly understands our operations. A new strategic plan The agreement compliments a new ICT strategic plan that was validated by the BSL Board in late 2021. This plan is designed to guide investment and technology selection during the three-year period and beyond. Atkinson said the IT support provided by blueAPACHE under the agreement will be vital to ensure BSL can perform from a technology perspective and continue to provide the best possible levels of service to support those facing disadvantage. The scope of works that will be completed under the new agreement with blueAPACHE includes: Network management: blueAPACHE, in collaboration with BSL, will continue to commission a robust national wide-area network (WAN) solution as required and manage BSLs existing infrastructure to ensure performance and reliability. This will also cover the organisations VoIP telephony system. Infrastructure management: Thorough analysis of resources will be performed on an ongoing basis to deliver efficient migration of applications to the appropriate cloud-solution, including blueAPACHEs trusted emPOWER IaaS platform. Extension of end user communications: Projects will be designed to uplift and extend the use of Microsoft Teams to allow it to eventually become a complete unified communications (UC) platform across the organisation. This will enable BSL staff to interact more efficiently regardless of their location and provide superior levels of service to clients and mobility to staff. Maturity of IT security: blueAPACHE will assist BSL to continue to develop its security operations platform by incorporating the very latest tools and information management procedures. This, in turn, will ensure that the organisations entire IT infrastructure is fully resistant and critical data continues to remain protected at all times. Ongoing staff mobilisation: blueAPACHE will assist BSL with the ongoing management of its growing fleet of mobile devices. This will ensure staff are supported regardless of their workplace location and are able to be agile and responsive to client needs. This applies to all staff, whether they are working in central offices, in warehouses, or out in the field. Information management support: During the next 12 months, blueAPACHE will also work to refine BSLs data capabilities in line with the organisations ongoing commitment to data management. Mechanisms will also be put in place to ensure all data continues to be highly available and secure. Asset lifecyle management: In partnership with HPE, blueAPACHE will facilitate a hardware repurposing program to ensure sustainable asset practices are achieved and e-waste is minimised. Ongoing cloud adoption The new agreement will also facilitate BSLs ongoing migration to the cloud. Atkinson said he expects the organisation to be fully migrated by the end of 2022. We are shifting from being focused on hardware and software to an IT services model, said Atkinson. This helps us to reduce our costs while also ensuring we have access to the very best tools and applications that are available. blueAPACHE Founder and Managing Director, Chris Marshall, said the company welcomed the opportunity to continue the working relationship with BSL for a further three years. It is fantastic to have the chance to support an organisation that is delivering so much for Australians in need, said Marshall. We look forward to achieving even more and further strengthening our business relationship. Rodney Weston, BSLs Acting Director of Finance, Strategy and Operations said he welcomed the knowledge, guidance and support that blueAPACHE would continue to deliver under the new managed service agreement. Over the years, blueAPACHE has developed a deep understanding of our operations and goals as an organisation, said Weston. Together we can continue to deliver our programs and services with even greater impact. About blueAPACHE Since 1998, blueAPACHE has been helping organisations access technology to their business advantage. We achieve this by providing IT management, IT strategy and converged IT services to clients across Australia, UK, Asia and North America. blueAPACHE is renowned for helping organisations grow by removing the IT capital investment required to fund expansion. By delivering IT as a Service, blueAPACHE has revolutionised the way organisations access technology and communications with affordable solutions that provide true scalability, elasticity and agility. Our team of industry specialists work together to provide outstanding solutions to the complex technology problems. In addition to taking ownership of our clients IT challenges, we also leverage technology to improve business performance, align strategy, and drive their business objectives. With technical expertise, experience and infrastructure, blueAPACHE are the ideal technology partner for organisations looking for a professional IT services partner, that will enable them to free up capital expenditure and focus on their core business knowing that their IT is aligned to their needs, tailored for their objectives and underpinned by a team of industry experts. For further information, please visit: www.blueapache.com COMPANY NEWS: Radware, a leading provider of cyber security and application delivery solutions, today announced it has expanded its relationship with a leading, multinational e-commerce company in a million dollar deal. The company purchased the Radware Bot Manager and managed services to further protect its global e-commerce network and website traffic from cyber attack. The industry leader also uses Radware's DefensePro and Cloud DDoS Protection Service to safeguard its online infrastructure. The e-commerce company turned to Radware when the bot manager solution from another provider was unable to handle spikes in fourth generation distributed bots and could not scale to meet the needs of a large global network. The e-commerce provider's global network, website traffic and bot attacks were extremely complex and evolving over time. "Various parts of this e-commerce company's online transaction process were being attacked by different methods and outcomes, and exporting different data sets," said Radware chief operating officer Gabi Malka. "The Radware Bot Manager was able to successfully mitigate the attacks while managing false positives so that shoppers making online purchases were not blocked or challenged. We won this deal because our customer was impressed with the consistent performance of our solution, mitigation capabilities and partnership." The Radware Bot Manager provides comprehensive protection of web applications, mobile apps, and APIs from automated threats like bots. It offers precise bot management across all channels by combining behavioural modelling for granular intent analysis, collective bot intelligence, and fingerprinting of browsers, devices, and machines. To help organisations safeguard and grow their online operations, Bot Manager protects against account takeover, API abuse, scalping, skewed analytics, form spam, web scraping, and carding and digital ad fraud. Radware's Managed Services include the support of the company's Bot Defense Lab, a team of experienced data analysts. This team is tasked with real-time threat monitoring, as well as the analysis, investigation, and response to malicious threats. Radware was named recently as the technology leader in Quadrant Knowledge Solutions' 2021 report titled SPARK Matrix: Bot Management. This marks the second year in a row that Quadrant Knowledge Solutions ranked Radware the technology leader in its bot management category. About Radware Radware (NASDAQ: RDWR) is a global leader of cyber security and application delivery solutions for physical, cloud, and software defined data centres. Its award-winning solutions portfolio secures the digital experience by providing infrastructure, application, and corporate IT protection, and availability services to enterprises globally. Radware's solutions empower enterprise and carrier customers worldwide to adapt to market challenges quickly, maintain business continuity, and achieve maximum productivity while keeping costs down. For more information, please visit the Radware website. The United States has won the latest round of a legal battle to seize a $325-million Russian-owned superyacht in Fiji, with the case now appearing headed for the Pacific nations top court Johnson City, TN (37604) Today Thunderstorms this evening followed by a few showers overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 63F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening followed by a few showers overnight. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 63F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Forty-two years ago this week, South Korea was engulfed in the flames of class struggle. Amidst the fight by the masses for democracy and to bring down the military, a heroic episode took place in Gwangju a city of nearly one million people. The workers beat back a vicious military, and for a few days the working class de facto took over the running of the city, which was briefly under the control of armed workers militias. In conditions of siege that were not unlike those that gave rise to the Paris Commune, the workers of Gwangju began to run society on their own. Though they were drowned in blood in the end, the struggle of the proletariat of Gwangju offered the world a glimpse of the power that the working class has at its fingertips. The death of Park and the struggle for democracy South Korea after the Korean War of 1950-1953 was a place of oppression, exploitation, and anguish. The masses suffered at the hands of two successive right-wing dictators, and they enjoyed none of the democratic rights that existed in the West. The United States, supposedly a champion of freedom and democracy, lent its unrelenting support to the dictators, in return for which the latter allowed the US not only to station troops in the country, but to remain in direct command of the Republic of Korea/US Combined Forces Command (CFC). For the US, the Korean peninsula was a frontline of its counter-revolutionary crusade against the tide of revolutions that had broken out after WWII. The South Korean masses were merely small change in their efforts. By 1980, South Korea had been ruled by military dictator Park Chung-hee for nearly two decades / Image: public domain By 1980, South Korea had been under the rule of the military dictator Park Chung-hee () for nearly two decades. Park, who had come to power through a coup in 1961, faithfully served US interests in the region, while crushing the South Korean masses beneath an iron heel. All oppositions and trade unions were suppressed or banned. The Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) meanwhile, following the model of its US counterpart, would crackdown on dissent through violence and torture. The Park regime, while based upon a different system of property from the deformed workers state in the North, was no less of a totalitarian police state. The state under Parks regime, however, also forced to strongly intervene in the economy to stimulate development, beginning with nationalisation of banks. Though the market system and private property were left intact (the existing big capitalist enterprises known as the Chaebols were not expropriated) the Park regime forced them to invest in industries that were necessary for the states designs. Far from being a product of market forces, it was only heavy state intervention directing economic development that lead to the creation of heavy industries and export sectors unseen under the previous Rhee Sung-man regime. During this time, South Koreas economy grew by an average 10 percent a year. Its GDP went from $3.96 billion USD in 1960 to $65.4 billion USD in 1980. With the growth of capitalism came the growth of the working class and an educated student element. By the late 1970s, protests demanding democratic rights often led by students began erupting everywhere, despite the Park regimes iron rule. The labour movement soon followed suit, the sit-down strike of women textile workers of YH Trading Company in August 1979 being a particularly inspiring example. The regime responded with a bloody crackdown on all acts of defiance, but the struggle continued to grow. The ruling class and the state were thrown into a state of panic, and the head of the KCIA decided to assassinate Park Chung-hee. But the sudden death of the dictator did not lead to the collapse of the dictatorship. Instead, General Chun Doo-hwan () stepped in as the new dictator. He declared martial law, mobilised the troops to crackdown on the protests, and arrested prominent opposition leaders. But the students and the masses continued their fight against the dictatorship across multiple cities, among them Gwangju in the South Jeolla Province, which is a region with a rich tradition of struggle stretching back through Korean history. The whip of reaction Marx once observed that revolution is often spurred on by the whip of reaction. This was certainly the case for the masses of Gwangju. On 18 May, the military regime deployed the 33rd and 35th Battalions of the 7th Airborne Brigade to Gwangjus Chosun University and Chonnam University two hotbeds of student protest in the region. These battle-hardened paratroopers greeted the students with merciless violence. Hundreds of unarmed students were clubbed and gassed by soldiers, who had bayonets attached to their rifles. Faced with overwhelming violence, the students fled the campuses and regrouped in the city to continue their protest, while spreading the news of the militarys atrocity. As sympathetic masses joined the students processions, the soldiers pursued them with even more vengeful violence. Even mere passers-by were viciously assaulted by the rampaging paratroopers. The first recorded victim to lose his life at the hands of the army was Kim Gyeong-cheol (), a deaf cobbler who was only having lunch with his friends at work. The paratrooper happened to encounter this unlucky young worker in the street. A few hours later, he was rushed to hospital with a crushed skull, left eye socket, right arm, back and left leg. He died shortly after arriving. Rather than inspiring fear, news of similar atrocities across the city inspired rage and a brave willingness to fight among the masses. Contrary to the regimes hopes, the protests in Gwangju were swelled by outraged citizens. Many workers actively reached out to the students, offering them shelter, while arming themselves with elementary weapons. The military doubled down on its response. On 19 May, the regime declared a blockade of Gwangju and sent in the 11th Airborne Brigade to assist in the repression. Soldiers were permitted not only to shoot at protesters, but also commit other unspeakable acts in order to instil fear among the population. In their initial attempts to suppress the rising struggle, the soldiers raped and tortured women encountered at gunpoint or already in their custody, a fact that the South Korean government only admitted 38 years after. But the masses were uncowed by this beastial attack. Instead, the working class stepped up to face the soldiers head on. Taxi and bus drivers rammed into police barricades. Many workers began confronting the soldiers with their sheer numbers. Others organised to take the wounded demonstrators to safety. The masses of Gwangju took note of the fact that the media had either downplayed the situation on the ground or else misreported it to the rest of the country, and they thus burned down the local Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) station in anger. Fearlessly advancing with taxis and buses against the army and police positions, the masses began gaining, whilst growing stronger as new layers of workers joined the struggle. Despite their superior firepower, the soldiers were forced to retreat into government buildings. By 21 May, hundreds and thousands of people were in the streets confronting the troops who had barricaded themselves into the Provincial Government building and a handful of other locations. The workers militia and workers power Confident after their initial fightback, the masses were determined to drive the soldiers out of Gwangju. The soldiers, however, were heavily fortified in their positions, and had helicopters and armoured vehicles. The improvised weapons and civilian vehicles that the masses had at their disposal would not do the trick. The workers understood the need to arm themselves. With the confidence gained through their initial fightback, the masses became determined to drive the soldiers out of Gwangju but the soldiers were heavily fortified with helicopters and armored vehicles / Image: May 18 Democratic Uprising Archive Some worker militants in Gwangju travelled to nearby mining towns to obtain dynamite from the miners and to appeal to the miners to join them. Others raided police stations in Gwangju and in nearby counties in order to obtain guns and ammunition. The workers rapidly organised themselves into militias, giving themselves the name Simin-gun (), or Citizens Army. The militias consisted of workers from a broad range of industries, which according to the eye-witness account in the Gwangju Diary, comprised workers from construction sites, small workshops, and shoeshine men; and ragpickers, street vendors, waiters, and menial workers. Middle-age men wearing reserve army uniforms had joined to avenge the deaths of family members. The presence of army reservists in particular was pivotal. Their military training meant they could bring organisation to the largely improvised and inexperienced workers militias, which were now grouped into clear combat cells. They also conducted firearm training for anyone willing to join the fight. Under the leadership of these reservist cadres, the workers militia successfully drove the paratroopers out of their heavily fortified positions, leaving them with no choice but to flee Gwangju in haste. Although many had given their lives in the struggle, this victory was a tremendous injection of morale, spurring the working class on into taking control of the city into their own hands. Dual power and reaction from within Beyond the military engagement with the army, the proletariat of Gwangju began improvising their own organs of class power in order to maintain the functioning of society. As early as 21 May, the workers of the Lotte Pastry and Coca Cola plants had taken charge of distributing bread and drinks to the masses. Food allocation networks were spontaneously organised by small vendors and housewives. There were jubilant scenes as a new class order began emerging in Gwangju: Masked militia members drove all over the city, pointing guns out the windows, singing and chanting. Their cars displayed signs written in blood: End Martial Law! and Down with Chun Doo-hwan! They were like victorious soldiers returning home. The rebels were cheered wherever they went, receiving food and wet towels from housewives, tonic drinks from pharmacists and cigarettes from storeowners. They fielded questions and told war stories. Though some later described the militia and its allies as a drunken mob, nobody was drinking alcohol. At dawn, militia cells on the outskirts returned to the city after an all-night battle with the paratroopers. They had heard of the governments withdrawal and were now bracing for an imminent invasion by martial-law forces. The cells also had to police the city, and reorganized themselves in front of Gwangju Park. Several young men painted numbers on the commandeered vehicles and began to assign drivers. Small cars were to carry messages; larger ones, people and supplies; jeeps were for reconnaissance, and patrol; and military trucks for combat. Registered drivers were told to encourage other rebels to have their vehicles registered. (From the Gwangju Diary) A new authority based on the power of the proletariat was emerging. Yet at the same time, a significant source of confusion and reaction would come not from the regime, but from within the city itself. While power was effectively in the hands of the workers, they did not consciously realise this at the time. Parallel with the workers power, there remained the preexisting ruling class elements of Gwangju, who were now without a military or police force. These people superficially opposed the repression of the military (how could they not?), but their whole activity was dedicated to pulling back the working class. As the workers had not decisively taken the power, the Vice-governor of South Jeolla Province Jeong Shi-chae () was able to convene the bourgeois elements in the city to form a Citizens Settlement Committee. The make-up of this body was not in the least representative of the masses. Rather, it consisted of prominent citizens: fifteen clergymen, Catholic priests, lawyers, government officials, and businessmen. Their primary objective was to negotiate a surrender to the government, while sowing illusions among the workers that this was the only path to change. Although it did not have strong authority among the workers, there was no revolutionary party that could help the proletariat to forge a political leadership of their own, to sweep aside the bourgeois elements in the Settlement Committee, and to work to spread the insurgency nationwide towards a socialist revolution. Without this perspective, and constantly undermined by the fifth column of the Settlement Committee, the uprising became confined within the blockade established by the military, and was starved of oxygen. The fall of Gwangju and the role of US imperialism Contrary to the soothing message that the Settlement Committee was telling the workers, the military had no intention of ending the fight peacefully. Instead, the Chun Doo-hwan regime was busy securing the United States backing to drown Gwangju in blood. Chun would get the go-ahead he was looking for, and on 27 May, five divisions of the infantry and mechanised infantry totaling over 20,000 troops drove into Gwangju from all directions and crushed the uprising. Attack helicopters were used to mow down people. Official figures at various times counted only hundreds of deaths, but many sources indicated that casualties could have been in the thousands / Image: May 18 Democratic Uprising Archive The counter-revolution led to an untold number of deaths. Official figures at various times counted the death toll as merely in the hundreds. But many sources have indicated that the real casualty figure could have been in the thousands. The brutality of the crackdown left an indelible scar on the Gwangju masses that is felt to this day. US imperialism was entirely complicit in this counter-revolutionary bloodbath. Both the US forces and embassy clearly understood the social implications of the Gwangju uprising and gave their blessing to the Chun regime, though they have always evaded official responsibility. But such a bloodbath would have been impossible without US complicity. To begin with, the command structure of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command required any deployment on the scale of that which Chun Doo-hwan used against the Gwangju masses to have the explicit approval of the American commander, who at the time was General John A. Wickman. Furthermore, according to veteran US journalist Tim Shorrock, who obtained communication records between US officials and the South Korean regime at the time, Chun was already discussing military suppression of protests around South Korea even before the Gwangju uprising. As the Gwangju struggle went into full swing, the US ambassador William H. Gleysteen issued a panicky demand for a crackdown in the city: On May 23, hours after the White House meeting, Mr. Gleysteen paid a call on Acting Prime Minister Park to communicate the U.S. position. In the discussion, Mr. Gleysteen reported back, I said that the policy decisions of May 17 had staggered us. However, the two officials agreed that firm anti-riot measures were necessary, but the accompanying political crackdown was political folly and clearly had contributed to the serious breakdown of order in Kwangju. Mr. Gleysteen also noted that the United States was doing all we can do contribute to the restoration of order, and cited the official statements issued in Washington the day before and our affirmative replies when asked to chop CFC forces to Korean command for use in Kwangju. Notably, in another set of documents, Shorrock found that, contrary to the outward-facing propaganda peddled by the South Korean military regime, the US fully understood that North Korea had nothing to do with the Gwangju uprising: A Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report dated June 5, 1980, and based on unnamed sources within the South Korean military, made the startling claim that some 2,000 people in the Gwangju area had secured arms and made their way into the wilds after the uprising was put down on May 27. While participants in the rebellion have denied any such movement in Gwangjus nearby mountains, which were heavily patrolled by the ROK Army, they point with pride to the DIAs observations that the motivation to go into the hills was not communist inspired, and that the rebelsare truly representatives of the people of Cholla Namdo (South Jeolla). Moreover, US military intelligence openly scoffed at Chuns claims of North Korean involvement. That can be seen in a secret DIA cable (dated June 2, 1980) about an official ROK Ministry of Defense report claiming that a North Korean agent had been captured in Seoul after agitating demonstrators in Gwangju. The data is one-sided and somewhat distorts the picture, DIA concluded about what it called the alleged communist infiltration. The analyst added, somewhat sarcastically: The ROKG would have it believed that because of these aggitations (sic)extended ML [martial law] was the will of the people. In short, US imperialism understood the crackdown on Gwangju not part of a military skirmish with the North Korean regime, but was part of a social war against the South Korean working class. They were afraid lest a genuine, democratic workers power should arise and spread in South Korea, and reignite a revolutionary wave across East Asia. Fear of revolutionary contagion also explains why the bureaucratic regimes in North Korea, China, and the USSR showed complete passivity to the crushing of the Gwangju workers. These governments restricted themselves to purely tokenistic, verbal condemnations of the Souths violence against the masses. Had they been genuinely revolutionary regimes, they would have mobilised every resource available to aid the Gwangju insurgents and help the South Korean workers drive out capitalism and US imperialism. In reality, they were all deformed workers states governed by bureaucratic dictatorships that feared genuine workers' democracy far more than they feared the forces of imperialism. Aiding the development of a workers power in Gwangju would have been contrary to their interests as parasitic bureaucracies, and could even have encouraged workers in their own countries to follow suit. Preserving the legacy Although the Gwangju proletariats heroic struggle was decimated in the end, the struggle against the dictatorship elsewhere in South Korea continued with ebbs and flows. By the 1990s, mass strikes and protests emerged once again. However, the leadership of these anti-dictatorship movements fell into the hands of bourgeois liberals, who would form the basis of what became todays Democratic Party in South Korea. These elements had no perspective of overthrowing capitalism or letting the working class take power. Instead, they directed the energy of the masses struggle into legal channels, and opted for gradual changes with tacit support from the US. The result was a limited bourgeois democracy, with US imperialism preserving its presence, and many elements of the former dictatorships being likewise preserved. Those with direct ties to the dictators of the past, backed by the Chaebol oligarchy, formed the basis of South Koreas modern hard-right conservative camp. They were even able to capture several presidencies through elections, among them Park Chung-hees daughter, Park Geun-hye, and most recently Yoon Suk-yeol. Chun Doo-hwan, the butcher of Gwangju and of countless South Korean class fighters, would never face justice in his lifetime. The system after democratisation still allowed the likes of him to occupy high places and to live comfortable retirements. After a lifetime spent cutting lives short, Chun died at the ripe old age of 90. Though the dictatorships have gone away, the very same capitalist system and the very same ruling class that has brutalised the Korean workers remain. The task of the Korean proletariat therefore remains unfinished, and their history of struggle for emancipation alongside workers of the world is not yet over. The Gwangju Uprising has already secured its unerasable place in this history. It positively demonstrated the potential power that the working class holds in its hand. Marxists and class fighters around the world therefore have a duty to preserve the memory of Gwangju so that workers everywhere can draw insight and inspiration from it, until the world socialist revolution is victorious. Russia on Thursday made an all-out effort to capture the rest of the industrial region of Lugansk in eastern Ukraine, officials said, as President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of seeking to commit genocide across the eastern Donbas. As the fighting intensified, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba aired Kyivs increasing frustration with the West, accusing allies of dragging their feet on arms deliveries and telling his German counterpart that Ukraine needs heavy weapons as soon as possible. Russian forces are now closing in on several urban centres, including the strategically located Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. Lugansk is part of the Donbas, the industrial basin comprising that region and Donetsk. The situation remains difficult, because the Russian army has thrown all its forces at taking the Lugansk region, regional governor Sergiy Gaiday said in a video on Telegram. Extremely fierce fighting is taking place on the outskirts of Severodonetsk. They are simply destroying the city, they are shelling it every day, shelling without pause. Russian forces also bombarded Ukraines second city Kharkiv, killing nine people, and five civilians were killed Thursday in the Donetsk region to the south, according to the governor. In his daily televised address, Zelensky said Moscow was pursuing an obvious policy of genocide in the Donbas after failing to take the capital Kyiv and its bombardments could leave the entire region uninhabited. Kyiv has been losing patience with what it views as the Wests failure to quickly arm Ukraine and impose a ban on Russian oil exports on top of punishing economic sanctions already in place. We need more heavy weapons delivered as soon as possible, especially MLRS (multiple launch rocket systems) to repel Russian attacks, Kuleba wrote on Twitter after speaking with Germanys Annalena Baerbock. Maximum intensity Earlier in the day, Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar told journalists that fighting in the east had reached its maximum intensity since Russia invaded its neighbour on February 24. Pro-Moscow separatist groups have since 2014 controlled parts of Donbas, but Russia now appears set on taking the whole region. Enemy forces are storming the positions of our troops simultaneously in several directions. We have an extremely difficult and long stage of fighting ahead of us, Malyar said. Gaiday said three people died in recent Russian attacks on Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, which stand on the crucial route to Ukraines eastern administrative centre in Kramatorsk. In Kramatorsk itself, children roamed the rubble left by Russian attacks as the sound of artillery fire boomed. I got used to the shelling, said Yevgen, a sombre-looking 13-year-old who moved to Kramatorsk with his mother from the ruins of his village Galyna. And fresh shelling around Kharkiv killed another nine people and injured 19, officials said. Today the enemy insidiously fired on Kharkiv, regional governor Oleg Sinegubov said on social media, warning residents to evacuate to air raid shelters. An AFP reporter in Kharkiv saw plumes of smoke rising from the stricken area, along with several people injured near a shuttered shopping centre. An elderly man with injuries to his arm and leg was carried away by medics. Show me one Nazi! Russias rationale of a special military operation to demilitarise and de-Nazify Ukraine drew a snort of derision in one village near Kharkiv that came under fire. Show me one Nazi in the village! We have our nation, we are nationalists but not Nazis nor fascists, said retired nurse Larysa Kosynets. Elsewhere, in the strategic southern port city of Mariupol, occupying authorities cancelled school holidays to prepare students to switching to a Russian curriculum, said a Ukrainian official. Mariupol fell to Russia earlier this month after a devastating siege that left thousands dead the reduced the city to rubble. Throughout the summer, children will have to study Russian language, literature and history as well as math classes in Russian, city official Petro Andryushchenko wrote on social media. Trust is lost for generations Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin on Thursday became the latest Western official to visit Kyiv, where she said it would take Russia decades to repair its standing in the world after invading Ukraine. Trust is lost for generations, Marin told a press conference. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has faced criticism over Berlins slow response, also weighed in Thursday, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin will not negotiate seriously until he realises he might not win in Ukraine. Our goal is crystal-clear Putin must not win this war. And I am convinced that he will not win it, Scholz told the World Economic Forum in Davos. Food crisis fears The Ukraine conflict has sparked fears of a global food crisis, on top of the political and economic shockwaves that have already reverberated around the world. The Kremlin on Thursday pointed the finger at Western countries for stopping grain-carrying vessels from leaving ports in Ukraine rejecting accusations that Russia was to blame. Putin said Moscow was ready to make a significant contribution to averting the crisis if the West lifts sanctions imposed on Russia over Ukraine, in a telephone call with Italys Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Speaking to journalists after the call, Draghi said he would continue talking to both Moscow and Kyiv to resolve the food crisis, but added that he had little optimism for ending the war. When asked if I have seen any glimmer of hope for peace, the answer is no, the Italian prime minister said. burs-dk/wd/sst Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of carrying out a genocide in the eastern region of Donbas, where the city of Severodonetsk is suffering an onslaught of Russian shelling. In his daily televised address, Zelensky condemned Moscows brutal assault on the Donbas where it has redirected its forces after having failed to capture Kyiv adding that its bombardment could leave the entire region uninhabited. All this, including the deportation of our people and the mass killings of civilians, is an obvious policy of genocide pursued by Russia, he said. Pro-Moscow separatist groups have since 2014 controlled parts of Donbas, but Russia now appears set on taking the whole region. Invading forces are closing in on several cities, including the strategically located Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, which stand on the crucial route to Ukraines eastern administrative centre in Kramatorsk. Three people died in attacks on those two cities, Kyivs Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar told journalists, saying that fighting in the east has reached its maximum intensity since Russia invaded on February 24. The situation remains difficult, because the Russian army has thrown all its forces at taking the Lugansk region, regional governor Sergiy Gaiday said in a video on Telegram. Extremely fierce fighting is taking place on the outskirts of Severodonetsk. They are simply destroying the city, they are shelling it every day, shelling without pause. Not scared In Kramatorsk, children roamed the rubble left by Russian attacks as the sound of artillery fire boomed. I am not scared, said Yevgen, a sombre-looking 13-year-old who moved to Kramatorsk with his mother from the ruins of his village Galyna. I got used to the shelling, he declared as he sat alone on a slab of a destroyed apartment block. To the northwest, in Ukraines second city of Kharkiv, shelling killed another nine people and wounded 19, officials said. Today the enemy insidiously fired on Kharkiv, regional governor Oleg Sinegubov said on social media, warning residents to evacuate to air raid shelters. An AFP reporter in Kharkiv saw plumes of smoke rising from the stricken area, along with several people injured near a shuttered shopping centre. An elderly man with injuries to his arm and leg was carried away by medics. And in the south, hints at what awaits those cities should they fall to Russian forces were emerging in Mariupol, which was taken over by invading forces this month after a devastating siege that left thousands dead and reduced the city to rubble. Occupying authorities there cancelled school holidays to prepare students to switch to a Russian curriculum, said a Ukrainian official. Throughout the summer, children will have to study Russian language, literature and history as well as math classes in Russian, city official Petro Andryushchenko wrote on social media. The aim in the bombarded city, he said, was to remove Ukraine from the curriculum and prepare them for going back to school with a Russian curriculum. The Kremlin is seeking to tighten its grip over the parts of Ukraine it occupies, including fast-tracking citizenship for residents of two southern regions that are mostly under Russian control. The United States has branded the plan an attempt to subjugate the people of Ukraine. Trust is lost The intensified fighting across the country prompted Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to air Kyivs increasing frustration with the West, accusing allies of dragging their feet on arms deliveries and telling his German counterpart that Ukraine needs heavy weapons as soon as possible. Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin became the latest Western official to visit Kyiv on Thursday, where she said it would take Russia decades to repair its standing in the world after invading Ukraine. Trust is lost for generations, Marin told a press conference. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has faced criticism over Berlins slow response, also weighed in Thursday, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin will not negotiate seriously until he realises he might not win in Ukraine. Our goal is crystal-clear Putin must not win this war. And I am convinced that he will not win it, Scholz told the World Economic Forum in Davos. The flow of grain exports from Ukraine, known as Europes breadbasket, has been disrupted since Russias invasion, threatening food security around the world and sending prices soaring. The Kremlin on Thursday pointed the finger at Western countries for stopping grain-carrying vessels from leaving ports in Ukraine rejecting accusations that Russia was to blame. President Putin said in a telephone call with Italys Prime Minister Mario Draghi that Moscow was ready to make a significant contribution to averting a looming food crisis if the West lifts sanctions imposed on his country over Ukraine. But the United States scoffed at the offer. Now theyre using economic tools as weapons. Theyre weaponizing food. Theyre weaponizing economic assistance, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. I guess we shouldnt be surprised by that, since theyve weaponized everything else, including lies and information, he said. burs-oho/dhc Russia said Friday it was expelling five employees from Croatias embassy in Moscow, following a similar move by Zagreb over Moscows military campaign in Ukraine. Russias foreign ministry said it summoned Croatias ambassador to express its strong protest over the groundless attempts of the Croatian authorities to blame Russia for war crimes in Ukraine. The ministry also accused Croatia of providing military assistance to the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv. It said that in response to the unfriendly steps previously taken by Zagreb five employees of Croatias embassy in Moscow were declared persona non grata. In April, Croatia ordered 24 Russian embassy staff to leave the country over Moscows brutal aggression against Ukraine. A number of European countries have recently expelled Russian diplomats as part of joint action against Moscows military operation in Ukraine, with Russia responding in kind. Moscow last week kicked out diplomats from France, Italy and Spain, dozens in total, in retaliation for the expulsion of Russian diplomats from their countries. A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday sentenced to death eight soldiers, including a colonel and two majors, as well as three civilians for selling arms to a violent militia. The trial opened in conflict-torn Ituri province last month with the group facing charges of supplying rifles and ammunition to the notorious CODECO group, which has been blamed for a slew of ethnic massacres. At a public hearing, the courts president Colonel Kelly Dianga sentenced the three senior officers, a captain and four rank-and-file soldiers for criminal association, war crimes, and participation in an insurrectional movement. The civilians two women and a man were also sentenced to death for involvement in the affair, he added, while another two civilians received 10-year jail terms. Another army major and a civilian were acquitted for lack of evidence. The DR Congo has observed a de facto moratorium on capital punishment since 2003, according to the United Nations, but courts continue to hand down death sentences. CODECO the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo is a political-religious sect that claims to represent the interests of the Lendu ethnic group. The Lendu and Hema communities have a long-standing feud that led to thousands of deaths between 1999 and 2003 before intervention by a European peacekeeping force. Violence then resumed in 2017, blamed on the emergence of CODECO. Congolese security forces have governed Ituri and neighbouring North Kivu province since May last year, in a bid to crush the myriad militias active there. Civilian massacres have continued, however. Russia should cooperate with the International Criminal Courts investigation into alleged war crimes carried out during Moscows invasion of Ukraine, the tribunals prosecutor told AFP on Friday. The invitation is there. My door is open, and I will also keep knocking on the door of the Russian Federation, ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said in an interview at the Hague-based court. If there are allegations that the Russian Federation have, if theres information that they have, if they are conducting their own investigations or prosecutions or have information thats relevant share it with us. Russia is not a member of the ICC, set up in 2002 to prosecute the worlds worst crimes, and had declined to cooperate so far, Khan said. Ukraine is not an ICC member either but it has accepted the courts jurisdiction, and is working with Khans office as it probes possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. Russia says allegations of war crimes by its troops are fake, and Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the February 24 invasion by saying that Ukraine was overseeing a genocide in the east of the country. If one makes those allegations, cooperate, share the information, cooperate with us, said Khan. If theres been fake news, we will expose the fake news. Russia should cooperate with the International Criminal Courts investigation into alleged war crimes carried out during Moscows invasion of Ukraine, the tribunals prosecutor told AFP on Friday. Prosecutor Karim Khan said Russia, which is not a member of the Hague-based court, had declined to work with the ICC on Ukraine but added that his door is open if it wants to help. The British barrister also insisted that war crimes culprits could be brought to justice although he refused to say whether President Vladimir Putin himself could one day be a suspect. The invitation is there. My door is open, and I will also keep knocking on the door of the Russian Federation, Karim Khan said in an interview. If there are allegations that the Russian Federation have, if theres information that they have, if they are conducting their own investigations or prosecutions or have information thats relevant share it with us. Like Russia, Ukraine is not an ICC member, but it has accepted the courts jurisdiction and is working with Khans office as it probes possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. Russia says allegations of war crimes by its troops are fake, and Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the February 24 invasion by saying that Ukraine was overseeing a genocide in the east of the country. If one makes those allegations, cooperate, share the information, cooperate with us, said Khan. If theres been fake news, we will expose the fake news. Battlefield but a crime scene The ICC was created in 2002 to try the worlds worst crimes where states are unable or unwilling to. It does not have its own police force and so relies on individual countries to enforce any arrest warrants it issues. Khan who took over as the ICCs third-ever prosecutor last year announced an investigation four days after Russias invasion and the probe has since been backed by 42 countries. He later visited Bucha, a town outside Kyiv where AFP journalists discovered 20 bodies in civilian clothing lying in a street, and where officials later said hundreds of other people had been killed. Last week Khan sent the largest ever investigative team in the ICCs nearly 20-year history to Ukraine, comprising 42 staff including forensics experts. The reality is its a battlefield, but its also a crime scene, Khan said. The team were looking at mass graves and seeking satellite and radar evidence, taking testimony from witnesses, and helping Ukrainian authorities unlock seized phones so they can be scrubbed for information, he said. But questions remain about where war crimes trials will be carried out and how suspects will be brought to justice. Kyiv has already started its own war crimes trials, sentencing a 21-year-old Russian soldier to life last week for killing a civilian. Ukraines chief prosecutor has suggested that the ICC could deal with higher profile cases, but Khan said the ICC was still working with Ukraine and international partners on the best path. He refused to give artificial timelines for when the ICC could bring any of its own indictments, saying it was a recipe for a disaster. He also insisted that the court was not here to target a particular country but wanted to get to the truth. Ukrainian troops have also faced war crimes allegations over a video in which Russian soldiers appeared to be shot in the legs. Difficult to hide Moscows refusal to cooperate and the fact that it is not a member of the ICC have raised questions about how any eventual suspects could be brought to trial. But Khan pointed to previous significant successes by international tribunals in bringing fugitives to justice, such as Slobodan Milosevic, Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic over the wars in the former Yugoslavia, and suspects in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. In this day and age we know its difficult to hide, it needs cooperation from states to ensure warrants are executed, said Khan. Meanwhile suggestions that Putin himself could one day end up in the dock have been made by both Ukraines chief prosecutor and former war crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte. But Khan said he was not going to talk about individuals. Its very dangerous to succumb to popular demand its very important to follow the evidence, he said. The clear starting position is every individual in the conflict whether a low level soldier, a pilot, a battlefield commander, a general, a military commander or a civilian superior they all have responsibilities. Lee Ji Eun a.k.a IU unexpectedly turned the 2022 Cannes Film Festival into her fan event. Here's what happened. 'Broker' Cast Takes First Red Carpet Walk at 2022 Cannes Film Festival Hallyu dominates the 2022 Cannes Film Festival as the lead cast of the Korean movie "Broker" had their first red carpet walk. IU, on the other hand, made a spectacular debut in the prestigious event. "Broker," starring Song Kang Ho, Kang Dong Won, Bae Doona, IU, and Lee Joo Young, had its world premiere screening on May 26 at the Lumiere Grand Theater of Palais des Festivals at the Cannes Film Festival and entered the competition category. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Bae Doona No Show at Cannes Film Festival 2022 For THIS Reason Since it is a new film helmed by Hirokazu Koreeda, who has won the Palme d'Or award, it drew attention as many people looked forward to seeing its star-studded cast. Lots of individuals try to get tickets for the official screening of "Broker." But above all, overseas fans came to see K-pop star IU and waited for her to take a photo and autograph. IU Dominates 2022 Cannes Film Festival The "Hotel Del Luna" actress suddenly turned the 2022 Cannes Film Festival as her fan event because of the overwhelming love and support of her fans at the venue. In particular, at the prestigious event, IU was introduced as "Actress Lee Ji Eun," but many French viewers who came out after watching the film were surprised to know that IU is actually a K-pop star. The idol-actress looked stunning with her gray off-shoulder dress. She stole the spotlight as crowds started to recognize her. IU's elegant charm captivated the event's attendees. As she was walking on the red carpet, she went to where her fans were and humbly approached them and responded to their photos and autograph requests. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to meet all of her fans and felt regret when she could no longer communicate with them as she needed to proceed inside the venue for the ceremony and movie screening. The actress showcased her incredible acting skills in "Broker" as she plays a calm yet mature role. After the Korean movie's screening, "Broker" received a 12-minute standing ovation. It has been said that it was the longest standing ovation for a Korean film ever invited to this year's film festival. Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda did the honor and introduced the brilliant and talented stars of the movie. IU was flashed on the screen and immediately lauded by the audience. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: IU Moved to Tears After Unexpected Remark From 'Broker' Co-star Sang Kang Ho What are your thoughts about IU's first Cannes International Film Festival appearance? Tell us in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, follow and subscribe to KDramastars. KDramastars owns this article. Shai Collins wrote this. Korean movies are dominating the Cannes Film Festival 2022 after receiving a great response from the audience. The 75th Cannes Film Festival is held from May 17 to 28 and takes place at the Palais des Festivals et des Congres convention center. Joining the prestigious annual festival are "Hunt," "Next Sohee," "Broker," and "Decision to Leave." 'Hunt' Gets 7-Minute Long Standing Ovation After Premiere "Hunt" is Lee Jung Jae's directorial debut, which stars himself and his good friend Jung Woo Sung. The espionage action film was invited to premiere for the Midnight Screening section. Joining the said screening are "Fumer Fait Tousser" by filmmaker Quentin Dupieu and David Bowie's documentary "Moonage Daydream" directed by Brett Morgen. At Cannes, Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung mesmerized the crowd with their charms. In an interview, the 49-year-old actor-director says that he was amazed by how the crowd reacted after the premiere. As noted by Ten Asia, Lee Jung Jae shared, "I was moved by the long applause," adding that he hugged his co-star Jung Woo Sung "awkwardly" because the people were clapping for too long. Fellow "Hunt" star and award-winning actor also praised Lee Jung Jae and told him that he "did a great job." IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Lee Jung Jae Praises Celebrity Friend Lee Min Ho, Talks About New Movie 'Hunt' Interestingly, this is Lee Jung Jae's second time attending the festival. The first time was for the film "The Housemaid," alongside Jeon Do Yeon. As his interview continued, he said that returning to the Cannes Film Festival as a director is such an extraordinary experience that can be remembered for a lifetime. He added, "This is my second experience, and I think it will be a fun and great memory." Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung's movie "Hunt" is set in the 1980s and at the height of the military dictatorship in South Korea. KCIA Foreign Unit chef Park Pyong Ho, played by Lee Jung Jae, teams up with Domestic Unit chief Kim Jung-do, portrayed by Jung Woo Sung, to uncover a North Korean spy Donglim. "Hunt" will be the duo's reunion project after the 1998 film "City of the Rising Sun." Song Kang Ho, IU's 'Broker' Premiere End With 10-Minute Standing Ovation Besides Lee Jung Jae's movie, "Broker," directed by Japanese filmmaker Koreeda Hirokazu is also well-loved at the Cannes Film Festival 2022. The drama film stars Song Kang Ho, IU, Kang Dong Won, Lee Joo Young graced the film debut. Unfortunately, Bae Doona couldn't make it due to a conflict with her schedule. As noted by News 1 Korea, "Broker," who is also in the running for the coveted Palme d'Or, received a 10-minute long standing ovation following the premiere. The movie follows the story of a young mother, Soo Young, played by IU, who had no choice but to leave her infant in a "baby box" while brokers Sang Hyun and Dong So, played by Song Kang Ho and Kang Do Won become the person who sets out to find new families for the abandoned babies. While the movie gained support at Cannes, "Broker" will be officially released in theaters on June 8. KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills Members of the Okanagan Indian Band celebrated a new monument honouring the Syilx Okanagan at the Fintry Estate earlier this month. From left are Viola Brown, Pauline Archachan, Dan Wilson, Bill Robins, Danielle Saddleman, and Jason Coble (from the Westbank First Nation). The US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention is investigating more cases of monkeypox across the United States as part of a global outbreak. The CDC has identified nine monkeypox cases in seven states as of Wednesday, Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Thursday. Cases have been identified in Massachusetts, Florida, Utah, Washington, California, Virginia and New York. Most of the cases "are within gay [and] bisexual men and other men who have sex with men," she said. Virginia announced Thursday that the case in its state is a woman. Walensky called for an approach "guided by science, not by stigma." "This is a community that has the strength and has demonstrated the ability to address challenges to their health by focusing on compassion and science," she said in an apparent reference to the AIDS epidemic. "While some groups may have a greater chance of exposure right now, infectious diseases do not care about state or international borders. They're not contained within social networks, and the risk of exposure is not limited to any one particular group," she warned. Walensky implored Americans "to approach this outbreak without stigma and without discrimination." 'We shouldn't be surprised to see more cases' The CDC is working to learn more about the outbreak: Samples from the nine identified cases were sent to the agency for additional confirmatory testing and genomic investigation, Walensky noted, and there are efforts to learn how each person contracted the virus. Some of the nine cases have a recent history of international travel to areas with active monkeypox outbreaks, she said, but others do not. Officials expect more cases to be diagnosed as the CDC has urged doctors and Americans to be on the lookout for symptoms. "We shouldn't be surprised to see more cases reported in the US in the upcoming days. It's actually a sign that Americans are remaining vigilant, and health care providers and public health workers are doing their job," said Dr. Raj Panjabi, White House senior director for health security and biodefense. As part of this outbreak, the CDC has been tracking multiple clusters of monkeypox that have been reported in early- to mid-May in several countries that don't normally report such infections, including regions in Europe and North America. Monkeypox is rare in the United States, and the virus does not occur naturally in the country, according to the CDC. After the virus jumps from an animal to a human, human-to-human transmission can happen through close direct contact, such as via large respiratory droplets or lesions on the skin. Monkeypox symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes. A characteristic of the disease is that it can cause lesions or pustules and a rash on the body, including the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. US plans to move vaccine to states that need it most The US has mobilized vaccine for monkeypox to states that have reported cases and plans to move the vaccine where it may be needed, Walensky said Thursday. "The US has the resources we need to help us respond to monkeypox in this country right now. We've been preparing for this type of outbreak for decades," she said. The US has two preventive vaccines and two antiviral treatments that can be used for orthopox, the family of viruses that includes monkeypox. "One of these vaccines, with the trade name of Jynneos, is approved for the prevention of monkeypox disease in adults 18 years of age and older," Walensky said. "CDC has mechanisms in place to move these products around the country so that they can be used for prevention or treatment for people who may benefit, wherever they may be." Panjabi said that vaccination against monkeypox has been offered to health care workers in Massachusetts, where the first US case in this outbreak was identified last week. "In Massachusetts, they got it as the Jynneos vaccine as of Sunday, and we're offering it to health care providers who've had high-risk exposure or are eligible according to the state and CDC guidance," Panjabi said. CDC officials are recommending vaccination for people at highest risk of infection due to direct contact with someone who has monkeypox. "Right now, while we are in the early phase of investigating this, we know that those at highest risk for infection are those who had contact with a known monkeypox patient, with the kind of contact that would facilitate spread. So those are the individuals we're really focusing on recommending vaccination for right now: post-exposure vaccination," said Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the CDC's Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology. "We continue to watch what is happening and think about whether wider vaccination recommendations would make sense, but at this time, we only have nine known cases, and we have contacts that we've identified associated with those cases that would likely most benefit from vaccines," McQuiston said. "And so that's where we're focusing our energies right now." The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Two of the citys key leaders were panelists at the latest Courageous Conversation about the importance of building community trust between police, school officials and people of color. The Thursday evening two hour event, sponsored and organized by the Coalition for Dismantling Racism and Congregations United to Serve Humanity, was held in the Civil War Museum in Downtown Kenosha. Interim Kenosha Police Chief Eric Larsen and Interim Kenosha Unified School District Supt. Bethany Ormseth fielded questions from local activist Gregory Bennett Jr. and the Rev. Dr. Monica Cummings, assistant minister at Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist. Dozens turned out for the event that also included two student panelists from Bradford High School, Aniyah Ervin and Marciara Fuller, and Brandon Wheat, chief minister of defense for Kenosha Coalition Organizing Resolution. It was the first in-person Courageous Conversation since the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading here in early 2020. The event opened with a moment of silence for those killed in the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday and those killed in the racist attack at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, on Saturday. One of the first questions was about the divide between law enforcement officials and people of color. How can we overcome these issues and concerns to improve upon relationships? Bennett asked. KPDs Larsen said its importance for officers to learn about the communities they serve and not rely on stereotypes. That mistrust that (was) created decades ago can be perpetuated generationally. Similarly, its with the (police) academy, Larsen said. That fear, that mistrust of community and things like that. How do we get past that? In some ways weve got to unlearn what we learned. And you learn that not everyones out to get you. (Police) are going to have negative experiences, but you have to start learning to read people. Because they cant teach you in the academy how to read people necessarily because who are you reading? Other academy people. Larsen said its also important to foster positive exchanges with people throughout the city. Who will be replacements? Both Larsen and Ormseth were questioned about who will replace them in their respective roles. Larsen said the Police and Fire Commission will have the ultimate authority to determine the new chief from what he believes will be a national search. If I have any input, one of the main focuses would be someone thats very focused on community, diversity and those types of things, Larsen said. He encouraged concerned citizens to attend commission meetings and express their thoughts and concerns about a new chief. Ormseth said the Kenosha Unified School Board has partnered with the Wisconsin Association of School Boards to conduct its search. Ormseth said the goal is to have a permanent superintendent named by September. There will be opportunities for the community to have input. We set those dates last night. (They will be) June 7 and 8, Ormseth said. The ultimate decision is on the School Board. She encouraged concerned residents to attend district meetings and express their opinion to the board. There will be focus groups, there will be multiple rounds of interviews, there will be opportunities to hear the final candidates present to the community, she said. Ervin said she would have liked to see a superintendent help foster trust between school resource officers and students. Weve been having a lot of issues in KUSD, she said. We also have a mistrust with some security guards. Because if you dont build that trust with the students then theyre going to see you as somebody thats just telling me what to do, somebody thats just here to bother me. Another question from the audience pertained to the police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake in 2020. What did you learn about community relations immediately after the Jacob Blake shooting? How will you use that information, and how will you use what you learned to interact differently with communities here in Kenosha and particularly communities of color? I learned a lot of things, Larsen said. One of them was the strength of the community. Larsen said he and many officers have fostered relationships with people in the community that never existed before. We truly werent connected to some of these grassroots level organizations and it was a significant learning experience, he added. 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. 32 Shares Share Nineteen children were killed in a mass shooting in Texas. I have barely escaped the pandemonium of the pediatric emergency department to scarf down a bowl of pasta when I hear the announcement on the breakroom TV. My stomach drops. Again? How is it possible? I step back into the ED and immediately am called over by an agitated mother whose infant came in with respiratory distress 30 minutes earlier. Any moment they would be transferred to the intensive care unit I hurry over, worried a crisis with her infant awaits me. She wants to talk about the shooting. In despair, she asks how she can send her other child to kindergarten the next day. Its not safe, she says, clutching her sick infant to her chest. I let the irony of the moment sink in. Of all the things this mother must worry about, whether her children will be murdered at school should not be among them. The lack of gun control legislation in the U.S. is criminal. The increasing frequency of mass shootings and the tragic death count has long established this as a public health emergency. Mass shootings in the U.S., defined as when four or more victims are shot or killed, are rising. The numbers are unfathomable. According to the Gun Violence Archive, in 2022 alone, there were 212 mass shootings. Twenty-seven of these were school shootings. In the past decade, each year has tallied more shootings than days in the year with an ever-increasing rise. 2021 recorded 693 mass shootings, surpassing the 611 in 2020 and the 417 in 2019. Without gun control improvements, we can expect that 2022 will prove the deadliest year yet. The main culprit in the lack of gun control legislation lies with the Senates filibuster power to block national policy, as it is based on the votes of individual states rather than the majority vote. There is, in fact, a majority consensus in America in favor of gun-control measures such as universal background checks and assault-weapon bans. However, the disproportionate power of small Republican states was made clear in 2013, after the Sandy Hook shooting, when the Senate blocked the bill imposing background checks on gun sales despite representing a minority opinion. To prevent future stalemates in the Senate, the filibuster must be addressed. The deep underpinnings of gun ownership in America must be understood in the historical context of the Second Amendment. The right to bear arms is inextricably intertwined with the idea of American freedom, and groups such as the NRA have pitted any efforts at gun control against this fundamental right. But at what point does this right infringe on the rights of indefensible children? To be sure, eliminating guns in the U.S. is unlikely, so what next? Do we provide teachers with training and firearms? Augment school security? This would be futile against an automatic weapon or determined school shooter. Gun control is by no means a cure-all to gun violence, but it has reduced death rates in countries such as Japan, the U.K., and Australia. It is a start that must be taken. Passing gun control laws will not be easy. To reform the filibuster power the Senate holds will require fighting legal, political, social, and ideological barriers. And yet it must be done. With each new headline of a shooting, it feels as though America has found its emotional breaking point. Surely this will be the news story that tips legislation. Let us not become numb to the rising body counts. We can be bystanders no longer. Marina Mai is a medical student. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Funding is being made available to allow local authorities buy vacant buildings to be converted and developed for community use, it has been announced. Up to 400,000 will be available to each local authority to spend in 2022. The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, announced the new funding stream on Friday to support local authorities. The funding, which is being made available under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, aims to support the continued regeneration of our rural towns and villages so that they are attractive, vibrant places for people to live and work. The scale of vacant buildings is set to be revealed in the latest CSO population census undertaken in recent months with anecdotal evidence of a large amount of vacant properties in towns across the country. Announcing the launch of the scheme, Minister Humphreys said: Our Rural Future, the Governments ambitious policy for rural development, prioritises the regeneration and repopulation of our rural towns and villages we want our towns to be attractive places where people want to live, work, socialise and raise a family. I am providing specific funding to local authorities this year to identify and purchase vacant and derelict buildings in rural towns and villages so that these can be taken into public ownership and converted for community use and the public good. Under the new Building Acquisition Measure up to 400,000 will be available per local authority this year. I am encouraging local authorities to engage with communities, identify suitable properties, come up with a proposal for their future use and apply to my Department for the funding. There are former bank buildings which could easily be converted into remote working hubs. Equally we know there are many community groups and voluntary organisations who need a space for local events and activities so lets renovate and repurpose some of our old town centre buildings to accommodate them," Minister Humphreys said. Priority will be afforded to projects that align with the objectives of Our Rural Future with a focus on: Purchase of vacant properties/sites for community use Enabling vacant and derelict buildings to be repurposed as community spaces / digital hubs Developing vacant sites in towns and villages into parks, green spaces and recreational amenities Development of Outdoor Dining Spaces/Plazas in town centres The Scheme typically funds rural towns and villages with a population of up to 10,000 people. Larger rural towns with a population of up to 15,000 people may be eligible where the application is particularly strong and the project will have a significant impact on the town in question. Full details of the Scheme will be published on the Departments website in the coming days. The announcement on May 27 forms part of the Our Rural Future Work Programme for 2022, which continues the focus on the renewal of our towns and villages and the continued expansion of our remote working hubs under the ConnectedHubs.ie platform. Navies of China, Gulf of Guinea countries discuss maritime security Xinhua) 11:43, May 27, 2022 BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Navies of China and the Gulf of Guinea countries on Tuesday met virtually for a symposium on the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea, a defense spokesperson said Thursday. The virtual event saw the participation of the Gulf of Guinea countries' naval and coast guard leaders, and officials from relevant regional organizations, said Wu Qian, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference. Commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy Dong Jun attended the event and delivered a keynote speech. In-depth discussions and exchanges were carried out on topics such as maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and sustainable economic development, the role of maritime forces in ensuring peace and development in the Gulf of Guinea, and new prospects for China-Africa maritime security cooperation. The symposium was aimed at strengthening maritime security cooperation between the Chinese military and the armed forces of countries around the Gulf of Guinea, the spokesperson said. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Instacart says searches for baby formula hit a record high in mid-May but the on-demand grocery delivery site is struggling to fulfill orders because its stores remain severely understocked amid the ongoing national formula shortage. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. By Lee Hae-rin Jeju International Airport will resume international flights in June for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago. According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Friday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport approved the resumption of international flight operations in Jeju airport starting next month. Since April 2020, the entry of international travelers to the country has been restricted within Incheon International Airport to control the spread of the coronavirus as well as seven other international airports in the country, including Jeju. Jeju Air will begin with nonscheduled chartered flights to Bangkok on June 2 and 6. Singapore's low-cost airline Scoot will resume regular operations between Jeju and Singapore three times a week from June 15 to 30. The Jeju provincial government plans to implement quarantine measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In partnership with the Korea Airports Corporation (KAC), a public enterprise that runs the airport, the airport will operate temporary quarantine facilities for unvaccinated international travelers and those who test positive on a PCR test upon arrival. These travelers will be carried via special transportation. Earlier this month, in response to growing demand for inbound travel, the Ministry of Justice resumed temporary visa waivers to tour groups of foreign nationality visiting Jeju Island for up to 30 days. Meanwhile, low-cost carriers are showing signs of recovery in international flight operations as the COVID-19 travel restrictions are eased. Korean low-cost carrier Air Premia announced Friday that it will begin flights between Incheon and Singapore on June 29. The flights are scheduled for twice a week at first, and the service will increase to three times a week in July, the airliner said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seen on a screen as he addresses the audience from Kyiv during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, May 23. Zelenskyy plans to invite Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol to a conference to discuss the country's post-war reconstruction in July. AP-Yonhap By Kwon Mee-yoo Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to invite Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol to a conference for rebuilding Ukraine following Russia's invasion in early July. The Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2022) is scheduled to take place in Lugano, Switzerland on July 4 and 5. Formerly named the Ukraine Reform Conference, the event was renamed to highlight the new focus of the gathering amid the current conditions. The Ukrainian embassy in Seoul said an official joint invitation by Zelenskyy and the Swiss president will be sent out in a couple of days. Yoon had a phone call with Zelenskyy in late March as the president-elect where he expressed his support for Ukraine, proposing a meeting with Zelenskyy after the war ends. The invitation to the conference shows how Korea now has greater international responsibility to fulfill as the world's 10th largest economy. As of early May, Korea has provided about $40 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. President Yoon Suk-yeol arrives at the presidential office in Yongsan District, central Seoul, Friday. Yonhap The conference, co-hosted by Ukraine and Switzerland, aims to discuss Ukraine's post-war reconstruction and development in cooperation with international partners. Zelenskyy noted the war-torn country's high hopes for the conference during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, May 23. "I invite you to take part in reconstruction of Ukraine after the war. The scope of work is colossal. We have more than half a trillion dollars in losses, tens of thousands of objects have been destroyed. It is necessary to restore entire cities and industries," Zelenskyy said during the forum. "We offer a special historical and weighty recovery model, when each partner country or partner city, or partner company will have a historical opportunity to take patronage over this or that region of Ukraine, city or community, or industry," he said. He added that by the start of the international conference in Lugano, he hopes partner states and the world's leading companies will present proposal packages for Ukraine's reconstruction. U.S. President Joe Biden boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on May 19, as he travels to South Korea and Japan on his first trip to Asia as president. UPI-Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo South Korea and the United States will discuss ways to strengthen their partnerships in nuclear energy during President Yoon Suk-yeol's summit with visiting U.S. President Joe Biden scheduled to be held on Saturday. Biden is anticipated to touch down at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek on Friday evening, and attend a summit with Yoon on Saturday. Yoon told reporters on Friday that the summit "will be an opportunity for the Seoul-Washington alliance to become more comprehensive and stronger in the wake of many changes to global society." Smoke and dirt rise from the city of Severodonetsk, during shelling in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, May 26, amid Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine said May 26 that the war in the east of the country had hit its fiercest level yet as it urged Western allies to match words with support against the invading Russian forces. Moscow's troops are pushing into the industrial Donbas region after failing to take the capital Kyiv, closing in on several urban centers including the strategically located Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. AFP-Yonhap WHO member states strongly condemned Russia's war in Ukraine and attacks on healthcare facilities in a resolution overwhelmingly adopted Thursday. The resolution, carried by 88 votes to 12 at the World Health Organization's annual assembly, did not impose any sanctions on Russia but underlined Moscow's isolation on the international stage in yet another global forum. The resolution "condemns in the strongest terms" Russia's "military aggression against Ukraine, including attacks on healthcare facilities." It urged Russia to "immediately cease any attacks on hospitals" and other healthcare sites. Ukrainian Ambassador Yevheniia Filipenko said the Feb. 24 full-scale Russian invasion had triggered a huge health and humanitarian crisis in and outside the country. The assembly "must be crystal-clear about where responsibility for this health crisis lies: it lies with the Russian Federation," she said. The resolution was brought by Ukraine and co-sponsored by countries including the United States, Britain, Japan, Turkey and all members of the European Union except Hungary. Of the 194 WHO member states, 183 had the right to vote. Eighty-eight voted in favor and 12 against, with 53 abstentions and 30 countries absent. The resolution said the war was seriously impeding access to healthcare in Ukraine and having wider health implications across the region. It also urged Russia to respect and protect all medical and humanitarian personnel as well as the sick and wounded, in line with international law. The resolution also called for safe, rapid and unhindered access to people in need of help, and the free flow of essential medicines and equipment. A woman looks out from window of her apartment in the city of Lysychansk, a city without electricity and water, in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, May 26. AFP-Yonhap 256 attacks on healthcare The WHO has verified 256 separate attacks on healthcare in Ukraine since the Russian invasion. The WHO said 75 people have died and 59 have been injured. No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results THE Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) has been recognised for its fight for the welfare of civil servants, winning an international human rights award on Thursday. Artuz was recognised among other four rights defenders from Afghanistan, Belarus, Sudan and Mexico by the Irish-based human rights organisation, Front Line Defenders (FLD). In 2015, Artuz launched the safe schools campaign to prevent schools from being used as political means. In 2018, the union sued the electoral commission for denying teachers the right to vote during elections, FLD said in a statement yesterday. In the past 12 months, the union handled 132 cases of teachers who were forcibly transferred for being members of the union. 220 members have been arrested, detained and beaten by state security forces. In January 2022, 16 teachers who were part of a group of peaceful protestors protesting for a living wage were beaten, arrested and incarcerated. They were released on bail on January 17, 2022. The FLD applauded the union for developing a remote teaching toolkit for use by teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Artuz members have been arrested and attacked for their work. Artuz has pushed for the adoption of the Education Equalisation Fund, which would support young girls and pregnant girls in receiving an education. Newsday Millions of students who participated in virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic had their personal data and online behaviors tracked by educational apps and websites without their consent and in many cases shared with third-party advertising technology companies, a new report has found. Human Rights Watch, an international advocacy organization, this week published the findings of an investigation conducted from March 2021 to August 2021 that looked into the educational services, including online learning tools, used by students all over the world when school districts shifted to remote learning. Of the 164 products reviewed across 49 countries, Human Rights Watch found 146 (89%) appeared to engage in data practices that "risked or infringed on children's rights." These practices included monitoring or having the ability to monitor children without the students' or parents' consent, and collecting a range of personal data, according to the report, such as their identity, location, their online activity and behaviors, and information about their family and friends. "Children, parents, and teachers were largely kept in the dark," Hye Jung Han, children's rights and technology researcher at Human Rights Watch, told CNN Business. "But even if they had known what was going on, they had no choice. Children had to either use these products and pay for it with their privacy, or be marked as absent and drop out of school during COVID-19." Han said the majority of the apps and websites examined by Human Rights Watch sent information about children to Google and Facebook, which collectively dominate the digital advertising market. A spokesperson for Facebook-parent Meta told CNN Business the company has policies around how businesses can share children's data and advertising restrictions for how minors can be targeted. A Google spokesperson said it requires developers and customers to abide by data and privacy protections, and prohibits any personalized or marketing ads aimed at minors' accounts. "We are investigating the specific report claims and will take appropriate action if we find policy violations," the spokesperson said. The report was shared with a consortium of more than a dozen international news outlets, including The Washington Post, The Globe and Mail, and El Mundo. Albert Fox Cahn, founder and executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project and a fellow at the NYU School of Law, said the findings add to mounting concerns around the collection of data among young people. In recent months, there has been intense scrutiny from lawmakers about the impact tech platforms have on teens. "We already knew technologies were being abused and putting children at risk, but this report is really important because it shows the scale of harm and how the same mistake is being made by educators and governments around the world," he said. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a US law, policies are in place to provide broad privacy protections for student educational records and protect them from invasive online tracking. "But schools and tech firms are circumventing the laws we're supposed to have that make it harder for advertisers to track students and minors online," Cahn said. "Platforms that, through loopholes, can make students some of the most surveilled individuals on the planet." John Davisson, director of litigation and senior counsel for the Electronic Privacy Information Center, called the issue "a regulatory failure, pure and simple." But he said he's encouraged by the Federal Trade Commission recently warning edtech vendors about their obligations to protect children's privacy. Last week, the FTC announced plans to crack down on companies illegally surveilling children during online learning. "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, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, in a statement. "Parents should not have to choose between their children's privacy and their participation in the digital classroom." Bart Willemsen, an analyst at research firm Gartner who focuses on privacy issues, said schools and ed tech providers have a responsibility to be fully transparent about what they're potentially doing with data, have detailed control over how it is used, and establish why the data is needed at all. "The data must serve a purpose, but the purpose cannot be advertising," he said. "If it is not something we do in physical classrooms, it is not something that should be part of digital school life." He also said the collection of this type of information could have a long-lasting impact on their children's digital footprint, as that data is not easily erased. "Parents have a role here," he said. "Yet in situations like these, their strongest action is to let their voice be heard." ___ Patrons at a recently-opened establishment can purchase drinks but will have to wait a little while longer to purchase food. Kevin Singh, co-owner of Guac Star, said the bar area of the restaurant currently is open on the weekends, but the opening of the restaurant area has been delayed because he is still waiting to receive some equipment. Guac Star, 120 Broad St. in Lake Geneva, is in the former the location of the Wicked Poke Hut, which closed for business in December 2021. Singh said he hopes to have the restaurant area open within the next couple of weeks. He said some equipment has not arrived because of supply chain issues. The restaurant initially was set to open in early spring. With the supply chain, with everything the way it is, everything has been delayed, Singh said. So hopefully within the next couple of weeks, I should have the restaurant side open. The bar area currently offers frozen wine drinks, margaritas, pina coladas and a selection of beer, including crafted beer from Topsy Turvy Brewery in Lake Geneva, as well as chips and guacamole and chips and salsa. Members of the Lake Geneva City Council unanimously approved a fermented malt beverage Class B liquor license and a wine Class C liquor license for the business, Jan. 10. Once the restaurant area is open, it will feature made-to-order tacos, burritos and quesadillas. Its all made to order and by the time you get to the register, your food is ready, Singh said. Theres no waiting. Everything is quick. You can sit down at our restaurant or bar area. The restaurant is set to offer an outdoor seating area in the near future. Guac Star currently includes five employees, and Singh said he plans to hire more workers in the future. With the way it is now, well manage to get by but the plan is to have more employees, he said. Singh said he is looking forward to the opening of the restaurant area. Its a little chaotic, but were managing and were excited to open, Singh said. Were basically at the finish line now. Singh also is the co-owner of Going Bananas, located in the lower level of the Riviera, 812 Wrigley Drive, which is set to open during Memorial Day weekend. Were getting ready for the holiday rush, he said. Singh purchased the 120 Broad St. location from the former Wicked Poke Hut owners Karen Schultz and Joshua Bernicchi late last year. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 27 (ANI/BusinessWire India): MIT School of Government (MIT SOG) under the aegis of MIT World Peace University, Pune organised the Convocation Ceremony of the 14th and 15th Batch of its flagship program Master's in Political Leadership and Government. The degrees were awarded at the hands of Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati, Hon'ble Governor of Mizoram and General (Dr.) V.K. Singh, Hon'ble Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways & Civil Aviation, Government of India. Also Read | RR vs RCB, IPL 2022 Qualifier 2 Live Cricket Streaming: Watch Free Telecast of Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore on Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar Online. The convocation took place in the august presence of Mr Gajanan Kirtikar, Hon'ble Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha; Revered Prof. Dr Vishwanath D. Karad, Founder & Chief Patron, MAEER's MIT, Pune and President of MIT World Peace University; Rahul V Karad, Managing Trustee & Executive President, MAEER and Executive President, MIT World Peace University. The MIT School of Government (MIT-SOG), a constituent unit of MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU), Pune, is the first institute of its kind to initiate a two-year Master's degree program in Political Leadership & Government for a Career in Politics. It is the brainchild of the visionary educationist Mr Rahul V Karad, the Executive President of Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University with a vision of creating Ethical, Spirited and Committed Political Leadership for the country from all walks of life. Also Read | Gyanvapi Row: VVSS Demands Ban on Disclosure of Gyanvapi Video Contents To Maintain Communal Harmony. A total of 59 students were conferred with a Master's degree in Political Leadership and Government by the University in 2022. Over 450 number of candidates have passed out from MIT School of Government since its establishment in 2005. Gajanan Kirtikar, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha (Shiv Sena) said, "School of Government is a great initiative of MIT WPU. Students from MIT SOG are trained individuals who have helped me throughout my session in the politics from strategizing to winning the elections. Students from MIT SOG will be a great asset for political parties, to the MPs and MLAs by helping in managing organizational responsibilities in the coming future." Retd. General (Dr.) Vijay Kumar Singh, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, ADC; Hon'ble Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways & Civil Aviation, Govt. Of India, said, "Students are the backbone of our democracy and they must have a vision and will to work hard to achieve their goals despite the obstacles they face. To become a successful leader of tomorrow, they must persist in the face of adversity." Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati, Hon'ble Governor of Mizoram said, "Formal training in any field contributes in efficiency and effectiveness at workplace. Formal training in political leadership and governance is the need of the hour and government should encourage and aid youth who wish to join the politics by means of providing robust training to students. Government should foster institutions like MIT- SOG which not only encourage people to get trained in politics but also become the leaders of tomorrow." Rahul V Karad, Managing Trustee & Executive President, MAEER and Executive President, MIT World Peace University, said, "MIT SOG aims to create leaders from grassroot level who will lay the path transformation through good governance. MIT SOG students have not only gone to work with leaders from various political parties and have aided the electoral success of politicians but have also worked with NGOs, think tanks, policy research, campaign planning, election analysis and so on." Students from earlier batches of MIT SOG have found opportunities in functional politics with the offices of political parties, Members of Parliament, Speakers of various State Assemblies, Chief Ministers, Members of various State Legislative Assemblies and Ministries in various roles such as Political Analyst, Policy Research Associate, Political Consultant, Political Strategist, Constituency manager, Election & Campaign manager, Media Analyst, Elections Analyst, Public Relations Officer, Social Media Analyst and so on. Over the years, MIT SOG has established itself as one of the India's foremost schools in political training and governance. MIT SOG is known for its cutting-edge infrastructure and vibrant curriculum, as well as its illustrious alumni list. The institution's committed faculty guarantees that the courses meet the needs of the transitioning industry. The campus, which strives to strike a balance between academics and extracurricular activities, is not only pleasant to look at, but it's also well equipped with opportunities for its students to become future leaders. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London [UK], May 27 (ANI/BusinessWire India): India's Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, formally flagged off UK-India Week 2022, organised by UK-headquartered India Global Forum (IGF), at a special curtain raiser event in London with a positive message of a win-win Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the works for the two nations. In conversation with IGF Founder Professor Manoj Ladwa at Taj 51 Buckingham Gate on May 26th evening, the senior Indian Cabinet Minister shared insights on a wide range of subjects - from his recent interactions at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos with businesses around the world keen on investing in the India story to the Narendra Modi led government's increasingly FTA-friendly and outward-looking engagement with the world. Also Read | Prof Haberal Has Tirelessly Raised Awareness About the Importance of Organ Transplantation Latest Tweet by World Health Organization. The minister said: "There's a big difference between the mood in India and the mood in the rest of the world. In India, there's a lot of excitement about the future, our young India is looking at the future with great hope and aspiration. Davos, unfortunately, represented quite a bit of doom and gloom. Most of the engagements showed that participants were very disturbed, concerned, slightly pessimistic about the future of multilateralism, already talking about deglobalisation. We in India look at the future with great optimism, we believe these things will also pass as have many other challenges. India is ready to engage with the world from a position of strength." On the subject of FTAs, he pointed to the two fast deals clinched with the UAE and Australia, with Canada progressing well towards an Early Harvest Agreement. Also Read | Mumbai: BMC To Launch Shiv Yoga Kendras From June 1 Across 24 Wards in the City. The minister added: "With the UK, we had agreed to do an Early Harvest Agreement - basically, to grab the low-hanging fruits and leave the more difficult elements for the next stage and give the people of both countries the confidence that this agreement is a win-win and create an automatic demand for more. But the way things are progressing, we'll actually land up doing a full FTA with the UK by Diwali. We are working towards a fair deal and a win-win for both countries." The event brought together prominent UK-based parliamentarians, business chiefs and academics to set the tone for IGF's UK-India Week 2022 next month, themed around Reimagine@75 - as a celebration of 75 years of India's independence and UK-India ties. HE Gaitri Issar Kumar, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, said: "Our teams are looking at the possibility of completing the trade agreement as fast as possible. In fact, Hon. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has invited our Hon. Prime Minister [Narendra Modi] to come to London and announce the Free Trade Agreement with him. I have no doubt that under the stewardship of Hon. Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and Rt Hon. Trade Secretary Madam Anne-Marie Trevelyan, we will move with the greatest speed and efficiency towards this target." Minister Goyal, who is on a visit to the UK, has been holding talks with his UK counterpart - Secretary of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan - and engaging with business chiefs and stakeholders to ensure progress towards a UK-India FTA. The trade talks are expected to be central to the wide-ranging deliberations and interactions planned for UK-India Week across various sectors, with some of the highlight speakers confirmed as: Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, UK Government Dr S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Government of India Bill Winters, CEO, Standard Chartered Harmeen Mehta, Chief Digital & Innovation Officer, BT Virat Bhatia, Managing Director, Apple Dr Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram, Lok Sabha Falguni Nayar, Founder and CEO, Nykaa Amit Kapur, CEO, UK &Ireland, TCS Complete list here. Prof. Manoj Ladwa, Chairman & CEO of the India Inc. Group said: "India Global Forum is celebrating 75 years of India's independence. We'll be showcasing the investments, the collaborations and the solutions needed to achieve what Mr Modi has called a quantum leap in UK-India relations. Across five invigorating days, we'll be joined by over 100 leading politicians, global business leaders, innovators and disruptors from the UK, India and beyond as they discuss, debate and deliberate global developments, their impact on India and the UK and how businesses can thrive in the face of challenging global events." The curtain raiser in London also marked the launch of the Shortlist for the UK-India Awards, slated for 1 July 2022. *Watch the Curtain Raiser here *Full UK-India Week programme here This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Alan White, longtime drummer for the rock band Yes, has died. As per The Hollywood Reporter, Alan White passed away after a "short illness." He was 72. The news of his demise was shared by the Yes band on their Instagram handle. "The news has shocked and stunned the entire YES family. Ray Liotta Dies at 67: Jeffrey Wright, Cary Elwes, Viola Davis and Other Celebs Mourn the Demise of the Hollywood Star. Alan had been looking forward to the forthcoming UK Tour, to celebrating his 50th Anniversary with YES and their iconic Close to the Edge album, where Alan's journey with YES began in July 1972," the band wrote alongside a photo of their drummer of 50 years. Ray Liotta Dies at 67; Actor Was Best Known for His Roles in Field of Dreams and Goodfellas. "He recently celebrated the 40th Anniversary of his marriage to his loving wife Gigi. Alan passed away, peacefully at home," the band added. Alan White joined Yes in the summer of 1972 after original drummer Bill Bruford left to join King Crimson. Before that, John Lennon, in 1969, invited him to join the late Beatle and Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band. White contributed to Lennon's Imagine album, including the iconic title track. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 27 (ANI): Four terrorists of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), including two who were involved in killing TV artiste Amreen Bhat have been shot dead in two separate anti-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir, police said Friday. Also, police said that one hybrid terrorist was also arrested along with arms and ammunition in the Bemina area of Srinagar. Also Read | Germany Respects Indias Stand on Ukraine Conflict, Says Ambassador Lindner Read @ANI Latest Tweet by ANI Digital. According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, acting on a specific input generated by Awantipora Police regarding the presence of terrorists in village Aghanzipora area of Awantipora, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, Army and CRPF. As per the police, two local terrorists identified as Shahid Mushtaq Bhat resident of Budgam, and Farhan Habib resident of Pulwama linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest Update: Centre Likely To Hike Dearness Allowance to 38% for Government Employees. Addressing media persons, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that both the killed terrorists had joined terror ranks recently and were involved in the killing of artiste Amreen Bhat on May 25 in the Chadoora area of Budgam under the directions of LeT Commander Lateef. Besides, after getting input about the movement of terrorists from South Kashmir to Srinagar city and tracked their presence in the Soura area of Srinagar, a special and small team of Srinagar Police launched a cordon and search operation in the said area. During the search, as the presence of terrorists was ascertained and the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists of the proscribed terror outfit LeT were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter. They have been identified as Shakir Ahmad Waza and Afreen Aftab Malik both residents of Trenz Shopian, the police said. As per police records, both the killed terrorist were categorized terrorists and were part of groups involved in several terror crime cases including attacks on Police and security forces. Incriminating materials, a huge cache of arms, and ammunition were recovered from both the sites of the encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation. IGP Kashmir congratulated the joint teams of Police/SF for their valour and determination to neutralize and avenge the killing of artiste Amreen Bhat within 24 hours. He also termed these operations as a big success and said that during the past three days 10 terrorists including three from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and seven from LeT proscribed terror outfits have been neutralized in the Kashmir valley. In another action, Srinagar Police along with security forces have arrested one hybrid terrorist of proscribed terror outfit LeT from the Bemina area along with arms and ammunition. An individual suspiciously approaching towards the checkpoint was challenged and apprehended tactfully by the alert party, police said in a press statement. He has identified himself as Nasir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Gund Brath Sopore. On his personal search, one pistol, one magazine, and five live rounds were recovered from his possession. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Guwahati, May 27: The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) from the Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday reached Guwahati to examine the districts affected critically due to the flood in Assam and interacted with the State Revenue Department and the officials of Assam State Disaster Management Authority. One group of the IMCT team, comprising the leader Ravinesh Kumar, FA, NDMA; Anjali Maurya, Assistant Director of Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance; Adelbert Sungi, Regional Officer of Ministry of Road Transport; P. Vijay Bhaskar Reddy, Joint Secretary and Joint CEO, ASDMA, have scheduled their visit to flood-hit Cachar on Friday and will be visiting Dima Hasao on Saturday (May 28). Assam Floods: Death Toll Rises to 30, Marginal Improvement in Situation. Another group of IMCT, including Jintu Das, Joint Director of Ministry of Agriculture; Ajay Kumar Sinha, Superintendent Engineer of Ministry of Jal Shakti; Kailash Shankla, Under Secretary of Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India will visit Darrang, Nagaon, and Hojai on today and tomorrow (May 27 and May 28). As per the ASDMA reports, nearly 5.61 lakh people in 12 districts of Assam-- Nagaon, Cachar, Morigaon, Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Hojai, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Karbi Anglong West, Sonitpur are still affected in the deluge. Although the overall condition has significantly improved in the state, the ASDMA reports suggest nearly 3.68 lakh people in Nagaon, alone, continue to remain affected while as many as 1.50 lakh people in Cachar and 41,036 in Morigaon district are distressed.The death toll due to flood and landslides raised to 30 after two persons in the Nagaon district were reported dead after drowning in the flood. The report further stated that 47,139.12 hectares of cropland and 956 villages are still under the water and 66,839 people are currently lodged in 295 relief camps. (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 27 (PTI) A 24-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was stabbed to death in south Delhi's Sangam Vihar area on Friday, police said. Information about the incident that took place on street number 15 in Sangam Vihar was received about 6.35 pm, a senior police officer said. Also Read | Hyderabad Shocker: Married Woman Stabbed by Stalker on Busy Road in Broad Daylight (Watch Video). Police reached the spot and found that a man was stabbed by some people. The injured was shifted to Batra Hospital where he was declared brought dead, the officer said. The injured was identified as Sangam, a resident of Ratia Marg, Sangam Vihar. He was an auto-rickshaw driver, they said. Also Read | Gurugram: 10 Sacks of Lemons, 35 Crates of Tomatoes Stolen From Wholesale Vegetable Market. A case under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered at Sangam Vihar police station and three accused have been identified. Further investigation is underway, police said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 27 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party slammed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin for bringing up several ongoing issues while sharing the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai on Thursday. In a series of tweets, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai vehemently criticised Stalin for it. Also Read | Monsoon Onset Over Kerala Can Happen Anytime Till June 1, Says IMD. Taking to Twitter, K Annamalai wrote, "As an ordinary citizen of India and a proud Tamil, I am absolutely ashamed by the appalling conduct of TN CM @mkstalin. Hon PM @narendramodi had come as the PM, not for a BJP programme. Our CM was expected to show grace but he ended up disgracing himself." Stalin appealed to the Central Government to return the central Goods and Service Tax (GST) dues of Rs 14,006 crore to the state. Also Read | GST Return: Govt Waives Late Fee Till June for Delayed Filing of GST Returns Under Composition Scheme. "I appeal to the Government to return the central GST dues of Rs 14,006 crore to our state. I also appeal to the Prime Minister that Tamil should be announced as an official language at the High court," Stalin said. Attacking Stalin on GST issues, Annamalai said, "On the issue of GST, CM @mkstalin must be schooled that the GST council decisions were always taken by consensus. On compensation too, the TN Government took the option which provides payment of balance compensation after July 2022. They are making issues out of non-issues." "CM @mkstalin keeps speaking of federalism but insults the GST Council, a shining example of federalism. The dues are paid as per a formula jointly worked out. CM @mkstalin thinks that only his whims should matter. Typical dynastic entitlement that doesn't understand consensus. Now, GST revenues have increased significantly over the last one year and all states including Tamil Nadu are benefiting. But, does @mkstalin or DMK ever care for facts? They are only interested in politic," added the state BJP chief. The Chief Minister further requested PM Modi to exempt Tamil Nadu from the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) exam and asked PM to get back to Katchatheevu Island from (Sri Lanka) so the Indian fishermen can fish freely in the sea. Reacting to this, Annamalai said, "Our CM @mkstalin wants to talk about Katchatheevu island but he forgets that the island was gifted to Sri Lanka by none other than Smt Indira Gandhi in 1974. Since 1974, DMK and Congress have formed alliances, looted the people together. Why this sudden awakening?" Stalin urged PM Modi to declare Tamil as the official language, like Hindi, at Union government offices and the Madras High Court. Criticising the CM, Annamalai said, "On language, PM @narendramodi has expressed his affection for the Tamil language, literature & culture on multiple occasions. I don't think @mkstalin needs an answer because I am sure he also does not believe what he said on the issue. He was only doing petty politics." The Prime Minister, on Thursday, launched several new schemes and development projects. (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 27 (PTI) BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Friday alleged that she and her family were receiving death threats. She took to Twitter to inform the Delhi Police about the threatening messages received by her. Also Read | Hyderabad Shocker: Married Woman Stabbed by Stalker on Busy Road in Broad Daylight (Watch Video). "@DelhiPolice @CPDelhi I am getting continuous death and beheading threats against my family and myself which are egged on by @zoo_bear because of his attempts to incite communal passions and vitiate the atmosphere by building a fake narrative. Attaching a few pics. Please note," Sharma tweeted. In its reply to the tweet, the city police said, "The matter has been forwarded to the concerned officials for necessary action. You will be contacted shortly." Also Read | Gurugram: 10 Sacks of Lemons, 35 Crates of Tomatoes Stolen From Wholesale Vegetable Market. (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 27 (ANI): The Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday apprehended one more Pakistani fisherman and seized five other Pakistani fishing boats near-horizontal channel of Harami Nala in Gujarat's Bhuj, the force said. This was part of an operation conducted by the BSF on Thursday in which the border guarding force apprehended two Pakistani fishermen and seized four country-made Pakistani fishing boats from the same area. Also Read | Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh Admitted to ICU of KEM Hospital in Mumbai Latest Tweet by ANI. The BSF Bhuj has apprehended three Pakistani fishermen and has seized nine Pakistani fishing boats till now. "During the intensive search operation launched on May 26 and continued entire night, today morning, Patrol of BSF Bhuj apprehended one more Pakistani fisherman and seized five more Pakistani fishing boats from the horizontal channel of Harami Nala," Public Relations Officer (PRO)BSF Gujarat Frontier said in a statement. Also Read | Yogi Adityanath Led Government Empowering Women Through Various Schemes. As per the statement, the search party fired three rounds during the course of the chase to encircle and apprehend the Pakistani Fisherman. "Nothing suspicious recovered from the boats except for fish, fishing nets, and fishing equipment. An intensive search of the area is going on," the BSF further said. Earlier on Thursday, the BSF apprehended two Pakistani fishermen and seized four country-made Pakistani fishing boats near the horizontal channel of Harami Nala in Gujarat's Bhuj, the force said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) PM Modi flies a drone at the Bharat Drone Mahotsav, in New Delhi on Friday. New Delhi [India], May 27 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday tried his hand at flying a drone during the inauguration of the two-day Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 at Pragati Maidan in Delhi. https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1530133607158730752 Also Read | Mumbai: Eastern Freeway Named After Former Maharashtra CM Late Vilasrao Deshmukh. Here he interacted with Kisan drone pilots and witnessed open-air drone demonstrations in the drone exhibition centre. Earlier today, while inaugurating the event, PM Modi termed drones as a 'game-changer' in the agriculture sector and pointed out the need for drones to improve last-mile healthcare delivery. Also Read | Oppo A57, Oppo A57s Tipped To Launch in India Soon; Specifications Leaked Online. The Prime Minister also said, in the last few months, the government has removed most of the restrictions regarding the usage of drones. "We are also introducing PLI Scheme that will help us build a drone manufacturing ecosystem in India," said PM Modi. PM Modi, at the event, invited investors and experts from across the globe to come to India and invest in drone technology. "I request all startups and the youth to work towards developing solutions for better development outcomes, using drones," he said. Bharat Drone Mahotsav is a two-day event and is being held on May 27-28. Over 1,600 delegates comprising government officials, foreign diplomats, armed forces, central armed police forces, PSUs, private companies and drone startups etc will participate in the Mahotsav. More than 70 exhibitors have displayed various use cases of drones at the exhibition. Mahotsav will also witness a virtual award of drone pilot certificates, product launches, panel discussions, flying demonstrations, display of a Made in India Drone Taxi prototype, among others. (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 27: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday tried his hand at flying a drone during the inauguration of the two-day Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 at Pragati Maidan in Delhi. Here he interacted with Kisan drone pilots and witnessed open-air drone demonstrations in the drone exhibition centre. Earlier today, while inaugurating the event, PM Modi termed drones as a 'game-changer' in the agriculture sector and pointed out the need for drones to improve last-mile healthcare delivery. The Prime Minister also said, in the last few months, the government has removed most of the restrictions regarding the usage of drones. "We are also introducing PLI Scheme that will help us build a drone manufacturing ecosystem in India," said. PM Modi. India Has the Potential of Becoming a Global Drone Hub. PM Modi, at the event, invited investors and experts from across the globe to come to India and invest in drone technology. "I request all startups and the youth to work towards developing solutions for better development outcomes, using drones," he said. Watch Video: #WATCH | PM Narendra Modi tried his hand at flying a drone during the inauguration of two-day Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 at Pragati Maidan in Delhi pic.twitter.com/XNto9g28PY ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 Bharat Drone Mahotsav is a two-day event and is being held on May 27-28. Over 1,600 delegates comprising government officials, foreign diplomats, armed forces, central armed police forces, PSUs, private companies and drone startups etc will participate in the Mahotsav. More than 70 exhibitors have displayed various use cases of drones at the exhibition. Mahotsav will also witness a virtual award of drone pilot certificates, product launches, panel discussions, flying demonstrations, display of a Made in India Drone Taxi prototype, among others. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 27 (ANI): Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh was admitted to KEM Hospital in Mumbai on Friday after he complained of chest pain. "Anil Deshmukh was admitted to ICU of KEM Hospital in Mumbai after he complained of chest pain, high BP and shoulder pain," an official statement said. Also Read | Ganpati Festival Made Invaluable Contribution to National Politics, Says President Ram Nath Kovind. He is currently in jail in connection with a money laundering case. Notably, the Former Maharashtra Home Minister was arrested by ED in November, last year in connection with the alleged Rs 100-crore extortion and money laundering case. Also Read | On DD India Today: Indias Biggest Drone Festival is Here! What Did NSA Ajit Doval Latest Tweet by DD News. Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had accused Anil Deshmukh of asking dismissed assistant inspector Sachin Vaze to collect Rs 100 crore from hotels and bars in Mumbai every month. ED registered a case against Deshmukh and others based on a corruption case filed against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mohali (Punjab) [India], May 27 (ANI): Mohali court on Friday sent former AAP leader and Punjab Health Minister Vijay Singla to 14-day judicial custody. Singla's lawyer HS Dhanoa said, "There will be a trial court for this and we will apply for bail soon after discussing it with the panel." Also Read | Mumbai: College Professor Reunites Runaway Minor Girl Found Alone in Local Train With Mother. Earlier on Tuesday, Punjab Health Minister Vijay Singla was sacked from the cabinet by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Shortly after which, he was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Branch. The Punjab Chief Minister said that the 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. Also Read | Navneet Ranas Harassment Complaint: Privilege Committee Summons Maharashtra Chief Secretary Manu Kumar Srivastava, DGP Rajnish Seth. According to Punjab CMO, Singla was demanding 1 per cent commission from officials for contracts and he also confessed to it. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, May 27 (PTI) Four Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, including two who were involved in killing a female TV artist, were killed in two separate encounters in Pulwama and Srinagar districts of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Friday. An encounter broke out at Aganhanzipora locality in Awantipora area of Pulwama district late on Thursday night, a police spokesman said. Also Read | Monsoon Onset Over Kerala Can Happen Anytime Till June 1, Says IMD. He said two ultras, who were responsible for killing TV artist Amreen Bhat in Budgam district a day earlier, were trapped in the cordon. "Both killed newly joined local #terrorists identified as Shahid Mushtaq Bhat R/O Hafroo Chadoora #Budgam & Farhan Habib R/O Hakripora #Pulwama. They had #killed TV artist on the instruction of LeT Cmdr Lateef. 01 AK 56 rifle, 4 magazines and a pistol recovered," IGP Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar tweeted. Also Read | GST Return: Govt Waives Late Fee Till June for Delayed Filing of GST Returns Under Composition Scheme. Another encounter broke out in Soura area of Srinagar city where two LeT ultras were shot dead, the police said. "10 #terrorists including 3 from JeM & 7 from LeT #terror outfits killed in 3 days in #Kashmir valley. Heinous #murder case of late Ambreen bhat solved in 24 hours," Kumar said in another tweet. (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 27 (PTI) Germany respects India's stand on the Ukraine conflict and it never sought to criticise New Delhi over the matter, the European country's envoy here Walter J Lindner said on Friday and asserted that every nation has the right to calibrate according to its interests. Interacting with journalists at the Indian Women's Press Corps, Lindner also announced that his assignment as the German ambassador here would come to an end in some weeks and that he is retiring soon. Also Read | NIA Special Court Sentences Parbhani Convict With ISIS Links To 7 Years Of Imprisonment. The envoy said the Ukraine war had given an "extra push" and "urgency" to the efforts to work towards an EU-India free trade agreement, stressing that "we need partners to keep the trade flowing". Lindner also said there is a G7 meeting in about five weeks' time that Germany would host, and added Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to attend it and he has agreed to come. Also Read | Ganpati Festival Made Invaluable Contribution to National Politics, Says President Ram Nath Kovind. Asked about India's stand on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the German envoy said such a question was not new anymore because the war was now over three months old. "At the beginning there were negotiations within the United Nations on the adoption of resolutions and there was the expectation that India would condemn more clearly the Russian invasion, they didn't. But I think it has never damaged our relationship because we as Germans but also others in Europe have said, we respect Indian position," Lindner said. Every country in the world has its own interests, neighbourhood and dependencies, he said, adding that every nation has its right to calibrate according to its interest and regional position. "Our point was from the beginning not to criticise India...our point was to make clear what is at stake. There we share the same wave-length as India. What is at stake is if a brutal aggression like (Vladimir) Putin's war on peaceful neighbour Ukraine, an independent, sovereign state, would go unpunished, then who is next," he said. "There are quite a number of countries in the world, including big ones and including those who are close (in terms of proximity) to India, who might get some appetite...border corrections, border disputes (and may say) let's use force because Putin used force, let us do the same," Lindner said without naming any country. Asked what role he expects India to play in defusing the Ukraine crisis, Lindner said everyone will have to use his own strength to influence the stakeholders. "Everything that could be done or said to Putin has to be done right now. It is a question to talk to both sides...there is one aggressor. This aggressor does not understand the language of diplomacy anymore," the German envoy said. "I don't know what can be said to him and who can talk to him. I think anyone who had any sort of influence has already talked to him including your PM (Narendra Modi), and so far we do not see any resolution to this that is why we may increase the sanctions and make sure that Ukrainians defend themselves well," Lindner said. On efforts to work towards an India-EU trade agreement, Lindner said he was very optimistic and confident following the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month. "The setting up of negotiation teams took some time and now with this visit (of EU Commission president to India) it is an excellent push. I understand that they are already working on the first text but of course the devil is in the detail. But the most important thing is that things are happening right now and I think the Ukraine war has put some urgency into this," he said. "We need partners to keep the trade flowing in the world. If we have partners with similar values which is European Union and India, I think it gave an extra push of urgency to both sides," he added. Lindner's remarks come after European Union Executive Vice-President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said the EU will formally launch negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement with India "very soon". In May last year, India and the European Union (EU) announced to resume negotiations for a balanced and comprehensive trade agreement after a gap of over eight years. Later, in a tweet, Lindner said, "Soon my job as GER Amb to India & Buthan comes to an end. But in fact, since I came to IND 1976, the country has been in my veins, never left me, so this time leaving the H.E. behind is just beginning of another chapter of my exploration of IND magic & mystic. A lifelong journey." (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 27 (PTI) Former Haryana chief minster Om Prakash Chautala was on Friday brought to Tihar Jail here after he was awarded a four-year jail term in a disproportionate assets case, officials said. Chautala (86) was medically examined on his arrival in the prison complex. He will be lodged in a cell in jail number 2 along with two other inmates. He reached the jail around 7 pm, a senior jail official said. Also Read | India, Hungary Have New Opportunities in Green Hydrogen, Solar Energy: Meenakashi Latest Tweet by ANI Digital. Earlier too, he was lodged in jail number 2 after being convicted in another case, they said. Special Judge Vikas Dhull also imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh on the convict in the case of acquiring disproportionate assets from 1993 to 2006. The judge also directed the authorities concerned to confiscate four of his properties. Also Read | Gurugram: 10 Sacks of Lemons, 35 Crates of Tomatoes Stolen From Wholesale Vegetable Market. The court had last week convicted Chautala and said the accused had failed to satisfactorily account for such disproportionality by proving his source of income or means by way of which, he acquired assets during this period. The CBI had filed the case in 2005, and a charge sheet was filed on March 26, 2010, accusing him of amassing assets disproportionate to his legitimate income, between 1993 and 2006. The INLD chief walked free from the Tihar Jail on July 2 last year after serving a 10-year sentence in a recruitment scam. He was jailed in 2013 in connection with a teacher recruitment scam. Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala and 53 others, including IAS officer Sanjiv Kumar, were convicted and sentenced in the case of illegal recruitment of 3,206 junior basic teachers in 2000. (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 27 (PTI) The iconic rifle and the soldier's war helmet, which were part of the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate, were moved to the National War Memorial on Friday. The defence ministry said the armed Forces "shifted the inverted rifle and the helmet from India Gate, which was the symbol of fallen soldiers of 1971 war, to Param Yodha Sthal at National War Memorial". Also Read | Ganpati Festival Made Invaluable Contribution to National Politics, Says President Ram Nath Kovind. It said the rifle and the helmet were installed in the midst of busts of Param Vir Chakra awardees. "With this ceremony, the integration of the memorial of fallen soldiers of 1971 war with National War Memorial has been completed," the ministry said in a statement. Also Read | Mumbai: Eastern Freeway Named After Former Maharashtra CM Late Vilasrao Deshmukh. The ceremony was led by the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC) Air Marshal BR Krishna and attended by Adjutant General equivalents from the three services. The Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate was merged with the eternal flame at the National War Memorial (NWM) in January. The NWM is around 400 metres away from the India Gate. The Amar Jawan Jyoti was constructed as a memorial for Indian soldiers who were killed in action in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, which India won, leading to the creation of Bangladesh. It was inaugurated by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi on January 26, 1972. (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 27 (ANI): India's COVID vaccination coverage exceeded 193.11 (1,93,11,63,686) crore on Friday as per provisional reports by 7 pm, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. More than 12 lakh (12,64,122) Vaccine Doses have been administered till 7 pm today. Also Read | Mumbai: College Professor Reunites Runaway Minor Girl Found Alone in Local Train With Mother. COVID vaccination for the age group 12-14 years was started on March 16, 2022. So far as many as than 3,36,21,307 adolescents have been administered with the first dose and 1,57,16,052 with the second dose of COVID vaccine. According to the Ministry, of the total doses administered so far to the health care workers (HLW's), 1,04,06,829 have received the first dose, 1,00,38,470 have received the second vaccine dose and 51,89,959 have been administered the precaution dose. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest Update: Centre Likely To Hike Dearness Allowance to 38% for Government Employees. Also, 1,84,18,823 frontline workers were administered the first dose, 1,75,81,408 with the second dose and 86,11,162 with the precaution doses. In the age group 15-18 years, 5,93,86,364 doses have been administered as the first dose and 4,54,58,676 doses as the second dose. Similarly, for the age group of 45-59 years, 20,32,33,160 have received the first dose, 19,06,79,741 have received the second dose and 13,23,491 have been administered the precaution doses. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, May 27 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh Friday reviewed the security arrangements for this year's Amarnath Yatra and asked different agencies to maintain close coordination within their ranks and among themselves for conducting the pilgrimage peacefully. The director general of police held a high-level meeting of officers from police, army and central armed paramilitary forces (CAPF) at the police headquarters. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest Update: Centre Likely To Hike Dearness Allowance to 38% for Government Employees. The meeting was attended by ADG CRPF Daljit Singh Choudhary, Special DG CID J&K R R Swain, Commandant General Home Guard and Civil Defence J&K H K Lohia, ADGP Armed J&K SJM Gillani and ADGP Traffic J&K T Namgyal. The Jammu-based officers attended the meeting via video conferencing, a police spokesman said. Also Read | Manchester United Transfer News: Red Devils Keen on Signing Christopher Nkuku From RB Leipzig. "The meeting deliberated on different issues of security of camps, communication network, regulation of traffic management on national highway and other roads, parking of vehicles and deployment of forces on both the yatra routes of Pahalgam and Baltal, etc," the spokesman said. He said it was decided to deploy sufficient manpower in advance so that the camps and routes of yatra are secured and checked at the earliest. It was also decided that rescue teams be deployed by the police forces at various places to provide necessary help to the yatris. The DGP asked the officers present in the meeting to maintain a close coordination with their ranks and other security agencies to achieve better results and called for an effective mechanism and planning for smooth and peaceful conduct of the yatra. He emphasised upon officers for special focus on sensitive locations and base camps while putting in place the security arrangements. Singh said the coordination mechanisms and communication systems must be established among the counterparts of all the stakeholders of army, CAPFs, Police and Civil administration. He said that adequate and effective deployments should be made on ground to address any vulnerability. He directed the officers to revisit security plans and fine tune these at sectoral level to augment an adequate response to any exigency. Singh also emphasised putting focus on road opening parties, lateral deployment, law and order deployment to neutralise threats and meet challenges. The DGP said adequate logistics with regard to mobility, CCTVs and other security gadgets will be made available along with sufficient manpower. He said adequate arrangements with regard to disaster management be made to tackle any natural calamity. (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 27 (PTI) Congress MP Karti Chidamabaram on Friday wrote to Lok Speaker Speaker Om Birla alleging that during a raid CBI officers seized "highly confidential" personal notes and papers pertaining to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information and Technology of which he is a member, and sought redressal for what he said was a "breach of his parliamentary privilege". In a letter to Birla, Karti Chidambaram also said that over the course of the past few years, his family and he himself have become targets of a "relentless campaign by the present government and its investigating agencies which are trying to silence our voices of dissent by foisting one fake case after another". Also Read | Bihar: Nitish Kumar Government To Provide 10% Grant to Leather, Textile Industries. Such "targeted intimidation" of a member of the House amounts to a breach of privilege, the MP from Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga constituency said. Karti Chidambara's letter to Birla comes amid his questioning by the CBI. He appeared before the CBI for the second day on Friday to answer queries related to allegations of bribe in issuance of visas to 263 Chinese workers in 2011 when his father P Chidambaram was the home minister, officials said. Also Read | Kashmir: 10 Terrorists Belonging to JeM and LeT Killed in 3 Days. Earlier this month, CBI teams had conducted coordinated search operations at 10 locations in multiple cities in the country, including residences of the Chidambarams in Chennai and Delhi. "I am writing to you now because I have become the victim of a grossly illegal and patently unconstitutional action," Karti Chidambaram said in his letter to Birla. "The Central Bureau of Investigation in the garb of conducting an investigation into an 11-year-old decision of the Government in which I have absolutely no involvement raided my residence in Delhi," he said. In the course of this so-called raid, certain officers of the CBI seized my "highly confidential and sensitive personal notes and papers" pertaining to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Information and Technology, Karti Chidambaram alleged. "Shockingly, even my draft notes and questions which I had intended to ask witnesses summoned to the Committee, were also seized," he alleged. He claimed that his handwritten notes pertaining to the depositions made to the Committee by witnesses were also seized for reasons best known to the Agency. Karti Chidambaram alleged that these actions by the CBI, in so far as they relate to "interference with my duties as a Parliamentarian, amount to a direct assault upon democratic principles on which our Parliament is founded". "I, therefore, urge you to take immediate cognizance of this issue, which is a brazen breach of my Parliamentary privilege," he said in the letter. (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 27 (ANI): Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold a meeting with the newly-appointed Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Vinai Kumar Saxena at 4 pm today. The meeting will be held in the LG Secretariat. This will be Kejriwal's maiden formal meeting with the new Lt Governor of Delhi. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh MLAs Banned From Taking Selfies Inside Assembly Premises. Vinai Kumar Saxena on Thursday was sworn in as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. On May 23, Saxena, the chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission, was appointed Delhi's new Lieutenant Governor after Anil Baijal resigned from the position last week. Also Read | Oppo A57 (2022) With MediaTek Helio G35 SoC Debuts in Thailand. A statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan informed that President Ram Nath Kovind has accepted Baijal's resignation and appointed Vinai Kumar Saxena as the new Lieutenant Governor. "On behalf of the people of Delhi, I extend a warm welcome to the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Vinay Kumar Saxena. For the betterment of Delhi, he will get full cooperation from the cabinet of Delhi Government," said Chief Minister Kejriwal in a Twitter post following the appointment of Saxena. Baijal, who served as Delhi LG for five years and four months, resigned citing personal reasons. (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 27 (PTI) Sri Lankan High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda on Friday met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and explored the possibility of India increasing its financial assistance to the island nation to help it deal with its severe economic crisis. In the meeting, Moragoda reiterated that Sri Lanka would require "bridging finance" until the economic adjustment programme with the IMF could be negotiated and finalised, according to the Sri Lankan High Commission. Also Read | Brendon McCullum Does Not Think His Coaching Inexperience at International Level is an Latest Tweet by ANI Digital. "In this context, the minister and the High Commissioner explored the possibility of increasing and restructuring the assistance provided by India in the form of credits for essential commodities and fuel as well as the balance of payment support," it said in a statement. It said the high commissioner and the Indian finance minister evaluated the status of ongoing economic cooperation and discuss the way forward. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest Update: Centre Likely To Hike Dearness Allowance to 38% for Government Employees. "High Commissioner Moragoda thanked Minister Sitharaman for the continuation of assistance that India is extending to Sri Lanka in the form of credits for essential commodities and fuel, and also for the balance of payment support," the mission said. "He particularly appreciated her taking up the case of Sri Lanka on the sidelines of the IMF Spring Meetings in April in Washington DC, with the IMF, other multilateral institutions and bilateral development partners," it said. Moragoda briefed Sitharaman on the present developments in Sri Lanka. The meeting took place in the midst of widespread protests in Sri Lanka over the severe economic crisis. (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 27 (PTI) The NHRC on Friday issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government over reports that a woman and her two daughters allegedly consumed poison during a police raid at their house in Baghpat district, officials said. The elder daughter, 19, died on the day of the incident on May 24, whereas the mother and her younger daughter, 17, died at a hospital in Meerut on May 26, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said in a statement, quoting the reports. Also Read | Monsoon Forecast: Cyclones in Early May Compensate for Pre-Monsoon Rain All India. The NHRC has taken suo-moto cognisance of the media report that a woman and her two daughters consumed poison during a police raid at their house in Bachaud village, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh on May 25. Reportedly, a case has been registered against a sub-inspector and five others, it said. The commission has issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police, Uttar Pradesh seeking a detailed report in the matter within four weeks, including the present status of the investigation of the case and whether any relief has been granted to the family of the victims, the statement said. Also Read | Haryana Board 10th, 12th Result 2022: BSEH Class 10, 12 Results To Be Announced Soon; Know Steps To Check Scores. Issuing the notice, the commission observed that going by the contents of the media reports, "it seems that the law enforcing agencies failed to deal with the situation sensibly resulting in violation of human rights". According to the media report, carried on Friday, the son of the woman, belonging to the Lohar community, "had eloped about a fortnight ago with a woman belonging to the Scheduled Caste". The family members of the woman, who had eloped, had registered a complaint and the police conducted a raid to search the couple at the man's house, it said. Reportedly, the police personnel and the brothers of the woman, who had eloped, were present during the raid. The villagers are demanding that they be booked for pushing the woman and her daughters to consume the poisonous substance. It is also mentioned in the news report that a heavy police force has been deployed in the village to maintain peace. The police had reportedly not arrested anyone so far, the statement 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 27 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tour Gujarat on Saturday during which he will visit a newly-built hospital, address a seminar of leaders of various cooperative institutions and inaugurate a Nano Urea (liquid) plant, his office said. Around 10 am on Saturday, he will visit the newly built Matushri K D P Multispeciality Hospital at Atkot in Rajkot, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. This will be followed by his address at a public function at the venue. Also Read | Samsung Galaxy M13 With Triple Rear Cameras Launched; Prices, Features & Specifications. Thereafter, around 4 pm, Prime Minister Modi will address the seminar of leaders of various cooperative institutions on the subject 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi' at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. There he will also inaugurate a Nano Urea (Liquid) Plant built at IFFCO, Kalol, the PMO said. According to it, the cooperative sector of Gujarat has been a role model for the entire nation. There are over 84,000 societies in the cooperative sector in the state with about 231 lakh members. Also Read | Tamil Nadu Spinning Mill Workers in Distress Amid Strikes Due to Cotton Price Hike. In yet another step towards further strengthening the cooperative movement in Gujarat, a seminar on 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi' attended by leaders of various cooperative institutions will take place at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. Over 7,000 representatives from various cooperative institutions of the state will participate in the seminar, the statement said. It also said that to further provide farmers with the means to boost productivity and help increase their income, the prime minister will inaugurate the Nano Urea (Liquid) Plant constructed at IFFCO, Kalol at a cost of around Rs 175 crore. The ultramodern Nano Fertilizer Plant has been set up keeping in mind the increase in crop yield through the use of Nano Urea. The plant will produce about 1.5 lakh 500-ml bottles daily. The Matushri KDP Multispeciality Hospital, which is being visited by the prime minister in Rajkot, is managed by Shree Patel Seva Samaj. It will make available high-end medical equipment and provide world-class healthcare facilities to the people of the region. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Karwar (Karnataka) [India], May 27 (ANI): Preparations made by the Indian Navy are not a provocation to any aggression but it guarantees peace and prosperity to the region, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday. He took sea sortie in a Kalvari class submarine INS Khandari off the coast of Karwar after inspecting the naval base in Karwar, Karnataka. Also Read | Mumbai: Eastern Freeway Named After Former Maharashtra CM Late Vilasrao Deshmukh. Singh was in Karwar for a two-day visit to Naval Base. "Whatever I have seen today and experienced, I am assured that the Indian Navy is capable of vigilant, variant and victorious in every situation," Singh said. Also Read | Oppo A57, Oppo A57s Tipped To Launch in India Soon; Specifications Leaked Online. INS Khanderi is a make in India inspired submarine. It was commissioned by me in the year 2019. The ships and other platforms launched by the Indian Navy have given a boost to the PM Modi's Make in India campaign, he added. During the visit, he also reviewed the progress of infrastructure upgrade under 'Project Seabird' and interacted with senior officials of the Navy during the 'Bada Khana' hosted at the base. The second of the Project 75 submarines, which are been constructed under the 'Make in India' initiative at Mazagon Docks Limited, Mumbai, Khanderi was commissioned by the Defence Minister in September 2019. Earlier, Defence Minister had witnessed the three-dimensional combat capability of the Indian Navy, having embarked on INS Vikramaditya in Sep 2019 and P8I earlier this month. The Scorpene submarines are extremely potent platforms, have advanced stealth features and are also equipped with both long-range guided torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles. These submarines have a state-of-the-art SONAR and sensor suite permitting outstanding operational capabilities. During the sortie, the full spectrum of capabilities of underwater operations of the Stealth submarine was demonstrated to the Raksha Mantri. "This year when we are celebrating Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, INS Vikrant is getting ready to commission. Both Vikrant and Vikramaditya will enhance the maritime security of India. The Indian Navy is counted among the frontline Navy of the world. Big maritime forces are ready to cooperate with India," he said. The operational demonstrations included simulated weapon launches as well as advanced MR - Sub cooperation exercises with P8I aircraft. Singh witnessed first-hand, operations onboard the potent platform, he interacted with the submarine crew during lunch on board, and he complimented them for their courage and sense of duty. Presently Indian Navy operates four submarines of this class with two more likely to be inducted by the end of next year. The induction of these submarines has significantly enhanced the Indian Navy's underwater capability in the Indian Ocean Region. The sea sortie by Defence Minister is coinciding with 'Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' and 'Swarnim Vijay Varsh' celebrations. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hyderabad, May 27 (PTI) Telangana has attracted investments worth over Rs 4,200 crore during the 10-day trip by Minister for IT and Industries K T Rama Rao to the UK and Davos in Switzerland, an official release said on Friday. Also Read | Ladakh Road Accident: President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and PM Narendra Modi Condole Loss of Lives of Soldiers in Accident. During the trip, the minister who led the Telangana delegation attended a series of meetings, interacted with top executives of global corporations, and participated in panel discussions at the World Economic Forum, Davos and in the UK, it said. Also Read | Smriti Irani Slams Gandhi Family, Says Chants of Shri Ram Must Reach Them in Delhi, Amethi and Kerala. "The primary aim of the trip is to showcase Telangana as an investment destination for global companies and bringing investments to the state and thereby creating more employment opportunities to the youth of Telangana," the release said. The Telangana pavilion at WEF, set up with a slogan "India welcomes the world, Telangana First Stop," has been very attractive and completely stood out from the rest. Apart from attending formal business meetings, Rama Rao participated in panel discussions. The minister impressed a large audience of global executives with his grasp of major contemporary issues. Meanwhile, German auto parts maker ZF is all set to inaugurate its newest facility centre in Hyderabad. The ZF facility centre, which was constructed at a cost of about Rs 322 crore, will be inaugurated on June 1. The proposed facility will create job opportunities for about 3,000 people, the release said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bandipora (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 27 (ANI): Kashmir Police on Friday informed that few terrorists escaped during a search operation in the Gundpora Rampora area of Bandipora. Tweeting the details of the encounter J&K police said tweeted on Friday, "After initial brief encounter during cordon & search operation in Gundpora Rampora area of Bandipora, terrorists managed to escape from the spot. However, our team chasing them." Also Read | Hyderabad Shocker: Married Woman Stabbed by Stalker on Busy Road in Broad Daylight (Watch Video). According to the police, terrorists escaped after an initial brief encounter during cordon and search operation. Currently, a team of Kashmir Zone police is chasing them. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) Also Read | Gurugram: 10 Sacks of Lemons, 35 Crates of Tomatoes Stolen From Wholesale Vegetable Market. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhubaneswar, May 27 (PTI) The National Network of Sex Workers (NNSW) on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict that recognised prostitution as a profession. Observing that human decency and dignity extend to sex workers and their children, the Supreme Court recently directed police forces in all states and Union territories to treat sex workers with dignity. Also Read | Uttarakhand Govt Announces Drafting Committee to Implement Uniform Civil Code. "A celebration for each and everyone of us who has participated in the struggle," the NNSW said in a statement. "Sex workers and activists who worked tirelessly with the panel, represented the sex workers' cause in court -- indeed a great victory for all of us," it added. Also Read | Monsoon Forecast: Cyclones in Early May Compensate for Pre-Monsoon Rain All India. The NNSW is a national network of sex worker-led organisations and allies committed to promoting the rights of sex workers in India. The Supreme Court also said sex workers should not be arrested or penalised or harassed during raids on brothels, "since voluntary sex work is not illegal and only running the brothel is unlawful". (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 27 (ANI): Congress MP Karti Chidambaram, who is being probed by the CBI in an alleged visa scam case, on Friday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging a "brazen breach" of his "parliamentary privilege", adding that his family members are being targeted by the present government and its investigating agencies by foisting one fake case after another. "I am distressed to bring the matter of grave importance to your urgent notice. This issue concerns my rights and privileges as a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha). Over the course of the past few years, my family and I have become targets of a relentless campaign by the present government and its investigating agencies who are trying to silence our voices of dissent by foisting one fake case after another. Such targeted intimidation of a Member of the House amounts to a breach of privilege," Karti said in his letter to Lok Sabha Speaker. Also Read | Android Apps on Windows 11 Coming to 5 New Countries: Report. Karti claimed he has become the victim of a grossly illegal and patently unconstitutional action. He said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided his residence in Delhi in the "garb of conducting an investigation" into an 11-year-old decision of the government in which he did not have any involvement. The Congress MP alleged that certain officers of the CBI seized his highly confidential and sensitive personal notes and papers pertaining to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Information and Technology, of which he is a Member. Also Read | Samsung Galaxy M13 With Triple Rear Cameras Launched; Prices, Features & Specifications. "These actions by the CBI, in so far as they relate to interference with my duties as a parliamentarian, amount to a direct assault upon the democratic principles on which our Parliament is founded. I, therefore, urge you to take immediate cognizance of this issue, which is a brazen breach of my parliamentary privilege," he urged. [{7fb06626-b77b-4e8d-a590-c2452661f1b8:intradmin/FTvFn8XUEAA6732.jpg}] After Thursday, the Congress MP has been called again by CBI in the alleged visa scam case on Friday. On his way to CBI Headquarters, Karti said, "It is their privilege to call me and it is my duty to go." On May 17, the CBI arrested Karti's close associate S Bhaskar Raman in the case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had also filed a money laundering case in the alleged Chinese visa scam case involving Congress MP. It is alleged that Karti Chidambaram received Rs 50 lakh to illegally facilitate visas for 263 Chinese nationals to complete a power project in Punjab. Karti's father and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram was home minister in 2011 but P Chidambaram has not been named as an accused in the FIR. Besides the MP, the CBI has booked four other people including Karti Chidambaram's chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman, Vikas Makharia, representative of Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd, a Mansa-based private company, and Bell Tools, Mumbai along with 'unknown public servants and private individuals. (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 27 (PTI) Private player JSPL on Friday announced its plans to manufacture rail wheelsets at its plant at Raigarh, in Chhattisgarh, a move which will build its portfolio of railway products. "JSPL has taken a big leap in rail infrastructure manufacturing. The company will install India's first private rail wheelset manufacturing plant at Raigarh facility. JSPL has collaborated with GIFLO Steel - Hungary for this ambitious project," a company statement said. Also Read | Oppo A57, Oppo A57s Tipped To Launch in India Soon; Specifications Leaked Online. In this regard, an agreement for technology collaboration was signed between the two companies at 'India Hungary Business Forum' organized by the Embassy of Hungary along with FICCI in the national capital on Friday. The plant will have an initial capacity of producing 25,000 wheelsets per year. Jindal Steel will also install a rail forging unit for asymmetric rails which are used in rail track switches, especially for high-speed train tracks, it said. Also Read | Infinix Note 12 Turbo Now Available for Sale in India, Check Offers Here. "We are committed to AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan launched by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rail wheelset manufacturing plant will help Indian Railways to speed up the modernization of its rail infrastructure by making available world-class rail wheels to realize the vision of Gati Shakti," JSPL Managing Director V R Sharma said. Sharma further said that JSPL is working to meet our country's demand for various grades of rails while maintaining international quality and safety standards. Our rail mill in Raigarh has been supplying superior grades of rails to various metro and Indian Railway projects under execution. JSPL is the only producer of head hardened rail grades of 1080 HH and 1175HT for a heavy axle load of more than 25 tonne and high-speed application in the country. It also produces rails in grades R 260 and 880 for 60E1, ZU 1-60 & 60E1A1 profiles. In the public sector, Visakhapatnam-based Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL) produces forged wheels at its plant in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh. (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 27 (PTI) The Ministry of Power on Friday said it has modified norms for pass through of higher cost of imported coal used by domestic thermal plants having power supply agreements with discoms under tariff-based bidding. The ministry, in a statement, said domestic coal-based power plants whose tariffs have been determined under Section 63 of the Electricity Act have raised concerns about the pass through of the increased cost in tariff if imported coal is used. Also Read | Oppo A57, Oppo A57s Tipped To Launch in India Soon; Specifications Leaked Online. They requested for a suitable methodology to determine the impact on tariff of mandatory blending of imported coal. The ministry said it has examined the request in detail and a methodology has been finalised in consultation with the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), which was discussed in a meeting held on May 20, 2022 with the stakeholders. Also Read | Infinix Note 12 Turbo Now Available for Sale in India, Check Offers Here. Based on the discussions, it said, "the methodology has been revised to make it in line with the existing methodology being adopted by the CERC (Central Electricity Regulatory Commission)." In light of the present circumstances, and in continuation of the directions to import coal for blending, using the powers under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, the ministry has directed that the methodology shall be used by the generating companies supplying power under Section 63 of the Act (projects won on tariff-based bidding) and state governments/discoms will calculate the compensation due to blending with imported coal. The mechanism for billing and payment for these plants shall be as per the PPA (power purchase agreement). However, it stated that to enable generating companies (gencos) importing coal with adequate cash flow, the provisional billing shall be done by the gencos on a weekly basis. Payment of at least 15 per cent of the provisional bill shall be made by the procurers within a week from the date of receipt of bill, it stated. This provisional billing and payment shall be subject to reconciliation during final billing and payment on monthly basis as per the PPA. In case of default of payment of 15 per cent of the weekly provisional bill, the genco shall be free to sell 15 per cent power via the power exchange. The gencos shall ensure blending with imported coal and maintain coal stock as per extant norms and the directions issued by the ministry from time to time, it stated. This direction is for coal imported for blending by such domestic coal-based power plants up to March 31, 2023. The ministry has issued directions to gencos using the powers under Section 11 of the Act in the light of current circumstances due to sharp increase in electricity demand. It stated that with soaring power demand and power shortage in some areas, the generation needs to be maximised. The ministry added that despite efforts to increase the supply of domestic coal, there is still a gap between the requirement and supply of coal, because of which the dry-fuel stocks at the generating stations are depleting at a worrisome rate. Taking note of the fact that blending of imported coal to the extent of 10 per cent is not happening as stipulated, the ministry issued directions to all gencos on May 18 that if the orders for import of coal are not placed by them by May 31, 2022 and if the imported coal does not start arriving at power plants by June 15, 2022, the defaulter gencos would have to import coal to the extent of 15 per cent (to meet shortfall of imported coal in Q1) in the remaining period up to October 31, 2022. (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 27 (AP) Capri Isidoro broke down in tears sitting on a chair at the office of a lactation consultant. The mother of two had been struggling to breastfeed her one-month-old daughter ever since she was born, when the hospital gave the baby formula first without consulting her on her desire to breastfeed. Also Read | US: New York Steps Up Policing at Schools, Mulls Raising Age Limit To Buy Guns. Now, with massive safety recall and supply disruptions causing formula shortages across the US, she also can't find the specific formula that helps with her baby's gas pains. It is so sad. It shouldn't be like this, said Isidoro, who lives in the Baltimore suburb of Ellicott City. We need formula for our kid, and where is this formula going to come from? Also Read | Vladimir Putin Says, 'Countries Attempting To Isolate Russia Only Hurt Themselves'. As parents across the US struggle to find formula to feed their children, the pain is particularly acute among Black and Hispanic women. Black women have historically faced obstacles to breastfeeding, including a lack of lactation support in the hospital, more pressure to formula feed and cultural roadblocks. It's one of many inequalities for Black mothers : They are far more likely to die from pregnancy complications, and less likely to have their concerns about pain taken seriously by doctors. Low-income families also face a particular struggle: They buy the majority of formula in the US Experts fear small neighbourhood grocery stores that serve these vulnerable populations are not replenishing as much as the larger retail stores and that some of these families do not have the resources or means to hunt for formula. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 20 per cent of Black women and 23 per cent of Hispanic women exclusively breastfeed through six months compared to 29 per cent of white women. The overall rate stands at 26 per cent. Hospitals that encourage breastfeeding and overall lactation support are less prevalent in Black neighbourhoods, according to the CDC. The Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses also says Hispanic and Black women classified as low wage workers had less access to lactation support in their workplaces. The racial disparities reach far back in America's history. The demands of slave labour prevented mothers from nursing their children, and slave owners separated mothers from their own babies to have them serve as wet nurses, or women who breastfeed other women's children. In the 1950s, racially targeted commercials falsely advertised formula as a superior source of nutrition for infants. And studies continue to show, Black mothers are more likely to receive in-hospital formula introduction than white mothers, which happened to Isidoro after her emergency cesarean section. Physicians say introducing formula means the baby will require fewer feedings from his mother, decreasing the milk supply as the breast is not stimulated enough to produce. Andrea Freeman, author of the book Skimmed: Breastfeeding, Race and Injustice", said these mothers still aren't getting the support they need when it comes to having the choice of whether to breastfeed or use formula. They also may have jobs that do not accommodate the time and space needed for breastfeeding or pumping milk, Freeman said. Nobody's taking responsibility for the fact that they've steered families of colour toward formula for so many years and made people rely on it and taken away choice. And then when it falls apart, there's not really any recognition or accountability, Freeman said. Breastfeeding practices are often influenced by previous generations with some studies suggesting better outcomes for mothers who were breastfed when they were babies. Kate Bauer, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, said she began hearing back in February about Black and Latino families in Detroit and Grand Rapids feeling stuck after finding smaller grocery stores running out of formula. Some were told to go to the local office of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Programme for Women, Infants, and Children, better known as WIC, the federal programme that supports low-income expectant and new mothers. Between 50 per cent and 65 per cent of the formula in the US is bought through the programme. Going to the WIC office is like a full day's errand for some moms, Bauer said. She also said she fears mothers are getting desperate enough to try foods that are not recommended for babies under six months. Yury Navas, a Salvadoran immigrant who works at a restaurant and lives in Laurel, Maryland, says she was not able to produce enough breast milk and struggled to find the right formula for her nearly three-month-old baby Jose Ismael, after others had caused vomiting, diarrhea and discomfort. One time they drove half an hour to a store where workers told them they had the type she needed, but it was gone when they got there. Her husband goes out every night to search pharmacies around midnight. It's so hard to find this type, she said, saying sometimes they have run out before they can secure more formula. The baby will cry and cry, so we give him rice water. On a recent day, she was down to her last container and called an advocacy group that had told her it would try to get her some at an appointment in five days. But the group could not guarantee anything. Some mothers have turned to social media and even befriended other locals to cast a wider net during shopping trips. In Miami, Denise Castro, who owns a construction company, started a virtual group to support new moms during the COVID-19 pandemic that has now also started helping moms get the formula they need. Most of the moms we have been helping are Black and Latinas, Castro said, said, adding many of them are back to work. These moms really don't have the time to visit three to four places in their lunch hour. Castro said one of the women they have been trying to help is a Hispanic teacher who is back at work and does not have much flexibility between her job and caring for her two-month-old infant, who has been sensitive to a lot of formula brands. Lisette Fernandez, a 34-year-old Cuban American first-time mother of twins, has relied on friends and family members to find the liquid two-ounce bottles she needs for her boy and girl. Earlier this week, her father had gone to four different pharmacies before he was able to get her some boxes with the tiny bottles, but they run out quickly as the babies are growing. Fernandez said she wasn't able to initiate breastfeeding, trying with an electric pump but saying she produced very little. Her mother, who arrived in Miami from Cuba as a seven-year-old girl, had chosen not to breastfeed her children, saying she did not want to, and taken medication to suppress lactation. Some studies have attributed changes in breastfeeding behaviour among Hispanics to assimilation, saying Latina immigrants perceive formula feeding as an American practice. Over the last three to six weeks it has been insane, Fernandez said. I am used to everything that COVID has brought. But worrying about my children not having milk? I did not see that coming. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kabul [Afghanistan], May 27 (ANI): Terror group ISIS (ISIL) has claimed responsibility for series of explosions in the Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, which killed 9 people and left 15 others injured, according to the statement posted on the group's Aamaq news agency. Three explosions rocked the capital of Balkh province on May 25, leaving at least 9 people killed and 15 others injured, Khaama Press reported. Meanwhile, on the same day, a blast at Masjid Sharif Hazrat Zakaria mosque in Kabul City left at least two worshippers dead, according to officials, Al Jazeera reported. Also Read | Monkeypox in Argentina: Latin America Reports First Virus Case; Man Travelled From Spain. In response to the attacks in Balkh and Kabul, the US Special Envoy for Women and Human Rights in Afghanistan, Rina Amiri said that the Taliban must ensure people's security and prevent similar atrocities. "The heinous attacks in Mazar & Kabul serve no purpose but to inflict further devastation on innocent Afghans who have suffered enough," Amiri tweeted. Also Read | US President Joe Biden To Visit Uvalde To Mourn School Shooting Victims. "Preventing these horrid attacks and addressing the security & needs of all Afghans should be what the Taliban focus on," she added. The first two explosions in Balkh province targeted passenger vehicles in the Hazara neighbourhood, Khaama Press reported citing local sources. Additionally, an explosion at a traffic square in Kabul's fourth police district killed at least 30 people and injured others at the Hazrat Zekriya Mosque. The Emergency hospital said that 22 people had been injured and that 5 of them had died on their way before reaching the hospital. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the blast in Hazrat Zakariya, according to Khaama Press. The Taliban face a severe security threat from the Khorasan branch of ISIS, which has been active in Afghanistan since 2014. Earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the recent attacks in Afghanistan that claimed the lives of numerous civilians, among them members of the Hazara Shia community and several children." The Secretary-General condemns the recent attacks in Afghanistan, including on passenger vehicles in Mazar-e-Sharif City and the Masjid Sharif Hazrat Zakaria mosque in Kabul City, which have claimed the lives of numerous civilians, among them, members of the Hazara Shia community and at least 16 children," Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General said in a statement. Guterres extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those injured. "Attacks against civilians and civilian objects, including mosques, are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law." The Secretary-General reiterated his call on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, as well as their right to freely practice their religion. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Belgium [Brussels], May 27 (ANI/Sputnik): The NATO Defense Ministers will meet on June 15-16 in Brussels, the alliance said on Friday, adding that the EU, Georgia, Finland, Sweden and Ukraine are invited to attend the event. "A meeting of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) at the level of Defence Ministers will take place on Wednesday 15 June and Thursday 16 June at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels. The meeting will be chaired by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg," NATO said in a statement. Also Read | Monkeypox in Argentina: Latin America Reports First Virus Case; Man Travelled From Spain. NATO added that the meeting will start with a working dinner where "Finland, Georgia, Sweden, Ukraine and the European Union are invited". (ANI/Sputnik) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tivaouane (Senegal), May 27 (AP) Police were on guard and nearby residents and parents stood mourning outside a hospital in Senegal where a fire in the neonatal unit killed 11 newborns. Only three infants could be saved, President Macky Sall said before calling on Thursday for three days of mourning for the young lives lost. Mamadou Mbaye, who witnessed the fire Wednesday at the Abdoul Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital in Tivaouane, a town 120 kilometers (75 miles) northeast of the capital, Dakar, told The Associated Press that conditions inside the hospital were atrocious. Also Read | BTS To Discuss Anti-Asian Hate Crimes and Celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month With US President Joe Biden. It was hot and smoky inside with a suffocating heat, and there was a power outage, Mbaye said. Grieving parents were still in shock. Also Read | Kevin Spacey Charged With Sexual Offences Against Three Men in the UK. I baptized my child on Wednesday and he was baptized here in the hospital. To my great shock, I got a call to tell me that the neonatal section had been destroyed by a fire, said Badara Faye, who lost his son. Moustapha Cisse, who also lost a newborn, said they are still awaiting answers on how such a tragic fire could take the lives of their children. The fire was blamed on an electrical short circuit, according to Mayor Demba Diop. Interior Minister Antoine Diome announced that authorities would be opening an investigation into the condition of the hospital's facilities as well as other health care centers, Senegalese media reported. President Sall called for three days of mourning. To their mothers and families, I express my deepest sympathy, Sall had tweeted upon hearing the news of the fire. His chief of staff, minister Augustin Tine, visited the remains of the hospital Thursday. We have come to be close to the people, in particular the parents, he said. We have come to share the suffering, he added, to share our condolences and to say again it is a misfortune that has hit our country, but we keep our faith. The deadly fire comes a year after four other newborns died in a hospital fire in Linguere in northern Senegal. A series of other deaths also have raised concerns about maternal and infant health in the West African nation known for having some of the best hospitals in the region. Earlier this month, authorities discovered a baby that had been declared dead by a nurse's aide was still alive in a morgue. The infant later died. Last year a pregnant woman died in Louga, in the north of the country, after waiting in vain for a cesarean section. Three midwives were given six-month suspended sentences for not giving help to a person in danger. Health Minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, who was attending the World Health Assembly in Geneva, cut short his trip to return to Senegal. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) China, Venezuela vow to strengthen communication between legislatures Xinhua) 11:52, May 27, 2022 Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Iris Varela, First Vice President of Venezuela's National Assembly, via video link in Beijing, capital of China May 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Wang Chen, vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, met with Iris Varela, First Vice President of Venezuela's National Assembly, via video link on Thursday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the two countries firmly support each other's core interests and major concerns. The NPC stands ready to work with Venezuela's National Assembly to strengthen communication and cooperation on the international rule of law, resolutely oppose external interference, and actively promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, Wang noted. Iris Varela said that Venezuela firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and is willing to enhance communication between legislatures to promote cooperation on economy and law, as well as other fields, between the two countries. Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Iris Varela, First Vice President of Venezuela's National Assembly, via video link in Beijing, capital of China May 26, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Dubai, May 27 (PTI) Government and business leaders in India and the UAE have held a series of high-level meetings focused on opportunities within the energy transition and industrial growth. The meetings were held on the sidelines of UAE Climate Envoy and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr Sultan Al Jaber's visit to New Delhi on Thursday, UAE's official news agency Wam said. Also Read | US President Joe Biden To Visit Uvalde To Mourn School Shooting Victims. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday met Al Jaber and the two discussed issues relating to climate change, hosting of COP 28 and other related matters. Prior to the bilateral meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on climate action was also signed by the two ministers to establish a framework to facilitate and enhance bilateral cooperation on climate action, and also contribute towards implementing the Paris Agreement. Following Dr Al Jaber's meeting with Yadav, the UAE and India agreed to expand bilateral cooperation towards accelerated climate action and implementation of the Paris agreement, including public-private partnership across renewable power deployment, agriculture efficiency, green hydrogen, sustainable finance, and carbon market development, the official Wam news agency reported. Also Read | International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers 2022: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Remembers Fallen Peacekeepers. The UAE-India cooperation in climate aims to support India's ambition to achieve 450 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy installed capacity by 2030 and aligns with the UAE's ambitions to expand its low and zero-carbon energy capabilities. The UAE delegation also met with Indian business leaders discussing new opportunities, particularly those in decarbonisation and climate solutions. The UAE minister also met Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. Both sides also acknowledged that with the signing of the MoU on climate change, they may explore ways on how to strengthen bilateral cooperation on climate action mutually, especially in the areas and activities identified in the agreement. (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 [US], May 27 (ANI): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the recent attacks in Afghanistan that claimed the lives of numerous civilians, among them members of the Hazara Shia community and several children. "The Secretary-General condemns the recent attacks in Afghanistan, including on passenger vehicles in Mazar-e-Sharif City and the Masjid Sharif Hazrat Zakaria mosque in Kabul City, which have claimed the lives of numerous civilians, among them members of the Hazara Shia community and at least 16 children," Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General said in a statement. Also Read | BTS To Discuss Anti-Asian Hate Crimes and Celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month With US President Joe Biden. Guterres extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those injured. "Attacks against civilians and civilian objects, including mosques, are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law." The Secretary-General reiterated his call on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, as well as their right to freely practice their religion. Also Read | Kevin Spacey Charged With Sexual Offences Against Three Men in the UK. This statement comes as Afghanistan had been hit by a series of bomb attacks launched by the Islamic State (IS) group opposing the Taliban regime. In Wednesday's blasts, at least five worshippers were killed and 17 others wounded in Kabul after a blast ripped through a mosque during evening prayers in Police District (PD) 4. The blast occurred when people were offering prayers in Hazrat-e-Zekria Mosque. The blast came about one hour after three consecutive explosions struck three van-buses in PD 10 and PD 5 in Mazar-i-Sharif, killing nine people and wounding 15 others. The targeted buses were carrying commuters. Afghanistan is at a crossroads and the de facto authorities, the Taliban, must pursue a path towards stability and freedom for all citizens, especially women, the UN independent expert on human rights there said in the capital, Kabul, on Thursday. Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett was speaking to journalists at the end of an 11-day visit to the country. Bennett said Afghanistan is facing a plethora of human rights challenges that are having a severe impact on the country's people. However, the Taliban have failed to acknowledge or address the magnitude and gravity of abuses, many of which were committed in their name. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [US], May 27 (ANI): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday said Washington does not support the independence of Taiwan but will continue to strengthen relations. "We oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side. We do not support Taiwan independence and we expect cross-strait differences to be resolved by peaceful means," Blinken said. "We'll continue to uphold our commitments under Taiwan Relations Act to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability." Also Read | BTS To Discuss Anti-Asian Hate Crimes and Celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month With US President Joe Biden. Blinken also said the US will continue to expand cooperation with Taiwan on its many shared interests and values as well as "support Taiwan's meaningful participation in the international community, deepen economic ties consistent with our One China Policy." Blinken went on to add that the Biden administration is not seeking a "Cold War" with China but wants Beijing to adhere to international rules. He also said that Washington sees Beijing as a "long-term challenge". Also Read | Kevin Spacey Charged With Sexual Offences Against Three Men in the UK. "We are not looking for conflict or a new Cold War. To the contrary, we're determined to avoid both," Blinken said Thursday in a much-anticipated speech that laid out the US' China policy."But we will defend and strengthen the international law, agreements, principles, and institutions that maintain peace and security, protect the rights of individuals and sovereign nations, and make it possible for all countries -- including the United States and China -- to coexist and cooperate," he said. The top US diplomat used his remarks at George Washington University to explain existing policies rather than unveiling any bold new direction toward China. During his 30 minutes address, Blinken reflected on US President Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) announcement and the Quad meeting earlier this week during his first Asia tour. Biden unveiled the discussion on IPEF on May 23 with a dozen initial partners, including India, which represent 40 per cent of the world GDP. In his speech, Blinken outlined US administration's strategy towards the world's most populous country in three words - invest, align and compete. He said while the administration has devoted much of its resources to containing Moscow, Washington sees Beijing as a "long-term challenge". US Secretary of State also highlighted China's violation of human rights in Tibet, noting that the US stands with the people of Tibet. "We stand together on Tibet as the (PRC) authorities continue to wage a brutal campaign against Tibetans in their culture, language and religious traditions," he added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], May 27 (ANI): During his upcoming visit to Qatar, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu is expected to launch the India-Qatar Startup Bridge to link the ecosystem of the two countries. India's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Dr Ausaf Sayeed announced this on Friday at a special briefing on the nine-day visit of Vice President to Gabon, Senegal and Qatar starting from May 30. The Vice President will be in Qatar from June 4-7. Also Read | US President Joe Biden To Visit Uvalde To Mourn School Shooting Victims. The envoy said that Naidu will also visit the Qatar Foundation, a non-profit organization headed by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. "During the visit, Vice President is expected the launch the India Qatar Startup bridge to link the ecosystem of the two countries. The next day (on June 6), he will visit Qatar Foundation, a non-profit organization headed by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. It promotes education science, health and cultural development. It also has an education city which includes well-reputed institutes such as Hamad Bin Khalifa University, campuses of International universities, Qatar National Library, Qatar Science & Technology Park and others," the envoy said. Also Read | International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers 2022: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Remembers Fallen Peacekeepers. Vice President Naidu would also be visiting the National Museum of Qatar. "Qatar is a very valued partner for India and our extended neighbourhood in a Gulf region. The modern relationship between India and Qatar is anchored in the historical and traditional exchanges between the people of the two countries. it is anchored under four pillars of -- energy partnership, Indian Diasporas, Trade and Investment, and Defence and Security," he said. Naidu's visit to Qatar will be on the occasion of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Qatar to further enhance the bilateral ties, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. During the visit, the Vice President will hold delegation-level talks with Qatar's Deputy Amir, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hamad Al Thani, and review bilateral cooperation, the MEA said. Vice President will meet several other Qatari dignitaries during this visit and also address a business roundtable in Qatar. People-to-people contacts are at the heart of the historical relations between India and Qatar, with the latter hosting over 750,000 Indians, the MEA said. "The multifaceted cooperation between the two sides has witnessed significant growth in economic, energy, investment, education, defence, and cultural ties," the external affairs ministry said. Bilateral trade crossed USD15 billion in FY 2021-22. Qatar has also committed investments of over USD 2 billion in various Indian companies over the past two years, the ministry said. Meanwhile, the MEA said that the Vice President's visit to Gabon and Senegal will add momentum to India's engagement with Africa and highlight India's commitment to the African continent. The most important aspect of the visit is that it is the first-ever high-level visit from India to both Gabon and Senegal. The Vice President is visiting these two countries from May 30. On June 4, he departs from Senegal and goes to Qatar, Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), MEA, said. "So, May 31 and June 1 are the main visit to Gabon. On June 1, the Vice President goes to Senegal from Gabon. June 1,2, 3 are the three engagement days, then he moves to Qatar, Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations)," the foreign ministry secretary said. "An important aspect of our relationship with Gabon is that both of us are in the UNSC non-permanent membership capacity," he said. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) San Francisco, May 27: A Twitter shareholder has sued Elon Musk, alleging that the Tesla CEO actively manipulated the company's stock for personal gain. The lawsuit alleged that Musk proceeded to make statements, send tweets, and engage in conduct designed to create doubt about the deal and "drive Twitter's stock down substantially in order to create leverage that Musk hoped to use to either back out of the purchase or re-negotiate the buyout price". Elon Musk Says Twitter Deal On Hold Till He Gets More Information About Fake Accounts The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed on behalf of Twitter shareholders in federal district court in San Francisco, The Verge reported late on Thursday. "Musk's conduct was and continues to be illegal, in violation of the California Corporations Code, and contrary to the contractual terms he agreed to in the deal," the complaint read. It focused on Musk's recent tweet that the $44 billion Twitter deal "cannot move forward" without more information about fake accounts and bots on the platform. The complaint asked for injunctive relief by the court, which could potentially force Musk to purchase Twitter at the agreed-upon price, the report said. In a fresh filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Musk has announced the expiration of a series of margin loans against Tesla stock. He has now committed to provide an additional $6.25 billion in equity financing for his $44 billion Twitter takeover, bringing his total equity commitment to $33.5 billion. Musk's original plan was to acquire Twitter with a combination of $21 billion in personal equity and $25.5 billion in loans and $12.5 billion of those loans were secured against Tesla shares owned by Musk. According to the new SEC filing, "(Elon Musk has) committed to increase the aggregate principal amount of the equity commitment there to $33.5 billion". However, it is not clear where the additional $6.25 billion will come from. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 27, 2022 10:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Anek Movie Review: I think Anubhav Sinha should be complimented first for Anek for bringing the conflict of North East region of India to Bollywood. Very rarely does mainstream cinema here even try to address the conflict of one of the most volatile regions of the county. Anek begins with a racist attack on one of the leads, Aido (Andrea Kevichusa) by the police, before it moves onto a scathing interview of a fictional rebel leader Tiger Sanga that exposes the supposed Indianness of this region. The geopolitical nature of the premise is set right in these two scenes. Anek Movie: Review, Cast, Plot, Trailer, Release Date All You Need To Know About Ayushmann Khurranas Film. Aido trains to be a boxer and she dreams to represent the country. But unlike the sentiment usually represented in the films where wearing the tricolour is seen as a matter of pride, for Aido it is to make a statement about her identity and her struggles. Back at her home state, she is unaware that her father Wangnao (Mipham Otsal) is the secret leader of an outfit called Johnson that is fighting for the freedom of the region and against the peace 'talks' between Government of India and Tiger Sanga. She is also oblivious that her boyfriend Joshua is an Indian undercover agent Aman (Ayushmann Khurrana) who is sent to infiltrate the workings of Johnson and such other rebel outfits. Watch the Trailer: Now I know I made the above premise sound like we are seeing the film's events through Aido's eyes, and I really wish that was the case. Sadly, it ain't. While Aido could have served as a far more compelling lead, while she does turn narrator occasionally and even is present in the film's better moments, Ayushmann's Aman ends up with more footage. Now in any other movie, that's nothing to complain about. Ayushmann is a very capable performer, who can easily own a frame with his mere presence (so why the need to add distracting sniffs to his body language is something I can't fathom). As someone who adds an outsider's view to the less explored ground politics of the NE, his character isn't unwanted, but feels so when he over-dominates the proceedings vocally presenting his views. Ayushmann Khurrana: We Should Celebrate Uniqueness of India's Diversity. Anubhav Sinha had done something similar with Ayushmann in the structurally and impactfully far better Article 15 that dealt with caste politics, despite the film's inhered Brahmin saviour complex. However, the lead's inclusion in that movie's events made him a reactionary, who in his way brings attention to the troubling stature of how lower castes are being dealt with in the interiors of the country. In Anek, however, Aman (such a hard-nosed nomenclature) stands out like a sore thumb, where the better scenes of the movie doesn't even involve him. He is there to express perhaps the director's libertarian views, which I had welcomed in Mulk, Thappad and Article 15 but feels awkward here. Like for example, the sequence between Aman and JD Chakravarthy's character in the car - that's shown in the trailer as well - where they debate about what it is to be an Indian. The scene feels so out of place and clumsily written, especially when the local characters are shown not even wanting to identify themselves as Indians. At one point, Ayushmann even breaks the fourth wall and looks at the camera to emphasise his point on the current political situation (there are also potshots at media pandering and 'vikas' talks). It felt weird rather than effective. Thappad Movie Review: Anubhav Sinhas Social Drama Is a Stinging Slap on Male Privilege With Taapsee Pannu in Stellar Form. More than the whole sermonising part, even the character of Aman feels sketchily written. I couldn't figure out his real endgame, and why the intelligence department keep indulging him and his rebellious tactics. His relationship with Aido is weak, we hardly feel for this supposed 'love story', even if Aman doesn't confess he feels anything for her, and that is supposed to matter for the main story. I also never got when Aman had gotten a change of heart. When your protagonist leaves you confused, that doesn't really fare well for the movie. Anek, however, could have been a far better movie, a powerful piece of cinema if it hadn't tried to sermonise itself way much or baulked at taking a true stand while heading towards a Call of Duty-feel-like climax. Or even play down the Body of Lies-inspired track of Aman and his boss Abrar (Manoj Pahwa), a Ajit Doval-standin, whose Kashmiri identity is used to draw parallels with J&K and the NE conflict. Does that identity matter in the movie? Not much. For one, the movie should have been completely through Aido's point of view, and there should have been more scenes exploring her and father's clashing views on their fights. Andrea Kevichusa is fantastic in her debut lead act, and Mipham Otsal gives a good account of himself in every scene he is in. Anek would have been more effective if the focus was more on them, and Aman taking on a more supporting role. There are also some sequences that do make a strong statement. Like when Aman goes to a detainment camp to see hundreds of tortured prisoners rendered faceless by their bamboo prisons. Or the scene involving the tracking shot of a young boy walking through his village that is being attacked (cinematography by Ewan Mulligan). The most harrowing is the scene where a rebel outfit is violently ambushed by an unseen unit, and the prayer scene afterwards. A murdered child's mother's laments stay with you long enough, echoing the tragic situation of many such inhabitants of her state sandwiched in the politics, a situation that deserve more exposure in mainstream cinema. Anek deserves praise for that, but as a movie, it couldn't escape its own muddled treatment. Yay! - When The Focus is on the Local Characters, Especially Aido, Nico and Wangnao - A Few Impactful Scenes Revolving Around the Conflict - Slick Direction Nay! - Muddled Screenplay With a Weak Third Act - Ayushmann's Character - Forced Debative and Sermonising Scenes Final Thoughts There is no doubt that Anubhav Sinha took a braver and more ambitious veer with Anek's exploration of the fractured politics of North-East India. However, an uneven screenplay and the constant need to make a statement rob Anek of the same impactful storytelling seen in Sinha's earlier social themed efforts like Mulk, Article 15 and Thappad. Rating: 2.5 (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 27, 2022 10:46 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Get latest articles and stories on Business at LatestLY. Hindi film, 'Love In Ukraine' has successfully been released in India in more than 356 cinemas, and the makers are extremely happy that the film will finally reach out to the masses. Love in Ukraine is a story about an Indian student based in Ukraine, who falls head over heels in love with a Russian girl, who has been promised to get married to a mafia family. Vipin Kaushik will be seen playing the role of the male lead opposite actress Liza Beta. Interestingly, this also marks the debut of Vipin in Bollywood. ... A court sentenced former #Haryana Chief Minister #OmPrakashChautala to four years in prison and slapped a fine of Rs 50 lakh in connection with a disproportionate assets case, in which he was convicted earlier. pic.twitter.com/aNjiz40eqG IANS (@ians_india) May 27, 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.) Inverted Rifle & Helmet, symbol of fallen soldiers of 1971 war, shifted by Armed Forces from India Gate to National War Memorial. pic.twitter.com/AzrLnFaPc6 DD News (@DDNewslive) May 27, 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.) One LeT terrorist has been killed in an ongoing encounter between terrorists and security forces at Soura in Central #Kashmir's #Srinagar district, officials said. pic.twitter.com/8UwMCzgIPs IANS (@ians_india) May 27, 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.) Baghdad, May 27: The Iraqi Parliament has passed a bill to criminalise institutions, officials and ordinary people for normalising relations with Israel. A statement issued by Parliament said that 275 lawmakers voted unanimously to pass the bill, reports Xinhua news agency. The bill is supposed to preserve the principles of the Iraqi people in defending Palestine and its people as well as the Arab peoples, whose lands are occupied by the Jewish state, the statement added. UN Agencies Say Over 500 Iraqi Children Killed by Explosive Ordnance in 5 Years It aims to deter all those working on normalising or establishing relations with Israel. The bill also prohibits Iraqis from travelling to Israel and having any kind of communications with the country, or they will face harsh penalties of up to life imprisonment and death penalty on violations, according to some articles of the new law revealed by local media. The approval comes weeks after Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called on the members of the Sadrist Movement, which won the largest number of seats in last year's elections, to formulate such a bill. In September 2021, the Iraqi government announced its opposition to normalising its relations with Israel. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 27, 2022 01:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). People can apply for SNAP benefits in California as fast as 10 minutes online by visiting the state's website for SNAP benefits 2022, which is GetCalFresh.org. Applicants can also call the CalFresh Info Line at 877-847-3663. CalFresh is California's SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. AOL News report noted that CalFresh provides monthly assistance to low-income households that meet state and federal eligibility guidelines. The benefits are deposited monthly to CalFresh accounts linked to CalFresh EBT cards. SNAP benefits in California are distributed over the first 10 days of each month, with the date of your benefits deposited onto your CalFresh EBT card depending on the last digit of your case number. CalFresh deposit schedule for June 2022 noted that recipients with the case number that ends in 1 will have their benefits available on the 1st of the month, while those with a case number ending in 2 will have their payments on the 2nd of the month. The schedules are the same order until it reaches the 10th of the month. READ NEXT: SNAP Benefits 2022: Texas, California, Florida, Other States Payment Updates SNAP Benefits California SNAP benefits California is known as CalFresh statewide. It is also formerly known as Food Stamps and helps low-income households to increase their buying power in food to meet their household's nutritional needs. The Department of Public Social Services noted that CalFresh EBT cards can be used in grocery stores and participating Farmers Markets. Meanwhile, homeless, elderly, or disabled persons may purchase prepared meals from participating restaurants with their EBT cards. You are generally eligible for CalFresh benefits if you receive CalWORKS or General Relief, have low income or no income, have limited property, are a U.S. citizen or a legal resident, are an immigrant that meets certain criteria, and receive Supplementary Security Income or State Supplementary Payment. To file for a CalFresh application, one must state their full name and household address. If homeless, district address is acceptable. The signature of the head of household, any adult household member, an authorized representative, or a responsible household member is also needed. SNAP Benefits 2022 Aside from California, Florida will also be sending out its SNAP benefits between the 1st and 28th of every month based on the 9th and 8th digits of your Florida case number, according to a Go Banking Rates report. In addition, Florida has a work requirement provision and a child support provision connected to SNAP and food assistance benefits. The state also has a program called Fresh Access Bucks, which is an effort of Feeding Florida. It is a statewide nutrition incentive program that urges Florida SNAP recipients to use their benefits at farmers' markets, produce stands, community-supported agriculture venues, and mobile markets. The state of Texas will also start distributing its SNAP benefits on June 1st, which will be deposited onto Lone Star Cards over 15 days. Another Go Banking Rates report noted that Texas' distribution of the SNAP payments also depends on the recipients' last digit in their Eligibility Determination Group number. READ MORE: SNAP Benefits 2022 Update: Full Schedule of Texas June Payments, Revealed This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: EBT UPDATE - MAY/JUNE 2022- SNAP EMERGENCY Allotment Schedule, Pandemic EBT, States Approved! - from UI Vlogs 2021 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf predicted that the dilemma of the Americans on the baby formula shortage may likely end in about two months. Califf made his comments on Thursday as he appeared before the Senate Health, Labor, and Pensions Committee, per CNBC. "I can't be exact ... my expectation is that within two months we should be beyond normal and with a plethora [of supply]," Califf underscored, according to New York Post. The FDA commissioner then explained that the dilemma of baby formula shortage would soon be eliminated due to the measures being taken by the government. It can be recalled that the federal government this month allowed foreign manufacturers to send baby formulas into the U.S. Furthermore, the Defense Department is also airlifting the equivalent of 1.5 million bottles of baby formula from Europe. READ NEXT: Baby Formula Scam: Miami Man, 2 Others Get 18-Year Jail Time Over $115 Million Fraud FDA Addresses Complaint About Lax Practices on Baby Formula Plant FDA Commissioner Robert Califf also addressed the complaint of a whistleblower that Abbott's Michigan Plant had lax practices and regulatory violations. It can be recalled that at least four infants who consumed baby formulas produced in Abbott's Sturgis, Michigan plant fell ill with Cronobacter infections. Politico reported that a whistleblower mailed about the conditions of the plant in October. However, the FDA inspected the plant in January and found five different strains of potentially deadly bacteria called Cronobacter sakazakii. Senators slammed the agency for taking too long to physically inspect the plant after receiving the reports of contamination in the facility. Califf acknowledged that the FDA responded too slowly to the complaint of the whistleblower. "There [are] systemic issues at FDA and in our interactions with the industry and in our authorities that need to be corrected," Califf told the lawmakers. Baby Formula Shortage Update: Michigan Plant Will Not Yet Reopen - FDA Califf also said on Thursday that Abbott's Michigan plant will not yet reopen, citing several issues they have discovered in the facility. FDA inspectors reportedly found bacteria growing from multiple sites, standing water, roof leaks, and inadequate hygiene. The FDA commissioner likened the facility at one point to dining at an unsanitary restaurant. The Abbott plant was temporarily closed in February, following the inspection held by the FDA. The plant closure then triggered a nationwide baby formula shortage. "We knew that ceasing plant operations would create supply problems, but we had no choice given the unsanitary conditions," Calliff told lawmakers. Abbott, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Nestle USA, and Perrigo control the 90 percent of the domestic baby formula market in the U.S. Abbott alone has a 40 percent share of the U.S. baby formula market. Senators, inlcuding Bernie Sanders, called on Califf to increase the number of companies that are producing infant formulas so that the U.S. will not once again encounter the baby formula shortage. "It's not good for the country to have such an undiversified supply chain and manufacturing chain for a critical product like that that's used by so many people... Anyone who meets the criteria within the US or outside the US that wants to import can bring formula in," FDA Commissioner Robert Califf underscored. READ NEXT: Texas School Shooting: Grieving Husband of Slain Teacher Dies of Heart Attack This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Baby Formula Shortage Explained: What You Can Do - From CNET Mark Meadows has reportedly burned documents in his White House office fireplace after meeting with Scott Perry, a Republican lawmaker who was trying to overturn the 2020 election. Meadows was a former chief of staff of former U.S. President Donald Trump. The Jan. 6 House committee learned about the incident on Wednesday, according to a Daily Mail report. The meeting between Meadows and Perry took place in the immediate weeks after the presidential race in November 2020. Jan. 6 House Committee questioned Meadow's aide at the time, Cassidy Hutchinson, for more than 90 minutes about the act of burning the documents. Hutchinson noted that she personally saw Meadows light the pages on fire after the meeting with Perry, per Daily Mail. The report did not detail what those documents were or if any were classified. Perry is a retired Brigadier General who chairs the House Freedom Caucus and was subpoenaed along with four sitting members of Congress this month. Perry and Rep. Andy Biggs were supposed to sit for depositions on Thursday. However, they both formally objected to the matter. READ NEXT: January 6 Panel Considers Rewriting the 1807 Insurrection Act Amid Fears of a Donald Trump Repeat Mark Meadows Burning Documents Scott Perry's district covers the area around Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is also the most pro-Trump voting back in the chamber. Business Insider reported that the House committee subpoenaed Perry and asked him to testify over his alleged efforts to install a Trump loyalist as attorney general. Perry had also objected to the subpoena. The House committee probing the January 6 Capitol riot has acquired a total of 2,319 text messages from Meadows before and after the insurrection. Some of the witnesses have spoken to the bipartisan select panel and said that "Meadows used his fireplace to burn documents." MSNBC also noted that the Trump had a habit of tearing up official records into pieces the size of confetti even after his attorneys told him to stop doing it. Jan. 6 House Committee The Jan. 6 House Committee has heard testimony indicating that Trump had expressed support for hanging his former vice president Mike Pence, according to three people familiar with the matter. Meadows was in the dining room off the Oval Office with Trump at one point during last year's Capitol attack. Meadows then left the dining room and informed other people nearby that Trump had signaled a positive view of the possibility of hanging the vice president, as reported by Politico. However, Politico could not independently verify the accuracy of the claim regarding Meadow's comments. Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich slammed the committee when reached for a comment, saying that the committee's vague "leaks," anonymous testimony, and willingness to alter evidence prove it is just an extension of the Democrat smear campaign. Meanwhile, a member of Meadows' legal team said that the account is "totally incorrect regarding Meadows." On the other hand, an aide to Pence did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The House committee held Meadows in contempt of Congress in December and referred to him to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution. READ MORE: Donald Trump Admits He Didn't Win Presidential Election 2020 During Interview With Presidential Historians This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Mark Meadows criminal contempt referral heads to Justice Department after House vote - from CBS News A Jif peanut butter recall has caused some of its snacks like trail mix and candy to be pulled out from store shelves and vending machines nationwide due to salmonella risk. According to CBS News, federal health officials are investigating a multi-state outbreak of salmonella, of which at least 16 people from 12 states have been infected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said two persons had already been hospitalized. The CDC added that four of five people interviewed reported eating different types of Jif brand peanut butter before getting sick. Multiple Jif brand peanut butter types sold across the U.S. and in Canada were recalled last week. It includes creamy, crunchy, natural, and reduced-fat. The J.M. Smucker Co. plant in Lexington, Kentucky was found to have the outbreak strain of Salmonella, Senftenberg, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The CDC noted that the actual number of sick people and affected states is likely higher as some individuals recover without being tested. READ NEXT: US Baby Formula Shortage: GOP Rep. Raises Alarm After Discovering Massive Stocks in Border Centers for Illegal Migrants Jif Peanut Butter Recall Fruit and vegetable to-go cups with peanut butter sold at 7-11 and Wawa stores were among the Jif products that were recalled. Snacks sold nationwide at stores such as Albertsons and Safeway and fudge at Walmart were also pulled out. J.M. Smucker has created an online form for consumers seeking a rebate for recalled products. USA Today reported that the rebate option came after the company earlier suggested consumers throw away the products. However, consumers do not need to have the product on hand to seek a rebate. In a statement, J.M. Smucker said they were asking consumers to fill out the form to the best of their ability, and the company will work to issue the correct reimbursement. The firm noted that the Smucker plant in Memphis will "maximize output," while the Jif Lexington plant has temporarily stopped its production. Health officials and the company have not yet released information about the size of the recall, including how much peanut butter was produced and shipped. Sarah Sorscher, deputy director of regulatory affairs for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said it could take weeks to assess how many products were affected. She added that peanut butter has a long shelf life, making the recall likely drag on for months. According to NPR, the original recall covered 49 Jif products. It was then widened, including several well-known brands such as Del Monte's PB&J sandwiches and some of Albertson's store-made snacks. Salmonella Investigation The FDA, and the CDC, with state and local partners, are currently looking at a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Senftenberg infections linked to Jif peanut butter brand products. The FDA has recommended in its press release that consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not consume, sell, or serve any recalled Jif brand peanut butter, including recalled products that contain the peanut butter brand. The agency also urged consumers to avoid feeding the recalled peanut butter to pets or other animals, including wild birds. If consumers are unsure what to do with the recalled product, one can call or email J.M. Smucker company for more information. READ MORE: Kellogg's Workers at All Cereal Plants Go on Strike, Demand Better Wages and Benefits This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: JIF Peanut Butter Recall: Where to Look to See if Your Jar Is Included - From WFMY News 2 The death toll in a bus crash in northern Mexico on Wednesday has climbed to seven. Authorities said Thursday that all of those who died and the 24 injured were migrants. According to Associated Press, one of those killed was a pregnant woman. The identities and nationalities of the deceased have yet to be reported. Preliminary reports said only six people died after the bus plunged down an embankment in San Luis Potosi state. Prosecutors initially reported that the dead were composed of four women and six men. However, their nationalities were not immediately made available. Among those 24 injured include an eight-year-old child and a six-month-old baby. Those who survived the bus crash in Mexico included 11 Salvadorans, seven Hondurans, and four Cubans. A Mexican and Panamanian were also injured. READ NEXT: Boat With Over 800 Migrants From Haiti Arrives in Cuba Instead of the U.S. Mexico Bus Crash Local media reported that the bus departed from an area near Mexico City and was heading toward the U.S. border, TRT World reported. Photos from the scene suggested that the bus had flipped onto its side. Reports claimed that Wednesday's bus accident was the latest in a series of deadly crashes and drownings of migrants in the last week. It was not clear what steps Mexico's government took in connection to the bus crash. It can be recalled that a larger truck carrying migrants also overturned on a highway near the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez last December. The said accident killed at least 56 migrants. Crackdown on Migrant Crossings Causes Riskier Routed to the U.S. Immigrants and activist groups claimed that the crackdown on migrant crossings contributed to why illegal immigrants use riskier routes to the United States. Immigrant activist Irineo Mujica noted that more individuals who want to seek asylum in the U.S. take more dangerous routes, and the number of people who die trying to cross Mexico is increasing. Reports pointed out that migrants usually wade, swim, or take rafts in crossing the Mexico river in an attempt to reach the United States. On Tuesday, authorities from Veracruz reported that at least six migrants drowned off Mexico's Gulf Coast, and one is still reportedly missing. In another incident, a migrant father and his seven-year-old son were found dead in the Suchiate River, which marks the border between Mexico and Guatemala. Mexico's national immigration institute noted that the 36-year-old father and his son were from El Salvador. On Saturday, at least four migrants died, and 16 were injured following a traffic collision in a town not far from Guatemala's border. The prosecutor's office did not mention the identities of the deceased but claimed that the injured included migrants from Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Ecuador. Mexican officials have already tightened border inspections along Guatemala's border, but thousands of Central Americans still make it across, often with smugglers' aid. READ MORE: Texas School Shooting: Grieving Husband of Slain Teacher Dies of Heart Attack This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Migrants Die When Bus Plunges Off Cliff in Mexico - From TeleSUR English Patricia Krenwinkel, a Charles Manson cult follower, has been recommended for release by a California parole panel for the first time in more than five decades. According to The Guardian, Krenwinkel was previously denied parole 14 times for the killing of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four other people in 1969. Krenwinkel has also helped Manson and other followers kill grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary LaBianca the next night in what prosecutors described as an attempt by the cult leader to start a race war. The parole recommendation on Thursday will be reviewed by the California parole board's legal division before likely going to state governor Gavin Newsom before year's end. The board did not release its reasons for the recommendations. Newsom has already rejected previous parole recommendations for other followers of Manson, who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California. Manson died in prison in 2017. Krenwinkel was last denied parole in 2017. However, parole board spokeswoman Terry Thornton could not cite specific reasons for the commissioner's decision. The now 74-year-old follower of Charles Manson remains imprisoned at the California Institution for Women east of Los Angeles. READ NEXT: Former Charles Manson's Cult Member Recalls How He Lured Her Into His 'Family' Charles Manson Cult Follower Patricia Krenwinkel Patricia Krenwinkel was a 19-year-old secretary living with her older sister when she met Charles Manson, who was 33 at the time, at a party in the 1960s, according to The Sun. Krenwinkel admitted that she left everything behind three days later to follow the cult leader as she believed they had a budding romantic relationship. However, Krenwinkel said her feelings had faded when Manson became physically and emotionally abusive to her and started to traffic her to other men for sex. The Charles Manson's cult follower added that she was usually under the influence of drugs and rarely left alone. At her last parole hearing in December 2016, Krenwinkel recounted how she chased and repeatedly stabbed Abigail Folger at Tate's home on August 9, 1969. As she helped kill the LaBiancas, Manson and his right-hand man, Charles "Tex" Watson, told Krenwinkel that she had to "do something witchy." Krenwinkel then stabbed Leno LaBianca in the stomach with a fork and took a rag, and wrote "Helter Skelter," "Rise," and "Death to Pigs" on the walls with his blood. In June 2017, Krenwinkel was denied parole for five more years after California officials investigated whether physical, emotional, or mental abuse affected her state of mind during the slayings. Officials denied her bail application after they seemed to agree with Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey, who insisted she was still dangerous. Parole of Another Charles Manson Cult Followers Blocked Gavin Newsom blocked the parole of another Charles Manson cult follower, Leslie Van Houten, last March. The California governor said in his parole review that Van Houten poses an "unreasonable danger to society if released from prison at this time." Van Houten's attorney Rich Pfeiffer said the decision will be appealed in court, according to The Guardian. The lawyer accused Newsom of rejecting the parole as he was worried about his "political future." Pfeiffer added that Van Houten has a spotless prison disciplinary record. The now 72-year-old Charles Manson cult follower is serving a life sentence for helping the cult leader and others kill the LaBiancas. She was 19 when she and other cult members fatally stabbed the LaBiancas and smeared the couple's blood on the walls. Newsom noted in his rejection letter that Van Houten had undergone therapy, earned educational degrees, took self-help classes in prison, and had shown "increased maturity and rehabilitation." However, the California governor said Van Houten also has "gaps in insight" that made her a danger to society. Krenwinkel, Van Houten, and other followers of Charles Manson were initially sentenced to death. But they were resentenced to life with the possibility of parole after California's death penalty was briefly ruled unconstitutional in 1972. READ MORE: Amityville Killer, Who Massacred His Entire Family, Dies at 69 This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Patricia Krenwinkel, Leslie Van Houten on Why They Followed Charles Manson: Part 2 - From ABC News A mentally ill Black man in Brazil died after two police officers forced him into a police vehicle and then threw a gas grenade inside it. According to The Guardian, Genivaldo de Jesus Santos, 38, who according to his family had schizophrenia, died of asphyxiation. Highway police officers reportedly stopped De Jesus Santos in Umbauba city at Sergipe state on Wednesday. Video footage of the incident starts with three highway police officers pinning the Black man on a dirt road. OMG: In broad daylight, police in Brazil stuff a man with learning difficulties into an improvised gas chamber, killing him immediately.pic.twitter.com/Q8gbLTrzoH Alan MacLeod (@AlanRMacLeod) May 26, 2022 After a cut, two officers can be seen holding the police vehicle's rear door as white smoke pours out of the hatchback. De Jesus Santos' legs are shown thrashing as the officers trap him inside the vehicle. The video is punctuated by harrowing screams from the Black man inside the hatchback. An onlooker can be heard saying, "They're killing him inside the car." Eventually, De Jesus Santos' legs stopped moving, the Independent reported. Angry protests have erupted in Brazil following the Black man's horrific death at the hands of the police. De Jesus Santos' was buried on Thursday morning. Dozens of people in Umbauba reportedly staged a protest before his funeral. As they demanded justice, the protesters blocked the road where the Black man was killed and set tires on fire. De Jesus Santos' widow, Maria Fabiana dos Santos, said: "This was a crime. They acted with cruelty to kill him." Many netizens also criticized the action of the police. Douglas Belchior, a member of the Coalition for Black Rights civil rights organization, tweeted that the two police officers knew they were being filmed, and yet they "still applied a death sentence." "There is no more decency or embarrassment. They tortured and executed the man," Belchior noted. Esses dois vermes sabem que estao sendo filmados e, mesmo assim, aplicam a sentenca de morte. Nao ha mais pudor ou constrangimento. Eles torturaram e executaram o rapaz. Como voce segue o dia? O meu sera uma lastima, pensando que eu ou algum amigo podemos ser os proximos. https://t.co/V5F3XYp5AK Douglas Belchior (@negrobelchior) May 26, 2022 Black activist and politician from Rio de Janeiro Renata Souza also tweeted that the police officers turned the vehicle into a gas chamber and executed a mentally ill man "with his nephew watching in broad daylight." "There are no words in the face of such inhumanity. Brazil is an extermination camp!" Souza said. Policiais transformaram uma viatura em camara de gas e executaram um homem com transtornos mentais, com seu sobrinho assistindo a tudo, em plena luz do dia. Nao ha palavras frente a tamanha desumanidade. O Brasil e um campo de exterminio! Renata Souza (@renatasouzario) May 26, 2022 Executive director of the nongovernmental Brazilian Forum on Public Safety Samira Bueno told The Washington Post that the images were shocking. "He's tortured. He's a mentally disturbed person, and it's the story of you using the vehicle as a gas chamber to immobilize a person," Bueno noted. READ NEXT: Texas School Shooting: Grieving Husband of Slain Teacher Dies of Heart Attack Brazil Police: Black Man Displayed Aggressive Behavior Genivaldo de Jesus Santos' nephew, Alisson, was reportedly on the scene when his uncle died at the hands of the police. Alisson said he told the police officers that his uncle suffered from mental health issues and had a prescription for medication in his pocket before they released what he described as a teargas grenade. Alisson told the local press that "it was a torture session." In a statement, the federal highway police in Brazil's state of Sergipe defended the officers' actions and said the Black man displayed an "aggressive behavior." They also said De Jesus Santos actively resisted the officers who pulled him over. The statement noted that the police officers used "immobilisation techniques" and "instruments of minor offensive potential" after the Black man became aggressive. Police claimed that De Jesus Santos was taken to a hospital after becoming unwell on the way to a police station. However, De Jesus Santos' family said the man was already dead when he arrived at the hospital, where his death was confirmed. George Fernandes, a spokesperson for Sergipe state's forensic institute, told the Associated Press that a preliminary autopsy concluded the Black man died of respiratory failure due to "mechanical asphyxia." Investigation Into the Death of the Black Man in Brazil Police have confirmed that it has opened an investigation into the death of Genivaldo de Jesus Santos. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro noted that he would seek answers from the Federal Highway Police regarding the man's death. This incident came a day after highway police officers participated in a police raid at the Vila Cruzeiro favela in Rio de Janeiro that left more than 20 people dead. READ MORE: FDA Commissioner Robert Califf Says Baby Formula Shortage Will Likely End in 'About 2 Months' This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Black Lives Matter Protests Erupt Across Brazil - From FRANCE 24 English Laurel, MS (39440) Today Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 67F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 67F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. 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. A Portlaoise woman has been appointed Senior Vice President of Presidio Europe and APAC, a global digital services and solutions provider. Brid Graham's appointment was announced on Friday. The Portlaoise woman will assume overall leadership for the Presidio business that operates out of its Dublin based operation, where it currently employs over 300 people. In her new role as Senior Vice President at Presidio, Brid will be responsible for building Presidios offering to its customers where the business now provides a full spectrum of IT services and solutions, including digital infrastructure, cloud and cybersecurity. Under Brids leadership, the Irish operation is set to become the strategic hub to support Presidios international expansion outside of the US, with particular emphasis on growth in Europe and Asia Pacific. Brid takes on her new role having served for the past two years as managing director of the Product Procurement division led out of Ireland. A key member of the management team of IT services company Arkphire before being acquired last year by Presidio, Brid played a central role in the success of the Arkphire business, growing the business multinational client base both in Ireland and internationally. Brid originally joined the Arkphire business in 2011 as an account manager for enterprise customers having previously worked in a similar role with IT business EDS. Brids appointment now sees her take over from Paschal Naylor, former CEO and co-founder at Arkphire, who is retiring from his executive role after more than 40 years in the business. Paschal has been appointed to an advisory role where he can continue to provide his guidance and support to the business. Commenting on the appointments, Bob Cagnazzi, Chief Executive Officer of Presidio said: Supporting our multinational clients and growing internationally is a key priority for Presidio, and we are thrilled to have Brid bring her talent and passion for providing the best possible customer experiences to this strategically important leadership role. He added: The Arkphire business, now known as Presidio Europe is providing us with the ideal platform from which to grow out our international presence. Huge credit goes to the exceptional contribution of Paschal as co-founder of Arkphire for his foresight and hard work in building a great business. We are delighted to have Paschals continuity with the business and look forward to working with him in his new role. Commenting on her new appointment, Brid Graham said: I look forward to working with Bob and the rest of the Presidio team in building the Presidio brand internationally and bringing the full breadth of our IT offerings and expertise to our global customer base. Originally from Portlaoise, Brid holds Postgraduate Diplomas in both International Sales and Marketing and Marketing Management as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from University College Dublin. Last year, Presidio acquired Arkphire, the Irish owned and headquartered IT solutions and managed services company. The Irish operation has now been rebranded to Presidio and operates as a fully integrated part of Presidios $3.1 billion business. Top Laois television broadcaster Claire Byrne is ending her current affairs RTE show Claire Byrne Live. After more than seven successful years, RTE One's Claire Byrne Live series will conclude broadcasting this coming Monday, 30 May 2022. The popular weekly current affairs programme hosted by the Mountrath native, and featuring a live studio audience, will wrap as this season ends. The programme was home to powerful interviews, debates, and contributions from thousands of audience members who chose to tell their story each week over the lifetime of the series on RTE One. Claire Byrne has explained how the decision was made. "When we started Claire Byrne Live in 2015, we wanted it to be a forum for people in Ireland to shape the news, respond to unfolding events and most importantly, to have their say. We came through two general elections, two hugely significant referendums and one global pandemic in the time that we have been on air. "I have been hugely proud to be part of this show for those years and I have been humbled to work alongside three talented editors of Claire Byrne Live - Aoife Stokes, Jane Murphy and Hugh Ormond, not to mention the small, hard-working team that made sure we got to air every week, despite the massive challenges posed by the pandemic in the last two years. "I have made the decision now to focus on my radio show and I am very much looking forward, in time, to working on other television projects for RTE. I want to thank everyone who made Claire Byrne Live such an enjoyable show to be part of and in particular, the audience at home, who allowed me to spend Monday nights in their company over the last seven and a half years," she said. Jon Williams, Managing Director of RTE News & Current Affairs, paid tribute to Claire Byrne and the programme. "For seven years, Claire has hosted Irelands biggest conversation, giving the audience a voice on the key issues of the day. From her extraordinary interview with the family of Clodagh Hawe, to the drama of the Leaders Debates in two General Elections and breaking news throughout the pandemic, Claire Byrne Live has shown that current affairs can be both popular and engaging. I want to thank Claire for a truly remarkable run." Claire will continue to present Today with Claire Byrne on RTE Radio 1, Monday to Friday from 10.00am, and will also work with RTE on future television programmes. Watch Claire Byrne Live, this Monday night at 10.35pm on RTE One and RTE Player. The number of Ukrainians living in Laois since the Russian invasion in February has been revealed in new CSO data. Nationally, data reveals that there have been 33,151 arrivals in Ireland from Ukraine since February based on the number of Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSNs) issued to individuals from Ukraine under the Temporary Protection Directive. Women aged 20 and over account for 48% of arrivals to date, while individuals aged 0-19 (both male and female) account for 38%. The highest percentage of those arriving (43% or 14,271 individuals) were categorised as 'One parent with children' under the broad relationship classification headings used. Most men have stayed in Ukraine. The Local Electoral Area (LEA) which had the highest number of associated arrivals from Ukraine was North Inner City in Dublin with 1,156 individuals. A total of 487 people have found accommodation in Laois since then. The biggest number have found refuge in the Portlaoise Municipal District which includes Abbeyleix and touches the Kilkenny border. There are 264 Ukraininans registered in the the district. Meanwhile, the Borris-In-Ossory-Mountmellick District which takes up the west and south west of the county, has 125 Ukrainians. The area with the smallest number is the north, east and southeast of the county. There were just 98 refugees from Russia's invasion in Graiguecullen -Portarlington, Laois on May 23 when the figures were finalised. Laois has more than Offaly where 333 Ukrainians are now living in Offaly with the vast majority (256) resident in Tullamore hotels and B&Bs. Laois has also welcomed more than Carlow where 265 Ukrainians are living. Most are in Carlow town. Commenting on the release, Karola Graupner, Statistician, said: This release is based on administrative data up to 22 May 2022. It is the first publication by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) providing insights into Irelands response to the Ukrainian crisis. "Based on the local post office address as per the process through which refugees were seeking assistance from the Department, we also show two maps in this release based on mapping 29,718 individuals, or 90% of arrivals, to a local post office. "The first map is a count of arrivals by Local Electoral Area (LEA), and the second is the rate of arrivals by LEA (per 100 of the Census 2016 population). Using the local post office address as a proxy for place of residence, arrivals from Ukraine are present in all LEAs and North Inner City in Dublin had the highest number of associated arrivals from Ukraine at 1,156. "Our analysis also shows that the rate per 100 of the population ranges across all LEAs in the country from 0.03% to 6.81%. The LEA with the highest rate is Ennistymon in Clare while the LEA of Drogheda Rural in Louth had the lowest rate in the country." A plan to create special school centres for children with additional needs is a watered-down form of education that is unlawful, an expert has said. Childrens rights solicitor Gareth Noble said the governments plan is in breach of childrens constitutional right to an education. The Government has faced frustrations among parents and advocates about the difficulty in finding school and class places for children with additional needs. In Dublin alone, there are 80 children waiting for a special class place. Plans to create emergency special school centres were confirmed by Minister of State for Special Education Josepha Madigan on Twitter on Wednesday evening following media reports. However, Ms Madigan appeared to row back on the plan, saying yesterday (Thursday May 26) that it was in its infancy and that the plan had been misperceived. Mr Noble said there is a duty on the minister to provide a suitable and appropriate education to all children, regardless of their needs. Talk of stop-gaps, autism centres, temporary arrangements, that just doesnt wash with our constitutional standard, he said. This isnt a luxury or a privilege for young people. This is absolutely a constitutionally enshrined right. He said that Ireland recently brought into effect the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which adds a further layer of protection for children with additional needs. He said that the Governments plan to shove children away into autism centres breaches the convention. This isnt about a name change, this is about values change, he added. Its about the value that is being placed on a child and their rights and to suggest that this plan is in any way a child-centred or rights based approach, its a watered-down, diluted form of education that doesnt enable children to access the curriculum on a par with their peers. It is for that reason that it is not only unjust, and its not just immoral but it is unlawful. Parents of children with additional needs have struggled to find school places for this September. While Ms Madigan said she is dealing with legacy issues and not adequate forecasting, Mr Noble claimed the numbers of children needing school places have been well known to the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education for years. This is the departments equivalent of the dog ate my homework, he added. The minister has also been urged to issue a notice under Section 37A of the Education Act 1998, that requires a school to make a place available to a child with additional needs. But Mr Noble said the piece of legislation is hugely bureaucratic and needs reformed. Effectively, it envisages engagement between the department, the National Council for Special Education and schools around ensuring that there are students for the appropriate places, he added. Whether its in the form of autism classes, or indeed special education provision. If that engagement doesnt produce the results, then ultimately the minister can compel a school to open a learning environment. I think weve arrived at the point now where every school in Ireland, there has to be a discussion about not whether they provide for children with additional needs, but how they can support it in doing so. The Minister of State for Special Education, the National Council for Special Education and the National Parents Council have all been contacted for comment. The Kildare Integration Committee in conjunction with Monasterevin library are hosting an exhibition about the life of Ken Saro Wiwa. Ken Saro Wiwa was a distinguished Nigerian writer and environmental activist who was unlawfully executed at the hands of the Abacha regime in 1995. Sister Majella McCarron presented an archive of letters, poems and artefacts from Ken Saro Wiwa to Maynooth University Library in 2011. Her relationship with Saro Wiwa stemmed from her time as a lecturer at the University of Lagos in Nigeria in the 1990s. When charged by the Vatican with the task of observing the operations of western multi nationals, she began visiting Ken Sara Wiwa in the Lagos office to learn about his opposition to the activities of the oil and gas multinationals in his homeland of Ogoni and the wider Niger Delta region. Shortly after those visits took place in 1993, Mr Saro-Wiwa was detained without charge and Sister McCarron began to correspond with him. But due to an atmosphere of increasing political violence and repression, she was recalled to Ireland in 1994 from where the correspondence continued. In Ireland, she also helped to organise campaigns for Saro-Wiwas release. That same year, at Saro-Wiwas request, she attended the prestigious Goldman Environment Award ceremony on his behalf in Stockholm and she brought documents and items shed received from the imprisoned writer to Stockholm for an exhibition. The contents of this valuable archive shed light on the exploitative activities of oil and gas multinationals in the Niger Delta in the 1990s and have an ongoing role in contributing lessons to our understanding of human rights, climate action and the role of writing and art in social movements. The exhibition is on display in Monasterevin library until tomorrow, Saturday May 29. Monasterevin librarys opening hours are Tuesday and Friday 10am -1pm and 2pm to 5pm, Wednesday 10am 1pm, Thursday 1:30pm to 5pm and 5:45pm to 8pm, and Saturday 10am -1pm and 2pm to 4pm. Monasterevin Library Book club is open to new members. The book club takes place on the first Thursday of every month at 7pm in the library. For further queries, you may contact the library at 045 529239 or email monasterevinlib@kildarecoco.ie . There are a few pockets of high radon levels in county Kildare according to the latest map released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Parts of south west Kildare and small areas dotted throughout the north of the county have been identified as having a radon risk of one house in ten. However, the county at large seems to have relatively low levels. People can submit their eircode on the EPA website to see if their home is at risk. However, that facility is currently not working. A notice published on the site today said; "Our new interactive radon risk map is currently being upgraded to deal with very high demand. Until then you can download a high-resolution version of the map below." The new EPA map Micheal Lehane, EPA Director said:Radon is a serious public health hazard. The new maps combine thousands of radon measurements, with detailed geological information, and are a significant revision of the previous map from 2002. More importantly, the new maps make it easy for everyone to find out the radon risk in their local area using the eircode search on the EPA website. We urge people to test for radon as this is the only way of protecting you and your family from this cancer-causing gas. Yvonne Mullooly, Assistant Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), welcomed publication of the new radon maps. Employers in high radon areas are obliged to test their workplaces for radon. The new maps enable them to clearly identify where they are legally obliged to test, so allows for targeting of resources in the areas where the risk from radon is highest. The HSA will continue to support employers by providing information, and through our on-line risk assessment BeSMART tool www.BeSMART.ie. Radon testing is simple and inexpensive and, where necessary, reducing high radon levels in a building is also straightforward. Radon is a radioactive gas that originates from the decay of uranium in rocks and soils. Exposure to radon is linked in up to 350 cases of lung cancer in Ireland each year. It has no smell, colour or taste and can only be detected using special detectors. Outdoors, radon quickly dilutes to very low concentrations, but when it enters an enclosed space, such as a house, workplace or other building, it can accumulate to unacceptably high concentrations. Availability of over 10,000 places on further and higher education courses under the Springboard Plus (Springboard+) initiative has been announced. The news came today (Wednesday May 25) from the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, who confirmed a total of 10,697 places on 275 courses at institutions across Ireland. Springboard+ courses are from Level 6 (certificate) to Level 9 (masters) on the National Framework of Qualifications and are delivered by public and private higher education providers around the country. Minister Harris said, "As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic and in the current economic climate, where new technologies and business practices are on the rise and issues such as climate change must be urgently addressed, lifelong learning is essential to ensure employability, meet societal needs and enable personal fulfilment. "Upskilling is important for everyone in employment, regardless of their occupation or current skill levels. Springboard+ and the graduate conversion courses under the Human Capital Initiative are a key part of the governments strategy to ensure we are planning for the future skills needs of our economy, which is critical to delivering on our ambitions as a nation." Today, we are announcing over 10,500 free higher education courses under the Springboard+ 2022. These courses are in areas of growth including health innovation, retail and creative industries. Log onto https://t.co/tNj35yngj0 for further details pic.twitter.com/AacNYydgk4 Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) May 25, 2022 The courses are in areas of new and emerging technologies, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, climate and sustainability, construction, energy, health innovation, logistics, online retail and creative industries. Now in its twelfth year, almost 100,000 people have benefitted from the Springboard programme to date. Funding for the programme is allocated from the National Training Fund on an annual basis, with 41.4 million ringfenced for Springboard+ for the calendar year 2022. Over 330 million has been spent on Springboard+ since 2011. Minister of State for Skills and Further Education, Niall Collins, also commented on the news and said, "Springboard+ training programmes provide people who are unemployed, those looking to return to the workforce and those in employment with a great opportunity to upskill or reskill in areas in which employers need skilled workers. "I am particularly pleased that courses provided under Springboard+ 2022 will continue to be delivered in a flexible manner, in excess of 95% of the courses will be delivered in a flexible format which will enable more people to engage in upskilling and reskilling around the country." Courses are free for people who are unemployed, previously self-employed and returning to the workforce. Courses are also free for employed people on NFQ Level 6 courses. For employed participants on courses NFQ level 7 to 9, 90% of the course fee is funded by the state, with students required to contribute just 10% of the fee. Applications will open this afternoon and a helpline for applicants will be available on 1800 303523 from early June. A group of Irish students have been chosen to present their idea of an inhabitable space settlement at an international space conference in the United States. Fifth year physics students at St Flannan's College in Ennis, Co Clare - Naem Haq, Adam Downes, Cian Pyne, Jack O'Connor and Garabhan Monaghan - won the NASA Ames Space Settlement Contest after going up against 17,000 other students from 22 countries. They will showcase their 'Mag Mell' design at the International Space Development Conference (ISDC) in Washington DC this week. The talented youngsters set off from Shannon Airport today (Wednesday May 25), where they reportedly received the VIP treatment in the Presidential Lounge. Speaking at the airport - which sponsored their flight to Washington DC - their physics teacher John Conneely said, "This is a wonderful opportunity. We are so proud of our students for winning the grand prize out of 17,000 students from 22 countries. We are incredibly grateful to Shannon Airport for the support. It is quite fitting that we are travelling from Shannon to the International Space Development Conference. Our students were thrilled to get the VIP treatment with a reception in the airport Presidential Lounge where they go to sign the guest book along with the likes of Astronauts Chris Hatfield and Al Worden, one of only 24 people to have flown to the moon! According to the team's submission, they named the settlement after a mythical land in Irish mythology - Mag Mell - which translates from Irish as 'delightful' or 'pleasant plain'. The basic shape of their design is a half-cut rotating torus with six spokes and a central hub which can rotate at a different rate of rotation to the outer rim. As well as residential and commercial hubs - or villages - the team also designed multi-level farms suspended from ceilings which they called 'Agri-Areas'. The airport's Operations and Commercial Director, Niall Maloney, said the airport was "delighted" to host the team from St Flannan's. He said, They represent the incredible talent and innovative young minds coming from this region who are making an impact on the world stage. Shannon Airport and its campus were the brainchild of an innovative and entrepreneurial mind of a young Brendan ORegan, and we are proud to support Naem, Adam, Cian, Jack and Garabhans richly deserved achievement." The team's full design can be viewed by clicking here. A care assistant accused of sexual assault in a Kildare nursing home was named in Athy District Court on Thursday, May 26. It is alleged by the State that Michael Tuohey, with an address listed as 15 Beaufield Avenue in Maynooth, sexually assaulted a resident at TLC Nursing Home Maynooth. Garda Sergeant Brian Jacob told Judge Zaidan that the alleged victim is an 80-year-old woman with dementia, who was allegedly digitally penetrated by the defendant. The 51-year-old is accused of engaging in a sexual act with a protected person on a date between January and December 2020. This allegation is in contravention of Section 21 of the Criminal Justice (Sexual Offences) Act, 2017. It was heard that reporting restrictions were sought in the case by the State and prosecuting gardai. However, both the Director of Public Prosecutions and Judge Desmond Zaidan said that there was no legal basis for the restrictions. The judge pointed out to the court that the alleged injured party was not named in any of the legal documents seen by the court, and as such, the defendant could be identified. He also said that, in accordance with Irish law, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Mr Tuoheys barrister, Aisling Murphy, also previously said that her client has no previous convictions. The case has been put back to a date in June, when a book of evidence is due to be presented. The Committee of Boyle Arts Festival is delighted to announce that Hilary Beirne will officially open this years Arts Festival on Thursday, July 14th. The event which will take place at King House will also mark the official opening of this years Visual Art Exhibition entitled Past, Present & Future. Boyle Arts Festival will continue until July 23rd. Hilary (formerly of Oatland Villa, Boyle) is well known for his extensive work with the Irish community in the United States. He is the founder and Chairman of NYC St. Patricks Day Foundation and has been the principal orchestrator of the world's largest and oldest St. Patricks Day Parade in New York City. He is an active member of the Irish Ad Hoc Committee in Washington DC, a member of the Executive Board at VotingRights.ie, an honorary member of the famed Fighting 69th Regiment" and serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the 69th Historical Trust. Hilary said earlier, I am absolutely delighted to have been invited to play an active role by the organising committee of the Arts Festival in my home town of Boyle in Co. Roscommon. He continued by saying, It will be a honour for me to welcome everyone to the town of Boyle and open the Festival on July 14th and I am looking forward to meeting old friends and renewing acquaintances, some of whom I havent seen or spoken to in years. Hilary will also be the special guest of RTE News Journalist, Carole Coleman during this years In Conversation event on Friday, July 22nd and tickets are available now at www.boylearts.com Boyle Arts Festival is supported by The Arts Council, Local Sponsors, Roscommon County Council and Failte Ireland. To make sure you don't miss out on any African news, subscribe to 'Le Monde Afrique' newsletter from this link. Every Saturday at 6 am, find a week of news and debates treated by the editorial staff of 'Le Monde' Afrique. About 600 million people are still without electricity in Africa. Here, schoolchildren in the township of Soweto, South Africa, in 2015. REUTERS "We must reach an agreement on a fair energy transition for Africa and this discussion must take place in Sharm el-Sheikh [in Egypt]," said Senegalese president Macky Sall on Wednesday, May 25, in his address to the annual Mo Ibrahim Foundation forum on climate change. For the first time since Durban, 11 years ago, the continent will host the Conference of the United Nations Climate Convention (COP27) in November. The Africans intend to seize the opportunity to place at the center of the debate the fate of the region least responsible historically for global warming, and simultaneously the most vulnerable and least developed. Their request: the right to use their fossil fuels and gas in particular for several more decades. "Africa must be able to exploit its large gas reserves for another 20 or 30 years to further its development and provide access to electricity to the 600 million people who are still deprived. It would be unfair to stop us," said Mr. Sall, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the African Union (AU). The war in Ukraine and the need for Europeans to find alternatives to Russian gas have changed the story. During an official visit to Senegal on Sunday, May 22, German chancellor Olaf Scholz, clearly demonstrated his willingness to support the African country in its exploitation of the substantial offshore deposits discovered on the border with Mauritania, part of which is due to be launched in 2023. A statement which suggests that the commitments made at the COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021 are no longer sacrosanct. Lower energy consumption than Japan About 40 countries and development agencies, including France, the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States, announced at the time that they would no longer support overseas fossil fuel-based investment projects by the end of 2022. The decision is considered even more baffling now that industrialized countries with much higher-polluting fossil fuels, such as shale oil and gas in the United States and coal in Germany, are increasing their production. Africa wants natural gas to be considered a "transitional energy," just like the European Union (EU) has just endorsed "an energy transition" away from fossil fuels and toward a more sustainable, low-carbon society. 18 countries already produce natural gas on the African continent, which holds 40% of the recently discovered gas reserves worldwide. The majority is exported. You have 48.72% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. IT IS "an exciting time to join" Bothar, according to the Limerick-based charity which is hiring a new CEO. The three-year contract comes with a 90,000 per annum salary; 30 days annual leave; employer pension contribution and health cover. It states in the job description for the new Bothar CEO that "a crucial aspect of this role is to represent the charity externally, especially as we work to resolve legacy issues and mitigate the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic on our operations". Last year Bothar, whose activities include aiding poor farmers in developing nations through donations of livestock, launched High Court proceedings against its former CEO, David Moloney, who, they claim, misappropriated the charity's monies for his own use. Bothar is seeking to recoup the monies taken. Mr Moloney, of Clino, Newport, County Tipperary, has admitted misappropriating large amounts of monies donated to the charity for his personal use. In a sworn statement to the court, he said he spent the cash on things including family holidays, on his friends, but never lodged the monies in the bank nor kept any of the cash taken. He also claims that much of what was misappropriated was paid to others, including to Peter Ireton, co-founder and former CEO of Bothar. Mr Ireton died following what has been described as a personal tragedy at his home in Limerick in April, 2021. Mr Ireton's death came days after Bothar's High Court action against Mr Moloney began. The total sum it is alleged has been misappropriated is 1.1m. The job description for the new Bothar CEO states the role reports to the chair of the board of trustees and there are currently three other employees who all report directly to the CEO. "This is an exciting time to join us as we determine future strategy for our organisation," it states on the job description. There are a number of headings with bullet points regarding what is expected of the new CEO. Under Communications & Fundraising, it reads: "Carry out a full analysis into past income, as part of future strategy." Below Governance & Compliance, it states: "Lead and direct Bothars work ensuring that robust management and governance practices are adhered to." Meanwhile, under Risk Management & Financial Controls, it reads: "Ensure financial integrity and accountability of Bothar through sound controls and financial reporting." The most recent financial statements available on the Bothar website date back to 2018. Being "passionate with an international perspective, committed to a more just world for all" is another advantage for those considering applying. Exactly a year ago, Sean Lavery, Limerick IFA chairman, said the revelations at the time concerning Bothar had left Limerick farmers "shocked and angry". The closing date for applications to be the new CEO of Bothar is Monday, June 6 at 5pm. THE LIMERICK father of controversial comedian Jimmy Carr has called on the Mayor of Limerick, and Limerick City and County Council, to strip his son of an honour bestowed on him in 2013 unless they receive a sincere public apology. And, in Jim Carr Snrs view, if no apology is forthcoming, and if the Mayor or the local authority dont rescind the distinction - A Certificate of Irish Heritage - then its a joke! Jim Carr made his comments to Limerick Live this week in response to references made by his son, Jimmy, in his self-help book, Jimmy Carr, Before and Laughter. The passages which have particularly irked the presenters father relate to Limerick, and Irish people in general. The Limerick city native said his sons comments crossed the line and are derogatory and offensive. On page 23 of his latest book, Jimmy - who performed at Limericks Radisson Blu hotel last Friday night - writes: I might seem urbane, but Im the son of two immigrants from Limerick who moved to Slough (they moved from a sh** town to another sh** town, I guess they knew what they liked). Hes one sick comedian, his father Jim told the Leader, literally and metaphorically. It looks like it anyway. Leave all that aside, I dont want somebody writing that about Limerick in a book. Jim, who is a native of Mount Pleasant Avenue off Wolfe Tone Street, describes himself as a proud Limerick man. He attended the CBS primary and secondary school on Sexton Street in the city, competing in the Dr Harty Cup hurling competition. He also played rugby for Young Munster, Connacht and London Irish. His son, who is one of the most well-known comedians working in Britain today, is famous for his deadpan delivery of controversial one-liners, for which he has been both praised and criticised. Just last February he came under fire for joking that nobody talks about the positives in reference to the Nazi murders of hundreds of thousands of people from the Roma, Sinti and Traveller communities. The father and son who once were extraordinarily close have not been on good terms since 2004. According to Jim, around the time that Jimmy made a false harassment accusation against him, he had sent a card saying best dad in the world. Its the style of his comedy, Jim continued. I am not shocked or surprised that my son referred to Limerick and Slough as [sh** towns ]. He is, after all, a shock jock. His defence will be they are only words, Im only having a laugh. But there are people reading that Limerick is a s*** town and Slough is a s*** town. Ironically, we didnt move to Slough, we moved from Limerick to South Kensington, London, Jim pointed out. In his correspondence to the local authority this week, Jim wrote: Limerick is a very proud city which had its charter before London and is not a town. As part of the Gathering Ireland initiative in 2013, each local authority was invited to nominate a person of Irish descent and born outside Ireland, to receive a Certificate of Irish Heritage. Handing over the certificate, Mayor Kathleen Leddin commented: Jimmy is very proud of his parental connections with Limerick and certainly has an emotional attachment to the city and to Ireland." Jimmy Carr receives certificate of Irish descent in Limerick TOWARDS the end of a sold out show in the UCH on Saturday, top UK comic Jimmy Carr made brief reference to his Limerick roots. Meanwhile, Jim has also taken issue with a joke his son makes in the book about, How many potatoes does it take to kill an Irishman? The Famine - thats our Holocaust for Gods sake, said Jim, who added that the book is full of defamation by word and innuendo. I have instructed my lawyer, and my lawyer has issued a letter before action to Jimmy concerning defamation. I love him, of course, like a son but I am still very active in business and I cant be having my name sullied by innuendo, he noted, adding Jimmy claimed in a recent podcast that he hasnt been in contact with me for 20 years whilst neglecting to say he phoned me in December 2018 asking for a huge favour. I gave him what he wanted but received not a word of thanks. Instead, he has blocked me from trying to tell him I forgive his false accusations and am ready for a reconciliation. When Limerick Live contacted Limerick City and County Council for comment in relation to the rescinding of the honour bestowed on Jimmy Carr in 2013, a spokesperson said they wouldnt be commenting on the matter. Jimmy Carr and his agent have not replied to a request for comment. PAST PUPILS of one Limerick school have signalled their support for Ukrainian refugees in Limerick through a generous donation. Crescent College Past Pupils Union President Kevin Cotter and Committee member Ms Orla Prendergast presented a cheque for 1,500 to Mr Eugene Quinn, Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Ireland. Crescent College Past Pupils Union brings together former pupils and staff of the Sacred Heart College in the Crescent and Crescent College Comprehensive SJ in Dooradoyle to maintain and encourage friendships. It supports pupils, staff, and the school through fundraising and by holding social events where past pupils can renew and strengthen those friendships. From its head office in Dooradoyle, JRS Ireland is working in partnership with a range of agencies to assist high need refugee families and to improve access to support services, including interpretation and trauma support. Their tireless work is estimated to be helping 3000 Ukrainian refugees in Limerick and Clare. Its European branch, JRS Europe, is working through its national offices in Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Hungary to provide shelter, food, medicine, and psychological support to people in Ukraine and to the refugees at reception centres. Donations are welcome and can be made through the JRS Ireland website (JRS.ie). A LIMERICK dairy farmer has now poured 46,000 worth of milk into a slurry tank due to a dispute over hedge cutting. This is going to break me. I cant do a thing about it because I was prosecuted for an offence I never committed. Im sticking it out. Im not cutting the hedge. No way am I cutting the hedge, said Robert Hickey, of Carrigmartin, Ballyneety. This dates back to last August when he received a note from a driver for his milk processor. It read: Last collection til bushes cut back. Mr Hickey, aged 52, had received previous warnings that his milk collection would stop unless the ditch was trimmed. Mr Hickey wrote to the Limerick City and County Council in March, 2021, to inform them of the excessive overgrowth and encroachment of the roadside hedge along the public road leading to my property. I request that Limerick County Council immediately cut back and trim this roadside hedge to allow the dairy truck to be able to access my farmyard and collect the milk, wrote Mr Hickey. Following a query from Limerick Live, a council spokesperson said the cutting of hedgerow is the responsibility of the landowner and he can carry out this activity outside of the bird nesting season annually. Mr Hickey says this contradicts what a council employee said in a court case where he was prosecuted. During the hearing in 2018, the council employee said they take the view that it is responsible for the surface and margin of all public roads in as far as the roadside ditch. Mr Hickey's position is that the hedge is in the charge of the council as was stated in court. In recent weeks he found a letter sent to him from a council engineer in 2016. The letter states: The road is public for 17 perches from the main road. 1 perch = 5.5 yards = 5.029 metres, so 17 perches = 85.496 metres. Mr Hickey contends that this also proves in black and white that it is a public road so it is in charge of the council and they should be cutting it. Limerick Live put this to the council. We have nothing more to add, said a council spokesperson. In recent weeks, Mr Hickey said council workers have cut the hedge on the main road. They even cut around signs that I have put up and about 12 feet in the public road leading to my property. They stopped there. It would have taken them less than an hour to cut it all, said Mr Hickey. So the stalemate continues and the farmer continues to pour his cows milk into a slurry tank. Its 46,000 now Ive lost out on. Im milking 24 cows. I dont even turn on the bulk tank, it goes straight into the slurry pit. I have no fertiliser bought because I couldnt buy it because I had no money to buy it at the price it is making. I only have slurry on the silage ground. This is going to drive me out of farming. We are here all our lives farming. My father bought the farm in 1957, said Mr Hickey, who reiterates his call on the council to cut the hedge and then his milk processor will recommence milk collection. Otherwise, his herds milk will continue to be poured away. If you dont stand your ground you may as well walk away. I wont let these people walk down on top of me, concluded Mr Hickey. A NEW book by a Limerick broadcaster takes readers on a journey into the spiritual world and beyond. Anne Marie Geraghtys voice will be known by many who listen to Limerick radio station Live 95, but listeners will learn even more about her thanks to her book, My Other World. The veteran journalist kept her experiences of premonitions and the spirit world under wraps for many years, but now she feels ready to share her stories with the world. The book is made up of a selection of journal entries over a four year period as Anne Marie learns more about herself and the complexities of the paranormal. Anne Marie is originally from Athlone, however, she has lived in Limerick for over 20 years and now resides here with her family. The mother-of-two spoke to Limerick Live about how her connection to the spiritual world began when she was a child. In primary school I started having dreams at night and then the next day the dreams would play out. It would be very simple things. Something would happen in the schoolyard and it was like a deja vu moment, except I would know what was going to happen next. I was living what I had already seen in my sleep. As I got older it became more about feeling and sensing things, it was only when I was in my late teens that I started seeing things. It was like I was only being shown a certain amount and everything gradually opened up to me the older I got. What started with dreams developed into Anne Marie seeing mists and sparks as well as figures and receiving messages about why things were happening in her life. Anne Marie did not share her experiences with many people as she would be dismissed or laughed at and says even today she does not discuss her experiences with everyone. Close friends and some family know most of what is in the book. If I sense someone is skeptical or afraid then I won't have the conversation but if I meet a like minded soul then I will. I have been blown away by the reaction to the book so far, there have been strangers who have gotten in touch and telling me their own stories. While she has become more comfortable with situations over the years, Anne Marie says some of her experiences can be overwhelming at times. In my early 20s I had a dream in which I saw a man I hadn't seen in years take his own life, in detail. A few weeks after I had the dream, he took his own life. I found that really hard to deal with. I just thought How do you explain this?. That kind of started me on a journey then. I have got to the point now where I am no longer afraid and that is why I have written the book. I know how to deal with things now. It was really difficult at times when something serious like that would happen, it would rock me, she pointed out. The book documents a four year period in Anne Marie's life where she says there was a lot going on including the birth of her two daughters. However, Anne Marie says the book is mostly about her own experiences and details her own journey. Anne Maries book, My Other World, is available now on Amazon. A GROUP of cyclists have taken on a 800km challenge to raise money for charity in memory of their friend and cousin who passed away from cancer. A group of seven set off from London on Saturday, May 21 for their week long cycle to Lahinch. The group took on the challenge in memory of Declan Sexton who passed away from a rare form of cancer two years ago at the age of 27. Declan worked in London and was originally from Lahinch, hence the route the cyclists decided to take. The group decided they wanted to do something in Declan's memory and are raising money for the Irish Cancer Society. The boys are expected to arrive in Lahinch this evening to a welcome reception from locals. Conor Meaney, from Caherdavin, said the journey was challenging at times as the group tackled tight deadlines and bad weather. "On Wednesday morning we had to get to the ferry in Holyhead by 9am and we were in Bangor which is 50 kilometres away. "So we were up at 4am to get there in time and the conditions were quite stormy. We had wind and rain in our faces but we arrived mostly intact! "The group is mostly amateur cyclists, some more so than others! But we trained beforehand and made sure we had the right equipment for the journey." You can donate to the challenge on iDonate here. The Government is to investigate claims that some Ukrainian refugees have raised concerns about being placed in centres with people of Russian ethnicity. However, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said that while the claims will be examined, he does not have a major concern that pro-Putin agents are arriving in Ireland and staying in refugee centres. Some Ukrainian refugees stay at temporary accommodation centres before moving on to long-term accommodation in different parts of the country. A spokeswoman for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) said that where issues arise in accommodation centres, managers deal with those involved on site. It said that when a resolution cannot be reached, the department will endeavour to provide alternative accommodation. Mr Varadkar said the concerns raised by Ukrainian refugees will be looked into. I think its important to appreciate that there are a lot of people who are Ukrainian who have Russian family and vice versa, Mr Varadkar added. The countries are not dissimilar to England and Ireland in many ways. So you do have people that have dual citizenship, and you have people who are Ukrainian but have Russian family members and vice versa. I think as Irish people you can kind of understand that sort of relationship that can exist between two neighbouring countries, often friends, sometimes enemies. We will look into this but I dont have a major concern that there are pro-Putin or pro-Kremlin Russian agents getting into the country under the guise of being Ukrainian. But we do have to bear in mind that thats not impossible, and thats why we will look into it. A department spokeswoman said it provides short-term accommodation to those who are deemed by the Department of Justice to be eligible for protection under the Temporary Protection Directive. The department does not discriminate based on race or nationality, the spokeswoman added. When a person has received Beneficiary of Temporary Protection (BOTP) status from the Department of Justice, DCEDIY then provides temporary accommodation according to their particular needs. Some BOTPs may be of Russian ethnicity and have been resident in Ukraine prior to the invasion. Where issues arise in any of the procured DCEDIY accommodation centres, managers deal with BOTPs onsite and only when a resolution cannot be reached will the department endeavour to provide alternative accommodation. The department does not comment on individual cases. Click here to read the full article. Bobby Brown recounts the origins of new jack swing and his hit My Prerogative in a new clip from the upcoming two-part documentary Biography: Bobby Brown. It airs May 30 and May 31 on A&E. The clip begins with Brown and critic/author Nelson George offering a succinct breakdown of new jack swing, the latter explaining how it took the aggression of hip-hop and some of the instrumental sounds, but mixed them with R&B melodies. The producer at the forefront of this revolution was Teddy Riley, who invited Brown to his mothers apartment in Harlem for a recording session. There was keyboards everywhere, we had the mics set up in the bathroom, Brown recalled. We just decided that, no matter what, we were gonna make something funky out of this. What emerged was My Prerogative, a career-defining hit that anchored Browns 1988 album, Dont Be Cruel. The clip ends with Jermaine Dupri summarizing what made Brown so special in that moment: He understood, if your attitude is street, let that be what it is. But when you sing, be Smokey Robinson. And when you dance and perform, be Fred Astaire, be Michael Jackson. To me, Bobby had figured all that out, and when he locked that in, you couldnt stop him. Biography: Bobby Brown will offer an extensive overview of Browns wildly successful, though often equally tumultuous life and career. Per a press release, Brown will discuss his struggles with substance abuse, his marriage to Whitney Houston, as well as Houstons death and the death of his two children, Bobby Brown, Jr. and Bobbi Kristina Brown. The documentary also reportedly features footage of Brown visiting the gravesite of Houston and Bobbi Kristina Brown for the first time. The press release does not state whether Brown will discuss some of the domestic violence and abuse allegations against him: In 1998 he was accused of sexual battery, but that case was dismissed due to lack of evidence; and in 2003, he was charged with battery after an altercation with Houston. In his memoir, Every Little Step, Brown did admit to striking Houston on one occasion, but denied claims that he was abusive towards his late ex-wife. Click here to read the full article. Kore-eda Hirokazu, director of the well-received Cannes competition film Broker says his diverse and lonely characters constitute a family of choice. This film tells the story of a family which came together by choice. Each character had been rejected. They set off on a car journey, as if by accident. Each has committed offences. They all try for once in their life to do something good, to a greater or lesser degree, said Kore-eda. He was speaking at a standing room only press conference at the Cannes that veered between four languages and seemed to be filled with young film fans as much as journalists and camera crews. The more things are serious, the more I want to add a touch of humor. Song Kang-ho was the ideal actor for this film as he has these two sides in himself, the director said, explaining the films style and presentation. I take this approach because I think it makes people pay attention more. If Id made this film as a tragedy it might have been less convincing. The fragmented structure, family theme and precise acting performances recall his Shoplifters, which won the Palme dor at Cannes in 2018. Questions inevitably turned to how and why a Japanese director chose to work in South Korea. Kore-eda said there were few differences between a Korean and a Japanese director. Kore-eda enjoys good food, cooking and eating well. Thats the main difference, he said, speaking in translation and apparently in the third person. Song described Kore-eda as someone who likes challenges and responds to them. Joint male lead, Gang Dong-won said that Kore-eda was ever-present on set and meticulous. Female lead, Lee Ji-eun said: Kore-eda doesnt speak the same language. Because of this language barrier we had to pay more attention, listen harder. Id been to Busan before, to the film festival. But I was always too busy eating great Korean food and so I had not explored the city that much before choosing the film location. We scouted widely and found a city of contrasts. It is very hilly and I enjoyed playing with the different levels, said Kore-eda. Some time has to elapse to understand what being a father means, said Kore-eda, responding to a question as to whether his three films Like Father, Like Son, Shoplifters and Broker constitute a film trilogy. I had thought that it was easier to understand what it means to be a mother, but a friend of mine challenged that assumption. And Ive regularly been reflecting on that since. The police captain represents majority public opinion and speaks the first line in the film, suggesting that the woman should not have given birth if she was going to give up her child, said Kore-eda. The whole purpose of the two hours of the movie is to open peoples minds, not necessarily to change them. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. It is widely known that Tom Cruise would rather jump off a building or out of an airplane than resort to using CGI. Thus, when it came to filming Top Gun: Maverick, having access to the Navy equipment and expertise that informed the original 1986 hit was paramount for production designer Jeremy Hindle to create a believable, engaging action film. From an opening sequence aboard the flight deck of a USS aircraft carrier to an F-14 Tomcat plane, or a fleet of fighters, Hindle pulled out all the stops. The film brings back Cruise as Pete Maverick Mitchell now a weathered test pilot. He has returned to the San Diego base in the original movie, this time to train a group of naval graduates for a very dangerous mission. The F-14 Tomcat was featured in the first film, and with the sequel hitting a lot of nostalgic notes, it was fitting for the plane to make an encore in a climactic dogfight sequence. But there was a catch, as Hindle explains: There are no F-14s that fly because they [have been decommissioned in the U.S.] and all the engines have been taken out of them. Getting access to even one was quite an undertaking. The only people that have F-14s are in Iran, and they have six of them, says Hindle. But he wasnt going to get any of those. In the end, the filmmakers found one they could use at the San Diego Air and Space Museum, but it had to be dismantled and shipped, since the scenes with the plane were shooting at an airfield more than 500 miles away, near Lake Tahoe. The next challenge was to make the aircraft as fully functional as possible. It needed to be operational enough that the [cockpit] canopy opens, Hindle says. After that, since it still lacked an engine, it was towed. Everything up to that point is as real as you can get, he adds. Hindle credits the Navy crew assigned to the film for aiding to secure the F-14. They would do anything to help make the movie amazing, he says. For the other planes used by Lt. Bradley Rooster Bradshaw (Miles Teller), Jake Hangman Seresin (Glen Powell) and other members of the cast, Hindle brought in 20 other aircraft, also not an easy feat. We collected those from all over the country because these were planes that are working, flying and still doing their jobs, Hindle says. Once he had the planes including a Boeing F/A-18/F call signs needed to be painted on them and the actors headgear. Hindle worked with director Joseph Kosinski, a graphic artist and an illustrator to design the character helmets. Theres so much story to each helmet, Hindle say. Hangmans has a tiny hangman graphic, and Rooster has his design. Everything has to register instantly, because the audience has this second [on screen] to know who they are. Hindle reveals that call signs on helmets did not exist in the Navy until after the first movie was made. It was Tonys [Scott] idea on the first movie, and now everyone does it, he says. There was one plane, though that Hindle didnt have to worry about procuring the one Maverick is working on in a hangar early in the film begins. That was Cruises own P-51 fighter jet, Hindle explains. He flew that from Florida to California to that hangar. As for the films bar, Hindle explains that all Navy bases have I-Bars where officers come and hang out. If theyre stationed there, they will bring a mug which is then hung on a hook, explains Hindle of the decorating choice. The idea behind it was the bar belonged to Penny (Jennifer Connelly), but she had inherited it. Says Hindle, Its this old bar. Everything in the Nacy has this old feel to it, you feel their history because they pass everything on. They dont tear it down and build on it, and thats how we wanted this bar to look. The bar was a real set build on the beach. I scoured bars all along the beach in San Diego, but nothing worked, says Hindle. We actually built it in L.A., completely made of steel and dressed it so I could see it, but then we dismantled it and rebuilt it on the beach. The set dressing, Hindle says, is real from the tail wings to the plaques on the walls. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. An Indigenous Canadian producer who was turned away from the Cannes red carpet for wearing traditional moccasins says he was made to feel like a criminal for representing his culture at the worlds foremost film festival. Vancouver-based producer Kelvin Redvers, who is a member of the Dene nation, was in line to walk the red carpet for the world premiere of Valeria Bruni Tedeschis Les Amandiers on Sunday (May 22) when he was stopped in his tracks by red carpet security. Redvers was part of a contingent of Indigenous producers who were in Cannes for the first time, pitching their projects and experiencing the festival. The groups trip was backed by Canadian funding org Telefilm, Toronto-headquartered Indigenous Screen Office and Capilano Universitys FILMBA program. Originally from the Northwest Territories, Redvers was in the festivals requisite red-carpet attire of black tie but had swapped out the skate shoes he walked to the Palais des Festivals in for a pair of brown moccasins. I was hoping to wear an example of something that would be formal for my culture, which was a beautiful pair of moccasins that were actually beaded by my sister, says Redvers. I was pretty excited to wear those. But as soon as security guards spotted the moccasins, they blocked Redvers from the red carpet, and after a confused back and forth among staff, the producer was asked to leave. Although his French-speaking colleague tried to explain that Cannes is meant to have flexibility for cultural outfits such as saris and kilts, protestations fell on deaf ears. A fairly aggressive security guard got fed up, got right in my face and said, You need to leave now. Leave now. Leave now. Leave now. Leave! says Redvers. I was very confused and hurt; I felt belittled. I was being treated like a criminal for just trying to wear my formal traditional wear. Redvers was only allowed back on the red carpet after changing into his regular shoes. Cannes has had a long history of red carpet controversy, and in the past turned away women wearing flat shoes instead of high heels. Although this outdated rule, which was never codified, seems to have been largely relaxed, Cannes attendees continue to have run-ins with security on the red carpet. Last week, Variety awards editor Clayton Davis was pulled aside for wearing a white tuxedo instead of a black or blue outfit, despite another individual in a white tux, who was white, walking the carpet without any issue. After Telefilm and the Indigenous Screen Office complained about Redvers altercation, top brass at Cannes including the festivals secretary general Francois Desrousseaux and the head of the red carpet met with Redvers and his advocates the next day, and apologized for the commotion. Yet, oddly, Cannes leadership admitted that even if Redvers case had been presented to the red carpet staff that makes the final call on admittance, he would have been turned away because his moccasins just didnt fit the approval levels of what formal wear is. One of the problems is I was only wearing one piece of my formal wear, says Redvers. If Id been wearing the full regalia, they would have put me through, which is interesting because it really limits formal wear into a preconceived idea and a Western idea of what formal wear should be. Kerry Swanson, co-executive director of the Indigenous Screen Office, says the group had a productive and open conversation with Cannes executives, but highlights that because red carpet staff are making subjective decisions about formal wear, expanding the vocabulary of cultural attire is necessary to ensure this doesnt happen again. If security is confronted with cultural attire they are not familiar with, it would be better to err on the side of allowing them in rather than keeping them out, says Swanson. This is especially crucial, she says, given the growing wave of Indigenous-made work getting global attention, which means more Indigenous filmmakers will be present at international festivals like Cannes. Added Redvers: Our goal is to create awareness that a ribbon skirt may not look necessarily formal but in a cultural context, its tremendously important when it comes to ceremony in Indigenous communities. Theyre willing to hear it and we want to start a conversation over the summer so that if someone else shows up in moccasins or a ribbon skirt in Cannes, [organizers] know what to look for. Cannes invited Redvers to walk the red carpet on Monday, for the world premiere of Canadian director David Cronenbergs Crimes of the Future and this time, his moccasins got the green light. The next day, at the red carpet, although the first security guard who saw us was about to say something, the next person saw how we were dressed and said, Yes, let them through, says Redvers. That was my favorite moment of my festival: to walk in and get kicked out for a case of cultural wear, and the next day to have changed the understanding for myself and other people on the red carpet. A spokesperson for the Cannes Film Festival did not respond to requests for comment. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Digital artist and NFT virtuoso Emily Yang joined Variety and Kering at the Cannes Film Festival for an inspiring Women In Motion conversation on Friday, just ahead of the final day of the festivals 75th edition. In just over two years, Yang went from being on unemployment insurance to becoming a rockstar in the NFT-driven digital art space under the handle @pplpleasr. Yang, who designed the April cover of Vogue magazines Taiwan edition, has used the proceeds of the sales of her artwork to set up the Stand With Asians Community Fund as well as an NFT collective for charitable work. Starting her career as a visual effects artist, Yang worked on studio tentpoles like Batman v. Superman and Wonder Woman, and in 2020, had a job offer from Apple for a digital artist role. When the pandemic struck, however, the opportunity went away, leaving Yang jobless for over a year. It was definitely not an easy time, reflects Yang. Looking back now, I obviously see it as a blessing in disguise, but at the time it was particularly stressful because I was living in New York and worried about paying rent. I was actually collecting unemployment insurance because I had lost my job and I think what kept me sane during that time was I started an Instagram account and thats how pplpleasr was born. Yang who was doing endless job applications wanted an outlet and building out her pplpleasr brand provided a respite from the job hunt. I started making artwork for myself for the very first time, because before I had always been making artwork for other big Hollywood studios. It was really to make myself feel like I was doing something productive and I wasnt putting my life to waste. Around that time, Yang began looking into other revenue streams and was drawn into DeFi (decentralized finance), which is a sub-sector of cryptocurrency. I saw a way to marry my own skill set with crypto knowledge and make myself valuable and useful in the space out of purely a need to create some kind of income for myself. I started using my medium and making all these animations to promote DeFi protocols. Through word of mouth, they all started hitting me up and thats when I was like, This could be a real job.' Yet Yang acknowledges that there are still plenty of misconceptions and misunderstandings about the crypto world. People see it as super ridiculous or over the top, especially as the media focus is a lot on the numbers [big sales deals] that are generated, says Yang. For me, I obviously found the technology very interesting, about being able to generate unchained royalties for artists, beyond the many, many things that NFTs enable for people. But its really weird because I feel like as an NFT artist, your entire worth and self-worth is put online. Everyone is judging you by the numbers that you generate. Overall, Yang finds the space empowering for women, and points out that the crypto community is not a sexist one. This is pretty obvious by how many anonymous influencer accounts there are where people are just represented by a picture of a monkey online or something, says Yang. They dont know who you are or what your background is it doesnt really matter its just what kind of thoughts and ideas youre putting out into the space. There is a gender disparity, says Yang, but thats more a spillover from the tech and finance industries being more male-dominated. Its basically a convergence of all these industries that previously had a large gender imbalance, she says. But my job is to hopefully inspire more women to join this space, adds Yang. And you are seeing this happen more and more, but my own success is also a result of people not [discriminating by gender] because they just realized the work I was doing was cool, and less about who I am or what I look like. In that regard, I feel really lucky and I hope that my story can inspire other women to join in my footsteps and build in web3 as well. Watch Yangs full conversation at Kerings Women In Motion talk with Variety in the video below: Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. It was Paul Gauguin, Frances most celebrated Polynesian tourist, who once wrote of learning to know the silence of a Tahitian night. Its a void, he wrote, in which other senses and sensory awarenesses are heightened, amplifying his sense of loneliness and separation from others: The inhabitants of the district and I mutually watched each other, and the distance remained the same. Gauguin isnt mentioned in Pacifiction, Albert Serras languorous, meandering tour of modern-day Tahiti, though those words echo through its survey of the islands distanced, distracted residents even if the nights here arent as silent as the artist might remember, disrupted as they are with tinny discotheque beats, darkened trysts and the hovering, unidentified threat of nuclear warfare. The first film by cultish Catalan provocateur Serra to crack Canness competition lineup, Pacifiction is an unhurried, 164-minute tropical tour that is sort of about nothing and everything at once. Slender in terms of incident, its drawn-out narrative is nonetheless rife with political tension, observing both the enduring colonialist entitlement of the French Republic territorys Gallic custodians and the ever-itching resentment felt by its indigenous population coming to a head under the twin threats of gentrifying development and military destruction. The films contemporary setting makes it a departure of sorts from Serras recent run of sensuous, somnambulant period pieces which bottomed out, so to speak, with 2019s 18th-century erotic endurance test Liberte but its fully consistent with his oeuvre in its hazy cultivation of mood and its merging of historical realities with daydreamed surrealism. Either way its a very passive fiction indeed, the oblique thriller-ish trappings of which probably arent enough to significantly expand Serras select, besotted fanbase, though esoterically-inclined distributors will try. Provided they stick with the films luxuriantly gradual pacing, however, there are rewards here even for more bemused viewers caught in its tide. Those include the humid beauty and occasionally giddy technical fluidity of Artur Torts camerawork and an amusingly offhanded lead performance by Benoit Magimel, settling ever more louchely into the character-actor phase of his career. He plays the islands French High Commissioner De Roller an apt enough name for someone who at least likes to see himself as a droll high roller, permanently clad in the expected uniform of white summer suit, beachy printed shirt and orange espadrilles, whether hes taking meetings or zooming around on a jetski. Gregarious but glib, he seemingly has no off-switch as a politician: Every encounter is a negotiation and a performance, whether hes appeasing local community leaders to pave the way for a new luxury casino development, paying tribute to a visiting French novelist attempting a Gauguin-style creative exile, or simply making small talk with fellow patrons at the sleazy neighborhood nightclub run by fellow expat Morton (a brief cameo from Sergi Lopez). Even with his would-be lover, transgender traditional dancer Shannah (Pahoa Mahagafanau, in a warm, watchful turn), hes guarded and manipulative, seeking opportunities for an advantage with the locals newly aggravated by rumors that a French submarine is lurking near their shores, set to resume the program of nuclear testing that was paused in the area in the mid-1990s. De Roller denies such talk with smarmy assurance. The truth, however, is hes exasperatedly out of the loop himself, stalking a newly arrived navy admiral (Mark Susini) and his crew, and cruising the ocean after dark for signs of underwater activity none of which is especially fruitful, not least since the sailors seem mostly interested in hanging around Mortons club, in extended scenes of semi-homoerotic socializing that play a little like Abdellatif Kechiche remixing Querelle. Written down in such terms, Pacifiction sounds plottier than it is, whereas Serras primary interest is in the slow, repetitive grind of De Rollers routine. His daily circuits of meetings, greetings and cocktails expose the petty vanities of colonial bureaucracy and the puffed-up insecurities of privileged but replaceable European patriarchy, in a manner comparable to Lucrecia Martels far more feverish, intellectually buzzing Zama. Serras filmmaking, though, keeps any political agitation below the rippling surface. Its perhaps significant that the films most captivating scene involves simply giving over to the elements, as we head out on one of the boats transporting surfers far from the shore an into the Pacific, where staggeringly high breakers lift and carry all crafts with vast, inhuman power and for several minutes, Torts 4K camera bobs and rises with them in a thrilling, immersive surrender. Pacifiction is a film in many ways about floating, through life and water and power, inviting the viewer to idly drift right along with it. Reviewed at Cannes Film Festival (Competition), May 26, 2022. Running time: 164 MIN. Running Time: Running time: 164 MIN. Production (France-Spain-Germany-Portugal) An Ideale Audience Group, Andergraun Films, Tamtam Film, Rosa Filmes production in co-production with Arte France Cinema, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Archipel Production in association with Cinemage 16. (World sales: Films Boutique, Berlin.) Producers: Pierre-Olivier Bardet, Albert Serra, Montse Triola, Dirk Decker, Andrea Schutte, Joaquim Sapinho, Marta Alves, Laurent Jacquemin. Crew Director: Albert Serra. Screenplay: Serra, Baptiste Pinteaux. Camera: Artur Tort. Editors: Serra, Tort, Ariadna Ribas. Music: Marc Verdaguer. With Benoit Magimel, Pahoa Mahagafanau, Marc Susini, Matahi Pambrun, Alexandre Melo, Sergi Lopez, Montse Triola, Michael Vautor, Cecile Guilbert, Lluis Serrat, Mike Landscape, Cyrus Arai, Mareva Wong, Baptiste Pinteaux. (French, English dialogue) Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. NEW YORK - Here's to the playwrights who quip. And yes, please, everybody laugh, because things are terrible right now, and we can all use the kind of release activated by being with other people and sharing an hour or two of funny respite. Chief among the blessed humorists at the moment: James Ijames, whose divine comedy "Fat Ham" just won the Pulitzer Prize for drama. (A thanks to the Pulitzers for recognizing a play with a thoroughly joyful leitmotif.) The work made its debut last year as a digital production by Philadelphia's Wilma Theater, where Ijames is one of three co-artistic directors. And now, at the Public Theater, in a production with the National Black Theatre, the show gets its live theatrical premiere, courtesy of director Saheem Ali and a terrific corps of seven actors who plant their feet firmly in Ijames's cheeky turf. (His surname is pronounced IMES.) "Fat Ham" is not the most delicately wrought work of dramatic literature ever to win the esteemed prize. Nor as a riff on "Hamlet" can it claim 100 percent originality: Shakespeare's soliloquies find their way into the audience asides delivered by Marcel Spears's nimbly rendered Juicy. He portrays a student at an online university whose usurping uncle leaps into his mother's bed. It is all unabashedly entertaining and one of a spate of enticing new plays that are destined to be seen on stages across the country, offering fresh hope to theaters and theatergoers who are willing the industry back to full health. Anecdotal reports, and my own observations, indicate that playhouses are not filling seats the way they did before the pandemic, and some artistic directors say an attendance drop-off of 10 to 20% may be long-lasting. Plays like "Fat Ham" and "John Proctor Is the Villain," Kimberly Belflower's terrific revisionist take on "The Crucible," now at D.C.'s Studio Theatre, are of an accomplished caliber to spearhead a more vibrant return to live performance. Another is Samuel H. Hunter's deeply affecting "A Case for the Existence of God," at off-Broadway's Signature Theatre Company (not to be confused with the Arlington, Va., troupe of the same name). Hunter has danced with the sublime before, in plays such as "Greater Clements," his 2019 contemplation of identity and history in an Idaho mining town. Woolly Mammoth Theatre was an early proponent, staging Hunter's trenchant "A Bright New Boise" in 2011. In "A Case for the Existence of God," he returns us to Idaho, this time in the company of Keith (Kyle Beltran) and Ryan (Will Brill), whose ever more meaningful and complex friendship explodes all the tired tropes about the emotional bonds between men. Keith is a mortgage broker and Ryan the woefully underqualified loan applicant who walks into his office - a typically colorless cubicle placed by set designer Arnulfo Maldonado at the ethereal center of the vast Irene Diamond stage. What evolves in that office belies the impersonal surroundings, but not in the soapy ways a writer of lesser gifts might contrive. Keith and Ryan discover a safe space for their free-floating insecurities, their love of being fathers, an essence of masculine intimacy that manages to thrive outside homoeroticism. (Keith, we learn, is straight and Ryan is gay.) "I think we share a specific kind of sadness, you and me," Ryan confides, as their various struggles over divorce and foster parenting come to the fore. With incisive input from Hunter and director David Cromer, the smashingly good Brill and Beltran - who were roommates at Carnegie Mellon University - forge a relationship at times tense and tenuous, at others mutually affirmative. Lighting designer Tyler Micoleau is enlisted to devise a clever plan for indicating shifts in time and place without the necessity of Keith and Ryan leaving the office. The final scene of "A Case for the Existence of God" is as touchingly resonant as the finale in "Fat Ham" is groove-in-your-seat exuberant. Ijames's meta-theatrical comedy follows melancholy Juicy on the occasion of a backyard barbecue in America celebrating the marriage of his mother, Tedra (the wondrous Nikki Crawford), to Rev (Billy Eugene Jones). Rev probably arranged the shanking in prison of Juicy's father, Pap, who (in the guise of Jones again) materializes in ghostly white formal wear, traces of smoke wafting out of his hair. Yes, the famous play's the thing as Ijames's evocations of storied characters arrive: Ophelia, as Adrianna Mitchell's Opal, Horatio (Chris Herbie Holland's Tio), Laertes (Calvin Leon Smith's Larry) and Polonius (Benja Kay Thomas's Rabby). One of the pleasures of "Fat Ham" is its wry act of appropriation; there's affection, not snark, in Ijames's embrace of the canon so that the contemporary frictions among the reimagined characters propel the play winningly into social satire. That Mitchell's risibly restless Opal has no eyes for Juicy - and uptight Marine Larry does - are just two of the many ways "Fat Ham" turns "Hamlet" giddily upside down. In the mouthy matriarchal role, Thomas is a special magnitude of irresistible. As Juicy, Spears proves an appealing central conveyor of Ijames's conceits, one of which proposes this latter-day Hamlet as seeking a career in human resources; the job is portrayed here as being for someone who, ahem, has trouble making up his mind. The playwright sneaks in bits of enjoyable wordplay, too, as when Rev lavishes praise on his own grilling skills. "The secret is the rub," he says. "Ah, there's the rub," Juicy replies. Silly for sure - and kind of great. - - - "Fat Ham," by James Ijames. Directed by Saheem Ali. Set, Maruti Evans; costumes, Dominique Fawn Hill; lighting, Stacey Derosier; sound, Mikaal Sulaiman. About 95 minutes. Through July 3 at Public Theater, 425 Lafayette St., New York. publictheater.org. "A Case for the Existence of God," by Samuel H. Hunter. Directed by David Cromer. Set Arnulfo Maldonado; costumes, Brenda Abbandandolo; lighting, Tyler Micoleau; sound, Christopher Darbassie. About 90 minutes. Through June 5 at Signature Theatre, 480 W. 42d St., New York. signaturetheatre.org. Courtesy/Webb County Sheriff's Office A man was arrested after threatening to beat up another male via Facebook for being a dumba--, according to an arrest affidavit. Esteban Ivan Acosta, 35, was served with an arrest warrant charging him with harassment -- repeated electronic communication. The Uvalde, Texas mass shooting that left 21 dead 19 children and two teachers has caused reactions from people from all over the state and even locally. One local representative of Webb County and Uvalde, Tracy O. King, actually lives in the area. And he spoke to LMT about what he is seeing in the community following the tragedy. The Texas District 80 State Representative said he continues to focus on the healing process for those affected in his community, as he believes that questions of policy will come later as time progresses. We are truly heartbroken, and this has shaken our community to the core, King said. We are now mourning with the families of the children and teachers lost. King represents the area as his district extends from Uvalde County in the north to Zapata County in the south. As such, the matter is obviously more personal to him as the massacre occurred at Robb Elementary School, located about 10 minutes away from his office. Since the situation occurred, he said that he has been involved with local law enforcement to ensure anything that can be done to help mitigate the situation is being done. King also states that he knew some of the families directly impacted by the mass shooting, and that he has been in contact with several of them. I live in the City of Uvalde and have been here to help and support our school and local officials, local law enforcement, first responders and, most importantly, the families involved in this tragedy, King said. King describes Uvalde as a close-knit community. The city had a population of just over 15,000 as of the latest Census figures from 2020, and it's been a family atmosphere for the state rep. while he's lived there. I have been in the area for decades, King said. I raised my family here and both my children graduated from the Uvalde public school system. I am very familiar with Robb Elementary and Uvalde CISD, as well as the city and surrounding region. It is my home. As law enforcement continues to investigate how things unfolded on the day of the mass shooting, many people from Uvalde and the surrounding areas including Laredo Police Department officers and ordinary Laredoans have gone out to the small community to the north to offer their assistance. For now, King hopes that locals can keep the families of the victims in their prayers. But he expressed his thanks to everyone who has stepped up and helped those in need in the area. We ask that folks keep the victims, their families and our community in their prayers, King said. I believe there will be more material ways for people to offer direct help in the coming days. We are grateful for everyone's assistance, and please feel free to contact our office if we can help them in those efforts. King also said that right now is not the time to diverge into policy, as people should reflect and honor the victims and continue praying for their families. He believes that soon a time will come when the policy can be approached and spoken about, but not at the moment. The community is in shock and is grieving, King said. The investigation is still ongoing, and we are supporting our law enforcement team as they continue their work. In the meantime, we will ask all Texans for their continued prayers for the families and the Uvalde community. The opportunity to address this tragic event will come, but now is the time to offer support to our neighbors. Graduation celebrations are here, and the Laredo community is gathering at Sames Auto Arena all week to honor respective students. UISD is graduating 3,145 seniors from four high schools in the district. And it kicked off the week with commencement ceremonies for Lyndon B. Johnson and John B. Alexander High School on Tuesday and Wednesday night, respectively. LBJ started the week with 662 students graduating in the Class of 2022. Among them is Sergio Villarreal Jr., who graduated with his associate's degree from Laredo College. Villarreal completed this degree through the Early Start Pathway program. "If I am honest, every school week was filled with doing work at school and getting home to doing even more homework," said Villarreal of his busy schedule. "Even then, I was still able to make great memories. Now I am here in my senior year about to graduate with my associate's degree. "It may be tiring and challenging at times, but without it I would have had to spend even more time pursuing college hours to be able to graduate from college after high school." Villarreal advises students to take advantage of the Early Start Pathway program and the opportunities it brings so they can too can finish high school with a dual-degree. "To any future students interested in the Early Start Pathway program, I recommend to take advantage of the summers and all opportunities to take college courses so that by your senior year, you too can graduate with your associate's degree," he said. "Do not procrastinate. Pace yourself, but never lose sight of the goal." After high school, Villarreal plans to attend Texas A&M International University to pursue a degree in botany. As a second option, Villarreal considers continuing his enrollment at Laredo College to study trade. Alexander continued the week of graduations with a ceremony that graduated 721 Bulldogs on Wednesday. Last month, AHS held an early graduation for Joshua Gonzalez, whose ill father Daniel would likely not be able to attend his graduation. On Wednesday night, Joshua was joined by his family, with the exception of his dad, where he received his diploma with the Class of 2022. "It was a tremendous honor to walk that stage with my peers," Gonzalez said. "Having the teachers, the staff, our principal and our parents cheering us on as we move on to a new chapter in our lives, opening the door for countless possibilities opportunities and beginnings, I will always be proud to be of the Class of 2022. And no matter where we may end up, we will have the strength and character to preserve and push on in the face of adversity. "I am again grateful to the entire UISD staff for going above and beyond to help my family. I will never forget them as I move on to new opportunities made possible by their diligence and dedication to providing us with an education. Especially to Miss Rodriguez, she provided me a special attachment for my tassel that was able to help honor my father. He didn't make it to the main graduation, but his words were, 'It's OK, I made it to the important one' -- the important one being the first small graduation we held for him. "The one thing I would like to say to my peers is that sometimes it's the people that no one imagines anything of that go on to do the things that no one can imagine. So never let anyone make you out to be any less than what you are." Additionally, Alexander presented graduation diplomas to the parents of five students who have passed away within the last years before being able to reach the esteemed ceremony. Walter Gabriel Garza Marron, Jaqueline Ashley Gonzalez, Alicia Lisset Hernandez, Julio Jesus Lerma Montemayor and Juan Antonio Sosa Santana were remembered by their class and honored with their high school diplomas and a minute of silence. UISD will continue graduations of United South High School on Friday at 7 p.m. and United High School on Saturday at 7 p.m. LISD held its celebrations on Thursday with Martin, Nixon and Cigarroa High Schools having its events at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively. Garcia Early College rounds out LISD with an event Friday at 11 a.m. inside the LISD Performing Arts Complex Auditorium. Courtesy/Laredo Police Department A man is wanted for breaking into a home to steal a window air conditioning unit and a weed eater, according to Laredo police. Luis Manuel Gonzalez, 25, has an active warrant for his arrest for burglary of habitation. Since Monday, the deputy constables of Precinct 4 have been enforcing the 2022 Click it or Ticket campaign. Constable Harold Devally has committed his deputy constables to work the two-week campaign to help educate motorists and passengers on the importance of seat belt safety. This is Devallys third year participating in the statewide campaign, and he is optimistic for favorable reporting back to the state. "The priority of the grant is public safety," Devally said. "The law applies to everyone when it comes to seatbelts for drivers and passengers. Deputy Constables will also be making sure that children are properly fastened in their car seats." TxDOT has awarded the Constables Office over $3,500 in grant monies to allow deputies enforcement from May 23 through June 5. Deputies will be working morning and evening hours along areas that have been designated and approved by the state. These areas include Loop 20, Mines Rd and Interstate Highway 35, among other areas throughout the city and county. These areas have been identified by the state to have had accidents involving serious injuries or fatalities. The Constables Office has worked closely with TxDOT representative and Traffic Safety Specialist of the Laredo District Blanca N. Trevino-Castro to review all submissions of the grant. "This is the 20th anniversary of the Click It or Ticket Campaign, and we are pleased to have deputies available to work this grant," Devally said. "TxDOT has been an important partner to all law enforcement agencies, and we hope that our partnership continues for years to come." Devally also encouraged everyone to Buckle Up day or night to try and end the streak of daily deaths on Texas roadways. In 2021, there were 3,507 Texas crashes with people that were not buckled up. Those crashes resulted in fatal or serious injuries. The state has seen a 14% increase from the previous year. There hasn't been a deathless day on Texas roads since Nov. 7, 2000. (Information provided by Texas Department of Transportation) For more information regarding the Click It or Ticket Campaign of Precinct 4, contact 956-523-5100 or Trevino-Castro at 956-712-7408. Cities and counties in Texas dominated the list of the fastest-growing places in the U.S. between 2020-2021, according to population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021, eight of the fifteen fastest growing cities in the nation were located in Texas, the data shows. San Antonio saw the largest numerical growth in population over the 12-month period, Census data shows. The city gained 13,626 residents for a total population of 1.45 million, making it the seventh-largest city in the nation and the second-most populous city in Texas behind Houston. Fort Worth had the third-largest growth in population in the U.S., gaining 12,916 people between 2020 and 2021. Frisco gained 7,933 residents in 12 months, the third-highest total in Texas and the eighth-largest increase nationwide. The other Texas cities with the largest increases were New Braunfels (7,538), Georgetown (7,193), Leander (6,159), Denton (5,844) and McKinney (5,586). While Georgetown did not have the largest numerical increase in population, the Austin-area city had the largest percentage growth in population in the U.S., growing 10.5%, Census data shows. At that rate, the citys population would double in less than seven years, a Census press release said. The city has a population of 75,420, according to Census estimates. Texas is also home to some of the fastest-growing counties in the U.S., Census data shows. Rockwall County, in the Dallas area, grew the most in the nation between 2020 and 2021 with a population growth of 6.5%. Chambers County (5.7%), Hays and Comal counties (5.2%) and Fort Bend County (5.1%) were all also in the top 10 fastest growing counties in the U.S., according to Census data. The 15 largest U.S. cities remained the same, although half of the cities saw a decrease in population, according to Census estimates. That includes Houston, which lost 11,777 people between 2020 and 2021, and Dallas, which lost 14,777 people during the same period. Texas had the third-highest percentage increase in housing units in the 12-month period, growing 2.0% for a total of 11.9 million units. Utah was the state with the fastest growth at 2.7% followed by Idaho at 2.5%. Harris County saw the largest numerical gain in housing units in the country between 2020 and 2021, gaining 34,132 units. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Breaking with the party line in a rare show of opposition to his countrys war in Ukraine, a Communist Party legislative deputy in Russias Far East demanded an end to the military operation and withdrawal of Russian forces. We understand that if our country doesnt stop the military operation, well have more orphans in our country, Leonid Vasyukevich said at a meeting of the Primorsk regional Legislative Assembly in the Pacific port of Vladivostok on Friday. His comments, which he addressed to President Vladimir Putin, were shown in a video posted on a Telegram channel emanating from the region. Another deputy followed to support Vasyukevichs views but the legislative assemblys chairman issued a statement afterward calling the remarks a political provocation not supported by the majority of lawmakers. Earlier this month, a Russian diplomat based in Geneva resigned, saying he was ashamed of the war. Russia has imposed severe penalties for publicly challenging the Kremlins narrative on the military operation in Ukraine. ___ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Relentless: Russia squeezes Ukrainian strongholds in east West mulls having Russian oligarchs buy way out of sanctions Russia blames the West for global food crisis as it blocks Ukraine ports US wins latest legal battle to seize Russian yacht in Fiji US general: No need to add ground forces in Sweden, Finland ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy spoke defiantly Friday in two speeches about his countrys ultimate victory over Russian forces in both the most pressing battle in eastern Ukraine and the war, generally. Ukraine is a country that has destroyed the myth about the extraordinary power of the Russian army -- an army that supposedly, in a few days, could conquer anyone it wants, he told Stanford University students by video. Now Russia is trying to occupy the entire state but we feel strong enough to think about the future of Ukraine, which will be open to the world. Later, in his nightly video address, Zelenskyy reacted to Russians capture of the eastern city of Lyman, the Donetsk regions large railway hub north of two more key cities still under Ukrainian control, and its attempt to encircle and seize the city of Sievierodonetsk, one of the last areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk. If the occupiers think that Lyman or Sievierodonetsk will be theirs, they are wrong, the Ukrainian president said in his nightly video address. Donbas will be Ukrainian. ___ KYIV, Ukraine The governor of the Luhansk region is denying Russian claims that their forces have surrounded the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk but said Ukrainian soldiers may have to retreat. Serhiy Haidai wrote on Telegram Friday that the Russians have seized a hotel and bus station. The Russians will not be able to capture Luhansk region in the coming days, as analysts predict. We will have enough forces and means to defend ourselves, Haidai wrote. He added that its possible that not to be surrounded, we will have to leave. A critical supply and evacuation path, the Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway, is constantly under fire, but supplies and people are still passing on it, Haidai said. ___ KYIV, Ukraine The leaders of the Orthodox churches in Ukraine that were affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church have adopted measures declaring the churchs full independence and criticizing the Russian churchs leader for his support of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Orthodoxy, the largest religious denomination in Ukraine, is divided between churches that had been loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate and those under a separate ecclesiastical body. The council of the Moscow-connected body, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, on Friday said it condemns the war as a violation of Gods commandment Thou shalt not kill! ... and expresses disagreement with the position of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the war in Ukraine. It also adopted charter changes indicating the full self-sufficiency and independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. ___ ROME Italian Premier Mario Draghi spoke by phone Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy, assuring him of the support of the Italian government in coordination with the European Union. Draghis office said the leaders also discussed the prospects for opening Ukrainian ports to allow grain exports to help combat the food crisis that is threatening the worlds poorest countries. Draghi spoke Thursday with President Vladimir Putin in a bid to reach an agreement to open the ports, and Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for Italys commitment to work on a possible solution. Draghi noted after speaking to Putin that many millions of tons of grain risk rotting in Ukrainian ports if there is no agreement to allow their passage. __ The Kremlin-backed leader of Russias southern province of Chechnya has posted a video in which he warns that Poland could be next after Ukraine. Ramzan Kadyrov, who is famous for his bluster, said in the video he posted to his official Telegram page that Ukraine was a done deal and that if an order is given after Ukraine, well show you (Poland) what youre made of in six seconds. Poland, which borders Ukraine, has provided its neighbor with weapons and other aid since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. It has also welcomed in millions of Ukrainian refugees. Kadyrov later urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to finally come to his senses and accept the conditions offered by our president (Vladimir Putin). Kadyrov has repeatedly used social media to boast about Chechen fighters alleged performance against Ukrainian troops and to make other unconfirmed statements about the war in Ukraine. ___ MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Ukraine should remove sea mines from areas near its ports to allow safe shipping. Putin made the statement in Fridays call with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, according to the Kremlin readout of the conversation. It said that Putin and Nehammer had a detailed exchange of views on issues regarding food security with Putin rejecting Western claims that Russias action that exacerbated a global food crisis. The Kremlin noted that Putin emphasized that attempts to blame Russia for difficulties regarding shipments of agricultural products to global markets are unfounded. It added that the Russian leader gave a detailed explanation of the real roots behind those problems that emerged, in particular, because of the U.S. and the EU sanctions against Russia. The U.S. and other Western allies have rejected the Russian demand for the sanctions to be lifted and accused Moscow of blocking grain supplies from Ukraine to global markets accusations the Kremlin has denied. ___ LONDON British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Russian forces are making palpable progress in eastern Ukraine, and Kyivs forces need long-range rocket launchers and other military support. Britains defense ministry said Friday that Moscows troops have recently captured several villages as they attempt to surround Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the eastern Donbas region, but do not yet have full control of the region. Johnson told news agency Bloomberg that Russian President Vladimir Putin at great cost to himself and Russian military is continuing to chew through ground in Donbas, hes continuing to make gradual, slow but Im afraid palpable progress. He said that therefore it is absolutely vital that we continue to support the Ukrainians militarily. Johnson said long-range multiple-launch rocket systems, or MLRSs, would enable them to defend themselves against this very brutal Russian artillery. Britain possesses some of the systems, but Johnson did not say whether the U.K. would send any to Ukraine. ___ PRAGUE The U.K.s top diplomat says countries supporting Ukraine have to be ready for the long haul and there should be no talk of appeasing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said after meeting her Czech counterpart in Prague Friday that we need to make sure that Ukraine wins and that Russia withdraws and that we never see this type of Russian aggression again. She said that there should be no talk of cease-fires, or appeasing Putin. Truss says that Ukraine needs to receive more heavy weapons and gradually get upgraded to get NATO-standard equipment. She said that at the moment, theyre using a lot of ex-Soviet equipment. We need to make sure theyre able to defend themselves into the future. ___ BUDAPEST, Hungary -- A U.S. lawmaker is urging the Biden administration to consider imposing sanctions on some Hungarian companies in an effort to pressure Budapest to agree to a European Union embargo on Russian oil. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi urged him to consider all tools including sanctions to ensure that Hungary -- a member of the EU and NATO -- gets on board with the proposal. The EU has for weeks has sought to forge a consensus on a new sanctions package that would phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2022. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has held up negotiations and threatened a veto of the plan, arguing it would devastate Hungarys economy and lead to energy insecurity. In his letter to Blinken, Krishnamoorthi wrote that the EUs proposed embargo would significantly increase financial pressure on Russias economy and Putins war machine. If Orban continues to stall EU negotations, he wrote, the Biden Administration should consider implementing sanctions against companies in Hungary that continue to do business with Russian oil exporters. ___ ISTANBUL Turkeys foreign minister says Sweden and Finland must now take concrete steps to alleviate his countrys security concerns to overcome Ankaras objections to their NATO membership bid. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday that delegations from the two Nordic countries have returned home with Turkeys demands after a visit this week and Ankara is awaiting their answers. The countries membership bids require support from all NATO countries, but Turkey is objecting to them. It has cited alleged support for Kurdish militants that Turkey considers terrorists and restrictions on weapons sales to Turkey. Cavusoglu said that an approach of well convince Turkey in time anyway, we are friends and allies would not be correct. He insisted that these countries need to take concrete steps. He added that we understand Finland and Swedens security concerns but ... everyone also needs to understand Turkeys legitimate security concerns. ___ ROME Italian Premier Mario Draghi has discussed the emerging food crisis in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Draghis office said that the call Thursday focused on the situation in Ukraine and ... efforts to find a shared solution to the ongoing food crisis and its serious repercussions on the worlds poorest countries. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but the war and a Russian blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering world food supplies. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Russia also is a significant grain exporter. Moscow pressed the West on Thursday to lift sanctions against Russia, seeking to shift the blame for the food crisis. ___ BERLIN -- Germanys development minister has traveled to Ukraine to pledge further civilian support and discuss the countrys rebuilding. Svenja Schulze is the second German minister to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion started. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited on May 10 and reopened the countrys embassy in Kyiv. Schulzes ministry said she planned to meet Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and other senior officials in Kyiv on Friday. It said the talks will address immediate aid to address the problems Ukraine faces now and strategic questions related to rebuilding the country. Schulze said in a statement that we must already lay now the foundations for internationally coordinated support for the rebuilding of a free and democratic Ukraine and Germany will contribute. ___ MOSCOW -- Russia-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine claim to have taken control of Lyman, a town in the Donetsk region. There has been no confirmation yet from Ukrainian officials. The military of the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic said on Telegram that rebel forces, supported by the Russian troops, as of Friday have liberated and taken full control of 220 settlements, including Lyman. Lyman, which had a pre-war population of over 20,000, is a large railway hub in the Donetsk region, north of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, cities that remain under Ukrainian control. ___ MOSCOW -- Russias Foreign Ministry has announced that it is expelling five Croatian diplomats in response to unfriendly steps taken by Zagreb to reduce the size of Russias diplomatic mission there. The ministry said in an statement that it summoned Croatian ambassador Tomislav Car on Friday. It said it expressed a strong protest in connection with the groundless attempts of the Croatian authorities to blame Russia for war crimes in Ukraine and the provision of military assistance by the Croatian side to the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime. Last month, Croatia expelled 18 Russian diplomats. ___ KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukraines foreign minister is pleading with Western nations to provide Kyiv with heavy weapons to enable it to push Russian forces back. Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday night tweeted a video of himself answering questions submitted on Twitter and said: We need heavy weapons. The only position where Russia is better than us its the amount of heavy weapons they have. Without artillery, without multiple launch rocket systems we wont be able to push them back. Kuleba said that the situation in the east of the country, where the Russian forces are on the offensive, is as dire as people say. He added: I would even say its even worse than people say. We need weapons. If you really care for Ukraine, weapons, weapons and weapons again, the minister stressed. ___ KYIV, Ukraine -- A Ukrainian regional governor says that four people have been killed in the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk over the past 24 hours by Russian shelling. One more person was killed by a Russian shell in the village of Komushuvakha. Serhiy Haidai, the governor of the Luhansk region, wrote in a Telegram post Friday that the residents of Sievierodonetsk have forgotten when was the last time there was silence in the city for at least half an hour. He said that the Russians are pounding residential neighborhoods relentlessly. Sievierodonetsk Mayor Oleksandr Striuk said on Thursday that 60% of the citys residential buildings have been destroyed, and about 85-90% have been damaged and require major repairs. ___ WELLINGTON, New Zealand The United States has won the latest round of a legal battle to seize a $325-million Russian-owned superyacht in Fiji, with the case now appearing headed for the Pacific nations top court. The case has highlighted the thorny legal ground the U.S. finds itself on as it tries to seize assets of Russian oligarchs around the world. Those intentions are welcomed by many governments and citizens who oppose the war in Ukraine, but some actions are raising questions about how far U.S. jurisdiction extends. Fijis Court of Appeal on Friday dismissed an appeal by Feizal Haniff, who represents the company that legally owns the superyacht Amadea. Haniff had argued the U.S. had no jurisdiction under Fijis mutual assistance laws to seize the vessel, at least until a court sorted out who really owned the Amadea. Haniff said he now plans to take the case to Fijis Supreme Court and will apply for a court order to stop U.S. agents sailing the Amadea from Fiji before the appeal is heard. ___ WASHINGTON The U.S. general nominated to take over European Command has told senators that Sweden and Finlands push to join NATO wont require adding more U.S. ground forces into either country. But Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli said Thursday that military exercises and occasional American troop rotations will probably increase. Cavoli, who currently serves as head of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, said the increased military focus will probably continue to be on eastern Europe where nations are more worried about potential Russian aggression and any spillover of the war on Ukraine. Cavoli told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his nomination hearing that The center of gravity of NATO forces has shifted eastward." He said that depending on the outcome of the conflict, we may have to continue that for some time. Cavoli was asked about the U.S. troop presence in Europe, which has grown from fewer than 80,000 to about 102,000 since the buildup to Russias invasion. He said the increase had no ties to the more recent move by Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE, Texas (AP) Students trapped inside a classroom with a gunman repeatedly called 911 during this weeks attack on a Texas elementary school, including one who pleaded, Please send the police now, as officers waited more than an hour to breach the classroom after following the gunman into the building, authorities said Friday. The commander at the scene in Uvalde the school districts police chief believed that 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos was barricaded inside adjoining classrooms at Robb Elementary School and that children were no longer at risk, Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said at a contentious news conference. It was the wrong decision, he said. Fridays briefing came after authorities spent three days providing often conflicting and incomplete information about the more than an hour that elapsed between the time Ramos entered the school and when U.S. Border Patrol agents unlocked the classroom door and killed him. Three police officers followed Ramos into the building within two minutes. In the next half hour, as many as 19 officers piled into the hallway outside. But another 47 minutes passed before the Border Patrol tactical team breached the door, McCraw said. As the gunman fired at students, law enforcement officers from other agencies urged the school police chief to let them move in because children were in danger, two law enforcement officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not been authorized to speak publicly about the investigation. One of the officials said audio recordings from the scene capture officers from other agencies telling the school police chief that the shooter was still active and that the priority was to stop him. Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers inside the room. His motive remained unclear, authorities said. There was a barrage of gunfire shortly after Ramos entered the classroom where officers eventually killed him, but those shots were sporadic for much of the time that officers waited in the hallway, McCraw said. He said investigators do not know if children died during that time. Throughout the attack, teachers and children repeatedly called 911 asking for help, including the girl who pleaded for the police, McCraw said. Young survivors of the attack said they pretended to be dead while waiting for help. Miah Cerrillo, 11, told CNN that she covered herself with a friends blood to look dead. After the shooter moved into an adjacent room, she could hear screams, more gunfire and music being blared by the gunman. Samuel Salinas, 10, who also played dead, told ABCs Good Morning America that the assailant shot teacher Irma Garcia before firing on the kids. Questions have mounted over the amount of time it took officers to enter the school to confront the gunman. It was 11:28 a.m. Tuesday when Ramos' Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind the low-slung Texas school and the driver jumped out carrying an AR-15-style rifle. Five minutes after that, authorities said, Ramos entered the school and found his way to the fourth grade classroom where he killed the 21 victims. But it was not until around 12:50 p.m. that police killed Ramos, McCraw said, when shots could be heard over a 911 call from a person inside the classroom as officers breached the room. What happened during that time frame, in a working-class neighborhood near the edge of Uvalde, has fueled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcement's response to Tuesday's rampage. "They say they rushed in," said Javier Cazares, whose fourth grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, and who raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. We didnt see that. According to the new timeline provided by McCraw, after crashing his truck, Ramos fired on two people coming out of a nearby funeral home, officials said. Contrary to earlier statements by officials, a school district police officer was not at the school when Ramos arrived. When that officer did respond, he unknowingly drove past Ramos, who was crouched behind a car parked outside and firing at the building, McCraw said. At 11:33 a.m., Ramos entered the school through a rear door that had been propped open and fired more than 100 rounds into a pair of classrooms, McCraw said. He did not address why the door was propped open. Two minutes later, three local police officers arrived and entered the building through the same door, followed soon after by four others, McCraw said. Within 15 minutes, officers from different agencies had assembled in the hallway, taking sporadic fire from Ramos, who was holed up in a classroom. Ramos was still inside at 12:10 p.m. when the first U.S. Marshals Service deputies arrived. They had raced to the school from nearly 70 miles (113 kilometers) away in the border town of Del Rio, the agency said in a tweet Friday. But the commander inside the building the school district's police chief, Pete Arredondo decided the group should wait to confront the gunman, on the belief that the scene was no longer an active attack, McCraw said. The crisis came to an end at 12:50 p.m., after officers used keys from a janitor to open the classroom door, entered the room and fatally shot Ramos, he said. Arredondo could not be reached for comment Friday. No one answered the door at his home, and he did not reply to a phone message left at the district's police headquarters. Gov. Greg Abbott, who at a Wednesday news conference lauded the police response, said Friday that he was misled, and hes livid. In his earlier statements, the governor told reporters, he was repeating what he had been told. The information that I was given turned out, in part, to be inaccurate, he said. Abbott said exactly what happened needs to be thoroughly, exhaustively investigated. The governor previously praised law enforcement for their amazing courage by running toward gunfire and their quick response. On Friday, Abbott had been set to attend the annual convention of the National Rifle Association, which is being held across the state in Houston. Instead he addressed the gun-rights group's convention by recorded video and went to Uvalde. At the convention, speaker after speaker took the stage to say that changing U.S. gun laws or further restricting access to firearms isnt the answer. What stops armed bad guys is armed good guys, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told those gathered in Houston. Former President Donald Trump was among Republican leaders speaking at the event, where hundreds of protesters angry about gun violence demonstrated outside, including some who held crosses with photos of the Uvalde victims. The motive for the massacre the nation's deadliest school shooting since Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago remained under investigation. Authorities have said Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history. During the siege, frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the school, according to witnesses. Go in there! Go in there! women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street. Cazares said that when he arrived, he saw two officers outside the school and about five others escorting students out of the building. But 15 or 20 minutes passed before the arrival of officers with shields, equipped to confront the gunman, he said. As more parents flocked to the school, he and others pressed police to act, Cazares said. He heard about four gunshots before he and the others were ordered back to a parking lot. A lot of us were arguing with the police, You all need to go in there. You all need to do your jobs. Their response was, We cant do our jobs because you guys are interfering, Cazares said. The many chilling details of the attack were enough to leave parents struggling with dread. Visiting a downtown memorial to those killed, Kassandra Johnson of the nearby community of Hondo said she was so worried the day after the attack that she kept her twin boys home from school. Before she sent the 8-year-olds back, she studied the school building, figuring out which windows she would need to break to reach them. And she drew hearts on their hands with marker, so she could identify them if the worst happened, Johnson said, as she put flowers near 21 white crosses honoring the victims. Those kids could be my kids, she said. ___ Associated Press reporters Claire Galofaro in Uvalde, Jake Bleiberg in Dallas and Mike Balsamo in Washington contributed to this report. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings Protesters are making good on a promise to put pressure on the National Rifle Association during its annual convention in Houston this Friday, days after a legally armed teenager allegedly shot and killed 19 students and two teachers inside a Uvalde elementary school. The investigation into the shootingas well as the delayed police responseremains active Friday as several Republican officials, including former President Donald Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz, are set to speak to members of the NRA. Gov. Greg Abbott and others have backed out of attending the meeting, although the governor will deliver pre-recorded remarks to the assembly. Ariana Garcia The protest garnered an estimated 4,000-plus demonstrators, according to an officer from the Houston Police Department, as well as several speakers, including U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. "Our hearts do break," Hidalgo said to the crowd. "Kids are terrified. Moms are terrified. Dads are terrified. Teachers, school administrators, they're carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders." Hidalgo, who wore T-shirt from national gun safety organization Moms Demand Action, continued: "I offer my sadness. I offer my anger. I know I share it with you. I offer my thoughts and I offer my prayers," Hidalgo said, calling out Republican leaders who offered their thoughts and prayers for victims following the Uvalde shooting. "But you did not elect me to offer my thoughts and to offer my prayers." Hidalgo also called for a special legislative session to regulate the purchase, sale and storage of guns. State Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D- San Antonio) who represents Uvalde is also calling for a special session. "If Greg Abbott can call a special session, and a second special session, and a third special session to keep people from voting, surely he can call a special session to keep babies from being murdered," Hidalgo said. Ariana Garcia Texas governor hopeful Beto O'Rourke, a Democrat who confronted Abbott over the shooting at a press conference earlier this week, also spoke. "There are some, including those who have lost those who are most dear to them, who say its too soon to talk about what were going to do to prevent this from ever happening again," O'Rourke said to the crowd. "I hope you agree with me, that the time for us to have stopped Uvalde was right after Sandy Hook. The time for us to have stopped Uvalde was right after Parkland. The time for us to have stopped Uvalde was right after Santa Fe High School. The time for us to stop mass shootings in this country is right now, right here, today." O'Rourke also addressed those attending the NRA convention across the street from the protest, calling for them to join the fight against gun violence. "You are not our enemies. We are not yours," O'Rourke said. "We extend our hand open and unarmed in a gesture of peace and fellowship to welcome you to join us to make sure that this no longer happens in this country." Before leaving, O'Rourke made the plea for those in attendance to "get in their [lawmaker's] faces before another child is shot in their face." Ariana Garcia Jackson Lee called on the NRA and Trump to cancel the convention which is scheduled to run through Sunday. As she spoke, she was surrounded by children wearing the names of the children killed in the Uvalde shooting. "I want you to look at these babies and I want you to be reminded of those in Uvalde," Jackson Lee said to the crowd. "I want you to look at these babies and know they love teddy bears, they love Legos, they love hugs, and they love good food. Do you know what they have now? Body bags." Ariana Garcia Other speakers including Parkland shooting survivor and March for Our Lives co-founder David Hogg, who made similar calls, adding the movement to end gun violence is stronger than ever. "We need allies," Hogg said, pointing to the NRA Convention happening across the street. "You are complicit in this if you are not speaking out against this." Organizers put the protest together almost immediately after the shooting, according to Black Lives Matter Houston leader Ashton Woods. "It's about making sure we create a nexus of power while calling out the organization that enables Republicans... like Greg Abbott and other folks who make these laws and put them on the books to make it easier for what happened to happen," Woods said. "These same people are talking about the right to life and about family. A child is a human at conception, but you won't protect children who are living." Paul Wright had just returned from a project in Puerto Rico and was working in Atlanta when the news broke the 1996 Olympics would be held in Polk County. Meteorlogist Clay joined the Local 3 Weather Storm Alert Team as the weekend meteorologist and reporter in June of 2021. He came to Local 3 from WABG Channel 6 in Greenville, Mississippi where he served as the morning meteorologist for 2 years. Nature & Weather, Local News By Chris Boyle Published: May 27 2022 It has become necessary to empower coastal homeowners with the knowledge to stay prepared for any disturbances and changes ahead, said Legislator Anker. Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker, in conjunction with New York Sea Grant, will host a public presentation for homeowners on coastal erosion on June 9th, 2022 at 7:30PM. The informational session will discuss erosion, the recession of bluffs and shorelines, rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and disturbances caused by the changing climate. As erosion has impacted many residents in my district, it has become necessary to empower coastal homeowners with the knowledge to stay prepared for any disturbances and changes ahead, said Legislator Anker. I would like to thank New York Sea Grant for their partnership as well as their many contributions toward public safety and education throughout their many years of research and service. The event will feature speakers from New York Sea Grant, including Elizabeth Hornstein, who specializes in Sustainable and Resilient Communities. She will discuss her work with the Long Island Sound community to anticipate and address erosion caused by the changing climate. In addition, New York State Sea Grant's Coastal Processes and Hazards Specialist Kathleen Fallon will be presenting on erosion, recession of land, and options for mitigation. Local News, Crime, Politics By Chris Boyle Published: May 27 2022 Empowers survivors of sexual offenses that occurred when they were over the age of 18 to file suit regardless of when abuse occurred. Governor Kathy Hochul has signed the Adult Survivors Act (S.66A/A.648A), creating a one-year lookback window for survivors of sexual assault that occurred when they were over the age of 18 to sue their abusers regardless of when the abuse occurred. "Today, we take an important step in empowering survivors across New York to use their voices and hold their abusers accountable," Governor Hochul said. "The fight against sexual assault requires us to recognize the impact of trauma within our justice system. I am proud to sign this legislation, which is part of our collective responsibility to protect one another and create an environment that makes survivors feel safe. While our work is not done, eradicating sexual assault begins with our ability to bring the perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice and this legislation is a historic step forward." In 2019, New York passed the Child Victims Act, which created a one-year lookback window for survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file claims otherwise barred by the statute of limitations. Similar to the Child Victims Act, the Adult Survivors Act will empower survivors of sexual offenses that occurred when they were over the age of 18. The one-year window will begin six months from signing and will allow survivors to sue regardless of the statute of limitations. For many survivors, it may take years to come to terms with the trauma of sexual assault and feel ready to seek justice against an abuser, while possibly experiencing fear of retaliation or shame. In 2019, New York extended the statute of limitations to 20 years for adults filing civil lawsuits for a select number of sex crimes. However, that legislation only affected new cases and was not retroactive. Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, "For too long, our legal system has failed adult survivors and prevented them from accessing true justice. It takes time to come forward, particularly when faced with the trauma that accompanies disclosures. With the Adult Survivors Act, we are saying that we believe you and that you deserve accountability. This powerful legislation is the first of many steps towards better supporting survivors of sexual abuse and ensuring these heinous crimes don't go unpunished. I want to especially commend the Senate sponsor, Senator Brad Hoylman, for his tireless advocacy and thank Governor Hochul for signing it into law." Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said, "The Adult Survivors Act is critical to ensuring that every survivor of sexual abuse is able to have their day in court and experience a sense of justice. This legislation builds on our previous work to deliver justice to survivors of childhood sexual abuse and sends a clear message that perpetrators will be held accountable. I would also like to thank Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal for her unwavering support for survivors and tireless efforts to get this legislation to the governor's desk." State Senator Brad Hoylman said, "Victory! Today is a watershed moment for survivor justice in the State of New York. With Governor Hochul's signature on our Adult Survivors Act, we send a powerful message to sexual abuse survivors: We hear you! We would not be here today without the courage of your convictions that propelled you to share your deeply personal stories about the sexual abuse that upended your lives and made legislative passage possible. Finally, courthouse doors across our state will be flung open so you can confront your abusers and seek the justice that was too long denied you. To the predators who for decades have benefitted from New York's prohibitively short statutes of limitations, you know who you are. The Adult Survivors Act will bring you to justice and make New York a safer place for everyone. I'm grateful to Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, and my colleagues in the State Senate and Assembly, several of whom are sexual abuse survivors themselves." Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal said, ""Regardless of your age, sexual assault destroys a piece of you, and it takes most survivors time to process and overcome the trauma. More time than New York law currently allows. Now that the Adult Survivors Act is finally law, the doors to justice will be flung wide open and countless survivors will have an opportunity to seize justice by filing a case against their abusers, and the institutions that harbored them, in the civil court. The ASA will also ensure that predators who have hidden behind New York's weak laws will finally face justice. And, the passage of the ASA signals a long overdue shift in New York's law, a necessary rebalancing of the scales of justice and ensures that survivors are protected. I was humbled to work with a fearless group of survivors who have been relentless in their pursuit of justice. These brave survivors have been the heart and soul of our movement, and it is for them that I fought. All of New York owes them a tremendous debt of gratitude. I am grateful my colleagues in the New York State Assembly and Speaker Car Heastie for his leadership. And to Governor Hochul for wasting no time signing the Adult Survivors Act into law. Survivors have waited long enough, it's about time they see justice prevail. Today, they will." The Adult Survivors Act builds on Governor Hochul's steadfast and ongoing commitment to protecting and supporting survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Earlier this year, the Governor announced nearly $24 million for domestic violence and sexual assault programs, including $16 million for 83 domestic violence programs and shelters and $7.6 million for 50 rape crisis centers and sexual assault programs. Governor Hochul also recently announced $21.4 million in federal aid being used for domestic violence service providers to help survivors pay for the short-term expenses associated with relocation, including rent, utilities, and repairs. Earlier this month, Governor Hochul signed legislation that expanded protections for victims of domestic violence to areas of discrimination where they were not previously guaranteed, such as housing and public accommodations. Local News, Business & Finance, Arts & Culture By Long Island Published: May 27 2022 The Museum of American Armor in Old Bethpage, legislators voted unanimously to allocate $250,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funding to establish a new paid scholarship program for local college students. During the Monday, May 23 meeting of the full Nassau County Legislature at the Museum of American Armor in Old Bethpage, legislators voted unanimously to allocate $250,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funding to establish a new paid scholarship program for local college students. Under the County program, interns will be employed by the Office of the County Executive and will be assigned to a department within the Nassau County government. The goal is to provide students with opportunities to gain hands-on experience and learn directly from high-ranking Nassau County government leaders. The program will be open to college students who are residents of Nassau County and/or students who are enrolled in colleges or universities located in Nassau County. I am glad that Nassau County has taken steps toward utilizing County government to enrich the educational opportunities available to local college students and create a valuable opportunity for them to earn while they learn, said Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D - Glen Cove) said. I look forward to the creation of a successful, merit-based program that empowers participants to thrive as they complete their studies and pursue their passions in the workplace. Crime By Long Island Published: May 27 2022 Suffolk County Police arrested a Medford man today after he threatened to start a race war and kill white people. Suffolk County Police arrested a Medford man today after he threatened to start a race war and kill white people. Julien Henriquez was upset with the service he received at a business in Medford on April 27, and called the business and threatened to kill white people in a race war. Following an investigation by Hate Crime Unit detectives, Henriquez was arrested at his home, located at 306 Jamaica Avenue at approximately 2:05 p.m. Henriquez, 30, was charged with Aggravated Harassment 2nd Degree as a Hate Crime, a felony under the New York State penal law. He will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date. (Alliance News) - Uxbridge, England-based Coats Group PLC on Friday said it has sealed the sale of its business in Brazil and Argentina to Reelpar SA. Reelpar is a local entity backed by a Sao Paulo, Brazil-based private equity firm. Under the terms of the agreement, thread manufacturer Coats committed USD10 million to Reelpar to support a restructuring of the Brazil and Argentina business. In May, Coats said it expects to see a 50 basis point annualised lift to adjusted operating margins as a result of the deal. Shares in Coats were down 0.3% to 69.80 pence each in London on Friday morning. By Sophie Rose; sophierose@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. May 27 (Reuters) - French construction materials group Saint-Gobain said on Friday it would divest several glass processing businesses in Germany and Austria which combined employ over 320 staff. The company under pressure from activist investor Bluebell Capital to increase profitability will sell Eckelt Glas and Glas Ziegler in Austria to the privately-owned German group AEQUITA, it said in a statement. It also plans the sale of its holding in the co-venture Glaskontor Erfurt in Germany to caleoglas, with a closing of all transactions expected by this summer. (Reporting by Juliette Portala, editing by Tassilo Hummel) REA Holdings PLC - London-based crude palm oil producer - On Thursday, notes the lifting of the temporary ban on exports of crude palm oil by the Indonesian government. Some restrictions on crude palm oil exports remain in place, however. REA says it sells crude palm oil to Indonesian refineries under long term sales contracts that are not affected by the export restrictions, but adds that the prices achieved are based on prevailing domestic market prices for crude palm oil which may be affected by the restrictions on exports. Current stock price: 157.00 pence 12-month change: up 209% By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - Oil major Shell PLC has questioned the UK government's decision not to allow its green investment to count towards the tax relief it will get from the new windfall tax. Activists hit out at the tax's relief system, which encourages new investment to extract more oil and gas from the North Sea. It does not incentivise investment in renewable energy. Shell had originally seemed to welcome the new system after it was announced on Thursday. It said that a tax relief that could give it 91p back for every GBP1 it invested in the UK was "a critical principle in the new levy." But after sleeping on it, bosses appeared to have some new thoughts on the way the relief works. "In its current form the levy creates uncertainty about the investment climate for North Sea oil and gas for the coming years," it said. "And, longer term, the proposed tax reliefs for investment don't extend to the renewable energy system we want to drive forward in the UK and invest in very substantially. "When making plans for the next decade and beyond, we need certainty." On Thursday, UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a GBP15 billion support package for households around the country to offset some of the rising energy bills. At the same time he said that the government would try to raise GBP5 billion by slapping an extra 25% on the tax that North Sea oil producers pay to HM Revenue and Customs. It came with a promise that the firms can claim heavy tax relief if they invest in the UK, but only for investments in oil and gas. This decision was criticised by environmental campaigners. Shell said: "We understand the worry for millions of people about how high energy costs are challenging their household budgets and the need for support to help make ends meet. "But at the same time, we must sustain investment in securing supplies of oil and gas the UK needs today, while allocating future spend for the low-carbon energies we want to build for the future." Rival BP PLC on Thursday said it will review its investments in the North Sea in light of the government's windfall tax plans. source: PA Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Friday and not separately reported by Alliance News: ---------- Clontarf Energy PLC - Dublin-headquartered oil & gas exploration and production company focused on South America and Africa - Spuds the Sasanof-1 well with the jetting of the 36 inch conductor at a water depth of 1,068 metres. Drilling is now underway on the 17 and a half inch intermediate hole section to a depth of 2,030 metres, company says. This will be followed by the drilling of the 12 and a quarter inch hole section through the target reservoir section to a total depth of 2,500 metres. Drilling is expected between June 2 and June 5. Clontarf holds a 105 working interest in the well. ---------- Gresham House Energy Storage Fund PLC - London head-quartered battery storage fund - Raises GBP150 million through the issue of 103.4 million shares. Company says the placing was "significantly" oversubscribed and, as a result, a scaling back exercise has been undertaken. Chair John Leggate says: "Strong investor demand means that we can commit to further development of our pipeline to create even greater scale and diversification." ---------- Alien Metals Ltd - London-based mineral exploration company focused on Australia, Mexico and Greenland - Begins a phase four reverse circulation drilling programme at its Hancock Iron Ore Project in Western Austrlia. Programme will drill 70 holes over 2,100 metres with the aim of further increasing geological confidence in the existing inferred mineral resource estimate of 10.4 megatonnes at 60.4% of iron. In conjunction, company will carry out more surface mapping and sampling on the remaining 6.5 kilometres of strike length. ---------- RUA Life Sciences PLC - Glasgow-based medical devices using polymer technology - Says the year ended March 31 has been one of increased sales growth, recovery from Covid-19 and advances in its business processes. Expects revenue for the year to total GBP1.6 million, up 6% against the GBP1.5 million generated last year if achieved. Research & development expenditure is expected to be GBP887,000, up from GBP541,000 the preceding year. Pretax loss is expected at GBP2.4 million, widened from GBP1.6 million a year ago as a result of research & development expenditure and investment into infrastructure. Company expected to release its full-year results in mid-July. ---------- Oilex Ltd - Perth-based developer of natural gas assets - Reports that an independent review of its net reserve and resource position in the Cambay PSC has resulted in the return of 206 BCF of gas and 8 million barrels of condensate to the 2P reserves category. Oilex's participating interest in the reserves and resources also increases to 100% from 45%. ---------- Savannah Energy PLC - London-based energy company focused on Africa - Signs an agreement with the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy of the Republic of Chad for the development of up to 500 megawatts of renewable energy projects supplying electricity to the Doba Oil Project and the towns of Moundou and Doba in Southern Chad and the capital N'Djamena. Savannah expects to fund the projects from a combination of its own internally generated cashflows and project specific debt. ---------- Rurelec PLC - London-based power producer with operations in Latin America - Receives a further USD758,400 payment from Patagonia Energy Ltd for the partial repayment of its amended and restated loan notes. To date, Patagonia Energyhas made repayments of USD5.3 million on the loan Notes, of which Rurelec has received USD4.2 million. The total balance outstanding on the notes is now USD18.6 million. The total amount owed to Rurelec is USD13.4 million. The rest is owed to Basic Energy Ltd. ---------- Angle PLC - Surrey, England-based medical diagnostics company - Notes new results relating to its Parsortix system which suggest it can successfully isolate circulating tumour cells from frozen peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples. The company explains that the potential ability to process frozen sample could allow for retrospective analyses and improve sample sharing capabilities. The results came as part of a study in advanced non-small cell lung cancer and sarcoma patients. ---------- Pure Gold Mining Inc - Vancouver-based gold mining company focused on Canada - Closes the first tranche of its non-brokered private placement announced on May 6. Following the closing of the first tranche, the company has issued a total of 185.1 million units in the company at CAD0.15 each - around GBP0.093 - raising proceeds of CAD27.8 million. Proceeds will be used to complete the near-term objectives of ramping up the PureGold mine to 800 tonnes per day by the third quarter of 2022. ---------- NetScientific PLC - London-based life sciences and sustainability technology investment firm - Notes new data from two ongoing phase two clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of PDS0101, a HPV16-targeted immunotherapy, in combination with Merck & Co Inc's anti-PD-1 therapy Keytruda. Data shows 77% of patients had either disease stabilisation or tumour shrinkage and 89% of patients were alive at nine months. After nine months the overall survival rate was 87% and progression free survival was 55%. Patients were those with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer. ---------- By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Bluebird Merchant Ventures Ltd ("Company" or "Bluebird") Batangas Gold Project Update Bluebird Merchant Ventures (EPIC: BMV), the South Korean focused gold development group is very pleased to announce an update on the Batangas Gold Project in the Philippines. Highlights: Application has now been made for a further two-year extension of the exploration period of the Mining Permit; Proposed work program to focus on the potential of underground mining at Lobo; Project benefits from existing JORC compliant resources and reserves; The Company's Batangas Gold Project has been under care and maintenance since 2016. In recent months there have been strong indications of a more favourable policy in the Philippines towards responsible mining and which has now presented an opportunity for the Company to revive the gold project. The Batangas Gold Project consists of two Mineral Production Sharing Agreements (MPSA), which are permits that are valid for a period of twenty-five years and that can be renewed for a further period. The permits consist of periods of exploration and once two further key permissions are granted then allow for production. Approximately USD 20 million of historical exploration work has been incurred at the Batangas Gold Project and there are substantial JORC compliant resources of approximately 440,000 ounces of gold. The mineral resources at Lobo, Batangas are associated with a linear, steeply dipping, epithermal lode with high grade 'shoots' of mineralisation. In June 2016, the previous partner announced to the Australian Securities Exchange it had developed Probable JORC Compliant Ore Reserves at Lobo of 171,000 tons at 6.6 grams per ton for 36,000 ounces of gold excluding silver credits. This included 150,000 tons at 6.4 grams per ton from the upper 80 metres of the mineral resources at Lobo. This ore could be mined and processed within the first eighteen months of production. The Company has made an application for a further two-year period of exploration to be granted and has proposed an Exploration Work Program and Environmental Work Program to focus on the potential for underground mining at Lobo. The Company's previous partners had presented the project as an open pit mine but they were not able to secure the further key permissions. The Company believes that by using its core competencies of underground mining and repurposing the project from an open pit mine to an underground mine focused around Lobo, that the project will have minimal surface environmental impact. The Company has submitted the application and subsequent work programs and is thus encouraged to report that it has received a favourable response. The Company will update the market as the application progresses. Despite this unexpected opportunity the Company remains fully focused on its South Korean projects. Colin Patterson, CEO, commented: "Reviving the Batangas Gold Project is a fantastic and unexpected opportunity to create value for shareholders. Approximately USD 20 million of historical expenditures have currently been written down to zero in our accounts. Should the application be granted this will immediately resurrect the value of this project. I have always been an advocate of responsible mining that focuses on safety and the highest environmental standards. Looking at the potential for underground mining is absolutely the best way forward for the projects that will both create value in the local communities whilst ensuring minimal surface impact. Bluebird continues to move forward with renewed vigour on all fronts." THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION EU 596/2014 ("MAR"). Enquiries: Bluebird Merchant Ventures Ltd Jonathan Morley-Kirk, Non-Executive Chairman jmk@bluebirdmv.com The cast for the te reo Maori version of Disneys The Lion King has just been announced. The team began casting the Maori versions of the characters back in 2021, hunting up and down Aotearoa to find the perfect performers. After hundreds of auditions, Matewa Media and Walt Disney Animation Studios announced the fourteen actors chosen, and recording has begun. Hong Kong continues tracing COVID-19 through sewage surveillance Xinhua) 11:52, May 27, 2022 HONG KONG, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said Thursday that the COVID-19 virus continues to be detected in sewage samples from different areas in Hong Kong, indicating that there may be hidden cases in the premises in these areas. About 210,000 sets of COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits will be distributed to residents, cleaning workers and property management staff working in the areas with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads, in order to help identify infected persons, it said. The HKSAR government also urged RAT kit users to report any positive results for COVID-19 via the government's online platform. In efforts to combat COVID-19, the HKSAR government's Environmental Protection Department and the Drainage Services Department have been collecting sewage samples in all districts of Hong Kong for COVID-19 virus testing. On Thursday, Hong Kong registered 111 new COVID-19 cases by nucleic acid tests, and 140 additional cases through self-reported RATs, official data showed. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Just when actor Kevin Spacey was about to return to his career, new charges from the United Kingdom have been confirmed. According to Sky News, prosecutors made the ennouncement that the 'House of Cards' actor has been charged with four counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. So, basically he's been accused of rape on one account. For many years, Spacey had been considered a menace to the work place everywhere he went towards young men. His sexual preferences led him to force many to aavoid direct contact with him on a repeated basis due to the bad reputation he had. Amongst the deviants inside the Hollywood industry, Kevin Spacey was one of the most infamous. Which prosecution agency charged Kevin Spacey? Said charges were made public on Thursday by the U.K.'s prosecution agency Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Over the last year, they have spent several hours taking a closer examination of a file that was handed to them by the Metropolitan Police. Head of the CSP Special Crime Division, Rosemary Ainslie confirmed that the 62-year-old actor will be thoroughly investigated over these charges. The way in which they describe rape was in line with how correct the CPS can be at times, you don't often hear the phrase 'penetrative sexual activity without consent'. Even if it's in the United Kingdom's vernacular. The CPS also reminded everybody that this criminal investigation against Kevin Spacey is ongoing and no details about it can be unveiled to the public. This decision to remain so private is because they don't want any information to affect the outcome of the investigation. In the United States, Kevin Spacey has been facing sexual assault allegations since 2017. Actor Anthony Rapp first spoke to Buzzfeed about the non-consesual sexual advances Spacey made against him when he was 14 years old. This is a developing story, more to come in the following hours... Thank you for subscribing! By signing up to this free newsletter you agree to receive occasional emails from us informing you about our products and services. You can opt out of these emails at any time. While changes to Michigans auto insurance policies have reduced the amount people are spending on auto insurance, those who benefited from those policies have found it more difficult to carry on. Representatives of the Grand Rapids-based AdvisaCare Home Health & Hospice have gone to the boards of commissioners of several counties explaining the need for further reforms. AdvisaCare offers services such as private duty home care, skilled/certified home care services, rehabilitation services, and working with those who suffered catastrophic injuries. It currently has 250 clients it works with, including a handful in Huron County. Kristy Groce, the executive director for AdvisaCare, said that as a result of changes implemented last year, their patients have had to be admitted into nursing homes instead of with caregivers and Michiganders have died due to the lack of care. The company stands that auto reform was needed, Groce said. Home care was an unintended consequence. Michigan changed its no fault auto insurance in May 2019, where drivers no longer had to purchase unlimited personal injury protection to lower auto insurance premiums. Drivers can choose their level of coverage based on needs and budget and can now rely on their own health insurance to cover medical bills. Personal injury protection covers all reasonable and necessary medical expenses for a persons lifetime up to the maximum coverage amount selected in a policy, or unlimited if they choose. The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association acts as the policy payer. The changes from that law went into effect in July 2020. Outside of other advocacy groups, AdvisaCare was one of the first home health care organizations to weigh in on this issue. It has had conversations with legislators, the governors office, the Department of Insurance and Financial Services, and the Insurance Alliance of Michigan. Julie Wagner, a home care consultant with AdvisaCare, said that as soon as those changes were implemented, 20 other home care companies closed and AdvisaCare tried taking in as many clients as it could. Over 40 companies have since closed with some of their clients discharged into nursing homes. The amount that caregivers were being reimbursed from auto insurance companies was cut 45%, dropping from $32 an hour down to $12 an hour. Changes to that law also limited the amount of time that caregivers who care for their clients 24/7 could get reimbursed for, to only 56 hours a week. No ones taking them, so who has to take care of them? Wagner said. Its the families that take care of them 24/7. Now they have to quit their job to take care of their loved one. Theyre not getting paid from insurance companies because the state says you cannot work more than 56 hours a week, even though they are taking care of loved ones. AdvisaCare is trying to hold on to its clients, but it also has to pay its employees a living wage of between $14 and $18 per hour. Brian Harrison, the executive director of therapy services for AdvisaCare, said that what makes the most sense is to use what the states workers compensation statute says and apply that to home health care. Conversations are taking place to have that written up. Its a tried-and-true trusted system, Harrison said. It works for carriers that do workers and auto insurance. We believe this is something the majority of the House, Senate, and people of Michigan would support. The AdvisaCare representatives have gone to nearby counties urging their commissioners to adopt resolutions advocating for further no-fault reform. According to Groce, 20 Michigan counties have adopted such resolutions, including Bay, Saginaw, Lapeer, Genesee, and Midland counties. The two reps plan on visiting Sanilac County next. It is a state problem ultimately, but its a fix that need to happen, Groce said. Harrison said that in a perfect world, changes would be passed before the Legislature goes on its summer recess, while also saying they put on rose-colored glasses every day. Youre going to see a lot more providers that cant sustain the burden of acting in good faith while taking a loss on financials every single day, Harrison said. Every hour we work, were paying for that care. We feel were on the right side of this conversation, helping families to the care theyre entitled to. MECOSTA COUNTY When it came to dairy education, returning home to help the dairy community was an easy decision for Cora Okkema. Growing up on her family's dairy farm in Blanchard, working in the dairy industry is almost second nature for Okkema. Now, recently graduated with a Masters degree in Livestock Behavior and Welfare from Colorado State University, returning to Mecosta County is like returning home for Okkema. I grew up in this area, I did 4-H in Mecosta County. I previously worked in livestock nutrition covering this area and a few other counties. Okkema said. So, when I saw that it was a Mecosta County office where Id be based out of, like, it's me going back home. "I remember walking into the office space as a kid in 4-H and being like, Oh, these are all the adults, they're in their fancy offices, and they have their computers and all this paperwork and boxes stacked to the ceiling.' It was very surreal thinking, Wow, I have my own office. Okkema has lived on her family's farm since they moved to Michigan from the Netherlands when she was 4 years old. Since then, her family has seen the farm grow to over 680 milking cows. Okkema graduated from Montabella Community Schools in 2012 before attending Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa. She graduated in 2016 with a degree in Animal Science before studying at Colorado State. Where I grew up, I learned a lot about life, I learned a lot about farming. Okkema said. It's through that experience, I feel like we became a very tight knit family and understood the nature of farming where there's always sacrifices when it comes to understanding the responsibility that you have. "The big thing is understanding that, especially when you're working with animals, but also on a farm in general, you have to do the job to the fullest. We don't do half the job or take shortcuts. UNIQUE STRUGGLES Her official title now is dairy educator with Michigan State University Extension. This program consists of educators who are a source of information, material and connections that provide farmers with whatever needs that they may have to help them be more efficient at their job. Okkema covers 10 counties in northwest and central Michigan. Michigan State University Extension as an organization has provided hands-on training for farms across the area. This includes teaching farms innovative technologies in the industry that help raise efficiency levels, dairy calf care workshops, education on milk quality, and new practices that are rising in the dairy sector. These education services expand beyond just working with the animals, with Okkema working with farmers on good mental health practices. Recently, a big push is actually providing farms stress and mental health services to our farmers, because that demographic has, unfortunately, experienced a really high suicide rate. Okkema said. The struggles with farming, it's very unique. But also, you're working with a lot of individuals where they have to explain the situation before they can even get into the frustrations about it. So, providing those services for our farmers is a massive push. One issue that Okkema has noticed in the industry is not on the animal side, but instead managing people as farms grow over the course of years. While farms that expand and grow in cow numbers is a positive thing to have happen, as farms grow, they need to hire more people to manage various aspects of the farm. Thus, learning how to manage staff alongside running a farm is becoming more prevalent within the field. According to Okkema, taking care of employees has a positive impact on animal care. Helping our farmers learn how to manage people and understand that we don't expect them to be HR people on the very first day or something like that. Okkema said. It's a continuously evolving landscape and you're working with people. We have off days, we make mistakes, but we also want affirmation when we're doing a good job and validation. Okkemas office is located at the Mecosta County Service building at 14485 Northland Drive in Big Rapids. She may also be reached at okkemao@msu.edu or through her office phone at 231-592-9493. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) An Iraqi man behind bars following his arrest on a charge of plotting to assassinate former President George W. Bush has waived his right to a detention hearing and will remain behind bars for now, according to a court document filed Thursday. 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, prosecutors said in a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Columbus following his Tuesday arrest. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Mass shooters have killed hundreds of people throughout U.S. history in realms like stores, theaters and workplaces, but it is in schools and colleges where the carnage reverberates perhaps most keenly places filled with children of tender ages, older students aspiring to new heights and the teachers planting the seeds of knowledge, their journeys all cut short. If a mass shooting is defined as resulting in the death of four or more people, not including the perpetrator, 169 people have died in 14 such events connected to U.S. schools and colleges from 1999's Columbine High School massacre to Tuesday's shooting in Texas. That's according to a database compiled by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University, and to other AP reporting: ROBB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, May 2022, 21 dead An 18-year-old gunman opened fire Tuesday at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children and two adults, officials said. Law enforcement killed the attacker. OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL, November 2021, 4 dead A sophomore student is accused of killing four people and wounding others at his school in Oxford, Michigan, near Detroit. His trial is set for September. His parents are charged with involuntary manslaughter; authorities say they ignored warning signs. SANTA FE HIGH SCHOOL, May 2018, 10 dead A shooter opened fire at a Houston-area high school, killing 10 people, most of them students, authorities said. The 17-year-old suspect has been charged with murder. MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL, February 2018, 17 dead An attack left 14 students and three staff members dead at the school in Parkland, Florida, and injured many others. The 20-year-old suspect was charged with murder. UMPQUA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, October 2015, 9 dead A man killed nine people at the school in Roseburg, Oregon, and wounded nine others, then killed himself. MARYSVILLE-PILCHUCK HIGH SCHOOL, October 2014, 4 dead A 15-year-old used text messages to draw several cousins and friends to his cafeteria table at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington state. He fatally shot four of them before killing himself. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA, May 2014, 6 dead A 22-year-old college student frustrated over sexual rejections fatally stabbed or shot six students near the school in Isla Vista, California, and injured several others before he killed himself. SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, December 2012, 27 dead A 19-year-old man killed his mother at their home in Newtown, Connecticut, then went to the nearby Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed 20 first graders and six educators. He took his own life. OIKOS UNIVERSITY, April 2012, 7 dead A former nursing student fatally shot seven people at the small private college in East Oakland, California. He died in prison in 2019. NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, February 2008, 5 dead A 27-year-old former student shot and killed five people and wounded more than 20 others at the school in DeKalb, Illinois, before killing himself. VIRGINIA TECH, April 2007, 32 dead A 23-year-old student killed 32 people on the campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, in April 2007; more than two dozen others were wounded. The gunman then killed himself. WEST NICKEL MINES AMISH SCHOOL, October 2006, 5 dead A 32-year-old man entered an Amish schoolhouse near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, dismissed the boys, bound the girls, and fatally shot five of them before killing himself. Five others were wounded. RED LAKE HIGH SCHOOL, March 2005, 9 dead A 16-year-old student killed his grandfather and the man's companion at their Minnesota home, then went to nearby Red Lake High School, where he killed five students, a teacher and a security guard before shooting himself. COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL, April 1999, 13 dead Two students killed 12 of their peers and one teacher at the school in Littleton, Colorado, and injured many others before killing themselves. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE, Texas (AP) Jacklyn Cazares hadnt yet reached her 10th birthday, but she was already a tough-minded firecracker always looking to help people in need, her father said. Jacklyn and her second cousin, Annabelle Rodriguez, were especially tight with three other classmates at Robb Elementary School. They are all gone now, Javier Cazares said. "All her little best friends were killed too. The girls were among 19 students killed Tuesday when an 18-year-old gunman barricaded himself in a fourth-grade classroom at the school in the southwestern Texas town of Uvalde and began to kill. Their families can only cling to memories, and each other. Jacklyn would have turned 10 on June 10. Despite her young age, she was equal parts tough-minded and compassionate. She had a voice, her father said. She didnt like bullies, she didnt like kids being picked on. All in all, full of love. She had a big heart." She was a character a little firecracker. Cazares drove his daughter to school Tuesday she had an awards ceremony that morning. About 90 minutes later, the family got a call: An active shooter was in the school. I drove like a bat out of hell," he said. "My baby was in trouble. There was more than 100 people out there waiting, it was chaotic, he said of the scene at the school. He grew impatient with how the police were responding and even raised the idea of rushing into the school with several other bystanders. Cazares said his niece followed an ambulance to the hospital and saw Jacklyn taken inside. The entire family soon joined and pressed hospital officials for information for nearly three hours. They begged, cried and showed them photos of their daughter. Finally, a pastor, police officer and a doctor met with them. My wife asked the question, Is she alive or is she passed? Cazares said. They were like, No, shes gone. Cazares fought back tears as he pondered how long his daughter was in the classroom with the gunman before she was killed. He finds some solace in believing that in her final moments, Jacklyn was doing what came naturally to her helping her fellow students. It kind of comforts our hearts that she would be one of the ones that was brave and tried to help as much as she could, he said. Ryan Ramirez also rushed to Robb Elementary when he heard about the shooting, hoping to find his daughter, Alithia, and take her home, KTRK-TV reported. But Alithia, too, was among the victims. Ramirezs Facebook page includes a photo, now shown around the world, of the little girl wearing the multi-colored T-shirt that announced she was out of single digits after turning 10 years old. The same photo was posted again Wednesday with no words, but with Alithia wearing angel wings. Maite Rodriguez, 10, got straight Fs when classes went on Zoom during the pandemic, having gotten straight As before. The day she died was supposed to be a day of triumph. Maite made the honor roll for straight As and Bs this year and was publicly recognized at an assembly on Tuesday, said Ana Rodriguez, her mother. She worked hard, I only encouraged her, Rodriguez said in an interview Thursday at her dining room table, which displayed a bouquet of red roses, the honor roll certificate and photos of Maite. Maite especially liked physical education. After she died, her teacher texted her mother that she was highly competitive at kickball and ran faster than all the boys. Maite was focused, competitive, smart, bright, beautiful, happy, her mother said. As a kindergartner, Maite said she wanted to be a marine biologist and held firmly to that goal. She researched a program at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi and told her mother she was set on studying there. She was just so driven. She was definitely special. She was going to be something, she was going to be something very, very special. Rodriguez hosted a steady stream of visitors and said she hasnt started to grieve. She was deeply touched by one of her brothers friends who recently graduated from Texas A&M and gave her the red cardboard cylinder that held the diploma. Rodriguez didnt want to relive Tuesdays events but was upset by reports that police waited outside the school as shots were fired. She said she advocates stricter gun laws. The grief only grew Thursday with confirmation that the brokenhearted husband of one of the slain teachers, 48-year-old Irma Garcia, had died on Thursday. Joe Garcia, 50, had dropped off flowers at his wifes memorial on Thursday morning, The New York Times reported. He pretty much just fell over after returning home and died of a heart attack, his nephew John Martinez told the newspaper. The Archdiocese of San Antonio and the Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary confirmed Joe Garcias death to The Associated Press. AP was unable to independently reach members of the Garcia family on Thursday. Married for 24 years, the couple shared four children. In a post on the schools website at the start of the school year introducing herself to her class, Irma Garcia wrote of her love of barbecue, listening to music and taking country cruises to the nearby town of Concan. The school year, scheduled to end Thursday, was Irmas 23rd year of teaching all of it at Robb Elementary School. She had been previously named the schools teacher of the year and was a 2019 recipient of the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Education from Trinity University. For five years, Irma had co-taught with Eva Mireles, who also was killed. Mireles also posted on the site as the school year began, noting she had been teaching 17 years. She cited her supportive, fun, and loving family. Welcome to the 4th grade! We have a wonderful year ahead of us! she wrote. Two of the victims had hoped to skip school that day. Carmelo Quiroz's grandson, Jayce Luevanos, 10, had begged to go along with his grandmother on Tuesday as she accompanied her great-granddaughters kindergarten class to the San Antonio Zoo. But, he said, the family told Jayce it didnt make sense to skip school so close to the end of the year. Besides, Jayce liked school. Thats why my wife is hurting so much, because he wanted to go to San Antonio, Quiroz told USA Today. He was so sad he couldnt go. Maybe if he would have gone, hed be here. Jayce's cousin, 10-year-old Jailah Nicole Silguero, also wanted to miss school that day. Jailah's mother, Veronica Luevanos, tearfully told Univision that Jailah seemed to sense something bad was going to happen. Jailahs friend, Nevaeh Alyssa Bravo, also was killed and her aunt noted Naveahs first name is heaven spelled backward. In a Facebook posting, Yvonne White described Nevaeh and Jailah as Our Angels. Two men who responded to the shooting discovered their own children among the victims. Uvalde County Sheriffs Deputy Felix Rubio and his wife had been at the school Tuesday morning to celebrate with their daughter, 10-year-old Alexandria Lexi Aniyah, since the fourth-grader had made honor roll with all A's and received a good citizen award. In a Facebook post, Kimberly Rubio wrote, We told her we loved her and would pick her up after school. We had no idea this was goodbye. Medical assistant Angel Garza also hurried to the school and immediately found a girl covered in blood among the terrified children streaming out of the building. Im not hurt. He shot my best friend, the girl told Garza when he offered help. Shes not breathing. She was just trying to call the cops. Her friend was Amerie Jo Garza Angel Garzas stepdaughter. Amerie was a happy child who made the honor roll and loved to paint, draw and work in clay. She was very creative, said her grandmother Dora Mendoza. She was my baby. Whenever she saw flowers she would draw them. Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home, which is across the street from Robb Elementary, began posting brief obituaries of some of the victims. It was assisting families of the shooting victims with no cost for funerals. GoFundMe pages were set up for many of the victims, including one on behalf of all victims that has raised more than $3 million. ___ Groves reported from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press writer Stefanie Dazio contributed to this report from Los Angeles. ___ Find more of the AP's coverage of the Uvalde school shooting at https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings Midland City Council heard a presentation on the status of Currie Parkway Bridge and voted on funding regarding bridge repairs. The Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation agreed to cover the costs of repairs and modifications, with the current total estimate at about $639,000, said City Manager Brad Kaye. He added that the city hopes to start construction after this years Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational pro golf tournament, which is from July 10-16 at the Midland Country Club. Council unanimously accepted the gift from the foundation. Last October, the bridge was damaged when a commercial bus exceeding the bridges weight limit crossed it. An inspection found damage to deck support beams and the concrete bridge deck, both of which needed to be replaced. The bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic ever since but has reopened to pedestrians, said City Engineer Matt Lemon. Midland needs to be a town of vitality, said foundation Executive Vice President Bill Schuette. We cannot have closed roads and closed bridges. We have to fix things and get it done right. The city also wanted to prevent an oversized vehicle from crossing the bridge again, settling on options that included adding a curve to the road to make it too tight for larger vehicles to drive onto the bridge. Guardrails and signage that says, Passenger Vehicles Only would also be installed, Lemon said. Council member Steve Arnosky asked about holding drivers responsible who cross the bridge and cause damage, such as with weight pads and traffic cameras to alert the city when it happens. Lemon said the city could consider this, but added that the citys goal is preventing vehicles from accessing the bridge that have historically caused damage to it. Council member Diane Brown Wilhelm asked what would happen if a large bus decided to try to cross the bridge and got stuck. Lemon said that the city would have to free the bus and repair the guardrail, which would be of lower cost to repair than the whole bridge. Other council business: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) Voters in an Oregon county where a ballot-printing error delayed primary results for nearly two weeks have elected the same county clerk five times in the past 20 years despite missteps that impacted two previous elections and cost taxpayers at least $100,000. Opponents have repeatedly tried to unseat Clackamas County Clerk Sherry Hall, who was first elected in 2002, following elections errors in 2004, 2010 and 2011 and a state vote-tampering investigation in 2012. Hall makes $112,600 a year in the nonpartisan position overseeing elections, recording property transactions, keeping public records and issuing marriage licenses. She is running for a sixth four-year term in November in the suburban county south of Portland, and is being challenged by a former librarian who works in the elections department of Oregon's largest county. The latest scandal in Oregon comes against the backdrop of a polarized political landscape in which vote counts are increasingly scrutinized. Races for local elections clerks who until recently toiled in obscurity and relative anonymity are getting new attention, particularly from right-wing voters who deny that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Local elections chiefs are the first line of defense for elections integrity, but most voters don't know who their county clerk is, or even what they do, and are likely to skip over the nonpartisan race on Election Day, or simply pick the incumbent. Some county clerks are appointed, but in many counties in Oregon and elsewhere they are beholden to the whims of voters who may not be paying attention, said Christopher McKnight Nichols, an associate professor of history at Oregon State University. There's a myopia and invisibility about this sort of office in American public life, he said. The situation in Oregons third-largest county underscores the importance of such contests. In the current election, tens of thousands of ballots sent out with blurry barcodes were rejected by a vote-counting machine. The issue affected Democratic and nonpartisan ballots more than Republican ones, state officials have said. The fiasco forced the county to shift nearly 200 county employees to vote tabulation duties; county officials don't yet know the full cost of the cleanup job. For days, workers have been transferring each voters intent from spoiled ballots to fresh ones, by hand using purple markers, in a painstaking process that might not be complete for more than two more weeks. More than 81,000 ballots out of more than 116,000 had been counted by early Friday, and nearly 35,000 spoiled ballots remained to be duplicated, according to county tallies. The outcome of the Democratic primary for Oregon's 5th Congressional District a close race between a seven-term centrist incumbent and a progressive challenger was delayed more than a week by the blunder. The AP called the race for challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner on Friday. The results of several other contests remained undecided as the county struggled to meet daily vote-counting benchmarks laid out in a corrective plan submitted to the state. This affects all of us. This is voter integrity, said Janet Bailey, a Republican voter who protested outside the Clackamas County election offices Thursday with about a dozen others. We, in Oregon, a week ago we had our primary, and we still dont know the results. Hall knew of the problem with the ballots on May 3, but did not take significant action until after the election on May 17, when it became clear the vote tally was substantially delayed. The Oregon Secretary of State has said Hall refused offers of help from the state; at least one Democratic state lawmaker has demanded a legislative inquiry into the ballot fiasco. Some voters seized on the countys problems to demand an end to Oregons trailblazing vote-by-mail system and the use of electronic machinery to count votes. Our votes have to count, said Cindy Hise, a Clackamas County voter who wants the entire primary redone. This has been going on for days. We're past all hope of it being a true vote." Hall declined a phone or in-person interview with The Associated Press for this story but said in response to emailed questions Thursday that she would cooperate with any investigation. She said she has no comment on calls from some for her resignation. She also addressed numerous 2020 contributions she made to national Republican causes, saying in a brief email that she maintains neutrality. The donations to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and to WINRED, a Republican Party fundraising platform, were all $100 or less. I have the right as a private citizen to exercise free speech and association. I do give small contributions to a large number of organizations," she wrote. I do not accept endorsements of any kind." Controversy isn't new to Hall, who has overseen the county's elections since she took office in 2003. In 2004, the county excluded three annexation questions on ballots mailed to 300 voters and didn't alert the public for 10 days. In 2010, a county commission race was listed on the primary ballot when it should not have been. The ballots were reprinted at a cost of more than $100,000. Hall later filed a complaint with state elections officials saying the episode, including press leaks and public criticisms of her by county officials, cost her primary votes and forced her into a November runoff. In 2012, an elections worker was caught tampering with two ballots and was sentenced to 90 days in jail. In 2018, Hall placed her name and the county clerk title on the ballot return envelopes and on voter information pamphlets while also seeking reelection to the post, a decision critics called egregious self-promotion in a tight race. Hall said in her email that all the elections incidents did happen under my watch" and that she or those in her office "took appropriate steps as needed. Pamela White, who challenged Hall in 2018 and lost by fewer than 6,000 votes, said even with such missteps it seemed impossible to defeat Hall. In that election, more than 52,000 voters skipped the county clerk race altogether despite persistent criticisms of Hall's elections oversight and White's endorsement by Halls recently retired elections manager. White spent $100,000 on the race, including $25,000 of her own money, and campaigned for two years, she said. I worked very hard, she said. I knew what I was doing, but that down-ballot thing is an issue even in your own party. It just takes all the air out of the room. Steve Kindred, the former elections manager who endorsed White, said his relationship with Hall soured after a 2014 incident in which she asked him to do work on her reelection campaign during office hours without telling him what it was for. She was later fined $100 by state elections officials for the lapse. Kindred retired early. Kindred said seeing the ballot fiasco now after experiencing the ballot-tampering probe in 2012 was like a punch to the gut. We had a couple of hell elections, not nearly as bad as this one," he said. Its almost like shes frozen, like a deer in the headlights. For now, the county is focused on getting the votes counted by June 13, the state's election certification deadline. ___ Cline reported from Portland. Associated Press writer Andrew Selsky in Salem and AP investigative researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Pam Keister and her husband, Jacob, understood the economic hardship facing Sanford after the May 2020 dam failures. When they considered opening a business there, they began by thinking outside the wine box. The couple recently opened Crazy Vines Winery with the hope that the business could help launch the village into a new era. The married couple she is a Midland Police officer and he is a Midland firefighter met on the job and fell in love. In addition to careers and a brand-new business, they also have a blended family of five children ages 10 and under. With a multitude of responsibilities, some familiar and some new, Keister said shes thankful for the family's support system. We have amazing family and friends that came to the plate to help us out, Keister said. It was standing room only on May 19 at 37 Saginaw Road when Crazy Vines Winery opened its doors to the Sanford community which was also the two-year anniversary of the dam failures. You could have called the opening a toast to new beginnings - for the couple and the community. The winery came at just the right time to lift our spirits and have something new, fun and classy, said Sanford Village President Dolores Porte. Sheila Diamond, of Midland, said everyone was having a great time on opening night. Some people saw it as an opportunity to put aside the hardships of the past two years. It was lovely, said Diamond, who joined some of her Sanford friends that evening. It was standing room only, but it was still very cozy. It was so busy that one of the businesss 10 employees walked a total of seven miles that night, according to her Fit Bit. And we arent even that big of a place, Jacob Keister said. The Keisters said they wanted to create a cozy hangout and something new for the area. Only open for a week, the business is already starting to book bridal and baby showers along with wine tasting parties. We want people to hang out and be comfy and cozy, Pam Keister said. We want people to come in and relax. They are thankful for all the support theyve been given from Michigan vineyards such as Rose Valley Winery, Currant Mist, Mackinaw Trail Winery and Brewery, and Bel Lago. In addition to the winery business, the family takes care of its own vineyards. They planted 150 Marquette grapevines last year and another 150 this year - but cant use them for another three years. They are working toward producing an estate wine, which is one owned or controlled by one's own winery. Crazy Vines Winery is serving 13 wines. Eleven of those are made in Sanford using only Michigan stock. We are keeping everything local, Keister said. One of the wines is Damd Ole Lake, which Keister said is popular. She doesnt know if its because of the name or the wine itself. The Keisters agreed that the village is a great place to bring a business. They are excited to bring their family-owned and family-run operation there. Even their children are growing to love the grape business. When it comes to crushing grapes, they are right out there with it, Keister said. We want to teach them hard work and dedication." Keister said she and her husband handle full-time careers, a family, and a business, and they want to show their two sons and three daughters that if you want something, you can make it happen. You might need to sacrifice a little sleep, though, to make that dream come true. We really wanted to bring something new and something comfortable where people could come and hang out, Keister said. The atmosphere is better than we anticipated. It all turned out better than anticipated." Crazy Vines Winery is open 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 1 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday, and closed Monday and Tuesday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A new dining experience is coming to Fairfield by way of Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Down Under. Isla & Co. is officially opening June 16 at 1420 Post Road, featuring Australian-inspired cuisine. The restaurant is adjacent to the Sacred Heart University Community Theater, and will offer breakfast, brunch and coffee during the day. At night, Isla & Co. becomes "a cocktail-driven dinner destination," according to a press release. Parched Hospitality Group, the Australian team behind New York Citys Hole in the Wall restaurants and The Sentry, Daintree, Isla and Ghost Burger, opened the first Isla & Co. in Williamsburg in March. Alexandro Loayza / Isla & Co. "We started as a coffee shop, and then we introduced breakfast, brunch, and then cocktails and dinner. By doing it that way, I think we were able to make sure we did each one at a really, really high level, rather than trying to do them all from the start," said Tom Rowse, Parched's chief strategy officer. Rowse said Australian food isn't as clearly defined as some other cuisines; rather it's a "mixing pot" of cultures, taking influence from the United Kingdom and southwestern Europe. Australian chefs often visit Southeast Asian countries, he said, and bring those flavors back to their cooking. Dishes at Isla & Co. are "very seasonally charged and colorful, lots of vegetable focus and high-quality meats," he said. Brunch offerings include seasonal smashed avocado with additions like sugar snap peas, cucumber and feta, and an egg scramble with chili sambal sauce, green harissa and parmesan with sourdough and choice of bacon or avocado. Veggie-focused dishes include a butter lettuce salad, mushroom toast, warm farro and mushroom salad and a grain bowl with chicken and vegetables. Alexandro Loayza / Isla & Co. Main courses at dinner feature plates like a grass-fed beef burger, fish and chips with yuzu kosho tartar sauce, braised short ribs, half-chicken, spicy shrimp vodka rigatoni and a Thai green vegetable curry. The menu also features some Aussie staples, Rowse said, like pork sausage rolls with sweet chili sauce. Another breakfast item, the brekkie roll, is made with scrambled egg, bacon, cheddar, arugula and aioli on a toasted brioche bun. "It's very influenced by Australian coastal towns and the cafes that pop up along there," he said. "Going in for a brekkie roll after going for a surf is very nostalgic for us." Matt Foley, formerly of Michelin-starred Marea in Manhattan, designed the menu as Parched Hospitality's corporate executive chef. Alexandro Loayza / Isla & Co. Cocktails will change seasonally, Rowse said, but drinks like an espresso martini with cold brew liqueur and an Isla OF (Old Fashioned) with bourbon, amaro and eucalyptus bitters will remain constants. Wines by the glass naturally feature selections from Australia and New Zealand, but also others from France, Germany, Spain, Italy and California. Rowse said Parched is "growing quite rapidly" as a hospitality group, and they're looking to identify "cool, fun areas" that are family-oriented. With Fairfield's proximity to New York City, "it felt like a really obvious place" to build the new restaurant, he said. "We aim to be someone's favorite place to come through for a coffee, or someone else's favorite place to come to for breakfast, or a lunchtime meeting, or after-work happy hour, or a date night, or catching up with friends or family," he said. "We truly believe that we can offer each one of those at a really, really high quality." Parched also plans future Isla & Co. restaurants in Atlanta and Dallas, and two in South Florida: West Palm Beach and Miami's South Beach. Isla & Co. will be open Monday through Sunday in Fairfield, with brunch served from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner offered from 5 to 11 p.m. The restaurant has seating for about 45 guests indoors and another 60 outdoors. The father who died after an assault in Killingly this week was in the past afraid to be alone with his son, who was charged with the assault, according to a report by the state police. That all changed after the son, Alexander Neidhardt IV, apologized for his past behavior and seemed to improve, the prosecutors report said. We thought he had turned a corner, a witness associated with the father, Alexander M. Neidhardt, 72, of Sturbridge, Mass., told police, according to the report. But late on May 24, a state police sergeant found the father dead under plastic garbage bags in the Killingly condo he had bought for his son, the report said. It was justifiable homicideI was going to call you guysIm sorry about this, the younger Neidhardt told him, according to the report. Neidhardt IV, 43, of Whetstone Mills Valley Road, was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree assault, police said. He was listed in state records Friday as being in custody at Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center in the Uncasville section of Montville on $750,000 bail. Windham States Attorney Anne Mahoney said she will consider upgrading the charge depending on the results of the autopsy, which hadnt been done as of Friday. The prosecutors report paints a picture of a person who has struggled with mental illness. According to the report, the accuseds brother said his sibling was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and later with bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia and paranoia. He once threw hydrochloric acid at a fellow student, he told investigators, according to the report. Neidhardt IV attended Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton, Mass. and later went to Woodstock Academy in Connecticut, graduating in 1997. Neidhardt IV couldnt hold down a job longer than six months, the brother told investigators. He said their father bought him the condo in the Dayville section of town. Alex thought we were just out to get him, the sibling said, according to the report. Alex was always checking himself in and out of Day Kimball Hospital. The doctors were always changing his medication and could never get it right. Sometimes he seemed OK, but then he would stop taking them, he thought the meds affected his creativity. Once, at a family party, Neidhardt IV lashed out at his father and said, you ruined my life, the brother told police. He described his siblings relationship with their father as tumultuous, and said although his father always tried to be there for Alex, Alex always thought (the victim) was evil, according to the report. Still, the brother never heard his sibling say he wanted to hurt their father, the report said. Another witness said in a separate interview that, in addition to his other problems, Neidhardt IV was delusional, the report said. In the past, the father was afraid to be alone with his son and used to bring a friend with him to visit, the witness told investigators. She didnt think Neidhardt IV had ever been violent with his father, but he blamed him for everything that was wrong in his life and would tell him that, she told investigators. His attitude recently had improved, she said. Alex 4th seemed to be doing a lot better in the last three weeks, he apologized to (the victim) for everything he had put him through and told him he loved him, the witness told police. The father was not concerned for his safety when he left today to meet Alex 4th, the report said. The witness was one of two people who called police Tuesday night when the 72-year-old man, who had Parkinsons disease, didnt return home from the visit. He was going with his son to plant flowers at Alexs mothers grave in Woodstock. He had missed two doses of his medication, the report said. About 10:30 p.m., a trooper went to a commuter lot near I-395 where he had run a routine check on the fathers 2021 Ford Ranger three and a half hours earlier, the report said. It was still there. Troopers asked the missing mans cellphone provider to ping his phone to show its location, and the phone was detected about three miles from a cell tower on Bailey Hill Road, the report said. The Whetstone Mills condos are about three miles from the tower. Troopers headed to the condo complex and talked to Neidhardt IV. As he stood outside his front door, the Neidhardt IV made a statement that didnt make sense, the report said. He said something like, If he had stuck to just watching YouTube videos and not Facebook, none of this would have happened, according to the report. A state police sergeant then asked if the father was inside, and Neidhardt IV said he was, according to the report. He had the same answer when he was asked if his father was injured. Neidhardt IV said his father threatened me and raped little children, the report said. While the sergeant was walking into the condo, Neidhardt IV said, It was justifiable homicideI was going to call you guysIm sorry about this, according to the report. The sergeant went in and found the fathers body wrapped in a sheet beneath garbage bags. He had a serious head injury, and there was a lot of blood, the report said. The son was then taken into custody. MIDDLETOWN The $87.35 million Beman Middle School, described as beautiful, amazing and innovative, and named for the family of abolitionists who helped usher people through the Underground Railroad, was formally dedicated Friday morning. Local dignitaries, Board of Education members, the schools acting chief and others instrumental to the project spoke to about 70 middle school students and others who sat in the bleachers. Acting Superintendent of Schools Alberto Vazquez-Matos delivered a short, inspirational speech, telling students they are in a place that evokes excitement, inquiry and wonder. After acknowledging it has been a heartbreaking week, referring to the Texas school shootings, Vazquez-Matos said, We will see better days, and today is one of those days. Councilwoman Jeanette Blackwell took the podium, saying that even in the midst of national tragedy, with an overcast day, today is a magnificent day. The acting superintendent said the school was named after those who were courageous and stood on the right side of history. The Beman family patriarch, Jehiel Beman, a free man, moved to Middletown from Colchester with his family in 1830. He had taken the name Beman as a contraction of Be A Man. Marty Lowman, a board member of the Middlesex County Historical Society, Cross Street AME Zion Church historian and is associated with the Connecticut Freedom Trail. She spoke of the Bemans, saying that when she sees middle-graders, they will tell her about how the family members were born free, and how grandfather Cesar Beman fought in the Revolutionary War, taking his slave masters place. Leverett and his father, Jehiel Beman, eventually opened a shoe-making and repair business, Lowman said, near where Sbona Towers is now. She told students about the importance of setting goals, even at their young age, and then achieving them, much as the Beman family did. This middle school was made for you, Mayor Ben Florshiem told students while recalling his own time as a fifth-grader, when he moved into a brand new school. I remember thinking about how exciting it was to be the first. Wed be making the first friendships, we would be learning new things, experiencing this new space for learning, he told those gathered. It is so important we do good by our middle school students, he added. Its the most important time in your lives in so many ways. All places of learning are sacred spaces, and places of learning and schools also have to be safe spaces. They are places where people can learn and socialize and become the people theyre going to become without fear of harassment, bullying and the world around them, Florsheim added. Council Majority Leader and middle school building committee co-chairman is a former principal at Woodrow Wilson High School, which was replaced by Beman. Middle school buildings in this town, for decades, were hand-me-down high schools, Nocera said, that were thought of as good enough for our middle school kids. They werent good enough, but we had to do the best we could. Some said this building has passed on. I agree with that in every sense of the phrase, Nocera explained. Lowman related a story about when Jehiels son Amos was determined to get a college education. He tried to attend Wesleyan University, but the institution didnt accept Black students in 1833, she said. He found out it was not possible, she added. He found a student to study with, however, when the administration at the time learned he was on campus, he was told to leave. He still maintained his goal of getting a college education, Lowman said. Vazquez-Matos concluded his talk with words of wisdom. Children grow into the conversations that surround them. If we speak of greatness to them, they will grow to be great This building, and all who spend their days in it, are a beacon of hope for us all, he added. MIDDLETOWN Oddfellows Playhouse Youth Theater announces a special Oddbridge Season Finale program, Anansi the Trickster. This is a two-week theater adventure for kids in grades one through eight, with transportation provided directly from Middletown Public Schools (a drop-off option is available for home schoolers or students from other school districts). It will conclude with a public performance in the theater, according to a press release. Anansi the Trickster will run May 31 to June 9, Monday through Thursday, from 3:15 to 6 p.m., with a final show June 9 at 6 p.m. Rehearsals and performance will take place Oddfellows Playhouse, 128 Washington St. Anansi the Trickster is based on West African folk tales about Anansi, the trickster spider, Oddfellows said. Anansi stories are prevalent throughout the African diaspora, originating with the Ashanti people in Ghana and spreading throughout Africa and the Caribbean. The older students will take on the lead characters, which require more advanced mastery of text and character, while the elementary school troupers will form the ensemble of animals and other characters. Oddbridge is Oddfellows after-school child care option for public school students, the news release said. As most classes ended by May 26, Extended Oddbridge is providing a unique, creative opportunity for families needing after-school care through June 9, the theater said. Tuition for the seven-day program is $150, which includes transport, snack and supervised recreation, participation in rehearsals and performances. Financial aid is available. Enrollment is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, go to oddfellows.recdesk.com/Community/Program. For information, email info@oddfellows.org or call 860-347-6143. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TOKYO (AP) Japan will open its borders to foreign tourists in June for the first time since imposing tight pandemic travel restrictions about two years ago, but only for package tours for now, the prime minister said Thursday. Beginning June 10, Japan will allow the entry of people on tours with fixed schedules and guides, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. Tourists from areas with low COVID-19 infection rates who have received three vaccine doses will be exempt from testing and quarantine after entry. Japan this week is hosting small experimental package tours from four countries, Australia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States. That experiment, which involves only 50 people who received special visas, not tourist visas, is to end May 31. Free and active exchange of people is the foundation of economy and society, as well as that of Asias development, Kishida told his speech at a Tokyo hotel Thursday. Japan, while watching the infection situation, will gradually accept more tourists in stages to the level of arrivals before the pandemic, he added. After facing criticism that its strict border controls were xenophobic, Japan began easing its restrictions earlier this year and currently allows entry of up to 10,000 people a day, including Japanese citizens, foreign students and some business travelers. Japan will double the cap to 20,000 a day from June 1, which will also include package tour participants, said Makoto Shimoaraiso, a Cabinet official in charge of pandemic measures. The scale of the package tours and other details will be finalized after officials evaluate the results of the current experimental tours, he said. It will take some time before foreign visitors can come to Japan for individual tourism, Shimoaraiso said. Japan this week also eased requests for mask wearing. While masks are still requested on public transportation, hospitals and other public facilities, people can take off masks outdoors where others are not around or talking. Despite the easing, most Japanese so far are seen sticking to wearing masks in public. Japans tourism industry, hit hard by the border controls, is eager for foreign tourism to resume. COVID-19 infections have slowed in Japan since earlier this year and the government is gradually expanding social and economic activity. Kishida said during a visit to London earlier this month that he planned to ease the border controls as early as June in line with the policies of other Group of Seven industrialized countries, but gave no further details. Foreign tourist arrivals fell more than 90% in 2020 from a record 31.9 million the year before, almost wiping out the pre-pandemic inbound tourism market of more than 4 trillion yen ($31 billion). SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) A California parole panel recommended the release of Patricia Krenwinkel for the first time Thursday, more than five decades after she and other followers of cult leader Charles Manson terrorized the state and she wrote Helter Skelter on a wall using the blood of one of their victims. Krenwinkel, 74, was previously denied parole 14 times for the slayings of pregnant actor Sharon Tate and four other people in 1969. She helped kill grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary the next night in what prosecutors say was an attempt by Manson to start a race war. The parole recommendation will be reviewed by the state parole board's legal division before likely going to Gov. Gavin Newsom for a decision within five months. He has previously rejected parole recommendations for other followers of Manson, who died in prison in 2017. New laws since Krenwinkel was last denied parole in 2017 required the parole panel to consider that she committed the murders at a young age and is now an elderly prisoner. Also, for the first time, Los Angeles County prosecutors werent at the parole hearing to object, under District Attorney George Gascons policy that prosecutors should not be involved in deciding whether prisoners are ready for release. However, Krenwinkels attorney, Keith Wattley, said relatives of her victims offered the same objections at the hearing as prosecutors have in the past. What was different this time was that the parole panel was willing to follow the law, he said, recognizing that she has had no disciplinary violations and is no longer a danger to society. She's completely transformed from the person she was when she committed this crime, which is all that it's supposed to take to be granted parole, he said. Im hopeful that the governor recognizes that he shouldnt be playing political games with peoples lives," Wattley said. The governor would be blocking her parole not because hes afraid of her, but because he doesnt like her. And the law doesnt allow that. Krenwinkel remains incarcerated at the California Institution for Women east of Los Angeles. Commissioners five years ago rejected her parole despite arguments then that she was affected by battered womens syndrome when she helped in the bloody slayings. Krenwinkel was a 19-year-old secretary living with her older sister when she met Manson, then age 33, at a party. She testified in 2016 that she soon left everything behind to follow him because she thought they might have a romantic relationship. But she said Manson abused her physically and emotionally and trafficked her to other men for sex. She said she fled twice only to be brought back and that she was rarely left alone and usually was under the influence of drugs. At her last parole hearing, Krenwinkel told how she repeatedly stabbed Abigail Folger, 26, heiress to a coffee fortune, at Tates home on Aug. 9, 1969. The next night, she said Manson and his right-hand man, Charles Tex Watson, told her to do something witchy, so she stabbed La Bianca in the stomach with a fork, then took a rag and wrote Helter Skelter, Rise and Death to Pigs on the walls with his blood. She and other participants were initially sentenced to death. But they were resentenced to life with the possibility of parole after the death penalty in California was briefly ruled unconstitutional in 1972. Krenwinkel became the states longest-serving female inmate when fellow Manson follower Susan Atkins died of cancer in prison in 2009. Wattley said he understands she is the longest-serving woman in the United States. President Joe Biden called out Russia's "brutal" war in Ukraine and warned Naval Academy graduates that the world is at a turning point during his commencement address in Annapolis, Maryland, on Friday. The president delivered the address to more than 1,000 graduating midshipmen following commencement speeches at the Air Force Academy earlier this week by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and at West Point last Saturday by Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs chairman, who said that a "hard rain's gonna fall" on global peace and stability in the coming years. Biden also warned of a hard road ahead for naval officers and specifically called out Russian President Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. has given about $4 billion in weapons and aid to the Ukrainians since the invasion began, but the president has pledged American troops will not fight in that country. Read Next: Thousands Sickened, 17 Hospitalized by Navy's Hawaii Water Crisis, Survey Finds "Not only is he trying to take over Ukraine, he is really trying to wipe out the culture and identity of the Ukrainian people -- attacking schools, nurseries, hospitals, museums, with no other purpose than to eliminate a culture," Biden said, raising his voice. "That's what you're graduating into ... a world that, more than ever, requires strong, principled, engaged American leadership." The class is "graduating at an inflection point, not only in American history, but in world history," Biden told the sailors. "To state the obvious, no generation's graduates get to pick what world they're gonna graduate into -- it's already been formed for you -- but you must change it," he said. Although no U.S. troops are deployed to Ukraine, the Russian invasion has prompted deployments to neighboring countries, as well as the positioning of more than 20 Navy ships, including the aircraft carrier USS Truman and its strike group, to the Mediterranean Sea. Since then, Navy and Marine leaders have regularly talked about how the conflict has shaped their thinking on tactics and fighting in a future war. "Take a look at the 125 [battalion tactical groups] that Vladimir Putin has positioned around Ukraine. That's not the force that any of us want," Adm. Mike Gilday, the military head of the Navy, told military officers and industry representatives at the Sea-Air-Space Exposition outside Washington, D.C., in early April. Meanwhile, Gen. David Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps, said that the conflict helped validate some of the changes he's making in reshaping the service for the future. The Marine Corps' top general in May pointed to the strike against and eventual sinking of the Russian cruiser Moskva as a good example of where he sees the future of his branch. "This is the direction the Marine Corps is going as a part of what the nation needs us to do in sea control and sea denial," he said. "It does serve as an example of the vulnerability of ships, writ large, to missiles." The Ukrainians have claimed that they struck the ship with two Neptune missiles and caused "serious damage." Russian state media said that the ship later sank while under tow in a storm. Looking even more broadly, Biden charged the graduates with protecting democracy and the world order centered around freedom that America helped establish. To make his point, he recalled a conversation he had with Chinese President Xi Jinping shortly after his election win. "He said to me, as he said many times before, democracies cannot be sustained in the 21st century," Biden said of his Chinese counterpart, before adding that Xi argued autocracies will prevail. "He's wrong," the president said. -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. Related: Biden Picks Replacements for Purged Naval Academy Board -- Including 2 Trailblazing Women A kennel that catered to the pets of deploying service members in the San Diego area was recently shut down after the owner was investigated for animal cruelty. Military Mutts Ranch in Aguanga, California, was officially closed when an appeal to uphold its permit was denied this week during a county board meeting. The renewal of the kennel license was originally denied at the end of March for a series of violations, including not providing updated rabies documentation and for hosting too many dogs at its facility. The kennel was already facing several animal cruelty complaints -- from dogs becoming infested with maggots to a horse dying from starvation -- and it was regularly on watch by the county's Department of Animal Services. Read Next: Biden Warns Naval Academy Grads of 'Brutal' Russia and an Uncertain World "What I saw on that property was nothing less than animal neglect and cruelty," said Grace Turner, a former client who was identified as a San Diego military spouse by CBS, during the county board hearing. Turner brought her three dogs to the facility at the end of April, but when she went to pick them up a few days later, one of them was missing. As she searched for her lost canine, she noticed the facility was covered in animal excrement and that pets appeared crowded and malnourished. Charlotte Orrin, 67, a retired therapist, opened the animal boarding center around 10 years ago. She charged customers $250 per month to leave their pets with her at the southern California kennel. Orrin had appealed the decision not to renew the kennel's license. "I don't abuse and neglect animals. I do this because I care about our soldiers," Orrin said during the hearing. Troops also serving as pet owners often have limited options to receive affordable and safe long-term care for their beloved animals while they are traveling on assignment, making kennels an appealing choice. However, the failure of facilities like Military Mutts Ranch to follow standard health and safety practices puts service members' pets at serious risk. "Ms. Orrin has ... continued to fail animals in her care," Erin Gettis, the Riverside County director of Animal Services, said during the hearing. Instead of placing their pets in the care of centers with a record of poor conditions, service members can instead find peace of mind knowing their animals are safe and healthy thanks to nonprofits working to find pet foster homes. PACT for Animals is a nonprofit that provides troops with a nearly cost-free program to find long-term boarding for their pets so they can avoid giving up companions to a shelter during their service. "The one thing we do differently than other programs is we vet every foster home," said PACT's director of operations Susan Miller in an interview with Military.com. She described the detailed reference check and home visit they require of foster hosts to ensure pets are looked after by a quality care provider. Since it was founded in 2011, the group has placed more than 1,000 pets across nearly every state. PACT also offers temporary foster care for troops who are not deploying but still have military assignments that require travel. Charlotte Orrin, Military Mutt Ranch owner, appeals to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors over the denial of her permit to run a kennel for pets of service members, May 24, 2022. (Screengrab from Riverside County Board of Supervisors meeting) Meanwhile, the board of supervisors in California unanimously voted to deny Orrin her appeal, effectively ending her business. She is not allowed to apply for a new kennel permit for another year. "I'm appalled this business is advertised to people in the military and has been allowed to operate for so long for the amount of suffering and death that some of these dogs have experienced over the years," Turner added during the hearing. Her lost dog was eventually found near the property, and the other animals at the kennel are now being cared for by a nonprofit, along with Riverside Animal Services, until service members can reclaim them, according to CBS Los Angeles. Military Mutts Ranch was not immediately available to respond for comment. -- Jonathan Lehrfeld is a fellow at Military.com. Follow him on Twitter @lehrfeld_media. Related: PCSing with Pets: 4 Things to Remember While Moving Your Animals The number of soldiers who have been separated from the Army due to refusing the COVID-19 vaccine has more than doubled from last month, according to new statistics released by the service on Friday. The service has now discharged at least 742 active-duty soldiers for refusal, it said. On April 20, the total was 345. In addition to COVID-19, troops are mandated to receive more than a dozen other vaccines, including those against smallpox, hepatitis and the flu. However, troops are not required to get any COVID-19 booster shots. Right now, 97% of the active-duty Army is fully vaccinated. Read Next: Thousands Sickened, 17 Hospitalized by Navy's Hawaii Water Crisis, Survey Finds In addition to the separations, 3,416 general officer reprimands have been given out to soldiers refusing the vaccine. The admonishments are largely seen as career killers in the military. Soldiers can receive a religious or medical exemption from the vaccine, but those exceptions are exceedingly rare. Only nine out of 4,428 religious exemption applications have been approved by the Army. It's unclear how those nine soldiers made their case, and troops seeking a religious waiver may have a steep hill to climb if they didn't take issue with any of the service's other vaccine mandates. Army officials have approved 22 medical exemptions of the 732 requested so far. COVID-19 vaccines have been determined to be safe, but do carry a minor risk of causing some health issues such as heart inflammation, which has affected at least 22 service members, according to a study from the JAMA Network. The new numbers on separations also come a month before the Army Reserve and National Guard hit their deadline to be inoculated at the end of June. Some governors have challenged the Pentagon's directive for the National Guard amid Republican opposition to pandemic-related mandates, saying they will not kick out any refusers. It's still unclear whether those governors will follow through with their defiance. The rules Guardsmen must follow can change depending on what type of mission they are on and whether it falls under state or federal orders. -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: Lieutenant Found Guilty After Breaking COVID-19 Rules in a First for the Army, But Won't Be Punished KRAMATORSK, Ukraine Russia-backed separatists claimed they captured a railway hub city in eastern Ukraine as Moscow's forces pushed to gain more ground Friday by pounding another Ukrainian-held area where authorities say 1,500 people have died since the start of the war. With Russia's offensive in Ukraine's industrial Donbas region showing incremental progress, Ukrainian officials characterized the battle there in grave terms and renewed their appeals for more sophisticated Western-supplied weaponry. Without that, Ukraines foreign minister warned, Ukrainian forces won't be able to stop Russia's advance on the east. Some European leaders sought dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin toward ending a war in its 93rd day that has ravaged both Europe and Russia's economies, while Britain's foreign minister worked to rally the West's continued support for Ukraine. There should be no talk of ceasefires, or appeasing Putin. We need to make sure that Ukraine wins. And that Russia withdraws and that we never see this type of Russian aggression again, U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said. But in Ukraine's east, Russia has the upper hand. The fighting Friday focused on two key cities: Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk. They are the last areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk, one of two provinces that make up the Donbas and where Moscow-backed separatists have controlled some territory for eight years. There are battles on the outskirts of the city. Massive artillery shelling does not stop, day and night," Sievierodonetsk Mayor Oleksandr Striuk told The Associated Press. The city is being systematically destroyed - 90% of the buildings in the city are damaged." An assault was underway in the citys northeastern quarter, where Russian reconnaissance and sabotage groups tried to capture the Mir Hotel and the area around it Friday, Striuk said. At least 1,500 people have died in Sievierodonetsk because of the war since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, he said. The figure includes people killed by shelling or in fires caused by Russian missile strikes, as well as those who died from shrapnel wounds, untreated diseases, a lack of medicine or while trapped under rubble, according to the mayor. About 12,000 to 13,000 people remain in the city down from a pre-war population of about 100,000, he said. Those remaining are huddled in shelters, and largely cut off from the rest of Ukraine. In Donetsk, the Donbas region's other province, the Russia-backed rebels said Friday they took control of Lyman, a large railway hub north of two more key cities that remain under Ukrainian control. Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich acknowledged that we lost Lyman" Thursday night. However, a Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson reported Friday that its soldiers countered Russian attempts to push them completely out of the city. Ukrainian analysts said Russian forces have taken advantage of delays in Western arms shipments to step up their offensive in the east and secure territory before Ukraine's fighters could push them back. Russia brought in an additional 10-12 battalion tactical groups to the zone, military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said. Throwing so much muscle at the offensive could also backfire by seriously depleting Russias arsenal. Echoing an assessment from the British Defense Ministry, Zhdanov said Russia was deploying 50-year-old T-62 tanks, which means that the second army of the world has run out of modernized equipment. Mykola Sunhurovskyi, an analyst at Kyiv's Razumkov Center, said that going forward, It is in Putins interests to solidify the situation that has developed today at the front, biting off from Ukraine what there is still strength for, and secure this line of contact as a position in (eventual) negotiations." As Ukraine's hopes of stopping the Russian advance faded, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba pleaded with Western nations: We need heavy weapons. The only position where Russia is better than us, its the amount of heavy weapons they have. Without artillery, without multiple launch rocket systems, we wont be able to push them back." In his nightly address to the nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had some harsh words for the European Union, which has not agreed on a sixth round of sanctions that includes an embargo on Russian oil. With Hungary blocking the deal, EU countries are hunting for other methods to punish Russia. Pressure on Russia is literally a matter of saving lives, Zelenskyy said. And every day of delay, weakness, various disputes or proposals to appease the aggressor at the expense of the victim is new killed Ukrainians. And new threats to everyone on our continent. Zelenskyy said Russia's offensive in the Donbas could leave its communities in ashes and uninhabitable. He accused Moscow of pursuing an obvious policy of genocide through mass deportations and killings of civilians. On Thursday, Russian shelling of Kharkiv, a northeastern city that has been under assault while Ukrainian forces keep the invading troops out, killed nine people, including a father and his 5-month-old baby, the president said. Associated Press reporters saw the bodies of at least two dead men and four wounded at a central subway station, where the victims were taken as shelling continued outside. To the north, neighboring Belarus announced Friday that it was sending troops toward the Ukrainian border, raising concerns in Ukraines military command. Russia used Belarus as a staging ground before it invaded Ukraine. Germanys development minister traveled to Ukraine on Friday to pledge further civilian support and to discuss the countrys rebuilding. Austria's chancellor, meanwhile, was set to talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin about possible prisoner exchanges. Italian Premier Mario Draghi talked with Putin on Thursday but reported no breakthrough. If you are asking me if there are openings for peace, the answer is no," Draghi told reporters. Putin and Draghi's conversation focused on the question of unblocking Ukrainian ports to allow grain to be delivered to countries that are suffering a food crisis, and avoid the risk that the stores rot in port. Moscow pressed the West on Thursday to lift sanctions already imposed over the war, seeking to shift the blame for a growing global food crisis that has been worsened by Kyivs inability to ship millions of tons of grain and other agricultural products while under attack. ___ Karmanau reported from Lyiv, Ukraine. Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and AP journalists around the world contributed. The Department of Veterans Affairs will be required to regularly report the performance -- including incidents that risk patient safety -- of its troubled electronic health records systems to Congress under new legislation headed to the president's desk. The Senate approved a bill Thursday to require the VA to submit quarterly reports to lawmakers on the performance and costs of the Electronic Health Record Modernization program, or EHRM. The bill already passed the House in a voice vote in November, meaning it now heads to President Joe Biden for his signature. A VA hospital in Spokane, Washington, was forced to suspend patient admissions and appointments after the records system, estimated by the agency to cost $16.1 billion, crashed in March. Multiple inspector general reports and news stories have highlighted issues with the rollout of the system that risked patient safety, as well as cost overruns. Read Next: Thousands Sickened, 17 Hospitalized by Navy's Hawaii Water Crisis, Survey Finds "The VA, and consequently our nation, has invested a great deal of time and money into the VA Electronic Health Record Modernization program," Senate Veterans Affairs Committee ranking member Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., the lead sponsor of the Senate version of the bill, said in a statement. The legislation will "ensure veterans receive the care they deserve and hold the VA accountable for taxpayer dollars," Moran said. The reports ordered by Congress, which would continue until after the program is fully implemented, would in part have to include "a list of patient safety reports, incidents, alerts or disclosures" at each facility where the new electronic system is in use. The system, built by health technology powerhouse Cerner, was first launched at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane in November 2020. After several delays, it was also rolled out in Walla Walla, Washington, and Columbus, Ohio, earlier this year. In March, the VA inspector general released a series of three reports that found the system failed to flag patients who had been identified as suicide risks, gave doctors inaccurate information about patients' medications, and caused delays in scheduling appointments, among other patient safety risks. Those reports came after the IG in a pair of 2021 reports found the VA's $16.1 billion cost estimate for the program is likely an underestimate of as much as $5.1 billion because planning and reports to Congress did not include physical and IT infrastructure costs. There have also been media reports of glitches and shortcomings, including dozens of crashes. The issues have prompted some lawmakers to call on the VA to halt the rollout of the program. "The EHR has been very frustrating, very disruptive and even dangerous for some of our patients," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., told VA Secretary Denis McDonough at a congressional hearing earlier this month. "I do not want EHR to move an inch further in my state until all of this is fixed and ready to go." Murray said reports from her constituents in the state show the system is "plagued" by problems. VA officials have pledged to work with lawmakers to assuage their concerns but also claim the problems with the system are being ironed out. "Spokane's getting better, but it's not perfect," McDonough told Murray at the hearing. "I'm not suggesting it is. Walla Walla's not been perfect, but it's been better. So far, in day six in Columbus, we're seeing reasonable results, but again, it's early." -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: Lawmakers Balk at VA Plans to Roll Out Electronic Medical Records System Latest Kremlin reports indicate that legendary American actor, Morgan Freeman has been banned from entering Russia. The actor joins a least of about 960 Americans who have been noted as Anti-Russian. According to the list, the actor placer 840 after he created a video about the 2016 presidential election cycle. Morgan Freeman is 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 Kremlin list noted. The actor is recalled to have directed and narrated a video in which he expressed concerns about the involvement of Russia in the American elections. He recommended a committee to investigate the European country indicating, We have been attacked we are at war. The video features renowned American actor, Rob Reiner, who happens to be on the ban list too. Meanwhile, Russia says its action is in response to the continuous imposed anti-Russian sanctions by the U.S. Some notable Black Americans on the ban list include Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, Vice President Kamala Harris, Ilhan Omar, Senator Cory Booker, and Ayanna Presley. 27.05.2022 LISTEN Comic Ghanaian actor Kwadwo Nkansah LilWin has officially kicked off his One Student, One Pen initiative. The actors efforts seek to provide students in the Ashanti Region with pens which will go a long way to aid in their academic work. In collaboration with the Ashanti Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service and DPS Ball Point Pens, the initiative was launched at the Kumasi Anglican School on Thursday. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, LilWin indicated that the initiative is part of his vision to give back to society. I love giving back to society, especially in the educational sector. I always want to help these younger ones achieve their dreams of becoming better people in society. A pen is an essential learning material, but it has unfortunately become expensive. "Some parents are unable to afford them for their wards and this occurs especially in the rural areas. So this project seeks to address this challenge and I hope to make the desired impact, he said. He expressed his gratitude to individuals and corporate bodies who have contributed to the course. The actor added that the initiative will go beyond the Ashanti Region for every student in every part of the country to benefit. 27.05.2022 LISTEN Members of the National Concerned Spare Parts Dealers Association have expressed their readiness to embark on demonstration against the government if it fails to reverse its intentions to relocate them against the Association's decision. Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the Public Relations Officer of the Association, Mr Takyi Addo said the outfit vehemently opposes government and for that matter the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council's supposed relocation of the Association from Abossey Okai to Afeinya, describing the decision as unfortunate and unnecessary. According to him, the decision could hardly help the spare parts dealers to operate effectively when they are moved to Afienya. The Association observed that Abossey Okai is the point where business thrives in the country and also contributes massively towards economic development. He noted that government needs to develop the area instead of finding avenues to relocate traders who have invested heavily in their current location. "We are through this press conference giving the government two weeks to withdraw its intention to relocate us to Afienya or we proceed to demonstrate and register our protest against its decision," Mr Takyi hinted. Mr Takyi Addo alleged that officials of the Greater Accra Coordinating Council have in two separate interviews at Adom FM and Joy FM threatened to relocate the spare parts dealers of 11 Abossey Okai to Afienya on the reason that they wanted to decongest the area for free vehicular movement among others. The spokesman said the Coordinating Council also linked the decision to relocate them to number of meetings the officials have held with the executive members of the Association whom have given them the green light for the relocation exercise to happen. According to Takyi, the said executives are only interim members whose tenure of office have long expired, and therefore have no power to decide for all spare parts dealers at Abossey Okai. "We consider the intention by the government through the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council to relocate us to Afeinya as an affront to our traditional activities," the Mr Takyi Addo noted. He added, "This is an obvious attempt by the alleged unrecognized executives to make the current government unpopular as they wrongly give false information of which if the authorities follow could dent the reputation of the government." Concluding Mr Takyi Addo called on government to come out with measures that could help the effective running of the spare parts business. Seventy-five-year-old Hanganani Gideon Dube has walked with a slight limp and his speech been laboured since he miraculously survived being trampled by an elephant in northwestern Zimbabwe. He considers himself lucky to be alive following the assault one afternoon in May 2021 near Mabale village on the outskirts of Hwange National Park, the country's biggest. But the injuries have left him unable to fend for his family of six. Dube was tending his cattle when "suddenly I found myself face-to-face with an elephant". He sprinted off, without realising he was running straight into the path of another elephant. "There was no time for me to evade the second elephant. It attacked me swiftly and I blacked out," he said in the local Ndebele language. Dube said he's still puzzled "why the elephant didn't finish me off". "I am lucky to be alive but I am now useless as I can no longer do any physical work, including looking after my cattle," he said sitting on a stool by a cooking fire at his homestead. At least 60 people have been killed by elephants in Zimbabwe since the start of the year, compared with 72 over all of 2021 year. Seventy-five-year-old Hanganani Gideon considers himself lucky to be alive after an assault by an elephant. By Zinyange Auntony (AFP) Zimbabwe's conservation success story has had unfortunate side-effect of heightening jumbo-human conflict. With some 100,000 elephants, Zimbabwe has the world's second-largest population after Botswana, and about one-quarter of the elephants in all of Africa. More than half of those pachyderms live in and outside the unfenced Hwange, a wildlife park nearly half the size of Belgium, some 14,600 square kilometres (5,637 square miles) of vegetation. Elephants roam freely from Zimbabwe's sprawling and unfenced game reserves and it is common to find herds crossing or resting along the main highway from Hwange to the nearby prime tourist resort of Victoria Falls. 'Reward not punishment' Zimbabwe's elephant population is growing at about five percent a year, reaching unsustainable levels. Elephants roam freely from Zimbabwe's sprawling and unfenced game reserves. By Zinyange Auntony (AFP) "Our conservation methods are working and I believe that instead of being punished we should be rewarded," Fulton Mangwanya, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director told AFP. He spoke on the sidelines of a conference in Hwange where the government is this week lobbying allies to push for legal ivory trade. Zimbabwe, along with Botswana, Namibia and Zambia, wants the UN Convention on International Trade Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, commonly referred to as CITES, to lift the ban on the trade in ivory. They argue that scrapping the ban can help to better preserve the animals and bring economic benefit to local communities who live close to the animals. Zimbabwe has a huge $600-million stockpile of ivory which it recently showed to ambassadors representing various countries including the European Union, China and Japan. It has urged EU diplomats to allow a one-off sale of the ivory. Cattle herder Hanganani Gideon Dube can no longer fend for his family because of his injuries sustained in an elephant attack. By Zinyange Auntony (AFP) The country's last official elephant census in 2014 counted more than 80,000, a figure now estimated at 100,000, which authorities say is three times more than capacity. But some conservationists doubt the accuracy of the statistics and fear that lifting the trade ban would pose a threat to elephant populations. America, along with EU countries and Britain remain opposed to lifting the ban while China and Japan are some of the countries in support. International trade in ivory and elephants has been banned since 1989 under the CITES. One-off sales were allowed in 1999 and 2008, despite fierce opposition. The Harare government has threatened to pull out of the convention if it doesn't have its way on ivory trading. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, escalating the Russo-Ukrainian War, which had started in 2014. With more than 6.5 million Ukrainians fleeing the country and a third of the population displaced, the invasion has triggered Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. While the Bangladeshs Rohingya's plight has been overshadowed by the Covid-19 outbreak, Myanmar's military coup in February, Afghan refugee crisis, now the Ukraine crisis, the community remains in limbo, with many of its members missing citizenship and the rights that come with it. Around a million Rohingya refugees has been living in Bangladesh since 2017, while others have sought sanctuary in nations all over the world. When the Myanmar military began a clearance operation against them in 2017, several members of the community were forced to flee. Rakhine state was particularly tense, with tales of rape and murder against Rohingyas abounding. The International Court of Justice has charged Myanmar with genocide over these atrocities. Meanwhile, the community's living conditions in refugee camps are deteriorating. Due to the extended ambiguity surrounding their repatriation to Myanmar, Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are becoming frustrated. Such ambiguity poses a significant risk because it tempts many people to engage in illicit activity. Bangladesh confronts increasing difficulty in managing the displaced people as foreign support for the Rohingyas dwindle, with little hope of repatriation in the near future. Following the ongoing Ukraine crisis, the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, which has already displaced millions of Afghans both inside and outside the nation, another humanitarian crisis has emerged. While many in the world community have correctly condemned Myanmar's junta for deposing an elected government, the Rohingya's situation must not be overlooked. The international community must demand justice for the Rohingya in addition to a restoration to representative rule in Myanmar. Despite the fact that members of the Muslim Rohingya population claim generations of roots in the country formerly known as Burma, Myanmar's ruling generals have long promoted the xenophobic stereotype that they are "outsiders" in the Buddhist-majority country. Bangladesh is home to nearly 1.1 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas, the majority of whom arrived on August 25, 2017, following a murderous crackdown by Myanmar's army described as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing." International community should have always taken the safe repatriation of refugees seriously. Bangladeshs administration began diplomatic attempts to return them and negotiated agreements with Myanmar. However, even five years later, not a single Rohingya has returned to their homeland for fear of persecution. It appears that Bangladesh is paying the price for expressing sympathy for a persecuted minority community in another country. Bangladesh wants to resolve the Rohingya situation through peaceful negotiations, and Myanmar and the international community should do the same. Myanmar has been attempting to mislead the international community in order to avoid fulfilling its duties for the repatriation and reintegration of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas. The host country has done everything. It wants ensure Rohingya return through peaceful means, but nothing has worked out so far. It goes without saying that voluntary repatriation of Rohingyas is the most sustainable and long-term solution to the situation. However, because to the Rohingyas' lack of faith in the Myanmar government, repatriation attempts failed twice in November 2018 and August 2019. Myanmar must ensure that Rohingya refugees are not persecuted upon their return in order to facilitate voluntary repatriations. To this aim, the international community and the United Nations should increase pressure on Myanmar to create a safe, secure, and dignified environment for the Rohingya refugees to return home. World anticipate the international community should play a more assertive diplomatic role in pressuring Myanmar to return the Rohingyas. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has stated recently during his visit to Bangladesh that while focusing on the "catastrophic disaster" in Ukraine, they must not forget about other challenging situations across the world, such as the Rohingya crisis, which require attention and resources. Despite new financing to Ukraine in response to an "exceptional humanitarian situation," the US is committed to continuing to support Bangladesh in the Rohingya crisis, according to a top USAID official who visited Rohingya camps in Bangladesh in May 11, 2021. "We are dedicated to maintaining our support for the Rohingya response," USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman told a small group of journalists at an American Centre press conference in the capital before ending off her 5-day visit to Bangladesh. She continued, "We have a very fundamental approach to humanitarian response, and ensuring that the refugees (Rohingyas) who are here receive the basic necessities to meet is a priority for us." Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, as well as Rohingya and other conflict-affected persons in Myanmar, will benefit from an additional 22 million in humanitarian help from the European Commission. Protection services, food aid, nutrition, health, and shelter will all benefit from the investment. Since 2002, the EU has been actively assisting people in Bangladesh (since 2002) and Myanmar (since 1994), with a particular focus on disaster preparedness and emergency response activities, providing life-saving assistance to Rohingya refugees, and funding emergency aid to people affected by natural disasters. Rohingyas need more assistance of the international community. They've spent the last five years telling the world about their situation and repeating the same stories. They've gotten nothing but compassion and hollow promises in exchange. With the world's attention focused on the migrants in Ukraine, we hope the world should not overlook the misery of 1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. The international community's plea for repatriation to Myanmar must be louder, more visible, and more frequent. Bangladesh's government must continue to ensure that any transfers are entirely voluntary. Any long-term solution must take into account the local and national context. But flow of humanitarian assistance must be ensured till then because they need to fulfill their basic needs. They have right to survive with dignity because they are also human being. But peaceful and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas in Myanmar is the final solution. But till then, they need to survive! survive! survive! Please dont forget them. Kyaw Min, is an activist, educator, freelance writer, and researcher. Original address: Mandalay, Myanmar. Present Addresses: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Postgraduate degree from Mandalay University (Department of International relations) Africa Centre for Education and Community Development, a non-profit organization, NGO, has donated school uniforms and footwear to over 150 children in three basic schools in the Upper West Akyem District of the Eastern region. The items were distributed to needy pupils in Kofi Kyere D/A basic school, Asuokwaw Presby school and Katayensua D/A school. The aim is to encourage school going children who were not regular in school due to tattered uniforms and worn-out footwear to show commitment towards their education. Records at the district education directorate suggest that some school pupils in the district regularly absent themselves from school due to lack of befitting school uniforms. Some, however, defy the odds and the embarrassment of donning tattered uniforms just to be educated, shying away from extra curricula activities. This, according to some teachers and circuit supervisors in the district, demoralizes the pupils and affect their academic performances. Government in 2009 introduced free school uniform policy as a social intervention programme in education, with the aim to reduce the cost of education and support needy pupils in deprived public basic schools across the country. The programme, has however, taken a nosedive in recent past, affecting enrollment levels in most basic schools across the country. Some parents in the predominantly farming communities say they are unable to afford uniforms for their children due to hardship. To address this challenge, Africa Centre for Education and Community Development, following its need impact assessment program conducted in the district saw the need to present to pupils who lacked these items. Addressing a ceremony to present the items, the country director of Africa Centre for Education and Community Development, Kofi Baafi, Esq. said "the main focus of the organization is to advise on education, help people build their skills and make education environment very convenient". According to him, the findings from its impact assessment revealed low education performance due to lack of financial support on the part of parents. "It's not as a result of lack of teachers, they are a lot of teachers here, they have infrastructure though it's not that convenient but we have seen that the parents have a role to play so the parent-teacher relationship is not moving properly and most of the children too are not properly informed about what they have to do and they just come to school and go home. Some are not clothed so they don't come to school at all. We found out that poverty is very very high, and performance is very low so comparing these two things we realized that one is influencing the other. When we work on these two things it will impact positively on education," he stated. A Circuit Supervisor in the district, Edward Boakye told Journalists the district faces a lot of challenges including lack of textbooks, and infrastructure deficits among many others. According to him, the lack of these uniforms and other needs discourages students from attending school regularly. "We are very hopeful that once the ACECD has come to our aid in Katayensua, Kofi Kyere and Asuokwaw Presby with school uniforms and footwear, we are hopeful they would extend their tentacles to other schools in the district. We are faced with absenteeism so with this kind gesture, we are convinced enrollment levels will rise all aimed at a better education," he explained. Beneficiary students commended the group for their support. The event was well attended by traditional rulers, opinion leaders and heads of schools in the three communities. 27.05.2022 LISTEN The first vice-chair for the NPP-Japan branch, Mr. Awuah Michael has urged candidates of Bono East not to make the mistake of voting for any NDC candidate in 'NPP skin' in the upcoming internal election. He is asking delegates to keep an eye on candidates who defected from the opposition NDC to join the NPP. Mr Michael alleged that their plan was to win their positions and conspire with the opposition NDC to destroy NPP. "The election is just around the corner and we should be vigilant about the people we choose as leaders of the region. We should remember our children's education, our health, good roads, potable drinking water and others are in the hands of these leaders whom we will choose someday to come. This should tell us we should vote for competent leaders, not pro-NDCs candidate whom the NDC party have sponsored to partake in the raise. "We all know there are some candidates who just left the NDC party some months ago to the NPP to win the regional elections so that he will conspire with his former party to bring the Bono East NPP to a downfall. "We should remember is not about money but someone who can work and work better for the development of the NPP party and the citizens, not one who is in hand with the opposition party to draw the party's good policies and development back. "We know what these people can do so we shouldnt give them the chance to rule us otherwise we are done forever," he stated. He added, if the head of the regional executives is destroyed, theres nothing the tail, constituency and branch can do, so Bono East candidate shouldnt do any mistake by voting for the NDC candidate whom he is known by everyone in the Region. All is set for the maiden John Evans Atta Mills' Memorial Lecture in Northern Ghana which has been slated for Saturday, May 28, 2022. The event which is on the theme "The man John Evans Atta Mills-Ten years on" is expected to bring together people from academia, students, family and the political arena. The event is being organised by the local organising team in conjunction with the Governing Board of the John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Heritage. It will be chaired by the paramount chief of the Pishigu traditional area, Naa Alhaji Dr Alhassan Andani. The lecture is scheduled to take place at the multi-purpose auditorium at the University for Development Studies(UDS) at 2PM. Key speakers of the lecture include Professor Stephen Kendie of UCC, Dr Charles Abugri of IDEAS INT, Dr Vida Yakong of UDS, Dr Malik Zakaria, a traditional ruler and Dr Samuel Nkumbaan of the University of Ghana (UG). Chairman of the Local Organising Team, Mr Osmond Amuah in an interview with the media said the local organising committee was fully prepared for the event. According to him, preparations were about 90 per cent complete ahead of the event as invitation letters have been sent to those who matter. He added that decoration of the hall, as well as radio and television announcements, have been catered for awaiting the day. He also said many of the dignitaries who have been invited to attend the lecture have assured the organisers of their pledge to honour the invitation. Touching on the legacies of the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Mr Osmond said, he lived an enviable life and was noted for his positive actions in strengthening democratic values and human advancement in and outside Ghana. He added further that the Asomdwehene as JEA was called, had the zeal for creating a better Ghana for all, excellence and integrity as well as accountability, hence the need for the nation to celebrate him even in his absence. "The John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Heritage is a Heritage that was instituted basically to promote the legacies of the late Professor John Atta Mills, his key attributes that we seek to sell, that is the attributes of a humble person, a humble servant, a father and someone who rose above pettiness and lived his life in such a way that he wanted to include everybody. He promoted the ideals of inclusiveness that led to the rapid transformation of the nation," Mr Osmond said. Other members of the local organising team include: Dr Elias Kuusaana, Dr Elijah Yendaw, Dr Benson Konlan, Dr Mohammed Ali, Dr Iddrisu Sulemana, DR Kilu Rufai, Mr Joseph Anamooo: Haruna Musah Kalamuhi, Dr Malik D. Zakaria, Prof Dominic Dery Alimbe and Dr Damian Tom-Dery. The John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Heritage The John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Heritage was established with a vision that seeks to inspire humanity for a better society The mission of the heritage is to promote the JEA Mills' unique view of society to cause positive actions in strengthening democratic values and human advancement. The heritage has many objectives some of which are: To continue to deepen President JEA Mills legacy of excellence in law, taxation and sports, Build and project the President JEA Mills brand as a model servant leader who invested in people, Engage in charity work among others. It has the values of Passion, Excellence and Integrity, Accountability, as well as Commitment. The John Evans Atta Mills Memorial Heritage is a Company Limited by Guarantee under the Ghana Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992). Governing Board members of the heritage include Hon. Alex Segbefia (Board Chairman), Madam Sherry Ayitey (member), Hon. Samuel Atta Mills (member), Mr Emmanuel Siisi Quainoo(member), and Nana Oye Bampoe Addo (Board Secretary). It has Mr Kwame Pianim, Mr James Bebaako Mensah, Mr John Henry Martey Newman, Prof. Agnes Attia Apusigah, Dr Esther Offei Aboagye, Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, Alhaji Dr Ahmed Vanderpuye, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Dr Cadman Atta Mills, Naa Alhassan Andani and HE. Ken Kanda as Advisory Council. We must ask, when in Gods name will we do what needs to be done to if not completely stop, fundamentally change the amount of the carnage that goes on in this country? Those were some of the words of exasperation on the part of the President of the United States Joe Biden on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 regarding the senseless shooting to death of 19 school children and 2 adults at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde (near San Antonio), Texas. In his role as Americas comforter in chief, Biden who has had deeply emotional events in his own life promised 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 just a sense of their pain and hopefully bring some little comfort to the community in shock and grief and trauma. On May 24, 2022, many families and communities sense of peace and purpose were shattered when 18-year-old Salvador Ramos entered Robb Elementary and in the most violent ways shot those children, those kids and two teachers to death. For the immediate community, some sense of the trauma resonated in the words of Pastor Tony Gruben of Baptist Temple Church who said Our hearts are broken. We are devastated. It had a familiar, dispiriting reminder and feeling for millions of Americans and people around the world whose own communities had witnessed and suffered some form of gun violence against citizens and students. Uvaldes Mayor Ron Nirenberg said that his city have come together to honor the dead: Were here to be a witness to the collective trauma. Significantly, on Friday, May 27, 2022 in Houston, Texas, former President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at the pro-gun rights National Rifle Association's Annual Leadership Forum. No one attending or entering the hall as part of the audience at the Houston event will be allowed to carry gun(s) during Trumps address. The U.S Secret Service will ensure enforcement, during which "firearms, firearm accessories, knives, and other items WILL NOT BE PERMITTED in the General Assembly Hall." Among those scheduled to speak are the Governor of Texas Greg Abbot and Sen. Ted Cruz. Both are Republicans. A few minutes, hours and a couple of days following those terrible events in Uvalde, Americans across all ideological collaborations and positions have jumped back to the daily, intense debates in America. The extremely divisive issue of guns, gun control, lessons from Columbine High School, gun rights, safety of citizens, special security needs of schools in America and associated issues. I think the key issue, among others, is that our children are daily encouraged, here in the U.S and around the world, to go to school and learn to become more successful and purposeful in life but how do we deal with the increasing existential challenge that schools and many of the public facilities which we regard(ed) as sacred and safe have since come under the target list of the known and unknown gunmen? Member of Parliament for Nkoranza South, Emmanuel Kojo Agyekum, says the police have frustrated attempts by his constituents to stage a demonstration over alleged extrajudicial killings in the area. According to him, the demonstration which was expected to come off on Friday, May 27 by the youth of Nkoranza to impress on the police to get persons responsible for the death of young businessman Albert Donkor and another resident are brought to book, has been stopped by the police. Speaking to Citi News, Emmanuel Kojo Agyekum said after submitting a letter to inform the police of their intention, the police said they will not allow him or the youth to hold any demonstration or press conference in the area over the recent developments. The police stopped us from doing the demonstration. When I submitted the letter to the Regional Police Commander, they said they are not going to allow me or the people to do that demonstration, he said. He said among other things, the police said the notice was too short. Among other things, they said we cannot demonstrate against the police and also the time we gave them was not enough They also said we will not be allowed to have a press conference. It is just bullying, he said. The MP also requested that the investigation into the killings in Nkoranza must be done by an independent body. We are calm. We are only demanding justice. Nobody is happy with what transpired. The visit of the IGP has given assurance to the people that they [police] are going to investigate, but we also still want a different investigation far from the police investigation. We want a different body, he added. ---citinewsroom Dome-Kwabenya MP Sarah Adwoa Safo has said she is not aware she has been invited or served a notice of appearance before the Privileges Committee on Friday, 27 May in connection with her long absence from the law chamber without permission. I am not aware such a thing has been given to me, she told Accra-based Joy News on Thursday, adding: I am just hearing it from you. As we speak, I dont know that I have been invited, she stressed. I have to be served, she added. The Minister of Gender, Child and Social Protection said she will only return home from the United States when he sick son is declared fit and healthy. She is billed to appear before the Privileges Committee along with Ayawaso Central MP Henry Quartey and Assin Central MP Kennedy Agyapong. The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, had earlier explained to the house that: I have accordingly come to the irresistible conclusion that a member who absents himself or herself from 16 sitting days of Parliament in a particular meeting, without the permission in writing of the Speaker, falls squarely within the ambit of Article 97, clause 1(c) of the 1992 Constitution and Order 16(1) of the Standing Orders of Parliament. A former Member of Parliament for Kumbumgu Constituency, Mr Ras Mubarak, petitioned the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, to enforce Article 97(1)c of the 1992 Constitution by referring some four MPs to the Privileges Committee for absenting themselves for more than 15 days without permission. According to the ex-lawmaker, the Standing Orders of Parliament are not clear as to who can or should raise the matter of absenteeism on the floor of the House for a debate and, or referral by Mr Speaker to the Committee on Privileges but it is incidences like this, if unattended to, that threatens Ghanas democracy. Quoting an Afrobarometer data, Mr Mubarak said trust in Parliament has fallen by 12 per cent between 2002 and 2019. The report, he said, ranked Parliament as the third corrupt institution in the country just behind the police and judges. I humbly submit that democracy can only work if Parliament puts the common good ahead of party and personal interest. At a time of seeming collapse of trust in politics and Parliament as an institution, it is my fervent prayer that the House would rise to the occasion and be united on this matter, so as to uphold our constitution and also win back waned public confidence, the petition stated. The Speaker of Parliament referred the matter to the Committee, following the absence of the MPs for more than fifteen days without permission. Source: Classfmonline.com Over 50 Ghanaian contract workers working for Orsam Oil and Gas in the Western Region have been locked out following workers agitations on Wednesday over unfair and poor working conditions and contractual issues. The technicians including welders and fabricators are currently working on a major fabrication works worth millions of dollars meant for the five-year Jubilee South East field expansion development project which is to increase Jubilee Field's daily production by over 20,000 barrels. The workers complained of being forced to sign unfair contracts and poor general working conditions. The Western Regional Industrial Relations Officer of the Chemical and Petroleum Workers Union, Richard Hanson explained the issues to Citi News and what the union is doing to resolve them. I was at the premises of Orsam Oil and Gas this [Thursday] morning in relation to the action that was taken by the contracted workers of Orsam regarding poor working conditions and rate of pay. Yesterday [Wednesday], the Western Regional Labour Officer visited the premises and had a phone conversation with the Union and called for a stakeholder meeting between the Orsam Oil and Gas Management, the subcontractors and the Union. It was agreed that the workers go back to work before the meeting, and so I went to talk to the workers. Unfortunately, when I got there this [Thursday] morning, management of Orsam lad locked the workers out for calling for better working conditions and the rate of pay. Subsequently, the Regional Labour Officer met the Orsam Management and enquired from them as to why this morning the workers have been locked out contrary to the discussions the Regional Labour Officer had with the parties? In his (an official of Orsam) answer, he said it is a directive from above and that the subcontractors' employer's contract had been terminated, and subsequently, the workers who are working for the subcontractor do not have work in Orsam, he narrated. Richard Hanson, who described the situation as unfortunate however proposed a way forward to resolving the issue. It is quite unfortunate these things are happening. The way forward for us as a Union is the need for a harmonious working environment to be restored, and so we are going to push this to the leadership, thus both within the region and beyond, the security apparatus, and we have already informed the Regional Minister's office as well as possibly bring other bodies to ensure that the issue is resolved amicably for the workers to go back to work. Information we have also got from the Orsam management is that they have started contacting other subcontractors to be employed on the same project that they are terminating these workers to go away, added. He said the workers have however sworn to prevent others, being locals or foreigners to be brought in whiles they have started the work. Hanson further said the union will try as much as possible to ensure dialogue with all relevant stakeholders to resolve the issue. In a petition to the Petroleum Commission which is the upstream oil and gas sector regulator, the workers appealed to the PC to intervene. We the workers of Orsam Oil and Gas subcontractors that are lockout respectfully petitions the Petroleum Commission to intervene to ensure that management of Orsam Oil and Gas meet the concern of the workers. 1. Lord Mocha and Emmanuel Atiappe who were unfairly terminated should be brought back. 2. The poor condition and service rate of pay by subcontractors should be reviewed to reflect the work we are doing. 3. The foreigners which Orsam management is bringing (Ivorians, Cameroonians, Togolese) to take the Ghanaians job must be prevented. 4. We expect Orsam Oil and Gas to join hands with the three subcontractors to resolve and conclude the breakdown discussions on the conditions of service and the rate of pay. 5. We are expecting the commission to call management of Orsam Oil and gas to open the gate for us to go and work tomorrow whiles negotiation continues. It is our hope that the petroleum commission being the regulator in the industry will ensure that there is a peaceful working environment for all parties and with no victimization and threat of any termination of any appointment. Meanwhile, the managers of Orsam Oil and Gas Limited are yet to comment on the matter to Citi News despite several attempts to reach out to them. ---citinewsroom 27.05.2022 LISTEN We hear it said a lot... Whenever our conversations turn to music, we hear it said a lot. Whats your favourite genre of music? Persons seeking to know each other better find themselves taking turns asking, Whats your favourite genre of music? And thats when we hear this said a lot. In the list, being answers to the inquiry, you are bound to hear this wordpronounced ever-so proudly, Jazz Oh, so fancy! And fancy is exactly the word we almost always are shooting for when we announce this taste of ours. Well, add to that, words like intellectual, deep, classy and all that jazz. Hoping to be put in the same sentence with these words, we find ourselves say it quite a lotJazz. This is all well and good, up until there is this follow up question: who is your favourite Jazz artiste? And God forbid one hears the answer: Kenny G. This right here is where all hell breaks loose. But thats beside the point. Note: A History on Black Notes First of all, I must say that I have listened to too much music in my lifetime to be this dense about music. I mean, technically, I still dont understand what a chord really iseven though I have perhaps listened to music longer than I have read books. But here we are, writing thesis of articles week after week, yet not knowing with all certainty what a musical chord even is. So bear with me this attempted musical analogy Like everything in the world around us, music, we know, has compositiona fabric which can be spread out, taught and learnt, studied like words on a page. Like everything in the world around us, music is tainted with Eurocentrism. A flaw which we shall seek to dissect and break free off later. But the subject matter of todays article (and last weeks) being an African American artiste, a people in whom we must be deeplyinvested (and we showed reason why in the article The Scattering, the Gatheringthe Diaspora), and with these people having their histories intertwined with the West, we will proceed with this piece, with focus begrudgingly given to European music. Lets begin with Classical music If music is a fabric, Classical music is easily a straitjacket. It is beautiful, yet formulaic. Classical music is the 1+1 = 2 of music. Music has physical formClassical music requires adherence. But what are rules if not for the breaking?sometimes. a. Symptoms of an Inferiority Complex In the late 19th century and early 20th century, the White folk, still suffering from immense inferiority complex, held tightlystill to their need to belittle. So the African American remained the subject of constant belittling in all aspects of American society. Sure, you could deny them the study that prepared them for landing on the moon, yet you could not inhibit their art. Sure, you could deny them places in your classrooms, to study your music theoriesyour Classical music, yet you could not inhibit their own music and dance. So onwards the transported African went with Borboorbor, Kpanlogo, Adowa, Fontomfrom, Bamaya, Agbadza, Apala, Fuji, Juju, and co. to their new homeAmerica. And through these centuries of pain, trauma, enslavements, imprisonments, servitudes, the inhumane, these Black folks would gather still, in the small time afforded them, to celebrate lifethrough music and dance. What hurts more than to painstakingly cause pain to a person only to find them moments later singing and dancing joyously?The White folk suffering, then, still from excruciating inferiority complex, felt they had failed in cruelty. To remedy this, cruelty was heightened. Enter, the Black Codes. Also known as the Black Laws, this set of inhibiting regulations took the drums away from Black music. Yet the Black folk, they found rhythm in their body. To replace the drum were the hands, clapping to the rhythm, and the feet, stomping to the tune. With slavery facing a total phasing out, the Black Codes was one of the many resorts the White folk had to keep the Black folk captive. The White man took freedom of association from the Black folk every chance they could get, even to the extent ofprohibiting them from meeting in groups in worship of Godbecause isnt it this same God who bragged, promising liberty to the captives. No, the White man did not want that happening. They so badly sought to take life away from the African American that even in music, they tried taking away what they believed gave Black music its vigour, its lifedrums. But they were wrong. As the years went by the Black man and woman, denied every chance at decent society, and inhibited in all aspects of life, saw increase in their body of music yet still. All over the world, where the Black folk was spread, inspiration was drawn. The African American drew inspiration from, among others, their African roots and from the Caribbean. These African music traditions were merged with the European music traditions of their new home nation, Americawhenever this uppityEuropean music would allow it. After a series of metamorphosis, Jazz emerged. A music with a very eventful history; music which had a personality; music which had a soulJazz. If Classical music was the 1+1 = 2 of music, Jazz showed that one could derive the same answer with a little more twisting aroundthat 1+1+2-2 also equals 2 b. The Prohibition and Black Inhibition Still Like every dystopian society, you had the oppressed African American denied access to all the good places. Yet the oppressed, being human still, and needing to carry out social and economic activities for meaningful survival, needing to fulfil that human need to be somewhere, they had no option but to couch a niche for themselves in the supposed bad places. So in the early 1900s, when the White folk realised that there was in fact an evil lurking in them and on their land that neededridding ofevils such as crime, corruption, brutality etc., in their White society that needed purging, they incorrectly blamed it on the alcohol. And many of these locations for social gatherings such as those leftovers the Black folks were left with in this cruel society were not only conveniently made target ofthe immoral tag, but of actual prosecutions and incarcerations. The Black folk was right where the White folk wanted them; their music, right where the White folk wanted itin the slums, in the bad places. Ergo, Black musicJazz music was badmusic. An imbecilic White man, a man whose name, funnily enough, is now a slur, a certain Mr. Dyke, called Jazz a music invented for the torture of the imbeciles. Stupidity personified, Henry van Dyke, he went on, As I understand it, it is not music at all. It is merely an irritation of the nerves of hearing, a sensual teasing of the strings of physical passion Dyke is still shaking in his grave as we speak, finding himself a certified imbecile in death. Dyke and many White men and women of his kind plagued with the curse of the majority, who dared to speak ill of something they knew little of, are convulsing in their graves as we speak. Because what do we have now? A world of people, a world containing the United States of America, the United States of America containing a whole chunk of White folks, us all in this world, pronouncing our chests, cocking our necks, turning up our noses, as we declare proudlyhoping to find in the declaration an imbued sense of importanceJazz music as answer to the question: what is your favourite music genre? The Curse of the Majority History repeats itself has repeated itself so much that one, even in repeating this saying, is bound to miss the truth of the matterthat history does, in fact, repeat itself. Remember Black folks the same people who when stripped off the drum, went for their bodies in order to generate rhythm In Rap music, we find the Black folk pull off yet another wonder. Using words, they generate content (meaningful content), flow (rhymes and rhythm), and delivery (impressive delivery expressed in distincttone and speed). Take a Rap song, strip it off all its added beats, leave it with its verses alone, and what you have is speechspeech having rhyme and reason, rhythm and rapidity. There is an urgency to Rap music. Well, because the Black person has had things to share urgently. It is an urgency beautifully expressed through musicone that cannot so easily be mimicked without dedicated study of the craft. Put together a string of words on your own, or take a rap lyric and attempt a rap-along, and youll sooner find that those words, they are not just said with rapidity, but there is such rhythm to thema rhythm innate and learnt, one that cannot just be easily mimicked. Music had for long been the human voice, singing (a feat of which we have come to find that not all of us can pull off), or instruments doing their own things, but here comes Rap music, acting as though it is merely the act of speaking (a feat of which most of us all humans are blessed with). Yet Rap music, it lied, because speaking to a tune, as it does, it is a harder feat still. Just like that, a new genre had emerged in the late-1900s. No sooner had the Black folk found in Rap music, a voice than they began seeing the need to use this voice to mirror the societies in which they livedthe American society deeply-steeped insocial injustices, Black injustices. Rap music, having roots in West African music-storytelling tradition, took on a more urgent approach to confront the urgency of the matter of American realitya reality of police brutality, of incarcerations, racism on all fronts, segregation, White gentrifications, White flights, the list is long. Authenticity: A Blessing or Curse The stories told on Rap music were, have been, and still are, as raw as they comeunfiltered, unadulterated. The African American, still having boiling within them an African blood, hence suffering the curse or blessing of authenticity, have painted vivid pictures of their realities through their music, specifically through this talky genre of music, Hip hop. We must remember, this is a reality that was painstakingly and cruelly dealt them by a White society. It is important to remember this because this reality, when so taken without its historical and factual context of White cruelty creates the impression that makes for a good stereotype. All of a sudden, as the Black folk is decrying incarcerations in their music, what is heard by the uninformed listener is this: the Black folk is a natural criminal. But what the listener, in so stereotyping, forgets is that this entire race was and have been treated like a mass of inmates. Inmates who faced varying degrees of imprisonments as the years went byfrom absolute imprisonment during the slavery era, to mental imprisonment during the years of racialism that followed. As freed men and women, they were strategically, economically imprisoned, denied all the tools that allowed for proper functioning in the American societyeducation, decent employment, and inclusion in all aspects of societal and economic life. Crime, in many cases, became the only logical resort. As the African American raps odes to guns, what is heard by the uninformed listener is: the Black man is a savage. But this misinterpretation occurs when we forget that in their very eventful history in America, the African American suffered through, among others, what is dubbed the Terror lynchingsera. During this period, the Black man and woman could be grabbed at whim, lynched, burnt at stake, hanged on trees to die and rot away, just for committing the crime of walking around in their Blackness. And that lasted up until the 1940sjust someeighty years ago. So the gun, to the Black man, being per the Second Amendment of the gun-loving nation of America, a Constitutionally endowed right, became a necessary accessory for survival. The Black activist Ida B. Wells put it succinctly, A rifle should have a place of honour in every Black home, and it should be used for that protection which the law refuses to give. When the White man who is always the aggressor knows he runs as great a riskof biting the dust every time his Afro-American victim does, he will have a greater respect for Afro-American life. The more the Afro-American yields and cringes and begs, the more he has to do so, the more he is insulted, outraged, and lynched. Elsewhere, she noted, I bought a pistol for protectionI felt that one had better die fighting against injustice than to die like a dog or a rat in a trap The Burden of Rectification And now, the Black folk, worldwide in fact, bears a burden of rectification. Like every global dynamic surrounding us now, the Black man and woman is left to rectify the White folks mess. And rectification, the Black person has attempted since this whole White mess started. Some portions of these White folk have also attempted joining in this rectification. And how is rectification to ensue if one does not acknowledge the problem in the first place? Yet we see how in attempting this rectification by first addressing the problem, we find the Blackfolk at a conundrum: The conundrum: By acknowledging the problem and expressing them through music, art, written texts, is the Black folk unknowingly further enforcing these stereotypes? As artistes like Kendrick Lamar shed light on the plights their communities are burdened with, as generations of rappers before him have done, is he helping the White folkwho is conveniently silently sitting on their ownevils, painting over them goldto enforce these stereotypes fraudulently placed on the Black man and woman? These plights and vices, having been repeated so much in relation to the African American, do they not become in the minds of these people, something of a culture? Still on the Power of Naming Violent killings expressed by the White American through terrorismsthe very frequent mass shootings, serial killings, police brutalities, etc., are glossed over, as Black-on-Black crimes in poor Black communities receive the stereotyping. The White American drug culturethe cocaine and heroin culture, sometimes almost receiving praises in their movies and music, sits by, glossed over, as the African American weed culture receives the stereotyping. The White American foul language culture, expressed blatantly through their movies, are glossed over, praised as masterpiecesthey receive top awards during the Oscars and Emmys. Language so foul, sometimes outright degrading, like the infamous nigger (a total abomination when White uttered), are in White movies uttered freely, and accepted as high art, deserving of high praises and top awards, while the African American foul language culture, expressed through their music, are interestingly, consistently overlooked, downgraded as lower artyou can give Hip hop all but the coveted topmost music award at the Grammys. Album of the Year Kendricks masterpieces have been, yet have been conveniently snubbed. That is easily what happens when a people have the power of numberswe discussed this last week. More so a people wanting so badly to be something as the White folk have historically been Wanting so badly to be something that the means conveniently sought by them has been to make others nothing. This is what happens when such a people have the power of namingthat they can choose to, at whim, assign to all that is theirs good, and to others, in the particular case, the Black folk, bad. Even when all one can find between what is theirs and what is ours is similarities. The Making of a Utopia Before we end, let me quickly note: its funny, isnt it? To find a historically charged word such as nigger being typed in its totality right here, in the Business & Financial Times, the nations very distinguished newspaper, without so much as a blink of an eye... Its funny, isnt it? How on one end of the world a thing could be somethingall that, yet on the other end, nothing at all. This emotionally-charged word nigger, when uttered to the Ghanaian by a White man, might just elicit from us, a dotting nigger uttered right back, in return. Also, isnt it funny how this supposed filthy music, Jazz, now is to us all a means of asserting distinguishedness (arguably, the White person especially). It is funny still, knowing how notorious history is of repeating itself, that in some years to come, when this same familiar question is asked a person, they will, with their chest protruded, necks stiffened proudly, nose upturned, respond, Rap music! And in so responding, they will hope to illicit words such as fancy, intellectual, deep, classy, and all that rap. And the word rap would have undergone a semantic shift to mean all things as profoundly great as this. This is going to happen in no time. But I do hope that we do not wait for the White folks supposed full stamp of approval, before this happens. So all ye fancy people, go give Rap music (from all over the world) a chance. Most especially do so with Kendrick Lamar. And remember, any reference to penises and vaginas you stumble upon are metaphorssometimes they are personifications, err but mostly figurative. As I am So we have here, this young gentleman, Kendrick Lamar,running away from the saviour crown donned him by his fellowcountrymen and women. Smart, right? For a mere mortal to prance about with such a god-like crown, accepting upon themselves, the tag of saviour of the masses, that is blasphemy, isnt it? It comes as no surprise that this Black gentleman, blessed/cursed with the urge for authenticity and respect for Deity as we the Black folks have taught ourselves to be, would want nothing to do with any accolade that seeks to uplift one from positions of mere mortal to the realm of gods. With a crown on his head, and a gun in his trousers, this young man chooses to be so-called saviour of his little confinement called familynuclear and extended. But to play god and guide to all, that is plain blasphemy, so he runs away. But tell me this, why does the White folk, even the most mundanely talented, find it so easy to accept and perpetuate this tag of god and perfection upon themselves without even the littlest scruples? Kendrick rejects the crown from the Rap community, but a White person will just as easily pick it upand run with it. I mean, just look at how Jesus Himself was easily misappropriated by the White folkbleached white to the bone, bearded to look like every average White man with a beard. So that even as they bow down in supposed worship of a Deity, it is in fact their own selves that they worshipEven as you and I bow down in supposed worship of our God, it is in fact to them that we do Eh? Jesus, finding trouble to pass by this earth on a short suicidal vacation, now perpetually hanged on crosses worldwide, bleached white to the bone basaa like that. I may just be detouring, please remind me again, what is this article about? [Published in the Business & Financial Times (B&FT) - 26th May 2022] 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. The tragedy late Wednesday in the western city of Tivaouane was just the latest in a series of hospital deaths that have exposed the weaknesses of the nation's healthcare system. Sall earlier announced the tragedy on Twitter and declared three days of national mourning. "I have just learned with pain and dismay about the deaths of 11 newborn babies in the fire at the neonatal department of the public hospital," he wrote. "To their mothers and their families, I express my deepest sympathy." Outside the Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital in Tivaouane, a city with a population of 40,000, one of the distraught mothers called out for her son. "Where is Mohamed?" she cried. Distraught families gathered outside the hospital. By SEYLLOU (AFP) Her baby son was taken to the hospital 10 days ago and was baptised on Monday, Mohamed's 54-year-old father Alioune Diouf said. The city's mayor Demba Diop said the fire had been caused by a short circuit and spread very quickly. He denied allegations from relatives at the hospital and across social media that the babies had been left alone, saying a midwife and nurse were present on Wednesday evening. "There was a noise and an explosion that lasted three minutes at most," he said outside the hospital entrance. "Five minutes after, the fire brigade arrived. People used fire extinguishers." The mayor said the air-conditioning had accelerated the flames and added that the two nurses fainted but were revived. "There was no negligence," Diop insisted. The disaster however sparked calls for the resignation of Health Minister Abdoudaye Diouf Sarr, who was quoted in media reports also as blaming an electrical fault. The presidency in the evening said he would be replaced by Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye, formerly the director-general of the public health authority. Sall would return early from abroad and visit the hospital on Saturday, his office said. 'Beyond heartbroken' The maternity unit was equipped to take care of 13 babies. "At the time of the fire, there were 11 whom nurses were unable to save," the minister said. Map of Senegal. By Tupac POINTU (AFP) World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted that he was "beyond heartbroken with this tragic news. "I'm sending my deepest condolences to the parents and families of the babies who lost their lives." Outgoing health minister Sarr, who had been in Geneva attending a meeting with the WHO, said an investigation is under way. The tragedy in Tivaouane comes after several other public health incidents in Senegal, which suffers from a great disparity between urban and rural areas in healthcare services. In the northern town of Linguere in late April, a fire broke out at a hospital and four newborn babies were killed. The town's mayor cited an electrical malfunction in an air-conditioning unit in the maternity ward. 'This is unacceptable' Wednesday's accident came over a month after the nation mourned the death of a pregnant woman who waited in vain for a caesarean section. The woman, Astou Sokhna, arrived at a hospital in the northern city of Louga in pain. The staff refused to accommodate her request for a C-section, saying it was not scheduled. She died on April 1, 20 hours after arrival. Sokhna's death caused a wave of outrage across the country over the dire state of the health system. Sarr acknowledged two weeks later that the death could have been avoided. Three midwives on duty the night Sokhna died were given a six-month suspended prison sentence on May 11 by the High Court of Louga for "failure to assist a person in danger" in connection with her case. Amnesty International's Senegal director Seydi Gassama said his organisation had called for an inspection and upgrade for neonatal services in hospitals across Senegal after the "atrocious" death of the four babies in Linguere. With the new tragedy, Amnesty "urges the government to set up an independent commission of inquiry to determine responsibility and punish the culprits, no matter the level they are at in the state apparatus", he tweeted. Opposition lawmaker Mamadou Lamine Diallo also responded with outrage to the Tivaouane blaze. "More babies burned in a public hospital... this is unacceptable @MackySall," he tweeted. "We suffer with the families to whom we offer our condolences. Enough is enough." The United States of America is known for having the highest level of democracy in the world. Despite its reputation as the land of freedom, America is home to a quarter of the world's prisoners, and the country's death sentence is second only to China, Iran, North Korea, and Yemen. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, it has been used in 34 of the 50 states, killing over 1,254 persons, the majority of whom are African-Americans. Why are there so many black people who have been sentenced to death? Is the death penalty a form of racial discrimination? Lethal injection has been used for a majority of the executions carried out in the United States of America. Photo credit: The US Media African Americans make up around 14% of the entire population of the United States, yet they account for 42% of those sentenced to death. The disparity is even more pronounced when a black man murders a white man, demonstrating that a black man who kills a white man is considerably more likely to be executed than a white man who kills a black man. Around 80% of death penalties in the United States are handed down to individuals who murder a white man. As a result, the death penalty is a system that largely benefits white people, and the cost of living varies depending on skin color and financial resources. Being black in the United States of America, a country that claims to be a land of freedom, is a burden after 400 years of slavery. So, would you believe the US administration if they said they love Africans and that's why military bases are needed on the Black Continent to protect Africans from terrorism? That's nonsense! How can we expect the US government to love Africans if they despise its own African-Americans, descendants of slaves who have established, worked, and paid taxes? The continent's rich resources attract a wide range of cruel policies and devious tactics for inflicting misery on the African people through odd diseases. Even Donald Trump, the previous president of the United States of America, couldn't disguise his hatred toward black people in the country. Trump then urged the execution of five African-American teens who slandered themselves and pleaded guilty to raping a white girl after being pummeled by police officers. The real killer was eventually discovered, but the innocent teenagers had already spent several years in prison. Five of them, aged 14 to 16, who became scapegoats, were brought to trial throughout the investigation. The adolescents stated during the trial that they were compelled to confess to the crime by police threats and coercion. There was no other strong evidence, thus the verdict was nearly entirely dependent on their testimonies. Five of the detainees were charged: 14-year-old Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Youssef Salaam, 15-year-old Antron McCray, and 16-year-old Cary Wise. All five were found guilty and sentenced to jail terms ranging from seven to thirteen years in 1990. Mathias Reyes, a serial killer, and rapist who was serving a life sentence for another crime at the time, didn't admit until thirteen years later, in 2002, that he was the one who conducted the rape in Central Park and acted alone at the time. Reyes went into great detail about the crime. A DNA test later corroborated his testimony. It is no secret that there is racial bias in the US death sentence system, and examining such an essential part of the US death penalty system reveals both explicit and latent types of racial discrimination. African-Americans are incarcerated at over five times the rate of White persons, according to recent research by The Sentencing Project. According to the research, one in every 81 Black adults in America is incarcerated in state prison. Despite the fact that both whites and blacks use and sell drugs, black people are incarcerated at higher rates than whites. Black drivers are more likely to be stopped and charged for traffic violations than white drivers, indicating that race is a big issue in the United States. People who commit major crimes, such as multiple homicides, torture, or rape, can be condemned to death, but being black in America automatically makes you a suspect. A residential apartment housing police officers has been gutted by fire at Dagombaline in the Asokore Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti Region. The incident according to eyewitnesses started at about 1 pm. Fire officers however managed to bring the fire under control. The fire was contained at the top floor and prevented it from spreading to adjoining structures and the floors below it. Information we gathered from eyewitnesses is that, the lights went out and after a few minutes, they saw smoke emanating from one of the rooms on the top floor. No one was however hurt, D.O. III Peter Addai, the Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) said. citinewsroom African Union leaders are meeting in Equatorial Guinea for two summits as the continent contends with humanitarian crises, terrorism and military coups. Around 20 heads of state as well as donors are expected in the Equatorial Guinean capital, Malabo, to raise funds at the AU's first "extraordinary humanitarian summit" taking place this Friday. According to AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, 113 million Africans need urgent humanitarian assistance this year, including 48 million refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced people (IDPs). The AU said 15 particularly hard-hit countries required urgent aid, with climate shocks and conflicts rauiring humanitarian assistance to increase "exponentially". The war in Ukraine has also exacerbated food shortages. Of the more than 30 million internally displaced Africans, more than 10 million are children aged under 15, it added, pointing to inter-ethnic conflict in certain regions plus food insecurity. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization says around 282 million of Africa's 1.4 billion inhabitants are under-fed an increase of 49 million compared to 2019. Senegal's foreign minister Aissatou Tall Sall told RFI that the continent's humanitarian situation is "alarming". With all the refugees and IDPs "we see the most urgent thing is to find solutions here and now," she said. There is talk of creating an African humanitarian aid agency and setting up a special emergency fund based on contributions from each African state, according to RFI's correspondent in Malabo, Peter Sassou Dogbe. A declaration to that effect is due to be submitted to heads of state on Saturday. Terrorist 'cancer' A second meeting on Saturday will tackle "terrorism and unconstitutional changes". Countries like Libya, Mozambique, Somalia, the Sahel region, West Africa's Lake Chad basin and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are all facing rebellions and jihadist insurgencies. AU chief Mahamat called terrorism a "cancer" progressively infecting the whole continent with painful economic and security consequences. Military coups in Mali, Guinea, Sudan and Burkina Faso over the past two years have ousted elected leaders and set lengthy or no timetables for a return to civilian rule. The moves have sparked condemnation and sanctions from regional bodies, the EU and Western capitals, with the AU suspending the four countries until power is handed back to civilians. Mahamat called the transition periods proposed by military juntas "sources of dissension and occasionally of tension" not conducive to the stability of those states or their neighbours. (with wires) 27.05.2022 LISTEN Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has placed a moratorium on the approval of a 75 million euro loan for COVID-19 Response contracted from the European Investment Bank by Government of Ghana. The Speaker says this will be in place until the Minister for Finance accounts for the utilization of funds approved so far for government. The Ministry of Finance must give an account of all the monies that it has gotten for the management of COVID-19. Only after that will this house consider approving or otherwise another loan. He made the remarks in Parliament when the motion for the loan was tabled in the house. Mr. Bagbin also summoned the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to account for all monies utilised during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. I direct that the Minister of Finance appears before this House to account for all the monies that were approved for the utilisation of the covid pandemic. Its only then and only after that this motion will have an expression in the House to be approved or otherwise. Govt disbursing NBSSI's COVID-19 loan to NPP sympathizers for votes Mahama In the run to the 2020 elections, flagbearer for the NDC, John Mahama accused the Akufo-Addo government of allocating about 50% of the COVID-19 relief fund to supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP). The government set aside an amount of GH600 million to be disbursed in the form of loans to small-scale businesses to cushion them from the adverse economic impact brought on the country by the Coronavirus pandemic. Mr. Mahama made similar accusations at the 24th African Business Conference organized by the Harvard Business School last month. He alleged that the Akufo-Addo-led government channelled the Covid-19 pandemic windfall of over GH33 billion meant to cushion the economy into its 2020 campaign activities. citinewsroom Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of carrying out a "genocide" in the eastern region of Donbas, where the city of Severodonetsk is suffering an onslaught of Russian shelling. In his daily televised address, Zelensky condemned Moscow's brutal assault on the Donbas - where it has redirected its forces after having failed to capture Kyiv - adding that its bombardment could leave the entire region "uninhabited". In the address, Zelensky added: "All this, including the deportation of our people and the mass killings of civilians, is an obvious policy of genocide pursued by Russia." Since 2014, pro-Moscow separatist groups have controlled parts of Donbas, but Russia now appears set on taking the whole region. Invading forces are closing in on several cities, including the strategically located Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, which stand on the crucial route to Ukraine's eastern administrative centre in Kramatorsk. According to Kyiv's Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar, the fighting in the east has reached "its maximum intensity" since Russia invaded on 24 February. The region's governor has reported that the Russian army "has thrown all its forces at taking the Lugansk region." Sergiy Gaiday said in a video on Telegram: "Extremely fierce fighting is taking place on the outskirts of Severodonetsk. They are simply destroying the city, they are shelling it every day, shelling without pause." Eradication of Ukraine's national education system The Kremlin is seeking to tighten its grip over the parts of Ukraine it occupies, including fast-tracking citizenship for residents of the two southern regions that are mostly under Russian control. Occupying forces have reportedly cancelled school holidays to prepare students to switch to a Russian curriculum. Over the summer, children in occupied zones will have to study the Russian language, literature and history as well as math classes in Russian. The United States has branded the plan an "attempt to subjugate the people of Ukraine". Frustration with Western 'support' Meanwhile, the intensified fighting across the country prompted Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to voice Kyiv's increasing frustration with the West, accusing allies of dragging their feet on arms deliveries and telling his German counterpart that Ukraine needs heavy weapons "as soon as possible." Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin became the latest Western official to visit Kyiv on Thursday, where she said it would take Russia decades to repair its standing in the world after invading Ukraine. Marin told a press conference that "trust is lost for generations." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has faced criticism over Berlin's slow response, also weighed in Thursday, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin will not negotiate seriously until he realises he might not win in Ukraine. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Sholz said: "Our goal is crystal-clear - Putin must not win this war. And I am convinced that he will not win it." Impending food crisis The flow of grain exports from Ukraine - known as Europe's breadbasket - has been disrupted since Russia's invasion, threatening food security around the world and sending prices soaring. On Thursday, the Kremlin pointed the finger at Western countries for stopping grain-carrying vessels from leaving ports in Ukraine rejecting accusations that Russia was to blame. In a phone call with Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was ready to make a "significant contribution" to averting a looming food crisis if the West lifts sanctions imposed on his country over Ukraine. The United States has scoffed at the offer. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby retorted: "Now they're using economic tools as weapons. They're weaponising food. They're weaponising economic assistance." "I guess we shouldn't be surprised by that, since they've weaponised everything else, including lies and information," he said. The Member of Parliament (MP) for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo says she is not worried about losing her seat. According to her, she is very spiritual and believes her prayers to God will fight her battles. The MP has been out of the country for months taking care of her child who is unwell. Dragged before the Privileges Committee of Parliament alongside two other NPP MPs for breaching the Standing Orders of the house on absenteeism, Sarah Adwoa Safo now risks losing her Dome-Kwabenya seat. Speaking to Joy News on Thursday, the Parliamentarian said she is calm and believes she will come out victorious. I am not worried [about losing Dome-Kwabenya] because I am very prayerful and I don't believe only in the physical. I also believe in the spiritual. I know my Lord knows exactly why Im not there and he is going to fight my battles for me, Sarah Adwoa Safo said. The MP also revealed that she is unaware of any invitation to appear before the Privileges Committee of Parliament over the long absenteeism from Parliament. I am not aware such a thing has been given to me. I am just hearing it from you. As we speak, I dont know that I have been invited, she stressed. A Twitter investor is suing Elon Musk and the social media platform over its handling of the billionaires $44bn (34.9bn) bid for the company. The case alleges he violated California corporate laws in a number of ways. It accuses the Tesla boss of wrongful conduct as his false statements and market manipulation have created chaos at Twitters headquarters in San Francisco. Twitter shares are around 27% lower than Mr Musks $54.20 offer price. The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed this week at the US District Court for the Northern District of California by investor William Heresniak, who said he was acting on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated. A class-action is a lawsuit that has been filed or is defended by an individual acting on behalf of a group of people. The lawsuit claimed Mr Musk benefitted financially by delaying the disclosure of his significant stake in Twitter, and his plan to become a board member of the company. It also claimed that several tweets posted by Mr Musk, who is a regular Twitter user with more than 95m followers, were misleading. It included a post in which Mr Musk said his takeover bid for the social media firm was on hold because of his doubts over the number of fake accounts on the platform. The tweet on 13 May constituted an effort to manipulate the market for Twitter shares as he knew about the fake accounts, the lawsuit said. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter It also said Mr Musk doubled down on his allegations four days later, by stating on Twitter that the deal cannot go forward. On Friday, Frank Bottini, who is one of the lawyers representing the Twitter investors, told the BBC that the lawsuit was filed as Mr Musk continues to disparage the company he wants to buy for $44bn in an effort to renegotiate the purchase price. The complaint we filed in San Francisco seeks to hold Musk liable for his unlawful conduct, Mr Bottini said. Mr Musks lawyers and Tesla did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment on Friday. Twitter declined to comment when contacted by the BBC. Analysts have speculated that Mr Musk may be looking for ways to lower his takeover offer or walk away from the deal. He has tweeted several times that he was concerned about the number of fake accounts, or bots, on Twitter. A bot is a software programme that sends out automated posts and is often associated with misinformation on social media platforms. Mr Musk has also hinted that he may seek to pay less for Twitter than the $44bn agreed with the companys board in March. Speaking at a technology conference earlier this month, he said striking a deal at a lower price was not out of the question. Earlier this month, a Florida pension fund also challenged Mr Musks move to buy Twitter as it claimed a deal could not be struck in months as planned. The Orlando Police Pension Fund said Mr Musk was an interested shareholder in Twitter, as he had made agreements with major shareholders, including its co-founder Jack Dorsey, before he offered to buy the business. Citing the law in the US state of Delaware, where Twitter is incorporated, it said the deal should not be allowed to close before 2025. The fund did not disclose its stake in the social media platform, although it said it has been a beneficial owner of Twitter common stock at all relevant times. Source: BBC More than 3,000 tonnes of Kinder products have been withdrawn from the European market following salmonella fears, leaving a dent of tens of millions of euros in the Ferrero company's accounts. Nicolas Neykov, the head of Ferrero France, told Le Parisien on Thursday the contamination came "from a filtre located in a vat for dairy butter" at a factory in Belgium. He added the contamination could have been caused by humans or raw materials. Chocolate products made at the factory in Arlon, south-eastern Belgium, were found to contain salmonella, resulting in 150 cases in nine European countries. Eighty-one of these were in France, mainly affecting children under 10 years old. Easter blow The factory's closure and the health concerns were blows to its owner, Italian confectionery giant Ferrero, coming at the height of the Easter holiday season when its Kinder chocolates are sought-after in European supermarkets. Neykov said: "This crisis is heartbreaking. It's the biggest removal of products in the last 20 years." But the company hopes to start up the factory again, with 50 percent of health and safety inspections to be carried out by an approved "external laboratory" in the future, instead of the previous system of only internal reviews. "We have asked for a reopening from 13 June to relaunch production as soon as possible," he added. Read more: Speaking on the fringes of this week's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Irish leader Micheal Martin blamed the United Kingdom and Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson for a deadlock in talks between Brussels and London over the movement of goods between Britain and Northern Ireland. Martin said the Republic of Ireland and the European Union did "not want a trade war" with the UK, adding that such a conflict would be both "shocking" and "unnecessary". He said the UK government needed to "get into the tunnel and negotiate" over changes to post-Brexit trade arrangements that affect Northern Ireland. The problem is the need to control the passage of goods across the land border separating EU member state, the Irish Republic, from non-member Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland Protocol The so-called Northern Ireland Protocol, agreed between London and the EU in 2019, is an attempt to have a border that is not a border. European food regulations, for example, require that meat, milk and eggs from any non-EU nation be inspected to ensure compliance with EU norms at their point of entry into the 27-country bloc. At the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, for example? Except that that frontier no longer exists, and would violate the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement if it did. The 1998 peace deal put an end to nearly three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, and the physical integrity of the island of Ireland is one of its guiding principles. So, the protocol proposes checking the goods as they enter Northern Ireland. Except that some members of the loyalist population in the province see that as diminishing their status as part of the United Kingdom. As a result, Northern Ireland's largest loyalist party, the Democratic Unionists, are refusing to take part in the province's power-sharing government. 'Ransom' The nationalists of Sinn Fein, the political wing of the now-disbanded militant Irish Republican Army, and who accept the protocol, say the unionists are holding the political future of the province to ransom. There is a real danger of a return to sectarian violence. Now London is proposing there will be no need for checks on goods that meet UK standards, wherever they are exported. Europe has responded by saying that any such move would violate the post-Brexit agreement, and EU law, and will be met by Brussels "with all measures at its disposal". Asked if that meant an EU campaign to apply tariffs to certain key exports from the UK, Martin said he did not want "to get into the details of anything like that, because hopefully, that's something we won't ever have to contemplate". "For now I'm simply saying, and I've been consistently saying, get down there, get into the tunnel, UK government and EU, negotiate and get the technocrats in there," the Irish PM added. Asked who he believed was to blame for the crisis, Micheal Martin was clear. "The only unilateral move that has been made here has been by the United Kingdom government, which has threatened to tear up an international deal signed with the European Union," he said. Enrolment in Senior High School (SHS) has increased by 50% since the introduction of the free senior high school programme by the Akufo-Addo government, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has said. Speaking at a ceremony to hand over some 75 buses and five pickup trucks to some selected public schools on Thursday, 26 May 2022 at Accra High Senior High School, Dr Bawumia said: In the last 5 years, our government has committed to increasing access to quality education and providing vehicles to Secondary Schools to support the transportation of our growing population in these schools. This government, since 2017, resulting from the Presidents Free Senior High School policy, has increased secondary school enrolment to an excess of 1.2 million students. Indeed, the introduction of Free SHS has increased the senior high enrolment in Ghana by 50% and this is massive. He noted that the handing over of the buses and trucks was in further fulfilment of the governments pledge to address the logistical and other needs of the education sector and expand access to education. The beneficiary institutions include Lambussie Community Day SHS, St James Seminary, Begoro Presby SHS, Techimantia SHS, Odupong SHS, Asankragua SHS, Wa SHS, and Koforidua SHTS. Others are STEM SHS Kpasenkpe, Accra Academy SHS, Anum Boso SHS, Tepa SHS, Northern School of Business, Osino Presby SHS, Oti Boateng SHS, Tarkwa SHS, Asare Bediako SHS, Assin North SHTS and Bosomtwe Girls STEM SHS. This is the fourth time the Vice-President has handed over vehicles to schools and institutions in the education sector in the last two years, after earlier occasions in March 2020 (365 Isuzu Double Cabin Pickup trucks out of 840 procured by the Government: distributed to all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directorates of Education as well as selected agencies under the Ministry of Education, together with 493 motorbikes out of 2000 procured to aid the work of Circuit Supervisors); and July 2020 (100 out of 350 buses procured). Dr Bawumia also handed over, in January 2022, 100 Pickups and 50 buses to more schools. Todays handover, he emphasized, is further concrete evidence of the Governments commitment not only to increase access but also to ensure that we provide the complementary resources to make sure that we deliver quality education for our nation. In handing over these buses and pickups, I want to encourage the various schools receiving these buses and pickups to ensure a maintenance culture to harness the potential in these students for our transformational agenda. Ladies and gentlemen, the handover of buses today is part of efforts to increase access to quality education anchored on a robust education system that trains a critical mass of students to be empowered to be active participants in our countrys transformation, he underscored. Dr Bawumia commended the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the leadership of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), for their hard work which has ensured the procurement and delivery of the vehicles. Please continue with this hard work so that we can see more vehicles for our students, he urged. Classfmonline.com In further fulfilment of the governments pledge to address the logistical and other needs of the education sector and expand access, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has, once again, handed over dozens of vehicles to a number of Senior High Schools from across the country. At a brief ceremony at the Accra High Senior High School on Thursday, 26 May 2022, Dr Bawumia handed over the keys to 75 buses and 5 Pickup trucks to elated head tutors of the schools. The beneficiary institutions include Lambussie Community Day SHS, St James Seminary, Begoro Presby SHS, Techimantia SHS, Odupong SHS, Asankragua SHS, Wa SHS, and Koforidua SHTS. Others are STEM SHS Kpasenkpe, Accra Academy SHS, Anum Boso SHS, Tepa SHS, Northern School of Business, Osino Presby SHS, Oti Boateng SHS, Tarkwa SHS, Asare Bediako SHS, Assin North SHTS and Bosomtwe Girls STEM SHS. This is the fourth time the Vice-President has handed over vehicles to schools and institutions in the education sector in the last two years, after earlier occasions in March 2020 (365 Isuzu Double Cabin Pickup trucks out of 840 procured by the Government: distributed to all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directorates of Education as well as selected agencies under the Ministry of Education, together with 493 motorbikes out of 2000 procured to aid the work of Circuit Supervisors); and July 2020 (100 out of 350 buses procured). Dr Bawumia also handed over, in January 2022, 100 Pickups and 50 buses to more schools. Todays handover, he emphasized, is further concrete evidence of the Governments commitment not only to increase access but also to ensure that we provide the complementary resources to make sure that we deliver quality education for our nation. In handing over these buses and pickups, I want to encourage the various schools receiving these buses and pickups to ensure a maintenance culture to harness the potential in these students for our transformational agenda. The Vice-President reiterated the holistic nature of the governments interventions in the education sector saying, To complement our investment in transportation, Senior High Schools have also seen a massive investment in infrastructure including classrooms, dormitories, administration blocks, libraries and canteens. In the last 5 years, our government has committed to increasing access to quality education and providing vehicles to Secondary Schools to support the transportation of our growing population in these schools. This government, since 2017, resulting from the Presidents Free Senior High School policy, has increased secondary school enrolment to an excess of 1.2 million students. Indeed, the introduction of Free SHS has increased the senior high enrolment in Ghana by 50% and this is massive. Ladies and gentlemen, the handover of buses today is part of efforts to increase access to quality education anchored on a robust education system that trains a critical mass of students to be empowered to be active participants in our countrys transformation, he underscored. Dr Bawumia commended the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the leadership of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), for their hard work which has ensured the procurement and delivery of the vehicles. Please continue with this hard work so that we can see more vehicles for our students, he urged. Newly appointed French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has promised financial support to farmers in a bid to stop France's crippling drought from further hurting the industry. The measures were announced during Borne's trip to the Loiret region, which has been without rain for months. Visiting a 230-hectare farm specialising in cereals, strawberries and asparagus, the Prime Minister spoke at length with a young farmer who explained that "this year the drought started early". Accompanied by the Minister for Agriculture, Marc Fesneau, and the Minister for Ecological Transition, Amelie de Montchalin, Borne explained that her new government was "taking measures to manage water resources and avoid the situation becoming unmanageable this summer". She added that regional administrations have been instructed "to preserve water resources as much as possible," with "messages to all French people to reduce their water consumption." 400m in assistance Nineteen departments across France are currently affected by water shortages, and for the most severely impacted "drought orders and therefore restrictions on non-priority uses" will be introduced. The head of government also recalled that 400 million will be allocated "to farmers who may have difficulties with animal feed due to drought," as part of an aid plan put in place following the outbreak of war in Ukraine and the global surge on food prices, starting Monday. Borne also pointed out that the budget for farmers wishing to invest in equipment to optimise water consumption had been doubled to 40 million, and an additional 100 million had been made available to France's water agencies to help the agricultural sector to adapt or create water reservoirs. Finally, she assured that her government would pursue a major reform of crop insurance, that will be implemented from 1 January 2023. President Nana Akufo-Addo 27.05.2022 LISTEN It is frustrating, even irritating, the inability of the relevant authorities to apply the laid-down responses to breaches of construction in the nation's capital, the consequences of which laxity has been costly and even fatal. The angst of the President was palpable when he gave the orders for structures constructed on waterways to be demolished. The First Gentleman's orders for the demolition only reflected those of the rest of the good citizens of this country who stand against such reckless constructions but can do only so much. It is instructive that even before the President's orders, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, started such an exercise at Tema especially making the headlines in this regard. The minister was constrained to order the demolishing of structures on waterways following the impunity with which the relevant bylaws were being ignored by developers and the devastating consequences. In other jurisdictions, where bylaws work because public officials put in charge of state departments are on top of their assignments, it is unthinkable that even when they are warned against developing structures at specific locations, because reasons of risks are involved, among others, developers would ignore such directives. In our part of the world, the notion is that bylaws do not work and when the authorities show up, phone calls to their superiors and the influence of money can help them to have their own way. It can only be imagined the kind of pressure the regional minister endured when he embarked upon the demolishing of structures in Accra. The regional minister and other relevant bodies in ensuring orderliness in the life of the city of Accra can draw inspiration from the President's order and move into action. The dangerous status quo must give way to orderliness. Those who breach the laid-down standards in the matter of building construction should not be left alone to carry on with impunity because the consequences of their recklessness have far-reaching effects, in fact, beyond their rooms and compounds. The Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), the President's representatives at the lowest level of governance, have failed us and it shows in the number of structures which continue to stand regardless of the dangers those pose to society by virtue of their positions. In the case of permits, these have no meaning because they are almost on sale and therefore available for those who want them. It is not about the regulators inspecting to determine whether or not structures can be put up on specific lands. The STOP WORK in red are only invitations to developers to go and do the needful at the permit-giving units of assemblies. With the Presidential order now issued, let us see which of the assemblies will continue to slumber on their jobs. We shall stand by and watch how the President's order is carried out or not by the relevant authorities such as the assemblies. Photo exhibition highlights murals found on ancient buildings in Chinas Fujian People's Daily Online) 13:59, May 27, 2022 A photo exhibition that opened recently showcased the charm of murals found on ancient buildings in Youxi, a county known for its ancient buildings in Sanming city, southeast Chinas Fujian Province. A guide to the Museum of Youxi county introduces photos of murals found on ancient buildings at a photo exhibition held in Youxi county, Sanming city, southeast Chinas Fujian Province. (Chinanews.com/Liang Wenbin) The exhibition, which will last until late May at the Museum of Youxi county, displayed 113 photos of murals on ancient buildings scattered across the county. Youxi is home to a national famous historical and cultural village, a key historical and cultural site under national-level protection, 15 such sites under provincial-level protection, 81 such sites protected at the county level, and 564 unmovable cultural relics, said Huang Chunlin, deputy curator of the museum. Huang introduced that the museum has committed itself to conducting surveys of cultural relics in recent years and has found a large number of murals on ancient buildings scattered in towns across the county. These murals have rich cultural connotations that depict different themes, such as history, operas, famous anecdotes, auspicious animals, flowers, birds, fish, insects, and traditional graphic patterns. Photo shows a mural featuring the giant Chinese character Fu, meaning fortune and good luck in English, found on a wall of an ancient building in Jingtong village, Youxi county, Sanming city, southeast Chinas Fujian Province. (Chinanews.com/Liang Wenbin) Huang pointed out that these murals reflect Youxi countys profound historical and cultural legacies and peoples pursuit of a happy and harmonious life. This is a photo of a 4-square-meter mural featuring the giant Chinese character Fu, meaning fortune and good luck in English. The original mural is found on a wall of an ancient building in Jingtong village, Meixian township of the county, Huang said. Photo shows an ancient residential complex in Youxi county, Sanming city, southeast Chinas Fujian Province. (Chinanews.com/Liang Wenbin) The mural also depicts ancient people celebrating someones birthday with a large number of gifts, symbolizing their longing for fortune and good luck, Huang added. Most ancient buildings in Jingtong village were built during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912) and some of them have since fallen into disrepair. In 2017, Wu Xixiao, a local resident who had started a business outside of the village, donated over 900,000 yuan (about $133,576) to restore ancient buildings in the village. In the same year, the village was included in the list of Fujians traditional villages. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Recent clashes between the military and M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have displaced 72,000 people, the United Nations said Friday, warning that fleeing people faced "constant violence" and the looting of their homes. In a statement, the UNHCR refugee agency said 72,000 peoople had fled their homes in the Rutshuru and Nyiragongo territories of North Kivu province since May 19. "At least 170,000 civilians have been displaced, often repeatedly since an escalation of fighting in eastern DRC from November 2021," the statement added. Separately, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and International Rescue Committee (IRC) said on Friday that around 37,000 people had fled Rutshuru and Nyiragongo since May 22. Clashes between the army and M23, a primarily Congolese Tutsi group, have spread close to the provincial capital Goma since erupting late last week. M23 briefly seized the city in late 2012 before the army quelled the rebellion the following year. But the militia resumed fighting this year, accusing the Congolese government of failing to respect a 2009 agreement under which its fighters were to be incorporated into the army. "This new escalation of violence is threatening the humanitarian community's capacity to provide timely support in a region where 1.9 million people have already been displaced," said Caitlin Brady, the NRC's DR Congo director. The UNHCR said that people on the move "are exposed to constant violence," with fields and property they leave behind at risk of being looted. Some displaced families have taken shelter in churches and schools in Goma and urgently need assistance, the NRC and IRC warned. The epicentre of the fighting is in Rutshuru territory. By Tupac POINTU (AFP) The DRC, a vast nation of 90 million people, has accused neighbouring Rwanda of backing M23, an accusation that Rwanda denies. More than 120 armed groups roam volatile eastern DRC, many of which are a legacy of regional wars more than two decades ago. Beatrice Annan 27.05.2022 LISTEN A Member of the National Communications Team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Beatrice Annan has called for an all-hands-on-deck approach to tackle the countrys perennial flooding problem. The country especially parts of the capital, Accra in the past week has experienced flooding after days of heavy downpour As expected, there have been fingers pointed at the government for failing to put in place measures to solve the issues. For Beatrice Annan, flooding is a national problem and must not be politicised. Speaking on the GTV Breakfast show on Friday, May 27, 2022, she said the rain knows no political colours and will not spare anyone on its way. She is calling for a collective approach from the government and the citizenry to tackle the perennial flooding problem. When it comes to flooding when the water enters your house it will not ask for your party colours. When you are being swept away it will not ask whether you are NPP or NDC. So there is the need for us to have a bipartisan discussion and I will urge the government to act responsibly, the NDC communications team member said. Beatrice Annan further charged the government and those in authority to enforce the countrys laws. She said it is important that while reserving forest land, people should also be stopped from building in waterways. It is important for us to enforce the laws. I have no doubt in my mind that when it comes to enforcing laws on building waterways and environmental protection we do have them. But the laws are not being enforced because the politicians are afraid that when the laws are enforced the people will vote against them. Lets move the people who are in the waterways. Lets stop selling the first reserves, lets stop thinking about ourselves. Lets for once as a society just do the right thing, Beatrice Annan stressed. PRESS STATEMENT ON BAWKU CONFLICT TO BE DELIVERED BY THE UPPER EAST REGIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS INTRODUCTION Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press Let me on behalf of the Vice-President and members of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs welcome you to this press briefing. This ceremony has been organized to enable the House to update the media and members of the public on the recent developments in the Bawku township with regards to the communal conflict there and to let Ghanaians know the position of the House on these developments. UPDATES In the last quarter of 2021, there was renewed escalation of the regrettably enduring conflict in Bawku. These skirmishes in the township aggravated in the run up to the Samampiid and the purported plans by the Mamprusis to observe the final funeral rites of the late Tampuri Alhaji Adam Zangbeogo, who is still recognized as the last Bawku Naba by the Mamprusis and subsequently celebrate the Damba. This has led to the loss of abled and productive lives and valuable property, stalled economic activities, and deprived several school children of an opportunity to pursue their future dreams. As a bustling economic hub of the east and Ghana, it has further worsened the woes of a country emerging from the ravaging effects of COVID-19 and its consequences on the national economy. It is from this background that the Chiefs of the Region wish to condemn in no uncertain terms these senseless and morally depraved criminal acts. It is saddening to note that since these clashes in Bawku in 1983, 1984, and 1985 all has not been well with the inhabitants of this growing township. The clashes have transformed, over the years into a war of attrition rather than an action to settle a chieftaincy dispute. HISTORY The Bawku conflict has a long history, perhaps rivaling Ghanas struggle for independence and its political history. For more than 65 years, this conflict has been intertwined in issues of politics, ethnicity, land, and chieftaincy. It is no surprise that various political groupings have fed from the blood of its victims since the inception of the conflict. From its onset, legal processes have been initiated, government commissions, traditional authorities and civil society organisations have all attempted to settle the matter. It is important to recall that the Supreme Court Ruling of April 2003 still remains the most remarkable attempt to bring finality to this ailing conflict. Despite the political meddling in the conflict, it is worth noting that successive governments have equally played significant roles in ending the debilitating conflict through their unequivocal declarations on the matter in reference to the Supreme Court Decision. The most recent attempt initiated by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, by inviting the Nayiri and the Bawku Naba for discussions is highly commendable. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is rather disappointing that these high-level interventions have yielded little results in resolving this devastating conflict. This has led us to reason that what we are experiencing in the area is organized crime orchestrated by people with doubtful integrity for their selfish interests. Crime is intolerable in any society and thus must be stamped out. What is of particular concern to us in this Region is the attempt by some persons to associate the recent acts of lawlessness in Bawku with the desire of Nayiri, Overlord of Mamprugu, to maintain a hold in the Kusaug Traditional Area through violence and intimidation. It is our considered view that no ruler, whether traditional or secular, can thrive in power by means of violence and high handedness. That is why it is difficult for us to accept reports circulating in Bawku and elsewhere that those organizing and executing these acts of violence have the support and blessing of the Nayiri. The Nayiri is respected and we wish to call on those peddling these claims to desist from doing damage to His Royal name. WAY FORWARD Ladies and Gentlemen of the press and all present, it is from this informed background that I and my fellow eminent chiefs of the region wish to put forward the following proposals for mitigating this cancer eating away our livelihoods and robbing the future of our children. The situation in Bawku has reached crisis level, with many families and individuals having lost their source of livelihood and currently struggling to survive. We call on government to set up a relief fund and to appeal for various kinds of donations to alleviate the humanitarian crisis currently unfolding in the area. For the long term, we encourage government to consider setting up major state establishments and providing special investment packages to provide employment for the teaming youth and give them a sense of meaning in life. There may be need to add that the highest state institution and investment in Kusuag is a Senior High School. This cries foul of the enormous contribution that the land has rendered to the state. Bawku is the capital of the Kusaug Traditional Area, which is home to a number of settler communities including Yanga, Hausa, Bimoba, Bisa, Moshie, and Dagomba besides the Mamprusis and a host of other tribal groups from across the country. These are people belonging to one country called Ghana, desire to live in peace, tranquility and to go about their legitimate businesses like everyone in this country. We therefore urge them to make a joint statement about the situation in Bawku and call the feuding factions to embrace peace. Information available to the House indicates that some identified youth are said to have been on the wanted list of the security services in connection with several criminal incidents in Bawku. If these reports are true, then we urge the police to expedite their investigations and bring whoever is guilty of breaches of the law to speedy prosecution. The conflict in Bawku in our view needs to be dealt with seriously and with utmost expediency devoid of political interferences. We cannot continue to allow persons with criminal intentions to hold us to ransom in perpetuity. We also call on the security services to execute their mandate in an impartial and professional manner to win the trust of the parties involved and foster peace. In the same vein, we would like to advise the politicians to stay clear of the Bawku conflict because in our opinion, they are the midwives that have conducted the labour for the delivery of this monstrous child, They are advised to stop parading in political regalia causing havoc wherever they pass with great impunity. We wish to caution that there is no way that perpetuating illegality can become a conduit to remedying a situation or settling grievances. Fellow respected chiefs, the chieftaincy institution has been the main contention of the Bawku conflict and many especially the political elite have on various occasions laid blame at our door for the sustenance of the unfortunate situation. The Bawku-Naba, Zugraan Abugrago Azoka II has been on the skin for thirty-eight years now and a lot of goodwill and support has existed between the skin and the people of Kusaug. It is trite knowledge that the Bawku Chieftaincy Dispute has been settled through due process/ legal process. For the avoidance of doubt. We know that in 1957 the colonial Governor, Lord Listowell setup a committee of enquiry to ascertain the conflicting claims between the Kusasis and Mamprusis. The committee found that Bawku is a Kusasi land and that the present Bawku Nabas family are the right descendants and rulers of the Bawku Skin. This committee finding in favour of the Kusasi was upheld and confirmed by the Court of Appeal (the Highest Court of the land at that time) in 1958. Despite the military intervention in the Bawku skin affairs in 1966 (NLCD 122) and in 1981 (by PNDC Law 75), the Supreme Court in 2003 affirmed the legitimacy of Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II. Ladies and Gentlemen, In this regard, and with the support of my fellow esteemed chiefs of the House we wish to respectfully and kindly invite the Nayiri, our elder brother and father, some of the noble chiefs of this House and the Bawku Naba, also our elder brother and member of this distinguished House, to a round table meeting to be mediated by a selected group of eminent chiefs in order to dialogue and fashion out home-grown solutions to this monstrous conflict. Our people say that for a witch to catch you, there must be one in your House, therefore, let us come together to hunt down and banish this witch forever. Naba Azoka II is a ruler of the Kusaug Traditional Area, If the Mamprusis in Bawku want to be involved in chieftaincy matters, they are advised to select from amongst themselves a suitable candidate for consideration by the Naba Azoka II for enskinment as a Mamprusi community chief in Bawku. As a Regional House of chiefs, we hereby wish to appeal to the Nayiri to advise his kinsmen to embrace this alternative for us to ensure a lasting and sustainable peace in the area. My Vice President, eminent chiefs of this House, the Press, ladies and Gentlemen, In conclusion, we need peace in Bawku as any insecurity in the area affects the whole of the Upper East Region and the country in General. Bawku being a border town with Togo and Burkina Faso is vulnerable to foreign terrorists, Jihadists and other criminals, hence our worry. If our language is a bit hard, we beg everybodys pardon for it is just that our sensibilities have been hurt. I thank you all for your presence and support and for coming. UPPER EAST REGIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS BOLGATANGA UPPER EAST REGION CC: President of the Republic of Ghana President of the National House of Chiefs Minister for Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs Minister for National Security Minister for Interior Inspector General of Police The National Director NIB National Peace Council Upper East Regional Minister Upper East Regional Police Commander Upper East Army Commander Upper East Regional Peace Council Upper East Regional NIB Director On 27 May 1997, NATO and Russia signed a non-binding treaty that for years formed the foundation for cooperation between the two sides, separated between 1949 and 1989 by the Cold War's Iron Curtain. But today, not much is left of this early attempt to heal divisions between the former arch-enemies. "NATO and its member states, on the one hand, and the Russian Federation, on the other hand ... will build together a lasting and inclusive peace in the Euro-Atlantic area on the principles of democracy and cooperative security," the text of the NATO-Russia Founding Act on Mutual Relations reads. Today, exactly 25 years after signing the treaty, it is nothing more than a dead letter. How did it start? At a summit in London in July 1990, NATO for the first time said that Warsaw Pact countries were no longer "adversaries". The then secretary general of the alliance, former German defence minister Manfred Worner, went to Moscow and met with the president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev. In 1991, the USSR itself was dissolved. Six years later US president Bill Clinton together with his French and Russian counterparts Boris Yeltsin and Jacques Chirac signed the NATO-Russia Founding Act. It formed the foundation for the NATO-Russia Council, a platform to discuss military policy issues and coordinate cooperation. But while the Warsaw Pact (USSR, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania) had completely disappeared, NATO expanded eastwards, swallowing the former USSR satellites to the anger of Yeltsin and his successor Vladimir Putin, who claim that they were led to believe the alliance would never expand eastward. During the NATO-Russia Council in April 2008 at a NATO summit in Bucharest, Russia objected strongly against yet another possible expansion, when Ukraine and Georgia - both former USSR states - showed interest to join the alliance. The Federation strikes back After Russia's 2008 invasion of Georgia, NATO suspended the council, but resumed it in 2009. Later on, the platform was used for Moscow and NATO to discuss issues ranging from Libya to Afghanistan with NATO partners. By the end of 2013 the two sides were still meeting, but the relationship between Moscow and the West had grown increasingly tense. Four months later, Russia annexed Crimea. NATO member France cancelled a deal to sell two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships to Moscow. The ships were instead sold to Egypt. After Russia annexed Crimea, NATO froze cooperation with Moscow. But it did invite then Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko to the 2014 NATO summit in the UK. Both sides stated a commitment to "develop a special partnership" between the alliance and Ukraine. At the end of 2021, relations between NATO and Moscow had again deteriorated. Russia staged a massive build-up of troops along Ukraine's border, while at the same time demanding that NATO withdraw behind its 1997 line. Talks in January 2022 led to nothing. On February 24, Russia invaded Ukraine, effectively ending 25 years of cooperation with NATO. Three months into the war, Finland and Sweden, formerly neutral, indicated that they wanted to apply for membership of the alliance in spite of Russian threats and protests. Read also: 27.05.2022 LISTEN A former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Obuasi Constituency, Mr Edward Ennin is appealing to delegates of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ashanti Region to reject Mr Bernard Antwi Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi in tomorrows regional delegates conference. According to him, he regrets voting for Chairman Wontumi because he lacks the administrative skills to manage and steer the affairs of the party in the region. He said Chairman Wontumi has, over the years, proven to be a failure. Mr Ennin warned that if the delegates fail to show Chairman Wontumi the exit, they will come and do their own campaign in the various constituencies in the region. The former MP made this call to the delegates during an interview with Kwame Obeng Sarkodie, host of Accra100.5 FMs morning show on Friday, 27 May 2022. Mr Ennin warned that if the delegates make the mistake of retaining Chairman Wontumi, then he will work alone in the region. He reminded them to disregard some of the monetary overtures being made to them by the campaign team of Chairman Wontumi. Wontumis administration in the region has left the region more divided, adding that his belligerent behaviour is the main cause of the divisiveness in the region. Also, he said Chairman Wontumis penchant for talking loose, has not helped the course of the party in the region. He was of the view that the Chairman is quick to show off his wealth when everybody is complaining about things being hard. ---Classfmonline.com 27.05.2022 LISTEN The founder and leader of the Prophetic Hill Chapel, Prophet Nigel Gaisie has added his voice to cries from Ghanaians that the country under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is hard. Speaking to Kumasi-based Angel FM in an interview, the controversial man of God said there is too much hunger in Accra. According to him, unlike past governments, people now troop to his church at dawn to beg for money for food. There is insecurity, there is hunger, especially in Accra. Ive been in Ministry for a very long time but for the first time by 5:00 am in the morning couples are on the premises of the Church asking for GHC 20 for food, Prophet Nigel Gaisie shared. Comparing the current NPP government to the Kufour administration, the Prophetic Hill Chapel leader said he has no doubt President Nana Addo is superintending over the worst government. The President Kuffour administration wasnt like this, the best NPP government ever is the President Kuffour administration. The worst NPP government is this regime and everyone will attest to it, Prophet Nigel Gaisie added. He said it is sad that after contributing largely to President Akufo-Addos victory in the last general elections the people in the Ashanti Region are being 'thanked' with nothing but bad road network. Prophet Gaisie lamented, Yesterday when I arrived in Kumasi I drove through Sofoline and other places in town. Look your roads are bad. President Akufo-Addo is at the Jubilee House because of the Ashanti Region and you come and see the roads in Ashanti Region. A political analyst has questioned the posture of the sitting Member of Parliament Dome-Kwabenya Constituency Sarah Adwoa Safo who is now domiciled in the United States of America looking after her sick son. According to him, the MPs posture that she will only return to Ghana if her son is fully recuperated is worrying. Mr. Jonathan Asante Okyere raised these concerns about the posture of the MP speaking on mid-day news on Accra 100.5 FM on Friday, May 27, 2022. He bemoaned that this is not right as far as the representation of the people of Dome Kwabenya Constituency was concerned. He argued that the situation of reprobation and approbation from the court system has accounted for the situation Parliament and for that matter the government finds itself in. "So if Adwoa Safos son will heal in the year 2024, the people of Dome-Kwabenya should not be represented," he questioned. "The MP is holding onto the position as if it is her inheritance. "When the NPPs MPs for Hoehoe Constituency in the Volta Region and Techiman South Constituency in the Bono Region were questioned over their representation of the people at the court while a matter was pending, the courts avered that the people cannot be seen not have a representation in Parliament," he stated. He called on the MP to let go of her posture toward the sick son and focus on her Parliamentary duties. 'I am fully aware family life and politics is a daunting task for women but she does not need to create a situation for the dog to be given a bad name hanged. "In life you win some, leave some and gain some," he stressed. "When it came to Jame Gyeke Quayson, the NDC MP for Assin North the court maintained that his constituents should be denied representation, he laments. "Here is an MP who has been out Parliament without permission from the Speaker for over fifteen days and the seat is waiting for her," he emphasised. ---Classfmonline.com 27.05.2022 LISTEN Following the United Nations Security Councils decision to renew the arms embargo on South Sudan for another year, Amnesty Internationals Director for East and Southern Africa, Deprose Muchena said: The renewal of the arms embargo is a step in the right direction and it is crucial to curtailing the flow of weapons that have been used to commit or facilitate war crimes, human rights violations and abuses including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). South Sudan and all other UN members states, particularly neighbouring states, should diligently enforce it. We also welcome the preservation of the integrity of the benchmarks adopted by resolution 2577 in May 2021, and particularly the maintaining of the implementation of the Action Plan for the armed forces on addressing CRSV in South Sudan as a benchmark against which any future amendment of the arms embargo will be reviewed. We call on the Government of South Sudan to expedite implementation of the action plan. Given the high prevalence of CRSV in the country and endemic impunity with which it is met, we particularly welcome that the Council reiterated its call on the government to establish the Hybrid Court for South Sudan. Special emphasis should be put on protection of victims, witnesses and judicial actors and criminal accountability, including transitioning from using military courts to civilian courts to prosecute crimes committed against civilians. Background On 18 May, Amnesty International published a report If you dont cooperate, well gun you down: conflict-related sexual violence and impunity in South Sudan revealing how CRSV is ongoing in the country, and how guns can be used to facilitate sexual violence. It also exposes how two sections of an action plan that was drafted to address CRSV in the country, adopted by the government in January 2021, are yet to be fully implemented. Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the COA Research and Manufacturing Company say his outfit is close to a research breakthrough in plant medicine from which the country could realise not less than $32 billion annually. Prof Samuel Ato Duncan added that funds generated from the medicine would bring some economic relief to the country when it turns out successful. Speaking at the re-launch of the COA Mixture on Wednesday, May 25, he added that the medicine can also offer treatment to some diseases the world is still struggling to treat. This is what I want to achieve for mother Ghana as part of my Global Peace Mission Project, Prof Duncan explained. Ghana can generate $32bn annually through plant medicine Prof Ato Duncan COA Mixture products He noted that the re-launched COA Mixture is an upgrade in drug development and after going through processes at the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), it has been upgraded from a food supplement to a herbal medicine for general wellbeing. However, it is not an HIV and AIDS drug. COA Mixture is for healthy living; it is a 100 per cent natural product from plants and without any artificial preservatives. Ghana can generate $32bn annually through plant medicine Prof Ato Duncan COA Mixture is one of the best medicines the world has ever produced because of the numerous evidence-based testimonies from users. Need for collaboration Prof Samuel Duncan called on government, research institutions and investors to collaborate with the Company in order to make its visions achievable. Although the Company has acquired 1,000 acres of land to cultivate raw materials in the Ashanti Region, he said they would need an additional 9,000 acres of lands to produce COA products that would meet international market demands. Ghana can generate $32bn annually through plant medicine Prof Ato Duncan The COA Mixture has been upgraded from a food supplement to a herbal medicine for general wellbeing. A cash donation of 100,000 was made to the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Associations (GHAFTRAM) to help members go through some evaluation and registration processes for the certification of their medicines. Prof Ato Duncan also appointed the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to be the Patron of the COA Mixture because of his support for the product. Pharmaceutical sector The Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, revealed that government is investing in the pharmaceutical sector in the quest to diversify the economy. For the country to depend on only two commodities cocoa and gold for over 100 years is clearly not sustainable. So we need to diversify our economy. The country produces only about 30 per cent of our required medicines, so we import almost 70 per cent of our required drugs, which is unacceptable, he posited. Ghana can generate $32bn annually through plant medicine Prof Ato Duncan The Trade Minister said an effective pharmaceutical industry would not only boost the economy but also create skilled jobs. The Trade Minister also used the opportunity to urge manufacturers to follow laid down protocols to build public confidence and get their products accepted. If you want to become like COA, you have to be able to subject your products to various processes, including therapeutic analysis. If you want to do mass production that will earn you income, then you need to expose your processes to technology, he stressed. Ahead of the launch of the YouStart programme by government in July, the Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi Honorable Elijah Adansi-Bonah has thrown his weight behind the program and has called for public support for it. Speaking at a community durbar organised by the Obuasi Municipal Assembly at Nkamprom, a suburb of Obuasi, Hon Adansi-Bonah said the YouStart programme will provide a perfect opportunity to address youth unemployment and also unearth potentials in the youth to create jobs for themselves. He said given the high rate of unemployment in the country, Government had to be very innovative in order to address the challenge hence the introduction of the YouStart programme. He said currently there are 700,000 people on government payroll which has put a lot of burden on Government finances. "This has prompted Government to intervene to empower the youth to venture into business to also create jobs for others". He promised to lead a campaign to encourage the youth to embrace the programme and access the facilities the programme will provide. He seized the opportunity to admonish Ghanaians to accept the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) which he said will provide financial support for the YouStart programme. The YouStart programme seeks to support young entrepreneurs to gain access to capital, training and technical skills to enable them to start, build and grow their own businesses. The initiative targets young people and students between 18 and 35 years who have brilliant business ideas and viable businesses and support them to nurture, grow and expand their businesses and job creation opportunities. Government, through the YouStart programme, intends to build an entrepreneurial nation by providing some of the key enablers that make entrepreneurship a success. It includes access to finance and markets, mentorship, strategic partnership and digital linkages, technical assistance and business advisory support service. Obuasi to have a State of the Arts Recreational center The MCE whiles interacting with the Chief and people of Nkamprom revealed that work will soon begin on a state of the art recreational center in Obuasi. The center which will be the first in Obuasi will provide a safe, affordable and welcoming recreational facilities. He again assured the people that the Assembly has in its plans to construct CHPS compound, school and proper drains for the people of Nkamprom. Ghanas Deputy Minister for Education, Mr. John Ntim Fordjour, has come under fire for allegedly attending a program late whiles invited guests were seated over two hours before his arrival. The invited guests were seated an hour before the start of the programme at 10:00 am. Surprisingly, the young deputy minister arrived at 12:14pm while dignitaries including the Mantse of Adjei Kojo and Mrs. Anne-Claire Dufay, Country Representative for UNICEF, the main sponsor of the Ghanaian Sign Language Dictionary, which was scheduled to be launched, were seated. The program was held on Tuesday 24th May, 2022 at Tetteh Ocloo School for The Deaf, Ashaiman. Other dignitaries including teachers, headmasters and journalists were visibly angry especially about the fact that they were asked to rise up and welcome Ntim Fordjour who walked gallantly with his entourage into the auditorium which was filled with the frustrated guests and the hearing impaired pupils of Tetteh Ocloo School for the Deaf. It is worth noting that during the inauguration speech of President Nana Akufo Addo, he called on Ghanaians not to be lackadaisical towards work and also respect working hours. The action by the deputy minister, however, follows calls on Ghanaians by the President of the republic, Nana Addo to attach a high level of seriousness to their line of work. What was more baffling is that, when it was Mr. Ntim Fordjour's turn to deliver his address, he didn't even have the decency to apologise to the people he had kept waiting for hours, no excuse was also given. This is due to his habitual habit of attending programs late and he didn't show remorse. Some educationalists said his tardiness showed disrespect for his office and agencies under the ministry of education. Mrs. Efua Adomako who walked out of the hall after the deputy minister sat down said she arrived at 9:34am and had another equally important event to attend so she could not wait for the programme to end before taking her leave. "I came here early because I realised the significance of such a programme but unfortunately no importance was attached to this programme by the deputy minister. This kind of attitude of arriving late at events just because a person feels he is better than the guests should be discouraged. Leadership should be set by example followers will emulate these lazy leaders. What is he teaching those who follow him? I am very disappointed in him. I came all the way from Adabraka. I don't have a car but I managed to find my way here despite the rains but this man has a Toyota V8, personal assistant and a driver yet he disrespects us in this manner," she lamented. A journalist who pleased anonymity mentioned that he was not surprised at the behaviour of the deputy minister because he seems to have the habit of disrespecting guests at events he's supposed to grace by reporting late. He lamented that many current government appointees have that habit which needed to be checked. "You keep guests and sponsors of your projects late at programmes and you do not show any remorse about it? Who does that, UNICEF and other unions representatives were here for a very long time before the programme begun." Another attendee described the action of the deputy minister as a shame, saying he least expected such behaviour from a young man. Nana Kofi Annan 27.05.2022 LISTEN President of the Western Regional Chapter of All Canoe Owners Association of Ghana, Nana Kofi Annan has called on the National Fishery Commission to embark on series of public engagements with the coastal community to reduce the level of unapproved methods of fishing. Nana Kofi Annan who is also the Chief Fisherman for the Axim Fishing Community says he has observed with concern the rates at which dangerous fishing activities were being carried out by some fishermen across the country. In an interview with Newsmen at Axim recently, the Chief Fisherman suggested that instead of the closed season, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture in collaboration with the Fishing Commission and other stakeholders could organise series of community engagements on its policies and interventions for the Fishing Industry. "I will like to make a passionate appeal to Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson and the National Fishery Commission to postpone this year's closed season to cushion the fisher folks at these trying times. "The Global Economy crisis cannot be ruled out of what the country is facing currently. There is therefore the need to put in place prudent measures to cushion our Fishermen economically. "That explains why am making this passionate appeal to consider postponement of 2022 Closed Season along the Coastal Communities. "The Fishing Industry is facing economic crisis due to dangerous fishing activities. We the Fishermen are those who are destroying our own source of income through the use of unapproved tools like lights, dynamite and others. Government and for that matter Ministry of fisheries or its agencies cannot be blamed for these mishaps. We are our own enemies. "We appreciate efforts by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo President of the Republic of Ghana, Hon. Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Fishing Commission Secretariat for what they are doing for us but should also consider my humble plead. "The Fishing Community needs serious education on how to improve their financial status rather than expecting Government and other agencies to support them even though they have the avenue to lift their standard of living." He continued, "I want to encourage my colleagues and stakeholders in the fishing industry to strive to work according to the laid down rules and regulations for better their standard of living. Government must purchase more detective machines to prevent unwholesome fishes from getting to the market." On the issue of regular supply of premix fuel, Nana Kofi Annan once again commended the President and the Fishery Ministry for providing the opportunity for the Fishermen to operate their businesses. He however suggested marginal increase in the price of the Premix fuel to facilitate regular supply of the needed commodity to boost the industry. "My personal appeal to Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Mrs. Mavis Hawa Koomson and the Fishing Commission Secretariat to consider if possible increasing the price of Premix fuel marginally. "It is an open secret that Government spends a lot on refinery of the fuel. Marginal increase would be less burdensome and would enhance the regular supply of Premix to the various depot stations. "Even though we have been receiving Premix to power our outboard motors, the snail pace nature of supply is worrying to the Fishing Community," Nana Kofi Annan noted. 27.05.2022 LISTEN Every year May 25, the world celebrates Africa Day. On May 25 1963, 30 independent African leaders signed the founding charter of the OAU (Organization of African Unity). In 2002, to give more impetus to the organization, many new areas were added and it was transformed into African Union (AU). From that perspective, this year is special as we commemorate the 20th anniversary of AU. On the other hand, the celebration will be tarnished by rising food prices as a result of Covid-19, climatic induced drought in parts of Africa and the Ukraine crisis. Notwithstanding, Africans and African diaspora across the world will commemorate the day as it represents their collective struggle against colonialism, racism, development and economic progress. The day truly serves to integrate the diverse continent into one identity and can truly be termed as African Unity Day. In 1963, Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, declared, "AFRICA must unify," criticising that most African countries trade raw commodities to their former colonial powers rather than trade among themselves. He envisions more intra-African trade, harmonised systems, and removed borders. His pan-African ambition was never realised. True to his dream, in March 2018, African leaders agreed to establish an Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Covering more than 2 billion African population, majorly youth, it aims to create around 15 billion GDP for each country and an overall 3 trillion US$ for the continent in the immediate future. Each year African Union decides a theme for the day based on the common challenges for the continent. The theme, for this year, is Strengthening Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent. The theme underpins the importance of food and nutrition security across the continent and promotes nature-based solutions to climate, health issues, food and water security, and sustainable livelihoods. Parallel to Africa day, the Union has also convened an extraordinary summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on May 25-28 in order to discuss on terrorism and unconstitutional changes of Government. As the extraordinary summit contemplates the progress towards its various objectives and analyse the challenges and resolve them, it would be interesting to re-evaluate the progress of Africa so far, vis-a-vis the fixed goals and highlight the good, bad and ugly. Good At the outset, it must be acknowledged that, despite their reputation for having fragile state health systems, the continent was able to resist the spread of coronavirus through an effective strategy. When the very first patient of Covid19 was detected in Egypt on 14 February, it created a lot of doubt and anxiety regarding the possibility of the newly found virus possibly resulting in massive deaths and destroying the already frail health systems. However, despite intermittent outbreaks, which also occurred in other candidates, the virus remained the least fatal in Africa. The credit for preventing its spread must go to the policymakers who took several aggressive measures. Countries like Lesotho declared an emergency and went into lockdown even before there was a single case of covid19. While the pandemic is still not over, the countries are refocusing their efforts. Instead of frantically pursuing the elusive vaccines, they are focusing on longer-term testing and surveillance methods that will gradually enhance the continent's health systems. Despite claims of democratic decline, Africa is seeing an increase in the number of elections held. Afrobarometer conducted a poll that found that the majority of Africans prefer to live in democracies. Multiple countries successfully had elections in 2021, and their governments were democratically altered. When opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema upset incumbent Edgar Lungu in a hard-fought presidential election in Southern Africa, the country made history in the continent's democratic history. Morocco's long-ruling Islamists were defeated by liberal parties in a resounding defeat in North Africa, illustrating the dwindling appeal of political Islam and the shrinking space that Islamists now find for themselves in Morocco and elsewhere. In both Sao-Tome and Principe and Cape Verde, two island nations, opposition candidates defeated the incumbents. In West Africa, Gambian voters re-elected the incumbent President Adama Barrow. Niger, another West African country, witnessed its first transfer of power through election. In Ethiopia, despite the ongoing conflict between the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the election took place in June as scheduled and Abiy Ahmed won a landslide victory. Most recently, despite the resurgence of Al-Shabaab group, which continues to destabilise the country by sporadic terrorist attacks, Somalia successfully conducted its election. Bad The recent years witnessed a succession of coups in the continent. It started in April 2021, Idriss Deby, the President of Chad for three decades, surprisingly got killed in the battlefield, which has been termed as an institutional coup detat. In May, Mali witnessed its second coup in nine months led by Colonel Goita who declared himself President immediately after the coup. In fact, the last coup in August 2020 which took place in the wave of strong anti-government protests, was also led by Colonel Goita. The same Colonel Goita was also in charge of the last coup, which took place in August 2020 amid a wave of intense anti-government rallies. Following the successful coup of 2020, the goal was to hold national elections as soon as possible under a Transitional. But now the election is postponed till 2026, which irked France, the principal security provider. Under this prevailing political instability and rumoured presence of Russian private army Wagner, France government decided to withdraw its troop from the country, which will further aggravate the security situation in Mali and greater Sahel region. Guinea, a small West African country, experienced a military coup in September. Sudan's military General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan staged another coup in October, arresting Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and a number of his Cabinet ministers from the transitional government. Meanwhile, countries like Niger, Madagascar, and Guinea-Bissau have survived coup attempts but are currently in limbo. No one expected Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's war against the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) to go until the end of 2021 when he started it a year ago for their alleged involvement in an attack on a federal military post. In this expanding conflict, there have been countless twists and turns. In fact, the rebels were once only 130 kilometres from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital and the African Union's headquarters. The Ethiopian government was obliged to declare a six-month state of emergency as a result of this. PM Abiy Ahmed appears to have regained momentum with the help of countries such as Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran. The emergency has been lifted and the country seems to be regaining its momentum, particularly with the launch of Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). However, as we have seen in the past, this conflict is far from over and might continue to linger indefinitely. Ugly While the AfCFTA is a bold endeavour to economically integrate Africa, the continent remains politically divided. This was clear during the UNGA resolution condemning Russian aggression, which received only 31 African votes in favour. Russia's long-time African friends Sudan, Mali, and the Central African Republic were among the 17 African countries that abstained. South Africa's absence was unanticipated, given that it has persistently opposed both the Israeli occupation of Palestine and NATO's intervention in Libya. Six more African countries have decided to abstain from voting. Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populated country, and Cameroon were absent from the voting booth. The only African country to vote against the motion was Eritrea, Ethiopia's erstwhile foe turned partner. This split house was also during the African Union's (AU) annual summit earlier this year. While there were many important issues to debate, such as military coups and measures to recover from the COVID pandemic, the entire meeting was disrupted by disagreements among the African Union's Member States over Israel's observer status. Despite the vehement opposition to Israel's membership in the union from nations such as Algeria and South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia publicly supported it. Many other African countries, like Morocco, a signatory of the Abraham Accord, had tacit support for Israel. Although, in order to avoid an unprecedented schism in the house, the union decided to postpone the debate until next year's meeting, the debate might further aggravate the already divided house. Way Forward The cover story of Economist magazine in 2000 was titled The hopeless continent, whereas in 2011 it changed to Africa Rising. Africa is known for its abundant natural resources, particularly fossil fuels including oil, gas and coal. Africa now has six of the world's top ten fastest growing economies. Africa has come a long way through various plans such as OMEGA plan of President Wade of Senegal, and the Millennium Partnership for the African Recovery Programme (MAP) promoted by the Nigerian President Obasanjo, South African President Mbeki and Algerian President Bouteflika. However, it is far from an integrated nation, as envisaged by Kwame Nkrumah or Julius Nyerere, the first torchbearers of one Africa. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was the last African leader who called for the establishment of a government of the United States of Africa. On Africa Day 2022, political stability still remains a severe challenge. The post-Cold War period of civil war, internal conflicts have forced the African Commission to set the goal of silencing the gun by 2020. Ironically, since in 2020, due to the Covid crisis, Africa became more focused on internal migrations rather than its stated goal of Silencing the Guns. In a world beset by global crises such as COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, the choice to emphasise the importance of malnutrition and food insecurity is both timely and critical. Strengthening resilience in the areas of nutrition and food security will go a long way in addressing a number of interconnected concerns. The continent continues to hold a lot of promise. It possesses both the people and technical resources necessary to ensure a better future for all of its citizens. It is still possible to eliminate hunger and malnutrition by 2030. More than just cultural and culinary celebrations, I It should also be about evaluating the state of the African Union, the continental institution that embodies the ideals of Pan-Africanism. As hope springs eternal, the continent is expected to strive together in its journey of a long walk to freedom. With barely 24hours to the regional elections of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) in the Ashanti Region, the Tertiary Students Confederacy(TESCON) has called for an audit of the voters' album. The student group said non-students have been smuggled into the TESCON album. At an emergency press confab at the Catering Rest House in Kumasi on Friday, May 27, 2022, the TESCON leaders claim the album to be used for the election tomorrow should be rejected. According to them, 35 names have been smuggled into the TESCON album. Infact, after thorough scrutiny, 35 anomalies have been detected in their album, ie: many of the supposed delegates are not students of the said schools, some are past TESCON members who are no more in the school and others totally unknown to TESCON. Many ghost names are found in the album. As we speak, we have received names of people who are not members of TESCON, some of which are nurses and former students. They alleged some non-member institutions have suddenly found their way into the album with assigned delegates. Members of the media, the following institutions have emerged as unaccredited TESCON institutions but have found their way into the album with assigned delegates: Newman College of Health Kessben Adum campus Global College of Aviation Oxford School of Journalism Ghana Baptist University College, Abuakwa. "However, Kumasi Nursing and Midwifery training college which they claim is accredited has been excluded," they intimated. They emphasised, Based on this we wholly reject the supposed delegates list, it is not credible, it is fraudulent and not a true representation of the TESCON. We request that those of our leaders of TESCON who have so far been meeting with aspirants, and based on the established convention since 2010 be reinstated as the delegates to the Regional conference come tomorrow, Saturday, 2022. The Military in the North East Region has been ordered to be on the standby as delegates of the region cast their ballot in the New Patriotic Partys Regional executives elections today. Tensions are building up as a result of factions within the party. A total of 26 contestants are vying for different positions in the region. The North East Regional Minister Yidana Zakaria in an address asked those fermenting trouble to return home because the military will be called in to deal with anyone who creates disturbances at the voting ground. Anybody with any mindset to come and misbehave should rethink, Mr. Zakaria said. This is an in-house election. It is not about us and the opponents. Even with our opponents, we must be civil, and we must get it right. Meanwhile, the incumbent regional chairman who is seeking to be reelected, Fuseini Nurudren, advised his colleagues to accept the outcome of the election. According to him, the stability of the party in the North East means a lot to the fortunes of the Vice president, who will be running for the flagbearership of the NPP. He also urged his colleagues not to lose sight of the NPPs actual rivals. We don't fight amongst ourselves. We have a bigger enemy, which is the NDC. Let's rather fight the NDC. Rather than fighting ourselves, Mr. Nurudren said. ---Citi Newsroom A 2021 Dennislaw Ghana Report has revealed that 155 out of the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are operating without legitimate and valid bylaws. This translates to 59 per cent of the assemblies operating without the incorporation of local rules, which is in violation of the Local Governance Act. Dr Nana Ato Arthur, the Head of Local Government Service, said that was unacceptable and ordered the various assemblies to make reference to the appropriate Local Governance Act for validity of the bylaws. Making reference to the Report at the Sixth Annual General Conference of the Association of District Co-ordinating Directors in Kumasi, he said 26 out of 43 MMDAs in the Ashanti Region had no bylaws governing their operations. Eight of the 12 MMDAs in Bono Region had no valid bylaws, whereas three out of the six assemblies in Ahafo Region operated without these governing rules. The three-day conference was on the theme: Digitisation: A Critical Tool for Transforming MMDAs. The Association, comprising all the metropolitan, municipal and district coordinating directors (MMDCDs) of the assemblies in Ghana met to review and evaluate past performances and forge stronger and workable solutions to emerging problems at their workplaces. Dr Arthur called on political and administrative heads to commit to improving holistic working relations to improve outcomes. MMDCDs must learn and know their bosses, know when to approach them on certain issues and what to discuss at what time, he said. A good knowledge of our bosses will ensure a smooth and hitch-free relationship for which we would all be proud of, to collectively execute the development agenda of the assemblies. He reminded them to be worthy ambassadors of the service by displaying the highest levels of professional standards with the vision of a world class decentralised and client-oriented service in mind. The Local Government Service would remain resolute in assisting MMDAs to mobilise the needed resources to ensure the implementation of the digitalisation initiative, he said. Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, said digitising the operations of the assemblies would ensure quality and timely service delivery to the public. He said the lack of transparency, accountability and automation of the processes and procedures, which were the bane of the MMDAs, would be addressed through digitisation. Mr Osei-Mensah urged the MMDAs to budget for and invest in digitising their processes to ensure improvement in productivity, service delivery and reduce inefficiencies and the cost of operations. GNA The death of 11 newborns in a hospital fire has provoked grief and indignation over Senegal's health system, just weeks after the country was rocked by the tragic death of a mother-to-be. The blaze in a neonatal ward in the western town of Tivaouane has turned a spotlight on flaws and funding problems, triggering calls for senior-level sanctions. President Macky Sall on Thursday fired his health minister, Diouf Sarr, replacing him with the former director-general of the public health authority, Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye. But for many Senegalese people, that is not enough. They have demanded more action, fearing Wednesday's fire will not be the last. In April 2021, four newborns died in a hospital fire in the northern town of Linguere. The mayor of that town blamed an electrical malfunction. Last month, a heavily pregnant woman died in agony after her appeals to be given a caesarean at a public hospital in the northwestern town of Louga were denied. Three midwives were sentenced to six months' suspended imprisonment as public outrage rolled. Details behind the fire at Tivaouane's Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh public hospital remain sketchy. The new neonatal ward was inaugurated just last year. Sarr and mayor Demba Diop said the blaze was caused by a short circuit, and staff blacked out and were unable to save the babies. But Serigne Cheikh Tidiane Sy Al Amine, a local religious figure, said the hospital had been plagued for 15 years by "donations of obsolete equipment and broken promises to build a new hospital." Private health services are expensive in Senegal, and many residents of Tivaouane and its surrounding areas must choose between the hospital or traditional medicine. 'Never again' Calls for sanctions abound on social media, with many tweeting "Never again." "We have qualified doctors, but... if we do not create the conditions for them to practice, there is no point in dismissing a minister to replace him with another who will end up facing the same problems," said Nina Penda Faye, spokeswoman for a campaign group called Patients in Danger. President Sall has declared three days of national mourning, and festive activities such as those of the Dakar Biennial of Contemporary Art have been suspended. He cut short a trip abroad and was expected Friday in Tivaouane. The judicial unit leading an investigation into the incident said it would be "ruthless" towards those responsible. Senegal, widely seen a stable democracy in a turbulent region, is considered to have superior health care to many other African countries. But there is a significant gap in the quality of service between large towns, smaller settlements and rural areas. A 2019-2028 plan drawn up by the health ministry acknowledged shortcomings despite efforts made in recent years. It highlighted lack of staff and equipment in health centres -- widely-used facilities that are a midpoint between rural health posts and urban hospitals. "Sixty-seven percent of the operating theatres set up in health centres are non-functional (including 59% due to lack of equipment and human resources)," it said, describing the maintenance of devices as "inefficient." 'Up to divine will' At Tivaouane hospital, the mood among many patients on Friday was of sadness mingled with resignation. The tragedy turned a spotlight on the flaws in Senegal's health system -- but many patients say they have no other options for treatment. By SEYLLOU (AFP) "What happened is very hard," said Mbene Souare, a woman aged in her 40s who had come from the neighbouring village of Pire for treatment. She admitted that the hospital would not have been her first choice given the tragedy, but said she had no other option. "We pray to God that this will not happen again," she said. Mohamed Camara, 24, said he was worred about coming to the hospital. "But I can't not come here," he said, as he stepped out of the building holding an X-ray. "I leave it up to divine will." Corruption is a threat to national development, democracy, and stability, it erodes confidence in public services and trust in officials, Mr. Emmanuel Wilson Junior, Chief Crusader for the Crusaders Against Corruption has stated. He explained that corruption distorts economic markets, curbs economic growth, and discourages foreign investors. Mr. Wilson Junior, therefore, charges the citizenry to collectively come together and fight against corruption; the fight against corruption involves all because it affects us all and has a chain effect. Corruption has a disproportionate impact on the poor and most vulnerable increasing losses, and reducing access to services including health, education, and justice. Mr. Wilson Junior stated when speaking on the topic: Is the fight against corruption a reality or mirage? At the Ghana News Agency-Tema Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue platform, which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema. He stressed, we must be concerned in fighting against corruption because it doesnt hurt the current citizen alone but the future generation as well. According to the Chief Crusader, corruption affects all areas of society quoting that corruption unlocks progress towards the sustainable development goal which helps protect the society, create jobs, achieve gender equality and secure wider access to essential services such as health care and education. Mr. Wilson Junior urged the government to help strengthen the anti-corruption agencies to be autonomous and independent noting that, the government should enforce the already existing anti-corruption law. Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Manager in his contribution reiterated that the role of the media is crucial in the nations campaign to eradicate corruption. Mr. Ameyibor explained that current efforts being made would not achieve desired results without an effective partnership with the media, stressing the need to empower media practitioners consistently He urged both public and private institutions and organizations to deal effectively with credible media houses in their fight to prevent the incidence of corruption. He contended that without integrity, the media could not make any positive impact in the campaign against corruption, advising that media practitioners must accordingly not allow their personal and monetary interests to override the national interest in their reportage since that could promote corruption. Mr. Ameyibor also appealed to the media to devote more space in the newspapers and airtime on the radio and television to discuss corruption and its consequences on the country's development. Alhaji Osman and wife 27.05.2022 LISTEN The Tijjaniya Muslim Movement of Ghana (TMMG) has revealed that domestic violence is anti-Islamic describing the act which involves violence and coercion has no legitimacy in Islam. Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osman, the Executive Secretary of the Movement stated in an interview monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema that there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding Islam and domestic violence, stressing people who aren't Muslim think Islam condones violence and that's simply not the case. "There is no place for domestic abuse in Islam, lets come together as Muslims to eradicate domestic abuse from our society," he added. Alhaji Osman noted that under no circumstances was violence against women encouraged in Islam adding that, the Quran and Hadith encourage couples to live with mutual love, respect, and kindness. He said marriage in the Islamic context is a means of tranquility, protection, peace, and comfort thus abuse of any kind on women is in conflict with the principles of marriage. Alhaji Osman explained that when a husband insults and raises his hands against his wife it was like him raising ones hand and insulting God and his prophet. The Executive Secretary of the Tijjaniya Muslim Movement of Ghana noted the fact that domestic violence was a blight on society emphasizing it was a mental and social illness that goes through every part of the society and therefore it was important for the citizenry and the society to address such issues in the country. He called on victims of domestic violence to be bold and voice out to the necessary authorities to enforce the law on the culprits. Alhaji Osman appealed to Islamic Scholars and Imam to end the silence on the issue by discussing the issue of domestic violence in their sermons. "HIV/AIDS is still real even though the fear of death it used to carry has gone because of the treatment, the public needed to take its prevention seriously as more new infections were being recorded daily." Dr Stephen Ayisi-Addo, Programme Manager of the National AIDS/STI Control Programme has revealed and called on institutions such as the Commission on Human Rights Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to upscale how they handle issues of stigma against persons living with HIV/AIDS. He said the issue of stigmatization is a major problem hindering the crusade against HIV, if the public would show love to people with HIV, the tendency to hide their status and spread the virus to unsuspecting people would be reduced. He said this at the 13th edition of the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Offices Stakeholders Engagement when he addressed the topic; Ghanas HIV Strategies in line with the Global Health Strategy for HIV, STI and Viral-Hepatitis, which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema. The monthly 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. The engagement also saw Ms Fatimata Mahami, Tema Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) presenting on the topic; The fight against corruption in Ghana, a mirage or reality; the Perspective of CHRAJ. Dr Ayisi-Addo also gave the assurance that Ghana would be able to achieve the 95-95-95 HIV goal by the scheduled year 2025. The 95-95-95 target was launched globally by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to diagnose 95 per cent of all HIV positive persons, put at least 95 per cent of those diagnosed on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and also achieve viral suppression for 95 per cent of those on treatment by 2025. Dr Ayisi-Addo said Ghana could achieve the target if all stakeholders got involved and played their respective roles in the prevention of new cases, case finding, and referral of persons living with HIV to the respective facilities for treatment, and discouraging stigmatization. He said data collected for the year 2020 showed that currently Ghana was at 88-79-79 of the 90-90-90 target for 2023 but from here we shall move to achieve the 2025 target stressing that achieving it does not only depend on the HIV Control Programme or the Ghana AIDS Commission but rather required the efforts of everyone. He said looking at the data, Ghanaians must know that between the figure and the target represented people who needed to test for their status to be known therefore calling on the public to encourage themselves and others to take volunteering counselling and testing to know their status. He said achieving the second and third targets of respectively putting 95 per cent of HIV positive people on ART, and achieving 95 per cent viral suppression in those on medication would be problematic if the first target could not be achieved because people were not testing for the positive cases to be picked up. To achieve Ghanas HIV and Aids Strategic Plan 2021-2025, Dr Ayisi-Addo said four strategic objectives have been adopted to empower the population to prevent new infections, as well as ensure the availability of and accessibility to prevention, treatment, care and support services. The others are to mitigate the social and economic effect of HIV on persons infected and affected by HIV and to ensure the availability of adequate funding to execute the policy strategies. Dr Ayisi-Addo said new initiatives to achieve the target as introduced by his outfit included the provision of combination prevention and treatment to Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW). He said provision of timely Pre-Exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis to key populations and persons exposed to HIV, implementation of HIV self-testing, and effective integration of HIV services to ensure universal health coverage. Mr Francis Ameyibor, Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Manager has entreated journalists to visit various health centres for information to highlight the several social issues affecting mankind. He said, "go to our hospitals, there are lots of information at the clinics, polyclinics, Hospitals, the Regional and District health directors, Ghanaians need education on healthy lifestyle from professionals. "If you enter the clinics and hospitals and focus on HIV coverage alone the number of stories that will emanate would cover the pages and news bulletins daily, journalists must develop an interest in health news, you can develop a profession in medical journalism and it's very big because there are a lot of things to cover," Mr Ameyibor stated. The Bono East Regional Minister, Hon Adu Gyan have urge delegate who are supposed to vote in this year NPP regional elections not to vote for voting seek candidates but vote for competent and energetic leaders. From him, the NPP party wants to 'break the 8' and to do so, they have to elect leaders who can see the future and fight for it. "We the ministers and Members of Parliament cant do this work alone unless we get help from the national to the branch, especially the region which holds the constituency and the branch. "Is about time we should vote for good, not monitory issues because each and everyone needs development in his or her life," he stated. He again pleads to delegates and supporters to calm down so that the elections can be held peacefully. "The police are here to protect you, not to harm you, so lets cope with them for a peaceful election," he added. He said this when addressing the delegates and party members at the regional delegate conference and election which is held in Kintampo in the Bono East region. African Court President Justice Aboud 27.05.2022 LISTEN The African Court on Human and Peoples Rights will begin its 65th Ordinary Session on Monday, May 30th, 2022, at the seat of the Court in Arusha, Tanzania. The Judges, among others, will examine a number of applications during the four-week session that will close on June 24th, 2022 a document signed by Dr Robert Eno, African Court Registrar and copied to the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema has stated. During the session, the African Court will deliver Judgements on June 23rd, which will be live streamed via link: https://www.youtube.com/user/africancourt/live The African Court is composed of eleven Judges, national of the Member States of the African Union elected in their individual capacity; and meets four times a year in Ordinary Sessions and may hold Extra-Ordinary Sessions. The African Court explained that an application before it can be filed by the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, State Parties to the Protocol or African Intergovernmental Organizations, and non-governmental organizations with observer status before the African Commission and individuals. It explained that as long as the State against which the application is brought has deposited the declaration recognizing the jurisdiction of the Court to accept cases from individuals and NGOs. According to the African Court, the decision of whether an application can be considered or not depends on whether it deals with a matter that is within the Courts Jurisdiction. The jurisdiction is the competence of the African Court to decide on matters brought before it. The scope of the jurisdiction of the African Court is set out in the Protocol to the African Charter and according to this instrument, the Court has material jurisdiction over allegations relating to violations of human rights contained in the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights or any other human rights instrument ratified by the State concerned. It explained that material jurisdiction is satisfied if the allegations relate to violations of human rights contained in the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights or any other human rights instrument ratified by the State concerned. Personal jurisdiction refers to the entities which can bring a case before the Court. In general, that are the African Commission, State Parties to the Protocol, and African Intergovernmental organizations. Individuals and non-governmental organizations may only directly bring cases before the Court if the State against which such application is made has made a special declaration accepting this procedure. Temporal jurisdiction refers to the fact that the alleged violations must have occurred after the State concerned ratified the Protocol; Territorial jurisdiction requires the alleged violations to have taken place in the State concerned. According to the African Court, the application should indicate the names and addresses of the person designated as the Applicants representative; include a summary of the facts of the case and of the evidence that will be adduced, and indicate clear particulars of the Applicant and of the party or parties against whom the Application has been brought. It must also specify the alleged violation; demonstrate the evidence of exhaustion of local remedies or the inordinate delay of such local remedies; indicate the orders or injunctions sought; and indicate whether an Applicant on his/her on behalf or on behalf of the victim wishes to be granted reparations. 27.05.2022 LISTEN After three days of cogitation about an incident that took place in a public space, making myself and an NDC activist cynosure of all eyes, I have decided to publish my views about it to create public awareness about how some Ghanaians have chosen to remain uncivilized, even when living in the civilized white mans land. This fellow Ghanaian in question, not necessarily my workmate or work colleague, although we work for different companies and do different jobs in the same building, approached me on Tuesday, 25 May 2022, in a public space. He greeted me. I politely acknowledged his salutation. He then asked, how is it going? I responded everything is fine. He further asked, how is it going in Ghana, thus, how is your government doing? I responded the government is trying her best to manage the country. He said, your president is cocking up big time; conditions of living are bad in Ghana. Things have gotten out of his hands. Why dont you say the truth and write about your governments failures, as though the NPP government is for only Rockson Adofo and his Ashanti tribesmen but not him and his minority tribesmen in Ghana. I dont want to stereotype certain tribes for the ignorance, tribalism and hatred by a few of them towards a particular tribesmen in Ghana for all stupid reasons bordering on enviousness and inferiority complexes. However, their behaviours and pronouncements make me doubt them as rational human beings. As if I owe him something, he shouted at me saying, You are a hypocrite! You people are aman mofo3, to wit, you people are nation wreckers. I can report you to be arrested. You have always been writing about the previous Mahama-led NDC administration about what you said to be their incompetence, cluelessness, thieveries and mismanagement of the country and the economy. Why dont you publish same about your president and government, now that prices of everything is over the roof without him having solutions to the problems while Ghanaians are suffering?, he said. I asked him, are the current hikes in prices of goods not a worldwide phenomenon? Dont you know that the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia/Ukraine war are greater contributors to the skyrocketing prices of goods that we are experiencing throughout the world at the moment? Have prices of foodstuff and essential commodities and petroleum products not gone up in the United Kingdom here that we live and in America and Europe, I queried? Have the prices not gone up because of the pandemic and the war? Is it not on the news and in the newspapers here in Britain? Why should it be any different in Ghana, I asked? Why cant Ghanaians be realistic to tell the truth but for our political affiliations and aspirations we love to throw dust into peoples eyes all the time, I asked? The more I asked tangible questions, the louder he screamed as if he has gone mental! He was all the while insisting that I am a hypocrite and people of my type are aman mofo. Here is where I have a problem with those people who have identified themselves as NDC fanatics and are usually, or unfortunately principally, of the minority tribes. I will explain why in a moment. I walked away from him but not after stating to him that he is a big fool and that it is not worthy of me to argue with a fool since a fool will always remain a fool, sticking to what they believe in without seeing sense in anything other than what they believe in their warped mind to be the sole truth, although, as erroneous as it could be. Yes, President Nana Akufo-Addo had asked Ghanaians to be citizens but not spectators. Did he ask all Ghanaians, or only a particular group of people, to be citizens but not spectators? Why was the NDC guy, the subject of this publication, forcing me to publish his suspected negative views about the president and his NPP government because I have to obligatorily be a citizen but not a spectator? Has not got two hands, two eyes, two ears, a mouth, two legs and grey matter in his oblong head same as Rockson Adofo, the proud and fearless and no-nonsense son of Kumawu/Asiampa soil has? If I dont see things same as he sees them from his opaque mental lenses, why cant he publish how he sees them himself but forcing me to? Again, as foolish as he is, he was threatening me with arrest for publishing my candid views about Mahama and his incompetent NDC government. That is the height of expressed stupidity by a highly uncivilized Ghanaian living in the UK. Rockson Adofo should be the last person for anyone to threaten with arrest, especially, here in Europe, for publishing his candid opinions about Ghana politics. A fool who does not know their rights and how the laws operate and are applied in the civilized white mans land will embark on such boastful but empty threats. I laughed and warned him to be mindful of his words and actions before I land him in hot waters where he could only get out extremely bruised. Two weeks to this reported incident, another man who lives in the same London borough as me, struck up a conversation with me when we were both walking the same direction towards our homes; returning from work of course. He asked about how things are going in Ghana. I told him prices of goods are getting higher similarly as they are getting the world over and that the president is doing his best. He said, no. The mismanagement by your government, not his, referring to me for being an Ashanti without even me stating to him which political party I belong to, is the cause of the economic problems in Ghana. I asked him if prices of petrol, essential commodities, taxes, etc. have not gone up here in the United Kingdom? He answered yes, they have gone up but here, it is manageable because people have got jobs and those without jobs are given financial assistance, thus, benefits, by the government, to make them able to cope with the situation. The question is, have prices of goods gone up, yes or no? Are the current worldwide hikes in prices of goods not caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia/Ukraine war? Whether there are benefits or jobs in other countries but not in Ghana, does it negate the fact that prices of commodities have gone up in both the advanced and developing countries without Ghana being the exemption? He said, why can't the government in Ghana create jobs for the people and that her failure to create jobs has led to the rising cost of living in the country hence the mismanagement of the economy? I answered him by saying that jobs he says to abound in the UK and the developed nations are not created principally by the government but private individuals. Why cant these NDC guys for once be truthful and think as rational human beings but always allowing their political aspirations and desires to regain power cloud their mental faculties to behave themselves so foolishly, when it comes to normal discussions about how best Ghana can develop? These two guys under discussion are sorry to say, from the minority tribal extractions. What is wrong with them? Cant they reason as Ghanaians to put a stop to their tribal sentiment which is injurious to the development of the nation? Political polarisation and entrenchment of unhealthy partisanship are retarding the progress of Ghana. They are the causes of lies, exaggerations and the ramifying pull him down syndrome affecting many political sycophants in the country to end up militating against the advancement of Ghanaians to give bad name to black people in general. We had better grow up as a nation of people with a common destiny. Dont let politics divide us just because of the parochial interests of the corrupt and insatiably greedy politicians who have no shame and know nothing apart from amassing illegal wealth. Rockson Adofo Friday, 27 May 2022 The Member of Parliament for Asawase, Alhaji Mubarak Muntaka has said Parliament is broke to the extent that the House is unable to change its photocopiers although the time is due. He accused the Ministry of Finance of deliberately denying Parliament funds as part of a grand agenda to weaken the legislature. Mr Muntakas comments come at a time the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has raised concerns over failure of the Finance Ministry to released funds to Parliament. Mr Bagbin said on Thursday May 26 that Parliament will be running on some arrears of last year. He described the situation as not easy. He said on the floor of the House that What many of you don't know is that even as at this time we don't have any releases from the Ministry of Finance for us to run Parliament. So we will be running Parliament on some arrears of last year, it is not easy. Sometimes we see your request for me to approve for you to do some things I declined. It is not because I love declining your request, it is because we don't have the wherewithal fund those operations. I think the Ministry of Finance should not treat Parliament like this a Ministry or MDA. I will emphasize this again, this is an arm of government, we are not part of the MMDAS. We have even been written to reduce our budget in some areas by 50 per cent. If they want Parliament to run aground, they should let us know. The Speaker is not ready and prepared to be blamed for the inability to get Parliament going on just because we are not getting the necessary funding. Speaking on this matter in interview with TV3's Evelyne Tengmaa on Friday May 27, Mr Muntaka who is the Minority Chief Whip, said Obviously, the major challenge is the Ministry of Finance continue to treat Parliament as a department or agency of the state. Unfortunately, Parliament is not an agency, so we need to try and distinguish that. For example, they will write a letter to all MMDAs that they should cut their budget and they will serve Parliament the same. We think that is wrong. Once Parliament approved this budget if you have challenge you go through the same route. In the case of the Judiciary and Parliament for variation you will have to come back to Parliament to do that, you dont have the power to just sit and say that. That is why they have to come to update the House that the budget that we have approved, so far, they are having additional funding or we are having challenges raising funds and therefore we want to come up with this variation. They dont want to do that so they just sit and they arrogate to themselves powers that they do not have. I dont blame them, it has between happening, Parliament has made itself so weak and when they do that we do the usual NDC, NPP game, if it is NPP in power you try to cover up for the Minister, if it is the NDC you try to cover up, so it moves to a point where releases are not coming. Not only in Ghana, even in America their preference is that they should have a Congress that is weak so that they can get to do whatever they want to do. The starting point of getting parliament weak is to stifle Parliament of funds. It is just like you have vehicle and there is no fuel in it, that vehicle cannot travel. You will see that when they do not release money to Parliament, when committees want to go to site, let us say Transport Committee wants to go to the Takoradi Harbour, they want to see what is happening at the Harbour, Parliament will say no, there is no money so you cannot go. If the Health Committee wants health insurance facilities across the country, they will write, Speaker says we dont have funds so we have to wait. If you want to do capacity building or anything, once there is no money you get grounded, Parliament itself gets grounded. He added Before we re-opened, I heard ECG threatening to come and cut the power here. If they cut, the generator will come on but for how long will the generator run? The generator cant run for ever, so we have to pay our utilities. So far, we have been struggling to go to Parliament where you will not see, even our photocopiers, given the number of copies that they run you will have to say every 8 years they will have to be changed, it is time to change since last year, [but] the lack of funds is making it impossible. That is the extent to which stifling funds in Parliament is affecting the operations of Parliament. I must also admit that sometimes, we ourselves must also try to prioritize our expenditures. For example, if Finance Ministry is doing what they are doing and then they release, let us assume our quarterly budget, let us say 50 million, they release 20million, if we dont itemize the things , if we dont get them done the whole system will be grounded. 3news.com The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has launched an Integrated Mass Drug Administration (MDA) Project to help in the fight against neglected tropical conditions including lymphatic filariasis and Onchocerciasis . The Integrated Mass Drug Administration, to be carried out nationwide, would begin from May 28 to June 12. It will provide a single dose medication to all eligible individuals once or twice a year and implemented over three to seven years, to significantly control the burden of such conditions. Dr Afez Adam Taher, the Chairperson, Ghana Intra Country Coordinating Committee for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Ministry of Health, who launched the project in Takoradi, said human onchocerciasis - river blindness was a disease of the skin and eye caused by a parasitic worm in fast-flowing rivers and streams. As part of a process of eliminating Onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis by 2030, he explained that this year's Mass Drug Administration targets 77 oncho-endemic districts to reach out to about 12.6 million people. It also envisions reaching four lymphatic filariasis endemic districts, targeting 440,000 people. Dr Taher said the disease was endemic in 31 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Yemen, adding that Lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease. Infection occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes. He explained that the infection was usually acquired in childhood causing hidden damage to the lymphatic system and later years causing elephantiasis and scrotal swelling with mental, social and financial losses contributing to stigma and poverty. Dr Taher said since 2013, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had verified three countries in Latin America as free of human onchocerciasis but unfortunately, Ghana was still endemic for the disease, which was one of the 14 NTDs in the country. Meanwhile, the World Health Assembly Resolution 50.29 encouraged Member States to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem. In response, the WHO launched its Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis in 2000 with key components including stopping the spread of infection through large-scale annual treatment of all eligible people in an area where infection is present; and alleviating the suffering it caused through the provision of the recommended essential package of care. "Preventing and controlling NTDs is central to ending extreme poverty in the next two decades. Onchocerciasis/river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, two of the NTDs can be targeted through a highly effective integrated community treatment approach using drugs that have been proven safe and effective and which can be delivered by trained non-health personnel," Dr Taher said. He, therefore, encouraged all eligible persons to avail themselves for the immunisation to fight against Onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, describing the drug as safe. Dr Joyce Aryee, the Ambassador for such conditions, said the drugs were not deleterious but life saving and efficacious to protect one against the condition. She called on the media to educate the public on the process for more people to participate in the two-week exercise. GNA The Eastern Regional Police Command of the Ghana Police Command has said it is pursuing a gang of six robbers, the police have announced. The robbers are said to have shot two persons at a mining facility at Asamang Tamfoe in the Eastern Region. The pursuit is an anti-robbery operation. It is being led by the Regional Police Commander, George Alex Mensah. The West African Sub-region has made strides in counter terrorism through a one-year project, dubbed: "Strengthening Response Capacities of State and Civil Society Actors in preventing and Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Coastal States in West Africa. The project has contributed to strengthening the capacities and enhancing knowledge of 81 state and civil society actors on the project. They are from Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso to respond to threats of terrorism by promoting inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing. Air Commodore George A. Dadzie, the Deputy Commandant, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), said it was funded by the Government of Japan through its Japan Supplementary Budget Fiscal year 2020. The project was implemented by the United Nations Development Programme and the KAIPTC from March 2021 to March 2022. Speaking at the end of the project in Accra, Air Commodore Dadzie said it had created the opportunity for networking among the stakeholders and contributed to knowledge on the nature of terrorist and violent extremist activities in the region to guide policy formulation. Two training courses were organised in Ghana and Burkina Faso with consultative meetings in three of the five countries to seek input and buy-in from stakeholders to enhance implementation. It was followed by a Learning Design and Development Workshop at the KAIPTC in September, 2021. Air Commodor Dadzie commended the Japan Government for its continuous support, stressing that over the past years, the partnership with Japan had contributed to capacity development of civil society actors on projects including the Small Arms and Light Weapons Programme. Dr Angela Lusigi, the UNDP Resident Representative, said the landscape of violent extremism in West Africa had grown exponentially, spreading across the region and undermining human security. Thousands have lost their lives, and millions are displaced in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Up to 1.8 million people have been displaced by the violence in Burkina Faso since 2016, with current reports of attacks in coastal states like Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, and Benin. Those threats, she said, put the economic, social, political and environmental gains made towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals at risk. At UNDP Ghana, we are working with communities to build capacities for more effective early warning and response. By strengthening social cohesion and reducing the vulnerability of women and youth, we believe that Ghana will be better positioned in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, she said. Mr Hisanobu Mochizuki, the Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, said Japan stood for international cooperation and solidarity in fighting terrorism and had supported countries to prevent and eradicate violent extremism. He urged beneficiaries of the project to impact positively on the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. GNA The Very Rev Professor Emmanuel Martey, Former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) says there is something fundamentally wrong with Ghana and the Church must rise to the call. "Its sad and very worrying that the Christian population in Ghana keep growing yet the economy is not growing while corruption has become pervasive even among Christians who claim to believe in the Bible," he stated. He said every religion including Christianity frowned on corruption and perjury, which had become the order of the day and that clearly showed that there was something fundamentally wrong. The former Moderator of the PCG was speaking at a public lecture as part of activities to mark the 140th anniversary of the Ascension congregation in Koforidua, on the theme The Bible, Its Impact on the Church and Society in Ghana. He said the inability of some pastors to condemn the wrongful acts of politicians in the country due to ethnic affiliations, fear of being insulted and losing members and the desire to accumulate assets and many more was a dent on the image of Christianity. However, there are good pastors who speak against the ills in society and corruption but whose voices were behind the scenes to counteract the opinion of some writers that, "the Bible and politics have become tools for corruption in Africa and It was the same Bible that the Apartheid South Africa used to justify the inferiority of Africans, to dehumanize and oppress them. Rev Martey said any government interested in genuinely fighting the menace of corruption in Ghana must prioritise functional education and cultural consciousness that can promote probity, accountability and transparency. The Ascension congregation was established as a mission station in 1882 by the Basel missionaries led by evengelism George Mohr, it's first building was opened in 1916 and the church was elevated to a district status in 1930. A GHS50,000 endowment fund has been set up to support the needy in the church to acquire Technical and Vocational training for sustained livelihoods, as part of the half a year long celebrations. GNA New York, US (PANA) - African countries are at the vanguard of a vital transformation of food systems to simultaneously address food security, nutrition, social and environmental protection all while boosting resilience said the UN chief on Thursday After jumping by 14 rigs last week, the US rig count took a breather this week. Oilfield services firm Baker Hughes said Friday its US rig count, which it has posted weekly since the 1940s, fell by one to 727. Still, its up 270 rigs or about 60 percent from the 457 counted last May. The number of rigs drilling for crude oil dropped by two to 574 still 215 more than the 359 reported a year ago. The number of rigs drilling for natural gas rose by one to 151 53 more than the 98 reported last year. Texas saw an additional rig added during the week, bringing the states tally to 358 140 more than 218 last May. New Mexico was unchanged at 98 rigs. Oklahoma (1) joined Texas as the only producing state to see an increase while Louisiana (3) was the only state to see a decline. The Permian Basin followed the US example, falling one rig to 342 109 more than 233 at work in the basin the previous year. Eddy County, New Mexico, was the most active county in the Permian with 52 rigs, up four and the sharpest increase among Permian counties. Midland County and Lea County, New Mexico, tied for second most active at 41 rigs each unchanged for Midland and down four for Lea County, the steepest decline among counties this week. Martin and Reeves counties each reported 33 rigs for a second consecutive week. Loving County had 28 rigs, down one. Howard County had 20 rigs for a second week while Upton County had 18, down one. Ward County added two rigs for 11 at work within county lines. Enverus Foundation, part of the energy-focused Software as a Service firm Enverus, said its US rig count fell five to 788 as of May 25. Enverus count is up up 3% in the last month and up 53% in the last year. Activity levels reached as high as 810 during the last week, which is down by one compared to the prior weeks peak. With 304 rigs running, the Permian is flat on the week and up by two on the month. Leading their Delaware and Midland Basin peers in rig count were Pioneer Natural Resources (25) and EOG (18). Nine operators are running 10 rigs or more. Of the 18 counties with drilling activity, Lea and Eddy counties, New Mexico, had the highest activity at 46 and 43 rigs, respectively. Midland County led the Texas side of the Permian with 42 rigs. Interestingly, Lea County is little changed in the last year, while Eddy jumped by 23 rigs and Midland is up by 10. The rig count in the Anadarko Basin rose by one week over week to 67. Activity levels are also up by two in the last month. The most active operators are Continental Resources at eight rigs and Hinkle Oil & Gas at four rigs. The most active counties are Grady (11 rigs), Canadian (nine) and Stephens (five), all in Oklahoma. Appalachia is down by one rig in the last week, but up by one in the last month at 54 rigs. The most active operators, each running four rigs, are Ascent Resources Utica, Chesapeake Energy, EQT Corp. and Tug Hill Operating. Marshall County, West Virginia, and Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, are the most active counties at five rigs each. The 18 rigs in the DJ Basin are one more than last week, but the same as a month ago. PDC Energy is the most active operator at five rigs, two of which are running on acreage that came from its recent acquisition of Great Western Petroleum. Civitas Resources is running the second most with three rigs. And per usual, Weld County, Colorado, is the most active county with 10 rigs. In the Gulf Coast region, which includes the Eagle Ford, the count was flat week over week, but up three compared to a month ago at 98. Running five rigs each, the most active operators are BP, ConocoPhillips and EOG Resources. Webb County (Texas) is the most active county, with 12 rigs running, which is double the number from a year ago. DeWitt County has the second-most rigs at nine. And in the Williston Basin, the rig count is up by two in the last week and by four in the last month at 40. Continental has twice as many rigs running as its next most active peer in the play at six rigs. Hess and Whiting Petroleum are running three rigs each. The most active counties are North Dakotas McKenzie (11), Williams (nine) and Dunn (nine). Members of the Midland Walkabout Club met in April for a walk in Stanton. Since it coincided with the Old Sorehead Trade Days the walkers were able to explore among the more than 600 booths of vendors from all over Texas. Stanton, the seat of Martin County and just 20 miles east of Midland, was settled in 1881 by German Catholics. Originally named Marienfeld (field of Mary), the name was later changed to Stanton in honor of Abraham Lincolns secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. The major historic attraction, quite a unique gem, is the Carmelite Monastery. The group enjoyed an extensive, detailed tour of the renovated building; and were given an insight into the life of the monks in the late 1800s. Original artifacts, excavated on the grounds, are on display. A severe draught in 1886-1887 forced many living in the community to move or face starvation. The buildings were sold to the Sisters of Mary in 1897. They operated Our Lady of Mercy Academy and nunnery for the next 44 years, until a tornado struck in 1938, which severely damaged the buildings. Eventually the property was sold. Today, the original 1884 adobe monastery structure is open to visitors. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Registered Texas Landmark. Reconstructions continue with the remaining buildings. A walk with the Midland Walkabout Club is not only good for your health but inspires the history-buff in you. Come Walk with us. For more information, go to: www.midlandWalkabout.org. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday hes confident Turkeys objections to Finland and Sweden joining NATO can be overcome swiftly, possibly in time for a summit of alliance leaders at the end of next month. At a news conference in Washington with visiting Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Blinken said the U.S. has no reason to believe Turkeys concerns cannot be addressed. His comments came after Turkey's top diplomat said Finland and Sweden would have to take concrete steps before Ankara could support their membership. The United States fully supports Finland and Sweden joining the alliance and I continue to be confident that both will soon be NATO members, Blinken said. "We look forward to being able to call Finland and Sweden our allies." Haavisto said his country and Sweden had held good negotiations with the Turks over their concerns in recent days and said those discussions would continue with an eye toward resolving them before the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June. We agreed to continue to those talks, Haavisto said. We think that these problems can be solved that Turkey has been raising. We hope that some results could be achieved before the NATO summit. Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join NATO last week. The move represents one of the biggest geopolitical ramifications of Russias war in Ukraine and could rewrite Europes security map. The countries membership bids require support from all 30 current NATO countries, but Turkey, which commands the second-largest military in the alliance, is objecting to them. It has cited alleged support for Kurdish militants whom Turkey considers terrorists and restrictions on weapons sales to Turkey. Earlier Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the Finnish and Swedish negotiating delegations had been given documents detailing Turkeys concerns, like information on terror groups, during their visit to Turkey this week. He said Ankara is awaiting specific answers. Cavusoglu said an approach of well convince Turkey in time anyway, we are friends and allies would not be correct. He insisted that these countries need to take concrete steps. He added that we understand Finland and Swedens security concerns but ... everyone also needs to understand Turkeys legitimate security concerns. Turkey this week listed five concrete assurances it was 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. Cavusoglu's comments came at a news conference with the visiting foreign ministers of NATO allies Poland and Romania, both of whom expressed strong support for Finland and Sweden's bids. There is no doubt that we do need the accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO alliance in order to make it stronger," Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said. Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, agreed, saying their membership would consolidate the collective defense and our security. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BERLIN (AP) Officials from the Group of Seven wealthy nations announced Friday that they will aim to largely end greenhouse gas emissions from their power sectors by 2035, making it highly unlikely that those countries will burn coal for electricity beyond that date. Ministers from the G-7 countries meeting in Berlin also announced a target to have a highly decarbonized road sector by 2030, meaning that electric vehicles would dominate new car sales by the end of the decade. And in a move aimed at ending the recurring conflict between rich and poor nations during international climate talks, the G-7 recognized for the first time the need to provide developing countries with additional financial aid to cope with the loss and damage caused by global warming. The agreements, which will be put to leaders next month at the G-7 summit in Elmau, Germany, were largely welcomed by climate activists. The 2035 target for power sector decarbonisation is a real breakthrough. In practice, this means countries need to phase out coal by 2030 at the latest, said Luca Bergamaschi, director of Rome-based campaign group ECCO. Coal is a heavily polluting fossil fuel that's responsible for a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans. While there are ways to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of coal, experts say it is almost impossible to reduce it to zero, meaning it will likely have to be the first fossil fuel to be phased out. G-7 members Britain, France and Italy have already set themselves deadlines to stop burning coal for electricity in the next few years. Germany and Canada are aiming for 2030; Japan wants more time; while the Biden administration has set a target of ending fossil fuel use for electricity generation in the United States by 2035. A common target would put pressure on other major polluters to follow suit and build on the compromise deal reached at last year's U.N. climate summit, where nations committed merely to phase down rather than phase out" coal with no fixed date. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry called the agreements reached in Berlin very comprehensive and forward-leaning. "I think it will help lay the groundwork for what has to happen at the G-20," he told The Associated Press, referring to a meeting later this year of the broader Group of 20 leading and emerging economies, who are responsible for 80% of global emissions. Getting all G-20 countries to sign on to the ambitious targets set by some of the most advanced economies will be difficult, as countries such as China, India and Indonesia remain heavily reliant on coal. Under pressure to step up their financial aid to poor nations, the G-7 ministers in Berlin said they recognized that action and support for vulnerable countries, populations and vulnerable groups need to be further scaled up. This includes governments and companies providing enhanced support regarding averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse impacts of climate change, they said. Developing countries have for years demanded a clear commitment that they will receive funds to cope with the destruction wrought by climate change. Wealthy nations have resisted the idea, however, for fear of being held liable for costly disasters linked to their emissions. After years of roadblocks, the G-7 finally recognize that they need to financially support poor countries in addressing climate-related losses and damages," said David Ryfisch of the Berlin-based environmental campaign group Germanwatch. But that recognition is not enough, they need to put actual money on the table, he added. "It is now up to (German Chancellor Olaf) Scholz to mobilize significant financial commitments by leaders at the Elmau summit. Germanys energy and climate minister, Robert Habeck, said the 40-page communique couldn't hide the fact that G-7 countries had long been laggards on combating global warming. But we're trying to make up for those things that didn't go so well in the past, he said. Including on climate finance. Speaking at a former coal depot, later converted into a gas storage facility and now home to clean energy startups, Habeck also highlighted the pledge by G-7 countries to end what he called the absurdity of fossil fuel subsidies in the coming years. Separately, the United States and Germany signed an agreement Friday to deepen their bilateral cooperation on shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The deal will see the two countries work together to develop and deploy technologies that will speed up that clean energy transition, particularly in the area of offshore wind power, zero-emissions vehicles and hydrogen. The U.S. and Germany pledged to also collaborate on promoting ambitious climate policies and energy security worldwide. Kerry said both countries aim to reap the benefits of shifting to clean energy early, through the creation of new jobs and opportunities for businesses in the growing market for renewables. Such markets depend on common standards of what hydrogen can be classified as green, for example. Officials will now work on reaching a common definition to ensure that hydrogen produced on one side of the Atlantic can be sold on the other side. Habeck said the agreement reflected the urgency of tackling global warming. Scientists have said steep emissions cuts need to happen worldwide this decade if the goals set in the 2015 Paris climate accord are to be met. Time is literally running out, Habeck said, calling climate change the challenge of our political generation. ___ Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate British royal family member Meghan Markle traveled to Texas on Thursday and laid flowers at a makeshift memorial site by the Uvalde County Courthouse, where family community members have gathered this week to honor the victims of Tuesday's school shooting that claimed the lives of 19 students and two teachers. The Duchess of Sussex was photographed laying a bouquet of white roses at a cross bearing the name of Rojelio Torres, a 10-year-old student who was among those massacred in a single room at Robb Elementary School by suspected shooter Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old Uvalde resident killed by authorities after he barricaded himself inside a classroom, shooting and killing its occupants. The Andrews Economic Development Corp. is set to receive $1.5 million for infrastructure for a business park. The Commerce Department in Washington, D.C., reported this week that its Economic Development Administration will award the grant to the economic development corporation in Andrews to support a new business park. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan, according to a press release. This project will provide road and water infrastructure for the Northwest Business Park, supporting business development and growth, the news release stated. This EDA grant will be matched with $2.4 million in local funds and is expected to create 50 jobs and generate $62 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates. The project will be located on around 200 acres of land between Loop 1910, Highway 115 and Southwest Mustang Drive in the southwest part of the city. This EDA investment will provide new space for businesses to grow in West Texas, supporting a robust, diverse regional economy, said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo in the release. The Economic Development Administration works closely with communities to support locally-driven economic development strategies to drive growth, said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo in the release. The infrastructure improvements provided through this EDA investment will create new opportunities for businesses to locate and expand in Andrews, creating good-paying jobs in the community. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is quoted in the release as saying, Road and water infrastructure is vital to the development of our communities, and I thank the Economic Development Administration for this grant supporting the Northwest Business Park in Andrews. This investment will create more jobs and greater economic opportunities for Texans in the Permian Basin for generations to come. This project is funded under EDAs American Rescue Plan Economic Adjustment Assistance program, which makes $500 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance grants available to American communities. The Texas Department of Public Safety hosted a press conference on Thursday, May 26, in Uvalde to provide more details on the timeline of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. There have been conflicting reports from authorities on when the shooter went into the school and was shot. Victor Escalon, DPS regional director, explained the shooter wrecked his car at 11:28 a.m. and then walked into the school unobstructed at 11:40 a.m. He entered the school and walked about 400 feet before reaching the classroom where he opened fire, killing 19 students and two teachers. Initial reports from authorities said there was a police officer on campus, but Escalon said it's "not accurate." He said the school was not locked when the shooter entered. He added there was not an officer with gun at the time of the shooting, despite authorities telling MSNBC the day of the shooting the school officers were armed. It wasn't until about an hour later that U.S. Border Patrol tactical teams arrived, entered the classroom, and killed the suspect, Escalon said. "They don't make entry initially because of the gunfire they're receiving," Escalon said. "We have officers calling for additional resources. Everybody that's in the airfield. Tactical teams. We need equipment. We need special equipment. We need body armor. We need precision riflemen negotiators. So during this time, they're making those calls to bring in help to solve this problem and stop it immediately. They're also evacuating students, and teachers. There's a lot going on. It's a complex situation." Escalon was asked about reports of police inaction and he said the department is trying to "verify" things that took place on the day of the shooting. There have been multiple videos circulating on social media of police standing around and restraining parents. "Could anybody have gone there sooner? You have to understand it's a small town," Escalon said. "You have people from Eagle Pass from Del Rio, Laredo, San Antonio responding to a small community." Officials said more updates will come in the coming days. Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - The French lawyers of pressure group, the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC) of Guinea, on Thursday expressed concern about a probable repression of future peaceful demonstrations following statements by senior government officials in the region of N'zerekore, in southern Guinea Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The issue of demobilisation and integration of armed groups in Libya, the subject of a workshop held on Tuesday in the Spanish city of Toledo, brings this thorny question to the forefront of the Libyan scene at a time when the political crisis in the country is reaching its peak with the existence of two governments SRINAGAR, India (AP) A bus carrying soldiers fell into a gorge in India's remote Ladakh region on Friday, killing at least seven and injuring 19 others, officials said. The bus plunged off a mountainous road and rolled down the 25-meter (80-foot) -deep gorge in the frigid region's Nubra Valley, police said. JOLIET, Ill. (AP) A judge has thrown out statements that a 77-year-old Minnesota man charged in the stabbing death of a 15-year-old suburban Chicago girl nearly half a century ago made to police and to his wife. Will County Judge David Carlson on Wednesday granted two defense motions tossing out statements that Barry Whelpley of Mounds View, Minnesota, made to police when they searched his home and a conversation between Whelpley and his wife that police recorded. Police arrested Whelpley in June last year. Its significant to the defense. And its a significant loss to the prosecution, Whelpleys defense attorney, Terry Ekl, told the Arlington Heights Daily Herald. Whelpley is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated criminal sexual assault for the 1972 death of Julie Ann Hanson. The 15-year-old Naperville girl disappeared on July 7, 1972, while riding her bicycle. Her body was discovered a day later in a field. She had been stabbed 36 times, coroners said. In his motions, Ekl argued that Whelpley was not advised of his Miranda rights during the search of his Minnesota home and that, as a result, police were not allowed to interrogate him during the search. Prosecutors argued that Whelpley was not in custody during the search and that police were allowed to talk to him. Carlson ruled videos of the search showed seven or eight armed police officers and that the questions asked were directly related to the 1972 murder. The judge also banned the use of statements made at the police station after Whelpleys second request for an attorney. Ekls motions did not go into detail about what Whelpley said to police or his wife, and he declined to elaborate after Wednesdays ruling. The Will County states attorneys office declined to comment on Carlsons ruling. The girl's murder remained unsolved for decades. The breakthrough in the case came through technological advancements in DNA and genetic genealogy analysis, police said. From that came the scientific evidence that pointed to Whelpley, a 1964 graduate of Naperville High School who lived about a mile from the girls house when she was killed. Whelpley remains in the Will County jail on $10 million bond. New York, US (PANA) - The United Nations paid tribute to the men and women serving under its flag in some of the most dangerous places in the world during a ceremony in New York on Thursday to mark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers Kelly Reichardt: Im fine with being a side B-er View Photo CANNES, France (AP) The quiet perceptions, everyday troubles and intermittent moments of transcendence that make up Kelly Reichardts films have always had a rhythm apart from most American movies. Reichardts latest, Showing Up, which premiered Friday at the Cannes Film Festival, is no exception, but its also more directly about the compulsions and pains of making modest, hand-crafted art. Michelle Williams plays a Portland, Oregon, ceramics artist of little renown but quiet devotion, trying to prepare a gallery show while things like a distracted landlady (Hong Chau) and an injured bird intrude on her life. We were trying to make a film about someone whos caught up in balancing the day-to-day, someone for whom working is like eating, but life has all these other demands of you, Reichardt, who penned the film with her regular screenwriter, Jonathan Raymond, said in an interview along the beach in Cannes. How the 58-year-old Reichardt, long a leading American indie filmmaker, has balanced her own career in filmmaking with lifes demands has sometimes been a topic of debate. While steadily making movies, Reichardt also teaches film at Bard College. After Williams in a recent article suggested Reichardt has to teach to have health care, Gawker published a piece headlined Kelly Reichardt Shouldnt Have to Put Up With Bard Students. I cringe at that, Reichardt said. The thing is, I love to teach. The idea of that really bums me out. I never look at anything but someone sent me that link. I never had the idea that filmmaking was going to sustain me. I just always think: I get to go make a film? Thats cool. About someone stealing milk? said Reichardt, whose sublime 2020 film First Cow revolved around a pair of baking friends in 1820s Oregon. I mean, I get it. Filmmaking is expensive. Then also, in America, we dont do art for arts sake. But I feel fortune. Ive gotten to make a lot of films in the last years. People who are going to make these films are either up for it or theyre not going to get involved. If an A24s up for making a film about two ceramicists, thats pretty good. Showing Up, which A24 will distribute in theaters at a not-yet-announced date, is one of the last films premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, which concludes Saturday with an awards ceremony. Its also one of five out of 21 films up for the top Palme dOr award that was directed by a woman a typical ratio in Cannes that has often been criticized. The day before Cannes began last week, Showing Up came up in the press conference held by the festivals artistic director, Thierry Fremaux, who was defending Cannes record with female filmmakers. One journalist, as an example, discussed whether Reichardts film was major or minor Reichardt. And Thierry said, Theyre all minor? guessed Reichardt, laughing. It was an ironic exchange given that Reichardt films, where economic inequities often slyly dictate characters lives, have never catered to traditional dichotomies of status. The stakes in Showing Up may be low, but they are, more importantly, whatever they mean to the characters. A lot of people are creative, Williams character says. If were talking in the context of, like, the hit is on side A, Im fine with being a side B-er, says Reichardt. But if its in the context of your own work, thats maybe more discouraging. If youre already a minor and then youre a minor of your own minor, I dont know. One really doesnt need to spend too much time thinking about these things because the rest of the world will just decide for you. You can just do your own thing and let everyone else figure it out. And for Reichardt, much of the joy of Showing Up was in relying on Portland-based artists to make the pieces seen throughout the film. She shot much of the film in a defunct art school, filling its classroom spaces with artists and art-making. Its community based. These are singular artists making their work but theyre not in a vacuum, Reichardt said while the thumping music of a nearby DJ preparing for the nights party nearly drowned her out. You could talk about it in terms of filmmaking, too. Im working with my mates. The kids were making stuff that I would go home at night and work into the script. We were all passing things off and learning. It became a school, basically. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP ___ For more Cannes Film Festival coverage, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival. By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer Kevin Spacey to face 4 sex assault charges in Britain View Photo LONDON (AP) British prosecutors said Thursday they had authorized police to charge actor Kevin Spacey with four counts of sexual assault against three men, an announcement that came as the actor was in court in New York testifying in a different case. The Crown Prosecution Service said it had authorized criminal charges on the four sex assault counts and one of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The alleged incidents took place in London between March 2005 and August 2008, and one in western England in April 2013. The alleged victims are now in their 30s and 40s. Rosemary Ainslie, head of the services Special Crime Division, said the charges followed a review of evidence gathered by Londons Metropolitan Police. Prosecutors initially said Spacey had been charged. However, they later clarified that charges had been authorized, but the formal charging by police had not yet taken place. The authorization to charge means criminal proceedings against Spacey are underway. The police force said Spacey who is not currently in Britain will be formally charged at a later date. If Spacey does not return to Britain to face the charges, prosecutors could seek to start extradition proceedings. Spacey, a 62-year-old double Academy Award winner, was questioned by British police in 2019 about claims by several men that he had assaulted them. The former House of Cards star ran Londons Old Vic Theatre between 2004 and 2015. Spacey won a best supporting actor Academy Award for the 1995 film The Usual Suspects and a lead actor Oscar for the 1999 movie American Beauty. But his celebrated career came to an abrupt halt in 2017 when actor Anthony Rapp accused the star of assaulting him at a party in the 1980s, when Rapp was a teenager. Spacey denies the allegations. Spacey testified Thursday in a courtroom in New York City in the civil lawsuit filed by Rapp. Spacey didnt respond to reporters as he left the courthouse talking on his mobile phone. The British charges were mentioned briefly by Rapps lawyers during the court hearing, and Spaceys lawyers were asked about it by reporters during a break in testimony. They declined to comment. Another criminal case brought against Spacey, an indecent assault and battery charge stemming from the alleged groping of an 18-year-old man at a Nantucket resort, was dismissed by Massachusetts prosecutors in 2019. Thursdays court session in New York City dealt with a technical issue in the civil lawsuit, whether it was better handled in a federal or state U.S. court. Spacey was called to testify about where he lived, not about the truthfulness of the allegations against him. Spacey testified that his main residence and domicile is in Baltimore, where he moved for the filming of House of Cards. He said he was beguiled by its charm, its beauty. But he also testified about his time living in London as the artistic director of the Old Vic. It was extremely important to me that I endear myself to the British public, that Im not running away, he said, noting that his start there was troubled by a disastrous production in 2005 of Arthur Millers last play. But, he said, Im an American citizen. Once the job was done, I came back to America. He said he made a trip to London in February 2020 for a possible film, but then the pandemic hit. His U.S. doctor recommended he stay there, where he resided until the following September, when his visa expired and he flew to Los Angeles for an arbitration proceeding. He said he has not returned to the U.K. since then. ___ Associated Press writer Larry Neumeister contributed to this report from New York. ___ This story has been corrected to say British prosecutors authorized charges against Spacey and he will be formally charged by police later, not that Spacey has been formally charged, and to reflect that it was Rapps lawyers, not Spaceys, who brought up the criminal charges in court. By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press CCSO patrol car View Photo Burson, CA Calaveras deputies were dispatched to a report of a burglary in progress in the 11000 block of Navajo Way in Burson. The person who phoned in the report had noticed several suspicious vehicles at a residence and notified the Sheriffs Office. After arriving, deputies located Andrea Lynn Tate, 38 years of age, Burson, and Brant Alan Steiger, 45 years of age Valley Springs inside the home. Both suspects were taken into custody without incident and a search revealed suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in Brant Alan Steigers clothing. Steiger told deputies that he was at the residence with the homeowners permission. The homeowners were out of town, but deputies contacted them via telephone and confirmed that they had no knowledge of the suspects and were not allowed to be inside the residence. Brant Alan Steiger was charged with burglary, vandalism, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of controlled substances, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hes being held with the bail of $45,000. Andreas Lynn Tate was charged with burglary, vandalism, and conspiracy to commit a crime. No additional information has been given by law enforcement and the incident is still under investigation. House fire on Yankee Hill Road - Courtesy Photo by Timothy Valentine View Photo Columbia, CA There was an early morning fire that destroyed a home in the Columbia area. It was reported to fire officials just before 3am in the 11400 block of Yankee Hill Road. A house was destroyed and the fire was contained at around 4:30am. There were some power lines down nearby, according to first responders. The fire did not spread to nearby vegetation. There were no injuries, but the Red Cross is assisting two displaced residents. The cause of the blaze is under investigation. Caltrans Litter Rmoval Day photo courtesy Caltrans View Photo Sonora, CA Caltrans held its Litter Cleanup Day with crews and volunteers removing trash and debris along highways throughout the state. In Caltrans District 10, the event included crews picking up litter on Highway 5 through San Joaquin County, along Highway 99 through Stanislaus and Merced counties, through Highway 152 in Merced County, Highway 108 through Sonora, and Highway 88 through Amador and Alpine counties. A lot of trash was removed with District 10 removing 1,627 bags of litter from state roadways, or 240 cubic yards. This program is part of Litter Cleanup Day, Governor Gavin Newsoms Clean California initiative which is funded with $1.1 billion dollars and is planning on lasting multiple years. The goal of the project is to not only keep roads clean but waterways as well. Caltrans Acting Director Steven Keck explains. Litter on our roadways pollutes waterways, threatens wildlife, and increases the risk of fire, Californians can be part of the solution by disposing of garbage responsibly, securing cargo properly, and volunteering to collect litter through the Adopt-A-Highway program. Earlier this year, Caltrans announced a Clean California incentive program that offers up to $250 per month to Adopt-A-Highway volunteers who pick up litter along the state highways. More information on that program can be found here. Biden to console families in Uvalde, press for action View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Uvalde, Texas, on Sunday to console families and honor victims of Tuesdays mass school shooting in which 19 children and two teachers were killed. The White House said the Bidens would grieve with the community that lost 21 lives in the horrific shooting at Robb Elementary School. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president would meet with the community and religious leaders and victims families. Jean-Pierre, the parent of an elementary school student, delivered an impassioned plea at the White House for lawmakers to come together to address gun violence. These were elementary school kids, they should be losing their first teeth not losing their lives, she said. Asked about the propriety of the National Rifle Association going ahead with its planned conference in Houston this weekend, Jean-Pierre, said, What is inappropriate is that the leadership of the National Rifle Association has proven time and time again, that they are contributing to the problem of gun violence, not trying to solve it. Its shameful that the NRA and their allies have stood in the way of every attempt to advance measures that we all know will save lives, she said. Jean-Pierre echoed Biden, who in remarks Tuesday evening, spoke from personal experience about the pain of losing a child, and called on the country to tighten gun laws in response to the shooting. When in Gods name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? he said. Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen? ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings By ZEKE MILLER and DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press Grieving husband dies after wife is slain in Texas rampage View Photo Irma Garcias family was already reeling from her death in the Texas school shooting that targeted her fourth grade classroom and killed her co-teacher and 19 students. Then, a mere two days after the attack, her grieving husband collapsed and died at home from a heart attack, a family member said. Joe Garcia, 50, dropped off flowers at his wifes memorial Thursday morning in Uvalde, Texas, and returned home, where he pretty much just fell over and died, his nephew John Martinez told The New York Times. Married for 24 years, the couple had four children. Martinez told The Detroit Free Press that the family was struggling to grasp that while the couples oldest son trained for combat in the Marine Corps, it was his mother who was shot to death. Stuff like this should not be happening in schools, he told the newspaper. The Archdiocese of San Antonio and the Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary confirmed Joe Garcias death to The Associated Press. AP was unable to independently reach members of the Garcia family on Thursday. The motive for the massacre the nations deadliest school shooting since the 2012 attack in Newtown, Connecticut remained under investigation, with authorities saying the 18-year-old gunman had no known criminal or mental health history. The rampage rocked a country already weary from gun violence and shattered the community of Uvalde, a largely Latino town of some 16,000 people about 75 miles (120 kilometers) from the Mexican border. The Garcias loved to barbecue, 48-year-old Irma wrote in an online letter to her students at Robb Elementary School. She enjoyed listening to music and traveling to Concan, a community along the Frio River about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Uvalde. The couples oldest child, Cristian, is a Marine. The couples other son, Jose, attends Texas State University. Their eldest daughter, Lyliana, is a high school sophomore, while her younger sister is in the seventh grade. The school year, scheduled to end Thursday, was Garcias 23rd year of teaching all of it at Robb. She was previously named the schools teacher of the year and was a 2019 recipient of the Trinity Prize for Excellence in Education from Trinity University. For five years, Garcia co-taught with Eva Mireles, who also was killed. The suspect, Salvador Ramos, was inside the classroom for more than an hour before he was killed in a shootout with law enforcement, authorities said. Mrs. Irma Garcia was my mentor when I began teaching, her colleague Allison McCullough wrote when Garcia was named teacher of the year. The wealth of knowledge and patience that she showed me was life changing. ___ Associated Press journalist Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed to this report. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings. By STEFANIE DAZIO Associated Press Judge tosses statements defendant made in 1972 murder case View Photo JOLIET, Ill. (AP) A judge has thrown out statements that a 77-year-old Minnesota man charged in the stabbing death of a 15-year-old suburban Chicago girl nearly half a century ago made to police and to his wife. Will County Judge David Carlson on Wednesday granted two defense motions tossing out statements that Barry Whelpley of Mounds View, Minnesota, made to police when they searched his home and a conversation between Whelpley and his wife that police recorded. Police arrested Whelpley in June last year. Its significant to the defense. And its a significant loss to the prosecution, Whelpleys defense attorney, Terry Ekl, told the Arlington Heights Daily Herald. Whelpley is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated criminal sexual assault for the 1972 death of Julie Ann Hanson. The 15-year-old Naperville girl disappeared on July 7, 1972, while riding her bicycle. Her body was discovered a day later in a field. She had been stabbed 36 times, coroners said. In his motions, Ekl argued that Whelpley was not advised of his Miranda rights during the search of his Minnesota home and that, as a result, police were not allowed to interrogate him during the search. Prosecutors argued that Whelpley was not in custody during the search and that police were allowed to talk to him. Carlson ruled videos of the search showed seven or eight armed police officers and that the questions asked were directly related to the 1972 murder. The judge also banned the use of statements made at the police station after Whelpleys second request for an attorney. Ekls motions did not go into detail about what Whelpley said to police or his wife, and he declined to elaborate after Wednesdays ruling. The Will County states attorneys office declined to comment on Carlsons ruling. The girls murder remained unsolved for decades. The breakthrough in the case came through technological advancements in DNA and genetic genealogy analysis, police said. From that came the scientific evidence that pointed to Whelpley, a 1964 graduate of Naperville High School who lived about a mile from the girls house when she was killed. Whelpley remains in the Will County jail on $10 million bond. Shooter warning signs get lost in sea of social media posts View Photo WASHINGTON (AP) The warning signs were there for anyone to stumble upon, days before the 18-year-old gunman entered a Texas elementary school and slaughtered 19 children and two teachers. There was the Instagram photo of a hand holding a gun magazine, a TikTok profile that warned, Kids be scared, and the image of two AR-style semi-automatic rifles displayed on a rug, pinned to the top of the killers Instagram profile. Shooters are leaving digital trails that hint at whats to come long before they actually pull the trigger. When somebody starts posting pictures of guns they started purchasing, theyre announcing to the world that theyre changing who they are, said Katherine Schweit, a retired FBI agent who spearheaded the agencys active shooter program. It absolutely is a cry for help. Its a tease: can you catch me? The foreboding posts, however, are often lost in an endless grid of Instagram photos that feature semi-automatic rifles, handguns and ammunition. Theres even a popular hashtag devoted to encouraging Instagram users to upload daily photos of guns with more than 2 million posts attached to it. For law enforcement and social media companies, spotting a gun post from a potential mass shooter is like sifting through quicksand, Schweit said. Thats why she tells people not to ignore those type of posts, especially from children or young adults. Report it, she advises, to a school counselor, the police or even the FBI tip line. Increasingly, young men have taken to Instagram, which boasts a thriving gun community, to drop small hints of whats to come with photos of their own weapons just days or weeks before executing a mass killing. Before shooting 17 students and staff members dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, Nikolas Cruz posted on YouTube that he wanted to be a professional school shooter and shared photos of his face covered, posing with guns. The FBI took in a tip about Cruzs YouTube comment but never followed up with Cruz. In November, 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley shared a photo of a semi-automatic handgun his dad had purchased with the caption, Just got my new beauty today, days before he went on to kill four students and injure seven others at his high school in Oxford Township, Michigan. And days before entering a school classroom on Tuesday and killing 19 small children and two teachers, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos left similar clues across Instagram. On May 20, the day that law enforcement officials say Ramos purchased a second rifle, a picture of two AR-style semi-automatic rifles appeared on his Instagram. He tagged another Instagram user with more than 10,000 followers in the photo. In an exchange, later shared by that user, she asks why he tagged her in the photo. I barely know you and u tag me in a picture with some guns, the Instagram user wrote, adding, Its just scary. The school district in Uvalde had even spent money on software that, using geofencing technology, monitors for potential threats in the area. Ramos, however, didnt make a direct threat in posts. Having recently turned 18, he was legally allowed to own the weapons in Texas. His photos of semi-automatic rifles are one of many on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and YouTube where its commonplace to post pictures or videos of guns and shooter training videos are prevalent. YouTube prohibits users from posting instructions on how to convert firearms to automatic. But Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, does not limit photos or hashtags around firearms. That makes it difficult for platforms to separate people posting gun photos as part of a hobby from those with violent intent, said Sara Aniano, a social media and disinformation researcher, most recently at Monmouth University. In a perfect world, there would be some magical algorithm that could detect a worrisome photo of a gun on Instagram, Aniano said. For a lot of reasons, thats a slippery slope and impossible to do when there are people like gun collectors and gunsmiths who have no plan to use their weapon with ill intent. Meta said it was working with law enforcement officials Wednesday to investigate Ramos accounts. The company declined to answer questions about reports it might have received on Ramos accounts. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings. By AMANDA SEITZ Associated Press Students who survived Texas school attack describe scene View Photo UVALDE, Texas (AP) A young survivor of the massacre at a Texas elementary school said she covered herself with a friends blood and pretended to be dead while she waited for help to arrive. Miah Cerrillo, 11, told CNN that she and a friend called 911 from her dead teachers phone Tuesday and waited for what felt like, to her, three hours for officers to arrive at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. The 18-year-old shooter, Salvador Ramos, was inside the school for more than an hour before he was shot to death by Border Patrol tactical officers. Thats according to top law enforcement officials who provided new details Thursday of a confusing and sometimes contradictory timeline that has angered and frustrated the parents and onlookers who had urged police to charge into the school. Miah said that after the shooter moved from one room into the adjacent one she could hear screams and a lot more gunfire, and that the gunman then started blaring music. The children who survived the attack, which killed 19 schoolchildren and two teachers, described a festive, end-of-the-school-year day that quickly turned to terror. Samuel Salinas, 10, told ABCs Good Morning America that he and other classmates pretended to be dead after Ramos opened fire on the class. Samuel was struck by shrapnel in his thigh. He shot the teacher and then he shot the kids, said Samuel, who was in Irma Garcias class. Garcia died in the attack and her husband, Joe Garcia, died Thursday of an apparent heart attack. Gemma Lopez, 10, was in a classroom down the hall when Ramos entered the building. She told Good Morning America that a bullet came through her classroom wall before any lockdown was called. Her best friend, Amerie Garza, died in the rampage. ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings SEATTLE (AP) Alan White, the longtime drummer for progressive rock pioneers Yes who also played on projects with John Lennon and George Harrison, has died. He was 72. Whites death was announced on his Facebook page by his family. The post said he died at his Seattle-area home Thursday after a brief illness. Just days earlier Yes had announced that due to health issues White would not take part in the bands upcoming tour of the United Kingdom to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic album Close to the Edge. White joined Yes in 1972, replacing original drummer Bill Bruford. In a band noted for frequent lineup changes, White was a constant and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes in 2017. Though he didnt play on Close to the Edge, he performed on every subsequent Yes studio album over nearly five decades, including the bands latest release, The Quest, which came out last year. White stayed with the band through its many iterations. A trailblaizing act in the progressive rock scene in England that grew in popularity in the early 1970s alongside bands like Genesis, Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull, Yes was especially known for its intricate arrangements and the musical skill of its individual members. When progressive rock fell out of fashion in the late 1970s many of the bands associated with the genre struggled. Following another lineup change, Yes, with White still behind the drum kit, reinvented itself in the 1980s as a harder edged band that appealed to younger listeners more attuned to heavy metal and the visual cues of music videos. In 1983 Yes released the smash hit album 90125." A longtime Seattle-area resident, White was born in Pelton, County Durham, England, in 1949. His family said he began piano lessons at age 6 and playing the drums when he was 12. White played with bands in England throughout the 1960s. In 1969, he was asked by John Lennon to join his Plastic Ono Band. In an interview with The Seattle Times in 2021, White said he thought the call from the famous Beatle was a prank. A voice announced, Hello, this is John Lennon, White said. I thought it was a mate pulling my leg, put the receiver down, and went back to the kitchen." White played a 1969 concert in Toronto with Lennon's band, which also included guitarist Eric Clapton. White also played with another Beatle, contributing drums to George Harrison's 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass. In the statement announcing his death, his family wrote: Alan was many things to many people: a certified rock star to fans around the world; band mate to a select few, and gentleman and friend to all who met him. A former Flower Mound Baptist pastor has been indicted by a Denton County grand jury on sexual misconduct charges involving a 14-year-old girl and a woman in her 30s. Grand jurors issued two indictments last week against Michael Wayne O'Guin, 34, who left The Church at Wichita Creek in Flower Mound amid allegations of misconduct in August 2001. O'Guin, who arrived at the church in fall 1999, now lives in Tennessee. Denton County District Attorney Bruce Isaacks said his office will seek to extradite O'Guin to Texas. O'Guin was indicted on charges of the sexual assault of the girl and the attempted sexual assault of the woman. Officials say the later incident took place at the church. O'Guin has declined to comment. He works at an insurance company in Dyersburg, Tenn. The girl was raped at a Flower Mound home in spring 2001, Flower Mound police Lt. Wendell Mitchell told the Dallas Morning News. O'Guin at one time lived nearby, Mitchell said, and the girl reported the incident in September. The incident involving the woman occurred in fall 2000 at the church, Mitchell said. She reported the crime to police in October, he said. Mitchell said he did not know why the women did not alert police sooner. "He is innocent until proven guilty, but any time you have an allegations of a sex crime involving a minister, that's fairly egregious," Isaacks said. "Any allegations like this tears up a church." The church's current pastor, David Sylvester, said in a written statement that the church is cooperating with authorities. He said the Flower Mound church, which has about 175 members, is recovering and counseling is being offered. Two weeks after the second report was made, Flower Mound detectives traveled to Tennessee to question O'Guin, Mitchell said. He was arrested on the two charges and taken to the Dyer County jail. O'Guin was released after posting a $1,000 bond the same day, Dyer County jail officials said. Information from: The Dallas Morning News As memorials take shape to honor the 19 students and two teachers killed in their classroom at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on Tuesday, May 24, some San Antonio H-E-B partners are providing a space where shoppers can also mourn the losses. Andrew Mauricio, an employee at the H-E-B location at Potranco and Loop 1604 built a makeshift memorial with the help of the store's floral department to remember each of the children and their teachers. The table has 21 flower bears, in pink and blue, with each of the victims' names. Heart-shaped balloons loom over the table. A sign with the words "Uvalde Texas Strong" sits at the center. Mauricio tells MySA that the Texas grocery company is a "tight-knit" work environment and the geographical proximity between San Antonio and Uvalde made the tragedy "hit home." Courtesy, Andrew Mauricio "We support each other anyway that we can," he says. Mauricio teamed up with floral manager Lidia Rivas to get enough flowers for the memorial. They decided on the bears, covered in flowers, for a special reason. Courtesy, Andrew Mauricio "It's forever that we are going to remember them so I thought it would be proper to put a Forever bear," he says. As customers pass the heartfelt show of support, set up near the frozen section, many are snapping photos and sharing on social media, saying how the memorial touched them. While Mauricio appreciates the sentiment, he says it wasn't the intent. "It's not about getting comments or advertising ourselves, it's about doing what's right," he adds. Barbara Robles-Ramamurthy, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences in the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, previously told MySA doing things like donating or finding activities to connect with community can be essential in the grieving process. If anything, Mauricio's idea is an avenue for San Antonians to connect with their neighbors. He says the tribute will remain up until Saturday, May 28. H-E-B as a whole committed $500,000 to Uvalde aid and is giving customers a chance to add a donation to their bills at checkout. "What do you say, how do you console these people? I have two daughters and I can only imagine what they're going through," Mauricio says. "It's something that no parent should have to go through. This is just our way of showing we're thinking about them and we're there in support. That's really what this is about." Click here to read the full article. Fresh from their stealth takeover of the final episodes of The Book of Boba Fett, Din Djarin, aka Mando (Pedro Pascal), and his adorable companion Grogu are coming back early next year for Season 3 of The Mandalorian. Announced at Star Wars Celebration on Thursday, Season 3 of The Mandalorian will premiere on Disney+ in February 2023. Also announced at the Thursday Star Wars Celebration, the Ahsoka spinoff, starring Rosario Dawson as Anakin Skywalkers former Padawan, will arrive sometime in 2023. In-person attendees at Star Wars Celebration were shown an exclusive teaser, which featured Mando dealing with the repercussions of removing his sacred Mandalorian helmet. It was also announced that Katee Sackhoff is returning as Bo-Katan Kryze in an antagonist role. At the end of Season 2 of The Mandalorian, Mando and Grogu parted ways when Luke Skywalker (played by a digitally de-aged Mark Hamill) took Grogu with him to train in the ways of the Force. But on The Book of Boba Fett, Grogus bond with Mando proves too powerful, and Grogu chooses to leave his Jedi training and reunite with Mando. Thats just after Mando is cast out from his Mandalorian covert for the cardinal sin of removing his helmet in the presence of others. The only way Mando can restore his honor, he learns, is to visit the living waters beneath the mines on the planet Mandalore which is a problem, as the Empire carpet bombed the entire planet in their great purge of Mandalorians from the galaxy. Mando is also still contending with the darksaber, the weapon he won at the end of Season 2 that by prophecy made him the rightful heir to rule Mandalore. That also puts Mando at cross purposes with Bo-Katan (Sackhoff), a Mandalorian warrior who once possessed the darksaber without having won it which, by prophecy, doomed the planet. Bo-Katan knows that in order for her to stake another claim at rule, she needs to win back the dark saber, and Mando stands in her way. At least the taciturn bounty hunter has a sleek new ride in the form of a custom outfitted Naboo speeder, which has just enough room for Grogu now sporting custom-made beskar chainmail armor to join him. The news was part of Lucasfilms main presentation at the Star Wars Celebration convention in Anaheim, Calif. the first time Star Wars fans have gathered in person since the pandemic. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. NEW ORLEANS (AP) Seventeen years after Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans, the Army Corps of Engineers has completed an extensive system of floodgates, strengthened levees and other protections. The 130-mile (210-kilometer) ring is designed to hold out storm surge of about 30 feet (9 meters) around New Orleans and suburbs in three parishes. It is "the largest civil works project in the Corps history and is the result of nearly two decades of hard work and collaboration at the local, state and federal level, Gov. John Bel Edwards said during a symbolic handoff to the state Friday. The people of New Orleans have experienced the worst Mother Nature has to offer, and with the completion of the system, theyll be protected by the best of engineering, design and hurricane protection. The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1, and federal meteorologists predict it will be busy. Congress provided $14.5 billion for what is formally called the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System and related projects. It includes two features the Corps describes as the worlds largest a pumping station and a 1.8-mile (2.9-kilometer) barrier that can be closed against storm surges. Louisiana will pay $1.1 billion, the governor's office said in an email Friday. It did not say whether that includes interest. The levees stood up to Hurricane Ida in 2021, though some suburbs outside the system flooded. By 2011, the system could protect against a storm with a 1% chance of occurring in any given year, according to the Corps. Features added since then include armoring levees to prevent erosion and scouring when stronger storm surges rise above their tops, and three permanent canal closures and pumps. We know that eventually we will face a surge greater than the 1-percent elevations so we designed the HSDRRS to be overtopped, Col. Stephen Murphy, commander of the Corps' New Orleans District, said in a news release. With all of the armoring now in place, this system enters the 2022 Hurricane Season stronger than it has ever been. The state has been taking control of the system for years as components were built, The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate noted. It said maintenance and operation costs are expected to run about $25 million a year for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East and about $7.8 million annually for its west bank counterpart. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) Fabian Espinel last year helped organize concerts in the streets of Bogota, as young people protested against police violence and government plans to increase taxes on lower income Colombians. Now, as his country heads into its presidential election Sunday, he walks the streets of the capitals working-class sectors handing out flyers and painting murals in support of Gustavo Petro, the front-runner candidate who could become Colombias first leftist head of state. Young people in this country are stuck. We hope Petro can change that. said Espinel, who lost his job as an event planner during the pandemic and received no compensation from his company. We need an economic model that is different than the one that has been failing us for years. Colombians will pick from six candidates in a ballot being held amid a generalized feeling the country is heading in the wrong direction. The latest opinion polls suggest Petro, a former rebel, could get 40% of the votes, with a 15-point lead over his closest rival. But the senator needs 50% to avoid a runoff election in June against the second-place finisher. Should Petro win outright Sunday or the possible runoff contest next month, the leftist anti-establishment candidate would usher in a new era of presidential politics in Colombia. The country has always been governed by conservatives or moderates while the left was sidelined due to its perceived association with the nations armed conflict. The left has been quite marginalized due to the weight of the armed conflict in Colombia, to the very recent existence of a guerrilla that claimed to be leftist like the FARC, Yann Basset, a political analyst and professor at the Universidad del Rosario, said referring to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The change occurs with the peace agreement, which lifts this mortgage for the left a little and promotes a different agenda with social issues suspended by the conflict. His main rival through most of the campaign has been Federico Gutierrez, a former mayor of Medellin who is backed by most of Colombias traditional parties and is running on a pro-business, economic growth platform. But populist real estate tycoon Rodolfo Hernandez has been rising fast in polls and could challenge for the second spot in Sunday's vote. He has few connections to political parties and says he will reduce wasteful government spending and offer rewards for Colombians who denounce corrupt officials. Petro promises to make significant adjustments to the economy as well as change how Colombia fights drug cartels and other armed groups. His agenda largely centers on fighting inequalities that have affected the South American nation's people for decades and became worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has promised government jobs to people who cant get work, free college tuition for young Colombians and subsidies for farmers who are struggling to grow crops, which he says he will pay for by increasing taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations. His agenda also touches on issues that could shake up Colombias tight-knit relationship with the United States. Adam Isacson, an expert on defense policy at the Washington Office on Latin America, a think tank, said if Petro wins the election there will be more disagreement and distance between both countries. Petro wants to renegotiate a free trade agreement with the U.S. that has boosted imports of American products like powdered milk and corn. and instead favor local producers. He also promises to change how Colombia fights drug cartels that produce around 90% of cocaine currently sold in the U.S. The senator often criticizes U.S. drug policy in the hemisphere, saying it has failed because it focuses too much on eradicating illegal crops and arresting kingpins. He wants to boost help for rural areas, to give farmers alternatives to growing coca, the plant used to make cocaine. Isacson said coca eradication targets could become less of a priority for the Colombian government under a Petro administration, as well as the pace at which drug traffickers who are arrested are sent to the U.S. to face charges, The election comes as Colombias economy struggles to recover from the pandemic and frustration grows with political elites. A Gallup poll conducted earlier this month said 75% of Colombians believe the country is heading in the wrong direction and only 27% approve of conservative President Ivan Duque, who cannot run for re-election. A poll last year by Gallup found 60% of those questioned were finding it hard to get by on their household income. Sergio Guzman, a political risk analyst in Bogota, said the pandemic and the 2016 peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia rebel group have shifted voters' priorities. Whereas previous elections centered around issues like how to deal with rebel groups, now the main issue is the economy, Guzman said. Voters are concerned about who will tackle issues like inequality or the lack of opportunities for youth. If Petro or Hernandez should win the presidency, they would join a group of leftist leaders and outsiders who have been taking over Latin American governments since the pandemic started in 2020. In Chile, leftist legislator Gabriel Boric won the presidential election last year, leading a progressive coalition that promised to change the countrys constitution and make public services like energy and education more affordable. In Peru, voters elected rural school teacher Pedro Castillo to the presidency although he had never held office. Castillo defied political parties that have been mired in bribery scandals and presidential impeachment trials and bungled the nations response to the coronavirus pandemic. Ecuadorians bucked the leftist trend last year, but still elected an outsider opposition candidate, Gullermo Lasso. In regional affairs, Petro is looking to re-establish diplomatic relations with the socialist government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Colombia cut diplomatic ties with Venezuela in 2019 as part of a U.S.-led effort to isolate Maduro and pressure him with sanctions into holding new elections. Some observers think Petro could be in a position to mend bridges between Maduro and some sectors of Venezuela's opposition. Solving Venezuelas political and economic crisis is in Colombias interest, said Ronal Rodriguez, a professor at Bogota Rosario university. Sandra Borda, a professor of international relations at the University of Los Andes in Bogota, said Petro may not have enough leverage to make significant changes to Colombias foreign policy. Efforts to renegotiate the free trade agreement with the United States could be thwarted by legislators in both countries, she said. And when it comes to security, the Colombian military will be reluctant to give up on cooperation agreements with the U.S. that include joint exercises, intelligence sharing and jobs for Colombian military instructors in U.S.-financed courses in other Latin American countries. Borda said Petros ability to change Colombias foreign policy could hinge on whether he wins the first round outright. If he has to go to a run-off, she said, he will have to make deals with parties in the center, which might support his domestic reforms in exchange for more control over security and international relations. His priority will be to carry out domestic reforms aimed at reducing inequality and overcoming poverty, Borda said. Petro understands that if he does that he has a greater chance of consolidating his political movement. 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 Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer Rep. Joaquin Castro took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon, May 26, to call for the FBI to step in and "investigate and provide a full report" on the deadly shooting in Uvalde as new information from law enforcement conflicts with previous reports. The Texas Department of Public Safety held a press conference Thursday following previous conflicting reports from authorities on when the18-year-old shooter that killed 19 children and two teachers went into the school and was later shot and killed. There were initial reports that there was a police officer on campus when the shooter arrived, but Victor Escalon, DPS regional director, said that was not accurate at the press conference. U.S. Border Patrol tactical teams didn't breach the school until an hour after the shooter's arrival. CECILE CLOCHERET/AFP via Getty Images Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick may have canceled their appearances for today at the National Rifle Association Annual Meeting, but thousands of gun control activists are protesting outside Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center, where the event is scheduled to take place from Friday, May 27, through Sunday, May 29. The protests have developed after Uvalde's Robb Elementary School became the site of a mass shooting on Tuesday, May 24. An 18-year-old gunman locked himself inside a classroom, eventually killing 19 students and two teachers. An additional 17 were wounded during the shooting. vmargineanu/Getty Images/iStockphoto San Antonio police are investigating reports of a shooting off the highway that caused a panic at a nearby business. Shots were reported fired between two vehicles on the citys Northside on I-10 on Thursday afternoon, May 26, according to KSAT. The incident happened around 1:30 p.m. on Interstate 10 near the 6800 block of Park Ten Boulevard. Police said the two drivers involved knew each other and pulled over to the side of the highway. Thats when, investigators say, one driver pulled a gun and fired at the other driver in the second vehicle. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Colonel Steven C. McCraw has given details on why the police department waited about an hour to enter the classroom where a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on Tuesday, May 24. After an investigation, McCraw said it was a bad decision to not enter the classroom. According to McCraw, the gunman entered a door that was propped open by a teacher at 11:33 a.m. after he crashed his stolen grandmother's vehicle. He then started shooting into two classrooms connected to each other one minute later. McCraw said 19 officers entered the same door as the gunman and responded to the classrooms where the doors were locked in with the shooter at 11:35 a.m. McCraw said it was the decision of the Uvalde Police Department to not enter the classroom as they believed it was a barricaded subject situation and not an active shooting case. McCraw said the police department believed there weren't any children at risk at that time. It wasn't until 12:50 p.m. when U.S. Border Patrol tactical teams entered the classroom and killed the suspect, McCraw said, adding it was a wrong decision to wait for backup. He said they believe there should have been an entry as soon as they could. "There was no excuse for that," McCraw said. "It was the wrong decision, they should've gone right in but then again I wasn't there." McCraw also gave details of the 911 call that came from the students in the classroom. He said the multiple calls were made around 12:10 p.m. that gave details of how many students were alive and dead inside the classroom. McCraw said he's not sure why 911 dispatchers didn't tell the officers at the scene that children were still at risk. The shooter brought a total of 60 rifle magazines to the school, along with 1,657 rounds of ammunition. McCraw said 315 of those rounds were brought inside the school by the shooter and 142 of those rounds were fired. McCraw said there were 35 spent law enforcement cartridges inside the school. Eight shots were fired in the hallway and 27 were inside the classroom, where the shooter was killed. According to McCraw, the shooter never posted on Facebook publicly that he was going to shoot up the school. He said it was actually through Facebook Messenger where the shooter had a conversation with somebody else about his plans to shoot up a school. In his group chat on Instagram on March 3, he replied to a question about buying a gun with "just bought something [right now]." On March 14, the shooter posted on Instagram, "10 more days." A user replied if he was going to shoot up the school, in which the gunman answered, "No. And stop asking dumb questions and you'll see." McCraw also confirmed the gunman was not one of the individuals arrested in the 2018 foiled plan to shoot up a school in Uvalde CISD in 2022. Crystal City Independent School District, about 39 miles south of Uvalde, has implemented safety precautions to its graduation ceremony after receiving persistent and pervasive threats, according to a news release from the district. The district announced the new safety measures on its Facebook page Thursday evening, May 26, stating the ceremonies remain scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 27. However, no bags, purses, cases, backpacks, and other like items will be allowed. The district isn't allowing noise makers and firecrackers as well. Additionally, the district isn't allowing pictures after the ceremony. It advises families to arrive a few minutes early to capture as many memories as possible prior to the commencement of the ceremonies. The district plans to have a heavy amount of law enforcement at the ceremony. Carrizo Springs CISD, another district not far from Uvalde, announced on Thursday that it has canceled school for the remainder of the school year out of an abundance of caution to keeping its schools safe. The last day of school was slated to be on Friday. The Carrizo Springs High School graduation ceremonies for the senior class of 2022, however, will continue as planned at Frank Carter Stadium beginning at 8 p.m. MySA.com has reached out to the district on any safety measures being placed at the ceremony. The district is 50 miles south of Uvalde. The threats and school cancellations come after a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School on Tuesday, May 24. Other districts across Texas have been investigating threats as well. On Wednesday, May 25, Donna Independent School District announced on its Facebook page that it has decided to close all schools in light of recent school threats and out of an abundance of caution. The district, which is in the Rio Grande Valley area near McAllen, stated the safety of its staff and students are its main priority. According to The Monitor, an AK-47 and a list of targeted students were found by law enforcement officers in the home of one of the suspects. In San Antonio, Northside Independent School District is investigating a threat made via social media toward one of its campuses on Wednesday. The district said it's aware of a photo circulating on Instagram of someone threatening the students at Sul Ross Middle School at 3630 Callaghan Road. Rep. Tony Gonzales told KSAT on Friday, May 27, the Uvalde gunman was allegedly arrested four years ago for threatening to shoot up a school. Gonzales, who said he heard the information Thursday night, told WOAI that the gunman said, "When I'm a senior in 2022, I'm going to shoot up a school." He did not share a source for the information. During a May 27 press conference in Uvalde, Director Steven McCraw of the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed the gunman was not one of the individuals arrested in 2018. After his initial tweet and prior to the press conference, Gonzales tweeted that, "There are multiple agencies on the ground and I am getting updated information by the minute. We will continue to revise as we learn more." Earlier this week, MySA asked DPS and Uvalde Police Department about the possible connection to a 2018 incident, but a response was not received before this article's original publication. In May 2018, two unidentified teenagers from Uvalde were arrested after authorities discovered their plan to commit a mass shooting at a junior high school in Uvalde that was originally planned to carry out on April 20, 2022, according to a report from MySA.com. The teens were inspired by the Columbine, Colorado shooters, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, and often referred to each other using those names. Harris and Klebold killed 13 people and wounded 24 others in a mass murder at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Although originally planned for 2022, one of the suspects persuaded the other to commit the shooting in 2018 at Morales Junior High, which is in the same district as Robb Elementary School. 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. A student at Morales Junior High learned of the plan and reported it to school officials, who then notified law enforcement authorities. 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. * * * Whats killing the worlds biggest fish? Vox Every Bear Market is Different Compound Advisors Climate The Wests Poor Climate Track Record Is Spilling Over to Other Policy Areas Carnegie Endowment for International Peace #COVID19 Monkeypox Warning signs ahead of monkeypox outbreak went unheeded, experts say STAT. Chikwe Ihekweazu, former director general of the Nigeria CDC: [Y]ou pull out the army whenever theres a single case exported. But theres no interest in working together with the country from which the cases are coming to try and understand it a little bit more. Oh good: Premier cas de variole simienne en milieu scolaire au Qc First #monkeypox school case in Quebec https://t.co/ynwk2X7CFi pic.twitter.com/3DSiQOaifK Covid Ecoles Quebec (@CovidEcoles) May 26, 2022 China? Myanmar Myanmars environment hit by rare earth mining boom Mekong Eye. Kachins rare earth production makes Myanmar the worlds third-largest rare earth producer behind China and the US, according to United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Economist Is at Risk Of Believing the Burmese Militarys Propaganda Domestic Voice of Burma India Police say they have dismantled Alameddine crime network after arresting 18 people ABC Australia. [E]ach phone could generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug sales, with one of the seized devices having 700 contacts and making $250,000 each week alone. [T]here has been a number of murders in regards to these phones. UK/EU Tory Britain faces extinction at the hands of a radical hard-Left alliance The Telegraph. Parliamentary Labour, who threw Corbyn under the bus, hard left? GTFO. New Not-So-Cold War Biden Administration Uvalde No way to prevent this: Supply Chain Shortages Patients Face Long Delays for Imaging of Cancers and Other Diseases NYT Search Results for fabral closure strip at The Home Depot (Re Silc): Fabral1 in. x 36 in. Inside Shelterguard Closure Strip Model# 6769019000 (2) $5.96 Limit 5 per order https://www.homedepot.com/s/fabral%2520closure%2520strip?NCNI-5 Cant even make this stuff. Its crappy foam. Operational Breakage Our Famously Free Press Whistleblowers My Full Speech Outside Chevrons Cancer-Causing Refinery in California Donzinger on Justice Imperial Collapse Watch Guillotine Watch Why does it feel good to do good? FT Class Warfare Winning Against the Odds: The 32BJ SEIU Organizing Model New Labor Forum (Left in Wisconsin). We Are Not Living in a Simulation, We Are Living In the Past The Convivial Society Whig History The Rectification of Names What Is Time? Nautilus Antidote du jour (via): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. China to promote cold-chain logistics development for agricultural products Xinhua) 14:33, May 27, 2022 BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- China will prioritize the development of cold-chain logistics for agricultural products amid efforts to better secure market supply. The country aims to improve the cold-chain infrastructure for agricultural products and boost the capability and efficiency of their cross-regional cold-chain circulation over the next two years, according to a circular jointly released by the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Commerce on Friday. The ministries will support the upgrade of cold-chain infrastructure in distribution centers and sales areas and the establishment of public cold storages and central kitchens, per the circular. The circular also noted support for related enterprises in sales areas to expand their cold-chain collection and distribution centers and low-temperature delivery centers. Provincial-level governments are encouraged to utilize their subsidies from the central government to shore up market supply. The circular also advised local governments to buttress pandemic-hit cold-chain companies that have contributed to securing supply in accordance with local situations. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) (Natural News) Every May 20 of each year, World Bee Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of bees and other pollinating insects for ecological health and human survival. More than 75 percent of the worlds food crops relies on bees and other pollinators, either completely or in part, as do 90 percent of wild flowering plants. In the past five decades, there has been a 300 percent rise in the number of crops being produced that are reliant on pollination. Slovenia proposed to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on December 20, 2017 to proclaim May 20 as World Bee Day. The resolution was the outcome of an initiative started in 2015 by the Slovenian Beekeepers Association to create awareness about the significance of bees and other pollinating insects, which are facing extinction due to the wide range of toxic human activities. May 20 was selected because it coincides with the birthday of Anton Jansa, who pioneered modern beekeeping techniques in his native Slovenia in the 18th century and praised the bees for their ability to work so hard, while needing so little attention. There are in fact around 25,000 and 30,000 different species of bees around the world. Some of the most common species are the sweat bees, digger bees, carpenter bees, cuckoo bees and long-horned bees. Caring for bees, other pollinators part of the fight against world hunger The UN has said that caring for bees and other pollinators is part of the fight against world hunger. It is also critical to maintain and protect biodiversity among bee species to guarantee agricultural resilience. The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agricultures first report on The State of the Worlds Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture released in April 2019 had warned that biodiversity is decreasing around the world, thus threatening global food production and human survival. The commission is part of the UNs Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). All forms of life, such as animals, plants and microorganisms essential for food, feed, fuel and fibers are also losing diversity. Of around 6,000 species of agricultural plants, fewer than 200 contribute to global food production, and just nine of them account for 66 percent of total crop yield. World livestock production is based on approximately 40 animal species, with just a handful providing the vast majority of meat, milk and eggs, WorldBeeDay.org said. The catch quantity is being exceeded for a third of fish stocks, while more than half have reached their limit of sustainability. At the meeting of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the European Region proposed that the results of this report be included in the strategy of biodiversity being drawn up by FAO. It also said that countries should respond to the main conclusions of the report by including the findings and content in national policies, legislation, programs and projects in the area of biodiversity in agriculture, forestry and food. It added that this should be in line with their capacities, while there is an urgent need to formulate measures to implement the conclusions from the report. The website further said the report will be important for discussion on the global framework for biodiversity as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity after 2020 and for achieving the sustainable development goals of Agenda 2030. Another global assessment report on pollinators, pollination and food production issued by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in 2016 found that an estimated 16 percent of the vertebrate pollinators across the globe are threatened by extinction including 30 percent of island species. Likewise, researchers at the University of New Hampshire warned that there has been a dramatic decline of 14 wild bee species required for pollination of apples, blueberries, cranberries and other crops grown in the Northwest. (Related: Wild bees are ESSENTIAL for producing larger and better blueberries) Utilizing museum data from 1891 through 2016, the researchers examined the predominance of 119 wild bee species that are native to New Hampshire but also widespread across the Northeast and North America as a whole. Fourteen of the species were discovered to have substantially decreased while eight species have considerably grown. Out of the 14 species that are decreasing, 13 are said to be ground nesters and one is a cavity nester. In general, both decreasing and increasing bee species have been migrating northward over the last 125 years, hinting changes in climate are a driving factor. Follow Ecology.news for more news about bees and their importance in the ecosystem. Watch the video below to know why the death of all bees will lead to the demise of humanity. This video is from the Natural News channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Putting it bluntly: If all bees die, humanity will soon follow Deadly pesticides can harm bee populations for generations, study finds Probiotics found to protect honey bees from toxic effects of pesticides Amazing study reveals bees can connect symbols to numbers: Insects COMPUTE Save the bees: The American Bumblebee may become critically endangered, warn researchers Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org Gov.si Brighteon.com (Natural News) The United States ambassador to the United Nations warned that the global food shortage caused by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has reached the highest level of alarm. I can tell you, on a scale of one to 10, Im probably at the 10 level of alarm, because this crisis has exacerbated what is already a serious food insecurity issue, said Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Friday, May 20, during an interview with the BBC. Thomas-Greenfield said food insecurity was already a serious issue before Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, and it has severely worsened since. (Related: Ukraine reports two-thirds decrease in grain exports while global wheat prices skyrocket.) Russias aggression in Ukraine, its blockade of the ports, blocking Ukrainian wheat from getting to the market has exacerbated this situation and made it even more dire and the impact is being felt across the world, she said. Ambassador blames Russia for growing food insecurity The first thing that must be done to aid food insecurity issues around the world, according to Thomas-Greenfield, is for Russia to end its war. First and foremost, we have to keep the pressure on the Russians to end this unconscionable war against the Ukrainian people and allow Ukraine to go back to a situation where they are contributing to the food market around the world. In previous statements, Thomas-Greenfield said she fully supports UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres initiatives to get Ukrainian grain back into the international marketplace amid the war. He has spoken to us about his plans and his discussions with the Ukrainians and the Russians on the issue, the ambassador told reporters without giving further details regarding the progress of the U.N. negotiations. Guterres himself has visited both Moscow and Kyiv, and following these visits the UN secretary-general has been determined to help bring back to world markets the agricultural production of Ukraine and the food and fertilizer of Russia and its close ally Belarus. Guterres has reportedly asked Russia to allow shipments of Ukrainian grain past its blockade of Ukraines Black Sea ports. In exchange, the UN will negotiate with the West, which has imposed heavy sanctions against Russia, to allow Russian and Belarusian exports of potash fertilizer. For her part, Thomas-Greenfield has made statements condemning countries engaging in protectionism by putting limits or other restrictions on food produced in their countries that are being exported. She said removing these restrictions could help alleviate food supply issues. But the ambassador emphasized that Russia has the biggest responsibility when it comes to ending the current food supply crisis. The facts are that they are blocking food. There are no sanctions on their agricultural products. They are attacking Ukrainian silos and keeping farmers from planting. So the action is in Russias hands to stop this food blockade, to also start to export their own food that they have put restrictions on, said Thomas-Greenfield. But in the meantime, as we keep the pressure on Russia, we will increase our humanitarian funding, our in-kind funding of food and were encouraging others to do the same to keep the food and agriculture markets open. Guterres has pointed out that some 36 countries count on both Russia and Ukraine for at least half of their wheat imports. These countries include some of the worlds poorest and most vulnerable, such as Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program, warned the Security Council that 50 percent of the agencys grain for food aid comes from Ukraine, and the ongoing war is threatening its ability to provide food to some 125 million people globally. Learn more about food insecurity issues around the world at FoodCollapse.com. Watch this episode of the Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, lays out a timeline for the coming food and diesel shortages in America. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Bank of England governor warns of coming apocalyptic global food shortage. Global hunger crisis on the horizon as US, Britain, Australia, others deliberately demolish their own food production. Possibility of poor wheat harvest in China increases fears of global food collapse. Food prices nearing record highs, likely to get worse in coming weeks. Globalists have been planning to starve the world with food scarcity since at least 2015. Sources include: News.Yahoo.com USUN.USMission.gov Euractiv.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The media frenzy surrounding monkeypox is making the disease out to be extremely deadly and the current outbreak to be far larger than it actually is. How scary is it? Should you be scared at all, or should you be just annoyed at the dunderheads who are trying to frighten you to hide again, to wear masks again, to get experimental jabs again? asked broadcaster and homeopathic practitioner Robert Scott Bell during the May 23 episode of his Brighteon.TV program, The Robert Scott Bell Show. (Related: Why did the government buy 13 million monkeypox vaccines from a biotech company backed by Fauci?) Bell pointed out that one of the main factors that drive the news cycle and bring mainstream media companies more revenue through views and advertisements is learning about the disease of the day, disease of the week, disease of the month. The only thing that can catch peoples attention through fear is something scarier than what [the media] lied to you about before, said Bell. And now were on to monkeypox. Bell made it clear that he believes the media is trying to keep peoples attention focused on this to divert from other issues. I think this is a ruse, of course, he said. Just to keep you on edge before something really bad and horrible really happens. US has only one confirmed case of monkeypox Health authorities in Europe, North America, Israel and Australia have confirmed around 130 cases of monkeypox and are monitoring around 100 other people as suspected cases. The United States itself only has one confirmed and six presumptive cases. As mainstream media companies continue to fearmonger about the monkeypox virus, the worlds leading doctors are claiming that the risk to the general public is very low. Although this latest outbreak has affected more patients than we had previously encountered in the U.K., historically monkeypox has not transmitted very efficiently between people and overall the risk to public health is low, said Hugh Adler of the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in a press release talking about the outbreak in Britain. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently said during a media briefing that people should not treat this outbreak the same way they treat Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreaks. This is not COVID, said Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, the CDCs deputy director for the Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology. The only community that needs to be moderately worried about monkeypox are men who identify as gay or bisexual. Both the CDC and the World Health Organization agree that gay and bisexual men have an increased risk of catching monkeypox through sexual contact. Regardless of risk, the disease itself can be terrible, but not deadly. Most monkeypox patients only experience fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious cases may develop pox painful fluid-filled blisters that can appear on the face, hands and feet. Most people recover within two to four weeks of infection without needing to be hospitalized. The monkeypox variant currently circulating has a fatality rate of less than one percent. Learn more about the monkeypox outbreak at Outbreak.news. Watch this episode of The Robert Scott Bell Show as host Robert Scott Bell talks about the monkeypox outbreak. The Robert Scott Bell Show with host Robert Scott Bell airs every Monday at 4-5 p.m. and Saturday at 6-7 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. More related stories: WHO: Monkeypox outbreak traced to homosexual men who attended rave events in Europe. Monkeypox outbreak was actually predicted in a 2021 report from companies that receive financial support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Monkeypox just the latest engineered distraction as controlled demolition of human civilization accelerates. 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. Sources include: Brighteon.com TheHill.com ABC.News.Go.com 1 FoxNews.com NPR.org ABC.News.Go.com 2 (Natural News) There is some good news Down Under: South Australias extreme Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions as provisioned under the Emergency Management Act are on the verge of being repealed. The bad news is that they are simply shifting in a new direction to become a permanent fixture of South Australian life. 7 News ran a segment you can watch it below about how the penalties under a new proposed law for Fauci Flu restriction violations are so extreme that the Australian Parliament is expected to explode in conflict over their potential implementation. (Related: Remember when Australia was selectively non-enforcing covid restrictions for LGBTQs, giving them a free pass while everyone else was tyrannized?) South Australia ?? Labor Covid Madness ?Fines of up to 70k and 2 years jail for any individuals breaking Covid RulesWelcome to Covid1984 ? pic.twitter.com/Le3lQe6zho ????????????? (@risemelbourne) May 23, 2022 The new legislation is said to replace the Emergency Management Act responsible for rules like mandatory quarantining and mask wearing, a 7 News reported explained. But the alternative bill could face some pushback in the Upper House. The law society says it lacks detail and would hand the governor extraordinary, permanent powers. Leaked documents have reportedly revealed that the Liberal Party is worried about hefty penalties of up to $75,000 and a two-year jail term planned for any future covid breaches. Is this the consequence of Aussies giving up their gun rights? The evening after the segment ran, the shadow cabinet met to go over the bill with a fine-toothed comb. The Liberal Party apparently supports a move out of the emergency declaration, but will not be agreeing to a tick-and-flick situation with the new bill and its provisions. So there could be some fiery scenes in Parliament when it resumes tomorrow, the 7 News reported added. It is important to emphasize that the proposed changes, if enacted, would make covid fascism a permanent affair in South Australia. Since the restrictions would no longer be categorized as an emergency, they would become codified as law and enforced indefinitely. This is why many now refer to the plandemic as Covid-1984. It was predicted that medical fascism would never go away, despite initial claims that it would only take two weeks to flatten the curve. If you give the government an inch, they take a mile and then some. And once they have that newfound power, chances are they will not give it up easily or ever. So far, the powers that be seem to be running into minimal resistance in Australia with these kinds of things, probably because that country gave up its gun rights years ago. Many are warning that Americans must defend the Second Amendment at all costs to avoid the same type of thing happening here. Dont ever, I mean never, let them take our guns, wrote someone in response to the news. This is the kind of garbage that tyrannical government brings on when the population is disarmed and unable to do anything about it, suggested another. Numerous others pointed out that governments are magnetized to maximum totalitarianism when they know that the population does not possess the weaponry to fight back against it. Oh well, there goes any chance of the return of tourist revenue, said another about the travel implications of these new proposed restrictions in South Australia. I was vacationed in Australia and New Zealand for three weeks six years ago and loved it. Was going to go back in 2023, now I never will go back to those dystopian hellholes. More related news coverage about ongoing covid restrictions can be found at Fascism.news. Sources for this article include: CitizenFreePress.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The Biden administration is warning Americans that another pandemic is coming and it could happen just around the November midterm election. Or, maybe, Biden and his gang will just intensify their fearmongering and make it seem that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is still out for more blood. Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health and the White House Coronavirus Response coordinator, predicted a rise in COVID-19 cases for the coming fall and winter during his recent appearance on ABCs This Week. (Related: Ashish Jha, Bidens new COVID-19 Coordinator, wants everyone to have vaccine passports) Jha told host Martha Raddatz that they are planning for a variety of scenarios, including a wave of infection this fall and winter. Were making sure we have a new generation of vaccines that are being worked on right now, that we have availability of treatments and testing, and we have the resources, he said. Biden administration wants more COVID funding And just like Biden, Jha also called on Congress to pass funding against the virus. By the way, one of the reasons Ive been talking a lot about the need for Congress to step up and fund this effort is if they dont, Martha, we will go into the fall and winter without that next generation of vaccines, without treatments and diagnostics. Thats going to make it much, much harder for us to take care of and protect Americans, Jha said. And when it comes to funding, Americans dont appear to be as worried as the Biden administration. Based on a report released by Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index on May 18, the numbers are evenly split by the smallest amount with at least 31 percent saying that funding is not enough. At least 35 percent said its the right amount, while 33 percent said that its too much. Experts said that administration officials should do a better job of preparing the public for a rejuvenated virus in the fall and winter seasons when people spend most of their time indoors. They added that if people become complacent by waiving booster doses or neglecting to vaccinate their children, they could pay a price later. The attitude is, Weve got this, were over it.' said Dr. Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research in San Diego. People should be gearing up, they should be getting booster shots. But there is no awareness. If the pandemic seems to be a minor concern, that also makes it tougher for the White House to get new funding from Congress to refill its supply of tests, treatments and vaccines in time for the fall. The Biden administration has said it wants to launch a booster campaign at that point with vaccines retooled to work better against the latest version of the virus. Jha warned during a White House briefing that if Congress fails to give the administrations request for $22 billion in new COVID funding, Americans would suffer when the fall season comes. Indoor mask mandate set to return Another takeaway from Jhas appearance on the ABC program is a likely return to indoor masking. Raddatz and Jha made mention of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who ceased from re-imposing an indoor mask mandate. Jha reiterated the directive: When youre in an indoor space, you should be wearing a mask. I feel that very strongly, that in crowded indoor spaces, in places with high transmission, people should be doing that. Neither Raddatz nor Jha mentioned that Adams ordered the forced masking of toddlers. More news like this can be found at BigGovernment.news. Watch the video below to know how Americans react to Bidens handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. This video is from the This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Federal judge blocks Bidens covid vaccine mandate for health care workers. Another 14 states have been cut off from monoclonal antibody treatments, compliments of the Biden regime. Republicans vow to sue Biden over COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Sources include: News Punch.com NYTimes.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Two drug companies that specialize in manufacturing smallpox vaccines and other associated treatments are going gangbusters in the profit department now that the media is fearmongering about the spread of monkeypox, a relative of smallpox. Emergent BioSolutions and SIGA Technologies were both failing companies before all this began, and now they suddenly hold a monopoly in the U.S. market for smallpox drugs how convenient. Share prices in both companies have risen substantially ever since monkeypox started appearing in the news cycle. Emergents stock climbed 12 percent the other day while SIGAs soared by 17.1 percent. For these companies, the monkeypox fears are a godsend, specifically for SIGA, which produces a smallpox treatment, known by its brand name TPOXX, writes Whitney Webb for The Defender. It is SIGAs only product. It turns out that Ron Perelman is behind SIGA, which is part of his powerful empire of company holdings. Perelman, as you may recall, has troubling ties to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, as well as to the Clinton crime family and the Democrat Party. Moderna was also a failure before COVID magically rescued the company from financial ruin Emergent also has a sordid history with troubling ties to the 2001 Anthrax attacks, as well as a more recent cover-up involving quality control issues with its production of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines. A congressional investigation revealed serious quality control issues at an Emergent-run production facility that resulted in more than 400 million doses of Fauci Flu shots having to be discarded for contamination. This is all strikingly similar to the situation that Moderna was in prior to the launch of the COVID-19 plandemic. The company had never produced a successful product until suddenly launching a novel mRNA (messenger RNA) injection technology that quickly exploded in global use. Modernas stock skyrocketed after the announcement of Operation Warp Speed and the rest is now history. It appears as though we are once again witnessing a Big Pharma pump-and-dump scheme taking place under the guise of a new disease threat, and most people are still none the wiser as to the fraud. As for the Emergent factory that was shut down last April due to the contamination issue, it reopened in August only to have the government terminate its contract with the company. Given that the majority of the companys business is tied to U.S. government contracts, the loss of this contract, and the accompanying poor publicity, the news that its smallpox vaccine may soon be of international interest is likely seen as a godsend by the company, Webb further writes. Notably, this is the second time in a year that both companies have benefitted from pandemic or bioterror fears propagated by the media. Last November, speculation arose that a re-emergence of the eradicated virus that causes smallpox would soon take place. Billionaire eugenicist Bill Gates is also involved in all this, which is hardly a surprise since his name always seems to turn up in association with these types of things. Last November, Gates commented on the prospect of smallpox bioterrorism. Less than two weeks later, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced an investigation into 15 suspicious vials labeled smallpox that were discovered at a Merck & Co. facility in Philadelphia. Now, roughly six months later, the same fears are again paying off for the same two companies, Webb notes. What becomes of this whole thing in the coming days remains to be seen. Will the powers that be successfully swindle the public into once again falling for fear and hysteria over an invisible virus? Or have the people finally smartened up after more than two years of covid fascism? More related news about Big Pharma can be found at BigPharmaNews.com. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org NaturalNews.com (Natural News) When looking at how systems are corrupted [and] controlled and how ordinary lives are affected, its usually important to look at where power is centralized and how power operates, said comedian and commentator Russell Brand. (Article by Susan C. Olmstead republished from ChildrensHealthDefense.org) Weighing in on the U.S. baby formula shortage, Brand said he believes corrupt power structures are behind the crisis. Calling the shortage a f*king disgrace, Brand singled out Abbott Laboratories parent company of formula-maker Abbott Nutrition, which dominates the baby formula market for valuing profits over people. Power structures hamper free market At the root of the formula shortage is not Putins price hikes or migrant babies stealing our formula, Brand said, but rather the powerful corporations that cornered the market on formula. Is Putin hiking prices, Brand rhetorically asked, or are those prices being hiked because of centralized financial power and monopolizing forces that have been ramping up for many a long year now? Free-market capitalism has failed, at least when it comes to regulated products, he said: The myth that we are sold about free-market capitalism is [to create] a variety of choice, any plucky little upstart can make their own little baby formula if your baby formula is good enough. Well, thats not true, is it? Because what tends to happen is centralized power is able to organize itself efficiently and monopolize indefinitely. Once a market is cornered or controlled it can be manipulated and prices can be increased and managed. Whats more, Brand said, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the formula companies collaborate, cooperate [and] communicate in ways that dont seem like the kind of relationship that should exist between a regulator and the thing that theyre regulating. Abbott Nutrition, the food-sector branch of the medical device and healthcare corporation Abbott Laboratories, dominates the infant formula market. The companys sales accounted for roughly 43% of the $45.4 billion formula market a decade ago, according to a 2011 U.S. Department of Agriculture report, which contains the latest available figures. Abbott used the massive profits it accumulated between 2019 and 2021 to enrich shareholders amid a bacteria outbreak that killed two babies and temporarily closed its plant in Sturgis, Michigan, according to financial documents and whistleblower testimony that The Guardian recently revealed. On May 16, the White House announced a deal to reopen Abbott Nutritions infant formula plant in Michigan in a bid to ease widespread shortages. The Associated Press on Tuesday reported Abbott Nutrition representatives said they expect to restart the plant June 4 and begin shipping new formula to stores about three weeks later. However, the move wont address the underlying problem of an industry dominated by only three companies Abbott, Mead Johnson and Gerber. Also on Tuesday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it would launch an investigation into the formula shortage, to shed light on the factors that have led to concentration in the infant formula market and the fragility of the supply chains for these crucial products. Another aim of the investigation is to look into the nature and prevalence of any deceptive, fraudulent, or otherwise unfair business practices aimed at taking advantage of families during this shortage, the FTC stated in its announcement. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) last week said Abbott Nutrition put profits and production over people, and due to what is a disgraceful lack of oversight is now causing parents and caregivers to struggle to feed their kids. Abbotts Depakote payout revealed exploitation Brand pointed out that in 2012, Abbott Laboratories paid more than $1.5 billion to settle criminal and civil charges relating to the promotion of off-label uses of its drug Depakote. It was the second-largest settlement of this kind by a drug company. The Pharmaceutical Integrity Coalition called the fraudulent marketing a coldly calculated scheme to exploit [people with dementia] for financial gain. The coalition also reported that in 2001-2006, Abbott encouraged unlawful, off-label use of Depakote to treat schizophrenia, despite clinical results showing no efficacy for the use of Depakote for this indication: Abbott waited almost two years to inform its sales force and another two years to publish the findings [of the clinical studies]. Instead, the company continued to promote off-label use of Depakote to treat schizophrenia. Abbott Laboratories is the ninth-biggest pharmaceutical company in the world, with a net worth of $192 billion, Brand said, citing Macrotrends. How does Abbott get away with this negligence? Its almost as if, he said, the government which Abbott aggressively lobbies thinks the profits of companies like Abbott are more important than schizophrenic people, people with dementia and babies. Watch the episode here: Read more at: ChildrensHealthDefense.org (Natural News) As the nation mourns and tries to deal with yet another senseless slaughter of innocent children and adults at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, earlier this week, in which 19 fourth-graders and two adults were gunned down by an 18-year-old shooter, a report has surfaced suggesting the same suspect may have been involved in a similar plot four years ago. According to a 2018 report by KENS5, two students, ages 13 and 14, were arrested by police after a plot to commit a mass casualty event was uncovered: Two Uvalde teens were recently arrested for Conspiracy to Commit Murder after officers said they foiled a mass-shooting plot the pair had schemed. A press release obtained by KENS 5 thoroughly chronicles events leading up to an investigation performed by the Uvalde Police Department and the Texas Rangers. One of the students had numerous writings and drawings which depicted weapons capable of causing mass destruction. He wrote about being God-like and killing police and other persons, the report added. Uvalde Chief of Police Daniel Rodriguez noted in the press release that a Morales Junior High School student, 14, and a former Morales student, 13, were specifically targeting several students in what they were plotting as a mass casualty event against the school. Police said that the two teens were motivated in large part by the Columbine High School shootings outside of Denver in 1999. The investigation revealed that the students were infatuated with the Columbine High School shootings and identified themselves to the shooters. The investigation uncovered that the students even referred to themselves using the Columbine shooters names, the press release stated. Investigators also believe the students were planning to hold the attacks years from now during their senior year, on the anniversary of the Columbine shooting. However, one of the students began to convince the other that they should move the attacks up to this year. One of the students had numerous writings and drawings which depicted weapons capable of causing mass destruction. He wrote about being God-like and killing police and other persons. He had an academic analysis of one of the Columbine shooters journals, the release stated. The press release also said that the teens were planning to detonate IEDs before murdering students placed on a list ranked by priority. But heres the chilling part, according to KENS5: Investigators also believe the students were planning to hold the attacks years from now during their senior year, on the anniversary of the Columbine shooting. However, one of the students began to convince the other that they should move the attacks up to this year. After detonating the IEDs and gunning down those on a target list, the teens were then planning to finish out their attack by shooting whomever they encountered before eventually turning their guns on themselves, according to the release. Any kids that had talked bad about them or said anything they did not like, basically, they said they were going to go and kill them, one student said. You just felt unsafe. And teachers have been bringing it to our attention that you cant be saying those things anymore. We cant do that. It is wrong. It was scary. We hear it everywhere else, but you dont expect for it to happen in your town, a parent added. I am glad they were able to control the situation before anything does happen. And that they actually did something about it. Sometimes you think theyre just going to hear it, and say it wont happen and dust it under the rug, and they actually did something. Now, since the names of juveniles are not publicly released, and their records would be sealed, given the nature of the crime when compared to what happened in Uvalde this week, it is fair to ask: Is the Robb Elementary School shooter one of these two teens? Sources include: KENS5.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) A tenured professor at Duke University compared mandatory equity training to Maoist political propaganda workshops, prompting outrage from PhD candidates accusing him of transphobia & homophobia. (Article by Jarryd Jaeger republished from ThePostMillennial.com) On Tuesday, the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology (MGM) at Duke University sent out an email to faculty, staff, postdocs, and trainees informing them of mandatory equity training. The response from one tenured professor caused Alan Rosales to take to Twitter and complain. https://twitter.com/bshwckplantdad/status/1529226005763727363 Rosales, who according to his Twitter profile is a Biomedical Engineering PhD candidate, posted screenshots of the original email and the professors response, which he deemed to be disgusting. MGM leadership and department members are working with OIE to design a training module aimed at helping members of our department be fair and welcoming to individuals who differ in their background, the email read. The dates and times are then listed, along with a warning that Per school of Medicine guidelines, all faculty are required to attend a session. Not long after, distinguished professor Dr. Bryan Cullen replied to the request. My initial reaction is I refuse to engage in left-wing Maoist political propaganda workshops, he wrote, and, as a tenured faculty, that is my choice. Rosales tagged Duke and the school newspaper in his post, accusing Dr. Cullen of having a history of transphobia & homophobia. He doesnt provide any details, however, according to the Duke Chronicle, the professor had come under fire for posting comics with transphobic undertones, and suggesting in his lectures that gay men played a critical role in the early spread of HIV in the USA. https://twitter.com/bshwckplantdad/status/1529226009123356672 THIS IS NOT OKAY AT ALL! Rosales said, decrying the fact that Duke constantly talks about creating an inclusive environment but dares to support faculty members with alternate viewpoints. Transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia or ANY form of discrimination is never okay! he added, before urging the university and department to act accordingly ASAP! According to another PhD candidate, Dr. Cullen is slated to retire in the near future. Aside from teaching, he is Director of the Center for Virology, and Member of the Duke Cancer Institute. Read more at: ThePostMillennial.com (Natural News) The World Economic Forum (WEF) met in Davos, Switzerland to discuss the future of controlling humanity. J. Michael Evans, president of the Alibaba Group, talked about the development of an individual carbon footprint tracker. Were developing through technology an ability for consumers to measure their own carbon footprint, said Alibabas Michael Evans. What does that mean? Thats where theyre traveling, how theyre traveling, what are they eating, what are they consuming on the platform. Individual carbon footprint tracker. Stay tuned, we dont have it operational yet but this is something that we are working on, he added. Chinese mega corporation to unleash new carbon footprint tracking technology This carbon footprint tracker technology (from China) is designed to track and control every persons travel and consumption of food, energy and other goods. To accomplish these goals of surveillance and control, the world elite would either have to use injectable or implantable surveillance technology or reset the global economy with a digital currency that can track and restrict everyones purchases and travel abilities. This tracking technology could be adapted into vehicles to restrict a persons travel and interfere with their autonomy and freedom. Individuals have already been primed to accept this technology due to their use of apps and devices that track and record their every move, purchase and behavior. The Alibaba Group is behind the technology. This Chinese mega corporation operates in a culture that doesnt respect human rights. The company has great leverage and would be able to implement these tracking systems with ease. The company could easily convince corporations around the world to apply the carbon footprint tracker technology and shame companies that dont go along as being climate change deniers. Carbon footprint trackers go hand-in-hand with social credit scores and grander population control schemes Now that individuals have given up their body sovereignty to mask and vaccine mandates, it wouldnt be that hard to mandate this kind of technology for the greater good. Many people will easily go along with the carbon mandates to virtue signal that they are saving one another and saving the planet. This is all part of a grander scheme of implementing social credit scores, which have also been introduced in China. People will be pressured to slowly give up their faith in God and put their trust in a global government. In order to have a high social credit score and be acceptable in society, individuals will be cajoled to behave and believe as their masters desire. Social media platforms have already been engineered to prime people to comply with this system of social acceptance and control. The carbon footprint is just one of the main aspects in this system of total control over the population. This technology will easily go hand-in-hand with future plandemics and climate change lock downs. The WEF previously praised the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 as beneficial to the climate. In social media posts, the WEF advertised lockdowns as quietly improving cities around the world. Many of the WEF members supported contact tracing to unlawfully detain and lock people in their homes for two weeks at a time, (multiple times) under the guise of complying with a public health-ordered quarantine. These same WEF panelists lecture the world population about their carbon footprint, right before they take off in their private jets, which spew more carbon emissions in one flight than the average person uses in one year. The WEF endorsed the lockdowns and the labeling of small businesses as non-essential. It was these totalitarian actions that rapidly consolidated corporate and government control over the population, quashing property rights and leaving individuals and businesses dependent on the next government stimulus. As WEF founder Klaus Schwab infamously said, In the future, youll own NOTHING and youll be happy about it. Schwab and the rest of the WEF elite derive their pleasure from manipulating and controlling people and treating us all as expendable blips in a faithless, centrally-planned world. Sources include: BigleaguePolitics.com Twitter.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The Kremlin claims that sanctions imposed by the West as punishment for the Russia-Ukraine war are to blame for the global food crisis. The conflict and the sanctions on Russia that followed have sent prices of cooking oil, grains and fertilizer skyrocketing. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said on May 23: We are not the source of the problem. The source of the problem that leads to world hunger are those who imposed sanctions against us, and the sanctions themselves. He remarked that Russia has always been a rather reliable grain exporter, citing its refusal to prevent Ukraine from exporting grain to Poland by rail which was far slower. This, he said, is in spite of the West sending in weapons to Ukraine by rail. According to Peskov, Ukraine had made commercial shipping impossible by placing mines in its waters to prevent the entry of Russian warships. But this made navigation dangerous for both commercial and military vessels, he continued. For the sea transportation method we say, again, that we are not the source of this problem. On alternative routes from our side, again we are not the source of problems that lead to the threat of world hunger. (Related: Germany BLOCKS Russia from exporting food, then BLAMES Russia for causing brutal hunger.) Since the war broke out in late February 2022, Kyiv has lost some of its biggest seaports such as Kherson and Mariupol to Russian forces. It also fears that Moscow may attempt to take Odesa, located in southwestern Ukraine. Ukraine is a major exporter of grains and vegetable oil which include corn, barley, sunflower and rapeseed oil. Meanwhile, Russia and its ally Belarus account for more than 40 percent of potash, a fertilizer that supplies key nutrients for food crops. Both Russia and Ukraine account for almost a third of global wheat supplies. According to the United Nations (UN), 36 countries some in the Middle East and Africa depend on these two major wheat producers for imports. West officials rebuke Russia for weaponizing food supply The Kremlin press secretarys comments came amid remarks by officials from the West that denounced Russia for purportedly weaponizing the global food supply. On May 19, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken accused Russia of holding food supplies hostage for Ukrainians and other people around the globe. He added that the decision to weaponize food is Moscows and Moscows alone. The food supply for millions of Ukrainians, and millions more around the world, has quite literally been held hostage. The Russian government seems to think that using food as a weapon will help accomplish what its invasion has not: to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev hit back at Blinken. Things dont work like that; we are not idiots. We have all the opportunities to ensure there is food in other countries so that there are no crises. Just dont prevent us from working, he wrote on the Telegram messaging app. Everything turns out to be illogical. On the one hand, crazy sanctions are introduced while on the other hand, there are demands to supply food, added the former Russian president. A day after Peskov gave his remarks, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen rebuked Russia for its actions against Ukraine, citing allegations of Moscow deliberately bombing grain silos in the country. 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, she said on May 24 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was in contact with multiple parties to restore grain exports from Ukraine. He had been talking with Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union with a view to alleviating the worsening global food crisis. Watch this Russia Today report about the wider repercussions of the Wests sanctions on Russia. This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Russia warns Western firms supporting sanctions that they could face asset seizures, arrests. Russian sanctions and oil embargoes to cause worlds biggest oil supply crisis by next month. IMF official warns Western sanctions on Russia are threatening the dollar as worlds reserve currency. Business and investing podcaster M.C. Laubscher: Entire world will suffer because of sanctions on Russia. Biden casually tells Americans that food shortages are going to be real as a necessary price of his anti-Russia sanctions. Sources include: Reuters.com AA.com.tr Business-Standard.com English.Ahram.org.eg Brighteon.com (Natural News) The NBC News tool we wrote about last week, Brandy Zadrozny, is now the standard of comparison for vaxx zealots on this blog. This person, who is also a pedophile supporter, tells the vaxx zealot populace at-large how and what to think, how to deny reality, and how to deny indisputable truth. (Article republished from TheCOVIDBlog.com) For example, this blogger spoke with Zadrozny about Pfizer board member James C. Smith. He was the President and CEO of Thomson Reuters until 2020. Smith is also currently the Chairman of the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Thus all Reuters fact-check articles are inherently biased misinformation due to the blatant conflicts of interest with Pfizer. Zadrozny said this fact is irrelevant because Thomson Reuters, the Reuters Foundation, and Reuters are all independent of one another. She was shown the bottom of the Reuters Fact Check page that clearly states Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters. Vaxx zealot modus operandi is then to dismiss the indisputable truth as conspiracy theory and misinformation, followed by ad hominem attacks aimed at the truth messenger. The following headline is from a Vice News article published on February 28, 2020. The story mocks anti-vaxxers and their conspiracy theory about forthcoming vaccine mandates. About 21 months later, in November 2021, risk management firm Willis Towers Watson published a survey. It found that 57% of employers already had COVID vaccine mandates or planned to implement them in the near future. Four months ago, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a preliminary injunction, halting the Joe Biden mRNA vaccine mandate for employers with 100-plus workers. The term conspiracy theory in 2022 is synonymous with truth and/or accurately predicting the truth. U.S. government and mainstream media are incredibly predictable. But a majority of Americans refuse to accept the fact everything in this world is orchestrated by government, mainstream media and corporations. Tribal loyalty is more important than truth in 2022, despite the two tribes being owned and operated by the same nefarious factions. The Washington Post published an article last week showing how Fox News host Tucker Carlson has been close friends with Hunter Biden for decades. Donald Trump has given upwards of $250,000 to the Clinton Foundation through 2020, including $100,000 in 2009 alone. But in 2022, truth to 70-plus percent of Americans is whatever their tribal leaders tell them. And now with so-called COVID-19, the most powerful human psychological operation in history, millions will die or be maimed as a result of government and mainstream media propaganda. Pregnant women not included in mRNA, viral vector DNA vaccine clinical trials The Zadrozny disinformation podcast featured an interview with Mrs. Amanda Makulec. We wrote about Ms. Makulec and her infant son who died on September 26, 2021, just 85 days after birth. Ms. Makulec bragged incessantly about the injections being safe for everyone. She was particularly vocal about sharing [my] immune protections via the injections while pregnant and subsequent vaxxed breast milk. Ms. Makulec complained to Zadrozny about this blogger using her story to spread misinformation, particularly regarding safety and efficacy with pregnant and breastfeeding women. The New York Times even gave Ms. Makulec a platform to continue encouraging pregnant and breastfeeding women to receive the injections. Granted critical thinkers who have followed this blog from the beginning know that pregnant and breastfeeding women were excluded from all Pfizer Phase III clinical trials. We published this information on May 7, 2021 via Pfizers own documents. Also by that time, wed already covered several stories of pregnant women having spontaneous abortions and stillborn babies days and weeks after the injections. There was even a March 2021 paper published in the peer-reviewed European Heart Journal that confirmed breastfeeding and pregnant women were excluded from Phase III trials for all of the injections. Now we have even more confirmation after Pfizer released 80,000 more pages of clinical trial data on May 1. Continue reading at: TheCOVIDBlog.com (Natural News) There are those in the U.S. deep state who are champing at the bit to go to war with Russia, but because they know that the vast majority of Americans oppose that lunacy, they are looking for other ways to fight Moscow by proxy. That has largely come in the form of providing tens of billions of dollars worth of aid and weaponry to Kyiv, even at the risk of reducing our own military war stocks to dangerously low levels. Now, according to a new report, the Pentagon appears to have drawn up plans to sink the entire Russian navys Black Sea Fleet, an escalation that would no doubt draw a nasty response from President Vladimir Putin. According to Antiwar.com: Shortly after Reuters published an exclusive story that the White House was looking to move advanced anti-ship missiles to Ukraine, an official in Kiev said that the US is making a plan to sink Russias Black Sea Fleet. Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs adviser Anton Gerashchenko wrote in a now-deleted tweet, The US is preparing a plan to destroy the [Russian] Black Sea Fleet. The effective work of the Ukrainians on [Russian] warships convinced [the US] to prepare a plan to unblock the [Ukrainian] ports. Deliveries of powerful anti-ship weapons are being discussed. Gerashchenko cited the Reuters report on Washingtons effort to ship Harpoon and Naval Strike Missiles to Ukraine. The missiles have a range of up to 300 km and cost $1.5 million each. A trio of U.S. officials, as well as two congressional sources, told Reuters that the White House was continuing to work out details of how to get more advanced weapons to Ukraine, even as Russia has been targeting NATO supply lines into Ukraine. Due to logistical issues and the potential for the U.S. having to remove a launcher from one of the U.S. Navys warships, there are obstacles standing in the way of the transfer at the moment. So in other words, Bozo Biden and his handlers are dismantling a portion of our own fleet to provide Ukraine with a weapon system Russian forces are sure to target and destroy once it is used. Perfect. In response to a question from Newsweek, a State Department spokesperson would not rule out that the Pentagon was working on a plan to destroy the Black Sea Fleet. As the conflict is changing, so too is our military assistance to deliver the critical capabilities Ukraine needs for todays fight as Russias forces engage in a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine, a spokesperson noted. As is normal for this administration, however, not long after someone from the Department of Defense issued a strong rebuke of any notion that the regime was planning to take out Russian warships. I can tell you definitively that thats not true, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters late last week, though the denial only pertained to the Ukrainian officials assertion about getting help from the U.S. to attack the Russian fleet. Kirby did not, notably, deny the proposed transfer of anti-ship weapons, which, if it takes place, is akin to Washington taking out the Russian fleetby proxy. And rest assured, Vladimir Putin knows the distinction; he wont sit back and allow the U.S. government to take part in destroying hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Russian state property. Gerashchenko said the attack would help to open up Ukraines ports. Russia currently controls the Black Sea and maintains a blockade, Antiwar.com reported. The UN has called for an easing of restrictions in the sea to allow food exports from Ukraine to help alleviate global food shortages, the site added. Earlier this week, NATO announced that it would not be sending allied warships into the Black Sea, which appears to be a deescalation for now. But providing anti-ship missiles to Ukraine still appears to be on the table. Sources include: AntiWar.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A small victory has been won in the fight against the World Health Organizations (WHO) highly oppressive International Health Treaty (IHR). Reports indicate that 12 of the 13 amendments to the treaty submitted by the Biden regime at the recent World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva have been scrapped though this does not mean that they will not make a comeback at a future date. At least for now, the amendments are on hold because IHRs Working Group for Pandemic Response (WGPR) was unable to reach a consensus on the amendments and thus removed them from consideration. On his Substack, independent journalist James Roguski, who monitored the meetings, wrote that this is a crucial step in the fight against the WHOs all-encompassing proposal. He is also still urging everyone to contact their legislators to oppose it. Roguski reported that in addition to the public inundating the WHO and their representatives with objections to transferring national sovereignty to the global elites, the removal of a dozen amendments came through legal action filed in the U.K. by a physician, Zac Cox, writes Veronika Kyrylenko for The New American. Cox filed an appeal last Friday after his May 17 request for judicial review of the amendments was rejected. The court notified the physician that his appeal was without merit since the IHRs Working Group for Pandemic Response (WGPR) was unable to reach a consensus on the amendments and removed them from consideration. The one IHR amendment that remains is the one the Biden regime really, really wants, says Roguski Nobody seems to know for sure yet what transpired to lead to this outcome, but Roguski suspects that it could have something to do with the fact that WHO operates behind closed doors, and only now did member nations realize the full details of its agenda once the amendments were proposed. Maybe some of the members of the WGPR actually read the amendments, comprehended them and had the same reaction that I did, Roguski writes. Maybe Brazil, some African nations or other stakeholders read the amendments and realized what the hell was going on A good percentage of the members of the WGPR opposed the amendments Maybe, just maybe, People Power reared its powerful head, shined a very powerful light on the amendments, which were expected to be considered in darkness. There is only one pending amendment that remains, and according to Roguski this is the one that they [the Biden regime] really, really want. This is why Americans need to really get involved in the process of shooting it down or as Roguski puts it, to deliver a knockout punch. In an interview with War Rooms Steve Bannon, Roguski opined about how the WHO will never give up in its quest to take over every aspect of global health at the individual level. The United Nations arm wants full control of everyones bodies, and so does the Biden regime. They will keep trying to do this again in the future, Roguski explained. Weve got to stay vigilant. The last remaining amendment, by the way, would change Article 51 of the IHR to change the amount of time to reject amendments from 18 months to just six months. The U.S. technically ratified the IHR back in 2005, but these latest amendments really expand its reach. And all of them were released publicly with almost zero media coverage, suggesting that the plan was to covertly enact them with little or no fanfare. The New Americans Kyrylenko explains more about all this in his article. The latest news coverage about the WHOs encroachment on national sovereignty can be found at Tyranny.news. Sources for this article include: TheNewAmerican.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed House Bill (HB) 2086 into law on May 20, effectively banning mandatory Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for K-12 students in the state. Under HB 2086, immunization against HPV and COVID-19 including the different variants of the latter are no longer required before students can attend in-person learning. The Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) is in charge of drafting the rules for students mandatory vaccines. HB 2086 also mandated that the DHS must also include a recognition of immunity from the two diseases. Students with a medical contraindication to vaccines are exempted from the requirement. The same exemption also applies to students whose parents object to vaccination on grounds of religious or personal belief. As per the bills text, it does not preclude a parents right to make health care decisions for the parents minor child. According to local Phoenix channel FOX 10, HB 2086 supersedes an earlier bill passed in 2021 that banned mandatory vaccination using vaccines that only have emergency use authorization. Following Duceys signature, HB 2086 will take effect 90 days after the Arizona Legislature adjourns its session for this year. (Related: Arizona governor bans state and local governments from requiring vaccine passports.) Ducey, a Republican, also signed into law HB 2453. The bill prohibited governmental entities defined the state and any political subdivision of the state, including the judiciary, that receives and uses state tax revenues from imposing mask mandates anywhere on their premises. Only those with workplace safety and infection control measures introduced before the COVID-19 pandemic can require face coverings. Critics of the measures are claiming that the mandates repealed by the two bills are critical in keeping COVID-19 at bay when another surge strikes. Florida signed vaccine ban a year earlier A year before Ducey signed HB 2086, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a similar measure into law. The leader of the Sunshine State signed Senate Bill (SB) 2006 back in May 2021, which prohibits schools, businesses and government entities across Florida from mandating COVID-19 vaccine passports. This essentially equates to a ban on mandatory vaccination in schools as the passports prove that students got injected with the shot. SB 2006 took effect on July 1 of the same year. DeSantis defended his decision to sign SB 2006 into law, saying: The legislation creates a default legal presumption that during any emergency, our businesses should be free from government mandates to close, and our schools should remain open for in-person instruction for our children. The move followed an April 2 executive order issued by DeSantis that blocks COVID-19 passports. With SB 2006 being signed into law and taking effect, the executive order now becomes permanent. Aside from outlawing vaccine passports, SB 2006 also ensures that both the state and local governments would be prohibited from banning students from attending in-person classes unless there are hurricane emergencies. The bill also limits local emergency orders to a maximum of seven days, and allows the governor to invalidate a local emergency order if it unnecessarily infringes on individual rights or liberties. In Florida, your personal choice regarding vaccinations will be protected. We wanted people to be happy living [here]. It was the road less traveled at the time, said DeSantis. Watch Jefferey Jaxen and Del Bigtree talking about Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey dropping COVID-19 mandates below. This video is from The HighWire with Del Bigtree channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Florida lawmakers pass bill banning vaccine passports in the state. Arizona attorney general alarmed by Bidens door-to-door vaccination push. Florida governor bans vaccine passports, as they create TWO CLASSES of citizens. Arizona AG rules Tucsons COVID-19 vaccine mandate targeting city employees is ILLEGAL. Arizonas largest health system announces vaccine mandate; move to affect over 52,000 workers. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com AZLeg.gov 1 FOX10Phoenix.com AZLeg.gov 2 GovTech.com FLGov.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) For The Right Side host Doug Billings, the Democratic Party is no more. Theres not the slightest hint of what it used to be and what it used to represent. Ive told this many times on this program, the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of John F. Kennedy, of Bill Clinton; the Democratic Party of Barack Obama is dead, especially in the elected class in the United States. It has been replaced by the Communist Socialist Party taking the first part of communism, last part of socialism [the] Communist Socialist Party of America. And they are no longer an American political party, Billings said during the May 24 episode of his program on Brighteon.TV. You can count on it. You can believe it. They have stolen control of our government. They buy, of course. They buy fraudulent elections not only [through] electoral systems, but through voter ID and registration rules, etcetera. The host of one of the most popular conservative and social commentary programs in America stated that the Democratic Party, which was once the stalwart and strong champion of blue-collar workers in the country, has rebranded itself over the last couple of years after Obama called for the need to fundamentally transform America. (Related: The Democratic party has become radicalized into the party of communism, violence and anti-America.) When the Democrats talk about fundamentally changing America or grabbing power and seizing control, they were not kidding, Billings said. He added that there are no more Democrats because they are all commie socialists who are doing everything in their power to expedite the fundamental transformation of America that Obama has called for. The Brighteon.TV host pointed out that the Democratic Party has now become all about chaos, and they want to accelerate and expedite the transformation of America away from the principles of the Divine Providence of God and the Divine-inspired founding documents of the United States. Billings said the policies, procedures and philosophies of the Communist Socialist Party have now taken over the elected class in America and they have completely hijacked the Democratic Party. They have destroyed with purpose and chaos the livelihood, career and family of the American people, he said. The Communist Socialist Party wants to destroy America The podcaster and author said the Communist Socialist Party wants to fundamentally destroy America and rebuild it in a commie socialist image. He noted that the communist socialist people or democratic people are genuinely unhappy people, unlike conservatives who are very happy people in general and better looking not in terms of physical looks but in demeanor and aura. The Left is unhappy because they are immoral, and it is a coalition of immorality that leaves depression, destruction, death and despair in its wake, he said. According to Billings, the Democratic Party is trying to tear America apart with the woke culture. He mentioned that the white supremacist movement and the Ku Klux Klan all sprang from the liberal mindset of the Democratic Party, which has now morphed into the Communist Socialist Party of America. The conservative commentator said the radical Left wants to censor, disarm and jail Americans who exercise their Second Amendment right and speak out in public in mass numbers against the establishment of the Communist Socialist Party. The woke movement of the Communist Socialist Party has to be stopped now, Billings said. He said Americans are waking up now, and millions are going to vote Republican candidates for the first time in their life because of the nightmare that the commie socialist party has thrust upon them. We are experiencing the great reawakening of the Divine Providence of God. People all across this country that have a D after their name to think theyre a Democrat are thinking to themselves this is not what I signed up for. And theyre gonna go to the voting polls this November. And youre going to see a seismic shift take place, 50 to 60 seats will go to our side, the conservative side, in the House, in Congress and well get five or six in the Senate, Billings said. We are waking up and we are witnessing the greatest example of the divine providence of God, since even the time of the founders, not even the founders witnessed this kind of Great Reawakening. We are there, we are going to be fine. Follow DNC.news for more stories about the Democratic Party. Watch the full May 24 episode of The Right Side below. The The Right Side airs every Tuesday at 7-8 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. More related articles: Marxists and extreme radicals seek to take over the Democratic Party. Elon Musk: Democratic party has been hijacked by extremists. The Democratic Party needs to be destroyed before it destroys the country. Dr. Alan Keyes brands Democratic Party the anti-American party Brighteon.TV. Sources include: Brighteon.com DougBillings.us TheFocus.news (Natural News) If it is getting harder and harder for you to believe much of what you see and hear these days in the news media, were sorry to tell you but that is all intentional. The deep state elites seek to keep all of us unstable, unsure and questioning everything because if we do that, we wont be paying any attention to the fact that those disinformation operations are designed to tighten their grip on power. So the next best thing we can do is expose the liars and disinformation operatives in the media, including Nina Jankowicz, the woman who was supposed to be the first director of the Biden regimes ministry of truth, also known as the Disinformation Governance Board. Jankowicz was exposed by Revolver News as being a disinfo specialist, meaning her job would have been to create and spread disinformation, not root it out and expose it. In fact, her job would have been to identify any factual information that runs counter to the current left-wing narrative and proclaim it disinformation while then leading efforts to censor it. And there is a reason why that new panel was to become part of the Department of Homeland Security: Censoring factual counter-narratives was to be viewed as a threat to domestic security. Its all a lie, and Jankowicz was one of the operatives. Now, Revolver News has exposed another one: It is not yet clear whether Elon Musks increasingly precarious play for Twitter will result in the restoration of free speech in the global public square. Successful or not, Elons brave move has clarified beyond any doubt the Regimes fundamental hostility to free speech and dissent. Judging from the critical reactions from journalists, NGOs and Democrat politicians, youd think the man were attempting to invade Poland rather than remove censorship on a social media platform. Of all the regime scribblers and scribes flooding the internet with glorified blog posts on the awfulness of Elon Musks Twitter bid, a piece by Renee DiResta published in the Atlantic stands out from the rest not because of its force of argument, but because of the largely forgotten scandal behind its author. Like Jankowicz, DiResta has made a career out of spreading disinformation, having worked for a constellation of NATO and State Department-funded NGOs and so-called civil society groups that work to censor facts and information that are inconvenient to the deep state and globalist regimes, all under the guise of protecting the public from disinformation. And like Jankowicz, DiResta is very closely associated with one of the most explosive and aggressively censored influence operations of the century thus far. In her piece on Musk, DiResta couched her defense of censorship with the usual platitudes about the importance of free speech, but when you delve into the crux of her article, she really takes hard aim at the billionaire SpaceX and Tesla founder while claiming that moderation is necessary to minimize bad information during a pandemic and handling a litany of rumors and lies about election theft, among others. What bad information during a pandemic? That masks dont work to stop the spread and the vaccines can be harmful and ineffective. What litany of rumors and lies about election theft? The fact that the deep state literally stole Donald Trumps reelection, as laid out in a February 2021 Time magazine article (a month after Joe Biden was sworn in), and as detailed in the new documentary 2000 Mules. Now, on to DiRestas work as a dark disinfo operative, as Revolver News notes further: Before DiResta was complaining about the threat of Elon Musks free speech absolutism in the pages of the Atlantic, she worked (among other things) as a research director for a cyber security firm called New Knowledge. New Knowledges purpose was to study the spread of disinformation, malign narratives and Russian influence operations. In her capacity as Research Director for New Knowledge, DiResta submitted written testimony to the US Senate drawing attention to the danger of such Russian disinformation and influence operations, including the alleged Russian troll farm Internet Research Agency which every self-respecting disinformation operative knows to puff up as the most malign and consequential political influence operation in modern history. But she failed to convey to the Senate a very important disinformation operation she was involved with. This influence operation was conducted by her own employer, New Knowledge, to influence the outcome of the 2017 Alabama special Senate contest between populist Roy Moore and Doug Jones. The details of the influence operation are even more scandalous. In what even the head of New Knowledge described as a false flag operation, New Knowledge conducted a secret influence operation to make it look like populist candidate Roy Moore was the beneficiary of a secret Russian influence operation! Revolver News reported. Sound familiar? Interestingly, The New York Times reported on the now-forgotten operation: As Russias online election machinations came to light last year, a group of Democratic tech experts decided to try out similarly deceptive tactics in the fiercely contested Alabama Senate race, according to people familiar with the effort and a report on its results. Again, we cant do much to convince readers what to believe when they read in the mainstream media. We all have our sources we do and dont trust. But whenever we can expose the agents of disinformation, that is just as significant. Sources include: Revolver.News NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The medias new obsession over monkeypox could be a planned diversion away from the many adverse effects that are now appearing in people who took Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines. Suddenly the monkey disease is said to be spreading among the LGBT community, and the same type of fearmongering that appeared at the start of the Fauci Flu plandemic is once again being deployed by the government and the media. (Related: Bill Gates and other deep state criminals held a monkeypox simulation event last year that predicted the current outbreaks.) Even though this is hardly the first time that monkeypox has jumped ship from animals to humans, it is all of a sudden a major deal, we are told. Could it be that this is all a coverup or distraction to keep people fixated on the next scare rather than all the health damage being caused by Operation Warp Speed injections? The new evolving hysteria surrounding the alleged emergence of monkeypox in Western nations is not what it appears to be, reports Expose News (UK). We are not witnessing the monkeypox virus run rampant across first world countries for the first time ever. Instead, we are witnessing the latest attempt to advance Draconian biosecurity policies through a monumental coverup of the devastating damage done to the immune systems of people who have had the Covid-19 vaccine. Damage so severe that it can be likened to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Will monkeypox become the next global plandemic? It turns out that monkeypox is really not that big of a deal. It is much less contagious than coronaviruses and not nearly as big of a threat as smallpox, its biological relative. Chances are that very few people will actually catch it, save for those involved in homosexual sexual activity. So why all the ballyhoo about monkeypox and why now specifically? While monkeypox has mostly been restricted to Africa throughout its history of circulation, it did escape the continent and arrive in the United States for the first time in 2003. Since then, there have been a few minor outbreaks. Now we are being told that monkeypox is spreading like wildfire at LGBT festivals in Europe, and the same type of rhetoric used in early 2020 to scare the world about covid is once again being used to scare the world about monkeypox. The main points to take away from this are that the alleged monkeypox disease is extremely rare, has rarely been seen outside of Africa, and has never been recorded in multiple countries outside of Africa at the same time, the Expose explains. So with that being the case, do you not find it strange that we are suddenly being told that cases of monkeypox are now being recorded in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy and Germany, all at the same time? A map of all the places where monkeypox is suddenly an issue reveals that only those areas of the world where Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) jabs were introduced are reporting cases of it. Could it all be a big distraction from the elephant in the room known as Fauci Flu shot adverse events? evidence suggests were not witnessing an outbreak of monkeypox across first-world countries at all, reports indicate. Instead, were witnessing the consequences of the damage that has been caused to immune systems by the Covid-19 injections in the very same first-world countries, and authorities are rushing to cover it up. The longer time goes on, the more we are going to witness vaccine-induced AIDS (VAIDS) manifest in the fully vaccinated. With that said, monkeypox hysteria will likely continue until they move on to the next distraction. The latest news about monkeypox can be found at Outbreak.news. Sources for this article include: Expose-News.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The United Kingdoms National Health Service (NHS) removed all mentions of the word woman from its web pages about ovarian and uterine cancer. The Daily Mail reported that the word woman is now missing from the landing pages of three web pages explaining the three cancers that only occur in biological women. Despite the fact that only women suffer from cancers of the ovary, womb and cervix, the NHS management removed any mention of them in an attempt at politically correct language. The original version of NHS web page for ovarian cancer contained this passage: Ovarian cancer, or cancer of the ovaries, is one of the most common types of cancer in women. Ovarian cancer mainly affects women who have been through menopause, usually over the age of 50, but it can sometimes affect younger women. However, a stealthily-done update in January 2022 dropped the two-sentence passage. It was instead replaced with this line: Anyone with ovaries can get ovarian cancer, but it mostly affects those over 50. The page for womb cancer was also subjected to the same changes. Its original version opened with: Cancer of the womb uterine or endometrial cancer is a common cancer that affects the female reproductive system. Its more common in women who have been through menopause. The opening statement was excised from the site in October 2021, with no mention of women. Cervical cancer develops in a womans cervix the entrance to the womb from the vagina. It mainly affects sexually active women aged between 30 and 45, stated the NHS web page for the condition. However, a subsequent revision removed the aforementioned passage entirely. Interestingly, the latest version of the NHS page for cervical cancer features a diagram of the female reproductive system even though no mention of women is made. The NHS defended its decision to remove the words woman and women in the web pages about the three cancers, saying that it seeks to make the resources as helpful as possible to everyone who needs them. NHS pandering to feelings over biological facts Writing for LifeSiteNews, pro-life activist Jonathon Von Maren criticized the NHS move. These changes are just the latest example of the ongoing colonization of the NHS by the transgender movement, he said. It is impossible for a man to give birth or contract cervical cancer. But none of that matters: Only the feelings of trans activists matter now. Von Maren was not alone in his criticism of the British health systems removal of the word women in its resources. Coventry University professor Jenny Gamble, an expert in midwifery, warned that the change in language risked women missing out on important health information. The trend to avoid using the terms woman and women is unhelpful. It is a well-established principle of communication that the sex of individuals should be made visible when relevant and should not be made visible when not. This ensures that sex-related needs and issues are not overlooked, she told the Mail. It appears the trend to erase any mention of women for fear of offending the transgender sector is not only found across the pond. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drew flak for using the purportedly inclusive term pregnant people instead of pregnant women. (Related: CDC director draws flak for calling on pregnant people to get vaccinated, refusing to admit only WOMEN can be pregnant.) The director of the public health agency used the phrase in a tweet that called for people to get the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. The rise in cases, vaccine hesitancy and the increased risk of severe illness for pregnant people make vaccination against COVID-19 more urgent than ever, her tweet said. Walensky used the supposedly gender-neutral term in a subsequent tweet. Many Twitter users, including two U.S. lawmakers, did not take too kindly to Walenskys use of the term. Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) said the CDCs use of left-wing language makes the American public to lose faith and trust in [its] objectivity. Meanwhile, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said the term pregnant people was erasing women, adding that the recent movement to erase women is disturbing and has made its way into our bureaucracy. Watch this video about CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walenskys call for pregnant people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. This video is from the high impact Flix and more!!! channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: UK hospitals go full woketard by now asking MEN if they are pregnant. UK equality commission: Transgenders CAN BE DENIED access to single-sex spaces. SAY WHAT? Western perversion: British midwives now being taught how to deliver babies through male genitalia. Woke insanity: Hospitals tells women to stop using the term BREASTfeeding because its offensive to transgenders. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com DailyMail.co.uk 1 DailyMail.co.uk 2 Brighteon.com Welcome Guest! You Are Here: (Natural News) World Economic Forum (WEF) founder and Executive Director Klaus Schwab issued a thinly veiled threat toward Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro after the strongman refused to sign the World Health Organizations (WHO) pandemic treaty. Lets also be clear: The future is not just happening. The future is built by us, a powerful community you, here in this room. We have the means to impose this state [of the future] on the world, Schwab said in a video posted on Twitter. The German globalists message came amid remarks made by Bolsonaro on May 15. The strongman leading the Portuguese-speaking nation voiced out Brazils explicit refusal to sign the WHOs pandemic treaty, which grants the global health body overarching powers in the guise of addressing public health issues. (Related: Stunning plan devised by Klaus Schwab, founder of World Economic Forum, to hand globalists control of the world using COVID pandemic.) Brazil will not get into this [pandemic treaty]. Brazil is autonomous and will not get into this, you can forget that. Ive already [spoken] to our foreign relations cabinet and if that proposal goes forward, it wont be with Brazil, said Bolsonaro. Moreover, I was the only statesman that didnt adhere to the lockdown policies. I said we had to take care of the elderly and people with comorbidities, and todays studies outside of Brazil especially show that I was right. He cited the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo as an example of the utter failure of lockdowns to curb the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). Check this out: Which state in Brazil locked [down] itself the most? Sao Paulo. Which state had the most deaths per 100,000 people? Sao Paulo. Thats a sign I was right. Bolsonaro critical of COVID-19 guidance from the WHO This was not the first time the Brazilian president crossed swords with the global health body leading to Schwab castigating the strongman. Back in October 2021, Bolsonaro and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tackled the worlds responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and their bigger repercussions. The two sat down during the G21 Summit that month, held in the Italian capital Rome. The Brazilian leader started the ball rolling by asking if there was prior consideration on the global health bodys part when it implemented lockdowns and other measures. All over the world, there are people who need to work to feed themselves, he pointed out, adding that the economy will collapse if the lockdowns continue. In response, Tedros said he does not see a need for Brazil to lock itself down due to the countrys high COVID-19 vaccination rate. Lockdowns were no longer necessary as long as Brazilians continue wearing face masks and washing their hands properly, he added. Bolsonaro also questioned the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines, claiming many who got the second dose are getting COVID-19. In Brazil, many who got the second dose are dying. But according to Tedros, it was possible for vaccinated people to die if they had comorbidities. The vaccine does not prevent COVID, but it does prevent serious illness and death, he added. Meanwhile, Schwab mentioned two conditions that were necessary to bring about the Great Reset he espouses. These came amid Bolsonaros refusal to work with the WHO to advance the globalist agenda. The first one is that we act all as stakeholders of larger communities instead of serving only our self-interest. Thats what we call stakeholder responsibility. [The] second [condition is] that we collaborate, Schwab said. Watch Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro rejecting the WHOs pandemic treaty below. This video is from the Journaltv channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: WHO director-general shuns vaccine passports, admits shots do not prevent COVID. Brazils Bolsonaro unchained: If you accept this vaccination passport it will lead to population control. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for the Wuhan coronavirus tells supporters he is well and fine. Facebook, YouTube censor Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for pointing out that covid vaccines destroy immune function Sources include: BlacklistedNews.com Twitter.com WeLoveTrump.com LifeSiteNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) David Beasley, executive director of the United Nations (UN) World Food Program (WFP), recently said that the global food crisis has gotten so bad that the WFP has had no choice but to take food aid from countries with already limited resources to provide for those that are on the brink of famine. Beasley made these remarks at a meeting with the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, following a two-day visit to Yemen, which is currently spiraling into a catastrophe that the WFPs own resources are unable to deal with as funding dries up. We have no choice but to take food from the hungry to feed the starving and, unless we receive immediate funding, in a few weeks we risk not even being able to feed the starving, said Beasley. This will be hell on earth. The WFP, like the rest of the UN and the Western world, has pinned the recent food crisis to the ongoing war in Ukraine. If it continues, the WFP warns that fuel and food prices will continue increasing, especially grains. (Related: American ambassador to the UN: Global food crisis has reached highest level of alarm because of Russia.) In Yemen, food prices have more than doubled over the past year alone, thanks in part to the ongoing civil war. The WFP provides monthly food assistance to 13 million people in the country of approximately 30 million. At the beginning of the year, the WFP was forced to halve food rations for eight million people due to a lack of funding. The other five million have continued to receive full food rations due to their immediate risk of slipping into famine conditions. Yemen has come full circle since 2018 when we had to fight our way back from the brink of famine but the risk today is more real than ever, said Beasley. And just when you think it cant get any worse, the world wakes up to a conflict in Ukraine that is likely to cause economic deterioration around the world, especially for countries like Yemen, dependent on wheat imports from Ukraine and Russia. Prices will go up compounding an already terrible situation. WFP calls for Black Sea blockade to end Beasley has repeated the call of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy to end its blockade of Ukrainian ports. He urged for a political situation to allow Ukraine to continue exporting its agricultural products. If the blockade doesnt end, Beasley warned that this will further threaten global food security and will result in famine, [the] destabilization of nations as well as mass migration by necessity. He made these remarks during a debate at the UN Security Council, where he urged world leaders to take action immediately to reopen Ukrainian ports. Truly, failure to open those ports in Odesa region will be a declaration of war on global food security, he said. When a mother has to choose between freezing her child or starving her child to death, somethings wrong. Especially when theres so much wealth on the planet today over $430 trillion worth. During his speech, Beasley noted that Ukraines grain silos are full. Why are the silos full? Because the ports are not operating. It is absolutely essential that we allow these ports to open because this is not just about Ukraine, this is about the poorest of the poor around the world who are on the brink of starvation as we speak, he continued. According to the UNs data, there are currently 811 million chronically hungry people in the world. A record high of 276 million people are on the brink of starvation. This is a massive increase from the 135 million people on the brink of starving pre-Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Of these, nearly 49 million people in 43 countries are right on the edge of famine, said Beasley. The WFP director went on to warn countries against enacting protectionist policies which prevent other nations from benefiting from open food trade, as this is resulting in rapidly depleting global food supplies and skyrocketing food prices. Food pricing is our number one problem right now, as a result of all this perfect storm for 2022, he said. But by 2023, it very well will be a food availability problem. When a country like Ukraine that grows enough food for 400 million people is out of the market, it creates market volatility, which we are now seeing. Learn more about the deteriorating global food situation at FoodCollapse.com. Watch this special exclusive report from InfoWars as host Harrison Hill Smith talks about how the United Nations and the World Economic Forum are responsible for triggering the worldwide collapse of food supplies. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Conditions worse than Arab Spring coming to a city near you, warns UN food head amid worsening inflation. Corn, soybean, wheat, oat planting in the US now far behind their five-year averages. Ukraine reports two-thirds decrease in grain exports while global wheat prices skyrocket. Bank of England governor warns of coming apocalyptic global food shortage. Global hunger crisis on the horizon as US, Britain, Australia, others deliberately demolish their own food production. Sources include: SHTFPlan.com ZeroHedge.com WFP.org ReliefWeb.int Brighteon.com (Natural News) Its now 100% clear that the Uvalde mass shooting was a stand down operation, meaning law enforcement was deliberately ordered to stand down so that the massacre could take place. The goal? Gun control, of course. Uvalde police stood outside school while parents urged them to go inside during shooting, declares the title of an article from ThePostMillennial.com: Go in there! Go in there! Women shouted at officers as the officers stood there and did not go into the school to intervene and prevent the carnage, according to the AP. The gunman was barricaded in a classroom for 40 minutes, where he murdered 19 children and 2 teachers. A father who lost a daughter in the massacre raised the idea of charging in themselves, without weapons, while the police stood idly by. Lets just rush in because the cops arent doing anything like they are supposed to, Javier Cazares said. More could have been done. His daughter Jacklyn Cazares was killed inside. When he heard about the shooting, he raced to the school only to find officers standing outside. We also have a story from the left-wing media outlet MSN, declaring, Uvalde Police Officer Admits Cops Saved Their Own Kids From Robb Elementary Before Stopping Shooter: A police officer admitted that the police went inside the school to save their children first rather than stop the shooter. The officer said, There [were] some police officers families trying to get their kids out of school because it was an active shooter situation. The officer continued to talk about the situation while trying to justify the officers that went in to save their children initially. Video shows devastated parents pleading with officers to enter the school as the cries and screams of the children could be heard inside. So wait the same cops who tackled parents, pepper-sprayed one dad and tackled other parents to prevent them from going in were, themselves, rushing in just to save their own kids? Is this what law enforcement has become now? Even in Texas? They could have been shot! One of the most frustrating developments in all this is the fact that Texas DPS spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez said in an interview with CNN that officers couldnt continue to pursue the suspect immediately because, they could have been shot. This has been reported by The Epoch Times: A Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) official has said officers could have been shot if they engaged the gunman holed up with his victims in a classroom at Robb Elementary School before a specialist tactical team arrived. They are hearing gunshots. They are receiving gunshots. At that point, if they proceeded any further not knowing where the suspect was at, they couldve been shot, they couldve been killed, and at that point, that gunman would have had an opportunity to kill other people inside that school. By this standard, then, all firefighters should just stand back and watch buildings burn down, because if they try to fight the fire, They could have been burned. And I suppose all military soldiers should refuse to fight on the battlefield because if they enter they battlefield, They could have received artillery fire. You get the point. This is insane. In todays podcast, I demand that cops who arent willing to pursue active shooters should turn in their badges and stop pretending to be cops. If you arent willing to put your life on the line when it counts, youre no cop to begin with. Brighteon.com/5d002cab-fe16-4d49-ad2e-bf9d5d9a7169 Discover more information-packaged podcasts each day, along with special reports, interviews and emergency updates, at: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/HRreport 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 According to forecasters, this year's hurricane season is hectic. For the second year in a row, a natural phenomenon called La Nina will significantly impact winter weather patterns. Hurricane Season Incoming The official prognosis for the hurricane season, which runs from June to November, has been issued by scientists from NOAA, the US weather agency. It supports projections from Colorado State University and the Met Office in the United Kingdom. Australia proclaims the start of the La Nina phenomena. This points to an unusually high number of named storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes. The 2022 hurricane season is expected to be the eighth straight above-average hurricane season. Also Read: Extreme Heat Waves Can Cause More Power Outages Inevitable Hurricanes According to Colorado State University forecasters, at least one significant hurricane (category three or higher) is expected to impact the continental US coast. A 53 percent likelihood is the long-term average. Forecasts are based on various factors, but the El Nino Southern Oscillation is one of the most crucial (ENSO). This is a naturally occurring weather pattern in the eastern Pacific that has global consequences for the weather. Compared to Average Temperatures A warmer-than-average El Nino, cooler-than-average La Nina, and a neutral phase refer to trade winds and sea surface temperature changes in this region. Because La Nina lowers wind shear - the abrupt shift in wind speed and/or direction - high in the sky, tropical storms may form more easily. Warmer than average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds, and an accelerated west African monsoon, according to NOAA forecasts, contribute to the heightened activity. The previous two winters have had La Nina, a double-dip in the meteorological profession. This has only happened eight times since records began in 1950. According to NOAA and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology projections, La Nina has a roughly 60% chance of continuing or becoming somewhat neutral during the hurricane season. Some computer models even predict a neutral or La Nina-like climate during the northern hemisphere winter, an extremely uncommon 'triple-dip.' This has only happened twice in the history of records. It will affect the hurricane season in 2023, and the effects of La Nina on other weather patterns throughout the planet will have far-reaching ramifications. La Nina has had a big role in this year's severe floods in eastern Australia and the severity of California's prolonged drought. While a triple-dip La Nina appears to be a possibility, the accuracy of ENSO projections in the Spring is debatable. Thus it is far from guaranteed. With another busy season on the way, many people wonder if climate change is to blame. Because the naturally occurring El Nino Southern Oscillation pattern is the major driving factor for tropical storm and hurricane development, experts believe climate change is unlikely to have a role in an increase in storms. Fuel for Storms Warmer than usual sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic and Caribbean, on the other hand, might influence storm development. More fuel is available for a storm to grow and strengthen quickly as the waters warm. According to the IPCC, there is "high confidence" that the fraction of intense tropical storms will increase as global warming continues. Related Article: Exposure to Major Disasters Can Cause Long-Term Mental Health Problems For more climate and weather updates, don't forget to follow Nature World News! Fossilized remains of a huge reptile have been unearthed in Argentina, Mail Online reports. The creature, which lived alongside the dinosaurs some 86 million years ago, has been dubbed the "Dragon of Death." With a length of about 9 meters, it is the largest pterosaur discovered in South America, and one of the largest known flying vertebrates. Researchers say the "beast" was likely a fearsome sight as it chased its prey out of the prehistoric sky. It is estimated that this fearsome species lived for at least 20 million years before an asteroid impact on what is now Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula 66 million years ago wiped out about three-quarters of life on the planet. Thanatosdrakon amaru A team of paleontologists discovered the fossils of the newly discovered Thanatosdrakon amaru in the Andes Mountains in Argentina's western Mendoza province. Leonardo Ortiz, the project's leader, said the fossil's never-before-seen features necessitated a new genus and species name, the latter composed of the ancient Greek words for death (thanatos) and dragon (drakon). Ortiz, who is from the National University of Cuyo in Mendoza, said that it seemed appropriate to name as the dragon of death. The gargantuan reptile was as long as a yellow school bus and had an estimated wingspan of about 30 feet (9 meters). About 40 bones and fragments were excavated by the paleontology team. 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 in the world. The researchers found that the rocks where the reptile's remains were found dated back 86 million years to the Cretaceous period, which lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago. Ortiz said that there are no current record of a close relative with even a similar body modification to these animals. The researchers wrote in their paper that Thanatosdrakon is the largest pterosaur to cross the Cretaceous skies of South America discovered to date. They said the discovery will allow scientists to expand knowledge of the anatomy of this diverse group of pterosaurs. Ortiz's study was published in the journal Cretaceous Research with co-authors Bernardo J. Gonzalez Riga and Alexander W. A. Kellner. Read also: Post-Dinosaur World: Prehistoric Mammals Use Muscles First Before Their Brains to Survive Pterosaurs Pterosaurs were flying reptiles that lived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, which were neither birds nor bats, but reptiles that ruled the skies during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Scientists have long debated where to place pterosaurs in the evolutionary family tree. The prevailing theory today is that pterosaurs, dinosaurs, and crocodiles are closely related and belong to a group known as archosaurs, but this is still unconfirmed. Pterosaurs evolved into dozens of species. Some were as large as an F-16 fighter jet, others as small as a sparrow. They were the first animals after insects to evolve powered flight - not just jumping or gliding, but flapping wings to generate lift and move through the air. Pterosaurs had hollow bones, large brains with well-developed optic lobes, and several crests on their bones where the flight muscles are attached. Related article: New Pterosaur Dinosaur Fossil Discovered on the Isle of Skye, Scotland A 2.6-magnitude mild earthquake struck the region outside Knoxville, Tennessee during the night, Weatherboy reports. According to the USGS, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 9 km from the town of Garland in the eastern part of the state. This event is the strongest earthquake recorded in Tennessee this month. In the past week, the state has been hit by three earthquakes: a magnitude 2.1 quake near Ridgely and a magnitude 2.0 and 1.6 quakes near Tiptonville. Earthquakes have also been felt near the state of Missouri, Georgia, and Arkansas in the past couple of weeks. While these earthquakes are mild and scattered across Tennessee, scientists are advising people to prepare in case something much stronger occurs. While many people associate earthquakes with the western states rather than Tennessee, one of the strongest earthquakes in the United States occurred not far away. And scientists are concerned that residents of this region are not properly prepared for the next major earthquake to hit the area. New Madrid Seismic Zone On December 16, 1811, at about 2:15 a.m., an 8.1 magnitude earthquake rocked northeast Arkansas in what is now known as the New Madrid seismic zone. The quake was felt throughout much of the eastern United States and jolted people out of bed in places like New York City, Washington, DC, and Charleston, SC. In areas that were particularly hard hit by the earthquake, such as Nashville, TN, and Louisville, KY, the ground shook for an incredibly long time, running from 1 to 3 minutes. Ground motions were so violent near the epicenter that liquefaction of the ground was observed, with soil and water being thrown several feet into the air. President James Madison and his wife Dolly felt the quake in the White House. Tremors were felt across Boston where church bells rang. From December 16, 1811, to March 1812, more than 2,000 earthquakes were reported in the Midwest, including 6,000-10,000 earthquakes located in the "Bootheel" where the New Madrid seismic zone is located. The second main shaking, a magnitude 7.8, occurred weeks later on January 23, 1812, in Missouri. The third, a magnitude 8.8, occurred on February 7, 1812, along the Reelfoot fault in Missouri and Tennessee. The main earthquakes and the violent aftershocks caused considerable damage and claimed some lives. However, the lack of scientific tools and the poor news coverage of the time were unable to capture the full extent of the events. Earthquake Lights In addition to the tremors, the earthquakes were also responsible for triggering unusual natural phenomena in the area, which include earthquake lights, seismically heated water, and earthquake smog. Residents in the Mississippi Valley reported seeing lights flashing from the ground. Scientists believe this phenomenon is "seismoluminescence", which is light produced when quartz crystals in the ground are compressed. The "earthquake lights" were triggered during the main earthquakes and strong aftershocks. The water is thrown into the air from the ground, and the nearby Mississippi River was also unusually warm. Scientists speculate that the strong vibrations and resulting friction caused the water to heat up. Other scientists believe that the light emitted by the quartz crystals as they were squeezed, also contributed to the heating of the water. Read also: A 5.5 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Area Near the Fukushima Disaster Site During the strong quakes, the sky darkened so much that residents claimed the lights did not illuminate the area; they also said the air smelled bad and was difficult to breathe. Scientists suspect that this "earthquake smog" was caused by dust particles rising from the surface and combining with the eruption of warm water molecules in the cold winter air. The result was a steaming, dusty cloud that enveloped the areas affected by the quake. The area remains seismically active, and scientists believe the region will be hit again by a strong earthquake sometime in the future. Unfortunately, science is not yet mature enough to say whether this threat will occur as early as next week or as late as 50 years from now. Either way, because the population of the New Madrid Seismic Zone is huge compared to the sparsely populated area in the early 1800s, and millions more people live in an area that will be affected by strong ground shaking, there could be a significant loss of life and property if another major quake occurs. Related article: Experts are Studying the "Biggest Earthquake in Human History" A 12-meter humpback whale gestured its thanks to a group of Spanish divers who rescued it from a drift net. According to Newsbreak, one of the divers described the encounter as an incredible experience. The ship spotted the humpback whale three miles off the east coast of Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, where sightings of such whales are rare and have only been reported twice before. For Gigi Torras, a 32-year-old marine biologist, the whale's grateful response is the best birthday present. Torras was part of a rescue group. Torras told Reuters news agency about the experience and said it was an extraordinary experience for her. The rescue took place on May 20. Officials said they discovered the frail whale completely trapped in a red net so that the mammal could not even open its mouth. Staff from Palma de Mallorca's Aquarium swung into action when they learned about the trapped whale. Thank you! In the first rescue attempts, the members of the marine department tried to cut the net from a boat. However, they found that they had to get closer to the whale to make a difference. On May 20, divers from the Albatros and Skualo dive centers were called in. The crew then dove up to the whale to cut the net with knives, concluding the rescue operation after 45 minutes. Torras, the owner of the Albatros Dive Center, reported how crew members saw the humpback whale calm down after an initial period of nervousness. Torras said the whale got a little nervous in the first 10 seconds and bubbles started popping up everywhere. Torras later added that from her perspective, the whale knew Torras and her team were there to help. The whale was able to relax and the dive team began to work from front to back. She added that the team continued to cut the net, after which the mammal wriggled a bit to free itself from the net. The whale, Torras said, then stayed for a while to regain its strength while four divers kept it company. But before it swam away after escaping, the mammal gave something that looked like a sign of thank you. The UN banned drift nets 30 years ago because they pose a major threat to aquatic life. Virtually invisible to marine life, drift nets float on a cork line and reach depths of 50 feet to catch fish. Drift gillnets can also kill a range of marine life, including larger underwater mammals such as whales, seals and dolphins, and seabirds. Read also: Another Humpback Whale 'Unlikely to Survive' After Getting Entangled in Fishing Net Whales Whales are found throughout the world's oceans. This species communicates with complex and mysterious sounds. The blue whale can reach a length of over 100 feet and weigh up to 200 tons, which can be compared to 33 elephants. Whales are warm-blooded animals that breathe air and nurse their young. Bubbler, a thick layer of fat insulates them from the cold seawater. Some whales are known as baleen whales because they have special bristle-like structures in their mouths called baleen that pulls food out of the water. Other whales, such as beluga or sperm whales, do not have baleen but instead have teeth. Related article: Humpback Whales No Longer Endangered Species, But Experts Are Still Worried Temperatures in the UK will feel significantly cooler from Sunday and into next week as the mercury dips to below-average levels - albeit the bright weather is expected to remain for the time being, according to forecasts. The lovely weather will continue for most of the UK today and tomorrow, with highs of 22C (72F) forecast in the South East, before the warmth begins to fade on Saturday, with highs of 18C (64F) - and then 16C (61F) on Sunday. Rainfall and thunderstorms will appear this week Thunderstorms featuring lightning, downpours, and even hail have battered parts of the UK in recent days, as per Express. On Tuesday, hail and lightning rocked London, causing alarms to go off. British Weather Services forecaster Jim Dale cautioned that higher temperatures may be on their way out. When asked about the weather forecast for the Jubilee bank holiday weekend, the meteorologist described it as "on a knife-edge." While the north and Scotland have been cautioned about rain, the Met Office predicted "above-average temperatures" in the south and southeast. As a result, the North Atlantic pressures will bring more days of rain and chilly temperatures to the country. Netweather has released a storm forecast, especially for the country's northern regions. Storms will proceed east across the Shetland Islands towards Norway on Thursday, according to the forecast. Showers and storms will be most common across western and northern Scotland, with the potential of hail, gusty gusts, and isolated floods. Also Read: Heatwave to Hit the UK in April and Climate Change is to Blame: Met Office Forecast Temperatures will plummet this weekend Despite the brightness, weather in London might be considerably colder on Sunday, with just 14C (57F) anticipated well below the average May temperature in England, which is 16C (61F). Looking ahead to next week, highs of 16C (61F) are expected on Monday before gradually rising to roughly 20C (68F) by Wednesday and remaining there for the remainder of the week. This morning saw early bright periods in the south, but also dense clouds bringing rain to Northern Ireland, southern Scotland, and northern England, which will gradually track southwards later and become light and patchy. Saturday will be a lovely, dry, and bright day with long periods of sunshine, but patchy cloud cover may form at times. On Sunday, there will be some sunshine, but clouds will rise in from the east, bringing a possibility of showers. Forecasters said that there is still lots of detail to be determined for next week, with conditions relying on how the highly pressurized system moves in the late weekend and details still relatively unknown. The Met Office predicts a "continuing mixed picture" for next week, with a mix of dry and rainy periods and usually low winds, with temperatures forecast to be "near-average." This weekend will see things quiet down for most of the UK at first said Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Rudman, as per Dailymail. There will be lots of sunlight, and temperatures in the south might reach 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday. Sunday will be colder and cloudier. There's a lot to figure out in the forecast for next week, but early signs point to a mix of sunshine and a few showers, with near-average temperatures for the most part. Related article: UK Consumers Will No Longer Be Able to Buy Free-Range Chicken Eggs Starting Monday Inclement weather will ensue during the Memorial Day weekend, according to United States weather authorities. Late-season snowfall, severe thunderstorms, and extreme heat have been forecasted to occur or continue in several parts of the country in the coming days. Heavy snowfall is expected in the Pacific Northwest and its surrounding areas. Severe storms are possible in the Northern US. Meanwhile, above-average temperatures reaching triple-digit heat will cover the southern and central parts of the US, as well as the Northeast and Eastern US. The said hot weather in the mentioned US regions coincides with the previously forecasted storm system, which navigates the Central US to the East Coast, bringing the risk of heavy rain with flooding, strong winds, and isolated tornadoes. The upcoming multi-faceted adverse weather comes not only before the US summer season but also the Atlantic hurricane season, which spans from June 1 to November 30 each year. Pacific Northwest Snowfall US meteorologists have issued a Memorial Day weekend forecast which will consist of the mentioned weather hazards, potentially disrupting plans for outdoor activities as one might think during the US national holiday, according to CNN. The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Missoula, Montana, reportedly advised the public to set carefully holiday weekend plans due to wet weather conditions. High-altitude snowfall may occur over the northern Rockies as high as more than 8,000 feet. Heavy snow will mostly occur from Sunday to Monday, May 29 to May 30. On Sunday, the NWS Missoula office says snow levels can reach between 5,500 and 6,000 feet. This can yield cooler temperatures and wet conditions for half of the weekend in low-altitude areas across the Northwest US, including from Portland, Oregon to Fargo, North Dakota from Saturday, May 28. Also Read: US Weather Forecast: Coastal Storm to Bring Heavy Rain and Snow in New England Northern US Severe Weather Renewed severe weather will occur in the Northern US, crammed between the cooler west and warmer east. According to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) of the NWS on Thursday, May 26, areas from the central-northern Great Plains into the Upper Midwest will be met by increasing severe storms. The SPC issued a warning for residents living in or near the following areas are at risk: Sioux Falls in South Dakota Omaha in Nebraska Minneapolis in Minnesota Hot Memorial Day Weekend This week's rainfall in some parts of the US will be replaced by hot, sunny weather from Texas to Maine by the end of the weekend due to a "dome of high pressure" from Saturday noon until Monday, according to CNN. Texas will be the worst affected state with temperatures that can reach up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The drought-stricken region, where Texas is also included, has been reported to see dry conditions again with elevated fire weather conditions. The said fire weather threats will continue to aggravate the ongoing wildfires named the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire and the Black fire in New Mexico, which has already burnt a total land area of over 300,000 acres. The New Mexico fire has become the largest wildfire in the history of the state, according to The Washington Post. Related Article: Weather Forecast: National Weather Service Says Severe Thunderstorms are Possible Across the Central US Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), which are frequently derived from salmon nasal cartilage, are an important component of many healthy foods. Scientists are looking for other sources of CSPGs as the popularity of healthy foods grows. The PGs and associated CS formations in the head cartilage of 10 edible bony fishes, including the sturgeons, have now been studied. Their findings hint at numerous new fish that might replace salmon as a source of CSPGs. Fish as a new source of proteoglycans Aggrecan, a significant component of proteoglycan (PG) with chondroitin sulfate (CS) in cartilaginous tissues, has grown in popularity as a health food ingredient, as per ScienceDaily. Indeed, proteoglycans derived from salmon nasal cartilage have biological features such as antiaging, angiogenesis suppression, and inflammatory response attenuation. Only salmon nasal cartilage has been used to make commercially accessible chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans. Although head cartilage has been discovered in other edible bony fishes, nothing is known about the content of core proteins and their CS structures in head cartilage. A group of scientists led by Associate Professor Kyohei Higashi of Tokyo University of Science, as well as Dr. Naoshi Dohmae and Dr. Takehiro Suzuki of the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, has now addressed this question in a new study published in the International Journal of Biology Macromolecules. According to Dr. Higashi, they discovered that the content of PGs and their CS structure in the skulls of Siberian and Russian sturgeons was comparable to that of salmon nasal cartilage. Atsuhi Nakamura of the Miyazaki Prefectural Fisheries Research Institute donated the fish for the study. On March 23, 2022, this study was made accessible online, and on May 31, 2022, it was published in Volume 208 of the journal. The skull cartilage of all the fish analyzed contained a high concentration of CSPGs. The structure of CS obtained from Perciformes was comparable to that of CS produced from terrestrial animal cartilage, according to a comprehensive examination of CS structure in PGs derived from 10 bony fishes. The structure of CS from sturgeon skulls, on the other hand, was comparable to that of CS from salmon nasal cartilage. They also discovered that aggrecan, a significant CSPG in cartilaginous tissue, was preserved in 10 bony fishes. Indeed, the aggrecan protein from the LOC117428125 and LOC117964296 genes discovered in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database was shown to be prevalent in sturgeon skulls. Also Read: Understanding the Risks and Benefits Of Eating Fish Benefits from CSPGs Skin health assistance According to certain studies, chondroitin sulfate supplements can aid with the pain of chronic skin problems. The treatments throughout this study lasted from two and three months. Support for the Bladder Function Some chondroitin sulfate formulations can aid in the maintenance of healthy bladder functioning. Support for bone health Chondroitin sulfate may assist to alleviate the pain caused by bone constriction. This use is frequently coupled with glucosamine hydrochloride. Health and function of the joints Oral chondroitin sulfate supplements can help relieve joint pain, particularly in the knees and hands. They may also be able to control the progression of joint diseases. Osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent symptoms that you may require chondroitin sulfate supplements, particularly if your back or knees are afflicted. This symptom is particularly common in situations of osteoarthritis that are not progressed. People who have bone issues that cause narrower joint spaces may benefit from chondroitin sulfate. Chronic inflammatory diseases affecting the bladder and skin may also indicate that chondroitin sulfate supplements might be beneficial, as per Xtendlife. Related article: Flu Induces Cardiovascular Problems by Invading the Heart Directly According to Scientists Vitamin D has long been thought to suppress the development of type 2 diabetes based on previous research. However, researchers in Japan revealed their results, which showed inconsistence with such a notion, as they have discovered vitamin D supplements have no significant effect when it comes to preventing a person from acquiring type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, with a growing number of people diagnosed with pre-diabetes, a borderline condition between diabetes and non-diabetes. While there is no cure yet for type 2 diabetes, the chronic medical condition involving a faulty insulin balance can be managed through medication and a healthy lifestyle. Type 2 Diabetes Clinical Trial In a new paper published in the journal BMJ on Wednesday, May 25, medical researchers during a clinical trial concluded there is "no clinically meaningful effect" between vitamin D supplements and type 2 diabetes development. The study attempted to assess whether vitamin D known as eldecalcitol can reduce the development of the disease among adults with damaged glucose tolerance. The research design is based on a double-blinded, multicenter, placebo, and randomized controlled trial. The research team gathered their data in three hospitals in Japan between June 2013 and August 2019. The study's participants had an age range of between 30 and 78 years old with impaired glucose tolerance, an elevated blood glucose level, or the infamous prediabetes stage. The study was conducted by researchers from various health and education institutions in Japan, including the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Shin Komonji Hospital, International University Health and Welfare Clinic, National Cancer Center EPOC, Ritsumeikan University, and Radiation Effects Association. Also Read: New Vitamin D Therapy Could Lead To Cure For Cancer And Diabetes Vitamin D Supplements Impact Prior to arriving at their conclusions, the Japan-based researchers enrolled 1,256 Japanese adults from the said hospitals, including 571 (45.5%) women and 742 (59.1%) people who had a family history of type 2 diabetes. The participants were divided into two groups: the vitamin D and placebo groups. The vitamin D group consisted of 630 participants who were administered a daily dose of eldecalcitol. The placebo group consisted of 626 participants who were given a placebo version of the vitamin D supplement. Both groups were assessed every three months over a three-year follow-up period. While the result suggested eldecalcitol did not decrease the incidence of diabetes for the group with pre-diabetes, the researchers suggest that vitamin D supplement still has a potential benefit for people with insufficient insulin secretion. Diabetes and Cases The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates over 37 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, and around 90% to 95% of them are suffering from type 2 diabetes across the United States. The cells of a person with a medical condition do not respond normally to insulin, leading to insulin resistance. Such a condition makes the pancreas produce more insulin for the cells to respond, resulting in high blood sugar and causing damage to the body, leading to other health problems like vision loss, heart disease, and kidney disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 422 million people have diabetes worldwide, the majority of which are living in middle- and low-income countries, with around 1.5 million deaths attributed to the disease each year. Related Article: Sunshine May Slow Onset of Obesity, Diabetes Rabab Fatima. -- File photo. Bangladesh is concerned that the situation in Myanmar continues to remain unsafe for civilians, especially for the ethnic and religious minorities such as Rohingyas, permanent representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations Rabab Fatima has said. While referring to the precarious security situation in Myanmar which is causing a delay in the repatriation of the Rohingyas, she also expressed concern about the denial of access to the UN and other humanitarian agencies in the country. Ambassador Fatima was speaking at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Wednesday. She said that the protection of civilians was an important national priority for Bangladesh, and the country remained committed to all efforts to strengthen it. Convened by the United States delegation as the current president of the Council, the debate focused on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. It discussed possible practical measures that the UNSC can take in the context of denial of humanitarian access, and attacks against humanitarian workers, among others. The Bangladesh ambassador said that the protection of civilians remained a serious challenge in the context of ongoing conflicts, protracted humanitarian crises and growing forced displacement. While humanitarian needs are soaring, access remains a major challenge. Ambassador Fatima mentioned Bangladeshs commitment to the protection of civilians, and the role its peacekeepers play in fulfilling this mandate. Nearly 7,000 peacekeepers from Bangladesh are serving in some of the most challenging missions, providing security at civilian sites, ensuring unhindered humanitarian services, supporting delivery of health and social services, community engagement and empowerment of women and youths, she added. However, the peacekeepers and the humanitarian workers are increasingly becoming targets of attacks, often fueled by misinformation and disinformation. The ambassador suggested that the relevant UN entities developed effective communications strategies to combat this. She also emphasised ensuring that the peacekeeping missions are adequately resourced and equipped to fulfil their POC mandates. Ambassador Fatima also called for increased awareness of compliance with international humanitarian law by all parties to the conflicts. She also stressed the importance of holding the perpetrators accountable for violations of international humanitarian law. Targeting civilians, schools, hospitals, and humanitarian actors cannot be condoned under any pretext. These attacks must be investigated and accounted for. Gautam Chakraborty. -- Collected photo. Lawyer Gautam Chakraborty, a former state minister for water resources and two-time lawmaker, died of cardiac arrest on Friday. He was 68. Gautam, also the Bangladesh Nationalist Partys rural development affairs secretary, breathed his last at about 1:30pm in the Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, said BNP chairpersons media wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son to mourn his death. Sayrul said that Gautam was first taken to Ibne Sina Hospital in Dhanmondi area as he suffered a heart attack, and later shifted to Evercare as his condition worsened. Gautam was the convener of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Kalyan Front. He was elected MP from Tangail-6 (Nagarpur-Delduar) in 1996 and 2001 with BNPs ticket. Meanwhile, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir went to Evercare Hospital after hearing the news of Gautams demise. He talked to the bereaved family members of the BNP leader and consoled them. Later talking to reporters, Fakhrul said that Gautam Chakraborty kept huge contributions to BNP since his involvement with the party. BNP is affected through his departure. I am devastated personally as he was one of my close friends. The void created through his demise will not be easily filled, he observed. Fakhrul said that Gautam worked for the welfare and development of the Hindu community while serving as the state minister of the BNP government. He was a popular leader in his constituency, Tangail. Were deeply saddened at his death, he said. BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and secretary general Mirza Fakhrul expressed deep shock at the death of Gautam. In separate condolence messages, they prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed their profound sympathy to the bereaved family members. The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances said in their latest report that the information Bangladesh conveyed to them on 66 cases of enforced disappearance was insufficient. On February 5, 2022, the [Bangladesh] government transmitted information concerning 66 additional cases, but the information was considered insufficient to clarify them, the Working Group made their conclusion in their latest report, made public on May 22. The report was based on the proceedings of the Working Groups 126th session held between February 7 and 11, 2022. In the observation, the Working Group also appreciated the engagement of the Bangladesh government for the information in relation to many outstanding cases. The report stated that under its urgent procedure, the Working Group sent one case to the government concerning Imam Mahady Hasan, who was allegedly abducted on November 6, 2021 by a group of individuals in plain clothes, presumably affiliated with the Rapid Action Battalion in Phulbaria of Mymensingh. The RAB dismissed the allegation, while his family members said that the last location of his phone was Uttara in the capital. The Working Group also sent another case to Bangladesh concerning Mohammed Omar Farouqe, who was allegedly arrested on February 5, 2014 by eight members of the RAB and the Detective Branch of the police during a raid on his relatives house in Chittagong. The report stated that Bangladesh provided information on January 10, 2022 and February 5, 2022, on the basis of which the Working Group decided to apply the six-month rule to eight cases, concerning Mohammed Mahmud Hasan, Mohammad Altaf Howlader, dismissed army colonel Mohammed Hasinur Rahman, Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman, Mohammad Abdullah al-Faruq, Mohammad Akhter Hossain, Shamim Uddin Prodhan and Mohammad Rafiqul Islam. However, the Working Group requests that the Bangladeshi authorities take decisive steps to initiate the search for disappeared persons or their remains, the report read. The Working Group refers to the guiding principles for the search for disappeared persons, in particular principle 7, which outlines that the search is a continuing obligation, stated the report in this regard. On the allegations of reprisals against relatives of disappeared persons and those acting on their behalf, the Working Group refers to article 13 of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which stipulates that all involved in the investigation, including the complainant, counsel, witnesses and those conducting the investigation, must be protected against ill-treatment, intimidation or reprisal. The report of the 127th session held between May 9 and 13 was yet to be made public, while the Working Group will hold their 128th session between September 19 and 28 this year. On December 7, 2021, the Working Group sent, jointly with other special procedure mechanisms, an allegation letter on the on-going judicial harassment against Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan, who are, respectively, the secretary and the director of the non-governmental human rights organisation Odhikar. LeConte Nix: We have to normalize that going to therapy is great and is needed just like going to a movie or your regular doctors appointment. We all have stuff that we hide mentally or avoid. Now, think about a young adult who only knows how to deal with anger by violence of some sort, because he or she has never been taught how to handle certain situations." A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. 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). 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. Submit Hypomethylating agents (HMA) are currently used as a first-line treatment for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) - a group of disorders where there is insufficient production of healthy mature blood cells in the bone marrow - and increasingly in other diseases, but their mechanism of action remains unclear. One potential risk is that they could potentially activate a sleeping oncogene, although this has not been clearly demonstrated to date. In a recent study, scientists from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore (NUS), working in close collaboration with the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), and the Harvard Medical School (HMS) in Boston have established that HMA can and does activate the oncofetal protein, SALL4. The study, which was also conducted in collaboration with University of Tor Vergata in Rome, Italy, and the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Tianjin, China, was published in scientific journal New England Journal of Medicine on 26 May 2022. Turning on the gene that causes cancer SALL4 is a known oncogene, and expression of SALL4 has been found to contribute to the development of MDS and leukemia. A study conducted by another research group in 2016 had demonstrated that SALL4 activation in a liver cancer cell line was associated with hypomethylation, and Professor Daniel Tenen from CSI Singapore and his team had demonstrated in 2021 that the hepatitis B virus-induced SALL4 demethylation in liver cancer through an RNA mediated mechanism. To examine possible upregulation of oncogenes in patients being treated with hypomethylating agents, Prof Tenen's team collaborated with the other groups to study the association between HMA utilized and SALL4 activation, as well as the implications on survival outcomes. The research team analyzed the bone marrow samples of 68 patients with MDS, taken before and after their HMA treatment. The scientists found that HMA therapy could result in the activation of the SALL4 oncogene, leading to poor survival outcome for patients, even those in complete disease remission. Our findings from this pioneering study show that treatment using hypomethylating agents can activate and upregulate oncogenes, such as SALL4. This suggests the importance of monitoring SALL4 expression levels in patients receiving HMA therapy. While upregulation of SALL4 may likely influence the disease progression and be associated with a poorer diagnosis, it may also provide an opportunity to identify patients for early intervention with a drug targeting SALL4 pathways, thereby improving treatment and patient outcomes." Professor Daniel Tenen from CSI Singapore Early intervention for better results Interestingly, these findings by Prof Tenen's group, working with the BWH and HMS teams, further support another study of theirs in 2021, in which they demonstrated that cancer cells with reactivated SALL4 by hypomethylation were efficiently treated with a drug designed to inhibit a SALL4 downstream pathway. These newly established principles may help alter the treatment paradigm for other cancers and diseases where HMA are being used. Moving forward, the team intends to carry out larger prospective studies to validate these findings and develop low cost but accurate biomarkers kits to monitor SALL4 expression. Through collaborative research across laboratories, the team aims to develop more effective and specific drugs that target SALL4 directly. This week's mass shooting of elementary schoolers in Texas (just 10 days after a racially motivated mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store) has reignited the gun debate in Washington, D.C., and around the country. But the political disagreements over guns and their appropriate role in American society are as insoluble as ever. Meanwhile, Oklahoma becomes the first state to try to ban all abortions, as the nation awaits the Supreme Court's ruling in a case it is expected to use to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. And on Capitol Hill, lawmakers criticize the FDA for its handling of the infant formula shortage, rekindling a debate over whether food should be regulated by a separate agency. This week's panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Rachana Pradhan of KHN. Among the takeaways from this week's episode: Although much of the nation has been riveted by the May 24 shooting in Uvalde, Texas, thousands of Americans are killed each year in gun violence that doesn't make headlines. More than half of those deaths are suicides and many others result from isolated shootings. Despite an epidemic of gun violence, the regulation of guns in the U.S. has declined in the past couple of decades. Not only did the federal assault weapons ban expire, but many states have moved to make guns easier to purchase and own. Since the Columbine High School shooting in Littleton, Colorado, in 1999, an entire generation has come of age with the prospect of violence hitting their schools. The oldest of those people are sending their own children to schools where shooting drills are a fact of life. Texas officials have said that the Uvalde shooting demonstrates a need for more security in schools but that adding metal detectors and more guards do not necessarily make children feel safe, especially in communities where they may have reason to fear the police, too. In a congressional hearing this week, lawmakers blasted the FDA for its slow response to reports that an Abbott infant formula plant in Michigan had extreme contamination problems and its handling of the aftermath when that plant closed and formula became scarce. The issue points up difficulties at the FDA when it was trying to deal with the covid pandemic and was also without a permanent leader. The Biden administration was slow to nominate anyone to head the agency; Dr. Robert Califf didn't take the helm until earlier this year. The infant formula problems have renewed a debate about whether food safety should be placed under the purview of a new, separate agency since the FDA is so busy handling drug and medical device issues. A report out this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that 1 in 5 adults who get covid will develop longer-term problems that can include neurological issues and some organ disorders. The study of long covid, however, has left many questions unanswered, including whether vaccination reduces the number of cases and how long the problems last. The high number of long-covid cases identified in the report suggests that there could be a significant increase in the population of people needing disability services. As the country awaits a decision by the Supreme Court on the future of access to abortion services guaranteed by its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, states continue to enact restrictive laws. Oklahoma's governor this week signed a law that bans abortion from the time of fertilization. Some companies have pledged to help workers travel to get abortion services, but that may run afoul of states' efforts. Texas lawmakers say they want to stop businesses from providing that benefit. Also this week, Rovner interviews Dr. Richard Baron, president and CEO of the American Board of Internal Medicine. Baron co-authored a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine about how the medical community should deal with doctors who spread medical misinformation on social media. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: "Strangerville" podcast's "Episode 203: Jacob," by Jessica and Justin Van Wyen Joanne Kenen: NBC News' podcast "Needle In/Tiffany Dover Is Dead*" by Brandy Zadrozny Anna Edney: ProPublica's "The Plot to Keep Meatpacking Plants Open During COVID-19," by Michael Grabell Rachana Pradhan: The Washington Post's "We're Ignoring a Major Culprit Behind the Teen Mental Health Crisis," by Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright Also discussed on this week's podcast: Vox.com's "The School Shooting Generation Grows Up," by Marin Cogan Stat's "Viruses That Were on Hiatus During Covid Are Back And Behaving in Unexpected Ways," by Helen Branswell The New York Times' "More Than 1 in 5 Adult Covid Survivors in the U.S. May Develop Long Covid, a C.D.C. Study Suggests," by Pam Belluck The Texas Tribune's "Businesses That Help Employees Get Abortions Could Be Next Target of Texas Lawmakers if Roe v Wade Is Overturned," by Zach Despart Last summer, Northwestern University scientists introduced the first-ever transient pacemaker a fully implantable, wireless device that harmlessly dissolves in the body after it's no longer needed. Now, in a study published in the journal Science, they unveil a new, smart version that is integrated into a coordinated network of four soft, flexible, wireless, wearable sensors and control units placed around the upper body. The work was led by Northwestern's John Rogers, PhD, the Louis Simpson and Kimberly Querrey Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering; Igor R. Efimov, PhD, professor at the McCormick School of Engineering; and Rishi Arora, MD, professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology. The sensors communicate with each other to continuously monitor the body's various physiological functions, including body temperature, oxygen levels, respiration, muscle tone, physical activity and the heart's electrical activity. The system then uses algorithms to analyze this combined activity in order to autonomously detect abnormal cardiac rhythms and decide when to pace the heart and at what rate. All this information is streamed to a smartphone or tablet, so physicians can remotely monitor their patients. The new transient pacemaker and sensor/control network can be used in patients who need temporary pacing after cardiac surgery or are waiting for a permanent pacemaker. The pacemaker wirelessly harvests energy from a node within the network a small wireless device that softly adheres to the patient's chest. This technology eliminates the need for external hardware, including wires (or leads). To enable the system to communicate with the patient, the investigators incorporated a small, wearable haptic-feedback device that can be worn anywhere on the body. When the sensors detect an issue (such as low battery power, incorrect device placement or pacemaker malfunction), the haptic device vibrates in specific patterns that alert wearers and inform them of the problem. Insights from the experts "This marks the first time we have paired soft, wearable electronics with transient electronic platforms," Rogers said. "This approach could change the way patients receive care providing multinodal, closed-loop control over essential physiological processes through a wireless network of sensors and stimulators that operates in a manner inspired by the complex, biological feedback loops that control behaviors in living organisms. "For temporary cardiac pacing, the system untethers patients from monitoring and stimulation apparatuses that keep them confined to a hospital setting. Instead, patients could recover in the comfort of their own homes while maintaining the peace of mind that comes with being remotely monitored by their physicians. This also would reduce the cost of health care and free up hospital beds for other patients." "In current settings, temporary pacemakers require a wire that is connected to an external generator that stimulates the heart," Efimov said. "When the heart regains its ability to stimulate itself appropriately, the wire has to be pulled out. As you might imagine, this is a pretty dramatic procedure to pull out a wire connected to the heart. We decided to approach this problem from a different angle. We created a pacemaker that simply dissolves and does not need to be removed. This avoids the dangerous step of pulling out the wire." "Current pacemakers are quite intelligent and respond well to the changing needs of the patients," Arora said. "But the wearable modules do everything traditional pacemakers do and more. A patient basically wears a little patch on their chest and gets real-time feedback to control the pacemaker. Not only is the pacemaker itself bioresorbable, it is controlled by a soft, wearable patch that allows the pacemaker to respond to the usual activities of life without needing implantable sensors." Rogers is also director of the Querrey Simpson Institute for Bioelectronics (QSIB). Efimov is also professor of of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology. Arora is also co-director of the Center for Arrhythmia Research. 'Body-area network' A bioelectronics pioneer, Rogers and his lab have been developing soft, flexible, wireless wearable devices and bioresorbable electronic technologies for nearly two decades. In the new study, Rogers and his collaborators combined and coordinated their bioresorbable, leadless pacemaker with four different skin-interfaced devices to work together. The skin-mounted devices are soft, flexible and can be gently peeled off after use, eliminating the need for surgical removal. The pacemaker naturally dissolves in the body after a period of need. The "body-area network" includes: A battery-free transient, bioresorbable pacemaker to temporarily pace the heart; A cardiac module that sits on the chest to provide power to and control stimulation parameters for the implanted pacemaker as well as sense electrical activity and sounds of the heart; A hemodynamics module that sits on the forehead to sense pulse oximetry, tissue oxygenation and vascular tone; A respiratory module that sits at the base of the throat to monitor coughing and respiratory activity; and A multi-haptic-feedback module that vibrates and pulses in a variety of patterns to communicate with the patient. We wanted to demonstrate that it's possible to deploy multiple different types of devices, each performing essential functions in a wirelessly coordinated manner across the body. Some are sensing. Some are delivering power. Some are stimulating. Some are providing control signals. But they all work together, trading information, making decisions based on algorithms and reacting to changing conditions. The vision of multiple bioelectronic devices all talking to one another and performing different functions at different relevant anatomical locations is a frontier area that we will continue to pursue going into the future." John Rogers, PhD, the Louis Simpson and Kimberly Querrey Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering New advances, on-demand pacing Since Northwestern's transient pacemaker was first introduced a year ago, the scientists have made multiple improvements to advance the technology. While the previous device was flexible, the new device is flexible and stretchy, enabling it to better accommodate the changing nature of a beating heart. The new iteration also uses a biocompatible adhesive developed in Rogers' and Efimov's labs. The adhesive allows the lightweight, thin device to softly laminate onto the heart's surface without needing sutures. Another new benefit: As the transient pacemaker slowly and harmlessly dissolves, it now releases an anti-inflammatory drug to prevent foreign-body reactions. Perhaps the most impactful advance is the device's ability to provide pacing on-demand, based on when the patient needs it. Synced with the pacemaker, the chest-mounted cardiac module records an electrocardiogram in real time to monitor heart activity. In the study, investigators compared this wireless technology to gold-standard electrocardiograms and found it was as accurate and precise as clinical-grade systems. "The cardiac module literally tells the pacemaker to apply stimulus to the heart," Efimov explained. "If normal activity is regained, then it stops pacing. This is important because if you stimulate the heart when it's unnecessary, then you risk inducing arrhythmia." "The pacing system is completely autonomous," said Yeon Sik Choi, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Rogers laboratory and co-lead author of the paper. "It can automatically detect a problem and apply treatment. It's easy and self-contained with minimal external needs." Health care gentle enough for newborns Rogers, Efimov, Arora and their teams believe their system would be most beneficial for the most vulnerable patients. Every year, approximately 40,000 babies are born with a hole in the wall that separates their heart's upper chambers. About 10,000 of these cases are life threatening, requiring immediate surgery. After surgery, 100% of babies receive a temporary pacemaker. "The good news is this is a temporary condition," Efimov said. "After about five to seven days, the heart regains its ability to stimulate itself and no longer needs a pacemaker. The procedure to remove the pacemaker has improved greatly over the years, so the rate of complications is low. But we could free these babies from the wires connecting to an external generator and free them from needing a second procedure." In the early weeks of the pandemic, Dr. Lorenzo Gonzalez, then a second-year resident of family medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, ran on fumes, working as many as 80 hours a week in the ICU. He was constantly petrified that he would catch the covid-19 virus and guilt-ridden for not having enough time to help his ailing father. In April 2020, his father, a retired landscaper, died of heart and lung failure. Gonzalez mourned alone. His job as a doctor-in-training put him at high risk of catching the virus, and he didn't want to inadvertently spread it to his family. Financial stress also set in as he confronted steep burial costs. Now, Gonzalez is calling for better pay and benefits for residents who work grueling schedules at Los Angeles County's public hospitals for what he said amounts to less than $18 an hour while caring for the county's most vulnerable patients. "They're preying on our altruism," Gonzalez said of the hospitals. He is now chief resident of family medicine at Harbor-UCLA and president of the Committee of Interns and Residents, a national union that represents physician trainees and that is part of the Service Employees International Union. "We need acknowledgment of the sacrifices we've made," he said. Residents are newly minted physicians who have finished medical school and must spend three to seven years training at established teaching hospitals before they can practice independently. Under the supervision of a teaching physician, residents examine, diagnose, and treat patients. Some seek additional training in medical specialties as "fellows." These trainees are banding together in California and other states to demand higher wages and better benefits and working conditions amid intensifying burnout during the pandemic. They join nurses, nursing assistants, and other health care workers who are unionizing and threatening to strike as staffing shortages, the rising cost of living, and inconsistent supplies of personal protective equipment and covid vaccines have pushed them to the brink. More than 1,300 unionized residents and other trainees at three L.A. County public hospitals, including Harbor-UCLA, will vote May 30 on whether to strike for a bump in their salaries and housing stipends, after a monthslong negotiation deadlock with the county. Since March, residents at Stanford Health Care, Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, and the University of Vermont Medical Center have unionized. "Residents were always working crazy hours, then the stress of the pandemic hit them really hard," said John August, a director at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The Association of American Medical Colleges, a group that represents teaching hospitals and medical schools, did not address the unionization trend among residents directly, but the organization's chief health care officer, Dr. Janis Orlowski, said through a spokesperson that a residency is a working apprenticeship and that a resident's primary role is to be trained. Residents are paid as trainees while they are studying, training, and working, Orlowski said, and the association works to ensure that they receive effective training and support. David Simon, a spokesperson for the California Hospital Association, declined to comment. But he forwarded a study published in JAMA Network Open in September showing that surgery residents in unionized programs did not report lower rates of burnout than those in nonunionized programs. So far, none of the new chapters have negotiated their first contracts, the national union said. But some of the longer-standing ones have won improvements in pay, benefits, and working conditions. Last year, a resident union at the University of California-Davis secured housing subsidies and paid parental leave through its first contract. With more than 20,000 members, CIR represents about 1 in 7 physician trainees in the U.S. Executive Director Susan Naranjo said that before the pandemic one new chapter organized each year and that eight have joined in the past year and a half. Residents' working conditions had come under scrutiny long before the pandemic. The average resident salary in the U.S. in 2021 was $64,000, according to Medscape, a physician news site, and residents can work up to 24 hours in a shift but no more than 80 hours per week. Although one survey whose results were released last year found that 43% of residents felt they were adequately compensated, those who are unionizing say wages are too low, especially given residents' workload, their student loan debt, and the rising cost of living. The pay rate disproportionately affects residents from low-income communities and communities of color, Gonzalez said, because they have less financial assistance from family to subsidize their medical education and to pay for other costs. But with little control over where they train medical school graduates are matched to their residency by an algorithm individual residents have limited negotiating power with hospitals. For unionizing residents seeking a seat at the table, wage increases and benefits like housing stipends are often at the top of their lists, Naranjo said. Patients deserve doctors who aren't exhausted and preoccupied by financial stress, said Dr. Shreya Amin, an endocrinology fellow at the University of Vermont Medical Center. She was surprised when the institution declined to recognize the residents' union, she said, considering the personal sacrifices they had made to provide care during the pandemic. If a hospital does not voluntarily recognize a union, CIR can request that the National Labor Relations Board administer an election. The national union did so in April, and with a certified majority vote, the Vermont chapter can now begin collective bargaining, Naranjo said. Annie Mackin, a spokesperson for the medical center, said in an email that it is proud of its residents for delivering exceptional care throughout the pandemic and respects their decision to join a union. Mackin declined to address residents' workplace concerns. Dr. Candice Chen, an associate professor of health policy at George Washington University, believes that the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also bears some responsibility for residents' working conditions. Because the agency pays teaching hospitals to train residents, it should hold the facilities accountable for how they treat them, she said. And the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, which sets work and educational standards for residency programs, is moving in the right direction with new requirements like paid family leave, she added, but needs to do more. How far these unions will go to achieve their goals is an open question. Strikes are rare among doctors. The last CIR strike was in 1975, by residents at 11 hospitals in New York. Naranjo said a strike would be the last resort for its L.A. County members but blamed the county for continuously delaying and canceling bargaining sessions. Among its demands, the union is calling for the county to match the wage increase granted to members of SEIU 721, a union that represents other county employees, and for a $10,000 housing allowance. The union's member surveys have found that most L.A. County residents report working 80 hours a week, Naranjo said. A spokesperson for L.A. County's Department of Health Services, Coral Itzcalli, thanked its "heroic" front-line workforce for providing "best-in-class care" and acknowledged the significant toll that the pandemic has taken on their personal and professional lives. She said limits on hours are set by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and that most trainees report working "significantly less" than 80 hours a week. Jesus Ruiz, a spokesperson for the L.A. County Chief Executive Office, which manages labor negotiations for the county, said via email that the county hopes to reach a "fair and fiscally responsible contract" with the union. Results of the strike vote are expected to be announced May 31, the union said. This story was produced by KHN, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. While Pakistan has managed to confine an outbreak of lumpy skin disease that affects cattle and buffaloes there are fears that cattle fairs ahead of the religious festival Eid-ul-Azha might trigger a second wave. The viral disease spread by insects can seriously affect cows' milk production and damage reproductive organs, say animal health experts. Vaccines arrived from Turkey in early April, five months after the first reported cases in Pakistan, and within two weeks of free-of-charge administration to 1.9 million cattle, the disease had begun to subside. "Our target (for Sindh province) is four million cattle by June," said Nazeer Hussain Kalhoro, director-general of the Sindh Institute of Animal Health, Karachi. Overall, there are 42 million buffaloes and 51 million cattle in Pakistan, according to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. But Eid ul Azha - a religious festival where animals are sacrificed falling in the second week of July - could result in a second wave of the disease if the customary cattle fairs are allowed to go ahead, warns Zaka Ullah Pathan, a veterinarian based in Khairpur, Sindh province. Shahbaz Rasool managed to get his herd of 40 cows vaccinated against the fast-spreading, lumpy skin disease in the nick of time last week, but the danger is far from over. "I will know for sure after 28 days if they are out of danger," the dairy farmer told SciDev.Net by phone from Gujrat, in Punjab province. Rasool decided not to wait for the government to vaccinate his animals and bought the imported vaccine. A 100-milliliter bottle is selling for PKR 44,000 (US$220) and 1 milliliter is needed per cow. Livestock contributed 60.1 per cent of the of agriculture and 11.5 per cent to the gross domestic product during the 2021 financial year, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2020-21. Milk is the most important commodity in the livestock sector. Pakistan is ranked fourth in milk production worldwide after China, India and the US. Rasool's is among eight million families engaged in the livestock industry. He is worried that if the disease is not contained it will wipe out many small dairy farmers. The vector-borne virus that causes lumpy skin disease is found among cows and water buffaloes and is spread primarily through biting insects like mosquitoes and ticks. It first surfaced in Zambia in 1929. Infected cattle typically suffer from "high temperature, much discomfort and loss of milk production," says Tahir Yaqub, spokesperson of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore. "The nodes developed on the body look rather unsightly and may carry pus if there is bacterial infection. However, it is fine to consume meat and milk from an infected animal provided it was cooked well and the latter pasteurised properly," he added. If a female cow is infected, its reproductive organs are badly affected, says Pathan. In addition, the milk productivity of a cow producing eight litres on an average will drop down to less than 1.5 litres. In Karachi, provincial capital of Sindh, Shakir Umer Gujjar, president of Pakistan's Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association, said as the disease spread people stopped buying milk causing enormous losses to farmers who then were compelled to sell the milk to big companies at vastly reduced prices. "They bought our milk for as little as PKR 800 (US$4) for 40 litres instead of the standard rate of Rs 4,780 (US$24) for 40 litres we were thankful for even that," said Gujjar. The disease, which has already infected animals in India and Iran, was first reported in Pakistan in November 2021 from Bahawalpur, Punjab province. "Animals often cross borders and may have come from India where the disease was already present," says Kalhoro. On the potential of a resurgence around Eid ul Azha, Kalhoro reassured that there would be several checkpoints at the borders between Punjab and Sindh to screen animals and turn back infected ones. "They will need to be certified to be healthy and vaccinated, like the cards we carry to show for COVID-19 vaccination," he said. Yaqub suspected the disease to have originated with imported livestock landed at the port of Karachi last year. According to Pathan, of the 28 animals that were imported "none were quarantined" as required. Guijar supported Kalhoro's assertion that the disease subsequently spread in the port city of Karachi, where commercial farming is practiced on a large scale. "After writing to top officials and even the prime minister, the government finally took action, but the damage was done," said Gujjar. "Had I not created a noise, the disease would have devastated the entire cattle population of Pakistan, but has now been contained in Sindh. We even sent samples to the National Veterinary Laboratory, in Islamabad," said Kalhoro. "It took them till 4 March to confirm and declare the outbreak officially." Thought Leaders Irene Walsh (Elsevier) Claire Smith (BSMS) In this interview, News Medical speak to Irene Walsh, the Director of Product, Design & Content, for 3D4Medical from Elsevier, and Professor Claire Smith, Head of Anatomy at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, about the importance and real-world applications of the Complete Anatomy female model, the most advanced full female anatomy model in the world. In this interview, News Medical speak to Irene Walsh, the Director of Product, Design & Content, for 3D4Medical from Elsevier, and Professor Claire Smith, Head of Anatomy at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, about the importance and real-world applications of the Complete Anatomy female model, the most advanced full female anatomy model in the world. Please can you introduce yourself, tell us about your background, and what inspired the creation of the innovative 3D full female anatomy model? Irene Walsh: My name is Irene Walsh and Im the Director of Product, Design & Content at 3D4Medical from Elsevier, the developer of Complete Anatomy. I have worked for more than 10 years in the design field, across architectural, graphic, user experience and interface design. It might surprise you to know that the female anatomy has been historically underrepresented in the study of the human body since the 1500s. Our vision in developing this advanced 3D full female anatomy model is to create an experience where the male and female anatomy are equally represented. Our goal has always been to use the latest research, not just highlighting where the female differs from the male, as traditionally taught, but to promote equality through choice. Ultimately, we want to provide the opportunity for educators around the world to teach an entire anatomy course using the female model as default, rather than the male, should they choose to. By providing this option, we want to play our part in disrupting the gender bias which exists in clinical practice. Professor Claire Smith: Hello, Im Professor Claire Smith, Head of Anatomy at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS). At BSMS we have been working with Elsevier for many years, and more recently we have been increasing the amount of diversity in our teaching. I was especially mindful of this when writing Grays Surface Anatomy and Ultrasound to ensure that we are teaching anatomy that is representative of all patients. We are delighted that Complete Anatomy have developed the full female model and that we have been able to bring this into our teaching of medical students. The Complete Anatomy female model is the world's most advanced full female anatomy model. Image Credit: Elsevier The Complete Anatomy female model is the most advanced full female anatomy model in the world and marks the first time that a female model has been built with such intricate detail in its entirety, versus replacing specific parts of male models with female anatomy. Why is this such a major milestone for education equality, and why do you believe this creation hasnt been developed in the past? Irene Walsh: One approach, which is regularly observed in the anatomy market, is to simply replicate the male skeleton and shrink it, adding in the female reproductive organs. Our team felt this would not align with our vision, it would not reflect the nuances of the female skeleton and how it presents, especially in anthropological instances. We wanted to represent the female as comprehensively as possible and set about researching points of sexual dimorphism seen in female bones using resources from forensic anthropology. We referenced anthropological data from specialists texts, academic papers, and customer feedback. This information was discussed in detail with subject matter experts. Once a brief was created on a specific region, a specialist medical writer worked closely with a 3D artist to craft the sexual dimorphic details apparent on the female. Our team at Complete Anatomy from Elsevier is creating a platform of representation that is diverse, balanced, and most importantly, accurate. By giving educators the option to choose the female body as the basis for their students education, were helping evolve equitable teaching practices by normalizing the female body. We are proud to take this step forward in addressing gender bias and believe our 3D full female model will have a clear impact on the educational experience of medical students worldwide as well as on the outcomes of patients they treat in the future. Can you explain what the Complete Anatomy female model includes to create an accurate representation of female anatomy? Irene Walsh: Informed by four years of expert research and development, anthropological data from specialist texts, academic papers, and customer feedback, our 3D full female anatomy model provides an unprecedented opportunity to study the female form in more detail than before. The Complete Anatomy female model includes: The full skeletal system A complete female skeletal system includes a wide array of unique features, rarely seen in anatomical texts. Sexual differences have been applied to areas such as the pelvis and skull. Long bones have been proportioned, and bone angles accurately reflect the uniquely female architectural skeletal base. A complete female skeletal system includes a wide array of unique features, rarely seen in anatomical texts. Sexual differences have been applied to areas such as the pelvis and skull. Long bones have been proportioned, and bone angles accurately reflect the uniquely female architectural skeletal base. Accurate portrayal of muscles In line with research findings from the broadest demographic of females, each muscle has been refined, amounting to a reduction in the overall volume of muscle mass by roughly 30%. In line with research findings from the broadest demographic of females, each muscle has been refined, amounting to a reduction in the overall volume of muscle mass by roughly 30%. Visually detailed female-specific regions The female-specific regions have been created in detail that is equivalent to the male counterpart. Breast tissue can be hemisected or quartered to reveal the underlying tissues with a more accurate distribution and representative state of the mammary glands, now shown as non-lactating, unlike many anatomical resources. The reproductive organs from the internal and external genitalia have been remodeled to accurately show their continued relationship. The female-specific regions have been created in detail that is equivalent to the male counterpart. Breast tissue can be hemisected or quartered to reveal the underlying tissues with a more accurate distribution and representative state of the mammary glands, now shown as non-lactating, unlike many anatomical resources. The reproductive organs from the internal and external genitalia have been remodeled to accurately show their continued relationship. Comparative functionality Users can switch between models for comparative study on any part of the male and female forms, compare sexual differences and reveal the origin and distribution of nerves. Users can learn from an interactive dissection course, take quizzes and watch videos to test their skills. Differences between the male and female forms are accurately portrayed via the Complete Anatomy female model. Image Credit: Elsevier Why is it so important to have access to accurate models that can provide a complete understanding of the female anatomy? Irene Walsh: With Complete Anatomy, were putting anatomy software in the hands of health science students on day one of their training. As a team, we take this responsibility very seriously. We are committed to playing our part in the changing and evolving nature of anatomical education in the 21st century, and our role in challenging previously held historical biases in the ongoing social conversations of our time. We also believe it is important to have equal representation in the study of anatomy and remove unconscious bias that can be carried by learners into their future interactions with the body, including potentially with patients. Professor Claire Smith: Traditionally, scientific understanding of anatomy and the generation of images in textbooks was based on the dissection of the human body. However, these dissections were predominantly performed on executed male prisoners. Therefore, these images and our understanding of the human body are based on the male anatomy, with elements of the female just added on as an adjunct. When half of the population is female, having just the breasts and pelvis added doesnt reflect the comprehensive view of health care that is needed. Accurate teaching that is removed from bias is really important from the start of medical education, as this enables the doctors and allied health care professionals of tomorrow to have an in-depth understanding of the human anatomy in both sexes. Complete Anatomy models allow students to utilize 3D technology alongside existing teaching methods for a deeper understanding of anatomical differences between sexes. Image Credit: valiantsin suprunovich/Shutterstock Can you explain some of the practical applications of the model? Moreover, how is the Complete Anatomy female model currently being used to teach students? Professor Claire Smith: At BSMS we use Complete Anatomy in a range of our teaching sessions. In lectures, the model enables 3D reconstruction of a specific area, in dissection sessions, this is available on iPads next to our amazing body donors so that students can compare the model to their donor. Additionally, in living anatomy and ultrasound sessions, students use the model to understand the difference between how the anatomy looks on themselves and then compared to without the skin on the model. Primarily the new female model helps us to pull out key points in each body to then analyze where there are differences and what the clinical significance of this is. How does the model provide educators with a more comprehensive teaching approach? What are some of the benefits of using the female model in classes? Professor Claire Smith: For the first time this model has provided us with a full resource of the female form, rather than just a male skeleton with a female pelvis. The benefits of this range beyond just the overt; such as the in-depth exploration into the anatomy of the breast; it has also given us resources to explore many more subtle elements of the female anatomy such as the difference in long bones. The model has also contributed to the hidden curriculum as it demonstrates equality in our teaching and creates awareness of the historic bias in medicine. Introducing the full Female model: Complete Anatomy 2022 Play The Complete Anatomy female model signifies a major milestone in equal representation, however, there is still a long way to go. How do you believe we can further improve education equality in terms of the underrepresentation of the female anatomy in the study of the human body? Irene Walsh: Complete Anatomy is just one small segment of a massive project being undertaken across the teams at Elsevier, a global leader in research publishing and information analytics, with the potential to significantly impact learning and teaching globally. We are passionately committed to increasing inclusion, diversity and equity in research, healthcare, and publishing, and in particular to increasing the representation of under-represented groups, including women, people of color, and socially disadvantaged populations, among our editorial advisors, reviewers, authors, and contributors. We are working together to promote a stronger, more diverse, and representative scholarly community of authors, editors, and contributors built on a platform of inclusion and diversity. Professor Claire Smith: I believe that we need to work alongside the national curriculum to develop more of an open and inclusive approach when delivering teaching on anatomy. By working to remove the historical bias of anatomy education, students of both sexes can gain a more comprehensive understanding of female health. This also extends beyond the underrepresentation of female anatomy to include better education on differences in age, race, normal variation, and body type. Where can readers find more information? Irene Walsh: www.3d4medical.com/ Professor Claire Smith: https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/contact-us/staff/professor-claire-smith.aspx About the Interviewees Irene Walsh: In her role at 3D4Medical from Elsevier, Irene Walsh leads the Product, UX, Medical Content, and 3D teams to deliver engaging medical teaching and learning experiences, through the use of 3D Anatomy. In 2015, Irene became only the ninth woman to present on the Apple Keynote stage, demoing the companys flagship product Complete Anatomy to an estimated audience of over 40 million. Her passion lies in user-centered product design and tackling the biases in anatomical learning, through developing great experiences and leveraging cutting-edge technology. Irene has lectured at Technical University Dublin in Design Practice, held workshops on Tackling Bias in Education, and is a council member of the National Design Forum of Ireland. Professor Claire Smith: As a Professor and Head of Anatomy, I oversee all aspects of teaching to over 1,500 medical students and allied health professionals in a year. This includes leading a body donation program of which at BSMS alone we require 60 donors a year. My career highlights include being awarded National Teaching Fellowship, and on a daily basis having great conversations with students and surgeons really motivates me to deliver excellent teaching programmes. For more information on body donation please visit: https://www.hta.gov.uk/guidance-public/body-donation/how-donate-your-body In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, scientists analyzed the antigenic characteristics of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron BA.5 and BA.4 sublineages. Background SARS-CoV-2 mutants have emerged constantly throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 and BA.1 lineages appeared in late November 2021 in South Africa and harbor a substantial antigenic gap from prior SARS-CoV-2 variants and existing vaccine strains, yet a minor antigenic distance between each other. BA.4 and BA.5, the most recent SARS-CoV-2 Omicron mutants to appear, were initially discovered in Southern Africa, where they are causing the present wave of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, the Omicron BA.5 and BA.4 sublineage cases were elevating quickly in various European nations. BA.5 and BA.4 encode similar spike (S) proteins and are more closely associated with BA.2. They share multiple mutations with BA.2, including 69-70, F486V, and L452R, but neither has the Q493R alteration compared to BA.2. About the study In the present report, the scientists examined the antigenic features of the key Omicron BA.4/BA.5, BA.1, and BA.2 sublineages as F486V and L452R mutations were anticipated to have an antigenic impact on the SARS-CoV-2 S protein. For this, they employed sera samples from vaccinated, vaccine-breakthrough, and post-infection animal/human cohorts and currently used therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The researchers characterized the antigenicity of the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 S protein in depth by comparing sera samples taken post-Omicron BA.2, or BA.1 infection, post-vaccination, and post-Omicron/Delta vaccine breakthrough infection. The team tested the susceptibility of Omicron BA.4/BA.5 sublineages to neutralization by therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) named casirivimab/REGN10933, imbedvimab/REGN10987, and sotrovimab. The investigators assessed three-dose vaccinated subjects (two ChAdOx1 doses plus BNT162b2 booster dose or BNT162b2 triple-vaccinated). They also analyzed the cross-reactivity between different Omicron subvariants using unvaccinated hamsters and human sera collected post-BA.2 or BA.1 infections. Findings The study results indicated that the three-dose vaccinated subjects exhibited a comparable decline in neutralizing titer (six to 15-fold) for all Omicron subvariants, including an eight- to 10-fold drop against the BA.5 or BA.4 sublineages. The team noticed a similar result in an older vaccinee group, with comparable reductions in all Omicron sublineages. In this same group, both the BNT162b2 triple-dose and two-dose ChAdOx1 plus BNT162b2 booster dose vaccination regimens augmented BA.4 neutralizing titers by 10 times comparable to BA.2 and BA.1 neutralizing levels. Sera from non-vaccinated people who had just one known exposure to BA.1 showed a 23-fold reduction in relative neutralizing levels against BA.4 and BA.5 and a minor decline against BA. 2. Cross-neutralization of BA.4/BA.5 by BA.1-infected hamster sera dropped dramatically, whereas BA.2 dropped only a little. The decrease in cross-neutralization of BA.4/BA.5 was less pronounced in hamster sera collected after BA.2 infections, while neutralization of BA.1 was diminished by 2.3 times. A similar pattern of cross-neutralization was depicted by unvaccinated single BA.2 infection-only and non-specified Omicron infection-harboring human sera samples. The researchers reported 3.3 times reduction in neutralization between BA.1 and BA.5/BA.4 for BA.1 breakthrough infection and 5.5 times reduction between BA.2 versus BA.4/BA.5 for BA.2 breakthrough sera. Community Omicron breakthrough infected antisera with unspecified lineage exhibited similar decreases in titer towards all Omicron subvariants. Interestingly, in hamsters, Delta breakthrough infection elicited a cross-neutralizing reaction against BA.4/BA.5 and BA.2, yet not BA.1. Furthermore, BA.1 breakthrough resulted in a substantially cross-neutralizing response, with BA.5/BA.4 being neutralized to a similar degree as BA.2 or BA.1 in hamsters. Finally, BA.4/BA.5 displayed a broadly similar trend of mAb sensitivity to BA.2, being identified by sotrovimab less well than the SARS-CoV-2 wild-type (WT) or BA.1 S protein but slightly better by imbedvimab versus BA.1. Conclusions Overall, the study data illustrated that post-vaccination sera had a similar capacity to neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2, BA.1, and BA.4/BA.5 subvariants. On the other hand, previous BA.1 or BA.2 infections without COVID-19 vaccination imparted poor BA.4/BA.5 neutralizing antibody responses. COVID-19 vaccinees infected with Omicron exhibited a broader neutralizing response toward the new Omicron mutants. Besides, BA.4/BA.5 was similar to BA.2, considering the susceptibility to neutralization via therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. To conclude, the present study depicted that the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.4/BA.5 differ antigenically from BA.1 and, to a minor degree, BA.2. The increased range of neutralization upon breakthrough Omicron infections indicated that after priming with ancestral strain, booster vaccination with multivalent or heterologous antigens might be a feasible strategy for the establishment of cross-neutralizing antibody reactions. *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. Scientists at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center were optimistic when they identified a small molecule that blocked a key pathway in brain tumors. But there was a problem: How to get the inhibitor through the bloodstream and into the brain to reach the tumor. In collaboration with multiple labs, the teams fabricated a nanoparticle to contain the inhibitor, and the results were even better than expected. Not only did the nanoparticles deliver the inhibitor to the tumor in mouse models, where the drug successfully turned on the immune system to eliminate the cancer, but the process triggered immune memory so that a reintroduced tumor was also eliminated-;a sign that this potential new approach could not only treat brain tumors but prevent or delay recurrences. "No one could get this molecule into the brain. It's really a huge milestone. Outcomes for patients with glioma have not improved for the last 30 years," said Maria G. Castro, Ph.D., R.C. Schneider Collegiate Professor of Neurosurgery at Michigan Medicine. Castro is the senior author of the study, published in ACS Nano. Despite survival gains in many cancer types, glioma remains stubbornly challenging, with only 5% of patients living five years after their diagnosis." Pedro R. Lowenstein, M.D., Ph.D., study author, Richard C. Schneider Collegiate Professor of Neurosurgery at Michigan Medicine Gliomas are often resistant to traditional therapies, and the environment inside the tumor suppresses the immune system, rendering new immune-based therapies ineffective. Add to that the challenge of passing the blood brain barrier, and it becomes even more difficult to deliver effective treatments to these tumors. The Castro-Lowenstein lab saw an opportunity. The small molecule inhibitor AMD3100 was developed to block the action of CXCR12, a cytokine released by the glioma cells that builds up a shield around the immune system, preventing it from firing up against the invading tumor. Researchers showed in mouse models of glioma that AMD3100 prevented CXCR12 from binding with immune-suppressive myeloid cells. By disarming these cells, the immune system remains intact and can attack the tumor cells. But AMD3100 was having trouble getting to the tumor. The drug did not travel well through the bloodstream, and it did not pass the blood brain barrier, a key issue with getting drugs into the brain. The Castro-Lowenstein lab collaborated with Joerg Lahann, Ph.D., Wolfgang Pauli Collegiate Professor of Chemical Engineering at the U-M College of Engineering, to create protein-based nanoparticles to encapsulate the inhibitor, in the hopes of helping it pass through the bloodstream. Castro also connected with Anuska V. Andjelkovic, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pathology and research professor of neurosurgery at Michigan Medicine, whose research focuses on the blood brain barrier. They noted that glioma tumors create abnormal blood vessels, interfering with normal blood flow. The researchers injected AMD3100-loaded nanoparticles into mice with gliomas. The nanoparticles contained a peptide on the surface that binds to a protein found mostly on the brain tumor cells. As the nanoparticles traveled through the bloodstream toward the tumor, they released AMD3100, which restored the integrity of the blood vessels. The nanoparticles could then reach their target, where they released the drug, thus blocking the entry of the immune-suppressive myeloid cells into the tumor mass. This allowed the immune cells to kill the tumor and delay its progression. "If you don't have blood flow, nothing will get to your target. That's why tumors are so smart. But AMD3100 restores the conduits, which is what allows the nanoparticles to reach the tumor," Castro said. Further studies in mice and patient cell lines demonstrated that coupling the AMD3100 nanoparticle with radiation therapy enhanced the effect beyond either the nanoparticle or radiation alone. Among the mice whose tumors were eliminated, the researchers then reintroduced the tumor, simulating a recurrence. Without any additional therapy, 60% of mice remained cancer-free. This suggests that, like a vaccine, AMD3100 created immune memory, enabling the immune system to recognize and destroy the reintroduced cells. While it prevented a recurrence in mice, Castro said it bodes well for at least delaying recurrence in people. "Every glioma recurs. It's very important for glioma therapy to have this immunological memory," Castro said. Initial tests showed little to no impact on liver, kidney or heart function and normal blood counts in the mice after treatment. The nanoparticle has a similar base as ones that have been previously tested in humans and shown to be safe. Additional safety testing is necessary before moving to a clinical trial. In a recent article posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers demonstrated the short-term protection conferred by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) BNT162b2 vaccination in adolescents and children. Background The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) vaccine has a lower efficiency against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant than the Delta and other variants. Moreover, the BNT162b2 vaccine's real-world efficacy against Omicron infection in children and adolescents is limited. Shortly before the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron outbreak, the BNT162b2 two-dose vaccination for children and the third BNT162b2 shot for adolescents were authorized in Israel. The BNT162b2 vaccination was approved in Israel on 2 June 2021 for adolescents aged 12 to 15, and a booster dosage was approved on 29 August 2021 for those who had received the second vaccine at least five months before. Starting 23 November 2021, children aged five to 11 received a two-dose BNT162b2 vaccination utilizing a third of the amount provided to children aged 12 and older. However, the impact of these vaccinations on Omicron-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection rates in these populations is still unknown. About the study In the current work, the researchers analyzed data from Israel to investigate the efficacy of the two-dose BNT162b2 schedule for children aged five to 11 years old and the booster shot for adolescents aged 12 to 15. The authors collected information for the Omicron BA.1 sublineage-dominated timeframe: between 26 December 2021 and 8 January 2022 in Israel. They noted that credible estimates of efficacy for the time following 8 January 2022 were hard to acquire due to substantial policy changes in COVID-19 testing, contact isolation, and quarantine in schools. The scientists analyzed data from the Israeli Ministry of Health database, which contained information on all vaccinations and tests performed in Israel. The study cohort included children (aged five to 10) and adolescents (12 to 15) if they had received a COVID-19 vaccine or had taken at least one state-regulated antigen or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test before 1 December 2021. The team omitted the 11-year-old age group because the current data only contained age in years, and vaccination eligibility dates varied for 11 and 12-year-olds. The investigators evaluated rates of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in children aged five to 10 years old 14 to 35 days after getting the second dose with an internal control cohort of children three to seven days following receiving the first shot when the vaccination was still ineffective. Likewise, they compared confirmed COVID-19 rates in adolescents aged 12 to 15 years old 14 to 60 days following getting a booster shot to a control cohort of adolescents three to seven days after getting the booster dose. The authors used Poisson regression controlling for sex, age, calendar week, exposure, and socioeconomic level. Results and conclusions Overall, the study results showed that the COVID-19 BNT162b2 vaccination offered an initial nearly two-fold improvement in immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection in children aged five to 10. The estimated incidence of confirmed COVID-19 in the five to 10 age category was 2.3-times lower in the second dose cohort compared to the internal control population. In addition, the current analysis found that a recent BNT162b2 booster dose in adolescents reduced SARS-CoV-2 infections by three- to four-time relative to the internal control. Specifically, the third dose decreased confirmed-COVID-19 rates over 3.3-time in adolescents. The authors found that different testing habits did not explain the reduced confirmed-SARS-CoV-2 infection rates in the vaccinated groups relative to the non-vaccinated. In all age categories, the non-vaccinated cohorts tested less frequently than the vaccinated groups, implying that the predicted protection compared to non-vaccinated persons may be underestimated. While the vaccine-naive cohorts had reduced testing rates than the vaccinated groups, the internal control subjects had a slightly higher testing rate than the second dose vaccination group in the five to 10 age range, which might contribute to an overestimation of the vaccine's protection. The internal control subjects had a decreased testing rate than the booster group in the vaccinated 12 to 15 age range, probably indicating that the booster shot confers a better degree of protection than anticipated in this study. To summarize, the current investigation illustrated an assessment of the COVID-19 BNT162b2 vaccine's transient protection against confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in adolescents and children. Relative to the corresponding internal control cohorts, the recent two-dose vaccination of the BNT162b2 vaccine in children and the latest booster shot in adolescents lowered the risk of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The authors mentioned that future research was needed to determine how long this protection lasts and how well it protects against other COVID-19 outcomes, including long-COVID and pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS). *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. (Newser) Scientists say they have fully sequenced the DNA of a Mount Vesuvius victim for the first timeand the genetic information explains why the Pompeii resident didn't flee the eruption nearly 2,000 years ago. According to research published in the journal Scientific Reports, the man's DNA sequence showed signs of tuberculous spondylitis, a spinal condition also known as Pott's disease. Researchers say the man, who was 35 to 40 years old, would have had little mobility, the New York Times reports. His skeleton was found on a wooden couch, near the skeleton of an older woman who had a bag of 27 silver coins. The well-preserved skeletal remains were discovered under a layer of volcanic material during the excavation of Casa del Fabbro, or House of the Blacksmith, in 1933, the Wall Street Journal reports. Researchers say there were too many gaps in the woman's DNA for full sequencing, but comparison to around 1,500 modern and ancient samples showed that the man was genetically similar to the inhabitants of Rome, 150 miles away, though he also had genes commonly found in people in Sardinia and what is now western Turkey, suggesting the area had a high level of genetic diversity. Thanks to advances in technology, researchers were able to extract and sequence DNA from the extremely hard petrous part of the man's skull. Anthropologist Dr. Serena Viva from the University of Salento tells the BBC that unlike many others, it appeared that the man and woman were not trying to escape the eruption, probably because of their health conditions. She says every body recovered from the ancient site is a "treasure." "These people are silent witnesses to one of the most well-known historical events in the world," she says. "To work with them is very emotional and a great privilege for me." (Read more Pompeii stories.) (Newser) Firefighters have rescued an abandoned newborn elk calf found amid the ashes of the nation's largest wildfire as calving season approaches its peak in New Mexico and fires rage across the American West. Missoula, Montana-based firefighter Nate Sink said Tuesday that he happened upon the motionless elk calf on the ground of a fire-blackened New Mexico forest as he patrolled and extinguished lingering hot spots. "The whole area is just surrounded in a thick layer of ash and burned trees. I didn't think it was alive, said Sink, who was deployed to the state to help contain the wildfire, the AP reports. By Wednesday, the fire had spread across 486 square miles and destroyed hundreds of structures. It's one of five major uncontained fires burning in New Mexico in extremely dry and windy conditions. More than 3,000 firefighters battling the biggest blaze have made significant progress halting its growth in recent days ahead of more dangerous fire conditions forecast to return into the weekend, crew commanders said Wednesday night. Bruno Rodriguez, an interagency meteorologist, said gusts should continue to increase by about 5mph per day, from 25mph Thursday to as strong as 50mph by Monday. "It's definitely going to be a critical fire weather pattern, and unfortunately it's going to be fairly prolonged and persistent," he said. Wildlife officials in general discourage interactions with elk calves that are briefly left alone in the first weeks of life as their mothers forage at a distance. Sink said he searched diligently for traces of the calf's mother and found none. The 32-pound singed bull calf, dubbed Cinder, was taken for care to a nearby ranch and is now regaining strength at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Espanola. Veterinarian Kathleen Ramsay at Cottonwood Rehab says she paired Cinder with a full-grown surrogate elk to be raised with as little human contact as possible. Ramsay said she hopes the calf can be released into the wild in December after elk hunting season. The strategy has worked repeatedly with elk tracked by tags as they rejoined wild herds. "They do elk things, they don't do people things, said Ramsay. (Read more wildfires stories.) (Newser) A US effort to impose new sanctions on North Korea over its series of intercontinental ballistic missile launches was blocked Thursday in the United Nations. China and Russia vetoed the resolution, making the Security Council vote 13-2. It was the first major split among the five nations with vetoes on sanctions for North Korea, the Washington Post reports. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield reminded the other nations before the vote that they'd agreed to add sanctions in December 2017 if North Korea launched any ballistic missiles with the ability to reach intercontinental ranges. The six tests by North Korea so far this year are "a threat to the entire international community," Thomas-Greenfield said. China's ambassador said it's a bad time for provocative action, given the tension on the Korean Peninsula. Zhang Jun urged the US to instead take "meaningful, practical actions" toward dialogue with North Korea, per the AP. Adding sanctions, he said, "can only get the situation even worse." Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said the US and its Western allies "seem to have no response to crisis situations other than introducing new sanctions," per the AFP. President Biden has expressed an openness to meeting with North Korean President Kim Jong Un. (Read more North Korea sanctions stories.) (Newser) At least 10 GOP senators would have to support gun control legislation for it to pass. The New York Times contacted all 50 Republicans to see whether they'll back two measures that the House has approved to toughen background checks for people who want to buy guns. Most of them either wouldn't say how they'd vote or said they'd oppose the House bills. Here are a sampling of their responses, which the Times ran along with their grades from the National Rifle Association and the amount of money the organization has contributed to the senators over their careers. Maine Sen. Susan Collins : A spokeswoman said "Senator Collins is one of two Republican senators currently serving who voted for Manchin-Toomey, which included background checks for all commercial transactions." NRA rating: A. Funding: $18,000. : A spokeswoman said "Senator Collins is one of two Republican senators currently serving who voted for Manchin-Toomey, which included background checks for all commercial transactions." NRA rating: A. Funding: $18,000. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz : The senator blamed Democrats "and a whole lot of folks in the media" for rushing to "try to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens." NRA rating: A+. Funding: $176,000. : The senator blamed Democrats "and a whole lot of folks in the media" for rushing to "try to restrict the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens." NRA rating: A+. Funding: $176,000. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham : "None of these things we're talking about seems to change the outcome, before these most recent cases. I doubt if any Republicans vote for that." NRA rating: A. Funding: $433,000. : "None of these things we're talking about seems to change the outcome, before these most recent cases. I doubt if any Republicans vote for that." NRA rating: A. Funding: $433,000. Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey : "My interest in doing something to improve and expand our background check system remains." NRA rating: C. Funding: $1.5 million. : "My interest in doing something to improve and expand our background check system remains." NRA rating: C. Funding: $1.5 million. Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell : No answer. NRA rating: A+. Funding: $1.3 million. : No answer. NRA rating: A+. Funding: $1.3 million. Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville : "I'm willing to say that Im very sorry it happened. But guns are not the problem, OK? People are the problem." NRA rating: A. Funding: $10,000. : "I'm willing to say that Im very sorry it happened. But guns are not the problem, OK? People are the problem." NRA rating: A. Funding: $10,000. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney : "I do believe that we will be looking at ways to improve our background checks. ... And I do believe that red flag laws ... are helpful." NRA rating: A. Funding: $13.6 million. : "I do believe that we will be looking at ways to improve our background checks. ... And I do believe that red flag laws ... are helpful." NRA rating: A. Funding: $13.6 million. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio : No answer. NRA rating: A+. Funding: $3.3 million. : No answer. NRA rating: A+. Funding: $3.3 million. Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe: "I hadnt thought about it. You're the first one to bring that to my attention." NRA rating: A+. Funding: $82,000. You can read the full piece here . (Read more Senate Republicans stories.) (Newser) A suspect was shot dead near an elementary school in Toronto Thursday after police responded to reports of a man seen carrying what appeared to be a rifle in the area, just two days after the Texas mass shooting. Police described the suspect as a man in his late teens or early 20s. Toronto Police Chief James Ramer said the suspect was shot after he "confronted" officers, the Toronto Star reports. Investigators say a BB gun was recovered at the scene, reports CTV. Witnesses said they heard three shots and then saw officers trying to revive the man. Police said two officers fired on the man and he was hit at least once. "Due to the proximity to a school, I certainly understand the trauma and how traumatic this must have been for staff, students, and parents, given the recent events that have happened in the United States," the chief said. He said investigators "have no understanding, at this point in time, what was about to happen, or what could have happened." The chief said he can't disclose details about the man's interaction with police because Ontario's Special Investigation Unit is investigating the shooting, as it does whenever police in the province shoot a civilian, the Guardian reports. Witnesses say the man was shot around 300 feet from William G. Davis Junior Public School. Parent Steve Matthews tells CityNews that he called 911 after seeing the man pacing back and forth with what appeared to be a rifle. Hundreds of students at that school and three others in the area were locked down during the incident. Fifth-grader Inaaya Zaman tells the CBC that she realized it wasn't a drill when the lockdown lasted more than 20 minutes. "There was a mass shooting in Texas and that was really sad, so knowing about this person that is armed, it feels like they were going to shoot the school and I was feeling really tense," she says. (Read more Toronto stories.) (Newser) A California parole panel recommended the release of Patricia Krenwinkel for the first time Thursday, more than five decades after she and other followers of cult leader Charles Manson terrorized the state and she wrote Helter Skelter on a wall using the blood of one of their victims. Krenwinkel, 74, was previously denied parole 14 times for the slayings of pregnant actor Sharon Tate and four other people in 1969, the AP reports. She helped kill grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary the next night. Krenwinkel was a 19-year-old secretary living with her older sister when she met Manson, then age 33, at a party; she says he abused her physically and emotionally and trafficked her to other men for sex, and that she was suffering battered women's syndrome when she helped in the slayings. The parole recommendation will be reviewed by the state parole board's legal division before likely going to Gov. Gavin Newsom for a decision within five months. He has previously rejected parole recommendations for other followers of Manson, who died in prison in 2017. New laws since Krenwinkel was last denied parole in 2017 required the parole panel to consider that she committed the murders at a young age and is now an elderly prisoner. Also, for the first time, Los Angeles County prosecutors werent at the parole hearing to object, under District Attorney George Gascons policy that prosecutors should not be involved in deciding whether prisoners are ready for release. However, Krenwinkels attorney, Keith Wattley, said relatives of her victims offered the same objections at the hearing as prosecutors have in the past. What was different this time was that the parole panel was willing to follow the law, he said, recognizing that she has had no disciplinary violations and is no longer a danger to society. She's completely transformed from the person she was when she committed this crime, which is all that it's supposed to take to be granted parole, he said. Krenwinkel became the states longest-serving female inmate when fellow Manson follower Susan Atkins died of cancer in prison in 2009. Wattley said he understands she is the longest-serving woman in the United States. (Newsom in March rejected a panel's recommendation that another Manson follower be paroled.) (Newser) Is the free fish really worth it? A bunch of people in Taiwan who legally changed their name to "Salmon" to take advantage of a restaurant promotion are about to find out, because the government isn't letting some of them change their names back, reports the Guardian. It started in March 2021, when the restaurant chain Sushiro ran a gimmick in which anyone who used the two characters for "giu yu" (which means "salmon") could earn a free, all-you-can-devour sushi meal for themselves and a handful of friends. Of course, most people weren't given such a name at birth, so sushi lovers who wanted in on the promotion did the next best thing: They paid a small administrative fee and had their names changed. Salmon Dream, Dancing Salmon, and Explosive Good-Looking Salmon were among some of the picks. Many apparently figured they'd just change their names back after the promotion had ended, even though government officials complained that the "salmon chaos" was causing a ton of paperwork, and despite the fact that the law in Taiwan only allows for three name changes in total over one's lifetime. And it appears that while some who went through with it were able to simply transition back to their regular names afterward, others didn't take that three-time cap seriously or miscalculated how many times they'd changed their names in the past, because now those already at the limit can't change them back. Which brings Taiwanese lawmakers to their "I told you so" moment. On Thursday, legislators in the nation's parliament brought to the table amendments that would include help for those now stuck with a fishy name, as well as other measures such as cooling-off periods and increased fees. The general public, meanwhile, doesn't seem to have much sympathy for their name-shifting compatriots. "How can we amend the law for those who sell their personality for the sake of benefits?" one irked commenter complained. Another piped in: "Be responsible for your own life, Salmons!" (Read more Taiwan stories.) (Newser) Two ex-FBI agents tangled up in the Larry Nassar case won't see charges brought against them by the Justice Department. The DOJ said as much on Thursday, noting in a release that, "after multiple reviews and analyses of evidence," it won't be pursuing a criminal case against former Indianapolis agents Michael Langeman and his then-boss W. Jay Abbott. They were accused of not properly investigating allegations against the USA Gymnastics doctor, reports NBC News. CNN notes this is the third time prosecutors have looked into and declined to bring charges against the pair. The DOJ's decision "reflects the recommendation of experienced prosecutors," though "this does not in any way reflect a view that the investigation of Nassar was handled as it should have been, nor in any way reflects approval or disregard of the conduct of the former agents," the release adds. The department's inspector general last year put out a scathing report that found a massive failure on the part of FBI agents to look into complaints against Nassar, as well as declared the agents then lied about their actions to investigators. The IG report noted that, between July 2015, when the first sex abuse allegations were reported to the FBI, and September 2016, when the agency finally started moving on those accusations, Nassar had the chance to abuse at least 70 athletes. The most recent review was launched in October, based on new information that reportedly surfaced. John Manly, an attorney for some of the victims, calls the DOJ's ruling a "complete failure," per NBC. The "infuriating" decision is getting flak from both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill, too. "FBI agents who knew of Larry Nassar's abuse, did nothing, and then lied about it will face no legal consequences for their actions," a joint statement from Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal and GOP Sen. Jerry Moran reads. The Wall Street Journal notes that Abbott has since retired, while Langeman was fired last year after the IG report came out. Nassar is currently serving up to 175 years in prison after pleading guilty in 2018 to sexually abusing 10 patients, although allegations emerged against him from hundreds. (Read more Larry Nassar stories.) (Newser) For Edward Niedermeyer, it's plain as day: The emperorthat would be Elon Muskhas no clothes. It's an opinion Niedermeyer has held for years, and he hasn't been quiet about it (see his 2019 publication of the book Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors). In an opinion piece for Slate, he writes that it's possible that others are finally "ready to learn what I have discovered in my time not taking Musk at his word." For him, it started with a 2015 visit to a battery-swap station Tesla was trumpeting about in Harris Ranch, California, thoughtfully situated between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Tesla's line was that the station could get Tesla drivers ready to go again in a powered-up car quicker than it would take a driver to refuel a typical vehicle. That's not what he found once there. Tesla was actually "running diesel generators to power additional Superchargers (the kind that take 30 to 60 minutes to recharge a battery) to handle the holiday rush, their exhaust mingling with the unmistakable smell of bulls---. That one decision to go and find the truth underlying Elon Musks promises, rather than just take his word for it, changed my life." He assumed the "duplicity" wasn't a one-off, and said that his digging has confirmed it wasn't (he runs down some of the "cockroaches" he says he found). The crux of it for Niedermeyer is this: Musk's celebrity is remarkable, but his "trajectory is unsustainable. It was only a matter of time before impunity and arrogance caused his mask to slip, and then the world would be ready to learn that Teslas runaway valuation was underwritten by memes, corner-cutting, information control, and outright deception." (Read the full column.) (Newser) It's the moment that Stranger Things fans have been waiting for: The spooky series is back on Netflix as of Friday for Season 4, though viewers in the US watching last season's recap trailer that plays right before the new one will notice a special disclaimer. USA Today reports that, due to the first scene in the premiere episode, a warning has been added in the wake of this week's massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. "We filmed this season of Stranger Things a year ago," the disclaimer card reads. "But given the recent tragic shooting at a school in Texas, viewers may find the opening scene of episode 1 distressing. We are deeply saddened by this unspeakable violence, and our hearts go out to every family mourning a loved one." A parental advisory has also been tacked onto the episode's description, noting: "Warning: Contains graphic violence involving children." The show's rating advisories now have a "disturbing images" added on as well. Variety notes that the scene at the center of the warning features "a massacre that involves Millie Bobby Brown's psychokinetic and telepathic character Eleven and shows the dead bodies of several children covered in blood." A sneak peek of the scene was released last week, before the Uvalde shooting. Meanwhile, Brown has put up her own post about the Texas tragedy. "Mourning the loss of these beautiful angels," she posted Wednesday on Instagram. "Each one of these precious children deserved the chance to live their lives to the fullest and to pursue their hopes and dreams. My heart aches for their families and loved ones, the teachers and fellow students." (Read more Stranger Things stories.) (Newser) Seven-term US Rep. Kurt Schrader has been ousted in a Democratic primary in Oregon by progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner. The vote count in the state's 5th Congressional District was delayed due to ballots with blurry bar codes being rejected by vote-counting machines. Workers in Clackamas County had to transfer votes by hand to fresh ballots so they could be tallied. McLeod-Skinner had the backing of the Democratic Party organizations in all four counties covered by the redrawn district. She had urged stronger action to combat climate change, the AP reports, and complained that Schrader was too conservative. McLeod-Skinner will face Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer in November. Chavez-DeRemer is the former mayor of Happy Valley, Oregon. She has said she will support businesses and police, and address "the crisis on our southern border." Schrader, a moderate, had the support of President Biden, who made the congressman his first endorsement of the year. Schrader has voted against some of Bidens priorities, including a money-saving plan to let Medicare negotiate the price it pays for prescription drugs. Schrader has faced mounting criticism from progressive Democrats. A year ago, he was one of only two members of his party to vote against a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill because, among several reasons, he did not support including an increase to the minimum wage. The newly drawn 5th District stretched from the Portland area southeast into rural communities in the central part of the state. While Democrats have held the seat since 1997, there are concerns by some in the party that a more progressive candidate would face a tougher time getting elected in the region after it was changed through redistricting. (Read more Oregon primary stories.) (Newser) Another wrenching story has emerged from one of the young survivors in the Texas school shooting. Fourth grader Miah Cerrillo tells CNN that she smeared blood from a classmate over herself to play dead. The classmate already had been killed by the gunman. Miah recounts how the gunman shot out the window of her classroom door just as one of two teachers went to lock it. The gunman entered the classroom and continued shooting, then went through a door into an adjoining classroom, the 11-year-old recalls. That's when Miah says she and a classmate retrieved a phone from their slain teacher and called 911. She recalls saying something like, "Please come ... we're in trouble." At a news conference Friday, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said multiple calls came in from students and teachers as the shooting unfolded, per the AP. One girl told a dispatcher, "Please send the police now," he said. It's possible that was Miah, who told CNN she doesn't understand why police waited so long to come rescue her and others. ("It was the wrong decision," McCraw acknowledged on Friday.) Miah was treated and released from the hospital after being wounded by bullet fragments. (Read more Uvalde mass shooting stories.) (Newser) The company that made the AR-15-style rifle that was used in the Texas school massacre has dropped out of the National Rifle Association convention in Houston this weekend. Daniel Defense, which is based in Georgia, confirmed it manufactured the weapon bought by an 18-year-old and used in the shootings Tuesday at Robb Elementary School, as did law enforcement officials, the Houston Chronicle reports. The company had booked an exhibitor's booth and promised "Giveaways, Demos, Celebrity Appearances & More!" in an online ad, per the Washington Post. Daniel Defense is not on the exhibitor list anymore. And the company's social media accounts have gone dark. Before that happened, a tweet by the company was captured that went up on the gunman's 18th birthday, the moment he was able to buy the weapons legally. The photo is of a toddler with an AR-15-type weapon in his lap. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it," the May 16 post said, a reference to a proverb in the Bible. An ammunition clip is on the ground near him, and the boy is wearing a T-shirt that says, "#Rascal." A prayer emoji follows. "Sickening," one reply on Twitter said. After the killings in Uvalde, the company posted: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic events in Texas this week. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and community devastated by this evil act." One of the replies to the post showing a child with a weapon was from Florida state Sen. Jason Pizzo, a Democrat. "I'll trade you all the moments of silence, for one moment of action," he wrote. Daniel Defense did not respond to requests for comment, per the Post. (Read more Uvalde mass shooting stories.) (Newser) Employees at a call center in Argentina began Monday morning with chocolate brownies, brought to work by a colleague. One woman stopped after one bite, Vice reports, saying the brownie didn't taste right. That bite was enough to cause problems. "My body stopped responding, I stopped feeling my arms, legs, and mouth," she said. "It was as if I fell into a well and came back, as if I was fading away." The 25-year-old man who brought the brownies was fired, then arrested at his home, where police said they found "105 grams of marijuana and traces of cannabis in some kitchen utensils." Seven employees of the Cordoba call center were hospitalized. At least 10 were left dealing with symptoms such as dizziness and rising heart rates. Some fainted. Police said they haven't confirmed the brownies' ingredients yet but suspect they include cannabis, per Vice. The employer released a statement saying it provides food only through government-sanctioned vending machines, though employees are in the habit of bringing their own. (Read more pot brownies stories.) (Newser) A former US Army reservist described by prosecutors as a Nazi sympathizer was convicted Friday of storming the US Capitol to obstruct Congress from certifying President Biden's 2020 electoral victory. Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, who worked as a security contractor at a Navy base when he joined the pro-Trump mob on Jan. 6, also was convicted of disorderly conduct and other misdemeanors. Hale-Cussanelli took the stand in his defense and claimed he didn't know that Congress met at the Capitol building, the AP reports. "I know this sounds idiotic, but I'm from New Jersey," Hale-Cusanelli said, according to WUSA-TV. "In all my studies, I didnt know there was an actual building that was called the 'Capitol.' Its embarrassing and idiotic." Defense attorney Jonathan Crisp told jurors that "groupthink" and a desperate desire to be heard drove Hale-Cusanelli to follow a mob into the Capitol. Hale-Cusanelli's trial was the fifth before a jury and the seventh overall for a Capitol riot case. The first four juries unanimously convicted the defendants of all charges. Roughly 300 others have pleaded guilty to crimes stemming from the riot, including seditious conspiracy, and assault. Prosecutors said Hale-Cusanelli openly espoused white supremacist and antisemitic ideology and wore an Adolf Hitler-style mustache to work. On his cellphone, investigators said, were photos of him with the distinctive mustache and combed-over hairstyle associated with the Nazi leader. Hale-Cusanelli had a "secret" security clearance as a security contractor at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck, New Jersey. He lived on the base with a roommate who reported him to the Naval Criminal Investigation Service and secretly recorded a conversion about the Capitol riot. One Navy seaman said Hale-Cusanelli told him "he would kill all the Jews and eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner." (Read more Capitol riot stories.) Chinese economy resilient despite short-term downward pressure Xinhua) 14:37, May 27, 2022 Staff members work at the workshop of the Anhui Electric Power Transmission &Transformation Co., Ltd. in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, May 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Despite key indicators suggesting downward pressure on the Chinese economy, new investments continue to flow into the world's second-largest economy, seeking opportunities that businesses believe are irreplaceable for their long-term strategic development. Observers say that China's economic outlook remains robust due to its strong resilience and ample potential despite the Omicron resurgence and external headwinds. The fundamentals sustaining its sound growth remain unchanged. CURRENT RISKS In April, China's surveyed urban unemployment rate was 6.1 percent, up 0.3 percentage points from March. On a monthly basis, the consumer price index inched up 0.4 percent partly due to the domestic resurgence of COVID-19 and the continuous rise of bulk commodity prices across the globe, noted Dong Lijuan, a senior statistician with the NBS. The International Monetary Fund has slashed the global growth forecast for 2022 to 3.6 percent amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, 0.8 percentage points lower than the January projection, according to its World Economic Outlook in April. Liao Tianshu, chairman of BCG Greater China, told Xinhua that China's economic growth in the first quarter was in line with expectations, considering the impacts of the Omicron resurgence on the economy. "Although downward pressure has increased, the impacts are short-lived and external," she added. POSITIVE TREND UNCHANGED China's economy is expected to improve in May with the accelerating resumption of work and production in Shanghai and Jilin and the implementation of pro-growth measures, Fu Linghui, a spokesperson for the NBS, has said. "The fundamentals of the Chinese economy remain unchanged. The overall trends of economic transformation and upgrading and high-quality development remain unchanged," he said. The spokesperson listed favorable conditions for stabilizing the economy, such as a super-large market, complete industrial and supply chains and huge domestic demand. Observers said China will continue to deepen reform and expand opening-up, which is a fundamental driver of China's long-term growth. "Looking ahead, opening-up remains the defining feature of China's high-quality development," Liao said. "As China moves from high-speed growth to high-quality growth, there will be many opportunities in terms of technology, talent, common prosperity and green transition." Toshiyasu Iiyama, executive managing director of Nomura Holdings Inc. and chairman of the China committee, lauded changes to the country's financial industry. "In recent years, the transformation and upgrading of China's economic structure has also supported the high-level opening-up of the financial industry," Iiyama said. In 2019, Nomura launched its joint venture, Nomura Orient International Securities, one of China's first newly approved foreign-controlled securities companies. The global financial service group, which entered China market 40 years ago, viewed the step as a major breakthrough. Iiyama said China's building of a multi-layer capital market system and the further reform and opening-up of the financial industry provide more and more opportunities to foreign financial institutions to achieve more significant development and growth in China. OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD According to a business confidence survey 2021/22 conducted by the German Chamber of Commerce in China, 71 percent of German companies intend to increase their investments in China. A similar report released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) said nearly two-thirds of companies rank China as the top or a top-three priority for near-term global investment. The 2022 American Business in China White Paper, released by AmCham China, noted that China's market also has a robust research, development and innovation ecosystem. Many leading American companies generate a substantial portion of their revenue from the Chinese market. Emerging industries have demonstrated their resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first quarter of 2022, official data showed that foreign investment in China's high-tech industries logged a sharp yearly increase of 52.9 percent. Kurt Wee, CEO of Celligenics Pte Ltd., a Singapore biotechnology firm specializing in regenerative science, encouraged foreign businesses to maintain a sense of optimism and establish a footing in China. "China will continue to gain pace in sophistication and in development," said Wee. "It's a lifetime opportunity when you have such a huge market developing at this pace." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) An Uttarakhand politician, Rajendra Bahuguna, climbed a water tank and shot himself on Wednesday, three days after his daughter-in-law filed a case accusing him of molesting his granddaughter. Mr Bahuguna, 59, reportedly dialed the police on the emergency number 112 from his home in Haldwani and told them about his suicide plan. He killed himself after the cops arrived, in front of horrified neighbours and witnesses. "He was very upset about his daughter-in-law's allegation," senior police officer Pankaj Bhatt told NDTV. When the police came, they saw Mr Bahuguna standing on the tank, threatening to shoot himself. The police, using a loudspeaker, tried to talk him out of it but the politician kept repeating he had been falsely accused. At one point, it seemed he was ready to come down. But then he suddenly shot himself in the chest and died on the spot. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Staff Reporter While the United Arab Emirates has confirmed its first case, there are many other suspected cases of Monkeypox in Arab countries and in the region, said Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, Regional Director for Eastern Mediterranean at World Health Organisation (WHO), during an online press conference yesterday. No deaths have been linked to Monkeypox following the non-endemic spread of the virus during the past one month. Dr Ahmed praised Bahrains success in tackling the Covid-19 threat, highlighting that the Kingdom has a strong system to combat infectious diseases including Monkeypox. Monkeypox is containable in the Arab region and what is required now is close cooperation between nations and increased awareness among the people to stop transmission of virus. Dr Ahmed said people are the main partners in combatting any virus transmission. He said that 157 confirmed cases have been reported from 17 countries worldwide and 106 suspected cases are still under examination. After reporting the first case, the UAE is in its best efforts to trace contacts and prevent the transmission of virus. Countries in the region already have accumulated experience in order to protect individuals from the disease. Speaking at the press conference, Dr Rana Hajjeh, Director of Programme Management at WHO, said the organisation doesnt recommend any lockdowns or isolations for Monkeypox. The role of the media is pivotal in spreading accurate information and I urge all not to spread any misleading information. Quite similar to Covid-19, contact tracing is important in cases of Monkeypox as well. She said Monkeypox is not expected to spread like Covid-19 and every disease has different precautionary measures. Healthcare systems must be continuously supported with human and financial resources to face the challenges. And the training of healthcare workers is of great importance as they are in the forefront of the fight against the virus. Dr Rana said there are vaccines that give protection from Monkeypox and even Smallpox vaccines are also effective against the virus. Widespread vaccination is not a recommendation. Dr Abdinasir AbuBakar, Manager, Infectious Hazards Prevention and Preparedness Unit, WHO, said Monkeypox is not a new disease. We have been seeing this disease since the beginning of the 1970s. But it is the first time we are seeing something of this higher magnitude, especially in non-endemic countries. Dr Abdinasir said that the symptoms of Monkeypox are fever, swollen lymph nodes and rashes, and in some the symptoms are really severe. Knowledge matters in the fight against Monkeypox, unless you know the virus you cannot tackle it. There are two active strains of Monkeypox virus, the Central African and West African and out of these two, the Central African strain is much more severe. When asked about the contribution of climate change to the increasing cases of infectious diseases, he said there should be a connection but it is unclear. Dr Abdinasir said the recovery rate is very high in cases of Monkeypox with a fatality rate varying between one and 10%. It is clearly known that the origin of the virus is from animals and there is no specific answer for the increasing number of transmissions. The virus has not changed genetically, which is good news and there have been no mutations. Dr Abdinasir said the Monkeypox virus has nothing to do with the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The virus has not changed genetically. It is not biologically manufactured or biologically modified. Spain's Monkeypox case tally rises to 84 Spanish health authorities reported 25 new cases of monkeypox yesterday, bringing the total tally of infections in one of the main hot spots of the recent outbreak to 84. The Health Ministry, which now considers all non-human-origin pox infections as monkeypox after a positive test while before only counting those confirmed by sequencing, also said there were 73 suspected cases. Spain, England and Portugal are the countries with the most cases in the recent outbreak of the usually mild viral disease outside its endemic areas in parts of west and central Africa. Spain's neighbour Portugal confirmed nine new infections on Thursday, bringing the total to 58. The US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) said it had identified nine monkeypox cases in seven US states as of Wednesday. Cases were confirmed in Massachusetts, Florida, Utah, Washington, California, Virginia and New York, the CDC told reporters yesterday. The first monkeypox case in the United States was reported in Massachusetts last week. Most of the infections detected globally so far have not been severe. Symptoms include fever and a distinctive bumpy rash. Vaccine stockpiles The WHO classified smallpox as an eradicated disease in 1980, but there have been longstanding concerns that the virus could be used as a bioweapon, leading countries to stockpile vaccines. The WHO holds 2.4 million doses at its Swiss headquarters dating from the final years of the eradication programme. The agency also has pledges from donor countries for more than 31 million additional doses. US officials say there are more than 1,000 doses of the Bavarian Nordic vaccine in the national stockpile and expect that level to ramp up very quickly in the coming weeks. The country also has 100 million doses of ACAM2000. Germany has said it had ordered 40,000 doses of Bavarian Nordics vaccine, to be ready to vaccinate contacts of cases if needed. Other countries, including Britain and France, are also offering or recommending vaccines to people with close contact to infected people and healthcare workers. Bavarian Nordic, which has an annual production capacity of 30 million doses, told Reuters multiple countries have approached it interested in buying its vaccine, without providing details. A spokesperson said it does not need to expand production. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com A 30-year-old man who swallowed 114 capsules stuffed with heroin to smuggle the drugs into Bahrain will spend 15 years of his life in jail. The Fourth High Criminal Court also slapped him with a fine of BD10,000 and ordered his deportation after finishing his jail terms. The suspect reportedly concealed the drugs in his stomach with the help of medical staff while he was on his way to the Kingdom. He was given laxatives to recover the 858.2 grams of drugs from his stomach. The man, an Asian national, was arrested at the Bahrain International Airport when customs officers grew suspicious of his unusual behavior. The Drug Enforcement Administration said the suspect was part of a network whose members are Asian nationals. The suspect came to Kingdom by hiding the drugs in his guts but showed signs of confusion during customs procedures. Officers, who grew suspicious diverted him to the red lane to search his luggage but found nothing. However, the suspects travel history, which showed taking several transit flights instead of a direct flight, which was available, sparked more doubts. Customs officers, who also grew more suspicious about his behaviour, decided to take him for an x-ray examination and found several capsules in his guts. Doctors then gave him laxatives to lower the capsules in stages. During interrogation, the suspect admitted hiding narcotic capsules in his guts and said he was doing it for money. He confessed to consuming 114 narcotic capsules. He said he was also promised a job in the Kingdom by a friend. The Muharraq Governorate Prosecution said it received the notification of the arrest at the Bahrain International Airport from the Anti-Narcotics Department. The Public Prosecution said it opened an investigation soon after receiving a report. Prosecutors had ordered the pretrial detention of the suspect, pending further investigation. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The High Administrative Court upheld a decision cancelling the allocation of a housing unit by the Ministry of Housing to a Bahraini man, who resides abroad, for abandoning the house for the past nine years. Announcing the verdict, the Court said, citing housing law, that if a beneficiary fails to reside in the apartment allocated to him for more than six months from the date of receiving the dwelling without an acceptable reason, the authority could exercise the right to cancel the deal and recover the unit. In the lawsuit filed, the ministry requested the Court cancel the deal signed for the housing unit in the Sanad area and recover the keys, lawsuit fees and expenses. The ministry accused the beneficiary of leaving the housing unit in disrepair for several years. When summoned, his sister stated that the defendant resides outside Bahrain. The defendant appeared before the Housing Services Department at the Legal Affairs Department and admitted the violation, based on which the ministry decided to cancel the deal for non-compliance with the usufruct contract. The Court clarified that the decision follows Article 1 of Resolution No. (909) of 2015 regarding the housing system amended by Resolution No. (90) of 2019. The rule defines permanent residence as a continuous residence from the time of application to the time of allotment, and the family is resident in Bahrain. The ministry could cancel the deal if the stay outside the Kingdom exceeds six months unless for any of the following reasons: 1. Work for a Bahraini governmental entity or delegate to work for foreign governments, regional or international organizations, or for companies registered in the Kingdom of Bahrain. 2. Study or training. 3. Other reasons that the ministry considers according to the assessment of the Housing Committee. Article (10) of Resolution No. 909 of 2015 states that a housing contract stands cancelled if a beneficiary fails to receive it for more than six months after receiving notification to sign the contract and take delivery or if he defaults. The defendant told the court that he had been working outside the Kingdom for 20 years and admitted that his family resides with him abroad. Since the defendant and his family were not working for a Bahraini government agency or on an assignment to work for foreign governments, regional or international organizations or companies registered in Bahrain, Court considered the act a violation. The defendant also failed to respond to the legal notice and submit evidence of reconciliation of his legal status. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has declared Bahrain free of equine plague, further strengthening the position of Bahrain in maintaining the health status of horses. Shaikh Duaij bin Salman Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Horse Care Affairs Authority, congratulated His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their care and support to this sector. A certificate proving the absence of the disease in the Kingdom was presented by Dr Monique Eloit, Director-General of the OIE, to Dr Fajer Al Salloom, Director of Animal Wealth and Delegate of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the World Organisation for Animal Health. The ceremony came during the organisations 98th annual conference 2022 at the OIE Headquarters in Paris. Shaikh Duaij said: The Kingdom of Bahrain has been free of this disease for more than 50 years. This is confirmed by annual medical examinations conducted on a large number of horses. Additionally, this international recognition contributes to facilitating the movement of Bahraini horses between different regions of the world and reducing quarantine periods for horses, and reducing the financial cost and effort on the horses and their owners, he added. Shaikh Duaij thanked the Animal Wealth Directorate, represented by the Undersecretary for Animal Resources, Dr Khalid Ahmed Hassan, Dr Al Salloom, Yusuf Al Isa, the CEO of the Horse Care Affairs Authority, and members of the Authoritys Board of Directors. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain) hosted a joint board meeting with Tamkeen, the Society of Private Hospitals and a group of private hospital CEOs to discuss partnerships and cooperation in clinical training, education, research and other healthcare projects. President of RCSI Bahrain, Professor Sameer Otoom, commented, To date, one of our joint collaborations biggest achievements is the enrolment of 25 Bahraini students being trained as nurses with Tamkeens support and soon to be employed in the private healthcare sector. We hope to gather more momentum for this joint programme which started in 2019. Another highlight of our collaboration is the development of clinical and research opportunities for RCSI Bahrain students, which supports the development of our medical and nursing graduates profile for the benefit of the healthcare sector in Bahrain. RCSI Bahrain is a not-for-profit health sciences institution focused on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health. Lavrov says plans to visit Bahrain, Saudi next week Lavrov says plans to visit Bahrain, Saudi next week Agencies | Moscow The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is planning to visit Bahrain on May 31 and Saudi Arabia on June 1, reports said. The next visit will take place soon. On May 31 and June 1, in accordance with the existing invitations, I plan to visit Bahrain first. Then, on June 1, a regular meeting of the Russia-GCC (the Gulf Cooperation Council) Foreign Ministers Forum will be held in Riyadh, Lavrov told RT Arabic. Small groups of foreigners have been arriving in Japan to take part in government-sponsored guided tours, as the country prepares to welcome tourists next month. A participant from a travel agency in Australia said, "we really hope that the Japanese people are excited about having tourism back in the country again." Japan's Tourism Agency says information gathered from the test groups will help the government finalize COVID-19 guidelines for hotels and other tourism-related businesses. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio announced on Thursday that his country will begin welcoming foreign tourists starting June 10. People from nearly 100 countries and territories including the US and China, will be able to travel through packaged tours, as long as they are escorted by a guide. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary says they are being cautious. Matsuno Hirokazu told reporters on Friday that the government will make an appropriate decision for the management of the total number of those entering Japan, taking into account the quarantine system and prevention measures. He added the government will also consider the COVID-19 infection situation at home and abroad, as well as border control measures in major countries. Parliament's Privileges and Ethics Committee on Friday asked Maharashtra Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, and Commissioner Mumbai Police to appear before it on June 15 for oral evidence over the arrest of Lok Sabha Member Navneet Rana. The Committee also asked Superintendent of Women District Prison, Byculla (Mumbai) to appear before it on June 15 for oral evidence. An office memorandum issued by Privileges and Ethics branch Lok Sabha Secretariat said: "Committee of Privileges has directed that Manu Kumar Srivastava, Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra be asked to appear before the Committee for oral evidence on the above subject matter on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 1230 hours in Committee Room '2', Parliament House Annexe Extension, New Delhi." The office memorandum (OM) further stated that the Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances and Pensions are accordingly, requested to ensure that the official referred to above, appear before the Committee of Privileges, Lok Sabha on the date and time indicated above. "Necessary confirmation, in this regard, may please be sent to this Secretariat latest by June 7, 2022. The receipt of this OM may kindly be acknowledged," it added. Another office memorandum said that the Committee of Privileges has directed the following officials be asked to appear before the Committee for oral evidence on the above subject matter on Wednesday, June 15 at 12.30 p.m. in Committee Room '2', Parliament House Annexe Extension, New Delhi. "The undersigned is directed to state that Director General of Police (DGP) Maharashtra Rajnish Seth, Commissioner of Police, Mumbai Sanjay Pandey and Superintendent, Women District Prison, Class-2, Byculla, Mumbai. "The Ministry of Home Affairs are accordingly, requested to ensure that the officials referred to above, appear before the Committee of Privileges, Lok Sabha on the date and time indicated above," it said. Officials are asked to appear before the committee regarding April 25 complaint of Navneet Rana alleging patently illegal arrest and the consequent inhuman treatment meted out to her in Khar Police Station, Mumbai. Greece's residence permit provides its holders with a range of rights in the country. In particular, tax residency is given to those who stay in the country for over 183 days. This program is beneficial for non-EU citizens because it opens the way to great travel opportunities. In fact, it is also suitable for UK citizens who wish to enjoy the same benefits as residents of EU countries. What Is a Greece Residence Permit? A Greek residence permit allows an applicant to stay in the country for two years with access to all the related benefits. The status can be renewed every three years. Many people seek tax residency in the country because it allows them to benefit from a favorable taxation system. Read more detailed info on that provided by the experts of Immigrant Invest - https://immigrantinvest.com/residence-and-citizenship-greece-en/. How to Obtain a Greek Residence Permit A residence card can be given upon an investment program. There are several types of residence permits. For example, those who obtain the residency in Greece due to investment can get the following types of visas: Schengen Visa C (allows staying in the country for up to 90 days within six months) National Visa D (allows staying in the country for one year) A resident permit will be a step toward obtaining citizenship in the country. Immigrant Invest has provided sufficient information on that - https://immigrantinvest.com/blog/how-to-obtain-greek-citizenship-en/. Those looking for long-term Greek residency can opt for a golden visa. It gives a five-year Greece residency right away. Like tax residency, it provides access to a favorable taxation system as well as great traveling, work, and business opportunities. The applicant can apply every five years to renew ones residence card. Investment Options There are several investment options to choose from for those willing to apply for a Golden Visa for Greece. They include the following: Purchasing a real estate property Making a direct investment Depositing funds in a Greek bank The amount of money required for investment depends on its type. For example, it is enough to purchase property for the price of 250,000 or greater, while if you are willing to make a deposit in a Greek bank, it must be in the amount of at least 400,000. Except for the investment, the applicants will also need to pay certain fees. A residence card can also be obtained by the family members of the applicant. Other requirements may also apply to the main candidate and ones family members. Which Option to Choose? When it comes to obtaining a Greek residence permit, applicants have different options to pick from. It is essential to understand the differences between various programs. The essential conditions to keep in mind include: The desired length of stay in the country Available funds The purpose of stay Others It may be difficult to decide what type of permission you wish to obtain. Specialists can provide you with the necessary support. Also, they will take care of collecting the required documents and applying with the responsible authority. Conclusion There are different options that you can consider when it comes to staying in Greece and taking advantage of other benefits, such as tax residency. The best opportunities are provided by Greece Golden Visa, but this option is available for wealthy candidates who are willing to spend a solid amount of money. By consulting experts, you will be able to avoid mistakes when choosing the right program and lots of hassle associated with the application procedure. The Japanese government plans to allow exports of fighter jets, missiles and other arms to 12 countries, including India, Australia as well as some European and Southeast Asian nations, Nikkei has learned. Regulatory changes to allow for the exports could come by next March. The government aims to enhance deterrence against China by cooperating with countries that have signed individual security agreements with Tokyo. These countries include Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, U.S., U.K., Germany, France and Italy. In 2014, Japan established a principle regarding transfers of defense equipment and eased regulations that had prohibited its export. However, it still bans exports of lethal weapons. The principle states that exports to countries that do not jointly develop arms with Japan are limited to equipment for rescue, transport, warning, surveillance and minesweeping missions. However, the easing will be included in the government's policy on economic and fiscal management and reform, to be finalized in June. The principles will be revised after a National Security Strategy is formulated, which is scheduled to take place at the end of this year. Japan is planning to develop new fighter jets and medium-range anti-aircraft missiles with the United States and the United Kingdom. Export customers will allow Japan's manufacturers to lower their production costs. This will also lower the Japanese government's procurement costs and lighten its financial burden. ...continue reading COVID-19 transmission in Connecticut appears to be slowing, state numbers show, following several months of steady increase. As of Thursday, the state averaged 1,137 daily cases over the past week, down from nearly 1,600 at one point earlier this month, though still much higher than immediately before the current wave. The states seven-day positivity rate, meanwhile, has decreased from 14.2 percent last week to 11.8 percent as of Thursday. Though both case counts and test positivity rate are likely skewed by the popularity of at-home tests, most of which are never reported to authorities, experts say the metrics can still be useful in assessing broad trends. Additionally, traces of COVID-19 in New Haven wastewater appear to have plateaued or even decreased slightly, data from Yale researchers shows, offering another sign that transmission in Connecticut has reached a peak, at least for now. As of Thursday, Connecticut had 379 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, down slightly from Wednesday, when hospitalizations hit their highest level since February. Hospitalizations have continued to increase in recent days but not as sharply as earlier this month. Over the last two weeks, weve seen at least some stabilization in terms of COVID hospitalizations, which we can track, and community transmission, which we can roughly estimate with the current data, said Dr. David Banach, hospital epidemiologist at UConn Health. So Im optimistic, with some caution, for the coming weeks. Additionally, traces of COVID-19 in wastewater in New Haven appears to have plateaued or even dropped slightly, according to Yale researchers. Since March, Connecticut has been mired in a COVID-19 spike, which experts have attributed to the BA.2 subvariant. What was initially expected to be a relatively small uptick has instead caused a substantial increase in cases and hospitalizations, lasting more than two months. Coronavirus-linked deaths have not particularly spiked during the recent wave, which may owe to the fact that deaths lag cases and hospitalizations but may also be a product of vaccine protection, strains of virus that are somewhat less deadly, and improved treatment protocols, including antiviral pills. Connecticut on Thursday reported 19 COVID-19 deaths over the past week, bringing its total during the pandemic to 10,941. In terms of severity of the hospitalized patients, we are seeing a smaller number with an intensive-care level of illness, Banach said. I think thats encouraging. Still, even as Connecticuts case count and positivity rate have dipped slightly in recent days, transmission in Connecticut remains high, with tens of thousands of new infections (both reported and unreported) likely occurring each week. Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare, said Thursday that hes not yet ready to celebrate any improvement in the state numbers. We are at a place where we shouldnt be at all, Wu said. Whether its 383 [hospitalizations] yesterday or 379 today, both numbers are equally bad. Connecticuts recent COVID-19 uptick, which came almost immediately on the heels of the states devastating omicron-driven winter surge, has led some infectious disease experts to fear the state will see high levels of transmission indefinitely, with new variants emerging one after another. Already, the state has identified several cases of BA.4 and BA.5, subvariants that caused a dramatic COVID-19 uptick in South Africa. Wu said recent trends in Connecticuts numbers have not changed his relatively pessimistic outlook about the months to come. As he sees it, Connecticut could return to lower viral levels by the end of June but could also see cases rise again at any time. With a population that has apathy and doesnt care, whats going to happen is were going to see wave after wave after wave, Wu said. We are going to see a downturn at some point, but it really depends how prolonged that downturn is and then what is the depth of that downturn. Even as Connecticuts cases decrease, Wu said, they are unlikely to return to the lows recorded last summer. Its like coming down from Everest to the Tibetan pleateau, he said. Youre still pretty frickin high up in the Tibetan plateau. Banach offered a slightly more optimistic view, arguing that summer weather, which facilitates outdoor activity, should help Connecticut keep its numbers lower than they have been. As he sees it, Connecticuts recent decrease in cases and positivity rate could be the start of a lower-risk period. We still need to be aware that COVID is around us, but here in Connecticut warmer weather, spending more time outdoors is beneficial in reducing the risk of spread, he said. So I think we can maintain some cautious optimism for the next few weeks. alex.putterman@hearstmediact.com Contributed Photo BROOKFIELD A man was taken to the hospital Thursday evening after a firefighter and a police officer rescued him from underwater, according to officials. Fire, police and emergency medical personnel were dispatched to North Lake Shore Drive around 6:25 p.m. for a man who was last seen working on his boat tied to his dock, according to the Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company and the Brookfield Police Department. Scientists from the United States, Italy, Denmark and Brazil have successfully sequenced the genome of a 35-40 year-old male who died in the ancient city of Pompeii after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. The archaeological site of Pompeii is one of the 54 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Italy. Pompeii was a Roman Imperial Age port city located south of Naples in Central Italy until it was completely destroyed and buried by the ashes of the Mount Vesuvius eruption in 79 CE. According to Pliny the Younger, the Vesuvius eruption occurred around 1 p.m. on the 24th of August and was visible from over 40 km away. More than 2,000 individuals died as a direct consequence of the eruption, the deadliest ever in European history. The several exceptionally well-preserved buildings found in Pompeii such as Casa del Chirurgo (House of the Surgeon), Casa del Fauno (House of Faun) and Casa dei Casti Amanti (House of the Chaste Lovers) suggest that Pompeii was probably a holiday resort for wealthy Romans. However, Pompeii was also an important city for trading and business, with a population ranging between 6,400 and 20,000 dwellers. Despite continuing an intense scientific research on the site since the nineteenth century to this day, conducting both bioarchaeological and genetic studies from Pompeiian human remains has been a challenge, as exposure to high temperature diminishes the quality and quantity of recoverable DNA. In a new study, Dr. Gabriele Scorrano from the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the University of Copenhagen and colleagues examined the remains of two individuals who were found in Casa del Fabbro (House of the Craftsman) in Pompeii and extracted their DNA. The shape, structure, and length of the skeletons indicated that one set of remains belonged to a male between 35 and 40 years old and 1.64 m tall, while the other set of remains belonged to a female over 50 years of age who stood 1.53 m tall. Although the researchers were able to extract and sequence ancient DNA from both individuals, they were only able to sequence the entire genome from the males remains due to gaps in the sequences obtained from the females remains. Comparisons of the male individuals DNA with DNA obtained from 1,030 other ancient and 471 modern western Eurasian individuals suggested that his DNA shared the most similarities with modern central Italians and other individuals who lived in Italy during the Roman Imperial age. This individual was found to belong to the Y-chromosome lineage A-M13 (A1b1b2b), a rare lineage absent among ancient individuals from the Italian Peninsula, mainly found in Eastern Africa (40%), but with known occurrences, at much lower frequencies, in the Near East (Turkey, Yemen, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia) and the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia, Cyprus and Lesbos, they said. He belonged to the mitochondrial DNA haplogroup clade HV0a, the main monophyletic branch of HV0 and subclade of haplogroup HV. This mitochondrial lineage is absent among published Roman Imperial individuals from Italy. Additional analyses of the male individuals skeleton and DNA identified lesions in one of the vertebrae and DNA sequences that are commonly found in Mycobacterium, the group of bacteria that the tuberculosis-causing bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis belongs to. This suggests that the individual may have been affected by tuberculosis prior to his death. Our study albeit limited to one individual confirms and demonstrates the possibility of applying paleogenomic methods to study human remains from this unique site, the authors said. Our initial findings provide a foundation to promote an intensive analysis of well-preserved Pompeian individuals. Supported by the enormous amount of archaeological information that has been collected in the past century for the city of Pompeii, their paleogenetic analyses will help us to reconstruct the lifestyle of this fascinating population of the Imperial Roman period. The teams results were published in the journal Scientific Reports. _____ G. Scorrano et al. 2022. Bioarchaeological and palaeogenomic portrait of two Pompeians that died during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Sci Rep 12, 6468; doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-10899-1 The gun manufacturer that produced the AR-15-style assault rifle the Uvalde, Texas elementary school shooter used to kill 19 children and two teachers has shut down its social media accounts after being linked to the massacre. It has also reportedly dropped out of the National Rifle Association's annual convention set to be held starting Friday in Houston. On Tuesday, alleged shooter 18-year-old Salvador Ramos entered a fourth-grade classroom at Robb Elementary School, killing 21 people in the deadliest school shooting in Texas history. The firearm Ramos used is reportedly made by Georgia-based gun manufacturer Daniel Defense, authorities and the company each confirmed. LIVE UPDATES: The latest news on the Uvalde school massacre. The arms manufacturer states on its site, "At Daniel Defense, we celebrate the liberty of our country, the enthusiasm of our customers and employees, and the quality and accuracy of our products." On Wednesday, one of the company's social media posts resurfaced from a week ago on May 16, the day Ramos turned 18. That week, he legally purchased two AR-15-style assault rifles, including the Daniel Defense DDM V7 rifle, according to the Washington Post. "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it," the post said, in reference to a Biblical proverb, followed by a prayer emoji. The post included a photo of a toddler sitting with an AR-15-style assault rifle on its lap. Daniel Defense also reportedly posted the same image and text on Instagram that day, which included the hashtag #childrenarethefuture. Both posts have since been deleted after the gun company faced an onslaught of backlash from social media users. Daniel Defense has limited comments on its Instagram posts and also went private on Twitter in the aftermath. However, screenshots of the posts are still being circulated online. Daniel Defense had planned to hold an exhibitor's booth at the NRA's annual convention, being held this Friday through Sunday in Houston, and had stated it was "proud to reunite with thousands of patriots." However, those plans appear to have been scrapped as the NRA's list of vendors no longer includes the gunmaker, per the Washington Post. Daniel Defense issued a statement following the Uvalde shooting: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic events in Texas this week. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and community devastated by this evil act." ST. JOHN'S, NL, May 27, 2022 /CNW/ - Canada and the United States have a long history of working together to help mariners in need and manage the coastlines and shared waterways that run along the borders between the two countries. This week, the Canadian Coast Guard hosted the 2022 Canada-United States Coast Guard Summit in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. This year's Summit was the first to take place in person since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with additional presenters joining the Summit virtually. In-person participation enabled members of both Coast Guards to experience hands-on key services at the heart of both organizations. This included participating in an exercise with a recently built Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue vessel and a Fast Rescue Craft, as well as touring an icebreaker. This hands-on experience provided an opportunity for senior officials and personnel from both Coast Guards to exchange operational knowledge and experience. During the Summit, senior officials from the Canadian and United States Coast Guards addressed priorities for both countries, such as increased collaboration to address emerging challenges, including climate change resiliency and cyber security. Delegates also discussed icebreaking on the Great Lakes, which is a shared responsibility between the two Coast Guards, who work hand-in-hand to serve all Great Lakes winter marine traffic. Known as the "One Fleet" approach, the Great Lakes Icebreaking Agreement is an example of the collaboration between the two Coast Guards working together to provide services on both sides of the border and on shared waterways. This year's Summit also provided an opportunity to mark the 60th Anniversary of the Canadian Coast Guard, and bid farewell to Admiral Karl L. Schultz during his last international engagement as Commandant of the United States Coast Guard before his retirement. Quotes "Canada and the United States of America are proud maritime nations. The ongoing collaboration in place between the Canadian and the United States Coast Guards benefits our citizens, and our economies. Mariners on both sides of the border can rest assured that help will be there when they need it, and businesses can feel confident that vital waterways and shipping corridors will remain open and safe." The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard "It has been an honour to host the annual Canada-US Coast Guard Summit in 2022, the year in which we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Canadian Coast Guard. Our longstanding relationship with the United States Coast Guard, our closest international partner, is one that is vital to the operations of both organizations. Now more than ever, renewing our commitment to collaborate is critical to address emerging challenges. I am confident that, through ongoing cooperation, we will continue to serve mariners, residents and industry in both our nations. I also extend my best wishes to Admiral Schultz, Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, on his retirement, and thank him for his years of dedication, partnership and collaboration." Mario Pelletier, Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard "In the 60th year of the Canadian Coast Guard, I can say our partnership has never been stronger. Strong partnerships are imperative to the success of our Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard's partnership with the Canadian Coast Guard is among the strongest. From the Great Lakes to the high Arctic, U.S.Canadian Coast Guard cooperation is essential to ensuring the safety and prosperity of our waterways and addressing threats to the security of our nations. As my tenure as Commandant comes to an end next week, I look back on four years of effective bilateral maritime operations and exercises. I am grateful for this 2022 Canada/United States Coast Guard Summit which further enhanced our level of cooperation on emerging issues like cyber security, climate resiliency, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing." Admiral Karl L. Schultz, Commandant, United States Coast Guard "As Assistant Commissioner of the Atlantic Region, I was honoured to have hosted so many of our colleagues from the United States Coast Guard at our St. John's Canadian Coast Guard base this week. Our staff and crews were pleased to welcome Canadian and American officials onboard some of our vessels, to share best practices and lessons learned. It was a very successful Summit that allowed senior leaders to meet and explore avenues for increased collaboration to address 21st century challenges such as climate change resiliency, and exchange ideas and operational expertise." Gary Ivany, Assistant Commissioner, Atlantic Region, Canadian Coast Guard Quick Facts The Canada-United States Coast Guard Summit was first held in 2005 and is hosted alternately by each country. The summit is an annual opportunity for the senior leadership of the Canadian and United States Coast Guards to meet and discuss strategic and operational issues of mutual importance. Canada and the United States have had an agreement in place for shared icebreaking on the Great Lakes since the 1980s. and have had an agreement in place for shared icebreaking on the Great Lakes since the 1980s. In March 2022 , the Canadian and United States Coast Guards updated the signing of the CANUSLAK agreement. The CANUSLAK agreement is an operational annex, established to ensure coordinated planning, preparedness, and response to any pollution incidents in shared waters on the Great Lakes and connecting waterways between. Related Products: Associated Links Stay Connected Follow the Canadian Coast Guard on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. SOURCE Canadian Coast Guard For further information: Claire Teichman, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, 604-679-5462, [email protected]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 613-990-7537, [email protected] OTTAWA, ON, May 27, 2022 /CNW/ - The Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, and the Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, issued this statement today to provide an update on actions the government is taking to reduce wait times at Canadian airports: "The Government of Canada recognizes the impact that significant wait times at some Canadian airports are having on travellers. It is great news that more and more Canadians are choosing to travel. As travel volume surges, there are reports of delays in many aspects of travel: Canadian customs, United States customs, airport security screening, luggage handling, airline services, taxis and limos, among many other areas. We are also witnessing similar phenomena at other airports around the world. Having said that, we are taking action to quickly address delays while continuing to maintain adequate security screening. We are working with airports, air carriers and other airport partners to find solutions to reduce delays in airports in advance of the summer peak season. The goal of this collaboration is to ensure efficient services for inbound and outbound passengers, so Canadians are able to travel smoothly and safely as the sector recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. "Specific action being taken in response to the airport delays include: Transport Canada (TC) quickly convened government agencies and industry including the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), creating an outbound screening committee to address bottlenecks occurring at pre-board security screening and pre-clearance departure checkpoints and to develop new approaches to dealing with these pressure points in the travel system. (TC) quickly convened government agencies and industry including the Public Health Agency of (PHAC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), creating an outbound screening committee to address bottlenecks occurring at pre-board security screening and pre-clearance departure checkpoints and to develop new approaches to dealing with these pressure points in the travel system. CATSA has been working with its contractors to increase the number of screening officers at passenger screening checkpoints. Currently, there are approximately 400 additional screening officers in different phases of their training across the country who will be deployed between now and the end of June. With TC's support, these recruits will benefit from progressing more quickly through a more flexible onboarding process so they can be on the ground as quickly as possible. Airports are working to support CATSA with this initiative. CATSA is very close to having recruited 100% of their target numbers of screening officers for the summer in many airports, including Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport. International Airport. CATSA has accelerated the use of pre-certified screening officers to carry out non-screening functions, to optimize resources, and to allow certified screening officers to focus their efforts on key security functions. Airports, airlines, and other partners are communicating with CATSA daily to help them adjust scheduling to ensure screeners are available where and when they are needed to support busy travel times as air travel quickly recovers. CATSA is currently studying best practices at airports to see where these processes can be applied to other airports to gain efficiencies. "While more remains to be done, these efforts are paying off through declining wait times for screening. Since the beginning of the month, the number of passengers waiting 30 minutes and more for outbound screening at our largest airports (Toronto Pearson International, Vancouver International, Montreal Trudeau International and Calgary International), has been halved across all four airports. "For arriving passengers, the Government of Canada, including TC, PHAC and Public Safety Canada, continues to work with airlines and industry partners to reduce delays, including with planes holding at the gates at Toronto Pearson International Airport. CBSA and the Toronto Pearson International Airport are taking action by adding 25 kiosks to speed up processing time. CBSA is also initiating the Summer Action Plan to ensure efficiency; increasing available officer capacity; and easing the return of Student Border Services Officers. PHAC is working with CBSA and partners to streamline their operations. For example, they will be removing the requirement for Mandatory Random Testing on the International to Domestic Connections Process. Other changes to streamline processing on public health grounds are being developed. "Airports, airlines and the Government of Canada, including CATSA, PHAC, TC and the CBSA, are improving communications with travellers so passengers can better anticipate pre-boarding screening and arrival processing requirements, facilitating a smoother passage in and out of airports. There are things travellers can do to help speed up the processes: Travellers arriving at Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport can use the Advanced CBSA Declaration on the web version of ArriveCAN to make their customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours in advance of flying into Canada . This will save travellers time when they arrive at the airport. This feature will be integrated into the ArriveCAN mobile app this summer and will also be made available at other airports across Canada in the coming months. International Airport can use the on the web version of ArriveCAN to make their customs and immigration declaration up to 72 hours in advance of flying into . This will save travellers time when they arrive at the airport. This feature will be integrated into the ArriveCAN mobile app this summer and will also be made available at other airports across in the coming months. All travellers arriving from international destinations must complete their information in ArriveCan. Travellers who arrive in Canada without having completed ArriveCAN contribute significantly to border congestion. Regardless of vaccination status, a traveller who arrives without an ArriveCAN receipt is considered an unvaccinated traveller, meaning they have to test upon arrival and Day 8 and quarantine for 14 days. Travellers without an ArriveCAN receipt may also be subject to enforcement, including a fine of $5,000 . The simplest thing travellers can do to speed up their airport experience is to come prepared, including completing ArriveCAN. without having completed ArriveCAN contribute significantly to border congestion. Regardless of vaccination status, a traveller who arrives without an ArriveCAN receipt is considered an unvaccinated traveller, meaning they have to test upon arrival and Day 8 and quarantine for 14 days. Travellers without an ArriveCAN receipt may also be subject to enforcement, including a fine of . The simplest thing travellers can do to speed up their airport experience is to come prepared, including completing ArriveCAN. Travellers 16 years old or older can use new eGates at Toronto Pearson International Airport to verify their identity and submit their customs and immigration declaration, which will improve the traffic flow at the Terminal 1 arrival hall and speed up processing. "The Government of Canada recognizes the urgency of the situation and continues to work with all partners to address wait times as a matter of priority. With additional CATSA screeners and CBSA Border Services Officers in place and coming, and ongoing discussions to further reduce the delays, some progress has been made, but we recognize we need to do moreand we will. We will take clear and decisive action to ensure the safety, security and resiliency of Canada's transportation system, its employees, and its users, while supporting economic recovery." Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news or stay connected through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities. SOURCE Transport Canada For further information: Laurel Lennox, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, [email protected]; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, [email protected], 613-993-0055 The governments of Canada and New Brunswick announce a major investment in College communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick DIEPPE, NB, May 27, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Our two official languages are inseparable from our country's heritage. This is why the Government of Canada has committed to protecting and promoting our linguistic duality, and to fostering the vitality of official-language minority communities, specifically by funding postsecondary institutions to increase learning opportunities in the minority language. Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, announced support of more than $6.6 million for three projects of the College communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB). Minister Petitpas Taylor was accompanied by the Honourable Daniel Allain, New Brunswick Minister of Local Governments and Local Governance Reform, and Pierre Zundel, President and Chief Executive Officer of the CCNB. Through this funding, the CCNB will introduce a support model for continuing education and career plan management. This model will provide the student population with personalized training plans and resources aimed at integrating them into the labour market in their field of study. In addition, the project will give students tools that will let them progress professionally throughout their whole career. The Government of Canada is providing more than $1 million to this project, while the Government of New Brunswick is providing nearly $700,000 over a three-year period. The federal and provincial governments will also finance a project aimed at transforming the study programs based on an approach centred on the development of skills that reflect employment positions in companies. The CCNB will begin revising each of its study programs based on the technical and social skills identified in the labour market, in order to allow their students to develop sustainable and transferable skills in several different contexts and situations, to take on their role as workers, and to develop professionally. This project will be supported by funding of $2 million from the federal government and $1.2 million from the provincial government. Finally, the Government of Canada is investing $734,00 and the Government of New Brunswick $921,779 to allow the CCNB to modernize its IT systems to improve the mechanisms for collecting, analyzing and using data to provide services to the student population and fully process applications online. These projects are funded under the CanadaNew Brunswick Agreement on French-Language Education and Second-Language Instruction from 201920 to 202223. Quotes "As Member of Parliament for MonctonRiverviewDieppe and a proud Acadian, I know that this investment will help the College communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick achieve its goals and stand out from other colleges across the country. The announcement today will enable the CCNB to modernize its education models and its technology, and allow it to offer the resources the next generation needs in order to access the labour market right here in our beautiful region." The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency "We are delighted to join with the federal government to support our French language postsecondary establishments under this bilateral agreement. We recognize that the College communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick has a role to play in offering programs which aim to prepare our Francophone students for their entry into the labour market. This funding will enable their programs and services to be improved in this regard." The Honourable Trevor Holder, Minister of Postsecondary Education, Training and Labour, Government of New Brunswick "This is very good news for New Brunswick. These three projects will enhance the CCNB's ability to support the New Brunswick economy, bolster the province's Francophone communities and help students achieve their goals. The entire CCNB team is working together on these three projects. The CCNB thanks the governments of Canada and New Brunswick for their confidence in us." Pierre Zundel, President and CEO, College communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick Quick Facts The College communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick has been a fully autonomous Francophone college corporation since May 30, 2010 . . The CCNB serves all Acadian and Francophone communities in New Brunswick through its five campuses located in Bathurst , Campbellton , Dieppe , Edmundston and the Acadian Peninsula. The CCNB is headquartered in Bathurst , in northeastern New Brunswick . through its five campuses located in , , , and the Acadian Peninsula. The CCNB is headquartered in , in northeastern . Budget 2021 included an investment of $121 million over three years (202122 to 202324) to support high-quality postsecondary education in the minority language. These new investments will be made primarily through existing intergovernmental collaboration mechanisms to help provinces and territories meet pressing needs to help stabilize the minority-language postsecondary sector. over three years (202122 to 202324) to support high-quality postsecondary education in the minority language. These new investments will be made primarily through existing intergovernmental collaboration mechanisms to help provinces and territories meet pressing needs to help stabilize the minority-language postsecondary sector. This funding is provided through the Official Languages Support Programs, whose objective is to enhance the vitality of English- and French-speaking minority communities and promote the English and French languages in Canadian society. On March 1, 2022 , the Government of Canada introduced an enhanced bill promoting the substantive equality of Canada's official languages, in order to adapt the Official Languages Act to a changing society. Among other objectives, the bill aims to address the decline of French in Canada , clarify and strengthen the section of the Official Languages Act dealing with the promotion of official languages, and support official-language minority communities. Associated Links SOURCE Canadian Heritage For further information: (media only) Marianne Blondin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected] Shahid Mushtaq Bhat of Hafroo Chadoora Budgam and Farhan Habib of Hakripora Pulwama, both newly enlisted to the LeT, were identified as the terrorists. Security forces have avenged the killing of social media star Amreen Bhat by Lashkar-e-Toiba militants inside her house in the Chadoora town of Budgam district late Wednesday evening in a successful operation. Four terrorists were killed in two separate confrontations in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama and Srinagar districts on Friday, including two who were involved in the death of a female TV artist. When the confrontation broke out in the area, Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar stated both of Amreen Bhats killers were caught in the crossfire. The IGP has tweeted that both killers (LeT terrorists) of late Amreen Bhat, an artist trapped in Awantipora encounter: Further Details shall follow. Both the trapped terrorists had been killed in the encounter, the Kashmir Zone police stated in a tweet later. Searches in the vicinity were on. Shahid Mushtaq Bhat of Hafroo Chadoora Budgam and Farhan Habib of Hakripora Pulwama, both newly enlisted to the LeT, were identified as the terrorists. Over 1,600 delegates, including government officials, foreign diplomats, military forces, central armed police forces, PSUs, private firms, and drone startups, will attend the two-day Bharat Drone Mahotsav. The central government intends to increase domestic demand for drone services. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick off Indias largest drone festival, Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022, today at 10 a.m. in Delhis Pragati Maidan. PM Modi will also meet with Kisan drone pilots, watch open-air drone demos, and talk to entrepreneurs at the drone exhibition centre. Over 1,600 delegates, including government officials, foreign diplomats, military forces, central armed police forces, PSUs, private firms, and drone startups, will attend the two-day Bharat Drone Mahotsav. At the expo, more than 70 exhibitors will demonstrate various drone applications. The festival will also feature virtual awards, product introductions, panel talks, flying demos, and the unveiling of a Made in India Drone Taxi prototype, among other things. The federal government intends to increase domestic demand for drone services. Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Union Aviation Minister, recently stated that India will require roughly one lakh drone pilots in the future years. Adani Groups joint venture company with Israeli firm Elbit, IdeaForge Technology, and 12 other drone companies were selected as beneficiaries of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which was launched this year to give a fresh push to manufacturing and services in the drone sector. On May 5, the civil aviation ministry issued a second call for applications for the plan. The deadline for applicant submissions was May 20. The government announced the PLI scheme for drones and drone components on September 16, 2021, with a budget of 120 crore split over three years. The incentive for a drone and drone component producer under the PLI plan will be 20% of the value addition achieved by the company over the next three years. The annual sales revenue from drones and drone components (net of GST) is subtracted from the acquisition cost of drones and drone components (net of GST). Page Content 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 on 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 face 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 to 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. M.K. Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, has presented a number of key demands to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is now in Chennai. Stalin demanded that the Prime Minister recapture the Kachchatheevu island from Sri Lanka, drawing the Prime Ministers attention to the problems faced by Indian fisherman in Tamil Nadu. He also added that now is an excellent opportunity to rescue Kachchatheevu Island and ensure the traditional fishing zone and rights of the Tamil Nadu fishing community, in order to find a solution to the problems that the coastal fishing community in Tamil Nadu is facing. At a gathering to inaugurate and lay foundation stone for projects worth Rs 31,530 crore, the CM quoted former Chief Minister M Karunanidhis comments to clarify his governments relationship with the Centre: Well extend hand for friendship; well speak out for our rights. The CM also reminded the PM of the Rs 14,006 crore GST compensation owed to Tamil Nadu, stating that it is the appropriate moment to reclaim Katchatheevu as a solution to the challenges faced by our fishermen and protect their traditional fishing rights. At a time when many States revenues have yet to fully recover, Stalin added, I demand that the GST compensation term be prolonged for at least two more years beyond June 2022. To name a few, TNs contribution in Indias GDP is 9.22 percent, the Chief Minister added, emphasising the critical role played by Tamil Nadu in Indias development and the Centres budgetary resources. The state of Tennessee contributes 6% of the Union governments total tax revenue. TN accounts for 8.4% of Indias overall exports. In Indias textile industry, TN has a 19.4 percent market, while in vehicle exports, it has a 32.5 percent share. TN contributes 33 percent to the export of leather products. The CM outlined how the States portion of costs in projects that are jointly implemented by the State and the Centre rises dramatically as programmes progress. AMERICAN FORK, Utah (AP) _ Domo, Inc. (DOMO) on Thursday reported a loss of $32.9 million in its fiscal first quarter. On a per-share basis, the American Fork, Utah-based company said it had a loss of 99 cents. Losses, adjusted for stock option expense and amortization costs, came to 23 cents per share. CANNES, France (AP) Just days removed from finishing her latest film and hours after arriving in Cannes, Claire Denis sat down in a poolside hotel restaurant and warmly pronounced herself a mess. Denis latest, the Denis Johnson adaptation Stars at Noon, has been percolating in her for more than a decade. She was compelled to make it after the authors death in 2017. But there have been hurdles along the way. The pandemic, for one. (Masks appear in the film.) Robert Pattison, star of Denis' 2019 sci-fi film High Life," had to drop out over scheduling conflicts. After another actor departed at the last minute, Denis cast co-star Joe Alwyn from Panama by Zoom days before shooting began. A week before Cannes, a problem with the film's mix meant having to frantically redo it before the film's premiere Wednesday. But Denis, the 76-year-old French filmmaking legend of Beau Travail," White Material and 35 Shots of Rum, felt strongly about making Stars at Noon." It stars Margaret Qualley as a motel-dwelling American journalist named Trish in a present-day Nicaragua overrun by rebels and oilmen. (The book takes place in the 80s). When Trish propositions a British businessman (Alwyn) at a hotel bar, she finds both trouble and love. The film drew a mixed reception from critics at Cannes, but it's a characteristically Denis film, languid and seductive, enlivened by a freewheeling, charismatic performance by Qualley. Denis, who grew up in colonial West Africa and briefly considered resetting Stars at Noon there, crafts a politically-tinged thriller and an oblique love story about the perilous, transactional nature of intimacy. I think for Denis, love is the main problem of his life," Denis says, sipping an espresso. Much more than money. Asked if its the same for her, Denis smiles. Obviously, yeah. Its probably not a good choice, Denis replies. If youre made for falling in love, what else can you do? ___ AP: This is your first time in Cannes competition lineup since your feature film debut Chocolat in 1988, which seems unbelievable. How do you feel about it? DENIS: It's not a problem for me. I was not aware it was so important. To be in competition, it's not fun. I'm happy to have been more to the side. Sometimes I read things like, Shes a renegade. I'm not a renegade. I'm a normal person. The selection people probably don't like my films and it's their right. It's such a difficult thing to be able to do a film. Some people like it or not. That's the story of cinema, no? I'm a strange figure for people from a distance, probably. AP: Do you think there's a false perception of you? DENIS: I try to be honest with my work, of course. I never try to do an arty movie. I always try to do my best with my feelings. Like this film, it's so moving to do a film. The best for me is to be in the mood for love, with the actors, with scriptwriting. AP: How did you get to know Denis Johnson? DENIS: I heard about Denis Johnson sort of late. I read Jesus' Son. After a while I found Stars at Noon. It was as if I understood everything completely. So I wrote to Denis Johnson, I met with him. I was so terribly sad when he died. I said, Man, I have to try. I had been a little bit afraid. Then he died and I thought: I have to do it. At least try. AP: Why did you respond to the book so much? DENIS: These two characters are absolutely not made to meet. They should not, and yet they do. Little by little they fall in love but each with a different aim. He's lying to her. She's not lying to him but he doesn't know how much she's been through. She cheats on him in a way I understand, in a way I could do. I thought: This is like a tragedy in the modern world, not in Greece. Their destinies are so imposed. I thought Denis was maybe both characters. He was her when he was trying to be a journalist, and he was maybe a little bit of the Englishman with his secret. AP: Did you always want to set it in present day? DENIS: Yeah, when I was in Nicaragua and I saw what was happening, the way it is today. To pretend this is 1984 with American tanks, I thought was too late. It would have been too sad to make a film outside Nicaragua, because no insurance wanted us to shoot in Nicaragua, speaking about a glorious revolution. I thought it was unfair to the Sandinistas. AP: I imagine you're also not especially interested in a lot of set dressing and would rather focus on working closely with the actors. DENIS: Yeah. Reading the novel, the two characters' relationship is much more important than the revolution. The revolution is like background noise. AP: Qualley is a revelation in the film. How did you come to see her in the role? DENIS: I was in Cannes watching (Quentin) Tarantino's movie ("One Upon a Time in Hollywood"). I already had the project. I came out of the Palais and I thought: It's her, only her. She waited for almost three years because the pandemic came and Robert was supposed to be in it but he was Batman and did Tenet. She believed in the project and trusted me. I never thought I would be disappointed by her. She's so luminous. She's not interested in being a beautiful young woman only. She has a spirit, a flame. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP ___ For more Cannes Film Festival coverage, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival. Connecticut drivers are reminded to be on alert this long holiday weekend because Memorial Day tends to be not only one of the busiest weekends in terms of travel but also deadly. Between 2011 and 2020, 44 people were killed in crashes in Connecticut during the Memorial Day weekend, which runs from Thursday evening through early Monday, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Nationwide, more than 5,600 people were killed in Memorial Day weekend accidents in the last decade, according to the NHTSA. Memorial Day weekend is considered one of the busiest travel times in Connecticut, state Transportation Commissioner Joe Giulietti said. Vehicle crashes are rising to unprecedented levels, and people continue traveling way too fast. I urge motorists to put down the cellphone, buckle up, slow down and always drive sober. The most fatal car accidents in the state occur from May through August, peaking with 192 car deaths in August since 2015, according to the DOT crash emphasis area dashboard. May is the fourth deadliest month for car crashes, according to the data. Since 2015, there have been 177 car fatalities in Connecticut in May. Connecticut State Police are also gearing up for the holiday weekend, heightening their search for people driving under the influence as the start of summer is often associated with drinking, according to a State Police statement. Traditionally, Memorial Day weekend is the start to activities related to beaches, backyards and barbecues. State troopers are standing by to ensure that highways are free of hazardous drivers as residents drive to their destinations, the statement said. Troopers from each of the agencys 11 troops will be conducting extra roving DUI patrols from the evening of May 26 through the evening of May 30. Its a great time to spend be with friends and family, so troopers ask you to utilize lawful driving skills and plan for traffic delays as more drivers venture out, the statement said. The number of accidents over Memorial Day weekend has varied widely in recent years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, state police investigated 341 accidents, 52 of which included injuries and one of which was fatal, according to the statement. Troopers responded to 7,540 calls for service and issued 2,242 violations, 607 for speeding and 448 seatbelt violations, according to the statement. The remaining violations include texting and driving, following too closely and unsafe lane change, among other violations. And 20 driving under the influence arrests were made, according to state police. In 2020, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the months prior, the amount of traffic and the number of accidents dropped significantly. State police investigated 175 accidents in 2020, none of which were fatal, according to the statement. However, more calls for service were received and more DUI arrests were made, police said. In 2020, police received 7,963 calls for service, issued 2,017 violations and made 33 DUI arrests, according to the statement. Speeding violations were also up in 2020, with nearly 1,000 tickets administered, police said. Last year, Memorial Day weekend accidents rose again to 377, with 56 injuries and one fatality, according to the statement. Calls for service dipped to 5,636, and DUI arrests went down to 30. Troopers at Troop D in Danielson, will be conducting a DUI/sobriety checkpoint on Friday evening on Route 44 in the vicinity of Route 21 in Putnam. The Troop D troopers will work in conjunction with troopers from the Traffic Services Unit to conduct this checkpoint to ensure the highest possible degree of safety for motorists during the holiday period. Holiday traffic is expected to return near pre-COVID levels this weekend, according to AAA. Road travel is expected to increase by nearly 5 percent compared to last year, which represents approximately 93 percent of prepandemic vehicle travel, a DOT statement said. To help with the flow of traffic, no DOT maintenance or construction will be conducted from Friday through Tuesday morning on the states limited-access highways, according to the statement. Every year, hundreds of Americans hit the road on Memorial Day weekend but dont make it home to their families after a traffic crash, said Alec Slatky, AAAs director of public health and government affairs for the Northeast. A car is a multi-ton weapon when operated recklessly, and drivers must be sober, avoid distractions, and travel at a safe speed so they dont endanger themselves and others. Even small changes in speed can make a big difference in crash severity, he said. abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 5 of 5 HAMDEN Police are searching for a man who allegedly brandished a firearm and robbed the Goodwill store on Dixwell Avenue Friday morning, according to the department. Officers were called to the Goodwill at 2369 Dixwell Ave. for a reported armed robbery around 8:30 a.m., Det. Sean Dolan said in an email. Former Hamden police officer Devin Eaton will not serve any time in prison for the on-duty shooting of Stephanie Washington in April 2019, according to his lawyer. Washington, who is Black, was wounded during the shooting and was treated for her injuries. Eaton was given a sentence in state court Friday of five years suspended, with three years of probation, his attorney, Gregory Cerritelli, said. Eaton pleaded no contest to a charge of first-degree assault in January. The charge stems from an incident on April 16, 2019, as Eaton was investigating a report of an alleged armed robbery. During the incident, Eaton fired 13 shots into a car driven by Paul Witherspoon III, Washingtons friend, while she was in the car, according to court records. Eatons plea agreement initially would have suspended his five year sentence after he served 18 months in prison, but the agreement allowed him to argue for a fully-suspended sentence if he agreed to never seek employment in law enforcement again, records show. Washingtons attorney, Win Smith III, who is representing her a lawsuit over the shooting, said Friday they were extremely displeased and shocked at the sentence that came down today, or lack thereof. He also clarified that Washington was struck three times by gunfire from the officers not once as the judge had stated during the sentencing hearing Friday. It should shock the conscience of anybody who has paid attention to this shooting, Smith said in a phone interview. The fact that Stephanie, an unarmed, African American woman, was shot by the police - still has bullet fragments in her - was shot three times; and she has to live with that horror every day and the officer walks free, no jail time were shocked by that, he said. Washingtons suit names Eaton and the town of Hamden as defendants, along with a Yale police officer who also fired his gun and Yale Univeristy. The clerk at a gas station who initially reported Witherspoon had a gun during an altercation the morning of the shooting was also named in the lawsuit. As a convicted felon, Eaton is prohibited from state and federal laws from possessing a firearm. Cerritelli said Friday his client has no desire to return to law enforcement. Hes grateful for the support hes received from his friends, family and members of the law enforcement community, Cerritelli said in a phone interview. He said hes received messages describing Eaton as a wonderful person. Its really a sad irony that his career ended the way it did, he wanted nothing more than to help and serve the people of his community, Cerritelli said. Other conditions of Eatons sentence include no contact with Washington other than what is necessary for civil proceedings, and 150 hours of community service for each year of his probation for 450 hours in total. According to officials, Witherspoons vehicle was stopped on Argyle Street in New Haven. Eaton told state police investigators he believed he saw an object - possibly a gun - in Witherspoons hand as he began to exit the vehicle at officers command. No gun was found at the scene. A clerk at the Go On Gas Station on Arch Street in Hamden had reported an attempted robbery involving Witherspoon early that morning, initially saying during the 911 call that hed seen a gun, according to records. A newspaper delivery man at the station told investigators hed been approached by Witherspoon as he handed papers to the clerk, and Witherspoon had asked him repeatedly do you have anything for me, records show. After the delivery man said he did not, he claimed Witherspoon had tried to grab the papers, holding on until the clerk yelled at him to let go. The deliveryman later told investigators he was 100 (percent) sure that Witherspoon was going to rob him. The clerk later told authorities he never saw a firearm during the incident. Yale police Officer Terrance Pollock also fired his gun during the shooting, officials said. Pollock was not charged. The police shooting drew outrage and protests from the community, with faith leaders demanding that both officers be fired NEW HAVEN City and veterans officials tuned up for Memorial Day by dedicating a long-planned new City Hall plaque commemorating the service and sacrifice of all the New Haven residents who have served in the military since Vietnam and throughout the war on terror. We started this journey about three years ago to get this plaque dedicated and were finally here, said Frank Alvarado, a Vietnam veteran and former city and state employee who is chairman of the citys Veterans Advisory Committee. Veterans Advisory Committee member Robert Reed, who served as sergeant in the Marine Corps from 1983-93, during both Operation Desert Storm in Iraq and Operation Desert Shield in Afghanistan, was master of ceremonies. The plaque was unveiled on the inner wall of the entrance from the City Hall entry hall to the second floor of the atrium. Its purpose is to honor our veterans, past, present and future, said Alder Sal DeCola, D-18, who shepherded the plaque through the Board of Alders. By adding this, we hope people when they visit City Hall will stop and give thanks, said DeCola, the alders third officer. The citys veterans are willing to give all, so lets take care of our veterans. Mayor Justin Elicker said that as we approach Memorial Day, I think its appropriate to honor those who have served ... and especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. ... As we reflect on those who have given their lives in the past, we should reflect today about those who are ready to protect us should something happen today, he said. Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers, D-23, said she was honored and humbled to be here today. These are our unsung heroes, who made the decision to selflessly go and fight for the country, and I am honored to give them their respect. Board of Alders Majority Leader Richard Furlow, D-27, thanked the veterans in the crowd for their service and said, The veterans have shown us ... that they were friends of this country, because they laid their lives down. Maj. Gen. Francis J. Evon Jr., adjutant general of the Connecticut National Guard and a onetime anti-tank gunner in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom said of New Haven, Im proud of the military tradition that we have in this great city. We honor those who serve with this plaque, but also those ... who made the ultimate sacrifice, he said. He told those who attended, If you know a Gold Star family, let them know that you remember them. Memorial Day is time to honor, and to never forget, Evon said. The city and its veterans organizations will hold two Memorial Day wreath-laying ceremonies this Sunday. New Haven and area residents are invited to attend two traditional wreath-laying ceremonies and programs, VFW New Haven Post 12150 and American Legion New Haven Post 210 said in a Facebook post. They will take place as follows: At 1 p.m., there will be a wreath laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park on Long Wharf Drive. At 3 p.m., there will be a second wreath laying ceremony at the World War Memorial Flagpole on the New Haven Green. Jack Mordente, coordinator of Veterans and Military Affairs for Southern Connecticut State University, will be the principal speaker at both events. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com John Martinez awoke Thursday just before 10 a.m. to a text message from his younger brother: "Pray for tio Joe." Martinez, a 21-year-old student at Texas State University, said at first that he didn't think anything was amiss. Of course his uncle needed prayers, he said. Joe Garcia had just lost his wife, the mother of his children, his life partner. Irma Garcia, 48, was one of the two teachers slain in a shooting rampage at Robb Elementary School in the Garcias' hometown of Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday. Less than two hours after the morning text message, Martinez got a call from his family to tell him his uncle had died after being rushed to the hospital following an apparent heart attack. Martinez texted his brother around noon. "This is so overwhelming." On Thursday, as Martinez began to fill in the details from his relatives, he said, he felt ill with grief. Joe Garcia had just returned to the family's home after venturing out to leave flowers at a memorial set up for the victims outside Robb Elementary School. He was in the kitchen, Martinez said, when he suddenly seized and fell over. Martinez's mother, who was at the house with the family, sprang into action, administering chest compressions until paramedics arrived to take him to the hospital. He died there. "We're all just in shock," Martinez said. Before his uncle's death, Martinez told The Washington Post on Wednesday that his tia Irma had died a hero and that his family wanted her to be remembered as someone who sacrificed her life to protect her students. "They weren't just her students. Those were her kids, and she put her life on the line. She lost her life to protect them," Martinez said. "That's the type of person she was." On Thursday, he struggled to find the words to describe his aunt and uncle. Together, the couple had four children: Cristian, 23; Jose, 19; Lyliana, 15; and Alysandra, 12. "Their family was an all-American family," he said of his aunt, uncle and cousins. "They're great people. The entire family, they're all great people. They don't deserve this." Joe and Irma Garcia's love story stretched a quarter century, packed with barbecues, music, scenic country drives and the couple's four children. "I truly believe Joe died of a broken heart and losing the love of his life of more than 25 years was too much to bear," Irma's cousin, Debra Austin, wrote in an online fundraiser mounted in support of the Garcias' four children. Joe was a dedicated father, a leader at his job at the H-E-B grocery store and a doting husband, who adored the woman he met in high school and then married, Martinez said. But this week, the Garcia home - typically the site of jubilant family gatherings, filling holiday meals and traditions like sharing grapes for luck at midnight on New Year's Eve - was transformed into a monument to the pain of a family that in less than two days saw both parents perish. "Our family is just in shambles right now," Martinez said. "Nobody expected any of this. It's heartbreaking." ATLANTA (AP) Georgia's secretary of state is expected to appear next week before a special grand jury in an investigation into whether former President Donald Trump and others illegally tried to meddle in the 2020 election in the state. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has been summoned to appear before the special grand jury Thursday, according to a subpoena obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request. Five other people in his office have received subpoenas to appear in early June and the office has received a subpoena for documents. State Attorney General Chris Carr has received a subpoena to appear June 21. Trump directed his ire at Raffensperger, a fellow Republican, after the secretary of state refused to bend to pressure to overturn Democrat Joe Bidens narrow presidential election victory in Georgia. On Tuesday, Raffensperger won the Republican primary in his quest for reelection, defeating a Trump-endorsed challenger. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis opened the investigation soon after she took office in January 2021. She made clear when she requested a special grand jury earlier this year that one purpose for doing so would be to issue subpoenas to people who might not cooperate otherwise. The 23 members of the special grand jury and three alternates were selected May 2 but Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who's overseeing the panel, said the grand jurors wouldn't begin meeting until June. Willis has confirmed that her investigation includes looking into a January 2021 phone call in which Trump pushed Raffensperger to find the votes needed for him to win the state. Among the documents the grand jury has asked for is anything that memorializes the events surrounding that call, anything that explains the conduct of the president during that call, and any logs of telephone calls between anyone in Raffensperger's office and Trump or his representatives. They also asked for anything showing the results of the audit and hand recount of the results of the 2020 presidential election and a forensic audit of the state's voting equipment, among other documents. The other people from the secretary of state's office summoned to appear are Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer; Ryan Germany, general counsel; Chris Harvey, former head of the elections divisions; Frances Watson, former chief investigator; and Victoria Thompson, a former executive assistant who is now a legislative liaison. Willis has also said her team is looking at a November 2020 phone call between U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and Raffensperger, the abrupt resignation of the U.S. attorney in Atlanta on Jan. 4, 2021, and comments made during December 2020 Georgia legislative committee hearings on the election. Trump has said his call with Raffensperger was perfect and said he did nothing wrong. Graham has also denied any wrongdoing. Its not clear exactly what charges Willis could choose to pursue against Trump or anyone else. In a letter she sent to top-ranking state officials last year, she said she was looking into potential violations of Georgia law prohibiting the solicitation of election fraud, the making of false statements to state and local government bodies, conspiracy, racketeering, violation of oath of office and any involvement in violence or threats related to the elections administration. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SEOUL, South Korea (AP) According to North Korea, its fight against COVID-19 has been impressive: About 3.3 million people have been reported sick with fevers, but only 69 have died. If all are coronavirus cases, that's a fatality rate of 0.002%, something no other country, including the world's richest, has achieved against a disease that has killed more than 6 million people. The Norths claims, however, are being met with widespread doubt about two weeks after it acknowledged its first domestic COVID-19 outbreak. Experts say the impoverished North should have suffered far greater deaths than reported because there are very few vaccines, a sizable number of undernourished people and a lack of critical care facilities and test kits to detect virus cases in large numbers. North Koreas secretiveness makes it unlikely outsiders can confirm the true scale of the outbreak. Some observers say North Korea is underreporting fatalities to protect leader Kim Jong Un at all costs. There's also a possibility it might have exaggerated the outbreak in a bid to bolster control of its 26 million people. Scientifically, their figures cant be accepted, said Lee Yo Han, a professor at Ajou University Graduate School of Public Health in South Korea, adding that the public data were likely all controlled (by the authorities) and embedded with their political intentions. The most likely course is that North Korea soon proclaims victory over COVID-19, maybe during a June political meeting, with all credit given to Kims leadership. The 38-year-old ruler is desperate, observers say, to win bigger public support as he deals with severe economic difficulties caused by border shutdowns, U.N. sanctions and his own mismanagement. Diverse public complaints have accumulated, so its time to (strengthen) internal control, said Choi Kang, president of Seouls Asan Institute for Policy Studies. Kim Jong Un has been taking the lead in the anti-epidemic efforts to show that his campaign is very successful and to reinforce his grip on power. Before North Korea on May 12 admitted to an omicron outbreak, it had maintained a widely disputed claim that it had zero domestic infections for more than two years. When the North at last publicized the outbreak, many wondered why now. It was initially seen as an attempt to exploit the outbreak to get foreign humanitarian assistance. There were hopes that possible aid by Seoul and Washington could help resume long-stalled diplomacy on Pyongyangs nuclear program. Kim has called the outbreak a great upheaval and launched what his propaganda teams call an all-out effort to suppress it. Hes held several Politburo meetings to criticize officials, inspected pharmacies at dawn and mobilized troops to support medicine delivery. A health official explained pandemic responses on state TV, while state newspapers have churned out articles on how to deal with fever, including gargling with saltwater and drinking honey or willow leaf tea. Honey is a rarity for ordinary North Koreans. They likely felt bad when their government asked them to drink honey tea, said Seo Jae-pyong, a North Korean defector-turned-activist in Seoul. I have an elder brother left in North Korea and have big worries about him. Every morning, North Korea releases details about the number of new patients with fever symptoms, but not with COVID-19. Experts believe most cases should be counted as COVID-19 because while North Korean health authorities lack diagnostic kits, they still know how to distinguish the symptoms from fevers caused by the other prevalent infectious diseases. North Koreas daily fever tally peaked at nearly 400,000 early last week; it has nosedived to around 100,000 in the past few days. On Friday, it added one more death after claiming no fatalities for three consecutive days. Our country set a world record for having no single (COVID-19) infection for the longest period ... and weve now made an achievement of reversing the tide of the abrupt outbreak in a short period, the main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said Thursday. This evidently proves the scientific nature of our countrys emergency anti-epidemic steps. Medical experts question the validity of North Koreas stated fatality rate of 0.002%. Given that South Koreas mortality rate of unvaccinated people for the omicron variant was 0.6%, North Korea must have similar or higher death rates because of its low capacity to treat patients and its peoples poor nutrition, said Shin Young-jeon, a professor of preventive medicine at Seouls Hanyang University. In a study published by the Johns Hopkins University last year, North Korean ranked 193 out of 195 countries for its ability to deal with an epidemic. U.N. reports in recent years said about 40% of its people were undernourished. North Koreas free socialist public health care system has been in shambles for decades, and defectors testify that while in the North, they bought medicines at markets or somewhere else. North Korea wouldnt really care about fatalities at all, said Choi Jung Hun, a defector who worked as a doctor in North Korea in the 2000s. Many North Koreans have already died of malaria, measles, chickenpox and typhoid. There are all kind of infectious diseases there. Choi, now a researcher at a Korea University-affiliated institute in South Korea, said North Korea likely decided to admit to the omicron outbreak because it sees it as less lethal and more manageable. He suspected North Korea set up a scenario to raise up and then bring down fever cases so as to boost Kims leadership. Lee, the Ajou professor, said North Korea may have overstated its earlier fever cases to give a powerful shock to the public to rally support for the government, but avoided releasing details of too many deaths to stave off public unrest. The outbreak could eventually kill more than 100,000, if people remain unvaccinated and die at the same death rate as in South Korea, Shin, the Hanyang professor, warned. The North Korean outbreak will likely last several months, Moon Jin Soo, director of the Institute for Health and Unification Studies at Seoul National University, said. Its urgent to ship anti-viral pills and other essential medications to North Korea, rather than vaccines whose roll out would take at least a couple of months, he said. "North Korea could spend a couple more months massaging the statistics, but they could also abruptly announce their victory this weekend, said Ahn Kyung-su, head of DPRKHEALTH.ORG, a website focusing on health issues in North Korea. North Korea always operates beyond your imagination. Its hard to predict what theyll do, but they do have a plan. Page Content 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 on-going La Nina and warmer-than-average 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); non-electric can opener; first-aid kit; extra cash (ATM machines and credit cards wont work if there is no electricity); a 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! As Kevin Berlings birthday was approaching, he asked his employer not to celebrate his birthday because it might trigger a panic attack due to his anxiety disorder. After the employee who planned office birthday parties forgot about his request, the birthday party went forward and Berling did suffer a panic attack. Berling went to his car, ate lunch and told his manager by text that he was upset his request was ignored. He was confronted and criticized the following day and had another panic attack. Three days later, Berling was terminated. Last month, a jury awarded him $450,000 for his disability discrimination claim. Berling is one of the escalating number of employees claiming workplace discrimination based on mental health. About 30 percent of claims filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in fiscal 2021 involved mental health-related claims. EEOC Commissioner Andrea Lucas recently said that claims related to mental health are going to start to explode into the publics sight soon. The COVID-19 pandemic may be among the reasons for the increase in the last two years. The EEOC observed that employees with certain pre-existing mental health conditions, for example, anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder ... may have more difficulty handling the disruption to daily life that has accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, anxiety and PTSD account for most of the federal mental health claims filed in 2021. The other mental health conditions include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and cumulative trauma disorder. There is no federal list of medical conditions which meet the statutes definition of disability. Rather, the condition must substantially limit a major life activity. Connecticut defines it more broadly, covering persons with a present or past history of mental disability. If the employees mental health impairment may be covered under federal or Connecticut statute, the employer might be required to provide the employee with a reasonable accommodation. There are a wide range of possible accommodations based on the employees needs, such as permitting remote work, flexible scheduling, providing a leave of absence or providing a private workspace. Nevertheless, employers should not assume there is a need for an accommodation. An employer generally will not be required to accommodate an employees mental health impairment unless his or her medical condition is disclosed with a request for some kind of adjustment or assistance as an accommodation. The COVID-19 pandemic is not the only catalyst for the increase in claims. Today, there is much greater awareness about the mental health challenges faced by employees. The stigma based on mental health has steadily declined particularly among younger employees. As a result, more employees who in the past would have remained silent now are more willing to talk about their mental health challenges. A variety of resources are available to employers. At the top of the list is the federal Job Accommodation Network. For example, JAN suggests that employers consider the following questions when seeking to accommodate those with mental health conditions. 1. What limitations is the employee experiencing? 2. How do these limitations affect the employee and job performance? 3. What job tasks are problematic? 4. What accommodations are available to reduce or eliminate these problems? 5. Once accommodations are in place, would it be useful to meet with the employee to evaluate the effectiveness of accommodations and determine if others are needed? 6. Do supervisory personnel and employees need training? As Mays Mental Health Awareness month comes to a close, employers have an opportunity to invest in their employees. That investment will not just pay benefits for the one in five workers who navigate mental health challenges, it .also will enable them to increase employee engagement, reduce turnover, reduce employee burnout and increase job satisfaction. Gary Phelan is an attorney with Mitchell & Sheahan, P.C. in Stratford, Connecticut. He is co-author of Disability Discrimination in the Workplace and teaches Disability Law at Quinnipiac University School of Law. He can be reached at 203-873-0240. Former Governor of Lagos State and one of the leading aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed ... Former Governor of Lagos State and one of the leading aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has stated that to lead the country as President, he does not need the strength of a wrestler or a Christiano Ronaldo. Tinubu, who was reacting to speculations over his health status, disclosed that all that is required for him if elected as president are ideas. I am not looking for a wrestling job, I am not going to the presidency to fight Anthony Joshua, Im not running to compete with Ronaldo. All I am going to use is my brain. I am sure, I am a better thinker, I am a better doer. You, delegates, should distinguish us like kerosene on top of water. I, Bola Tinubu, I am a runner. Go to Lagos State, I built a state of great value for Lagos, it is a reference point. I will rebuild Nigeria, I will reunite Nigeria, I will develop Nigeria. I will use our diversity for our prosperity. Join me in an effort to reunite Nigeria. You will see prosperity and performance. I know I can do it," he said The presidential hopeful disclosed this on Thursday while meeting with delegates of the party in Ondo State at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governors Office, ahead of the presidential primaries of APC. He maintained that he is not in the race for the money but for the betterment of the country and the people. During the visit to the state, Tinubu emphasised that he remained the only one and best among the aspirants to lead the party to victory in 2023. According to Tinubu, what Nigeria has been lacking is a spirit of unity and a sense of hope, both of which he claims he can restore. When they talk about my health, I tell them, Im not looking for a wrestling job, I dont want to beat Ronaldo. Im a better thinker and a better doer. I want the delegates to distinguish us and separate us like a dip of kerosene on top of water. My running is not because I need pockets of money, that was past. It is the love of the country, my people, commitment to development, giving value to education and better future for our children. After losing his bid to return to the Senate for the third time, Ayo Akinyelure, the senator representing Ondo Central in the National Ass... After losing his bid to return to the Senate for the third time, Ayo Akinyelure, the senator representing Ondo Central in the National Assembly has allegedly begun reclaiming vehicles donated to some Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leaders. On Monday, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions finished second in the Ondo Central senatorial primary, trailing Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), who won with 82 votes. Akinyelure received 58 votes, with Chief Clement Faboyede, the ex-Ondo State PDP Chairman, coming in third with 57 votes. The legislator was believed to have sought his vehicles back from the leaders after being dissatisfied with the primarys outcome despite the money and vehicles he allegedly used as mobilisation for the election. Akinyelure, according to a party official, retrieved the vehicles he handed to Chief Segun Adegoke, a member of the PDPs Board of Trustees, BOT, and Hon. Wole Akindiose, a former PDP Chairman in Ondo East and national delegate to the partys upcoming convention. According to Charles Akinwon, Akinyelures Media and Strategy Adviser, the Senator only retrieved the vehicle given to Akindiose because of his role in the primaries. Akinyelure had blamed the loss on Monday on the immediate past Governor, Olusegun Mimiko. Mr Akanimo Udofia has emerged the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Akwa Ibom. Out of the 1, 313 accredited d... Mr Akanimo Udofia has emerged the Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Akwa Ibom. Out of the 1, 313 accredited delegates, Udofia polled 1,227 votes to beat eight other aspirants including Senator Ita Enang who scored 34 votes and a University Don, Prof Chris Ekong who got 21 votes. Announcing the result of the election in Uyo yesterday, the chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Governorship Nomination Committee, Mr Omabatunde Ajibola gave details of votes scored by the other candidates to include, Mr Uduak Udo(7), Akpan Udoedehe(2), Richard Anana(2), Larry Esin(1) and Austin Utuk(0) with 19 void votes In his acceptance speech, the APC guber candidate thanked the delegates for staying by him despite intimidation and threats from other members of the party. Udofia while extending a hand of fellowship to other aggrieved members promised to carry everyone along even as they looked forward to winning Akwa Ibom at the 2023 general elections. I thank God with the way you conducted yourselves. Most especially party faithful who despite all challenges, and intimidations from undemocratic forces, because the way certain people behaved today was certainly not anyway tenable in the life of an Akwa Ibom person. Akwa Ibom is a peaceful state and our people do not stand for anything not peaceful. I want to say that this is the beginning of a revolution. The Akwa Ibom APC have spoken very loud, you have indicated that true change will come to Akwa Ibom State come 2023. You have agreed that we are going to use our great party, the APC to institutionalize the dividends of democracy and it must cascade down to the last ward, to the last corner. We are going to build a greater Akwa Ibom State. It is going to be an enormous task but when I look at the resilience of each and every one of you party faithful, I know you are ready to join hands with me and together we are going to make Akwa Ibom a greater and better state. He assured. He commended the ex-minister of Niger Delta Affairs Senator Godswill Akpabio for his efforts at building the party and called for support for his presidential ambition. State chairman of the party, Mr Stephen Ntukekpo had earlier commended delegates for their patience and commitment towards the progress and unity of the party. Ntukekpo who commended the electoral committee for sticking to the constitution of the party tasked stakeholders to eschew selfish interests and work towards strengthening the party to enable it triumph in next years general elections in the state and country. American actor and producer, Ray Liotta, is dead. The movie star died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic at the age of 67. Publicist Jen... American actor and producer, Ray Liotta, is dead. The movie star died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic at the age of 67. Publicist Jennifer Allen said he had been on location shooting a new film Dangerous Waters. The deceased got a big break with his role as an ex-convict Ray Sinclair in 1986 comedy Something Wild. Liotta gained prominence for playing Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams (1989). Another movie hes best known for is Martin Scorseses Goodfellas (1990); he played mobster Henry Hill. Liotta was also Tommy Vercetti in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002). He won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (ER) in 2005, among other awards. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Liotta was engaged to Jacy Nittolo at the time of death. The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) says it has arrested a 37-year-old Nigerian man for allegedly operating a transn... The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) says it has arrested a 37-year-old Nigerian man for allegedly operating a transnational cybercrime syndicate. Interpol said the syndicate had launched mass phishing campaigns and business email compromise schemes in several international operations across four continents. The international police, in a statement released on its website, said the suspect was arrested by the cybercrime unit of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The agency added that the intelligence leading to the arrest of the suspect was enriched by analysts within INTERPOLs Cyber Fusion Centre. Interpol did not reveal the name of the suspect. The cybercrime unit of the Nigeria Police Force arrested a 37-year-old Nigerian man in an international operation spanning four continents, coordinated and facilitated by the recently created Africa operations desk within INTERPOLs cybercrime directorate, the statement reads. The intelligence was enriched by analysts within INTERPOLs Cyber Fusion Centre, which brings together experts from law enforcement and industry to turn information on criminal activities into actionable intelligence. INTERPOLs AFJOC desk then referred the intelligence to Nigeria and followed up with multiple case coordination meetings supported by law enforcement in Australia, Canada and the United States. Investigators began to map out and track the alleged malicious online activities of the suspect, thanks to ad hoc support from private sector firm CyberTOOLBELT, as well as tracking his physical movements as he travelled from one country to another. Nigerian law enforcement successfully apprehended the suspect at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Speaking on the arrest, Garba Umar, an assistant inspector-general of police and vice-president of Interpol for Africa, said the suspects arrest is a testament to Nigerias collaboration with Interpol in combating cybercrimes. The arrest of this alleged prominent cybercriminal in Nigeria is testament to the perseverance of our international coalition of law enforcement and INTERPOLs private sector partners in combating cybercrime, Umar said. I hope the results of Operation Delilah will stand as a reminder to cybercriminals across the world that law enforcement will continue to pursue them, and that this arrest will bring comfort to victims of the suspects alleged campaigns. On his part, Bernardo Pillot, Interpols assistant director of cybercrime operation, said the persistence of law enforcement agents resulted in the success of the case. This case underlines both the global nature of cybercrime and the commitment required to deliver a successful arrest through a global to regional operational approach in combatting cybercrime, Pillot said. Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has expressed shock over the killing of a military personnel and the abduction of an expatriate in Ondo State... Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has expressed shock over the killing of a military personnel and the abduction of an expatriate in Ondo State by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers. Akeredolu, who condemned the ugly incident, stressed that it was unfortunate that such occurrence could happen in the State despite the security framework of the State. The expatriate, who is a Lebanese national, was kidnapped in Ogbonmo, Ijebu-Owo in Owo Local Government Area of the State after his security personnel and driver were killed by the gunmen. The kidnapped expatriate who has been in the State, alongside his colleagues for over four years, was working on the 4.7Kilometre Ifesanmi-Mobil-Ikare Akoko Junction dualisation road project in Owo. The gunmen were said to have attack the workers on the site, which is located in the busy part of the town. The Governor, who visited the scene of the incident, in company of the Commissioner of Police, Oyeyemi Oyediran, Special Adviser to the Governor on security and commander of the Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, and the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Engr. Raimi Aminu, assured of the rescue of the kidnapped expatriate. While also commiserating with the family of the victims who died during the attack, Akeredolu assured that security will be reinforced on the site for the safety of the workers. I am shocked. Seriously, this development is not expected in Ondo State of today. Ondo State is where we take security very serious. It has been part of our pride that we ensure security of lives and property by making sure that all the security apparatus are working well The construction area is within town. One is surprised that some criminals can infiltrate the site in town and carry out this dastardly act. We lost a military man and a driver. The expatriate, has been kidnapped, he lamented. Folajimi Mohammed, a lawmaker in the Lagos state house of assembly, has lost the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to recontest the I... Folajimi Mohammed, a lawmaker in the Lagos state house of assembly, has lost the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to recontest the Ikeja constituency 1 seat. Folajimi, son of Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, has served as lawmaker in the state assembly for two consecutive terms. Seyi Lawal, a house of representatives aspirant, secured the ticket after polling 15 votes to defeat Folajimi at the primary that was held on Friday. Lawal is a former legislative leader of Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos state. According to NAN, the primary, which held at St. Peters Anglican Primary School, Ikeja constituency 1, was conducted under heavy presence of security operatives. Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also present to monitor the exercise. Aside from Folajimi and Seyi Lawal, seven other aspirants contested the Ikeja constituency 1 APC ticket, and they included Ladapo Oyebiyi, Ismail Balogun, Taofeek Olorunfunmi, Olabode Akerele, Adegboyega Kuku, Bode Tawak, and Adesipe Adebiyi. Announcing the result, Ewosho Oladunjoye, chairman of the three-member APC electoral committee for the constituency, said Lawal scored 15 votes to defeat Mohammed, who polled nine votes. The other seven aspirants polled no votes, while there was one void vote. In his acceptance speech, Lawal commended the process, saying it was free and fair. He also thanked the leaders of the party and assured members of the constituency of better and quality representation in the house of assembly . I thank the delegates, party faithful and the people of Ikeja constituency 1 for showing their support and l promise not to disappoint them, he said. Ace broadcaster and owner of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat, has been released from police custody. It was reported that Hamzat, who had cons... Ace broadcaster and owner of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat, has been released from police custody. It was reported that Hamzat, who had consistently advocated for justice in a murder case involving Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife owner, Chief Rahman Adedoyin, was arrested on Thursday. The management of his radio station confirmed his release in a statement on Friday, faulting the claims of the police over the reasons stated for Oriyomis arrest. The statement read, It is with a heart filled with immense gratitude and huge relief that we confirm to the general public that Mr. Oriyomi Hamzat has finally regained his freedom after the arrest that spanned the entirety of yesterday. He was released on bail to his lawyers after due conversations with the authorities, particularly with respect to the petition written against him by Rahmon Adedoyins lawyers and the validity of his consequent arrest. As we have rightly stated yesterday, at no point was Mr. Oriyomi Hamzat found guilty of cyberbullying neither did he refuse at any point to not honour invitations from the Nigeria Police Force as wrongly alleged by the Force PRO. Why this false insinuation is being purveyed is completely beyond our grasp. Nonetheless, it is at this juncture; that we express our heartfelt appreciation to all Nigerians who stood by us throughout yesterdays trying moment, and lent their voice to #FreeOriyomiliamat. This might not have been possible; especially this soon, without your amplification of our concerns. We also say a huge thank you to the general public who joined in the peaceful protests that were held in Ibadan yesterday, to Nigerians in Diaspora for their prompt reactions, the Nigerian Union of Journalists and to all of our colleagues who considered Mr. Oriyomi Hamzats arrest as an injury to one that equates an injury to all. We also appreciate the efforts of the legal team led by Barrister Adekunle Ridwan. This wasnt just an attempt to stem the undue incarceration of a man calling for justice but also an exercise in protecting the sanctity of free speech. Well keep the general public abreast of further developments. Oriyomi Hamzat is a free man now. 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The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has reacted to claim by former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, that he was not safe in custody as there was no threat to his life. Kyari has on Thursday, approached a Federal High Court for another bail plea. Kyari and three of his co-defendants, through their counsel, urged Justice Emeka Nwite to admit them to bail because their lives in the Kuje Correctional Centre, where they are being remanded, were unsafe. Report had also emerged that Kyari was assaulted by some inmates and he escaped death. Reacting, Mr Francis Enobore, the Service Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Mr Francis Enobore, described the allegation that Kyari was attacked by his fellow inmates as fake. According to him, the story is false, reckless and mischievous. Enobore said the report was the handiwork of some jobless cheap recognition-seeking charlatans masquerading as newsmen, lacking in intellectual capacity to interrogate what they conjure or hear before feeding the public. That the author is completely oblivious of where and how detention of a suspect originates speaks volume of his ineptitude and the much his story can be relied upon. For the record, Abba Kyari is one of the over 800 inmates in the location where he is being kept. However, notable individuals including ex-governors, ministers, senators and other celebrities of higher social status have passed through the same facility without any threat to their lives, he said. He emphasized that Kyari was safe and sound and goes about his daily routine like any other inmate unharmed. (22/P024) TRENTON Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette says New Jersey is ready for a stellar summer season following review of water quality monitoring and visits to both the Jersey Shore and North Jersey lakeshores ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the outdoor summer season. Coastal monitoring flights and preseason sampling confirmed that beaches and water quality are in great shape, Commissioner LaTourette announced today during the annual State of the Shore event in Asbury Park, which followed the Commissioners visits to Greenwood Lake, Lake Musconetcong and Lake Hopatcong Tuesday. Our coastal beaches and lakeshores look great and our water quality is in good shape for swimming and recreating, Commissioner LaTourette said. Understanding that the summer season is the backbone of New Jerseys tourism economy, our DEP team helps monitor the safety of our beaches so that our residents and visitors can relax and have peace of mind while enjoying a beach or lakeshore getaway. Its shaping up to be a fantastic summer, so lets get outside and have a great time. During the event, Commissioner LaTourette noted that Governor Murphy today announced that entrance to all state parks, forests and recreation areas will be free this summer for all visitors, regardless of state residency. Anyone who already purchased a 2022 annual State Park Pass will automatically receive a full refund. Other individual park fees remain in place, including but not limited to camping, interpretive programs, and mobile sport fishing permits. The State of the Shore address is held every year heading into Memorial Day weekend to update the public on the status of beach readiness and water quality monitoring. The annual event is sponsored by the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, which is made up of academic institutions and organizations dedicated to coastal and marine research, education and outreach. State of the Shore has taken on even more importance as New Jersey grapples with the adverse impacts of climate change, including coastal erosion and increasingly hot summers. Overall, New Jerseys beaches are healthy due to a combination of relatively mild winter storm seasons the past four years and continued efforts by federal, state and local governments to bolster state beaches through beach renourishment projects, according to findings by the Sea Grant Consortium. New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium is honored to release the State of the Shore report once again, said Dr. Peter Rowe, Executive Director. Our beaches are what defines our beautiful coastal state and this report is integral in examining their condition. As you will read in the report, New Jerseys sandy shores are in good shape and ready for the 2022 summer season. "In spite of two back-to back late season Noreasters, state and federal investments in beach nourishment in the decade since Superstorm Sandy, along with a mild winter have left the majority of New Jerseys beaches in good condition heading into the Memorial Day weekend, said Dr. Jon K. Miller, the Coastal Processes Specialist for New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium and aResearch Associate Professor, as well as Director of the Coastal Engineering Research Group at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, Hudson County. The Murphy Administration has also made support for New Jerseys inland lake communities a priority, and Commissioner LaTourette kicked off the summer season along New Jerseys lakeshores with a visit to Greenwood Lake, Lake Musconetcong and Lake Hopatcong. These lake communities are go-to destinations for summer recreation and key drivers of local economies. We were extremely pleased to welcome Commissioner LaTourette back to Lake Hopatcong, said Martin Marty Kane, Chairman of the Lake Hopatcong Foundation. It is wonderful that the Commissioner visited three of our public lakes to see for himself the many challenges they are confronting. Through collaboration with the DEP staff and our local officials, we are starting to see real progress with many important projects to ensure Lake Hopatcong remains one of the states real treasures. The Lake Musconetcong Regional Planning Board, the municipal representatives, Assembly members and state Senators are extremely pleased with the genuine concern and interest shown by the Commissioner, said Earl Riley, Lake Musconetcong Regional Planning Board Chairman. We all look forward to a growing positive relationship between the local lake communities and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. About Coastal Monitoring The Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program is one aspect of the comprehensive New Jersey Beach Monitoring Program which evaluates water quality; conducts aerial visual assessments of coastal waters and shoreline conditions; tracks chronic water quality problems in partnership with DEPs Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring and local health authorities; and uses prison inmates to remove floatables and other debris from tidal shorelines. Debris removal enhances the beauty of natural resources, protects wildlife habitats and provides safer navigation in state waterways. Last year, the Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program collected and analyzed 3,753 ocean, bay and river water quality samples. New Jersey in the last three years has had zero ocean beach closures as a result of exceedances of the primary recreation bacterial standard. Several ocean closures last summer stemmed from heavy rains that led to Combined Sewer Overflows from the New York / New Jersey Harbor. A combination of wind direction, surface currents and tides pushed floatable materials onto New Jersey beaches after the heavy storms. Advisories and closures are rare, generally occurring after heavy rainstorms that can carry nutrients and bacteria in runoff from pet waste and wildlife such as gulls, geese and other warm-blooded animals into recreational waters. Bay and river beaches that do not have good natural circulation are more likely to experience closures. The most significant impact on water quality at recreational bathing beaches continues to be nonpoint source pollution transported by stormwater and discharging through outfalls to waterways which can increase bacteria concentrations near stormwater outfall pipes. The Beach Monitoring Program will continue Source Tracking Projects to find and eliminate nonpoint source pollution impacting recreational bathing beaches. In addition, the DEPs efforts to combat non-point source pollution include the state rules and guidance for stormwater management, development and implementation of Long Term Control Plans to address CSOs, and 319(h) Water Quality Restoration Grants to mitigate Nonpoint Source Pollution. Visitors can get up-to-date information on all water sampling results and beach notifications by visiting https://njbeaches.org/. The public can use this website to get beach status information (open, under advisory or closed), reports, and fact sheets, as well as a link to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission website to purchase a Shore to Please license plate. Proceeds from the sale of these plates fund the work of the New Jersey Beach Monitoring Program. Follow Commissioner LaTourette on Twitter and Instagram @shawnlatur and follow the DEP on Twitter @NewJerseyDEP, Facebook @newjerseydep, Instagram @nj.dep and LinkedIn @newjerseydep Its as if Captain Ahab finally caught that big white whale. Since 2005, bartender Joe Villella quested after the autographs of all four of the original members of the iconic rock band Kiss. On Friday (May 20), Villella achieved his goal at the Manship Theatre in Baton Rouge, where renowned Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley agreed to sign his bare back with a felt-tipped marker. Thats right, Frehley signed Villellas skin. You see, Villellas complete Kiss autograph collection isnt in some scrapbook or on a vintage record album. Its tattooed in his flesh. On Saturday afternoon, Villella made his way to a Kenner tattoo parlor called Twisted Addictions, where artist Ty Bouvier used a purring needle to make the signature permanent. Over the years, Bouvier had already inked Kiss bassist Gene Simmons autograph into Villellas dermis. Likewise, the signatures of frontman Paul Stanley and drummer Peter Criss were etched in the fan's skin. Frehley had been the missing link. The Holy Grail, you might say. Pandemic panic When the COVID pandemic caused the members of Kiss to stop performing in 2020, Villella realized there was a possibility they might never hit the road again and he would have missed the chance to ever reach his goal. He said he was freaking out, because these guys are in their 70s. When his wife Jennifer Villella discovered that Frehley was playing in Baton Rouge and that there was a VIP meet and greet where fans could visit with the star, she immediately grasped the importance of the opportunity, and snapped up a $500 premium pass. Villella was elated and anxious. As he stood in line to meet Frehley, his wife told him he looked as excited as a little kid. I didnt want to get emotional, he said of the moment. I didnt want to cry in front of my rock and roll god. Villella, 48, said that Frehleys graciousness helped him keep it together. When he peeled off his shirt to reveal the other three autographs, the rocker quipped, You saved the best for last, huh? A crazy connection After the guitarists name was indelibly sunken into his skin, Villella let himself relax and enjoy the sense of completion. It was an achievement, he said, that transported him all the way back to his childhood in Brooklyn, when he first listened to an album by the hard-driving quartet that performed in glittering costumes and dramatic kabuki-esque face paint. I put the record on and went from side A, to side B, to side A, to side B, to side A, to side B, he said, describing his immediate devotion to the group. In the next few decades, Villella estimates he attended 32 Kiss concerts. Plus he took two Kiss cruises luxurious, week-long Caribbean voyages with the band and a shipload of fellow fans. There were other marvelous bands, like Rush, Pantera, and, of course, Led Zeppelin, but Kiss was his one true love. Its crazy, the connection that I have with the group, he said. Call me Kiss Villella moved to New Orleans at age 16, where he finished high school at Riverside Christian Academy in River Ridge and then joined the Navy. When he returned to civilian life, he worked as a bartender and MC in various Bourbon Street clubs before landing a long-term bartending gig at Jacques-Imos Cafe on Oak Street. After five years there, he said, his career took him next door to the popular Maple Leaf bar and nightclub, where he could indulge his love of live music while working. Hes been there for seven years. Villellas obsession with the shaggy, bigger-than-life band that burst onto the scene in the 1970s is no secret to anyone. In fact, most people call him Kiss. Just Kiss. Villella says he got his lifelong nickname because his pregnant hippie mother went into labor with him during a long-ago Kiss concert. At least thats the tall tale he tells patrons at the bar. Its part of the mystique, he said. In truth, people started calling him Kiss because of his proclivity to play Kiss videos on the big-screen TVs when he worked at a Bourbon Street karaoke bar. Speaking of bombastic Villella models his bartending persona on the spirit of Kiss, he said. Not that he wears wild makeup or any such thing. But his gregariousness and eagerness to please is inspired by the bands irrepressible showmanship. When I see my regulars, I hug them, he said, and I tell them I love them. Im loud, energetic and bombastic. Speaking of bombastic: Villella said he got tongue-wagging, fake blood-spewing, outspoken bassist Gene Simmons to sign his back in the New Orleans airport in 2005, when the superstar arrived to shoot an episode of his reality television show Family Jewels. At first Simmons rebuffed him, but when the rocker found out his autograph would become a tattoo, he was way into it. Villella said he invited Simmons to take this Sharpie and sign your name as big as you want. Who needs to shower? Villella asked Kiss principal songwriter, Paul Stanley, to sign his skin backstage at a Friday night concert in Houston in 2012. Unfortunately, it was the start of a long weekend getaway. So for the rest of his stay in Texas, as his wife lounged at the hotel pool and otherwise recreated, Villella remained in their room, lying on his stomach and watching television, worried that he might smudge the precious autograph. He didnt shower for days. No way was I messing this up, he said. Villella got to meet Peter Criss when the drummer appeared at a horror convention at a Canal Street hotel in 2017. Villella said he was so tense that he was sweating and stiff before being introduced to one of his heroes. It was so evident that Criss asked him, Man, are you OK? Villella controlled his joyful terror and all went well as Criss penned his name across the superfan's shoulder blades. And on Saturday, with the help of Ace Frehley, Villella was finally able to bring his quixotic commitment to a conclusion. Asked how he felt afterwards, Villella said, I did it! I feel like Im the king of some mountain out there. Marti Dumas puts her heart into everything she does. One thing that is maybe unique to me is that I believe in magic the power to effect change or personal growth is literally a magic, she said. Beaming with energy and love for her work, the former classroom teacher of 13 years is the author of 11 books, all written out of her philosophy see a need, fill a need. When Dumas was teaching, the classroom library took pride of place. She couldnt help but notice how few Black and Brown children were represented in picture books and young adult books. And when they were, she said, it was usually some historical reference, as part of a struggle, usually sad dark parts of history, and we need those books because we need history. But when she noticed her youngest child turning away from books, she realized that he wasnt seeing himself reflected there. He didnt dislike school, he loved it; he was Black, but his life wasnt filled with struggle. He needed different books. If he needed them, Dumas said, other kids did too. Ill make some. I have power and agency to add to this landscape. I cant do it all, but I can do some. And there it is: See a need and fill it. Witchy powers Wildseed Witch (Book 1)" the first in a new series for young readers, springs from that same impulse. Its set in a summer camp and finishing school, Les Belles Demoiselles, hidden in a cane field in Vacherie, in St. James Parish. There, young women learn about their witchy powers. Young Hasani Schexnayder-Jones doesnt know shes a witch, but when shes heading for a weekend with her father (her parents are separated) and she realizes he has a new woman in his life, her powers erupt, taking shape in a wild growth of morning glories that render the St. Claude Avenue bridge, the route to his house, impassable. It's literally "Black Girl Magic." The spontaneous eruption of morning glories attracts the attention of Louisiana witches, so Hasani receives an invitation to attend a summer camp at Les Belles Demoiselles: Pensionnat de Sorcieres in Vacherie. Hasani, who had nothing more exciting planned than working on her YouTube channel, MakeupontheCheapCheap, soon finds herself transported into a world of young women part Mean Girls, part sisterhood who are learning about their witchy powers and how to put them to good use under the tutelage of Les Belles Demoiselles alumnae. (Practicing on kittens is a nice touch.) Wild secret joy Dumas has created an appealing mash-up of technology and witchcraft and social media that speaks to a new generation of young readers and even takes on ways to deal with online bullying. This wildly clever set-up mixes feminine and feminist with easy grace, too. Makeup is fun; glitter is a delight. Who doesnt love a kitten? Who doesnt feel a wild secret joy in acquiring powerful knowledge? None of the characters are perfect, but all of them are interesting, as they sort themselves out into different cliques. And that too is instructive kids will identify with these strong feelings of inclusion or isolation, rivalries and friendships. I want kids to read Wildseed Witch and understand that they are full of power and so are other people, said Dumas. I want them to own the most powerful parts of themselves. The book calls it owning your magic. Kids shouldnt try to make themselves small so that someone else can feel big. You have to slide the lessons in there. Louisiana roots New Orleans native Dumas has relatives in Vacherie and a strong feeling of Louisiana family roots. She draws on her own powerful memories to create the women in her fantasy world. I remember my grandmother drinking coffee and chicory every morning on her porch," she said. "She was a formidable, decisive woman firm of mind. She did not have a ton of patience for things. But watching her make this slow, lovely transition into the day. ... It seems like magic can be as simple as chicory in your coffee. Her memories of visiting Vacherie also inform the book. The first time I went there, I could feel the actual energy of my ancestors. At some point, I knew I would have to use it. Inventing her magic system for the book, Dumas said, she felt she couldnt quite bring herself to write about New Orleans and Vacherie without a nod to sugar and sugar cane its no accident the school is tucked away in a cane field. And Im fully conscious of all those associations with slavery there, and the oppressed hidden nature of it." The magic world of books Dumas grew up in New Orleans, attending many different private and public schools here (all the schools, as she said) before going on to Amherst College and the Columbia University Teachers College. She's aware of what a rich gift growing up in New Orleans can be for a writer. She remembers long afternoons spent at the Little Professor Book Shop in Carrollton, where the booksellers nurtured her passion for reading and gave her books to read in the store, especially the then wildly popular Babysitters Club series. I may have never seen the Jersey Turnpike, Dumas said, But I knew what it was from those books. As a child, I was perfectly willing to break my frame and get to know that landscape. "So yes, there is strangeness and beauty in Louisiana, but you can know it in books. It is exotic and perfectly ordinary at the same time. In other words, perfect for witches. Susan Larson hosts The Reading Life on WWNO-FM. UVALDE, Texas Children inside a Texas elementary school begged the police to enter their classroom and save them, repeatedly calling 911, as a team of 19 police officers waited in the corridor for an hour because a commander believed the situation had shifted from active shooter to a barricaded subject, a Texas law enforcement officer said Friday. Of course, it wasnt the right decision. Period. Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said at a news conference. With pressure mounting to explain the delayed police response to the massacre that killed 19 children and two teachers, Gov. Greg Abbott scrapped plans to attend the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Houston and will travel to the grieving town of Uvalde on Friday to provide more information. Investigators are interviewing witnesses and poring through video to piece together a timeline that explains how the 18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos, was able to walk up to the school with a long-arm rifle, enter through an unlocked door and barricade himself inside a classroom for nearly an hour before he was shot and killed. Earlier this week, Abbott hailed the speedy response of valiant local officials who he said had engaged the gunman before he entered Robb Elementary School. They showed amazing courage by running toward gunfire, the Republican governor said at a Wednesday news conference. And it is a fact that because of their quick response, getting on the scene, being able to respond to the gunman and eliminate the gunman, they were able to save lives. Actually, the gunman roamed outside Robb Elementary for 12 minutes before entering unchallenged through an unlocked door, according to a timeline given by Texas Ranger Victor Escalon on Thursday. About 90 minutes passed from when the gunman crashed his car outside the school at 11:28 a.m. until he was shot dead at 12:58 p.m. That delay as a crowd of anguished parents gathered outside and begged to get in to confront the gunman has led to growing scrutiny of the law enforcement response to the deadliest U.S. school shooting in almost a decade. Some parents have criticized police officers for not stopping the shooter sooner and San Antonio-area Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro on Thursday urged the FBI to investigate local law enforcement actions. Texas officials have repeatedly changed the narrative of the timeline, leaving unexplained how the shooter had 12 minutes to get into the school after the crash, entered through an unlocked door and barricaded himself inside at least one classroom. They have also not explained why local law enforcement officers apparently spent an hour inside the school negotiating with an active shooter. Ramos shooting rampage began just after 11 a.m. Tuesday, when he shot his grandmother in the face at her Uvalde home. According to officials, Ramos then posted a social media message declaring that Im going to shoot an elementary school and drove off at a high speed in his grandmothers pickup truck. At 11:28 a.m., Ramos crashed the truck in a ditch and jumped out of the passenger side, carrying a long-arm rifle. He fired at two people at a nearby funeral home as he walked toward Robb Elementary, climbed a fence and crossed the school parking lot. At 11:40 a.m., he walked around the west side of the one-story brick school, shot multiple rounds and entered through an unlocked door. After making his way down a series of short hallways, he turned left and entered an empty classroom. From there, he found an adjoining classroom full of students and opened fire, authorities said. This has raised questions about security in a school district that has threat-assessment teams, a threat-reporting system, social media monitoring software, fences around schools and motion detectors to detect campus breaches. According to online district records, teachers are instructed to keep their classroom doors closed and locked at all times. NOLA Business Insider The biggest stories in business, delivered to you every day. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Four minutes after Ramos entered the school, officers with the Uvalde Police Department and Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Department went inside. Hearing gunfire, they attempted to enter the classroom, authorities said, but some were shot or grazed and took cover. Sporadic gunfire erupted as police attempted negotiations, Escalon said. During the negotiations, there wasnt much gunfire apart from keeping officers at bay, he said. According to Texas law enforcement sources, the classroom door was locked and reinforced to prevent police from breaching it easily, and it took time to locate a key that could open it. It was not until an hour after police entered the building that a U.S. Border Patrol tactical officer arrived from an off-duty position and killed Ramos. A Texas law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times that officers fired 15 shots when they finally entered the classroom. Radio communications indicate the officers reported the gunman was dead at 1 p.m. Even though Uvalde is a small city of 16,000, its school district has its own police department, formed a few months after the 2018 school mass shooting in Parkland, Fla. It had six officers and one security guard. One of its newest hires, Officer Adrian Gonzalez, had been an assistant commander and SWAT training commander at the Uvalde Police Department for 10 years and had taken training courses in advanced SWAT tactics and how to respond to active shooters and rescue hostages. They failed, said Carlos Ovalle, 32, a county worker who rushed to the school Tuesday in a bid to save his 8-year-old daughter, Makaylah, who survived. Someone off duty got there faster than they did. ____ (Rector reported from Uvalde, Jarvie from Atlanta and Winton from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Hayley Smith in Los Angeles contributed to this report.) ___ 2022 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. As a gun collector and photojournalist who has worked around the globe, Abdul Aziz is intimately familiar with the sound of gunfire. But he never expected to witness a shootout by heavily armed gunmen right outside his home. "I've been all over the world and spent time in the Gaza Strip in the depths of war in the truest sense," Aziz said. "You never expect to find the same level of violence in the place you lay your head." Aziz is one of hundreds of New Orleanians to call 911 to report gunfire this year, according data provided by the Orleans Parish Communication District. Between January and April, 1,703 people reported hearing shots fired, more than the first four months of any other year since 2013. Last year, there were a whopping 4,744 gunfire reports called into emergency dispatchers. Among the neighborhoods most affected: Little Woods, Venetian Isles, the 7th Ward, St. Claude and St. Roch. As the city grapples with a violent crime wave, gunshots have become part of the auditory landscape for many residents. Because the vast majority of assailants are gone on arrival, these shootings also mean the dimensions of unreported crime in New Orleans are vast. Most gunfire incidents don't result in injuries, deaths, arrests or news coverage, but residents say they do create a climate of fear and a wake of traumatized witnesses. Aziz heard the initial barrage of gunfire at around midnight on May 18 near the intersection of Louisa Street and St. Claude Avenue. It sounded to him like the firearm had a binary trigger a modification that allows it to fire one bullet when the trigger is pulled and one when it releases, giving it what essentially amounts to automatic capabilities. "It's really difficult to control a firearm with a binary trigger," Aziz said. "In terms of accuracy, it's a 'spray and pray' type situation." The assailants seemed to have little regard for precision as they strafed St. Claude Avenue, Aziz said. He saw one gunman firing what he believes was an AK-47 variant rifle toward St. Claude. Then he saw 50-60 teenagers pour out of nearby house. Neighbors believe the young people were attending a graduation party at a short-term rental property, he said. The next morning, Aziz recovered around 80 spent shell casings still littering the ground including .40 caliber and 7.62 x 39 casings from ammunition typically used in rifles styled after the AK-47. Anticipating gun violence will increase over the summer, New Orleans police said this month that they will reinforce their slim ranks (998 officers in a department considered fully staffed at 1,600 officers) with Louisiana State Police officers from June through August, extend patrol shifts from 8 to 12 hours, and reinstate a curfew for youth ages 17 and under. Daniel Gentry, a Little Woods resident, said he hears gunfire so often he has stopped letting his kids play outside unattended. He wonders how many of the areas shootings could have been prevented with proper policing. NOLA Business Insider The biggest stories in business, delivered to you every day. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "Cops... are not resolving conflict among citizens," he said. "That is their job: to deescalate situations. Otherwise, they escalate into shootings and murders." Milan resident Jamie Peacock said she hears gunshots so often she has changed her family's routines. "I don't sit outside my house any more, and we sleep with white noise," Peacock said. "If we sat outside, I would hear it every night." Peacock's worst fears nearly came true May 15, when her 13-year-old son heard gunfire while he was at a McDonald's in the 2600 block of St. Claude. "We heard three shots fired and went inside the building, where there was a group of kids ages 4 to 7 huddled in a corner," said Lee Peacock-Bielanski, who just completed eighth grade at Homer A. Plessy Community School. "A few were screaming, and there were a lot of people on the floor." Police classified the event as an aggravated assault. They arrested Aldricka Singleton at the scene on charges of simple battery, aggravated assault, theft and simple criminal damage to property. The experience was "terrifying," Peacock-Bielanski said, and it erases any doubts the teen had about his family's imminent move to Arizona. "My parents want me to have a normal teen existence walking around beyond my neighborhood, taking the bus, being able to be out at night without being paranoid," he said. Aziz, the photographer, said he called 911 to report the shooting near his Louisa Street home at 11:49 p.m. Police were dispatched at 12:05 a.m. and arrived at 12:06 a.m., according to the NOPD's Calls for Service log. By then, the shooters had fled, police said. That is not uncommon. Of the 378 gunfire reports in April, the triggermen were gone in 218, police said. Multiple vehicles sustained damage, and police recovered bullet casings in the area and logged them as evidence, NOPD spokesperson Reese Harper said. Officers interviewed several residents but have not made arrests or publicly identified any suspects. Aziz said the shell casings he picked up were just a fraction of those littering Louisa Street. The NOPD did not say why such a large number of casings remained on the ground overnight. But their presence concerned Aziz. "It's shocking that kind of firepower that is on the street," he said. "These kids need help. They're at a graduation party celebrating achievement, hopefully going to college, and they're traumatized by this shooting. As a war photographer, it brings back a certain level of PTSD and makes me fear for the lives of everyone in this community." In the early days of the pandemic, carloads of nervous, feverish residents would line up to have their nostrils swabbed to see if they had contracted the dreaded COVID-19. Then, when vaccines finally arrived, the lines resumed, with residents eager to get their first jab. Now, the largest public sites in the local war against the coronavirus are ceasing operations, as the Louisiana National Guard stands down after stepping up to staff testing and vaccination sites for more than two years. Friday is the last day for testing and vaccinations at the John A. Alario Sr. Event Center near Westwego and the Mahalia Jackson Theater site in Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans. A third site at the UNO Lakefront Arena has already ceased operations. The Louisiana Department of Health said Thursday that while the pandemic is not over, the public health emergency was lifted in March and the state is "no longer in crisis mode" as vaccines and tests have become more widely available. "Thankfully, we are in a much stronger position than we have been, and we have more tools than ever to combat the virus," the agency said in a statement. "Safe and effective vaccines, access to high-quality masks, therapeutics and at-home testing are all tools that we did not have when the Louisiana National Guard was first deployed as part of the statewide COVID response." The Health Department said the National Guard operated more than 1,000 vaccine sites and more than 400 testing sites during the pandemic, administering 626,436 tests and 226,081 vaccines as of Tuesday. Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said the Alario Center site, which opened March 21, 2020, just 12 days after the parish reported the state's first case, tested more than 39,000 people and administered more than 5,000 doses of the vaccine. "It was one of the first pilot COVID testing sites in the country when the pandemic first began," she told the Parish Council on Wednesday. "We were one of the first, and we're proud to have stood up this site and supported this site for more than two years." Lee Sheng thanked state and local partners, such as the men and women of the National Guard, for their efforts and "time spent away from their families." "We could not have done it without them," she said. "They were always there for us." Health news in your inbox Reporter Emily Woodruff shares weekly updates and insights on local health news, including COVID coverage and medical research. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Figures from the Mahalia Jackson Theater site were not immediately available. But Dr. Jennifer Avegno, medical director in Mayor LaToya Cantrell's administration, called the National Guard the "cornerstone" of the city's testing program. "They have been deployed for a really long time," she said last week. "They are needed elsewhere. There are limited resources, and so we want residents to prepare for that." A National Guard representative did not return a call seeking comment. The closures come at a time when COVID transmission is increasing in the New Orleans area, with a highly contagious omicron subvariant now dominant among cases. Tests elsewhere Avegno said that pop-up testing sites would still be available in New Orleans, although she acknowledged those won't be as easy or prominent as the Mahalia Jackson Theater site, especially for people without insurance. Lee Sheng said Jefferson residents looking for tests and vaccines may still do so through their doctors or pharmacies. She said the parish Public Health Unit in Metairie is open Wednesdays and Fridays, and the one in Marrero is open Wednesdays and Thursdays, both offices from from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. An updated list of community sites providing vaccinations and boosters in Jefferson Parish can be found online at COVID.JeffParish.net. Anyone with a mailing address may order eight free at-home tests through the federal government. Emily Woodruff contributed to this report. A jury has convicted a man accused of carrying an intoxicated acquaintance from a French Quarter bar to his car and raping her, the Orleans Parish district attorney's office said Thursday. Jurors found Joshua Riley, 29, guilty of third-degree rape last week, after deliberating several hours. The crime carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. A person may be charged with third-degree rape when the victim is incapable of consenting to sex, such as when the victim is intoxicated or in a stupor. Prosecutors said Riley's victim in the July 2019 crime was too drunk to have consented. Criminal District Court Judge Kimya Holmes set Rileys sentencing for June 22. District Attorney Jason Williams credited New Orleans police, the evidence and prosecutors for the conviction. Riley's defense attorney would not comment. The driver who crashed into a construction site on the Hale Boggs Bridge, launching a worker over the railing to his death, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison and another 12 years of supervised release. Hunter Johnson, 23, was intoxicated when he drove his pickup truck through the construction zone on the bridge between Destrehan and Luling in the early morning hours of Jan. 14, 2021, knocking Brady Ortego of Baton Rouge over the side and into the Mississippi River, Louisiana State Police said. Johnson pleaded guilty Feb. 9 to vehicular homicide and obstruction of justice. On Wednesday, Judge Timothy Marcel of the 29th Judicial Disrict Court issued the 30-year sentence after hearing statements from several relatives of Ortego, 44. Despite a lengthy search of the river, Ortego's body was never recovered. NOLA Business Insider The biggest stories in business, delivered to you every day. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up After he struck Ortega, Johnson abandoned his truck and ran from the scene, State Police said. His grandmother, Marie Sally Dufrene, 73, picked him up and took him back to her home. From there, Johnson's mother, Pebbles Johnson, drove him to a hotel in Houma to hide from police. For weeks, the State Police analyzed DNA and other evidence to identify the hit-and-run driver. Police arrested Johnson in March 2021. His mother and grandmother were arrested that summer and booked with obstruction of justice. "Nothing can bring Brady Ortego back," Marcel said, "but I hope that this sentence can give his family the closure and justice that they deserve." This story has been updated to include the name of the man arrested. A man was arrested Thursday after a SWAT roll in New Orleans East, police said. William Turner, 47, allegedly held up a cashier with a machete at a Walgreens near the intersection of Lake Forest Boulevard and Bullard Avenue at 9:54 a.m. He fled with the cash to his house in the 5700 block of Louis Prima Drive East, where he barricaded himself inside, police said. The standoff lasted until around 1:30 p.m., when Turner surrendered to police. One of the windows on his house was broken out, and a chair lay on his overgrown lawn, as if it had be thrown. Nobody was injured, and police booked Turner on charges of armed robbery with a knife. Authorities did not say how much cash Turner stole or if anyone else was inside the residence. Check back for more on this developing story. A New Orleans man, who was arrested this week for attempting to murder his teenage girlfriend, is now being held in the Orleans Parish Justice Center without bond after a hearing in magistrate court Thursday. Bond for 20-year-old Ryan Hendricks was initially set at $945,000 on Tuesday, but the state called for a Gwens law hearing. Gwen's Law was passed to make it easier to keep domestic batterers in jail, at least if they're accused of felonies, by requiring hearings at which bail may be denied if a judge determines the defendant poses a continuing domestic violence threat. Multiple factors are considered in ruling for an accused suspect to be held without bond, including the seriousness of the offense and the weight of evidence. Magistrate Commissioner Jonathan Friedman ruled in the states favor, saying Hendricks must remain behind bars as he awaits trial. NOLA Business Insider The biggest stories in business, delivered to you every day. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Hendricks is accused of terrorizing Jennifer Blows teenage daughter for nearly a year. Police wrote in court documents that Hendricks tried to kill the victim on May 22 by shooting into her familys Bywater home from a nearby property. He also allegedly broke into the home in February, prompting the family to file for a protective order, court documents show. He has also been booked with carnal knowledge of a juvenile, police wrote in documents. Blow said after the hearing that she is relieved, though she also noted that the case isnt over. We have a lot of healing to do, but our fear has been replaced with some kind of normalcy, she said. The latest effort to rein in Louisianas largest but least-regulated fishery was snuffed out by a Senate committee this week. The bill would have placed the states first catch limits on menhaden, a small schooling fish that serves as a key food source for larger fish, birds and marine mammals. Menhaden is also Louisianas number one catch, with more pounds of menhaden, also called pogy and fatback, taken from state waters each year than shrimp, crab and oysters combined. Much of the menhaden catch is ground up into fertilizer, pet food and livestock feed. House Bill 1033 passed the House of Representatives last month and was supported by several conservation and recreational fishing groups concerned that the largely unchecked fishery is taking food from other species like speckled trout and dolphins, which have suffered population declines in recent years. They note that all other Gulf of Mexico states either prohibit or strictly limit the menhaden industry. Were the only Gulf state to allow this industry, said Benjamin Graham, a member of the Louisiana Finfish Task Force, which advises state agencies on fishing matters. When were dead last on something, we should probably re-evaluate. The bill was strongly opposed by the two foreign-owned companies Omega Protein of Canada and Daybrook of South Africa that dominate the Louisiana menhaden fishery, which has produced an annual catch worth an average of $80 million since 2010. Daybrook's representatives warned the bill would have forced the company to close its menhaden processing plant in the small Plaquemines Parish community of Empire. The current level of harvest is very minimal when compared to harvest levels of similar species throughout the world and therefore unlikely to cause an impact on the ecosystem, said Shane Treadaway, a Daybrook manager. State Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officials said the industry doesnt appear to be harming other species, but admitted it lacks comprehensive or recent data on ecosystem impacts. Rather than outright reject the bill, the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Thursday opted to starve it of time, voting 4 to 3 on its last meeting of the 2022 legislative session to defer it to a future meeting that has no chance of taking place in the final week of the session. Rep. Joseph Orgeron, a Republican from Larose and the bills prime sponsor, was puzzled and disappointed the committee used a procedural move to kill the bill rather than vote to reject it. I guess they thought this was a cleaner death, Orgeron said. Sen. Bob Hensgens, the committee chairman and an opponent of the bill, did not return calls for comment. The Republican from Abbeville represents a district with the states other menhaden processing plant. The Omega Protein plant provides about 270 jobs in Vermilion Parish, and some or all of them could be in danger if the industry is forced to curb its catch, Hensgens said earlier this month. Orgeron agreed to ease some of his bill's geographic restrictions and boost the catch limit from 573,000 pounds per year to 860,000 pounds, an amount that reflects the industrys largest catch level in recent years. But even that wouldnt make them happy, he said. Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Hensgens and Wildlife and Fisheries officials erroneously stated that Louisiana already has a commercial menhaden no-fishing zone that extends a quarter mile from the coast. Absolutely we do, Wildlife and Fisheries Assistant Secretary Patrick Banks told senators on Thursday. But agency officials confirmed the rule hasnt been finalized and may not go into effect until later this summer. Proposed last year and backed by the industry, the rule has been delayed and scaled back in recent months to exclude restrictions in Breton and Chandeleur sounds, a move that was opposed by St. Bernard Parish. While the rule doesnt yet apply to the industry, a Wildlife and Fisheries spokesperson said the industry has offered assurances that it is voluntarily adhering to the future rule. Recreational fishing groups say the quarter-mile rule will have little impact because most menhaden fishing happens between a half-mile and three miles from the coast. Banks bristled at the notion that his agency isnt adequately regulating the industry. Noting the word menhaden appears in state regulations dozens of times, he listed licensing requirements, bycatch standards, gear rules and fishing limits in non-coastal waters as proof the agency is managing the industry. Sen. Sharon Hewitt, a Republican from Slidell, didn't buy it. It doesnt seem like youre doing anything, really, said Hewitt, who voted against the bills deferral. I know you say you regulate because (menhaden) shows up in the statute 58 times or something, but in terms of understanding how it affects the rest of the ecosystem or managing the amount of menhaden you take out of the Gulf, I dont really see where youre doing anything to manage that. The bill is Orgeron's second failed attempt to restrict the industry. Last year, he proposed a bill that would set a half-mile menhaden fishing exclusion zone, with wider buffers around some barrier islands. It also died in the Senate. He may try again next session. Ill probably keep pushing but until theres regime change (in the Senate), I dont know how much things can change, he said. Its a modern-day fortress nearly two decades in the making, complete with a Great Wall of Louisiana and the biggest pumping station in the world and it is how New Orleans will do battle against the water that constantly threatens to destroy it. The vast network of levees, gates and floodwalls built to protect the New Orleans area in the wake of Hurricane Katrinas devastation is finally complete. An event on Friday, days ahead of the start of hurricane season, will formally mark that process, as well as the systems handover from the Army Corps of Engineers to the state. Its an engineering marvel and, at a cost of around $12 billion, not to mention another $2.5 billion in related projects, the biggest of its kind by the Corps. Those who have looked closely at the new system, designed to fend off so-called 100-year storms, or those with a 1% chance of occurring in any year, say they have high confidence in it. But they caution it could still be overtopped, and likely will. Whats different, they say, is that it is now designed to guard against catastrophic breaches, greatly lowering the risk. The chairman of the states Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, which is taking over the system from the Corps, calls it one of the greatest engineering feats in the history of the world. The level of protection that is around the Greater New Orleans area is better than at any time in the city's history, said Chip Kline. Were talking about some of the best protection anywhere along the Gulf Coast and, quite frankly, anywhere in the country. Still, some residents, reeling from the failures of the federal levees after Katrina in 2005, are putting a critical eye on the finished system. Personally, I dont trust it fully, said Willie Converse, 58, as he took a break from yard work at his Lower Ninth Ward home not far from the Industrial Canal breach, where a wall of water swept through and wiped out the neighborhood. Others said the design seems solid. But given Louisianas history of patronage and mismanagement, they were concerned with local authorities taking responsibility, as well as issues such as the rising cost of insurance. The levees are probably going to hold, said Al Bostick, 70, as he sat with a couple friends at Parlays bar in Lakeview, inundated in 2005 by the 17th Street Canal breach. But, he said, what will take its toll is all the other stuff. 'Great Wall of Louisiana' Fridays event is largely symbolic. The state has been gradually assuming control of the system for years as its various components have been built, and its main pieces have long been in place. They passed a major test in withstanding Hurricane Ida last year, though a slight shift in path could have posed a greater risk. The last parts to be completed mainly involved levee armoring, said Corps spokesman Ricky Boyett. Forecasters are predicting another active storm season this year, which could mean a further test for the system. State officials are stressing to residents that it will not eliminate all risk, and that people should make plans to evacuate if needed. The handover means that two New Orleans-area flood protection authorities, the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority (East and West), will now be responsible for maintenance and operation. Estimates put those costs at around $7.8 million annually for the west bank and $25 million for the east bank. Local officials and experts expressed confidence this week in those authorities, the result of reforms passed after Katrina. The construction price tag will largely be billed to the federal government, with the state picking up about a third of that cost. Get hurricane updates in your inbox Sign up for updates on storm forecasts, tracks and more. e-mail address * Sign Up The convoluted name for the system doesnt exactly convey its importance to the region: the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System, referred to as the HSDRRS. The individual projects within it are, in some cases, enormous in scale: The Great Wall of Louisiana, otherwise known by its technical name, the IHNC-Lake Borgne Surge Barrier. Its a 1.8-mile barrier that can be closed during storms. It spans the area where the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet meet east of the city. Cost: $1.2 billion. West Closure Complex, near the confluence of the Harvey and Algiers canals on the Intracoastal Waterway. The pumping station at the complex is the biggest in the world. Cost: $1.1 billion. The system spans a 133-mile perimeter. There are also 70 miles of internal risk reduction structures. State and local officials will also need to monitor subsidence of the soil atop which the levees sit, and when required, lift the levees back to their 100-year elevation, federal and state officials say. Beyond that, levee armoring is in place to prevent erosion, as occurred in Katrina. For that reason, those familiar with the system said this week while it is high enough for 100-year storms, it remains effective well beyond that, and can hold even if the system is overtopped. The system as it's designed should really help the city weather and survive an event thats larger than what one would expect to occur once every 100 years, said Rick Luettich, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor who co-developed a storm surge model the Corps used in designing the system and was a member of the east bank flood protection authority for eight years. Ed Link, a University of Maryland professor who led the task force that investigated the breaches in Katrina, said he has a heck of a lot of faith in the system due to the protections in place beyond the 100-year elevation level to guard against breaches. You could still call it a 100-year design, he said. But it was a 100-year design with an awful lot of buffer built in for uncertainty. 'Completely away from here' Gov. John Bel Edwards, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and members of the states congressional delegation are expected to attend Fridays event at the Lake Borgne Surge Barrier. While marking the completion of the entire system, the event is also intended to raise awareness of the risks of this years hurricane season and to urge residents to prepare. For the CPRAs Kline, the handover marks a significant milestone. Still, he noted that further protection is needed for communities outside of the new system. A range of protection projects, such as the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain project for the River Parishes and Upper Barataria project for northern Lafourche, are at various stages of development There are other areas across south Louisiana that deserve the same level of protection that the city of New Orleans is getting, he said. For Converse, the Lower Ninth Ward resident, past memories are hard to overcome. He grew up in the house destroyed by Katrina, and has had issues with his new home, where he lives with his brother and 85-year-old mother, obtained through the Make It Right Foundation. Overgrown, empty lots remain a dominant feature of his area. I was going to move completely away from here, he said, but doing so is too expensive. The last time Sienna Wischkaemper took a road trip, it was an ambulance ride from Children's Hospital in New Orleans to a Houston facility where she spent eight weeks in intensive therapy following a traumatic brain injury. But last week, Sienna, 14, finally came home to Mandeville. Sienna was discharged from Houston's TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, and Sharon and Ryan Wischkaemper, packed up their youngest child and drove her home for a joyful reunion with her two sisters and the family's pets. A long road It's been a long road for the Archbishop Hannan High School student, who was ejected from the family's car in a Feb. 15 crash on Interstate 12 near Covington as she and her two sisters were heading to school. She faces a long recovery, her father said, and will need at least a year, if not more, of continued therapy. She'll also undergo hyperbaric treatment. But returning home is a major milestone. "It's huge. She's really happy to be home," Ryan Wischkaemper said. Sienna doesn't remember the crash or most of the time she spent in Children's Hospital, where she was under heavy sedation to allow her brain to heal. Doctors didn't give the family a prognosis, but people who had suffered brain injuries, or who had children that did, reached out to the family, including friends and co-workers. "In the absence of the doctors being able to tell us, that helped a ton," he said. Good decision St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Their research and discussions with others led them to TIRR Memorial, which Ryan Wischkaemper said is one of the country's leading hospitals for treating patients with traumatic brain injuries. While there, Sienna had four to five hours of therapy each day, including physical and speech therapy. "They were amazing over there," he said. "It was a good decision to put her there, although it was hard to be away from her sisters." Her mother stayed with her in Houston, while her father and sisters traveled there every other weekend. Sharon Wischkaemper was able to return home to see their oldest daughter, Alisha, graduate from Hannan earlier this month. While in Houston, doctors removed Sienna's feeding tube and closed her tracheotomy. "She can eat real food again," her father said, adding that mac and cheese is a favorite. In a recent update on Sienna's GoFundMe page, her father described her as keeping her nurses laughing and doing TikToks with her sisters. While Ryan Wischkaemper can't remember the first words that Sienna spoke following the accident, she is talking now and will continue to work on her speech, which he said can be hard to understand when she gets excited. "The first thing she wanted to do was hang out with the cats and dogs," her father said. Playing with Bailey, their red Labrador, and Stanyan, a chihuahua beagle mix, was what Sienna most wanted to do -- that and go into their pool. 'Very hopeful' Her first day home, Sienna was facetiming with friends and looking forward to a homecoming celebration with extended family next month. "We're very hopeful. They still can't give us a prognosis; the doctors will not give one. But we're staying positive with her," her father said. What Are Geophones? The Tool That Could Unlock the Potential of Geothermal Energy A geothermal plant in Washoe County, Nevada. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL Deploying 60 gigawatts of geothermal electricity would be enough to provide clean, reliable power for 129 million American homes and businesses. A key factor to unlocking that amount of always-available geothermal energy could be through innovation in subsurface seismic sensors, or geophones. A Hot Research Field Geothermal energy is renewable, sustainable, and carbon free. Clean energy can be generated by using geothermal heat from the core of the Earth, which is as hot as the surface of the sun. As heat radiates upward, it gradually cools to roughly 600F at around two miles under our feet. Accessing that heat though drilling in viable areas releases very hot, salty water (brine) and steam that rises to the surface. The steam then spins turbines that produce electricity. The brine is injected back into the ground, where it is reheated by the Earth. Accessing geothermal resources for energy production requires brine to flow through openings in rocks. This means economically viable production needs high temperatures at accessible drilling depths, plus the presence of permeable fractures in the subsurface. When hot rocks in the subsurface are not sufficiently permeable, a technique called enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) can help access the heat contained in the hot rocks by creating new fractures to carry increased amounts of geothermal fluids. EGS is an ongoing research area that involves the injection of water into the subsurface to create or reopen existing fractures. To perform successful stimulations and ultimately develop efficient EGS reservoirs, researchers need to understand subsurface conditions; geophones allow them to do so. The Blue Mountain Geothermal Plant in Humboldt County, Nevada. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL What Are Geophones? A traditional geophone. The word geophone quite literally means "earth" "sound," which is what the devices detectacoustic vibrations within the Earth. The sensors collect rich data sets that provide information about subsurface geothermal reservoirs and how the reservoir rock is evolving before, during, and after EGS stimulations to ensure safe geothermal operations. Geophones can be deployed at the surface or in wells that place them closer to geothermal reservoirs where they can collect more detailed data. Traditional seismic monitoring tools cannot withstand the extreme temperatures, high rock strengths, and corrosive brine materials in geothermal environments. Plus, due to the relatively small size of the current U.S. geothermal market, the manufacturing of components and tools for geothermal environments can be prohibitively expensive. "Fast-tracking the development of technology related to EGS could significantly expand access to geothermal energy across the country," said Ian Warren, senior geoscientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. "Innovation in subsurface geophones to enable collection of detailed seismic data within and adjacent to high-temperature rocks deep below ground will be a huge advance for developers creating EGS reservoirs." The American-Made Geothermal Geophone Prize The American-Made Geothermal Geophone Prize is designed to address the challenges of operating seismic sensors in geothermal environments. To enable the development of 60 gigawatts of projected geothermal electricity capacity by 2050, the U.S. Department of Energy Geothermal Technologies Office is focused on advancing EGS and the tools required for safe, effective, and economically viable deployment. The $3.65 million American-Made Geothermal Geophone Prize is designed to address the challenges of operating seismic sensors in geothermal environments. The Geophone Prize consists of three phases that will fast-track efforts to design, test, and fabricate advanced functional seismometer prototypes. Each stage will include a contest period when competitors work to rapidly advance their solutions with the support of the American-Made Network. The Geothermal Geophone Prize is a $3.65 million challenge consisting of three phases that will fast-track efforts to design, test, and fabricate advanced functional seismometer prototypes. The prize is open to private organizations (for-profits and nonprofits), nonfederal government entities (such as states, counties, tribes, and municipalities), academic institutions, and individuals that meet all eligibility requirements. For more information, visit AmericanMadeChallenges.org. On the same day Pennsylvania counties can begin recounting ballots in the GOP U.S. Senate primary, on May 27 Dr. Mehmet Oz released a video declaring himself the presumptive Republican nominee. I am blessed to have earned the presumptive Republican nomination for the United States Senate, Oz said in the video. This was a tough campaign, I traveled everywhere. You guys were pretty honest sharing with me thoughts, worries you had; you dont feel like youre being heard. To accompany the video, Oz wrote on Twitter, Its time to unite. I want to hear your ideas and make this countrys future as bright as it has ever been. With more freedom, less big government, and by empowering our people, Americas light will shine brighter than ever. For weeks, polls showed that the May 17 primary was too close to call. Results illustrated that those surveys were accurate. As of midday on May 27, Oz had 419,587 votes (31.20 percent) compared with 418,675 (31.13 percent) for David McCormick, according to Decision Desk HQ. That is a difference of 912 votes out of 1,344,882 ballots cast. Under Pennsylvania law, an automatic recount is triggered when the two leading candidates have a separation within one-half of 1 percent. McCormick had the option to forego a recount, but he chose to move forward with the procedure. In a press conference on May 25, Pennsylvania Acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman said, Mr. McCormick has not waived his right to a recount. So, as acting secretary of state, Im required by the election code to order all county boards of elections to conduct a recount of the race. Each county can start recounting votes on May 27. They must begin by June 1, finish by noon on June 7, and submit their results by noon on June 8. County boards of elections must tabulate the ballots using a different device than the one initially, or ballots can be counted by hand, according to the states recount process. Chapman also ordered all counties to separate and tabulate ballots without dates and with incorrect dates. A federal appeals court decision on May 20 ruled that federal law requires Lehigh County to count 257 mail-in ballots that werent counted in the 2021 election because there were no dates on the return envelopes. McCormicks campaign called each county board of elections and urged them to count those ballots, and McCormick filed a lawsuit to make that a requirement. Oz opposed the move, as did the Republican National Committee. Our position is that undated and incorrectly dated ballots should count, Chapman said, referencing the court decision. To be clear, our guidance will enable counties to arrive at an accurate count no matter what the courts decide. Oz was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in mid-April. A day after the May 17 primary, the former president posted on his platform, Truth Social, urging Oz to declare victory. It makes it much harder for them to cheat with the ballots that they just happened to find,' Trump said. Oz or McCormick will face Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in the general election. Fetterman suffered a stroke a few days before the primary and cast his vote from a hospital on election day before undergoing a successful procedure to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator. On May 26, Pennsylvanias deputy secretary of elections and commissions Jonathan Marks told the media that an estimated 10,000 ballots have not been counted. This figure includes around 6,000 mail-in and absentee ballots. Among that number are as many as 3,000 overseas or military ballots and 4,000 provisional ballots. It is uncertain how many of those ballots were cast in the Republican primary. Since the evening of May 17, both candidates have expressed confidence that they will emerge as the victor. This narrow difference triggers an automatic recount, and we look forward to a swift resolution so our party can unite to defeat socialist John Fetterman in the fall, McCormick said in a statement earlier this week, adding that he has performed well among voters who cast mail-in ballots. The winner in November will replace retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. Since the Senate is currently composed of 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats or nominal independents, every seat is crucial in November because Vice President Kamala Harris casts tiebreaking votes as president of the chamber. Out of 34 Senate seats up for election, 14 are held by Democrats and 20 by Republicans. From The Epoch Times Chinese envoy calls for commitment to political settlement for Libya crisis Xinhua) 14:42, May 27, 2022 UNITED NATIONS, May 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on all parties in Libya to stay committed to a political settlement to the country's woes. Plenty of uncertainty remains in the Libyan political process, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. The differences between the parties on important issues, such as the government's legitimacy, remain difficult to resolve. "We call on all parties in Libya to put the interests of the country and people first, stay committed to the general direction of political settlement, exercise maximum restraint, refrain from taking any action that may escalate tensions, and maintain the hard-won peace and stability," he told the Security Council. Dialogue and consultations represent the only solution to breaking the political impasse in Libya, he said, urging all parties in Libya to maintain dialogue to reach a consensus on important issues, such as an election timetable. In the long run, the international community, the Security Council in particular, should support parties in Libya in advancing national reconciliation and resolving the deep-seated problems caused by years of turmoil to lay a solid foundation for Libya to achieve long-term stability, Dai said. China encourages regional organizations, such as the African Union and the Arab League, to play an active role in this end, he added. Noting external interference has been a significant factor behind the protraction of the Libya crisis, Dai said that the international community should stay committed to the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned principle to provide constructive assistance while refraining from imposing external solutions. The cease-fire agreement is the cornerstone of maintaining security and stability in Libya and the region, he said, highlighting the vital role of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission in implementing the cease-fire agreement and facilitating the withdrawal of foreign armed forces and mercenaries. The commission's resumption of its full duties will help all parties maintain coordination and communication and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculations, he said. Noting that oil is Libya's main source of income, Dai said that China encourages all parties concerned to resolve differences in oil revenue, management, and distribution through dialogue and consultations and restore stable oil production as soon as possible. Dai added that this would also help stabilize the international crude oil market in the current geopolitical context. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Region resident John Brett, CEO of ArcelorMittal North America, was awarded what's billed as "the steel industry's highest honor." Brett, who lives in Schererville, received the Gary Memorial Medal at the American Iron and Steel Institute's general meeting in Washington D.C. He's a former chairman of the AISI board of directors who has served in various roles over the years on the board of the trade association representing the U.S. steel industry. The Gary Memorial Award is named after Judge Elbert Gary, who helped found U.S. Steel in 1901 and its flagship Gary Works steel mill in 1906. The city of Gary was named after the judge from Wheaton, Illinois, who brought together J. P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie and Charles M. Schwab to start the steel giant that became the world's first billion-dollar corporation and one of the pillars of the Northwest Indiana economy. The award was given to Brett for his exceptional leadership, strategic thinking and commitment to advancing public policy issues critical to the future of the steel industry; for his passion, energy and drive in leading the Institute through a dynamic, challenging period with a global pandemic, and economic and national security in the forefront; and, for his dedication to amplifying our industrys voice and our commitment to a sustainable economy with steel as the solution of choice. Leon Topalian, president and CEO of Nucor and current AISI chairman, said Brett was dedicated to the U.S. steel industry. I cant think of anyone more deserving of this honor than John," he said. "He is a tremendous leader and outspoken advocate for the steel industry. Johns breadth of industry insight and tremendous understanding of the global marketplace have been critical for AISI and our members during a pivotal time for the steel industry." 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 United States imported 2.729 million tons of steel in April, down 11.7% versus March. That included 2.264 million tons of finished steel that would not need to be further processed by American workers such as those at steel companies at the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor. Finished steel imports were down 9.4% from March, according to preliminary U.S. Census Bureau data. So far this year, total steel imports are up 21% as compared to the same period in 2021. Finished steel imports are up 45.1% through the end of April as compared to the first four months of last year, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. Finished steel imports grabbed 27% of the market share in April and 25% so far this year. In April, imports of tin plate rose by 28.9% while imports of cut lengths plates were up 22.5%, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. So far in 2022, imports of oil country goods are up 118%, wire rods 117%, plates in coils 81%, hot rolled sheets 78% and cold rolled sheets 76%. Last month, the largest suppliers of foreign-made steel were Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Brazil and Vietnam. Imports declined by 6% from Canada, 22% from South Korea, 31% from Brazil, 28% from Vietnam in April. So far this year, imports are up 25% to 6.97 million from Canada, up 58% to 5.34 million tons from Mexico, up 8% to 3.69 million tons from Brazil, up 30% to 2.828 million tons from South Korea and up 290% to 1.637 million tons from Russia. Over the last 12 months, total imports are up by 51.3% and finished steel imports up by 55.3%, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute. 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. GARY U.S. Steel is making a major investment in its flagship Gary Works steel mill, pumping $60 million into a pig caster that will connect its legacy integrated operations along the lakeshore to its growing mini-mill division down south. The Pittsburgh-based steelmaker is installing a new pig caster that will convert iron ore hauled by freighter across Lake Michigan into pig iron that will feed its new electric arc furnaces in Arkansas. The pig caster will be able to produce 500,000 tons of pig iron per year, also serving U.S. Steel's blast furnaces. Construction started earlier this year. Mined, melted and made in America has always been important to us, and recent world events have demonstrated how critical self-reliance is, U.S. Steel President and CEO David B. Burritt said. This investment at Gary Works, to create the necessary material for our lower-emissions electric arc furnaces, is the perfect example of combining the best of integrated and mini-mill technologies. Its also helping propel our transition to our ambitious best for all strategy. Were committed to a future of driving profitable steel solutions for people and the planet. It's a significant capital project for the company, which has been prospering, Burritt said. "This last year we celebrated 120 years on the New York Stock Exchange. The symbol of X is X marks the spot," he said. "Last year was a big year for us, not just because of record profit. We had record safety, record quality and record reliability. We also were named Newsweek's most loved companies and one that we were most pleased with was we were named one of Ethisphere's Most Ethical Companies." The company is positioning itself for the future, he said. "We're in good shape. We expect the second quarter to be all-time records. That's a good place to be," Burritt said. "Yet this r-word keeps showing up, and it's probably going to happen. There's probably going to be a recession when the Federal Reserve chair said it's going to be a softish landing. But that's okay, we're loaded with cash and going to manage through it. We will be stronger than ever. We're not without our challenges. We're not without our mishaps. But we're investing. We're investing in our employees. We're making a difference for them with all-time record profit-sharing and we want that to continue." U.S. Steel's new pig caster will be supplied by the ships that already ferry iron ore from U.S. Steel's mines in Minntac and Keetac in Northern Minnesota's Iron Range to Gary Works. The pig machine will make as much as 50% of the metallics needed for the steelmaker's new Big River Steel Works. Gary Works is U.S. Steels largest manufacturing plant, and its role in the company and in this community is significant, said Daniel Killeen, vice president of Gary Works. Knowing that the nearly 4,000 employees at Gary Works are not just contributing here, but we now get to utilize our blast furnace efficiency to contribute to the companys new, most environmentally friendly operations at Big River Steel Works, is something were excited about. Currently, the mill at 1 N. Broadway in downtown Gary, which stretches along seven miles of Lake Michigan lakefront, makes more iron than the steel shops can take away, Killeen said. The new pig machine will let the mill cast 500,000 tons a year of pig iron into a usable form to lower costs at Big River and further optimize use of the company's mines in Minnesota. Gary Works will move the finished product via barge and railcar to fuel electric arc furnaces in Arkansas. Company officials, politicians and other dignitaries gathered at the Gary Works steel mill Thursday where they celebrated the capital project with a whole pig roast. The new facility is expected to add about 25 more permanent full-time jobs, as well as scores of temporary construction jobs. It's an investment into the future of the mill, United Steelworkers Local 1014 President Gus Atsas said. "The process of pigging iron will help secure our plant in an ever-changing global market," Atsas said. "The future of Gary Works and the United Steelworkers go hand in hand. Our families and communities depend on our success, and we are proud of the work we do every day." U.S. Steel expects that the new pig caster will come online early next year. U.S. Steel and their incredible workforce, including members of the United Steelworkers, are the foundation of the Northwest Indiana economy," U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, said. "I am grateful they are making this investment in the steelmaking capabilities of our region and the ability of future workers to continue to make the most environmentally friendly and efficient steel in the world." The construction process is well underway, with walls and foundations already completed, Killeen said. The hope is it will be up and running early in 2023. "This pig project from conception to funding to start of construction has been a very personal journey," Killeen said. "Many folks knew how impactful it would be to this community and stakeholders in this Region. When the Gary facility roared to life in 1905, it all started with a light. That was the day the first open hearth furnace was tapped. As the furnace rotated in the night sky, it illuminated the sky with opportunity. It created an opportunity for immigrants from Europe, people from the southern states and locals from the Calumet Region to work in this modern industrial wonder of the world. Gary Works was unmatched as an industrial facility before or since." The mill on the Lake Michigan lakeshore had an outsized impact over the years and remains relevant, he said "It gave birth to the city of Gary and was a key foundation in the formation of United States Steel, the corporation," he said. "I'm proud to say this building will once again illuminate with light on the southernmost shores of Lake Michigan, not with the fire and fury of the open hearth but with the amber glow and hypnotic flow of iron ore. In this glow, opportunity is manifested once again. It solidifies our plant goals and our best of all strategy." Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. EAST CHICAGO An emotional East Chicago Police Chief Hector Rosario took to police airwaves late Friday morning to announce his retirement, bringing an end to a career he began as a cadet with the department just out of high school 24 years ago. Rosario, 42, told The Times he is proud of his time on the department and all he was able to accomplish during his three years as chief. He said he walks away having succeeded in a long-overdue update of the department's policy book and in delivering such public safety efforts as license plate readers and Shotspotter, which notifies police of the sound of gunfire. Rosario said he is not venturing far in his retirement. He has accepted a job with the Indiana Gaming Commission and will be working oversight at the nearby Horseshoe Hammond Casino. A tribute read over the airwaves Friday said he began as a cadet with the department in 1998 and then went to work as a 911 dispatcher before being sworn in as an officer in 2002. He rose through the ranks to be named chief in 2019 by East Chicago Mayor Anthony Copeland. Copeland said at the time Rosario would lead the department in a "new direction." Copeland could not be immediately reached Friday morning on his plans to replace Rosario. Various officers and dispatchers lauded Rosario's efforts on air Friday morning following his retirement announcement. The East Chicago department, under the leadership of Rosario, announced the creation last summer of a street crime unit designated to roam the city, saturating high crime areas as needed. "They're not assigned to a specific beat like a patrol officer would be," Rosario said at the time. Rosario also oversaw the creation a couple years ago of the SHOUT OUT program in which officers visit public, private and charter schools in the city to address needs such as gangs, drugs and teen pregnancy. "Bullying is a big issue right now, so we're going to try to tackle that," Rosario had said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. HAMMOND A federal judge sentenced a Michigan man to prison for illegally traveling through Indiana with a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon imposed a 41-month sentence Thursday on Taequan Richardson, 23, of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Richardson pleaded guilty Feb. 25 to a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Police arrested Richardson July 10, 2020, on the Indiana Toll Road. He was a passenger in a car that officers stopped for speeding and going through a toll gate without paying. Police found an FN Herstal .40 caliber pistol underneath the front passenger seat in front of Richardsons feet. Richardson, who has a prior conviction in the State of Michigan for illicit drug trafficking, told police he had just brought the gun after getting out of prison because he lived in a dangerous neighborhood and needed it for protection. A federal grand jury indicted Richardson in 2020. He gave up his right to make the government prove his guilty at trial in return for the U.S. attorney recommending he receive a more lenient sentence. Ryan Holmes, a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office, credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hobart Police Department for investigating the crime. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CROWN POINT The state's star witness in a triple murder trial admitted Thursday there were inconsistencies in statements he gave over the years, but he said, "Wrong," when asked if he committed the crimes with someone other than the defendant. David L. Copley Jr., 47, of Franklin, Indiana, denied a defense attorney's suggestion that he pointed a finger at James Higgason III because he wanted to protect the father of his sister's children, who also is Higgason's uncle. Higgason, 52, of Whiting, has pleaded not guilty to six counts of murder in the bludgeoning deaths of Jerod "Buddy" Hodge, 18, of Chicago; Elva Tamez, 36, of Hammond; 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. Copley testified Wednesday and Thursday, telling jurors he and Higgason were smoking crack at Tamez's house when Higgason told him, "We're gonna whack these guys." Two men identified by other witnesses as Hodge and Ross had fallen asleep in the living room, and Higgason wanted to rob them of money and drugs, Copley said. "He hands me a board. He has a closet pole or something," Copley said. "He whacks one. I whack the other." Under cross-examination by defense attorney Matthew Fech, Copley testified he hit Hodge and dropped the board. Fech asked Copley if he told prosecutors last year he "just pretended to hit somebody." Copley said, "No." When Fech showed him his statement, Copley said, "It's just misworded." "As I was coming down, I didn't bash him fully, but I still hit him with it the one time," he said. Copley testified he ran to the back door and couldn't get it open, so he ran to the front door and saw Higgason "whacking away" at Ross and Hodge and yelling, "Die, (expletive), die." He said Higgason stopped beating the men and told him to let in Tamez, who had been sent out to search for cigarettes and was banging at the front door. Copley testified he went out on the porch and vomited, and Tamez asked him where he was going. When Fech questioned how he could have seen Higgason hit Tamez with a board if he was on the porch, Copley said, "He struck her one time and kicked the door shut at the same time." Fech asked Copley if he talked about the killings to other men in a rehab program in 1998 at The Salvation Army in South Bend. Copley said he talked to a preacher about the killings but didn't share much with his roommates. He had to tell them something because they started asking questions when Hammond police showed up to talk to him, he said. He denied telling a roommate he was "lethal with a board" or saying, "Between that and the crowbar, we had no problem killing the last three." Copley said he didn't know if Hammond police made any effort to independently confirm Higgason was present in the homes where Copley testified he reached him by phone. Police recorded two phone calls, and Copley testified the person he spoke with was Higgason. During the calls, the man warned Copley not to talk to police. "We're going to spend the rest of our lives in prison and maybe even get the electric chair," the man said. Copley repeatedly talked about having a guilty conscience, but the man said they had an alibi. "I know we (expletive) up," the man said. "But I don't remember doing it. You understand what I'm saying?" Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez excused the jury while Fech played a portion of a different phone call Copley made from jail after his arrest in 2021. After the jury returned, Fech asked Copley if he said, "They don't think one person could actually demolish three people." Copley admitted he made the statement. When Fech asked if he knew it was possible because that's what he did, Copley said, "Wrong." Copley agreed he was "fed information" by a detective during the recorded phone calls, but he said, "Not all of it." Fech asked Copley if he and Higgason left Tamez's house about 1:30 or 2 a.m. Copley said, "No, we never left." He conceded he previously told police the murders happened about 1:30 or 2:30 a.m., but he said, "It was just a guesstimate." Fech asked Copley if he accompanied Higgason to Higgason's grandmother's house at 1:30 or 2 a.m. and later went back to Tamez's house with Higgason's uncle. Copley said, "No." "After you and (the uncle) leave, you walk back toward (Higgason's grandmother's) house?" Fech said. Copley said, "Wrong." Copley said he didn't know whether police first learned his name from Higgason, Fech asked Copley if he pointed the finger at Higgason because he wanted to protect the father of his nieces and nephews. Copley said, "Wrong." Copley said police and prosecutors didn't promise him anything before he accepted a plea agreement, which calls for a 45-year sentence. "They just wanted me to tell the truth," he said. "That's all." As Copley's time on the stand wound down, Fech and his co-counsel, Mark Gruenhagen, took a moment to confer with Deputy Prosecutors Keith Anderson and Jovanni Miramontes, and a bailiff stepped out in the hallway. That's when Higgason, who has been warned not to communicate with people in the gallery, turned to his family and winked. The trial was expected to close Friday. 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. DOLTON An officer-involved shooting in Dolton resulted in one person being transported to a hospital early Saturday, police said. At 1:08 a.m. Thursday two Dolton officers were in the area of a BP gas station at 667 East Sibley Boulevard, Dolton Chief of Police Robert Collins said. The officers saw two men in an argument by one of the gas pumps. When one of the officers saw a handgun with an extended magazine protruding from his waistband, he reported the situation to dispatchers. The officer then ordered the 54-year-old man with the firearm to show his hands, but he refused and started to run away from the officer. The officer repeatedly ordered the man to show his hands as the man ran across Sibley Boulevard into the backyard of a residence at 680 East Sibley Boulevard. As he entered the yard, the officers said the man appeared to be removing the gun from his waistband, and the officer fired his weapon, Collins said. The man continued to run away and went inside the house through the back door. Police surrounded the residence and issued commands to the man using a sound amplifier, telling him to come out of the house. A short time later, the man exited the house and surrendered and it was discovered he had a gunshot wound in his right side. The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening. He remains in good condition in medical care and under guard. Officers searched the home, which the man resides at, and found his loaded handgun with the extended magazine behind the door, police said. It was discovered the gun had been reported as stolen. Dolton Police Department immediately requested assistance from the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force and ISP Crime Scene Services for the investigation into the shooting. No officers were injured in the incident, and the officer involved was placed on administrative leave temporarily during the investigation. ISP said the investigation is ongoing, and no additional information will be released at this time. The man's identity has not been released pending official charges. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. MERRILLVILLE A Glenwood man was wanted Thursday on charges he stabbed a co-worker in the face and chest Monday afternoon at Methodist Hospitals Southlake Campus and fled before police arrived. Diandre C. Smith, 25, who worked in the hospital's kitchen, is accused of attacking a custodial employee while the employee was in a locker room with his back toward a door. The wounded man told police he "felt something slash his face, and when he turned around he saw the man holding a black folding knife with a 4-inch blade," Lake Criminal Court records state. Smith stabbed the man again, and the man shoved Smith away and grabbed a chair to fend off Smith, court records state. No one was immediately available Thursday at the hospital for comment. The man made his way to the cafeteria, where he told another employee he'd been stabbed by a man from food services, according to court documents. A police officer working security at the hospital was heading to the cafeteria when he noticed a man he later identified as Smith leaving the hospital in a hurry, records state. The officer continued on to the cafeteria, where he found the victim seated in a chair with a puddle of blood under him and a woman applying pressure to his wounds. The man suffered two stab wounds to the left side of his stomach or chest area and one under his left eye. He was transferred to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where doctors discovered the wounds resulted in a pierced liver, cracked ribs and a punctured artery. The man told police he recognized Smith, whom he knew to be a kitchen worker, from passing at work but didn't know his name. The man didn't know why Smith would stab him, records state. He gave police a description of his attacker, which helped officers and hospital staff identify Smith. When presented with a photo of Smith, the man identified him as the suspect, court records state. The officer who saw Smith leaving the hospital told investigators he'd noticed Smith a couple of hours before the stabbing acting strangely in a bathroom. Smith was urinating in a stall with an open door and repeatedly grabbing toilet paper. The officer thought it was weird because a man doesn't normally need to grab toilet paper "while performing that function," records state. Smith was charged Wednesday with aggravated battery, battery by means of a deadly weapon and battery resulting in serious bodily injury. The victim was in stable condition Thursday morning, Merrillville police said. A magistrate sent Smith's bond at $50,000 surety or $5,000 cash. Anyone with information about Smith's whereabouts is asked to call 911 or Detective Alexander Van Rite at 219-769-3531, ext. 349, or email avanrite@merrillville.in.gov. Times Staff Writer Bob Kasarda contributed to reporting. Times staff writer Bob Kasarda contributed to this report. 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. Sarah Reese Lake County Courts and Social Justice Reporter Sarah covers crime, courts and public safety. She began her career at The Times in 2004. Contact her at sarah.reese@nwi.com or 219-933-3351. Follow Sarah Reese 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 GARY The Distressed Unit Appeals Board voted Thursday to engage MGT Consulting to govern Gary Community School Corp. for the next two years, with plans to negotiate the exact terms of the contract and bring it to the board at a later meeting. MGT Consulting and DUAB held a meeting last week to engage the community about plans for the next two years and gain insight into what they hoped to see. At the meeting, several in the audience expressed their desire to return to local control. DUAB Chairman Justin McAdam has said the next contract is the beginning of the end, and he is hopeful the legislature will allow them to transition back to local control. There are going to be speed bumps and potholes along the way, but in the overarching thrust of this engagement, I think there has been an incredible amount of improvement, McAdam said. State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, said at the meeting that it feels uncertain what is going to happen given the lack of legislative action at this time. He was worried the school corporation would find itself in the exact same position next year. McAdam said it is likely DUAB will reevaluate any contract after next years legislative session. The motion to continue working with MGT passed 5-0. In addition, MGT Consulting gave a presentation on academics within the Gary schools and its plans to improve them. According to corporation manager Paige McNulty, i-Ready scores have improved 5% at every grade level from the winter to the spring. She said she would have more detailed results for the next meeting. The presentation expressed several goals, including increased equity, joy and rigor and collaboration. There were several actions planned, including engagement with parents, focusing on early literacy, partnering with Indiana University Northwest and more. MGT and GCSC hoped to design and deliver an academic action plan for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years, translate the plan into implementation, implement a dashboard of leading indicators and launch a monthly report and develop a quality school framework. Accountability will be measured through state assessments, high school graduation rates, Gary Area Career Center credentials and CORE 40 diplomas. In addition, DUAB also approved a contract with Illinois Central for buses. Some in attendance expressed their concern about this years performance by Illinois Central in busing their children, as it often faced issues getting all its bus routes to be consistently active. However, Illinois Central was the only bidder. McNulty said they are able to exit the contract if Illinois Central does not perform well. 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. CROWN POINT A Crown Point man lost his life and two others were injured following a crash at U.S. 231 and Interstate 65 Thursday night. First responders were called at 8:59 p.m. to the wreck, where a silver 2003 Mitsubishi and a red 2018 Ford vehicle were found at the Crown Point intersection, said Crown Point Chief of Police Pete Land. Police said preliminary investigations show the Mitsubishi was driving east on U.S. 231 and the Ford was trying to turn left at the traffic light to enter the northbound I-65 ramp. The two vehicle collided resulting in serious injuries. A 29-year-old Crown Point man suffered fatal injuries and his identity has not yet been released pending family notification. A 22-year-old Gary woman who was a passenger in the man's vehicle also had multiple serious injuries. Her current condition has not been released. The driver of the Ford, a 42-year-old Kouts man, was also injured. "This is a very tragic crash scene," Land said. "Our crash reconstruction team will be continuing the investigation to determine every aspect of the accident." The wreck caused lengthy closures Thursday night at the intersection of U.S. 231 and I-65, including the northbound entrance and exit ramps at the I-65 247 exit. Indiana State Police, Crown Point Emergency Management, and the Indiana Department of Transportation were called to assist Crown Point police and firefighters. Police said more information will be released as the investigation continues. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 2 Sad 6 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. CROWN POINT A serious crash has caused closures on U.S. 231 and interstate ramps Thursday night. Around 9:40 p.m. Crown Point Fire Rescue announced the crash with injuries on U.S. 231 at Interstate 65. First responders said there will be lengthy closures at the intersection of U.S. 231 and I-65, including the northbound entrance and exit ramps at the I-65 247 exit. As of 10 p.m., the closures continued. Indiana State Police and Crown Point Emergency Management were called to assist Crown Point police and firefighters. Crown Point agencies were not immediately reachable Thursday night as they worked at the scene. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CEDAR LAKE A driver was reportedly unable to see a bicyclist riding down the middle of the street Thursday night before striking him and sending him to the hospital with injuries to his upper body and head. "(Cedar Lake Police) Chief (William) Fisher advised that this section of roadway does not have lighting and is very dark this time of night," the department said in a press release. The crash occurred shortly before 9 p.m. in the 7300 block of 145th Avenue, police said. Police said they arrived to find the bicyclist lying injured in the roadway. The bicyclist was reportedly a juvenile. "Cedar Lake Fire Department personnel arrived on scene and rendered aid to the bicyclist," police said. "The bicyclist was transported to Franciscan Health Center in Crown Point by the Cedar Lake Fire Department." Police were unable to give a status on the bicyclist and said an identification is being withheld pending the investigation. The driver of the vehicle and passengers were uninjured, police said. Cedar Lake police and fire were assisted by St. John police, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Lake County Sheriffs Traffic Division. Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Cedar Lake Police Officer Richard Pennington. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 2 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Anna Ortiz Night Crime/Breaking News Reporter Anna Ortiz is the breaking news/crime reporter for The Times, covering crime, politics, courts and investigative news. She is a graduate of Ball State University with a major in journalism and minor in anthropology. 219-933-4194, anna.ortiz@nwi.com Follow Anna Ortiz 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 RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina Senate Republicans are strongly considering legislation that would expand Medicaid coverage to hundreds of thousands of additional low-income adults. Such legislation would mark a key step in an extraordinary turnabout by GOP members in the chamber set against expansion for a decade. A draft bill yet to be formally filed also would include several other medical, health care coverage and insurance reforms, according to a summary of the bill obtained by The Associated Press. Many of these proposals, including expansion, have been discussed in a House-Senate health care study committee that's met several times since February. "Senate Republicans continue to have discussions about how to address the rising costs of health care and how to increase access in the state, Lauren Horsch, a spokesperson for Senate leader Phil Berger, said Monday. Horsch confirmed the summary's authenticity but could not say if and when legislation would be filed during the General Assembly's annual work session, which began last week and likely will end around July 1. The measure's showpiece would be Medicaid expansion, which Republicans were cool to or outright against for several years after the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act authorized the coverage for people earning too much money for traditional Medicaid coverage. North Carolina is one of a dozen states that have not expanded Medicaid. But Berger said last fall he was now open to expansion, in part because he was now convinced the federal government's 90% share of expenses for expansion enrollees would not soon be eliminated. More Republicans also are intrigued by the idea 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. Horsch said Berger has seen the omnibus proposal described in the summary but declined to say whether he supports it. The bill summary says the expansion proposal would cover adults making up to 38% above federal poverty guidelines, likely covering at least 600,000 people. Right now, about 2.7 million North Carolina residents are enrolled in Medicaid. Some current enrollees who have remained on the rolls during the pandemic would ultimately be covered by expansion. The bill says the state's 10% share of expansion expenses would be paid through a new assessment on hospitals. Expansion would end if Congress increased the state's share. The program also would include a work requirement for expansion recipients a mandate that in other states has been struck down by federal courts and blocked elsewhere by President Joe Bidens administration. It's unclear whether the absence of a work mandate would be a deal-breaker for House Republicans, which had pushed an expansion bill in 2019 containing such a requirement. House Speaker Tim Moore said last year that at the time, he did not see support within the House Republican Caucus for expansion. Talking to reporters last week, Moore said he would be surprised if a Medicaid expansion agreement could be reached with the Senate before the work session ended. A House co-chairman of the health care study committee has said he did not expect any action on panel recommendations until the fall, so a Senate proposal would certainty attempt to accelerate the process. Any bill would have to pass both chambers before heading to Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who has sought expansion repeatedly since taking office in early 2017. His budget-adjustment proposal released earlier this month contains it again. I believe that were getting closer than ever to an agreement, Cooper said May 11. I do appreciate that Republican leaders are taking this seriously. A 2019 budget stalemate between the governor and GOP leaders centered around expansion. According to the summary, first reported by Axios, the bill also would streamline and narrow certificate of need laws that require health regulators to sign off on expansion plans by hospitals and other medical providers before moving forward. The measure also would permit nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and nurses with other advanced specialties to practice without a physician's formal supervision. The legislation also would require health insurers in the state to cover telehealth services, and in-network health facilities would have to alert consumers when out-of-network providers are scheduled to provide care. 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 The first 911 call came in at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, an official said. The police were there by 11:45 a.m. but were fired at and took cover, he said. A sharpshooter from the U.S. Border Patrol killed the gunman at about 1 p.m. Witnesses said parents of students inside had desperately urged the police to storm the school. The father of one 9-year-old victim told The Times: They said they rushed in and all that. We didnt see that. Rather, he said, they were just standing out there. An official at the news conference said that the scene was chaotic and that the investigation was continuing. The husband of Irma Garcia, a teacher killed in the shooting, died today of a heart attack; this is what we know about the 21 victims so far. Check back here for more updates. For years, the leader of a New York City theft ring would draw up wish lists for dozens of underlings whom he sent out to shoplift millions of dollars worth of beauty products and luxury goods that he could quickly sell online, prosecutors said Thursday. The leader, Roni Rubinov, 42, has been charged with enterprise corruption, money laundering and other crimes, the New York State attorney generals office said Thursday. Prosecutors said he had a keen sense of his market: He ordered subordinates to target stores such as Neiman Marcus, CVS, Sephora and Bloomingdales, where his employees would filch eye creams, hair serums and products by companies like Revlon, Burts Bees and Vichy. They stole designer goods, too, officials said, including a gold Jimmy Choo handbag and clothes by Gucci and Oscar de la Renta, and would then bring the wares to one of Mr. Rubinovs Midtown Manhattan pawnshops. There, others working for the ringleader would purchase the stolen items for a fraction of their retail value, before the goods were eventually resold on eBay. Mr. Rubinov, himself, preys on the weak, Nicholas Fiore, the deputy inspector of the New York City Police Departments central robbery division, said at a news conference Thursday. Mr. Rubinov often employed people who had a long history of drug use and of committing petty crimes, he said. They dedicated their lives to a Gospel that says that every human being is made in the image of God. They dedicated their lives to a creed that commands one to look out for the marginalized, the vulnerable. The last shall be first. The meek shall inherit the earth. And yet when allegations of sexual abuse came, the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention betrayed it all. Those men and they seem to have all been men must have listened to hundreds of hours of pious sermons, read hundreds of high-minded theological books, recited thousands of hours of prayer, and yet all those true teachings and good beliefs had no effect on their actual behavior. Instead, according to an independently produced report released by the convention this week, those leaders covered up widespread abuse in their denomination and often intimidated and belittled victims. More than 400 people believed to be affiliated with the church, including some church leaders, have been accused of committing abuse. One woman, Jennifer Lyell, said shed been sexually abused while a student at a Southern Baptist seminary. In an article, the churchs communications arm made it sound as if she were confessing to a consensual affair. Paige Patterson, then the head of one seminary, told one student not to report a rape, according to the report, and later, at another seminary, emailed his intention to meet with another student who had reported an assault, with no other officials present, so he could break her down. Its almost impossible to comprehend what to do in the wake of mass shootings like the one that killed 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, this week. While there are lots of words you can listen to my discussion on Sway with Nicholas Kristof and Frank Smyth on where we go next on gun control it can leave an empty feeling, as the sense of hopelessness overwhelms our ability to understand how we got here. The problem is exacerbated by the perpetrators use of online tools, which some have used to float phony conspiracy theories. Just 10 days before the shootings in Uvalde, a gunman broadcast himself live on social media killing 10 Black people in a Buffalo supermarket after posting a racist screed online. Its become the demons playbook that gunman, the police say, was emulating the moves of another mass murderer in New Zealand, and praised him as a sick inspiration for the mayhem. Social media has made such performative acts amazingly simple and attractive, allowing the evil to be amplified across the globe, as it was in the 18-year-old Texas gunmans posting photos of his semiautomatic weapons. This time, though, investigators have found no twisted map of motivations or, thankfully, live videos from the classroom where the gunman holed up. However, it appears he sent private Facebook messages to someone ticking off his crimes, from shooting his grandmother to heading to the school to murder children. Sadly (and predictably) government officials opposed to any new restrictions on gun accessibility namely Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas have seized on the gunmans use of Facebook to attempt to shift accountability onto social media. But any honest accounting shows that more of the blame for these senseless rampages lays at the feet of bought-and-paid-for politicians who have blocked any reasonable gun control measures in order to retain their own hold on power. Investigators were still trying to piece together the gunmans movements during the time he was outside, before he entered the building. He went through an unlocked door at 11:40 a.m., Mr. Escalon said, and began shooting inside. Police officers, including the school district officer, went into the school minutes later. By the time officers reported that the gunman had been killed around 1 p.m., he had shot dead 19 students and two teachers, all of them apparently locked with the gunman in connected classrooms. During that terrifying time well over an hour parents of students who were trapped in the school gathered outside the building as word spread of the shooting. Some were physically restrained by the police in a scene that witnesses described as disorder bordering on mayhem. The crowd grew to hundreds. Parents were crying and some were fighting verbally with the police and screaming that they wanted their children, Marcela Cabralez, a pastor, said. Miguel Palacios, a small-business owner, said frantic parents were so upset that at one point they tried to take down the schools chain-link fence. The parents were on one side of the fence, the Border Patrol and police were on the other side of the fence, and they were trying to tear it open, he said. Some of the parents implored the heavily armed police officers at the chaotic scene to storm the school. Others, including those who were off-duty members of law enforcement, went inside themselves to try to find their own children. There were plenty of men out there armed to the teeth that could have gone in faster, said Javier Cazares, 43, who arrived at the school on Tuesday as the attack was taking place. He said he could hear gunfire; his daughter, Jacklyn, was inside. Image Jacklyn Cazares Credit... They said they rushed in and all that, he said. We didnt see that. Jacklyn died in the shooting, along with her cousin. Mr. Cazares said he believed that a faster police response would have made a difference. More kids would have been saved, in my opinion, he said. Chief Rodriguez said in a statement on Thursday that officers from his department went into the school within minutes after the shooting began, and that more than one of them had been shot by the gunman. The state police official, who requested anonymity to describe the evolving timeline of events, said two Uvalde officers were shot as they initially tried to enter the classroom at about 11:45 a.m. At that point, officials said, the officers fell back and began calling for help. We have officers calling for additional resources, Mr. Escalon said. Tactical teams. We need equipment. We need specialty equipment. We need body armor. We need precision riflemen, negotiators. As the officers fell, the gunman continued shooting, said the state police official. It was during the early minutes, police officials said, that most of the victims inside the room a pair of what officials said were connected classrooms were shot. But it remained unclear how many of the children or teachers who died could have been saved if the gunman had been killed sooner. And questions remained about the decision by the police at the scene to await the arrival of specially trained officers from the Border Patrol to finally storm through the classroom door roughly an hour after officers had first pulled back. Police officials have said that with the gunman isolated in a classroom, the officers on scene focused on evacuating students and staff members from other classrooms in order to prevent additional fatalities. The new plan, which went through months of formal review and public comment, is President Bidens first significant policy aimed at improving the asylum system, which he pledged to restore after its four years of decline during the Trump administration. The plans modest rollout comes during a period of record high migrant crossings along the southwestern border, as people from countries around the world have fled poverty and violence over the past year, and particularly over the past month. Some of those migrants have been allowed into the country to face removal proceedings under the existing process, but more have been swiftly expelled under a public health rule known as Title 42, which has been in place since the beginning of the pandemic. Of the more than 700,000 people released into the United States since Mr. Biden has been in office, most will be added to backlog of more than 1.7 million cases in the immigration court system. Outside of the few hundred asylum cases a month that will employ the new application process, the rest will continue to wend their way through the traditional process in the immigration courts. The migrants selected to be routed using the new process will come from a very specific subset: migrants who are placed in a special category that gives immigration officials the authority to expel people without a hearing, known as expedited removal; are being held in one of two immigration detention centers in Texas; and have plans to move to Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Newark or San Francisco, the administration said. Under the expedited removal process, border officials ask migrants if they are afraid to return to their own countries. Those who say they are get scheduled for what is known as a credible fear interview with an asylum officer. There are two Republican parties. Thats a vast oversimplification, of course. Republican pollsters have been known to sort G.O.P. voters into seven categories or more, ranging from committed Christians to pro-business types to squishy never-Trumpers. But when it comes to choosing sides in primaries, a split is widening. Theres the national party, led by Donald Trump in Florida and Kevin McCarthy, the top Republican in the House, with Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, toggling between foe and ally as the occasion warrants. And then theres the G.O.P. that is rooted in state power, run by a core group of pragmatic, often less hard-line governors who represent states as different as libertarian-leaning Arizona and deep-blue Massachusetts. This week, the Republican Governors Association happened to be gathering in Nashville for its annual meeting. The guest of honor: Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, fresh off his 50-percentage-point drubbing of David Perdue, a former senator and businessman who had been dragooned into a primary by Trump. Kemp spoke at a dinner in Nashville on Wednesday night, thanking his donors and fellow governors for their support. The bill, known as the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act, would establish three new offices one each in the F.B.I., the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security to monitor, investigate and prosecute domestic terrorism. It would require biannual reports assessing the domestic terrorism threat posed by white supremacists, with a particular focus on combating white supremacist and neo-Nazi infiltration of the uniformed services. It was first introduced in 2017, but Democratic leaders moved quickly to resurface it following the shooting in Buffalo. In that shooting, the gunman appeared to have been inspired by the white supremacist great replacement theory, which holds that Western elites are plotting to disempower white people by replacing them with people of color. After the school shooting in Uvalde this week, Democratic leaders framed the domestic terrorism bill as the best vehicle for quick action on gun violence prevention measures. Mr. Schumer promised to allow debate on proposed changes to the bill from both parties to address gun violence if Republicans allowed it to move forward. But in a party-line vote, Senate Republicans rejected even considering the measure, arguing that the bill was unnecessary and defined extremism in a way that could be too broadly construed by law enforcement. The vote was 47 to 47, leaving Democrats short of the 60 votes needed to move forward on the bill. Its failure meant that the Senate left for the Memorial Day recess without any legislative action to address the two mass shootings. Democrats have instead staked their hopes for gun safety legislation on the bipartisan negotiations led by Mr. Murphy. Multiple senators said their preference was to see if there was a deal to be had before taking another preordained vote on legislation that is doomed to fail in an evenly divided Senate. Weve all made it clear where we stand on individual legislation many times in this place, said Senator Martin Heinrich, Democrat of New Mexico. What we havent done is passed legislation very damn often, so Im just trying to be open-minded. Mr. Murphy, who had asked Mr. Schumer for time to pursue negotiations, hosted a group of senators in his basement hideaway office in the Capitol on Thursday, including multiple veterans of failed negotiations over gun legislation. In an interview later in the day, Mr. Murphy conceded that he was embarking on a difficult task: trying to find a solution for gun violence that 10 Republicans could support, enough to break a filibuster. Were trying to put enough Republicans in the room, maybe not so that were guaranteed 60 votes, but so that we have a much better shot at it, he said. And were also being realistic. A spokesman for the committee declined to comment. The mens resistance came as 22 former Republican members of the House urged them to cooperate with the panel. We understand you may have concerns about this exercise of the committees subpoena power, the former members wrote in their letter, posted to Medium. Indeed, under most circumstances, we would strongly counsel against compelling the testimony of sitting members of Congress. But the exceptional nature of this circumstance is clear: one in which sitting members may have firsthand knowledge regarding an assault on our government. The best way to ensure a full and fair accounting of what happened before and on Jan. 6 is for you to provide your understanding of the events and to explain it to the American people. The committee issued the subpoenas this month as it dug deeper into the role Republicans played in attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Mr. Perry, who coordinated a plan to try to replace the acting attorney general after he resisted Mr. Trumps false claims of widespread voting fraud, argued in a letter to the committee that there was nothing improper about his actions. The committee is without authority to issue the subpoena, and we respectfully request that it be immediately withdrawn, his lawyer, John P. Rowley III, wrote. The panel has been told by at least one witness that Mark Meadows, the former White House chief of staff, burned documents in the fireplace in his office after a meeting with Mr. Perry, a person familiar with the committees activity said on Thursday. The information was first reported by Politico. The Times reported on Wednesday that the committee had information that Mr. Meadows had used his fireplace to dispose of documents. Mr. McCarthy, along with Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the No. 2 House Republican, filed a brief in support of Stephen K. Bannon, a Trump ally who has been indicted on charges of contempt of Congress after he failed to comply with a subpoena from the committee. Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention published a 205-page list Thursday evening of hundreds of ministers and other church workers it described as being credibly accused of sexual abuse. The lists public release is one of the first definitive steps the denominations leadership has taken in the wake of a nearly 300-page report about its handling of alleged sexual abuse over the last 20 years. The lists publication on the denominations website was an initial, but important, step towards addressing the scourge of sexual abuse and implementing reform in the Convention, Rolland Slade, the chairman of the denominations executive committee, and Willie McLaurin, the committees interim president and chief executive, said in a statement. Our prayer is that the survivors of these heinous acts find hope and healing, and that churches will utilize this list proactively to protect and care for the most vulnerable among us. The report released Sunday by the denomination, prepared by a third-party investigator, said that national leaders of the group suppressed claims of sexual abuse and stymied proposals for reform over two decades. Though Southern Baptists have grappled with abuse allegations for years, the report sent shock waves through its churches for its descriptions of how leaders ignored and stifled victims pleas for help and resisted reforms. Among the most disturbing revelations, Southern Baptist pastors and members said, was that leaders kept a secret list of reported abusers but appeared to take no action to ensure the people on the list were no longer in positions of influence in Southern Baptist settings. [The verdict in the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial is in. Follow for live updates.] After 23 days of testimony that painted conflicting pictures of a tumultuous Hollywood marriage, lawyers for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard delivered their closing arguments on Friday, seeking to persuade the jury that their client had been the person who was abused and defamed. Mr. Depps lawyers asserted that their movie star client had been falsely disparaged in a Washington Post op-ed in which Ms. Heard referred to herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. The accusations of spousal abuse that she was referencing, the lawyers argued, had ruined Mr. Depps life. We ask you to give Mr. Depp his life back by telling the world that Mr. Depp is not the abuser Ms. Heard said he is, a lawyer for Mr. Depp, Camille Vasquez, said, and hold Ms. Heard accountable for her lies. For her 10th birthday, Dervla Murphy received a secondhand bicycle and an atlas. As she rode up a hill near her home that day in Lismore, County Waterford, Ireland, she thought that if she pedaled long enough, she could get to India. Now I saw how I could travel in reality alone, independent and needing very little money, she wrote in her memoir, Wheels Within Wheels (1979). A 10-year-olds decision to cycle to India might have seemed to many adults an amusing childish whim. But giving me material for dreaming about something that I knew could be attained, it offered a healthier outlet for my imaginings than my usual escapist fantasies. Starting in her 30s, Ms. Murphy turned her wild imaginings into reality. In her most celebrated journey, which she described in her first book, Full Tilt: Ireland to India With a Bicycle (1965), she rode from Dunkirk, France, through Europe and on to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. She became a leading travel writer, a fearless and curious loner who filled her rucksack with pens, a notebook, a light but warm sleeping bag and a change of clothing. Traveling mainly by bicycle but also on foot, by mule and in Jeeps and buses, she spent months at a time in Ethiopia, Peru, Cuba, Israel, Gaza, Madagascar, Nepal, Tibet, Baltistan, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Romania and Northern Ireland. The one thing we want to know about art is the one thing no one seems to be able to tell us. How, exactly, does the magic happen? It seems to be a site for danger and vulnerability, and the people who do it keep secrets inside them sometimes biographical ones, certainly creative ones that they arent always able to convey. But still, we read hungrily about them, trying to understand how some eyes see more than ours do. A set of books this season takes us into performance and creativity, slipping down old lanes, conducting close readings of a career, a character, even the pandemic-as-theater. The ones that go furthest from the present are the most comforting. But perhaps because theyre all written by academics, journalists and actors, they each contain a little shudder of the apocalyptic. Catching at gossamer is what the film critic David Thomson has been doing for decades, in editions of his Biographical Dictionary of Film and his more than 20 books, like last years elliptical lament about film directing, A Light in the Dark. Movies are a memory machine, and Thomson is a master at writing about his own inner screen. The last two years (the last six, the last 30) have been a mess, and Thomsons DISASTER MON AMOUR (Yale University, 212 pp., $25) carries you backward into them. Of course, film is always his thought-companion, but it is a little surprising that Thomson goes so deep so fast on the Rock schlock San Andreas. Still, you cannot fault him; he lives on the West Coast, so thoughts of the big one are never far off. This book chatty, discursive, essayish is his way of surviving under such shadows. [MUSIC PLAYING] NELL McSHANE WULFHART: The age restrictions and the marriage restrictions and the pregnancy restrictions, obviously that was a big no-no, they had been part of the contracts for many years. I think for as long as stewardesses had been working. john williams With labor movements in the news, Nell McShane Wulfhart joins us to talk about a bit of labor history and her new book, The Great Stewardess Rebellion: How Women Launched a Workplace Revolution at 30,000 Feet. james kirchick Gay people could be blamed for fascism. They could be blamed for communism. They could be tarred as potential traitors and spies. john williams The journalist James Kirchick is here to discuss his sweeping new book, Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington. Plus, my colleagues Lauren Christensen and Greg Cowles will be here to talk about what weve all been reading. This is the Book Review Podcast. Its May 27th. Im John Williams. Nell McShane Wulfhart is here. Her new book is The Great Stewardess Rebellion: How Women Launched a Workplace Revolution at 30,000 Feet. Nell, thanks for being here. NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Thanks so much for having me. Im excited to be here. Nell, youre one of those guests whose title and subtitle does a lot of the work for just letting people know the basics of what this is about. But tell me how you came to this subject. What got you interested in it, and when you decided to write a full book about it. NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Well, I think every journalist has about 10 book ideas bouncing around in their brain for many years. And I had a lot of different ideas throughout the years. And I did an interview, actually for The New York Times, for the Travel section, with Adam Conover, who was a TV host, who at the time had a sort of myth-busting television show. And hed done an episode on flight attendants, and the episode covered how we think about the golden age of travel. We imagine Don Draper, or martinis in first class, these beautiful young stewardesses in gorgeous miniskirts. And Adam started to tell me about how that was true, but the flip side was that the working conditions for those women were terrible. It was maybe the most sexist workplace in America, and how things like they had to stay under a certain weight limit. They couldnt get married. They couldnt get pregnant. They got fired when they turned 32. All sorts of what we would consider, today, really egregious working conditions. And thats when I was like, oh, this is my book. I found it amazing that you mentioned they couldnt get married and that they would be fired at a certain age, but that those things were actually in the contracts. And at one point, one of your characters signs a contract when she is, I think, barely 21, if 21, that says, I will not work past, not just the year she turns 32, but the month she turns 32. When did those things start getting put into contracts and actually being codified? NELL McSHANE WULFHART: The age restrictions and the marriage restrictions and the pregnancy restrictions, obviously that was a big no-no, they had been part of the contract for many years. I think for as long as stewardesses had been working. Some of them actually ended up being added in the middle of the century, and some of them, up through the 60s, were still in effect. And so these restrictions were obviously designed to keep the workforce as young as possible, as svelte as possible, and as pliable as possible. Because when youre only working somewhere for a few years, youre not that invested in getting better benefits, or establishing a pension plan, or fighting for your rights. So not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but the arc of the book is also obviously about a labor fight. And so when did those contracts start being challenged? When does that part of the story really kick up in earnest? NELL McSHANE WULFHART: I would say that the first half of the book is really about the stewardesses knocking down some of those restrictions, fighting the age restriction, fighting the marriage restriction, fighting the pregnancy restriction. And its about the various ways that they tackled those issues, and some of them were pretty inventive. And then the second half of the book is a little more focused, yes, on the labor movement, on their part in the labor movement, and how they were using their unions to make these changes in the workplace, but also, at one point, realized that these male-dominated unions were not actually doing their best to represent the women, to represent stewardesses. Spoiler alert, they leave organized labor, and go out on their own. You said that some of the things they did were inventive. Can you give an example of that? NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Well, the big thing was that the ideal stewardess, right, the stewardess idea in the media was this very glamorous, very beautiful, young, slim, usually white woman. And a lot of these, as I said, the restrictions were about keeping the workforce that way. And so when the stewardesses decide to push back on some of these rules, they didnt say, oh, its not important that a stewardess be conventionally attractive. They didnt say, oh, we want to be able to gain weight if we have to. They instead, they used that image. They sort of flipped it on its head, and they used that image to say, like, OK, Im 32, but dont I look good? Shouldnt I be able to fulfill the duties of a stewardess? And they sort of forced people to take them as these beautiful women who should be allowed to work, even though they were married, or they had kids, or they were, God forbid, in their 30s. So the first steps were to play it on the other sides terms, as it were. NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Exactly. And you tell the story, its a big story, obviously, and there was a lot of research that went into it. And to tell it, you focus on a couple of main characters. Maybe we can just give people a thumbnail sketch of each of them. The first is a woman named Patt Gibbs. You start the book with her. Why do you start with her? NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Patt Gibbs is just one of the most fascinating people I have ever met. Shes just a really unusual person, and it turned out that her story, becoming an American Airlines stewardess at the age of 19. And her biggest ambition in life was to become maybe a manager, or a steward, a supervisor at American Airlines. And once she starts to experience all the injustices of the workplace and to realize how sexist all the restrictions are, she totally changes. Shes transformed into this militant union leader. She spearheads a labor rebellion. Shes out there campaigning and picketing, and she just has this incredible personality thats so compelling. And really her story sort of matched the trajectory of the stewardesses activities over the 15 years or so that I cover in the book. Was her turning militant something that she just came to her on her own because she recognized what was happening, or did she have people who were prompting her to take a look around her? NELL McSHANE WULFHART: I would say that she was gently coerced into joining the stewardess union. She didnt come from a union family. She imagined that all union members were like crowbar-wielding thugs. Theres is a very funny moment where she meets Jimmy Hoffa and walks away in a huff because she thinks of that image that youre describing. NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Oh, she has a full-on screaming match with him. And yes, she thinks that hes just this total thug and a breaker of rules. And that she never wants to be a Teamster. The Teamsters actually went through a period of time where they were trying to recruit stewardesses and get them to join the Teamsters. And she did tell me, in our interviews, that years later, when she realized how unjust the workplace was for women and how difficult it was to get equality, that she would have done anything. She would have done whatever Jimmy Hoffa said, whether that was blowing up a plane or wielding a crowbar, in order to get equal rights for women. And at some point, Patt doesnt go away, but the book also transitions to a character named Tommie Hutto, a real-life woman named Tommie Hutto, a Texan. When and how does the book introduce her? NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Tommie is Patts counterpart in a lot of ways. She became a stewardess in 1970, also worked for American Airlines. And like many stewardesses, thought she would do it for a few years and then go on to do something else. But she ended up flying for 40 years. She became the president of their stewardess union. And her story in the 70s is mirrored in the womens movement. She lived in New York, and she was out there marching for womens rights and wearing bell bottoms and protesting sexism. But then when she went to work, she would have to put on a girdle and the stewardess uniform and do her hair in a specific way and wear three-inch heels, and go work in the airplane cabin where passengers were, like, grabbing her ass. So her trajectory towards liberation for women was heavily influenced by Gloria Steinem and by second-wave feminism. And she and Patt have a kind of a face-off toward the end of the book. But really, theyre both working for the same thing. I imagine how much research had to go into this book, and a lot of that primary research in terms of talking to these women and a third woman in the book, named Sonia Pressman, whos a lawyer. What were your relationships like with the three of them while you were researching? And just how much of a role did they play in shaping the book and providing the material for it? NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Oh, this was just such a pleasure for me to get to spend time with these women. They are in their late 70s through early 90s, at this point, the three of them. And I sort of did a tour where I flew to Florida, and I rented the only rental car they would give me, the smallest one, which was a gigantic truck. That was the smallest rental car available in Florida. And I kind of went on a tour, visiting them. And I just had this experience of talking to these women, getting their stories, days of just chatting and coffee and breakfast and getting these stories from them. And it was just such a joy and also surprisingly funny. Theyre all incredibly energetic and amusing and have a good sense of humor, which, if you spend your life fighting for womens rights and seeing the ups and downs of whats gone on in this country, you really do have to retain a sense of humor. And they must have, obviously, given you a lot of firsthand material, which was terrific, but then it is a capacious story. Its not just their personal stories. Its a much bigger social story. What was the research like beyond talking to them? And was there anything you discovered while doing it that really surprised you or sent the book in a direction you werent expecting for part of it? NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Well, I love doing research. So I definitely ended up spending many months at a time curled up with papers and articles and books, and that also was the hard part was to keep some of that research out of the book. I think my first draft was way too loaded with detail and maybe got a little boring. I changed that significantly. I think the things I was most surprised by... First of all, the fact that stewardesses played this big role in the labor movement. Im interested in labor, and it was something I hadnt heard of before. It was totally unusual. And I would say that the second thing was the incredibly sexist and also amusing uniforms and airline ads that were happening in the 60s and 70s. The way the airlines would put the stewardesses front and center as sex objects in order to sell tickets. And the outfits they would put them into on the plane, were just astonishing. Yeah, it wasnt subtle. NELL McSHANE WULFHART: [LAUGHS] It was not subtle. I think TWA had dresses made out of paper, at one point. There were hot pants and go-go boots. That was the Southwest uniform for a while. I think maybe my favorite was the uniform that American Airlines had, which was a tartan skirt, a tartan vest and a raccoon skin hat. It was sort of like a frontier western-style uniform. Anyone who has flown recently and hears that description knows that things have changed, and not just the hats. But what is the state of things now? You talked about, in the book, about a battle over weight as recently as the 1990s. How did that fight play out? And despite the strides that have been made, is this still a fairly contentious place of employment or are things mostly happy now? NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Well, the truth about the weight issues is that those battles are still being fought. In the 60s and 70s, in the period covered by my book, there were very strict weight limits. There were charts that the women had to adhere to. And it was all based on your height. So if you were 5 foot 3, you had to stay under 110 pounds, for example. These were different at all the airlines, but everyone had to stay as small as possible, was the general rule. And that was one of the battles that these stewardesses fought. One of the worst things that I remember hearing about was operations, it was like a room, an area in the airport, each airline has. And theres offices, managers, pilots, the crew come in there. Everyones moving in and out through operations. And theres a big scale in the middle of the room and a manager, or even a pilot, could pull any stewardess onto the scale at any point and weigh her. So this is a tactic to keep the women in line and make sure they were staying as thin as they could. So that battle is still going on. Its been resolved in some ways. A lot of airlines have replaced the weight maximums with performance tests, which I think is a step in the right direction. But theres also a lot of airlines in other countries that have very similar weight programs as the ones that American stewardesses had in the 60s and 70s, very strict weight limits. I suppose there will always be battles to be fought, but do you take this, overall, as a happy story of labor movement? And you said you had an interest in the subject in general. Larger than just the story you tell in this book, what impact do you want it to have landing when it does, which is now? NELL McSHANE WULFHART: I think its a happy story. Its a story of empowerment, really. And the message that came through loud and clear to me as I researched this book, and I interviewed all these women who had been through this process, was that unions cant win without women, and women cant win without unions. So to me, the way the stewardesses played this role in the labor movement is something really significant. And I think theres a through line to whats happening today in the labor movement, and especially with flight attendants, the Association of Flight Attendants, which is headed up by Sara Nelson, whos the most dynamic leader in the labor movement in the United States right now. Theyre running a huge union drive at Delta, which has almost 24,000 flight attendants. And therell be a vote on that, probably in the next year or two. And this is a huge moment for labor. If these flight attendants decide to organize, and they join the AFA, that will be a really significant moment in the labor movement. And yeah, its all about flight attendants. And its well known that the labor movement in the U.S. is often talked about how many hits its taken over the years. And how the overall trajectory of it is not a particularly happy one. And so maybe there are lessons to be learned from both the past fight and the fight that continues among these stewardesses. NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Oh, absolutely. And I think right now were at such an incredible moment in the labor movement. Its just thrilling. Thereve been votes at Amazon. Starbucks are unionizing left and right. REI is talking about unionizing. So many media organizations, including The New Yorker, are unionizing. There is just a huge surge of interest, especially among the younger generations, in the labor movement. And its a moment we havent experienced in maybe 40 years. So for me, yeah, there are absolutely lessons that the organizers of today can learn from the stewardesses of the 70s, but all in all, its a really exciting time for the labor movement. Well, this book tells a story from a very particular time, very particular style, and full of lots of colorful details. The book, again, is The Great Stewardess Rebellion: How Women Launched a Workplace Revolution at 30,000 Feet. In The New York Times Book Review, Leslie Bennetts calls it a meticulously detailed history and a valuable public service. Nell, Thanks for being here. NELL McSHANE WULFHART: Thank you so much, John. This was really fun. [MUSIC PLAYING] James Kirchick is here. His new book is Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington. James, thanks for being here to talk about it. james kirchick Thank you for having me. john williams You are a journalist and the author of a previous book called The End of Europe. What brought you to this subject for your second book? james kirchick Well, Ive always been interested in the Cold War as an intellectual pursuit, academically. And Im gay. And this book is sort of the merging of those two interests. I think the seeds of it were subconsciously planted when I was a junior at Yale University. I took a seminar called The Art of Biography with Professor John Gaddis, who is the dean of Cold War studies. He also is the biographer of George Kennan, the great Cold War strategist. And we would read a biography every week, and at the end of the class, we had to write our own biography of someone whose papers were held at Yale. And Larry Kramer, the late gay activist, AIDS activist, and playwright, he had just donated his papers to Yale. And so I chose him. And I started rummaging through his papers. I got to know him, interviewing him in New York. And then I graduated from Yale, moved down to Washington to work at The New Republic magazine. And I kept in touch with Larry, and he had such an amazing interest in gay history. And in the role of gay people in history, the role of homosexuality or the fear of homosexuality in history. And I think those conversations that I had with him he was so insistent about it. He really believed, and he was right, that gay people had been erased from history. That they hadnt been included in mainstream history texts. That their role had been ignored. I saw it in my own reading. I read presidential biographies, books about the Cold War, and there would always be sort of a sliver of a homosexual theme, or a gay aide in the background. Or there were some sort of scandal. And the more I read, the more I thought about it, the more I was living in Washington, it just congealed with me that there really is a great untold story about Washington. And its this idea of gay Washington, and what I call the specter of homosexuality that haunted this city, really from World War II until the end of the Cold War. john williams So in some ways its an alternate history, in some ways its a history thats meant to synthesize, like you said, things that have been only hinted at in other histories. What are the parameters of the book? To start big, what did you hope to convey in terms of the overall scope of the book? james kirchick Well, I really wanted to show the interplay between homosexuality and the national security state. People ask me, why did you start the book when you did and why did you end it? And so I start the book during the late New Deal, around the start of Americas entry into World War II. And the reason it starts there is because that is really the moment when homosexuality, which has obviously been condemned for thousands of years in Judeo-Christian civilization, and certainly in American history, as a sin, as immoral, as a mental disorder, thats when it transforms from that this sort of condition, this medical condition or religious sin into a national security threat. And the reason that happens is because homosexuality is the most shameful sin that one could commit. It often goes unwritten. The actual word homosexual doesnt even appear much. Lots of euphemisms are used to describe it. Thats how terrible and unspeakable it is. And because its so unspeakable and terrible, the belief is that gay people are inherently vulnerable to blackmail. And so suddenly, the homosexual goes from being a pitiable sinner into a national security threat. And that starts to happen around World War II. And it really gets more pronounced, this fear, with the start of the Cold War and McCarthyism. And the idea of homosexuality and communism become intertwined. That sort of sexual subversion is then conflated with political subversion. And then the book ends in 1995, with President Bill Clinton lifting the ban on gay people receiving security clearances, which they were prohibited from having, on account of their being gay, until 1995. And so those are the parameters of the book. john williams You start with Sumner Welles. So to get a little more granular, why do we start with him? And tell us a little bit about his story. james kirchick Well, Sumner Welles is really the first sort of gay scandal in American politics. He is the undersecretary of state under President Franklin Roosevelt. Hes a very talented diplomat. He was one of the youngest diplomats when he began his career at the State Department. In terms of his seniority, he had a very senior position in his late 20s. He was the real author of the Atlantic Charter. And then he gets involved in a gay scandal. He is importuning train porters on the presidential train, in 1941. And word of this gets to his rivals within the administration. Secretary of State Cordell Hull, whos a conservative Southern Democrat from Tennessee, and William Bullitt, whos also a fascinating character, who was the first ambassador to the Soviet Union, once F.D.R. recognized the Soviet Union in 1933, and then the ambassador to France. And the two of them, working in cahoots with one another, basically spend two years trying to convince F.D.R. to fire Welles. And the arguments that theyre using and I went through William Bullitts papers, which also happened to be at Yale, he was a Yale grad the arguments that they use to try to persuade F.D.R. was that Welles was blackmail-able. Its not just this is a sin. That this is a terrible crime against nature. Its that he is subject to blackmail. Theres no evidence for that. There was no evidence that anyone, that any foreign adversarial power knew about this. But thats the argument that they used. And F.D.R. really wanted to keep Welles. He wanted to protect him. He had a great sense of loyalty to his friends. He was also, according to his son Elliott, willing to forgive a man anything, as long as he was drunk while he committed the alleged offense, which in Welless case, he happened to have been drunk. So thats the opening tale, and it becomes a very important event because it is then cited within Washington as a reason to purge gay people from the State Department. john williams This might be hard to parse, but in terms of motivation, when we talk about that blackmail-able theory, how much of that was something that the people making the theory believed and how much of it, do you think it was just camouflage for their not wanting homosexuals to be in the government? james kirchick I think it was both. One of the challenges of writing a book like this is you really have to put yourself, as the writer, as the historian, you have to put yourself in the context of the times. And homosexuality was universally reviled. It was universally condemned by organized religion, by the medical establishment. This was not a left-right issue, OK. Liberals were just as homophobic, thats not a term that existed back then, but they were by our lights today, they would have just the same sort of prejudicial attitudes towards gay people as people on the right. So you have to understand that. And if this was considered this great crime, and there was a genuine fear that gay people would be more susceptible to blackmail. There were people who made the case against it, actually. And I cite some of them; for instance, Max Lerner, who was a legendary journalist for The New York Post. He goes down to Washington in 1950 amid the real hysteria over gays in government. He does a 12-part series for The New York Post. Its called the Washington Sex Story. He goes around interviewing people. He interviews the chief of the Washington, D.C., police, whose job it is to basically round up and arrest gay men. He is interviewing people in the C.I.A. and the F.B.I. And he cant find any evidence of gay people actually being blackmailed. And he comes to the conclusion that gay people are no more susceptible to blackmail than, say, a man whos cheating on his wife, or has an alcohol problem, or a gambling problem, or any other sort of problem that would make one unsuitable for government service. So you do find these sorts of rare voices above the cacophony, but theyre so rare. And I think thats one of the things we need to understand, is that this was an almost universally held belief, that gay people were more susceptible to blackmail and then had to be prevented from serving in the government. john williams When we get to Eisenhower in the White House, you write that one of his earliest executive orders was one that prohibited those guilty of, quote unquote, sexual perversion from holding any job in the federal government. Is that when it was codified, in terms of what was later stripped away by Clinton? james kirchick Yes, 1953, thats executive order 104, though, which banned all gay people, or anyone who is gay, from working in any job in the government, not just holding security clearances but even, say, a veterinarian at the National Zoo, and also for federal contractors as well. And untold thousands of people lost their jobs. We have no idea or comprehension of how many people didnt even apply for jobs because they knew that they would not be able to serve their country. john williams One of the fascinating things in the book is the interplay in someone individually, in terms of what theyre doing politically versus what they really believe in the privacy of their own thoughts. Where did Eisenhower fit on that spectrum? Was he pretty militant about this, or did he do it out of expediency? james kirchick Well, we have a case of one of his closest aides was a man named Arthur Vandenberg Jr., who was the son of the great Republican Senator Arthur Vandenberg, from Michigan. Arthur Vandenberg, Art Jr., as he was called, led the Citizens for Eisenhower movement, which was the movement to draft Ike to run for president in 1952. He was a crucial player, and he was going to be in the administration. He was going to hold the job of secretary to the cabinet, which was a senior administrative position. And then J. Edgar Hoover, whos obviously a character who looms large over the first three decades of this book, from the 1930s to the early 1970s, comes into possession of information that Art Jr. is gay. He brings it to Eisenhower, and Eisenhower, without much thought, at least according to the memo that Hoover wrote to his aides memorializing the meeting, basically agreed to firing Art Jr. And they put out a statement that he was in the hospital, and he was sick. And he couldnt work for health reasons. But he pretty summarily went along with that. Eisenhower is an important example of this, because Eisenhower is the last person we think of as being a hardcore ideologue in any way. He was a very measured, moderate person. He was coming into conflicts often with Joe McCarthy, on the right side of his party. But even he, even Dwight Eisenhower, the general, the great Ike who we all venerate, this was one of the first acts that he did. john williams When we get to the 1980s, this to me is maybe the most complicated part of the book, when we get to the Reagan administration. Because as you write, it had I think at some point you write that it had nearly maybe 20 percent of its 5,000-something political appointees were gay. james kirchick Thats an estimate offered by one senior-ranking, gay, political appointee, yeah. john williams And obviously Nancy Reagan was friendly with and had a lot of staff members who were gay, but also, as obviously, Reagans legacy, in terms of gay rights and the AIDS crisis, is one of the darker ones, shall we say, of the last century. So what was it like writing that chapter? What did you learn that surprised you, and how do you square all of those things, or do you? james kirchick Many people have written about this subject, of Reagan and AIDS, and its something that continues to fascinate. Why, why was he so absent on this issue? Particularly when, as we know, he and his wife had close gay friends coming from Hollywood. And I think what I can add, and I think what this book adds, is that I think there was a real fear among Reagan himself, his wife and their senior aides that Reagan would be perceived as too friendly to gay people, if not maybe even gay himself. And this goes back to his days as an actor. Theres an anecdote in his first memoir, that he wrote in 1965, or was ghostwritten, but he collaborated with it, when he was running for governor. And he recounts a film that he was in, Dark Victory, with Bette Davis, where hes basically playing her gay best friend. And the director was a man named Edmund Goulding, who was a bisexual British director. And Reagan sort of indignantly recalls the direction that he received once from Goulding, and the way he described it was that Goulding wanted him to portray this character as the sort of fellow who can sit in the ladies dressing room and dish with them as theyre getting changed, which is a really long euphemism for gay, because what sort of other man could sit in the ladies dressing room and dish with them and gossip while theyre getting changed? And hes very upset about this. So even the notion of acting, as an actor, even the notion of portraying a character who might be perceived as effeminate or gay, was a great problem for him. And then in 1967, his first year as governor, hes rocked, his administration is rocked, by a gay scandal. He fires two aides, based upon allegations that are brought to him by other aides that they were involved in a homosexual ring. And this becomes a big scandal. It makes the front page of The New York Times and many other newspapers across the country. And then there are, of course, the friends that Nancy had. Theres actually an entire page in the photo insert that Ive titled All the First Ladies Men. And its just photos of Nancy and her various courtiers and pals and hairdressers and whatnot. And then, of course, their close relationship with Rock Hudson. And so I think that there was this kind of aura of homosexuality that surrounded Ronald Reagan. And then one of the books big scoops is a scandal that I uncovered in 1980 thats never been reported on before, where it was brought to the attention of The Washington Posts Ben Bradlee, allegations that Ronald Reagan was being controlled by a cabal of right-wing homosexual advisers. This was brought to The Washington Post by a group of Republican congressmen, actually, more moderate Republican congressmen who didnt want Reagan and the conservatives taking over the party. And so theres these incidents. Theres these themes. Theres these connections and relationships that I think surrounded the Reagans. And I think it just made them, as a couple, it made them very hesitant, I think. And so hesitant to be seen as perhaps too close to anything gay. And so when this disease strikes, very early in the Reagan administration, and the primary victims are gay men, I think there was just a recoil. A fear that he had this gay scandal in 1967. He comes from Hollywood. We have these gay friends. We have this new political constituency, the evangelical Christian right, which didnt exist, really, until the late 1970s, and helped him win the presidency, and that is very important to the political coalition that hes built, as part of the conservative movement. And theyre not going to like it if hes seen as being too friendly to gays. john williams You describe it as a recoil. The political recoil of it is explainable in terms of those as bloodless as it sounds, and it was a tragic situation but in terms of when you talk about the voting blocs, and who supported him and got him into the presidency. But is there any evidence that he internally felt badly about that? Or do you think the recoil was also, did he have personal animus that maybe was alongside his Hollywood life and being friendly with certain gay people in his private sphere? james kirchick Theres really no evidence of a special animus towards gay people. Reagan had the prejudices of men of his generation. Lets not forget, he was born in, I think, 1918, OK? So he had the sorts of prejudices that the vast majority of men of his generation had. If you look at the speeches he delivered that he wrote over the course of his many years in politics, gays dont come up. Homosexuality doesnt come up. And in fact, theres actually an important episode in his career. I forgot to mention this earlier. In 1978, there was a ballot initiative in the state of California, the Briggs Initiative, that would have barred gay people from teaching in public schools, which is sort of oddly, unfortunately, relevant today with whats going on in Florida and some other states. The Briggs Initiative was pretty much set to win if you look at the polls leading up to it. But Reagan intervened against it. And he did so from a sort of conservative, libertarian perspective. That this was going to lead to lawsuits. That it was going to lead to chaos in the classrooms and whatnot. That the power of state authorities would increase over those of local communities. So he made a conservative, libertarian case against it. And his involvement in that was decisive in defeating the Briggs Initiative. So we actually have an example of him taking the right position, the pro-gay position. And even in 1967, when he fired those aides, he got very angry that the story became public because he did not want the men to be embarrassed. The real scandal in 1967 was that he denied firing the aides at first, and then he admitted it two weeks later. And his reason for denying it was because he felt it was wrong, even if he didnt want gay people on his staff, like frankly most people. I dont think there were any openly gay people in any governors staff in 1967. But the reason why he lied about it, publicly, was because he didnt want these men and their families to be tarred and to have their private lives dragged through the mud. So its a mixed record with him. If you look through his diaries that have been published, you dont find anything there. I dont think he personally, or his wife, had a personally extraordinary animus against gay people. I think it was done for political expedience. john williams It is one of many things in the book where the toll is clear, the tragedy is clear and the human lives affected. Its a long book, and Reagan is just one part of it. You wrote this very deeply researched, long book about this subject. And I wonder what you see as the cost of what this situation was for so many decades over that time, whether it was during the AIDS crisis, whether it was careers ended, whether it was careers never begun or wasted energy within the government, or is a little bit of all of that? james kirchick Its all those things, and its incalculable. I mean, I can give you specific examples. We can look at Sumner Welles, who we talked about earlier, was one of the few high-ranking officials in the F.D.R. administration who was even remotely sympathetic to the plight of European Jews, in terms of allowing somewhat more, above the very pitiable small numbers that were ever allowed, as refugees into the United States. So what would have happened if he had not been fired? Would the Roosevelt administration have allowed more Jews in? Maybe not but maybe they would have. We dont know. There are, in terms of the governmental resources that were expended in this. The hundreds of thousands of man hours that went into rooting out, discovering and firing patriotic civil servants. The deep wells of knowledge that were denied this country, based upon fear of gay people. We dont know those numbers. And then theres, of course, the impact that it had on individual gay people. I tell one representative story of a man named Robert Waldron, who was a very close aide to L.B.J. His story has never been told before. Not even Robert Caro was aware of this. I had his F.B.I. file declassified. And this was a gay man from Texas who worked on L.B.J.s staff as Senate majority leader, and then as vice president, was going to move into the White House to work with him after the Kennedy administration. And lost that opportunity because a federal government investigation discovered that he was gay. There are countless stories like this. I tell several of them. But there are so many more that well never know because so much of this history has been secreted away. john williams I have to finish by bringing us up to the present day because of what you mentioned happening in Florida and elsewhere. I know that your book essentially ends with the Clinton era, which I think, several years ago, might have made a bit more sense, feeling-wise, in terms of where the culture was at. Obviously, it feels like weve regressed in the last several years and at least in certain parts of the country. As someone whos familiar with Washington, how much do you think now its almost a bicameral situation, where in Washington these things are more accepted but that political expediency still exists outside of there? Or do you think that Washington itself is regressing at all? james kirchick I dont see homosexuality really being an issue in Washington like it used to be. Its not a political weapon. The charge doesnt sting like it used to. In terms of other parts of the country, its harder for me to say. What I hope my book does show is that when we talk about things, and when we open them up to examination and historical inquiry, particularly a subject like homosexuality, it reveals that the fears that we have about people who are different can dissipate. And that when homosexuality was something unspeakable, when it was unsayable, when gay people were in the closet, it was then the subject for all sorts of conspiracies and fears and anxieties. And gay people could be blamed for fascism. They could be blamed for communism. They could be tarred as potential traitors and spies. And then once gay people started coming out of the closet, and the issue was openly discussed, those fears became really clear for what they were, which were unfounded. And I think today, I go back to a Gallup poll that came out last year that revealed the number of Americans who are self-identifying as L.G.B.T. basically doubled over the past decade. And I think thats been quite, perhaps disconcerting for some people. Its been frightening. Its been confusing, perhaps. And I think what were seeing is maybe a backlash to that. But I dont see us regressing, only because if you look at the polls, something like over 90 percent of Americans know a gay person. And once you know someone whos gay, then you see that the prejudices really decline. And thats, I think, the major difference between now and the period covered in my book. john williams Well, its a sweeping history that doesnt take us quite up to the present day but takes us through a good deal of the 20th century in Washington and uncovers many, many interesting stories that hadnt previously been told or focused on. The book, again, is Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington. James, thanks so much for being here to talk about it. james kirchick Thank you for having me. [MUSIC PLAYING] john williams Im joined now by my colleagues Greg Cowles and Lauren Christensen to talk about what weve been reading. Hello, colleagues. lauren christensen Hi, John. greg cowles Hi, John. john williams Lauren, lets start with you. lauren christensen Sure, I am reading, or I finished reading, Ann Patchetts Truth and Beauty, her memoir from 2004. I came to it because I was actually at a friends house and I just was nosily going through her shelves. john williams [LAUGHS] lauren christensen And I saw this, and it was something that I had always wanted to read and just never got around to. Ive been a huge fan of Ann Patchett since I read Bel Canto, I think in college and then a couple of times after that because I was so in love with it. And have read some of her other fiction, too, but just didnt think of her as a memoirist. And when I read I mean, it just blew me over the head. It was probably two sittings that I read it in. I just really couldnt stop. So its the story of Patchetts friendship with a woman named Lucy Grealy, who was an Irish American poet, and actually author of her own memoir, Autobiography of a Face it was called, maybe a decade earlier. And Grealy had Ewings sarcoma, a kind of cancer, at 9, which required really extensive chemotherapy and multiple operations that left her without part of her jaw. All of this happens before the span of this memoir. Patchett didnt know her at the time. They actually met when Grealy was in college, when Grealy was the most popular girl at Sarah Lawrence. She just had this incredible charisma. And I think Patchett knew who Grealy was, but Grealy didnt know her. And they really only became friends when they both end up at the Iowa Writers Workshop. So they decide to live together. And from there, the women form this intense bond, to say the least. Patchett watches as Lucy really moves through her adult life with both that charisma and then this intense, intense shame. And she tries to solve this shame, by undergoing more and more cosmetic surgeries as an adult. Sometimes, taking parts of her body and attaching them to her face to create a jawline. It all sounds very harrowing and painful, but I think theres this internal pain that you get the sense that Grealys really trying to address. And you dont begrudge her that, of course. Theres incredible amounts of just bullying that she has to withstand. And even possibly well-meaning strangers will just gawk or gape at her just based on maybe an unusual appearance. So by the time Grealy dies in 2002, shes survived something like 40 surgeries or something like that, overall, in her lifetime. What makes this memoir so just, beautiful doesnt even begin to describe it, is having survived such a harrowing childhood, Lucy does behave in this world as if nothing can really stop her. Shell neglect her student loans and so many bills that one day Patchett goes through an entire trash bag of Lucys mail for her, just sorting through envelope by envelope and tossing things, but then paying whatever debts Lucys accumulated, and its this really amazing act of love that Patchett shows for her friend. Really, theyre each others chosen family, and its just these quiet acts of service, of organization. Patchett describes herself as the ant, whos just doing bit-by-bit working, whether its on her novels, or really in her friendship, doing the quieter things to just help her friend in any way she can. And it makes it so lively that Patchett weaves through half of this correspondence, Lucys half of the incredible letter correspondence that the two wrote each other over the years. And Lucys voice, she just comes across as this heartsick girl whos so brilliant but just as lonely as any of us, until eventually that loneliness does kind of morph into something darker. But there are these incredible letters that she writes. Theres one, I just want to read a second of it. She writes to Patchett, pettest of my pets they call each other pet. There is a crisis in leadership. Rumors had been circulating, but I staunchly refused to believe them. But now I have had them confirmed by a reliable source (T.V. a.m.). Jane Fonda has had ribs removed, a la Cher. Is this true? I cant bring myself to believe it. What ramifications does this have for us? I am so terribly disappointed in her, though I also understand the mania twixt this ribectomy comes. After all, Im about to have a sizable chunk of my pelvis carved off. Not the same thing, yet the same thing. Spock would understand this logic even if no one else would. And it goes on. And its so honest and funny and so eloquent. And I could just talk on about this book. Theres something really heartbreakingly universal about Lucys conviction that after the next surgery, just as soon as shes quote unquote fixed herself or quote unquote normal, thats when her life will begin. And of course, in the meanwhile, life is passing her by. So its tragic and really bittersweet, and just this really enviable love and friendship between these two adult women. john williams Had you read Grealys book, or do you plan to now? lauren christensen I plan to now. I think I need some time because there was just this fog. I read it on Saturday. And it was just this kind of fog that I had to get myself out of to think about it. Its tragic, but yeah, I need to work my way up to it. The memoir itself, it sounds like it brought her a certain level of fame. According to this book, she was all over the talk shows and stuff, so it was a real sensation. Have you guys read it? greg cowles Ive not read Autobiography of a Face, but I remember all the hoopla when it came out. I know people who read it and recommended it, and Ive never gotten around to it, no. I will say, it sounds like this book and probably also Autobiography of a Face, are an excellent fit for what I am reading right now. Im finally, finally reading Vivian Gornicks 1987 memoir, Fierce Attachments. john williams Oh, wow. greg cowles Yeah, oh, wow is right. lauren christensen I love that book. greg cowles This is an incredible book. I cant believe its taken me this long. Its been so recommended to me by so many people over the years, including The Timess critics several years ago, named it as the top memoir of the last 50 years. And Ive read some Gornick here and there, but I dont think Ive ever read a whole book of hers before. This is very much a mother-daughter memoir. It centers on her really quite fraught relationship with her mother. She describes it as a love-hate relationship. Its really a loving relationship. They are so inextricably bound together, but its a very complicated relationship. Partly, because her mother limited her life on purpose, for the sake of family, and Gornick has refused to do that. And so theres a lot of intergenerational conflict between the two of them. And they talk it out on these walks across the city. Theres kind of a glancing allusion to Alfred Kazins Walker in the City, his 1950s memoir. And at times, this book feels very much like that. Gornick is growing up in mid-century New York, and its this magical setting. It feels like a panorama of a vanished New York thats very familiar from my reading of Kazin. And its like the New York of Saul Bellows Mr. Sammlers Planet. Its very much like ethnic enclaves and recent waves of immigration with the Irish and the Italians, and Gornick and Kazin and Bellow, of course, are the Eastern-European Jewish immigrants. So this feels like that city that just doesnt exist anymore. But she summons it so naturally in these scenes. Theres a lot of white space. Its a very short memoir. Its like just over 200 pages. And Im probably about 65 pages into it, at this point, so not quite halfway through. And it moves at the speed of thought, in the shape of thought. It swerves and darts and lingers and circles back again and intercuts these scenes of her walking the city with her mother, with her memories of growing up in the Bronx in this apartment building, that was mostly a Jewish-immigrant apartment building, with some exceptions. And talking about the relationships that mattered to her in that building. And shes contrasting the life of the family. She has a father and a brother. The father dies when shes 13. And they are essentially invisible in this book. She hardly mentions them. However central the father was to her mothers life, he seems not at all central to Vivian Gornicks life, which is not uncomplicated for me, as a father and a husband. john williams [LAUGHS] greg cowles But shes contrasting her mothers compromises and sacrifices with the lives of other women in the building who represent greater freedom and creativity and artistic impulses but also pure chaos. Her friend Marilyns mother is this great storyteller, but slovenly. And buys a piano hoping that Marilyn will play, and instead, her mother plays the same opening bars of this one song, over and over again. And very essentially, theres the neighbor Nettie, who is widowed early on, whos not even Jewish herself but is married to a Jewish sailor who dies on a sailing trip after a bar fight. And Nettie makes lace. And she represents this ideal of beauty and the imagination, but also just lives in pure chaos. And so Vivian Gornick, as a child, is drawing these role models from the building that she lives in. And the mom doesnt quite approve, but the mom also had ambitions and real native ability, that she squashed for the sake of family. And so shes constantly in judgment of Vivian Gornicks life choices. This book is just incredible. I will surely abandon all of my obligations today to finish reading it. It moves very quickly. So thats what Im in the middle of, John. john williams Well, Im a huge Vivian Gornick fan, and I was going to say, after Lauren finished, that the critics actually, in that list of the 50 best memoirs since 1969, they also included Lucy Grealys book. So for those two recommendations and 48 others, people can go back and track that down online again. I read a memoir of sorts, too. I recently spoke to John Waters on the podcast about his first novel, which just came out, called Liarmouth. And as part of preparing for that interview, I read his book Role Models, which came out a few years ago, and is a series of essays about, well, people who he admires. And there are two things I wanted to talk about, in particular. The first is the opening essay, which I think is maybe my favorite, about Johnny Mathis. And for listeners of a certain age, Johnny Mathis is an old lauren christensen Tell me. greg cowles Yeah [LAUGHTER] john williams For Lauren. lauren christensen Sorry. john williams A quick Johnny Mathis primer. Johnny Mathis is a very old-school singer, who was probably in the peak of his popularity when I was in diapers. And my mother was a big fan of his. We had several of his LPS. greg cowles Am I being unfair if I put him in the same breath as Pat Boone? john williams I dont think youre being unfair. I think that its not the same music at all, but I sort of think of him alongside Barry Manilow and Anne Murray, other singers of that generation, who my mom listened to when I was growing up. So its all sort of personal. But hes a very smooth guy, still alive at 86, but his big hit was a song called Chances Are. He had several big hits, but thats the one that I think will be the lead in his obituaries. This really isnt about Johnny Mathis. It sort of is. Its about John Waters meeting Johnny Mathis, which is, for those who know both characters, an incredible thing to picture. And whats better is that Waters set up the meeting because he found out that they had the same theyre represented by the same talent agency. And so he had his person call Mathis person. And he got this meeting where he went to Mathis beautiful home in California and sat down with him. And he says, at one point, that Mathis had an aide sitting with him, or a lawyer, or a handler, or somebody. And Waters says, I could tell he had looked me up because he had a look on his face like, how is this going to go? But it was very polite and mutually respecting, and Waters has great admiration for Mathis career. Its a real meeting of two different worlds that I found charming, and Waters is a great conversational writer. He tells stories as if youre sitting by his side. And I love that piece. And then, of course, as a books person, and this is a books podcast, theres an essay about a handful of his favorite books. It was great because he tears through them pretty quickly but gives nice synopses of them, tells us why he likes them. And he reminded me of Christina Steads The Man Who Loved Children, which Ive been meaning to read for about, I think, 25 years now. So Ive put that at the top of the pile. And he also writes about Ivy Compton-Burnett. A very prolific and not quite as in fashion anymore, British writer, whose books now Im going to finally seek out because of the way he described them. It made them sound really great. Now, Im just waiting for the John Waters meets Vivian Gornick segment. I think that could be fun. greg cowles Im waiting for him to make an Ivy Compton-Burnett movie. john williams Yeah, those are two tastes that probably dont go together. But maybe, maybe. greg cowles With a soundtrack by Johnny Mathis. [LAUGHTER] john williams Lets go over what we read again. lauren christensen I read Truth and Beauty, by Ann Patchett. greg cowles Im reading Fierce Attachments, by Vivian Gornick. john williams While Clara is the maker of swans, Eustace is the hero of the story; his past, his motivations, his great passions and sorrows drive the novel forward. The other characters, while deeply intriguing, remain shadowy. We never fully understand Mr. Crowes magic, and even Clara, a rare and lucent treasurewhose gifts are described at length, isnt fully formed. Eustace, standing in service to the inexplicable, emerges as the emotional heart of the novel. Speaking of Mr. Crowes powers, Eustace says, We forget the magnitude, sometimes, of that miracle. And yet it is Eustace, with his deeply human flaws, who is unforgettable. Catriona Wards SUNDIAL (Tor Nightfire, 292 pp., $26.99) opens as a family implodes. Rob and her husband, Irving, a narcissistic sociopath of the first order, live in a hell of contempt and abuse, each on a mission to hurt the other. Irving is a chronic philanderer whose latest lover is Robs only friend. When their 12-year-old daughter, Callie a child full of silent fury who kills, dissects, then collects the bones of the neighborhood animals turns on her younger sister, Rob takes Callie to her childhood home, Sundial, where she reveals her shocking past. The sundial for which the house and the land were named sits in a cairn of rock in the Mojave Desert, a reminder of times fragility and permanence. Created by Falcon, the man who raised Rob and her sister Jack, it is a sacred object, one that makes them part of this place, the earth and the passage of time. Here at the sundial we become a meeting point between these things. What happened to Rob at Sundial is something so depraved as to defy the imagination. When people say something is unthinkable, Rob says, what they usually mean is that they dont want to think it. They are resistant to an idea. But that is not what unthinkable means. I understand that, now. It means to be confronted with a thought so vast, dark and monstrous that it will not fit into any known shapes in your mind. Ward coaxes Robs gruesome past open like a toxic flower. Indeed, Ward is willing to go to places so dark, so dismal the repeated abuse of children and the torture of animals that it borders on sadism. And yet at its core, Sundial is about resilience. Rob, no matter how damaged, remakes her life. And that, in itself, is an unthinkable feat. In the second half of these six walks, the author has recovered from his heartbreak and, perhaps inevitably, the work reflects this loss of urgency. Yet Shattuck shrewdly navigates the shift, turning his attention to the usefulness of sorrow, how underappreciated our painful moments are when we are in them. Grief and joy are in the same life, Shattuck writes, but its only in the forest where you notice the shafts of sunlight spilling through. In writing of his walks, the author hits a few helpful notes of atonement, acknowledging Thoreaus racism toward Native Americans and his own privilege. (Wandering through private yards and sleeping on a Cape Cod beach, he recognizes, are less risky for him because he is a white man.) He also addresses larger sorrows of our time, including the impact of climate change on the beaches he walks. Mainly, though, Shattuck seeks to comfort himself, and his book is thus comforting. Grief in various permutations has become a near-constant companion to thinking people in our time, and so it seems we all could use a good, long walk right about now, something to restore our spiritual balance. And who better to guide us than Thoreau, whose writing, like his walking, is tireless, the antithesis of a teenager Shattuck hears shrieking on the side of a mountain that she is Not. Having. Fun. And theres the point. Its not that life is without its agonies. Its the sweetness in the sorrow that is captured in this writing, along with the natural worlds endless invitation to solace. Not all journeys in somebody elses footsteps prove especially comforting. In A ROAD RUNNING SOUTHWARD: Following John Muirs Journey Through an Endangered Land (Island Press, 245 pp., $28), the Georgia journalist Dan Chapman retraces the ecologist John Muirs thousand-mile walk through the Reconstruction-era South, and what he finds there today is alarming. In 1867, Muir, father of the national park system, conscience of the environmental movement and co-founder of the Sierra Club, traveled by foot from Louisville, Ky., to Florida, crossing one of the most biodiverse regions in the world and, at that time, a land of unspoiled beauty. The only threats Muir observed on his walk came from bandits, as life in the land of the defeated Confederacy was often quite desperate. It is Chapmans mission not only to stand in Muirs shoes to see what he saw, but to view Muirs world through a 21st-century lens and consider the future of an ever-sprawling, drought-challenged, climate-hammered South. It is difficult to look at. In May 1996, Julie Williams and Lollie Winans a young couple with considerable backwoods experience loaded their packs, left Julies car at the Stony Man Overlook parking area at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and began to bushwhack down an overgrown and unmarked trail. During the summer, Shenandoah can seem like a crowded park, with cars lining up for miles to enjoy the vistas from Skyline Drive. But as Kathryn Miles notes in TRAILED: One Womans Quest to Solve the Shenandoah Murders (Algonquin, 295 pp., $27.95), get a mile beyond the drive and the park can seem as wild as any remote Western landscape. The women, reported missing a few days later, were eventually found dead at their campsite. In her painstaking reconstruction of the day, Miles speculates that they must have been followed from the minute they left the parking lot. The rushing of a nearby stream would have muffled their killers footsteps. He came prepared, Miles writes. He brought with him gloves, along with duct tape and at least one weapon. He killed both women with a single, unhesitating knife stroke to their throats. Miles, who first heard about the murders when she began teaching at Unity College in Maine, where Lollie had been a student, found herself unable to shake the story. She began to actively investigate it in 2016, interviewing F.B.I. agents and park employees, reading transcripts and poring through case files. She was so obsessed with the womens deaths that she let a bone-in pork roast go bad in her backyard in order to study decomposition. Two things gradually became clear to her: The man long suspected of the crimes probably had nothing to do with it, and the real perpetrator was likely to be a known serial killer. Trailed isnt just the story of a single botched investigation. Its also an expose of what Miles calls the systemic underreporting in our wild places of violent crime. Some of that may be due to parks chronic understaffing, or the confusing thicket of state, local and federal authorities who oversee these jurisdictions. But Miles cites multiple studies that show that the Department of the Interiors oversight has been lax at best. One found that at least 28 national parks reported no crime data at all. The superintendent of another national park told inspectors that he disregarded the crime statistics for his park, saying he did not believe they were a true measure of risk assessment. Instead, he said he favored using customer service surveys. Even the data that does exist can be sketchy. Although the F.B.I. does not keep statistics on gender and backcountry crime, my own archival research finds that the majority of reported murder and rape victims in our national wilderness areas are female, despite both the fact that we still constitute the minority of backcountry users and that national murder rates are skewed overwhelmingly toward male victims, Miles writes. On Monday, the Russian Academy of Sciences will begin electing new members. The poll takes place once every three years and the competition is stiff, with more than 1,700 candidates for 309 seats. Ahead of the election, a group of researchers started circulating a list of candidates who have signed pro-war declarations or made statements in support of the invasion. The hope is that those on the list will see their chances of joining the academy diminished. Most of the scientific community is definitely antiwar, said Alexander Nozik, a physicist at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology who was not involved in creating the list. Being in such a list could significantly reduce chances to be elected. The Russian Academy of Sciences, a network of research institutes in a variety of disciplines across Russia, has just under 1,900 members in Russia and nearly 450 nonvoting foreign members. In March, it issued a statement about the war. Some observers saw it as the closest any official institution in the country came to condemning Russias aggression, but critics believed it did not go far enough. Some researchers fled Russia as a result of the war. Those who remain face deepening isolation, with many barred from participating in certain projects, working with international collaborators and attending certain conferences. 10. And, finally, eat, watch and read this Memorial Day weekend. Cant travel? A vacation read can be a destination in itself, writes our colleague Sarah Lyall, and The Timess Books department has some summer book recommendations that will whisk you away. This summers upcoming films take place in a variety of locations, from familiar vacation spots like Fire Island to more distant locales like Burundi, Iran and Valhalla, mythological home of Thor. Holiday barbecues can also give you a chance to escape try a new recipe like the Tajin Grilled Chicken from this list of 12 Memorial Day cookout recipes. Have a summery weekend. Sarah Hughes compiled photos for this briefing. Were off for Memorial Day on Monday. See you on Tuesday. Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern. Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here. What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com. Here are todays Mini Crossword, Spelling Bee and Wordle. If youre in the mood to play more, find all our games here. The New York City mayor, Eric Adams, held a briefing with more than 100 employers and business leaders on Thursday to discuss public safety in the city and the steps his administration is taking to ensure workers returning to the office feel comfortable during their commutes. The Partnership for New York City, a business group, convened the call after the mayor heard concerns from employers about safety after Daniel Enriquez, 48, was fatally shot in the chest on the Q train last weekend. He was an employee of Goldman Sachs. Concern about public safety, especially in the citys transit system, was the single largest issue workers cited as an obstacle to returning to the office, according to a poll conducted in March by Morning Consult on behalf of the Partnership for New York City. The death of Mr. Enriquez was the most recent of several high-profile violent incidents on the subway this year. What employers were saying is, Were hearing from our employees that this is the obstacle in terms of returning to work returning to the subways, said Kathryn Wylde, head of the Partnership. The mayor was emphasizing that he is totally committed to the sense of a safe city, in terms of reducing crime and improving the perception of personal security in the city. When Goldman Sachs the investment bank known for its hard-charging culture recently told its senior bankers that they could take off as much time as they wanted, the policy shift immediately catapulted it into the ranks of Americas most employee-friendly companies. Managers should take the vacation they need so they can continue to run hard, be competitive, run productively, but take care of their families, David M. Solomon, Goldmans chief executive, told CNBC. But the banks move hasnt led to much cheering at a place where employees build their careers on being available to clients any time, anywhere. Goldman, in particular, has long prided itself on that ethos so much so that its leaders rarely use all their holidays and often forgo out-of-office messages. Some have even been known to take satellite phones on vacation. It sounds psychologically soothing, and its part of Goldmans cultivating a gentler and softer Goldman image, said Mike Mayo, a banking analyst at Wells Fargo. The reality is its not going to make any difference. Its like telling a restaurant owner you can have unlimited vacation will that change how the restaurant owner works? DAVOS, Switzerland I write to you today as a parent. A terrified American parent. When children are killed in their school, I try to keep my terror in a place far from where I am. Until I cant. And this week, at the World Economic Forum, someone forced me to connect the safety of our children in a country awash in guns to the safety of our children on a hotter planet. It was Al Gore, the former vice president, who drew a straight line between gun policy and climate policy. He spoke with the conviction of a man who knows American politics from the inside, and he spoke with anger and grief. And I felt that terror inside, that question I try to keep at bay at times like this, when I must stay focused on something else: Is my child safe in school back in the United States? Some of the same reasons why the United States has been incapable of responding to these tragedies are the same reasons lobbying, campaign contributions, the capture of policymaking, the control of politicians with money, lobbyists that it has been impossible to pass climate legislation, Gore said. Our democracy has been paralyzed, bought, captured. It has to stop. If you havent yet, have a look at this extremely informative piece by my Times colleagues, showing where each Republican senator stands on gun control legislation. As my colleague Carl Hulse wrote, the reality is that many Republicans may be open to new gun laws, but would risk losing their jobs if they openly supported them. CHICAGO As drag brunch came to a close at a Mexican restaurant here last Sunday, the performers conga-lined their way through the crowd of about 40 party people who were just this side of tipsy on Brunch Punch. But this was no standard drag brunch; it was a Taco Bell Drag Brunch. And that wasnt a microphone in the lead queens hand; it was a Grande Toasted Breakfast Burrito. That queen a Mexican American performer called Kay Sedia (pronounced quesadilla) was the M.C. at a Taco Bell Cantina down the block from Wrigley Field, wearing a frilly, skintight frock with the Taco Bell logo on the belly. In the 45-minute show, Kay Sedia sassed the crowd (mostly young, mostly white) and danced with her fellow performers: the drag king Tenderoni and the queens Miss Toto and Aunty Chan, who tore it up as a hard-pressed Taco Bell cashier in a lip-synced mash-up of She Works Hard for the Money and 9 to 5. On diners tables, a shimmering box held a burrito (sausage, bacon or veggie), a hash brown and Cinnabon Delights doughnut holes. The sound of Taco Bells signature bong punctuated a drinking game. Skyler Chmielewski, there to celebrate her 19th birthday, was transfixed. Gripping a Taco Bell Drag Brunch-branded folding fan, she declared her first drag show breathtaking. Ms. Rabuns Black Love pieces for Sothebys, which were executed in 18-karat yellow gold, featured oversize heart-shaped designs set with crystals of rutilated quartz. The quartz also appears in her newest jewelry collaboration, a collection called Metanoia, with Carpenters Workshop Gallery, the French gallery with outposts in Paris, London and New York. As if her plate werent full enough, Ms. Rabun also has been fielding a growing number of private commissions. Earlier this year, for example, she completed a necklace for a client in Paris using a 20-carat yellow diamond that he wanted reset for his wifes 40th birthday. The resulting piece, featuring the gem as a pendant on a yellow gold chain, can be worn four ways. On the back of the pendant are the names of each child in four corners, and there are 40 links for her 40th birthday, Ms. Rabun said. When I do commissions, I have to make sure its connected to the wearer. Soon Ms. Rabun plans to extend that philosophy beyond jewelry, as her self-described obsession with objects and furniture has led to a new collaboration in the world of lighting. While she declined to share details (It is early days, she explained), she said the collection was likely to debut in 2023. It would be her second foray outside of jewelry her first, a line of bowls she designed for the Viennese artist and designer Carl Aubock IV, was shown at the 2017 Wallpaper Handmade Exhibition in Milan. Ms. Rabun said she had been inspired by 20th-century modernists (and Georg Jensen collaborators), such as the Danish furniture designers Nanna Ditzel and Verner Panton, whom she described as having lived their lives unapologetically immersed in their art. Ive always been drawn to artists that are living it, Ms. Rabun said. I guess thats why I had to come home I had to fully live it. Then, to my shock, I came upon a contact sheet of images of a man posing on a carousel. There was no question: It was Mike Saltzstein. Even if he hadnt been identified on the verso the back of the image, where all pertinent information is logged his expression fit the description I had read in the obituary: Those who knew Mr. Saltzstein suspect he was happy, although his gruff manner and well-advertised sore feet might have argued against it. He was also wearing a workers jumpsuit, just as Charles Denson, the author of Coney Island: Lost and Found and the executive director of the Coney Island History Project, told me in an interview. This is a guy who wore two outfits for the decades I knew him, Mr. Denson said. Either wore a blue kind of jumpsuit, a workers jumpsuit, or jeans and a dirty undershirt. And, indeed, the black-and-white portraits, taken in 1981 by William E. Sauro, a Times staff photographer, pictured Mike with barely a hint of a smile, dressed in a jumpsuit. In 1973, Mike bought the ride, known as the B&B Carousell, with his business partner, Jimmy McCullough, and maintained and operated it until his death in 2001. (Mr. McCullough died in 2013, and his family had no further information on Mike.) Mike was, as Mr. Denson put it, very reserved. In the photos, he looks guarded, even surly. And yet he would apparently work around the clock and open up the carousel at any time of year even in the dead of winter to children who wanted a ride. He cared deeply about the carousel and for good reason: It was a work of art. Charles Carmel, M.C. Illions and Charles I. D. Looff, all master carousel craftsmen, contributed to the B&B, which was created around the turn of the 20th century by William F. Mangels, an amusement manufacturer and inventor. (The odd spelling of carousell dates back to the rides founding.) It features 36 fanciful, colorful jumping horses, as well as 14 standers and two chariots. The lead horse has embedded in it a carving of Abraham Lincoln, an odd detail until you find out that it was carved in 1909, the centennial of the presidents birth. Years after Mr. McCullough sold the carousel to the city, it was moved from its original location on Surf Avenue and West 12th Street down to the Riegelmann Boardwalk, a short walk from the revived Luna Park. It was also restored, though not everyone thought it was improved: The original signage was redone and, because of liability issues, the carousels beloved brass rings were removed. It was great that it was saved, Mr. Denson said of the carousel, but its definitely not the same. The term cum laude has appeared in 57 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Sept. 21 in the interview Yaya DaCosta Joins Elite Society in Our Kind of People, in which Max Gao asks Ms. DaCosta if she knew much about the hair care industry prior to playing a character who works in that industry. She replies: Ive always been obsessed with hair. I went to a boarding school in Massachusetts, so I would have girls from around campus coming to my dorm room, and Id be doing their hair, and then Id do my hair and finish all of my homework in between. I still graduated cum laude, but I was known for this. So to play a character, finally, where I get to express myself and play with hair in the way that I do in real life is such fun. Daily Word Challenge Can you correctly use the term cum laude in a sentence? Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using todays Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the terms definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun. Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the Recommend button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you. If you want a better idea of how cum laude can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com. CANNES, France Last year at the Cannes Film Festival, there was one question on everybodys lips: Whats the next Parasite? You can see why people wondered, since that Bong Joon Ho film had used its Palme dOr win to jump-start a historic Oscar campaign. But if last years festival had an heir to Parasite, it proved to be a very unlikely one. Ryusuke Hamaguchis talky drama Drive My Car didnt win the Palme dOr (it settled for a best-screenplay honor) and wasnt anyones idea of the biggest contender coming out of Cannes. Still, after year-end critics groups went for it in a major way, Drive My Car picked up huge Oscar nominations for picture, directing and adapted screenplay in addition to one for best international film, the category it won. So as this years Cannes nears its end with no one film standing head and shoulders above the rest, I think that rather than searching for the next Parasite, it would be wiser to ask: Whats the next Drive My Car? In other words, which movie from this years Cannes crop could keep on building buzz and capitalize on the academys growing international user base to snag major Oscar nominations? I see three notable contenders. Foremost among them is Close, which is hotly tipped to pick up a major award at the fest on Saturday. Its the second feature from the Belgian director Lukas Dhont, and it follows two 13-year-old boys as their intense friendship begins to unravel. Some crucial reviews in Variety and IndieWire have been notably mixed, calling out one of the films melodramatic plot twists, but Oscar voters have never minded melodrama in fact, they often crave it, and the most ardent fans of Close consider it to be the four-hankie entry of the festival. A24 bought the film on the eve of its premiere, so expect a robust fall push. Many of us will think about hitting the beaches or relaxing in the parks this Memorial Day weekend. But in aging cities like New York, summer isnt all joy. Heat kills about 350 New Yorkers a year, and the risk is not shared equally. Black New Yorkers are more than twice as likely to die from heat as white residents, according to city data. I asked my colleague Anne Barnard to discuss inequalities that New Yorkers see every day without always realizing their impact. Life is unfolding in public spaces again as New York returns, somewhat fitfully, from the pandemic. Anyone is supposed to be able to take advantage of parks, public pools and libraries. But the facilities are not the same from neighborhood to neighborhood, are they? No. All last summer, New York Times reporters roamed the city to see how the differences affect peoples lives. What we learned points to who will suffer most in the heat this summer. Consider this: In Crotona Park East in the Bronx, 41 percent of residents fall below the federal poverty line, 24 percent of households lack air-conditioning and few have cars to reach beaches or forests. By contrast, in Carnegie Hill on the Upper East Side, one of the citys wealthiest, whitest sections, 96 percent of the households are air-conditioned. And so many residents there have the money and the flexibility to leave town in the summer that during the hottest weeks last year, some streets felt empty. Central Park is nearby, but many in Carnegie Hill werent around to take advantage of it. In the latest legal blow to Donald J. Trump, a federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit the former president filed that sought to halt the New York attorney generals civil investigation into his business practices. The ruling, in federal court in Albany, was Mr. Trumps second defeat related to the investigation in two days. On Thursday, an appellate court ordered Mr. Trump and two of his children to sit for questioning under oath from the office of the state attorney general, Letitia James. Together, the rulings clear the way for Ms. James to complete her investigation in the coming weeks or months. While Ms. James, a Democrat seeking re-election, does not have the authority to bring criminal charges against Mr. Trump or his familys real estate business, she can file a lawsuit if she concludes that they committed fraud. Last month, one of her lawyers indicated that a suit could be coming soon, saying that the office was preparing an enforcement action in the near future. President Bidens recent trip to Asia nearly went off without a hitch until Taiwan came up. Mr. Biden was asked whether the United States would respond militarily if China sought to retake the self-ruled island by force. Yes, he said. Thats the commitment we made. It was one of the most explicit U.S. defense guarantees for Taiwan in decades, appearing to depart from a longtime policy of strategic ambiguity. But its far from certain that the United States could hold off China. I have been involved in dozens of war games and tabletop exercises to see how a conflict would turn out. Simply put, the United States is outgunned. At the very least, a confrontation with China would be an enormous drain on the U.S. military without any assured outcome that America could repel all of Chinas forces. Mr. Bidens comments may be aimed at deterring a Chinese attack, and hopefully they will. After a decades-long military modernization, China has the worlds largest navy and the United States could throw far fewer ships into a Taiwan conflict. Chinas missile force is also thought to be capable of targeting ships at sea to neutralize the main U.S. tool of power projection, aircraft carriers. Jun Nie, the senior economist at the Kansas City Fed who gave me the data for the chart, said he prefers to use the monthly change data because the sample is more complete. He said the April 2022 count picks up about 70 percent of the people who were surveyed in March but only about 35 percent of the people who were surveyed in April 2021. Also, the monthly data allows you to zero in on recent conditions. More retirees might return to work if the Covid pandemic recedes or if the stock market decline continues to eat into their savings. But the longer people are retired, the harder it is to go back. People lose their contacts at work, they get used to the pace of retirement, and of course, they get older. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the labor force participation rate of Americans ages 55 to 64 was 65.4 percent in April, having recovered to just 0.1 percentage point below its level of February 2020. (Many of those returnees, especially the younger ones, never retired; they just werent working.) But the participation rate for people 65 and up, 18.9 percent in April, has not recovered at all from the pandemic and is actually 0.1 percentage point lower than in April 2020. Color the unretirement trend unimpressive. The readers write I am a baby boomer. Every time the United States has had astronomically high gas prices in my lifetime, every company in the supply chain has made tons of money. This recent episode is just a repeat. You can rationalize this increase any way you please. But people like me who are on a fixed income are suffering economically. What is happening is price gouging, and it is the ugly side of capitalism. Priscilla Rowe Eugene, Ore. Quote of the day Large organizations cannot be versatile. A large organization is effective through its mass rather than through its agility. Fleas can jump many times their own height, but not elephants. Peter Drucker, The Age of Discontinuity (1969) Have feedback? Send a note to coy-newsletter@nytimes.com. One of the many strange things about being an American citizen these days is that theres a whole lot of killing done in our name that our government deliberately keeps secret. Friends of mine, back from Iraq or Afghanistan, used to respond to people asking the inappropriate question veterans always get, Did you kill anyone? with the sharp-elbowed response, If I did, you paid me to do it a rough reminder of the link between the military and the citizens they represent. But back then, the actions of our military were much more visible. What does it mean to be a citizen of a state that kills for you but that doesnt tell you about it? Are you still responsible? When I was a public affairs officer in the Marine Corps from 2005 to 2009, back during the era of massive antiwar protests, an activist group taking out a full-page ad in The New York Times to attack the credibility of a U.S. general led to spirited debates about everything from the morality of the war to the wisdom of its strategy. The main efforts of the American military in this period were conducted in the open, and my job entailed courting journalists to embed with our units to see what they were doing. This relative openness meant the war provoked messy debate, political grandstanding, lies and hypocrisy and ill-informed analysis on cable news, and other byproducts of democracy. It also meant that the George W. Bush administration had to explain and defend its policies, which meant that I knew what we were supposed to be fighting for, what success was meant to look like, and why we were there. It meant political pressure brought to bear on U.S. policymaking to keep it tethered to the will of the American people. But the nature of war shifted, for political and military reasons. One way of describing the change is to look at the pace of American Special Operations. In the spring of 2004 the Joint Special Operations Command was conducting about six operations a month in Iraq. By the summer of 2006 it was doing 300. This didnt happen by sending the Navy SEALs to the gym to work on their run time, but by rehauling the whole process of finding targets, fixing them in place, finishing them, exploiting and analyzing the intelligence collected, and then disseminating that intelligence to the agencies and commands able to most rapidly act on it. It was this capability that former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates claimed in 2011 fused intelligence and operations in a way that just, I think, is unique in anybodys history. When Americans think about the killing we do overseas, we often think about the mechanism. A drone delivering a bomb strikes us as a bit creepy. A member of the Navy SEALs bursting into a bad guys compound strikes us as heroic. But the SEALs and the drone are just tools the flat head or Phillips head screwdriver at the end of the targeting system. And the initial parts of that system can be offered to other countries, like Ukraine, which do the killing themselves. (In a press briefing on May 5, the Pentagon press secretary, John Kirby, distanced the United States only slightly from the killing of Russian generals: We do not provide intelligence on the location of senior military leaders on the battlefield or participate in the targeting decisions of the Ukrainian military, he said, but he freely admitted we provide Ukraine with relevant intelligence.) Yet so much of our national dialogue these days urges a laser focus on notions of privilege, bias, inequity and vocabulary, and while most Americans want some kind of gun reform, most are less on board with the idea that we must revolutionize our attitudes on these other issues. A 2020 Pew Research survey found that in the U.S., only 40 percent say people should be careful what they say to avoid offending others vs. 57 percent who say people today are too easily offended by what others say. As I read that, more of us feel that guns are a pressing issue and political correctness is not. And yet our discourse frequently centers on that issue, only briefly focusing on guns in the immediate wake of tragedies. For those who think racism is still our main problem, we might even think of a reckoning on guns as a component of antiracist efforts, given the repeated instances of violence motivated by racism. Knowing this and knowing that legislative efforts at the national level went nowhere after shootings at Sandy Hook, Parkland, a Walmart in El Paso and outside a bar in Dayton, the reckoning now would not only have to be a renewed attempt to change gun laws, but also about confronting the fact that doing so appears impossible, and what this suggests about the very trajectory of the American experiment. My pessimism may seem unwarranted. After all, there was a time when it was reasonable to think little would ever really change on the civil rights front in America. Black citizens and others of good will had been demonstrating, making speeches and were thoroughly fed up long before the civil rights victories of the 1950s and 1960s, only to encounter resistance from a united cadre of nakedly racist members of Congress hostile to calls for integration. Senator Richard Russell Jr. a Georgia Democrat for whom the Russell Senate Office Building is named filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and earlier in his career responded to a challenger by stating: As one who was born and reared in the atmosphere of the old South, with six generations of my forebears now resting beneath Southern soil, I am willing to go as far and make as great a sacrifice to preserve and ensure white supremacy in the social, economic and political life of our state as any man who lives within her borders. Part of what turned the tide in the fight for civil rights was a combination of technology and shame. Television offered visual evidence of the barbarity of segregationist racism with a vividness hitherto unknown to many Americans. But that wont work this time. The instantly accessible moving image long ago lost its novelty, and most Republicans in Congress give no indication so far of being moved by the images from Uvalde or by the facts. As long as they maintain this posture, they have no more shame than the Dixiecrats of yore and our system has come to a point where those of us who do have shame, and want to vote for people who will do something about it, are thwarted. Republicans have no intention of letting Democrats pass even modest measures like strengthened background checks, and as long as the Democratic senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema refuse to amend the filibuster, Republicans retain a veto over national policy. Victims of our increasingly frequent mass shootings are collateral damage in a cold civil war, though some Democrats refuse to acknowledge it, let alone fight it. Fines words echoed Donald Trumps during the 2016 election, when he said that Second Amendment people might be able to stop a President Hillary Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices. What was once a barely concealed insinuation of violence has morphed, especially since Jan. 6, into an even more forthright menace. As ProPublica has reported, dozens of members of the Oath Keepers militia were arrested in connection with the attack on the Capitol, but that hasnt stopped the organization from evolving into a force within the Republican Party. In Shasta County, a conservative part of rural Northern California, a militia-aligned faction has secured a majority on the board of supervisors, in what members of the movement see as a blueprint that can be deployed nationally. Throughout the country, reported The New York Times, right-wing Republicans are talking more openly and frequently about the use of force as justifiable in opposition to those who dislodged him meaning Trump from power. Expecting those same Republicans to collaborate with Democrats on public safety is madness. The horrifying irony, the hideous ratchet, is that the more America is besieged by senseless violence, the more the paramilitary wing of the American right is strengthened. Gun sales tend to rise after mass shootings. Republicans responded to the massacre in Uvalde by doubling down on calls to arm teachers and harden schools. An article in The Federalist argued that parents must home-school so that kids can learn in a controlled environment where guns can be safely carried for self-defense or locked away when not in use. Its a vision of a society if you can call it that where every family is a fortress. Guns are now the leading cause of death for American children. Many conservatives consider this a price worth paying for their version of freedom. Our institutions give these conservatives disproportionate power whether or not they win elections. The filibuster renders the Senate largely impotent. Trump, a president who lost the popular vote, was able to appoint Supreme Court justices who are poised to help overturn a New York state law restricting the carrying of concealed weapons. Its increasingly hard to see a path to small-d democratic reform. When a male cockroach wants to mate with a female cockroach very much, he will scoot his butt toward her, open his wings and offer her a homemade meal sugars and fats squished out of his tergal gland. As the lovely lady nibbles, the male locks onto her with one penis while another penis delivers a sperm package. If everything goes smoothly, a roachs romp can last around 90 minutes. But increasingly, cockroach coitus is going really, weirdly wrong, and is contributing to roach populations in some places that are more difficult to vanquish with conventional pesticides. Back in 1993, scientists working at North Carolina State University discovered a trait in the German cockroach, a species that inhabits every continent except Antarctica. Specifically, these new cockroaches seemed to have no affection for a form of sugar called glucose, which was strange because as anyone who has ever battled against a cockroach infestation knows cockroaches normally cannot get enough of the sweet stuff. So, where did these new, health-conscious cockroaches come from? It seems we created them by accident, after decades of trying to kill their ancestors with sweet powders and liquids laced with poison. The cockroaches that craved sweets ate the poison and died, while cockroaches less keen on glucose avoided the death traps and survived long enough to breed, thus passing that trait down to the next cockroach generation. In the days leading up to the finale, the ovations grew longer and louder. Fans blew kisses, made heart shapes with their hands and screamed the hosts name. The outpouring signaled the end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, a daily hour of daytime escapism that had reached its peak in less contentious times, when Beyonce, Madonna, and Barack and Michelle Obama were happy to show off their goofiest dance moves side by side with the shows star before an audience of millions. When the program made its debut in 2003, it seemed unlikely to be a hit. Ellen DeGeneres had been in limbo five years at that point, ever since ABC had canceled her sitcom a year after her groundbreaking announcement that she was gay. On Thursday, at the start of the 3,339th and final episode of her talk show, she recalled what she had been through and how much times had changed. When we started this show, I couldnt say gay, Ms. DeGeneres said. I said it at home a lot. What are we having for our gay breakfast? Or, Pass the gay salt. After mentioning that she also couldnt say the word wife in the time before gay marriage was legal, the camera turned to the audience to capture Ms. DeGeneress spouse, the actress Portia de Rossi, before returning to the host. Every day, Bryce and I talked about our families (we each have a younger brother, and our fathers are both doctors), whether we wanted children in the future (yes), and our experiences growing up as Asian Americans (my family is from Korea; his is from Vietnam and the Philippines). He was the only Asian student in his Appalachian school, while I saw people who looked like me almost everywhere I went in Jersey. He also warned me that he was 5 5, which I (at 5 4) said didnt matter at all. But more than anything, we would talk about what we wanted to do once we were back in the city. Have you ever had dim sum? he said. Only once, I said, embarrassed by my lack of culinary exposure. OK, we have to go to Jing Fong in Chinatown. Their banquet hall is huge you have to see it. I kept a To Do list of our future in-person adventures: dim sum at Jing Fong, stroll through Central Park, tour N.Y.U./Washington Square Park area, cook Korean food together, first hug!!!! After so much anticipation and waiting, here we finally were, in person, checking first hug!!!! off the list. Despite my never having been in his presence, his embrace felt comforting and familiar, and I thanked God that he smelled like some sort of fancy cologne and not Axe body spray. Along with the start of a new semester, September 2020 marked the official beginning of our relationship. The euphoria of our first meeting, however, was short lived. The city was not quite how we remembered it. There were some minor differences that were immediately noticeable, like how the downtown A train was much less crowded. Or how the dim sum at Jing Fong came in plastic takeout containers instead of bamboo steamer baskets. And how you no longer had to squeeze through a sea of people on the narrow sidewalks of Chinatown. Warren Braxton Luckett was working as a wholesale wine distributor when he first encountered Karinn Andrea Chavarria in April 2016, at the Menu of Menus culinary event held at Silver Street Studios in Houston. I should have been focused on promoting my wines, but this amazing woman had an aura about her, Mr. Luckett, 37, said. After introducing himself, he learned that she was in a relationship, so I planted my seed by giving her my business card and my most charming smile, he said. Before parting ways, the two, who were living in Houston, also connected on social media. Seven months later, Ms. Chavarria, 33, popped up on Mr. Lucketts Instagram feed and he reached out to invite her to an event. Though she obliged, Ms. Chavarria was still with her then boyfriend and Mr. Lucketts interest eventually fizzled. A Florida teenager taking a biology class at a community college got an upsetting note this year. A start-up called Honorlock had flagged her as acting suspiciously during an exam in February. She was, she said in an email to The New York Times, a Black woman who had been wrongfully accused of academic dishonesty by an algorithm. What happened, however, was more complicated than a simple algorithmic mistake. It involved several humans, academic bureaucracy and an automated facial detection tool from Amazon called Rekognition. Despite extensive data collection, including a recording of the girl, 17, and her screen while she took the test, the accusation of cheating was ultimately a human judgment call: Did looking away from the screen mean she was cheating? The pandemic was a boom time for companies that remotely monitor test takers, as it became a public health hazard to gather a large group in a room. Suddenly, millions of people were forced to take bar exams, tests and quizzes alone at home on their laptops. To prevent the temptation to cheat, and catch those who did, remote proctoring companies offered web browser extensions that detect keystrokes and cursor movements, collect audio from a computers microphone, and record the screen and the feed from a computers camera, bringing surveillance methods used by law enforcement, employers and domestic abusers into an academic setting. Honorlock, based in Boca Raton, Fla., was founded by a couple of business school graduates who were frustrated by classmates they believed were gaming tests. The start-up administered nine million exams in 2021, charging about $5 per test or $10 per student to cover all the tests in the course. Honorlock has raised $40 million from investors, the vast majority of it since the pandemic began. RICHARDSON, Texas Heather Biddle, the theater director at J.J. Pearce High School here, wanted to put on a production of Cats for so long it became something of a comedy bit. Back in August 2020, following months of the pandemic shutdown and facing a year of remote learning, her students made commemorative T-shirts that read At least we didnt do Cats. That all changed this month, when Biddle finally got her wish. Though several high-profile speakers have dropped out, including Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, several major political figures will attend the National Rifle Associations annual convention in Houston after the massacre in Uvalde, Texas. The most high-profile event of the three-day conference will begin at 2 p.m. Central on Friday. Scheduled speakers include former President Donald J. Trump, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota and Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson of North Carolina. It will also feature two top N.R.A. officials: Jason Ouimet, the executive director of the N.R.A.s Institute for Legislative Action, and Wayne LaPierre, the N.R.A. vice president. On Thursday, Gov. Abbott canceled plans to attend and will instead address the conference in prerecorded remarks while he returns to Uvalde. Senator John Cornyn of Texas pulled out because he has to be in Washington for personal reasons, his office told Politico. Representative Dan Crenshaw of Texas told Fox News he canceled his appearance because he would not be back from a visit to Ukraine in time. Dan Patrick, the lieutenant governor of Texas, backed out of his speech at a breakfast on Friday because I would not want my appearance today to bring any additional pain or grief to the families and all those suffering in Uvalde, he said in a statement. A musical performance scheduled for Saturday that was to feature several country music stars was in doubt after most of the artists backed out. Don McLean, Larry Gatlin and Larry Stewart withdrew on Thursday, followed by Lee Greenwood and T. Graham Brown. Mr. Greenwood said in a statement that he canceled his appearance out of respect for those mourning the loss of those innocent children and teachers in Uvalde. The N.R.A. said its deepest sympathies are with the families and victims involved in this horrific and evil crime and blamed it on a lone, deranged criminal. WASHINGTON In the sprawling distances of South Texas, sheriffs deputies, local and county police officers, Texas Rangers and Highway Patrol troopers, U.S. Border Patrol agents, immigration officers and other members of law enforcement work together on a daily basis. Along the more than 1,200 miles of border between Mexico and Texas, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies respond to one anothers calls for backup and regularly conduct joint operations. So it was not unusual that agents with Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement responded to the desperate request for backup from the Uvalde Police Department on Tuesday. It was highly unusual, however, for ICE officers to be pulling children out of school windows, and for Border Patrol agents to play such a central role in response to a school shooter, firing the bullets that killed him. The Uvalde police asked for tactical equipment when they called for backup, and members of the Border Patrol Tactical Unit, the agencys version of a SWAT team, dropped what they were doing and went to the school, about a 40-minute drive from where they had been working on the southwest border. Five people were killed and two others injured when a house exploded on Thursday night in a borough about 40 miles north of Philadelphia, the authorities said. The police and fire officials in Pottstown, Pa., were dispatched to the site just after 8 p.m., Justin M. Keller, the Pottstown borough manager, told reporters during a news conference on Thursday night. They found multiple victims needing medical care, he said. The authorities initially confirmed four fatalities and two people hospitalized with injuries, but the death toll grew to five on Friday, Mr. Keller said at a second news conference. One of the injured people was in critical but stable condition on Friday afternoon, and the other was undergoing surgery for unknown injuries at a hospital, he said. UVALDE, Texas Furtively, speaking in a whisper, a fourth-grade girl dialed the police. Around her, in Room 112 at Robb Elementary School, were the motionless bodies of her classmates and scores of spent bullet casings fired by a gunman who had already been inside the school for half an hour. She whispered to a 911 operator, just after noon, that she was in the classroom with the gunman. She called back again. And again. Please send the police now, she begged. But they were already there, waiting in a school hallway just outside. And they had been there for more than an hour. The police officers held off as they listened to sporadic gunfire from behind the door, ordered by the commander at the scene not to rush the pair of connected classrooms where the gunman had locked himself inside and begun shooting shortly after 11:30 a.m. It was the wrong decision, period, the director of the state police, Steven C. McCraw, said on Friday after reading from the transcripts of childrens calls to 911 and from a timeline of the police inaction during nearly 90 minutes of horror at the elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. After days of shifting explanations and conflicting accounts, the disclosures answered many of the basic questions about how the massacre had taken place. But they raised the even more painful possibility that had the police done more, and faster, not all of those who died 19 children and two teachers would have lost their lives. The frank and sudden revelation by Mr. McCraw that a police commander decided not to go inside the classroom even as the gunman continued shooting brought forth an eruption of shouts and emotional questioning. At times, Mr. McCraw struggled to be heard. At others, he appeared overcome, his voice breaking. Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, who earlier in the week had said the police showed amazing courage by running toward gunfire, said on Friday at a news conference in Uvalde that he had been misled about the events and the police response, adding that he was absolutely livid. Mr. Abbott, who hours earlier abandoned plans to appear at a National Rifle Association convention in Houston, told reporters that state lawmakers would review the tragedy and determine what went wrong. Do we expect laws to come out of this devastating crime? The answer is yes, he said. To the children inside Robb Elementary School, Tuesday began as a day of celebrations and special treats movies in classrooms, photos with family in front of a glittery curtain and award ceremonies for students finishing their year in two days, as relatives proudly gripped their hands as they walked down the hallways. Gemma Lopez had gym class that morning, and an awards ceremony. She watched The Jungle Cruise with her fourth-grade classmates in Room 108. Some of the students finished up work, others played around, doing whatever we do, as she put it. Then she heard loud popping in the distance, like firecrackers. She realized something was wrong because she saw police outside the classroom window. And the popping grew louder. Everyone was scared and everything, and I told them to be quiet, Gemma, 10, said. One of her classmates thought it might be a prank and laughed. Gemma said she had hushed her. They had done drills for this. She turned out the classroom lights, as she had been taught to do. I heard a lot more of the gunshots, and then I was crying a little bit, she said, and my best friend Sophie was also crying right next to me. The 18-year-old gunman, who crashed his grandmothers pickup truck at 11:28 a.m. in a ditch by the school, began by firing outside more than 20 times, first at bystanders and then at classroom windows. A Uvalde school district police officer arrived at the scene but did not see the gunman and drove past him. Minutes later, the gunman was inside, pulling open a side door that should have been locked but had been propped open by a teacher who had gone outside to retrieve her cellphone. Jasmine Carrillo, 29, was working in the cafeteria with about 40 second-graders and two teachers when the attack began. The lights dimmed part of a schoolwide lockdown that had gone into effect. Once he entered the fourth-grade building, Ms. Carrillo said, the shooter banged and kicked on the door of her 10-year-old son Marios classroom, demanding to be let in. But he could not open the locked door. Instead, he moved to others. In the connected classrooms, Room 111 and Room 112, a pair of teachers, Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia, had also been showing a movie, Lilo & Stitch, as the students finished up their lessons. One of the teachers moved to close the door and seal the classroom from the hallway. But the gunman was already there. Miah Cerrillo, 11, watched as her teacher backed into the classroom, and the gunman followed. He shot one teacher first, and then the other. She said he shot many students in her classroom, and then went to the adjoining one and opened fire, said her grandfather, Jose Veloz, 71, relaying the girls account. Then he began shooting wildly. The terrifying echo of at least 100 gunshots rattled through the school as children in the classrooms and both of the teachers there were shot and fell to the ground. It was 11:33 a.m. Not all of the children inside were killed in that horrifying moment. Several survived and huddled in fear next to their limp friends. One of the children fell on Miahs chest as she lay on the ground, her grandfather said. Terrified he would return to her classroom, Miah said, she took the blood of a classmate who fell dead and rubbed it all over herself. Then she played dead herself. Two minutes after the gunman first entered the pair of classrooms, several police officers from the Uvalde Police Department rushed into the school. A pair of officers approached the locked door to the classrooms as gunfire could be heard inside. The two were struck graze wounds, as their injuries would later be described as bullets pierced the door and hit them in the hallway. Minutes passed. Miah heard the gunman go into the room next door and put on really sad music, as she described it to her family. Inside the room, the gunman fired 16 more shots. More officers arrived outside. By noon, there were 19 officers from different agencies in the hallways, and many more outside the school. By 12:10 p.m., one of the students phoning 911 reported that eight or nine students were still alive, Mr. McCraw said. Parents gathered near the grounds and around Uvalde, a close-knit community of 15,000 west of San Antonio, searching desperately for any word of their children inside, increasingly distraught at the silence of texts sent and not replied to. I prayed with four ladies that everything would be all right, said Lupe Leija, 50, whose 8-year-old son, Samuel, was inside. In the midst of the pandemonium, his wife, Claudia, sent their childs teacher a text: Kids OK? In less than a minute, she got the response that she wanted: Yes, we are. Other parents were increasingly angry, urging the officers who appeared to be milling about to end the shooting that they could plainly see and hear was still going on. But the commander at the scene, Chief Pete Arredondo of the Uvalde school district police department, determined that the nature of the situation did not call for officers to rush in, as active shooter trainings have prescribed for decades, since the massacre at Columbine High School in 1999. Mr. McCraw said the commander had determined that the gunman was no longer an active shooter, but a barricaded suspect that we had time, there was no kids at risk, he said. The commander ordered up shields and other specialized tactical gear to enter the room. Through the long, excruciating minutes, they waited for it. They were there without proper equipment, said Javier Cazares, who arrived in anguish at the elementary school, panicked for his daughter, Jackie Cazares, who was trapped inside. He watched as the shields were brought in slowly and not at the same time. One guy came in with one and minutes later, another one came in, he said. Chief Arredondo did not respond to requests for comment on Friday. By 12:15 p.m., specialized officers from the Border Patrol arrived at the school after driving about 40 minutes from where they had been stationed near the border with Mexico. The federal agents arrived to a scene of chaos people pulling children out of windows while the local police, carrying only handguns and a few rifles, were trying to secure a perimeter. The specially trained agents did not understand why they were left to wait, a law enforcement official said. At 12:19 p.m., another girl called from Room 111, but quickly hung up when another student told her to. Two minutes later, there was another call, and three shots could be heard. More time passed. Another call came to 911 from one of the two girls at 12:47 p.m. By then, the children had been trapped with the gunman for over an hour. The girl in Room 112 implored: Please send the police now, according to the transcript read by Mr. McCraw. A few minutes later, at around 12:50 p.m., the specially trained officers from the Border Patrol opened the locked door with keys from a school janitor and burst into the room, firing 27 times inside the classroom, and killing the gunman. Another eight spent cartridges were found in the hallway, fired by law enforcement. During the course of the massacre, the gunman fired 142 times, Mr. McCraw said, using an AR-15-style rifle, one of two he had purchased several days earlier with a debit card, just after his 18th birthday. Jackie, who always wanted to be the center of attention, the little diva to her family, died in the shooting, alongside her classmate and cousin, Annabelle Rodriguez, a quiet, honor-roll student. Miah, the 11-year-old whose classmate died beside her, survived, as did both of the children who had quietly called 911. But Miahs family has been unable to hug her because of the bullet fragments embedded in her back and in the back of her head, said an aunt, Kimberly Veloz. She still needs to see a specialist in San Antonio to remove them, but she does not want to leave the house, she said. She still thinks hes going to come and get her, Ms. Veloz said. We told her that hes dead. But she does not understand. Mario, the 10-year-old whose mother was working in the cafeteria, has refused to eat since Tuesday and is unable to sleep at night. The academic year in Uvalde is over now, but Marios mother, Ms. Carrillo, said her son, afraid of another attack, does not want to go back to school. She has had to be honest with him, that the friends he made at Robb Elementary, his friend Jose Flores, the schoolmates he expected to see again in the fall, were all gone. They are with God now, she told him. Frances Robles , Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Serge F. Kovaleski contributed reporting. Susan C. Beachy Kirsten Noyes and Jack Begg contributed research. ATLANTA As many as 50 witnesses are expected to be subpoenaed by a special grand jury that will begin hearing testimony next week in the criminal investigation into whether former President Donald J. Trump and his allies violated Georgia laws in their efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The process, which is set to begin on Wednesday, is likely to last weeks, bringing dozens of subpoenaed witnesses, both well-known and obscure, into a downtown Atlanta courthouse bustling with extra security because of threats directed at the staff of the Fulton County district attorney, Fani T. Willis. Ms. Willis, a Democrat, has said in the past that Mr. Trump created a threatening atmosphere with his open criticism of the investigation. At a rally in January, he described the Georgia investigation and others focusing on him as prosecutorial misconduct at the highest level that was being conducted by vicious, horrible people. Ms. Willis has had staffers on the case outfitted with bulletproof vests. One of the most extraordinary moments of Donald J. Trumps presidency was an hourlong meeting with U.S. senators in the aftermath of the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., in which he forcefully argued for a litany of gun safety measures that the National Rifle Association had long opposed. Mr. Trumps support for gun control measures which he unrolled on live television from the White House on Feb. 28, 2018 astonished lawmakers from both parties. But the next day, N.R.A. officials met with Mr. Trump without any cameras or reporters in the room, and he immediately backed down. That apparent surrender to N.R.A. pressure came to sum up Mr. Trumps record on gun control in the eyes of his critics. Unbeknownst to the public, however, Mr. Trump again pushed inside the White House for significant new gun-control measures more than a year later, after a pair of gruesome shooting sprees that unfolded over 13 hours. Those discussions have not previously been reported. On Aug. 3, 2019, a far-right gunman killed 23 people at a Walmart store in El Paso. Early the next morning, a man shot and killed nine people outside a bar in Dayton, Ohio. Both assailants used semiautomatic rifles. At the White House the next day, Mr. Trump was so shaken by the weekends violence that he questioned aides about a specific potential solution and made clear he wanted to take action, according to three people present during the conversation. What are we going to do about assault rifles? Mr. Trump asked. Not a damn thing, Mick Mulvaney, his acting chief of staff, replied. Why? Trump demanded. Because, Mr. Mulvaney told him, you would lose. Mr. Trump never pursued an assault weapons ban, though he had called for one in his 2000 book, The America We Deserve in which he also criticized Republicans for opposing even limited gun restrictions. Mr. Trump was scheduled to face the N.R.A. again on Friday in Houston, where hell address the gun groups annual conference. The event is taking place days after a gunman killed 19 children and two adults at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. America needs real solutions and real leadership in this moment, not politicians and partisanship, Mr. Trump said in a social media post this week after the school massacre, explaining his decision to speak at the event. Other scheduled speakers, including Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, have opted to skip the meeting. Mr. Trumps repeated interest in pushing for gun control as president flew in the face of his public image as an absolutist on Second Amendment issues who fiercely guarded his standing with the N.R.A. On the campaign trail in 2016, he promised to abolish gun-free schools on his first day in office and claimed that he sometimes carried a concealed weapon. I feel much better being armed, he said on CBSs Face the Nation during the Republican primary. Seeking re-election in 2020, Mr. Trump told voters that he had saved the Second Amendment. But the reality was more complicated. After both the Florida school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 and again in the summer of 2019, Mr. Trump publicly pushed for more background checks before gun purchases and talked about raising the age requirement to buy guns to 21 from 18. The gunman who carried out the Uvalde massacre was 18, as was the man accused of killing 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo on May 14. We have tremendous support for really common-sense, sensible, important background checks, Mr. Trump told reporters in August 2019. Mr. Trump entered office in 2017 largely unencumbered by his partys orthodoxy, or by any particular political ideology, relying mostly on his own instincts. He carried no scars from the battlefield of intellectual conservatism, where debates over the merit of supply-side tax cuts, health-care policy and gun rights had shaped a generation of Republicans. Hed been a registered Democrat and a Republican and donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to candidates in both parties. For issues beyond trade and immigration, Mr. Trumps initial reaction was often to side with public opinion polls and support ideas that no other recent Republican president would have considered. That often occurred on gun issues. And it often fell to Mr. Trumps aides in the administration, including Vice President Mike Pence, to pull him back into positions where Republicans were most comfortable. According to people familiar with the conversations, Mr. Pence was particularly influential in speaking with Mr. Trump after the shootings in 2018 and 2019. He has those Democrat talking points in his head, one White House policy adviser said of Mr. Trump, because he lived in New York forever. On Second Amendment issues, Mr. Trumps team often wore him down by burying him in the technical details of gun policy. Indeed, in the August 2019 conversation, when Mr. Trump suggested he wanted to find a way to ban assault weapons, Mr. Mulvaney asked how he defined them, according to the people in the room. Commonly, the term refers to a class of weapons including the AR-15 semiautomatic rifles regularly used in mass shootings. Well, its the military weapons, Mr. Trump responded. Legally, AR-15s are civilian versions of a military weapon that has been heavily regulated since the 1930s. Mr. President, Mr. Mulvaney shot back, military assault weapons are already against the law. The president abandoned the idea. TIVAOUANE, Senegal The baby boy did not yet have a name. He was only a day old on Wednesday when a fire broke out in the neonatal section of the hospital where he was born, in the holy city of Tivaouane in central Senegal. He was on the maternity wards third floor; his mother, still recovering from a caesarian, was on the first and had not seen him since. Eleven newborn babies died in the fire, devastating their families and shocking the West African nation, which has faced a series of deadly incidents in maternity wards in recent years. Relatives of the newborn boy had flocked to the hospital to celebrate his arrival. When the fire started at about 9 p.m. on Wednesday, his aunt, Mame Anta Gueye, had been praying in the hospital compound. We were here, Ms. Gueye said on Thursday, sitting with relatives near the ward where her nephew had died, and where her sister was mourning. And we couldnt do anything. The news was given prime placement in Chinese state media: The United Nations human rights chief, on her long-awaited visit to the country, had spoken with Chinas leader, Xi Jinping. An article plastered across the website of Xinhua, the state news agency, relayed Mr. Xis declaration that the Chinese people were enjoying unprecedented rights. Then the article quoted the U.N. official, Michelle Bachelet. I admire Chinas efforts and achievements in eradicating poverty, protecting human rights and realizing economic and social development, she said, according to Xinhua. But within hours, Ms. Bachelets office issued a rebuttal. It pointed to her actual opening remarks, which made no mention of admiring Chinas record on rights. It was a stark illustration of the narrative battle over the visit by Ms. Bachelet, the first U.N. high commissioner for human rights to visit China since 2005. When Ms. Bachelet first proposed visiting, she described it as a chance to independently examine Chinas rights landscape, especially in the far western Xinjiang region, where scholars and human rights groups say one million or more Uyghurs, Kazakhs and members of other predominantly Muslim groups have been held in indoctrination camps. The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. Sign up to get it by email. Eight years ago, Xi Jinping visited Fiji, offering Pacific Island nations a ride on Chinas express train of development. Now, Chinas foreign minister, Wang Yi, is traveling through the region including a stop in Fiji next week and a lot has changed. Infrastructure and industry built by China can be found in many capital cities. New Chinese embassies in Fiji and elsewhere point to diplomatic ambition, while a controversial security deal with the Solomon Islands has opened up the possibility of Chinese security forces and naval vessels using, as an outpost for force projection across the region, the country where John F. Kennedy fought in World War II. Australia and the United States, along with officials in some Pacific Island nations, are increasingly concerned about Beijings efforts to gain influence and access to countries that have long played an important geostrategic role. What was once a slow-burning worry in Washington and Canberra has become more like a blaze of alarm. Indeed, Penny Wong, Australias newly appointed foreign minister, flew straight to Fiji this week from the Quad meeting in Tokyo where American, Japanese, Indian and Australian leaders met to discuss how to contain China. In just her fourth day in office, she told Pacific leaders that their region would be a priority, along with their issues of concern especially climate change. ROME Italian bishops said on Friday that they would carry out a long-demanded investigation into clerical sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable persons, but victims and their advocates immediately said the plan fell short of what was needed. Seeking to address the concerns about the revelations of abuse that have devastated the church worldwide, the bishops announced that they would commission a report examining cases from 2020-21, to be published in November, as well as a second report that would analyze how clerical abuse had been handled in Italy in the past two decades. We dont want to evade, Matteo Zuppi, the newly elected president of the Italian Bishops Conference, told reporters. Well take the beating we have to take. Even though Rome is home to the Vatican, the seat of the church, the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Italy have been far behind their counterparts elsewhere in examining their record in handling abuse. Sexuality was just as fluid and complex in the camps as in the outside world. Some female prisoners, like Ms. Heuman, knew they were attracted to women before their deportation; others discovered their sexuality once they were imprisoned. Others bartered with their female guards sex for food or safety, or sought intimacy with fellow prisoners though neither partner identified as gay. Nonetheless, Dr. Hajkova said, homophobia was rampant in the camps, despite the progressive culture of Weimar Germany and the nascent prewar movement across Eastern Europe to decriminalize homosexuality, which had been cut short by the rise of the Nazis. But Ms. Heuman and Dita, as Ms. Heuman recalled, were called out only once, when a group of fellow prisoners, seeing them cuddle, sneered, Thats not natural! Ditas aunt, who was interned with them, brushed the slur away. Theyre only children, she said. Margot Cecile Heumann was born on Feb. 17, 1928, in Hellenthal, Germany. (She dropped the final n from her name, pronounced HOY-man, when she became an American citizen in 1952.) Her father owned a dry goods store; her mother, Johanna (Falkenstein) Heumann, was a homemaker. After Bergen-Belsen, the site of Dita and Margots final internment, was liberated in April 1945, Dita was sent to England and the Swedish Red Cross brought Margot to Stockholm, where she was cared for by a schoolteacher who had volunteered to take her in. Margot weighed only 76 pounds and was nearly dead from starvation and typhus; the schoolteacher sent her to summer camp and private schools and, Ms. Heuman said, nurtured her like a mother. She loved Stockholm and her new life. But in 1947, at the urging of her mothers brother, who wanted to gather what remained of his family, she moved to New York City. DONETSK REGION, Ukraine The ground below the Ukrainian positions was scorched black, burned by flares dropped from Russian jets. The green wheat fields beyond were pockmarked with craters gouged out of the earth by Russian artillery strikes. This was such a beautiful scene, the unit commander said, looking out across the rolling countryside Friday morning, and they ruined it, the swine. The commander, who asked to be identified only by his code name, Kandalaksha, leads a volunteer unit camped out in the hills of eastern Ukraine. For two months the unit has been holding part of the line south of the city of Izium, blocking a Russian offensive to encircle and seize the eastern Donbas region. Kandalaksha is something of an anomaly. He is from Russia, and describes himself as a political refugee. An opponent of President Vladimir V. Putins government, he left his homeland in 2014 when Moscow annexed Crimea and began supporting a separatist war in the eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk. LVIV, Ukraine The instructor held his hand above his head, revealing a tiny, wavy green piece of plastic nestled in his palm. See this? Some civilians told me they saw these on either side of the humanitarian corridor they were walking down. They looked to them like leaves, said Serhii Romaniuk, the teacher, explaining that the green plastic leaf in his hand was actually a deactivated land mine. It was called a safe corridor, but that was a lie. It was mined on either side. His voice boomed across the dark subterranean room a school cellar arranged like a military bunker, plastered with posters about different weapons and tires for exercise drills. Listening attentively were a handful of muscular young volunteers from a local defense force, who crammed themselves into the circle of wooden school desks. Sitting among them also were civilians: young boys, women, and older men. A drone strike this week targeted a highly sensitive military site outside Tehran where Iran develops missile, nuclear and drone technology, according to three Iranians with knowledge of the attack and to a U.S. official. The strike on Wednesday evening hit the site of the Parchin military complex, about 37 miles southeast of the capital, with quadcopter suicide drones, according to the Iranian sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly. The drones exploded into a building used by the Ministry of Defense for research on drone development, killing a young engineer who worked at the ministry and injuring another person, they said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the attack fit a pattern of past Israeli strikes on Iran and Lebanon in a covert campaign of hostility that has been going on for years. A statement from Irans Ministry of Defense indicated that it viewed this as an attack, not an accident. Israeli officials refused to comment. A U.S. official confirmed that suicide drones had attacked Parchin but did not say who was behind it or offer any further details. Iraqs parliament passed sweeping legislation this week that would broaden the crime of normalizing ties with Israel, in a rare show of solidarity amid an eight-month political deadlock. The legislation, passed on Thursday, goes further than a similar law dating back to 1969 by setting out much wider definitions for acts that would be considered a violation. Both the old law and the new make this a crime potentially punishable by death. The law makes Iraq an outlier in the Arab world, where a growing number of countries have signed on to a campaign driven by the United Arab Emirates to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. Iraq cites support for Muslims and opposition to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories as its rationale for refusing to forge ties with Israel. Normally, according to Iraqs constitution, the law must be signed by the president. But if he fails to do so, it would nonetheless take effect within 15 days. While most experts agree that you should use sunscreen year-round to prevent damage from the sun, harmful ultraviolet rays are strongest during late spring and early summer. Weve partnered with health reporters from Wirecutter, The New York Times site that reviews and recommends products (and publishes annual ratings of sunscreens for the face and body), to answer some of the most common questions readers have about sunscreen, including how safe and effective it is, how to use it properly, and how to pick the right one for you. Should I be concerned about cancer-causing ingredients in sunscreen? On July 14, Johnson & Johnson issued a voluntary recall of certain Neutrogena and Aveeno sunscreen sprays after internal testing detected low levels of benzene, a colorless chemical that can cause certain cancers, in those products. This followed a May report from Valisure, an advocacy-focused online pharmacy, which identified benzene in excess of federal limits in dozens of batches of sunscreens including in many of the recalled Neutrogena aerosol sprays and after-sun skin care products it tested. Its unclear how benzene, which Johnson & Johnson said is not used in its manufacturing processes, may have found its way into the sunscreens. The company said it is investigating potential sources. It also said in a news release that using the recalled sunscreens would not be expected to cause adverse health consequences, though the company has asked consumers to stop using them. In a news conference Friday, Steven McCraw, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, offered a more detailed timeline of events during the shooting Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde that left 19 students and two teachers dead. Fires shots at people in this area. Robb Elementary School Gunman crashes truck. Area shown below Families gather on surrounding streets while gunman is inside. Some are restrained by police. GERALDINE ST. OLD CARRIZO RD. Enters the school through this door. Gunman fires into school from outside. Shoots students and teachers in two connected fourth-grade classrooms. Cafeteria Robb Elementary School Families gather on surrounding streets while gunman is inside. Some are restrained by police. GERALDINE ST. OLD CARRIZO RD. Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home Enters school through this door. Fires shots at people in this area. Bus drop-off/ pickup area Parent drop-off/ pickup area Fires into school from parking lot. Shoots students and teachers in two connected fourth-grade classrooms. Gunman crashes truck. Cafeteria Robb Elementary School Families gather on surrounding streets while gunman is inside. Some are restrained by police. GERALDINE ST. OLD CARRIZO RD. Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home Enters school through this door. Fires shots at people in this area. Bus drop-off/ pickup area Parent drop-off/ pickup area Fires into school from parking lot. Shoots students and teachers in two connected fourth-grade classrooms. Gunman crashes truck. Cafeteria Robb Elementary School Sources: Video footage, the local police and a former student familiar with the layout of the school Satellite image by Google By The New York Times In the updated sequence of events, the police sought to explain an hour-long gap during which law enforcement officials entered the school, but did not engage the gunman. Mr. McCraw also revised facts about the shooting previously stated by other officials. What follows is the timeline he laid out, including his account of several 911 calls that were made. The gunman crashed a truck near Robb Elementary School, then approached the school on foot. Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The New York Times At the same time, two men at the funeral home across the street hear the truck crash. They run toward the truck and see the suspect, Salvador Ramos, exit with a gun and a backpack. The men flee, and the gunman fires at them but misses. One of them falls while running, but both make it back to the funeral home. The gunman travels on foot toward the school. The teacher appears on video inside the school, now talking on a phone, apparently to 911. The gunman jumped over a chain-link fence and entered through the back door on this side of the school. Jordan Vonderhaar/Getty Images YAI Seeks Partner for Central Park Challenge Wed., Jun. 1, 2022 YAI, the New York nonprofit group that provides services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, is looking for a partner to help it maximize the return from its annual Central Park Challenge, its biggest event of the year. The number of Ukrainians living in Offaly since the Russian invasion in February has been revealed in new CSO data. The data reveals that there have been 33,151 arrivals from Ukraine since February based on the number of Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSNs) issued to individuals from Ukraine under the Temporary Protection Directive. Women aged 20 and over account for 48% of arrivals to date, while individuals aged 0-19 (both male and female) account for 38%. The highest percentage of those arriving (43% or 14,271 individuals) were categorised as 'One parent with children' under the broad relationship classification headings used. Most men have stayed in Ukraine. The Local Electoral Area (LEA) which had the highest number of associated arrivals from Ukraine was North Inner City in Dublin with 1,156 individuals. 333 Ukrainians are now living in Offaly with the vast majority (256) resident in Tullamore hotels and B&Bs. 42 Ukrainians are living in Edenderry with Birr hosting 35 people fleeing the war. The statistician responsible for the data said: Commenting on the release, Karola Graupner, Statistician, said: This release is based on administrative data up to 22 May 2022. It is the first publication by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) providing insights into Irelands response to the Ukrainian crisis. "Based on the local post office address as per the process through which refugees were seeking assistance from the Department, we also show two maps in this release based on mapping 29,718 individuals, or 90% of arrivals, to a local post office. "The first map is a count of arrivals by Local Electoral Area (LEA), and the second is the rate of arrivals by LEA (per 100 of the Census 2016 population). Using the local post office address as a proxy for place of residence, arrivals from Ukraine are present in all LEAs and North Inner City in Dublin had the highest number of associated arrivals from Ukraine at 1,156. "Our analysis also shows that the rate per 100 of the population ranges across all LEAs in the country from 0.03% to 6.81%. The LEA with the highest rate is Ennistymon in Clare while the LEA of Drogheda Rural in Louth had the lowest rate in the country." An Irish trade union is calling for an economy-wide working time review. Forsa made the call today (Friday May 27) after passing a motion calling for reduced working time, more remote working and other flexible arrangements at a conference this week. The union also wants to see work-time flexibility for workers approaching retirement due to increased life expectancy and other demographic trends. According to Forsa's national secretary, Eamonn Donnelly, modern society requires a different approach to the way we work. He said, "Reduced working time can be an important mechanism for maintaining employment as new technologies replace or change traditional jobs. "It would share the benefits of improved productivity that flow from automation and other technological developments, while also helping to address challenges like the climate crisis, increasing caring demands, and demographic shifts including longer life expectancy." He said the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the benefits of a better work-life balance, which many people experienced for the first time as remote workers. He continued: "People were spending more time with their families. They were able to move away from high-rent pressure zones. Commuting times reduced significantly, contributing to a better environment. "We cannot lose these positive changes moving forward and must prioritise them in any review of working practices moving forward." The Star Wars Celebration is a fan gathering to celebrate the Star Wars franchise. It began in 1999, when Lucasfilm held the Star Wars Celebration in Denver, Colorado to celebrate the upcoming release of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. Subsequent events have taken place to welcome forthcoming movies, as well as honoring the 30th and 40th anniversaries of the release of the original film. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Liverpool fans are travelling from Melbourne to Paris desperate to see the Reds make up for their EPL title disappointment by winning the Champions League. Paul Vautin raged when the referee marched Jordan Riki to the sin bin for a high shot, arguing it was a minor incident Woman warrior Aguil Chut Deng, who fled to Toowoomba, is to be buried in South Sudans Heroes Cemetery at the presidents behest, but her family is yet to fully learn the extent of her work in both Africa and Australia. Novak Djokovic has expressed his joy about the release of refugees who had been staying in the same Melbourne detention centre as the world No.1 famously did in January. Vice President Naidu holds talks with Senegalese President, three MoUs inked 03 Jun 2022 | 1:17 AM Dakar/New Delhi, Jun 2 (UNI) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is visiting Senegal, held talks with Senegalese President Macky Sall, during which both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, health, defence and railways among other things. see more.. India brushes off criticism over purchase of Russian oil 03 Jun 2022 | 12:36 AM New Delhi, June 2 (UNI) India on Thursday bluntly stated that the issue of purchase of crude oil from Russia is not an India related issue at all as its approach is guided by the nations energy security requirements, similar to that of "many other regions and countries" - pointing to the West. see more.. Looking forward to next round of commanders meeting with China: India 03 Jun 2022 | 12:16 AM New Delhi, June 2 (UNI) India said on Thursday that it is looking forward to the next round of commanders level meeting with the Chinese side at an early date for resolution of the remaining friction points along the LAC. see more.. India and Israel to technologically co-operate with a focus on drones 02 Jun 2022 | 11:34 PM New Delhi, June 2 (UNI) The defence cooperation between India and Israel would be in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make in India vision and the two countries will collaborate with a focus on drones and defensive capabilities. see more.. "Putin must not be allowed to get away with his cynical, inhuman war," the German chancellor in remarks to a major Catholic conference. Scholz warned Moscow is attempting to instrumentalize the impending food crisis. Global food protectionism is now in full swing. After India, some major EU food exporting nations like Hungary halted the export of certain crops. Many African countries are also banning the export of their produce. More than 20 looted objects from Namibia including jewelry, tools, fashion and dolls are being sent back to the country. The loan is the latest move by Germany to address its colonial past. F1-Fansite 28 May 2022 May 28 - Bernie Ecclestone has played down widespread reports that he was arrested in Brazil after trying to smuggle a gun onto a.. On May 25, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed into law a bill banning abortions from the moment of fertilization, effectively ending the procedure. The government is spending 1.3bn on military support, so how much of a difference is it making? Actors and fans have paid tribute to Ray Liotta, who starred in Martin Scorsese's gangster classic 'Goodfellas', following his sudden death in the Dominican Republic. Last-minute content warning has been added to Stranger Things Season 4 by Netflix after 21 people were shot dead inside an elementary school in Texas. Newsy 26 May 2022 Watch VideoBritish prosecutors said Thursday they have charged actor Kevin Spacey with four counts of sexual assault against three.. The first family will meet with community and religious leaders, as well as those who lost their loved ones to the violence that left 21 people including 19 children dead at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Meet this elderly cormorant fisherman (People's Daily App) 17:04, May 27, 2022 Fishing with birds! Meet this elderly bearded man who uses the 1300-year-old technique of cormorant fishing in Yangshuo county, Guilin, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Compiled by Huang Jingjing; Video source: Douyin) (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) New Delhi, May 27 (UNI) Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who is visiting India, on Friday held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and also participated in the inauguration of an India-Hungary Business Forum. The visit comes as Hungary saw 10,000 refugees arriving from Urkaine on Thursday, and the central European nation is trying to keep fuel prices down amid the Ukraine conflict. The EAM said in a tweet ahead of the talks: A real pleasure to welcome FM Peter Szijjarto of Hungary in New Delhi. Look forward to our discussions on bilateral matters and global affairs. Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi in a tweet said: Great pleasure to inaugurate India-Hungary Business Forum with HE Mr. Peter Szijjarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs & Trade of Hungary. Our bilateral trade has seen rapid growth in recent years. This event is a step in realising our full potential in trade & investment & expanding our ties. On Tuesday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced a "state of emergency" to enable his country to take quick decisions in response to security and economic threats posed by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. India had also been in regular contact with Hungary for the evacuation of its nationals, mostly students, from Ukraine after the conflict broke out on February 24 this year. UNI RN Newsy 30 May 2022 Watch VideoMarked by the memories of 19 students and 2 teachers killed at Robb Elementary, this Memorial Day in Uvalde, Texas hits.. Development Minister Svenja Schulze has called on Russia to allow delivery of tens of thousands of tons of grain stuck in Ukrainian ports. She also pledged Germany's help in reconstruction. A Texas official has admitted mistakes during the Uvalde school massacre and says children had repeatedly called 911 asking for help, including one who pleaded: "Please send the police now." In war-torn Ukraine, more than 14 million people have fled their homes, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency. People have left for neighboring countries, primarily Poland and Romania, and have also been internally displaced, fleeing to other regions within the country. Photographer Alissa Everett has been documenting the... A Tory MP has resigned from the government saying he was "shocked and angered" by revelations about partying in Downing Street. A leading MP has voiced concerns about the integrity of UK military secrets after it was reported that a British weapons expert had given talks in China. China is allegedly planning to expand its influence in the South Pacific using a new security proposal that would allow it to have greater reach in the region. The situation comes after Beijing signed a deal with the Solomon Islands that was not taken well by Western nations. Budapest (AFP) May 26, 2022 Hungary said Thursday its new windfall tax imposed over rising prices blamed on the war in Ukraine would raise more than $2 billion and mainly target the banking and energy sectors. The government is looking to levy revenue of 300 billion forints (760 million euros, $820 million) each from both the banking and energy sectors, Economic Development Minister Marton Nagy told a press conference. Rep. Joaquin Castro said he wants the FBI to investigate the timeline of events of the shooting and law enforcement's interactions with the shooter. UW School of Energy Resources Student Presents at Air Sensors International Conference Austin Moon Austin Moon, a University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) student, presented a paper co-written with Robert Field, UW atmospheric science associate research professor, at the recent Air Sensors International Conference (ASIC) in Pasadena, Calif. Hosted by the University of California-Davis, the conference featured various stakeholders to promote and advance air pollution sensors, and to foster community involvement in monitoring air quality. Since 2018, SERs Air Quality Management course and 2B Technologies have collaborated with the AQTreks personal air monitor (PAM). The PAM includes multiple sensors that enable the rapid measurement of air pollutants, including carbon monoxide, particulates and carbon dioxide. Moon, an SER senior from Cheyenne, is earning his bachelors degree in energy resource management and development, with a concentration in energy and environmental systems. He was selected from among his peers in the course using the PAM equipment to support his work through further collaborative research with Field. Moon presented in an ASIC session that focused on youth-led initiatives and efforts to educate and include youth in air monitoring. Moon and Fields research explores the use of the PAM for enhanced air quality education among college-level students. Specifically, their research emphasizes the value of the learn-by-doing technique that was employed in the course. The PAM allows individuals to differentiate between different microenvironments that people experience in their lives, Moon says. A microenvironment can differ drastically from the outside environment, so highlighting how students detect those differences -- and their personal experiences throughout the process -- is a factor in gaining a genuine understanding of pollution exposure. The most compelling conclusion in the duos research was the emphasis on the hands-on learning approach and its effectiveness in teaching the students in the course. We highlight the benefits of using state-of-the-art technology that allows the student to self-investigate real-world air quality problems to enhance learning outcomes in the field of measurement science, Field says. The practical approach of teaching students how to use the PAM is consistent with the holistic strategy of the air monitoring program at UW, Field adds. Air Quality Management provided me with a foundational knowledge of air quality monitoring, systems and protocols, compliance, and health and safety, Moon says. Air monitoring is an essential part of the energy industry, and this course not only answered why it is necessary, but also how to actually do it. I am so grateful for the opportunity to present on the topic and to share our findings with an enthusiast group of peers. Specializing in miniaturized equipment for atmospheric and environmental measurements, 2B Technologies is dedicated to the development and commercialization of new analytical instruments that are accessible for widespread use. Moon represented the project alongside counterparts from the company. Jessa Ellenburg, the director of educational outreach at 2B Technologies, serves as the lead on the AQTreks program and chaired the conference session. Austin did an incredible job communicating the unique learning opportunities Dr. Field and UW create for their students, Ellenburg says. 2B Technologies has prioritized community involvement and educational opportunities in air monitoring for over a decade. Seeing Austins presentation validated our dedication to offering educational products that empower young people to understand their environment. The work UW has done with the PAM makes every minute of our hard work absolutely worth it. The NRA convention in Houston comes days after a gunman murdered children in Uvalde, several hours away, similar to what unfolded near Columbine. Upworthy 31 May 2022 UVALDE, Texas The blame for an excruciating delay in killing the gunman at a Texas elementary school even as parents.. Law enforcement officers in Texas arrested four males, including two juveniles, concerning threats against a school in Donna City in Hidalgo County, local media reported. President Joe Biden told Naval Academy graduates Friday that they will be "representatives and defenders of our democracy," as free societies are under threat from Russia's invasion of Ukraine to China's maritime expansion. (May 27) The Texas Department of Public Safety gave reporters a timeline of the events on May 24th in which 21 people were shot and killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. (May 27) Former President Donald Trump must answer questions under oath in the New York attorney general's civil investigation into his business practices, a state appeals court ruled Thursday, rejecting his argument that he be excused from... China and Russia vetoed a UN resolution sponsored by the United States that would have imposed tough new sanctions on North Korea for its spate of intercontinental ballistic missile launches that can be used to deliver nuclear weapons. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-2 and marked a first serious division among the five veto-wielding permanent members of the UNs most powerful body on a North Korea sanctions resolution. The actions of a US Border Patrol agent helped rescue dozens of schoolchildren after an 18-year-old gunman stormed a primary school in Uvalde, Texas.Jacob Albarado was getting a haircut when he received a text message from his wife... Frequently, in death penalty talks around Florida and around the country, I confess to the audience that thirty years ago I was totally ignorant about the realities of Floridas death row. How else could I have started as a volunteer chaplain on death row on August 9, 1998. August is the height of the summer heat. Anyone who really understands how death row works and the realities of its conditions of confinement, would have begged to start in the winter. I did not know enough to ask for that. My mentor, Fr. Joe, is leading me cell-to-cell, introducing me one-by-one, to the men Florida is holding in these 2 meter by 3 meter cages until we kill them. The heat is off the chain. The humidity is at least 99%. All resulting in a thermal index in the hundred-plus degrees Fahrenheit range. This prison heat is not unique to Florida. One of the extreme stresses on both inmates and corrections officers in the U.S. Deep South is the intense summer heat and humidity inside prisons without any climate control. The ribbon of concrete Im walking traverses the barred front doors of fifteen cells. In prison, those front doors are called gates. And this walkway, which is sandwiched between the cell-gates to my right and the steel-barred wall to my left, is called the gatewalk. It stretches from one end of the wing to the other and stays damp and slick all day. In no time at all, both Fr. Joe and I are soaked to the skin in our own sweat and the condensation from the air. My thigh and back muscles are screaming for relief from the physical stress of trying to avoid slipping and falling on the damp concrete. Decades ago, when I was working factory jobs to put myself through college, one job that lasted 9 months involved handling hot and cold steel stampings. The temperature and heat on Floridas death row brings that experience to mind. But the summer humidity here in Florida drastically magnifies the impact of the heat on the human body. Im thinking to myself, I dont know if this is hell, but it sure feels like it, as Fr. Joe stops and turns to me saying, These men are Gods children. How can we keep them in these conditions? In raising my five children, I learned that when the burden of a task feels overwhelming, we must cut it down to size. Identify smaller pieces and rewards that we can achieve en route to the ultimate goal. That learning kicks in as I contemplate each corridor of 15 or 16 death row cells. Inevitably there will be one or two cells in each corridor that hold an inmate who will recharge my draining energy with his warmth and his enthusiasm for our brief cell-front visit. Fr. Joe introduces me to just such a man on this first visit to this place. This is Juan, my drenched mentor smiles at us both. Juan is a very good man and a strong Catholic. He is a regular Communicant. I jump into the conversation stream to introduce myself. I am a new volunteer to help Father Joe here. My name is Dale but everyone has already started calling me Brother Dale. Juan reaches through the bars to wrap his hands around mine. So glad you are here. Fr. Joe needs all the help you can give him, especially in this building. As the weeks pass, my new friend is consistently welcoming and sincere. He also shares with me much of his journey on Floridas death row. When I came here, I couldnt read or write a word of English. Youre kidding, I am truly amazed. How have you learned the language? Right here!, he smiles and motions to our surroundings. My brothers here on death row have taught me how to read and write. My surprise cannot be hidden. Juan responds to it. Out there, he motions broadly toward the windows in a gesture that takes in the world outside the fences, They call us all monsters. But some of us are innocent, and most of us have a very complicated story. I have no clue how to respond. In the Fall of 1984, when Juan came to death row, I was still a high finance lawyer in Miami. I was still supporting the Florida death penalty which I knew nothing about. I vaguely remember hearing about Juans conviction and death sentence in 1984 in the local news reports that touted life for life. It never occurred to me that we could easily sentence an illiterate, itinerant fruit picker to death even though there was no physical evidence connecting him to the crime. Well, that is exactly what Florida did to Juan! And now, fourteen years later, Im standing at his cell on death row. Juan, I start cautiously, I sense no bitterness or anger in you. How is that possible if you are innocent? Just because they did this to me, doesnt mean Im going to beat-up myself or them. God will deal with them. After studying Juans case and making many more Communion visits at his cell, I get up the nerve to ask, Juan, assuming the courts let you go, what will you do then? Thats a no-brainer, he smiles. I will spend every ounce of my energy working to end this horrible death penalty, so that others wont have to go through this even if they are innocent, too. By the end of 2001, Juan has become much more than a friend to me. He is truly a brother. I always look forward to our catching up at cell-front on my Communion rounds, hearing about his mom and how things are going in his case. Then, in January of 2002, I come to his cell and find it empty. Wheres Juan? I ask inmates and officers. No one knows. They came and told him to pack his stuff, is the stock reply. Good intel can be very hard to come by on Floridas death row. Nobody on staff wants to be caught on camera confirming the rumor that a death row inmate has been released for innocence. Conventional wisdom in Florida is that everybody on death row is guilty of something. Even though since 1976, Florida has had 30 men released from death row with evidence of innocence. All I can do is hope that Juan is in fact back with his family in the Caribbean. It is likely I will never see him again. Then in the Fall of 2004, my wife Susan and I are in Montreal for an international conference on ending the death penalty. It is a large multiday gathering, and the emcee is Ms. Bianca Jagger. As I finish my late afternoon presentation, Ms. Jagger returns to the podium to introduce the next speaker. Thats when it happens. I am walking across the stage from the podium toward the stage-exit on the opposite side. Coming toward me from that very same exit is a man about my height. His silhouette looks vaguely familiar in the stage lights. As we draw closer to each other it suddenly becomes clear that he is my brother Juan. I have not seen Juan since he was released from death row almost two years earlier. The recognition hits each of us at the same time. We spontaneously react by breaking into a run toward each other. And there on the stage in Montreal in front of over 2,000 people, I hug my brother Juan with tears streaming down my cheeks. We have been circling around each other ever since. Juan and I have shared a dozen talks presented to students in high schools and colleges on the Journey of Hope in Texas with our dear friend Bill Pelke. We have shared the stage at Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida and in numerous forums in Orlando, Tampa and Miami. And most recently, just last month, Juan and I shared the audience at a major Catholic Conference at Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C. Bishop Felipe Estevez, the Florida Bishop from St. Augustine who issued the profound pastoral letter on ending Floridas death penalty, had invited me to be a co-presenter with him. What a double treat to find my brother Juan also there speaking. The April conference was much broader than just the death penalty. It delved deeply into how our Catholic teaching and traditions equip us to reform our criminal justice system. Juan a migrant Catholic who had spent more than 17 years innocent on Floridas death row had the ears and hearts of every participant in that conference. For this writer, that conference was especially poignant. This was my first ministry trip since January 2022, when I was struck down by COVID in the midst of a weekly ministry trip to Floridas death row and solitary confinement prisons. My dear wife drove over 400 miles to fetch me and carry me back to Tallahassee where I was admitted to the COVID ward of the regional hospital. I have recently started driving again for short distances. And I hope that by this summer, the doctors will allow me to return to active involvement in Floridas prisons. But in the meantime, I thank God that I was able to share another great faith experience with my Brother Juan. NB: The Florida death penalty case of Juan Roberto Melendez is presented in The National Registry of Exonerations and is attributed to perjury, false accusations and official misconduct. 2022 Dale S. Recinella, Tallahassee, Fla. USA Dale S. Recinella * The Ukrainian people are truly a wounded people and at the same time very courageous, very determined: we cannot overlook the great suffering of this great people... We must renew our commitment to resolve the conflict through diplomatic and political dialogue. Speaking with Vatican Media, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher recounts his visit to Ukraine. Your mission in Ukraine has come to an end after three full days of encounters. What are your initial impressions and conclusions regarding the success of this mission? I would like to begin by expressing my thanks, above all to God, who allowed us to complete this mission. Everything went very well. Then of course, thanks to everybody who facilitated this trip: Church and civil authorities in Poland who accompanied us from Krakow to the border with Ukraine; the Church here in Ukraine ... This content is reserved for Subscribers Dear Reader, access to all editions of LOsservatore Romano is reserved for Subscribers. Click here to subscribe CANNES, France (AP) The quiet perceptions, everyday troubles and intermittent moments of transcendence that make up Kelly Reichardt's films have always had a rhythm apart from most American movies. Reichardt's latest, Showing Up, which premiered Friday at the Cannes Film Festival, is no exception, but it's also more directly about the compulsions and pains of making modest, hand-crafted art. Michelle Williams plays a Portland, Oregon, ceramics artist of little renown but quiet devotion, trying to prepare a gallery show while things like a distracted landlady (Hong Chau) and an injured bird intrude on her life. We were trying to make a film about someone who's caught up in balancing the day-to-day, someone for whom working is like eating, but life has all these other demands of you, Reichardt, who penned the film with her regular screenwriter, Jonathan Raymond, said in an interview along the beach in Cannes. How the 58-year-old Reichardt, long a leading American indie filmmaker, has balanced her own career in filmmaking with life's demands has sometimes been a topic of debate. While steadily making movies, Reichardt also teaches film at Bard College. After Williams in a recent article suggested Reichardt has to teach to have health care, Gawker published a piece headlined Kelly Reichardt Shouldn't Have to Put Up With Bard Students. I cringe at that, Reichardt said. "The thing is, I love to teach. The idea of that really bums me out. I never look at anything but someone sent me that link. I never had the idea that filmmaking was going to sustain me. I just always think: I get to go make a film? Thats cool. About someone stealing milk? said Reichardt, whose sublime 2020 film First Cow revolved around a pair of baking friends in 1820s Oregon. I mean, I get it. Filmmaking is expensive. Then also, in America, we dont do art for arts sake. But I feel fortune. Ive gotten to make a lot of films in the last years. People who are going to make these films are either up for it or theyre not going to get involved. If an A24s up for making a film about two ceramicists, thats pretty good. Showing Up," which A24 will distribute in theaters at a not-yet-announced date, is one of the last films premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, which concludes Saturday with an awards ceremony. It's also one of five out of 21 films up for the top Palme dOr award that was directed by a woman a typical ratio in Cannes that has often been criticized. The day before Cannes began last week, Showing Up came up in the press conference held by the festival's artistic director, Thierry Fremaux, who was defending Cannes' record with female filmmakers. One journalist, as an example, discussed whether Reichardt's film was major or minor Reichardt. And Thierry said, Theyre all minor'? guessed Reichardt, laughing. It was an ironic exchange given that Reichardt films, where economic inequities often slyly dictate characters' lives, have never catered to traditional dichotomies of status. The stakes in Showing Up may be low, but they are, more importantly, whatever they mean to the characters. A lot of people are creative, Williams' character says. If were talking in the context of, like, the hit is on side A, Im fine with being a side B-er," says Reichardt. But if its in the context of your own work, thats maybe more discouraging. If youre already a minor and then youre a minor of your own minor, I dont know. One really doesnt need to spend too much time thinking about these things because the rest of the world will just decide for you. You can just do your own thing and let everyone else figure it out. And for Reichardt, much of the joy of Showing Up was in relying on Portland-based artists to make the pieces seen throughout the film. She shot much of the film in a defunct art school, filling its classroom spaces with artists and art-making. Its community based. These are singular artists making their work but theyre not in a vacuum," Reichardt said while the thumping music of a nearby DJ preparing for the night's party nearly drowned her out. You could talk about it in terms of filmmaking, too. Im working with my mates. The kids were making stuff that I would go home at night and work into the script. We were all passing things off and learning. It became a school, basically. ___ Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP ___ For more Cannes Film Festival coverage, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival. A 13-year-old Geneva Township girl was cited Thursday afternoon in connection with an injury accident in Geneva Township. Midland County Sheriffs Captain Shannon Guilbeaux said the teen came home from school and saw the keys to a vehicle were available for her to take. Guilbeaux said the keys were to a vehicle that the family doesn't use much. The 13-year-old and a 4-year-old got into the car and drove off. They didnt make it very far, Guilbeaux said. They went into the ditch. Deputies were called and the 4-year-old girl was taken to the emergency room for minor injuries. The parents were not cited, but the 13-year-old was. The incident report was turned over to the Midland County Prosecuting Attorney. SEEN: Larkin Beer Garden opens for the summer at Dow Diamond Customers enjoy craft beers on tap during opening day of the season for Larkin Beer Garden... Juneteenth becomes 13th Michigan court holiday LANSING The Michigan Supreme Court declared Juneteenth a statewide court holiday Wednesday... Vernors unveils a new flavor, available first to Michiganders Vernors is adding a temporary addition to its lineup this summer to be offered almost exclusively... This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) Afghanistans Taliban rulers on Saturday ordered all Afghan women to wear head-to-toe clothing in public a sharp, hard-line pivot that confirmed the worst fears of rights activists and was bound to further complicate Taliban dealings with an already distrustful international community. The decree says that women should leave the home only when necessary, and that male relatives would face punishment starting with a summons and escalating up to court hearings and jail time for women's dress code violations. It was the latest in a series of repressive edicts issued by the Taliban leadership, not all of which have been implemented. Last month, for example, the Taliban forbade women to travel alone, but after a day of opposition, that has since been silently ignored. On Sunday in the capital, Kabul, many women on the street were wearing the same large shawls as before. Women also arrived unaccompanied at Kabul International Airport, while in the city women boarded small buses alone. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said it was deeply concerned with what appeared to be a formal directive that would be implemented and enforced, adding that it would seek clarifications from the Taliban about the decision. This decision contradicts numerous assurances regarding respect for and protection of all Afghans human rights, including those of women and girls, that had been provided to the international community by Taliban representatives during discussions and negotiations over the past decade, it said in a statement. The decree, which calls for women to only show their eyes and recommends they wear the head-to-toe burqa, evoked similar restrictions on women during the Taliban's previous rule between 1996 and 2001. We want our sisters to live with dignity and safety, said Khalid Hanafi, acting minister for the Talibans vice and virtue ministry. The Taliban previously decided against reopening schools to girls above grade 6, reneging on an earlier promise and opting to appease their hard-line base at the expense of further alienating the international community. But this decree does not have widespread support among a leadership that's divided between pragmatists and the hard-liners. That decision disrupted efforts by the Taliban to win recognition from potential international donors at a time when the country is mired in a worsening humanitarian crisis. For all dignified Afghan women wearing Hijab is necessary and the best Hijab is chadori (the head-to-toe burqa) which is part of our tradition and is respectful, said Shir Mohammad, an official from the vice and virtue ministry in a statement. Those women who are not too old or young must cover their face, except the eyes, he said. Islamic principles and Islamic ideology are more important to us than anything else." Senior Afghanistan researcher Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch urged the international community to put coordinated pressure on the Taliban. (It is) far past time for a serious and strategic response to the Talibans escalating assault on womens rights," she wrote on Twitter. The Taliban were ousted in 2001 by a U.S.-led coalition for harboring al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and returned to power in the waning days of Americas chaotic departure last year. The White House National Security Council condemned the Taliban's Saturday decree and urged them to reverse it. "We are discussing this with other countries and partners. The legitimacy and support that the Taliban seeks from the international community depend entirely on their conduct, specifically their ability to back stated commitments with actions, it said in a statement. Since taking power last August, the Taliban leadership has been squabbling among themselves as they struggle to transition from war to governing. It has pit hard-liners against the more pragmatic among them. A spokeswoman from Pangea, an Italian non-governmental organization that has assisted women for years in Afghanistan, said the new decree would be particularly difficult for them to swallow since they had lived in relative freedom until the Taliban takeover. In the last 20 years, they have had the awareness of human rights, and in the span of a few months have lost them," Silvia Redigolo said by telephone. Its dramatic to (now) have a life that doesnt exist. Infuriating many Afghans is the knowledge that many of the Taliban of the younger generation, like Sirajuddin Haqqani, are educating their girls in Pakistan, while in Afghanistan women and girls have been targeted by their repressive edicts since taking power. Haqqani is a U.N.-designated terrorist and head of the Haqqani network, which has been blamed for some of the deadliest attacks during the 20-year U.S.-led invasion. Girls have been banned from school beyond grade 6 in most of the country since the Talibans return. Universities opened earlier this year in much of the country, but since taking power the Taliban edicts have been erratic. While a handful of provinces continued to provide education to all, most provinces closed educational institutions for girls and women. The religiously driven Taliban administration fears that going forward with enrolling girls beyond the the sixth grade could alienate their rural base, Hashmi said. In Kabul, private schools and universities have operated uninterrupted. _____ Associated Press writer Rahim Faiez in Islamabad, Thomas Strong in Washington and Frances D'Emilio in Rome contributed to this report This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two of the leading candidates for the GOP nomination for Michigan governor say they will ask the courts to intervene after they were found ineligible Thursday for the August primary, reshaping the race to challenge Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the battleground state this fall. Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, who has led in most primary polls, and businessman Perry Johnson, along with three other lesser-known candidates, did not qualify for the ballot. The state elections bureau recommended they be disqualified, saying it found thousands of fraudulent signatures on petitions submitted by the candidates. The vote by the bipartisan Board of State Canvassers was 2-2, with two Democrats supporting the recommendation and two Republicans saying the candidates should get on the ballot. A tie vote means the candidates lost. Craig criticized the board's partisan decision as a travesty and said the bureau should have done a line-by-line verification of signatures he submitted, rather than rejecting entire pages based on its findings of fraud. He said the campaign will file an immediate appeal. "We are confident that when the law is justly applied, our campaign will be on the ballot this August, Craig said. Johnson has already spent millions of his personal fortune on the contest. Attorney Jason Torchinsky said the state's process had fatal flaws that didn't follow election law and that he's confident Johnson will be on the ballot after the court review. The other lesser-known GOP candidates Donna Brandenburg, Michael Brown and Michael Markey also were found ineligible after elections staff said they, too, didnt turn in enough valid signatures. Brown withdrew from the race on Tuesday. Democrats challenged the GOP candidates petitions, alleging mass forgery and other issues. Another Republican candidate, Tudor Dixon, had also contested Craigs voter signatures as fake. But the bureau, which is part of Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's department, said it discovered the fraud in its own review and didn't process the challenges filed by the Michigan Democratic Party and Dixon. Candidates for governor were required to submit valid signatures from 15,000 registered voters to make the ballot. In a report released late Monday, bureau staff said multiple petition sheets for various candidates displayed suspicious patterns indicative of fraud. Some of the petitions for Craigs campaign, for example, had signatures that all appeared to be written in the same handwriting. Staff said that while its typical for petitions to include scattered instances of dubious signatures, the Bureau is unaware of another election cycle with such a substantial volume of fraudulent signatures involving multiple candidates. They identified 36 petition circulators who are often paid per signature gathered who submitted petition sheets made up entirely of invalid signatures. The Republicans who remain on the ballot are Dixon, who recently was endorsed by the family of former Trump administration Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, real estate agent Ryan Kelley, businessman Kevin Rinke, pastor Ralph Rebandt and chiropractor Garrett Soldano. An attorney for Craig said Thursday he has signed affidavits from 15 registered voters whose signatures were determined to be forged, but who say they did sign the candidate's petition. Lawyer George Lewis also said the campaign acknowledges it appears there was fraud by the people who gathered signatures, but said Craig himself is a victim. Democratic board member Mary Ellen Gurewitz pushed back. She described Craig's petitions as obviously fraudulent" and said the law puts the burden on the candidate to submit valid signatures. Gurewitz also asked what the campaign did to check the validity of the signatures. Lewis said he wasn't able to provide an answer. Republican board member Tony Daunt said he rejects suggestions that state staff acted for partisan reasons, as some have alleged. But he said he couldnt support kicking candidates off the ballot because the staff didnt have the resources to check every signature. 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. Staff said Johnson turned in 13,800 valid signatures. They threw out 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 doesn't believe specific campaigns or candidates were aware of what fraudulent-petition circulators were doing, and said it's working to refer the fraud to law enforcement for criminal investigation. Republican Norman Shinkle, chairman of the Board of Canvassers, said the people who committed fraud should go to prison but that the courts should decide whether candidates make the ballot. Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser said in a statement that the candidates should have their time in court" and that they are fighting against voter disenfranchisement. Meanwhile, Michigan Democratic Party Chairwoman Lavora Barnes called on the GOP candidates whose petitions were reviewed Thursday to withdraw from the race. Michiganders deserve accountable leaders, and these candidates have shown they are not capable of that, she said. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Tereasa Nims. Thursday, May 27 9:41 p.m. Police were called to the 6800 block of Eastman Avenue for a private property crash. 9:07 p.m. Deputies responded to a Geneva Township residence for a 75-year-old Geneva Township man who reported that his 74-year-old wife had dementia and was missing from their home. The deputies searched the area, and the woman was located nearby on foot. The woman was OK. She was returned home safely. 7:47 p.m. Police responded to the 3000 block of North Geneva Road for a K9 request/assist. 4:18 p.m. Police were called to the 100 block of East Wackerly to assist EMS. 3:22 a.m. A 44-year-old man was arrested on an outstanding Alcona County warrant after a traffic stop in Lee Township. The man was transported and lodged at Midland County Jail without incident. 2:58 p.m. Police were called to the 800 block of East Indian Street for a civil complaint. 2:33 p.m. A deputy responded to Geneva Township for a single-vehicle personal injury crash. The 13-year-old driver was issued citations. Her 4-year-old passenger was treated at the ER for minor injuries. A report was forwarded to the prosecutor. 12:31 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to Lee Township after a concerned neighbor reported hearing a child being disciplined. A deputy made contact at the residence and found that a child had been spanked after acting out. The deputy did not observe any signs of abuse or neglect. 11:12 a.m. A Jasper Township 19-year-old woman called to report a possible larceny. It was discovered to be a civil matter. 11:43 a.m. A Deputy backed up a Michigan State Police Trooper on a domestic verbal dispute in Homer Township. 10:42 a.m. Animal Control Deputy received a call regarding two dogs running loose from a home in Ingersoll Township. Contact was made with the dog owner. A verbal warning was issued. 10:25 a.m. A deputy was dispatched to Warren Township regarding a careless driver. The deputy located the vehicle in Lincoln Township and stopped it. The driver was sober and was asked to drive more carefully. 9:31 a.m. Police were called to the 5100 block of Eastman Avenue for miscellaneous criminal activity. 12:11 a.m. Deputies responded to a Lee Township residence regarding a 56-year-old woman reporting that her 28-year-old son was physically harming himself. Deputies contacted the 28-year-old man and confirmed that he had sustained minor self-inflicted injuries. Deputies transported the man to the hospital and completed a mental petition. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LANSING Stacie Bytwork, president and CEO of the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, was recently named second vice chair of the Michigan Works! Association Board of Directors. The Michigan Works! Association, the states primary workforce development association, made the announcement Friday, as well as the appointment of a new board member. Bytwork was elected to fill the second vice chairperson leadership post that was recently vacated. Bytwork has led the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce for over seven years, "delivering programming on the needs of Manistee area businesses and the surrounding community," according to a news release. Her most recent accomplishment was the addition of an economic development arm to the chamber to better serve the needs of Manistee County. She also initiated a countywide leadership program that develops young professionals to be community leaders and assist with workforce retention goals. Amanda Smith, executive vice president of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association, joined the Michigan Works! Association board as a member-at-large. In addition to serving as the executive vice president, Smith also serves as the executive director of the MRLA Educational Foundation and the Hospitality Training Institute of Michigan. Working with local public health officials, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, Smith directs the education programs for the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association. As the executive director of the Educational Foundation, Smith has grown revenues by more than 160%. She has expanded product offerings, including the 2020 launch of the Michigan Hospitality Industry Employee Relief Fund. Smith has successfully secured and managed many grant awards and state appropriations. Under her leadership, the Hospitality Training Institute of Michigan which provides advancement opportunities for incumbent hospitality workers and is licensed as a proprietary school by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity was launched in 2021. It is an honor to work with Amanda and Stacie to continue creating innovative workforce solutions for Michigans businesses and residents, said Ryan Hundt, CEO of the Michigan Works! Association, in a news release. These talented leaders will have a positive impact on the way we do business in the future by helping the association continue as a national leader in advocacy, leadership, training, communication and collaboration. Bytwork and Smith will each help support the Michigan Works! Association's efforts to continue to move the needle on policy, education and collaboration on vital workforce development issues. More information about the members of the Michigan Works! Association Board of Directors can be found at michiganworks.org/board-of-directors. DETROIT (AP) Business owner Perry Johnson filed a lawsuit Friday to try to get on Michigan's August primary ballot, the first of many likely legal challenges after five Republican candidates for governor were barred because of too few valid petition signatures. Johnson asked the state Court of Appeals to intervene and order the Board of State Canvassers to put him on the ballot. James Craig, a former Detroit police chief with significant name recognition, also plans to turn to court. With just days until the Aug. 2 ballot must be finalized, the appeals court put the case on a rocket docket, setting Tuesday as the deadline for the state to answer the lawsuit. A decision could soon follow. The state elections bureau said petitions were rife with fraudulent names and signatures created by paid circulators, bringing Johnson and Craig below the 15,000-signature threshold needed to run in the primary. But Johnson's legal team said the state improperly struck entire sheets, foreclosing the possibility that signatures of some voters were valid, and should have inspected each petition line by line. They failed to carry their burden of establishing the invalidity of enough of Mr. Johnsons signatures by clear, competent and convincing evidence, the lawsuit states. The Board of State Canvassers, made up of two Republicans and two Democrats, deadlocked 2-2 Thursday on whether to bar Johnson, Craig, Donna Brandenburg, Michael Brown and Michael Markey. The tie means they remain off the ballot; Brown has dropped out. There seems to be no dispute that fraudulent signatures were on the petitions, though there's no evidence that the candidates were aware of it. Five other Republican candidates landed a ballot spot, including Tudor Dixon, a former conservative TV news host who has the backing of Betsy DeVos, head of the U.S. Education Department during the Trump administration. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November. ___ Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez 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. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan ministry of Defence of the government of national unity has accused the former director of the Military Intelligence Department, Osama al-Juwaili, of mobilizing a military force affiliated to the commander of the Western Region in a district of the capital, Tripoli Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council and Second Vice-Chairman of the African Union (AU), Mohamed Al-Manfi, said Friday that the humanitarian crisis caused by displacements and illegal migration required the provision of sustainable solutions Cargo drone developer Dronamics has obtained the EUs Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC). ') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> The LUC is recognized in all EU member states and is intended to provide the operators with business opportunities across the single market. The license was granted by the Transport Malta Civil Aviation Directorate (TM-CAD), the countrys Civil Aviation Authority. It enables it to self-authorize flight operations of its Black Swan aircraft across EU countries, including beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> Dronamics has planned to scale up its operations and run its first commercial flights out of Malta and Italy later this year. With Malta as its European operations base, Dronamics is well placed to operate its first routes over the Mediterranean, linking key hubs across the region. Transport Malta has been spearheading the advancement of aviation innovation in Europe, thanks to its expertise as a global aviation hub and government support for the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) sector. The announcement was made during European Business Aviation Conference Exhibition (EBACE) and comes as the company prepares for the first commercial flights of its flagship Black Swan aircraft later in 2022. Capable of carrying 350kg at a distance of up to 2,500km, the Black Swan aims to make supply chains more efficient, resulting in cost, time and carbon emission savings. Charles Pace, director general of Civil Aviation Directorate Transport Malta (TM-CAD), said, During the past several months, our dedicated CAD inspectors, who did the job diligently, validated our belief in new technologies and innovation within the aviation industry. Since the initial contact with Dronamics, the operational concept, the experienced and passionate team, and above all the company mission, made us believe that Dronamics will be the pioneer of a new, safe and exciting era of the drone cargo long-range operation. I would also like to thank the Rangelov Brothers and Dronamics Airline team for selecting Malta for their new LUC and we are proud to have Dronamics as our new member of the 9H community. Sergio Oliveira e Silva, COO of Dronamics, said, Becoming the first cargo drone company to obtain LUC certification is a huge milestone for us and validates years of hard work in developing our unique and market-leading solution. Our team has been involved in numerous AOCs on several continents before, and we are continuously impressed with the world-class professionalism and expertise of Transport Malta, coupled with a pro-innovation mindset. With the support of such a sophisticated and technologically advanced regulator, and with Malta as our European operations base, we are well placed to progress our operations and start serving key routes across the Mediterranean later this year and continue our future expansion so that we can achieve our mission to enable same-day delivery for everyone, everywhere. Photo: (Photo : ALLISON DINNER/AFP via Getty Images) After the deadly Texas school shooting, Americans are again debating gun safety, violence, and children's protection. The shocking and senseless death of 19 kids, mostly ten years old, is traumatic for the families in Uvalde, Texas, and families everywhere. Psychiatrist Dr. Deborah Koricke told Cleveland 19 that she expects more parents and children to seek counseling because of this tragedy. She believes families will be anxious about their children's safety inside the school premises, and she also thinks that parents will be having many conversations about what happened in the Texas school shooting with their young ones. Korickle advised parents to constantly remind their kids that they will do "everything they can" for their protection. She said that there is no point in lying about the school shooting to do away with a negative message. The expert said it's more important to reassure the kids that the adults will always find ways to have the situation under control. Read Also: Life-Saving Cancer Drug for Kids Low in Supply After Pharma Companies Stopped Production Navigate the Difficult Circumstances Brittany Todd, a mental health counselor, said that families should discuss the tragedy to drive away their anxieties and fears. She told WXII that talking about it will help the children navigate the difficult circumstances, as tough as this topic might be. Parents should also ask their kids how they feel and assure them that expressing their anger, sadness, or grief is OK because the rest of the world also feels the same. But Todd said parents must also encourage their kids to have an "attitude of gratitude," and this can be possible by opening up conversations about the things they can still be grateful for every day. Moms and dads also need to pay attention if their children are manifesting changes in their behavior or mood, sleep patterns, and eating habits. While common, these reactions may become problematic if not addressed. Aim to Get back to Normal Psychiatrist Jane Ripperger-Suhler warned parents to be mindful of who is watching the news about the Texas school shooting with them. If their kids are of school age, they must be prepared for potential questions. Ripperger-Suhler said parents must explain the tragedy in their "simplest yet factual way" without becoming frantic or gory. She told the Austin-American Statesman that parents may also share with their kids that they are upset without forgetting to end the conversation with a reassurance that they will still be safe. Some children might have fears about going to school after this tragedy, and Ripperger-Suhler said that consulting a behavioral expert would be best for this situation. She said getting help from a professional will allow the kids to get on with their normal life while managing their fears and apprehensions. Julia Hoke, another psychiatric expert, said that children will always take cues from their parents. So, if moms or dads are anxious and stressed, the children will see and reflect on the same feelings. She agrees with Ripperger-Suhler that while families should not ignore what happened, getting life back to normal is still important. Related Article: Idaho Mother Creates Reese Strong Foundation to Raise Awareness on Food Allergy After Teen Daughter's Death 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 Contrary to fears that implementation of the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) would collapse the business of mobile money agents, there seem to be a new revenue stream for them namely cash-in transactions, which have become the preference of customers. This comes as a result of some customers desperate attempt to avoid the tax, as transactions done as cash-ins otherwise known as deposits have become the order of the day since the 1.5 percent tax came into effect about three weeks ago. Rather than send monies through their own mobile money accounts, customers withdraw the cash and give to an agent to be sent to the destination mobile money account, by which the E-levy in both transactions is not applied thereby avoiding payment of the tax. However, this type of smart move from customers is not at all coming as a loss to the agents, since telecommunication companies still charge clients 0.75 percent of the transaction value then give commission to the agents. Most of the agents explained to the B&FT that even though there were panic withdrawals a few days after the E-Levy took off, activities picked up immediately when patrons realised mobile money agents were exempted from the E-levy charges. The onset was a bit slow, especially a day before the E-levy came into force they did panic-withdrawals. The following day people were afraid to make deposits; but when we educated them that there is no E-levy charge on depositing and withdrawals, they came back. So far so good, we are managing, Daniel Osei, a MoMo agent at Kasoa, told the B&FT. Another mobile money agent at Makola Market who wants to be called Belinda said: Now the cash-in has increased; all those who used to load their wallets do not do that anymore, they give us the money and we do the transfer on their behalf and this doesnt attract E-levy. One way or another, the E-levy has helped us. For me, that is how I see it because the more cash-in transactions you do, the more commission you get at the end of the month from your service provider. So the E-levy has really helped us, the merchants. Esther Amoako, also a mobile money agent at Djanman near Weija, told the B&FT in an interview that: For now, when it comes to deposits, yes, its patronage has increased because people are refusing to transfer money from their phones to different numbers. They rather come and withdraw and deposit it to the number which they want to send money to; so in that area, theres been an increase as compared to before when they deposited the money on their numbers and did the transfers themselves. Now if they have the money on their phones, they withdraw it and ask me to send it on their behalf. This will reflect into commission from the Telcos at end of the month. So in other words, more money for us. Lawful or unlawful The issue of whether it is lawful or unlawful for mobile money agents to undertake such transactions has become debatable after a member of the E-levy Technical Committee, Patrick Frimpong Danso, said on a local television network, UTV, that the practice is illegal. But the agents disagree, saying they are only doing deposits, which their system allows them to do, and are permitted by the telecommunication companies (Telcos). We do not do transfers, we do cash-in cash-out. We do deposits and withdrawals; we dont transfer. You cannot even transfer from a merchant SIM. Transfer is only on the subscribers SIM. The subscriber does not have deposits on their numbers, it is agents who have the deposits, Mrs. Amoako said. Prior to the E-levy, the network providers told us not to transfer money to other people on the customers behalf, but it didnt work because most of the customers claim they cannot do the transaction themselves, Belinda said. Source: B&FT Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Student Representative Council (SRC) Presidents of sandwich campuses of the University of Cape Coast have on behalf of their students honoured Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh. At a ceremony in Cape Coast last Saturday, the coalition of SRC Presidents presented a citation to Dr. Prempeh, in recognition of his impactful leadership during his time as Education Minister in the first term of the Akufo-Addo administration. According to the coalition, Dr. Prempeh contrary to the scepticism of many, successfully supervised the implementation of the biggest governmental intervention in the education sector; the Free Senior High School Policy. On Teacher Education, the coalition said Dr. Prempeh never downplayed its importance in the country. In this regard, he ensured the reinstatement of the monthly allowance of teacher trainees which had been scrapped by the erstwhile administration. He also provided leadership in the birth and implementation of the 3-Semester Post Diploma Sandwich Programme, which has today served as a launching pad for numerous Diploma teachers to acquire a degree certificate the coalition said in a statement. The coalition also indicated that Dr. Prempeh also ensured that the Ghanaian teacher is given the appropriate recognition as a professional by overseeing the successful institutionalization of the teacher licensure policy. These and many more make us believe that he has been an outstanding Minister and thus, deserves our commendation the statement concludes. The citation was received on behalf of the Energy Minister by his Technical Assistant Mr. Kwame Agyin Agyapong and Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Energy, Mr. Kwasi Obeng-Fosu. Other recipients were the General Secretary of GNAT, Mr. Thomas T. Musah and Prof. Christine ADU-Yeboah. The coalition of SRC Presidents of all sandwich campuses of the University of Cape Coast was formed to among others seek the welfare and the interest of sandwich students in the pursuit of university 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 Diali Kaba's mother woke her up on Thursday morning with terrifying news: there had been a fire at the hospital in their town in Senegal where Kaba's two-week-old daughter was being cared for, and 11 babies were dead. The two women rushed to the hospital together and Kaba was allowed in to find out if her child was among the victims, while her mother Ndeye Absa Gueye waited anxiously outside. Gueye said she heard about the fire at the Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh hospital on Wednesday night but did not immediately realise it had taken place inside the neonatal department. The news reached her early on Thursday, striking terror into her heart. "I have my grand-daughter here, she has been here for two weeks. I have come to see if she is one of them," she said. A few minutes later, Kaba emerged in tears. Her baby was among the dead. The two women embraced, both weeping, until Kaba was helped into a car and driven home to grieve. Tivaouane, located about 120 km (75 miles) east of Senegal's capital Dakar, is a busy road transport hub and holy city that regularly attracts large numbers of Muslim pilgrims from all over the west African country. The city was slowly waking up to the shocking news of the 11 baby deaths, which was confirmed late on Wednesday night by President Macky Sall. read more "We all share this pain," said local resident Ousmane Kane. "They (the mothers) suffered with the hope that their babies would live. But we have to accept the will of Allah. He gave them babies and took them back. The whole of Senegal is in mourning." Health Minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr told private Senegalese TV station TFM that preliminary investigations suggested a short-circuit had caused the fire. Authorities provided no other details about how the disaster unfolded. Public health experts have repeatedly warned that many underfunded, understaffed African hospitals had been stretched beyond their capacities by the COVID pandemic, leaving them unable to maintain acceptable safety standards. The tragedy in Tivaouane comes after several other incidents at Senegalese hospitals angered the nation. In April, a woman died in labour along with her unborn baby after hospital staff refused to perform a Caesarean section. Last year, four newborn babies were killed by a fire at a hospital in the northern town of Linguere, causing a national outcry. Source: REUTERS Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Forward-thinking bathroom design: Different Eurosmart lever variants serve the needs of consumers at different stages of life For those who need extra protection: GROHE SafeStop technology prevents burns Contemporary and timeless design that matches any style today and tomorrow Undoubtedly our society is changing not only is the population constantly growing, but we are also getting increasingly older. By now, every second EU citizen has passed the age of 40. [1] Demographic change is challenging our entire society and forcing us to rethink away from the previous anti-ageing mindset and toward a pro-ageing attitude to life. Growing older no longer means resting and standing still. The so-called silver society, the population over 60 [2], ages differently they want to stay fit and actively shape their own life in the place where they feel safe and happy: at home. [3] GROHE has taken these insights into account when re-designing one of its bestseller products the GROHE Eurosmart to create an innovative, future-ready home. Support and comfort for everyday bathroom rituals at every stage of life Home is part of our identity, our safe place being able to stay home in old ages comes along with well-being for consumers. The bathroom is essential in this respect as this is where very private moments take place. To be able to take care of personal hygiene at home is a major concern, especially for older generations. It gives the feeling of independence and freedom. One key to this is to start thinking about the right bathroom products early on, to be ready for tomorrow, today. And contrary to expectations, age-friendly products do not have to look old-fashioned. The best example is the relaunched GROHE Eurosmart. The timeless design of the line very subtly addresses the special needs of bathroom care for the elderly or people with limited motor skills. Diverse lever variants for diverse lifestyles GROHE ensures that the Eurosmart portfolio always grows in line with a changing societys requirements and that it keeps adapting to modern needs. This is shown by the different lever variants which directly relate to peoples lives. The Eurosmart Loop lever, for example, offers important support for elderly people with limited motor skills since its cut-out center makes gripping easier. A big help for everyday bathroom rituals is also provided by a new pull-out spout variant which offers full flexibility and extra comfort. Consumers enjoy more room to manoeuvre perfect for supporting and enhancing the daily washing routine. When we think about our customers of tomorrow, they are most likely approaching their silver years. While they are officially near or of retirement age, the modern seniors are fit and want products that support them with daily obstacles, even in 10-20 years when their vision decreases or their motor skills are less diminishing. So, we need to ask ourselves: How can we create beautiful products that are future-ready? Our GROHE Eurosmart has evolved with every generation and is a great example of how to react to changing needs with meaningful products, says Jonas Brennwald, Leader LIXIL EMENA. When safety plays a role In addition to comfort, safety also plays a special role when it comes to ageing. The Eurosmart SafeStop provides effective thermostatic protection by limiting the maximum hot water temperature to a preadjustable value. It ensures that the desired water temperature remains constant, and effectively shuts off the hot water if the cold water supply fails. Particularly important for facilities for children, senior citizens or people with restrictions in sensory or motor skills. The combination of modern design, a high level of comfort, easy installation and the versatile options to choose from makes the Eurosmart faucet a real hero for the future-ready bathroom. (Follow us on Social Media via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube) About GROHE GROHE is a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings and has a total of over 7,000 employees in 150 countries 2,600 of them are based in Germany. Since 2014 GROHE has been part of the strong brand portfolio of the Japanese manufacturer of pioneering water and housing products LIXIL. In order to offer "Pure Freude an Wasser", every GROHE product is based on the brand values of quality, technology, design and sustainability. Renowned highlights such as GROHE Eurosmart or the GROHE thermostat series as well as groundbreaking innovations such as the GROHE Blue water system underline the brand's profound expertise. Focused on customer needs, GROHE thus creates intelligent, life-enhancing and sustainable product solutions that offer relevant added value and bear the "Made in Germany" seal of quality: R&D and design are firmly anchored as an integrated process in Germany. GROHE takes its corporate responsibility very seriously and focuses on a resource-saving value chain. Since April 2020, the sanitary brand has been producing CO2-neutral* worldwide. GROHE has also set itself the goal of using plastic-free product packaging by 2021. In the past ten years alone, more than 490 design and innovation awards as well as several sustainability awards confirmed GROHE's success. GROHE was the first in its industry to win the CSR Award of the German Federal Government and the German Sustainability Award 2021 in the categories Resources and Design. As part of the sustainability and climate campaign 50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders GROHE is also driving sustainable transformation. *includes CO2 compensation projects, more on green.grohe.com About LIXIL LIXIL (TSE Code 5938) makes pioneering water and housing products that solve every day, real-life challenges, making better homes a reality for everyone, everywhere. Drawing on our Japanese heritage, we create world-leading technology and innovate to make high quality products that transform homes. But the LIXIL difference is how we do this; through meaningful design, an entrepreneurial spirit, a dedication to improving accessibility for all and responsible business growth. Our approach comes to life through industry leading brands, including INAX, GROHE, American Standard and TOSTEM. Approximately 55,000 colleagues operating in more than 150 countries are proud to make products that touch the lives of more than a billion people every day. Learn more at www.lixil.com Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The acting director of Africa's top public health agency said on Thursday that he hoped vaccine hoarding, as seen by wealthier nations during the COVID-19 pandemic, would not be repeated with the current monkeypox outbreak. Monkeypox, a usually mild viral infection, is endemic in the African countries of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria. But it has caused global alarm after more than 200 suspected and confirmed cases of the virus were detected in at least 19 countries since early May, mostly in Europe. No deaths have been reported so far. read more "Vaccines should go to where it is needed the most and equitably, so based on risk, and not on who can be able to buy it," Ahmed Ogwell Ouma of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention told a news conference. The World Health Organization has in the past warned wealthy countries against hoarding COVID-19 vaccines and threatening supplies to poorer countries where inoculation rates are low. Ogwell Ouma's comments came a day after South African disease experts said they did not think there was a need for mass vaccination campaigns globally against monkeypox and that vaccines should be prioritised for other deadly infections. Africa has used smallpox vaccines to manage outbreaks of monkeypox in the past, he said, urging the general public to avoid looking for those vaccines and squeezing supplies for those most at risk. "The prioritisation is first health workers who are in the frontline, and then the affected communities where the outbreaks are first characterised, before contemplating the general public," Ogwell Oumasaid. "We know how to deal with it... and we are happy to share that knowledge, the experience and the skills we have built over time with countries that are seeing monkeypox now." Source: REUTERS Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video From 16 to 20 May 2022, the World Customs Organization (WCO), with the financial support of the Korea Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF-Korea), organized the first global online Pre-Accreditation Workshop for French-speaking experts on Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programmes. In his opening remarks, Mr. Pranab Kumar Das, Director of Compliance and Facilitation, emphasized that the workshop was an essential step in establishing a pool of AEO Experts - Technical and Operational Advisers, capable of independently leading Technical Assistance missions in the field of AEO programmes on behalf of the WCO for its Members. The francophone Customs community has been moving fast in the context of the development of AEO programmes and the signing of Mutual Recognition Arrangements/Agreements. There has been an increasing demand for technical assistance and capacity building activities in the SAFE/AEO areas for the French-speaking WCO Members, especially in the West and Central African region. It is important to reiterate the critical role of the francophone AEO Accredited Experts in bringing more standardization to national AEO implementation and facilitating the AEO MRA process. The Accredited Experts are expected to support the new development and further enhancement of AEO programmes and MRA negotiation and implementation by sharing the uniform approach embedded in the guidelines and tools under the WCOs SAFE Package. Twelve selected candidates from twelve Member Administrations took part in the Workshop. Mr. Georges Cantone, former Customs Attache to the WCO, an AEO accredited expert, and currently, the Director of International Relations Division, French Customs, joined the workshop as a co-facilitator. Participants from Algeria, Benin, China, Cote DIvoire, Gabon, Guinea, India, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, and Turkey worked intensively and demonstrated their knowledge and skills to deliver Capacity Building activities in the area of AEO. In the end, participants acknowledged that even though the workshop was held virtually, it was very well structured and served as a forum for sharing knowledge and experience and discussing challenges and solutions on various topics around AEO implementation and MRAs. The participants that successfully completed the pre-accreditation Workshop will be invited to the next stage of the WCO expert accreditation process, including national/regional workshops as a pre-qualified WCO expert in the area of AEO. The Assistant Headmaster of the Bole Senior High School in the Savannah Region has been arrested for allegedly raping a final year student of the school. The suspect, Issahaku Jeduah, is said to have forcefully had sex with the 21-year-old victim when he invited her to his office under the pretense of giving her past questions. According to the Savannah Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Agyekum Owusu, the suspect was arrested Wednesday, May 25, after a medical examination on the victim. According to him, the victim reported the incident to her brother who subsequently made a report at the Bole District Police Command. "Her brother came to our station in the morning and reported that one of his junior sisters at Bole Senior High and information reaching him is that the said sister has been raped by one of the tutors. "So, the crime officer and other officials from the Ghana Education Service went to the school, took the girl to the hospital for diagnosis to ascertain the fact of the case. So, yesterday, the tutor was arrested and detained," he said. He said Issahaku would be put before court Thursday. Source: graphic.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video In Burundi, drivers are so desperate for fuel that they sleep on forecourts of petrol stations. Senegal has so little jet fuel that Air Frances flight from the capital, Dakar, to Paris has been stopping in the Canary Islands to fill up. Johannesburg has the same problem, which has caused United Airlines to cancel some flights from New York. From Kenya, which recently suffered its worst petrol shortage in a decade, to Lagos, where queues outside petrol stations backed onto motorways, and Cameroon, where thousands of lorries have been stranded without diesel, Africa has been short of the lifeblood of modern economies. Everywhere, everyone is scrambling for diesel, laments Anibor Kragha of the African Refiners and Distributors Association, an industry group. The economic costs of shortages are huge. They bring commerce to a grinding halt, shut the millions of businesses that have to generate their own electricity and force holidaymakers to cancel trips for lack of flights. This is a blow to tourism, a large contributor to GDP in many African countries. The social impact is large, too. Hospitals cannot get drugs and ambulances are immobilised. All this makes politicians jumpy. Anger at shortages can quickly erupt in the streets. Demand for fuel surged across the world last year as economies recovered from covid-19. Yet for the first time in 30 years global refining capacity fell, causing fuel prices to rise. Russias invasion of Ukraine pushed them higher still. In most places fuel has remained available, if expensive. But not in Africa, which is going through its worst supply crisis in 40 years, according to Pierre Barbe, who runs the Africa business at Vitol, the worlds biggest independent oil trader. The shortages are not simply the result of higher prices that have made fuel unaffordable to poorer buyers in many parts of Africa. They have also been caused by several other market changes that particularly affect the continent, says Kristine Petrosyan of the International Energy Agency (IEA), an intergovernmental think-tank. Fuel traders generally use financial markets to lessen the risk of price fluctuations. But they have to spend much more (and tie up more working capital) hedging when prices are high and volatile. Importers to Africa are often smaller than those in richer regions, and have tighter balance sheets. To conserve capital many simply import less fuel. The problem is being aggravated by a turn in the futures market: the price for deliveries of oil at a future date has fallen far below that for immediate delivery. In more usual times traders would park dozens of full oil tankers (known as floaters) off the west African coast, where they would wait for higher prices. Now traders want to unload them as quickly as possible and send them to Asia through the Suez canal, avoiding Africa altogether. Many sub-Saharan countries are particularly vulnerable because they generally buy in small amounts from floaters or tankers sailing by. Whereas many rich countries hold a 90-day supply in reserve, few sub-Saharan countries have any such backup. It is clear that there is little storage capacity in the region, although data on this are scant. A second vulnerability is that sub-Saharan countries refine little oil domestically. Many of their refineries are badly run and operate far below capacity or are too small to compete. Refinery output in sub-Saharan Africa has fallen by half over the past decade, even as oil demand in the region has risen by 19%, according to the IEA. Sub-Saharan Africa now imports about three-quarters of its refined products on average, a greater share than any other region. That leaves it deeply exposed to external shocks. West Africa is especially vulnerable. Senegal, for example, is short on fuel in part because the countrys sole refinery has been shut for maintenance. Having little refining capacity and barely anything in reserve is risky at the best of times. In many African countries poor logistics, bad management and distorting subsidies regularly cause supply shocks. Many African ports can only receive ships with a shallow draft, forcing big tankers to offload into little ones. They are also heavily congested, exacerbating delays. Nigerias recent shortages emerged after the authorities blocked the sale of 350,000 tonnes of petrol: it contained too much methanol. Exactly who messed up is hotly contested but, with tiny reserves, motorists were soon running dry. In Kenya the government subsidises petrol but does so clumsily, worsening fuel shortages. It was recently late paying the equivalent of $112m in subsidies to retailers who were already struggling with a shortage of working capital because of high prices. Things may soon get even worse. Big oil traders are reducing purchases of Russian oil to comply with European sanctions that take effect on May 15th. This will further cut the flow to Africa of fuel refined in Europe from Russian oil. In the long run much hopeand cashis invested in a big refinery being built in Nigeria by the Dangote Group. Though the project is years behind schedule, it is expected to be completed later this year. Yet the project is an exception to the trend of declining capacity. Africa also needs deeper strategic reserves of fuel to weather both global shocks and local troubles. Maybe this will be a wake-up call, the way the 1970s were to Europe, says the IEAs Ms Petrosyan, because it is clear that this situation can repeat in the future. Source: economist.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Coordinator for the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP), Dr. Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor has on Thursday, 26th May, 2022, inspected some tree seedlings procured in the Western and Ashanti Regions ahead of the government's aggressive afforestation programme "Green Ghana Day" being implemented under the auspices of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. At Adinkra in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Carol inspected the over 8 million seedlings plantation and commended the workers for a good job done. She engaged the workers in a brief meeting highlighting government's commitment to resource them to have sustainable income as alternative to the illegal small-scale mining. The plantation at Adinkra, which was formerly a degraded land site due to illegal mining activities, has seen a major facelift after a partnership between government-private sector, Richie Plantation, a leading Agro-business industry in Ghana. She indicated that the field trip was as a result of her outfit's resolve in ensuring that the 2022 Green Ghana Day becomes a resounding success, saying "the seedlings procured ahead of the Green Ghana Day on June 10th 2022 is ready for distribution". Wrapping up the working visit at Akotom, a town in the Prestea Huni Valley in the Western Region, Dr. Carol applauded the Plantation Manager and workers for nurturing enough seedlings for the nationwide tree planting exercise. The Cordinator further called for closer collaborative efforts of traditional authorities and Ghanaians in general to make the 2022 Green Ghana Day, which will see the planting of 20million trees, one of a kind. On his part, Mr. Richard Quansah, CEO of Richie plantation, added that 20 million seedlings have been raised and millions more will be added by the end of 2022. He pointed out that, through NALEP, activities such as land preparations, irrigation and nursery to transplanting and the planting of seedlings have culminated in an estimated 100000 direct jobs to indigenes and residents of nearby communities. It has also ensured decent and sustainable income for the locals. "These workers are mostly individuals who were involved in illegal mining activities, who have now been integrated into one of the President Akufo-Addo led government's initiative, the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Program which has the sole aim of re-afforestion and reclamating degraded lands." The two plantations visited by the team have Acacia, Teak, Cedrella, Ofram, Mahogany and Cassia seedlings nursed on a large scale. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ministry of Energy has set a policy target of distributing three million units of clean biogas cookstoves by 2030 to households. This is to cover 50 per cent of the population using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Mr Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer, the Deputy Minister of Energy, said made this known at the launch of the third edition of the Energy Commissions Senior High Schools Renewable Energy Challenge in Accra. The challenge seeks to provide education and create awareness on renewable energy technologies among Senior/Technical schools in the country. This years Challenge was dubbed: Clean Cooking & Food," aimed at promoting creative thinking and mentorship to young students to enable them to come up with innovative ideas for national development. It was also to promote research and development in our public second cycle schools by encouraging the transformation of ideas and concepts into actual projects and product development. The Renewable Energy Challenge would enhance the Governments efforts at achieving policy goals, Mr Mercer said. "And in that regard, the Ministry of Energy intends to fund a further development and promotion of the most outstanding and innovative clean cooking institution for this year's challenge," he said. He urged the participating students to have deeper thoughts and reflections to come out with the best presentations that could transform the cooking sector. Mr Julius Nkansah-Nyarko, the Senior Manager, Energy Commission, and Programme Coordinator, called on students pursuing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programming and coding to take advantage of the initiative. A participating school may have a team consisting of four students with a teacher and must submit details of their proposed projects to the Regional Coordinator of Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Innovation Education. These projects will be forwarded to the Director at the Science Education Unit in Accra, which would be done in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES). There would be regional competitions from the first week in June to July, with dates to be communicated in due course. 16 regional winners will go into the zonal competition where three best schools would be selected from each zone to participate in the finals under the auspices of the Commission and GES. The Challenge was introduced in 2019 and the second edition, which was held in 2021 due the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, was won by Gyaama Pensan Senior High and Technical School at Aboaso in the Ashanti Region. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has said Parliament is broke and has no money to run the business of the House. This, he said was due to the delay by the Ministry of Finance to release the needed funds to Parliament. "Parliament is currently being run on arrears and the House should not be treated like one of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)", he said. Mr Bagbin said this on the floor of the House Thursday morning. Source: graphic.com.gh 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 Major Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has bemoaned the direction given by Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, for Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta to give an account of Ghanas COVID-19 expenditure before a loan request can be approved. According to him, the action of the Speaker was unfortunate since he did not have the power to give such directions of his own volition. The Major Chief Whip, who was speaking at a press conference in Accra, indicated that only Members of Parliament can conclude on such a decision for the Speaker to only communicate. ... the Speaker has no persona of his own. Such a decision has to be the sense of the house. He [Bagbin] cannot communicate his own decision, especially when he is not a Member of Parliament. The sense of the house at that moment is that the question should not be put, but it wasnt that the Finance Minister must first come to the house to render an account, he said. Also, Annoh-Dompreh, who is also the Member of Parliament for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, added that the government was not running away from accountability for its COVID-19 expenditure as some persons are asserting. Nobody is shying away from accountability, but that wasnt what the house was saying. When the Majority Leader returns, we are going to engage the Speaker. Going forward we dont want to have any banter with the speaker but where we think that things need to be straightened we will find a diplomatic way of reaching out to ensure that we have peace for the progress and execution of the work of parliament, he added. The Speaker of Parliament summoned Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to appear before the House with details of monies received and expended in the name of Covid-19, after the shooting down of a 75 million Euros loan agreement between the government of Ghana and the European Investment Bank, EIB for the Covid-19 health response Ghana Project. Members of the Minority Caucus led by MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, Cassiel Ato Forson questioned the failure of the finance minister to properly account for funds received in the name of the pandemic so far. Another Minority MP, Ho West MP, Emmanuel Bedzra then threatened to mobilize the NDC MPs to vote against the loan since the President himself has through relaxation of the Covid restrictions given an indication the worst of the pandemic is over. Majority Chief Whip Frank Annor-Dompreh sensing the mood in the house prayed to the Speaker to stand down the agreement. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, MP, Assin Central, has opened up on his ambition to succeed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2024 as the President of Ghana. According to him, he will use his first 100 days in office as the President - when he wins the party primaries and the general election - to change the mindset of Ghanaians. He said he will change the fortunes of the youth because there is overwhelming unemployment and as a businessman and entrepreneur, he will use his tenure as the President of Ghana to create jobs for the youth. He said if the governing party wants to break the eight as their mantra for 2024 is, then they must break the eight with Kennedy Agyapong. "Yes, it is true. I have decided that when the NPP opens nominations, I will pick a form and file my nomination to contest the party primaries as the flagbearerI will stand on the ticket of the NPP and nothing will change," Kennedy Agyapong said in a Facebook live interview with The Announcer Newspaper, Wednesday, May 26. Why contesting flagbearership According to Parliament's Defence Committee Chairman, he is the best person who can continue the legacy of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. "When you look at Ghana at the moment, the only person to continue President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos legacy is me, Kennedy Agyapong and that is the confidence I have. "If we make a mistake and select any other person apart from me, the NDC will win the elections and will not continue the legacy of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. If you look at the mistake, we did in 2008 by fighting ourselves and allowing the NDC to win the 2008 elections, President John Agyekum Kufuors uncompleted works were halted, but this time, I am appealing to the members of the NPP not to do such a mistake again," he explained. Agyapong added, "We should make sure that we break the eight and I am the only person who can break the eight for the NPPif they need a new face as the new brand for the NPP, then it is Kennedy Agyapongs ticket...If members of the NPP will vote for me as the flagbearer, I will beat Mahama hands down. I have what it takes to beat Mahama [in any election]." Outlining his vision for Ghana Kennedy Agyapong, in outlining his vision for the country stated that, one thing he will capitalise upon is to create more jobs for the youth. He also stated that he will not take his monthly salary as a President but rather, he will use it in setting up a scholarship scheme that will help brilliant but needy students get the best education they deserve. "I wont take salary or perks; any monetary benefit that should be given to me will be used as scholarships to educate the youth who are from poor backgrounds. "Respectfully even the chop money that I give in the house, if I decide to rely on the government salary then I cant give my wife chop money again. I will use the profits from my companies to take care of myself. If Ghanaians will give me either 4 or 8 years as the President, I wont touch any monies from the state. "I will establish what is known as a Presidential scholarship so that brilliant but needy students can also get some level of education to the university level," he noted. "When I become the President of Ghana, I will use tourism to develop Ghana. President Akufo-Addo has done very well with his 1 District 1 Factory as well as the Free SHS," Kennedy Agyapong said. He praised President Akufo-Addo for the significant improvement he has done within the educational sector, especially with the introduction of his flagship Free SHS. "Look at the graduates coming up, they need jobs and I can tell you gold, cocoa, all minerals put together; if you develop your tourist sites, it promotes the tourism of the country. There is no way that all that the mineral resources have can be compared to what is in the tourism sector but we have overlooked tourism for so long that I think that, this is the time. "When Ghanaians give me the opportunity, this is a dream that I have and with discipline, we shall all wake up, and work hard [we can achieve it]. I will enforce discipline in my administration. I will introduce the clock system so that every government worker that goes to work can be able to clock to indicate the time of reporting and vice versa. Time is money and we waste a lot of time in Ghana doing so many things that are unnecessary. "If you give me the chance within 100 days, I will change the mindset of the people; we have to get a positive mindset to develop this country and we can do it," Agyapong stressed. Message to NPP members and Ghanaians "Ghanaians should have confidence in me because whatever I have said to myself that I will do by the grace of God I have done it. I am going to change the fortunes of the youth in our country because we have to create employment for the unemployed graduates "I will contest the flagbearship race and I will win. I am appealing to the members of the NPP that if they want to Break The Eight you break the eight with Kennedy Agyapong because I walk the talk and have love for Ghanaians. "I am the hope for the hopeless and voice for the voiceless," Kennedy Agyapong stressed. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Eric Adjei, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Deputy Director of Communications for the Bono Region has called out the Akufo-Addo-led administration over controversies surrounding the Achimota Forest. The Achimota Forest became a topical issue when it was alleged that government had sold portions of the forest following an Executive Instrument (E.I) that was signed by President Akufo-Addo to declassify it. The Instrument gazetted on behalf of President Akufo-Addo by the Lands Minister, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, stipulated that effective May 1, 2022, the land on which the Forest is located shall cease to be a forest reserve, pursuant to Section 19 of the Forest Act, 1927 (CAP. 157). However, the Minister denied reports that government is selling the land. According to him, The government intends to enrich the Achimota forest, revamp it and hopefully, in the not too distant future, transform it into the likes of High Park of London and Central Park of New York, where Ghanaians can go and enjoy the beauty of nature and forest reserve as it happens in other parts of the world. Sir John's 'Leaked Will' Subsequently, a leaked Will alleged to belong to the late Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission (FC) Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John emerged indicating how he owned portions of the Achimota Forest. "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 the Will reportedly read. According to some political pundits, this is a confirmation that the ruling government has indeed sold portions of the land. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has indicated that it is not aware that Sir John owns portions of the Achimota Forest land. Pharisees & Criminals Eric Adjei speaking to this, described members of the ruling government as "Pharisees & criminals" and questioned how Achimota Forest emerged in Sir John's Will if the Executive Instrument was signed just days ago. Eric Adjei who was contributing to a panel discussion on UTV's 'Adekye Nsroma' programme said: "It's sad . . . I don't know if we need to change our names because as for that Akufo-Addo family; that cabal, (they) are criminals in government. They are nation wreckers. The question is if the E.I was signed 19th March, how did Sir John get access to a portion to even Will it to his family? The Pharisees have already shared it . . . the executive instrument that backs the allocation given to the Owoo family, was signed last month and Sir John died almost two years ago; so how did he get a portion? the land was shared three years ago . . . these people are wicked. They came to steal and destroy". "If God exists, He needs to punish this man before he dies, If God is really alive, he should let Nana Addo suffer before he dies . . . we have this crop of leaders; criminals in government, it seems there's no leadership in Ghana. Where are the top clergymen, where's Otabil, Rev. Martey...? Where are we going as a nation?" he added. Listen to him in the video below 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 NPP Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has incurred the wrath of the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the party over her absence from Parliament and alleged misconduct towards the party. Adwoa Safo's Misconduct Lawyer Sarah Adwoa Safo has for months now not stepped a foot in Parliament to join her colleagues in the deliberation of matters as she is based in the United States of America. She was earlier said to be on an extended leave of absence but it later turned out that she has refused to return to her parliamentary duties. Her refusal to come back to Parliament has gravely affected the NPP, particularly nearly sabotaging their will to implement the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy). Despite all attempts to sweet-talk her to return home and continue her parliamentary assignments as her absence has left her constituents orphan, Lawyer Adwoa Safo remains unperturbed and unwilling to heed the party's pleas. We Saw It Coming Speaking in an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme Thursday morning, the NPP Greater Accra Regional Chairman, Divine Otoo Agorhom sounded very fed up with the behavior of Adwoa Safo. He noted that the party foresaw she would one day exhibit such rude behavior towards them but were still willing to help her. "We saw it coming", he said, expounding that one signal that perhaps should have made the party aware of Adwoa Safo's behavior is that the Dome-Kwabenya MP abstained from the inauguration of her own campaign team during the 2020 elections. "This problem that we are experiencing at Dome-Kwabenya, I saw it long [long] before the elections. Would you believe that when we were doing the inauguration of the campaign team for Dome-Kwabenya, the then MP/candidate refused to partake? . . . She didn't even appear on the scene," he stated. NPP To Post Someone To Dome-Kwabenya Mr. Divine Otoo Agorhom further disclosed that, although Adwoa Safo refused to attend the inauguration, the Regional leadership of the party decided to assist her to win the elections, therefore, he (Divine) sent a key member of the party, Hon. Adjei Sowah, to Dome-Kwabenya constituency to join the campaign train of Lawyer Adwoa Safo.But "she insulted him till the man packed his belongings and said no, no, no; I won't do this again and left," he narrated.He added that the leadership didn't give up but also assigned the former Member of Parliament, Akua Afriyie, who had then lost her seat to Madam Sheila Bartels, to also help Adwoa Safo but the latter continually annoyed her (Akua Afriyie) and did everything to make her job a "living hell".Mr. Otoo Agorhom also revealed that he once reported lawyer Adwoa Safo's character to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The Greater Accra Regional Chairman noted that, although the NPP won the Dome-Kwabenya seat during the 2020 Parliamentary elections, Adwoa Safo's behavior caused the party to loss over 20,000 votes which is a significant number that could have boosted the party's fortunes. He, however, indicated that, despite the struggles they are having with Adwoa Safo, the party may assign another person to support Dome-Kwabenya constituency. "That place now, they have an MP but it's like they are orphans. That's the situation now; so we may be compelled to once again assign somebody to support them until their Member of Parliament will return," he stated. Elections Divine Otoo Agorhom is standing to be re-elected as Greater Accra Regional Chairman in the NPP Regional elections on Saturday, 28th May, 2022. He is appealing to the delegates to consider his good works, thus give him the nod to serve them for another term. 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 Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the governing NPP, Divine Otoo Agorhom has dropped a bombshell on the appointment of former Member of Parliament of Ablekuma North constituency, Madam Akua Afriyie as Ghana's Deputy Ambassador to China. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last year presented letters of credence to 13 appointed envoys with a national duty on them. The envoys included three High Commissioners, eight Ambassadors, one deputy High Commissioner, and a deputy Ambassador, of which Madam Akua Afriyie's name was mentioned. However, Madam Akua Afriyie's appointment was a reward from the President for her active role in securing the Dome-Kwabenya seat during the 2020 Parliamentary elections. Recounting how the former MP was listed among the envoys, Divine Otoo Agorhom, in an interview on Peace FM's morning show, revealed that Madam Akua Afriyie had been assigned by the party's Greater Accra Regional office to assist the Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament, Sarah Adwoa Safo, who was then seeking re-election. He noted that Sarah Adwoa Safo had rudely behaved towards the party as she refused to attend the inauguration of her own campaign team. Sarah Adwoa Safo is currently a thorn in the side of the NPP as she has neglected her parliamentary duties and relocated to the United States of America. "This problem that we are experiencing at Dome-Kwabenya, I saw it long [long] before the elections. Would you believe that when we were doing the inauguration of the campaign team for Dome-Kwabenya, the then MP/candidate, Hon. Adwoa Safo refused to partake? . . . She didn't even appear on the scene," according to the Regional Chairman. As a result, the party resolved to send some members to aid her campaign but Adwoa Safo managed to persistently irritate them. Mr. Divine Otoo Agorhom revealed that he sent a key member of the party, Hon. Adjei Sowah, to Dome-Kwabenya constituency to help her but "she insulted him till the man packed his belongings and said no, no, no; I won't do this again and left". Finally, Madam Akua Afriyie was added to the Adwoa Safo team and Adwoa Safo similarly frustrated and insulted her but the woman dutifully continued to do her job. Mr. Otoo Agorhom disclosed that, due to the work that Akua Afriyie did for Dome-Kwabenya constituency, President Nana Addo was compelled to honor her, though not a normal practice for an MP to lose her seat and be greatly honored in such fashion. " . . for reason of her extra work she did at Dome-Kwabenya and the attack from the woman (Adwoa Safo), His Excellency was compelled as it is to reward her and she is currently the Deputy Ambassador at China," he stated. Watch video below 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 Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Member of Parliament for Bortianor-Ngleshie Amanfro constituency, Slyvester Tetteh has admonished Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to stop frustrating the good works of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The President has directed the removal of all structures along water courses as a key intervention to stopping the perennial floods in the country. President Nana Addo gave the directive when he commissioned two dredgers and marine equipment by Dredge Masters Limited (DML) at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region. The President indicated that a monitoring unit has been established at Jubilee House to report to him on the progress of implementation of the flood control measures. "I am, thus, putting all MMDCEs on notice. You will be held accountable for any breachers that result in damage from flooding. As the President of the Republic, I will not allow the selfish acts of a few to jeopardise the collective future of the rest of us," the President said. Contributing to Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, Slyvester Tetteh scolded the MMDCEs for neglecting their duties but it has to take the President to put them on their toes. "Why must it take the President to direct you before you do your job?", he questioned. He charged them to crack the whip on the irresponsible Ghanaians and foreigners who erect structures at wrong places. "I think the President has given them enough authority to do what they are supposed to do," he said. Sylvester Tetteh urged the MMDCEs to demolish any building or structure that is constructed at inappropriate areas, particularly on waterways and places designated to be used as roads. 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 General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party(NPP), John Boadu, has proposed that government should be bold and sanction all those who have illegally acquired lands within the Achimota forest reserve. He says it will at least serve as a deterrent to others who harbor such motives. Speaking On Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he further explained that government should publish the names of the those who have also illegally acquired lands through their various institutions under guise of hiding their real identity. "There are some people who have illegally acquired state properties and have turned round to bash government, but you see I believe government should consider lifting the veil for us to see these individuals including some members of the clergy who have all illegally acquired state properties and state lands," he said. He maintained that until government does this the act of people stealing state properties will not cease. "There are people who have legally acquired their properties and in the case of the Achimota lands for instance there are people who legally acquired those lands, but there are others who have made it a habit to steal or illegally acquire state or government property by the virtue of the position of they carry and for me it is very wrong for people to do that," he said. Government will act on improper acquisition of public lands. Lands Minster, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor has said government is committed to protecting all public lands from unlawful possession by individuals and state officials. He says government will act on any improper acquisition of public lands, regardless of how it was procured, whether now or in the past, and the Achimota Forest lands will not be an exception. Mr. Jinapor said this in a statement he issued on Tuesday, May 24 over claims that the late former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, owns lands at the Achimota Forest and Sakumono Ramsar Site. Watch video below The Minority in Parliament has asked President Akufo-Addo to revoke Executive Instrument 144 which seeks to declassify some portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve.Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu in a statement in parliament noted that Executive Instrument 144 is in breach of the provisions of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925).He explained that per the Act, the regulation of land use and spatial planning in Ghana is not conferred on the President."Presidents exercise of power for the issuance of the Executive Instrument 144 pursuant to section 19 of the Forest Act, 1927 (CAP. 157) is untenable as Section 90(1) of Act 925 provides that: Where a provision of this Act is in conflict with any other enactment relating to land use, the provision of this Act shall prevail. Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah has led a campaign against the Central Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Robert Kutin Jnr, who is seeking re-election in the party's Regional elections. The New Patroitic Party (NPP) will from Friday, May 27 to Sunday, May 29, 2022 hold its Regional elections across all the 16 Regions of the country to elect Regional executives. Speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah expressed his distaste for the character of Mr. Robert Kutin. According to him, his leadership style won't help the party in the Region. The Governance Lecturer at the Central University charged the party delegates to reject Mr. Kutin's candidacy. "I will advocate that they should vote against Chairman Kutin. This is my stance. If they can vote for Richard Takyi Mensah, they should but they should vote against Chairman Kutin," he said. 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 Governance Lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Ankrah, has called on the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, to wake-up and enforce his strict measures in making Accra work again. The Regional Minister has been acclaimed as the 'best' Minister in the current Akufo-Addo administration due to his unintimidated posture to instilling discipline in the residents in the capital city. The Minister lauched the campaign "Making Accra Work Again" in which he introduced a number of measures like operation clean your frontage exercise to better the sanitation situation in the city, relocating onion traders at Agbogbloshie, issuing directives to drivers who illegally blow sirens to stop it and demolishing structures at inappropriate places among others. Making submissions during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show, Dr. Otchere-Ankrah expressed disappointment in the Minister. According to him, the Minister seems to have relaxed in fearlessly executing his duties. He asked Henry Quartey not to quench his fire to doing the right thing, stressing, "the best time to implement change is when you have public support . . . the things he said and he had the Presidency support, nothing ever stopped him. I plead with him not to let us down". He added; "Don't let us be disappointed, especially those of us who believed in you. I still believe in you; you can do it. So, please keep the fire burning." 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 Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament and Gender Minister, Sarah Adwoa Safo has debunked reports that she has abandoned her post as a Parliamentarian and a Minister of State. Adwoa Safo's continuous absence from Parliament has raised lots of discussions in and out of Parliament. She has been criticized by some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Kennedy Agyepong and Deputy Trade Minister, Michael Okyere Baafi, have all accused her of blackmailing and holding government hostage especially prior to the passage of the Electronic Transaction bill (E-levy). Others are also calling for her seat to be declared vacant. But speaking in an interview on JoyNews The Pulse on Thursday, May 26, the Gender Minister said she sought permission before leaving and that President Akufo-Addo is aware of everything happening to her and her family. "The president is aware of what is happening to me and my family and that is what I expect every Ghanaian to understand. I am not intentionally abandoning my duties and responsibilities. I have served the people of Ghana for 12 years and there has not been any past record of me absenting myself like this. That should tell people that theres really something that ought to be done with family and I know that youll put family first" According to her, "I have been doing a lot to support my children which Im required to do by law and as you know here in the foreign land, I have to comply with whatever I am directed to do and until all that is sorted out, I have to do what I have to do and then I will return to my duties as a member of parliament and as a minister of state. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, says she has forgiven all Members of Parliament who criticised her extended stay away from Parliament. According to her, all her critics in Parliament were new MPs and she has forgiven them as a result. She further disclosed that she still had a good relationship with her party in Parliament and all the female MPs in Parliament. Ms Safo also stated that it was untrue that she demanded to be made the Deputy Majority Leader as a condition for her return to Parliament. "That is so, so untrue and I forgive anybody who went out there to insult me because of hearsay, third party people or people telling them what they know which is all untrue," Ms Safo said in an interview on Joy News on Thursday afternoon [May 26, 2022]. "My Personal Assistant had come in to debunk all of that and the reason I didn't come in immediately is that as a seasoned female politician, when people are speaking loudly and you speak, you are not heard and this is the time for me to explain why I kept my silence and my silence was because it was too rowdy, It was too loud". The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has referred Ms Safo and two other MPs of the Majority side to the Privileges Committee for absenting themselves for more than 15 sitting days in Parliament. I remain loyal to NPP, Akufo-Addo Ms Safo also stated that she has no intentions to run as an independent candidate even if she loses the primary because of her loyalty to the NPP and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. 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 This March 13, 2020, photo provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shows Charles Manson follower Patricia Krenwinkel. A California parole panel recommended her release for the first time, Thursday, May 26,2022. Krenwinkel, 74, was previously denied parole 14 times for the slayings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four other people in 1969. The next night, Krenwinkel helped kill grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation via AP) Mo at the recent Mid South 100-mile gravel race, where she placed 2nd. Photo: Ansel Dickey @vermontsocial Mo celebrates as she wins the Sea Otter Classic Fuego XC 80k in April, the first round of the Life Time Grand Prix. Photo: @lifetimegrandprix Mo Wilson Mo chats with reporter Ben Delaney at the finish line of The Mid South. Photo: Christopher Stricklen @creedub The suspect appears to have boarded a plane to New York May 14. Kaitlin Armstrong Colin Strickland. Photo: Sean Berry @seanberryphoto / Red Bull Content Pool Colin Strickland I am reeling from grieving Mo Wilson's death and from the facts that have emerged during the investigation. I cannot begin to imagine the pain felt by Mo's family and her close friends. There is no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime. I am sorry and I simply cannot make sense of this unfathomable tragedy. Although it will be a matter of small consolation to anyone else who cared for Mo, I want you to know that I have cooperated fully with investigators ever since I learned the terrible news and I will continue to do so until some form of justice is served. As a point of clarification to facts previously reported, Moriah Wilson and I had a brief romantic relationship from late October-early November 2021 that spanned a week or so while Wilson was visiting Austin. At the time, she and I had both recently ended relationships. She returned to her home in California and about a month later, Kaitlin Armstrong and I reconciled and resumed our relationship. Since then I often saw Mo at cycling events, and always in public settings. We both competed in Bentonville, AR, Stillwater and Monterrey, CA. We also met for a 4-hour training ride in Santa Cruz after the Sea Otter Classic in Monterrey. After our brief relationships in October of 2021, we were not in a romantic relationship, only a platonic and professional one. It was not my intention to pursue along an auxiliary romantic relationship that would mislead anyone. Moriah and I were both leaders in this lonely, niche sport of cycling, and I admired her greatly and considered her a close friend. I am deeply grieving her loss. Colin Strickland We know that Moriah would want the event to carry on, for her compatriots to test their limits, as she would have been alongside her friends on the race course. We hope everyone feels her passion and support as they chase their own dreams. Her spirit will be there with you all, while training and on every race day. We're used to seeing pain on riders' faces, but never like this. Photo: Marc Arjol Rodriguez @velophoto.tx Where do we begin? One of the rising stars of gravel and endurance mountain bike racing a friend, a daughter, an athlete who raced for the love of it was murdered May 11 in Austin, Texas. 25-year-old Moriah "Mo" Wilson was traveling to race the Gravel Locos 150-mile race in Hico, Texas, where she was a favorite for the win until a vicious shooting ended her life and sent the off-road cycling community into a stunned, heartbroken unrest.The Austin Police Department responded to a call the night of May 11 and found Mo Wilson dead from gunshot wounds in her friend's house, where she was staying. Since her killing, the details have only become more horrifying: police have issued an arrest warrant for Kaitlin Armstrong, the partner of high-profile gravel racer Colin Strickland, with whom Mo reportedly had a brief romantic relationship last fall during a time when Strickland and Armstrong had separated. In a statement released last week, Strickland said he and Mo remained close but not romantically involved after he and Armstrong reconciled. Text messages and statements from others included in the police affidavit appear to contradict what Strickland said, suggesting that he continued his romantic involvement with Wilson after reconciling with Armstrong.The evening of May 11, Wilson went for an evening swim with Strickland, according to the affidavit. Soon after Strickland dropped Mo off at her friend's house for the night, Armstrong is alleged to have visited the house and shot Mo, whose friend returned later that night to find her shot multiple times with a 9mm handgun. She was pronounced dead soon after police arrived.Now, Armstrong is on the run and authorities have issued an arrest warrant for first-degree murder.While it's hard not to focus on the horrific end of Moriah Wilson's life, there was so much vitality packed into the 25 years that preceded the May 11 events.The former ski racer and longtime recreational rider only started to make a mark on the professional racing scene in the last year, but while just a year ago she was considered a dark horse , she's quickly become known as the winningest woman in the current American gravel scene, and was recently highlighted in an interview with our sister site VeloNews published May 11, just hours before her death.Raised in northeastern Vermont near the Kingdom Trails, Wilson told Betsy Welch of VeloNews, she learned to ride at an early age with her parents and brother. Her father was a professional ski racer, and the natural path for Mo was to follow in his footsteps, attending Burke Mountain Academy, a private college-prep school with a focus on training elite ski racing athletes, before joining the Dartmouth College Ski Team, one of the top Division 1 collegiate ski teams in the US, playing competitive soccer and earning a degree in engineering along the way . During her competitive ski career, Wilson used mountain and gravel bikes for cross-training, injury recovery, and fun with her family and friends. One coach joked over the years that she should pursue bike racing once she was done ski racing, she said, because shed probably be pretty good at it.As it turns out, she was.Throughout the 2021 and early 2022 seasons, Wilson was on a tear, winning many if not most of the US's biggest high-mileage events. Last fall, she placed second at the Leadville Trail 100 MTB and won Big Sugar before coming back even stronger this spring to take wins at Rock Cobbler, the Huffmaster Hopper, the Shasta Gravel Hugger, the Belgian Waffle Ride (which she won by 25 minutes), and the Sea Otter Classic Fuego 80k. For American gravel racers, the spring season builds up to the Unbound Gravel 200 mile race, which is scheduled for June 4 and where fans have looked forward to watching a showdown between Wilson and last year's winner, Lauren de Crescenzo.On her quick rise to the top, Wilson said, "I work really hard and even though I havent been in the sport for long, my experience as a ski racer and background in the sport recreationally have converged. So that's been cool because it's actually like, ok this has been many, many years and hours of being coached and doing something recreationally."Compared to last season when Wilson had minimal support and, unlike most of her fellow top racers, was working a full-time job at Specialized, Wilson had professional support for 2022 including from Specialized and, just last month, gave notice that shed be leaving her demand planner role to train full-time. Her last day of work was set for June 3, the day before Unbound.As she moved into racing full-time, she recently started a newsletter that included race reflections, interviews with industry figures, and vignettes that painted her as a thoughtful, insightful person with a unique balance of humility and quiet confidence. Her obituary describes her as a lover of Taco Tuesdays, Italy, and Settlers of Catan, and as a bighearted rider who recently moved back to her home state with the vision to "create a local community space in East Burke, Vt. where bikers could gather throughout the day, feel welcome, share a good cup of coffee and a bite of locally sourced food."In short, Wilson and those around her anticipated a lifetime's worth of on- and off-bike experiences , and her too-short time leaves a million "what if" questions behind.She's remembered by the Gravel Locos race founder Fabian Serralta as a "role model, a shy compassionate person, a spirited tactical racer and a competitor that genuinely cared about those competing against [her]."The evidence that ties Kaitlin Armstrong to the crime is significant. Wilson returned to her friend's house at 8:36 pm the evening she was killed, according to her friend's electronic keypad records, and at 8:37, a neighbor's surveillance camera caught what appeared to be Armstrong's vehicle slowing and stopping outside of the residence where Wilson was killed.In investigating the case and searching Strickland's and Armstrong's home, police discovered Armstrong had an outstanding, unrelated misdemeanor warrant for her arrest, so she was brought to the police station and interviewed by a detective. Soon after, it was discovered that the arrest warrant was not valid due to a discrepancy in her listed birthdate in police records, and Armstrong was declared free to leave. During her brief interview while she was at the station, Armstrong did not deny that she was outside the residence where Wilson was killed, and nodded in agreement with the statement "maybe you were upset and just in the area," according to the affidavit.Police found two handguns at Strickland's and Armstrong's residence, which Strickland told police he purchased one for himself and one for Armstrong between December 2021 and January 2022. Forensic evidence suggests "significant potential" that it was Armstrong's firearm that killed Wilson.An anonymous friend of Wilson's, identified in the affidavit as "Jane Doe," told detectives that Wilson and Strickland had been in an "on again, off again" entanglement that began last fall, and that Armstrong had repeatedly and aggressively contacted Wilson to tell her to stay away from Strickland until Wilson blocked Armstrong's number.A second anonymous caller told the investigators that in January 2022, Armstrong had discovered that Strickland and Wilson were still romantically involved and had become so angry that she said she wanted to kill Wilson. The caller refused to be identified, but police corroborated enough details to believe the input was credible.Two days after the crime, Strickland said, was the last time he saw his girlfriend. Armstrong has been on the run ever since, and her whereabouts have been unknown since then. On Wednesday, police released video that appears to show Armstrong boarding a flight from Austin to New York May 14. The warrant for her arrest was issued May 17, and she remains at large.And there, in the middle between the victim and her alleged killer, is Colin Strickland. One of the top US gravel racers and a Red Bull athlete, Strickland is central to the story not only because a woman appears to have killed another because of his relationships, but because most of the public details about the story have come from Strickland's police interview, detailed in the affidavit.Strickland told investigators that he and Wilson had been briefly romantically involved last fall, during a time when he and Armstrong had been broken up for one or two weeks. He said his relationship with Wilson only lasted about a week and faded out, though others say otherwise. Text messages found on Wilson's phone and included in the affidavit suggest that as recently as January, Wilson believed she and Strickland were romantically involved, at least in some capacity.The affidavit also details how Strickland changed Wilson's name in his phone and how, after dropping Wilson off the night of her death, he texted Armstrong and lied about his whereabouts to hide that he had spent the evening with Wilson.As details around the crime began to surface, Strickland released a statement to Austin-Statesman reporter Tony Plohetski expressing his regret and torture he feels about his "proximity to this horrible crime."In his statement, Strickland also attempted to clarify the details reported about his relationship with Wilson, though his words seem to contradict the timeline he told investigators about their relationship and what multiple sources have said.Strickland's proximity to the murder has affected him professionally too. Former sponsors Specialized, Enve, and Rapha have all cut ties with the rider, and Allied Cycle Works has suggested in a comment to VeloNews that it will do the same: "Given the circumstances, Colin Strickland is not expected to represent Allied at future races," the brand said. His sponsor Red Bull has declined to share its plans, calling the situation "a matter for the authorities."The tumult following Wilson's death transformed the Gravel Locos race weekend from a pre-Unbound shakedown to a mournful remembrance ride. A statement from Wilson's family was read before the race began, and every rider who toed the start line seems to have taken it to heart:VeloNews shared a poignant gallery from the event. The grief shared among those who knew Wilson is beyond heavy, as is the sense of horrific finality of such an abrupt and unjust killing.Wilson's family has started a GoFundMe campaign to support "community organizations that help youth find self-confidence, strength, and joy through biking, skiing, and other activities that Moriah was passionate about," the campaign description states. Wilson's brother has also shared links to support the Dartmouth and Burke Mountain Academy ski programs in lieu of flower donations.We at Pinkbike offer our condolences to Wilson's family, her friends, and the greater cycling community for this unfathomable loss. " " Boiling Lake, in Dominica, has been measured at 197 degrees Fahrenheit (91.5 degrees Celsius) around the edges, but because it is boiling, the center temperature has never been measured. And nobody knows how deep it is either, for the same reason. Goran Hoglund (Kartlasarn)/Flickr Resting in the Lesser Antilles of the Eastern Caribbean Sea is the lush island nation of Dominica. This volcanic paradise is often overlooked by travelers to the bustling region and is sometimes confused with the Dominican Republic. But with a river for each day of the year (truly, 365 rivers), astounding raw beauty, the best hiking in the Caribbean and, since December 2021, non-stop flights from the United States, the "nature island" is poised to become a compelling draw for visitors from all over the globe. Dominica has already made a name for itself in the adventure travel community as the home to the longest trail in the region, the 115-mile-long (185-kilometer-long) Waitukubuli Trail. But the quintessential experience on this rugged and mountainous island is a visit to Boiling Lake. Beyond being the world's second-largest boiling lake, it's also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Morne Trois Pitons National Park, protecting about 9 percent of Dominica's biodiverse interior. Notably, it was the first listed UNESCO natural site in the Eastern Caribbean. To learn even more, we tapped Lise Cuffy with Discover Dominica, the national tourism board for the island. She shares that Boiling Lake is located deep in the rainforest in an area known as the Valley of Desolation, within the village of Laudat, located in the Roseau Valley. Cuffy loves that this area feels untouched and relatively undiscovered, adding, "hiking to this natural wonder is one of the best experiences in Dominica, but it's also one of the most demanding hikes on the island." Advertisement How Do You Get To Boiling Lake? To get to Boiling Lake, one must take on a quite strenuous hike, so not anyone can visit, as physical fitness is a prerequisite. The hike is approximately 8 miles (12.8 kilometers) 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) up, and 4 miles back. It usually takes the average hiker about six hours to complete the hike and it's not for the faint-hearted. And swimming is never allowed in the lake and could lead to injury or death. Geologically speaking, Boiling Lake is actually a flooded fumarole, which Encyclopaedia Brittanica defines as "a vent in Earth's surface from which steam and volcanic gases are emitted." This makes it unique since it's not a volcanic crater. The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, which monitors the lake regularly, said on their website that "Research suggests that water levels at the lake are maintained by the bubbles of volcanic gases rising through spaces in the rock beneath the lake." Additionally, the natural basin of the lake helps drain the copious rainfall from the surrounding jungle, while two streams also empty into the Boiling Lake. According to Cuffy, all of this adds up to a captivating 200-foot-wide (61-meter-wide) cauldron of gray-blue water enveloped in a cloud of vapor. " " Getting to Boiling Lake is a long and treacherous hike, so, if you go, make sure you are well-prepared for the journey. Wikimedia Commons (CC By SA 4.0) Beyond being geologically enthralling, Boiling Lake is super important for tourism in Dominica. Not only is it the second-largest formation of its kind in the world, but Cuffy also thinks it perfectly captures what it feels like to be on another planet. She says it also generates a sense of local pride in the area, raises the island's profile and generates both foreign revenue and local employment. "Attractions like these [explain] why the country should be [visited] and should be celebrated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site," she says. "It is a great symbol of what is unique about your world and what the citizens of your country take pride in. It generates jobs, economic opportunities and, most importantly, human connection between all parts of the globe, [the impact of] which cannot be measured." Advertisement Some Travel Tips Tom Decherd, the co-founder of boutique hotel and adventure tourism company Wanderlust Caribbean near Calibishie, also considers the hike to Boiling Lake a must-do Dominica experience. He adds, "With over 300 miles [483 kilometers] of trails in Dominica, it's tough to decide which to hike during a vacation. The quintessential hike has to be the Boiling Lake trail even with all these amazing trails." Decherd also shares some trail trips: Leave your heavy hiking boots at home and bring a good pair of trail running shoes for the hikes. Make sure you have a guide, as tourists who think they can do it independently often end up lost. Get an early start, as this is a six to seven hour hike with about 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) of elevation gain throughout the day. For those considering a trip to this gorgeous island nation and Boiling Lake, consider working with a responsible tourism-focused company like Traverse Journeys, which offers retreats to Dominica once or twice a year. Visiting with intention helps keep untouched wilderness preserved, fosters a better understanding of local life, can lessen travelers' carbon footprint and is an impactful way to engage with the world. Disclaimer: The author worked with Traverse Journeys and Discover Dominica for a partially hosted press trip while researching this story. All opinions are her own. Now That's Interesting Much of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" was filmed in Dominica. Yuck! The Worst & Most Disgusting Behavior as Told by Casino Dealers May 28, 2022 Chad Holloway Executive Editor U.S. Whether it's poker or a casino pit game, players wouldnt have the experience they do without one important person the dealer. While theyre responsible for slinging cards and facilitating games, theyre also a silent observer of human nature. PokerNews previously asked various dealers to share their wildest stories from working in the industry. No names nor locations are being reported to respect the privacy of those who shared. While we cannot 100% confirm all of the stories below, the dealers claim to be speaking from their own personal experience. Please note, somre stories contain actions and behaviors that some may find offensive. Editor's note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or/clarity. Poker Hall of Famer vs. the IRS In the old days of the WSOP at Binions Horseshoe, I was dealing to a man named Sarge Ferris. Sarge was a bookie from New York. They played with cash on table in those days. One night while dealing to Sarge, a group of men in suits not bosses surrounded my table, approached Sarge, and identified themselves as being from IRS. They reached down and took all Sarges cash off table and told him hed get a receipt in the mail. We all thought Sarge would be upset, but he started laughing, reached under table and pulled out a suitcase. When he opened it, it was full of cash and he said, They forgot some! The whole table broke out in laughter. In those days players always owed IRS, especially if you were a bookie! Teaching Eskimo a Lesson Paul 'Eskimo' Clark While waiting for a dealing assignment at the WSOP, I was standing in the satellite area when Eskimo Clark asked me who you have to know to get a bottle of water around here. I said, Well Eskimo, let me show you how it's done." I pulled a dollar out of my pocket, called the girl over, and asked for a water. She gave it to me and I gave her a dollar. I said, There Eskimo, that's how it works. If you tip somebody once in a while they will take care of you. I proceeded to drink the water and walk away. Hock a Loogie My first experience dealing to Bob Stupak at the Golden Nugget 1987-ish. In $100/$200 Razz, he's in Seat 1 with two ashtrays overflowing and smoldering. He scoots back about a foot and hawks a very large disgusting loogie inches from my foot. He looked at the distaste on my face and said, "What's the problem, never seen a little phlegm before?" I said with a straight face, "Yes I have. Just never on the carpet inside, but thanks for missing my foot, sir." He threw me a green bird when my 20 minutes was up. Classy guy. NOT! Mr. Poopy Pants At the WSOP Europe in 2018, I had a guy that pooped his pants and kept playing so he didnt miss any hands and he was in Seat 1 next to me. You don't want to know the smell. In 2018, it was day 2 of WSOP Europe Main Event, and an hour before the start we were preparing the bags. I was writing the table and seat number on the bag and a colleague decided to be funny and drew with a marker a fluffy penis on my hand halfway to my elbow. I thought Id finish doing the bags and go to the bathroom and clean it up, but of course, I forgot! I dealt the Main Event for three hours with sleeves up with that "Masterpiece" on the back of my hand before I had a break and a floorman noticed. Not one player said anything or even looked weird at me otherwise I would've something was wrong. At a private home game, a guy was always complaining he only has rags for three hours so he took the cards and rub them in his underwear to change his luck, and yes, I had to touch them afterward because he folded. Best Free to Play Slots Wheres the Bathroom? In 2013, I had just learned craps, and was on a mostly dead game. There was only one player on the other side of the table straight out shooting with just a pass line, when security and IGB (Illinois Gaming Board) who are state troopers, tapped him on the shoulder and arrested him. Turns out he had been pissing in the rail while he played and shot the dice. Seat Open In the poker room I used to work at we had a regular player. An older man who walked with crutches literally one crutch at a time so it took him a while to get around. He always wore shorts. One night he left the table to go to the restroom just outside the room. About 15 minutes later the other players at the table complained about a smell. He had defecated on the floor under his chair. He left his chips and never came back that night. We had to move all the players to another table, tape off the area, and EVS in hazmat gear had to come to clean it up. Dont Do Drugs I was on break waiting at the side desk for dealers/floors to see if I could get an early out when a young man walks up and asks me if we have cameras set up nearby. I tell him, "Sure, we're a mega-casino on the Vegas Strip, cameras are everywhere my man!" He says, "Good, so it happened just a few feet away over here, mind if I tell you more?" as he pulls me about 20 feet away. He goes on to tell me of his problem. "I bought an eight ball of coke from a guy right here in this spot and I gotta tell ya mate, it was absolute bunk. I got ripped off on fake coke. I want to report this and want to make sure they got his face on videotape." I look around to see if I'm being set up by undercover agents associated with my resort/casino. Confident that this guy is for real, I tell him, "Yeah, you could probably ask security at the podium down the way about this, but I'm not sure they're going to care much about you being ripped off on a coke deal." We had a ten-minute conversation much along these lines with him insisting that he wanted to go to security/police about a bad cocaine deal while I kept asking him if he really thought it'd be a good idea to bring this up. I mean, he had an accent so he was either British or Australian and all I can ever think about is how his local casino/cardroom handles drug deals gone wrong for customers? Weirdest discussion I've ever had for sure. Do you have a casino story to tell for future editions of Tales from the Pit? Feel free to reach out to PokerNews on either or Facebook or Twitter accounts. You can also email [email protected] Sharelines PokerNews asks dealers about their wildest and most nightmarish stories from their casino jobs. Officials Offer First Look at 2022 WSOP; Answer Several Lingering Questions May 26, 2022 Chad Holloway Executive Editor U.S. The 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP) doesnt officially begin until May 31, but on Thursday, May 26 officials gave a first look by offering assorted media a tour of Bally's and Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino as well as a press conference for virtual attendees. Not only did the poker community get a look at the new home of the WSOP, they also received answers to several lingering questions including information on parking, registration, restaurants, and more. Executive Director of WSOP Ty Stewart and Vice President of WSOP Jack Effel were joined by Jason Gregorec, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Paris Las Vegas, to lead a tour of the new tournament space. Additionally, longtime WSOP commentating duo Lon McEachern and Norman Chad starred in a video offering valuable information. 2022 World Series of Poker Hub Bookmark this page! All you need to know about the 2022 WSOP is here. Click here Press Conference Highlights At the press conference, this years WSOP gold bracelets were revealed, though not the one for the Main Event. Officials indicated that wouldnt be ready until late June, but hinted that it was going to be extra special with some features they think players are going to love. It was clear officials are expecting the 2022 WSOP to be the biggest yet, not only in terms of space and staff (they have 582 tables as of right now and over 1,000 dealers, both all-time highs), but in turnout as well. In fact, Stewart rarely goes on the record when speculating on such things, but in terms of the Main Event he stated that he would take the over on 8,774 players and followed it up by stating that he believes it could be the largest ever. In addition to the Main Event, officials highlighted several events including the $500 Housewarming on opening weekend, the $1,000,000 Bounty Event on July 2 (which will awared bounties ranging from $1,000-$1 million starting on Day 2), and the Tournament of Champions, which will be open to all 2022 WSOP live and online bracelet winners as well as those whove captured rings on the WSOP Circuit between last years WSOP and this summer. While the hope had been to have Ballys rebranded as Horseshoe Las Vegas, that isnt likely to happen in time for the 2022 WSOP with Gregorec indicating its more of a very slow opening. That said, it is expected the Horseshoe brand will work its way into the WSOP and property as the summer progresses. That includes Jack Binion Steakhouse scheduled to open June 8, and the Ballys poker room closing later in the summer to be renovated into a Horseshoe WSOP poker room. The 2022 WSOP gold bracelet. Other highlights from the press conference included: Bracelet ceremonies will be held in the Paris Ballroom and akin to what weve come to expect. will be held in the Paris Ballroom and akin to what weve come to expect. While certain tournaments may require 10-handed play due to large turnouts, tournament officials will be making a strong effort to make it 9-handed as often as possible. There will be more featured tables in the Ballys Event Center that will play host to all bracelet event final tables. There will also be expanded spectator opportunities to offer more fanfare for special bracelet moments. in the Ballys Event Center that will play host to all bracelet event final tables. There will also be to offer more fanfare for special bracelet moments. Michigan and Pennsylvania will have their own segregated online bracelet events. Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware will have the usual combined player pool events. 2022 WSOP Parking Arguably the biggest question on the minds of poker players was the parking situation for the 2022 WSOP. Theres good news in that regard as a ton of info was shared to educate the masses. There are two major parking facilities and valet services available to guests: Paris Las Vegas Parking Garage Park here, walk the path, take the escalator and you will end up right next to the Paris Conference Center (where the Main WSOP Cage, cash games, and Day 1 tables are located) Park here, walk the path, take the escalator and you will end up right next to the Paris Conference Center (where the Main WSOP Cage, cash games, and Day 1 tables are located) Ballys Parking Lot (located directly behind Ballys with access off either Koval Lane or Flamingo) Park here, walk upstairs into the Ballys Event Center (where all Final Tables, streaming and TV production, Day 2 and restart tables are located) (located directly behind Ballys with access off either Koval Lane or Flamingo) Park here, walk upstairs into the Ballys Event Center (where all Final Tables, streaming and TV production, Day 2 and restart tables are located) Valet services will also be available at the main hotel entrances of both properties. How Much Is It to Park? Hours Cost 1st Hour free 1 - 3 Hours $15 3 - 24 Hours $18 Over 24 hours per day $18 Hotel Lodger $18 Locals with valid Nevada ID: Rates apply after the first 3 hours, excluding during event pricing Caesars Rewards Platinum, Diamond, Seven Stars: Free Rates on Friday and Saturday increase to $23/day for non-lodgers but remain at $18/day for hotel guests. Reduced price weekly parking passes for extended stays are available for purchase at the WSOP Main Cage inside the Champagne Ballroom in Paris for $100, a 40% discount. Caesars Rewards Credit Card: Free. Apply for free at the Caesars Rewards Desk inside Caesars Palace or Planet Hollywood. Once Youre Here Members of the media get a behind-the-scenes tour of the 2022 WSOP. This year, instead of the Amazon and Pavilion rooms there are the Paris and Ballys Paris Convention Center. WSOP Main Cage Champagne Ballroom: Located in the Paris Convention Center Le Centre des Conventions. Safety deposit boxes, WSOP/ WSOP.com Tournament Account deposits/withdrawals and Payouts will be located here as well. Online Verification /Fastrac Located in the Paris Convention Center Le Centre des Conventions. Safety deposit boxes, WSOP/ WSOP.com Tournament Account deposits/withdrawals and Payouts will be located here as well. Online Verification /Fastrac Burgundy Ballroom: Located in the Paris Convention Center Located in the Paris Convention Center WSOP Retail Store: Located in the Champagne Ballroom at the first entrance when you enter the Paris Convention Center hallway WSOP Player Services Office Champagne Ballroom: Located across from the Paris Ballroom, adjacent to the WSOP Main Cage in the Paris Convention Center Located across from the Paris Ballroom, adjacent to the WSOP Main Cage in the Paris Convention Center WSOP Caesars Rewards: Located at entrance of the Paris Convention Center at the Welcome Desk Paris Ballrooms All Day 1 starts $10k and above bracelets Day 1s down to the Final Table Kings Lounge and Live Action Deepstacks, Mega Satellites and Single Table Satellites Ballys Event Center CBS feature TV tables Ballys Grand Ballroom Day 2 restarts < $10K Buy-In All Final Tables Large Day 1 overflow For more on the 2022 WSOP check out the PokerNews Hub here! Sharelines Here are the highlights from Thursday's press conference sharing details on the 2022 @WSOP. On May 20, the Hiroshima Municipal Government announced it would not invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to a remembrance for the 77th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bomb attack on the city in WWII. The reason: Russias invasion of Ukraine. We are concerned that the ceremony would stray from its original spirit of 'commemoration,' the city said in a statement. In response, on May 25, Russias ambassador in Japan, Mikhail Galuzin, called the dis-invite a shameful move. Galuzin attacked Japan for not being more critical of its ally, the United States, for the 1945 bombing. Then, Galuzin went further accusing Japan of shamelessly spread[ing] the ridiculous myth that Russia intends to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. Organizers should know that we must eradicate the Nazism promoted by Western groups in Ukraine, Galuzin stated. Forming an alliance with this Nazism was one of the causes of the catastrophe that struck Japan as a whole in 1945. The claim that Japan said Russia intends to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine is false. So is the assertion that Western-Japan opposition to Russias war is equivalent to Japan siding with German Nazis in the Second World War. The statement sticks to the script of Russia disinformation about the Ukraine war, which leverages WWII history to falsely paint it as a war against fascism. No Western groups are promoting Nazism in Ukraine, nor is the Ukraine government fascist or controlled by Nazis, as Russian disinformation claims. Imperial Japan was allied with Nazi Germany and fascist Italy during the Second World War. The Soviet Union was a part of the grand alliance, along with Great Britain and the United States, that defeated Germany and Japan. However, the Soviet Union was initially allied with Nazi Germany through a non-aggression pact, as Polygraph.info and others have previously reported. On August 6, 1945, the United States became the only country to use nuclear weapons during war when it dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The controversial attack killed 70,000 to 135,000 people. The United States dropped a second atomic bomb on August 9, 1945, this time on the city of Nagasaki. Imperial Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945. Some argue Japans surrender was spurred by the Soviet Unions decision to enter the war against it, and not the use of the atomic bombs. In any case, all of that is past. Modern-day Japan, which constitutionally outlaws war, long maintains the Three Non-Nuclear Principles of not possessing, producing or permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons onto its soil, in line with the countrys constitution. Japan has condemned Russias invasion of Ukraine and provided Ukraine with non-lethal military equipment. Japan has also joined its Western partners in ratcheting up sanctions against Russia because of its aggression in Ukraine, provoking Moscows ire. Russia and Japan have a territorial dispute over ownership of the four southernmost Kuril Islands, which Soviet forces seized near the end of WWII. That dispute has kept the two countries from signing a peace treaty 77 years on. Putin has increasingly used the Soviet Unions victory in WWII central to Russias national identity to justify Russias foreign policy objectives in Ukraine. But as Polygraph.info has reported, Putin's references to the Nazi usurpation in Ukraine and the need for Ukraines de-nazification are based on falsehoods. Russia has regularly cited the presence of far right activists and nationalists in Ukraines Azov Regiment, an all-volunteer unit formed to fight Russias clandestine invasion of Ukraine in 2014. Ukraine says the Azov Regiment was de-politicized and incorporated into the National Guard in November 2014. The Azov Regiment represents a small fraction of Ukraines total military forces. Moreover, far-right activists lack even a toehold in Ukraine politics. All of Ukraines far-right political organizations united for the 2019 parliamentary elections, but still only won 2.15% of the vote not enough to gain a single seat. Ukraine President Volodymor Zelenskyy is Jewish; his great-grandfather and three great-uncles were killed in the Nazi Holocaust during WWII. Zelenskyy received 73 percent of the vote in 2019 elections. In any case, Russia itself has a far-right problem. Germanys Der Spiegel news website, citing a report from Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND), noted that numerous neo-Nazis are fighting for Russia in Ukraine. Japan did not spread the ridiculous myth that Russia intends to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. However, Japans Prime Minister Fumio Kishida did say in March that the possible use of nuclear weapons by Russia is increasingly real. That follows bellicose rhetoric by Russian officials and state media on the matter. While Putin has not explicitly threatened to use nuclear weapons, he warned that anyone who got in Russias way in Ukraine would face such consequences that you have never encountered in your history. Some leaders took that statement as a nuclear threat, Reuters reported. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Russian state media has repeatedly threatened European countries with nuclear attacks. Russias former president and prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, who is currently deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said Western assistance to Ukraine increased the likelihood of a direct and open conflict between NATO and Russia. Such a conflict always has the risk of turning into a full-fledged nuclear war, he added. Putins spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told CNN International in a March interview about the war that Russia could use nuclear weapons if faced with an existential threat. It remains unclear whether Moscow views losing the war in Ukraine as an existential threat. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby condemned Peskov's dangerous comments, and U.S. intelligence sources say it is unlikely that Russia will go nuclear. Our view [is] that there is not sort of an imminent potential for Putin to use nuclear weapons, said the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines. Russia is stepping up diplomatic ties with Algeria, a large oil and gas exporter and longtime Russian security partner in North Africa. On May 11, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited to meet with the Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. According to France 24, a French state-owned broadcaster, Lavrov and Tebboune discussed energy deals. But the meeting also came as the United States and Europe eye Algeria as a possible solution to skyrocketing fuel prices and an embargo on Russian oil in response to the Ukraine war. In that context, on May 25, the Russian ambassador to Algeria, Igor Beliaev, remarked on what he characterized as a bright future for relations between Russia and Mali, the Algerian neighbor whose leaders invited Russian mercenaries from the so-called Wagner Group into the country last year. Just in a few months, the Russian presence in Mali brought security and stability, Beliaev said. That is false. In fact, the Kremlin-linked private military group has reportedly had a destabilizing effect. Among other things, credible allegations say Wagner and government forces may have massacred hundreds of locals. According to data compiled by the NGO Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), as many as 456 civilians died in nine incidents involving Malian forces and Wagner between January and mid-April this year, the Guardian reported on May 4. Mali has experienced two military coups led by Col. Assimi Goita. The first, in 2020, followed protests against the government and corruption. In the second, in May 2021, Goita overthrew the interim government and was proclaimed interim president by a constitutional court. The Western African country is also battling jihadist groups linked to Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaida in the Sahel region. Since 2013, French troops had been in Mali to help with security and fight jihadists, but President Emmanuel Macron announced a pullout in February. The presence of Russian mercenaries in Mali first became known in September 2021, when Reuters reported that Wagner Group had been hired for $10.8 million a month. In addition to Mali, Wagner forces are reportedly operating in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Mozambique and the Central African Republic (CAR). Theyve been accused of spreading disinformation and employing brutal tactics against protesters and others. Last month, French officials released satellite photos they said show Wagner troops staging false evidence of mass graves in an attempt to accuse France of atrocities, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and others reported. Russian-linked social media accounts quickly blamed French forces for the killings in a series of inauthentic posts the latest in an ongoing campaign to discredit French efforts in West Africa and instead promote Russian partnerships, the CSIS said. Frances military released the evidence after a Twitter account under the name Dia Diarra posted images of corpses being buried. Frances general staff said the Twitter profile was very probably a fake account created by Wagner. On April 5, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Malian forces and the Wagner Group executed 300 civilians in the town of Moura in central Mali between March 27 and 31. The Malian army denied the allegations and said in a statement it had conducted a special operation against Islamist militants in Moura. But 27 witnesses told HRW a different story. They described scores of non-French-speaking white men participating in operations around several central Malian towns. During the operation in Moura, witnesses said, more than 100 Russian soldiers and several Malian troops arrived in helicopters and blocked the town's exits. Over the four days, the soldiers ordered the detained men in groups of 4, 6, or up to 10, to stand up and walk for between several dozen and several hundred meters. There, the Malian and foreign soldiers summarily executed them, HRW reported. On May 3, HRW said that since 2019, forces identified by witnesses as Russian appear to have summarily executed, tortured, and beaten civilians in the Central African Republic. The rights watchdog said it interviewed 40 people who said they witnessed or were victims of abuses committed by Russian-speaking white men. France 24 reported in 2019 on a man who said he was detained and tortured by Russian mercenaries for five days. Mahamat Nour Mamadou told United Nations investigators that Russian mercenaries held him on suspicion of being a militia member. He said they tortured him and cut off his fingers. There is compelling evidence that Russian-identified forces supporting the Central African Republics government have committed grave abuses against civilians with complete impunity, Ida Sawyer, HRWs crisis and conflict director, said on May 3. The failure of the Central African Republic government and its partners to forcefully denounce these abuses, and to identify and prosecute those responsible, will most likely only fuel further crimes in Africa and beyond. The spread of extremism in Africa has created more opportunities for Russia to deepen its involvement in the continent. But Russia has also worked for years to form economic partnerships, and reverberations from the Ukraine war are now turning Europes attention south in the search for fuel. At the same time, the war threatens to worsen food and fuel crises in Algeria and other North African countries, a majority of which import agricultural products from Ukraine and Russia. On May 20, the U.S. said it would provide $215 million in food aid to Algeria and Nigeria, among other countries. According to The Africa Report, an English pan-African magazine, Europe is looking to Algeria for alternative sources of fuel to replace those lost from embargoes on Russia. Algeria has natural gas and relative proximity to Europe. On April 11, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi announced his country had reached a deal with Algeria to increase Italian gas imports as an alternative to Russias gas. Draghi predicted that others will follow. The U.S., facing the highest fuel prices since the mid-2000s, also has had meetings with the Eni and Total oil companies, which operate in Algeria, The Africa Report said. Back in Mali, efforts to schedule eventual elections have split the transitional government and the Economic Community of Western African States, which has sanctioned the country with border closures. The U.N.'s April situation report said there had been little or no progress on reconciliation and security matters. Regarding human rights, the report states: "The human rights situation remained precarious, mostly because of deliberate and widespread attacks on civilians by presumed extremist armed groups. In some instances, counter-terrorism operations also had dire consequences for the civilian population, especially in central Mali. Women and children in conflict-affected areas continued to be the victims of violence. The right to due process of individuals arrested or detained in connection with alleged terrorism-related offenses remained under significant strain." A Lowcountry man has agreed to plead guilty to charges he stole money from a federal housing program meant to help low-income and military families in a case with similarities to conspiracy charges leveled against two other Charleston-area men, including a former banker. Aaron Martez Spann, 55, of Charleston, agreed in a May 25 U.S. District Court filing to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge that carries a maximum five-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced at a later date in Charleston. Spann submitted false information that inflated costs and wrongly claimed repair work had been inspected on paperwork for home improvement grants of up to $12,500 apiece provided by the Federal Home Loan Bank in Atlanta, according to a document filed with the court. In addition, Spann told the bank that funds only went to the parties designated in the grant agreement when, in fact, there were unnamed people getting money from the transactions. Also, Spann kept funds from six grants and used the money for personal expenses, the U.S. Attorney's office said in a court document. The case is similar to two others in which the defendants, who worked together to defraud the grant program, have pleaded guilty. They're scheduled to be sentenced June 14 in Charleston. In the first, former local bank executive Karl Henry Zerbst Jr. admitted he and an accomplice engaged in a kickback scheme involving 91 falsified grant transactions over a 31-month period, netting him nearly $250,000. Zerbst, a former market president for First Reliance and Ameris banks, has repaid the money. The second case involves Charles Willys Mincey, a Charleston contractor who filed dozens of falsified grant applications to improperly obtain funds through the home improvement program. A court filing related to Mincey's sentencing hearing shows he worked with Zerbst to defraud the grant program. It's not clear whether Spann was part of their conspiracy, but documents in all three cases show the fraud lasted for several years and ended in March 2019. Zerbst and Mincey also face maximum five-year prison sentences. Their lawyers have asked Judge Margaret Seymour to sentence them to supervised release. In another case, a former project manager with Charleston's Department of Housing and Community Development admitted last year he accepted $15,000 in bribes to provide non-public information about city housing projects to Mincey. Brian D. Herndon, the former project manager, faces a maximum five-year prison term and a $250,000 fine. He also is scheduled to be sentenced on June 14. Travelers queue up at the south security checkpoint in the main terminal of Denver International Airport, Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Denver. Experts are expecting a flush of travelers at airports and on the nation's byways during the long Memorial Day weekend, which marks the start of the summer travel season, in spite of high fuel costs. CAYCE A Brookland-Cayce High School assistant principal is accused of pushing and tackling a student on May 25, the same day that a teacher in the same school district was fired for assaulting a special-needs student. Districts leaders, however, came out in support of the assistant principal, Leon Brunson, at his bond hearing May 27, even questioning why he was being held in jail for doing his job. On May 25, Brunson called the school resource officer to the school's gym to help him break up a fight between students, according to the Cayce Police Department. One of the students then told police that Brunson pushed him several times and knocked him to the ground, injuring him. Brunson was arrested two days later when he turned himself in to police, who had issued a warrant with charges of third-degree assault and unlawful conduct toward a child. The first charge is a misdemeanor, and the latter is a felony. Brunson was released without bond during a May 27 hearing. The judge also ordered Brunson not to have contact with his accuser until the investigation ends. Another hearing is scheduled for July 7. Todd Rutherford, Brunson's attorney, told the court that his client was doing his job by trying to separate the two fighting students. Rutherford said one of the students, Brunson's accuser, shouted that he was going to kill the other student, while Brunson tried to hold him back. The student has been expelled from school for fighting, said Rutherford, who is the Democratic leader in the S.C. House. What concerns me as a lawmaker is the chilling effect that this has on other administrators and teachers that are supposed to jump in and stop fights whenever necessary, Rutherford said in an interview after the hearing. "Mr. Brunson has found his freedom taken away because he did just that." Four Lexington Two school board members attended the hearing in support of Brunson. Jake Moore, an attorney representing Lexington Two, told the court that Brunson was suspended from his job at Brookland-Cayce pending the investigation. Moore told the judge that the video footage of the incident shows the student tripping and falling after being held back, rather than Brunson taking the student to the ground. The attorney also said there was no evidence of physical injury. The school district does not appreciate this man having been incarcerated," Moore told the judge. "His job is to keep peace. I don't get this." Security video footage exists of Brunson assaulting another student in 2020, city of Cayce spokeswoman Ashley Hunter said, but he was not arrested. That is part of in current investigation, she said. Cayce police declined to the release the footage cannot be released because it is part of an ongoing investigation. Brunson's arrest came in the same week that Melanie Harris, a teacher at Cayce Elementary School was arrested on second-degree assault, kidnapping and unlawful conduct toward a minor, having allegedly injured a student. Harris is accused of holding the student against his will, leading to the kidnapping charge, authorities said. "I have never had to send this type of release twice in one week, and it's certainly my hope that I never have to again," Hunter said. "We're a tight-knit community. We want better for all of our children, our citizens, our teachers and school family." The high school and Cayce Elementary School are both part of Lexington School District Two, which serves 8,600 students in West Columbia and Cayce. Charleston County School District had the highest number of serious, violent incidents on K-12 school campuses from 2018 to 2020. A Post and Courier analysis of hundreds of thousands of disciplinary reports from 24 school districts found CCSD, the second-largest school district in the state, had approximately 10,200 student write-ups recording serious incidents. These disciplinary reports, which S.C. schools call referrals, can stem from a range of issues, from tardiness to bullying or inciting a fight. Assaults, fights, bitings, thrown objects, weapons and more were among the offenses The Post and Courier defined as more serious incidents for the analysis. The analysis reviewed student disciplinary reports from August through November for the years 2018 through 2021. Charleston was the only district examined that didnt provide disciplinary reports for fall 2021. It still reported more serious referrals in a three-year period than Greenville, the largest district in the state, recorded in a four-year period. Greenville had a total of 6,800 violent incidents. The data from these reports highlights the challenges around school violence that some districts face as they look for a sense of normalcy from the pandemics disruptions. Andy Pruitt, spokesman for CCSD, said the district cant offer any specific reasons why Charleston saw higher numbers of more violent referrals, but he added that districts and schools can characterize and code incidents differently. He said that the district will continue to review its data-recording processes, noting some schools sometimes record multiple referrals for a single incident when multiple students were involved. Additionally, Pruitt pointed to the 2021 state report card where 91 percent of parents said they felt students were safe at the districts schools, as did 98 percent of teachers. The ultimate goal of any student discipline plan is to help ensure the safety of schools for students and staff, he said. The Post and Courier first analyzed these records after 12-year-old Jamari Jackson was shot and killed by a classmate, also 12, on March 31 at Tanglewood Middle School in Greenville. The newspaper found that the number of weapons in schools across the state has more than doubled since 2018. In 2021, 508 referrals referenced a weapon. Three years earlier in 2018, that number was 242. Nationally, violence on school campuses appears to be on the rise. Prior to the pandemic, there were 118 school shootings in 2018 and 119 in 2019, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database, a project out of the Naval Postgraduate Schools Center for Homeland Defense and Security. The number of incidents slightly dipped to 114 in 2020, when many schools turned to virtual learning, but then the database reported 249 shootings in 2021. Five months into 2022, and the database has recorded 138 shootings for the year so far. Just this week, a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Overall, The Post and Couriers analysis did find the number of disciplinary reports and serious offenses actually decreased in 2021 from previous years. Sign up for our Education Lab newsletter. Email Sign Up! The number of overall write-ups dropped last fall by about 2 percent from the 111,700 reports recorded in 2018, and by roughly 30 percent from the 152,300 reports recorded in 2019. More coverage To read more in-depth stories from The Post and Courier's Education Lab, go to postandcourier.com/education-lab. This decrease in disciplinary reports could be a sign of a declining trend in incidents on school campuses. It could also be reflective of how many students continued to fluctuate between remote and hybrid learning at the start of the 2021 school year. The Post and Couriers analysis had some limitations, of course. As Pruitt said, the way schools coded referrals was often inconsistent. Incidents couldnt be separated for age or developmental challenges either; a 4-year-old biting someone may be quite different than an older student engaging in that behavior. Some districts also didnt provide data for all the years requested, like Charleston County for fall 2021. Horry County School District similarly didnt provide referrals for 2018. Still, Charleston wasnt the only district with a high number of serious write-ups. Rock Hill School District, which is the 14th largest traditional school district, recorded over 5,000 serious incidents, a figure that represents about 17 percent of the districts total disciplinary reports. In comparison, Dorchester County School District Two has roughly 8,600 students more than Rock Hill School District. It recorded fewer than 5,000 disciplinary write-ups reporting violence. In a comment to The Post and Courier, district spokesperson Matthew Kenwright noted the districts numerous security measures, such as their upgraded camera system, active shooter training, school counselors and psychologists, and their relationship with law enforcement, too. Lindsay Machak, Rock Hill School Districts spokesperson, echoed Pruitt and said the differences in referral totals between districts may be because of inconsistencies in how districts and schools report incidents. One teacher may view an incident as more intense than another teacher. Donate to our Investigative Fund to support journalism like this Our public service and investigative reporting is among the most important work we do. Its also the most expensive reporting we do. We cant do it without your support. Donate Now Ultimately, she added, these reports allow educators and school officials to identify needs and implement interventions when necessary. Rock Hill created a new mental health department this academic year and also relies on a multitiered systems of support model to identify, assist and monitor students with academic, social-emotional and behavioral needs. Disciplinary reports are only one piece of the whole child, Machak said. And so these reports, this data, works hand in hand with many other data points to help us support the whole child. Among the states larger districts, Richland County School District Two had the lowest percentage of violent reports. About 7 percent of the districts total disciplinary reports involved more serious situations. Richland Two spokesperson Libby Roof said they were happy to see their numbers were lower. For years, she added, the district has been focusing on discipline as an opportunity for students to learn the right behaviors rather than be punished for wrong behaviors. HOLLYWOOD The invasive Asian longhorned beetle is taking over some of Charleston's valuable real estate. About 76 square miles of Charleston and Dorchester counties are considered to be under a federal quarantine as efforts continue to eradicate the bug. The quarantine zone is the second-largest in the nation for this particular critter. Parts of Massachusetts, New York and Ohio are also under restrictions to control them. But only the affected 110 square miles in Worcester County, Massachusetts, west of Boston, is geographically bigger. The insects get into trees, kill them and create safety hazards when the branches and trees fall. Kim Dean, who is part of the USDA's eradication team in South Carolina, said the size of the quarantine doesn't necessarily correspond to how bad or widespread an infestation is. Still, the quarantines prohibit people from moving items like firewood, logs, nursery stock and branches from the area without a compliance agreement, permit or certificate. The restriction is one way to help prevent the spread of the beetle to other areas. The local infestation was first detected in Hollywood in 2020. Federal and state agencies have been on the ground here since then working to eradicate them. It is unclear how they got to the Lowcountry, but they likely came through the movement of firewood or solid wood packaging material from China by way of the ports in Charleston and Savannah. They may have even traveled by railroad. Researchers at Clemson University are trying to understand the bug and its movements. Asian longhorned beetles have shiny black bodies and white spots and typically attack 12 types of hardwood trees in North America, including maples, elms and willows. They do not attack pine trees. The insects create tunnels as they feed inside tree trunks and branches in their larval stage. As adults, they chew their way out of the trees in warmer months, leaving about -inch round exit holes. Ultimately, the beetles kill the trees they infest and create safety hazards when the branches and trees fall. The USDA wants people who live around the infestation zones to be a part of the eradication strategy. Checking your trees for the beetle and reporting any suspicious tree damage helps us find the beetle sooner and eliminates the beetle quicker, which saves more trees," said Josie Ryan, a manager for the USDA'S Animal and Plant Inspection Service eradication program. Egg sites are an important way to tell that a tree is infested. The sites are typically little depressions in the bark about of an inch. When fresh, the depressions are a different color than the bark. People should also look for "weeping" in their trees. Once the infested trees have eggs in them, they tend to bleed a blackish fluid which drips down the trunk. This is especially common among maple trees. The USDA will not apply insecticide treatments this year for these beetles. Instead, the agency will focus on inspecting trees in quarantined areas and removing infested trees at no cost to property owners. In its latest community update issued May 9, the Asian Longhorned Beetle Cooperative Eradication Program said a total of 5,899 infested trees have been identified in the quarantine area in the Lowcountry. Contractors have removed 3,514 infested trees and another 2,368 ones considered at-risk of being infested. Residents can report ALB sightings or tree damage online at www.clemson.edu/alb, by emailing stopALB@clemson.edu, or by calling the S.C. ALB Program Office at 843-973-8329. China releases medium-, long-term plan to develop philosophy, social sciences Xinhua) 17:10, May 27, 2022 BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- China has released a medium- and long-term action plan to promote the high-quality development of philosophy and social sciences in the country's higher education system. Targeting 2035, the plan aims to build an independent knowledge system to better answer questions regarding China, the world, the people and the era, said the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Ministry of Education, which jointly released the plan. Placing talent cultivation at the center, the plan calls for using the CPC's innovative theories to guide various disciplines of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, carrying forward fine traditional Chinese culture and enhancing the capabilities of academic circles to communicate with the general public and the international community. Coordinated efforts should be made to build think tanks based on universities and colleges, said the plan, noting that country- and region-specific studies should be enhanced. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) GREENVILLE More than a week after a state grand jury indicted 34 people for allegedly running a regional narcotics hub linked to the cartel out of an Upstate restaurant, 11 of those defendants appeared in front of a judge at the Greenville County Courthouse for bond hearings. After the indictments were unsealed May 18, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that the Los Primos restaurant housed a ring responsible for pumping close to $90 million worth of methamphetamine and cocaine into the state, selling the drugs from the restaurant and food trucks. Inside the courtroom May 26, Assistant Attorney General John Conrad briefed the judge on their role in the reported trafficking operation and a clearer picture of the enterprise's inner workings began to appear. Absent from the proceedings was Alejandro "Happy" Lagunas Soto, who Conrad said acted as the primary meth importer for the operation. Soto remains at large. First to appear before Circuit Court Judge Alison Lee was Soto's mother, Maria L. Soto, also known as La Dona. According to Conrad, the grey-haired woman sitting at the defense table functioned as the "money person" for the narcotics hub. Next to go before the judge were brothers Isidro and Bartolo Gonzalez, the reported owners of Los Primos. While Alejandro Soto was the chief importer, the Gonzalez brothers, Conrad said, ran operations on the ground at the restaurant. Sign up for our Greenville daily update newsletter. Sign up for daily roundups of our top stories, news and culture from the Upstate. This newsletter is hand-curated by a member of our Greenville news staff. Email Sign Up! The lawyer for Isidro Gonzalez argued his client did not own Los Primos and only worked there. Conrad said Isidro Gonzalez operated the restaurant, as well as the multi-million drug operation with his brother. In his briefing to the judge, the prosecutor presented 10 instances between 2020 and 2021 in which an undercover officer bought a total of more than 770 grams of meth and about 41 grams of cocaine from him and recorded the exchanges at the restaurant on West Parker Road across from Monaview Elementary School. "Obviously, there were numerous other transactions that were taking place under his authority," Conrad said. While Isidro Gonzalez faces 16 separate charges, many of them linked to the undercover buys, his brother faces just three. Conrad said Bartolo Gonzalez was an active participant in the drug trafficking, but did not play as large a roll in the day-to-day sale of narcotics. He is only charged in connection to one direct sale to an undercover officer. Fabian Gonzalez, the son of Bartolo Gonzalez, was also indicted in relation to the drug trafficking operation and appeared in court May 26. In addition to the defendants who Conrad said headed the operation, a handful of alleged low- and mid-level members of the ring also went in front of Lee. One reportedly ran drugs from the back of Los Primos to the front when Isidro Gozalez had a buyer. Another, Conrad said, sold small quantities at the Los Primos butcher shop attached to the restaurant that the Gonzalez brothers also operated. A few acted as facilitators, bringing cocaine or helping Alejandro Soto transport the narcotics from a hub in Atlanta into Greenville County, according to the prosecutor. Officials have said the Los Primos operation had ties to the La Familia Michiocana Cartel in Mexico and was mostly supplied through a larger hub in Atlanta. NORTH CHARLESTON A 42-year-old man was charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of another man inside a motel. North Charleston police officers, along with U.S. marshals, arrested Corey Arthur White on May 26. The man was also charged with one count of possessing a weapon during a violent crime, police spokesman Harve Jacobs said. White is accused of killing 47-year-old Koshun Hightower on May 23. Officers were dispatched to the Economy Inn and Suites at 5020 Rivers Ave. for reports of a deceased man, according to an incident report. A maintenance worker let officers into one of the rooms, where they found Hightower dead from a gunshot wound. White had not yet been booked into the Charleston County jail as of 5 p.m. May 26. NORTH CHARLESTON Authorities say the man who fatally shot a mattress store employee during an armed robbery May 26 was arrested after a stick-up at a Charleston convenience store. Taylin Devon Greene was booked May 27 into the Charleston County jail on a dozen felony charges, including murder, first-degree assault and battery, armed robbery and discharging a firearm inside a dwelling. Greene, 26, is accused of killing employee Richard Rios Rivera during an armed robbery around 10 a.m. Thursday at Mattress Deals, located in a shopping center at 5900 Rivers Ave. in North Charleston. North Charleston police officers responding to a 911 call found the 45-year-old Puerto Rican man's body underneath a desk inside the business, according to an incident report. He died from a single gunshot wound. Police officials released surveillance footage and photos of the suspected shooter hours after the killing. The video showed a man in a wide-brimmed hat, khakis, yellow gloves and a blue face mask quickly walking away from the shopping center. Greene was arrested by Charleston police after an armed robbery shortly after midnight May 27 at the Circle K at 1811 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., according to an incident report. A cashier told officers the robber pointed a gun at him and demanded money before fleeing the store with the cash tray from the register. Surveillance footage showed the suspect fleeing the store on a greenish-blue bike with white wheels and a brown basket, the report states. Charleston police identified the suspect as Greene, who was arrested at 8 a.m. on armed robbery charges. North Charleston police spokesman Harve Jacobs said detectives from the two agencies worked together to determine that Greene was also the suspect in Rivera's killing. Charleston Police Deputy Chief Jack Weiss said in a statement that the department would be filing additional charges against Greene related to "previous incidents" in the city. My heart goes out to the family of Mr. Rivera, and all who were impacted by the string of violence perpetrated by this individual," Weiss said. "Id like to recognize the hard work, dedication, and collaboration by Charleston and North Charleston Police which led to the swift identification and apprehension of this violent offender. Greene was previously charged in 2018 with murder in the fatal shooting of Corey Gabe Jr. during an altercation in Charleston, according to The Post and Courier's archives. Greene claimed self-defense, arguing that Gabe flashed a firearm at him at an intersection and then followed his vehicle until he parked in a driveway on Jaywood Circle. Greene said Gabe threatened him before reaching into his vehicle, causing Greene to open fire on the 24-year-old man. The charges were dismissed in 2020 based on insufficient evidence, according to court records. Greene is charged in a pending criminal case from July with distributing cocaine, failure to stop for a blue light and three counts of unlawful weapon possession. He was released after posting a $120,000 bail in that case. Rivera was the 15th homicide victim this year in North Charleston. A Summerville woman was granted bail on a drug conspiracy charge stemming from her fiance's death last year from a fentanyl overdose. Magistrate Judge Molly Cherry granted an unsecured bond for Victoria Racioppa at a May 27 detention hearing in Charleston's U.S. District Court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dean Secor said his office did not oppose bail for the 26-year-old woman, who has no criminal history in South Carolina, according to a background check. Racioppa was ordered to maintain employment, undergo drug testing and remain in South Carolina while awaiting trial on the conspiracy charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Racioppa was arraigned May 24 with co-defendant Nathan Ott on allegations they conspired in providing the fentanyl that killed 26-year-old Matthew Hearne, according to law enforcement and court records. Racioppa found her fiance dead the afternoon of May 27, 2021, at a home on Buckskin Drive in Summerville. She told Berkeley County sheriff's deputies that Hearne had consumed clonazepam, "Roxi 30" and alcohol the night before his death. Roxicodone is a pain medication typically sold in 15- or 30-milligram doses. Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine, also known as "benzos," used to treat anxiety and seizures. A federal indictment unsealed at the defendants' arraignment alleges Ott, who has a prior state conviction for marijuana distribution, supplied Hearne with fentanyl, which caused his death. It's unclear from records whether Hearne had used fentanyl on the night of his death, or whether one of the other substances he took was tainted with the powerful synthetic opioid. Ott, 26, faces four counts of fentanyl distribution and two gun possession charges. The Moncks Corner man waived his right to a detention hearing and remains jailed at the Charleston County jail. Racioppa's father, Thomas, said after the detention hearing that his daughter turned her life around after Hearne's death, attending cosmetology school and working full time. Thomas Racioppa said his daughter called Ott to secure the fatal drug for Hearne, who had become addicted to pain medication after a motorcycle wreck, but she was not an addict herself. "She's got a lot of family support," he said. The father said he was not aware of the tragic effect fentanyl was having in the community until Hearne's death. Synthetic opiates, primary fentanyl, are the leading cause of overdose deaths in America, first overtaking heroin in 2016, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Fentanyl is 50- to 100-times more potent than morphine and lethal in small doses. Public health officials and law enforcement have warned that the narcotic is increasingly being mixed into other drugs to boost their potency, increasing the likelihood that an unsuspecting user will overdose. Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. In a new TV ad, Republican candidate Katie Arrington appears seemingly out of thin air after a pair of dissatisfied voters walk into a store and ask for a refund on their current Lowcountry congresswoman Nancy Mace. A woman carrying a cardboard cutout of Mace and a man clutching a "Mace for Congress" T-shirt approach a fictionalized help desk in the 30-second spot called "Replacement." Arrington, who is challenging Mace in South Carolinas 1st Congressional District GOP primary, released the attack ad May 27. Another man, identified by his name badge as "Store Dave," asks the couple how he can help. "I actually bought this a couple years ago," the woman says as she firmly puts down the Mace cutout. The woman continues, "I was told that she was a conservative, and then she went up to D.C. and joined the swamp only to serve herself. And then, she turned her back on President Trump." "We've been getting a lot of these complaints about her lately," the store employee replies as he begins typing onto a nearby tablet. "Now, I can't refund the past two years, but I can offer you an upgrade. This is Katie Arrington." That's when a smiling Arrington, with an accompanying sound effect, suddenly appears before the two voters and extends her hand. As Arrington introduces herself as a "Trump-endorsed conservative focused on serving the Lowcountry," she grabs the Mace cutout nearby and pushes it behind her. "Exactly what we've been looking for," the female voter says to Arrington. The message will air districtwide on broadcast TV as part of a six-figure buy, said Arrington's campaign spokesman Chris D'Anna. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! The Mace campaign pointed to the ad as a sign that Arrington is struggling. "Katie Arrington is losing this race, because she cant stand on her own two feet and run on her record of voting with Democrats to raise our gas taxes and getting caught leaking classified information," said Mace's campaign manager Austin McCubbin. Arrington's campaign disputed the claim. "If Nancy actually listened to her constituents, she would know that legalizing recreational drugs, saving baby pandas and stabbing President Trump in the back to sell us out to the swamp are not the priorities of this district. We didn't ask her to vote with AOC almost 50 percent of the time. She did that herself," said D'Anna, Arrington's campaign spokesman. "AOC" is a reference to U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a liberal New York Democrat who is also a popular target for conservatives. In addition to the TV spot, there is also an accompanying digital version of the same ad, which is five seconds longer. It ends with a different political punchline. In the digital spot, the woman turns to ask the store employee about another political reality she'd like to see changed when she says, "Now, can we get started on that Biden replacement?" Arrington winces and turns to the story employee for guidance. He lets out an audible "oof." The TV ad is Arrington's second in the GOP primary season. To date, Mace has aired three TV spots as part of her reelection bid. The Republican primary will be held on June 14. Insights Their number is growing year by year, and it wont be long before they take over the country. Just wait and see what happens then! Did you e Read more As mentioned previously, the race for mayor of Los Angeles features a non-leftist candidate, Rick Caruso, who is polling well and just might win. LA badly needs some adult supervision. The city has around 40,000 homeless, rampant crime, and a corrupt culture at city hall. The main leftist candidate is Rep. Karen Bass, who is more a Leninist than a progressive. Given the seriousness of the issues and discontent of LA voters, what does the Los Angeles Times think is most important for voters to learn about Caruso? I kid you nothere is their headline: Many Angelenos have already submitted their ballots ahead of the June 7 primary election. And theyve cast their votes without knowing much of anything about how the leading candidate for Los Angeles mayor would tackle the climate crisis. . . Its bizarre that Caruso would spend tens of millions of dollars persuading Angelenos to vote for him while largely ignoring one of the most pressing challenges facing the city. OMG! Im sure the first thing on the mind of LA voters stepping over human feces, used needles, and picking driving routes to lower carjacking risk is, Yeah, but whats his climate plan? Whats bizarre about this news is obvious. P.S. Separately the LA Times reports: Violent crime is up 81% on the [metro subway] system for the first three months of the year, compared with the same period in 2021. Patrons complain of soiled seats and elevators reeking of urine. But I am certain the mass transit program in LA government has a climate plan. Im so old I can remember when the Los Angeles Times resembled a real newspaper. The category of vile Democrats is a large one and the competition for most vile is stiff. As a Minnesotan, I would nominate Fifth District Rep. Ilhan Omar and Attorney General Keith Ellison for the honor. I have been writing about them for about as long as they have been running for office since 2016 in Omars case, since 2006 in Ellisons case (running for Congress, Ellison was a state senator at the time I tuned in). I think I am something of an expert on both of them, but most of all I am an expert on what it feels like to beat your head against the wall for years at a time. Now comes Dexter Van Zile, the managing editor of Focus on Western Islam, to report: U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison are scheduled to attend a conference in Baltimore this weekend featuring talks by Islamists who have declared Western society to be filth, sanctioned sex slavery, called on Muslims to hate homosexuals and to support jihad in countries throughout the world. The two Minnesota Democrats are slated to speak at a convention taking place over Memorial Day Weekend organized by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Muslim American Society (MAS). ICNA is a franchise of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), a radical, theocratic group that has supported terrorism in South Asia. One of JIs prominent leaders, Motiur Rahman Nizami, was convicted and executed for his role in the mass murder of civilians during Bangladeshs 1971 war for independence. MAS was founded in the early 1990s by members of the Muslim Brotherhood, an organization committed to promoting sharia law in the Middle East and Western democracies. Van Zile has more at the link. As Andrew McCarthy explains in his valuable 2010 book, the MAS is engaged in The Grand Jihad. Looking into the MAS here for the Weekly Standard, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross found that MASexcept in its most public of statementsis quite open about its agenda and allegiances. Its agenda is the Islamization of the United States and its allegiance is to the Muslim Brotherhood. I want to take a brief detour on the local angle. Ten years after the founding of the Muslim American Society, the Muslim American Society of Minnesota was incorporated as an affiliate. The MAS-MN puts it this way: [A] number of activists of the Islamic movement launched the [MAS] in 1992 [sic] to complement the work that has been accomplished in the last four decades and to lay the ground for the Islamic work needed to face the challenges of the next century. The Investigative Project on Terrorism has posted a useful account of the MAS here. The MAS-MNs use of the term activists in its canned history is illustrative of the MAS approach to public relations for an American audience. Minnesota of course has its own growing core of activists. The MAS-MN puts it this way: In Minnesota, Islamic activists began gathering in 2001 to lay the ground for the Islamic work needed to face the challenges of the next century. In 2003 the [MAS-MN] was incorporated as an affiliate of Muslim American Society. Readers with a long memory may recall the now shuttered Islamic charter (i.e., public) school known as the Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy in suburban St. Paul. Based on the reporting of then Star Tribune metro columnist Katherine Kersten (now a senior policy fellow at Center of the American Experiment), the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union brought a lawsuit against TiZA for operating a religious school with public funds. TiZA had been founded by a pair of imams who doubled as top leaders of MAS-MN. One of them served as principal of the school and proved himself to be a voluble liar in conventional Western terms. Let me emphasize the point: TiZA took taxpayers money on false pretenses. The MAS-MN executive director was the ringleader of the now shuttered TiZA operation. To say the least, he is a publicly compromised character. The former TiZA principal serves as the MAS-MNs executive director. Andrew McCarthys initial exposure to the phenomena came as the lead prosecutor of the Blind Sheikh for the World Trade Center bombing. He covered that story in Willful Blindness (2009). Van Zile includes this note bearing on McCarthys prosecutorial work: The convention is also giving a platform to Siraj Wahhaj, the well-known radical imam of At-Taqwa Mosque in New York City. According to the Wall Street Journal, Wahhaj allowed Omar Abdel-Rahman, the Blind Sheikh who masterminded the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, to speak at his mosque prior to the attack. Wahhaj testified in Abdel-Rahmans defense during the trial, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that Wahhaj described the sheikh as a strong preacher of Islam. Van Zile concludes his current report: Ellison and Omars scheduled appearance at the ICNA-MAS convention in Baltimore will not be the first time prominent Minnesota politicians have legitimized Islamist-organized events with their presence. In early March 2022, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz attended an online Muslim Day at the Capitol organized by the Minnesota Chapter of the Muslim American Society (MAS-MN). Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman also attended the online event. Neither Ellison nor Omar responded to email and phone queries about their planned appearance at the convention. Its a perfect way for Ellison and Omar to spend this Memorial Day Weekend. There is sharp competition for the prize of the worst people at universities these days. Egregiously radical faculty usually get the most attention, followed by the diversity, inclusion, and equity (DIE!) staff. But the admissions staff tend to get a pass, partly because they dont make public pronouncements that attract attention. The admissions process is, however, the tip of the spear for the race-mongering that is central to the left right now. Admission officers care above all about inputshow many of the right color people are admitted. They care nothing about outcomes, and care for and bear no responsibility for dropouts, high bar passage failure rates, etc. Take a close look the photo below of the boast of the admissions office at Johns Hopkins University, which notes that black and Latinx admittees account for 34 percent of the incoming freshman class, while only 19 percent of the freshman class is white, even though whites are still well more than 50 percent of high school graduates today. David Bernstein, whose forthcoming book Classified: The Untold Story of Racial Classification in America is going to be dynamite, comments: Hopkins class of 2025 demographics are remarkable. Looked at naively, youd have to believe that Hispanic and black high school seniors are 3 to 4 times as likely to be Hopkins-caliber than white students (given relative percentages of the population). The conclusion that Hopkins admissions process is putting a heavy foot on the scale to prefer applicants on account of their skin color above all is inescapable. The amazing thing is that they openly admit it with a boast like this. Not surprisingly, Hopkins, like most universities that boast about the inclusive demographics of their admitted freshman class each year, never spotlight retention figures or other metrics by demographic group. Last I checked (several years ago now), Johns Hopkins was the top recipient of federal grant money among all universities. If there is a GOP Congress next year, they should zero-out all federal funding to Hopkins until they end this blatant racism. The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed an appeal by Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, seeking to stop his probe in an alleged N96 billion fraud. Justice Adamu Jauro, who led the seven-member panel of justices, while delivering judgment, dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit. The apex court affirmed the judgments of the High Court of Rivers and that of the Court of Appeal which had earlier dismissed same suit for want of substance and merit. The court also asked the former minister to pay the respondents N1 million. Mr Amaechi had approached the Supreme Court praying for an order of the court to prohibit his successor, Governor Nyesom Wike from investigating his eight-year tenure as executive governor of Rivers. The former governor, represented by Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) said the probe was aimed at witch-hunting, embarrassing, humiliating and disgracing him in view of his political differences with his successor. The probe is for Mr Amaechi to give account of how N96 billion was allegedly withdrawn from the treasury of the state government and how it was spent during his tenure. Mr Wike had instituted a commission of inquiry to look into alleged sale of valuable assets of the state during Mr Amaechis tenure. The listed assets are Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel and the award of contract for the execution of Mono Rail Project. Mr Amaechi is a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Under Nigerias Constitution, if indicted by the Rivers State Panel of Inquiry, the former minister will be ineligible for election as President. Section 137 of the Constitution says a person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if: (a) subject to the provisions of section 28 of this Constitution, he has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria or, except in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly, he has made a declaration of allegiance to such other country; or (b) he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections; or (c) under the law in any part of Nigeria, he is adjudged to be a lunatic or otherwise declared to be of unsound mind; or (d) he is under a sentence of death imposed by any competent court of law or tribunal in Nigeria or a sentence of imprisonment or fine for any offence involving dishonesty or fraud (by whatever name called) or for any other offence, imposed on him by any court or tribunal or substituted by a competent authority for any other sentence imposed on him by such a court or tribunal; or (e) within a period of less than ten years before the date of the election to the office of President he has been convicted and sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty or he has been found guilty of the contravention of the Code of Conduct; or (f) he is an undischarged bankrupt, having been adjudged or otherwise declared bankrupt under any law in force in Nigeria or any other country; or (g) being a person employed in the civil or public service of the Federation or of any State, he has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from the employment at least thirty days before the date of the election; or (h) he is a member of any secret society; or (i) he has been indicted for embezzlement or fraud by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry or an Administrative Panel of Inquiry or a Tribunal set up under the Tribunals of Inquiry Act, a Tribunals of Inquiry Law or any other law by the Federal or State Government which indictment has been accepted by the Federal or State Government, respectively; WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Minority Leader of the Nigerian Senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has resigned his membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Mr Abaribe had announced his withdrawal from PDP governorship primaries in Abia State, less than 24 hours to the exercise alleging plans by government forces to use imaginary three-man ad-hoc delegates in the primaries to the exclusion of the partys statutory delegates. On Friday, the lawmaker also announced his resignation from the party as well as his position as the Senate Minority leader in two separate letters, according to a report by Punch. The letters were addressed to the ward chairman of the PDP in the lawmakers council area and the Nigerias Senate President, Ahmad Lawan. In the letter to the ward chairman, titled, Resignation of my membership from the PDP, Mr Abaribe said the decision was based on illegality in the party. This development is consequent upon the shameful display of illegality, impunity and undemocratic decision of the party and after due consultations with my constituents, the lawmaker explained. Also, in another letter to the Senate President, Mr Lawan, the former Abia governorship aspirant, said his resignation from PDP has required him to relinquish his position as the minority leader of the Nigerian senate. This is to notify you and my dear colleagues in the Senate that I have formally resigned my membership of the PDP through my ward. This also means my resignation as (the) Minority Leader of the Senate, Mr Abaribe said in the letter. He expressed gratitude to his colleagues in the Senate for the warm camaraderie he enjoyed with them while he served as the minority leader. Planned switch to APGA On Tuesday, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Abaribe has been in talks with the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) over a possible switch from PDP in the state. But a source from the lawmakers camp told PREMIUM TIMES, Friday afternoon, that Mr Abaribe has switched to APGA and would clinch the partys senatorial or governorship ticket later in the day. Yesterday (Thursday), he called a meeting in his country home and told his constituents, the source said. Mr Abaribe hails from Obingwa Local Government Area and Abia South District, where the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, also comes from. Mr Ikpeazu has clinched the PDP ticket to contest for Senate seat under Abia South District. With the new development, Messrs Abaribe and Ikpeazu could face each other as opponents in the 2023 Senatorial election in the state. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Federal High Court, on Friday, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, said former President Goodluck Jonathan can run for president in 2023. The judge, Isa Dashen, while delivering a judgement, on Friday, held that Mr Jonathans right to vie for the presidency a second time cannot be stopped by any retroactive law. There have been intense political debates over Mr Jonathans eligibility to run for the presidency a second time, after he was defeated at the polls in 2015 by the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, when Mr Jonathan sought to be reelected. Joining the debate in April, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, said the former president cannot contest in the 2023 presidential election, citing constitutional provisions barring the ex-president from seeking re-election. Mr Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said in a statement in response to growing calls on Mr Jonathan to throw his hat into the ring ahead of the 2023 election. He said Mr Jonathan, who was Nigerian president between 2010 and 2015, would breach constitutional term limits of two terms of eight years if he runs for the presidency and wins again. Mr Falana recalled that Mr Jonathan became the President of Nigeria in 2010 following the sudden death of President Umaru Yaradua, and later contested and won the 2011 presidential election. Mr Jonathan spent five years in office as president which would make it nine years in office if he contests and wins again, Mr Falana said. Dr. Jonathan is disqualified from contesting the 2023 presidential election. The reason is that if he wins the election he will spend an additional term of four years. It means that he would spend a cumulative period of nine years as President of Nigeria in utter breach of Section 137 of the Constitution which provides for a maximum two terms of eight years, Mr Falana said. The senior lawyer also said that by virtue of section 137 (3) of the Nigerian constitution, Mr Jonathan cannot seek a re-election to the office of the president having completed the tenure of the late President Umaru Yaradua and sworn in again for a full four-year term in 2011 upon winning the presidential election in his own name. A person who was sworn in to complete the term for which another person was elected as President shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term, the section 137(3) of the constitution cited by Mr Falana reads. The National Assembly had introduced the constitutional provision via the Fourth Alteration No 16 Act 2017 which President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law on June 4, 2018. Mr Falana faulted the argument that the constitutional provision signed into law in 2018 cannot retroactively apply to Mr Jonathan who had left office after his failed reelection bid in 2015. Mr Jonathan lost the keenly contested election to Mr Buhari. Faulting the argument that Mr Jonathan is exempted from the effect of section 137 (3) of the Nigerian constitution, Mr Falana referenced the failed bid of former Governor of Oyo State, Rasheed Ladoja, to seek an extension of his tenure to cover for the time he was kept out of office through illegal impeachment. Mr Falana recalled that the Supreme Court rejected Mr Ladojas prayer on the grounds that a governor was only entitled to spend a maximum period of eight years or less and not more than 8 years. He said: Some people have said that the amendment is not retrospective and therefore cannot apply to Dr. Jonathan. Assuming without conceding that the amendment is not retrospective it is submitted that under the current Constitution a president or governor cannot spend more that two terms of eight years. In other words, the Constitution will not allow anyone to be in office for more than a cumulative period of eight years. In Marwa v. Nyako (2012) 6 NWLR (Pt.1296) 199 at 387 the Supreme Court stated that Section 180 (1) and (2)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has prescribed a single term of 4 years and if a second term, another period of 4 years and not a day longer. In the case of Gov. Ladoja v INEC (2008)40 WRN 1 the Supreme Court rejected the prayer of Governor Ladoja for 11 months extension to cover the period he was kept out of office through illegal impeachment, he said. Calls on Jonathan to run Mr Jonathans silence over months-long speculations about his plan to run for the 2023 election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party that ousted him from office in 2015, gave rise to the growing calls on him to join the race for the next years presidential election. The speculation became rife after he hosted a delegation of the leadership of the APC led by the partys then caretaker chairman, Mai Mala Buni, last year. Mr Jonathan has yet to announce his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party on whose platform he he became the vice president in 2007, and and later the president. But he has scarcely identified with the partys activities since losing his second term bid to Mr Buhari of the APC in 2015. Mr Jonathan responded publicly for the first time to the growing calls on him to make another shot at the presidency when his committee of friends and some youth from different parts of the country visited him at his Foundation Office in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday. But his response to the calls was non-committal. Yes, you are calling me to come and declare for the 2023 presidency, yes I cant tell you are declaring, that the political process is ongoing, just watch out. But the key role you must play is to pray that Nigeria gets a president that will carry the young people along and work very hard to see that some of the countrys problems raised are dealt with, the ex-president had said. His lack of clarity on the issue which many believe confirms that he is testing the waters for the presidential bid, continues to encourage many groups to mount pressure on him to run. One of such political groups, Citizens Network for Peace and Development in Nigeria (CNPD) Citizens Network for Peace and Development in Nigeria (CNPD), said in a statement on Monday that anything short of a Goodluck Jonathan ticket would cause the APC to lose the 2023 presidential election. The group advised the APC leadership to use the former president whom it described as the best man for the job of retaining power in 2023. Media reports also speculated that he would soon announce his defection to the APC to enable him to pick the partys nomination form. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will hold its presidential primary between Saturday and Sunday to elect its flag bearer for the 2023 presidential election. Delegates elected from across the country will gather at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja at the National Convention of the opposition party where they will pick from a list of 14 aspirants remaining in the race. Seventeen aspirants had paid N40 million each to participate in the primary, but two Cosmas Ndukwe, a former lawmaker, and Nwachukwu Anakwenze, a US-based medical doctor were disqualified by the screening committee headed by a former Senate President, David Mark, while the vice-presidential candidate of the party at the 2019 election, Peter Obi, on Tuesday pulled out of the race and resigned his membership of the PDP. The 14 other cleared aspirants have since been meeting party delegates, governors and party leaders across the country. They are Tariela Oliver, the only female among them; Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom; as well as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and investment banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen. Others are two former senate presidents, Bukola Saraki and Pius Anyim; former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose; and a publisher, Dele Momodu. Also in the race are a pharmacist, Sam Ohabunwa; Charles Ugwu and Chikwendu Kalu. The aspirants are from the six geo-political zones of Nigeria, reflecting the partys decision to jettison zoning and throw the primary open. The partys National Publicity Secretary, Debo Olonunnagba, had said the partys decision was based on recommendations made by a committee headed by Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom. The committee was set up by the party to advise on the issue. Before the decision, southern leaders of the party had demanded that the ticket be zoned to their region, but the northern leaders wanted an open race. A day before the National Convention, PREMIUM TIMES examines the 14 aspirants and their chances at the primary. Atiku Abubakar The partys presidential candidate in 2019 is taking his sixth shot at the presidency, a quest he began in 1993 under the short-lived Third Republic. As a former vice president and one of the founders of the PDP, Mr Abubakar has associates and supporters across Nigeria. In the 2019 election, he got over 11 million votes; returning second behind President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He still enjoys strong support in states like Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Borno and others. He also has a deep pocket, a crucial point in a national campaign in a vast country like Nigeria where politics is also heavily monetised. However, Mr Abubakar will most likely struggle for a share of the votes from the home states of his rivals like Mr Saraki and the state governors, and also in the South-east where there is strong advocacy for zoning. Analysts say a major reason Mr Abubakar got solid support from the South-east in 2019 was because of the presence of Mr Obi on his ticket as his running mate. This time, his river of affection appears to have dried considerably in that region, which may influence the disposition of the delegates toward him at the convention. Concerns over his age (Mr Abubakar is 75) and the grudge many southern delegates bear against northern aspirants over the partys abandonment of zoning are two items in the baggage this perennial aspirant is carrying to the race. Aminu Tambuwal This is the second attempt the Sokoto governor is making at the presidency, having been runner up in the last PDP presidential primary. Being the only governor in the race from the North-west region, the second-term governor is keen to make that advantage count in the bid for the votes of the delegates from the region. The region has by far the largest number of delegates 193. The former Speaker of the House of Representatives is also believed to have pockets of support from states outside his region like Gombe, Ondo, Benue and Imo. Many have however said Mr Tambuwal may not pull the kind of support that he did in his strong showing in 2019. Mr Wike, who was one of his main backers in 2019, is also a contender for the ticket this year. Mr Tambuwal will most likely share a few of the votes from the South with Messrs Wike, Atiku and maybe Saraki. In the North-central, the votes of Kwara delegates are certainly in the bag for Mr Saraki but Mr Tambuwal will fight for those of Benue with Messrs Saraki and Wike. He will also expect some from Nasarawa State where he may share the spoils with Messrs Atiku and/or Saraki. Mr Tambuwals prospects are not as bright as they were four years ago for two major reasons. The aggrieved leaders and delegates from the South-east will most likely find a candidate to back from the region, while his backers in the last primary are now some of his opponents. Bukola Saraki The two-term governor of Kwara State and former Senate President is also running his third race for the presidency, having contested in 2011 and 2019. He withdrew for the northern consensus candidate, Mr Abubakar, in 2011 before the primary and came third in the 2019 edition. He later served as the Director-General for Mr Abubakars campaign. Asked about his path to victory in Saturdays primary, Mr Saraki told PREMIUM TIMES that he meets the requirements that the delegates he interacted with across the country were demanding. He mentioned his age (59) and experience in the Executive and Legislature as an advantage for him in the race. Mr Saraki will make a strong play for the 130 votes from his home North-central zone, especially from Kwara, Kogi and Nasarawa delegates. Mr Saraki and Bauchi governor, Mr Mohammed, were recently named by some northern leaders as the northern consensus candidates a development that generated much controversy. It remains to be seen what mileage he will derive from that controversial status. That notwithstanding, Mr Saraki will expect to share the votes from the North-east and North-west with his rivals from those zones like Messrs Atiku and Tambuwal. In the South, Mr Saraki is close to the partys governorship candidate for Osun, Ademola Adeleke, who will control most of the delegates from that state. His mother being from their state may also draw him some votes from Ondo delegates. However, in the event of southern delegates finding a southern consensus candidate, Messrs Saraki and other northern aspirants may feel the sting. Nyesom Wike He has obviously been the most aggressive campaigner among the aspirants, shuttling tirelessly across the regions and dropping verbal bombs on his key opponents and other critics at each stop. His critics said he does not talk or act like a potential president but Mr Wike is the strongest contender for the partys ticket from the South. The second term Rivers State governor has visited almost all the states to woo delegates. He is expected to perform strongly in the South-south and parts of the North. Mr Wike appears to have key supporters in the governors of Benue and Oyo, while one of his rivals, Mr Fayose, is also believed to have something cooking with him that may be served at or before the primary. His two top selling points are that he has never left the PDP, not even in its trying times, and he has executed more projects than many other governors. With Mr Obi withdrawing from the race, Mr Wike will likely get a chunk of the votes from the South-east as he is believed to be in good relationships with the governors of the zone. Mr Anyim may draw some votes from that region away from him but Mr Wike is expected to pull through. The presidential hopeful was one of the most vocal Southern leaders when the clamour for a president from that zone was loud. This will also be an advantage for Mr Wike. The South-west delegates may divide their votes among the Rivers governor, Mr Abubakar and maybe Mr Saraki. Mr Wike is friends with the Benue governor, Samuel Ortom, who has since pledged to him his support. He will likely get votes from Nasarawa State too. Mr Wikes performance in Niger and other core northern states might be poor as delegates in the region will likely support Messrs Abubakar and Tambuwal. Pius Anyim Until recently, Mr Anyim has been radio silent and under the radar. He is a former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Mr Anyim has been urging delegates to vote for him, because of his knowledge of the legislature and the executive. But despite this, votes from delegates, especially from those from outside the South-east, may be hard to come by for him at the convention. There is no news of his activities in the northern states and this might affect his chances at the primary. Like Mr Wike, Mr Anyim was at the forefront of the clamour for a southern president. On several occasions, he warned the PDP of possible destruction if it does not zone its ticket to the South. Bala Mohammed Being in the race up till now shows he is not joking about his presidential ambition. Many had thought he was. Mr Mohammed is the only first-term governor in the race and is believed to have bought a governorship nomination form as a backup plan. He was one of the two aspirants controversially named the northern consensus candidates. But Mr Mohammeds campaign has been sporadic, another reason many believe he is not serious. He recently said the Electoral Act, which allows only elected delegates to vote in a partys convention or congress, bothers him. He will most likely get votes from just Bauchi delegates, that is if he remains in the race until the ballot. Ayo Fayose Like Mr Mohammed, Mr Fayose has not done many campaigns. The former governor of Ekiti State had announced his intention to run when he stepped down from the partys zoning committee in March. If Mr Fayose does not withdraw from the race or step down for someone else, chances are, he will rake in some votes from Ekiti delegates and a few from the South-west. Votes from elsewhere are highly unlikely. Mohammed Hayatu-Deen Many did not know about the investment banker until he announced his presidential ambition. Though new to the political scene, Mr Hayatu-Deen has been firm in his campaign since he declared and was cleared by the partys screening committee. Many political analysts have pitched him as a viable candidate that Nigerians should consider especially if the North-east is to be favoured to produce the candidate. As mentioned, he is new to the political scene and could be outplayed by other contenders. He will struggle to get votes from delegates outside his home Borno State. Udom Emmanuel The Akwa Ibom governor will likely step down for another contender. Mr Emmanuel, who had hailed the partys decision to throw open the presidential ticket, has not campaigned much too. While it remains unclear what his backup plan is, Mr Emmanuels chances of getting votes outside his state or region are slim. What is not slim, however, is his chance of stepping down to support another contender like Mr Wike. Others Other aspirants like Dele Momodu, Tariela Oliver, Sam Ohabunwa, Charles Ugwu and Chikwendu Kalu, will also most likely step down before or during the primary election. Aside from Mr Momodu who has spent time campaigning on TV and radio programmes, the rest have not made many visible efforts to get delegates on their side. An alliance with a stronger contender is, therefore, not inevitable as it stands. In conclusion, the PDP presidential primary could be a four-horse race involving Messrs Abubakar, Tambuwal, Saraki and Wike. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 A few days after he quit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has joined the Labour Party. Mr Obi announced his decision to join the Labour Party Friday evening on his official Twitter account. I have chosen a route that I consider to be in line with our aspirations and my mantra of taking the country from consumption to production; and that is the Labour Party which is synonymous with the people, workers, development, production, securing and uniting Nigerians as one family. I invite all Nigerians to join me in taking back our country. Be assured that Ill never let you down, he wrote. I thank all Nigerians, especially our youths who have joined me in the mission of taking back and reuniting Nigeria. This project is yours and for the future of your children. I am just a facilitator. pic.twitter.com/Tes70U5EmJ Peter Obi (@PeterObi) May 27, 2022 Mr Obi is expected to continue his presidential ambition on the Labour Party platform. Before he left the PDP, Mr Obi was one of the 15 presidential aspirants cleared by the PDP to vie for its presidential ticket. Details later WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 A former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, says he is not on trial over corruption allegations against him by the Rivers State Government. Mr Amaechis position comes on the heels of Fridays Supreme Court judgement which dismissed the former ministers appeal against the Rivers State government. The Rivers government under Governor Nyesom Wike had set up a judicial commission of inquiry to probe some transactions during Mr Amaechis regime as Rivers governor. On Friday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Olukayode Ariwoola, while dismissing Mr Amaechis appeal marked SC/911/2017, held that the mandate of the commission of inquiry was not to investigate the appellant (Mr Amaechi) in person. The gist of this decision is to the effect that the commission of inquiry was to investigate some transactions, hence no one was on trial, hence the issue of denial of fair hearing, therefore, does not arise, Adamu Jauro, who read the judgement, said. Mr Jauro, a Supreme Court justice, awarded N1 million cost against Mr Amaechi. But Mr Amaechi, while reacting to the judgment, said the apex courts pronouncement further vindicated his position that the probe by the commission should not be seen as personal to him because he was not on trial. In a statement by Mr Amaechis media office on Friday, the presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said, Nigerias apex court today ruled on the Appeal filed by Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi against the Rivers State Government on the Justice Omereji Judicial Commission of Inquiry. The Supreme Court in dismissing the appeal however pronounced that the function of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry was mere investigative, that nobody, neither Amaechi nor anyone else, was on trial before the panel, the statement clarified. The Supreme Court ruling clearly vindicates the former Governor of Rivers State. The apex court was categorical and clear that (Mr) Amaechi was not on trial. The implication of this is that any indictment from the Commission is null and void and cannot stand. ALSO READ: Supreme court orders Amaechi to face trial over alleged N96bn fraud With this judgment, Amaechi has been vindicated and cleared him of all purported or alleged indictment by the Governor Wikes Commission, the statement added. Background In 2015, shortly after becoming governor, Mr Wike inaugurated a judicial panel to investigate the administration of his predecessor, Mr Amaechi. Mr Amaechi refused to appear before the panel and challenged its existence at a high court. In its August 15 judgment, the judge, Simeon Amadi, ruled that the judicial commission of inquiry was not established to investigate the personal activities of the former governor, but set up to investigate the previous actions of the government as they affect the people of Rivers State. Mr Amaechi challenged the judgement of the Rivers High Court. Similarly, the Court of Appeal held that the probe panel was not set up to investigate Mr Amaechis personal activities while he was governor. This newspaper reported that Mr Wike, a former member of the Amaechi administration who later fell out with his boss, accused Mr Amaechi and other officials of that government of stealing properties belonging to the government. He vowed to recover them. Mr Amaechi denied the allegation and said the governors mission is to tarnish his image. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The All Progressives Congress (APC) has postponed its governorship primaries in Oyo State scheduled to hold at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan on Thursday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the primary was postponed by the APC Primary Committee led by Tokunbo Afikuyomi. NAN reports that there are six governorship aspirants in the state, namely Teslim Folarin, Adebayo Adelabu, Niyi Akintola (SAN), Azeez Adeduntan, Akeem Agbaje and Hakeem Alao. At about 5.00 p.m. all members of the Afikuyomi-led committee, state executives, some National Assembly members and aspirants were already at the venue. NAN reports that the committee members, aspirants, delegates and other supporters present left the venue around 6.00 p.m. It was later revealed that the primary had been postponed to Friday due to an influx of non-delegates into the venue and security reasons. Earlier, Mr Afikuyomi had appealed to all party members and supporters who were in the stadium to move out for the committee to accredit delegates into the venue. The committee chairman had also called on the aspirants to speak to their supporters which they all did. All efforts to get the committee chairman and members to speak on the postponement failed. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has won the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary election in his bid for a second term in office. Ahmed Ibeto, chairman of the partys governorship primary election committee, announced Mr Sule as the winner of the election conducted on Thursday in Lafia, the state capital. Mr Ibeto said the incumbent governor polled 698 votes to defeat Fatima Abdullahi, who got three votes. With this result, as far as we are concerned and as my position as chairman of this primary committee, I hereby declare Abdullahi Sule as the winner of the governorship primary election, he said. Mr Sule, while reacting to the outcome of the election, lauded the peaceful conduct of the exercise and thanked the delegates for their patience. He expressed hope that the general election in 2023 would also be peaceful as the primaries in the state. The governor appreciated his opponent, Ms Abdullahi, for her zeal and courage to vie for the governorship seat, saying it would encourage women, especially in northern Nigeria, to seek to occupy elective positions. My happiness is that you have gone through the exercise and have gained the experience, now I have no doubt in my mind that should you come out in 2027, the performance will be different, he said. Shortly after the election, the governors opponent congratulated him on the resounding victory at the polls. She explained that she joined the race as a face of hope for the youth and women, especially the Northern Nigerian woman whose participation in politics has been poor and whose involvement in governance has been low, despite being the highest voters, especially in Nasarawa State. I will continue to project myself to encourage women across the country to aim higher and not to be limited by anything whatsoever, she said. Ms Abdullahi pledged her support and that of her teeming supporters towards the victory of the governor during the general election. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has emerged as the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in the state. Announcing the result, Chairman, APC Primary Election Committee, Uba Maigari, declared Mr Zulum as the winner of the election at the end of the exercise held on Thursday in Maiduguri, the state capital. He said the governor emerged unopposed being the only aspirant in the election. Mr Maigari said 1,422 delegates were accredited while 1,411 voted and endorsed Mr Zulum through a voice vote. In his acceptance speech, Mr Zulum thanked the delegates and other stakeholders for the confidence reposed in him and promised not to disappoint them. He also pledged to address security challenges bedevilling the state through the adoption of proactive measures to fast track rehabilitation, reconstruction and resettlement programme in the state. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), on Thursday, condemned the killing of a pregnant woman, Harira Jubril, and her four children in Anambra State. They were killed by gunmen suspected to be members of the Eastern Security Network, an armed separatist group blamed for most of the fatal violence in Nigerias South-east. The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, reacted to the killing in a Wednesday press statement, saying, it is the worst form of criminality and human rights violation. Mr Ojukwu said Nigeria has been plagued by terrible reports of murders, kidnappings, armed banditry, and rape, among other crimes. These abuses, he said, happen on a daily basis as if the culprits no longer had a human conscience or feelings. He called the killings a gross violation of peoples rights to life and dignity, which are guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, and other national and international human rights instruments that Nigeria has enacted or is a signatory to. These senseless killings are not acceptable and we as a Commission condemn it and urge that citizens must engage and collaborate with the law enforcement agents, by providing them with the necessary information that will assist them to fish out those behind these heinous and dastardly acts and ensure that they are prosecuted and possibly punished in accordance with the law, he said. Mr Ojukwu also called on the police to conduct a thorough inquiry into the killings of Harira and her children as soon as possible in order to bring all parties implicated to justice. He said, The law enforcement agencies, particularly the police and DSS should rejig their strategies and deploy intelligence-led security to get to the root of this instant killing and lots of other killings, such as Deborah Samuels among others. He warned Nigerians against intolerance. We must first of all be alive peacefully as citizens before we agitate for one interest or another, and always bear in mind that setting the country on the path of violence and disunity will rather worsen or complicate our problems, he said. Mr Ojukwu offered the commissions sympathies to the victims families and advised them and their community members to be calm and not take the law into their hands. Background Harira Jubril and her four children were killed in Anambra State on Sunday and buried on Wednesday. They were killed at Isulo, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state. The children were identified as Fatima, 9; Khadijah, 7; Hadiza, 5 and Zaituna, 2. They were all buried in Awka, the state capital on Wednesday. Their deaths have been trailed by a lot of reactions. Ahmed Jubril, the husband in an interview with BBC News pidgin described the incident as his worst life experience. He said his late wifes pregnancy had reached 9 months and she was supposed to give birth this week. I have lost everything in this world, my wife and four children, all gone just like that. This is the worst thing any person would experience in life, he lamented. The spokesperson of the Anambra Police Command, Ikenganyia Anthony, said the police would bring the killers to justice. Our investigation has started over this matter and our plan is strategic because the aim is for us to get the people who did this thing, he said. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 A Nigerian, Gloria Shoda, has been elected to the board of the International Council of Women (ICW). She is the first black African to be so elected. The election took place on May 17 at the Mecure Point Hotel, Avignon Centre, France, during the annual general meeting (AGM) of the ICW. In her new capacity, Mrs Shoda will be in charge of African Women Councils affiliated with the ICW Before her appointment, Mrs Shoda was the president of the National Council for Women Societies, NCWS, in Nigeria, having served between 2016 and March 2022. Profile Born in Kawo, Kaduna State, Mrs Shoda attended St. Peters Demonstration School and St. Faiths College for her primary and secondary education respectively in Kawo. She attended Ogun State College of Education (now Tai Solarin University of Education) and obtained her National Certificate of Education (NCE). She enrolled for her Bachelor of Education Degree (B.Ed.) at the University of Benin (Uniben) in 1989 and graduated with Second Class Upper. She later proceeded to the University of Ibadan where she obtained a Masters degree in Education, M.Ed (PhD Grade) in Community Development in 2005. She also attended the senior executive course 36 at the prestigious National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru-Jos, in 2014 and bagged the title Member of the National Institute, mni. She also did a doctorate programme in Peace and Conflict Management at the Theological Seminary College, Ibadan, between 2012 and 2014. Mrs Shoda is the first female chairman of the governing council of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta. She also served as president, Remo Chamber of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture and Ogun State Chamber of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture, 2000-2004 and 2004-2008 respectively. About ARCW When the ICW created the African Regional Council of Women (ARCW) in 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia, Mrs Shoda was selected to administer the new body alongside others from South Africa and Morocco. This was confirmed on May 17, 2022. The ARCW seeks to, among others, improve the welfare, progress and standard of living of women, girls and the vulnerable as well as increase womens participation in political life in Africa through access to decision making. The headquarters of ARCW is in Abuja, Nigeria with Mrs Shoda as its maiden President. Photo caption: Gloria Laraba Shoda (right) with Martine Marandel, the newly elected President, ICW. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 A swarm of bees on Thursday attacked and killed Ismail Hussaini, a pupil of Yanoko Nomadic Primary school, Tofa local government area of Kano State. An uncle of the deceased, Sanusi Dawakintofa, told PREMIUM TIMES that his nephew could not outrun the attacking bees because he had a broken limb caused by sickle cell anaemia. The village head of the town Habibu Bello (Sarkin Fulanin Yanoko) confirmed the incident. He said late Hussaini was rushed to Tofa General Hospital where he died in the afternoon. Nomadic education is a sub-component of the Nigerian formal educational system which aims to offer equal opportunities to all social groups, irrespective of ethnicity, geographical origin, gender, or social class. Kano has 380 nomadic schools, making it the state with the second highest number of such schools after Bauchi. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed the appeal filed by a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, to challenge the mode of service of court documents in a N6 billion defamation suit involving a former governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili. In a unanimous judgement by a five-member panel of the Supreme Court, Adamu Jauro, who read the lead judgment, said the appeal lacked merit. Mr Odili had in October 2016 sued Mr Peterside at the Federal High Court in Port-Harcourt, where he claimed the erstwhile NIMASA boss defamed him through a newspaper publication in February 2016. Mr Odili demanded N6 billion compensation from Mr Peterside. According to court filings, Mr Peterside was alleged to have said at a press conference that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, had during a victory thanksgiving service, stated that Mr Odili helped him (Wike) to secure the judgement that gave him (Wike) victory. But, Mr Odili described the statement credited to Mr Peterside as false and malicious. He insisted that Mr Wike never said he (Odili) helped him to secure election victory at the apex court. Arguments Mr Odilis lawyer, Kanu Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeal by Mr Peterside and give judgment in his clients favour. However, Mr Petersides lawyer, Damian Okoro, asked the court to allow the appeal. Although Fridays ruling is an initial victory for Mr Odili, it does not affect the substantive defamation suit which is yet to be decided by the high court. Mr Odili governed Rivers State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 1999 and 2007. He was succeeded by Rotimi Amaechi who though won his election and reflection on the PDP platform, later defected to Nigerias ruling party, APC. Mr Amaechi was succeeded as Rivers governor by Mr Wike, also a member of the PDP. Mr Peterside is believed to be a loyalist of Mr Amaechi. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has secured the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket to run for the sixth term in the 2023 Lagos State House of Assembly Election. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Obasa, representing Agege State Constituency 01, contested against another aspirant, Dada Olusegun, at the primaries held on Friday at Maternity Centre, Iloro, Agege. 25 delegates voted with five delegates from each of the five wards in Agege Local Government. Yinka Durosinmi, the partys Electoral Officer, who announced the result, said Mr Obasa secured 25 votes to emerge the winner of the election. Mr Durosinmi said that five delegates represented the five wards in the local government to make the 25 delegates who voted. 25 of them were accredited before voting and we ensured that the voting exercise was conducted peacefully. Though we had two candidates, Mudashiru Obasa and Dada Olusegun, but we only saw one agent representing Obasa. The other aspirant did not show up, he said. Mr Obasa, while addressing journalists after the exercise, described the victory as proof of acceptance by his constituents. He said he won the primary election because of the belief the constituents had in him as their true and passionate representative. I thank the constituents for the trust they have in me, as I am confident that I will win in the main election. Through this victory, we can continue with the dividends of democracy we have attracted to Agege, he said. Majority leader loses Gbolahan Ogunleye clinched the APC ticket for Ikorodu Constituency 1 in the partys Lagos House of Assembly primaries. Mr Ogunleye defeated the incumbent Majority Leader representing Ikorodu Constituency I, Sanai Agunbiade, to win the APC ticket. Mr Agunbiade was seeking a fifth return to the Lagos State House of Assembly. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the primary election was held at Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ikorodu West Secretariat at Ogolonto. The election was conducted under the heavy presence of security personnel and the watch of the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Announcing the result, Bosun Talabi, APC Electoral Committee for the state constituency, said Mr Ogunleye scored 38 votes to defeat the incumbent, Mr Agunbiade, with no votes. Mr Talabi said that 55 ad hoc delegates, drawn from wards in the constituency, were accredited and voted, adding that there was one invalid vote. After the sorting and counting of votes, Gbolahan Ogunleye polled 38 votes, Gafar Bolowotan polled 16 votes, Bolaji Isikalu polled one vote while Hon. Sanai Agunbiade polled no votes. Speaking, Waheed Animashaun, the party chairman, commended the electoral process as being free and seamless but acknowledged the late arrival of electoral officers and materials for the contest. NAN reports that eight aspirants contested for the Ikorodu constituency 1 Lagos state house of assembly slot. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Olumide Osoba, son of a former Ogun State Governor and leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Olusegun Osoba, has won the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the House of Representatives seat for the third time. Mr Osoba is the current House of Representatives member representing Abeokuta North /Odeda/Obafemi-Owode federal constituency. He won the party ticket at the end of the primaries held in the federal constituency on Friday. He polled 118 votes to defeat other contestants at the primaries. His challengers, Taiwo Oludotun, popularly known as Twinny, polled 40 votes and Adegbenga Adeshina had 30 votes. Meanwhile, Governor Dapo Abioduns Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Afolabi Afuape, has also won the House of Representatives ticket for Abeokuta South federal constituency. Mr Afuape polled 54 votes to defeat Afeez Balogun who scored 20 votes while Sunday Akamo polled only one vote. The incumbent, Lanre Edun, had zero votes, while Micky Kazeem also had zero votes. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday departed for Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to participate in the African Union Extra-ordinary Session of Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Summit would focus on security. According to an earlier statement by the Presidents media aide, Garba Shehu, on Thursday in Abuja, the three-day summit, which will hold from May 26 to 28, will also focus on Humanitarian Challenges in Africa, with related issues on migration, refugees, returnees and Internally Displaced Persons. Mr Shehu said the African leaders would look at Terrorism and Unconstitutional Change of Government, with attendant spiralling effects on human rights and economies. He further stated that the Nigerian leader would join other Heads of State and Government to deliberate on Humanitarian Challenges, Hopes and Challenges in Africa, and participate in the adoption of the Assembly Declaration on Humanitarian Summit and pledging conference. On security and governance, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union will take a united position on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Change of Government, and reach agreements on new approaches to stem the tide. President Buhari will also hold sideline meetings with some leaders during the meeting in Malabo, he added. According to the presidential aide, Aisha Buhari, who is the President of the African First Ladies Peace Mission, is accompanying her husband to the African Union meeting. The president will also be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Defence, Gen Bashir Magashi, and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq. Others on the Presidents entourage are the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai and Chairman, Nigerians In Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nasiru Idris, on Thursday, was elected the governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kebbi State. The head of the election, monitoring committee, Idris Yahuza, announced that Mr Idris garnered 1,055 votes out of the 1,090 votes cast. Another contender, Abubakar Gari-Malam, got 35 votes. Mr Idriss major challenger, the senate majority leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, did not get a vote in the election. An elated Mr Idris thanked his supporters and the members of the APC in Kebbi State. The election was witnessed by the states Governor Atiku Bagudu, Adamu Aleiro, Bala Ibn-NaAllah and Muhammadu Magoro. Also, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, attended the primary. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Nasir Gawuna, on Friday, was elected the governorship candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. Mr Gawuna, who scored 2,289 votes, defeated Shaaban Sharada, his only challenger, who managed to score only 30 votes. The head of the election committee, Tijjani Yahaya, while declaring Mr Gawuna the winner of the contest, congratulated the winner, and party delegates on a successful primary. I Sen.Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, Chairman of Kano APC Governorship Primary Election Committee on behalf of the National working committee of our party hereby announced that result for this election have been collated and counted accordingly. I hereby certified that Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna having scored the highest number of votes is hereby declared the winner. He is therefore the standard flag bearer of the APC in the Gubernatorial election that will take place in 2023 in Kano State he said. However, Mr Sharada had complained about the election before the commencement of voting. He alleged in a letter to the national headquarters of the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it was designed to favour his opponent. The winner of the exercise, Mr Gawuna is yet to speak on the election. Details shortly . WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, refused to grant bail to Rochas Okorocha, who is currently in the custody of the anti-corruption agency, EFCC. Justice Inyang Ekwo, instead, ordered Mr Okorocha, through his lawyer, Ola Olanipekun, to put the anti-graft agency on notice. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Olanipekun had, in an ex-parte motion marked FHC/ABJ/CR/28/2022, prayed the court to grant Mr Okorocha bail on liberal terms pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice filed on May 25. The ex-parte motion was dated and filed May 26. But Justice Ekwo held that since the matter would be coming up on Monday, making an order for the release of the lawmaker on bail would be unnecessary. The senior lawyer also hinted that he had also filed a motion on notice, seeking for his clients bail. The judge, who fixed May 30 for the hearing of the motions, directed the lawyer to put the EFCC on notice. NAN reports that Mr Ekwo had, at the last adjourned date, given the anti-corruotion commission May 30 as the last time the matter would be adjourned following the EFCCs complaint that it had been unable to serve Mr Okorocha despite several efforts. The judge had threatened to strike out the case if the EFCC failed to produce the senator in the next adjourned date, after two adjournments for his arraignment. Operatives of the EFCC invaded Mr Okorochas residence on Tuesday following what they described as his refusal to honour the anti-corruotion commissions invitation after he was alleged to have jumped the administrative bail earlier granted to him. Mr Okorocha was whisked away after some hours and remanded at the EFCCs custody. Mr Okorocha, an APC presidential aspirant, is standing trial alongside others on allegations bordering on money laundering while he served as governor of Imo. He and others were expected to be arraigned before Justice Ekwo on Monday. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Mr Obanikoro, son of Musiliu Obanikoro, a former minister of state for defence, lost the APC ticket to Oyekanmi Elegushi, brother to Oba Saheed Elegushi of Ikate Kingdom by two votes. Mr Obanikoro got 23 votes to Mr Elegushis 25 votes at the primaries held at the Iru Victoria Island Local Council Development Area in Lagos. At the end of the exercise, Oyekanmi Elegushi scored 25 votes; Babajide Obanikoro scored 23; Adegoke Rasaq scored two. Thank you, the APC Electoral Officer, Tolani Sule said. Mr Elegushi, while speaking to journalists after his victory, described the exercise as peaceful and transparent. He also congratulated the other aspirants including Messrs Obanikoro and Rasaq, saying at the end of the day, we are all fighting for the same cause. So, I will say we are all one, Eti-Osa 1 and I say thank you to the delegates, they played their parts and they voted their conscience. I can assure the constituents that this tenure is going to be a wonderful one; we have our programmes all lined up and we are not going to wait to get into the office before rolling them out. It is something people will start to see from tomorrow, he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 50 delegates participated in the exercise, while three aspirants contested for the ticket. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 security agencies need to re-strategise their efforts by partnering with NITDA and indigenous innovators to develop technological solutions to aid intelligence gathering and detection of fake news sources. The scourge of fake news and its attendant consequences should be tackled head-on to ensure the peaceful co-existence of all. The rise of social media has offered numerous advantages, including the ability to make money, networking, and developing professionalism by breaking barriers, creating content, business growth, and other opportunities. For these reasons, people around the globe have leveraged social media platforms as the most pervasive technological development in the world. Given the ease of citizen engagement, social media platforms have offered increased access to citizen participation. Unfortunately, social media is also used for the spread of fake news and hate speech. Fake news refers to the deliberate propagation of false information with the intent of causing harm to a persons reputation, manipulating peoples perception of real facts, inciting the populace against the government, and most disturbingly, causing mayhem in society. There are numerous instances in which some netizens (users of the internet) have used social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram to cultivate disreputable means of gaining clout by fabricating stories without verifiable sources or facts. Sometimes these stories are propaganda by users with ill intentions or satirists mischievously creating disruptions to mislead the reader and serve selfish reasons that could be detrimental to society. The first social media uproar that generated a massive wave of fake news was the #EndSARS protest in October 2020. This witnessed a mass movement of Nigerian youths online and street protests generating about 28 million tweets within a week. The protest erupted following weeks of outrage and anger with videos and pictures showing police brutality, harassment, and extortion in Nigeria. It started as a peaceful protest but turned violent due to fake news that threw the nation into a state of anarchy. Although evidence of abuse by SARS personnel surfaced, a variety of misleading information was also spread via social media platforms and other means by some sections of the masses that were angry and obsessed with provoking crisis using such incidents as a trigger. The voluminous rumours spread in the heat of the #EndSARS protest prompted award-winning journalist and media strategist, Mohammed Dahiru Lawal, to compile the book titled 101 Fake News on EndSARS to inform the public on how social media fake news can turn peaceful protests into a national crisis. The arrest of protesters in Abuja was debunked by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police Bala Chiroma, also the rumour of a Katsina woman protesting against SARS, and most disturbing the alleged killing of a young man in Ughelli by SARS, which triggered the EndSARS protests across the nation, were all discovered to be fake news by persons and groups that manipulated images for ulterior motives. For instance, the death of Oke Obi-Enadhuze, said to be killed by a policeman was debunked by his brother who clarified that he (the victim) was attacked by thugs. The arrest of protesters in Abuja was debunked by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police Bala Chiroma, also the rumour of a Katsina woman protesting against SARS, and most disturbing the alleged killing of a young man in Ughelli by SARS, which triggered the EndSARS protests across the nation, were all discovered to be fake news by persons and groups that manipulated images for ulterior motives. The recent condemnable jungle justice meted on Deborah Samuel, the 200-level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto over a blasphemous statement made via her WhatsApp group chat was another violent incident that engulfed the social media. While blasphemous statements are disrespectful, offensive, inciteful, provocative, and frowned upon in every religion, it is also prudent to seek the advice of legal counsel in protesting this, instead of resorting to jungle justice. However, the increasing incidence of fake news has triggered many reactions and could have triggered another wave of antagonism and mayhem throughout the nation. Still grappling with calming angry youths in the heart of Sokoto, it became a challenge for some media outlets like PRNigeria to ensure that fake news does not have a say in propagating more religious violence that could affect law and order in state affairs. According to a PRNigeria report on fake news, one of the false reports was shared by the Catholic Broadcast Commission Nigeria on its Facebook page, which has over 90,000 followers. The CBCN posted a story that the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukahs house was set ablaze by rioters. The post read: Carnage in Sokoto today: Aftermath of violent protest in Sokoto today. Holy Family Catholic Cathedral, Bishop Kukahs house, and Catholic Pastoral Centre which were built with over N1 billion have been burnt down by hoodlums who are protesting the arrest of those who murdered Miss Deborah Yakubu. However, Bishop Kukah debunked the claim, stating that no life was lost in the said riot. According to him, Contrary to information in circulation, we wish to disclaim that there was no attack of any sort on the residence of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah. Although detecting fake news remains a challenge, considering the time factor, labour, logistics, and technological resources, it is necessary to curtail its spread before it causes more carnage to lives and national development. Meanwhile, there was another case of a trending video that claimed that Northerners were attacking Southerners living in those parts of the country. But PRNigerias analysis of the comments and reactions under the post indicated that the claim was not accurate. Some responses to the tweet claimed that it was an old video of a suspected child trafficker who was arrested for abducting a child. Beyond the fake news, the medium further noted that the attendant reactions are contributing to the hate speech that is further enraging already frayed nerves. Those expressing contrary views are being disparaged, threatened, or attacked. Fake news peddlers creating parody accounts on social media during periods of crises is another warning to Nigerians. These social media accounts are often generated by ill-minded people who are impersonating high-profile personalities to take advantage of the situation to direct traffic to their blogs and incite crises for selfish motives. Although detecting fake news remains a challenge, considering the time factor, labour, logistics, and technological resources, it is necessary to curtail its spread before it causes more carnage to lives and national development. Thus, the exceptional works by other media platforms to curb the spread of fake news through fact-checking are commendable and should be sustained to foster peace and unity in the country. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) through its subsidiary the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, can help to develop more simplified and user-friendly fact-checking tools to enable people to detect or verify information broadcast over social media and traditional media. Also, it can utilise artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to identify and block fake or parody accounts on social media. In addition, security agencies need to re-strategise their efforts by partnering with NITDA and indigenous innovators to develop technological solutions to aid intelligence gathering and detection of fake news sources. The scourge of fake news and its attendant consequences should be tackled head-on to ensure the peaceful co-existence of all. Zeenat o. Sambo writes from Abuja; Zeenatsambo@yahoo.com. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Daily Times published the results that Soyannwo scored 18,222 votes and Onabamiro 2,149. Yemi Onagbesan, a columnist in the Nigerian Tribune, hailed Soyannwos electoral victory in the following words: She is a courageous woman who can even defeat great men in a ghastly battle. This was shown in her glorious victory against her opponents in the last west regional elections. The next election cycle in Nigeria is scheduled to hold between February and March 2023. It will be interesting to once again evaluate the progress of women candidates. A historical narration tracing womens paths towards electoral power may offer insights into what may be the outcome. Electoral politics commenced in Nigeria in 1922, when the principle of elective representation was introduced for elections to the Legislative Council of Nigeria. The law stated that only men, by virtue of their gender, were qualified for the franchise. Eligible men were to be nominated as candidates by three other men. So, for instance, Barrister Theophilus A. Doherty was nominated by Phillip Williams, Eric O. Moore and Laurenco A. Cardoso, who respectively were a merchant, barrister and licensed auctioneer. Eligibility to contest and vote included this public notice: Every male person who is a British subject or a native of the Protectorate of Nigeria, who is of the age of twenty one years or upwards and has been ordinarily resident for twelve months immediately preceding the date of registration in the Municipal area and was, during the calendar year immediately preceding, in possession of a gross annual income of not less than one hundred pounds, shall be entitled to be registered as an Elector The gendered election law was in place till 1951, when the Macpherson Constitution introduced a new political framework. At the municipal level, the Lagos Local Government Ordinance N.17 of 1950 provided an opening for women. It provided for the election of twenty-four members on the basis of a universal suffrage for men and women twenty-one years of age or over before 24 January 1950. In the Abeokuta Province, four women had already won seats to the Egba Central Council by July 1949. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (Egba Alake Section), Amelia Osimosu (Egba Oke-Ona Section), Victoria Adetutu Soleye (Egba Owu Section) and Nusiratu Oduola (Egba Agura Section) made headline news. Women become N.A. Councillors of the First Time said the Nigerian Citizen of July 8, 1949. At the Councils inauguration, the acting resident of the Province, J.H. Beeley, noted that: I am glad too, to see four elected as opposed to nominated, women members. No community which tries to leave its women out of the picture will progress far, and it is hoped that an increasing number of women will find their way on to your Council. In Lagos, colonial documents show that the municipal election to the Town Council took place on Monday, October 16, 1950. Voting began at 8 a.m. and concluded with an hours break from 12 noon till 1 p.m. at 6 p.m. Thousands of women voters were captured by colonial filmmakers at polling booths. The pioneer women candidates, Adebisi Adedoyin-Adebiyi, Tinuola A. Dedeke, Oyinkan Abayomi and Henrietta Lawson contested from Wards A, E, G and H respectively. Abayomi and Dedeke belonged to Nigerian Womens Party, while Adedoyin-Adebiyi and Lawson were of the National Council for Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC)/ Democratic Party/ Labour Alliance, locally known as The Demos. In the East, Margaret Ekpo and Janet Mokelu of the NCNC stood in the 1961 election from Aba Urban District and Enugu South East constituencies respectively. Both had convincing wins: Ekpo scored 4,510 votes, well ahead of independent candidate, U. U. Anyiam-Osigwe, who scored 2,087; while Mokelu scored 3,059 votes over Byron Onyeama, another independent candidate, who received a total of 2,535. According to the election result sheet, Adebiyi came 3rd out of four candidates; Dedeke came 5th out of six candidates; Abayomi came 4th out of seven; and Lawson came 2nd out of six candidates. However, when Prince Adeleke Adedoyin, the winner in Lawsons Ward, was nominated through an Electoral College to the House of Representatives at the centre, Lawson as the first runner-up became the first elected woman councillor to the Lagos Town Council. As the years went by, womens participation in local council elections increased. By the late 1950s, more women won seats to District Urban and Town Councils in Ibadan, Akure, Ijebu, Aba, Enugu, Onitsha and Port Harcourt. In October 1959, elections to the Lagos Town Council saw three women: Keziah Fashina, Bassie Ogamba and L.F. Joseph of Wards C5, D4 and G3 respectively, win seats. However, at the federal level, participation was minimal. The 1951 Macpherson Constitution introduced Adult Taxpayers Suffrage and a three-step Electoral College i.e. Primary, Intermediate and Final. Very few women had taxable income and the delegates at each level of the Electoral College were drawn from pools of male-dominated native authorities. In the 1951 federal election to the House of Representatives, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti of the NCNC scaled through the primaries, but lost at the intermediate level. By 1959, she was leader of NCNC opposition in Abeokuta Urban District Council, and indicated her interest to contest in the December federal elections. But the party preferred the incumbent, Mr J.A.O Akande, so Ransome-Kuti contested as an independent candidate. She came third with 4,665 votes. Akande received 9,755, and Prince Adedamola of Action Group got 10,443 votes. Mrs Wuraola Esan and Miss Rachael T. Brown, both of the Action Group, also lost in their respective constituencies in Ibadan and Port Harcourt. Perhaps the biggest electoral victory came during the 1965 regional election in Western Nigeria. A former principal of Anglican Girls School, Ijebu-Ode, Esther Oladunni Soyannwo of the Action Group (United Progressive Grand Alliance), contested for a seat to the House of Assembly, and not to the Federal House of Representatives, as is widely written. In the regional elections to the Western and Eastern Houses of Assembly, there was further loss, but there were some historic wins too. In August 1960, Ransome-Kuti contested from Egba Central 11 to the 124-member Western House of Assembly on the platform of the Majeobaje Alliance, but lost. In the East, Margaret Ekpo and Janet Mokelu of the NCNC stood in the 1961 election from Aba Urban District and Enugu South East constituencies respectively. Both had convincing wins: Ekpo scored 4,510 votes, well ahead of independent candidate, U. U. Anyiam-Osigwe, who scored 2,087; while Mokelu scored 3,059 votes over Byron Onyeama, another independent candidate, who received a total of 2,535. In a by-election in 1963, a third woman, Ekpo A. Young won a seat to represent Calabar West constituency. Perhaps the biggest electoral victory came during the 1965 regional election in Western Nigeria. A former principal of Anglican Girls School, Ijebu-Ode, Esther Oladunni Soyannwo of the Action Group (United Progressive Grand Alliance), contested for a seat to the House of Assembly, and not to the Federal House of Representatives, as is widely written. Given the political status of her opponent from the Nigerian National Democratic Party (National Nigerian Alliance), the mother of six from Ijebu-West constituency made front page news. Woman to Oppose Onabamiro proclaimed the Daily Times. But, the Nigerian Tribune reported that she received threats to her life and was offered money to step down. She refused and instead sought police protection. On October 12, 1965, she defeated the two-time minister of Education and Agriculture, Dr Sanya D. Onabamiro of Ijebu North constituency. The Daily Times published the results that Soyannwo scored 18,222 votes and Onabamiro 2,149. Yemi Onagbesan, a columnist in the Nigerian Tribune, hailed Soyannwos electoral victory in the following words: She is a courageous woman who can even defeat great men in a ghastly battle. This was shown in her glorious victory against her opponents in the last west regional elections. Unfortunately, due to the prolonged political violence from October to December 1965 in the region, the members-elect of the Western House of Assembly did not take their seats. By January 1966, a military coup put an end to Nigerias First Republic. Tayo Agunbiade is the author of Emerging From the Margins: Womens Experiences in Colonial and Contemporary Nigerian History. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 For peace to reign and to avoid reprisal killings in other side of the country, our people must have the liberty to exercising their freedom of movement in the South-Eastern part of the country. We are law abiding citizens and 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. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all creation. May the salutations of Allah, His peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet, his family, his companions and his true and sincere followers until the Last Day then to proceed: Dear brothers and sisters! The terrorist group and members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Sunday mercilessly killed 12 people from the Northern Nigeria, including a pregnant woman, her four children and eight others at Isulo, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The slain woman was identified as Harirah Jibril, 32, while the four children were identified as Fatimah, 9; Khadijah, 7; Azizah, 5 and; Zaitunah, 2. The terrorists waylaid them on their way back home after a visit to Orumba North. The slain woman was a native of Adamawa State. And as Im talking to you now all Hausa people from the North have completely deserted Ihiala, following heightened attacks on non-natives in the area. The unprovoked evictions, attacks, killings, destructions of properties and other forms of violations against Northerners in various parts of the South-East had resulted from the hate campaigns and propaganda being conducted by regional and ethnic agitators. These killings followed other coordinated attacks on Northern traders and haulage trucks, killing some people and destroying millions worth of properties, including the truck. We strongly condemn these killings. It is brutish, horrendous and barbaric. No family deserves to be wiped out in this manner. And we call on the security agencies to smoke out the killers and bring them to justice. At the same time, we ask all men of conscience to speak up and condemn this barbaric killing. For peace to reign and to avoid reprisal killings in other side of the country, our people must have the liberty to exercising their freedom of movement in the South-Eastern part of the country. We are law abiding citizens and 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. Once again, 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 deterrence to others. We also appeal to our people in the North not to retaliate. Because vengeance will only ignite a cycle of violence. Nigeria needs peace at this crucial time. Therefore, nobody should embark on reprisal killings, please. It will only compound the problem. Respected brothers and sisters! One of the distinctive characteristics of the times we live in is the overwhelming presence of bloodshed, crisis and violence in our societies. Whether it is an IPOB attacks and killings of our people in Dei-Dei Abuja and the South-East, or tribal and religious attacks, or kidnappings where innocent people are held at ransom to achieve political ends, we live in an age where the manipulation and loss of innocent lives have become commonplace. Such is the all-pervasive nature of indiscriminate violence, that terrorism is considered as one of the prime threats to peace and security in our societies. The word terrorism came into wide usage only a few decades ago. But one of the unfortunate results of this new terminology is that it limits the definition of terrorism to that perpetrated by small groups or individuals. Terrorism, in fact, spans the entire world, and manifests itself in various forms. Its perpetrators do not fit any stereotype. Those who hold human lives cheap, and have the power to expend human lives, appear at different levels in our societies. The frustrated employee who kills his colleagues in cold-blood or the oppressed citizen of an occupied land who vents his anger by blowing up a school bus are terrorists who provoke our anger and revulsion. Ironically, however, the politician who uses age-old ethnic animosities between peoples to consolidate his position, the head of state who orders carpet bombing of entire cities, the exalted councils that choke millions of civilians to death by wielding the insidious weapon of sanctions, the terrorist group like IPOB, who are killing the Northerners living in their areas, are rarely punished for their crimes against humanity. It is this narrow definition of terrorism that implicates only individuals and groups, that has caused Muslims to be associated with acts of destruction and terror, and as a result, to become victims of hate violence and terror themselves. Sometimes the religion of Islam is held responsible for the acts of a handful of Muslims, and often for the acts of non-Muslims! Could it be possible that Islam, whose light ended the Dark Ages in Europe, now propound the advent of an age of terror? Could a faith that has over two billion followers the world over, and over 10 million in America, actually advocate the killing and maiming of innocent people? Could Islam, whose name itself stands for peace and submission to Allah Almighty, encourage its adherents to work for death and destruction? For too long have we relied on popular images in the media and in Hollywood films, for answers to these pertinent questions. It is now time to look at the sources of Islam, and its history to determine whether Islam does indeed advocate violence. The Glorious Quran says: take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus do He command you, that you may learn wisdom. [Quran, 6:151] Islam considers all life forms as sacred. However, the sanctity of human life is accorded a special place. The first and the foremost basic right of a human being is the right to live. The Glorious Quran says: if any one slew a person unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. [Quran, 5:32] Such is the value of a single human life, that the Quran equates the taking of even one human life unjustly, with the killing of all humanity. Thus, the Quran prohibits homicide in clear terms. The taking of a criminals life by the state in order to administer justice is required to uphold the rule of law, and the peace and security of the society. Only a proper and competent court can decide whether an individual has forfeited his right to life by disregarding the right to life and peace of other human beings. Even in a state of war, Islam enjoins that one deals with the enemy nobly on the battlefield. Islam has drawn a clear line of distinction between the combatants and the non-combatants of the enemy country. As far as the non-combatant population is concerned such as women, children, the old and the infirm, etc., the instructions of the Prophet are as follows: Do not kill any old person, any child or any woman. [Abu Dawud] Do not kill the monks in monasteries or Do not kill the people who are sitting in places of worship. [Musnad of Imam Ahmad] During a war, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) saw the corpse of a woman lying on the ground and observed: She was not fighting. How then she came to be killed? Thus non-combatants are guaranteed security of life, even if their state is at war with an Islamic state. While Islam, in general, is misunderstood in the Western world, perhaps no other Islamic term evokes such strong reactions as the word jihad. The term jihad has been much abused to conjure up bizarre images of violent Muslims, forcing people to submit at the point of the sword. This myth was perpetuated throughout the centuries of mistrust during and after the Crusades. Unfortunately, it survives till this day. The word Jihad comes from the root word jahada, which means to struggle. So jihad is literally an act of struggling. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said that the greatest jihad is to struggle with the insidious suggestions of ones own soul. Thus jihad primarily refers to the inner struggle of being a person of virtue and submission to Allah in all aspects of life. Secondarily, jihad refers to struggle against injustice. Islam, like many other religions, allows for armed self-defence, or retribution against tyranny, exploitation, and oppression. The Glorious Quran says: And why should you not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)? Men, women, and children, whose cry is: Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from you one who will protect; and raise for us from you one who will help! [Quran, 4:75] Thus, Islam enjoins upon its believers to strive utmost, in purifying themselves, as well as in establishing peace and justice in the society. A Muslim can never be at rest when he sees injustice and oppression around him. As Martin Luther King Jr. said: We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Islam enjoins upon all Muslims to work actively to maintain the balance in which Allah created everything. However, regardless of how legitimate the cause may be, the Glorious Quran never condones the killing of innocent people. Terrorising the civilian population can never be termed as jihad and can never be reconciled with the teachings of Islam. Even Western scholars have repudiated the myth of Muslims coercing others to convert. The great historian De Lacy OLeary wrote: History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated. (Islam at Crossroads, London, 1923, page 8) Muslims ruled Spain for roughly 800 years. During this time, and up until they were finally forced out, the non-Muslims there were alive and flourishing. Additionally, Christian and Jewish minorities have survived in the Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuries. Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan all have significant Christian and/or Jewish populations. This is not surprising to a Muslim, for his faith prohibits him from forcing others to see his point-of-view. The Glorious Quran says: Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah hear and know all things. [Quran, 2:256] Far from being a militant dogma, Islam is a way of life that transcends race and ethnicity. The Glorious Quran repeatedly reminds us of our common origin: O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). [Quran, 49:13] Thus, it is the universality of its teachings that makes Islam the fastest growing religion in the world. In a world full of conflicts and deep schisms between human beings, a world that is threatened with terrorism, perpetrated by individuals and states, Islam is a beacon of light that offers hope for the future. Fellow Nigerians! If you can remember, the same thing taking place today, of hate campaigns, maltreatment, attacking and killing Northerners by Igbo people, was what ignited the 1966 Nigerian civil war. In August 1965 five Igbo Majors were beginning to plot a coup against incumbent Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. The coup was planned because the Majors, as reported, were dissatisfied with the governments actions and that most Nigerian politicians were of Hausa or Fulani descent. In a memoir written by coup plotter, Adewale Ademoyega, he wrote: Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places, that seek bribes and demand 10%; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs. The coup plotters had five goals to achieve, to strike simultaneously in regional capitals, arrest leading politicians and kill any who resist, avoid reprisals and kill all senior army officers, prevent troop movement, block Niger and Benue, and form a new government. They planned to strike right before the Commonwealth Conference, so that Tafawa Balewa would be distracted from any suspicious army movements. In the weeks leading up to the coup, Major Kaduna Nzeogwu carried out reconnaissance on Ahmadu Bellos house in Kaduna. Nzeogwu often took his men on a night-time training exercise known as Exercise Damisa, which was in actuality a practice run for a military coup. The commander of the Second Brigade, Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun, became irritated with the night-time exercises and reprimanded Nzeogwu in a telephone call to keep exercises a safe distance from Ahmadu Bellos house. Although Ademulegun complained about the commotion, he had no idea of the exercises true purpose. Nzeogwus control over his troops was so little that he had to conscript young soldiers from the Nigerian Military Training College at Kaduna. In the early hours of January 15, 1966, Nzeogwu decided to turn Exercise Damisa into a full blown military coup. Nzeogwu led his men to a bush adjacent to the house gates and informed them of their real mission. Nzeogwu and his men blew open the house gates and conducted a search of the residence, hunting for Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna. After losing his temper at his initial failure to locate him, Nzeogwu found him with his wives. Ahmadu Bello was shot along with one of his wives, who tried to shield him with her body. Also Ahmadu Bellos faithful bodyguard came to defend him with a bow and arrows but was also shot. So we have to be very very careful in order to avoid another civil war in Nigeria. Because if the killing of Northerners in South-Eastern Nigeria continues, Im assuring you that anything can happen All praises and thanks are due to Allah alone, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true and sincere followers. Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumuah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okenes Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761. This Jumuah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Shawwal 26, 1443 AH (May 27, 2022). WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 George W. Bush, Tony Blairand all the other heads of state, presidents and leaders who led their countries into participating in that barbaric, vile and abominable atrocity against the Iraqi people by the so-called coalition of the willing 19 years ago, on the false premise, mendacious pretext and dirty lie that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, ought to have been taken to the International Criminal Court at the Hague and jailed for life long ago. This was indeed a monumental blunder, a humiliating show of shame and a self-deprecating faux pas! On May 19, George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States of America, said the following words to a shell-shocked and amazed American audience, whilst delivering what was meant to be a blistering attack on President Vladimir Putin of Russia and the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. He condemned what he described as, the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of IRAQ! When he realised the monumental implications of what he had said, he quickly added, I mean Ukraine; but the cat was already out of the bag. Bushs Freudian slip said it all. Even though he tried to make a joke of it and put it down to an error caused by his 75 years of age and fast degenerating mental faculties, the damage had already been done. He had ensnared himself with his own words, shot himself in the foot, publicly confessed to his dastardly crimes and admitted his own guilt. 19 years after the brutal and bestial slaughter of over 1,000,000 Iraqi men, women and children, who were butchered and starved to death after he ordered the illegal bombing and invasion of Iraq in 2003 and introduced a wicked and unconciable post-invasion set of economic sanctions, the blood of his innocent victims is speaking from the grave and haunting him. 19 years ago, he did EXACTLY what he is accusing President Vladimir Putin of doing today in Ukraine, and now before the entire world, he has confirmed it with his own lips. George W. Bush, Tony Blair (the former prime minister of the United Kingdom) and all the other heads of state, presidents and leaders who led their countries into participating in that barbaric, vile and abominable atrocity against the Iraqi people by the so-called coalition of the willing 19 years ago, on the false premise, mendacious pretext and dirty lie that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, ought to have been taken to the International Criminal Court at the Hague and jailed for life long ago. Sadly, this will not happen and they will not pay for their evil deeds until they die and go into the after life, because they and their successors in office control that court and indeed much of the world today. They may not be served justice in this life but they will certainly be subjected to it in the life to come, where their numerous victims are waiting for them. Remember the Iran/Iraq war in which 1,000,000 people were killed, which was orchestrated, sponsored, encouraged and engineered by the CIA, in an attempt to topple the leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, and put an end to his Islamic Revolution? The truth is that the Americans are the last people that ought to accuse Putin and Russia of illegal invasions against independent sovereign states, because that has been their stock in trade over the last 75 years. Remember the bombing and/or invasions of Serbia, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Viet Nam, Korea, Yemen, Panama, Cuba and so many others? Remember the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with NUCLEAR weapons at the end of WW II, even though the Japanese had already been defeated and were in retreat and the war was effectively over? Remember the countless examples of regime change and the sponsoring of military coup detats sponsored and engineered by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that took place in Africa and South America over the last 70 years? Remember the number of foreign democratically-elected and legitimate presidents and heads of state who were murdered all over the world both during and after the Cold War, either by the CIA directly or by their local allies and associates on their orders? Remember the Iran/Iraq war in which 1,000,000 people were killed, which was orchestrated, sponsored, encouraged and engineered by the CIA, in an attempt to topple the leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, and put an end to his Islamic Revolution? Remember the destabilisation and CIA-sponsored peoples revolutions that took place in Libya, Egypt, Ukraine, Tunisia, Georgia, Yemen and other nations and how they all resulted in regime change in those countries over the last 15 years? Remember how the CIA and the Pentagon secretly created and covertly sponsored and supported Osama Bin Ladin and his Al Qaeda, Mallam Omar and his Taliban, Mohammed Al Baghdadi and his ISIS and Abubakar Shekau and his Boko Haram at the outset, in order to use them to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan, and years later their perceived adversaries in Syria, the Middle East, West Africa and North Africa respectively? Remember how the Americans have effectively turned themselves into the policemen of the world ever since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the establishment of a unipolar world? Remember how they control the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Paris Club, the other Bretton Woods International Monetary Institutions and the World Trade Organisation, and how they have used them to turn developing nations into desperate, dependant and hungry hosts of pauper, debtor and beggarly entities that crawl on their knees and have been subjected to the second slavery? What they and their European allies are doing today by provoking Russia with their shameful actions in Ukraine, Finland and Sweden, and with their reckless and dangerous eastern expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) will be their last. Remember how they control the worlds economy, trade and commerce, and most of the worlds central and commercial banks, and how they manipulate them to keep much of the world at their mercy and dependant on their whims and caprices? Remember how they control much of the worlds social media networks and cyberspace and the worlds major international television networks, major newspapers and media space, which they use to afflict entire populations with mass hypnotism and mind control, to feed the people with lies, disinformation and misinformation and to cover up their horrendous acts, their hidden agenda and their evil plans? Their atrocities are legion and too many to list here. What they and their European allies are doing today by provoking Russia with their shameful actions in Ukraine, Finland and Sweden, and with their reckless and dangerous eastern expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) will be their last. Russia is NOT Iraq, Syria or Libya. She is not a weak state or a soft target. She has more long range and tactical nuclear weapons and war heads than any other nation in the world and she has bellicose and determined leaders that have the political will to use them, if and when necessary. She cannot be bullied or easily overwhelmed. Her people are well-educated, focused, tough, resilient, historically-literate, highly-motivated and patriotic to a fault and they are well-prepared for a long drawn major conflict. They also have some powerful friends and allies in countries like China, India, Pakistan, Iran, Israel, Brazil, South Africa, some the Arab states and many others. If the Americans and the Europeans want WWIII, they will get it but it may not end in the way they want. They may find that their desperate quest to establish a New World Order may be far more costly than they anticipated. Femi Fani-Kayode is a former Nigerian minister of Aviation and the Sadaukin Shinkafi. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 My admonition is that as a nation, we shouldnt be afraid to walk the road less travelled. To paraphrase the famous quote on fear from the first inauguration speech of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, the only thing we have to fear isfear itself irrational and unjustified fear which paralyses sorely needed efforts to strengthen the unity of Nigeria. Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost At the end of this month, other things being equal, Nigerias major political parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will select their presidential candidates for the February 2023 general election. By hook or by crook, one of these two candidates will emerge president next year. It will be asking for too much to request Nigerias dominant political class to spare a thought for the nation. But we are duty-bound to make this plea, not because we think this class has the disposition or capacity to change anything but because the metaphorical Nigerian egg, according to Tim Akano, is about to crack. Enlightened self-interest demands that we do not force this crack from the outside. Two tragic events, among many, in the last one month the decapitation of a military couple and the immolation of Deborah Samuel and the mute indifference of those whose constitutional duty it is to protect lives and property, as well as maintain law and order, and those who are lining up to replace them, is a cruel reminder that the best of 2023 cant and wont scratch the surface of the existential crisis facing Nigeria. It is unfortunate that Nigerians have to endure these tragedies, which have become common features of our national existence. Of course, nothing can justify the reprehensible practice of a nation preying on its citizens. When that happens, it calls to question the foundation and future of that nation; it shows us how flawed that nation is. So, you wonder why the political class is fixated on 2023 and why those who are aspiring to lead the country are not taking a stand on this crucial question. It is a pointer to not only how unprepared they are, but also their lack of candour and the superficiality of their ideas no vision of the kind of country they want to lead and no faith in that country. Faith in Nigeria even though our motto is unity and faith, peace and progress is a scarce commodity among our political class. Perhaps, 2023 offers us a rare chance to revisit the vexed questions of belongingness, inclusivity, equity, and justice, which to a large extent are driving the discontent and disquiet across the country. One of the most profound statements by a Nigerian politician in this regard is credited to the late Chief Bola Ige, Second Republic governor of the old Oyo State and Fourth Republic minister for Power and later Justice, who was assassinated (as a serving minister) on December 23, 2001. Each time I discuss our pitfalls as a nation with younger compatriots, I like to refer to a 2004 essay titled, The Path to Nigerias Greatness: Between Exceptionalism and Typicality by Professor Ali Mazrui, one of Africas foremost political scientists. In that essay, to mark the 90th anniversary of the amalgamation of Nigeria, Mazrui memorably observed, There are indeed certain attributes which make Nigeria strikingly unique in Africasetting it apart in configuration from all other African countries. In summary, these attributes include its size, the human and natural resources, and of course, what appears to be a balance of forces in the geo-political and religious configuration of the country. Nigeria is like no other country; no other country is like Nigeria. So, why has this propitious exceptionalism not worked for Nigeria? Perhaps, the answer lies in Nigerias typicality. Some particular ups and downs of the country may be typical of the entire continent, Mazrui wrote about Nigeria. To understand Nigeria is to comprehend this dialectic between the exceptionalism of Nigeria in the African configuration and the typicality of Nigeria as a mirror of the continentNigeria is typical of Africans also because of the swings between tyranny (too much government) and anarchy (too little government). When under military rule, Nigeria leans towards tyranny (too much government), when under civilian administration, Nigeria leans towards anarchy (too little government). I will expand Mazruis thesis to say there is something sinister about Nigerias typicality, which undergirds the mutual fear and loathing and explains the current anarchy. The idea of Nigeria is premised on conquest conquest of people and resources and has been sustained by new forms of domination and oppression. For far too long, we have refused to confront this menacing typicality. I do not know how much longer we can ignore it. We seem to have arrived at the crossroads of what political scientists refer to as anocracy a state that is neither autocratic nor democratic. It is a dangerous place for a country to be. Each tragedy reinforces the need for us to step back and properly answer the fundamental question of nationhood that began more than six decades ago. From terrorism to banditry to countless sub-national, ethnic, political, religious, cultural, and environmental skirmishes, we have arrived at the Door of No Return, that infamous point through which millions of Africans were forced onto slave ships headed for the New World. What do these social and political phenomena tell us about our country? They tell us that Nigeria is a cauldron of repressed rage fuelled by overt injustice, and to keep it together, we must heed the bellowing orchestra of minorities (whether ethnic, political, economic, religious, or social), to borrow the title of Chigozie Obiomas widely acclaimed novel. Perhaps, 2023 offers us a rare chance to revisit the vexed questions of belongingness, inclusivity, equity, and justice, which to a large extent are driving the discontent and disquiet across the country. One of the most profound statements by a Nigerian politician in this regard is credited to the late Chief Bola Ige, Second Republic governor of the old Oyo State and Fourth Republic minister for Power and later Justice, who was assassinated (as a serving minister) on December 23, 2001. According to Ige, There are two basic questions that must be answered by all Nigerians. One, do we want to remain as one country? Two, if the answer is yes, under what conditions? We shouldnt wait to get to the precipice before we go to the negotiation table. So, when you hear our ruling class use such weasel words as the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable, it is important to ask them the nature and purpose of this unity. The unity of Nigeria is not a problem. The challenge is the nature and purpose of that unity. Is it a unity based on trust, equity, and respect or one conditioned by age-long cavalier beliefs of conquest and domination? Simply put, we must renegotiate Nigeria through a new constitution that will recreate the country in the image of Nigerians of the 21st century. That process is not a silver bullet. In fact, it could lead to the dismantling of Nigeria as we currently know it. But, importantly, that unravelling will not come at the cost of the blood of millions of citizens. And if we get it right, it can lead to the glorious dawn of our exceptionalism. The nation building experiment is a tough but rewarding one; that is, for people who are genuinely committed to the process. Whether it is power sharing, affirming secularity or religious plurality, protection of minorities, and everything in between, we must constantly defer to the default position that Nigeria is a country of diverse nationalities with religious and socio-cultural peculiarities negotiated as a federation at independence in 1960. Every decision we make must largely reflect this heterogeneity. To do otherwise is to court disaster. The central question of the 1999 transition was to return to civilian rule. The central question in 2015, when the current monstrosity came to power, was the prospects of a party-to-party transition after 16 years of PDPs misgovernance. We seem to have come full circle. The central question in 2023 will be (re)negotiating Nigerias unity. Lets forget all the talk about fixing the economy, about GDP, and tackling insecurity. Without a country we cant do anything. Lets not repeat the errors of our tragic past. We shouldnt wait to get to the precipice before we go to the negotiation table. So, when you hear our ruling class use such weasel words as the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable, it is important to ask them the nature and purpose of this unity. The unity of Nigeria is not a problem. The challenge is the nature and purpose of that unity. Is it a unity based on trust, equity, and respect or one conditioned by age-long cavalier beliefs of conquest and domination? As 2023 approaches, the political class is running around like a headless chicken, claiming to have the magic wand to fix Nigeria. Their managerial philosophy and approach to the Nigerian crisis, which is foundational, tells you they are in it for what they can get. My admonition is that as a nation, we shouldnt be afraid to walk the road less travelled. To paraphrase the famous quote on fear from the first inauguration speech of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, the only thing we have to fear isfear itself irrational and unjustified fear which paralyses sorely needed efforts to strengthen the unity of Nigeria. Chido Onumah is the author of We Are All Biafrans, among other books. He can be reached via Twitter @conumah WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 After her return from exile, Imelda has undergone political rehabilitation, including being elected four times into the House of Representatives and running twice for the presidency. The greatest legacy of Imelda, now 92, is laundering the image of her family and utilising the looted funds to rebuild the political fortunes of the Marcos cabal, which led to her son winning 59 per cent of the votes. In our skewed world infected with conflicts, growing inequalities and the right of might over right, we produced three new leaders in the last three weeks, none of who has promised to take a different direction. The son of a former bloody dictator, whose parents, Ferdinard and Imelda Marcos, are some of the most infamous people in history, was elected the president of Philippines. Australia, still trying to come to terms with its racist past of genocides, managed to replace its Trump-like Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), a monarchy, elected a new president, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to replace Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who passed away on May 13. Apart from committing some of the most atrocious violations of human rights against their own people, Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, who were backed by the United States (U.S.) were accused of stealing over $10 billion from the Philippines. In 1985, the American Ambassador to the Philippines confirmed this in an official report to the U.S. Congress. A peoples power revolution on February 25, 1986, led to the removal of Marcos from power and his replacement by Corazon Aquino, the widow of Senator Benigno Aquino, who Marcos had shot dead at the Manila International Airport three years earlier. On their overthrow, one of Imeldas legacies was the over 3,000 pairs of shoes she alone had acquired. On November 9, 2018, she was convicted by a Philippines court on a seven-count charge of laundering US$231 million and sentenced to 77 years imprisonment. She saw it as a joke that should not stop her party that night at the 63rd birthday of her daughter, Imee. Present at the party were former presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Arroyo, and President Rodrigo Dutertes daughter, Sara, who is now vice president-elect. After her return from exile, Imelda has undergone political rehabilitation, including being elected four times into the House of Representatives and running twice for the presidency. The greatest legacy of Imelda, now 92, is laundering the image of her family and utilising the looted funds to rebuild the political fortunes of the Marcos cabal, which led to her son winning 59 per cent of the votes. Imelda, who is still appealing her 2018 conviction, was assisted to the platform where the Senate president and the speaker raised her sons hand as the next president. He is to be sworn into office in June, 36 years after his father fled the country into exile, where he died. While there might be a slight policy shift in Australia, the policy direction in the UAE is likely to remain unchanged. For instance, its breath-taking development strides are likely to continue, and so would its reckless foreign policy, which may ultimately haunt it. For instance, the genocide it is perpetrating in Yemen, in alliance with Saudi Arabia, might continue. The Philippines, given the 31 million votes cast for Marcos Jnr out of a total of 55 million, has returned to its vomit and burrows deeper into poverty. Those murdered by Marcos and those who resisted his bloody dictatorship seem to have done so in vain. If the Pilipino are subjected to human rights abuses and the looting of their national wealth, as the new government is likely to do, they will have nobody but themselves to blame; they have brought maggot-infested wood home, and they will need to deal with their tragedy. In Australia, Anthony Albanese of the Labour Party defeated Prime Minister Scott Morrisons Liberal/National Coalition in an election on May 21. He took office two days later. Although his country was plagued by problems of climate change, including wildfires and temperature soaring to a record 41.9 degrees celsius, Scott like Trump, was a climate change sceptic. When his country was caught in serious wildfires in 2019, he took a family vacation. Although slavery was a way of life in Australia, Scott denied there had been slavery in the country. The interpretation is that those enslaved over the decades, especially the Aborigines, who were the Black indigenes of Australia, were not regarded as human beings. While there might be a slight policy shift in Australia, the policy direction in the UAE is likely to remain unchanged. For instance, its breath-taking development strides are likely to continue, and so would its reckless foreign policy, which may ultimately haunt it. For instance, the genocide it is perpetrating in Yemen, in alliance with Saudi Arabia, might continue. In the past, it had allied with the latter to create the Islamic State (ISIS), which backfired spectacularly and created a Frankenstein monster. The UAEs unbridled greed to expand its 83,600 square kilometres by stealing other territories is a danger to world peace. For instance, it has used the Gulf States invasion of Yemen to annex that countrys 3,600 square Socotra Island, seeking to incorporate it into the UAE. It is also claiming to have bought land and the port of Berbera from the breakaway Somaliland. A fallout of the election in the UAE is that President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, May 19, flew out to that country on a three-day visit. His entourage was made up of the national security adviser, Major-General Mohammed Monguno (retired); director-general, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; and, the ministers of state, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada; Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami; the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello; and Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika. if Buhari were otherwise more constructively engaged, he would not have embarked on that trip. More so, when he has not visited recent areas of conflict or disaster in Nigeria. Secondly, his messages of condolence and congratulations to the new UAE president, which he had earlier sent, are enough. A phone call would have been the required follow-up. The Presidency informed Nigerians that the presidents twin purposes for the visit were to extend his condolences and extend congratulations to the new president, renewing bonds of the longstanding friendship between Nigeria and the UAE. First is that if Buhari were otherwise more constructively engaged, he would not have embarked on that trip. More so, when he has not visited recent areas of conflict or disaster in Nigeria. Secondly, his messages of condolence and congratulations to the new UAE president, which he had earlier sent, are enough. A phone call would have been the required follow-up. He does not need to let a debt-soaked country like Nigeria incur unnecessary expenses for a pointless three-day visit. I also imagine the UAE president would be too busy to entertain Buhari for three days. Thirdly, even if going on jamboree is Buharis prerogative as president and he might be in touch with the First Lady, who has since adopted the UAE as a second home, he does not need to pack strategic ministers and advisers along. Fourthly, even if he had to, he needed to be sensitive at this point so as not to give added ammunition to increasing claims that his administration is, in regional and religious terms, fatally sectional. Where was our minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama? Yes, Buhari was visiting a Muslim country, but he did so as president of a secular Federal Republic of Nigeria. Who advises the Buhari administration? Is Buhari, as president, blind to the unfolding realities of this country; is he deaf to them, or does he care? If he cannot leave the country in the sorry state he met in 2015, must he leave it in a far worse one? Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 It remains to be seen if Hong Kong will win back her old glory as the Pearl of the Orient or will continue to be a pawn in the chess game of China and other world powers. But one thing is clear, Hong Kongs incoming leader is largely responsible for stifling dissent in an iconic city once known for its vibrant civil society and freewheeling press. Barely two weeks ago, precisely on Sunday, May 8, John Lee was elected the fifth chief executive of Hong Kong, as the leader of that Island territory of China is called. This was an election in which Mr Lee was the sole candidate and we were told that he won over 99 per cent of the votes cast by members of the election committee in a secret ballot. But China is not fooling anyone. The caricature by Hong Kongs largely pro-China election committee was only an elaborate scheme meant to present Beijings choice to the world. Mr Lees pedigree made him an ideal candidate to prosecute Chinas intentions in Hong Kong. After joining the police force at the age of 19, he rose through the ranks, eventually becoming the security secretary in 2017. It was in that position that he led the heavy crackdown on anti-government protests that shook the city in 2019 and many believe that his election is a reward for doing the bidding of Beijing then. Before the arrival of the British, the area that is today referred to as Hong Kong, was a small fishing community, located on Chinas southern coast and surrounded by the South China Sea on all sides, except the north. Spaniards who first visited the area named it Ladrones, which means an island of thieves, which was consistent with Hong Kongs bad reputation at the time as a haven of pirates. But it was also where the Britons came to buy certain Chinese goods, such as porcelain, tea and silk. The Chinese, on the other hand, had little or no interest in European manufactured goods. And so over time, Britain found herself facing an enormous trade deficit with China. Britain decided that the best way to deal with this imbalance was by smuggling opium to Hong Kong. That move, for sure, reversed the trade imbalance, but came with a steep price for China, which had to contend with an epidemic of opium addicts. Infuriated by this development, China went ahead and destroyed British opium and refused to pay any compensation for it. This would ultimately lead to the first opium war that ended in 1842 in favour of Britain. China was forced to cede the Hong Kong Island to Britain as a spoil of war, under the terms of the Treaty of Nanking, signed by both nations in 1898. China would regain control of Hong Kong after ninety-nine years, the lease of which expired on midnight of July 1, 1997. Under British control, Hong Kong became fully Westernised in almost all facets of life, ranging from education to culture, and it even adopted the Christian religion. The island prospered at the time that mainland China was facing periods of great instability. During the second World War, the island was invaded by the Japanese, who occupied it for a period of three years. This was later ceded back to the British after Japan lost to the allied forces. In all these, Hong Kongers have become helpless in the face of a belligerent China. News outlets, trade unions, political parties and human rights groups have all been under intense government censoring. Many pro-democracy activists have been arrested and are in custody on charges bordering on treason. Hong Kong operates a major capitalist service economy, marked by low taxation and free trade, part of why it became the city with the largest concentration of ultra-high-networth individuals, more than any city in the world. The Hong Kong dollar is also the eighth most traded currency globally. The major difference between mainland China and Hong Kong is the system of government. The former is communist and controlled by a single party, while Hong Kong has what has been referred to as limited democracy. Whereas the president of China is the Head of States that governs both places, each still has its own head of government. The premier in the case of mainland China and the chief executive as the head of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. At the end of the lease expiration in 1997, China demanded the repossession of Hong Kong. In an attempt to reassure the international community and Hong Kong people, Chinas paramount leader, Deng Xiaoping and prime minister of Great Britain, Margaret Thatcher agreed to implement what was called the one China, two systems policy. This meant that Beijing would assume sovereignty, but Hong Kong would keep its rule of law and capitalist ways for 50 years, with its own economy, currency, etc. The policy implementation, however, has remained problematic, as China continues to aggressively assert her power, ceaselessly interfering and dictating the policy direction and governance of Hong Kong. The political rules were made to ensure that pro-Beijing forces would control the local legislature, known as Lego. But even more disconcerting to Hong Kongers is the fact that no one can guarantee what would happen to Hong Kong the day after the handover is completed in 2047. In all these, Hong Kongers have become helpless in the face of a belligerent China. News outlets, trade unions, political parties and human rights groups have all been under intense government censoring. Many pro-democracy activists have been arrested and are in custody on charges bordering on treason. China, once looked upon as a poor cousin, has now become the worlds second largest economy and on the fastest route to the number one spot. With that in view, many world leaders and CEOs of multinationals are falling on top of each other to please China and hopefully gain access to its estimated 1.4 billion people consumer market, while looking the other way to the atrocities it commits. The fate of Hong Kong today should offer a sober lesson to Biafran secessionists who are convinced that in a war with Nigeria, the international community will somehow rally to the rescue and the pendulum of victory will swing in their favour. Such notion is anchored mostly on the belief that Ndigbo are fighting a just and worthy cause, which indeed is true. But the reality is that entertaining such hope is akin to living in a fools paradise. One of the biggest disappointments about the whole Hong Kong issue has been Britains silence or at best tepid responses to the Chinese overbearing influence, which is worse than silence. Former British prime minister, Sir John Major made a pledge before the handover that Britain would do everything possible and use its clout to defend Hong Kong and its freedoms but that is not what is happening now. British business people just want things to carry on as usual, so as to maintain good relations with China. They want the Hong Kong protesters to go home and not be seen again, which seems to align with the British government policy interest. The simple truth is the fact that money rules and China has lots of it. Americans, who pride themselves as defenders of democracy, are not doing any better. When Chinas top internet regulator visited the Facebook CEO in Silicon Valley, Mark Zuckerberg was reported to have kept a copy of a book containing the selected speeches of President Xi Jinping on his desk. Even the former New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg provided funding for Harvard University to set up a research center in Shanghai. Everyone is literally bending over backwards to please the Chinese in order to get a piece of the pie. The fate of Hong Kong today should offer a sober lesson to Biafran secessionists who are convinced that in a war with Nigeria, the international community will somehow rally to the rescue and the pendulum of victory will swing in their favour. Such notion is anchored mostly on the belief that Ndigbo are fighting a just and worthy cause, which indeed is true. But the reality is that entertaining such hope is akin to living in a fools paradise. Nations look out mostly for what is in their own best interest, rather than if certain actions would fetch them some moral brownie points. On July 1, when John Lee begins his five-year term, replacing the outgoing Chief Executive Carrie Lam, he will become the first former police officer to lead Hong Kong in over a century. He plans to push through a series of new legislations on secession, treason, sedition and subversion, known collectively as Article 23, just the way China wants it. It remains to be seen if Hong Kong will win back her old glory as the Pearl of the Orient or will continue to be a pawn in the chess game of China and other world powers. But one thing is clear, Hong Kongs incoming leader is largely responsible for stifling dissent in an iconic city once known for its vibrant civil society and freewheeling press. Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Even though the strike has been a major setback in the educational system as it has perpetually slowed down the already set academic calendar and rendered students effort to reconcile with their desired grade futile, Ill implore students to make use of this period to build themselves in their areas of interest, invest deeply in personal development, learn and nurture a skill and most importantly stay positive, be hopeful and stay out of trouble. Education is the panacea that liberates an individual from slavery, while the university is the brain box of a nation. The education sub-sector, especially tertiary institutions in Nigeria, has witnessed incessant closures due to avoidable industrial actions in recent times. The impact of this instability is quite great. Worldwide, the tertiary institution is regarded as the citadel of learning, the fountain of intellectual development and ground for the production of future leaders and no matter what, a university progresses when it is able to provide knowledge and value, and when it is not properly managed by its administrators and staff, it fails in its function of providing knowledge and value. Importantly, the role of universities in human capital development, research and technological innovation cannot be over-emphasised. All over the world, investment in university education is a critical component of national development efforts. Most nations today depend increasingly on knowledge, ideas and skills, which are produced through research in universities. Undeniably, universities have the responsibility of producing their own corps of academic personnel; that is, the intellectual resource pool that will, through scientific research, generate new knowledge and innovation to solve developmental problems. Tertiary education in Nigeria has thus suffered tremendous setbacks as a result of industrial actions by both the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Non-academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP). These have always subjected students to pitiable conditions, disrupting academic calendars, adding unfortunate extension to their study years of students, poor concentration of students on academic programmes and poor lecturer-student relationships, among others. ASUU, whose incessant industrial actions take a heavy toll on the academic performance of the students, has turned its downing of tools into a yearly action. The union was formed in 1978, a successor to the Nigerian Association of University Teachers (NAUT) established in 1965, and initially covering academic staff in the first generation tertiary instutions like the University of Ibadan; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Ife (Now, Obafemi Awolowo University); and University of Lagos. The Federal Governments failure to satisfactorily implement the Memorandum of Action (MoA) it signed with the Union in December 2020 on funding for the revitalisation of public universities (both federal and state), the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), amidst other demands, pushed the union to embark on a total and comprehensive four-week warning strike on February 14. After this, the union extended the industrial action by another two months to afford the government more time to address all of its demands, which was recently extended by twelve weeks further. Although they have forced certain positive actions from government in the past, ASUU strikes have caused more harm than good. A typical and very common instance is the loss of interest in continuing academic programmes as a result of strikes, with many students having secured jobs or other means of generating income for themselves and therefore not wishing the strike to be called off soon. Some have even decided not to return to classroom, as the incomes they now draw in are quite large and they are not sure of even getting anythng close to such after leaving school. Other downsides include the toll on the mental health of students arising from the delays and lack of end to their academic toils, the waste of funds spent on procuring accommodations, and even the unfortunate rush in the academic calendar whenever strikes are called off, which defeat the purposes of seeking knowledge. The strike has not only affected the undergraduate students, it has also disrupted the plans of the postgraduate students as well, one of who I am, who are currently awaiting results to either push for promotions at work or to apply for fresh job opportunities. Regardless of the ongoing strike, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in its efforts to boost infrastructure in the nations tertiary institutions recently commenced on the disbursement of the direct intervention funds approved by the Presidency to public universities, polytechnics and Colleges of Education in the country. The sum of N642, 848,138.00 was allocated to each approved university, N396, 780,086.00 to each selected polytechnic and N447, 758,804.00 to each College of Education in the country for the year 2022. The allocation papers were presented to heads of the beneficiary institutions at the National Universities Commission (NUC) by the Executive Secretary of the Fund, Arch Sonny Echono. This development from the Fund at this time is highly commendable and it brings rays of hope to the education sector. Obviously, TETFund under the present management does not want infrastructure to suffer, even as the strike lingers. Even though the strike has been a major setback in the educational system as it has perpetually slowed down the already set academic calendar and rendered students effort to reconcile with their desired grade futile, Ill implore students to make use of this period to build themselves in their areas of interest, invest deeply in personal development, learn and nurture a skill and most importantly stay positive, be hopeful and stay out of trouble. Rahma Olamide Oladosu writes from Abuja. WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 The Speaker of the Ebonyi House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru, has won the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primaries in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Mr Nwifuru polled 743 votes to defeat four other aspirants in the exercise conducted, on Thursday, inside the Pa Ngele Oruta Stadium, Abakaliki. Rosemary Ofoke came second in the primary with 63 votes, while Julius Ucha, a senator, came third with 22 votes. Elias Mbam scored 10 votes and Edward Nkwegu, eight votes. Emmanuel Adebayo, chairman of the partys committee for the primary, declared Mr Nwifuru the winner and commended all the contestants for their conduct during the exercise. Mr Adebayo announced that 855 delegates were accredited for the exercise, while a total of 854 votes was cast. The total number of valid votes was 846, while eight votes were voided, he said. I am delighted over the peaceful conduct of the exercise as this shows that the party is united in the state. I thank the national body of the party for finding us worthy to conduct the exercise and the security agencies for providing a peaceful and secure atmosphere. I also thank officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) among other concerned stakeholders who monitored the exercise, he said. Mr Nwifuru, in his remarks, thanked God for his emergence as the APC candidate. Umahi has been the instrument God uses to uplift me and I will forever remain indebted to him. He picked me from nothing and made me something, including being the speaker of the state House of Assembly since 2015. I also thank all those who made this victory possible and this auspicious occasion is dedicated to all party faithful, especially the youths, he said. Governor Umahi had endorsed Mr Nwifuru as his preferred successor, an action that was opposed by some of the party chieftains in the state. Some aggrieved APC members in the state held parallel primaries, including that of the governorship. (NAN) WATCH: Governor Yahaya Bello's Roadmap to Hope 2023 Manassas, VA (20110) Today Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. This is an award function highlighting individuals by encouraging their achievements in their respective fields. UNGPC, an initiative by the Abhigyane Foundation affiliated with United Nations & Global Partners with United Nations Global Marketing presents this award highlighting individuals and encouraging them for their contributions in their field of excellence. In addition to the award, it also presented Ms. Siingh with an honorary doctorate in 'Humanity and Education'. Ms. Ssarita Siingh has been a tenacious visionary in the field of education making new dreams come true. She has been very vocal and active in promoting education of girls in rural areas, elevating the quality of education, and much more. Her belief is that only complete education, rather than just academia, makes students more viable in the practical world, ready to face worldly challenges. Through her schools, she has been focusing on the implementation of the same idea. Her direction for the education of students has been always centric on academics, along with moralistic and holistic development, enrichment of skills, boosting talents, and inculcating acceptance to newer technology in the education that will help the students to a more practical orientation towards life. She had a very humble start to career at the young age of sixteen, and today she has been awarded for bringing visionary ideas and being a beacon of bringing world class, digitally enriching skills and future oriented education in accordance with the National Education Policy, 2020. The motive behind her vision is to empower the future of India by giving them access to International quality of education at affordable prices starting with one village at a time. When contacted, an elated Ms. Siingh said, "I am proud of the journey that I have had so far, and I feel blessed for it. I dedicate this award to my father from whom I have learnt to stubbornly follow my dreams and my team who work continuously to realize my dream. I want to be able to build a power corridor between rural and urban education and bridge the gap in between. It has been my dream to bring international education to even the smallest places in India at very affordable prices, so the families with talented and gifted kids can see their kids reaching great heights. I aim to bring international education to the non-Ivy future of India. I wanted the project to adopt existing schools and turn them into education centers that excel at international standards, facilities with future-oriented curriculum, skill based learning and means, methods and opportunities towards organic life skills especially aligned with the vision of National Education Policy. Initially, I have adopted the school at Alandi and am developing it as a model for similar future projects that will have potential to change the schooling and education scenario in India." She explained her vision and the glint in her eye showcased her passion for it. "It is an eventual process and I plan to build the school in Alandi so more and more investors can come aboard with the dream." About Priyadarshani Group of Schools The year was 1982 when Shri Indraman Sahdeo Singh started a small school on August 15th with just 5 students in Bhosari. This school was started with a vision to provide the best possible educational system to every child and with a desire to help the underprivileged children to fulfil their need for education by helping them through schooling. Priyadarshani's approach to education has always been 'Equal in Education'. The school has students from diverse backgrounds, from a Farmer's son to a Factory labourer's son to the son of an IPS officer to a local politician's son and even orphans. Priyadarshani offers equal opportunity to all. The school has made its mark at the global level as well, Priyadarshani Group of Schools has been awarded at London, Bangkok, Singapore, and Dubai. It is ranked amongst TOP 10 School in India, Top 6 in Maharashtra and has acquired the 1st position in Pune. https://in.linkedin.com/in/ssarita-siingh-82850324 Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827461/Ssariita_Siingh.jpg SOURCE Priyadarshani Group of Schools DUBLIN, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Germany Social Commerce Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics Databook - 50+ KPIs on Social Commerce Trends by End-Use Sectors, Operational KPIs, Retail Product Dynamics, and Consumer Demographics - Q1 2022 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. According to Q1 2022 Social Commerce Survey, the social commerce industry in Germany is expected to grow by 16.6% on annual basis to reach US$10469.6 million in 2022. The social commerce industry is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 15.1% during 2022-2028. The social commerce GMV in the country will increase from US$10,469.6 million in 2022 to reach US$24022.4 million by 2028. The growing interaction of consumers with brands on social media platforms, coupled with shopping functionalities offered by Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, have supported the rise of social commerce in Germany. With the trend gaining momentum globally, social networking platforms have also increased their spending in the social commerce space, thereby offering German consumers a more seamless shopping experience, which is also personalized and targeted. Over the last four to eight quarters, smartphone and internet penetration rates increased significantly in Germany, which has resulted in more and more online shoppers in the country. By 2025, Germany is expected to have approximately 69 million online shoppers. Notably, this growth in the number of online shoppers, as well as the number of social media users in the country, will keep supporting the growth of the overall social commerce market from the short to medium-term perspective. A substantial increase in the number of active social media users is driving market growth in Germany In 2019, the number of people active on social media platforms stood at around 31.5 million, representing nearly 45% of the total population. However, because of the global pandemic outbreak, the number of active users surged significantly in the country over the last four to eight quarters. According to Q4 Social Commerce Market Survey, the number of active users increased to more than 65 million in 2021, which represents around 79% of the total population in the country. Moreover, mobile adoption among consumers also became more prominent during the Covid-19 outbreak. As many as 64 million people access social media platforms through their mobile phones in Germany. This rise in mobile adoption among consumers has also supported the growth of social commerce over the last four to eight quarters. The publisher expects the trend to continue from the short to medium-term perspective, which will thereby keep supporting the overall market growth in the country. A growing number of German brands are diving into the social commerce space to increase their market share In the midst of the growing social shopping trend among consumers in Germany, an increasing number of brands are diving into the social commerce space to boost their market share. For instance, Lidl, the German international discount retailer chain, is using Facebook for its social commerce strategy. Through the social media platform, the retailer is receiving a high level of engagement from consumers in the country. Notably, the firm engages in live streaming and partnering with influencers to grow its revenue and sales. The German beauty retailer, Douglas, is another brand that has incorporated social commerce strategy in their overall marketing mix in the country. Moreover, the brand streams a number of live shows, which include workshops and talks with influencers. Through its social commerce strategy, the firm has claimed to increase its conversion rates by up to 40% in Germany . Strategic partnerships are rising to tap the German social commerce market Amid the growing trend of social shopping among consumers, social media platforms and e-commerce enablers are entering into strategic partnerships to provide businesses with the tools to bring their products online. For instance, In April 2021 , Pinterest entered into a strategic partnership with Shopify to enable merchants of Shopify to sell their products on the social media platform. Apart from Germany , the two firms have extended their partnership in 26 more countries, including Australia , Brazil , and the United Kingdom . , Pinterest entered into a strategic partnership with Shopify to enable merchants of Shopify to sell their products on the social media platform. Apart from , the two firms have extended their partnership in 26 more countries, including , , and the . Under the strategic partnership, Shopify merchants advertising on Pinterest will now have access to dynamic re-targeting, allowing the merchants to re-engage with Pinners who have previously shown interest in their products on the social media platform. Besides, merchants will also have access to more social commerce tools launched by Pinterest on their platform. The publisher expects more such strategic partnerships over the next four to eight quarters as the social shopping trend grows among consumers. This will subsequently assist the growth of Germany's overall social commerce industry from the short to medium-term perspective. Scope This report provides an in-depth, data-centric analysis of social commerce in Germany. Below is a summary of key market segments: Germany Ecommerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028 Germany Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Future Growth Dynamics by Key Performance Indicators, 2019-2028 Germany Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Retail Product Categories, 2019-2028 Clothing & Footwear Beauty and Personal Care Food & Grocery Appliances and Electronics Home Improvement Others Germany Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Segment, 2019-2028 B2B B2C C2C Germany Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by End Use Device, 2019-2028 Mobile Desktop Germany Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028 Domestic Cross Border Germany Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Location, 2019-2028 Tier-1 Cities Tier-2 Cities Tier-3 Cities Germany Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Payment Method, 2019-2028 Credit Card Debit Card Bank Transfer Prepaid Card Digital & Mobile Wallet Other Digital Payment Cash Germany Social Commerce Industry Market Size and Forecast by Consumer Demographics & Behaviour, 2021 By Age By Income Level By Gender For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kz6umj 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 Refusing to be stereotyped, Generation Zers disagree that they are the generation that does not try hard to succeed. In fact, 35 percent of survey participants said they are anxious about peer pressure and the future. Dealing with such anxiety, 29 percent of those surveyed said they had adopted "accepting their everyday selves" and the "ability to say no" as a life philosophy. Gen Zers took the time to analyze their own strengths. In China, Gen Zers attached great importance to having a global perspective. Overseas Gen Z youth focused on flexible thinking and more individual creativity. A common denominator across Gen Z globally is the value on inclusiveness and open-mindedness as strengths Asked about their concerns for what happens once the pandemic is over, 40 percent of Chinese Generation Z participants said more attention should be given to the issues of illness, social security and eliminating poverty. Among respondents outside China, 41 percent said they were concerned about new technologies, climate change and economic development. To better understand Gen Zers, Generation Z Research Center has studied more than 3,000 Gen Zers in more than 50 countries and regions, including China, France, Egypt, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. With a combination of questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Information was also collected from a series of international events, including: Youth Power, a popular online program developed by China Daily showing the interests and ideals of Generation Z and the China Daily Belt and Road International Youth English Speaking Competitions. The report, entitled the "2022 Global Generation Z Insights Report" was unveiled during an opening ceremony for the Generation Z Research Center in Beijing on May 27, 2022. As a working platform that integrates academic research, exchange, and personnel training, Generation Z Research Center was jointly established by: China Daily; the Department of Sociology of Peking University; the School of Journalism of Fudan University in Shanghai; the School of International Journalism and Communication of Beijing Foreign Studies University; the Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Bilibili Institute for Public Policy; the Beijing Shengtao Institute of Educational Development and Innovation; and other well-known institutions. "The opening of the Generation Z Research Center is an important achievement in the establishment of an international communication platform for China Daily," said Qu Yingpu, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily. Qu said in the opening ceremony that he hoped the center could become an important consulting institution for international communications planning and research, aiming to be a first-class think tank with Chinese characteristics, a high-level practical training center and a platform for international collaboration. The 2022 Global Generation Z Insights Report is the very first report released by the new center, striving to present a well-rounded and realistic picture of a global Generation Z, including of their self-perception, life attitudes, social contact preferences, consumption habits, opinions on technology, and thoughts on social and international relations. The report dives into a comprehensive look on Gen Z's thoughts on pressing global issues. More than half the overseas Generation Z interviewees expressed recognition and support for the concept of "building a community with a shared future for mankind". As for China-US relations, Generation Zers worldwide believe that the two countries should take a broader view and mindset, so as to enhance mutual understanding and trust in communication. "The future is really in our hands. We really need to one-by-one work towards a certain way, because if we do nothing, then nothing's gonna happen. And if we hold back and stay how we are now, we're gonna stay in the same situation or make it worse, and it's not just towards US-China relations. It's the relations with the whole world." claimed Amy Nicole, a US student studying at Tsinghua University in Beijing, when she took part in an episode of Youth Power with the theme "Too big to fail China-US Relations in the eyes of Gen Z". The report found that the more that Generation Zers know about China, the more they like it. The survey found a significant difference in the perception of China among overseas Gen Zers who live in the country or have visited it, and those who have never been to China. In interviews conducted by the Generation Z Research Center, many overseas Generation Z interviewees said their perceptions changed significantly once they had been to China. "China has never made me feel left out, since the people of China were very kind and amazingly helpful to everyone they meet. I hold all my experiences and the people of China very dear to me and like to recall it all back every so often." said Evan Noel, an Indian student from Southern Medical University in China. Wu Qing, a professor at the China Youth University of Political Studies, pointed out that Generation Z and the mobile Internet go hand in hand. "Their values, attitudes towards life, behaviors, and trends are of great importance to the development of the country and the evolution of the world. Their global vision may also become an essential factor affecting the world and international relations in the future, making it significant to strengthen research in this area." "The report makes it more effective to encourage Chinese Generation Zers to actively participate in international affairs, to spread Chinese voices and contribute Chinese wisdom for the world. Meanwhile, the report can also provide overseas Generation Z youths with a better insight into China's reality. They can listen to China's story and perceive the notion of a community with a shared future for mankind." commented Xue Yuxue, the former country director of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Afghanistan and Indonesia. Xue believed that with the rapid development of Internet technology and the growing power of youth, 2022 Global Generation Z Insights Report is of great importance in strengthening the study of Generation Z and cultivating the broad vision and cultural confidence of Chinese and overseas Generation Z. SOURCE China Daily Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute, Poppy Gustafsson OBE called Russia's invasion of Ukraine 'a turning point' in cyber warfare CAMBRIDGE, England, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Darktrace CEO Poppy Gustafsson spoke on Wednesday night at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) on the evolving cyber threat landscape in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She was in conversation with Professor Madeline Carr, Senior RUSI Associate Fellow and Professor of Global Politics and Cybersecurity at University College London. Commenting on the challenge of policing both cyber warfare and international cyber crime, Gustafsson said "There remains a persistent lack of clarity around how we define an act of war in the cyber-sphere." She called for the creation of a dedicated international cyber task force, or 'tech NATO', to deliver international collaboration in agreeing and ratifying a set of cyber-norms and accountability. Gustafsson noted that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the first time an active invasion has been supported by the tactical dismantling of national infrastructure using cyber-attacks. "The attack on the Viasat satellite that disabled Ukrainian military communications one hour before the invasion was a key component of the beginning of this war," argued Gustafsson. She added, "We have seen UK, US and EU officials jointly attribute this attack to Russia, an immensely political act. That is unprecedented." Asked by Prof. Carr whether Darktrace has seen the level of collateral cyber disruption it expected, Gustafsson shared that Darktrace data showed a global increase in attacks on critical national infrastructure bodies across its customer base, including a 90% increase in high priority security incidents on the networks of energy companies in Europe during the week of the invasion, from February 24th. At the domestic level, Gustafsson called for cooperation and accountability between the public and private sectors, as well as lower tolerance for cyber attacks. She emphasized the importance of a "whole of society approach" to cyber security adding: "There is a shocking tolerance for cyber attacks, and that has to change. Organisations that are custodians of valuable, private data can not be allowed to let that data fall into criminal hands through negligence and face no consequences." "Issues that we had thought about speculatively have now become our reality. We are facing war in Europe and there is an essential cyber component both to the way it is being fought, and to its international ramifications," remarked Prof. Madeline Carr. "This is a complex area which is the subject of a wealth of academic debate, and what is needed is clarity, consensus and cooperation. That is why it has never been more important to bring expert voices from across the public and private sector together as we have done this evening." The Royal United Services Institute is the world's oldest and the UK's leading defence and security think tank. Darktrace has been a member of RUSI since 2020. About Darktrace Darktrace (DARK:L), a global leader in cyber security AI, delivers world-class technology that protects over 6,800 customers worldwide from advanced threats, including ransomware and cloud and SaaS attacks. Darktrace's fundamentally different approach applies Self-Learning AI to enable machines to understand the business in order to autonomously defend it. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, the Group has more than 2,000 employees worldwide. Darktrace was named one of TIME magazine's 'Most Influential Companies' for 2021. Media Contacts Jessica Cheney Commstrat (USA) +1 419 350 4614 [email protected] Tom Bermingham Brands2Life (UK) +44 (0) 7908 714 331 [email protected] Clare Cassidy SBM +61 409 537 743 [email protected] SOURCE Darktrace BALTIMORE, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Delfi Diagnostics, a pioneering developer of a new class of high-performance, affordable liquid biopsy tests for early cancer detection, will present updates at the 2022 annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago June 3-7 describing multiple applications for its next-generation liquid biopsy platform. "Delfi has made incredible progress on our screening program over the past year. Additionally, we have identified several new potential applications for our technology that we are continuing to explore," said Victor Velculescu, MD, PhD, Delfi's founder and CEO. "We are excited to share these updates with ASCO's members as we pursue multiple applications on the Delfi platform." Delfi will present a trial-in-progress update on DELFI-L101, a prospective, case-control study to train and test classifiers for lung cancer detection. Additionally, it will present data showing that Delfi's Tumor Fraction score, DELFI-TFTM, strongly correlates with mutant allele frequency and could serve as a useful tool to monitor tumor burden in patients with advanced cancer. Presentation details: Sunday, June 4, 2022, 8 a.m. Central Cell-free DNA fragmentomes predict tumor burden in metastatic colorectal cancer. Abstract: 3541 | Poster: 335 Monday, June 5, 2022, 8 a.m. Central DELFI-L101: Development of a blood-based assay that evaluates cell-free DNA fragmentation patterns to detect lung cancer. Abstract: TPS3164 | Poster: 149a About Delfi Diagnostics Delfi is developing a new class of liquid biopsy tests for early detection based on altered genome-wide fragmentation profiles, also known as "fragmentomes," representing aberrant packaging of DNA in cancer cells. By applying advanced machine learning algorithms, these fragment patterns are detectable at a very low sequencing cost. Delfi is using this technology to develop highly sensitive and specific cancer detection assays intended for wide and cost-effective distribution and adoption. SOURCE Delfi Diagnostics Sunvozertinib (DZD9008) shows superior efficacy in NSCLC patients harboring EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations after platinum and anti-PD(L)1 treatment failures Golidocitinib (DZD4205) demonstrates enormous potential for peripheral T-cell lymphoma DZD1516 exemplifies full BBB-penetration in patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer Further data will highlight the clinical pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship of DZD2269, a potent and selective A2aR antagonist designed to overcome high levels of adenosine induced immunosuppression SHANGHAI, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dizal will present clinical results and updates from its four therapeutic candidates in solid tumors and hematologic malignancies at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Cancer Oncology (ASCO) being held on June 3-7, 2022. New data from Dizal's investigational cancer medicines demonstrate the rapid progression of its oncology pipeline. Clinical portfolio to be presented include: Sunvozertinib (DZD9008) , which was granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by US FDA and China CDE, is a rationally designed, oral, potent EGFR Ex20ins inhibitor, with wild-type EGFR selectivity. Results from the Phase 1/2 trial of sunvozertinib, which is evaluating the efficacy and safety of sunvozertinib in previously treated NSCLC patients with EGFR Ex20ins, showed sunvozertinib yielded a best ORR of 48.4% and DCR of 90.3%. It also demonstrates superior efficacy in patients after platinum and anti-PD(L)1 treatment failures, indicating sunvozertinib has the potential to provide the patient with a new and much improved targeted therapy. which was granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by US FDA and China CDE, is a rationally designed, oral, potent EGFR Ex20ins inhibitor, with wild-type EGFR selectivity. Results from the Phase 1/2 trial of sunvozertinib, which is evaluating the efficacy and safety of sunvozertinib in previously treated NSCLC patients with EGFR Ex20ins, showed sunvozertinib yielded a best ORR of 48.4% and DCR of 90.3%. It also demonstrates superior efficacy in patients after platinum and anti-PD(L)1 treatment failures, indicating sunvozertinib has the potential to provide the patient with a new and much improved targeted therapy. Golidocitinib (DZD4205) , which was granted Fast Track Designation by US FDA, is an oral, potent, JAK1 specific inhibitor. Results from the Phase 1/2 trial, which is evaluating the efficacy and safety of golidocitinib in patients with r/r PTCL, showed golidocitinib yielded an ORR of 42.9% and longest DoR of > 14 months. This data was also accepted as an encore presentation at EHA 2022 and will be presented orally. which was granted Fast Track Designation by US FDA, is an oral, potent, JAK1 specific inhibitor. Results from the Phase 1/2 trial, which is evaluating the efficacy and safety of golidocitinib in patients with r/r PTCL, showed golidocitinib yielded an ORR of 42.9% and longest DoR of > 14 months. This data was also accepted as an encore presentation at EHA 2022 and will be presented orally. DZD1516 is an oral, potent, reversible HER2-specific TKI with full blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. Results from the Phase 1 trial, which is evaluating the safety and tolerability of DZD1516 in patients with metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer, showed DZD1516 was well tolerated at doses < 300mg, BID. And no EGFR-related AEs have been reported, which is consistent with its high selectivity. In patients, Kpuu, CSF of DZD1516 and its metabolite DZ2678 was around 2.13 and 0.66, respectively, suggesting good CNS penetration. is an oral, potent, reversible HER2-specific TKI with full blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. Results from the Phase 1 trial, which is evaluating the safety and tolerability of in patients with metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer, showed was well tolerated at doses < 300mg, BID. And no EGFR-related AEs have been reported, which is consistent with its high selectivity. In patients, Kpuu, of and its metabolite DZ2678 was around 2.13 and 0.66, respectively, suggesting good CNS penetration. DZD2269 is a potent and selective A2aR antagonist designed to overcome high levels of adenosine induced immunosuppression. Results from the Phase 1 healthy volunteer trial, which is evaluating the safety, PK, and effect on biomarkers, showed DZD2269 was safe and well tolerated from 5 mg to 160 mg, with no grade 3 TEAE or SAE reported. Approximately 90% pCREB inhibition could be achieved by a single dose of 80mg for 24 hours, indicating that DZD2269 could effectively reverse high adenosine induced immunosuppression. "We are thrilled to have such a robust presence at this year's ASCO. These data presentations reflect the quality of our science and our important work to deliver innovative therapies for hard-to-treat diseases." said Dr. Xiaolin Zhang, CEO of Dizal, "Building on our extensive expertise in translational science and blood brain barrier research, we have established an internationally competitive portfolio of five clinical-stage assets with two leading assets at global pivotal studies." Dizal's Presentations at ASCO 2022 Lead Author Abstract Title Presentation details Prof. Pasi A. Janne Antitumor activity of sunvozertinib in NSCLC patients with EGFR Exon20 insertion mutations after platinum and anti-PD(L)1 treatment failures Abstract #9015 Poster Discussion Session Lung CancerNon-Small Cell Metastatic | Hall D1 Session Date and Time: June 6, 2022, 13:00 CDT Poster Session Lung CancerNon-Small Cell Metastatic | Hall A Session Date and Time: June 6, 2022, 08:00 CDT Prof. Won Seog Kim A phase I/II study of golidocitnib, a selective JAK1 inhibitor, in refractory or relapsed peripheral T-cell lymphoma Abstract #7563 Poster Session Hematologic Malignancies Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia | Hall A Session Date and Time: June 4, 2022, 08:00 CDT Prof. Xichun Hu Early clinical safety and pharmacokinetics data of DZD1516, an BBB-penetrant selective HER2 inhibitor for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer Abstract #1038 Poster Session Breast CancerMetastatic | Hall A Session Date and Time: Monday, June 6, 2022, 08:00 CDT Ziyi Liu PhD Clinical pharmacokinetic / pharmacodynamic relationship of DZD2269, a potent and selective A2aR antagonist designed to overcome high levels of adenosine induced immunosuppression Abstract #e15106 Online publication About Dizal Dizal Pharmaceutical is a clinical stage, biopharmaceutical company. At Dizal we aspire to discover and develop differentiated therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and immunological diseases. Building on our extensive expertise in translational science and molecular design, we have established an internationally competitive portfolio with two leading assets at global pivotal studies. 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 Dizal, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. Dizal 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 Dizal with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond Dizal'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, Dizal's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions. Dizal, the Directors and the employees of Dizal assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect. Contacts Investor Relations: [email protected] Business Development: [email protected] SOURCE Dizal Pharmaceutical Commenting on the purchase, DAMAC Chairman and Founder, Hussain Sajwani, said: "DAMAC Properties has long been eyeing development opportunities in Miami. We see the city, which is known for being a luxury and fashion centre, as a natural fit for our Company, which has an established reputation for its branded luxury offerings." Surfside, in recent years, has become a hotspot for ultra-luxury condominium developments, including the Four Seasons Private Residences, the Fendi Chateau Residences, and the Arte Surfside buildings. The town also has a collection of high-end hotels, including the Four Seasons, the St. Regis Bal Harbour, and the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour and its primary shopping area, the Bal Harbour Shops, is known throughout Miami as a luxury shopping destination. DAMAC Properties, known for its luxury real estate offerings both regionally and globally, is rapidly expanding its global footprint such as its flagship project in Europe DAMAC Towers Nine Elms in the prestigious Zone 1 district of London with Versace interiors. The Surfside project will be DAMAC's first in the United States. The Company's consistent success over the years, and more recently on the tailwinds of Dubai's stellar economic performance and forecast, has propelled it to eye various global opportunities for development and growth. It is developing a luxury resort in the Maldives to be operated by global hotel brand Mandarin International and has already projects in Canada, the UK and across the Middle East. In 2021, DAMAC Properties launched two projects in Dubai, DAMAC Lagoons, the developer's third master community in Dubai, and Cavalli Tower, an ultra-luxurious 70-storey tower overlooking Palm Jumeirah, with Cavalli-branded interiors. Both projects have seen great customer interest and demand. "Our global expansion into the United States marks a major milestone and demonstrates that DAMAC is a force to be reckoned with. This is an exciting time, and we have a lot in store," Sajwani said. "We are rapidly growing, not only in our real estate endeavours but in various sectors such as fashion, hospitality and even emerging industries such as the Metaverse, NFTs and data centres. This enables us to stay ahead of the curve," he concluded. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827765/DAMAC_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827769/DAMAC_2.jpg SOURCE DAMAC Properties COSTA MESA, Calif., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ed Norwood, Mental Health/Patient Advocate and President of ERN/The National Council of Reimbursement Advocacy, has won the Maincrest Media Book Award in the category of Religion (Christian, Nonfiction) (https://maincrestmedia.com/project/be-a-giant-killer-overcoming-your-everyday-goliaths-by-ed-norwood/), the Firebird Book Award in the category of Self Help: Motivational, and the Gold Book Award from Literary Titan in the category of Self Help: Spiritual for his newest book "Be A Giant Killer" (https://literarytitan.com/2022/05/05/literary-titan-book-awards-may-2022/). Ed discusses mental health, surviving toxic relationships, and generational giants such as fear and unforgiveness on Purifying Truths Be A Giant Killer receives three awards in the 2022 Awards Season! According to Maincrest Media, "Be A Giant Killer: Overcoming Your Everyday Goliaths by Ed Norwood is a compelling and thorough study of conquering adversity through faith. Through the book, Norwood encourages readers to fulfill their dreams, and to seek solace in God, in times of fear, doubt or misfortune; his passion is tangible and his determination is surely contagious." According to Literary Titan, "Norwood begins his book with his shocking personal experience and the giant he faced which was Jim Jones, a cult leader, and a murderer. He lost twenty-seven family members in the Jonestown massacre. A situation that turned others away from God and all religion instead was used as a source of strength and survival for the author. I immediately connected with Norwood as he overcame an experience that many will find hard to come back from. Norwood's writing is inspiring and uplifting as he makes you feel like you can do anything." In his book, "Be A Giant Killer: Overcoming Your Everyday Goliaths," Ed chronicles the seven "giants" every leader must overcome to live out their wildest dreams and achieve their full potential. He also highlights - drawing on historic champions, personal stories, and his family's time in Jones's cult - how the ignoring of red flags and family history can affect everything we do in life, including repeating the mistakes of our predecessors (See The Sun Exclusive: https://www.the-sun.com/news/4078825/jonestown-cult-anniversary-kool-aid-massacre/). Recently, for Mental Health Awareness Month, Ed sat down with Amelia Isom of Purifying Truths to discuss mental health, surviving toxic relationships, and generational giants such as fear and unforgiveness on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1eAKUJN2RJEVQyZ33sROlm?si=4829dc31b1ff43a6). You can still join Ed's list of Be A Giant Killer Podcast Tour and Speaker Sessions for 2022! June: Rise Urban Nation Podcast June 9 th at 4PM : Aware Podcast at : Aware Podcast June 10 th at 11AM : Grow Yourself Podcast at : Grow Yourself Podcast June 20 th at 1PM : Live Your SPALife Show at : Live Your SPALife Show June 23 rd at 1PM : SoundBalming Podcast at : SoundBalming Podcast June 28 th at 1PM : Contagious Smile Podcast at : Contagious Smile Podcast August 25 th : HFMA Arkansas Summer Conference : HFMA Arkansas Summer Conference September 14 th at 8AM : CAA Annual Conference at : CAA Annual Conference October 12-14 in Baltimore , Maryland: AAHAM ANI: Be A Giant Killer: Fearless and Courageous Leadership in the Pandemic (MORE DATES TO COME) To book a slot in Ed's "Be A Giant Book Tour" for your podcast, show, or event, email [email protected]. Be A Giant Killer is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Walmart. See what people are saying and read the five-star reviews below: https://www.amazon.com/Be-Giant-Killer-Overcoming-Everyday/dp/1950948927.) About the Author Ed Norwood is President of ERN/The National Council of Reimbursement Advocacy. He has been recognized as a unique and distinctive authority in transitional leadership and administrative laws that govern the healthcare delivery process. Ed has done hundreds of media interviews and lectures worldwide, focusing on public policy, healthcare advocacy, leadership development, and the lessons of the Jonestown Tragedy. He is available for booking interviews, lectures, and book tours in 2022. Websites: www.ednorwood.com www.ernenterprises.org Media Contact Juliana Trang 714-995-6917 [email protected] SOURCE ERN Enterprises Data on Farletuzumab Ecteribulin (MORAb-202) Showcase Eisai's Advanced Chemistry Capabilities and Commitment to Identifying Novel Approaches in Treating Cancer to Improve Outcomes for Patients Presentations Featuring Post-Hoc Analyses from the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) Clinical Program May Provide New Information About Treating Patients with Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma and Advanced Endometrial Carcinoma NUTLEY, N.J., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai announced today the presentation of research across various types of cancer from its oncology portfolio during the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (#ASCO22), which is taking place virtually and in-person in Chicago from June 3 to 7. Notable presentations include a poster discussion of safety and efficacy data (NCT03386942; Abstract: #5513) from the platinum-resistant ovarian cancer cohort expansion of a Phase 1 study evaluating the antibody drug conjugate (ADC) co-developed by Eisai and Bristol Myers Squibb, farletuzumab ecteribulin (MORAb-202), as well as a poster presentation featuring dose optimization findings for farletuzumab ecteribulin (NCT03386942; Abstract: #3090). "Safety and efficacy analyses in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer for farletuzumab ecteribulin suggest antibody drug conjugates may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for these patients with limited treatment options," said Dr. Takashi Owa, President, Oncology Business Group at Eisai. "Eisai's first antibody drug conjugate combines our in-house developed anti-folate receptor alpha antibody and our anticancer agent eribulin using an enzyme cleavable linker, illustrating our dedication to building on our medicines to improve cancer care for more patients." New research from the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) clinical program evaluating lenvatinib (LENVIMA) plus pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA) includes subgroup analyses from the pivotal Phase 3 CLEAR (Study 307)/KEYNOTE-581 trial evaluating the combination in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and Phase 3 Study 309/KEYNOTE-775 trial evaluating the combination in patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma (EC). A poster discussion will evaluate the impact of subsequent therapies in patients with advanced RCC receiving the combination (NCT02811861; Abstract: #4514); while a poster presentation will discuss the efficacy of next line therapy after treatment with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab in advanced EC (NCT03517449; Abstract: #5587). "The combination of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab has helped to expand physicians' arsenal of treatment options for patients living with advanced renal cell carcinoma and advanced endometrial carcinoma around the world," said Richard C. Woodman, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Oncology Business Group at Eisai. "Our data at ASCO 2022 demonstrate our commitment to continuing to investigate the combination through post-hoc analyses with the goal of providing healthcare professionals with tools to support them in making better-informed treatment decisions for their patients." In March 2018, Eisai and Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada), through an affiliate, entered into a strategic collaboration for the worldwide co-development and co-commercialization of lenvatinib, both as monotherapy and in combination with Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy pembrolizumab. To date, more than 20 trials have been initiated under the LEAP clinical program, which is evaluating the combination across more than 10 different tumor types. In June 2021, Eisai and Bristol-Myers Squibb entered into an exclusive global strategic collaboration agreement for the co-development and co-commercialization of farletuzumab ecteribulin, a folate receptor alpha (FR)-targeting ADC. Eisai and Bristol Myers Squibb are currently investigating farletuzumab ecteribulin in FR-positive solid tumors (inclusive of endometrial, ovarian, lung and breast cancers) in two studies: a Phase 1 clinical study in Japan and a Phase 1/2 clinical study in the United States. This release discusses investigational compounds and investigational uses for FDA-approved products. It is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy and safety. There is no guarantee that any investigational compounds or investigational uses of FDA-approved products will successfully complete clinical development or gain FDA approval. The full list of Eisai presentations is included below. The majority of abstracts have been made available on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 5:00 PM EDT and will be available on demand via ASCO's website. Cancer Type Study/Compound Abstract Title Abstract Type & Details Pipeline Gynecologic Cancer Farletuzumab Ecteribulin Safety and Efficacy of MORAb-202 in Patients (pts) With Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer (PROC): Results From the Expansion Part of a Phase 1 Trial Poster Discussion Abstract #5513 June 4, 2022 5:30 PM EDT Shin Nishio, MD, PhD Kurume University School of Medicine Farletuzumab Ecteribulin Dose Optimization for MORAb-202, an Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) Highly Selective for Folate Receptor-Alpha (FR), Using Population Pharmacokinetic (PPK) and Exposure-Response (E-R) Efficacy and Safety Analyses Poster Presentation Abstract #3090 June 5, 2022 9:00 AM EDT Seiichi Hayato Eisai Lenvatinib Combinations (Plus Pembrolizumab, Pembrolizumab and Chemotherapy or Pembrolizumab and Belzutifan) Genitourinary Cancer CLEAR (Study 307)/ KEYNOTE-581 Impact of subsequent therapies in patients (pts) with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC) receiving lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (LEN + PEMBRO) or sunitinib (SUN) in the CLEAR study Poster Discussion Abstract #4514 June 4, 2022 5:42 PM EDT Martin H. Voss, MD Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Gynecologic Cancer Study 309/ KEYNOTE-775 Efficacy of next line of therapy after treatment with lenvatinib (LEN) in combination with pembrolizumab (pembro) versus treatment of physician's choice (TPC) in patients (pts) with advanced endometrial cancer (aEC): exploratory analysis of Study 309/KEYNOTE-775 Poster Presentation Abstract #5587 June 4, 2022 2:15 PM EDT Vicky Makker, MD Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Gastrointestinal Cancers LEAP-014 First-line lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: LEAP-014 trial in progress Poster Presentation Abstract #TPS4167 June 4, 2022 9:00 AM EDT Jong-Mu Sun, MD Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine MK-6482-016 Phase 2 Open-label Study of Pembrolizumab Plus Lenvatinib and Belzutifan in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors Poster Presentation Abstract #TPS4173 June 4, 2022 9:00 AM EDT Robin K. Kelley, MD University of California San Francisco Lenvatinib Gastrointestinal Cancer REFLECT Characterization of tumor responses in patients (pts) with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) treated with lenvatinib in REFLECT Poster Presentation Abstract #4078 June 4, 2022 9:00 AM EDT Masatoshi Kudo, MD Kindai University Faculty of Medicine Additional Research Gynecologic Cancer ECHO EU Treatment Pattern Treatment patterns and outcomes among patients with recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer in Europe: Endometrial Cancer Health Outcomes Europe (ECHO EU) Study Online Publication Abstract #e17627 May 26, 2022 5:00 PM EDT Vimalanand S Prabhu, PhD Merck & Co., Inc. Genitourinary Cancer Translational Research Exploratory analysis on crosstalk between intra-tumor immunity and FGF/FGFR pathway in clear cell renal cell carcinoma Online Publication Abstract #e16525 May 26, 2022 5:00 PM EDT Takafumi Narisawa, MD Yamagata University Faculty of Medicine About LENVIMA (lenvatinib) Capsules LENVIMA is indicated: For the treatment of patients with locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive, radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) In combination with pembrolizumab, for the first line treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) In combination with everolimus for the treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following one prior anti-angiogenic therapy (RCC) For the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) In combination with pembrolizumab, for the treatment of patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma (EC) that is not microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR), who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy in any setting and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. LENVIMA, discovered and developed by Eisai, is a kinase inhibitor that inhibits the kinase activities of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors VEGFR1 (FLT1), VEGFR2 (KDR), and VEGFR3 (FLT4). LENVIMA inhibits other kinases that have been implicated in pathogenic angiogenesis, tumor growth, and cancer progression in addition to their normal cellular functions, including fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors FGFR1-4, platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFR), KIT, and RET. Lenvatinib also exhibited antiproliferative activity in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines dependent on activated FGFR signaling with a concurrent inhibition of FGD-receptor substrate 2 (FRS2) phosphorylation. The combination of lenvatinib and everolimus showed increased anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor activity as demonstrated by decreases in human endothelial cell proliferation, tube formation, and VEGF signaling in vitro and decreases in tumor volume in mouse xenograft models of human renal cell cancer greater than with either drug alone. In syngeneic mouse tumor models, lenvatinib decreased tumor-associated macrophages, increased activated cytotoxic T cells, and demonstrated greater antitumor activity in combination with an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody compared to either treatment alone. Important Safety Information Warnings and Precautions Hypertension. In DTC (differentiated thyroid cancer), hypertension occurred in 73% of patients on LENVIMA (44% grade 3-4). In RCC (renal cell carcinoma), hypertension occurred in 42% of patients on LENVIMA + everolimus (13% grade 3). Systolic blood pressure 160 mmHg occurred in 29% of patients, and 21% had diastolic blood pressure 100 mmHg. In HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma), hypertension occurred in 45% of LENVIMA-treated patients (24% grade 3). Grade 4 hypertension was not reported in HCC. Serious complications of poorly controlled hypertension have been reported. Control blood pressure prior to initiation. Monitor blood pressure after 1 week, then every 2 weeks for the first 2 months, and then at least monthly thereafter during treatment. Withhold and resume at reduced dose when hypertension is controlled or permanently discontinue based on severity. Cardiac Dysfunction. Serious and fatal cardiac dysfunction can occur with LENVIMA. Across clinical trials in 799 patients with DTC, RCC, and HCC, grade 3 or higher cardiac dysfunction occurred in 3% of LENVIMA-treated patients. Monitor for clinical symptoms or signs of cardiac dysfunction. Withhold and resume at reduced dose upon recovery or permanently discontinue based on severity. Arterial Thromboembolic Events. Among patients receiving LENVIMA or LENVIMA + everolimus, arterial thromboembolic events of any severity occurred in 2% of patients in RCC and HCC and 5% in DTC. Grade 3-5 arterial thromboembolic events ranged from 2% to 3% across all clinical trials. Among patients receiving LENVIMA with pembrolizumab, arterial thrombotic events of any severity occurred in 5% of patients in CLEAR, including myocardial infarction (3.4%) and cerebrovascular accident (2.3%). Permanently discontinue following an arterial thrombotic event. The safety of resuming after an arterial thromboembolic event has not been established, and LENVIMA has not been studied in patients who have had an arterial thromboembolic event within the previous 6 months. Hepatotoxicity. Across clinical studies enrolling 1327 LENVIMA-treated patients with malignancies other than HCC, serious hepatic adverse reactions occurred in 1.4% of patients. Fatal events, including hepatic failure, acute hepatitis, and hepatorenal syndrome, occurred in 0.5% of patients. In HCC, hepatic encephalopathy occurred in 8% of LENVIMA-treated patients (5% grade 3-5). Grade 3-5 hepatic failure occurred in 3% of LENVIMA-treated patients; 2% of patients discontinued LENVIMA due to hepatic encephalopathy, and 1% discontinued due to hepatic failure. Monitor liver function prior to initiation, then every 2 weeks for the first 2 months, and at least monthly thereafter during treatment. Monitor patients with HCC closely for signs of hepatic failure, including hepatic encephalopathy. Withhold and resume at reduced dose upon recovery or permanently discontinue based on severity. Renal Failure or Impairment. Serious including fatal renal failure or impairment can occur with LENVIMA. Renal impairment was reported in 14% and 7% of LENVIMA-treated patients in DTC and HCC, respectively. Grade 3-5 renal failure or impairment occurred in 3% of patients with DTC and 2% of patients with HCC, including 1 fatal event in each study. In RCC, renal impairment or renal failure was reported in 18% of LENVIMA + everolimustreated patients (10% grade 3). Initiate prompt management of diarrhea or dehydration/hypovolemia. Withhold and resume at reduced dose upon recovery or permanently discontinue for renal failure or impairment based on severity. Proteinuria. In DTC and HCC, proteinuria was reported in 34% and 26% of LENVIMA-treated patients, respectively. Grade 3 proteinuria occurred in 11% and 6% in DTC and HCC, respectively. In RCC, proteinuria occurred in 31% of patients receiving LENVIMA + everolimus (8% grade 3). Monitor for proteinuria prior to initiation and periodically during treatment. If urine dipstick proteinuria 2+ is detected, obtain a 24-hour urine protein. Withhold and resume at reduced dose upon recovery or permanently discontinue based on severity. Diarrhea. Of the 737 LENVIMA-treated patients in DTC and HCC, diarrhea occurred in 49% (6% grade 3). In RCC, diarrhea occurred in 81% of LENVIMA + everolimustreated patients (19% grade 3). Diarrhea was the most frequent cause of dose interruption/reduction, and diarrhea recurred despite dose reduction. Promptly initiate management of diarrhea. Withhold and resume at reduced dose upon recovery or permanently discontinue based on severity. Fistula Formation and Gastrointestinal Perforation. Of the 799 patients treated with LENVIMA or LENVIMA + everolimus in DTC, RCC, and HCC, fistula or gastrointestinal perforation occurred in 2%. Permanently discontinue in patients who develop gastrointestinal perforation of any severity or grade 3-4 fistula. QT Interval Prolongation. In DTC, QT/QTc interval prolongation occurred in 9% of LENVIMA-treated patients and QT interval prolongation of >500 ms occurred in 2%. In RCC, QTc interval increases of >60 ms occurred in 11% of patients receiving LENVIMA + everolimus and QTc interval >500 ms occurred in 6%. In HCC, QTc interval increases of >60 ms occurred in 8% of LENVIMA-treated patients and QTc interval >500 ms occurred in 2%. Monitor and correct electrolyte abnormalities at baseline and periodically during treatment. Monitor electrocardiograms in patients with congenital long QT syndrome, congestive heart failure, bradyarrhythmias, or those who are taking drugs known to prolong the QT interval, including Class Ia and III antiarrhythmics. Withhold and resume at reduced dose upon recovery based on severity. Hypocalcemia. In DTC, grade 3-4 hypocalcemia occurred in 9% of LENVIMA-treated patients. In 65% of cases, hypocalcemia improved or resolved following calcium supplementation with or without dose interruption or dose reduction. In RCC, grade 3-4 hypocalcemia occurred in 6% of LENVIMA + everolimustreated patients. In HCC, grade 3 hypocalcemia occurred in 0.8% of LENVIMA-treated patients. Monitor blood calcium levels at least monthly and replace calcium as necessary during treatment. Withhold and resume at reduced dose upon recovery or permanently discontinue depending on severity. Reversible Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome (RPLS). Across clinical studies of 1823 patients who received LENVIMA as a single agent, RPLS occurred in 0.3%. Confirm diagnosis of RPLS with MRI. Withhold and resume at reduced dose upon recovery or permanently discontinue depending on severity and persistence of neurologic symptoms. Hemorrhagic Events. Serious including fatal hemorrhagic events can occur with LENVIMA. In DTC, RCC, and HCC clinical trials, hemorrhagic events, of any grade, occurred in 29% of the 799 patients treated with LENVIMA as a single agent or in combination with everolimus. The most frequently reported hemorrhagic events (all grades and occurring in at least 5% of patients) were epistaxis and hematuria. In DTC, grade 3-5 hemorrhage occurred in 2% of LENVIMA-treated patients, including 1 fatal intracranial hemorrhage among 16 patients who received LENVIMA and had CNS metastases at baseline. In RCC, grade 3-5 hemorrhage occurred in 8% of LENVIMA + everolimustreated patients, including 1 fatal cerebral hemorrhage. In HCC, grade 3-5 hemorrhage occurred in 5% of LENVIMA-treated patients, including 7 fatal hemorrhagic events. Serious tumor-related bleeds, including fatal hemorrhagic events, occurred in LENVIMA-treated patients in clinical trials and in the postmarketing setting. In postmarketing surveillance, serious and fatal carotid artery hemorrhages were seen more frequently in patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) than other tumors. Safety and effectiveness of LENVIMA in patients with ATC have not been demonstrated in clinical trials. Consider the risk of severe or fatal hemorrhage associated with tumor invasion or infiltration of major blood vessels (eg, carotid artery). Withhold and resume at reduced dose upon recovery or permanently discontinue based on severity. Impairment of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Suppression/Thyroid Dysfunction. LENVIMA impairs exogenous thyroid suppression. In DTC, 88% of patients had baseline thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level 0.5 mU/L. In patients with normal TSH at baseline, elevation of TSH level >0.5 mU/L was observed post baseline in 57% of LENVIMA-treated patients. In RCC and HCC, grade 1 or 2 hypothyroidism occurred in 24% of LENVIMA + everolimustreated patients and 21% of LENVIMA-treated patients, respectively. In patients with normal or low TSH at baseline, elevation of TSH was observed post baseline in 70% of LENVIMA-treated patients in HCC and 60% of LENVIMA + everolimustreated patients in RCC. Monitor thyroid function prior to initiation and at least monthly during treatment. Treat hypothyroidism according to standard medical practice. Impaired Wound Healing. Impaired wound healing has been reported in patients who received LENVIMA. Withhold LENVIMA for at least 1 week prior to elective surgery. Do not administer for at least 2 weeks following major surgery and until adequate wound healing. The safety of resumption of LENVIMA after resolution of wound healing complications has not been established. Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ). ONJ has been reported in patients receiving LENVIMA. Concomitant exposure to other risk factors, such as bisphosphonates, denosumab, dental disease, or invasive dental procedures, may increase the risk of ONJ. Perform an oral examination prior to treatment with LENVIMA and periodically during LENVIMA treatment. Advise patients regarding good oral hygiene practices and to consider having preventive dentistry performed prior to treatment with LENVIMA and throughout treatment with LENVIMA. Avoid invasive dental procedures, if possible, while on LENVIMA treatment, particularly in patients at higher risk. Withhold LENVIMA for at least 1 week prior to scheduled dental surgery or invasive dental procedures, if possible. For patients requiring invasive dental procedures, discontinuation of bisphosphonate treatment may reduce the risk of ONJ. Withhold LENVIMA if ONJ develops and restart based on clinical judgement of adequate resolution. Embryo-Fetal Toxicity. Based on its mechanism of action and data from animal reproduction studies, LENVIMA can cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women. In animal reproduction studies, oral administration of lenvatinib during organogenesis at doses below the recommended clinical doses resulted in embryotoxicity, fetotoxicity, and teratogenicity in rats and rabbits. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus and advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with LENVIMA and for at least 30 days after the last dose. Adverse Reactions In DTC, the most common adverse reactions (30%) observed in LENVIMA-treated patients were hypertension (73%), fatigue (67%), diarrhea (67%), arthralgia/myalgia (62%), decreased appetite (54%), decreased weight (51%), nausea (47%), stomatitis (41%), headache (38%), vomiting (36%), proteinuria (34%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (32%), abdominal pain (31%), and dysphonia (31%). The most common serious adverse reactions (2%) were pneumonia (4%), hypertension (3%), and dehydration (3%). Adverse reactions led to dose reductions in 68% of LENVIMA-treated patients; 18% discontinued LENVIMA. The most common adverse reactions (10%) resulting in dose reductions were hypertension (13%), proteinuria (11%), decreased appetite (10%), and diarrhea (10%); the most common adverse reactions (1%) resulting in discontinuation of LENVIMA were hypertension (1%) and asthenia (1%). In RCC, the most common adverse reactions (20%) observed in LENVIMA + pembrolizumab-treated patients were fatigue (63%), diarrhea (62%), musculoskeletal pain (58%), hypothyroidism (57%), hypertension (56%), stomatitis (43%), decreased appetite (41%), rash (37%), nausea (36%), decreased weight (30%), dysphonia (30%), proteinuria (30%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (29%), abdominal pain (27%), hemorrhagic events (27%), vomiting (26%), constipation (25%), hepatotoxicity (25%), headache (23%), and acute kidney injury (21%). The most common serious adverse reactions (2%) were hemorrhagic events (5%), diarrhea (4%), hypertension (3%), myocardial infarction (3%), pneumonitis (3%), vomiting (3%), acute kidney injury (2%), adrenal insufficiency (2%), dyspnea (2%), and pneumonia (2%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 4.3% of patients receiving LENVIMA in combination with pembrolizumab, including cardio-respiratory arrest (0.9%), sepsis (0.9%), and one case (0.3%) each of arrhythmia, autoimmune hepatitis, dyspnea, hypertensive crisis, increased blood creatinine, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, myasthenic syndrome, myocarditis, nephritis, pneumonitis, ruptured aneurysm and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 51% of patients receiving LENVIMA and pembrolizumab. Serious adverse reactions in 2% of patients were hemorrhagic events (5%), diarrhea (4%), hypertension (3%), myocardial infarction (3%), pneumonitis (3%), vomiting (3%), acute kidney injury (2%), adrenal insufficiency (2%), dyspnea (2%), and pneumonia (2%). Permanent discontinuation of LENVIMA, pembrolizumab, or both due to an adverse reaction occurred in 37% of patients; 26% LENVIMA only, 29% pembrolizumab only, and 13% both drugs. The most common adverse reactions (2%) leading to permanent discontinuation of LENVIMA, pembrolizumab, or both were pneumonitis (3%), myocardial infarction (3%), hepatotoxicity (3%), acute kidney injury (3%), rash (3%), and diarrhea (2%). Dose interruptions of LENVIMA, pembrolizumab, or both due to an adverse reaction occurred in 78% of patients receiving LENVIMA in combination with pembrolizumab. LENVIMA was interrupted in 73% of patients and both drugs were interrupted in 39% of patients. LENVIMA was dose reduced in 69% of patients. The most common adverse reactions (5%) resulting in dose reduction or interruption of LENVIMA were diarrhea (26%), fatigue (18%), hypertension (17%), proteinuria (13%), decreased appetite (12%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (11%), nausea (9%), stomatitis (9%), musculoskeletal pain (8%), rash (8%), increased lipase (7%), abdominal pain (6%), and vomiting (6%), increased ALT (5%), and increased amylase (5%). In RCC, the most common adverse reactions (30%) observed in LENVIMA + everolimustreated patients were diarrhea (81%), fatigue (73%), arthralgia/myalgia (55%), decreased appetite (53%), vomiting (48%), nausea (45%), stomatitis (44%), hypertension (42%), peripheral edema (42%), cough (37%), abdominal pain (37%), dyspnea (35%), rash (35%), decreased weight (34%), hemorrhagic events (32%), and proteinuria (31%). The most common serious adverse reactions (5%) were renal failure (11%), dehydration (10%), anemia (6%), thrombocytopenia (5%), diarrhea (5%), vomiting (5%), and dyspnea (5%). Adverse reactions led to dose reductions or interruption in 89% of patients. The most common adverse reactions (5%) resulting in dose reductions were diarrhea (21%), fatigue (8%), thrombocytopenia (6%), vomiting (6%), nausea (5%), and proteinuria (5%). Treatment discontinuation due to an adverse reaction occurred in 29% of patients. In HCC, the most common adverse reactions (20%) observed in LENVIMA-treated patients were hypertension (45%), fatigue (44%), diarrhea (39%), decreased appetite (34%), arthralgia/myalgia (31%), decreased weight (31%), abdominal pain (30%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (27%), proteinuria (26%), dysphonia (24%), hemorrhagic events (23%), hypothyroidism (21%), and nausea (20%). The most common serious adverse reactions (2%) were hepatic encephalopathy (5%), hepatic failure (3%), ascites (3%), and decreased appetite (2%). Adverse reactions led to dose reductions or interruption in 62% of patients. The most common adverse reactions (5%) resulting in dose reductions were fatigue (9%), decreased appetite (8%), diarrhea (8%), proteinuria (7%), hypertension (6%), and palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (5%). Treatment discontinuation due to an adverse reaction occurred in 20% of patients. The most common adverse reactions (1%) resulting in discontinuation of LENVIMA were fatigue (1%), hepatic encephalopathy (2%), hyperbilirubinemia (1%), and hepatic failure (1%). In EC, the most common adverse reactions (20%) observed in LENVIMA and pembrolizumabtreated patients were hypothyroidism (67%), hypertension (67%), fatigue (58%), diarrhea (55%), musculoskeletal disorders (53%), nausea (49%), decreased appetite (44%), vomiting (37%), stomatitis (35%), decreased weight (34%), abdominal pain (34%), urinary tract infection (31%), proteinuria (29%), constipation (27%), headache (26%), hemorrhagic events (25%), palmarplantar erythrodysesthesia (23%), dysphonia (22%), and rash (20%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 4.7% of those treated with LENVIMA and pembrolizumab, including 2 cases of pneumonia, and 1 case of the following: acute kidney injury, acute myocardial infarction, colitis, decreased appetite, intestinal perforation, lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage, malignant gastrointestinal obstruction, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, myelodysplastic syndrome, pulmonary embolism, and right ventricular dysfunction. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 50% of patients receiving LENVIMA and pembrolizumab. Serious adverse reactions with frequency 3% were hypertension (4.4%), and urinary tract infection (3.2%). Discontinuation of LENVIMA due to an adverse reaction occurred in 26% of patients. The most common (1%) adverse reactions leading to discontinuation of LENVIMA were hypertension (2%), asthenia (1.8%), diarrhea (1.2%), decreased appetite (1.2%), proteinuria (1.2%), and vomiting (1.2%). Dose reductions of LENVIMA due to adverse reactions occurred in 67% of patients. The most common (5%) adverse reactions resulting in dose reduction of LENVIMA were hypertension (18%), diarrhea (11%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (9%), proteinuria (7%), fatigue (7%), decreased appetite (6%), asthenia (5%), and weight decreased (5%). Dose interruptions of LENVIMA due to an adverse reaction occurred in 58% of these patients. The most common (2%) adverse reactions leading to interruption of LENVIMA were hypertension (11%), diarrhea (11%), proteinuria (6%), decreased appetite (5%), vomiting (5%), increased alanine aminotransferase (3.5%), fatigue (3.5%), nausea (3.5%), abdominal pain (2.9%), decreased weight (2.6%), urinary tract infection (2.6%), increased aspartate aminotransferase (2.3%), asthenia (2.3%), and palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (2%). Use in Specific Populations Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed infants, advise women to discontinue breastfeeding during treatment and for at least 1 week after the last dose. LENVIMA may impair fertility in males and females of reproductive potential. No dose adjustment is recommended for patients with mild (CLcr 60-89 mL/min) or moderate (CLcr 30-59 mL/min) renal impairment. LENVIMA concentrations may increase in patients with DTC, RCC, or EC and severe (CLcr 15-29 mL/min) renal impairment. Reduce the dose for patients with DTC, RCC, or EC and severe renal impairment. There is no recommended dose for patients with HCC and severe renal impairment. LENVIMA has not been studied in patients with end-stage renal disease. No dose adjustment is recommended for patients with HCC and mild hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh A). There is no recommended dose for patients with HCC with moderate (Child-Pugh B) or severe (Child-Pugh C) hepatic impairment. No dose adjustment is recommended for patients with DTC, RCC, or EC and mild or moderate hepatic impairment. LENVIMA concentrations may increase in patients with DTC, RCC, or EC and severe hepatic impairment. Reduce the dose for patients with DTC, RCC, or EC and severe hepatic impairment. LENVIMA (lenvatinib) is available as 10 mg and 4 mg capsules. Please see Prescribing information for LENVIMA (lenvatinib) at http://www.lenvima.com/pdfs/prescribing-information.pdf. About the Eisai and Merck Strategic Collaboration In March 2018, Eisai and Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, through an affiliate, entered into a strategic collaboration for the worldwide co-development and co-commercialization of LENVIMA. Under the agreement, the companies will jointly develop, manufacture and commercialize LENVIMA, both as monotherapy and in combination with Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA. In addition to ongoing clinical studies evaluating the KEYTRUDA plus LENVIMA combination across several different tumor types, the companies have jointly initiated new clinical studies through the LEAP (LEnvatinib And Pembrolizumab) clinical program and are evaluating the combination in more than 10 different tumor types across more than 20 clinical trials. About Farletuzumab Ecteribulin Farletuzumab ecteribulin is Eisai and Bristol Myers Squibb's first antibody drug conjugate (ADC) that is composed of Eisai's in-house developed anticancer agent farletuzumab, a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that is thought to bind to the folate receptor alpha (FR), and Eisai's in-house developed anticancer agent eribulin, using an enzyme cleavable linker. Eisai and Bristol Myers Squibb are currently conducting a Phase 1 clinical study in Japan and a Phase 1/2 clinical study in the United States, respectively, for farletuzumab ecteribulin targeting FR-positive solid tumors. After farletuzumab ecteribulin enters the target FR-positive cancer cells, it is thought that the linker is enzymatically cleaved, releasing eribulin from the antibody leading to its antitumor activity. Furthermore, in non-clinical studies, farletuzumab ecteribulin demonstrated a bystander effect, with antitumor activity on the FR-negative cancer cells surrounding the FR-positive cancer cells. The payload eribulin (product name: Halaven) was the first in the halichondrin class of microtubule dynamics inhibitors. Structurally eribulin is a simplified and synthetically produced version of halichondrin B, a natural product isolated from the marine sponge Halichondria okadai, and functions by inhibiting the growth phase of microtubule dynamics which prevents cell division. About Eisai Eisai is a leading global research and development-based pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan, with approximately 10,000 employees worldwide. We define our corporate mission as "giving first thought to patients and their families and to increasing the benefits health care provides," which we call our human health care (hhc) philosophy. We strive to realize our hhc philosophy by delivering innovative products in therapeutic areas with high unmet medical needs, including Oncology and Neurology. In the spirit of hhc, we take that commitment even further by applying our scientific expertise, clinical capabilities and patient insights to discover and develop innovative solutions that help address society's toughest unmet needs, including neglected tropical diseases and the Sustainable Development Goals. For more information about Eisai, please visit www.eisai.com (for global headquarters: Eisai Co., Ltd.), us.eisai.com (for U.S. headquarters: Eisai Inc.) or www.eisai.eu (for Europe, Middle East, Africa, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand headquarters: Eisai Europe Ltd.), and connect with us on Twitter (U.S. and global) and LinkedIn (for U.S. and EMEA). LENVIMA is a registered trademark used by Eisai Inc. under license from Eisai R&D Management Co., Ltd. KEYTRUDA is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., U.S.A. SOURCE Eisai Inc. DUBLIN, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "European Building Renovation Market: Analysis By Building Type (Residential & Non-Residential) By Segment (Energy & Non-Energy Renovation) Size and Trends with Impact of COVID-19 and forecast up to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The European Building Renovation market recorded a market value of US$956.88 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach up to US$1012.47 billion in 2026, registering a CAGR of 0.67% over the forecast period of 2022-2026. Building renovation provides their services by offering energy & non-energy renovation solutions to homeowners. The significance for building renovation is increasing as buildings are responsible for generating 36% of greenhouse gas emissions in EU. The report includes: An in-depth analysis of Europe Building Renovation market by value, by building type, by segment, etc. A detailed analysis of Europe building renovation market by regional renovation plans building floor area, and deep renovation spending. building renovation market by regional renovation plans building floor area, and deep renovation spending. Comprehensive information about Europe market. This report analyses the market as per energy renovation rate in building stock (both residential & non-residential) market. This report analyses the market as per energy renovation rate in building stock (both residential & non-residential) Provides an analysis of the COVID-19 impact on Europe building renovation market. building renovation market. Assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the industry. Growth of the overall Europe building renovation market has also been forecasted for the period 2022-2026, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers, and the current and future trends. building renovation market has also been forecasted for the period 2022-2026, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers, and the current and future trends. Evaluation of the potential role of building renovation in Europe to tackle climate change and its significance in achieving the targets set for 2030 and 2050 by EU. to tackle climate change and its significance in achieving the targets set for 2030 and 2050 by EU. Identification of the existing building stock (residential & non-residential) by energy class and spending is done on deep renovation as % of total renovation spending & energy-related spending. In-depth profiling of the key players, including the assessment of the business overview, market strategies, regional and business segments of the leading players in the market. The recent developments, mergers, and acquisitions related to mentioned key players are provided in the market report. The in-depth analysis provides an insight into the market, underlining the growth rate, opportunities and regional policies for building renovation (both forced and planned) has been provided in the report. Building Renovation is serving as a potential way to tackle climate change while simultaneously creating employment opportunities for the people. In building renovation, focus would be on increasing the rate of deep renovation, as it has the potential of saving energy up to or more than 60%. State governments are implementing regulatory measures like minimum energy performance standards and energy performance certificates. For instance, France is planning to introduce a minimum standard base for the reduction of energy consumption (in KWh/m2/yr) compared to consumption in a reference year (40% in 2030, 50% in 2040, and 60% in 2050). Market Segmentation Analysis: By Building Type: The report involves the bifurcation of building types into two types; Residential & Non-Residential. Residential buildings segment accounted for the highest share in building renovation market by holding 52.93% share. Focus on building renovation will not only tackle climate change (since they are capable of reducing energy consumption by 5-6%), but it can also solve the problem of energy poverty in EU. As per EC estimates that 34 million Europeans are unable to keep their homes adequately warm and with it hoping to solve the problem of energy poverty. By Segment: The report further involves the bifurcation of segments in the renovation market; Energy & Non-Energy. Energy renovation segment presents the most promising as EC aims to double the annual energy renovation rate of residential and non-residential buildings by 2030 and to foster deep energy renovation. Because at present only 11% of the EU existing building stock is renovated each year, and it has also been observed that these renovations rarely addresses the energy performance. Since, energy renovation rate is low at 1% and deep renovation only recording 0.2% per year. And given the fact that EC has revised its target from 44% GHG emission to 55% GHG emissions. Given EC targets and estimates, it is safe to say that energy renovation might be performing well in the market in coming years. Europe Building Renovation Dynamics: Growth Drivers: The installation of insulation for building renovation would help the market to register growth in coming years. As of now, there are 50 active incentive schemes, and 60% of them either focus on insulation or specifically mentioned it. The focus on insulation is happening because insulation provides the biggest saving on energy bills, putting initial investment, roofing and wall insulation into consideration the investment can generate 7% ROI, which is expected to be the reason behind being the key beneficiary of the building renovation agenda. However, significant factors such as quality upgradation of housing stock through EPC, government initiatives, urbanization, and lower than expected rate in green house gas emission reduction would provide the market required impetus it demands. Challenges: The market also has to deal with some the challenges such as problems with financing and little progress made in the market. These challenges are somewhat hampering market growth in the coming years. Renovation of a house demands higher upfront cost with respect to its long-term return on investment. Since most of the building stock being devoted to the residential sector which put most of the pressure onto the private owners. This put the government in a difficult position since they haven't been able to find a suitable solution for it. Trends: European building renovation market growth would be receiving significant push from green deal, as it is expected that green deal can provide 20-25% upside to the market if its funds were able to bridge the investment gap. Other significant factors, Regulatory Instruments to invigorate building energy renovation is also capable of generating required impetus in the market. As under this, state government and EC are exploring the possibilities of EPC and building renovation passport. These regulatory measure are expected to encourage private owners for energy renovation, thus helping the market to grow. Impact Analysis of COVID-19 and Way Forward: Europe building renovation market has also absorbed a slowdown due to a halt in operations of the construction industry. The pandemic also provided a way for the government to revamp the economy by creating employment opportunities for a skilled workforce by making significant investments in the segment. The pandemic also brought forth the problem of energy poverty and presented itself as a reliable solution. In post-COVID world, it is expected that government would be more focused towards regional renovation than national as some of the developed regions are in a better position of promoting the structural policies, as they are the direct beneficiary of structural funds. The concern regarding construction materials will be visible as still many of the materials ain't green and this would defeat the purpose of building renovation in a broader picture perspective. Competitive Landscape: Europe building renovation market is moderately fragmented, with many players operating in the market. The key players of Europe building renovation market are: Effiage, S.A. Sika AG RockWool International A/S Kingspan Group PlC Skanska AB Legrand Schneider Electric SE Saint-Gobain ENGESA Guildmore Ltd. Sika AG focuses on the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector. The company strongly focuses on energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness helped the company in maintaining a strong customer base. RockWool International A/S and Saint-Gobain are better placed in the market in order to reap the benefits from Green Deal upside in the market. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7wpaz8 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 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. Some of the Top Food Antioxidants suppliers listed in this report: This Food Antioxidants procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. DuPont de Nemours Inc BASF SE Archer Daniels Midland Co. Fetch actionable market insights on post COVID-19 impact on each product and service segments: www.spendedge.com/report/food-antioxidants-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report Top Selling Report: Asset Recovery Services - Forecast and Analysis: The asset recovery services will grow at a CAGR of 9.49% during 2021-2025. Asia Asset Recovery Pte Ltd., TES-Amm Singapore Pte Ltd., and Iron Mountain Inc. are among the prominent suppliers in asset recovery services market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. Vulnerability Management Sourcing and Procurement Report: Vulnerability Management Procurement Market, prices will increase by 4%-6% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a Moderate bargaining power in this market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. 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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 Drone analytics market expected to grow by 2028 due to rising defense expenditure by major countries. On-premises sub-segment is predicted to be the most dominant. Market in the North America region is expected to witness more growth opportunities. NEW YORK, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Research Dive has added a new report to its offering titled, "Drone Analytics Market by Type (On-premises and On-demand), Application (Inspection, Mapping, Surveying, and Others), End-use (Defense, Commercial, and Consumer), and Regional Analysis (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2028". According to the report, the global drone analytics market is expected to garner a revenue of $7,381.9 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 17.1% during the forecast period 2021-2028. Dynamics of the Drone Analytics Market: Drivers: Rise in the defense expenditure by some major countries is the main factor expected to drive the global drone analytics market by 2028. In addition, increasing requirement for performing activities like research and analysis of the data captured by drones incorporated in the armed forces is anticipated to further boost the market growth during the forecast period. Boost your business growth, Request an Exclusive PDF Sample of Drone Analytics [email protected] https://www.researchdive.com/download-sample/8535 Opportunities: Growing adoption of technologies like artificial intelligence in the drone industry is the main factor expected to offer abundant growth opportunities for the global drone analysis market during the forecast years. Restraints: High production and operating costs of drones is the main factor predicted to hamper the market growth during the analysis timeframe. Covid-19 Impact on the Drone Analytics Market: The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected almost every business and industry; however, the drone analytics market has had a moderate impact. In response to public health crisis, several governments started focusing on surveillance and counter-terrorism activities. In addition, travel bans, mobility restrictions, and stringent lockdowns led to disruptions in the supply chain of essential equipment used in defense drones like radars, acoustic sensors, type C4ISR, photoelectric/infrared, in-vehicle navigation, sensor positioning, etc. These factors hindered the growth of the global market during the pandemic. However, social distancing norms imposed by governments led to a surge in the demand for automated services that included drone deliveries of medical items, food packages, etc. are projected to boost the market growth during the analysis period. Post COVID-19 has Positive Impact on Drone Analytics Market. Get in touch with our Expert Analyst to get more [email protected] https://www.researchdive.com/connect-to-analyst/8535 Segments of the Drone Analytics Market: The report has fragmented the drone analytics market into several segments based on type, application, end-use, and regional analysis. By type , the on-premises sub-segment is estimated to hold a dominating market share and gather a revenue of $4,199.1 million by 2028 . Sectors like space research, medical facilities, military, and government organizations demand for complete confidentiality of information. This leads to a surge in the on-premises data analysis and storage due to benefits like visibility and security of data, ease of accessibility, and others. These factors are predicted to propel the growth of the drone analysis market's sub-segment growth by 2028. , the on-premises sub-segment is estimated to hold a dominating market share and gather a . Sectors like space research, medical facilities, military, and government organizations demand for complete confidentiality of information. This leads to a surge in the on-premises data analysis and storage due to benefits like visibility and security of data, ease of accessibility, and others. These factors are predicted to propel the growth of the drone analysis market's sub-segment growth by 2028. By application , the inspection sub-segment is anticipated to have a significant market share and garner a revenue of $2,624.6 million by 2028 . Rising utilization of commercial drones in activities like power generation, manufacturing units, oil and gas exploration, and mining is expected to accelerate the sub-segment's growth during the forecast years. , the inspection sub-segment is anticipated to have a significant market share and garner a . Rising utilization of commercial drones in activities like power generation, manufacturing units, oil and gas exploration, and mining is expected to accelerate the sub-segment's growth during the forecast years. By end-use , the defense sub-segment is estimated to gather a revenue of $5,042.9 million by 2028 and hold a major market share due to rising usage of defense drones for intelligence gathering of possible attacks, threats monitoring, and video surveillance are the factors projected to bolster the growth of the drone analytics market's sub-segment growth during the analysis timeframe. , the defense sub-segment is estimated to gather a and hold a major market share due to rising usage of defense drones for intelligence gathering of possible attacks, threats monitoring, and video surveillance are the factors projected to bolster the growth of the drone analytics market's sub-segment growth during the analysis timeframe. By regional analysis, the global drone analytics market in the North America region is predicted to surpass $2,588.8 million by 2028 due to high defense expenditure in the military aviation sector and growing emphasis of research on the drone analytics in the defense arena. In addition, the presence of some prominent drone development organizations is also estimated to accelerate the market growth in the North America region. Request an On-demand Customized Research report (Avail 10%OFF) of Drone Analytics Market Major Drone Analytics Market key Players: Some major drone analytics market players are 1. VIATechnik LLC 2. Delta Drone 3. AeroVironment, Inc. 4. Pix4D SA 5. Esri 6. BAE Systems 7. PrecisionHawk, Inc. 8. DroneDeploy 9. Optelos LLC 10. Kespry Inc., among others. These players are building several strategies like product development and enhancement, merger and acquisition, partnerships and collaborations to assist the market growth. Inquire here to get an Access for the Key business players strategic Development Report For example, in January 2022, AI Clearing, a business intelligence (BI) solutions provider that utilizes drones to track down construction progress, announced its launch of trained artificial intelligence models to identify prime elements installed during solar farm construction. This development has enabled the company to churn out BI reports every 24 hours to deliver constant progress monitoring. The report also sums up various crucial facets including financial performance of the drone analytics market players, SWOT analysis, product portfolio, and the latest strategic developments. Frequently Asked Questions about Drone Analytics Market Q1. What is drone analytics? Q2. How can we stop drones? Q3. How much is the drone analytics market worth? Q4. What weapons do drones carry? More about Drone Analytics Market: Some related Trending Article links: About Research Dive Research Dive is a market research firm based in Pune, India. Maintaining the integrity and authenticity of the services, the firm provides the services that are solely based on its exclusive data model, compelled by the 360-degree research methodology, which guarantees comprehensive and accurate analysis. With an unprecedented access to several paid data resources, team of expert researchers, and strict work ethic, the firm offers insights that are extremely precise and reliable. Scrutinizing relevant news releases, government publications, decades of trade data, and technical & white papers, Research dive deliver the required services to its clients well within the required timeframe. Its expertise is focused on examining niche markets, targeting its major driving factors, and spotting threatening hindrances. Complementarily, it also has a seamless collaboration with the major industry aficionado that further offers its research an edge. Contact: Mr. Abhishek Paliwal Research Dive 30 Wall St. 8th Floor, New York NY 10005 (P) +91-(788)-802-9103 (India) Toll Free: 1-888-961-4454 E-mail: [email protected] Website: https://www.researchdive.com Blog: https://www.researchdive.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/research-dive/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ResearchDive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Research-Dive-1385542314927521 SOURCE Research Dive Get a free sample of this data, download our sample report: https://spendedge.com/procurement-report/robotic-arm-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report Who are the Top Suppliers in the Robotic Arm Market? The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several top suppliers. Some of the leading Robotic Arm suppliers profiled extensively in this report include: FANUC CORP. Yaskawa Electric Corp. ABB Ltd These are a few of the key suppliers in Robotic Arm 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 Robotic Arm requirements. Download a free sample of this report: https://spendedge.com/procurement-report/robotic-arm-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report What are the Most Adopted Procurement Strategies for the Robotic Arm 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 Robotic Arm. 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 22.45 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 Robotic Arm 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 "Robotic Arm Sourcing and Procurement" Sample Report to get detailed insights into few more pricing strategies. Which are the Key Regions for Robotic Arm Market? The Robotic Arm market will register an incremental spend of about USD 22.45 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, Read more about this market from our 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: Signup for our subscription services 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 PITTSBURGH, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I love to brush my hair and feel confident when my hair is the perfect wave pattern, and my nephews don't like to brush their hair," said an inventor, from Niles, Ohio. "I wanted to make it easier and allow people from all racial backgrounds to be able to begin their wave journey, so I invented the WAVE STARTER." The patent-pending invention could simplify an individuals' hairstyling routine to form the wave hairstyle in less time, with less stress and brushing to ensure that the individual has an attractive appearance. It is appealing to individuals who normally can't form waves within their hair or do not have the time or patience to create this hairstyle. It can be for anyone from beginners to seasoned experts, but may especially be appealing for African American men and boys. The device is convenient, practical, easy to wear, affordable and a prototype is available. The original design was submitted to the Pittsburgh sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-PDK-191, 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 The two-year program guides students through the pivotal coming-of-age experience, offering a customizable approach that prioritizes their personal connection to the Jewish faith DENVER, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Registration is now live for Judaism Your Way's 2022-2023 Open Tent Be Mitzvah program. The two-year cohort experience, as well as the one-on-one Mentorship Your Way option, prepares students for a distinctive, meaningful, and personally curated Be Mitzvah ceremony that focuses on helping youth in Denver, Boulder, and beyond through virtual programming, discover their individual identity within a Jewish context. The ceremony is a springboard into how they want to live as Jewish adults taking on more responsibility for themselves, their relationships, and the world around them. Discounted early-bird registration closes on Wednesday, June 15th. Registration will remain open through mid-summer. With the understanding that words matter, Judaism Your Way intentionally uses Be rather than the traditional gender-based Bar and Bat to encourage gender inclusivity. Through the program, students are led through Jewish teachings to develop their spiritual toolkit. This includes classes on Jewish cuisine, art, outdoor activities, and a parent-only class that assist parents in supporting their children through their spiritual maturation. Rather than a rigid curriculum that centers on conformity, the Open Tent Be Mitzvah program encourages students to craft their own service. At the end of Year One, students are asked to choose between the Torah and Chai cohorts, to follow the path of learning that feels most authentic to their core values and personal connection to the faith. The program culminates in a self-designed Be Mitzvah ceremony, marking the transition to adulthood. "Judaism Your Way was founded over twenty years ago by an interfaith couple, Don and Sue Sturm, who were seeking a more inclusive approach to Judaism. Our name guides our organization, and the Be Mitzvah program is no exception. We teach our students about the many ways of being Jewish, to empower them to find a way that is meaningful to them. Since that time, we've facilitated hundreds of Be Mitzvah ceremonies that we pride ourselves on for their inclusivity, and we look forward to welcoming in the next cohort," said Rabbi Amanda Schwartz, Family Life Director at Judaism Your Way. The organization's recent expansion to South Denver opens the in-person programming to a new audience of applicants. Students beyond the Denver Metro area are encouraged to apply for the Virtual Cohort, creating an opportunity for youth across the globe to participate, with an equally impactful curriculum created for digital learning. For more information and to register for the program, please visit www.judaismyourway.org/open-tent-be-mitzvah . ABOUT JUDAISM YOUR WAY Judaism Your Way is an independent, Colorado-based Jewish organization. Judaism Your Way is an open tent, embracing everyone who seeks a connection to Jewish life. Every day, Judaism Your Way shares transformative Jewish experiences and recognizes itself as part of something relevant, whole and sacred. There are many ways to be Jewish. Judaism Your Way respects and includes them all. For more information visit our website, http://www.judaismyourway.org/. MEDIA CONTACT: Jasmine Martin PHONE: (631) 575-6783 EMAIL: [email protected] SOURCE Judaism Your Way RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MCNC today announced it will fully support the collaborative efforts from many state, local and federal stakeholders to ensure North Carolina maximizes the unprecedented opportunities now available for broadband and digital equity and inclusion investments. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo was in Durham earlier this month to announce the launch of the Internet for All initiative, which will invest $45 billion to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet for everyone in America by the end of the decade. The initiative will be administered and implemented by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Over the past 40 years MCNC has served as a vital convener and collaborator to bolster relationships with all key stakeholders in order to expand connectivity, increase innovation, and support economic development in North Carolina. MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks participated in roundtable discussions recently with NTIA, county and local municipalities, and other public/private collaborators including commercial service providers that focused on getting the right leaders in the same room to advance the state forward. "There is strength and unity through collaboration, and this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for North Carolina," said Doaks. "MCNC's mission is to strengthen North Carolina's future by making secure, high-speed Internet and technology services more accessible to everyone. This is now our moment! By working together every citizen in the state will gain the resources they need to fully participate in today's digital economy." MCNC continues to be the trusted technology non-profit that serves North Carolina, providing a statewide fiber-optic backbone, high-speed connectivity, consulting, cybersecurity, data center, network engineering, and other services to community anchor institutions, non-profit organizations, and commercial providers. Clients include education, non-profit health care, libraries, state and local government, research, public safety organizations, and more. The Internet for All initiative will build Internet infrastructure, teach digital skills, and provide necessary technology to ensure that everyone in America including communities of color, rural communities, and older Americans has the access and skills they need to fully participate in today's society. The Internet for All program launched with three Notices of Funding Opportunity: Nearly two-thirds of states and territories have signaled their intention to get a piece of the new $45 billion broadband fund. On May 17, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce declaring North Carolina's intent to participate, requesting $5 million in initial planning funds for the state one of the first states to do so. Gov. Cooper has designated the N.C. Department of Information Technology Division of Broadband and Digital Equity as the recipient and administering agent for BEAD Program awards. Other states and territories have until July 18 to signal their intent to apply for the funding. About MCNC MCNC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit client-focused technology organization. Founded in 1980, MCNC owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), one of America's longest-running regional research and education networks. With over 40 years of innovation, MCNC provides high-performance services for education, research, libraries, healthcare, public safety, and other community anchor institutions throughout North Carolina. NCREN is the fundamental broadband infrastructure for over 850 of these institutions including all public K-20 education in North Carolina. As one of the nation's premier middle-mile fiber backbone networks, MCNC leverages NCREN to customize protected Internet, cybersecurity services, and related applications for each client while supporting private service providers in bringing cost-efficient connectivity to rural and underserved communities in North Carolina. Visit www.mcnc.org . MCNC Social: Facebook , Twitter , YouTube , LinkedIn . Keywords & Tags MCNC, NCREN, NTIA, NC DIT, Internet for All, Broadband, Digital Equity, DE&I, Networking, News SOURCE MCNC NEW YORK, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the securities of HUMBL, LLC (OTC: HMBL) and/or the Company's unregistered digital asset (sold as BLOCKS Exchange Traded Index ("ETXs") on various cryptocurrency exchanges) between November 1, 2020 and May 19, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than July 19, 2022. SO WHAT: If you purchased Humbl securities and/or the Company's ETXs during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Humbl class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=6398 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than July 19, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants violated provisions of the Exchange Act by making false and misleading statements concerning the Company's growth prospects, technological advancements, international partnerships, and financial benefits for Humbl common stock and digital asset investors, as well as using selectively timed announcements to keep Humbl stock price high so that Company insiders could sell off their holdings into artificially created volume. The complaint also alleges that defendants violated provisions of the Securities Act by selling its unregistered securities (BLOCK ETX digital assets) to investors. To join the Humbl class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=6398 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. JUNO BEACH, Fla., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) and NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) will host an investor conference from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 14 in New York City. Members of NextEra Energy's and NextEra Energy Partners' senior executive management team plan to discuss, among other topics, earnings expectations for NextEra Energy and distribution expectations for NextEra Energy Partners. Beginning at 8 a.m. ET, investors and other interested parties will be able to access the presentation materials at www.NextEraEnergy.com/investors or www.NextEraEnergyPartners.com . A live audio webcast will be available on the previously named sites beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. For those unable to listen to the live webcast, a replay will be available for 30 days by accessing the same links as listed above. NextEra Energy, Inc. NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE) is a leading clean energy company headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida. NextEra Energy owns Florida Power & Light Company, which is America's largest electric utility that sells more power than any other utility, providing clean, affordable, reliable electricity to more than 5.7 million customer accounts, or more than 12 million people across Florida. NextEra Energy also owns a competitive clean energy business, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage. Through its subsidiaries, NextEra Energy generates clean, emissions-free electricity from seven commercial nuclear power units in Florida, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. A Fortune 200 company, NextEra Energy has been recognized often by third parties for its efforts in sustainability, corporate responsibility, ethics and compliance, and diversity. NextEra Energy is ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry on Fortune's 2022 list of "World's Most Admired Companies," recognized on Fortune's 2021 list of companies that "Change the World" and received the S&P Global Platts 2020 Energy Transition Award for leadership in environmental, social and governance. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.GulfPower.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com. NextEra Energy Partners, LP NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE: NEP) is a growth-oriented limited partnership formed by NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). NextEra Energy Partners acquires, manages and owns contracted clean energy projects with stable, long-term cash flows. Headquartered in Juno Beach, Florida, NextEra Energy Partners owns interests in geographically diverse wind, solar and energy storage projects in the U.S. as well as natural gas infrastructure assets in Texas and Pennsylvania. For more information about NextEra Energy Partners, please visit: www.NextEraEnergyPartners.com. SOURCE NextEra Energy, Inc.; NextEra Energy Partners, LP The Shoen family of U-Haul funded the elevator that will lift visitors to the observation deck for a panorama of America's WWII aviation battlefield HONOLULU and PHOENIX, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The historic Ford Island Control Tower at Pearl Harbor is finally ready to open to the public and with a view perhaps more powerful and poignant than any Hawaii has to offer. The tower fittingly opens for operations on Memorial Day in honor of those who died during the Attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. The Shoen family of U-Haul funded a working elevator to help restore the Ford Island Control Tower, which opens to the public on Memorial Day with access to a special Top of the Tower Tour and panoramic views of Pearl Harbor. Ticket options include the Top of the Tower Tour, a first-class guided tour of the 15-story, 168-foot structure, with access to a restored elevator and the observation deck to behold "Freedom's View," a stirring 360-degree panorama of America's WWII aviation battlefield. There are only 120 of these tickets available each day. Advanced tickets are available at pearlharboraviationmuseum.org/tickets or by calling (808) 441-1000. Standing in disrepair for decades, the tower has undergone more than $7 million in restoration work since 2012. The addition of a working elevator was made possible by the Shoen family of U-Haul, a company founded by a U.S. Navy veteran and his wife in 1945. U-Haul Chairman Joe Shoen will speak at a special dedication ceremony on Saturday at Pearl Harbor, and 120 auction winners will be granted first public access to the tower on Sunday. A display in the tower lobby pays homage to the U-Haul WWII veterans who served in the Pacific Theater. "Reopening the Ford Island Control Tower is another way to honor the memories and preserve the stories of the brave individuals who sacrificed their lives defending our freedom," stated Joe Shoen, son of U-Haul founders L.S. "Sam" and Anna Mary Carty Shoen. "Our history must be shared with future generations. This Memorial Day, and every day, U-Haul honors our veterans and active military members for their service and sacrifice." The project holds added significance to U-Haul, which has been headquartered in Arizona since 1967. The Top of the Tower Tour offers views of the Pearl Harbor National Memorial featuring the USS Arizona Memorial, as well as Battleship Row, where eight ships were bombed and four sunken, the Arizona among them. Rod Bengston, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum Director of Exhibits, Restoration and Curatorial Services, noted the following sites can also be observed: Military bases and airfields at Hickam, Wheeler, Bellows, Ewa , Schofield, and Kaneohe , where 188 U.S. military aircrafts were bombed , Schofield, and , where 188 U.S. military aircrafts were bombed Ewa Plains, where the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service initiated the attack Hospital Point, where the USS Nevada was beached was beached The Ford Island runway, surrounding shipyards, and historic buildings "From the tower, it's easy to imagine the thunderous rain of bombs and bullets coming down, erupting in fire, chaos and death," Bengston said. "Now, however, visitors will also be able to grasp a sense of peace and tranquility that comes from the historic view." Elissa Lines, Executive Director of Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, said the tower stands as a symbol of resilience and peace. "It's time for the world to witness Pearl Harbor from an aerial perspective," Lines noted. Plan your Pearl Harbor visit or contribute to the upcoming final phase of tower restoration work at pearlharboraviationmuseum.org. Learn more about the history of U-Haul and its commitment to supporting veterans at uhaul.com. 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 186,000 trucks, 128,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul is the third largest self-storage operator in North America and offers 876,000 rentable storage units and 75.1 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities. 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. uhaul.com About PEARL HARBOR AVIATION MUSEUM Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is located on Historic Ford Island, where bombs fell during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Walk the Pearl Harbor battlefield where the attack began, enter the bullet-scarred hangars, and see the control tower and aircraft of the battle, including a Japanese Zero and the B-17 Swamp Ghost. Hear the stories of World War II heroes and their response to the attack that changed our nation and world. Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum's mission is to steward America's first World War II aviation battlefield. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that depends on membership, volunteers, and donations for support. To join, volunteer or support, visit pearlharboraviationmuseum.org. Contact: Jeff Lockridge Sebastien Reyes E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 602-760-4941 Website: uhaul.com SOURCE U-Haul NEW YORK, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PingPong Payments, one of the world's leading end-to-end payment solutions for global cross-border businesses, has entered into a partnership agreement for acquiring services with BNP Paribas, the largest European bank. PingPong Payments is the first cross-border payments company in the industry to support the EU's DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) market, adding to their suite of innovative payment solutions. As e-commerce enters into a new development cycle, independent online sellers and DTC models have become increasingly prevalent in a global e-commerce market expected to reach $5.5 trillion in 2022. Global DTC sales grew 17 percent year-on-year in 2021, and European e-commerce sales are set to almost double from 2019 to 2025, heralding an unprecedented opportunity for DTC brands and independent sellers to achieve record levels of growth. BNP Paribas is a leading acquiring bank in Europe, with the Blue Card issued by the banking giant representing the most important payment brand in France. Since 2017, PingPong has partnered with the bank, supporting accounts, collections, payments, foreign exchange, among other services, to build upon their payments infrastructure. "By establishing a more comprehensive partnership with BNP Paribas, PingPong Payments will be integrated into the mainstream European financial system, providing greater access to a variety of local payment methods, and helping merchants with acquiring needs in the EU to quickly expand to the local market", VP Head of Global Institution Group, Aaron Xu stated. Merchants can access PingPong's platform directly or integrate via API, to process payments to vetted suppliers, collect and convert payments at lower costs, and provide more transparency through their closed-loop payments ecosystem. At present, PingPong can support online card payments for the top 5 card brands worldwide and local payment methods such as online banking transfers, various e-wallets and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL). "Based on BNP Paribas' financial tools and infrastructure in the EU market, we will deeply integrate with PingPong's digital platform, risk control system and other fintech capabilities to help merchants conduct cross-border businesses with lower costs, higher success rates and lower payment risks." BNP Paribas stated. PingPong Payments is one of the few companies to have obtained the European EMI (Electronic Money Institution) license in Luxembourg, and is qualified to provide services such as payment, prepaid cards, acquiring, and e-wallets in the EU market. Xu also states, "Based on our innovative payment technology and global licenses, we will soon release a one-stop digital payment service worldwide, including the EU. With these features, we will accelerate the globalization of SMEs, creating greater opportunities for businesses to scale internationally and expand beyond borders." About PingPong Payments PingPong Payments was founded in 2015 with the mission of helping global e-commerce sellers keep more of their profits, by beating the rates traditional banks offer. The company acts as a multi-dimensional growth partner to more than (1 million online sellers) worldwide: it has processed more than $90 billion in cross-border payments for e-commerce merchants to date, and transfers more than $150 million a day on behalf of international e-commerce sellers. Global merchants around the world trust PingPong Payments to help them save on cross-border payments, VAT and supplier payments, and more. PingPong works with reputable brands such as Citibank, J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo that have won licenses to operate efficiently and are being subject to strong regulatory and supervisory frameworks across the U.S., Europe and Asia. About BNP Paribas BNP Paribas is the European Union's leading bank and a key player in international banking. It operates in 65 countries and has nearly 190,000 employees, including nearly 145,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main fields of activity: Commercial, Personal Banking & Services for the Group's commercial & personal banking and several specialised businesses including BNP Paribas Personal Finance and Arval; Investment & Protection Services for savings, investment and protection solutions; and Corporate & Institutional Banking, focused on corporate and institutional clients. Based on its strong diversified and integrated model, the Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, BNP Paribas has four domestic markets: Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg. The Group is rolling out its integrated commercial & personal banking model across several Mediterranean countries, Turkey, Eastern Europe as well as via a large network in the western part of the United States. As a key player in international banking, the Group has leading platforms and business lines in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific. BNP Paribas has implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility approach in all its activities, enabling it to contribute to the construction of a sustainable future, while ensuring the Group's performance and stability. SOURCE PingPong Payments HOUSTON, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Quanta Services, Inc. (NYSE: PWR) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend to stockholders of $0.07 per share. The dividend is payable on July 15, 2022, to stockholders of record as of July 1, 2022. About Quanta Services Quanta Services is a leading specialized contracting services company, delivering comprehensive infrastructure solutions for the utility, renewable energy, communications, pipeline and energy industries. Quanta's comprehensive services include designing, installing, repairing and maintaining energy and communications infrastructure. With operations throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and select other international markets, Quanta has the manpower, resources and expertise to safely complete projects that are local, regional, national or international in scope. For more information, visit www.quantaservices.com. Cautionary Statement About Forward-Looking Statements This press release (and any oral statements regarding the subject matter of this press release) contains forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the "safe harbor" from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to expectations regarding the declaration, amount or timing of any future dividends; expectations regarding Quanta's business or financial outlook; and Quanta's ability to deliver increased value or return capital to stockholders; as well as statements reflecting expectations, intentions, assumptions or beliefs about future events and other statements that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, involve or rely on a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict or are beyond our control, and reflect management's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements are made. We caution you that actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted by our forward-looking statements and that any or all of our forward-looking statements may turn out to be inaccurate or incorrect. Forward-looking statements can be affected by inaccurate assumptions and by known or unknown risks and uncertainties, including, among others, market, industry, economic, financial or political conditions outside of the control of Quanta, quarterly variations in operating results, liquidity, financial condition, cash flows, capital requirements, reinvestment opportunities or other financial results; requirements relating to dividends under Delaware law and the credit agreement for Quanta's senior credit facility; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Quanta's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2021, Quanta's most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and any other documents that Quanta files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For a discussion of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, investors are urged to refer to Quanta's documents filed with the SEC that are available through the company's website at www.quantaservices.com or through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering and Analysis Retrieval System (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of this date. Quanta does not undertake and expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Quanta further expressly disclaims any written or oral statements made by any third party regarding the subject matter of this press release. Investors - Kip Rupp, CFA, IRC Quanta Services, Inc. (713) 341-7260 SOURCE Quanta Services, Inc. Judge Denies Haart's Claims to 50% Ownership of Scaglia Companies & Property "It's time for Ms. Haart to acknowledge her lies regarding 50% ownership," Davis said. "She must retract all inaccurate statements made to the media and business community that she owned 50% of Freedom, EWG or associated properties." Scaglia's attorney Lanny J. Davis said. "We also plan to challenge Netflix's right to continue filming My Unorthodox Life in what is now proven company property which I believe Ms. Haart is no longer entitled to use." NEW YORK , May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned tech entrepreneur and global talent agency chairman Silvio Scaglia received a major win in Delaware when a judge ruled Scaglia to be the controlling owner of Elite World Group ("EWG") and its parent company, Freedom Holding, Inc. This decision comes in response to a petition filed by Julia Haart, Scaglia's estranged wife, on February 11, 2022, claiming equal ownership of the company just two days after being terminated as CEO of EWG. "I always had faith that 'fake it till you make it,' would not hold up in a court of law," Scaglia said. "The challenge to my ownership of Freedom and EWG was always based on lies, and I'm happy to have this behind me." Vice Chancellor Morgan T. Zurn ruled on May 26, 2022, in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, in a final order, "Haart is therefore not entitled to the relief she seeks in Counts I, II, III, and IV" i.e., the four counts relating to her lie about owning 50% of all of Scaglia's properties and businesses. "It's time for Ms. Haart to acknowledge her lies regarding 50% ownership," Davis said. "She must retract all inaccurate statements made to the media and business community that she owned 50% of Freedom, EWG or associated properties. Even after Vice Chancellor Zurn's final order, Ms. Haart could not resist trying to 'fake it,' saying that the court's decision wasn't 'final.'" The Hon. Vice Chancellor Zurn wrote that her forthcoming memorandum opinion would include the "reasons detailed" for the final order rejecting Haart's four false claims that she owned 50% of Scaglia's companies and property. Vice Chancellor Zurn also wrote she "has made her key factual findings and legal conclusions," and issued the order to "expedite finality and steady Freedom and EWG." Additionally, Mr. Davis plans to challenge Netflix's right to continue filming My Unorthodox Life at 70 Vestry Street. "The apartment is in what is now proven company property which I believe Ms. Haart is no longer entitled to use," Davis said. "She signed a contract with Netflix, saying that she 'owned' the apartment a lie." Davis had previously sent a cease-and-desist demand to Netflix and its producers, asking them to stop filming the series My Unorthodox Life at 70 Vestry Street. Press Contact: Emma Novak [email protected] (202) 557-5559 SOURCE Lanny Davis As we honor our fallen heroes this Memorial Day 2022, it is enlightening to compare the dreadful conduct of Russia's soldiers in Ukraine to the virtuous nature of America's soldiers. American troops see more combat than any other military in the world and have done an excellent job obeying the laws of war. Our culture is historically steeped in the tradition of protecting life and helping those in need. As children, we are taught to pursue goodness, to be virtuous and to never cause unnecessary harm to others. America's military reflects our nation and her values. This Memorial Day, we have reason to be proud of both. This article presents a first-hand account of the conduct of American soldiers as they incarcerated and protected over 55,000 Iraqi prisons during the Gulf War in comparison to the horrendous behavior of Russian forces in Ukraine, against the backdrop of the Geneva Conventions. On this Memorial Day, we should honor virtuous behavior shown by American forces in the Gulf War and condemn the vile treatment of innocent civilians by Russia today. Support Our Troops, Inc provides morale and well-being shipments and services to active-duty soldiers worldwide, and looks out for their interests in a variety manner. This article is offered freely for use as guest commentary or an article without compensation. Permission is granted to reprint it in whole or part, provided its meaning is not altered and proper attribution to SupportOurTroops.Org is made. SupportOurTroops.Org warrants this is original internal content and the imagery associated with comes with the right to use and republish same without compensation. The full 1,944 word article downloads here: MSWord https://supportourtroops.org/downloads/memorial-day-2022-valiant-v-vile-support-our-troops-org.docx PDF https://supportourtroops.org/downloads/memorial-day-2022-valiant-v-vile-support-our-troops-org.pdf HTML https://supportourtroops.org/feature-articles/1827-memorial-day-2022 A 600px wide web-image downloads here: https://supportourtroops.org/downloads/memorial-day-2022-valiant-v-vile-support-our-troops-org.jpg A high res image downloads here: https://supportourtroops.org/downloads/memorial-day-2022-valiant-v-vile-support-our-troops-org-HIGH-RES.jpg Contact: Jim Spearing 877-879-8882 [email protected] SOURCE SupportOurTroops.Org Set in the early 1980s, Stranger Things is rife with retro throwbacks, from synth-heavy musical undercurrents to period-perfect wardrobe aesthetics. For this special edition collection, a brave exploration of the Timex archive has resurfaced three cult classics from this iconic eraTimex Camper, Timex T80, and the unforgettable Timex Atlantis. "With the Timex x Stranger Things collection, two cult franchises join forces to create a capsule that is intrinsic to this pop culture moment," says Shari Fabiani, Sr. Vice President Brand Marketing and Creative Services at Timex Group. "Through rich storytelling and ageless design, these special edition styles proudly resurrect one of history's most expressive decades that transcends through all generations." Authentic Stranger Things graphics creep across all three styles within this otherworldly collection. Sported by Lucas Sinclair in the forthcoming season, the original Timex Camper now permeates the shadows with an ominous INDIGLO backlight and hidden image. The two digital watches, Timex T80 and Timex Atlantis, which made their first debut around the time of Will Byers' mysterious disappearance in 1983, feature a customized alarm with the Stranger Things melody. Viewers may have already spotted Sheriff Hopper's Timex Atlantis in previous seasonsan iconic watch Timex has rereleased in his honor. Things really start to get eerie once the clock strikes 3:00pm, revealing a backwards number 3. The reason? Only time will tell. The Timex x Stranger Things capsule is available in three styles: Camper (40mm), Timex T80 (34mm), Timex Atlantis (40mm), each retailing for $89. Key features include a stainless-steel bracelet or fabric strap, resin case and strap, INDIGLO backlight, customized alarm, and much more. The Timex x Stranger Things collection will be available for purchase starting today on Timex.com. To view/download assets for the collection and campaign, please click HERE . For more information about the Stranger Things collaboration, please visit www.timex.com. Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service, U.S., traditional watches, based on units sold, Annual 2021 ABOUT TIMEX GROUP Timex Group designs, manufactures and markets innovative timepieces around the world. Timex Group is a privately-held company headquartered in Middlebury, Connecticut with multiple operating units and over 3,000 employees worldwide. As one of the largest watch makers in the world, Timex Group companies produce watches under a number of well-known brands, including Timex, adidas, Furla, Gc, Guess, Missoni, Nautica, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ted Baker, Versace and Versus. Join Timex on social media: @timex For more information, please visit http://timexgroup.com . Media Contacts: Patricia Rappaport, [email protected] Kim Gallo, [email protected] SOURCE Timex ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Truck Hero, Inc., the market leader for the most innovative and functional truck and Jeep accessories, today, announced that after more than 20 successful years building Truck Hero into the preeminent player in the industry, President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Reminder has announced his plans to retire. The Company's Board of Directors has commenced a search process to identify the Company's next CEO, and has retained Heidrick & Struggles, a leading global executive search firm, to assist in the process. Mr. Reminder will remain as CEO until a successor is identified and will continue to serve on the Board following the transition as Truck Hero's largest individual investor. Marc Magliacano, Truck Hero Board Chairman, and a Managing Partner at L Catterton, said, "Bill is a visionary leader who has transformed both Truck Hero and the industry over the last two decades. On behalf of the entire Board, I thank Bill for his leadership and invaluable contributions, which have enabled Truck Hero to grow from a single manufacturing facility with $20 million in annual revenue to the nearly $2 billion industry powerhouse it is today, with a portfolio of 28 manufacturer brands and a growing e-commerce and community platform led by RealTruck.com. Under Bill's leadership, Truck Hero has become the premier accessories provider for truck, Jeep and off-road owners with more than 570 patents, partnerships with over 12,000 dealers and distributors, and a passionate base of two million loyal Realtruck.com customers. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Bill on the Board as the Company enters its next chapter of growth." "It has been a true privilege to lead Truck Hero over the last 20 years," said Mr. Reminder. "Of all our accomplishments, I am most proud of having grown the passionate and talented Truck Hero team to more than 5,000 dedicated associates across the U.S. and Canada, many of whom I'm proud to call friends. We started with a bold vision for growth, and I am incredibly grateful to our team and to our private equity partners for helping us bring it to life. As we continue to accelerate our growth plan, I remain excited about our future and believe now is the right time to transition our leadership to jumpstart the company's next phase of expansion. I look forward to continuing my role on the Board and serving as an ambassador for the Company's next chapter of success." About Truck Hero, Inc. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Truck Hero provides consumers a full range of branded automotive accessories for trucks, Jeep, brand vehicles, and cars, with market-leading functionality, engineering, quality, and design. The breadth of Truck Hero's product offering is vast, including hard and soft truck bed covers, truck caps, bed liners, floor liners, fender flares, steps, suspension kits, Ventvisors, Jeep parts, and off-road accessories. Truck Hero's industry-leading family of brands includes Alloy USA, AMP Research, A.R.E., Auto Ventshade, BAK Industries, BACKRACK, BedRug, Belmor, Bushwacker, Extang, Husky Liners, LUND, N-FAB, OMIX, Rampage Products, Retrax, RoadWorks, Roll-N-Lock, Rugged Liner, Rugged Ridge, Stampede, Superlift, Tonno Pro, TruXedo, UnderCover, and online retailer, RealTruck. All the companies in the Truck Hero family are recognized as premier brands and innovation leaders. For more information, visit truck-hero.com. Media Contact: Sarah Collins Tombras [email protected] 510-541-3774 SOURCE Truck Hero Fastest-growing news network providing wall-to-wall coverage of 45th President's 'Save America' rally in Casper CENTENNIAL, Colo., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeking to oust Rep. Liz Cheney from her seat in Congress, Donald Trump is expected to pull few punches on Saturday as he holds a rally in support of Cheney's primary challenger, Harriet Hageman. Real America's Voice will be airing the rally live across all of its digital media platforms with live coverage of the event beginning at 3pm eastern. "The political feud between Cheney and Trump is at this point legendary," said Real America's Voice CEO Howard Diamond. "The battle between Trump and Cheney is the war for the heart and direction of the GOP, and we're excited to provide our viewers with front-row access to what will undoubtedly be an electric event." Full wall-to-wall LIVE coverage of Trump's May 28 rally in Casper, Wyoming will air from 3pm eastern to 8pm eastern. Ed Henry and Karyn Turk will anchor the coverage on-site, with assistance from David Oliver in the Denver studio. Reporter Ben Bergquam will also be on-site. LIVE team coverage of the Casper, Wyoming "Save America Rally" begins Saturday, May 28 at 3:00 pm EDT. Stream online at http://realamericasvoice.com or on DISH Ch. 219, Pluto TV Ch. 240, Samsung TV Plus Ch. 1029, The Roku Channel Ch. 175, SelectTV Ch. 106, as well as Apple TV, Fire TV, and Roku streaming devices. SOURCE Real Americas Voice CLEVELAND, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tariffs can cause significant disruptions in the US countertop market, as the US is largely a net importer of countertop products. This has been especially true in the market for engineered stone countertops, according to The Freedonia Group. Although US-based production of engineered stone continues to expand, the vast majority of the quartz slab supply in the US is imported from countries like Canada, India, Israel, Spain, Turkey, and Vietnam. Prior to 2019, China was by far the leading source of quartz slab imports to the US, as suppliers were able to provide materials at a price level much lower than domestic producers, as well as being able to supply the market with a wide variety of colors that were not able to be made using the Breton process. However, in April 2018, steep tariffs in excess of 200% were imposed on quartz imports from China. In response, US producers and fabricators sought other low-cost sources of quartz slab, most notably India and Turkey, resulting in Chinese imports plummeting: In 2021, less than 1 million square meters of quartz slabs were imported from China . . Since 2018, imports from India have surged and now account for the highest share of US quartz supply. In 2019, tariffs were also imposed on quartz slabs from India and Turkey, as firms from these countries were ruled to have dumped product into the US countertop market. Nevertheless, import activity from India and Turkey has remained strong since then, as the tariffs imposed on these countries were lower than those imposed on China. Demand for Engineered Stone Countertops to Grow 9.6% Annually Through 2026 Through 2026, engineered stone will continue to expand its leading share of the US countertop market to account for 36% of demand in area terms. The rapid increase in low-cost slabs from foreign markets particularly China, India, Turkey, and Vietnam have made engineered stone countertops more affordable for middle-class homeowners: As prices for engineered stone decreased as color availability expanded, consumers became much more willing to purchase higher cost countertops and grew to strongly prefer the aesthetics and quality of engineered stone. As a result, engineered stone surpassed laminate to become the most used countertop material in the US in 2021, marking the first time in decades that laminate was not the most popular countertop material. Want to Learn More? Now available from The Freedonia Group, Countertops presents historical data for 2011, 2016, and 2021 and forecasts for 2026 and 2031 in square feet and US dollars by surface material, market, and area of installation (i.e., room). Also provided are data on installation costs and pricing. Additionally, corporate analysis including market share is included. The surface materials broken out are: engineered stone laminates natural stone solid surface and other cast polymers tile other small volume materials, including porcelain slab/sintered stone; stainless steel; wood/butcher block; concrete; recycled materials; and other materials such as bamboo, cork, and glass Countertop products by area of installation include: kitchen countertops bathroom countertops other countertops, such as those used to top store display cabinets; home office, laundry room, mudroom, and hobby/craft room cabinets; wet bars; and garage work benches The major market segments analyzed are: residential buildings, which are segmented into single-family housing, multifamily housing, and manufactured housing commercial buildings, which are segmented into office and retail buildings; lodging; institutional buildings; industrial buildings; other commercial buildings, including airport and bus terminals, civic centers, post offices, prisons, and recreational buildings vehicles (e.g., recreational vehicles (RVs), boats, personal aircraft, trains) Markets are also broken out by new and remodeling applications. About the Freedonia Group - The Freedonia Group, a division of MarketResearch.com, is the premier international industrial research company, providing our clients with product analyses, market forecasts, industry trends, and market share information. From one-person consulting firms to global conglomerates, our analysts provide companies with unbiased, reliable industry market research and analysis to help them make important business decisions. With over 100 studies published annually, we support over 90% of the industrial Fortune 500 companies. Find off-the-shelf studies at https://www.freedoniagroup.com/ or contact us for custom research: +1 440.842.2400. Press Contact: Corinne Gangloff +1 440.842.2400 [email protected] SOURCE The Freedonia Group Recent Successes Include Securement of Home Tour Feature in Architectural Digest. LOS ANGELES, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A Design Partnership, a public relations agency serving the interior design, home, and lifestyles industry with offices in New York and Los Angeles, was recently honored as a Top 100 Public Relations Agency by The PR Net. "We're proud to serve a growing roster of very talented clients doing incredible things with their businesses," says A Design Partnership founder Natalie Norcross. "My team and I love what we do and are passionate about helping our clients grow. It's truly an honor to have our work recognized by The PR Net." Over the past year, A Design Partnership has grown to over 16 team members, including key hires on the PR director, manager, and assistant levels. The year's successes include securing a home tour feature in Architectural Digest, showcasing a modernist, Palm Springs-inspired family home designed and built by Dallas-based architect Eddie Maestri, along with the selection of seven clients as finalists in the HGTV Designer of the Year Awards. In addition to Maestri Studio, other notable long-term clients include the House of Jade Interiors, Mel Bean, Thomas Guy Interiors, KB Interiors, Urbanology, StruXure, and Stoneside. "I am most proud to work with one of the best and most talented teams in this industry," Natalie continues. "It's been a huge blessing to watch everyone collaborate for the success of our clients." About A Design Partnership A Design Partnership is a full-service public relations agency specializing in proactive media relations, garnering the elusive third-party endorsement through traditional and digital coverage for clients' projects, products, profile features, trend stories, expert tips, and collaborations. Natalie Norcross and her team capitalize on their extensive list of media contacts to help clients transform their brands by securing coverage and feature stories in domestic and international publications, including Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Robb Report, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Departures, Town & Country, World of Interiors, and more. Natalie is an Official Member of Forbes Agency Council, as well as a regular speaker and panelist in both the communications and design industries. From content curators to results-oriented experts, she leads a dynamic, design-savvy team who know the shelter industry, love their craft, and are fanatical about helping brands grow. Media Contact: Name: Natalie Norcross Email: [email protected] Phone #: (310) 359-6438 SOURCE A Design Partnership EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eileen P. Drake (the CEO of Aerojet Rocketdyne (NYSE: AJRD) today issued the following statement addressing Executive Chairman and Conflicted Stockholder Warren Lichtenstein's recent commentary: "The claims in Mr. Lichtenstein's recent press release would be laughable and comically misleading, but for the fact they are part of a distracting and value-destroying proxy fight combined with scorched-earth litigation tactics that he and his hedge fund (Steel Partners) initiated in late January and continue to pursue to this day, all to advance his personal agenda and financial gain to the detriment of the Company and its stockholders. His litany of misguided rantings include: Blaming Ms. Drake for an independent investigation that was based on his own misconduct at the Company, one that was approved by ALL of the non-executive directors of the board, led by an esteemed national law firm and that resulted in a strong reprimand for Mr. Lichtenstein's behavior. of the non-executive directors of the board, led by an esteemed national law firm and that resulted in a strong reprimand for Mr. Lichtenstein's behavior. Failing to mention that Mark Tucker , his proposed CEO replacement and recently identified director nominee, is also a Steel Partners paid consultant. , his proposed CEO replacement and recently identified director nominee, is also a Steel Partners paid consultant. Blaming Ms. Drake for the senior executives who recently left Aerojet Rocketdyne following the extreme pressure and demands Mr. Lichtenstein imposed on them as part of his attempted takeover. Blaming Ms. Drake for purported performance failures, when in fact Aerojet Rocketdyne outperformed during Ms. Drake's tenure compared to the period before Ms. Drake's appointment while subject to Mr. Lichtenstein's oversight. Conveniently overlooking the fact that Ms. Drake was named THE MUSES 2022 Woman of the Year, along with many other recognitions for her successful stewardship of the Company. Together with an apparent inability to cite any third party recognitions of Mr. Lichtenstein's accomplishments at the Company, which is not surprising given the Company's underperformance before Ms. Drake's appointment. Ignoring the many millions of dollars the Company has paid to Mr. Lichtenstein for his distant oversight as Executive Chair, evidenced by the fact that he rarely, if ever, visits the Company's offices, not to mention his poor management and oversight of the Company's now under-funded pension fund. "As Mr. Lichtenstein said, the record speaks for itself." Important Information This communication is being sent in Ms. Drake's individual capacity, and not on or behalf of Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc (the "Company"). No Company resources were used in connection with these materials. Eileen P. Drake, General Kevin Chilton, USAF (Ret.), General Lance Lord, USAF (Ret.) and Thomas Corcoran (the "Incumbent Directors") have filed a preliminary proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") in connection with the solicitation of proxies at a special meeting of stockholders of the Company to be held on June 30, 2022. The Incumbent Directors will furnish the definitive proxy statement to its stockholders, together with a WHITE proxy card shortly. STOCKHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO READ THE PRELIMINARY STATEMENT BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders may obtain a free copy of the proxy statement, any amendments or supplements to the proxy statement and other documents that the Incumbent Directors file with the SEC from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The Incumbent Directors, together with Gail Baker, Marion Blakey, Charles Bolden and Deborah Lee James, may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders. Information about the participants is set forth in the preliminary proxy statement filed by the Incumbent Directors on May 20, 2022. 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 YORK, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Jewish Committee (AJC) welcomes the Action Plan to Combat Antisemitism by Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. The plan, released today, identifies antisemitism as a pressing and enduring challenge that all governments, as well as social media companies, faith leaders and other actors, should be confronting with urgency. "Dr. Shaheed's thorough review of antisemitism globally confirms that the problem of hate targeting Jews has grown and become more mainstream," said Felice Gaer, Director of AJC's Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights. "The special rapporteur's action plan is an essential roadmap for governments, companies, and other UN experts to follow to ensure that their efforts to combat antisemitism are comprehensive and effective." The plan released today follows on Dr. Shaheed's 'historic' 2019 report on global antisemitism as a human rights concern. In that first stand-alone report on antisemitism by a UN expert, Dr. Shaheed expressed his conviction that antisemitism is not a problem for the Jewish community alone, but that it "threatens all people's human rights" and is "toxic to democracy." In June 2021, Dr. Shaheed had pledged in his remarks to AJC's Global Forum that he would present an action plan on combating antisemitism to the UN before his mandate ends later this year. In the plan Dr. Shaheed expresses alarm at reports that antisemitic attacks and incidents were recorded at record-high levels in many countries in 2021, that antisemitic discourse has become increasingly normalized, and that despite many important measures taken by countries and international organizations to combat antisemitism since 2019, the phenomenon has become even more pervasive. Yet, at the same time, "in many countries, a lack of awareness of what antisemitism is, and particularly its contemporary manifestations, remains widespread," he writes. The plan notes "a substantial increase in the prevalence of and public engagement with antisemitic content on several online platforms since 2019," and, importantly, points out that the efforts platforms have taken to diminish its visibility "have thus far not been sufficient to stem its spread." Participants in an expert consultation convened in late 2019 by the Special Rapporteur in cooperation with AJC's Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights informed his findings and recommendations for future action. Dr. Shaheed's Action Plan, following on his 2019 report, sets out eight areas in which renewed attention and action to combat antisemitism is essential. He calls on governments to ensure that all people in their societies can recognize antisemitism. He reiterates his 2019 recommendation that governments should use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism "as a non-legally binding educational and training tool and ensure it is incorporated...into training and educational materials for all public officials, such as police, prosecutors, and judges, government employees, educators, and national human rights institutions, and integrated into diversity and inclusion programs." He calls on every government, including in countries where no Jewish communities reside, to adopt a national action plan to combat antisemitism. Governments are encouraged to step up their efforts to monitor, record, and publish data on antisemitic hate crimes and incidents. Social media companies are urged to take a range of actions to prohibit and remove antisemitic content and Holocaust distortion and denial on their platforms. "Today, we once again applaud Dr. Shaheed for his conviction and commitment to ensure attention remains focused on the need to combat rising global antisemitism," said Gaer. "His action plan on antisemitism should guide all stakeholders, from governments, to companies, to UN experts and officials concerned with promoting human rights and ensuring equality, as they seek to make good on their commitments to address an issue with serious implications for the human rights of Jews, and the human rights of all people." SOURCE American Jewish Committee WASHINGTON, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Veterans Honor Fund, a nationwide veteran-focused grassroots organization, has just released their new 2022 Voter Guide ahead of the upcoming Midterm Elections. As many state primaries have just concluded, focus will now turn to the next round of local, state, and federal elections that will collectively decide the direction of our country. This free guide will touch on subjects important to military veterans and civilians that believe in restoring trust in our government and our representatives. The 2022 American Veterans Honor Fund Voter Guide includes sections on electing veterans, issues such as the 2nd Amendment and ongoing international threats to our country, veteran participation in elections, and how to register to vote. The mission of American Veterans Honor Fund is to support those who've sacrificed and defended our Nation's sovereignty and the freedom of the individuals who live here. We provide training, technology, and an experienced network of contacts, experts, and professionals dedicated to preparing our Veterans to serve in an elected capacity at the state and local levels of government. We need to come together to support and vote in as many Veteran candidates running for elected office as possible. Our Veterans have the opportunity and tools to fight against the corruption and mismanagement of our government from within- but they need our help and our votes. Our 2022 Voter Guide is a free resource offered to help elect Veteran candidates and bring honor back to our political system. To download the 2022 Voter Guide, click here: bit.ly/2022-vets-vote The American Veterans Honor Fund is a national political organization organized under Section 527 of the IRS Tax Code. Contributions are not tax deductible. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. SOURCE American Veterans Honor Fund Gaming community to connect with Antonline and influencer Tygarlily in-person at leading animation, anime, gaming, and comic convention in Atlanta ATLANTA, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Antonline, America's premier online reseller of cutting-edge computer technology and consumer electronics, today announced that it is attending and participating in the 2022 MomoCon Convention in Atlanta, GA, from May 26-29. MomoCon is a culture convention trade show held every year in Atlanta, GA. The convention brings together fans of Japanese anime, American animation, comics, video games, and tabletop games to celebrate their passion through cosplay, browsing the vast exhibitor's hall, meeting celebrity voice talent, designers, and writers behind their favorite shows, games, and comics and much more over the four-day event. Antonline will be onsite all four days in collaboration with Skullz Inc. Antonline's booth will be located in the B3 hall, West Wall of the B hall, in the esports area near the Skullz Inc. exhibit. The company will host live giveaways at 3 p.m. EDT daily with premium prizes and tech from brands like Intel, Playstation, and Xbox. Fans will also have the opportunity to meet, photograph, and receive signatures from Antoline's in-house influencer and Twitch Streamer, Tygarlily. "We are very excited to participate in MomoCon this year and connect with the gaming community in-person," said Cat Comerford, Chief Merchandising Officer at Antonline. "This year, we'll have a gaming lounge set up at our booth for gamers, fans, and other attendees to enjoy and play several new, exclusive PS5 games." For more information about Antonline's cutting-edge gaming and computer technology or career opportunities in Atlanta, please visit www.antonline.com or contact the team via email at [email protected] to set up a meeting onsite. About Antonline Founded in 1994 and based in Atlanta, Georgia, Antonline is America's premier online reseller of cutting-edge gaming and computer technology. Antonline is proud to partner with and offer exclusive offers from Microsoft, Sony, HP, Lenovo, MSI, Dell, and other industry leading manufacturers. To learn more, visit www.antonline.com. MEDIA CONTACT INFO: Interdependence PR for Antonline, Laura Waldron [email protected]; 949-777-2485 SOURCE Antonline SHANGHAI, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Asieris Pharmaceuticals (688176.SH), a global innovative biopharma company specializing in discovering and developing innovative drugs for the treatment of genitourinary tumors and other major diseases announced that ANTICIPATE Study will be presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting (3-7 June) in Chicago. This is a study of oral APL-1202 in combination with BeiGene's tislelizumab compared to tislelizumab alone as NAC in patients with MIBC. Bladder cancer is the 10th most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, with approximately 573,000 new cases and 213,000 deaths annually[1]; of these, muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) represents approximately 20% of newly diagnosed cases [2]. The recommended standard of care for MIBC is radical cystectomy (RC) with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection, preceded by the administration of NAC in patients who are eligible to receive cisplatin[3]. However, approximately 50% of the patients are cisplatin-ineligible because of pre-existing contraindications, and some refuse to receive any chemotherapy[4,5]. APL-1202 is a reversible and orally available MetAP2 inhibitor with anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor activities[6,7]. Synergistic effects of APL-1202 and tislelizumab have been shown in various model systems of cancer including bladder cancer[8,9]. The presented protocol is an open-label, multi-center Phase I/II clinical study with the following objectives: evaluate the safety in MIBC patients; determine the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D), and to assess efficacy as neoadjuvant therapy for MIBC. The investigational new drug (IND) application has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)in June 2021(NCT04813107) and by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of the National Medical Products Administration of China in October 2021.The world's first patient dose was administered in January this year. [1] Sung H, et al. CA Cancer J Clin 2021; 71: 209-49. [2] Patel VG, et al. CA Cancer J Clin 2020; 70: 404-23. [3] Alfred Witjes J, et al. Eur Urol 2017; 71: 462-75. [4] Galsky MD, et al. J Clin Oncol 2011; 29: 2432-8. [5] Burger M, et al. Eur Urol 2012; 61: 1070-1. [6] Shim JS, et al. J Natl Cancer Inst 2010; 102: 1855-73. [7] Sfakianos J, et al. ASCO 2020. [8] Xu N, et al. Int J Biol Sci 2019; 15: 919-28. [9] Xu N, et al. J Cancer 2020; 11: 6633-41. About Asieris Asieris Pharmaceuticals (688176.SH), founded in March 2010, is a global innovative pharma company specializing in new drugs for the treatment of genitourinary tumors and other major diseases. We strive to improve human health and help people live a more dignified life. We aim to become a global pharma leader that integrates R&D, manufacturing and commercialization in our areas of focus, as we provide best-in-class integrated diagnosis and treatment solutions for patients in China and worldwide. The company has been developing its proprietary R&D platform and core technologies, exploring new mechanisms of action, and efficiently screening and evaluating drug candidates. With a well-established in-house R&D system and expertise in global drug development, Asieris is committed to launching first-in-class drugs and other innovative products to address huge unmet needs in its areas of focus. Asieris is also enhancing its pipeline for genitourinary diseases via proprietary R&D and strategic partnerships, while closely following cutting-edge technologies and therapeutics. The company strives to discover and identify unmet medical needs, and adopts a forward-looking approach in product planning and life-cycle management. We aim to establish an outstanding portfolio that covers diagnosis and treatment in a bid to benefit more patients in China and globally. SOURCE Asieris LONDON, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Smart Lock Market Value is expected to record a valuation of USD 4351.3 Million by 2027, Registering to Accelerate at a 13.2% CAGR, According to the most recent study by Brandessence Market Research & Consulting Pvt Ltd. The Global Smart Lock Market size was Valued at USD 1826.8 Million in 2020. Smart Lock Market Size, Share, Features, Companies & Trends Analysis Report By Lock Type (Deadbolts, Lever Handles, Padlocks, Footplate Locks, Rim Latch, Wall Mounted Locks), By Technology (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Other), By End-User (Commercial, Residential Sectors, Enterprises, Government Institutions, Research Labs, Other) Based On Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2028 Increasing penetration of smartphones, rise in the number of criminal cases, and growing emergence of smart technologies such as 5G, Wi-Fi are anticipated to drive the growth of the Global Smart Lock Market. Get Sample of Report @ https://brandessenceresearch.com/requestSample/PostId/196 The major companies which are at the top in the Smart Lock market are: The smart lock market is a fragmented, innovative, and competitive landscape. The increased manufacturing of smart locks globally, with low barriers to entry, thanks to limited investments in high-tech technology remain promising drivers of growth. The relatively low to medium investments in costs also open doors to new opportunities through collaborations, and acquisitions. Key players in the market continue to focus on integrated lock systems with features to complement technologies like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and IoT advancements like smart homes. Some key players in the global smart home market are Allegion (Ireland), Salto Systems (Spain), Spectrum Brands (US), Cansec Systems (Canada), Onity (US), and Master Lock (US) among others. Assa Abloy AB Samsung Group Dorma+Kaba Holding AG Carrier Global Fortune Brands Home & Security MIWA Lock Co. SALTO Systems, S.L. SentriLock, LLC Smart Lock Market: Scope of Report: Smart locks are electromechanical lock which embeds authorization via wireless or Bluetooth protocols. The authorization process involves a cryptographic key to execute the authorization process. These devices are useful for a wide range of application apart from basic security to homes, similar to conventional locks. The additional applications include offering remote access to homes via apps, connect to home security to engage in real-time monitoring, automatically opening locks via Bluetooth as homeowner approaches the door, multiple keyless entry options including custom code numbers for guest entries, and auto locking when people forget to latch. Apart from these, smart locks can also send smart alerts to homeowners as text messages; integrate with smart homes to offer additional features like automatic lighting when homeowner approaches, and syncing smart locks-door bells with video footage for security purposes. New technology in smart locks enable up gradation of conventional locks like deadbolts into smart locks. These smart locks are cheaper to upgrade, and offer most lucrative features like smartphone alerts when a door is improperly latched, or someone tries to open the door. The machinery of smart lock is similar to traditional locks, wherein a lock, and key is essential. However, in case of smart locks, the key is digital. Smart lock Market: Key Drivers The growing demand for smart locks in commercial premises for higher security, more connectivity, and convenience promise tremendous growth for smart locks. Smart locks are seen as a great alternative to traditional problems like letting guests in during emergencies, getting alerts when someone enters your property, getting video connectivity to monitor property in real-time. The smart locks also remain a major convenience for homeowners who wish to let guests, security and house help-in during odd hours. The growing demand for smart homes, increased appeal of digital connectivity, and growing status as a symbol of affluence remain key drivers of growth for the smart lock market. Get Methodology @ https://brandessenceresearch.com/requestMethodology/PostId/196 Smart Lock Market Key Trends: A recent study by Columbia University points to a growing willingness to the idea of a smart home among consumers. The technology like smart locks seemed promising to most, and over 35% voted smart features as necessity for availing a new security lock. The other features most noted in the survey included security, durability, design and style of the locks, and ease of installation among others. Thanks to the convenience of smart lock systems, increasingly these systems are used in commercial refrigerators, furniture items in stores, and even schools. The locks are ideally designed so only insiders get to know a code, which can open a utility item like a refrigerator in a commercial lobby. The advancement in wireless technology have reached a new peak with sensor-based lock technology. New digital locks in the market use knock-based sensors, which can open a lock depending on the number, and type of knock they sense. These locks are ideal for homeowners, who live in guarded areas, and require a familiar and personalized touch to their lock systems. Increasing advancements in RFID has increased the security quotient for smart locks. RFID tagged technology today can be seen in hospitals, wherein access to special areas is restricted for visitors. Similarly, entry with authorized cars also offers an easy way for staff members to enter restricted areas. Growing internet connectivity, increased advancements like IoT, and growing demand for convenient locking mechanisms in commercial properties remain a key driver of growth in the smart lock market. Biometric locks remain most popular for ordinary and regular needs of commercial offices, and individuals alike. These locks are popular as they are a must-addition to the simple, and convenient locking mechanisms. A high-tech biometric lock can provide a personalized way to engage in safety, and security for children, and elder people alike. The high repair costs for digital or smart locks remains its biggest restraint to adoption. The appeal of smart locks continues to grow in new regions like Asia Pacific, wherein limited technical know-how among elderly and high-costs of repair remain key barriers to growth. Reginal Analysis: The smart lock market report is divided into various categories including North America, Europe, Asia pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Among these, the smart lock market in North America is expected to occupy largest share of total revenues in the global landscape. The North America remains a key region to growth, thanks to growing appeal of smart technologies in this region including smart homes, IoT devices, due to tremendous awareness. Moreover, the region also promises robust adoption, thanks to increased advancements enabling up gradation of conventional locks into digital locks. The growing demand for smart locks with advancements like RFID technology, and biosecurity in commercial spaces also remains a major promise for growth in the North America region. The Asia pacific also promises the fastest pace of adoption for smart locks market during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is home to a large population. The large young, and techno-savvy population, with tremendous positive attitude towards adoption of technology promises a robust growth of smart locks in the region. On Special Requirement Smart Lock 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/consumer-goods/global-smart-locks-market-2018-2024 Related Reports At Bellow: 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, changing 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: Data Storage 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 FAIRFAX, Va., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Azure Summit Technology, provider of high-performance RF electronics hardware, firmware, software and systems for the Department of Defense, announced today that it has been awarded a $697,400,000 single-award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract under the Navy's Ship's Signal Exploitation Equipment (SSEE) Transition Production program. The competitively awarded contract has a five-year ordering period starting on 12 November 2021. Under this award, Azure will support full rate production, deployment, and operational support for the Navy's SSEE Increment F (Inc F) and SSEE Modification (Mods) systems. The contract also provides for the production and delivery of SSEE system variants to support customers outside of the Department of Defense, including the United States Coast Guard and Foreign Military Sales. Concurrent with the award of the IDIQ contract, Azure was also awarded the first SSEE Transition Production delivery order. Through this first delivery order, Azure will deliver Tactical Cryptologic Systems to the Navy. The total value of the first delivery order is $47,070,191. "Azure is leveraging the advanced, SOSA aligned VPX open architecture solution that we have developed for the Navy to deliver scalable, upgradable, high-performance SSEE systems for the SSEE Transition Production program. Our approach employs a common architecture with improved maintainability across all SSEE Family of System (FoS) variants, providing multiple life-cycle logistics benefits for the Fleet. We look forward to working with the Navy to deliver this mission critical capability to the Warfighter." stated Azure Summit Technology President and CEO, Dr. Thomas Green. Azure also manufactures the Switchblade family of Intelligent RF Transceivers, including the SOSA aligned 3U VPX Switchblade Transceiver. The Switchblade product family provides modular, open architecture, high performance multi-channel RF capability with low cost and SWaP. It includes fully integrated RF, digital and on-board computing resources in form factors well-suited to the full range of manned and unmanned air, surface, and subsurface platforms. Azure Summit Technology, a mature, growing small business with locations in Fairfax, Virginia, and Melbourne, Florida, develops and delivers high-performance RF hardware, firmware, and software products, and innovative, practical, multifunction RF systems solutions that address emerging missions of national importance for customers across the Department of Defense. For more information, please contact Dr. Thomas Green at (571) 308-1402 or visit www.azuresummit.com. SOURCE Azure Summit Technology Roanoke Island is centrally located between the North Carolina mainland, the Northern Beaches and Hatteras Island , surrounded by the waters of Croatan and Roanoke Sounds, with the Atlantic Ocean just a few miles away. Manteo distinguishes itself as a community filled with bed and breakfasts and coastal inns for intimate accommodations and premium guest services. The gorgeous salt marsh landscape is punctuated by the perpetual evening glow of the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse assisting sailboats of all sizes as they venture off the Intracoastal Waterway in search of seaside adventure. As a nod to the Outer Banks' colonial past, the 16 th century replica sailing ship Elizabeth II watches over the harbor and invites fans of history to learn about the earliest Atlantic Ocean crossings from her berth at Roanoke Island Festival Park. On summer nights, enjoy live theater under the stars at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site as The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama continues an 85-year legacy of depicting our nation's first trials and triumphs. Along with the island's history of early European settlers, we also have an incredible African American heritage, where Black pioneers of personal freedom came to Roanoke Island during the Civil War. You can be inspired by the Freedmen's Colony story and other contemporary narratives at cultural sites around Manteo. Pea Island Lifesaving Station, later a part of the US Coast Guard, was the first station manned exclusively by an African American crew beginning in the late 1800's. The restored Pea Island Cookhouse Museum preserves the history of the station and the heroic deeds of the brave men who served there. "Roanoke Island has so many interesting layers of history that are completely unexpected," explains Nettles. "For example, we have the oldest living cultivated grapevine in America, the Mother Vine, in our community. At 400-plus years old, it looks like it grew right out of a fairy tale." "Visitors come for the outdoors, the coastal charm and quiet calm of the waterside wilderness that is within easy reach year-round. You head in one direction out of Manteo and you've got Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and its hundreds of bird species sightings, and in the other direction you have Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge with kayaking excursions, tram tours and a huge black bear population. That's not your average beach trip!" Taste seekers can drop a virtual pin in Manteo for a variety of original, chef-owned restaurants featuring locally sourced seafood and a range of other fare from fine dining to street food. Imbibe crisp cocktails featuring our local rum distillery spirits or down taphouse brewed small batch beers to toast the occasion of your discovery of the Outer Banks. OuterBanks.org About The Outer Banks The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau is a public authority and the lead marketing and promotional agency for Dare County's Outer Banks, a 100 mile stretch of barrier islands off the North Carolina coast. OuterBanks.org Media Contact: Aaron Tuell, Public Relations Outer Banks Visitors Bureau 252.473.2138 office [email protected] SOURCE Outer Banks Visitors Bureau TALLIN, Estonia, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The rapid growth of the cryptocurrency industry has attracted many around the world, interested in buying and selling these digital tokens. However, not enough viable solutions exist, and those that do can be found mainly online. With that in mind, it is vital for anyone interested in exchanging fiat to crypto and vice versa to choose a reliable service provider. In that sense, it is important to note that Bitnomics , a reputed name in the cryptocurrency exchange sector, has recently announced an upgrade conducted to its exchange platform. "This industry is still taking its first steps, and naturally it is ever evolving and expanding," remarked Erik Ringmaa, spokesperson for Bitnomics. "That's why we, as a leader in the field, must constantly find ways to improve and reinvent ourselves, for the sake of the valued clients who use our services. We perform these upgrades on a regular basis, so as to always be one step ahead of the rest. We will continue sticking to this approach in the future as well, and that's a guarantee." Tomorrow's tech, today Today's crypto exchange platform needs to be swift, secure, and most importantly user friendly. It seems that Bitnomics has found a way to meet these demands, and to keep improving the interface offered to clients, time and time again. "It is no secret that we work tirelessly, leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to offer nothing but the most optimal crypto exchange experience to our users," added Erik. "That's why many from around the world have already chosen to trust us with their funds. I want to emphasize that we do not take this trust for granted, and we will keep doing everything in our power to provide the highest standard of service." About Bitnomics Licensed to operate by the Estonian authority, Bitnomics has gained global popularity quickly, mainly thanks to the speed and simplicity it presents. Users of this platform can currently buy and sell both Bitcoin and Ethereum, with a credit card, at attractive rates. Multiple fiat currencies are accepted, making the exchange comfortable for people all around the world. The brand's support team is standing ready to assist customers with any issue, and can be contacted via phone, email, direct messaging and various social media platforms. For more information, users are invited to visit bitnomics.co . SOURCE Bitnomics OSLO, Norway, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Borr Drilling Limited (NYSE and OSE: BORR) plans to release its financial results for the first quarter 2022 on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. A conference call and webcast is scheduled for 15:00 CET (9:00 AM New York Time) and participants are encouraged to dial in 10 minutes before the start of the call. The earnings report and presentation will be available from the Investor Relations section on www.borrdrilling.com. In order to listen to the presentation, you may do one of the following: a) Webcast Please use the following link: www.incommuk.com/customers/online with access code: 690053 b) Conference Call Dial in details, Participants: Conference ID: 690053 United Kingdom 020 3936 2999 United States 1 646 664 1960 All other locations +44 20 3936 2999 Participants will be asked for their full name & Conference ID. There will be a Q&A session after the presentation. Information on how to ask questions will be given at the beginning of the Q&A session. Replay details: Replay Access Number: 222656 A recording will be available until Tuesday 28 June, 2022, on the company's website at the "Webcast" link, or by using the following link: https://ige.netroadshow.com/replay/7931/borr-drilling-limited-q1-2022-results-presentation/ CONTACT: Questions should be directed to: Magnus Vaaler, CFO, +44 1224 289208 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/borr-drilling-limited/r/borr-drilling-limited---invitation-to-webcast-and-conference-call-q1-2022-results,c3575516 SOURCE Borr Drilling Limited This market research report extensively covers Building Information Modeling Software Market by the following: Product - Software and services The software segment's share of the building information modeling software market will expand significantly. BIM software streamlines the construction process by allowing for more efficient planning, design, construction, and management of structures and infrastructure. To offer high-quality work, contractors require an effective management solution. As a result, the implementation of BIM software allows contractors to boost the profitability and efficiency of their projects. Geography - North America , Europe , APAC, Middle East and Africa , and South America APAC will account for 34% of the market's growth. In APAC, the primary markets for building information modeling software are Japan and China . The market in this region will increase at a quicker rate than the market in other regions. Over the forecast period, the growing construction of commercial and industrial buildings will aid the expansion of the building information modeling software market in APAC. Get more insights into this market's growth with a detailed analysis of the top regions, View our Sample Report! Building Information Modeling Software Market Dynamics Market Driver The growing demand for large-scale project management is one of the primary factors driving the rise of building information modeling software. The major goal of BIM solutions is to automate procedures to achieve maximum outputs by managing resources and following up regularly. Automating the latest sales leads to easier notification of salespeople, resulting in reduced workloads. As a result, automation boosts overall productivity by increasing sales. During the projected period, these advantages will propel the expansion of the building information modeling software market. Market Trend The rise of 5D BIM is one of the important building information modeling software industry trends that is propelling market expansion. 3D BIM-based construction projects do not provide a platform for the integration of time and cost concerns. As a result, 5D BIM was born, which takes into account more dimensions. The 5D BIM enables real-time cost estimation and comparison with the desired cost. During the projected period, the benefits of 5D BIM will push the growth of the building information modeling software market. Market Challenge The high implementation and operation expenses are one of the obstacles hindering the growth of the building information modeling software industry. BIM solutions are complicated, and they must be used by qualified people. As a result, the significant training costs associated with these systems limit BIM software adoption. To aid implementation, a design or configuration tool frequently conducts tests. These add-on services add up to the cost of the product. Our reports cover all the major factor that drives a market along with the challenges. To get a detailed understanding of the market trend, Click here to BUY now! Building Information Modeling Software Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 20.12% Market growth 2022-2026 $ 18.05 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 13.64 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 34% Key consumer countries US, Japan, China, UK, and France Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled 4M SA Advanced Software Engineering Systems, ABB Ltd., ACCA software Spa, AECOM, Asite Solutions Ltd., Autodesk Inc., AVEVA Group Plc, Bentley Systems Inc., Cadsoft Corp., Dassault Systemes SE, GRAITEC Innovation SAS, Hexagon AB, Nemetschek SE, Pinnacle Infotech Inc., Planner, Planon Shared Services BV, Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, The Beck Group, and Trimble Inc. 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. Building Information Modeling Software Market Segmentation Product Software Services Geography North America Europe APAC Middle East And Africa South America Download Sample Report: to know additional highlights and key points on various market segments and their impact in coming years. Building Information Modeling Software Market Vendor The growing competition in the market is compelling vendors to adopt various growth strategies such as promotional activities and spending on advertisements to improve the visibility of their services. Some vendors are also adopting inorganic growth strategies such as M&As to remain competitive in the market. The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including: 4M SA Advanced Software Engineering Systems SA Advanced Software Engineering Systems ABB Ltd. ACCA software Spa AECOM Asite Solutions Ltd. Autodesk Inc. AVEVA Group Plc Bentley Systems Inc. Cadsoft Corp. Dassault Systemes SE GRAITEC Innovation SAS Hexagon AB Find out the top market vendors, their competition and how they excel in the Building Information Modeling Software Market in our latest Sample Report. Download our Detailed Sample Report. Product Insights and News Asite Solutions Ltd. - The company offers building information modeling such as BIM Escalator which provides designers, engineers, and contractors a set of BIM and CAD tools. - The company offers building information modeling such as BIM Escalator which provides designers, engineers, and contractors a set of BIM and CAD tools. Autodesk Inc. - The company offers building information modeling such as AEC Collection which provides designers, engineers, and contractors a set of BIM and CAD tools supported by a cloud-based common data environment that facilitates project delivery from early-stage design through to construction. - The company offers building information modeling such as AEC Collection which provides designers, engineers, and contractors a set of BIM and CAD tools supported by a cloud-based common data environment that facilitates project delivery from early-stage design through to construction. AVEVA Group Plc - The company offers building information modeling such as AVEVA Bocad which provides class-leading productivity in structural steelwork, enabling consistently rapid, high-quality design, fabrication, and construction, for on-time, on budget delivery of a high-quality project. Do reach out to our analysts for more customized reports as per your requirements. Speak to our Analyst now! Related Reports Voice Commerce Market - The enhanced purchasing convenience is notably driving the voice commerce market growth. Download our Exclusive Reports Now! AI Image Recognition Market - The advances in the medical imaging field is notably driving the AI image recognition market growth. Download our Exclusive Reports Now! 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 Software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 28: Chart on Software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 29: Data Table on Software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 30: Chart on Software - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 31: Data Table on Software - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.4 Services - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 32: Chart on Services - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 33: Data Table on Services - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 34: Chart on Services - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 35: Data Table on Services - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 5.5 Market opportunity by Product Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Product ($ million) 6. Customer landscape Technavio's customer landscape matrix comparing Drivers or price sensitivity, Adoption lifecycle, importance in customer price basket, Adoption rate and Key purchase criteria 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 Exhibit 42: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 43: Data Table on North America- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 44: Chart on North America- 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 Exhibit 46: Chart on Europe- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 47: Data Table on Europe- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 48: Chart on Europe- 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 Exhibit 54: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 55: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 56: Chart on Middle East and Africa - 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 Exhibit 58: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 59: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 60: Chart on South America - 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 Japan- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on Japan- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 67: Data Table on Japan- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 68: Chart on Japan- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 69: Data Table on Japan- 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 China- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on China- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 75: Data Table on China- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 76: Chart on China- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) Exhibit 77: Data Table on China- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%) 7.12 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 79: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million) Exhibit 80: Chart on France - 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 8.1.1 Increasing requirements for large-scale project management 8.1.2 Reduction in design time 8.1.3 Growth of the global construction market 8.2 Market challenges 8.2.1 High implementation and operating costs 8.2.2 Challenges from open-source platforms 8.2.3 Interoperability issues 8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges Exhibit 83: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026 8.4 Market trends 8.4.1 Growth of 5D BIM 8.4.2 Increased adoption of open BIM 8.4.3 Increasing investment in intelligent processing 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 Asite Solutions Ltd. Exhibit 89: Asite Solutions Ltd. - Overview Exhibit 90: Asite Solutions Ltd. - Product / Service Exhibit 91: Asite Solutions Ltd. - Key offerings About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio MIAMI, Fla., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Cansortium Inc. (CSE: TIUM.U) (OTCQX: CNTMF) ("Cansortium" or the "Company"), a vertically-integrated cannabis company operating under the Fluent brand, is providing a bi-weekly default status report in accordance with National Policy 12-203 Management Cease Trade Orders ("NP 12-203"). On May 2, 2022, the Company announced that it applied for a management cease trade order ("MCTO") with the Ontario Securities Commission ("OSC") in connection with the delay in filing of its audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2021, and related management discussion and analysis and CEO and CFO certificates (collectively, the "Annual Filings") by the prescribed filing deadline (the "Original Announcement"). The MCTO was issued on May 9, 2022 and restricts its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer from trading in securities of the Company, whether direct or indirect, so long as there are filings that are outstanding under Ontario securities laws. The MCTO does not affect the ability of other shareholders, including the public, to trade in securities of the Company. As previously stated in the Company's press releases dated May 9, 2022 and May 19, 2022, the Company will be delayed in filing the Annual Filings. The Company's management continues to work diligently to complete the Annual Filings, and at this time, the Company anticipates, but cannot assure, that the Annual Filings will be filed by June 8, 2022. The Company also announces that the filing of its unaudited interim financial statements, management's discussion and analysis and related CEO and CFO certifications for the three-months ended March 31, 2022 (the "Interim Filings", and together with the Annual Filings, the "Required Documents"), will be delayed beyond the filing deadline of May 30, 2022 as a result in the delay in completing the Annual Filings. The Company expects the Interim Filings to be filed concurrently with the Annual Filings on June 8, 2022. The MCTO will remain in effect until two full business days following the receipt by the OSC of all filings the Company is required to make under Ontario securities law (including the Required Documents). The Company confirms that since the date of the Original Announcement: (i) other than as described above, there has been no material change to the information set out in the Original Announcement that has not been generally disclosed; (ii) there has been no failure by the Company in fulfilling its stated intentions with respect to satisfying the provisions of the alternative information guidelines set out in NP 12-203; (iii) there has not been any other specified default by the Company under NP 12-203; and (iv) there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company that has not been generally disclosed. The Company confirms it will continue to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines set out in NP 12-203 so long as it remains in default of the requirement to file the Required Documents. About Cansortium Inc. Cansortium is a vertically-integrated cannabis company with licenses and operations in Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Texas. The Company operates under the Fluent brand and is dedicated to being one of the highest quality cannabis companies for the communities it serves. This is driven by Cansortium's unrelenting commitment to operational excellence in cultivation, production, distribution and retail. The Company is headquartered in Miami, Florida. Cansortium Inc.'s common shares trade on the CSE under the symbol "TIUM.U" and on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol "CNTMF". For more information about the Company, please visit www.getfluent.com. Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "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", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates, and projections regarding future events. Some of the forward-looking information contained in this press release include the duration of the MCTO and the Company's ability to complete the Required Documents and continue to satisfy the information guidelines set out in NP 12-203. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the actual filing time of the Required Documents to be materially different from the estimated future filing time or prevent us from complying with the requirements of NP 12-203 and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Company Contact Robert Beasley, CEO (850) 972-8077 investors.getfluent.com Investor Relations Contact Sean Mansouri, CFA Elevate IR (720) 330-2829 [email protected] SOURCE Cansortium Inc ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- University Headquarters (UHQ) has become a trusted authoritative academic resource and has developed a variety of information and resources for education to both students and professionals. Coastline College was ranked 5th among California's top community colleges that offer online degrees by UHQ. The UHQ website provides users an objective academic ranking and the opportunity to see how their education will affect them in the long term for better educational outcomes. The website also lets users explore various degrees and professional programs and discover what careers pathways that appeal to them. The UHQ ranking system considers the accreditation of colleges and universities, among other factors. Coastline College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) which is a part of Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Accreditation is a necessity that should be considered by students and professionals at every level of education. Their research analyzes college admission rates, tuition costs, degrees offered, retention rates, and graduation rates which are calculated and compared by UHQ. As a public institution, Coastline College offers in-state students lower tuition costs in comparison to private colleges. It costs $1,170 per year to attend Coastline College from within the state, and that is before financial aid is applied. Students from out-of-state pay an average of $8,000 per year. Even with all fees, living expenses, and textbooks, the average net price of an undergraduate degree from this school is just $9,100. All the resources students need to succeed are available to those who are ready to engage in their education. While the Covid-19 global pandemic disrupted the U.S. education system and compelled schools and colleges transitioning to online learning, Coastline College, had already been providing for 45 years a high-quality flexible education to students with advanced distance learning options. Their experience in providing online education is unparalleled and has positioned them to be ready for the nation-wide changes that took place. Coastline College is one of the nation's most innovative institutions, offers 100% online and site-based AA degrees, military education, corporate training as well as professional training and certification programs that facilitate students to become career-ready for jobs in today's workforce. Whether you are an adult learner wanting to improve your future, a veteran ready to transition into the corporate world, or a recent high school graduate, Coastline is committed to academic excellence and student success. About Coastline College: Coastline College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. For eight consecutive years, Coastline College was selected as one of the top 150 colleges by The Aspen Institute for Community College Excellence which is considered the most prestigious designation for community colleges. Coastline delivers flexible courses and services that cultivate and guide diverse student populations across the globe to complete pathways leading to the attainment of associate degrees, certificates, career readiness, and transfer to four-year colleges/universities. Coastline currently offers more than 250 online and other distance education courses. CONTACT: Dawn Willson, [email protected], 714-241-6186 SOURCE Coastline College "We are happy to unite New Yorkers and our visitors with once-in-a-lifetime experiences at the World's Most Famous Building," said Jean-Yves Ghazi, president of the Empire State Building Observatory. "Now, our guests can come face-to-face with one of television's most iconic monsters on our 86 th Floor Observatory." ESB in the Upside Down On Thursday, May 26 , the ESB's south side transformed into a portal into the Upside Down. On , the ESB's south side transformed into a portal into the Upside Down. Cast Visit - That morning, "Stranger Things" cast members Noah Schnapp , Gaten Matarazzo , Cara Buono , and Priah Ferguson visited the Empire State Building for a photo opportunity at the Observatory Experience. - That morning, "Stranger Things" cast members , , , and Priah Ferguson visited the Empire State Building for a photo opportunity at the Observatory Experience. Face the Monster Fans now have the chance to pose with a life-size Demogorgon on the building's 86th Floor Observatory as he peers out over New York City . The Demogorgon will remain within the Observatory Experience through July. These special experiences for fans were in partnership with Netflix and advertising agency Giant Spoon . The Empire State Building Observatory Experience recently underwent a top-to-bottom reimagination that added a dedicated guest entrance, a digital and tactile museum that celebrates the icon from the moment it was conceived to its current place in pop culture, and a completely re-imagined 102nd Floor Observatory. More information about the Empire State Building and its Observatory Experience can be found at www.esbnyc.com . Hi-res imagery of the Empire State Building's tower lights and cast visit can be downloaded here. About the Empire State Building The Empire State Building , the "World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust , Inc. (NYSE: ESRT), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop-culture. Learn more at www.esbnyc.com . Declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, as well as the world's most popular travel destination by Uber and the #1 New York City attraction by Lonely Planet, it welcomes more than 4 million annual visitors from around the world. Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors primarily house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , Weibo , YouTube , or TikTok . SOURCE Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. World first clinical data of EO2401, Enterome's first-in-class off-the-shelf OncoMimics therapeutic cancer vaccine, to be presented PARIS, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterome, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class immunomodulatory drugs based on its bacterial Mimicry drug discovery platform, today announced the publication of three abstracts related to its OncoMimcs pipeline, including EO2401, its first-in-class off-the-shelf OncoMimics cancer immunotherapy, ahead of poster presentations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, taking place June 3-7, 2022 in Chicago and virtually. Enterome will present clinical proof-of-concept data from its most advanced OncoMimics drug candidate, EO2401, a therapeutic cancer vaccine candidate currently in clinical development for the treatment of patients with first progression/recurrence of glioblastoma (ROSALIE trial, EOGBM1-18) and for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma, or malignant pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (SPENCER trial, EOADR1-19). A third poster describing the Phase 1/2 trial (SIDNEY, EONHL1-20) with Enterome's second OncoMimics vaccine, EO2463, in non-Hodgkin lymphoma will also be presented at ASCO. Details of the poster presentations and session are as follows: ROSALIE Trial (EOGBM1-18) Title : EO2401, a novel microbiome-derived therapeutic vaccine for patients with recurrent glioblastoma : Track : Central Nervous System Tumors : Central Nervous System Tumors Abstract number : #2034 : #2034 Date and Time : Sunday, June 5 , 8:00 AM-11:00 AM CDT : , Presenter : Professor Wolfgang Wick , Universitatsklinikum Heidelberg and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany : Professor , Universitatsklinikum Heidelberg and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Authors: Wick, W. et al SPENCER Trial (EOADR1-19) Title: EO2401, a novel microbiome-derived therapeutic vaccine for patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) Track : Genitourinary CancerKidney and Bladder : Genitourinary CancerKidney and Bladder Abstract number : #4596 : #4596 Date and Time: Saturday, June 4 , 1:15 PM-4:15 PM CDT , Presenter : Professor Vivek Subbiah , The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), Houston, TX : Professor , The MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), Authors: Baudin, E. et al SIDNEY Trial (EONHL1-20) Title : A novel microbial-derived peptide therapeutic vaccine (EO2463) as monotherapy and in combination with lenalidomide and rituximab, for treatment of patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma : Poster session: Hematologic Malignancies/Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Hematologic Malignancies/Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Poster number : #TPS7586 : #TPS7586 Date and Time: Saturday, June 4 , 8:00 -11:00 AM CDT , Authors: Zinzani, P.L et al More information on the ASCO 2022 Annual Meeting and related poster presentations can be found at www.asco.org Contacts ENTEROME MEDIA RELATIONS Marine Perrier Head of External Communications and Investor Relations [email protected] Sylvie Berrebi / Mark Swallow / David Dible MEDiSTRAVA Consulting Tel. +44 207 638 9571 [email protected] About OncoMimics Peptides OncoMimics peptides are gut microbiome-derived peptides that closely mimic antigens expressed by tumor cells. In contrast to tumor antigens, however, OncoMimics peptides are recognized by the immune system as "non-self" and can generate a strong human cytotoxic CD8+ response steming from memory T cells, offering enormous potential to create a new class of cancer vaccines targeting solid and liquid tumors. Enterome's pioneering work on its OncoMimics pipeline leverages the fundamental understanding that the gut is the largest lymphoid organ in the body and is home to most of its memory T-cells. As a result, there is constant interaction and presentation of peptides and proteins secreted by gut bacteria to the body's immune system, resulting in the formation of a pool of effector memory T cells protecting the human body against bacterial invasion. In the event that the bacterial antigens are mimics of tumor antigens, this process leads to the generation of circulating effector memory T cells with a preserved ability to recognize tumor antigens. About Enterome Enterome is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing breakthrough immunomodulatory drugs for the treatment of cancer and immune diseases. Enterome's pioneering approach to drug discovery is based on its unique and powerful molecular mimicry discovery platform allowing to uncover new biological insights from million of gut bacteria proteins in constant cross-talk with the human body. Enterome's potentially first-in-class small protein and peptide drug candidates modulate the immune system by closely mimicking the structure, effect or actions of specific antigens, hormones, or cytokines. Enterome is presently advancing two pipelines of drug candidates, OncoMimics and EndoMimics, which have the potential to address cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, respectively: OncoMimics peptides, a pipeline of therapeutic cancer vaccines. The lead candidate EO2401 is in Phase 1/2 clinical trials in patients with glioblastoma and adrenal tumors and has demonstrated first clinical proof-of-concept. A second OncoMimics candidate, EO2463 is in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for indolent non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Clinical proof-of-concept are expected in H1 2023. EO4010 is in development for colorectal cancer and targeted to enter clinic trials in 2023. EndoMimics peptides, a pipeline of next generation bioactives acting like human hormones or cytokines for the treatment of immune diseases. EB1010, the lead candidate, is a potent local inducer of IL-10 designed to provide improved therapeutic outcomes for patients with IBD. EB1010 is expected to enter the clinic in 2023 Enterome employs 65 people and is headquartered in Paris, France. Since its inception, the company has raised a total of 96 million from Europe- and US-based life science investors and more than 120 million from pharmaceutical partnerships. For more information, please visit the company's website at: www.enterome.com SOURCE Enterome Request a Free Sample Report to Know More Leading global suppliers can assist buyers in realizing high-cost savings through their efforts on areas such as forward integration, reducing total ownership cost, manage ad hoc spend, negotiate on pricing and contractual terms, conference participation, managing labor price volatility, level of automation, quality management, and reduction in ad-hoc spend. Collaborations with global suppliers will also help buyers in cost-saving and ensure high-quality procurement in the dynamic market. Financial Advisory and Consulting Services Market in India: Key Price Trends The pressure from substitutes and a high level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the moderate bargaining power of suppliers. This makes it extremely important to get the pricing and pricing model right. Buyers should align their preferred pricing models for Financial Advisory and Consulting Services with the wider industry and identify the cost-saving potential. Per-user licensing pricing, subscription-based pricing, and single-license plus service fee pricing are the most widely adopted pricing models in Financial Advisory and Consulting Services. Each pricing model offers optimum benefits and fitment in specific situations. Buyers should identify the model that suits their operations in the best manner and link supplier performance to the pricing models. The report also offers information on the upcoming trends and challenges that will influence market growth. www.spendedge.com/report/financial-advisory-and-consulting-services-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report Insights Offered in this Financial Advisory and Consulting Services Market Report Top Financial Advisory and Consulting Services suppliers and their cost structures Top Financial Advisory and Consulting Services suppliers in the US and their cost structures Financial Advisory and Consulting Services market spend analysis in the US Financial Advisory and Consulting Services price trends, and forecasts Cost drivers influencing the Financial Advisory and Consulting Services prices Some of the Top Financial Advisory and Consulting Services suppliers listed in this report: This Financial Advisory and Consulting Services procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. Deloitte KPMG International PricewaterhouseCoopers Know More About Major Financial Advisory and Consulting Services Suppliers Regional Analysis Further breakdown of the market segmentation at requested regions. Market Player Information Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players, vendor segmentation, and vendor offerings. Know the strategies adopted by vendors during the COVID-19 Recovery Phase. View Free Sample Report Best Selling Procurement Research Report : Fruits and Vegetable Processing Equipment - Forecast and Analysis : The fruits and vegetable processing equipment will grow at a CAGR of 5.52% during 2021-2025 . Click the above link for a free sample report. The fruits and vegetable processing equipment will grow at a . Click the above link for a free sample report. Amusement Park Construction Services Sourcing and Procurement Report : This report evaluates suppliers based on quality of services to ensure safety of drugs and medical devices, therapeutic expertise, reputation and level of experience, and global reach and capacity. This report evaluates suppliers based on quality of services to ensure safety of drugs and medical devices, therapeutic expertise, reputation and level of experience, and global reach and capacity. Waste Management Equipment- Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: This report evaluates suppliers based on warranties, low lifecycle costs, proximity to the buyers location, and manufacturing performance. The pressure from substitutes and a high level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the moderate bargaining power of suppliers. To access the definite purchasing guide on the Financial Advisory and Consulting Services that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis: Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Financial Advisory and Consulting Services 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? 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. Contact SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge PORTLAND, Ore., May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- June 1st July 9th, 2022 First Thursday June 2nd 5pm 8pm First Saturday June 4th 1pm 5pm Gallery Hours: Tuesday Saturday 11am to 5:30pm Ambivalence is Yoshihiro Kitai's fourth solo exhibition with Froelick Gallery and includes nine works on paper and canvas. The paintings flow with colorful Gansai pigment dots, and reflective gold leaf clouds are layered on top of Kitai's signature textured gessoed patterns. This exhibition draws upon Kitai's ongoing observations of American life through the lens of an immigrant. Although now, Kitai has spent half of his life outside of his native Japan, he expresses the difficulty in navigating what he believes are cultural norms. Kitai writes about Ambivalence, "My visual work is what I observe borderless energy that flows between groups, countries, and cultures. The cloud shapes in the sky reflect how the world is connected." Kitai's metallic clouds form interactions with radiating dot patterns, each single dot representing an individual person that together then become larger communities, taking the shapes of clouds themselves. The viewer seems to be observing the movement of these elements from a bird's eye view, "...a place from a non-disruptive and fair distance." (Kitai). These elegant examinations of societal and cultural structures ultimately pay homage to Japanese art traditions. Yoshihiro Kitai has been represented by Froelick Gallery since 2016. Kitai holds an MFA in Printmaking and Drawing from Washington University, St. Louis, MO and a BFA in Printmaking from Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland, OR. He is currently an associate professor in the printmaking department. His works are found in collections including Nomura Bank, London; The Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Salem, OR; Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR; The Multnomah County Court House, Portland, OR; The Montefiore Medical Center, The Bronx, NY. Please contact the gallery for reproduction quality images. CONTACT: Charles Froelick [email protected] 503.222.1142 714 NW Davis St, Portland, OR 97209 www.froelickgallery.com SOURCE Froelick Gallery DUBLIN, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market reached a value of US$ 75.1 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 105.4 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.60% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. An automotive electronic control unit (ECU) is embedded in vehicles to control electronic systems and subsystems. It also assists in collecting input from its sensors or other ECUs and relying on actuators to manage the functionalities of automobiles. Some of the commonly integrated automotive ECU are the powertrain control module (PCM), engine control module (ECM), parking aid module, transmission control module (TCM), skid control module, and seat belt control ECU. Automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Market Trends At present, there is a considerable rise in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) across the globe. This, in confluence with the thriving automotive industry, represents one of the key factors impelling the growth of the market. Moreover, automotive ECU comprises in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems that offer handset integration and head-up display for driver assistance, interior personalization, and cloud-based infotainment. It also enables users to customize their cars and infotainment systems with user experience data, music, apps, themes, and colors of their choice to enhance their driving experience. Besides this, governing authorities of numerous countries are mandating the incorporation of safety systems in a vehicle, including an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and adaptive front lighting system (AFS), to increase road safety. This, coupled with the increasing adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in vehicles to reduce vehicular accidents and fatalities, is escalating the demand for automotive ECU around the world. Furthermore, key players operating in the industry are focusing on product innovations to offer better services, which is positively influencing the market. Other factors, including technological advancements and rising safety concerns among the masses, are projected to stimulate the market growth in the upcoming years. Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Aptiv PLC, Continental AG, DENSO Corporation, Hitachi Ltd., Magna International Inc., Magneti Marelli S.p.A., Nidec Corporation, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Panasonic Corporation, Pektron Group Limited, Robert Bosch GmbH and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the capacity? What is the breakup of the market based on the vehicle type? What is the breakup of the market based on the propulsion? 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 automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Capacity 6.1 16-Bit ECU 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 32-Bit ECU 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 64-Bit ECU 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Vehicles Type 7.1 Passenger Cars 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Commercial Vehicles 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Propulsion 8.1 Internal Combustion Engine 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Hybrid 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Battery Electric Vehicle 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Application 9.1 ADAS and Safety System 9.1.1 Market Trends 9.1.2 Market Forecast 9.2 Body Control and Comfort System 9.2.1 Market Trends 9.2.2 Market Forecast 9.3 Infotainment and Communication System 9.3.1 Market Trends 9.3.2 Market Forecast 9.4 Powertrain System 9.4.1 Market Trends 9.4.2 Market Forecast 9.5 Others 9.5.1 Market Trends 9.5.2 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 Aptiv PLC 15.3.1.1 Company Overview 15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.2 Continental AG 15.3.2.1 Company Overview 15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.2.3 Financials 15.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.3 DENSO Corporation 15.3.3.1 Company Overview 15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.3.3 Financials 15.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.4 Hitachi Ltd. 15.3.4.1 Company Overview 15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.4.3 Financials 15.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.5 Magna International Inc. 15.3.5.1 Company Overview 15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.5.3 Financials 15.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.6 Magneti Marelli S.p.A. 15.3.6.1 Company Overview 15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.7 Nidec Corporation 15.3.7.1 Company Overview 15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.7.3 Financials 15.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.8 NXP Semiconductors N.V. 15.3.8.1 Company Overview 15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.9 Panasonic Corporation 15.3.9.1 Company Overview 15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.9.3 Financials 15.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.10 Pektron Group Limited 15.3.10.1 Company Overview 15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.11 Robert Bosch GmbH 15.3.11.1 Company Overview 15.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.11.3 SWOT Analysis 15.3.12 ZF Friedrichshafen AG 15.3.12.1 Company Overview 15.3.12.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.12.3 SWOT Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/21fzun 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 Key Points Covered in the Grease 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 Grease Market: Exxon Mobil Corp TotalEnergies SE Royal Dutch Shell Plc Get Quick Access to the Key Global Suppliers Profiled Extensively in This Report The Grease 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 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Radiology Information System Market, Size, Global Forecast 2022-2027, Industry Trends, Share, Growth, Insight, Impact of COVID-19, Company Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Global Radiology Information System Market is expected to reach US$ 1,388.5 Million by 2027 from US$ 843.9 Million in 2021 Globally, a networked software suite utilized to manage medical imagery and data is known as a radiology information system (RIS). A RIS is particularly useful for managing radiological records and associated data across multiple locations. It is frequently used with a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) to manage workflow and billing. A radiology information system (RIS) can track a patient's entire workflow within the radiology division. Images and reports can be counted and recovered from electronic medical records (EMRs) and viewed by authorized radiology personnel. Worldwide Radiology Information System Market Size is expected to expand at a CAGR of 8.65% during 2021-2027: Over the forecast period, the increasing preponderance of cancer is anticipated to drive growth in the global radiology information system market. Furthermore, the growing aging population is expected to contribute to market growth. Moreover, incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in RIS will provide lucrative growth opportunities for market participants. AI integration in RIS can result in a more fluid workflow, better patient care, and consistent radiologist support. It can also help radiologists deliver a customized ecosystem experience and provide faster, more accurate and consistent diagnoses. Furthermore, government initiatives to increase RIS adoption are expected to aid market growth. How did Covid-19 Impact the Global Radiology Information System Industry: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spread rapidly across various countries and regions, having a massive impact on people's lives and the overall community. Though the outbreak of Covid-19 slowed research in RIS, demand remained because the advanced stage of Covid-19 demanded RIS. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic raised awareness about the importance of efficient healthcare facility operations, which influenced the size of the radiology information system, which grew relatively quickly. Furthermore, as the COVID-19 vaccine is introduced, the number of COVID-19 cases decreases. As a result, companies involved in developing radiology information systems have reopened. This will significantly aid the market's growth. The Integrated Radiology Information System Meets the Diagnostic Imaging Service Needs of Hospitals and Imaging Centers Extensively: The development of IRIS has simplified and streamlined workflow within a Radiology department or practice, allowing staff to centralize on the job at hand and allowing IRIS to do its best. Furthermore, the vision in developing IRIS was to create a solution that seamlessly integrated with PACS, providing accurate RIS drives PACS for customers, and radiologists, with a single click of a button, dictate reports quickly for more timely delivery Referrers. Furthermore, IRIS meets the diagnostic imaging needs of hospitals and imaging centers of all sizes. It seamlessly integrates images from all modalities and displays them automatically for Radiologists to view during reporting and verification. Radiologists can improve reporting efficiency by using digital dictation or voice recognition software. The Cloud-based Segment is Expected to Proliferate During the Forecast Period: Compared to the direct purchase model, cloud-hosted services are relatively inexpensive globally. They allow users to subscribe to the most recent version of a radiology information system at a lower cost rather than purchasing the entire model. Because cloud-based systems store data on external servers, they are easily accessible via the internet and demand only a computer with an internet connection to function correctly. Furthermore, cloud-based delivery facilitates access to information by healthcare providers and patients. Because cloud-based radiology information systems are less expensive, they are ideal for small to medium-sized hospitals that cannot afford significant hardware investments. Furthermore, it enables medical practitioners and physicians to restrict access to sensitive information. As a result of the numerous benefits of cloud-based systems, the market is expected to increase during the forecast period. North America Is Anticipated to Dominate the Market For Radiology Information Systems: North America dominates the market with the highest market share due to the region's well-established healthcare facilities and infrastructure and high reimbursement policies, which are expected to support the region's growth. Furthermore, due to the region's early adoption of advanced technologies and increased disease prevalence, Europe is expected to be the second largest region over the forecast period. On the other hand, the Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region during the forecast period due to augmented demand for healthcare facilities and infrastructure. Furthermore, increased public awareness of various diseases, increased government funding, and rising disposable income are expected to drive the growth of the radiology information system market over the forecast period. Key Players: The Global Radiology Information System Market is highly consolidated, oligopolistic, and competitive. Furthermore, significant investments in R&D initiatives are required because the market is capital-intensive. Cerner Corporation, Mckesson Corporation, Varian Medical Systems Inc., Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Hologic, Inc., General Electric, and Koninklijke Philips N.V. control the Global Radiology Information System Market. Furthermore, these industry players are focusing on expanding their product portfolios through growth strategies such as acquisitions, mergers, and collaborations. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Research & Methodology 3. Executive Summary 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Growth Drivers 4.2 Challenges 5. Global Radiology Information System Market 6. Market Share - Global Radiology Information System Market 6.1 By Type 6.2 By Component 6.3 By Deployment Mode 6.4 By Regions 7. Type - Global Radiology Information System Market 7.1 Integrated Radiology Information System 7.2 Standalone Radiology Information System 8. Component - Global Radiology Information System Market 8.1 Services 8.2 Hardware 8.3 Software 9. Deployment Mode - Global Radiology Information System Market 9.1 Web-Based 9.2 On-Premise 9.3 Cloud-Based 10. Region - Global Radiology Information System Market 10.1 North America 10.2 Europe 10.3 Asia Pacific 10.4 Middle East & Africa 11. Company Analysis 11.1 Overview 11.2 Recent Development 11.3 Financial Insights Cerner Corporation Mckesson Corporation Varian Medical Systems Inc. Fujifilm Holdings Corporation Hologic, Inc General Electric Koninklijke Philips N.V. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vtzsj3 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 SEOUL, South Korea, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Korea Points Exchange ("KPX"), on behalf of GPEX Platform, announced today that it has signed a strategic business agreement (MOU) with PUMP, the operators of 'Xingxing,' an electric scooter sharing service. The signing ceremony took place at the headquarters of Korea Points Exchange in, Seoul on May 20th and was held in the presence of key executives of both companies, including John Kim, CEO of Korea Points Exchange, and Sang-Hoon Kim, CEO of PUMP. (Picture: Photo of agreement between John Kim (left), CEO of Korea Points Exchange Co., Ltd. and Sang-Hoon Kim (right), CEO of PUMP Co., Ltd.) GPEX-Xingxing Sign MOU for Cooperation in Technology and Marketing Through this agreement, the two companies will push forward for joint marketing to promote the use and increase the brand recognition of e-scooter sharing service 'Xingxing,' and 'GPEX', a blockchain financial platform. Both companies will work together to expand into the blockchain ecosystem through technical cooperation and cryptocurrency swapping. "Recently, Xingxing's service operation area and scale has greatly expanded. We are seeking further methods to improve the user experience and increase the convenience of use," said Sang-Hoon Kim, CEO of PUMP Co., Ltd. "We will do our best to become a leading company in the integrated mobility service industry by further increasing the brand recognition and service satisfaction through various collaborations." John Kim, CEO of Korea Points Exchange Co., Ltd. said, "The 20s and 30s generation, the main users of electric scooters, is accustomed to investing in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum and purchasing virtual asset products such as NFTs. Therefore, we see various collaboration methods that can create marketing synergy between the two companies. We will actively push to become a virtual asset linkage service that can bring value to the real world." PUMP Co., Ltd. is leading the South Korean personal mobility industry through Xingxing, an e-scooter sharing service. As of April, Xingxing has 400,000 monthly active users (MAU) and 1.5 million cumulative subscribers. Xingxing is particularly enhancing customer convenience by collaborating with various mobility service platforms such as Kakao T, TMAP, and T-money GO, and provides subscription pass products so that users can enjoy convenient mobility at a reasonable cost. In addition, Xingxing is developing various services for the safe use of e-scooters such as, 'The Reassuring Xingxing', a care service for users, and is actively creating social jobs through senior intern business agreements. KPX, a software development and consulting company in collaboration with the GPEX platform, seek to bridge traditional finance with blockchain technology including cryptocurrency. KPX has secured strategic investment from key online platforms and service providers including Spectrum Payment Solutions, a US based payment technology company in December 2021. The GPEX platform has secured investments globally including Shima Capital, a leading venture firm focused on cutting edge blockchain startups. Moreover, Korea Points Exchange Co., Ltd. is actively expanding its business, as reflected by business agreements with Lotte Members, the operator of L.POINT, which has more than 40 million members, and SJW International, the operator of Siwon School, a foreign language learning content service with more than 1.8 million members. - GPEX website: https://gpex.io/ - KPX website: https://kopex.io/ Contact: GPEX Inc +82 10 3291-1684 [email protected] SOURCE Korea Points Exchange South Africa: Climate change preparedness critical for the future, economy and people President Cyril Ramaphosa says recent flooding in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape is proof that climate change is upon us and that preparing for its effects is now, more than ever, critical. The President was addressing the 6th Meeting of the Presidential Climate Commission on Friday. We have been warned about the physical effects of climate change and this has been tragically demonstrated by the recent floods. The floods have shown how rapidly extreme weather events can cause massive devastation that manifests itself through the loss of life and widespread physical destruction, he said. The President reflected that South Africa is situated in one of the regions which is warming faster than the global average, with scientists predicting less rainfall in the west... and more severe storms and heavy rainfall in the eastern part of the country. President Ramaphosa said potential disasters of the magnitude of the recent flooding have brought governments disaster preparedness into sharp focus, with critical questions and solutions sought. Can we improve early warning systems so that communities and authorities are better able to respond in time? Is our disaster management capability fit for purpose? And in building back our infrastructure and human settlements, how can we make them more resilient to such disasters in future? Apart from the tragic human consequences, the damage to human settlements and our economic infrastructure has been massive. As we rebuild, we must reflect on our countrys preparedness and our response to such disasters, he said. Just Energy Transition President Ramaphosa said the commission is hard at work creating a framework for South Africas Just Energy Transition (JET). According to the President, this framework sets out the JET vision, principles which will be followed in the transition and the interventions needed to give full effect to the transition. A just transition needs to be our point of departure when dealing with climate change. Poor people, the unemployed, workers and rural communities are most vulnerable as our economy transitions to a low carbon future. We have to find ways to protect jobs and empower workers and communities as our country carefully navigates the shift away from fossil fuels, he said. The President highlighted that research coming out the Climate Commission has shown that more jobs can be created in the low carbon economy than those that will potentially be lost while the country transitions. He said, however, that the drive towards the creation of new jobs linked to the low carbon economy must be supported by all spheres. Government must create the enabling regulatory framework and ensure steady increase and demand for renewable, low carbon technologies. Business must drive the investment in low carbon technologies at the same time as shouldering the responsibilities for environmental and social issues. On the other side, labour must continue to fight for decent work and protecting jobs at the same time as ensuring productivity improvements in line with rising wages. Civil society must also continue to champion the social and environmental agenda and hold stakeholders for the promises and undertakings they make, he said. Decarbonisation partnership The President told the commission that a negotiating team has been put together to deal with the complex elements of the countrys Just Energy Transition partnership deal. The partnership was announced in November last year, with developed countries France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and with the European Union committing to assist South Africa on its decarbonisation journeys. The deal should be a benefit to all South Africans. Upgrading the grid and ramping up renewable energy production will make electricity cheaper and more dependable. Repurposing and repowering our existing coal plants will create new livelihoods for workers and communities that are most impacted by this change. It will also lower our CO emissions, which is essential for us to contribute towards keeping global warming below 1.5C, and we will open new markets for the supply of our clean energy minerals like platinum, vanadium, cobalt, copper, manganese and lithium. I expect the commission to continue to exercise oversight over this partnership and to ensure that the final deal delivers on its promise. We need to make sure that this partnership succeeds for our people, for our climate and for our future economic competitiveness and capability, President Ramaphosa said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-05-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. In recent years, Hefei, capital of East China's Anhui province, has been considered by many business insiders as one of the cities with the fastest economic growth in China. The city announced on May 6 that its gross domestic product rose by 5.3 percent year-on-year in the first quarter to more than 250 billion yuan ($37.2 billion). Among the 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta region, centered on Shanghai, eight saw their GDP surpass 1 trillion yuan last year. As one of the region's three sub-centersthe other two being Nanjing and HangzhouHefei won joint first place, with Zhejiang province's coastal city Ningbo, for the Q1 GDP growth rate among the eight cities. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the country's value-added industrial output value of enterprises above the designated sizeannual revenue of 20 million yuanrose by 6.5 percent year-on-year in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Hefei's growth rate at this aspect in the same period was 11.3 percent, the highest among 24 cities across the country whose GDP surpassed 1 trillion yuan last year, according to the Hefei Bureau of Statistics. Earlier this month, the city contracted 24 projects, with total investment hitting more than 100 billion yuan, through an online event held on May 10. More than half of the investment will go to the new energy vehicle industry, while others will mainly strengthen such fields as integrated circuits, new-type display screens, biological medicine and new materials, according to the local government. The new projects include the construction of the second phase of New York-listed carmaker Nio's second manufacturing plant in Hefei, namely, NeoPark Xinqiao Smart Electric Vehicle Industrial Park. Nio, with its China headquarters based in the city, announced on April 26 that its 200,000th vehicle rolled off the production line at its first plant in Hefei. On April 29, the carmaker announced its first new smart electric coupe ET5 was produced in NeoPark, of which the construction started squarely one year ago. The company said recently it will roll out more affordable vehicles in the next two years to "take on foreign carmakers including Tesla and Volkswagen". Meanwhile, as Xinhua News Agency reported, Volkswagen Group China announced on May 10 that it planned to establish a new digital sales and services company in Hefei. The new company is expected to complete the group's entire value chain in terms of manufacturing, R&D, testing, sales and marketing, as well as customer services, according to the group. "Our customers can expect to enjoy the latest Volkswagen Anhui-produced NEV models through this company in the not-so-distant future," said Stephan Wollenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Group China, whose third Volkswagen electric vehicle plant in China is under construction in Hefei. Designed with an annual production capacity of 300,000 electric vehicles, the plant's construction is scheduled to be completed by mid-2022, with the first NEV model expected to go into mass production in the second half of 2023. During a recent online conversation with investors, Yu Aihua, Party secretary of Hefei, said, "When we say Hefei will do something, we just do it, as fast and as good as possible." In 2021, the city also contracted an investment from BYD of 15 billion yuan to build an NEV plant. "We heard in May of this year that BYD planned to expand its capacity and invited its executives to Hefei for surveys immediately," said Pan Chenghai, an official with the city's bureau of economy and information technology. "From the start of negotiations to the beginning of construction, it took only 68 days," said Pan, who described the progress as "Hefei speed". Approved by the central authorities to build one of the country's four comprehensive science centers, Hefei has also been favored for its science and technology strengths. In a recent report on its website, the British journal The Economist said Hefei "has reinvented itself lately as a tech hub, with thousands of companies opening in a brief interval". The report took the city's artificial intelligence sector as an example. "In 2021 alone, more than 2,500 firms claiming to develop fundamental AI software programs arranged within the metropolis, up from 370 in 2020," according to the report. Green Science Alliance has developed nature biomass derived UV curable hard coat material. KAWANISHI CITY, Japan, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Environmental problems caused by population explosion such as global warming, natural resource depletion, water shortage and plastic pollution are getting severe in the world. One of the reasons for global warming is said to be carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Compared to petroleum derived chemical products, nature biomass derived chemical products can be considered as carbon neutral because plant absorbs CO 2 during their growth and total CO 2 emission will be 0 after they degrade after usage. Therefore, developing biomass derived chemical products is one method to reduce CO 2 consumption in order to suppress global warming. Nature Biomass derived UV (Ultraviolet) curable Hard Coat Material The vision of Green Science Alliance is to offer actual cutting edge technology for sustainable, carbon neutral society. More precisely, those technologies are next generation rechargeable battery, fuel cell, CO 2 photo conversion to chemical energy (the process called artificial photosynthesis). Some of Green Science Alliance technologies are registered by the United Nation Organization (UNIDO's platform "STePP", WIPO GREEN) and they were also selected as a startup company supported by incubation programme of UNOPS GIC Japan in 2020. Green Science Alliance is also trying to replace all the petrochemical derived chemical products with natural biomass derived one. Those are 100 % natural biomass biodegradable plastic, biomass resin, biomass coating, biomass color ink etc. This time, they developed biomass derived UV curable hard coat material. Namely, part of raw material comes from plants such as corns, soy beans etc. UV curable hard coat materials are coating material which can be solidified by irradiating UV light and they have been applied to the surface of liquid crystal related devices, optical films, various type of displays, smartphone, personal computer, automotive parts etc. They are environmentally friendly products because they do not have liquid evaporation problem after they are coated, compared to water, organic solvent based coating material. In addition, they can reduce the solvent consumption because all of component can be solidified under UV light irradiation without any waste solvent. So far, UV curable hard coat materials are made of petroleum in general. This time, they developed the one with 25 35 % of biomass content. Green Science Alliance will keep challenging to create UV curable hard coat materials with higher biomass content. They are also planning to create biomass derived UV curable adhesive, color ink etc. in the near future. Green Science Alliance will expand their biomass UV curable coating material business to Japan and the world market. Contact: Ryohei Mori +81727598501 [email protected] SOURCE Green Science Alliance Co., Ltd. Year over Year Net Revenues increased 38.8% to $17.2 million, including one month contribution from Urbn Leaf and no contribution from Loudpack Felicia Snyder appointed to board of directors OAKLAND, Calif. and TORONTO, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Harborside Inc. ("Harborside" or the "Company") (CSE: HBOR) (OTCQX: HBORF), a California-focused, vertically integrated cannabis enterprise, today filed its interim financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2022 (collectively, the "Q1 2022 Financial Results") under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Q1 2022 Financial Results encompass a period reflecting only one month of contribution from UL Holdings Inc. ("Urbn Leaf"), which the Company acquired on March 1, 2022, and no contribution from LPF JV Corporation ("Loudpack"), which the Company acquired subsequent to quarter-end on April 4, 2022. The Loudpack and Urbn Leaf acquisitions have transformed the Company into one of the largest vertically integrated cannabis enterprises in California. Board of Directors Appointment Harborside also announced that Felicia Snyder has joined the board of directors of the Company (the "Board"), effective immediately. An entrepreneur, corporate strategist, seasoned cannabis executive and brand builder, Ms. Snyder is currently Founder and co-CEO of Arcana, an experiential hospitality brand. She was a founding executive at Tokyo Smoke, one of Canada's most recognized cannabis brands and a leading Canadian cannabis retailer, where she helped to scale the business through its merger with Doja Cannabis and eventual sale to Canopy Growth Corporation. Post-acquisition, she was Vice President at Canopy Growth, managing a portfolio of premium cannabis brands across all product categories. Prior to Tokyo Smoke, she worked for several years in South Korea with Samsung Electronics, where she oversaw a variety of projects related to business strategy, acquisitions, investments, partnerships, and development of new products and services. She is also a Google alum and started her career in Financial Services Management Consulting at Oliver Wyman, a global consulting firm. She holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. "On behalf of the Board and management team of Harborside, I am delighted to welcome Felicia to the Harborside team," said Ed Schmults, Chief Executive Officer. "Her diverse skillset and significant cannabis industry experience are valuable additions to Harborside as we work to integrate our recent acquisitions and build the flagship California cannabis company." The appointment of Ms. Snyder to the Board fills a vacancy created by the previously announced resignation of Michael Dacks. Conference call The Company intends to host a conference call for analysts and investors, during which it will review the ongoing progress of Harborside's business integration with Urbn Leaf and Loudpack: Conference Call Date: May 31, 2022 Time: 11:00am ET North American toll-free dial-in number: 1-888-664-6392 International dial-in number: 416-764-8659 Webcast: https://produceredition.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1552975&tp_key=14131803f3 A telephonic replay of the conference call will also be available through June 14, 2022. North American toll-free replay number: 1-888-390-0541 International replay number: 416-764-8677 Replay entry code: 193421# About Harborside Harborside, a vertically integrated enterprise with cannabis licenses covering retail, major brands, distribution, cultivation, nursery and manufacturing, is one of the oldest and most respected cannabis companies in California. Founded in 2006, Harborside was awarded one of the first six medical cannabis licenses granted in the United States. Today, the Company operates 14 dispensaries covering Northern and Southern California and one in Oregon, distribution facilities in San Jose and Los Angeles, California and integrated cultivation/production facilities in Salinas and Greenfield, California. Harborside is a publicly listed company, currently trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") under the ticker symbol "HBOR" and the OTCQX under the ticker symbol "HBORF". The Company continues to play an instrumental role in making cannabis safe and accessible to a broad and diverse community of California and Oregon consumers. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. To the extent any forward-looking information in this news release constitutes "financial outlooks" or "future-oriented financial information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements relating to the integration of Harborside with Urbn Leaf and Loudpack, the Company becoming one of the largest vertically integrated cannabis enterprises in California, and the Company's future performance. These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's operations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the cannabis markets where the Company operates; changing consumer habits; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for expansion and acquisitions; political and social uncertainties; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; employee relations; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on cultivation, production, distribution, and sale of cannabis and cannabis-related products in the markets where the Company operates; and the risk factors set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the period ended December 31, 2021 and the Company's listing statement dated May 30, 2019, which are available under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com . Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. The Company, through several of its subsidiaries, is indirectly involved in the manufacture, possession, use, sale, and distribution of cannabis in the recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace in the United States. Local state laws where the Company operates permit such activities however, investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the United States Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to, among other things, cultivate, distribute or possess cannabis in the United States. Financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable United States federal money laundering legislation. While the approach to enforcement of such laws by the federal government in the United States has trended toward non-enforcement against individuals and businesses that comply with recreational and medicinal cannabis programs in states where such programs are legal, strict compliance with state laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve the Company of liability under United States federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against the Company. The enforcement of federal laws in the United States is a significant risk to the business of the Company and any proceedings brought against the Company thereunder may adversely affect the Company's operations and financial performance. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities in the United States. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Harborside Inc. ORLANDO, Fla., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated, a national vacation ownership company, announced today the launch of Guest of Honor, a program that provides complimentary resort stays to active-duty military, veterans and their families. In conjunction with the launch of Guest of Honor, Holiday Inn Club Vacations has introduced its partnership with Vacations for Vets, a program run by In Honor of Our Troops (IHOOT), a nonprofit organization that works with hospitality brands to provide free lodging to active-duty military and veterans. Beginning Memorial Day weekend, nine different military members and their families will enjoy a week-long stay at several Holiday Inn Club Vacations properties located across the U.S., including Orange Lake Resort in Orlando, Florida; Desert Club Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada; Villages Resort at Lake Palestine in Flint, Texas; and Oak n' Spruce Resort in the Berkshires in South Lee, Massachusetts. To kick off this program, Holiday Inn Club Vacations donated more than 10 million Club points. Moving forward, the Company will continue to provide complimentary stays to military members by collecting donated points from Holiday Inn Club members. "At Holiday Inn Club Vacations, we believe that travel not only brings families closer together, but truly strengthens their bonds. Our brave military members, along with the dedicated families who take on the important role of loving and supporting a service member, deserve this more than anyone," said John Staten, President and Chief Operating Officer at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated. "Our Club members fully understand the immeasurable benefits of traveling together, so we are confident they will embrace this great new program with open arms." "For the selfless men and women who serve our country, a vacation is far more than a chance to relax with friends and family. It's an opportunity to heal as they transition back to civilian life, along with time to reconnect with loved ones," said Philip Strambler, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of IHOOT. "We are grateful for our partnership with Holiday Inn Club Vacations, as it allows our team to bring these life-changing experiences to even more members of our military." To apply for a stay through Vacations for Vets, active-duty military members and veterans should visit ihoot.org. For more information on Holiday Inn Club Vacations and its network of resorts, visit holidayinnclub.com. About Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated Encompassing 28 resorts, 7,900 villas in 14 U.S. states and more than 365,000 timeshare owners, Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated is a resort, real estate and travel company with a mission to be the most loved brand in family travel by delivering easy-to-plan, memorable vacation experiences that strengthen families. Based in Orlando, Fla., the Company has been a leader in the vacation ownership industry since 1982, when it was established by Holiday Inn founder Kemmons Wilson with the opening of the Company's flagship property, Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Orange Lake Resort next to Orlando's Walt Disney World Resort. Today, the Holiday Inn Club Vacations resort portfolio spans across the United States. Throughout its history, the Company has maintained the core family values true to its majority ownership by the Wilson family, while aggressively pursuing growth, transforming its member engagement model and building an industry-leading team passionate about the guest experience. About In Honor of Our Troops (IHOOT) In Honor of Our Troops (IHOOT) is a 501c3 nonprofit charity established over 20 years ago at Walter Reed Army Medical Center when the seriously wounded began arriving for treatment there. When Philip Strambler, a Vietnam-era USMC Officer, was serving as a Director of the medical center, he immediately understood first-hand how the difficult and painful the transition from military life back to civilian life was, especially for those who were permanently disabled. To address these needs, he developed IHOOT and its Vacations for Vets program. Vacations for Vets provides rest, recuperation and healing to help reconnect and reestablish healthy family relationships. The program provides free accommodations for up to 8-days and 7-nights for active-duty military and veterans with proof of honorable service accompanied by their families and/or friends. The application process must be completed online at www.ihoot.org. Media Contact: Ashley Fraboni, Holiday Inn Club Vacations 407.315.8866 [email protected] SOURCE Holiday Inn Club Vacations CHICAGO, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit alleging that fairlife, LLC, The Coca-Cola Company, Select Milk Producers, Inc., Fair Oaks Farms, LLC and Mike McCloskey and Sue McCloskey ("Defendants") falsely labeled and marketed certain dairy products (sold under the brand names "fa!rlife" or "FOF") produced using milk from cows that were allegedly not treated humanely. Defendants deny all allegations, and the Court has not decided who is right. For a list of the Covered Products, visit www.fairlifeMilkSettlement.com. If you purchased one or more of these products before April 27, 2022, you are included in the Settlement. A $21 million Settlement Fund has been created to pay Settlement Class Members who submit timely and valid claims. The deadline to file a claim is December 27, 2022. Claims can be submitted online at www.fairlifeMilkSettlement.com. You can also download a claim form from the website or obtain a claim form by calling the phone number below. If you do not want to be bound by the Settlement, you must exclude yourself by August 25, 2022. If you do not exclude yourself, you may object to the Settlement by August 25, 2022. This notice is only a short summary of the lawsuit and your rights. Detailed information about the claims in the lawsuit and all of your rights if you are a Settlement Class Member is available at www.fairlifeMilkSettlement.com or by calling toll-free 1-855-604-1865. SOURCE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT ILLINOIS VANCOUVER, BC, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Alexco Resource Corp. (NYSE American: AXU) (TSX: AXU) ("Alexco" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that leading independent proxy advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ("ISS") and Glass Lewis & Co. ("Glass Lewis"), have each recommended Alexco shareholders vote "FOR" all the proposed resolutions at the upcoming Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting"). ISS and Glass Lewis are two leading independent, third-party proxy advisory firms who, among other services, provide proxy-voting recommendations to pension funds, investment managers, mutual funds and other institutional shareholders. The Board of Directors of Alexco recommends that shareholders vote FOR ALL the proposed items. ALEXCO ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING At the Meeting shareholders will be asked to elect the auditors and directors for the ensuing year, as well as approve the continuation of the stock option plan. The Meeting will be held at Suite 1165, 555 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C on Thursday June 9, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific Time). Alexco encourages shareholders to read the meeting material in detail. Copies of the meeting material is available under Alexco's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on Alexco's website at https://www.alexcoresource.com/investors/annual-general-meeting/. YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT- PLEASE VOTE YOUR SHARES TODAY HOW TO VOTE There are several ways to vote your shares. Due to the essence of time, Shareholders are encouraged to vote online or by telephone. Please submit your vote well in advance of the proxy deposit deadline at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) on Tuesday June 7, 2022. Beneficial Shareholder Shares held with a broker, bank or other intermediary Registered Shareholders Shares held in own name and represented by a physical certificate www.proxyvote.com www.investorvote.com Call or fax to the number(s) listed on your voting instruction form Phone: 1-866-732-8683 Fax: 1-866-249-7775 Return the voting instruction form in the enclosed envelope Return the form of proxy in the enclosed postage paid envelope SHAREHOLDER QUESTIONS Alexco shareholders who have questions about the management information circular, or require assistance with voting their shares can contact the Company's proxy solicitation agent, Laurel Hill Advisory Group: Laurel Hill Advisory Group North America Toll Free: 1-877-452-7184 Outside North America: 1-416-304-0211 Email: [email protected] About Alexco Alexco is a Canadian primary silver company that owns and operates the majority of the historic Keno Hill Silver District, in Canada's Yukon Territory, one of the highest-grade silver mines in the world. Alexco started concentrate production and shipments in 2021 and is currently advancing Keno Hill toward steady state production. Upon reaching commercial production, Keno Hill is expected to produce an average of approximately 4.4 million ounces of silver per year contained in high quality lead/silver and zinc concentrates. Keno Hill retains significant potential to grow and Alexco has a long history of expanding the operation's mineral resources through successful exploration. Forward-Looking Statements Some statements ("forward-looking statements") in this news release contain forward-looking information concerning the Company's anticipated results and developments in the Company's operations in future periods, made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the timing of activities and reports. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions that management believes are reasonable at the time they are made. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. 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. SOURCE Alexco Resource Corp. GAINESVILLE, Fla., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With the launch of Tower Hill Insurance Exchange (Exchange) in January 2022 and the subsequent transfer of renewals this spring, Tower Hill Preferred and Tower Hill Signature Insurance Companies ceased accepting new business mid-February. As of May 16th, our renewals for these two carriers are rolling into Exchange. With the cessation of business flowing into Tower Hill Preferred and Tower Hill Signature, the next step in our strategic plan is to voluntarily withdraw the Financial Stability Ratings of A, Exceptional, assigned by Demotech, Inc. for these two companies effective May 31, 2022. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Demotech as we move forward with Exchange and Tower Hill Prime Insurance Company. As of May 31, Exchange and Tower Hill Prime will retain FSRs of A, Exceptional, from Demotech, which were affirmed on March 30, 2022, and April 11, 2022, respectively. As Tower Hill Preferred and Tower Hill Signature wind down, they will be covered under Exchange's reinsurance program until all policies have rolled off. Additionally, all Tower Hill Preferred and Tower Hill Signature policyholder claims will be processed as usual. At Tower Hill, we're excited about the opportunities Exchange offers to both our agents and customers. Especially for our agency partners, transitioning to the reciprocal insurer business model affords continued growth through increased capacity availability. We look forward to expanding together in 2022 and beyond. As we celebrate Tower Hill's 50th anniversary, we remain dedicated to the Florida market, our agency partners and customers. About Tower Hill: Founded in 1972, Tower Hill Insurance is a leader among residential and commercial property insurers in the Southeast. Financial strength, product expertise, a comprehensive reinsurance program, and exceptional claims service are core business strategies of the organization. SOURCE Tower Hill Insurance Group DUBLIN, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Cancer Cachexia Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global cancer cachexia market reached a value of US$ 1.88 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 2.53 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.80% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Cancer cachexia refers to a multifactorial, host-phagocytic, wasting syndrome that is characterized by systematic inflammation, involuntary loss of lean body mass, negative protein balance, loss of appetite and muscle atrophy. It is caused due to the occurrence of various chronic diseases, including tuberculosis (TB), multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Cancer cachexia can be treated with the utilization of various therapeutics, such as progestogen, corticosteroid, and combination therapy. Amongst these, a progestogen is a synthetic or natural steroid hormone that improves appetite and promotes weight gain, whereas corticosteroid assists in mitigating inflammation and suppressing overactive immune systems. The increasing prevalence of cancer and cachexia, especially amongst the rising geriatric populations, is facilitating the demand for advanced therapeutic treatment and drugs, which in turn, is primarily driving the market growth. This is further supported by the increasing awareness amongst consumers regarding the availability of novel therapeutic drugs to treat cancer cachexia. Additionally, the shifting inclination of patients toward combinational therapies for improving lean body mass (LBM) through pharmacological, non-pharmacological therapies and clinical trials is acting as another growth-inducing factor. In line with this, the extensive utilization of several appetite stimulants, such as megestrol acetate, dexamethasone, and methylprednisolone, for improving digestion is also contributing to the market growth. Moreover, significant technological advancements that are emphasizing on the development of effective medicines for cancer cachexia treatment are further propelling the market growth. Apart from this, the numerous favorable initiatives being undertaken by the government bodies of various countries and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for sensitizing people regarding the causes of cancer cachexia, their symptoms and benefits of using advanced treatments are creating a positive outlook for the market. Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being AAVogen Inc., Actimed Therapeutics Ltd., Aphios Corporation, Artelo Biosciences Inc., AVEO Pharmaceuticals Inc., Fresenius Kabi AG (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA), Helsinn Healthcare SA, Merck & Co. Inc., NGM Biopharmaceuticals Inc., Pfizer Inc. and Tetra Bio-Pharma. Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global cancer cachexia market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global cancer cachexia market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the therapeutics? What is the breakup of the market based on the mode of action? What is the breakup of the market based on the distribution channel? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global cancer cachexia 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 Cancer Cachexia Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Therapeutics 6.1 Progestogens 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Corticosteroids 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Combination Therapy 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 Mode of Action 7.1 Appetite Stimulators 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Weight Loss Stabilizers 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Distribution Channel 8.1 Hospital Stores 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Retail Pharmacy 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Online Pharmacy 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Region 10 SWOT Analysis 11 Value Chain Analysis 12 Porters Five Forces Analysis 13 Price Analysis 14 Competitive Landscape 14.1 Market Structure 14.2 Key Players 14.3 Profiles of Key Players 14.3.1 AAVogen Inc. 14.3.1.1 Company Overview 14.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.2 Actimed Therapeutics Ltd. 14.3.2.1 Company Overview 14.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.3 Aphios Corporation 14.3.3.1 Company Overview 14.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4 Artelo Biosciences Inc. 14.3.4.1 Company Overview 14.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.4.3 Financials 14.3.5 AVEO Pharmaceuticals Inc. 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 Fresenius Kabi AG (Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA) 14.3.6.1 Company Overview 14.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.6.3 SWOT Analysis 14.3.7 Helsinn Healthcare SA 14.3.7.1 Company Overview 14.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.8 Merck & Co. 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 NGM Biopharmaceuticals Inc. 14.3.9.1 Company Overview 14.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.9.3 Financials 14.3.10 Pfizer Inc. 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 Tetra Bio-Pharma 14.3.11.1 Company Overview 14.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 14.3.11.3 Financials For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/v6mh9e 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 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "E-bikes Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Propulsion Type (Pedal-assisted, Throttle-assisted), by Battery Type, by Power, by Application, by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global e-bikes market size is anticipated to reach USD 52.37 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.5% over the forecast period. Electric bikes are considered an eco-friendly and flexible mode of transportation. They are an ideal substitute for public transport, scooters, and smart cars as they help avoid traffic jams and achieve high speed with minimal effort. Moreover, they enable riders to maintain a healthy lifestyle through increased physical activity. These factors are contributing to the growth of the global market. The declining consumer inclination toward cars owing to increased traffic on streets and growing urbanization is expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities for the market across the globe. Additionally, governments of several countries, including India, U.K., and Canada, are focused on developing infrastructures for bicycles owing to the growing consumer preferences for electric bikee-bikes. For instance, in 2017, Bikeep, a commercial bike parking systems and bike racks manufacturer, introduced a smart bicycle rack solution that offers electric bicycle charging. The solution is designed to cater to various popular electric bicycles. Key players in the market are focused on strategies such as new product launch and geographic expansion to enhance their business operations and product offerings. For instance, in October 2020, Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. announced the launch of a full-composite trail bike, Trance X Advanced Pro 29. The bike is equipped with an updated Maestro rear suspension and flip-chip feature that permits riders to modify the frame geometry. Similarly, in October 2020, Pedego Electric Bikes opened a new store in Boca Raton, Florida. The store offers a full range of electric bikes for rental and sale, along with related accessories and services. E-bikes Market Report Highlights The pedal-assisted segment is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period owing to the rising demand for pedal-assisted e-bikes among the youth and elderly population. The lead-acid battery segment dominated the market with a 45.5% market share in 2021, owing to benefits such as low cost and robustness. However, the share is anticipated to decline as a result of a significant rise in demand for Li-ion batteries. The Asia Pacific is expected to become the largest regional market over the forecast period owing to significant investments in the vehicle charging infrastructure and government subsidies for battery-powered vehicles. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1. Methodology & Scope Chapter 2. Executive Summary Chapter 3. Market Variables, Trends, and Scope 3.1. Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping 3.2. Industry Value Chain Analysis 3.3. Market Dynamics 3.3.1. Market Driver Analysis 3.3.2. Market Restraint Analysis 3.4. Market Analysis Tools 3.4.1. Industry Analysis - Porter's Five Forces Analysis 3.4.2. PEST Analysis 3.5. Company Ranking Analysis, 2021 3.6. Impact of COVID-19 on the E-bikes Market Chapter 4. E-bikes Market: Propulsion Type Outlook 4.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 4.1.1. Pedal-assisted 4.1.1.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 4.1.2. Throttle-assisted 4.1.2.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 5. E-bikes Market: Battery Type Outlook 5.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 5.1.1. Lithium-ion Battery 5.1.1.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 5.1.2. Lead-acid Battery 5.1.2.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 6. E-bikes Market: Power Outlook 6.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 6.1.1. Less Than or Equal to 250W 6.1.1.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 6.1.2. Above 250W 6.1.2.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 7. E-bikes Market: Application Outlook 7.1. Market Size Estimates & Forecasts and Trend Analysis, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 7.2. City/Urban 7.2.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 7.3. Trekking 7.3.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 7.4. Cargo 7.4.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) 7.5. Others 7.5.1. Market Estimates and Forecasts by Region, 2018-2030 (USD Million) Chapter 8. E-bikes Market: Regional Outlook Chapter 9. Competitive Landscape 9.1. Accell Group N.V. 9.1.1. Company Overview 9.1.2. Financial Performance 9.1.3. Product Benchmarking 9.1.4. Recent Developments 9.2. Aima Technology Group Co. Ltd. 9.2.1. Company Overview 9.2.2. Financial Performance 9.2.3. Product Benchmarking 9.2.4. Recent Developments 9.3. Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. 9.3.1. Company Overview 9.3.2. Financial Performance 9.3.3. Product Benchmarking 9.3.4. Recent Developments 9.4. Merida Industry Co., Ltd. 9.4.1. Company Overview 9.4.2. Financial Performance 9.4.3. Product Benchmarking 9.4.4. Recent Developments 9.5. Pedego Electric Bikes 9.5.1. Company Overview 9.5.2. Financial Performance 9.5.3. Product Benchmarking 9.5.4. Recent Developments 9.6. Pon.Bike 9.6.1. Company Overview 9.6.2. Financial Performance 9.6.3. Product Benchmarking 9.6.4. Recent Developments 9.7. Rad Power Bikes Inc. 9.7.1. Company Overview 9.7.2. Financial Performance 9.7.3. Product Benchmarking 9.7.4. Recent Developments 9.8. Trek Bicycle Corporation 9.8.1. Company Overview 9.8.2. Financial Performance 9.8.3. Product Benchmarking 9.8.4. Recent Developments 9.9. Yadea Group Holdings Ltd. 9.9.1. Company Overview 9.9.2. Financial Performance 9.9.3. Product Benchmarking 9.9.4. Recent Developments 9.10. Yamaha Motor Company 9.10.1. Company Overview 9.10.2. Financial Performance 9.10.3. Product Benchmarking 9.10.4. Recent Developments For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/zho3mq 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 PITTSBURGH, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "One of my clients would complain that her kids would have germs all over them when picking them up from school," said an inventor from Laguna Hills, Calif., so I invented PUMP-N-GO. "My design offers a convenient way to sanitize hands, as well as apply lotion and sunscreen while on the go in your vehicle." The invention provides a convenient way to apply hand sanitizer, lotion and sunscreen from the inside of your vehicle. This could help avoid bacteria, germs, viruses, and smelly odors as well as aid in preventing transmission of the highly contagious COVID-19. The device also offers easy access to hand lotion and sunscreen which could especially be useful in the winter and summer months. The concealed design could be adaptable for different vehicle types and could be producible in different sizes, colors and styles. A prototype is available. The original design was submitted to the Orange County sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 20-OCM-1512, 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 SAN FRANCISCO, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Invitae (NYSE: NVTA), a leading medical genetics company, today announced that members of its management team will participate in the following investor conferences: 42 nd Annual William Blair Growth Stock Conference - Formal presentation on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 , at 8:40 a.m. Central Time in Chicago . - Formal presentation on , at in . 43rd Annual Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference - Fireside chat on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 , at 2:40 p.m. Pacific Time in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. A live audio webcast of each presentation may be accessed by visiting the investors section of the company website at ir.invitae.com. Replays of the webcasts will be available shortly after the conclusion of each presentation. About Invitae Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA) is a leading medical genetics company whose mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medicine to improve healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to aggregate the world's genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower prices. For more information, visit the company's website at invitae.com. Contact: Jack Finks [email protected] SOURCE Invitae Corporation BEIJING, SHANGHAI and BOSTON, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobio Pharma (1167.HK) is pleased to announce that the phase I clinical data of KRAS G12C inhibitor JAB-21822 will be presented in the form of poster at the upcoming 2022 annual meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) from June 3, 2022 to June 7, 2022. Abstract was published on the ASCO's website today. "JAB-21822 is one of Jacobio's programs targeting on KRAS pathway, we plan to explore the JAB-21822 in colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and other indications. Meanwhile, Jacobio is exploring combination therapies of JAB-21822, such as in combination with SHP2 inhibitor. We are also developing novel drugs in KRAS pathway, including KRASmulti inhibitor (JAB-23400) and KRAS G12D inhibitor (JAB-22000)," said Dr. WANG Yinxiang, Chairman and CEO of Jacobio. About the Abstract A phase I/II study of first-in-human trial of JAB-21822 (KRAS G12C inhibitor) in advanced solid tumors. Format: Poster Presentation Abstract Number: 3089 Time: Sunday, June 5, 2022 8:00 AM-11:00 AM (CDT) Track: Developmental Therapeutics - Molecularly Targeted Agents and Tumor Biology As of January 28th, 2022, 53 patients with a median age of 62 years (39-79) were enrolled in 5 different dose levels: 200mg QD, 400mg QD, 800mg QD, 400mg BID and 400mg TID. A total of 33 patients (22 non-small cell lung cancer, 9 colorectal cancer and 2 pancreatic cancer) had at least 1 post-baseline tumor assessment. Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (400mg QD and 800mg QD), the overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 70% (7/10) and 100% (10/10), respectively. No dosing-limiting toxicities were observed. JAB-21822 was well tolerated with impressive preliminary efficacy in patients with heavily treated solid tumors harboring KRAS G12C mutation. The clinical trial is still ongoing and the above data is as of January 28, 2022. More data will be posted on the poster at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting, please visit www.asco.org for more information. About JAB-21822 JAB-21822 is a KRAS G12C inhibitor independently developed by Jacobio. Jacobio has initiated a number of Phase I/II clinical trials in China, the United States and Europe for patients with advanced solid tumors, including monotherapy for STK11 co-mutated non-small cell lung cancer first-line treatment; combination therapy with SHP2 inhibitor, PD-1 monoclonal antibody and Cetuximab. About Jacobio Jacobio is committed to providing more products and solutions to people's health. Our mission is to provide compelling innovations for creating a pipeline of life-changing medicines. Our vision is to become a global leader recognized for our impact in drug R&D together with our partners. The company's R&D centers are located in Beijing, Shanghai and Boston, with a platform and expertise in developing allosteric inhibitors against protein tyrosine phosphatase, KRAS and transcriptional factors. Please visit www.jacobiopharma.com for more information. 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 the Company, are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. The Company 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 the Company with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company'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, the Company's competitive environment, and political, economic, legal and social conditions in China. The Company, the Directors and the employees of the Company assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or turn out to be incorrect. SOURCE Jacobio Pharma Aldo Solar will be the first in Latin America to distribute N-type ultra-efficiency modules that correspond to approximately 600 MW in the Distributed Generation market MARINGA, Brazil, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (the "Company," or "JinkoSolar") (NYSE: JKS), one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world, today announced that its principal operating subsidiary, Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. has signed a new distribution agreement in Latin America with Aldo Solar. Aldo Solar, which stands out as the largest distributor of solar energy solutions in the country with a market share of aproximately 30% in the Distributed Generation segment, will bring to market the new N-Type ultra-efficiency photovoltaic Tiger Neo modules from JinkoSolar. At the end of last year, the companies announced the signing of the largest distribution agreement for Distributed Generation ever signed by Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. outside China. And now, this new agreement with Aldo Solar makes Brazil the first market in Latin America to make JinkoSolar 's new N-type modules available and marks the signing of the world's largest contract for the distribution of N-type ultra-efficiency photovoltaic modules from the Tiger Neo family of JinkoSolar. Under this agreement, approxiamately 600 MW of power from the Tiger Neo family is expected to be distributed. The new panels are expected to be available at Aldo Solar for pre-sale starting in July. "The global photovoltaic market is entering a new era with unprecedented speed. The need to address different electricity application scenarios and the urgency of governments and industries for energy transformation have raised the demand for solar energy to a new level," said Kangping Chen, CEO of Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. Mr. Alberto Cuter, General Manager of JinkoSolar for Italy and Latin America commented, "JinkoSolar's N-type Tiger Neo represents state-of-the-art innovation in the solar industry and we are proud that Aldo Solar, with its pioneering spirit and relevance in the Brazilian photovoltaic distribution market, chose this product for their distributios business, which once again demonstrates its commitment to offer the best technology to the Brazilian market. We are very excited about this partnership between the two main important players in the Brazilian market. According to Mr. Aldo Teixeira, founder and CEO of Aldo Solar, "from our first agreement with JinkoSolar to a long-term partnership, we seek to bring to the market the most innovative and disruptive in solar panels. I am sure that the new line of N-type photovoltaic panels will bring a revolution to the market, with the best solution and cost-effectiveness for consumers". "I am sure that in the next two or three years it will be the main panel technology available on the market. Therefore, I would like to thank JinkoSolar on behalf of our resellers and installers, as well as the entire Aldo Solar team. Through this partnership, we hope to spread solar energy even more and offer surprising conditions of clean and cheaper energy to all Brazilians", concludes the CEO of Aldo Solar. About JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS) is one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world. JinkoSolar distributes its solar products and sells its solutions and services to a diversified international utility, commercial and residential customer base in China, the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Chile, South Africa, India, Mexico, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Greece and other countries and regions. JinkoSolar has built a vertically integrated solar product value chain, with an integrated annual capacity of 40.0 GW for mono wafers, 40.0 GW for solar cells, and 50.0 GW for solar modules, as of March 31, 2022. JinkoSolar has 12 productions facilities globally, 21 overseas subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, India, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, UAE, and Denmark, and global sales teams in mainland China, the United States, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Australia, Korea, India, Turkey, Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Hong Kong, as of March 31, 2022. To find out more, please see: www.jinkosolar.com Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in 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, the quotations from management in this press release and the Company's operations and business outlook, contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in JinkoSolar's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: Ms. Stella Wang JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. Tel: +86 21-5180-8777 ext.7806 Email: [email protected] About ALDO: ALDO, headquartered in Maringa - PR, has been in the market for 39 years and is a leader in solutions for solar energy generation in the country. ALDO has ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications, is associated with ABSOLAR (Brazilian Photovoltaic Solar Energy Association and actively participates in the PNRS National Solid Waste Program through ALDO Crazy Recicla. world, a new attitude", ALDO is getting ready to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2022, even more sustainable and innovative. More information: https://www.aldo.com.br/ SOURCE JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. CHICAGO, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ryerson Holding Corporation (NYSE: RYI) ("Ryerson" or the "Company") announced today the early results of the previously announced cash tender offer (the "Tender Offer") by Joseph T. Ryerson & Son, Inc., the Company's wholly owned subsidiary ("JT Ryerson") and that it is amending the Tender Offer by increasing the aggregate principal amount to $132,155,000 (as increased and amended, the "Maximum Tender Amount") from $75,000,000, of its aggregate principal amount of JT Ryerson's outstanding 8.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 (the "Notes"). The Maximum Tender Amount represents the maximum aggregate principal amount of Notes to be accepted for purchase by JT Ryerson and excludes any Accrued Interest (as defined below) or Early Tender Premium (as defined below). The Tender Offer is being made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated May 13, 2022 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the "Offer to Purchase"), which sets forth a detailed description of the Tender Offer. The Tender Offer is open to all registered holders (individually, a "Holder" and collectively, the "Holders") of the Notes. Title of Security CUSIP Number Early Tender Premium (1) Aggregate Principal Amount Outstanding Principal Amount Tendered Principal Amount Expected to be Accepted for Purchase (2) 8.50% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 48088L AB3 (Rule 144A) and U4830L AB4 (Regulation S) $25 $182,155,000 $168,178,000 $132,155,000 (1) Per $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time and accepted for purchase. (2) After application of proration. As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 26, 2022 (the "Early Tender Time"), as reported by D.F. King & Co., Inc., the Tender and Information Agent for the Tender Offer, the principal amount of the Notes listed in the table above have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. The withdrawal deadline of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 26, 2022 has passed and, accordingly, Notes validly tendered in the Tender Offer may no longer be withdrawn. JT Ryerson expects to accept for purchase and make payment for Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Tender Time on May 31, 2022 (the "Early Settlement Date"), subject to proration. Because the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered exceeds the Maximum Tender Amount, JT Ryerson expects that it will accept validly tendered Notes on a prorated basis in accordance with the Offer to Purchase. Because JT Ryerson expects to accept for purchase the Maximum Tender Amount of Notes, no additional Notes will be purchased pursuant to the Tender Offer after the Early Tender Time. As described in the Offer to Purchase, all Notes tendered and not accepted for purchase will be promptly returned to the tendering Holder's account. Holders of all Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Tender Time and accepted for purchase are eligible to receive the Total Consideration (as set forth in the Offer to Purchase), which includes the early tender premium of $25 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes tendered at or prior to the Early Tender Time (the "Early Tender Premium"). In addition to the Total Consideration, Holders of Notes accepted for purchase will receive accrued and unpaid interest on their Notes from the last interest payment date for the Notes to, but not including, the Early Settlement Date ("Accrued Interest"). JT Ryerson expressly reserves the right, in its sole discretion, subject to applicable law, to terminate the Tender Offer at any time prior to the Expiration Time (as set forth in the Offer to Purchase). The Tender Offer is not conditioned on any minimum principal amount of Notes being tendered but the Tender Offer is subject to certain conditions as described in the Offer to Purchase. The complete terms and conditions of the Tender Offer is described in the Offer to Purchase, copies of which may be obtained by contacting D.F. King & Co., Inc., the information agent for the Tender Offer, at 48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10005, by telephone: banks and brokers call: (212) 269-5550, all others call toll free: (800) 488-8075, or by emailing: [email protected]. BofA Securities, Inc. is acting as the dealer manager for the Tender Offer. Additional information concerning the Tender Offer may be obtained by contacting BofA Securities, Inc., by telephone: at (980) 388-0539 (collect), or by emailing: [email protected]. This press release is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation, an offer to purchase, a solicitation of an offer to purchase, an offer to sell or a solicitation of consents with respect to any securities. The Tender Offer is being made solely pursuant to the Offer to Purchase that is being distributed to the holders of Notes. The Tender Offer is not being made to, nor will tenders be accepted from, or on behalf of, holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making of the Tender Offer or the acceptance thereof would not comply with the laws of that jurisdiction. About Ryerson Ryerson is a leading value-added processor and distributor of industrial metals, with operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China. Founded in 1842, Ryerson has around 4,000 employees in approximately 100 locations. Safe Harbor Provision Certain statements made in this presentation and other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of the Company constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding the Company's future performance, as well as management's expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans, estimates, objectives, or projections relating to the future. Such statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "objectives," "goals," "preliminary," "range," "believes," "expects," "may," "estimates," "will," "should," "plans," or "anticipates" or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy. The Company cautions that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and may involve significant risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may vary materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Among the factors that significantly impact the Company's business are: the cyclicality of the Company's business; the highly competitive, volatile, and fragmented metals industry in which the Company operates; fluctuating metal prices; the Company's substantial indebtedness and the covenants in instruments governing such indebtedness; the integration of acquired operations; regulatory and other operational risks associated with the Company's operations located inside and outside of the United States; impacts and implications of adverse health events, including the COVID-19 pandemic; work stoppages; obligations under certain employee retirement benefit plans; the ownership of a majority of the Company's equity securities by a single investor group; currency fluctuations; and consolidation in the metals industry. Forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various factors, including those set forth above and those set forth under "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, and in the Company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Moreover, the Company cautions against placing undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances, new information or otherwise. Vice President - Finance: Jorge Beristain 312.292.5040 [email protected] SOURCE Ryerson Holding Corporation Global menstrual health and hygiene programs benefitted 8.7 million people in 2021 DALLAS, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Globally, more than 800 million women and girls are stigmatized, excluded and discriminated against simply because they menstruate. An additional 500 million lack access to basic period products and facilities needed for menstrual hygiene management. As a result, these women and girls end up missing school and work, and they often become the target of gender-based violence due to misunderstanding and stigma. In 2021, the cumulative impact of Kimberly-Clarks various social impact programs reached more than 8.7 million women, girls, men and boys, and focused on menstrual health management. Included in last years social impact were eight projects supported by the Kimberly-Clark Foundation and Plan International that focused on creating a learning environment where women and girls have the confidence, knowledge, materials and facilities necessary to overcome the barriers to menstrual health education. Around the world, the Kotex She Can initiative provides compelling educational resources that help girls, boys and parents understand period basics and abolish period stigma before it starts. The Kotex She Can Initiative will provide sustained support for women and girls whose futures can be changed through access to period supplies, community education and an independent future. To learn more about the Kotex She Can Initiative, visit Kimberly-Clark.com/Kotex-She-Can-Initiative (PRNewsfoto/Kimberly-Clark Corporation) "At Kimberly-Clark, we believe a period should never stand in the way of a woman's progress a belief that started with the founding of Kotex more than 100 years ago and continues to this day," said Alison Lewis, Chief Growth Officer for Kimberly-Clark. "Our purpose to provide 'Better Care for a Better World' resonates clearly in our support of Menstrual Hygiene Day and our ongoing work to champion the progress of women, fight period stigmas through education, and promote greater access to menstrual hygiene products. We are incredibly proud of the work we've done and are dedicated to the hard work still ahead." Kimberly-Clark and its Kotex brand are committed to challenging period perceptions and addressing stigmas around the world with women, men, girls and boys. Part of this commitment is the annual collaboration with WASH United to sponsor Menstrual Hygiene Day on Saturday, May 28, 2022, with a shared focus of making menstruation a normal fact of life by 2030. "The WASH United partnership for Menstrual Hygiene Day is an ongoing and impactful campaign that Kimberly-Clark teams from around the world look forward to and rally behind," said Juanita Pelaez, Vice President of Kimberly-Clark's Global Adult and Feminine Care Brands. "Working with global partners such as WASH United, we are able to leverage the power of our brands to make a meaningful impact on the lives of millions of women and girls." To date, Kimberly-Clark, Kotex, the Kimberly-Clark Foundation, and various non-profit collaborators have made tremendous strides to elevate menstrual health and hygiene around the world. Promoting a Global Conversation about Periods Normalizing periods starts by promoting a global conversation around the need for education and the stigmas surrounding menstruation, and Kimberly-Clark's brand teams are delivering against this objective in a variety of ways that directly engage consumers. In Brazil, Kimberly-Clark and Plan International partnered on a campaign to create highway signs, social media content and other media touchpoints to bring awareness to period stigmas, ultimately reaching hundreds of thousands of people in the city of Teresina. Kotex Taiwan invited 2020 Tokyo Olympic Gold Medalist Kuo Hsing-chun, current world record holder in the women's weightlifting category, to share her period stories with young college students both women and men to ignite healthy and open conversations around periods among the younger generation. In South Africa, Kimberly-Clark's Kotex brand partnered with well-known music artist and megastar Boity Thulo to invite South Africans to submit lyrics addressing period stigma. With more than 500 lines of lyrics submitted by both women and men, the 'She Can Anthem' hit the #19 spot on South Africa's music charts. "Period stigma is not a new problem, but we must continue to bring new solutions to solving it," said Morne Van Emmenes M, Marketing Director for Kimberly-Clark South Africa. "With this campaign, we showed the value of experimenting with new ideas to integrate menstrual hygiene education into pop culture in a way that would reach a wide and diverse audience. Boity Thulo was an enthusiastic and supportive collaborator who was instrumental in our success in reaching both women and men." Championing Her Progress Since its launch in 2020, the Kotex She Can initiative has worked to champion women's progress by fighting the barriers caused by period stigmas, promoting access to education in schools and communities, and by helping to open doors so women gain equal opportunity. This year, the She Can initiative is launching a new partnership with Girl Up in Chile and Argentina. This partnership supports Girl Up's work as a global leadership development initiative that positions girls to serve as leaders in the movement for gender equality. "At Girl Up, our mission is to advance girls' skills, rights, and opportunities to be leaders," said Melissa Kilby, Executive Director of Girl Up. "Around the world, access to menstrual hygiene and products is a barrier for girls to attend school and become leaders. We're excited to partner with Kotex and the Kimberly-Clark Foundation to help remove those barriers and help more girls achieve their full potential." Together, Girl Up and the Kimberly-Clark Foundation will provide leadership training and tools for participants to become gender equality advocates and activists for education around period poverty and period stigma. Through the partnership with Girl Up, Kimberly-Clark expects to positively impact more than 80,000 lives over the next three years. "Unlocking doors for women requires all of us to share our voices and advocate for the women and girls in our lives," said Jenny Lewis, Vice President of the Kimberly-Clark Foundation. "Our work is critical to creating a more equitable world for women and girls. Because when women thrive, we all thrive." Making a Positive Social Impact Through Education Around the world, the Kotex She Can initiative provides compelling educational resources that help girls, boys and parents understand period basics and abolish period stigma before it starts. In 2021, the cumulative impact of Kimberly-Clark's various social impact programs reached more than 8.7 million women, girls, men and boys, and focused on menstrual health management. Included in last year's social impact were eight projects supported by the Kimberly-Clark Foundation and Plan International that focused on creating a learning environment where women and girls have the confidence, knowledge, skills, materials and facilities necessary to overcome the persistent barriers to menstrual health education. These efforts led to a positive impact for over one million people in eight countries including Brazil, China, Colombia, Guatemala, India, Nigeria, Peru and Vietnam. Building on consumer insights, the Kotex She Can initiative created innovative new ways to deliver menstrual hygiene education, including a collaboration with popular YouTube and Instagram influencer Simone Giertz to help young women demystify the menstrual cycle in her trademark style that blends education and humor. Addressing Access to Products and Sanitation Access to menstrual hygiene products, as well as period-friendly sanitation facilities, remain a significant challenge for millions of women and girls each day. "It's not enough to strive for awareness we must fight for access to menstrual hygiene products if we have any chance of making a real impact for the countless women and girls in need of support," said Mustafa Kudrati, Plan International USA President & CEO. "The COVID-19 pandemic was a temporary roadblock to our success, but I'm proud to say we worked together to pivot our approach and deliver the critical everyday necessities needed by women and girls not just menstrual hygiene products, but soap, water and food as well." In fact, roughly one in three women in the U.S. struggles to afford period products. In response, Kimberly-Clark and its U by Kotex brand became the founding sponsor of the Alliance for Period Supplies (APS) in 2018, and since then, they have donated more than 50 million period products through APS to women in need. Additionally, one in five students in the U.S. struggle to afford period products, and report missing classes due to a lack of access to period products. This year, U by Kotex provided additional funding to APS to administer a series of grants in the U.S. focused on advancing efforts in schools and benefitting school-aged girls. Recipients include Sisters on the Street for its work to provide free menstrual products in female and all-gender restrooms across its three existing partner high schools in Southern California, and Giving the Basics Wichita to advance its distribution efforts of period supply products to more than 51,000 people monthly and 130+ schools in Kansas. To further address access to period products for students, Thinx, Inc. will donate 10,000 pairs of reusable period underwear for teens to APS. Thinx is the leader in the reusable period and incontinence underwear category, and Kimberly-Clark announced a majority investment in the company earlier this year. "Period poverty is a solvable issue. By prioritizing menstrual equity, we're recognizing that access to period products should no longer be a barrier to an education, and through this donation, we're making a positive impact for thousands of young people who want to focus on school and activities that help them reach their full potential," said Meghan Davis, Chief Executive Officer of Thinx, Inc. "Sustainable menstrual equity is a key mission of Thinx, and we're proud to join with Kimberly-Clark and the Alliance for Period Supplies in the fight to eliminate period poverty in the United States." Around the world, Kimberly-Clark's brand teams are working at the local level to improve access to products. Across Australia and New Zealand, Kimberly-Clark has developed and distributed resource kits and Kotex product samples to educate students about menstrual health. In Korea, Kimberly-Clark has donated more than one million menstrual health products to low-income women and girls since 2016. Educating Men about Periods is Key to Unlocking Equity To unlock doors and build a better world for women and girls, Kimberly-Clark and its brands are working in innovative ways to build advocates among men to address period stigmas by educating men and boys about menstrual hygiene management. A recent campaign in Vietnam, supported by the Kimberly-Clark Foundation in partnership with Plan International, reached more than 81,000 men through campaigns including the "Confident Puberty" initiative. Adolescents, fathers and community members were educated through a series of outreach programs to help promote education around menstrual health management, creating a stronger culture of acceptance for women and girls. In India, the Kimberly-Clark Foundation supported educational activities led by Plan International that reached thousands of adolescents with menstruation information, and more than 30 percent of participants were male. "It is not just the job of women to educate on the importance of menstrual hygiene and health, nor should women and girls be the only focus of educational efforts," added Pelaez. "Men and boys need equal education to ensure we're creating a world in which people who menstruate aren't stigmatized or treated any differently. Menstruation is a component of everyday life and should not have to be hidden away." A unique partnership in Korea led the Kotex brand to collaboration with the Korea Consumer Agency and the Korean Health Teachers Association on consumer education to move beyond teenage girls to educate their male peers and parents. This collaboration includes in-school programs as well as gift packages and educational materials to celebrate a girl's first period. Normalizing Periods by 2030 In commemoration of Menstrual Hygiene Day, Kimberly-Clark is partnering with WASH United and encouraging employees, partners, consumers and customers to show support by wearing the annual Menstrual Hygiene Day Menstruation Bracelet that's available via digital and social assets or printable paper versions. The bracelet is made of 28 elements, with five of them red, representing the menstrual cycle. "By wearing the Menstruation Bracelet or posting the digital and social assets, everyone can show that periods are nothing to hide and help push back taboos and stigma, one bracelet at a time," said Thorsten Kiefer, Co-Founder and CEO of WASH United. "It's time to normalize menstruation and by doing so help millions of women and girls to reach their full potential. Menstrual Hygiene Day and Kotex are committed to ending period stigma. Are you with us?" About Kimberly-Clark Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people's most essential needs, we create products that help individuals experience more of what's important to them. Our portfolio of brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Neve, Plenitud, Sweety, Softex, Viva and WypAll, hold the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in 80 countries. We use sustainable practices that support a healthy planet, build stronger communities, and ensure our business thrives for decades to come. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's 150-year history of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com. About WASH United A unique crossbreed between an advocacy NGO and a creative agency, WASH United works to build a world in which all people benefit from safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), including menstrual hygiene. Our focus is on innovative solutions for advocacy and education. WASH United is behind Menstrual Hygiene Day, the global campaign to end period stigma. About Plan International USA Powered by supporters, Plan International USA partners with adolescent girls, young women and children around the world to overcome oppression and gender inequality, providing the support and resources that are unique to their needs and the needs of their communities, ensuring they achieve their full potential with dignity, opportunity and safety. Founded in 1937, Plan is an independent development and humanitarian organization that is active in 78 countries. For more information, and to learn about our commitment to safeguarding, please visit www.PlanUSA.org. About Girl Up Girl Up is a movement to advance girls' skills, rights, and opportunities to be leaders. Founded by the United Nations Foundation in 2010, Girl Up's leadership development programs have impacted 125,000 girls through 5,600 Clubs in 130 countries and all 50 U.S. states, inspiring a generation of girls to be a force for gender equality and social change. [KMB-B] SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --MAGRABi, the region's leading optical retailer, today announces that during 2022, it will be investing Dh84m across 57 stores in KSA, UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Kuwait. The initiative, one of the biggest investments in the company's history, consolidates MAGRABi's position as the leading optical retailer across the Middle East and includes 16 new openings for the Group's mainstream brand, Doctor M. It will also see a refresh for the luxury MAGRABi brand with 16 new stores opening and 25 stores renovated and expanded, adding to the existing 142 stores across its portfolio. Amin Magrabi, CEO of MAGRABi Group, said: "This investment cements our position as the region's leading optical retail brand, in both the high-end and mainstream segments. We look forward to continuing to reinvent the industry and providing our customers with a truly unique retail experience." The 57 stores are located across 14 cities in a range of desirable locations, including luxury malls and shopping plazas. New stores have already opened in Dubai Hills Mall (UAE), Place Vendome Mall (Qatar), Jeddah Park Mall (KSA), the Springs Souq (UAE), Open Air Mall (Egypt), Imam Bukhari Street (Qasim, KSA). The expansion and renovation programme will be rolled out across the year, with the first new MAGRABi stores opened to customers earlier this month. The continued investment into developing and upgrading MAGRABi and Doctor M stores supports the Company's mission to deliver a superior service to customers and provide an unparalleled retail experience. Store upgrades will include installing state-of-the-art equipment in MAGRABi's Eyetest rooms, staffed by highly qualified Eye Care professionals. MAGRABi is positioned a as premium brand, but since the launch of Doctor M, MAGRABi now covers multi segments, with Doctor M being agile and responsive to customer demands and market trends. As the leading high-end optical retailer in the Middle East, and the only chain operating across the entire Middle Eastern region, MAGRABi has a strong social conscience and strives to push boundaries, empower employees and positively impact society, including addressing gender quality. A testament to this is the opening of the region's first female-only staffed store in Al Hamra Mall, Riyad, Saudi. For further information: Tavistock Communications, +44 (0)7703 492 993, [email protected] https://magrabi.com / https://www.doctorm-optics.com/ SOURCE MAGRABi The Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (CRMSDC), in partnership with the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), offers a curriculum to support firms operating in a pandemic environment. SILVER SPRING, Md., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the crisis facing minority owned businesses due to COVID-19, the Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council, operator of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), Virginia Business Center created an academy to address the challenges. The Minority Business Pandemic Recovery Academy is a transformational six week executive education program in partnership with The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). This Academy will assist minority business CEOs with techniques to use in fortifying and navigating their businesses in a post-pandemic economy. Each week participating minority-owned firms will experience one virtual 90-minute session facilitated by UMGC's School of Business Management beginning on Thursday, May 26. Each session will focus on targeted topics accompanied by a subject matter expert to provide practical, real-world experience as MBEs continue to deal with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will explore sessions in Executive Leadership, Financial Management, Design Thinking for Business Acceleration, Cybersecurity for Leaders and Managers, Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Management, and COVID Business Practice Responses. We are excited to offer this unique experience to participating minority-owned firms, shared Sharon R. Pinder, President, and CEO of CRMSDC. "The pandemic has only exacerbated the deepening challenges that many owners face like access to capital, cash flow gaps, and human capital issues. We look forward to providing this opportunity to help MBEs look at strategic ways to combat the many hardships they continue to deal with daily." UMGC is honored to partner with CRMSDC in developing this timely offering Dr. Pam Carter, Vice President and Dean of the School of Business, notes, "These business owners will gain distinctive benefits from engagement with our faculty, most of whom are active Practitioners in their respective fields. Our faculty's contribution to this collaboration produced content of special relevance to MBEs." Upon completion, each minority-owned firm will receive a certificate of completion, obtain new knowledge ownership, and learn to leverage a briefcase of resources and tools to help advance and achieve ongoing business success. This Academy is made possible through the MBDA Coronavirus Response and Relief Center grant. For more information about the Virginia MBDA Business Center ( www.mbda - virginia.com ), contact Tommy Marks, Director of the Virginia MBDA Business Center and VP and COO of CRMSDC @ [email protected] 301.502.0799. The Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (CRMSDC) ( www.crmsdc.org ) was established in 1972. It is one of 23 regional affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and is the only nationally certifying authority. CRMSDC's mission is to certify, connect, develop and advocate for minority-owned business across the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia. CRMSDC is the operator of the U.S. Department of Commerce Virginia MBDA Business Center. For the last three years, the Washington Business Journal has recognized The Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (ranked #11) as one of the Top 30 Largest Business Advocacy Groups in Greater Washington, DC region. The Virginia MBDA Business Center is located in Alexandria, Virginia with a satellite office in Richmond, Virginia. (In partnership with the Carolina-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council). It is the first MBDA Center in the Commonwealth of Virginia and it offers the following services: Global Business Development; Access to Capital; Access to Contracts; Access to Markets and Strategic Business Consulting. Web Address: www.mbda - virginia.com Web Address: www.crmsdc.org Web Address: www.crmsdccares.com Contact: Sonya Bigelow-Smith, Program Mgr Coronavirus Response and Relief Center [email protected] 410.707.2850 SOURCE The Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council - Israel's Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation spoke about the two countries' complementary strengths at the closing ceremony - Climate emerges as the countries' main shared challenge requiring cooperation on multiple fronts, especially energy, water, agriculture, and logistics - Start-Up Nation Central enters a series of partnerships with Moroccan counterparts to work on solving mutual human capital challenges CASABLANCA, Morocco, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new era of Israel-Morocco Business ties has launched following the successful "Morocco-Israel Connect to Innovate" conference which took place in Casablanca this week. The event, co-organised by Start-Up Nation Central, a non-profit organization that promotes Israeli innovation around the world and Morocco's CPR, brought together government officials and 250 business leaders from the two countries and focused on ways to collaborate in the agrifood-tech, watertech, energy, logistics, and human capital sectors. These are areas of focus in H.M. King Mohamed VI's multi-year economic and social roadmap, The New Development Model. Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson with Israeli Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Orit Farkash-Hacohen, courtesy of Start-Up Nation Central "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," H.E. Mr. Andre Azoulay, Advisor to King Mohammed VI said. Israel's Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Orit Farkash Hacohen, headlined the closing ceremony of the conference shortly after signing a new cooperation agreement in the fields of AI, agricultural technologies, watertech, energy, healthcare, space, and automotive with her Moroccan counterpart, Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, H.E. Abdellatif Miraoui. "There is great potential for Israel's high-tech industry in the Kingdom of Morocco, in the fields of water desalination and other water technologies, renewable energy, agriculture, sustainability, and more," said Minister Farkash- Hacohen. "The strengths of the Israeli innovation industry have complimentary business opportunities in Morocco. We will continue to support the maximization of the economic potential between Morocco and Israel. There is a lot to aspire to." "The last three days here in Casablanca have proven that there is a genuine desire by government leaders and business people from both Israel and Morocco to work together and form meaningful business partnerships. By bringing together 250 senior members of the public and private sector for a series of constructive meetings and engaging sessions, we have entered a new era in binational relations, one founded on innovation," Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson said. "In less than 24 hours since the conclusion of the conference, we have already seen new collaborations and deals made as a result of Israeli and Moroccan business people meeting at the event. There will be additional significant deals announced in the weeks to come, including the launch of many partnerships to solve the two nations' human capital challenges. On behalf of our team, I would like to thank the Moroccan government and all our partners in the Connect to Innovate conference. The historic event marked the start of our shared innovation journey. But this is only the beginning." Binational business ties, slow to form following the signing of the normalization agreement and renewed diplomatic relations in late 2020, received a boost during the conference with the signing of a series of commercial agreements and MOUs that paved the way for more robust relations going forward. What emerged from the many discussions was that Israel and Morocco share many of the same challenges, particularly when it comes to tackling the climate crisis and both its immediate and longer-term ramifications and the understanding that it is a challenge that cuts across all industries that demands solutions from multiple disciplines that must also stem from cross-border collaborations. Israel, with more than 700 climate-tech companies, and Morocco, with its leading position in the field of alternative energy, and particularly solar technology, are well-positioned to tackle the challenge through joint initiatives that will aid not only the people of the MENA region but all over the globe. To ensure the success of the conference, Start-Up Nation Central partnered with key Moroccan businesses and governmental agencies, including the 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. 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 innovative companies who took part in the conference. SOURCE Start-Up Nation Central (SNC) OSSEO, Wis., May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- North American Specialty Laminations ("NASL") announces new brand logo and corporate positioning of, Source Cut Industries and SourceCut West (formerly Haida Industries), and all future acquisitions, as NASL to the building materials marketplace. "In support of our vision as the North American leader in differentiated lamination solutions to the building products industry, our new brand mark and tagline "We've got you covered", helps to convey our mission to consistently challenge the status quo, in the development of value-added products and business solutions to meet the evolving needs of our customers," states Doug Rende, CEO, NASL. We are pleased to be working with Ganton in our repositioning efforts, as their extensive industry branding and market knowledge has already delivered significant impact. "The NASL brand mark's essence, it's look and feel, represented by complex shapes, facets and metallic colorways suggests their vast capability to handle virtually any lamination challenge." Brian Ganton, Jr., Principal. North American Specialty Laminations New Brand Positioning Tweet this In what has historically been a highly fragmented industry segment, NASL is committed to being the single source solution to their customers lamination and fabrication needs. The NASL brand promise is supported by continuing acquisition and greenfield investments expanding our manufacturing footprint, with unique lamination capabilities enabled by over twenty years' experience in serving the door, window, cabinets, case goods and furniture markets, said Zach Wiedenhoeft, COO NASL. These factors, coupled with the breadth of color and design options applied to vinyl, wood, composites, and aluminum substrates, delivers enhanced margin opportunities for our customers, while creating significant efficiencies in inventory management, transportation, and labor. In addition, the NASL Equity Appreciation Program creates an ownership focus for all team members in the delivery of quality and timely service to our customers. About North American Specialty Laminations North American Specialty Laminations ("NASL") is a profile wrapping, and specialty manufacturing company serving the Window, Door, Cabinet, Furniture and Architectural Millwork industries. With headquarters in Osseo, WI and production locations serving all U.S. and Canadian regions, NASL is a portfolio company of the Boston based private equity investment firm Building Industry Partners ("BIP"). About Building Industry Partners Building Industry Partners ("BIP") is the leading private equity investment firm focused on the U.S. building industry. Founded by Matt Ogden in 2008, BIP is headquartered in Boston, with partners across the U.S. The firm is led by Matt and Partners Pat Mascia, Pete Robinson, and Stu Kliman and supported by the firm's Operating Partners. BIP invests its Partners' own capital, as well as that of a number of strategic, like-minded investors, including business leaders and family offices affiliated with the U.S. building industry. In 2020, BIP redefined its purpose: Build exceptional and enduring businesses, generate world class investment returns, and contribute to elevating the building industry and its workforce through people-focused investment & business principles. Accordingly, BIP is committed to elevating the employee value proposition at its portfolio companies. This will include introducing broad-based employee ownership and supporting programs across future BIP investments in order to better align the interests of shareholders, management, and the broader workforce, to help elevate workforce prosperity and accelerate collective performance and equity value creation. Further, in 2021, BIP established its Center of Excellence, which will support BIP portfolio companies in developing and implementing best practices, foremost in Human Capital Management, in support of the firm's redefined purpose. BIP remains firmly grounded in its core fundamental investment principles: Unwavering integrity, a people-first approach to business, alignment of long-term interests with partners, respect for the advantages of local, independent, entrepreneurial businesses, deep sector focus, the power of relationships, and a prudent approach to macro, business, and financial risk. Over the past decade, BIP is proud to have been part of building some of the fastest-growing and most dynamic businesses in the middle-market U.S. building industry: U.S. LBM Holdings, Kodiak Building Partners, United Cabinet Holdings, Rugby Architectural Building Products, Homewood Holdings, and U.S. Fence Solutions Co / Binford Supply. BIP continues to seek opportunities to sponsor the building industry's greatest talent in building exceptional businesses and realizing their entrepreneurial visions. SOURCE North American Specialty Laminations "We are excited to bring the new Lava Swirl flavor to our menu this summer," said Melissa Hubbell, senior director of marketing for Kahala Brands, parent company of Pinkberry. "Guests can enjoy this tropical flavored treat in a frozen yogurt or a smoothie - it's the perfect way to stay cool on a warm day!" At Pinkberry, guests can customize their swirl with a variety of toppings that include fresh, never frozen, fruit that is hand-cut in stores daily, along with premium granolas and nuts, specialty chocolates, and much more. Pinkberry is swirling with possibilities! Promotional Flavor: Lava Swirl Promotional Combination: Lava Swirl frozen yogurt topped with pineapple, coconut shavings, strawberry puree, and whipped cream About Pinkberry Pinkberry launched in Los Angeles, CA in 2005 as the original brand that reinvented frozen yogurt. Today, over a decade later, Pinkberry continues to create great tasting treats with fresh ingredients in an experience comprised of distinctive product, outstanding service and inspirational design. At Pinkberry you can taste the difference of an uncompromising commitment to quality and freshness. Most recently, Pinkberry was acquired by Scottsdale, Arizona-based Kahala Brands, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of 22 quick-service restaurant brands and approximately 2900 locations in 28 countries. For more information, please visit www.Pinkberry.com. SOURCE Pinkberry HELSINKI, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ponsse launches excellent new products to improve productivity in sustainable harvesting. The new solutions have been developed together with customers, listening to their needs. The PONSSE Scorpion Giant harvester and the PONSSE Mammoth forwarder respond to the highest requirements of modern forestry both in terms of ergonomics and productivity. "These new products strengthen our position as one of the world's leading suppliers of responsible harvesting solutions. The development of both new forest machines started from improved ergonomics, safety and usability, as well as better visibility from the cabin. We believe that we succeeded very well in this, and we are delighted to demonstrate these new products to our customers today here in Surahammar in Sweden," says Marko Mattila, Sales, Marketing and Service Director at Ponsse. PONSSE Scorpion Giant power in various conditions The PONSSE Scorpion Giant is only a giant in terms of productivity and power. The new harvester adds to the Scorpion product range, which was completely upgraded in 2021. According to customer needs, the Scorpion Giant was developed to have more tractive effort, which helps the harvester to be agile even in challenging conditions, including snow, steep slopes and soft terrain. It is in a league of its own when it comes to crane lifting power, also when handling larger stems. "Even though the Giant is the strongest harvester in the Scorpion range, the Bear is still our most powerful harvester overall. What makes the Scorpion Giant stand out is its versatility, allowing it to be operated at various sites, as it can be fitted with the PONSSE H6, H7, H7HD Euca or H8 harvester head," Mattila says. Unique ergonomics Cabin ergonomics and usability have been one of the leading themes in Ponsse's research and development in recent years alongside the development of safety. The PONSSE Giant has a one-piece windscreen that extends to the roof of the cabin, offering even better visibility for the operator and ensuring safe working in all conditions. The cabin workspace is like a practical and quiet office with a view, developed to support the operator's comfort and wellbeing. The Scorpion Giant features many solutions familiar from the Scorpion product range that have been developed even further. These include increased tractive force and a more powerful C50+ crane whose fork boom offers excellent visibility of the logging site. The Scorpion Giant also features the unique active levelling and stabilisation systems familiar from other Scorpion models. The Scorpion Giant is available with the highly advanced and modern Opti 5G system and the Opti 8 touchscreen computer. PONSSE Opti 5G the most modern information system on the market PONSSE Opti 5G is the most modern information system on the market. Its smooth and fast operations raise user experiences in information systems to a whole new level. The powerful C50+ crane, combined with the Opti 5G information system, offers a whole new way to control the crane and improve operational efficiency using PONSSE Harvester Active Crane. With Harvester Active Crane, the operator can directly control the movements of the harvester head, instead of just controlling the individual operations of the crane. This allows the operator to focus on wood processing, instead of simply controlling the crane. Harvester Active Crane, available as an option, requires the Opti 5G control system, which is currently available in the Scorpion product range's harvesters in certain market areas. The availability of Harvester Active Crane will be expanded to other machine models and market areas. PONSSE H8 the next generation's harvester head The new PONSSE H8 harvester head features powerful feed, a strong grip and a sturdy but agile frame. The saw box area is even wider, making the harvester head an excellent choice for trees with a high butt diameter. The harvester head can be fitted in the PONSSE Ergo, Scorpion Giant and Bear, the strongest harvesters in our product range. The automatic features of the Opti control system, developed and built by Ponsse, control the feed speed and saw movement, according to the tree diameter, and ensure fast and precise sawing. With Active Speed, the harvester head's operating speed can be adjusted based on the tree species and stem diameter. Working with the H8 harvester head equipped with the new feature is productive and smooth, regardless of the stem size. PONSSE Mammoth forwarder an unprecedented load-carrying capacity The PONSSE Mammoth forwarder, powerful in terms of productivity, expands Ponsse's forwarder range to the new category of 25-ton load-carrying capacity. Equipped with the stepless Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) system and the PONSSE K121 loader, the Mammoth's sturdy frame structures and super-strong hydraulics ensure that large stems and heavy loads can be transported effortlessly, even in the most challenging terrain. Ergonomics addressed in every detail in the Mammoth's development In the PONSSE Mammoth forwarder, operator ergonomics has been addressed every step of the way. The new forwarder offers the highest productivity when driving distances are long. Less driving is required because more stems can be transported each time. New features for improved productivity One of the most prominent new features is the PONSSE Active Seat, developed according to forest machine operators' requests. The new Active Seat improves usability, as it turns and follows the work environment according to crane movements, increasing the forest machine operator's productivity. The Active Seat, developed by Ponsse, is only available for PONSSE forest machines. The PONSSE Mammoth can be equipped with PONSSE Active Cabin, an effective cabin suspension system with a simple structure. It helps forest machine operators keep going, even during longer shifts, by suspending any stress on the cabin. In addition to the Mammoth, the Active Cabin is available for the Buffalo, Elephant and Elephant King forwarders. The Mammoth can be equipped with a long rear frame, which enables the transport of oversized stems at plantations in South America, for example. The Mammoth features the largest load space in the Ponsse product range: 6.8 or 8.0 m2, depending on each customer's choice. The PONSSE Active Crane is a loader control system for forwarders, with which the operator controls grapple movements instead of individual functions, allowing the operator to concentrate effectively on working with the loader. Active Crane is easily controlled using two levers, one of which controls the grapple height from the ground, and the other the direction of movement. The new PONSSE Active Manual service offers helps and guidance through videos PONSSE Active Manual is an instruction and maintenance manual service with videos to support the daily work of forest machine operators. The visual PONSSE Active Manual is an owner's manual service that runs on mobile devices and supplements the current Owner's Manual by offering videos alongside the manual. PONSSE Active Manual is available on Apple and Android app stores. Further information Marko Mattila, Ponsse Plc, Sales, Marketing and Service Director, tel. +358 400 596297, [email protected] PHOTOS https://materialbank.ponsse.com/ui/shares/w19066155/451099/en/ This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/ponsse-oyj/r/ponsse-s-new-products-for-responsible-forestry,c3575025 The following files are available for download: https://news.cision.com/ponsse-oyj/i/scorpion-giant-01,c3053755 Scorpion Giant 01 SOURCE Ponsse Oyj Clinics now have a pre-written and completely configurable practice manual at their fingertips! BALLARAT CENTRAL, Australia, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Power Diary, an online practice management software, announced today the release of an in-platform Health Practice Operations Manual, a new feature available to Power Diary's global customer base of private health practices. This industry-first feature allows practice owners to create, implement and update a set of policies and procedures that support operational consistency, enable sustainable growth, and ensure compliance with their professional, ethical and regulatory obligations. The Practice Management Game Changer The In-Platform Practice Operations Manual "Governance is not typically considered an exciting topic but it is vitally important for the safe operations of an efficient business and can lead to stellar growth," stated Damien Adler, Power Diary Co-Founder. Adler continued, "Practice owners often know they need a practice manual but simply don't have time or resources to create one from scratch. It can be an overwhelming task. Having had the opportunity to support thousands of practitioners globally, we are thrilled to provide them with both the technology to create and manage a practice manual, along with over 100 pre-written policies and procedures that can be used straight away. We think this will be an absolute game-changer for many practices." This operations manual was developed by a team of healthcare practice managers and administrative experts with more than 50 years of combined experience. Within the operations manual, users have access to a core set of policies and procedures for areas including Team Support & Development, Health & Safety, Security, Confidentiality & Privacy, Customer Service, and Physical Environment, plus many more - each configurable to the business. "The legal vulnerability that practices are exposed to due to a lack of policies and procedures could potentially put them at risk," stated Tercyus Ribeiro, Power Diary's Data Protection Officer. "When practices configure this feature, they are adding an important extra layer of protection to their business." As of today, Power Diary's Health Practice Operations Manual is available to all new and current customers at no additional charge. The manual must be activated by an administrative user on the account. For more information on the Health Practice Operations Manual, visit www.powerdiary.com/manual . ABOUT POWER DIARY Power Diary is the online practice management software trusted by health practitioners worldwide. It includes calendar management, automated appointment reminders (SMS + email), custom treatment note templates, client database, waiting list, client invoicing, an online booking portal, 2-way SMS chat, and a lot more! Power Diary is designed specifically for health clinics. Our vision is to provide the ultimate practice management system that makes running health practices easier, simpler, and more rewarding. Clients range from sole practitioners through to large, multi-location practices. Contact: Danielle Hopkinson, Marketing Manager Power Diary 3307279511 [email protected] SOURCE Power Diary SHELBYVILLE, Ky. and SACRAMENTO, Calif. , May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PPL Group LLC, a leader in the industrial liquidation and auction business, is announcing that high quality assets from Revere Packaging LLC will be hitting the auction block on Wednesday, June 8 and Thursday June 9, 2022. Revere Packaging was founded in 1801 and has been an innovative provider of recyclable and sustainable food packaging solutions for large bakeries and confectionery manufacturers, airlines and other commercial businesses and municipal organizations. This Two-Day Online Only Auction will feature some of the most sought-after thermoforming equipment, particularly suited for the food packaging industry. GNPlastics Model GN3725DX Roll-Fed Vacuum Thermoformer, with RSX Robotic Stacker GNPlastics Model GN3625DX Roll-Fed Vacuum Thermoformer Featured Assets being offered includes: Thermoformers & Robotic Stacking Units GNPlastics, Lyle Sencorp Vacuum Forming Machine Granulators & Chillers OBI & C-Frame Punch Presses Air Compressors, Dryer & Balers Forklifts, Material Handling Balers Maintenance, Tool Room & Plant Support Equipment Large Inventory of Rolled Plastic & Aluminum & Tooling And Much More! "This assortment of late model thermoforming equipment from an industry leading food packaging company is rarely available in the market and presents a great opportunity for other thermoforming businesses, particularly those in the food packaging industry, looking to acquire equipment, inventory and tooling," said Alex Mazer, Executive Vice President of PPL Group. "Additionally," Mazer adds, "with so much equipment that can be repurposed for many other manufacturing or industrial uses, this is an auction that should not be missed." This Two-Day Online Only auction is available for bidding on June 1st, 2022. The final day of the sale for all of the assets in the Shelbyville facility will be Wednesday, June 8, 2022, starting at 11am EDT. The final day of the sale for all of the assets in the Sacramento facility will commence the following day on Thursday June 9, 2022 at 11am PDT. Inspection of the assets at the Shelbyville facility will be available on Tuesday, June 8, 2022 from 9am-4pm EDT at 39 Pearce Road, Shelbyville, KY 40065. Inspection of the assets in Sacramento will be available on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 7 & 8 from 9am-4pm PDT at 4600 Beloit Drive, Sacramento, CA 95838. Parties wishing to arrange alternative inspection times can contact Gary Slager [email protected]. For more information and a complete listing of assets for auction, please visit us online at www.pplgroupllc.com. PPL Group LLC is a leader in the industrial liquidation and auction business with a focus on complete plant liquidations and auctions. PPL also finances equipment-heavy businesses in distress, and buys troubled manufacturing-related operating companies as an equity investor. Media Contact: Alex Mazer PPL Group 410.960.2123 224.927.5320 [email protected] SOURCE PPL Group XIAMEN, China, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Qudian Inc. ("Qudian" or the "Company") (NYSE: QD), a consumer-oriented technology company in China, today announced that it has received a letter from the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") dated May 25, 2022, notifying the Company that it is below the NYSE's continued listing standards due to the trading price of Qudian's American depositary shares (the "ADSs"). Pursuant to Section 802.01C of the NYSE's Listed Company Manual, a company will be considered to be below compliance standards if the average closing price of its security as reported on the consolidated tape is less than US$1.00 over a consecutive 30 trading-day period. The Company has six months ("the Cure Period") following receipt of the notice to regain compliance with the minimum share price requirement. The Company can regain compliance at any time during the Cure Period if on the last trading day of any calendar month during the Cure Period the Company has a closing share price of at least US$1.00 per ADS and an average closing share price of at least US$1.00 per ADS over the 30 trading-day period ending on the last trading day of that month. In the event that at the expiration of the six-month Cure Period, both a US$1.00 per ADS closing share price on the last trading day of the Cure Period and a US$1.00 per ADS average closing share price over the 30 trading-day period ending on the last trading day of the Cure Period are not attained, the NYSE will commence suspension and delisting procedures. To address this issue, the Company intends to monitor the market conditions of its listed securities and is still considering its options. The Company has notified the NYSE on May 27, 2022 of its intent to cure the deficiency. During the Cure Period, the Company's ADSs will continue to be listed and traded on the NYSE, subject to its compliance with other NYSE continued listing standards and other rights of the NYSE to delist the ADSs. The NYSE notification does not affect the Company's business operations, its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reporting requirements or contractual obligations. About Qudian Inc. Qudian Inc. ("Qudian") is a consumer-oriented technology company in China. The Company historically focused on providing credit solutions to consumers. The Company is exploring innovative consumer products and services to satisfy Chinese consumers' fundamental and daily needs by leveraging its technology capabilities. In March 2022, it launched a ready-to-cook meal business catering to working-class consumers in China. For more information, please visit http://ir.qudian.com. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States 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, the expectation of its collection efficiency and delinquency contains forward-looking statements. Qudian may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the 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 Qudian'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: Qudian's goal and strategies; Qudian's expansion plans; Qudian's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; Qudian's expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, its products; Qudian's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with customers, business partners and other parties it collaborates with; general economic and business conditions; and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Qudian's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Qudian 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: Qudian Inc. IR team Tel: +86-592-596-8208 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] SOURCE Qudian Inc. PARSIPPANY, N.J., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In light of the continuing shortage of infant formula in the United States, Mead Johnson today provided an update on its ongoing efforts to ensure that more formula reaches store shelves and the parents who need it. Pat Sly, President of Reckitt's nutrition business, underscored the importance of the role its flagship brand Enfamil plays in providing the single source of nutrition for millions of babies and toddlers. "Over the past three months we have been doing everything possible to put more infant formula on shelves, addressing the concerns of parents across the country. We are leaving no stone unturned to increase our supply, while safeguarding the highest levels of quality. I am extremely grateful for and proud of our colleagues, and the dedication and commitment they are demonstrating in this difficult time. Our warehouse team is working through the Memorial Day weekend to ship more than 90 truckloads, and our factory teams will produce another 5 million 8-oz feedings." We are working with government and retail partners on the following measures to get more product on shelves faster: Operating our plants 24/7 Streamlined our product portfolio to maximise production capacity Working with the United States government to secure additional manufacturing inputs and to bring formula from our manufacturing sites outside the US. government to secure additional manufacturing inputs and to bring formula from our manufacturing sites outside the US. Partnering with retailers to expedite orders and trucks and prioritizing formula at their distribution centers to fill shelves quickly. Dispatching product as soon as it's been quality checked, rather than waiting until trucks are entirely filled, to get the product on shelves faster As a result, we shipped over 30% more infant formula in Q1 vs 2021, cut time to shelf by 40% without sacrificing quality and are currently feeding 211,000 more babies than we were prior to the shortage. We are also identifying other ways to ensure parents and infants have a steady supply of safe, high-quality formula. These include pursuing the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) import exception, which would permit us to import additional infant formula supplies into the United States from our manufacturing facilities in Singapore and Mexico. Should we receive regulatory approval, we would be able to achieve the following: Immediately provide 200 metric tons of infant formula base powder from our Tuas facility in Singapore which would be blended and packaged in the U.S. facilitated by logistics help from Operation Fly Formula. This would be the equivalent of more than 6 million 8-oz servings and could be available by June. which would be blended and packaged in the U.S. facilitated by logistics help from Operation Fly Formula. This would be the equivalent of more than 6 million 8-oz servings and could be available by June. Provide approximately 170 metric tons of infant formula per month on average from our Delicias, Mexico facility facility Should these requests be approved, the combined impact would enable us to feed an additional 250,000 babies. CONTACT DETAILS: MartinneGeller, Reckitt [email protected] +44 (0) 7408 801 216 About Reckitt: Reckitt* exists to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. We believe that access to the highest-quality hygiene, wellness and nourishment is a right, not a privilege. Reckitt is the company behind some of the world's most recognisable and trusted consumer brands in hygiene, health and nutrition, including Air Wick, Calgon, Cillit Bang, Clearasil, Dettol, Durex, Enfamil, Finish, Gaviscon, Harpic, Lysol, Mortein, Mucinex, Nurofen, Nutramigen, Strepsils, Vanish, Veet, Woolite and more. Every day, more than 20 million Reckitt products are bought globally. We always put consumers and people first, seek out new opportunities, strive for excellence in all that we do and build shared success with all our partners. We aim to do the right thing, always. We are a diverse global team of more than 43,000 colleagues. We draw on our collective energy to meet our ambitions of purpose-led brands, a healthier planet and a fairer society. Find out more, or get in touch with us at www.reckitt.com. About Mead Johnson Nutrition: Mead Johnson Nutrition was acquired by Reckitt in 2017, merging the two company's commitments to innovation and science to continue fueling advancements in pediatric nutrition. Today, the nutrition business continues to drive innovation from its Evansville, IN site and is trusted by parents and healthcare professionals all over the world to support developing minds and bodies. We're committed to ensuring that every mom and every baby a healthy start. About Enfamil Enfamil's full product portfolio is formulated to provide optimal nutrition for infants and children through every stage of development. Their dedication to science and innovation remains vital to both their product portfolio and mission by using leading-edge technologies, a highly specialized team, and expert collaborations to benefit pediatric populations around the world. Today, the Enfamil brand is trusted by parents and healthcare professionals through their passion for innovation and delivering high quality products. * Reckitt is the trading name of the Reckitt Benckiser group of companies SOURCE Reckitt PHOENIX, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Renren Inc. (NYSE: RENN) ("Renren" or the "Company"), a SaaS company, today announced that it has entered into an Amendment (the "Stipulation Amendment") to the Stipulation of Settlement reached on October 7, 2021 (the "Initial Stipulation," together with the Stipulation Amendment, the "Stipulation"). Capitalized but undefined terms used herein shall have the same meanings ascribed to them in Exhibit 99.1 of the Form 6-K furnished by the Company to the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 8, 2021. The Court declined to approve the Initial Stipulation by order dated December 10, 2021, raising concerns about (i) certain objections raised as to the recipients of the settlement funds, (ii) the amount of requested attorneys' fees, and (iii) the reversion to Renren of any remaining settlement funds. On May 27, 2022, Plaintiffs and Defendants, after additional negotiations, reached an agreement on certain modifications to the Initial Stipulation, including the definitions of "Final," "Settlement Amount" and "True Up," as well as a modification to the reversion provision, which provides for the distribution of remaining settlement funds. Plaintiffs and Defendants entered into the Stipulation Amendment with the purpose of reaching a new overall settlement of the entire Action (the "Settlement"). As the Settlement remains subject to approval by the Court and the fulfillment of other conditions set forth in the Stipulation, which involve inherent risks and substantial uncertainties, there is no guarantee that the Settlement will be consummated as contemplated under the Stipulation or at all. The foregoing summary of the Stipulation Amendment is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of that document, which will be filed as an exhibit to the Form 6-K that the Company intends to promptly furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission thereafter, attaching this press release as an exhibit thereto. About Renren Inc. Renren Inc. (NYSE: RENN) operates several U.S.-based SaaS businesses including Chime, an all-in-one CRM and sales acceleration platform designed to help real estate professionals close more deals faster, and Trucker Path, a suite of applications and dispatch services commercial truck drivers use to plan trips, navigate, and operate their business. Renren's ADSs, each currently representing 45 Class A ordinary shares of the Company, are traded on NYSE under the symbol "RENN". Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under 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. Renren may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "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 Renren's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. In particular, as the proposed Settlement is contingent upon, among other things, obtaining the necessary court approval, the Company cautions investors that the forward-looking statements included in this press release are not a guarantee of future events, and that actual events may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in our annual report on Form 20-F and other documents filed with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Renren does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. SOURCE Renren Inc. ODESSA, Texas, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Saulsbury has been awarded the contract for the Electrical and Instrumentation (E&I) portion of a large Air Separation Unit (ASU) in Port Allen, LA for one of the premier specialty gas companies in the world. Saulsbury is currently performing the mechanical construction at the facility, which includes the ASU that will be used to produce gaseous oxygen, nitrogen, and liquid argon. "We are very excited to partner with our client again and showcase Saulsbury's E&I turn-key project execution capabilities. The collective project team has done a great job in supporting our client, and we look forward to continuing with them on many more in the future," said Travis Springer, Senior Director of Operations and General Manager of E&I. Saulsbury has a longstanding reputation as a premier electrical and instrumentation contractor and a leader in the delivery of quality projects within the downstream and specialty gas markets. Saulsbury's skilled project leadership and best-in-class safety performance are key contributors to this project award as well as Saulsbury's growth in these spaces. About Saulsbury Industries Saulsbury Industries is a full-service engineering, procurement, fabrication, and construction company that specializes in building the infrastructure necessary to fuel the future. Saulsbury serves its clients in heavy industrial markets by designing and building safe, well executed, capital-efficient projects nationwide. Headquartered in Odessa, Texas, the company's national office footprint includes Dallas, Houston, Port Arthur, Henderson, Abilene, Pecos, and Corpus Christi, TX; Carlsbad, NM; Tulsa, OK; and Bismarck, ND. For more information, please visit www.saulsbury.com and follow Saulsbury on LinkedIn or Facebook. For information or inquiries, please contact: Saulsbury Marketing and Communications 2951 E. Interstate 20 Odessa, TX 79766 (432) 366-3686 [email protected] SOURCE Saulsbury Industries SecurityGen was one of nine vendors shortlisted in the "Innovation Award - Vendor" category at this year's awards, which took place during the Telecoms World Middle East conference in Dubai . The shortlist included submissions from a range of blue-chip players, scale-ups and start-ups - including Netcracker, Cisco, Syniverse, Arimac Lanka Pvt, Enea Aptilo, STC Solutions, Zextras, and Evina. Commenting on this latest award win, SecurityGen co-founder and CEO Amit Nath said, "The SecurityGen team is thrilled to win this award. We'd like to congratulate our fellow shortlisted nominees and also thank the judges for recognising, firstly, the hard work that has gone into creating the new ACE platform: and secondly, its game-changing impact on securing mobile networks for operators and their subscribers." The ACE platform is a telecoms industry first: the first completely automated breach and attack simulation platform that is purpose-built for securing mobile networks. ACE provides an automated approach to assess and improve the security posture of mobile operators by continuously testing the strength of their network defences against hackers, fraudsters and other malefactors. Nath continued, "As mobile networks become more complex and dynamic, new and serious security challenges have emerged for operators. Current preventative security measures are simply not enough to adequately protect networks from malicious external attack. ACE gives mobile operators the network-wide perspective, expert insight, and research-based recommendations they need to defend their networks and protect their subscribers effectively on an ongoing basis." Earlier this month, SecurityGen earned second place in the ROCCO Research Vendor Innovators Awards for its ACE offering, which took place at the ROCCO Genesis innovation conference in Malaga, Spain. The Telecom World Middle East Awards are an annual awards programme that identifies, celebrates and rewards innovation and success in the telecoms sector across the Middle East, Central and South Asia and Africa. About SecurityGen Founded in 2022, SecurityGen is a global start-up focused on telecom security. We deliver a solid security foundation to drive secure telco digital transformations and ensure next-gen enterprise intelligent connectivity. Our extensive product and service portfolio provides complete protection against existing and advanced telecom security threats. Led by a group of global visionary leaders, security experts, and research analysts with a proven track record of innovation and execution, SecurityGen is headquartered in Rome and has a strong presence across Europe, Asia, LATAM, and the Middle East. www.secgen.com Image - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827986/SecurityGen_Telecoms_World_Award_Win.jpg SOURCE SecurityGen MILWAUKEE, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ademi LLP is investigating Liberty (OTC Markets: LBSI) for possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law in its transaction with Middlefield. Click here to learn how to join the action: https://www.ademilaw.com/case/liberty-bancshares-inc or call Guri Ademi toll-free at 866-264-3995. There is no cost or obligation to you. Ademi LLP alleges Liberty's financial outlook and prospects are excellent and yet Liberty holders will receive only 2.752 shares of Middlefield's common stock. Based on Middlefield's closing share price of $24.95 on May 25, 2022, the transaction is valued at approximately $64.4 million. The transaction agreement unreasonably limits competing bids for Liberty by imposing a significant penalty if Liberty accepts a superior bid. Liberty insiders will receive substantial benefits as part of change of control arrangements. We are investigating the conduct of Liberty's board of directors, and whether they are (i) fulfilling their fiduciary duties to all shareholders, and (ii) obtaining a fair and reasonable price for Liberty. If you own Liberty common stock and wish to obtain additional information, please contact Guri Ademi either at [email protected] or toll-free: 866-264-3995, or https://www.ademilaw.com/case/liberty-bancshares-inc. We specialize in shareholder litigation involving buyouts, mergers, and individual shareholder rights throughout the country. For more information, please feel free to call us. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contacts Ademi LLP Guri Ademi Toll Free: (866) 264-3995 Fax: (414) 482-8001 SOURCE Ademi LLP Non-profit works to strengthen AAPI advocacy and community CINCINNATI, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) Foundation's Racial Equity Fund (the fund) announced today a $1 million grant to The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). As a convener, incubator and funder committed to accelerating opportunity and prosperity for Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, TAAF's undertaking strongly aligns with the goals set forth in Kroger's Framework for Action: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. "The Kroger Foundation's generous commitment to the safety and well-being of AAPI communities is so important in this moment, both as anti-AAPI violence continues to surge, and as acts of violence targeting marginalized Americans are taking place at alarming rates," said TAAF CEO Norman Chen, "It was two years ago this week that George Floyd was murdered, one year ago that the Atlanta spa-shootings occurred, and still acts of mass violence that are leaving communities of color wondering if we'll ever feel safe in America if we'll ever feel that we belong. At TAAF, we want to create that permanent sense of belonging that is free from discrimination, slander and violence, and so we are grateful to have The Kroger Foundation's support as we pursue that all-too-important mission." Established in May 2021, TAAF is committed to serving AAPI communities by building the infrastructure needed to improve AAPI advocacy, power and representation. TAAF seeks to help fill critical gaps of support for AAPIs, as less than 0.5 percent of charitable giving from foundations goes to AAPI communities. TAAF wants to help be a catalyst for changing that history of underinvestment, and the organization is focused on a number of strategic priority areas including combating anti-AAPI hate, education, narrative change, cross-racial solidarity, and unlocking more resources for AAPI communities. "TAAF's work is in lockstep with the Kroger Foundation's commitment to build more equitable, inclusive communities," said Keith Dailey, president of The Kroger Co. Foundation and Kroger's group vice president of corporate affairs. "The Kroger Foundation is proud to stand with TAAF in its mission to end the cycle of hate and create belonging in the AAPI community, and to increase awareness around anti-Asian bias, harassment and violence. Our Foundation is proud to play a small role in advancing their efforts." The contribution was celebrated at an event sponsored by Kroger's Asian Associate Resource Group (ARG) to honor AAPI Heritage Month, featuring Kroger Board Director Secretary Elaine Chao. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Asian ARG was established by Kroger Asian associates with a to mission to recruit and retain Asian talent by providing belonging. In 2021, as part of Kroger's Framework for Action: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Kroger allocated $5 million to The Kroger Co. Foundation to establish a new Racial Equity Fund with the vision to create more equitable communities by being the spark that ignites innovative solutions. In 2022, the company contributed an additional $5 million to the Fund to further advance race equity in America. To learn more about these efforts, visit: TheKrogerCo.com/StandingTogether. Media Assets To download photography of the announcement, please visit here. About Kroger At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: to Feed the Human Spirit. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over nine million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names , serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site . About The Asian American Foundation The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) is a convener, incubator, and funder committed to accelerating opportunity and prosperity for AAPI communities. TAAF supports advocates and organizations committed to AAPI causes so that together we can more effectively take action against hate and violence, and build the infrastructure needed to improve AAPI advocacy, power, and representation across American society. We were founded to solve for the longstanding lack of investment and resources provided to AAPI communities and we strive to be a catalyzing force for creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for the 23 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders living in the United States. For additional information about TAAF, please visit www.taaf.org. SOURCE The Kroger Co. The Once-In-A-Lifetime Conference is Strategically Designed to Help Women Succeed Amid a Dynamic and Polarizing Social Climate ARDMORE, Okla., May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- It is no secret that women in a professional landscape face unique hurdles and challenges while climbing the proverbial ladder to further their careers. From bias to stereotypes, family obligations, and everything in between; women in business are met with complex hurdles that most men will never experience in correlation to their careers. These challenges can result in feelings of discouragement, isolation, and frustration without the proper support system, but in a world catered towards male leadership where can women find community and solace? Introducing The Future of Women Leadership Conference, a purpose-driven one-day event designed to help women develop socially, economically, and mentally amid 2022's ever-changing societal landscape. Where Passion Meets Purpose: The HOTS Community Presents The Future of Women Leadership Conference Come June 18 Presented by The HOTS (Helping Others To Succeed) Community, the Future of Women Leadership Conference will be held at the Ardmore Convention Center in Ardmore Oklahoma come June 18th. The exclusive one-day event will feature various speeches from inspirational women in business and cultivate a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for purpose-driven women to align with their passion and purpose while networking and building a community of like-minded women dedicated to success. Tickets are available both for in-person attendance as well as virtual attendance for those who choose to live stream the event on Facebook, Youtube, and hotscommunity.org. The Future of Women Leadership Conference is masterfully designed to encourage, inspire, and empower women in all industries and career paths while demonstrating first-hand the unparalleled power of community. All proceeds will go towards developing new programs and opportunities within the HOTS organization to pay it forward and help others succeed. "We're dedicated to the mission of giving and helping others succeed in our community!" Through proof of concept, dedication to community, and unwavering commitment to helping one another succeed for the betterment of women; The HOTS Community's purpose-driven vision has come to fruition with the Future of Women Leadership Conference come June 18th. To learn more about The HOTS Community, please visit: https://hotscommunity.org/ About The HOTS Community The H.O.T.S. (Helping Others To Succeed) Community is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving, uplifting, and empowering the community. The HOTS Community was created to help women in business come together to help one another thrive in both business and in life. Founded in 2008 by community leaders in Southern Oklahoma, the HOTS Community was created to change the face of modern business and empower women in every area and niche to claim their rightful space of confidence and grace. The HOTS Community is the proud host of The Future Of Women Leadership Conference, held annually in Ardmore Oklahoma. Press Contact Stacey (909) 578-5256 https://hotscommunity.org/ SOURCE The HOTS Community "Yihong Zhao's ability to stand out from hundreds of candidates and win as the Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year comes from his unparalleled skills in innovation, demonstrated by his leadership at Besunyen Holdings Company Limited in the past 20 years and his brilliant performance in his role," quoted the Summit Committee. In 2000, Yihong Zhao founded "Besunyen" in Beijing. Nowadays, Besunyen has become a one-stop enterprise mainly focusing on the R&D, production, sales, and promotion of effective health teas. Based off his knowledge on traditional Chinese medicine, Zhao selected Chinese herbal medicine while considering the homology of both medicine and food, combined it with Chinese tea, and used modern industrial technology to develop two core products: Besunyen Detox Tea and Slimming Tea. Besunyen's market share has been at the forefront of the industry for several consecutive years. In 2021, its market share was 22.38% and 13.89% respectively, still ranking highly on the market. In 2000, Lipton, the top international brand in the bagged tea market, had a sales scale of 100 million yuan in China. By 2010, Lipton's had sales had risen from 100 million yuan to 300 million yuan, while Besunyen's sales rose from 0 to 800 million yuan. In the same year, under Yihong Zhao, Besunyen rapidly advanced and was successfully listed as a top brand in Hong Kong, becoming the only health tea enterprise in China to do so. Furthermore, Yihong Zhao also seeked to expand and optimize Besunyen's unique product line by forming joint ventures, R&D and operations with poineering health care products and OTC drugs in Europe, the United States, and Japan. In addition to his strong roots to his culture, Yihong Zhao also fully focuses on scientific and technological R&D. In 22 years of entrepreneurship, he has developed 10 patents, which have become the Besunyen brand's core competency. Among them are two patents for "health tea that improves gastrointestinal functions and its preparation method" and a "weight loss tea and its preparation method", which apply to the company's two main products Besunyen Detox Tea and Slimming Tea, respectively. Until today, Besunyen has cumulatively sold over 5.585 billion bags of tea products, exceeding RMB 7.494 billion in sales. Offline, Besunyen has sold through 87 distributors and 142 distributors, selling in nearly 500,000 pharmacies and supermarkets in China, and the company has opened 122 stores on 35 e-commerce platforms for online sales. Nowadays, Besunyen's bagged tea are sold internationally in various markets such as France, Italy, Germany, and the United States. With years of practical experience, Yihong Zhao has formed his own unique understanding and insight on health industry. Over the past 20 years, he has successfully used various combinations of investment, funds, and trade cooperation to actively follow and understand mechanisms in science and technology fields. He has used his comprehensive abilities to create more team growth opportunities, introduce healthier methods of consumption, and upgrade product and service supply systems. While developing Besunyen, Yihong Zhao has strived to expand and strengthen the slogan of "the first brand of functional healthy tea" and gather resources based on this core concept. Nowadays, Besunyen already has a mature and established foundation in healthy consumables and other related fields. When it comes to Besunyen's future development, Yihong Zhao said that he would uphold his original intention of continuing to operate in the health industry, further strengthening the company's existing business scope, and accelerating the growth of Besunyen's big health ecosystem with digital construction, international expansion, and group layout. He said that in the international community, with the help of Chinese creations, brands, and traditional medicine, together they can provide people from all over the world with better health. Chinese herbal medicine is natural and healthy, and Chinese herbal tea uses natural plant ingredients. Yihong Zhao says, Besunyen's lifelong goals and missions consist of promoting the concept of "herbal health" to allow people from across the globe to have access to improvement and fulfillment. SOURCE Besunyen DomaCom Australia Ltd (ASX:DCL) is seeking to raise up to $4.8 million through a private placement for sophisticated and professional investors at an issue price of $0.066 per share. Notably, this two-tranched placement will position the company for an application to relist on the ASX. Looking ahead, DomaCom believes that the funds raised through the placement will provide a strong financial base and further opportunities to grow and scale the company. Two-tranche placement DomaCom CEO John Elkovich said: We are pleased that we have begun the capital raise and are able to announce the initial commitments under Tranche 1. The companys board and leadership team are now working diligently towards obtaining the full $4.8 million. The new capital resources being raised under Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 will allow us to request relisting to the ASX. In the meantime, our team have and will continue to work hard growing the business. As of April 27, 2022, our Funds under Management has grown to $118.6 million, an increase of 49.2% in the last 12 months. Customer accounts have continued to grow, totalling 1,633 as at end of March 2022, up 11.5% in the last 3 months. Over coming weeks, we look forward to updating investors on the progress of DomaComs current capital raising and then once finalised, providing more detail on the strategy now being developed by the companys senior leadership team. Placement progress Under Tranche 1, DomaCom has currently secured commitments for $735,000 (before costs), for which 11,136,363 ordinary shares will be issued at $0.066 per share on May 27, 2022. In addition, the company is seeking to raise up to a further $4,065,000 (before costs) through the issue of up to a further 61,590,909 ordinary shares at $0.066 per share on or before June 10, 2022. As the company has been suspended for more than 10 days, the issue of the placement shares must be accompanied by a transaction-specific prospectus for the placement shares to be freely tradeable within 12 months of their issue. In order to meet the requirements under the transaction-specific prospectus rules, the prospectus will offer a further 1,000 ordinary shares for $0.066, which will be released separately to the ASX. ANGLE PLC (AIM:AGL, OTCQX:ANPCY) has highlighted new research indicating its Parsortix harvesting technology captured circulating lung cancer cells in frozen as well as fresh blood samples. Italys National Cancer Institute of Milan undertook a study on advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and sarcoma patients with the results published in the Clinical Chemistry journal. The research demonstrated that Parsortix could successfully isolate circulating tumour cells (CTCs) from frozen peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples, said ANGLE. This potential ability to process frozen samples could allow for retrospective analyses and improve sample sharing capabilities in multicentre studies. Giulia Bertolini and Vera Cappelletti from the Institutes Department of Experimental Oncology added: "This study demonstrates the feasibility of CTC analyses in cryopreserved PBMCs and represents an advance in blood sample management for CTC studies, allowing for a better selection of informative time points to longitudinally investigate tumour progression/response to therapy thereby enabling retrospective studies." Andrew Newland, ANGLEs chief executive, said: "We are pleased to report on the use of the Parsortix system for the unbiased isolation and molecular characterisation of CTCs from frozen PBMC samples with similar success as from fresh blood samples. This approach may help facilitate studies that require time-dependent sampling or are completed across multiple centres. DNA analysis of the cancer cells harvested by the Parsortix system offers the potential to track druggable mutations in CTCs as an aid to future treatment decisions for patients with NSCLC." GlaxoSmithKline PLC (LSE:GSK)'s cervical cancer drug has been approved in China as a two-dose vaccine as protection against two forms of the human papillomavirus that can cause the disease. The countrys National Medical Products Administration has given the green light for Cervarix to be given to girls aged nine to 14. In 2020, there were 110,00 new cases of cervical cancer in China and 59,000 deaths. It is hoped that drugs such as GSKs will help to significantly lower those numbers. Michael John Lytle , chief executive at Tabula Investment, joined Katie to talk about the company's operations. Tabula is focused on passive management, which uses indices and an algorithmic approach to come up with purchase ideas. The company is experiencing increased activity for a number of reasons, such as a demand for balanced portfolios. Savannah Energy PLC (AIM:SAVE) has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy of the Republic of Chad. The agreement is for the development of up to 500 megawatts of renewable energy projects supplying electricity to the Doba Oil Project and the towns of Moundou and Doba in Southern Chad, and the capital city, N'Djamena. Shares in Savannah were up 5.6% at 38p; what you might call a Chad rally. 1.20pm: SMT on the rise after Alibaba results Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust PLC (LSE:SMT) shares were sent higher after receiving a boost from the results of one of its major Chinese tech investments. Alibaba, which is a top-10 holding of the FTSE 100-listed investment company, reported higher than expected revenue growth of 9% to 204bn yuan ($30bn) for the three months to end-March. Shares in SMT were leading the FTSE 100 higher, sporting a 5.4% gain at 786p. 12.25pm: Every little bit helps for Brandshield Brandshield Systems PLC leapt a penny (12% sounds a bit more leapy Ed.) to 9.25p after Sir Terence Leahy revealed he had built a 6.96%s stake in the company. Leahy is the former chief executive of Tesco PLC (LSE:TSCO) who currently has a gig at now privately-owned Morrisons. Also revealed today was an increase in the stake of William Currie Investments to 10.8% from 7.0%. Both increased shareholdings came about as a result of the companys share subscription, announced earlier this week, which raised 1.0mln for the cybersecurity firm. 11.30am: Caffyns vrooms back up to seven-year high Shares in Caffyns PLC (LSE:CFYN) vroomed up 9% to 600p after the Sussex and Kent-based car dealer reported better profits and said it had a strong new car order book. Statutory profit before tax leapt to 4.4mln from 1.4mln a year ago, predominantly resulting from much higher levels of car deliveries, and the board followed up the resumption of dividend payments at the interim stage with a proposed final dividend of 15p. Chief executive Simon Caffyn said: "The underlying profit before tax of 4.6 million was a significant improvement on the prior year. Despite limited new car supply, operating profits improved due to very buoyant trading in used cars and our strong focus on improving operational effectiveness. "The outlook will depend on consumer confidence, but we carry forward a strong new car order book and have substantially strengthened our balance sheet " 10.30am: R U OK Rua? Rua Life Sciences PLC lost around one-sixth of its value at 39p after a disappointing trading update from the medical devices firm. The company, formerly known as Aortech, expects to post a loss of 2.36mln for the 12 months to the end of March, compared to a loss the year before of 1.59mln. The trading year saw the group receive feedback from the US Food & Drug Administration that human clinical data would be required to demonstrate substantial equivalence of Ruas Vascular's large bore vascular grafts to existing products on the market on the basis that they introduced novel technology compared to the predicate devices. Pyx Resources Limited dived 7.7% to 60p after it confirmed the award of performance rights under the companys stock incentive plan. Chief executive Oliver Hasler was granted 10.5mln performance rights shares, convertible on a one-for-one basis subject to certain milestones being achieved. Under the offering, Mydecine Innovations issued 2,447,130 units at a price per unit of $1.15 Mydecine Innovations Group Inc (OTC:MYCOF, NEO:MYCO) said it has closed its previously announced 'best efforts' overnight marketed offering of units for aggregate gross proceeds of $2,814,199.50. Under the offering, through a syndicate of agents led by Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc and Roth Canada Inc, the company issued 2,447,130 units at a price per unit of $1.15. Each unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant is exercisable to acquire one common share of the company at an exercise price of $1.40 per warrant until May 27, 2027. The company said the net proceeds of the offering will be used to support its clinical trials and partnerships, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes. In consideration for their services, the company paid to the agents a cash commission equal to 7.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the offering (other than from president's list subscribers) and issued to them 49,560 compensation warrants. Each compensation warrant may be exercised to acquire one common share at an exercise price of $1.15 each until May 27, 2027. Separately, the company paid an advisory fee in the form of 121,739 common share purchase warrants. The advisory warrants have the same terms as the compensation warrants. The securities 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 the registration requirements thereunder. Mydecine Innovations is a biotechnology company developing innovative first and second-generation novel therapeutics for the treatment of mental health and addiction using world-class technology and drug development infrastructure. The company was founded in 2020 to address a significant unmet need and lack of innovation in the mental health and therapeutic treatment environments. Its global team is dedicated to efficiently developing new therapeutics to treat PTSD, depression, anxiety, addiction and other mental health disorders. The Mydecine business model combines clinical trials and data outcome, technology, and scientific and regulatory expertise with a focus on psychedelic therapy, as well as other novel, non-psychedelic molecules with therapeutic potential. By collaborating with some of the world's foremost authorities, Mydecine aims to responsibly fast-track the development of new medicines to provide patients suffering from mental health disorders with safe and more effective treatment options. Mydecine Innovations Group is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, USA, with international offices in Leiden, Netherlands. Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com Coro Energy PLC (AIM:CORO) Ewen Ainsworth told Katie that the company is now benefitting from its gas producing assets in Italy, which are no longer for sale, as he talked through the companys increasingly diverse operations. On the energy transition front, Coro continues to advance renewable projects in Vietnam and its gas project in Indonesia where good news expected later this year. Aurumin Ltd (ASX:AUN) has wrapped up reverse circulation (RC) drilling and is about to set the diamond drill turning at the Central Sandstone Gold Project in WA. The companys first drill program at the project is progressing well, with nine RC holes for 1,245 metres at the Shillington BIF deposit and five RC pre-collars for the Two Mile Hill tonalite now completed. Aim is to improve existing underground resource The diamond drilling phase of the program is targeting the Two Mile Hill tonalite between 250 metres and 500 metres below the surface with the aim of improving upon the existing 500,000-ounce gold underground resource, as announced earlier this month. Aurumin expects the diamond phase of the program to run for roughly two weeks, with further logging and sampling after that. Aurumin managing director Brad Valiukas said: "We are pleased to have diamond drilling underway at our Central Sandstone Project. We see the Two Mile Hill underground resource as a key part of the project going forward, with the scale to potentially underpin future production, and we look forward to the results. About Aurumin Aurumin is a mineral exploration company focused on two project areas in Western Australia. The Sandstone Gold Operations were consolidated by the acquisition of the Central Sandstone Project in early 2022. The Central Sandstone Project consists of a 784,000-ounce gold mineral resource and significant project infrastructure that Aurumin hopes to use to support a gold mining operation in the future. The company's Johnson Range Project has a mineral resource of 64,700 ounces at a grade of 2.51g/t gold, situated midway between Southern Cross and Sandstone. Along with the Sandstone Gold Operations, Aurumin has a significant landholding at its Southern Cross Operations, including two historical high-grade production centres, Mt Dimer and Mt Palmer. The Mt Dimer Project produced over 125,000 ounces of gold from open pit and underground production of approximately 600,000 tonnes @ 6.4 g/t, and has a substantial tenure footprint, while the historical Mt Palmer Project produced gold via open pit and underground methods, generating around 158,000 ounces at an average grade of 15.9 g/t. The company is actively exploring its tenements and pursuing further acquisitions that complement its existing focus. Alchemy Resources Ltd (ASX:ALY) has demonstrated the lithium potential of its Karonie Project in Western Australia, having mapped several more lithium-prospective outcropping pegmatite clusters at the Cherry, Hickory and Pecan prospects. All three prospects sit within Alchemys interpreted goldilocks zone, a defined area prospective for lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites, within a greenstone belt. Pegmatite clusters were initially mapped over a 7-kilometre by 1.5-kilometre area on the West Australian project, with individual prospects measuring 400 metres of strike for the Pecan prospect, and 1.5-kilometres by 2-kilometres of strike length for the Cherry and Hickory prospects. Rock chip assays have returned encouraging pathfinder elements, with rubidium grades up to 5,889 parts per million (ppm), tantalum up to 122 ppm and caesium up to 221 ppm. Alchemy has interpreted these results to indicate the pegmatites are fractionated and highly evolved over the entire 7 kilometres of strike, indicating they are likely to have higher spodumene concentrations. We are exploring in exactly the right spot The mapping has now identified a cluster of pegmatites at Karonie, Alchemy Resources CEO James Wilson said. At Hickory and Cherry, weve doubled the strike length of mapped pegmatites and at Pecan weve discovered multiple pegmatite outcrops across a 1-kilometre-wide area. We expect the infill soils will zero in on zones which sit under the thin surface cover, and this will help us plan the next steps. The rock-chip assays are all showing very high tenor pathfinder anomalism which plots within the highly evolved and fractionated granite chemistry, telling us that we are exploring in exactly the right spot. Our next steps will be the commencement of infill soils and detailed structural mapping due to start imminently to zero in on target zones for drilling later this year. Alchemy is planning to conduct a large infill soil geochemistry program in late May, and a regional soils program to begin in parallel at the same time. Galileo Mining Ltd (ASX:GAL) says recent assays have revealed rhodium in an existing drill hole from the Callisto discovery at the companys 100% owned Norseman project in WA. The current rhodium price is hovering at US$15,450 per ounce, and demand is increasing due to its role in automotive pollution control systems. The occurrence of rhodium is consistent with the interpreted mineralisation style at Callisto. Rhodium is the rarest and most valuable precious metal on earth, far outstripping gold and silver. Needless to say, the Galileo will from now on be assaying for rhodium in the higher sulphide intersections of its upcoming drill program. Valuable metal Galileo managing director Brad Underwood commented: The rhodium assays confirm the presence of this valuable metal within the Callisto mineralised system. With step-out drilling expected to commence next week, we will now be including rhodium in the assay suite for any further sulphide rich intersections. Based on the six drill holes completed so far at Callisto we anticipate more sulphide intersections in the next drill program and are hopeful that an increase in sulphide content will be matched by an increase in metal content. We are excited to be starting drilling again so soon after the recent discovery announcement and look forward to updating the market with results as they become available. How much rhodium? Assays from discovery hole NRC 266 show rhodium values up to 0.094 g/t with average values across the 33-metre interval of 0.05 g/t. The companys updated intersection for NRC266, now including rhodium, is: 33 metres @ 2.05 g/t 4E (1.64 g/t palladium, 0.28 g/t platinum, 0.09 g/t gold, 0.05 g/t rhodium), 0.32% copper and 0.30% nickel from 144 metres. Initial interpretation of results from the Callisto discovery continue to show similarities with South Africas Platreef deposits, with disseminated sulphide mineralisation hosted in the lower unit of a layered ultramafic sill. This particular combination of metals also occurs in the Platreef deposits in a similar disseminated mineralisation style and in a similar host rock. Next steps Deeper diamond core drilling is planned for later in the year which will allow a broader interpretation of the mineralisation setting, and a better understanding of the regional potential for more discoveries. Reverse circulation (RC) drilling is planned to resume on June 2, subject to weather conditions and the drill rig mobilising to site. The company has planned for 20 drill holes across 4,000 metres, with the priority target zones located across strike to the east of the current drilling. Drill holes in the upcoming campaign will be spaced roughly 50 metres apart in order to define grade variation across strike prior to step out drilling along strike. Galileo has made some big gains recently, hitting an all-time share price high of $1.68 after gaining 740% since May 10, 2022, including a 55% bump since the rhodium find at Norseman. Noxopharm Ltd (ASX:NOX) has received proof-of-concept confirmation from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), with an abstract from the Annual Meeting 2022 providing evidence of the modulatory effect of Veyondas active ingredient idronoxil on the immune system. The research conducted by the University of Hong Kong focused on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (a type of nasal cavity cancer), examining the effect of idronoxil in combination with standard chemotherapy drug cisplatin on cell lines cultured from human nasopharyngeal tumours and in animal models of that cancer type. Drug combination improves immune response The results confirmed that the combination of idronoxil and cisplatin could change the tumour environment, allowing a larger number of immune cells to infiltrate the tumours compared to the control. The level of immune cell infiltration rose 67% in the combination treatment compared to the control group, measured as the number of immune cells vs blood cells in the tumour. Clinical Professor in the Department of Clinical Oncology at the University of Hong Kong and lead researcher Professor Dora Kwong stated: Our work has been reviewed by the most eminent oncologists and oncology researchers to be accepted as an online publication as part of ASCO 2022, the leading clinical oncology meeting worldwide. It is my hope that our work will contribute to the development of new treatments for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Enabling immune cells to penetrate tumours is an important objective in current cancer therapy developments as it can increase the anti-cancer effect of commonly used cancer drugs, validating the rational behind Noxopharms clinical trials CEP-2 and IONIC which are currently ongoing in the USA and Australia. The full study paper is still being written, to be submitted to a highly ranked peer-reviewed scientific journal for publication. Oklo Resources Ltd (ASX:OKU) has signed a binding scheme implementation deed (SID) under which B2Gold Corp will subject to conditions acquire all fully paid ordinary shares in Oklo via a board-recommended scheme of arrangement. Oklo shareholders will receive consideration with an implied value of A$0.1725 per held share, consisting of 0.0206 B2Gold shares and A$0.0525 cash consideration per Oklo share. This implied value indicates an approximate fully diluted equity value of A$90 million, representing a 127% premium on Oklos last closing price and a 103% premium on volume-weighted average price (VWAP) over the 30 ASX trading days prior to the announcement. In addition, this price represents a premium on any price Oklo shares have traded at on the ASX in the past 12 months, and an implied A$135 per ounce of gold based on Oklos 668,500 ounce resource. Transaction removes project development risks The B2Gold proposal was welcomed by the Oklo directors and comes at an opportune time for Oklo shareholders to crystalise value and de-risk their investment in the company," Oklo Resources managing director Simon Taylor said. While the Oklo team continues to see significant potential in the Dandoko Project and the region generally, Dandoko is at an inflection point and this transaction removes the risks associated with project development, future capital raisings and other risks faced by a junior gold explorer in a foreign jurisdiction. Considering B2Golds compelling offer along with the risks involved in Oklo pursuing a 'go it alone' strategy, the board has resolved that the opportunity to combine with a well-funded, substantial multi-asset gold producer represents a highly attractive outcome for Oklo shareholders. B2Gold has proven operating capabilities in Mali and the Oklo directors are proud to be handing the Dandoko Project over to a new custodian with confidence. The Oklo board has expressed its opinion that the transaction is mutually beneficial based on the fact that B2Gold will gain optionality over the Dandoko Project, while Oklo shareholders will receive value and liquidity for their shares and the opportunity to share in the potential future upside from an investment in B2Gold. Sipa Resources Ltd (ASX:SRI) has progressed exploration activities across its gold and base metal projects in Western Australia. At Skeleton Rocks, the company received final assays returning low-level anomalous lithium from its aircore drill program. On-ground works are currently underway in preparation for drill testing large-scale base metal targets along the margin of the Barbwire Terrace. Further, Sipa is on track for drilling at its Paterson North Copper-Gold Project in late June or early July. Sipa's WA Portfolio Skeleton Rocks In early March Sipa completed a 138-hole aircore program across previously untested greenstone units at its 100%-owned Skeleton Rocks Project. Final assays have just been received from the remaining 128 holes with no anomalous gold returned. Elevated lithium results (greater than 100 ppm) were received in several holes, however, these results were obtained within rock types other than pegmatites and further work is required to determine the lithium potential of the project area. Pegmatites have been reported in historic RAB drilling within the area of the currently pending tenement, but the samples were not assayed for elements relevant to lithium exploration, and re-drilling of these holes will be considered upon grant of the tenement. Barbwire Terrace The Barbwire Terrace Project involves a 50-50 joint venture (JV) between Sipa and Buru Energy Limited with Sipa as the operator. The JV partners plan to drill up to four 500-metre deep diamond drill holes testing geophysical and structural targets prospective for lead-zinc mineralisation, most likely early in the September quarter. Paterson North The Paterson North Copper-Gold Project is being progressed in partnership with Rio Tinto Exploration. Preparations continue for the arrival of the drill rig in late June at the Paterson North project, currently subject to a farm-in and JV agreement with Rio Tinto Exploration Ltd. Lindian Resources Ltd (ASX:LIN) has reached an out-of-court settlement over a dispute relating to its proposed acquisition of an up to 75% interest in the Kangankunde Rare Earths Project in Malawi. Under the terms of settlement, proceedings will discontinue and Lindian will be granted a 60-day exclusivity period to negotiate the terms of a legally binding transaction that will allow the company to acquire a 100% interest in Rift Valley Resource Developments Limited and its Kangankunde Rare Earths Project. I am pleased that we have been able to reach agreement to settle these legal proceedings, which were a significant ongoing distraction to the companys activities, Lindians Chairman Asimwe Kabunga said. The terms of settlement provide Lindian with a period of exclusivity within which to seek to agree the terms of a binding transaction in respect to the acquisition of the Kangankunde Rare Earths Project. If a transaction were to occur, it would be subject to: the parties negotiating and successfully executing a legally binding share purchase agreement, shareholders agreement, and escrow arrangements in relation to the proposed transaction; and all necessary Malawi and Australian legal and regulatory requirements (including ASX Listing Rule requirements) being satisfied. There is no guarantee at this stage that the transaction will eventuate however, to assist with the negotiation of the share purchase agreement between the parties to give effect to any proposed transaction, the terms of settlement reflect a proposed purchase consideration of US$30 million, payable in tranches as set out below: US$2.5 million in cash (Tranche 1), payable as a non-refundable deposit upon the parties entering into a legally binding share purchase agreement, shareholders' agreement and escrow deed and all necessary regulatory consents and approvals to the proposed transaction being obtained within the period of exclusivity; US$7.5 million in cash (Tranche 2), payable on the date that is six months after the date that the Tranche 1 payment is made, at which time 33% of the shares on issue in Rift Valley would be transferred to Lindian; US$10 million in cash (Tranche 3), payable on the date that is 12 months after the date that the Tranche 1 payment is made, at which time a further 33% of the shares on issue in Rift Valley would be transferred to Lindian; and US$10 million in cash (Tranche 4), payable on the commencement of commercial production in respect of the Kangankunde Rare Earths Project, or 48 months after the date that the Tranche 1 payment is made, whichever is the earlier, at which time the remaining 34% of the shares on issue in Rift Valley would be transferred to Lindian. Lindian would also have the option of paying the above tranches sooner than the outlined dates to accelerate the completion of each phase of the proposed transaction. Race Oncology Ltd (ASX:RAC) has advanced the dose-escalation Phase 1b stage of the relapsed or refractory Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (R/R AML) trial running at the Chaim Sheba Medical Centre in Israel. Encouraging clinical responses were observed in this very heavily pre-treated AML patient population, with three of the six patients bridged to a stem cell transplant. Moving forward, The study led by Professor Arnon Nagler of the Chaim Sheba Medical Center will now advance to the Phase 2 efficacy stage, recruiting up to 17 patients. Modern AML setting Race CMO Dr David Fuller said: The positive results from the first stage of this trial in such a heavily pre-treated relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukaemia population is encouraging, especially with three of the patients being subsequently bridged to transplant. We look forward to the next stage of this study which, together with data from the EMD AML Trial (RAC-006) which is soon to commence recruitment in Australia, is extending our understanding of Zantrene in a modern AML setting. Escalation stage - Phase one Race has completed Phase 1b dose-escalation stage of the Phase 1b/2 Zantrene (bisantrene dihydrochloride) study using a four-day treatment of Zantrene in combination with fludarabine and clofarabine. By design, the primary endpoint of the initial phase of this two-stage clinical trial is establishing the recommended dose to be used in the subsequent Phase 2 expansion (efficacy) stage. This first stage requires identifying the treatment dose level that achieves two or fewer dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) from six consecutively treated patients. In the initial six patients treated, two DLTs were reported (one Grade 3 elevated liver enzymes and one Grade 5 infection). Both DLTs occurred in the most heavily pre-treated patients who had received five and eight prior lines of treatment, respectively. Study lead Prof Arnon Nagler said: The encouraging results of our Phase 1 study with Zantrene monotherapy and moreover the current Phase 2 study altogether with Zantrene in combination in extremely heavily treated advanced high-risk AML patients are encouraging and may indicate a role for Zantrene in the modern AML treatment paradigm to the benefit of our patients. Efficacy stage - phase two Efficacy results in this refractory patient population were very encouraging, with one patient showing a complete response (CR) based on morphology, two patients having a partial response (PR) including one with extramedullary disease, two showing no response (NR), and one patient not assessable (NA) due to death from infection. Infection is a known side effect of all intensive chemotherapeutic regimens and is one of the leading causes of death in AML patients. Three patients (one CR and two PR) were bridged to an allogeneic stem cell transplant. Bridging a patient to transplant is an important positive outcome in AML treatment as it offers the patient the potential for long-term remission. The trial will now progress to the Phase 2 efficacy (expansion) stage using a four-day schedule of Zantrene in combination with fludarabine and clofarabine. Race Clinical Advisory Board chair Prof Borje Andersson said: We are very excited about the positive data from the first stage of this trial in such a heavily pre-treated R/R AML population, and we now look forward to the next phase, where we expect to see more patients respond favourably and with a consistently tolerable side-effect profile. It appears that bridging to transplantation with long-term disease control can be achieved with confidence, given we can since perceive that the side effects reverse within a few weeks of the course being completed. Indicative timeline The Phase 2 stage of the trial is expected to take an additional 20 to 30 months to complete. Given the trial is open-label, Race expects data will be reported at interim points throughout the remainder of the trial. Bushveld Minerals Limited has appointed David Noko to the board as an independent non-executive director to replace Anthony Viljoen. Noko is highly regarded in South African and global business circles and has years of experience both as an executive and more recently as board member on several prominent companies, including Royal Bafokeng Platinum Limited, Harmony Gold (NYSE:HMY) Mining Company Limited, AstraPak Pty Ltd and Platistone Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Buishveld said. Anthony Viljoen, who helped found Bushveld Minerals, is leaving to focus on his duties at AfriTin. "I am extremely honoured to have been part of this exciting story since the very beginning. Bushveld Minerals started as an idea between two colleagues who saw numerous opportunities in Southern Africa's resource space that were not being pursued due to the lack of any meaningful homegrown junior mining companies at the time, Viljoen said. "In a little over a decade, the company has consolidated a large part of South Africa's, and the world's, primary vanadium processing capacity and high-grade resources, while also providing the platform for AfriTin, the company I now lead, to develop into the tin producer and lithium developer it is today, he added. Lucky Minerals (TSX-V:LKY, OTC:LKMNF) Inc has announced a non-brokered private placement of up to 33,000,000 units for gross proceeds of up to approximately C$1.848 million which will see a new strategic investor take a big stake in the firm. The company said investors in the offering include Michael Gentile, who as a result intends to increase his share ownership in the company potentially up to approximately 19.9% on a partially diluted basis. The net proceeds of the private placement will be used to support the first drill program on the companys Fortuna Project in Ecuador and for general working capital purposes. The offering consists of approximately 33,000,000 units of the company at C$0.056 per unit. Each unit is comprised of one common share and one full three-year common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to acquire an additional share at a price of C$0.10 per share, until the date that is 36 months from the closing of the offering. All the shares and warrants issued in connection to the offering are subject to a statutory hold period expiring four months and one day from the date of issuance. The company may pay finders fees on a portion of the offering in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. The offering is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval New strategic investor The company noted that Gentile is considered one of the leading strategic investors in the junior mining sector, owning significant positions in over 15 small-cap mining companies. He is currently a strategic advisor to Arizona Metals and Geomega Resources as well as being a director of Northern Superior Resources, Roscan Gold, Radisson Mining Resources, and Solstice Gold. Gentile recently co-founded Bastion Asset Management, an investment management firm based out of Montreal, Quebec and was previously a Senior Portfolio Manager with Formula Growth Limited. In a statement, Gentile commented: Lucky Minerals is on the cusp of the most exciting and value-creating face for a junior exploration company, the discovery phase. With the maiden drill program about to begin on their Wayka property, the potential for a major new discovery is high as the Company begins drilling directly under some of the wide and high-grade trenches uncovered in 2021 and 2022." He added: "As set out in previous news releases, drilling under trench T-14 which uncovered 8 g/t gold over 9 m and trench T-21 which uncovered 5.24 g/t gold over 14 m, greatly increases the odds of success and positions Lucky Minerals well for the 2022 drill program. This new mineralized system is showing a large footprint that continues to expand with additional surface work and trenching. With a large and growing footprint, drilling about to begin and a small market cap of less than 10 million Canadian, the risk reward proposition in Lucky Minerals is quite compelling. Francois Perron, Luckys president and CEO said: We are very excited to have Mr. Gentile join potentially as a significant shareholder of Lucky Minerals. Our project in Ecuador is entering a very exciting phase. Getting the support from a strategic long-term investor at this juncture helps lay the foundation upon which we will continue to build the Company. The entire team is looking forward to first drilling the discovery zone at Wayka in the coming weeks. Shares for services agreement Lucky Minerals also announced that subject to regulatory approval, it has entered into a shares for services agreement with Franklin Viera who will provide services to the company as a technical consultant for the drilling phase of its Ecuador property. Services provided will include 3D modeling, GIS, drill hole planning, geochemical analysis, core logging, field geological mapping property evaluation, database management and occasional field program supervision and other duties that may be required by the company. While the agreement is in effect, Viera will receive a portion of his compensation in common shares of the company equivalent in value of up to US$5,000 per month. The company noted that Viera is a well-known geologist in Ecuador and has been involved in many significant projects including the discovery of Quimsacocha which is now called the Loma Larga project. Lucky is an exploration and development company targeting large-scale mineral systems in proven districts with the potential to host world-class deposits. The company owns a 100% interest in the Fortuna Property which is comprised of twelve contiguous, 550 square kilometers (55,000 hectares, or 136,000 acres) exploration concessions located in a highly prospective, yet underexplored, gold belt in southern Ecuador. Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com SmartSuite operates by integrating with heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) equipment and provides a proprietary Cloud platform to deliver real-time visibility, analytics and smart controls Kontrol Technologies Corp (OTCQB:KNRLF, NEO:KNR) said it has completed its first SmartSuite installation in Florida for a leading national US real estate investment trust (REIT). Kontrol CEO Paul Ghezzi told investors that expansion into the US market remains an important strategic initiative for the Canadian company. (We) are pleased to have our first SmartSuite installation operating," Ghezzi said in a statement. The CEO noted that Kontrol is focused on scaling opportunities that will assist customers in reducing their escalating energy costs and achieving their corporate sustainability targets. SmartSuite operates by integrating with heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) equipment and provides a proprietary Cloud platform to deliver real-time visibility, analytics and smart controls. By regulating temperature settings and adapting to occupancy through smart learning algorithms, SmartSuite is designed to reduce energy waste and create long term energy savings. For each kilowatt of energy saved a corresponding reduction in GHG emissions can be derived. Kontro said it is working with the US REIT customer to advance the second location for deployment which is anticipated to be completed in June 2022. Toronto-based Kontrol provides solutions and services to its customers to improve energy management, monitor continuous emissions and accelerate the sustainability of all buildings. Contact Angela at angela@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @AHarmantas C3 Metals said a 5,000 metre drill program at its 100% owned Bellas Gate copper-gold porphyry project will begin this weekend C3 Metals Inc (TSX-V:CCCM, OTC:CARCF) announced that a 5,000 metre (m) drill program at its 100% owned Bellas Gate copper-gold porphyry project in Jamaica will begin this weekend. The junior minerals exploration company said drilling is designed to test multiple porphyry copper targets identified within the regionally significant Crawl River Fault zone, as well as target epithermal gold prospects on the property. We are excited to commence drilling on a number of untested copper-gold porphyry systems and historic mine workings with impressive copper mineralization but limited multi-discipline exploration, C3 Metals CEO Kevin Tomlinson said in a statement. This initial program will test multiple high potential prospects starting at Epidote Ridge, one of our most compelling targets, Tomlinson added. C3 Metals noted that upon completion of the first hole, the drill rig will move to test additional porphyry and epithermal targets along Porphyry Alley and the parallel spatially associated Epithermal Copper-Gold Corridor. The company added that 12 porphyry systems and multiple epithermal occurrences have been identified in the project area to date. In addition, C3 Metals said strong copper-gold mineralization intersected at Connors, Geo Hill and Camel prospects is interpreted to converge beneath Epidote Ridge, while shallow historic drilling at Connors and Camel Hill intersected good copper and gold grades that included 114m of 0.7% copper and 0.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 28m depth. C3 Metals is developing its flagship Jasperoide project, a high-grade copper-gold skarn and porphyry system in Peru. Drilling began in February 2021, returning high-grade copper-gold mineralization over significant thicknesses. The ongoing program has been expanded to test multiple geophysical targets. Contact Sean at sean@proactiveinvestors.com Dar Es Salaam, May 27 : Tanzanian health authorities have issued an alert over the reported outbreak of monkeypox in some countries in Europe. Godwin Mollel, the Deputy Minister for Health, said in a statement that the public needs to take precautions against the monkeypox and other infectious diseases, Xinhua news agency reported. "There are no reported monkeypox patients in Tanzania at the moment," said Mollel, cautioning members of the public to avoid touching or eating sick animals or carcasses, as well as avoiding touching anything that has been used by a sick animal. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday it is expecting more infectious cases of the viral zoonotic disease as 20 countries across the world reported monkeypox cases. Initial symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headaches, swelling, back pain, aching muscles and fatigue. People with a more serious illness may develop rashes and lesions on the face and hands, which then spread to other parts of the body. Latest updates on Monkeypox Virus Outbreak Kiev, May 27 : Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that he had discussed the supplies of heavy weapons to Ukraine with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. "We need more heavy weapons delivered as soon as possible, especially MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems), to repel Russian attacks," Kuleba tweeted after the talks. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister added that he had briefed Baerbock on the difficult situation in the Donbass region, Xinhua news agency reported. Other topics of the discussion included further sanctions on Russia and Ukraine's prospects to achieve a European Union (EU) candidate status, Kuleba said. Earlier this month, Baerbock said the government of Germany is working with German enterprises to provide modern weapons to Ukraine. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Srinagar, May 27 : One LeT terrorist has been killed in an ongoing encounter between terrorists and security forces at Soura in Central Kashmir's Srinagar district, officials said on Friday. "One terrorist of LeT terror outfit killed. Operation in progress," police said. The firefight between terrorists and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists. As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter. Srinagar, May 27 : Killers of Kashmiri TV artist Amreen Bhat, killed by terrorists on Wednesday, who were eliminated in an encounter that started between terrorists and security forces on Thursday at Aganhanzipora area at Awantipora in South Kashmir's Pulwama district have been identified, officials said on Friday. "Both killed newly joined local terrorists identified as Shahid Mushtaq Bhat R/O Hafroo Chadoora Budgam and Farhan Habib R/O Hakripora Pulwama. They had killed TV artist on the instruction of LeT Cmdr Lateef. One AK 56 rifle, fourA magazines and a pistol recovered," Jammu and Kashmir Police quoting Inspector General Police Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar tweeted. The firefight between terrorists and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about presence of terrorists. As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter. Srinagar, May 27 : Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were killed in an ongoing encounter in Srinagar's Soura area, police said on Friday. A joint team of the police and security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about the presence of terrorists. As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists were hiding, they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter. Friday's development comes after three LeT terrorists were killed in a security operation in Kupwara district on Thursday. Pilibhit, May 27 : Officials at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Uttar Pradesh are planning to lure rhinos from Nepal to "settle down" in the Mahof forest range's Lagga Bagga area and make it a permanent home. Till now, the rhinos have been seasonal visitors in the area and return to their home in Nepal after a brief stay. Mudit Gupta, the regional coordinator of WWF-India, said: "The project aims at natural exchange of genes with local rhinos for better off springs." The Lagga Bagga forest area of PTR adjoins the Royal Shuklaphanta National Park of Nepal. The rhinos from Nepal naturally migrate to this region, as revealed by camera trap pictures, in winter because of its natural resources. "Lagga Bagga spans 1,905.20 hectares, sharing a 14-km border with Nepal's Royal Shuklaphanta National Park. It has rich grasslands, plenty of water bodies, swampy wetlands and unobstructed wild corridors, all favourable conditions for the rhinos," said Divisional Forest Officer Naveen Khandelwal. According to Khandelwal, a similar thing happened in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, where a herd of wild elephants from Nepal initially migrated for a short span of time but subsequently, stayed on permanently. "We intend to ensure frequent movement of rhinos from Nepal to PTR and to gradually let them make their habitat here. We are pursuing the proposed plan on a war footing," he saidl. For this purpose, work is on to identify the species of grass which rhinos like the most. As they love rolling in the mud and swamp, adequate wetlands are necessary. Khandelwal said that the rhino population in Nepal went up to 752 in 2021 from 645, estimated six years ago in 2015. The Shuklaphanta park has as many as 17 one-horned rhinos as per the last count. Lucknow, May 27 : A seer from Mathura morphed a picture in which he positioned himself next to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at a function and posted it on the social media. As the post went viral and created a furore, the account and the post were quietly deleted. According to reports, Sant Shivoham Sarkar posted the photograph of Yogi addressing a press conference in Lucknow after the presentation of the annual budget on Thursday. Seated next to the Chief Minister was the state's Finance Minister Suresh Khanna but, in the photograph, posted on social media, Sant Shivoham Sarkar's face has been superimposed on Khanna's and he is seen sitting next to Yogi. Journalists, who were present at the press conference, were shocked to see the photograph which went viral late on Thursday night. Senior police officials, when asked on Friday morning, said that they had not yet seen the photograph but would not find out and take action, if needed. Seoul, May 27 : The UN Security Council (UNSC) has failed to pass a resolution to impose additional sanctions on North Korea for its recent missile tests due to opposition by China and Russia. Thirteen members of the 15-member Council voted in favour of the US-proposed resolution on Thursday, reports Yonhap News Agency. China and Russia, both veto power-wielding permanent members of the Council and close allies of North Korea, voted against the resolution, effectively blocking its passage. Washington proposed the new sanctions resolution after North Korea staged 16 rounds of missile launches since the start of the year. Pyongyang fired three ballistic missiles, including an apparent intercontinental ballistic missile, earlier this week, marking its 17th show of force of the year. In a prebuttal to Thursday's scheduled UNSC vote, China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said Beijing would oppose any attempt to create confrontation or tension in Northeast Asia. "We do not think additional sanctions will be helpful in responding to the current situation," he told reporters in New York earlier in the day. Seoul, May 27 : A South Korean volunteer fighter in Ukraine returned home Friday after sustaining knee injuries while in action. Rhee Keun, a Navy SEAL-turned-YouTuber, arrived at Incheon International Airport at around 7.30 a.m., about three months after he left for Ukraine to fight in the ongoing war as a volunteer fighter, reports Yonhap News Agency. Addressing reporters shortly after arrival, Rhee said he had cruciate ligament ruptures on both of his knees that requires an operation. "I returned for rehabilitation and treatment... I am anxious to go back. There is a lot to do, as the war is not over yet. We should fight harder and continue to fight," he said. He briefly talked about his experiences from the war, including witnessing a Ukrainian civilian being shot and killed while he was on his first mission. "I have seen many criminal acts while witnessing the war first hand." The police however, plan to investigate him over passport law violation charges soon, as he travelled to the war-torn nation in defiance of South Korea's travel ban to Ukraine. Upon arrival, the police imposed an overseas travel ban on him. In a Twitter post a week earlier, Ukraine's International Legion of Territorial Defence said Rhee, who "sustained injuries on the battlefield... will return home for rehabilitation". South Korean nationals have been banned from travelling to Ukraine since mid-February amid safety concerns. Those who enter the country without approval can face up to a year in prison or a maximum fine of 10 million won ($7,961). Kalaburagi, : May 27 (IANS) Two people were arrested on Friday in connection with the murder of Dalit youth over interfaith love affair in this district of the state. Vijaya Kamble, a resident of Bheema Nagar Layout in Wadi town near Chittapur in Kalaburagi district was killed on Wednesday night. The 25-year-old youth was in love with a girl of another religion. Wadi police who are investigating the case have arrested Shahabuddin, the brother of the girl and his associate in connection with the murder. The accused had disappeared after the incident. Meanwhile, Siddalinga Swamiji of Sri Rama Sena will be visiting the family of deceased to pay condolence to the family. Aland town on Thursday turned tense following the murder. According to police, Vijaya Kamble was in love with a girl belonging to another religion and wanted to marry her. The girl's family was opposed to their relationship. According to preliminary reports, the youth was waylaid near the railway bridge by a gang of miscreants and attacked with weapons, stone and bricks. A profusely bleeding Kamble died on the spot. Security has been beefed up in sensitive and hyper sensitive pockets. Wadi police have taken up the case for investigation. New Delhi, May 27 : The national capital on Friday witnessed back-to-back fire incidents at two different hospitals but fortunately no injuries or casualties were reported. In the first incident, a fire broke out at the Makkar Multi Speciality Hospital in Priyadarshini Vihar, Laxmi Nagar. A fire department official informed that they received a call about the incident at 8.10 a.m. on the terrace of the hospital, after which four fire tenders were immediately pressed into service. "The fire was on the fourth floor of the hospital building which is the doctors' residence," Delhi Fire Service (DFS) chief Atul Garg said, adding that all the patients were safely evacuated. The fire was put out in an hour. The second incident was reported at the Safdarjung Hospital. The fire department received information about the incident at 8.45 a.m. on the second floor of the hospital, after which six fire tenders were immediately pressed into service. As the fire station is very close to the hospital, the engines were at the spot in no time and the fire was doused in just 10 minutes. "It was a minor fire in an inverter and a stabiliser of the lift room and was extinguished by 8.55 a.m.," the official said. Garg told IANS that 42 people died in just the month of May, while 117 have suffered injuries. The number of casualties in previous years during the month of May were -- 41 in 2021, 10 in 2020 and 18 in 2019. Clearly, the numbers have increased when compared to the previous years. Not just the number of casualties, fire calls have also soared by 49 per cent this year in May, according to Garg. In 2020, 1,432 calls were received, while this year so far 2,145 calls were attended by the DFS. Los Angeles, May 27 : The fourth instalment of the anthology crime-drama series 'True Detective' will see Jodie Foster in her first major television role as an adult, reports 'Deadline'. As per 'Deadline', 'The Silence of the Lambs' star, who will also executive produce the series, will play Detective Liz Danvers, which comes from writer and director Issa Lopez and executive producer Barry Jenkins. Alan Page Arriaga, executive producer of Starz's Shining Girls, has also joined Lopez to write. The series is centres around Detectives Danvers and Evangeline Navarro who are looking to solve the case of six men that operate the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanishing without a trace, when the long winter night falls in Ennis, Alaska. The pair will have to confront the darkness they carry in themselves and dig into the haunted truths that lie buried under the eternal ice. The actor, who was 12 when she starred in 'Taxi Driver', has featured in series such as 'Gunsmoke', 'My Three Sons' and ABC's TV spinoff of 'Paper Moon' as a child, but has not had a starring role on the small screen since 1975. She has, however, lent her voice to series such as 'Frasier', 'The X-Files' and 'The Simpsons' and has directed episodes of television such as 'Orange Is The New Black', 'Black Mirror' and 'Tales From The Loop'. 'True Detective', which was created and written by Nic Pizzolatto, ran for three seasons between 2014 and 2019. The third season aired on HBO in 2019 and starred Mahershala Ali and Stephen Dorff, set in the Ozarks. It was the follow up to 2015's Colin Farrell, Taylor Kitsch, Rachel McAdams and Vince Vaughn-fronted series and the first season, which starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. Executive producers include Lopez, Page Arriaga, Foster, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski and Mark Ceryak for Pastel, Mari Jo Winkler, Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Cary Joji Fukunaga and Nic Pizzolatto along with Anonymous Content. New Delhi, May 27 : In a major intervention, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has halted all concretization of roadsides and road berms in Noida and Greater Noida cities. The Green Court also issued notices to Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Noida and Greater Noida Authorities, District Magistrate, District Ground Water Management Council, and the Resident Welfare Associations, directing them to reply within two months. "In the meanwhile, respondents are directed not to carry out any further act of concretization of the roadsides and road berms in Noida and Greater Noida in excess of the limits prescribed," read an order dated May 24. A bench of Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Expert Member, Dr. Afroz Ahmad, passed the Order, on the petition of environment activist Vikrant Tongad and Consultant Dermatologist, Dr. Supriya Mahajan, stating that the Noida and Greater Noida Authorities were concretizing the entire roadsides and green road berms in the two cities, in flagrant violation of the Orders of the Tribunal, the Government Orders issued by the state government and the Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Urban Development. Concretization of ground obstructs groundwater recharge, causes urban heat islands, loss of biodiversity, waterlogging, loss of carbon sequestration, and prevention of mitigation efforts towards curbing air pollution, the plea said. Akash Vashishtha, Advocate and Counsel for the petitioners, told the court that every inch of soft, vegetated roadsides and road berms in the two cities were being concretized in open defiance of the repeated Orders of the Tribunal. "It has been the consistent and settled position that roadsides and road berms cannot be concretized," he submitted. "Such sudden, alarming increase in the ambient temperatures in the last few years is not because of seasonal and meteorological factors alone but because of these entirely concretized ground surfaces. In the absence of harvesting systems, these roadsides serve as the only medium of natural groundwater recharge and those, too, are usurped for concretisation," Vashishtha argued during the course of extensive arguments. "They can easily vegetate these surfaces with grass or other pollution-absorbing plants. Grass releases Oxygen. The budgets are also comparably much lesser than these ecologically disastrous, unsustainable indiscriminate concretization works. There is adequate scientific material, including a US Department of Energy study that recommends shunning of this practice," he said. New Delhi, May 27 : Actress Deepika Padukone has worked towards normalizing mental health to enlighten everyone that mental illness is not always critical, but can be the reason our daily lives includes so much stress. The actress now features in a Yoga Campaign, Yoga Make Space, leveraging an initiative which revolves around mental health and fitness. adidas and Deepika together celebrating what brings different people to the mat, no matter their background, ability, or reason to practice. The Yoga Make Space collection has been consciously crafted, inspired by the elements of nature and aims to support through every move and practice, with apparel for women and men. The campaign Sharing about the significance of yoga in her life, global Indian actor Deepika Padukone speaks to IANSlife. When did you start practising yoga? Deepika: I started practising yoga with consistency about two years ago after what felt like a deep inner calling. At around the same time, I was also offered a movie where I was given the role of a yoga instructor. In short, it was an inner calling mixed with the professional requirement that eventually pushed me to look for the right instructor and get going on my yoga journey. What is the connection between nature and practising yoga? Deepika: The beauty of yoga, apart from its numerous benefits, is that you can practice it in absolutely any space, in any part of the world. We often talk about being self-reliant. Yoga is one such practice. All you need is your mind and your body. What are your thoughts on the benefit of practising yoga? Deepika: I have, over the years, been exposed to many different types of workouts, exercises and practices. However, practising yoga, makes me feel the most centred, balanced and grounded. Feeling alive and connected from within, like I am in control, is something I have never experienced in any other practice, except for in yoga. What does 'make space' means to her? Deepika: adidas' Yoga Make Space has not only given me a chance to talk about fitness but it is also giving me a space to discuss mental health which society still feels afraid of. When I hear the term 'make space' it reminds me of postures that I hold for a minute. Sometimes more. And when you truly tune in, you feel your body opening up and oxygen running into your bloodstream. That, for me, is making space within my body. Your favourite yoga postures Deepika: If I had to choose one, 'Malasana' would have to be my favourite posture. A hip opener that makes me feel like my chakras are aligned. -- Syndicated from IANS Washington, May 27 : US President Joe Biden and First Lady will visit Uvalde on Sunday during which they will mourn the 21 people -- 19 children and two teachers -- who were killed during the shooting at the Robb Elementary School in the Texas town earlier this week. The President and the First Lady will "grieve with the community that lost 21 lives in the horrific elementary school shooting", the White House announced on Thursday. The gunman, identified as 18-year-old Uvalde High School student Salvador Rolando Ramos, was killed by responding officers after the attack on Tuesday. He used two AR-style rifles, both legally purchased, for the attack. "The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong," Biden said in a speech from the White House on Tuesday night. He has also called out the influential gun lobby in the US and urged Congress to pass gun control legislation in the wake of rising firearms-related violence. Senate Republicans have signaled a willingness to talk with Democrats on gun legislation that has long been stalled on Capitol Hill. Students across the US held walk-outs on Thursday to protest against gun violence and the inaction of politicians. In Rhode Island, students from schools in Providence lay down for three minutes outside the Rhode Island State House, according to a tweet from state lawmaker Tiara Mack. Hundreds of gun control activists gathered on the lawn outside of the northeastern corner of the US Capitol on Thursday to demand action on what they called the "gun violence epidemic". "This is a uniquely American crisis," Moms Demand Action gun control advocacy group founder Shannon Watts said. "Parents across the rest of the developed world kiss their kids goodbye as they head off to school and don't have to give it a second thought, because they don't have 400 million guns flooding their streets, homes, and schools," Watts added. The US has seen at least 214 mass shootings so far this year, according to an online database that keeps a record of the country's gun violence incidents. More than 17,000 people have died in gun-related episodes across the US over the past five months, including at least 653 children and teenagers. Islamabad, May 27 : In a surprise move, the Pakistan government increased the rate of petroleum products by 30 PKR per litre, or up to one-fourth of their existing prices, paving the way for reaching a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by June 12. The unprecedented decision will help defuse the landmines laid by the government of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on the one hand, and will save the country from looming default on the other, The Express Tribune reported. Finance Minister Miftah Ismail made the decision public in an unscheduled news conference after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave him the go-ahead in a party meeting. With the fresh hike, the new price of petrol will be 179.88 PKR per liter, the highest ever rate, and showing an increase of 20 per cent over the existing prices. Ismail said that it was a "difficult decision that will erode political capital" of the government, The Express Tribune reported. "The government was giving 56 PKR per litre subsidy and I have only reduced the loss by 30 PKR per litre," he said at the news conference. High-speed-diesel new price will be 174.86 PKR per litre, an increase of 20.8 per cent. Ismail said that the government was giving Rs86 per litre subsidy, and in the first batch it has reduced the subsidy amount by only 30 PKR. "The government cannot take the country towards default and is ready to pay the political cost for the sake of protecting the interest of the state. "There is an option whether to protect political interests of the government or save the country from default and we have decided to protect the state's interests," he added. The government's decision to increase the prices at the expense of the political capital suggests that it might have won a nod from the establishment to stay in power longer than earlier thought. The government had refused to take tough decisions and then call snap elections just to pave the way for the victory of the PTI. Panaji, May 27 : The Goa Police have arrested a pastor for allegedly converting people to Christianity through inducement. Pastor Domnic D'Souza of the Five Pillar Church in Sodiem village in North Goa was arrested late Thursday following two written complaints by Nikhil Shetye and Prakash Khobrekar. An offence under sections 153-A, 295-A, 506 (II) read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 3, 4 of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 have been registered against him in both the complaints. Along with the pastor, his partner Joan Mascarenhas and some unknown associates have also been booked under the same sections, the senior police official told IANS. "Domnic D'Souza has been admitted to a hospital after his arrest," police said. In their complaints, the victims have alleged that Dominic D'Souza and his associates were inducing people for religious conversion. The complaint also stated that all the accused persons, deliberately made gestures by uttering words, doing acts and making representations to the complainant in respect of drugs for healing a disease, with an intention of hurting the complainant's religious sentiments, and lured the complainant to accept the religion professed and propagated by them. The Mapusa police are further investigating the case. Earlier, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had claimed that people from marginalised and economically backward sections were being targeted for religious conversion and had warned against such acts. However, Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo had rejected his charges and had said that no religious conversion was taking place in Goa. Islamabad, May 27 : The Islamabad Police on Friday registered a case against senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Chairman Imran Khan, for the riots that took place in the capital during the 'Azadi March'. Apart from Khan, cases have been registered against Asad Umar, Imran Ismail, Raja Khurram Nawaz, Ali Amin Gandapur and Ali Nawaz Awan, reports Geo News. The police registered two separate cases at the Kohsar Police Station for "rioting and arson". The first FIR was registered at the complaint of Sub-Inspector (SI) Asif Raza, while the second one was filed on behalf of SI Ghulam Sarwar. The cases have been registered against 150 people out of which 39 have been arrested. The FIRs mention the burning of the metro bus stations at Islamabad's Jinnah Avenue, damaging a government vehicle at the Express Chowk, and breaking the glass windows of Geo News and Jang office. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told Geo News said that the federal government has also decided to take legal action against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. "The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister's participation in (Azadi March) with armed police is an attack on the federation." Sanaullah added that his department has contacted the Law Ministry for its opinion on initiating action against Mahmood Khan. On Wednesday, the law and order situation in the federal capital turned chaotic after Imran Khan and his convoy entered the city and started marching towards D-Chowk despite the Supreme Court's order to hold a rally at a ground between H9 and G9 areas of Islamabad. But as PTI protesters continued to engage in violent clashes with the police and other law enforcement agencies and continued moving towards the D-Chowk, the government decided to summon the army to control the situation and protect the government's offices located in the Red Zone. The Army was called in to control the situation. Riots were not only confined to Islamabad but also spread to other cities, including Karachi and Quetta, where protesters staged sit-ins. In Karachi, angry demonstrators set a police van ablaze at the Numaish Chowrangi, while several policemen, including a Superintendent of Police (SP), were injured as the protesters pelted stones at them. Baghdad, May 27 : The Iraqi Parliament has passed a bill to criminalise institutions, officials and ordinary people for normalising relations with Israel. A statement issued by Parliament said that 275 lawmakers voted unanimously to pass the bill, reports Xinhua news agency. The bill is supposed to preserve the principles of the Iraqi people in defending Palestine and its people as well as the Arab peoples, whose lands are occupied by the Jewish state, the statement added. It aims to deter all those working on normalising or establishing relations with Israel. The bill also prohibits Iraqis from travelling to Israel and having any kind of communications with the country, or they will face harsh penalties of up to life imprisonment and death penalty on violations, according to some articles of the new law revealed by local media. The approval comes weeks after Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called on the members of the Sadrist Movement, which won the largest number of seats in last year's elections, to formulate such a bill. In September 2021, the Iraqi government announced its opposition to normalising its relations with Israel. Hyderabad, May 27 : Thousands of people from various walks of life on Friday participated in the Yoga Utsav in Hyderabad to mark the 25-day countdown to the International Day of Yoga. The event was organised at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium by the Union Ministry of Ayush with the support of the Telangana government. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan; Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal; Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G. Kishan Reddy; and Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development and Ayush Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai also participated in the event held under the theme 'Make yoga a part of your life'. In the event organised by the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), more than 10,000 enthusiasts performed Common Yoga Protocol (CYP). The session was directed by Ishwar V. Basavaraddi, Director, MDNIY. The event was aimed at creating awareness about the various dimensions of Yoga and its ability to enrich human lives. Sports celebrities P.V. Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Lakshya Sen, K. Srikanth, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Mithali Raj, H.S. Pranoy, Pragyan Ojha, Naina Jaswal and Mukesh participated in the event. Tollywood personalities Manchu Vishnu, Mogalaiah, Sandeep Kishan, Nikhil Siddharth, Lavanya Tripathy and Dil Raju were also in attendance. Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal called for celebrating rich heritage by making yoga a part of life saying it enriches health and mind. He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, yoga has got the necessary platform which has helped build the brand India image. He hoped that the success of Friday's event will give further momentum towards the eighth International Day of Yoga on June 21 in Mysuru where Modi will lead the elaborate celebration involving enthusiasts and practitioners from across the world. The Yoga Utsavs were also organised at five Archaeological sites Alike Rakhigari (Haryana), Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh), Sivasagar (Assam), Dholavira (Gujarat) and Adichanallur (Tamil Nadu)). Sonowal announced a "Guardian Ring", whereby the yoga celebrations happening across the world will be relayed throughout on June 21. The streaming will begin from Japan at 6 a.m. and, then, move westward. As and when the sun rises, streaming will be done from other countries live on DD India. New Delhi, May 27: Fionnuala Ni Aolain, the Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights has urged the Maldivian government to bring back Maldivian women and children from the Al Hol and Roj camps in Syria and other conflict areas. Maldives, like many other countries across the world, is grappling with the vexed question of what to do about radical citizens who went to fight for global Islamist groups in some of the most dangerous war zones like Syria. Governments are also dealing with the question of children being born to women who were radicalised and served as sex slaves in Islamist camps. Maldives, an archipelago of hundreds of small islands in the Indian Ocean, has been dealing with increasing radicalisation of its people due to foreign influences. It is also witnessing sporadic incidents of violence, including one in which current Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed was attacked on 6 May, 2021. Despite its small population, the country is facing growing radicalisation. To tackle the issue of children born to its nationals in war zones, the government formalised regulations in January 2022 for registration of such children. Maldivian law says that the children born to fighters and others in conflict zones have to be registered before their return to the country. The country has also set up systems for de-radicalisation and welfare of these children. The Times of Male reported that on a visit to Maldivian capital Male, Aolain said children born in war zones were living in horrific conditions. "These children are victims of terrorism and must be treated with dignity and respect and returned to the Maldives without stigma to live normal and productive lives", she said, adding that the UN would support the Maldives government in this effort. Maldives had recently brought back a family of four--a mother and three children, two of whom were born in a foreign war zone. It is not just Muslim countries like Maldives and Indonesia, but even European countries who are dealing with the issue of their nationals joining the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Many fear to bring back their citizens to avoid further radicalisation of its population. A study by the Amsterdam-based European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) says: "The Maldives has become the country with the highest rate of foreign fighters per capita in the world, and it faces internal menaces that push the country's youth towards joining foreign terror organisations". In December 2019, the Maldives' Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed, told councillors that 423 Maldivians had attempted to join terrorist organisations in Syria and Iraq, of which 173 managed to enter the war zones. He added that before the Syrian civil war, hundreds of local extremists had travelled to Pakistan and Afghanistan to fight in the religious war. Some of the Af-Pak returnees were found to have been radicalising the local people after their return to the Maldives. The police chief also mentioned the terror attacks that had been foiled, saying that the previous government had downplayed the issue of radicalisation and Maldivians travelling to foreign lands for jihad. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative New Delhi, May 27: Even though Russia has committed to cooperating with the United Nations on unblocking Ukraine's Black Sea ports to facilitate export of over 20 million tonnes of grain lying unused in the conflict zone, there is no indication whatsoever of the current imbroglio being solved anytime soon. As the world battles the food and energy crisis triggered by the Ukraine crisis, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko on Wednesday spoke about creation of some sort of a humanitarian corridor for ships carrying grains for export to leave Ukraine. However, the restoration of the supply chains and transport and logistics systems are still a far cry from becoming a reality in the coming weeks with Moscow making it clear that the "incessant calls" for the creation of new humanitarian coordination mechanisms with the involvement of a large number of participants to solve the problems of blocking the Black Sea ports of Ukraine are "incomprehensible". At the May 19 meeting of the UN Security Council on the issue of hunger and armed conflict, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had revealed that a "package deal" was being worked out which would allow the export of Ukrainian grain through Black Sea in exchange for the removal of restrictions on the export of Russian and Belarusian fertilizers and food to world markets. "Any meaningful solution to global food insecurity requires reintegrating Ukraine's agricultural production and the food and fertilizer production of Russia and Belarus into world markets -- despite the war," said the UN chief. But Russia was left enraged with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's comment of Vladimir Putin's government "using the hunger of civilians" to advance its objectives. Blinken said that the food supply for millions of Ukrainians and millions more around the world "has quite literally been held hostage by the Russian military" as prices skyrocket all over the globe. Accused of provoking a food crisis, Russia had retaliated immediately. "They tried to present us as almost the main enemy of mankind. Ukraine was called 'the breadbasket of the world' and they preferred to remain silent about Russia's status as the largest exporter of wheat," the Russian Foreign Ministry had commented after the UNSC meeting. At the same meeting, Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya had dwelled on systemic failures in the global economy which led to the current situation. Calling Ukraine "the real culprit", he accused Kyiv of blocking the port of Odessa, which was mined by the Ukrainian side, as well as the vast water area of the Black Sea. "You claim that we are allegedly blocking the possibility of exporting agricultural products from Ukraine by sea. However, the truth is that it is Ukraine, and not Russia, that continues to block 75 foreign ships from 17 states in the ports of Nikolaev, Kherson, Chernomorsk, Mariupol, Ochakov, Odessa and Yuzhny, and it is Ukraine that mined the Black Sea. How can we talk about the export of grain?" Nebenzya questioned. Russia says that its armed forces daily open a humanitarian corridor, which is a safe lane for the movement of ships in a south-western direction from the territorial waters of Ukraine. It instead accused Kyiv of evading interaction with representatives of foreign ship-owning states in resolving the issue of the safe exit of blocked ships to the assembly area. At another UNGA meeting on Monday, Dmitry Chumakov, the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN in New York, had argued that Russia remains a responsible supplier of both energy resources and food. "If the 'external puppeteers' can convey to the Kyiv wards that the time for demagoguery has passed and it is time to remove their minefields, then grain exports from the ports of Odessa, Nikolaev, Kherson, Yuzhny, etc. will resume as soon as possible," stated Chumakov. Moscow said that it continues to fulfill its obligations under commercial contracts and sends food aid to the needy population of developing countries. In a reception hosted by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on the occasion of Africa Day on Wednesday, Russia urged its friends in the African Union to "persistently demand" that the West lift "illegal unilateral sanctions" that undermine the transport and logistics infrastructure necessary for world trade, which creates risks for vulnerable segments of the population, especially in the world's second largest continent. The food security situation in the Horn of Africa, which is suffering the longest drought in four decades, continues to deteriorate with more than 18 million people getting affected. Knowing well that African countries are among the most vulnerable in terms of ensuring food security - and some of them critically dependent on the import of agricultural products from Russia - Moscow highlighted that these deliveries are of great importance for maintaining social stability and achieving the milestones stipulated by the Sustainable Development Goals approved by the United Nations. "I would like to once again firmly assure you that Russia is fulfilling and will continue to conscientiously fulfill its obligations under international contracts in terms of export deliveries of food, fertilizers, energy carriers and other goods Africa urgently needs," Lavrov told the heads of diplomatic missions of Africa in Moscow on Wednesday. Stating that the voice of Africa "must be heard" and "a more principled position" on the issue should be taken by the UN Secretary General, Lavrov said that Ukraine has become a "bargaining chip in the global anti-Russian game" with the US congressmen now preparing a draft law to counter "Russia's hostile activity in Africa." "It is important to facilitate the mutual access of Russian and African economic operators to each other's markets, to encourage their participation in large-scale infrastructure projects... Today, we are confronted with unscrupulous attempts by certain Western countries to exert a moderating influence on our engagement with Africa," he said. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Latest updates on Global Food Crisis -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, May 27: Sri Lanka has appointed its first International Liaison Officer to the New Delhi-based Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) earlier this week. Lieutenant Commander Indika Wijesinghe of the Sri Lanka Navy was inducted into the IFC-IOR in the presence of Milinda Moragoda, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India; Rear Admiral KM Ramakrishnan, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Cyber Security and Network Centric Operations); Captain Soumyajit Mohanty, Director IFC-IOR and the ILOs from Australia, France, Japan, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom and the US. The appointment took place just days before the four-member Quadrilateral Summit in Japan on May 24 decided to launch the maritime security initiative for the Indo-Pacific region. Called the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA), it will track "dark shipping"-illegal fishing, unregulated fishing and mapping of vessels that switch off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) to carry out activities undetected. Under the Quad initiative, the IFC-IOR will coordinate with other centers in the region to have a clear picture of maritime activity in the Indo-Pacific waters. In his remarks, High Commissioner Moragoda highlighted the importance of regional and global partners coming together to find lasting solutions to numerous maritime issues through enhanced cooperation to safeguard the Indian Ocean Region. Moragoda said that the positioning of an ILO from Sri Lanka at the IFC-IOR also reflects the growing Indo-Lanka defence ties and Sri Lanka's commitment towards safeguarding the common maritime interest in the IOR. The defence forces of the two nations have held numerous exercises on land and sea in the past few months along with high-level visits by senior defence officers. The two neighbours along with Maldives, and late-entrant Mauritius in 2022, also held the Colombo Security Conclave to discuss common security issues--Maritime Safety and Security; Countering Terrorism and Radicalization; Combating Trafficking and Transnational Organized Crime; Cyber Security, Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Technology, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. The IFC-IOR was established by the Indian Government in 2018 and is hosted by the Indian Navy to enhance maritime safety and security in the IOR that faces challenges like piracy and armed robbery, human and contraband trafficking, arms running, poaching, maritime terrorism and similar others. India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Mauritius form a regional umbrella to address common maritime security challenges. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Kochi, May 27 : The Kerala High Court on Friday ordered the state government to take strong action against those responsible for a ten-year-old child raising provocative slogans at a Popular Front of India (PFI) rally in Alappuzha on May 21. The court asked the petitioner if he was referring to the same rally where the boy was seen raising the slogans and when the answer came in affirmative, an angry court said 'what's happening?' and asked strong actions to be taken against the organisers of the rally. Meanwhile, the Kerala Police has taken two PFI activists into custody for using the boy to lead a rally where provocative slogans against non-Muslims were raised. The boy, who lives at Thoppumpady near here, has also been identified but the police failed to find anyone in the house as it was locked. As the video of the incident went viral, there were numerous protests against it following which the police swung into action and the High Court took up the matter early this week. The boy's father has also been identified as a known PFI activist who had participated in the Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests. The boy was brought to Alappuzha to take part in the rally by his father and was spotted sitting atop the shoulders of a man called Anzar, and leading the sloganeering. Anzar, who hails from Kottayam district, is in police custody and so is one of the main organisers of the rally at Alappuzha. Meanwhile, with the court demanding strong action, it is to be seen whether the police acts before the May 31 Thrikkakara by-election. A case has been registered against the organisers of the rally for promoting rivalry and hatred among communities. The PFI has also attempted to downplay the incident saying that the slogans were against "Hindutva fascists" and not against Hindus or Christians. Mumbai, May 27 : The nexus between fund managers and brokers is well known. We often hear that they work hand-in-glove. Today we will take a closer look at how this actually happens. An order to buy shares or sell shares is decided by a fund manager who then intimates the same to his dealer or chief dealer, who then passes on the order to an empanelled broker to execute the same. Prior to passing on the order to the broker to execute the same, a position is taken through an accommodative broker in the F&O segment if the share is traded there. Say for example an order is issued to buy a stock which is a part of the large cap stock category. This would trade in the F&O segment. A position to buy futures would be taken. This would help to generate returns as the size of order could be significant and would move the market price of the stock being purchased. Once the ordered quantity is near completion, the futures trade would be reversed and the position taken thus squared off. The difference between the buy price and the sell price is pocketed without anyone knowing anything. The order in the cash market is completed. Similar would be the case if the order is a sell order. Go short in futures and towards the end of the order square up the short future. This method is fine where the stock is in the futures segment. Let us now come to a situation where the stock is from the Midcap or Smallcap segments and is not traded in the futures segment. The situation changes. In case of a buy order, a position is taken in the cash markets prior to execution of the order starting. On completion or near completion, it is reversed. In case of a sale order while the reverse does happen, it needs to be borne in mind that irrespective of completion, the short sale has to be squared off before the day ends as all cash sales have to result in deliveries. If the order continues the next day, similar positions are taken on the following day once again. Let us now take another case where shares are available from a market counterparty. Here the share price at which the deal would be done is finalised. The price starts moving up as the order is executed and the difference between the buying price and the negotiated price is settled. The key players in this entire modus operandi are the fund manager, dealer or chief dealer and the accommodative broker. In most cases if the scale of operations is large, there would be an understanding between the dealer/chief dealer and the fund manager. The spoils are shared between the broker on one side and the fund manager and dealer on the other side. Percentages would vary on size, number of people involved and so on. Confidentiality being the key, sharing is more or less on equal terms which are pre-decided. Various options are used which include trading in different names and so on. The key is that all these leave trails and there have been umpteen cases where trades done in the names of family members have been detected subsequently. Hence a proper, non-trail system has to be put in place. Even TV channel anchors trading in family members' names have been caught. The solution, which is relatively safer, is that the broker provides an entity in which these trades are done and all profits are settled in cash. Can this nexus be detected or broken? Yes. There have been various audits which are being done by fund houses, which see the details of the order through trades as it gets filled. Dealing room calls are all on recorded lines which make life more difficult. While there are chances of getting caught in anything illegal being done, no one can save a person who invites attention by driving a car which is an icon by itself. The Lamborghini car, which is so much in the news, has made the fund manager and chief dealer a person who others have become envious of because of unasked and unwarranted limelight. Should be an easy case for the regulators to crack and plug many loopholes. Hyderabad, May 27 : With Vishwak Sen and Rukshar Dhillon as the lead pair, the movie 'Ashoka Vanamlo Arjuna Kalyanam' (better known by its acronym 'AVAK') had a good theatrical run, with the hero grabbing the attention of critics. Now, the makers have announce that this feel-good movie will start streaming on the popular Telugu OTT platform, aha, from June 3. Directed by Vidyasagar Chinta, 'Ashoka Vanamlo Arjuna Kalyanam' is a family entertainer with a tinge of romance and dollops of highly enjoyable comedy. Arjun Kumar Allam (Vishwak Sen), the 33-year-old boy next door, is the focus of the story. He and his family leave for a village named Ashokapuram, where he is to marry Madhavi (Rukshar Dhillon). Due to the Covid-19 lockdown, however, Arjun and his family are stranded in Ashokapuram. Arjun and Madhavi's families decide to have a low-key wedding as a result of the situation. Madhavi, though, has other plans. She elopes with the man she loves. The film follows Arjun as he navigates the next set of challenges. United Nations, May 27 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres laid a wreath at the world body's headquarters in New York to pay homage to the more than 4,200 peacekeepers who lost their lives since 1948, and presided over a ceremony to honor the 117 peacekeepers who died last year. At an in-person ceremony on Thursday held for the first time in three years, Guterres awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medal posthumously to the 117 fallen peacekeepers, reports Xinhua news agency. "Our peacekeepers face great and growing challenges," said the UN chief. "Despite these risks, our peacekeepers press on. They work tirelessly in the toughest of conditions. They adapt to rapidly evolving situations on the ground. And they constantly innovate to protect the most vulnerable while representing our diverse global community. They advance the greatest mission of all, peace." The Secretary-General awarded the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal, the UN's highest award for valour, posthumously to Chadian Capt. Abdelrazakh Hamit Bahar. The late captain's father received the medal on his behalf. Capt. Abdelrazakh had been deployed with the Chadian military contingent as part of the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali. He and other peacekeepers were stationed in a remote camp when they were targeted. "Heavy artillery fire, including rockets, rained down on their camp during this cowardly attack. As the situation deteriorated, Capt. Abdelrazakh and his commanding officer bravely counter-attacked to protect their teams. As he worked to secure the perimeter, Capt. Abdelrazakh noticed attackers entering a house near the base. Determined to stop them from doing more harm, he set out, on his own, to evacuate and secure the house. It was then that Capt. Abdelrazakh was shot dead," said Guterres at the ceremony. Three other Chadian peacekeepers also died and 34 were injured. But, without the courage of Capt. Abdelrazakh, many other people would have lost their lives that day. This is a true example of self-sacrifice, said Guterres. "Capt. Abdelrazakh Hamit Bahar was only 34 years old. But his actions revealed an extraordinary humanity and bravery that we will never forget." It is only the second time the UN Security Council-authorized Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal has been awarded. The medal was named in honor of Senegalese Capt. Mbaye Diagne. He saved hundreds of lives while serving as a UN peacekeeper in Rwanda in 1994 before being killed in action. Guterres also awarded a Letter of Commendation to Lt-Col. Chahata Ali Mahamat, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Capt. Abdelrazakh and helped evacuate 16 wounded colleagues. At the ceremony, Guterres presented the UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for 2021 to Maj. Winnet Zharare of Zimbabwe. Thursday's events formed the annual observance of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, which falls on May 29. Bengaluru, May 27 : Karnataka government on Friday expressed confidence about attracting Rs 5 lakh crore investment during the Global Investor's Meet (GIM) scheduled to be held in November. Minister for Large and Medium Industries Murugesh Nirani said that the three-day GIM will begin on November 2. Top industrialists in the world have evinced interest in investing in the state. "We are hopeful of getting Rs 5 lakh crore investments," he said, adding that in a few years, the complete picture of the state is going to change. The minister said that he, along with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, had met top industrialists in Davos and discussed about investing in the state. The trip is a success, he said. Considering the conducive atmosphere, pro-industrialist policies, infrastructure, they showed interest in investing, he said. If investment flow is good, more industries are going to be established and generate more opportunities for local people, he said. Industrialists have assured of their participation in GIM. Several have shown keen interest about investing in the state, he reiterated. Kiev, May 27 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and visiting Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin discussed Kiev's European integration and post-war recovery. At the talks in Kiev on Thursday, Zelensky thanked the Finnish government for providing financial, defense and humanitarian aid for Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia, reports Xinhua news agency. He also stressed the importance of visits of foreign high-ranking officials to the Ukrainian capital. "These are very important direct signals of support, first of all for the Ukrainian people, our people, who see that they are not left alone with today's ordeals," Zelensky said. Finland's support for Ukraine's future membership in the European Union (EU) is very important, the President said, adding that Kiev expects that the EU will decide on Ukraine's membership prospects soon. The Ukrainian leader also invited Finland to take part in his country's post-war recovery by taking patronage over a region, city, or industry. For her part, Marin said that her country and people today understand Ukrainians very well, given their historical experience. "The heroic spirit of the Ukrainian people, who are fighting for their freedom and for the whole of Europe, is admirable," Marin said. The Finnish Prime Minister arrived in Kiev earlier in the day for her first visit to Ukraine. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Wellington, May 27 : People of New Zealand who are at high risk of getting very sick from a Covid-19 infection will soon be eligible to receive a second booster shot, a Minister said here on Friday. Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said on Friday that a second booster dose may be beneficial for those most at risk of serious illness from the virus and with a gap of six months from their previous booster, reports Xinhua news agency. The vast majority of these people become eligible from July, according to the Ministry of Health. "A booster is important for our most vulnerable as we move into the winter peak," said a Ministry statement, adding that several hundred thousand people will be eligible, which includes the older population, residents of aged care facilities and disability care facilities aged 16 years and over, and severely immunocompromised people. New Zealand has so far reported 1,136,708 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 1,087 deaths. Mumbai, May 27 : In a huge anti-climax, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday dropped charges of drug possession against 6 prime accused - including Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood mega-star Shah Rukh Khan, an official said here. The NC's clean chit has gone to Aryan, Avin Sahu, Gopal Anand, Samir Sehgal, Bhaskar Arora and Manav Singhal, as per its charge sheet in the sensational case filed before a Special Court. While Sahu was a guest on the ship Cordelia Cruise that was swooped on by a team led by the then NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, the others were the organisers of the alleged rave party on board. The NCB has said in its charge sheet that narcotics were found on all -- except Aryan Khan and Mohak Jaiswal - in the case that hogged international media attention for months. In a terse statement, NCB Deputy Director-General Sanjay Kumar Singh said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) carried out its investigations in an 'objective manner', applying the touchstone of the 'principle of proof beyond reasonable doubt'. Accordingly, the NCB will pursue the case against 14 of the total 20 accused and has dropped the charges against the aforementioned 6 accused "due to lack of sufficient evidence", said Singh, who took over the probe on November 6 last year. Adv Taraq Sayed, lawyer for one of the prime accused, talking to IANS briefly, indicated that the six persons will be free now as there's "no evidence to proceed against them, and the charges have been dropped" by the NCB. The development comes as a major relief for Aryan Khan who was among those nabbed in a high-profile raid on the ship with 1,800 people on board by Wankhede on October 2 last year, and underwent nearly a month in police and judicial custody. Based on intel, the NCB Mumbai had raided the Cordelia Cruise and detained, besides Aryan, Arbaaz Merchant, Nupur Sarika, Munmun Dhamecha, Ismeet Singh, Mohak Jaiswal, Gomit Chopra and Vikrant Chhokar. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed May 27 : After a terrible opening on May 20, Kangana Ranaut-starrer Dhaakad failed to pick up momentum even on its first weekend. After the theatres were mostly empty even on a Sunday, most theatre owners started cancelling Dhaakad shows and replacing them with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. Dhaakad entered its second week on Friday. After the disastrous first week, which collected only Rs 2.15 crore, the film has been pulled out of most theatres across India. On May 20, Dhaakad was released on 2100 screens. On Sunday, May 22, around 300 screens discontinued the film, especially the single screens, it is reported. On Monday, the screen count was reduced even more, and by Thursday, it was dropped from many cinemas as Tom Cruise-starrer Top Gun: Maverick had an early release on May 26. Now, the film is reportedly running in only 25 cinemas across India, which means it has been removed from about 98.80 per cent of theatres. While in Delhi, Dhaakad is running in just four theatres, there is no show of the film in Mumbai, suggests a Bollywood Hungama report. Reportedly, there was no excitement among the audience for Dhaakad. Several theatres reportedly witnessed less than 15 people in the hall. Many shows across the country reportedly got cancelled due to no audience. Since Sunday, several theatres removed Dhaakad. Mumbais Maratha Mandir, which was running Dhaakad in one show has discontinued it from Sunday, and replaced it with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. Gaiety-Galaxy in Mumbai has also cancelled Dhaakad shows and shifted it to Gemini, which has a 230-seating capacity. Moreover, many films including Top Gun: Maverick, Anek, Dehati Disco, Sarsenapati Hambirrao, etc have been released today. Theatre owners preferred to run a new film in place of Dhaakad as they know that the film will not find an audience in Week 2. The misery for the producers of the film doesnt end here. After such a debacle, the film is reportedly struggling to find a taker on OTT and satellite platforms. Usually, OTT and satellite deals are finalised before the movie hits the theatres. But Dhaakad producers did not do so in the hope that the film will do well in theatres and they would have been in a better position to bargain a good deal. Dhaakad was theatrically distributed by Zee Studios. It is speculated that ZEE5 may come up and buy the rights. But the makers are keen on selling the rights to Amazon Prime Video. Zee may finally get the rights for the TV premiere. However, the film has been given an A certificate, and to premiere on TV it needs to get a U certificate, which means a new and long process. New Delhi, May 27 : A court here on Friday sentenced former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala to four years in prison and slapped a fine of Rs 50 lakh in connection with a disproportionate assets case, in which he was convicted earlier. The pronouncement of then quantum of punishment was delivered by Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court which was reserved on Thursday, after the submissions of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). During the course of the hearing, the court rejected Chautala's prayer to grant 10 days to file an appeal in the matter. In this case, the probe agency will now seize four of his properties. In the last hearing, the probe agency opposed Chautala's lawyer who argued for a concession on medical grounds for the 87-year-old politician. Instead, the Central agency argued for maximum punishment, pointing out that the convict is a public figure. If the punishment is less for him, it would send a wrong message to society. It was also argued that Chautala is convicted for the second time and does not have a clean image. On May 19, the court had reserved its verdict in this case. As per the charge sheet filed by the CBI, Chautala is responsible for amassing assets worth Rs 6.09 crore (disproportionate to his legitimate source of income) between 1993 and 2006. In May 2019, the Enforcement Directorate had attached over Rs 3.6 crore worth of properties of the former Chief Minister located in New Delhi, Panchkula, and Sirsa. Chautala was also convicted in the JBT scam in January 2013. In 2008, Chautala and 53 others were charged in connection with the appointment of 3,206 junior basic trained teachers in Haryana from 1999 to 2000. In January 2013, a court sentenced Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay Singh Chautala to ten years imprisonment under various provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Chautala was found guilty of illegally recruiting over 3,000 unqualified teachers. Out on parole, Chautala was released from Tihar Jail on July 2, 2021 from a 10-year prison sentence after completing due formalities. He was the Chief Minister of Haryana four times between 1989 to 2005. His grandson Dushyant Chautala is the Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana. Panaji, May 27 : Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President, Amit Patkar on Friday, without naming anyone, said divisive forces are disturbing peace in the country and urged people to be vigilant about such forces. "I will not name the divisive forces who are dividing people of the country and Goa and disturbing peace, but we should be vigilant about them (their acts)," Patkar added. He paid homage to the first Indian Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary and said one should follow the latter's message that "peace itself is derived from strength". "The government in power for the last eight years is trying to destroy the footprints of Nehru, but they won't succeed in erasing him from the hearts of the people," he said. Patkar added that at the time when India couldn't even manufacture a needle during the initial years of independence, Nehru laid the foundation of 'Modern India'. "Be it IITs, ITIs, Planning Commission, DRDO, ISRO or construction of dams, all were his ideas. He is known as an architect of 'Modern India'," the GPCC Chief added. He said Nehru's efforts also liberated Goa from Portuguese colonial rule. "Divisive forces won't be successful to erase him from the hearts of people," he added. Udupi : , May 27 (IANS) The suicide case of a young woman has taken a serious turn after some Hindu organisations and her family alleged that she was a victim of 'love jihad' in Karnataka's Udupi district. Shilpa Devadiga, 25, a resident of the Uppinakudru village near Kundapur city, died on May 25 after consuming rat poison. Hindu activists and her family have alleged that it was a case of love jihad and demanded action against the accused person. The police have recovered a letter from the residence of Shilpa. Police sources said that the letter was in the form of a poem that talks about her exploitation. The family of Shilpa has lodged a complaint with the Kundapur police station alleging the role of Azeez, a resident of Koteshwar behind her suicide. They have also named his wife, Salma Azeez. They charged that the accused forced her to convert to Islam and blackmailed her with obscene videos. According to police, Shilpa was working in a garment shop for three years. She got in touch with the accused Azeez when she went to tutorials before joining the work. Though married the accused allegedly promised her marriage and abused her physically. He often called her to his house. However, later he refused to marry her. Recently, Azeez came near her workplace and abused her. Not able to bear the insult, Shilpa consumed poison on May 23. The brother of Shilpa informed police that though being married, the accused had trapped his sister Shilpa into a relationship. It is also alleged that he had sent her sweet messages promising her of marriage and had sent obscene photos to her. Hindu activists have alleged that the accused had record videos of sexual acts. When she asked him to marry, the accused asked her to convert to Islam. On her objection, he threatened her with releasing her videos on social media. Hyderabad, May 27 : The Telugu film 'F3' starring Venkatesh Dagguabti and Varun Tej, which was released in theatres on Friday, has left a mixed impression on audiences. Reports emanating from the early screenings suggest that 'F3' falls short of the expectations set by 'F2', the first installment of the 'Fun & Frustration' franchise. The film had a good first half, with Venkatesh's night blindness as his comedic streak and Varun Tej's stutter as his entertaining aspect, but it falls flat as the narrative relies solely on the lead actors and lacks a strong story. The second half consists primarily of old-school slapstick comedy. What the audience perceives is that Anil Ravipudi has tried to imitate the approach of EVV Satyanarayana, the late Telugu director known for his parodies, but he seems to have failed to recognise that it is nearly impossible to replicate the old master's style. "'F3' may impress a segment of the audience, but it offers nothing new to the general public," one Twitter user complained. "With the exception of Venky and Varun, this film isn't even close to 'F2'. Dissatisfied," commented another. "You're daydreaming if you think #AnilRavipudi will make a sensible comedy," said yet another tweep. "#F3Movie demonstrates a shocking level of complacency. In a recycled plot, every character is an obnoxious, paper-thin caricature. At the very least, none of the jokes are up to the level of #F2Movie." New Delhi, May 27 : Continuing its flip flop, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said that conditions are becoming favourable for the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala in the next 2-3 days. Stating that the southwest monsoon has advanced into some more parts of the south Arabian Sea, Maldives & adjoining areas of Lakshadweep and some more parts of Cape Comorin area, the IMD said that as per the latest meteorological indications, westerly winds have strengthened in the lower levels over the south Arabian Sea. As per satellite imagery, there is an increase in cloudiness over the Kerala coast and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea. Hence, conditions are becoming favourable for the onset of the monsoon in Kerala in the coming days. Further, conditions are also favourable for the advancement of the southwest monsoon into some more parts of Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area in the same period, the met office said. On Thursday, contrary to its earlier prediction of the southwest monsoon coming over Kerala on May 27, the IMD had said that it can happen anytime in this forecasting week (meaning till June 1) and the conditions are being monitored. Prior to that, on May 19, the IMD had said that the onset of the southwest monsoon in Kerala was possible by May 25. Much before its normal date of May 22, the monsoon had crossed the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. However, the IMD has made it clear that the two events - onset over Andaman & Nicobar Islands and over Kerala - do not have any co-relation. The news of the onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala is the most awaited news for the agrarian sector across India that in turn has a major impact on the domestic economy and also on the share markets. Ahmedabad, May 27 : Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener and former Congress working president Hardik Patel will be joining BJP either on May 30 or May 31 in Gandhinagar. He gave the hint on Friday in Ahmedabad and even hinted at contesting elections. Patel in a programme on a TV channel has hinted that he is joining the BJP, and the party will decide from which constituency he will contest the assembly elections. He also said that he is going to lead an Ekta Yatra from Somnath temple to the Statue of Unity. It will be a grand show of Hardik Patel joining the BJP, party sources said. He was given two options on how would he like to join BJP, in presence of National President in New Delhi, or in presence of Gujarat BJP in-charge Bhupender Yadav or B.L. Santhosh in Gandhinagar. He has selected the second option. Hardik and the BJP are planning to address a large gathering on the day, sources said. Hardik resigned from the Congress as working president as well as primary member of the party on May 18. Since then speculations were rife that he will join the BJP. A day later, at the press conference, he had told the media that he will announce his decision on Friday. Since the day Hardik resigned from Congress, he has been attacking the party, saying the party is anti-Patidar and anti- Gujarat. He said that even the party national leaders' action is anti-Gujarat. Hardik Patel has been particularly targeting Gujarat Congress incharge Raghu Sharma and former GPCC president Bharatsinh Solanki. He said these leaders are not respecting people's sentiments. Los Angeles, May 27 : Ray Liotta had several films and a television series in the works before his sudden death on Thursday night at age 67, reports 'Variety'. At least two projects, Universal's wild drug-filled thriller 'Cocaine Bear' and the Apple TV Plus limited series 'Black Bird', had already completed production and should be released according to schedule, sources said. Liotta died in his sleep while shooting 'Dangerous Waters' in the Dominican Republic. The indie movie began production over a month ago, but it's not clear where they were in terms of filming. John Barr is directing 'Dangerous Waters', a thriller about a sailing holiday that spirals out of control when a teenage daughter uncovers the dark past of her mother's new boyfriend. The film also stars 'You' actor Saffron Burrows, Odeya Rush ('Lady Bird') and Eric Dane of 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Euphoria' fame. In 'Black Bird', which lands on Apple TV+ on July 8, Liotta is playing a police officer whose son (portrayed by Taron Egerton) is sentenced to 10 years in prison for dealing drugs. While serving time, he's offered early parole on the condition that he relocates to a prison for the criminally insane and befriends serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser). It is not clear who Liotta is playing in 'Cocaine Bear', which wrapped filming in Ireland in October 2021. The Elizabeth Banks-directed movie is in post-production and is aiming to debut in theatres on February 24, 2023. 'Cocaine Bear' is inspired by the true story of an American black bear that goes on a murderous rampage after ingesting a staggering amount of blow. Along with Liotta, the cast includes Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, Margo Martindale and O'Shea Jackson Jr. New Delhi, May 27 : Hailed as an answer to Africa's struggle to get access to vaccines, Africa's first Covid-19 vaccine factory, which has not received a single order, will now be adapted to produce other drugs, according to media reports. Last year, South African drug maker Aspen Pharmacare signed a deal with US drug maker Johnson & Johnson to produce the Covid vaccine and market the single-dose vaccine as Aspenovax. The vaccine, identical to the one created by Johnson & Johnson, was intended for the African market. The vaccines were being made at a factory near Cape Town owned by South African pharmaceuticals firm Aspen Pharmacare. But lack of demand is forcing the company to produce other drugs, BBC reported. According to Dr Stavros Nicolaou, a senior director at Aspen, the agreement assumed there would be demand for the vaccines from the World Health Organization (WHO). But as that never materialised, and to sustain the production line, the equipment would now be used to make anaesthetics instead, he explained. Covid vaccine production has not been totally abandoned, Aspen would produce it "only on an emergency basis", Nicolaou said. The factory, in the coastal South African city of Gqeberha, was celebrated as a solution to the continent's unequal access to vaccines during the pandemic, New York Times reported. Lack of demand coupled with the slow distribution of vaccines in Africa left health agencies with a backlog of supplies. Commercial production never started, in what officials say is an ominous sign for other African countries that had considered manufacturing Covid vaccines, the report said. The African Union has a target for 60 per cent of all vaccines administered on the continent to be produced locally by 2040. Currently, the figure is just 1 per cent. Although there had been calls globally for Africa to produce more of its own vaccines during the pandemic, Nicolau said this could only happen if producers had support from international agencies, such as WHO. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa also blamed "international agencies" for failing to buy vaccines from a pioneering African manufacturer, NYT reported. "This immediately just devalues the whole process of local manufacturing and local production of vaccines. This, ladies and gentlemen, must change," Ramaphosa said. Aspen was hoping that orders would roll out at the beginning of 2022, to begin commercial production of Aspenovax. But by then, agencies including the WHO and Gavi, a global non-profit that manages vaccine purchase deals for low-income countries through the Covax alliance, had already secured enough vaccines from other sources to begin large-scale vaccination drives. Aspen's vaccine "came very late in the process," said Dr. Abdou Salam Gueye, director of emergency preparedness and response for the WHO's Africa region. The global health agency and its partners have shifted their focus to delivering vaccines to patients, rather than procuring additional vaccine doses, he added. Ongole : , May 27 (IANS) Telugu Desam Party's annual conclave Mahanadu began here on Friday with the party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu giving a call "Quit Jagan, save Andhra Pradesh". Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day conclave, the former chief minister termed Y. S. Jaga Mohan Reddy-led government a "curse" and called upon people to throw it out of power. Setting the tone for deliberations, Naidu launched a bitter attack on YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) for its "misrule" and the "havoc" it created by letting loose "repression" during the last three years. He called the YSRCP government a rule by "maniacs, liars and corrupt criminals". The TDP chief said with maniacs in power, the state has lost its honour and dignity. He described Jagan Mohan Reddy as an "inefficient leader" who has been presiding over a rule by maniacs, liars and hardcore corrupt criminals. The TDP chief asserted that if Jagan Reddy would not quit politics, AP would not see good and happy days again. All sections should unitedly raise the slogan of "Quit Jagan" so as to save Andhra Pradesh from future destruction, he said. He alleged that the Jagan government is crushing people with its betrayal in the name of welfare, all-round looting and unbearable taxes. He said the YSRCP government made the state bankrupt with Rs 8 lakh crore debts. Naidu alleged that YSRCP is inefficient to rule the state and hence it was using police to book false cases against those questioning its misrule. He appealed to all police personnel from constable to Director General of Police not to become tools in the hands of maniacs. With the party holding its Mahanadu after a gap of three years, Naidu through his speech tried to lift the spirits of the party cadres. Naidu urged party cadres to continue working the same spirit for next two years and go to people with the slogan of "Quit Jagan, save Andhra Pradesh". Stating that TDP has a glorious history of 40 years, Naidu vowed to build young leadership to take the party forward over the next 40 years. The TDP chief said the chief minister signed "fake MoUs" at Davos with the same companies that worked under the TDP rule. The agreement with Adani Data Centre was signed during the TDP rule but Jagan Reddy cancelled the same and signed a more or less similar MoU with that company at Davos now. Over 12,000 TDP leaders from across the state are attending the conclave which will pass 17 resolutions on various subjects. The TDP organises "Mahanadu" every year in May, coinciding with the birth anniversary of party founder and former chief minister N. T. Rama Rao. After the TDP debacle in the 2019 elections, Mahanadu was not conducted. The annual conclave was conducted in a virtual mode in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The TDP completed its 40 years in March this year. It was on March 29, 1982 that N. T. Rama Rao, a popular Telugu actor, formed the TDP on the slogan of Telugu self-respect. NTR, as he was popularly called, created a record of sorts by coming to power within nine months of forming the party. He died in January 1996, a few months after his son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu led a revolt against him to become the chief minister of then undivided Andhra Pradesh. Naidu-led TDP to power in 1999 and remained chief minister till 2004, when Congress wrested the power. After bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, TDP formed the first government in the residuary state. In 2019, the party lost power to YSRCP. New Delhi, May 27 : The foreign ministers of India and Hungary on Friday discussed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and India's engagement with the European Union. Hungry's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who is on a day's visit to Delhi, met Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar here. After the meeting, Jaishankar said, "Valued the assessment of the Ukraine conflict and its knock-on effects in different domains. Also acknowledged Hungary's steadfast commitment to an expanded Indian engagement with the European Union." Jaishankar said that he appreciated the Hungarian support for 'Operation Ganga' and discussed admission of Indian medical students in Hungary colleges. He also recalled Hungary's early recognition of Covaxin and openness to travel arrangements. "Need to strengthen our longstanding cooperation in multilateral forums," he added. The two countries reviewed further cooperation in Science & technology, education and cultural relations. The Hungarian FM said that the economic cooperation between India and Hungary has been hitting records and last year, a record was hit when it came to the volume of trade. But geographical distance is still considerable, he added. Szijjarto said that two contracts will be signed-for development of trade and attracting investment. There is going to be an energy supply crisis in Europe and maybe globally, and those countries will be safe who can produce the most of the energy they consume, he said. Hungary is the newest member of the International Solar Alliance and both countries are working to strengthen bilateral trade and relations. Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi and Szijjarto inaugurated a business forum. "Our bilateral trade has seen rapid growth in recent years. This event is a step in realising our full potential in trade & investment & expanding our ties," Lekhi tweeted Chennai, May 27 : Cement major India Cements Ltd will monetise some of its land to settle its debt and for capital expenditure, said a top company official. He also said, in order to recover production costs that went up owing to drastic increase in coal prices, the company will be increasing the cement prices by Rs 55 per bag in three phases between June and July. Speaking to reporters here on Friday N. Srinivasan, Vice Chairman and Managing Director said the company would monetise surplus land for repayment of loan and for some capital expenditure. "We are not in distress sale mode. We have about 26,000 acres of land in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The lands are of different categories," Srinivasan said. According to him, the company has to repay about Rs 500 crore of its debt and to that extent land monetisation would happen. India Cements total debt at the end of last fiscal was about Rs 3,000 crore. The capital expenditure is not much except for some balancing equipment and waste recovery plant in Chilamkur in Andhra Pradesh. Srinivasan said the company would increase the cement prices by Rs 55 per bag in three parts -- Rs 20 on June 1, Rs 15 on June 15 and Rs 20 on July 1. He said the company's products are already premium priced. According to Srinivasan, the consumer has a choice as cement bags are now available in the price points ranging between Rs 320-450. When queried that other cement players had expressed their plans to reduce their selling prices Srinivasan remarked: "Don't compare. All costs have gone up. If I don't increase the prices, I will runup huge losses." With a slow recovery in the southern markets further affected by record rains and floods in the previous quarter, the selling price of cement was under constant pressure resulting in uncompensated increase in the cost of production. This was further compounded by the reduction in volume as the company as a prudent policy withdrew from the far off markets to focus on home markets. Meanwhile, the company closed last fiscal with a total income of Rs 4,729.83 crore (FY21 Rs 4,460.12 crore) and a net profit of Rs 38.98 crore down from Rs 222.04 crore logged in FY21. The company Board has recommended a dividend of Re.1 per share of Rs.10 each. Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram, May 27 : A day after being sent to the Central jail in Thiruvanthapuram, seven-time former MLA P.C. George on Friday secured bail from the Kerala High Court in connection with an alleged hate speech made early this month. A local court in Thiruvanathapuram had on Thursday sent him to 14 days judicial custody. While granting bail, the high court asked George not to repeat the mistake and also cooperate with the probes in the two separate cases of the same nature - one made in the capital city on May 1 and a few days later at an election rally in Kochi. The arrest of George, one of the most controversial politicians of the state, was preceded by more than three weeks of political drama. On May 1, he was first arrested from his house at Poonjar in Kottayam district and brought to the state capital and released on bail the same day. A few days later after getting bail, during an election rally in Thrikkakara in Kochi, George again resorted to a hate speech, attacking the minority community. Soon, a fresh case was registered and again he approached the court for bail and on Wednesday when he was travelling to Kochi to present himself before the police in connection with the matter, it was learnt that his bail given on May 1 has been cancelled by a court in the state capital. After recording his statement in the case registered in Kochi, the police team arrested the former seven-time legislator Thursday and brought him to the capital city and lodged him in the jail. Following the high court granting bail, he will be able to come out of jail later on Friday. New Delhi, May 27 : Third-party smartphone apps for connected cars belonging to top brands like Tesla, Nissan, Renault, Ford, and Volkswagen are using the vehicle owners' credentials without asking for their consent, a new report claimed on Friday. On top of this, one in five of applications have no contact information, which makes it impossible to report a problem, according to Kaspersky's 'Connected Apps' report which analysed 69 popular third-party mobile apps designed to control connected cars. "The benefits of a connected world are countless. However, it is important to note that this is still a developing industry, which carries certain risks," said Sergey Zorin, Head of Kaspersky Transportation Security. "Unfortunately, not all developers take a responsible approach when it comes to data storage and collection, which results in users exposing their personal information. This data may further be sold on the dark web and end up in untrustful hands," he warned. Cybercriminals might not only steal your data and personal credentials but also gain access to your vehicle - and that might lead to physical threats. Connected automotive applications allow users to remotely control their vehicles by locking or unlocking the doors, adjusting climate control, starting and stopping the engine, etc. Even though most car manufacturers have their own legitimate applications for the cars they make, third-party apps designed by mobile developers are also very popular among users as they may offer unique features that have not yet been introduced by the vehicle manufacturer. The third-party applications analysed by Kaspersky cover almost all major vehicle brands, with Tesla, Nissan, Renault, Ford and Volkswagen in the top-5 cars most often controlled by such apps. "However, these applications are not entirely safe to use," claim Kaspersky researchers. They found that more than half of the applications don't warn about the risks of using the owner's account from the original automaker's service. Moreover, every fifth application does not have information on how to contact the developer or give feedback, making it impossible to report a problem or request more information on the app's privacy policy. "It is also worth noting that 46 of the 69 applications are either free of charge or offer a demo mode. This has contributed to such applications being downloaded from the Google Play Store more than 239,000 times, which makes you wonder how many people are giving strangers free access to their cars," the report mentioned. New Delhi, May 27 : The Delhi High Court on Friday granted interim bail, for eight weeks, to Avantha Group promoter Gautam Thapar, who was arrested in connection with alleged misappropriation of a Rs 515 crore loan from Yes Bank, on medical grounds. Thapar was given bail on furnishing the two surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each with other conditions. On May 23, after submissions of Thapar seeking interim bail for medical treatment, the bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh had issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Medical Officer in-charge of the Central Jail, after considering Thapar's health, opined that he is suffering from persistent left-sided chest pain, palpitations, vertigo, blackouts, severe lumber pain, and his previous records show severe co-morbidities and that any delay in investigation and intervention may lead to irreversible damage. Counsel for ED, advocate Rajat Nair had strongly objected to the bail application. However, considering the deteriorating health of Thapar, his severe medical history with co-morbidities, the bench has admitted the applicant on interim bail for medical treatment. Thapar was represented by senior advocate N. Hariharan, briefed by a team from Karanjawala & Co. Comprising advocates Sandeep Kapur, senior partner, Vir Sandhu, Rajat Soni, Vivek Suri, Niharika Karanjawala, Mridul Yadav, Abhimanshu Dhyani, Sahil Modi and Kajal. Thapar had approached the High Court following the denial of his bail plea by the Special Judge, Rouse Avenue Court Complex, on May 19. Hyderabad, May 27 : Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who was trolled by an unknown Twitter user, gracefully blunted the offensive remark aimed at her. Samantha has now responded forcefully to a social media troll who made an offensive remark about her. Under one of Samantha's recent tweets, a netizen commented, "She's (Sam) is going to end up dying alone with cats and dogs." The actress was quick to respond, calmly and effectively shutting down the troll. "I'd consider myself lucky," Samantha's response reads. After the 'Kushi' lady responded with a sarcastic retort, the netizen quickly deleted the tweet. Samantha is one of the few celebrities who aren't afraid to speak out against unwelcome social media trolls. She recently wrapped the first schedule of her highly-anticipated film 'Kushi,' in which she co-stars with Vijay Deverakonda. Her other films, 'Yashoda,' and 'Shakuntalam,' will be released by the end of the year. New Delhi, May 27 : A special NIA court in Mumbai convicted and sentenced an ISIS terrorist Mohammed Shahed Khan alias Lala to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in Parbhani ISIS case in Maharashtra. The court while awarding the sentence also imposed a fine of Rs 45,000 on the accused. The court said that the prosecution has established its case against Khan and has convicted him for offences punishable under sections 13, 16, 18, 20, 38, 39 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, section 120-B of IPC and sections 4, 5, 6 of Explosive Substances Act. The case pertains to a conspiracy hatched by ISIS operatives in Syria for radicalising Indian youth through the internet, wherein an IED was assembled locally on their directions. The case was initially registered in 2016 with the ATS Police Station in Mumbai and later, the probe was taken over by NIA. After the investigation, a charge sheet was filed in October 2016. The court had earlier awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment to another accused in the matter, Naser Bin Yafai (Chaus), in March 2022. New Delhi, May 27 : Activist Sharjeel Imam on Friday approached the Delhi's Karkardooma court seeking bail in connection with the sedition case registered against him for allegedly delivering inflammatory speeches during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in 2020. The move came following Thursday's Delhi High Court direction, in which he was asked to approach the lower court first for bail. Imam had approached the High Court for relief following the historic Supreme Court verdict that put on hold the colonial-era penal provision of sedition (Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code). During the hearing in the high court, Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad opposed the maintainability of the interim bail application citing a 2014 apex court verdict. As per the Supreme Court order, the bail plea should be before the special court first and if aggrieved, an appeal can be moved before the High Court, he argued. Considering the SPP's submissions, the bench asked the appellant to approach the lower court first. In the fresh bail application, Imam said that since the top court has put sedition in abeyance, his case has improved for the grant of bail. "The appellant has been incarcerated for nearly 28 months since January 28, 2020 whereas the maximum punishment for the offences -- not including 124-A IPC-- are punishable up to a maximum of 7 years of imprisonment," the plea read. JNU scholars and activists Imam and Umar Khalid 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. Imam and Khalid are facing charges in connection with the inflammatory speeches which are allegedly fuelled the violence, as per the 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. The mayhem, which coincided with the then US President Donald Trump's maiden trip to India, saw more than 50 people lose their lives and over 700 were injured. Peshawar, May 27 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Pak prime minister Imran Khan on Friday dispelled reports that he had struck a deal in exchange for ending the party's Azadi March to Islamabad, saying that he did so in order to avoid bloodshed, Dawn reported. He expressed the views while addressing a press conference in Peshawar, adding that he would take to the streets again if early elections were not announced. He regretted how police officials attacked the participants of the march, blaming the government for hand-picking officers to target the PTI. "Our workers asked why we did not stage a sit-in. I am the man who staged a sit-in for 126 days. It was not difficult for me, but by the time I reached I became aware of the extent of the situation... I knew that day that there would be bloodshed." Imran said the people were "ready" after seeing the "terrorism" carried out through the police. "Everyone was ready to fight, some of our people were so angered by what they saw," he said, adding that officials were instructed to brutalise protesters, Dawn reported. "The anger at the time, if I had staged a sit-in that day I can guarantee that there would have been bloodshed," he said, adding that there was a prevailing sense of hatred against police officials. "But the police is also ours, it is not their fault," the PTI chairman said, blaming the government for issuing the directives. If there was violence then it would only have caused chaos in the country, he said. "Do not think it was our weakness and don't think that a deal was made. I am hearing strange things that a deal was made with the establishment. I did not make a deal with anyone," he said, adding that the only motive behind his actions was concern for the country, Dawn reported. He also made it clear that the PTI would not negotiate with or accept the "imported government". "I think of this as a jihad. I will stand up against this as long as I am alive," he said, reiterating that he only cared about the future of the country. Photo taken on Sept. 9, 2020 shows the view of the skyscrapers of the Central Business District (CBD) in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao) BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- China is facing tough challenges in promoting reform, development and stability, as both drastic changes and a pandemic unseen in a century have been transforming the international arena and thrusting the world into a new round of turbulence and shifts. Against this backdrop, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has highlighted both high-quality development and high-level security amid the country's efforts to embrace a brighter future for the Chinese economy. PROTECT LIFE, STEADY ECONOMY The huge "black swan" of the COVID-19 pandemic has become the biggest variable affecting the recovery of the global economy. The virus is still ravaging the world and mutating, after having resulted in some 520 million confirmed cases worldwide, and over 6 million related deaths. Since March this year, COVID-19 resurgences have hit parts of China, markedly impacting the country's economic recovery. Xi has stressed the importance of effectively coordinating COVID-19 prevention and control with economic and social development, protecting people's health and safety to the greatest extent, and minimizing the impacts of the pandemic on economic and social development. Local regions have taken effective measures to check COVID-19 resurgences. For example, earlier this year, the southern city of Shenzhen, a tech hub and a major center for foreign trade in China, saw a resurgence of COVID-19 infections. The city took a series of measures, such as suspending public transportation and closing some businesses, from March 14 to 20, and successfully brought the situation under control. Shanghai has cut off the community transmission of COVID-19 in all its 16 districts as of May 17. Besides fighting the virus resurgences, China has rolled out a series of policies to steady the economy and safeguard development security, involving efforts to keep logistics smooth and industrial and supply chains stable. The country has carried out new combined supporting policies through tax and fee cuts. Tax refunds and cuts are expected to total around 2.5 trillion yuan (about 375.38 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022. Shifts in the domestic and international economic environment have brought tremendous pressure, but the fundamentals of the Chinese economy, characterized by strong resilience, enormous potential and long-term sustainability, remain unchanged. "We have every confidence in the future of China's economy," said Xi at the virtual session of the 2022 World Economic Forum held in January. STAY RESILIENT Facing complicated situations at home and abroad, China has taken initiatives to ensure that key areas are safe and controllable to safeguard the bottom line of achieving high-quality development. Global energy and grain markets have experienced volatile fluctuations, adding pressure to domestic supply and price stability. "For a big country like China, ensuring the supply of primary goods is a major strategic issue. We must strengthen strategic planning and make early adjustments to ensure supply security," Xi said at the tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference in December 2021. Noting that food security is critical to the country's stability and prosperity, Xi urged against slacking off on the food security issue on various occasions. A slew of measures have been taken to ensure grain output exceeds 650 million tonnes this year. Currently, the planting area of winter wheat remains stable at 330 million mu (22 million hectares), laying a sound foundation for a bumper summer harvest. Aerial photo taken on May 24, 2022 shows farmers harvesting wheat in the fields in Xiapo Village of Linyi, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo by Wu Jiquan/Xinhua) As energy serves as the fundamental underpinning of economic and social development, Xi has stressed the need to safeguard the country's energy supply. To ensure energy security, China will add an additional 300 million tonnes of coal production capacity this year. Oil and gas exploration will be strengthened, and the building of large wind power and photovoltaic bases will be accelerated. Besides, coal imports will be exempt from tax between May 1 this year to March 31, 2023. China is also striving to strengthen scientific and technological innovation and promote tech self-sufficiency. China's indigenously developed C919 large passenger aircraft is a case in point. "We must have our own large jets," Xi said during a visit to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China eight years ago. Researchers have been stepping up efforts to overcome technical difficulties. The first C919 aircraft to be delivered completed a successful maiden test flight on May 14. MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE AS FOUNDATION Chairing the 11th meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs held on April 26, Xi, also head of the committee, called for all-out efforts to strengthen infrastructure construction in the country's endeavor toward building a modern infrastructure system. Calling infrastructure a pillar for economic and social development, Xi urged the country to coordinate development and security, and optimize the layout, structure, functions and development models of infrastructure. On April 29, a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, chaired by Xi, reiterated the need to comprehensively reinforce infrastructure construction. From the central to local authorities, a slew of arrangements have been unveiled and a blueprint of building a modern infrastructure system has been rolled out step by step. Efforts have been made in advancing infrastructure construction with a focus on shoring up weak links, with the construction of 102 major projects for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) being accelerated. Aerial photo taken on March 28, 2022 shows a section of Guiyang-Huangping Highway in Guiding county, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Of the 800 billion yuan of investment earmarked for water conservancy projects this year, 195.8 billion yuan has been invested from January to April, surging 45.5 percent year on year. Meanwhile, the country is also striving to build technological and digital infrastructure as a part of its long-term goal to optimize the overall economic layout and foster new growth drivers. As part of the digital information infrastructure, the number of 5G base stations in the country increased by about 134,000 during the first quarter of the year, bringing the total to nearly 1.56 million. Earlier this year, China initiated work on a mega project to establish eight national computing hubs and 10 national data center clusters in a bid to improve overall computing power and resource efficiency. The country's moves to comprehensively reinforce infrastructure construction and build a modern infrastructure system, with both the current needs and long-term goals taken into account, will lay a solid foundation for future development and bring opportunities for technological innovation. ECONOMIC REORIENTATION Amid an increasingly complex external environment, Xi has urged efforts to accelerate the building of a new development paradigm and advance China's high-quality development, seeking to reorient the country's economic growth pattern to build up resilience against global volatility. The strategy recently got a vital boost as authorities detailed a plan on how to build a national unified market to enable a more efficient and smooth flow of labor and goods across the country. The move is key to the country's new development paradigm of "dual circulation," floated in 2020 as a strategic solution that takes the domestic market as the mainstay while letting internal and external markets boost each other. "To speed up the construction of a new development paradigm is to enhance our survivability, competitiveness, development and sustainability in the face of various predictable and unforeseen storms and turbulent waves, so as to ensure that the process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation will not be delayed or even interrupted," Xi noted. In the meanwhile, the focus on the domestic market does not mean neglecting the bigger global market. As "dual circulation" is by no means a closed domestic loop, Xi has expounded on how China's unlocked market potential, wider opening up and deepening international cooperation under the new development paradigm will offer more development opportunities and bring shared prosperity to the world. To make good on the commitment, China has advanced the construction of 21 pilot free trade zones, and signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with 149 countries and 32 international organizations. It has also prompted the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and officially filed an application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. STRIVING FOR NEW SUCCESS Engines started rumbling again at train stations in Shanghai. A shipbuilder in the city has recently delivered a large ethane carrier, the first after its operation resumed. While COVID-hit Shanghai is returning to normalcy step by step, it now faces a race against time to regain what was lost in the epidemic. A steadily recovering Shanghai has proved once again the resilience of the Chinese economy. Looking forward, in its great modernization drive, China is sure to encounter various risks and challenges, some foreseeable and others not. A balance must be struck between development and security. "We should ensure both development and security and be ever ready to protect against potential dangers in times of peace. This is a major principle underlying the Party's governance," Xi has said. During the annual "two sessions" in March, Xi listed China's five strategic advantages, which are the strong leadership of the CPC, the institutional strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the solid foundation accumulated in the country's sustained and rapid development, the long-term stability of the Chinese society, and the confidence and resolve of the Chinese people to overcome difficulties. The five advantages explain why China has succeeded and how the country can remain successful in the future. "The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century, but time and situation are in our favor," which is precisely where China's composure and confidence come from, Xi has said. New Delhi, May 27 : Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Friday slammed the Gandhi family while speaking at the BJP's 'Tridev Sammelan' held in the city of Kangra in Himachal Pradesh. She said the chants of 'Shri Ram' must reverberate with the Gandhi family in Delhi, Amethi and Kerala from the hill state. This statement by Irani comes ahead of the BJP's aim of 'Mission repeat' in the upcoming Himachal Pradesh Assembly election and galvanise the party workers. Smriti Irani said the 'Tridevs' (Booth Adhyaksh, Booth Palak and Booth Agent) are the biggest strength of the party organisation, adding that it is their hard work which has helped the BJP emerge as the party with the largest party workers in the country and the world. The Union Minister raised the slogan of 'Shri Ram' while praising the 'Tridevs', saying that today there are BJP governments in most of the states of the country only due to their contribution. Smriti Irani said the BJP government will come back to power in Himachal Pradesh and the party workers at the ground level have contributed towards strengthening the party organisation. Attacking the Nehru-Gandhi family, she added that the former delayed the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya for decades while being in power. "It is the same Gandhi family which is working to disturb the peace in the country." Smriti Irani objected to Rahul Gandhi's recent statement about other democracies, saying that the Gandhi family never had faith in India's democracy and have always believed in dividing the country. Referring to the military credentials of Himachal Pradesh, Irani said that Himachal Pradesh is the 'City of Gods' where the Indian Army received the Param Vir Chakra for the first time in the country. The valiant people of Himachal Pradesh will show the door to those parties which disrespect the armed forces. Parties such as the Congress which are involved in anti-national activities will be rejected by the people of Himachal Pradesh. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, State BJP President Suresh Kashyap, BJP MLAs and a large number of party workers attended the Tridev Sammelan. Jalandhar, May 27 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday gave clarion call for launching a mass movement to save water and environment in the state. The Chief Minister, who was here to participate in a function to mark 34th death anniversary of Sant Avtar Singh, expressed deep concern over the depleting groundwater table and polluting environment in the state. He said immediate remedial steps are required to save the only precious and scarce natural resource of Punjab viz the water and check environmental pollution. Mann said this cannot be done by the government alone but people's participation is must by launching a vigorous mass awareness campaign to sensitise them about its significance especially in the wake of global warming. Showing concern over the gravity of emerging situation following the fast depleting water table, the Chief Minister said almost all blocks in the state are in dark zone as far as the groundwater is concerned. Mann said it is really pathetic to learn that the same high powered motors that are used to extract oil in Dubai and other Arab nations are being used for gushing out groundwater in the state. He said reckless trend needs to be checked immediately so that the future generations do not have to strive for water. The Chief Minister further said, on its part the state government is trying to ensure optimum utilisation of surface water in the state for reducing pressure on groundwater. Likewise, he said that this year the government has incentivised direct sowing of rice (DSR) and 20 lakh acres are expected to be cultivated under it, which will save the water. On an issue flagged by Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, Mann said that he would raise the matter related to desilting of the Gidderpindi railway bridge with the Railways Minister. He said the deposit of silt under the bridge has been creating havoc with life and property of people by flooding the region after short span. Lauding the marvellous services rendered by Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, the Chief Minister said he had ushered a new revolution for saving the environment through his dedication and commitment. He said that the life of Sant Seechewal will remain inspiration for all. Bali, May 27 : More countries must "Think Resilience", and urgently adopt and improve early warning systems to reduce risks from an increasing number of disasters across the world, a UN forum has concluded. Some 184 countries gathered in Bali to review efforts to protect communities from a rising number of climate hazards and other catastrophes around the world. The 2022 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction heard only 95 countries reported having multi-hazard early warning systems that give governments, agencies and the general public notice of an impending disaster, with particularly low coverage in Africa, Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing Countries. Early warning systems were cited as a critical defence against disasters such as floods, droughts and volcanic eruptions in the recent Global Assessment Report, which predicted 560 -- or 1.5 disasters a day -- by 2030 based on the current trajectory. It comes after Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, called for the warning systems to cover every person on the planet within five years. "Early warning systems should be inclusive of communities most at risk with adequate institutional, financial and human capacity to act on early warnings," said the Co-Chairs' Summary, known as the Bali Agenda for Resilience. "A core recommendation is to apply a 'Think Resilience' approach to all investments and decision making, integrating disaster risk reduction with the whole of government and whole of society." The Bali Agenda for Resilience, comes ahead of the 2022 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on October 13 dedicated to early warning systems, and was presented at the end of the three-day Global Platform hosted by the government of Indonesia. The meeting, which was the first international UN disaster forum since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, was also taking place as the Midterm Review of the UN's Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction got underway. In light of the pandemic, the Bali Agenda highlighted the need to re-assess the way risk is governed and policy is designed as well as the types of institutional arrangements that need to be put in place at the global, regional, and national levels. "Current approaches to recovery and reconstruction are not sufficiently effective in protecting development gains nor in building back better, greener and more equitably," the summary said. "Transformative lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic must be applied before the window of opportunity closes." Delegates also shared progress since the last Global Platform in 2019, with a 33 per cent increase in the number of countries now developing disaster risk reduction strategies and reporting through the Sendai Framework Monitor, which measures progress towards global targets. "While there has been some progress, such as in the development of new financing mechanisms, and better linkages with climate action, the data still points to insufficient investment and progress in disaster risk reduction in most countries, especially in investing in prevention," said the Bali Agenda for Resilience. "Less than half of the countries reporting against Sendai Framework targets indicate having fit-for purpose, accessible and actionable disaster risk information." The Bali Agenda for Resilience will be carried through to COP-27, the G-20 and the Midterm Review of the Sendai Framework. New Delhi, May 27 : The Delhi-based Khusro Foundation, in collaboration with the Centre of Persian and Central Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), on Friday organised a symposium on 'Amir Khusro Aur Hamari Mushtarika Tehzeeb' (Amir Khusro and Our Composite Culture). Delivering the keynote address, the renowned Farsi poet and scholar, Prof. Akhlaq Aahan, talked at length about the epistemic (philosophical) background of India's composite culture vis-a-vis the contribution of Amir Khusro in the establishment of this tradition. He also highlighted the cultural relations between the Indian and Perso-Central Asian civilisations, and how this had played a role in the evolution of Indian composite culture and its enrichment. Apart from Prof. Aahan, the symposium for attended by Prof. Khwaja Ekram, former director, National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language, and Chairman, World Urdu Association; Prof. Mazhar Asif, Dean of the School of Language and Literature, JNU; Prof. Om Prakash Singh, Chairperson, Centre for Indian Languages (CIL), JNU; Prof Garima Shrivastava, Professor, School of Language and Literature, JNU; Dr Anwar Khairee, Pashto scholar from Afghanistan; Dr Ehsanullah Shukrullahi, Director, Markaz-e-Tahqeeq, Iran Culture House; Dr Akhrarul Wasey, Director, Khusro Foundation; Ranjan Mukherjee, Dr Alauddin Shah and Dr Shahbaz Amil. Dr Shukrullahi underlined the distinct characteristics of Amir Khusro's Persian poetry and Dr Khairi talked about the polymath poet's popularity among Afghans. Dr Wasey spoke about reducing the differences between people of different faiths/religions. To achieve that goal, several such programmes will be taken up in the coming months to reach out to more citizens, especially young people, to drive home the message. Ranjan Mukherjee spoke about catching them young. Young students still in school should be the flag-bearers of brotherhood and respect for composite culture of the nation, Mukherjee said. He noted that composite culture is guided by 4Bs -- Bhasha, language; Bhusha, dress; Bhojan, food; and Bhajan, the way we worship -- but ultimately what unites us is spirituality, or the urge to connect with the Almighty. It was announced at the symposium that the World Urdu Association wishes to collaborate with the Khusro Foundation to host an international seminar on 'Religious Literature of India: History, Culture and The Message of Peace and Harmony' later in July. The directors of the two organisations present at the symposium agreed to take up the proposal for active consideration. Among the distinguished people present in the audience were senior advocate of the Supreme Court and prominent scholar, Khalilur Rahman, the poet and academic Dr Shafi Ayyub, and a large number of scholars and students. Mumbai, May 27 : Actor Varunn Jain, who currently plays the parallel lead role of Chirag Modi in the television show 'Tera Mera Saath Rahe', feels love stories in small towns and cities are different from each other. The actor will also be seen in upcoming romantic series 'Dhappa'. He says: "Love stories in cities and villages still differ in our country. Cities are filled with people from different walks of life. People here are more vocal about their partners and romance without any hesitation. At times living relationships are also welcomed here unlike small towns. Small towns are also a wonderful place to fall in love. And major responsibility for these couples is to keep their love stories a secret. They romance either on call, chats or in gestures." He continues adding that the stories will be a laughter ride for viewers. He adds: "Rural setting where lovers can fall for one another under the stars. But city love stories give the two lovebirds a chance to slow down amid the backdrop of a bustling city, full of good food, art, music, and so much more. So, our series 'Dhappa' is a romantic laughter ride and will be a treat to my fans." The upcoming show 'Dhappa' brings five love stories full of romance, challenges and fun. The series is directed by Anil V. Kumar and Varunn is excited to work with him. He says: "I had a good time shooting with our director Anil sir. He is fabulous and I wish to work, too, along with him. I will be seen essaying the role of Sanjay in the series. It is a challenging and completely fresh role compared to all that I had essayed before." Varunn is best-known for playing the role of Mohit in the popular television show 'Diya Aur Baati Hum' and has also featured in shows like 'Kaali - Ek Agnipariksha' and 'Pehredaar Piya Ki'. Hyderabad, May 27 : Less than a month after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Hyderabad and warned party leaders against airing their differences in public, the party's Telangana unit is witnessing an uproar over certain remarks made by state chief A. Revanth Reddy about a particular caste. Finding fault with Revanth Reddy's remarks, some Congress leaders asked him to withdraw the same as they hurt the sentiments of a community and may damage the interests of the party. Revanth Reddy had said on Sunday that Reddys were better than Velamas in providing leadership and steering a state to development. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is a Velama while Revanth and several leaders of Congress are Reddys. With Revanth Reddy's comments and reaction by some party leaders sparking a new row in the party, MP and incharge of party affairs in Telangana Manickam Tagore posted the video clip of Rahul Gandhi's speech at TPCC headquarters at Gandhi Bhawan. "Don't forget the words of our leader Rahul Gandhiji on May 7 th 2022 at Gandhi Bhawan," tweeted Tagore. Describing Congress as a family, Rahul Gandhi had warned the leaders against voicing their grievances publicly. "If there are grievances or complaints we have an internal system. You can openly say whatever you want to say but if anyone goes out and tells something to the media, he will be damaging the Congress party and we will not accept this," he had said. He gave the warning as differences in the party's Telangana unit came to fore on several occasions. Leaders critical of Revanth Reddy's style of functioning had been speaking publicly. At a meeting of Reddy community in Karnataka, Revanth Reddy, who is also a Member of Parliament, had termed Reddys as very reliable and strong. Digging into history, he said that there was a discord between Velamas and Reddys since Kakatiya rule. He stated that the Kakatiya kingdom had collapsed as Pratapa Rudra banked on Padma Nayakas (Velamas) instead of Reddys. Those who trusted Reddys neither incurred any loss nor were left to fend for themselves, he remarked. Revanth Reddy also heaped praises on former (undivided) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, recalling that he helped the Congress to form a government at the Centre. He also advised Reddys to continue farming. He went on to remark that if Reddys possess at least five to 10 acre of agriculture land, the country or the state will remain in their hands. He said since the Reddys are giving up agriculture, they are losing connection with weaker sections like scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The Congress leader came under fire for his remarks not only from ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) but from leaders in his own party. Differing with Revanth Reddy's views, AICC Programmes Implementation Committee chairman Alleti Maheshwar Reddy said the Congress belonged to all castes and Velamas too have contributed to the growth of the party. "Those who joined Congress recently may not be aware of the party's culture," he said in an apparent reference to Revanth Reddy, who joined the Congress in 2017 after resigning from Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Finding fault with Revanth Reddy, Congress party's campaign committee Chairman Madhu Yashki Goud released an open letter to the media, suggesting him to withdraw his comments. The former MP wants state unit chief to call a press conference and withdraw his comments as they are sending wrong signals and damaging the interests of the party. Goud also voiced his displeasure over Revanth Reddy's remark that Rajasekhara Reddy was responsible for Congress's win in 2004 and 2009. He recalled that Congress stormed to power in the 2004 elections because of the Reddy-BC combination. The senior leader reminded Revanth Reddy that the growth of the Congress was due to the contribution of all communities. He wrote that Revanth Reddy's statement had caused confusion and anger among the workers and the general public belonging to BC, SC and ST communities, who were quite offended with his observations. However, Revanth Reddy tweeted that his comments were twisted to the convenience of those raising objections. He said people twisting his statements should focus on the issues in Telangana. "Congress fights every day to protect the social fabric of this society & has always stood for the welfare of BCs, SCs & STs. Being the president of TPCC, I believe in this philosophy of inclusion," he tweeted. Mumbai, May 27 : Fund manager and Chief Dealer at Axis Mutual Fund, Viresh Joshi, who was sacked last fortnight, has served a legal notice to the company challenging what he terms as his illegal termination. Joshi was first suspended and later relieved of his charge on May 18, as per a statement issued by the AMF on May 19, for his purported role against allegations of 'front-running' (or, tailgating) at the company which conducted an internal probe into the matter. He has hired leading law firm, Mansukhlal Hiralal & Co. to challenge his termination order. Confirming the development, lawyer Chirag M. Shah told IANS: "We are in communication with Axis Mutual Fund on behalf of our client Viresh Joshi and have duly replied to the unlawful termination notice." Shah added that AMF terminated Joshi unceremoniously on unsubstantiated charges of alleged 'front-running' and he has sent a notice to the company against the unlawful termination. The AMF further stated that it had been conducting a suo moto internal investigation into the issue since February 2022 using a reputed external advisor to assist with the ongoing probe. "Further to our investigation, his conduct and following the decision to suspend him, the employment of Mr. Viresh Joshi has been terminated with effect from May 18, 2022," said the company. Solan : , May 27 (IANS) Over 1,000 participants will take part in the 12th Biennial Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Conference that will be held on June 1-2 at the Dr Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF) at Nauni in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. Union Minister for Agriculture Narendra Tomar will inaugurate the conference. State Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will be the special guest, while Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat will preside over the function. Union Minister for State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary will be the guest of honour. The valedictory session of the conference will be attended by state Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Union Minister for Fisheries Parshottam Rupala. Union Minister for State for Agriculture Shobha Karandlaje will also attend the conference on June 2. Director-General of Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) Trilochan Mohapatra, Deputy Director General (Agriculture Extension) A.K. Singh and UHF Vice-Chancellor Rajeshwar Singh Chandel said this at press conference here on Friday. They said over 1,000 scientists and policymakers from all over the country will take part in the conference. Mohapatra and Singh virtually addressed the press conference from Delhi. Addressing the conference, Mohapatra said the theme of this year's biennial event is 'Sustainable Agricultural Production System'. Discussions on topics like natural farming for sustainable production, precision agriculture, diversification and intensification, Krishi drones, and ICT application in agriculture will also be held at the conference. He said emphasis will also be laid on how to attract youth towards agriculture occupation and deliberations will be held on the important mainstays for sustainable agriculture. The main topic of the conference will be natural farming. This practice will not only help producing healthy food items but will also conserving the environment and lead to an increase in farm incomes. Farmers engaged in natural farming in different parts of the country have been invited to the conference to share their experiences with the participants. Chandel told the Himachal Pradesh government's 'Prakritik Krishi Khushaal Kisan Yojana' has generated a tremendous response from farmers which can be gauged from the fact that over 1.70 lakh farmers have joined this movement and are actively involved in this farming and playing their roles in the conservation of soil and water, environment and human health by producing healthy food items. The agri-horti universities of the state are also conducting research trials on natural farming. Chandel thanked ICAR for allowing the university to host such a mega event to showcase the work done in natural farming to the country. Bhubaneswar, May 27 : Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Friday said that he will discuss the ongoing controversy over the Srimandir Parikrama project in Puri with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Swamy told this to media persons after meeting Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalanda Saraswati at Govardhan Peeth here. Stating that he was aware of the controversies surrounding the project and the case pending in the Orissa High Court, Swamy said, "Biju Patnaik was a close friend of mine and I have good relations with his son and present Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. I will take up the issue and seek his views on the project. There is a need to end the controversy." The BJP leader said that he can intervene in the issue if either the Puri Shankaracharya or the CM will seek his support. He opposed the intervention of the government in the affairs of the Jagannath temple. The temples were the hub of knowledge and innovation and kings used to frequently visit them. "The temples should be free from the government's control," Swamy said. However, as per the Constitution, the government can intervene if there are some financial irregularities, he added. Swamy's meeting with the Puri Shankaracharya seems significant as the latter has strongly opposed the project and slammed the Odisha government for getting pilgrim sites near the temple vacated in the name of development. Bengaluru, May 27 : The murder of a Dalit youth over interfaith love has taken a political turn in Karnataka. Minister for Large and Medium Industries Murugesh Niri stated on Friday that the killers of the youth won't be spared and strict action will be initiated against them. The accused in the murder case have been arrested by the Kalabuaragi police. "Legal procedures will follow and it will be ensured that the guilty are punished," said Nirani, who is also the district in-charge minister of Kalaburagi where the incident took place. He alleged that the opposition parties, the Congress and the JD(S) are trying to play politics over the incident and are attempting use it to gain political advantage. "It is unfortunate that the opposition is using the incident to their advantage. The government will provide compensation to the deceased's family. The opposition is calculating how to take advantage out of the murder case," he said. The Kalaburagi police have arrested two persons including the brother of the girl in connection with the murder. Vijaya Kamble, a 25-year-old youth was brutally killed on Wednesday night in Wadi town of Kalaburagi district. He was in love with a local Muslim girl and wanted to marry her. The girl's family was opposed to it. Aland town in Kalaburagi had become tense after the murder of Kamble. Hindu activists have protested and urged the police to initiate action. Kolkata, May 27 : Ankita Adhikari, daughter of West Bengal Minister of state for Education, Paresh Chandra Adhikari, who had been recently dismissed from services as a higher secondary political science teacher in state-run school in West Bengal, also appeared for an interview for the post of a college teacher or lecturer. Ankita Adhikari was dismissed for the services of higher secondary political science teacher of state-run Indira Girls High School at Mekhliganj in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal following an order of Calcutta High Court after it was reported that she got the appointment flouting all norms without qualifying in the merit list. She had not even appearing for the personality test. The court also ordered that Ankita Adhikari should return around 43 months of salary that she drew from the school in two instalments. Information has been leaked from the West Bengal College Service Commission that Ankita Adhikari appeared for the interview on April 26, 2021, which was little less than a month before her dismissal order was given by the Calcutta High Court on May 22, 2022. Her roll number on this count is 20103310. Although the officials of West Bengal College Service Commission are totally tight-lipped on this issue considering the already shrouding controversies over the candidate concerned. A Commission associate told IANS that till now there is no evidence or allegation of similar irregularities in her getting call for the interview. "First, she got the call for the interview and appeared for the same at least a month before the Calcutta High Court order for her dismissal from school services. So, the two matters cannot be linked. Secondly, there has not been a single complaint so far about her name being included in the interview list out of turn," the associate said. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is carrying out an investigation in the case of the West Bengal School Service Commission recruitment irregularities scam. Both Paresh Chandra Adhikari and former state Education Minister, Partha Chatterjee have been grilled by the CBI sleuths more than once in this connection. Chennai, May 27 : District Collectors in Tamil Nadu have begun enforcing Covid-19 protocols in their districts after a marginal increase in the number of infected persons. State Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan in a letter to the District Collectors on May 26 said the steady surge in Covid-19 cases in Chennai and several other parts of the state indicates that immunity levels are falling. He also mentioned that this would lead to people becoming susceptible to variants, sub-variants and lineages of Covid-19. The health department is worried that apart from institutional clusters like that in IIT Madras and Anna University, family clusters are also developing in Chennai and the adjoining districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvallur. The District Collectors have asked the local level officers, including health officials, to be vigilant and check the infection from spreading. The district administration has also urged the government and private hospitals to conduct checks on people with comorbidities and the elderly. The police have been directed to ensure stringent action is taken against those not wearing masks. The health department in a statement said as of Thursday, 43 lakh eligible people in the state are yet to take the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine while 1.22 crore people have not taken their second dose. As many as 93.74 per cent people of the state have received their first vaccine dose while 82.55 per cent have taken their second dose. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, May 27 : As part of eight years of celebration of Narendra Modi government, the BJP is likely to rope in prominent pro-government influencers, filmstars, sportspersons to put up social media posts supporting the achievements of the 'Central Government' through their social media handles. The BJP has made elaborate plans to celebrate eight years of the Modi government and all the campaign activities will be held under '8 saal: Seva, Sushasan aur Gareen Kalyan'. Apart from digital media campaign, the BJP has proposed activities at two levels -- one a public outreach activities led by the party and government-led activities supported by the party. There are suggestions for digital media activities on promotion of campaign launch day which includes that official campaign video should be posted by Union Ministers, senior party leaders and party cadre on their social media handles. "A Twitter trend should be organised by the social media team to mark the 8th anniversary of the BJP Government. Social Media handles of Union Ministers as well as Government Ministries should update their profile and cover picture with '8 Saal: Seva, Sushasan Aur Gareeb Kalyan' campaign images. Prominent pro-government influencers, filmstars, sportspersons should put up posts supporting the achievements of the Central Government through their handles," the suggestion mentioned in a BJP booklet. A series of suggestions for digital media promotions before the launch of the campaign mentioned that a campaign anthem focused on beneficiaries of various pro-poor schemes should be prepared in different languages including vernacular languages, human stories of various government scheme beneficiaries should be released before the campaign launch, social media handles of each of the Government ministries should highlight developmental work, a website of achievements of the central government in the last 8 years can be launched and select YouTube influencers should be onboarded to promote the report card of government through their channels. Hyderabad, May 27 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attack on Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government has triggered a fresh war of words between the TRS and the BJP. Hitting back at Modi, TRS leaders have questioned him about what the BJP has done for Telangana in the last eight years while the leaders of the saffron party have defended Modi. After Modi launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao during his address to BJP leaders and workers outside Begumpet Airport in the city during his brief visit to Hyderabad on Thursday, several ministers and TRS leaders hit back. Dismissing Modi's allegations of family rule, the TRS leaders cited the instances of dynasty politics within BJP. They alleged that the Prime Minister spoke against KCR and TRS due to his bias and jealousy towards Telangana. Minister for animal husbandry T. Srinivas Yadav said on Friday that Modi made baseless allegations as was unable to digest the tremendous progress Telangana has made under the TRS rule. "He is jealous because the schemes introduced and implemented in Telangana have become a role model for the entire country," he said. Srinivas Yadav termed as ridiculous the allegations of Modi that TRS government changed the names of the central schemes. Srinivas Yadav said the PM should introspect why chief ministers are not receiving him. He said that the PM knows nothing except doing drama, spewing venom wherever elections are due and doing fashion shows by changing 10 dresses every day. Labour Minister Malla Reddy said that he prayed at Bhadrakali temple in Warangal to liberate India from BJP rule. He said he made a wish before the deity to make KCR the Prime Minister. Alleging that BJP is destroying the country, he threw a challenge at the saffron party to implement Telangana's Dalit Bandhu scheme in the states ruled by it. "If Dalit Bandhu is implemented in BJP-ruled states, I will permanently retire from politics," he said. TRS MLA Jeevan Reddy said Modi spews venom wherever he goes. He ridiculed Modi's promise to turn Telangana into an IT hub. "You scrapped the Information Technology and Investment Region (ITIR) project for Hyderabad and now you are talking about turning Telangana into an IT hub," he said. Dismissing the allegations of family rule, Civil Supplies Minister Gangul Kamalakar said CM KCR's family actively participated in the Telangana movement. He said that every time the PM comes to Hyderabad he does nothing except criticize TRS and KCR. He warned BJP that their silence should not be construed as weakness. Meanwhile, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G. Kishan Reddy dismissed the criticism of Modi by TRS leaders. Reiterating the remarks made by the PM, he said family-centric parties were responsible for corruption in the country. Kishan Reddy exuded confidence that a change will definitely come in Telangana. "People are conscious and they are watching everything," he said. The BJP leader told reporters that TRS spent hundreds of crores in the Huzurabad by-election but people voted for the candidate they liked. He denied that BJP leaders are promoting their families. He claimed that only BJP can claim that it is free from dynasty politics. He said nobody from J.P. Nadda's family will succeed him as BJP president and similarly nobody from PM Narendra Modi's family will become PM after him. Kishan Reddy alleged that KCR went back on his promise to make a Dalit as the first Chief Minister of Telangana. He challenged TRS chief to announce now that the next chief minister will be a Dalit. Chennai, May 27 : After the Madras High Court restricted Internet Service Providers (ISP) and over 1000 websites from unauthorised screening or copying of the Kamal Haasan starrer 'Vikram', releasing on June 3, the superstar's production house Raaj Kamal Films International is on high alert. The production house has communicated to all the Internet Service Providers and sites that stringent legal action would be taken if the movie is copied or transmitted. Madras High Court judge, Justice Saravanan had on a petition filed by R. Murali Krishnan of Raaj Kamal Films International, restrained 29 ISPs including BSNL, Vodafone idea, Airtel, and Reliance Jio and 1308 websites from unauthorised copying or transmission of "Vikram", the complete movie or in parts. The movie produced by Raaj Kamal Films International and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj with Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi and Fahad Fazil playing major characters is all set for a worldwide release on 1000 screens on June 3. The advocate of the petitioner, Vijayan Subramanian submitted to the court that when the film is released on June 3, the websites would illegally copy, record, download, reproduce, transmit, and communicate the copyright-protected movie. The applicant also said that the 1308 websites have the potential to upload and enable third parties to copy, reproduce, distribute and display the film through 29 ISPs which amounts to infringement of the applicant's copyright. "Vikram" is one of the most awaited movies of 2022 and Raaj Kamal Films International is worried that if the movie is copied or reproduced, it would amount to major financial losses including to those with whom the producers had entered into agreements for the purpose of marketing, promotion, communication, etc. New Delhi, May 27 : The Centre has told the Supreme Court that nearly 27.45 crore migrant workers/unorganised labourers have been registered on a portal following information from various state governments. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati submitted before a bench of Justices M.R. Shah and B.V. Nagarathna that the government has developed the portal in consultation with the National Informatics Centre for registration of the migrant workers/ unorganised labourers across the country. The bench, in its order, said: "She (Aishwarya Bhati) has stated at the bar that nearly 27.45 crore are registered in the portal on the basis of the information given by the respective concerned states." It also asked how the Central government and the state governments concerned how they would take the advantage of the registration of the migrant workers/unorganised labourers to protect their interests? "One of the objective and purpose of the registration is to ensure that the benevolent schemes which are declared by the government or governments reach the concerned migrant workers/unorganised labourers," the bench said. The top court directed all the states or Union Territories to register all establishments and license of all contractors under the act concerned and ensure that the statutory duty imposed on contractors to give details of the migrant workers is fully complied with, as it noted that many state governments have not complied with the above court directive. The order said: "The Central government will obtain the required information from all the states so that a further order can be passed to protect the interest of the migrant workers/unorganised labourers." It further added, "All concerned states or Union Territories are directed to furnish all the required details which are needed by the Union government so that the latter may file a composite report before this court on the next date of hearing." The Additional Solicitor General sought time to bring on record the compliance report in the matter. The Supreme Court said it would consider the larger issue to protect the interest of the migrant workers/unorganised labourers and also how their rights are to be protected. "The Union government to file a composite report in compliance of all the directions issued by this court in the order dated June 29, 2021. All states must cooperate and submit all the details which are called for," said the bench, scheduling the matter for further hearing on July 20. The top court in May 2020 had taken suo motu cognisance of the problems and miseries of migrant workers. Later, it issued a slew of directions to authorities on a plea of three activists seeking welfare measures for migrant workers. Agartala, May 27 : Former BJP MLA Ashis Das, who last year quit the saffron party and joined the Trinamool Congress, resigned from the TMC on Friday alleging "internal groupism" in the party. Das, severely criticising the Trinamool's National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, said that there is no democratic environment in both the BJP and the TMC. A leader of the Scheduled Caste community, the 44-year-old Das announced he was quitting the Trinamool two days after the Election Commission declared the schedule of by-elections to four assembly constituencies in Tripura including Surma from where he was elected to the assembly in 2018 as a BJP candidate. Due to his defection Das lost his assembly membership, paving the way for the by-poll in Surma. Before joining the TMC in Agartala, Das went to Kolkata and offered puja at Kalighat temple and shaved his head in an "act of atonement" for being associated with "a communal party BJP". He also praised TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Besides Das, two other BJP MLAs, Sudip Roy Barman and Ashis Kumar Saha also quit the party and the assembly membership following open differences with former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who resigned from the top post on May 14 following the instructions of the party's Central leadership. Roy Barman, also a former BJP Minister, and Saha joined the Congress in February this year. Chennai, May 27 : With 711 awards given by the Insurance Ombudsman yet to be complied with, and 162 of these pending for over a year, sectoral regulator IRDAI on Friday told insurers that non-compliance within the timeframe will be viewed seriously. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) asked the insurers to settle all the Ombudsman Awards pending for more than 30 days without laying any deadline. It should be noted that only individual policyholders can approach the Insurance Ombudsman in connection with a claim settlement. The IRDAI, in a circular, expressed its displeasure at 711 awards of Ombudsman kept pending, and urged the insurers to stick to the timelines in honouring these. Hyderabad, May 27 : A married woman was critically injured after she was stabbed by her stalker in broad daylight in Hyderabad on Friday. The incident occurred on a busy road in Hafiz Baba Nagar in the old city. The 48-year-old woman was admitted to hospital. Police were on the lookout for the man, who escaped after the attack. A video of the incident went viral over social media. A man can be seen chasing a burqa-clad woman and attacking her from behind with what appeared to be a long knife. He did not stop even after she collapsed and continued stabbing her as people watched in horror. When one of the passersby tried to move closer, the attacker brandished the knife at him, forcing him to step back. Police rushed to the spot and shifted the injured woman to the hospital, where she is stated to be in a stable condition. A case has been registered at Kanchanbagh Police Station. A police officer said five teams have been constituted to apprehend the accused. The family of the victim, a mother of six children, said she was being harassed and stalked by her neighbor. They had lodged a complaint with the police last year. Police said he was arrested and later released. Imphal, May 27 : More than two years after closure of the India-Myanmar trade, the bilateral business through Manipur's Moreh-Tamu border would resume soon, officials said on Friday. The official trade through the Moreh Integrated Check Post (ICP) has been closed since March 2020 after the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. The External Affairs Ministry's Border Management (BM) Division earlier this week has sent an advisory to Manipur Chief Secretary Rajesh Kumar to resume India-Myanmar border trade. MEA's Border Management Division Joint Secretary Smita Pant in her communication to Manipur Chief Secretary said: "We have now been approached by the Myanmar side to open the border gates for resuming border trade between India and Myanmar. All concerned stakeholders in Government of India and Manipur state government have recommended opening border gate no 1 at the ICP, Moreh." A senior official of the ICP, Moreh on Friday said that on the basis of the MEA advisory, which is available with the IANS, the Manipur government would soon issue a formal order to resume the trades between India and Myanmar. "Immediately after the Manipur government order, the border trades would resume. In view of the closure of the border trades for more than two years, the traders of both sides of the border were affected and the government also losing revenue. Also due to the closure of the border trades, illegal smuggling of various contrabands and drugs are going on," the ICP official told IANS over phone, refusing to be named. ICP Moreh along the international border between India and Myanmar, located at a distance of about 110 km from Manipur capital Imphal. Considering its strategic location, ICP Moreh has the advantage of acting as India's gateway to the eastern neighbours through the Moreh-Tamu border point, which is presently only feasible and operational land route for trade between India and Myanmar and other South East Asian Countries. The ICP Moreh, spread over a total area of 45.58 acres land and set up in 2018 with an estimated cost around Rs 72.67 crores, is situated along the proposed 1,360 kms long India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway. The India-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Moreh connects India to Kalewa in Myanmar's Sagaing Division. Traders on both sides of the border are keen to resume the India-Myanmar trade through the Moreh and Mizoram's Zokhawthar (closed for many years) trading points to curb the rampant illegal trade in various items, especially highly addictive drugs. Moreh in Manipur and Zokhawthar in Mizoram are the two important international trading points along the 1,643-km long India-Myanmar unfenced border. The Mizoram-based International Trade Initiative Forum (ITIF) recently urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati to resume the trades with Myanmar through the Zokhawthar border point. ITIF President P.C. Lawmkunga, a retired IAS officer who was the Chief Secretary of Manipur, said that Indo-Myanmar border trade at Zokhawthar in Champhai district of eastern Mizoram was first started as traditional trade in 1995 until the Government of India formalised on December 2015 and sadly become almost nonexistent today due to various reasons. "The Assam Rifles and the other security forces often intercepted truck-loaded areca nuts. Smuggling of areca nuts in large quantities also affected the Indian farmers and traders," the retired IAS officer said. "In absence of the formal and regular official border trades between India and Myanmar, not only the smuggling and illegal trades are going on unchecked and the government is losing crores of revenue," Lawmkunga told IANS. He said that very often, smuggling of areca nuts (also known as betel nut) in large quantities from Myanmar into Mizoram and Manipur have been going on without any major restrictions. Numerous contrabands including gold and a varied harmful and highly stimulating drugs, especially heroin, highly-addictive methamphetamine tablets, also commonly known as 'Yaba' or 'party tablets', poppy seeds, opium, ganja (marijuana), morphine, bottles of cough syrup and various other illegal items as well as arms and ammunition valued at hundreds of crores are often smuggled from Myanmar. (Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in) Abu Dhabi, May 27 : BAPS Hindu Mandir, Abu Dhabi, marked a significant milestone in the construction journey with the 'MahaPeeth' ceremony -- laying the first stone of the first floor of the Mandir. Thus far, the foundation and the ground floor consisting of 14 layers of stone have been completed and this ceremony marked the start of the next stage in the construction of the Mandir which is set to open its doors in 2024. Swami Brahmaviharidas, head of the upcoming mandir, and Swami Akshaymunidas Swami who oversees international mandir construction, graced this event, along with over 500 distinguished guests of the UAE including the Ambassador of India to the UAE His Excellency Sunjay Sudhir, community leaders and members of the congregation. The excitement of the architects, technical consultants, community officials and volunteers who attended this event was palpable. The construction of the first floor of the Mandir is an important feature as it will shape the 'Garbhagruha' (inner sanctum) which is the central shrine in a Mandir which houses the Deities. In addition to the intricately stone-carved Mandir, the complex spread over 55,000 square meters will also include a large amphitheater, an exhibition hall, a library, a food court, a majlis and two community halls with a total capacity to seat 5,000 people. With seven spires to represent each of the UAE's emirates, the place of worship will be 32 metres tall when it opens in 2024. Architects and engineers pore over large floor plans to match columns and carvings sent from India to the exact slot at the temple site. Work on the ground floor facade is almost complete. Construction will start soon on the first floor with engravings that depict the lives of Hindu gods, along with friezes decorated with musicians, dancers, peacocks, camels, horses and elephants. More than 1,000 carvings of deities will be added to brackets across the temple's exterior, with at least 30 planned of the elephant-headed god Ganesha. The steps leading to the temple will portray teachings from other ancient civilisations, such as the Mayans. New Delhi, May 27 : The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to Delhi Police on a bail petition filed by an accused arrested in connection with the violence that broke out during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpuri area of the national capital last month. Justice Yogesh Khanna sought the response of the Delhi police on the plea and slated it for hearing before a vacation bench on June 6. As per the Delhi Police, they arrested on April 27 the accused Babuddin a.k.a. Babu (43), who was found involved in orchestrating violence during the procession. Various sections of IPC were lodged against him including Sec. 147, 148, 149, 186, 353, 332, 323, 427, 436, 307 ,120B of the Indian Penal Code and Sec. 27 of the Arms Act. During the course of the hearing, the counsel appeared for the accused challenged the trial court's order which denied bail in the matter. It was also argued that the prosecution failed in connecting him with the main accused, Ansar, and fabricated a story to implicate him in the case. Communal clashes erupted in the Jahangirpuri area on April 16 during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in which nine people, including eight policemen, were injured. United Nations, May 27 : India has voted for a United States-sponsored resolution to strengthen sanctions on North Korea which was vetoed by China and Russia. The US launched the unsuccessful effort on Thursday to punish North Korea which had tested three missiles on Wednesday after US President Joe Biden had wrapped up a visit to South Korea and Japan. Speaking on the resolution, US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield warned that North Korea was preparing for an imminent nuclear test. The failed resolution would have tightened sanctions on a wide range of products ranging from crude oil to tobacco and frozen the assets of a cybercriminal outfit. The vetoes marked another stage of intensification in the confrontations in the Council between the western countries and China and Russia. The other 13 countries in the Council presented a united front on the North Korea issue. The issue will now go to the General Assembly under new procedures adopted by it following Russia's vetoes of resolutions in the Council condemning its invasion of Ukraine. Although the Assembly does not have the enforcement powers of the Council, it will now take up issues vetoed by a permanent member in the Council in the expectation that it will show the isolation of the veto-wielder. India, which had stayed neutral on the resolutions on the Ukraine conflict that Russia had vetoed, did not abstain on this resolution for which the prime opposition came from China. India did not speak during the Council discussion on the resolution on Thursday but had previously raised concerns about the transfer of North Korean missile technology to Pakistan. Without naming the two countries, India's Permanent Representative T. S. Tirumurti told the Council on March 25, that "India also believes that there is a pressing need to address the proliferation of nuclear and missile technologies related to DPRK (North Korea) in our region. These linkages have an adverse impact on peace and security in the region, including on India". North Korea has exchanged missile technology for nuclear weapon technology with Pakistan. Before the session started, China's Permanent Representatives Zhang Jun went over to Tirumurti, who had been speaking at India's seat with Brazil's envoy Ronaldo Costa Filho. Zhan sat down on a seat for the Indian delegation behind Tirumurti's and the three diplomats were seen in an animated conversation. Later speaking to the Council on the resolution, Zhang tried to link it to the Indo-Pacific developments asserting that the US was making North Korea a chess pawn for its strategy for the region. During his Asian trip, Biden had held a Quad summit in Japan with Prime Ministers Narendra Modi of India, Fumio Kishida of Japan and newly-elected Anthony Albanese of Australia. Zhang said: "The crux of the matter is whether or not someone wants to use the Korean peninsula issue as a card for its so-called Indo-Pacific strategy, whether or not they want to use the handling of the Korean peninsula issue as a chessman on the chessboard for their so-called Indo-Pacific strategy. That's the very nature of the issue." He and Russia's Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzia said that the punitive sanctions would not help resolve the problem with Pyongyang but would only add to the sufferings of the people in that country. Thomas-Greenfield said that the Council's restraint had been counterproductive and "the DPRK has taken the Council's silence as a green light to act with impunity and escalate tensions on the Peninsula". She said that the sanctions would not affect the humanitarian needs of the North Korean people who are facing a Covid crisis. The US has offered vaccines and medical help, which Pyongyang has not accepted, she said. North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, a mercurial personality, appears to be testing Biden and trying to take advantage of the preoccupation with Ukraine. He has carried out at least 16 missile tests so far this year, some of them that could be inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Kim Jong-Un suspended missile and nuclear tests in 2017 during a bout of diplomacy with an equally unpredictable former US President Donald Trump, who matched his verbal bluster. Trump's diplomatic efforts ended after a failed meeting with Kim in Singapore. Kim resumed missile tests last year, two days after Biden took office. The sanctions that the US proposed would have cut crude oil exports to North Korea and banned its mineral products exports as well as of some other materials. Tobacco exports to North Korea would have also been curtailed. The US also sought to freeze the assets of an organisation called Lazarus Group, which North Korea uses for cyber heists and espionage and which has been accused of spreading malware. The freeze would also have applied to a company that provides manpower abroad and to another that is a defence contractor in Mozambique. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War New Delhi, May 27 : The SIT formed in the drugs-on-cruise case might be filing a report with the Ministry of Home Affairs to fix responsibility for conducting shoddy probe in the matter, sources in the Narcotics Control Bureau have suggested. The report will fix the responsibility of the officials who were involved in the investigation due to which Aryan Khan and others were given clean chit in the case. The MHA is keeping a close eye on the matter. Earlier, NCB official Ashish Ranjan Prasad was placed under suspension. Later his suspension was revoked and he was transferred to CISF. Another NCB official who faced the music was Intelligence Official V.V. Singh who filled the arrest memo of Aryan Khan, son of mega star Shahrukh Khan. Singh was placed under suspension which has not been revoked as of now. Sameer Wankhede, who was heading the Mumbai Zone of the NCB, was sent to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). Vishwanath Tripathi, who was the part of the NCB team which conducted the raid was also suspended. Sources have said that the officials who directly or indirectly implicated any innocent in the matter will not be spared. If any person who was travelling on Cordelia Cruise was falsely booked, the official can face the music. The team which conducted raid at Cordelia Cruise committed huge blunders -- chats leaked to media before the court hearing was one of them. Action can be suggested against a few officials for not conducting the blood test of Aryan Khan before placing him under arrest. The SIT has also learnt that some witnesses were not trustworthy but they assisted the NCB team in the raid. They only harmed the NCB reputation and its investigation. "The NDPS sections which were added into the case to prevent Aryan Khan from getting bail will also be looked into. There were allegations of harassments levelled by Ananya Pandey and others. When allegations of extortion were levelled it was taken very seriously by the SIT. A report will be prepared to finalize the responsibility of the officials," the source said. This report is likely to be shared with the MHA next month. New Delhi, May 27 : A strong nursing sector is an essential requirement for a strong healthcare sector, said Union Minister of State for Health Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar on Friday. Pawar added that by investing in nursing, better health services can be provided. This will lead to disease prevention which will help in achieving our objectives of universal health coverage. She also emphasised that there are significant changes happening in the role of nurses, these changes would also improve their contribution internationally and that India's nurses have always earned tremendous goodwill in all parts of the world. Signifying the crucial role played by the nursing fraternity, she said: "Nursing is an art, science and spirit that combines all aspects harmoniously. An educated nurse must also possess spiritual qualities in order to serve humanity by giving the patient remedial care and to meet their medical needs. "Nurses are the foundation of hospitals and the most important link between a doctor and the patient. Nurses are the heroes who meet the needs of their patients, whether it is day or night." "Nurses are the backbone of healthcare industry, which takes tireless care of all the needs of the patients. This is also seen during the Covid pandemic where the role played by nursing community in such difficult times is simply remarkable," she added while addressing the Lamp lighting ceremony at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital's School of Nursing for its 66th batch today. The Lamp Lighting ceremony formally recognizes the student's entry into the nursing profession. Reiterating the Central government's dedication for holistic development of health sector in the country, Pawar said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is working towards robust healthcare ecosystem in the country and also emphasising on preventive care while also giving priority to modern treatment facilities. Efforts are also being made to increase the number of doctors and nurses rapidly, besides taking the benefits of health facilities to the masses and reducing the cost of treatment of the poor, she added. Karnataka: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the 'INS Khanderi' during his visit to Karwar Naval Base, in Karnataka on Friday, May 27, 2022. (Photo: PIB/IANS) Image Source: IANS News Karnataka: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the 'INS Khanderi' during his visit to Karwar Naval Base, in Karnataka on Friday, May 27, 2022. (Photo: PIB/IANS) Image Source: IANS News Bengaluru, May 27 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday received first-hand insights into the combat capabilities and offensive strength of 'INS Khanderi', the state-of-the-art Kalvari class submarine. For over four hours, the full spectrum of capabilities of underwater operations of the stealth submarine was demonstrated to the minister during his visit to Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka. During the course of a sea sortie on 'INS Khanderi', the union Defence Minister witnessed a wide range of operational drills with the submarine demonstrating the advanced sensor suite, combat system and weapon capability which provides it a distinct advantage in the subsurface domain. The day-at-sea also provided him a glimpse of the submarine's capability to effectively counter anti-submarine operations by an adversary. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar and other senior officials of the Indian Navy and the Ministry of Defence were also present. Interacting with mediapersons after the sea sortie, Rajnath Singh termed Indian Navy as a modern, potent and credible force, capable of being vigilant, valiant and victorious in all situations. "Today, Indian Navy is counted among the frontline navies of the world. Today, the world's largest maritime forces are ready to work and co-operate with India," he said. Describing 'INS Khanderi' as a shining example of the 'Make in India' capabilities of the country, the minister appreciated the fact that 39 of the 41 ships/ submarines ordered by the Indian Navy are being built in Indian shipyards. The number of platforms and the speed at which they have been launched by the Indian Navy has strengthened the resolve of achieving 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' as envisioned by Prime Minister. On the commissioning of India's first indigenous aircraft carrier 'Vikrant', Rajnath Singh said, it will bolster the maritime security of the country, along with INS Vikramaditya. He, however, assured that the preparations being made by the Indian Navy are not a provocation to any aggression, but a guarantee of peace and security in the Indian Ocean region. Singh also interacted with the crew of the submarine and commended them for carrying out operations in a challenging environment. He praised the Indian Navy for maintaining a high state of readiness and offensive capability to address any threat in the maritime domain. The operational sortie was accompanied by the deployment of ships of the Western Fleet, an anti-submarine mission sortie by a P-8I MPA and Sea King helicopter, a fly past by MiG 29-K fighters and a search & rescue capability demonstration. With this, the Defence Minister has now witnessed first-hand the three-dimensional combat capability of Indian Navy, after having embarked INS Vikramaditya in September 2019 and conducted a sortie on the P8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft earlier this month. The second of the Project 75 submarines was built under the 'Make in India' initiative at Mazagon Docks Limited, Mumbai. INS Khanderi was commissioned by the Defence Minister on September 28, 2019. The Scorpene submarines are extremely potent platforms. They have advanced stealth features and are equipped with both long range guided torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles. These submarines have a state-of-the-art SONAR and sensor suite permitting outstanding operational capabilities. Presently, Indian Navy operates four submarines of this class with two more likely to be inducted by end next year. The induction of these submarines have significantly enhanced Indian Navy's underwater capability in the Indian Ocean Region. New Delhi, May 27 : Parliament's Privileges and Ethics Committee on Friday asked Maharashtra Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, and Commissioner Mumbai Police to appear before it on June 15 for oral evidence over the arrest of Lok Sabha Member Navneet Rana. The Committee also asked Superintendent of Women District Prison, Byculla (Mumbai) to appear before it on June 15 for oral evidence. An office memorandum issued by Privileges and Ethics branch Lok Sabha Secretariat said: "Committee of Privileges has directed that Manu Kumar Srivastava, Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra be asked to appear before the Committee for oral evidence on the above subject matter on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 1230 hours in Committee Room '2', Parliament House Annexe Extension, New Delhi." The office memorandum (OM) further stated that the Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances and Pensions are accordingly, requested to ensure that the official referred to above, appear before the Committee of Privileges, Lok Sabha on the date and time indicated above. "Necessary confirmation, in this regard, may please be sent to this Secretariat latest by June 7, 2022. The receipt of this OM may kindly be acknowledged," it added. Another office memorandum said that the Committee of Privileges has directed the following officials be asked to appear before the Committee for oral evidence on the above subject matter on Wednesday, June 15 at 12.30 p.m. in Committee Room '2', Parliament House Annexe Extension, New Delhi. "The undersigned is directed to state that Director General of Police (DGP) Maharashtra Rajnish Seth, Commissioner of Police, Mumbai Sanjay Pandey and Superintendent, Women District Prison, Class-2, Byculla, Mumbai. "The Ministry of Home Affairs are accordingly, requested to ensure that the officials referred to above, appear before the Committee of Privileges, Lok Sabha on the date and time indicated above," it said. Officials are asked to appear before the committee regarding April 25 complaint of Navneet Rana alleging patently illegal arrest and the consequent inhuman treatment meted out to her in Khar Police Station, Mumbai. Patna, May 27 : Three brothers drowned in the Ganga in Bihar's Bhagalpur district on Friday afternoon, police said. The deceased were identified as Rahul Kumar, 22, Rohit Kumar, 20, and their cousin Shivam Kumar, 14. The three, along with other relatives, went to the riverbank at Banteshwar Asthan to perform the death rituals of their sibling. After shaving their heads, they went into the river to take a dip, but did not realise the depth and drowned. By the time, somebody could try to come to their rescue, they disappeared in the water. The relatives present at the river bank called local police and the State Disaster Management Force, who retrieved the bodies and handed them over to their kin. The family members of the deceased said that due to illegal sand mining, the depth of the river is uneven, and the district administration has not declared the dangerous Ghats, leading to frequent accidents. Mumbai, May 27 : India, as host of the 44th Chess OIympiad at Chennai later this year, is expected to field a third team in both the Open and Women's sections as the All India Chess Federation (AICF) is expecting the mega event to have the best-ever participation for the event which is equivalent to the Olympics in chess. FIDE, the sport's world governing body, has a membership of 201 and the AICF is expecting most of them to participate in the upcoming Olympiad which is being held in physical form for the first time after a gap of two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Olympiad will be held in Chennai from July 28 to August 10, 2022. Bharat Singh Chouhan, secretary-general of AICF, said they are expecting to get permission to field a third team soon. "We are expecting the 44th Chess Olympiad to be the best-ever and preparations are in advanced stages for the event," he said that they will create a temporary structure in an area of around 50,000 square feet for the huge number of players that are expected to participate in the event. "Most of the top players will be there, Magnus Carlsen will be there and though Viswanathan Anand is not playing, the other top players will be," Chouhan said during an online press conference got together by AICF for young Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa for finishing runner-up in the Chessable Masters late on Thursday night. Chouhan, who congratulated Pragg on behalf of AICF, said a player himself he was happy to see the quality of play produced by Pragg in the Chessable Masters. "As an administrator, of course, I am elated, It is good for the Indian team at the Olympiad as a top member of the second team is in good form," said Chouhan. Chouhan said winning the bid for the Olympiad is much more difficult than organising the event and added that now that they have won the bid they won't leave any stone unturned in making it a grand success. He said initially they had considered organising it at Delhi and the state government too had shown interest but then they took into consideration the weather conditions which will be very difficult in Delhi during the July-August period as compared to Chennai. "Also, Chennai has a better chess c culture than Delhi and there is lot of support from the state government which had put in around $10 million in funding. Around 70 senior IAS officers have been pressed into action for the Olympiad," he said. New Delhi, May 27 : The 21st century, being described as the "Century of Asia", has seen emergence of several regional trading groups. The recently launched Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) marks the beginning of a new phase of economic cooperation and integration in the region juxtaposed against China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) led by it. It is also being seen as US' initiative parallel to Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP/TPP) so as to restore its engagement and control over the Indo-Pacific region which the previous US regime yielded to China by deciding to exit the TPP/CPTPP five years ago. The question as to why the region needs a new group IPEF, can only be understood in the context of change in US foreign policy amid China's strategic manoeuvres especially the tools of economic diplomacy through the BRI and RCEP besides increased assertiveness in the South China Sea. There are genuine concerns regarding China's rise to power with regional and global implications. US President Joe Biden launched IPEF initiative on May 23, 2022 with 13 countries signing up, including the US, India, Japan and South Korea. The Biden administration claimed that the launch of the IPEF demonstrated US economic engagement in Asia, including greater cooperation on a wide spectrum of issues such as the supply chain, clean energy and worker protection. The White House in its statement on IPEF revealed that the signatories of the initiative include -- the US, Australia, Brunei, Daressalam, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, all important nations of the Indo-Pacific region. The statement noted that "we share a commitment to a free, open, fair, inclusive, interconnected, resilient, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region" that has "potential to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth". This may be seen as US' initiative under President Joe Biden to create an alternative mechanism for its "Pivot to Asia", the first such effort after former US President, Trump, exited the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in 2015. Trump's go alone policy is supposed to have weakened the expediency of America's foreign policy. According to Foreign Affairs Journal, Biden has broken with his predecessor's "go-it-alone approach" to foreign policy. The creation of IPEF is a logical continuum of President Biden's moves to return to multilateralism, lest rising powers like China usurp the vacuum at the cost of US' power to influence the new world order. The US is once again a member of the World Health Organisation and has rejoined the Paris agreement on Climate Change. IPEF is another milestone in the same direction. US exit from TPP is now seen as a foreign policy mistake. According to an article by Cato Institute, "amidst such (TPP/CPTPP) trade integration, the United States has largely been left on the outside looking in" and it means the country has "foregone the TPP's projected benefits", particularly its control over "shaping the rules governing trade in Asia- Pacific region". January 2022 marked five years since Donald Trump decided to exit the TPP. Now there is a prevailing sense in the White House that US losses from its TPP withdrawal have not just been economic but geopolitical as one of its purported goals was to "counter China's influence" in the region. In fact, US leaders have a realisation that US withdrawal from TPP placed it on the back foot on trade. The IPEF would certainly aim at recovering some lost ground, particularly in the wake of more trade leverage created for China due to operationalisation of the RCEP since January 2022. It has been estimated by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, (UNCTAD) that RCEP will shrink US exports by over $5 billion due to its exit from the TPP in addition to an estimated (PIIE analysis, 2017) loss of $2 billion instead of an anticipated gain of $131 billion had it joined. On the geopolitical front, a recent Wall Street Journal article points out that US inaction on trade liberalisation has handed a possible opportunity to China. Analysts opine that IPEF is US answer to TPP as well as China led RCEP. Instead of deciding to rejoin the TPP, Biden has, however, decided to form a new group, i.e. IPEF. The IPEF's 13-member group led by the US accounts for 40 per cent of global GDP. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said IPEF is focussed around the further integration of Indo-Pacific economies, setting of standards and rules, particularly new areas like digital economy and creating secure and resilient supply chains. The negotiations with partner countries will revolve around four pillars -- (i) fair trade to safeguard US workers from job losses, especially due to China's accession to WTO in 2011 and its rising manufacturing exports, (ii) supply chain resiliency, (iii) infrastructure and climate change and (iv) tax and anti-corruption. All these issues also weigh on other economies of the Indo-Pacific region. There is a lot to the discredit of China's BRI, especially apprehension of debt-trap and increasing carbon footprints due to projects under it apart from skewed benefits in favour of Beijing. India would be potentially one of the major stakeholders in the formation due to its rising economic stature and continued commitment to economic reforms including liberalisation and globalisation. The IPEF would give leverage to India to compensate for its perceived losses on account of its decision to exit RCEP due to lax rules of origin and apprehension of dumping by China. On the other hand, India would also gain from its potentially important role in developing alternative supply chains post the Covid in view of limitations of sole reliance on China-centric supply chains. The IPEF negotiations are likely to be completed in 12-18 months. Every stakeholder looks up to this optimistically, but China criticised it as "an exclusive clique" that "would lead to great turmoil in the region". China's Foreign Minister Wangi Yi accused Washington of trying to sow discord in the region. The Chinese reaction did not come as a surprise as it perceives a threat to its domination of the Indo-Pacific region. Dhaka, May 27 : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday assured the world that her country would always strive to work with all friends and partners to ensure a peaceful, sustainable world and more importantly a peaceful, sustainable and prosperous Asia for the future generations. She, in a video statement aired in the 27th International Nikkei Conference on the Future of Asia, also said that at 50 years of independence, she is delighted that the Sonar Bangla (Golden Bangladesh), her father and Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, dreamt of for his people is in the making. The two-day conference titled "Redefining Asia's role in a divided world" is being held in Tokyo in a hybrid format with both streaming and on-site attendance. Hasina shared five ideas in the conference for building future Asia. In her first proposal, she said that the Asian countries need to extend the hands of friendship, understanding and cooperation to each other, and promote solidarity to address division. In the second and third proposals, she stressed on exploring how the soft power of ICT can be best used as a powerful tool to bridge the gaps between our countries and the Asian countries' need to safeguard fairness, respect, justice, inclusiveness, and equality in actions and deeds. The fourth and fifth ideas were that Asia's future will depend on sustainable and balanced development, improving international order and establishing win-win international relations and the Asian countries have common development challenges and should face them unitedly and collectively. "In the Asia-Pacific region, we must combine our forces to share good practices, knowledge and technologies to help address our common challenges," she said. Noting that Bangladesh has just completed the celebration of the 50th anniversary of its independence, and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina also said mentioned that Bangladesh and Japan have been enjoying excellent relations since her country's independence in 1971. "We remain deeply grateful for the invaluable support and contributions of Japan and its people, including schoolchildren, during our War of Liberation. Japan was among the first to recognize the newly-independent Bangladesh on February 10, 1972." On her government's achievements, she said that in Bangladesh, over the last 13 years, they have made development pro-people and inclusive. Sheikh Hasina said her government has redefined socio-economic perspective to move forward with her leadership with vision to build a knowledge-based, prosperous and modern nation. Bangladesh has formulated Vision 2021 and Vision 2041, followed by Delta Plan 2100, she said, adding that Bangladesh has become one of the fastest growing economies of the world, and one of the larger economies of the Asia-Pacific region. "In this journey, we were supported by Japan and our friends and partners," she added. Expecting to attain over 7 per cent growth rate in the current fiscal, Sheikh Hasina said that her country, like rest of the world, was heavily affected by Covid-19, and while before the pandemic in 2019, GDP growth rate was 8.15 per cent and in 2020, it fell to 3.51 per cent followed by 6.94 per cent in 2021. "Our efforts have been recognised in the Nikkei's Covid-19 Recovery Index for April 2022, where Bangladesh is ranked 5th out of 121 countries, and the best-performing country in South Asia in Covid management and recovery," she said. She added that Bangladesh's GDP is projected to grow to $465 billion, merchandise export income over $52 billion, remittances over $21 billion, and per capita income at $2,824 in the fiscal year ending in June 2022. She mentioned that Bangladesh has been active and vocal on climate change action in all discourses, including at the recent COP-26. "We have taken up the Presidency of the Climate Vulnerable Forum for 2020-2022 to act as a voice for the 48-member countries most threatened by climate change. And Bangladesh mooted the idea of SAARC and BIMSTEC to promote regional cooperation. Bangladesh has been active in promoting dialogue for cooperation through regional and multilateral platforms like SAARC, BIMSTEC, IORA, OIC, NAM, ARF, ASEM, CICA, Commonwealth, etc.," she said. The Prime Minister also said Bangladesh has attained the United Nations recognition for graduating from a Least Developed Country to a developing nation in 2026. "We are already taking various measures for a smooth graduation," she added,saying Bangladesh has urged its friends and partners through the UN mechanism to consider extending preferential facilities to Bangladesh for an extended period beyond 2026. "Bangladesh is at different stages of negotiations on FTA with several countries, and opens to negotiating FTA and CEPA with other countries, including Japan," she said. The Prime Minister also reminded the conference that Bangladesh is hosting 1.1 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar and they must be sent back to their homeland in the Rakhine state of Myanmar in safety, security, and dignity. Chennai, May 27 : Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) developed an indigenous municipal solid waste combustor pilot plant based on a first-of-its-kind 'Rotary Furnace Technology' to efficiently process un-segregated municipal solid waste generated in India. This Combustor Plant was inaugurated on Friday by V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, was deployed within the Combined Cycle Demonstration Plant premises at the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited factory at Trichy. The MSW generated in India is around 133 million tonnes a year of which more than 85 per cent ends up in landfills. The total solid waste generation in Tamil Nadu is 14,600 tonnes/day with around 5,400 tonnes/day generated in Chennai (TNPCB, 2021). The MSW generation is increasing at 1.3 per cent a year with a current per capita generation of around 0.5-1 kg/day. After the segregation and utilisation of bio-organic wastes for composting, vermin-composting and biogas generation, more than 2,500 tonnes/day of bio-inorganic waste, including plastics and high calorific value matter are dumped in the landfills. The Indian solid waste management industry is worth $13.62 billion by 2025. Developed completely indigenously, this facility can process up to one tonne of un-segregated municipal solid waste (MSW) per day and generate steam as the main output along with clean gaseous emissions and ash as a by-product. This initiative was part of the Ucchatar Avishkaar Yojana (UAY) project funded by BHEL and the Union Ministry of Education. It was developed by IIT Madras Researchers at National Centre for Combustion Research and Development (NCCRD). R Vinu, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras, led the project. The entire process from installation to commissioning was completed within six months. Kamakoti said, "Waste management is becoming an important issue that necessitates solutions that can scale and also help in quick and safe disposal. The first-of-its-kind Solid Waste Combustor developed by IIT Madras not only addresses the scale and safe disposal issues, but also generates heat resulting in a waste-to-wealth creation." "It has already been well-tested at IIT Madras for a variety of mixed wastes and up to 40 per cent moisture in the feedstock. The Pilot Plant also contains robust emission treatment units including a bag filter, wet scrubber and dry scrubber to filter and capture the pollutants ensuring emissions are well within the norms," a statement from IIT, Madras said. New Delhi, May 28 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has arrested a person in connection with a money laundering case pertaining to illegal coal mining in West Bengal. This is the third arrest in the case. Earlier, two police officials of West Bengal Police department were placed under arrest and a chargesheet was filed against them in 2021. A senior ED official said the accused Gurupada Maji was placed under arrest as per section 19(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED produced Maji at Rouse Avenue Court on Friday. The court sent him to seven-day custodial remand. "He is one of the partners of Anup Majee, the kingpin of illegal coal mining business activities in West Bengal. Maji has received more than Rs 66 crore from the proceeds of crime generated through illegal coal mining business from Majee and his associates. Further, he had provided Rs 26 crore in cash to a Kolkata-based chartered accountant for arranging shell companies for the purpose of taking accommodation entries," said the ED official. The official added that Maji had acquired 13 shell companies with the help of the above Kolkata-based CA. The net worth of these 13 shell companies is more than Rs 28 crore but he acquired these companies after paying only Rs 88 lakh on paper to respective shareholders, thereby managing to bring illegally generated cash in financial system. Earlier, two accused persons, Vikas Mishra and Ashok Kumar Mishra, Inspector-in-Charge of West Bengal Police, were arrested on March 16, 2021, and April 3, 2021, respectively. In this case, one prosecution complaint (charge sheet) was also filed on May 13, 2021, against both the accused. Colombo, May 28 : Sri Lanka's medical system, ailing with the shortage of over 270 drugs including some life-saving medicines, received a boost on Friday with the receipt of a 25 ton consignment of drugs valued at SLR 260 million. Acting Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Vinod K. Jacob handed over the consignment and other medical supplies donated by the Indian government to Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in Colombo. "Indian Naval Ship (INS) Gharial, a 5600 tons Landing Ship was deployed for the delivery of humanitarian assistance materials expeditiously as part of Mission SAGAR IX," the High Commission said in a statement. The medical consignment was donated in response to requests made by various organisations and hospitals spread across different parts of the country, it said. "Another large consignment of medical supplies for use by Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya was earlier delivered on board INS Gharial on April 29, 2022. These humanitarian supplies are in continuation of Government of India's ongoing support to the people of Sri Lanka in multiple forms such as financial assistance, forex support, material supply etc. These efforts testify Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Neighbourhood First' policy which places people-to-people engagement at its core. "These are complemented by the people of India who have also been donating generously to their brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. Ongoing commitment to the people of Sri Lanka attests to importance attached by the peoples of India and Sri Lanka for the well-being of each other," the HC noted. Faced with dollar crunch early this year, Sri Lanka, which was delaying opening of letters of credit (LoC) to import medicines and medical equipment, used India's $1 billion credit line to open LoCs to purchase medicine among other essential items. Since January, the Indian Ocean island nation's closest neighbour has assisted it with over $3.5 billion financial support. "I had a conversation with India's Minister of Finance @nsitharaman today. I expressed our country's appreciation for the support India has extended during this difficult period. I look forward to further strengthening ties between our nations," Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesighe tweeted on Friday night. He also thanked India and other Quad member countries for taking the lead in setting up the foreign aid consortium to help his country which faces its post-independence worst ever economic crisis. "Assistance from India and Japan: I am grateful for the positive response from India and Japan on the proposal made for the Quad members (United States, India, Japan, and Australia) to take the lead in setting up a foreign aid consortium to assist Sri Lanka," the PM tweeted. Rabat, May 28 : Morocco and Israel have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in high-tech innovation and scientific research. Moroccan Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation Abdellatif Miraoui, and visiting Israeli Innovation, Science and Technology Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen signed a scientific cooperation agreement on Thursday in Rabat, which also covers artificial intelligence, agricultural technologies, and water management, Xinhua news agency reported, citing official RIM radio. "I am thankful for the honor to come to Morocco following the Abraham Accords and sign an important cooperation agreement," Farkash-Hacohen was quoted as saying. "Together we will address challenges in the sectors of renewable energy, water technologies, transportation, science, environment, and health," she told a signing ceremony. For his part, Miraoui said the agreement will advance cooperation between universities of both countries and scientific research programs in green energy, sustainable agriculture, health and modern industries. Daru Airport, Daru, Sierra Leone [ DSL / ] If you are planning to travel to Daru or any other city in Sierra Leone, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Daru Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Daru Airport Map showing the location of this airport in Sierra Leone. Daru Airport IATA Code, ICAO Code, exchange rate etc... is also provided. Daru Airport Info: Daru Airport IATA Code: DSL Daru Airport ICAO Code: Latitude : 7.98333 Longitude : -10.85 City : Daru Country : Sierra Leone World Area Code : 571 Airport Type : Small Daru Airport Address / Contact Details : Port lotniczy Daru (DSL), Sierra Leone Timezone : Africa/Freetown Daru Airport Timezone : GMT +00:00 hours Current time and date at Daru Airport is 22:09:51 PM (GMT) on Thursday, Jun 2, 2022 Looking for information on Daru Airport, Daru, Sierra Leone? Know about Daru Airport in detail. Find out the location of Daru Airport on Sierra Leone map and also find out airports near to Daru. This airport locator is a very useful tool for travelers to know where is Daru Airport located and also provide information like hotels near Daru Airport, airlines operating to Daru Airport etc... IATA Code and ICAO Code of all airports in Sierra Leone. Scroll down to know more about Daru Airport or Daru Airport, Sierra Leone. Daru Airport Map - Location of Daru Airport Load Map Sierra Leone - General Information Country Formal Name Republic of Sierra Leone Country Code SL Capital Freetown Tel Code +232 Top Level Domain .sl This page provides all the information you need to know about Daru Airport, Sierra Leone. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting Sierra Leone or traveling to Daru Airport. Details about Daru Airport given here include Daru Airport Code - IATA Code (3 letter airport codes) and ICAO Code (4 letter airport codes) Coordinates of Daru Airport - Latitude and Longitude (Lat and Long) of Daru Airport Location of Daru Airport - City Name, Country, Country Codes etc... Daru Airport Time Zone and Current time at Daru Airport Address and contact details of Daru Airport along with website address of the airport Clickable Location Map of Daru Airport on Google Map. General information about Sierra Leone where Daru Airport is located in the city of Daru. General information include capital of Sierra Leone, currency and conversion rate of Sierra Leone currency, Telephone Country code, exchange rate against US Dollar and Euro in case of major world currencies etc... DSL - Daru Airport IATA Code Allianz Real Estate, acting on behalf of several Allianz Group companies, has provided 90% of a 301 million, 7-year refinancing facility to Intospace for its portfolio of six brand new, high-quality logistics assets in the Netherlands. ABN Amro, as arranger, co-lender and facility and security agent on the transaction, provided the remaining 10%. Around 20% of Allianz Real Estates share will come from the firms Luxembourg-regulated PAREC debt fund. . The grade A, future-proof properties in the portfolio are strategically spread across the Netherlands in the most sought-after locations near major air, rail and road transportation hubs and close to the main Dutch cities. The assets, fully let to blue-chip tenants and logistics companies, have been constructed to the most modern ESG and fit-out standards, with their prime quality confirmed by Allianz Real Estates in-house logistics experts. This loan enables Intospace to use the proceeds exclusively to fund developments that are making a substantial contribution to all stakeholders environmental objectives. Intospace is an existing client of ABN Amro and a new client for Allianz Real Estates European financing business. The firm, 100% owned by Dutch investment firm Somerset Capital Partners, is the number one logistics developer in the Netherlands and in the top five in Europe, and is renowned for its market knowledge, best-in-class logistic developments and logistics asset management capabilities. Logistics is a high-conviction investment theme for Allianz Real Estate, both in its debt and equity business, with several high-profile transactions executed since the start of 2021 underlining the firms expertise in the sector. These include the 280 million loan in September 2021 for the development of an 8-asset portfolio in the UK, complemented by recent direct equity investments in the Nordics, Italy and Austria. As of 31 March 2022, Allianz Real Estates global logistics assets under management (AUM) stood at 12.6 billion. Allianz Real Estates European debt business reached AUM of 11.7 billion, as at end of March 2022. The pan-European financing platform continues to be active in 12 countries, diversified across the office, logistics, residential and retail sectors. ABN Amro Bank NV has a leading real estate financing and debt capital market franchise in The Netherlands. By creating long-term strategic partnerships with its clients, ABN Amro supports its clients in executing their strategies. Real estate is an important pillar in the North Western strategy of ABN Amro. The loan book of ABN Amro Real Estate contains over 12 billion of real estate loans. Were delighted to welcome Intospace as a new partner for our financing business. Our belief in the logistics sector, the quality of the assets and the expertise of Intospace combine to make this transaction a superb addition to our European lending platform. Our origination expertise and our pan-European network of business partners has once again delivered a transaction that will create real value for our Allianz and third-party investors, commented Bruno Dord, Head of Real Estate Finance Paris Hub at Allianz Real Estate. Since 2014 ABN Amro and Somerset's logistics platform Intospace have built a successful track record of more than 20 logistic development projects with a financing volume of approximately 1.0 billion. Intospace has a clear strategy to develop to hold, and the partnership created with ABN Amro supports this strategy. When marketing this transaction to potential lenders, the response confirmed Intospaces leading position and track record, stated Maarten de Ruijter and Matthijs van der Horst on behalf of ABN Amro. This transaction is an important achievement in executing the strategy of Intospace and shows our commitment and trust to the company and its strategy. We value our long-term partnership with this leader in logistics real estate and are proud to have been able to show our capabilities in real estate and debt capital markets with facilitating this new chapter in Intospaces strategy execution, continued de Ruijter and van der Horst. With Allianz and ABN Amro, we have two solid debt financing partners, which will enable us to fulfil our growth ambitions. The world of logistics is changing drastically, the way we live and work is changing faster and faster. Consumer expectations are shifting from delivery tomorrow to delivered today. And the challenges dont stop there. For example, we need to replace polluting energy sources with CO2-positive energy systems; land scarcity in the Netherlands requires a more creative approach; we need to cut congestion in busy cities; and much more. Intospace believes that these problems can only be solved with a clear vision. Intospace is a one-stop-platform for future-proof warehousing solutions with a vision to develop long-lasting products that are going to be used by generations to come. We are delighted that Allianz and ABN Amro share our vision and want to form this partnership with us, said Tim Beckmann, CEO at Intospace. Local artist Felix Maull personally signed his artwork now on permanent display in EAGs den. "As a small business in Kansas City, its important to our team and mission to support important causes and facilitate discussions any way we can to strengthen our community, from the causes we support to the artwork we display," says Michele Markham, EAG President and CEO. EAG Advertising & Marketing (EAG) is permanently displaying original artwork by local artist, Felix Maull at its agency located in the heart of the Crossroads Art District. Maull debuted the one-of-a-kind painting at the 2022 Chancellors Luncheon, a Metropolitan Community College Foundation benefit held each winter in honor of Dr. Martin Luther Kings legacy. True peace is not merely the absence of tension. It is the presence of justice. Martin Luther King, Jr. As an event artist for The Chancellors Luncheon, Maull was tasked with representing Dr. Kings quote in one image. My process involved brainstorming the best way to do this without saying something I wasnt trying to say. It came down to having conversations about uncomfortable things, explains Maull. Another conversation worth having is about all the police shootings. In the painting, I documented names of those weve lost from January 1st to the time of the benefit event. Maulls artwork is on a custom wood panel, on which he used acrylics, spray paint and paint pens. His color scheme is that of the rainbow. Maull says, The rainbow highlights the message of diversity and inspires hope with bright colors. I hope when people see this it eases the tension of thinking about the conversation. What I want is to be able to have the conversation. I read that Felixs goal with his art is understanding life and its various forms. He believes the passion to create is inspired and fostered by the people you have conversations with. As a small business in Kansas City, its important to our team and mission to support important causes and facilitate discussions any way we can to strengthen our community, from the causes we support to the artwork we display, says Michele Markham, EAG President and CEO. On Thursday, May 5th, 2022, Maull visited EAG to hand sign his artwork displayed for everyone who visits EAG to view and inspire conversation. About Felix Maull, Artist and Filmmaker Maull served as full-time visual arts coordinator for a public/private collaborative venture that strives to empower the lives of underserved urban youth through developing artistic, health and educational skills. He worked his way up to that position from a computer technician and apprentice responsible for teaching young people traditional fine art and digital art fundamentals. Maull is also a practicing freelance artist and assistant curator at the Vine Street Studio, organizing art shows featuring other local artists of color who need exposure and resources. Maull is one of 11 artists chosen to work on a mural commemorating the historic Brown v. Board of Education case at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka. Read more about Felix Maull and view his other work. About EAG Advertising & Marketing From its headquarters in the Crossroads Art District in Kansas City, Mo., EAG has served more than 500 clients, helping them expand their marketing capacity by becoming their full-service outsourced marketing department. In-house seasoned marketing professionals conduct services in all disciplines, including brand development, consulting, media placement, creative design, content development, channel management, website design and search engine optimization. EAG is a winner of numerous small business and creative advertising awards, including Kansas Citys Best Places to Work, Fountain Awards, Philanthropic (Philly) Awards, Kansas Citys Fastest Growing Companies and 2019 Agency of the Year and KCDMA AMBIT Awards. The pool is at a residence in Boca Raton, FL. Fully clad pool in Lunada Bay Tile Agate 1x2 Brick in Abruzzo Pearl Design by Ikes Carter Pools Photography by Jimi Smith People have been reevaluating their indoor and outdoor spaces and are finding new ways to decompress and destress in their home environment. Its no longer just about having a pool or a backyard or a firepit. Its about how these features can contribute to an enhanced lifestyle. With the warmer weather comes the focus on outdoor fun. If youre lucky enough to have a swimming pool in your backyard or if youre thinking about adding one creating that perfect refuge is more than just adding water. It comes down to personal preference and overall aesthetics when designing your outdoor space. We all need a place to call a sanctuary, say Feras Irikat, Director of Design & Marketing for Lunada Bay Tile. Certainly since COVID-19, people have been reevaluating their indoor and outdoor spaces and are finding new ways to decompress and destress in their home environment. Its no longer just about having a pool or a backyard or a firepit. Its about how these features can contribute to an enhanced lifestyle. People want their outdoor living space to connect with the surrounding environment, and they want to create an environment that is personal, unique and beautiful. People no longer want to just dig a hole and jump in the water, Irikat says. Personalization is the overarching trend that encompasses all others and can take on many forms: functionality, playfulness, fantasy, safe haven. How you design your pool speaks volumes about the type of vibe you wish to create. According to the experts at Lunada Bay Tile, glass tile can add a touch of luxury and glamour to an outdoor pool. Whats really inviting about glass tile is its reflective characteristics; it glistens and shimmers with an effervescent, almost ethereal quality, says Irikat. Unleash your inner artist, advises Irikat; create a mosaic or an original design. If budget allows, mosaic tile the entire pool to create a color-filled underwater environment. Lunada Bay glass tile collections are well suited for traditional indoor spaces, whether used in a kitchen backsplash, the bathroom or as a showpiece accent wall, but its watery colors and iridescence make glass an artistic choice for outdoor pools and spas. Pool designers can draw from a plethora of patterns, colors and sizes to create a bespoke environment. Glass tiles introduce a wow factor to the environment, Irikat says. Silvers, coppers, blues, greens, all of those are organic colors. Even though they have a shine, they still have an organic feel to them. While glass tiles are beautiful, the product is uniquely qualified for chlorine, salt, or saline chlorinated pools. Glass tiles do not fade, warp, or need high maintenance. The tiles are smooth to the touch and can be used on the pool floor and walls, however not on a patio or deck. While tile prices can run the gamut, cutting on cost may save you money in the short-term, but focusing on quality and a look that you love will ensure your swimming pool and your summer fun lasts a long, long time, says Irikat. Whether you have aesthetic or technical questions around pool design, the best advice according to Lunada Bay Tile is to work with a professional. Consulting with a licensed pool builder is the best choice you could ever make when seeking comprehensiveness and professionalism, advises Irikat. Lunada Bay Tile is well known for blending traditional craftsmanship with modern influences while exploring the boundaries of material possibilities. Influenced by the Southern California lifestyle, and infused with a hint of Japanese sensibility, Lunada Bay Tile designs and produces handcrafted glass tile as well as ceramic, and concrete tiles with an emphasis on simplicity, texture, and color. The designs are born from an impulse to transform spaces in ways that enrich the experience of peoples daily lives. For inspiration for both outdoor and indoor spaces, visit http://www.LunadaBayTile.com. About Lunada Bay Tile Lunada Bay Tile creates handcrafted glass, ceramic, and concrete tile with an emphasis on artistic simplicity, texture, and color. The name Lunada Bay Tile honors the beautiful Palos Verdes Peninsula of Los Angeles and exhibits the brands design philosophy to blend traditional craftsmanship with modern influences while exploring the boundaries of material possibilities. To learn more about Lunada Bay Tile and view the entire product line visit LunadaBayTile.com or call (310) 257-1300. It will help people to use the bus network flexibly and in the future link into the Metro. Using public transport is important for the energy transition and making our cities more sustainable, and this is a smart contribution to that. Bus users in Bahrain benefit from accurate arrival/departure times and an improved travel experience as a result of the countrys first ever electronic passenger information service, led by Papercast partner Spark City (Gulf), provider of integrated traffic and transport systems. This project is on behalf of the Government of Bahrain, specifically the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunication responsible for implementing the infrastructure operated by the Bahrain Public Transportation Company. Replacing paper timetables, it incorporates Papercast 13 solar powered e-paper bus stop displays to provide live accurate bus arrivals and other important information to travellers at the busiest stops in the central of Manama, Bahrain. It is part of a national strategy to modernise public transport and transform mobility for all users, which will contribute to Bahrains sustainable development strategy directly aligned with Goal 11 of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The system serves as a steppingstone to deliver real-time passenger information across the entire public transport network, with the first ever metro project in the pipeline. H.E. Roddy Drummond, British Ambassador to Bahrain: It is great to see Spark City and Papercast rolling out this valuable new information system. It will help people to use the bus network flexibly and in the future link into the Metro. Using public transport is important for the energy transition and making our cities more sustainable, and this is a smart contribution to that. Papercast was selected due to its robust e-paper technology that can withstand the harsh weather conditions of Gulf countries, along with its feature rich Content Management System, and the companys willingness to accommodate customer requirements. Following a successful trial of a Papercast display at the new Bahrain International Airport, Spark City went on to win a public tender. This project is close to my heart. I was dependent on the bus shelter RTPI displays when I studied in London and strongly believe that they are fundamental to a positive passenger experience. The authority shared my vision and the solar powered nature of Papercast technology aligned with its sustainability goals, comments Hamad Fawzi Behzad, Director of Spark City (Gulf). Bahrain is on the verge of breaking new ground and I am excited to see how this develops with Papercast across the rest of the transport network. Using E Ink technology, Papercast e-paper bus stop displays are well proven around the world, and Bahrain joins other prominent deployments across the Middle East region including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait, Makkah and Qatar. Papercasts range of solar powered, wireless e-paper bus stop displays provide excellent outdoor visibility and have been engineered with leading design principles of superior functionality and exceptionally low energy consumption. Completely stand-alone, the displays can be easily installed off-the-grid within hours and the cloud-based data management platform provides complete control and real-time data integration. -- ends -- ABOUT PAPERCAST Papercasts next generation bus stop passenger information solution uses wireless solar powered e-paper displays, with a comprehensive content management system developed exclusively for public transport needs. The platform enables transport providers to effortlessly keep passengers informed on real-time and advance service information at bus stops in a clear and user-friendly format. http://www.papercast.com Share this story and follow Papercast on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube CONTACT INFORMATION Kerry Marchbank Marketing Manager +44 (0)7817 916654 kmarchbank@papercast.com "The strong loyalty and culture created by the TFC team is exactly the type of partnership we look for at The Facilities Group, stated Bryson Raver Founded in 2010 , Total Facility Care (TFC) provides janitorial and facility maintenance services to the Northern Colorado and greater Denver markets. TFC specializes in servicing healthcare and medical facilities, single and multi-tenant commercial office buildings, industrial and manufacturing facilities, financial institutions, and more. Pete Gazlay, President of TFC, was searching for an industry partner with additional resources to maintain the TFC culture and continue expansion across Colorado. Teaming up with Bryson and The Facilities Group will not only deepen our resources to improve our customers experience, will allow us to maintain the great culture and work environment our employees have been accustomed to, Gazlay stated. The Facilities Group, with 16 offices, now services more than 25,000 locations across the country. We are excited to join forces with Pete, and the TFC leadership team to develop a stronger Mountain West presence. The strong loyalty and culture created by the TFC team is exactly the type of partnership we look for at The Facilities Group, stated Bryson Raver, Chief Executive Officer of The Facilities Group. Adding Total Facility Care to The Facilities Group family, makes it the eleventh company to join The Facilities Group since inception. TFC joins one of the fastest growing national providers of facilities maintenance and janitorial services in the United States, with additional acquisitions expected in 2022. The Facilities Group The Facilities Group partners with premier local, regional, and national facility maintenance providers, while maintaining brand legacy and driving high powered technology to provide the best-in-class service experience. For more information, please visit http://www.thefacilitiesgroup.com Revolent Capital Solutions is a Tampa-based private investment enterprise founded and capitalized by entrepreneurs. We seek family and founder owned businesses looking for liquidity, while providing ownership opportunities for management teams and an ecosystem designed to foster organic and acquisitive growth. Revolent is distinct because we intentionally built our enterprise to be the catalyst for long-term advancement of companies and its stakeholders driven by our experience, capital, and professional network. We combine a long-term hold period, with a flexible approach to investing, tailored to meet the needs of both entrepreneurs and senior management teams. For more information, please visit http://www.revolentcapitalsolutions.com. The Best MSP Technical Support category was one of the most hotly contested categories in this years awards. Judges noted how Assured Data Protection demonstrated the sophisticated ways in which it is helping its customers with their technical and business-critical requirements." Assured Data Protection, the prominent IT managed services provider for cloud data protection solutions, announced today that it has been awarded the Best MSP Technical Support Award at the North American Channel Partner Insight (CPI) MSP Innovation Awards 2022. The MSP Innovation Awards 2022 celebrate dynamic companies who are serving as extraordinary examples of success in the American managed services market. Assured Data Protection is the largest Rubrik MSP and the first MSP to receive official Rubrik Authorised Support Partner (RASP) accreditation. It is an established MSP of data management, backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity solutions in the US. The company works directly with customers, MSPs and the reseller community to ensure that businesses can protect and recover their critical data and operations in the event of outages, natural disasters, ransomware, and cyber-attacks. Assured Data Protection customers receive a fully managed Rubrik service from design and implementation through to recovery and daily proactive support. Customers span a wide range of commercial segments, including; financial services, legal, pharmaceuticals and the public sector. Assured Data Protection manages 400+ customer sites in more than 40 countries. Stacy Hayes, Co-Founder and EVP, Americas at Assured Data Protection said: At Assured Data Protection we enjoy the challenge of delivering exceptional service to our customers. Time and time again this has separated us from the MSP competition. Our technical support team is second to none in the market and weve consistently demonstrated a proven track record of delivering top-grade technical support. Were thrilled to be selected as a winner and proud of the whole team for their continued hard work. Nima Sherpa Green, CPI Editor, said: The Best MSP Technical Support category was one of the most hotly contested categories in this years awards. Judges noted how Assured Data Protection demonstrated the sophisticated ways in which it is helping its customers with their technical and business-critical requirements. Congratulations from Channel Partner Insight on being a winner in the 2022 US MSP Innovation Awards. Assured Data Protection was also recently named winner of Rubriks 2022 Partner Recognition Award for Managed Service Provider Partner of the Year, North America at Rubriks inaugural Partner Recognition Awards. To book a meeting with the Assured Data Protection team, please contact us at info@assured-dp.com. About Channel Partner Insight Channel Partner Insight provides leaders of resellers, distributors, MSPs and other specialist consultancies with exclusive analysis of the fast-changing channel sector in Europe and the US, helping them to make smarter business decisions. The transatlantic title, launched in 2019, is owned by London-based Incisive Media. With journalists based in the UK and the US, CPI provides high-quality journalism for channel business leaders, taking a uniquely transatlantic view on the market. About Assured Data Protection Assured Data Protection is a global data backup, disaster recovery, business continuity and extended detection and response managed service provider. With more than 100 years of combined industry experience Assured Data Protection delivers scalable solutions based on the Rubrik cloud data management and best of breed data protection platforms. The Company is recognized as the first Managed Service Provider (MSP) to be elevated as a Rubrik Authorized Support Partner (RASP) and gained the distinction of being selected by Solutions Review Magazine as a Top 20 Vendor for data disaster recovery and CIO Review as a Top 20 Vendor for data backup. For more information, visit http://www.assured-dp.com. Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP The San Francisco employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a lawsuit against ULBP Inc. alleging the company violated Labor Code 2699, et seq. seeking penalties for DEFENDANTs alleged violation of California Labor Code 201, 202, 203, 204 et seq., 210, 221, 226(a), 226.7, 227.3, 351, 510, 512, 558(a)(1)(2), 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 1198, and 2802. The lawsuit against ULBP Inc. is currently pending in the Santa Clara County Superior Court, Case No. 22CV398302. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here. According to the lawsuit filed, ULBP Inc. allegedly failed to fully relieve Plaintiff and other Aggrieved Employees for their legally required thirty (30) minute meals breaks. Employees were also allegedly required, from time to time, to work in excess of four (4) hours without being provided the legally required ten (10) minute rest periods. The California Supreme Court defines off-duty rest periods as time during which an employee is relieved from all work related duties and free from employer control. PAGA is a mechanism by which the State of California itself can enforce state labor laws through the employee suing under the PAGA who do so as the proxy or agent of the state's labor law enforcement agencies. An action to recover civil penalties under PAGA is fundamentally a law enforcement action designed to protect the public and not to benefit private parties. The purpose of PAGA is not to recover damages or restitution, but to create a means of "deputizing" citizens as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code. For more information about the lawsuit against ULBP Inc., call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages, overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other types of illegal workplace conduct. ***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT*** I Am Peter: A Parable: a gripping and inspiring biblical study. I Am Peter: A Parable is the creation of published author Daniel J. Casieri, a dedicated husband and proud father of three adult sons who has been a pastor for the past twenty-five years. Casieri shares, Wearied by trial and persecution, an aging Apostle Peter awaits his execution in a Roman dungeon in Jerusalem. Like his Savior before him, he was arrested during the Passover feast days. He was apprehended with fellow Apostle James who was summarily executed by Herod Agrippa I. Peter is spared so that Agrippa may make a public spectacle of this successor to Jesus of Nazareth. Peter suffers alone until he is attended by a surprise guesta Roman physician and scribe who calls himself Luke. It is Lukes mission to complete a narrative of the life of Christ. And so he is desperate for a personal interview with Christs most eminent apostle. Assuming these to be the final moments of his life, he readily complies. The miraculous tale is well known to most, especially those to whom the Gospel has been preached. Peters personal touch, however, fills in portions of the story that are as yet unwritten. His excursion is full of surprises. Meanwhile, a handful of praying disciples gathered at the family home of Peters son by faith, John Mark, are pleading for his release. They and the readers of Acts 12 are not disappointed. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Daniel J. Casieris new book brings a personal level of awareness to the realities of Apostle Peter and a Roman physician known as Luke. Casieris articulate narrative will draw readers in from the first page as they witness a powerful look at Apostle Peters impactful last days. Consumers can purchase I Am Peter: A Parable at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about I Am Peter: A Parable, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Living Confidently Out of Your Mind: Separating I-Spirit from the Brains Memorized Me: a fascinating argument for the power of spirit. Living Confidently Out of Your Mind: Separating I-Spirit from the Brains Memorized Me is the creation of published author Dr. Ron Waggoner, the founder and director of the ministry Spirit Managed Thinking (SMT), which is the theory that Living Confidently Out of Your Mind illuminates. Dr. Waggoner holds four degrees, with a doctorate in theoretical psychology. He is also an adjunct professor, consultant, theologian, and certified SMT therapist. Dr. Waggoner shares, Its a common belief that the brain created consciousness! However, if the brain created conscious, then the brain had to be unconscious prior to creating consciousness. This fact created a dilemma, which hasnt been resolved. The brain thought it was thoughtless while it was unable to think! Complicating the problem further, the brain came up with the idea of needing consciousness while unconscious, which brought about a most critical but mostly unasked question: How did an unconscious brain become conscious of being unconscious? If the brain is the universes ultimate authority, why the need for conscious in the first place? Nevertheless, for some unknown reason, an unconscious ancestral brain fabricated a metaphysical consciousness, which is to do its thinking! Making matters worse, the ancestral brain not only established itself as the universes intellectual power broker; it also created a universal hoax! A mortal brain created immortality even though it had indisputable evidence to the contrary. Being the universes intellectual authority, the brain had to know all brains remain in the skull, following death, which makes eternity not only a hoax but also pointless; theres no one to populate the space. All mankind, including the spiritually-based communities, believe the brain is the universes intellectual authority. However, its utterly irrational to believe the brain is the universes intellect while believing in an eternal afterlife! If the brain is lifes intellectual authority, then there is no eternal afterlife. If Christianity is true, then the brain cannot be the universes intellectual authority. Subsequently, Dr. Waggoners book is a practical response to these contradictions. His theory delivers a new and convincing understanding of spirit being the source of conscious. We are responsible for life. In addition, the book emphasized our ability to transcend the biological mind. We can do abundantly more than the brain can think, dream, or envision! In other words, we can live confidently out of our minds. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Dr. Ron Waggoners new book will challenge and encourage readers as they consider the carefully constructed argument within. Dr. Waggoners careful study and articulate presentation are certain to captivate and encourage spiritual growth. Consumers can purchase Living Confidently Out of Your Mind: Separating I-Spirit from the Brains Memorized Me at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Living Confidently Out of Your Mind: Separating I-Spirit from the Brains Memorized Me, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. A Cappella & Unplugged Round 1 is set for June 4 at the Capitol Theatre. The talent this year is vast. Individuals span different playing styles and techniques. Its a wonderful mix, said Evan Crider, FCVB tourism associate, who coordinates the open mics and emcees this years competition. Franklin County Visitors Bureau (FCVB) is excited to announce twenty-two performers for A Cappella & Unplugged Round 1 at the Capitol Theatre on June 4, 7 PM to 9 PM, in downtown Chambersburg. A Cappella & Unplugged is a music competition where contestants vie for $500 and a chance to perform in front of thousands as part of the 1864 Ransoming, Burning & REBIRTH event in July. New in 2022 is free admission to Round 1 at the Capitol Theatre. Anyone wishing to attend can get a free admission ticket here. Enjoy an evening of local and regional talent--folk, rock, pop, bluegrass, and more. The talent this year is vast. Individuals span different playing styles and techniques. Its a wonderful mix, said Evan Crider, FCVB tourism associate, who coordinates the open mics and emcees this years competition. In 2019, A Cappella & Unplugged, working with Leadership Franklin County, launched an open mic format to find contestants. Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center in Chambersburg, 633 Brewing in Waynesboro, TBC Brewing at Barrel House in Chambersburg, and One North Coffee & Bake Shop hosted open mics January to May 2022. This year, these open mic performers will take the stage at the Capitol Theatre for Round 1: Megan Paullet, Fast Eddie, Carmine, Shaffer & Sullivan, Riders, Anne Spangle. Willeby Hayes, Will & Grace, Survive the Conspiracy, Cagan Golstein, Ryan Brandenburg, Zoe Mason, Ryan Franko, K Kamplain, Whispering Creek Bluegrass, Tommy B, Rebekah Foster, Andelena Jackson, Stevie D, Lauren Dukehart, Robert Twine, and Ryan Brandenburg. At Round 1, a panel of judges decide the top six acts, which move into the Final Round, held rain or shine on the steps of the Franklin County Courthouse on July 16 at 7 PM. The 2022 judges include David Keller, Franklin County Commissioner; Taryn West, recently of Chambersburg Council for the Arts; Beth Thoresen, Marketing Director Capitol Theatre, and Scott Bauer, local musician and talent coordinator. In addition to the judges selection of six performers, the June 4 audience at the Capitol Theatre will vote the winner of Peoples Choice Award. The act with the most votes receives a cash prize of $100. The visitors bureau started A Cappella & Unplugged in 2015. It was part of the 1864 events to celebrate the rebirth of Chambersburg after its burning during the Civil War. The history of what happened on July 30, 1864 in Chambersburg is violent, but the bleakness of the burning did not end Chambersburg. The courage and stamina of those residents rebuilt the community. A Cappella & Unplugged was simply our way of celebrating the human spirit. 2022 is the eighth year of A Cappella & Unplugged, and we are glad to be back at the Capitol Theatre after a two-year COVID hiatus, said Janet Pollard, executive director of Franklin County Visitors Bureau. Past winners of A Cappella & Unplugged are: 2021: Bailey Appleby 2020: Gabrielle Stone 2019: For F4ith, 2018: Alexus Lawson 2017: Elly Cooke 2016: Kate & Isaac 2015: "A World Apart with Taylor Piper and Kristopher Potter Enjoy amazing talent on June 4 at the Capitol Theatre and get a first look at the future winner of A Cappella & Unplugged 2022. The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore history, arts and architecture, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods and the warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. Franklin County PA is located just north of the Mason Dixon Line and is an easy drive from Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Plan a visit at ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com, contacting 866.646.8060, or stopping by the new Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center in downtown Chambersburg. As cooperatives founded in solidarity, it was important for us to quickly come to the aid of our Ukrainian credit union family, said Georgia United President and CEO Debbie Smith. The Georgia United Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Georgia United Credit Union, donated $10,000 in relief funds to the Ukrainian Credit Unions Displacement Fund sponsored by the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions. Georgia United joined with other credit unions across the country to help support Ukraine credit union members and staff displaced by war. The Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund directs support to immediate humanitarian needs triggered by Russias continued targeting of civilians, which has caused a crisis for those still in Ukraine and millions of Ukrainian refugees who have fled the country. Credit unions are known around the world for their people helping people collaborative philosophy and for aiding communities regardless of their geographical location. When Georgia United learned more about the situation displacing Ukrainians at the CUNA Governmental Affairs Conference, they were one of the first credit unions to donate to this initiative. As cooperatives founded in solidarity, it was important for us to quickly come to the aid of our Ukrainian credit union family. Our individual efforts to help the Ukraine are important, as collaborative units, we can multiply our support and have a greater impact, said Georgia United President and CEO Debbie Smith. The World Council of Credit Unions launched the Displacement Fund February 27, less than one week after Russia invaded Ukraine. In six weeks more than $1 million in funds have been raised. To contribute, visit Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund or Text CUS4UKRAINE to 44-321 to donate. About Georgia United Foundation: Georgia United Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for children and families in the communities they serve through impactful programs funded and delivered through volunteerism by way of corporate contributions, team members and community efforts. The Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is the philanthropic arm of Georgia United Credit Union. For details on volunteering, participating, or donating, visit gucufoundation.org. About Georgia United Credit Union: Georgia United Credit Union is an award-winning financial leader and partner in education. Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia United is ranked as one of the states largest credit unions with $1.8 billion in assets and 170,000 members. As a full-service financial institution, they offer competitive products and services for every stage of life. Visit gucu.org to learn more. We are delighted that Chambers has once again recognized us as the preeminent real estate practice in the U.S., said Real Estate Co-Chairs Michael J. Baum, Richard J. Giusto, Stephen L. Rabinowitz, and Dr. Christian Schede. For the fifth time, the Real Estate Practice at global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP., has received the Chambers USA Real Estate Law Firm of the Year award. The award, which recognizes the firms achievements in real estate legal work in the United States over the past 12 months, was announced today at a virtual ceremony hosted by Chambers and Partners. The real estate team has more than 400 attorneys across the U.S. and nearly 650 attorneys worldwide. Greenberg Traurig also received Chambers top real estate award, previously named the Excellence in Real Estate award, in 2018, 2017, 2013, and 2010, and has been nominated for the award every year since 2007. We are delighted that Chambers has once again recognized us as the preeminent real estate practice in the U.S., said Real Estate Co-Chairs Michael J. Baum, Richard J. Giusto, Stephen L. Rabinowitz, and Dr. Christian Schede. Our work in the real estate industry has been a core part of our history, dating back to our founding nearly 60 years ago. Greenberg Traurig is uniquely well-positioned to meet the diverse legal needs of our clients due to our ability to handle the full spectrum of real estate matters in dynamic and evolving markets across the country. This award is testament to the teams hard work and dedication to delivering quality client service across geographic markets and asset classes, which is attributed to the collaborative culture of the team. Chambers & Partners, the UK-based publisher of legal guides worldwide, bases the Real Estate Law Firm of the Year award on research it conducted for the 2022 edition of the USA Guide. The guide, to be released June 1, recognizes 50+ Greenberg Traurig real estate attorneys in the U.S. About Greenberg Traurig's Real Estate Practice: The Greenberg Traurig Real Estate Practice is a cornerstone of the firm and recognized leader in the industry. The firms real estate attorneys deliver diversified and comprehensive counsel for property acquisition and investment, development, management and leasing, financing, restructuring, and disposition of all asset classes of real estate. The team draws upon the knowledge and experience of more than 600 real estate lawyers from around the world, serving clients from key markets in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The groups clientele includes a broad range of property developers, lenders, investment managers, private equity funds, REITs, and private owners. The firms real estate team advises clients on a variety of matters across a broad spectrum of commercial, recreational, and residential real estate, including structured equity and debt and the hybrids. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2400 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm, often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity and pro bono, reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021. The firm is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, NLJ 250, and Law360 (US) 400. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com. Military Personnel, Veterans and First Responders Can Get a $500 Bonus on Purchase/Lease of a Volkswagen Military personnel, Veterans and First Responders looking to get behind the wheel of a new Volkswagen can get a $500 bonus at Ontario Volkswagen, an automotive dealership in Ontario, California. Interested parties must be active-duty U.S. Military service members, U.S. Military veterans within twenty-four months of active duty, U.S. Military retirees (who have served over twenty years), First Responders and their family household members to qualify for this offer. First Responders who can qualify for a $500 bonus include Police Officers, Sheriff/Sheriffs Deputy, Correctional Officers, Firefighters, Federal Law Enforcement Officers, State Troopers, Paramedics, EMTs and 911 Dispatchers/Operators. Prospective Buyers must present proof of military service or first responder employment and any other documentation required by the dealership. Individuals can take advantage of the bonus offer on the purchase or lease of a new Volkswagen vehicle. Interested parties can explore the dealerships online inventory to start the buying process. Those who have any questions regarding the Volkswagen vehicles can contact the Ontario Volkswagen team in Ontario, California, by dialing 909-230-5610. NOVA 2022 Spring Commencement Graduates "Your success is testimony to your dedication and talent, and we are honored and delighted to celebrate you today," said Dr. Anne M. Kress, president of NOVA. On Sunday, May 15th, Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) held its 56th commencement ceremony recognizing students hard work and achievement. This years spring commencement was held at George Mason Universitys EagleBank Arena in Fairfax. Opening with congratulatory remarks from faculty and staff, this moving ceremony reminded students of how important they are to the faculty and staff who have worked to ensure each student had the opportunity to see this day. Dr. Nathan Carter, chief diversity equity and inclusion officer, kicked off the ceremony by introducing NOVA voice students, Melissa Lee and Luigi Grande, who proudly sang the National Anthem. Zuzana Steen, chair of the NOVA college board, offered congratulatory remarks on behalf of board and administrative council members. Steen, who represents one of NOVAs major business partners, Micron Technology, also served as a long-time board member for the NOVA Foundation. She proudly acknowledged and recognized the efforts and achievements of the family, friends, faculty and staff who have supported graduates as she is a NOVA graduate herself. It is an honor to join you in this important recognition of academic achievement and perseverance, said Steen. This is the college that businesses look to in building tomorrows workforce. Dr. Michelle Brown-Nevers, vice president of enrollment management and student success, introduced the great talent and diversity of NOVAs current graduating class. She cheered on graduates, asking them to stand and proudly say, I am NOVA, which was met with cheers of excitement by the graduating class and their guests. Tenzin Lodoe, student representative to the board, introduced commencement speaker, Ms. Arfa Syed. She is an amazing example of what a NOVA alum can achieve, said Lodoe. Syed, an alumna and cybersecurity leader who personifies the commencement theme, told graduates to Go Boldly. She spoke heartfelt words that embodied the perseverance and strength of all NOVA alums. Syed said she and her sister were raised by a single mom who worked and sacrificed to make sure her girls were able to get an education. My start at NOVA, like many of you, was non-traditional, said Syed. I could not initially pursue higher education due to immigration and financial constraints. I remember the day I purchased my first textbook, how long I waited to say that I was a student again. I sobbed in disbelief that my collegiate journey finally started. The story of my family is one that I frequently share not because it is unique, but because it is one thats all too common at NOVA, continued Syed. It is why I have spent more than a decade returning to NOVA in various capacities to share with other students and faculty that their tears and the grind are not for nothing and, as a result, I stand before you today. This is why Dr. Kress wanted an alum to speak to you today. When you leave here today, hold your head up high that you went to NOVA. Your story, your identity, your path, your unique situation is your superpower. Dont shy away from owning your story and personal journey. Go from here boldly. I cant wait to see what you all do. Dr. Eun-Woo Chang, chief academic officer presented the candidates for degrees and graduation to be conferred by NOVAs president Anne M. Kress. On behalf of all of us at NOVA, I congratulate you, our amazing, inspiring, bold and brilliant Nighthawk alumni on your graduation, said Kress. When faced with the unexpected and unprecedented challenges of the past years, your commitment to your goals has not wavered. You have pushed through the pandemic and shown the grit that becomes greatness and gets you across this stage. Your success is testimony to your dedication and talent, and we are honored and delighted to celebrate you today. NOVAs President further offered retirement sentiments to Dr. Sam Hill, provost of NOVAs Woodbridge Campus, who has led the campus for almost two decades. Once the graduates received their degrees and certificates, the ceremony concluded with the announcement that six students, chosen at random, would be recipients of the NOVA Educational Foundation scholarship, and this notification was tucked behind diploma covers. NOVAs Meet the Grad and Graduate Spotlight series chronicles the many diverse and unique stories of student graduates. To view these incredible stories of accomplishment, please click here: https://www.nvcc.edu/news/featured-articles/2022/index.html The commencement ceremony was live streamed and playback opportunities are available on the NOVA website. For questions about commencement, please email commencement@nvcc.edu. For media questions, please contact Hoang Nguyen, associate director of external communications, at hdnguyen@nvcc.edu. NOVA supports all endeavors for student success. Look into the colleges excellent options and register today! https://www.nvcc.edu/admissions/register.html. ### Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is the largest public institution of higher learning in the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of America's largest community colleges. NOVA enrolls more than 80,000 students at its six campuses in Alexandria, Annandale, Loudoun, Manassas, Springfield (Medical Education Campus) and Woodbridge, through NOVA Online and high school dual enrollment. We offer more than 100 associate degree and certificate programs to help our students reach their academic and professional goals through university transfers and access to the most in-demand careers. At NOVA, we strive to ensure that every student succeeds, every program achieves and every community prospers. For more information about NOVA and its programs or services, visit our website, http://www.nvcc.edu, or call 703.323.3000. Divi Resorts 2022 Plunge Into Summer Sale Get a jump-start on your summer and fall travel plans and save big when you book now. With travel restrictions easing in the Caribbean, theres no better time to travel, and our resorts offer room-only, bed & breakfast, and all-inclusive options, so you can customize your vacation to your liking. For five days only, Divi Resorts is offering a special 40% discount at all of Divis Caribbean resorts on Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, St. Croix, and St. Maarten, including Divis new, upper-tier Oceans accommodations. Travelers can take advantage of this hot deal from now until May 31, 2022 for travel until November 18, 2022. Get a jump-start on your summer and fall travel plans and save big when you book now, said Marco Galaverna, President & COO of Divi Resorts. With travel restrictions easing in the Caribbean, theres no better time to travel, and our resorts offer room-only, bed & breakfast, and all-inclusive options, so you can customize your vacation to your liking. Bring the whole family for a fun-filled adventure or romance your better half with a sunny vacation in paradise! Exclusive rates are as follows: To check availability, travelers can visit http://www.diviresorts.com/specials or use promo code SUMMER40. Reservations can also be made by calling 1-800-367-3484 (toll-free US) or 1-919-419-3484 (international). Divi Resorts now offers three convenient ways for travelers to pay for their vacation. The options include paying a one-night deposit, paying in full, or booking now and paying later with the companys pay over time program for qualified buyers. For more information on these new options, visit http://www.diviresorts.com/terms-transient.htm. Our new ways to pay make it easier for travelers to book a Caribbean vacation without breaking the bank. Plus, we offer a best price guarantee, so you know youre always getting the best rates when you book directly with us, Galaverna added. Other perks include even more savings when you book your room and flights together, convenient on-site return testing on all islands except St. Croix, and direct flights from many major hubs. Travel requirements for each island are as follows: Aruba & Bonaire: No testing required Barbados: No testing required for fully vaccinated travelers St. Croix: No testing required for fully vaccinated domestic travelers and no return testing needed to travel from St. Croix to US states and territories St. Maarten: No testing required for fully vaccinated and boosted travelers Divi Resorts offers resorts on Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, St. Croix, and St. Maarten with a wide range of on-site amenities, including sparkling freshwater pools, relaxing hot tubs, exhilarating land and water sports, diving and snorkeling, top-notch restaurants and bars, and indulgent spas. Divi is ideal for solo travelers who dont want to pay an extra room supplement or families who need room to spread out in large suites. This sale also includes Divis newest Oceans offerings on St. Croix and St. Maarten, Oceans at Divi Carina Bay and Oceans at Divi Little Bay. Located in the west wing of the completely renovated, adult-only (18+) Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive Beach Resort & Casino on St. Croix, Oceans at Divi Carina Bay offers 50 spacious hotel rooms with sweeping ocean views right on the resort's expansive white sand beach. Guests can choose from two types of beachfront accommodations with incredible ocean views, added perks like fresh robes, gourmet coffee, upgraded bathroom amenities, and more. For more information on accommodations, amenities, and activities at Oceans at Divi Carina Bay, visit http://www.diviresorts.com/oceans-carina-bay.htm. Situated on a private peninsula surrounded by turquoise waters, Oceans at Divi Little Bays exclusive new 98-room Caribbean oasis is located within Divi Little Bay Beach Resort, nestled right next to the resort's expansive pureocean pool and swim-up bar. Oceans at Divi Little Bay offers three types of accommodations with incredible pool and ocean views, and upgraded touches such as fresh robes, comfy slippers, spa amenities, espresso machine, gourmet coffee pods, VIP check-in and checkout, and more. For more information on accommodations, amenities, and activities at Oceans at Divi Little Bay, visit http://www.diviresorts.com/oceans-little-bay.htm. Divi Resorts backs its bookings with a pay over time program, a best price guarantee, and optional trip insurance. When it comes to resort safety, the resort has implemented Divis CLEAN CHECK program with strict health and cleanliness protocols to safeguard and protect guests. Each resort is also adhering to all local government directives. For more information on the CLEAN CHECK program, visit http://www.diviresorts.com/clean-check.htm. About Divi Resorts: The Caribbean vacation expert for over 50 years, Divi Resorts features a collection of seven premium resorts spanning the five stunning islands of Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, St. Croix, and St. Maarten. Divi Resorts offers a best price guarantee, optional travel insurance, travel agent rates, a Divi Devotion Discount, and other programs. For more information on Divi Resorts, call 1-800-367-3484 or visit http://www.diviresorts.com. Sale Terms & Conditions: http://www.diviresorts.com/specials Pay Over Time Program: For the pay over time program, all rates and any applicable fees are subject to the provider of the services. Spadea Lignana has brought on five new members to their team of franchise attorneys. The law firm, which has offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Melville, New York and focusing on emerging franchise brands, is thrilled to have the newly promoted partners. These individuals include Stephanie Grobler, Will Jameson, Matt Wizmur, Andrew Matson and Cameron McKinley. Our success and growth over the last decade is a direct result of the tremendous team that helps clients win in franchising year after year. We are sowing the seeds of the next generation of firm leaders. Each of these five individuals are exceptional, who have earned the respect and trust of their peers and clients and embody our culture of trust, transparency, problem solving and continuous improvement, said founding partner Tom Spadea. They bring a myriad of backgrounds and experiences to their work at the firm, while all understanding what it takes to have a sustainable franchise system. These new partners will assist clients with regulatory and contract work and guide both franchisees and franchisors with smart, practical and effective legal advice through the various stages of their endeavor. Stephanie Grobler, who has been with the firm since its inception, has worked with clients in all industries, helping them from business inception to business maturity. She mostly works with franchisors and enjoys meeting all the different executives at various companies. Theres nothing better than helping business owners achieve their goals; to build that generational wealth and create the lifestyle that fits them, Grobler said. Will Jameson has extensive experience in litigation disputes and aiding franchises through challenges. If helping people is not in your DNA, you cant be an effective franchise attorney. I have a focused desire to overcome challenge and disagreement to get that just and best result the client is looking for, said Jameson, who has been with Spadea Lignana since 2015. He spent almost two decades as the legal counsel for big-name brands like AAMCO. Matt Wizmur has lightning-fast response time to clients and colleagues. He is reliable, passionate about business and law (he has an MBA in Business in addition to a law degree) and consistently serves his clients in a way that values both. Much of what I do is actually grounded in business law, as my primary focus is assisting people with either their franchises or those looking to buy existing franchise locations. The best part of the process, working with clients, is how excited and happy they are when a deal we are working on closes, whether they are the seller who is looking to move to the next chapter of their life, or a buyer who is entering into a new venture, Wizmur said. Andrew Matson, a former franchise owner, is able to help clients closely because he has been in their shoes. He has built a career devoted to small business owners and those with a budding entrepreneurial spirit like his own. Matson is a member of the National Cannabis Bar Association, which represents marijuana and CBD franchises. We have a great team of people. There is a great mix of support and freedom, he said of the firm. Cameron McKinley worked for the firm while in law school and joined following graduation. He has since utilized his skills, interests, and experience to work helping franchisors grow within the framework of the franchise regulatory environment. I think the culture that we have is very different than most law firms. We have a truly collaborative and open environment, and everyone wants to work together toward the benefit of each of our clients as a whole, McKinley said. For more information on Spadea Lignana, visit: https://www.spadealaw.com/ FemEng in Kenya We are committed to doing everything we can to encourage a more diverse workforce, and we see our sponsorship of FemEng as playing a vital part in achieving this goal 2022 will be the sixth year running that Star has sponsored FemEng, a collaborative project, which brings together global female engineering students, so they can promote STEM careers to children. This years 6-strong University of Glasgow team arrived safely in Nairobi last Wednesday. They will work with fifteen female engineering students at the University of Nairobi to brainstorm ways to inspire young people to take up engineering and other STEM subjects. The students will promote engineering to children through a series of workshops, exhibitions, and talks, so they can see what a STEM career involves and are encouraged to study STEM at higher education. Stars sponsorship of FemEngs Kenyan project comes at a critical time for the STEM sector which is suffering from a lack of talented entrants, made worse by the global skills shortage, and which is underrepresented by minority groups and female applicants. The company has previously sponsored FemEng initiatives in Rwanda and Malawi and runs several programs aimed at inspiring female engineers to work in the Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump (RACHP) industry. Star were celebrated for their role in promoting diversity at the RAC Cooling Awards in 2021 and received the Highly Commended Accolade for Diversity Impact, for the success of numerous programs to improve diversity in the industry. Dr Andy Pearson, Group Managing Director for the Star Refrigeration group of companies, We are committed to doing everything we can to encourage a more diverse workforce, and we see our sponsorship of FemEng as playing a vital part in achieving this goal. As one of the companys core missions, the promotion of a more inclusive workforce is a critical field for Star Refrigeration. Dr Pearson said, By encouraging women and minorities to enter STEM fields, more people are inspired to realise their potential and the industry benefits too as employers can draw from a larger pool of the best talent. The Femengs Rwandan project, which ran between 2016-2019 and reached over 6000 children, was recognised by the Scottish Parliament as an inspiring initiative. The scheme has also had a lasting impact applications for STEM subjects at the University of Rwanda have increased by over 50% and the universitys recently formed FemEng society, Future You, continues to promote STEM careers in the UK. In 2020-2021, during the pandemic, a virtual FemEng project reached 350 children in Malawi despite the project being limited due to computer access within the South-East African nation. Kaitlyn Rodger, project manager at FemEng said, We are really grateful for Star Refrigerations contribution, without them the project would not be able to go ahead. We look forward to reaching as many schools and children as possible during our time in Kenya and showing them that they can pursue a career in STEM. According to The FemEng in Kenyas facebook feed the girls all got along really well and are looking forward to working together. The group spent the first two days getting to know the city and meeting the University of Nairobis team. They are currently creating workshop materials in preparation for Monday, when the official work will start. The Glasgow teams adventures in Nairobi can be followed at https://www.femengkenya.com/post/day-2-meeting-the-girls To learn more about the project and FemEngs work, visit http://gufemeng.weebly.com/ Team Fastrax Parachute Demonstration Team We are honored to have a part in celebrating the memory of their amazing son. God bless all of the Gold Star families out there carrying on their loved one's legacies. On Saturday, May 28th, 2022, the Rocky's Run for Freedom 5k will start at 9:00 am at the Miamisburg's Veteran Memorial Park (Formerly Library Park) in Miamisburg, OH. At precisely 8:45 am, Team Fastrax will reverently skydive over the event with their majestic 2,000 square foot American Flag, and 150 ft long red, white, and blue streamers. Miamisburg's Veteran Memorial Park is the perfect spot to host this patriotic event on Memorial Day weekend. According to the Rocky's Run for Freedom Facebook page, this event honors not only Cpl. Paul "Rocky" Zanowick II, but all other veterans who gave their lives for our country. Proceeds in 2022 will benefit the Woody Williams Foundation, Sophie's Companions for Veterans, and the Uriah Edward Zanowick Trust Fund (in honor of his father, Cpl. Paul "Rocky" Zanowick II). Registration is available for the 5k on Runsignup.com. The entry fee is $30 for both the virtual and in-person events. They are offering a discounted entry fee of $25 for those under 18 years old. It will automatically be applied based on the birthdate used to register. The race will start promptly at 9:00 am. Participant's times will not start until they cross the mat. John Hart, a founder of Team Fastrax, said, "The Zanowicks are phenomenal supporters of veterans and other Gold Star families and are treasured members of the Blue Skies for the Good Guys and Gals Warrior Foundation (BS3G). We are honored to have a part in celebrating the memory of their amazing son. God bless all of the Gold Star families out there carrying on their loved one's legacies." For those interested in more information on Cpl. Paul "Rocky" Zanowick II, a video of Paul and Nanette Zanowick telling their son's story is available on the BS3G YouTube channel. ABOUT TEAM FASTRAX Team Fastrax, sponsored by SELECTiON.COM, is the most ambitious professional skydiving team in the world. The team has a roster of more than twenty-nine active members, with a collective of more than 300,000 skydives. Team Fastrax has performed exhibition skydives worldwide for audiences large and small as a patriotic display or as a product promotion. ABOUT SELECTiON.COM SELECTiON.COM is a nationwide provider of criminal and pre-employment background screenings, also referred to as a Consumer Reporting Agency. Headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, SELECTiON.COM is a veteran-owned company that has been in business since 1991 and offers more than 35 background and data collection services. Sampling of ad campaign imagery. (Images courtesy of United Methodist Communications.) "Though local church programs may look a bit different in the summer, we want to establish awareness about and interest in The United Methodist Church during the summertime and beyond." shared Poonam Patodia, Chief Marketing Officer for United Methodist Communications. Summer may be vacation time, but the denominational advertising campaign from United Methodist Communications reminds us that local churches don't take a break from serving and ministering to communities. The ads are expanding to additional outlets while encouraging people to join The United Methodist Church in engaging in a season of togetherness. The ads will run this week through June 19th. It has been noted that churches typically see a decline in summer attendance," shared Poonam Patodia, Chief Marketing Officer for United Methodist Communications. Though local church programs may look a bit different in the summer, we want to establish awareness about and interest in The United Methodist Church during the summertime and beyond. Personal invitations and local church outreach can build upon these ads. This season sees a new slate of advertisements rolling out to engage people on TikTok and Snapchat. The eye-catching and fun videos aim to draw people in visually via the apps and then physically to their local United Methodist church location. The ads serve as invitations to discover a community where people connect to God and with each other and where faith impacts lives and helps to create a joy-filled outlook on life. "I am very excited about these TikTok and Snapchat ads as the energy is wonderful and the music fits so well, exclaimed Dr. Michelle Maldonado, Director of Seeker Advertising and Communications. They feel very authentic to the platforms I believe that this authenticity will allow the ads to feel more relevant to and resonate well with users of these apps." Building off of the spring campaign, the messaging will once again use digital display and video, including social media, websites, search engines, advanced television and billboards, collectively targeting adults ages 18 to 49 in 30 top markets representing key national and Hispanic communities. Each ad directs people to one of two limited-time landing pages at UMC.org/Together and UMC.org/Juntos to begin their relationship with The United Methodist Church. We want to equip all of the denominations local churches to use these ads in their communities through their communications channels and relationships. The resource tools website ResourceUMC.org/Together provides access to the previously created ads and the new TikTok and Snapchat videos, said Jennifer Rodia, UMComs Chief Communications Officer. United Methodist Communications also provides content and tools to support individuals no matter where they are in their journey of faith and in their relationship with and role in The United Methodist Church. Every year United Methodist Communications implements a series of ad campaigns. Each generates awareness of The United Methodist Church among spiritual seekers, those not affiliated with a church who may be looking for community with others. They serve as an invitation to connect with a local United Methodist church to experience what it offers individuals whether they choose to participate in person or online. ### About United Methodist Communications As the communications agency for The United Methodist Church, United Methodist Communications seeks to increase awareness and visibility of the denomination in communities and nations around the globe. United Methodist Communications also offers services, tools, and resources for communications ministry. Discover more about the agency at Resourceumc.org/Communications. Learn how to support this communications ministry work at ResourceUMC.org/GiveUMCom. Ziegler Investment Banking Managing Director, Christopher Utz, who arranged and negotiated the transaction, said, The Hill Valley Management team found a diamond in the rough with this community. Ziegler, a specialty investment bank, is pleased to announce its role as exclusive financial advisor in raising financing of $35,250,000 (the Financing or the Transaction) on behalf of Hill Valley Healthcare to acquire a rental CCRC located in Farmville, Virginia. The community, The Woodland, offers independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing services. As a CCRC, The Woodland serves seniors across the entire spectrum of care featuring 60 independent living, 85 assisted living, and 120 skilled nursing beds. However, The Woodland offers its residents additional financial optionality not usually seen at a CCRC in that it utilizes a rental model instead of the typical CCRC entrance fee model catering to the private pay, traditional commercial insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid populations. Hill Valley Healthcare will both own and operate The Woodland, which will mark its tenth senior housing / skilled nursing community under management in the state of Virginia and twentieth overall in their growing East Coast footprint spanning Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Rhode Island. Ziegler Investment Banking Managing Director, Christopher Utz, who arranged and negotiated the transaction, said, The Hill Valley Management team found a diamond in the rough with this community. They will be able to utilize their current operating model, footprint, and innovative approach to optimize all aspect the services provided to the Farmville community. Hill Valley Healthcares team is led by Shimmy Idels, LNHA and Steven Schwartz, both Co-Founders and Co-CEOs. As per Steven, We are very excited about the acquisition of The Woodland. The community fits perfectly within our Virginia footprint, and we are excited to expand and improve the scope of services for the residents. Chris went above and beyond his scope of services and structured a very flexible and cost-effective capital structure. Shimmy commented, Through the coordinated efforts of our internal acquisitions team and Chris team at Ziegler, we were able to bring another community into our family allowing us to expand upon the quality services Hill Valley is providing to seniors in that market. Zieglers Senior Housing & Care Finance Practice brings its experience and expertise to senior housing and post-acute care clients. By offering a comprehensive suite of products for debt, equity and M&A services, our professionals provide creative solutions that meet your organizations capital goals. For more information about Ziegler, please visit us at http://www.ziegler.com. About Ziegler: Ziegler is a privately held, national boutique investment bank, capital markets and proprietary investments firm. It has a unique focus on healthcare, senior living and education sectors, as well as general municipal and structured finance. Headquartered in Chicago with regional and branch offices throughout the U.S., Ziegler provides its clients with capital raising, strategic advisory services, fixed income sales, underwriting and trading as well as Ziegler Credit, Surveillance and Analytics. To learn more, visit http://www.ziegler.com. Certain comments in this news release represent forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This clients experience may not be representative of the experience of other clients, nor is it indicative of future performance or success. The forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, in particular, the overall financial health of the securities industry, the strength of the healthcare sector of the U.S. economy and the municipal securities marketplace, the ability of the Company to underwrite and distribute securities, the market value of mutual fund portfolios and separate account portfolios advised by the Company, the volume of sales by its retail brokers, the outcome of pending litigation, and the ability to attract and retain qualified employees. # # # An online survey of the Ukrainian book market undertaken by Anastasiia Zagorui on behalf of Ukrainian trade publication Chytomo was conducted from March 26 to April 8. Eighty-one publishers participated in the survey, which examines how the publishing community has adapted to wartime conditions; of those, 10% said they were forced to stop their operations, including 4mamas Publishing House, Abrykos, Booksha, DIPA, Mamino, Oleksandr Savchuk, Osnova Publishing Group, and Smoloskyp. Others, such as Blym-Blym, Izhak, and Klio, have been severely compromised. The majority of publishers, 51%, continue to publish but have altered their operating models, taking such measures as reducing their working hours. Thirty-nine percent of publishers had not changed their models when the survey was taken. In one comment, the team of Creative Women Publishing said that, despite the war, they are back on track with all their projects. Despite the fact that the publishing houses employees are geographically dispersedsome have stayed in Ukraine and others are abroadeveryone keeps in touch, Creative Women reported. Many publishers responded that they continue to work normally but are allowing displaced employees to work remotely and are ramping up the production of e-books. The Nash Format publishing house told Chytomo that members of its editorial department work from different parts of Ukraine and abroad, and that the vast majority of its freelancers, including translators, are continuing to work. The publisher is focusing on titles that will be of particular interest during the war and in the postwar period. Many publishers continue working on projects they began before the invasion, including organizing readings and events. We are looking for ways to financially support our authors, said Yevheniia Lopata of the Meridian Czernowitz cultural festival. Namely, we organize our authors readings in front of German-speaking audiencesmostly online. We already have an agreement with the Vienna University of Applied Arts for a series of public talks and literary events with our authors Representatives of Ranok Publishing, based in Kharkiv, which was heavily shelled by the Russian army, told Chytomo, Our team came to an agreement with a Polish printing house to publish our books for Ukrainian refugees. They are distributed free of charge to children who are currently in Poland. The same will soon be done in the Czech Republic. Some physical bookstores in Ukrainian cities, mostly in the west of the country, told Chytomo they were resuming operations. Staryi Lev Publishing House Bookstores and Cafes were operating in Lviv, but not in Kyiv, Odesa, or Dnipro. KSD Bookclubs stores were also open. Among publishers surveyed, 55% did not move, 36% partially relocated within Ukraine, 7% fully relocated within Ukraine, and 2% moved abroad. Yakaboo publishing house transported a million Ukrainian books from its warehouse in Kyiv into western Ukraine. But several other publishers, including ACCA, IST, and Izhak had millions of copies of books marooned in warehouses in Kyiv and Kharkiv. It is not possible to sell books, as the rented warehouse is currently closed, and there are no employees left in Kyiv, representatives of the Clio publishing house told Chytomo. The war has curtailed sales, with 95% of publishers reporting that sales fell dramatically during the first month of the war. Accordingly, 17% of publishers were still paying full wages, 55% were paying reduced wages, and 28% had been unable to pay employees at all. Seeking support abroad As for working with international partners, 24.6% of publishers have established cooperation with publishers abroad, 51% plan to do so, and 24.4% say they do not know how to enter the international market. Some of this cooperation has taken the form of support on social media. From the first days of the full-scale war, we have been communicating with our foreign authors and encouraging them to support Ukraine in their social media, representatives of the Nash Format reported. Moreover, author Ryan Holiday donated about $15,000 to Ukraine. One publisher, Chas Majstriv, opened a branch in Krakow, Poland. Rodovid Publishing House is working with colleagues in Canada. Among recent deals for Ukrainian titles, Larysa Denysenkos Maya and Her Mothers will be published by Britains Bonnier Books, and the proceeds will be donated to UNICEF to support Ukrainian children. British publisher Pushkin Press will release Designland, or a Walk in the Zone by Markian Kamysh; Polands Wydawnictwo KEW will publish Daughter by Tamara Gorikha Zernia; and Romany Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesivs The War That Changed Rondo will be issued by three international houses. Also, the team of Ranok Publishing Housewith the support of the Ukrainian Ministry of Education and Science, the Ukrainian Institute of Education Content Modernization, and partners from the European Educational Publishing Grouphas been actively working to make Ukrainian textbooks available free of charge to all students in Europe. Lending a hand at home Among publishers surveyed, 86.6% have employees who volunteered for humanitarian efforts, and 30.5% have employees serving in combat roles. Since the beginning of the war, we have established a headquarters with our authors to coordinate the settlement of temporarily displaced artists in Bukovyna and Zakarpattia, Meridian Czernowitzs Lopata told Chytomo. Every day we welcome people from other cities of Ukraine, mostly the Kharkiv and Kyiv regions. The families of our team members help to transport humanitarian aid from Romania to Chernivtsi, where it is sorted and transferred to Ukraine. Other publishers are helping to raise funds for those displaced and to assist with logistical efforts. Several employees of Ukrainian publishers have gone missing or were killed. Unfortunately, we do not have information about many of our authors who are now in Mariupol, said representatives from Bukrek publishing house. They have not been in touch since March 2, and they are not on the evacuees lists. Among those who died as a result of the war are Mykola Kravchenko, founder of the publisher Orientir, who was killed by shelling on March 14. Historian and publicist Serhiy Deimos Zaikovsky, one of the Plomin publishing houses translators, was killed during a counteroffensive by the Ukrainian army. Dmitry Yevdokymov, one of the authors of On Rights and Responsibilities: Your Handbook of Citizenship, and author Yuri Ruf, whose books were published by the Zalizny Tato, have also been killed. Keeping culture alive IST has released three new titles since the start of the war, and the publishing houses Anetta Antonenko, Knygolav, and Folio started selling books online. Others are offering free access to select books. Most publishers told Chytomo that Ukraines government actions should focus on presenting Ukrainian culture abroad, to help build a positive image of the country. In addition, publishers said they would like the government to help the industry through cultural grants, tax benefits, and with assistance in promoting the sale of foreign rights. Some publishers said theyve put their hope in European institutions, such as the International Renaissance Foundation and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Others suggested reaching out to other international organizations that could distribute books abroad. We cant lose these spheres and people, because it is vitally important to be a cultural nation, representatives from the publisher Zhorzh told Chytomo. Book publishing will not resurrect itself; help and investments are needed. One form of foreign support for Ukrainian publishers is the distribution of books to Ukrainian refugees and emigres abroad: The purchases of books for temporarily displaced persons and Ukrainians abroad will allow the book publishing industry to somehow stay afloat, said representatives from the Bukrek publishing house. Investing in e-books and libraries The survey also found a consensus to support e-books and other innovations in order to provide Ukrainians with access to books in their native language, wherever they are. Representatives from Nebo BookLab Publishing told Chytomo, Enrichment of the publishing portfolio with e-books so that Ukrainians who have moved can read is also an option. We should communicate through bloggers, etc., that the publishing house is still operating and encourage people to buy books. Anastasia Gulko, print manager at Laurus, said, Now that its clear that we need to keep going, weve focused on creating e-books. We have been planning on that for a long time, but something kept bothering us, until there were no alternatives left. We have found partners through which we will be able to distribute e-books abroad, in particular in Poland. Besides, we continue what we started before the warthat is, our electronic archives systematization and paper books publishing. There are a few projects that only need to wait for the victory to be issued. So we are waiting. Another area of agreement was the importance of the government in promoting library purchases, especially in those regions affected by the invasion, and childrens books. To direct funds to cover the costs of translation and printing, to support the program of library funds replenishment, into which school libraries could be also included, especially in those areas where Ukrainians were forced to relocate after a large-scale invasionthese are steps, that need to be taken, said representatives from Kalamar. Of course, nearly all those in the Ukrainian publishing community asserted that the world must continue to boycott Russian businesses, ban them from participating in public events, and ban the sale of foreign rights to Russian books. Representatives from Komubuk told Chytomo, Defeat the enemy! Close all the paths for Russian literature. Stop the activities of all Russian publishing houses, subsidiaries, and booksellers. This is the way we move together toward our common victory. Three publishing sales and marketing directors, and two indie bookstore insiders, dispelled assumptions about university presses at the U.S. Book Show. Five panelists opened with what University of Texas Press sales and marketing manager Gianna LaMorte called a round of "myth-busting." Levi Stahl, marketing director at the University of Chicago Press, ventured to say that "functionally, a good university press is like a trade house in terms of how you interact with the components of your list." Hardcover prices can be steep, but general titles are in line with the trade market, and most are available through wholesalers. "We've come a long way," agreed LaMorte. "We've heard booksellers saying, 'Your books are out of reach.' We've heard you. We've made a lot of adjustments." Columbia University Press consortium sales manager Catherine Hobbs thinks so too. "When you're working with our publishers directly, we are competitive," Hobbs said. "Our discounts are competitive with major houses. Our books are as easy to return as everybody else's." To see the video, click here to log in to the U.S. Book Show. Seminary Co-op Bookstore director of strategy and development Clancey D'Isa, and Source Booksellers co-owner Alyson Turner, weighed in. Chicago's Seminary Co-op, established in 1961, stocks an academic inventory. Detroit's Source, founded in 2002, focuses on nonfiction. Both have longstanding UP partnerships that counteract old-fashioned understandings. Turner recalled a book club seeking a prohibitively expensive Yale UP hardcover. She reached out to Yale, which sent 20 copies of the paperback edition. LaMorte chimed in that for classroom use, "we've rushed a book to paperback." It never hurts to ask. "Authors from university presses do events [too]," continued Turner, who invited author Charles Bell to Detroit, his hometown, to talk about Suspended: Punishment, Violence, and the Failure of School Safety (Johns Hopkins). At the Seminary Co-op, D'Isa coordinates "out-of-the-box" events, like celebrating books from UT Press's music catalog at Chicago venues. "The world of university press books is incredibly diverse," D'Isa emphasized, with readers from all walks of life. "As someone who publishes these books, I have to check myself and not forget how smart and curious people are," LaMorte agreed. She once assumed a buyer at a southwestern bookstore wouldn't look twice at a $30 paperback. "I sheepishly said, 'I think this one's probably a skip.' And it was about the border. The buyer said, 'We have some pretty smart people here.' " Similarly, indies "sold several thousand copies" of UT-Austin professor Omise'eke Tinsley's Beyonce in Formation. Buyers will scoop up niche and regional titles, LaMorte insisted. Hobbs echoed LaMorte's insights. "We don't expect our books to do well in every store," she said, yet "our books add depth. There's a serendipity that our books bring to the browsing experience." Hobbs finds that e-book shoppers search keywords to find exactly what they want, while impulse shoppers stay open to chance. Anecdotally, added Stahl, UP "frontlist struggled during Covid. Backlist did all right. I attribute that to the fact people were not in stores seeing what was new." Alerting bookstores to those showcase titles comes at a price, of course. ARCs are costly, LaMorte acknowledged, and she ships them far and wide. Hobbs described arriving at a tradeshow, "tote bags loaded down with ARCs. We have switched to doing more digital galleys," she said. At Seminary Co-op, D'Isa likes seeing UPs "in the same channels as trade books." If a book is on Edelweiss, staffers go there before requesting an ARC (or disposing of one they don't want). Efficiency gets another boost when UPs time their titles to the industry, panelists concurred. When scheduling release dates, UPs "need to go for Tuesday," said Turner. LaMorte followed up: "99% of us try to [position] our pub dates so those books can be aligned, so folks can get free shipping," she said. The panel wrapped up with a lightning round of titles that debunk the persistent myth of academic stodginess. Turner featured Stefanie Dunning's Black to Nature (Mississippi), while Clancey saluted Jhumpa Lahiri's essay collection Translating Myself and Others (Princeton) and plugged her colleague Jeff Deutsch's In Praise of Good Bookstores (Princeton). Stahl held up the University of Chicago Press's forthcoming Pow! Right in the Eye!, the newly translated memoir of Parisian art dealer Berthe Weill (June 22), and former Bookslut blogger Jessa Crispin's My Three Dads, "a tragic and scary story about a beloved teacher at her high school." Hobbs reminded everyone of Adrian Miller's 2021 barbecue book Black Smoke (UNC), nominated for a 2022 James Beard Award, and Treva Lindsey's America, Goddam (California). For LaMorte, Francesca Royster's forthcoming Black Country Music is "probably the most important book we've done in several years on music." The panel concluded with a collegial invitation, and a bit of a dig at the mainstream. "Our world is a small world when it comes to sales representation, so I can help put you in touch with Levi's reps," Hobbs offered. LaMorte then reflected that "university presses have just the right amount of competitiveness. We are more colleagues than anything else. Now, when it comes to trade publishers, no. It's bloodthirst." Maybe mythbusting goes both ways. The relocation of the companys existing Manchester facility is designed to accelerate Gravity Medias ongoing expansion and build client relationships and creative opportunities outside of London. The new Gravity Media production centre is located in Manchester city centre in the iconic ABC Buildings which also plays home to VERSA studios, BBC, The Farm, Sony, Quay Street Productions, LS Productions and many more. The 3,000 square foot space is said to have been carefully designed to meet the high-grade technical specification needed by Gravity Media to service their broadcast clients, as well as a new base for their dedicated local equipment rental team.Recent Manchester work highlights included the team helping to relocate and set up the five-camera studio for BBC Studios working in collaboration with VERSA Studios which enabled the broadcast of popular daytime show, BBC Morning Live. Gravity Media believes that being in such close proximity will also mean can continue to work in partnership with VERSA Studios to supply equipment, integrate systems and provide engineering support.The new facility is also seen as meaning the company can draw easily on its EMEA and Global network and collaborate directly with its London production centre, enabling completely decentralised remote production workflows. The space boasts three off-tube commentary booths, two Avid Media Composer edit suites connected to the edit core for a full suite of edit services, a dedicated audio control room and two multi-suite, three-tier production galleries designed with the flexibility to integrate next generation cloud-based, GPU-powered workflows including the likes of MAVIS and GVAMPP The Manchester offering will also be able to utilise Gravity Medias OB truck, Pictor, which can fit up to 16 fixed cameras and seat a crew of eight and is designed to support both traditional and remote workflows.The expansion into a brand new, cutting-edge production centre is a big moment for Gravity Media. We are immensely proud of the team and the business and are excited about what the space can offer our clients, commented Gravity Media EMEA MD Ed Tischler.As we plan to attract the next generation of northern broadcasting talent to support our next growth phase, we are focused on ensuring we continue to offer the best support for complex broadcast facilities and production services , wherever its needed across the North of England. Our new Gravity Media Manchester base will also be able to support clients with remote production and rental solutions for global broadcasters, production companies and live event organisers. The team can also offer specialist camera solutions, housing the latest Gravity Media innovation cameras trusted by content creators around the world, from handheld wireless cameras and in-sport on-boards, through to POV cameras, RF facilities and helicopter links.The new location joins Gravity Medias other global production centres in London, Sydney, Melbourne and San Francisco. After America endured six months of its worst baby formula shortage in decades, Joe Biden finally invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) on May 18. The DPA enables the president to order the production or importation of supplies needed to save lives during national emergenciesin short, to mitigate shortages. When asked why he didnt invoke the DPA sooner, Biden mentioned that he and his Administration are not mind readersdespite being so-called expertssuggesting he and his Administration are blameless for endangering the lives of over 3 million American babies. Heres the reality: if President Trump and my former boss, Peter NavarroPresident Trumps trade and manufacturing advisor and DPA policy coordinatorreacted as belatedly and nonchalantly to the rapidly spreading coronavirus in 2020, they would have been slammed by the media establishment, public health experts, and other Democratic Party operatives. In reality, President Trump, Peter Navarro, and the entire Trump Administration were in rapid-response mode in early 2020, shutting down travel from China and invoking the DPA to fix our medical supply chains by March 2020. By January 2021, the Trump Administration had used the Defense Production Act over 100 times, which provided several large-scale and long-term contracts for American manufacturers to produce medical supplies domestically. In short, the Trump Administration spurred the greatest mobilization of American industry since World War II. Biden has not awarded a single DPA contract to date to American baby formula manufacturers. Meanwhile, the Biden Administration remains focused on violating Second Amendment rights, preserving Roe v. Wade, and jet-setting to Latin America. Three key issues characterize Team Bidens baby formula shortage and Bidens tenure: inaction and then a sluggish reaction, a perpetuation of foreign dependency on critical supply chains, and a prioritization of Ukraine over domestic policy. Too little, too late. For one, Biden and his Administration knew about this shortage six months agoand they did nothing to fix it. ABC News and the New York Times reported on baby formula shortages in October 2021, and Bidens own FDA commissioner recently admitted that his agency had been way too slow in responding to this crisis, which has led to hospitalized malnourished infants and empty store shelves. Also, Abbott Laboratoriesthe company responsible for 40% of US baby formula productionreported that its baby formula factory had a dangerous bacterial problem in February, with, of course, no response at the time from the Biden Administration. Bidens baby formula shipments are foreign. Second, the Biden Administration is reinforcing our dependence on foreign supply chains for critical materials by immediately turning to Europe for mass imports of baby formula. Additionally, the Biden Administration took 217 days to invoke the DPA for this crisis from when shortages were first reported. Conversely, when combatting ventilator shortages during the pandemic, Trump and Navarro utilized the DPA to bolster U.S. industry and national security by mobilizing companies like General Motors to stand up brand new factories within just seventeen days. The experts in the Biden Administration are lucky that Europe has not invoked export controls on baby formula, as over eighty countries did in regard to their medical supplies during the pandemic. Otherwise, our infants would still be stuck with nothing. Third, its apparent Biden is prioritizing Ukraine over American infants. Following the Supreme Court leak of a draft decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Biden is already threatening lawsuits, while only taking a few days to sign off on $40 billion for Ukraine. Furthermore, while delivering a college commencement speech, Kamala Harris was practically on the verge of tears at the thought of what she imagines overturn of Roe v. Wade will mean. The Biden Administrations only advice to concerned parents as recently as the middle of this month was to go ask their doctors for free samples of formula. Biden-esque Band-Aids Versus Trumpian Solutions Several lawmakers in Congress have proposed remedies to address this crisis, including Democrat Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and Republican Senator Rand Paul. However, DeLauros $28 million bill to combat the baby formula shortage (which is currently headed to the Senate) mostly goes toward raising salaries for FDA bureaucrats, while Senator Pauls bill aims to remove tariffs and other import restrictions on foreign-sourced baby formula, which only exacerbates our reliance on foreign countries for manufactured goods. Needless to say, these bills are band-aids, not solutions, to the crisis. To solve the formula shortage, what needs to happen is a Trumpian-style industry revival through strategic use of the DPA to bolster American factories and mobilize American workers. The federal government should redirect tax dollars being sent abroad to foreign countries like Ukraine, and instead award multiple large-scale government contracts to U.S. baby formula manufacturers. This should be done with strong oversight to ensure that production facilities meet the highest-quality safety standards. These actions will, in turn, create and sustain jobs, revamp the baby formula industry, and save lives. Joanna Miller was a Senior Policy Analyst in the Trump White House in the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy. Alec Baldwin is mourning the death of his mother, Carol Baldwin. ADVERTISEMENT The 64-year-old actor posted a tribute to his mom Thursday on Instagram after she died at age 92. Alec Baldwin shared news of his mother's death alongside an old photo of his mom and a more recent image. "Carol M. Baldwin, mother of actors Alec, Daniel, William and Stephen Baldwin and two daughters, Elizabeth and Jane, died today in Syracuse, New York," the family said in a statement. The family shared more details about Carol Baldwin's life, including how she first met her husband, Alexander R. Baldwin Jr., as they attended Syracuse University. Alexander Baldwin died at age 55 in 1983. "Carol Baldwin raised her children and, when her last was a teenager, went to work in marketing research for a firm called Quick Test, operating out of a local shopping mall," the post reads. The family then recalled how Carol Baldwin was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991. Carol Baldwin survived cancer and worked with a number of Long Island-area breast cancer support groups to help establish the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund at SUNY Stony Brook. Carol Baldwin later helped establish another chapter at SUNY Upstate University. The two chapters have raised millions of dollars for breast cancer research. 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! "My mother taught me about second acts. And third ones, too," Alec Baldwin said in a statement. "She spent the last 25 years of her life as a fighter and a champion for the cause to which she devoted so much energy. We are all enormously proud of her accomplishments." Carol Baldwin is survived by her six children, 25 grandchildren, including model Hailey Bieber and actress Ireland Baldwin, and 14 great grandchildren. Hailey Bieber reposted Alec Baldwin's tribute on Instagram Stories, writing, "We love you Grandma." South Korean boy band BTS has teamed up with American music producer Benny Blanco. ADVERTISEMENT The K-pop group collaborated with Blanco, 34, on the remix medley "#MyBTSTracks," released Friday. The new track features the BTS songs "Fake Love," "Life Goes On" and "Blood Sweat and Tears," which have been remixed into a one-minute medley by Blanco. Blanco promoted the remix with a playful video Thursday on TikTok. In the video, Blanco declared himself "the biggest BTS fan" and shared footage of himself "working" on the remix. Blanco had shared photos of himself meeting BTS backstage in April. "did i just join the band..." he captioned the post. BTS will release the anthology album Proof on June 10. The album features the new song "Yet to Come," the group's first single of 2022. BTS shared a concept photo for the album Friday. 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! BTS will visit the White House next week to meet with President Joe Biden . The group will discuss anti-Asian hate crimes and the importance of diversity and Asian inclusion and representation. BTS consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook. The group is signed to Big Hit and made its debut in 2013. Disney+ released the first trailer for the Star Wars series Andor on Thursday. The trailer premiered at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, Calif. ADVERTISEMENT Diego Luna reprises his role of Cassian Andor from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Rogue One took place directly before Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope and Andor is a prequel to Rogue One. The trailer shows Andor flying a shuttle through explosive spaceship chases. The trailer also offered a look at co-stars Genevieve O'Reilly, Stellan Skarsgard, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough and Kyle Solle. Fiona Shaw gets the last line of the trailer as her character, Maarva. "People are standing up," Maarva said. "That's what a reckoning sounds like." Andor is one of the rebels who rise up against the Empire led by Darth Vader in the original trilogy. Andor premieres Aug. 31 on Disney+ with two episodes with new episodes weekly on Wednesdays. 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! The Stranger Things cast performed a rap on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. ADVERTISEMENT Maya Hawke and Priah Ferguson appeared on Thursday's episode of the NBC late-night show, where they rapped a recap of Stranger Things thus far. The stars began their song in Season 1 with friends Dustin (Matarazzo), Lucas (McLaughlin), Will (Noah Schnapp) and Mike (Wolfhard) playing DnD in their hometown of Hawkins, Ind. "They wanna kill the Demogorgon when they roll the dice / But that night, Will disappears riding on his bike," Wolfhard raps. Priah Ferguson, who plays Erica Sinclair, then introduces Millie Bobby Brown's character, Eleven. "She has special powers but her life is kinda awful / She's always gettin' nosebleeds and eatin' Eggo waffles," Ferguson raps. In Season 2, the cast recounts how "Will is pukin' slugs and his visions won't stop / To top it off, his Mom has got a boyfriend Bob / And Dustin has a slimy pet, growing big and fat." The stars end their rap with Season 3, which takes place in 1985. 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! "Everybody's growing up and shopping at the mall / Steve and Robin work the counter at the Scoops Ahoy / And figure out the Russians have a super-secret ploy," Hawke, who plays Robin, raps. Stranger Things is created by the Duffer brothers, who serve as showrunners and executive producers with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. The series follows a young group of friends as they experience supernatural events in their small town. Season 4 will see the friends fight as a team as they take on impossible odds and face a new threat in their hometown. The new season will be split into two parts. Season 4, Volume 1 premiered Friday on Netflix. The series also stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Cara Buono, Matthew Modine and Sadie Sink. Porterville, CA (93257) Today Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 96F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 59F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Members of the American Legion and the VFW on Monday, May 30, 2022, visit memorials and cemeteries in Brattleboro, Vt., on Memorial Day, to honor the lives of soldiers that have died. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional showers overnight. Low 56F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Photo: VCG US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a speech on US' China policy at George Washington University on Thursday, which is so far the most comprehensive and systematic policy exposition by the Biden administration on the relations between the two countries. In a speech that lasted about an hour, Blinken outlined the Biden administration's China strategy as "invest, align and compete." That is, invest in US competitiveness, align with allies and partners, and compete with China. In general, this speech appears to be relatively "moderate," especially compared with the "new iron curtain speech" by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2020, with a posture that is less aggressive and bellicose. It even contained some "beautiful words." For example, Blinken expressed the willingness to strengthen direct "communication across a full range of issues" with China, adding that Washington "does not seek to transform China's political system," and " does not seek to stop China from growing their economy," the US "does not want a new Cold War," "does not want to sever China's economy from the global economy" and "does not support Taiwan independence." However, as an old Chinese saying goes: "We do not only listen to what one says but also watch what one does." We will wait and see. Of course, that is not the whole content of Blinken's speech. Those "beautiful words" often come with a following sentence, like stating that Beijing poses the "most serious long-term challenge" to the international order, and it is necessary to ensure that China complies with international rules while the US "will shape the strategic environment around Beijing" and "call for change, not to stand against China, but to stand up for peace, security, and human dignity." The US policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, but "what has changed is the growing coercion from Beijing." The diplomatic rhetoric still requests Beijing to submit to Washington's hegemonic demands and this speech on China policy follows Washington's inconsistency between minds and words. It wants to be in the international moral high ground while putting the interests of the US first. We certainly hope that Washington is serious about not falling into a "new Cold War" with China, but the biggest problem now is that it says one thing and does another. US President Joe Biden announced the launch of the "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework" during his just-concluded Asian trip, which is considered to be a "clique" to exclude China, and issued a joint statement with many parts of the content targeting China after the Quad summit. On many occasions, the US has talked a lot about "avoiding a new Cold War," but in practice, it has divided the camp with ideology and arbitrarily asked other countries to choose sides. Isn't this sounding the horn for a "new Cold War"? Even in Blinken's latest policy speech declaring "no new Cold War", many of his words are also full of ideological prejudice and Cold War mindset, which is consistent with the people's impression on the US's behavior. For example, China is described as a "challenge", while the US' response is a kind of "deterrence," as if China is the aggressor and the US is the defender. On the Taiwan question, the Chinese mainland is accused of unilaterally changing the status quo, which actually should be blamed on the Taiwan secessionist force. These are all discourse traps that turn black into white. In addition, Blinken continued the practice of the Pompeo era of trying to separate the Chinese government from the Chinese people, which is both arrogant to the country's political system and disrespect to its people. The reason why it appears less "bellicose" is that - Blinken himself actually touched on - the US has limited ability to directly influence China's "intentions" and "ambitions." It is worth mentioning that what Blinken did not express in his speech is precisely the reality that the US has to face. For example, he emphasized that the US is still a diverse and dynamic society, but the backdrop is the decline of the US, the rampant racism in the country, gun violence and other chronic problems that are hard to eradicate. He talked a lot about allies and partnerships, but reality is that the US is experiencing a credibility crisis globally. The areas where Blinken said in a very positive tone are precisely the dilemmas the country is facing. In any case, compared to his predecessor, Blinken's China policy speech seemed "more responsible" and it at least touched on many areas where China and the US could cooperate. As the largest developing and developed countries, the relations between China and the US profoundly affect the direction of the world. China's policy toward the US is consistent and certain, and it always fulfills its commitment. The key point is whether the US can walk the talk. We hope that the US can really implement in the areas where it could cooperate with China as mentioned in this speech, and regarding the differences, they should be managed according to the wishes expressed in his remarks. This is good news for China and the US and good news for the whole world. Benjamin Franklin once said: "Honesty is the best policy." Although Washington is superior in discourse power, yet the world expects the US to keep its words and deeds in carrying out cooperation and managing differences, not just say "beautiful words" to move itself. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. BELLOWS FALLS A new, 18-year-old deputy in the Windham County Sheriffs Department is the focus of the investigation by both his own departm BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) Chiles president publicly apologized to a woman who was sterilized without her consent at a public hospital two decades ago because she was HIV-positive, ending a years-long legal process that included taking her case to the Inter American Commission on Human Rights in Washington. It hurts to think that the state that I have the honor of representing today is responsible for these cases, President Gabriel Boric said Thursday. The woman has been identified only as Francisca, which is not her real name. She was 20 years old when she became pregnant in 2002 and found out during a routine checkup that she was HIV-positive. Francisca says she was repeatedly criticized by healthcare workers for getting pregnant while living with HIV and, while she underwent a cesarean, doctors sterilized her without her consent, which the new mother only learned about when she came out of anesthesia. Francisca, whose son was born HIV-negative, insists she never agreed to the sterilization procedure claiming her dream had long been to have several children. Despite her claims, courts in Chile dismissed her case as the doctor said she obtained verbal consent for the procedure, which Francisca denies. I receive the apology that the state is offering as a commitment with myself and all the people who went through a similar story, Francisca said in a written statement. It must be clear that I was not the only one and we still face discrimination in the healthcare system. The apology, which was part of the negotiated settlement that Chile sealed at the Inter American Commission on Human Rights in August, is not just about Francisca. This was not an isolated case, said Catalina Martinez Coral, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Center for Reproductive Rights, one of two NGOs that took Franciscas case to the Inter American Commission on Human Rights. It was a systematic practice in the healthcare system. In a 2009 report, the Center for Reproductive Rights said many women living with HIV in Chile faced discrimination from healthcare workers, who often pushed them not to get pregnant. Many also said they were pressured to undergo a sterilization procedure. The forced sterilization of women living with HIV in Chile will no longer be able to be denied, said Sara Araya Leyton, the head of Vivo Positivo, the other NGO that took Franciscas case to Washington. Francisca was not at the ceremony on Thursday, saying in a letter that was read aloud that she would suffer discrimination if she publicly revealed her identity, but officials said she was watching. This is a day of mixed feelings for Francisca, Martinez said. She feels honored and happy but its also difficult for her to understand that so much time had to pass for this to happen. Boric addressed Francisca directly during his speech. I want to start by apologizing to Francisca, as I understand youre on the other side of the camera, for the clear violation of your rights, and also for the denial of justice and for all the time you had to wait for this, Boric said. Chile recognized its responsibility for the violation of human rights before the Inter American Human Rights Commission in 2017 and agreed to pursue a negotiated settlement. In addition to economic compensation for Francisca, Chile also committed to carry out a series of actions, including education campaigns with healthcare workers, to ensure that the case of Francisca will never again be repeated, Boric said. AP journalist Eva Vergara contributed reporting from Santiago, Chile. NEW MILFORD Students were briefly told to shelter in place Friday morning due to a police investigation, according to the district. Superintendent Alisha DiCorpo said in an email that the districts schools were placed in a shelter-in-place for about a half-hour this morning. This was due to an active police investigation in a nearby town that involved a suspect involved in a potential crime. I have been in close contact with the NM Police Department and the shelter in place has been lifted, as the suspect is in custody, said DiCorpo. This was done out of an abundance of caution. There was no immediate threat to our schools. Meanwhile, police in Bethel asked school officials to do a lockout Friday after a community incident, Superintendent Christine Carver said. It was unclear whether the lockout applied to all schools or a specific location. The procedure is similar to a shelter-in-place, Carver said, but allows normal school activities to carry on inside. Details on the incident that prompted the lockout were not immediately available. Police released a statement Friday evening that they responded to a domestic incident involving a gun around 7 a.m. Friday. One person was later taken into custody in that incident, but it was unclear if that was related to the security measures taken by the school district. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MILFORD An Edgefield Avenue man accused of pistol-whipping and shooting a roommate to death told police the killing was accidental, according to a police report. I know I didnt mean to, I know it doesnt make a difference. It doesnt change anything, the suspect, 29-year-old Matthew Miner, allegedly said to detectives after being told the roommate, Justin Spray, 35, was dead. I never intended to do that to him. Miner was charged with murder, criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit and altering or removing the identifying marks on a firearm. Tiffany Rapoport / Contributed photo During his arraignment Thursday in Superior Court, Judge Maureen Dennis ordered Miner held on $1 million bond and continued the case to June 7. Assistant States Attorney Matthew Kalthoff said there is surveillance video footage that captured the homicide. The state would certainly argue it has a strong case, the prosecutor said. Milford Police Department / Contributed photo A bail commissioner said Miner has several pending cases out of Derby Superior Court, including several probation violation charges, as well as several convictions for charges including assault and drunk driving. Deputy Assistant Public Defender Kevin Semataska, who represented Miner at the arraignment, asked the judge to set bond at $750,000, saying his client had very limited means of support and receives income mostly from side jobs. However, the judge denied his request. Police said both men reside at multi-unit boarding house at 83 Edgefield Ave. Authorities were called to the home just before 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon following a report of a fight between two individuals and possible gunfire. According to the police report, when cops arrived they found Miner attempting to perform CPR on Spray before he was identified as a suspect and detained. Spray was rushed to Yale New Haven Hospital but was pronounced dead at 1:47 p.m. A witness who lives at the house told police Miner and Spray were rough-housing outside the home about 20 minutes before the shooting. The witness said Miner was very intoxicated. About 10 to 15 minutes later, Miner told Spray that he had lost his wallet when Spray had tackled him earlier and cursed at him, according to the witness account. When Spray threw down some tools he was holding, Miner pulled out a handgun and pistol-whipped Spray. The witness told police that Miners finger was on the trigger of the gun as he pistol-whipped Spray, and then the gun went off. The witness told officers he didnt believe Miner pulled the trigger on purpose. The police report says surveillance video from the home was consistent with the witness account. The witness also told police he suspected Miner could be making ghost guns because he saw a handgun barrel in Miners room and signed for packages from an Ohio-based gun parts manufacturer. The police report says that the handgun seized after the shooting did not have a serial number or make or model. Anyone with further information about the incident can contact Detective Richard Mahoney at 203-783-4727 or rmahoney@milfordct.gov. The Candlelight Party says authorities harass their candidates and supporters at the behest of the ruling party. Sorn Chanthorn, representing the Candlelight Party in Cambodia's upcoming commune elections, takes part in an election campaign in this file photo. Two attackers on Thursday injured an opposition candidate for a local council in Cambodias upcoming commune elections, an incident she and members of her party said is another example of intimidation and harassment that they have faced in the run-up to the June 5 vote. Sorn Chanthorn is running for a seat on the Tra Paing Prasat Commune council in the northwestern province of Oddar Meanchey, representing the opposition Candlelight Party. While she was driving to a campaign function, she said the attackers kicked her motorbike, causing her to crash. She believes the attackers wanted her to withdraw her candidacy. I think it was a politically motivated case because I never had any problems like this in the past, she said, adding that she would not file a complaint because she has no confidence that the police will help her. Tra Paing Prasat district Police Chief Ouch Mao said he hasnt received any information about the incident. Nevertheless, he said that he doesnt believe the attack was politically motivated. He said it was sad to hear that Sorn Chanthorn doesnt have confidence in his department. So far, I resolved complaints without any political discrimination, he said. Candlelight Party officials have complained for weeks about incidents of violence and bullying by local officials representing Prime Minister Hun Sens ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP). Election monitors have also been harassed, causing several to resign, they said. The authorities dont have any measures to prevent intimidation, Thatch Setha, one of the Candlelight Partys two vice presidents, told RFAs Khmer Service Thursday. They destroy our partys signs and assault our supporters, he said, adding that authorities do nothing to stop it. Every five years, voters in the nation of 16 million people elect councils to represent rural precincts know as communes and urban districts called sangkat. This year some 86,000 candidates from 17 political parties are competing for 11,622 seats in 1,652 precincts nationwide. While the councils hold relatively little power, the June 5 election will test the dominance of the CPP and the limits of political freedom for opponents five years into Hun Sens crackdown on civil society, media and the internet. CPP spokesman Sok Ey San dismissed the Candlelight Partys complaints as exaggerations designed to muddy the election environment. He urged it to file complaints with the National Election Committee (NEC), set up to be an independent organization, but that has in the past been criticized for corruption and close ties to the CPP. It is merely allegation, Sok Ey San said. No one dares to threaten [the Candlelight Party]. Kang Savang, an election monitor with the independent Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia NGO, told RFA he has not received any definitive reports of political intimidation, but he urged victims to report election violations to the NEC. The victims should, however, not simply make verbal complaints. They should make notes and file complaints if it is important, he said. Party violations Cambodias Minister of Interior Sar Kheng on Wednesday said the Candlelight Party violated its statute by appointing Son Chhay as a vice president earlier in the year. Son Chhay was banned from politics for his affiliation with the opposition Cambodia National Peoples Party, which was dissolved by Cambodias Supreme Court in 2017, a move that allowed Hun Sens CPP to win all 125 parliamentary seats the following year. Son Chhay, who requested amnesty and joined the Candlelight Party in March, said he will work to clear up any of the ministrys concerns. It is a clerical issue, he said. I will prepare my biography and send it to the ministry. Meanwhile, an appeals court rejected the bail request for Seam Pluk, the founder of a smaller opposition party called the Cambodia National Heart Party, citing concerns over flight risk. Authorities arrested Seam Pluk in late April on charges of forging documents for his party to compete in the local elections. Seam Pluk was on the run for about a week before his arrest. Am Sam Ath of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights said the decision gives the countrys political system a bad look. He should have been released on bail because the international community is monitoring the election, especially our political environment, said Am Sam Ath. Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee President Ros Sotha said Seam Pluks arrest violated election laws. He said that Seam Pluk did not provoke any social unrest. [The government] should have asked him to make corrections and shouldnt have arrested him. It is a violation his political rights. It is a concern, he said. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Dueling diplomacy as foreign ministers arrive in the region on the same day. As China launched a high-level diplomatic mission to build its influence in the Pacific islands, Australias new government responded with one of its own, promising to bring more energy and resources to the remote region. Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived Thursday in the Solomon Islands, kicking off a 10-day Pacific tour that will include Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. Wang is hoping to strike a deal with 10 small nations. A draft copy of a so-called Common Development Vision seen by Reuters and the Associated Press covers multiple sectors from security to data communication to fisheries. China plans to reach some agreement on it at a meeting between Wang and his Pacific counterparts in Fiji on May 30. Richard McGregor, senior fellow at the Lowy Institute, an Australia-based think tank, wrote in The Guardian that Wangs itinerary is an emphatic statement by Beijing that it intends to entrench itself in the region, where it has been building influence for more than a decade. Underscoring the growing strategic competition for influence in the Pacific where the U.S. sent its own high-level diplomatic mission a month ago Canberras new top diplomat Penny Wong arrived in Fiji on Thursday. She landed hours ahead of Wangs arrival in the Solomons, promising to put more energy and resources into the Pacific. Wang Yi holding talks with Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele. Credit: Xinhua News Agency Western allies concerns International attention on the Pacific islands has built since April, when China and the Solomon Islands confirmed that theyd signed a security pact without divulging its contents. The deal sparked concerns about Chinas growing presence and influence, especially as a leaked document suggested that it would allow Beijing to set up military bases and deploy troops in the Pacific island nation. On Thursday, Foreign Minister Wang sought to calm critics by saying that the security cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands does not target any third party and China has no intention of building a military base there. The deal is aimed at helping the island nation to improve its law enforcement capabilities to maintain public order while protecting the safety of Chinese citizens and organizations there, Wang was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua news agency. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the two sides agreed to jointly build major landmark projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, make good use of the zero-tariff preferential policy for products exported to China as well as to expand bilateral cooperation to cover a wide range of fields including response to climate change and multilateral affairs. China will also help the Solomon Islands to prepare facilities for the upcoming Pacific Games 2023. Wang said that China respects Solomon Islands' ties with other countries, opposes all forms of power politics and bullying, and in Beijing the Solomon Islands have one more good friend and one more sincere and reliable partner. Australia's Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong speaks in Suva, Fiji, Thursday, May 26, 2022. Wong says it was up to each island nation to decide what partnerships they formed and what agreements they signed, but urged them to consider the benefits of sticking with Australia. Credit: Fiji Sun via AP. Engagement rather than lecturing Similar words were employed by the new Australian foreign minister after she arrived in Suva, Fiji, which lies about 1,300 miles (2,100 kilometers) to the southeast of the Solomons capital, Honiara. Wong, a senator, said Australia has a strong desire to play our part in the Pacific family and build stronger relationships," according to the Australian broadcaster ABC. Australia respects the Pacific nations choice of friends and partners, she said, adding that her country wants to be a partner of choice and demonstrate to your nation and other nations in the region that we are a partner who can be trusted and [is] reliable, and historically we have been." Wong said the new Labor government in Australia, formed on Monday after the general election, will renew the focus on climate change and continued economic support for the region. In a speech to the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat in Fiji, the foreign minister said Australia will be a partner that doesnt come with strings attached nor imposing unsustainable financial burdens, apparently drawing a contrast with Chinas policies. Wong said she acknowledged that the previous Australian government neglected its responsibility to act on climate, ignoring the calls of our Pacific family and showed disrespect to Pacific nations. As Wong urged Pacific leaders to consider long-term and think about where you might be in a decade after reaching deals with China, a former Australian prime minister, Kevin Rudd, said Australia and allies should offer better proposals rather than deliver a moral lecture. Speaking Friday at the Future of Asia conference in Tokyo via video link, Rudd said China is showing "a much more assertive leadership style and intends therefore to change the status quo by adopting a more assertive foreign security policy in the region and the world." The way forward for Western allies like Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. is to offer different, better, development-friendly proposals, said Rudd, who is now president of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York. New Zealand meanwhile said it would extend the New Zealand Defense Force's deployment to the Solomon Islands until at least May next year. Wellington deployed troops there at the request of the local government in December 2021 after riots broke out in Honiara after anti-government protests. Hundreds of students in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin gathered on the Tianjin University campus late on , in protest at COVID-19 restrictions. Chanting "Down with formalism! Down with bureaucracy!", the students gathered on the university's Beiyang Square, calling on university leaders to come out and talk to them about arrangement for classes and exams amid ongoing zero-COVID restrictions. The scenes were eerily reminiscent of the early stages of the 1989 student movement, which later took over Beijing's Tiananmen Square for weeks on end with demands for democratic reforms and the rule of law. Those protests culminated in a bloody massacre of civilians by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on the night of -4, with an unknown number of casualties. Students are calling on the university administration to clarifying arrangements for online classes, final exams, and when students need to be back on campus if they decide to wait out the lockdown at home. The protest came after no response was forthcoming. Video clips posted to social media showed hundreds of young people gathered under streetlights on evening, shouting "Down with formalism! Down with bureaucracy!" and calling on management to come forward for dialogue. One poster called on the school to let students go back home to take online classes, only coming back for their exams, but the university authorities have refused to say when these will take place. It called for further protests outside Zhengdong Library on . Sick of confinement Social media posts said the students are sick of being confined to their dorms and forced to take online classes, which they could do from home. Posts also said the university had conceded to most of the students' demands. A Tianjin resident surnamed Xu said the school had to compromise to avoid larger protests ahead of the politically sensitive 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre next week. "The college students are knowledgeable, literate, and united, and the protests are definitely legitimate," Xu said. "The [university] made concessions, because they had to; it'll soon be the anniversary of , 1989." The protests came after the Tianjin municipal government locked down the city's Nankai district, forcing residents to stay home, and carry out regular COVID-19 tests. Less stringent restrictions are already under way in Heping district. Tianjin University's Beiyang campus has been under COVID-19 restrictions since Jan. 8, with more than 15,000 students confined to their dorms since then. Students are angry that the university has made no move to explain or justify the lockdown since announcing it. Petty officials Jiangxi-based current affairs commentator Zhang Kun said the lockdowns have left regular citizens at the mercy of petty officials. "The country is being run by mediocre people, and the incompetent are doing evil," Zhang told RFA. "The slightly more competent ones have been purged." "The longer this zero-COVID policy persists, the worse it's going to get," he said. "The reality has hit everyone in the face." The Tianjin protest came after hundreds of students gathered at two Beijing universities earlier this week with similar demands. Hundreds of students at the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) and at Beijing Normal University (Beishida) gathered to show their displeasure with current restrictions on their movements, as the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to roll out its zero-COVID policy across the country following a grueling weeks-long lockdown in Shanghai. This year's Tiananmen massacre anniversary is all the more sensitive as it falls ahead of the 20th party congress later this year, during which CCP leader Xi Jinping is hoping to be voted in for an unprecedented third term in office. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Mid-tier managers are being confined for 3-4 days as leaders look to shift blame, sources say. In this image made from video broadcasted by North Korea's KRT, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wears a face mask on state television during a meeting acknowledging the country's first case of COVID-19 Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea is sentencing mid-tier government and ruling party officials to short jail or labor sentences for failing to stop COVID-19 from spreading in the country, which sources see as an effort to deflect blame from the countrys leaders for the sudden rise in cases. North Korea is in a state of maximum emergency after revealing this month that the virus had begun to spread among participants of a large-scale military parade in late April. Prior to that, Pyongyang had for more than two years denied that anyone in the country had contracted COVID-19, and the government could now lose face if people start to question how the virus could have spread to more than 3 million people in such a short amount of time. Accusing officials of being corrupt or incompetent, blaming them for the pandemic, then punishing them, even lightly, allows officials higher up, including leader Kim Jong Un to shift responsibility away from them. At an official meeting held at the party committee building last week, a number of officials were punished for their failure to adhere to the emergency quarantine system. Among them were two managers who were one day late in locking down the workers dormitory at their production unit, an official from the city of Chongjin in the northeastern province of North Hamgyong told RFAs Korean Service on Wednesday on condition of anonymity for security reasons. Both managers were sent to confinement after they were brought on the stage and publicly criticized. The officials were locked up for three days, the source said. Since the implementation of the emergency quarantine system, these types of punishments are happening more often than before. Authorities were reluctant to release information to the public regarding the punishments, as they still want to protect the reputations and dignity of the officials, who belong to a class more privileged than those they supervise, the source said. Still, though, many of the officials are especially not happy with confinement. Two years ago they locked up a company official for five days. Feeling humiliated and insulted, he resigned the next day of his release, citing health concerns, said the source. Being confined at the Social Security Department alongside criminals is such a petty way to punish someone for insufficient performance in their duties. Is it that the authorities can't control the cadre of officials except in this old-fashioned way? the source said. Confining officials can also be a way to get them to push their workers to work harder to achieve the countrys economic goals, a company official in the northern province of Ryanggang told RFA. Authorities, who previously pointed out that last years economic goals were not quite met, have been encouraging officials to live up to their roles and responsibilities through punishment, said the second source, who requested anonymity to speak freely. In April, officials were punished to three months of unpaid labor, including an official who failed to prevent an employee from smuggling, as well as several officials who failed to complete the spring land management mobilization task, this source said. This month, organizations that were reported for failing to implement lockdown within their units and those officials who failed to mobilize their personnel for the housing construction task force in Hwasong, Pyongyang, were punished with confinement and unpaid labor, the second source said. Workers try to lessen the burden on their bosses who have been detained, knowing that the boss will shortly be released from jail, the second source explained. The workers negotiate with the Social Security Department to ensure that their superiors dont eat meals provided by the detention center, and they deliver outside food for them. In addition, they urgently scramble to solve the problem that became a cause for punishment so that the locked up official can be released from the detention center as soon as possible, the second source said. When the authorities lock up officials in charge of organizations and enterprises, their units do whatever it takes to solve their problems. So, it seems that the authorities are enjoying locking up officials in charge of organizations and enterprises. The general public does not appreciate the authorities way of motivating officials by insulting them, said the second source. The pandemic has heightened tensions in the country, the source said, quoting authorities as describing the campaign as a test period to verify our patriotism and loyalty to our leader. Its a very tense atmosphere, like a state of war almost, so nobody dares to complain even if the authorities issue absurd policies or instructions, the source added. Though North Korea has acknowledged that the virus is spreading inside the country, it has only reported a handful of confirmed COVID-19 cases, which 38 North, a site that provides analysis on the country and is run by the U.S.-based Stimson Center think tank, 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 Friday evening. The country is, however, keeping track of numbers of people who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19. About 3.3 million people have been hit by outbreaks of fever, 69 of whom have died, according to data based on the most recent reports from North Korean state media published by 38 North. Around 3 million are reported to have made recoveries, while 233,090 are undergoing treatment. Translated by Claire Lee and Leejin J. Chung. Written in English by Eugene Whong. 'We don't put ourselves into anybody's trap,' says Hun Sen. Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen speaking at the 27th Future of Asia conference via video link. UPDATED at 1:10 p.m. EDT on 2022-05-27 Leaders of two of the least developed countries in Southeast Asia, Laos and Cambodia, denied Friday they have fallen into a Chinese debt trap despite owing billions of dollars to their giant neighbor. Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen and Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith both spoke at the 27th Future of Asia conference in Tokyo on Friday via video link. Hun Sen, who has been ruling Cambodia for almost four decades, claimed that Cambodia's borrowing rate was at 23 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), well below its legislated ceiling of 40 percent. He said, we don't just borrow without looking at our situation." Cambodias external public debt stood at around US$8.8 billion in 2020, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Bilateral debt continues to account for 69 percent of total external debt, with more than half of it owed to China, the IMF said. The prime minister told the conference that Cambodia borrows from a number of countries including Japan and South Korea, as well as international institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and World Bank. The loans are needed for infrastructure development, he said, adding: We don't put ourselves into anybody's trap." "If we don't have investment from China, what source of electricity can we have?" Hun Sen said, repeating the question he asked at the 26th Future of Asia conference last year. The annual conference is organized by Nikkei Inc. and provides a forum for Asian political leaders and academics to discuss regional issues. One year ago, Hun Sen told the conference: "If I don't rely on China, who will I rely on? If I don't ask China, who am I to ask?" A file photo showing Laos' President Thongloun Sisoulith at the Japan-Mekong Summit Meeting in Tokyo, Japan, Oct. 9, 2018. At the time he was prime minister of Laos. Credit: Reuters Landlocked economy Cambodias neighbor Laos also said China is not the only source of loans. Relying on only one countrys resources is not enough. We have connected with different countries and international organizations for help with our infrastructure development, said President Thongloun, who served as Lao prime minister between 2016-2021. Were engaged in discussions and negotiations not only with China but also Vietnam, Japan, Asia Development Bank, World Bank and other countries that offer loans and support the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, he said. Laos is a landlocked country with no access to the sea, the president said, and it desperately needs to develop connectivity with other countries around it. Were trying to repay our debts according to our ability and system and the need of our current situation. I would say that were not in a debt trap at the moment, Thongloun said. The World Bank reported in August 2021 that Laos public debt has climbed to U.S. $13.3 billion, or 72 percent of its GDP. Most of the debt was incurred by the energy sector as Laos builds dozens of hydropower dams in a push to become the battery of Asia. International credit rating agency Fitch said in an August 2021 report that almost half of Laos external debt over the next few years must be paid to China which has also built a $6 billion dollar, high-speed railway, which opened late last year. The government will have to pay $414 million a year in interest alone, according to Lao Finance Minister Bounchom Oubonpaseuth. Cambodias leadership succession Also at the Future of Asia conference, Prime Minister Hun Sen rejected criticism about his plans to pass power to his eldest son, Hun Manet, who is currently the commander of the Royal Cambodian Army. The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) at its Congress in December voted unanimously for 44-year-old Hun Manet, the oldest of Hun Sens six children, to succeed his father. The CPP holds every seat in the nations parliament. When asked about it at the conference, Hun Sen declined to talk about a transition plan but said that all his three sons are capable of becoming prime minister. Cambodia is set to hold commune elections on June 5 a prelude to general elections in July 2023 to elect members of the National Assembly, or the lower house of the Parliament. "If people continue to vote for the CPP with Hun Sen as the prime minister candidate and Hun Manet as the future candidate for prime minister, that means the people are in agreement with the CPP continuing to lead the country, led by Hun Sen and then by Hun Manet after that," Hun Sen said. This story has been updated to edit the quote below the headline. Street fighting was under way on June 2 in Syevyerodonetsk where Ukrainian forces continued to put up stiff resistance despite Russian forces controlling most of the key Donbas city with the aid of massive and indiscriminate artillery bombardments. 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. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy again urged the West to speed up weapons deliveries for his outnumbered and outgunned troops as the Kremlin angrily warned that arming Kyiv will "bring more suffering to Ukrainians." Moscow's furious reaction came after Britain joined the United States and Germany in announcing that it will send Ukraine advanced weapons systems to help defend itself against Russia. As fighting raged in Syevyerodonetsk, a regional official warned that civilians are sheltering from Russian shelling under a chemical plant in the city and authorities fear it may still have stocks of dangerous materials. The regional head of the military administration, Serhiy Hayday, said that 80 percent of Syevyerodonetsk was now under Russian control. Hayday also said on June 2 that, besides Syevyerodonetsk, Russians are also attempting to advance south towards the key Ukrainian-held cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, where Mayor Vadym Lyakh called for the evacuation of the heavily damaged city. Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, a spokesman for Ukraine's Defense Ministry, said there was fighting in the streets in Syevyerodonetsk and the Russians had reached the city center, but "the Ukrainian armed forces are actively resisting them." Hayday warned that a number of civilians were sheltering from Russian shelling under a chemical plant in Syevyerodonetsk and authorities fear it may still have stocks of dangerous materials. In its daily intelligence bulletin on June 2, Britain's Ministry of Defense concurred that Russia has taken control of most of Syevyerodonetsk. It said that the main road into the city "likely" remains under Ukrainian control but Russians are making steady gains with the aid of heavy artillery fire. In an address to Luxembourg's parliament, Zelenskiy said Russia now occupies about 20 percent of his country's territory, with the front line of the battle stretching for more than 1,000 kilometers. He said Ukraine estimates Moscow that has lost "more than 30,000 soldiers," since it launched its offensive on February 24, "but this does not stop Russia. This state is still ready to lose and kill, kill people." "Because only one person in Russia doesnt want to let us stay as we are," he added, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who before the war questioned the existence of Ukraine as a nation state. Zelenskiy voiced gratitude for all the assistance that Ukraine has received from the West, but said that weapons supplies needed to be sped up up because "we have to defend ourselves against virtually the entire Russian Army." The most advanced U.S. rocket systems -- the HIMARS -- which can strike targets as far as 80 kilometers away, will take at least three weeks to reach the battlefront, senior Pentagon officials have said, raising questions of whether they will arrive in time to stop Russias slow but steady gains. "We need more weapons for Ukraine -- modern weapons that will ensure the superiority of our state over Russia in this war not only through courage, intelligence, but also technologically. And I ask you to advocate this need before other European states," Zelenskiy said. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov again warned on June 2 of absolutely undesirable and rather unpleasant scenarios if the latest Western-supplied weapons were used against Russia. This pumping of Ukraine with weapons...will bring more suffering to Ukraine, which is merely a tool in the hands of those countries that supply it with weapons, Peskov told reporters. But Peskov, asked if Moscow, after being slapped with the most onerous sanctions in recent history, wants to close "the window" to Europe that Peter the Great sought to open 300 years ago, said "No one is planning to close anything." With reporting by Reuters, BBC, CNN, AP, and AFP Hundreds of residents in Abadan, the capital of the southwestern Iranian province of Khuzestan, took to the streets on May 26 for the second consecutive night to protest the deadly collapse of an unfinished building and demand justice. Protesters called for the trial of those responsible for the accident, including Abadans mayor and city council officials. Amateur video posted online also showed some demonstrators chanting slogans against Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, including We dont want an incompetent leader. Others blasted a large May 26 gathering of regime supporters in Tehrans 100,000-capacity Azadi stadium, which critics said was held when residents in Abadan are still mourning their dead. Protests were reportedly also held in other cities , including in Khoramshahr and in Isfahan where citizens expressed support for the people of Abadan and chanted slogans against authorities. The protests came amid reports of Internet disruptions with the web monitoring group Netblocks confirming a disruption of Internet connectivity across Iran. Meanwhile, authorities announced that the death toll in the May 23 collapse of a building that was under construction stood at 24, up from 19, making it one of the countrys deadliest such disasters in years. Officials said 37 people were also injured, although most have since been discharged from hospital. It is not clear how many people may still be trapped under the rubble. A video posted on Iranian state media on May 27 showed rescuers carrying a gurney with a body encased in a black bag. In a May 26 statement, Khamenei called for the perpetrators to be prosecuted and punished. The provincial judiciary said at least 10 people were arrested following the incident, including the mayor and two former mayors, who are accused of being "responsible" for the collapse, the Judiciary's Mizan news site reported. In a previous major disaster in Iran, 22 people, including 16 firefighters, died in a blaze that engulfed the capital's 15-story Plasco shopping center in January 2017. First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber visited Abadan on May 27 to "investigate the dimensions of the building collapse incident, Iranian media reported. With reporting by AFP and ISNA The Ukrainian city of Kharkiv was hit by renewed shelling as Russian forces press ahead with their offensive in the Donbas region. Emergency crews raced to help victims on May 26 following the indiscriminate bombardment of the northeastern city. Ukrainian military officials said nine people were killed, including a 9-year-old child, and 19 were wounded. CHISINAU -- A Moldovan court has placed former President Igor Dodon under house arrest for 30 days to allow prosecutors to investigate allegations of corruption and treason. The May 26 decision by the Ciocana district court in Chisinau came two days after Dodon's house was searched and he was placed under detention for 72 hours. Dodon told journalists after the hearing that the case was politically motivated, a charge the government has rejected. Dodon, who was openly backed by Moscow and was seen as a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was president from 2016 to 2020, when he lost to Maia Sandu, a pro-Western, U.S.-educated former World Bank official. Dodon said he had no property other than that which he had officially declared, and told journalists that the judge was carrying out a "political order" from Sandu. Dodon's brother-in-law, Petru Merineanu, was also arrested for 30 days, but he will be kept in a detention facility. The government has rejected the allegation of political interference in the case, which comes as relations between Russia and Moldova are increasingly strained. "Prosecutors should be guided only by the rule of law, not to play political games and not to make decisions based on public pressure," Sandu said on May 27 at a meeting of the Supreme Security Council. "Everyone must be held accountable for the illegalities committed but in strict accordance with the law. The gentleman in question in this case, if he thinks he is honest, has nothing to worry about," Sandu said in her first comments on the investigation. Justice Minister Sergiu Litvinenco said earlier that the case would be carried out "in strict accordance with the law," while Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu told RFE/RL that Dodon's case was part of Moldova's fight against corruption and "unrelated to geopolitical events." "The fight against corruption starts from the top, from combating corruption among the political class among the oligarchs," Popescu told RFE/RL. Russia has repeatedly voiced "concern" about Dodon's rights being respected, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying that Russia was "naturally alarmed that such a practice and persecution once again affects those who advocate the development of friendly relations with Russia for mutual benefit." Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, has a long border with Ukraine and has been hosting hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees since the start of Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Russia has some 1,500 troops in Moldova's Moscow-backed separatist region of Transdniester, a sliver of land sandwiched between Moldova proper and Ukraine. In recent months, Transdniester separatists claimed that Kyiv had orchestrated what they claimed were shootings, explosions, and drone incursions, raising fears that Moldova could be drawn into the conflict in Ukraine. With reporting by Reuters, AP, and dpa Russian forces have further intensified their shelling of the last Ukrainian strongholds in the eastern Luhansk region, making their biggest gains in weeks and closing in on capturing the key cities of Syeveyerodonetsk and Lysychansk. In the face of Russia's all-out assault on the Donbas, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on May 27 that he must hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to safeguard Ukraine's sovereignty and existence. 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. Serhiy Hayday, the governor of the Luhansk region, said that Ukrainian forces were engaged in a "fierce defense" of Syevyerodonetsk, which is two-thirds surrounded by Russian forces. "Very strong" shelling has destroyed 90 percent of the housing in the city, Hayday added, also citing information he received from the city's mayor, Oleksandr Stryuk. Stryuk said earlier that at least 1,500 people have been killed in his city since the start of Russia's invasion in late February. About 12,000 to 13,000 remain in the city -- down from a pre-war population of about 100,000, he said. Moscow-backed separatists on May 27 also claimed full control of the important battlefield town of Lyman, some 60 kilometers west of Syevyerodonetsk, but the Ukrainian Defense Ministry denied that the major railway hub had fallen, saying in a statement that its forces continue to counteract Russian attempts to overrun it. Lyman has been a front-line target as Russian forces press down from the north, one of three directions from which they have been attacking Ukraine's industrial Donbas region. In its daily intelligence bulletin, Britain's Ministry of Defense said that, while Russian ground forces continue to put pressure on the Syeyverodonetsk pocket with some success,Moscow appears to have moved 50-year-old T-62 tanks in recent days from deep storage into the theater of operations in the Donbas. The report assessed that the move proves Russia's shortage of modern, combat-ready equipment. Furthermore, "the T-62s will almost certainly be particularly vulnerable to anti-tank weapons and their presence on the battlefield," British intelligence said. Zelenskiy, in an address on May 27 to an Indonesian think tank, said talking to Putin will likely be necessary to end the war. "What do we want from this meeting?... We want our lives back... We want to reclaim the life of a sovereign country within its own territory," he said, adding that Russia did not appear to be ready yet for serious peace talks. In response, the Kremlin on May 27 accused Kyiv of a lack of clarity. "The Ukrainian leadership constantly makes contradictory statements. This does not allow us to fully understand what the Ukrainian side wants," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a call with reporters. Zelenskiy also accused Russia -- which has said that it would allow Ukraine to resume its grain exports by sea if the West lifts some sanctions imposed on it for starting the war -- of weaponizing the global food supply crisis. Zelenskiy has become increasingly critical of the West in recent days as the European Union moves slowly toward a possible Russian oil embargo while Ukraine's military situation becomes increasingly difficult in the east. The embargo requires unanimity among the bloc's 27 members, but Hungary opposes the move, arguing that its economy would be gravely hit. Zelenskiy blasted the lack of agreement within the EU. "How many more weeks will the European Union try to agree on a sixth package?" he asked. In Geneva, the UN rights office (OHCHR) said in a statement on May 27 that more than 4,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russia's invasion began on February 24, although the true number is likely much higher. In total, 4,031 people have been killed, including nearly 200 children, according to the OHCHR, which has dozens of monitors in the country. Most were killed by explosive weapons with a wide impact such as shelling from heavy artillery or air strikes. Russia has denied targeting civilians in the conflict. Also on May 27, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said that more than 6.6 million Ukrainian refugees have fled to neighboring countries, and 2.9 million have moved on to other European nations. "According to the latest data we have available... 2.9 million refugees have moved beyond countries neighboring Ukraine," UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo told a briefing in Geneva. The UNHCR said the largest numbers of Ukrainian refugees in non-neighboring countries were in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Italy. "They often arrive in a state of distress and anxiety, having left family members behind, without a clear plan for where to go, and with less economic resources and connections than those who fled earlier." Before the February 24 invasion, Ukraine had a population of 37 million in the regions under Kyiv's control, excluding Russia-annexed Crimea and the pro-Russian separatist-controlled regions in the east. With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, CNN, and BBC In a rare display of political protest in Russia, a group of lawmakers representing the Communist Party in the Far Eastern region of Primorye have called on President Vladimir Putin to stop military operations in Ukraine and withdraw all troops from the country. Leonid Vasyukevich, a member of the regional Legislative Assembly, read out the statement at a session held by lawmakers on May 27. The statement said that as Russian troops are suffering significant losses in Ukraine, there is no way to get any success by military means. "We understand that if our country does not stop the military operation, there will be more orphans in the country. During the military operation, young men are dying or becoming disabled, while they could be very useful for our country," the statement said. Vasyukevich said that the statement was signed by him and his colleagues Gennady Shulga, Natalya Kochugova, and Aleksandr Sustov. The region's governor, Oleg Kozhemyako, who was at the session, ordered Vasyukevich and Shulga, who vocally supported the statement, to be removed from the premises. "The action defames the Russian Army and our defenders who are fighting against Nazism. You are a traitor," Kozhemyako said, addressing Vasyukevich. The lawmakers then deprived Vasyukevich and Shulga of their right to take the floor at the session. The leader of the Communist lawmakers, Anatoly Dolgachyov, said the deputies' action will have "very severe repercussions." Vasyukevich, Shulga, and Kochugova did not respond to an RFE/RL request for comment on the situation. Sustov told RFE/RL that he had "my personal thoughts about the special military operation [in Ukraine,] but I did not sign the statement," contradicting Vasyukevich's statement. The Interfax news agency reported that Kochugova said at the session that she did not sign the statement either. Russia launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24 and has met with much stiffer-than-expected resistance from Ukrainian troops. Ukrainian and Western officials say thousands of Russian soldiers have died during the war. Moscow has said little on the death toll. In its last official statement, the Defense Ministry said on March 25 that 1,351 of its soldiers had been killed in the fighting. With reporting by Interfax, Kommersant, and NewsBox.24 The video, published in December 2020, showed two nattily dressed Russian men -- waistcoats, pocket squares, silk ties sipping American whiskey in brandy snifters and discussing killing Ukrainians. "I'm a Nazi. Im a Nazi, said one of the men, Aleksei Milchakov, who was the main focus of the video published on a Russian nationalist YouTube channel. I'm not going to go deep and say, Im a nationalist, a patriot, an imperialist, and so forth. Ill say it outright: Im a Nazi. You have to understand that when you kill a person, you feel the excitement of the hunt. If youve never been hunting, you should try it. Its interesting, he said. Aside from being a notorious, avowed Nazi known for killing a puppy and posting bragging photographs about it on social media, Milchakov is the head of a Russian paramilitary group known as Rusich, which openly embraces Nazi symbolism and radical racist ideologies. The group, and Milchakov himself, have been credibly linked to atrocities in Ukraine and in Syria. Along with members of the Russian Imperial Movement, a white supremacist group that was designated a "global terrorist" organization by the United States two years ago, Rusich is one of several right-wing groups that are actively fighting in Ukraine, in conjunction with Russias regular armed forces or allied separatist units. According to a confidential report by Germanys Federal Intelligence Service, which was obtained by Der Spiegel and excerpted on May 22, numerous Russian right-wing extremists and neo-Nazis are fighting in Ukraine. German analysts wrote that the fact that Russian military and political leaders have welcomed neo-Nazi groups undermines the claim by Putin and his government that one of the principal motives behind the invasion is the desire to de-Nazify Ukraine, Spiegel said. This fact, Spiegel quoted the report as saying, renders "the alleged reason for the war, the so-called de-Nazification of Ukraine, absurd. From Syria to Ukraine Even before the February 24 invasion, the war in Ukraine had drawn a substantial but unknown number of soldiers and fighters with right-wing sympathies. Most of the attention has long focused on right-wing militias and paramilitaries that have fought alongside or as part of Ukraines armed forces -- a phenomenon dating back to the start of the conflict in the Donbas in 2014. Ukraines famed Azov Regiment was formed out of a right-wing militia called the Azov Battalion that gained renown in the early days of the war. The groups leaders and founders openly espoused xenophobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric. Its logos bore a close resemblance to some used by Nazi units during World War II. Later incorporated into Ukraines National Guard, Azov has toned down in extremist rhetoric, but retained a reputation as a formidable fighting unit. For years, Russian officials have seized on Azov as well as 20th century nationalist figures like Stepan Bandera and others for propaganda purposes, often distorting or exaggerating their views and actions in support of the false assertion that Ukraine is controlled or dominated by neo-Nazis. In announcing the invasion on February 24, Putin attempted to justify it by saying the goals were demilitarization and de-Nazification. Kyiv and Western governments say that argument is disingenuous and say, even if it was true, it wouldnt justify launching an unprovoked invasion against a country with a democratically elected government. Less attention, however, has been paid over the years to right-wing Russian militias fighting on behalf of Russia, not just in Ukraine but also in Syria. While some fighters are believed to have joined the ranks of Russian private mercenary companies -- Vagner is the best known -- an unknown number of fighters joined, and trained under, Rusich, as well as the Russian Imperial Movement and its paramilitary unit, the Russian Imperial Legion. Milchakov, a former paratrooper, has been identified by experts as the co-leader of Rusich, along with another Russian named Yan Petrovsky. Some experts say the group is explicitly affiliated with Vagner. The Rusich group was formally founded as the Sabotage and Assault Reconnaissance Group Rusich in St. Petersburg in 2014. Both Milchakov and Petrovsky fought against Ukraine as volunteers in the Donbas in 2014 and 2015 and have openly displayed patches awarded to them as part of the "Union of Donbas Volunteers. At the time, however, Russia repeatedly denied its forces were fighting in the Donbas, asserting, while often straining credulity, that the local forces battling Ukrainian troops were merely local partisans. In September 2014, near the Luhansk Oblast village of Shchastya, Rusich militants battled a Ukrainian paramilitary group called Aidar. Ukrainian news reports said dozens of Ukrainian soldiers were killed. Afterward, images of mutilated and burnt bodies circulated online, and Milchakov later openly bragged about photographing the bodies. Milchakov also gained notoriety that same year when bloggers and reporters discovered a series of photos and videos from two years earlier in which he was shown killing a puppy, cutting off its head and allegedly eating it. The tabloid Russian newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets titled an article about the gory incident A Fascist Butcher From St. Petersburg Has Gone To Fight For The Insurgents. In early 2015, Milchakov and Petrovsky were sanctioned by Canada, Britain, and the European Union. Milchakov has actively supported actions and policies which undermine the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and to further destabilize Ukraine, Britain said in its sanctions announcement. In October 2016, Petrovsky was arrested in Norway, where he had been living and working alongside a Norwegian man tied to the right-wing group Soldiers of Odin. He was deported that same month. Photographs and videos posted to social media in 2020-2021 indicated that Rusich fighters were in Syria, where Russia has conducted a military operation to back the Syrian regime and eliminate opposition fighters there. The St. Petersburg media outlet Fontanka in late 2017 also found photographs of Milchakov swimming in a pool near Palmyra. The German intelligence report said Rusich fighters have been in Ukraine since early April. Theres no confirmation that Milchakov or Petrovsky are or have been in Ukraine at any time since the February 24 invasion. However, on May 27, a Telegram channel that appeared to be affiliated with Rusich published an undated photograph that purported to show both Milchakov and Petrovsky in Ukraine, standing in front of a semi-destroyed armored vehicle. Milchakovis back in action, the post said. Now he is somewhere in the vastness of Ukraine actively engaged in de-Nazification and demilitarization. 'Reserve Squad' The day that Russia launched its invasion, the head of the Russian Imperial Movement, Denis Gariyev, posted a message on his Telegram channel saying: "Without a doubt, we are in favor of the liquidation of the separatist entity Ukraine. 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. Founded in 2002 in St. Petersburg by Stanislav Vorobyov, the Russian Imperial Movement subscribes to a monarchist ideology, partly derived from a belief that Russia should be led by a descendent of the Romanov dynasty, the family of the last Russian tsar. In April 2020, the U.S. State Department imposed sanctions on the group, as well as Vorobyov, Gariyev and another man. The group has provided paramilitary-style training to white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Europe and actively works to rally these types of groups into a common front against their perceived enemies, the department said in a statement. The movement has two training facilities in St. Petersburg, which are likely being used for woodland and urban assault, tactical weapons, and hand-to-hand combat training. A few weeks after Gariyevs Telegram post, the organization's combat training center in near St. Petersburg, called Partizan, announced the recruitment of volunteers to fight in Ukraine. Gariyev has also created a related organization called Reserve Squad, which, according to the German intelligence report, has received multimillion-dollar orders from the Interior Ministry, the Federal Security Service, and the Federal Protective Service, which is the government agency charged with providing bodyguard protection to top Kremlin officials. Like with Rusich, fighters with the Russian Imperial Legion joined the hostilities in eastern Ukraine in 2014-2015, and according to information provided by the militants, at least six members of the group were killed then. According to German intelligence, Gariyev was wounded in fighting in mid-April, and his deputy, Denis Nekrasov, was killed, possibly near the Kharkiv Oblast city of Izyum. Aleksandr Verkhovsky, a longtime expert on extremist groups in Russia and head of the research center SOVA, said that there were likely far fewer Russian extremist fighters in Ukraine now than there were in the early years of the Donbas war. Nationalists played a key role in the first phase of the war, he told Current Time. They were a significant part, not a majority, but significant. Now we dont see here a large number of volunteers from Russia. Maybe a maximum of a few dozen. Written by Mike Eckel based on reporting by Dmitry Kozhurin of Current Time Photographs of Russian artillery and rockets embedded in trees capture the intensity of fighting in Ukraine. British explosives expert Chris Garrett laughs awkwardly when asked how he removed the artillery shell seen in the photo below. The professional tree surgeon says after putting on his body armor and helmet, he sawed the base of the tree with a chainsaw, then: "I just jumped in [an abandoned trench] and let the tree come down." Thankfully, he says, the fuse of the shell had been damaged and did not detonate when the tree slammed to earth. The Briton jokes that the technique was probably not up "to international mine-action standards," but, "The job was done and we all went home." The embedded artillery round is one of several the Isle of Man native has documented on his Instagram account of shells and rockets that have been blasted into trees with such force they remain wedged weeks after invading Russian forces abandoned their positions around Kyiv. Garrett, who relies on donations for his explosives ordnance disposal (EOD) work in Ukraine, says while he is unsure about the mangled grad rocket in the photo above, in most cases the shells are not in fact incoming rounds fired from a weapon. In the photo above of a shell embedded base-first into a tree, the EOD expert says, "If that was an incoming round, it would have gone straight through that tree, it would have smashed it in half." In fact, the deadly "fruit" the volunteer has documented in the forests around Kyiv is the result of secondary explosions, mostly of Russian vehicles carrying ammunition. "What's happened is trucks have ended up catching fire or being hit [by Ukrainian artillery] directly," Garret says. In a process known as sympathetic detonation, the shock wave of one shell exploding from either heat or impact has enough force to "set off the round next to it and so on," which sends debris flying in all directions. As well as rockets and artillery shells, Garrett has also filmed scores of tiny metal darts called flechettes embedded in trees at one abandoned Russian position. The nail-sized projectiles are used in some tank rounds to kill and maim enemy troops. After a flechette shell is fired, it pops open to unleash hundreds of darts known for the fearsome buzz they make as they pass, giving the anti-personnel shells the nickname "beehive rounds." The danger of the work Garrett and Ukrainian EOD teams are involved in was highlighted earlier this month. While working in forests near Kyiv, Garret says they heard "a blast in the woods and a scream." Although the team tried to investigate the explosion, they were unable to locate the mystery blast. Wesley Clark led NATO's Kosovo campaign as the alliance's supreme allied commander in Europe to end Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic's bloody crackdown on the region's ethnic Albanian community in 1998. Clark, a senior fellow at UCLA's Burkle Center for International Relations, talked to RFE/RL's Georgian Service about what Ukraine needs from the West in order to have a chance of beating Russia. RFE/RL: What's your assessment of the military situation right now in Ukraine? Has Putin achieved any of his objectives? Wesley Clark: In Ukraine he's achieved really nothing, and there's nothing to boast about. And this is why he was flat in his remarks on the anniversary of the end of World War II, on May 9. He had really nothing to boast about. Kyiv's free, Kharkiv is being pushed, the Russians are out of artillery range in Kharkiv. The Ukrainian offensive is moving in the northeast, and the Donbas is mostly holding. We are going to reach the critical point as the ground dries out. In Donbas, if the Russians can get across a couple of these big rivers, then maybe they will hit more open terrain where [the] maneuver warfare that was characteristic of World War II [will] come in handy. The Russian method of advance is to break through the Ukrainian defense by destroying villages. They know these villages provide the hard points for Ukrainian anti-tank and antiair defense, so they're just going to pulverize them with artillery. And at some point, as I said, when the ground dries out, they may be able to bypass these villages and move around them across the open fields. I don't want to hear any premature celebrations about how well Ukraine's doing. This is a fight that could be lost. It can only be won by Ukraine with much more support... For the Ukrainians, they've got to be reinforced to fight this kind of warfare. They still don't have the tanks they need; they don't have enough artillery; they don't have fighter aircraft; they don't have ground attack aircraft; they don't have attack helicopters. And so, you can imagine, if there was a Russian breakthrough, and an armored column went 50 kilometers deep, someone has to find it, control it, and attack it, maneuver against it. And that means you need a different type of force than what's been successful thus far. I know the Ukrainians are trying hard. I hear lots of promises of support. But as I keep track of what's being given, what's arrived, how effective it is, it's still insufficient, in my view. It may be enough to hold a stalemate, but let's be honest, the objectives of the United States are to provide Russia [with] a strategic failure and to weaken Russia so that this doesn't happen again. Well, if the fighting stops and Russia controls everything it controls right now, that's hard to say that's a strategic failure. They've basically got the whole southern coast of Ukraine, plus major parts of both the Luhansk and Donetsk oblast. And they've done 500 billion to a trillion dollars' worth of destruction. So, if that's the success that we've had, that's not much of a measure of success. Ukraine needs to be further reinforced. It has the fighting capacity, and the determination to force the Russians out; it does not have the means. And here's the other thing we have to understand: Russia does have a domestic military industry. Now maybe we're crippling it with sanctions, I don't know about that but that's what I hear is that there have been some problems because that domestic defense industry relies on some Western technologies that they don't have enough of. However, Ukraine doesn't have that much of a domestic defense industry and most of the equipment it's getting is being brought hundreds of miles, first by air, and then through rail and convoy transport. That's going to be increasingly difficult. So I don't want to hear any premature celebrations about how well Ukraine's doing. This is a fight that could be lost. It can only be won by Ukraine with much more support from the United States and other Western European allies. RFE/RL: What type of military assistance does Ukraine need right now to win? Clark: First of all, you have to defeat the Russian artillery. If you can defeat the Russian artillery right now, they'll never make a breakthrough. If, when they're pounding cities, you can pound the Russian artillery and destroy it, the cities won't be destroyed. So that's the first thing. The second thing they need, is, to do that, they need intelligence support. Maybe they get that for themselves through counterbattery radars; they probably don't have enough of them. Maybe they get some of that from overhead drones. They probably don't have enough of them. But mostly it's artillery. Lots and lots and lots of artillery, with the ammunition; hundreds of rounds of artillery fired per artillery tube per day. 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. Next, they need air [capability]. Why? Because they need the rapid immediate response that comes from attack helicopters and air-to-ground assets. They don't have these. Ukraine's maybe flying two or three sorties, or individual air missions a day. They need to be able to fly 50 a day, they need to be using their air power to keep the Russian air power off. They need better air defense. The air defense was dense enough around Kyiv that it kept the Russian airplanes away, but across a 300-kilometer front in Donbas there's not enough air defense there. They need anti-ship missiles. I hear promises of these missiles going in, but they're not there yet. There are still numerous Russian ships, they're still able to fire their Caliber missiles. Why should a Russian ship be allowed to sit 200 or 150 kilometers offshore and fire a missile and be like a sanctuary and not be attacked? In the port of Odesa, for example, there are millions of tons of grain waiting to be exported that the world desperately needs, and the Russians have this bottled up. With the right unmanned aerial systems and long-range anti-ship missiles, the Black Sea could be opened up. And then if there are Russian submarines out there, that's a different matter, but that also could be dealt with through something like a NATO zone, if necessary, for humanitarian purposes. So they need these things. They probably also need more armored vehicles, because if the Russians do break through, they're going to have to maneuver forces against the breakthrough elements. RFE/RL: Are you convinced NATO countries are supplying the arms Ukraine needs in a timely fashion? Clark: I know there's concern about following the legal procedures by both the Ukrainians and the Americans, because we don't want diversion of assets and people making excessive profits off these things. And as they're selling them, there have to be legal procedures. But somehow, these procedures have to be expedited, streamlined, to enable Ukraine to get the reinforcements it needs. When the Russian forces were driven back from Kyiv at the end of March, it was clear that we had a few weeks to get reinforcements in. OK, those few weeks are over. Most of the American howitzers are in there, maybe some of the other assets from other allies are in there. But that [only] is enough to replace Ukraine's losses. To be successful in rejecting Russia, we need much more. It's got to be expedited. And if we have an opportunity for Ukraine to kick Russia out of Ukraine, out of Donbas, and out of the southern part of Ukraine, that window is July and August. It will take Russia until December to mobilize significant forces. China won't be able to help much until Xi Jinping gets his third term. So, for now, there's a window of opportunity for Ukraine, if Ukraine moves, and if they get the materials that they need to move. RFE/RL: Is it fair to compare Milosevic with Putin, especially given the fact that the Russian leader has access to nuclear weapons, something that Milosevic did not have? Clark: Well, I think that all manner of pressures are in play. But ultimately, in the case of Milosevic in Yugoslavia, what he discovered was that he couldn't avoid the NATO air attack. He couldn't shoot down the airplanes and he couldn't outlast it. And so, ultimately, he had to find a way out. Now what we have to show to Mr. Putin is that he's not going to succeed militarily on the ground in Ukraine. And then these other pressures come in on him and convince him he's got to find a way out. It was not so different in Kosovo. Actually, during the summer of 1998, France and Germany both said that, yes, they weren't going to do anything through NATO unless there was a UN Security Council resolution. And Russia, of course, said, 'Of course there wasn't going to be a Security Council resolution on this.' And so, some 400,000 Albanians were forced out of their homes in the summer of 1998. But Russia was wrong. And Milosevic was wrong. France and Germany did agree to the campaign once it was clear what Milosevic was up to. And so, it is the exact same thing here. Russia has miscalculated when it thinks that the West is being weak. The West is resilient, it's strong. So Putin had a 12-year plan; in the United States and Europe, people were looking at [their] families and homes and how they get their children educated. It's an entirely different mindset. And this is an old, old issue with democracies. But it's so hard for these people like Putin, or maybe President Xi [Jinping] in China, to understand and accept that. But it all comes together with incredible strength when challenged. This is the lesson that we want the world to understand. Hong Kong sees booming sales of jewelry making equipment Companies producing machinery for jewelry making increased their sales as jewelry manufacturers started to come back to Hong Kong trying to hedge their operations against disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and going-on geopolitical transformations... DRC Ministry of Mining, AWDC, DDI@RESOLVE and Everledger Kickoff ASM Pilot in DRC During a kickoff meeting that took place in Kananga, in the DRCs Kasai region, the Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), together with the DRCs Ministry of Mining and its subdivisions SAEMAPE and CEEC, NGO DDI@RESOLVE and tech company Everledger... "Kind Hearts" in support of young talents On Children's Day, the 585* ZOLOTOY network together with the Oksana Fedorova Charitable Foundation launched a social campaign called Kind Hearts. For each like in the form of a heart sign, the jewelry retailer will transfer 1 ruble to support... De Beers Group releases Building Forever 2021 sustainability report De Beers Group has reported on the strong progress made in 2021 towards the achievement of its 2030 Building Forever sustainability goals in its latest sustainability report, the diamond miner said in a press release distributed on Tuesday. On May 26, 2022, China's Ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang published an article entitled "One-China principle is the bedrock of peace across the Taiwan Strait" on the South China Morning Post. Here is the full text: The one-China principle has been the bedrock of China-US relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. This bedrock, however, is in peril like never before. Taiwan has been part of China since ancient times. General Zheng Chenggong is remembered as a national hero for taking back Taiwan from Dutch colonists 360 years ago. Cheng Kung University in Taiwan was named to honour him. I remember that right after I assumed the ambassadorship, a Taiwan veteran in his 90s told me he wished to see Taiwan return to China in his remaining lifetime and wished he could revisit his hometown on the mainland. Taiwan and the mainland have been separated due to the Chinese civil war in the 1940s. But people of the two sides share the same ancestry and language. They have strong cultural affinity, and their economies are increasingly integrated. In the past decade, cross-strait trade has doubled to US$328.3 billion. Taiwan-born personal trainer Liu Genghong is now one of the most popular social media influencers on the mainland, with over 60 million followers working out with him. The mainlands social media applications are widely loved and used by the people of Taiwan. The Chinese government is committed to peaceful development of cross-strait relations. We have been doing our utmost for a peaceful reunification, as this is in the best interest of the whole nation, including our brothers and sisters in Taiwan. At the same time, not renouncing the use of force is not aimed at the people in Taiwan, but to deter Taiwan independence separatists and external interference. Promoting peaceful reunification while not giving up the use of force are like two sides of the same coin. Their ultimate purpose is to create favourable conditions for peaceful reunification. The one-China principle must be upheld to do this, and the principle is understood as the following: there is only one China; Taiwan is not a sovereign country, but part of China; the government of the Peoples Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. This has long been an international consensus solidly based on international law. The Cairo Declaration issued by the leaders of China, the US and Britain in 1943 clearly states that all territories Japan stole from the Chinese, such as Taiwan and Penghu Islands, shall be restored to China. The Potsdam Proclamation of 1945 affirmed that the terms of the Cairo Declaration would be carried out. The UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 passed in 1971 recognised that the representatives of the government of the Peoples Republic of China are the only lawful representatives of China to the United Nations. On the basis of the one-China principle, 181 countries, including the United States, have established diplomatic relations with China. The US has made a serious commitment to the one-China principle. In the Sino-US joint communiques, it has been acknowledged there is but one China, Taiwan is a part of China, and the government of the Peoples Republic of China is the sole legal government of China. The US said it would only maintain cultural, commercial and other unofficial relations with Taiwan. It pledged not to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan and intends gradually to reduce its arms sales, leading, over a period of time, to a final resolution. However, the principle is being seriously damaged. Tsai Ing-wens authorities reject the 1992 Consensus that reflects the one-China principle and are plotting an incremental approach to Taiwan independence. The US government, while claiming its one-China policy has not changed, that it does not support Taiwan independence and does not want conflict or confrontation with China, considers Taiwan as a strategic node in the first island chain to contain China. It has been hollowing out the one-China policy. It puts its Taiwan Relations Act and the Six Assurances, something that only reflects its own will, above the three Sino-US joint communiques, which are the common understanding between two countries. This has violated the basic norms governing international relations. While substantially upgrading its official relations with Taiwan and sending senior officials to the island, the US side has been whitewashing its moves as developing unofficial relations. While paying lip service to cross-strait peace, it keeps selling sophisticated weaponry to Taiwan, only to add fuel to the fire. US actions will embolden separatists and turn the Taiwan Strait into a dangerous powder keg. As the Ukraine crisis unfolds, noises about Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow are growing, drawing parallels between two issues that are totally different. Ukraine is a sovereign state; Taiwan has never been one. The Taiwan question is part of Chinas internal affairs that brook no external interference. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected. They include Ukraine, and should include China, whose sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question must be respected. On an issue concerning Chinas core interests, we will never compromise or back down. Any discussion in America about strategic clarity or strategic ambiguity is a waste of time. No one should underestimate our determination, resolve and capability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Some two centuries after General Zhengs recovery of Taiwan, president Abraham Lincoln led the American people in successfully protecting the unity of the United States. Lincoln famously said, A house divided cannot stand, and today, I dont think the American people would allow any state to be divided, with external support, from the United States. I hope the US can put itself in our shoes, respect the Chinese peoples aspiration for peace and national reunification, and choose the right side of history by abiding by the one-China principle and supporting the peaceful reunification of China. The campaign to recall San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin is targeting the citys Asian American voters with a blitz of Chinese-language ads and endorsements from victims families, arguing that the district attorney has failed to adequately address violence against Asians. Boudin argues that he has charged numerous suspects in murder and assault cases against Asians, and last week he announced the creation of an Asian American Pacific Islander victim services unit. The push by both sides suggests Asian voters who make up a third of the citys population will be critical to the outcome. While theres no data on how many are registered voters, nearly 30,000 request Chinese ballots, the largest non-English group in the city and 6% of the electorate. It looks like theres been a very strong, concerted effort to turn the Asian American vote in favor of the recall, said David Lee, executive director of the Chinese American Voters Education Committee, who is neutral on the recall. The momentum really started after the recall of the school board members and it just gradually built up and up and up. Now youre seeing a crescendo of activity. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Lee said Chinese voter turnout in Februarys school board recall was 10.5% higher than the overall city turnout, and Asian American Pacific Islander turnout was 4.3% higher, based on his analysis of neighborhood demographics. In previous elections, Asian turnout was lower than citywide turnout. Rising Asian voter engagement could mark a new era in local politics. The political establishment in this city has finally woken up to the fact that Asian and Chinese American voters are a political force, Lee said. The recall campaign has raised more than $7 million more than twice as much as Boudin supporters $3 million and spent more than $130,000 in Chinese-language television, radio and print ads, according to campaign finance filings. Lee called the amount of Chinese media ad spending unprecedented for a ballot measure. Despite the cash disadvantage, Boudin has support from almost all of San Franciscos prominent Asian elected officials, including Connie Chan and Gordon Mar, the only Asian members of the Board of Supervisors, along with Assembly Member Phil Ting. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Boudin supporters note that both violent and property crime rates remain far below historic levels. However, homicides and shootings have increased in recent years, a trend seen in other cities, and motor vehicle theft and shoplifting have surged. Property crime rates remain high compared with other Bay Area cities. Recall ads include appearances by Asians such as Kit Lam, a parent who was active in the successful school board recall, who spoke in Cantonese to support Boudins ouster. This month, the recall campaign released an ad featuring the mother of Hanako Abe, a 27-year old San Francisco resident from Japan who was killed, along with another pedestrian, on New Years Eve 2020 by a man who police say was driving a stolen car. The alleged driver, Troy McAlister, had been arrested several times in the months before, but Boudins office had declined to file new charges, arguing the parole system was a better way to hold him accountable. McAlister is now charged with manslaughter. Abes mother, Hiroko, speaking Japanese, called for Boudin to be recalled. She said her daughter would still be alive if the district attorney had properly handled the case. The McAlister case and the killing of 84-year-old Thai immigrant Vicha Ratanapakdee a month later pushed Mary Jung, chair of the recall campaign, to begin gathering signatures last spring to oust Boudin, she said. Ratanapakdees family has also shared pro-recall messages on Twitter and disagreed with Boudins decision not to charge suspect Antoine Watson with a hate crime, though no evidence of a hate crime has been publicly released. The case has yet to go to trial. Victims families dont feel that Chesa Boudin is taking their cases seriously, Jung said. Jung, government affairs director for the San Francisco Realtors and former chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, said she, like Boudin, supports criminal justice reform and opposes mass incarceration. But not at the expense of public safety, she said. Julie Edwards, a spokesperson for the anti-recall campaign, said recall supporters are spreading misinformation and lies about Boudins record. Blaming one persons policies as the cause of violent crime is a false oversimplification, ignoring the actions of police, judges and other parts of the criminal justice system, she said. The recall is using those tragedies to score short-term political points, Edwards said. That type of rhetoric has a really harmful impact to efforts we need to be making to address anti-AAPI hate crimes. It ignores the important work that D.A. Boudin and his office have done to hold people accountable. Since taking office, Boudin has brought hate crime charges in cases involving 17 Asian American victims. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Recall supporters have cited a 567% surge in reported hate crimes against Asians in San Francisco from 2020 to 2021 and tied the increase to Boudins policies of reducing jail and prison populations by seeking plea deals and diversion programs. Edwards said theres no connection between the two. San Francisco police said reported Asian hate crimes jumped from nine in 2020 to 60 the next year, but about half were attributed to a single suspect who allegedly vandalized about two dozen Chinese-owned businesses. 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. Boudin charged the suspect, Derik Barreto, in August 2021 with 33 criminal counts including vandalism and second-degree burglary, including hate-crime enhancements. But a judge ordered Barreto to be released as part of the Mental Health Diversion program despite objections from the District Attorneys Office. Barreto then failed to attend a hearing on Jan. 31, and a bench warrant was issued. David Ho, a longtime Chinatown community organizer who is now a political consultant for Boudin, said San Francisco was far from the only place to experience a surge of discrimination and attacks against Asian Americans during the pandemic. People are anxious. Public safety has now jumped to a high priority in the city, and its a national trend, Ho said. Were hoping that, from Chesas perspective, voters can focus on the data of whats really happening with public safety. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Boudin has highlighted his expansion of language services, including appointing Assistant District Attorney Kasie Lee as the first bilingual Chinese American to head the Victims Services Division. Lee hired three more Cantonese-speaking advocates; the division previously had only one. Boudin supporter Bill Hing, a University of San Francisco law professor and former police commissioner, said the district attorney is being unfairly blamed for the citys enduring challenges such as homelessness, though he has little power over them. I think its terrible that the Chinese American community is being manipulated like that and misinformed, he said. It remains to be seen whether the flood of Asian American outreach and advertising will push turnout higher. What we may be seeing is the beginning of a cultural change in the Asian American community from one of apathy to one of activism, said Lee, of the Chinese American Voters Education Committee. Lee said many Asian American voters believe now is the time to get involved, because so much of the city is headed in the wrong direction. Roland Li and J.D. Morris are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com, jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf, @thejdmorris Correction : An earlier version of this story misstated the amount of hate crime charges filed by Boudin. Oakland Police Department/Oakland Police Department A 13-year-old girl who was last seen in Oakland on Wednesday morning was safely located, officials said Tuesday. Ameriyah Benavides was last seen in the 800 block of 52nd Street in Oakland at about 10 a.m. Wednesday, and police asked for the publics help in locating her due to her young age. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BOULDER CREEK, Santa Cruz County After catastrophic fire tore through Big Basin Redwoods two years ago and forced its closure, the storied forests of Californias oldest state park are scheduled for a limited reopening this summer, followed by a complete rebuild of the badly burned landmark. State officials have revealed for the first time what they see as the future of the popular park nestled deep in the Santa Cruz Mountains, 97% of which bears the scar of the states unrelenting wildfire crisis. While many of the trees survived, the parks historic village with its lodge, nature museum and camp store was lost in the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fires. The new plan for the park, perhaps most dramatically, calls for relocating Big Basins tourist accommodations from the heart of the old-growth forests to an area where there would be less of a toll on the 300-foot redwoods. Shuttle buses would move visitors back and forth. Reservations may be required for entry during peak season. We have vision for what the park will look like, and it will be different from what is was in the past, Chris Spohrer, state parks superintendent in the Santa Cruz area, said during a tour of the ancient groves Thursday. Were trying to reduce congestion in the forest so we can try to experience here what we would experience naturally. Nic Coury/Special to The Chronicle While the parks rebuild remains years, if not decades, off, the plan is to begin allowing people to visit the tall trees this summer. Officials with the California Department of Parks and Recreation have not yet specified a date. When the gates are opened, probably sometime after July 4, the number of people allowed in will be limited by the amount of parking currently in the forest about 70 spots at the main grove. A reservation system is being set up to ration entry. Its so exciting to finally bring people back, said Peg Danielson, operations director at the nonprofit Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks, which is working with the parks department to reopen Big Basin. But so much of the trail system and what people expect in the park are gone. Services albeit minimal will be set up temporarily at the core of the redwoods for the soft opening, including a visitor kiosk and restrooms. About 20 miles of fire roads trail will initially be open to visitors, including the famous Redwood Loop. The coastal section of Big Basin at Waddell Beach, near the town of Davenport, reopened last year and does not require a reservation. What visitors to the newly reopened areas will find is that, as bad as the fire was, more than 90% of the parks mature redwoods survived. Still, the forest is largely unrecognizable because of the vast swaths of Douglas fir and tanoak that were burned. Much of the floor of the woodlands and its understory remains dark black. Many redwoods have scarred bases, charred branches and singed needles. But the survival of these tall trees is a testament to their constitution, persisting even as wildfires have become bigger and more intense in California as a result of poor forest management and climate change. The roughly 30 named redwoods at the heart of Big Basin, including the Father of the Forest and the Mother of the Forest, still stand. Meanwhile, new, green sprouts are shooting up from the trunks of the redwoods and carpets of youthful vegetation have begun to dot the soil as sun shines down on areas that once saw little light because of the thick tree canopy. Youll notice as were walking along the trail, theres more flowering plants, theres more sedges, theres more grasses, said Spohrer, as he walked the Redwood Loop. Since the blaze in August of 2020, crews have been focused on clearing out the remnants of burned buildings, cutting down thousands of hazardous trees near roads and trails and rebuilding bridges and power lines. The high-level plan proposes relocating the park headquarters about 3 miles to the east of where it was on Highway 236, at an area called Saddle Mountain. A welcome center, store and other visitor facilities are envisioned at the site. The parks new shuttle service would launch from here. Also, the Sempervirens and Blooms Creek campgrounds near the former headquarters would close and new campgrounds would be built farther from the main redwood groves. Nic Coury/Special to The Chronicle 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. Moving most operations would not only help preserve the ecologically sensitive areas of the park, officials say, but allow administrators to conduct prescribed fires to improve forest health without having to worry about burning down buildings. While the design of the facilities is yet to be done, park officials say fire resiliency will be at their core. They say interpretive materials and education programs will highlight the natural role of wildfire in the forest as well as Native American history. The cost of the rebuild also is not clear. Gov. Gavin Newsom allocated $186 million in the state budget last year for Big Basin, but those helping with the parks redesign say it will likely need at least $250 million more. That funding has not been identified. Theyre putting forward a bold vision for the park but its going to take a similarly bold investment from the Legislature, said Sara Barth, executive director of the conservation group Sempervirens Fund, one of the partners on the rebuild. Barth and others are hoping the governor and state lawmakers will direct some of Californias recent budget surplus to the project. Big Basin was established in 1902, largely to protect the old-growth redwood forests that were increasingly being used for timber. For centuries, the area had been the homelands of the Quiroste and Cotoni tribes. Californias first state park quickly became a popular destination for families who took to the area to rent cabins, swim in the creeks, gaze at the waterfalls, sit around campfires and of course, lounge beneath the tall trees. Even in the modern day, visiting the park has remained a tradition for many Californians. Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine addressed Stanford University students and faculty on Friday morning, imploring them to remember the realities of the ongoing war and urging them to keep spreading the truth about what his country faces. Zelenskyy was greeted by a long round of applause from a packed Stanford auditorium following his introduction by Michael McFaul, the former U.S. ambassador to Russia and director of Stanfords Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. In his introduction, McFaul called Zelenskyy a hero to the entire free world. In the fight between democracy and dictatorship, colonialism and independence, amid good and evil, no nation in the world is doing more, no nation in the world is sacrificing more than Ukrainians, McFaul said. Zelenskyy drew the distinction between those sitting in the auditorium and those of his own country refusing to shy away from the realities of war. I can see people who are not wearing armored vests, who are not wearing helmets, who are not in the bomb shelters, he said. Theres no one dead among you or wounded as the result of enemy shellings this meeting wont be interrupted by the raid siren because California is not endangered by the Russian missiles. Unfortunately, this is not the case for Ukraine. He noted that since he last visited Stanford last September, before the war, much has changed but his hope remains. As I said at that time, Ukraine is the country where everything is possible. ... Now the whole world knows that, he said. Ukraine is the country who destroyed the myth about the enormous capabilities of the Russian forces. He repeated several times that while the road to victory will be long and painful, he believes his country will survive the Russian offensive. Zelenskyy also spoke to the challenges Ukraine is facing right now, particularly in its eastern region, where Russian forces have made advances. Russians had the upper hand in Ukraines east on Friday, the Associated Press reported. The battles are focused on two key cities Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk the last two under Ukrainian control. Moscow-backed separatists have controlled some territory in the east for eight years. He described how Russia was shelling residential buildings in areas, where he said there were no military facilities, recently killing at least nine civilians, including a newborn baby and its father, leaving the mother injured and alone. He noted that Ukrainian Russian speakers in Ukraines east believed they would be protected during the war, but that many of them have been killed in Russias recent attacks as well. He then shifted his focus to a well-known Stanford application question: What matters to you and why? His answer, he said, was a pragmatic one: the need for more tangible international support for Ukraine, including weapons, sanctions to stop the flow of money financing the Russian army, blocking and confiscating of all Russian assets in international jurisdictions and tribunals for Russian war criminals who killed, raped, tortured and deported our citizens, he said. He also said he wants to see a new architecture of international security that would prevent a similar war from happening, as well as assistance with reconstruction after the war. 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. I believe that Ukrainians, having been tested by this war, will still be sincere, grateful, free, he said. Im sure that after this war, something will change. The relations between the American people and Ukrainian people are changing already. They have become much closer in our feelings. We know that we have the same thing in mind when we mention freedom. He told the audience of primarily college students that their generation will be crucial in helping Ukraine come back from the war. During the question and answer portion of the event, student after student, many of whom spoke Ukrainian to Zelenskyy, asked: What more can we do from abroad? His answer: Keep grappling with the realities of the war, and keep talking about it. This is the most important thing: for the people to know the truth of this ongoing war, he said. This is not just another crisis. This is a bloody war, a fierce war, a cruel war. To one Russian student, who asked Zelenskyy almost desperately what more she could do as a Russian for the Ukrainian cause, he further emphasized this point, saying that its even more important for her to disseminate this information in Russian circles who are blocked off from the truth by their government. For the people who sometimes unfortunately cannot see or hear that truth you can penetrate this wall, he said. You can present that truth to them. Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev As Elon Musk maneuvers back and forth on his proposed purchase of Twitter, a Twitter shareholder sued Musk on Thursday, accusing the worlds richest person of making false and disparaging statements about the giant communications network to lower its stock value and his acquisition cost by billions. After Twitter announced on April 25 that Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors, had agreed to purchase Twitter for $44 billion, Musk proceeded to make statements, send tweets, and engage in conduct designed to create doubt about the deal and drive Twitters stock down substantially, said the suit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, where Twitter is headquartered. His tactics appeared to work, the suit said: Twitters stock value has declined by $8 billion, giving Musk leverage to renegotiate or back out of the purchase. Musk announced May 13 that the deal was temporarily on hold tweeting just before the stock market opened that day then declared four days later that his acquisition cannot go forward while claiming, without evidence, that nearly 20% of Twitters accounts were fakes, the suit said. It was filed by a Virginia resident as a proposed class action on behalf of all Twitter stockholders, seeking compensation for their losses and punitive damages against Musk. Attorney Joseph Cotchett said he does not know how many Twitter shareholders would support such a lawsuit, but his firm has received a lot of calls from shareholders with similar concerns. In response to queries from news organizations, Musk replied to one from Business Insider: Just because your name is Business Insider Trading doesnt mean you should project that on others! He did not say anything about the lawsuit. Tesla shareholders are also suing Musk over his tweets in 2018 that declared he had obtained financing to take the electric-car company private, ending its public stock trading. He and Tesla paid fines of $20 million each to the Securities and Exchange Commission in a settlement that also required Musk to resign as the chairman of Teslas board. Musk has tried to undo the settlement, saying he had been unfairly pressured into it, but a federal judge in Detroit ruled against him last month. 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 Wall Street Journal has reported that the SEC is also investigating Musk over the timing of his disclosure of purchases of Twitter stock. As described in Wednesdays shareholder suit, Musk had acquired more than 5% of the companys stock by early this month but waited more than 10 days to make the legally required disclosure to the SEC. That kept the stock price down and enabled Musk to save $156 million in continued purchases that made him Twitters largest shareholder at 9.2%, the suit said. Musks disregard for securities laws demonstrates how one can flaunt the law and the tax code to build their wealth at the expense of the other Americans, the suit said. It quoted another Wall Street Journal article that said Twitter, plagued by confusion about Musks shifting plans, has frozen its hiring, fired two senior executives and is suffering from what another executive described as a chaos tax. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko The ground is sinking in parts of California as the continued drought strains reservoirs, increasing reliance on the states already precarious groundwater reserves depleted by years of well-pumping. In just one year, from October 2020 to September 2021, satellite-based estimates showed entire towns in the Central Valley, including in Kings and Tulare counties, sinking by nearly a foot. The maximum loss recorded during that time was 1.1 feet on the northwestern edge of Tulare County. The sinking, known as land subsidence, happens when excessive pumping dries out the water reserves underground and collapses the space where water used to be. Experts say its a century-old problem in California that regulators have tried to slow with sustainability measures. But with the changing climate, they face an uphill battle. Its a latent issue thats been building over a long time, and were kind of seeing a lot of fallout from that, said Andrew Ayres, an environmental resources and economics researcher at the Public Policy Institute of California, a nonpartisan think tank. Michael Macor/The Chronicle 2014 Land subsidence threatens infrastructure, including roads and canals, he said. Damage from it led to a $3.3 million repair project at the Delta Mendota canal in San Joaquin Valley, which delivers water to 1.2 million acres of farmland and 2 million people in the region. The repair project, the funding for which was announced in April, is part of a larger effort by the state water department to address deficiencies in Californias water conveyance systems. As we pump groundwater out of the aquifer, the water exists in these spaces between various layers and pieces of rock, Ayres said. If you pump out enough water, those places will get compressed and this leads to a loss in long-term storage. Even if an aquifer is recharged with rain or by other means, it wont be able to hold as much water as it used to, Ayres added. As aquifer levels drop, the process of pulling water from them becomes more difficult and costly. It might be impossible to access any remaining groundwater supplies, Ayres added. The problem existed long before major infrastructure and sustainability requirements were put in place. The U.S. Geological Survey says that between the 1920s and 1970s, significant land subsidence occurred in about half of the San Joaquin Valley, or about 5,200 square miles, with some areas subsiding by as much as 28 feet. The continued depletion of groundwater reserves, especially in drought years, is worrisome because of groundwaters critical role as a buffer when theres little rain or snowpack to replenish the states many surface water resources, like reservoirs. In drought years, (groundwater) can make up to 60% of the states water supply, said Steven Springhorn, a supervising engineering geologist for the water department. That compares with about 40% in non-drought years. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle 2021 When major surface water sources, such as the State Water Project, cant deliver enough water during drought, local agencies must find alternative sources, like pumping it from the ground or purchasing it. The State Water Project is a massive system of dams and canals (similar to the Central Valley Project). It delivers water to about 27 million people, including farmers and city dwellers. The State Water Project announced it expects to provide just 5% of the water requested by contractors in the coming year. This year, we dont have any surface water to provide to our growers, said Kristin Sicke, general manager of the Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, which provides irrigation water to farmers in western Yolo County, as well as delivering water to dozens of smaller municipal and industrial customers. But the groundwater situation is also dire. Sicke said the district is anticipating record-low groundwater levels this year beyond the historical low point set during the 1976-77 drought, she said. Many wells, not just in western Yolo County but across the state, are reporting similarly grim groundwater levels. As of early May, more than 60% of wells in California that reported data within the past year indicated below- normal levels of water, data shows. This is a problem, especially for rural communities that tend not to have very deep wells, said Ayres, of the policy research group. Its also a problem for ag users who, you know, maybe drilled a well 15 years ago when groundwater tables were a lot higher than they are today. There was heavier reliance on pumping in the past before key sustainability measures, such as the states Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2015, created tighter regulations around groundwater, he said. Much of the most persistent overdraft happened then, and the long-term consequences will continue to play out. In recent years, many farmers have been choosing to fallow ground without planting instead of resorting to pumping from wells, he said. In part, thats because they kind of see the writing on the wall and are acting to control the negative impacts on the groundwater aquifer. In other cases, its because groundwater sustainability agencies have already adopted a constraint on how much groundwater people can pump, so they dont have an option. Without water, crops cant grow, said Ryan Jacobsen, CEO of the Fresno County Farm Bureau. The uncertainty of future conditions will make securing water supply more challenging. Not knowing if this is year three of three or year three of 10 makes it more difficult for preparation purposes. Farmers, too, are seeking sustainable solutions, including investing in sophisticated technology for efficiency. Theres definitely been a very large push to utilize every drop possible. The scarcity of water underscores the importance of monitoring groundwater, said Springhorn of the water department. Rigorous monitoring helps inform drought response and advanced planning as water agencies and agricultural communities navigate drought. Among the efforts to protect groundwater reserves include improved monitoring of groundwater systems, Springhorn said. Sicke, the water manager in Yolo County, said her agency may need to reconsider its revenue structure, which currently relies more on surface water availability, should these prolonged drought conditions turn out to be the new normal for the state. But for now, Sicke said she remains hopeful for a natural recovery. We have seen the recovery historically when rain has come. Were trying not to forget. Right now, its hard. Yoohyun Jung is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: yoohyun.jung@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @yoohyun_jung The latest COVID-19 surge is battering the Bay Area food industry, but restaurants continue to open in the face of public health and staffing challenges. The Peninsula and South Bay are now home to several new spots of note, from a sushi bar devoted to hand rolls in San Mateo to a Los Gatos market serving hoagies and boozy soft-serve. Read on for more on each opening. The Peninsulas first hand-roll restaurant debuts Sushi restaurants with a focus on hand rolls remain scant in the Bay Area, but two opened in the last month: the buzzy Handroll Project in San Francisco and Taki Nori in downtown San Mateo. From a perch at Taki Noris sleek, L-shaped bar, diners can watch chefs deftly assemble hand rolls with hamachi, meaty salmon belly and silky scallop topped with crispy garlic. Ball out with the most expensive hand roll on the menu: a $25 uni and toro creation garnished with gold flakes. Each hand roll is made to order and there are only 13 bar seats, so expect a wait at peak times. 144 E. Third Ave., San Mateo. instagram.com/takinori_handroll Palo Alto gets an Austrian restaurant Provided by Dino Tekdemir Campbells popular Naschmarkt has brought its homemade pretzels and spatzle to Palo Alto. The Austrian restaurant opened a second location on Birch Street, just off California Avenue in the former Anatolian Kitchen space (Anatolian owner Dino Tekdemir also runs Naschmarkt). Head there for warm pretzels with beer-cheese sauce, Austrian charcuterie and pork schnitzel. The wine list features many Austrian bottles with an entire section devoted to Gruner Veltliner, the Austrian-grown grape. 2323 Birch St., Palo Alto. naschmarktrestaurants.com/home S.F. coffee truck expands south Jana Asenbrennerova/Special to The Chronicle California Kahve, a popular coffee truck parked near San Franciscos Ocean Beach on weekends, now has a permanent daytime cafe at the Park James Hotel in Menlo Park. Owner Molly Weltons popular coffee and tea drinks, including a lavender mint matcha and marionberry latte, are available here Monday through Saturday. For food, expect pastries, quiches and colorful smoothie bowls. California Kahve is located inside the hotel, with ample outdoor seating on a massive, couch-filled patio. 1400 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. californiakahve.com South Bay breakfast sandwich specialist grows Egghead Sando, a hit breakfast sandwich spot in Cupertino, has arrived in San Jose. Sandwich options include fluffy scrambled eggs with chives, over-medium eggs with Spam or the classic bacon, egg and cheese on toasted brioche buns. A hefty fried chicken sandwich, reminiscent of Taiwanese popcorn chicken, is draped with a yolk-oozing egg. Drinks range from coffee and matcha lattes to black sesame milk. 519 W. Capitol Expressway, San Jose. eggheadcafe.net A new Thai option for the Peninsula Head to Foster Citys new Chuan Chim Thai Cuisine for North and Northeastern Thai specialties, including chubby Isaan-style pork sausages and khao soi curry noodles. The menu includes crispy catfish salad, Dungeness crab fried rice and curry with roasted duck and pineapple. 1099 Foster Square Lane, Unit 125, Foster City. chuanchimthaicuisine.com/ A convenience store goes plant-based Provided by Hangry Planet Instead of Slurpees and sodium-drenched hot dogs, this San Bruno convenience store is now stocked with vegan doughnuts, Beyond Meat breakfast sandwiches and oat milk soft-serve. Hangry Planet, located at an El Camino Real gas station, is completely plant-based. A machine dispenses vegan hot cocoa, while freezers are stocked with vegan pizza and dairy-free ice cream. Its a funky scene, complete with a car wash virtual-reality experience and massive T-rex statue outside devouring a replica of Vladimir Putin. 1199 El Camino Real, San Bruno. instagram.com/TheHangryPlanet Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Taco truck gets a permanent home Popular Peninsula truck Tacos El Flamingo has opened a restaurant in downtown San Mateo. The large, prominent building, formerly occupied by Little Sichuan, is now serving quesabirria, flautas, whole fried fish and other Mexican fare. 168 E. Fourth Ave., San Mateo . 650-558-8978 More hot chicken for the South Bay Jojos in San Jose is the latest Bay Area business to capitalize on the Nashville-style hot chicken trend. The food truck serves spicy fried chicken sandwiches with a range of heat levels, plus crinkle-cut fries. Jojos is parked on Kooser Road and Camden Avenue Friday through Sunday. 1587 Kooser Road, San Jose. jojoshotchicken.com A market with cheesesteaks and soft-serve Los Gatos newest market specializes in East Coast deli fare. Montebello Market sources pastrami from New York Citys famed Carnegie Deli for its reuben and Philadelphia staple Amorosos rolls for a cheesesteak with cheese whiz. There are also several hoagies, beer-steamed hot dogs and boozy soft-serve (or sans alcohol for kids). The market is also stocked with grab-and-go food, wine and canned cocktails. Jim Foley, a local real estate developer who also runs Rootstock Wine Bar in Los Gatos, teamed up with Orens Hummus owner David Cohen to open the market. 9 Montebello Way, Los Gatos. montebellomarket.com Elena Kadvany is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: elena.kadvany@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ekadvany UVALDE Sitting in his office on the third floor of the courthouse here, Judge Eulalio Diaz first saw a post around noon Tuesday from the citys police. Not a first responder, he went about his day, watching ambulances and buses out two windows behind his desk, hearing and reading reports. About two hours later, he got a call requesting he make a location, indicating that at least one person is dead in a Texas county without a medical examiner. As the countys justice of the peace, his duties usually include court cases and officiating weddings, but his role also includes serving as the coroner. We were under impression that it was two or three people, Diaz, 49, recounted Thursday. He arrived at Robb Elementary a campus once attended by himself, his eighth-grade son and his high school senior who was supposed to graduate Friday. He was told there were nearly 20 deceased inside a classroom. Thats just, you know, he said, not the news I was expecting to hear. For the first time since before the pandemic, he estimated, he emailed the Bexar County medical examiner for help in undertaking the task of pronouncing individuals deceased and determining manners and causes of death. Families needed to be told, too, once those who had perished had been identified, but it would be hours. He figured he could prepare for what he would see in the classroom in the time it would take the medical examiner to get into town. Time to ready his mind. Time to brace himself to see what at the time was believed to 17 dead individuals, most of them young children. You cant prepare, he said now. You dont want to ever see children, and even adults teachers, you dont want to see something like this happen to them. Its just the most horrible feeling. It was something, he said, he would like to have never done and never want to do ever again. 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 know people, he said. Its going to affect all of us. This is not one where Im disconnected with the town. Im part of the town, this is my town, this is where I grew up, this is where I live. Its really hard on all of us. Since, Diaz has been answering a lot of questions, trying to be open about his process and the reality he and his 16,000 or so neighbors now share. He has not attended vigils, instead working in his office with authorities and trying to get any more information to mourning families. His clerk and constable have visited him to offer support. We lean on each other, he said. Were a close-knit community. He appreciates the outpouring of support for the city.And he wants people to not forget about what happened in two or three weeks or a month or whenever its no longer new. This, he said, is a life-changing event for everybody. For decades, Alameda County has faced a seemingly endless slew of crises in its criminal justice system. Sex scandals, racist text messages, and repeated allegations of excessive and deadly force have plagued various local police departments, most notably Oakland, which has had five police chiefs in seven years. Earlier this year, the countys Santa Rita Jail was placed under court supervision over mistreatment of people with mental health issues. Two deputies from the Alameda County Sheriffs Department were the center of a $5.5 million lawsuit after they beat a man in a San Francisco alley. On top of that, the county has a skyrocketing homicide rate. Last year, 134 people were killed in Oakland, with police reportedly responding to 3,320 shootings. It was the deadliest year for the city in more than a decade. The realities of a flawed and too often racially unjust system, paired with violent streets, have left residents of Alameda County, to varying degrees, simultaneously fearful and deeply distrustful of the system meant to protect them. This tension is a microcosm of the national push and pull over reform and public safety. But unlike many parts of the country, Alameda isnt looking backward. Longtime Alameda District Attorney Nancy OMalley is stepping down. Shes held the seat since 2009 and has drawn criticism for failing to file charges against police officers who killed people. The four candidates are on the ballot to replace her all have impressive resumes and a commitment to varying levels of reform. They are also all Black, guaranteeing that Alameda County where Black people are 20 times more likely to be incarcerated that white people and were victims of 73% of the homicides from 2008 to 2017 will have its first Black district attorney. Civil rights attorney Pamela Price, who has been on the frontlines of criminal justice reform in Alameda County for decades, is the progressive favorite. She took on OMalley in 2018, drawing 42% of the vote. Fluent in the structural impediments to reform, she speaks with authority on the Oakland Police Commission, Santa Rita Jail, the juvenile justice system and state criminal law. She does not support cash bail and hopes to establish neighborhood courts and other diversion programs as alternatives to incarceration. In an interview with the editorial board, Price pledged to run an office committed to transparency, equity and accountability. Despite an impressive legal resume, however, Price has never worked as a prosecutor. And she likely wont get much help overcoming any learning curves from inside the office. Alameda prosecutors unionized in 2019, allegedly to prevent Price from cleaning house should she ever win office. Price makes no secret she plans to be tough on prosecutors who challenge her reforms. There will be some departures, she told us. Thats just going to be inevitable. While meaningful change does require toughness, weve seen the results when a reform-minded district attorney takes reluctant prosecutors with civil service protections head on. In Los Angeles, District Attorney George Gascon has clashed with members of his staff. Several years in, his agenda is sliding backward. Seth Steward, meanwhile, is chief of staff to Oakland City Council Member Dan Kalb. A former Air Force flight engineer, Steward worked as a prosecutor for 11 years under District Attorneys Kamala Harris and Gascon in San Francisco. In Oakland, Steward drafted bills that banned ghost guns and prevented the Oakland Police Department from using carotid restraints and choke holds. Like Price, Steward is committed to ending cash bail, expanding diversion programs and prosecuting officers accused of criminal misconduct. His experience as a prosecutor and in City Hall appeals to us, as comprehensive criminal justice reform demands partnerships and a political touch. Terry Wiley is a 30-year veteran of the Alameda District Attorneys Office, where among other jobs he led its division of diversity, equity and inclusion. In the early 2000s, he prosecuted officers in the notorious Riders case, after allegations of beatings and evidence planting by Oakland police officers surfaced. Wileys in a difficult position; hes had to straddle defending his career working for a controversial district attorney with his calls for reform. Will he push for change or work to further the legacy he helped build with OMalley? He argues that both are possible. Wiley isnt the only member of the District Attorneys Office vying for the seat: Theres also Jimmie Wilson, a plumber turned lawyer whos been a prosecutor for 17 years. Wilson calls for the return of the offices gang intelligence unit, an increase in police staffing in Oakland and intensified efforts in prosecuting violent crime. Hes often more aggressive than his opponents, such as his support of charging some 16-year-olds in adult court, depending on the crime. He is endorsed by seven of the countys police unions typically not a harbinger of reform. But Wilsons isnt a hardliner; he speaks thoughtfully and pragmatically on cash bail reform and wants to reshape diversion programs to be more effective. With a group of candidates this impressive, its unlikely any one will secure the 50% of votes needed to win outright in the June 7 primary. Based on her impressive list of endorsements and clear base of community support, Price will almost certainly make it to the top-two on the November ballot We would like to see Steward there alongside her. In a county where distrust in the status quo runs deep, we worry Wilsons calls for reform dont go far enough. While Wiley was adept at pointing to flaws in the system during our interview, he fell short on proposing solutions. Steward is a wonk. We were told time and again that he is a likable leader, befitting his military experience, and were optimistic he could rally a skeptical staff of prosecutors around his ambitious platform. He deserves to make that case to voters in November. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. Correction: An earlier version of this endorsement misstated what Seth Steward did in the Air Force. Regarding Four more years for Newsom (Insight, May 22): I was surprised to read such an unqualified endorsement of Gov. Gavin Newsom. While I was impressed and hopeful about the governors early handling of the COVID crisis, his going unmasked at the French Laundry while asking many sacrifices of his constituents was very distressing to me. When he followed this by again appearing unmasked at a public event, he lost my vote. His behavior shows an arrogance and a belief that rules he imposes dont count for himself. I believe it is especially dangerous in these times of COVID but also when so many powerful people in politics have shown disregard for rules and laws. I have not yet decided how to vote. For The Chronicle to not directly address this issue was a disappointment to me. Carol Straforini, Richmond High-speed rails killers Regarding Who killed states high-speed rail? (Open Forum, May 23): Joe Mathews column is a sad reminder of one of the most monumental political, environmental and public-interest failures in the recent history of California. So, who is killing high-speed rail? Not the people of California, a majority of whom continue to support it. The politicians in Sacramento, both Republicans and Democrats, are the main culprits, whose approach to the future of mass transit is myopic and who speak on both sides of their mouths on the environment. Gov. Gavin Newsom has no qualms about lavishing $400 on gas-powered car drivers, who pollute the air, instead of using a portion of the states historic surplus to fund this progressive and clean project. Many other self-interested constituents, from farmers to wealthy communities, are killing high-speed rail. It is the duty of the Legislature to exercise leadership and move this project from a cathedral in the desert to a shining example of Californias progressive view of the common future. Eugenio Frongia, Oakland GOP has no solutions If Republicans want to blame all these mass shootings on mental health issues, lets see them fund mental health services. If they want to ban abortion, they need to make contraceptives readily available and provide support to families after children are born. Republican positions create dangerous situations with no real remedies. Ignore their talking points and see what they are actually doing to solve these real problems. Nothing. Susan Wilder, Oakland Save Laguna Honda Regarding Laguna Honda sets plan to move 700 patients (Front Page, May 17): The federal regulators have set in motion plans to shut down Laguna Honda rehabilitation center and move of 700 residents to nonexistent care facilities. These auditors have no idea of what a service Laguna Honda provides for the community and what an amazing institution it is. I visit Laguna Honda regularly and see it as a well-organized, well-run, caring institution that provides for the health and emotional needs of a fragile population in a clean modern even beautiful facility. Cruel threats to forcibly remove 700 people because of infractions by a few residents are beyond belief. Those who decide the fate of Laguna Honda must not ignore the success of this nursing home one of the largest in the nation in fighting the COVID-19 crisis with low infection and death rates. Laguna Honda is in House Speaker Nancy Pelosis hometown and should be on the top of her agenda and a story for Chronicle reporters until 700 San Franciscans are safe in their homes. San Francisco has only spent about a quarter of the funds it has available from a 2018 business tax that voters approved to make massive investments in homeless services. Though city leaders have budgeted well over half a billion dollars from Proposition C, so far, the city has doled out about $155 million, or 26% of the nearly $600 million. The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing said the remaining funds have been earmarked for spending on various programs in the current fiscal year and next. That means the city is still far from realizing the full scope of the ballot measure, which authorized a gross receipts tax on companies with more than $50 million in annual revenue. Prop. C passed with more than 60% of the vote in November 2018 but was challenged by a lawsuit until the California Supreme Court allowed it to move forward in September 2020. Prop. C is expected to generate $250 million to $300 million per year, and advocates say it could be the boost the city needs to finally make a big dent in the homeless crisis, but theres also debate about how to spend it for maximum impact. Some funds from the proposition had been rolled out by the time San Francisco recently recorded a 3.5% decline in its homeless population. But city officials believe the measure is likely to have a much greater effect in future years. We are just beginning to see the impacts of Prop. C in the lives of people experiencing homelessness and the broader community, Denny Machuca-Grebe, a spokesman for the homeless department, said in an email. The citys latest point-in-time count of its unhoused residents, released this month, tallied 7,754 people, down from 8,035 in 2019. The number of people who were unsheltered meaning they were living in tents or cars declined by 15%. Machuca-Grebe said the reduction in unsheltered homelessness reflected a 1,000-bed shelter expansion sought by Mayor London Breed years ago, as well as the citys program to move unhoused people into hotels during the pandemic and an expansion of permanent supportive housing that largely predated Prop. C. Some of the money for the shelter expansion came from Prop. C, but the city also drew from its general fund and used money from the state, according to city officials. 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. Its correct to say that were just scratching the surface of the promise of Prop. C, said Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness. I think Prop. C has had an impact, and were gonna see a much more dramatic impact coming up. Still, Friedenbach said the ballot measure has already delivered much-needed housing for homeless people: Prop. C money helped the city buy the Granada Hotel and Hotel Diva to turn them into supportive housing. The first time the city made Prop. C funds available was in December 2020, when the Board of Supervisors released $49.3 million to the homeless department, but supervisors held back $232 million pending input from an advisory group and review of a spending plan, Machuca-Grebe said. Those remaining funds were released by the board in June 2021, he said. Prop. C is far from the only money San Francisco spends on the crisis its in addition to other investments from both the health and homeless departments. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris On June 25, 1835, a former British sailor named William Richardson, his wife, Maria Antonia, and their three children rode over the sand dunes to a small chaparral-covered bluff above a curving, sandy beach called Yerba Buena Cove. On this site, Richardson erected a crude dwelling made out of a ships sail stretched over four redwood posts. He and his family thus became the first inhabitants of the hamlet of Yerba Buena the future city of San Francisco. We know the date the Richardson family arrived for an endearing reason. When they arrived at the site of their new home, Richardsons eldest child, 9-year-old Mariana, asked if she could have a pony of her own. He told her that if she were a good girl, he would get her one for Christmas, just six months from today. The site is marked by a weather-beaten old gray plaque on a dingy Chinatown apartment building called the Dick-Young Apartments, at 823 Grant Ave., across from the Empress of China. The Richardsons had ridden up to the sandy, windblown San Francisco peninsula from Mission San Gabriel, near the small town of Los Angeles. As recounted in the last Portals, Richardson had actually arrived in what is now San Francisco 13 years earlier, when he had jumped ship from his whaler, become a Mexican citizen and married the daughter of the commandant of the San Francisco Presidio. He had moved to Mission San Gabriel in 1829 to further his petition for a land grant. There he met the governor, Jose Figueroa, who agreed to let him create a trading station at Yerba Buena Cove and appointed him captain of that future port. Richardson began transporting goods around the bay on a 15-ton sloop. In 1836 he got his first neighbor, Jacob Leese, a merchant from Ohio who opened a store in Yerba Buena (and also married a Californio girl). But Yerba Buena remained a barely inhabited hamlet for years. (The only other two settlements in what is now San Francisco, the decaying Presidio and moribund Mission, also had few residents.) In 1841, Richardson moved his family to Sausalito, where he had finally been given the land grant he had requested, a vast estate extending from Sausalito to Mount Tamalpais and west to Bolinas and totaling 19,572 acres. (Such huge grants, usually given to former soldiers, were common practice during Californias Mexican era.) The Richardsons socialized with the local rancheros, as well as with the officers of the visiting ships, mostly from the U.S., Britain, Russia and France. In addition to carrying hides and goods around the bay on his boat, Richardson helped pilot ships entering the Golden Gate. He also employed eight Indian boatmen who were capable of performing this demanding task. As Robert Ryal Miller writes in Captain Richardson: Mariner, Ranchero and Founder of San Francisco, his most trusted native associate was Manico, a former mission Indian who was 6 feet tall, had white hair and remained with him for 15 years. Richardsons son Steve (Esteban) recalled that Manico was an able seaman, the peer of the best who ever manned ship. Richardson also did a thriving business selling supplies and fresh water from the springs on his property to visiting ships. But his biggest income probably derived from smuggling, which was well-nigh universal in Yerba Buena. In fact, it was in a (largely futile) attempt to cut down on smuggling and evasion of tariffs that the Mexican authorities built an adobe customs house in the northwest corner of the Plaza (now Portsmouth Square). As captain of the port, Richardson was responsible for ensuring that entering ships paid customs duties and anchorage fees, but he did not seem to be overburdened with a sense of responsibility as a Mexican official, as historian Hubert Bancroft put it. In 1846, the Mexican-American War broke out. As a Mexican citizen, but also as a businessman who realized that the Yankees were going to end up in possession of California, Richardson steered a careful middle course. He allowed Californio troops fleeing from the Americans to use his schooner to escape to the East Bay, and sheltered about 100 panicked Californio women and children on his Rancho Sausalito. But he raised the American flag above his Sausalito rancho, and volunteered to help the victorious Americans. And after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in 1848, Richardson and his family willingly became American citizens. But the American era, and the Gold Rush, proved to be disastrous for Richardson. At first he prospered, opening a lucrative waterworks on his Sausalito land, carrying miners and supplies up the Sacramento River, and running a profitable ranch. But then he ran afoul of the notorious American land laws that placed the burden on those who had received land grants during the Mexican era to prove it was their land. Since most of those grants were legally vague and used informal measurements, many if not most Californio landowners ended up being tied up in litigation for years or decades. Richardson was no exception. He filed claims to confirm his ownership of Rancho Sausalito and another large grant, Rancho Albion, in 1852, but it took 27 years for the former to be settled in his favor, and 25 years for the latter to be rejected. By then, Richardson had long since died. More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond. As the courts began their excruciatingly slow deliberations, Richardson made several disastrous mistakes. First, he purchased three ships loaded with supplies and dispatched them to San Francisco, hoping to make a killing. But all three sank, inflicting what his son called a staggering blow to his finances and forcing him to sell off some of his property. Then he opened his own shipping line, mortgaging Rancho Sausalito at ruinous rates of interest to finance it. When his shipping line failed, he ended up losing everything. As Miller writes, When he died on April 20, 1856, he left this world as he had come to California landless. After losing their land in Marin County, Richardsons daughter Mariana and her family moved several times, ending up in a rented house on Alameda Island. When one of their sons died in 1897, they were so poor they could not pay for his funeral. As for Richardsons son Stephen, he worked for 17 years as a prison guard at San Quentin, dying in 1924 in San Francisco at the age of 93. Triva Time The last question: What was the last song the Beatles played at their final concert at Candlestick Park on August 29, 1966? Answer: "Long Tall Sally." This week's question: What serving U.S. president died in San Francisco? See More Collapse William Richardsons life had an unfortunate ending, but most of it was fulfilling and appears to have been happy. Literally overnight, he transformed himself from a sailor to a successful entrepreneur. He married the woman who had fallen in love with him at first sight and raised a family with her. Mexican governor Alvarado wrote that he was an educated man who had many friends because he was a man of principle and fair to all who had any dealing with him, and that he was of an extremely gentle and generous nature. San Francisco was fortunate in its founder. Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco. His most recent book is Spirits of San Francisco: Voyages Through the Unknown City. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. To read earlier Portals of the Past, go to sfchronicle.com/portals. Marc Sandalow is associate director of the University of Californias Washington Program. He has been writing about California politics from Washington, D.C. for nearly 30 years. Employees at Salesforce, San Franciscos largest private employer, are urging executives to cease their working relationship with the National Rifle Association after the Uvalde, Texas, elementary school shooting that left 19 children and two adults dead. An open letter titled, Ending our customer relationship with the NRA, was sent to the tech titan's co-CEOs, Marc Benioff and Bret Taylor; CFO Amy Weaver; and CMO Sarah Franklin on Wednesday evening, according to a current Salesforce employee (who was granted anonymity in accordance with Hearsts ethics policy). The letter, which SFGATE has viewed, was also posted on the company's internal Slack (Salesforce now owns Slack). As of Thursday afternoon, the employee said, the letter has more than 4,000 signatories. Its not in our power to get background checks or other gun control measures passed by Congress but we can effect change by ending our commercial relationship with our customer, the National Rifle Association, reads the open letter, addressed to Benioff and Taylor. The letter begins with a quote from poet Amanda Gorman, and quotes Benioff himself in a recent interview where he urged direct action in light of the shooting. The letter makes explicit how Salesforce's customer relationship management software is used within the gun-rights group. The NRA uses Salesforce products to drive their marketing and fundraising efforts, the letter reads. It is unconscionable to consider their use of Marketing Cloud to capitalize on mass shootings. It goes on to rebuke the NRA, and alludes to past incidents in which Salesforce's software may have aided in marketing campaigns for the organization. "Based on past history, it is likely the NRA is already upping, or preparing to up, their Marketing Cloud usage in response to this tragedy, not to prevent future tragedies from happening, but to sow fear, sell guns, and abet future atrocities." Benioff, who co-founded Salesforce, is one of the more outspoken activist tech leaders in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. He has supported increased taxes on tech companies to help unhoused people despite recent reports that the company paid no federal income tax and expressed support for LGBTQ people and abortion rights. There is also precedent for Salesforce to cease its relationship with the NRA. In 2019, the company stopped working with some vendors that sold semi-automatic and 3D-printed guns online, and then updated its services policy to enforce the ban. Benioff has also been repeatedly outspoken about his support for gun control. Employees at the tech giant have also publicly spoken out against the company in recent months. More than 400 employees signed a separate open letter opposing the company's entry into the NFT market, according to a Reuters report from February. A majority of employees expressed support on Slack for Salesforce to take action against the NRA, the employee said. Salesforce has emphasized its internal "culture of responsible technology" in marketing materials. In its ethical use policy, it states that safety is one of its guiding principles: "We aim to protect humans from direct harm from the use of our technology." Benioff himself has called for the company to adhere to a "strong set of guiding values." Some employees dissented, however, arguing that deciding to stop working with companies on a case-by-case basis could be a slippery slope especially as the NRA is not unlawful in its actions. Representatives from Salesforce did not respond to multiple requests for comment from SFGATE. Alexandr Spatari/Getty Images The city felt quiet and the streets appeared empty during those early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the population of San Francisco did indeed decline significantly between July 2020 and July 2021. San Francisco saw a 6.3% decrease in population during this time, the largest percentage decline of any major metropolitan area across the country. It was also a much greater dip than other Bay Area cities. Daly City saw a decline of 3.2% and San Mateo fell by 3%. Wastewater data from three counties in the Bay Area San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara shows the concentration of coronavirus in the community has trended upward since April, and at some plants, levels rose as high as the January peak when the original omicron variant drove up cases. Data from the first half of this week hints at a downward turn, but more data is needed to determine if the region has hit its peak, said Alexandria Boehm, a professor of engineering at Stanford who is part of team tracking California's COVID-19 pandemic through wastewater analysis. "It's hard to discern true downturns from the short period variability," Boehm said. "I think we need to see if we see sustained downturns over a week to call it a true downturn." https://soe-wbe-pilot.wl.r.appspot.com/ Wastewater data has been a helpful tool throughout the pandemic as infected individuals often begin to shed the virus before they test. The data can provide an early warning of surges and new variants, and also captures asymptomatic cases in people who may never test. More recently, it has become increasingly important as rapid antigen tests become widely available and people test at home. "People arent reporting at-home tests to public health agencies so any data from government agencies right now is going to be vastly underreported," said Boehm. But while wastewater may offer a clear picture of the prevalence of the coronavirus in a community, it doesn't capture the burden of disease. For this, you have to look at hospitalizations and deaths, and current figures indicate that the current situation is resulting in significantly less severe illness than in past surges. "Since cases became 'decoupled' from hospitalizations in places with high vaccination rates with delta and omicron (like we have in the Bay Area), I suggest a hospitalization metric to determine the burden of disease in a community of COVID-19," UCSF infectious diseases expert Dr. Monica Gandhi wrote in an email. Current data shows a small increase in hospitalizations in San Francisco amid the recent surge in cases, but the increase is much less significant than in past surges. Also, Gandhi noted that when looking at hospital data, it's important to keep in mind that many hospitalizations included in public health agency data includes incidental cases where someone went to the hospital for a surgery and happened to test positive for COVID-19. People with an incidental case are not in the hospital for serious COVID-19 illness. Immunity from vaccinations and prior infection, boosters and variants that cause less severe illness are all reasons for the lower hospitalizations in this surge. (You can read more about hospitalizations in the SF Bay Area on SFGATE.) BA.2.12 is the dominant variant in the San Francisco Bay Area Wastewater data shows the highly contagious omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 is the dominant strain. Cases of BA.4 and BA.5 are appearing, but not in abundance. Boehm said her team is closely tracking BA.4 and BA.5 as a significant increase could suggest it's overtaking BA.2.12.1. In South Africa, BA.4 and BA.5 became the dominant variants over BA.2.12.1, but Boehm said that as of now, there's no indication that's happening in the Bay Area. "Were measuring BA.4 every day now at all the plants," she said. "Were looking at whether were seeing a sustained increased and that would tell us whether its able to compete with BA.2.12.1. Well be able to tell that before the clinical data gives us that info." Research indicates that the first omicron variant causes less severe disease than past variants such as delta, and early studies show that the subvariants also lead to less severe illness. But the variants are highly transmissible. "BA.2.12.1 is thought to be 25% more transmissible than BA.2, which is itself 30% to 80% more transmissible than BA.1, which is itself 200% more transmissible than delta," UCSF infectious diseases expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong said. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is building a massive new support ship near the strategic Strait of Hormuz as it tries to expand its naval presence in waters vital to international energy supplies and beyond, satellite photos obtained by The Associated Press show. The construction of the Shahid Mahdavi provides the Guard a large, floating base from which to run the small fast boats that largely make up its fleet designed to counter the U.S. Navy and other allied forces in the region. Its arrival, however, comes after a series of setbacks for both the Guard and Iran's regular navy, including the loss of its largest warship less than a year earlier. As negotiations over Iran's nuclear deal with world powers also founder, further confrontations at sea between Tehran and the West also remain a risk. They are looking beyond the Persian Gulf and into the blue waters of the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea and the northern Indian Ocean, said Farzin Nadimi, an associate fellow at the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy who studies the Iranian military. The Shahid Mahdavi appears to be a retrofit of an Iranian cargo ship known as the Sarvin, based off of previous pictures of the vessel which also has a similar curve to its hull. The Sarvin arrived off Bandar Abbas in late July last year and then switched off its trackers. By Jan. 29, satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP showed the vessel at drydock at Shahid Darvishi Marine Industries, a company associated with Iran's Defense Ministry just west of Bandar Abbas. An image of the Shahid Mahdavi circulated first on social media. The ship appears to have crewed anti-aircraft weapons on its bow and stern, according to H.I. Sutton, a military ship expert who first identified the ship as being near Bandar Abbas. A flag for the Revolutionary Guard, showing its logo of a fist gripping an assault rifle with a Quran underneath and a globe behind it, hangs from the ship's bridge. A high-resolution Planet image taken of the drydock Saturday on behalf of the AP showed the gun-metal gray Shahid Mahdavi still at the shipyard. Just next to it, one of Iran's Kilo-class, diesel-powered attack submarines appears to be undergoing a major overhaul. Iran is believed to have one Kilo-class sub that's operational while another is also nonfunctional, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. As the image of the Shahid Mahdavi circulated online, the semiofficial Fars news agency ran a story about the ship. Fars, believed to be close to the Guard, described the vessel as a mobile naval city" capable of ensuring the security of Irans trade lines, as well as the rights of Iranian sailors and fishermen in the high seas. This range of new defense and combat innovations for the construction of heavy vessels, in line with the mass development of light vessels, and equipping them with various arrays can maintain Irans authority over the Persian Gulf and the (Gulf) of Oman always in the face of transregional enemies, Fars said. Such floating bases have been used before in the region, particularly by the U.S. Navy during the 1980s so-called Tanker War" after Iraq invaded Iran. As Iranian mines detonated against crude oil shippers amid that war, the Navy began escorting ships out of the Persian Gulf through its narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz. The strait to this day sees a fifth of all oil traded pass through it. During the conflict, U.S. special forces operated from commercial barges that served as forward operating bases. The Navy still works with the idea today the Mideast-based 5th Fleet has been home to the USS Lewis B. Puller, a massive ship designed off an oil tanker that can host troops and attack helicopters. The Shahid Mahdavi looks like it will be configured to be an afloat forward staging base, to use the U.S. Navy term, said Michael Connell, an expert on Iran at the Virginia-based Center for Naval Analyses. "The Puller was parked for many years in the Persian Gulf and the Iranian military witnessed its utility as a platform for expeditionary warfare and power projection." For years, the Guard patrolled the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, while Iran's regular navy patrolled the seas and oceans beyond. Building the Shahid Mahdavi likely gives the Guard the ability to expand its presence into those waters once patrolled by the navy. History also isn't something that has escaped Iran. The choice of the name for the Guard's newest ship Shahid Mahdavi, or Martyr Mahdavi comes from Nader Mahdavi, an Iranian Guardsman killed by the U.S. Navy in 1987 during the Tanker War. America's killing of Mahdavi, which came after his forces opened fire on U.S. special forces helicopters, still resonates in Iran today. Tehran has alleged without evidence that America captured him alive and tortured him due to the condition of his body after it was returned. The American helicopters had strafed the Iranian vessels Mahdavi oversaw with machine guns, rockets and flechette rounds small metal darts. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself once gave a speech with a portrait of Mahdavi near him in 2019. That was around the time of a series of mine attacks on Mideast shipping that the U.S. Navy blamed on Iran amid the collapse of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. Using Mahdavi's name suggests the Guard views this as a means by which to challenge the U.S. Navy in the Mideast, particularly with the new ship likely able to support the so-called swarm attacks Iran can launch against larger American warships. Cmdr. Timothy Hawkins, a 5th Fleet spokesman, declined to comment specifically about the Shahid Mahdavi as we're careful not to discuss intelligence-related matters. But generally speaking, we pay very close attention to the maritime environment with our international partners in the interest of regional security and stability, Hawkins said. The arrival of the Shahid Mahdavi, which would be the biggest ship in the Guard's fleet, comes amid a series of naval disasters for Iran. The Kharg, the regular navy's largest warship, sunk last June. In 2020, a missile mistakenly struck a naval vessel during an exercise, killing 19 sailors and wounding 15. An Iranian navy destroyer sank in the Caspian Sea in 2018. Meanwhile, a cargo ship in the Red Sea believed to be a Guard intelligence base suffered an explosion suspected to be caused by Israel last year. The Shahid Mahdavi could serve a similar role in espionage and sabotage missions by special forces, said Nadimi, the analyst at the Washington Institute. It also could be potentially outfitted with long-range missiles as well. Nasty things can happen around this ship, Nadimi warned. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. A race for one of Californias congressional seats has produced some bizarre subplots, giving it a faintly Shakespearean feel. One candidate is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to prop up an opponent. Another candidate bucked his partys stance on Israel and made some antisemitic remarks in the process. And, to top it all off, the national GOP is mainlining money into the race to ensure a Republican incumbent makes it through next months primary. This is all happening in Californias newly drawn 40th Congressional District, which includes portions of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and the cities and communities of Yorba Linda, Chino Hills, Anaheim, Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo and Tustin. Republican incumbent Young Kim is facing three challengers, but the most serious are Democrat Asif Mahmood and Republican Greg Raths. Normally, Republicans in California are pretty safe in the districts they were elected to, but Kim lost her La Habra base when her original district the states 39th District was redrawn last year. Adding to the problem is that, according to the Cook Political Report, the new 40th District is roughly six points friendlier to the GOP than the old 39th District, which helps the more conservative Raths against the more moderate Kim. The top two votes-getters in next months primary will advance to the general election in November, regardless of party affiliation. Mahmood is banking on soaking up every Democratic vote in the district, which should be enough to put him in one of those two spots as Raths and Kim compete for conservative voters. But Mahmood, a pulmonologist, seems to realize he stands a better chance in a one-on-one contest against Raths, a Mission Viejo city councilmember and staunch supporter of Donald Trump. Kim was one of only two California Republicans to vote against Electoral College objections following the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. According to the Cook Political Report, Mahmood has spent $445,000 on cable ads supporting Raths, taking a page out of the playbook of certain statewide Democrats. The thinking is that, by highlighting Raths conservative bonafides, hell syphon enough votes away from Kim to the point that she finishes third in the primary. That would mean Mahmood and Raths advance to the general election together a good thing for Mahmood. Realizing their incumbent may be in danger, national GOP leaders are funneling money into the race to combat Mahmoods ad spending on Raths. According to the piece by Cook, the Congressional Leadership Fund a massive Republican political action committee has spent $658,000 in ads supporting Kim. Its unclear how things will ultimately shake out, but political analysts seem to think Mahmood will be the top vote-getter in the primary. If Kim can survive that election, shell likely beat Mahmood in the general. However, the outcome of a November contest between Mahmood and Raths is less certain. Adding to the drama are comments Raths made at an Orange County Islamic Foundation candidate forum last week. There, he split with a majority of his party and said the U.S. should rein in support for Israel in remarks that have been decried as antisemitic. "That's the problem. Israeli PAC in Washington, they got money and they control a lot of these politicians. And the other side, the Palestinians, they don't have the clout. So these politicians go where the money is, unfortunately," he said. "The Jewish community is very well organized in the United States and they control a lot of politicians. That's why the foreign aid is so large going to Israel. The Jewish community has never given me one dime, so I'm not beholden to them at all." As many have pointed out, Raths comments invoke hateful stereotypes about "the Jewish community" broadly namely, the false conspiracy theory that they use wealth to control the levers of power in Washington, D.C. Raths remarks seem especially strange considering that his campaign website repeatedly emphasizes that he supports Israel. Raths did not respond to an SFGATE request for comment seeking to clarify his stance. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler told reporters on Friday that he won't come out of the dugout for the national anthem before games until he "feel(s) better" about the "direction of our country." This decision comes in the wake of a self-published introspective blog on his website in which he expressed shame that he did not kneel for the national anthem in the wake of Tuesdays mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. TIRANA, Albania (AP) Four Albanian women and nine children, all related to Albanians who joined Islamist extremist groups fighting in Syria and Iraq, are being repatriated from a Syrian camp, a Kurdish official from northeast Syria said Friday. Abdul-Karim Omar, an official who negotiates with countries on the return of their citizens, tweeted that, 13 Albanians (4 women and 9 children) of the families of ISIS organization were handed over to an official Albanian government delegation." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A Trump-backed Republican challenger has taken to South Carolinas coastal airwaves with a six-figure digital and television ad buy seeking to contrast herself against incumbent Rep. Nancy Mace. Katie Arrington's 30-second spot, provided to The Associated Press ahead of its release, features voters as customers seeking a refund on their choice of Mace because she turned her back" on former President Donald Trump, among other characterizations. In the final weeks of one of the years most closely watched congressional Republican primaries, the ad running in a combined buy across broadcast, cable and digital platform, according to Arrington's campaign is the race's first to directly contrast the two candidates. Arrington's other spots have focused on touting her endorsement by Trump. In Mace's debut ad also part of a six-figure combined television and digital buy the congresswoman promoted her support of the construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, one of Trumps signature projects. Another spot featured her endorsement from former Gov. Nikki Haley, who served as Trump's ambassador to the United Nations. The former president has loomed large in the race since November, when he named Mace among a list of sitting House Republicans against whom he was soliciting challengers. Mace secured her 2020 victory as South Carolinas first Republican woman elected to Congress with Trumps backing, but drew his ire by voting to certify President Joe Bidens election and by making frequent television appearances blaming Trump for the Jan. 6 insurrection. In February, Trump officially endorsed Arrington whom he also had backed in her unsuccessful 2018 campaign for the seat and campaigned for her a month later. Mace's first-quarter fundraising was significantly ahead of Arrington's, although it's not known exactly how much each campaign has taken in since the end of March. Last month, Mace told AP she had raised a total of about $4.2 million during this campaign cycle. Arrington, who entered the race in February, announced taking in $807,000 in the first quarter of this year, but most of that $500,000 came in the form of a personal loan from herself. Early voting begins next week in South Carolina's primary contests. The winner of the 1st District GOP primary will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November. ___ Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP. UVALDE, Texas Children inside a Texas elementary school begged the police to enter their classroom and save them, repeatedly calling 911, as a team of 19 police officers waited in the corridor for an hour because a commander believed the situation had shifted from active shooter to a barricaded subject, a Texas law enforcement officer said Friday. Of course, it wasnt the right decision. Period. Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said at a news conference. With pressure mounting to explain the delayed police response to the massacre that killed 19 children and two teachers, Gov. Greg Abbott scrapped plans to attend the National Rifle Association's annual convention in Houston and will travel to the grieving town of Uvalde on Friday to provide more information. Investigators are interviewing witnesses and poring through video to piece together a timeline that explains how the 18-year-old gunman, Salvador Ramos, was able to walk up to the school with a long-arm rifle, enter through an unlocked door and barricade himself inside a classroom for nearly an hour before he was shot and killed. Earlier this week, Abbott hailed the speedy response of valiant local officials who he said had engaged the gunman before he entered Robb Elementary School. They showed amazing courage by running toward gunfire, the Republican governor said at a Wednesday news conference. And it is a fact that because of their quick response, getting on the scene, being able to respond to the gunman and eliminate the gunman, they were able to save lives. Actually, the gunman roamed outside Robb Elementary for 12 minutes before entering unchallenged through an unlocked door, according to a timeline given by Texas Ranger Victor Escalon on Thursday. About 90 minutes passed from when the gunman crashed his car outside the school at 11:28 a.m. until he was shot dead at 12:58 p.m. That delay as a crowd of anguished parents gathered outside and begged to get in to confront the gunman has led to growing scrutiny of the law enforcement response to the deadliest U.S. school shooting in almost a decade. Some parents have criticized police officers for not stopping the shooter sooner and San Antonio-area Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro on Thursday urged the FBI to investigate local law enforcement actions. Texas officials have repeatedly changed the narrative of the timeline, leaving unexplained how the shooter had 12 minutes to get into the school after the crash, entered through an unlocked door and barricaded himself inside at least one classroom. They have also not explained why local law enforcement officers apparently spent an hour inside the school negotiating with an active shooter. Ramos shooting rampage began just after 11 a.m. Tuesday, when he shot his grandmother in the face at her Uvalde home. According to officials, Ramos then posted a social media message declaring that Im going to shoot an elementary school and drove off at a high speed in his grandmothers pickup truck. At 11:28 a.m., Ramos crashed the truck in a ditch and jumped out of the passenger side, carrying a long-arm rifle. He fired at two people at a nearby funeral home as he walked toward Robb Elementary, climbed a fence and crossed the school parking lot. At 11:40 a.m., he walked around the west side of the one-story brick school, shot multiple rounds and entered through an unlocked door. After making his way down a series of short hallways, he turned left and entered an empty classroom. From there, he found an adjoining classroom full of students and opened fire, authorities said. This has raised questions about security in a school district that has threat-assessment teams, a threat-reporting system, social media monitoring software, fences around schools and motion detectors to detect campus breaches. According to online district records, teachers are instructed to keep their classroom doors closed and locked at all times. Four minutes after Ramos entered the school, officers with the Uvalde Police Department and Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Police Department went inside. Hearing gunfire, they attempted to enter the classroom, authorities said, but some were shot or grazed and took cover. Sporadic gunfire erupted as police attempted negotiations, Escalon said. During the negotiations, there wasnt much gunfire apart from keeping officers at bay, he said. According to Texas law enforcement sources, the classroom door was locked and reinforced to prevent police from breaching it easily, and it took time to locate a key that could open it. It was not until an hour after police entered the building that a U.S. Border Patrol tactical officer arrived from an off-duty position and killed Ramos. A Texas law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times that officers fired 15 shots when they finally entered the classroom. Radio communications indicate the officers reported the gunman was dead at 1 p.m. Even though Uvalde is a small city of 16,000, its school district has its own police department, formed a few months after the 2018 school mass shooting in Parkland, Fla. It had six officers and one security guard. One of its newest hires, Officer Adrian Gonzalez, had been an assistant commander and SWAT training commander at the Uvalde Police Department for 10 years and had taken training courses in advanced SWAT tactics and how to respond to active shooters and rescue hostages. They failed, said Carlos Ovalle, 32, a county worker who rushed to the school Tuesday in a bid to save his 8-year-old daughter, Makaylah, who survived. Someone off duty got there faster than they did. ____ (Rector reported from Uvalde, Jarvie from Atlanta and Winton from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Hayley Smith in Los Angeles contributed to this report.) COLUMBIA, Md. (AP) Capri Isidoro broke down in tears in the office of a lactation consultant. The mother of two had been struggling to breastfeed her 1-month-old daughter ever since she was born, when the hospital gave the baby formula first without consulting her on her desire to breastfeed. Now, with massive safety recall and supply disruptions causing formula shortages across the United States, she also can't find the specific formula that helps with her baby's gas pains. It is so sad. It shouldnt be like this, said Isidoro, who lives in the Baltimore suburb of Ellicott City. We need formula for our kid, and where is this formula going to come from? As parents across the United States struggle to find formula to feed their children, the pain is particularly acute among Black and Hispanic women. Black women have historically faced obstacles to breastfeeding, including a lack of lactation support in the hospital, more pressure to formula feed and cultural roadblocks. It's one of many inequalities for Black mothers : They are far more likely to die from pregnancy complications, and less likely to have their concerns about pain taken seriously by doctors. Low-income families buy the majority of formula in the U.S., and face a particular struggle: Experts fear small neighborhood grocery stores that serve these vulnerable populations are not replenishing as much as larger retail stores, leaving some of these families without the resources or means to hunt for formula. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 20% of Black women and 23% of Hispanic women exclusively breastfeed through six months, compared to 29% of white women. The overall rate stands at 26%. Hospitals that encourage breastfeeding and overall lactation support are less prevalent in Black neighborhoods, according to the CDC. The Association of Womens Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses also says Hispanic and Black women classified as low wage workers have less access to lactation support in their workplaces. The racial disparities reach far back in America's history. The demands of slave labor prevented mothers from nursing their children, and slave owners separated mothers from their own babies to have them serve as wet nurses, breastfeeding other women's children. In the 1950s, racially targeted commercials falsely advertised formula as a superior source of nutrition for infants. And studies continue to show that the babies of Black mothers are more likely to be introduced to formula in the hospital than the babies of white mothers, which happened to Isidoro after her emergency cesarean section. Physicians say introducing formula means the baby will require fewer feedings from the mother, decreasing the milk supply as the breast is not stimulated enough to produce. Andrea Freeman, author of the book Skimmed: Breastfeeding, Race and Injustice, said these mothers still arent getting the support they need when it comes to having the choice of whether to breastfeed or use formula. They also may have jobs that do not accommodate the time and space needed for breastfeeding or pumping milk, Freeman said. Nobodys taking responsibility for the fact that theyve steered families of color toward formula for so many years and made people rely on it and taken away choice. And then when it falls apart, theres not really any recognition or accountability, Freeman said. Breastfeeding practices are often influenced by previous generations, with some studies suggesting better outcomes for mothers who were breastfed when they were babies. Kate Bauer, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, said she began hearing back in February about Black and Latino families in Detroit and Grand Rapids feeling stuck after finding smaller grocery stores running out of formula. Some were told to go to the local office of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, better known as WIC, the federal program that supports low-income expectant and new mothers. Between 50% and 65% of the formula in the U.S. is bought through the program. Going to the WIC office is like a full days errand for some moms, Bauer said. She fears mothers are getting desperate enough to try foods that are not recommended for babies under 6 months. Yury Navas, a Salvadoran immigrant who works at a restaurant and lives in Laurel, Maryland, says she was not able to produce enough breast milk and struggled to find the right formula for her nearly 3-month-old baby Jose Ismael, after others caused vomiting, diarrhea and discomfort. One time, they drove half an hour to a store where workers told them they had the type she needed, but it was gone when they got there. Her husband goes out every night to search pharmacies around midnight. Its so hard to find this type, she said, saying sometimes they have run out before they can secure more formula. The baby will cry and cry, so we give him rice water. On a recent day, she was down to her last container and called an advocacy group that had told her it would try to get her some at an appointment in five days. But the group could not guarantee anything. Some mothers have turned to social media and even befriended other locals to cast a wider net during shopping trips. In Miami, Denise Castro, who owns a construction company, started a virtual group to support new moms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it's helping moms get the formula they need as they go back to work. One of them is a Hispanic teacher whose job leaves her with little flexibility to care for her 2-month old infant, who has been sensitive to a lot of formula brands. Most of the moms we have been helping are Black and Latinas, Castro said. These moms really dont have the time to visit three to four places in their lunch hour. Lisette Fernandez, a 34-year-old Cuban American first-time mother of twins, has relied on friends and family to find the liquid 2-ounce bottles she needs for her boy and girl. Earlier this week, her father went to four different pharmacies before he was able to get her some boxes with the tiny bottles. They run out quickly as the babies grow. Fernandez said she wasnt able to initiate breastfeeding, trying with an electric pump but saying she produced very little. Her mother, who arrived in Miami from Cuba as a 7-year-old girl, had chosen not to breastfeed her children, saying she did not want to, and taken medication to suppress lactation. Some studies have attributed changes in breastfeeding behavior among Hispanics to assimilation, saying Latina immigrants perceive formula feeding as an American practice. Over the last three to six weeks it has been insane, Fernandez said. I am used to everything that COVID has brought. But worrying about my children not having milk? I did not see that coming. ANNAPOLIS, Maryland (AP) President Joe Biden told Naval Academy graduates Friday that they will be representatives and defenders of our democracy, as free societies are under threat from Russia's invasion of Ukraine to China's maritime expansion. Delivering a commencement address to more than 1,000 newly commissioned ensigns and second lieutenants at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Biden said the Western response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's brutal war in Ukraine shows the world is aligning not on geography, but in terms of values. He called the invasion, A direct assault on the fundamental tenets of rules-based international order, adding, thats the world youre graduating into. The actions taken by Putin were an attempt, to use my phrase, to Finland-ize all of Europe, to make it all neutral, Biden said. "Instead, he NATO-ized all of Europe. Biden told graduates that while they will learn to fly the most advanced planes, staff cutting-edge ships and utilize novel technologies, The most powerful tool that youll wield is our unmatched network of global alliances and the strength of our partnerships. The president told graduates that they will defend the international rules of the road, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region where they will be called on to ensure freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and beyond. These longstanding maritime principles are the bedrock of a global economy and of global stability," he said. Youre going to help knit together our allies in Europe with our allies in the Indo-Pacific. Biden did not address two mass shootings in as many weeks in his remarks. He, along with first lady Jill Biden, will visit Uvalde, Texas on Sunday to console grieving families after Tuesdays shooting at an elementary school that killed 19 children and two teachers, the White House said. Biden's remarks to the Naval Academy marked his first commencement address of the year. He is also set to deliver remarks at Saturdays graduation ceremony at the University of Delaware, his alma mater. The president opened his speech by paying tribute to the class of 2022's resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and with a customary pardoning of any minor infractions made by midshipmen during their time in the academy. He also paid tribute for former Republican Sen. John McCain, who is interred on the grounds of the academy, saying, Being here I cant help think of John and how the naval academy meant so much to him. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Legislation providing a possible path to freedom for people convicted of felonies by non-unanimous Louisiana juries has been shelved for the current legislative session. The bill would have allowed those convicted by non-unanimous juries to apply for a review by a five-member board appointed by the governor. The board would decide whether the applicant should become eligible for parole. But The Advocate reports that Democratic Rep. Randal L. Gaines withdrew his measure Thursday because of disagreements on whether the board's decision had to be unanimous. District attorneys raised safety concerns in insisting that a unanimous board vote should be needed in cases involving convictions for violent crimes such as murder or aggravated rape. We need to reassure victims and survivors of the integrity and finality of the crimes against the community," Loren Lampert, executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, told the newspaper. Gaines, a Laplace lawyer, had argued that no court in the federal or state system requires a unanimous vote of its panels of judges to decide an appeal. I understand their concerns, Gaines said. But the inconsistency; you cant have an equitable system if it requires a unanimous vote to remedy a wrongful conviction from a non-unanimous jury. The commission envisioned in the bill would have included three retired appellate or Supreme Court justices, a retired district attorney and a retired public defender. The five would review the case file looking at factors such as the strength of the states case, the nature of the offense, the quality of counsel, any indications of racial animus, length of deliberations and whether the lack of unanimity was the result of jurors voting to acquit. In 2018, Louisiana voters approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting non-unanimous verdicts in trials for crimes committed after Jan. 1, 2019. The vote followed a Pulitzer Prize-winning series of stories in The Advocate analyzing the origins of the law and the racial disparities in verdicts. In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that non-unanimous verdicts were unconstitutional, broadening the effect of the state constitutional amendment. But in 2021, the Supreme Court made clear that its decision against non-unanimous verdicts applied only to future cases and cases in which the defendants appeals had not been exhausted. Those convicted with non-unanimous verdicts in older Louisiana cases still might get relief from the state Supreme Court. That court heard arguments earlier this month on whether such verdicts must be thrown out retroactively. A ruling is pending. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIJING (AP) China on Friday criticized a speech by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken focused on relations between the worlds top two economic powers, saying the U.S. was seeking to smear Beijing's reputation. In his Thursday address, Blinken said the administration of President Joe Biden wants to lead the international bloc opposed to Russias invasion of Ukraine into a broader coalition to counter what it sees as a more serious, long-term threat to global order from China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded that the U.S. was essentially spreading disinformation and smearing Chinas domestic and foreign policy. The aim of Blinkens speech was to contain and suppress Chinas development and uphold U.S. hegemony, Wang said. We strongly deplore and reject this. As to the rules-based international order that the U.S. advocates, all people with insight can see through that they are nothing but the rules formulated by the U.S. and a few other countries with the aim at upholding the U.S.-dominant international order," Wang added. The U.S. always places its domestic law above international law and follows international rules selectively," Wang said. In his speech outlining the administrations China policy, Blinken laid out a three-pillar approach to competing with Beijing in a race to define the 21st centurys economic and military balance. Blinken said the administration believes China poses a major threat to the post-World War II order, even while the U.S. sees Russian President Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine as the most acute and immediate threat to international stability. Beijings vision would move us away from the universal values that have sustained so much of the worlds progress over the past 75 years, Blinken said. China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do it, he said. Beijings vision would move us away from the universal values that have sustained so much of the worlds progress over the past 75 years. China has refused to denounce Russia's invasion of Ukraine or even describe it in such terms, in deference to Moscow. It has upped its threats against the self-governing island republic of Taiwan and expanded its military presence in the South China Sea, while sending Foreign Minister Wang Yi on a mission to the South Pacific with a sweeping security proposal that, even if only partially realized, could give China a presence much nearer to Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, and on the doorstep of the strategic American territory of Guam. Blinkens speech appeared to show that China and the U.S. were facing a Cold War that has no big differences with the previous Cold War, said Xiong Zhiyong, professor of international relations at Beijing's China Foreign Affairs University. U.S. domestic political concerns seem to be driving Biden to take a harder line on China, Xiong said. With the governing Democratic Party facing tough challenges in this year's congressional and senatorial elections, China's influence on the U.S. economy and its national security is becoming a major issue for candidates. I think what the Biden administration is doing is based on its domestic needs, especially the political needs, Xiong told The Associated Press. At the same time, Blinken seemed to be striving to stabilize the international order and China-U.S. relations," Xiong said. We should strive for this goal and the goal is not unattainable, he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) China's foreign minister on Friday arrived on the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati, where the future of a vast fishing ground is at stake. The planned four-hour visit by Wang Yi was his second stop on an eight-nation tour that comes amid growing concerns about Beijings military and financial ambitions in the South Pacific region. Kiribati closed its borders this year as it tries to stamp out an outbreak of COVID-19. But its government made a rare exception to allow Wang and his 20-strong delegation into the country for face-to-face discussions. At stake in Kiribati is the future of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, a stretch of ocean the size of California that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. In November, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau announced the government planned to end the commercial fishing ban that had been in place since 2015 and begin to sustainably fish the area. Anna Powles, a senior lecturer in security studies at New Zealand's Massey University, said she expected there would be some fisheries agreements between China and Kiribati that would come from Wang's visit. Powles said China, which already dominates fishing in the region, had offered to upgrade an airport runway and causeway in the Phoenix Islands. The worry is that this would essentially obliterate the fish stock, she said. That it would severely damage fish stocks that are already under pressure. She said there were also concerns that any kind of base for Chinese commercial fishing fleets in Kiribati could also be used as an additional hub for Beijing's surveillance activities. Kiribati's president said Wang would visit his residence for bilateral discussions during the visit, and emphasized the health protocols that were in place. Maamau said in a statement that the Chinese delegation would need to take PCR tests before arriving and stay in a travel bubble while there, and that everybody in Kiribati who came into contact with them would need to quarantine afterward for a week presumably including himself. The high-level state visit is an important milestone for Kiribati-China relations, as it will strengthen and promote partnership and cooperation between our two countries after the resumption of diplomatic ties in 2019, Maamau said. China says Wang's trip to the region builds on a long history of friendly relations between Beijing and the island nations. A draft document obtained by The Associated Press shows that Wang is hoping to strike a deal with 10 small Pacific nations during his visit. The sweeping agreement covers everything from security to fisheries and is seen by at least one Pacific leader as an attempt by Beijing to wrest control of the region. Wang is hoping the countries will endorse the pre-written agreement as part of a joint communique after a May 30 meeting in Fiji with the other foreign ministers. But Australia scrambled to counter the move Thursday by sending its own Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Fiji to shore up support in the Pacific. In Fiji, Wong said it was up to each island nation to decide what partnerships they formed and what agreements they signed, but urged them to consider the benefits of sticking with Australia. Australia will be a partner that doesnt come with strings attached nor imposing unsustainable financial burdens, Wong said. We are a partner that wont erode Pacific priorities or Pacific institutions. On Friday, Wong met with Fijis Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands last month in a move that sent shock waves around the world. That pact has raised fears that China could send troops to the island nation or even establish a military base there, not far from Australia. The Solomon Islands and China say there are no plans for a base. During his 10-day visit, Wang is also planning to make stops in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor. Australias new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Thursday hed sent Wong to Fiji because Australia needed to step up its efforts in the Pacific. We need to respond to this because this is China seeking to increase its influence in the region of the world where Australia has been the security partner of choice since the Second World War, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that in recent years, exchanges and cooperation between Beijing and the island nations had been expanding in a development that was welcomed by the Pacific countries. PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Maine Sen. Susan Collins halted a nominee's potential appointment to a federal post over objections to rules designed to protect rare whales. Collins cited new regulations on her state's lobster fishing industry that she described as onerous. The rules restrict commercial lobster harvesting and are intended to protect North Atlantic right whales from entanglement in gear. Collins stopped a vote Wednesday about the confirmation of Jainey Kumar Bavishi as assistant secretary of the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, Maine Public reported. NOAA is the federal agency that regulates oceans and fisheries. The new restrictions include a rule that requires lobster fishermen to install weak links in gear that allow whales to break free. Collins and other Maine politicians called on NOAA to delay the implementation of the rules earlier this spring because the gear was not available to many lobster fishermen. TORRINGTON State Rep. Michelle L. Cook, D-Torrington, has raised enough money to qualify for the Connecticut Citizens Election Program as she seeks an eighth term in the 65th District, she said. This program, administered by the State Elections Enforcement Commission, offers public campaign financing to candidates who meet certain fundraising qualifications. Thank you to all the Torrington residents who donated to help ensure the people of the 65th House Districts voices are heard in Hartford, said Cook. I cant do this job alone, and it is incredibly meaningful to have my communitys support as I seek re-election. Over the past several years, weve been able to accomplish so much for Torrington and Connecticut. During her tenure in the state House of Representatives, Cook has advocated for issues concerning access to health care, lowering prescription drug costs, nursing home staffing and issues affecting senior citizens. In the 2021 legislative session, Cook introduced and led the passage of legislation allowing dependents to remain on their parent or guardians dental and vision insurance policy through the age of 26, according to a statement, as well as legislation prohibiting health insurers from removing prescription medications from their list of covered drugs, or moving a drug to a higher cost sharing tier during a plan year. Cook also championed legislation to prevent insurers from implementing costly copay accumulator programs, according to the statement. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cook introduced legislation to establish a bill of rights for nursing home residents. Her legislation allows residents in Connecticuts nursing homes and assisted living facilities to treat their quarters as their homes and use technology for virtual visits with loved ones. Cook said she consistently has been an ally to Torrington schools, parents and students, working to increase state education funding for local schools including Oliver Wolcott Technical High School. Cook was one of the architects of legislation to create the state Office of Dyslexia to create new learning resources for students with dyslexia, according to the statement. In recognition of her work in the General Assembly, Cook has been named Legislator of the Year by Healthcare at Home, the Northwest Regional Mental Health Board, the Substance Abuse Action Council, and the Connecticut Oral Health Initiative, among others. Cook has served as a member of Friendly Hands Food Bank, YMCA, and NWCT Learning Center Board of Directors, as well as being a Prime Time House Advisory Board member and a member of the Litchfield County Opiate Task Force, her statement said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The Texas primary runoff between Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and his progressive challenger, Jessica Cisneros, remained too early to call Friday. Cuellar led Cisneros by 175 votes, or 0.4 percentage points, out of 45,209 ballots counted as of 3 p.m. ET Friday. Election officials in Bexar County, where Cisneros has a significant lead over Cuellar among ballots counted, said they will not release results of an undisclosed number of ballots that require voters to cure an issue preventing it from being counted until Tuesday. In March, Cisneros, an 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. The 29-year-old Cisneros, who was an intern in Cuellars Washington office in 2014, had also challenged Cuellar in 2020, losing to him by just 4 percentage points. In the closing weeks of the race, abortion rights groups poured money and resources on the ground and across TV in South Texas after a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court signaled that the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision making abortion a constitutional right was on the verge of being overturned. Cisneros supports abortion rights, while Cuellar is one of the last anti-abortion Democrats in Congress. Despite Cuellar's stance on abortion, unapologetic defense of gun rights and support of the oil and gas industry, he had the backing of many fellow Democrats in Congress, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York slammed their decision to boost Cuellar, calling it an utter failure of leadership. The last time leadership waded in to save him, he thanked them by obstructing the partys signature legislation, paving the way for the child tax credit to collapse and imperiling millions while taking a victory lap for it, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Wednesday. Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had traveled to Texas to campaign with Cisneros. That made the runoff another test of whether progressives could topple other moderate, establishment-oriented candidates. In Oregon, seven-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader, a moderate, was ousted from Congress by his progressive challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner in a primary held last week. The winner of Texas' race will face Cassy Garcia, who won the Republican runoff for the seat. NEWARK, N.J. (AP) A former pharmacy technician involved in the theft of more than $8.2 million worth of prescription HIV medication from a Veterans Affairs hospital in northern New Jersey has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison. Lisa Hoffman, 50, of Orange, had pleaded guilty last November to theft of government property. She worked at the hospital in East Orange, where she was responsible for ordering drugs and supplies for the sites outpatient pharmacy and maintaining its inventory. CORUNNA, Mich. (AP) A judge has set an October trial date for a Michigan man charged in the 2019 killing of a man whose mutilated body was found hanging from the ceiling of a home. A Shiawassee County judge scheduled Mark Latunski's jury trial to begin Oct. 18 on charges of open murder and mutilation of a body, The Flint Journal reported. If convicted, he could face life in prison. SEATTLE (AP) U.S. authorities say they stopped a small boat carrying a large shipment of methamphetamine after they saw it riding low in the water near the Canadian border with Washington state. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said officers stopped the 18-foot (5.5-meter) Bayliner speedboat in the San Juan Islands on Wednesday as it was headed toward Canada. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Fisk University has won a five-year, $1.4 million grant to help low-income high school students in the Nashville area become the first in their families to attend college, the school announced this week. The grant comes from the federal TRIO-Upward Bound Program through the U.S. Department of Education. As part of the grant, the historically Black university will provide support to 60 area high school students. That support will include intensive academic counseling, college entrance exam preparation, college financial aid planning and career planning. Kin Cheung/AP HONG KONG (AP) Incoming Hong Kong leader John Lee will travel to Beijing on Saturday to accept a letter that officially approves his appointment as the citys next chief executive. A government statement confirmed that Lee will go to Beijing with his private secretary and press secretary, as well as his wife. He will return to Hong Kong on Tuesday. BERN, Switzerland (AP) Swiss police are searching for the son of an Indonesian regional governor who went missing after running into trouble during a swim in the river in Switzerlands capital, authorities said Friday. Spokesman Joel Regli of the regional police force in Bern said a search was continuing after the man went missing on Thursday during a morning swim with two women in the Aare River, several hundred meters upstream from downtown. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) There's nothing to indicate the Florida Department of Health told an employee to falsify COVID-19 data and she wasn't fired out of retaliation, according to a state investigator's report released this month. Former department employee Rebekah Jones received national attention when she raised questions about the state's COVID-19 dashboard and claimed she was fired for exposing problems. The state said she was fired for insubordination after being reprimanded several times. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iranian state media reported Friday that Tehran has demanded the release of a ship seized by Greek authorities in their waters allegedly under pressure by Washington last month. The foreign ministry summoned the Swiss envoy, who represents the United States in Tehran as they have no embassy there, to lodge a diplomatic protest over the incident. Greek media has described the ship as a tanker carrying Iranian crude oil in breach of international sanctions. OXFORD, Miss. (AP) A federal judge has ordered a former Mississippi police officer to pay $2.2 million to four children of a woman whom he killed in May 2019. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Glen Davidson ordered Matthew Kinne on Thursday to pay $1.2 million in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported. The judge awarded each child $300,000 in compensatory damages. Kinne's actions were intentional, wanton, willful and reckless. Accordingly, punitive damages are appropriate, the judge said. It may be Mississippis largest judgment ever in an excessive force case, lead attorney Carlos Moore told the newspaper in a telephone interview from Rome. Kinne is serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to capital murder in the death of 32-year-old Dominique Clayton, whose children are now ages 11 to 17. Since he did not respond to the lawsuit filed in August 2021, the month after his guilty plea, the judge made a default ruling against him. Although Kinne has no income, the city of Oxford will have to pay his damages if the family can prove he was in uniform and on duty as an Oxford police officer when he shot Clayton, Moore said. The million-dollar question is whether his actions were within the scope of his employment," Moore said. The lawsuit said Kinne went to the house to check on Clayton's welfare. He drove his patrol car there and was wearing his uniform, according to the lawsuit. Davidson had originally scheduled a hearing to determine damages but instead considered the five-page affidavit submitted last week by Shyjuan Clayton, Dominique Claytons sister. Thursdays ruling does not affect the city of Oxford and Police Chief Jeff McCutchen, who are also defendants. MADISON, Wis. (AP) A federal grand jury has indicted a Bayfield County man on charges that he stole timber from the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The Wisconsin State Journal reported 40-year-old Jerod Hecimovich of Mason is charged in a three-count indictment with stealing, injuring and knowingly cutting and removing live oak timber from the forest in 2021. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MONUMENT VALLEY, Utah (AP) Federal officials signed an agreement with leaders of the Navajo Nation on Friday that provides funding for clean drinking water infrastructure for reservation residents and resolves questions about longstanding Navajo claims to water rights in the drought-stricken U.S. West. The signing formalizes the Utah Navajo Water Rights Settlement, which became law in 2020 as part of President Joe Biden's bipartisan infrastructure bill. As part of the agreement, the federal government will pay the Navajo Nation $210 million for drinking water infrastructure in San Juan County the part of the 27,00-square-mile (71,000-square kilometer) reservation that lies in Utah. Many Navajo homes lack running water. Residents often fill containers at public taps or rely on water deliveries from volunteer organizations. As we seek to strengthen Indigenous communities and support tribal self-governance, todays action and all of these investments will help provide the Navajo Nation with autonomy and flexibility to design and build appropriate water projects that will address current and future water needs," U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said at a signing ceremony on the Navajo Nation. Utah, which was also party to the agreement, will pay the Navajo $8 million as part of the settlement. We had two real problems in our state. One was the Navajo Nation had claims to the Colorado (River) that would impair Utahs water rights, U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney told The Salt Lake Tribune. The other concern we had was about half the Navajo Nation residents (in Utah) didnt have running water." The settlement also quantifies the Navajo Nation's water rights, quelling Utah's anxieties about its long-standing claims to a share of water, including from the Colorado River. A 1908 court decision said tribes had rights to as much water as was needed to establish permanent homelands. Though they possess senior rights, the Navajo were left out when seven western states divided up shares as part of the Colorado River Compact a century ago. The subsequent uncertainty and potential legal battles have emerged as an urgent issue as the region reckons with a hotter, drier future with less Colorado River water to be shared. The settlement recognizes the Navajo's right to 81,500 acre-feet of Utah water and allows them to draw the water from aquifers, rivers or Lake Powell, if they choose. The agreement also allows the Navajo to lease unused water to entities off the reservation and guarantees they won't lose water rights not put to use. It's one of 16 tribal water rights settlements that the Biden administration is devoting $1.7 billion to fund from the recently enacted federal infrastructure bill. The hard work, however, must continue until all homes across the Navajo Nation have clean water running in faucets for all Navajo families," Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez told the newspaper. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) The South Dakota attorney general's office has declined to file charges against billionaire T. Denny Sanford following an investigation into possible possession of child pornography, saying it found no prosecutable offenses within the state's jurisdiction, according to a court document filed Friday. Sanford, a banker turned philanthropist, is the states richest man and has donated billions to hospitals, universities and charities. South Dakota investigators in 2019 began searching his email account, as well as his cellular and internet service providers, for possible possession of child pornography after his accounts were flagged by a technology firm. The attorney general's office said in Friday's court filing that the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation has completed its investigation ... and has determined that there are no prosecutable offenses within the jurisdiction of the State of South Dakota. The attorney general's office had no comment beyond the court filing. Mr. Sanford appreciates the public acknowledgement by the SD Attorney Generals office that the DCI has concluded its investigation and they have found no prosecutable crime, Marty Jackley, Sanford's attorney, said via text. South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg had earlier requested the involvement of federal law enforcement. A state filing in January said both state and federal investigations were continuing at the time. The Department of Justice declined to comment Friday when asked if a federal investigation is ongoing. Ravnsborg is on leave pending his trial in June on impeachment charges for his conduct after he struck and killed a pedestrian with his car in 2020. A person briefed on the matter by law enforcement told The Associated Press last year that Sanfords electronic devices came to the attention of state investigators after a technology firm reported that child pornography had either been sent, received or downloaded on his device. The person was not allowed to discuss the case at the time and spoke on condition of anonymity. The investigation was first reported in 2020 by ProPublica and the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. Both news outlets went to court for access to affidavits for search warrants. As part of arguments in state court over the release of the documents, Jackley said the investigation revealed that his clients email accounts were hacked. The search warrant affidavits were still not publicly available as of Friday evening. Judge James Power told the Argus Leader he expected to release them on Tuesday, but the newspaper also reported that Sanford attorney Stacy Hegge had moved to delay the unsealing. The 86-year-old Sanford is worth an estimated $3.4 billion. He made a fortune as the founder of First Premier Bank in South Dakota, which is known for issuing high-interest credit cards to those with poor credit. Sanford told the The Associated Press in 2016 that he wanted his fortune to have a positive impact on children after his hardscrabble childhood in St. Paul, Minnesota. His mother died of breast cancer when he was 4, and by the time he was 8, Sanford was working in his fathers clothing distribution company. He, along with two siblings, lived in a small apartment. You can only have so many cars and all of that kind of stuff so put it into something in which you can change peoples lives, Sanford said in 2016. After the investigation into Sanford became public, his financial largesse hardly slowed. In January, he donated $50 million to a Dakota State University cybersecurity lab while the hospital system that bears his name, Sanford Health, received over $650 million in donations from him last year. ___ Forliti reported from Minneapolis. A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts: ___ Posts misidentify photos of trans women as Uvalde school shooter CLAIM: Photos shared on Reddit of a woman wearing a Coca-Cola sweatshirt and black skirt in one picture and a NASA shirt in another show Salvador Ramos, who officials say fatally shot 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. Another photo of a woman holding a green bottle to her mouth also shows Ramos. THE FACTS: None of those images show Ramos. On Tuesday, Ramos stormed an elementary school and committed the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. in nearly a decade. Immediately, social media users began speculating about Ramos identity, and some shared photos of transgender women that had been previously posted online, falsely claiming they were of Ramos. Some social media users shared a photo of a woman wearing a Coca-Cola sweatshirt and a black skirt, and a similar image in which she is holding a transgender pride flag. Other widespread posts showed a photo from the same account of the woman wearing a black NASA shirt with a red skirt. OMG! I found the shooters reddit account. Was a transgender, one tweet of the two photos claimed. The post was later deleted for violating Twitter rules. The images were also shared in Facebook posts. But the photos are not of Ramos. The photo of the woman in the Coca-Cola shirt was originally posted to a Reddit account in February, while the photo with the NASA shirt was posted in April. The Reddit user is actually named Sam, and she confirmed her identity to the AP. The AP is not using Sams last name to protect her privacy. Sam posted on her Reddit account Wednesday with a photo of herself, holding a paper showing the date in the photo as evidence that she is not Ramos, who was fatally shot by authorities responding to the shooting. Sam also posted a photo earlier with the title, its not me, I dont even live in texas. They are my pics. people are using to make trans people look like murderers and blaming me for the shooting, Sam said in a response to one comment on Reddit. In other social media posts, users misidentified photos of another woman holding a green bottle to her mouth. But the photo also did not show Ramos. It actually depicts a 22-year-old trans woman named Sabrina who lives in New York City, she confirmed to the AP in an interview. Sabrina, who requested her last name not be published due to privacy concerns, provided a link to a tweet from days earlier in which she had shared a version of the same image. Sabrina responded to a number of tweets driving the misidentification, asking for them to be deleted. This whole ordeal is just horrifying, she told the AP. Associated Press writers Karena Phan in New York and Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia contributed this report. ___ ABC didnt publish altered photo of Texas school shooter CLAIM: ABC News published an altered photo of the Uvalde, Texas, elementary school gunman in which his skin was lightened and his facial features were changed. THE FACTS: A spokesperson for ABC confirmed to the AP that the manipulated photo is being falsely attributed to the news organization. In the hours following the mass shooting at the elementary school, social media users began circulating false claims about coverage of the shooter and his identity. Investigators identified the assailant, who shot and killed 19 children and two teachers, as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos. One claim that spread widely on Twitter on Tuesday erroneously stated that ABC News and its program Good Morning America used an edited photo of Ramos in their reports. ABC News altered Salvador Ramoss photo to appear more Caucasian, one tweet falsely claimed. The post included side-by-side images of the actual photo of Ramos, distributed by the Texas Department of Public Safety, next to what the user purported was a photo used in ABC broadcasts showing him with noticeably lighter skin and completely different facial features. A spokesperson for ABC confirmed to the AP that there is no truth to the claims, and that the news agency did not alter the image, nor did it run the manipulated image being attributed to it. This claim is false, added Van Scott, vice president of communications for ABC News. Social media users suggested ABC News and Good Morning America had included the lightened photo in a broadcast clip that was then tweeted. But the altered image was inserted into a screenshot of an ABC tweet. Actual tweets of the coverage from ABC News and Good Morning America show the broadcaster used only the unedited photo of Ramos. There are other signs the altered photo did not come from ABC. A chyron overlaid on the manipulated image saying that gunman, 18 years old, featured a grammatical error and an incorrect typeface that is not used by ABC. The legitimate broadcast clip from Tuesday does not show any such chyron over the photo. Associated Press writer Sophia Tulp in Atlanta contributed this report. ___ Pfizer does not make a vaccine for monkeypox CLAIM: Pfizer received FDA approval for a new monkeypox shot the day after the U.S. purchased millions of dollars worth of vaccine for the disease. THE FACTS: Pfizer does not make a monkeypox vaccine, nor did it recently receive approval for one, a company representative told the AP. Danish company Bavarian Nordic makes the only FDA-approved vaccine for monkeypox in the U.S. The unprecedented outbreak of monkeypox in Europe and the U.S. has sparked misinformation about potential efforts to control spread of the disease. One case of MonkeyPox was found in Massachusetts this week... In less than 48 hours the United States Government had purchased 13 million MonkeyPox vaccines for $119 million. A day later, Pfizer received FDA approval for a New Monkey Pox Vaccine, one widely shared tweet falsely claims. But Pfizer does not make a vaccine to target monkeypox, Jerica Pitts, a Pfizer spokesperson, told the AP in an email. Monkeypox belongs to the same virus family as smallpox but causes milder symptoms. The smallpox vaccine can be used for monkeypox. In September 2019, the FDA approved Bavarian Nordic's Jynneos for use by people over the age of 18 who are at higher risk for smallpox and monkeypox infection. Jynneos is the only vaccine approved by the FDA to prevent monkeypox. This vaccine is also part of the nations stockpile in case of a public health emergency. While social media users suggested a recent order was made because of monkeypox cases, the company says the order was part of an already existing contract to obtain smallpox vaccines for the national stockpile. The stockpile already contains doses of the Jynneos vaccine that were delivered under previous contracts. Last week, Bavarian Nordic announced that the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) had exercised options to order Jynneos vaccine doses worth $119 million. The U.S. still has options to order $180 million more from the company. If exercised, the company said the total $299 million order would be approximately 13 million doses. Our recent order from BARDA as you refer to has no relation whatsoever to the current monkeypox outbreak, Thomas Duschek, a spokesperson for Bavarian Nordic, said in an email to the AP. We have worked with the US government and BARDA for almost 20 years to develop and supply a non-replicating smallpox vaccine for the national stockpile in the event of a bioterror attack or natural re-emergence of smallpox, Duschek said. Suzanne Sellman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, also confirmed in an email to the AP that the BARDA purchase was part of standard and ongoing preparedness efforts, and unrelated to specific events. The vaccine is available to be deployed for monkeypox, Jake Sullivan, President Joe Bidens national security adviser, said in a statement. Health officials stress that while this is the first time monkeypox appears to be spreading among people who didnt travel to Africa, the risk to the general population is low. Associated Press writer Arijeta Lajka in New York contributed this report. ___ COVID-19 vaccines didnt cause monkeypox outbreak CLAIM: The chimpanzee adenovirus vector used in AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine is causing the monkeypox outbreak. THE FACTS: Adenoviruses and poxviruses are unrelated, and monkeys and chimpanzees are different species. While the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine uses a harmless, weakened chimp adenovirus to trigger an immune response, the strain has been altered so it cannot infect humans, nor could it cause monkeypox. As global health authorities investigate the recent monkeypox outbreak, some social media users are spreading unfounded claims about its origins. Oh, they put Monkey Pox in the vaccines, suggested one Twitter user, sharing an image of an AstraZeneca vaccine pamphlet that listed recombinant, replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus. But experts say it is not possible for the chimpanzee adenovirus vector used in the shot to cause monkeypox for a number of reasons, including that the two illnesses are unrelated, the viral vector vaccines cannot infect humans and chimpanzees and monkeys are different species. On three different levels there are issues with this theory, said Dr. Mark Slifka, a microbiology and immunology expert and professor at the Oregon National Primate Research Center. Dr. Andrea McCollum, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Poxvirus and Rabies Branch, also told the AP that there is no data to support this claim. Adenoviruses are a common group of viruses that can cause cold-like symptoms in humans and animals. Viral vector vaccines, such as the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, use dead, nonreplicable strains of such adenoviruses to generate an immune response that can in turn help fight the novel coronavirus, according to the CDC. Monkeypox is a virus that belongs to the same virus family as smallpox, but causes milder symptoms. Adenoviruses are adenoviruses, they are not poxviruses. They are completely different families and have no relationship whatsoever to each other, Slifka said, adding, theres no cross-reactivity in terms of antibody responses between an adenovirus and a poxvirus. Dr. David Freedman, an infectious diseases expert and president-elect of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, confirmed that the adenovirus used in the AstraZeneca vaccine, and other similar vaccines, is not capable of making humans sick with either illness. Dr. David Heymann, a leading adviser to the World Health Organization, told the AP this week that the recent monkeypox outbreak appears to have been caused by sexual activity at two raves in Europe. To date, the WHO has recorded more than 90 cases in a dozen countries including Canada, Spain, Israel, France, Switzerland, the U.S. and Australia. The cases so far have been mild, with no deaths reported. Sophia Tulp ___ Monkeypox not related to shingles or COVID-19 vaccines CLAIM: The recent cases of monkeypox are actually just shingles, and the cases are a result of the COVID-19 vaccine. THE FACTS: Shingles and monkeypox are not the same and are caused by different viruses, according to experts, who also explained that COVID-19 vaccines cannot cause monkeypox. Many posts making the false claim include an outdated screenshot from a news site that incorrectly used a stock photo of a hand with a shingles rash to illustrate an article about monkeypox. That article was contrasted side-by-side with the same image on a page about shingles. The headline over the photo on TheHealthSite.com, a health news website based in India, from July 17, 2021, reads: Rare Monkeypox cases reported from US, First Time In Nearly 20 Years: All You Need To Know About It. The headline on the other side, which comes from the state government health department website of Queensland, Australia, reads: What is shingles? (with pictures) One Twitter post shared the photo on Monday with the comment: Are we just rebranding now??! #Monkeypox. Other posts claimed that the virus is an adverse reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine. TheHealthSite.com updated its 2021 story with a new photo on May 23, 2022. The widely-shared screenshot shows the old photo, according to the Wayback Machine. The photo can be found on several stockphoto sites. The caption from iStock by Getty Images reads, Skin infected Herpes zoster virus on the arms, using another name for shingles. Neither the photographer nor TheHealthSite.com responded to the APs request for comment. Jonathan Ball, a life sciences professor at the University of Nottingham, explained that shingles is onset by a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the herpes virus that causes chickenpox. If a person had chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the nervous system and can re-emerge to cause shingles many years later. Monkeypox is a rare disease related to the same virus family as smallpox, but with milder symptoms. It originates in wild animals like rodents and primates. Monkeypox was first identified by scientists in 1958. Occasionally, this virus spills over into humans causing local outbreaks and sometimes infections can be exported to other countries," Ball said in an email. Both monkeypox and shingles cause a rash with small blisters, said Dr. Seth Blumberg, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco. Monkeypox affects the entire body, while shingles usually affects one narrow strip of skin on just one side of the body. Blumberg added that COVID-19 vaccination would not cause monkeypox, saying, you can only get monkeypox if you are directly exposed to the virus via an infected human or an infected animal. According to medical experts, there have been some case reports of individuals getting shingles after being vaccinated for COVID. However, experts said those cases are rare and no definite link has been established between the shots and the virus that causes shingles. Karena Phan ___ Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck ___ Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck POTTSTOWN, Pa. (AP) A house exploded northwest of Philadelphia, killing five people and leaving two others injured, authorities said Friday. Officials had earlier said four people died and others might be missing in Thursday evening's explosion in Pottstown but confirmed the fifth fatality as they combed through debris, Borough Manager Justin Keller said at a news conference Friday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Texas authorities said Friday that the gunman who killed 19 children and two teachers inside an elementary school discussed his interest in buying a gun in private online conversations, but backed away from earlier descriptions that he made public threats less than an hour before the attack. Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday, a day after the shooting, that the only information that was known in advance was posted by the gunman on Facebook approximately 30 minutes before reaching the school. Abbott's claim prompted questions about whether technology companies could have provided advance warning. But on Friday, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety said the gunman made the threatening comments in a private message. I want to correct something that was said early on in the investigation, that he posted on Facebook publicly that he was going to kill, that he was going to shoot his grandmother and secondly after that that he was going to, that he had shot her and that third he was going to go shoot up a school, Steven McCraw said. That did not happen. Facebook had already noted on Wednesday that the threats were in direct text messages, not a public post. McCraw did not say to whom 18-year-old Salvador Ramos sent the messages. McCraw also told reporters Friday that Ramos asked his sister to help him buy a gun in September 2021, but that she flatly refused. He did not say how authorities learned of that request. McCraw shared information from four more of Ramos' social media private messages. In a Feb. 28 four-person chat, McCraw said that Ramos being a school shooter was discussed. In a March 1 four-person chat, he said Ramos discussed buying a gun. In a March 3 four-person chat, another person said word on the street is that you're buying a gun." McCraw said Ramos replied, Just bought something. On March 14, McCraw said Ramos shared the words 10 more days in a social media post. Another user asked Are you going to shoot up a school or something?" McCraw said. He said Ramos replied, No and stop asking dumb questions and you'll see. McCraw did not identify any of the other people included in those chat groups. The department did not immediately respond to a request Friday for more detail, including screenshots of the communications mentioned during the news conference. Authorities have said Ramos legally purchased two guns not long before the school attack: an AR-style rifle on May 17 and a second rifle on May 20. He had turned 18 just days earlier, permitting him to buy a rifle under federal law. Fridays briefing came after authorities spent three days providing often conflicting and incomplete information about the law enforcement response in Uvalde. ___ Find more of the APs coverage of the Uvalde school shooting at https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said Thursday he vetoed several key pieces of a legislative budget deal, setting up a showdown with fellow Republicans in the Legislature who are expected to try and override him. Stitt told reporters at a press conference that he and his staff were left out of budget negotiations with lawmakers and that he disagreed with some of its big-ticket items. He said he planned to call lawmakers back for a special session next month to address his priorities, which include eliminating the state sales tax on groceries and reducing the state's top individual income tax rate. This budget is not, was not an agreement. Agreement requires negotiation, requires consensus. Negotiations did not happen in this year's budget," Stitt said. Why are only a select few in charge, while the rest of us are expected to nod our heads and not even ask questions." Stitt said he vetoed the Legislature's plan to offer one-time cash rebates to taxpayers of $75 for individuals and $150 for families, which was expected to cost the state $181 million. Stitt described the rebate plan as a political gimmick during an election year and a slap in the face to hardworking Oklahomans." He also vetoed a bill that reduced the state sales tax on motor vehicle purchases, which was estimated to cost the state about $188 million annually, and another that directed $7.7 million to increase reimbursement rates for two private prisons in the state. In response to the governor's press conference, House Speaker Charles McCall issued a terse response: The House will respond to the governor's many inaccurate and misleading statements in due course." The Legislature wrapped up its budget deal and sent it to the governor last week in anticipation that he might veto some or all of it. Because Friday is the last day of the session, lawmakers have time to come back and override his vetoes with a two-third's vote in the House and Senate. A similar situation played out in 2020 when the governor vetoed the legislative budget deal, and Republicans quickly voted to override him. The Legislature has also called itself into a concurrent special session this year to pass measures that give the Legislature more authority over dispersing about $1.8 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. HONOLULU (AP) Women from the remote U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands will likely have to travel farther than other Americans to terminate a pregnancy if the Supreme Court overturns a precedent that established a national right to abortion in the United States. Hawaii is the closest U.S. state where abortion is legal under local law. Even so, Honolulu is 3,800 miles (6,100 kilometers) away about 50% farther than Boston is from Los Angeles. For a lot of people who are seeking abortion care, it might as well be on the moon, said Vanessa L. Williams, an attorney who is active with the group Guam People for Choice. Its already difficult to get an abortion in Guam, a small, heavily Catholic island of about 170,000 people south of Japan. The last physician who performed surgical abortions there retired in 2018. Two Guam-licensed doctors who live in Hawaii see patients virtually and mail them pills for medication abortions. But this alternative is available only until 11 weeks gestation. Now there's a possibility even this limited telehealth option will disappear. A recently leaked draft opinion indicated the Supreme Court could overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision and allow individual states to ban abortion. About half of them would likely do so, abortion rights advocates say. Oklahoma got a head start Wednesday when its governor signed a measure prohibiting all abortions with few exceptions. All three U.S. territories in the Pacific Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa also have the potential to adopt prohibitions, according to a 2019 report by the Center for Reproductive Rights. None have legal protections for abortion, and they could revive old abortion bans or enact new ones, the report said. Traveling to the nearest states where abortion is allowed Hawaii or the U.S. West Coast would be prohibitive for many women. A nonstop flight from Guam to Honolulu takes nearly eight hours. Only one commercial airline flies the route. A recent online search showed the cheapest tickets going for $1,500 roundtrip in late May. Williams said many Guam residents need time off work, a hotel room and a rental car to travel for an abortion, adding more costs. Hawaii legalized abortion in 1970, three years before Roe. The state today allows abortion until a fetus would be viable outside the womb. After that, it's legal if a patient's life or health is in danger. Flying to a country in Asia that allows abortion would be quicker, but several reproductive rights advocates on Guam said they hadnt heard of anyone doing that. For one, it would require a passport, which many dont have, said Kiana Yabut of the group Famalaoan Rights. Without Roe, Guam could revert to an abortion ban dating to 1990. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the law unconstitutional in 1992, but it has never been repealed. James Canto, Guam deputy attorney general, agreed under questioning by a Guam senator this month that existing abortion laws in various states and territories would be the law of the land if Roe was overturned. But Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, deputy director of the reproductive freedom project at the American Civil Liberties Union, said the 9th Circuit permanently enjoined the 1990 law, meaning Guam's attorney general would have to ask the local U.S. District Court to lift an injunction to begin enforcing it. The 32-year-old statute made it a felony for a doctor to perform the procedure except to save a womans life or prevent grave danger to her health, as certified by two independent physicians, or to end an ectopic pregnancy, which is a dangerous abnormal pregnancy that develops outside the uterus. It made it a misdemeanor for a woman to have an abortion, or for anyone to ask or advise her to have one. The 21-member unicameral Legislature unanimously approved the ban after then-Archbishop Anthony Apuron threatened in a television interview to excommunicate any Catholic senator who voted against it. All but one of the senators was Catholic, but most senators said they were unaware of the threat. Guam's Legislature has been considering additional measures to restrict abortion. This month it held hearings on a bill modeled after a new Texas law that bans abortion once cardiac activity is detected, usually around six weeks. The Texas law, which has withstood legal challenges so far, leaves enforcement up to private citizens through lawsuits instead of criminal prosecutions. Peter Srgo, a Guam attorney who drafted the measure, said enacting it would remove speculation about whether Guam would prohibit abortions if Roe is overturned. So take your pick. What do you want? Because for me, either way, I win. Either way, the people win. Either way, the pro-life movement is going to have a major victory no matter what, he said. The possibility that abortion may become less accessible on Guam has spurred some nonprofits to come together to increase their support for pregnant women in need, said Mona McManus, executive director of the island's Safe Haven Pregnancy Center. Her organization, which opposes abortion, provides free pregnancy tests, prenatal and parenting classes and information on adoption and abortion. It recently started a wraparound service group with other nonprofits that can help secure housing, foster care for teen mothers, adoption and other services. Jayne Flores, director of the Bureau of Womens Affairs, a Guam government agency, believes residents would still have access to medication abortions from off-island if Roe is overturned. But she wonders whether the Legislature might outlaw that too. At what point do you start looking in peoples mail? she said. In the Atlantic, lawmakers in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico are considering legislation that would prohibit abortions starting at 22 weeks, or when a doctor determines that a fetus is viable, with the sole exception being if a womans life is in danger. That is roughly in line with most U.S. state laws, though more limiting than Puerto Ricos current status, which sets no term limit. SALEM, Ore. (AP) Oregon's public sector unions are pushing a ballot measure that would limit the ability of the minority party in the Legislature to use walkouts to block legislation. Republicans have used the tactic frequently at the Capitol in recent years to try to thwart the agenda of Democrats, who have firm control of both the state House and Senate. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that under the proposal, a lawmaker who is marked unexcused by a chambers presiding officer 10 or more times in a single legislative session would be barred under the state Constitution from seeking re-election. On Friday, backers of Initiative Petition 14, dubbed Legislative Accountability 1, said they submitted 183,942 signatures to the Oregon secretary of state. To qualify for the November ballot, state elections officials will need to determine that at least 149,360 of those signatures are from registered Oregon voters. Its long past time that there were rules in place to make sure politicians show up to do their jobs, Oregon Education Association President Reed Scott-Schwalbach, one of two chief petitioners, said in a statement Friday. Because of the proposals reliance on unexcused absences, the law would place a lot of power in the hands of the speaker of the House and the Senate president, the two presiding officers who decide whether or not a lawmakers absence is excused. Excused absences are fairly routine in Salem, with lawmakers filing requests with presiding officers explaining why they are unable to attend. They are not granted in cases where lawmakers are absent in order to block legislation. WAUWATOSA, Wis. (AP) A student pilot is critical condition after his small plane crashed in Wauwatosa. Police said in a statement Friday that the two-seat Cessna 152 crashed in a homes backyard Thursday afternoon after taking off from Timmerman Airport on Milwaukees north side. The 18-year-old pilot was the only person on board. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. LANSING, Ill. (AP) A suburban Chicago man was ordered held on a $1 million bond for allegedly slashing another man repeatedly with a machete after they argued over parking outside an apartment, police said. Rashad Crosby, 25, of Calumet City, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, with additional charges pending following Tuesday morning's attack, Lt. Scott Bailey of the Lansing Police Department told The (Northwest Indiana) Times. CHICAGO (AP) A Chicago woman smothered her daughter with a plastic bag on her eighth birthday while the girl screamed Momma, stop, because she believed her daughter didnt love her anymore, prosecutors say. Andreal Hagler, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Amaria Osby, who was found dead in their apartment, authorities said. Hagler's brother found the two Wednesday after calling Hagler and not getting any answer, prosecutors said at the woman's bond hearing. When he arrived, he found them both unresponsive inside the apartment and phoned another sister, who called 911. Amaria was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy determined Amaria died from multiple injuries caused by an assault, including bleeding under her scalp, bleeding on her brain, and injuries from asphyxiation, prosecutors said. A toxicology report revealed Hagler had PCP in her system. While in custody, Hagler admitted that, the night before, she and Amaria said their prayers before bed around 8 or 9 p.m., and then she began doing PCP and smothered Amaria with a plastic bag, as her daughter screamed Momma, stop. She said that she felt it was their time to go, because they were both born on the 24th, prosecutors said in a court filing. Hagler also admitted to drinking bleach that night, but her daughter refused to drink any before Hagler put a plastic bag over Amarias head to smother her, prosecutors said. This little girls last image ... is that of her mother placing a plastic bag around her head to asphyxiate her, Cook County Judge Maryam Ahmad said at Haglers initial court hearing Friday. Ahmad ordered Hagler held without bail. Hagler works as an occupational therapist and has struggled with depression, Assistant Public Defender Chris Anderson told the judge. BOSTON (AP) A Boston civil rights group is challenging the U.S. government's denial of humanitarian relief to scores of Afghans fleeing from the Taliban. The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts filed a lawsuit in Boston federal court Wednesday on behalf of Afghans and their New England-area families seeking to bring them to the U.S. through a rarely used immigration provision known as humanitarian parole. The organization says the denials left Afghans stranded and at risk of being killed, after the hardline Taliban seized control of the country by force last August as U.S. and other foreign forces withdrew in the chaotic end to a 20-year war. One Afghan plaintiff, who is only named by pseudonym, applied for humanitarian parole for six family members, only to have three of them killed while awaiting decisions on their requests, according to the suit. In its lawsuit, the ACLU cites the experiences of Afghan women who held prominent positions before the Taliban imposed more restrictive measures, as well as Afghans who worked for the U.S. government or the U.S.-backed Afghan government. The humanitarian parole program doesnt provide a direct path to lawful permanent residence, but those on it can apply for asylum or other immigration relief if eligible. The program allows people to temporarily enter the country for urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons, according to USCISs website. Federal agencies named in the suit, including the State Department, Homeland Security Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, didnt respond to emails seeking comment Thursday. The suit, which the ACLU filed along with the Boston law firm Mintz, argues that the government promised endangered Afghans they were eligible for humanitarian parole. Immigration officials abruptly stopped processing humanitarian parole requests after thousands of Afghans applied for the program last August and September, the ACLU states. Then in November, USCIS imposed stricter standards that resulted in most Afghan applications being denied. The ACLU argues the changes violated federal rules and requests a federal judge order applications be promptly adjudicated or re-adjudicated under the original standards. The government has a responsibility to apply its laws fairly, effectively, and efficiently, said Carol Rose, executive director of the ACLU of Massachusetts, in a statement. The denials are all the more frustrating given the swift relief afforded to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion of their homeland in recent months, said Chiara St. Pierre, a lawyer with the Massachusetts-based International Institute of New England, a refugee resettlement agency that had been helping Afghans seek humanitarian parole but isn't involved in the ACLU lawsuit. The new humanitarian parole process created specifically for Ukrainians has been able to process 6,000 applications within its first three weeks far exceeding the total number of Afghan humanitarian parole adjudications in the nine months since last August, the lawsuit states. The Ukrainian program also waives costly application filing fees and allows applications to be completed online without requiring travel to a consulate. Ukrainians deserve protections too, but the Uniting for Ukraine program solidifies that our government is making a choice regarding these Afghan applications and letting them languish, St. Pierre said Thursday. The government does in fact have the ability to actually adjudicate these cases because they are doing so for Ukrainians and with a special program designed specifically for them. The Huron County Sheriffs Office is urging residents and visitors to keep safety in mind this long holiday weekend, especially when spending time in or around the water. This weekends weather forecast on land and water are favorable, but water temperatures are ranging from the upper 40s to the low 50s, and hypothermia can quickly take hold if a person ends up in the water. In a press release, Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson reminded kayakers they are required to wear a life vest when paddling out in Lake Huron and marine deputies issued almost 100 tickets, with the majority going to kayakers who werent wearing life jackets. Hanson also wanted to remind kayakers and boaters that loaner lifejackets are available in Port Austin at the life jacket station on Bird Creek Beach, thanks to a fourth-year effort of his office, the village of Port Austin and the Port Austin Fire Department. Loaner lifejackets are also available in the Caseville area at the municipal harbor courtesy of the harbor commission and local merchants. The sheriff also urged kayakers to wear the proper attire for cold water and to carry a cell phone. He added its important for kayakers to tell someone where theyre headed and when they plan to return. They should also be respectful of shoreline property owners and their privacy, and Hanson said trespassing complaints are taken seriously and enforcement action can be taken. Kayakers also need to know their physical limits while on the water, Hanson said, along with understanding exactly what type of sea conditions their kayak can withstand. Near-shore southerly breezes can also leave a false impression for favorable kayaking and the further a kayaker goes off-shore, the waves and currents will increase, making it difficult to return, he added. Under no circumstances should anyone venture out without a proper fitting life jacket, Hanson said. The most common causes of death in kayaking accidents are overturning or falling overboard. This has occurred too many times in our county, and a life jacket often becomes the difference between life or death. The sheriff also wanted to advise those who plan to use fireworks over the holiday weekend to be careful handling them and to be mindful of their surroundings. Improper use of fireworks can disrupt neighborhoods and cause serious injuries and property damage. Safety and exercising caution when using fireworks is a priority, with being respectful of your neighbors in a close second, he said. Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer and traditionally one of the busiest times of year on Michigan roadways. If youre hitting the road this holiday weekend, Hanson cautioned motorists to look twice for motorcycles. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MADRID (AP) With one of Europe's largest gay pride celebrations right around the corner, Spain's LGBTQ community is worried that the outbreaks of monkeypox on the continent could lead to an increase in homophobic sentiment based on misunderstandings of the disease. Spanish health authorities said Friday there were now 98 confirmed cases in the country, the highest number in Europe. The tally includes one woman, the region of Madrid said Friday. The World Health Organization has reported nearly 200 cases of monkeypox in more than 20 countries not usually known to have outbreaks of the unusual disease. Health authorities have centered their investigations on links between a Gay Pride event in the Canary Islands that drew 80,000 people earlier this month, and cases linked to a Madrid sauna. But some people, particularly gay and bisexual men, believe there is a touch of homophobic hysteria in the wider public's reaction to the rare outbreak outside of Africa, where it has long been endemic. Most of the known cases in Europe have been among men who have sex with men, according to authorities in Britain, Spain, Germany and Portugal. A top adviser to the World Health Organization said the outbreak was likely triggered by sexual activity at two recent mass events in Europe. The outbreak in Spain comes in the run-up to Madrids Gay Pride celebration in July. It is expected to draw large crowds, unlike the last two years' events, which were scaled down or canceled because of COVID-19 restrictions. Organizers say the city's last pre-pandemic Pride celebration, in 2019, drew roughly 1.6 million revelers, though police put the figure at around 400,000. Pride is a huge party, it is a moment to make our voice be heard, that brings lots of people together, Mario Blazquez, coordinator of health programs for the LGBTQ group COGAM in Madrid, told The Associated Press. Blazquez is worried that Pride celebrations could be endangered by overzealous restrictions driven in part by prejudice and in part by the fears of another public health emergency on top of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. We dont know what will happen. We dont know what the level of transmission of the virus will be or what legal measures could be taken. And then what stigma could be generated by these legal measures that sometimes are discriminatory, he said. But beyond the Pride March, Blazquez is worried that society could make the same mistake it did at the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s, when the focus on the disease among gay men obscured its spread among the wider population. This is a disease that any member of the population can get, Blazquez said. We are facing an outbreak that unfortunately once again has hit LGBTQ people, and especially gay and bisexual men. What's happening is somewhat similar to the first cases of HIV. Health authorities have reported cases in Europe, North America, Israel and Australia. Its a surprising outbreak of a disease that rarely appears outside Africa, where it has remained a serious health threat since the first cases in human were discovered in the 1970s. Experts say anyone can be infected through close contact with a sick person, their clothing or bedsheets. Most people recover within two to four weeks without needing hospitalization. However, the WHO says in recent times 3-6% of cases were fatal. Health officials around the world are keeping watch for more cases because, for the first time, the disease appears to be spreading among people who didnt travel to Africa. They stress, however, that the risk to the general population is low. As of Thursday, Italy had confirmed 10 cases of Monkeypox, some but not all in people who had traveled to Spain's Canary Islands. Regarding the question of sexual transmission, I believe that we cannot yet define this strictly as a sexually transmitted disease," said Dr. Andrea Antinori, Director of Viral Immunodeficiencies at Spallanzani hospital in Rome. So I would avoid identifying this disease as a sexually transmitted disease at the moment. "We are facing a new wave (of monkeypox) that is different from how we have historically known it, Antinori added. Spain's health minister, Carolina Darias, said Wednesday that her government decided to opt into the European Union's collective purchase of monkeypox vaccine, which like the COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed based on each participating country's population. She said government health experts are considering how to use the vaccine once it is more widely available. Amos Garcia, president of the Spanish Association of Vaccinology, recommended that the vaccine should only be given to people who have had direct contact with an infected person and who are vulnerable to infection, not to the general population. We are talking about a disease that does not have a large potential to become an epidemic, Garcia said, adding that most Spaniards over 40 should be protected by smallpox vaccines that were regularly administered decades ago. ____ Ciaran Giles in Madrid, Joseph Wilson in Barcelona and Trisha Thomas Rome contributed to this report. UVALDE, Texas Two days after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School here, survivors are recounting stories of the horrifying moments they endured as they were attacked. Some children hid from the killer under tables, while others faked their deaths by smearing blood on themselves. Some were shot multiple times. They watched as their beloved teachers, Irma Garcia and Eva Mireles, were killed while they shielded others from gunfire. Officials have said at least 17 children were hospitalized with injuries, though its unclear how many of those survived. Many who were in the building and in the community said their lives will never be the same. Its just really hard to cope with everything thats going on, said Amber Gonzales, whose 8-year-old daughter Aubree hid under her desk in another classroom while the shooting occurred. Gonzales said Aubree is still traumatized by what happened. Shes terrified to go anywhere without me and her dad, she said. She cant sleep by herself. Shes scared to take a shower by herself. Shes scared to even watch a movie in the living room by herself. I put her to bed last night and she told me she felt like somebody was looking at her shes just really shaken up by it. Aubree told her mother that during the shooting, a woman was banging on her classroom door and begging for the teacher to let her in. Her teacher couldnt unlock the door because of lockdown protocols, she said, and Aubree doesnt know what happened to the woman or whether she was one of the teachers who was killed. I can just imagine the fear of hearing her yell, Help! Help! Gonzales said, fighting back tears. Although her focus is on her daughters well-being, Gonzales added that the circumstances have been incredibly difficult to handle as a parent. Im a mess, she said. Im just so thankful that I was able to bring my baby home and tuck her in and be with her. Another student, a fourth-grader who was inside the classroom where the gunman opened fire, told San Antonio TV station KENS that the shooter came into the room and said, Its time to die. When I heard the shooting through the door, I told my friend to hide under something so he wont find us, said the boy, who was not identified. The boy, his best friend and three other students hid beneath a table with a tablecloth and were able to survive as his teachers and many of his classmates were killed. They were nice teachers, he said of Garcia and Mireles. They went in front of my classmates to help. To save them. Other students in the classroom shared similarly horrifying stories. Eleven-year-old Miah Cerillo survived by smearing her friends blood on herself and playing dead, her aunt, Blanca Rivera, told NBC News. She was hospitalized with bullet fragments in her back but has since been released, Rivera said. Nine-year-old Kendall Olivarez was injured in the attack. She underwent surgery on her arm and was scheduled for more procedures, her aunt, Jennifer Marie Olivarez, said in a post on Facebook. Thank you so much everybody for the prayers...We know her guardian angel was protecting her through all this. she wrote. Shes going to have so many follow ups. Even those who werent in the room were struggling to make sense of what had happened. Adam Pennington, 8, told the Los Angeles Times that he was in the principals office shortly before the shooting and heard the principal answer a phone call from someone who had seen the gunman approaching. Somebody jumped the fence just now holding a gun, Adam said he heard the caller say. He and others hid under a table before fleeing to other rooms, including behind the curtains of the auditorium, and eventually evacuating to the civic center, where he was reunited with his mother Laura Pennington at about 1:30 p.m. Pennington, 37, a substitute teacher with the Uvalde school district, said she plans to transfer her son and move to a smaller nearby district. Although she criticized the lack of security cameras and guards at the school, she also said she felt law enforcement responded rapidly. The kids were evacuated very quickly. It wasnt long before I saw him. I felt like they did a good job, she said as she stood with her son facing a memorial to the victims, 21 crosses erected in a park at the center of town. Monique Hernandez, whose 8-year-old son Joaquin is a second-grader at Robb and survived, said she got a call about the shooting from a family member in law enforcement and immediately rushed to the scene. She called the teachers who were killed beautiful, selfless women who always did everything for their kids at Robb and would have done everything to protect them during the attack. When she got to the school, she said she could see her sons classroom but didnt know where he was. She eventually realized that he was among the students who had been evacuated onto a nearby field, and ran to him there. He just wanted to go home. He said, Mama, take me home. Sure, baby, she recalled telling him as she held back tears Thursday. Theres no words to make it OK, she said, to make it better. (Hennessy-Fiske and Rector reported from Uvalde and Smith and Reyes-Velarde from Los Angeles.) Editors Note: In recognition of National Historic Preservation Month, local historian Cindy Reinhardt tells the stories behind some of Edwardsvilles historic buildings in a series of eight articles in the month of May. No documentation has been found to determine exactly when the house at 404 N. Buchanan St. was built, but there are clues. Frederick George and Phillipena (Ritter) Bernius bought the property in two parts in 1878 and 1879, before there was a house, and they are listed as living there in the 1894 Edwardsville City Directory. Fred took out a mortgage of $2,000 in 1891 which could indicate that is when the house was built, but there is no documentation to prove it. What is certain, is that the house was built for the Bernius family. Fred Bernius, known as Fritz in his youth, was born in Edwardsville on Sep. 14, 1843, the son of Henry and Louise Bernius, early German immigrants to this area. Freds father was a shoemaker by trade who also served terms as constable and police magistrate. Fred was educated in private schools and apprenticed to a merchant to learn the retail trade. He worked in that field until the winter of 1861 when he joined Company K, 10th Illinois Infantry of the Union army. He saw action in many well-known battles before joining Sherman for his famous March to the Sea. He was twice wounded, once in the head at Atlanta, then again in South Carolina where a more serious wound left him with a permanently stiff arm. He was an active member in the GAR, an organization for veterans of the Grand Army of the Republic, and when a Sons of Veterans fraternity was organized in Edwardsville, it was called Camp Bernius, No. 178. Sons of Veterans. For many years, newspaper articles about him began with, Fred Bernius, the old soldier After the war, Fred came home to Edwardsville and went to work for the G. B. Crane general merchandise store. In June 1867, he married Philippena Ritter and started a family that would grow to six children; the three that survived to adulthood were Henry, Benjamin and Pearly. Philippena, born Dec. 28, 1846, near Belleville, Illinois, also had German immigrant parents. Her father, Phillip Ritter, moved his family to Edwardsville when Philippena was very young when he accepted a job as manager of the Wabash Hotel. The building still stands on the northwest corner of Union and Main streets. When Cranes store closed in 1891, Fred was one of four employees that founded the Edwardsville Dry Goods Company where Fred became president. The company was taken over by Henry Bollman and later became the Model Department Store. Its probably no coincidence that when the Edwardsville Dry Goods Company was sold, Fred and Philippena left the house on North Buchanan Street. Fred tried the grocery business for a time, but then found a position as a rural mail carrier, a job he held until the age of 75. Fred and Phillipena, moved from North Buchanan Street to Columbia Avenue where they lived on the same block as their son Benjamin. At that time, Benjamin also worked for the Post Office. Philippena died in 1920 at the age of 73 after an illness of several years. In her obituary she was called a kind and gentle mother and wife with a wide circle of friends. Fred died in January 1926, while on a visit to his son Benjamin who then lived in Long Beach, California. He was 83 years old. An 1894 article by Capt. George C. Lusk regarding Freds character said, As a man he was generous, upright, and honorable, and as a soldier was dutiful and brave. In 1903, the house at 404 N. Buchanan was purchased by Louis and Caroline (Hoffman) May who moved in with their four children, Adelia, Rowena, Louis Jr., and Calvin. Louis May Sr. was born in Marine, Illinois, in 1870, but left the farm for Edwardsville when just 15 years old. By the time he moved to the house on North Buchanan St., he was well established as a realtor who also served on the board of numerous financial institutions. In August 1893, Louis married Caroline Hoffman whose father built the Hoffman House Hotel at the corner of St. Louis and Main streets. The Hoffman House later became the Leland Hotel. One of Louiss numerous businesses was a tavern which on July 1, 1919, due to a wartime prohibition amendment, was no longer allowed to serve alcohol. This was followed by the national amendment that prohibited the sale of alcohol until the end of Prohibition in 1933. Caroline died in October 1919, when her youngest son, Calvin, was only 11 years old. The following year, in the 1920 census, her daughters, who were already married, had moved into the house with their husbands and maintained the household. Through most of the 1920s the daughters and their families lived at the house. Louis Jr. married Margaret Belknap and established his own home after his marriage. When Louis Sr. died in 1930, his will stipulated that his real estate holdings, including the house, were to be sold. In 1932, each of his children purchased different appraised portions of his personal and commercial properties with the house going to Louis Jr. and the property behind the house to Adelia. In 1935, Adelia sold that property to Louis. After just a few years living in other houses, Louis May Jr. returned to his childhood home in 1932 and lived there until the 1950s when he and his wife built a new house in the new subdivision of Montclaire. Fred Bernius would be surprised to see his old home at 404 N. Buchanan St. looking so nice after all these years. From the front, he would recognize it immediately, but from the side, it has been greatly expanded while remaining sympathetic to the original Victorian architecture of the house. ATLANTA (AP) Georgia state Sen. Burt Jones has won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. Its a victory for Donald Trump, who endorsed Jones in the GOP primary for an office being vacated by an outspoken GOP critic of the former president. The Associated Press called the race Friday for Jones of Jackson with unofficial election returns showing Jones exceeding by a small margin 50% of the vote the threshold needed to avoid a runoff. The runner-up in the GOP primary, state Senate President Pro Tem Butch Miller, conceded the race in a statement. Texas public safety officials on Friday said an incident commander in charge of police response at the May 24 school massacre made "the wrong decision" in deciding to stop treating a gunman who locked himself in adjoining classrooms with children as an active shooter and instead view him as a barricaded subject as his shots became less frequent. The gunman was in the classrooms for more than an hour before officers entered and killed him, according to an account released Friday during a news conference outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven C. McCraw revised authorities' timeline of the shooting once again and said children called 911 from the classrooms as officers gathered in the hallway outside. McCraw's account -- combined with video, interviews and emergency line audio -- show how police responded as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers. 1. Late morning: Ramos's grandmother calls police after he shoots her Ramos's 66-year-old grandmother was able to call police after Ramos shot her at her home not far from Robb Elementary and departed in her truck, according to an account Wednesday from Gov. Greg Abbott, R. Authorities have not released the exact timing or content of her 911 call. - - - 2. 11:27 a.m.: An open school door Video shows that a teacher propped open an "exterior door" near the school's parking lot, according to McCraw, who said the teacher was retrieving a cellphone. The door remained opened, he said. - - - 3. 11:28 a.m.: Ramos crashes, prompting 911 call and soon starts shooting Ramos crashed his grandmother's truck into a ditch near Robb Elementary at 11:28 a.m., state public safety officials said. Two witnesses heard the crash and approached the truck, officials said, and Ramos shot at them. A witness called 911 to report the crash and a man with a gun, McCraw said. Ramos went to Robb Elementary on foot and fired a barrage outside the school just after 11:30 a.m., McCraw said. - - - 4. 11:33 a.m.: Gunman enters school unchallenged, officials say, and shoots into classroom Ramos entered the school through the open exterior door and immediately started shooting into either Room 111 or Room 112 -- adjoining classrooms connected with an internal Jack-and-Jill style bathroom, McCraw said. Ramos fired more than 100 rounds "at that time," he said. McCraw said that "hundreds of rounds were pumped in in four minutes, into those classrooms." Subsequent fire was "sporadic" and apparently aimed at the door, he said. McCraw said Friday that the school police officer was not on campus but rushed there after the 911 call about a man with a gun at the crash. "He drove right by the suspect," who was crouched behind a vehicle in the parking lot, and mistook a teacher for an intruder, McCraw said. - - - 5. 11:35 a.m.: Three officers enter school and two are wounded, official says McCraw said that three officers with the Uvalde Police Department were the first officers into the school and that two "received grazing wounds at that time from Ramos. McCraw said Ramos had locked the doors to Rooms 111 and 112 but briefly re-emerged into the hall -- at a time McCraw did not specify -- before locking himself in the classrooms again. Gunfire was heard at 11:37 a.m., 11:38 a.m., 11:40 a.m. and 11:44 a.m., he said. Four more local officers -- from the police department and county sheriff's office -- arrived, according to McCraw, at a time he did not say. - - - 6. 11:43 a.m.: School announces lockdown after gunshots Robb Elementary announced a lockdown on Facebook "due to gunshots in the area" at 11:43 a.m. and claimed that students and staff were "safe in the building." - - - 7. 11:54 a.m.: Video shows family members frustrated with police A video recorded outside the school starting at 11:54 a.m. captures parents criticizing the police response to the gunman still inside. "They need to go in there," a man says in the video verified by The Washington Post and Storyful, accusing police of "standing outside." Just before noon, the video shows students' family members confronting a uniformed officer who pushes a man back and yells at people to retreat across the street. Speaking at Thursday's news conference, Escalon said police were working to assemble the right resources - "specialty equipment," body armor, negotiators -- and also evacuating students and teachers. "They were taking gunfire . . . developing a team to make entry to stop him," Escalon said. McCraw on Friday attributed delays in confronting the shooter to law enforcement's eventual decision to treat the shooting as a "barricaded subject situation" rather than an active shooter situation. By 12 p.m., video showed children running away from the school. - - - 8. 12:03 p.m.: Child starts calling 911 repeatedly from classroom A girl called 911 for a little over a minute and whispered that she was in Room 112, McCraw said. She called back at 12:10 p.m. reporting multiple people dead, he said, and again a few minutes later. - - - 9. Shortly after noon: 'There was plenty of officers' McCraw said that "as many as 19" law enforcement officers had converged on a school hallway. McCraw initially suggested they assembled by 12:03 p.m., but later said that number included Border Patrol tactical team members who arrived around 12:15 p.m. with shields. "There was plenty of officers to do whatever needed to be done," McCraw said. But the incident commander believed more equipment and people were needed for a "breach," McCraw said, and a sense that law enforcement "had time" and saw "no kids at risk" was relayed to Border Patrol members. - - - 10. 12:16 p.m.: Eight or nine students alive, child says In yet another 911 call at 12:16 p.m., McCraw said, the girl from Room 112 said eight or nine students were alive. - - - 11. 12:19 p.m.: 911 call from another classroom A student in Room 111 called 911 but hung up at the urging of another student, McCraw said. At 12:21 p.m., he said, three shots could be heard over the 911 line. - - - 12. 12:21 p.m.: Gunman believed to fire 'last shot' before entry The gunman fired again inside one of the classrooms and was thought to be at a classroom door, McCraw said. Law enforcement moved down the hallway, he added. - - - 13. 12:23 p.m.: Scene 'remains active,' police say In a Facebook update time-stamped 12:23 p.m., the Uvalde Police Department asked parents to pick students up at SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center -- about a five-minute drive from the elementary school -- and said the shooting scene was still "active." The Uvalde school district wrote on Facebook at 12:30 p.m. that students were being taken to the civic center for "reunification." - - - 14. 12:36 p.m.: Girl calls 911 again At 12:36, 911 received another from the child in Room 112, according to McCraw, and she was "told to stay on the line and told to stay quiet." - - - 15. 12:43 p.m.: 'Please send the police now' The same girl asked 911 to send police at 12:43 p.m. and reiterated the plea four minutes later, McCraw said. - - - 16. 12:50 p.m.: Officers unlock classroom doors and kill gunman McCraw said Friday that officers used keys they got from a janitor to unlock the classroom doors and fatally shot Ramos in Room 111. - - - 17. 1:06 p.m.: Police say they have stopped Ramos The Uvalde Police Department wrote on Facebook: "Update @ 1:06 Shooter is in Police Custody." - - - The Washington Post's Annie Gowen, Mark Berman, Meryl Kornfield, Silvia Foster-Frau and Shawn Boburg contributed to this report. NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. (AP) A 25-year-old Missouri woman is accused of leaving four dogs locked in a hot car while she had lunch in a central Florida restaurant, police said. The woman, who was visiting the area from Gainesville, Missouri, was arrested Thursday evening on charges of animal cruelty, New Smyrna Beach police officials said. Horrifying details have emerged regarding the moments inside a Robb Elementary classroom on Tuesday when it was targeted by suspected mass shooter Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old gunman who was killed after allegedly going on a shooting spree that took the lives of 19 students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. An unidentified fourth-grader who survived Tuesday's massacre told KENS 5 San Antonio that the shooter fired a shot before entering the classroom through an adjoining door, and then told the students they were going to die. "He shot the next person's door. We have a door in the middle. He opened it. He came in and he crouched a little bit and he said, he said, 'It's time to die,'" the boy told KENS 5. The child and four of his classmates were likely saved by their decision to hide under a table with an overhanging table cloth, obscuring them from the shooter's sight, according to the report. The boy said the shooter retaliated against one of his classmates after police officers outside the room urged them to yell if they needed help. One of his classmates responded, inspiring the gunman the shoot her. "When the cops came, the cop said: 'Yell if you need help!' And one of the persons in my class said 'Help!' The [shooter] overheard and he came in and shot her," the child told KENS 5. The Washington Post published a timeline reconstruction of Tuesday's deadly events, which included an interview with Miguel Cerrillo, a Uvalde father whose 11-year-old daughter Miah survived the attack at Robb Elementary by playing dead. Cerrillo said he spoke with his daughter through the window of a bus after an officer carried her out of the school with bullet fragments in her side. The father said he rushed toward the bus as it boarded victims bound for the hospital but was prevented by officers from retrieving his daughter, who told him through a window what she'd witnessed before she was taken away for treatment. "I panicked," Cerrillo told the Washington Post, saying his daughter detailed how she had watched as her teacher, Eva Mireles, was shot by the gunman while attempting to phone the police. His daughter Miah told Cerrillo she quickly grabbed the phone and called 911, and then hid from the shooter by lying down on top of one of her classmates, who had been shot and was bleeding on the ground. Her classmate was breathing but expired before help arrived, according to Cerrillo's account. "We figured Uvalde was safe," Cerrillo told the Washington Post. "Now we know it's not safe." In an ad released last year, Blake Masters, a leading candidate in Arizonas Republican Senate primary, cradles a semi-automatic weapon. This is a short-barreled rifle, he said, ominous music playing in the background. It wasnt designed for hunting. This is designed to kill people. For Masters, this isnt an argument against allowing such guns to proliferate. Rather, its an acknowledgment of why access to these weapons is, for the right, a matter of existential importance. The Second Amendment is not about duck hunting, Masters said. Its about protecting your family and your country. Whats the first thing the Taliban did when Joe Biden handed them Afghanistan? They took away peoples guns. Guns, in this worldview, are a guarantor against government overreach. And government overreach includes attempts to regulate guns. These days, its barely remarkable when Republicans issue what sound like threats against those whod dare curtail their private arsenals. I have news for the embarrassment that claims to be our president try to take our guns and youll learn why the Second Amendment was written in the first place, Randy Fine, a state representative in Florida, tweeted on Wednesday. It will be impossible to do anything about guns in this country, at least at a national level, as long as Democrats depend on the cooperation of a party that holds in reserve the possibility of insurrection. The slaughter of children in Texas has done little to alter this dynamic. Republicans have no intention of letting Democrats pass even modest measures like strengthened background checks, and as long as the Democratic senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema refuse to amend the filibuster, Republicans retain a veto over national policy. Victims of our increasingly frequent mass shootings are collateral damage in a cold civil war, though some Democrats refuse to acknowledge it, let alone fight it. Fines words echoed Donald Trumps during the 2016 election, when he said that Second Amendment people might be able to stop a President Hillary Clinton from appointing Supreme Court justices. What was once a barely concealed insinuation of violence has morphed, especially after Jan. 6, into an even more forthright menace. As ProPublica has reported, dozens of members of the Oath Keepers militia were arrested in connection with the attack on the Capitol, but that hasnt stopped the organization from evolving into a force within the Republican Party. In Shasta County, a conservative part of rural Northern California, a militia-aligned faction has secured a majority on the board of supervisors, in what members of the movement see as a blueprint that can be deployed nationally. Throughout the country, reported The New York Times, right-wing Republicans are talking more openly and frequently about the use of force as justifiable in opposition to those who dislodged him meaning Trump from power. Expecting those same Republicans to collaborate with Democrats on public safety is madness. The horrifying irony, the hideous ratchet, is that the more America is besieged by senseless violence, the more the paramilitary wing of the American right is strengthened. Gun sales tend to rise after mass shootings. Republicans responded to the massacre in Uvalde by doubling down on calls to arm teachers and harden schools. An article in The Federalist argued that parents must home-school so that kids can learn in a controlled environment where guns can be safely carried for self-defense or locked away when not in use. Its a vision of a society if you can call it that where every family is a fortress. Guns are now the leading cause of death for American children. Many conservatives consider this a price worth paying for their version of freedom. Our institutions give these conservatives disproportionate power whether or not they win elections. The filibuster renders the Senate largely impotent. Trump, a president who lost the popular vote, was able to appoint Supreme Court justices who are poised to help overturn a New York state law restricting the carrying of concealed weapons. Its increasingly hard to see a path to small-d democratic reform. And so among liberals, theres an overwhelming feeling of despair. Even as people learn the names of all those murdered children, the most common sentiment is not never again, but a bitter acknowledgment that nothing is going to change. America is too sick, too broken. It is perhaps beyond repair. Two years ago, David French, an anti-Trump conservative, published a book, Divided We Fall, warning of the possible crackup of the United States. It included two chapters imagining scenarios for how the dissolution of the country might happen. One involved a mass shooting at a school in California, to which the states people reacted with white-hot rage. French envisioned furious state politicians defying the Second Amendment, leading to a nullification crisis and blue-state secession. He meant it as a cautionary tale, but rereading the chapter after Uvalde, it feels less bleak than our reality. In Frenchs scenario, atrocity has the effect of energizing people rather than immobilizing them. They are determined to fight, not resigned to defeat. They have audacity and hope. The real nightmare is not that the repetition of nihilist terrorism brings American politics to an inflection point, but that it doesnt. The nightmare is that we simply stumble on, helpless as things keep getting worse. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Since the French and Indian War more than 250 years ago, Stamford has had an extraordinary legacy of service and sacrifice. The most prominent symbol of this sacrifice is the Memorial Wall in Veterans Memorial Park downtown. A look at the tall granite monolith reveals more than 400 names of those who gave their lives in this countrys wars. Each name provides its own story of courage, selflessness, and promise lost. The names on that wall represent the great diversity of this country: every religion, race, and ethnicity, every social standing, and every neighborhood in this city. Seven local men were killed during the French and Indian War, including brothers Deliverance and Sylvanus Slason. During the American Revolution, 19 men did not return home. Four local men were killed in the War of 1812, despite the fact that Connecticut did not support the war and refused to commission government troops to fight. During the Civil War, Stamford lost 119 of its citizens in the fight to end slavery and preserve the Union. The Hobby, Peatt, and Waterbury families each lost two of their sons. The Lockwood family story is even more tragic. Sherman Lockwood died in combat in 1863, and two of his brothers survived the horrors of the battle for Fort Wagner only to perish at Andersonville, the infamous Confederate prison. Additionally, 40 names on the wall were Stamford men who served with the 128th Infantry Regiment and were killed during the battle at Fort Hudson on the Mississippi River. During World War I, this town suffered 39 losses, including men who died in such faraway places as Chateau-Thierry and the Meuse River. Some were lost at sea and, for the first time, in the skies above Europe. Samuel Tresser, for whom the Boulevard is named, was killed in the fierce battle in the Argonne Forest. Robert Crandall, a local man designated as being from High Ridge, was posthumously awarded the Croix de Guerre from the French government, The Order of the Crown from Belgium, and the Distinguished Service Cross, one of our nations highest awards. This year, the Memorial Wall will also add its first woman, Red Cross Nurse Mary Nurney, who gave her life in the service of the American soldiers for whom she cared. Mary, who died just a few days before the end of the War to End All Wars, was given a military funeral and a Gold Medallion, which was traditionally bestowed upon our war dead. The Second World War inflicted catastrophic losses on Stamford, with more than 200 citizens lost in the war against the Axis Powers. They died in all corners of the globe and received every citation for heroism and valor. You will see names on the wall that represent the children of immigrants as well as Mayflower descendents. You will see names such as Wasserman, DAgostino, Grabowski, Johnson, and Molina. Many of the names are of boys who lived on the same street. Three families the Kijeks, Lovelands and the Austins lost two of their sons. Two men, Vincent Horan and William ONeill, were killed at Pearl Harbor on the morning of Dec. 7. Several Stamford men, including Myles Fox, were posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for their exceptional courage. Gus Belasco survived wars in Haiti, China, and World War I, only to be killed in the Pacific during the Second World War. He left behind a 10-year-old daughter. Benjamin Praeger escaped a concentration camp in Europe, came to the United States, enlisted in the U.S. Army, and was killed in Germany during the last year of the war. John Scalzi and Leonard Volpe survived the horrors of combat but were killed in accidents on the way home from war. The Korean and Vietnam Wars were no less tragic. The stories of these men on the wall are haunting and at times, gut-wrenching. At the time, these deaths often received little notice and were overshadowed by the upheaval of the day, but they are nonetheless inspirational examples of courage and sacrifice. Kurt Jobst was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his action at Tay Ninh. Stuart Andrews, Alfons Bankowski, and Richard Rich, who survived the Korean War, volunteered for service in Vietnam and did not make it home. Al Bankowski left behind a fiance. Stuart Andrews and Richard Rich left behind a total of six young children. Eugene Manselle III and Alfred Kaspaul, whose family fled Communist East Germany, left high school to serve in Vietnam. Neither young man made it home. Alfred left behind his parents and two sisters, while Eugene left behind his parents and 10 brothers and sisters. In 2011, U.S. Navy Seal Brian Bill was killed in Afghanistan defending this country in the Global War on Terrorism. Brians death represented Stamfords first loss in more than 40 years and served as a painful reminder to a new generation of the immeasurable cost of our freedom. These are but a very few of the stories to be found on the Memorial Wall at Veterans Park. They underscore Stamfords profound sacrifice over the past 21/2 centuries, and are cause for tremendous pride, humility, and solemn reflection. Memorial Day is a day for such reflection. It is the one day that we are asked to recognize the tremendous cost of living in a free and democratic society. Accordingly, I urge every citizen to turn out and support the Memorial Day Parade, which kicks off at noon Sunday and is followed by a ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park. If you are a parent, bring your children! In doing so, you will be honoring not only those who made the ultimate sacrifice, but also the many veterans who returned home to live meaningful and impactful lives. And while you are there, you might want to take a few moments and pay a visit to the Memorial Wall and give quiet thanks to the more than 400 citizens of Stamford who never had the opportunity to return home, enjoy their families, or fulfill their potential. I assure you it will be a humbling and fulfilling way to honor Memorial Day. Anthony Pavia is a former principal of Stamford and Trinity Catholic high schools and a historian. After nearly 40 years without witnessing a local recall vote, San Franciscans are now getting to use the direct democracy device for the second time in 2022. District Attorney Chesa Boudin may join three school board members in having his term shortened by voters. But thats not the only recall measure on the ballot. Whatever Boudins fate, San Francisco elected officials are now running scared and are trying to take decisive action to prevent themselves from facing a recall. On the same day, voters will also decide Proposition C, a law that purports to reform the recall. In reality, it does no such thing. Instead, it would make San Franciscos recall the most restrictive in California, and in some respects, the hardest in the entire country. Voters should not be fooled. Prop. C is a backdoor method, put on the ballot directly by the Board of Supervisors, to kill the recall and deprive voters of this hard-earned power. Rather than put in place laws that restrict the use of the recall to criminal action or those that raise the signature requirements to sky-high levels, Prop. C takes a different form of subterfuge to attack the recall. Many recall laws create a grace period a time period during which a recall is not allowed to be launched. This period is either at the beginning or end of the term. The idea is a simple one: For the beginning of the term, we want to give the newly elected official some time to succeed and we dont want to encourage a sore loser to try to rerun the election immediately after the loss. For the back end, the argument is that the government simply doesnt want to add in the cost of a new election in a very short timeframe. Currently, San Franciscos charter grants newly elected officials (including those who were re-elected to a new term) a six-month grace period before a recall can be undertaken against them. Californias law, which San Francisco does not have to follow because it is a charter city, only allows a 90-day grace period. Prop. C would increase this time frame to 12 months. This 12-month grace period appears to be longer than any in California. But it is really a second part of the proposal that reveals the true intent of this measure. Voters would also be asked to provide a 12-month grace period at the end of the elected official's term plus an additional requirement that signatures must be handed in six months before the election meaning at least an 18-month period at the end of the term. Effectively, voters would be limited to an extremely narrow window in which a recall can be launched. Opponents of the measure have suggested that thanks to the various provisions, there would be only eight and a half months within an officials four-year term in which a recall could actually be successfully attempted. Under current law, San Francisco has no grace period for the end of the term. California law provides a six-month grace period. Across the country, only one state has anything like this type of law. Only three states even give a combined total grace period of more than a year: Michigan, which will be discussed below, New Jersey and Rhode Island, the last of which has a limited recall law adopted in 1992 when they expanded the governors term. Michigan prevents recalls in the first and last year of the term. Rhode Island prevents recalls in the first six months of a term and the last year. New Jersey, which only adopted the recall in 1993, switches that format, preventing recalls in the first year and the last six months before the election. Prop. C, in a state that reveres its direct democracy laws, would prevent recalls in a time frame significantly longer than those laws. Prop. C has another provision, one that has been the source of many complaints, which prevents any appointees from running for re-election for the position. This proposal, which is also quite unusual in the U.S., seems targeted at the San Francisco mayors singular power to appoint replacements if an official is recalled quite different from the states law that gives voters the ability to choose the replacements. The need for recall reform could seem surprising. Unlike many localities throughout California, San Francisco has not been a prime user of recalls. No mayor has been kicked out of office, and if June's recall is successful, Boudin would be the first D.A. to be removed the last district attorney recall was in 1917. Before this year, the last recall to get to the ballot was against then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein, who easily survived a recall vote in 1983 with 88% of the vote in her favor. Feinsteins victory, much like Gavin Newsoms this year, is a proof point for the idea that a recall should be taken with care. Feinsteins career received a rocket boost from the recall. But the reality is that anytime a high profile recall takes place, elected officials frequently look to cut back at recall laws. After the first three state legislative recalls in California history back in 1914, the state government quickly looked to change the law. However, they ran into the brick wall of public opinion and went with minor changes. Michigan is the big example of a state attacking the recall law. After a state House member lost his seat and after the attempted recall of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Michigans legislature took a midnight run at the recall law in 2012, waiting until a lame duck session in the last weeks of the year to adopt provisions that slashed the law. Unlike in San Francisco, Michigan voters had no ability to weigh in on these changes. San Francisco voters have been very cautious in their use of the recall. But thanks to elected officials running scared from voters, they must take a stand to keep this power. If Prop. C passes, their right to recall, adopted overwhelmingly by voters more than a century ago, will be all but dead. Joshua Spivak is a senior fellow at the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College. He is the author of "Recall Elections: From Alexander Hamilton to Gavin Newsom" and writes the Recall Elections Blog. Denise Truscello/Getty Images With over 100 major music awards under her belt, Carrie Underwood knows how to sell out a stadium. The decorated country superstar announced her Denim & Rhinestones tour this month with a show at San Franciscos Chase Center on Nov. 19. The 43-date U.S. tour is in support of her upcoming ninth studio album of the same name that is set to release June 10, and follows her recently concluded Las Vegas residency REFLECTION. Temperatures dropped dramatically across the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday, and the unseasonably cool weather is expected to persist through the Memorial Day weekend. There's a slight chance of light rain and sprinkles on Saturday evening. After a spell of warm weather that sent temperatures soaring across the region earlier this week, the mercury took a nose dive on Thursday. Some inland areas saw as much as a 30 degree temperature drop from Wednesday to Thursday. "This is something that the Bay Area sees on occasion where we have high pressure that sits over the area and heats things up and then as that starts to weaken, we get those low-level marine clouds. ," Brooke Bingaman, a forecaster with the weather service said. "Thats what happened Wednesday into Thursday, and it really cooled things off." The mild weather is forecast to persist through Monday with inland areas in the 70s and coastal locations in the 50s and 60s over the weekend. Friday is expected to be a few degrees cooler than Thursday. On Saturday, a slight chance for rain enters the forecast, mainly in the North Bay, as the southern tip of a storm system over the Pacific Northwest pushes into Northern California. There's a 25% to 40% chance in far northern Sonoma County, 15% to 20% chance in Santa Rosa and 10% chance in San Francisco. Bingaman said one of the weather models shows a possibility for sprinkles around the San Francisco International Airport. "Theres more confidence that Santa Rosa and northward will see sprinkles but were monitoring that forecast to see if San Francisco gets sprinkles too," Bingaman said. The cool weather is good news for San Francisco Bay Area that's prone to wildfires. "The longer we stay cooler than normal and the more stratus we have, it does mitigate fire risk," Bingaman said. WFO ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Friday, May 27, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Albany NY 457 PM EDT Fri May 27 2022 ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Dutchess and southwestern Columbia Counties through 545 PM EDT... At 456 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Red Hook, or 8 miles northeast of Rhinebeck, moving northeast at 20 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and heavy rain. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Heavy rains could cause flooding. Locations impacted include... Hudson, Catskill, Claverack, Livingston, Copake, Pine Plains, Clermont, Red Hook, Athens, Ancram, Claverack-Red Mills, Stanfordville, Bethel, Milan, Germantown, Taghkanic, Pachin Mills, Ancramdale, Kerleys Corners and Burden Dock. 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. 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 4197 7391 4227 7387 4223 7359 4214 7349 4209 7351 4205 7349 4186 7372 TIME...MOT...LOC 2056Z 217DEG 19KT 4199 7377 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH The National Weather Service in Upton NY has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Hudson County in northeastern New Jersey... Eastern Union County in northeastern New Jersey... Southeastern Bergen County in northeastern New Jersey... Southeastern Essex County in northeastern New Jersey... Queens County in southeastern New York... Richmond County in southeastern New York... Bronx County in southeastern New York... Kings County in southeastern New York... New York (Manhattan) County in southeastern New York... * Until 545 PM EDT. * At 459 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Carteret, or near Huguenot, moving northeast at 35 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to trees and power lines. * This severe thunderstorm will be near... Oakwood around 505 PM EDT. Elizabeth and Todt Hill around 510 PM EDT. Newark and Bayonne around 515 PM EDT. Jersey City and Flatbush around 520 PM EDT. Hoboken and Lyndhurst around 525 PM EDT. Rutherford and Secaucus around 530 PM EDT. Ridgefield and Jackson Heights around 535 PM EDT. Flushing and Mott Haven around 540 PM EDT. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather The city Party chief spent much time talking and commemorating the two late leaders who made great contributions to the national liberation revolution of Laos and the special friendship between the Parties, States and people of the two nations throughout history. Late Prime Minister Sisavath Keobounphanh had joined in the revolutionary activity very early, in 1947, as a soldier of the Northwestern Propaganda Volunteer Armed-Force Team. In 1950, he joined the Indochinese Communist Party (PCI) and then held many key positions in the Laos Party and State. On the same day, Meanwhile, late NA President Samane Vignaket had also participated in the revolutionary activity very early. From 1935 to 1945, he joined the revolutionary forces for national liberation in Laos and was appointed to important positions of the Party and State, including Member of the Politburo, President of the Laos National Assembly, Minister of Education and Sports, Head of the Organization Commission of Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and so on.On the same day, the city delegation also visited and talked with staff and employees of the Embassy of Vietnam in Laos. After that, the delegates left Vientiane to Savannakhet Province for more working sessions. Some photos feature the visits of Ho Chi Minh Citys high-ranking delegation to the families of late senior leader of Laos and the Embassy of Vietnam in Laos: Van Minh, Huyen Huong, Thuy Quyen Page Content The Connecticut House of Representatives passed legislation on April 29 to ban so-called captive audience meetings, which unions say employers use to stymie organizing. We've gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other media outlets. Second State with Such Legislation Once Gov. Ned Lamont signs the bill into law, as he is expected to do, Connecticut will be the second state with such legislation. Oregon is the only other state with a law prohibiting captive audience meetings. The AFL-CIO views such laws as a protection against intimidation. The Connecticut Business and Industry Association has denounced such legislation as illegally intrusive in employer/employee relations and pre-empted by federal law. (The Connecticut Mirror) Bill's Limits The bill does not prevent employees from agreeing to go to a meeting where their employer argues against unionization. But it does prevent an employer from disciplining or firing employees who choose not to attend that type of event. (Connecticut Public Radio) Infringement on Free Speech? Businesses say the measure infringes on the ability of companies to freely communicate with employees and is pre-empted by federal law allowing them to lobby against unions so long as that "expression contains no threat of reprisal or force or promise of benefit." (The Connecticut Mirror) Use of Scare Tactics Jessica Petronella, organizing director for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 371 in Fairfield County, Conn., said employers scare employees in captive audience meetings "by talking about dues, talking about assessments, and a lot of the information that they provide is not accurate." She said one employer told its workers that if they were to unionize, the company would close the store. "Though it's illegal to do thatto close the store for organizingjust having that in the back of your mind is incredibly intimidating," she said. (Public News Service) NLRB General Counsel Wants to Make Captive Audience Meetings Illegal For more than 70 years, employers have had the right under federal law to convene captive audience meetings with employees about their statutory labor rights, including the right to refrain from forming unions. On April 7, National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo announced in a memo that she will ask the NLRB to find such mandatory meetings unlawful. (SHRM Online) Page Content The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) has, at long last, issued proposed rules implementing its equal pay registration certificate (EPRC) requirements. As a reminder, Illinois is setting deadlines for covered employers to apply for certification on a rolling basis. The proposed rules largely reiterate the statutory requirements with only slight clarifications. The bulk of the rules focus on the state's procedures for processing applications and appeals. Here are some of the proposed rule's key highlights. Key Highlights Definition of "Employee." The regulations clarify the definition of "employee" to be counted and reported under the law. They provide that an employee: "means any person performing a service for a business under the act whose base of operations, or if there is no base of operations, the place from which the service is directed or controlled, is located within the state of Illinois; or whose base of operations or the place from which the service is directed or controlled is not in any state in which some part of the service is performed, but the individual's residence is in the state of Illinois." While this definition leaves some open questions, it clarifies that the law covers not only employees based at a business's physical location in Illinois, but also (1) employees who work remotely outside of Illinois whose work is directed or controlled within Illinois, and (2) remote employees within Illinois whose work is controlled or based outside of Illinois but in a state where none of the work is performed. The regulations do not clarify which county is to be reported for employees working remotely outside of Illinoisthe Illinois county to which the employee reports or the county outside of Illinois where the employee works. Definition of "Minority." "Minority" means a minority person as defined in the Illinois Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women and Persons with Disabilities Act. That act defines "minority" to include a person who is a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States and who is any of the following American Indian or Alaska Native. Asian. Black or African American. Hispanic or Latino. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Due Date. The application due date is the date by which the application for certification must be received by the IDOL. Potential Additional Requirements. The list of employees and their wages that the law requires must also include, "any other information required by the department on the application form." It is unclear what other information may be required by the department. It appears this language is intended to leave room for the IDOL to change its template or requirements in the future, but it also creates uncertainty as to what else an employer may be required to report in the future. Authorized Signatory. The proposed rules clarify that "[a]n Equal Pay Compliance Statement, signed by a corporate officer, legal counsel employed by the business, or authorized agent employed by the business" is required. This makes clear that outside counsel or other agents may not sign the compliance statement. BFOQ Exception. The proposed regulations add a "bona fide occupational qualification" (BFOQ) exception to the requirement that the business not restrict employees of one sex to certain classifications and makes retention and promotion decisions without regard to sex. Recertification. The proposed rules require businesses to recertify every two years. The IDOL will "notify the business that recertification is required and will provide the business with a recertification due date at least 180 calendar days before the recertification due date." If the business has dropped to fewer than 100 employees on Dec. 31 of the business's payroll year, the proposed rule requires it to notify IDOL in writing, by the recertification due date, of the number of employees employed by the business on Dec. 31 of the business's payroll. The proposed rules do not require the business to recertify in that event. Corrections. The regulations impose an affirmative obligation to correct any misinformation in a company's application for certification. The rules call for a business to "submit to the department a revised application with correct or complete information, along with a letter identifying the information that was amended." Certificate or Rejection. No more than 45 calendar days after receipt of an application for certification or recertification, IDOL will issue to the business an Equal Pay Registration Certificate or a Statement of Rejection stating why the application was rejected. If IDOL rejects a company's application for certification, the company has "30 calendar days from the date the Statement of Rejection is received to cure any deficiencies in its application that led to the rejection and resubmit the revised application to the department." Appeals. The proposed regulations also set forth detailed procedures for an employer to appeal a rejected application for certification or recertification. Under the proposed regulations, employers have only 14 days to appeal a Statement of Rejection, and the request must be "prominently marked REQUEST FOR EPRC APPEAL on both the letter and the envelope; or, if e-mailed, shall contain the subject line REQUEST FOR EPRC APPEAL." Good Faith Effort. The regulations define "good faith effort" to comply with the certification requirements as "demonstrable efforts by the business to promote pay equity and combat employment discrimination, including but not limited to, internal compensation reviews, staff training, adoption of equal opportunity policies, and evidence that such policies were enforced through evaluation, investigation, and personnel action." The IDOL may suspend or revoke a business's Equal Pay Registration Certificate when it fails to make a good faith effort to comply with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Illinois Human Rights Act, the Equal Wage Act, or any other relevant laws. The IDOL also may suspend or revoke a business's Equal Pay Registration Certificate when it fails to make a good faith effort to comply with the equal pay registration certificate requirements found in Section 11 of the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003 or when a business has multiple violations of equal pay registration certification requirements or the other laws noted in this paragraph. If a business receives a notice of suspension or revocation, it may request a hearing before the IDOL to contest the suspension or revocation. Employee Request for Data. The proposed regulations clarify that current employees may request anonymized data regarding their job classifications or titles and the pay for their titles or classifications if the employee submits a "signed affidavit swearing that the employee holds the specified job title at that business, and evidence that the employee currently holds the specified job title at that business." In response to a substantiated request from an employee, IDOL "shall provide current data, historical data from no more than 10 years prior to the date of the request, or both." 'Enrollment' and Contact Information The proposed regulations provide that businesses were supposed to have submitted an "enrollment form including designated contact information for the business by March 31, 2022." The IDOL has had a "survey" available on its website for companies to provide contact information, but the website did not contain any statement that businesses subject to the statute must complete the "survey," and there is no current requirement under the law to complete the survey. Many employers held off on completing the survey to receive regulations or further guidance from IDOL, some of which may be necessary to complete the survey (for example, how to calculate whether an employer has 100 or more employees). It is unclear how the state will enforce the deadline that was not announced until almost two months after it had passed. Unanswered Questions The regulations also leave open many questions, some of which IDOL has reportedly commented on informally, but not in the regulations. Among these are the following. How are related entities treated for purposes of calculating whether a company has 100 or more employees? How should companies reconcile the answer included in the IDOL's frequently asked questions (FAQs) advising employers to report each role an employee holds during the year (including the "pay rate" for that role) on separate lines of the company's application but also advising companies to report the full amount of wages, which the FAQs say to define by box 5 of the W-2? Tracking promotion and transfer dates, much less wages earned in two different positions in one year (as opposed to wage rates in each position), may be a real challenge for most employers. How does the state intend for companies to evaluate that the "average compensation for the business's female and minority employees is not consistently below the average compensation for its male and nonminority employees within each" EEO-1 category? Illinois law requires the proposed regulations to undergo a 45-day comment period, which will be followed by internal review before the rules become final. So there may be additional changes before the rules become final. However, some employers that have been issued notice of a deadline will have to file their Application for Certification before that point. Jennifer L. Colvin is an attorney with Ogletree Deakins in Chicago. Sarah J. Platt is an attorney with Ogletree Deakins in Milwaukee. 2022 Ogletree Deakins. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission. Google is in active discussions with the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and is exploring ways to partner with the ambitious initiative, multiple people in the know of the matter, said. At present, talks are exploratory and have spanned across different businesses within Google including search and payments, according to one person cited above who said, there is a definite interest in engaging with the ecommerce network. A second person aware of the ongoing discussions said the two sides have held a few meetings with Google viewing ONDC as a means to discovering businesses. There are multiple possibilities, but it is yet to be finalised, the person added. The network, which aims to democratise ecommerce by bringing more kiranas and unorganised retailers online, was launched as a pilot earlier this month in Bengaluru and four other cities and is expected to be available in 100 cities countrywide by August. Responding to some queries on the development, T Koshy, chief executive officer (CEO) of ONDC confirmed the talks with Google as well as with other technology companies. Like all the biggies, companies like Google, are talking to us to see what is the possible way in which they can participate in this journey," Koshy said. A representative for Google said the company has been consistently invested in efforts to help Indias vast base of small and medium businesses build digital presence and support discovery across its platforms and payment capabilities with Google Pay. We have nothing further to share at this point in time," the person added. Google Pays two main competitors PhonePe and Paytm have already begun to integrate their services with ONDC. The networks pilot programme was launched through a buyer app from Paytm, with the Noida based company stating that it will pivot to the ONDC network to drive the next stage of ecommerce. As per an earlier report this month that PhonePe, which is owned by Flipkart and Walmart, is in advanced stages of integration and will join the ONDC network on the buyer and seller sides. Just like the unified payment interface( UPI) , we want to build on an open ecosystem like ONDC while leveraging our payment relationship with merchants as well as consumers. We are actively working with ONDC to launch as soon as possible, PhonePe had told ET. For Google, partnering with ONDC fits in well with its stated agenda of digitising small businesses. It may also fit in well with the American technology majors larger ecommerce ambitions globally and has the potential to be scaled up worldwide like Tez which was launched in India and then scaled up as Google Pay. The company already has more than 10 million merchants live on Google Pay. From "Great Reset" initiative to "Working together, restoring Trust;" India along with several other countries is moving forward after the pandemic. The day 1 and day 2 of World Economic Forum wrapped up on Tuesday, which covered several topics from a vast dimension of economy. The topics included food crisis, geo-political conflict to climate change and employment. Salil Pareekh, the Chief Executive Officer of Indian IT services firm Infosys, on Monday told a meeting of Global Business leaders at Davos, that technology is changing and people should be trained for it. He was among the business leaders who was talking about change at the annual summit of World Economic Forum. Speaking on the session on "Accelerating the Reskilling Revolution." Pareekh said that the accessibility is massive and with platforms like coursera it is easier to get skilled in a chosen field. With labour market in flux from the fallout of corona virus pandemic, technological shifts and green transition, upto 1 billion people will need reskilling, training and lifelong learning by 2030. Digital skills, in tandem with communication can help a lot in reskilling a person and is fast becoming the new landscape, the CEO added. Under the theme of " Working together, restoring Trust" the World Economic forum's Annual Meeting 2022 is the first global in-person leadership event since the start of Covid-19 pandemic. The meeting is taking place in Davos, Switzerland from May 22 to 26. The high-profile annual event began with a welcome reception on Sunday evening and continued till Thursday. From India, Piyush Goyal, Mansukh Mandaviya, and Hardeep Singh Puri. Several state leaders which also included two chief ministers, Basavaraj S Bommai, and YS Jagmohan Reddy. KT Rama Rao from Telangana, Aditya Thakeray from Maharashtra and Thangam Thennarasu, along with several other public figures and a host of CEOs discussed the key issues at World Economic Forum 2022, Davos. Let us take a look on a few highlights from the World Economic Forum 2022: DAY- one: Telangana attracted huge investments: On the first day of World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, many companies came forward to invest in Telangana with Lulu Group announcing to invest 500 crore. While Spain's Chemo Pharma announced to invest 100 crore in their Hyderabad site expansion over next 2 years. The investment was announced during a meeting between Rama Rao popularly known as KTR and Lulu Group's company head Yusuf Ali in Davos. Rama Rao, on behalf of the Telangana government, handed over the necessary permission documents to Yusuf Ali for food processing unit to be set-up by the company. Yusuf Ali also mentioned that they also have a plan besides, setting-up another unit in the food-processing sector. The announcement regarding that would be made shortly. While expressing his happiness over the Lulu Group's investment, KTR said the Telangana government was working towards establishing demands for agriculture products and agriculture allied products through food processing units. Lulu Group's setting-up of an international level food processing unit would help this cause, he mentioned. Chemo Pharma announced investment of 100 crore in creation of secondline in their production area in Hyderabad for the production of pharmaceutical finished dosage forms. The company is also planning to initiate a new active pharmaceutical ingredient and R&D centre in Hyderabad, along with continuing new product development activities in solids and injectable in Genome valley here, the release mentioned. The announcement was made after Rama Rao's meeting with leadership of Chemo group, Jean Daniel Bonny, R&D director, Pharmaceuticals Generics business at World Economic Forum, Davos Rama Rao said, "I am delighted that Chemo, a leading pharmaceutica company like Chemo is growing from Hyderabad. This is indeed a testament to the life-sciences eco-system in the city and Genome valley"Zurich-headquarted Swiss Re said it would set-up office in Hyderabad in August this year. KTR welcomed Swiss Re also for establishing its units in Hyderabad. Swiss Re, would start with initial head-count of 250 and focus on data and digital capabilities, product modelling and risk management, the release added. DAY-two Maharashtra joins World Economic Forum's Global Plastic Action Patnership: India's largest state in terms of GDP and home to the country's financial capital Mumbai, Maharashtra . On Sunday, joined the World Economic Forum's Global Plastic Action Partnership(GPAP), to advance regional efforts to fight plastic pollution. With the new partnership announced here during the WEF annual meeting 2022, Maharashtra has joined a growing group of global economies that will leverage the GPAP platform to drive localised solutions for the circular economy. The partnership will bring together Maharashtra leading policy-makers, business leaders, civil society organizations and experts to formulate a state level plan to eradicate plastic pollution. By joining Global Plastic Action Partnership, Maharashtra aims to enhance its commitment to curbing plastic pollution, raise its ambition, and ensure accountability and inclusivity throughout the value chain. The Ministry of Environment and climate change of Maharashtra will work with GPAP to launch a National Plastic Action Partnership(NPAP) in Maharashtra as a platform to tackle plastic waste solution, according to a statement from WEF. The GPAP-Maharashtra is the first in India. Maharashtra has estimated population of 124 million people, larger than countries like Ethiopia and the Philippines, making this a partnership in per capita terms. "This agreement with World Economic Forum's Global Plastic Action Partnership marks a critical juncture in our state's battle against the plastic pollution endemic" said Aaditya Thackeray , Minister of Environment and Climate Change, he furthur added "Covid proved a hurdle towards our single use plastic ban, where health priorities in PPP took precedent. Now as we focus on our climate and sustainability objectives, we are laying foundation to deliver the systems- wide change needed across sectors. This partnership is the building block as we transition towards a more resource circular approach to tackle climate change while strengthening our economy " Maharashtra is positioning itself as a leader nationally in India in the fight against plastic waste pollution. In March 2018, the Government of Maharashtra banned the manufacturing, sale and use of single-use plastic bags, it also banned an array of single-use plastic products including cutlery, straws and containers. DAY-three HCL collaborates with World Economic Forum, commits $15 million to address Global freshwater insecurity: HCL Group to commit $15 million over five years to support water-focused entrepreneurs also known as "aquapreneurs" to drive innovation in freshwater resource management. HCL has partnered with UpLink, the open innovation program of the World Economic Forum, this connects highly promising start-ups with partners and funding they need to scale. "Today, freshwater resources globally are extremely burdened and every fifth child on this planet faces water scarcity," said Roshni Nadar Malhotra, CEO of HCL group and Chairperson of HCL Technologies. Our partnership with World Economic Forum's UpLink platform is a step in this direction and our ecosystem approach can be truly transformative." She also added that this will not only encourage and scale innovations in this critical area, but also help to build capacity among "aquapreneurs" to execute on innovative solutions. Through the aquapreneur innovative initiative, HCL is " recommitting to accelerate multi-stakeholder collaboration and innovative in the global freshwater conservation space," she added. The environment, sustainability and governance (ESG) solutions market, estimated to touch $50 billion by 2030, could emerge as the next big growth driver for domestic IT services provider. Tata Consultancy Services(TCS), Infosys, Wipro are offering their solutions, gleaned from years of best practice to clients looking to go green . With global population set to hit 8.5 billion by 2030, pressure is increasing on the world's limited supply of freshwater. By 2030 the global demand for water will have exceeded sustainable supply by 40%. HCL's collaboration with UpLink will encompass building the freshwater innovation ecosystem including: running innovation challenges to the source solution from "aquapreneur", connecting these aquapreneurs to existing initiatives and water networks, unlocking funding opportunities to scale their ventures and raising awareness on the global agenda on the importance of freshwater. "The aquapreneur innovative initiative comes at a critical time," said Olivier Schwab, managing director, World Economic Forum. "With water scarcity enveloping regions around the world, we need to fast-track progress within the freshwater sector and build security for people and planet." Schwab said HCL's collaboration with UpLink will harness and drive forward the solutions of the world's top innovators, connecting them to the initiatives and networks which can see them scale and drive transformational change for the world's most fragile water systems. DAY-four Andhra signs 3 MoUs, AMNS announces 1000 crore investment: ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, intend to complete the expansion project in 2023. Also, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India has made an announcement that it will invest 1000 crore in Andhra Pradesh to expand its pellet plant capacity in Vizag. The State Government also signed three MoUs for generating green-energy , while big-ticket company heads held discussions with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy at World Economic Forum Summit in Davos. The planned expansion will multiply pellet production capacity at Vizag by 35%, from 8 MTPA to 11MTPA. This investment follows a recent announcement by ArcelorMittal a parent company of AM/NS, India to develop a 'round the clock' renewable energy project 975MW of nominal capacity. "We welcome these significant investment ArcelorMittal and AMNS India to Andhra Pradesh, which reinforce the state's leadership in attracting pioneering manufacturing and renewable projects that will not only support India's steel making growth ambitions but also assists the country's efforts to advance industrial decarbonisation, "said CM Reddy. The state government has signed an MoU with Aurobindo Reality Infrastructure Private Limited for generating 6,000 MW of green energy. The second MoU was inked between the state and Greenko for generating 8,000 MW of green power. The third MoU was signed with Ace Urban Developers for setting up a decarbonized manufacturing unit at Machilipatnam. CM Reddy also met the Finance Minister of Bahrain Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, and discussed exports and investments in the field of education Rajan Anandan , Managing Director of Sequoia Capital also met Reddy and held discussions on start-ups ecosystem development and starting operations in Andhra Pradesh. The Chief Minister also met IBM CEO Aravind Krishna, and discussed technology and skill development to transform Vizag into a technology hub. 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! Three shops on Brightons blue chip Bay Street retail strip, part of the estate left by the late Tom Chapman, have fetched $6.83 million. Shops in Bay Street Brighton. Credit: Chapman, a renowned auctioneer, owned Hodges Real Estate for thirty years between 1956 and the late 1980s. He was a real innovator, installing two-way radios in agents cars and among the first to introduce display ads to sell property. Fitzroys agents Mark Talbot and Chris James sold 311 Bay Street, while Talbot and Tom Fisher sold Nos.407 and 409. The corner shop at No.311 was previously occupied by Hodges but is now leased by Carpet Court. It sold for $3.81 million on a yield of 1.9 per cent. Bidders for the shop at No.407 also pushed it past its reserve. It fetched $1.84 million on a 2.9 per cent yield. The remaining shop sold vacant for $1.18 million. Multiple offers A showroom-warehouse in Clayton scored a whopping 28 offers at the close of its expressions of interest before going on to sell for well above its quoted price. While the agents - Gross Waddell ICRs Danny Clark, Andrew Waddell, Tony Aarons and Glenn Ye - declined to reveal the price, the sub-3.5 per cent yield they reported combined with the rent of $569,637 a year, indicated a price of around $17 million. Fowles Auctions has a lease until 2028 on the building at 699 Blackburn Road, which is on a prominent 1.4 ha parcel of land on the corner of Princes Highway. Given the existing location and underlying land value, we experienced extremely high levels of inquiry from offshore investors and local Chinese families, with the eventual purchaser having offshore connections but an established track record within Melbourne, Ye said. Fierce contest In the CBD, freehold properties continue to be contested fiercely. A three-storey building at 62 Little La Trobe Street sold to a private investor for $6.55 million - after only 18 days on the market. Records show the vendors, Daoren Lai and Jonathan Ji, the principals behind developer companies Mercator Holdings and Kaleida, had held the property for a year, paying $4.378 million in April 2021. Colliers agents Leon Ma, Oliver Hay, Anthony Kirway and Daniel Wolman handled the sale of the fully leased property. It has a new hospitality fit-out and commercial kitchen on level one and is leased to NOX Cafe, returning $275,666 a year. Nearby, at 41-45 ABeckett street, a crowd of more than 80 spectators watched Wilder House sell for $9.355 million to an investor. Records indicate the three-storey art deco gem last sold in April 2020 when Fang Wang paid $7.7 million to the Wilder family. It has a permit for a nine-storey mixed-use building. 152 Little Lonsdale Street has changed hands for the first time since 1958. Credit: On the other side of the State Library, 152 Little Lonsdale Street has changed hands for the first time since 1958, for $12.88 million. The three-storey property, built in 1966 and leased to Spanish and Japanese language schools and the Pancake Parlour, returns $205,110 a year, giving the deal an extremely tight yield of 1.59 per cent. Colliers agents, including Matt Stagg, in conjunction with Allard Sheltons Joseph Walton, Chris Hatzis, Michael Ryan and Patrick Barnes, handled the after-auction deal. Cop shops Property fund ISPT is punting two police stations in Narre Warren and Mill Park from a fund heavy with cop shops. The buildings at 1-7 Coventry Street, Narre Warren and 151 Centenary Drive, Mill Park are each expected to sell for $10 million. The buildings cover 2099 sq m and 2123 sq m respectively and include meeting rooms, public areas and some on-site holding cells. The leases expire in December 2025 and have no further options. The Narre Warren facility is on a corner 3619 sq m site and returns $615,688 a year. Its northern mate in Mill Park is on 6173 sq m and pays $648,654 a year in rent. ISPTs CIB Fund recently purchased 8 Lakeside Drive in the Tally Ho business park in Burwood East for $35.8 million. CBRE agents Tom Ryan, Scott Orchard, Sandro Peluso and Jimmy Tat are running an expression of interest campaign which closes on June 17. Biomedical Diabetes Victoria is off-loading its headquarters in the burgeoning biomedical precinct around the hospitals and the University of Melbourne on the citys north-western fringe. The office at 570 Elizabeth Street is expected to fetch more than $12 million. The 711 sq m site has frontages to Elizabeth and Berkley streets and has Capital City 5 zoning which allows for a multitude of development options. The non-profit medical group has owned the 1258 sq m showroom-office since 2001. Diabetes Victoria paid $2.8 million at the time. Colliers agents Hay and Stagg are handling expressions of interest. On the other side of the university, the liquor and hospitality union, United Voice, is selling a double-storey terrace at 62 Drummond Street, Carlton which is leased to CGC Accountants. She also inspired his love of rap and hip hop, some of his earliest musical memories listening to his mothers Tupac Shakur and Eminem albums, along with music from The Fugees and Erykah Badu. Loading After founding her own professional acting and modelling agency in Broken Hill, she later established another outfit when she moved the family back to Sydney, Mama Capone Management. His father Nick Howard, who separated from Sloane years ago, is a music producer and sound engineer who has worked with Australian stars such as Bardot and Delta Goodrem. He has also joined the tour, along with Larois grandparents and younger brother, 15-year-old Austin, who is fast making a name for himself as a music producer. In 2004, when Laroi was but a toddler, Sloane Howard told the Herald about signing new talent among indigenous youngsters in Redfern in the fledgling local hip hop scene: A lot of rappers come out of Harlem and have real stories to tell. In Australia, they are mostly just copycats. Laws rock goes big in New York Billed as one of Sydneys most extraordinary love tokens, the huge diamond ring John Laws gave to his late wife Caroline has sold at the New York salon of Bonhams auction house. The impressive 17.25-carat diamond sold for more than twice its estimate following frenzied bidding in the Madison Ave salerooms, fetching nearly $1.2 million, which includes the buyers premium. John Laws has sold the spectacular and huge diamond ring his late wife Caroline once wore one of the largest in Sydney in New York. Credit:Jenny Evans The diamond ring was a gift from Laws to his beloved Caroline in 2003 while holidaying in Hong Kong. In the words of Laws: I saw it, she loved it, I bought it! John and Caroline Laws drive away in his black Rolls Royce after their wedding in the tiny chapel in All Saints Church of England, Woollahra, in 1976. Credit:SMH Archives It was PS that dubbed the ring the skating rink given its magnificent size and sparkle, which was often a talking point around the tables at Woolloomooloos Otto where the Princess dined. The piece was offered in good company. The auction included jewels from the collections of Bette Midler, Lady Sylvia Ashley and Belle Epoque sugar heiress Helene Irwin Croker Fagan, whose Cartier emerald and diamond bracelet achieved $4.569 million. Rosemont opens its doors Sydneysiders have a rare chance to see inside one of our towns most famed private residences when the contents of Woollahras Rosemont go on public viewing at 14 Rosemont Avenue, from Thursday to Saturday, ahead of being auctioned through Artvisory on Sunday, June 5. Rosemont has been the home of Lady Burrell and her late husband Sir Raymond Burrell and their family since 1983. Rosemont, built in 1857, was the centrepiece of Sydneys high society for over a century. Credit:Peter Rae Drew Burrell told PS his mother, Lady Burrell, now 82, is downsizing to an apartment in the eastern suburbs, and while several pieces on loan from the ancestral seat of Knepp Castle in West Sussex have been returned, a vast collection of rare antiques and artworks are to go under the hammer. Lady Burrell and grandchildren Connie and Camilla at Rosemont. For us, it was a lovely, comfortable home to grow up in. Our parties were a bit more low-key than the previous residents, he said. Rosemont recently sold for $45 million. It was built in 1857 by merchant banker and politician Alexander Campbell and was the centrepiece of Sydneys high society for over a century. In the 1930s, it was bought by Lady Hannah Lloyd Jones (wife of David Jones chairman, Sir Charles Lloyd Jones), who held lavish parties attended by prominent VIPs, including Sir Robert Menzies, Prince Philip, Noel Coward, Danny Kaye, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Lucianos foes No, I am not running around in a tinfoil hat, Sydneys high-flying money man Rob Luciano said after PS checked in with the millionaire hedge fund manager who is planning a much lower profile in the future following the planned merger of his firm VGI Partners with Phil Kings Regal Funds Management. The timing of the deal provided a catalyst for some of Lucianos foes to engage in a little tittle-tattle this week, claiming to PS that Luciano travels the world with highly trained former elite soldiers as bodyguards, demands the Wi-Fi be switched off on the entire floor of the hotels he stays in, has his own chef and has installed a panic room near his office. No tin foil hats for Rob Luciano. Credit:James Brickwood Luciano told PS the bodyguards were for his high-profile business associates, including senior Israeli politicians and a former business partner had sand poured into his cars fuel tank; that he gets headaches if he sleeps near Wi-Fi routers; and that the panic room was little more than a sound-proofed meeting space. But he did have the place swept for listening devices given the competitive nature of his business and had security gates installed at the entrance to his office. However, his personal chef was actually for all the staff, but he has no requirement for a taster. Anything rivals can do to put a question mark over your credibility, they will. These are all exaggerations from vengeful people, he told PS. All this stuff, its nonsense being peddled by rivals. Mary Poppins many pop-ins There were plenty of spoonfuls of sugar to help former Morrison government foreign minister Marise Payne lick her wounds on Thursday night at the spectacular Mary Poppins premiere at the Lyric Theatre. As her successor Penny Wong jetted off to Fiji, Payne, along with hubby, NSW Liberal Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres, joined a throng of Liberal cronies, including former premier Mike Baird, Health Minister Brad Hazzard, Treasurer Matt Kean and sitting Premier Dominic Perrottet, whom PS noticed had squeezed three of his burgeoning brood in as his plus one. The family Von Perrottet clearly enjoyed the show, along with the diverse crowd, which included everyone from broadcast royalty Liz Hayes to Instagram sensation Carla From Bankstown. And yes, its a supercalifragilisticexpialidocius production. MCB gets Gore nod Tom Wren is an amusing George Banks, the father on the steep learning curve, and Lucy Maunder excels as his wife, now (slightly oddly) an ex-actor rather than the suffragette she was in the film. Their children, Jane and her little brother Michael, are appealingly played by Chloe Delle-Vedove and Will Steiner (from a pool of child actors), with Michael having some of the shows sharpest lines. Nancye Hayes is beautifully cast as the Bird Woman, Hannah Waterman is a riotous Mrs Brill, and Chelsea Plumley, Robert Grubb and Gareth Isaac admirably round out the leads. The ensemble matches them, and the execution of Stephen Mears choreography for Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious takes the breath away. The show does have two flaws, however. One is that some songs, including the interminable Step in Time, were always lame, as are some of the newly penned numbers. More generally, Act Two falls away compared with the wonder of Act One, the story losing momentum and nearly half the songs being reprised. But go and see it. The stage craft and performances wont just bewitch your children, theyll bring out your own long-buried inner child. - John Shand A cultural guide to going out and loving your city. Sign up to our Culture Fix newsletter here. Orontea by Antonio Cesti City Recital Hall, May 26 Also, May 28, 29, 31 and June 1 Apart from occasional homage to canonical figures like Monteverdi and Purcell, opera has tended to pass over the 17th century as a period where improbable classical plots were given extravagant, mannered treatment by composers yet to discover operas true destiny. One of Sydneys rare possibly unique blessings over the past 20 has been the opportunity to see and hear this music in witty sophisticated productions from Pinchgut Opera, whose only inauthentic trait is its ability to conjure delight on shoestring budgets. No plot twist is left unexplored by the cast of Orontea. Credit:Brett Boardman Under Artistic Director Erin Helyard, Pinchgut has developed enormous expertise, stylistic affinity and capacity to translate to todays world. As Helyard notes, Orontea by Antonio Cesti is best seen as a romantic comedy, hugely popular in its day. This agile production by Constantine Costi, with beguiling choreography from Shannon Burns and design from Jeremy Allen (set), Sabina Myers (costumes) and Damien Cooper (lighting), continues Pinchguts tradition of playfully reinventing ancient works within a modern dramatic vocabulary, enlivened with generous splashes of the absurd. Allen has ingeniously given the constrained City Recital Hall stage a deceptively spacious feel by placing a proscenium and curtain at the back and extending a platform in front of the instrumentalists, while Myers and Cooper bring zest and life with audacious colour. Helyard draws delicate, glistening balance from the small orchestra in phrases that sometimes look backwards to the rhythmic cleverness and flexibility of Monteverdi and elsewhere anticipate the phrase patterns of a later age. Loading This is a very fine cast. Anna Dowsley sings the title role of the Egyptian Queen Orontea with wonderful fiery colour and vividness, creating a dramatic persona that amusingly mixes the regal and the petulant. It is rewarding to see her musical and dramatic stature grow and blossom. Her lover, Jonathan Abernethy as Alidoro, embodies the rough-hewn hunk who sets hearts aflutter, yet sings with a rounded voice of fine-grained subtlety and polished finish. Sofia Troncoso hams up the breathless desire of Oronteas rival Silandra, her voice dripping with voluptuous sensuousness and caressing cadences, while Douglas Kelly as Cordino, with whom she eventually has to make do, has neatly modulated correctness and smoothly even tone the perfect husband. As the sabre-rattling young Tibrino, spoiling for war, Louis Hurley has a voice of light finesse and tapered refinement, while Andrew OConnor as the bibulous servant Gelone combines rich depths with stylish agility, not to mention a capacity to hold the stage while blind drunk. David Greco is preoccupied, pontificating and distracted as the duty-bound disapproving Creonte and Dominica Matthews, as the wealthy lascivious Aristea, sings with richly seasoned maturity. Roberta Diamond endows the cross-dressing, mustachioed Giacinto with comic pathos and is the finely polished voice behind dancer Ryan Smith, a mischievously gleeful Amore. Alexandra Graham dances a lean philosopher with rubbery limbs and Heath Keating a muscly toy-boy. For Cesti and his librettist Cicognini, more is more in terms of expansiveness, and although the quality and theatrical inventiveness prevent the work from dragging, it is well to enter the second half with relaxed enjoyment, glass in hand, knowing that no plot twist will be left unexplored without an aria or two. - Peter McCallum THIS IS PERSONAL Sydney Opera House Playhouse Theatre May 26 Until May 29 At the beginning of the show Mary Coustas walks on, stands at the front of the stage and takes a good look at the audience. Whats going on? Its awkward. Do we laugh now? Wheres Effie? This is Personal could be just another celebrity trauma drama. Heaven knows, Coustas has plenty of baggage to unpack. Growing up enduring the grinding hell of casual racism, plus a constant dread that the next phone call would be the one telling her her fathers heart had finally stopped for good. Becoming Australias favourite wog. And then going into battle with her body, surviving successive rounds of IVF to become a parent at 50. Mary Coustas This is Personal is a one-woman show that declines to follow a well-trodden path. But Coustas is not here to ask for sympathy. Shes here as a witness, an uncanny observer of life, a truth-teller trying to making sense of it all. And laughing along the way. Because, as her mother says imagine the thick Marrickville Greek accent - You gotta find the funny, else youre screwed. This is Personal is a one-woman show that declines to follow a well-trodden path. This is not stand-up and were not looking for cheap laughs. Coustas has made a career out of playing up to stereotypes, but now shes stepping away from the wig. We start with a stage, bare but for a clock that ticks ominously, a phone which rings when something bad happens, and a 50-something actor telling a lame joke. Ninety minutes later, weve covered life, death, love, the miracle of swivel chairs and carpet squares, unthinkable loss and unquenchable hope. Tissues at the ready. Its not all serious. The naked self-reflection is punctuated by big, loud, roaringly funny scenes of family life, conjured up by Coustas with a mixture of physical theatre and masterful comic timing. And, yes, there are plenty of accents and plenty of characters, like the incredible vomiting aunt, and the unspeakably sexist uncle, but Coustas barely gives Effie a look-in. Its the scene where she recreates her graduation show - an extravagant, dead-pan interpretive dance rendition of the history of the world, set to music by The Smiths - that we hear the killer one-liner, and its from her beloved father. Mary. No-one needs to see that. Tell your stories. So she does. This is Personal. This is Mary. - Harriet Cunningham A cultural guide to going out and loving your city. Sign up to our Culture Fix newsletter here. BEFORE THE MEETING Reginald Theatre, May 25 Until June 11 The grip is immediate, and only tightens as the play goes on. That grip is not so much driven by a story as by a single emotion - the one the Lodges previous inhabitant found so elusive: compassion. In other hands a play with multiple scenes set before AA meetings would be likely to drown a spillage of mawkishness. But US playwright Adam Bock is too good for that. He makes his characters initially draw us in with their warmth, humour and benign bickering - makes the reasons they go to AA secondary to their in-the-present interaction. Alex Malone, left, and Jane Phegan are both astonishingly good in their roles. Credit:Danielle Lyonne The structure is ingenious and equally keenly crafted. All but one of the scenes has the same setting, and their effect is cumulative, like so many bricks building a wall, the characters histories initially as sparingly applied as mortar. The scene thats the exception is a solo rather than a duo, trio or quartet: just one back-story, as told at a meeting proper, by middle-aged Gail (the brilliant Jane Phegan). The 80-minute plays centrepiece comes around the two-thirds mark with the house lights partially up, so we, too, are at the meeting. Gail begins by relating all the facets of her childhood that she cant blame for her alcoholism. But as the monologue progresses through the stages of her disease to the point where she weans herself off not only booze and dope, but sugar, coffee and excessive food, the lighting tightens around her. Bock takes us deep inside Gails life, which, like all lives, involves laughter as well as tragedy. A lesser playwright might have allocated such a speech to every character, but one of Bocks crowning achievements is to make the specificity and intimacy of Gails story come to stand for all. Phegans delivery of the speech is the high point of a production replete with peaks, and burdened with no troughs. Her voice dances across the confessional lines like an alto saxophone riffing on an ever-expanding theme, and meanwhile her physical acting deepens the truth and the impact, with fingers, hands, wrists, arms and shoulders all as movingly expressive as her face. Loading Just as astonishingly good are Alex Malone as the pregnant Nicole, whose jokes and wisecracks are her only body-armour as the world comes sniping at her, Tim McGarry as Ron, an irascible ageing man with a heart of gold, and Tim Walker as nervy young Tim, an AA first-timer when the play begins. The cameo fifth character is Gails adult daughter, Angela, who bursts in on the action after Gails monologue, and clouds some of the truth of what weve just heard. Ariadne Sgouros is the only actor whose performance shows the faintest fault lines, but then she has the mighty challenge of entering the action at the three-quarter mark already in a towering rage. Chrysoulla Markoullis gently wistful music demarcates the scenes, and is an exquisite counterpoint to the sharpness of the dialogue another box ticked in this masterful, perfectly cast production directed by Kim Hardwick (for White Box Theatre). The characters throb with life on Martin Kinnanes set depicting a dreary church basement room, becoming ever more lacerating, until you walk out dazed and wounded but also exhilarated by the truth, the lustre and the intensity of it all. Were this a Sydney Festival production and the actors blessed with greater renown, the queues would stretch around the block. You must see it. - John Shand A cultural guide to going out and loving your city. Sign up to our Culture Fix newsletter here. GHOSTING THE PARTY SBW Stables Theatre May 25 Until June 11 Last week, New South Wales legalised voluntary assisted dying. This week, Ghosting the Party, Melissa Bubnics play about ageing, death with dignity, and the care work of women, debuted from Sydneys Griffin Theatre Company. This is more coincidence than design; the play won the Lysicrates Prize in 2017. Still, its a welcome arrival. Ghosting the Party is wickedly funny, desperately loving, and just sharp enough to pierce your heart. Amy Hack, Belinda Giblin and Jillian ODowd in Ghosting The Party. Credit:Clare Hawley Grace (Belinda Giblin, ablaze with stubbornness and wit) is 87 years old. Everything hurts. Shes terrified of mental decline. She wants to die. Her daughter Dorothy (Jillian ODowd, with her heart on her sleeve, ever-hovering, ever-wounded) isnt having it. Surely, one should fight to stay alive at all costs? Doesnt Grace appreciate all Dorothys sacrificial support? Then theres Dorothys daughter Suzie (Amy Hack, in a superlative performance). She reluctantly returns to Australia from Montreal, where shes been living for more than a decade to build her career, to be there for her family. Graces re-assessment of life and living weighs on them all, re-shaping their conversations and behaviours as well as reinforcing long-held obligations, burdens, and needs. Together and apart, the women argue, joke, attempt new beginnings, and experience endings. At just 80 minutes, the play somehow folds some of lifes biggest ideas into a jar and holds them up for our perusal: between scenes, the actors move out of time and role to share more philosophical ideas about dying, parenting and the politics of care. Director Andrea James shapes the production with welcome playfulness and keen perception. A laugh will hang in the air just long enough to feel like a present; loss and grief coax tears to the eyes just when you need the relief of feeling. Its all wonderfully alive. Loading Luckily, too, it all takes place on Isabel Hudsons hyper-feminine, ultra-domestic pastel wallpaper set with clever costumes that uplift the narrative (Dorothy, the ultimate caregiver, is drowning in florals). Verity Hampsons lights play partner to Jamess clever staging, and Phil Downings composition and sound design help bridge the gap between abstract sequences and plot-driven scenes. When do women get to stop caring for others and live or die for themselves? Ghosting the Party doesnt have any answers (or any remedies for ageing), but it has a persistent, compassionate sense of solidarity: this is a play that slings a no-nonsense arm around you and tells you that you arent alone. Parents could demand private schools review enrolment contracts that require payment of thousands of dollars in fees if they fail to give adequate notice of withdrawing their child, following a tribunal ruling. A common clause in enrolment contracts for private schools states families must pay an extra terms fees if they do not give a full terms notice of their childrens departure. Few parents engage lawyers when this clause is enforced, as legal costs can be more expensive than the amount in dispute. Brindabella Christian College in Lyneham in the ACT. Credit:Rohan Thomson However, an ACT father decided to represent himself in the territorys civil and administrative tribunal after Brindabella Christian College sent a bill for $3785 when he told them with less than a terms notice that he was taking his children out of the school. The clause is standard across many Sydney private schools, where a terms fees range from around $600 for a high school student at Al Faisal College, to $9000 for one at The Kings School. Both schools have the withdrawal clause in their contracts. It allows us to engage in social comparison, learn new things and deal with boredom, Turel says. Its easier to engage with someone more on our level compared to someone who is a celebrity. Daily vlogs also often offer a hint of surprise it could be as minor as a change in toothpaste flavour and Turel says variability offers a hit of dopamine. Melissa Qiu, 21, says daily vlogging helps ground herself in her studies and appreciate lifes moments. Credit:Peter Rae Melissa Qiu worried about sharing her life at first but shes found that people enjoy learning about her study routine and dentistry. It also benefits her by motivating her to focus and work hard, and she appreciates her memories more than she used to. I like looking back and seeing my progress, almost like Im my own biggest fan. Its literally like a biography for myself. Ginny Dougherty, a 27-year-old brand manager, has posted a vlog each day since November. Initially, she did it to keep family and friends in New Zealand up to date with her life in Sydney. Her first entry captured themes that continue today: the gym, reading in the sun, losing keys and the nail salon. She was shocked when she started to gain followers (she has now 8700). Loading She admits its a weird phenomenon to have strangers know how she spends every day but she enjoys vlogging and says the videos are quick to film, edit and narrate. Will I be doing this in 10 years? Dougherty asks. Im a creature of habit. For now, Im so happy to do it daily. The moment I find other things in my life are slipping, I will stop. A sense of mindfulness can emerge from vlogging. The phrase romanticise your life has become popular on TikTok, encouraging people to see the beauty in small, even banal, moments. Dougherty says she notices far more highlights in her day than she would have previously. Its made me more grateful, Dougherty says. Coming out of lockdown, Its just been so full noise. Ive loved being able to reflect on it like a little diary. There is a paradox, Oscar says: At the same time instead of slowing things down, TikTok actually speeds things up. Youre constantly being fed another video. However, as long as recording doesnt become obsessive, she thinks its wonderful to see people paying attention to things that generally go unnoticed. TikTok is one of the worlds most popular apps. Credit:Getty Social media is in a state of flux, moving away from feeling hyper-polished and entering a casual phase. Its why the Instagram photo dump has been huge. It involves people sharing recent glimpses of their life in a way that is seemingly random and raw an out-of-focus photo at a wild birthday party, a couch selfie with a mate, a bulldog at the park. Day-in-the-life vlogs are much the same: they are supposed to feel authentic. Of course, some will be more or less so than others. Darcy OMalley, a 27-year-old business analyst from Perth, has been posting a daily vlog each day since February. Loading I was seeing Instagram Reels and TikToks of perfectly curated days, waking up at 5am, having a lemon water, going to the gym and while I really enjoyed looking at that, its not real life, OMalley says. I found myself feeling jealous. She felt there would be an appetite for less glamorous vlogs. Lacing her videos with humour, she now has more than 25,000 TikTok followers. I go to work every day. Im trying to be healthy. Im trying to be fit. Im trying to save money, she says. Vlogging has become a hobby and while shes yet to make money from it, shes open to the idea she just doesnt want to lose her authenticity. I dont want to start going and doing things purely for the content, OMalley says. I feel like I would lose a sense of myself and thats not why I started this. Brands and celebrities (think Bella Hadid and Addison Rae) are also getting behind the trend. Melbourne-based Laura Henshaw, chief executive of health app Keep It Cleaner, started doing TikTok day-in-the-life vlogs late last year. Shes no stranger to these: she and co-founder Stephanie Miller used to do them for YouTube about three years ago but she says they were time-consuming. TikTok daily vlogs are easier to make, adding only about 30 minutes to her day, Henshaw says, and it helps her connect with her community by sharing what goes on behind the scenes in her work. People are just craving really relatable, vulnerable and real content, she says. It is my whole day but theres still the caveat that [generally] its the best parts of the day. Whats excluded? Anything that could be unhelpful, she says, such as showing every meal. Loading Henshaw herself finds she loves watching vlogs. Even people who I dont follow I just watch a minute of their day and I dont know why, she says. I think getting an insight into anyones life is just interesting. Qiu says she wont change the events of a chosen day just to make a more compelling vlog but she prefers to plot out the shots shell get. Although TikTok is less polished, there is still an element of planning that goes into it, Qiu says. Much like the photo dump on Instagram, it is somewhat inevitable that TikTok vlogs are deliberately curated, even when the idea is to be real, Oscar says. Theres a decision to point your camera at yourself eating croissant or to pan around your messy apartment or to show your skincare routine, Oscar says. Turel isnt convinced that pure authenticity is possible on social media. On a subconscious level, people are always making choices to present themselves in a certain way, he says. Motivations can vary: it could be commercial, it could be a desire for more views, even wanting to appear authentic is a motivation in itself. But he believes day-in-the-life vlogs are filling a void that reality TV created when viewers understood that their favourite shows were highly concocted. [Vlogs] are at least trying to or pretend to be authentic and realistic. At least there are no production companies behind them. By Zhuang Xiaohao, Li Jiapan and Huang Qi NAQOURA, LEBANON, May 26 -- At the request of the Military Engineering Office of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Headquarters, the 20th Chinese peacekeeping engineering contingent to Lebanon dispatched professionals to complete the hoisting and maintenance tasks of the submersible pump on May 24, local time. Submersible pump is essential to water extraction from deep wells. The submersible pump hoisted and overhauled in the operation is composed of 43 sections of 10-meter-long lifting pipes, with a total length of 430 meters. Due to the long-term erosion in deep-water environment, the joints of lifting pipes have been corroded and cracked, resulting in an insufficient supply of water pressure to the submersible pump. The Chinese peacekeepers overcame difficulties and managed the task with zero errors and high efficiency. "I found that the Chinese peacekeepers are hard-working and professional, and I like them very much. They have done well in the operation with high standards," said an on-site civilian providing technical guidance. Since deployed to the mission area in Lebanon in August 2021, the 20th Chinese peacekeeping engineering contingent has completed 33 annual construction tasks such as the construction of armored vehicle bunkers and air defense bunkers, and 22 temporary tasks such as road drainage system repair. The Chinese peacekeepers have won high acclaim from the UNIFIL officers, peacekeeping counterparts and the local people alike. There is something joyously predictable about great success: everyone wants to claim a bit of you. It took just hours for newspapers in Puglia Italys sun-kissed, southern heel to embrace Anthony Albanese as their own. Australia: the Barlettano wins boasted La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno. Australia Italian-style the new PM is Pugliese crowed the national, Il Giornale, among a host of others. I must admit that in my Italo-Aussie family, now spread over two hemispheres, the election of a prime minister with an Italian surname was greeted with similar, boisterous enthusiasm. As a kid growing up in Sydney in the early seventies, Id heard greasy wog daily in the playground while my year 6 teacher decided my name was too hard to pronounce and called the roll each day substituting Potato Tomato for Paola Totaro. The puerile, pre-election puns and headlines on Albaneses surname brought back the white-hot shame and fury of childhood half a century on. Anthony Albanese with his father, Carlo Albanese, in Barletta, Italy. Credit:Lisa Golden As social animals, we humans have a need to belong, whether we are conscious of it or not. Group identity helps buffer us in times of trouble, or when we feel wronged, and offers a sense of purpose when we can coalesce around common goals. My dad, Paolo, architect of premier Neville Wrans pioneering multicultural policies in NSW, experienced his own frisson of pride on election day even though Albanese is really the product of a devoted Aussie-Irish single mum. And it has been observed, quite rightly too, that the very fact that a PM with white European ancestry is noteworthy at all in Australia may be indicative of how little progress we have made on cultural diversity. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size David Witherdin is about to begin one of the biggest reconstruction jobs in Australian history, restoring the flood-blighted Northern Rivers of NSW, but he also must confront an even bigger task, almost existential in complexity: can he stop Lismore from drowning? Without any pause, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has labelled the Northern Rivers rebuild as his greatest challenge. And now, a little known public servant is charged with ensuring the government succeeds in this endeavour. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, Deputy Premier Paul Toole and David Witherdin at the announcement of the creation of the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation. Credit:Natalie Grono Extensive powers have been bestowed on Witherdin, the chief executive of the newly created Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation, including to compulsorily acquire or subdivide land, fast-track the building of new premises and accelerate the delivery of planning proposals through the Department of Planning and Environment. From July 1, and based in Lismore, the corporation will work with all state government agencies, seven local councils and the private sector to ensure that the reconstruction of infrastructure is co-ordinated and streamlined. And, it is not only the building of new schools, bridges, roads, water and sewerage infrastructure that Witherdin will oversee. Thousands of residents potentially will be rehoused in new estates signed-off by him; buildings rebuilt in a manner dictated by him; the order of infrastructure projects determined by him; and multimillion-dollar contracts awarded by him. Undoubtedly, developers and big contractors will lobby him. Further, he will drive a new master plan for Lismore City that responds to these changes, shaping the social and economic fabric of lives for generations. He will have an advisory board, consult widely with community and local representatives, but ultimately, he will be answerable only to one person: Deputy Premier Paul Toole. Advertisement Well be pushing through mud literally for the next six months to make things happen. David Witherdin It makes this father of three from Newcastle - a trained civil engineer who worked across the mining, utility, transport and local government sectors, before a senior leadership role with the Department of Regional NSW - one of the most powerful figures in the Perrottet government. He has to succeed. Walking the streets of towns and villages in the Northern Rivers it becomes clear why so much power has been vested in a stand-alone, unelected body. Newly appointed Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation chief executive David Witherdin in Lismore. Credit:Natalie Grono Well be pushing through mud literally for the next six months to make things happen, yeah, literally wading through s--t, Witherdin says. I know how big the task ahead is, but as my wife told me, my whole working life has been preparing me for this challenge. At the end of all the talk, I just thought, if not me, who then. Desolation is splattered right across the Northern Rivers, in the tongue-twister towns of Murwillumbah and Mullumbimby, along the winding rivers bordered by earthier named villages like Wardell, Woodburn, Coraki and Broadwater, right up into the isolated dreamscape communities of the surrounding hills that are cut off by landslides. The regions population is about 280,000. Advertisement Ground zero is Lismore, known as the flood capital of Australia, with a population of about 27,000. Four people died in February as rising water inundated 3045 residential, commercial and industrial buildings and damaged hundreds of millions of dollars worth of critical infrastructure. Large swaths of the city remain in limbo, waiting for the state or federal government, to make a call on their future. Lismore City Council believes at least 1000 households should be relocated to higher ground at a cost of $400 million. And, the region faced flooding again this week. Too big to argue Usually elected officials in NSW - councillors, mayors and local MPs - jealously guard their role as the democratically elected repositories of the political power that plays out across our lives. Lismore MP Janelle Saffin, Ballina MP Tamara Smith and the regions seven mayors, however, all support the elevation of Witherdin and his corporation. This disaster was just too big to argue otherwise. From the first day of the disaster, a still wet Saffin, who had to swim for her life through the flood water, voiced the need for a single body to rebuild the Northern Rivers, similar to what happened after Cyclone Tracey hit Darwin, and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, which was created after the 2011 floods. Lismore MP Janelle Saffin, with mayor Steve Krieg, lobbied NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet from the start of the disaster for a single reconstruction body. Credit:Natalie Grono Saffin made it her mission to convince the NSW Government to back the idea by being persistent, consistent. Advertisement We were wiped out, Saffin, a Labor MP, says. Ive been through over 40 years of floods, and even 2017, which was really catastrophic, we were able to manage to get up, even with a lot of trauma and pain, but this one was different. State and federal governments can be with you in the immediacy of a big event. But they get consumed by the daily business of everything else and everywhere else in the state. So I wanted a commitment from government, with a reconstruction body, recognising that this event is like no other weve experienced, and were going to back you for the long haul. Otherwise well be buggered. An ongoing NSW Flood Inquiry, chaired by Professor Mary OKane and former NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller, is conducting hearings and taking submissions, examining everything contributing to the frequency, intensity, timing and location of floods, including climate change. NSW Deputy Premier Toole says their recommendations will drive the focus of the corporation. The first report from OKane and Fuller is due by the end of June. Toole says the corporation will look at areas where it makes the most sense to rebuild as well as work with the insurance industry to ensure reconstruction is sustainable and insurable. We want the NRRC to make decisions on what the evidence is telling us because were not just building back for now, this is about future-proofing these towns, he says. Advertisement The Northern Rivers can be a chaotic and passionate mix of rural conservatism, hard-scrabble working class and loud green activism. It straddles world heritage rainforest, prime farm land and a multi-million dollar coastal property market, including Byron Bay. An aerial view of the devastation around St Carthages Cathedral and Trinity Catholic College Lismore. Credit:Getty Member for Ballina Tamara Smith, from the Greens, whose electorate includes Byron Bay, Mullumbimby, Lennox Head and Ballina, says the community will be on guard for opportunists trying to take advantage of the flood disaster. The Greens are very concerned that under the cloak of a natural disaster, we could see open slather development, she says. Im less worried about them compulsorily acquiring property, as I am about them declaring a moratorium on planning laws, so developers could do what they want in certain areas, under the argument of providing more stock. Loading Witherdin will not be drawn on how the lives of Northern Rivers residents will be safeguarded until the inquiry presents its first report. However, he says engineering and planning expertise will be vital, especially in the areas of hydrology and flood modelling. Promising a full and honest dialogue with the community, respecting their wishes, he candidly admits that some decisions may be unpopular. Advertisement At my GP practice, which has multiple doctors, you have to anticipate being sick by about two weeks to get an appointment. Where will the triple zero GPs come from? Will they work seven days a week? Will they be open all hours? This is a thought bubble. Genevieve Milton, Newtown Non-acute medical calls to triple zero? Forget the ambulance. Send out a taxi or an Uber to take them to any medically related service, except for overburdened public hospital emergency departments. Most GPs are overworked with their existing caseload so, as well as chemists, broaden the range of prospective destinations: take the non-urgents to the nearest first aid officer, faith healer, witchdoctor, supermarket aisle with medical items, or even grandma if an invigorating bowl of chicken soup would help. Doug Walker, Baulkham Hills Dont get me wrong, I love my GP practice but taking triple zero callers to GPs seems to be just transferring patients from one over-stretched service to another. It can take two weeks to get an appointment in the practice, and that already includes a wait while there as urgent patients are fitted in. How about we just properly fund hospitals? Mary Anne Kennan, Burwood Plane and simple I dont know about Shark One but Id be up for Oz One if the PMs jet needs to be named (A flying start, a graveside chat, May 27). Phil Armour, Yass Two birds, one stone Can we please, Albo, have a referendum on the Uluru Statement and a republic in your first term. Mokhles Sidden, South Strathfield Green + blue = turquoise Teal is not blue with a touch of green (Letters, May 27), it is green with a touch of blue. The colour favoured by the independents is turquoise, but it doesnt roll off the tongue like teal. Ann Clydsdale, Bathurst Sorry, but teal is the new teal. Vicky Marquis, Glebe In the wilderness Im not sure our native animals share the view (Letters, May 27) that the Coalition is the natural party of wilderness. The koalas are nervous, given the state Liberals record. Phil Bradshaw, Naremburn Green preferences I hope Antony Green gives us more election figures (Another vote of thanks for election icon Green, May 27), eg how many Labor seats were won on Green preferences? Tony Tucker, Leichhardt Credit:John Shakespeare If the list of Australian national treasures is updated, Antony Green should be the first added. Michael McFadyen, Kareela Visa plan will undercut the overworked and underpaid Dominic Perrottet is calling for the speed-up of visa processing to enable migrants to fill the shortage of workers in fields such as nursing, childcare and construction (NSW, Victoria call for urgent acceleration of workers visas, May 27). I would like to see a little more explanation for these shortages and alternatives for how they can be addressed. Would pay rates and security of tenure have something to do with it? The last thing we need is more people on modest salaries competing with locals for unaffordable housing. Bruce Johnson, Lakewood For the past 20 years, industry groups have been calling for high levels of immigration to fill skill shortages and that is what they have got and yet skill shortages persist: strange. Maybe we should focus on training and better pay? Bob Eggleton, Neutral Bay Strange to hear Perrottet urging for accelerated immigration of teachers and nurses. Only two weeks ago we were hearing of a mass exodus of Australians from those sectors because of the NSW governments lack of support and decent remuneration. If the situation is so dire, surely the answer is to improve the employment conditions of teachers and nurses. If the government does not believe improving employment conditions is necessary, then what it is really saying is it wants cheaper workers. Graham Hansen, Denistone Perrottets visa plan is wrong on every level. Australia is full of qualified teachers who refuse to work in the profession because they are expected to work seven days a week, at least one day of which is spent on pointless paperwork, while being paid 15 per cent less than the average graduate. As a Liberal, Perrottet claims to believe in the market. The market has spoken and he needs to address the problems his government has created. It is unacceptable to use skilled worker visas to undercut wages and conditions. Nicholas Reid, Hughes (ACT) Reading ... its not new When I started my primary school teaching career in the mid-70s, DEAR, Drop Everything And Read, was part of the timetable (New chapter: students put down phones and pick up books, May 27). No need for a grant or university oversight. I guess this just highlights yet another difference between public and private education. Rhonda Seymour, Castle Hill Its wonderful to see Queenwood School for Girls is catching up with the public schools that have been running reading programs such as DEAR for the 37 years I was lucky enough to be teaching. David Wellham, Broulee Labor wins again Peter Beattie has emphasised the challenges of changing governments in Australia as he noted that Anthony Albanese is only the fourth ALP leader to win an election from opposition since World War II, clearly having Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke and Kevin Rudd in mind (No, it wont be easy, but Albanese can prevail, May 27). The record of Coalition leaders (Robert Menzies, John Howard and Tony Abbott), in that specific respect, is no more impressive. Indeed, it is worse because, in 1975, the governor-general appointed Malcolm Fraser as PM before an election was called and he won from incumbency, not strictly from opposition. John Carmody, Roseville While I would love to agree with Beattie that our (formerly) conservative electorate helped unseat the Coalition for progressive ideology, local issues played a significant role. In our case, it was Kylea Tinks opposition to the widely despised northern beaches link, the same issue that almost won our state independent candidate a seat in the recent by-election. Tim James, please make a note in your 2023 diary. Peter Farmer, Northbridge Dont dismiss Dutton It would be a mistake to underrate Peter Dutton (Letters, May 27). Tony Abbott was equally underrated and went on to win government from opposition. If Dutton can convince the party room to support climate change and a corruption commission, then he may take back the teal seats, or ensure they support him in a hung parliament. Labor has a bigger task ahead than previous Labor governments. Denis Goodwin, Dee Why After reading the letters on Dutton, Im more convinced than ever hes the man for the leadership job. Rosemary OBrien, Ashfield Pacific responsibility Penny Wongs offer of extra Australian aid may be too little and too late (China cranks up its Pacific clout crusade, May 27). For almost a decade, Australian aid to the nations of the south Pacific has been cut to get the budget back in the black. Wongs talk of more political strings attached to Chinese aid may not cut it with the leaders of these impoverished, desperate nations. In any case, both China and Australia have a moral obligation to low-lying Pacific nations to provide aid for sea defences. Australia is the worlds biggest exporter of coal. China is the biggest burner of coal and the biggest emitter of the carbon dioxide that has caused global warming and rising sea levels. Geoff Black, Caves Beach Credit:Matt Golding Mungo woman ennobled Lets hope that the division and unhappiness over the reburial of the Mungo remains is quickly resolved (Investigation into the secret reburial of Mungo remains, May 26). But when did Mungo Woman become Mungo Lady? Why? Whats wrong with the word woman? Why are women now so often called ladies and even girls are young ladies? Mungo Man and Mungo Woman has a noble, historic ring to it. Mungo Man and Mungo Lady is phoney. What next? Mungo Gentleman? Tony Stephens, Leichhardt Storage to keep bills down Soaring fossil fuel prices are being blamed for impending power bill hikes (Power bills set for big jump, May 27), yet, unsurprisingly, the cost of wind and solar power still remains the same: free. Since Tony Abbott was opposition leader, the Coalition has fought against transitioning to renewables, and has claimed that its actions were to keep power prices down. To those dinosaurs still sheltering within the Coalition who continue to argue that the sun doesnt always shine, and the wind doesnt always blow, I ask, how do we get water out of our taps when it isnt raining? Its called storage. Alan Marel, North Curl Curl The NSW government is giving eligible citizens $400 to cope with increasing electricity bills? There must be a state election coming up. Kevin Farrell, Beelbangera So, our electricity bills are about to power up. After nine years of fossil fuelled obfuscation, there is still no reasonable discussion of the proven nuclear alternatives. We need the cheapest baseload supply that we can get to supplement the renewables. How about some reasoned, unemotional, non-scare mongering and factual debate on the possibility of nuclear-powered electricity? Quickly, its time. Michael Traynor, Bellambi Police investigate murder of Queensland woman seemingly shot in the head Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss And that women might actually talk about and represent ... women. The astonishing wins of the teals, in the affluent seats of Mackellar, Kooyong, North Sydney, Wentworth, Goldstein, Curtin, were quickly dismissed as the consequence of particularly selfish, out-of-touch electorates, too. Their seats have been repeatedly and in some cases inaccurately referred to as inner city, therefore out of touch with the rest of the country. Independents Allegra Spender (Wentworth), Kylea Tink (North Sydney), Zali Steggall (Warringah) and Sophie Scamps (Mackellar) are part of the 2022 gender quake. Credit:Oscar Colman Concern about the climate, and agreement that something more urgent and concrete needed to be done, was expressed across Australia in myriad ways, leading the ABCs Laura Tingle to call this the climate election. Yet, the fact that the teal women prioritised climate action was portrayed as fringe and indulgent. For example, this piece in The Spectator, which read: Teal is the colour of a Tiffanys gift box. Teal climate policies are trophies for rich women, diamond necklaces to flaunt at harbourside parties. They are not signs of virtue; they are vanities. Ordinary Australians can no more afford them, than they can afford to replace their Toyota with a Tesla (interestingly, an anagram of teals). Or fork out the $100 million paid by green rich-lister Mike Cannon-Brookes for his Point Piper mansion Fairwater in 2018. It is truly fascinating to get to a point where the conservatives are slagging off rich people. When people in electorates that have been safe Liberal seats for decades decide to vote for someone else, they are no longer heartland but now stupid, vain elites. Loading The cartoon alongside The Spectator piece showed women in fancy Tiffany-teal-coloured dresses, looking like Audrey Hepburn, but bearing a mop, drawing on one of the most reliable tropes about women MPs that they are there with domestic skills to clean up the mess of the blokes. Victorian Liberal MP Tim Smith, who was forced to not recontest his seat after crashing his car while drink-driving, wrote: The people of Kooyong, Wentworth, Goldstein, North Sydney and Mackellar arent forgotten or quiet. They are loud, entitled, and privileged. The future of the great party that Menzies founded was never about the top end of town. It was and will always be the party of John Howards battlers. When Menzies founded the party, the eastern part of Kooyong was still orchards. But Kooyong, has only ever been represented by conservative men until now. Ironically, Smith ends his piece, also The Spectator, with this Menzies quote, saying the Liberal Party needs the kind of people I myself represent in parliament salary-earners, shopkeepers, skilled artisans, professional men and women, farmers and so on. These are, in the political and economic sense, the middle class. They are for the most part unorganised and unself-conscious They are taken for granted by each political party in turn. Loading Yet what happens when they do organise? When they get sick of being taken for granted? When the professional women decide do take up places alongside professional men, after having been dismissed and derided and infuriated by a political culture that refuses to take the frustrations and concerns of women seriously? This happens. According to Sue Barrett, Zoe Daniels campaign manager in Goldstein, women made up half of the rank and file and two-thirds of leaders in their campaign. Most of the early volunteers for Monique Ryan who unseated Josh Frydenberg in Kooyong were middle-aged or newly retired professional women who were fed up with the government, said Ryans team. For years, women like me have been wondering out loud why the Coalition seems to care so little about the widening gender gap, which has seen previously conservative-voting women turn away from the Liberal Party for more than a decade. Why they made so little effort to recruit, preselect and promote women. Why they toyed with quotas but never implemented them. Their own internal reports buried and ignored told them this would hurt. Last Friday night, amid election eve anxiety, Liberal MP Jason Wood stepped back from handing out how-to-vote cards at a pre-poll booth to call five constituents who had contacted his office in stressful situations. Its a habit Wood, the long-serving Liberal MP for La Trobe in Melbournes outer east, has never stopped. And one he contributes to his electoral success in the face of his partys crushing defeat. Liberal MP Jason Wood, wife Judy Cheung-Wood and daughter Jasmine celebrate his election win. 24 May 2022. Credit:Eddie Jim If its visa issues, problems with the NDIS or domestic violence victims, I try and call them all back. Its basic customer service, Wood told The Age. It's not about whether they vote for me. It lets them know they are important. Conditions inside Victorian hospitals are as dire right now as healthcare workers would expect in the depths of winter, as they grapple with dual flu and COVID-19 outbreaks and a spike in ambulance queues. A code red was declared for Victorias ambulance service early on Friday morning when a triple-zero system crash coincided with a surge in patient demand that reportedly left about 70 patients waiting for an ambulance to arrive. Some patients were waiting up to 20 hours in the emergency department, according to Royal Melbourne Hospitals Mark Putland. Credit:Joe Armao This is the state we would be worried about getting into at wintertime. Its here. Its not even winter yet, said Mark Putland, emergency department director at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. It is a serious concern. Putland said the average waiting time at the hospitals emergency department now hovered between nine and 10 hours, but other patients were waiting more than 20 hours due to bed shortages. Warning: This story contains graphic content and the name and images of a deceased Indigenous person. A private company with a $700 million contract to provide healthcare to inmates in Victorian prisons has denied it attempted to cover up failings in the care of Indigenous inmate Veronica Nelson after a coroner heard key evidence wasnt collected and passed onto investigators. This included obtaining a statement from witness and nurse Stephanie Hills, who was highly critical of the way Nelson was cared for in the hours after she arrived at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre on remand for alleged shoplifting and bail offences. Veronica Nelson died in prison in December 2020 after calling for help about 40 times. Nelson, who was withdrawing heavily from heroin and suffering from an undiagnosed medical condition, was found dead in her cell on January 2, 2020, after using the prison intercom system to buzz for help about 40 times. Loading In the message he left the woman on May 1, 2021, Penman was heard saying: You have greatly misjudged me. You obviously didnt do your research about the defamation case on Google ... dont bother removing your review, dont bother offering to settle. Ill see you in f---ing court, you better have a lot of money. This is not over, were not accepting a payout. Were going to f---ing court, and you will burn in hell. Penmans barrister, Mihal Greener, told the court her clients behaviour was very much out of character, and occurred at a time when his business was under significant strain from public health orders that restricted travel to regional Victoria during the pandemic. Magistrate Luisa Bazzani described his conduct as shocking, unfair and unnecessary, but accepted that Penman was remorseful for his actions. But emails, text messages and social media posts obtained by The Age reveal Penman previously threatened guests with defamation action, when they left reviews of less than five stars or made critical comments about his business. On other occasions Penman contacted, or threatened to contact the employers of guests and warned that media publicity of his award-winning guesthouse could damage their corporate brand. In May 2019, Penman sent a text message to an employee at a major bank, who left a two-star review after booking the romance package at Clifftop at Hepburn to propose to his partner. Clifftop at Hepburn is the property owned by David Penman at the centre of the court fracas. We have today received a complaint of possible domestic violence in your villa from another guest next door ... We will consider this matter before deciding if it should be reported to the police, Mr Penman said in the SMS exchange. Penman then emailed several senior figures at the bank in May 2019. On May 11, 2019 (today by the time you are reading this), our accommodation will be featured on Postcards. Once that occurs many tens of thousands of people will Google us and a large number will see [his] review on Airbnb. He will be famousin a way that generates a lot of attention for [the bank], Penman said in the email. In another email exchange, Penman threatened legal action against an employee of the Department of Education and Training, who was forced to cancel a reservation at Clifftop at Hepburn because she had been deployed to Gippsland following the bushfires in January 2020. This is not over, were not accepting a payout. Were going to f---ing court, and you will burn in hell. Part of accommodation owner David Penmans message to a guest Just a word of caution. We dont tolerate reviews or social media comments from folks arising from situations like this. I will post our entire email chain publicly so that everyone can see what has occurred if any reviews whatsoever are written, the customer was told. Penman warned the woman he had recently reached a settlement in a defamation case against another guest who had left a negative review, and claimed the guest had incurred legal costs of more than $300,000. Our solicitor will be fully briefed on this matter today and given the way this matter is heading I propose to raise it with the Department of Education, Penman said in an email in January 2020. In May 2019, Penman was involved in another dispute with a guest who had complained in a review about a $100 cleaning bill and Penmans strongarm legal tactics. The Airbnb listing for Clifftop at Hepburn. In a post that has since been removed, Penman accused the guest of trashing his guesthouse. You left our villa with milk over two windows, oats through the entire shower, food all over the floor and semen on the velvet daybed, Penman posted. Loading Earlier this year, Penman was granted a diversion order in the Melbourne Magistrates Court after admitting to sending a barrage of threatening messages to Matthew Taylor in June 2021. Taylor, who sells software to the construction industry, had claimed in a review on TripAdvisor that his booking had been abruptly cancelled following a minor dispute over the price of a second room. The court heard, in one email, Penman wrote: Tomorrow 25,000 people in Melbourne are going to know ... what a scumbag you are. The court was also told that Penman contacted Taylors employer and attempted to have him fired, before threatening to release his private details on Facebook. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has accused the Coalition of risking lives in publicising the interception of a suspected asylum-seeker boat on election day. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported on Tuesday that then-prime minister Scott Morrisons office ordered Australian Border Force to issue a press release about the boats arrival on Saturday morning. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has lashed the former prime minister for issuing the directive. Credit:Simon Schluter Rear Admiral Justin Jones, commander of Operation Sovereign Borders, then issued a public statement about the incident, which Morrison and the Liberal Party used to claim that Labor would be weak on border security. Immediately after the disclosure of the boat arrival on Saturday, the Liberal Party began texting voters in marginal seats: BREAKING Aust Border Force has intercepted an illegal boat trying to reach Aus. Keep our borders secure by voting Liberal today. A family of asylum seekers who were forced to leave their home in the Queensland town of Biloela will be given a pathway to become Australian residents under a decision by the Albanese government to end years of dispute over their treatment. Treasurer Jim Chalmers issued the decision on Friday in his capacity as Home Affairs Minister to give the four members of the Murugappan family bridging visas that allow them to return to Biloela when they wish. The town of Biloela and the Murugappan family. Credit:Paul Harris The effect of my intervention enables the family to return to Biloela, where they can reside lawfully in the community on bridging visas while they work towards the resolution of their immigration status, in accordance with Australian law, Chalmers said in a statement. I have spoken to the family and wished them well for their return. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size For the first few months after he became Labor leader following the partys shock loss in the 2019 election, Anthony Albanese kept up his regular Friday morning appearances on Nines Today show. Each week, as one of Albaneses advisers describes it, he would turn up and have the stuffing kicked out of him by then-home affairs minister Peter Dutton while trying to smile nicely and look like an alternative prime minister. It wasnt worth the effort and by August, Albanese was out, handing the spot to deputy leader Richard Marles. Whether Peter Dutton should keep waking up early on Fridays to joust with Labors Richard Marles on Nines Today show is the least of his problems. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Now Dutton, who is almost certain to be confirmed as Liberal leader on Monday when the battered and bruised party meets in Canberra, faces a similar conundrum. But whether he should keep waking up early on Fridays to joust with Marles on Today is the least of his problems. After two decades in politics, perceptions of Dutton as a political warrior for the conservative Right, a hard-line border protection minister and, more lately, a China hawk have set like cement. Ariadne Vromen, a professor of political sociology at the Australian National University, says Dutton will have to heal a divided party and a divided Coalition, and create a new persona for himself as leader of the party for the Australian public. Advertisement He has to find the issues that unite people in the outer suburbs and the blue-ribbon seats they lost. It could be the cost of living, house prices, economic security, the future of work they have to focus on that. They [the Coalition] also have to move on from the adversarial campaign and they have to realise climate change is not class-specific, it matters to most people. Loading Can Dutton soften his image, shift personal perceptions, knit together a broken party and thread the policy needle between an ascendant Right faction and a depleted Left faction that has just been massacred at the ballot box? Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek went for the jugular this week when she compared Dutton to Voldemort, the villain from the Harry Potter series. Plibersek quickly apologised for commenting on his appearance and Dutton noted he had a medical condition that caused baldness, and he wasnt the prettiest bloke as a result. Albanese was genuine when he said this week he got along better with Dutton than former prime minister Scott Morrison. But Pliberseks comments, though she overstepped, are an early taste of how Labor will seek to frame and marginalise Dutton as unfit for high office. Ahead of Mondays meeting to elect a new Liberal leadership team, the only two MPs to have nominated themselves are Dutton for leader and Sussan Ley for the deputys role. Dutton is the unbackable favourite as the most high-profile conservative in a party room now skewed heavily towards the conservative faction after so many moderates lost their seats to the teals and Labor. Advertisement If successful, Dutton faces a monumental task to reset the publics collective perception of him and, at the same time, put his party back together and make it competitive against the Labor Party and mostly progressive crossbench that will hold as many as 92 seats more than the 90 Tony Abbott won in the 2013 landslide. Already, a makeover is under way, with colleagues attesting to the Dutton they know as a pragmatist, rather than a religious conservative; as someone who helped steer through the same-sex marriage postal survey; who isnt hung up on the climate change wars; who can unite the party; who can focus on cost-of-living issues and speak plainly to the suburbs and regions. In a statement announcing his candidacy on Wednesday, he highlighted the breadth of his portfolio experience, his view that he would lead the Liberal Party (rather than a moderate or conservative party) and his hope Australians would see another side of him now with a supportive statement from his wife, Kirilly, and family photos to boot. Abbott, the last Liberal to win government for the Coalition from opposition, told this masthead: I have nothing but best wishes and admiration for Peter Dutton. I think he is the best person for the job and I think he will do it very well indeed. But the Coalition looks likely to secure at most 59 seats, which would be its lowest proportion of seats in parliament since it was founded in 1944. Dutton would be the first Queenslander to lead the party and the first leader since 1995 not from Sydney. Advertisement Back in 2019, when Dutton attempted to topple former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, he spoke about having a chance to smile more. But its going to take more than his pearly whites to shift perceptions. The 2022 election has flipped the script and some of the verities of Australian politics such as that electorates like Kooyong, Goldstein, Higgins, Boothby, Mackellar, Wentworth, North Sydney and Curtin are safe Liberal seats have been wiped out. Peter Dutton, pictured with his family (Harry, wife Kirilly, Rebecca and Tom) is keen to project a softer image. Credit:Dan Peled Morrisons election strategy of, in effect, abandoning those seats while targeting outer-suburban and regional electorates, including Corangamite, McEwen, Parramatta, Werriwa, Greenway, Gilmore, Lingiari and Cowan, was an utter failure. But according to Tony Barry, a Liberal-aligned consultant and pollster for Redbridge who worked for Turnbull in opposition, Dutton would start with internal authority because he is from the conservative Right faction, and he wont get caught up in a Left versus Right internal culture war. In the Liberals, if the leader isnt from the Right, they struggle, like [Brendan] Nelson, Turnbull and [John] Hewson, for example. He has that going for him, he is pragmatic. He will pivot to families and the suburbs and small business, which is actually the Liberal base and which we have been disconnected from, Barry says. He has held a seat in the outer suburbs, he can speak to the outer-suburban constituency we need to speak to. There are only seven or eight teal seats but there are dozens of outer-suburban seats we need to win. Advertisement One of the most difficult challenges over the months ahead will be deciding which parts of the governments agenda to support and what to oppose. The partys approach to Labors climate policy will be instructive. In recent days, former finance minister Simon Birmingham has publicly called for a more proactive approach, while outspoken Nationals senator Matt Canavan has hardened his opposition to supporting net zero emissions by 2050. The Liberals post-election review, launched on Thursday, will help guide the party on that issue. If Dutton is the policy pragmatist he claims to be, he may look to take a page out of John Howards book as opposition leader in the early days of Bob Hawkes government and wave through Labors slightly more ambitious policy. The last Australian government and prime minister to serve just one term were Labor and James Scullin, who won power in 1929 and lost three years later as the Great Depression took hold. Certainly, domestic and global economic conditions will be difficult for Albanese and Labor over the next three years. But the odds are against Dutton winning the prime ministership in 2025. Victorias triple zero call takers were forced to resort to pen and paper to allocate ambulances across the state when a major technology failure and high demand prompted a code red alert overnight. Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) operators manually had to match ambulances to incidents during the IT crash which lasted for around half an hour as hospitals battled surges in emergency patients. Ambulances ramped outside Royal Melbourne Hospital on Thursday night. Credit:Nine News Victorian Ambulance Union state secretary Danny Hill said triple zero call takers were forced to literally go to an old manual pen and paper system when the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system crashed. The shocking situation coincided with a surge in demand, leaving ambulances ramped outside the Royal Melbourne Hospital and forcing Ambulance Victoria to declare a code red. Singapore: China says attempts by the United States and Australia to sabotage its security plans for the Pacific are doomed to fail, as Beijings top diplomat Wang Yi arrived in Kiribati to forge ahead with plans for Chinese-built infrastructure in the island nation. As China and Australia go head-to-head in a diplomatic blitz of the Pacific,Wang accused the US and Australia of treating the region as their backyard and said China would help strengthen security cooperation in the region. The comments, after a meeting with Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele, followed interventions by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and the US State Department on Thursday. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a ceremony marking the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Solomon Islands and China in 2019. Credit:AP Any smears and attacks on China-Solomon Islands normal security cooperation will be a dead end and any interference and sabotage will be doomed to failure, Wang said in Honiara. US officials continue to hold concerns about Chinas plans for a two-kilometre runway on the tiny Kiribati island of Kanton halfway between the US and Asia. Chinas Foreign Ministry says it has proposed upgrading and improving the airstrip - an ageing stop off on long-haul tourism flights across the Pacific. The Kiribati government maintains China has only provided funding for a feasibility study and any runway will be strictly for civilians. Kiribatis foreign affairs secretary Michael Foon last week denied the country was in discussions on a security agreement with any partner after warnings from the US about a broader deal with China. They were saying: What are you talking about? Dude, that would never happen ... come here, youre just one of many, Abdel-Magied recalls. So I changed it all, I left. That was the only move I had. I picked up, I packed up. I moved to a place where I didnt know anyone and I built my life again from scratch and that is something Im really proud of. Ironically, what she describes is the prized, if not mythical, Australian dream that politicians including those who led the backlash against and hounding of her often spout as the countrys defining characteristic. The irony is, for a while I was that, Queenslands former Young Australian of the Year says, with a smile. Abdel-Magieds journey from bright young activist to national villain is something she explores in her latest book, Talking About a Revolution, a collection of essays and writings on race, gender, identity and, yes, Australia. On the menu: English asparagus with egg mayonnaise and cured egg yolk. Credit:Liliana Zaharia But why she provoked the fury of conservative writers, News Corp commentators and Coalition politicians, to the extent where she no longer feels that home can ever again be Australia, remains a mystery to her, four books later. I will never be able to answer that question unless I maybe meet with [Rupert] Murdoch one day and Ill be like, Bruv, what happened, why did you pick me, what did I do to you?. Someone said to me my problem was that I wore colourful clothing and so I looked good on a front page. That is the weirdest backhanded compliment I have ever gotten, she laughs. If there is any nugget of truth to this assessment of Abdel-Magieds photogenic potential, todays outfit shows she is defiant and undefeated. Loading Abdel-Magieds tone is easygoing and jovial but the scars of the events that caused her Australian life to collapse in her mid-twenties are deep, even though she has clearly thrived in Britain, both personally and professionally. She recently married a British Muslim man who, she says very firmly, remains as private as her hair. I got here [London] and people were into me and I was like: What, what do you mean? Its outrageous. The contrast between how the UK responds to her public musings compared with Australias reaction to her swiftly deleted LEST.WE.FORGET. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine ...) Facebook post has vindicated her decision to quit the country. She agrees she feels she was rejected by Australia. Oh yeah, it expelled me and it was cruel, and it was cruel in a way it didnt need to be and it was cruel to somebody who loved it and only wished it well, she says. Pea tart with Spenwood and pea shoots. Credit:Liliana Zaharia As her world collapsed around her, she remembers going to the bathroom and feeling overwhelmed by sadness, incapable of remembering what it was like to not feel that sad. She sought therapy and learned that she had suffered trauma. Ive compared it in the past to an abusive partner because its such a complex relationship. On the one hand, there are lots of good times there and on the other hand, theres been so much harm and hurt that you can never quite be sure what that relationship was like at all. She says the treatment meted out broke her heart and her relationship with the country. I used to be really proud. I went on international tours and public diplomacy, I loved Australia thats the heartbreaking thing about it, she says. Jacqui Lambie and Yassmin Abdel-Magied were involved in a heated exchange on Q&A in 2017 over sharia. Credit:ABC You can only hate something so much after youve loved it so much. I really loved that country, and it broke my heart. Now, as a Londoner, her only Australian friends are ones from before she left. Yassmin Abdel-Magied, here aged three, emigrated with her family from Sudan when she was barely a toddler. Credit:Yassmin Abdel-Magied My partner will tell you that if I hear an Australian accent, I will leave, she says, prompting my instant apology. When he heard I was doing this interview, he was like, are you OK? and I was like, well find out. The Australian net is something she feels she cannot escape, regardless of where she goes in the world. I was on this tiny beach in Croatia and this woman came up to me and said: Are you Yassmin? My defences immediately went up. I immediately shut down. Australians quite often feel a lot of ownership over me and they feel entitled to me and I feel like you dont get that anymore. Its why she appeared virtually, rather than in person, at the Sydney Writers Festival on Saturday and will do so again at the Emerging Writers Festival on June 18. They asked me, and I was like, nah, because every single conversation would be about when are you coming back?, talk to us about the most traumatic experience of your life, she says. Abdel-Magied has only returned to Australia a handful of times since 2017 for what she describes as low-key visits for weddings and to change her UK visa, which can only be done by returning to your home country. They might be the last time she sets foot in Australia, which her parents still call home. I write in my book about giving up my Australian passport, Im really seriously considering doing that, she says. Part of it is about Australia, but part of it is I have a real issue with the broader system of borders and citizenship and the way that inequality is baked into the nation-state and the amount of violence that is enacted on literally hundreds of thousands of people because of borders and citizenship, she adds, referring to Australias hardline treatment of asylum seekers. Ive emigrated, Im not going back. Ive emigrated in the same way my parents left Sudan, I have left Australia. Yassmin Abdel-Magied She says the simple threat of revoking her Australian credentials, something she describes as an act of resistance or rejection, has elicited a revealing response. People are really confronted when I say, maybe Ill give up my citizenship. They say: Your parents did so much to get it, you should be grateful, she says. That tells me something about our relationship with the idea of citizenship and our idea of Australianness. Abdel-Magied jokes that rejecting her Australian passport would leave her only with a Sudanese one that is more of a liability than a help it grants her visa-free access to fewer countries. I built my life again from scratch: Yassmin Abdel-Magied at lunch with Latika Bourke at Londons Whitechapel Gallery. Credit:Liliana Zaharia As a Sudanese citizen only, shed be required to provide 13 documents, including a character document and invitation letters, in the event she wanted to visit her parents in Brisbane. And isnt that, that ... she searches for the word. Telling? I volunteer. The bill from the Townsend restaurant in London. Credit: She replies: Yeah, I dont really care. Ive emigrated, Im not going back. Ive emigrated in the same way my parents left Sudan, I have left Australia. While she says nowhere is really home, she enjoys being a Londoner but believes ultimately its the United States that will suit her long-term goals of continuing to write books and pursuing screenwriting. She is pitching a television script of her fiction book, You Must Be Layla. Britain has way more opportunities for someone like me than Australia does, the US has more, she says. Kramatorsk: Moscow-backed separatists pounded eastern Ukraines industrial Donbas region Friday, claiming to capture a railway hub as concerns grew that besieged cities in the region would undergo the same horrors experienced by the people of the port city Mariupol in the weeks before it fell. Ukrainian officials warned that their forces wouldnt be able to stop the Russian offensive without more sophisticated Western-supplied weaponry. Alexander, 67, checks the flat of his neighbour destroyed by shelling in Kutuzivka, near Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine. Credit:AP The fighting Friday focused on two key cities: Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk. They are the last areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk, one of two provinces that make up the Donbas and where Russia-backed separatists have already controlled some territory for eight years. Authorities say 1500 people in Sievierodonetsk have already died since the wars start scarcely more than three months ago. Russia-backed rebels also said theyd taken the railway hub of Lyman. Warning: graphic descriptions. Fairfax, Virginia: Jurors began deliberating the duelling defamation claims from actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard after six weeks of conflicting testimony about the former Hollywood couples troubled, short-lived marriage. The seven-person jury deliberated for more than two hours on Friday, Washington-time. They will resume discussions on Tuesday after the US Memorial Day holiday. Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. Credit:AP Depp, the 58-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean star, sued ex-wife Heard in Virginia for $US50 million and argued that she defamed him when she called herself a public figure representing domestic abuse in an opinion piece she wrote. PHILIPSBURG:--- Supporter and former Board Member of the United People's Party, Armand Meda has delivered a petition with over one hundred signatures from Party supporters and voters in support of an extraordinary Congress to UP Faction member and Supporting UP Board member Alston Lourens. "Every political party exists because of its membership, which meets to elect the party's governing board and the leadership. Games cannot be played without the Membership's opportunity to express their opinion and votes. If we fail to respect this, how can we be any different from the people of Sint Maarten who elect our Parliamentarians to represent us the people ?" Miramar, FL:--- Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) the trade association that represents the mutual interests of destinations and stakeholders throughout the Caribbean, Central, and South America, and Mexico, along with Member Lines that operate over 90 percent of the global cruising capacity will reveal its revamped initiative to boost employment in its represented destinations at the FCCA Cruise Summit in San Juan, Puerto Rico. With many destinations and people still recovering their economies and livelihoods following the effects of COVID-19, our efforts to increase employment of locals throughout our partner destinations are more important than ever, said Michele Paige, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), FCCA. While we have already worked on this for many years with numerous destinations and seen not only initial employment, but also many rising through the ranks on board and even reaching executive positions our revamping of this program should benefit countless more people and families, and there could not be a better time to have this on the agenda at the FCCA Cruise Summit, where key industry players will gather to grow better together. FCCA has already formed a new FCCA Employment Committee, comprised of Human Resources executives from FCCA Member Lines, that is ready to help guide destinations through the process of necessary elements for cruise companies to hire local citizens. More details about the initiative and Committee will be discussed at the FCCA Cruise Summit, taking place in San Juan, Puerto Rico this Wednesday through Friday and joining destination representatives and stakeholders with cruise executives for a series of workshops, including one with a panel of four Presidents and above from FCCA Member Lines, networking events and meetings. The Summits keynote meeting, the Heads of Government Meeting that will bring together destinations Ministers of Tourism and above with high-level executives from FCCA Member Lines, will also feature the initiative and Committee as one of its main focuses. Additionally, the initiative has been planned for discussions with the Americas Cruise Tourism Task Force, an undertaking launched by FCCA originally to develop protocols for COVID-19, but unanimously decided to continue to quickly address any topics because of the successes shown by gathering the group of destination representatives, stakeholders and cruise executives for regular meetings. One of the Chairpersons for the Task Force, Michael Bayley, President, and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, has vowed to be personally involved with the initiative and Committee, and he has often expressed an immense interest for both Royal Caribbean and the industry in increasing employment of citizens from FCCAs represented destinations. As a recent example of this, Royal Caribbean Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of St. Maarten on May 11 to signify the beginning of a partnership that will create an expansion of St. Maartens job market within the cruise industry. Osisko Development announces preliminary economic assessment for the Cariboo Gold Project and refiling certain continuous disclosure documents MONTREAL, May 24, 2022 a Osisko Development Corp. (aOsisko Developmenta or the aCompanya) (TSX.V-ODV) is pleased to announce the results from its Preliminary Economic Assessment (aPEAa or the aStudya) completed by BBA Engineering Ltd., consultants for the Cariboo Gold Project (aCaribooa or the aProjecta) in Central British Columbia (aBCa). [1] The PEA provides a technical and economic update based on the updated underground Mineral Resource Estimate (aMREa) from the 2021 diamond drill campaign and current costs and economic estimates. The MRE contains 27.1 million tonnes (aMta) at an average grade of 4.0 grams per tonne gold (ag/t Aua) for a total of 3.47 million ounces (aM oza) in the Measured and Indicated Category (consisting of a Measured Resource of eight thousand ounces of gold (47,000 tonnes grading 5.1 g/t Au) and an Indicated Resource of 3.46 million ounces of gold (27 million tonnes grading 4.0 g/t Au)) and 14.4 Mt at a grade of 3.5 g/t Au for a total of 1.6 M oz in the Inferred category (Table 6). These mineral resources have informed an 8,000 tonnes per day (atpd\) scenario over a 12-year operating mine life, which highlights the potential growth of the Cariboo Gold Project. The PEA is available on the Company\-s website and the profile of the Company at www.sedar.com. The Company notes that mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability.A The Company notes that a preliminary economic assessment is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic consideration applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized. The PEA illustrates potential economics for a low cost, large scale, underground gold mine, with industry leading operating costs. The study outlines total gold production of 2.8 million gold ounces, resulting in an average annual gold production profile of 236,000 ounces with an All-In-Sustaining Cost (aAISCa) per ounce of $1,222 (US$962) (AISC is a non-IFRS measure a please see under the heading \Non-IFRS Measures\ below). The Project after-tax net present value (aNPVa) (5% discount rate) is $764 million with an after-tax internal rate of return (aIRRa) of 21.4% at a gold price of $2,223 (US$1,750) per ounce, and $912 million and 24.5% at a spot gold price for May 19, 2022 at $2,343 (US$1,845) per ounce. The PEA recommends that the Company continues to work towards a feasibility study and completes the following steps: Incorporate all drilling results from 2021 and 2022 currently in progress in the resources. Complete the development of the ramp and extraction of the 10,000-tonne (ata) bulk sample that will help support the evaluation and testing of the proposed roadheader mining equipment and ore sorting equipment and gain experience to maximize the full potential of these technologies. Integrate the information and experience gained with the bulk sample into the development strategy of the mine and the feasibility study planning. Continue exploration program with drilling (infill and exploration), geological mapping, and grab sampling to test the depth extensions of known high-grade vein corridors and identify new targets. The Company plans to proceed with a feasibility study in connection with the work plan recommended by the PEA. The Company advises that this clarifying news release is being issued at the request of the AutoritA des marchAs financiers following a continuous disclosure review. Certain previous economics described in the Table 1 below in relation to the Project disclosed by the Company were not supported by a technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (aNI 43-101a) and are superseded by the economics set out in the current NI 43-101 report and the Company cautions the reader not to rely on such previous economics. The Company is also filing a restated version of its annual managements\- discussion and analysis and annual information form to, as applicable, remove the unsupported technical information and qualify other disclosure. The previous economics were made public by the Company in connection with the environmental assessment for the Cariboo Project.A These economics were prepared in accordance with the requirements for major projects in British Columbia to be assessed for potential environmental, social, economic, health and cultural effects by the Environmental Assessment Office, as required by the Environmental Assessment Act (British Columbia) (the \Environmental Assessment Act\).A The previous economics do not include numbers verified to a NI 43-101 standard, and do not include the suite of investor focused economics, including the IRR and NPV for the project. These previous economics were to engineering standards. You will find below a table showing the differences between the previous economics and the economics contained in the PEA. Further information is attached. New York (United Nations) 26 May 2022 (SPS)- The Representative of the Frente POLISARIO at the United Nations and Coordinator with MINURSO, Dr. Sidi M. Omar, stressed that the Saharawi people are expecting serious actions from the UN not only words, in a press release he issued today on the occasion of the International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories. What the Sahrawi people await from the United Nations is to see serious actions, and not only words, which practically demonstrate the willingness of the United Nations to assume its sacred responsibility and to exert all efforts to bring the decolonisation of Western Sahara to its conclusion through the free, genuine, and democratic expression of the sovereign will of the Sahrawi people in the exercise of their inalienable and non-negotiable right to self-determination and independence, he wrote. The Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories is celebrated by the UN in the last week of May of every year starting from the 25th. Following is the full text of the Press Release of which SPS received a copy: REPRESENTATION OF THE FRENTE POLISARIO AT THE UNITED NATIONS PRESS RELEASE International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories [New York, 26 May 2022]: On 6 December 1999, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 54/91 in which it reaffirmed its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all its subsequent resolutions concerning the implementation of the Declaration. The General Assembly also reaffirmed its determination to continue to take all steps necessary to bring about the complete and speedy eradication of colonialism and the faithful observance by all States of the relevant provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. By its resolution 54/91, the UN General Assembly affirmed once again its support for the aspirations of the peoples under colonial rule to exercise their right to self-determination, including independence. In this context, it decided to observe annually the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories, beginning on 25 May. The observance this year by the United Nations of the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories, which lasts until 31 May, takes places after 61 years since the adoption by the UN General Assembly of its resolution 1514 (XV) known also as the Magna Carta of decolonisation. It also comes after the adoption by the General Assembly of its resolution 75/123 on 10 December 2020 whereby it declared the period 2021-2030 the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. At present, there are 17 Territories whose peoples have not yet exercised their right to self-determination and independence including Western Sahara, the last colony in Africa, whose decolonisation was thwarted owing to Moroccos illegal military invasion and occupation of the Territory on 31 October 1975, which the General Assembly deeply deplored in its resolutions 34/37 of 21 November 1979 and 35/19 of 11 November 1980, and other relevant resolutions. Almost six decades have passed since the General Assembly adopted its resolution 1956 (XVIII) of 11 December 1963, whereby it approved the report of the Special Committee on Decolonisation containing the list of the Territories to be decolonised including Western Sahara. The UN General Assembly has ever since adopted numerous resolutions calling for enabling the Sahrawi people to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, but the decolonisation of the Territory has not been achieved yet because of Moroccos continued illegal military occupation of parts of the Territory. The observance this year by the United Nations of the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories should not pass as a ceremonial event, but as a strong reminder that colonialism still exists in the 21st century, and it should therefore be an opportunity to operationalise the sacred responsibility of the United Nations towards the remaining colonised countries and peoples. The Sahrawi people, who continue to endure the horrendous consequences of Moroccos continued illegal military occupation of parts of their land, still look to the United Nations to implement its own resolutions regarding the decolonisation of Western Sahara and to operationalise the legal and moral responsibility towards our people, particularly Sahrawi civilians and human rights activists in the Sahrawi Occupied Territories who are subjected daily to inhuman and unspeakable practices at the hands of the occupying state of Morocco. What the Sahrawi people await from the United Nations is to see serious actions, and not only words, which practically demonstrate the willingness of the United Nations to assume its sacred responsibility and to exert all efforts to bring the decolonisation of Western Sahara to its conclusion through the free, genuine, and democratic expression of the sovereign will of the Sahrawi people in the exercise of their inalienable and non-negotiable right to self-determination and independence. The Frente POLISARIO has demonstrated by concrete actions its genuine commitment to the peaceful, just, and lasting decolonisation of Western Sahara and has made tremendous concessions for peace. However, we will never accept the fait accompli that the occupying state of Morocco is seeking to impose by force in the Occupied Territories of the Sahrawi Republic (SADR), and we will continue to use all legitimate means to defend the sacred rights of our people and their national aspirations for freedom and independence. Dr Sidi M. Omar Representative of the Frente POLISARIO at the United Nations Coordinator with MINURSO. (SPS) 090/500/60 (SPS) Gaborone (Botswana) 26 May 2022 (SPS)- African High Commissions and Embassies accredited to Botswana celebrated Africa Day, this afternoon in Travel Lodge, Gaborone, in the presence of representative of Botswana Government, International diplomatic Missions and some 200 invitees from different institutions, organisations and media. The opening ceremony was an opportunity for the Dean of the Africa group and Ambassador of Angola to Botswana, H.E. Mrs. Beatriz Antonia Manuel de Morais, who stressed the importance of the event emphasizing the principles upon which African unity was built, recalling the theme chosen by the African Union for 2022 celebration of the Day, Strengthening Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent. The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Botswana and High Commissioner of Mozambique to Botswana, H.E. Mr. Domingos Fernandes, took the audience through the history of the Africanism, and the dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the Organisation of African Unity, now African Union. On his side, the official representative of Botswana government, Honourable Mr. Kabo Morwaeng, Minister for Presidential Affairs, gave the official opening of the event, stressing in his address the importance of celebrating Africa Day to reflect on African achievements, challenges, and strong cultural diversity and heritage. He recalled the history of the unification of African nations under the umbrella of the African Union, emphasizing the sacrifices and wisdom of the founding fathers of the AU, who left a formidable legacy, he said, in the fight for economic and political emancipation of Africa. In this regards, he indicated that as the AU continues with its unwavering stand on principles of self-determination, freedom and political independence, among others, which are key to socio-economic development; we must also determine the extent to which we have lived up to these values. He implored all Africans to continue to speak with one voice and support those among us who continue to be denied full actualisation of these very same fundamental principles. Regrettably, today we still have some countries on the Continent that have not attained their political independence and self-determination, such as the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic. He finally considered that Africans must therefore rectify this anomaly by calling for their political emancipation through the African Union, the United Nations and other relevant bodies. The Saharawi Embassy, like the rest of African Missions, participated in this event with a stand showcasing some aspects of the Saharawi culture, music, clothing and political reality. The event was also an opportunity for African Embassies to present their national food, attire and arts. (SPS) 090/500/60 (SPS) The number of new housing units that were issued permits in Connecticut last month tumbled by 21.7 percent compared to April 2021, according to data released Thursday by the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development. There were 406 new housing units issued permits last month across 118 towns. During the first four months of this year, 1,558 units have received permits. Newtown led the state with 64 housing permits issued in April, followed by New Haven with 22. East Lyme had the next largest number of housing permits issued with 18 followed by Milford with 16. New housing permits are considered a key economic indicator because moving into a new house or apartment is usually accompanied by purchases of so-called big ticket items like consumer electronics and appliances. Bob Wiedenmann Jr., who is a principal of Sunwood Development in Wallingford, said a variety of factors are likely the reason for the year-over-year decline in housing permits. Developers are being cautious and want to see where the market is going, Wiedenmann said. I think buyers are probably a little hesitant about whether they want to purchase a new home right now, with the stock market and all the volatility that is going on. The average annual percent rate on 30-year fixed rate mortgage on Friday was just over 5.14 percent, according to the financial website Nerdwallet. Annual percentage rate is the yearly interest generated by a sum charged to borrowers or paid to investors. Five percent is still a great rate for mortgage as anyone whose been arround for awhile can tell you, Wiedenmann said. But its quite an adjustment for younger home buyers. Wiedenmann has over 30 years experience in the nw home building business. He said views what is happening right now as a market adjustment, although I dont feel its 2008 all over again. Its probably helpful to get rid of that crazy sellers market, Wiedenmann said. It simply was not sustainable and as prices adjust back to more sensible levels, it will make people less hesitant to enter the market. Sunwood Development has 36-unit town home rental development in Wallingford that will hit the market in late June. He is also developing a small six-lot subdivision of small single family homes that should be finished by the end of the summer, he said. The release of April housing permit numbers come after DECD commissioner David Lehman told an audience of business people from the Greater New Haven area that Connecticut needs more housing stock of all types to remain economically viable in the future. Lehman said the state needs boost its housing permit numbers to between 10,000 to 15,000 units annually. Wiedenmann said Connecticuts new housing market hasnt achieved that level of permit activity since the late 1980s and early 1990s. If there are not any incentives, its hard for any for-profit builder to build affordable housing units, he said. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media A Connecticut Lottery powerball ticket worth $2 million was sold at Krauszer's Food Store in Guilford on May 25 and remains unclaimed, according to the Connecticut Lottery. The $2 million-prize winning ticket has the numbers 19-28-39-42-57-17, according to Connecticut Lottery. The winner has to claim a prize on or before the tickets expiration date, which occurs 180 days after the ticket was drawn, according to Connecticut Lottery's claim rules. This ticket will expire on Nov. 21. The Connecticut Lottery requires prizes worth over $50,000 to be claimed in person at its headquarters in Rocky Hill. After 19 seasons and 20 years on air, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" came to an end on Thursday. As DeGeneres said a final goodbye, she talked about the obstacles she faced starting the show. RUTLAND, Vt. A former Connecticut resident accused of killing his mother off the coast of Block Island in 2016 in a plot to inherit a cut of the familys $42 million estate will not be required to undergo a competency evaluation to determine if he is fit to stand trial, records show. Nathan Carman, 28, pleaded not guilty on May 11 inside a federal Vermont courthouse on first-degree murder and multiple fraud charges in connection with the death of his mother, Linda Carman. During an appearance in U.S. District in Rutland, Vt., this afternoon, Carmans federal public defenders and federal prosecutors told Chief Judge Geoffrey Crawford they had no concerns about his competency, court records show. Carman also indicated he wanted to continue to be represented by federal public defenders, Michael Desautels, Mary Nerino and Sara Puls. The federal eight-count indictment, which was unsealed May 10, also alleged Nathan Carman shot and killed his grandfather, John Chakalos, at his Windsor home in 2013 to defraud insurance companies. However, Carman has not been charged with Chakalos death. Carman has been detained without bond since his arrest May 10 and was considered a flight risk after federal agents found $10,000 in cash during a search of his home, court documents said. Vermont U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest stated in a motion seeking Carmans continued detention that the former Connecticut resident had significant untreated mental health issues making him a danger to the community if released. Carmans alleged conduct clearly illustrates danger to the community: The evidence shows that he killed not once, but twice, Kerest stated in his motion. Moreover, the individuals Carman killed were his own family members. For an individual to kill his own family members, nothing is off the table. Kerest filed a motion Thursday seeking to have certain evidence protected from public view. Carman would only be able to see the evidence if he was with one of his public defenders and he can not have a copy. No one connected with the case could disseminate the evidence and there will be no public record of the items or some witness identities if a judge grants the motion. Crawford granted the motion minutes after Fridays proceedings. Carmans federal public defenders were granted a 60-day continuance on a detention hearing first scheduled for May 13 based on the complexity of the case, documents said. The case has vexed investigators for nearly a decade, drawing questions as to why Vermont federal authorities suddenly sought an arrest after six years, according to the Associated Press. However, federal prosecutors have not commented on the timing of the case and an indictment offers no indication whether new evidence was discovered. Legal experts and other law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that the delay in bringing a criminal case could be the result of several factors, including that his mother and his boat have never been found. In 2016, authorities allege Carman took his mother on a fishing trip aboard his boat named the Chicken Pox intending to kill her in hopes of inheriting the money that she would receive from the familys estate which was slated to be distributed to Linda Carman and her sisters after their fathers death, according to the federal indictment. Nathan Carman, a former Middletown resident, was found alone in a life raft eight days after the boat departed a Rhode Island marina. His mother was never found. His grandfathers estate is worth $42 million and has not been settled, according to Connecticut probate court records. As a central part of the scheme, Nathan Carman murdered John Chakalos and Linda Carman, the indictment stated. Kerest, through a spokesperson, declined to comment on the case. Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels, whose office is defending Carman, also declined to comment on the indictment. His state of mind is strong, and he knows he has a good team of defense lawyers working for him, Desautels told the AP. Windsor Police Chief Donald Melanson who has been with the department for a few years credited Vermont federal authorities with pulling the case together. One of the issues is jurisdiction, especially when you cross state lines, and who has the ability to bring all that together under one roof, Melanson said. And I think thats why, rightfully so, the U.S. attorneys office took that and took responsibility for that and brought everything together. When you look at the overall picture it brings, to me, a very clear picture of how everything tied together to achieve his (Carmans) goals, he said. In 2014, before Melanson joined the department, Windsor police drafted an arrest warrant charging Carman with murder in his grandfathers death, but a state prosecutor declined to sign it and requested more information, according to a search warrant for Linda Carmans home in Middletown, obtained by police after she disappeared at sea. Neither state nor federal prosecutors in Connecticut or Rhode Island ever brought any charges against Carman. The alleged scheme began in November 2013 when Nathan Carman purchased a Sig Sauer rifle using a New Hampshire license he had obtained, despite living in a rented apartment in Bloomfield, according to the indictment. The federal indictment alleged Nathan Carman murdered his grandfather, John Chakalos, shooting him twice with the Sig Sauer while the man was sleeping in his Windsor home on Dec. 20, 2013. Authorities believe Nathan Carman also discarded a GPS device in his truck and his computer hard drive to cover up that killing, the indictment stated. Windsor police said they have turned the investigation over to the Chief States Attorneys Cold Case Unit. Following his grandfathers death, the indictment claimed Carman received around $550,000 between a beneficiary-on-death account and a college account set up by Chakalos. After moving to Vermont in 2014, Carman depleted most of that money by 2016, according to the indictment. By the fall of 2016, he was low on funds, the indictment stated. In September 2016, Nathan Carman arranged to go on a fishing trip on the Chicken Pox with his mother, Linda Carman, the indictment stated. Nathan Carman planned to kill his mother on the trip. He also planned how he would report the sinking of the Chicken Pox and his mother's disappearance at sea as accidents. The indictment claimed Carman killed his mother, then hid from search-and-rescue teams after the vessel failed to return. He was eventually picked up by a commercial vessel. The following month, he filed an $85,000 insurance claim for the Chicken Pox, the indictment stated. He lost the claim after a nearly three-year court battle. His mothers sisters have also been battling in probate court to prohibit Nathan Carman from inheriting his mothers share of the estate. Information from the Associated Press was included in this article. BOSTON (AP) Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed a bill Friday that would allow immigrants in the country illegally to obtain state drivers licenses in Massachusetts. The veto came just a day after the Massachusetts House and Senate gave final approval to the measure, sending it to Baker's desk. Baker said he could not sign the legislation because it requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles to issue state credentials to people without the ability to verify their identity. Consequently, a standard Massachusetts driver's license will no longer confirm that a person is who they say they are, he added in a letter to lawmakers. Both chambers, dominated by Democratic lawmakers, passed the measure by margins wide enough to override a Baker veto. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia already have similar laws. Under the proposal, those in the country illegally could apply for a drivers license if they can provide the Registry of Motor Vehicles with a foreign passport or consular identification document. The people would also have to provide one of five additional documents: a drivers license from another U.S. state or territory; a birth certificate; a foreign national identification card; a foreign drivers license; or a marriage certificate or divorce decree from any U.S. state or territory. Supporters say the measure would make driving safer in Massachusetts by requiring immigrants show they can properly operate a car and that they have obtained the needed insurance in the event of an accident. Baker said the bill also restricts the registry's ability to share citizenship information with entities responsible for ensuring that only citizens register for and vote in elections. This bill significantly increases the risk that noncitizens will be registered to vote," he added. If lawmakers vote to override Baker's veto, the proposal would take effect July 1, 2023. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) A California lawmaker made a play for the top leadership post in the state Assembly on Friday, announcing he had secured enough votes among the Democrat-dominated chamber to succeed the current speaker. Assemblymember Robert Rivas, a Democrat from Hollister, said in a news release he had enough votes from the Democratic Caucus to replace Anthony Rendon, who has been speaker since 2016 but does not have to leave office until he is termed out in 2024. Rivas said he met with Rendon on Friday morning to begin discussions on a transition, though Rendons office has stayed silent and not responded to requests for comment. Rivas would not become speaker unless voted in by his colleagues. Lawmakers adjourned Friday for the long holiday weekend and are not scheduled to return until Tuesday. Anthony Rendon has been an effective and unifying Speaker, and I am grateful to him for his steady leadership, and I am confident a smooth transition of power is a shared value of ours, Rivas said in a news release. Democratic Assemblymember Evan Low, who lost a committee post last year in a rumored clash with Rendon, said he supports Rivas' bid for the post. He said the timing of the transition and the formal caucus vote are being negotiated all in real time." "This is about unity, unifying our caucus, and bringing us all together, and thats what the next speaker is dedicated towards, Low said. Low wouldnt say that unity is lacking now, nor would he criticize Rendons leadership. Rather, he portrayed it as a natural progression with Rendon termed out of office in 2024. Part of it is also, when youre looking at the election coming up, you have close to 25-plus new members of the Legislature coming in, Low said. "And its important for governance that theres stability, institutional knowledge that we can onboard the next class. State lawmakers in California are limited to 12 years in office. Rendon has been in office since 2012, part of a large number of Democrats elected that year who would be termed out in 2024. Many of Rendons colleagues who were elected with him have already left office or are planning to leave as they near their term limits, which has eroded Rendons base of support. The change could come during a tense time of the legislative calendar as lawmakers must pass an operating budget by June 15 or forfeit their salaries. Legislative leaders have been negotiating with Gov. Gavin Newsom negotiations that could be upended with a leadership change in the Assembly. A key disagreement in the budget is how to distribute billions of dollars in tax rebates meant to provide relief for rising prices because of inflation, including at the gas pump. Newsom wants the money to go to people who own cars, while lawmakers want to direct it to taxpayers who make below a certain income. Rivas was first elected to the Legislature in 2018. His district includes San Benito County and parts of Monterey, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. In a news release, Rivas said he would be the "first California State Assembly Speaker in the modern era to represent a rural district. Robb Elementary School had measures in place to prevent this kind of violence. A fence lined the school property. Teachers were ordered to keep classroom doors closed and locked. Students faced regular lockdown and evacuation drills. But when an 18-year-old man arrived Tuesday at the school in Uvalde, Texas, intent on killing children, none of it stopped him. Security failures allowed the shooter to massacre 19 students and two teachers, school safety experts say. The shooting already has led to calls to fortify schools further, on top of millions spent on equipment and other measures following earlier shootings. But more security offers drawbacks, with no guarantee of an end to mass violence. In the worst case, as in Uvalde, it could backfire. You can do the best job you can to prevent a school crisis, but we cannot read the minds of all the criminals who are out there, said Ronald Stephens, executive director of the National School Safety Center, a nonprofit that works with schools across the country. We cannot prevent all crime. According to a district safety plan, Uvalde schools had a wide range of measures in place to prevent violence. The district had four police officers and four support counselors, according to the plan, which appears to be dated from the 2019-20 school year. The district had software to monitor social media for threats and software to screen school visitors. Yet when the gunman arrived at the school, he hopped its fence and easily entered through a back door that had been propped open, officials said. Behind the locked door of a fourth-grade classroom, he gunned down children and teachers. Amid the attack, nearly 20 officers stood in a hallway because the on-site commander believed the gunman was barricaded in the classroom and children were not at risk, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said at a Friday news conference, saying it was the wrong decision." The case underscores that even the strongest security plans can be undermined by a seemingly simple lapse, said Curtis Lavarello, executive director of the School Safety Advocacy Council, which provides training on school safety. The Texas school appeared to be doing many things right, he said, but none of that mattered once the gunman was able to walk unobstructed into the building and into a classroom. All those things on paper mean nothing if theyre not followed in practice. And there seemed to be a number of gaps, he said. In the aftermath of the shooting, some Republicans have been calling for further investments in school safety to prevent more attacks. Some have pushed for more armed police in schools, along with metal detectors and measures to make it harder to enter schools. Among those promoting physical security measures is Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Appearing on Fox News on Wednesday, he brought up 2013 legislation that would have created grants to help schools install bulletproof doors and hire armed police officers among other measures. If those grants had gone to Robb Elementary, Cruz said, the armed police officers could have taken him out and we would have 19 children and two teachers still alive. As the National Rifle Association opened its annual meeting Friday in Houston, the gun rights group called for more security at schools. Former President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to speak at the event, is set to call for a top-to-bottom security overhaul at schools across this country, while dismissing calls to disarm gun owners, according to excerpts of his speech. Security experts say the Uvalde case illustrates how fortifying schools can backfire. A lock on the classroom door one of the most basic and widely recommended school safety measures kept victims in and police out. U.S. Border Patrol agents eventually used a master key to open the locked door of the classroom where they confronted and killed the gunman, McCraw said at the Friday news conference. Some argue that investments in school security have come at the expense of student welfare. Lockdown drills that have become routine for a generation of American students have traumatized students and added to strains on mental health, educators say. Schools need more counselors and psychologists to help troubled students, not stronger buildings, said Dewey Cornell, a psychologist and director of the Virginia Youth Violence Project at the University of Virginia. We have systemically reduced the number of support staff in our schools, and focused too much on installing metal detectors and surveillance cameras and electronic door locks, which are very short term and reactive and very expensive," he said. In the wake of the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, schools across the country began spending huge sums of money on fortifications including bulletproof glass, metal detectors and armed security. But such measures can create an atmosphere where students feel uncomfortable and less trusting, and it does not necessarily prevent attacks, said Matthew Mayer, a Rutgers associate professor who works on issues related to school violence. Youll go down these sort of endless rabbit holes of how much security is enough. And when it comes to someone whos coming in heavily armed, youre not going to stop them, Mayer said. So the idea is you need to figure out why people do this in the first place and have ways multi-level systems of prevention to prevent it from happening. He advocates for a multi-faceted prevention approach that also includes steps such as improving mental health services, assessing threats more effectively and building trust so students and families are not afraid to speak up if theyre concerned someone has the means or intent to cause harm. Still, schools can only do so much, he said, and he isnt optimistic that public outrage over Uvalde will lead to significant change. The problem is that a lot of this public reaction, you know, sort of rises like a wave and then recedes over time, and the politicians have been accustomed to riding that out. You know, they make speeches and so forth, and sometimes theres a commission that gets appointed, and they issue reports, Mayer said. But substantive change is lacking. ___ The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content. A former Connecticut police officer who opened fire at an unarmed couple's car in 2019, wounding a woman and another officer in New Haven, was sentenced Friday to probation and community service. The sentence imposed on former Hamden Officer Devin Eaton did not sit well with Stephanie Washington, who was 22 when she was struck by multiple bullets fired by Eaton and suffered serious injuries including a fractured pelvis and spine. Eaton fired his gun a total of 13 times. What does justice look like? she said outside the courthouse, according to Connecticut Public Radio. Black community leaders who had protested the shooting were upset and surprised by the sentence. Eaton and the couple in the car were all Black. Prosecutors had sought prison time for Eaton. I believe that is a form of total injustice, the Rev. Dr. Boise Kimber, senior pastor at First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven, told The Associated Press in a phone interview Friday. We are in denial as a country about gun violence, he said. Black people are being killed by police officers and now people and babies are being killed by white supremacists. What a denial today. This judge is really sending a message to the Black community. Eaton, who resigned from the police force in January, apologized to Washington during the sentencing before New Haven Superior Court Judge Brian Fischer. Eaton pleaded no contest to felony assault in January and agreed to serve up to 18 months in prison, while retaining the right to argue for less or no prison time during the sentencing, which his lawyer did. Fischer sentenced Eaton to three years of probation and 450 hours of community service. A message seeking comment from Fischer was left with a Judicial Branch spokesperson. Eaton's attorney, Gregory Cerritelli, said Eaton believed, because of information relayed by a dispatcher, that an armed suspect in an attempted robbery was in the car he stopped and was forced to make a split-second decision to use deadly force when the driver began getting out of the vehicle. Cerritelli believes Eaton's use of deadly force was appropriate. Devin Eaton is not Derek Chauvin, Cerritelli told the AP, referring to the former Minneapolis officer who killed George Floyd in 2020. There's no racial component to this at all. Everyone involved in this case was African American. ... This is not a rogue, malicious police officer who engages in gratuitous acts of violence. Eaton stopped the couples car in New Haven on April 16, 2019, because it matched the description of a car linked to a reported attempted armed robbery in Hamden, police said. Washington's boyfriend, Paul Witherspoon III, was driving and Washington was in the passenger seat. A gas station clerk had called in the attempted armed robbery but later told police he had not seen a gun. Surveillance video shows Witherspoon appearing to argue with another man but not robbing him. Eatons body camera video shows Witherspoon starting to exit the car and appearing to raise his hands when Eaton begins shooting. Witherspoon then quickly gets back into the vehicle. He was not injured. A Yale University officer, Terrance Pollock, responded to the traffic stop and fired his gun three times at the car. But New Haven States Attorney Patrick Griffin said in his investigative report of the shooting that Pollock was justified because he believed Eaton and Witherspoon were exchanging gunfire. Pollock suffered a graze wound from a bullet fired by Eaton, officials said. Griffin determined Eaton's use of deadly force was not justified and the officer was charged with assault and reckless endangerment. WATERBURY After a yearslong investigation, federal law enforcement charged a dozen Connecticut residents, as well as two New York residents, with trafficking drugs in Waterbury Wednesday, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Along with the 14 arrests, investigators executed 11 search warrants and seized more than 18 kilograms of narcotics including 12 kilograms of a mixture containing suspected fentanyl as well as $290,000 in cash and about $400,000 in jewelry, according to United States Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery. Law enforcement had been investigating Javier Gonzalez, Jose Duprey and each mans associates since at least 2019, according to court documents. The Drug Enforcement Administrations New Haven Task Force, Waterbury Police Department and other law enforcement agencies used wiretaps, physical surveillance, controlled purchases of narcotics, motor vehicle stops and other methods to gather evidence of their involvement in drug trafficking in and around Waterbury, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. For the searches, law enforcement raided an eyelash salon on Straits Turnpike in Middlebury, which they believed Duprey, 51, of Waterbury, used to stash narcotics and other items. At this location, police found about 12 kilograms of a mixture containing suspected fentanyl, one kilogram of suspected heroin, one kilogram of suspected black tar heroin and $40,000 in cash, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Law enforcement also searched the home of Gonzalezs brother, Francisco Gonzalez, at Geddes Terrace in Waterbury. At the home, police discovered about two kilograms of a mixture of suspected cocaine and fentanyl, two kilograms of suspected heroin and $200,000 in cash, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. In a home on Enoch Street in Waterbury, which was where Javier Gonzalez, 50, of Waterbury, resided, law enforcement found one kilogram of marijuana, $30,000 in cash and $400,000 in jewelry, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. At other locations, police seized quantities of cocaine and heroin and about $20,000 in cash, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. The 14 defendants were each charged with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, narcotics. If found guilty, each person faces up to 20 years in prison. Certain defendants face stronger penalties, including mandatory minimum sentences, based on the type and quantity of drug attributable to them, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Javier Gonzalez, as well as his brother Francisco Gonzalez, were also charged with bulk cash smuggling, which carries up to a five-year prison sentence, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Brian Boyle said fentanyl, heroin and cocaine are causing great damage in our communities. The DEAs top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison in order to profit and destroy lives, Boyle said in a statement Thursday. Let these arrests and seizures be a warning to those traffickers who are distributing drugs to the people of Connecticut. The DEA and its local, state and federal partners will do everything in our power to bring you to justice. The accused include: Javier Gonzalez, a.k.a. Jay and The Crazy One, 50, of Waterbury Francisco Gonzalez, a.k.a. Sisco, 51, of Waterbury Christopher Cammilletti, 30, of Southington John Steferak, a.k.a. Jack, 43, of Milford Jose Duprey, a.k.a. Red and Colorado, 51, of Waterbury Wanda Lora, a.k.a. Wanda Lopez, 47, of Waterbury Robert Amatruda, a.k.a. Bubba and Spanky, 38, of Bristol Victor Duran-Barrera, a.k.a. Mexico, 41, of Bridgeport Garry Gebeau, 56, of Ansonia Thomas Santos, a.k.a. White Boy, 33, of Waterbury Jose Ramos, 40, of Waterbury Armando Varela-Plaza, 40, of New York Bianca Rodriguez-Cancel, 36, of New York Michele Crus, 36, of Waterbury NEW YORK (AP) Darren Walker, Ford Foundation president and preeminent connector and advocate for artists and art institutions, joined the exclusive company of global superstars like Stevie Wonder, T.S. Eliot and Meryl Streep, in receiving France's highest cultural honor. Walker was named commander of Frances Order of Arts and Letters for his work as a benefactor of the arts on Tuesday at a Gilded Age mansion in New York owned by the French embassy. Being in this firmament is absolutely humbling, Walker told The Associated Press. Im simply a servant to the idea of art and justice in the world, because we cant have justice without art. Walker became president of the Ford Foundation, one of the largest in the U.S., in 2013. He came in with a vision to shape the organizations giving to support social justice in part through funding the arts. To symbolize that mission, Walker arranged to sell the foundations art collection of works almost exclusively from white male artists. Starting in 2017, the collection displayed at the foundations buildings was rebuilt with some 350 works of newer artists, many of whom are people of color, women and queer people. Walker has steadily built a connection with French institutions in part because of what he described as the country's parallel journeys to live up to their founding ideals of freedom or liberty for all, equality and fellowship. France, just like America, unfortunately, has engaged in the exclusion of especially the art and culture and stories of people of African descent," Walker said. And just like in America, "France is on a journey" toward great inclusion and recognition of the contributions of Black artists, he said. Under his leadership, the Ford Foundation funded an exhibition in New York at Columbia University's Wallach Art Gallery in 2018 that explored the participation of Black models painted by modernists like Edouard Manet in the creation of those works. The exhibition curated by Denise Murrell, who was a fellow at the Ford Foundation at the time, traveled to the Musee dOrsay in Paris where it made a big impression. Laurence des Cars, who is now president-director of the Louvre Museum, partnered with Walker and Murrell to bring the exhibit to Paris when she was leading the Musee dOrsay. On Tuesday, she bestowed the honor to Walker on Frances behalf in front of 50 guests in a room shimmering with mirrors that overlooks Central Park. Des Cars recalled Walker's unwavering support of the exhibition that they were told over and over would cause problems. You see what others do not see or refuse to see, and you see what could be, she said before placing a medal on a green and white stripped ribbon around Walker's neck. French ambassador Philippe Etienne listed off projects that the Ford Foundation and Walker have supported, including art residencies both in France and the U.S., and a planned exhibition highlighting the many Black American artists who spent time in France especially after World War II. As president of the Ford Foundation, he brings the foundation, of course, but he brings himself too," Etienne said, referring to Walker's expertise and knowledge, "but also a real passion, a real energy. Walker sits on the board of the National Gallery of Art, the first Black man to do so, as well as the boards of many other arts institutions and companies. The Washington-based organization, Americans for the Arts, invited Walker in 2017 to give an annual address where he made the case for public funding of the arts, tracing his own journey as a child in Texas raised by a single mother to a banker and now leading voice in philanthropy. Nolen V. Bivens, the organization's president and CEO, said Walker believes deeply in the power of cultural diplomacy and the power of art. Darren Walker is the most influential arts policy grant maker and I would say thought leader in America, especially in the area of diversity and equity, he said, adding that Walker's dedication to the support of the arts and certainly artists is exceptional. ___ This story corrects the name of the National Gallery of Art. It is not the National Gallery of the Arts. ___ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and non-profits 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. NEW CANAAN Taxpayers could be paying millions if the town follows strategies outlined in its plan to control the development of affordable housing, a town official said. Planning and Zoning Commissioner John Engel, who said the hefty total stems from the towns 8-30g plan, also said a final cost should be determined to get taxpayers interested and involved in the affordable housing conversation. Under Connecticut General Statute 8-30g, municipalities must submit a plan to outline how they will reach the state goal of having 10 percent of their housing stock affordable. Seemingly inconsistent with the goal of the law, New Canaans 8-30g plan mentions seeking 8-30g moratoriums on nearly 20 occasions. It also mentions maintaining a rolling moratorium as its first of four major strategies. The town hopes to avoid 8-30g specific housing, in which developers can bypass local zoning laws, by building the number of units required every four years to qualify for a state 8-30g moratorium. Then, the town can manage the type, form and location of affordable housing, the plan states. While fellow Planning and Zoning commissioners questioned how to estimate the cost of affordable housing, Engel advised that a new committee set a target number of housing units needed for the town before going to the Board of Finance. Figure out how much money (is needed) based on the current cost of a unit of housing, Engel said A concern over the prominent mention of moratoriums in the report was raised by the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG), according to Town Planner Lynn Brooks Avni. WestCOG is overseeing the regional 8-30g plan, of which New Canaans will be an appendix. A note from Avni in the margin of the plan said, according to WestCOG, New Canaans plan had too much of a focus on moratoriums throughout and that it can be misconstrued as the towns sole purpose for providing affordable housing. The note suggested moving most of the references of moratoriums and refocusing strategies to increase affordable housing. Commissioner Krista Neilson argued that moratoriums are the towns strategy and the commission did not make changes to the plan, which is due to the state in June. The town hopes to receive an extension, just as roughly a dozen other towns have requested, Neilson said. The plan is expected to go before the Board of Selectmen June 7. The plan estimates 75 affordable units would be required to be built every four years to earn enough housing unit equivalency points equal to two percent of all dwelling units in the town, as required by the state. When commissioners said residents needed to learn more about affordable housing challenges, Engel was clear. Once you tell the public its going to cost $10 million, the public will take interest, Engel said before acknowledging the actual costs of the plan has not yet been determined. The commissioners agreed that a permanent committee, not a subcommittee of the commission, will be set up to determine how the plan is to be funded, where the housing could be built and how residents will be educated. Engel said there is no better way to educate the public than to assign a cost, as well as a total number in terms of taxes. He also said that there is very little accumulating of the nearly $400,000 deposited in the towns affordable housing account annually, since it is used for present projects. The money is raised from zoning permit fees that are collected for any new building construction or addition that will be located in any zone. Town officials and residents raised concerns earlier this year about an application under 8-30g for an 102-unit apartment complex on the corner of Weed and Elm Street and potential plans for another 101 units on Hill Street. Some have questioned the towns current lack of an 8-30g moratorium after the building of Canaan Parish, where 60 new units were recently completed and another 40 units are soon to be completed. Town officials have publicly blamed a delay in the construction on the corner of Lakeview Avenue and Route 123, which was attributed to the pandemic, for the lack of moratorium. Once $93 million, improvements to the controversial State Pier in New London have now increased to $255 million, but the chairman of the Connecticut Port Authority on Thursday assured the State Bond Commission that the $20 million it approved for the public-private partnership should finally ready the site for new life as a hub for the budding wind-power industry in Connecticut. But the two Republicans on the Democrat-dominated board, Rep. Holly Cheeseman of East Lyme and Henri Martin of Bristol, voted against the added funding after extensive questioning over the project, which became part of a wider, still-active federal investigation into school construction projects throughout the state. Cheeseman and Martin, top Republicans on the tax-writing legislative Finance Committee, complained that it was the third time the authority has requested more funding for the public-private partnership among the Port Authority, North East Offshore, L.L.C and Gateway New London, L.L.C. to create a modern, heavy-lift port and prepare the site for hundreds of new jobs in wind power. I wonder if someone can offer some reassurance that this is the last time we are going to be asked to increase funds for this project, Cheeseman said. This is the final tranche of funding, David Kooris, board chairman, said the $20 million includes dredging silt around the pier to allow and keep a few million dollars as a contingency as the work heads toward completion at the end of February, 2023. All aspects of the project are now contracted. We do not anticipate any more requests. I had heard that assurance at other meetings, Cheeseman replied, asking what kind of federal support was offered. Kooris said that the prior presidential administration did not prioritize the potential of wind power and the request was denied. That window has closed. He noted that the upcoming dredging of New Haven Harbor is funded at 80 percent by the federal government. The project had originally been scheduled for completion at the end of August, 2022. We had about seven months of permitting delay associated with really two factors, Kooris said. One, the Army Corps (of Engineers) process taking longer than anticipated, but prior to that the state process was challenged and appealed at every step, which added considerable delay. Making the berth at the pier deeper is required for the first American-made offshore-wind installation vessel, under construction in Texas, to make New London its first port-of-call from 2024 to 2027. Lease payments over the first decade of the wind-power hub will total $2 million a year, Kooris said, adding that 200 jobs will be associated there as well as the wind farm is developed in the Atlantic Ocean off the South Fork of Long Island. Kooris, said the original $93-million estimate from 2019, before he joined the board, was not detailed enough for the project, which then rose to $157 million and finally $255 million. To be totally frank, there probably should have been more nuance conveyed at that time; that it was a preliminary estimate based on 10-percent drawings...that it did not include all the soft costs and the contingencies, he said. Another big change, totally $35 million was the result of moving the so-called heavy-left pad from the South side of the pier to the east side so that the existing ferry operations were not crowded. The evolution from $157 to $235 (million) is frankly a little more difficult to explain. Kooris said. It is the difference between engineered cost estimates that were vetted by third parties and actual bid prices we received from contractors. The truth of it is the estimates were off and when the market told us the actual cost of implementation it was higher. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) Several public school teachers in Rochester were put on leave after exchanging text messages that made "racist and demeaning references to students, officials said Friday. The Democrat and Chronicle reported the teachers worked at Enrico Fermi School 17, which has a large percentage of Black and Hispanic students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. I am horrified at the racist and demeaning references and language used to describe children our children! The staff members have been put on leave and the District will use all forms of available discipline up to and including termination, Rochester City School District Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small said in a prepared statement. Students discovered a series of texts, including one containing an obscenity that wished one girl would beat another up. Another obscene text suggested an automated call that insulted children and their parents, according to the newspaper. The discovery comes weeks after Rochester school officials said they were investigating allegations that a white teacher told his seventh-grade class of mostly Black students to pick seeds out of cotton and put on handcuffs during lessons on slavery. Rochester Teachers Association President Adam Urbanski said he did not know how many teachers had been accused in this latest episode. I want to make it clear that we strongly believe that everyone, and especially our students, are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect, he said. We are also committed to fairness and due process and the investigation is still ongoing. WATERBURY Police charged two men after finding them separately with drugs and guns that had been reported stolen, the Waterbury Police Department announced Thursday. In the two separate incidences, both men were prohibited from having any firearms. One suspect, identified as Anthony Orellana, had an active protective order against him, while the other, Andre Kellam, is a convicted felon, police said. When police found the guns, each was loaded with live ammunition, according to the police department. At around 6:50 p.m. Wednesday, officers were patrolling North Main Street due to recent complaints regarding narcotics and weapons-related violations. After further investigation, police identified Orellana, 21, of Waterbury, as a suspect. Police said they found Orellana with a loaded 9mm firearm with one round in the chamber and three additional live rounds of ammunition in the magazine. Police determined that the firearm was reported stolen out of Bridgeport. Orellana did not have a valid state pistol permit. There was also an active protective order against him, which prohibits him from possessing any firearms or ammunition, police said. Police also found Orellana with almost 70 grams of marijuana packaged in various quantities. Orellana was charged with second-degree breach of peace, interfering with an officer, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, illegal transfer of stolen pistol, carrying a pistol without a permit an criminal possession of a firearm.- Orellana was held on bond and was arraigned in court Thursday, police said. Police discovered a second stolen handgun while conducting a compliance check Thursday on Kellam, 24, of Waterbury. During the compliance check, parole officers determined that his vehicle would need to be searched. Inside the car, police found a loaded 45 caliber firearm that contained one live round in the chamber and five live rounds in the magazine. The firearm was reported stolen out of Waterbury in 2016, police said. Police added that Kellam is a convicted felon, having past convictions for first-degree burglary with a deadly weapon and third-degree robbery, making it illegal for him to possess any firearms. Detectives also found various amounts of fentanyl and cocaine in the vehicle, police said. Kellam was charged with criminal possession of a firearm, illegal transfer of a pistol/revolver, illegal transfer or sale of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, theft of a firearm, weapons in a motor vehicle and possession of narcotics with intent to sell, according to police. Police said Kellam was remanded back to custody by the state Department of Corrections. Contributed Photo / WTNH News 8 evening anchor Darren Kramer is set to move from his time slot on the late news shows, according to a press release. Kramer's change of schedule comes as a decision to spend more time with his family, according to the announcement. Starting May 31, Kramer will host the 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. news rather than the 10 p.m. and 11 p.m broadcasts. UPDATE: May 27, 3:45 PM CT At a Friday afternoon press conference, Governor Greg Abbott admitted he gave the public inaccurate information Wednesday during an initial presser detailing an incorrect timeline of events and as well as the police response to Tuesday's school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. "I was misled about what happened," Abbott said. "I am livid about what happened." Abbott called the inaccuracies "indefensible" and said it was important to have 100-percent correct information for families. Authorities have recanted and amended initial official reports regarding the timing of the police response to the shooting spree at Robb Elementary, which saw suspected gunman Salvador Ramos kill 19 students and two teachers over the course of an hour-long assault in a single classroom, all while police officers waited outside for backup from a tactical unit. "There was nothing about the laws from this past session that had anything to do with this," Abbott said, answering whether recent legislation in the Texas state house could've eased the gunman's access to the weapons he used. Ramos allegedly ran into the school with a bag of loaded AR-15 magazines and fired hundreds of shells before being killed by responding officers. "Let me be clear, the status quo is unacceptable," Abbot said. "This crime is unacceptable. We're going to be looking for the best laws to be passed that make our communities and schools safer. "Everyone wants to seize on a particular strategy. Look what happened in the Santa Fe shooting. Background checks had no effect there. The killer took the gun from his parents...anyone who suggests we should focus on background checks instead of mental health, that's a mistake." Abbott initially refused to answer questions about the day of the shooting during the presser's Q&A portion, emphasizing he would only answer questions about the mental health and auxiliary services the state was providing to victims and the community. He mentioned one father of a student who broke his glasses over the course of Tuesday afternoon. "We can pay for that stuff," Abbott said. UPDATE: May 27, 11:56 AM CT The director of the Texas Department of Public Safety released a damning timeline of the deadly attack on a Uvalde elementary school, showing how law enforcement waited in the school hallway even as a student and teacher each called 911 begging for help. Steve McCraw, director of the department, said Uvalde Consolidated ISD police chief Pete Arredondoacting as the incident commander over the active shooter scene Tuesdaymade the wrong decision in telling officers to wait for backup before engaging the suspected gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos. Arredondo decided the situation amounted to a barricaded subject rather than an active shooter, which prompts a slower and more methodical police response, McCraw said. But even close to an hour after the gunman started shooting, a student and teacher separately called 911 to report there were still children alive inside the rooms with the shooter and begging please send police now, telling 911 operators they could hear the officers in the hall outside the classroom. The shooter fired more than 100 rounds during the first four minutes of the attack once he entered the school, according to McCraw. Two minutes after he entered the school, the first four police officers entered and waited in the hallway. In the following minutes, more officers arrived inside the school and waited even as the shooter continues to fire rounds. A total of 19 officers were waiting in the hallway as the situation unfolded, McCraw said. After an hour of waiting for more tactical teams, officers used a set of janitors keys to open the classroom door and kill the shooter. UPDATE: May 27, 10:32 AM CT A survivor of Tuesday's mass shooting at Robb Elementary says the gunman "blasted music" while shooting students and taunted a teacher before killing her. while shooting students and taunted a teacher before killing her. Governor Greg Abbott has backed out of a scheduled in-person appearance at the NRA conference in Houston on Saturday, one of a number of entities to cancel on the event following Tuesday's shooting. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick followed suit on Friday, opting out of attending the convention. at the NRA conference in Houston on Saturday, one of a number of entities to cancel on the event following Tuesday's shooting. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick followed suit on Friday, opting out of attending the convention. 'They could have been shot': Texas DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez tells CNN that officers were following best practices by opting to wait outside for backup as the shooter rampaged inside Robb Elementary. 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. The parameters of the security architecture in Europe and in the Euro-Atlantic area have been "seriously" affected by the illegal war started by Russia against Ukraine, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu declared on Friday in Istanbul after the Romania - Poland - Turkey trilateral meeting on security issues. "As allies on NATO's Eastern Flank, we share the concern about the destabilizing effect of Russia's illegal aggression against Ukraine on regional, European and Euro-Atlantic security as a whole. The security architecture parameters in Europe and the Euro-Atlantic area have been seriously affected by Russia's illegal war against Ukraine, and our duty is, on the one hand, to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security and, on the other hand, to ensure a rule-based international order," the Romanian foreign minister said.He added that the current reality is "completely different" from a few months ago."This is an unprecedented threat that we must face. I have emphasized in our talks today that the most important thing we must do now, as allies, is to strengthen long-term Euro-Atlantic security," detailed the Romanian minister.According to him, NATO's priority at the Madrid Summit in June is "to make courageous decisions, as an alliance, to strengthen the long-term position of deterrence and defense on the Eastern Flank, in a balanced and united manner, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, especially in the south, where Romania is"."The new Romanian Battle Group is the first important step in this direction," Aurescu said.The Foreign Minister also spoke about supporting Ukraine, recalling that more than a million people fleeing the war in the neighboring country have crossed the border into Romania, and the humanitarian effort has been "really substantial".He also mentioned the involvement of our country in the transport of products from Ukraine, including cereal, through the Danube ports and through the Port of Constanta.In this context, Bogdan Aurescu highlighted the need to create safe transport routes "that would facilitate the transport of agricultural products from Ukraine to third destinations." A priority in this regard is the protection of commercial ships from drifting mines."We also stressed the profoundly destabilizing effect of Russia's actions for the region and the importance of effective and constructive support for our close partners, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia," Minister Aurescu added.AGERPRES Junior Achievement (JA) Romania awarded in a virtual ceremony the pilot businesses and start-ups created and presented by young people in the national final of the European entrepreneurship competition JA Company of the Year 2022, the organization said in a release. The event brought together over 280 participants, highschool and college students, teachers, professors and representatives of the companies that invest in the organization's educational programs.Over 2.5 million RON are directed annually by JA partner companies to schools and student teams, in what represents - together with support for JA programs in schools and universities - the investment of the Romanian business community in the future, thus bringing the school closer to real life and the business milieu.Along with the recognition of the companies that support JA programs, the most active educational institutions, teachers, professors, highschool and college students were awarded in the categories of entrepreneurial education, economic and financial education, vocational education and STEM (science, technology, engineering, math).The 'learning by doing' entrepreneurship program closes annually with the national final of the European competition JA Company of the Year which this year brought together 28 teams of young entrepreneurs (highschool and college students) who pitched their pilot and start-up businesses to the jury made up of professionals from the competition partners; their products featured innovative ideas in various fields, such as: technology, e-commerce, social business, creative industries, education or agriculture.The finalist teams were selected from over 250 mini-companies enrolled in the JA BizzFactory Educational Incubator, where they piloted their business ideas for 3 months, received mentoring and advice from volunteer business consultants and participated in over 50 live webinars on various topics related to entrepreneurship. The winners of the national stage will represent Romania at the European Gen-E events (Highschool and College student sections) and SIR 2022 (social entrepreneurship, Highschool student section).The Grand Prize (JA Company of the Year) - Highschool student section was awarded to the EcoNavis team from the 'Alexandru Ioan Cuza' Theoretical Highschool in Bucharest, coordinated by teacher Gratiela Goruneanu.The recipient of the Grand Prize (JA Company of the Year) - College student section - was the SignText team of the Bucharest Polytechnic University, coordinated by Professor Ciprian Ion Rizescu.Educational institutions participating in national and European Junior Achievement projects and competitions, as well as teachers and student teams were also offered prizes.The non-profit organization Junior Achievement (JA) Romania was founded in 1993 and is part of JA Worldwide USA and JA Europe. Junior Achievement is the largest international organization for entrepreneurship, economics and finance, with programs in 40 countries in Europe and over 100 countries worldwide. In Romania, JA's "learning by doing" and "project based" programs are attended annually by over 240,000 highschool and college students from over 1,700 educational institutions and are conducted locally in partnership with the Ministry of Education, educational institutions and the business community. AGERPRES The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) expresses its hope that the necessary measures will be taken in order to correct the situation of Radio Chisinau, as quickly as possible, through administrative and legal means, and will support such a result, in accordance with its competence. MAE says, through a press release sent to AGERPRES, that it regrets "the unjustified and unfounded decision, simply politically motivated, of the Chisinau Municipal Council in regards to banning the use of the toponym 'Chisinau' by Radio Chisinau."A component part of Radio Romania, Radio Chisinau has been present on the media market in the Republic of Moldova since December 1, 2011, and has imposed itself from the beginning through the quality and equidistance of its editorial production, as well as through the professionalism of its team. Radio Chisinau set high standards regarding modern, European journalism and respect for the public, for the correct and honest information of the public," MAE added.According to the Ministry, through its presence, Radio Chisinau has brought an important contribution to consolidating pluralism on the media market in the Republic of Moldova and to the emergence of a truly free and independent press."Radio Chisinau represents a valuable and reliable source of information for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. Furthermore, the radio station has been a strong, pertinent voice from the beginning, in supporting the pro-democratic and pro-European path of the Republic of Moldova, and the attempt of changing its name represents an attack to the identity, tradition and trust that this station developed along the years," MAE highlights.AGERPRES The Minister of National Defence Vasile Dincu had a phone call with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Gantz, on Friday, with whom he discussed current topics on the security agenda in the Middle East and the Black Sea region, as well as the stage and perspectives of bilateral cooperation in the area of Defence. According to the Ministry of National Defence (MApN), the Romanian minister evoked the "consistent" and "fruitful" cooperation relations with the Israeli armed forces and indicated his interest for continuing to participate in joint training activities, as well as strengthening cooperation in the air and naval sector, and also in the area of the military technology. Dincu highlighted the importance of Israeli investments in Romania. The two ministers expressed their opening for strengthening cooperation relations, and potential collaboration projects were pointed out, between the two states, in the area of Defence concerning the area of developing capabilities. The "excellent" cooperation with the Israeli Embassy in Romania was also highlighted, regarding the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens with Israeli origins, the MApN press release reads.AGERPRES Romanian and Turkish Foreign Ministers Bogdan Aurescu and Mevlut Cavusoglu signed on Friday a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation on diplomatic archives, a document that will provide a solid basis for the development of cooperation programs in the field of historiography on subjects of common interest, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a release. The signing event took place at the end of the meeting of Ministers Aurescu and Cavusoglu, on the sidelines of the Romania-Poland-Turkey trilateral meeting in Istanbul, where the two top diplomats also discussed the proposal of the Turkish side to create a bilateral format such as a joint government meeting of the two states, to stimulate political interaction and the further development of the bilateral strategic partnership.In this context, the two Foreign Ministers proceeded to a brief assessment of the evolution of trade exchanges and mutual investments, as the volume of trade between Romania and Turkey reached approximately 8.6 billion US dollars in 2021.The security situation generated by Russia's illegal war against Ukraine was also a major topic of discussion between the two chief diplomats.Against the background of the multidimensional implications of the Russian military aggression, the two officials also approached topics of interest in the field of energy security, with emphasis on the need to reduce dependence on Russian gas. Concrete aspects of cooperation in this area were tackled, including the transit of natural gas through Turkey and the diversification of routes and supply sources.Minister Aurescu also emphasized the need to find solutions, through joint action, for the creation of a shipping corridor with a maritime component through the Black Sea in order to facilitate the transport of Ukrainian grain, as well as for ensuring protection against drifting mines. He also spoke about Romania's efforts to support this process. In his turn, the Turkish Foreign Minister briefed on his country's various efforts to this end.The Romanian Foreign Minister underlined Romania's support for NATO's open door policy, pointing out that Romania supports Finland and Sweden's NATO membership, following the submission of their applications on May 18. Aurescu also welcomed Turkey's dialogue with the two Nordic states for overcoming the current deadlock around their accession bid. AGERPRES Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Adrian Chesnoiu said on Friday in central Prahova County that there is no eurocent provided for Romania's agriculture in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and that everyone must be aware of the need to amend it accordingly. "I hope that in the eleventh hour everyone will wake up and realize that we need to change the National Recovery and Resilience Plan in which Romania's agriculture hasn't got any eurocent. We have zero euros under PNRR, we need to change it, take the money to irrigation, to drainage, to food storages," said Minister Chesnoiu, at the end of a visit made in Rafov commune.He stressed the need for investment in irrigation systems, anti-hail and rainfall stimulation systems."At the beginning of the year we were working on 29 new irrigation systems, we have already inaugurated and made the reception of four of them, they are working, this year we will make the reception of another 20 and we are working on documentation so as to increase as much as possible Romania's irrigated area. On the other hand, we have the program for rainfall stimulation and hail control, under which we will put into operation 25 new anti-hail control systems in 2022," added Adrian Chesnoiu.As regards food waste, the Minister of Agriculture reiterated that, annually, approximately 2 billion kilograms of food are thrown in Romania and called again for the education of consumers.AGERPRES Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee in the Romanian Senate Titus Corlatean told on Friday a press conference of Social Democratic Party (PSD) Dambovita, in reference to the recent visit of the President of Hungary, Katalin Novak, to our country, that the institutions of the Romanian state were "unprofessional and weak". "It was a visit handled in an extremely deficient manner at the political and politico-diplomatic level in the Romanian state. The Romanian state institutions, in my opinion, were unprofessional and weak in managing this visit, because there are some rules on the matter. Especially when you are dealing with the visit of a newly elected president and especially in a bilateral relationship such as that between Romania and Hungary, with a certain history. Such a visit, the first visit abroad by the President of Hungary after her election, took place in Romania. It could not take place before there was an official visit, according to the rules, with a reception by the President of Romania," said Corlatean."This visit was welcome to take place on the territory of Romania, but in compliance of the rules, with a notification and an agreement of official visit or at least a working one, with a reception at Cotroceni [Presidential Palace], by President Klaus Iohannis and after that it could also have a private component. This has not occurred and, unfortunately, the supervision is primarily political, and here the top responsibility lies with the Romanian Presidency and President Iohannis, who allowed this private visit to take place in Transylvania with a set of symbols, some of which bothered us," said Titus Corlatean.He argued that the leadership in Bucharest should have conveyed, through diplomatic channels, that the visit was inopportune."Such a visit, in the manner in which it was conceived and designed and notified, should have been communicated from Bucharest to Budapest on the correct, diplomatic, discreet channels, as inappropriate. Or, the Romanian state acted wrongly allowing a visit in which some issues that are deeply disturbing for the Romanian nation and for the Romanian state were accomplished. When someone comes to Romania and claims from the level of the presidential position in Budapest that he is the president of all Hungarians and that she represents all Hungarians everywhere, including Hungarians who are citizens of Romania and live in Romania, it is unacceptable from a political point of view, and she should have received an appropriate reply," said Titus Corlatean."Other things happened, such as the award by a Hungarian foundation of two Romanian citizens of Hungarian ethnicity who were convicted by the Romanian judiciary for acts of terrorism, people who prepared an attack in the context of December 1 at that time, in order to put an explosive device during the parade of the Romanian military. (...) Two persons convicted of terrorism were awarded in Romania, without the intervention of the Romanian state institutions. It is a totally unacceptable thing and the Romanian Presidency and the institutions that were supposed to manage this situation are guilty of weakness and ignorance," Titus Corlatean further said. AGERPRES BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) A court in Moldova placed former President Igor Dodon under 30-day house arrest on Thursday as he faces an investigation into suspected treason, corruption, illicit enrichment and illegal party financing. The ruling came after Dodon, who served as Moldova's president from 2016 to 2020 and leads the Eastern European countrys pro-Russian opposition bloc, was detained Tuesday at his home in the capital of Chisinau after it was searched by investigators. Speaking as he left a courtroom Thursday, Dodon claimed the charges against him were politically motivated and at the behest of foreign powers. It is a political issue aimed at neutralizing the opposition, Dodon said in a video published by Moldovan news site Protv.md. It is strange and despicable for those who ... filled all the state institutions with foreign, Romanian, American and German advisers, who control all of the institutions, to accuse me of treason. Following Dodon's detention, senior anti-corruption prosecutor Elena Cazacov said the subjects of the police investigation were 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. Dodon has denied wrongdoing. In a post on Facebook on Tuesday, he wrote that he had explanations for any allegations. This is not the first time I have become the target of a politically directed and directed justice system, he wrote. 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. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. BONDURANT, Iowa Deere & Co. has sold its tractors and other equipment to farmers for decades, but the worlds largest agriculture machinery manufacturer is tearing a page from the technology worlds playbook combining cutting-edge hardware with software and subscription models to drive revenue growth. In a world with a dwindling number of grain producers and a growing population, Deere and its rivals are developing self-driving equipment loaded with the latest software that is harvesting a new kind of bumper crop: data. All that translates into recurring revenue, something companies like Apple have long enjoyed and industrial manufacturers like Deere hungrily eye. The more technology we can develop to allow farmers to get productivity out of their land without having to spend so much money on fertilizer and inputs, the better off everybody is, said Julian Sanchez, Deeres director of emerging technology. Investments in automation for high-horsepower equipment is only at its inception for Deere and rivals AGCO and CNH Industrial. The next step is to equip machines to plant seeds using satellite imagery and soil data, Sanchez said. While Deere has not outlined what that could mean to its bottom line, last fall U.S. automaker General Motors Co. said it was targeting up to $25 billion in software-driven services by 2030, and added its Cruise self-driving unit could achieve $50 billion in annual revenue within six years. The race among farm equipment companies to automate agriculture has accelerated amid a burgeoning food crisis. And Deeres strategy around scaling its suite of tech products is now in the spotlight, after the manufacturers stock plunged 14% on May 20 following a quarterly revenue miss. It was the biggest drop for Deere in 14 years. The timing comes as the war in Ukraine and widespread drought in key grain-producing countries have roiled commodity markets, causing grain and farm input prices to spike as supplies shrink. That, in turn, has U.S. farmers scrambling to boost crop yields, yet limit their fertilizer and pesticide use. That and a shrinking farm labor workforce has opened the door for Deere and others to make their high-tech push. For farmers, the prize is higher crop yields. For Moline, Illinois-based Deere, its the revenue. A driverless tractor Autonomous machinery is where Deere is placing its bet as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated in farming. Its self-driving 8R tillage tractor will be the latest addition to the companys algorithm-enabled offerings when the green machines go on sale in the fall. The new tractor will be priced at $500,000. However, the autonomy feature will be sold separately. Deere executives told analysts at a conference that the company will largely maintain its point-of-sale model for equipment, but will integrate a software-as-a-service model for its autonomous solutions. That will likely include their self-driving tractor. While it may take us a few years to build out a base of recurring revenues, autonomous solutions on top of our underlying machine forms will be recurring, said Joshua Jepsen, Deeres deputy financial officer. The recurring revenue model can be economically favorable to heavy machinery manufacturers based on those data insights, said Michael Staebe, a Bain & Co. partner focused on machinery. In Deeres case, using a subscription model by either selling or leasing its driverless tractor can result in higher margins. After expenses, every incremental dollar falls straight to the bottom line, Edward Jones analyst Matt Arnold said. We would expect it to be an attractive offering to farmers given the efficiency it offers them, and lucrative to Deere. Data and the bottom line Farmers have long been wary about how machinery and supplier firms profit off the data gleaned from their operations, and how secure such data is. But with farmers facing economic pressures, Deere and other manufacturers said it is easier to sell farmers on making such investments. One key reason: The ability to glean crop insights from huge amounts of agronomic data takes the guesswork out of when to plant and how many seeds to use which saves farmers money. Everybody in the industry is much more data-focused than we have ever seen them, said Michael Boehlje, a professor at Purdue University. (Companies) can do profit projections by geographic space in fields. That takes you to a different level of thinking and analysis. In 2020, Deere acquired Harvest Profit, a farm profitability software company that has been integrated into the John Deere Operations Center. The platform stores and lets farmers access their machine data from the cloud. When I look at what precision ag has done for our operations and what we can accomplish in a days time compared to 10 to 20 years ago, its so much easier, said Jeremy Jack, a row crop farmer in Mississippi and chief executive of Silent Shade Planting Co. Ron Hecks fleet of Case IH combines and tractors are equipped with automated steering to harvest his 4,000 acres where he rotates soybeans and corn. The fourth-generation farmer in Iowa said some of his new equipment is loaded with technology. Unfortunately for us it costs more, but hopefully the costs will be paid back in the long run by better efficiency. For those among us who like a tipple after takeoff, consider this a sign that the world is healing: Many airlines are resuming in-flight meals and alcohol service. Early on in the pandemic, many airlines completely cut in-flight refreshment offerings (aside from perhaps a hasty water bottle delivery). Slowly but surely, airlines are reintroducing the amenity. For example, in 2020, Southwest Airlines cut service completely on short flights and offered only water and a prepackaged snack on longer flights. In 2021, Southwest reintroduced a small selection of nonalcoholic drinks to all flights. It wasnt until February 2022 that its complete pre-pandemic beverage menu returned, which included more soda and juice choices plus alcoholic beverages for an additional cost. Other airlines moved a bit more quickly. By July 2020, Delta Air Lines was offering beer cans and single-serve wine bottles. It wasnt until March 2022 that it brought back hot meals for its Delta One and first class customers on some flights. Why did in-flight alcohol get the ax? Its hard to peg just one reason why alcohol and hot meals disappeared on flights during the COVID-19 era. Some say it eliminated unnecessary lingering in the aisles while flight attendants took everyones orders. Others point to unprecedented rates of unruly passenger reports as the reason to remove alcohol in particular. In 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration initiated 1,099 investigations around unruly passengers. Thats up from just 183 in 2020, 149 in 2019 and 146 investigations in 2018. And not all bad behavior yields an investigation. In 2021, the FAA received reports of 4,290 mask-related incidents and 5,981 unruly passenger reports. While its unclear how many of those cases involved alcohol (or how many more there might be if alcohol was accessible), flight attendants suggest a correlation. An online survey of 5,000 flight attendants in summer 2021 by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, a union, showed that mask compliance and alcohol were among the most common factors in unruly passenger interactions. Additionally, 17% of respondents reported experiencing at least one physical incident with a passenger. Some suspect the reason in-flight beverages got the boot comes down to money. Airlines have sought to cut costs by culling refreshments long before the pandemic. For instance, Frontier Airlines discontinued serving warm cookies on its flights back in 2012, stating that fresh cookie service does not align with either the perception or financial reality of the ultra low-cost business model, according to a memo obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Today, refreshments are available on Frontier flights for purchase, but there are no freebies. These days, travelers say that while service has largely returned, its still been significantly reduced. Pre-COVID, United Airlines would always offer a drink before takeoff, and flight attendants would continue to offer drinks during the flight, says David Decker, an insurance executive and United Million Miler member. Currently, the flight attendants make the rounds after the plane has reached cruising altitude, but you are hard-pressed to find a flight attendant for a refill. Ive seen some passengers even resort to ringing the flight attendant bell. How to save money on in-flight beverages If you want to save money on in-flight refreshments, then the typical advice of pack your own snacks likely wont apply on airplanes. You cant bring liquids greater than 3.4 ounces through the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint, so unless youre drinking a straight espresso shot, there arent a lot of beverage options youll be allowed to get past security. You cant sneak through your own small stashes of liquor, either; FAA regulations prohibit passengers from drinking alcohol on the aircraft unless its served by a flight attendant. These days, unless youre flying a budget airline, youll likely no longer have to spend $6 on a soda in the airport terminal just to satisfy your carbonation cravings. If you can wait until after takeoff, you could get it all as part of the cost of your airfare. And as far as adult beverages go, here are additional ways to save. Look for old airline coupons Some airlines offer coupons for in-flight snacks and drinks to loyal customers. And though they tend to have expiration dates, many of those have been extended. For example, Southwest drink coupons that were set to expire in 2020 or 2021 (and can be redeemed for an alcoholic beverage) now dont expire until Dec. 31, 2022. Fly first class (for free) Youre unlikely to be offered a free adult beverage in economy, but you will in the premium seats. On Delta, all Delta Comfort+ and first class customers receive complimentary beer and wine service. United offers complimentary alcoholic beverages in premium cabins, and Alaska Airlines offers complimentary alcohol in first class. Premium cabins typically arent cheap if youre paying a cash fare, but you might be able to finagle your way to an upgrade. There are a few tricks to getting a free upgrade on your flight, such as through holding airline elite status. Early on in the pandemic, chasing elite status might not have been a smart money move given that many were traveling less and that perks were reduced. But while earning airline elite status is not exactly a walk in the park, it might be worth it these days if you travel often and fully use the benefits (like actually consuming in-flight alcohol). Use airline credit card incidental credits Many premium travel credit cards offer statement credits toward airline incidental fees. These fees are additional qualifying charges from your preferred airline beyond the actual airfare. Whats considered a qualifying purchase can vary by credit card issuer, but they typically include checked bags, seat upgrades and yes in-flight refreshments. Puzzling over which crime thriller to plop down with poolside this summer? Author Chris Pavone has your answer Two Nights in Lisbon, a devilishly clever tale. At center stage stands Ariel Pryce, the mid-30s wife of mid-20s businessman John. She has traveled with him on a working trip to Lisbon. After a night in a hotel bed, she wakes to find him gone. Turns out that hes been kidnapped, for a ransom far above the couples assets. The local police and the U.S. Embassy come up with nothing. As Pavone puts it, Nothing, and nothing, and more nothing; the hotel staff, and the police, and the embassy. No one is taking Ariel seriously, they are all seeing an emotional woman, an irrational woman, a confused woman, a mistaken woman, a disbelieved woman. Again, and again, and again. So in desperation, Ariel phones a wealthy political figure in Washington a man who raped her years ago. She lays it out to him: Give me the ransom money I need, or Ill tell the world what you did to me, thus ruining your plan to run for president. Sounds good, right? Well, wait until you read the ending that Pavone springs on you. Itll flip you out of your folding chair. But to silence the spoiler alert, well leave it at that. Plot aside, Pavone packs in lots of interesting and entertaining prose. Heres a sample: The three colleagues speak quickly in Portuguese which sounds to Ariel like Russian crossed with Spanish. She doesnt grasp a single word. The only thing Ariel can detect in this language is tone good or bad, yes or no. This must be what its like to be a dog. What shes sensing is no. Bad. If she had a tail, it would be down between her legs. Unlike many male writers, Pavone seems able to put himself in a womans mind, as with this paragraph: Ariel had already given up manicures and pedicures and facials, the relentless exercise and constant starvation and continuous hydration, the makeup and the jewelry, the form-fitting jeans and short skirts and shorter shorts, the low-cut blouses and side-boob dresses, the complex time-consuming enterprise of constantly maximizing her physical attractiveness, her sexiness, the incessant effort of attracting attention look at me, please, please look at me. Pavone also puts into print a few social sighs: Reportage doesnt mean what it used to. People already believe what they believe, and these days they go to the media to assure them theyre right, not to learn otherwise. A younger characters generation never had a chance. Their schooling should have included dedicated training on how to put down your phone, exercises on how to focus on talking to real people in person. But no one knew how bad it would become. The magic of the internet. Its easy to forget this, looking at the toxic effects of social media, at the economic devastation wrought by online retail and the tech-driven gig economy and the decline of Main Street, at the mis- and disinformation that threatens the integrity of democracy, in fact the integrity of everything. Its a long list of negatives. But theyre easy to ignore when you want a late-night ride home from a bar, or a pizza delivered, or an anonymous hookup. Oh sure, other top-rate thrillers are bound to crop up before Labor Day. But put Two Nights in Lisbon at No. 1 on your list. Harry Levins of Manchester retired in 2007 as senior writer of the Post-Dispatch. Chris Pavone When 7 p.m. June 7 Where Jewish Community Center, Mirowitz Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive How much Free More info slcl.org SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) The smokestack of a Carnival Cruise ship docked in the Turks & Caicos Islands caught fire on Thursday and officials allowed guests and crew members to go ashore as heavy smoke billowed into the air. Carnival said in a statement that no one was injured during the incident in Grand Turk, although it was not immediately clear what caused the fire, which was filmed by passengers. All guests and crew are safe, the company said. The Carnival Freedom had departed Florida on Monday for a five-day cruise. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This is the second of a two-part series examining the mental health crisis among young adults and part of a monthly series on mental health. Find other stories on mental health at stltoday.com/lifestyles. After two St. Louis University students died of suicide this fall, nearly 10,000 people signed an online petition started by a student calling for changes to the way the university provides mental health services. Two more students have died of suicide since, and some in the SLU community much like students, parents and educators across the country are getting involved in grassroots prevention efforts. Hamza Khan, a rising senior at SLU, took part in a student-led mental health workshop last month for local teens of Pakistani descent. We want to talk to them about how they feel, and where they can reach out for help, he said. They had separate sessions for teens and their parents and focused on starting a dialogue about mental health rarely discussed in the Asian American community. Too often, a tragedy compels survivors to take action. After SLU student Ethan LoCigno died of suicide in 2019, his family launched a foundation and started the Real Project, an awareness initiative focused on normalizing real conversations about mental health. The organization offers a free shirt from its site in hopes of starting more discussions. They have created videos and launched social media campaigns to reach more young people. Several other nonprofits working to prevent youth suicide began their efforts after a young family member died of suicide. The CHADS Coalition was founded after Marian and Larry McCords 18-year-old son, Chad, died in 2004. They offer the Signs of Suicide training program. The Megan Meier Foundation was founded by Tina Meier in 2007 after her daughter, Megan, died after a cruel cyberbullying hoax by an adult. Evan Rose came up with the idea of starting the Steve Fund days after the 2014 death of his brother and best friend, Steve, a Harvard graduate. Its a national organization focused on supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of young people of color. Who has become more vulnerable?Suicide rates among Black youth are increasing faster than another any other demographic and ethnic group in America. Sean Joe, professor of social work at Washington University, is trying to figure out why. From 2010 to 2020, suicide rates for Black youth 12 and under have increased 123 percent, according to his analysis of CDC data. The nation has lacked a commitment to research in this area, he said. Less is known about what factors lead Blacks to consider suicide. Thats what my research is trying to find out. He will be interviewing Black youth from the St. Louis area who have attempted suicide to understand what is happening in their lives leading them to that crisis point. His hope is that this information will help develop better treatments for those who are suicidal. People can participate through the Race and Opportunity Lab at WU. Experts point to the role of traumatic life experiences, racism, disparities in health care, lack of culturally competent mental health providers, and the accessibility of guns as factors contributing to this crisis among Black youth. When there is access to lethal means, the chances of death are greater, Joe said. Suicide among Black boys and men is more likely at younger ages as compared to whites. What is causing this pain? What can we do about this pain? he asked. Hes hoping to learn what has changed in younger Black generations in regards to suicidality as compared to older generations. We are losing future generations of Black Americans, and Im really concerned that the trend is worsening, he said. Katie Heiden-Rootes, professor of family and community medicine at SLU School of Medicine, also points to the higher risk facing LGBTQ youth, her area of research. In terms of ideation and suicides, those numbers are still rising, she said. Research shows that just one supportive adult relationship, whether it is a relative, teacher, neighbor or family friend, reduces the risk of suicide for LGBTQ youth by 40 percent, she said. The impact is huge, she said. I think there is a role for all of us. Why suicide prevention is harder in MissouriCurrently all statewide suicide-prevention staffing and activities are funded through grants and contracts. Despite the states higher-than-average suicide rate, there are no dedicated state-level dollars for suicide prevention. When the grants end or there are gaps between grants, there is no staff to direct activities or statewide suicide prevention programs, according to Liz Sale, research associate professor with the Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri-St. Louis. This happened recently when a five-year youth suicide prevention grant ended, she said. There was no money for providers to offer suicide prevention services to suicidal youth. The lack of dedicated state funding also means suicide prevention training programs, both for the general public and veterans, isnt always possible. The Missouri Zero Suicide in Health Care Systems initiative adds suicide prevention policies and practices into behavioral and physical health care organizations. It will no longer be implemented because the funding has ended. Many young people have a primary care physician and see them for annual physicals. There are identifiable signs of increased risk if we ask the right questions in a primary care setting, Heiden-Rootes said. That often doesnt happen. Missouri is also one of a handful states where legislators have passed a law preventing doctors from being required to ask, collect or record information about their patients about their ownership or usage of firearms. Ways to helpMin Liu, a professor of applied communication studies at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, also advises local Asian American youth on civic engagement. The students decided to focus their efforts on training more people in their community on mental health challenges. She helped them partner with PreventED to offer mental health first aid training for parents and teens. Their goal is to train 100 Asian American teens and adults locally. Because we are newer immigrant communities where the majority of parents are first-generation immigrants, many came from countries where awareness and access to mental health services did not exist, she said. Parents are afraid to have their children labeled and very apprehensive of seeking mental health care, Liu said, and a certain segment puts pressure on academic success at all costs. There are layers of challenges, she said. As an educator, Liu adjusted expectations as students have struggled to adjust to the demands of college life during a pandemic. Absenteeism, missed and late assignments were rampant problems, she said. Students sounded like they were in survival mode. She chose to adjust her benchmarks and lesson plans and cut her students more slack. She focused more on evaluating them on progress from where they started to where they ended the term. Shes happy to be back teaching in person and realizes that many students continue to need additional support. They still need to have hope in their educational journey, she said. For those seeking resources, mental health first aid training is available through the Missouri Institute for Mental Health site. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The suspects in the shootings at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school and a Buffalo, New York, supermarket were both just 18, authorities say, when they bought the weapons used in the attacks too young to legally purchase alcohol or cigarettes, but old enough to arm themselves with assault weapons. The Buffalo suspect was taken to a hospital last year for a mental health evaluation, but the incident didn't trigger New York's red flag law and he was still able to purchase a gun. The Texas suspects mother told ABC he gave her an uneasy feeling" at times and could be aggressive ... If he really got mad." But authorities say he had no known criminal or mental health history. The state has no such red flag law. They are just the latest suspected U.S. mass shooters whose ability to obtain guns has raised concerns. In some cases shooters got guns legally under current firearms laws, or because of background check lapses or law enforcements failure to heed warnings of concerning behavior. After the shootings, which together left 31 people dead, President Joe Biden renewed calls for stronger gun laws and questioned whether people as young as 18 should be allowed to purchase firearms. In the past, Biden has called for banning assault weapons and expanding background checks. Many Republicans oppose the measures. A look at how suspects in recent mass shootings obtained guns, based on police accounts, court documents and contemporaneous reporting: UVALDE, TEXAS: MAY 24, 2022. 21 DEAD. Salvador Ramos legally purchased two guns in the days before the attack that killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School an AR-style rifle from a federally licensed gun dealer in the Uvalde area on May 17 and a second rifle on May 20. Ramos made the purchases just days after turning 18, the minimum age under federal law for buying a rifle. He also purchased several hundred rounds of ammunition. At least one of the rifles was a DDM4, made by Daniel Defense and modeled after the U.S. militarys M4 carbine rifle, though without the M4s ability to switch to fully automatic or fire a three-round burst. The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong, Biden said hours after the shooting Tuesday. What in Gods name do you need an assault weapon for except to kill someone? Ramos was killed at the school by a Border Patrol team. BUFFALO, NEW YORK: MAY 14, 2022. 10 DEAD. Payton Gendron legally purchased the Bushmaster XM-15 E2S used in the attack on Tops Friendly Market from a federally licensed gun dealer near his home in Conklin, New York, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Buffalo. In a personal, online diary that surfaced after the attack, Gendron said he bought the AR-15-style weapon in January, bought a shotgun in December and received a rifle as a Christmas present from his dad when he was 16. Last year, Gendron was taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation under a state mental health law after writing murder-suicide in response to a teachers question. New York is one of 19 states with red flag laws that allow courts to take guns from people posing immediate danger, but that didnt happen with Gendron, who was 17 at the time. State police described his threat as general in nature and said it didnt specifically mention shooting or firearms. After the shooting, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order underscoring the need for red flag interventions and said she would seek to bar people under 21 from buying some semi-automatic weapons in the state. A similar law in California was ruled unconstitutional. Gendron is charged with murder. BOULDER, COLORADO: MARCH 22, 2021. 10 DEAD. Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa bought a Ruger AR-556 pistol, a semi-automatic weapon with a capacity of up to 30 rounds, six days before the shooting at King Soopers grocery store, police said. Alissa was prone to sudden rage and was convicted of misdemeanor assault and sentenced to probation for attacking a high school classmate. Colorado has a universal background check law covering almost all gun sales, but that misdemeanor would not have prevented him from buying a weapon, experts said. Had it been a felony, federal law wouldve barred his purchase. Days before the shooting, a judge struck down city ordinances banning assault rifles and high-capacity magazines in Boulder, citing a state law prohibiting local gun bans. The NRA backed the lawsuit challenging the ordinances. A judge ruled last month that Alissa is mentally incompetent to stand trial. SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA: MAY 26, 2021. 9 DEAD. Samuel James Cassidy legally purchased the three 9 mm handguns he used to kill co-workers and then himself at a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority rail yard. He also stockpiled a dozen guns and 25,000 rounds of ammunition at his home, which he set ablaze before the shooting, and had high-capacity magazines that may have been illegal under California law, depending on when they were purchased. Santa Claras district attorney said authorities wouldve sought to take Cassidys weapons away under the states red flag law had U.S. Customs and Border Protection informed them of a Significant Encounter with Cassidy upon his return to California from a trip to the Philippines in 2016. Customs agents said in a report that Cassidy harbored dark thoughts about harming two specific people and had a memo book in which he expressed his hatred of the transit agency. - ATLANTA: MARCH 16, 2021. 8 DEAD. Robert Aaron Long purchased a 9 mm handgun just hours before going on a shooting rampage at three massage businesses in the Atlanta area, police said. A lawyer for the gun shop said it complies with federal background check laws. Georgia, like the majority of states, has no waiting period to obtain a gun. Long claimed to have a sex addiction, police said, and he spent time at an addiction recovery facility last year. Federal law bans guns for people who are unlawful users of or addicted to a controlled substance or whove been court-ordered to a mental health or substance abuse treatment facility, but doesnt mention treatment for other compulsions as a barrier to ownership. Long is serving a sentence life without parole. MIDLAND, TEXAS, AUG. 31, 2019. 7 DEAD. Seth Aaron Ator purchased an AR-style rifle through a private sale, allowing him to evade a federal background check, and fired it indiscriminately from his car into passing vehicles and shopping plazas. He also hijacked a mail truck, killing the driver. Ator had been blocked from getting a gun in 2014 after his background check was flagged because a court determined he was mentally ill, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the matter. Private sales, which account for up to 40% of all gun sales according to some estimates, are not subject to a federal background check and private sellers aren't required to determine if a buyer is eligible to own a gun. Ator was killed by police. DAYTON, OHIO: AUG. 4, 2019. 9 DEAD. Connor Betts classmates said he was suspended in high school for compiling a hit list and a rape list, but authorities said nothing in his background prevented him from purchasing the AR-15-style pistol used in the shooting at Ned Peppers Bar. Ohio law requires that sealed records of any juvenile crimes be expunged either after five years or once the offender turns 23. Betts, who was 24 at the time of the shooting, bought the gun online from a Texas dealer. It was then shipped to a Dayton-area firearms dealer, in accordance with federal law. Betts was killed by police. EL PASO, TEXAS, AUG. 3, 2019. 23 DEAD. Patrick Crusius bought an AK-47-style rifle and 1,000 rounds of hollow-point ammunition online 45 days before he walked into a Walmart store and opened fire, killing 23 people and injuring two dozen others, before confessing that he had been targeting Mexicans, according to prosecutors. A Crusius family lawyer said his mother raised concerns about the purchase in a call to police on June 27. Police said she asked if Crusius, who was 21 at the time, was old enough to buy a gun. Police said she was assured he was and that he'd qualify if he passed a background check. Police said she expressed concern only about his safety and said shed seen no recent change in his behavior. Crusius posted a racist screed online just before the attack and appeared to target Mexicans. He's charged with capital murder in Texas and federal hate crimes and firearms offenses. VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA: MAY 31, 2019. 12 DEAD. Former Virginia Beach city employee DeWayne Craddock legally purchased six firearms in the three years before he opened fire on a municipal building, including the two .45-caliber pistols used in the attack. An independent review of the shooting, commissioned by the City of Virginia Beach, found that Craddock displayed no warning signs or prohibited behaviors associated with a pathway to violence, and that he had no known history of mental health treatment. Craddock was killed by police. ___ THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA: NOV. 7, 2018. 12 DEAD. Ian David Long, a former Marine machine gunner who served in Afghanistan, used a legally purchased .45-caliber pistol with an extended magazine in the shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill. California tried to outlaw high-capacity magazines, but a federal judge reversed that after a pro-gun group sued. Months before the shooting, sheriffs deputies called to Longs home found him acting irrationally, but a mental health specialist didnt feel he needed to be involuntarily committed. California has a red flag law, but theres no indication authorities sought a court order to take away Long's guns. Long killed himself. PITTSBURGH: OCT. 27, 2018. 11 DEAD. Robert Gregory Bowers had a carry license and legally owned the Colt AR-15 SP1 and three Glock .357 handguns police said he used to kill worshipers at Tree of Life synagogue. Bowers spent months posting rants against Jews on Gab, a social media site favored by right-wing extremists. He also posted photos of his "glock family. Just before the attack, he posted a screed against a Jewish organization that resettles refugees, saying: I cant sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, Im going in. None of the rhetoric appeared to raise red flags. His case is pending. ___ SANTA FE, TEXAS: MAY. 18, 2018. 10 DEAD. Dimitrios Pagourtzis, a 17-year-old student, used a shotgun and a .38-caliber handgun that his father purchased legally and stored in a closet at their home, authorities said. It wasnt clear if his father knew hed taken the guns. Prior to the attack, Pagourtzis posted a photo on social media of a T-shirt with the phrase Born to Kill and had writings indicating he planned to attack his high school. A judge sent him to a mental health facility after ruling he was incompetent to stand trial. PARKLAND, FLORIDA: FEB. 14, 2018. 17 DEAD. Nikolas Cruz legally purchased a Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle in February 2017 from a licensed dealer a few miles from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, authorities said. Hed been treated at a mental health clinic but hadnt been there in more than a year. Federal law prohibits gun purchases if a court declares a person a mental defective or commits that person to an institution, but not if the person seeks treatment voluntarily. Cruz was 19 at the time of the shooting. He pleaded guilty in October and is scheduled to be sentenced next month. ___ SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, TEXAS: NOV. 5, 2017. 25 DEAD. Devin Patrick Kelleys history of domestic abuse barred him from buying guns. He was able to because information about his crimes was never entered into a federal database used for background checks. The Air Force failed to follow rules requiring that it inform the FBI about his conduct. Kelley purchased four guns, including an AR-15-style rifle found at First Baptist Church, from licensed Texas and Colorado dealers over a four-year span. Kelley killed himself. ___ LAS VEGAS: OCT. 1, 2017. 58 DEAD. Stephen Paddock purchased 33 of the 49 weapons found in his hotel room and at his homes in the year before he opened fire on a country music festival. Paddock passed all background checks. His gradual accumulation of guns went undetected because federal law doesn't require licensed gun dealers to alert the government about rifle purchases. Paddock killed himself. ___ ORLANDO, FLORIDA: JUNE 12, 2016. 49 DEAD. Omar Mateen purchased an AR-15-style rifle, a Sig Sauer MCX, and a handgun from a licensed dealer on separate days about a week before the Pulse nightclub attack. He passed a background check and had a security license that allowed him to be armed while on duty. The FBI investigated Mateen in 2013 and 2014 over co-workers concerns that hed spoken about ties to terrorist groups. Neither inquiry led to charges. Even if he'd been placed on a terrorism watch list, Congress in 2015 rejected attempts to prevent people on the list from purchasing guns. Mateen was killed by police. SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA: DEC. 2, 2015. 14 DEAD. Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, used weapons the FBI said his neighbor, Enrique Marquez, legally purchased from a licensed dealer in 2011 and 2012. Marquez pleaded guilty to charges he conspired to provide support to terrorists and made false statements to acquire a firearm. He told investigators Farook asked him to buy the weapons because he would draw less attention. Farook and Malik were killed by police. ROSEBURG, OREGON: OCT. 1, 2015. 10 DEAD. Christopher Harper-Mercer and his family members legally purchased the handguns and rifle used in the Umpqua Community College shooting from a licensed dealer. Investigators found six guns at the college and eight at an apartment. Neighbors said Harper-Mercer and his mother went target shooting together. Harper-Mercer killed himself after he was wounded by police. CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: JUNE 17, 2015. 9 DEAD. A drug arrest should've prevented Dylann Roof from purchasing the pistol he used at Emanuel AME Church, but a record-keeping error and background check delay enabled the transaction to go through. The FBI said a background check examiner never saw the arrest report because the wrong arresting agency was listed in state criminal history records. After three days, the gun dealer was legally permitted to complete the transaction. He was convicted and is on federal death row. WASHINGTON: SEPT. 16, 2013. 12 DEAD. Aaron Alexis, a former reservist turned civilian contractor, passed background checks and legally purchased the shotgun used in the Washington Navy Yard shooting despite recent mental health treatment and a history of violent outbursts. He previously fired a gun in anger twice but wasnt prosecuted in either case. Alexis was killed by police. NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT: DEC. 14, 2012. 26 DEAD. Adam Lanza used his mothers weapons, including a .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle, in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Lanzas mother, whom he fatally shot before going to the school, also purchased the ammunition. Lanza killed himself. ___ AURORA, COLORADO: JULY 20, 2012. 12 DEAD. James Holmes was receiving psychiatric treatment when he passed required federal background checks and legally purchased the weapons he used in his movie theater assault. As in the Parkland and Navy Yard cases, treatment alone did not prevent him from buying guns. He was convicted and sentenced to 12 life terms and thousands of years in prison. Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. WILDWOOD Searchers continued to comb a popular recreation area here Friday in their hunt for a missing 72-year-old hiker whose last known location was the Al Foster Trailhead early Monday. In a video update Thursday night, Carol Schultes stepson Tim Schulte thanked the community for their continued search efforts and said the lead detective confirmed to him that authorities are still actively searching for the woman. Schulte said local fire protection districts are scouring the area along the Meramec River, and police continue to comb the trail with dogs and drones. In addition, the Missouri Highway Patrol Water Division has been on the river every day since the search began Tuesday. He said they planned to be on the river Friday, as well. Dozens of people were searching Thursday, according to Schulte, including people the family knew and those they did not know. Thank you for your willingness to help us, he said. This has been a very difficult time for our family. We love Carol. Me, personally, Ive known her for 40 years, and shes my second mom. Schulte asked people to continue to get out on the trail and look for his stepmother. Both Schulte and his brother, Greg Schulte, planned to be on the trails for most of the day Friday. Carol Schultes cellphone last pinged at the trailhead, at 225 Grand Avenue in Wildwood. The phone was turned off around 7 a.m. Monday. The trail is 5 miles and goes to Sherman Beach and Castlewood State Park, following the Meramec River. We have every reason to believe she is in this area. We just havent found her, Greg Schulte said Monday. Greg Schulte said his stepmother never hiked more than 4 to 5 miles roundtrip. He also noted she never hiked alone, so they found it odd she went out by herself. 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. 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 Advanced Correctional Healthcare is the largest privately owned provider of health care services to county jails in the country. It has contracts with more than 320 jails in 18 states, mostly in the Midwest, including several in Missouri and Illinois. On its website, it used to brag that it had never had a lawsuit result in a judgment against the company or its doctors. Thats no longer true. On May 24 a federal jury in St. Louis awarded the sister of Bilal Hill $8.5 million in damages relating to Hills death. The Columbia, Missouri, man died of lung cancer at the age of 43 after a several-months-long stay in the Phelps County Jail. He complained of pain and a growth in his neck from early in his stay there. His pleas were ignored by the company and its doctors contracted to provide health care to inmates at the jail, jurors found. The jury saw the same things that we saw, said Hills sister, Lady Maakia Charlene Smith. She lives in North Carolina and was on the phone with the jail regularly advocating for her brother. He was being held while awaiting trial on federal charges for alleged possession of marijuana, K-2, and guns. People are treated differently if they get outside care versus care inside the facility, Smith said. They basically let him deteriorate and waste away for more than three months. He was in excruciating pain. The nurse and the doctor were very dismissive of his complaints. It was inhumane. Ive seen animals treated better than my brother did in jail. After Hill went nearly 80 days without medical care, Smith was eventually successful in convincing jail officials to send her brother to the Phelps County Hospital for care. Physicians there immediately saw a man with serious medical needs and transferred him to CoxHealth Medical Center in Springfield. There, he received a terminal cancer diagnosis. He was released from federal custody and sent home to die, with his sister and his son. The case, filed in 2020, should open the eyes of counties that contract with private health care companies, say the familys attorneys, Brandon Gutshall, Charlie Eblen and Lindsey Heinz of the Shook, Hardy, and Bacon law firm. You see a lot of bad actors, in this industry, Eblen says. We think they have a business model that really seeks to minimize inmate care. They really try to do as little as they can get away with. Like so many things related to jails and prisons in the U.S., privatized health care is a multibillion-dollar industry, with several big players, such as Wellpath and Corizon. The companies started springing up in the 1970s after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1976 that deliberate indifference to a detainees care was a violation of the Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment. But as the privatized health care industry grew, so did jail deaths, Reuters found in a 2020 report on the poor treatment of jail detainees. Search any states court records and there are dozens of wrongful death and other similar lawsuits against privatized jail health care companies. At least 10 have been filed in Missouri state courts against Advanced Correctional Healthcare, and another dozen or so in federal court. One case out of Buchanan County, filed in 2017 against both Advanced Correctional Healthcare and Corizon, is headed to trial later this summer. The company faces a class action lawsuit over alleged poor jail care in St. Francois County. The size of the verdict in Hills case was a shock to the company, said its St. Louis attorney, Tad Eckenrode. The company is considering an appeal. The case was surely tragic, Eckenrode said, but there was no testimony at trial that the purported delay in care impacted his cancer treatment or life-expectancy. Thats not how Hills sister, or her attorneys, saw the case unfold. The facts in this case are egregious, Gutshall says. Hill was in pain from almost the moment he entered the jail. He was crying and begging for help. Toward the end, his pain was so bad he couldnt even get out of bed. He was just ignored. It is the sort of comment that comes up frequently when people die in jail, and thats why Smith says its important for family members to do their best to be advocates for their loved ones when they end up behind bars. If you dont have families that will advocate for you, theyll feel like they can sweep it under the rug, Smith says. People need to check on their family. I know people get frustrated and upset when people are incarcerated. If my brother had laid down and died in that jail, we would have known nothing. 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 COUNTY A man sitting outside with a group of people in Jennings was fatally wounded in a drive-by shooting Thursday night, police said. St. Louis County police are investigating the shooting, which happened around 7:30 p.m. in the 5600 block of Janet Avenue. When they arrived at the scene, they were told that a man had been shot, and then driven to a hospital. The man, whose name has not been released, died at the hospital, police said. The group of people had been sitting outside on Janet Avenue when someone who wasn't known to the group pulled up in a vehicle, opened fire and then fled, police said. No other details were available, but the investigation is ongoing. Police are asking anyone with information on the shooting to call the county police department at 636-529-8210. To remain anonymous or potentially receive a reward, call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477). ST. LOUIS COUNTY Four employees of the Ferguson and Florissant license offices were charged Thursday after authorities said they accepted money and gifts for illegal vehicle registrations. The four were accused of processing vehicle registrations in 2021 without obtaining valid safety and emissions inspections, personal property taxes, or gift letters, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office said. "I don't know of anyone who looks forward to renewing their vehicle registration, but things like vehicle safety and emission inspections do serve a purpose in keeping us safe while driving and helping to keep our air clean," said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. Eddie Johnson III, 33, of St. Louis, Deandre Walton, 40, of Spanish Lake, and Courtney Branch, 20, of Pagedale were each charged with three counts of forgery. The three worked at the Ferguson License Office. Johnson also faces three charges of acceding to corruption by a public servant. Lavonda Jameson, 45, of Florissant, who worked at that city's license office, was charged with six counts of forgery. Authorities did not confirm whether any of the four had resigned or been fired. Forgery is a Class D felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison and fine of up to $10,000. Acceding to corruption by a public servant, a Class E felony, is punishable by up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. 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. KANSAS CITY A man accused of killing four people in the St. Louis area and two more in Kansas City, Kansas, was charged this week in another homicide in Missouri. Jackson County prosecutors allege Perez Reed, 26, shot and killed Stephon D. Johnson in November. They say Reed left Johnsons body in a closet in Johnsons Midtown Kansas City apartment. Reed is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit/debit card. Police said when they found Johnsons body, officers also found an empty cigarillo package that had Reeds DNA on it. In addition, officers said when Reed was arrested in November on St. Louis charges he had a key with him. That key was to Johnsons apartment, according to prosecutors. Witnesses also told police that a man they had seen on the news as a serial killer from St. Louis was the same man with a crescent tattoo who had been a guest of Johnson in Kansas City, a media release said. Prosecutors also noted the bullet found in Johnson was fired from a gun Reed had in his possession at the time of his arrest. Reed remains in custody in St. Louis. His St. Louis County charges say Reed murdered a 16-year-old runaway on Sept. 13 in unincorporated North County and a 40-year-old man on Sept. 26 in Ferguson. He has pleaded not guilty to those charges. In St. Louis, he has been charged with murdering a woman from Spanish Lake on Sept. 16 and a 24-year-old who was found three days later. Reed, of Bellefontaine Neighbors, has been accused of the murders of a man and a woman in Kansas City, Kansas, in late October. He also has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of transporting a gun across state lines with the intent to commit a felony crime. 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 The matriarch of the family who lost five members in a crash earlier this month spoke at a hearing for the suspected driver Friday afternoon, less than two hours before she was set to attend visitation for her relatives. Eleanor Simmons spoke during a bail hearing for Marshawn D. Stepney, 18, of St. Louis. He has been charged with five counts of second-degree murder, seven counts of armed criminal action, two counts of assault, two counts of leaving a scene and one count of tampering with a motor vehicle in connection with the May 6 crash. Stepney appeared virtually from the City Justice Center, while Simmons was in the courtroom. She told the court she was the mother, grandmother and great-grandmother of the five people killed in the crash at Delmar Boulevard and Pendleton Avenue. Through tears, she told Judge Rex Burlison that Stepney must face consequences. It is very hard for my family to wrap our heads around this, she said. I hate that this happened to (Stepney) because I wouldnt want it to happen to my children. Simmons noted her daughter Anngelique Simmons, who was driving the minivan home from a grocery store when it was hit by the stolen Jeep going 82 mph, has a twin who is devastated by the loss. Do not release this young man because he does not understand what he has done, the damage that hes done, she said. Prosecuting attorney Rob Huq told the court that police found Stepneys cellphone on the drivers side of the stolen Jeep after the crash. Police said the driver ran from the scene. Stepney was arrested and charged about a week later. Huq said that the teenager admitted to having been present at the crash and knowing the Jeep was stolen. While Stepney does not have a criminal history as an adult, Huq said, he was convicted of several charges as a minor in September. Those charges included tampering with a motor vehicle, unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. This is a serious case with serious consequences, the prosecutor told the court, asking Burlison to keep Stepney in custody without bail. Stepneys court-appointed lawyer, Eric V. Barnhart, confirmed with Stepney that he was unemployed and not in school, and asked the teen how much his mother was capable of posting for bail. Barnhart asked the judge to release Stepney on a personal recognizance bond. Burlison denied bail and scheduled Stepneys next court appearance for June 13. {div class=lee-article-text}The crash killed 11-year-old Takera Thompson; Takeras grandmother, Anngelique Simmons, 56; Takeras aunt, Rhonda Simmons, 34; and two of Takeras great-uncles, Ephriam Wayne Simmons, 47, and Luther Simmons, 43. {/div} {div class=lee-article-text}Takeras 8-year-old sister, Trinity Thompson, and a cousin, 15-year-old Anniyasha Wallace, were injured but survived. Two teenagers who were passengers in the Jeep were arrested at the scene of the crash. On Friday morning, a spokesman for the St. Louis City Family Court said one of those teens, a 17-year-old, was in custody and has been charged with five counts of second-degree murder, tampering with a motor vehicle, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. His name has not been released because he has not been charged as an adult. The other teenager is charged with one misdemeanor and is not in custody, according to the court spokesman. He did not meet Missouris legal standards for authorities to detain him. {/div} 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. CHARLES Rejecting a jury's recommended death sentence, a St. Charles County judge instead has ordered a former Dent County sheriff's deputy to serve the rest of his life in prison. Marvin Rice, 54, was convicted in 2017 of murdering the mother of his child in 2011. A St. Charles County jury in April returned a death sentence for the murder of Annette Durham, 32. On Monday, Circuit Judge Daniel Pelikan instead ordered Dent to serve a life sentence without parole. Rice is set to be retried in the killing of Durham's boyfriend, Steven Strotkamp, 39, in January. Rice was previously sentenced to life in prison for Strotkamp's death but the Missouri Supreme Court overturned the case and ordered a new trial. Rice's cases were moved to St. Charles County from Dent County because of pre-trial publicity. 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. Updated June 1 with arrest details. ST. CHARLES Police officers on Tuesday arrested a wanted Montgomery County, Missouri, officer accused of stalking his ex-girlfriend and releasing nude images of her. Police had asked for the public's help Friday in finding William Gary Barnes II, who was considered "armed and dangerous." Barnes, an officer with the New Florence Police Department, posted a $25,000 bail and was released shortly after his arrest. Barnes has been charged in St. Charles County with second-degree stalking, threatening nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images, and two counts of nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images. According to court documents, Barnes stalked his ex-girlfriend between July and November after they broke up. Barnes placed a GPS tracker on his ex-girlfriend's car, court documents say, and then texted her location to her. The officer is also accused of sending nude pictures of his ex-girlfriend to her mother, and uploading them on a social media platform, OnlyFans.com. People paid him to watch the videos, investigators said in court documents. The picture shows the US military hosting a close formation taxi known as an elephant walk at Misawa Air Base. By Lin Yuan Recently, the US has tried its best to win over allies in the Asia-Pacific in an attempt to build a regional order dominated by it and enhance its influence in the region. The US-ASEAN Special Summit was held in Washington from May 12 to 13. This is the first time since 2016 that the US has invited leaders of ASEAN countries to Washington for a summit. US President Joe Biden visited the ROK and Japan successively from May 20 to 24. During his visit to the ROK, the two sides reiterated the goal of elevating the ROK-US alliance to a comprehensive strategic alliance. During the visit to Japan, the US and Japan promised to deepen cooperation in areas including economic security, cyber, and space, and Biden announced the official launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). On May 24, Biden met with the leaders of Japan, India, and Australia in Tokyo to hold the second in-person meeting of the Quad. The summit reflects the determination of the US to continue to move its strategic center of gravity eastward against the backdrop of rising tensions in Europe. From Southeast Asia to East Asia, the US hopes to promote the Indo-Pacific strategy by winning over regional allies, thereby laying the foundation for its global hegemony. However, whether it is the US-ASEAN Special Summit and the Quad on military security level, or the IPEF on the economic level, all have failed to achieve the expected results. US-ASEAN Special Summit The grand appearance of the summit is in sharp contrast to the blandness of the results, and the US's intention to use the summit to win over ASEAN has completely failed. According to Thailand's Bangkok Post, the US originally hoped to upgrade its relations through this summit, but ASEAN set a 6-month "qualifying period" for "procedural" reasons, which means that ASEAN is not satisfied with the US. In addition, regarding the Biden administration's proposal to provide a "strategic investment" of $150 million to ASEAN, the Southeast Asian media joked that $150 million would be "not very helpful but highly insulting" for the 10 ASEAN countries. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity According to foreign media reports, the US claimed that the establishment of the IPEF aims to strengthen the resilience of regional supply chains, promote fair trade, and increase infrastructure connectivity. In fact, it is mixed with multiple military and political considerations of the US government. Essentially, the IPEF is an extension of the Indo-Pacific strategy in the economic field, which aims to provide economic support for its Indo-Pacific strategy. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue During Biden's visit to the ROK, a senior US official said that the ROK would not be included in the Quad between the US, Japan, India, and Australia for the time being. However, some foreign media reported that the US will develop the Quad into an "Asia-Pacific version of NATO" in the foreseeable future. In general, the Biden administration's recent diplomatic moves for Asia-Pacific countries are mainly aimed at strengthening the security and economic alliance system in the Asia-Pacific region, promoting the implementation of the Indo-Pacific strategy and stepping up the construction of a circle of encirclement against potential opponents. The US may continue to strengthen cooperation with its Asia-Pacific allies in the future. On the one hand, the US will tighten the bundling of economic interests. According to Wall Street Journal, the US is seeking a new form of international trade and to limit trade to the so-called "circle of trusted nations". It is foreseeable that in the future, the US will rely on the IPEF to build a "small circle" of economic interests and further strengthen its discourse control and economic penetration in the Asia-Pacific region. On the other hand, the US will step up the preposition of military power. During his visit to Japan and the ROK, Biden declared that the US would continue to strengthen its military presence and deployment in allied countries in response to regional tensions. The US and its allies may use peripheral threats as an excuse to speed up the deployment of forward military forces, multilateral joint exercises and training, and the construction of integrated combat power. Relevant moves may lead to more tension and anxiety in the region. CLAYTON An outspoken civil rights activist appointed by County Executive Sam Page to a citizen panel advising the county jail quit in frustration Friday, blasting Pages administration and senior jail staff over a lack of transparency and stalled reforms. The Rev. Philip Duvall is the third member of the Justice Services Advisory Board, which Page relaunched in mid-2019 after a series of inmate deaths, to resign in protest in the past 14 months. Duvall on Friday called for the six-member advisory board to be dismantled and replaced by a larger board with subpoena power and wide authority to investigate alleged wrongdoing. I am resigning due to multiple unsatisfactory factors which (have) caused me to become increasingly angered in recent months, wrote Duvall, whose push to investigate a cluster of inmate deaths in early 2019 had helped prompt county officials to reform the long-dormant advisory board. Duvall on Friday noted some improvements in jail conditions and programs to help inmates reenter society. But he also raised alarms that the jails nurses are overworked and underpaid. He also said allegations of sexual discrimination and violations of the jails use of force policy arent being scrutinized by internal investigators. And he ripped Pages administration for failing to explain why it changed the advisory boards demand for an outside review of the jail to remove language specifically calling for thorough scrutiny of inmate deaths, including six deaths of medical complications in 2019 and 2020. The county has maintained the inmates medical records are confidential and denied auditors request for access. But the county has allowed auditors access to other investigative records. Duvall, in his letter Friday, said the changes to the contract were a true awakening that some in your administration are not interested in transparency, accountability, or accepting valued information as to how we got in the conditions we were attempting to climb out of. Page spokesman Doug Moore said in a written statement that the executive anticipated Duvall would not seek reappointment to the board because his term was set to expire next month and he had recently moved out of state. Rev. Duvalls term expires in less than 30 days, and we anticipated he would not seek reappointment because he has moved out of state. We thank Rev. Duvall for his service. Dr. Page appointed Rev. Duvall to the advisory board because he had been a fierce critic of jail operations and we wanted him on the board for his honest feedback. While he listed some frustrations in his resignation letter, he also highlighted improvements to the jail and there have been many over the last few years. With input from other members of the advisory board, we will weigh his criticisms and put them in context. The statement did not specifically respond to allegations of misconduct Duvall raised in the letter or to Duvalls call for a new advisory board. Duvall, in response, confirmed that he had recently bought a home in Oklahoma but said the decision had no bearing on his resignation from the advisory board. He still owns a home in St. Louis County, has family here and travels in between, he said. Page was at the jail Friday morning to meet with local trade union representatives as part of an effort, Moore said, to ensure that the detainees have a path to success once they leave the Justice Center. We are always looking at ways to improve the operations of the jail and to better prepare detainees once they leave our custody. Before serving on the advisory board, Duvall had been a frequent speaker at County Council meetings, including several appearances in early 2019 to demand accountability for three inmate deaths that occurred within six weeks. County officials at the time were questioning why the advisory board had appeared to be dormant for more than a decade and why then-County Executive Steve Stenger had never made any appointments to the panel. Page, who succeeded Stenger in April 2019 after Stenger was indicted and resigned, relaunched the advisory board and named Duvall and five others to the panel. Duvall chaired the panel until September 2020, when he stepped down from chairmanship for health reasons. He remained an outspoken member, often criticizing Pages administration for a lack of transparency over the inmate deaths, hiring decisions and internal investigations into other alleged misconduct. On Friday, he said a group of longtime corrections supervisors had also worked to block efforts at reform by three jail directors hired since 2019, including Raul Banasco, who quit in August 2020 amid allegations of misconduct. An anonymous letter written at the time had alleged Banasco was ousted by a cabal whose members were upset with his changes. The so-called Culture of Tyranny Letter that was widely publicly covered August 2020 has more truth to it, Duvall said in his letter. This toxic culture has produced nepotism, favoritism, long histories of sexual misconduct, harassment, abusive amounts of unauthorized overtime and an unfair promotional process that has personnel oversight. After Banascos resignation, the board demanded an outside investigation of the jail, which Page delayed in order to conduct a survey of employees. The outside investigation finally kicked off in November after the county hired CGL Companies. But the advisory board questioned the process in March when a Post-Dispatch report revealed the county wouldnt release medical records on inmate deaths to the auditors and that their demand to review deaths had been removed from the contract language without their knowledge. Duvall alleged Friday that a monthly advisory board meeting in March was abruptly canceled by county officials to avoid discussion of the issue ahead of a political primary. Page is running for reelection to a second term. Officials said holding the meeting would have violated open records laws because a technical error had taken down public notice of the meeting. Duvall said he was unable to attend the next monthly meeting, which was the first board meeting hed missed over his tenure. Im honored to have served with my distinguished colleagues who I have fostered friendships through this experience, and I wish them continued success, I had never missed a meeting until the abrupt cancellation of March 2022 and the surrounding factors about its content, Duvall said. For the first time I was unable to make Aprils schedule and did not attempt to try recognizing the political season, appears to take priority to peoples career, safety, security and well-being. Duvall said he was proud of improved conditions in the jail, including several new programs designed to help inmates reintegrate into society with work training and education. And he praised Justice Services Director Scott Anders, who took over the jail in October, for bringing fresh ideas, solid leadership and stable direction to the department. But Duvall alleged Anders wasnt being given full authority and freedom to make changes from Pages administration. I welcomed the fresh ideas, solid leadership, and stable direction that Director Scott Anders brings to the department, provided he receives the full Authority and support of his position while not being hamstrung and undermined by other departments fearful of lies, inuendos (sic) and threats of lawsuits, while the same group of unprofessional (sic) mis-manages and undermines progress, Duvall said. And he called for greater funding for jail medical workers, who he said were overworked, underpaid and given inadequate resources. Mary Zabawa Taylor, a former volunteer in the criminal justice ministry at the jail and a former director of patient safety at Washington University School of Medicine, resigned in April 2021. Page appointed UMSL criminology professor Beth Heubner to fill Taylors seat. Another board member, Twyla Lee, resigned in July. Lees former seat has remained vacant. Updated at 3:46 p.m. Friday, May 27, with more details(tncms-asset)c9a8869c-4c8f-11ec-bde6-00163ec2aa77[0](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)46fa44dc-a55a-11ec-ad6a-00163ec2aa77[1](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)5f443cc4-5216-11ec-9b34-00163ec2aa77[2](/tncms-asset) 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 settlement agreement reached this month between the city and its former health director, Dr. Fredrick Echols, includes no explanation for why he was put on forced leave and no indication whether he was paid to drop his appeal. The agreement, which was released by the city on Friday, states The parties and their counsel agree that their only comment to any media regarding the disposition of the dispute will be that The matter has been resolved to the parties satisfaction. Echols was hired May 16 as CEO of the Chicago-based Cure Violence organization, which employs lessons from public health work to address violence in high-crime areas. The settlement says Echols was placed on forced leave effective Feb. 16 and appealed to the city Civil Service Commission. To settle the pending appeal, he resigned effective May 4, and the city agreed not to proceed with a pre-termination review scheduled for May 6. Echols had been serving most recently as health commissioner the city health departments second-ranking position. The settlement was signed by Echols, City Counselor Sheena Hamilton and the current health director, Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis. Echols first name is misspelled in the document. Echols and Hlatshwayo Davis had refused to comment throughout the leave period, as had Mayor Tishaura O. Jones office. Echols, a former St. Louis County and Illinois state public health official, was named health director in 2019 by Jones predecessor as mayor, Lyda Krewson. In 2020, Krewson changed his title to acting director after the city counselor determined that he didnt quite meet the technical requirements for the job spelled out in the city charter. Last September, Jones appointed Hlatshwayo Davis as the new director but kept Echols as health commissioner, a post he had held simultaneously with the directors job previously. Under the settlement, Echols agreed that he will not publicly disparage the city, Hlatshwayo Davis or other city employees and the city and Hlatshwayo Davis agreed not to publicly disparage Echols. The agreement calls for Echols to be paid accumulated paid leave in accordance with the citys pay ordinance, but it doesnt disclose the amount involved. 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 State officials withdrew their attempt to sell nearly 400,000 face masks Friday, saying the decision to auction them off to the highest bidder was premature. Hours after the Post-Dispatch first reported on its website on the now-scuttled sale, the Missouri Veterans Commission said it had withdrawn the items, which had been listed on the state surplus sale website beginning earlier this week. MVC is currently determining the best course of action for masks that expire/no longer meet (federal) guidance, said commission spokeswoman Aimee Packard. On Friday morning, there were 59 cases containing 2,500 masks each up for auction on bidding site. The high bid stood at $10 at the time, with the auction running through June 6. Earlier, the state was advertising nearly 250,000 masks on the auction site. The caveat: The light blue masks expired in April. The masks were being sold alongside a potpourri of items deemed as junk worthy by state bureaucrats. Aside from the random high-profile sales of old highway patrol helicopters, the states online auction site typically includes a daily mix of rusty delivery vans, broken lawnmowers and dented, well-used kitchen equipment from prisons and mental health facilities. The listing on the surplus property website was premature and has been withdrawn, Packard said. MVC acquired the masks to protect veterans and staff in a healthcare setting during a developing global health emergency. Although tests have shown that expired masks remain nearly as effective in blocking the release and inhalation of potentially dangerous respiratory particles, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says it has a policy about expired goods. Only items that have been deemed unusable because of notices from federal agencies that they did not meet U.S. standards have been disposed, said DHSS spokeswoman Lisa Cox. The decision to halt the states version of a yard sale comes as COVID-19 cases have begun ticking back up. But officials say they have plenty of protective equipment in stock. At the nursing homes operated by the Veterans Commission, all employees are required to wear masks when in a facility. Veterans are encouraged to do so but not required, Packard said. As of May 27, there are eight veterans and 10 staff who tested positive for COVID in a total of three homes St. James, St. Louis, and Warrensburg. Most of these staff and veterans are asymptomatic, and none of them are currently hospitalized, Packard said. Early in the pandemic, the state opened a warehouse in the capital city to store personal protective equipment, but it has remained unclear for more than a year how the facility is being used. Gov. Mike Parson has repeatedly turned away requests by the Post-Dispatch to tour the facility, which the state has used federal pandemic aid money to operate. Cox said the state makes every effort to distribute PPE by its expiration date, distributing items with the earliest expiration dates first. We also keep PPE stored in climate-controlled environments to ensure early degradation does not occur. Any expired items are excluded from active shipping inventory, she said. Cox said the state has decided to keep expired items in reserve. As we have seen with previous public health events, even if items are expired, they may be useful in times of supply chain disruption and PPE shortages, she said. Despite ongoing claims that masks were not effective in reducing the transmission of the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported numerous studies showing mask-wearing lowered the risk of infection. At least ten studies have confirmed the benefit of universal masking in community level analyses: in a unified hospital system, a German city, two U.S. states, a panel of 15 U.S. states and Washington DC, as well as both Canada and the U.S, the agency said. Stay up to date on life and culture in St. Louis. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. JEFFERSON CITY Regular St. Louis television viewers will be seeing a lot more of Dave Schatz over the next month. The Sullivan Republican, outgoing president of the Missouri Senate, is spending $590,000 on television advertisements in the St. Louis, mid-Missouri and Springfield media markets, his campaign told the Post-Dispatch. The majority of the spending about $440,000 is being directed at adult audiences 35 and older in the St. Louis media market. Its an expensive play meant to build momentum for Schatzs candidacy among Republican voters with two months before the Aug. 2 GOP primary contest. Schatz has barely registered in publicly available polling so far, lagging the races top-tier candidates: former Gov. Eric Greitens, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler. But Schatzs campaign is betting the ads set to run from May 31 to June 30 will help lift him at the right moment. Dave Schatz is a proud Reagan Republican who believes in fixing problems, not fixing blame. Hes a conservative but not angry about it, said Steele Shippy, a Schatz campaign adviser. Calling himself a Reagan Republican and not a Trump Republican is a way of distinguishing himself from his five major GOP opponents, who have aggressively courted former President Donald Trump, the dominant figure in the party for the past six years. Despite his popularity within the Republican Party, a significant number of GOP voters have indicated a desire to move away from Trump. A CBS News Poll in February found 31% of Republicans didnt want Trump to run for president in 2024. With six major candidates, the eventual winner of the Missouri GOP primary could win with only 25%-28% of the vote. Schatzs first ad introduces who he is as a family man, business owner, blue collar worker, and someone who has prioritized results over rhetoric during his time in office, Shippy said. The ad prefaces the theme of Schatzs campaign he may not have a fancy degree, but he rescued his family business from bankruptcy and has a track record of achieving conservative results in the Legislature, Shippy said. Shippy said there is still plenty of time for Republican voters to land on Schatz as their candidate. Shippy pointed to a May 2016 poll released by Missouri Scout showing then-Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder leading the Republican field for governor with 26% support in the four-way contest, with 34% of voters undecided. The eventual winner of the race, Greitens, came in last at 7% in that survey. But by Missouri Scouts July 8 poll, after Greitens began airing his famous Taking Aim ad, which featured him shooting a semi-automatic rifle across a field to spark an explosion, Kinders support had fallen to 12%. The eventual winner, Greitens, won 29% in the survey. Twenty-one percent of voters were undecided. The latest poll of the U.S. Senate race by Missouri Scout, released March 26, showed Schatz with 3% support, within the polls margin of error. Schatzs advisers believe support reflected in polling is soft and that voters can be moved if convinced there is an better candidate than Greitens, Hartzler and Schmitt. Shippy said Schatz is running because he is sick of the fakes and frauds who only seek to further their own self-interest and promotion, instead of achieving real results for Missouri families. Schatz has laid into Greitens in the past, calling on him to end his campaign in March after his ex-wife accused him of abuse. More recently, he has trained criticism on Schmitt, saying the attorney general has failed to crack down on the spread of unregulated slot machines throughout the state. He said at a recent news conference that the attorney general has turned a blind eye to this issue and let this continue on. And in a move endorsed by Schatz, the Legislature zeroed out a $500,000 increase Schmitt sought for his office budget in response to dozens of lawsuits the attorney general filed against local school districts. Shippy said as of the last fundraising quarter, Schatzs campaign had more than $2.1 million. Schatz loaned his campaign $2 million. 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. ST. LOUIS He didnt have any family, Chandra White told the group before they left a hospital parking lot in a funeral procession to Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. But now, he does. A U.S. veteran, who died alone in August at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, was buried on Thursday with the full military honors he deserved, something hospital staff worked to ensure. White leads the hospitals Office of Decedent Affairs, the only decedent affairs program in Missouri with a team dedicated solely to helping families through the next steps after their loved one dies at the hospital, she said. Its one of about 10 in the country. The veteran died at the hospital in August without anyone to claim his body, White said. Her office completed an exhaustive search for next of kin but was unable to locate anyone. Since the decedent offices creation in 2018 at BJC HealthCares Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the bodies of about 30 patients have been unclaimed. We are able to go forward and give them a dignified cremation, White said. The cremains are kept at the hospital in case any relatives someday surface to claim them. As part of their search for relatives, the decedent office staff also checks military records. If we can determine that they are a veteran, then we are able to give them a dignified farewell with the honors they deserve, White said. One other unclaimed individual in 2018 was also able to receive a military funeral at Jefferson Barracks. The veteran interred Thursday served three years in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War era with an honorable discharge, hospital officials said. The decedent office organized a procession for his cremated remains from a hospital parking lot to Jefferson Barracks. About 30 BJC HealthCare employees who are service members or veterans formed a line of honor to salute the procession as it left. David Rogers, project manager for BJC HealthCare who serves in the U.S. Air Force Reserves, said the group wanted to show that although the veteran died without family members or friends, his legacy will not be forgotten. In the military we always look out for each other. ... That doesnt end when someones watch is over, Rogers said. With Memorial Day a few days away, the salute was also an opportunity to remember the sacrifices of those who have served country, he said: To honor them, by 1, our presence; and 2, by the way that we carry forward their legacy of service. The Barnes-Jewish team invited the Patriot Guard Riders, a volunteer organization that works to ensure respect at memorial services for soldiers, first responders and veterans. About 30 guard riders with American flags waving from motorcycles and cars led the procession to the cemetery, where they each stood with flags surrounding the funeral service. This is what we do, said rider Neil Hill, 67, of the St. Peters. Our main goal is to make sure no veteran goes to his final resting place alone. The media was also invited to the parking lot before the procession left to learn about the hospitals decedent program. While hospital officials wanted to tout the program, they did not provide the veterans name and initially tried to bar media from attending the funeral, citing patient privacy laws. We wanted to share but were advised by our legal team it would be a HIPAA violation. Since their name will be said at the funeral, we were advised to not have media there, said Laura High, media relations manager for BJC HealthCare, in an email. HIPAA is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which was passed by Congress in 1996. The law establishes standards to protect individuals medical records and other identifiable health information and applies to health plans, health care clearinghouses and health care providers. Although the hospital declined to identify the veteran, his name, Robert Lawrence Openlander, is on the Jefferson Barracks burial schedule. The Patriot Guard Riders also listed his name on their mission calendar. The Veteran Legacy Memorial website lists Openlanders date of birth as Dec. 7, 1942, the first anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, making him 78 when he died last year. A public records search provides small glimpses into his life. A U.S. Navy publication from 1970 shows he served on the USS Robert E. Byrd, a destroyer. A marriage record from 1981 shows at the age of 39, he married a Lois Kimball, age 27, of De Soto. His residence then was listed as Jennings. The 1950 U.S. census shows him as a 7-year-old living with parents Lawrence and Fern Openlander in the 5600 block of Chippewa in the Southhampton neighborhood. Robert Openlander is the only child listed in Fern Openlanders obituary, which was published in 1973. The Rev. Suzanne Anderson-Hurdle, chaplain for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, gave Openlanders eulogy under a shelter at Jefferson Barracks. The Patriot Guards flags flapped in a strong breeze as clouds rolled in. Though we may not know a lot about this man, we know he served. We know that he was loved, Anderson-Hurdle said, hopefully by parents who helped support him as he grew up, giving him a foundation on which to build his life. We hope he knew love of a partner or a spouse, children or nieces or nephews, extended family and chosen friends. A rifle party fired a three-volley salute. A bugler played taps. Two Navy sailors in white uniforms quietly and carefully folded an American flag. One kneeled to place the flag in Whites lap. The flag will be kept in a case at the hospital, White said, waiting for family if they ever come. 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. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida will require statewide recertification of condominiums over three stories tall under new legislation Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Thursday as a response to the Surfside building collapse that killed 98 people. But while the measure was hailed by lawmakers, the senator who represents Surfside, Democrat Jason Pizzo, warns there's a lot more to do and the state doesn't have enough structural engineers to handle the workload required to make sure all the state's high-rise condominiums are safe. Tell your nieces and daughters and sons to go study engineering, Pizzo said. The governor's signature came the day after the House unanimously passed the bill during a special session originally called to address skyrocketing property insurance rates. The condominium safety bill was added to the agenda Tuesday and immediately passed by the Senate. Recertification will be required after 30 years, or 25 years if the building is within 3 miles (5 kilometers) of the coast, and every 10 years thereafter. The Champlain Towers South was 40 years old and was going through the 40-year-recertification process required by Miami-Dade County when it collapsed last June. At the time, Miami-Dade and Broward counties were the only two of the states 67 that had condominium recertification programs. There are more than 1.5 million condominium units in Florida operated by nearly 28,000 associations, according to a legislative analysis conducted earlier this year, Of those, more than 912,000 are older than 30 years and are the home to more than 2 million residents. Pizzo said there are about 650 certified structural engineers in Florida. And there's a high demand for them on new construction alone. Most of the provisions of the law will take effect in 2024, so there is some time to prepare, Pizzo said. We're going to be back in regular session at least one more time before any of this really kicks in, which gives ample time to tweak, amend, hear from the public and people on the ground, said Pizzo, who is hosting a public forum on the new law with other legislators next month. He said that the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation doesn't have enough staff to handle condo regulation. They're operating on bare bones, he said. When it comes to life safety issues, I'm just not comfortable that the same agency that licenses manicurists are also licensing engineers for buildings ... They need to be well resourced. The bill would require that condominium associations have sufficient reserves to pay for major repairs and conduct a study of the reserves every decade. It would also require condominium associations to provide inspection reports to owners, and if structural repairs are needed, work must begin within a year of the report. Similar legislation failed during the regular session that ended in March. Meanwhile, a final settlement agreement is expected Friday that will pay at least $96 million to homeowners with condos in the Surfside building but whose families suffered no loss of life. The condominium legislation was attached to a bill that 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. While some Democratic lawmakers complained that the special session on insurance didnt go far enough to help relieve homeowners, they did praise the addition of the condominium safety legislation. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy spoke defiantly Friday in two speeches about his countrys ultimate victory over Russian forces in both the most pressing battle in eastern Ukraine and the war, generally. Ukraine is a country that has destroyed the myth about the extraordinary power of the Russian army -- an army that supposedly, in a few days, could conquer anyone it wants, he told Stanford University students by video. Now Russia is trying to occupy the entire state but we feel strong enough to think about the future of Ukraine, which will be open to the world. Later, in his nightly video address, Zelenskyy reacted to Russians capture of the eastern city of Lyman, the Donetsk regions large railway hub north of two more key cities still under Ukrainian control, and its attempt to encircle and seize the city of Sievierodonetsk, one of the last areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk. If the occupiers think that Lyman or Sievierodonetsk will be theirs, they are wrong, the Ukrainian president said in his nightly video address. Donbas will be Ukrainian. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Relentless: Russia squeezes Ukrainian strongholds in east West mulls having Russian oligarchs buy way out of sanctions Russia blames the West for global food crisis as it blocks Ukraine ports US wins latest legal battle to seize Russian yacht in Fiji US general: No need to add ground forces in Sweden, Finland Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine The governor of the Luhansk region is denying Russian claims that their forces have surrounded the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk but said Ukrainian soldiers may have to retreat. Serhiy Haidai wrote on Telegram Friday that the Russians have seized a hotel and bus station. The Russians will not be able to capture Luhansk region in the coming days, as analysts predict. We will have enough forces and means to defend ourselves, Haidai wrote. He added that its possible that not to be surrounded, we will have to leave. A critical supply and evacuation path, the Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway, is constantly under fire, but supplies and people are still passing on it, Haidai said. KYIV, Ukraine The leaders of the Orthodox churches in Ukraine that were affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church have adopted measures declaring the churchs full independence and criticizing the Russian churchs leader for his support of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Orthodoxy, the largest religious denomination in Ukraine, is divided between churches that had been loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate and those under a separate ecclesiastical body. The council of the Moscow-connected body, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, on Friday said it condemns the war as a violation of Gods commandment Thou shalt not kill! ... and expresses disagreement with the position of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the war in Ukraine. It also adopted charter changes indicating the full autonomy and independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox church. ROME Italian Premier Mario Draghi spoke by phone Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy, assuring him of the support of the Italian government in coordination with the European Union. Draghis office said the leaders also discussed the prospects for opening Ukrainian ports to allow grain exports to help combat the food crisis that is threatening the worlds poorest countries. Draghi spoke Thursday with President Vladimir Putin in a bid to reach an agreement to open the ports, and Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for Italys commitment to work on a possible solution. Draghi noted after speaking to Putin that many millions of tons of grain risk rotting in Ukrainian ports if there is no agreement to allow their passage. The Kremlin-backed leader of Russias southern province of Chechnya has posted a video in which he warns that Poland could be next after Ukraine. Ramzan Kadyrov, who is famous for his bluster, said in the video he posted to his official Telegram page that Ukraine was a done deal and that if an order is given after Ukraine, well show you (Poland) what youre made of in six seconds. Poland, which borders Ukraine, has provided its neighbor with weapons and other aid since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. It has also welcomed in millions of Ukrainian refugees. Kadyrov later urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to finally come to his senses and accept the conditions offered by our president (Vladimir Putin). Kadyrov has repeatedly used social media to boast about Chechen fighters alleged performance against Ukrainian troops and to make other unconfirmed statements about the war in Ukraine. MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Ukraine should remove sea mines from areas near its ports to allow safe shipping. Putin made the statement in Fridays call with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, according to the Kremlin readout of the conversation. It said that Putin and Nehammer had a detailed exchange of views on issues regarding food security with Putin rejecting Western claims that Russias action that exacerbated a global food crisis. The Kremlin noted that Putin emphasized that attempts to blame Russia for difficulties regarding shipments of agricultural products to global markets are unfounded. It added that the Russian leader gave a detailed explanation of the real roots behind those problems that emerged, in particular, because of the U.S. and the EU sanctions against Russia. The U.S. and other Western allies have rejected the Russian demand for the sanctions to be lifted and accused Moscow of blocking grain supplies from Ukraine to global markets accusations the Kremlin has denied. LONDON British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Russian forces are making palpable progress in eastern Ukraine, and Kyivs forces need long-range rocket launchers and other military support. Britains defense ministry said Friday that Moscows troops have recently captured several villages as they attempt to surround Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the eastern Donbas region, but do not yet have full control of the region. Johnson told news agency Bloomberg that Russian President Vladimir Putin at great cost to himself and Russian military is continuing to chew through ground in Donbas, hes continuing to make gradual, slow but Im afraid palpable progress. He said that therefore it is absolutely vital that we continue to support the Ukrainians militarily. Johnson said long-range multiple-launch rocket systems, or MLRSs, would enable them to defend themselves against this very brutal Russian artillery. Britain possesses some of the systems, but Johnson did not say whether the U.K. would send any to Ukraine. PRAGUE The U.K.s top diplomat says countries supporting Ukraine have to be ready for the long haul and there should be no talk of appeasing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said after meeting her Czech counterpart in Prague Friday that we need to make sure that Ukraine wins and that Russia withdraws and that we never see this type of Russian aggression again. She said that there should be no talk of cease-fires, or appeasing Putin. Truss says that Ukraine needs to receive more heavy weapons and gradually get upgraded to get NATO-standard equipment. She said that at the moment, theyre using a lot of ex-Soviet equipment. We need to make sure theyre able to defend themselves into the future. BUDAPEST, Hungary -- A U.S. lawmaker is urging the Biden administration to consider imposing sanctions on some Hungarian companies in an effort to pressure Budapest to agree to a European Union embargo on Russian oil. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi urged him to consider all tools including sanctions to ensure that Hungary -- a member of the EU and NATO -- gets on board with the proposal. The EU has for weeks has sought to forge a consensus on a new sanctions package that would phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2022. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has held up negotiations and threatened a veto of the plan, arguing it would devastate Hungarys economy and lead to energy insecurity. In his letter to Blinken, Krishnamoorthi wrote that the EUs proposed embargo would significantly increase financial pressure on Russias economy and Putins war machine. If Orban continues to stall EU negotations, he wrote, the Biden Administration should consider implementing sanctions against companies in Hungary that continue to do business with Russian oil exporters. ISTANBUL Turkeys foreign minister says Sweden and Finland must now take concrete steps to alleviate his countrys security concerns to overcome Ankaras objections to their NATO membership bid. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday that delegations from the two Nordic countries have returned home with Turkeys demands after a visit this week and Ankara is awaiting their answers. The countries membership bids require support from all NATO countries, but Turkey is objecting to them. It has cited alleged support for Kurdish militants that Turkey considers terrorists and restrictions on weapons sales to Turkey. Cavusoglu said that an approach of well convince Turkey in time anyway, we are friends and allies would not be correct. He insisted that these countries need to take concrete steps. He added that we understand Finland and Swedens security concerns but ... everyone also needs to understand Turkeys legitimate security concerns. ROME Italian Premier Mario Draghi has discussed the emerging food crisis in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Draghis office said that the call Thursday focused on the situation in Ukraine and ... efforts to find a shared solution to the ongoing food crisis and its serious repercussions on the worlds poorest countries. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but the war and a Russian blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering world food supplies. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Russia also is a significant grain exporter. Moscow pressed the West on Thursday to lift sanctions against Russia, seeking to shift the blame for the food crisis. BERLIN -- Germanys development minister has traveled to Ukraine to pledge further civilian support and discuss the countrys rebuilding. Svenja Schulze is the second German minister to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion started. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited on May 10 and reopened the countrys embassy in Kyiv. Schulzes ministry said she planned to meet Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and other senior officials in Kyiv on Friday. It said the talks will address immediate aid to address the problems Ukraine faces now and strategic questions related to rebuilding the country. Schulze said in a statement that we must already lay now the foundations for internationally coordinated support for the rebuilding of a free and democratic Ukraine and Germany will contribute. MOSCOW -- Russia-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine claim to have taken control of Lyman, a town in the Donetsk region. There has been no confirmation yet from Ukrainian officials. The military of the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic said on Telegram that rebel forces, supported by the Russian troops, as of Friday have liberated and taken full control of 220 settlements, including Lyman. Lyman, which had a pre-war population of over 20,000, is a large railway hub in the Donetsk region, north of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, cities that remain under Ukrainian control. MOSCOW -- Russias Foreign Ministry has announced that it is expelling five Croatian diplomats in response to unfriendly steps taken by Zagreb to reduce the size of Russias diplomatic mission there. The ministry said in an statement that it summoned Croatian ambassador Tomislav Car on Friday. It said it expressed a strong protest in connection with the groundless attempts of the Croatian authorities to blame Russia for war crimes in Ukraine and the provision of military assistance by the Croatian side to the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime. Last month, Croatia expelled 18 Russian diplomats. KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukraines foreign minister is pleading with Western nations to provide Kyiv with heavy weapons to enable it to push Russian forces back. Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday night tweeted a video of himself answering questions submitted on Twitter and said: We need heavy weapons. The only position where Russia is better than us its the amount of heavy weapons they have. Without artillery, without multiple launch rocket systems we wont be able to push them back. Kuleba said that the situation in the east of the country, where the Russian forces are on the offensive, is as dire as people say. He added: I would even say its even worse than people say. We need weapons. If you really care for Ukraine, weapons, weapons and weapons again, the minister stressed. KYIV, Ukraine -- A Ukrainian regional governor says that four people have been killed in the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk over the past 24 hours by Russian shelling. One more person was killed by a Russian shell in the village of Komushuvakha. Serhiy Haidai, the governor of the Luhansk region, wrote in a Telegram post Friday that the residents of Sievierodonetsk have forgotten when was the last time there was silence in the city for at least half an hour. He said that the Russians are pounding residential neighborhoods relentlessly. Sievierodonetsk Mayor Oleksandr Striuk said on Thursday that 60% of the citys residential buildings have been destroyed, and about 85-90% have been damaged and require major repairs. WELLINGTON, New Zealand The United States has won the latest round of a legal battle to seize a $325-million Russian-owned superyacht in Fiji, with the case now appearing headed for the Pacific nations top court. The case has highlighted the thorny legal ground the U.S. finds itself on as it tries to seize assets of Russian oligarchs around the world. Those intentions are welcomed by many governments and citizens who oppose the war in Ukraine, but some actions are raising questions about how far U.S. jurisdiction extends. Fijis Court of Appeal on Friday dismissed an appeal by Feizal Haniff, who represents the company that legally owns the superyacht Amadea. Haniff had argued the U.S. had no jurisdiction under Fijis mutual assistance laws to seize the vessel, at least until a court sorted out who really owned the Amadea. Haniff said he now plans to take the case to Fijis Supreme Court and will apply for a court order to stop U.S. agents sailing the Amadea from Fiji before the appeal is heard. WASHINGTON The U.S. general nominated to take over European Command has told senators that Sweden and Finlands push to join NATO wont require adding more U.S. ground forces into either country. But Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli said Thursday that military exercises and occasional American troop rotations will probably increase. Cavoli, who currently serves as head of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, said the increased military focus will probably continue to be on eastern Europe where nations are more worried about potential Russian aggression and any spillover of the war on Ukraine. Cavoli told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his nomination hearing that The center of gravity of NATO forces has shifted eastward." He said that depending on the outcome of the conflict, we may have to continue that for some time. Cavoli was asked about the U.S. troop presence in Europe, which has grown from fewer than 80,000 to about 102,000 since the buildup to Russias invasion. He said the increase had no ties to the more recent move by Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The National Rifle Association is set to hold its 2022 annual meeting in Houston on Friday, bringing together its top brass and several notable conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, for the first time in three years. The NRA's annual meeting was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, but this year the organization is moving ahead with its plans, holding the meeting at a time when both gun rights and the organization itself have come under intense scrutiny, especially after a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, left 21 dead. Here's what we know about the 2022 annual meeting. When is the meeting? The NRA's 2022 Annual Meeting & Exhibits is scheduled to take place from May 27-29, according to the event website. The leadership forum, which the organization bills as "one of the most politically significant and popular events in the country," will take place Friday afternoon. Where is the meeting? The leadership forum will be held in Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center, the same location it was going to be at last September for the 2021 annual meeting. Who can attend the meeting? The annual meeting is only open to NRA members. The organization currently has over five million members, according to its website. Who are this year's speakers? Friday's meeting will feature remarks from eight people, including NRA head Wayne LaPierre and Jason Ouimet, the executive director of the group's lobbying arm, according to the event website. Trump will also speak at the event. The former President, who maintained a close relationship with the gun lobby and its activists throughout his presidency, spoke at the 2019 event, which marked his fifth consecutive speech to the annual meeting. In addition to Trump, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, and Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw, also a Republican, are also scheduled to speak at Friday's meeting. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, both Republicans, will also deliver remarks. What are the security measures? The NRA said that because Trump will be at the event, the US Secret Service "will take control of the General Assembly Hall and have magnetometers in place before entry." Attendees are prohibited from bringing "firearms, firearm accessories, knives, and other items," including backpacks and selfie sticks. What has happened since the 2019 meeting? Friday's annual meeting will take place at a time when gun rights and the NRA have come under intense scrutiny, with supporters of gun control turning their attention to the organization this week after an 18-year-old gunman fatally shot 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, before he was killed by law enforcement, officials said. The NRA condemned the shooting in a statement Wednesday, calling it a "horrific and evil crime." "Although an investigation is underway and facts are still emerging, we recognize this was the act of a lone, deranged criminal," the group said. "As we gather in Houston, we will reflect on these events, pray for the victims, recognize our patriotic members, and pledge to redouble our commitment to making our schools secure." The massacre is the deadliest shooting at a school since the Sandy Hook massacre in Connecticut in 2012 that left 26 people dead, including 20 children aged between 6 and 7 years old. The NRA has also been in a fight to remain afloat after New York Attorney General Letitia James sued to dissolve the NRA for allegedly misusing charitable funds. In March, a New York State Supreme Court justice blocked James' attempt to dissolve the organization but allowed her suit against it to move forward. And observers are also awaiting a decision from the US Supreme Court in the biggest Second Amendment case it has taken up in more than a decade. The justices are considering whether to strike down a New York gun law enacted more than a century ago that places restrictions on carrying a concealed gun outside the home. What happened at the last annual meeting? At 2019's annual meeting, Trump announced that he would not ratify a United Nations arms trading treaty and then signed a message to the Senate in front of an audience of NRA leaders. The meeting was also notable because then-NRA President Oliver North told members during it that he would not be renominated president of the group following a dispute with LaPierre. The announcement was made in a letter in which North said he hoped he would be renominated for a second term but, "I am now informed that will not happen." Already a controversial figure due to his involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal, North joined the NRA at a critical juncture for it as it responded to renewed calls for gun control in the wake of the 2017 school shooting in Parkland, Florida. ___ CNN's Ariane de Vogue, Sonia Moghe, Jeremy Diamond, Maegan Vazquez and Nikki Carvajal contributed to this report. What happens way over there has a lot to do with what happens right in St. Louisans back yard. Perhaps the least-touted and least-understood aspect of global intelligence and warfare is what happens behind the walls of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which is building a $1.8 billion new western headquarters northwest of downtown. If St. Louisans are typical of many Americans, they dismiss a lot of news from overseas as having little or nothing to do with them. What they dont realize is that thousands of their fellow St. Louisans play key roles in determining U.S. military and intelligence responses, with thousands more support jobs opening around the city to support the NGAs growing mission. Theres no way to know exactly what role the St. Louis facility has in overall NGA operations, but its safe to conclude from the attention it receives from top U.S. defense and intelligence officials that the role is major. The agency is so secretive that even its budget is classified. Any mention of the NGA in news stories tends to come from obscure publications like SpyTalk, SpaceNews and BreakingDefense.com. But from parsing details of various major global military events, including the current war in Ukraine, its safe to say that the NGAs role has been so crucial that Ukraine would not have been able to beat back the invasion by far-stronger and better-equipped Russian forces without the kinds of pinpoint intelligence on troop movements and equipment deployments that the agencys spy satellites provide. Consider the Ukrainian attack last month that sank the guided missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of Russias Black Sea fleet. Russia has warned of World War III should the United States become directly involved in Ukraine. So American officials have been tight-lipped about any role U.S. intelligence or military assets played in the Moskvas sinking the biggest humiliation Moscow has suffered so far in the war. But unless Ukrainian forces were incredibly lucky with their shot-in-the-dark missile launch from miles away, they required the kinds of over-the-horizon satellite monitoring and targeting capabilities that only agencies like the NGA can provide. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, responding to an NBC News report about U.S. intelligence assistance with the sinking, insisted the Pentagon had no prior knowledge of the Ukrainians plans. The 2011 Navy SEAL Team 6 raid on al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Ladens compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, is another example of how intelligence that only the NGA could obtain helped guide special operations forces to their target and relay the results, including live video of bin Ladens killing, back to the White House. Like the code of silence that guides the SEALs work, what happens at the NGA stays at the NGA. St. Louisans can be certain, nonetheless, that the city owns a little piece of many major news-making military victories abroad. Reports that then-President Donald Trump reacted favorably as the Capitol mob chanted Hang Mike Pence on Jan. 6, 2021, is a fresh reminder that Trump is, at his core, an aspiring anti-democracy strongman one who still has a realistic prospect of winning the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. For years now, Republican politicians who support Trump, either tacitly or explicitly, have mastered the art of shrugging off these kinds of blaring red warning signals. They shouldnt be allowed to. For starters, every one of the 21 Missouri Republicans seeking the partys U.S. Senate nomination should face demands from their audiences and the media to respond specifically to this, and to Trumps continuing refusal to accept the judgment of voters in 2020. Trumps fury at Pence, his own vice president, stems from Pences refusal on Jan. 6 to invalidate Joe Bidens election victory. Pence had no power to do so the notion that a vice president could unilaterally hand the president (and thus himself) an unearned second term is constitutionally ludicrous on its face but some of the more squirrely characters around Trump fed his delusion. Pence, to his eternal credit, refused to even entertain this deeply un-American idea, thus drawing Trumps public condemnation and the mobs violent chants. That much has been long established. The new information, based on leaks from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack, is that Trump, watching the melee on TV in the White House, remarked that perhaps Pence should be hanged. Trump issued a statement denying the allegation, but coming from the most demonstrably dishonest president in Americas history, his denial means exactly nothing. The revelation came from a former White House staffer quoting Trumps own chief of staff, Mark Meadows, who related Trumps comment to others in front of witnesses. The witness (unlike Trump) testified under oath. Meadows has declined to comment but pointedly hasnt denied it. Put it all together along with what the country knows of Trumps personality and it probably happened. Which should put the spotlight on former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, U.S. Reps. Vicky Hartzler and Billy Long and Missouris other GOP Senate candidates. They and most of the field have either explicitly allied themselves with Trump (in the cases of Greitens and Long) or have notably refused to publicly disavow him. The fact that Trumps allies and enablers can pretend not to notice each new example of Trumps unfitness for office is a measure of how the party has normalized his deeply abnormal behavior. As long as he remains a viable 2024 presidential prospect who offers his coattails to other Republicans, those candidates have an obligation to either disavow him, or explain how they can possibly defend him. With democracy at stake, silence shouldnt be an option. President Xi Jinping of China saw his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin as having similar views on military strategy and the use of their military forces. Both nations use similar methods to train officers. China modeled its senior military schools on those used in Russia. Both nations depend on political officers to monitor loyalty and troop capabilities. Both countries cooperate closely on military planning and the use of information war and Internet-based operations. Both countries have a long history of corruption in the military during peacetime. The Russian tradition of corruption goes back centuries while China has had similar problems for thousands of years. China and Russia have formally adopted plans for even closer military cooperation, including a 2021 agreement to create a common roadmap for even closer military coordination and cooperation over the next five years. Since the 1990s China has modernized and expanded its armed forces while Russia was having a hard time replacing aging Cold War era equipment and the loss of 80 percent of its military personnel after the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Currently China has larger and better equipped forces than Russia. This had never happened before. Since both nations have nuclear weapons and many delivery systems, China sought to maintain good relations with Russia. At the same time China sought to continue learning from its neighbor, especially in light of the more extensive combat experience of Russian forces. Chinese troops have not been in combat since the 1970s, when they were defeated by fewer but more experienced and motivated Vietnamese troops. That border war was a stalemate, which was a victory for Vietnam. China has not forgotten that. Russia has suffered similar defeats since the 1980s in Afghanistan and Chechnya. Xi Jinping believed he understood how the Russian military planned and carried out military operations. He was impressed by the carefully planned Russian operations operation effort that quickly and bloodlessly took control of the Ukrainian Crimea in 2014. A similar operation a few months later in eastern Ukraine (Donbas) was less successful. China believed the Russians would come up with solutions to their problems in Donbas and efforts to eventually annex all of Ukraine. Meanwhile the Chinese studied the Crimea and Donbas operations for useful insights to help them gain control of Taiwan and the South China Sea. With all this in mind, China was surprised at how badly Russia prepared for and carried out their 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Russian failure in planning and carrying out that invasion was unexpected and it had repercussions beyond the military. Thats because both Xi and Putin are both artificial dictators. Both men manipulated existing methods of periodically selecting new leaders to give themselves lifetime tenure. Post- Soviet Russia is a democracy that Putin managed to modify to turn him into a dictator for as long as he could hang onto power. China was technically a democracy from 1910 to 1947 when the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) and its leader Mao Zedong took control of China, but there was no clear plan for a successor. When Mao died in 1976, senior CCP leaders agreed to a plan where they would select a new supreme leader every five years and prohibit anyone from holding more than one term. It was also decided to adopt a market economy and encourage Chinese to expand that economy and get rich in the process. The CCP was still in control and through more than three decades of unprecedented economic growth China became the second largest economy in the world. A decade ago, that economic growth began to stall and in 2012 Xi Jinping was selected for a five-year term as leader. In 2017 he persuaded the PSC (Politburo Standing Committee) which selects a new leader, toallow him to break the rules for selecting a new leader and allow him another term. It was granted and that led him to play a more active role in selecting the seven to eleven members of the PRC and give him a third term. The PRC was the senior portion of the larger Politburo which contained a lot of older, retired, CCP officials who were highly regarded and listened to when they objected to something. These CCP elders opposed Xis efforts to get a third term as leader of China. Xi is blamed for the problems with covid19 and the growing foreign military alliance formed to oppose Chinese expansion efforts. These failures are attributed to Xi and he is now considered part of the problem. In Russia, Vladimir Putin is in a similar situation but showing no willingness to consider the welfare of Russia or his catastrophic misjudgments and incompetent planning for the Ukraine invasion. A major difference between China and Russia is that the Chinese study and learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of others more frequently than Russia does. Russia did not pay attention, especially to what was going on in Ukraine between 2014 and 2022. China was surprised at the failure of Russian forces to quickly conquer Ukraine and the fierce resistance that tore apart the invasion force. The Taiwanese have been particularly encouraged by the success of the Ukrainians in developing a defense that worked against a delusional and overconfident invader. China has paid attention to how Ukraine prepared and how the West responded. This is important for China because of their plans and efforts to take possession of Taiwan and the South China Sea. Taiwan was also paying attention, especially since 2014 and increased its preparations to defeat a Chinese attack. This has cost Xi a lot of the CCP support that has kept him in power. Many Chinese business leaders and entrepreneurs are also worried. The 1980s reforms of Deng Xiaoping, to replace the dictator for life model that failed for Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, Adolph Hitler and Mao Zedong with one that a system that kept a socialist dictatorship in power while allowing a market economy and term limits on the national leader. This worked so why change it? Thats what worries the business community and overseas customers and investors. Xi Jinping feels the abandonment of term limits is necessary so that he can deal with the corruption that has always been a major weakness of Chinese culture and governments. Yet the return to one man rule for life brings with it other potential pitfalls. One is unexpected and often arbitrary changes in laws and a growing dependence on nationalism to maintain sufficient popular support. Stressing nationalism has put China into conflict with most of its neighbors as well as the United States and Western nations. Putin followed the same strategy and is now facing opposition that could turn into a coup. China believes it has moved beyond that and now has to prove it. The alternative is returning to the two centuries of civil war and power struggles that the CCP sought to replace with stability and prosperity. That also means taking a closer look at the anti-corruption efforts Xi applied to the Chinese military and a reassessment of just how effective the increasingly expensive armed forces are. Similar Russian military reforms proved exaggerated and disastrously ineffective in Ukraine. PHILIPPINE SEA (March 16, 2022) Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) launches a torpedo during routine underway operations. Higgins is assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 71/Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navys largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleets principal surface force. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Arthur Rosen) X 0 20 Help Keep Us Soaring We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling. We need your help in reversing that trend. We would like to add 20 new subscribers this month. Each month we count on your subscriptions or contributions. You can support us in the following ways: Political deadlock survives while the two main factions refuse to agree on national elections or the presence of foreign troops provided by Russia and Turkey. Russia has reduced its forces in Libya because of the war in Ukraine while Turkey has made smaller reductions because of severe economic problems in Turkey. P olitical uncertainty is made worse by economic problems since April because both eastern (Fathi Bashagha) and western (Abdulhamid Dbeibah) factions have caused oil exports to decline by a third. This lack of unity has been around since the decades old dictatorship was overthrown in mid-2011. The UN stepped in with an official presence but because of the militia violence in the capital of Tripoli, the UN mission has been headquartered in neighboring Tunisia. For the same reason Fathi Bashagha, the leader of the eastern Libyan government does not plan to rule all of Libya from Tripoli until the violent militias there are pacified. This is what the eastern forces were close to accomplishing in 2019 before the Turks got involved. After 2011 the UN was able to impose control over Libyan oil revenues deposited in European banks, to curb corruption, benefits for the Libyan population were disrupted and reduced by the continuing disorder. What it comes down to is that there is no sense of national unity. The best post-2011 Libya has been able to do is create somewhat stable coalitions in eastern and western Libya. Partition of Libya into east and west is now seen as a serious solution to the continued deadlock. There was never a lot of fighting, even during the 2011 revolution. It only took a few months of fighting, as well as the intervention by NATO airpower against the dictatorship, to bring down the unelected government that had ruled Libya since 1969. That dictatorship overthrew a constitutional monarchy, established in 1951 by the victorious allies of World War II, to finally unite Libya as an independent nation. Before that, Libya had been split into two or three regions usually subordinate to some foreign empire. Oil was discovered in 1959 and as the oil wealth increased so did nationalist ambitions. That led to a military coup in 1969, organized by young army officers led by Moamar Kaddafi. This dictatorship misruled Libya until 2011 when Kaddafi was overthrown and killed. What it comes down to is that there is currently no war in Libya. Over the last decade most of the casualties have come from rival militias in Tripoli fighting each other and the Islamic terrorists in the east and south attacking locals and each other. Libya can best be described as a failed state, similar to what happened to Somalia after the 1990 anti-government rebellion and in Afghanistan after the Russians left in 1987 and again in 2021 when Pakistan-backed Taliban overthrew a government that had existed since 2002. In Somalia Islamic terrorist groups (mainly al Shabaab) eventually tried to take over, but failed. In Afghanistan it was the Taliban, which took over most of the country in the late 1990s, but was overthrown in late 2001 when the U.S. came to the aid of the tribes that were still fighting the Taliban. The clear lesson here is that someone will have to intervene to prevent the Islamic terrorists from gaining too much control over the country, or simply to stop the violence before the economy (oil industry) is destroyed. At the moment no one is stepping forward to intervene, mainly because it is an expensive and thankless job. Someone may still intervene to back the government and that is what the government is hoping for. The current stalemate was caused when the western GNU (Government of National Unity) officially refused to recognize the western (HoR, or House of Representatives) government approval of Fathi Bashagha as the new GNU prime minister. The HoR government represents more Libyans than the Tripoli-based GNA (Government of National Accord). The GNA and HoR are in the process of using the GNU to merge but that process, and the long-sought national elections, are currently blocked by a dispute within the GNU between the newly elected former interior minister Fathi Bashagha as the new GNU prime minister and the original GNU prime minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, whose term of office ended in December. This dispute has been going on since January and the UN efforts to resolve the dispute have, as usual, failed so far. Dbeibah turned out to be corrupt and willing to accept the Turkish presence in Libya. Dbeibah and members of his cabinet refuse to cede power to Bashagha, who is backed by the eastern HoR faction and its LNA (Libyan National Army) forces, which still control most of Libya. Bashagha believes he can organize national elections in 14 months, unless the UN backs Dbeibah or does nothing to block interference from Dbeibah. Bashagha backed Turkish intervention in 2019 and 2020, but turned against the Turks when the Turks indicated they were not leaving Libya. The December 24 elections did not happen and there are disagreements in Libya and the UN over a new date for national elections. The UN also wants to replace many of the local officials in the GNU. In late 2020 the UN brokered the creation of the GNU, yet another temporary government to unite Libya. The Turks, Russians, GNA , HoR and LNA agreed to withdraw their forces as part of a late 2020 ceasefire/national unification plan. This agreement called for national elections to be held by the end of 2021. That did not happen, mainly because of the continued presence of Turkish forces and disagreements over the new constitution and who can run for office. The Turks realize they dont have to fight to remain in Libya, just disrupt and delay any efforts, like elections or a UN condemnation, to force them to leave or fight to stay. Libyans have not been able to agree on a new government since the overthrow of Kaddafi in mid-2011. There was some unity because by 2015 there were two major factions, one in the capital Tripoli and backed by the UN and the other in the east, based in Tobruk. The primary dispute between the two factions was support of Islamic political parties and some Islamic terrorist groups. In Most of Libya, especially the east, that attitude was not acceptable and the growing number of Islamic terror groups in Libya had become a major threat to most Libyans. The most effective opponent of the Islamic terrorists was a former Libyan army officer, Khalifa Haftar, who fled Libya in the 1980s after incurring the wrath of dictator Kaddafi. Now an American citizen, he returned to eastern Libya in 2013, revived some of the units of the Kaddafi-era military and began taking control of military bases from militias and Islamic terrorists. Eastern tribes rallied to Haftar, who had organized the most effective counterterrorism effort in the country. Haftar had the support of most Arab states, especially Egypt and the UAE. Egypt has a vulnerable border with Libya that was being used by Islamic terror groups to move people in and out as well as smuggle weapons into Egypt. Egypt provided a land route to Libya for supplies and weapons for the LNA, largely paid for by the UAE and other Arab oil states. Egypt, the UAE and other Arab states support the new Bashagha government and oppose the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Turkey backs Ukraine more than it opposes Russia and is trying to play both sides. The UN was forced by nearly all its members to strongly condemn Russia for the Ukraine invasion. The Ukrainian situation has also taken away any UN attention to the Libya crisis. Currently the UN has not proposed any solution to the GNA/HoR dispute or the illegal presence of Turkey in Libya. The UN tends to avoid offending major UN members, especially the five nations with veto power. That group includes Russia but not Turkey. The UN does not have armed forces, aside from peacekeepers who are supplied by member states and paid for by UN members, especially the U.S. and other industrial nations that provide most of the UN budget. UN leaders have found that the safest thing for them to do when major powers have disputes is to find ways to offend no one, even if that means serious disputes go on far longer than necessary. Russia backed Haftar early on and by 2016 Haftar was making regular visits to Russia to discuss cooperation in the fight against the Islamic terrorists in Libya. What impressed the Russians was Haftars long-range plan for uniting Libya, holding elections and allowing the Libyan economy to thrive once more. Russia began providing military assistance, in the form of advisors and technicians to repair and restore a lot of Russian tanks, artillery and aircraft that were still intact but out of action because of a lack of repairs and new parts. Russia and Arab allies also helped Haftar with logistics. Haftar forces were effective and loyal because Haftar took care of them and minimized friendly casualties. The Russian and Arab support enabled the LNA to pacify 90 percent of Libya and by early 2019 Haftar was closing in on Tripoli, where the UN-backed GNA was barely able to maintain order in Tripoli and two other eastern cities dominated by Islamic militias who openly feuded with each other and barely tolerated the GNA. By mid-2019 the LNA offensive was working its way towards taking Tripoli when Turkey showed up with an offer the GNA couldnt refuse; military intervention against the LNA. In return the GNA would sign a treaty with Turkey granting it somebody elses offshore oil rights. The GNAs UN patron did little more than protest as Turkey began moving in weapons and troops, especially 10,000 of its own Syrian Arab mercenaries, to halt the LNA advance. By February 2020 the LNA agreed to a ceasefire. This held and led to a peace deal in which the GNA and eastern HoR governments agreed to merge and carry out national elections. Part of the deal was Russia and Turkey withdrawing their troops. Russia began doing so but the Turks did not. The Russian force was much smaller (about 1,200 Wagner Group military contractors and Russian technicians for maintaining equipment as well as a larger force of Arab mercenaries) than the 12,000 Turkish troops and Arab mercenaries. Russia had another reason for pulling out most of its personnel; it could no longer afford it. That was the result of economic sanctions imposed after the 2014 Russian attack on Ukraine. In 2022 that escalated into a larger operation and Russia is now burdened with even heavier sanctions. This could lead to the departure of all Russian military personnel. The Turks are now the major obstacle to Libyan unity and elections. Russia also has forces in Syria, where it is an ally of Turkey. The key issue is getting the Turks out of Libya but no one has the military capability to force the Turks out as long as the Turks refuse to leave. Bashagha, the new GNU leader, promises to use negotiation to get the Turks out. The Turkish forces are still concentrated in the west, around Tripoli and Misrata. In both these cities the militias violently feud with each other. This happens despite Turkish efforts to train militia members to be professional soldiers. The militiamen accepted the training and new weapons, but their first loyalty remained to their militia leaders, who often represented populations in the two cities. After 2015 the LNA served as a successful counterterrorism force the destroyed or neutralized Islamic terrorists in the east and south and by 2019 was preparing to do the same with the feuding Islamic militias in Tripoli and Misrata. Not all the troublesome militias were in the major cities. Some are from rural areas around oil production facilities and serve as PFGs (Petroleum Facilities Guards). General Haftar and his LNA tamed these PFGs via negotiation and in a few instances by force. Despite that, and the fact that jobs as PFGs are among the best paid and secure in the country, some PFG groups have internal political problems that occasionally result in a PFG threatening to shut down the facilities they guard unless they are paid more. Its still up to the LNA to settle these disputes with a minimum of violence or lost production. Most Libyans are aware of the rising cost of grain imports and that the national bank has exhausted most of its cash reserves. That means that any serious disruption of oil production will soon mean less access to food or cash for government payrolls, including the PFGs. The PFGs have long been seen as a permanent source of corruption. PFGs are tribal militias hired (or bribed) by previous or post-2011 governments to keep oil fields, pipelines and port facilities secure. Soon after Kaddafi was deposed in 2011 many, if not most, PFGs went rogue, shut down the facilities they guarded and, in effect, tried to blackmail whoever was paying them to pay more. This was driven by tribal feuds over how oil revenue should be allocated. Libya has always been very corrupt and Kaddafi remained in power for decades by playing the tribes off on each other with oil income. Those who cooperated got more, those who caused trouble got less. With Kaddafi gone many tribes wanted payback for past real or imagined injustices. Many of the PFGs came to support the GNA but, as long as some of them continue to resist, oil income is crippled and the much-feared food crisis is no longer approaching, it is here. General Haftar and the HoR government have been successful negotiating with the PFGs and offering a better deal (larger share of oil income) and less corruption. Haftar has a reputation for being much less corrupt. PFGs often shut down oil fields and ports because GNA has not paid them. In these cases, GNA often delivered the cash but some or all of it was stolen by PFG leaders who denied they were stealing. The GNA has to collect and publicize enough evidence of the theft to convince other militias and tribal leaders that the corrupt PFG men must be replaced. This is difficult to do and meanwhile PFGs are constantly demanding adequate compensation before they will allow oil to be pumped, moved via a pipeline to the export facilities or loaded on tankers. The details of how much adequate compensation any PFG is paid is usually kept secret because in Libya the feeling is that no one group is getting their fair share of the oil wealth that has kept the country functioning since the 1970s. Without the cash provided by oil exports Libya could not import enough food and other essentials to keep the population alive. PFGs are acutely aware that if they lose control of the facilities they protect they lose their jobs so they are extremely defensive and paranoid. The overall problem is that PFG compensation has little relationship to how dangerous the work is but rather is more a matter of tribal politics. It has taken several years for tribes in areas where there are oil facilities to realize that if they do not cooperate everyone will suffer, which is what has been happening and is getting worse. Libyans are exhausted and frustrated, but not so much that they will unite, or fight. May 23, 2022: In the west (Misrata) a Russian ship delivered 27.000 tons of wheat. Other nations are supplying basic foods while Turkey provides consumer and industrial goods. April 29, 2022: The UN again extended its work ("mandate") in Libya for another three months, to help the new government get organized. This has neem going on since late 2011. For a while the mandate was extended annually but once Russia and Turkey were actively involved inside Libya the mandates were for three months. Russia insists on this because it makes it more difficult for the UN to do anything decisive to force foreign troops out of Libya. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 27, 2022 / Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. (OTCQB:IPCIF and TSX:IPCI) ("Intellipharmaceutics" or the "Company"), a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and manufacture of novel and generic controlled-release and targeted-release oral solid dosage drugs, reports, as required by TSX rules, that the five nominees, each of whom was an incumbent director of the Company, identified in the Management Information Circular dated April 12, 2022 (the "Circular") were elected as directors of the Company at the annual meeting of shareholders of the Company held today (the "Meeting"). The voting results, as set out in the scrutineer's report for the Meeting, were as follows: Name of Nominee Votes For Votes Withheld Dr. Isa Odidi 12,104,193 144,707 98.8% 1.2% Dr. Amina Odidi 12,124,250 124,650 99.0% 1.0% Bahadur Madhani 12,061,655 187,245 98.5% 1.5% Norman Betts 12,127,603 121,297 99.0% 0.99% Shawn Graham 12,061,621 187,279 98.5% 1.5% All other resolutions tabled for consideration at the Meeting, as set out in the Circular, were also approved by shareholders of the Company. See the Company's Report on Voting Results filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com for additional details. About Intellipharmaceutics Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. is a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and manufacture of novel and generic controlled-release and targeted-release oral solid dosage drugs. The Company's patented Hypermatrix" technology is a multidimensional controlled-release drug delivery platform that can be applied to a wide range of existing and new pharmaceuticals. Intellipharmaceutics has developed several drug delivery systems based on this technology platform, with a pipeline of products (some of which have received FDA approval) in various stages of development. The Company has ANDA and NDA 505(b)(2) drug product candidates in its development pipeline. These include the Company's abuse-deterrent oxycodone hydrochloride extended release formulation ("Oxycodone ER") based on its proprietary nPODDDS" novel Point Of Divergence Drug Delivery System (for which an NDA has been filed with the FDA), and Regabatin" XR (pregabalin extended-release capsules). Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this document constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and/or "forward-looking information" under the Securities Act (Ontario). These statements include, without limitation, statements expressed or implied regarding our expectations regarding our plans, goals and milestones, status of developments or expenditures relating to our business, plans to fund our current activities, risks associated with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), including its impact on our business and operations and on the Company's upcoming AGM and statements concerning our partnering activities, health regulatory submissions, strategy, future operations, future financial position, future sales, revenues and profitability, projected costs and market penetration and risks or uncertainties related to our ability comply with OTCQB Venture Market and TSX requirements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "appear", "unlikely", "target", "may", "will", "should", "expects", "plans", "plans to", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "confident", "prospects", "potential", "continue", "intends", "look forward", "could", "would", "projected", "set to", "seeking" or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology. We made a number of assumptions in the preparation of our forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which are subject to a multitude of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, future circumstances or events to differ materially from those stated in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties relating to us and our business can be found in the "Risk Factors" section of our latest annual information form, our latest Form 20-F, and our latest Form F-1 and Form F-3 registration statements (including any documents forming a part thereof or incorporated by reference therein), as amended, as well as in our reports, public disclosure documents and other filings with the securities commissions and other regulatory bodies in Canada and the U.S., which are available on www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov. The forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on what we believe are reasonable assumptions as of the date of this document and we disclaim any intention and have no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Trademarks used herein are the property of their respective holders. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to "we," "us," "our," Intellipharmaceutics," and the "Company" refer to Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. and its subsidiaries. CONTACT INFORMATION Company Contact: Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. Isa Odidi Chief Executive Officer 416.798.3001 ext. 106 [email protected] SOURCE: Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. View source version on accesswire.com: Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) disclosed: As described in Item 5.07 below, on May 25, 2022, Twitter, Inc. (the Company) held its annual meeting of stockholders (the Meeting). Egon Durban did not receive a majority of the votes cast at the Meeting for his election to the Companys Board of Directors (the Board). In accordance with the Companys Corporate Governance Guidelines, in advance of his nomination, Mr. Durban tendered his resignation as a member of the Board, with the effectiveness of such resignation being conditioned upon (a) Mr. Durban not receiving a majority of the votes cast for his election at the Meeting and (b) the Boards acceptance of such resignation (the Tendered Resignation). The Board believes that the reason Mr. Durban failed to receive the support of a majority of the votes cast for his reelection to the Board at the Meeting was due to proxy advisory firm voting guidelines, as well as voting policies of certain institutional investors regarding board service limitations. As disclosed in the Companys proxy statement, Mr. Durban serves on the boards of directors of six other publicly traded companies. Following deliberations, on May 26, 2022, the Board determined not to accept the Tendered Resignation in connection with Mr. Durbans agreement to reduce his board service commitment to no more than five public company boards by May 25, 2023 (the Remediation Date). In making its determination, the Board considered the recommendation of the Companys Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the Nominating Committee) to not accept the Tendered Resignation. The Nominating Committee, in making its recommendation to the Board, considered factors they deemed relevant, including Mr. Durbans appointment to the Board pursuant to a March 9, 2020 agreement between the Company and funds affiliated with Silver Lake (collectively, Silver Lake), whereby Silver Lake has the right to designate one nominee on the Companys slate of nominees for election to the Board. The Nominating Committee further considered Mr. Durbans other commitments in light of his overall contributions to the Board and was confident that Mr. Durban has sufficient capacity to fulfill his fiduciary duties to the Companys stockholders. The Board considers Mr. Durban a highly effective member and believes that he brings to the Board an unparalleled operational knowledge of the industry, a unique perspective, and an invaluable skill set and experience with mergers and acquisitions. The Board noted that Mr. Durban has strengthened its ability to oversee the Companys long-term value creation strategy and effectively govern its implementation. Further, Mr. Durban is consistently well-prepared, engaged and a meaningful contributor to Board meetings and discussions. While the Board does not believe that Mr. Durbans other public company directorships will become an impediment if such engagements were to continue, Mr. Durbans commitment to reduce his board service commitment to five public company boards by the Remediation Date appropriately addresses the concerns raised by stockholders with regard to such engagements. Accordingly, the Board has reached the determination that accepting Mr. Durbans Tendered Resignation at this time is not in the best interests of the Company. Mr. Durban did not participate in the deliberations by the Nominating Committee or the Board regarding whether to accept the Tendered Resignation. FILE PHOTO: Elon Musk's twitter account is seen on a smartphone in front of the Twitter logo in this photo illustration taken, April 15, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration (Reuters) - Twitter Inc said in a filing on Friday it will not accept Egon Durban's resignation from the board, two days after shareholders blocked his re-election at an annual meeting. Durban is an ally of Elon Musk, who has offered to take Twitter private in a $44 billion deal. Twitter said Durban failed to receive the support of a majority of the votes in the re-election held earlier this week due to "voting policies of certain institutional investors regarding board service limitations". Durban, who serves on the boards of six other companies, has agreed to reduce his board service commitments to no more than five public company boards by May 25, 2023, Twitter said. The social media company added that Durban was an "effective member" of the board and brings "an unparalleled operational knowledge of the industry". The vote on Wednesday against the re-election could indicate skepticism among shareholders of Musk's plan or his willingness to pay what he offered, but investors are expected to overwhelmingly approve the deal at another meeting yet to be scheduled. Silver Lake Partners, where Durban is co-CEO, helped put together Musk's $44 billion acquisition of Twitter. In 2018, Silver Lake offered to help finance Musk's contemplated $72 billion bid to take electric-car maker Tesla Inc private. Musk tweeted on May 13 that the Twitter deal was "temporarily on hold" while he sought more information about the proportion of fake accounts on Twitter. Separately, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Friday it was looking into Musk's disclosure of his Twitter stake in April. Shares of Tesla Inc, where Musk serves as the chief executive officer, were up nearly 5%, while Twitter rose marginally in early trading. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Shounak Dasgupta) $230M AUM Missouri-based firm selects Integrated for organic growth solutions and strong advisor-service model BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Integrated Partners, a national financial planning and registered investment advisory firm, today announced it has added Missouri-based Nold Bryant as an affiliate partner, a client-centric planning and investment firm led by Chief Executive Officer and Senior Wealth Planner Austin Nold, CFP. Nold, 36, was named as a Forbes Best-In-State Advisor for 2022 following making its Top Next-Gen Wealth Advisors list the previous year. Nold and Christian Bryant, 28, President and Chief Investment Officer, both previously affiliated with Stifel, are driven by their entrepreneurial and independent spirit and serve their clients as fiduciaries. Nold Bryant places an emphasis on holistic financial planning and tailors its investment portfolios to each client to suit their needs. With the help of Jake Wallingford, associate wealth planner; Kelly Petersen, client services manager; and Hillary Worley, client experience lead, the firm helps its clients navigate through lifes financial challenges and evolutions by designing a road map to guide them toward achieving their goals. We sought a partner that mirrored the same values that we do: consistent, transparent communication, possessing high integrity and always acting in the best interests of our clients, Nold said. Integrated Partners fit that bill and surpassed our expectations because the entire firm exudes a familial culture, treating each client as if they are your only client. Integrated Partners equips their partner firms with the tools necessary to succeed in all market conditions and always has their advisors backs. Nold Bryant is currently operating out of St. Joseph, Mo. Bryant noted that Integrated Partners played a pivotal role in helping to secure the state-of-the-art office. I was so impressed working with Austin and Christian when it came to their drive and forward-thinking, noted Rob Sandrew, Integrated Partners Chief Growth Officer. Our CPA Alliance, which has been successfully partnering financial advisors with CPAs for more than 25 years, bringing together a team to the benefit of the client as well as the advisor and CPA, is one of many benefits that Austin and Christian can add to their current practice. These two have great visions for their futures as well as having their clients best interest at heart. Paul Saganey, Founder and President of Integrated Partners, concludes: From day one, we have built special relationships with every advisor we serve and those continue to flourish. Strong, dependable relationships built on trust and common purpose the financial well-being of our clients have been the key to our meteoric growth over the last few years. For more information about Nold Bryant, click here. 1 https://www.forbes.com/best-in-state-wealth-advisors/#55b1f256291d About Integrated Partners Since 1996, Integrated Partners has been helping financial advisors to achieve their entrepreneurial vision. We offer comprehensive business building services, designed with the truly independent advisor in mind. With 160 advisors, 140 CPAs and 60 regional offices across the United States, Integrated has built our reputation advisor by advisor, client by client. Constructed and grown upon a foundation of empowerment, integrity, and trust, we believe in the incredible power that financial advisors have to make a positive impact on peoples lives. Integrated supports advisors by offering a completely customizable open architecture business environment: technology, investment management, advanced planning, CPA partner program, custody, marketing, public relations, M&A, succession planning and comprehensive business counsel. Investment advice offered through Integrated Partners, a registered investment advisor. Integrated Partners, and Nold Bryant are separate entities. We believe in advisors. Let us prove it to you. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220527005089/en/ StreetCred PR Allie Zendrian [email protected] 516-581-7202 Jason Lahita [email protected] 973-460-7837 Source: Integrated Partners American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine and Ross University School of Medicine Graduates Help Fill Most Critical Specialties Like Primary Care, 26% are of Underrepresented Races and Ethnicities MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Adtalem Global Educations (NYSE: ATGE) medical schools, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) and Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) celebrated more than 750 medical school graduates during their commencement ceremonies in Miami. Graduates from Adtalems medical schools join a network of more than 275,000 Adtalem alumni, with 22,000 medical school alumni. AUC and RUSM combined achieved strong residency placements with a 95% first-time eligible residency attainment rate for 2021-22 graduates and expected graduates (as of April 5, 2022). AUCs rate of 96% and RUSMs of 95% are among the highest in Adtalems history and represents the fourth consecutive year at 90% or higher residency attainment. Of the combined current and former graduates at AUC and RUSM who secured residencies in 2022, 74% will enter primary care specialties helping to combat the critical physician shortage, which is expected to reach up to 124,000 by 2034. Adtalems two medical schools continue to address the challenging workforce shortages in healthcare. Promoting access to medical care and health equity are key focus areas of Adtalems medical schools, and Adtalem addresses this by increasing the diversity of its medical school students. In 2022, 26% of Adtalems medical school graduates are of a race or ethnicity underrepresented in medicine, of which more than 100 identify as Black or African American. Critical healthcare needs and disparities existed across the country before the pandemic, and with COVID-19, underrepresented populations have been disproportionately impacted, said John Danaher, MD, president, Adtalem Medical and Veterinary. We are proud of our medical schools commitment to providing a high-quality medical school education to an increasingly diverse physician workforce. Both medical school ceremonies included student speakers, including AUC graduate and prior student government leader Christina Arche-Perez, MD, a Miami native. Arche-Perez, who is the first doctor in her family, will soon begin her residency training in pediatrics at Nicklaus Childrens Hospital, her top choice program. RUSM student Uzoma Dike, MD, a Houston native, addressed his peers and will be starting his family medicine residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch this summer. Keynoting AUCs ceremony was AUC Class of 2006 alum Steven Jackson, MD, who is program director and spinal cord injury specialist at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn., and a patient experience and assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Minnesota Medical School. His research focuses on disparities and advancing health equity, a core tenet of his education at AUC. At RUSMs commencement, Selwyn O. Rogers Jr., MD, MPH, FACS, addressed the graduates. He is a widely respected surgeon, public health expert and founding director of the University of Chicago Medicine Trauma Center, where he works with leaders in the city's trauma network to expand trauma care on Chicago's South Side. Dr. Rogers has published numerous articles related to health disparities and the impact of race and ethnicity on surgical outcomes. Participants in this years commencement ceremony from RUSM and AUC were born in 65 countries and 45 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C. Florida, California and New York were among the most common states graduates hailed from. About American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC School of Medicine) is an institution of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a global education provider headquartered in the United States. AUC School of Medicines mission is to train tomorrows physicians, whose service to their communities and their patients is enhanced by international learning experiences, a diverse learning community, and an emphasis on social accountability and engagement. Founded in 1978, AUC School of Medicine has more than 7,500 graduates, many of whom work in primary care or underserved areas. Dedicated to developing physicians with a lifelong commitment to patient-centered care, AUC School of Medicine embraces collaboration, inclusion, and community service. With a campus in Sint Maarten, affiliated teaching hospitals in the United States and the United Kingdom, and internationally recognized faculty, AUC School of Medicine has a diverse medical education program for todays globally minded physician. For more information visit aucmed.edu, follow AUC School of Medicine on Twitter (@aucmed), Instagram (@aucmed_edu) and Facebook (@aucmed). About Ross University School of Medicine Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) is an institution of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a global education provider headquartered in the United States. Founded in 1978 and located in Barbados, RUSM has more than 15,000 alumni and is committed to educating a diverse group of skilled physicians. RUSM is accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP). For more information, please visit medical.rossu.edu and follow RUSM on Twitter (@RossMedSchool), Instagram (@rossmedschool) and Facebook (@RossMedSchool). About Adtalem Global Education The purpose of Adtalem Global Education is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success, and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE) is a leading healthcare educator and provider of professional talent to the healthcare industry. With a dedicated focus on driving strong outcomes that increase workforce preparedness, Adtalem empowers a diverse learner population to achieve their goals and make inspiring contributions to their communities. Adtalem is the parent organization of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Chamberlain University, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, and Walden University. Adtalem and its institutions have more than 10,000 employees and a network of more than 275,000 alumni. Adtalem was named one of Americas Most Responsible Companies 2021 by Newsweek, and one of Americas Best Employers for Diversity in 2021 and 2022 by Forbes. Follow Adtalem on Twitter @adtalemglobal, LinkedIn or visit Adtalem.com for more information. 1 Includes students who have graduated during the academic year or who the Registrar's Office has designated as eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220526005786/en/ Adtalem Media Contact: Rosalind DEugenio [email protected] AUC/RUSM Media Contact: Susan Flower [email protected] Source: Adtalem Global Education VIENNA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE American: CVM) today announced the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has published two abstracts related to CEL-SCIs pivotal Phase 3 Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Inj.)* head and neck cancer clinical trial. The poster will be presented by CEL-SCIs Chief Scientific Officer, Eyal Talor, Ph.D., at the 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting to be held June 3-7, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. Abstract titles and corresponding links are as follows: Leukocyte interleukin injection (LI) immunotherapy extends overall survival (OS) in treatment-naive low-risk (LR) locally advanced primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: The IT-MATTERS study. Link to abstract: https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/207201 Novel algorithm for assigning risk/disease-directed treatment (DDT) choice in locally advanced primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN): Using pretreatment data only. Link to abstract: https://meetings.asco.org/abstracts-presentations/207202/ ASCO is the largest cancer meeting in the world, bringing together thousands of cancer experts from academia, industry, patient advocacy and policy. About CEL-SCI Corporation CEL-SCI believes that boosting a patients immune system while it is still intact should provide the greatest possible impact on survival. Therefore, in the Phase 3 study CEL-SCI treated patients who are newly diagnosed with advanced primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck with the investigational product Multikine first, BEFORE they received surgery and radiotherapy or surgery plus concurrent radiochemotherapy (the current standard of care for these patients). This approach is unique. Most other cancer immunotherapies are administered only after conventional therapies have been tried and/or failed. Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) received Orphan Drug designation from the FDA for neoadjuvant therapy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (cancer) of the head and neck. CEL-SCI believes that this Phase 3 study is the largest Phase 3 study in the world for the treatment of advanced primary head and neck cancer. Multikine is designed to help the immune system see the tumor at a time when the immune system is still relatively intact and thereby thought to be better able to mount an attack on the tumor. The Phase 3 study was started in early 2011 and was fully enrolled with 928 patients in September 2016. To prove an overall survival benefit, the study required CEL-SCI to wait until at least 298 (deaths) events had occurred among the two main comparator groups. The Companys LEAPS technology is being developed for rheumatoid arthritis. The Company has operations in Vienna, Virginia, and near/in Baltimore, Maryland. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. When used in this press release, the words "intends," "believes," "anticipated," "plans" and "expects," and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the terms, expected proceeds, use of proceeds and closing of the offering. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include an inability to duplicate the clinical results demonstrated in clinical studies, timely development of any potential products that can be shown to be safe and effective, receiving necessary regulatory approvals, difficulties in manufacturing any of the Company's potential products, inability to raise the necessary capital and the risk factors set forth from time to time in CEL-SCI's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to its report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2021. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revision to these forward-looking statements which may be made to reflect the events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. * Multikine (Leukocyte Interleukin, Injection) is the trademark that CEL-SCI has registered for this investigational therapy, and this proprietary name is subject to FDA review in connection with the Company's future anticipated regulatory submission for approval. Multikine has not been licensed or approved for sale, barter or exchange by the FDA or any other regulatory agency. Similarly, its safety or efficacy has not been established for any use. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220527005092/en/ COMPANY CONTACT: Gavin de Windt CEL-SCI Corporation (703) 506-9460 Source: CEL-SCI Corporation Doctors with Cancer Treatment Centers of America, part of City of Hope, will also share innovative research LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, today announced it would present research on promising treatments for bladder and blood cancers, as well as studies on precision medicine and an experimental cancer vaccine, at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncologys (ASCO) annual conference from June 3 to 7 in Chicago. More than 40,000 oncology professionals and others will attend the conference, or join virtually, to learn about the latest scientific research on cancer treatment, detection and prevention. For the first time in two years, our doctors and scientists will meet in person to present the innovative cancer research that City of Hope is known for and learn from colleagues, said Steven T. Rosen, M.D., City of Hope provost and chief scientific officer and Irell & Manella Cancer Center Director's Distinguished Chair. City of Hopes commitment to expand access to specialty cancer care and remove barriers for underserved patients also aligns closely with ASCOs conference theme this year to advance equitable care through innovation. City of Hope doctors and scientists will present oral and poster presentations on a wide range of topics: Cabozantinib shows enhanced response to checkpoint inhibitor in patients with solid tumors Findings from three groups of the COSMIC-021 study show benefit of cabozantinib plus atezolizumab in certain patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Cabozantinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that may enhance a patients response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, which can help the bodys immune system fight cancer. COSMIC-021 is a multicenter Phase 1b study evaluating cabozantinib plus atezolizumab (an antiPD-L1 therapy) in patients with various solid tumors (NCT03170960). The findings from cohorts 3, 4 and 5 will be presented during an oral presentation at ASCOs Annual Meeting on Friday, June 3, at 3:57 p.m. CDT. The study enrolled patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma, including cancer of the bladder, renal pelvis, ureter and urethra. Patients in cohorts 3 and 4 had not undergone previous therapy and were either eligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy, cohort 4, or were not eligible for it, cohort 3. Patients in cohort 5 had been previously treated with an immune-checkpoint inhibitor, but not with a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Cabozantinib plus atezolizumab demonstrated encouraging clinical activity with manageable toxicity in patients with inoperable locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma, said Sumanta Kumar Pal, M.D., co-director of City of Hope's Kidney Cancer Program and the studys primary investigator. The therapy has promise both as a first-line systemic therapy in patients who havent been treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy and as a second-line therapy in patients who have been treated with an immune-checkpoint inhibitor. After enrollment in the trial, the patients were followed by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans performed every six weeks for the first year and every 12 weeks thereafter. The study sought to measure the objective response rate, which is the proportion of patients with a complete or partial response, as assessed by use of Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1, a standard way to measure a tumors response to treatment. Thirty patients were enrolled in both cohorts 3 and 4. Thirty-one patients were enrolled in cohort 5. Cabozantinib plus atezolizumab demonstrated clinical benefit in all groups. The objective response rate was 20%, 30% and 10% in cohorts 3, 4 and 5, respectively. One patient in cohort 3 (3%) and two patients in cohort 4 (7%) achieved a complete response. Median overall survival was approximately 14 months in cohorts 3 and 4 and eight months in cohort 5. The most common treatment-related side effects were diarrhea, aspartate aminotransferase increase, decreased appetite, alanine aminotransferase increased, fatigue and nausea. Grade 3 or 4 side effects, which can be more severe, were reported by 63%, 43% and 45% of cohorts 3, 4 and 5, respectively. Early results show efficacy of acalabrutinib in patients with marginal zone lymphoma Results from a clinical trial of acalabrutinib in patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma will be presented at this years ASCO meeting in a poster session on Saturday, June 4, at 8 a.m. CDT. Marginal zone lymphomas are a type of B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Few treatment options are available for patients whose disease reappears after a period of remission, known as a relapse, or in those whose lymphoma does not respond to treatment, known as refractory. Acalabrutinib is a potent next-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor. These inhibitors block an enzyme in a signaling pathway involved in the growth and survival of some B cell leukemias and lymphomas. BTK inhibitors have been shown to have durable responses in patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma. Acalabrutinib monotherapy is being studied in a Phase 2 clinical trial at City of Hope and other comprehensive cancer centers across the country. In the trial, patients received 100 mg of acalabrutinib twice daily until their disease progressed or they experienced negative effects. Our early results indicate that acalabrutinib is efficacious and well-tolerated in patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma, said Elizabeth Budde, M.D., Ph.D., City of Hope associate professor, Division of Lymphoma, Department of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, and the abstracts lead author. We now have data from 42 patients who were treated through October 2021, and all of them tolerated the therapy well. The overall response rate in the 37 patients in whom this outcome measure could be evaluated was 54%. Of those patients, six had a complete response, 14 had partial responses and 17 patients had stable disease. Most side effects were mild. Sixteen patients experienced side effects of grade 3 or higher, most commonly anemia, shortness of breath, fatigue, and reduced numbers of white blood cells, platelets and neutrophils. Two patients discontinued treatment because of serious side effects. The study concluded that acalabrutinib is a promising treatment in patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma, which is considered incurable when it recurs. Racial differences in the mutational landscape of serous endometrial cancer Racial disparities persist in outcomes of endometrial cancer, the most common form of uterine cancer. To identify genetic differences in tumors that may contribute to worse prognosis, a team at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), part of City of Hope, has analyzed comprehensive genomic profiling data from a large series of patients with serous endometrial cancer. The team is led by Julian Schink, M.D., chief medical officer of CTCA. Tumors have genetic changes unique to an individual patient that can be targeted for therapy as part of a precision medicine approach. The 2022 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines for uterine neoplasms recommend genetic evaluation of tumors as part of the initial evaluation of a patient. In this study, the team analyzed data from 86 patients, of whom 37% were white, 58% were Black and 5% were Asian. Schink and his team found genetic alterations in 94% of the patients. TP53 mutations, which are characteristic of serous cancer, were present in 93% of the patients. However, they noted some racial differences in the genomic alterations identified. Alterations that are predicted to activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling pathway, which regulates cell proliferation and survival, were significantly more common in white women than in Black women (41% vs. 16%). These alterations included mutations in the genes PIK3CA, PIK3R1 and PTEN. Amplification of CCNE1 was also noted more often in Black women, although this difference was not statistically significant. PIK3CA mutations are an important factor in resistance to anti-HER2 therapy, a treatment that targets the HER2 protein. Also, increased CCNE1 amplification has been linked to the racial disparities seen in cancer outcomes, said Schink, the abstracts lead author. Thus, identifying these racial differences in genomic alterations may help to explain the disparities we see with endometrial cancer and better inform therapy selection. Study data on abstract 5600 will be presented in a poster session at the ASCO conference on Saturday, June 4, beginning at 1:15 p.m. CDT. Initial findings for Nous-209 cancer vaccine combined with pembrolizumab A promising off-the-shelf cancer vaccine called Nous-209 is being studied at City of Hope in patients with dMMR/MSI-H tumors (defective DNA mismatch repair/high microsatellite instability). These tumors have abnormalities that affect a cells ability to repair DNA, resulting in an accumulation of errors in a tumors genetic sequences. Initial clinical outcomes in 20 patients enrolled in the Phase 1 study of Nous-209 in combination with the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab will be presented in a poster discussion session at the ASCO conference on Sunday, June 5, at 11:42 a.m. CDT. Pembrolizumab is an antibody that blocks a protein called programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1). Marwan Fakih, M.D., City of Hopes Judy & Bernard Briskin Distinguished Director of Clinical Research and professor, Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research, is the abstracts lead author. The combination of the NOUS-209 cancer vaccine and pembrolizumab continues to be found to be safe and highly immunogenic, Fakih said. Our promising findings for the early and long-term clinical efficacy of this combination may be attributable to the vaccine contribution. Patients in the trial had dMMR/MSI-H colorectal, gastric or gastro-esophageal junction tumors that were metastatic or could not be removed with surgery. The drug combination was tested as a second-line therapy in patients whose disease had progressed despite prior treatment and as a first-line therapy in patients who refused or were ineligible for chemotherapy. None of the patients had previously been treated with pembrolizumab. Investigators assessed tumor responses to the drug combination using the RECIST v1.1 guidelines. To date, 10 patients have shown a durable partial response to treatment, four showed durable stable disease and six showed progressive disease. Four of the six patients who showed disease progression did not receive the full vaccination schedule. Nous-209 plus pembrolizumab was well tolerated and had a favorable safety profile. The most common treatment-related adverse events were nausea, diarrhea and fatigue, in 35%, 25% and 25% of the patients, respectively. dMMR/MSI tumors carry tumor-specific frameshift peptides, which are produced as the result of the errors in the tumors DNA sequence. The Nous-209 vaccine carries the instructions to target 209 different frameshift peptides that dMMR/MSI tumors have in common. A tumor in any one patient will share 50 frameshift peptides on average with the Nous-209 vaccine. Thus, a patients own anti-tumor immune response can be activated after vaccination with Nous-209. Future analyses are planned to further test the efficacy of Nous-209 and explore endpoints, such as the quality of the patients T cell responses to the vaccine. City of Hope oncology chair receives prestigious ASCO award and experts serve on ASCO panels discussing health equity, cancer and aging, CAR T cell therapy and supportive care Ravi Salgia, M.D., Ph.D, City of Hopes Arthur & Rosalie Kaplan Chair in Medical Oncology, will receive the Excellence in Teaching Award on Saturday, June 4 at 1:34 p.m. CDT. Edward Kim, M.D., M.B.A., physician-in-chief, City of Hope Orange County, and vice physician-in-chief, City of Hope National Medical Center, will speak on an education session titled Expanding Clinical Trial Eligibility to Improve Their Generalizability and Advance Equity on Sunday, June 5, at 9:45 a.m. CDT. William Dale, M.D, Ph.D., City of Hopes Arthur M. Coppola Family Chair in Supportive Care Medicine, will speak on a geriatric oncology education session to discuss early integration of palliative medicine for locally advanced and metastatic genitourinary malignancies on Sunday, June 5, at 4:48 p.m. CDT. Tanya Dorff, M.D., City of Hopes section chief, Genitourinary Disease Program, will speak on a case-based panel titled CAR T for Prostate Cancer: Current Strategies to Improve Efficacy on Monday, June 6, at 9:00 a.m. CDT. Richard T. Lee, M.D., medical director of City of Hopes Integrative Medicine Program, will serve on a panel titled Highlights of the Care Delivery and Regulatory Policy Track on Tuesday, June 7, at 9:12 a.m. CDT. About City of Hope City of Hope's mission is to deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today. Founded in 1913, City of Hope has grown into one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. As an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, City of Hope brings a uniquely integrated model to patients, spanning cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and innovation initiatives. Research and technology developed at City of Hope has been the basis for numerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. A leader in bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy, such as CAR T cell therapy, City of Hopes personalized treatment protocols help advance cancer care throughout the world. With a goal of expanding access to the latest discoveries and leading-edge care to more patients, families and communities, City of Hopes growing national system includes its main Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, scheduled to open in 2022, and Cancer Treatment Centers of America. City of Hopes affiliated family of organizations includes Translational Genomics Research Institute and AccessHopeTM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220527005332/en/ Letisia Marquez 626-476-7593 [email protected] Source: City of Hope Technology-enabled solutions blending best-of-breed population health management and SDoH tools with expert services and consulting to help providers succeed with ACO REACH SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The fifth paragraph of release dated April 21, 2022 has been changed to correct quote attribution. The updated release reads: INNOVACCER UNVEILS ACO REACH ACCELERATOR TOOLKIT Technology-enabled solutions blending best-of-breed population health management and SDoH tools with expert services and consulting to help providers succeed with ACO REACH Today Innovaccer Inc., the Health Cloud company, launched its ACO REACH Accelerator toolkit, an innovative technology-enabled suite designed to help accountable care organizations succeed in the ACO REACH model recently announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The ACO REACH model was developed by CMS to advance health equity by bringing accountable care to underserved communities, and to support momentum around provider-led organizations moving from fee-for-service to risk-based payment models. Innovaccers ACO REACH Accelerator toolkit brings a suite of technology and services together that can help providers jump start and excel at this new value-based model: the Innovaccer Health Clouds Data Activation Platform, Innovaccers industry-leading population health management solution, Innovaccers world-class population health analytics; and Innovaccers comprehensive SDoH solution for identifying, understanding, and mitigating social determinantsan absolute essential for supporting health equity, access to care, and community health. These innovative technologies will be complemented with a selection of tools, consulting, and advisory services that can provide a comprehensive approach to becoming and excelling as a REACH ACO. Many providers are interested in becoming REACH ACOs, but theyll need the right people, processes, and technologies to help develop, implement, and optimize their shared savings strategies, says Dr. Brian Silverstein, chief population health officer at Innovaccer. As a technology-enabled service, the ACO REACH Accelerator toolkit offers our customers an array of tools and services intended to help them succeed in ACO REACHs total capitation program. Specifically, Innovaccers ACO REACH Accelerator toolkit can help provide: Population Health Management: Innovaccers Population Health Management, an intuitive and customizable solution that can help REACH ACOs achieve better health outcomes, improve the patient experience, and reduce costs. The solutions analytics, data integration, and automated care management workflow components help ACOs improve care management and patient engagement. SDoH Management: Innovaccers Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) supports actionable social determinants of health (SDoH) with SVI scores down to the individual patient level, which helps paint an accurate picture of risk and optimize care. With our proprietary methodology, providers will be equipped to stratify the social risk of their population by identifying patients susceptibility to socioeconomic factors that can impact population health; integrating these factors to create a holistic patient record that drives targeted social interventions; identifying and trending social determinants regionally or nationally to develop mitigation programs; and more. Financial Management Services: Our roadmap includes Innovaccer partners who will be able to provide claims adjudication; financial analytics by Innovaccer experts to help equip ACOs to establish downstream contracts with participating and preferred providers, provide total cost of care forecasting; forecast performance with benchmarks and assumptions from similar organizations; perform sensitivity testing on risk, quality, and expenses; deploy program adjustments such as risk-scores, quality measures, provider incentives; and more to be made available over the coming year. Expert Consulting and Advisory Services: Our growing network of experienced consulting partners will be able to provide expert advice to help providers develop and optimize their shared savings strategies, and provide risk readiness assessment services to prepare for and best align their organization for success with ACO REACH over the coming year. Social Assistance Services: Digital access to a broad network of low-cost or no-cost community resources. Providers can easily connect patients to the largest national network of free or low-cost community resources, addressing over 58 social factors across more than 300 service types. Application tools provide integrated communication between care managers, community resource workers, and patients. Point-of-care integration provides support for closed-loop referrals between providers and social workers. Innovaccer is offering a population health platform that takes into consideration some of the new driving factors under the ACO REACH model, said Tamra Ruymann, MBA, Chief of Digital Health for PSW, a population health company. These include social determinants of health assessments and demographic data collection to advance health equity for ACOs. Accelerate your performance in ACO REACH with Innovaccers ACO REACH Accelerator toolkit. For more information, please visit https://innovaccer.com/solutions/aco-reach. About Innovaccer Innovaccer Inc., the Health Cloud company, is a leading San Francisco-based healthcare technology company committed to accelerating innovation in healthcare. The Innovaccer Health Cloud unifies patient data across systems and settings, and empowers healthcare organizations to rapidly develop scalable, modern applications that improve clinical, operational, and financial outcomes. Innovaccers solutions have been deployed across more than 1,000 care settings in the U.S., enabling more than 37,000 providers to transform care delivery and work collaboratively with payers and life sciences companies. Innovaccer has helped organizations unify health records for more than 24 million people and generate more than $600 million in savings. Innovaccer is the #1 rated Data and Analytics Platform by KLAS, and the #1 rated population health technology platform by Black Book. For more information, please visit innovaccer.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005789/en/ Press Contact: Sachin Saxena Innovaccer Inc. [email protected] 415-504-3851 Source: Innovaccer Inc. REYKJAVIK, Iceland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- David Stewart has been appointed CEO of the Icelandic travel technology company Travelshift, which operates Guide to Europe. Prior to joining Travelshift Dave was Global Head of Private Equity at State Street Global Advisors, the world's fourth-largest asset management company. "After sitting on the board of Travelshift through the pandemic and seeing how the company managed to flourish despite difficult circumstances, I became convinced that this company had created something unique. When the opportunity arose to join the group, it was impossible not to jump, said Stewart. I am extremely excited about the technology that Travelshift has developed and I have faith that it will completely change the way people travel, not only in Iceland but all over the world ". Dave will move to Iceland from the United States with his wife in the coming weeks. He joins a group of new executives who have recently joined Travelshift, including Dr. Jakob Asmundsson, as CFO, who previously managed Straumur Investment Bank and Rapyd Europe. In addition, Harshal Chaudhari, Chief Investment Officer of General Electric Pension Trust, was recently appointed Chairman of the Board. Travelshift was founded in 2012 and operates marketplaces used by more than 5000 suppliers receiving more than 2.5 million user visits every month. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220525005728/en/ Media contact Jakob Asmundsson [email protected] Source: Travelshift STERLING, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- JK Moving Services has promoted David Cox to president. Cox will assume responsibility for day-to-day operations of the nations largest independently owned moving and storage company. Chuck Kuhn will remain CEO of the company he founded 40 years ago. I am excited to announce the promotion of David Cox to president of JK Moving Services. He is a natural leader and his industry knowledge, focus on technology and innovation, as well as keen business sense have helped our company grow even during the global pandemic, explained Chuck Kuhn, CEO, JK Moving Services. I will remain firmly involved with the company, however responsibility for day-to-day operations for both the Residential and Commercial Divisions will rest with David. This move helps position us to take full advantage of new opportunities and changing market dynamics. Prior to being promoted, Cox served for five years as executive vice president, Residential Moving Services of JK Moving, where he was responsible for ensuring strategic growth and profitability across the division while managing operations and the overall residential team. By developing a strong team, implementing the latest technological solutions, and streamlining processes, Cox ensured the business unit maintained the highest level of customer service while growing revenue. Before joining to JK, Cox served in senior leadership roles with some of the most prominent brands in the moving and storage industry, and he has experience managing every aspect of residential moving services from operations to quality assurance as well as in global mobility and commercial moving. Cox graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota before serving two years in the Peace Corps teaching English to students in Albania. JK Moving is an American success storya company built from the ground up by a visionary founder with a great team and service. I am proud to be helping lead the next chapter, positioning this company for further growth and success, explained David Cox, president, JK Moving. Innovations guided by Cox contributed to JK Moving recently being named Independent Mover of the Year by the American Trucking Association. These included developing AI-driven tools that enable customers to conduct real-time, virtual surveys of their goods; and creating a downloadable mobile app that works with the survey platform to enable clients to review estimates, make payments, and communicate with their move team. In addition, he helped spearhead the companys move to address driver shortages by increasing its annual guaranteed income for experienced Over-the-Road Class-A CDL Drivers to a minimum $100,000which is twice the national average for the position. www.JKMoving.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220527005229/en/ Shawn Flaherty, 703-554-3609 Source: JK Moving Services leading another ceramic coil revolution in the global vaping industry SHENZHEN, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- FEELM, the flagship atomization tech brand belonging to SMOORE, today showcased the world's first ceramic coil disposable pod solution series, FEELM Max at Vaper Expo UK 2022 in Birmingham, UK. By launching the solution and showcasing its cutting-edge ceramic coil heating technology, FEELM is introducing ceramic coil to the emerging category of disposable vape. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220527005197/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) As a new category in the ascendant, the disposable vape has been growing in popularity since 2020. The market size of disposable (closed system) vaping product has grown to approximately USD2.125 billion in 2021, accounting for 22.7% of global vaping device market share; and it is expected to increase at a GAGR of over 28% from 2022 to 2026, being the fastest-growing category among all vaping products, according to the estimates of Frost & Suvillian. In 2022, the market size of disposable category is expected to reach USD2.72 billion, making up over 43% of closed system vaping products. However, almost all the existing disposable vapes are equipped with cotton coil, which produces relatively large aerosol particles, leading to inefficient deposition of inhaled particles in the lungs, hence low nicotine delivery and satisfaction, as well as harshness in throat. Soft cotton coils are unable to form a stable structure, hence a high leakage rate and unpleasant burnt taste. Uneven heating of cotton coils could also cause a weak flavor consistency, so that vaping experience will fade gradually. Moreover, the selling points of most disposable vapes currently focus on large-mouth puff count, or rather, the huge number of puffs that the disposable will provide. To address the three pain points, FEELM unveils the world's first ceramic coil disposable pod solution, FEELM Max is to disposable vapes what internal combustion engine is to airplanes, automobiles, ships, submarines, and trains. It aims to provide the next generation of disposable vapes with a stronger, more reliable and efficient atomization engine. Just like internal combustion engine, which features high thermal efficiency, light weight, compact size and maneuverability, marking the coming of the second industrial revolution; FEELM Max is expected to lead another ceramic coil revolution in the global vaping industry, since the launch of FEELM Air in January 2022. This revolutionary vaping solution has largely improved e-liquid utilization by virtue of a cotton-free structure and microporous ceramic coil. Therefore, its puff number is increased by 25% with the same e-liquid volume, compared with traditional cotton coil disposable vapes. Besides, it can provide an unprecedented silky-smooth vaping experience, thanks to the ceramic coil, which generates smaller vaporized aerosol particles, thereby minimizing residue in throat. In contrast to cotton coil disposable vapes, the smoothness is improved also by 30%. This innovation also boasts extraordinary flavor consistency of over 95%, since ceramic coil can guarantee constant vapor production, so as to bring the same strong and great taste till the last puff. In addition to the three major benefits, FEELM Max also features 46% increased overall harm reduction performance compared with cotton coil vapes, and ultra-low vaping leakage rate of less than 0.03%, empowered by Maze Leakage-proof Technology. The smaller vaporized aerosol particles generated by FEELM ceramic coil tend to deposit more in the lung, bringing greater and faster satisfaction. Meanwhile, FEELM's patented Flavor-Lock technology can bring tailored flavor release with terraced temperature zones. In early 2022, FEELM Max has been adopted by a specialist vape retailer in the UK. In partnership with FEELM, this retailer has introduced an ultra-slim disposable product equipped with FEELM ceramic coil. Built to be lightweight and compact, this product is designed specifically for smoking cessation. In April, the two partners participated in VApril 2022, the worlds largest vaping awareness campaign to give away disposable vapes to adult smokers seeking to switch in London and Manchester. At Vaper Expo UK 2022, FEELM has also showcased other industry-leading, pioneering disposable vaping solutions, for example, eco-friendly non-nicotine disposable e-cigarette and anti-dust mouthpiece hygienic e-cigarette. These two have been awarded Red Dot Awards for Product Design 2022 for their green product concepts and avant-garde design. Unlike traditional disposable e-cigarettes made of plastic, the external structure of eco-friendly non-nicotine disposable e-cigarette is composed of recyclable and reusable paper and aluminum foil while anti-dust mouthpiece hygienic e-cigarette features a twist nozzle to prevent the contact of mouthpiece with something unclean, with the product concept originated from lipsticks. Another award-winning solution displayed at the event is FEELM Air, the worlds thinnest ceramic coil vape pod solution. In collaboration with its global clients, FEELM has demonstrated a series of vaping products of regional leading brands that adopt FEELM Air solution. Moreover, it will announce the 2022 timeline of commercial launch of FEELM Air on a global scale afterwards. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220527005197/en/ Claire Dong: [email protected] Source: FEELM OSSEO, Wisc.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- North American Specialty Laminations (NASL) announces new brand logo and corporate positioning of Source Cut Industries and SourceCut West (formerly Haida Industries), and all future acquisitions, as NASL to the building materials marketplace. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220526005790/en/ In support of our vision as the North American leader in differentiated lamination solutions to the building products industry, our new brand mark and tagline 'Weve got you covered,' helps to convey our mission to consistently challenge the status quo, in the development of value-added products and business solutions to meet the evolving needs of our customers, states Doug Rende, CEO, NASL. We are pleased to be working with Ganton in our repositioning efforts, as their extensive industry branding and market knowledge has already delivered significant impact. The NASL brand marks essence, its look and feel, represented by complex shapes, facets and metallic colorways suggests their vast capability to handle virtually any lamination challenge, said Brian Ganton, Jr., Principal. In what has historically been a highly fragmented industry segment, NASL is committed to being the single source solution to their customers lamination and fabrication needs. The NASL brand promise is supported by continuing acquisition and greenfield investments expanding our manufacturing footprint, with unique lamination capabilities enabled by over twenty years experience in serving the door, window, cabinets, case goods and furniture markets, said Zach Wiedenhoeft, COO NASL. These factors, coupled with the breadth of color and design options applied to vinyl, wood, composites, and aluminum substrates, delivers enhanced margin opportunities for our customers, while creating significant efficiencies in inventory management, transportation, and labor. In addition, the NASL Equity Appreciation Program creates an ownership focus for all team members in the delivery of quality and timely service to our customers. About North American Specialty Laminations North American Specialty Laminations (NASL) is a profile wrapping, and specialty manufacturing company serving the Window, Door, Cabinet, Furniture and Architectural Millwork industries. With headquarters in Osseo, WI and production locations serving all U.S. and Canadian regions, NASL is a portfolio company of the Boston based private equity investment firm Building Industry Partners (BIP). About Building Industry Partners Building Industry Partners (BIP) is a leading private equity investment firm focused on the U.S. building industry. Founded by Matt Ogden in 2008, BIP is headquartered in Boston, with partners across the U.S. The overarching BIP purpose is to build exceptional and enduring businesses, generate world class investment returns, and contribute to elevating the building industry and its workforce through people-focused investment & business principles. Over the past decade, BIP is proud to have been part of building some of the fastest-growing and most dynamic businesses in the middle-market U.S. building industry: U.S. LBM Holdings, Kodiak Building Partners, United Cabinet Holdings, Rugby Architectural Building Products, Homewood Holdings, and U.S. Fence Solutions Co / Binford Supply. BIP continues to seek opportunities to sponsor the building industrys greatest talent in building exceptional businesses and realizing their entrepreneurial visions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220526005790/en/ Cathy Debes [email protected] www.northamericanlam.com Source: Building Industry Partners LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- System1, Inc. (NYSE: SST) (System1 or the Company), an omnichannel customer acquisition marketing platform, announced that the Company will be participating in the BofA Securities Global Technology Conference to be held at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, San Francisco, CA on June 7, 2022. Michael Blend, System1s Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, will participate in a panel discussion titled Adtech in a Post-IDFA World at 2:20pm PT on June 7, 2022. The panel will be moderated by Nathaniel Schindler, Director of Equity Research, BofA Securities. For more information please contact your BofA Securities representative. About System1, Inc. System1 combines best-in-class technology & data science to operate its advanced Responsive Acquisition Marketing Platform (RAMP). System1s RAMP is omnichannel and omnivertical, and built for a privacy-centric world. RAMP enables the building of powerful brands across multiple consumer verticals, the development & growth of a suite of privacy-focused products, and the delivery of high-intent customers to advertising partners. For more information, visit www.system1.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220527005031/en/ Investors Brett Milotte, ICR [email protected] 332-242-4344 Source: System1, Inc. STRASBOURG, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News: Transgene (Euronext Paris: TNG), a biotech company that designs and develops virus-based immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer, announces that an abstract reporting preliminary data from the two Phase I trials assessing TG4050, its individualized neoantigen cancer vaccine, has been selected for a poster presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. The conference will be held online and in-person in Chicago, IL, USA, from June 3 to 7, 2022. The abstract reports positive immunogenicity and clinical data generated from the two ongoing Phase I trials in patients with ovarian cancer and HPV-negative head and neck cancer (NCT03839524 and NCT04183166). The detailed data will be presented during a poster session on June 5, 2022, at the ASCO conference. Poster title: Phase 1 studies of personalized neoantigen vaccine TG4050 in ovarian carcinoma (OC) and head and neck carcinoma (HNSCC) Abstract number: 2637 2637 Session title : Developmental TherapeuticsImmunotherapy : Developmental TherapeuticsImmunotherapy Session date and time : Sunday, June 5, 2022, 8:00 am-11:00 am CDT : Sunday, June 5, 2022, 8:00 am-11:00 am CDT Authors : J.P. Delord, M. Block, C. Ottensmeier, G. Colon-Otero, C. Le Tourneau, A. Lalanne, O. Lantz, KL. Knutson, G. Lacoste, A. Tavernaro, M. Brandely, N. Silvestre, B. Grellier, Y. Yamashita, O. Kousuke, N. Yamagata, Y. Tanaka, B. Malone, E. Quemeneur, K. Bendjama The abstract can be accessed on the ASCO and Transgene websites. *** About the clinical trials TG4050 is being evaluated in two Phase I clinical trials for patients with ovarian cancer (NCT03839524) and HPV-negative head and neck cancers (NCT04183166). In a first Phase I trial, TG4050 is being administered to patients with HPV-negative head and neck cancer. A personalized treatment is created for each patient after they complete surgery and while they receive an adjuvant therapy. Half of the participants receive their vaccine immediately after they complete their adjuvant treatment. The other half is given TG4050 as an additional treatment at the time of recurrence of the disease. This randomized study is evaluating the treatment benefits of TG4050 in patients who have a high risk of relapse. Up to 30 patients will receive TG4050 in France, in the UK and in the USA. The principal investigator of the trial is Prof. Christian Ottensmeier, MD, PhD, Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and Professor of Immuno-Oncology at the University of Liverpool. In France, the clinical trial is being conducted at Institut Curie, Paris by Prof. Christophe Le Tourneau, MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Drug Development and Innovation (D3i), and at the IUCT-Oncopole, Toulouse by Prof. Jean-Pierre Delord. In the USA, the trial is being led by Dr. Yujie Zhao, MD, PhD, at the Mayo Clinic. Endpoints of the trial include safety, feasibility and biological activity of the therapeutic vaccine. In parallel, a Phase I clinical trial of TG4050 is enrolling patients with ovarian cancer. This second trial is including patients at the time of asymptomatic relapse after surgery and first-line chemotherapy. Dr. Matthew Block, MD, PhD, Consultant Medical Oncology, Consultant Immunology and Associate Professor of Oncology at the Mayo Clinic (USA) is the principal investigator of the trial; in France, the trial is being conducted by Prof. Le Tourneau, MD, PhD, at Institut Curie and by Dr. Alexandra Martinez, MD, Associate Head of Surgical Department, at IUCT-Oncopole. Endpoints of the trial include safety, feasibility and biological activity of the therapeutic vaccine. The first preliminary clinical data generated from the first patients treated with TG4050 were very encouraging. About myvac myvac is a viral vector (MVA Modified Vaccinia Ankara) based, individualized immunotherapy platform that has been developed by Transgene to target solid tumors. myvac-derived products are designed to stimulate the patients immune system, recognize and destroy tumors using the patients own cancer specific genetic mutations. Transgene has set up an innovative network that combines bioengineering, digital transformation, established vectorization know-how and unique manufacturing capabilities. Transgene has been awarded Investment for the Future funding from Bpifrance for the development of its platform myvac. TG4050 is the first myvac-derived product being evaluated in clinical trials. Click here to watch a short video on myvac. About TG4050 TG4050 is an individualized immunotherapy being developed for solid tumors that is based on Transgenes myvac technology and powered by NECs longstanding artificial intelligence (AI) expertise. This virus-based therapeutic vaccine encodes neoantigens (patient-specific mutations) identified and selected by NECs Neoantigen Prediction System. The prediction system is based on more than two decades of expertise in AI and has been trained on proprietary data allowing it to accurately prioritize and select the most immunogenic sequences. TG4050 is designed to stimulate the immune system of patients in order to induce a T-cell response that is able to recognize and destroy tumor cells based on their own neoantigens. This individualized immunotherapy is developed and produced for each patient. About Transgene Transgene (Euronext: TNG) is a biotechnology company focused on designing and developing targeted immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. Transgenes programs utilize viral vector technology with the goal of indirectly or directly killing cancer cells. The Companys clinical-stage programs consist of two therapeutic vaccines (TG4001 for the treatment of HPV-positive cancers, and TG4050, the first individualized therapeutic vaccine based on the myvac platform) as well as two oncolytic viruses (TG6002 for the treatment of solid tumors, and BT-001, the first oncolytic virus based on the Invir.IO platform). With Transgenes myvac platform, therapeutic vaccination enters the field of precision medicine with a novel immunotherapy that is fully tailored to each individual. The myvac approach allows the generation of a virus-based immunotherapy that encodes patient-specific mutations identified and selected by Artificial Intelligence capabilities provided by its partner NEC. With its proprietary platform Invir.IO, Transgene is building on its viral vector engineering expertise to design a new generation of multifunctional oncolytic viruses. Transgene has an ongoing Invir.IO collaboration with AstraZeneca. Additional information about Transgene is available at: www.transgene.fr. Follow us on Twitter: @TransgeneSA Transgene disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The occurrence of any of these risks could have a significant negative outcome for the Companys activities, perspectives, financial situation, results, regulatory authorities agreement with development phases, and development. The Companys ability to commercialize its products depends on but is not limited to the following factors: positive pre-clinical data may not be predictive of human clinical results, the success of clinical studies, the ability to obtain financing and/or partnerships for product manufacturing, development and commercialization, and marketing approval by government regulatory authorities. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties which could cause the Companys actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors (Facteurs de Risque) section of the Universal Registration Document, available on the AMF website (http://www.amf-france.org) or on Transgenes website (www.transgene.fr). Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and Transgene undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220526005054/en/ Transgene: Lucie Larguier Director Corporate Communications & IR +33 (0)3 88 27 91 04 [email protected] Media Transgene: MEDiSTRAVA Consulting David Dible/Sylvie Berrebi +44 (0)203 928 6900 [email protected] Source: Transgene MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. (TSX: TRQ) (NYSE: TRQ) (Turquoise Hill or the Company) today announced that it has received a notice of arbitration from Entree Resources Ltd. (Entree) in connection with the Earn-in Agreement (the Earn-in Agreement) with Entree. The Company disputes the characterizations made by Entree in its news release dated May 26, 2022 announcing the initiation of arbitration proceedings. Turquoise Hill has been in discussions with Entree in order to resolve certain commercial disagreements in connection with the Earn-in Agreement. The Company reserves all of its rights and will vigorously defend itself. The Company will update the market as appropriate. About Turquoise Hill Resources Turquoise Hill is an international mining company focused on the operation and continued development of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia, which is the Companys principal and only material mineral resource property. Turquoise Hills ownership of the Oyu Tolgoi mine is held through a 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Oyu Tolgoi); Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Erdenes), a Mongolian state-owned entity, holds the remaining 34% interest. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information Certain statements made herein, including statements relating to matters that are not historical facts and statements of the Corporations beliefs, intentions and expectations about developments, results and events which will or may occur in the future, constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future events or future performance, reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events and are typically identified by words such as anticipate, believe, could, estimate, expect, intend, likely, may, plan, seek, should, will and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. These include, but are not limited to, statements and information regarding: the outcome of any negotiations with Entree relating to the Earn-in Agreement and the form of joint venture agreement appended to the Earn-in Agreement, or any arbitration proceedings relating to such matters; the nature of the Corporations ongoing relationship and interaction with the Government of Mongolia with respect to the continued operation and development of Oyu Tolgoi, including as a result of the impact of matters pertaining to the Earn-in Agreement; and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements and information are made based upon certain assumptions and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements or information. There can be no assurance that such statements or information will prove to be accurate. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies, local and global economic conditions, and the environment in which the Corporation will operate in the future, including: the possibility that the outcome of any arbitration proceedings relating to the Earn-in Agreement and the form of joint venture agreement appended to the Earn-in Agreement are materially adverse to the Corporation in the event that a negotiated resolution of the commercial disagreements with Entree is not achieved; and the impact of such matters on the Corporations ongoing relationship and interactions with the Government of Mongolia. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Events or circumstances could cause Turquoise Hills actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements are included in the Risk Factors section in Turquoise Hills Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2021 (the AIF), as supplemented by the Risks and Uncertainties section of Turquoise Hills Interim Managements Discussion and Analysis for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 (the Q122 MD&A). Readers are further cautioned that the list of factors enumerated in the Risk Factors section of the AIF and in the Risks and Uncertainties section of the Q122 MD&A that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on Turquoise Hills forward-looking statements and information to make decisions with respect to Turquoise Hill, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements and information contained herein are made as of the date of this document and Turquoise Hill does not undertake any obligation to update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking statements and information contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220527005326/en/ Investors and Media Roy McDowall [email protected] Follow us on Twitter @TurquoiseHillRe Source: Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy and Opdivo plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) approved based on a Phase 3 trial showing improved overall survival versus chemotherapy alone1,2 Opdivo-based treatments are now approved for five indications in upper gastroesophageal cancers1 PRINCETON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved both Opdivo (nivolumab) (injection for intravenous use) in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy and Opdivo plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) as a first-line treatment for adult patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) regardless of PD-L1 status. The approvals are based on the Phase 3 CheckMate -648 trial, which evaluated Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy (n=321) and Opdivo plus Yervoy (n=325) each compared to chemotherapy alone (n=324), and was the largest Phase 3 trial of an immunotherapy in first-line ESCC.1 In the trial, Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy demonstrated superior overall survival (OS) compared to chemotherapy alone, both in all randomized patients, a secondary endpoint, which was hierarchically tested (Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.74, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.61 to 0.90, P=0.0021) and in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 (1%), a primary endpoint (HR 0.54, 95% CI: 0.41 to 0.71, POpdivo in combination with chemotherapy versus 10.7 months (95% CI: 9.4 to 11.9) with chemotherapy alone.1 In patients whose tumors express PD-L1 (1%) the mOS was 15.4 months (95% CI: 11.9 to 19.5) for Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy versus 9.1 months (95% CI: 7.7 to 10) with chemotherapy alone.1 The median progression-free survival (PFS) in all randomized patients, which was a hierarchically tested secondary endpoint, was 5.8 months (95% CI: 5.6 to 7.0) for Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy and 5.6 months (95% CI: 4.3 to 5.9) for chemotherapy alone (HR= 0.81; 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.99, P=not significant). Per pre-specified analysis, PFS did not meet statistical significance.1 The median PFS in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 (1%), which was a co-primary endpoint, was 6.9 months (95% CI: 5.7 to 8.3) for Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy and 4.4 months (95% CI: 2.9 to 5.8) for chemotherapy alone (HR 0.65; 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.86, P=0.0023).1 Opdivo plus Yervoy also improved OS compared to chemotherapy in all-randomized patients, a secondary endpoint, which was hierarchically tested (HR 0.78, 95% CI: 0.65 to 0.95, P=0.0110) and patients whose tumors express PD-L1 (1%), a primary endpoint (HR 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.84, P=0.0010).1,2 The mOS was 12.8 months (95% CI: 11.3 to 15.5) with Opdivo plus Yervoy versus 10.7 months (95% CI: 9.4 to 11.9) with chemotherapy alone in all randomized patients and 13.7 months (95% CI: 11.2 to 17.0) with Opdivo plus Yervoy versus 9.1 months (95% CI: 7.7 to 10) with chemotherapy alone in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 (1%).1 The median PFS in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 (1%), which was a co-primary endpoint, was 4.0 months (95% CI: 2.4 to 4.9) for Opdivo plus Yervoy and 4.4 months (95% CI: 2.9 to 5.8) for chemotherapy alone (HR 1.02; 95% CI: 0.78 to 1.34, P=not significant). Per pre-specified analysis, PFS did not meet statistical significance.1,2 Median PFS in the PD-L1 (1%) population was not statistically significant and therefore it was not hierarchically tested in the all comers population. Opdivo alone and Opdivo plus Yervoy are associated with the following Warnings and Precautions: severe and fatal immune-mediated adverse reactions including pneumonitis, colitis, hepatitis and hepatotoxicity, endocrinopathies, nephritis and renal dysfunction, dermatologic adverse reactions, other immune-mediated adverse reactions; infusion-related reactions; complications of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT); embryo-fetal toxicity; and increased mortality in patients with multiple myeloma when Opdivo is added to a thalidomide analogue and dexamethasone, which is not recommended outside of controlled clinical trials.1 Please see the Important Safety Information section below. Today brings welcome news for many advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients and oncologists, said Jaffer A. Ajani, M.D., CheckMate -648 co-first author and lead U.S. investigator, and professor of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Unresectable advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is a challenging disease, and theres a need for additional treatment options that may extend survival in the first-line setting.3,4 In the CheckMate -648 trial, two nivolumab-based combinations showed a survival benefit compared to chemotherapy alone, offering new treatment options regardless of PD-L1 status.1 This application was reviewed under the FDAs Real-Time Oncology Review (RTOR) pilot program, which aims to ensure that safe and effective treatments are available to patients as early as possible.5 At Bristol Myers Squibb, we recognize the need that exists for many patients facing upper gastroesophageal cancers, including advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and we are focused on our goal to bring forward new treatment options with proven survival benefits regardless of PD-L1 status and histology, said Adam Lenkowsky, senior vice president and general manager, U.S., Cardiovascular, Immunology, Oncology, Bristol Myers Squibb.6 Todays approvals bring two first-line immunotherapy-based treatment options at once, Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy and Opdivo plus Yervoy as the first dual immunotherapy option, to newly diagnosed patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, further building on the role of Opdivo-based regimens in upper gastroesophageal cancers.1 About CheckMate -648 CheckMate -648 is a randomized Phase 3 study evaluating Opdivo plus Yervoy or Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy (fluorouracil and cisplatin) against chemotherapy (fluorouracil plus cisplatin) alone in adult patients with previously untreated unresectable advanced, recurrent, or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.1,2 The primary endpoints of the trial are overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) determined by blinded independent central review (BICR) in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 (1%) for both Opdivo-based combinations versus chemotherapy.2 Secondary endpoints of the trial, including OS and PFS as determined by BICR in the all randomized population, were tested hierarchically only if corresponding primary endpoints were significant.1,2 In the Opdivo plus Yervoy arm, patients received treatment with Opdivo 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks and Yervoy 1 mg/kg every 6 weeks up to 2 years or until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.1,2 In the Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy arm, patients received treatment with Opdivo 240 mg on Day 1 and Day 15, fluorouracil 800 mg/m/day on Day 1 through Day 5 for five days, and cisplatin 80 mg/m on Day 1 of a four-week cycle.1,2 Patients were treated with Opdivo until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or up to 2 years.1,2 In patients who received Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy and in whom either fluorouracil and/or cisplatin were discontinued, other components of the treatment regimen were allowed to be continued. 2 Patients who discontinued combination therapy because of an adverse reaction attributed to ipilimumab were permitted to continue Opdivo as a single agent.2 Select Safety Profile from CheckMate -648 Study Opdivo and/or chemotherapy were discontinued in 39% of patients and were delayed in 71% of patients for an adverse reaction.1 Serious adverse reactions occurred in 62% of patients receiving Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy.1 The most frequent (2%) serious adverse reactions in patients receiving Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy were pneumonia (11%), dysphagia (7%), esophageal stenosis (2.9%), acute kidney injury (2.9%), and pyrexia (2.3%).1 Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 5 (1.6%) patients treated with Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy; these included pneumonitis, pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumonia, and acute kidney injury.1 The most common (20%) adverse reactions in patients treated with Opdivo in combination with chemotherapy were nausea (65%), decreased appetite (51%), fatigue (47%), constipation (44%), stomatitis (44%), diarrhea (29%), and vomiting (23%).1 Opdivo and/or Yervoy were discontinued in 23% of patients and were delayed in 46% of patients for an adverse reaction.1 Serious adverse reactions occurred in 69% of patients receiving Opdivo plus Yervoy.1 The most frequent (2%) serious adverse reactions in patients receiving Opdivo plus Yervoy were pneumonia (10%), pyrexia (4.3%), pneumonitis (4%), aspiration pneumonia (3.7%), dysphagia (3.7%), hepatic function abnormal (2.8%), decreased appetite (2.8%), adrenal insufficiency (2.5%), and dehydration (2.5%).1 Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 5 (1.6%) patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy; these included pneumonitis, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary embolism, and acute respiratory distress syndrome.1 The most common (20%) adverse reactions in patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy were rash (31%), fatigue (28%), pyrexia (23%), nausea (22%), diarrhea (22%), and constipation (20%).1 About Esophageal Cancer In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 20,640 new cases of esophageal cancer will be diagnosed and approximately 16,410 deaths will result from the disease in 2022 alone.7 Esophageal cancer, which can impact the patients ability to swallow and eat, is a type of gastroesophageal cancer that starts in the inner layer of the esophagus (the mucosa) and grows.8,9 The mucosa is normally lined with squamous cells.9 Cancer starting in these cells is called squamous cell carcinoma, which is most often found in the upper and middle part of the esophagus, and accounts for less than 30% of esophageal cancers in the United States.9 For about 39% of patients, esophageal cancer is diagnosed in the advanced stage, which is typically harder to treat.10 INDICATIONS OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after prior fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-based chemotherapy. OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of completely resected esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer with residual pathologic disease in adult patients who have received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy, is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with ipilimumab, is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum- containing chemotherapy, is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, and esophageal adenocarcinoma. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Severe and Fatal Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions Immune-mediated adverse reactions listed herein may not include all possible severe and fatal immune-mediated adverse reactions. Immune-mediated adverse reactions, which may be severe or fatal, can occur in any organ system or tissue. While immune-mediated adverse reactions usually manifest during treatment, they can also occur after discontinuation of OPDIVO or YERVOY. Early identification and management are essential to ensure safe use of OPDIVO and YERVOY. Monitor for signs and symptoms that may be clinical manifestations of underlying immune-mediated adverse reactions. Evaluate clinical chemistries including liver enzymes, creatinine, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level, and thyroid function at baseline and periodically during treatment with OPDIVO and before each dose of YERVOY. In cases of suspected immune-mediated adverse reactions, initiate appropriate workup to exclude alternative etiologies, including infection. Institute medical management promptly, including specialty consultation as appropriate. Withhold or permanently discontinue OPDIVO and YERVOY depending on severity (please see section 2 Dosage and Administration in the accompanying Full Prescribing Information). In general, if OPDIVO or YERVOY interruption or discontinuation is required, administer systemic corticosteroid therapy (1 to 2 mg/kg/day prednisone or equivalent) until improvement to Grade 1 or less. Upon improvement to Grade 1 or less, initiate corticosteroid taper and continue to taper over at least 1 month. Consider administration of other systemic immunosuppressants in patients whose immune-mediated adverse reactions are not controlled with corticosteroid therapy. Toxicity management guidelines for adverse reactions that do not necessarily require systemic steroids (e.g., endocrinopathies and dermatologic reactions) are discussed below. Immune-Mediated Pneumonitis OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause immune-mediated pneumonitis. The incidence of pneumonitis is higher in patients who have received prior thoracic radiation. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 3.1% (61/1994) of patients, including Grade 4 ( Immune-Mediated Colitis OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause immune-mediated colitis, which may be fatal. A common symptom included in the definition of colitis was diarrhea. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection/reactivation has been reported in patients with corticosteroid-refractory immune-mediated colitis. In cases of corticosteroid-refractory colitis, consider repeating infectious workup to exclude alternative etiologies. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated colitis occurred in 2.9% (58/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (1.7%) and Grade 2 (1%). Immune-Mediated Hepatitis and Hepatotoxicity OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause immune-mediated hepatitis. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in 1.8% (35/1994) of patients, including Grade 4 (0.2%), Grade 3 (1.3%), and Grade 2 (0.4%). Immune-Mediated Endocrinopathies OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency, immune-mediated hypophysitis, immune-mediated thyroid disorders, and Type 1 diabetes mellitus, which can present with diabetic ketoacidosis. Withhold OPDIVO and YERVOY depending on severity (please see section 2 Dosage and Administration in the accompanying Full Prescribing Information). For Grade 2 or higher adrenal insufficiency, initiate symptomatic treatment, including hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Hypophysitis can present with acute symptoms associated with mass effect such as headache, photophobia, or visual field defects. Hypophysitis can cause hypopituitarism; initiate hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Thyroiditis can present with or without endocrinopathy. Hypothyroidism can follow hyperthyroidism; initiate hormone replacement or medical management as clinically indicated. Monitor patients for hyperglycemia or other signs and symptoms of diabetes; initiate treatment with insulin as clinically indicated. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, adrenal insufficiency occurred in 1% (20/1994), including Grade 3 (0.4%) and Grade 2 (0.6%). In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, hypophysitis occurred in 0.6% (12/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (0.2%) and Grade 2 (0.3%). In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, thyroiditis occurred in 0.6% (12/1994) of patients, including Grade 2 (0.2%). In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, hyperthyroidism occurred in 2.7% (54/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 ( In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, hypothyroidism occurred in 8% (163/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (0.2%) and Grade 2 (4.8%). In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, diabetes occurred in 0.9% (17/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (0.4%) and Grade 2 (0.3%), and 2 cases of diabetic ketoacidosis. Immune-Mediated Nephritis with Renal Dysfunction OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause immune-mediated nephritis. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated nephritis and renal dysfunction occurred in 1.2% (23/1994) of patients, including Grade 4 ( Immune-Mediated Dermatologic Adverse Reactions OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated rash or dermatitis. Exfoliative dermatitis, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) has occurred with PD-1/PD-L1 blocking antibodies. Topical emollients and/or topical corticosteroids may be adequate to treat mild to moderate nonexfoliative rashes. YERVOY can cause immune-mediated rash or dermatitis, including bullous and exfoliative dermatitis, SJS, TEN, and DRESS. Topical emollients and/or topical corticosteroids may be adequate to treat mild to moderate non-bullous/exfoliative rashes. Withhold or permanently discontinue OPDIVO and YERVOY depending on severity (please see section 2 Dosage and Administration in the accompanying Full Prescribing Information). In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated rash occurred in 9% (171/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (1.1%) and Grade 2 (2.2%). Other Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions The following clinically significant immune-mediated adverse reactions occurred at an incidence of cardiac/vascular: myocarditis, pericarditis, vasculitis; nervous system: meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis and demyelination, myasthenic syndrome/myasthenia gravis (including exacerbation), Guillain-Barre syndrome, nerve paresis, autoimmune neuropathy; ocular: uveitis, iritis, and other ocular inflammatory toxicities can occur; gastrointestinal: pancreatitis to include increases in serum amylase and lipase levels, gastritis, duodenitis; musculoskeletal and connective tissue: myositis/polymyositis, rhabdomyolysis, and associated sequelae including renal failure, arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica; endocrine: hypoparathyroidism; other (hematologic/immune): hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), systemic inflammatory response syndrome, histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi lymphadenitis), sarcoidosis, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, solid organ transplant rejection. In addition to the immune-mediated adverse reactions listed above, across clinical trials of YERVOY monotherapy or in combination with OPDIVO, the following clinically significant immune-mediated adverse reactions, some with fatal outcome, occurred in Some ocular IMAR cases can be associated with retinal detachment. Various grades of visual impairment, including blindness, can occur. If uveitis occurs in combination with other immune-mediated adverse reactions, consider a Vogt-Koyanagi-Haradalike syndrome, which has been observed in patients receiving OPDIVO and YERVOY, as this may require treatment with systemic corticosteroids to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss. Infusion-Related Reactions OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause severe infusion-related reactions. Discontinue OPDIVO and YERVOY in patients with severe (Grade 3) or life-threatening (Grade 4) infusion-related reactions. Interrupt or slow the rate of infusion in patients with mild (Grade 1) or moderate (Grade 2) infusion-related reactions. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy as a 60-minute infusion, infusion-related reactions occurred in 6.4% (127/1994) of patients. In a separate trial in which patients received OPDIVO monotherapy as a 60-minute infusion or a 30-minute infusion, infusion-related reactions occurred in 2.2% (8/368) and 2.7% (10/369) of patients, respectively. Additionally, 0.5% (2/368) and 1.4% (5/369) of patients, respectively, experienced adverse reactions within 48 hours of infusion that led to dose delay, permanent discontinuation or withholding of OPDIVO. Complications of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Fatal and other serious complications can occur in patients who receive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) before or after being treated with OPDIVO or YERVOY. Transplant-related complications include hyperacute graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), acute GVHD, chronic GVHD, hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) after reduced intensity conditioning, and steroid-requiring febrile syndrome (without an identified infectious cause). These complications may occur despite intervening therapy between OPDIVO or YERVOY and allogeneic HSCT. Follow patients closely for evidence of transplant-related complications and intervene promptly. Consider the benefit versus risks of treatment with OPDIVO and YERVOY prior to or after an allogeneic HSCT. Embryo-Fetal Toxicity Based on its mechanism of action and findings from animal studies, OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. The effects of YERVOY are likely to be greater during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with OPDIVO and YERVOY and for at least 5 months after the last dose. Increased Mortality in Patients with Multiple Myeloma when OPDIVO is Added to a Thalidomide Analogue and Dexamethasone In randomized clinical trials in patients with multiple myeloma, the addition of OPDIVO to a thalidomide analogue plus dexamethasone resulted in increased mortality. Treatment of patients with multiple myeloma with a PD-1 or PD-L1 blocking antibody in combination with a thalidomide analogue plus dexamethasone is not recommended outside of controlled clinical trials. Lactation There are no data on the presence of OPDIVO or YERVOY in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed children, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment and for 5 months after the last dose. Serious Adverse Reactions In Attraction-3, serious adverse reactions occurred in 38% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=209). Serious adverse reactions reported in 2% of patients who received OPDIVO were pneumonia, esophageal fistula, interstitial lung disease, and pyrexia. The following fatal adverse reactions occurred in patients who received OPDIVO: interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis (1.4%), pneumonia (1.0%), septic shock (0.5%), esophageal fistula (0.5%), gastrointestinal hemorrhage (0.5%), pulmonary embolism (0.5%), and sudden death (0.5%). In Checkmate 577, serious adverse reactions occurred in 33% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=532). A serious adverse reaction reported in 2% of patients who received OPDIVO was pneumonitis. A fatal reaction of myocardial infarction occurred in one patient who received OPDIVO. In Checkmate 648, serious adverse reactions occurred in 62% of patients receiving OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy (n=310). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in 2% of patients who received OPDIVO with chemotherapy were pneumonia (11%), dysphagia (7%), esophageal stenosis (2.9%), acute kidney injury (2.9%), and pyrexia (2.3%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 5 (1.6%) patients who received OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy; these included pneumonitis, pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumonia, and acute kidney injury. In Checkmate 648, serious adverse reactions occurred in 69% of patients receiving OPDIVO in combination with YERVOY (n=322). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in 2% who received OPDIVO in combination with YERVOY were pneumonia (10%), pyrexia (4.3%), pneumonitis (4.0%), aspiration pneumonia (3.7%), dysphagia (3.7%), hepatic function abnormal (2.8%), decreased appetite (2.8%), adrenal insufficiency (2.5%), and dehydration (2.5%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 5 (1.6%) patients who received OPDIVO in combination with YERVOY; these included pneumonitis, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary embolism, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. In Checkmate 649, serious adverse reactions occurred in 52% of patients treated with OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy (n=782). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in 2% of patients treated with OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy were vomiting (3.7%), pneumonia (3.6%), anemia (3.6%), pyrexia (2.8%), diarrhea (2.7%), febrile neutropenia (2.6%), and pneumonitis (2.4%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 16 (2.0%) patients who were treated with OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy; these included pneumonitis (4 patients), febrile neutropenia (2 patients), stroke (2 patients), gastrointestinal toxicity, intestinal mucositis, septic shock, pneumonia, infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, mesenteric vessel thrombosis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Common Adverse Reactions In Attraction-3, the most common adverse reactions (20%) in OPDIVO-treated patients (n=209) were rash (22%) and decreased appetite (21%). In Checkmate 577, the most common adverse reactions (20%) in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=532) were fatigue (34%), diarrhea (29%), nausea (23%), rash (21%), musculoskeletal pain (21%), and cough (20%). In Checkmate 648, the most common adverse reactions (20%) in patients treated with OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy (n=310) were nausea (65%), decreased appetite (51%), constipation (44%), stomatitis (44%), fatigue (32%), diarrhea (29%), and vomiting (23%). In Checkmate 648, the most common adverse reactions reported in 20% of patients treated with OPDIVO in combination with YERVOY were rash (31%), fatigue (28%), pyrexia (23%), nausea (22%), diarrhea (22%), and constipation (20%). In Checkmate 649, the most common adverse reactions (20%) in patients treated with OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy (n=782) were peripheral neuropathy (53%), nausea (48%), fatigue (44%), diarrhea (39%), vomiting (31%), decreased appetite (29%), abdominal pain (27%), constipation (25%), and musculoskeletal pain (20%). Please see US Full Prescribing Information for OPDIVO and YERVOY. Clinical Trials and Patient Populations Attraction-3esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Checkmate 577adjuvant treatment of esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer; Checkmate 648previously untreated, unresectable advanced, metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy; Checkmate 648previously untreated, unresectable advanced, or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 649previously untreated advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction or esophageal adenocarcinoma Bristol Myers Squibb: Creating a Better Future for People with Cancer Bristol Myers Squibb is inspired by a single vision transforming patients lives through science. The goal of the companys cancer research is to deliver medicines that offer each patient a better, healthier life and to make cure a possibility. Building on a legacy across a broad range of cancers that have changed survival expectations for many, Bristol Myers Squibb researchers are exploring new frontiers in personalized medicine, and through innovative digital platforms, are turning data into insights that sharpen their focus. Deep scientific expertise, cutting-edge capabilities and discovery platforms enable the company to look at cancer from every angle. Cancer can have a relentless grasp on many parts of a patients life, and Bristol Myers Squibb is committed to taking actions to address all aspects of care, from diagnosis to survivorship. Because as a leader in cancer care, Bristol Myers Squibb is working to empower all people with cancer to have a better future. About Bristol Myers Squibbs Patient Access Support Bristol Myers Squibb remains committed to providing assistance so that cancer patients who need our medicines can access them and expedite time to therapy. BMS Access Support, the Bristol Myers Squibb patient access and reimbursement program, is designed to help appropriate patients initiate and maintain access to BMS medicines during their treatment journey. BMS Access Support offers benefit investigation, prior authorization assistance, as well as co-pay assistance for eligible, commercially insured patients. More information about our access and reimbursement support can be obtained by calling BMS Access Support at 1-800-861-0048 or by visiting www.bmsaccesssupport.com. About the Bristol Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical Collaboration In 2011, through a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Bristol Myers Squibb expanded its territorial rights to develop and commercialize Opdivo globally, except in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, where Ono had retained all rights to the compound at the time. On July 23, 2014, Ono and Bristol Myers Squibb further expanded the companies strategic collaboration agreement to jointly develop and commercialize multiple immunotherapies as single agents and combination regimens for patients with cancer in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. About Bristol Myers Squibb Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are wholly owned subsidiaries of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. In certain countries outside the U.S., due to local laws, Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are referred to as, Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company and Juno Therapeutics, a Bristol Myers Squibb company. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, the research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them in the next several years, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, whether Opdivo in combination with Yervoy or chemotherapy for the additional indications described in this release will be commercially successful, that any marketing approvals, if granted, may have significant limitations on their use, and that continued approval of such combination treatments for the additional indication described in this release may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that affect Bristol Myers Squibbs business and market, particularly those identified in the cautionary statement and risk factors discussion in Bristol Myers Squibbs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by applicable law, Bristol Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. References Opdivo Prescribing Information. Opdivo U.S. Product Information. Last updated: May 2022. Princeton, NJ: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Chau I, Doki Y, Ajani JA, et al. Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab or Nivolumab plus Chemotherapy versus Chemotherapy as First-line Treatment for Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: First Results of the CheckMate 648 study. Poster presented at: 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Virtual Congress. June 4-8, 2021. American Cancer Society. Treating Esophageal Cancer by Stage. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/esophagus-cancer/treating/by-stage.html. Updated May 21, 2021. Accessed April 7, 2022. Dahiya DS, Kichloo A, Singh J, et al. Current Immunotherapy in Gastrointestinal Malignancies A Review. J Investig Med. 2021;69:689-696. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Real-Time Oncology Review Pilot Program. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/oncology-center-excellence/real-time-oncology-review. Updated March 10, 2022. Accessed May 24, 2022. Myint ZW, Goel G. Role of Modern Immunotherapy in Gastrointestinal Malignancies: a Review of Current Clinical Progress. J Hematol Oncol. 2017 Apr 24;10(1):86. American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Esophageal Cancer. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/esophagus-cancer/about/key-statistics.html. Updated January 12, 2022. Accessed May 24, 2022. PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board. PDQ Esophageal Cancer Treatment (Adult). https://www.cancer.gov/types/esophageal/patient/esophageal-treatment-pdq. Last updated: November 18, 2021. Accessed May 24, 2022. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. American Cancer Society. What Is Cancer of the Esophagus? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/esophagus-cancer/about/what-is-cancer-of-the-esophagus.html. Updated March 20, 2020. Accessed May 24, 2022. SEER. Cancer Stat Facts: Esophageal Cancer. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/esoph.html. Accessed May 24, 2022. corporatefinancial-news View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220524006181/en/ Bristol Myers Squibb Media Inquiries: [email protected] Investors: [email protected] Source: Bristol Myers Squibb PARSIPPANY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Zoetis Inc. (NYSE: ZTS) will participate in the Stifel 2022 Jaws and Paws Conference on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Glenn David, Executive Vice President and Group President, International Operations, Aquaculture, BioDevices and Pet Insurance, will represent the company and respond to questions from analysts. He is scheduled to present at 4:10 p.m. ET. Investors and other interested parties will be able to access a live audio webcast of the presentation by visiting http://investor.zoetis.com/events-presentations. A replay of the presentation will also be available on the Zoetis website after the event. About Zoetis As the worlds leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After 70 years innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide -- from livestock farmers to veterinarians and pet owners. The companys leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. A Fortune 500 company, Zoetis generated revenue of $7.8 billion in 2021 with approximately 12,100 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com. ZTS-COR ZTS-IR ZTS-FIN View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220526005759/en/ Media: Bill Price 1-973-443-2742 (o) [email protected] Kristen Seely 1-973-443-2777 (o) [email protected] Investor: Steve Frank 1-973-822-7141 (o) [email protected] Source: Zoetis Inc. FILE PHOTO: Technicians stand next to an oil rig at an Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) plant, during a media tour of the plant in Dhamasna village in the western state of Gujarat, India, August 26, 2021. REUTERS/Amit Dave By Marcy de Luna HOUSTON (Reuters) -Oil prices rose on Friday, closing out the week with gains ahead of the U.S. Memorial Day holiday weekend, the start of peak U.S. demand season, and as European nations negotiate over whether to impose an outright ban on Russian crude oil. Brent crude rose $2.03, or 1.7%, to settle at $119.43. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 98 cents, or 0.9%, to settle at $115.07 a barrel. For the week, Brent rose 6% while WTI gained 1.5%. Prices drew support from strong worldwide demand for fuel, with both gasoline and heating oil futures outpacing crude this year. "Demand is strong with products leading the way, especially gasoline which dragged crude oil up with it, said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC. "The U.S. driving season and strong travel demand should help (prices). With supply growth lagging demand growth, the oil market is likely to stay undersupplied. Hence, we remain positive in our outlook for crude prices," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo. European Union countries are negotiating a deal on Russian oil sanctions that would embargo shipment deliveries but delay sanctions on oil delivered by pipeline to win over Hungary and other landlocked member states, officials said. Hungary's resistance to oil sanctions and reluctance of other countries have held up implementation of a sixth package of sanctions by the 27-member EU against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. EU government envoys could reach an agreement in Brussels on Sunday in time for leaders to endorse it at their May 30-31 summit, officials said. Iranian forces seized two Greek oil tankers on Friday in the Persian Gulf, which has also made investors wary of being short going into the weekend, said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group. "We are seeing assumptions that the demand for oil and gas may be stronger as the stock market suggests that fears of a recession may be being overplayed," Flynn said. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer that Moscow would meet its natural gas delivery commitments. (Reporting by Marcy de Luna in Houston, additional reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London, Stephanie Kelly in New York; Editing by Diane Craft, Kirsten Donovan and David Gregorio) JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (NYSE: JKS) today announced that its principal operating subsidiary, Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. has signed a new distribution agreement in Latin America with Aldo Solar. Aldo Solar, which stands out as the largest distributor of solar energy solutions in the country with a market share of aproximately 30% in the Distributed Generation segment, will bring to market the new N-Type ultra-efficiency photovoltaic Tiger Neo modules from JinkoSolar. At the end of last year, the companies announced the signing of the largest distribution agreement for Distributed Generation ever signed by Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. outside China. And now, this new agreement with Aldo Solar makes Brazil the first market in Latin America to make JinkoSolar 's new N-type modules available and marks the signing of the world's largest contract for the distribution of N-type ultra-efficiency photovoltaic modules from the Tiger Neo family of JinkoSolar. Under this agreement, approxiamately 600 MW of power from the Tiger Neo family is expected to be distributed. The new panels are expected to be available at Aldo Solar for pre-sale starting in July. "The global photovoltaic market is entering a new era with unprecedented speed. The need to address different electricity application scenarios and the urgency of governments and industries for energy transformation have raised the demand for solar energy to a new level," said Kangping Chen, CEO of Jinko Solar Co., Ltd. Mr. Alberto Cuter, General Manager of JinkoSolar for Italy and Latin America commented, "JinkoSolar's N-type Tiger Neo represents state-of-the-art innovation in the solar industry and we are proud that Aldo Solar, with its pioneering spirit and relevance in the Brazilian photovoltaic distribution market, chose this product for their distributios business, which once again demonstrates its commitment to offer the best technology to the Brazilian market. We are very excited about this partnership between the two main important players in the Brazilian market. According to Mr. Aldo Teixeira, founder and CEO of Aldo Solar, "from our first agreement with JinkoSolar to a long-term partnership, we seek to bring to the market the most innovative and disruptive in solar panels. I am sure that the new line of N-type photovoltaic panels will bring a revolution to the market, with the best solution and cost-effectiveness for consumers". "I am sure that in the next two or three years it will be the main panel technology available on the market. Therefore, I would like to thank JinkoSolar on behalf of our resellers and installers, as well as the entire Aldo Solar team. Through this partnership, we hope to spread solar energy even more and offer surprising conditions of clean and cheaper energy to all Brazilians", concludes the CEO of Aldo Solar. According to a recent local report by Yicai, electric vehicle company, Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO) is hiring for positions related to making vehicles in the United States. The positions suggest that the company may be looking to build a new factory in the country. The company's current US footprint includes a self-driving R&D center in San Jose, California. However, the company said in response to questions, that it had no disclosable information about building a factory in the US. NIO is hiring for positions including overseas manufacturing campus planning specialists, body process specialists for overseas projects, overseas planning and infrastructure specialists, and overseas logistics project managers. "NIO is supposed to have the intention of building a plant in the US. The position requires knowledge of US state policies and subsequent involvement in plant site selection in the US," Yicai quoted a person who has been involved in plant construction for Chinese car companies on several occasions as saying. "We are certainly a Chinese company, but also a company founded and supported by global resources, with our colleagues coming from more than 40 countries," said William Li, founder, chairman and CEO in a December 19 interview. NIO's vehicles are currently produced at the JAC-NIO Advanced Manufacturing Base in Hefei, Anhui province, and the company's second plant in NeoPark in the central Chinese city is under construction. By Michael Elkins FILE PHOTO: Parade participants protesting against high student loan burdens are preparing to take part in the annual July 4th parade at Ashland, Oregon, U.S. on July 4, 2015. REUTERS/Randall Mikkelsen WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The administration of President Joe Biden has not made a final decision on student loan cancellation, a White House spokesperson said on Friday, after a news report said it was planning to cancel $10,000 in student debt per borrower. The Washington Post report cited three people familiar with the plan. Two of them said the $10,000 debt forgiveness would apply to Americans who earned less than $150,000 in the previous year, or less than $300,000 for married couples filing jointly. White House spokesman Vedant Patel said the report was inaccurate. "No decisions have been made yet. But as a reminder, no one has been required to pay a single dime of student loans since the president took office," he told Reuters. The current government pause in student interest and payments due to COVID-19 expires at the end of August. The sources, who were not identified, told the newspaper that details could change. According to a study by New York Federal Reserve economists, forgiving $10,000 per student would amount to $321 billion of federal student loans and eliminate the entire balance for 11.8 million borrowers, or 31 percent. "Administration actions have already provided more than $18.5 billion in targeted debt relief to more than 750,000 borrowers. Not to mention tens of billions more saved by the 41 million borrowers who have benefited from the extended student loan payment pause," Patel said. Student debt cancellation has become a priority for many liberals and one that could shore up popularity with younger and more highly educated voters, who lean Democratic, before November's midterm congressional elections. But the Biden administration has been reluctant to unilaterally make an unprecedented cancellation of college debt owned by the U.S. government, a move that would test his legal authority. Instead, Biden has asked Congress to pass a bill forgiving debt that he could sign. The federal government has let 43 million borrowers stop paying on a total of $1.6 trillion in student loans since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. "I am considering dealing with some debt reduction," Biden told reporters on April 28. He said he was not considering the $50,000 debt reduction that some progressive Democrats have embraced. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Mark Porter) (Reuters) - Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they seized two Greek tankers in the Gulf for unspecified violations on Friday, Iranian state media reported. "The Revolutionary Guards Navy today seized two Greek tankers for violations in Gulf waters," said a Guards statement, quoted by the state news agency IRNA. (Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Andrew Heavens) FILE PHOTO: Rivian CEO R.J. Scaringe introduces his company's R1T all-electric pickup truck at Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California, U.S. November 27, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake (Reuters) - Rivian Automotive said on Friday Charly Mwangi, who helped kick-start the electric-vehicle maker's manufacturing process, will leave the company. Mwangi, a former Tesla Inc executive, served as Executive Vice President from May 2020 at Rivian. He brought the R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV to production in late 2021. His departure comes amid the arrival of former Magna International executive Frank Klein, who is due to take over as chief operations chief in June and oversee production, supply chain and manufacturing engineering. The Amazon-backed company, which cut its 2022 production target earlier this year, added it was confident the restructuring of its operations team will strengthen Rivian's ability to deepen its relationships with commercial partners. Rivian's Chief Executive RJ Scaringe has said it would be able to double its production if there were no supply constraints, after he pointed to allocation of semiconductors being an issue. (This story corrects headline to fix Mwangi's position in company) (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri) Every mile logged translates into a donation for survivors. PHILADELPHIA, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Over 25 million people are trafficked worldwide, leaving many survivors with inadequate resources for dealing with trauma, abuse, and addiction. But despite these odds, there's hope and a way for everyone to be a part of the solution. Now, through July 30, everyone, everywhere is invited to walk, bike, run, swim or even kayak to support survivors of human trafficking through Worthwhile Wear's national "Act Challenge." For every mile logged at WorthwhileWear.org or shared on social media using @WorthwhileWear, Act Challenge sponsors will make a financial donation per mile that helps provide safe housing and restorative programming to survivors of human trafficking in America. The Act Challenge is a free event and open to all ages and abilities. Schools, businesses, gyms, churches and even other organizations are capitalizing on the opportunity this event offers. Educate students, clients and colleagues on the issue of human trafficking, and then host a walk/jog/ride to make a positive impact in the life of someone affected by trafficking. The goal of this year's Act Challenge is to complete 30,000 miles by July 30, "World Day Against Trafficking." Join everyone in raising awareness about the issue of trafficking and help expand housing capacity and outreach programs for survivors by logging miles today. To join this effort, follow these steps: 1. Track: Log miles while walking, running, biking, swimming, kayaking, etc. 2. Record: Submit completed miles on the submission form at www.worthwhilewear.org or post on social media and tag @WorthwhileWear 3. Repeat: Miles may be submitted every day through July 30. So far, the response has been incredible with people submitting miles from all across America. New York Yankees Catcher Erik Kratz says this about participating in the Act Challenge: "When training or working out, it's important to stay motivated, and for me, there's no greater motivation than knowing that my miles are helping others. I'm motivated to push harder knowing that my effort is supporting the important work that Worthwhile Wear is doing to bring hope and healing to survivors." Don't sit idle. The simple act of being active will help human trafficking survivors and bring hope to many who are still working through past trauma brought on by sexual exploitation. Worthwhile Wear is a 501c3 non-profit that offers the most comprehensive services to survivors of trafficking in the state of Pennsylvania and is actively growing its outreach program to survivors into other states. Worthwhile Wear provides survivors with long-term housing on a beautiful 82-acre property just outside of Philadelphia, PA. It equips survivors with job training and employment through its thrift stores, empowers survivors of sexual exploitation through its community outreach programs, and globally employs survivors in the making of Worthwhile Wear apparel. For more information or to learn about business sponsorships, visit WorthwhileWear.org. Press Contact: [email protected] Related Images Image 1: 2022 Act Challenge Make your miles matter This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment GLENVIEW, Ill., May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Argo Translation, a 28-year-old language services firm based in Chicago, announced today it is closing on the acquisition of ICDTranslation, a Milwaukee-based translation company. By acquiring ICDTranslation, Argo Translation will serve a greater market by doubling its employee base, adding deep expertise, and bolstering customer service capabilities. This acquisition is part of the Company's strategic growth plan that supports additional service offerings to a broader customer base. "Understanding is at the heart of everything we do," said Peter Argondizzo, who founded Argo Translation with Jackie Lucarelli in 1995. "We've always respected ICDTranslation as a company, specifically for its commitment to customer service, which aligns perfectly with our team. We are confident that we'll provide our customers with the best possible outcomes through this acquisition, and we couldn't be more excited about it." Dany Olier, President & Cofounder of ICDTranslation, agrees. "The combination of our technologies, resources, and innovations will be a huge asset for everyone involved and allow us to strengthen and expand the impact of superior language services. We can't wait to join the team at Argo Translation." Catherine Deschamps-Potter, Vice President & Co-founder of ICDTranslation, also weighed in on the acquisition. "It has been a pleasure working with so many great companies over the years. We know Argo Translation will take great care of our customers." Business will continue out of Argo Translation's headquarters in Glenview, Illinois, in the metro-Chicago area. ICDTranslation co-founders Dany Olier and Catherine Deschamps-Potter will consult during the transition. The entire ICD team will continue their work with Argo Translation. ABOUT ARGO TRANSLATION Founded in 1995 by Peter Argondizzo and Jackie Lucarelli, Argo Translation delivers cost-effective, culturally significant translation services by combining dedicated project management teams, powerful technology, and teams of linguists around the world. With over 300 million words and 80 languages translated, Argo Translation helps companies expand their audiences, increase engagement and revenue, and achieve organizational success through better understanding and certified quality translation. Learn more about how Argo Translation is breaking the language barrier at argotrans.com. ABOUT ICD TRANSLATION ICDTranslation, Inc. is a comprehensive translation agency providing superior multilingual communications to international industries since 1991. With locations in Milwaukee, Denver, and Tampa, ICDTranslation has helped strengthen its clients' global presence through premier customer service, authentic customer partnerships, and a proud commitment to accuracy, confidentiality, and excellence. ### FOR QUESTIONS, CONTACT Peter Argondizzo, FounderArgo Translation847-901-4070[email protected] Related Images Image 1: Argo Translation Logo Argo Translation Logo This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Argo Translation Logo Argo Translation Logo Source: Argo Translation, Inc. Falls Church, VA, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Community Associations Institute (CAI), the international leading advocate for condominiums, homeowners associations, and housing cooperatives, applauds the Florida legislature for unanimously passing comprehensive and meaningful condominium safety measures to support the 9 million Floridians living and working in community associations.This week, the Senate voted 38-0, and the House voted 110-0, to support the legislation after a powerful and heartfelt standing ovation for state Rep. Daniel Perez (R-Miami-Dade County), the bills sponsor in the House. Governor DeSantis signed the bill last night. CAI representatives were in Tallahassee this week during the legislatures special session and were the only ones to speak on behalf of the new bill. The legislation includes a framework largely based on CAI public policy recommendations for: Building inspections as structures reach 30 years old and every 10 years thereafter. Mandatory reserve study and funding for structural integrity components (building, floors, windows, plumbing, electrical, etc.). Removal of opt-out funding of reserves for structural integrity components. Mandatory transparencyproviding all owners and residents access to building safety information. Clear developer requirements for building inspections, structural integrity reserve study, and funding requirements prior to transition to the residents. Engagement of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and local municipalities to track condominium buildings and the inspection reporting. Associations will have two years to comply with these requirements. Since the June 24, 2021, partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South Condominium Association in Surfside, where 98 people perished and many others lost their homes, CAI has been committed to creating solutions to make sure similar tragedies never happen again. Following the collapse, CAI members and volunteers worked closely with Florida Sens. Jason Pizzo (D-Miami-Dade County), Jennifer Bradley (R-Orange Park), and Rep. Daniel Perez to lead the efforts to pass this important legislation. We are very pleased that Florida policymakers passed this comprehensive legislation that will make certain that no matter where a condominium or cooperative is located in the state, they will be periodically inspected with information shared with unit owners, local building officials, and prospective buyers, says Dawn M. Bauman, CAE, CAIs senior vice president for government and public affairs. CAI will continue working with policymakers to support condominium communities as they navigate these new requirements. In addition, CAI will use the Florida legislation as model language for other states in the U.S. as they consider adopting similar measures. This week, Florida lawmakers made a remarkable step toward supporting the millions of Floridians who call a condominium home, says Thomas M. Skiba, CAE, CAIs chief executive officer. After the Surfside tragedy, CAI vowed to lead the conversation and dedicate our industry knowledge and resources to lawmakers and policymakers with the goal of creating common sense legislation that would positively impact these communities. We commend the Florida legislature on their action to address condo safety, and we look forward to the work ahead. For more information, visit CAIs condo safety resources at www.condosafety.com. ### About Community Associations Institute Since 1973, Community Associations Institute (CAI) has been the leading provider of resources and information for homeowners, volunteer board leaders, professional managers, and business professionals in the more than 355,000 homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives in the United States and millions of communities worldwide. With more than 43,000 members, CAI works in partnership with 36 legislative action committees and 63 affiliated chapters within the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates as well as with housing leaders in several other countries, including Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. A global nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization, CAI is the foremost authority in community association management, governance, education, and advocacy. Our mission is to inspire professionalism, effective leadership, and responsible citizenshipideals reflected in community associations that are preferred places to call home. Visit us at www.caionline.org, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook @CAISocial. Amy Repke Community Associations Institute 703-624-2179 [email protected] Source: Community Associations Institute SAN FRANCISCO, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Heritage Fund welcomes Daun Paris and Daniel Winey to the Board of Directors. At Global Heritage Fund's May meeting, the Board elected Paris and Winey. "With their experience and expertise in their fields, they will bring fresh perspectives and insights to Global Heritage Fund's work around the world," said Ro King, Board Chair. "We are pleased to add such talented people to the Board." Paris is an entrepreneur, co-founding Eastern Consolidated, a leading New York City real estate company, in 1981. The importance of making a difference has inspired Paris to serve on the boards of numerous mission-driven organizations, including Northern Westchester Hospital, now Northwell Health, and JCCA, the second oldest charity in the United States. Paris recently relocated to Los Angeles, where she designs jewelry, hand fabricating her work using ancient techniques. Winey is the current Global Growth Officer at Gensler, an integrated architecture, design, planning and consulting firm. In the last 30 years, Winey has acted as regional Managing Principal of Gensler's Pacific Northwest office, Regional Managing Principal of the Asia Pacific Regions, and the Chief Operations Officer for the largest design practice in the world. He also holds an honorary doctorate degree in architecture from Lawrence Technological University. Winey is passionate about designing livable cities, sustainable buildings, and the principles of urbanization. "Daun's focus on results will help Global Heritage Fund to create high-impact projects for communities around the world, while Dan's international business experience developing sustainable buildings can be effectively adapted to the heritage sector," said Nada Hosking, Executive Director of Global Heritage Fund. "We are excited to see them accelerate Global Heritage Fund's growth." Global Heritage Fund also acknowledges the service of outgoing Board member Roeland Vos, President and CEO of Belmond Ltd, an LVMH subsidiary. ABOUT GLOBAL HERITAGE FUND Founded in 2002 with the premise that cultural heritage protection can catalyze responsible social and economic development, Global Heritage Fund has worked in 20 countries supporting over 30 projects through creative collaborations and grassroots partnerships. Global Heritage Fund achieves its mission by developing programs that connect communities to expertise and funding, build resilience among stakeholders, create opportunity for local populations, foster innovation and creativity, and support sustainable travel. These efforts enhance local communities while preserving invaluable links to our shared human history. Learn more at globalheritagefund.org. For more information, please contact: US enquiries Matthew StrebeGlobal Heritage Fund[email protected]+1 (510) 499-3819 UK enquiries Olivia JarrellGlobal Heritage Fund[email protected] Related Images Image 1 Daun Paris (left) and Daniel Winey (right) join the Board of Directors at Global Heritage Fund. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Featured Image for Global Heritage Fund Featured Image for Global Heritage Fund Source: Global Heritage Fund NEWPORT NEWS, Va., May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With HII-built aircraft carriers featured prominently in the movie release of Top Gun: Maverick, the nations largest shipbuilder recognized the release as an opportunity to celebrate its workforce, their contribution to national security and the companys growing technologies business. In Virginia, where HII is the states largest industrial employer, the companys Newport News Shipbuilding division invited shipbuilders to get an early screening of the movie. This team builds the most powerful and survivable ships in the world in support of national security, said Danyelle Saunders, who leads the Newport News Shipbuilding Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion Office. Were excited that the movie shines a light on their hard work, and showcases how these incredibly capable platforms function on behalf of the country. HII, a mission-driven defense and technologies partner for customers worldwide, is Americas only builder of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. A total of 800 Newport News Shipbuilding shipbuilders across shifts were invited to get an early-screening of the movie after or before work on Wednesday, May 25, and Thursday, May 26, before Top Gun: Maverick officially hit theaters. Additionally, 1,200 vouchers have been provided for additional shipbuilders to see the movie. A photo accompanying this release is available at: https://newsroom.hii.com/releases/hii-top-gun-maverick-shipbuilding. Its great the company would do this, especially a pre-showing, said Newport News Shipbuilding Engineering Technician Will Wiley, who attended the Thursday screening. We play a huge role in building carriers, so its great to see something we were part of on the big screen. DeWolfe Chip Miller, corporate vice president of customer affairs for HII, contributed to the production of Top Gun: Maverick during his career in the Navy as the commander of Naval Air Forces. The aircraft carriers we build are the most technologically advanced in the world, Miller said. We deliver them to the U.S. Navy who man, train and equip sailors who breathe life into these magnificent machines and take them to sea. Together, we are an unstoppable team: shipbuilders and sailors. Our country needs that team now more than ever. As America recognizes the 100-year legacy of aircraft carriers this year, all U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carriers operating in the Navy fleet today were built at Newport News Shipbuilding, including USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) seen in Top Gun: Maverick. HIIs Ingalls Shipbuilding and Mission Technologies divisions also initiated similar efforts to connect employees with the companys mission through opportunities to receive tickets to see the movie while it is in theaters. HII is an all-domain defense and technologies partner, recognized worldwide as Americas largest shipbuilder. With a 135-year history of trusted partnerships in advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities ranging from the most powerful and survivable naval ships ever built, to unmanned systems, ISR and AI/ML analytics. HII leads the industry in mission-driven solutions that support and enable an all-domain force. Headquartered in Virginia, HIIs skilled workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information please visit: HII on the web: https://www.hii.com/ HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII HII on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/wearehii HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearehii Contact: Todd Corillo[email protected] (757) 688-3220 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/479b00f9-b210-4954-bcef-a4f529b2d1e1 Top Gun: Maverick Screening Shipbuilders from Newport News Shipbuilding enjoy an early screening of the movie Top Gun: Maverick, as HII celebrates its workforce, their contribution to national security and the companys growing technologies business. Source: Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif., May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Malaga Financial Corporation (OTCPink: MLGF) announced today the declaration of a cash dividend in the amount of 25 cents per share to shareholders of record on June 17, 2022. The dividend will be paid out on or about July 1, 2022. Randy C. Bowers, Chairman, President and CEO, remarked, We are pleased to announce the 25 cent quarterly dividend which represents a 4.26% annualized yield based on our most recent closing price of $23.50. Solid earnings and our strong capital level position us to continue to reward our shareholders for their investment. Malaga Bank, a subsidiary of Malaga Financial Corporation, is a full-service community bank headquartered on the Palos Verdes Peninsula with six offices located in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Malaga Bank has been named by DepositAccounts.com as one of the Top 200 Healthiest Banks out of the 5,035 banks analyzed across the United States. A more detailed breakdown of Malaga Banks A+ health score may be found in the health section of its dedicated page at www.depositaccounts.com/banks/malaga-bank-fsb.html#health. For over ten years Malaga Bank has been consistently recommended by one of the nations leading independent bank rating and research firms, Bauer Financial Inc. Malaga Bank was awarded their premier Top 5-Star rating for the 58th consecutive quarter as of March 2022. Since 1985 Malaga has been delivering competitive banking services to residents and businesses of the South Bay, including real estate loan products custom-tailored to consumers and investors. As the largest community bank in the South Bay, Malaga is proud of its continuing tradition of relationship-based banking and legendary customer service. The Banks web site is located at www.malagabank.com. Contact: Randy Bowers Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Malaga Financial Corporation (310) 375-9000 [email protected] Source: Malaga Financial Corp. HOUSTON, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To celebrate National Womens Month in March 2022, the City of Houston honored some of Houstons Top Businesswomen. Minuteman Press franchise owner Sharon Rayner was honored with this award. Sharon and Paul Rayner have owned and operated Minuteman Press for over 20 years in the Westchase District of Houston. They have grown their business along with the growth of the Westside of Houston as a vibrant business community. The Rayners came to the forefront as leaders in their business community because of Bounce Back USA, a free initiative launched by Minuteman Press International for local communities in 2020 that was featured in Forbes. They used the ideas and materials supplied by Minuteman Press World HQ and created Bounce Back Westchase. They connected community businesses to local customers by using business organizations and local leaders. Houston City Council Member Tiffany D. Thomas was one of the first supporters of Bounce Back Westchase and nominated Sharon for this prestigious award. In Sharons acceptance speech, she not only thanked the hundreds of people involved with Bounce Back Westchase, she recognized the importance of women as business leaders. She said, Women provide a different and important vision for any business. As printers, we enjoy that our profession is helping people. Every day, we help our customers succeed, from small businesses to non-profits up to some of Houstons Fortune 500 companies. Sharon added, Our success is based on helping other people be successful. So, they, in turn, can help others. This community of helping others is what makes Houston a great city. Id like to congratulate Sharon Rayner on her well-deserved award as one of Houstons Top Businesswomen. Sharon and Paul have been exemplary Minuteman Press franchise owners and business leaders for over 20 years. I truly admire their work ethic and continued dedication to their clients and their community, added Erick Rios, Houston Area Manager, Minuteman Press International. The Official Proclamation states: WHEREAS, Womens History Month recognizes the achievements and impacts women have made on history. To this end, the City of Houston is ever indebted to the phenomenal women that have made invaluable contributions to the City with their many worthwhile endeavors; and WHEREAS, the City of Houstons success and thriving reputation is due to the many organizations, such as Minuteman Press Westchase, that strive to increase the quality of life for all; THEREFORE, March 29, 2022, has been proclaimed as Women of Westchase Day in Houston, Texas and it is encouraged that all Houstonians join in thanking these women for their staunch community advocacy and for inspiring the community with their compassion. Sharon and Paul Rayners Minuteman Press franchise is located in the Westchase District at 3711 Briarpark Drive, Suite 395, Houston, TX 77042. For more information, visit their website: https://www.houston-printer.com Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Media Contact: Minuteman Press InternationalChris Biscuiti, 631-249-1370[email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/08ebc9a5-0819-44f3-9fd5-d6afe48ff805 Sharon Rayner Award Photo Minuteman Press franchise owner Sharon Rayner (right) is recognized as one of Houstons Top Businesswomen. Houston City Council member Tiffany D. Thomas (left) nominated Sharon for this prestigious award. Source: Minuteman Press International MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich., May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nano Magic Holdings, Inc. (OTCMKT: NMGX) (Nano Magic or the Company), a leader in nanotechnology-powered cleaning, protection and anti-fog solutions announced that effective at the end of the month it is selling a majority interest in Applied Nanotech, Inc. (Applied Nanotech) to the employees of that subsidiary. Jacque Soptick, an employee for over 20 years, became the majority owner of Applied Nanotech. She stated: We are excited for this new chapter of Applied Nanotech as a woman-owned business. After more than two decades, the time has finally arrived to take ownership of its future. Dr. Richard Fink, the other purchaser who is continuing as the chief scientist explained: After decades of commitment to Applied Nanotech, Jacque and I can now call it our own. I look forward to continuing my collaboration with Jacque to expand and grow the contract research and specialized product sales, capitalizing on our technology. For Nano Magic, Tom Berman, President, noted: This lets Nano Magic sharpen its focus on brand development and our own product portfolio while still retaining minority ownership in Applied Nanotech and its future. This is a true win-win transaction. On May 26, 2022 David Sherbin was elected to the Nano Magic board. Mr. Sherbin retired in April 2021from from his position as the senior vice president, general counsel, chief compliance officer and secretary at Aptiv PLC (formerly Delphi Automotive). He joined that company in 2005 and served as General counsel & Chief Compliance Officer. Prior to that, Mr. Sherbin served Pulte Group, Federal Mogul Corporation and Heller Financial Inc. in legal and compliance roles. He is a graduate of Oberlin College and Cornell Law School. He is 62 years old. Tom Berman commented: We are elated to have someone of Davids caliber and experience join our Board. He has worked virtually his entire career with public reporting companies and brings to our Board a wealth of legal, business, and compliance experience that will strengthen our team. About Nano Magic Nano Magic is a leader in developing and bringing to market cutting-edge nanotechnology-powered industrial and consumer cleaning, protection and anti-fog solutions formulated in Detroit, Michigan. Nano Magic focuses on innovative and advanced product solutions harnessing the magic power of nanotechnology to create a safer, more socially conscious, and higher performing world. Visit www.nanomagic.com for more information. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws that involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control, concerning our business, products, and financial results. Actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by our use of words such as expect, anticipate, will, believe, and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that are inherently uncertain. All statements are made as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or new information except as required by applicable laws. More information about our business, products, and financial results are included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, and in reports subsequently filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). All documents are available through the SECs Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov or from our website listed above. All forward-looking statements apply only as of the date hereof. We hereby disclaim any obligation to publicly update the information provided above, including forward-looking statements, to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Contact Information Nano Magic Holdings Inc. Jeanne Rickert[email protected](844) 273-6462 Source: Nano Magic Holdings, Inc. Wounded Warriors Family Support Presents Mobility is Freedom Donation NEW YORK, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wounded Warriors Family Support presented Luis Remache of Manorville, New York, with a 2022 Ford F-150 mobility-equipped vehicle. Remache is medically retired from the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served on active duty from 2004 to 2013. Remache was presented with a modified vehicle specifically designed to meet his needs during Fleet Week New York 2022 at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Sgt. Remache was deployed with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines for a third time in early 2011. While on patrol in Sangin, Afghanistan, in late June 2011, Remaches unit made contact with the enemy. During the ensuing firefight, a grenade blast and small arms fire caused the traumatic amputations of Remaches legs above the knees, as well as severe wounds to his stomach, right elbow and both hands. Remache was medevaced to Camp Leatherneck, then subsequently airlifted to Landstuhl, Germany, for further treatment. Remache arrived at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, soon after and has endured nearly a dozen surgeries. Being close to family is extremely important to Luis, which is why he chose to live on Long Island, said Martin Duarte, Wounded Warriors Family Supports program outreach coordinator. This properly equipped vehicle will help provide Luis with independence and make it easier for him to remain active in his church and participate in sports. Remache enjoys spending time with his wife Cynthia (a fellow Marine veteran) and two children. Wounded Warriors Family Support launched Mobility is Freedom in 2015 to provide grants and modified vehicles for combat-wounded veterans. Remache received the fourth Mobility is Freedom vehicle donation in 2022. Wounded Warriors Family Support donated nine vehicles to veterans last year. About Wounded Warriors Family Support Wounded Warriors Family Support is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide support to the families of those who have been wounded, injured, or killed during combat operations. This organization is run by combat veterans for combat veterans. Rated a four-star nonprofit by Charity Navigator, Wounded Warriors Family Support aids veterans and their families in healing the wounds that medicine cannot. For more information about Wounded Warriors Family Support, visit www.wwfs.org . Media Contacts: Kevin Schuster, PR Counsel Cell: 402.917.6001 Email: [email protected] Martin Duarte, WWFS Program Outreach Coordinator 760.405.7777 [email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/80d4351a-4f80-4802-a6ca-dda4e000a4bb (New York, Oslo and Luxembourg, May 25, 2022) Statkraft, Europes largest producer of renewable energy has signed a binding Heads of Terms with FREYR Battery (NYSE: FREY) (FREYR), a developer of clean, next-generation battery cell production capacity. The Heads of Terms is expected to be finalized as a long-term physical supply agreement, with the ambition to secure a long-term supply of renewable power under globally competitive terms for FREYRs planned battery cell production project in Mo i Rana, Norway. The Heads of Terms and related energy services from Statkraft is projected to cover all of FREYRs currently anticipated electricity needs for the period of 2024-2031 and to ensure physical delivery of energy from the central grid in Mo i Rana to FREYRs Customer Qualification Plant (CQP) and combined Gigafactory 1 & 2. During this period, Statkraft commits to providing up to 23 MW baseload with an accumulated delivery of 1.4 TWh over the contract period to FREYR, as well as the provision of Guarantees of Origin to document that the power is sourced from Statkrafts hydropower assets in the region. Our ambition is to produce clean battery cells, and a key element of our strategy is to power our operations with renewable energy. This agreement with Statkraft ensures that our production facilities in Mo i Rana will have a steady, long-term supply of hydropower from local sources keeping our carbon footprint to a minimum as we speed forward to full operations, said Tove Nilsen Ljungquist, EVP Operations of FREYR. Statkraft contributes to the green shift by providing renewable power to existing customers and new industrial entrants around the world. We are happy to support the establishment of FREYRs battery cell facility in Northern Norway, enabling green jobs and use of local resources. Together with flexible hydropower, batteries are essential for a net zero future, says EVP Market & IT in Statkraft, Hallvard Granheim. Under the Heads of Terms, the renewable energy for FREYRs production site will be sourced from Statkrafts hydropower plant Rana. Rana is 100 percent Statkraft-owned with a capacity of 500 MW and annual generation of approximately 2,150 GWh. The proximity of Statkrafts hydropower plant to FREYRs planned production facilities in Mo i Rana is consistent with FREYRs ambition to establish its operations in areas with an ample, local supply of clean energy. *** About Statkraft Statkraft is a leading company in hydropower internationally and Europes largest generator of renewable energy. The Group produces hydropower, wind power, solar power, gas-fired power and supplies district heating. Statkraft is a global company in energy market operations. Statkraft has 4,800 employees in 19 countries. About FREYR Battery FREYR Battery aims to provide industrial scale clean battery solutions to reduce global emissions. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange, FREYRs mission is to produce green battery cells to accelerate the decarbonization of energy and transportation systems globally. FREYR has commenced building the first of its planned factories in Mo i Rana, Norway and announced potential development of industrial scale battery cell production in Vaasa, Finland and the United States. FREYR intends to deliver up to 43 GWh of battery cell capacity by 2025 and up to 83 GWh annual capacity by 2028. To learn more about FREYR, please visit www.freyrbattery.com Investor contact: Jeffrey Spittel Vice President, Investor Relations [email protected] Tel: (+1) 281-222-0161 Media contacts: Katrin Berntsen Vice President, Communication and Public Affairs, FREYR [email protected] Tel: (+47) 920 54 570 Lars Magnus Gunther Press spokesperson, Statkraft AS [email protected] Tel: (+47) 912 41 636 Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, including, without limitation, statements regarding (i) any potential benefits from the long-term physical supply agreement, including Statkrafts supply and timely delivery of electricity sourced from renewable energy assets under competitive terms, (ii) the development, timeline, capacity, and other usefulness of FREYRs planned battery cell production plants and battery development strategy and (iii) FREYRs ambition and ability to establish operations with renewable energy from local sources and keep its carbon footprint to a minimum are forward-looking and involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside FREYRs control and difficult to predict. Information about factors that could materially affect FREYR is set forth under the Risk Factors section in FREYRs Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on August 9, 2021, as amended, and in other SEC filings available on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. Attachments Miami FL, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Swello, a DeFi 2.0 High APY protocol, brings new income generation tools to the global markets. The platform gives investors the ability to earn an APY of 146,848%. At the moment, most fixed income investments have an APY of less than 8%. Unlike traditional financial investments, investors can lock in a rate of return that is potentially much higher than the rates that are offered from banks, indexes, or bonds in the traditional financial markets. Swello: Profitable Staking Made Simple Compounding has been one of the most profitable ways to earn high returns in the global markets over the past few years. Swello gives investors the high returns that compounding and crypto staking creates, without any of the technical barriers that some investors find intimidating. Here are some of the advantages that Swello offers investors: Ultra low fees: One area of DeFi that can eat up potential profits is buying and selling taxes. Swello overcomes this hindrance by offering investors rock-bottom taxes. Fast payments: Waiting for payments from rebases is a thing of the past with Swello. Instead of waiting days, or even hours, Swello pays out rewards every 15 minutes. As the payouts accumulate, further gains are amplified at a rate of 96 times per day. Automatic rewards: Staking made simple with Swello. With the system designed by Swello, all investors need to do is buy the token, and start earning. No need to connect to 3rd party apps, click extra buttons, or open new wallets as soon as you purchase the coin, compounding begins. So simple: Swello is simple to understand. The holdings, rewards, and APY for every investor are laid out on a single dashboard interface, and making transactions can be done with the press of a button. How Does Swello Create a 146,848%+ APY? By taking advantage of the wide array of DeFi staking opportunities, Swello is able to employ capital via the open markets. With these advanced tools, Swello token holders may be able to around 2%, per day, in interest. To put this in perspective, most government bonds yield around 3% in APY, per year. Click here for more information on how to get started! Tokenomics Swello is offering a high sustainable APY of 146,848%. The APY is backed by an intricate support system including Swello Safety Fund (SSF), Swello Automated Trust (SAT), and Swello Treasury. Included in this, the SSF is to ensure that token holders receive a reward every 15 minutes. The SSF includes its own wallet that gets funds from buy and sell trades. The SSF also reduces risk to token holders as well as creates sustainability for the long-term growth of the protocol. Note that 5% of all buy and sell trade fees go to the SSF which helps to scale the SSF with the growth of the community as well as continue to support the longevity of being able to protect the high APY offered. In addition to the SSF, an anti-manipulation system is also built into the SAT. The SAT protects the Swello community from price manipulation with reliable algorithms. In particular the SAT prevents whales from dumping large amounts of tokens into markets. The SAT is one of the key systems which serves to further stabilize Swello and ensure the longevity of the project. Theres an automated system used to burn tokens, produce funds for the treasury, and donate to the community. The Swello Treasury was created to aid the SSF and SAT to stabilize Swello in case that the two needed support. Moreover, Treasury is also used to support protocol development, pay the team, initiate marketing campaigns, and more. As a part of the Swello system, the Swello Automated LP (SALP) is Swello's Liquidity Pool that auto-converts 50% of $SWLO into BNB every 48 hours. While other crypto protocols have a high slippage threshold which robs investors of funds, the SALP significantly reduces slippage. How to Buy $SWLO: The SwelloToken Users can buy Swello tokens on Pancake Swap. However, it will require taking a few steps before converting other currencies into Swello tokens. $SWLO is a token on the Swello protocol, which is also a BNB token. Therefore, buyers will need to purchase or swap for BNB before you swap for $SWLO. To buy $SWLO, first of all, users need to create a wallet and purchase BNB. Then, link the wallet to the exchange where you can swap your BNB to $SWLO. About Swello Swello is a DeFi 2.0 protocol that allows its users to easily enter the global DeFi staking ecosystem. The team at Swello created a platform that empowers users with a simple interface, and ease of use. Swello is working to bring the amazing opportunities that are available in the DeFi space to a much wider user base. Important Links Website: https://swello.finance/ App: https://app.swello.finance/ Whitepaper: https://docs.swello.finance/tokenomics/swello-overview Price Chart: Releasing Soon Social Links Twitter: https://twitter.com/swello_finance?s=21&t=dEgdBWul4QZ0gMmrbq5y4w Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swello_defi/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdXKCq2j/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVjWb4wlZ_8i-sWNz9Ugr1Q Medium: https://swello.medium.com/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/swello_finance/ Brand: Swello Email: info (at) swello.finance Source: Swello TORONTO, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TRX Gold Corporation (TSX: TNX) (NYSE MKT: TRX) (the Company or TRX Gold) is pleased to announce that effective today at market open, the Company will begin trading as TRX Gold Corporation. The Companys common shares (the Common Shares) will continue trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the TSX) under its current ticker symbol TNX and on the New York Stock Exchange (the NYSE) under its current ticker symbol TRX. The new CUSIP of the Common Shares is 87283P109 and the new ISIN is CA87283P1099. The name change will better reflect the great strides that the Company has made over the last 18 months, most importantly: The start of gold production at its flagship Buckreef Gold Project and the reporting of positive operating cash flow at Buckreef Gold The expansion of the oxide processing plant to 1,000+ tpd, which is expected to be completed in calendar Q3 2022, and is forecasting production of 15,000 20,000 ounces of gold per year Ongoing drilling at Buckreef Gold with the goal of expanding current resources, discovering new resources and converting resources to reserves Continued focus on the highest ESG standards, by implementing several social programs, whilst developing a broader framework and policies, including important partnerships with the District and Regional Commissioners on school, water and health projects. About TRX Gold Corporation TRX Gold along with its joint venture partner, STAMICO is advancing a significant gold project at Buckreef in Tanzania. Buckreef is anchored by an expanded Mineral Resource published in May 2020. Measured Mineral Resource is 19.98 million tonnes (MT) at 1.99 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au) containing 1,281,161 ounces (oz) of gold and Indicated Mineral Resource is 15.89 MT at 1.48 g/t gold containing 755,119 oz of gold for a combined tonnage of 35.88 MT at 1.77 g/t gold containing 2,036,280 oz of gold. The Buckreef Gold Project also contains an Inferred Mineral Resource of 17.8 MT at 1.11g/t gold for contained gold of 635,540 oz of gold. The Company is actively investigating and assessing multiple exploration targets on its property. Please refer to the Companys Updated Mineral Resources Estimate for Buckreef Gold Project, dated May 15, 2020 and filed under the Companys profile on SEDAR and with the SEC on June 23, 2020 (the Technical Report), for more information. Buckreef is being advanced in a value accretive sustainable manner through: Expanding Production Profile: A 360 tonne per day (tpd) processing plant is being expanded to 1,000+ tpd, enabling a near term production profile of 15,000 - 20,000 oz of gold per year. Positive operating cash flow will be utilized for value enhancing activities, including exploration and Sulphide Project Development. Exploration: Continuing with a drilling program with the goal of expanding resources, discovering new resources and converting resources to reserves, by: (i) step-out drilling in the northeast extension of Buckreef Main; (ii) infill drilling to upgrade Mineral Resources currently in the Inferred category in Buckreef Main; (iii) infill drilling program of Buckreef West; (iv) developing an exploration program for the newly discovered Anfield Zone; (v) upgrading historical mineral resources at Bingwa and Tembo; (vi) identifying new prospects at Buckreef Gold Project, and in the East African region. Sulphide Development Project: Unlocking the value of the Sulphide Project in which the sulphide ore encompasses approximately 90% of the Resources. It is the goal of the Company to exceed all metrics as outlined in the Technical Report, including annual production and strip ratio. Investors Christina Lalli Vice President, Investor RelationsTRX Gold Corporation+1-438-399-8665 [email protected] Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release contains forward-looking statements and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as will, may, should, anticipates, expects and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this news release 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. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. The TSX and NYSE have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Source: Tanzanian Gold Corporation Washington, DC, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Government Affairs Lodriguez Murray delivered public witness testimony on May 26 before the House Appropriations Committee panel which funds the Department of Education. At the hearing, with a focus on the Fiscal Year 2023 budget which Congress must write and pass, Murray spoke on the needs of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as well as how Congress could help students from underserved backgrounds. The main focus of the testimony was the congressional need to fund the Title III Strengthening HBCUs Program at a robust $500 million, which would be an increase from the current level of $337 million. Mr. Murray noted that one HBCU in particular received a $100 million funding increase, by themselves, in FY 2022. Therefore, it is logical that the Title III Strengthening HBCUs program should receive a $100-plus million increase since the collective of over 100 institutions all share in the program. After Murrays testimony, House Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Subcommittee Ranking Member Tom Cole (R-OK) both noted UNCFs testimony was thorough and compelling. Together, they questioned their overall funding numbers and if their allocation would allow that level of funding increase. A key component of Murrays testimony addressed the juxtaposition between the recent pandemic related influx of funding for HBCUs versus the long-standing underfunding of the institutions. More can be done by Congress to support HBCUs. As much funding as has come our way, I want to be clear: a two-year influx cannot reverse 150 years of systemic, persistent underfunding. HBCUs have been at the forefront of improving education and health disparities long before the issues have recently become vogue, said Murray. You can view Murrays testimony delivered on behalf of UNCF here. You can also amplify Mr. Murrays message via the following social media links: https://twitter.com/UNCF/status/1529949494531481613?s=20&t=nuk-vuv6NqiuvxBAFzQpMA https://twitter.com/UNCF/status/1529953841936052224?s=20&t=nuk-vuv6NqiuvxBAFzQpMA https://twitter.com/UNCF/status/1529957055108374534?s=20&t=nuk-vuv6NqiuvxBAFzQpMA https://www.instagram.com/reel/CeCmYf9pvKx/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= ### About UNCF UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nations largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF. Monique LeNoir United Negro College Fund, Inc. (UNCF) 202-810-0231 [email protected] Source: United Negro College Fund, Inc. (UNCF) TORONTO, May 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wallbridge Mining Company Limited (TSX:WM, OTCQX: WLBMF) (Wallbridge or the Company) held its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders (the Meeting) on May 25, 2022. A total of 523,233,979 shares or 59.3% of the outstanding shares of the Company were represented at the Meeting by proxy. All of the matters submitted to the shareholders for approval as set out in the Company's notice of meeting and management information circular dated April 15, 2022 (MIC) were approved by the requisite majority of votes cast at the Meeting. Voting on the following matters, as described in the MIC, was conducted by ballot: to set the number of directors at ten, and approval, confirmation and ratification of the Companys Omnibus Share Based Compensation Plan. A total of 474,872,804 votes, or 92.3%, were cast by ballot for the resolution to set the number of directors at ten, while 39,746,491, or 7.7%, were cast by ballot against the resolution to set the number of directors at ten; a total of 437,079,207 votes, or 84.9%, were cast by ballot for the resolution to approve, confirm and ratify the Companys Omnibus Share Based Compensation Plan, while 77,540,088, or 15.1%, were cast by ballot against the resolution to approve, confirm and ratify the Companys Omnibus Share Based Compensation Plan. Voting on all other matters was as follows: Election of Directors for the Ensuing Year The following directors were elected until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successors are otherwise duly elected or appointed: Alar Soever, Faramarz (Marz) Kord, Janet Wilkinson, Parviz Farsangi, Shawn Day, Michael Pesner, Anthony Makuch, Jeffery Snow, Danielle Giovenazzo and Brian Christie. Votes For Votes Withheld Not Voted Number Percent Number Percent Number Alar Soever 499,172,903 97.2% 14,578,404 2.8 % 8,614,684 Faramarz (Marz) Kord 498,286,350 97.0% 15,464,957 3.0 % 8,614,684 Janet Wilkinson 503,805,482 98.1% 9,945,825 1.9 % 8,614,684 Parviz Farsangi 473,573,523 92.2% 40,177,784 7.8 % 8,614,684 Shawn Day 510,047,396 99.3% 3,703,911 0.7 % 8,614,684 Michael Pesner 473,614,792 92.2% 40,136,515 7.8 % 8,614,684 Anthony Makuch 510,353,683 99.3% 3,397,624 0.7 % 8,614,684 Jeffery Snow 483,515,954 94.1% 30,235,353 5.9 % 8,614,684 Danielle Giovenazzo 502,907,600 97.9% 10,843,707 2.1 % 8,614,684 Brian Christie 505,970,919 98.5% 7,780,388 1.5 % 8,614,684 Appointment of KPMG LLP as Auditor of the Corporation for the ensuing year and authorizing the Directors to fix their remuneration Votes For Votes Withheld Number Percent Number Percent 515,368,510 98.7% 6,997,481 1.3% About Wallbridge Mining Wallbridge is focused on creating value through the discovery, acquisition, development, and production of gold from a portfolio of exploration and advanced exploration stage assets located in established mining jurisdictions within Canada. Wallbridges flagship project, Fenelon, is located on the highly prospective Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend in Northern Abitibi, Quebec. A mineral resource estimate completed in 2021 validated the multi-million-ounce potential of Fenelon as well as Wallbridges nearby Martiniere Property, incorporating a combined 2.67 million ounces of indicated gold resources and 1.72 million ounces of inferred gold resources. Fenelon and Martiniere, located within a 910-square-kilometre exploration land package controlled by Wallbridge, have the potential to be developed into mines, and are close to existing power and transportation infrastructure. Wallbridge also has interests in several copper, nickel and platinum group metal properties, including a 17.8% interest in Lonmin Canada Inc. Further information about Wallbridge can be found in the Companys regulatory filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Companys website at www.wallbridgemining.com. This news release has been authorized by the undersigned on behalf of Wallbridge Mining Company Limited. Wallbridge Mining Company Limited Marz Kord, P. Eng., M. Sc., MBAPresident & CEOTel: (705) 6829297 ext. 251 Email: [email protected] Victoria Vargas, B.Sc. (Hon.) Economics, MBAInvestor Relations AdvisorEmail: [email protected] Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release of Wallbridge Mining Company Limited ("Wallbridge" or the "Company") contains forward-looking statements or information (collectively, FLI) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. FLI is based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this press release. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are FLI that involve various risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties. Generally, FLI can be identified by the use of statements that include words such as seeks, believes, anticipates, plans, continues, budget, scheduled, estimates, expects, forecasts, intends, projects, predicts, proposes, "potential", targets and variations of such words and phrases, or by statements that certain actions, events or results may, will, could, would, should or might, be taken, occur or be achieved. FLI herein includes, but is not limited to: future drill results; the Companys ability to convert inferred resources into measured and indicated resources; environmental matters; stakeholder engagement and relationships; parameters and methods used to estimate the mineral resource estimates (each an MRE) at the Fenelon and Martiniere properties (collectively the Deposits); the prospects, if any, of the Deposits; future drilling at the Deposits; and the significance of historic exploration activities and results. FLI is designed to help you understand managements current views of its near- and longer-term prospects, and it may not be appropriate for other purposes. FLI by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such FLI. Although the FLI contained in this press release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such FLI, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such FLI. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such FLI contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. Unless otherwise noted, this press release has been prepared based on information available as of the date of this press release. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the FLI or information contained herein. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in FLI. Assumptions upon which FLI is based, without limitation, include: the ability of exploration activities to accurately predict mineralization; the accuracy of geological modelling; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; the legitimacy of title and property interests in the Deposits; the accuracy of key assumptions, parameters or methods used to estimate the MREs; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; the evolution of the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental expectations; community and non-governmental actions; and any impacts of COVID-19 on the Deposits, the Companys financial position, the Companys ability to secure required funding, or operations. Risks and uncertainties about Wallbridge's business are more fully discussed in the disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available at www.sedar.com. Covid19 Given the rapidly evolving nature of the Coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic, Wallbridge is actively monitoring the situation in order to continue to maintain as best as possible the activities while striving to protect the health of its personnel. Wallbridge' activities will continue to align with the guidance provided by local, provincial and federal authorities in Canada. The Company has established measures to continue normal activities while protecting the health of its employees and stakeholders. Depending on the evolution of the virus, measures may affect the regular operations of Wallbridge and the participation of staff members in events inside or outside Canada. Information Concerning Estimates of Mineral Resources The disclosure in this press release and referred to herein was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 which differs significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The terms "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" used in this press release are in reference to the mining terms defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Standards (the "CIM Definition Standards"), which definitions have been adopted by NI 43-101. Accordingly, information contained in this press release providing descriptions of our mineral deposits in accordance with NI 43-101 may not be comparable to similar information made public by other U.S. companies subject to the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral resources will ever be converted into reserves. Pursuant to CIM Definition Standards, "inferred mineral resources" are that part of a mineral resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Such geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity. An inferred mineral resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an indicated mineral resource and must not be converted to a mineral reserve. However, it is reasonably expected that the majority of inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to indicated mineral resources with continued exploration. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Canadian standards, including the CIM Definition Standards and NI 43-101, differ significantly from standards in the SEC Industry Guide 7. Effective February 25, 2019, the SEC adopted new mining disclosure rules under subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SEC Modernization Rules"), with compliance required for the first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021. The SEC Modernization Rules replace the historical property disclosure requirements included in SEC Industry Guide 7. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources". Information regarding mineral resources contained or referenced in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by companies that report according to U.S. standards. While the SEC Modernization Rules are purported to be "substantially similar" to the CIM Definition Standards, readers are cautioned that there are differences between the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definitions Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral resources that the Company may report as "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules. Source: Wallbridge Mining Company Limited VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc. (Wellbeing or the Company) (NEO: MEDI) (OTC: KONEF) (FRA: SQ2), an evidence-based mental healthcare company focused on the development and implementation of innovative clinical solutions, including psychedelic medicine and digital therapeutics as supported by clinical research, announces the resignation of its Chief Financial Officer, Joseph Ramelli. The Board of Directors thanks Mr. Ramelli for his contributions to Wellbeing since accepting the role in late 2021. The Company expects to announce the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer in the near future. ABOUT WELLBEING DIGITAL SCIENCES Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc. is an evidence-based mental healthcare company focused on the development and implementation of innovative clinical solutions, including psychedelic medicine and digital therapeutics, as supported by clinical research. Its mission is supported by a network of North American clinics that provide forward-thinking therapies and other types of treatment to patients as well as through a contract research organization that offers clinical trials services to clients pursuing drug development. In essence, the Company exists to make breakthrough treatments more accessible and to offer patients transformational experiences. On behalf of: WELLBEING DIGITAL SCIENCES INC. "Najla Guthrie"Najla Guthrie, CEO For further information, please contact: Nick Kuzyk, Investor RelationsTel: 1-844-746-6351Email: [email protected] Web: www.wellbeingdigital.coTwitter: @Wellbeing_IR Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains forward-looking statements including but not limited to statements regarding the Companys business, assets or investments, as well other statements that are not historical facts. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, investor interest in the business and prospects of the Company. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities law. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made, by third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. SOURCE: WELLBEING DIGITAL SCIENCES INC. Source: Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Toshiba Corp. is seen at the company's facility in Kawasaki, Japan June 10, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon By Makiko Yamazaki and Scott Murdoch TOKYO/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Japanese buyout firms Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) and Polaris Capital Group are each considering participating in bids for Toshiba Corp, two people familiar with the matter said on Friday. Toshiba, which has been bedevilled by accounting and governance crises since 2015, set up a special committee last month to explore strategic options, including potential deals to go private, after shareholders voted down a management-backed restructuring plan. Both funds, far smaller than some global private equity firms, would need to team up with others, the sources said. The participation of local funds is seen as critical as some of Toshiba's assets - including defence equipment and nuclear power - are seen as strategically important in Japan. The sources declined to be identified as the matter is private. It was not immediately clear if JIP and Polaris were already collaborating with other funds. Although not well known overseas, the pair have been involved in corporate carve outs and spin offs from Japanese conglomerates. JIP, for example, bought Olympus' camera business last year and Sony Group's laptop computer business in 2014. Polaris acquired Fujitsu's mobile phone business in 2018. JIP could not be reached immediately for comment. A representative for Polaris said it is true that the firm is considering the opportunity, but declined to comment further. Toshiba said 10 potential investors had signed confidentiality pledges, without identifying them. The deadline for initial proposals is Monday. A spokesperson for Toshiba said the company "intends to provide transparent updates on the process to our shareholders, and will publicly announce the number of non-binding proposals received from potential partners and the overview of proposed deal structures before the annual shareholders' meeting in June". The Japanese government will not block foreign investors from buying industrial giants such as Toshiba provided they comply with rules that govern the handling of sensitive technology, Takayuki Kobayashi, Japan's economic security minister, told Reuters recently. (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki and Scott Murdoch; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - African Energy Metals Inc. (TSXV: CUCO) (FSE: BC2) (OTCQB: NDENF) (WKN: A3DEJG) ("African Energy Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the Manono project. Due diligence has proceeded smoothly on the project with no exceptions to date. The Company has an exclusive agreement on the Manono project. The concession is owned 100% by a private DRC company and controlled by reputable parties experienced in mining in the region. The Company does not expect to experience any title issues experienced by other parties in the region relating to the involvement of quasi-governmental agencies. The Company is commencing a Phase 1 work program consisting of soil and outcrop sampling and geological mapping. A portion of the program will be to provide assays from the pegmatite outcrops to verify the existence of lithium and to determine the grade of the exposed lithium. This program will provide drill targets to examine the overall resource potential of the concession for lithium, tin, and tantalum. About the Manono Lithium, Tin, Tantalum Project The project is comprised of one Exploitation Permit covering approximately 30 sq kms and is situated in Tanganyika province, Manono district in the territory of Kiambi, in the southeast of the DRC. The concession is at about 90 km Northeast of Manono in Kiambi. It is about 440 kms aerial distance to the north of Lubumbashi. The district was heavily mined for tin going back to the early 1900's. Most recently AVZ Minerals Limited (AVZ) ($2.4B market cap) made a potentially world class lithium rich LCT (lithium, caesium, tantalum) discovery which is 30 kms due west of the African Energy Metals project. The AVZ Roche Dure Mineral Resource is reported at 400 million tons grading 1.65% Li2O and world class in scale. Contiguous to AVZ are the lithium prospects of Tantalex Resources Corporation. Based on due diligence it has been confirmed small scale tin production has already occurred on the concession. An estimated non-compliant tin resource was reported in a news release issued by the Company dated March 3, 2022. https://www.sedar.com/GetFile.do?lang=EN&docClass=8&issuerNo=00028883&issuerType=03&projectNo=03389164&docId=5213444 The closing of the transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals including the Toronto Stock Venture Exchange. Qualified/competent person -- National Instrument 43-101 and JORC code The geological information in this announcement has been reviewed by Mr. Shu Zhan, Member and Registered Professional Geoscientist of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG), a competent person (as defined in the JORC code, 2012 edition) who is a practicing member of the Association of Professional Geologists of Ontario (being a recognized professional organization for the purposes of the Australian Securities Exchange listing rules). Mr. Zhan is also the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 who has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Mr. Zhan is a Director of African Energy Metals. He has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralization, the type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a competent person as defined in the JORC code and under National Instrument 43-101. About African Energy Metals African Energy Metals is a natural resource company with a focus on the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of copper, cobalt, and lithium energy metals projects in the DRC. The Company is implementing a carbon credit program complementary to mining operations. The carbon credit program will meet important ESG requirements and present an opportunity for a significant early and long-term revenue stream. African Energy Metals has the intention of acquiring interests in additional concessions or relinquishing concessions in the normal course of business. African Energy Metals has an experienced management team located in the DRC. For further information, please contact: Stephen Barley, Executive Chairman Phone: (604-834-2968) Email: [email protected] Website: www.africanenergymetals.com Reader Advisory 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 may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although the Company believes, considering 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 as the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. The non-compliant resource estimate referred to in this statement are based on the best available information however are non-compliant and actual results may vary significantly from the current estimates. There is no assurance the Company will complete positive due diligence or enter into definitive agreements in the timelines set out in this statement. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company its securities, or its financial or operating results. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125614 Sydney, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 26, 2022) - Austral Gold Limited (ASX: AGD) (TSXV: AGLD) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that its shareholders passed all resolutions in the Notice of Meeting dated 22 April 2022 at the General Meeting held today at 8.00am (AEST) by way of poll. A summary of proxy votes and the number of votes cast on each poll is attached, in accordance with ASX Listing Rule 3.13.2 and Section 251AA(2) of the Corporations Act. About Austral Gold Austral Gold Limited is a growing gold and silver mining, development and exploration company whose strategy is to expand the life of its cash generating assets in Chile, restart its Casposo mine in Argentina and build a portfolio of quality assets in Chile, the USA and Argentina organically through a Tier 1 or 2 exploration strategy and via acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Austral owns a 100% interest in the Guanaco/Amancaya mine in Chile and the Casposo Mine (currently on care and maintenance) in Argentina, a non-controlling interest in the Rawhide Mine in Nevada, USA and a non-controlling interest in Ensign Gold which holds the Mercur project in Utah, USA. In addition, Austral owns an attractive portfolio of exploration projects in the Paleocene Belt in Chile (including those acquired in the 2021 acquisition of Revelo Resources Corp), a noncontrolling interest in Pampa Metals and a 100% interest in the Pingino project and a 51% interest in the Sierra Blanca project, both in Santa Cruz, Argentina. Austral Gold Limited is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: AGLD) and the Australian Securities Exchange. (ASX: AGD). For more information, please consult Austral's website at www.australgold.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Release approved by the Chief Executive Officer of Austral Gold, Stabro Kasaneva. For additional information please contact: Jose Bordogna Chief Financial Officer Austral Gold Limited [email protected] +61 4666 892 307 David Hwang Company Secretary Austral Gold Limited [email protected] +61 (2) 9698 5414 Austral Gold Limited ABN 30 075 860 472 ASX: AGD TSXV: AGLD Level 5 126 Phillip St, Sydney NSW 2000 | T +61 2 9380 7233 | F +61 2 9251 7455 | [email protected] | www.australgold.com AUSTRAL GOLD LIMITED ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Friday, 27 May 2022 Results of Meeting The following information is provided in accordance with section 251AA(2) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and ASX Listing Rule 3.13.2. Resolution details Instructions given to validly appointed proxies (as at proxy close) Number of votes cast on the poll (where applicable) Resolution Result Resolution Resolution Type For Against Proxy's Discretion Abstain For Against Abstain* Carried / Not Carried 1 - Adoption of the Remuneration Report Ordinary 14,531,247 2,425,805 160,143 433,262,286 14,691,390 2,425,805 433,262,286 Carried 84.89% 14.17% 0.94% 85.83% 14.17% 2 - Re-election of Director - Mr Benjamin Jarvis Ordinary 449,889,195 141,951 167,489 180,846 450,306,684 141,951 180,846 Carried 99.94% 0.03% 0.03% 99.97% 0.03% 3 - Re-election of Director - Mr Eduardo Elsztain Ordinary 449,864,617 173,876 160,143 180,846 450,274,760 173,876 180,846 Carried 99.93% 0.04% 0.03% 99.96% 0.04% 4 - Re-election Director - Mr Pablo Vergara Del Carril Ordinary 449,852,277 186,215 160,143 180,846 450,262,420 186,215 180,846 Carried 99.93% 0.04% 0.03% 99.96% 0.04% 5 - Re-election of Director - Mr Robert Trzebski Ordinary 449,879,105 159,388 160,143 180,846 450,289,248 159,388 180,846 Carried 99.93% 0.04% 0.03% 99.96% 0.04% 6 - Re-election of Director - Mr Saul Zang Ordinary 449,861,633 176,860 160,143 180,846 450,271,776 176,860 180,846 Carried 99.93% 0.04% 0.03% 99.96% 0.04% 7 - Re-election of Director - Mr Wayne Hubert Ordinary 447,781,354 2,257,138 160,143 180,846 448,191,497 2,257,138 180,846 Carried 99.47% 0.50% 0.03% 99.50% 0.50% 8 - Approval of 10% Capacity to Issue Equity Securities Special 449,876,955 172,129 160,143 170,255 450,287,098 172,129 170,255 Carried 99.93% 0.04% 0.03% 99.96% 0.04% * Votes cast by a person who abstains on an item are not counted in calculating the required majority on a poll. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125519 This document updates the previous news release, dated May 26th, 2022, to include the exchange and ticker symbol for Synex Renewable Energy Corporation. No other changes were required in the body of the release. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Daniel J. Russell announces today that on May 25, 2022 he acquired ownership of 2,000 common shares (the "Purchased Shares") in the capital of Synex Renewable Energy Corporation (TSX: SXI) (formerly, Synex International Inc.) (the "Issuer"), representing approximately 0.05% of the issued and outstanding common shares (the "Common Shares") in the capital of the Issuer (the "Acquisition"). The Purchased Shares were acquired through normal course purchases through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange for C$2.98 per Purchased Share in cash, for an aggregate amount equal to C$5,960. Prior to the Acquisition, Mr. Russell owned, or had control or direction over, 2,233,379 Common Shares and 24,000 options to purchase Common Shares ("Options"), representing approximately 55.94% of issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. After the Acquisition, Russell owns, or has control of direction over, 2,235,379 Common Shares and 24,000 Options, representing approximately 55.99% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. Mr. Russell acquired the Shares for investment purposes. Mr. Russell may from time to time acquire additional securities, dispose of some or all of the existing or additional securities or may continue to hold the securities of the Issuer. This press release is being issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues which requires a report to be filed under the Issuer's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) containing additional information respecting the foregoing matters. The Issuer's head office is located at 4248 Broughton Ave., Niagara Falls, Ontario L2E 0A4. For inquiries or a copy of the related early warning report required under Canadian provincial securities legislation, a copy of which has also been filed on www.sedar.com, please contact: Daniel J. Russell 524 Locust Street Burlington, Ontario L7S 1V2 Telephone: 905-646-7545 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125659 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Plant&Co. Brands Ltd. (CSE: VEGN) (FSE: VGP) (OTCQB: VGANF) ("PLANT&CO" or the "Company"), a modern health and wellness company curating delicious plant-based foods, is pleased to announce that Mr. Sean Black has joined Plant&Co's executive team in a full-time capacity as Chief Investment Officer, overseeing brand acquisitions, real estate, and franchise development. "Building upon our recent entry into the quick serve restaurant (QSR) space with the accretive transaction involving Heal Wellness, Plant&Co is preparing for its next wave of growth. Built upon that success we saw an opportunity to accelerate our M&A strategy within the overarching restaurant space." said Shawn Moniz, CEO of Plant&Co Brands. "It was a perfect time to bring in yet another extremely talented individual to add to the bench strength of Plant&Co's management team. Sean Black has an impressive 30+ years of successful restaurant entrepreneurship experience including brand franchising, real estate procurement, mergers and acquisitions, and restaurant business development models to name just a few. Mr. Black has developed brands from their conceptual stage to full maturity in the development cycle. In addition to Sean's restaurant experience he also adds public markets experience to our team as we embark on important next steps in the growth of the company. The restaurant landscape is vast, and we believe the opportunity is significant to expand our presence. This is an early step in our acceleration plan to develop our platform for a stable of emerging brands in the public sector with the addition of Mr. Black. Further company updates to follow shortly." "I have really enjoyed watching the story start to unfold at Plant&Co since the new board of directors were assembled in summer of 2021. When Shawn offered me the opportunity to join the team and help take the company to the next level I was immediately interested.", said Sean Black, Chief Investment Officer, Plant&Co Brands. "I look forward to bringing what I learned during my 30+ years in the restaurant industry where I have been very fortunate to be on both the buying & selling side of M&A transactions. The growth of the company is a part of the business that I really enjoy. My business partners and I at CraveIT Restaurant Group, Alex and Mark Rechichi (who joined the board of directors at Plant&Co in the summer of 2021) have shared a lot of success together over the years. I look forward to having fun in this next chapter of building a company together alongside them again, Shawn Moniz, and Kevin Cole." "During my time at MTY Food Group I learned a great deal working directly with Stanley Ma & Claude St-Pierre. I hope to leverage that knowledge and experience as Plant&Co looks to accelerate their organic & inorganic growth in the restaurant sector. Stanley started building MTY at $0.20 per share and with one deal at a time built a solid company that had its stock appreciate to over $70.00 per share. He inspires people like myself to go out and see if they can build something just like he did with a company based on good food and good people. I have had the opportunity to try the food & meet the founders of both recent accretive deals done at Plant&Co. They each impressed me and observing the culture being shaped here at this company is very exciting. I believe this company, and its team, are just getting started." Sean Black's Background Mr. Black is a co-founder in CraveIT Restaurant Group. In 2021 it sold its interest in both The Burger's Priest (including its 25 franchised and corporately owned stores) and Fresh Plant Powered Restaurants to Recipe Unlimited (TSX:RECP), a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange. From 2013 to 2014, Mr. Black held the executive level position of Chief Development Officer at MTY Food Group (TSX:MTY), a publicly traded Canadian franchisor and operator of numerous casual dining, fast casual, and quick service restaurants operating under more than 70 brand names (such as Baton Rouge, Big Smoke Burger, Pink Berry, Ben&Florentine, Cultures, Extreme Pita, Jugo Juice, YUZU Sushi, Steak Frites, Madisons, Mr.Sub, Mucho Burrito, ManchuWok, South Street Burger, Timothys, Turtle Jacks, Cold Stone Creamery, and dozens more.) This position came after Mr. Blacks successful sale to MTY when its subsidiary MTY Tiki Ming Enterprises Inc., struck an agreement to buy the assets of Extreme Brandz, owner of Extreme Pita, PurBlendz, and Mucho Burrito from the three co-founders, Alex Rechichi, Mark Rechichi and Sean Black. Extreme Brandz's 40 U.S. stores became MTY's first stores in the United States. Over 305 stores were acquired in the transaction. Prior to that, Mr. Black held various positions within the Extreme Brandz from 2000 to 2013. Overseeing Real Estate and Franchise Development of the brand portfolio franchise system. About Plant&Co Plant&Co. Brands Ltd. (CSE: VEGN) (FSE: VGP) (OTCQB: VGANF) is a modern health and wellness company curating delicious plant-based foods. It offers a growing number of plant-based food products through its brand portfolio of Holy Crap Foods, YamChops 'a plant-based butcher', LumberHeads Food Co., and Heal Wellness. For more information please visit: www.HolyCrap.com , www.YamChops.com , www.LumberHeads.com, www.HealWellness.ca , and www.PlantandCo.com. Plant&Co. Brands Ltd. Shawn Moniz Chief Executive Officer FOR FUTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: [email protected] (833) 375-2682 Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include management's expectations related to the accretive nature of the Acquisition as well as the future performance of the Company or of Heal Wellness, management's anticipated growth of Heal Wellness through existing and new locations being established throughout 2022 and 2023, the successful sourcing of suitable new Heal Wellness locations by the Company, the success of the Company's discussions with respect to the potential of expanding the Heal Wellness stores via corporate and franchise locations, and any announcements related thereto, the introduction of new Heal Wellness products, as well as the Company's continuing search for accretive opportunities in 2022. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates 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 anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Plant&Co. described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedar.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125534 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 27, 2022) - Signature Resources Ltd. (TSXV: SGU) (OTCQB: SGGTF) (FSE 3S3) ("Signature" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of voting at its annual general and special meeting of the shareholders which was held May 26, 2022 (the "Meeting"). All matters submitted to the shareholders, as set out in the Company's Notice of Meeting and Management Information Circular, were approved by the requisite majority of votes cast at the Meeting. Election of Directors Shareholders approved the election of the seven (7) Directors as set out below: Paolo Lostritto Robert Vallis Stephen Timms Lisa Davis Dan Denbow John Hayes Priya Patil Appointment of Auditors McGovern Hurley LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants was appointed auditors of the Company for the ensuring year at the renumeration to be fixed by the Directors. Approval of the Share Consolidation Shareholders approved the consolidation of the common shares on the basis of one (1) new common share for up to five (5) old common shares. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine not to proceed with the Consolidation without further approval or action by or prior notice to shareholders. Approval of Incentive Stock Option Plan Shareholders approved the Incentive Stock Option Plan as set out in the Company's Management Information Circular. Stock Options The Company has also granted a combined total of 4,000,000 incentive stock options to the Board and Management of the Company. The options have an exercise price of $0.06, expire five years from the date of issuance, and vest 25% immediately, and 25% annually thereafter through to the third anniversary. About Signature The Lingman Lake gold property consists of 1,434 staked claims, four freehold fully patented claims and 14 mineral rights patented claims totaling approximately 27,113 hectares. The property includes what has historically been referred to as the Lingman Lake Gold Mine, an underground substructure consisting of a 126.5-metre shaft, and 3-levels at 46-metres, 84-metres and 122-metres depths. There has been over 28,000 metres (177 drill holes) of historical drilling done on the Property. To find out more about Signature Resources Ltd., visit our website at www.signatureresources.ca, or contact: Donna McLean Chief Financial Officer 416.642-1807 Ext. 307 [email protected] Cautionary Notes 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. This news release contains forward-looking statements which are not statements of historical fact. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, statements, exploration results, potential mineralization, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions and risks associated with infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to changes in general economic and financial market conditions, failure to identify mineral resources, failure to convert estimated mineral resources to reserves, the inability to complete a feasibility study which recommends a production decision, the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals, political risks, inability to fulfill the duty to accommodate First Nations and other indigenous peoples, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of projects, capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, and those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company discla ims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/125552 CANNES, France, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LILYSILK, the world's leading silk brand with a mission to inspire people to live spectacular, sustainable lives, has been a fashion staple for Anne Hathaway, the Academy Award-winning actress, during the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Ms. Hathaway was captured by The Zoe Report sporting LILYSILK's Timeless Mei Silk Knit Polo when leaving Martinez Hotel with her husband on May 20 during the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Made from ultra-comfortable stretchy silk knit, this polo's sporty and figure-flattering silhouette offers laid-back style, particularly when paired with high-waisted jeans and a cable-knit cardigan as Ms. Hathaway did. On May 21, Ms. Hathaway was spotted by Daily Mail and InStyle leaving Cannes in effortless chic with her LILYSILK's Stunning Rectangular Silk Lily Scarf, a limited-edition scarf that celebrates the spirit of spring with a gorgeous vintage lily print. Whether looped around the neck, adorned as a headscarf or wrapped around a handbag as Ms. Hathaway did at Cannes, this exquisite scarf is the perfect accompaniment to any outfit. Anne Hathaway is a highly esteemed actress who has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. Her most acclaimed and highest-grossing films include The Devil Wears Prada, The Dark Knight Rises, and Interstellar. Ms. Hathaway is the star of upcoming period drama Armageddon Time, which premiered at the festival. "It is a great honor to see LILYSILK on our beloved Anne Hathaway at an iconic event such as the Cannes Film Festival," said David Wang, the CEO of LILYSILK. "Both the Lily scarf and Mei polo are from LILYSILK's latest 2022 Spring Collection, which combines Art Deco, earthy tones and modern styles for a modern-classic, yet effortlessly chic wardrobe." LILYSILK inspires people to live spectacularly and sustainably with premium silk garments crafted from the finest natural fibers and a zero-waste ethos. In recent months, LILYSILK has also been worn by Hollywood celebrities such as Viola Davis, Melissa Rauch, Gwyneth Paltrow, Meghan Trainor, Nina Dobrev, and Lucy Hale. About LILYSILK LILYSILK is a world-leading silk brand with a mission to inspire people to live spectacularly as well as more sustainably, driven by its care for its customers as well as the planet. For more information, visit www.lilysilk.com and follow @lilysilk on Instagram and @Lilysilk on Facebook. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anne-hathaway-exudes-effortless-chic-in-lilysilk-during-the-75th-cannes-film-festival-301556495.html SOURCE LILYSILK NEW YORK, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BizVibe, a business intelligence platform providing detailed company data for both buyers and suppliers, has recently added new insights for the aerospace manufacturing industry. This platform contains 30M public and private company profiles spanning across 300+ industries and 200+ countries, and features more than 2,600 aerospace companies. These company profiles range from global market leaders to specialized aerospace manufacturers, with each profile containing 50+ unique insights. View all aerospace manufacturing company profiles. Try for Free! Company profiles provide the following insights: Company summary Product and service offerings Risk level report Financial reports and management team contacts Similar companies and competitors (by region) Industry trends and challenges Real-time news updates Aerospace Manufacturing Industry Insights: Trends and Challenges Additive manufacturing is proving to be a top solution for producing components and parts that utilize significantly less material than other comparable, traditionally manufactured parts. Paramount to aerospace engineering is reducing the weight of materials in the production cycle and 3D printing is helping manufacturers to do so, making things more efficient across the board. COVID-19 led to air travel being at an all-time low, causing aerospace product manufacturers to change the output production of their offerings. Airline industries in general were some of the largest to be hit by the pandemic as air travel reached its lowest levels in modern history. Going forward, as restrictions loosen, the airline industry is expected to rebound. Aerospace Manufacturing Company Insights on BizVibe: Top Players and Specialized Manufacturers Some of the public and private aerospace manufacturing companies on BizVibe include: Market Leaders: Safran Rolls-Royce Holdings Raytheon Company GE Aviation Northrop Grumman Specialized Manufacturers: Kaman Corporation Key Products: aerospace products Bharat Dynamics Ltd. Key Products: aerospace products, ballistic missiles General Dynamics Corporation Key Products: space vehicles, ballistic missiles Raytheon Deutschland GmbH Key Products: space vehicles Diehl Key Products: guided missiles View 50+ insights for all aerospace manufacturing companies Key Segments Covered BizVibe's aerospace manufacturing industry insights cover the following segments. Top Aerospace Categories: Aircraft Manufacturers Aircraft Engine and Parts Manufacturers Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturers Other Aerospace Categories: Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturers Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Propulsion Unit and Propulsion Unit Parts Manufacturers Space Capsule Manufacturers Other Aerospace Manufacturers Learn more about company insights for this industry Looking for Additional Company Insights? Want to evaluate a specific list of suppliers and companies? Need to identify key suppliers and compare which are best suited for you? Looking for extensive related category lists to send RFQs? Trying to invite buyers/sellers to an event you're organizing? Get customized company insights tailored to your exact business needs. Speak to our analysts now. About BizVibe BizVibe is transforming the way buyers and sellers do business online. Our supplier intelligence and sales intelligence tools provide best-in-class company insights to help businesses discover, track, monitor, and evaluate companies of interest. BizVibe's platform contains more than 30 million company profiles, each packed with 50+ unique insights. For more information, please visit www.bizvibe.com or start your free trial today. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bizvibe-adds-new-company-insights-for-2-600-aerospace-manufacturing-companies--risk-evaluation--regional-analysis--similar-companies--financials-and-management-team-301550497.html SOURCE BizVibe Film producer Thomas Robsahm hails "fantastic" on-set production tool LONDON, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Drylab Media Tech plc (www.drylab.io), a leading film and TV production SaaS platform, has received an endorsement from producer and director, Thomas Robsahm, for its innovative on-set production tool and dailies platform. Renowned Norwegian filmmaker, Thomas Robsahm, whose work has been nominated at the BAFTAs, Gold Derby Awards and Gotham Awards and winner at the Milano International Film Festival Awards, Nordic Council and multiple Amanda Awards, recently received two nominations for the Oscars at the 94th Academy Awards in March 2022 for the film The Worst Person in the World. Robsahm used the Drylab platform throughout the production of this latest film. He praised the tool for saving him time and money thanks to its ability to increase control, share with colleagues and its integration with the camera and script reports. He went on to declare that the days of sitting together watching dailies in a cinema is over for filmmakers. With Drylab, Robsahm found the system was much easier for collaborative working as each team member could watch and scroll from their own screen, even offline, alongside other features such as being able to easily find what you want to see. "Having this as a tool all the way through the shoot was great," said Robsahm. The "integration with camera reports and script reports is fantastic. This is one of the technological new things that we have that really works for us in a great way." He also expressed his pride that the tool was developed in Norway, saying "I'm also very proud that this is a Norwegian invention", "when Drylab is something that is used all over the world, you know, it's made in Norway." Watch the full interview with Thomas Robsahm here. John Mahtani, CEO of Drylab Media Tech plc, said: "This endorsement is a powerful testament to the strength of the Drylab platform and underlines the disruptive potential it has to simplify film production, making it easier, faster and cheaper to create blockbuster artistic features. It was a real honour to have the Drylab platform support Robsahm on his first film to receive a nomination for an Oscar. I feel immense pride knowing that we are helping many more filmmakers all over the world realise their artistic vision." Enquiries Drylab Media Tech plcJohn Mahtani, Chief Executive OfficerCelia Li, Chief Marketing Officerc/o +44 20 7618 9100 Luther Pendragon Harry Chathli, Claire Norbury+44 20 7618 9100 About Drylab Media Tech plc Drylab Media Tech is a next generation on-set production tool and dailies distribution platform, utilising cutting edge technology to enhance the production process from script to screen. The powerful metadata engine enables efficient, accurate, and effective retrieval of captured media both on-set, at the office and in remote locations. Developed by filmmakers for filmmakers. Further information is available at https://www.drylab.io/. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/drylab-receives-endorsement-from-producer-of-oscar-nominated-the-worst-person-in-the-world-301556768.html SOURCE Drylab Media Tech plc HOUSTON, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ERA Legacy Living of Houston today announced the merger of twenty-two-year brokerage, ERA Benes Realty, creating new growth opportunities in the Southwest Corner of Houston, specifically Sugar Land and Missouri City. The combined company, which will retain the ERA Legacy Living name, now has nearly 70 agents. Joe Benes will remain with the company as the Vice President of Commercial and Land Acquisition. "We are excited to join forces with Joe Benes and the entire ERA Benes Family. This move further strengthens our company position in our marketplace. Joe Benes brings along with him years of service to our growing think tank to help propel our agents forward" Jemila Winsey, Broker/Co-Founder "We are delighted to join forces with Jemila and Patrick and all the great agents at ERA Legacy Living. This merger allows us to be a part of an exciting and growing company here in our community and at the same time remain connected to the ERA programs, features, training, and culture as well as to the great owners and Brokers of the ERA franchise system." Joseph Benes. ERA Legacy Living uses innovative technology, marketing products, high-quality lead generation programs, and best-in-class learning and support services, to fuel the productivity their agents and helping them build stronger businesses and best serve today's consumers. The office is staffed by seventy-four full -time sales associates and staff who share the same commitment to customer satisfaction that ERA Legacy Living has been known for the Houston Market. ERA Legacy Living is one of the fastest growing brokerages in Houston. ERA Legacy Living is a part of Realogy Network, the leading and most integrated provider of U.S. residential real estate services. ERA Legacy Living is led by Broker/Owners Jemila and Patrick Winsey. In just four years of launching their brokerage, they propelled their two-office Houston brokerage into the REAL Trends 500, Top 1.5% Brokerages in the U.S. The couple have Local, Regional and National Awards and Leadership roles. Their track record of success also includes corporate careers working for some of the largest corporations in the world. ERA Legacy Living offices are in Richmond and Missouri City, TX. The company serves both Houston and Austin MLS and can be reached at 281-671-6288. Media Inquiries: Jemila Winsey 713-551-1842 [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/era-legacy-living-expands-with-the-merger-of-twenty-two-year-company--era-benes-realty-301555932.html SOURCE ERA Legacy Living Celebrating ambitious pioneers tackling our biggest challenges HOUSTON , May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) today announced that Mr.Rupesh Sanghavi of Ergode Inc. was named an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2022 Central South Award finalist. Entrepreneur Of The Year is one of the preeminent competitive business awards for entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who think big to succeed. We are transforming from a brand retailer to a brand owner. Rupesh Sanghavi was selected by a panel of independent judges according to the following criteria entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth, and impact among other core contributions and attributes. His ideologies and ability to make a difference in e-commerce have made him one of the top entrepreneurs. While sharing his ideology, Rupesh said, "We are transforming from a brand retailer to brand owner by focussing on owning the entire value chain. The changeover is allowing us to bring quality products from across the globe into the US and vice versa. This trade is helping to uplift the quality of life among the consumers who never had access to global products, and our team members from remote locations that are suppressed of futuristic career opportunities." Established in 2007, in Texas, Ergode Inc. is one of the popular e-commerce brand aggregators. It helps small and medium-sized brands scale up their operations, sell their products across geography, and boost their revenue. Infusing its e-commerce expertise, marketing strategies, and AI-powered solutions, the company serves more than 2500 brand partners and has made it to the top 30 sellers on Amazon. With more deserving nominees like Rupesh Sanghavi, EY will announce its regional award winner on 23 June, 2022. These 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. SponsorsFounded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards are presented by PNC Bank. In Central South, sponsors also include Colliers, DLA Piper, Marsh McLennan Agency, ADP, Bridgepoint Consulting, and Pierpont Communications. Contact: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ey-announces-rupesh-sanghavi-of-ergode-inc-as-an-entrepreneur-of-the-year-2022-central-south-award-finalist-301556527.html SOURCE Ergode IT Services Pvt. Ltd. SAN ANTONIO, May 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Fantastic Sams Franchise Corporation announced a new partnership with Development Agent, Jaine Cantu. This partnership will contribute to the enterprising expansion initiative that Fantastic Sams Franchise Corporation is undertaking in 2022. Specifically, Ms. Cantu will focus on growing the number of salons in the San Antonio and Austin, Texas DMAs."Fantastic Sams is looking forward and excited to embark on this new venture with Jaine Cantu. Jaine brings an entrepreneurial spirit, strong relationships and a vast network in the San Antonio area," says Tom Boitz, CEO at Fantastic Sams Franchise Corporation. "We are confident that along with the partnership of Jessica Trahan, Central South Region Director and the entire Fantastic Sams Corporate team, Jaine will build a powerhouse brand."Currently a salon owner of 14 Fantastic Sams locations in San Antonio, TX, Ms. Cantu possesses 7 years of experience operating successful salons and has developed an in-depth understanding of the business, which will be the foundation for her success in the marketplace. Brand expansion in San Antonio, Texas and surrounding areas will help bring a quality salon experience to more people in this market."Joining Fantastic Sams has opened a Fantastic opportunity for us to positively impact hair artists, our clients & our local communities. Being owned by small & local Entrepreneurs allows us to provide a caring and involved hair experience. I pride myself in making a difference in the hair industry and helping artists follow their dreams," says Jaine Cantu, newly appointed Development Agent for Fantastic Sams.ABOUT FANTASTIC SAMSFantastic Sams was founded in 1974 in Memphis, Tennessee. It was the first nationally franchised unisex salon chain in the US and pioneered the concept of a no-appointment, walk-in salon. With over 700 salons across the US and Canada, it's one of the largest salon chains in North America.Whether you're visiting for a haircut or hair color, Fantastic Sams offers a high-quality salon experience which is accessible to everyone. Website: www.FantasticSams.comFor franchise opportunities, please contact Marianne Angell at [email protected]Photo(s):https://www.prlog.org/12918883Press release distributed by PRLog View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fantastic-sams-franchise-corporation-partners-with-first-development-agent-in-the-brands-ambitious-expansion-initiative-301556431.html SOURCE Fantastic Sams Franchise Corporation 68% of patients receiving Kymriah in the ELARA trial experienced complete response, with an 86% overall response rate, along with a remarkable safety profile1 Sustained clinical benefit from Kymriah treatment demonstrated of patients who achieved a complete response, 85% were still in response at 12 months1 Kymriah can be administered in the outpatient setting, offering increased flexibility and potentially reducing the burden of therapy for patients and their care teams1,2 Kymriah is now FDA approved in three indications and remains the only CAR-T cell therapy approved in both adult and pediatric settings1 EAST HANOVER, N.J., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Novartis today announced the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval for Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy. In accordance with the Accelerated Approval Program, continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trial(s). Kymriah is now FDA approved in three indications and remains the only CAR-T cell therapy approved in both adult and pediatric settings1. "We are proud of today's FDA approval of a third indication for Kymriah. We hope this treatment option that has the potential for long-lasting results may help break the unrelenting cycle of treatment for patients with follicular lymphoma," said Victor Bulto, President, Novartis Innovative Medicines US. "We are on a mission to build on our pioneering work in cell therapy and continue to innovate for patient impact." The approval is based on data from the Phase II ELARA trial, a single-arm, open-label trial, in which 90 patients were evaluated for efficacy with a median follow-up of approximately 17 months. Eighty-six percent of patients treated with Kymriah achieved a response including 68% who experienced a complete response1. Prolonged durable response to treatment was demonstrated with an estimated 85% of patients who achieved a complete response still in response 12 months after initial response1. Kymriah was shown to be effective in high-risk patients including those who were heavily pretreated or had refractory disease, POD24, bulky disease or those with high Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) scores1. For the 97 patients evaluable for safety at 21 months of median follow-up, the safety profile of Kymriah was remarkable1. Fifty-three percent of patients experienced any-grade cytokine release syndrome (CRS), as defined by the Lee scale, and there were no reported cases of high-grade (grade 3 or higher) CRS1. Forty-three percent of patients experienced any-grade neurologic events; grade 3 or higher neurologic events were seen in only 6% of patients1. Eighteen percent of patients (17 of 97 patients) were infused in an outpatient setting3. "Patients with follicular lymphoma who relapse or don't respond to treatment have a poor prognosis and may face a series of treatment options without a meaningful, lasting response," said Stephen J. Schuster, MD, the Robert and Margarita Louis-Dreyfus Professor in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Lymphoma in the Division of Hematology Oncology and Director, Lymphoma Program and Translational Research at the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center, institutional Principal Investigator on the trial. "This new, effective option for patients with follicular lymphoma may offer long-term benefit." While follicular lymphoma is typically an indolent type of cancer, patients with FL may be exposed to a median of four lines of treatment, with an upper range of 13 lines4,5. Although there are multiple systemic therapies available, the efficacy of these regimens drops off rapidly in later lines6. "The approval of Kymriah offers patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma a new treatment option and new hope for improving patient outcomes," said Meghan Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer at the Lymphoma Research Foundation. "Having this single infusion treatment option helps to transform the way healthcare providers approach this type of blood cancer and we commend those who have contributed to the acceleration of scientific research for the benefit of patients." In early May 2022, the European Commission approved Kymriah for the treatment of adult patients with r/r FL after two or more lines of systemic therapy, the third indication for which Kymriah is available to patients in the European Union. Additional efficacy and safety details for Kymriah and full Prescribing Information can be found at https://www.novartis.us/sites/www.novartis.us/files/kymriah.pdf. About Novartis commitment to Oncology Cell TherapyAs part of the unique Novartis Oncology strategy to pursue four cancer treatment platforms radioligand therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and cell and gene therapy we strive for cures through cell therapies in order to enable more patients to live cancer-free. We will continue to pioneer the science and invest in our manufacturing and supply chain process to further advance transformative innovation. Novartis was the first pharmaceutical company to significantly invest in pioneering CAR-T research and initiate global CAR-T trials. Kymriah, the first approved CAR-T cell therapy, developed in collaboration with the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, is the foundation of the Novartis commitment to CAR-T cell therapy. We have made strong progress in broadening our delivery of Kymriah, which is currently available for use in at least one indication in 30 countries and at more than 370 certified treatment centers, with clinical and real-world experience from administration to more than 6,900 patients. We continue to pioneer in cell therapy, leveraging our vast experience to develop next-generation CAR-T cell therapies. These therapies will utilize our new T-Charge platform being evaluated to expand across hematological malignancies and bring the hope for a cure to patients with other cancer types. Novartis has a comprehensive, integrated global CAR-T manufacturing footprint that strengthens the flexibility, resilience and sustainability of the Novartis manufacturing and supply chain. Important Safety InformationKYMRIAH may cause side effects that are severe or life-threatening, such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or neurological toxicities. Patients with CRS may experience symptoms including difficulty breathing, fever (100.4F/38C or higher), chills/shaking chills, severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, severe muscle or joint pain, very low blood pressure, or dizziness/lightheadedness. Patients may be admitted to the hospital for CRS and treated with other medications. Patients with neurological toxicities may experience symptoms such as altered or decreased consciousness, headaches, delirium, confusion, agitation, anxiety, seizures, difficulty speaking and understanding, or loss of balance. Patients should be advised to call their health care provider or get emergency help right away if they experience any of these signs and symptoms of CRS or neurological toxicities. Because of the risk of CRS and neurological toxicities, KYMRIAH is only available through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the KYMRIAH REMS. Patients may experience hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis/macrophagocytic activation syndrome. Patients should discuss the possibility of developing this life-threatening condition with their health care provider. Serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, may occur after KYMRIAH infusion. KYMRIAH can increase the risk of life-threatening infections that may lead to death. Patients should be advised to tell their health care provider right away if they develop fever, chills, or any signs or symptoms of an infection. Patients may experience prolonged low blood cell counts (cytopenias), where 1 or more types of blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets) are decreased. The patient's health care provider will do blood tests to check all their blood cell counts after treatment with KYMRIAH. Patients should be advised to tell their health care provider right away if they get a fever, are feeling tired, weak, or short of breath, or have bruising or bleeding. Patients may experience hypogammaglobulinemia, a condition in which the level of immunoglobulins (antibodies) in the blood is low and the risk of infection is increased. It is expected that patients may develop hypogammaglobulinemia with KYMRIAH and may need to receive immunoglobulin replacement for an indefinite amount of time following treatment with KYMRIAH. Patients should tell their health care provider about their treatment with KYMRIAH before receiving a live vaccine. After treatment with KYMRIAH, patients will be monitored lifelong by their health care provider, as they may develop secondary cancers or recurrence of their cancer. Patients should not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities for 8 weeks after receiving KYMRIAH because the treatment can cause temporary memory and coordination problems, including sleepiness, confusion, weakness, dizziness, and seizures. Some of the most common side effects of KYMRIAH are difficulty breathing, fever (100.4F/38C or higher), chills/shaking chills, confusion, severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, severe muscle or joint pain, very low blood pressure, dizziness/lightheadedness, and headache. However, these are not all the possible side effects of KYMRIAH. Patients should talk to their health care provider for medical advice about side effects. Prior to a female patient starting treatment with KYMRIAH, their health care provider may do a pregnancy test. No information is available for KYMRIAH use in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Therefore, KYMRIAH is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Patients should talk to their health care provider about birth control and pregnancy. Patients should tell their health care provider about all the medicines they take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. After receiving KYMRIAH, patients should be advised that some commercial HIV tests may cause a false-positive test result. Patients should also be advised not to donate blood, organs, tissues, sperm, oocytes, and other cells after receiving KYMRIAH. Please see the full Prescribing Information for KYMRIAH, including Boxed WARNING, and Medication Guide at www.KYMRIAH.com DisclaimerThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "may," "could," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political, economic and business conditions, including the effects of and efforts to mitigate pandemic diseases such as COVID-19; safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About NovartisLocated in East Hanover, NJ Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation an affiliate of Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis employs nearly 15,000 people in the United States. For more information, please visit https://www.novartis.us. Novartis and Novartis US is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at https://twitter.com/novartisnews and @NovartisUS at https://twitter.com/NovartisUS.For Novartis multimedia content, please visit https://www.novartis.com/news/media-library.For questions about the site or required registration, please contact [email protected]. References Kymriah [prescribing information]. East Hanover, NJ: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp; 2022. Fowler, N.H., et.al. Assessment of Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma Undergoing CAR-T Cell Therapy with Tisagenlecleucel: Results from the Elara Study. Abstract #3533. 2021 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, Dec 11-14, Atlanta, GA and Virtual. Fowler, N.H., et al.Tisagenlecleucel in adult relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma: the phase 2 ELARA trial. Nature Medicine. 2021;10.1038/s41591-021-01622-0. Data on File, Novartis, 2020. Schuster, S., et al. Chimeric antigen receptor T cells in refractory B-cell lymphomas. NEJM. 2017;377(26):25452554. Sutamtewagul, G. & Link, B.K. Novel treatment approaches and future perspectives in follicular lymphoma. Ther Adv Hematol. 2019; 10:120. Novartis Media RelationsE-mail: [email protected] Julie Masow Head, US External Engagement +1 862 579 8456 [email protected] Jamie Bennett Director, US External Engagement +1 862 217 3976 [email protected] Novartis Investor RelationsE-mail: [email protected] North America Sloan Simpson +1 862 778 5052 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-approves-novartis-kymriah-car-t-cell-therapy-for-adult-patients-with-relapsed-or-refractory-follicular-lymphoma-301556984.html SOURCE Novartis US VANCOUVER, BC, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Alexco Resource Corp. (NYSE American: AXU) (TSX: AXU) ("Alexco" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that leading independent proxy advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ("ISS") and Glass Lewis & Co. ("Glass Lewis"), have each recommended Alexco shareholders vote "FOR" all the proposed resolutions at the upcoming Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meeting"). ISS and Glass Lewis are two leading independent, third-party proxy advisory firms who, among other services, provide proxy-voting recommendations to pension funds, investment managers, mutual funds and other institutional shareholders. The Board of Directors of Alexco recommends that shareholders vote FOR ALL the proposed items. ALEXCO ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING At the Meeting shareholders will be asked to elect the auditors and directors for the ensuing year, as well as approve the continuation of the stock option plan. The Meeting will be held at Suite 1165, 555 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C on Thursday June 9, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific Time). Alexco encourages shareholders to read the meeting material in detail. Copies of the meeting material is available under Alexco's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on Alexco's website at https://www.alexcoresource.com/investors/annual-general-meeting/. YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT- PLEASE VOTE YOUR SHARES TODAY HOW TO VOTE There are several ways to vote your shares. Due to the essence of time, Shareholders are encouraged to vote online or by telephone. Please submit your vote well in advance of the proxy deposit deadline at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) on Tuesday June 7, 2022. Beneficial ShareholderShares held with a broker, bank or other intermediary Registered Shareholders Shares held in own name and represented by a physical certificate www.proxyvote.com www.investorvote.com Call or fax to the number(s) listed on your voting instruction form Phone: 1-866-732-8683Fax: 1-866-249-7775 Return the voting instruction form in the enclosed envelope Return the form of proxy in the enclosed postage paid envelope SHAREHOLDER QUESTIONS Alexco shareholders who have questions about the management information circular, or require assistance with voting their shares can contact the Company's proxy solicitation agent, Laurel Hill Advisory Group: Laurel Hill Advisory Group North America Toll Free: 1-877-452-7184Outside North America: 1-416-304-0211Email: [email protected] About Alexco Alexco is a Canadian primary silver company that owns and operates the majority of the historic Keno Hill Silver District, in Canada's Yukon Territory, one of the highest-grade silver mines in the world. Alexco started concentrate production and shipments in 2021 and is currently advancing Keno Hill toward steady state production. Upon reaching commercial production, Keno Hill is expected to produce an average of approximately 4.4 million ounces of silver per year contained in high quality lead/silver and zinc concentrates. Keno Hill retains significant potential to grow and Alexco has a long history of expanding the operation's mineral resources through successful exploration. Forward-Looking Statements Some statements ("forward-looking statements") in this news release contain forward-looking information concerning the Company's anticipated results and developments in the Company's operations in future periods, made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the timing of activities and reports. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions that management believes are reasonable at the time they are made. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. 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. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/independent-proxy-advisory-firms-iss-and-glass-lewis-recommend-alexco-shareholders-vote-for-all-proposed-items-at-the-upcoming-agm-301556791.html SOURCE Alexco Resource Corp. RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MCNC today announced it will fully support the collaborative efforts from many state, local and federal stakeholders to ensure North Carolina maximizes the unprecedented opportunities now available for broadband and digital equity and inclusion investments. U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo was in Durham earlier this month to announce the launch of the Internet for All initiative, which will invest $45 billion to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet for everyone in America by the end of the decade. The initiative will be administered and implemented by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Over the past 40 years MCNC has served as a vital convener and collaborator to bolster relationships with all key stakeholders in order to expand connectivity, increase innovation, and support economic development in North Carolina. MCNC President and CEO Tracy Doaks participated in roundtable discussions recently with NTIA, county and local municipalities, and other public/private collaborators including commercial service providers that focused on getting the right leaders in the same room to advance the state forward. "There is strength and unity through collaboration, and this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for North Carolina," said Doaks. "MCNC's mission is to strengthen North Carolina's future by making secure, high-speed Internet and technology services more accessible to everyone. This is now our moment! By working together every citizen in the state will gain the resources they need to fully participate in today's digital economy." MCNC continues to be the trusted technology non-profit that serves North Carolina, providing a statewide fiber-optic backbone, high-speed connectivity, consulting, cybersecurity, data center, network engineering, and other services to community anchor institutions, non-profit organizations, and commercial providers. Clients include education, non-profit health care, libraries, state and local government, research, public safety organizations, and more. The Internet for All initiative will build Internet infrastructure, teach digital skills, and provide necessary technology to ensure that everyone in America including communities of color, rural communities, and older Americans has the access and skills they need to fully participate in today's society. The Internet for All program launched with three Notices of Funding Opportunity: Nearly two-thirds of states and territories have signaled their intention to get a piece of the new $45 billion broadband fund. On May 17, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce declaring North Carolina's intent to participate, requesting $5 million in initial planning funds for the state one of the first states to do so. Gov. Cooper has designated the N.C. Department of Information Technology Division of Broadband and Digital Equity as the recipient and administering agent for BEAD Program awards. Other states and territories have until July 18 to signal their intent to apply for the funding. About MCNC MCNC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit client-focused technology organization. Founded in 1980, MCNC owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), one of America's longest-running regional research and education networks. With over 40 years of innovation, MCNC provides high-performance services for education, research, libraries, healthcare, public safety, and other community anchor institutions throughout North Carolina. NCREN is the fundamental broadband infrastructure for over 850 of these institutions including all public K-20 education in North Carolina. As one of the nation's premier middle-mile fiber backbone networks, MCNC leverages NCREN to customize protected Internet, cybersecurity services, and related applications for each client while supporting private service providers in bringing cost-efficient connectivity to rural and underserved communities in North Carolina. Visit www.mcnc.org. MCNC Social: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn. Keywords & Tags MCNC, NCREN, NTIA, NC DIT, Internet for All, Broadband, Digital Equity, DE&I, Networking, News View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mcnc-supports-internet-for-all-in-north-carolina-301556610.html SOURCE MCNC NEW YORK, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerToFly, the leading platform for diversity recruiting and retention, is honored to announce Richard Lui, MSNBC and NBC News journalist, filmmaker, and author, as the first Resident DEIB Research Fellow at PowerToFly, effective June 1st, 2022. Of the appointment, PowerToFly's Senior Director of DEIB, Sienna Brown, said, "We're thrilled to have Richard Lui join us as our first DEIB Research Fellow; his advocacy in the AAPI community and his expertise in both storytelling and research will be pivotal in continuing to elevate the voices of underrepresented communities." Lui was the first Asian American Pacific Islander to anchor a daily cable news show and is a vocal advocate for issues related to Communities of Color, including the AAPI, Black, Latino, and Native American communities. He has covered racial conflict for over 25 years. He is the author of the book Enough About Me. It is an autobiographical analysis and critique of racism and political divisiveness that offers a modern take on the age-old value of thinking of others as a solution. As Resident DEIB Research Fellow, Lui will host a series of free conversations with game changers in business, policy, and beyond through the lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The conversations will reach millions of users worldwide. Lui's conversations will be part of PowerToFly's Diversity Reboot Summit Series, which has featured speakers such as Arianna Huffington, Ai-jen Poo, and Rep. Mark Takano. Lui will also collaborate with PowerToFly to research and identify key areas for action and conversation in the DEIB space, while challenging the narratives that slow progress. "It's an honor to be named a PowerToFly DEIB Research Fellow," said Lui. "The opportunity to dig into data and ideas to affect the way business thinks about inclusion is exciting it can benefit top and bottom lines with relevant ROI. But there are long-standing misunderstandings on why we should do this stuff: what feels right versus the real data that shows it actually is right for EBITDA. My research will focus on the practical meat on the bone to bridge these narrative gaps." Learn more about the Diversity Reboot Summit Series featuring Lui (including PowerToFly's upcoming Pride Summit from June 21-23) here. About PowerToFly PowerToFly was founded in 2014 and currently has a team of over 150 people in 27 countries. It is a women-led company focused on empowering underrepresented talent across all races, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, abilities, veteran statuses, and gender identities. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/msnbc-journalist-richard-lui-named-first-resident-deib-research-fellow-at-powertofly-301556713.html SOURCE PowerToFly HUNTINGTON, Ind., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc., (OTCQB: NIDB), the parent company of First Federal Savings Bank, have both been recognized for their performance. First Federal Savings Bank (FFSB) has been named to American Banker Magazine's Top 200 Community Banks for the 11th consecutive year for 2021. The magazine qualifies banks for this listing if they have less than $2 billion in total assets and are publicly traded. FFSB came in at #62 on this year's list of the top 200 publicly traded community banks. This is a 16-spot improvement from #78 in 2020. The magazine ranked the institutions based on the profitability metric, Return on Average Equity, over a 3-year period. Only 12 banks from the state of Indiana made this elite list and First Federal Savings Bank ranked 4th in the State. Michael Zahn, President and CEO of First Federal Savings Bank, states, "It is an honor to be recognized by American Banker Magazine for the 11th year in row. Embracing our role as a community bank while providing exceptional customer service from our dedicated team has led to our financial success." In addition, Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for First Federal Savings Bank, maintained its position on the Dividend Champions List. To achieve Champion status, a company must increase its dividend payments to its shareholders for 25 consecutive years. Northeast Indiana Bancorp is one of 141 companies in the United States to achieve this status and one of four companies from Indiana. Currently Northeast Indiana Bancorp has increased dividends 27 years in a row. Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc. is headquartered at 648 N. Jefferson Street, Huntington, Indiana. The company offers a full array of banking and financial brokerage services to its customers through its main office in Huntington and six full-service Indiana offices in Huntington (2), Warsaw (2) and Fort Wayne (2). The Company is traded on the OTC Markets Group, Inc. (www.otcmarkets.com) utilizing the OTCQB platform under the symbol "NIDB". Our web site address is www.firstfedindiana.bank. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/northeast-indiana-bancorp-inc-and-first-federal-savings-bank-recognized-301556689.html SOURCE Northeast Indiana Bancorp, Inc. SHENZHEN, China, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ANYX, a fresh and exciting new vape brand powered by Aspire Group, has announced it will release its first pod system e-cigarette globally on 16th June 2022. Dedicated to its brand mission of providing high-quality, aesthetically pleasing products and satisfying sensory experiences to users, ANYX incorporates cutting-edge technology and user-driven design to surprise and delight customers with a game-changing product experience. By connecting global users with a shared passion, ANYX also aims to actively promote a delightful, confident, energetic, and inclusive lifestyle. Despite being a new brand in the market, ANYX is backed by years of experience and industry expertise. In addition to well-known technical experts in the e-cigarette industry, ANYX has built up a team of talents who previously worked for top companies in the sectors of internet, consumer electronics, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) , allowing it to secure tens of millions of dollars in funding at its inception. To date, the brand has accrued more than 1,500 industry patents and established 120 production lines covering three dedicated production bases. It also boasts a strong R&D team of over 120 engineers, advanced production, sales and digital marketing capabilities. This seasoned team has enabled the brand to provide the global community with safe, dependable, and high-quality atomization products that distinguish it from the competition and add value to the brand's partners. As vaping technology grows in popularity, more people are looking for products that offer enjoyment and sensory pleasure. In line with its mission to create products with social features and build a user-driven brand, ANYX hopes to use its products to strengthen the bonds amongst global vaping enthusiasts and promote communication for a more diverse, pleasant, on-trend and energizing experience. If you want to know more, visit us at : www.anyxglobal.com and follow us on social media : Instagram @ANYX Global Facebook @ANYX Global CONTACT: [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shenzhen-aspire-launched-a-new-vaping-brand-anyx-301556514.html SOURCE Shenzhen Aspire Technology Co., Ltd. FILE PHOTO: The app logo of Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi is seen reflected on its navigation map displayed on a mobile phone in this illustration picture taken July 1, 2021. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo (Reuters) -China's FAW Group is considering acquiring a significant stake in Didi Global Inc, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, days after the ride-hailing giant received shareholders' nod to delist from the U.S. in an attempt to appease Chinese regulators. The state-owned automaker has reached out to Didi's top executives and expressed its interest in becoming a major shareholder in the firm, the report https://bloom.bg/38n7Gtm said, citing sources. U.S.-listed shares of Didi were up about 9.2% at $2.02 during early premarket hours. Didi has struggled to bring its business back to normal after angering Chinese regulators by pushing ahead with its $4.4 billion New York listing in June last year despite being asked to put it on hold while officials reviewed its data practice. FAW has pledged to help Didi resolve issues related to data security, paving the way for a Hong Kong listing, the Bloomberg report added. FAW and Didi did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. (Reporting by Ann Maria Shibu and Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Krishna Chandra Eluri) 8-K 0001712463 false 0001712463 2022-05-25 2022-05-25 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Date of Report, Date of earliest event reported) RANPAK HOLDINGS CORP. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware 001-38348 98-1377160 (State or other jurisdiction of (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer incorporation) Identification No.) 7990 Auburn Road Concord Township , Ohio 44077 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) ( 440 ) 354-4445 (Registrants telephone number, including area code) Not Applicable (Former name or former address, if changed since last report) Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share PACK New York Stock Exchange Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders. On May 25, 2022, Ranpak Holdings Corp. (the Company) held its annual meeting of stockholders. Proposal 1 Election of Directors The Class III Directors proposed by management were elected with a tabulation of votes to the nearest share as shown below. The Directors also had broker non-votes totaling 1,516,647. Name For Withheld Omar M. Asali 67,281,063 6,978,251 Pamela El 65,433,275 8,826,039 Salil Seshadri 57,652,277 16,607,037 Kurt Zumwalt 62,102,429 12,156,885 Proposal 2 Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm The earlier appointment by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Companys independent registered public accounting firm for the 2022 fiscal year was approved by stockholders with 75,598,433 shares voted in favor, 143,148 shares voted against and 34,380 shares abstained. Proposal 3 Non-Binding Advisory Resolution to Approve the Compensation of Named Executive Officers The compensation of the Named Executive Officers was approved, on an advisory basis, by stockholders, with 47,792,190 shares voted in favor, 26,417,656 shares voted against, 49,468 shares abstained, and broker non-votes totaling 1,516,647. Proposal 4 Non-Binding Advisory Resolution on the Frequency of Future Advisory Votes on Named Executive Officer Compensation Stockholders voted, on an advisory basis, on the frequency of future advisory votes on Named Executive Officer compensation, with 73,593,280 shares voted for one year, 30,215 shares voted for two years, 345,873 shares voted for three years, 289,946 shares abstained, and broker non-votes totaling 1,516,647. Consistent with the results of the advisory stockholder vote, the Company will include a stockholder vote on the compensation of Named Executive Officers in its proxy materials on an annual basis. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. TICKERS: PGE; PGEZF; 5D32 Source: Streetwise Reports (5/26/22) With battery metals in short supply and prices for some platinum group metals approaching record highs, one junior is developing a unique project in Montana that would bring these metals and others to market. It would also provide America with many of the critical minerals necessary in an unstable world. A 14-hole drill program completed in 2021 by Vancouver-based Group Ten Metals Inc. (PGE:TSX; PGEZF:OTCQB; 5D32:FSE) continues to deliver wide, high-grade intervals of nickel sulphide containing palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), and gold (Au) in step-out drilling near the DR and Hybrid deposits at the companys Stillwater West critical minerals project its flagship asset in Montanas Stillwater Igneous Complex. Both deposits were outlined in the juniors first-ever resource estimate, published in October 2021. Resource expansion drilling at Group Ten Metals' Stillwater West project. Source: Group Ten Metals Inc. Group Ten is also finding similar mineralization in step-out drill holes in two other areas, roughly 7 kilometers east along trend. These areas are set in large-scale geophysical anomalies, typically indicative of large-scale sulphide mineralization, across the projects 12-kilometer resource area. Management also sees expansion potential well outside the current resource area across Stillwater Wests 32-kilometer length. Group Tens current inferred mineral resource tallies 2.4 million ounces (2.4 Moz) Pd, Pt, Rh and Au, plus 1.1 billion lb nickel, copper, and cobalt in a constrained model totaling 157 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.45% nickel-equivalent (Ni eq), using a 0.20% Ni eq cutoff grade. The project hosts eight metals that are listed as critical minerals by the U.S. government, which is always looking to secure domestic supply. The resource consists of five deposits of sulphide mineralization hosted in 9 kilometers of strike length in the central area of Stillwater West. Eighty-three drill holes were used to calculate the resource, including all the holes drilled during Group Ten's 2019 and 2020 campaigns. These holes, in addition to the 14 expansion holes drilled in 2021 and a further 133 holes drilled outside the current deposit areas, will provide targeting insight for Group Tens deep geological bench. The team has decades of experience in the Stillwater Complex and now includes the recent additions of Dr. Danie Grobler and Albie Brits, who both bring further insight gained from years of work at Ivanhoe Mines Ltd.'s (IVN:TSX; IVPAF:OTCQX) Platreef project in South Africa. Their world-class expertise is timely because Group Tens discoveries are drawing parallels with South Africas Bushveld Complex, with a particular focus on the giant mines of the northern Bushveld, or Platreef, including Ivanhoes mine of the same name. Sibanye-Stillwater's Stillwater platinum group elements mine in Montana. Source: Group Ten Metals Inc. The 2021 exploration program was designed by Group Ten to expand the 2021 resource at Stillwater West, which sits directly adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater Ltd.'s (SBSW:NYSE) high-grade PGE mines in the Stillwater Complex. Group Ten President and CEO Michael Rowley says hole CM2021-05, announced in early May, was the highlight in the most recent tranche of drill results and is one of the widest high-grade intercepts ever recorded in the Stillwater district a region that has been mined for more than 100 years. Hole CM2021-05, which sits outside the current modelled resource, returned 13.2 meters of 3.33% Ni eq (or 8.88 g/t palladium-equivalent) as 2.31% Ni, 1.51 g/t Pd+Pt+Rh+Au, 0.35% Cu, and 0.115% Co), starting at about 38 meters downhole. This intercept occurs within a broader width of 96 meters of 0.60% Ni eq (1.56 g/t Pd eq) and within 400.8 meters grading 0.30% Ni eq (0.8 g/t Pd eq). Some 125 meters west, hole CM2020-04 encountered the same distinctive high-grade nickel sulphide, platinum group metals, and gold, suggesting potential continuity. It returned 8.5 meters of 1.74% Ni eq (or 4.65 g/t Pd eq), and the zone remains open to expansion with more drilling. Rowley says drilling step-out holes on the new target area is a priority for the next exploration campaign. Meanwhile, hole CM2021-06 at Chrome Mountain returned 0.26% Ni eq (0.71 g/t Pd eq) over 345 meters, including 75.4 meters of 0.37% Ni eq, or 0.99 g/t Pd eq, and another lower interval with 148.4 meters of 0.3% Ni eq (0.79 g/t Pd eq). All three holes also demonstrate noteworthy rhodium values of up to 0.36 g/t Rh. The spot price for rhodium has been elevated for years, hovering around $16,000/oz, or about eight times the value of palladium and roughly 16 times the spot price for platinum in mid-May. Sibanye-Stillwater, which mines the J-M Reef next door, is the primary U.S.-based producer of rhodium. Critical Minerals Add Value Nickel, platinum, palladium, rhodium, and cobalt all metals contained in the Stillwater West resource are among the U.S. Geological Surveys 2022 list of critical minerals, as are iridium and ruthenium, two of the lesser known platinum group elements. The survey looks at U.S. imports, as well as the source of that supply, for a range of metals and minerals to determine potential supply shortages and potential vulnerabilities to national security and the economy. Source: Group Ten Metals Inc. corporate presentation Chromium also makes the list, and the U.S. government once mined high-grade chrome in the district in the 1940s for use in things like tank armor and bombs. The U.S. is moving to secure domestic supplies of our commodities. We've worked with the U.S. Geological Survey for over four years at Stillwater West, Rowley told Streetwise Reports. So far, government initiatives have been aimed more at processing capacity and advanced-stage projects. With our inaugural resources out, we are now looking to advance to that status as we de-risk. We also believe the U.S. will look to supporting mine supply as well, as part of the move to securing domestic sources of critical minerals. A study by San Antonio, Texas-based US Global Investors says that demand for nickel is expected to increase by a factor of more than 15 as nickel use in lithium-ion battery cathodes explodes. Some estimates peg the amount of nickel in one electric vehicle (EV) at more than 80 lb. Copper is one component of the Stillwater West resource that has not been classified as critical, but the outlook is similar; one EV requires five times more copper than a car with an internal combustion engine. Copper prices reached all-time highs in early March and show few signs of weakness. Cobalt is also in the mix. EV manufacturing currently uses about 39,000 tonnes cobalt annually but London-based international markets consultant CRU expects that number to reach 120,000 tonnes by 2025. The dominant global source for cobalt is the Democratic Republic of Congo. Group Ten Adds Bushveld Experience Grobler is now Group Tens Vice-President of Exploration, while Brits is senior geologist. Both helped advance Ivanhoes Platreef mine, which shares remarkably similar geology with Stillwater West. Grobler and Brits each bring some 20 years experience with major deposits in the Bushveld perhaps the worlds richest mining camp. The Bushveld and Stillwater complexes are both layered magmatic systems with two primary deposit models; narrow, higher-grade reef-type deposits, and Platreef-style deposits that include higher levels of battery metals and are amenable to bulk mining methods. Production from reef deposits is ongoing in both districts but the advancement of Platreef-style deposits at Stillwater has only recently been introduced by Group Ten, despite the known parallels. Reef deposits are narrow, high-grade magmatic deposits. They can be massive, with reefs at both Bushveld and Stillwater running tens of kilometers. The J-M Reef in the Stillwater complex covers 40 kilometers on surface and averages about 1.8 meters thick. It is the largest platinum group element deposit in the western hemisphere, and the highest-grade in the world, containing 26.9 Moz (at 14.4 g/t Pd-Pt) in Proven and Probable reserves, another 39 Moz (at 14.7 g/t Pd-Pt) in the Measured and Indicated category, and 47.9 Moz (at 15.5 g/t Pd-Pt) in the Inferred category. More than 14 Moz have already been mined at grades greater than 14 g/t Pd-Pt. Rowley says Stillwater Wests location beside the J-M Reef is correct for the Platreef-style mineralization outlined in the initial resource estimate, bringing a larger deposit model with a more balanced suite of commodities, and also more metal, to the table. We've got longer widths at bulk mining grades that add the battery metals to the mix, Rowley told Streetwise Reports. So its a different mining model but one that ultimately contains more metal on a grade-thickness basis. Rowley says there hasnt been a formal study involving mining methods at Stillwater West but suggests the different deposits could be mined by mechanized underground block caving, which can be as or more economical than an open pit if gravity can be used to move the mineralized ore more efficiently than giant trucks. Right People, Right Time A bear market is rarely kind to junior exploration companies, and in early 2017 Rowley was doing all he could to keep his property claims in good standing in Ontario and Yukon when he received an email from Justin Modroo, a geophysicist who now works for Group Ten. The cagey Modroo had watched as claims were dropped in and around the Stillwater complex, mostly due to junior exploration companies entering bankruptcy protection between 2011 and 2013. Modroo not only staked some of the best claims; he bought some of the exploration data from a now defunct company that had done considerable exploration work before ultimately throwing the keys on the table. The connection with Modroo allowed Group Ten to consolidate not only the land position next to the Stillwater mines, but also a database. A second bit of serendipity is due to the antiquated nature of U.S. state laws and the mineral claims system. Rowley says the outmoded database creates opportunity for people with local insight because without that knowledge the system's ham-fisted design makes it too difficult to determine claim holdings and consolidate the essential data necessary to advance a project. Nonetheless, in 2017 Group Ten completed a small placement which enabled the company to secure a district-scale land package as the market for junior explorers bumped along a lengthy bottom. A January 2022 research report by Vancouver-based Couloir Capital projected a $132.73 million enterprise value for the junior explorer. It seems Rowleys gamble is starting to see some upside. Funding Further Development Group Ten is focused on expanding the inaugural resource estimate at Stillwater West. The results from the 2021 expansion drill campaign continue to come in, and a similar campaign in 2022 is funded and fully permitted. Group Ten is also monetizing its other district-scale assets, as part of its focus on Stillwater. Late in November, Heritage Mining Ltd. optioned up to 90% of Group Tens Black Lake-Drayton gold project in northwestern Ontario, representing the first in what Group Ten expects will be a series of deals. Heritage can earn up to a 90% stake in the project once it completes certain cash payments and exploration spending milestones. Rowley says the money, and any upside in Heritages share price, will help fund Stillwater West development. He adds that the company is talking to other companies about optioning its Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu project in northern British Columbia. Couloir Capital gives Group Ten a buy rating and a fair value price of CA$0.61 per share. Group Ten has about 170 million shares outstanding and trades in a 52-week range of CA$0.48 and CA$0.27. Want to be the first to know about interesting PGM - Platinum Group Metals investment ideas? Sign up to receive the FREE Streetwise Reports' newsletter. Subscribe Disclosures 1) Brian Sylvester compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee. They or members of their household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. They or members of their household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. Their company has a financial relationship with the following companies referred to in this article: None. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Group Ten Metals Inc. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 4) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the decision to publish an article until three business days after the publication of the article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Group Ten Metal Inc., a company mentioned in this article. 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. CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea Eighth Army received the Army Superior Unit Award for its efforts in curbing the spread of COVID-19 during the onset of the pandemic in South Korea, according to a press release Thursday. Eighth Army and cited units displayed outstanding meritorious service through their response to the global pandemic cause by COVID-19, making their #1 priority to protect the force during these extraordinary circumstances, the awards citation said. The citation from the Armys Human Resources Command added that Eighth Armys efforts enabled the effective response to the pandemic not only on the Korean Peninsula but more importantly informed response operations worldwide. Soldiers present for duty while being attached to Eighth Army or one of several units in South Korea between Jan. 28, 2020, to April 30, 2020, are eligible to wear the superior unit award permanently. Army civilian employees who served within the same timeframe are also eligible for the award. South Korea became one of the first countries to report COVID-19 cases outside of China in January 2020. In Daegu, roughly 100 miles southeast of Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, the U.S. military reported its first-ever COVID-19 case on Feb. 20, 2020. U.S. Forces Korea, the command responsible for roughly 28,500 troops on the peninsula, and its individual garrison commanders initiated lockdowns as case numbers increased in the military community. The Armys response in South Korea, which included the construction of several quarantine facilities and the reassignment of thousands of service members, became the testing ground for the militarys worldwide pandemic response. Col. Michael Tremblay, the former garrison commander at Camp Humphreys, did not leave the base for 102 consecutive days. Everybodys singular focus from then on was, How do we get this from getting inside, he said in June 2021. We quickly ramped up the things that we were doing. For those three months, we did nothing but 24-hour operations, continuously coming up with new processes. An Eighth Army spokesman said the command was extremely proud of our soldiers, both past and present. Their professionalism allowed us to continue our mission of supporting our regional allies and deterring potential adversaries while simultaneously managing the effects of the global pandemic, Lt. Col. Neil Penttila said in an email to Stars and Stripes on Friday. USFK counted 104 new infections in the week ending Monday, down from the 141 cases reported between May 10-16, according to a USFK update on Tuesday. The command reported 98 infections May 3-9, down from the weekly record of 1,599 cases Jan. 4-10. While finding a medieval-themed festival on any given weekend is hardly a dazzling feat when you call Europe home, a handful of such events rise high above the rest. The picture-perfect backdrop of a mighty ancient castle, fortress or other bastion can make all the difference. Here are a few such festivals with settings that very nearly steal the show: Cesky Kremlov, Czech Republic: The Festival of the Five Petalled Rose transports visitors to the time of the Renaissance and the rule of the Rozmberk line. For three days, the streets of this beautiful South Bohemian town that's made the UNESCO World Heritage List are filled with the din of knights tournaments, bustling bazaars, banquets and wandering musicians. The historical procession, which features knights on horseback and people we know from our history lessons dressed in resplendent costumes, is considered a program highlight. Jousting tournaments, period games, fireworks and a chess match consisting of humans as the pieces rounds out the offerings. Festival dates in 2022 are June 17-19. Adult entry costs 350 Czech Koruna (about $14.90) when tickets are purchased in advance or 500 CZK when bought at the door. Children under age 10 enter free. Online: slavnostipetilisteruze.eu Provins, France: A perfectly preserved medieval gem an hour's drive outside Paris plays host to one of the country's best Middle Ages festivals. For two days, troubadours, jesters, artisans and acrobats enliven the streets of this UNESCO World Heritage-listed town. In addition to countless games and performances, program highlights include a traditional medieval ball and a parade featuring 700 costumed marchers. Festivities take place June 25-26. Single-day entry tickets go for 12 euros; those in medieval costumes enter for 6 euros. Children under 12 enter free. Online: tinyurl.com/chxztsne Namur, Belgium: The Citadel of Namur, the Walloon capital city, perches high above the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse rivers. Every two years, the first week of July sees the staging of "Les Medievales de la Citadelle," an extravaganza of medieval revelry featuring more than 500 artists, storytellers, acrobats and craftsmen from throughout Europe. The Terra Nova visitor center features a reconstructed 14th-century village, dedicated space for jousting and equestrian events, and a crafts market. Tickets to the event, scheduled for July 2-3, are available online through June 19 at a cost of 12 euros adults and 6 euros for ages 6-14; after that, they will cost 15 and 8 euros respectively. Tickets will also be available at the gate, but may sell out if the venue's capacity is reached. Online: citadelle.namur.be Malbork Castle, Poland: For three days at the end of July, the behemoth Teutonic Malbork Castle hosts a reenactment of a siege it endured centuries ago. Knights' battles, crossbow tournaments, cavalry displays, hands-on activities for children and a medieval marketplace transport us back in time to 1410, when King Wladyslaw Jagiello's Polish-Lithuanian forces besieged the fortress following the Battle of Grunwald. Some 200 costumed reenactors, complemented by horses and replicas of medieval weaponry, take part in the shows. The 2022 edition of the festival takes place July 22-24. Ticket prices have yet to be announced. Online: odkryjpomorze.pl Villajoyosa, Spain: Moros y Cristianos is a full week of sound and fury in memory of the repulsion of the Moors in a sea battle that occurred in 1538. According to legend, Santa Marta conjured up a flood that prevented the pirates from entering the town. Pretty Villajoyosa, known for its steep streets running down to the sea and its colorfully painted houses, is a fitting backdrop to parades featuring stunningly costumed reenactors, concerts and fireworks. Sampling local specialties, along with singing and dancing, keep locals and tourists firmly in party mode from dusk to dawn. The festival culminates with a pre-dawn landing of a fleet of ships and the would-be invaders jumping into the sea. Online: associaciosantamarta.org Manderscheid, Germany: The Niederburg Castle makes a stunning backdrop to this merry meet-up of knights, damsels, artisans, jesters and other colorful characters from the past. After checking out the wares at the marketplace, make way to the ring in which the knights' tournament takes place, or belly up to the bar in the tavern. Mandersheid is a half-hour drive from Spangdahlem Air Base. The festival takes place Aug. 27-28. Online: niederburg-manderscheid.de FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii Almost 2,000 residents living in households contaminated by Navy jet fuel in Hawaii late last year experienced one or more new or worsened health symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Reported symptoms, such as those related to the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, and mental health were consistent with previous studies of exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons, the CDC said its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The findings are from a voluntary health assessment survey in January and February of individuals affected by petroleum contamination in the Navys water distribution system that supplies military communities on and near Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Jet fuel leaking from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility, a collection of massive underground tanks built during World War II, contaminated tap water in an estimated 9,694 households. A total of 2,289 affected residents took part in the survey, which represented at least one participant from 1,389 households, the CDC said. The survey found that 37% of participants sought medical care, with 17 people reporting that they had been hospitalized overnight. Just over 80% of the 1,980 survey participants who experienced symptoms said they felt improvement after switching to an alternative water source, the CDC said. This incident was unprecedented and impacted the lives and health of thousands of people, Kathleen Ho, the Hawaii Department of Healths deputy director of environmental health, said in a news release Thursday. This survey helps to quantify their experiences, she said. We are committed to continuing to work with [the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry] to search for answers on how the Navys contamination of its drinking water system impacts health and wellbeing. The CDC noted in its report that the survey method did not capture the full scope of health aspects. The Hawaii Health Department began getting reports in late November of foul-smelling tap water in homes using the Navys water system. The Health Department issued an advisory on Nov. 30 directing households to not use the water for drinking, bathing or washing clothes and dishes. The advisory was lifted on March 18 after the Navy had isolated the contaminated well and flushed the distribution system and pipes in each home. Thousands of households lived in area hotels for weeks or months as that work was being done. Some residents have complained of lasting medical problems they say were caused by the tainted water. More than 100 current and former residents of affected households have filed claims with the Navys Office of the Judge Advocate seeking compensation for maladies they say were caused by the contamination. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued an order on March 7 that the fuel facility be permanently closed. The Navy and Hawaii Health Department are in the process of planning how the remaining fuel will be emptied. NAHA, Okinawa A U.S. Marine who admitted to the sexual assault of a local woman was sentenced to 4 years in a Japanese prison Thursday after a two-day trial. Lance Cpl. Jordan Begaye, 22, assigned to Camp Foster, was convicted of attempted sexual assault resulting in injury after a trial Monday and Tuesday in Naha District Court. A three-judge panel and eight lay judges, akin to jurors in the U.S. judicial system, determined the penalty. Chief Judge Testuro Sato sentenced Begaye on Thursday. Begaye was indicted Dec. 23 for an incident just after midnight Oct. 30 in which prosecutors allege he pulled a woman from a car in a Naha parking lot with the intent of raping her. The woman did not testify in person but her statement was read by prosecutors in court. She said Begaye choked her, wrestled with her, sat on top of her and covered her mouth to stifle her screams for help. He punched her face several times when she bit his hand. Begayes rape attempt failed because she resisted desperately, according to her statement. Since then, she said she has suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and has trouble caring for her child. I really thought I was going to die, she wrote. I dont want anyone to experience this fear. Begaye told the court he was drinking heavily that night and had only vague memories but admitted he had intended to rape the victim. He called the incident the biggest regret of his life and said he accepts any punishment the court metes out. I feel that what Ive done is unforgivable and fills my heart with pain, knowing that Ive done such a horrible thing to the victim who is someones daughter, sister, wife and mother, Begaye said in court on Tuesday. He called his own actions horrific and said he was in a very bad emotional state at that time, stemming from the loss of his grandfather and his younger brother over the past two years. I had a lot of regret for joining [the Marine Corps] because I wasnt there for them, he said. During sentencing on Thursday, Sato said Begayes actions were highly dangerous and that taking out his anger on someone was selfish. Please remember that you have caused suffering to the victim and changed her life, Sato said. After serving your time in prison, I hope you make an honest living. The victim said in her statement she doesnt see all U.S. service members as bad people, despite a strong anti-American sentiment in some portions of Okinawas population. But, she wrote, Begaye must understand that his actions made all the service members look bad, including those who are working hard and trying to protect the people they love, as well as those people who think these crimes should not be repeated. The U.N. Security Council on Thursday failed to pass a U.S.-led resolution to reinforce sanctions against North Korea following its 16 rounds of missile tests so far this year. China and Russia, two of the five permanent member states on the Security Council, sank the resolution with their veto power. The councils 13 other members voted in favor. I am beyond disappointed that the Security Council has not been able to unify in opposition to North Korea's unlawful [weapons of mass destruction] and ballistic missile programs, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield tweeted Friday. That failure rests on China and Russia alone. North Korea last conducted a weapons test on Wednesday, firing three missiles shortly after President Joe Biden left Japan for the United States following his five-day tour of Asia. Thomas-Greenfield urged the council not to normalize these unlawful and destabilizing actions. Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzia in his argument described the sanctions as restrictive measures and hostile activities against North Koreas 26 million people. Chinas ambassador, Zhang Jun, blamed the U.S. for North Koreas behavior and claimed the Biden administration was developing other plans deep down for the Korean Peninsula. South Koreas Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement after the veto saying the results will greatly damage the global communitys trust in the Security Council. The ministry also urged its members to play responsible roles to respond to [North Koreas] violations. We express our deep regret at the outcome that it was not adopted by the UNSC despite the majority of UNSC members consenting to the resolution, said the ministrys statement. The Security Council in 2006 unanimously voted to sanction North Korea after its first nuclear test and ordered it to suspend all ballistic missile and nuclear tests. The North continued its testing and the Security Council imposed additional sanctions against the regime. North Korea last conducted a nuclear test, its sixth, in 2017 and is believed by U.S., South Korean and Japanese intelligence agencies to be preparing for another test. The most recent set of sanctions against North Korea was imposed in December 2017 after the regime fired an intercontinental ballistic missile. Those sanctions required member countries to expel North Korean employees and compelled them to seize, inspect and impound ships suspected of smuggling goods for the regime. Experts widely believe North Korea has been skirting existing sanctions. It continues to smuggle natural resources, such as coal and oil, through elaborate black-market networks and ship-to-ship transfers, according to the State Department press releases. Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department targeted several companies and individuals believed to have supported North Koreas weapons program. In January, the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned five North Koreans one in Russia and four in China, for providing material aid to the regime. The Navy has finally resolved the fates of 13 sailors aboard the USS Indianapolis, nearly 77 years after they disappeared in the Pacific Ocean. A Japanese torpedo sank the Indianapolis in July 1945 after the cruiser had completed a secret mission that was key to ending World War II. Almost 900 sailors lost their lives by the end of the crews ordeal, the greatest loss of life on a single ship in the history of the U.S. Navy. On Thursday, the Navy Casualty Office officially changed the status of 13 sailors who died as a result of the attack from unaccounted for to buried at sea. The change comes after extensive research by the Naval History and Heritage Command, Navy Casualty Office, the USS Indianapolis Survivors Association, the USS Indianapolis Legacy Organization, and the Chief Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation, the Navy said in a news release Thursday. Due to administrative errors, many Sailors who were recovered from the ocean and buried at sea from responding vessels were misclassified as missing in action or unaccounted for, the Navy said. The Indianapolis and its crew of 1,195 delivered to the island of Tinian key components for what would be the first atomic bomb used in warfare. The B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the bomb, dubbed Little Boy, on Hiroshima, Japan, on Aug. 6, 1945. With its delivery completed, the Indianapolis was heading toward the Philippines on July 30 when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the 600-foot-long ship, which sank in roughly 12 minutes with 300 men still aboard. The Navy did not learn of the sinking for four days. The 890 sailors who were set adrift fared only a little better than those trapped below. Shark attacks, dehydration and hypothermia winnowed the number to just 316 by the time rescuers arrived. The Chief Rick Stone and Family Charitable Foundation located documentation confirming that the status of 13 of the ships sailors had been misclassified, the Navy said. The sailors are: Seaman 1st Class George Stanley Abbott, Bedford, Ky. Seaman 2nd Class Eugene Clifford Batson, Kansas City, Kan. Gunners Mate 1st Class William Alexander Haynes, Homedale, Idaho Seaman 2nd Class Albert Raymond Kelly, Cleveland, Ohio Seaman 1st Class Albert Davis Lundgren, Washington, D.C. Fireman 1st Class Ollie McHone, Mars Hill, Ark. Seaman 2nd Class George David Payne, Grand Rapids, Mich. Storekeeper 3rd Class Alvin Wilder Rahn, Hamlet, N.C. Ships Cook 3rd Class Jose Antonio Saenz, Edinburg, Texas Coxswain Charles Byrd Sparks, Birmingham, Ala. Radioman 2nd Class Joseph Mason Strain, Creston, Iowa SSML3 Angelo Anthony Sudano, Niles, Ohio Gunners Mate 3rd Class Floyd Ralph Wolfe, Turner, Ore. William Baxter, a nephew of Floyd Wolfe, was notified of the change of status on April 26, the Navy said. Baxter, of Okatie, S.C., said in the news release that he was too young to know his uncle but that it was nice to finally have some closure on what actually happened. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Chinas foreign minister on Friday arrived on the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati, where the future of a vast fishing ground is at stake. The planned four-hour visit by Wang Yi was his second stop on an eight-nation tour that comes amid growing concerns about Beijings military and financial ambitions in the South Pacific region. Kiribati closed its borders this year as it tries to stamp out an outbreak of COVID-19. But its government made a rare exception to allow Wang and his 20-strong delegation into the country for face-to-face discussions. At stake in Kiribati is the future of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, a stretch of ocean the size of California that has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. In November, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau announced the government planned to end the commercial fishing ban that had been in place since 2015 and begin to sustainably fish the area. Anna Powles, a senior lecturer in security studies at New Zealands Massey University, said she expected there would be some fisheries agreements between China and Kiribati that would come from Wangs visit. Powles said China, which already dominates fishing in the region, had offered to upgrade an airport runway and causeway in the Phoenix Island group. The worry is that this would essentially obliterate the fish stock, she said. That it would severely damage fish stocks that are already under pressure. She said there were also concerns that any kind of base for Chinese commercial fishing fleets in Kiribati could also be used as an additional hub for Beijings surveillance activities. Kiribatis president said Wang would visit his residence for bilateral discussions during the visit, and emphasized the health protocols that were in place. Maamau said in a statement that the Chinese delegation would need to take PCR tests before arriving and stay in a travel bubble while there, and that everybody in Kiribati who came into contact with them would need to quarantine afterward for a week presumably including himself. The high-level state visit is an important milestone for Kiribati-China relations, as it will strengthen and promote partnership and cooperation between our two countries after the resumption of diplomatic ties in 2019, Maamau said. China says Wangs trip to the region builds on a long history of friendly relations between Beijing and the island nations. A draft document obtained by The Associated Press shows that Wang is hoping to strike a deal with 10 small Pacific nations during his visit. The sweeping agreement covers everything from security to fisheries and is seen by at least one Pacific leader as an attempt by Beijing to wrest control of the region. Wang is hoping the countries will endorse the pre-written agreement as part of a joint communique after a May 30 meeting in Fiji with the other foreign ministers. But Australia scrambled to counter the move Thursday by sending its own Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Fiji to shore up support in the Pacific. In Fiji, Wong said it was up to each island nation to decide what partnerships they formed and what agreements they signed, but urged them to consider the benefits of sticking with Australia. Australia will be a partner that doesnt come with strings attached nor imposing unsustainable financial burdens, Wong said. We are a partner that wont erode Pacific priorities or Pacific institutions. China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands last month in a move that sent shock waves around the world. That pact has raised fears that China could send troops to the island nation or even establish a military base there, not far from Australia. The Solomon Islands and China say there are no plans for a base. During his 10-day visit, Wang is also planning to make stops in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor. Australias new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Thursday hed sent Wong to Fiji because Australia needed to step up its efforts in the Pacific. We need to respond to this because this is China seeking to increase its influence in the region of the world where Australia has been the security partner of choice since the Second World War, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that in recent years, exchanges and cooperation between Beijing and the island nations had been expanding in a development that was welcomed by the Pacific countries. SEMBACH, Germany Heroes often wear capes in movies, but in real life they can appear in something as simple as a pair of pajamas and slippers. Thats what Army Sgt. 1st Class Michelle Paris was wearing earlier this month when she heard a car crash outside her house in a village just north of Kaiserslautern. A Honda Accord with three airmen on their way to work at Ramstein Air Base had collided with a tool truck. A trained combat medic, Paris attended to four accident victims, one of whom required urgent treatment for a bleeding chest wound. Had it not been for her immediately coming to our aid, there would not have been anyone else to help us, Staff Sgt. Devante Smith, the Honda driver, was quoted in an Army report as saying. I am extremely grateful for her quick reaction and the medical aid she provided. Paris has been working as an equal-opportunity adviser for the Armys Regional Health Command Europe for more than two years. The job doesnt entail direct medical work, but her emergency treatment skills remained sharp from years of experience, as she showed May 13. The day started like any other, Paris recalled during a Thursday interview in her office at Sembach Kaserne. She had taken her dog outside to play shortly after 6 a.m. and was getting ready to take a shower when she heard the collision. Without thinking, I ran outside and saw a pretty mangled white car, Paris said. Then I look down the street and see a tool truck thats upside down and its smoking, and I can also see fluid coming onto the road. Worried that the fluid might be gasoline, Paris rushed to the truck first and pried open a back door. She threw out the tools to make space for her to pull out a German man who was driving alone. He ended up needing no medical attention. The Honda was upright but damaged in the back. Paris noticed that three airmen were inside. She helped the driver and front-seat passenger to get out. The former said he felt pain in his hip, while the latter appeared to be in shock. Paris deemed that neither needed emergency medical help, so she went to the backseat passenger, who turned out to be a neighbor with whom she had chatted earlier that morning. She immediately noticed a growing bloodstain on his uniform. Because of my medical training from the military, I know about open chest wounds, Paris said. His lungs could be punctured; they could be collapsed. If left untreated, that could lead to life-threatening injuries. She ran back into her home and returned with scissors and plastic wrap. After cutting off her neighbors clothes, she noticed a wound about the size of a hand and asked Smith to cut pieces from the medical tape in his cars first aid kit. She used the tape and the plastic wrap to dress the wound. As Paris was taping down the last part of the dressing, first responders from the local German fire department arrived and took over. Her neighbor was flown by helicopter to a German hospital, while the other two airmen were taken by ambulance to a closer hospital and released the following day. As of Friday, the Air Force had not responded to a request for verification of the airmans status. Before moving to Germany in 2019, Paris worked at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, the Defense Departments only Level 1 trauma center in the U.S. Before that, she completed two tours in Iraq as a combat medic and dealt with more than a dozen mass casualties. I was just reacting, Paris said of her efforts earlier this month. After 15 years in the military, Ive been doing it so long now that it just becomes second nature. These are skills in the military that you do over and over and over again. Paris Sembach colleagues said they were in awe of her feat. For her, its just something that happened. For the rest of us, its a big deal, said Command Sgt. Maj. Kyle S. Brunell of Regional Health Command Europe, adding that Paris displayed the skills the Army tries to instill in all its medics. But knowing her the way I know her, its not a surprise, Brunell added. Shes pretty damn awesome. An event involving a drag queen reading to children at the Ramstein Air Base library in Germany was abruptly canceled by base authorities, sparking protests that the decision demonstrates a lack of support by the military for transgender people. Drag Queen Storytime had been slated for Thursday in honor of Pride Month, which is observed in June. A flyer announcing the program proclaimed: Join us with special guest reader Stacey Teed! Be sure to wear your brightest and most colorful outfits! But the program was nixed by the 86th Airlift Wing, as was a separate drag karaoke event scheduled to be held at the base enlisted club, according to community members posting on social media sites. The 86th Airlift Wing did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Stars and Stripes. In a statement to right-wing media portal The Post Millennial, the wing said the storytelling had been canceled because an advertisement was posted to the base librarys social media page before official approval of the event. The advertisement has been removed and the event will not take place, the wing said in a statement. Ramstein leaders strive to foster a culture based on inclusion where all people are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their political views, color of their skin, or sexual orientation. The Post Millennial is a conservative online news magazine based in Canada whose editorial staff includes Andy Ngo, an American known for crusades against antifa activists. The cancellation of the drag queen book reading drew mixed opinions from the Kaiserslautern Military Community, which encompasses Ramstein. With tens of thousands of Defense Department personnel and their families, it is the largest U.S. military community overseas. An opponent of the wings decision launched a petition at www.change.org to try to get the event reinstated. Now more (than) ever we need to show our support to our enlisted members and spouses in the face of blatant discrimination, wrote the petition organizer, named Natalie Oyer, who described herself as spouse to a transgender wife. I dont know if anything can bring back the events though, Oyer wrote. Most of the queens are enlisted. Another person suggested in a post on the Facebook page of a local military spouses group that community members organize an off-base event, such as a drag picnic and story time in the park. But others in the military community took issue with the very idea of a drag queen storytelling event, which they deemed inappropriate for children. An Air Force spouse told The Post Millennial, which first reported the controversy, that she was shocked to learn of the event. I find it wholly inappropriate that the MILITARY of all places will be using public funds to sexualize children, she told the Post Millennial. The 86th Air Wing said that Ramstein has established processes for approving such events and that in the future it will make sure such activities are properly reviewed and approved prior to advertisement. KRAMATORSK, Ukraine Moscow-backed separatists pounded eastern Ukraine's industrial Donbas region Friday, claiming to capture a railway hub, as Ukrainian officials pleaded for the sophisticated Western weapons they say they need to stop the onslaught. The advance of Russian forces raised fears that cities in the region would undergo the same horrors inflicted on the people of the port city Mariupol in the weeks before it fell. The fighting Friday focused on two key cities: Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk. They are the last areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk, one of two provinces that make up the Donbas and where Russia-backed separatists have already controlled some territory for eight years. Authorities say 1,500 people in Sievierodonetsk have already died since the war's start three months ago. Russia-backed rebels also said they'd taken the railway hub of Lyman. The governor of Luhansk warned that Ukrainian soldiers may have to retreat from Sievierodonetsk to avoid being surrounded. But he predicted an ultimate Ukrainian victory. "The Russians will not be able to capture Luhansk region in the coming days, as analysts predict,'' Serhiy Haidai wrote on Telegram on Friday. "We will have enough forces and means to defend ourselves.'' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnskyy also struck a defiant tone. In his nightly video address Friday, he said: "If the occupiers think that Lyman or Sievierodonetsk will be theirs, they are wrong. Donbas will be Ukrainian.'' For now, Sievierodonetsk Mayor Oleksandr Striuk told The Associated Press that "the city is being systematically destroyed 90% of the buildings in the city are damaged." Striuk described conditions in Sievierodonetsk reminiscent of the battle for Mariupol, located in the Donbas' other province, Donetsk. Now in ruins, the port city was constantly barraged by Russian forces in a nearly three-month siege that ended last week when Russia claimed its capture. More than 20,000 of its civilians are feared dead. Before the war, Sievierodonetsk was home to around 100,000 people. About 12,000 to 13,000 remain in the city, Striuk said, huddled in shelters and largely cut off from the rest of Ukraine. At least 1,500 people have died there because of the war, now in its 93rd day. The figure includes people killed by shelling or in fires caused by Russian missile strikes, as well as those who died from shrapnel wounds, untreated diseases, a lack of medicine or being trapped under rubble, the mayor said. In the city's northeastern quarter, Russian reconnaissance and sabotage groups tried to capture the Mir Hotel and the area around it, Striuk said. Hints of Russia's strategy for the Donbas can be found in Mariupol, where Moscow is consolidating its control through measures including state-controlled broadcast programming and overhauled school curricula, according to an analysis from the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank. Gen. Phillip Breedlove, former head of U.S. European Command for NATO, said Friday during a panel mounted by the Washington-based Middle East Institute that Russia appears to have "once again adjusted its objectives, and fearfully now it seems that they are trying to consolidate and enforce the land that they have rather than focus on expanding it." That aggressive push could backfire, however, by seriously depleting Russia's arsenal. Echoing an assessment from the British Defense Ministry, military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said Russia was deploying 50-year-old T-62 tanks, "which means that the second army of the world has run out of modernized equipment." Russia-backed rebels said Friday that they had taken over Lyman, Donetsk's large railway hub north of two more key cities still under Ukrainian control. Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych acknowledged the loss Thursday night, though a Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson reported Friday that its soldiers countered Russian attempts to completely push them out. As Ukraine's hopes of stopping the Russian advance faded, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba pleaded with Western nations for heavy weapons, saying it was the one area in which Russia had a clear advantage. "Without artillery, without multiple launch rocket systems we won't be able to push them back," he said. The U.S. Defense Department would not confirm a CNN report that the Biden administration was preparing to send long-range rocket systems to Ukraine, perhaps as early as next week. "Certainly we're mindful and aware of Ukrainian asks, privately and publicly, for what is known as a multiple launch rocket system. And I won't get ahead of decisions that haven't been made yet," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that providing rockets that could reach his country would represent "a most serious step toward unacceptable escalation." He spoke in an interview with RT Arabic that aired Friday. Just south of Sievierodonetsk, volunteers hoped to evacuate 100 people from a smaller town. It was a painstaking process: Many of the evacuees from Bakhmut were elderly or infirm and needed to be carried out of apartment buildings in soft stretchers and wheelchairs. Minibuses and vans zipped through the city, picking up dozens for the first leg of a long journey west. "Bakhmut is a high-risk area right now," said Mark Poppert, an American volunteer working with British charity RefugEase. "We're trying to get as many people out as we can." To the north, neighboring Belarus used by Russia as a staging ground before the invasion announced Friday that it was sending troops toward the Ukrainian border. In Russia's Far East, a legislative deputy offered a rare display of opposition to the war in Ukraine, demanding the end of the military operation and the withdrawal of Russian troops. "We understand that if our country doesn't stop the military operation, we'll have more orphans in our country," Leonid Vasyukevich of the Communist Party said Friday at a meeting of the Primorsk regional Legislative Assembly in the Pacific port of Vladivostok. His comments, which he addressed to President Vladimir Putin, were shown in a video posted on a Telegram. Another deputy followed to support Vasyukevich's views. But the legislative assembly's chairman issued a statement afterward calling the remarks a "political provocation" not supported by the majority of lawmakers. ___ Karmanau reported from Lviv, Ukraine. Andrea Rosa in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Andrew Katell in New York and AP journalists around the world contributed. UMM AL-QUWAIN, United Arab Emirates The hulking, Soviet-era cargo plane has sat for decades under the blazing sun in a remote corner of the United Arab Emirates, its four jet engines silent after years in the employ of a Russian gunrunner known as the "Merchant of Death." But instead of a missile or gunfire finally taking out this Ilyushin Il-76 tied to arms smuggler Viktor Bout, the plane appears to be doomed, destined for scrap to make way for a force more powerful in this federation of seven sheikhdoms: Luxury real estate. The emirate of Umm al-Quwain plans a $675 million development on a island just across a lagoon from the deactivated airport where Bout's plane sits. His legacy, however, lives on even as workers disassemble the aircraft's wings Bout is in the news again as Russia has suggested America trade him for U.S. citizens held by Moscow amid its war on Ukraine. "I had not realized that the plane was there to this day," said Stephen Braun, the co-author of a book on the gunrunner called "Merchant of Death." "But the irony is that this, this junk or whatever it's use now has, in essence, far outlived Viktor Bout's enterprise." For imbibers coming from Dubai, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest along the curving coast of the Persian Gulf, the iconic bulging nose of the Ilyushin Il-76 represented a landmark for the low-cost liquor store at the emirate's Barracuda Beach Resort. That's even with large green letters painted on the Ilyushin for the last 20-odd years as an aviatic billboard for another hotel. The Ilyushin's tail number and two others on jet engines' inlet covers link back to Bout-operated airlines that once plied the skies between Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Soviet-era ammunition, Kalashnikov rifles, rockets and other instruments of destruction traveled on Bout's airliners into war zones such as Afghanistan, Angola and Liberia. The Ilyushin planes were designed for landing in such harsh conditions. Bout used Sharjah, a neighboring emirate of Dubai straining under debt at the time, as a base for much of his fleet, even though the planes were registered in third countries like the Ilyushin, flying under the flag of the Central African Republic. But when the Ilyushin became too dangerous to fly even for Bout's daredevil pilots, he came up with a plan to sell the plane to serve as advertising, Braun said. After convincing a pilot to fly the aircraft on just three of its four engines, the plane just barely made it into Umm al-Quwain. "It was touch and go, but they managed to belly up along the highway just outside of Sharjah," said Braun, a former investigative journalist and editor at The Associated Press. "And so they pocketed, I think, 20 grand out of the deal." And so the Ilyushin sat until the last few months as Umm al-Quwain prepared to build a bridge to connect the mainland to its planned development on Siniyah Island. Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP show that the work began in earnest in April. Umm al-Quwain has no oil or natural gas of its own, and as the UAE's smallest emirate by population, it has not enjoyed the financial success of Dubai or the energy-rich capital of Abu Dhabi. But a growing demand for real estate in the country has the emirate betting its new development could spur new life into the otherwise-sleepy sheikhdom. A visit Friday by AP journalists to the site saw red rope marking the bridge's future path, with an estimated 84 workers taking part in building the roadway that will cut across the land of the former airport. The Ilyushin's four jet engines lay on the sand, the big plane's wings cut away from its fuselage. Contractors on the site declined to speak to journalists, referring questions to the court of Umm al-Quwain's ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla. Emails sent to governmental offices were not immediately acknowledged. Extradited from Thailand, Bout was convicted in 2011 and is now serving a 25-year sentence in a federal prison in Illinois on charges he conspired to sell millions of dollars of weapons to kill Americans to rebels in Colombia who actually were Drug Enforcement Administration agents. He denied the charges. However in the years since, Russia has repeatedly floated his name in possible exchanges for American citizens held by Moscow. His prominence and rise in the wake of the Soviet Union's collapse has Braun and other investigators suspicious that Bout had ties to Russia's GRU military intelligence agency. As recently as May 13, the Russian news agency Tass quoted an anonymous official suggesting Bout could be traded for Brittney Griner, a WNBA All-Star detained for allegedly possessing a cannabis derivative just before Russia's war on Ukraine began. Also detained is corporate security executive Paul Whelan, who is serving a 16-year sentence on espionage charges that his family and the U.S. government have said are false. In April, a surprise swap saw Marine veteran Trevor Reed freed by Moscow in exchange for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who'd been serving a 20-year federal sentence for conspiring to smuggle cocaine into the United States. For Bout, whose gunrunning fueled wars worldwide, an estimated release date is in 2029. "The Russians want him back and the Biden administration obviously would like to get Paul Whelan back. They'd like to get Brittney Griner back. But again, this is the problem," Braun said. "The armaments that he transported, you know, were partly and certainly indirectly responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people in Africa, Afghanistan. ... So do you want to reward that?" The Biden administration is preparing to send advanced long-range rocket systems to Ukraine as the country suffers losses in the east from advancing Russian forces, said U.S. administration and congressional staffers. The move, which could be announced as early as next week, involves the provision of the Multiple Launch Rocket System, or MLRS, a U.S. weapon capable of firing a torrent of rockets many miles farther than current Ukrainian capabilities. The rocket system has been a top request from Ukrainian officials who say it is necessary to curb the advance of Russian forces, which claimed full control of the strategic eastern city of Lyman on Friday, handing Moscow another victory in its offensive in Ukraines eastern Donbas region. CNN first reported on U.S. preparations to send the system. The transfer is subject to a final decision by the White House. The Kremlin has warned that any country providing advanced weaponry to Ukraine will face harsh repercussions. On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the West has declared total war against Russia. The Biden administration is attempting to help Kyiv defend itself without provoking Russian retaliation on U.S. forces or their allies. In a closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill this week, State Department officials said that some White House officials had concerns that providing the MLRS with a range of more than 180 miles could result in Ukrainians forces firing rockets into Russian territory and causing a major escalation, according to people familiar with the briefing, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military matters. The State Department officials in the meeting said such concerns would likely be addressed with the Ukrainian leadership. A senior U.S. official said the White House is comfortable with providing the MLRS system to Ukraine, but will seek to manage the escalation risk by withholding the longest range rockets compatible with the system. The White House came under criticism from some Republicans on Friday for not moving faster with the delivery of the rocket system, including Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, R-S.C. The Biden administration has been dragging their feet, he tweeted. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the Biden administration was not slow-rolling the request. I would take issue with the idea that theres a holdup here, he told reporters on Friday. He said the U.S. was moving weapons systems into Ukraine every single day . . . helping them literally in the fight, including howitzers which are still arriving. - - - The Washington Posts Claire Parker and Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report. President Joe Biden told U.S. Naval Academy graduates on Friday that the next decade will be decisive for democracy, national security and reshaping the international world order for generations. Russias brutal assault on Ukraine has spurred a fight that is dividing the globe in terms of geography and values, Biden said at the academys graduation and commissioning ceremony. Were living through a global struggle between autocracies and democracies, he said. Biden accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of aiming to conquer Ukraine to wipe out the identify of its people. Attacks on schools, nurseries, hospitals, museums serve no other purpose than to eliminate the Ukrainian culture, he said. Thats what youre graduating into, Biden said. A world that more than ever requires strong principles and engaged American leadership, where America leads not only by the example of its power but the power of its example. The fallout from the war in Ukraine is already changing longstanding defense postures around the world, he said. Putins attempt to Finland-ize Europe into neutrality has backfired, Biden said, driving Finland and Sweden into NATOs arms. The two nations applied to join the military alliance earlier this month after decades of neutrality. [Putin] has NATO-ized all of Europe, Biden said. Fresh off a trip to Asia, the president told graduates that they will be at the forefront of U.S. efforts to counter the rising dominance of China. The maritime theater in the Indo-Pacific a region that will be vital to the future of our world will be the leading edge of Americas response to natural humanitarian disasters, Biden said. [We will show] people throughout the region the unmatched ability of the United States to be a force for good, he said. The Navy will be tasked with strengthening connections with allies and implementing an Indo-Pacific strategy that ensures freedom of navigation of the South China Sea and keeps sea lanes open and secure, Biden said. These long-standing basic maritime principles are the bedrock of a global economy and global stability, he said. Sailors and mariners, submariners and SEALs, Navy aviators and surface warfare officers, were going to look to you to ensure the security of the American people. WASHINGTON After at least 21 people, 19 of them children, were killed in a shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, the National Rifle Association said its deepest sympathies were with the families and victims involved in this horrific and evil crime. But the organizations annual meeting is on schedule to begin Friday, 275 miles away in Houston despite calls from its critics to call it off. And guns will be allowed during the event, except during former President Donald Trumps scheduled appearance on Friday for the groups annual leadership forum. The NRA has said the Secret Service is taking control of the hall during Trumps speech and will prohibit attendees from having firearms, firearms accessories and knives, NPR reported. Ammunition, laser pointers, pepper spray, toy guns, backpacks and other items also wont be allowed. The Secret Service will search attendees with magnetometers before they enter the hall, the organization said. This wont be the first time firearms have been banned for part of the gun groups annual convention. In 2018, a similar prohibition was put in place during a speech by then-Vice President Mike Pence. About Uvalde, the NRA wrote in a statement, On behalf of our members, we salute the courage of school officials, first responders and others who offered their support and services. As we gather in Houston, we will reflect on these events, pray for the victims, recognize our patriotic members, and pledge to redouble our commitment to making our schools secure. The NRA has been in a position like this before: in 1999, the association had its annual meeting scheduled to begin on April 30 in Denver. Then, 11 days before it started, two students entered Columbine High School in Littleton, a Denver suburb, and shot and killed 12 students and a teacher before taking their own lives. After the Columbine shooting, Colorado politicians were quick to criticize the NRA and pressure the organization to cancel. The City of Denver even offered to pay the organizations expenses for canceling, CNN reported. After much internal debate, the NRA refused, but it did scale back the meeting from three days to one and scrapped plans for a gun show. The Associated Press reported that about 8,000 people protested outside of the organizations convention location in Denver. The meeting in 2022 is set to continue as scheduled after the Uvalde shooting, complete with over 14 acres of the latest guns and gear from the most popular companies in the Industry, its website reads. At one point, former President Donald Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, Houston Congressman Dan Crenshaw, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem were all scheduled to headline the event. Trump confirmed on his Truth Social media platform Wednesday that he would still attend. America needs solutions and real leadership in this moment, not politics and partisanship, Trump said in his statement. Thats why I will keep my longtime commitment to speak in Texas at the NRA convention and deliver an important address to America. Cornyn and Crenshaw had both pulled out before Tuesdays shooting, Cornyn because of a scheduling conflict and Crenshaw because of a trip to Ukraine. His chief of staff said Crenshaw landed in Kyiv on Tuesday. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner resisted calls Wednesday to cancel the NRAs annual meeting after Uvaldes deadly shooting, saying the city had a contractual obligation to move forward with the event that he said has been booked for more than two years. During a City Council meeting Wednesday morning, the mayor said the city could face lawsuits if it backed out now, The Houston Chronicle reported. Turner, however, said the NRA should postpone the convention. Multiple protests are already scheduled for outside the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, where the NRAs meeting is scheduled to be held this weekend. _____ 2022 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Independent research institute PlantTech has changed its status to a not-for-profit incorporated society to underline its breadth of scope and better reflect the growing demand on its services. The change to the organisation, which responds to demand amongst Aotearoa New Zealands primary sector for increased ability to leverage artificial intelligence - AI - and data science for competitive advantage, also creates an opportunity for new board directorships. It is the start of a new chapter. Our team welcomes everyone on board and we look forward to working with our new and past members, many of whom have been with us since our inception three years ago, says PlantTech Chief Executive Officer Mark Begbie. The collaborative partnership was founded in 2019 by horticultural-aligned companies from the Bay of Plenty who have strengths in plant-based technology and innovation. A new board will now be formed and applications from around New Zealand are encouraged to join this nationally significant institute. Over the coming weeks we will further engage with our members around our strategic research and business plans as we map the path forward, says Mark. There will be a Special General Meeting in June, at which the membership will vote in the new board to take over from the transitional board in place. The Incorporated Society model underlines the scope of work PlantTech has undertaken since its inception and welcomes diversified members under its new structure to meet the needs of growing horticultural and plant industries across the country. As we enter a new phase, our focus will be on cementing the capabilities we have established, scaling our capacity to deliver from these, and delivering substantial value, whilst serving a wider and somewhat more diverse demographic, adds Mark. PlantTech has grown beyond the Bay of Plenty, moved into new crops, and is working with significant corporates and CRIs, complementing their strengths with ours and accelerating the transition of technology into commercialisation. Quite simply, we exist to help businesses in the horticulture sector thrive. Not by developing competing products or doing research for researchs sake. But by stretching the innovation goals of the businesses themselves, challenging the industry, delivering tools, R&D, supporting skills increase, and practical solutions that are all demand-driven and relevant right now. Strengthening Aotearoa New Zealands position as a high-performing, knowledge-intensive economy is central to PlantTechs remit. To do this PlantTech has turned the traditional research model on its head. We differ from other research providers, says Research Director Ian Yule. We are much more closely aligned to industry, our research agenda is informed by industry, and our goal is to find answers to industry problems. Five years ago, New Zealand didnt have a compelling answer to the challenge of delivering economic and societal benefit from its research base. The idea behind PlantTech was to create a research institute based on delivering high value crop systems using AI and machine learning (ML). Three years on the organisation has navigated its way to establish credibility and acceptance within the science system. We have had to work to get our message across about who we are and what we are here to do and why we are different to other groups, and that we are not here to compete with existing structures. There is a difference in the way PlantTech approaches research. It is moving away from the traditional kind of curiosity-driven, project-specific or field experimentation approach where the results are extrapolated to the rest of the industry, to a more data science driven approach that gathers data and finds practical solutions to commercial problems through research and analysis. We gather data from the whole of the industry, says Ian. We can gather data from thousands of hectares and put it all into one mathematical model, and then analyse that data to see what the patterns are so it is quite a different approach. We turn up things others may miss, or wider patterns and interactions that have never been investigated. Recent highlights include the opening of a satellite office in Palmerston North for PlantTech's team of research scientists to be closer to the Manawatu agritech research hub and pip fruit industry- already paying dividends as work gets underway on a digital apple crop estimation project in Hawke's Bay. Part of the project will assess how effective image-based tools can be in the orchard to find, for example, how many apples are in full view of the camera, how many are hidden behind leaves, how many apples can be counted, what is the accuracy of apple size or weight prediction from the images. Part of PlantTechs research strategy is keeping ahead of trends to predict and respond to future challenges. This necessitates gathering data from across the industry which can be extracted and analysed to be transferred into different strategies and commercial-ready projects, says Research Scientist and Project Lead Henry Kirkwood. Work has already started on a digital apple crop estimation project working with Envy, JAZZ and Rockit apple varieties. NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says it was great to see an increase in spending on cyber security in the Budget but more is needed as the economy rapidly becomes more digital. The risk of not investing enough in cyber security is an increasing amount of financial loss by businesses, risk of catastrophic infrastructure shutdowns, like the Waikato hospital last year, and identity theft of Kiwis, he says. The government agency tasked with providing cyber resilience support to private sector organisations and individuals, CERT NZ, was provided $30 million in the Budget. This funding, over four years, will support the completion of work on the cyber resilience measurement framework, uplift the cyber smart programme, pilot a victim remediation service and fund the development of a technology solution to make it easier for individuals and organisations to report and respond to cyber incidents. CERT NZ has just released its first quarterly report for 2022 providing an overview of the 2333 reported cyber security incidents impacting New Zealand. The report shows that phishing and credential harvesting continue to grow and be the most common means of entry for cyber attacks. NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller. Photo: Supplied. Phishing - pronounced fishing - is an attack that attempts to steal your money, or your identity, by getting you to reveal personal information, such as credit card numbers, bank information, or passwords, on websites that pretend to be legitimate. There were seven incidents where people were scammed out of more than $100,000, including unauthorised access to business emails, a romance scam and an investment scam. The Budget also included cyber security investment of $18 million over four years for the government communications security bureau (GCSB) to allow the national cyber security centre to maintain and improve its cyber security and information security services that help protect New Zealands most significant information infrastructures from the increasing frequency and severity of cyber attacks. Other government agencies also received multiyear budget funding to increase cyber security including the Ministry of Education ($27 million), the Ministry of Justice ($12 million), the Department of Corrections ($59 million), the New Zealand police ($24 million) and the Serious Fraud Office ($1 million). In comparison, the Australian government announced a $9.9 billion investment in cyber security in their federal budget and the US presidents budget request lifted cyber security spending 11 per cent for 2022, spending $10.9 billion on civilian cyber security alone, Muller says. While you could argue that they are much larger countries, our cyber security investment is in millions not billions. Ernest Rutherford once said we havent the money, so weve got to think. NZTech and Brightstar Events are hosting the eighth annual NZ cyber security summit in July bringing together tech leaders, cyber professionals, entrepreneurs and the government to share insights on the latest attacks and the latest technologies and methods of defence. One of the keynote speakers, cyber tech entrepreneur Andy Prow, will be sharing his experience of building a successful global cyber security company from New Zealand, and the importance of expecting our digital world to be as safe as our physical world. Other speakers include Nadia Youssef, the incident response manager at CERT NZ, Helaman Tangiora, head of digital transformation at Tainui Group; and Michael Jagusch, from the National Cyber Security Centre. The Ministry of Health is reporting 6,862 new community cases, 350 current hospitalisations and 25 deaths today. There are 193 new community cases in Bay of Plenty and 104 in Lakes. There are seven people in Bay of Plenty hospitals and five in Lakes hospitals. There are 10 people in ICU. People who are at high-risk of getting very sick from a Covid-19 infection will soon be eligible to receive a second booster, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says today. This follows a recommendation from the Ministry of Healths Covid-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group that a second booster dose may be beneficial for those most at-risk of serious illness from Covid-19 and with a gap of six months from their previous booster. There are 90 new imported cases of Covid-19 reported today. Across New Zealand there are currently 48,706 active community cases identified in the past seven days and not yet classified as recovered. In total, New Zealand has had 1,131,801 confirmed cases. The seven-day rolling average of community case numbers today is 6,960 last Friday, it was 8,032. Covid-19 deaths Today we are sadly reporting the deaths of 25 people with Covid-19, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. These deaths take the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 to 1,127 and the seven-day rolling average of reported deaths is 13. Of the people whose deaths we are reporting today; five were from the Auckland region, three were from Northland, one was from Waikato, one was from Hawkes Bay, nine were from Canterbury, two were from the Wellington region, one was from Midcentral, one was from Bay of Plenty, and two were from Southern. One person was in their 30s, three people were their 40s, four in their 50s, two people were in their 60s, four were in their 70s, six were in their 80s, and five were aged over 90. Of these people, 13 were female and 11 were male. The gender of one person was not reported. This is a very sad time for whanau and friends and our thoughts and condolences are with them. Out of respect, we will be making no further comment on these deaths, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. Vaccinations administered in New Zealand Vaccines administered to date: 4,027,415 first doses; 3,979,369 second doses; 32,368 third primary doses; 2,654,507 booster doses: 262,705 paediatric first doses and 123,151 paediatric second doses Vaccines administered yesterday: 81 first doses; 61 second doses; 34 third primary doses; 790 booster doses; 69 paediatric first doses and 191 paediatric second doses People vaccinated All Ethnicities (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 4,054,492 first dose (96.3%); 4,005,752 second dose (95.2%), 2,647,113 boosted (70.6% of those eligible) Maori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 521,264 first dose (91.3%); 504,471 second dose (88.3%), 237,495 boosted (53.4% of those eligible) Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 282,043 first dose (98.4%); 277,232 second dose (96.7%), 141,813 boosted (56.4% of those eligible) 5 to 11-year-olds all ethnicities: 259,676 first dose (54.5%); 120,150 second dose (25.2%) 5 to 11-year-olds - Maori: 40,975 first dose (35.5%); 13,911 second dose (12%) 5 to 11-year-olds - Pacific Peoples: 23,631 first dose (47.8%); 7,155 second dose (14.5%) Note that the number for People vaccinated differs slightly from Vaccines administered as it includes those that have been vaccinated overseas. Vaccination rates for all DHBs Northland DHB: first dose (90%); second dose (88%); boosted (67.1%) Auckland DHB: first dose (99.1%); second dose (98.2%); boosted (73.1%) Counties Manukau DHB: first dose (96.2%); second dose (95%); boosted (65.7%) Waitemata DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (70.8%) Waikato DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.6%); boosted (66%) Bay of Plenty DHB: first dose (95.1%); second dose (93.4%); boosted (65.2%) Lakes DHB: first dose (93%); second dose (91.2%); boosted (65.4%) MidCentral DHB: first dose (96.3%); second dose (95.1%); boosted (71.5%) Tairawhiti DHB: first dose (92.8%); second dose (90.7%); boosted (65.1%) Whanganui DHB: first dose (91.8%); second dose (90.3%); boosted (70.7%) Hawkes Bay DHB: first dose (97.3%); second dose (95.7%); boosted (69%) Taranaki DHB: first dose (94.5%); second dose (93.2%); boosted (67.4%) Wairarapa DHB: first dose (96.3%); second dose (94.9%); boosted (72.3%) Capital & Coast DHB: first dose (98.4%); second dose (97.8%); boosted (79.1%) Hutt Valley DHB: first dose (96.5%); second dose (95.6%); boosted (74.3%) Nelson Marlborough DHB: first dose (96.4%); second dose (95.2%); boosted (72.9%) West Coast DHB: first dose (92.6%); second dose (91.2%); boosted (70.8%) Canterbury DHB: first dose (99.8%); second dose (98.9%); boosted (73.8%) South Canterbury DHB: first dose (94.5%); second dose (93.5%); boosted (73.8%) Southern DHB: first dose (98.5%); second dose (97.5%); boosted (72.8%) Partially and second doses percentages are for those 12+. Boosted percentages are for 18+ who have become eligible 3 months after having their second dose or 16- and 17-year-olds who have become eligible 6 months after having their second dose. Hospitalisations Cases in hospital: total number 350: Northland: 10; Waitemata: 35; Counties Manukau: 25; Auckland: 62; Waikato: 23; Bay of Plenty: 7; Lakes: 5; Tairawhiti: 2; Hawkes Bay: 20; Taranaki: 6; Whanganui: 3; MidCentral: 13; Wairarapa: **2; Hutt Valley***: 5; Capital and Coast: 29; Nelson Marlborough: 11; Canterbury: 46; South Canterbury: 11; West Coast: 1; Southern: 34. *Average age of current hospitalisations: 59 Cases in ICU or HDU: 10 Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (28 cases / 14.0%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (6 cases / 3.0%); double vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (46 cases / 22 %); Received booster at least 7 days before being reported as a case (123 cases / 60 %); Unknown (3 cases / 1.4%) * Please note the average age of current hospitalisations is for the Northern Region admissions only at this stage. This data is recorded and extracted from the same source as the vaccination status of patients in Northern Region hospitals. ** Wairarapa DHB has not submitted their hospitalisation numbers, therefore yesterdays numbers are included. ***Yesterdays hospitalisation numbers for Hutt Valley were reported as 34 in error. The correct number was four. Cases Seven day rolling average of community cases: 6,960 Seven day rolling average (as at same day last week): 8,032 Number of new community cases: 6,862 Number of new community cases (PCR): 219 Number of new community cases (RAT): 6,643 Location of new community cases (PCR & RAT): Northland (234), Auckland (2,292), Waikato (505), Bay of Plenty (193), Lakes (104), Hawkes Bay (155), MidCentral (214), Whanganui (79), Taranaki (198), Tairawhiti (30), Wairarapa (57), Capital and Coast (543), Hutt Valley (203), Nelson Marlborough (283), Canterbury (1,078), South Canterbury (148), Southern (484), West Coast (60), Unknown (2) Number of new imported cases: 90 Number of active community cases (total): 48,706 (cases identified in the past 7 days and not yet classified as recovered) Confirmed cases (total): 1,131,801 Please note, the Ministry of Healths daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO. Tests A lack of recognition of Taurangas water assets in the Three Waters Reform does ratepayers a huge disservice according to commission chair Anne Tolley. There's shareholding based on population, but not the value of the asset that has been built up over generations, said Tolley. The comments were made at a Tauranga City Council meeting this week, where staff presented their analysis of the Three Waters working groups recommendations. The working group was set up to advise the government on concerns with the reform, that will see waste, drinking and stormwater managed by four regional entities instead of the nations 67 councils. The group made 47 recommendations and the government agreed to adopt 44 of them, in some form, into the legislation. One of the concerns was privatisation and this was addressed through the recommendation that councils have one share in their regional entity per 50,000 people. This means Tauranga would have four shares in Entity B. Tauranga City Councils water services have been assessed by the Department of Internal Affairs as the fourth best in the country. Tolley said there was no recognition of this in the shareholding model. We are investing in what is probably the most modern water treatment system, in Waiari, in the country, she said. Yet there's no recognition of that for us in what has been proposed. And I think on behalf of the ratepayers, I'm really, really concerned about that. The Waiari Water Supply Scheme involves development of a water abstraction facility on the Waiari Stream, a water treatment plant in No.1 Road, Te Puke, and an underground water pipeline from the plant to Papamoa. Construction is expected to be completed this year. Commissioner Stephen Selwood shared Tolleys concerns about shareholding. I personally favour a clear shareholding representation that is based on net assets brought to the table which I think would be much clearer and fairer, he said. Tolley was also concerned there was no place for ratepayers to have a say other than through the parliamentary submission process. She said council received hundreds of emails from the community asking for a referendum on the reforms to be held. There is a misunderstanding about the reform process. This is a government-mandated reform its happening to us, not because of us, said Tolley. A local referendum will not stop the reform and would be a complete waste of time and money. The only way people can have their say and seek to influence the reform is through the Governments parliamentary process, Tolley said in a statement after the meeting. During the meeting Selwood said he did not agree with a referendum either but wanted clearer communication from the government with the public. The other big issue for me is the failure to date, of the government, to clearly explain the benefits of these reforms, he said. My view is they are significant, but they are not understood by the community. Tolley agreed: The main concern that we all share is that so much of this massive piece of reform is not well understood by the public. There's little clarity about how it all fits together and it's being rushed and that sounds like a recipe for disaster. She suggested making the councils submission on the legislation available to the public to make sure they have everything covered. That might be another step in the process that will give our seriously disaffected ratepayers a say, said Tolley In addition to their individual right to submit on a piece of legislation. Selwood supported the idea and said it was a much better mechanism than a referendum as Three Waters was a complex issue. Other significant issues that need to be addressed from a Tauranga perspective identified by council staff include, mana whenua roles and responsibilities and governance arrangements. As well as meeting the communitys growth and development needs, funding availability, managing stormwater infrastructure and the fair transfer of debt. Te Rangapu Mana Whenua o Tauranga Moana (the representative group for iwi and hapu in Tauranga) agreed that there was still a lot of information about the reform to come to light. Chair of Te Rangapu Mana Whenua o Tauranga Moana Matire Duncan said while there was much detail yet to be revealed, Te Rangapu are pleased to see a high degree of alignment with matauranga Maori in the governments recommendations. We see great value in a high degree of community ownership, the preservation of the local voice and the value that a strong Maori perspective at all levels can bring to benefit the entire community, said Duncan in a statement. We will continue to work closely in partnership with Tauranga City Council to ensure Tauranga Moana is protected throughout these changes. The council resolved to advocate for community concerns to be addressed and to support community involvement in the legislative process. It would also begin separate work to prepare for the transition to the new entity. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air. 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. In brief: LG's follow-up to our favorite television that doubles as a (big) PC monitor, the LG C1, already looks like a worthy successor. But if you're interested in buying an LG C2 and really want to let your geek flag fly, take a look at this Star Wars-themed 65-inch OLED. Grabbing the set won't be as easy as shooting womp rats in Beggar's Canyon. There are only 501 being made, an homage to the 501st Legion, the elite stormtrooper legion nicknamed Vader's Fist. A few elements give this LG C2 its Star Wars credentials. There's the excellent packaging, which is one box you definitely don't want to throw away; the distinctive sound of Vader breathing when the set is powered on; the Galactic Empire insignia engraved on the back; and the Star Wars logo on the Magic Remote, which has a lightsaber-style design complete with red accent lighting. Even the on-screen cursor it controls looks like a Jedi's traditional weapon. But that's not all. The Star Wars theme extends to the TV's Gallery Mode. Designed to show off pieces of art or your photographs, the feature will show two collections of Star Wars imagery, including conceptual designs, storyboards, illustrations, digitized movie posters, pivotal scenes from the movies, and artwork. The standard 65-inch LG C2 offers a slew of top specs: a 4K OLED Evo panel, G-Sync, GeForce Now support, Dolby Vision and HDR10, plenty of HDMI 2.1 ports, and more. The 65-inch model sells for $2,299, so you can expect the numbered, limited-edition Star Wars version to cost a lot more when it arrives in the US. No word yet on when that might be. If you happen to be in Anaheim, California, between now and May 29, you can see the TV at the Star Wars Celebration convention. Check out our review of the LG C1 here. WTF?! Chinese military researchers are concerned about the potential threat posed by Space X's Starlink satellites and have urged the country to develop ways of destroying or disabling them. The news comes soon after CEO Elon Musk was threatened by the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos over the Starlink terminals that have been sent to help Ukraine. PCMag reports that China's Modern Defence Technology journal published a paper last month warning of the potential dangers posed by Starlink satellites. The study was led by Ren Yuanzhen, a researcher with the Beijing Institute of Tracking and Telecommunications under the PLA's Strategic Support Force, and was co-authored by several senior scientists in China's defense industry, writes the SCMP. "While [Starlink] is booming and also because of its huge comprehensive application potential, it has brought hidden dangers and challenges to our country," the paper reads. "A combination of soft and hard kill methods should be adopted to make some Starlink satellites lose their functions and destroy the constellation's operating system." Some of the potential military applications of Starlink suggested by the researchers include allowing drones and stealth fighter jets to increase their data transmission speeds by more than 100 times. The satellites could also offer online connectivity to troops in the field, take out high-value targets in space using their ion thrusters, and carry military payloads, according to the paper. SpaceX has signed a contract with the US Defense Department to develop instruments that can detect and track hypersonic weapons, something else that is worrying China. Ren says that China needs to adapt its military strategies to counteract Starlink satellites. It is already working on microwaves that can jam satellite communications or burn components, and lasers for damaging or blinding them. Ren did rule out the use of missiles given the debris this method would produce and the number of Starlink satellites: over 2,000 right now, with plans to expand to over 30,000. China has launched its own Starlink equivalent, called Xing Wang, or StarNet, for offering internet access in remote locations. Back in December, China complained to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs over claims that a Starlink satellite almost hit its space station. After SpaceX boss Elon Musk was threatened by Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, over the Starlink terminals sent to help Ukraine, the world's richest man tweeted: "If I die under mysterious circumstances, it's been nice knowin ya." TL;DR: A consumer watchdog company called Which?, which for our grammatical sanity we will refer to as Which from here on, says that Google's Chrome browser does not recognize the vast majority of phishing websites. Google questions the study's validity and methodology. According to Which's study of the top 800 newly discovered phishing websites, Chrome only blocks 28 percent of them in Windows and 25 percent on macOS. These numbers are in stark contrast to the top performing browser Firefox, which redirects users away from 85 percent of those websites in Windows and 78 percent on Macs. Google issued a statement to the UK news outlet Independent saying it is skeptical of Which's findings. "This study's methodology and findings demand scrutiny. For more than 10 years, Google has helped set the anti-phishing standard and freely provided the underlying technology for other browsers. Google and Mozilla often partner to improve the security of the web, and Firefox relies primarily on Google's Safe Browsing API to block phishing but the researchers indicated that Firefox provided significantly more phishing protection than Chrome. It's highly unlikely that browsers using the same technology for phishing detection would differ meaningfully in the level of protection they offer, so we remain sceptical [sic] of this report's findings." Phishing scams have been around for almost as long as the internet. Often they take the form of an email or text message with links to a fraudulent website disguised as an official login page for any number of legit companies. Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers try to filter out these suspicious websites. Spotted a suspicious email, website or text message? " Forward emails to report@phishing.gov.uk " Forward a text to 7726 (free) ' Report a website https://t.co/RLYj8OhoUx pic.twitter.com/uu4Pb9eWUQ NCSC UK (@NCSC) March 10, 2022 Phishing scams are most easily mitigated at the user level. Consumers should be suspicious of unsolicited emails asking for information or requesting they log into a website, no matter how official the email or website may appear. Poor grammar or spelling and unusual URLs are other obvious signs that an email is not really from a bank or another website users frequent. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) tracks and analyzes phishing scams. It called on users to report suspicious emails, websites, and text messages back in March. Websites can be reported to the NCSC's dedicated scam portal, while users can forward emails and text messages to its respective phishing division. With the current situation brought about by the pandemic and a massive jump towards modernity, more and more businesses are expediting their shift to the cloud, thus utilizing only the most dependable cloud migration software. You can opt to reinvent your offerings and channel ways to become innovative through cloud migration services. Doing so allows you to examine how you can operate your business alongside a fast-paced environment and continuously changing trends. What Is a Cloud Migration? Currently, Cloud technology is one of the best and most essential in attaining an end-to-end digitalization. Despite some casting doubts and unpredictability, businesses and even non-professionals opt to go this road. But what are cloud migrations anyway? As the name implies, cloud data migration entails moving all of your digital assets from one location to another. This location can relate to one of two things: migrating from one cloud to another or from one storage location to the cloud. What Are the 5 Cloud Migration Strategies? But first, let's set the record straight. Many, if not most, cloud migrations are different. In truth, the amount of time and resources you'll invest in migrating might vary significantly based on the sort of cloud migration strategy you want to use. There are five to choose from. The first is rehosting, which involves relocating applications from local data centers to the cloud with no expected changes. This is generally where major cloud migrations begin. The second is re-platforming. This type of cloud migration service, like rehosting, requires no changes or transformations. However, you or your IT department will optimize the operating system and APIs throughout the conversion so that you may reap the benefits of the cloud. Thirdly, there's refactoring. It requires you to totally re-engineer your program to build a cloud-native form from the ground up. Fourth is repurchasing, sometimes known as 'drop and shop' and replacement. It is a cloud migration method that replaces outdated systems with cloud-based services. Lastly, retaining equates to retiring apps that no longer serve a function in your business once you shift to cloud-based premises. Which Tool Is Used for Cloud Migration? Since there are many techniques for cloud migration, it is critical to plan your cloud migration strategically. You may accomplish this with the assistance of our top 5 best cloud migration tools. #1 Cognizant Cognizant has a US basis and a portfolio encompassing data, platform, and application development. They provide more than simply cloud migration services. They also leverage those cloud alternatives to help lay the groundwork for a stronger hybrid IT system. Clients have applauded them for easy transitions and ongoing involvement, and their purchase of Softvision that has broadened their worldwide and technological offerings. Cognizant also performs an excellent job of connecting with third-party cloud management solutions to build a more coherent system. When compared to other cloud migration, Cognizant favors simple solutions. So, if you're new to this, their cloud migration consulting may be beneficial. However, if you need to handle complicated commercial applications, you should look into alternative options. So if you want quick migrations, Cognizant's cloud migration services might be quite beneficial. Key Features and Benefits Offers varied cloud environment settings Has qualified consultants for your issues Is suitable for beginners and quick migrations Has a simple interface yet coherent systems Provides cloud security and privacy Offers integrated multi-cloud management #2 Capgemini If you're seeking a one-stop solution, Capgemini's cloud migration software comprises advice, tools, and services that work with all major cloud providers. They may assist your firm in strategizing the early phases of your transfer and manage your cloud infrastructure on an ongoing basis. One of the advantages provided by Capgemini is that you may build your eventual cloud architecture and then construct a migration plan to work towards that end objective. Capgemini's cloud management provider offers multi-cloud capabilities. These capabilities include IaaS and PaaS technologies and a strong emphasis on ERP modernization. However, you might just find consulting lacking because Capgemini has invested extensively in automation and tool-based operations. Nonetheless, if your business relies on ERP software, Capgemini may be the best choice for moving it to the cloud. Overall, its strength in migration and modernization is sufficient to provide you with the cloud migration services you need. Key Features and Benefits Has stronger migration services swamped with modernized systems Provides hands-on assistance during the transformation process Helps you identify your strategies and give the best tools for it Works with major cloud providers Is more compatible with ERP-centered migration #3 Accenture Accenture's cloud migration software offers a progressive collection of services, from strategy to execution. Doing so assists clients in transforming existing applications and realizing "future-ready" business outcomes. Their comprehensive strategy is based on the idea that effective modernization adoption necessitates a flexible mix of right-sized solutions with diverse risk and reward profiles. Their cloud migration services offer extensive, long-term, robust procedures to convert big application portfolios to cloud platforms and are scalable from single to numerous apps. They have tried-and-true technologies for application inventory, assessment, code analysis, migration planning, and execution. Accenture's comprehensive range of services assists businesses in navigating the cloud environment by providing public, hybrid, or multi-cloud solutions that accelerate the full business value of the cloud. Overall, Accenture got your back whether you want to upgrade from old and increasingly inefficient legacy infrastructure and discard weathered servers, possibly faulty firewall appliances, or hardware or software alternatives that no longer perform well. Key Features and Benefits Provides both cloud strategy and change management Manages and optimizes cloud Automates and engineers cloud Offers infrastructure services All data on the cloud with the security Sustainable cloud migration solutions #4 Faddom Faddom is the world's quickest application dependency mapping technology. It maps all on-premise and cloud IT infrastructure in less than an hour, allowing users to identify their hybrid servers, apps, and dependencies. The platform is used for data center and cloud migration, application transfer, IT asset management, and cloud cost optimization, among other things. Using a few clicks, you can simply map out all of your servers and dependencies in real-time with Faddom's cloud migration software evaluation. Above all, this clever solution does not affect your company's performance. Simply download the Faddom agentless VM and set it up. You can view all of your apps and dependencies organized by business applications in your VM environment in real-time. Faddom makes moving assets from your data center to the public, private, or hybrid cloud easier. This cloud migration software begins with comprehensive mapping and then finds all dependencies without the need for agents or credentials. With complete insight, you can easily analyze and model individual workloads, correctly scaling your servers for a successful cloud migration process. Features Map Cloud Environments pre- and post-migration: Create a comprehensive application topology in minutes, leaving no server behind, both in and out of coverage. Anything having an IP address is immediately detected via network traffic. Use this data to correctly develop a cloud migration strategy that meets your infrastructure needs. Therefore, ensuring that everything works as planned and that no piece is left in the dark. 100% Accurate and Lightweight: Out of all cloud migration services, Faddom is the only one that does not require agents or credentials. You won't have to disrupt your work operations just for this process, resulting in no harm to your productivity. Your map may be filtered and searched to isolate certain information, such as business services. You may enjoy complete visibility everywhere as a platform-agnostic solution, exporting this 100 percent correct data to any format. Speed up the Lifecycle to the Cloud: All are visible on a single dashboard, ranging from the URL to the map and everything from servers and individual apps to any single IP address. Identify linkages and communication channels, reducing mistakes and slowdowns and increasing your time to migration and financial value. You can also share information between you and your IT department to ensure everyone is on the same page. Real-time Access to Any Changes: Things might alter as your migration progresses. During migrations, take advantage of Faddom's data to update information on apps and workloads continually. Confirm that you have all of the information you need to make sound decisions and that your strategy is founded just on the most up-to-date facts and insights. Companies considering cloud migration can benefit from a more simplified approach to digital asset management. Fortunately, Faddom offers the fittest cloud migration software. Its dependency mapping tool identifies and maps business application dependencies in less than 30 minutes. It is an entirely non-intrusive solution. It is also agentless, credential-less, and requires no reconfiguration of firewalls because it works passively utilizing current network traffic protocols. Plus, it maps automatically 24/7 and in real-time, ensuring that maps are always constantly updated. Pros Easy and quick to build and deploy Fast time to value Entirely accurate and platform-independent No need to hire agents or have enough credentials Provides you real-time access and insight before, during, and after migration Enables you to visualize everything from URLs to servers and applications Cons No freemium version Cloud migrations may be a breeze. However, to achieve that degree of convenience, you must have a well-structured plan in place and the appropriate tools to rapidly and precisely determine the complexity of your existing ecosystem. In this situation, Faddom could be precisely what you're searching for. You can try it for free with no credit card needed. #5 CloudM CloudM offers cloud migration software and data backup and recovery to businesses. It provides numerous hosting options, including self-managed migration or expert-managed installation by the firm. It assists in the whole migration journey, including pre-migration evaluation, self-managed or administered migration, and user onboarding or offboarding as needed. CloudM is also compatible with your cloud destination since it supports migration to Google Workspace, Dropbox, and Microsoft 365. A pre-migration evaluation option is also available, including an environment check and a readiness examination. CloudM is also intended for content migration across email, calendars, files, archives, and other data sources. Another advantage of CloudM is its hands-on post-migration help since it also provides actionable information on user acceptance. You may pick your level of engagement in the migrating process using CloudM. Furthermore, self-hosted migration is suitable if it is complex and you require complete control. In any case, you could give co-ownership to CloudM while using serviced migration. Key Features and Benefits End-to-end migration support Compatible with all cloud destinations Lets you assess things before you migrate Allows application for data migration enablement Post-migration insights to check out your performance Traditionally, cloud migration services require significant in-house work since shifting each element of your digital infrastructure to the cloud necessitates a strategic blueprint. This complex and time-consuming task is simplified when you utilize cloud migration software that we have specifically compiled to meet all of your needs. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A new study by Stanford University astronomers show that the sun can be used as cosmic telescope to view earth-like planets in space. The study suggests that astronomers could eventually get better and more accurate exoplanet imaging with a resolution a thousand times greater than the Event Horizon Telescope. (Photo : Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images) This picture taken on May 21, 2022, from Kuwait City shows a view of the sun and the sunspot region AR3014, one of the largest in years, stretching more than 125,000 Km from end to end, more than 10 times the Earth's diameter. Alex Madurowicz, Macintosh's co-author and graduate student and Slava Turyshev of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory realized that the calculus in gathering images of other planets in space could change. They encountered a problem, though. Because the sun is slightly oblong instead of perfectly spherical. This means that if the target planet aligns well with the sun's equator as seen from the focal-region telescope, the product will not form an Einstein ring, but a cross, four asymmetrical copies of the planet around the perimeter of the sun. Madurowicz found that by exploiting the asymmetry, the scanning process to reconstruct an exoplanet undistorted image could be eliminated. "You don't have to move around inside the image. You can just stay in one spot," he said. However, Turyshev remains skeptical about this. According to him, the idealized technique for image reconstruction would need to overcome possible interference that will arise from the sun's brightness and its seething outer atmosphere, which is the corona. "It would be nice if the sun would just be dark, right? Their paper is wonderful, but it's a theory," Turyshev said. Another astronomer at the Paris Observatory, Jean Schneider has a different alternative to solar gravitational lensing, and that is through the hypertelescope. The hypertelescope envisions the detection of exoplanets' surface features through space-based fleets of many meter-scale mirrors flying in formation to create virtual telescopes bigger than any single one ever could be. However, Aki Roberge, a NASA Goddard Space Flight Center astrophysicist points out that astronomers are not even sure if there is another world like our own out there at all. Therefore, direct imaging is the only way to find out. Also Read: The Sun's New Photo is Unlike Anything Seen Before, ESA uses its EUI for the Stunning Image Is There Hope? The Astro2020 Decadal Survey may be the best near-term hope may be what will give answers to astronomers. The survey is a once-a-decade roadmap that guides US astronomy and included in the latest roadmap is a concept for a space telescope with a mirror more than six meters wide to gather optical, infrared, and ultraviolet light that is intended to launch in the early 2040s. Will there be hope to see earth-like planets out there today? Or is using the sun a bit far-fetched? Related Article: New Exoplanet Class Called 'Hycean Worlds' Yield Great Promise for Habitability This article is owned by TechTimes Written by April Fowell 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Scientists and star-watchers were initially baffled by the mysterious "Wow!" signal that showed itself back in August 15, 1977. The signal blared through a radio telescope for just 72 seconds and since then, its origins have been traced. Sun-Like Star Origin Found to be 1,800 Light Years Away According to the story by Gadgets 360, almost a century later, the alleged source of the broadcast has been found by researchers. A study that was initially published on May 6 shows that the signal might have come from far away. As per the study, the signal could have come 1,800 light years away from a Sun-like star located in the Sagittarius constellation. The signal is being studied by the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). SETI has been Looking for Possible Transmissions from Far Away SETI, ever since the mid 20th century, has reportedly been out on the look for possible transmissions that come from far away. The "Wow!" signal's location was discovered by an amateur scientist by the name of Alberto Caballero. The findings of Caballero were initially published in the International Journal of Astrobiology's May edition. As per Caballero, the one Sun-like star was initially found 1,800 light years away. 'Wow!' was Officially Named 2MASS 19281982-2640123 The objects was reportedly named 2MASS 19281982-2640123 and as per Caballero, the star was found way "too far for humans to send a signal in response." Caballero noted that in order to send a signal to the star, it would take 1,800 years if the signal traveled at the speed of light. Jerry Ehman, an astronomer, discovered the Sun-like star published the initial report of the "Wow!" signal and how it showed up at the Ohio State University's Big Ear telescope during an SETI search. Mysterious 'Wow!' Signal Only Lasted for 1 Minute and 12 Seconds As per Ehman, the finding was initially very strong but also fleeting. It was said that the "Wow!" signal was only able to last for a minute and 12 seconds long. When Ehman discovered the printout of the signal, he then scribbled "Wow!" on the page which in turn led to the name of the eventful sighting. Other reports by Ehman include one that stated that "since hydrogen was the most abundant element in the universe," there could be signals out in space seeking attention. Read Also: Virtual Telescope Project Captures Asteroid's Image Passing Earth; Here's Where You Can View the Livestream of Its Passing Astronomers have Ruled Out Other Possibilities Regarding the 'Wow!' Signal An American Astronomical Society report stated that the researchers have been searching regularly for other follow-ups that come from the same location. So far, however, they have not been successful in finding any other signals. Caballero also said that the "Wow!" signal's origin most likely came from a natural event. Astronomers, however, have also ruled out certain possibilities like the "Wow!" signal being a comet passing by. Related Article: Moon's Ancient Volcanoes Created Thick Ice Sheets - Study Claims This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Urian B. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NASA came across a new peculiar object in the distant space, and it was not the Sun but rather an exoplanet filled with lava oceans that make it look like a giant ball of gas that centers the Solar System. As mesmerizing and outstanding as it is, the following target research and study of the James Webb Space Telescope is now. NASA James Webb Telescope: Looking at an Exoplanet with Lava Oceans (Photo : NASA) A Super-hot Super-Earth exoplanet called "Cancri 55 e" is now making a massive significance over at NASA, and it is because the planet is a rocky structure that brings a scorching surface. It is unknown why the rocky world has a hot surface, but there are several speculations regarding its structure and make in the current times. NASA will focus on studying the exoplanet via the James Webb Space Telescope, and the space agency aims to explain how it goes as hot as it is, without any external factors. The Earth is a rocky terrestrial planet but does not go as hot as the Cancri 55 e. James Webb said that the level of hotness has already caused its rocky state to be molten and possibly rain lava on the exoplanet. Read Also: James Webb Telescope Practices in Keeping an Eye on Objects in the Solar System, Starting with an Asteroid It is not the Sun, Rather an Exoplanet for James Webb to Explore No, you are not looking at an image of the Sun; instead, it is an exoplanet that is 50 light-years away from the planet, something that James Webb is set to explore by setting its scopes to it. The Cancri 55 e's structure amazes the scholars studying it, with multiple theories already set in place regarding its state. James Webb and its Massive Discoveries The primary purpose of the many space telescopes out in orbit or particular locations in space is to discover more of the celestial heavens than terrestrial telescopes can do. One of the latest missions of the James Webb space telescope is to explore the Solar System and discover more of what is hidden from the general public. It is said that James Webb will replace the Hubble Space Telescope, but that is not the case now from NASA, as both spacecraft look into different regions and focus on other sights. Now, Webb and Hubble can concentrate on their various ventures, and both are looking into bringing a massive discovery to unknown regions that continue to get something new. NASA sees a lot of telescopes under its arsenal to look into specific regions in space that catches its attention and will be a massive ground for research. Now, the latest focus of James Webb is not the Sun but something that resembles a big ball of gas. It is an exoplanet far away but brings a radiating presence in space. Related Article: NASA Psyche Mission to Delay Due to Glitch; SpaceX Falcon to Bring it to 'Metal World' This article is owned by TechTimes Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Japan will soon allow the export of military equipment and vehicles such as fighter jets, firearms, and missiles to 12 countries. The new changes will take effect by March 2023. Japan Wants to Boost Export of Jets and Missiles (Photo : KIMIMASA MAYAMA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Japan is expected to enable the export of fighter jets and missiles to 12 destinations As per a story by Nikkei Asia on Friday, May 27, the Japanese government has been keen on hindering China in its illegal claiming of islands in several countries. As a result, Japan aims to export its fighter jets and missiles to a dozen nations, mainly from Europe and Southeast Asia. The involved countries reportedly signed security agreements with the government. Among the destinations where Tokyo will soon export its firearms include Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Meanwhile, their European counterparts include Italy, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Australia, India, and the United States of America are included in the list. Limitation in Exporting Defense Equipment Eight years ago, a set of regulations prohibited Japan from exporting war equipment to other countries. To date, the country still refrains from exporting dangerous weapons. According to the principle, countries with no mutual ties with Japan will only cover services such as surveillance, rescue, warning, transport, and minesweeping. Related Article: Satellite Photos Show China's Copying Japan's SDF Aircraft; Experts Claim It's a Dummy Target-For What? UK, Japan Collaborates to Create F-X Fighter As part of the ongoing partnership between the UK and Japan, the latter sees the need to look for another fighter jet for its lineup. With that being said, the European country will help the latter in developing the F-X fighter. According to a report by Aerotime, the plans for this creation will involve incorporating a stealth design for the aircraft. It should be noted that the source also wrote the potential date of the operation of the aircraft. Most likely, it will kick off by 2035. In other news, Nokia has been selected to provide development for the 5G network service in Taiwan. TWM, the country's telecommunication operator, will aim to revamp its 5G coverage across the nation. As part of the agreement, the Finnish smartphone manufacturer will lay improvements for 2100 and 700MHz bands. Additionally, it will target how to modernize the existing LTE infrastructure for mobile service. Elsewhere, YouTube Music will be supplementing a tone mixing feature to grant more control to the users when it comes to radio mixes. This means that a person can combine and pair the selected tones so he/she can produce a new mix. Tech Times reports that another option will improve the focus of the users on instrumentals. By limiting what's in store in their collection, the feature will help them greatly emphasize their current activity. As of writing, the feature has not yet been rolled out to the public. In short, the beta testers might be helping the company in testing it out. Read Also: Japan's ASDF F-15 Mysteriously Crashes in Region's Sea, Went-Off Radar Before Accident This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NASA's CAPSTONE spacecraft will soon orbit the moon. Unlike other satellites, this new autonomous rocket is expected to have an unusual orbit pattern since it will experience the gravitational pulls of Earth and the natural satellite. (Photo : Photo by NASA via Getty Images) In this handout provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a satellite image shows the far side of the moon as it crosses between the DSCOVR spacecraft and the Earth, at one million miles away,.released August 5, 2015. The image ias one of a series that NASA has turned into an animation of the moon passing by the Earth. The new Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment satellite is a big deal because it will show how an outer-space outpost will fly in NRHO (near rectilinear halo orbit). Once the new autonomous cube sits orbits the moon, it will allow NASA experts to study NRHO further. This type of space ellipse is essential for the international space union since it can allow them to easily reach the so-called Lunar Gateway after landing on the moon. NASA CAPSTONE Spacecraft To Fly Around the Moon According to Inverse's latest report, NASA plans to launch the new CAPSTONE satellite this coming summer. This means that the mission may take place around June to September. (Photo : Photo credit should read ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images) The Indian military communication satellite GSAT-7A is pictured next to the moon as it is launched into orbit on the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) in Sriharikota in the state of Andhra Pradesh on December 19, 2018. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP) Also Read: NASA Psyche Mission to Delay Due to Glitch; SpaceX Falcon to Bring it to 'Metal World' Once the cube sat is orbiting the moon, it will stay there for around six months just to study the NRHO of the Earth's natural satellite. "Then, when we get there, a lot of what we're learning is about the operational realities of this type of flight," said CAPSTONE Principal Investigator Bradley Cheetham. The idea of using NRHO to benefit astronauts is not really new. Recently, NASA and China's space program also launched other cube sats to test this unusual space ellipse. If CAPSTONE's launch is successful, it will be the third mission to enter NRHO. What is NASA Lunar Gateway CAPSTONE is expected to help NASA launch its so-called Lunar Gateway, a new moon-orbiting outpost. This space station is quite essential for the space agency's Artemis program, as explained by NASA's official blog post. Once the Lunar Gateway starts orbiting Earth's natural satellite, more astronauts can stay on the moon, allowing them to conduct longer space expeditions and science investigations. Meanwhile, the new NASA solar sails are expected to make space ventures easier. On the other hand, NASA Hubble Telescope captured a new galaxy that is twice as big as the Milky Way. For more news updates about NASA and its new CAPSTONE satellite, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: NASA James Webb Telescope: Exoplanet Covered in Lava Oceans is the Next Target Research This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Singapore government has recently launched the world's first AI testing framework, along with the toolkit. This framework aims to achieve transparency and accountability in the artificial intelligence systems of the companies. AI Testing Framework and Toolkit (Photo : Maxim Tolchinskiy from Unsplash) The government of Singapore has unveiled A.I. Verify, the first AI governance self-test in the world. During the yearly WEF (World Economic Forum) on Wednesday, May 25, Singapore's Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo unveiled the first AI governance self-test dubbed AI Verify. According to a report by ZDNet, this toolkit will be used in addressing the reliability and safety of the existing AI services or products in the country. Teo said that this framework would be a huge help in determining if the AI firm is transparent on its deployments. For the customers, this toolkit will allow them to identify if the artificial intelligence product is trustworthy enough for usage. "If you put yourself in the shoes of an organization that deploys AI, even if they wanted to subscribe to this idea of trustworthy and reliable AI, even if they had the intention to be transparent with their stakeholders, how are they going to do that?" Teo said at that time. Related Article: Singaporean Researchers Use Artificial Intelligence to Identify Optimal COVID-19 Combination Drug Treatment AI Verify Will Guide People on Their Decisions These days, some AI inventions are helpful to people in their daily lives. However, some pose a danger to their living and take the opportunity of their current state. With the launch of AI Verify, Teo stated that the toolkit could assist organizations in AI-related ventures. This would help them assess the products or services they intend to present to the public. Furthermore, the AI testing framework will guide people who want to invest in artificial intelligence technologies. Aside from the benefits of purchasing an AI product, they will also know its risks and limitations. According to Channel News Asia, Teo highlighted that the regulation of this framework might involve the technology leaders and policymakers. The official added that these people would be the ones who will craft the rules for this toolkit. Singapore Needs Foreign Intervention Moving forward, Singapore also aims to reach other audiences from different parts of the world regarding this new framework. It is expected that there will be a fresh set of policies about AI accountability and safety. These things will be the main priorities of the artificial intelligence self-test. To suppress potential cyber harm, Singapore says that there's a need for international organizations to engage with them. The country is aware of the potential disruption if the AI systems impacting the economic activities are flawed. The country clearly recognizes the efforts of foreign visitors in engaging in the discussion. Teo says that they can't deal with themselves alone when it comes to AI regulations, and they need to seek assistance from other people globally. Read Also: Facebook Ego4D Project: AI Model Training Launched From Human's Point of View This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Great news for ARMYs to celebrate! The K-Pop boy band, sensation BTS, will show their vulnerability as they detail their journey to becoming one of the most successful Korean pop stars in a new Apple Music weekly limited series. (Photo : Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM) NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 21: K-pop boy band BTS visit the SiriusXM Studios on February 21, 2020 in New York City. 'Blood, Sweat, and Tears' in the Making On Thursday, May 26, the streaming service platform revealed that BTS would be having their show titled "BTS Radio Past & Present" on Apple Music 1. The series will feature three episodes that will air every week, which will lead up to the highly anticipated release of the group's new anthology album called "Proof." Their new album will be available on June 10. The weekly series would be a great killer time for ARMYs as they wait for the new album's release. As the title suggests, the three episodes will show the "blood, sweat, and tears" that all the members had to go through before they achieved global stardom. Apple users and BTS fans will be able to stream the series on Saturday, May 28, at 6:00 a.m. PDT. The Grammy Award-nominated group will also share intimate stories and songs that have helped them reach where they are now. BTS is popular for hit songs like "Dynamite," "Butter," and "We Don't Need Permission to Dance." Read also: 'BTS Planet' Found? K-Pop Fans Claim Strange PINK Planet Discovered by NASA's TESS Looks Like From BTS World Album! Nine Years of BTS "We wanted to use this radio show to celebrate nine years of BTS with you guys and with our ARMY all over the world," RM, the leader of the seven-member boy band, said in a statement reported by the Associated Press. The group also includes members: Jungkook, V, Jin, Jimin, Suga, and J-Hope. RM added that every episode of the series will be dedicated to their fans and hopes that sharing the "BTS songs" will help them tell their story. The first episode on Saturday will show BTS members explaining the origins of the group, and they will disclose all of the songs that influenced their sound, style, and performances. Meanwhile, the second episode, which will air on June 3, will feature the members picking some of the most-loved and received BTS ARMY's songs. The third and last episode will dig deeper into how the group has ultimately reached popularity as a global music sensation on June 10. Fans, heads up. The new album "Proof" will be released worldwide on June 10 at 12:00 a.m. EST. it will feature 3 CDS, each with one brand new song: "Yet to Come," "Run BTS," and "For Youth." Apple Music 1, previously known as Beats 1, is a music radio station by Apple Inc. that operates 24/7. It is available on iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, tablet, smartphone, smart speaker, and the Apple Music web browser app. The radio will be free for one month for new users. After that, the standard subscription will cost around $9.9 per month in the United States. Related Article: Apple Fitness Plus to Add BTS Choreography on App-Is Dancing the Best Way to Exercise? This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Dumplings are introduced every year, and this year, it is the turn of the zongzi with pickled peppers and meat to become popular Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission A state panel Friday endorsed three sites in Iberville Parish just south of Plaquemine on the west side and St. Gabriel on the east as finalists for a new bridge across the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge. The trio of locations was endorsed by the seven-member Capital Area Road and Bridge District, which has been studying the issue for months. Iberville Parish Parish Mitchell Ourso, a member of the panel, noted that industries in his parish along the Mississippi River are major economic drivers. "It is about time we got something in return from the state," Ourso said. The previous list of 10 possible sites included seven in Iberville Parish, two that would connect East Baton Rouge and West Baton Rouge and one in Ascension Parish. They ranged from five miles south of the Mississippi River bridge in Port Allen, often called the "new" bridge," to a location five miles north of the Sunshine Bridge. A new bridge is aimed at easing daily traffic jams on both sides of the river that have plagued motorists for years. The goal is to settle on a location by the summer of 2024. The bridge and upgrades to La. Hwy. 1 on the west side and La. Hwy. 30 on the east side, which will serve as connectors, could cost up to $3 billion. Tolls and a partnership between the state and private industry are envisioned in the financing plan. While the panel endorsed the three locations, members raised concerns over the fact all three will require motorists to go through Plaquemine. +6 Residents get first chance to study bridge options, 'Somebody is going to be mad' Taxpayers on Monday evening got their first detailed look at 10 possible sites for a new bridge across the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, j "The city of Plaquemine is going to be a big issue in the future," said Riley "Pee Wee" Berthelot, president of West Baton Rouge Parish and a member of the panel. Jay Campbell, chairman of the district and an appointee of Gov. John Bel Edwards, said the three finalists mean about 20,000 cars and trucks could be traveling through Plaquemine daily. "What's the plan now?" he asked state consultants and officials of the state Department of Transportation and Development, which came up with the three finalists. "That is now a vital connector to the bridge." Campbell also asked whether all three locations for the bridge could be disqualified because of possible difficulties getting through Plaquemine. DOTD Secretary Shawn Wilson said that will not happen. Wilson said the bridge project will require improvements on both sides of the river. Ourso noted that Plaquemine, Addis and other towns already handle heavy traffic moving north in the morning and south in late afternoon. "Look, I am satisfied," he said. The three finalists were given points on a number of factors, including how much they would generate in toll revenue, difficulties with construction and any wetlands issues. 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 northernmost location of the three finished first, and Campbell said it looks like the best option. That route got top marks in six of seven categories. On the west side it would be south of Plaquemine, and tie into La. 1 near the Iberville Parish Firing Range and less than a mile north of Evergreen Road. On the east side it would link to La. 30 about a half mile south of the East Baton Rouge/Iberville Parish line. Both the middle and southernmost proposals would be south of Plaquemine, and tie into La. 1 between Evergreen Road just north of the main Shintech Drive. The middle version would settle on the east side about a quarter mile north of Roberto's restaurant in St. Gabriel and connect with La. 30 north of Laurie Lane. The southernmost route ties into La. 30 between MSA East Academy and St. Gabriel Hardware. The Legislature last week gave final approval to a $300 million allocation to build the new structure, which officials say could generate another $150 million in federal matching funds. +2 Senate leaders endorse $300 million for new bridge in Baton Rouge; 'Well on its way' Resolving one of the key issues of the legislative session, state Senate leaders Sunday endorsed spending $300 million for a new bridge across Campbell, as he often does, asked whether work could be accelerated to decide on the bridge location in less than two years. Wilson said now that three locations are in the mix all three will get detailed reviews. "There could be the possibility of getting it in 18 months, 20 months, 22 months," he said. "The two-year window is an aggressive window. But there is information we do not have yet. It does take time." Sen. Rick Ward III, R-Port Allen, who sponsored the legislation that created the seven-member district, attended the meeting and praised Friday's developments. "I am just happy that we are down to the last three," Ward said. "My only goal is that we get a new bridge." The seven-member panel, aside from Wilson and Campbell, includes the leaders of East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston and Iberville parishes. Officials of Ascension and Livingston missed the meeting. Fred Raiford, director of transportation and drainage for East Baton Parish, said Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome has been kept abreast of developments in detail and he has repeatedly pressed officials of Atlas Technical Consultants LLC, which is working with DOTD, and Wilson for information. Raiford said the three possible locations have pros and cons. "We do need another bridge," he said. "That is a fact." The state began began with 32 possible locations and then trimmed the list, in part because river pilots said some of the possibilities would be unworkable from a navigation standpoint. Officials held six public meetings to let taxpayers review the 10 possibilities, which sparked 2,200 public comments and 1,198 visitors. The 1,500 or so inmates still serving time in prison on nonunanimous jury verdict convictions, which the U.S. Supreme Court found unconstitutional, will have to wait longer as the legislation setting up how to manage those cases was withdrawn Thursday because of disagreement between the sponsor and the states district attorneys. Democratic Rep. Randal L. Gaines, who sponsored the measure, withdrew the legislation from consideration as the House packed up for a long Memorial Day weekend, saying that though advocates, district attorneys, legislators, and the governors office agreed on most issues, they couldnt on whether the vote to release an affected inmate needed to be unanimous or not. Gaines made so many significant changes that the legislation was given a new number, House Bill 1077. HB1077 allows those convicted with a non-unanimous jury verdict prior to 2018 to apply for a review by a board. A five-member commission, appointed by the governor, would include three retired appellate or supreme court justices, a retired district attorney, and a retired public defender. The five would review the case file looking at factors, such as the strength of the states case, the nature of the offense, the quality of counsel, any indications of racial animus, length of deliberations, and whether the nonunanimity was the result of jurors voting to acquit. If members of the board agree, the person could become eligible for a parole hearing that could lead to release. Non-unanimous jury verdict bills moved out Criminal Justice committee After business was done in the Louisiana House and the representatives started trickling away late Wednesday, a cabal of Democratic members as The district attorneys raised safety concerns in insisting that all five members needed to agree on releasing those sentenced to life in prison on a conviction of violence, like murder or aggravated rape, by a nonunanimous jury. We thought this was a really good bill, Loren Lampert, executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, said Thursday night. We need to reassure victims and survivors of the integrity and finality of the crimes against the community. No other court in the federal or state system requires unanimity of the judges sitting on the panel. From a state court of appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court cases are decided by the majority of justices sitting on the panel, said Gaines, a lawyer from LaPlace. I understand their concerns, Gaines said. But the inconsistency; you cant have an equitable system if it requires a unanimous vote to remedy a wrongful conviction from a nonunanimous jury. The D.A.s wants complete veto authority and nobody trusts that, said Will Harrell, policy counsel for Voice of the Experienced, a New Orleans-based advocacy group that represents the incarcerated and those recently released. 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 VOTE opposed the HB1077 framework from the very beginning. VOTE would prefer prosecutors review the cases and decide which inmates to release and which to retry, Harrell said. The only righteous remedy would be to retry or acquit these inadequate convictions, said one affected inmate, according to a sheet of reaction quotes distributed by VOTE. Nonunanimous juries were established during the Jim Crow era by Louisiana lawmakers who said the method would more easily convict Black defendants. In a statewide November 2018 ballot, Louisiana voters removed nonunanimous juries from the state Constitution. In April 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the system was unconstitutional and forbid its use from that moment on. The following year, the high court decided to allow the states to decide whether to apply the ban to inmates still in prison after being convicted by juries in which all members didnt agree with the guilty verdict. Louisiana Supreme Court to weigh fate of 1,500 inmates convicted by divided juries New trials are at stake for as many as 1,500 state inmates convicted by non-unanimous juries, as the Louisiana Supreme Court is set to hear ar Over the past few years, the Legislature couldnt agree on how to manage retroactive cases and came up with a study commission, headed by Gaines, to look at alternatives. In the meantime, two separate Louisiana court of appeals have issued different rulings on whether people with non-unanimous convictions should be entitled to new trials. The Louisiana Supreme Court took arguments earlier this month in the case of Reginald Reddick. He was convicted on a 10-2 verdict of second-degree murder for the 1993 killing of Al Moliere in Plaquemines Parish. The decision is expected sometime over the summer. Gaines said he would introduce legislation next year that would help do whatever the high court says do. Conservation-minded community and activist groups were hopeful the creation of a new vegetation policy under Mark McGowans Labor government would see the brakes put on continued clearing. Loading Last August these groups were concerned when the draft policy was only 28 pages long, with 14 of them containing the actual plan, outlining more of a framework for different departments and stakeholders to come up with future policies rather than short-term targets. It wasnt just green groups who were critical of the draft either; there was some confusion among several industries about how it would work, despite their support. A submission from the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage also said it was unclear how revegetation and a net gain of it would even be achieved. The draft policy reads more as a framework and the road map is sectioned into four strategies which presents as a list of opportunities for development of a policy, the submission said. There is limited direct application to current decision making and it does not contain a policy position, criteria or measurables which could be directly applied to land use planning decision-making or a land management or tenure action. The draft policy supports future, unspecified, reforms to achieve a net gain in native vegetation extent. This aim will require significant revegetation and it is unclear how this will be achieved. The Property Council of WA also warned in its submission based on the draft that red tape costs could exceed $80 million without clear governance. Not having specified targets was intended in the design of the policy, however, and would instead by developed on a region-by-region basis following more research. The EPA backed the decision, as long as a mitigation hierarchy was followed, stating thresholds and targets could further exacerbate the problem for native vegetation. The finalised vegetation policy released on Thursday is a four-year plan that promises more cohesion across government by further investigating the convoluted web of frameworks between different departments. It also recognised historical clearing had caused costly problems like salinity, erosion and intensifying urban temperatures, and that if cumulative impacts continued unchecked they would work against WAs Climate Policy and progress towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Environment Minister Reece Whitby. Credit:Facebook But Environment Minister Reece Whitby told a budget estimates hearing on Thursday one of the key challenges was figuring out what vegetation was still there. In order to know what were losing [and] at what rate we need a baseline, he said. So theres work being undertaken in terms of satellite technology for instance and investment in technology where we can look at the broader landscape and the type of vegetation in each part of WA. About $3.3 million has been set aside for the first two years of the plan which will see a new vegetation monitoring system established and break up the delivery of policy by regions, starting with the Wheatbelt. DWER, which will be the lead agency for the policy, will team up with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions to map out vegetation in the Wheatbelt by the end of 2023 and come up with a restoration plan with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in the same year. The restoration plan would provide a guide for public and private sector investment into revegetation and conservation in the region. There is massive interest in carbon sequestration projects in places like the Wheatbelt, with the big emitters in the resources industry looking to offset their operations as the incoming Labor government pushes for a 43 per cent reduction in emissions on 2005 levels by 2030. Wilderness Society senior campaigner Jenita Enevoldsen welcomed the aim for a net gain but warned an extinction crisis would continue out of sight and out of mind without concrete accountability and transparency of illegal clearing. Loading This policy is a bare bones framework, which will do little to expose WAs extinction crisis and protect critical habitat for threatened species in the short term, she said. One simple fix to this broken system would be a requirement for all clearing exemptions, including those held by Main Roads WA, to publish a notice with intention of clear. This would provide public transparency for clearing that is currently effectively hidden. The Wilderness Society was also critical of the government spending just $3.3 million on the policy while one of its other highly touted environment policies was spending $62 million for renewable energy on tourist hotspot Rottnest Island, off Perths coast. The day my big sister really took coolness to a new level was when she finger-knitted a whole curtain for the door of her room and bought the single of Rick Springfields Speak to the Sky on vinyl from the Glen Waverley record shop. Until then, Greg Brady was the only person I knew who pimped up his room to such effect. Now my own sister was rivalling a teen TV god, creating an intriguing entranceway via craft then letting the rest of us in to dance to Rick and Ross Ryan doing I Am Pegasus on her record player. Rick Springfield performing Speak to the Sky in 1971. Funny thing was, she just kept out-doing herself. She was the first girl in grade seven to get a short feather cut, the first in the street to get a velour top (worn with Staggers jeans and either Saba wedge sandals or two-tone blue treads) and knew the words to Ego Is Not A Dirty Word about 10 minutes after it was on Countdown. Krysanne Halfpenny was the popular girl but never the mean one. She was almost bizarrely friendly to everyone but had a steely side. When we moved to Tassie, she was once locked in the dining room of the school boarding house for six hours for refusing to eat limp vegetables. She sat serenely in place until my dad got word and called the headmistress: Let her out. Our friendship grew slowly. There have been countless nights spent sitting up listening to records, talking about music and life. Cash is from Port Albert [230 kilometres south-east of Melbourne] and Ive been down there a bunch of times. I always feel closer to people once I meet their family. The Savages are loving and accepting. My family is dysfunctional to say the least. My dad committed suicide when I was 14, which makes a whole lot of things difficult. Cash and her daughter, theyre my chosen family. I knew who Cash was, Id seen her perform on stage. Shes a great storyteller, good to have a beer with. We were the worst team in the league, but we had the most fun. Cashs speeches were great: So-and-so hasnt been to bed, but theyre here and I want you to give them a round of applause. Shes a strong leader, able to create a team. Carlson: In 2013, I was walking through the Edinburgh Gardens [in Melbournes Fitzroy North] where a ragtag footy team was training. Cash was coach. She came over and said, Youre tall, do you play footy? I was like, Yeah, sure. And that was the start of it all. Cash on Carlson: You know when you meet someone everybody else seems to know and they just fit in? Credit:Simon Schluter Rock singer Cash Savage, 41, met techno musician Carlson, 37, when she recruited him to join the footy team she was coaching. Theyve since become close friends, supporting each other in life as well as on stage. Ive played music since I was 18, but it never went anywhere. One day, I had this narrative running through my head and just pressed Record. It was a ramble that turned out to be a song called Aint Too Great, Mate. It was about epilepsy, which I was diagnosed with at 33. I was frustrated with the medical system, not knowing when I was going to have another seizure. I made more songs about epilepsy funny, but dark and sent them to Cash. She said, This is great, youre on to something; keep going. I always feel closer to people once I meet their family. The Savages are loving and accepting. Cash doesnt give compliments if theyre not there. She only tells you youre on if youre on, and if youre not, shell gladly say why and talk to you about it. Id never written anything that was so personal and emotional. I worried what people would think. She spurred me on. She gave me my first gig, supporting her for a sold-out show at Forum Melbourne. And Cash has started DJing for me. We banter on stage which has brought another element to the show. People say, Oh, your banters good; do you practise that? No, we just hang out a lot. Cash [whose band is called the Last Drinks] is the best performer Ive ever seen. I saw her at a festival and she was standing at the edge of the stage leaning over. She put the microphone up to her mouth, didnt say anything and just nodded her head, then put the microphone back down and the crowd went absolutely crazy. You see your friend do something like that and think, I can do that. I take what I can from her while still being me. Cash is comfortable and secure in who she is, as a musician, parent, friend and queer woman. Being visible, expressing yourself and doing it on your own terms: thats Cash and its powerful. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size As a young girl growing up in a comfortable home in a small Shropshire village, Anna Kents yearning to become an aid worker was ignited in the 80s, when she was shocked by TV news footage of starving children in Ethiopia. Their skinny arms and wide eyes jolted her into the realisation that such suffering existed in the world and she became determined to help. In April 2007, at the age of 26, with a nursing masters degree and a diploma in tropical nursing under her belt, she flew to what is now known as South Sudan to begin her first assignment with Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) helping to run dramatically under-resourced healthcare units in the small towns of Tam and Leer. With all inpatient beds full, Leer Hospital is bursting at the seams and many patients lie on mattresses on the ground. Working alongside us Valerie, a 30-year-old Canadian nurse, and me is Sunduk, an extremely competent local doctor who trained in the north of Sudan before joining MSF. Worryingly, I learn theres no expat midwife here. My heart sinks as more and more patients are carried across the central courtyard. Camilla, the Italian surgeon all waving arms and curly brown hair is shouting at everyone in earshot. Shes extremely skilled, with more than 20 years of war surgery to her credit, but Im intimidated by her. While she deals with ridiculous caseloads in theatre, Valerie and I must act as her gatekeepers and decide whos admitted and who must go home. Turning people away is horrible. In the UK, working as an ED nurse at Queens Medical Centre, a massive teaching hospital in Nottingham said to have one of the busiest EDs in Europe, I never had to make these kinds of life-or-death choices and I know Ill never get used to it. For instance, I must watch one teenage mother, discharged after childbirth, put a four-day-old baby in a reed basket on top of her head. Fragile, brave, she turns and smiles at me before her 16-kilometre walk home alone across a landscape strewn with landmines. In this place, where everything is so chaotic and we have to make awful choices, I know I will go crazy if I fully respond, so bit by bit, I start to block out the things I cant control, and focus only on the things I can. Kent was 26 when she flew to central Africa to work for Medecins Sans Frontieres. Credit:Courtesy of Anna Kent One day, something so extraordinary happens it will stay with me for the rest of my life. Im in the operating theatre inside Leer Hospital, checking the blood pressure of a recently amputated patient, and Valerie is in the ward next door. Camillas at the sink, washing her hands with her usual ferocity, getting ready for the next patient, when Advertisement Anna! Valerie! Quick! a frantic voice comes through the window. Its Michael, a Sudanese nurse. We race after him through the lines of patients, along the verandah and into the small, dark maternity ward now crowded with a group of tall women all wearing brilliantly coloured material tied over one shoulder. They cluster with an air of concern around a young Nuer woman, who I guess to be about 16 years old. Her name is Grace. With her long, thin neck and large, scared eyes, she looks like a skinny kid, but she has the most enormous pregnant belly Ive ever seen especially rare in South Sudan, where gestational bumps are usually small. This girls bursting belly is so enormous she can barely move. The three of us heave Grace through a small doorway into a delivery room before the women shout at Michael to leave. Almost immediately, the contractions come with such force over Graces body that her toes curl and fists clench. Valerie and I look at each other with fear and bemusement so many limbs are moving inside her extraordinary belly it looks like a bag of snakes. Michael bobs up again outside the delivery room and starts to translate in a low mutter through a rusted window covered with a frayed cotton sheet. Ive learnt that this awful hitting is sometimes traditional here. As labour is so dangerous, birth partners want women to use all their energy for pushing, not shouting. Grandma, aunties and friends are shifting and murmuring. They can feel electricity in the air. When Valerie, after a preliminary feel of the girls abdomen, says Twins!, a charge of excitement shoots through the room. Amniotic fluid dribbles down Graces legs as she tries not to groan with her next contraction. Valerie and I exchange sideways glances, trying to look super cool and competent so that the women relax, but neither of us has done this before. We know from our notebooks that, even in the UK, a twin delivery can quickly become an emergency if, say, the first baby is lying sideways, or a limb is delivered before a head. Often, in fully resourced hospitals, mothers of twins choose a planned caesarean section. We ask Michael to call Camilla, but he murmurs through the window that she cant come shes scrubbed and halfway through an emergency operation. Valerie takes what sounds like a yogic exhalation. My skin prickles. Its us, then. We know enough to recognise our first job is to figure out if a vaginal birth is possible but thats not easy without an ultrasound scan, or a trained maternity team, and with two babies packed into such a small space. Graces face is wet with sweat now, eyes rolling, contractions coming fast and hard. Then, crack! A female relative gives her leg a hard smack. Advertisement Stop! I say, before I can hold my tongue, and the women stare at me, muttering to each other in Nuer. Ive learnt that this awful hitting is sometimes traditional here. As labour is so dangerous, birth partners want women to use all their energy for pushing, not shouting. Its a valid fear in a country where more young women die in childbirth than complete high school. Im in the dry-mouthed, swooning terror of midwifery on the wing. Focusing back to the birth, theres no safe way to slow down this labour the babies are coming and we must do our best. Two birthing kits! Valerie yells through the fly-screen as we pull on our gloves. Michael runs to the man who sterilises surgical equipment in an autoclave above a wood fire behind the hospital. One aunty, whos stopped smacking, stays as a caretaker, the others leave theres no room in here for all of us. I put in an IV line. Thats fine, I do that well, Im used to it. Valerie gets out emergency drugs and antibiotics in case the waters have been gone for some time. Okay. Calm down. Grace, whos so far been quiet, lets out a deep grunt. Putting the Pinard stethoscope on her abdomen, Im hoping to hear the first babys heart rate. One, two, three, or is that my own heartbeat ringing in my ear? And then Thank god! I can hear one babys heart rate; it sounds like an adult beat, only faster and fainter. Loading Im straining so hard to hear for a second baby on a different section of abdomen, but its difficult. Graces body is twisting in labour and picking up on two different heartbeats for two different babies is like trying to tune into two competing, but ghostly, radio stations. Valerie says, We need to do a vaginal exam to assess cervical dilation. Too late! With another stifled groan, Grace bears down, her vagina widens spontaneously and its happening so fast and I can already see a small head pushing forward determinedly at the perineum. Its scary, but also amazing. This very small head, with no hair, is covered in a thick, creamy vernix, a sign of prematurity. Aghhhhhhh! Grace lets her cry out for the first time. Advertisement Valerie stands like a wicketkeeper between the girls legs, holding a clean cotton sheet from a delivery kit handed to us through the window. When the baby arrives quickly with the next push, Valerie catches it like a pro. Its a boy! she yells, her smile one of pure delight. This baby is tiny, bluish, but crying. Im still frightened, but so focused and alive, nothing exists but this moment. Im trying to delay clamping and cutting the cord, when one of the aunties dashes in, scoops up the tiny boy, puts him to her mouth, sucks out any sputum from his nose and mouth, spitting it on to the floor beside me. Honestly, I want to gag; its a local practice I wont ever get used to, but in a world with rare medical assistance, it works as a basic resuscitation manoeuvre. We clamp and cut the cord. Now swaddled by the aunty, the boy is quickly whisked away next door into the arms of a delighted older lady I assume is Grandma. No! No! Skin-to-skin, I shout through the window to Michael, so he can instruct them to put the tiny baby directly onto their skin. There are no incubators in this hospital for prem babies I dont think there are any other quality neo-natal facilities in the whole of South Sudan. Only the new supply of knitted baby hats my mum and her friends donated, and the life-saving warmth of being next to skin. Kangaroo care its often called, and its life-saving here. But Nuer women have their own customs, and they bundle up the baby. They dont have to listen to us, and I cant talk directly to them. Tell them he needs to feed in the next hour, Valerie shouts over her shoulder to Michael. This tiny boy is at risk of both heat loss and low blood sugar unless he has breast milk promptly. Its his only chance; formula milk in South Sudan, where the water is often dirty, is simply too dangerous. Kent weighs a young child ahead of admission. Children are regularly admitted for malnutrition. Credit:Courtesy of Anna Kent. Back on the table, the labour continues with force, but thankfully very little bleeding. Oh, my god! Valeries staring between the mothers legs, her eyes wide. Whats that? Two bulging purple sacks start to deliver. My first thought is that its a deformity since, only the previous week, a baby was born with gastroschisis (its bowel outside the body) and sadly died. A baby that most likely wouldve survived with surgery in the UK or Australia. Grace is still pushing and, with the next grunt, a tiny scrotum appears, then buttocks. The legs are wrapped around the babys ears a frank breech position. With the next final, expulsive push, another tiny boy shoots into my waiting, trembling hands. Hes blue and startled rub him vigorously with a clean sheet to stimulate him an imaginary instructor is next to me, giving me resuscitation instructions. Within a minute, the baby starts to cough and snort, his legs still in a frog-like position due to the way hed been lying inside. Advertisement When this second baby cries, tears brim in my wide, shocked eyes. What incredible joy to deliver two premature boys, weak and weighing only one kilogram each, but alive in spite of all the odds against them. Moments later, when hes taken through to be wrapped and cooed over by the women next door, I hear shrieks of happiness and loud, shrill, ululating calls, and I want to yell, too. But instead, I watch Valeries smile die. Shes giving Graces abdomen a final feel, before injecting the oxytocin and ergometrine that helps the placenta deliver. Somethings wrong, she says. Get Camilla. Her face is white. I feel confused, sick. Why? Graces tummy is half the size it was before; her belly teek [a decorative belt of beads] is loose. And then I follow her stare and put my hand over Graces uterus. Something is moving in there. Something alive. Theres another one! I yell. Get a delivery kit! Loading My hands are shaking. I have enough textbook knowledge to know that in the UK, triplets are almost never delivered vaginally, the risks of one child dying, or of a limb obstructing the delivery, are simply too high. The women next door pick up on our change of tone; theyre screaming now, too. Calm down, Anna! Concentrate, take a breath. Graces child-like hands are bunched into fists so tight that her nails are digging into her palms, her eyes are squished. She needs you to think. A few seconds later, she bears down again with such effort that her bowels open. And just as Im wiping away the faeces, a third head appears, and a baby girl is born with one final push into both Valerie and my hands. She is quickly dried with a golden sarong an aunty unties from her shoulder we have no new sterile towel. Shes unbelievably small and so fragile. Later well weigh her and find shes only 900 grams, less than a bag of sugar. But now shes screaming loudly as if to announce her own arrival. We cut the cord, and when shes raced next door, the aunties and Grandma explode into an all-singing, all-ululating dance of celebration. Advertisement Horse sanctuary It seems Racing Victoria has pots of money to splash on land three times the size of Flemington racecourse for its Project X development (Racing plans new hub with land purchase, 27/5). To improve its horse welfare image, a better use of the land would be a horse sanctuary called Project C for compassion for all the racehorses injured and maimed on the track and as an alternative for those unfortunates who are sent to knackeries because they cant run fast enough. Charles Davis, Hawthorn Demise is their Joyce ... Most Australians will welcome a new leader of the National Party, especially if that leader pushes climate policy forward (Nationals leadership spill is yet another battle in climate wars, 26/5). Should Barnaby Joyce remain at the helm, the disparity between the Nationals laggard stance, and their constituents desire to tackle climate change, could well lead to the partys demise. The election result has provided social licence for our nation to prioritise our environment. Now is the time for Australia to end the climate wars, achieve full support for net zero by 2050, and ramp up our 2030 targets. Lets get on with it. Amy Hiller, Kew ... Or perhaps not Despite the Nationals retaining all their seats and gaining an extra senator, left-wing Nationals MP Darren Chester now intends to challenge Barnaby Joyce for the Nationals leadership because Mr Chester thinks Joyce is to blame for the Liberals losing wealthy inner-city electorates to the teal independents. This amounts to pitching for the party leadership with a vision of turning the Nationals into a wholly owned subsidiary of the Liberal Party, more interested in appeasing the woke of Wentworth. That is a recipe for political oblivion because, as John Anderson and Mark Vaile learnt in the 2000s, product differentiation from the Liberal Party is key to the Nationals survival. If the Nationals know whats good for them, they will keep Barnaby as leader. Matt Tudor, Morwell Libs might peter out Both the editorial and cartoonist Cathy Wilcox (27/5) have shone the light on the traits of Peter Dutton, and what we see does not augur well for the Liberal Party. It will take two terms for the Liberals to decide to change leaders and again become competitive at elections. Alan Inchley, Frankston Disappointing action It was very disappointing to read that legal action has forced the Melbourne University Student Union to rescind a motion that called for an academic boycott of Israeli institutions and academics that support the oppression of Palestinians (27/5). What we need now is more political debate not less, especially among educated, young people. And we should not allow accusations such as anti-Semitic propaganda and unsafe and vilified to detract from the fact that this motion was about the treatment of Palestinians by the state of Israel, not an attack on the culture and religion of Jewish people. Judith Crotty, Dandenong North Frydenberg legacy It seems to be generally accepted by the Liberal Party and certain scribes that Josh Frydenberg was the most talented and capable member of the Coalition government. As former treasurer he has bequeathed the largest budget deficit in history and the highest inflation rate in 24 years to the Labor Party. He also had the political acumen to fully back Scott Morrison. Doesnt really say a lot about those who remain and now find themselves in opposition. Phil Alexander, Eltham Lets talk with China It is time for the new government to reset the relationship with China, whose offer to talk is a small olive branch we should accept; its declaration of no desire for a military base in the Solomons should be taken at face value. We can maintain a proud independent Australian position and negotiate with China to mend the relationship to our mutual benefit. Much better than continuing in the old way. Bernie Chandler, Donvale Electors not consumers By equating electors with consumers in search of products, Dave Sharma (26/5) reveals a main limitation of the Liberal Party mindset. The concept consumer is about a specific transaction between a person and a product for sale. The word people conjures up such a wide range of diversity life experience, age, gender, cultural background, education, geographic location, personal fulfilment opportunities, and most importantly, inalienable universal human rights wherever we are. As the devastating outcomes of climate change show us, at a profound level people are organically interconnected to everything. When a political party views its policies as merely products they need to sell to a sufficient number of consumers for them to be re-elected, a decent caring democratic society can easily disintegrate into an autocracy run by entitled elites, and a hugely diminished standard of living for all. Jennifer Gerrand, Carlton North No sense to destruction The Victorian Agricultural Minister Mary-Anne Thomas is determined to increase deforestation by threatening in a proposed bill to jail people who want to preserve whats left of our native forests by entering a logging site. In a world where forests are being depleted at an alarming rate, it surely makes no sense to participate in this destruction. Trees apart from providing homes for creatures also are important in reducing global warming. Don Owen, Hawthorn Duttons carp diem Clearly Peter Dutton still believes in magic pudding economics. He predicts higher interest rates, cost of living, inflation and electricity prices under Labor. Which of these is controlled by federal government? How would he reduce them if he was still in government? The negative carping has already begun. Raymond Snyder, St Kilda West Pardon me, what? On a stop in Chattanooga we decided to dine in the family restaurant next to our motel. I asked for the drinks menu but was politely told it was a family restaurant so they didnt serve alcohol. I looked across at the next table and the elderly gentleman had a pistol in a holster strapped to him. On that road trip through the south we were regularly confronted with the bizarre sights of guns being openly carried. Anne Maki, Alphington Biloela welcome Will the new, kinder Peter Dutton travel to Biloela to welcome home the Murugappan family? Trevor Armstrong, Launceston, Tas AND ANOTHER THING Politics Peter Dutton? The Liberal Party is signing its own death warrant. Rosemary Lithgow, Maryborough Peter Dutton walked out on the apology to the stolen generation. It was a character-defining moment that no amount of recasting as caring and compassionate can change. Susan Ball, Carlton North Annika Smethurst describing Tim Smith as Tony Abbotts disciple (Comment, 27/5) creates a very disturbing mental image and I may never look at Da Vincis painting the same way again. Frank Flynn, Cape Paterson I think Ive heard more from our current foreign affairs minister in one day than Id heard from her predecessor in 2 years. Tim Douglas, Blairgowrie Guns Driving through Nebraska several years ago, I noted a large billboard advertising memberships in a new gym. The bonus offer included a free hand gun to all members over 18. Only in America. Joyce Butcher, Williamstown Maniac with guns, dead innocents, prayers offered, repeat. Tim Nolan, Brighton The sixth commandment says thou shalt not kill. The second amendment says thou shalt kill. John Walsh, Watsonia Victoria is being urged to adopt a target of replacing all public buses with electric vehicles by the end of this decade, to accelerate what transport experts say is an essential step in tackling the states carbon emissions. Research by the Australia Institute has ranked Victorias approach towards zero-emissions buses as the second most ambitious in the country, with a commitment to only buy electric buses from 2025. Victorias first locally built, fully electric bus (pictured) hit the road in 2020 as part of a trial. But Audrey Quicke, one of the think tanks climate and energy researchers, said Victoria should match NSWs commitment to convert all of its public buses to renewable-powered electric buses by 2030. The ACT has the same ambition for 2040. Buses roughly last around 20 years, so if youre still buying diesel buses in 2024, youre looking at a long time before you have a zero emissions fleet, Quicke said. What we need is some of those targets from all states and territories. Recent enrolment trends from school information site MySchool for the region suggest a growing number of parents are bypassing their local state secondary school. There is a stark split between public primary school enrolments, which have grown by 40 per cent since 2014, from 2500 to 3500 students, and secondary school enrolments, which have experienced a 20 per cent decline, falling from 2000 students to 1600. Kate Lamont has three children that attend Oak Park Primary School and says none of the parents she has spoken to on the issue plan to send their children to the local zoned high school. Instead, they are seeking places in non-government schools or at state schools elsewhere. Its really sad for our area because there is an appetite for public education, our primary schools are really well supported and have great NAPLAN data, Lamont said. Loading Singh and Lamont are founders of a new grassroots group, called RISE, which is pushing for an education plan for Morelands north. They have surveyed almost 1000 people on their views about education in Moreland. Of 959 respondents, 71 per cent said they were happy with the quality of local primary schools, but just 12 per cent were happy with local secondary schools. The group is lobbying for an assessment of whether Pascoe Vale Girls College should be converted into a co-ed school, as a part of a wider education improvement plan that would address low and declining VCE results at Glenroy and John Fawkner colleges. Singh said the group simply wanted local public schools they could send their children to with confidence. Its not like we are asking for Caulfield Grammar in our area, she said. We just want a state school that has average outcomes. At the moment the schools we have in our area are well below average. While government secondary schools in Morelands north have lost students, non-government Islamic schools in the area have boomed. Darul Ulum College in Fawkner has grown from 1010 students to 1260 students in the past five years. Glenroy Private has almost doubled its enrolments, growing from 220 to 421 students. The Australian International Academy of Education in Coburg North has grown from 1265 to 1584 students since 2015. Suad Osman, 38, lives in Glenroy and sends her eight-year-old son Adam to the Australian International Academy. Osman, who is African and previously lived in Coburg North, says she chose the school for the Islamic education it offered and because there was more ethnic diversity in the schools students and staff, reasoning that will prevent her son from experiencing racism. Theres an increase in African and Indian students and that made me more comfortable, she said. There are African teachers at the school and its so good for my son to see that. Osman, who went to a public primary school for most of her early education, hasnt ruled out sending her daughter to a public school. Loading I wouldnt be able to judge the public schools because Ive not been exposed to the ones in my area, she said. Efforts are under way to revive the state schools. John Fawkner Colleges recent school council president Natalie Abboud said the school had been invigorated by the recent arrival of Dr Lisa Vinnicombe, a new executive principal who had come from University High. Twenty people have been injured, 12 seriously so, after an incident with a tourist boat at the Kimberley attraction of Horizontal Falls threw patrons overboard. Police and emergency services are at the scene north-east of Broome in Western Australia where the boat is believed to have capsized or run ashore. WA Police Regional WA Commander Brad Sorrell said 26 tourists and two crew were on the boat when the incident occurred about 7am in the remote area, only accessible by air and sea. Emergency calls were made about 7.15am and the first medical assistance was on the scene by 8.30am. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Twelve years ago, Larissa Waters did what few had thought possible. The then-34-year-old boarded a plane to Canberra as an elected Greens senator. From Queensland, that so-called bastion of conservatism, no less. And the weekends election will see the Queensland representation in the Greens party room grow from one to four five, if the count in too-close-to-call Brisbane goes the partys way. It is a result framed as a sudden seismic shift in Australian politics, but if it came as a surprise to political observers in the Canberra-Sydney-Melbourne triumvirate, it shouldnt have. Greens leader Adam Bandt (second from right) with Queensland Greens colleagues Senator Larissa Waters, Ryan MP-elect Elizabeth Watson-Brown, Brisbane candidate Steven Bates, Senator-elect Penny Allman-Payne and Griffith MP-elect Max Chandler-Mather. Credit:Jamila Toderas Brisbanes Green transformation has been no revolution, but an evolution over more than a decade. And it came as the city itself was booming. Queensland was, as always, a magnet for interstate and overseas migrants and the capital itself was built up and out. Advertisement The Greens claimed the inner-city seats of Ryan and Griffith at the election. The LNP was ousted in the seat of Brisbane by either the Greens or Labor, with the seat still too close to call. The demographics are telling. Those three electorates make up three of the five youngest in the nation, with the number one spot going to Melbourne, held by Greens leader Adam Bandt. Stationed in Brisbanes inner suburbs during the election campaign was an army of young Greens volunteers lobbying for every vote. Before the election, Griffith University politics lecturer Dr Paul Williams predicted inner-city Brisbane would eventually elect Greens federal MPs. It was an inevitability, Williams said, but he did not expect it to happen in this election cycle. Theyve exceeded my expectations, he says. Waters wasnt the first Greens representative in Queensland. That honour belongs to Labor turncoat Ronan Lee, who in 2008 switched parties mid-term in the former state seat of Indooroopilly. Advertisement But Waters was the first elected to office. No mean feat in the state that has delivered Australian politics the likes of Pauline Hanson, George Christensen, Barnaby Joyce and Joh Bjelke-Petersen. The list goes on. Queensland is not as conservative as people think, Waters says. In 2010 when I was elected, Queenslanders were concerned about the climate and inequality and this election those issues were on the agenda again and we received a record vote. Queensland has the most to lose from climate impacts and there is a visceral understanding of that after that floods, the impact on farms, and loss of half of the coral cover of the reef. But while Waters was the Queensland Greens federal trailblazer, the trajectory that saw them claim so much ground started with a meeting of two students at the University of Queensland. When Waters was forced to temporarily resign from the Senate one of the casualties of the Section 44 citizenship saga that swept through parliament in 2017 an unlikely celebrity was born. Advertisement Standing behind Waters shoulder was local councillor Jonathan Sri. Sporting a decidedly non-corporate fashion style, Sri found himself thrust into the national spotlight. And he was bestowed a moniker that would make any Avenger blush with embarrassment: Rainbow Scarf Man. But Sri, then a first-term councillor for the inner-south Brisbane City Council ward The Gabba, would make an impression on the national stage that went well beyond his sartorial choices. There is a direct line from Sris election to council in 2016, to state South Brisbane MP Amy MacMahons election in 2020, and through Max Chandler-Mathers election as Griffith MP at the weekend. Jonathan Sri gained national attention when he stood beside resigning senator Larissa Waters in 2017, earning the moniker Rainbow Scarf Man. Credit:Dan Peled/AAP Jonos work as councillor helping so many people locally again proved the value of elected Greens, Waters says. Maxs win in Griffith was built on the work done on Amy MacMahons successful campaign for South Brisbane, which was built on Jono Sris council win in 2016. Advertisement Libbys campaign in Ryan was built on [state MP] Michael Berkmans win in Maiwar and his incredible advocacy for that community. [Greens candidate] Stephen Bates huge swing in Brisbane was built on massive council and state campaigns in 2019 and 2020. After 11 years of representing Queenslanders in the Senate, it is all iterative. When people elect a Green they like what they get, and elect more Greens subsequently. And once Greens get elected in Queensland, they stay elected. Sris Gabba ward, MacMahons South Brisbane state electorate and Griffith overlap, sharing a large portion of inner-Brisbane just south of the citys eponymous river. Its very much all part of the same little Greens surge coming out of Brisbanes inner-southside, Sri says. That little Greens surge does not seem to be that little, and has been surging for some time since Sris 2016 election to Brisbane City Council. The partys primary vote in former prime minister Kevin Rudds old seat of Griffith increased from 10.18 per cent in 2013, to 17.08 per cent in 2016 and 23.65 per cent in 2019. Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Six days can change everything. On Saturday night, Anthony Albanese cooked pasta for friends at his home in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville without knowing how the federal election result would decide his fate. By Friday morning, he was running the government in briefings with department chiefs after a lightning visit to a global summit in Japan where he was greeted warmly by leaders who backed his stand on the need for greater action on climate change. The images here, taken by Alex Ellinghausen, The Age and The Sydney Morning Heralds Canberra photographer, capture one of the most frenetic weeks in Australian politics. As the results started rolling in, anxiety turned to relief for Labor supporters gathered at the Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Club. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Election night began with a tense group of Labor supporters gathering at a Sydney RSL club, their faces revealing their anxiety about whether the night would end in triumph or despair. The memory of their defeat in 2019 was still fresh enough to restrain their spirits. People were hugging, kissing and crying. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The mood in the room in 2019, at a hotel in the Melbourne district of Essendon Fields, began with high hopes and turned to grief as the hours passed. Labor supporters gathered in a large function room and watched a large television screen in disbelief at their defeat. Advertisement Last Saturday, by contrast, the tension began early and eased as the hours passed. As the results started rolling in, anxiety turned to relief. People were hugging, kissing and crying. And then cheering. When Labor supporters grieve, they grieve hard. When they win, they party hard. The Labor crowd watching Scott Morrison concede the election. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Once the crowd had seen Scott Morrison concede the election, it could not wait for Albanese to appear on stage to claim victory. It was close to midnight when he spoke. One of his first comments was to try to calm the crowd down, simply so he could be heard. Albanese claims victory with his partner Jodie Haydon and son Nathan by his side. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The pace never slowed from that moment. And the timing was dictated by Morrison. The former prime minister had known for weeks that the Quad summit with leaders from the US, Japan and India would be held on May 24. He called the election for May 21 anyway, even though an election on May 14 would have allowed more time for the government to prepare for the summit. Albanese had also known all along of the Quad timing, but not from Morrison. Advertisement This set up the sequence of events that meant Albanese had to be sworn in as prime minister as soon as possible. Albanese, with Governor-General David Hurley at Government House, had to be sworn in as prime minister as soon as possible. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The interim Labor ministry took shape on Monday morning when Albanese and his deputy, Richard Marles, Senate leader and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher were sworn in. The interim Labor ministry (l-r): Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, deputy PM Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Within three hours of that ceremony, Albanese was on board an RAAF KC-30 aircraft on his way to the Tokyo summit to meet US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Within three hours of the swearing-in ceremony, Albanese and Wong were on board an RAAF KC-30 aircraft on their way to the Tokyo Quad leaders summit. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen While Albanese had spoken to Biden on the phone on Sunday, he had other calls during the flight. One was a conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in which both leaders talked about support for the AUKUS alliance on nuclear submarines and greater ambition on climate change. Johnson was one of the key figures last year who had wanted Morrison to go further on Australias 2030 emissions target. Now he was talking to a new prime minister who was willing to do just that. Advertisement Already, the Albanese policy on climate was smoothing relations with other leaders. The Quad summit began on Tuesday morning with the family photo to bring the four leaders together before the formalities of their public remarks or the sensitivities of their private discussions. Here, at the Kantei offices and residence of the prime minister in the Akasaka district of Tokyo, the welcome for Albanese was all in the body language of his counterparts. The welcome for Albanese was all in the body language of his counterparts - US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The summit family photo is usually a grip and grin with little real warmth. This one was different. As soon as Biden saw Albanese approach, he smiled and reached out his hands in welcome. He put his arm around the new prime minister, and it looked like they shared a joke. The Quad summit began on Tuesday morning with a family photo of the four leaders: (l-r) Albanese, Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Modi. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen On three occasions, in fact, Biden went out of his way to joke with Albanese in front of the cameras. Why? He was sending a public signal about the warmth in the relationship. The incendiary claims from Morrison in recent months, to the effect that Albanese and Marles were Manchurian candidates aligned with Beijing, were put to rest. Biden did everything he could to welcome Albanese. The second occasion came in the opening remarks at the formal meeting where Biden joked about the prime ministers frenzied schedule. Advertisement 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! he quipped. The third moment came in the bilateral meeting between Albanese and Biden in the afternoon in another part of the Kantei compound. Biden put his arm around the new prime minister and it looked like they were sharing a joke. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen When Albanese spoke about his travel across the US as a young man and revealed he had met with the National Rifle Association, Biden stood up, pretending to leave their talks in disgust. Albanese burst out laughing and flung out his arms in pretend shock before Biden reached out to shake his hand. The room erupted in laughter. It was only hours later, when the leaders had left the summit, that the world heard that a man had shot and killed 19 students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, and wounded 17 others. Biden pretends to leave his bilateral meeting with Albanese. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The Quad was an undoubted success for Albanese. He made sure his opening remarks offered total support for the security partnership while issuing a new message on climate change and the importance of the issue to the island nations of the Pacific. This was endorsed in the formal statement at the end of the meeting. Advertisement Work to widen the final section of the multi-billion dollar Ipswich Motorway will begin this term, according to the federal Member for Oxley, Milton Dick. But while Labors election win paves the way for the long-awaited upgrade, the Queensland government still needs to allocate state funding in future budgets. During the campaign, Federal Labor promised $10 million to kickstart detailed planning of the long-neglected section between Darra and Oxley. Dick described that section - which helps carry more than 110,000 vehicles each day and is one of the RACQs key priority projects - as critical infrastructure. Kyiv/Svitlodarsk: Advancing Russian forces came closer to surrounding Ukrainian troops in the east, briefly seizing positions on the last highway out of a crucial pair of Ukrainian-held cities before being beaten back. Three months into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has abandoned its assault on the capital Kyiv and is trying to consolidate control of the industrial eastern Donbas region, where it has backed a separatist revolt since 2014. A destroyed Russian tank in a town in northeastern Ukraine. Credit:Getty Thousands of troops are attacking from three sides to try to encircle Ukrainian forces in Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk. If the two cities straddling the Siverskiy Donets river fall, nearly all of the Donbas province of Luhansk would be under Russian control. Russia has the advantage, but we are doing everything we can, said General Oleksiy Gromov, deputy chief of the main operations department of Ukraines general staff. Paris: The former president of the Louvre has been charged with complicity in fraud and money laundering in connection with an investigation into Egyptian artefacts that were trafficked over the past decade. Jean-Luc Martinez, who was the president and director of the Louvre from 2013 to 2021, was released under judicial supervision after he was charged, the Paris prosecutors office said on Thursday (Friday AEST). Former president-director of the Louvre museum Jean-Luc Martinez,, June 23, 2020 in Paris. Credit:AP The prosecutors office did not provide more details about the investigation, which was first reported by news outlets Le Canard Enchaine and Le Monde. Under the French legal system, the charges against Martinez indicate that investigators suspect him of involvement in a crime but he may not necessarily stand trial. The charges could be dropped at any point if the police uncover new evidence. Complex legal investigations often take several years to unfold in France. When a gunman shot and killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook, Connecticut, in 2012, many believed it was an act of such shocking evil, even in light of earlier massacres, that the United States would finally act to tighten its gun laws in a bid to prevent future tragedies. Crosses with the names of Tuesdays shooting victims are placed outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texa. Credit:AP The hope was that its major parties would find the bipartisan will to set aside realpolitik for the greater good. That the United States would recognise that its creaky Second Amendment, enshrining the right to bear arms in 1791, was no longer fit for purpose in a society bristling with modern industrial-grade weaponry. And that it would broadly acknowledge there was a clear if not blindingly obvious link between ease of access to guns and the monotonous regularity of mass shootings that are such a blight on its society. Were going to have to come together to meaningful action on this, regardless of the politics, President Barack Obama stated at the time. All-female casts, though not unheard of, have historically been far less common than all-male casts, which have been a part of theater from the ancient Greeks to Shakespeare to Mamet. If the current theater season is any indication, that could be changing. For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, H*tler's Tasters, POTUS, Six, and Wish You Were Here have female-identifying casts and were written and directed by women, in part or in full. In addition to these, Suffs, Shaina Taub's musical about the American women's suffrage movement, has a cast made up of people who identify as female or nonbinary, and Jaki McCarrick's Belfast Girls, running at Irish Rep, has an all-female cast These shows vary in tone and subject matter, and of course every actor's experience is different, but one common refrain from the women we spoke to is the safety they felt working with other women. "I'd never worked with an all-female cast and creative crew. There is a shorthand. I didn't have to explain how I was feeling that day or if I was on my period," says Hallie Griffin, who played Liesel in H*tler's Tasters, a dark comedy by Michelle Kholos Brooks about the German teenage girls whose job it was to taste Adolf Hitler's food for poison. "This piece is such a female-driven story, and so to have all of the creators identify as women making this story, I think there was a power and a truth to that." Lilli Cooper stars in the Broadway production of POTUS at the Shubert Theatre. ( Paul Kolnik) Lilli Cooper, a new mom, plays a nursing mother and White House correspondent in POTUS, Selina Fillinger's farce about seven women trying to protect the President. She found comfort in being able to pump at work. "It was really nice to not feel like I had to hide at all when I was pumping and that's something you don't get very often. And I felt very lucky to be in that safe space," she says. Stacey Sargeant, who plays Lady in Blue in the Broadway revival of Ntozake Shange's 1975 choreopoem For Colored Girls, found added understanding that comes from being surrounded by Black women in the cast and director Camille A. Brown. "Culturally speaking, there's just a shorthand in how you communicate because there are certain things that don't need to be said. They're just understood," Sargeant says. "In other spaces, I think we're unconsciously putting on masks and having to code-switch. We don't have to code-switch in that space." That was also true for Nikki Massoud and Roxanna Hope Radja, who play Zari and Salme in Sanaz Toossi's Wish You Were Here, a play that follows a group of close girlfriends in Iran in the late '70s and '80s. All the actors are Iranian American. "Usually when I express a shared experience, especially if it has to do with having an Iranian background, I'm giving a history lesson in addition to telling an anecdote. And my muscle memory is to give the history lesson as you tell the story and suddenly you realize as you're talking to these women that you don't need to do that," says Radja. Marjan Neshat, Nazanin Nour, Nikki Massoud (behind couch), Roxanna Hope Radja (in white dress), and Artemis Pebdani appear in a scene from Wish You Were Here. ( Joan Marcus) Wish You Were Here is set in female spaces, in which the friends are open and free with each other and their bodies, so it helps to have a female director, Gaye Taylor Upchurch, who understands those spaces, says Massoud. And that intimacy carries over into the dressing room environment, where the actors do cheers, warmups in the form of witchy chants, and all sorts of secret rituals and games, just like the characters in the play. "What makes me laugh about it is that cliched idea that men sometimes have about what a bunch of women do when they get together, like a naked pillow fight, and how we have to angrily tell them that is not what we do except it is what we do. It is 100 percent what we're doing. This is what's so brilliant and I think brave about what Sanaz has pieced together in the interactions of these women," says Radja. "She didn't put together rituals that these women have that are immediately recognizable. I think some people could watch that and go that's odd and I don't recognize that, but I can attest that as we get together and spend more and more time with each other, all of that has developed on its own." Though backstage has changed in the age of Covid safety, there are still pre-show rituals, such as at POTUS, where Julianne Hough likes to go into everyone's dressing room and blast music. "It's really hard to socialize as much as we used to before the pandemic, but anything that we can do to connect to each other, we definitely try, and I think that makes the space that much more joyous," says Cooper. There is a lot of joy backstage at Six, the musical that frames Henry VIII's six wives as pop stars. Brittney Mack, who plays Anna of Cleves, his fourth wife, says that they are often laughing, listening to music, and yelling their love for each other. But at the same time, they also check in with each other. "With a cast that's all women, there's this idea that you have to be campy or for whatever reason be, I don't want to say inauthentic, but let's say on all the time," says Mack. But that hasn't been the case on this show, where they help each other out during the rough days, such as when Mack had to come into work after losing her uncle. Brittney Mack plays Anna of Cleves in Six on Broadway. ( Joan Marcus) "The cast are the ones that have our feet on the ground every day regardless of what's going on in our personal lives. And that I think is the magic where the all-female cast comes in," Mack says, because she thinks of the creative team as separate on any show, regardless of gender. (Six is written by Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow and directed by Moss and Jamie Armitage.) "Because to be honest with you, as a Black woman, it's still very white, so there's still a wall," Mack says about the creative team, though she is proud to be a part of the show and applauds the casting choices. "This show is very historically accurate. You can sit there and have these women play these queens and we get it. Nothing about it changes. Nothing about the history of it changes. And yet how long has it taken Wicked to cast a Black Glinda, and she's not even real," she says. In addition to having all women in the cast, Mack is grateful for female stage management. "The other day Peyton [Taylor Becker, the production stage manager] literally left when it was raining and went to Duane Reade and got me tampons," she says. That camaraderie backstage often lends to a closeness onstage that is noticeable for audiences. Mack says that people always tell them it looks like they are having so much fun together onstage. "It's because we are, honestly. We really are," she says. The same is true at For Colored Girls. "One of the things that people consistently say is that it feels like there's a real connection between all seven of us and I'm like yeah, that love that you feel, that connection, that support, it is very real," says Sargeant. "I truly adore each and every one of them. They bring me so much joy. It's truly an honor to work with them." Hallie Griffin, Kaitlin Paige Longoria, and MaryKathryn Kopp star in the off-Broadway production of H*tler's Tasters ( Burdette Parks) Another thing these shows have in common is showing people parts of womanhood not usually shown onstage. For example, in POTUS, Cooper's character is pumping in an office in the White House in her first scene in the show. "It's important because it represents something so common and normal and regular, but that is often very hidden and I think there's definitely a stigma attached to nursing and pumping in public and to be able to do it on a Broadway stage in front of 1,000 people every night feels so awesome and liberating. I really love it," she says. "I had a mother come up to me after the show one matinee at the stage door to thank me for representing working moms and I felt so lucky to be that representation." In Wish You Were Here, there are scenes of women getting their periods and helping each other wax and shave their legs. "It's great because you're demystifying these things that are just a very normal part of many women's lives, but some of it is I think more insidious because there is this sense of, 'Oh, that makes me uncomfortable, so I don't want to see it. That's not pretty,'" says Massoud. "And I'm like right, well, we've been seeing men do all kinds of unspeakable things onstage for hundreds and thousands of years, you can sit through a woman talking about getting waxed. You can survive." If these scenes make people uncomfortable, it hasn't stopped these shows from finding success in the form of reviews, award nominations, and audience response. Though there can be challenges from a marketing perspective, in particular with H*tler's Tasters because of the title (the asterisk was added to combat that). "If we do want to make a change so that more women, more people of color, and more people in the LBGTQ community are in the creative side and are actors, if we want to see a difference in that, we have to support theater like H*tler's Tasters or the other shows that you are writing about. Because without the support of audiences, these shows won't get produced," says Griffin. "That's how producers know that they need to keep producing that work and opening the door for other people to walk through." The other actors also expressed the desire for more shows like these. Cooper says, "If this could be the rest of my career, I would be happy." Andy Sandberg, CEO and artistic director of the Hermitage Artist Retreat, has announced that theater artist and director Shariffa Ali has been selected as the 2022 recipient of the Hermitage Major Theater Award (HMTA). Established by the Hermitage last year with support from the Kutya Major Foundation, the national jury-selected prize offers one of the largest nonprofit theater commissions in the country. Ali will receive a cash prize of $35,000, as well as a residency at the Hermitage in Sarasota County, Florida, and a developmental workshop in the fall of 2023 in Chicago, New York, or London. Ali's past directorial credits include Eclipsed, Detroit '67, Intimate Apparel, We Are Proud to Present, and the original musical We Were Everywhere. She has worked as an arts administrator at the Public Theater and the New Group, and she has taught at New York University, Brooklyn College, Yale University, and Princeton University. She is the second recipient of the HMTA, which was first awarded in 2021 to playwright and filmmaker Radha Blank. When Sleep No More premiered in New York in 2011, it was planned for a six-week run. The sweeping avant-garde production, an immersion of Shakespeare, film noir, and dance, introduced a uniquely new experience to adventurous theatergoers. Ten years later, following multiple extensions and a pandemic and an industry shutdown, it still is. A fever dream of Shakespeare's Macbeth a la Alfred Hitchcock, Sleep No More could be described as a shadowy, cinematic "choose your own adventure." Participants are invited to enter the McKittrick Hotel, a vast warehouse space transformed into the production's eerie environment by Punchdrunk, the British theater company known for its site-specific, immersive productions. Moving through suggestively dark rooms and hallways, people can explore independently or follow a cast member for minutes or hours at a time. One turn of a corner could lead into a bedchamber where a sensual dance of passion and violence is taking place, while another turn might lead to a hedonistic rave, complete with pulsing music, flashing lights, and flowing blood. Sleep No More first opened its doors in London, followed by a run at Massachusetts's American Repertory Theater, but moving to New York was a risk, due to the size of both the cast and the set. Carrie Boyd, director of performance and production, described it as a "roll of the dice" and was surprised by the show's fast and passionate reception. "I had sort of seen it in microcosm how I could take off in a community," Boyd, who had worked on the ART production, said. "But New York is such a such a gamble. It was wonderfully surprising when it when it had that same sort of reception." As the co-artistic director of NU Dance, Sophie Bortolussi already had experience with site-specific, immersive productions when her partner called her in tears, saying, "They're doing our dream." She had seen Sleep No More at the ART, and Bortolussi quickly followed suit. After being "blown away" by the experience, she auditioned for the New York opening and was cast as Lady Macbeth. When the McKittrick shut its doors in 2020 during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sleep No More's creators seized the opportunity to revisit the show. Sharing lists and spreadsheets, Boyd and her colleagues began the process of updating the production. Small changes were made to choreography, lighting, and even its signature mask. The ghostly white plastic headpiece now accommodates an N-95 mask all participants are required to wear. "Having such a rare opportunity to go back and think about exactly how you do things differently, and then actually be able to achieve that and do it was sort of the cherry on top for the whole experience for some of us," Boyd said. "When we opened back up in February, it really felt like the very beginning again when we first opened, because everything was truly as it was originally intended." Changes to the creative team were made as well. Bortolussi returned to Sleep No More, this time as both resident director and actor. Her new title has required her to examine and absorb the entire production, as well as the its physical space. "It's what I keep saying to the performers the space says so much already," she said. "You have to stay so much in tune to where you're at, and it's such an incredible balance between light and sound and the space itself." A scene from Sleep No More at the McKittrick Hotel ( Yaniv Schulman) It was because of that space that Bortolussi drew upon her independence while creating the role of Lady Macbeth. The sheer size of the the venue and cast required her to guide herself at times. "When you create the show, you kind of have to be your own director a little bit," she said. "You have very clear direction, but then you spend a lot of time alone. I felt like I've already had a really great sense from being part of the initial cast, but then of course, I was not knowing in detail every single character of the show, which now I know." In the years following Sleep No More's opening, immersive theater's popularity has surged, with participatory experiences opening throughout the boroughs. Boyd credited the appeal to partly people's enjoyment of feeling in control and partly to the necessity of turning off their phones and engaging with the environment. "I think so many of us will be scrolling through our phone while watching TV or doing something else. I think like the way that [Sleep No More] is crafted really forces you to let go through everything else and be so present," she said. "Particularly in this day and age, we don't get the opportunity or we don't force ourselves into that that sort of opportunity very often. So I think when it does happen, it feels so much more remarkable, because we really are zoned in on our senses, and something like Sleep No More is such a sensory overload. I think it's impossible to not get fully pulled into the experience and sort of forget yourself in a really lovely way that I personally don't get to experience in any other capacity in my day to day." That appeal has lasted; returning to Sleep No More, Bortolussi was struck by its timelessness. The themes of power, corruption, violence, and guilt that imbue Macbeth speak powerfully to a post-2020 audience. "Coming back to the show after being away from it for few years has been quite amazing," she said. "Some scenes still blow my mind, the intricacy of the scenes, of the whole show in just incredible The web of connections that is developed throughout the building, throughout the evening is just phenomenal. Even 10 years later it doesn't feel that the show has aged." That permanence, Boyd said, also comes from Shakespeare's script. Audience members who have not read the play since high school are still struck by iconic moments from the story. "I don't know what it is about the timelessness of the of the piece," she said. "I think Lady Macbeth's concept is also something that tends to stay with people for a very long time. Her bath scene that is just such an iconic image. It's obviously very removed from the source material, but it's such a touch point for so many people. It's incredible." They are far from alone in this opinion. Sleep No More has inspired a passionate group of fans, some of whom have seen it more than 70 or 80 times. Returning to the McKittrick, they even picked up on the slight changes in the show. Their excitement at seeing new content, while recognizing cast members from the past who have returned, was noticeable, Boyd said. Sleep No More tells a story of tragedy greed, heartbreak, and death which many people experienced intimately during the past two years. It's no surprise their experience of the show has changed as well, Boyd said. "I think we all came back to the work slightly evolved after the shutdown and those years of reassessments and contemplation. It's very interesting seeing people coming back into roles that we've seen them in before big life changes people have started families or new careers during the break. I think everyone's coming back with a lot of a lot of new depth to see familiar faces and roles." Critics are currently in the unique position of writing reviews for two shows that received Pulitzer Prizes for Drama, Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop and now James Ijames's Fat Ham. Writing about a piece that has already received such a prestigious honor is both a joy and a difficult task what more can we add to a show that has already received such high praise? Thankfully, there is so much to love in both. Fat Ham, a loose retelling of Hamlet, is an adaptation that does not care about fidelity, nor really about Shakespeare for that matter; the playbill even tells us "this ain't Shakespeare." This disavowal may seem blasphemous, but it allows Ijames to take Hamlet in directions it has never gone, letting the play become a vehicle for something new, something, dare I say, even better. In Ijames's hands, Shakespeare's text about a brooding, fake-mad, mother-obsessed, father-avenging prince of Denmark becomes a play celebrating Blackness, specifically radical Black queer softness. In Ijames own words, it raises up a Blackness that is "traditional and weird and lonely and happy and grieving and honest and frightened and brave and sexy and churchified and liberated and poetry." The setting here is a backyard with a porch, which serves as the stage (quite literally) for a funeral, a wedding reception, a barbecue, charades, karaoke, family fighting, coming-outs, and soliloquies. Ijames makes deft use of Shakespeare, such that all the major characters and plot points are there and the play is dramaturgically very similar, such that you can always generally tell where you are in the Hamlet multiverse. Occasionally though Ijames has moments that do conjure up the original text, either with tongue-in-cheek references (like the rub being on meat for the barbecue) or meta moments where Juicy (Marcel Spears), our Hamlet-equivalent, grabs a microphone and gives a direct Shakespeare monologue to the audience. Billy Eugene Jones and Nikki Crawford in the New York premiere Fat Ham. ( Joan Marcus) The piece is extremely self-aware of itself, its status as a playful and political adaptation, and as a play: the characters break the fourth wall and even interrogate each other on what they've been telling the audience about each other. It's a perfectly fitting homage, since Hamlet has always been deeply interested in meta-theater. There are many shifts within the piece, be it ghostly entrances or direct addresses to the audience, that are gorgeously achieved through Stacey Derosier's lighting (complete with some stunning Edison bulbs). While Maruti Evans's set leaves a bit to be desired, this seems mostly like a limitation of the small venue, and it is easy to imagine what a more fully rendered version of this set would look like. The real star of the production team, though, is prop manager Claire M. Kavanah. This is a play of props: endless streams of Black Southern BBQ foods, hodgepodge dollar-store decorations, mismatched chairs and folding tables all combine to dress the set in ways that make it a spectacle of 21st-century naturalism. Much has been said lately about how it is the ensemble as a unit that is doing the best work onstage right now (For Colored Girls, Six, English, POTUS, and more), and Fat Ham is a prime example. Marcel as Juicy, Nikki Crawford at Tedra (Gertrude), Billy Eugene Jones as Rev/Pap (Claudius and Hamlet Sr.), Adrianna Mitchell as Opal (Ophelia), Benja Kay Thomas as Rabby (Polonius), Calvin Leon Smith as Larry (Laertes), and Chris Herbie Holland as Tio (Horatio) all give impeccable performances. It is hard to single any of them out, since they each are perfectly cast and give first-rate performances; there is not one weak link among them. Chris Herbie Holland, Adrianna Mitchell, Benja Kay Thomas, and Calvin Leon Smith in Fat Ham. ( Joan Marcus) Marcel's Juicy is yearning, frustrated, and passionate. Crawford's Tedra is loving and maternal but complicit in the various aggressions toward her son. Eugene's Rev is vile in all the right ways. Thomas's Rabby is spiritual and judgy, but down for fun. Smith and Mitchell strike tender tones as siblings who are both going through journeys with queerness and identity. They combine in ways that feel lived-in, as if this was a cast of a long-running sitcom whose actors are familiar with each other and their characters have already had endless interactions. I don't want to spoil the ending, but will simply say that it is quite the coup genius and touching and political all at once, for it is radical to think about Hamlet beyond tragedy. The trope of a straight play having a single, bold set change for the final moment and ending with a joyous group song has become an overused trope. Here, however, these devices are not only wholly justified but also are firmly within the dramaturgy and message of the piece. This is, after all, supposed to be a celebration. Together, Ijames, director Saheem Ali, and the cast have created something momentous and remarkable. It is without a doubt my favorite Shakespeare adaptation; I even prefer it to every Hamlet I have ever seen. Placed alongside Kenny Leon's revelatory all-Black Much Ado About Nothing and Jocelyn Bioh's joyous Merry Wives (also directed by Ali), Black interpreters of Shakespeare have proved that the Bard's plays not only can still be relevant, but that they also can be very successfully stretched and adapted to Black culture in ways that let Shakespeare's texts do more than they ever could. By placing Fat Ham in the contemporary South, putting it in a modern vernacular, strategically utilizing, bending, and at times even rejecting the original text, Ijames is able to explore Blackness, queerness, identity, and legacy with powerful nuance and finesse. It is a masterpiece, and its Pulitzer is well-deserved indeed. Join the barbecue before everyone else shows up, you'll be glad you did. NANJING, May 27 -- The Chinese navy hosted a webinar via video link on the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea in Nanjing, capital city of east China's Jiangsu province on May 24. With the theme of Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea from the Perspective of Maritime Community with a Shared Future, the webinar was aimed to implement the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Maritime Community with a Shared Future proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, strengthen maritime security cooperation with the armed forces of countries surrounding the Gulf of Guinea, and jointly build a closer China-Africa community with a shared future. PLA Navy Commander Admiral Dong Jun made a keynote speech for the webinar. Leaders and representatives from the navies and coast guards of 19 countries around the Gulf of Guinea, and the heads of the Inter-regional Coordination Center for the maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea attended the meeting online. Adm. Dong pointed out in his speech that at present, the global maritime security is facing increasing instability and uncertainty, and the piracy activities in the Gulf of Guinea are also on the rise. The UN Security Council has adopted multiple resolutions to assist in cracking down on the piracy. He called on that the navies of China and African countries should maintain mutual respect to jointly safeguard maritime peace, build strategic consensus to jointly strive for maritime security, deepen practical cooperation to promote relations among navies, and carry forward the traditional friendship to strengthen the foundation of solidarity between China and African countries. Adm. Dong also stressed that the Chinese Navy firmly supports the Gulf of Guinea countries in playing a leading role in maintaining regional maritime security. "We are willing to increase the support in personnel training and other areas, provide assistance in information sharing and maritime rescue, carry out regular exchange of ship visits and joint training and exercises with relevant countries, and expand practical cooperation in the areas of exchange between military academies, medical services and hydrographic surveys," added Dong. The participants also conducted in-depth discussions and shared their views on such topics as "Maritime Security and Sustainable Economic Development in Gulf of Guinea" "Safeguarding Security and Development in Gulf of Guinea: Roles and Actions of Maritime Forces" and "New Vision for China-Africa Maritime Security Cooperation". The Edge Breakfast That time Meg thought she was looking at the moon only for it to be a street light 4 SoCal Men Arrested in Multimillion-Dollar Scam Targeting Elderly Timeshare Owners SANTA ANA, Calif.Four Southern California men were arrested on May 26 for allegedly defrauding dozens of timeshare ownersmany of whom were elderlyout of more than $5 million by lying and using boiler room tactics. The four men arrested are Michael McDonagh, 41, of Long Beach, Antonio Duarte, 42, of Corona, Christopher James Vannoy, 32, of Norwalk, and Ruben Ortiz, 40, of Long Beach. Authorities are still searching for Frank Anthony Molina, 43, of San Pedro, the fifth defendant named in the indictment. The defendants allegedly posed as telemarketers promising the timeshare owners financial relief for their property. McDonagh, named as the ringleader of the scheme, controlled telemarketing companies that hire callers to contact timeshare owners and offer help terminating their timeshare interests for a fixed fee from 2015 to 2019, authorities said. According to the indictment, McDonagh instructed the telemarketers to take no prisoners or have no remorse when interacting with the victims. McDonagh also allegedly told employees to take every penny you can from the victims so they cannot sue the telemarketing companies. According to authorities, McDonagh founded and or controlled several telemarketing companiesin Irvine, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, and Signal Hillthat purported to offer timeshare relief. Once one telemarketing company became inundated with consumer complaints, McDonagh allegedly would form a new telemarketing company to perpetuate the fraud, according to a May 26 statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. The indictment also says that McDonagh told Ortiz, one of four arrested, that participating in the conspiracy its def a risk, but I mean I shut down global over a year ago and nothing! Knock on wood, but I mean its a decision you personally have to make ive made piece [sic] with it Ive been a criminal my whole life, and now its actually benefiting me[.] Once the timeshare owner showed interest in the proposed offer, the opener would allegedly transfer the call to a closer and convinced the victims to sign a contract and pay a one-time fee to end their portion of the shared real estate. Duarte, Molina, and Vannoy are accused of working as closers. After initial payments were received, the closer allegedly would contact victims again within weeks and falsely claim that their timeshare company faces class-action lawsuits or other false litigations that would induce them to pay additional fees. To top it off, the men would, authorities alleged, tell the timeshare owners the company rented out their property without their permission and would secure a large restitution payment on their behalf for an additional fee. The indictment alleges that the victims were told the fee would be refunded once the restitution or settlement was paid. To prevent victims from contacting their timeshare companies to inquire about the payments they have made, the defendants would allegedly convince the victims to sign fake non-disclosure agreements. All four defendants are charged in a 29-count grand jury indictment. If convicted of all charges, each faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count and a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each fraud count. The investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and the Huntington Beach Police Department. Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade marking the 30th anniversary of the spiritual discipline's introduction to the public, in New York on May 13, 2022. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) 59-Year-Old Falun Gong Practitioner Dies After 14 Hours in Detention In the early morning of March 28, 2022, Niu Lanyun, a female Falun Gong adherent, rappelled down her rental dwelling but was soon apprehended by the police and taken away. At about 6 a.m., a witness saw Niu climbing down a rope from the third floor, but the rope broke before she got to the ground. She fell, but stood up quickly. A witness called an ambulance, but she declined any medical care. Soon a police car came and an officer shoved her into the car and took her away. There was a piece of freshly kneaded dough in a bowl in her room, indicating that she was preparing her breakfast before she rushed to escape via a rope. The police also took her landlord away. Sometime past 8 p.m. that evening, her family was informed of her death and was asked to go to the Datong Funeral Home to confirm her identity. Her family received no explanation about the cause of her death. She died after a mere 14 hours in police custody. Shocked and grieved over her death, Nius family demanded an explanation from the police about the circumstances of her death and for justice to be done. They called on the international community for an immediate stop to the persecution of Falun Gong that has been going on for over 20 years. Falun Gong practitioners hold candles to honor the thousands who have died in the Chinese regimes persecution of the peaceful meditation practice. Seen from above, they form the shape of the Chinese characters for truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, the key principles of the practice. (Lisa Fan/The Epoch Times) Niu was sent to labor camps twice before, and she was badly tortured because she refused to renounce her beliefs. Niu was born in 1963 and was a retired sales person for a local retailer in Datong City, Shanxi Province. She began to practice Falun Gong in April 1998 and soon afterward, her rheumatism disappeared, according to Minghui.org. Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a traditional Chinese meditative discipline with five slow-moving exercises and moral teachings based on the core principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. It was banned in China in July 1999 on orders of then-CCP leader Jiang Zemin as he feared its popularity. Millions of Falun Gong adherents have been detained in prisons, labor camps, detention centers, and brainwashing facilities across the country, where they are routinely tortured and subject to other abuses. Falun Gong followers are also the main source of organs for Chinas state-sanctioned, for-profit transplant industry, an independent peoples tribunal concluded. Former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour presents a revised report about organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners in China, as report co-author and human rights lawyer David Matas listens in the background, on Jan. 31, 2007. (The Epoch Times) Niu barely escaped death during the two times she was illegally kept in labor camps. From January 2001 to January 2002, Niu was detained in Shanxi Womens Labor Camp for her beliefs. The police deprived her of sleep and shocked her with electric batons. She refused to do the labor one day and was wrestled to the ground by a female officer with so much force that she was immediately incontinent. She went on a hunger strike to protest the torture she received. The police and inmates beat her and force-fed her. They added toxic drugs to the liquid used in the force-feeding, which made Niu immediately feel extremely uncomfortable and that her mind would explode. She suffered other abuses, including being locked in solitary confinement and having freezing cold water poured on her head in winter. The labor camp authorities had to ask her family to take her back home in 2002 because Nius health collapsed from all the torture. In spring 2005, she was again abducted by police when she was talking with people about how Falun Gong was good and that it was persecuted by the CCP. The police locked her in Xindian Labor Camp in Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi Province. She was force-fed a concentrated salt water solution mixed with toxic drugs. She was also given intravenous injections of an unknown substance every day. Niu Lanyun was tortured in Xiandian Labor Camp for 70 days and her body weight dropped to 77 pounds. She was sent to the doctor for examination, who said that she was dying. The labor camp notified her family to come and take her home. Thirty days later, the labor camp police teamed up with the Xinhua Street police station to kidnap Niu again. They tortured her for another 40 days before telling her family to take her home. Nius family was also under constant harassment and threats by the local police. Six days after the 2021 Chinese New Year, Niu had to leave her home to keep her family from harm. She found a rental place in the same city, and lived alone there before her death. Niu is not the only Falun Gong practitioner to die on the same day they were apprehended. On June 18, 2020, at about 5 a.m., the Fengrun District Public Security Bureau and police station in Tangshan City, Hebei Province, kidnapped approximately 30 Falun Gong practitioners in the area, including 68-year-old Han Yuqin. Han was pronounced dead around 4 p.m. the same day, as reported by Minghui.org on June 25, 2020. Guo Zhenxiang, an 82-year-old woman in Zhaoyuan City, Shandong Province, died hours after she was arrested on Jan. 11, 2019, according to Minghui.org. Minghui.org is a website dedicated to reporting on the Falun Gong community worldwide, with first-hand reports about the situation of Falun Gong adherents in China. The CCPs persecution of Falun Gong has been ongoing since 1999. So far, there are over 4,700 documented cases of Falun Gong practitioners dying as a result of torture and abuse in police custody since July 1999, according to Falun Dafa Infocenter. The actual death toll and number of imprisoned Falun Gong followers is thought to be much higher than what has been currently recorded due to the strict censorship of information by the CCP. Li Jiesi contributed to the report. The Top Chef stars farm-to-table restaurant Greenleaf shows off his classical French training, but his monthly Ansanm Sunday Dinners dive deeper into his Haitian heritage Aromas of citrus, garlic, and herbs flow through the Sunday evening air as Caribbean steel drums set the mood for a night of homecooked Haitian cuisine. As diners sip fruity cocktails and nibble on plantains, they could be forgiven for forgetting that they arent on a tropical getaway. Instead, theyre sitting in an old bank building in Milford, New Hampshire, nearly 1,700 miles from Haitis shores. More specifically, theyre attending an Ansanm Sunday Dinner at Greenleaf, an award-winning restaurant owned by James Beard-nominated chef Chris Viaud, who competed on season 18 of Top Chef. Though his time on television included wowing judges with a creative yet classic grilled cheese sandwichand winning $10,000Viaud set his culinary ambitions on introducing Milfords mouths to homemade favorites from his own childhood. Ansanm Sunday Dinners are really my mothers dinners, Viaud said. Unlike the menu for Greenleaf, all of the Ansanm dishes are those she prepared when we were growing up. On Sundays, shes the chef in the kitchenIm just the student. Viaud, a first-generation Haitian American, graduated from Johnson and Wales Universitys prestigious culinary program and honed his classic French cooking skills at Bostons Deuxave. From Tuesday through Saturday, he showcases his talents with tasty takes on familiar foods like duck rillette and roasted NY strip. But one Sunday each month, he opens Greenleafs doors to Ansanms menu of authentic Haitian dishes, prepared with love by himself and his parents, Myrlene and Yves. We curate the menu with different Haitian foods each time, so new and returning guests have a full opportunity to expand their knowledge of what Haitian cuisine is, he said. Its a beautiful evening offering a taste of our ancestry that you cant find in this area. Whether its poule nan sos (stewed chicken in a Creole sauce) or a side of pikliz (spicy vegetable slaw), every meal is rich enough to bring warm Caribbean vibes to the Granite Stateespecially when Viaud imports djon djon black mushrooms straight from Haitian soil. His hope is that the area embraces not only the cuisine, but Haitian culture as well. Viaud views each pop-up dinner as an opportunity to educate diners about Haitis diverse dishesand provide Milfords small Haitian community with a taste of home. Its been quite the journey and opportunity to share our culture with people who might have never experienced anything similar, Viaud said, to show them that Haitian cuisine can be as well-known and respected as French and Italian dishes. Meet the Chef: Chris Viaud Age: 31 From: Randolph, Mass. Lives: Milford, NH Caribbean Ingredients He Cant Live Without: Rice and plantains Best Meal for First-Timers to Haitian Cuisine: Griot (marinated twice-fried pork) If He Could Only Eat in One City Forever: Chicago Most Underrated Chef: Byron Gomez Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews (L), delivers the budget as Alberta Premier Jason Kenney watches in Edmonton on Feb. 27, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Jason Franson) Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews Not Ruling Out Run for UCP Leadership Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews is not ruling out a run to replace Jason Kenney as United Conservative party leader and premier. Toews says there would be a number of factors to consider, including what the rules of the race will be. But he says interest in the leadership race can be good for the party and the province. The party is working on the logistics of the race, but the vote is not expected for months. Two other cabinet ministers Rajan Sawhney and Jason Nixon have also said they are considering running. UCP backbencher Brian Jean and former Wildrose party Leader Danielle Smith have already said they will compete for Kenneys job. Kenney announced last week he is stepping down from the job following an underwhelming 51 percent support in a party leadership review. Actress Amber Heard arrives at the start of the day during actor Johnny Depp's defamation trial against her at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Va., on May 26, 2022. (Michael Reynolds/Pool via Reuters) Amber Heard Details Death Threats as Testimony Ends in Johnny Depp Defamation Case Aquaman actor Amber Heard delivered the final testimony in the multimillion-dollar defamation battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp on Thursday, telling jurors she has faced daily harassment and death threats since she accused the Hollywood star of abuse. Depp, 58, sued Heard in Virginia for $50 million and argued that she defamed him when she called herself a public figure representing domestic abuse. Heard, 36, has countersued for $100 million, saying Depp smeared her when his lawyer called her accusations a hoax. The dueling claims are expected to go to the jury on Friday after each side offers closing arguments. Heard wrapped up her testimony on Thursday saying she has been harassed, humiliated, threatened on social media since accusing the Pirates of the Caribbean star of physical and sexual abuse. People want to kill me and they tell me so every day, Heard said. People want to put my baby in the microwave. Heard adopted a baby girl in July 2021. She said the ongoing harassment was part of Depps crusade to publicly humiliate her. Depp admitted to writing in a 2016 text that Heard was begging for total global humiliation and shes gonna get it. He said it was written in anger when he learned she was alleging that he physically abused her. He wanted to ruin my career, Heard told the jury. The threats he made to humiliate me, globally, are being lived out in real time, in front of you and the whole world.Depp has denied hitting Heard or any woman and said she was the one who turned violent in their relationship. The pair met in 2011 while filming The Rum Diary and wed in February 2015. Their divorce was finalized about two years later. No human being is perfect, Depp said on Wednesday. But I have never in my life committed sexual battery, physical abuse. Actor Johnny Depp arrives at the start of the day during his defamation trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Court in Fairfax, Virginia, on May 26, 2022. (Michael Reynolds/Pool via Reuters) Over six weeks of proceedings, jurors have listened to explicit recordings of fights between the former couple, seen graphic photos of a bloody severed finger and heard arguments about feces found in the couples bed. Depp said Heard threw a vodka bottle that cut off the top of his finger during an argument in 2015. Heard denied injuring Depps finger and said Depp sexually assaulted her that night with a liquor bottle. He also said he believed Heard or a friend left feces in the bed the morning after a fight. Heard said the feces likely came from one of their dogs. At the center of the legal case is a December 2018 opinion piece by Heard in the Washington Post. The article never mentioned Depp by name, but his lawyer told jurors it was clear that Heard was referring to him. Depp, once among Hollywoods biggest stars, said Heards allegations cost him everything. A new Pirates movie was put on hold, and Depp was replaced in the Fantastic Beasts film franchise, a Harry Potter spinoff. Heards attorneys have argued that she told the truth and her opinion was protected free speech under the U.S. Constitutions First Amendment. They said she also lost work opportunities in Hollywood because of Depps accusations. Johnny has taken enough of my voice, Heard told the jury. I have the right to tell my story. Depp lost a libel case less than two years ago against the Sun, a British tabloid that labeled him a wife beater. A London High Court judge ruled that he had repeatedly assaulted Heard. Depps lawyers filed the U.S. case in Fairfax County, Virginia, because the Washington Post is printed there. The newspaper is not a defendant. By Lisa Richwine A Chinese passenger bound for Shenzhen, China, wears personal protective gear against COVID-19 before queuing to board a plane at the Sukarno Hatta international airport in Tangerang, Indonesia on June 8, 2021. (Adek Berry/AFP via Getty Images) An Uncertain and Hard Trip Back to China Amid Soaring Costs and Strict Rules: Chinese Traveler Chinese citizens working or studying abroad find it hard to return to China under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) border control measures. An employee of a Chinese state-owned company claimed that he had to pay the Chinese embassy in Egypt to guarantee his journey, on top of high airfares, quarantine expenses, testing fees, and various other costs. The CCP imposed strict inbound restrictions at its borders in March 2020 that included allowing each Chinese airline to maintain one flight on one route per week from a specific departure country. Passengers are required to stay at closed-loop quarantine hotels in the departure country before leaving, and on arrival in China, have their nucleic acid testing done at testing centers designated or recognized by the regimes embassy, and then apply for a green health code with a negative test result to check in and board a plane. Also, the scarce flights are extremely expensive and often canceled. Chinese nationals living outside the country complain online about steep air ticket prices, repeated flight cancellations, multiple nucleic acid testing both while abroad and then in China, false positive test results, and long isolation times in China. He Bin, a Chinas state-owned company employee working in Egypt, recounted the hardships that he and his colleagues experienced on their home-bound trip earlier this year. Soaring Airfares Costs, Constant Flight Cancelations, No Guarantee of Boarding He Bin (alias used for safety) told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times in a recent interview that he and his colleagues experienced uncertainty and high airfares on their flight back to China when the rest of the world had gradually returned to normal. The air ticket price [from Egypt to China] before the pandemic was around 4,000 yuan (about $600), but now it could be as high as 80,000 yuan ($12,000), He Bin said in the interview. Its really daylight robbery! Chinas civil aviation authorities issued a notice in April 2021 about Circuit Breaker Measures, meaning flights will be suspended for different lengths of time depending on the number of positive cases on arrival of a single flight. Flights are thus frequently canceled on short notice. Passengers wearing protective clothing, at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris prior to boarding a China Southern Airlines flight to Guangzhou on May 12, 2020. (Eric Piermont / AFP via Getty Images) Even when a booked flight is not canceled, there is still the possibility that one cannot board the plane. He Bin said that the airline uses the positive test result as an excuse to bump passengers off the flight. Suppose a flights seat capacity is 300 seats, but the airline sells 400 tickets and allows these 400 passengers with tickets to check in to a local quarantine hotel. Then they (the airline staff) claim Your test result is positive to 100 passengers and dont allow those 100 passengers to board the plane. The hotel quarantine fee, testing fee, and air ticket will not be refunded, and an additional cost of more than $1,500 if you change the air tickets for a later flight, He Bin said. It was a true case, according to He Bin, and most of the people who received positive test results at the quarantine hotel, received negative results when they were retested at local testing centers. There is a statement, dated June 22, 2021, on the Chinese-language website of Chinas embassy in Egypt, which reads: Among the 484 passengers who had booked tickets for the two flights to China from June 13 to 19, 108 passengers were tested positive by the Cairo testing agencies. The embassy has put them in different categories according to the epidemic prevention and control regulations and policies, and has arranged a proper placement for them. For He Bin and about 30 of his colleagues, the cost of a one-way air ticket ranged from $6,000 to over $9,000. They were not the only ones paying exorbitant ticket prices. A Chinese blogger named German Pie posted a video on Chinese social media about a Chinese student who left Germany for China. The student ended up buying three tickets, at prices ranging from over $1,500 to $14,000, because the first two flights were canceled and not refunded. He successfully boarded a plane with the third and the most expensive ticket. The student in the footage said that he had run up an overdraft of three years income to purchase the air ticketthe average monthly salary in his hometown in Shandong Province was about $450. Other students in the video said they waited a whole day at the airport, hoping to get a ticket back home. It has been three years of the pandemic, and returning to China is already out of reach for most of the overseas Chinese, the blogger German Pie wrote in the post. The Epoch Times is not able to verify these ticket prices. Other Fees On top of the airfares, He Bin and his colleagues had to pay many other fees. Hotel quarantine fees in Egypt, expenses of 14 days of isolation in China, testing fees before checking in at the hotel, a whole set of personal protective gearprotective clothing, N95 masks, goggles, gloves, foot coversall these will add up to roughly $3,000, He Bin said. He Bin said that Chinese passengers and crew members were the only people wearing the protective gear in the Cairo airport and that other people looked at them like they thought they were weird. If anything goes wrong while waiting, one has to start the process over again: take the tests required by the embassy, apply for a green health code issued by the embassy, and check into the designated hotel with the negative results and the green code, and hope to be lucky enough to board the plane. He Bin and his colleagues were returning to China for various personal emergencies: ill parents, attend a wedding, or a wife ready to give birth to a baby. So the company found a contact in the embassy through which they paid the embassy some money to guarantee a smooth trip, He Bin said. The Epoch Times cannot verify the guarantee fee and has reached out to the Chinese embassy in Egypt. The Chinese embassy replied that the complaint of the people paying the embassy money as a guarantee was not true. Gao Miao and Gu Xiaohua contributed to the report. The inevitable suffering of human life takes on a vastly different meaning in a culture that values pleasure and convenience above all else. In some spiritual traditions, the suffering of life is a necessary prerequisite for spiritual elevation; in others, our suffering is necessary to repay our past sins or karma. When the suffering of life has no meaning, however, and is seen as nothing more than a contradiction to the promises weve heard over television and the internetthat we should all have what we want, when we want it, and enjoy every minute of whatever it isthen we cant help but feel our suffering is inherently unjust. Yet, the more we expect life to be easy and entertaining, the less we are able to accept and navigate the constant unease that is the actual truth of the human condition. Consider all that together with a culture that constantly seduces us into easy pleasures that leave us ever more dissatisfiedfrom social media that breaks our sense of self-worth, to a consumer culture that saps our financial reservesand you gain additional hardship in place of any supposed improvements in quality of life. The final insult is that we are constantly losing those things that gave humans true satisfaction in life, like meaningful social connections, spiritual community, and downtime to relax with others or engage in our own pursuits, be they fishing or knitting. Amid a rise in loneliness, depression, and anxiety, and a loss of worldviews that make suffering meaningful, too many people are resorting to an extreme and final end to their pain; yet, rather than viewing suicide as the epidemic it is, many well-intentioned people are normalizing it or even advocating for it. The Facts Theres no shortage of statistics when it comes to suicide, and each analysis invites some insight and speculation. According to American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, which saw nearly 46,000 suicides in 2020. Most were middle-aged white men. On average, men kill themselves 3.6 times more often than women, and white men commit suicide more than twice as often as African American or Asian males, according to the latest published statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the AFSP, white men accounted for almost 70 percent of suicides in 2017. Some experts believe that men kill themselves more often because they are incapable of asking for help, showing weakness, or admitting when they have problems. Suicide isnt solely a male issue, however. Although fewer women die by their own hands, attempted suicides are more prevalent among themits known as the gender pardox in suicide, and it exists in other countries as well. Sarah Epstein, a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Dallas, said women may die in fewer numbers because they usually employ less lethal means, such as taking pills. Our middle-aged population suffers the most suicides, but teen suicide is also upbetween 1999 and 2014, the rate increased by 33 percent. Each year since 2016, more teens die by suicide than by car accidents. Beyond the larger cultural trends that are driving an unfathomable rise in suicide, each of us faces our own unique pain. Whether a suicide victim is young or old, male or female, every death leaves those left behind to wonder why: What was it that haunted our friends, co-workers, spouses, or children so much that they took their own lives? The details of each suicide story are different; but, is there a common denominator? Many researchers have found a strong link between depression and suicide, but some believe that there may be another major cause that is often overlooked. Anxiety and Suicide Dr. David Hanscom has devoted years to suicide study. Hanscom is a spinal surgeon who quit practicing surgery in 2019 to focus on helping people go pain-free without surgery. He has lost numerous friends and colleagues to suicide over the course of his career, and also had his own struggle with suicidal impulses. To be clear, suicidal tendancy isnt triggered by an occasional twinge of anxiety, but something constant. The upside to anxiety is hyper focus and alertness when a situation demands it; carrying that emotion around all the time and applying it to every situation, however, becomes self destructive. When were put under a tremendous amount of stress and have no resources to process it, the only thing we know how to do is simply suppress our stresses, said Hanscom. As our world enters a time of common decline, when we sense that everything around us is less than it once was, its easy to face difficulties with negative thoughts: nothing lasts the way it used to, nobody has the time they once did, people seem meaner and more selfish, on and on. A Life and Death Emotion Were all familiar with anxiety because its fundamental to our survival; it flares up whenever we face an immediate or perceived threat, jolting us with an alarming impulse to either fight or flee. While this feeling forces us into action, its uncomfortable by design and works best in small doses. If the fight-or-flight state wears on without letting up, it can slowly grind us down. It takes a toll, not just on the mind, but also on the physical body. When were constantly surging with elevated stress hormones, the body is on fire, in a biochemical sense. Prolonged stress causes inflammation, and prolonged inflammation causes illness. Thats why modern science identifies chronic stress as a high risk factor for serious illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. A review published in June 2017 in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that chronic inflammation is an essential component of chronic diseases. Researchers werent able to point to one particular mechanism responsible for this effect, but they concluded that stress reduction exercises, deep breathing, and yoga could effectively decrease inflammatory side effects. Because chronic stress can lead to a host of illnesses, it can also feed a toxic cycle, since illness can become a major source of stress, depression, and other issues. Hanscom believes that some people commit suicide for this reason also. Anxiety is an inflamed nervous system, said Hanscom. Other symptoms include depression, migraine headaches, back pain, neck pain, irritable bowel, spastic bladder, skin rashes, ringing in the earsall sorts of stuff happens when your bodys physiology is stuck in fight-or-flight. Suicide is the most extreme way in which people try to escape chronic stress. Other self-destructive coping mechanisms include drinking, taking drugs, and overeating. Resolving stress is a critical factor in combating the suicide epidemic. Sources of Stress Childhood trauma is often associated with troubling thoughts that induce stress. You can see it at work in something called an ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) score. The more traumatic childhood events we endure, the higher our risk for suicide, substance abuse, and other diseases. If your score is five or more, you have double the chance of suicide, heart disease, and obesity, said Hanscom. When youre raised in an abusive household, youre always on high alertyou dont know how to feel safebut when you become an adult who actually is safe, your brain doesnt know the difference. So, it takes less stress to fire up a fight-or-flight response if you have a high ACE score. It isnt only the downtrodden, unemployed, and painfully ill who die by suicide, however. Hanscom remembers one 18-month period of his life in which six of his highly successful friends killed themselves. They were all males between the ages of 45 and 60. One was a chiropractor, another owned a restaurant. Each one had millions of dollars, a family, and was an integral part of a community. So why would guys who seemingly had it all want to end their lives? Theres something called anxiety with success. I had the same thing. I had a beautiful home, family, kids, a successful practice, and a reputationit was all the things you could imagineand I was miserable, said Hanscom. That drive to be excellent is the same drive that takes you down. Its the same thing whether youre a physician or an athlete. A good job is its own reward, but some people pursue success because thats what theyve been programmed to do. We live in a time of hyper competition. Rarely has popular culture focused so intently on battling factions, whether they be reality TV contestants aiming to outlast each other on a tropical island, or digital characters battling in a vast online realm. Feelings of failure to measure up also enter into social media. Researchers say that more study is needed to prove that living in the peculiar culture of online social discourse actually fuels suicidal thoughts, but the rise in teen suicide coincides with the spread of social media, suggesting that its a pattern that deserves attention. Calm Your Mind, Cool Your Body While sources of stress are often outside of our control, stress and anxiety are internal reactions. We cant escape them, but theres much we can do to restrain them. The key is to minimize time spent in fight-or-flight mode. Instead of trying to suppress unpleasant repetitive thoughts, Hanscom recommends expressive writing as a way to acknowledge them and let them go. The act of quickly jotting down the thoughts that constantly circle through your mind is an exercise in capturing your inner dialogue. You neednt worry about punctuation, narrative, or continuity, the objective is to get whats in your head onto the page. This is the number one intervention, said Hanscome, noting that there are hundreds of studies that support expressive writing as an effective intervention to break loose from obsessive thought patterns. Avoid Triggers Meanwhile, avoid stoking flames. If violent movies, cable news, or social media leaves you agitated, then keep your distance from that bad influence. Instead, consider spending more time with supportive friends and family, in turn stimulating your body to produce oxytocin, a powerful anti-inflammatory chemical that medication simply cant match. A 2020 review of the chemical found that oxytocin has the capacity to act as a natural medicine protecting against stress and illness, while the unique characteristics of the oxytocin molecule make it challenging to turn into a drug. Some people in your life might be less than supportive; learn to let it go, and reflect on the price you personally pay for any resentment you carry. Hanscom said that the vast majority of people unable to resolve their chronic pain also fail to forgive those who caused their injuries. Chronic pain is a significant contributor to suicide, while forgiveness is a balm for the body and soul. Finding Relief Forgiveness can take time, but some issues are immediately addressable. For example, when you feel anxiety start to flare up, do something to stimulate your vagus nerve. The vagus, meaning wanderer, is so named because of how much territory it covers in the bodyits the bodys longest nerveand its acutely associated with the rest and digest state, the bodys counter to fight-or-flight mode. Activities like humming, singing, and breathing exercises have all shown to have a calming effect on this special nerve. There are techniques to reduce your inflammation as well. Exercise can be highly anti-inflammatory. Its also good to steer clear of foods that cause an inflammatory response, such as refined carbs, fried foods, and sugar; instead, eat more vegetables, fatty fish, and nuts. And dont forget the most important anti-inflammatory behavior: sleep. When Im dealing with people with mental or physical pain issues, I just have to get them to sleep. Nothing else really works until theyre actually sleeping, said Hanscom. Lack of sleep is inflammatorytheres research that shows that lack of sleep actually causes chronic low back painits not the other way around. Finally, instead of focusing on what youre anxious or angry about all the time, make some space for your hopes and dreams. What brings you joy? What do you want? From a neuroplasticity standpoint, your brain will focus on what youre trying to accomplish, said Hanscom. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) speaks on banning stock trades for members of Congress at news conference on Capitol Hill on April 07, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) AOC Says She Wants to Ditch Her Tesla Following Online Spat With Musk Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) said she wants to give up her Tesla, one month after getting into an online spat with Elon Musk on Twitter. The progressive Democrat revealed her plan after being asked about the billionaires recent comments that he was going to vote Republican in the upcoming elections. Ocasio-Cortez purchased her Tesla Model 3 in 2020 when the pandemic began to commute between Washington and her Queens and Bronx districts, but said shed now go for a union-made electric vehicle. At the time, it was the only EV that could get me from New York to Washington on like one, or one-and-a-half charges, Ocasio-Cortez recently told Bloomberg. I would love to switch, she added. She said the move would be to support a manufacturer that allowed workers to unionize. The Tesla CEO this year has drawn the ire of progressives after announcing his bid to take over Twitter with a view to restoring free speech on a platform that he described as having a very far-left bias. Musk has also vowed to stop what he calls woke mind virus. Hes a billionaire. I could care less what he thinks, Ocasio-Cortez told the outlet. The Epoch Times has reached out to her office for comment. Her remarks came after a Twitter dispute with Musk a month ago, when she took a swipe at the CEO over his plans to buy the social media platform, calling him some billionaire with an ego problem, without specifically naming Musk. Tired of having to collectively stress about what explosion of hate crimes is happening bc [sic] some billionaire with an ego problem unilaterally controls a massive communication platform and skews it because Tucker Carlson or Peter Thiel took him to dinner and made him feel special, Ocasio-Cortez wrote in late April. Stop hitting on me, Im really shy, Musk wrote in response, followed by a blushing smiley face emoji. Stop hitting on me, Im really shy Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2022 The New York representative initially reacted to the CEO in a now-deleted message claiming she was referring to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, but later deleted it and reposted a screenshot of the exchange, adding: Like I said, ego problems. Musks comments appeared to be in reference to a string of Twitter posts Ocasio-Cortez shared back in December in which she claimed that her Republican detractors were mad because they wanted to date her. She made the comments in response to former Trump advisor Steve Cortes, who shared a photo of Ocasio-Cortez and her partner dining outside, noting that she had gone on vacation to Florida, a place without mask and vaccine mandates, policies that the democratic lawmaker stands against. 1. If Leftists like AOC actually thought mandates and masking worked, they wouldnt be frolicking in free FL. 2. Her guy is showing his gross pale male feet in public (not at a pool/beach) with hideous sandals. O for 2 pic.twitter.com/SNqBqMwr12 Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) December 31, 2021 If Republicans are mad they cant date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriends feet, Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a post. A May 4 report by research firm Morning Consult showed that 44 percent of EV-interested consumers identify as Democrats, while 23 percent say they are Republicans. Yet such a divide is much narrower regarding Tesla. As of April, there was only a 2 percentage point gap between Democrats and Republicans for buyers considering a Tesla. Other Democrats who own Tesla cars, according to Bloomberg, include Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.). As UK Criminals Jailed Mist of Secrecy Remains About French EncroChat Data Hack LONDONTwo British men have been jailed for conspiracy to murder and a number of other crimes after a prosecution that was made possible only when French police hacked into the EncroChat network. Paul Fontaine, 36, from Hackney, east London, and Frankie Sinclair, 34, from Cardiff, Wales, were jailed for life, with a minimum term of 18 years, on Friday for conspiracy to murder after a trial at the Old Bailey in London. Judge John Hillen said they were both part of a nationwide criminal network which used EncroChat. The trial was one of a number in the last year involving evidence from a hack of the EncroChat encrypted phone network, which at one time included 50,000 users, more than 5,000 of which were reportedly in Britain. Lawyers and civil rights groups across Europe are challenging the secret operation that hacked EncroChat in spring 2020. Convictions Could Be Quashed Britains Investigatory Powers Tribunal is set to deliver a final ruling later this year in response to various challenges over the legality of the hack, which could mean dozens of EncroChat convictions, like that of Sinclair and Fontaine, could be quashed. A Belgium-based NGO, Fair Trials, has called for a moratorium on EncroChat prosecutions and wants a European parliamentary inquiry into the use of Pegasus, the Israeli-made spyware, to be extended to include EncroChat. Laure Baudrihaye-Gerard, legal director (Europe) of Fair Trials, said the EncroChat hack was a massive fishing expedition by the French police and she told The Epoch Times: This was just a massive trawl. Mass police surveillance which was contrary to any form of EU rules on privacy and data protection. Some time in March 2020 French police, using malware in the form of a software update, managed to hack into EncroChats network which was hosted on a server in the town of Roubaix in northern France, and infiltrated tens of thousands of encrypted messages between individuals who used EncroChat phones. In June 2020 EncroChat cottoned on to the fact its server had been compromised and sent a message to all users warning them to stop using their phones and dispose of them immediately. French Police Shared Data With Forces All Over Europe But French police were already sharing the information they had harvested with law enforcement agencies across Europe via Europol. National security journalist Duncan Campbell told a Fair Trials webinar in March 2021 the British police could have used the data simply as intelligence, like they would have done for phone tapping evidence, but they clearly felt like Christmas had come early and decided to get around the Investigatory Powers Act so they could use it in prosecutions. An undated handout photo issued by the Police Service of Northern Ireland of police during a raid in Operation Venetic, an investigation into EncroChat, an encrypted phone network. (PA Media/Police Service of Northern Ireland) Britains National Crime Agency took the data it had been given by Europol and immediately launched Operation Venetic, passing information to local forces which swooped on suspects all over the country. Computer Weekly reported that Campbell gave evidence as an expert witness at the trial of Fontaine and Sinclair and said: None of us in the field have ever seen a case where there is no possibility of checking original data. And that is creating a problem for everyone. You have the real-world data but also have data that has emerged from behind a wall of complete secrecy. The situation is unprecedented. The Identities Behind Usualwolf and NudeTrain Fontainewhose EncroChat handle was Usualwolfwas said to have supplied a 9 mm Makarov self-loading pistol used to murder Abdullahi Mahamoud in Enfield, north London, on March 19 2020. He later sourced a Walther PPK pistol in Newcastle for Sinclairwhose EncroChat handle was NudeTrainto murder rival Keiron Hassan, but that attack was thwarted when Hassan was arrested, and later jailed for 20 years, for an unconnected crime in Cardiff. Two men Chris Dixon and Elliott Hopewell who supplied Sinclair with the gun are still awaiting sentencing in Newcastle while another gun supplier, known only by his EncroChat handle, Chestbridge, remains at large. Acting Detective Inspector John Cowell, an EncroChat expert in the Metropolitan Police, testified in December 2021 at the trial of Anis Hemissi, a Swedish assassin who was jailed for life in February 2022 for murdering gangster Alex Beqiri on the doostep of his London home on Christmas Eve 2019. Cowell told the trial at Southwark Crown Court, Between March and June 2020 communications on EncroChat were captured by law enforcement. He said EncroChat, which used specially designed Android smartphones, was highly secure and this had been its unique selling point in adverts aimed at criminals. They said it was like two people in an enclosed room. They guaranteed nobody would find your messages, said Cowell. He said EncroChat phones had settings which allowed the user to set a burn time of between one second and 14 days, which meant you could not only delete messages on your handset after you had sent them, but you could also wipe them from the handset of the person who received them. EncroChat Phones Had Panic Wipe Prosecutor Peter Ratliff QC asked him, Was there a panic wipe feature? Yes. If you were stopped by law enforcement you could give them a PIN code which would wipe the device, replied Cowell. It was suggested during the trial that Hemissi had done just that when police asked him for the PIN number to his own EncroChat phone. Cowell said: If you turned the phone on it would look like a normal smartphone. But if you turned it on in a certain sequence it would turn on the secure system. He said: They werent widely available in the UK. You couldnt buy them in Carphone Warehouse or wherever. You had to buy them on the EncroChat website or from a reseller. Gwen Jansen, a Dutch defence lawyer and member of the advisory board of the European Criminal Bar Association, said there had been a mist of secrecy surrounding the EncroChat hack which had made it hard for people to get a fair trial. She said lawyers for EncroChat clients in a number of countries were hoping to get their cases looked at by the European Court of Justice and she said she would fight it to the bitter end. Jansen said there had been a huge breach of privacy with EncroChat and she told The Epoch Times: What worries me is there are no rules on when it should stop. You can say EncroChat is said to be used by many criminals but the next question is Telegram, look people use Telegram, are we going to collect all their data? And then the next thing is we collect all the phone data? Setting a Dangerous Precedent? Baudrihaye-Gerard agreed: What sort of precedent does it set? What if they decide to go after WhatsApp next? Its about transparency and accountability. Its a massively dangerous precedence and dangerous path theyre going down, Baudrihaye-Gerard added. In Britain there has already been one attempt to challenge an EncroChat conviction in the Court of Appeal. Lawyers for a group of anonymous defendants claimed EncroChat data was the same as evidence obtained by phone tapping, which is inadmissible in English and Welsh courts. But the prosecution claimed it should be treated in the same way as messages on mobile phones, which are admissible in court. The key was whether, at the point the data was intercepted, it was being stored in or by the system by which they were transmitted, or were being transmitted. A group of people who were targeted by the EncroChat investigation have taken their cases to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, a secretive body which supervises warrants for phone tapping and data interception by the police and intelligence services. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal is set to deliver a final ruling in September. Since the EncroChat operation, two other encrypted networks have been broken, Sky ECC and AN0M. The Epoch Times reached out to the UKs National Crime Agency, which said it could not comment while there were ongoing proceedings. Audit of Hong Kong and Chinese Officials UK Assets a Precursor to Magnitsky-Style Sanctions, Say British Lawmakers MPs are putting pressure on the UK government to launch a root and branch audit of assets held by Hong Kong and Chinese officials linked to human rights violations. A cross-party group of 110 parliamentarians have written to the Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, citing research by pressure group Hong Kong Watch, which claims it has found five Hong Kong officials and six lawmakers complicit in the ongoing human rights crackdown currently own property in the UK. The letter is being sent to mark the upcoming secondary anniversary of the introduction of the National Security Law, which has seen civil society stamped out in Hong Kong with hundreds arrested and imprisoned. The British MPs say the audits findings could serve as a pathway to the UK finally introducing a Hong Kong specific Magnitsky-style sanctions specific sanctions list. It is absolutely imperative that anybody accused of human rights violations, including in Hong Kong, is unable to hold assets or property here in the UK, said one of the letters signatures, Siobhain McDonagh MP. She added: We must ask ourselves what it means to be complicit and whether our human rights rhetoric stands up to reality. A full audit of these assets is urgently needed. The letter also follows the arrests of a number of other prominent pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong under the Beijing enforced National Security Lawincluding 90-year-old Cardinal Zen, who was taken into custody last week. It is also designed to dampen the upcoming installation as Kong Kongs new Chief Executive, John Lee, the pro-Beijing hardliner taking over from current leader Carrie Lam, following the citys chief executive electionin which he was the sole candidate. Letter signer Tom Tugendhat MP, said a deeper understanding of the assets that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials hold in the UK is an important step. This work should start now, he added. Another signature, Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, a prominent and vocal critic of Beijing in the British Parliament, said: As we approach the second anniversary of Beijing enforcing its draconian National Security Law on Hong Kong, the Foreign Secretary should learn from the united western response to Russias brutal war in Ukraine and undertake an audit of the assets of Hong Kong and Chinese officials in the UK. Smith said this would serve as a pathway to the UK finally introducing a Hong Kong specific Magnitsky-style sanctions list against those officials responsible for the ongoing human rights violations in the city. The so-called Magnitsky sanctions target those responsible for human rights violations or corruptionand the name derives from the case of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian tax lawyer who in 2007 uncovered a $230 million fraud committed by tax officials in the Russian Interior Ministry. He was jailed in Russia in 2008 on charges of tax evasion and died in prison in 2009, having suffered human rights violations while in detention. Other nations have since enacted similar legislation. The U.S. Congress passed the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act in 2012, while the Global Human Rights Magnitsky Accountability Act was passed in 2016. Other countries have also passed their own Magnitsky legislation, including Canada in 2017 and the European Union in 2020. Baby Formula Shortage Could Persist Until July: FDA Commissioner Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf said the severe nationwide shortage of baby formula is expected to be eased within two months. Testifying before a Senate hearing, Califf said that while he cannot give exact dates, his expectation is that within two months we should be beyond normal and with a plethora of formula supply. Its going to be gradual improvement up to probably somewhere around two months until the shelves are replete again, he told lawmakers at the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on the baby formula shortage on Thursday. Due to all the measures being taken, the shortage is going to be getting better and better. Supply chain pressures and a shortage of workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic have been responsible for an ongoing baby formula shortage in the nation, but the supply became even more scarce after Abbott Nutrition in February recalled multiple baby formula products, including some Similac products, after four infants fell sick, two of whom died. Abbott, which has the largest U.S. market share for infant formula, also temporarily shuttered its formula manufacturing plant in Sturgis, Michiganwhere the recalled products were producedover safety concerns, after an FDA investigation found unsanitary conditions there. The plant is one of three run by Abbott. An investigation into suspected bacterial contamination at the facility failed to confirm a link to the recalled products, with the FDA saying the bacterial strains the infants fell sick to did not match the strains at the plant. Abbott said the plant is due to resume production on June 4, but previously noted it would take six to eight weeks for the products to arrive in stores. The company said it would prioritize supplying its specialty formula EleCare on or about June 20. The formula would be provided to children in need for free. Califf said that FDA inspectors found unsanitary conditions at the Sturgis facility, including evidence of previous bacterial contamination, roof leaks, and a lack of adequate hygiene. Before it can reopen, the facility has to implement a series of steps to ensure safe production to comply with U.S. food safety standards, he said. Robert Califf, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, testifies during a House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing about the baby formula shortage, in Washington, on May 25, 2022. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) On Wednesday, Califf had told House lawmakers that Abbott did not have a contingency plan to produce its specialty formulas that serve as the only source of nutrition for thousands of babies with metabolic disorders. He added that the best option was to enter into a consent decree agreement with Abbott, where we literally have oversight of every single step of remediation of problems at the facility to get it back to production as soon as possible. The FDA eased import restrictions this month by doing away with various labeling requirements. These rules had contributed to about 98 percent of the pre-crisis baby formula supply being produced domestically by just three companies. The Biden administration sees the easing of restrictions as a temporary measure before the normal supply chain stabilizes. Separately, the U.S. Department of Defense is airlifting about 1.5 million 8-ounce bottles of baby formula from Europe, as part of the White Houses recently launched initiative Operation Fly Formula. The first lots of formula arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana, from Germany on Sunday. The Biden administration also invoked the Defense Production Act to help manufacturers obtain ingredients to produce more baby formula. A driver unloads raw crude oil from his tanker to process into gas at Marathon Refinery in Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 24, 2022. (George Frey/Getty Images) Brent Crude Oil Could Reach $150 per Barrel If Russian Exports Are Sanctioned: Bank of America There are major concerns over the tightening supply situation in the global crude oil market, as the global oil benchmark Brent crude nears a two-month high. Brent crude could rise past $150 a barrel if there is a sharp cut in Russian oil exports, according to Bank of Americas (BOA) Global Research report on May 27. Prices of both commodities increased more than 3 percent after trading on May 26, on top of their already elevated prices. The high prices are being driven by stronger demand for fuel as the pandemic winds down, while tight supplies and oil sanctions on Moscow are not easing the situation. West Texas Intermediate futures were trading at $114 per barrel, while Brent crude futures were trading at $117 per barrel at the time of writing. Oil prices have surged and inventories in the United States and Europe have plummeted since Western nations imposed sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. With our $120/bbl Brent target now in sight, we believe that a sharp contraction in Russian oil exports could push Brent well past $150/bbl, noted BOA analysts. The report admitted that its earlier prediction that Brent oil would be priced on average at $102 per barrel over 2022 and 2023 no longer rings true. The moving averages for 20, 50, and 200 days were at $110, $108, and $90 per barrel, respectively. Analysts are not expecting oil demand to return to pre-pandemic levels anytime this year. For now, the bank is forecasting Brent prices at averaging at $104.48/bbl in 2022 and $100/bbl in 2023. A supply-led $30/bbl increase in oil prices this year shaved 1.5mn b/d off demand, preventing a recovery to pre-COVID levels, bank analysts said. The report said that the only way oil demand could approach 2020 levels in 2023 would be if Russian energy production were to hold near 10 million barrels per day, and if OPEC+ were to increase production. An increase in U.S. domestic energy production is another factor, but is not expected to improve under the Biden administration. The European Commission is attempting to press forward with its proposed oil embargo on Russia, but Hungary, which is dependent on oil and gas imports from Moscow, has so far vetoed the measure. Hungary has requested almost a billion dollars to upgrade its oil refineries before even agreeing with its fellow EU members to restrict Russian oil imports into Europe. EU negotiators are trying to strike a deal with Hungary on the Russian oil sanctions by offering concessions that would exempt oil delivered by pipeline to Hungary, in order to pass the agreement. If Hungary accepts the proposal, an agreement could be reached by the ambassadors of EU member states in Brussels on May 29, in time for the May 3031 leadership summit. Meanwhile, the reduction of Russia energy imports into the EU and the United Kingdom sparked an economic downturn in areas already struggling to recover from pandemic lockdowns. Oil prices were still on track for weekly gains as of May 27 due to rising gas consumption in the United States amid the start of the summer driving season and the pending EU ban on Russian oil. Reuters contributed to this report. UK Doctor Struck Off Medical Register For Wrongly Prescribing Transgender Medication A British doctor who supplied puberty blockers to a child as young as nine has been struck off the medical register for wrongly prescribing treatments to seven transgender patients. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) confirmed to The Epoch Times that Dr. Michael Webberley has been struck off the medical register, its most severe sanction, on May 25. The MPTS runs hearings, which make independent decisions about whether doctors are fit to practice medicine in the UK. GenderGP The Tribunal determined that, in all the circumstances of this case, and for all the reasons set out above, having balanced the interest of the doctor and the public, erasing Dr Webberleys name from the Medical Register is the only appropriate sanction in order to meet the Dr Michael Webberleys MPTS Misconduct Tribunal (@tribunaltweets2) May 25, 2022 Writer and campaigner for the rights of women and girls, Jo Bartosch, told The Epoch Times that she believed the ruling against Dr. Michael Webberley will not be the last of its type, it signals the opening of the floodgates. Webberley, a retired Consultant Physician, operated an online clinic called GenderGP which was founded in 2015 by his wife Dr. Helen Webberley. The company is based in Spain and registered in Belize. The tribunal determined that was set up in such a way as to avoid the regulatory framework of the UK. In 2020 on her site, Helen Webberley wrote she had transferred the ownership of GenderGP and all its assets to Harland International, an LGBTQI company based in Hong Kong. She said her role as owner and director was over and is still involved in the business side of the organization in Spain. Recently she said that Michael Webberley has not been involved in GenderGP for some time. Helen Webberley received an interim suspension by the MPTS while a tribunal is ongoing. She was convicted in 2018 of running an independent medical agency without being registered under the Care Standards Act 2000 and was fined 12,000. The online advice and prescription clinic offers an affirming transgender healthcare clinic with services including medication, hormones, blockers, blood tests, counselling, and prescriptions. Michael Webberley also provided androgen treatment through a company known as Balance My Hormones. Puberty blockers, also called GnRH analogues, or drugs that are used to postpone puberty in children. Increasingly, brakes are being put on such physical interventions to treat children diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the UK, Sweden, Finland, and France. The tribunal found that he was found working outside the limits of his expertise as a consultant gastroenterologist and without the necessary qualifications and training and experience in transgender medicine. The tribunals judgment findings found that he had demonstrated a profound lack of insight into the seriousness of his actions. It added that erasing Dr. Webberleys name from the Medical Register was the only appropriate sanction in order to meet the overarching objective which is to protect patients, maintain public confidence in the medical profession and uphold proper professional standards. Dishonest Webberley faced 89 heads of charge spanning the period between 2017 and 2019, including seven transgender patients to whom Webberley provided hormone treatment through GenderGP, with the tribunal finding some of Webberleys conduct dishonest. One patient, a girl who wanted to live as a boy, was only nine years when offered hormone-blocking treatment. One 22-year-old, with a history of taking anti-psychotic, anti-depressant, and sedative medication, and was diagnosed with gender dysphoria without meeting Webberley in person, and only through a couple of brief emails. The tribunal wrote that in England, young patients, and children in particular, need careful psychological assessment before a diagnosis of gender dysphoria and a decision to prescribe puberty blockers. This is because a child/young persons gender identity may be confused or obscured by other factors in their life such as family dynamics, autistic disorders, child abuse or emerging sexuality, therefore psychological assessment and exploration is necessary to establish a secure diagnosis and determine appropriate treatment, if any, it added. In one instance, the tribunal regarded it as striking that Webberleys first email appeared to anticipate puberty blocker treatment before he could possibly have known that a diagnosis of gender dysphoria was appropriate or indeed treatment by puberty blockers would be clinically indicated. One transgender teenager took their own life in 2018 and as a result of media coverage, the General Medical Council (GMC) became aware that prior to the patients death, they had received hormone treatment from GenderGP. With all seven patients, it was found that he provided treatment that wasnt clinically indicated or had been prescribed without adequate tests, examinations or assessments. Concerns were initially raised with the GMC regarding Webberley and his provision of online services in 2018. The concerns were reported by a doctor who informed the GMC that he was the founder of a private clinic called Mens Health Clinic specializing in the diagnosis and management of testosterone deficiency syndrome. The reporting doctor advised the GMC that he had dealt with a number of patients in the preceding 10 months whose care had been transferred to him from Webberleys company Balance My Hormones. Referral patients had raised concerns with the doctor at Mens Health Clinic. This was specifically, regarding a failure to hold face-to-face consultations, or to conduct any examinations (either physical or mental) before inappropriately prescribing medications, a failure to provide adequate follow-up care, and poor-quality record-keeping. Long-Overdue Questions In a statement on May 19th, GenderGP wrote that patients were united and unwavering in their support and feedback. Although Dr. Michael Webberley has not been involved in GenderGP for some time, we as an organisation, and our patient community, are here in part because of his efforts and courage in putting everything on the line to provide the best care possible for his patients, wrote GenderGP. Bartosch, who criticizes the gender-affirming approach which can result in children undergoing medical procedures, said that NHS clinicians should pay attention to this case, with the upcoming review into the Tavistock & imminent release of the Cass Review. The interim Cass Review on Tavistock GID, the largest and oldest gender clinic in the UK, by top British pediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass, prompted British Health Secretary Sajid Javid to order officials to formally investigate the approach taken by NHS clinics amid warnings of harmful practices, stating that the system is failing children. It seems inevitable that long-overdue questions will be asked about how the basic & binding principle of first do no harm was cast aside to make room for a dangerous ideology, she added. I sincerely hope criminal proceedings now follow from this ruling by the MPTS, said Bartosch. The Epoch Times contacted GenderGP and the lawyer representing him at the tribunal for comment. Congresswoman Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) and husband Shawn Steel at Segerstrom Center for the Arts on May 22, 2022. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times) COSTA MESA, Calif.Michelle Steel, Republican congresswoman for Californias 48th congressional district, was thrilled by Shen Yun Performing Arts at Segerstrom Center for the Arts on May 22. Mrs. Steel is one of the first Korean-American women to serve in Congress. As a young adult, she came to America searching for opportunities in the hope of a better future. Its fabulous every year I see it, she said of Shen Yun. The costumes, culture, and those dancing moves, its just amazing! Recently appointed to the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, which monitors human rights and rule-of-law developments, Mrs. Steel was glad that Shen Yun is highlighting, through song and dance, some of the atrocities currently happening in China. I am very happy that they are actually talking about whats going on in the whole worldespecially in China so I just loved every bit of it, she said. Summarizing her experience, Mrs. Steel said Shen Yun was just awesome! Based in New York, Shen Yun is the worlds premier classical Chinese dance company. With a mission to revive Chinas 5,000-year-old culture, the company presents folk dances, solo performances, and story-based pieces that tell tales from ancient times to the modern day. The companys website says its performance this year demonstrates China before communism. In addition to ancient heroes and legends, Shen Yun presents mini-dramas that depict the persecution of Falun Dafa, a meditation discipline based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. In 1999 the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a persecution campaign against the spiritual practice and adherents have since been subjected to unprecedented imprisonment, torture, and abuse. Mrs. Steel said she supported how the performances stood up to the CCP, something that she herself has done with one example being her efforts regarding the 2022 Olympic Games held in Beijing. We tried to change the venue for the Olympics in Beijing. Senator Ted Cruz and I sent a letter out to Olympic Committee to change the venue and it never happened, she said. According to The Epoch Times, a letter from Mrs. Steel and Mr. Cruz was sent out on March 19 and addressed to the Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. The letter argued that the goal of the Olympics to promote a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity contradicted the evidential and violent repression of dissenting minorities in China by the CCP. Mrs. Steel then sent a letter to 17 different American corporate sponsors of the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing to use their advertisements to showcase the CCPs human rights abuses. I said, Why dont you just spend a little bit of your advertising money to let the whole world know what kind of human rights violation the CCP has been doing? Not even one company responded. And its just so sad to see how far they can go, she said. Advocating for human rights nationally and internationally, Mrs. Steel and her husband Shawn Steel, who serves on the Republican National Committee, have been doing work to help end the crime of forced organ harvesting in China. A mini-drama from this years Shen Yun illustrates how organ harvesting is part of the CCPs persecution of Falun Dafa. That scene, Mrs. Steel commented, made the most impact on her. My husband and I fought organ harvesting. We tried to stop that. And we want the world to know what the Chinese government is doing. So that really hit me, she said. Reporting by Linda Jiang 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. Voters wait in line to vote early in Little Rock, Ark., in a file photo. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston) Career Prosecutor Defeats George Soros-Backed Candidate in Arkansas Race In the first contested race in decades for top prosecutor of Arkansass largest judicial district, career prosecutor Will Jones prevailed against George Soros-backed progressive opponent Alicia Walton. Jones on May 24 received 30,696 votes, or 53 percent of votes cast, compared to Waltons 26,695 votes in the nonpartisan race, according to unofficial results published by the Arkansas secretary of state. Jones told The Epoch Times that he plans to boost office efficiency to tackle case backlogs caused by court shutdowns during the pandemic. He also wants to create a forensic unit to help prosecutors build stronger cases through electronic evidence. He began his prosecutor career at the 6th Judicial DistrictArkansass largest judicial district, which is home to the state capital Little Rockright after he graduated from law school in 2001. He now works as chief deputy prosecutor in the 11th West Judicial District of Arkansas. Jones raised $267,270 during his campaign, 80 percent of which came from in-state donors, according to financial disclosures published by the Arkansas secretary of state. Will Jones. (Courtesy of Will Jones) My victory came from my connection and relationship with our local community. The local community rallied around us, and thats what helped carry us to victory, Jones said. By contrast, Walton, a public defender who ran on a progressive platform, raised only $23,890 during her campaign. A month before the election, billionaire George Soros poured $321,000 into a newly formed PAC called Arkansas Justice and Public Safety. Nearly $268,800 was spent from that PAC in support of Walton, according to financial disclosures published by the secretary of state. Soros has a record of supporting progressive prosecutor candidates across the country. The out-of-state money for Walton got Jones nervous, he acknowledged. It also turned off a group of locals, including Little Rock resident Frederick Gentry. Gentry has been involved in local politics for years. It is important that you raise money from within the state versus from outside of the state. I think that says a lot about ones campaign and their ability to reach out to people in the communities, Gentry said. Walton told The Epoch Times that Soros didnt communicate directly with her campaign. She said the billionaires money helped first-time minority candidates like her to level the playing field. My campaign went up against the establishment in Arkansas, including the well-known Democrats, a subset of the Republican Party, and the entire prosecutors office. They made sure that my opponent was well-funded. For me, I only had two full-time volunteers, Walton told The Epoch Times. Alicia Walton. (Courtesy of Alicia Walton) Walton started her legal career at the Arkansas Center for Legal Services, a nonprofit providing free legal services to low-income Arkansans. She then opened her own private criminal defense practice before joining the Pulaski County Public Defender Office in Arkansas, where she helped create two specialty courts for veterans and people with mental health problems. Walton told The Epoch Times that she plans to run for the same post again in four years. Her top priorities as a candidate will remain about the same, including dealing with mass incarceration, taking care of victims, and cutting recidivism through rehabilitation services, she said. By contrast, Jones said mass incarceration isnt the real problem of the 6th Judicial District, which comprises two counties, Pulaski and Perry. The incarceration rate for the district is about 30 percent, which means 70 percent of the people who came into the system didnt end up in jail or prison, he said. Among the 30 percent, most people went behind bars after committing a violent crime, committing a new offense on parole, or repeatedly committing a crimeusually cases where prosecutors are bound by law to recommend incarceration, Jones said. It seems that the progressive policies are focused more on offenders than the victims and they upend the balance in our judicial system. I think our system needs balance, which is prosecution on one side focused on victims while being fair to the defendants, and defense attorneys on the other side looking out for the offenders, Jones said. Two political action committees financed by Arkansas businessmen and real estate professionals, Safer Cities Arkansas and Fair Courts America, also spent a total of $272,319 in support of Jones, according to financial disclosures published by the Arkansas secretary of state. Last May, the longtime incumbent prosecuting attorney of the 6th Judicial District, Larry Jegley, decided to retire at the end of his eighth term. Jegley never had an opponent in his previous reelection bids over the past two decades. Carnival Cruise Ship Catches Fire in Caribbean: Company A Carnival Cruise Line ship caught on fire Thursday morning near Grand Turk island, leaving passengers stranded before a new one arrives, said company officials. In a statement, the company wrote that its emergency response team quickly activated and extinguished a fire inside the ships funnel. All guests and crew are safe, and all other ship, hotel, and guest services, along with safety equipment are fully functioning. While the majority of Carnival Freedoms guests went ashore in Grand Turk today, the firm added, Carnivals technical team completed an initial assessment of the funnel and related features, and the shoreside team completed a plan to get our guests back to Port Canaveral. The ship will now head back to Freeport, Bahamas, for repairs, the statement said. The Carnival Freedom had departed Port Canaveral on Monday on a five-day cruise. The May 28 departure of Carnival Freedom from Port Canaveral has been canceled, said the company. Guests booked on the impacted sailings on Carnival Conquest and Carnival Freedom voyages have been notified of these changes. Carnival apologized to all those guests who are impacted and offered special thanks to the crew who handled the situation on the ship effectively and according to safety protocols. Among those on board the ship were Jenny Fleming and her mother, who were among the first to report there was a fire on board. Mom and I were sitting on the balcony, drinking coffee, as we were docking, and some amazing people on the (Carnival) Mardi Gras next to us start screaming at us that theres a fire, Fleming told Florida Today. Mom runs inside and calls 911, and we were apparently the first to report it. Katie Bushnell of Louisiana said she was on another cruise ship that was docked near the Carnival Freedom and saw the incident. We woke up around 7:30 a.m., and I hear people screaming outside our room, she said, according to Florida Today. I go on our balcony, and people are saying the ship is on fire! I look up and see black smoke billowing out from a ship, and I thought it was ours. She added that people were screaming from our ship to the other ship. I start trying to get the right view of the other ship, and, sure enough, we see their ship on fire. It was raging and growing bigger and bigger. I was so scared because it was just beginning, and the staff was just being alerted. So we watched it and tried alerting others on their balcony on the other ship. In March, the Norwegian Escape cruise ship ran aground in the Dominican Republic, and its passengers were flown home. CCP Threatens Quad With Nukes Russia joined in flights against the US, Japan, Australia, and India Commentary While China and Russia coordinate nuclear-capable bomber flights against the United States and its Quad alliesJapan, Australia, and Indiathe Quad is tied in knots, talking about fishing patrols, making unilateral concessions on Taiwan, and turning a blind eye to Russias invasion of Ukraine. On May 24, the same day that Quad heads of state, including U.S. President Joe Biden, held their meetings in Tokyo, six Chinese and Russian bombers flew over the Sea of Japan and environs. The flights directly threatened the other Quad heads of state, including Fumio Kishida of Japan, Anthony Albanese of Australia, and Narendra Modi of India. Japans Air Self-Defense Force scrambled fighter jets in response to the bombers, warning them off the countrys airspace. Beijing aims to threaten, degrade, and test Japan and Taiwans air forces. The number of belligerent flights has increased in tandem with Chinas economic growth and military spending. In February, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Navy went further, sailing into Australias exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and firing a military-grade laser at an Australian air force plane conducting legitimate surveillance close to home. In the context of such belligerence, the Biden administration is doing too little and sometimes even backsliding into unilateral concessions. On May 22, national security adviser Jake Sullivan made such a concession to Beijing, perhaps to improve the chances of securing a summit between Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Sullivan announced that Taiwan wouldnt be joining Bidens new Indo-Pacific trade pact, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. (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) Predictably, throwing Taiwan under the bus had the opposite of the intended effect. Instead of announcing a summit, Xi got Russian President Vladimir Putin to join in bomber flights near both Japan and Taiwan. Beijing wants countries in the Asia-Pacificincluding India, Australia, Japan, and Taiwanto feel so greedy for a part of Chinas economic growth and so threatened by its nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles and long-range bombers that they cede leadership of all of Asia, piece-by-piece, to Beijing. There arent many takers at the moment, although a few countriessuch as Laos, Cambodia, and most recently, the Solomon Islandsare succumbing to what likely includes Beijings widespread tactic of bribery of heads of state. This is according to court convictions, reporting, and my sources, who are in a position to know. Beijing has presented the allegedly corruption-induced agreement with the Solomon Islands as a model for other Asia-Pacific islands, including Kiribati and possibly Tonga and Vanuatu. The agreements would cover economic, military, and cyber cooperation, putting these countries squarely into Beijings sphere of influence, including naval basing rights and the opening of their telecommunications systems to electronic spying by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Beijing is threatened by the Quad because the United States and its allies offer a better alternativeand without corruption. In two words, the Quad is offering freedom and sovereignty. The CCPs response to this choice for integrity is to try to scare countries with the threat of nuclear war, as they did this week. In their small way, the Quad and its allies are at least not showing much fear and inching forward in defense of the region. At the meeting, the Quad announced that it would start satellite-tracking illegal fishing in Asia, most of which emanates from Chinese ships that have turned off their transponders. Whats really needed, however, isnt just tracking, but all NATO and Quad-plus (those present at the Tokyo meeting by video also included South Korea, New Zealand, and Vietnam) coast guards on joint patrols in an arc of freedom from the Bay of Bengal off of India through the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea, all the way to the Sea of Japan and beyond. China has the worlds largest fleet of illegal fishing vessels, which ply the EEZs of countries far from Asia, including around Africa and South America. With the rise of Chinas blue water navy, coast guard, and maritime militia, all of which are ultimately part ofand controlled bythe PLA, Chinas naval forces will increasingly deploy globally for the protection of illegal fishing and hydrocarbon exploitation in direct conflict with Quad members attempts to enforce the worlds EEZs. The requirement of a NATO-Quad EEZ police force is a regrettable but necessary acceptance of risk against Beijing. Fishing surveillance and unilateral concessions on Taiwan wont defeat Russian and Chinese bombers. The Quad will have to step up its game if it wants to hold the line. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Anthony Albanese (C), Penny Wong (L) and Richard Marles (R) walk out of Government House after being sworn in as prime minister, foreign minister, and deputy prime minister respectively, in front of the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) in Canberra, Australia, on May 23, 2022. (David Gray/Getty Images) Classical Liberals and Conservatives Take Note: Lessons from the Australian 2022 Election Commentary The 2022 election saw both Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese play the same gamecling to the political centre and attack each others personalities rather than their policies. This meant there was little differentiation between the parties for voters to choose from. Soon after, the results came in, with voters rejecting bland, centre-ground politics, which saw both the traditionally centre-right Liberal-National Coalition and centre-left Australian Labor Party (ALP) suffer historically low first preference votes. Only 36 percent of voters gave the Coalition their first preference and 33 percent gave theirs to Labor. Although Labor did win government on the back of preferences from the left-wing Australian Greens, they should be deeply concerned, given only a third of the population actually supported them. Curiously, neither major party woke up to the broader political shifts sweeping the globe, namely the widening gulf between right and left-wing voters. So why did both Morrison and Albanese keep clinging to the centre despite the political headwinds? Morrison did so because he inherited a divided Coalition being pulled left and right. So he focused on holding his party together by sitting in the centre and making concessions both ways. This broad church strategy successfully held the Liberal Party together but at the cost of irritating both (green ideology-leaning) left voters plus the Coalitions right-leaning supporters. As a consequence, the Coalition bled votes both ways. Prime Minister Scott Morrison conducts morning television interviews on Federal Election day in the seat of McEwen in Melbourne, Australia, on May 21, 2022. (Mick Tsikas/Pool/AAP Image) Albanese clung to the centre because he wanted to avoid being punished like his predecessor Bill Shorten for promoting clearly leftist policies at the 2019 election. So Albo went invisible and centrist. Instead of clear policies, his spin doctors simply dished up two years of nasty below-the-belt demonisation of Morrison. Although this spin strategy made Albo look weak, the character assassination of Morrison paid off and lost the former prime minister a huge number of votes. But curiously, the centrism of both parties ultimately failed to deliver a centrist-favouring 2022 election. Instead, we saw Australia catch up to the political headwinds sweeping the rest of the world and saw votes splinter left and right, but not centre. The lefts success was encapsulated by millionaire Simon Holmes a Courts Climate 200 group, who backed several teal independent candidates, eventually winning six inner-city seats from former Liberal Party heartlands. Climate 200 did this by building a message that mixed climate change hysteria with elements of the Labor Partys demonisation of Morrison. The group also cleverly plugged into the global mood of dissatisfaction with the two-party system and growing distrust of career politicians. Federal teal independent for Wentworth Allegra Spender speaks to the media during a press conference following the Fuel Security Summit in Sydney, Australia, on April 21, 2022. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP Image) 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) It was also a watershed moment for the shaking up of the Australian political order, with affluent inner-city voters moving left and less affluent suburban and regional voters moving right. So what are the lessons for the countrys conservative-leaning parties? Those on the right of politics must think more creatively about how to leverage the breaking up of the old two-party system and build future alliances among like-minded parties (the kind of thing that occurs in the Israeli Parliament). Any future alliance will need to centre on the Coalition rediscovering its classical liberal roots. On this matter, the teal independents have done it a favour by ripping affluent inner-city seats away from the Liberal Party, making it difficult for any revival of Morrisons broad church vision for the partysupposed to encapsulate both moderate and right-wing voters. In effect, Holmes a Courts Climate 200 has pushed the Liberal Party rightwards. The Coalition should also stop focusing too much energy on inner-city seats filled with progressive-leaning voters who inherently oppose socially conservative values and are not affected by issues like cost of living (rising electricity prices), housing affordability, declining public school standards, and living standards (congestion). Instead, the Coalition needs to focus on suburban, peri-urban, and regional electorates where Australias battlers, the working class or the socially conservative live. If Peter Dutton leads the Coalition to the next election, they must develop counter-strategies to the Labor Partysassisted by media outletsvicious spin campaigning. Further, the next election will likely see Labor subjected to the same pincer movement that swept through Liberal Partys heartland. The Climate 200s achievements will empower left-leaning individuals to become teals themselves, re-energise the existing Greens Party, and encourage the woke-green wing of the Labor Party. Labor leader and now-Prime Minister Albanese will face pressure from all three fronts to move progressively green. Yet, further moving to the left will create dissatisfaction with Labors right faction. This will create opportunities for both Dutton and the right-wing One Nation party to pull votes from Labors right flank in the battler suburbs. Conservatives and classical Liberals must take this chance to review their partys performance, examine the ongoing fragmentation of the political centre, and begin re-building for 2025. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Police cordon off the streets around Robb Elementary School after a mass shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Costa Mesa Police to Add Campus Patrols Through End of School Year After Texas Shooting COSTA MESA, Calif.The Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) said on May 25 it will increase patrols at all schools in the city through the end of the school year after a Texas elementary school shooting killed 21 earlier this week. The CMPD typically has school resource officerspolice officers specifically assigned to patrol schoolsstationed year-round at Costa Mesa High School and Estancia High School and visit nearby elementary schools, according to officials. Though Costa Mesa schools have not received any threatening messages, according to CMPD Chief Ron Lawrence, the community requested an increase in police presence and patrols at schools after the Texas shooting. As law enforcement officers, who are also parents and family members to young students, we take situations such as what happened in Texas seriously and work to take immediate action in our own community, Lawrence said in a May 25 statement. Upon learning of this tragedy, we immediately assigned extra police officers to provide high-visibility patrols to Costa Mesa campuses. Their presence is a reassurance that they are there to help and keep students safe. Mayor John Stephens said in a statement he is committed to working with school districts and the police department to ensure campus safety. The senseless loss of innocent lives in Uvalde, Texas, is heartbreaking and tragic, Stephens said. While we wait for Congress to take action to address gun violence, the City of Costa Mesa, through our Police Department, is committed to working with the school district to prioritize student safety for the rest of the school year and going forward. While increasing campus patrols through the end of the school year is a short-term strategy, City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison said she will work with other city departments to come up with future plans. The frequency of these mass shootings is heartbreaking. Schools should be a safe haven for our children to learn and increasingly, they are not. I am committed to working with Mayor Stephens, our City Council, and Police Chief Lawrence on both short-term and long-term solutions to this crisis, Harrison said. The CMPD joins other Southern California law enforcement agenciesincluding Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Bernardinoin working with local school districts to increase security on school campuses following the Texas shooting. On May 24, an 18-year-old gunman opened fire at a Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, killing 19 children and two adults, which prompted schools across the nation to evaluate their campus security measures. A spokesperson for the Mesa-Newport School District did not respond to a request for comment by press time. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets with Henry Puna, the secretary general of the Pacific Island Forum in Suva, Fiji on May 26, 2022. (Pita Simpson/Getty Images) Countering Beijing: New Australian Government Pledges Pacific Climate Investment Minister says Australia will source 82 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2030 Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has spruiked a new era of engagement with the Pacific in a speech to the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji. Wong, fresh from a trip to Tokyo for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is visiting the South Pacific amid Beijings overt push for influence in the region. The foreign minister said that the newly elected Albanese government would listen to the climate change concerns of Australias Pacific neighbours. We will listen. We will hear youyour ideas for how we can face our shared challenges and achieve our shared aspirations together, she told attendees on May 26. Wong said the previous government had neglected its responsibility to act on climate change. Ignoring the calls of our Pacific family to act. Disrespecting Pacific nations in their struggle to adapt to what is an existential threat, she said. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrives at Pacific Island Forum in Suva, Fiji on May 26, 2022. (Pita Simpson/Getty Images) Whether it manifests in rising sea levels in Pacific Island countries, or in disastrous bushfires and catastrophic flooding back at home in Australia, we can see that climate change is happening across the Pacific family. I want to assure you that we have heard you. Wong said the Albanese government had been elected on a platform to increase the emissions reduction target of the country from 26-28 percent to 43 percent by 2030and to reach net-zero by 2050. The centre-left Labor government will also enshrine this commitment into law and make a formal submission to the United Nations. Our plan will see the proportion of renewables in Australias National Energy Market increase to 82 percent by 2030, she said. As of 2021, Australias national energy market sources 64.67 percent (pdf) of its electricity from coal-fired generation. The Labor government also pledged a new Australia-Pacific Climate Infrastructure Partnership to support energy projects in the Pacific, and the establishment of an ambassador for climate change. It is unclear how the climate partnership will sit alongside existing funding initiatives and programs such as the Australia Pacific Climate Partnership and the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific. Wongs pitch comes as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi tours the Pacific in a bid to shore up relations with Beijing. The Chinese Communist Party is proposing a South Pacific-wide security and data bloc to encompass 10 different Pacific nations. Beijing is proposing a China-Pacific Islands Free Trade Area, and a push for more cooperation in the fields of traditional and non-traditional security, including a pledge to work on data networks, cyber security, and smart customs systems. David Panuelo, president of the Federated States of Micronesia, has written to 21 Pacific leaders arguing against the regional pact over fears it could spark a Cold War between Beijing and democratic nations. Chinese control over our communications infrastructure, our ocean territory and the resources within them, and our security space, aside from impacts on our sovereignty, is that it increases the chances of China getting into conflict with Australia, Japan, the United States and New Zealand, he said in the letter obtained by Reuters. The high-level tours of the Pacific also come amid the backdrop of the impending Beijing-Solomon Islands security deal that could pave the way for Chinese troops, weapons, and naval ships to be stationed in the region. Eric Louw, retired professor of political communication and an expert in affirmative action, has warned democratic leaders against using aid to win the influence battle against Beijing. An Asia Development Bank report said the Solomons government is so weak that donors were warned not to pour too much aid into it because of the limited ability of the country to absorb ittoo much aid would simply overwhelm what limited administrative capacity it had and simply fuel corruption and waste, he wrote in The Epoch Times. Back during the Cold War days, corrupt politicians in weak, underdeveloped countries from the Pacific to Africa and Latin America to Asia got rich playing the two sides off against each other, he said. Perhaps [Prime Minister Manasseh] Sogavare thinks the good times are back and that the new Cold War means he can simultaneously get his snout into the troughs of Beijing, Canberra, and Washington. COVID-Infected People Without Symptoms Are Much Less Likely to Pass Virus On: Study People who have COVID-19 but arent showing any symptoms are much less likely to transmit the virus that causes the disease, researchers have found. Health officials around the world have warned throughout the pandemic that people who dont have symptoms could transmit SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 and is also known as the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. The warnings prompted the imposition of a slew of measures, such as mass testing of people, regardless of whether they had manifestations of the illness. But the new research, published in PLOS One following peer review, concluded that the secondary attack ratethe primary measure of the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2was about two-thirds lower from asymptomatic people than those who were experiencing symptoms. People with asymptomatic infection are less infectious than those with symptomatic infection, Nicola Low, an epidemiologist with the Institute of Social and Preventative Medicine at the University of Bern, said in a statement. The researchers included scientists from France, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Colombia, Argentina, the United States, and the United Kingdom. They updated a study they initially released that was only based on studies published in April 2020. Medical professionals conduct tests for COVID-19 in Bolinas, Calif., on April 20, 2020. (Kate Munsch/Reuters) The updated research was based on 130 studies published between then and July 2021. The studies analyzed 28,246 people who tested positive for COVID-19, of whom nearly 12,000 experienced an infection but no symptoms. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, fatigue, loss of taste or smell, sore threat, headache, diarrhea, and aches and pains. Researchers also estimated that a higher proportion of infections trigger symptoms, with asymptomatic infections consisting a share as low as 14 percent of infections in the studies reviewed. However, while it is clear that asymptomatic infections dont cause as much transmission as symptomatic ones, it is difficult to ascertain the true number of asymptomatic infections, the researchers said. They said that future studies examining asymptomatic COVID-19 infections should focus on whether there are differences across variants of the CCP virus, and whether vaccination or prior infection affects transmission. Future studies should determine the asymptomatic proportion of SARS-CoV-2 infections caused by variants of concern and in people with immunity following vaccination or previous infection, the researchers wrote. Without prospective longitudinal studies with methods that minimize selection and measurement biases, further updates with the study types included in this living systematic review are unlikely to be able to provide a reliable summary estimate of the proportion of asymptomatic infections caused by SARS-CoV-2. The CDC admitted in November 2021 that there is no record of the naturally immune transmitting the virus. In this screenshot taken from a Congress.gov webcast, Impeachment Manager Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) speaks on the second day of former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial at the Capitol in Washington on Feb. 10, 2021. (Congress.gov via Getty Images) Democrat Rep. Joaquin Castro Requests FBI Investigation of Uvalde Shooting, Citing Conflicting Accounts Uvalde police have been criticized for alleged inaction during the shooting Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) is requesting an FBI investigation into police conduct during and after the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two adults dead. Castro, whose San Antonio district lies around 80 miles from Uvalde, made the request for a complete and comprehensive account of how this tragedy occurred in a May 26 letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray (pdf). Today our nation and the state of Texas mourn the 19 children and two teachers murdered at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, 2022, Castro wrote. The Uvalde shooting is the deadliest school shooting in Texas and one of the deadliest to take place in the United States. This incident has devastated Uvalde and the surrounding community, which includes my city of San Antonio. San Antonio hospitals received patients who were critically injured in the shooting and our school counselors, law enforcement officers, health care workers, and other personnel are in Uvalde to help our neighbors respond to this horrifying tragedy. He continued: The people of Uvalde, of Texas, and of the nation deserve an accurate account of what transpired. However, state officials have provided conflicting accounts that are at odds with those provided by witnesses, including: Whether the school security officer and the gunman exchanged fire outside the school [and] How long law enforcement officers were in adjoining classrooms while the gunman barricaded himself in a classroom with students and teachers. Onlookers allege that parents unsuccessfully urged law enforcement to enter the building during this time and confront the shooter. I urge the FBI to use its maximum authority to thoroughly examine the timeline of events and the law enforcement response and to produce a full, timely, and transparent report on your findings. Your agency must ensure that the American people have a complete and comprehensive account of how this tragedy occurred. Uvalde police and armed school security have been excoriated on social media for their alleged inaction during the shooting. According to multiple accounts, law enforcement and security officers stood outside the school for nearly an hour while the shooter barricaded himself in a room with teachers and students. Though parents pleaded with them to enter the school, police remained outside, allegedly arresting and restraining parents who tried to enter themselves. According to an AP report, Javier Cazares, the parent of a fourth-grade girl who was killed in the attack, said, Lets just rush in because the cops arent doing anything like they are supposed to. More could have been done, Cazares added. They were unprepared. A video circulated around Twitter from the shooting seems to show police officers actively restraining parents as they tried to enter the school, with tasers at the ready to prevent any parent trying to enter the building from doing so. As one parent was restrained by police, others in the crowd were heard shouting, What the [expletive] are you doing to him, let him up! One mother, Angeli Rose Gomez, said she drove 40 miles when she heard about the shooting. After she arrived, she found that the police were doing nothing, Gomez told the Wall Street Journal. After pleading with the officers to take action, Gomez was placed in handcuffs by U.S. marshals for intervening in an active investigation. Other reports allege that, at the same time that they were preventing other parents from entering the school, several police officers entered and pulled out their own children. During a press conference, Victor Escalon, a regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, admitted that police, despite being on the scene, took minutes to finally follow the shooter into the building. According to Escalon, the gunman initially opened fire at the building from the parking lot after climbing over a fence before entering the school at 11:40 a.m. and firing numerous rounds. Four minutes later, local police departments are inside, making entry, Escalon admitted. They hear gunfire. They take rounds. They move back, get cover and during that time they approach where the suspect is at. Upon taking fire from the classroom where the shooter barricaded himself, police officers on the scene reportedly retreated and began to evacuate the school while calling for backup. Later grilled for why police officers did not act more boldly to take down the shooter, one Uvalde police lieutenant defended his colleagues, saying during an appearance on CNN: They couldve been shot. They couldve been killed. Greg Casar, a self-described progressive and Democrat nominee for Texass 35th congressional district, applauded Castros letter in a Twitter post. Thank you, @JoaquinCastrotx, Casar wrote. Uvalde families, and all Texans, deserve answers. In a statement, FBI Director Christopher Wray announced that the FBI is already working with Texas authorities to investigate the shooting. The FBI will continue to work around the clock with the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Uvalde Police Department; and our other state, local, and federal partners to assist in any way we can, Wray wrote. Were dedicating the full resources of the FBI San Antonio Field Office and a host of other FBI Divisions to helping the Texas DPS and Uvalde PD, which have the lead in the investigation. In an email to the Epoch Times, the FBI confirmed receipt of Castros letter but said, We have no additional comment. Oliver Rich, FBI special agent in charge at the San Antonio division at the May 27 briefing, suggested the possibility of an investigation into the actions of Uvalde police, but struck a non-committal tone. If the facts bear out that there is a federal nexus, then the FBI will conduct an appropriate investigation at that time, Rich said. But for now, we continue in this to support the Texas Rangers. Former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar appears in court for his final sentencing phase in Eaton County Circuit Court in Charlotte, Mich., on Feb. 5, 2018. (Rena Laverty/AFP via Getty Images) DOJ Again Refuses to Charge FBI Agents in Case of Convicted Sex Offender Larry Nassar The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) on Thursday announced that it will adhere to a previous decision not to charge two former FBI agents who mishandled an investigation into convicted sex offender Larry Nassar, the former doctor of the USA Gymnastics national team. This decision comes after multiple reviews and analyses of evidence gathered in the investigation of the former agents, and reflects the recommendation of experienced prosecutors, the DOJ statement reads. This does not in any way reflect a view that the investigation of Nassar was handled as it should have been, nor in any way reflect approval or disregard of the conduct of the former agents. After allegations of Nassars abuse were first reported to the FBI Indianapolis Field Office by the president of USA Gymnastics in 2015, local field agents failed to respond with the utmost seriousness and urgency that the allegations deserved and required, a 2021 report by the DOJs Office of Inspector General (OIG) found. Further, the report found that two FBI officials lied during their interviews to cover up or minimize their errors. One of the agents also made a false statement to the media in 2017 and 2018 about how his office handled the Nassar case. That agent also violated the FBIs conflict of interest policy by discussing a possible job with the U.S. Olympic Committee while he was involved with the Nassar investigation. The OIG noted the seriousness of the former agents lying during the investigation into their conduct in the years after the events but said there wasnt enough to bring a federal criminal case. We will continue to learn from what occurred in this matter, and undertake efforts to keep victims at the center of our work and to ensure that they are heard, respected, and treated fairly throughout the process, as they deserve, the DOJ statement reads. To that end, the department has continued to assess gaps in the law to protect the most vulnerable among us from exploitation. Addressing those gaps could help prevent events like this from taking place in the future and hold perpetrators accountable. We stand ready to collaborate with Congress to do so. Altogether, Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for separate charges, including possessing child sex abuse material and for sexual abuse. He was named in hundreds of lawsuits by female athletes who said Nassar abused them when he worked for Michigan State and Indiana-based USA Gymnastics. DOJ OIG Publishes Memo Expressing Concern Over Lack of FBI Policy on Sharing Child Sexual Abuse Material Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz on May 26 published a management advisory memorandum highlighting concerns it had identified over the lack of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) policy regarding child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and other contraband material being shared among employees. The advisory (pdf) is titled: notification of concerns with the absence of a policy regarding FBI employees emailing child sexual abuse material and other contraband. It was issued following an investigation into an FBI employee who emailed images they believed to contain probable CSAM over a secure FBI email system to a prosecutor with whom they were handling a criminal case, according to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Multiple FBI employees, including the subject of the OIG investigation, told the OIG that CSAM should not be transmitted over email, the DOJ said. One FBI Inspection Division (INSD) employee told the OIG that such contraband images should be transmitted through the FBIs closed network system designed for these types of images when they are being sent to other FBI field offices or to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. However, none of the FBI employees could point to a physical written policy that specifically prohibited such conduct, OIG said. In addition, an employee with the Department of Justice Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) told us that emailing CSAM presents significant risks that the CSAM will be received by unauthorized individuals, the management advisory reads. In its memorandum, the OIG noted that it found that the FBIs written policies do not address the issue of emailing CSAM and other contraband despite the FBI telling the OIG that employees should not do so. We also found that the absence of a written policy presents risks that such contraband will be received by unauthorized individuals. We further believe that the absence of such a policy risks exposing confidential child victim information to unintended recipients, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 3509, the OIG wrote. Michael Horowitz, Inspector General at the Department of Justice, at a Senate hearing in Washington on June 18, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) In its memo, the OIG recommends that the FBI clarify its policies regarding approved methods for transmitting CSAM along with other contraband to prosecutors and other government employees who need to review the material. After reading the draft memorandum, the FBI indicated that it agreed with the OIGs concerns regarding the sharing of such emails between employees and created a Standard Operating Procedure to address them. After reviewing a copy of this memorandum, the FBI informed the OIG that it is in the process of deploying new methods to transmit and share CSAM and other sensitive material among law enforcement partners. The FBI told the OIG that it believes a clear policy would ensure that such material would only be received by authorized individuals with a need to access the material. Accordingly, we have begun drafting a program-specific Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which will ultimately become part of our Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Program Policy Guide, the FBI told the OIG in response to the draft memorandum. This new SOP will clearly prohibit the transmission of CSAM via email and delineate the approved methods to transmit CSAM for official purposes. Under the SOP, FBI employees will be required to use encryption software that ensures such materials being digitally transmitted are encrypted at rest and in transit, or require the use of encrypted removable media for use on stand-alone computer systems. The FBI also noted that it had begun to develop approved digital transmission platforms prior to the DOJs memo and that these platforms are currently being deployed and used in a phased approach across the enterprise. The OIG has requested that the FBI provide an update on the status of its response to the recommendation within 90 days of the memo being issued. However, the OIG said it feels that the law enforcement agency has been responsive to its recommendation and is thus considering whether to close the recommendation once the FBI finalizes its new Standard Operating Procedure and provided a copy of it to the OIG. The status of the issue is marked as resolved in the memo. On Thursday, the DOJ announced that it will adhere to a previous decision not to charge two former FBI agents who mishandled an investigation into convicted sex offender Larry Nassar. Nassar, a former doctor of the USA Gymnastics national team, was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for a spate of charges after being accused of abuse in multiple lawsuits by female athletes. The two former FBI agents failed to respond with the utmost seriousness and urgency that the allegations deserved and required, and lied during their interviews to cover up their mistakes, a 2021 report by the DOJs Office of Inspector General (OIG) found. One of the agents also made a false statement to the media in 2017 and 2018 about how his office handled the Nassar case and violated the FBIs conflict of interest policy when they discussed a potential job opportunity with the U.S. Olympic Committee while still involved in the investigation into Nassar, officials said. Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mehmet Oz greets supporters after the primary race resulted in an automatic re-count due to close results on May 17, 2022, in Newtown, Pa. (Stephanie Keith/Getty Images) Dr. Oz Declares Presumptive Victory in Pennsylvania GOP Primary Despite Recount On the same day Pennsylvania counties can begin recounting ballots in the GOP U.S. Senate primary, on May 27 Dr. Mehmet Oz released a video declaring himself the presumptive Republican nominee. I am blessed to have earned the presumptive Republican nomination for the United States Senate, Oz said in the video. This was a tough campaign, I traveled everywhere. You guys were pretty honest sharing with me thoughts, worries you had; you dont feel like youre being heard. To accompany the video, Oz wrote on Twitter, Its time to unite. I want to hear your ideas and make this countrys future as bright as it has ever been. With more freedom, less big government, and by empowering our people, Americas light will shine brighter than ever. For weeks, polls showed that the May 17 primary was too close to call. Results illustrated that those surveys were accurate. As of midday on May 27, Oz had 419,587 votes (31.20 percent) compared with 418,675 (31.13 percent) for David McCormick, according to Decision Desk HQ. That is a difference of 912 votes out of 1,344,882 ballots cast. Under Pennsylvania law, an automatic recount is triggered when the two leading candidates have a separation within one-half of 1 percent. McCormick had the option to forego a recount, but he chose to move forward with the procedure. In a press conference on May 25, Pennsylvania Acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman said, Mr. McCormick has not waived his right to a recount. So, as acting secretary of state, Im required by the election code to order all county boards of elections to conduct a recount of the race. Each county can start recounting votes on May 27. They must begin by June 1, finish by noon on June 7, and submit their results by noon on June 8. County boards of elections must tabulate the ballots using a different device than the one initially, or ballots can be counted by hand, according to the states recount process. Chapman also ordered all counties to separate and tabulate ballots without dates and with incorrect dates. A federal appeals court decision on May 20 ruled that federal law requires Lehigh County to count 257 mail-in ballots that werent counted in the 2021 election because there were no dates on the return envelopes. McCormicks campaign called each county board of elections and urged them to count those ballots, and McCormick filed a lawsuit to make that a requirement. Oz opposed the move, as did the Republican National Committee. Our position is that undated and incorrectly dated ballots should count, Chapman said, referencing the court decision. To be clear, our guidance will enable counties to arrive at an accurate count no matter what the courts decide. Oz was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in mid-April. A day after the May 17 primary, the former president posted on his platform, Truth Social, urging Oz to declare victory. It makes it much harder for them to cheat with the ballots that they just happened to find,' Trump said. Oz or McCormick will face Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in the general election. Fetterman suffered a stroke a few days before the primary and cast his vote from a hospital on election day before undergoing a successful procedure to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator. On May 26, Pennsylvanias deputy secretary of elections and commissions Jonathan Marks told the media that an estimated 10,000 ballots have not been counted. This figure includes about 6,000 mail-in and absentee ballots. Among that number are as many as 3,000 overseas or military ballots and 4,000 provisional ballots. It is uncertain how many of those ballots were cast in the Republican primary. Since the evening of May 17, both candidates have expressed confidence that they will emerge as the victor. This narrow difference triggers an automatic recount, and we look forward to a swift resolution so our party can unite to defeat socialist John Fetterman in the fall, McCormick said in a statement earlier this week, adding that he has performed well among voters who cast mail-in ballots. The winner in November will replace retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey. Since the Senate is currently composed of 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats or nominal independents, every seat is crucial in November because Vice President Kamala Harris casts tiebreaking votes as president of the chamber. Out of 34 Senate seats up for election, 14 are held by Democrats and 20 by Republicans. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona speaks at an event in Washington, DC, on March 16, 2022. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) Education Secretary Refuses to Say If School Should Hide Childs Gender Transition From Parents As parents nationwide call for greater transparency in public schools, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona repeatedly dodged a question about whether parents should be informed if their child is undergoing a gender transition at school. During a virtual hearing on May 26, Cardona testified before the House Education Committee on his departments budget request for 2023. He continued to avoid giving direct answers when Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) asked him if he thought that schools should keep a students gender transition secret from their parents. Id love to answer questions on the budget, which is why I am here, Cardona replied, only to have Banks pushing back and demanding him to explain the Education Departments stance on that issue. Youre asking me to fund your budget, Banks argued. Its completely relevant to why youre here today. Its a simple question: Should schools ever keep it a secret from parents if their children are involved in gender transition? the congressman asked again. Parents and schools must work together to support students, the secretary said, pointing to policies and practices that he said prove what he was saying. A visibly confused Banks cut Cardona off and repeated the question once again: Should schools ever keep it a secret from parents if their children are involved in gender transition? Schools should be partnering with parents on communication, and there are times when schools are working and supporting students on issues that are very sensitive, but I do believe that parents should be connected with schools, and, in many cases, working together is whats going to help the student, Cardona said. I have spoken to students who shared, whatever situation is at their home, that they felt safe at the school, and we have to be careful not to turn this into something that its not, he continued. Our schools are safe places for our students, and our teachers are often the front-liners when it comes to supporting our students when they have issues in their lives. This is a very bizarre answer, Banks said before yielding the rest of his speaking time. In recent years, school districts across the country have instructed educators to bypass parental consent and notification when it comes to a students gender transition. For example, New Jerseys official Transgender Student Guidance tells school districts to avoid work with transgender students to avoid inadvertently [disclosing] the transgender students status to their own parents. Similarly, the District of Columbia Public Schools guidelines note that students may choose to have their parents participate in the transition process, but parental participation is not required. In Massachusetts, schools are instructed by the state to speak with the student first before discussing a students gender nonconformity or transgender status with the students parent and to discuss with the student whether to reflect pronoun or name changes in written communications with the parent. Meanwhile, Chicago Public Schools guidelines state, When speaking with other staff members, parents, guardians, or third parties, school staff should not disclose a students preferred name, pronoun, or other confidential information pertaining to the students transgender or gender nonconforming status without the students permission. Tesla and SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk speaks at the SATELLITE Conference and Exhibition in Washington on March 9, 2020. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo) Elon Musk Says He Strongly Believes in Second Amendment, Suggests Special Permit Be Required for Assault Rifles Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk joined the right-to-bear arms debate this week by sharing his thoughts on the second amendment after the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas on May 24. I strongly believe that the right to bear arms is an important safeguard against potential tyranny of government. Historically, maintaining their power over the people is why those in power did not allow public ownership of guns, Musk said in an email to CNBC on May 25. In the same email, Musk elaborated that he supports applying tight background checks on all gun purchases, and limits on gun sales to people with special circumstances such as high-risk location, like gang warfare, reported CNBC. In a later interaction with Twitter users, the billionaire further revealed his thoughts on the right to bear arms. Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a nonprofit government watchdog, replied to Musks posts with what he thinks is the point of issue between gun control activists and those advocating for the right to bear. A gun is a gun is a gun when it comes to those commonly available to civilians. Assault rifles (as gun opponents have broadly defined) are no more/less deadly than other avail firearms. Assault rifles (full automatic fire kind you likely mean) already banned/highly restricted, Fitton said. In truth, anti-gun activists seek severe restrictions on, and oppose in concept, any individual civilian RIGHT to own ANY firearm, even though it is an inalienable right specifically recognized in the U.S. Constitution under the Second Amendment. This is the debate, Fitton added. A gun is a gun is a gun when it comes to those commonly available to civilians. Assault rifles (as gun opponents have broadly defined) are no more/less deadly than other avail firearms. Assault rifles (full automatic fire kind you likely mean) already banned/highly restricted Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) May 26, 2022 In response to Fittons post, Musk pitched a few ideas for striking a balance between protecting peoples constitutional freedoms and public safety. How about a middle ground, where the licensing standard for semi-auto rifles is a drivers license, age 21 and no rap sheet? Musk said. Basically, what is a reasonable way to make it harder for people with homicidal impulses to obtain body count maximizing weapons? Maybe just require homicide insurance for a gun purchase? Minimum car insurance, which is basically homocide insurance, is required for car ownership, the billionaire said in response to a Twitter users suggestion to raise the gun licensing age to 25. I think this would actually work. In response to a query about his thoughts on AR-15s, the weapon used in Tuesdays mass shooting, Musk said, Assault rifles should at minimum require a special permit, where the recipient is extremely well vetted [in my opinion]. By assault rifles, he meant any semi-automatic gun with supersonic ammo and a large magazine, Musk added. Assault rifles should at minimum require a special permit, where the recipient is extremely well vetted imo Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 26, 2022 The billionaires comments after a school shooting incident in Uvalde, Texas, that took the lives of 19 children and 2 adults, which stirred up debate on the gun laws in the country. Democrats have called for increasing restrictions on gun ownership. U.S. President Joe Biden decried current gun laws during a White House speech on Wednesday, saying that the Second Amendment is not absolute. While they clearly will not prevent every tragedy, we know certain ones will have significant impact and have no negative impact on the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment is not absolute, Biden said. When it was passed, you couldnt own a cannon, you couldnt own certain kinds of weapons. Energy Emergencies: US Summer Blackout Risks Grow Amid Global Energy Crisis Many parts of North America are at risk of experiencing blackouts this summer, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) warned in a new report. There could be widespread summer blackouts amid shuttered power plants, supply chain snafus, and intense heat, according to the nonprofit organizations Summer Reliability Assessment report (pdf). The group, which promotes grid stability and security, cautions that power supplies in a large swath of the United States and Canada, extending from the Great Lakes to the Midwest, will be overstretched because of growing demand. NERC added that electricity sources will be notably tighter because of older plants being phased out or other facilities struggling to find enough fuel. The report also notes that power grids could be the target of cyberattacks in the coming months. The electricity and other critical infrastructure sectors face cyber security threats from Russia and other potential actors amid heightened geopolitical tensions in addition to ongoing cyber risks, the report states. Russian attackers may be planning or attempting malicious cyber activity to gain access and disrupt the electric grid in North America in retaliation for support to Ukraine. Signage warns of extreme heat danger at the salt flats of Badwater Basin inside Death Valley National Park, in Inyo County, Calif., on June 17, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) The early retirement of fossil fuel plants has been a critical issue throughout the energy landscape, while natural gas and coal entities are running at maximum capacity. Drought conditions currently in multiple areas of North America already have limited production from hydroelectric dams. In addition, wildfires could darken skies with smoke that could threaten rooftop solar panels, prompting households to depend on the power grid again, adding more strain to the overall system. NERC stated that a growing number of solar developers are indicating to utilities that they will not be able to meet expected commission dates, including projects scheduled for completion this summer. From the province of Manitoba to the state of Louisiana, study authors warn that the capacity shortfall could trigger energy emergencies at the height of sizzling summer conditions. California has already warned residents that its at risk of blackouts for the next three summers as it transitions to green energy. The Golden State is weighing keeping a nuclear power plant open to offset the potential loss of hydropower. Texas, which is one of the worlds largest energy producers, could also face issues over the next several months as a combination of extreme peak demand, low wind, and high outage rates from thermal generators could require system operators to use emergency procedures, up to and including temporary manual load shedding. Texas residents are being asked to conserve power in the heat to avoid summertime blackouts. Experts recommend that households keep their thermostats at 78, wait until 8 p.m. to run large appliances, and have an emergency plan in the event of a power outage. Meanwhile, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas says the state maintains enough power to satisfy all-time-high demand this summer. North America could get a glimpse of summer 2022 by what is currently happening in Asia. The continent is going through a heatwave that has led to daily blackouts in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The conditions have put more than 1 billion people at risk. China and Japan could also face tight power supplies in coming months. Industry officials in Beijing cautioned that the energy situation will be challenging to navigate, although the government has pledged that the country will keep the lights on. Tokyo is taking a proactive approach, urging residents to conserve energy and change their habits over the next several weeks. Summer Headaches Creating Winter Woes? Natural gas is currently the chief power-plant fuel in the United States. Inventories are coming into question as output and stocks have failed to keep up with soaring demand in the global post-pandemic economy. Moreover, with the United States expected to ship more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe this year as the eurozone reduces its dependence on Russian energy, market analysts are concerned that the United States will struggle to satisfy domestic and foreign demand. Thats why industry observers have been paying extra attention to the Energy Information Administrations (EIA) weekly storage report. In the week ending May 20, total supplies stood at 1.812 trillion cubic feet, 387 billion cubic feet less than the year-earlier period. Thats also 327 billion cubic feet below the five-year average of 2.139 trillion cubic feet. The United States has reported seven consecutive weeks of supply builds, but the gap between current and historical inventory levels continues to widen amid warmer temperatures. Inventories have been whittled down by strong demand for liquefied natural gas among European buyers replacing Russian gas and domestic drillers who have been slow to increase production despite the highest prices in years, wrote Phil Flynn, author of The Energy Report. But while the focus is currently on summer demand, the energy sector is already eyeing potential winter shortages, with Rystad Energy in a statement calling it a perfect and unavoidable storm. This year, global LNG demand is projected to touch 436 million tons, topping the available supply of 410 million tons, the independent energy research company forecast. A perfect winter storm may be forming for Europe as the continent seeks to limit Russian gas flows, Kaushal Ramesh, an LNG senior analyst at Rystad, wrote in a research note. The supply imbalance and high prices will set the scene for the most bullish environment for LNG projects in more than a decade, although supply from these projects will only arrive and provide relief after 2024. Some argue that the energy situation might depend on China. Should Beijing move on from its zero-COVID strategy, allowing the economy to operate at full capacity, industrial LNG demand could strengthen in the second half of 2022. The price of natural gas has soared more than 160 percent year-to-date, topping $9 per million British thermal units. Thats the highest level since 2008, as investors price in soaring demand and inadequate supply volumes over the coming years. This week, we feature a history exploring how the United States decided to join World War I and a classic about a traitor who grows to love his homeland. Fiction Goodness Found, Even in War All the Light We Cannot See By Anthony Doerr A French girl named Marie-Laure LeBlanc has fled Paris with her father to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo. A German boy named Werner Pfennig is an expert transmitter, and he tracks the enemy. Two young lives, two warring cultures, both cling to survival in 1944. Scribner Reprint Edition, 2017, 544 pages Stories From a Great Danish Writer Anecdotes of Destiny and Ehrengard By Isak Dinesen This collection of stories includes the beautiful tale Babettes Feast, later made into an equally fine film. Babette, a chef, now a refugee from revolutionary France, becomes a servant of two sisters bound to their past and the strictures of their pietistic religious faith. Both suffered romantic disappointment in their youths. After years of devoted service, Babette wins a lottery and spends the money on a lavish feast for the sisters and their friends. A beautiful tale of the meaning of sacramental grace. Vintage Reissue Edition, 1993, 288 pages Current Affairs When College Isnt the Only Answer Class Dismissed: Why College Isnt the Answer By Nick Adams A college degree often costs more than $60,000. Adams argues that college may not be the best road to a successful career. For many, its a four-year detour. He suggests alternative paths to career success. In fact, half the book discusses remunerative careers attainable through trade schools or community college certifications. He lists people who didnt finish college, including James Cameron, Michael Dell, and Anna Wintour. Anyone uncertain about whether college is for them should read it. Post Hill Press, 2019, 192 pages History The Line Between East and West Adriatic: A Concert of Civilizations at the End of the Modern Age By Robert D. Kaplan Where does the West end and the Orient begin? Kaplan claims the Adriatic Sea forms the dividing line. Part travelogue, part history, and part personal reminisce, this book explores the Adriatic from ancient times through the present day. Kaplan takes readers around the Adriatic, starting in Rimini, Italy, and working his way around the coast to Corfu, Greece. He examines each stops history, culture, and place in the modern world. Random House, 2022, 368 pages Americas View of World War I The Approaching Storm: Roosevelt, Wilson, Addams, and Their Clash Over Americas Future By Neil Lanctot The United States had no interest in participating in The Great War, as Neil Lanctot makes very clear in his book. But those opinions began to change for its citizens and especially for its nations leaders. This book is a superb analysis of the views of Woodrow Wilson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Jane Addams that helped frame Americas decision to go to war. Riverhead Books, 2021, 672 pages Classics Be Careful What You Wish For The Man Without a Country By Edward Everett Hale Swept up in a treasonous plot along with Aaron Burr, Army Lt. Philip Nolan exclaims at his trial, Damn the United States! I wish I may never hear of the United States again! The judge grants his wish, and Nolan spends the rest of his life aboard a ship, never setting foot again in the states and never allowed to read a newspaper or discuss contemporary events. Hales short story about love of country remains pertinent today, reminding young and old alike of the importance of patriotism and the beauty of American ideals. Independently Published Reprint, 2021, 41 pages For Kids Animal Adventures Loved by Kids Beatrix Potter: The Complete Tales By Beatrix Potter Here in one volume are 23 tales, plus their original illustrations, about such beloved icons as Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny. This volume also includes four stories published after Potters death. This book is a delight for the little ones. Warne Publishers, 2006, 400 pages That Sort of Bear A Bear Called Paddington By Michael Bond First published in 1958, A Bear Called Paddington tells the story of a marmalade-loving bear who finds a loving home with the Brown family of London. Paddington says: Things are always happening to me. Im that sort of bear. HarperCollins, 2016, 176 pages Commentary The abortion debate in the United States has become essentially a debate over how much abortion policy ought to be centralized at the federal level. Given that there is no real chance of a nationwide abortion ban, whether or not the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. Wade is a question of whether or not abortion policy will become the domain of state and local governments. That is, without Roe to federalize abortion policy, the matter goes back to where it was before 1973: to state and local lawmakers. Yet the centralists who demand that abortion policy be mandated from Washington, D.C.and only from Washington, D.C.cant seem to stand the idea that maybe people in other parts of the country might disagree with pro-abortion national elites. Yet tolerating state and local control over an important policy issue is hardly a revolutionary idea. State and local policymakers are generally responsible for lawmaking in many other areas considered to be life or death issuessuch as violent crime and the death penalty. The centralists, however, employ a moralistic argument in order to override any concerns about localism or federalism. The argument looks like this: Yes, there are some areas where we might allow states some local control over law and policy. But the legal right to an abortion is so important that any limitation of this right constitutes a violation of human rights. Therefore, we cannot tolerate any local control because this issue is so important. This is a cunning trick that has been employed in many contexts other than abortion. It has even been used to justify U.S. invasions of foreign countries in the name of humanitarianism. It is also the fundamental ideological justification for imperialism and colonialism: Those savages in those places outside our enlightened metropolis dont know how to government themselves. So well do it for them. In the end, however, centralizing political power in this way constitutes its own violation of human rights. Why The Centralists Wont Tolerate Local Self-Determination Certainly, pro-abortion centralists make a variety of arguments to support their position that abortion policy must be made by national-level elites. Many make legal arguments and claim that a proper interpretation of the U.S. Constitution mandates federal control over abortion. Others make a pragmatic claim, insisting that allowing local control of abortion law will lead to confusion, unrest, or even civil war. Yet, at the core of these arguments is usually a moral claim: that legal limits on abortion are so morally wrong as to justify federal intervention regardless of concerns over federalism or local control. For example, writing for the Los Angeles Times, Ronald Granieri admits that maybe some level of local self-determination could be tolerated but says that the republic has to guarantee some baseline rights shared by all citizens, which imposes limitations on how widely states can diverge. Naturally, Granieri considers legal abortion to be among these baseline rights. Similarly, in The Nation, Atima Omara opines that Democrats in Congress and the White House must do whatever it takes to guarantee the legal status of abortion nationwide. Omara is clear she considers the situation to be of extremely high importance, writing, Here we all are staring at the brink of disaster and open season on our fundamental human rights. Moreover, as Ruth Marcus wrote in the Washington Post last June, allowing states to make their own laws on abortion would empower them to be agents of oppression. In their view, these are high stakes, to say the least, and its no wonder that the solution proffered is to have the federal government do whatever it takes to guarantee a baseline of rights. Notably, however, op-eds like these never mention how exactly these guarantees are to be made or what doing whatever it takes actually entails in practice. In actual practice, this means using the coercive power of the state to force compliance with federal edicts. It means sending federal agents to ensure that local officials do not close down abortion clinics or prosecute abortion doctors. But that ultimately requires threats of using coercive force. And if those threats fail, it means actually sending armed federal agents to ensure compliance. This is why opponents of localism in abortion policy must employ universalist, moralistic terms like human rights and disaster. It is necessary to show that maintaining the legality of abortion trumps other considerations. The message is clear: whatever our legal traditions or texts might say about state sovereignty, local control, or federalism, that is all nothing compared to the moral imperative to intervene to ensure the protection of human rights. This position, it must be remembered, should not be confused with merely denouncing abortion restrictions or encouraging activists and voters in these states to resist them. Local resistance to state power in the name of human rights is entirely different from imposing rights from above. The former is a form of liberation from state control. The latter is a form of imperialism. The Abortion Centralists Use the Language of Imperialists and Colonialists The centralist argument of human rights justify anything we do is dangerous, to say the least, because it essentially says there are no limits on federal power. In those cases, concern for whatever we define to be basic human rights will negate concerns over what we might call self-determination, self-rule, local autonomy, or constitutional law. This language is also fundamentally the same as that which has been used to justify imperialism and colonialism in many cases throughout history. As the Indian human rights activist Salil Shetty has noted, supporters of colonialism long relied on human rights arguments to justify their foreign interventions: Human rights in the last one-and-a-half centuries were in an odd and artificial way always linked to the project of colonisation itself, before they more genuinely became a part of the reverse effort of resistance against colonialism. colonialism and early, modern-day human rights fed upon each other. This was often explicitly the case when European colonizers in the nineteenth century claimed to be imposing foreign rule on indigenous populations for their own good. As noted by historian Alice Conklin: Republican ideas of civilization influenced French policy making in West Africa between 1895 and 1914 in two distinct but complementary ways. First, drawing on the universalist rhetoric of 1789 regarding the right of all people to basic freedoms, republican ideology inspired the French to identify, and take measures to liberate Africans from, forms of oppression that they believed to existincluding African slavery, feudalism, ignorance, and disease. Second, liberal ideals encouraged the French to set limits on the amount of coercion the colonial administration could use against the colonized, especially in the administration of justice and use of forced labor; this was done through the legal means of codification, which in turn created the illusion that basic human rights in the colonies were being respected. Both initiatives conspired equally, and tragically, to legitimate a regime based on force in the age of democracy. The Americans were similar in their views toward the Philippines. The justification for American intervention there in the early twentieth century was the notion that the United States would civilize the Filipinos by Christianizing the populationwhich was already mostly Catholic and therefore Christianand also teach the Filipinos to govern themselves in a manner thought to be sufficiently oriented toward American ideas of human rights. In both West Africa and the Philippines, of course, the process of imposing respect for human rights required violating the human rights of the locals on countless occasions. Regional Majorities That Are National Minorities: A De Facto State of Colonization But the realities of colonization and the denial of self-determination are not just something that occurs in faraway lands where people look different and speak different languages, nor are they negated by the existence of democratic institutions. In his 1927 book Liberalism, Ludwig von Mises recognizes that self-determination is routinely denied even within polities that are democratic. Mises writes: The situation of having to belong to a state to which one does not wish to belong is no less onerous if it is the result of an election than if one must endure it as the consequence of a military conquest. To be a member of a national minority always means that one is a second-class citizen. Within the United States own political system, entire regions of the country can find themselves in a situation like this when policy is imposed on them in spite of local majorities political ideologies and values. That is, if national majorities are sufficient to keep pro-abortion policymakers in power at the national level, this means antiabortion local majorities lack self-determination. Then local majorities have no means of exercising any real control over the national government. These local majorities are essentially in the same position as a colony without a vote or the permanent minorities Mises described. In a confederation like the United States, there is an easy way to address this problem: limit the power of the central government to external matters, such as foreign policy; maximize self-government at the state, local, and regional levels; and ultimately allow for secession when compromise is no longer feasible. The rhetoric of the abortion centralizers, however, is going in exactly the opposite direction. The language of accept our definition of human rights, or else is typical of what wed expect from the imperialists of old who insisted those rubes in the provinces couldnt be trusted with self-government. Fiji Joins US-Led IPEF, Deepening Partnership in Contentious Pacific Islands The island country of Fiji is joining the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), according to a Thursday White House statement. Situated in the Pacific, a region thats increasingly contentious in step with expanding Chinese influence, Fijis joining IPEF gives the Biden administration a diplomatic victory over Beijing. IPEF now reflects the full regional diversity of the Indo-Pacific, with members from Northeast and Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and the Pacific Islands, said Jake Sullivan, US national security adviser, in welcoming the country into the IPEF. A close partner to the United States and a leader in the region, Fiji will add vital value and perspective to IPEF, including on our efforts to tackle the climate crisis and build a clean economy that creates good paying jobs. The announcement comes amid a Pacific Island nations tour by Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is hoping to sign a security and trade agreement with the island nations. Wang landed in the Solomon Islands on Tuesday where he is expected to sign a security deal with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare that will open the door for the Chinese regimes Peoples Liberation Army to station troops, weapons, and naval ships in the region. After the Solomon Islands, Wang will also visit Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and East Timor. The IPEF was launched during Bidens recent visit to Japan on May 23. Along with Quad countries Australia, India, and Japan, the United States has partnered with Brunei, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam in the economic initiative. The collective does not include Taiwan or China. The IPEF focuses on four core policy pillars each led by separate agencies. Connected Economy is the first pillar, which focuses on trade. The second one, Resilient Economy, covers supply chain issues. Third is Clean Economy, which handles infrastructure and clean energy, and Fair Economy tackles tax and corruption. IPEF member nations can choose any pillar to work with, but are expected to commit to all aspects of that specific pillar once they join, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Following its pact with the Solomon Islands, China is in similar talks with Kiribatian island nation situated around 1,800 miles from Hawaii. Were next in Chinas plan to establish its military presence in strategic locations in our region, said Tessie Eria Lambourne, leader of the opposition in Kiribati, according to the Financial Times. Beijing has already sealed a deal with Vanuatu that includes a promise to upgrade the international airport in its second largest city, Luganville, the site of a U.S. military base during the second world war. The future of the 21st century economy is going to be largely written in the Indo-Pacific, and IPEF will help to drive sustainable growth for all our economies, said Sullivan. The United States thanks Prime Minister [Frank] Bainimarama, and we look forward to deepening our partnership for the benefit of our countries, the Pacific Islands, and the Indo-Pacific. Bainimarama took power after ousting the previous government via a military coup in 2006. Following the incident, western nations cut off contact with the island nation. China stepped in during this time and offered significant backing to Bainimaramas government and increased aid from $1 million to $161 million within two years. Florida Department of Health medical workers prepare to administer a COVID-19 vaccine to seniors in the parking lot of the Gulf View Square Mall in New Port Richey near Tampa, Fla., on Dec. 31, 2020. (Octavio Jones/Reuters) Floridas Inspector General Finds Claims of COVID Data Manipulation Unsubstantiated PUNTA GORDA, Fla.The Florida Inspector General has found insufficient evidence to support the claims of a former employee that she was asked to falsify COVID-19 data. In a 27 page report released May 26, the Florida Department of Health Office of Inspector General determined the accusations made by Rebekah Jones, a former Florida Department of Health employee and long-time critic of Gov. Ron DeSantis, to be unsubstantiated and unfounded. The report found no evidence of wrongful termination of Jones. It also cleared DOH officials accused by Jones of removing a data section from the states website to ensure private health information was not released to the public. Jones, a Democrat, is now challenging Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz as a U.S. Congressional candidate in Floridas Panhandle. In May 2021, Jones. a data curator for DOH was terminated for insubordination after being reprimanded several times about violating policy for communicating with the media, according to state records. Shortly after she filed her complaint with the IGs office in May, Jones was given whistleblower protection status, having met minimum criteria under Florida law, while the investigation was ongoing. Jones claimed that at least 1,200 cases were deleted in July under duress from DOH officials. She later admitted that those cases were in fact out-of-state visitors that were recorded separately on the DOH dashboard. Jones attorney, Rick Johnson, told reporters that his client is still a whistleblower and that she will move forward with her claim of wrongful termination in court. He said the investigative report governs the actions of state workers and does not affect her rights or ability to sue for wrongful termination. Johnson maintains that his client was terminated for refusing to manipulate COVID data and that a rebuttal has been filed. Johnson said the Florida Commission on Human Relations, a state agency that reviews wrongful termination claims must review Jones wrongful termination claim before it can go to court. He has accused the agency of slow-walking the case until after the election in November. A Twitter war began when Christina Pushaw, who is now the press secretary for Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote an article for a Human Events publication in Feb. 2021 that sought to discredit Jones claims of data manipulation. Jones filed a restraining order against Pushaw and then said Pushaw violated the order, which was later reported by the courts in Maryland to be untrue and the case was later dismissed. Jones shot to stardom because she lent a fresh face to a Narrative. Pushaw wrote in her Feb. 2021 article that, according to The Narrative, Florida wasnt supposed to be winning the fight against the pandemic. Its full of high-risk seniors, teeming with tourists, and run by a Republican who is an unapologetic ally of former President Donald Trump. To liberal intelligentsia, the idea that DeSantis could handle COVID-19 better than mask-mandating lockdown enthusiasts like Andrew Cuomo or Gavin Newsom was unthinkable, she wrote. As the Twitter war raged on between Jones and naysayers, Jones was able to garner more than 378,000 Twitter followers, but was suspended from the social media platform in June 2021 for violating its terms of servicebut not before profiting from it. Pushaw later wrote on Twitter: She was suspended because she broke a clear rule against buying followers (platform manipulation) andall evidence points to thishijacking the accounts of unsuspecting users to make them follow her. Jones had taken her newfound Twitter fame and turned it into a fundraising engine in her bid to unseat Gaetz in November and had moved to the Panhandle from Tallahassee in order to qualify for candidacy, according to papers filed with the Florida Secretary of State office. The IGs report described Jones as an employee who did not have a clear understanding of public health policy or the importance of epidemiological data, did not have direct clearance to access crucial information and it was skeptical of the claims made against health officials. Jones now faces a felony charge for allegedly accessing and downloading confidential health department data after she was terminated from DOH. Her home was raided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) who reportedly removed computers and software. Unrelated to the DOH charge, she is facing three misdemeanor stalking charges from 2017. Those charges involve an affair she had with a former student who accused her of stalking him, which led to her termination from Florida State University, where she was a PhD student and an instructor. That case is still pending. A spokesperson for DOH, Jeremy Redfern told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement, We arent giving any statements, as we feel that the report speaks for itself. A screenshot from a seismic map shows the location of an earthquake of magnitude 6.1 striking southwest of Sumatra, in Indonesia, on May 16, 2022. (USGS/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Former ASIO Head Urges Albanese Administration to Develop Better Relations With Indonesia Duncan Lewis, the former director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Service (ASIO), has called on the new Albanese government to develop relations with Indonesia facing the challenges of international affairs in its Pacific neighbour. Anthony Albanese, the new Australian prime minister, has promised that his government will take the geostrategic environment of the Pacific seriously. My government will take action. We will engage much more strongly with our neighbours, Albanese told Sky News on Thursday. China is seeking to extend its influence into the region. During the election campaign, the Solomon Islands (security) deal was front and centre, but we know that from Chinas perspective, thats just the first of a range of deals they want to exercise. (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) The comments from the head of ASIO come as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on an eight-nation tour of the Pacific region to boost alliances, starting in the Solomon Islands on May 25. The visit comes amid Beijings attempt to pursue a South Pacific-wide deal with 10 island nations to entrench its influence and presence in the region. Wang is expected to sign the controversial Solomon Islands security agreement formally and is likely to unveil a series of other memorandums of understanding during his visit. He is also reported to be forging a similar security agreement with Kiribati. Apart from the Solomon Islands, where he was received with a red carpet welcome, Wang will also visit Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste, the CCPs Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed late on May 24. Chinese minister of foreign affairs Wang Yi speaks at the 2020 Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany, on Feb. 15, 2020. (Johannes Simon/Getty Images) Speaking on the Australian National Universitys National Security Podcast, Lewis, the former head of ASIO and national security adviser, said the newly elected Labor government would face challenges on international issues. If youre going to start a meaningful conversation with other countries in the region about the future, that needs to be done on the basis of some trust and some goodwill, he said. You dont start in opposite corners. To this extent, the current that the change of government has just taken place might allow better, freer, more free-flowing discussions to take place. My concern in the last few years has been that we have been rather louder than we should have been. Weve been in the forefront of some of the criticism of states such as China when we might have been better to have been one back and one wide. Speak softly but carry a big stick. Albanese has spent his first days in office meeting with the leaders of the United States, Japan, and India at the Quad Leaders Summit in Tokyo. In addition, he and U.S. President Joe Biden discussed issues in the Indo-Pacific region and the recent trilateral security pact, which is known as AUKUS, between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The former ASIO head told the podcast that AUKUS is a game-changer in the region and that a better Australia-Indonesia relationship would be critical for Australia at this point. Indonesia is a relationship which requires even more attention than it has over the years. It is a critical relationship, Lewis said. It is one where we have enormous resources in this country of knowledge about Indonesia, and its not being properly harnessed. Anthony Albanese (C), Penny Wong (L) and Richard Marles (R) walk out of Government House after being sworn in as prime minister, foreign minister, and deputy prime minister, respectively, in front of the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) in Canberra, Australia, on May 23, 2022. (David Gray/Getty Images) Meanwhile, Penny Wong, the new Australian Foreign Minister has, travelled to Fiji on May 26 for a South Pacific tour. I will travel to Fiji to strengthen our Vuvale partnership and to discuss how we can best secure our region and help build a stronger Pacific family, Wong said in a statement on May 25. The visit, in my first week as Foreign Minister, demonstrates the importance we place on our relationship with Fiji and on our Pacific engagement. France's President Emmanuel Macron addresses a plenary session at the European Parliament to present the program of activities of the French Presidency as France currently holds the European Union rotating presidency, in Strasbourg, eastern France, on Jan. 19, 2022. (Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images) French President Looks Forward to Rebuilding Trust With New Australian PM French President Emmanuel Macron has fired a farewell shot to the outgoing Australian prime minister while welcoming new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. In a statement released by the Elysee Palace, Macron said that he had spoken with the newly elected Australian prime minister. After noting the deep breach of trust that followed former Prime Minister Scott Morrisons decision to terminate the Future Submarine Programme, the head of state and the Australian prime minister agreed to rebuild a bilateral relationship based on trust and respect to jointly overcome global challenges, foremost among which is the climate emergency, and the strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific, the statement said on May 26. A roadmap will be prepared to structure this new bilateral agenda by identifying strategic cooperation between our two countries with the aim of strengthening our resilience and contributing to regional peace and security. The French president acknowledged the historical ties between both nations and expressed gratitude to Australia for its contributions during World War I. Albanese and Macron also spoke about the situation in Ukraine and the response to a potential global food crisis. Albanese wrote in a post on Twitter that both leaders had a warm and constructive conversation. We discussed our commitment to a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific, cooperating on climate and energy, and support for Ukraine. I look forward to working together on our shared priorities. A warm and constructive conversation tonight with President @EmmanuelMacron. We discussed our commitment to a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific, cooperating on climate and energy, and support for Ukraine. I look forward to working together on our shared priorities. Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 26, 2022 Relations between France and Australia took a dive following the announcement of the trilateral AUKUS agreement between Morrison, U.S. President Joe Biden, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. AUKUS would see the United States and the United Kingdom arm the Royal Australian Navy with nuclear-powered submarines. The fallout of that agreement saw the previous Morrison government cancel the troubled $90 billion (US$64 billion) Future Submarine Programme for 12 custom-built, Attack-class submarines from French defence contractor Naval Group. However, the project was subject to severe delays and major cost blowoutsthe Attack-class was repurposed from the existing Barracuda-class nuclear-powered submarine and fitted with a diesel-electric engine instead. French leaders reacted angrily to the decision to cancel the submarines, with the president ordering his ambassadors to return from the United States and Australia. Guangdong Allegedly Shifting to Wartime System Would Pose an Imminent Threat to Taiwan: Analyst Commentary A recently leaked recording of an alleged meeting between leaders of southern Chinas Guangdong Military Zone and the provincial Party committee shows participants pushing for a wartime deployment in the province, which would add more tension to the nearby Taiwan Strait. On May 15, a Youtube account Lude Media revealed a tape that was allegedly transmitted by some senior military staff at great risk, which shows a May 14 internal meeting of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Guangdong Province discussing how to layout the provinces wartime system. The Epoch Times was unable to authenticate the recording. The meeting was allegedly held in response to Beijings national mobilization order. China expert Shi Shan told The Epoch Times that such a wartime mechanism already exists in the mainland, but has been idle for years. A Wartime system commonly indicates a temporary transitional system implemented by a country in times of war, the purpose of which is to strengthen the political, economic, social, cultural, and other fields to serve the war and support the countrys overall commitment to the war and hence, achieve victory. This uncovering is very detailed and specific. I believe that Guangdong Province is not the only one [to enter a wartime system], many provinces have started to do so, maybe even all of them. Shi said. The CCPs army has five theater commands covering the entire country, with its headquarters assigned to capital cities: Nanjing, Jiangsu Province in the east; Guangzhou, Guangdong Province in the south; Chengdu, Sichuan Province in the west; Shenyang, Liaoning Province in the north; and Beijing as center of military power. At least six top officials in Guangdong allegedly attended the meeting. Earlier, on April 8, Guangdong set up a military and local command system, with the scale of a battalion at the provincial level, a company at the municipal level, and a platoon at the county level. A worker looks past a fence in a compound during a COVID-19 coronavirus lockdown in the Jingan district of Shanghai on May 25, 2022. (Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images) City Lockdown Mode May Apply to Wartime System The prolonged lockdowns in China have led to millions of people being restricted in their activities outside the home, plus, an economic downturn. Regardless, attendees said they learned from the anti-epidemic curbs and those experiences will be translated into similar constraints on society in times of war. Actually, the CCP has been dedicated to preparing for war, Lude Media said in the video, adding, that it has tightened its grip on the country through draconian zero-COVID measures. The governments major task is aimed at guaranteeing a strategic victory in the battle, said Li Xi, Party Secretary of Guangdong Province at the meeting. Li stressed that workers and factory production must be in full swing to prioritize warfare needs, and use all means to avoid military supply disconnections. For some large-scale impacts, such as financial collapse, factory withdrawal, and migrant workers returning home, its crucial to thwart any risks, Li said. Using Civilians to Develop Military Power Tapping into the civilian power of the internet to support the war effort was another highlight at the conference of CCP cadres. Huang Shanchun, political commissar of the Guangdong military region, said that mobilization abroad could be a robust force in supporting a strategic victory against Taiwan, listing Chinese overseas, state-owned and private enterprises, as well as Chinas business with countries that are part of the Belt and Road initiativea global infrastructure project initiated by CCP leader Xi Jinping. Additionally, as part of the tactic of using civilians to cover and support the military, Chinese nationals outside China can be encouraged to purchase scarce domestic materials, such as high-end chips, precision machinery, strategic reserves, and all the resources across the world that can be useful for the regime. Through this assistance, the government can break the dilemma of the Western alliances blockade of strategic goods, Huang said. Huang didnt leave out technology giants Huawei and Tencent, together with Southern Power Grid and Guangzhou Metro Group, energy and transportation complexes, we can draw network experts from them, he said. While eating into civilian resources, the CCP would firmly stay in the saddle. For instance, the Guangdong government needs to keep a close eye on its two neighboring regions, Hong Kong and Macau, to prevent hostile forces from infiltrating from there and disrupting the war effort, Huang said. The conference also proposed increasing the penalties for those who refuse the levy during the war. A figure of a Kuomintang soldier is seen in the foreground, with the Chinese city of Xiamen in the background, on February 04, 2021 in Lieyu, an outlying island of Kinmen that is the closest point between Taiwan and China. (An Rong Xu/Getty Images) CCP May Attack Taiwan Without Declaring a Date: Analysis The meeting came up with two directions for decisive mobilization: one for the Taiwan Strait, and another for the South China Sea. Undoubtedly, the wartime system deepens the threat to the Taiwan Strait, Shi said, But this does not mean that the CCP will immediately enter into such a mechanism and launch a war. The main reason for the CCP striving to move from peacetime to wartime is to confuse other countries, said Shi, adding, that it is hard for them to let people be unaware of a massive troop build-up. But if it moves once or twice a month during the long so-called wartime period, the outside world gets in a muddle over the CCPs real motive and then loses its vigilance. That is to say, the CCP is reducing the pre-war time to bet that Taiwan or the United States will not have enough time to respond when it provokes a surprise war, Shi warned. In terms of specific tactics, Shi believes that the CCP will not use common sense, assuming that if nearly 1,000 fishing boats suddenly approach Taiwan without a declaration of war, how will Taiwans warships respond? It is unclear what the civilian ships are carrying. The CCP may use such a ruse to hide its ulterior motives, create perplexity, mislead public opinion, or violate international law, Shi said. Shi suggested, that it is unlikely that the CCP will attack Taiwan before its 20th Congress, which will determine the CCPs new leader this year. However, Xi wont rule out the possibility of claiming his re-election in the name of war in case of feeling a serious setback due to Party infighting. Xi can take back his power in this way since the CCPs wartime system could effectively destroy all peacetime government operations, with the command replacing the government, and the peacetime government structure being abolished, Shi said. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Workers in protective suits move equipment for a makeshift nucleic acid testing site to the next residential area after wrapping up the screening at a compound in Shanghai on May 14, 2022. (cnsphoto via Reuters) Humiliating: Shanghai Billionaire Laments Life Under Protracted Lockdown Liu Yiqian, a billionaire who lives in Shanghai, lamented that life is humiliating two months into the lockdown due to the Chinese regimes harsh zero-COVID policy. His viral post on May 22 on Chinese social media platform WeChat was accompanied by a photo of himself, messy-haired, unshaven, and wearing what appeared to be an oversized v-neck T-shirt. Screen capture of Shanghai billionaire Liu Yiqians WeChat post bemoaning life under lockdown. (Screenshot by The Epoch Times) Lius post said, I am humiliating myself. Every morning the neighborhood committee would give orders to our neighborhood to do PCR tests and catch the [COVID-19] positives. And they give clear deadlines, 9 a.m. the order is in and it ends by noon. After a few days of observation, there seem to be fewer and fewer residents [who would get tested]. Perhaps people are numb, tired of it already. However, Liu continues, [we] still have to live. In order to escape Shanghais one-size-fits-all lockdown, some friends would rather go to other provinces and be put under quarantine for 14 days. [People are] also leaving Shanghai, its changing so fast. As to whether to have hope for the future, even thinking about it wrong. According to Forbes, the 59-year-old investor and art collector had a net worth of $1.37 billion in 2015. Liu Yiqian and his wife have frequented auction houses in Hong Kong and New York, spending hundreds of millions and breaking records collecting art pieces. In 2014, the couple set a record by spending $36.3 million for a Ming Dynasty teacup at Sothebys Hong Kong. Liu later posed for a photo while sipping from the tiny teacup. Chinese billionaire and art collector Liu Yiqian (R) speaks at an opening ceremony in Shanghai, China, for the exhibition of a $36 million Ming Dynasty tea cup he bought and paid for with his American Express card on Dec. 18, 2014. (Chinatopix via AP) In 2015, the couple paid $170.4 million for Italian painter Amedeo Modiglianis Nu couche, auctioned by Christies New York. It was the second most expensive artwork ever sold at auction. According to Chinese media reports, Liu is from Shanghai. He worked at his uncles shoe factory before becoming a taxi driver. In the 1990s, Liu started to make his fortune investing in Chinas nascent stock market. To house their collections, the couple has opened their own private art museum with two locations in Shanghai and one in Chongqing. Many commented on Lius post. One said, The life of a top-tier rich guy in Shanghai is like this under the pandemic! One who spent hundreds of millions on teacup and painting, but now he does not have a comb for his hair Another person said, Under disasters, poor and rich all live without dignity A Shanghai rich man who spent $36 million for a teacup, Liu Yiqian: how come the iron fist is also hitting my head? Liu is not the only member of Chinas elite who has been affected by the lockdown. Kathy Xu, a billionaire venture capitalist and daughter of the Chairman of China National Heavy Duty Truck Group, asked in April on social media to be included in the group purchase chatroom so she could purchase milk and bread for her son and friends. Protesters are beaten and dispersed by plainclothes officers in front of the provincial government offices of Henan on May 23, 2022. (Courtesy of the interviewee) Hundreds of Chinese Depositors Assaulted by Plainclothes for Protesting Their Frozen Accounts Hundreds of bank customers in central China were beaten and dispersed by plainclothes police, in the presence of uniformed officers, for protesting the freezing of their accounts in a regional bank that hadnt provided a credible explanation for disallowing them to access their funds. On May 23, a group of protesters rallied in front of the provincial government of Henan, shouting for free withdrawal of their deposits from Yuzhou Xin Min Sheng Village Bank, a regional lender in the city of Yuzhou. Footage circulating online shows a team of plainclothes police in black attacking persistent protesters in a sit-in to turn them away while uniformed police officers just watch the violent scene from a distance. Later, police, security guards, and plainclothes officers force protesters, who were begging and crying for mercy, into buses and took them away. Four days before, they had received similar treatment by local authorities. Protesters, whose accounts have been frozen, in Chinas Henan Province are carried away by police on May 19, 2022. (Courtesy of the interviewee) One of the protesters surnamed Wang told The Epoch Times they originally gathered in the provincial banking regulator around 9:00 a.m. Police asked them to move to a designated location when their group grew to about 700 to 800. However, the petitioners then went to the seat of the provincial government seven kilometers away, to seek help. Wang said police had already blocked nearby roadways when they reached the destination between 11:00 and 12:00 and soon found themselves surrounded by law enforcement. They organized plainclothes [officers] in unison, all half-sleeved, to use force to crack down on the depositors, said Wang. We were all stuffed into the buses and put under control. Posts on social media show police deleted photos of the protest from their cellphones. Prior to their release, their ID information was recorded, and they were coerced into signing a promise to not commit such an act again. No Official Explanation No person or authority has offered an explanation as to why the customers could not freely withdraw their money, according to Wang. The local bank declared suspension of online service on April 18 in the name of upgrading the internal systems, which fueled anger and protests from clients. Nobody expected his or her deposits to be frozen, Wang told The Epoch Times. The incident seems like the heavens collapsing for families. Many chafe under the pandemic shutdowns and shrinking incomes. Another victim, surnamed He, told The Epoch Times that the bank had denied her access to her funds for more than 30 days. She said she received messages from the bank, guiding her to buy its deposit products on its official WeChat account. As depositors, we perceived that to be its own platform, therefore, we deposited money to it without any doubt. Its a small app on the official WeChat account, which has been verified with Tencent, the woman said. Tech giant Tencent is the developer of WeChat, an instant messaging and payment platform popular in China. All our deposits are hard-won and legitimate, she continued. We deposit money to such small banks because we build our trust on the supervision by our countrys regulator. However, all parties involved are seeking to shift the blame to the depositors. The official site of the bank indicates that it obtained its license from the China Banking Regulatory Commission in January 2011. The Epoch Times lost contact with the woman on the day of the interview. The bank in question couldnt be reached for comment by press time. Gu Xiaohua and Li Xinan contributed to this report. Hunter Biden walks to Marine One on the Ellipse outside the White House in Washington on May 22, 2021. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Hunter Biden Used Burner Phone and Data Recovery Apps: Former US Secret Service Agent Data recovered from Hunter Bidens abandoned laptop have shown that the presidents son reportedly used burner phone apps extensively from 2014 to 2018, and a data recovery app to extract data from iPhones owned by Hallie Biden, the widow of his late brother Beau. The discovery was made by Konstantinos Gus Dimitrelos, retired U.S. secret service agent and current chief executive officer of U.S.-based firm Cyber Forensics, after examing a copy of the laptops hard drive provided by the Washington Examiner. According to his report, one of his key findings was a CSV file, created on Jan. 21, 2019, containing Hunter Bidens transaction records in the Apple app store. The file contained over 2,000 purchases by Robert Hunter Biden and dozens of purchases of burner phone apps which are used to generate alternate phone numbers capable of making calls and texting from a primary mobile device such as an iPhone or iPad, the report says. Dimitrelos listed details of 39 purchase transactions in his report, their invoices dating from 2014 to 2018, showing Hunter Biden make multiple purchases with three burner phone appsPhoner, textPlus, and WePhone. The presidents son bought items including Unlimited Mexico Calls, Unlimited Calling US & Canada, and Second Phone Number Yearly. It is unknown why Hunter Biden needed these apps, which offer more privacy protection. And neither is it clear whether and to what extent he used these different phone numbers to conduct foreign business dealings. Hunter Biden, who is currently under federal investigation for tax affairs, has been under scrutiny for his overseas business dealings in countries including Ukraine, Russia, and China, particularly during the time when Joe Biden was vice president under the Obama administration. In addition to buying burner phone apps, there is evidence on the MacBook Pro hard drive that Phoner was used to record a call and save the audio file titled Recording.mp3, the report says. The audio file, which lasted 8 minutes and 16 seconds, involved a conversation between Hunter Biden and a woman he called Hallie. On May 6, 2017, Hunter Biden purchased Dr.Fone, a software that allows its users to recover deleted data and back up data on their cellphones, as well as transfer certain files such as photos and contacts between phones and computers. According to the report, the software was installed on Hunter Bidens abandoned laptop. Hunter Biden manually connected iPhones belonging to Hallie, the report says, and he extracted information including messages, call logs, photographs, notes, and over 120 voicemails. In 2017, Hunter Biden began dating Hallie Biden, two years after Beau Biden died from brain cancer. The two eventually split up and the presidents son re-married in 2019. Dimitrelos ended his report by authenticating the laptop. Based on my analysis and overwhelming data confirmed the Hunter Biden MacBook Pro was not hacked and the data contained on the hard drive is authentic, he wrote. Based on the data I examined there was no manipulation of any photographs, emails, documents, or other user activities. In October 2020, The New York Post broke the Hunter Bidens laptop story. The Washington Post and the New York Times didnt authenticate the laptop until March 2022. The Epoch Times has reached out to Hunter Bidens attorney Chris Clark for comment. Recently, Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, sent letters to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and 13 banks, demanding financial records and documents in connections to Hunter Biden, his uncle James Biden, and business associates Eric Schwerin and Devon Archer, among others. We are investigating the domestic and international business dealings of President Bidens son, Hunter Biden, and other Biden associates and family members to determine whether these activities compromise U.S. national security and President Bidens ability to lead with impartiality, Comer wrote in the letters. Comers letters cited a CBS News report that more than 150 financial transactions tied to Hunter Biden or James Biden were flagged by U.S. banks as concerning. The sheer number of flagged transactions in this case is highly unusual and may be indicative of serious criminal activity or a national security threat, Comer said in the letter (pdf) to Yellen. The 13 banks include Morgan Stanley, Citi Bank, and Bank of Americaas well as the state-owned Bank of China (pdf). Comer wanted the Yellen and the banks to produce the documents and information before June 8. The documents sought by Comer could lay the groundwork for a potential probe by House Republicans if they win control of the House after the midterm elections. Larry Cappetto wants to give voice to brave veterans, through documenting their experiences on film For one independent filmmaker, Memorial Day means much more than a 24-hour holiday or even a three-day weekend. For Larry Cappetto, Memorial Day is his life. Cappetto has dedicated his craft to honoring veterans by recording their memories and experiences for future generations. Since 2003, Cappetto said, he has interviewed more than 1,000 American and Canadian veterans of conflicts from World War II to Afghanistan. Im telling you, without ever having been in combat, Cappetto said, I can look you in the eye and tell you what combat looks like, what it sounds like, what it feels like, what it tastes like. In his ongoing documentary series, Lest They Be Forgotten, Cappetto not only examines such World War II battles as Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima through surviving witnesses. He not only explores the Korean and Vietnam wars. Cappetto also chronicles the Nazi persecution and attempted extermination of the Jews from Kristallnacht to the liberation of the death camps. This is totally unrehearsed, Cappetto said. When Im interviewing veterans, its like they are reliving in color what happened now almost 80 years ago after World War II. He added that every interview I did, I can see in their eyes and in their body language, theyre reliving what they went through when they were 18, 19 years old. Most of these people I talked to didnt talk for 40, 50, 60 years, if you can believe holding all of that inside. Cappettos father, Robert William Cappetto, who served in the Korean War, is pictured in the third row from the top, at far left. (Courtesy of Larry R. Cappetto) A Range of Emotion The veterans stories range from the heartwarming to the heartbreaking. In Bill the Potter, Cappetto profiles Bill Wedeland from San Antonio, Texas. Wedeland was serving in Vietnam with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, when two weeks before his 19th birthday, he lost both eyes and both hands while suffering severe head injuries in an explosion. Yet surgeries gave Wedeland new eyes, and two special procedures split the bone in the remains of Wedelands forearms so that he could use them like hands. As a result, the Marine veteran, now 72, has been able to make and sell pottery for the past 50 years. When giving speeches, Wedeland often cites a Henry Ford quote: If you think you can, or you think you cant, youre right. Cappetto said, When life gets tough, I think about Bill and his quote from Henry Ford. When Ive had bad days, Im going to call Bill, and Im calling him to encourage me. Cappetto has interviewed close to 1,000 veterans over the past 20 years. (Courtesy of Larry R. Cappetto) Two other stories depict tragedy from its most staggering and most subtle extremes. One of Cappettos subjects, Loyd Lewis, told how he had to bury the pieces of his 17-year-old twin brother, Boyd, who was killed by an explosion while in a foxhole early during that infamous invasion of Iwo Jima. Another Marine veteran, Frank Clark from Las Cruces, New Mexico, a clerk typist who saw no action, represents the other extreme. He said he typed the telegrams to the families of those that were killed on Iwo Jima, Cappetto said. And he could quote that [form] telegram verbatim. That gives me chills every time I tell that. International and Personal Impact Cappetto and his work have been featured on PBS and Fox affiliates; the CBS Evening News during Katie Courics tenure as anchor; Alison Stewarts show on MSNBC; and CTV, Canadas largest privately-owned television network. Because of his work, Cappetto received the Freedom Foundations George Washington Honor Medal in 2007. Cappettos YouTube channel, Voices of History, has been viewed more than 7 million times since it began in 2012. His own website sells copies of his videos, which include interviews with police officers in a series called Beyond the Badge and with truck drivers in another series, Keep America Moving. But Cappetto wants his productions to make the biggest impact with students. My heart is really with our younger generation, he said. I get this from teachers: History is best learned from those who were there. They tell me you dont get that emotional connection from a book. (Courtesy of Larry R. Cappetto) And they tell me theres very little in the textbooks today about World War II, definitely not about the Korean War, which is called a forgotten war, and theres really not much about Vietnam. So my documentary series is huge to an audience of people seeking to learn about our history, about our country, about our freedom. The impact extends beyond mere information. Its like time stops for an hour, Cappetto said. Young people are especially shocked to learn the realities of war. Cappetto regularly gives presentations at schools and local events on his documentaries. The emotion that these young people have shown, the adults have shown, tears of gratitude for what these people do. Over the years, Ive spoken in over 100 schools across our country, to over 100,000 students. One of the things I hear most is they had no idea what our veterans went through. They had no idea what freedom really means. They were shocked into the reality of the fact that freedom is earned, man. Its not free. The True Price of Education One of Cappettos short films makes that point directly and poignantly. In Where Are the Desks? students walk nervously into their classroom on the first day of school, only to find no desks for them to use. The teacher writes this question on her whiteboard for her students to consider: What have I done to earn the right to sit at my desk? By the end of the school day, after no student could provide a satisfactory answer, veterans of different ages carry the desks into the classroom. That gesture deeply moves the students. Many weep. Afterward, the students and veterans hug each other. Cappetto, with his wife, Nancy, by his side, is awarded the Freedom Foundations George Washington Honor Medal. (Courtesy of Larry R. Cappetto) You students did not earn the right to sit in these desks, the teacher told them. These heroes did it for you. They paid the price so that you could have the right to get an education. Please dont ever forget it. For Cappetto, the veterans he interviews are more than heroes. When I look at the American flag, he said, I see that they are woven into the cloth, into the fabric of that flag. When he looks at the nations current turbulence, Cappetto believes his films carry an especially crucial message. On a personal note, he said, I feel today weyou and mewere fighting for the same freedoms in our own country that our veterans fought for on foreign soil. This article was originally published in American Essence magazine. Volunteers for Jeremy Brown's Florida House campaign will receive special orange jailhouse scrubs to wear in support of Brown, a candidate for Florida House District 62 and a Jan. 6 prisoner. (Patricia Tolson/The Epoch Times) Jan. 6 Prisoners Campaign for Florida State Representative Absolutely Gaining Traction 'We have to stand behind him 100 percent' As Floridas Aug. 23 primary draws near, the historic campaign for a Jan. 6 prisonerwho is running for a seat in the state House of Representativesis rapidly gaining support. As reported May 24 by The Epoch Times, Jeremy Brown is running to represent District 62 in the Florida House. Its the first time someone has sought the position of state representative in the Sunshine State while incarcerated. Due to the unique nature of Browns candidacy, the Florida Department of States Division of Elections was unable to confirm whether there was anything in Floridas Constitution or any law or statute that would disqualify Brown from serving as a state representative while in jail, or if he would be able to continue serving in that position were he to eventually be convicted of any crime. Even the woman heading up his campaign, Cathi Chamberlain, bears the unique title of Campaign Commander. Sirena Pellarolo sells orange T-shirts in the campaign tent at a rally held outside of the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Fla., in support of Jeremy Brown, a Jan. 6 prisoner and candidate for Florida State Representative, on May 22, 2022. (Patricia Tolson/The Epoch Times) Jeremys campaign is absolutely gaining traction, Chamberlain told The Epoch Times at a rally and prayer vigil held just outside of the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Florida, on May 22. Brown is currently in jail awaiting trial for two misdemeanor charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Stop the Steal protest in Washington: entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds. There is no evidence that Brown ever entered the Capitol Building. He has been in jail, under maximum security with no outdoor privileges, for over 230 days. Brown is the only Republican running for the District 62 seat in the Florida House. On the Democratic side, three challengersWengay M. Newton Sr., Trevor Mallory, and Jesse Philippeare hoping to oust incumbent Michele Rayner. Chamberlain said she started the monthly rallies at Pinellas County Jail in December 2021. However, with her new position as Browns campaign manager, she has stepped away from that role in order to focus on getting him elected. The May 22 rally was the first event organized by his campaign volunteers. I was thrilled that they are carrying on with that ceremony because its so important to keep his name alive, as well as those of the other January Sixers,' Chamberlain said, adding that managing Browns campaign has been quite a process. It took a lot to get his campaign up and running because its not your usual campaign, she explained. You have to send all of the paperwork to Jeremy in jail. Then he has to find a notary and have them sign it and get it back to us, all under the scrutiny of the guards who check the mail and read it. Its a real time-consuming process. According to Chamberlain, the campaign really kind of kicked off on March 8, 2022, after all of the paperwork was completed and filed. Her focus for the following two months was on gaining the required number of petitions to get Browns name on the ballot. Cathi Chamberlain takes a break at a local restaurant to strategize about Jeremy Browns campaign with her companion cardboard cutout of Brown, a Jan. 6 prisoner and candidate for Florida State House. (Courtesy of Cathi Chamberlain) Chamberlain explained that candidates have two options to get their names on a ballot. One is to gain the required number of petitions. In Browns case, as a candidate for the Florida House, the required number is 599. The other option is to pay a fee. In our case, it was $1,800, which is a lot for a new campaign that is just starting to fundraise and get the word out, she said. It took us two months to get those petitions and thats a real achievement. Most candidates dont even bother with the petitions because its extremely hard to get that number of petitions signed and verified by the due date, which was May 16. We made it on May 12 and actually ended up with way more than we needed and they came in from over 20 different counties in Florida, which says a lot. Now that Brown is officially on the ballot, Chamberlains focus has shifted to planning events and fundraisers in order to raise money for the necessary things for his campaign, like yard signs and shirts, to help expose his situation and get his name out there. They also have an official campaign website where people can donate to his effort. We just recently collected enough money to purchase the first batch of orange jailhouse scrubs, which is what all of our volunteers will be wearing, which is kind of a quandary because people want to buy those, Chamberlain said, explaining that those are reserved just for the volunteers so they can be distinguished and honored for being volunteers and to give them an incentive for volunteering. Instead of scrubs, supporters can purchase orange campaign T-shirts. So far, Chamberlain said she has accrued about 350 volunteers but is seeking more in many categories from door knockers to social media posters. Were on a good roll for getting the word out, Chamberlain said. Once we get our volunteers out there spreading the word, things are really going to explode. An attendee holds an American flag in the upside down position, signaling distress and extreme danger, at a prayer vigil and rally in support of Jeremy Brown, a Jan. 6 prisoner and candidate for Florida House District 62, outside of Pinellas County Jail on May 22, 2022. (Patricia Tolson/The Epoch Times) Sirena Pellarolo of Largo in Pinellas County thinks Browns candidacy is fantastic. Not only is he the best candidate ever, hes an incredible patriot. He has dedicated all of his life for this country and he would be a fantastic representative for the state of Florida. Hes also giving visibility to the plight of all of the J-6 prisoners who are languishing is so many prisons across the country, mostly in Washington. Its a great idea and I totally support him. An aerial photo of rally outside of the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Fla., on the one-year anniversary of the Stop the Steal protest in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, in support of all of the Jan. 6 prisoners incarcerated across the United States. (Courtesy of Cathi Chamberlain) Barbara Day, also from Pinellas County, was at the rally and sang the national anthem in support of Brown. Its so bold and so brave that he is taking his circumstance and using it as a means to show us conservatives what it really means to be the what I call the anti-politician, the one who is brave to continue his work and what his mission is despite his circumstances, Day said. A sign bearing the Jan-Six logo, designed to represent the prisoners being held for their participation or simple presence at the Stop the Steal rally in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, is spotted at a rally in Pinellas County, Fla., on May 22, 2022. (Patricia Tolson/The Epoch Times) Stephen Meckler drove an hour from Citrus County to attend the rally in support of Brown and other Jan. 6 prisoners. Im basically here to help Jeremy out, Meckler told The Epoch Times. Im a veteran also. I hate seeing whats going on. Thats the bottom line. I came down to stand up for him. Jack Martin of Spring Hill, Florida, said he believes what is happening to Brown is shameful to our nation. People gather at a rally and prayer vigil outside of the Pinellas County Jail is support of Jeremy Brown, a Jan. 6 prisoner and candidate for Florida House District 62. (Patricia Tolson/The Epoch Times) I think theres ample proof that he hasnt done anything thats criminal for him to be where he is, Martin said. I think the punishment for him and the other J-6ers are suffering right now is unconstitutional and I think our government needs to be held responsible for what theyve done. Gaye Collins of Belleair, Florida, said that Jan. 6 was a shame. Theres more and more coming out to show, it was like we knew it was, Collins said. It was run by the feds to trap people and the videos show. Tawnya Martin of St. Petersburg, Florida, is convinced that Jan. 6 was a setup to entrap Americans. Im concerned that Floridians are being locked up for an indefinite period of time and I dont find that constitutional so Im not really sure who I need to talk to about that. Im a little concerned about it, Martin said. Its been over a year now. Im going to start asking questions. Thats all I know to do. Ive read the state constitution and the U.S. Constitution and I dont see how its constitutional to lock someone up indefinitely. George Colella, the national president of Born to Ride for 45, said he also believes what is happening to Brown is unconstitutional. One of the reasons why Im supporting Jeremy Brown is because [his incarceration] is unconstitutional, Colella told The Epoch Times. Its important to me and to this country. We have to stand behind him 100 percent. Lisa Repetto of Palm Harbor, Florida, also attended the rally to show her support for Brown. I am here to support Jeremy, Repetto, a self-described patriot, told The Epoch Times. I dont like whats going on in our country. Im especially concerned about the Jan. 6 folks that are behind bars right now. Its unjustified. We all need to get together and fight for our country and our freedom and its really important for me to fight for our civil liberties and our rights because they are in jeopardy. Ive been praying a lot for Jeremy and for our country and our lovely patriots. James Lampe of Pinellas County thinks Brown has about a 5050 chance of winning. I think its unique. I think its great. I think its going to bust things wide open. There are a lot of people running from the other side and I dont know how much press or publicity we will get, but hes getting a lot of support here, Lampe said. Were doing a lot for him and we intend on making him win. Travelers walking past check-in counters at an international flight departure floor at Tokyo's Haneda airport, on Dec. 1, 2021. (Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images) Japan to Allow Entry of Tour Groups From 98 Countries and Regions, Including United States Japan will ease border control measures and resume accepting foreign tourists from 98 countries and regions on June 10, but only for package tours, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. The government will ease border control measures for countries classified as having the lowest risk of COVID-19, including the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and China. But it stated that Japan will only accept visitors on escorted package tours for the time being. On the whole, the world is seeing a downward trend in the number of new infection cases and deaths, and the risk of suffering severe symptoms and deaths has been seen receding, it stated, according to Kyodo News. Visitors from low-risk countries, designated as blue, will be exempt from a COVID-19 test and quarantine requirements regardless of vaccination status. But they must provide a negative test result before departing to Japan. On Tuesday, seven travelers from the United States arrived in Japan on the governments first small-scale test tours, which aimed at assessing the feasibility of reopening borders to inbound tourists, according to local reports. Japan also planned to raise the maximum daily number of entrants to 20,000 next month and resume international flights at Naha and New Chitose airports, Kyodo News reported. At present, only five airports in Japan are allowed to accept international flights. The move follows Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas goal to implement an entry process similar to that of other Group of Seven (G7) developed economies nations. We have now eased border control measures significantly, with the next easing taking place in June, when Japan will introduce a smoother entry process similar to that of other G7 members, Kishida told reporters in London on May 5. Kishida also described Japans COVID-19 response as one of the most successful in the world, saying that the strict measures have allowed the government to fortify its healthcare system and increase vaccination rates. Japan received more than 30 million inbound tourists in 2018, but that number plummeted to 250,000 in 2021 when the government closed its borders to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant and adopted the strictest border control procedures among G7 nations. School buses are seen parked in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Borough Park in New York City on Oct. 6, 2020. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) Jewish Community Leads Fight Against NYs Latest Push for Greater Private School Control New York State is considering far-reaching new controls over private schools to make them substantially equivalent to public schools, sparking concerns among advocates of religious liberty and parental rights. Under the proposal, students at private schools the state does not approve of could, legally at least, be declared truant. That would put parents at risk of being jailed while forcing children into public schools. Especially alarmed have been parts of the Jewish communityin particular various Orthodox leaders and groupsthat would be most affected. They say traditional Jewish schools, known as yeshivas, are in the crosshairs of the state and the activists pushing the measures. Hundreds of thousands of students could be affected under the plan if officials move ahead with it later this year. Were concerned with the idea of the state being the arbiter of how private schools should be run, said Chief of Staff Avrohom Weinstock with Agudath Israel of America, an Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization that works closely with yeshivas. Agudath, one of the leading forces opposing the proposed regulations, focuses on civil rights and ensuring that Orthodox Jews can freely practice their religion. But the organization says this battle should concern everyone. These regulations being proposed now have a lot of concerning language, Weinstock told The Epoch Times in a phone interview. Then theres the big picture: Heres what they are doing now, what does it mean for the future? Are parents in charge of their children, or is the state? Multiple Orthodox leaders and rabbis battling the proposal said that it represents a threat to the Jewish way of life and even to the communitys survival as a distinct religious group. They also warned that the plan could affect Christian schools eventually, too. One of the key leaders of the opposition, Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro, spoke out against the plan at a rally last week convened by the Central Rabbinical Union of the United States and Canada outside the New York State Education Department in Albany. Pointing to the thousands in attendance, Shapiro noted that the states Jewish community was doing very welland that its traditional education system was a big part of the reason for that. If its not broken, dont fix it, the prominent rabbi and author told The Epoch Times in a series of phone interviews. The government should not be involved in religious institutions curriculum. Just as they have no right to tell me as a rabbi what to teach in my synagogue, they have no right to tell us what to teach in our schools, he said. Its wrong for the government to be involved. At the rally, Shapiro said that even if Jews wanted to change their educational curriculum, they are not authorized to, as it is divinely mandated. He also promised to put our children first if God forbid, the regulations pass. Echoing Shapiro and other Jewish leaders who spoke, Jews at the rally held signs arguing that the substantial equivalency requirement was an attack on religious freedom. Outside experts involved in education policy also told The Epoch Times that the move represents a threat to the rights of parents, educational liberty, and constitutionally protected religious freedoms. A Jewish man and his three sons walk down a street in a Jewish quarter in Williamsburg Brooklyn in New York City on April 24, 2019. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images) The Proposed Rules The regulations, being considered by the New York State Board of Regents that oversees education in the state, are being pursued under a state law requiring that non-public education be substantially equivalent to that provided in government schools. The language in the statute dates back to over a century ago, when the state was seeking to regulate Catholic schools at a time when public schools were de facto non-denominational protestant. But it has always been loosely interpreted, and the statute has never been vigorously enforced. Because traditional yeshivas often do not teach the same subjects that public schools and many other private schools do, they would face tough scrutiny under the new measure. Officials, however, said they would respect diversity and religious communities under the plan. Our state is rich in diversity, from our cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds to the languages we speak, said New York Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. These differences are assets that should be embraced so we can learn from each other. The Board and I are committed to ensuring students who attend school in settings consistent with their religious and cultural beliefs and values receive the education to which they are legally entitled, he added. Education Commissioner Betty Rosa argued that the proposed rules were merely an effort to comply with state law. We have an obligation under the law to ensure all students receive an education that enables them to fulfill their potential and teaches them the skills and knowledge needed to contribute to society and participate in civic life, she said, adding that public feedback was reflected in the proposed rules. While there are numerous controversial provisions in the regulations, among the most concerning to critics have been the implications of a school failing to be considered substantially equivalent by the state. If such a determination is made by the state, the nonpublic school shall no longer be deemed a school which provides compulsory education fulfilling the requirements of Article 65 of the Education Law. Under state law, that would make children truant. Parents of a truant child who is not meeting compulsory education requirements could be charged, prosecuted, fined, and even jailed. The children, meanwhile, would be forced into a public school or approved private one. Children line up as they enter a public school in New York City on Dec. 7, 2020. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Many Jewish parents and community leaders have indicated that they would disobey if necessary, arguing that their obligation to obey God supersedes their duty to obey government, as explained in their scriptures. While experts say the state would likely hesitate to jail parents, it is a real possibility under the law. Another major concern is that schools could be reported to the state by anyone, even if that person does not have a connection to the school. Critics said it opens the door to major abuses by those hostile to Jews or their yeshivas. The New York State Department of Education and the Board of Regents did not respond to questions from The Epoch Times about the proposed policy or the consequences of violating it. Instead, they sent links to the proposed regulations and public statements made by officials. Support for the Measure Not all Jews are opposed to the states proposal. In fact, some of the leading figures involved in the battle think government regulation of the yeshivas is long overdue. Naftuli Moster, executive director of Young Advocates for Fair Education (YAFFED), told The Epoch Times that he was hardly given an education at his yeshiva growing up. My secular education was basically an afterschool program, he said. We never learned science or history or the Constitution or the Founding Fathers. According to Moster, widely viewed as the leading advocate for the proposed regulations, Jewish children need more instruction in secular subjects to be able to live in todays society. Any effort to portray this as trying to turn yeshivas into failing government schools are false, he said, clearly disturbed by the characterization and demonization of YAFFEDs efforts by his co-religionists. This is not a government takeover of private education. Advocates of more government oversight and regulation of yeshivas and private schools are not trying to force controversial notions of gender and sexuality into the curriculum, Moster said. We just want them to learn what a molecule isreally basic stuff, he added, blasting as complete nonsense accusations that the measures violate religious freedom or would undermine religious communities. In 2019, when the state asked yeshivas to spend at least 3.5 hours of instruction time per day on secular subjects, the Jewish schools opposed it, Moster said. Is that too much to ask? he wondered. They are not entitled to keep complaining anymore. Over 50 rabbis and dozens of Jewish leaders from New York sent a letter to the New York State Education Department urging it to proceed with the new rules. Judaic studies alone is not enough, they wrote, slamming as an injustice what they argued was a lack of secular education in yeshivas. While our Torah and traditions are enriching, they are not a substitute for formal education in English, mathematics, science, and social studies. Together we call on the New York State Education Department to enforce education standards in Haredi [Orthodox Jewish] yeshivas, they added. This is the only way to ensure that our Jewish brothers and sisters are granted the opportunity they deserve to gain essential skills to support their growth into the next generation of the Jewish people. Students in a classroom in New York City on Sept. 27, 2021. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) Opponents Counter the Narrative Agudaths Weinstock, though, said Moster and those supporting his position do not represent the views of most Jews. In fact, he pointed out that of the 135,000 comments that have been submitted to authorities, just a tiny minority support the states efforts. A similar ratio was observed the last time the state proposed the regulation of yeshivas. The final day for public comment is May 31. The Rabbinical Union, which organized the rally in Albany to oppose the measure, secured tens of thousands of signatures on a petition urging the state to stop the proposal. People and parents are really coming out en mass to protest the idea that private schools should be controlled by the state, noted Weinstock, whose organization defends religious liberty for Jews and works closely with yeshivas. The proposed rules, he said, would make New Yorks private schools the most regulated in the country by far, as far as the level of control they are proposing. When setting up a regime for the state to control private schools, you are opening the door for anything to come in later, he said. Parents have a prior right to raise their children, and they should be given a lot of deference in how they choose to do that, Weinstock said. Parents who do not value religious education can choose other schools for their children, he added. This is an effort to homogenize private schools with public education, continued Weinstock. If I wanted to send my kid to a public school, I could do that for free, I dont have to work two jobs to afford a private school. Additionally, the religious education provided by yeshivas, which Weinstock described as challenging mentally and intellectually, is central to the Jewish community, he said. Our yeshiva system goes back thousands of years, our formalized system of learning and teaching, he said, noting that building yeshivas was the first undertaking of the Jews arriving in America after World War II. This is key to our survival. We believe religious freedom is critical, so to see this happening in a state like New York is really frightening, he added. Are we going back in time? We know our history, we know what has happened to our people. This threat to our religious freedom has shaken people up. Theres a nerve that has been touched here, the idea that the state will come in and decide what we can teach, what we cant teach. Pedestrians walk past the Yeshiva Kehilath Yakov School in the South Williamsburg neighborhood in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on April 9, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Yeshivas Not the Problem While critics argue that yeshivas do not teach much English, science, math, or civics, supporters of the Jewish schools say they have worked very well for centuries, if not longer. Some trace them all the way back to Moses and Mount Sinai. Parents for Educational and Religious Liberty in Schools (PEARLS), a leading force in opposing the regulations, has consistently argued that yeshivas do, in fact, successfully prepare children for career and life. That is why parents choose them, the group contends. According to Rabbi Shapiro, who spoke at the Albany rally, the state should actually be studying yeshivas and the Jewish community to see how they have achieved such success. There is no reason for these regulations, Shapiro told The Epoch Times. The Orthodox Jewish community is doing just fine in terms of being productive members of society. Weve been in this country for generationsfour generations weve been hereand our neighborhoods are clean, they are middle to upper class. The children do well as adults, too. There are students from our yeshivas who are CEOs and billionaires to average people to poor people like anywhere else, he said. But there is not a single Orthodox Jewish neighborhood thats unsafe to walk in or a single Orthodox school that needs a metal detector. Graduates of yeshivas also do as well or better than average Americans in business, added Shapiro. That is partly, at least, from having learned not just the three Rs (Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic), but also problem-solving skills, collaboration, teamwork, and more in yeshiva. In fact, standard methods of schooling used in public schools have long been shown to be inadequate for preparing young people for the workplace, argued Shapiro, referencing an article in Entrepreneur magazine headlined Why Traditional Schooling Cant Prepare Students for the Modern Workplace. While it is true that many do not emphasize traditional academic subjects, and yeshivas are not all the same, the religious studies do provide critical skills that other schools often do not, according to Shapiro. In religious studies, students are encouraged to come up with new answers that teachers may not have thought of; even new questions, he said. Youre taught that a good question is an accomplishment, that an original answer is an extra accomplishment. This is the nature of Talmudic studies. In any case, academics aside, yeshiva education is a religious obligation for many Orthodox Jews, Shapiro said. The curriculum that we have in our religious schoolsthe Hasidic schools especiallyhas been handed down by tradition for centuries, he explained. The curriculum itself is a religious mandate. Changing it is against our religion. The subject matter they want us to teach is not acceptable. A group of rabbis had the opportunity to meet with some members of the Board of Regents. One of them, Rabbi Chaim Flohr, who serves as dean for multiple Jewish educational institutions in New York, urged officials not to put the Orthodox community into such a tough situation. We obey God and the government, in that order, he told the officials, asking them not to force us into a position of noncompliance with the law. We are loyal citizens of the state, he added. We pay an exorbitant school tax to support a public education system from which we do not benefit much. We are not asking for anything in return. We did not come here today to seek any government funds. We came to ask to be left alone, and be allowed to educate our children the way God has commanded us to. Broader Threat For now, the threat to the independence of private schools in New York is mostly limited to Jewish yeshivas. But numerous experts and attorneys explained that once the proverbial camels nose was under the tent, Christian schools would eventually be in the crosshairs as well. A leading expert in the field, Research Fellow Jason Bedrick with the Center for Education Policy at the conservative-leaning Heritage Foundation, told The Epoch Times in phone and email interviews that the proposed regulations were an attack on parental rights, educational freedom, and religious liberty. Its one thing for the state to intervene in clear cases of educational neglect, said Bedrick, a Jew who co-edited a book on the yeshiva controversy titled Religious Liberty and Education: A Case Study of Yeshivas vs. New York. Students in a classroom in New York City on Sept. 27, 2021. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) In this case, however, the standard is substantial equivalency, an ambiguous and ill-defined term but one that strongly implies that private schools should more or less be doing the same thing that district schools do, he said. Of course, many if not most parents seeking private education are looking for something substantially different from what the district schools are doing, added Bedrick, noting that policymakers had been pursuing dramatic interference in schools that would compromise the wishes of parents and schools. Ironically, there is no evidence that children in government-controlled schools do better than Jewish students in Yeshivas, he said. Bedrick also pointed out that the leading advocate of the regulations, YAFFEDs Moster, lamented in media interviews about never having learned what a molecule was during his yeshiva education. He then went on to graduate summa cum laude and get a Masters degree, observed Bedrick, saying Mosters education helped him develop the skills and habits of the heart necessary to sit for long hours, deeply engaged with complicated texts, required to succeed in other fields of study. The substantial equivalency standard being pursued in New York would give the government tremendous power to interfere with the autonomy of private schools, including religious schools, warned Bedrick. Interfering in this system is the tip of the spear, and we can see where that leads by looking at other nations in the West that have gone down that path, the education policy expert added. Even though the state is not currently cracking down on Christian schools or homeschoolers, the same arguments could be used to do so, as some European governments are already doing, he said. Governments in Europe are now forcing private schools to teach particular values and ideas favored by the governing elite, even when they are significantly at odds with the deeply held beliefs of members of certain religions, concluded Bedrick. If the yeshivas lose this fight, well be one step further down the dark road that parts of Europe are already traveling. The New York State Education Department will review public comments over the summer. Unless major changes are made to the proposed regulations, the Board of Regents is likely to vote on them this fall. Actor Johnny Depp arrives in the courtroom for closing arguments in his defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard, at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va., on May 27, 2022. (Steve Helber/Pool via Reuters) Jury in Depp-Heard Case Reaches No Verdict, Deliberations to Resume on Tuesday Jurors deliberating the dueling defamation claims from actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard adjourned on Friday without delivering verdicts, leaving the resolution in the widely watched six-week trial to next week. Depp, the 58-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean star, sued ex-wife Heard in Virginia for $50 million and argued that she defamed him when she called herself a public figure representing domestic abuse in an opinion piece she wrote. Heard, 36, countersued for $100 million, saying Depp smeared her when his lawyer called her accusations a hoax. The seven-person jury deliberated for more than two hours on Friday. They will resume discussions on Tuesday after the Memorial Day holiday. Depp has denied hitting Heard or any woman and said she was the one who turned violent in their relationship. Mr. Depp experienced persistent verbal, physical and emotional abuse by Ms. Heard, attorney Camille Vasquez said in closing arguments on Friday. She said Heards allegations of abuse by Depp, including a sexual assault with a liquor bottle, were wild, over-the-top and implausible and had ruined his reputation in Hollywood and among fans. We ask you to give Mr. Depp his life back by telling the world Mr. Depp is not the abuser Ms. Heard says he is, Vasquez said. Spectators listen as Johnny Depps attorney Camille Vasquez speaks during closing arguments in the Depp v. Heard trial at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va., on May 27, 2022. (Steve Helber/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Heard lawyer Benjamin Rottenborn, in his closing argument, reminded jurors of explicit text messages from Depp to friends or associates. In one, Depp said he wanted Heard dead. This is a window into the heart and mind of Americas favorite pirate, Rottenborn said. This is the real Johnny Depp. At the center of the legal case is the December 2018 opinion piece by Heard in the Washington Post, in which she made the statement about domestic abuse. The article never mentioned Depp by name, but his lawyer told jurors it was clear that Heard was referring to him. Heards attorneys argued that she had told the truth and that her comments were covered as free speech under the U.S. Constitutions First Amendment. Your key question to answer is does the First Amendment give Ms. Heard the right to write the words she wrote? Rottenborn told the jury. You cannot simultaneously uphold the First Amendment and find in favor of Johnny Depp. Depp and Heard met in 2011 while filming The Rum Diary and wed in February 2015. Their divorce was finalized about two years later. Over six weeks of proceedings, jurors have listened to recordings of the former couples fights and seen graphic photos of Depps bloody finger. Actress Amber Heard talks with her legal team in the courtroom during ex-husband Johnny Depps defamation case against her at the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse in Fairfax, Va., on May 27, 2022. (Steve Helber/Pool via Reuters) Depp said Heard threw a vodka bottle that cut off the top of his finger during an argument in 2015. Heard denied injuring Depps finger and said Depp sexually assaulted her that night with a liquor bottle. The testimony was livestreamed widely on social media, drawing large audiences to hear details about the couples troubled relationship. Once among Hollywoods biggest stars, Depp said Heards allegations cost him everything. A new Pirates movie was put on hold, and Depp was replaced in the Fantastic Beasts film franchise, a Harry Potter spinoff. Depp lost a libel case less than two years ago against the Sun, a British tabloid that labeled him a wife beater. A London High Court judge ruled that he had repeatedly assaulted Heard. Depps lawyers filed the U.S. case in Fairfax County, Virginia, because the Washington Post is printed there. The newspaper is not a defendant. By Lisa Richwine Laguna Hills Opposes California Bill Forcing Cities to Build More Housing in Commercial Zones The Laguna Hills City Council unanimously voted on May 24 to oppose Californias Assembly Bill 2011, which would allow affordable housing units to be built on properties zoned for office, retail, or parking use. The bill, introduced by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks in February, would require the city to approve affordable housing projects regardless of inconsistencies with the citys general plan and exempt these projects from undergoing environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act, according to city officials. This is just one more attempt by Sacramento to erode our sovereignty as cities and our ability to govern ourselves, Mayor Pro Tempore Janine Heft said ahead of the vote. Affordable housing is a need, but shoving it down our throats and giving us no ability to make our own decisions is just something that is dead wrong. After Mayor Dave Wheeler requested earlier this month to put the bill on the councils meeting agenda for more discussion, city staff prepared a report recommending the council oppose the bill. The bill would establish two streamlined, ministerial review processes for these development projectsone for 100 percent low-income housing projects and one for mixed-income housing. Additionally, the bill would prohibit cities from increasing fees on projects under these ministerial review processes. Councilwoman Erica Pezold said she thinks California should focus on developing affordable housing on state-owned land instead of pushing this bill onto cities. We arent against having low-income housing in the city. In fact, entry-level homeownership is extremely important in our city. Its a shame that California is trying to push the bill onto existing cities instead of opening up new land, Pezold said. On May 10, the Association of California CitiesOrange County (ACC-OC) also penned a letter to Wicks opposing the bill on the grounds that the bill would disrupt local governments processes of facilitating housing productionincluding planning, zoning, incorporating public input and engagement, conducting environmental reviews, and ensuring compliance with state housing requirements. While we recognize the significant need for the development of new affordable housing units, we feel that providing incentives for doing so is a more effective approach than removing local input and authority through a by-right process, the letter read. Cities, not the State, are best suited to make local land-use decisions. The bill passed the state Assembly on May 19 and now heads to the state Senate. Todays vote brings us one step closer to streamlining production of a huge amount of much-needed affordable housing, and in turn creating tens of thousands of well-paying, high road construction jobs in every community, Wicks said in a statement after the bills passing. Military vehicles, carrying DF-17 missiles, roll in a parade as the PLA commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Communist dictatorship in China in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. The Chinese Communist Party's military has shown off a new hypersonic ballistic nuclear missile believed capable of breaching all existing anti-missile shields deployed by the United States and its allies. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo) Leading UK Research Scientist Gave Talks in China on Weapons Development A British weapons expert developing advanced ballistic capabilities for the countrys armed forces has been on lecture tours in China, it has been revealed. Clive Woodley gave talks to Chinese arms industry leaders in Beijing while working as a principal scientist at the security company Qinetiqa contractor for the UKs Ministry of Defence. And last October, Woodleya visiting researcher at the Institute of Shock Physics at Imperial College in Londonspoke at a conference in east China, focusing on a new chapter in the development of artillery, shells, and missiles. In the audience taking notes were leading figures in the Chinese weapons industry, according to online magazine, Unherd. Woodley worked for Qinetiq from 20012018 and was invited in 2017 to the Beijing Institute of Technology by the State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Technology to give a lecture about internal ballistics at Qinetiq. There, according to the State Key Laboratorys account of the lecture, Woodley gave serious and detailed answers during a Q&A and had a lively discussion with teachers and students. He also conducted in-depth research on explosive science with leading Chinese academics linked to the ordnance industry, the Chinese hosts reported. An active speaker and committee chair on the weaponry R&D lecture circuit, the 67 year-old co-chaired the first international conference on defence technology in Beijing in 2018 with a leading Chinese defence scientist, Changgen Feng. Electromagnetic launching and impact mechanics were among the high-teach weaponry topics discussed. The Unherd report claimed some of Woodleys research was funded by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, which is part of the MoD. Its insane that we are doing nothing to stop the ludicrous practice of letting hostile nations get hold of our best tech, a government source told the UKs Times newspaper. Qinetiq said in a statement it had robust processes to vet our people and their activities both within and outside the business. The UK government said in a statement: We have robust procedures to make sure research contracts do not contribute to overseas military programmes and that individuals or organisations with foreign-state links cannot access our sensitive research. Woodley told The Times the Ministry of Defence was aware of his activities, while Imperial College said he was an unpaid visiting researcher, and that it does not carry out sensitive, classified research. The Epoch Times asked Woodley and Qinetiq for comment. China has over the past year shocked Western defence chiefs and unnerved governments by unveiling a slew of new high-tech weaponry and missiles. Last August, the PLA tested a mysterious nuclear-capable hypersonic missile that circled the earth before dispersing its dummy warheads toward multiple targets. And last month, the PLA Navy published a video clip exhibiting a previously undisclosed missile being fired from a Type 055 guided-missile cruiser. Many China watchers believe China has leapt ahead in weapons development mainly through espionagebut there is growing concern about how cooperation in defence-related academic and conferencing projects benefits what is increasingly viewed as a hostile adversary. Leaked Xinjiang Police Files Provide Absolutely Shocking Evidence of Mass Persecution: Former US Ambassador A report released by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation that presents leaked documents from the files of the Xinjiang police offers absolutely shocking evidence of the chronic abuse and brutality inflicted on the Uyghur population in Chinas far west region, according to Andrew Bremberg, the foundations president and a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Bremberg called the leaked documents, known as the Xinjiang Police Files, a huge data cache that is unprecedented of its kind and said that the files contain the personal information of hundreds of thousands of detained persons. Analysts estimate that the Chinese regime is holding more than 1 million Uyghurs and other ethnic Muslim minorities in a network of concentration camps across the region. The files present extensive incriminating details from inside Chinas internment camp system, the foundation stated in a May 23 statement, which went on to describe the contents of the files in more detail. The files purport to reveal thousands of images of Uyghur prisoners, from children to elderly men and women, and pictures of police officers and guards placing handcuffs and shackles on prisoners in the course of drills. Besides the images of prisoners and guards, the files purport to contain the text of high-level directives and orders from Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials regarding the classification and treatment of the incarcerated Uyghurs. One such directive, according to the foundation, is the exhortation of Chen Quanguo, former Xinjiang CCP party secretary, that officials and police should treat those of different ethnicities as violent criminals. The files also present a speech from an unnamed central government official stating that Chinese leader Xi Jinping issued orders to expand the funding and number of guards available for the highly crowded jails of Xinjiang and to enlarge the internment system within the region. Speaking to EpochTVs China Insider program, Bremberg said that much of what the files have brought to light is consistent with what observers of the human rights situation in Xinjiang knew to be going on, but that its still shocking to see the images of very young detainees and those of advanced age. One of the detainees is a girl photographed at 14 and jailed at 15, he noted. Those photos were just shocking and horrifying to see. Id also say [the same about] some of the other photos that show not just those that have been imprisoned, but show the actual security forces inside those internment facilities and how they operate, Bremberg said. The former ambassador expressed a highly critical view of the visit by Michelle Bachelet, the U.N.s High Commissioner for Human Rights, to China, the first trip by such an official since 2005. The visit by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights to China right now is very troubling. Ive spoken with her many times in the past. Weve long advocated the role that her office can play in bringing to light and addressing the human rights abuses happening in Xinjiang, but its very disappointing that she chose to go at this time, in a way that limits her ability to have any sort of independence or do any sort of investigation, he said. According to Bremberg, neither Bachelet nor the Chinese regime regards her visit as an investigation of the abuses taking place in China or in Xinjiang specifically, and Beijing is able to use the timing of the visit to hamper any inquiries that Bachelet might make. The ongoing pandemic and the lockdown of Shanghai and other areas of China keep Bachelet in what Bremberg calls a very tightly controlled, closed-loop with no press moving around. If the regime insisted on such restrictions as a condition of Bachelets visit, the appropriate response would have been to decline to visit China at all, on the grounds that the necessary conditions were not in place, Bremberg argues. Shes there right now, and the public has been told that shell have a press conference right before she leaves. Im very concerned about this visit, he said. Besides his immediate reservations about Bachelets trip, Bremberg described a larger concern that he feels about a lack of transparency about the United Nations offices relations with the CCP over human rights and other issues. What is the communication theyve had with the government of China? And what response have they had? They dont need to condemn China or pass judgment, they just need to be transparent, he said. Its up to other countries to then speak out and say to China, why have you refused to meet the conditions that [Bachelets] office has asked for? But by keeping all of that secret, she doesnt allow the United States or European countries, or other governments around the world, to actually support the work of her office, Bremberg said. The former ambassador called the visit a mistake and said that a transparent investigation of the issues brought to light in the Xinjiang Police Files is impossible in the circumstances. He went on to express concerns about how CCP officials will spin the visit in their public statements. You cannot control what other people say about you. But its very concerning to imagine how the Chinese government will portray this visit from a domestic or international message or propaganda perspective. And if they make portrayals that suggest that she had this wonderful visit, she really bears a moral responsibility to immediately and publicly respond and say what were the conditions on this trip, what was allowed and what was not, Bremberg argued. In response to an email query from The Epoch Times about whether Bachelets trip to Xinjiang will be an independent investigation, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that that was an essential condition. Bremberg made a passionate case for ending the human rights abuses and repression going on in Xinjiang. We are acutely aware of the 100 million victims of communism over the course of the last century, under various communist regimes. And we know that the only way that the victimization ends is when the other countries in the international community stand up and press regimes, like the Chinese Communist Party today, and demand that they change their behavior. Michael Washburn Reporter Follow Michael Washburn is a New York-based reporter who covers U.S. and China-related topics. He has a background in legal and financial journalism, and also writes about arts and culture. Additionally, he is the host of the weekly podcast Reading the Globe. His books include The Uprooted and Other Stories, When We're Grownups, and Stranger, Stranger. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino rises during question period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on May 12, 2022. (Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press) Liberals Set to Introduce New Firearms Bill The Liberal government will be introducing a new bill related to firearms on May 30, according to the House of Commons notice paper. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino will be presenting the bill, titled An Act to amend certain Acts and to make certain consequential amendments (firearms). While commenting on the school shooting in Texas earlier this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that new gun control measures would come in the near future. The content of the new bill is currently unknown but its title is identical to Bill C-21, which was presented in the last Parliament and died when the government called an election. That bill included measures such as increasing from 10 to 14 years the maximum penalty of imprisonment for some indictable firearms offences, creating a new offence for altering the lawful capacity of magazines, and authorizing the chief firearms officers to suspend a licence if there is reasonable grounds to suspect the holder is no longer fit to have it. The bill also sought to address cross-border criminality by amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and designating the public safety minister as responsible for establishing policies on inadmissibility on grounds of transborder criminality for the commission of an offence on entering Canada. Trudeaus mandate letter for Mendicino in December 2021 also sheds some light on what the new bill could include. Mendicino was tasked with requiring the permanent alteration of long-gun magazines so that they cannot be altered to take more than five rounds and with banning the transfer or sale of magazines capable of holding more than the legal number of bullets. The letter also included working for the introduction of red flag laws to remove firearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others, and providing financial support to provinces or territories that want to ban handguns. The Ontario Liberals have promised to ban handguns within one year of taking office in the current electoral campaign. Some of the measures in Mendicinos mandate letter have been announced in recent weeks, such as funding local-level programs to curb gun violence and asking businesses to keep records of firearms sales. The Conservative opposition has criticized that last measure as a veiled resurrection of the long-gun registry, which transfers responsibility from government to businesses. The Tories view Liberal measures as unfairly targeting legal gun owners while being soft on criminals. The vast majority of gun crimes in Canada are committed by individuals who do not hold a firearms licence and who use stolen or illegal firearms. According to Statistics Canada, 11 percent of those who committed murder with a firearm in 2020 had a valid firearms licence. Torontos deputy police chief Myron Demkiw, who testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety on Feb. 8, said that 86 percent of handguns used in crime in 2021 in his city came from the United States. While seeking to curb gun violence, the Liberal government is also pursuing a bill to reduce mandatory minimum sentences for some firearms offences like armed robbery. The Liberals say Bill C-5 is a measure to address systemic racism by reducing the proportion of incarcerated blacks and indigenous people. Chechnya's leader Ramzan Kadyrov arrives to attend a ceremony inaugurating Vladimir Putin as the new Russian President at the Kremlin in Moscow on May 7, 2018. (Sergei Savostyanov/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images) RussiaUkraine War (May 27): Chechen Leader: Poland is Next After Ukraine The latest on the RussiaUkraine crisis, May 27. Click here for updates from May 26. Chechen Leader: Poland is Next After Ukraine The Kremlin-backed leader of Russias southern province of Chechnya has posted a video in which he warns that Poland could be next after Ukraine. Ramzan Kadyrov, who is famous for his bluster, said in the video he posted to his official Telegram page that Ukraine was a done deal and that if an order is given after Ukraine, well show you (Poland) what youre made of in six seconds. Poland, which borders Ukraine, has provided its neighbor with weapons and other aid since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. It has also welcomed millions of Ukrainian refugees. Kadyrov later urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to finally come to his senses and accept the conditions offered by our president [Vladimir Putin]. Kadyrov has repeatedly used social media to boast about Chechen fighters alleged performance against Ukrainian troops and to make other unconfirmed statements about the war in Ukraine. ___ Putin Says He Is Ready to Deliver Gas, Discuss Prisoner Swap: Austria Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said Russian President Vladimir Putin told him on Friday that Moscow would meet its natural gas delivery commitments to Austria and was ready to discuss a prisoner swap with Ukraine. Nehammer made the comments to reporters after the two leaders held a 45-minute telephone call that Nehammer described as a chance to confront Putin with the realities of the war in Ukraine and discuss prospects for humanitarian solutions. Asked what Putin had told him about gas deliveries, the Austrian conservative said: He also raised the subject (and said) that all deliveries would be completed in full. In a separate statement, the Kremlin said Russia had reaffirmed its commitment to supply natural gas to Austria, which gets 80 percent of its gas from Russia. Nehammer, who visited Russia last month for talks with Putin, said the Russian leader had expressed readiness to discuss a prisoner swap with Ukraine. Whether he is really ready to negotiate is a complex question, he added. Nehammer said Putin had repeatedly defended Moscows actions and blamed Western sanctions for economic disruptions that ensued. He said he thought Putin was creating facts on the group to take into negotiations. Putin was entirely aware of the issue of food security, Nehammer said of the conversation, adding Putin gave signals that he was ready to allow exports over seaports but had linked progress to the lifting of Western sanctions. The Kremlin statement said Putin had discussed work to ensure the safety of navigation in the Azov and Black Seas, saying Ukraine should clear ports of mines to allow the free passage of blocked ships. The United States and others accuse Russia of blockading Ukraines ports. ____ Ukraine Military May Have to Retreat From Luhansk Cities, Governor Says The governor of Ukraines eastern Luhansk region, which has almost completely fallen under Russian control, on Friday said it was possible that Kyivs forces would be forced to retreat from the final pocket of resistance to avoid being captured. The Russians will not be able to capture Luhansk region in the coming days as analysts have predicted, Luhansk regional governor Serhiy Gaidai said in a post on the Telegram messaging service, referring to the near-surrounded cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk. We will have enough strength and resources to defend ourselves. However it is possible that in order not to be surrounded we will have to retreat, he said. _____ Russia Will Need Huge Financial Resources for Military Operation in Ukraine, Minister Says Russia will need huge financial resources to fund its military operation in Ukraine, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Friday, May 27. Siluanov said Russia had earmarked an 8 trillion ruble ($123 billion) fiscal stimulus package to support the economy under the current circumstances. [These are] huge amounts of money: we need these resources to support the economy, support our citizens, Siluanov told a university audience. The minister also added that Russia would continue paying its external debt in rublesRussias national currency. ($1 = 64.8100 rubles) ____ UK Leader: Russian Forces Making Progress British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Russian forces are making palpable progress in eastern Ukraine, and Kyivs forces need long-range rocket launchers and other military support. Britains defense ministry said Friday that Moscows troops have recently captured several villages as they attempt to surround Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the eastern Donbass region, but do not yet have full control of the region. Johnson told news agency Bloomberg that Russian President Vladimir Putin at great cost to himself and Russian military is continuing to chew through ground in Donbass, hes continuing to make gradual, slow but Im afraid palpable progress. He said that therefore it is absolutely vital that we continue to support the Ukrainians militarily. Johnson said long-range multiple-launch rocket systems, or MLRSs, would enable them to defend themselves against this very brutal Russian artillery. Britain possesses some of the systems, but Johnson did not say whether the U.K. would send any to Ukraine. ____ UKs Truss: Completely Legitimate to Support Ukraine With Tanks and Planes British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said on Friday it was legitimate for allies to send tanks and planes to Ukraine. We are very clear it is completely legitimate to be supporting Ukraine with tanks, with planes and were very supportive of the work that the Czech Republic has done sending tanks to Ukraine, she told a news conference. ____ Ukraine Needs to Face Reality and Talk to Putin: Zelenskyy Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday said Ukraine was not eager to talk to Russias Vladimir Putin but that it has to face the reality that this will likely be necessary to end the war. There are things to discuss with the Russian leader. Im not telling you that to me our people are eager to talk to him, but we have to face the realities of what we are living through, Zelenskyy said in an address to an Indonesian think tank. What do we want from this meeting We want our lives back We want to reclaim the life of a sovereign country within its own territory, he said, adding that Russia did not appear to be ready yet for serious peace talks. _____ Ukrainian City of Sievierodonetsk 2/3 Surrounded by Russian Forces: Governor Ukrainian forces are engaged in a fierce defence of the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk, which is two-thirds surrounded by Russian forces, the Luhansk regions governor Serhiy Gaidai said on Friday, citing the head of the citys administration. Shelling, which is very strong, has damaged 90 percent of the housing in the city, Gaidai added, also citing Sievierodonetsk Mayor Oleksandr Stryuk. ____ UN Says More Than 4,000 Civilians Killed in Ukraine So Far More than 4,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since Russias invasion began on Feb. 24, although the true number is likely much higher, the U.N. rights office (OHCHR) said in a statement on Friday. In total, 4,031 people have been killed, including nearly 200 children, according to OHCHR, which has dozens of monitors in the country. Most were killed by explosive weapons with a wide impact such as shelling from heavy artillery or airstrikes. It did not attribute blame for the deaths. Russia has denied targeting civilians in the conflict. _____ Russian Proxies Claim Control of Key Town in East Ukraine Russias separatist proxies in eastern Ukraine claimed full control of the important battlefield town of Lyman on Friday, and Ukraine appeared to concede it, as Moscow presses its biggest advance for weeks. Lyman, the site of a key railway hub, has been a major front line as Russian forces press down from the north, one of three directions from which they have been attacking Ukraines industrial Donbass region. The pro-Russian Donetsk Peoples Republic separatists said they were now in full control of it. Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, appeared to confirm the fall of Lyman in an interview overnight, and said the battle there showed that Moscow was improving its tactics. According to unverified data, we lost the town of Lyman. The Russian armythis must be verifiedcaptured it, Arestovych said in a video posted on social media. Moreover, the way they captured it correctly organising the operation. This shows, in principle, the increased level of operational management and tactical skills of the Russian army. It has grown. It has not grown everywhere of course, but it has unquestionably grown. Further east, Russian forces have been trying to encircle Ukrainian troops in the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lyshchansk, after breaking through Ukrainian lines further south in the city of Popasna last week. ____ WHO Condemns Russian Aggression That Resulted in Ukrainian Health Crisis The World Health Organization passed a resolution Thursday addressing the Ukrainian health crisis that began with Russian aggression, while rejecting a similar counter-proposal from Russia that failed to mention the countrys role in the war. The Health emergency in Ukraine and refugee receiving and hosting countries, stemming from the Russian Federations aggression draft proposal was passed with 88 yes votes, 12 nos, and 53 abstentions during the organizations 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. The original proposal (pdf) published on May 23, brought by the United States and 46 other nations, including the UK, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, and Turkey, condemned the Russian military incursion which began on Feb. 24, and requested WHO to consider temporarily suspending all regional meetings in the country until a peaceful resolution has been reached and Russia withdraws its forces from Ukraine. Read the full article here _____ US Wins Latest Legal Battle to Seize Russian Yacht in Fiji The United States has won the latest round of a legal battle to seize a $325-million Russian-owned superyacht in Fiji, with the case now appearing headed for the Pacific nations top court. The case has highlighted the thorny legal ground the United States finds itself on as it tries to seize assets of Russian oligarchs around the world. Those intentions are welcomed by many governments and citizens who oppose the war in Ukraine, but some actions are raising questions about how far U.S. jurisdiction extends. Fijis Court of Appeal on Friday dismissed an appeal by Feizal Haniff, who represents the company that legally owns the superyacht Amadea. Haniff had argued the United States had no jurisdiction under Fijis mutual assistance laws to seize the vessel, at least until a court sorted out who really owned the Amadea. Haniff said he now plans to take the case to Fijis Supreme Court and will apply for a court order to stop U.S. agents sailing the Amadea from Fiji before the appeal is heard. _____ Turkey Keeps Up Pressure on Sweden, Finland Turkeys foreign minister says Sweden and Finland must now take concrete steps to alleviate his countrys security concerns to overcome Ankaras objections to their NATO membership bid. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday that delegations from the two Nordic countries have returned home with Turkeys demands after a visit this week and Ankara is awaiting their answers. The countries membership bids require support from all NATO countries, but Turkey is objecting to them. It has cited alleged support for Kurdish militants that Turkey considers terrorists and restrictions on weapons sales to Turkey. Cavusoglu said that an approach of well convince Turkey in time anyway, we are friends and allies would not be correct. He insisted that these countries need to take concrete steps. He added that we understand Finland and Swedens security concerns but everyone also needs to understand Turkeys legitimate security concerns. _____ Putin Assembles Eurasian Economic Union to Counter Western Sanctions The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) heads of state planned to meet on Friday after holding a forum on Thursday, a move considered an attempt by Russian President Vladimir Putin to rally support in the wake of Western sanctions stemming from its invasion of Ukraine. The Moscow-led blocwhich includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstanis expected to discuss their economic cooperation with external partners during the summit, which Kyrgyzstan will host. Mikhail Myasnikovich, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission, said last week that the leaders planned to meet in person in Kyrgyzstan, but they later opted to meet by video conference, Belarusian news agency Belta reported. Read the full article here _____ Russia Expels Five Croatian Diplomats in Retaliatory Move Russias foreign ministry said on Friday that it was expelling five staff members of the Croatian embassy in Moscow in response to Zagreb ordering out some of its staff. Croatia in April told 24 Russian embassy staff to leave over Moscows actions in Ukraine. ____ Lukashenko Orders New Military Command for South of Belarus, Bordering Ukraine Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday ordered the creation of a new military command for the south of country, bordering Ukraine. A new front has opened and we cant fail to pay attention to it, Lukashenko, wearing military uniform, told a televised meeting of defence officials. He said the new command had been proposed last year but needed to be set up immediately. Even before creating it, we are obliged todayquickly, on the run, to work out the defence of our southern borders, Lukashenko said. Any build-up of Belarusian forces near the border will further stretch Ukraines military as it defends against Russian attacks focused on the Donbass region hundreds of miles (km) to the east. Belarus said earlier this month it planned to deploy special operations troops in three areas near the border with Ukraine, as Lukashenko talked up the role of Russian-made missiles in boosting the countrys defences. ____ Ukrainian Minister Pleads for Heavy Weapons Ukraines foreign minister is pleading with Western nations to provide Kyiv with heavy weapons to enable it to push Russian forces back. Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday night posted a video of himself answering questions submitted on Twitter and said: We need heavy weapons. The only position where Russia is better than us [is] the amount of heavy weapons they have. Without artillery, without multiple launch rocket systems, we wont be able to push them back. Kuleba said that the situation in the east of the country, where the Russian forces are on the offensive, is as dire as people say. He added: I would even say its even worse than people say. We need weapons. If you really care for Ukraine, weapons, weapons and weapons again, the minister stressed. ____ US General: No Need to Add Ground Forces in Sweden, Finland The U.S. general nominated to take over European Command has told senators that Sweden and Finlands push to join NATO wont require adding more U.S. ground forces into either country. But Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli said Thursday that military exercises and occasional American troop rotations will probably increase. Cavoli, who currently serves as head of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, said the increased military focus will probably continue to be on eastern Europewhere nations are more worried about potential Russian aggression and any spillover of the war on Ukraine. Cavoli told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his nomination hearing that The center of gravity of NATO forces has shifted eastward. He said that depending on the outcome of the conflict, we may have to continue that for some time. Cavoli was asked about the U.S. troop presence in Europe, which has grown from fewer than 80,000 to about 102,000 since the buildup to Russias invasion. He said the increase had no ties to the more recent move by Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership. ____ Mayor: Some 1,500 Killed in Sievierodonetsk The Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk is the center of fierce fighting in the east. Mayor Oleksandr Stryuk says its holding out even though a Russian reconnaissance and sabotage group went into a city hotel. Stryuk said at least 1,500 people have been killed in Sievierodonetsk and about 12,000 to 13,000 remain in the city, where he said 60 percent of residential buildings have been destroyed. Sievierodonetsk is the only part of the Luhansk region in the Donbass under Ukrainian government control, and Russian forces have been trying to cut it off from the rest of Ukrainian-controlled territory. Stryuk said the main road between the neighboring town of Lysychansk and Bakhmut to the southwest remains open, but travel is dangerous. He said only 12 people were able to be evacuated Thursday. ___ Putin: Russia Is Ready to Help Solve Food Crisis If West Lifts Sanctions Russian President Vladimir Putin told Italys Prime Minister Mario Draghi by phone on Thursday that Russia was ready to help ease the international food crisis, but only if the West lifts sanctions, the Kremlin said. Vladimir Putin emphasized that the Russian Federation is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizers, provided that politically motivated restrictions from the West are lifted, it said in a statement. Russias blockade of Ukrainian ports has prevented it from shipping out grain, of which both countries are major exporters. Russia accuses Ukraine of mining the ports. The conflict is fuelling a global food crisis by sending prices for grains, cooking oils, fuel, and fertilizer soaring. Separately, Russias defense ministry said civilian vessels may now safely use the Azov Sea port of Mariupol in Ukraine, where its forces took full control last week after Ukrainian fighters surrendered at the besieged Azovstal steelworks. It said the danger from mines around Mariupol port had now been eliminated. The ministry said six foreign dry cargo vessels in the port were now free to leave. It said they were from Bulgaria, Dominica, Liberia, Panama, Turkey, and Jamaica, and urged those governments to get the owners of the vessels to remove them. ____ Russian Strikes Kill at Least 7 in Ukraines Kharkiv: Governor Russian strikes killed at least seven civilians and wounded 17 in the city of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine on Thursday, local authorities said. Its too early to relax, Kharkiv region Governor Oleh Synehubov said, reporting heavy fighting to the north and northeast of the city. The enemy is again insidiously hitting the civilian population, terrorizing them. Russia didnt immediately comment on the situation in Kharkiv. It has denied targeting civilians in the special military operation launched on Feb. 24. When Kharkiv resumed its metro service on Tuesday, it asked the hundreds of people who had used the underground as a bomb shelter to free up the train carriages, but many said they were still too scared to return home. Aldgra Fredly, Naveen Athrappully, The Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report. Los Angeles Sheriff to Increase Department Presence on Metro, Beaches to Deter Crime LOS ANGELESSheriff Alex Villanueva pledged to make local public transportation and coastal beaches safer this week by increasing patrol presence and enforcement amid a rise in crime in the countys hot spots. Villanueva said the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department (LASD) will be cracking down on homeless people living on the trains after a string of violent attacks on riders over the last six months. There are about 5,700 homeless people on Los Angeles Countys buses and trains, according to a count last August by the agency that operates the system, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). Beginning June 1, LASD will start the Operation Safe Travel program on the Metro lines, where increased patrolling and enforcement will be implemented to curb rising assaults. Similarly, deputies will patrol beaches from Playa del Rey to Malibu during the summer months, known as the Beach Patrol Mission. The officers make up the LASD Sheriffs Response Team and the Mounted Enforcement Detail. A deputy from the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department speaks to a homeless man sitting in front of his encampment in Venice, Calif., on June 8, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Summer is upon us and the last couple of years have been challenging for everyone, Villanueva said May 26. I want to remind the community that were doing our best, were stretching our resources so that people feel safe wherever they are, including the beach areas of Los Angeles County. The move comes as Angelenos are only a few weeks away from the June 7 primary election, where the issues of homelessness and a rise in crime are front and center. Villanueva highlighted the importance of safety for travelers on the Metro lines after the recent attacks on passengers. This is just illustrative that when you have that large of a population of homeless people on the system, bad things will happen, Villanueva said during a news conference May 24. You have people that are under the influence of mental issues and theyre in a place where people are vulnerable. In January, a woman was attacked and killed at a bus stop near Union Station, and a passenger was pushed onto tracks by a homeless person at Willowbrook Station. In February, a homeless man was fatally injured by a train while sleeping on the tracks. And in other recent months, two female passengers were sexually assaulted at a train station, and another traveler was intentionally set on fire while riding the train. Transit passengers ride the Metro C Line in Los Angeles on July 16, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) This is what happens when people are actually living on the trains, Villanueva said. Theyre also urinating and defecating on the trains. Theres no restrooms on the trains, they will spend the entire day and night on the train. And this is problematic, and when they collide with the fare paying passengers, as weve already noted, it can be with deadly results. The sheriffs department splits patrol of the Metro lines with the Long Beach Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department to curb the rise in crime. But Villanueva has been in a head-to-head battle with the Metro board over enforcement, as the board has been making an effort to find alternatives to policing on trains. Meanwhile, Villanueva threatened to pull the departments security. Nonetheless, the board renewed its contract with the three agencies for another year until it can find a new model for security. LASD officials said theyll soon submit a proposal to deploy 600 deputies to patrol the Metro system for $30 million less a year compared to what the agency currently spends on security. The sheriff will also deploy the departments Homeless Outreach and Services Team (HOST) to patrol the Metro system and connect homeless people with services and mental health resources should they accept them. A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the coast of East Timor on May. 27, 2022. (U.S. Geological Survey) Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake Rattles East Timor near Indonesia The coast of East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, was rattled by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake early May 27, according to the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency. The agency did not issue a tsunami threat warning, and there have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage so far. It stated that the quake was centered 85 kilometers (53 miles) south of the coast of Maluku, at a depth of 104 kilometers (65 miles). Meanwhile, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake magnitude was 6.2 and 49 kilometers (30 miles) deep. The earthquake was felt by residents in the Australian city of Darwin, more than 700 kilometers (435 miles) away from the earthquakes epicenter, according to Australian media reports and residents posts on social media. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said the tremor did not trigger a tsunami threat warning in Australia despite its proximity, local news outlet Katherine Times reported. East Timor and neighboring Indonesia straddle the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone where different plates on the earths crust meet and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanoes. East Timor comprises the eastern half of Timor island, the western half of which is part of Indonesia. It has a population of approximately 1.3 million. The nation is Southeast Asias youngest country, having gained independence from Indonesia in 1999. Reuters contributed to this report. Police officers line up ahead of a memorial service to remember and celebrate the life of Metropolitan Police Sergeant Matt Ratana at The Royal Military Chapel in Westminster, London, on Nov. 29, 2021. (PA Media) Man Accused of Murdering UK Police Officer Could Face Hospital Hearing A man accused of murdering Sergeant Matt Ratana at a custody centre in south London in 2020 could face a fitness to plea hearing in hospital. In the early hours of Sep. 25 2020 Louis De Zoysa, 24, allegedly fired four shots while handcuffed inside Croydon police station, two of which struck 54-year-old Ratana. DeZoysa, who was severely injured in the incident, remains in hospital and there is a disagreement between the prosecution and defence teams about whether he is fit to face a trial. DeZoysa has been charged with murder and nine other charges. Fitness to plea hearings are held when there is a doubt about a defendants ability to follow proceedings, either due to their mental health or due to a physical impairment such as a brain injury. Last year he was charged, in his hospital bed, with all ten counts and on Friday Judge Mark Lucraft QC heard from prosecutor Duncan Penny, QC, and defence lawyer Imran Khan, QC, about possible locations for the fitness to plea hearing. Undated photo of Sergeant Matt Ratana, released by the police in London on June 30, 2021. (Metropolitan Police/PA Media). The hearing at the Old Bailey heard the hearing may be held in the hospital where DeZoysa is being held, or alternatively in nearby Northampton Crown Court. DeZoysa is accused of: Murdering Ratana. Possessing a .41 calibre Long Colt antique revolver and home-made .357 cartridges. Possessing a .41 calibre Long Colt New Model Army & Navy antique revolver. Possessing a .357 Magnum bullet. Possessing seven .38 bullets. Possessing a pipe-gun. Possessing a dummy launcher. Possessing an Umarex Python gas-firing revolver. Possessing a Schmitt-Rubin antique infantry rifle with a shortened barrel. Possessing ammunition. Ratanas funeral took place in Sussex in November 2020 and a wreath from Home Secretary Priti Patel and an All Blacks rugby shirt were delivered before he was privately cremated. A tribute from his partner Su Bushby was read out, by a friend, in which she said: Matt made the most of every minute of his precious 54 years. In any situation or room he walked into, his presence would always be felt. Like a big ball of energy. My life has been richer and funnier for knowing you and I feel blessed you were in my life, she added. A memorial service for Ratana, who was born in New Zealand, was held last year and was attended by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and the then Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Cressida Dick. PA Media contributed to this report. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin urged the head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on Thursday to stop smearing China and give up drawing lines according to ideological differences. "NATO has messed up Europe and it should not attempt to disrupt Asia and the world at large," Wang warned at a daily news briefing. Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of the military alliance, criticized China's political system and claimed that it and Russia posed threats to NATO's security. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns Stoltenberg for his wanton remarks on the country's political system and its domestic and foreign policies, and for promoting the "China threat theory", the spokesman said. Wang criticized NATO for calling on its member states to increase their military spending to a minimum of 2 percent of their GDP, while making irresponsible remarks about China's normal defense and military modernization. "It is typical double standards," Wang said. Noting that China pursues peaceful development and a defensive national defense policy with nuclear capabilities kept at the minimum level required to safeguard national security, Wang said the proportion of China's defense expenditure to its GDP had remained at around 1.3 percent for a long time, far below the global average. Unlike certain NATO countries that threaten other countries with force, Wang said China neither engages in military alliances, nor does it export its ideology, meddle in others' internal affairs, voluntarily launch trade wars or groundlessly suppress other countries' businesses. "How can China pose threats to NATO's security?" Wang asked. He stressed that the international community should "stay on high alert and resolutely reject" NATO's actions to continuously expand and advocate a "new Cold War" featuring bloc confrontation. NATO has publicly stated multiple times that its position as a regional alliance remains unchanged and it does not seek to expand its membership to other regions, according to Wang. However, Wang said that in recent years, NATO has continued to enter the Asia-Pacific region, with some of its member states sending flights and warships to the waters surrounding China to conduct military exercises, which has created tensions and provoked conflicts. A treatment room at a monkeypox quarantine area in Zomea Kaka, in the Central African Republic, on Oct. 18, 2018. (Charles Bouessel/AFP via Getty Images) Monkeypox Outbreak Has Spread to More Than 20 Countries: WHO The World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday it is investigating about 200 cases of monkeypox in 20 countries that are not generally known to suffer outbreaks of the rare, smallpox-like virus. Approximately 200 confirmed cases and more than 100 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported so far, said Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHOs COVID-19 technical lead, according to CNBC. More cases of the virus will likely be reported as surveillance of the disease continues. The recent spread of the virus appears to have occurred at two rave-like events in Belgium and Spain in recent days, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO have suggested monkeypox is spreading primarily via homosexual males. Its not clear if there have been any associated deaths from the recent outbreak of monkeypox, which is considered endemic to several African countries and related to smallpox. CDC officials have said the United States has tens of millions of vaccines for smallpox that can be deployed to deal with the viruss spread if need be. The first sequencing of the virus shows that the strain is not different from the strains we can find in endemic countries and (this outbreak) is probably due more to a change in human behavior, said Dr. Sylvie Briand, WHOs director of pandemic and epidemic diseases, according to The Associated Press. And Briand said that based on how past outbreaks of the disease in Africa have evolved, the current situation appeared containable. Still, she said WHO expected to see more cases reported in the future, noting that the agency doesnt know if we are just seeing the peak of the iceberg [or] if there are many more cases that are undetected in communities. On Thursday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said nine monkeypox cases have been reported across seven U.S. states so far. Cases have been discovered in California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia, and Washington state. The first U.S. monkeypox case was reported in Massachusetts on May 18. Soon after, officials confirmed a case in New York City before health officials reported cases in other states. These cases were suspected by local clinicians. They were identified by local laboratories and triggered local public health action to help with treatment and management of any potential contacts, Walensky told reporters. When asked for comment on whether the government will implement any rules around monkeypox as it did with COVID-19, President Joe Biden told reporters that its likely the federal government will not issue any mandatory quarantines. Earlier this month, officials in Belgium implemented a mandatory, 21-day quarantine requirement for individuals whove contracted the rare virus. Biden and other White House officials have said monkeypox is not as easily transmitted as COVID-19, the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. More Corporations Removed From GenderCool Website Following State Farm Exit A day after insurance company State Farm ended its partnership with an organization aimed at promoting transgender ideology among children, multiple corporations and a federal agency have been deleted from the projects partner page. State Farm announced May 24 that it had withdrawn support for the philanthropic program GenderCool, which pushed for distributing books on gender identity among children, after the partnership became the subject of news and customer inquiries. We support organizations that provide resources for parents to have conversations about gender and identity with their children at home. We do not support required curriculum in schools on this topic. As a result, we have made the decision we will no longer be affiliated with the organization, State Farm said in a May 24 news release. By that afternoon, nine out of the remaining 22 entities listed on the GenderCool websites Partners and Supporters page were gone. This includes Adobe Inc., Bank of America Corp., Capital One Financial Corp., General Mills Inc., Indeed, NBCUniversal, Oracle Corp., Sprout Social Inc., and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Just The News reported. According to John Grosshandler, founder and chairman of GenderCool, State Farm is the only entity to leave the partner program this year. The reduction of members on the partner page is due to the fact that the project decided to update the page on May 25, reflecting the changes over the past four years and making it current. No one has reached out to us privately indicating they plan to exit, he said to Just The News. When the media outlet contacted one of the partners removed from the list, the entity confirmed that it had left prior to the State Farm controversy but for unrelated reasons. State Farms support for GenderCool was brought to attention by nonprofit organization Consumers Research. Will Hild, Executive Director at Consumers Research, posted a leaked letter in a May 23 tweet from concerned State Farm employees showing the company partnering with GenderCool to promote transgender ideology. The letter, sent to State Farm Florida agents on Jan. 18, stated that the GenderCool projects aim was to increase representation of LGBTQ+ books and support challenging, important, and empowering conversations with kids aged five and above. The company sought 550 of its agents and employees to donate books from the GenderCool project to a local teacher, community center, or library of their choice. The books discussed issues about transgender and non-binary identities. One of the books laid out step-by-step details on how children can learn about transgenderism online and how to come out as a transgender to their parents, Hild said in a tweet. The book also encourages 5-year-old children to question their own gender identity and to reconsider their pronouns. State Farm backtracked from its association with GenderCool after critics pointed out that the companys plan might violate Floridas Parental Rights in Education law if the firm provides instructional materials on gender identity to schools for use among K3 students. Murder for Hire? What You Need to Know About Enochian Biosciences Co-Founders Arrest The co-founder of Enochian Biosciences Inc was arrested Wednesday following a two-year investigation into a man who was kidnapped and found dead in January 2018. What Happened Dr. Serhat Gumrukcu, co-founder of Enochian Biosciences, is being charged with conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, which resulted in the death of Gregory Davis, a resident of Vermont. Gumrucku, alongside another man, Berk Eratay, hired Jerry Banks to kidnap Davis from his home in Vermont on Jan. 6, 2018, according to the Department of Justice. Davis was found dead in a snowbank several miles from his home the next day. While Banks has not been formally charged with the murder of Davis, it is alleged that Banks did, in fact, murder Davis. If convicted of the federal grand jury charges against them, Gumrukcu and Eratay face mandatory life in prison or the death penalty. Shares of the companys stock plummeted 38.8 percent on the news. A Company Update The board of directors at Enochian provided an update following the arrest of the companys co-founder. The incident occurred before the companys merger, and the companys rights to Gumrukcus scientific discoveries are unchanged, Enochian said. Gumruckcu has had no formal role in the company of late, according to Enochian. The company announced the appointment of Greg Alton, former interim CEO and general counsel of Gilead Sciences, as its lead independent board member. By Aj Fabino 2022 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Unbeknownst to most Americans, thousands of the food items on our store shelves contain ingredients that are made using nanotechnology. Specifically, they are made through a process that converts things like silver, copper, gold, aluminum, silicon, carbon, and different metal oxides into tiny, atom-sized particles that are one-billionth of a meter in size. They do this because over the past 30 years or so, scientists discovered that adding these tiny components can make our food more colorful, brighter, creamier, and crunchier, and they were even able to keep it fresher for longer. However, according to more and more consumer protection groups as well as health experts, there appears to be a catch: while these nanoparticles can provide a myriad of benefits, they might come at a priceand that price is our health, which might be getting compromised without our even knowing it. While countries like Canada, France, and the E.U. bloc are banning these nanotech foods, here in America, the FDA not only allows them, but companies are not even required to list these nanoparticles on their ingredient labels, meaning that you dont even know youre ingesting them. Resources: FDA Guidelines: https://ept.ms/3lQ1yNk FDA 2020 Nanotech Report: https://ept.ms/3wRVRVJ FDA 2007 Nanotech Report: https://ept.ms/3GrS3NR Blood-Brain Barrier Study: https://ept.ms/3sUZUhx Other Countries: https://ept.ms/38L3wfj https://ept.ms/39Vj6oG https://ept.ms/3GrPVpA Vaccine Lipid Nanoparticles: https://ept.ms/3NBrEQ6 Future mRNA Vaccines: https://ept.ms/3wPwZ0A https://ept.ms/38QlcWI https://ept.ms/3wTSFYo Reference Article: https://ept.ms/3NFDj0s Stay tuned for our newsletter so you wont miss out on our exclusive videos and private events. Listen to Podcasts: iTunes Podcast: https://ept.ms/FactsMatterApplePodcast Spotify Podcast: https://ept.ms/FactsMatterSpotifyPodcast Google Podcast: https://ept.ms/FactsMatterGooglePodcast Follow Facts Matter on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/FactsMatterRB Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@FactsMatterRoman Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/factsmatterrb Gab: https://gab.com/factsmatterroman Telegram: https://t.me/FactsMatter_Roman Instagram: @epoch.times.roman Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List. 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 A syringe is loaded with COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic run by Vancouver Coastal Health, in Richmond, B.C., on April 10, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward) Newfoundland and Labrador to End Vaccine Mandate for Provincial Employees Newfoundland and Labrador is lifting its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for public servants starting June 1, the province says. The provinces health department said in a release on May 26, that the removal of the vaccine mandate applies not only to provincial government employees but also to those working with vulnerable populations. This includes sectors such as personal care homes, assisted living facilities, home care, private health clinics, private schools, post-secondary institutions, fire departments, ambulance providers, businesses employing regulated health professionals, and organizations providing child care services. The mandate, which came into effect last December, requires public servants to take two shots of a COVID-19 vaccine, obtain an approved medical exemption, or go on unpaid leave. The move to end the rules makes good on a promise stated in the mandate to cease to have effect on June 1, 2022, when it was announced last October. Given the current epidemiology of the province, a decision has been made not to extend them at this time, the release said. The health department, however, added that it will continue to monitor the epidemiology of the province. As with any public health measure, these may be reinstated at any time deemed necessary in the future for the protection of the people of the province, the department said. Parents protest Fairfax County Public Schools latest pro-transgender push in school policies outside of the county school board meeting in Falls Church, Va., on May 26, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) No to Gender Politics: Virginia Fairfax County Parents Protest Pro-Transgender Elementary School Push FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va.Parents protested on Thursday Fairfax County Public Schools latest pro-transgender push to include gender identity topics in elementary school sex education and new rules to discipline students who dont refer to a transgender person by the persons preferred name or gender, whether accidentally or intentionally. These changes may be up for a school board vote in June. If approved, malicious deadnaming and malicious misgendering will be gender identity-related offenses that could lead to up to five days of out-of-school suspension and referral to law enforcement for elementary school students. At the Thursday board meeting, Fairfax County mother Misty Lombardo urged the school board to host an in-person town hall to discuss the proposed changes to the student roles and responsibilities handbook before voting. We send our children to your schools to receive an education, not to be indoctrinated by your political beliefs, she told the board members. Stop attempting to usurp the role of the parent in our childrens lives. Raise the educational bar, respect the United States Constitution, and just teach your children how to read, write, and do arithmetic. Fairfax County mother Misty Lombardo speaks at the county school board meeting in Falls Church, Va., on May 26, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) Meanwhile, the county Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee (FLECAC) recommended that the school board include gender identity topics in the elementary school sex education curriculum, formerly Family Life Education (FLE). This proposed change followed a similar move in 2015 when Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) added transgender topics to the FLE curriculum for grades 7 through 10. The new FLECAC recommendations may be voted on June 30 for implementation as early as this fall. FLECAC is a committee composed of teachers, school-based administrators, central office staff, and community members appointed by the school board, administration leadership team, and the county health department. The FLECAC also recommended combining current boys and girls lessons into gender combined sessions and revising objectives for grades 4 to 7 to refer to boys and girls as male and female assigned at birth and puberty as something experienced by most individuals. Whats happened is that activists around the country are not only going after the minds of children, but also now their bodies, and theyre doing it at the earliest ages. They are sexualizing children, Asra Nomani, a senior fellow at a conservative non-profit Independent Womens Network, told The Epoch Times. She added, They are forcing children to make choices about gender and sexuality that they cannot even understand. They are targeting children who are 5-year-olds and 6-year-olds about complicated issues when they cant even brush their teeth. And this is a crime against humanity. Parents protest Fairfax County Public Schools latest pro-transgender push in school policies outside of the county school board meeting in Falls Church, Va., on May 26, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times) At the previous school board meeting on May 12, Willow Woycke, board member of the Transgender Education Association and a FLECAC member, said that gender combined sessions would help trans students as well as cisgender and heterosexual students. FLE is a health class, Woycke said. People who are afraid of FLE have the option to opt their children out. People who are afraid of FLE will always criticize what is taught, no matter what is taught in FLE, or how it is taught. Fairfax County resident Kathleen Gillette-Mallard told The Epoch Times that the countys FLE curriculum sexualizes children and grooms them. In addition, [FLE] normalizes the abnormal. Gillette-Mallard recently retired from her education program support job at the University of Virginia Falls Church campus. ParentAndChild.org, a Fairfax County parents group that started in 2015, reviews the countys FLE curriculum each year. According to the organizations director John Murray, some of the countys FLE curriculum lessons were good. The group gave green review marks over a dozen of the 20212022 lessons, a color that indicates that the lesson content is acceptable to most parents. However, when looking at all FLE lessons as a whole, Murray finds almost no discussion on why you would want to get married and have children, of these 74 lessons about human sexuality. In his view, the FLE curriculum encourages sexual relationships instead. Although the FLE curriculum first caught his attention in 2015 when transgender topics were added to middle school, through his ten years of working with a local pregnancy resource center, he said he saw the results of such sex education beyond just transgenderism: out-of-marriage pregnancies, single motherhood, and increased sexually transmitted diseases. Before retirement, Murray worked in emergency management for the federal government. He is also a retired Lieutenant Colonel who flew for the Air National Guard for 20 years. He said that FLE shouldnt be blamed as the sole cause of problems in students exposed to many societal influences. But school is a place where students learn the truth, said Murray. It [the FLE curriculum] is going to basically lead you in the wrong direction, he told The Epoch Times. And for a school system to do that, its inexcusable. The Epoch Times has reached out to Fairfax County Public Schools for comment. The side of a police patrol car in New York in this undated photo. (Bernhard Richter/Dreamstime/TNS) NYPD Cop Re-Enacted Finding Gun to Record It on Bodycam, DA Says By John Annese From New York Daily News NEW YORKAn often-sued NYPD officer with an extensive history of misconduct allegations has been indicted on charges that he re-enacted finding a gun in a suspects car so he could record the discovery with his body camera. Officer Kevin Martin, 45the subject of 34 misconduct complaints and at least a half-dozen civil suits that cost the city more than $1 million in settlements was indicted Wednesday and charged with tampering with evidence and official misconduct. The charges stem from a March 1, 2019, car stop by Martin and his partner, Officer Matthew Puleo, while they were on patrol in the 109th Precinct in Queens, according to a criminal complaint. Both were given body cameras. They pulled over a suspects Jeep during a traffic stop, seized the vehicle, and found drugs in the suspects possessionbut the body cam footage showed no contraband in the car. Puleo went back on patrol as Martin processed the arrest and at the end of the night, when his partner returned, Martin asked for help bringing in evidence from inside the Jeep. Thats when Martin apparently found a defaced .22 caliber handgun stashed in a sneaker, the complaint said. Hed already taken off his body cam, so he went back to get it, then, as Puleo watched, he staged finding the gun again so he could have a video record, according to the complaint. Months later, Puleo told the Queens D.A.s office the video was a re-enactment, but Martin stuck to the ruse, the complaint alleges. The stunt broke the chain of custody, and it would have illegally stacked the deck against the suspect if no one had found out, according to prosecutors. Martin was arrested in 2020 after an investigation by the NYPDs Internal Affairs Bureau. He was arraigned on the indictment in Queens Supreme Court and released without bail, and could face up to four years behind bars if convicted at trial. His lawyer, Stacey Richman, denied the charges. With the light of trial, the jury and the public will see that Officer Martin was properly serving our city as he has done for his entire career, Richman said. Martin, a 16-year NYPD veteran, has been hit with departmental disciplinary charges for unlawful stop and frisks, making misleading statements to the Civilian Complaint Review Board, and being discourteous and insubordinate to a lieutenant who ordered him to stop working overtime. Police department records show he was placed on Level 2 Force Monitoring in 2011 after receiving multiple CCRB complaints. The lawsuits against Martin typically involved false arrests, mostly for marijuana and low-level drug charges. In one federal case settled for $155,006, six different plaintiffsincluding freelance TV reporter Francisco Zapataargued that Martin and 11 other Bronx cops arrested them on bogus marijuana charges in 2011, claiming the drugs were in plain sight. Zapata alleged Martin grabbed him off the street and threw him against the wall, refused to look at his press ID, and elbowed him three times in the head as he recovered weed from the reporters shirt pocket. 2022 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Law enforcement officials at the Uvalde Civic Center, which is operating as a grief counseling location for community members affected by the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School the day prior, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Off-Duty Border Patrol Agent Saves Students, Daughter After Wife Texts Help An off-duty Texas Border Patrol agent rushed into Robb Elementary School with a shotgun and rescued several-dozen children and his daughter during a mass shooting on Tuesday after his wife sent him a text message. Jacob Albarado told the New York Times that he was getting a haircut when he received a message from his wife, a fourth-grade teacher at the school in Uvalde. Theres an active shooter, she wrote, according to Albarado. Help, she sent, adding: I love you. Albarado said he got out of his seat and took the barbers shotgun to the school. His daughter, who went to the school, was locked inside a bathroom while his wife hid underneath desks with students, he told the outlet. The suspect, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, shot and killed 19 students and two teachers in another part of the school. Officials on Thursday said that he shot his grandmother, texted a stranger online that he was going to shoot up a school, crashed a truck, fired shots at a funeral home, and then apparently walked into the school, which was unlocked. Albarado said he entered the school where his daughter was located before clearing all the classes in her wing, he told the paper. I did what I was trained to do, Albarado added. He recalled that two police officers with guns drawn provided cover to him while two others led dozens of children and teachers to the sidewalk. The Uvalde Fire Marshal and other law enforcement officials at the Uvalde Civic Center, which is operating as a grief counseling location for community members affected by the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School the day prior, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) In a Facebook post, Albarado argued that teachers should be able to carry firearms in class. Im so angry, saddened, and grateful all at once. Only time will heal their pain and hopefully changes will be made at all schools in the U.S. and teachers will be trained & allowed to carry in order to protect themselves and students, he said this week. Meanwhile, there have been questions about the police response as it was revealed that Ramos remained inside the school for about an hour before he was shot and killed. It was 11:28 a.m. when Salvador Ramos Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind the low-slung Texas school and the driver jumped out carrying an AR-15-style rifle. Twelve minutes after that, authorities say, the 18-year-old Ramos was in the hallways of Robb Elementary School. Soon he entered a fourth-grade classroom. And there, he killed 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in a still-unexplained spasm of violence. At 12:58 p.m., law enforcement radio chatter said Ramos had been killed and the siege was over. What happened in those 90 minutes, in a working-class neighborhood near the edge of the little town of Uvalde, has fueled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcements response to Tuesdays rampage. They say they rushed in, said Javier Cazares, whose fourth-grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, and who raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. We didnt see that. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A worker collects a crude oil sample at an oil well operated by Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA in Morichal, Venezuela, on July 28, 2011. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters) Oil on Track for Weekly Rise Amid Global Supply Concerns LONDONOil prices edged lower on Friday but were on track for weekly gains, supported by the prospect of a tight market due to rising gasoline consumption in the United States in summer, and also the possibility of an EU ban on Russian oil. Brent crude was down 20 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $117.20 at 1104 GMT, but was on track for a gain of about 4 percent this week. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 40 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $113.69 a barrel. WTI is set for a weekly gain of about 0.5 percent. Oil prices have risen to the highest level since end of March, benefiting from renewed declines in U.S. oil inventories, said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo. U.S. gasoline stocks fell by 482,000 barrels last week to 219.7 million barrels, U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. The start of summer driving season in the United States normally entails increased consumption. The U.S. driving season and strong travel demand should help (prices). With supply growth lagging demand growth, the oil market is likely to stay undersupplied. Hence, we remain positive in our outlook for crude prices, Staunovo added. Both benchmark crude contracts were also supported as the European Commission continued to seek unanimous support of all 27 EU member states for its proposed new sanctions against Russia, with Hungary posing a stumbling block. A top Hungarian aide said the country needed 31/2 to 4 years to shift away from Russian crude and make huge investments to adjust its economy. Hungary could not back the EUs proposed oil embargo until there was a deal on all issues, the aide said. We believe that a sharp contraction in Russian oil exports could trigger a full-blown 1980s style oil crisis and push Brent well past $150 per barrel, Bank of America said in a note. Oil prices jumped after the Iranian revolution in 1979 and a long war between Iran and Iraq (198088), although a global recession soon hindered fuel demand, and oil prices dropped back. Prices have gained about 50 percent so far this year. By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin One Person Dead After Ammonia Leak at Ice-Making Business in Kamloops, BC An employee at an ice-making business in Kamloops, B.C., has died of exposure to ammonia gas, the citys deputy fire chief said. Ryan Cail said the man was believed to be in his 60s. The facility was closed for the rest of the day following the incident on Thursday morning. There was a malfunction with an ammonia bottle, Cail said. The valve was dislodged, broke or malfunctioned. Were not aware of how it was discharged, but a large amount of ammonia was released. Two other employees managed to escape the business, he said. The details of how this specific individual was unable to get out are unknown and will be under investigation, he said. The ice-making company could not immediately be reached for comment. Mike Farnworth, the deputy premier and minister of public safety, issued a statement saying workers and their families should not have to worry about their safety when theyre on the job. Tragedies such as this strengthen our resolve to ensure everyone in B.C. can enjoy a safe workplace, he said. We send our deepest condolences to the grieving family and friends of the deceased individual. Our hearts are with them. The City of Kamloops said earlier Thursday that one person had died in hospital following an ammonia leak at an industrial park. A spokeswoman with BC Emergency Health Services said one person had been taken to hospital in critical condition and two others were there in stable condition. Five paramedic crews and two supervisors responded to a call at about 10:30 a.m., she said. Interior Health said a total of four patients had been released from hospital after being assessed or treated. The city said in a written statement that the RCMP and firefighters responded to the scene and several businesses were evacuated. Police and WorkSafeBC were investigating how the ammonia was released, and the coroners service has also launched an investigation, the city said. WorkSafeBC says on its website that the accidental release of ammonia during transportation, storage or use may put employees at risk if they inhale the colourless gas. Ammonia is used in refrigeration systems, power generation and manufacturing. Public safety is our top priority, the city said in the statement. The scene is now stable and the evacuated business and other citizens can go about their business in the area. The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday April 13, 2018. The assistant commissioner of the RCMP in Surrey, B.C, is warning that the city's 2020 budget will negatively affect services as well as the health and wellness of its members and support staff. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Ottawa Police Decide No Charges in Deadly Nunavut RCMP Shooting An investigation into a deadly police shooting in Nunavut has concluded that no officer involved will face charges. The Ottawa Police Service was tasked with reviewing the shooting last November of a 21-year-old man. Ottawa police say the man was armed with a rifle and a shotgun when he was shot by an RCMP officer after a prolonged interaction. Mounties have said officers responded to reports of a disturbance after a man obtained a rifle, took a truck at gunpoint and drove outside the towns limits. The following day, investigators travelled from Ottawa to Rankin Inlet, where they interviewed seven civilian witnesses and 10 police officers. Ottawa police say investigators concluded there were no reasonable grounds to believe any of the Mounties committed a criminal offence. The man who was killed was identified as Trey Angootealuk. The Ottawa force has a deal with the Nunavut government and RCMP to conduct independent external investigations of major police actions. There have been significant concerns about police accountability in the territory and over the lack of information being shared from investigations. The Ottawa Police Service does not release its reports about Nunavut shootings to the public. Nunavut is working to develop a civilian oversight body. There were two police shootings in Nunavut last year. Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino rises during question period in the House of Commons, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Feb. 4, 2022. (Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press) Ottawa to Order RCMP to Ban Neck Restraints, Tear Gas, and Rubber Bullets: Mendicino RCMP veteran warns pandering to interest groups by issuing the ban will do the public more harm than good The federal government is planning to order the RCMP to end the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and neck restraints, says Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino. In an interview with CBC News reported on May 26, Mendicino said his office will direct RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki in the coming days to ban the force from using those techniques in the course of their work. The interview coinciding with the second anniversary of George Floyds death. He died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25, 2020, and his death sparked widespread riots and protests, as well as calls to defund the police. Mendicino said he hopes his directive to the RCMP will serve as a blueprint for other police services across Canada to follow. There are some police services that have already taken those steps, but we think that with a new and modernized set of policies around the use of force by the RCMP, it can serve as a role model for other law enforcement branches across the country, he said. The minister added that he anticipates the RCMP will work toward ending the use of the noted techniques by the end of the year. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyds neck for more than nine minutes, is serving 22.5 years in prison after being convicted of state charges of murder and manslaughter last year. The ex-officer also pleaded guilty to violating Floyds civil rights in a federal case, where he now faces a sentence ranging from 20 to 25 years. Following Floyds death, Lucki confirmed on June 9, 2020, that the RCMP would examine the use of carotid control technique (CCT) and that a review was ongoing. According to the RCMP, the CCT is not a chokehold. The technique, when applied properly and per training, does not restrict breathing, and does not put any pressure on the windpipe, said the law enforcement agency on Public Safety Canadas website last March, updated on Aug. 16, 2021. It applies pressure to both sides of a persons neck, without restricting the airway. It may cause, but not always, a very brief period of unconsciousness that allows the police officer to safely place the individual in handcuffs. The RCMP added that every officer must recertify in the CCT every three years, and such techniques will only be used when an officer fears grievous bodily harm or death for themselves or any other person. The agency also argued that the knee-to-the-neck technique is not carotid control and shouldnt be confused with carotid control. Carotid control does not include the use of the legs for restraint. The RCMP does not teach or endorse any technique where RCMP officers place a knee on the head or neck, the Mounties said at the time. Based on the existing research, policy, and training, as well as the robust oversight and accountability measures in place for the carotid control technique, the RCMP has opted not to suspend use of the technique while the medical review remains ongoing. During the CBC interview, Mendicino said the Liberal government is committed to reforming law enforcement in Canada. On May 19, a week before the ministers interview, the RCMP posted a notice on Public Safety Canadas website saying it has the support of the federal department to pursue a transformation agenda, with banning the use of neck restraints, tear gas, and rubber bullets among its priorities. Success will require continued action to respond to evolving public expectations, address critical issues such as systemic racism and discrimination in policing, and adapt to an evolving criminal landscape, the notice said. In response to the upcoming mandates by Mendicino, former RCMP Chief Superintendent Garrett Woolsey took to Twitter, warning that the ban of these techniques in an attempt to appeal to interest groups will do more harm than good to the public. This is incredibly shortsighted and will increase the risk to the public. Neck restraint is very rarely used. Tear gas and impact rounds are used to safely resolve high risk crisis situations, Woolsey said in a series of tweets. The RCMP had said the CCT is used an average of 36 times per year. Sad to see pandering to interest groups take precedence over public safety, Woolsey said. Policing is a prov responsibility. Are they in agreement with this major change to RCMP operations that will make their citizens less safe? The Associated Press contributed to this report. Storm clouds pass by the Peace tower and Parliament hill, in Ottawa, Aug. 18, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) Parliamentary Committee to Start Report on Expanding Eligibility for Assisted Dying A special joint parliamentary committee will now consider its report on current legislation on assisted death and whether to expand who is eligible to opt for it. The committee of MPs and senators is considering whether medically assisted dying should be expanded to people solely suffering from mental illness and mature minors. It is also considering whether it should let people opt in to assisted dying in advance before they lose the mental capacity to do so. The committee was also tasked with studying a host of associated issues, such as the state of palliative care in Canada and the protection of Canadians with disabilities. It will begin drafting its report based on its findings. The government already agreed in Bill C-7 passed last March to lift the current ban on assisted dying for those suffering solely from mental illness in 2023. It set up a separate panel of experts to advise on the rules that should apply in those cases and the panel made 19 recommendations in a report tabled earlier this month. The governments work on the legislation is under scrutiny as critics say the law has unforeseen effects, amid reports of people opting for a medically assisted death because of inadequate care or resources. The Liberals faced criticism last year for proceeding with amendments to the lawin response to a Quebec court ruling, which struck down the requirement that a persons death be reasonably foreseeablewithout having even launched the promised review. Meanwhile, the Quebec government is removing a section of its end-of-life care bill that would have allowed quadriplegics and people with cerebral palsy to receive an assisted death. Health Minister Christian Dube told reporters that opposition parties expressed concern with the bill, which was tabled Wednesday, because the question of extending medical aid in dying to people with neuromuscular disorders was never debated in the province. By Erika Ibrahim Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux waits to appear before the Commons finance committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 10, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) Planned Luxury Tax Would Reduce Sales and Tax Revenues: Budget Watchdog The new tax on luxury purchases of planes, boats, and high-end vehicles announced in the 2021 federal budget will negatively impact the sale of these items and reduce sales tax collected by federal and provincial governments, the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) says. The Legislative Costing Note from the PBO estimates the measure would increase government coffers by $779 million over five years but would reduce the volume of sales by $2.9 billion over the same period. PBO Yves Giroux testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance on May 26 and addressed the issue. Conservative MP Adam Chambers remarked that the loss in projected sales would amount to a loss of about $375 million in GST/HST and provincial taxes. If you net that out against what the government says it will take in revenue, its going to take down substantially the net impact to the governments coffers. Is that a fair assessment? Chambers asked Giroux. Thats indeed a fair assessment, because of the reduction in sales, there will undoubtedly be a reduction in sales taxes collected, the extent to which is difficult to estimate, because its a niche market. The luxury goods sales tax would apply to private vehicles and aircraft valued at over $100,000 and boats valued at over $250,000. The tax would be calculated at the lesser of 20 percent of the value above those price thresholds or 10 percent of the full value of the luxury vehicle, aircraft, or boat, according to the Department of Finance. Conservative MP Jake Stewart likened the tax to a torpedo being fired by the government at the industries that will be impacted. What this government has chosen to do is similar to a submarine targeting an unsuspecting merchant ship in the dead of night. This government is firing a massive torpedo at the Canadian car, boating, and aerospace manufacturing sectors, among others, he said, and asked Giroux if job losses would follow. Its quite clear that with such a reduction in sales, there would certainly be job losses, but the extent of these job losses can only be determined after a much more in-depth study of the market, Giroux said. An impact on personal and corporate income tax collection would follow, Giroux said, while again stressing the need for further assessment of the matter. Federal MPs in the Standing Committee on Finance were studying Bill C-19, which, if adopted, will enact the new luxury tax into law. Chambers tabled a motion for the Department of Finance to conduct an economic impact study of the luxury tax as it applies to employment and tax revenue. Crosses with the names of Tuesday's shooting victims are placed outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. (Jae C. Hong/AP Photo) Police: Texas Gunman Was Inside the School for Over an Hour UVALDE, TexasIt was 11:28 a.m. when the Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind behind the low-slung Texas school and the driver jumped out carrying an AR-15-style rifle. Twelve minutes after that, authorities say, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos was in the hallways of Robb Elementary School. Soon he entered a fourth-grade classroom. And there, he killed 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in a still-unexplained spasm of violence. At 12:58 p.m., law enforcement radio chatter said Ramos had been killed and the siege was over. What happened in those 90 minutes, in a working-class neighborhood near the edge of the little town of Uvalde, has fueled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcements response to Tuesdays rampage. On Thursday, authorities largely ignored questions about why officers had not been able to stop the shooter sooner, with Victor Escalon, regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, telling reporters he had taken all those questions into consideration and would offer updates later. The media briefing, called by Texas safety officials to clarify the timeline of the attack, provided bits of previously unknown information. But by the time it ended, it had added to the troubling questions surrounding the attack, including about the time it took police to reach the scene and confront the gunman, and the apparent failure to lock a school door he entered. Law enforcement and other officials attend a press conference in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. (Eric Thayer/Getty Images) After two days of providing often conflicting information, investigators said that a school district police officer was not inside the school when Ramos arrived, and, contrary to their previous reports, the officer had not confronted Ramos outside the building. Instead, they sketched out a timeline notable for unexplained delays by law enforcement. After crashing his truck, Ramos fired on two people coming out of a nearby funeral home, Escalon said. He then entered the school unobstructed through an apparently unlocked door at about 11:40 a.m. But the first police officers did not arrive on the scene until 12 minutes after the crash and and did not enter the school to pursue the shooter until four minutes after that. Inside, they were driven back by gunfire from Ramos and took cover, Escalon said. The crisis came to an end after a group of Border Patrol tactical officers entered the school roughly an hour later, at 12:45 p.m., said Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. They engaged in a shootout with the gunman, who was holed up in the fourth-grade classroom. Moments before 1 p.m., he was dead. Escalon said that during that time, the officers called for backup, negotiators and tactical teams, while evacuating students and teachers. A memorial is seen surrounding the Robb Elementary School sign following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Many other details of the case and the response remained murky. The motive for the massacrethe nations deadliest school shooting since Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade agoremained under investigation, with authorities saying Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history. During the siege, frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the school, according to witnesses. Go in there! Go in there! women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street. Carranza said the officers should have entered the school sooner: There were more of them. There was just one of him. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz did not give a timeline but said repeatedly that the tactical officers from his agency who arrived at the school did not hesitate. He said they moved rapidly to enter the building, lining up in a stack behind an agent holding up a shield. What we wanted to make sure is to act quickly, act swiftly, and thats exactly what those agents did, Ortiz told Fox News. But a law enforcement official said that once in the building, the 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 condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly about the investigation. Department of Public Safety spokesman Lt. Christopher Olivarez told CNN that investigators were trying to establish whether the classroom was, in fact, locked or barricaded in some way. Police cordon off the streets around Robb Elementary School after a mass shooting, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Javier Cazares, whose fourth grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, said he raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. When he arrived, he saw two officers outside the school and about five others escorting students out of the building. But 15 or 20 minutes passed before the arrival of officers with shields, equipped to confront the gunman, he said. As more parents flocked to the school, he and others pressed police to act, Cazares said. He heard about four gunshots before he and the others were ordered back to a parking lot. A lot of us were arguing with the police, You all need to go in there. You all need to do your jobs. Their response was, We cant do our jobs because you guys are interfering, Cazares said. As for the armed school officer, he was driving nearby but was not on campus when Ramos crashed his truck, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the case and spoke of condition of anonymity. Investigators have concluded that school officer was not positioned between the school and Ramos, leaving him unable to confront the shooter before he entered the building, the law enforcement official said. By Jake Bleiberg, Jim Vertuno, and Elliot Spagat Police officers stand outside the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 25, 2022, after a teen in body armor marched into the school and killed 19 children and two teachers. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images) Officers Waited to Engage Texas School Shooter Because They Could Have Been Shot: Official A Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) official has said officers could have been shot if they engaged the gunman holed up with his victims in a classroom at Robb Elementary School before a specialist tactical team arrived. Authorities on Thursday sketched out a timeline of events from when 18-year-old Salvador Ramos crashed his vehicle to when he entered the Texas school at around 11.40 a.m. and slaughtered 19 students and two teachers. But it wasnt until almost 1 p.m. that Ramos had been killed and the siege was over, around 90 minutes later. Questions have been raised amid mounting public anger and scrutiny about the response of law enforcement as more details emerge about the timeline of events. Texas DPS spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez said the first priority for officers in an active shooter situation is to stop the killing and preserve life. But also one thing that, of course, the American people need to understand, is that officers are making entry into this building. They do not know where the gunman is, Oliverez told CNN. They are hearing gunshots. They are receiving gunshots. At that point, if they proceeded any further not knowing where the suspect was at, they couldve been shot, they couldve been killed, and at that point, that gunman would have had an opportunity to kill other people inside that school. Oliverez said their response meant the shooter was contained in the classroom and unable to get to any other portions of the school to commit any other killings. While around three officers who had entered the school through the same door as the gunman were taking fire and calling for backup, around four others who had entered from another part of the school were evacuating students and teachers, Oliverez said. Once the tactical team from U.S. Border Patrol arrived, he said they used a ballistic shield for cover as they entered the classroom and killed the shooter. Victor Escalon, regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety South, gives a press conference in Uvalde, Texas on May 26, 2022, two days after a gunman opened fire and killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary school. (Allison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images) Authorities on Thursday largely ignored questions during a contentious briefing about why officers had not been able to stop the shooter sooner. Victor Escalon, regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, told reporters he had taken all those questions into consideration and would offer updates later. One point Escalon clarified based on the information he had at the time was that there were no armed officers at the school at the time Ramos entered unobstructed. No, no, there was not an officer readily available, armed. No, the Texas DPS official said in response to a reporters question on Thursday afternoon. This contradicted earlier information from authorities. LUBLIN, PolandGynecologist Hanna Caban was delighted to obtain a ticket to see Shen Yun Performing Arts in The Opera Hall at The Centre for the Meeting of Cultures on opening night, May 17. I was completely shocked that a month before the performance there were only single good seats available, said Dr. Caban, referring to the full house on the night that she saw Shen Yun. Im very happy to have been here and very happy that I bought this ticket, she said. Dr. Caban said she admired the dancing skills on display by the New York-based Shen Yun company. It was fantastic that it was so lightly performed. Everything was at the highest quality, yet it seems so light as if it is performed without any effort at all, she said. Dr. Caban was delighted that Shen Yun had come to her city to perform and marveled at the unique integrated digital backdrop. These three-dimensional scenes virtually blended with reality. Its really well done; it was really mind-blowing! she said. The spiritual aspect shown in the last dance story stood out for Dr. Caban. Being human and happy does not rely on material things, she said. The most important aspect of our lives is spirituality, Dr. Caban said. I think thats worth rememberingthat you can have all things, but not get [to Heaven], she said. Thats not how we become happythis overabundance of things basically does not help us. Many of the Shen Yun artists practice Falun Dafa, a spiritual discipline that teaches the three principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. As explained in the program book, these artists are on a shared spiritual journey and take seriously their self-refinement and morality, which lends to the pureness of their art. Wonderful Experience Zbigniew Rybakiewicz at Shen Yun Performing Arts At Lublins Opera Hall, in Poland, on May 17, 2022. (Marek Sybilak/The Epoch Times) Financier Zbigniew Rybakiewicz was also in the audience and he described his Shen Yun experience as wonderful. It was full of bliss and peace, Mr. Rybakiewicz said. The combination of the colors on stage and the orchestra music created an atmosphere of balance and harmony, he said. What catches the eye are the patterns with the combination of large single-color surfaces, the lightness of costumes, and the calmness, and harmony in the music. This puts you in a magical atmosphere, Mr. Rybakiewicz said. He was also amazed at how much he learned about Chinas history. Its astonishing how one can learn history through art. I was talking with my daughter during the intermission, about how this is the most interesting history lesson you can get, and even more, he said. It happens almost unconsciously, subconsciously, and yet it combines facts with the beauty of art. F ood for Thought Czeslaw Rolla at Shen Yun performance in the Opera Hall, in Lublin, Poland, on May 17, 2022. (Marek Sybilak/The Epoch Times) Czeslaw Rolla came to see the Shen Yun performance from nearby Pulawy. Mr. Rolla did not expect that Shen Yun performance would give him so much food for thought. I dont know if I will sleep tonight, because Ill be thinking about the things I saw today. Shen Yun Performing Arts is dedicated to presenting China before communism to audiences around the world. The communist regime in China has been systematically working to destroy traditional culture since it took power in 1949. Artistically, the whole performance is very beautiful. I was very moved by the performance, which refers to what is happening now in China. This performance very clearly shows their problems, Mr. Rolla said. Shen Yun companys mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture and share it with the world through the universal languages of music and dance. A person should think, think about what he or she cares about, and think about what is important in life. I was really so moved by this performance, Mr. Rolla said. Reporting by Krzysztof Olesinski and Agnieszka Iwaszkiewicz. Translated by Barbara Konieczna. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Shen Yun Performing Arts Global Company's curtain call at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, on May 20, 2022. (Ji Yuan/The Epoch Times) President Tsai, Leading Officials Welcome Shen Yun to Taiwan After three years of waiting, the people of Taiwan will once again enjoy Shen Yun Performing Arts in theaters. This year, the worlds premier classical Chinese dance company will tour seven cities and perform almost 30 shows in Taiwan from June 7 to July 10. Prior to Shen Yuns arrival, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, Vice President Lai Ching-te, along with almost 100 public officials sent letters to the hosting organization to welcome Shen Yun. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen congratulates and welcomes Shen Yun Performing Arts to perform in 7 cities in Taiwan during the 2022 touring season. (The Epoch Times) In her letter, Tsai wrote: I am happy to send this letter to congratulate and welcome Shen Yun Performing Arts to perform in Taiwan from June 7 to July 10. Shen Yun revives and promotes classical dance techniques, enable the audience to enjoy the gracefulness of traditional music, broaden the international artistic horizon, together we build a beautiful, harmonious, and culturally rich earth village. I wish your performances great success, and everybody in good health and spirit. Taiwans Vice President Lai Ching-te welcomes Shen Yun Performing Arts. (The Epoch Times) In addition to the president, Vice President Lai Ching-te and almost 100 public officials also sent their greetings. Among them are ten central ministry officials, including the president of the Examination Yuan, Huang Jong-Tsun; vice president of the Legislative Yuan, Tsai Chi-chang; 21 municipal officials, and 65 Members of the Legislative Yuan. According to its website, since its founding in 2006, Shen Yun Performing Arts has been touring the world every year, except for the last two years due to the pandemic. With the mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture, Shen Yun Performing Arts has grown from one touring group to seven equally sized groups. All seven groups are now touring simultaneously around the world in packed theaters, from Florida to California, France to the Czech Republic, and Mexico to Australia. In the midst of the pandemic, many audience members say that they felt relaxed, uplifted, and surrounded by strong energy radiating from the stage. Graham Waterhouse, a composer and cellist from Munich, Germany, saw the Shen Yun performance in Fuessen on May 7 and said it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and that You definitely get this energy, especially through the movement of the dancers. South Australias Legislative Council member and Greens parliamentary leader, Tammy Franks watched Shen Yun show on May 11 and said that the performance showed her the real culture in China. Shen Yun Performing Arts World Companys curtain call at the National Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall in Taipei on April 10, 2019. (Chen Bozhou/The Epoch Times) April 2019 was when the New York-based company last performed in Taiwan. Over the past decade, Shen Yun has performed a total of 458 shows in Taiwan. This June, Shen Yun will be visiting Taiwan for the 14th time. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. Special counsel John Durham arrives at federal court in Washington on May 18, 2022. (Teng Chen for The Epoch Times) Prosecutors Urge Jurors to Convict Ex-Clinton Lawyer, Defense Claims Reasonable Doubt WASHINGTONProsecutors and defense lawyers agreed on one point on May 27that former Hillary Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann told the FBI he was not bringing claims about Donald Trump on behalf of the clientbut diverged on whether the statement was a lie and whether it was repeated. Sussmann, of Perkins Coie, texted then-FBI lawyer James Baker on Sept. 18, 2016. He said he had something time sensitive (and sensitive) to discuss, and that he was not coming forward on behalf of a client. The next day, Sussmann met with Baker at FBI headquarters in Washington. During the meeting, Sussmann handed over three white papers and two thumb drives that allegedly showed Donald Trumpwith whom Clinton was vying for the presidencyhad a secret communications channel with Russia. The information set off an FBI investigation and, later, a CIA probe, both of which concluded the allegations were unsubstantiated. Sussmann was charged with lying to the FBI, a charge that carries up to five years in jail. What Sussman did was, as a serious national security lawyer, deliver what he thought to be credible data to the FBI to give them a heads up, Sean Berkowitz, a lawyer for Sussmann, said during closing arguments. It wasnt about national security, said Jonathan Algor, a prosecutor with special counsel John Durhams team. It was about promoting opposition research against the opposition candidate Donald Trump. Michael Sussmann arrives at federal court in Washington on May 18, 2022. (Teng Chen for The Epoch Times) What Happened During the Meeting? Only Sussmann and Baker were in the Sept. 19, 2016, meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes. Baker has said he took no notes. Therefore, prosecutors relied on Baker to testify as to what Sussmann said. Baker testified that Sussmann repeated what hed said over textthat he wasnt bringing the information on behalf of a client. He said that he was not appearing before me on behalf of any particular clients and that he had information of concern regarding a surreptitious communication channel between Alfa Bank and some servers in the United States, said Baker, who met Sussmann while both worked for the government, and who has described Sussmann as a friend. Im 100 percent confident that he said that. Algor told jurors that Sussmann hid his ties to the Clinton campaign and Rodney Joffe, a technology executive and a confidential FBI source who has said he was promised a position in a Clinton administration, to make sure the FBI investigated the Trump-Russia claims. Prosecutors also cited notes taken by Bill Priestap and Trisha Anderson, two FBI officials, of conversations they had with Baker shortly after Sussmann left. Both sets of notes state that Bakers source said he was not coming on behalf of any clients. Berkowitz told jurors that the defense does not dispute the authenticity of the text message. But Baker may not be accurately recalling the meeting the next day, Berkowitz said, pointing to how Baker said in 2018 that he did not specifically remember Sussmann saying he was not acting on behalf of a client. Baker said during the trial he was 100 percent sure that Sussmann did say that. Berkowitz claimed it was highly unlikely that his client repeated the statement from the text in the meeting, and said the government had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that he did. He pointed to notes from a 2017 Department of Justice meeting which said that the source for the Trump-Russia claims was a lawyer acting on behalf of a client. The statement itself wasnt material, Berkowitz also claimed. He said that the allegations stemmed from a cyber expert, Joffe, and that they were brought in by a respected national security lawyer, Sussmann. Even if the source and representation had been made clear, the allegations would have been taken seriously, he said. Baker testified that if he knew Sussmann was representing the Clinton campaign, he would have not met with Sussmann alone, or at all. Sussmann took the same information, and additional data, to a second government agency in 2017. CIA records showed that Sussmann told a retired agent he had information from a client but during a subsequent meeting with actual agents, Sussmann said he was not representing a client. Berkowitz focused on the first part while prosecutors zeroed in on what was said during the meeting. Barricades set up around the entrance to the U.S. courthouse in Washington, on May 27, 2022. (John Haughey/The Epoch Times) Billing Records Algor, the prosecutor, brought the jurys attention back to the billing records from Sussmann, showing he purchased flash drives on Sept. 13, 2016, from a Staples around the corner from his office. The charge was billed to Clintons campaign. The government also introduced records showing Sussmann billed 0.4 hours to the campaign for a meeting with Marc Elias, the campaigns counsel, regarding server issue on July 31, 2016; 4.4 hours for a set of meetings with Elias and others described as involving revisions to white paper on Sept. 6, 2016; 6.6 hours for multiple meetings regarding confidential project and for drafting a white paper on Sept. 14, 2016; and 3.3 hours for work and communications regarding confidential project on Sept. 19, 2016. The defendant is working the Alfa allegations and billing it to the Clinton campaign, Algor said. You heard the defense make the argument that the defendant was working for the Clinton campaign and everyone knew it but when he went into that meeting, he stepped out of that role, he was no longer representing Rodney Joffe or the Clinton campaign, he was doing it as a good citizen. But look at how the defendant bills his time. Clinton campaign officials insisted during testimony that they did not approve of Sussmann going to the FBI, and Berkowitz cast doubt on the records, noting that Sussmann had not billed for a meeting with FBI for the meeting with Baker. The records showed Sussmann worked for the Clinton campaign on spreading the claims to the media, not to the FBI, Berkowitz alleged. No one from the campaign asked him to go or authorized him to go and it wasnt in their interest, he said. He also said there would have been little benefit for Joffe from Sussmann going on his behalf to the FBI. Joffe, who did not testify, separately went to an FBI friend and told him of some of the information that prosecutors say Sussmann passed to Baker on behalf of Joffe and the Clinton campaign, it was revealed during the trial. Joffe was axed by the bureau as a source in 2021, apparently due to how he acted regarding the Trump-Russia claims. Berkowitz later brought up how Sussmann told members of Congress in 2017 that he went to Baker on behalf of a client, but alleged the testimony was taken out of context. Prosecutors said the billing records were damning evidence, noting that the thumb drives werent billed to the campaign until three days after Sussmann handed over the information to the FBI. Some cases are close calls, and this was one of them, according to Andrew DeFilippis, part of Durhams team. This is not a close case. You do have proof beyond reasonable doubt, he said. The trial attorneys from the office of special counsel John Durham arrive for a hearing at the federal courthouse in Washington on April 27, 2022. (Oliver Trey for The Epoch Times) Verdict Not Until Next Week Jurors began deliberating on Friday but even if they came to a quick decision, the verdict wont be made public until next week. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, the Obama appointee overseeing the case, said that jurors should consider the verdict until 5 p.m. If they dont reach a verdict, they will reconvene on Tuesday, after the Memorial Day weekend. Even if they do reach one, it will be held until next week, Cooper said. Thats because the judge wants to be the judge to take whatever verdict is reached, but he was leaving the courtroom as jurors deliberated. He has said repeatedly he had weekend plans he would not put off. 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. Larry Elder will host "The Larry Elder Show" four times a week live on EpochTV. (The Epoch Times) Radio Star Larry Elder Joins Epoch Media Group, to Host Live Show on EpochTV LOS ANGELESSpeculation has been growing as to what recent Republican California gubernatorial candidate and TALKERS Heavy Hundred radio star Larry Elders next talk media move will be since he left his nightly program on the Salem Radio Network. The wait is finally over, as Epoch Media Group (EMG) announces that Elder has joined EMG, publisher of the rapidly growing international newspaper The Epoch Times, where he will host The Larry Elder Show on EpochTV four times a week. The show also will be broadcast on NTDTV and other platforms associated with EMG. In his livestreamed show, Elder will continue to give the audience his take on the latest and most important issues facing America. Based in Los Angeles, Elder is known to his following as the sage from South Central and Americas truth detector. He was the front-running GOP challenger to Gov. Gavin Newsom in the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election. Elder is also an attorney, author, and accomplished documentary filmmaker. Epoch Times CEO John Tang applauded the announcement: Larry Elder is an advocate of the principles of The Epoch Times newspaperTruth and Traditionand is inspired by its mission to bring readers accurate information so they can form their own opinions about the most significant topics of our time. Tang added, In a day and age of sensationalist and emotionally charged news coverage, Elder uses the factswith humor and insightto break down the nations current events and most urgent issues. Commenting on this new association, Elder said: Im excited to join The Epoch Times. Im impressed by the newspapers courage and willingness to speak the truth to promote liberty and freedom. So, grab a seat and hold on! Elder said. Weve got a country to save. Subscribe to EpochTV to get unlimited access to all programming. To learn more about The Larry Elder show, visit EpochTV.com/LarryElder or follow @LarryElderShow_ on Twitter. Got a question or a comment? Call 888-971-SAGE (888-971-7243). Want to get on the show? Contact LarryElderShow@epochtimes.us Members of the U.N. Security Council gather for a meeting on Sept. 27, 2018, at the United Nations in New York. (Don Emmert/AFP via Getty Images) Russia, China Veto UN Security Council Vote on North Korea Sanctions Russia and China on May 26 vetoed a vote pushed by the United States to strengthen sanctions on North Korea, dividing the United Nations Security Council for the first time since 2006. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 132 and followed a string of ballistic missile launches by Pyongyang. To be adopted by the UN Security Council, a resolution needs nine yes votes and no vetoes by the permanent members of Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, or the United States. China and Russia, both permanent members of the Security Council and neighbors of North Korea have opposed the latest measure and called for sanctions to be eased. We do not think additional sanctions will be helpful in responding to the current situation. It can only make the situation even worse, Chinas U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun told reporters earlier Thursday ahead of the vote. China has instead proposed that the council adopt a formal statement instead of a sanctions resolution. Russias U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told Reuters on Wednesday that he did not believe U.N. action would be very conducive to engagement with North Korea. The draft resolution voted on Thursday called for, among other things, a reduction in the amount of crude oil that North Korea can legally import every year from four million to three million barrels, as well as a reduction in exports of refined petroleum products from 500,000 barrels a year to 375,000 barrels. It would also ban the North from exporting mineral fuels, mineral oils, and mineral waxes, and halt the sale or transfer of all tobacco products to North Korea and tighten maritime sanctions. A global assets freeze would also be placed on Lazarus Group, Korea Namgang Trading Corporation, and Haegumgang Trading Corporation. Kim Su Il, an alleged employee of the Munitions Industry Department (MID) who is responsible for overseeing the development of the Norths ballistic missiles would also be added to the sanctions blacklist. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she was disappointed by the vetoes from Russia and China, which had not blocked any of the prior nine sanction votes made since 2006. I am beyond disappointed that the Council has not been able to unify in opposition the DPRKs unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs. And that failure rests on China and Russia alone, Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement after the vote. The U.S. Ambassador added that the UNs commitment to the defense of its allies, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, is ironclad and it encourages member states to fully implement existing resolutions and will continue to work with our allies and partners to uphold the sanctions on the DPRK. We will continue to seek unity and compromise here at the United Nations in response to the DPRKs unlawful WMD and ballistic missile advancements. And in the absence of such unity, we will also continue to consider unilateral actions, and those coordinated with our close allies and partners, including sanctions, Thomas-Greenfield said. The United States will not stand down as long as Kim Jung-Un continues his unlawful WMD and ballistic missile program and seeks to threaten regional and global security with more destabilizing ballistic missile launches. Chinas ambassador to the U.N., Zhang Jun, said that dialogue and negotiations are the only viable way in which to solve the issue. Meanwhile, Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vasily Alekseevich Nebenzya said that the United States had failed to consider Russias repeated clarifications regarding the draft resolution at recent UNSC meetings in which it states that it would not support such sanctions. Nebenzya also stated that the West had blamed the deteriorating situation in the Korean Peninsula on North Korean authorities while ignoring the fact that Pyongyangs repeated calls to the US to stop its hostile activities, which would unlock dialogue opportunities, were never taken seriously. Enhanced sanctions pressure on Pyongyang is not only futile but also dangerous in terms of possible humanitarian implications, Nebenzya said. North Korea has launched 17 missile tests this year alone. Location of the mountainous Kouri Bougoudi district in north Chad. (Google Maps/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Several Dead in Fighting Between Miners in North Chad, Government Says NDJAMENADeadly clashes have broken out between gold miners in north Chad, the interim government said on Wednesday, as a local rebel groups unconfirmed report of at least 200 fatalities in the area circulated on social media. The violence broke out at an informal gold mining site in the mountainous Kouri Bougoudi district, near the border with Libya, where the army has been fighting rebel groups for over a decade. A government mission has been dispatched to assess the situation and restore calm, the government said in a statement, adding that human lives were lost and several people were injured but giving no numbers. Libya-based rebels known as the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) on Tuesday reported at least 200 people killed and 500 injured by inter-community clashes in Kouri Bougoudi, citing witnesses who fled the scene. Local media said the fighting was between members of the Tama ethnic group and an Arab community. Unverified footage, including images of dead bodies and of men wielding machine guns from the back of pickup trucks, were circulating on social media. The government said it would communicate the reality of events once it heard back from its mission. Deadly inter-community clashes are relatively frequent in Chad, particularly between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders. Chad, a regional power and Western ally against Islamist terrorists in West Africa, has been in turmoil since longstanding ex-president Idriss Deby was killed on the frontline against rebels in the north last April. Libya-based rebels have since set their sights on the capital NDjamena, where Debys son is sitting as interim president. By Mahamat Ramadane Sharon Griffin at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at Duke Energy Center for the Arts Mahaffey Theater on May 25, 2022. (Lily Yu/The Epoch Times) ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.There are few events in life that leaves one feeling lighter. Sharon Griffin, a real estate agent and owner of a business that helps musicians, found that experiencing Shen Yun Performing Arts left her feeling happy and alive. It makes you feel alive through your body. Youre feeling it spiritually, said Ms. Griffin. With the pandemic coming to a close, she added that seeing New York-based Shen Yun reminded her that although we suffer hardships, there is always a way to overcome them. She commented that Shen Yun makes you feel alive again. As hard as the pandemic was, there are other things that are going on in the world. Were all still human beings that experience difficulties at different levels and you know to overcome it. Despite Shen Yuns mission to convey the beauty of China to audiences around the world, Shen Yun is not able to perform in China. Theres a sadness when you think about the people [who] cant watch this. They cant experience [Shen Yun] in their own country, said Ms. Griffin. The dances of Shen Yun are filled with the message of hope. In addition to the live orchestra that features traditional Chinese instruments like the pipa and erhu, the entire production gave Mr. Griffin an experience she will likely remember for a long time. Youre experiencing it. Youre not just watching it, youre feeling it. Because youre feeling the music, which is just amazing, too. It sounds like there are instruments that are ancient instruments, all the way to cellos and violins and everything else. Yet youre also watching the talent of some people [and] theyre just so focused on their work. Shen Yuns dancers are trained in classical Chinese dance. The dance form is comprised of three main components bearing, form and technique. Ms. Griffin expressed her appreciation for the discipline of the dancers. The talent of these people on the stage is just unbelievable. The expressions on their face, they hold the whole time, to suit the scene. I think everybody needs to see this, she said. She added that although shes been to China, Shen Yun was a new experience for her. Ive been to China before so its just really nice to see it from this perspective Ive never seen anything like it, she said. Reporting by Lily Yu 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. A warrant officer of the 1st battalion Irish Guards inspects them prior to a visit by the Duke of Cambridge in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle on May 17, 2022.(Richard Pohle/The Times/PA) Six Irish Guards Arrested as Part of UK Drugs and Money Laundering Probe Six British Army soldiers with the Irish Guards regiment and a former member of the Coldstream Guards have been arrested on suspicion of drugs and money laundering offences. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a statement that said: As part of a planned operation the Royal Military Police arrested six Irish Guards soldiers and a Coldstream Guardsman veteran from across the UK on suspicion of conspiracy to supply drugs and money lending and laundering offences. The MoD stressed that none of the soldiers under investigation would be participating in the Queens Platinum Jubilee parades next month. The Irish Guards and the Coldstream Guards are two of the British Army regiments trained for ceremonies such as the Trooping of the Colour, the others being the Welsh Guards, the Scots Guards, and the Grenadier Guards. This year the Irish Guardsa regiment that dates back to 1900have been given the honour of participating in the Platinum Jubilee parade in London on June 2. The MoDs statement said: The Army does not tolerate any type of illegal or fraudulent behaviour. As this is now the subject of an independent Royal Military Police investigation, it is inappropriate to comment further. The Daily Mirror claimed the seven men were detained on Wednesday during co-ordinated raids in Hampshire, Berkshire, North Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Irish Guards has been the most operationally active unit in the British Army in recent years, notably in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The regiment has the Duke of Cambridge as its royal colonel. It also guards royal palaces including Windsor Castle and its ceremonial uniform is the distinctive red tunic and bearskin hat. The Royal Military Police are the internal security wing of the British Armyknown as the Red Caps because of their distinctive headwear. They tend to be involved in policing offences such as being absent without leave, misconduct towards a senior officer, and failing to provide a sample for drug tests. Those convicted of such offences, at court martials, can spend time in custody at the Military Corrective Training Centre at Colchester garrison in Essex. But offences involving dealing drugs and money laundering would have to be handled by a civilian police force and tried by a criminal court rather than a court martial. PA Media contributed to this report. I love buying spinach at the farmers market in spring. There is great variety to be found, from dainty babies to long-stemmed beefsteaks. Each vendor has different-looking spinach, and each farmer has a different way to cook it. I got a good one recently from a farmer friend who told me about a Chinese-style spinach and noodle dish. She boils the spinach and then plunges it into cold water, as one does with vegetables. Next, she squeezes the spinach, pressing out all the water. In following her lead at home, I was amazed by how small a ball of squeezed spinach you get from a large bunch of fresh. This increases the density of the leaves, such that a small amount can have a sizeable impact on flavor. My spinach-squeezing associate chops up this extra-dense ball and adds it to noodles in a broth flavored with soy sauce, chopped garlic, sesame oil, and shrimp paste. She serves it with chile sauce and ranch dressing. Spring Experiments Ever since, Ive been squeezing a lot of spinachespecially the big, juicy leaves of full-grown plants. I dont even bother with baby spinach, which lacks the gravitas, fiber, and earthy flavor of mature leaves. As late spring is the best time to gorge on spinach, I began using squeezed spinach in all of my and my friends favorite spinach dishes. I decided to use it to make a batch of saag paneer, the Indian dish of greens and cheese. Usually, I puree the cooked, unsqueezed spinach in a blender. But this time, I cooked, squeezed, and chopped, for a coarser version of the classic dish. The paneer cheese is easy to make, providing it doesnt all get eaten at the curds and whey stage. I will be the first to admit that I sit there slurping down those soft, creamy lumps like Little Miss Muffetso fun and soothing to eat, like an extra-thick broth. I tried some with nothing but chopped squeezed spinach and a little salt. It was tasty, but not as all-around satisfying as the squeezed saag paneer I eventually made. The most decadent way to eat squeezed spinach is with lots of ricotta cheese. I make this creamy spinach sauce with garlic, lemon, and Romano cheese, and serve it over hollow noodles, such as penne. Thus far in my research, these lemon ricotta noodles are everybodys favorite way to consume squeezed spinach. Squeezed Spinach Pasta This dish is bright and creamy and puffy and soft, yet balanced with pockets of dense green earthiness. Serves 4 1 pound spinach (preferably not baby spinach) 1 pound penne or similarly hollow pasta (the package should indicate that the pasta was dried slowly) 2 cloves garlic, chopped, divided 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon 1 cup ricotta cheese 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese Salt and pepper, to taste Hot chile flakes or paprika, to taste Boil 2 gallons of salted water (about 1 tablespoon salt). If you have a pasta insert for your pot, use it. Add the spinach and boil for about 4 minutes. Remove the spinach and immediately plunge it into cold water to cool. When its cool, transfer it to a colander to drain. Add the pasta to the greenish boiling water and cook. While the noodles boil, squeeze the spinach into as tight a ball as you can, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Place the spinach on a cutting board and chop it. Saute half the garlic in the oil and butter. Scatter the spinach into the pan, add the lemon juice and zest, and give it a modest stir. Cook for a minute on medium, then add the cooked, drained pasta and the cheeses. Stir it all together. Season with salt and pepper. Dust with chile flakes and serve. Saag paneer, a rustic Indian favorite, floats milky homemade cheese in spiced, stewed spinach. (Yulia Gust/Shutterstock) Squeezed Spinach Saag Paneer This rustic dish is full of flavor. Serve with jasmine or basmati rice. Serves 4 1 gallon milk 1 cup yogurt 1 pound spinach 4 tablespoons ghee, oil, or butter 1 teaspoon cumin seed 1 teaspoon coriander seed 1 large onion, sliced 1 inch ginger, peeled and minced 2 teaspoons garam masala powder Sliced jalapeno pepper, to taste Salt to taste To make the cheese, heat the milk. When it simmers, turn off the heat and stir in the yogurt. Let it sit for about half an hour, as the acid from the yogurt will trigger the formation of large, smooth curds that float in the surrounding, relatively thin whey. When its cool enough to work with, strain the curds in a metal strainer or with cheesecloth. Let them settle while you prepare the spinach. Boil 2 gallons of salted water (about 1 tablespoon salt). Add the spinach and boil for about 4 minutes. Remove the spinach and immediately plunge it into cold water to cool. When its cool, transfer it to a colander to drain. Squeeze the spinach into as tight a ball as you can, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Place the spinach on a cutting board and chop it. Slice the cheese into slabs, and cut the slabs into cubes. Heat the ghee in a pan and fry the cheese until golden brown on some if not all sides. Remove the cheese from the pan and set aside. Add the cumin, coriander, ginger, and onion to the pan. Stir it all together. When the onion starts to caramelize and make water, add the garam masala and jalapeno slices, if using. When the onions have completely cooked down, add the spinach and cheese. Stir briefly, salt to taste, and serve with rice. Supreme Court Turns Down Request to Block Biden From Using Climate Model The Supreme Court on May 26 rejected a request from Republican-led states to block President Joe Biden and his administration from using a model to estimate the costs of greenhouse gas emissions. Justices denied the application for a stay without an explanation. Biden on the day he was sworn into office reestablished the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases, the latter portion of the name referring to the model in question. The order said that it was essential that federal agencies capture the full costs of greenhouse gas emissions as accurately as possible, including by taking global damages into account. Such costs, once modeled, should be included when conducting cost-benefit analyses that agencies regularly conduct, the president said at the time. Louisiana and 10 other states sued, alleging the estimates were part of a power grab designed to manipulate Americas entire federal regulatory apparatus through speculative costs and benefits so that the Administration can impose its preferred policy outcomes on every sector of the American economy. U.S. District Judge James Cain, a Trump appointee, issued a preliminary injunction against the administration in February, finding that the use of the model directly causes harm to the plaintiff states rights to proceeds from oil and gas leases. The estimates artificially increase the cost estimates of lease sales, which in effect, reduces the number of parcels being leased, resulting in the States receiving less in bonus bids, ground rents, and production royalties, Cain said. But a three-judge panel on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed and overturned Cains order. The panel said the plaintiff states claimed injury that may result, calling the impact merely hypothetical. The government defendants are also likely to succeed in showing that the plaintiff states have failed to meet their burden on causation and redressability. The increased regulatory burdens the plaintiff states fear will come from the interim estimates appear untraceable because agencies consider a great number of other factors in determining when, what, and how to regulate or take agency action, the panelconsisting of Judges Leslie Southwick, a George W. Bush appointee, and James Graves Jr. and Gregg Costa, both Obama appointeeswrote. That set up the Supreme Court challenge, with the plaintiffs saying that without action, the executive branch would continue using this made-up, nonstatutory metric to arbitrarily tip the scales toward its preferred policy outcome for every activity the federal government touches. Elizabeth Prelogar, the solicitor general, had urged the court not to grant the request. Article III of the U.S. Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act preclude applicants from challenging the presidents directive to federal agencies to use a specified methodology in monetizing costs as part of their cost-benefit analyses in this abstract suit unconnected to any concrete final agency action, she wrote, adding: If and when an agency relies on those estimates in issuing a rule or taking other reviewable action that injures the applicants, they may challenge that particular final agency action and argue that its reliance on the estimates renders it unlawful. But applicants may not maintain this Executive-Branch-wide challenge to the interim estimates divorced from any concrete agency action. In a response to the Supreme Court decision, Louisiana Solicitor General Elizabeth Murrill told The Epoch Times in an email: The Administrations efforts to reorder the American economy using these made-up metrics underscores the truth of the one economists statement that this is the most important number you never heard of. We are disappointed with the Supreme Courts decision to not vacate the stay, but we are confident that we will be successful in reinstating the injunction after this matter is heard on the merits at the 5th Circuit. Briefing is underway. In the meantime, we will continue to flag the governments use of these numbers. Senior students seen in class at Melba Secondary College in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 12, 2020. (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images) Survey Finds 50 Percent of Australian Youth Experienced Negative Mental Health, Worse in Lockdown States A 2021 survey led by Mission Australia and Orygen on Australian youths has found around half, or 50 percent of those surveyed, found their mental health was affected by the pandemic, with high lockdown states such as New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria having the highest reports of adverse mental health. Victorian youths, who experienced the most days in lockdowns in the world after the state Labor government implemented lockdowns six times, reported the highest levels of mental health problems, with 69 percent of surveyed participants reporting negative mental health. While NSW, the state in Australia that experienced the second-longest period under lockdown, came second with 54 percent of surveyed participants reporting negative mental health. In total, more than 20,000 Australian youths aged 15 to 19 completed the survey (pdf), with many participants taking the survey in the middle of lockdowns from the Delta wave of the pandemic. The survey also found that lockdown states had the highest reports of negative impacts across all lifestyle domains, with 70 percent of young people in Victoria and 57 percent of young people in NSW reporting negative effects on their daily lives. The report also warned of long-term impacts for young people in Victoria and NSW who may have lost the opportunity to meet developmental milestones, such as a first job, moving out of home or first romantic relationship. Theres growing evidence the impact of six Labor lockdowns is still very much being felt by all Victorians, said Emma Kealy, Victorian Shadow Minister for Mental Health, on May 25. Remote learning was devastating for the education and the emotional wellbeing of our kids. This report today reaffirms what we already knowthat our kids are suffering, and they still need dedicated support now, more than ever. The studys findings come as the Victorian government announced it would be cutting $60 million (US$42.7 million) from mental health programs that were implemented during the pandemic believing that they were no longer required. However, the Opposition proposes the necessity of implementing 4000 counsellors and provisional psychologists for the mental health workforce. The criticism from the Victorian Liberals comes as state elections loom, with the election expected to take place on Nov. 26. A visitor walks past a booth featuring micropchip testing during the first day of the three-day Semicon semiconductor exhibition at the Taipei World Trade Centre in Taipei, Taiwan, on September 30, 2009. (PATRICK LIN/AFP via Getty Images) Taiwan Raids Chinese Firms in Latest Crackdown on Beijings Poaching of Chip Talent Taiwan authorities this week raided 10 Chinese companies suspected of illegally poaching chip engineers and other tech talents, the islands investigation bureau said on May 26. The illegal poaching of Taiwans high-tech talent by Chinese companies has severely impacted our international competitiveness and endangered our national security, the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau said in an online statement. The bureau raided 10 Chinese companies and their research and development centers in four cities across the island, including Hsinchu, the capital of the islands chip industry, according to the statement. These firms operate in Taiwan without approval, it added. The bureau said it summoned over 70 people and searched 20 facilities from May 23 to 26. The security of the chip industry has become a main concern of authorities in the tech powerhouse of Taiwan, which makes the majority of the worlds most advanced semiconductor chips, an indispensable part of everything from mobile phones to military jets. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is the worlds largest contract chipmaker, itself producing more than half of the worlds semiconductors manufacturing capacity. Despite its leading position, the island is grappling with a brain drain to China. Taiwan lost an estimated 3,000 semiconductor engineersaccounting for one-tenth of the islands talents in the chip industryto China, according to a 2020 research published by Taiwans Mainland Affairs Council. Chinas efforts to secure chip engineering talent primarily from Taiwan has intensified in recent years after the ruling Communist Party set a goal of achieving self-sufficiency in advanced chips, an objective under a 10-year economic program known as Made in China 2025. To boost the industry, the Chinese Communist Party set up a National Semiconductor Fund of $22.19 billion in 2014, and announced another investment of $32.66 billion in 2019. In response, Taiwans Investigation Bureau has launched investigations into around 100 Chinese companies suspected of illegally poaching semiconductor engineers and other tech talent, according to an April report by Reuters, citing a senior official of the bureau. On May 20, Taiwans legislature passed amendments to its national security act and a law governing relations with China. The amended national security legislation criminalized economic espionage, setting out a punishment of up to 12 years in prison and a fine of up to $3.4 million for people illegally transferring core technology from the island. Taiwan has prohibited Chinese investment in some parts of the semiconductor supply chain, including chip design, and requires reviews for other areas such as chip packaging. In March, the bureau raided eight Chinese companies to counter the CCPs illegal activities of talent-poaching and secret-stealing. Reuters contributed to the report. Texas DPS Official Admits Wrong Decision in Police Response to Uvalde School Shooting UVALDE, TexasTexas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw admitted Friday that it was the wrong decision to not engage Texas mass shooter Salvador Ramos sooner. When asked why police at Robb Elementary didnt act quicker, McCraw told reporters at a news conference that the on-scene commander at the time believed that it had transitioned from an active shooter to a barricaded subject. A decision was made on the sceneI wasnt therethat this was a barricaded subject situation, there was time to retrieve the keys and wait for a tactical team with the equipment to go ahead and breach the door and take on the subject, he said. At that point, that was the decision, that was the thought process. McCraw said that in hindsight, it was not the right decision, it was a wrong decision, very, there was no excuse for that, referring to the lack of engaging Ramos sooner. I wasnt there but Im just telling you from what we know, that we believe there should have been an entry as soon as you can, he said. Ultimately, to enter the Robb Elementary classroom, officers used a key provided by a janitor, the agency director revealed. Ramos also fired approximately 100 rounds during the entire incident, McCraw added, noting that the finding was based on audio evidence. In the Tuesday incident, Ramos killed 19 children and two adults in the worst U.S. school mass shooting in a decade. Authorities said that the teen, who recently turned 18, did not display signs of mental health problems although he was described as a loner who had problems in school. Ramos also entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde through a door that was propped open by a teacher just minutes before, McCraw added. McCraw said that there was also no school resource officer at the school, and he could not say why. The officer, he said, later responded when someone called 911. Before Ramos entered the building, the officer inadvertently drove past the suspect, who was hiding behind a car. The officer instead confronted a teacher who he believed was the suspect, McCraw told reporters. At around 11:27 a.m. Tuesday, the teacher propped open the door at Robb Elementary, coming about 1 minute before Ramos crashed his vehicle nearby, McCraw said. The same teacher about two minutes later at 11:30 a.m. reported the crash and a male with a gun, although its not clear why the teacher didnt close the door. McCraw did not provide more details on why the door was propped open in the first place or why the school resource officer confronted a teacher. Gemma Lopez, a 10-year-old survivor of the attack, said that she heard Ramos say leave me alone please to law enforcement who responded to the shooting. Lopez told ABC News that she turned off the light to her classroom after a bullet came through the wall. Later, the girl said, I heard the officers yelling at the shooter to put the firearm down, and then the shooter said leave me alone please and then he started shooting. Jack Phillips Breaking News Reporter Follow Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter at The Epoch Times based in New York. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference with federal, state, and local officials a day after a mass shooting at an elementary school, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Texas Gov. Abbott Cancels Planned Appearance at Houston NRA Summit, Will Speak at Uvalde High School Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has canceled a planned appearance at the National Rifle Association (NRA) convention in Houston in the wake of the Texas elementary school shooting this week. Abbott was scheduled to appear at the NRAs annual leadership forum alongside Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and former President Donald Trump, according to the NRA convention website. However, he will instead hold a press conference at Uvalde High School at 3:30 p.m. on Friday following a briefing with state agencies, local officials, and members of the community on state resources available for those impacted by the shooting, according to a press release from his office. Abbott will be joined at the press conference by local officials and state agency representatives, his office said. Salvador Ramos, 18, allegedly shot his grandmother on May 24 before driving toward Robb Elementary School in Uvalde and opening fire on the campus, killing 19 children and two adults. The suspect had attended Uvaldes high school. He also messaged a woman who said that Ramos was a total stranger, saying: Im about to hours before Tuesdays incident. Ramos was shot and killed by law enforcement officers. The latest elementary school incident marks the 27th school shooting in the United States this year alone and has prompted calls for the NRA to cancel its upcoming event; one of the most politically significant in the country. It was previously canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic but is set to go ahead this year on May 2729. Abbott said earlier this week that he was still unsure as to whether or not he would attend the event, telling a news conference on Wednesday: As far as future plans are concerned, listen, Im living moment-to-moment right now. My heart, my head and my body are in Uvalde right now, and Im here to help the people who are hurting, the governor added. Meanwhile, Democratic Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto ORourke urged Abbott not to appear at the NRA event, writing on Twitter: if you have any decency, you will immediately withdraw from this weekends NRA convention and urge them to hold it anywhere but Texas. ORourke was escorted out of Abbotts press conference on the school shooting on May 25 after he began yelling at Abbott about gun control laws. The Democrat is also planning to attend a protest outside the NRA convention center on Friday along with several organizations, according to an event page posted by his campaign. Abbott has noted that the Biden administration needs to address a change in mental health, and pointed to the fact that teenagers in Texas have been able to buy guns for decades during his press conference on Wednesday. Anybody who shoots somebody else has a mental health challenge. Period, the governor said. We as a government need to find a way to target that mental health challenge and do something about it. Adriana Martinez Reyes, mother of Texas school shooter Salvador Ramos, in an interview with Spanish-language TV station Televisa in Uvalde, Texas, on May 25, 2022. (Noticieros Televisa via AP/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Texas School Shooters Mother Begs for Forgiveness The mother of Robb Elementary School shooter Salvador Ramos is begging for forgiveness from the victims and the victims families. Forgive me, forgive my son. I know he had his reasons, Adriana Martinez Reyes, mother of Salvador Ramos, said to the victims families in an interview with Spanish-language station Televisa. When prompted about what reasons Ramos could have had, the mother said, To get closer to those children instead of paying attention to the other bad things. I have no words. I dont know. She described to the reporter that Ramos was very quiet. He was himself. He didnt bother anybody. He didnt do anything to anybody, she said. Ramos open fired on students and teachers at Robb Elementary School with a semi-automatic rifle on May 24, killing 19 children and two adults. Seventeen students were injured. Fox News Digital reported that Adriana Reyes was praying on the front porch of her parents home on the evening of May 26. Juan Alvarez, the boyfriend of Reyes, told NBC News on May 25 that Ramos left to live with the 18-year-olds grandparents two months ago after a heated argument with Reyes over internet usage. Ramos was living with Juan Alvarez and Adriana Reyes before he left, according to Alvarez. He was kind of a weird one. I never got along with him. I never socialized with him. He doesnt talk to nobody, Alvarez said. When you try to talk to him hed just sit there and walk away. Reyess boyfriends mother, Maria Alvarez, told Fox News on May 25 that Reyes accompanied Celia Martinez Gonzalesgrandmother of Ramos, whom Ramos shot in the faceto a hospital in San Antonio earlier. According to Maria Alvarez, Reyes said she could not believe that Ramos would do such a thing to his grandmother, adding that he loved his grandmother. As of Friday morning, Ramoss grandmother, presumably the 66-year-old woman hospitalized in the University Hospital at San Antonio, is still in serious condition, according to a tweet on the hospitals Twitter page. Texas School Shooting Suspect Talked Buying Gun, Wrote 10 More Days on Social Media: Official The 18-year-old who law enforcement officials say gunned down 19 children and two teachers in an elementary school in Texas talked with people online about buying a gun and hinted that something big was going to happen on the day the shooting occurred, an official said on May 27. Salvador Ramos, the shooting suspect, was part of a four-person group chat on Instagram on Feb. 28 in which it was discussed that Ramos was being a school shooter, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw told reporters in a briefing. A day later, Ramos discussed buying a gun. On March 3, in a four-person chat, one person wrote, word on the street is youre buying a gun. Just bought something, Ramos replied. On March 14, Ramos wrote on Instagram, 10 more days. That prompted a person to reply, Are you going to shoot up school or something? No. And stop asking dumb questions and you will see, Ramos said. On March 24, Ramos was said to have shot his grandmother at their home in Uvalde before going to nearby Robb Elementary School and killing 21 people. Ramos was shot dead by law enforcement officers who breached the classroom hed entered over an hour after he went into the building. According to Meta, Facebooks parent company, and McCraw, Ramos sent Facebook messages before and after shooting his grandmother. The recipient of the messages has not been identified. Ramos was into cyber gaming and group gaming, McCraw said Friday. McCraw lamented how nobody had come forward to tip off police about Ramos before the shooting occurred. As part of the investigation into the shooting, law enforcement is examining anybody who has been in contact with Ramos, including people that may have known something, such as people who may have been involved in some chat room gaming along with him. I can assure you that the district attorney is very proactive and very concerned about this, he said. Any evidence that we bring to her that someone was an accomplice or an enabler or didnt do what they should have done, if its in violation of the law and it meets this the probable cause standards, I have no doubt that she will take care of business. Rumors had floated around that Ramos was one of two youth who were plotting to commit murder, a plot uncovered in 2018. Ramos was not one of them, according to McCraw. District Attorney Christina Busbee brought charges of attempted or conspiracy to commit capital murder against the youth, one a 13-year-old and one a 14-year-old. A memorial is seen surrounding the Robb Elementary School sign following the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Texas Shooting Update: 10-Year-Old Discharged from Hospital, Other Patients Conditions Improving A 10-year-old patient who was hospitalized as a result of the Robb Elementary shooting has been discharged from the hospital. On the morning of May 27, the girl was been discharged from the University Hospital-University Health at San Antonio, a spokesperson at the hospital told The Epoch Times. The girl was one of four patients who were transported to the University Hospital after an 18-year-old man shot and killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24. When she arrived at the hospital on May 24, she was in good condition, according to University Healths Twitter feed. The three other people who are currently in the hospital include another 10-year-old girl who was in serious condition when she arrived at the hospital on May 24, the day of the shooting; a 9-year-old-girl in good condition who was in fair condition when she arrived at the hospital on May 24; and a 66-year-old woman in serious condition. She was in critical condition when she arrived at the hospital on May 24. Ronaldo Reyes, the grandfather of the deceased shooter, told Fox News on May 26 that the 66-year-old woman is his wife, who was shot by the shooter before the shooter headed to Robb Elementary. The hospital spokesperson told NTD Television that the grandmother remains in serious condition as of the morning of May 27. In a separate interview with the New York Post, Reyes said the shooter stormed out following a dispute with his grandmother, Celia Martinez Gonzales, at their home on Diaz Street. Update on the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde: at University Hospital we have received four patients: 66-year-old woman, serious condition 10-year-old girl, serious condition 9-year-old girl, good condition 10-year-old girl, discharged from hospital University Health (@UnivHealthSA) May 27, 2022 A resident looks out through a gap in the barrier at a residential area during lockdown, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Shanghai, China, on May 6, 2022. (Aly Song/Reuters) The Pandemic of Executive Overreach Comes to an End. When Will the Next One Begin? Commentary Over the past few decades, the executive branch of the federal government has taken an increasingly autocratic approach to governing. Past presidents have unilaterally attempted to bypass Congress due to partisan gridlock and the inevitable tug-of-war involved in governing a nation of 330 million people. President Joe Biden has governed in a similar fashion, regardless of progressive anger at him for not doing something. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted public acceptance of a similar phenomenon at the federal level and across a majority of the fifty states. Most state executive branches responded to the pandemic with unilateral action. The federal executive branch was constrained in its approach to the pandemic because states possess more power than the federal government in responding to declared emergencies. Congress could have passed laws granting explicit statutory authority to the president, but it has in recent decades preferred to defer its governing authority to the president. Republican senator Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) summarized this phenomenon back in 2018: The real reason [Congress] punts most of its power to executive-agencies is because it is a convenient way to avoid responsibility for controversial and unpopular decisions. If your biggest long-term priority is your own re-election, then giving away your power is a pretty good strategy. As Rich Lowry writes in National Review, Congress has been a complicit if not eager participant in its own neutering. This principle has been especially true throughout the pandemic. Many of the federal governments COVID-19 pandemic measures could have been statutorily authorized by Congress. However, Congress has been eager to shift its responsibilities, and thus accountability, to the president. Congress has delegated authority to the executive branch for decades, but todays Congress is plagued by loyalty to political party over loyalty to the institution. As Lowry states, Whats new is that partisanship has created a loyalty for members of Congress that transcends their attachment to Congress itself, while more and more members consider their office merely a platform to get attention. In keeping with the executive branchs encroachment on legislative activities, the Biden administration directed numerous executive branch agencies to adopt contentious nationwide policies. Often, these directives stretched the various agencies statutory authority. Since President Bidens inauguration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have issued widely applicable edicts, most notably a sweeping eviction moratorium, vaccine mandates, and mask mandates. Many states and localities separately introduced their own measures to supplement federal policy. While many, if not most, of these COVID-19 restrictions have ended, it is important to understand how the executive branch lost these three major legal disputes. The CDCs Eviction Moratorium In March 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act. The CARES Act provided aid to individuals and businesses adversely affected by COVID-19, but buried within the bipartisan spending package was a 120-day moratorium on eviction filings. The Trump administration, however, did not allow the moratorium to expire. Instead, the administrations CDC instated on September 4 a moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent for tenants, which was set to expire on Jan. 1, 2021. The Biden administration continued to extend the CDCs eviction moratorium until the Supreme Court ruled against the measures legality on August 26, 2021. In criticizing the CDCs legal authority, a majority of the Supreme Court asked, Could the CDC, for example, mandate free grocery delivery to the homes of the sick or vulnerable? The Supreme Court separately noted that the CDCs temporarily expanded statutory authority is a wafer-thin reed on which to rest such sweeping power. The CDCs eviction moratorium is just one example of an executive branch agency overstepping its statutory authority. Vaccine-or-Test Mandates Throughout the early months of the Biden administration, the administration and the corporate media pressured all eligible Americans to receive the COVID-19 vaccines. As Americans ignored the Biden administration and public health experts, the White House became increasingly disdainful of those who were skeptical of the COVID-19 vaccines. While a slim majority of eligible Americans opted to voluntarily receive the COVID-19 vaccines, the minority was labeled as antivax despite their variety of reasons for not getting vaccinated, including medical conditions, vaccine hesitancy, and the lack of rigorous long-term study of the vaccines side effects. The Biden administration continued to grow enraged that nearly half of eligible Americans ignored their expertise. In September 2021, the White House announced a vaccine or test requirement through legal maneuvering. The most wide-ranging requirement came from OSHAs emergency temporary standard (ETS), which required employers to determine the vaccination status of each employee, obtain acceptable proof of vaccination status, and maintain records of each employees vaccination status. The ETS required each unvaccinated worker to test for COVID-19 weekly. At that time, an unvaccinated worker was defined as an individual without two doses of the mRNA vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) or one dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine; the ETS was purposefully silent on those who had natural immunity (immunity from previous exposure to the virus). As expected, special interest groups immediately challenged the OSHA ETS in court. The legal challenges ended on Jan. 13, 2022, with the Supreme Court ruling in favor of the National Federation of Independent Business over OSHA. The Supreme Court found that permitting OSHA to regulate the hazards of daily lifesimply because most Americans have jobs and face those same risks while on the clockwould significantly expand OSHAs regulatory authority without clear congressional authorization. Mask Mandates On Jan. 21, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 13998, which directed executive branch officials to require individuals to wear masks while engaging in domestic and international travel. On Feb. 3, 2021, the CDC published its mask mandate for domestic and international travel, bypassing the Administration Procedures Act notice and comment procedures. The CDC defended its actions by claiming it would be impracticable and contrary to the publics health to delay the mandate. In March 2022, the Senate voted 5740 to overturn a federal requirement that passengers on airplanes and other modes of public transportation wear masks. However, the Senate failed to reach the sixty-vote requirement, so this measure failed. In April 2022, the CDCs interstate travel masking requirement stood as the last visible relic of the federal governments COVID-19 regime. The Biden administration publicly supported the continued enforcement of this requirement and renewed the mandate for one more month on March 18. On April 18, 2022, district judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle struck down the CDCs mask mandate. Progressives were quick to deride Judge Mizelle and her ruling. Dr. Anthony Faucis criticism of this ruling resembled that of a high priest: the principle of a court overruling a public health judgment by a qualified organization like the CDC is disturbing in the precedent that it might send. After two years of governance by public health expert, courts have finally found the courage to confront emergency power abuses at the federal level. As Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote, Even if the Constitution has taken a holiday during this pandemic, it cannot become a sabbatical. Conclusion After more than two years of a constitutional sabbatical, federal courts have overturned the most egregious abuses of COVID-19 emergency power. Unfortunately, the president remains undeterred from implementing his partys preferred policies through unilateral action. Progressives in Congress have pressured President Biden to unilaterally cancel student loan debt. His colleague Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) explained an approach that mirrors the Biden administrations guiding legal principle: So my whole thing is, use your executive authority and let the courts have at it. President Barack Obama governed in a similar manner, I refuse to take no for an answer When Congress refuses to act I have an obligation as president to do what I can without them. Given the Biden administrations legal track record, one would expect their legal approach to change; however, this seems unlikely, given the executive branchs trajectory in recent decades. Do what you want until the courts say its illegal is not a legitimate or democratic governing principle in a twenty-first-century constitutional republic. The most obvious solution to this crisis of legitimacy is for Congress to regain its mantle as the legislative body and to accept accountability for contentious policy issues. Unfortunately, there are no signs that Congress is willing to take any positive steps in that direction. Both major political parties have been vocal opponents of the imperial presidency, but when the need to build a legislative consensus does come up, [presidential] candidates simply promise to [implement policy] themselves. While the pandemic of COVID-related executive overreach has come to an end, it is time for freedom advocates to tackle the greater legitimacy crisis at hand. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Mitch Nemeth Follow Mitchell Nemeth is a Risk Management and Compliance professional in Atlanta, Georgia. He holds a Master in the Study of Law from the University of Georgia Law School, and he has a BBA in Finance from the University of Georgia. His work has been featured at the Foundation for Economic Education, RealClearMarkets, Merion West, Medium, and Mises.org. Protesters attend a demonstration against the Russian military invasion of Ukraine in Berlin, Germany, on April 6, 2022. Several thousand protesters, most of them Ukrainians and many of them refugees, attended the demonstration, in which protest leaders called for a full embargo against Russia and an end to civilian deaths in the war. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) The Russo-Ukrainian War: A New Opportunity for Demagogues to Destroy Freedoms at Home Commentary Politicians thoroughly enjoy times of war. Periods of bellicosity are when the most power-hungry members of the political class indulge in their most depraved political fantasies. The Russo-Ukrainian War has been no exception to this trend. Since World War II, Western politicians have taken advantage of the largest conventional military conflict on European soil to crack down on civil liberties at home and drag their countries closer to an open conflict with a nuclear power. The domestic measures Western governments have pursued have been particularly breathtaking. For example, the European Union has already banned Russian state media outlets such as RT and Sputnik for allegedly spreading disinformation. In the United States, which has stronger free speech protections, the assaults against freedom of expression had taken a more corporate hue. For example, Big Tech juggernauts such as Google have enthusiastically blocked channels receiving funding from Russia. Even more egregious have been the actions of EU and North Atlantic Treaty Organization members such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia. These countries have criminalized any behavior that could be construed as being in support of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Similarly, Latvia has created a police hotline where citizens can report individuals who manifest support for Russias military action in Ukraine. Several German states have pushed the envelope even further by prosecuting individuals who display the Z symbol connected to Russias military campaign. The corporate press and governments are setting a startling precedent. The definition of pro-Russia content could be potentially broadened to attack antiwar activists and noninterventionists who are skeptical of Western countries trying to get involved in the Russo-Ukrainian war. While the Russian invasion of Ukraine is horrific, there needs to be honest discussions about this invasion and what led up to it. International relations scholar John Mearsheimer has talked about how U.S. foreign policy moves such as NATO expansion helped create the conditions for the present great-power tragedy. For simply putting forth an alternative theory for what caused the present security crisis, Mearsheimer was nearly subjected to a struggle session by University of Chicago students, who adamantly refused to entertain the professors contrarian views. Given the recent trajectory, it would not be a stretch to suggest that even realist critiques of Western foreign policy could be subject to social and political sanctions. The simple act of pointing out that the United Statess geopolitical ambitions have played a significant role in creating the present instability could be treated as pro-Russian speech if deep state proponents have their way. Dissidents getting punished for their antiwar views is nothing new in American history. Socialist leader Eugene V. Debs learned this the hard way during World War I. To make sure that Americas war effort went unchallenged, the Wilson administration passed the Espionage Act in 1917, followed by the Sedition Act in 1918. These bills imposed harsh criminal penalties. On June 16, 1918, Debs gave a speech in Canton, Ohio, imploring attendees to resist the World War I draft. Debss actions eventually landed him in trouble with the law, and he was charged with 10 counts of sedition. The socialist activist received a prison sentence of 10 years and faced a lifetime of disenfranchisement. It took a pardon from President Warren G. Harding, one of the presidents most pilloried by court historians, to finally get him out of jail, and Debs was released toward the end of 1921. Later, during the Vietnam War, there were several cases of the FBI surveilling antiwar groups or even infiltrating them to hinder their effectiveness. As Randolph Bourne proclaimed in an unfinished manuscript, War is the health of the State. It remains so, as Western governments are working overtime to augment their power during a great-power conflict. Self-proclaimed liberal democracies already showed their true colors during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they treated their citizens like mere cattle to be poked and prodded by whimsical technocrats. Now, as the Russo-Ukrainian War rages on, theyre further manifesting their pent-up tyrannical desires. An integral part of the Wests unique value proposition is its respect for civil liberties, something countless societies have never enshrined in their governing documents. But now, that has drastically changed. The haughty rhetoric coming from Western governments about being pro-freedom is vacuous at best when their actual behavior is observed. The irony here is that the West has fallen down the classic you become what you fight path. The very Western countries that pound their chests about their exceptionalism are now morphing into the countries they rail against. Politics is not without a sense of irony. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Young adults stand looking at a memorial at Robb Elementary School following a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, on May 26, 2022. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Timeline of Texas School Shooting: What We Know so Far A mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, resulted in the deaths of 19 children and two teachers on May 24. At least 17 others, including children, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The massacre is the countrys second-deadliest K-12 school shooting on record, following the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. Authorities identified Salvador Ramos, 18, as the shooter responsible for the attack. He was shot and killed about 90 minutes after he arrived at the school around 11:30 a.m. that day. Reportedly a high school dropout, Ramos did not have any criminal or mental health history known to authorities. His motive remains unknown as authorities continue to investigate the events of the deadly shooting. At a press conference on May 26 at Robb Elementary, an official from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), South Texas regional director Victor Escalon, said that Ramos appeared to have walked unobstructed into a school building before the attack, in contrast with previous reports that he had been confronted by a school security officer outside the school. Below is an approximate timeline of what is known so far, including details about the events surrounding the massacre and conflicting reports. Before May 24 Ramos turned 18 on May 16 and purchased two semi-automatic rifles separately, on May 17 and May 20, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) confirmed on May 25 in a briefing to Texas state senators, reported KHOU. ATF authorities said he also bought 375 rounds of 5.56 ammunition on May 18. Day of the Attack On May 24, earlier in the day, students and their parents had been at Robb Elementary for an honor roll ceremony. 11:00 a.m. Ramos posted on Facebook three times in the 30 minutes before reaching Robb Elementary school, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told a press conference on May 25. The first Facebook post indicated that he would shoot his grandmother. The second post said that he had shot his grandmother, and the third said that he would shoot an elementary school, without specifying which. The third post was published within 15 minutes before Ramos arrived at the school, Abbott said. Meta, Facebooks parent company, has said the posts were actually messages. It actually on a message to somebody else that he had had conversation with, Texas DPS Director Steven McCraw said Friday. Ramos, who had moved in with his grandmother in March, shot her in the face and left her in critical condition before leaving the residence and traveling about 2.29 miles to Robb Elementary, McCraw said on May 25. The grandmother, 66, ran across the street to a neighbor to get help after she was shot. She also reported Ramos to the police department, he added. She was medevaced to a San Antonio hospital, McCraw said. 11:28 a.m. Ramos, traveling in his grandmothers pickup truck, crashed into a ditch near the school, according to law enforcement. He emerged from the passengers side of the truck and was carrying what witnesses say was a long gun and a bag that authorities later determined contained the ammunition. Ramos shot at two witnesses outside a funeral home across the street before he continued toward the school. He then climbed a fence into a parking lot and fired shots at the school multiple times, Escalon said. The two witnesses ran away uninjured. The Texas DPS around this time received calls from local law enforcement that Ramos was making entry into the school, Texas DPS spokesman Lt. Chris Olivarez told CBS News on May 25. 11:30 a.m. A 911 call is made about a car crash and a man with a gun. The suspect reaches the school parking lot and begins shooting at the school, McCraw said during a briefing on May 27. Police vehicles arrive at the funeral home. The school resource officerinitially said to have confronted the suspect, then reported not to be on campusactually confronted a person, but it was a teacher, not the suspect, according to McCraw. The officer drove right by the suspect. 11:33 a.m. The 18-year-old shooter entered the west side of Robb Elementary school, McCraw said. The door had been propped open by a teacher. The suspect begins shooting into a room, either room 111 or room 112. He soon enters adjoining classrooms, gunning down teachers and children. Over 100 rounds were fired in total. 11:35 a.m. Three police officers enter the same door Ramos used, followed by another team of police officers and a sheriffs deputy. The first officers received wounds from bullets grazing them. None of the officers try breaking down the door to get into the classroom. 11:44 a.m. Other officers entered the building, Escalon said. Some evacuated people who were inside. As many as 19 officers were in the hallway at one time. There was plenty of officers to do whatever needed to be done with one exception: the incident commander inside believed they needed more equipment and more officers to do a tactical breach at that point, McCraw said Friday. The commander believed that, in fact, it was a barricaded subject that we had time there was no kids at risk, he said. While hearing the gunfire, teachers in other classrooms began breaking windows trying to evacuate children to prevent any further loss of life, Olivarez told CBS News. 12:03 p.m. A 911 caller said she was in room 112, where Ramos had entered. The call lasted one minute, 23 seconds. 12:10 p.m. She called back, telling of multiple dead people. 12:13 p.m. The caller called again. 12:15 p.m. Border Patrol Tactical Unit members arrive, along with shields several minutes later. 12:16 p.m. Same female called, saying eight or nine students were still alive. 12:19 p.m. Another caller called 911 from the room. Three shots could be heard through the phone. 12:36 p.m. Another 911 call. Lasted 21 seconds. 12:43 p.m. Another 911 call. 12:47 p.m. Another 911 call. 12:50 p.m. Officers breach the classroom door and kill the suspect. Aftermath The 21 victims who perished in the attack were later all found in the same classroom. All of them were identified by May 26. The gun used by Ramos in the shooting was a Daniel Defense DDM4 V7 rifle, the ATF confirmed on May 25, reported KHOU. On May 24, after the shooting, The Daily Dot obtained a receipt of the purchase. Daniel Defense, a gun manufacturer based in Georgia that sells guns online, appears to ship weapons to registered dealers which then complete the purchase, the outlet noted. The other rifle, a Smith & Wesson M&P 15, was found on the ground after the shooting, outside the pickup truck, state and federal law enforcement officials said, reported NBC News. Escalon was asked by reporters on May 26 about why officers were unable to stop Ramos sooner, and what officers were doing between 11:44 and 12:45. He responded that he had taken all those questions into consideration and hoped to provide updates later. McCraw told reporters at a news conference on May 27 that it was the wrong decision to not engage Ramos sooner. He said that the on-scene commander at the time believed that it had transitioned from an active shooter to a barricaded subject. He also revealed that Ramos entered the school through a door that was propped open by a teacher just minutes before. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Grain is poured from a combine harvester into a tractor in the village of Mala Divytsa, Ukraine on July 27, 2015. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images) Top US General Floats Military Options to Help Export Grain from Ukraine A top general has suggested the United States may pursue military options to help Ukraine export its grain and help end Russias blockade of Ukraines Black Sea coast. Gen. Christopher Cavoli, who has been nominated to be the next commander of NATO, told senators at a hearing on Thursday that he might offer military options to allow for grain to be exported. When asked about what he would do, Cavoli said that if hes confirmed he would provide the military options required by our civilian leaders. Clearly the way we would approach that would have to be a whole-of-government approach, which may or may not include a military component, he told lawmakers. Its not clear what that would entail, whether it be having U.S. troops directly engage with Russian forces or the military coming up with alternative means to ship grain. Ukraine is one of the worlds top exporters of wheat, sunflower oil, and canola oil. Cavoli, meanwhile, noted that U.S. sanctions against Russia have contributed to worldwide grain shortages. The grain shortages that were experiencing from both Russia and Ukrainian production being unable to come out of the countries in large volumes or being sanctioned and not being sold are being felt on the African continent, he remarked. About a week ago, an analyst warned the United Nations Security Council that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is adding fuel to a fire that was long-burning and said the world only has about 10 weeks worth of wheat supplies left. I want to start by explicitly saying that the RussiaUkraine war did not start the food security crisis. It simply added fuel to a fire that was long burning. A crisis we detected tremors from long before the COVID 19 pandemic exposed the fragility of our supply chains, Gro Intelligence CEO Sara Menker said on May 19, according to a transcript. A view shows destroyed buildings located near Azovstal Iron and Steel Works, during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine May 22, 2022. Picture taken with a drone. REUTERS/Pavel Klimov Other than the conflict, which started on Feb. 24, droughts and other weather issues around the world have contributed to grain shortages. I share this because we believe its important for you all to understand that even if the war were to end tomorrow, our food security problem isnt going away anytime soon without concerted action, she added. The Kremlin has said that the United States and Western countries are to blame for grain shortages. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov this week rejected recent accusations that a Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports is to blame. We categorically reject these accusations and, on the contrary, accuse Western countries that they have taken a number of illegal actions that led to this, Peskov told reporters, according to Reuters. The West, he added, must cancel those illegal decisions that prevent the chartering of ships, that prevent the export of grain, and so on, so that supplies be shipped out. It appears unlikely, however, that the United States would relax any of its sanctions against Russia in the near future. In March, President Joe Biden said that there might be a food shortage triggered by the conflict and sanctions. With regard to food shortage its going to be real, Biden said several months ago. The price of these sanctions is not just imposed upon Russia, its imposed upon an awful lot of countries as well, including European countries and our country as well. Asthma and Lung UK is calling for more support for people with long Covid (Alamy/PA) Understanding Long COVID: Study Finds Biological Difference In People With Prolonged Infection University of New South Wales (UNSW) researchers have discovered that people who develop long COVID are biologically different, with their immune systems uniquely responding to the virus. UNSWs ADAPT study was intended to observe the mental health and neurological, respiratory and cardiac functions of patients that had contracted COVID-19 to determine how the body was affected by the virus. However, the study also found that those with symptomatic long COVID still had activated immune cells. The long COVID patients were showing abnormal immune signals at about eight months post-infection, Prof. Gail Matthews, co-author of the paper, said in a UNSW news release. We wouldnt expect to see that in somebody who had recovered from a viral illness. So this was an important finding because it showed unequivocally that biologically, people who had long COVID were different from those whod had COVID and fully recovered, she explained. This is only one piece of a big puzzle, Matthews said. We havent found the answer to long COVID, but what we have found is a signal. Long COVID is a term coined on Twitter in May of 2020 by Dr. Elisa Perego, from Lombard, Italy, who was taking a long time to recover from COVID, having on and off symptoms. Dr Perego used the term to describe her symptoms of a cyclic and progressive COVID-19 infection that had multiple phases. The condition is now recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), which refers to it as post-COVID-19 and defines it as a condition that usually arises three months after the onset of a COVID infection and lasts at least two months. The WHO estimates that around 10-20 percent of people who contract the virus develop post-COVID-19. In the largest study of its kind, published recently in the journal BMJ, researchers estimated that 32% of older adults in the U.S. who survived covid infections had symptoms of long COVID up to four months after infectionmore than double the rate an earlier study found in adults ages 18 to 64. (Other studies suggest symptoms can last much longer, for a year or more.) (ShutterStock) Matthews explained that the immune system, when the body has caught any viral illness, produces several signals called cytokines, and they are markers in the blood that inform the immune system that the body has a virus. And thats often whats responsible for some of the symptoms we get when were sick such as fever or feeling unwell. But she noted that after the infection is resolved, the immune system usually settles down to its resting state. And thats what we saw in the people who recovered from COVID. But in the people who had long COVID, the signals from the immune system suggested it was still trying to activate, she explained. It was still trying to get rid of something that shouldnt be there eight months after having had the initial infection. She said that while there had scepticism about the existence of long COVID initially, she believes that her research now proves it is a real syndrome. Inflammation around the lining of the heart (pericarditis) and the lining of the lungs (pleuritis) may also occur in long COVID.(wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock) For Matthews, the ADAPT study is crucial because it was established around April 2020, just after the pandemic began. We started following people who had COVID-19 infections at the time, but we didnt know there was anything like long COVID, she added. Through following their patients progress, the researchers soon determined that 30 percent of people managed in the community had not yet recovered four months after their initial COVID-19 infection. And in fact, that group had still not recovered at eight months post-infection. So, that was the first important recognition of long COVID occurring in Australia, she said. We were seeing similar reports coming out of the US and the UK, but ADAPT was the first Australian study to really document very clearly that this was an issue. The most common symptoms of long COVID are persistent fatigue, brain fog and concentration difficulties, respiratory symptoms such as an incessant cough, and shortness of breath. Some people suffering from prolonged infection also experienced a high heart rate that did not settle. In fact, up to 100 different symptoms have been described as part of the long COVID spectrum, she said. Some of our patients whove been very unwell when theyve been in hospital with COVID-19 have certainly taken a long time to recover. It could be because theyve got scarring in their lungs, or just because theyve been very sick in hospital. And thats not too surprising. However, Matthews said that there are many people who have developed long COVID, despite never being hospitalized. They may have had some symptoms at home, but they were managed in the community. It was not severe enough to go to hospital, but they still have symptoms some months afterwards, she explained. The CDC says long COVID is a wide range of new, returning or ongoing physical and mental health problems people can experience four or more weeks after first getting infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. (Shutterstock) Mathews believes, though, that despite the extended healing time for many long COVID patients, there will be a recovery. The data suggests that even if you develop long COVID, most people will improve over time. Were about to do a two-year follow up of people who were infected in March 2020, and what we hope to see is that most people have recovered without significant long term impacts to their health. I think were still learning a lot about long COVID, she said. But weve come a long way from where we were in mid-2020, which is when long COVID first started to be talked about, especially among patients themselves to start off with. The results of the ADAPT study were published in the scientific journal Nature. An Orange County firefighter looks for hotspots near a residential area in the Silverado Fire October 26, 2020, in Irvine, Calif. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) US Wildfire Season Ramps Up Amid Crippling Staffing Shortage In the southwestern United States, wildfire season kicked off earlier than usual this year as dangerous drought conditions persist across a staggering 48 percent of the nation. Meanwhile, state and federal forestry services are struggling to fill thousands of vacancies for wildland firefighters as would-be applicants turn to more lucrative and less demanding careers. The worst part of fire season typically hits between June and August. Nonetheless, as of May 21, the country has already experienced 26,321 wildfires that have destroyed more than 1.6 million acres. In New Mexico and Arizona, this is particularly prevalent. Due to the early surge in conflagrations, President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration for New Mexico on May 4. More than 600 fires had burned across the two states by early May 2022. Amid the soaring demand for wildland firefighters, the U.S. Forest Service can hardly give jobs away in some states. Alex DeLeon, 37, of the U.S. Forest Service in Lake Tahoe, watches the Kincade fire burn on a ridge between Lake and Sonoma Counties, on October 29, 2019. (Philip Pacheco/AFP via Getty Images) Ten or so years ago, we would have people beating down the doors. For two jobs, we would have 100 applicants, Texas fire program leader Chris Schenck told The Epoch Times. Schenck worked with the forest service for 34 years and has a son who serves as a wildland firefighter in Utah. Today, he still works in wildfire mitigation at his retirement job for Texas. In March 2022, several fires merged to form the Eastland Complex fire, which burned more than 54,000 acres and set a record as Texas largest wildfire to date. Damage estimates from the historic blaze resulted in more than $23 million in agricultural losses alone. When it comes to fighting deadly blazes in the wilderness, Schenck said its the passion, not the pay, that brings people into the business. And Americas passion for fighting fires appears to be waning. Now they [U.S. Forest Service] are going to these hiring fairs and will probably have to make a second trip because they dont have enough qualified applicants or sometimes just even interested applicants for entry level positions, Schenck explained. In June 2021, Biden raised the minimum wage for wildland firefighters to $15 an hour. Additionally, permanent workers on the frontlines would get up to a 10 percent retention bonus. Temporary workers who committed to staying all season were eligible for an extra $1,000 in pay. Last year, about 14,300 firefighters did receive a permanent minimum wage increase to $15 an hour, Sheri Ascherfeld with National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, told The Epoch Times. In this July 28, 2015 photo, Department of Forestry firefighters prepare for work at the Cable Crossing Fire near Glide, Ore. (Michael Sullivan/The News-Review via AP) For perspective, the wage increase is about the same hourly pay as an average shift manager or assistant manager at a fast-food outlet. This year, were continuing to look at ways we can improve their pay and hoping that more information comes out in the next few months as to how Congress and the departments are going to provide them [wildland firefighters] more help, Ascherfeld said. An astonishing 15 bills were introduced in 2021 that fell under the umbrella of wildfire management and support, all of which await congressional approval. Only a few have made it as far as the committee hearing stage. Buried within that list is H.R. 5631, or the Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act, introduced last October by Rep. Joe Neguse. The bill includes provisions like additional pay increases for workers, health care, mental health services for all wildfire fighters, and housing stipends. Ascherfeld explained federal fire management agencies were allocated $600 million to invest in wildfire management, much of which will be devoted to increased pay rates and turning seasonal or part-time positions into permanent and full-time jobs. A lot of the workforce is college students that return each summer. So right now, theres a lot of hiring thats going on and training. A lot of our crews are coming on board and doing their critical training at this time of the year before they go out to the fire line, she noted. The U.S. Forest Service had 8,300 firefighters trained and ready to combat the increasingly deadly blazes by April. However, that number represents only 73 percent of what the agency has said it hoped to marshal to battle this years wildfires. The negative impacts of todays largest wildfires far outpace the scale of efforts to protect homes, communities, and natural resources, said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, before adding, Our experts expect the trend will only worsen. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. on Sept. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) During a testimony given before the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 4, the forest service chief Randy Moore admitted that in some areas, the agency has only reached 50 percent of its staffing goals. We are making offers, and theres a lot of declinations in those offers, Moore said. Schenck attributes this to more than just low wages, but also a shift in the kind of work demands younger generations are willing to take on in their professions. What young people want from work [today] is very different. And you look at the work of daily firefighters: long hours, usually during the summer when most people take vacations with their families. There are some demands on that work [wildfire fighting] that I can see, with what some people want, would be less appealing to them, he said. Moreover, Schenck says people graduating from university arent as attracted to natural resource careers involving wildfire management. I told some guidance counselor in the 8th Grade I wanted to be a forest ranger and she said that doesnt pay much and you know what, she was right. But honestly, I loved my work throughout my career. Its been hard and satisfying work. Year to date acres burned in April are approximately 70 percent above the 10-year average, with the vast majority located in the American southwest. Most of that area is forecast to have above-normal significant fire potential for the rest of May and June. Virginia AG Sides With High School Teacher Fired for Rejecting Transgender Pronoun Demands Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has sided in a lawsuit with a high school French teacher who was fired for not using male pronouns for a female student. In a brief filed on May 24, Miyares said the public school district transgresses Virginias longstanding constitutional protections when it punished a teacher for refusing to express a belief he does not hold, and that is contrary to his faith. The case involved Peter Vlaming, who has been teaching French at West Point High School in King William County, Virginia, since 2012. Near the end of the 2017-2018 school year, a female student at Vlamings French class started to identify as male and wished to be referred to with male pronouns. In an effort to not draw unwanted attention to the girl, Vlaming asked his entire French class to pick new French names and avoided using third-person pronouns to refer to any student during class, according to the complaint (pdf). Whenever the girl was present, Vlaming tried to only address the student using her new masculine-sounding names, including an English name and a French name for French class. The students mother, unsatisfied with the accommodation, demanded that Vlaming leave his principles and beliefs out of this and refer to her child as a male. The school administrators also determined that Vlamings non-use of pronouns was not enough, and should instead use the students preferred pronouns in any and every context. Vlaming, who holds that sex is biologically fixed in each person and cannot be changed regardless of a persons feeling or desires, both as a religious belief and a scientific fact, rejected the demands. He was placed on leave by the school board in November 2018 and then fired at the end of the year. In September 2019, Vlaming sued the West Point School Board, which he said violated federal and state laws by compelling him to express ideas that contradict his religious beliefs. The Virginia Supreme Court agreed this March to revisit the case after it was dismissed by the King County Circuit Court. Miyares wrote in support of Vlamings case, noting that Virginia offers broader protections of citizens religious liberty than the federal government. The Republican attorney general pointed to the Virginia Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which essentially states that the government must demonstrate a compelling interest to not accommodate the free exercise of ones religious beliefs. In Vlamings case, according to Miyares, the school board failed to show that forcing the French teacher to use a students preferred pronouns advances any compelling state interest. He further argued that, even if there was indeed a compelling interest, the school board failed to show why it couldnt be advanced under the compromise the teacher had made. Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian legal group representing Vlaming in the case, welcomed the move. Peter wasnt fired for something he said; he was fired for something he couldnt say, said ADF Senior Counsel Chris Schandevel. As a teacher, Peter was passionate about the subject he taught, he was well-liked by his students, and he did his best to accommodate their needs and requests. But Peter could not in good conscience speak messages that he doesnt believe to be true. Wales Becomes the Last UK Region to Lift All COVID-19 Regulations The Welsh government has announced it is set to lift all remaining COVID-19 regulations next week, becoming the last regional administration in the UK to do so. The legal requirement to wear a face covering in health and care settings will end on May 30, the Welsh government said. Wales is the last UK region where CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus restrictions are still in place, with the wearing of face coverings in health and social care settings the only remaining legal requirement. Announcing the end of COVID-19 curbs on May 27, First Minister Mark Drakeford said Wales can now look forward to a brighter future. But he urged people to keep taking steps to protect their health, and repeated the warning the four UK chief medical officers issued this week about the risk of new variants of the CCP virus. The Labour politician said: The pandemic has had a profound impact on all our lives, everyone has made sacrifices and changes over the last two years. But it is thanks to all your efforts that we can move beyond the emergency response while still living safely with this virus. He thanked all Welsh people for what they had done to protect themselves and their loved ones. You have followed the rules and you have kept Wales safe, he said. Drakeford said Wales has reached a significant milestone, as it completes the careful and gradual transition away from legal protections and away from the emergency response to the pandemic. He added ministers would remain alert to the threat of new and emerging variants and urged the public to continue to take simple steps such as staying up to date with vaccinations and self-isolating if they have COVID-19 symptoms. The opposition Welsh Conservatives welcomed the governments move, but criticised the harsh restrictions imposed by the Labour government. Welsh Conservative shadow health minister Russell George said he was delighted at the news while criticising Labours overreaction to the Omicron variant. Not only do we need to remember all those who lost lives and loved ones to lockdowns and the virus itself, but learn the lessons of the pandemic about how we can counter another one and assess the impact of deploying harsh emergency restrictions on our population, he said. Data from Public Health Wales shows COVID-19 infections in the region have been steadily falling over the last two months, with an average of 15.1 cases per 100,000 people being recorded in the week prior to May 15. PA Media contributed to this report. President Joe Bidens regular gaffes during speeches are a source of both national embarrassment for America, and international amusement. However, with his latest supposedly erroneous pledge to defend Taiwan from attack by the Chinese regime, it seems there were some who were not laughing. As Biden prepared to wrap up his Asia tour, two bomber aircraft, one Russian and one Chinese, were detected patrolling in the area. Japan called the action by the loosely allied autocracies a provocation. While the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) predictably snaps back at such pledges to Taiwans defense, its capacity to actually launch such an invasion may not be all that high. The signs continue to pour forth of deep fractures in the makeup of the Chinese regime; among these, the escalating factional infighting is one of the most compelling. EpochTV Anniversary 50% off: https://ept.ms/EpochTVAnniversary_Brendon * Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List. 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 White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds her first news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington on May 16, 2022. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) White House Waiting for More Details, Wont Prejudge Police Response at Uvalde Shooting The White House did not directly answer on May 26 whether it thinks there should be an investigation into the police response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Local police have been scrutinized amid reports that officers did not rush to stop the massacre at Robb Elementary School that left 19 children and two teachers dead. The presidentweve been watching the reporting on this, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters during the May 26 press briefing. The president has the utmost respect, as you all know, for the men and women of law enforcement. Just days ago, he honored the memory of the former police officer, Aaron Salter, in Buffalo, who was killed bravely while trying to stop the shooter at the supermarket. I know that right now authorities are working to piece together more details of what happened in Uvalde, so we wont prejudge the results from here at this time, she said. Jean-Pierre added that its always good to look back to try to find lessons learned from a tragedy, including law enforcement response. Police originally said that the shooter, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, encountered a school district security officer outside the school, and then fired on and injured two arriving Uvalde police officers before entering the school at about 11 a.m. on May 24, where he charged into a classroom and began killing. But in a news conference May 26, Victor Escalon from the Texas Department of Public Safety said the report about Ramos being confronted by a school police officer was inaccurate. He walked in unobstructed, initially, Escalon said. The massacre lasted upwards of 40 minutes before Ramos was shot and killed by a Border Patrol team that entered the school, officers later told reporters. Ramos 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, Olivarez said. Witnesses cited by the Associated Press said they were shouting at police officers outside the building telling them to help the people in the school. And a Facebook video recorded by a witness and verified by the Washington Post shows a group of adults yelling at officers just before noon to let them inside if the police refused to enter the school. Uvalde, Texas, has a total population of about 16,000 people and sits about 75 miles from the Mexican border. Jean-Pierre told reporters that President Joe Biden plans to visit the town on May 29 to grieve with the community and call on Congress to pass common sense gun laws. Biden has expressed support for universal background checks and raising the minimum age required to buy a firearm. The Associated Press contributed to this report. MSF doctors Stig Walravens (2nd R), 33, and Yaroslav (L), 39, care for Oleh, 58, a patient on a medical evacuation train on its way to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on April 10, 2022. (Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images) WHO Condemns Russian Aggression That Resulted in Ukrainian Health Crisis Organization rejects Moscow's counter-proposal The World Health Organization passed a resolution Thursday addressing the Ukrainian health crisis that began with Russian aggression, while rejecting a similar counter-proposal from Russia that failed to mention the countrys role in the war. The Health emergency in Ukraine and refugee receiving and hosting countries, stemming from the Russian Federations aggression draft proposal was passed with 88 yes votes, 12 nos, and 53 abstentions during the organizations 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. The original proposal (pdf) published on May 23, brought by the United States and 46 other nations, including the UK, Australia, Germany, France, Japan, and Turkey, condemned the Russian military incursion which began on Feb. 24, and requested WHO to consider temporarily suspending all regional meetings in the country until a peaceful resolution has been reached and Russia withdraws its forces from Ukraine. The proposal did not ask WHO to suspend Russias voting rights at the agency. The resolution talked about the ongoing health emergency that includes conflict-related trauma and injuries, spreading of infectious diseases, mental health deterioration, human trafficking; and disrupted health services to those vulnerable like women, children, and the elderly. It adds that it pertains not only to people in Ukraine but Ukrainian refugees fleeing to neighboring countries as well. It urged the Russian Federation to immediately cease any attacks on hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and fully respect and protect all medical personnel and humanitarian personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties. Furthermore, the proposal encouraged fellow members to increase contributions towards the WHO emergency programs focusing on Ukraine. The Russian proposal (pdf) similarly condemned attacks directed against civilians and health objects, and called on all parties to respect and protect humanitarian personnel, their facilities, equipment, transport and supplies and to ensure the safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel, without mentioning Russian aggression or the countrys role in the humanitarian crisis. Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraines ambassador to the United Nations, called Russias counter-proposal, co-signed with Syria, a twisted alternative reality, according to Reuters as WHO members collectively rejected the proposal. Alexander Alimov, Russias deputy ambassador to the U.N., called the Western proposal politicized, one-sided and biased. The WHO has been keeping track of the Ukraine situation through its Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA). Based on SSA data, since the Russian invasion, there have been 263 attacks, 75 deaths, and 59 injuries related to health care in Ukraine. Out of these, 238 attacks impacted health care facilities, such as the bombing of a maternity hospital in Mariupol. It recorded 29 attacks each on transport and personnel working in the sector, 77 attacks that impacted supplies, and 17 attacks on patients. Most of the attacks involved heavy weapons and happened in March. Meanwhile, Beijing supported Moscow in the two votes. The countrys envoy, Yang Zhilun, claimed that WHO was not the right platform to discuss Ukraines health problems. Wisconsin School Goes Virtual After Multiple Bomb Threats, Memorial Day Parade Canceled A middle school in Wisconsin will hold classes virtually for students in the Kiel Area School District after a number of bomb threats were reported this week, officials said. The city also canceled its Memorial Day Parade after the third bomb threat that week, citing ongoing security concerns in and around the city. The City of Kiel Police Department announced in a statement that authorities received an email with the latest bomb threat at 6:48 a.m. on May 26. No devices were located at Kiel Middle School after a thorough search of the building was conducted by police and local fire officials. The Kiel Area School District had already made a decision to hold classes virtually today, for their entire district, so the Kiel Middle School was locked and vacant, police said. No students or staff were present in the middle s school or district offices. On Monday and Tuesday, similar emails with bomb threats were sent to groups of people, including multiple news outlets. The perpetrator made the threats in reference to the ongoing Title IX investigation against three eighth-graders at the middle school. As previously reported, the families of the three students said their boys are being investigated over allegedly misgendering a female student who identifies as non-binary. The student at the center of this has not been publicly identified. A school official notified the parents in April that the trio had been charged with sexual harassment for not referring to the students preferred pronouns of they and them. Under Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, sex-based discrimination in federally-funded schools is prohibited. However, Luke Berg, an attorney with the nonprofit law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, told The Epoch Times that not using the preferred gender pronoun for someone doesnt constitute sexual harassment. You need the detailed allegation so that you know how to prepare and respond to what youre being charged with, Berg added. None of the families had that. After the students were interviewed, the families asked for a formal complaint. They received a one-page statement alleging the use of the incorrect pronoun with a page and a half of notes from a music teacher describing a few minor incidents in the classroom, Berg said. The clear theory of the school district is once a student has told other students what their pronouns are, any misuse of the pronouns after that is punishable, Berg said. The person responsible for the bomb threats said that unless the school district halts its investigation of sexual harassment against the three students, threats could escalate and might spread to other areas of the community, including the city hall, grocery stores, and power stations, WBAY reported. Brad Ebert, the school districts administrator, said in an announcement that the students will finish the school year in virtual learning, the station reported. The end of school is June 3. Epoch Times reporter Matt McGregor contributed to this report. From NTD News A makeshift memorial at Robb Elementary School is filled with flowers, toys, signs, and crosses bearing the names of all 21 victims of the mass shooting that occurred on May 24, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 27, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) You Go to the Sound of Gunfire: Retired Active Shooter Trainer and Border Patrol Special Agent UVALDE, TexasRetired Border Patrol special operations agent Jim Volcsko has trained law enforcement officers in active shooter scenarios. For years, he was part of the Border Patrol tactical unit called BORTAC, similar to a SWAT team, in the Uvalde and Del Rio region. His former colleague, an active BORTAC agent, fatally shot the suspected shooter at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde on May 24. Volcsko said an active shooter is one of the most dangerous situations a law enforcement officer can face, and he didnt want to speculate on the specific situation in Uvalde because he wasnt there, but spoke to his training. The active shooter training is basically we show up, and we go. If theres shots being fired, we go, Volcsko told The Epoch Times. You go to the sound of gunfire. Its not a systematic clearing, its a direct-to-threatthats what its called. Somebodys going to get shot in these scenariosI mean, thats the whole point of an active shooter. And when you are a law enforcement officer and your job in that situation is to prevent any more innocent people from being wounded or killedthen youve got to go. Hopefully everything turns out OK, but youve got to go. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw told reporters on May 27 that the incident commander, Uvalde school district Chief of Police Peter Arredondo, made the wrong decision to not engage Texas mass shooter Salvador Ramos sooner. The 18-year-old Ramos ended up killing 19 children and two adults in the worst U.S. school mass shooting in a decade. The on-scene commander at the time believed that it had transitioned from an active shooter to a barricaded subject, McCraw said. Emergency call records reveal that several children called 911 during the siege and gunfire could be heard in the background of one call. Volcsko said active shooter and hostage situations require different responses, but his training dictates that in the former scenario, law enforcement has to find a way in and neutralize the threat. If youre met by a hail of gunfire, then youve got to work your way around and figure out another way. If that means you retreat and port a window and go in, OK, he said. The doors are locked. We cant get in; we dont have the tools to get in. Well, then weve got to break the windows and go in. Driving a squad car through the side of the buildingwhen you have children being massacred inside of a building, who gives a [expletive] about a $50,000 squad car? Drive it through the wall. Because every shot thats fired is somebody either dying or getting wounded. Youve got to go. Volcsko reiterated that every scenario is different and that he wasnt at the scene in Uvalde. Every building is different. The amount of civilians that are involved is different. The amount of shooters is different. The reason why the shooter is there is different. The amount of firepower the bad guy has, or bad guys have, is different, he said. As far as Im concerned, if there was any shooting going on and there was law enforcement there that failed to act for whatever reason, anybody that was there needs to turn in their badge and their gun, and they need to go away and hope they can live with the deaths of these children. Thats my opinionnot having all the facts. Im tore up over this. Its terrible. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed into a law sweeping property insurance legislation that creates a $2 billion reinsurance fund and rewrites rules on coverage denials and attorney fees, in a move to stabilize rising costs and insurer losses. DeSantis, a Republican, announced the bill signings in a statement that called the package the most significant reforms to Floridas homeowners insurance market in a generation." The signings mark an end to a special legislative session on insurance where lawmakers in the GOP-controlled statehouse approved the broad measures in three days, with little public input or expert analysis. The Legislature failed to approve insurance reforms earlier this year during their regular meeting period, which was dominated by intense partisan fights over bills on abortion, sexual orientation and gender identity. In the statehouse, the bills largely moved with bipartisan support, with lawmakers describing the package as a meaningful first step in repairing a market plagued by insurer insolvencies, policy cancelations and rising insurance costs. The main point of criticism from Democrats, the minority party, was that the legislation does not do enough to grant immediate financial relief to homeowners whose premiums have increased. Republicans acknowledged it would take 12 to 18 months before prices may drop. I don't know what else I can do to lower my insurance, said Roni Sterin, a real estate agent in Broward County who said her insurance costs unexpectedly jumped about $1,500 recently. Nobody's helping us. The insurance industry has had two years of underwriting losses exceeding $1 billion each year and several insurance companies have gone insolvent, required midterm cancellations, are in liquidation or have stopped writing new business since 2021, the governor said in his proclamation calling lawmakers back to the Capitol. The loss of private insurers has driven property owners to Citizens Property Insurance, a state-run public insurer meant to be a last resort. The new laws would create the $2 billion Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders program for insurers to purchase insurance to help insulate themselves from risk. Insurers would have to reduce policyholders' rates to access the state reinsurance fund. It also offers grants of up to $10,000 to outfit homes so they are less vulnerable to hurricane damage, if the homes meet certain criteria. The legislation forbids 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. 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. 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 package also includes 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. The bills would allow for more state oversight so regulators can spot trends, analyze reasons and try to prevent the future failure of insurers. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK The investigation into what sparked the fatal house fire that killed a 7-year-old girl earlier this month is expected to stretch into its third week and could take several more weeks to complete, according to city officials. Investigators have not yet publicly identified the cause of the destructive fire that engulfed a Nelson Avenue home and led to the death of Summer Fawcett on the morning of May 14. Fire Marshal Broderick Sawyer said this week that Travelers Insurance, the homeowners insurer, is currently conducting its own private investigation into the blaze, which is routine in the aftermath of residential fires. He said the fire marshals office does not plan on releasing the findings of its investigation until all of the ongoing probes, including Travelers inquiry, are concluded. An investigation of this nature will take some time, Sawyer said. There really is no time frame, it will take as long as necessary. Officials have said the fire broke out shortly before 5 a.m., prompting dozens of firefighters to race to the scene. The blaze reportedly spread to cars parked in the driveway and power lines hanging above the street. Emergency crews used a ladder to pull Fawcett from a burning second-floor bedroom, but she was later pronounced dead at Norwalk Hospital. The states chief medical examiner has said Fawcett died of complications from thermal injuries and smoke inhalation. Her death was ruled an accident. A firefighter also sustained second-degree burns during the rescue effort. Officials have said the firefighter received treatment for the injuries and is expected to recover. It is unclear if the fire began inside or outside the two-story home. As part of the fire marshals investigation, inspectors are working to determine where exactly the blaze began, Sawyer said. Travelers, meanwhile, is conducting a private investigation in parallel with public officials. Insurance companies often seek to independently determine the cause and origin of a blaze before paying out claims involving large house fires. A Travelers spokesperson declined to comment on the investigation and did not respond to questions about the probes findings or when it is expected to finish. Summers parents, Blair and Lindsay Fawcett, were both hospitalized after the fire, but have since been released. The couples 9-year-old son was not injured in the fire. On Saturday, nearly 200 people gathered at Taylor Farm Dog Park to celebrate and honor Fawcetts memory. The event was attended by Fawcetts classmates at Cranbury Elementary School as well as Mayor Harry Rilling. "We cannot imagine how painful it is, but the entire city is with the Fawcett family our prayers, our hearts, Rilling said at the memorial. richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com WASHINGTON (AP) Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy is making it clear that he will likely defy a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, escalating a standoff with the panel over his and other GOP lawmakers testimony. In an 11-page letter to the panel Friday, an attorney for McCarthy argued that the select committee does not have the authority to issue subpoenas to the lawmakers under House rules and demanded answers to a series of questions and documents if his client were to comply. Attorney Elliot Berke requested a list of "topics that the Select Committee would like to discuss with the Leader, and the constitutional and legal rationale justifying the request." I expressly reserve Leader McCarthys right to assert any other applicable privilege or objection to the Select Committees subpoena, Berke wrote. Committee spokesperson Tim Mulvey responded Friday evening, Leader McCarthy and other Members who have been served subpoenas are hiding behind debunked arguments and baseless requests for special treatment. He added, The refusal of these Members to cooperate is a continued assault on the rule of law and sets a dangerous new precedent that could hamper the Houses ability to conduct oversight in the future. Mulvey said committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., "will formally respond to these Members in the days ahead. The House panel believes testimony from the Republican lawmakers is crucial to their investigation as each of the men was in contact with then-President Donald Trump and his allies in the weeks and days leading up to the Capitol insurrection. Some participated in meetings and urged the White House to try to overturn the 2020 presidential results. McCarthy has acknowledged he spoke with Trump on Jan. 6 as Trumps supporters were beating police outside the Capitol and forcing their way into the building. But he has not shared many details. The committee requested information about his conversations with Trump before, during and after the riot. His apparent defiance presents a new challenge for the committee after lawmakers decided to take the extraordinary and politically risky step of subpoenaing their own colleagues. For House Republican leaders to agree to participate in this political stunt would change the House forever, the California lawmaker wrote Thursday in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal with GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. The committee now must decide whether to enforce the subpoenas even as it looks to wrap up the investigation and prepare for a series of public hearings in early June. It could refer the lawmakers to the House ethics committee or take steps to hold them in contempt. The subpoenas were issued to McCarthy, Jordan, and Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Mo Brooks of Alabama in mid-May. The panel has already interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses and collected more than 100,000 documents as it investigates the worst attack on the Capitol in two centuries. I have no relevant information that would advance any legitimate legislative purpose, Jordan said in a letter detailing his reasons for not cooperating. The others indicated after the subpoenas were issued that they too would not cooperate. Perrys lawyer sent the committee a letter earlier this week saying he could not in good conscience comply with the subpoena because he does not believe it is valid under House rules. Requests for comment from Biggs and Brooks were not immediately returned. The panel had previously asked for voluntary cooperation from the five lawmakers, along with a handful of other GOP members, but all refused to speak with the panel, which debated for months whether to issue the subpoenas. McCarthy and the others were summoned to testify in front of investigators this week and next week. McCarthy, who aspires to be House speaker if Republicans take over the majority next year, indicated that the committees decision will have a lasting impact. Every representative in the minority would be subject to compelled interrogations by the majority, under oath, without any foundation of fairness, and at the expense of taxpayers, he wrote in the op-ed. In a separate move, McCarthy and the No. 2 House Republican, Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, filed a court brief in support of Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon, who is facing criminal contempt charges for defying a subpoena from the committee. In the brief, lawyers for the two write that the committee does not have the authority to issue subpoenas, an argument that has been dismissed in other court proceedings. The lawyers also wrote that McCarthy and Scalise filed the brief out of concern for the potential damage to House institutional" rules and order. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Memorial Day weekend may be a time for backyard barbecues and swimming pool openings, but its important not to forget the true meaning of the holiday. Ron Swaim, commander of Edwardsville American Legion Post 199, was among the Madison County residents who talked about their Memorial Day plans and traditions and what the holiday means to them. On Monday morning, Swaim will be part of a color guard from Post 199 that will visit seven different cemeteries for a ceremonial nine-shot rifle salute at each cemetery. Well fire nine times and play Taps and the VFW will do the same thing at seven other cemeteries, said Swaim, who is a Vietnam War veteran. Then we go to Woodlawn Cemetery at 10 a.m. and there will be another ceremony there. No matter how many times Swaim participates in a Memorial Day observance, it never loses its emotional impact. Im a 48-year continuous member of the American Legion and during the 1970s and 1980s I belonged to American Legion Post 203 in Georgetown, Illinois, where Im the past commander, Swaim said. We did the ceremony every year and when I got active here seven years ago, I got to be part of the color guard. Its not something that we get to do; its something that has to be done for these men and women who sacrificed their lives for their country. You hear Taps eight to 10 times that day and it tears at your heartstrings every time you hear it. Larry Miller, the sergeant at arms for Post 199, is also the commander of Edwardsville VFW Post 1299. On Monday morning, the VFW will hold a Memorial Day color guard ceremony at seven other local cemeteries. I have trouble answering questions about what things like this mean to me, and I usually keep things internal, but its a day that that we recognize who gave their lives for their country, said Miller, a Vietnam veteran who turns 74 on Tuesday. Their sacrifice means that Im free to have those thoughts. When I was over in Europe, I visited one of the battlefield cemeteries at Anzio (Italy) and to see all of those white crosses interspersed with the Star of David, it caught in my throat, and I realized that all of these men had died to protect America. Herman Shaw, 88, has been president of the Lincoln School Alumni Foundation since it was founded in 1986. Shaw, a U.S. Army veteran and a 1954 Edwardsville High School graduate, is hopeful that Memorial Day can serve as a unifying force in an increasingly divided nation. Its the day that we recognize the people that have made sacrifices for this country, Shaw said. I think about that a lot, but the state of the nation leaves a lot to be desired. Its kind of a mess right now, but I look forward to taking a part in helping this country grow and be a better place for all of us. On a personal level, Shaw doesnt have any big plans for the holiday weekend. Since (COVID) started, I dont get out too much, Shaw said. There have been times when Ive done more, but Im just not going to do that this year. Im just going to stay close to home and have dinner with Elizabeth (Nash). Rob Werden, meanwhile, is Regional Superintendent of Schools for Madison County. He and his family usually do a Memorial Day barbecue at his home one mile north of Prairietown. This year, hell be spending most of the holiday weekend at his daughters softball tournament. I cant help but think of my dad (Bob Werden) who was a World War II veteran, Werden said. He graduated from Edwardsville High School in 1944 and like most folks of that age, he was drafted and was sent to train for the European conflict. He was on a boat headed over to Europe when the Germans surrendered, so they turned the boat around and sent everyone back to Texas, where they retrained them to fight in the South Pacific. Then he was on a boat for the Philippines went they dropped the (atomic) bomb on Japan and the Japanese surrendered. Werdens father went on to serve two years in the Philippines. Family military service is a common thread for many people, including Jane Ahasay, director of development for Glen-Ed Pantry. My father was a veteran and my father-in-law served in World War II, so we as a family do celebrate that with a Memorial Day service at Roselawn Cemetery in Bethalto, Ahasay said. Thats our tradition, but otherwise I just like to enjoy the three-day holiday. Im sure well be taking a walk through Bethalto Central Park and the arboretum. They place banners for the veterans on all of the light posts and my dads banner is up there. Well look at that as well as all of the other veterans that are being honored there. From a professional standpoint, Memorial Day is equally important to Ahasay. It gives me great pride that we can help veterans in need so they can try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, Ahasay said. We want to help them any way we can through the various assistance programs. We try to honor them as much as we can. The family military connection also brings back memories for Edwardsville Mayor Art Risavy. We have a friend who does a big barbecue, so we go there and spend time with friends and family, Risavy said. Both of my grandpas were in the military one was in the Navy and the other was in the Army so we always take time to reflect on those who lost their lives. Honoring them is the most important thing about the holiday. They made the ultimate sacrifice. Dr. Loren Hughes, a retired family physician from Edwardsville and a former healthcare executive, has fond memories of his father from Memorial Day gatherings. My father was a stock car racer and used to race at some of the tracks around mid-Illinois, Hughes said. We were always big race fans, and this weekend is so big with the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race. Me and my brothers and sisters always seem to find a way to watch one of those races. My dad was a Korean War vet, and he was always involved with the American Legion. It seemed like there was always some kind of memorial that we went to. A lot of times, Dad would be holding the flag or doing something along those lines. We always made sure that we had a remembrance of what the holiday was all about. Cindy Reinhardt is a local historian and a board member of the Madison County Historical Society. She also has vivid recollections of spending Memorial Day with family members. For many years we would pick up my husband Mikes Aunt Rose, and we took her out to Sunset Hills Cemetery because they have that wonderful flag display for Memorial Day, Reinhardt said. Uncle Charlies flag was always one of those and we took pictures every year of Aunt Rose standing next to his flag. Aunt Rose passed away a few years and we sometimes still go out to that ceremony, but it was special going out there with her. My husband usually goes out there a couple of days before Memorial Day to make sure there is a flag on the grave of his father, Milton Reinhardt, who was a World Wat II veteran. As a historian, Reinhardt isnt sure if most people understand the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Im concerned that there seems to be a mix-up about what Memorial Day actually is, Reinhardt said. Its not Veterans Day, which is a celebration of the living; Memorial Day is a recognition of those that went to war and paid the ultimate price. There needs to be a distinction there. Anya Covington, founder of human2human LLC, notes that Memorial is a time for remembrance, thankfulness and family gatherings. Its an extremely important day because men and women died to serve their country and gave up their lives selflessly, Covington said, My dad served in the military for 16 years, and for me, the day is always a reminder to be grateful for those who are alive and to honor those who sacrificed their lives. Our family usually has a barbecue, and my dad is the grill master. Its a day that usually brings our family together. We celebrate the fact that were able to celebrate. A support group, The Osinbajo Think Tank has urged a leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other aspirants to jettison their presidential ambition and back Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, ahead of the 2023 Presidential election. This was made known in a statement signed by the group's spokesperson, Mr. Olugbenga Olaoye, in Lagos on Friday. The statement issued at the end of a-day strategic meeting by members of the group, appealed to Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and others to consider the strategic role VP Osinbajo will play in developing the country after the 2023 elections. No doubt, VP Yemi Osinbajo presents an intimidating credential that can guarantee electoral success for the APC in the presidential elections, the statement stressed. We therefore appeal to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other stakeholders to rally support for the presidential aspiration of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in the overall interest of the party and our nation, Nigeria. The group added that it has followed with keen interest, the presidential aspiration of Osinbajo and his efforts at reaching out to stakeholders nationwide on his presidential ambition. It further pointed out that the Vice President's commitment to ensuring sustainable growth and development in the Nation cannot go unnoticed. It also noted that Osinbajo, at this time, has served as a bridge-builder, desirous of one Nigeria. The group therefore advised the APC leader and other presidential aspirants to throw their weight behind Osinbajo, to emerge as the President in 2023. The group argued that by doing so, the aspirants would unite the south, ahead of the 2023 elections. It added that the level of support the vice president has garnered over the past two weeks of consultation across the nation speaks volume of his level of acceptance by Nigerians. E-signed: Olugbenga Olaoye, Spokesperson, TOTT. Democracy is about to take its course once again as there is a hullabaloo of electoral processes in every nook and corner of our dear country Nigeria. Statistics shows that the current population of Nigeria is 215,581,415 as of Tuesday, May 10, 2022 based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations Data. Research has shown that the poverty headcount rate is projected to jump from 40.1 percent in 2018/19 to 42.0 percent in 2020 and 42.6 in 2022, implying that the number of poor people was 89.0 million in 2020 and would be 95.1 million in 2022. The question a reasonable thinker will ask is what should we expect in the nearest future as it implies that the rich get richer while the poor do not only get poorer but also increase in number! Where are we headed as a nation? It is only during the election period one sees our leaders awakening to their responsibilities in order to solicit for the peoples votes. That is the time they become friendly and get closer to the ruled. They sell petrol, lay blocks, change lives, reconstruct roads and build bridges that are long due for reconstruction. If only our leaders can take a stroll out early in the morning in order to see people both young and old, male and female, even very little children who sleep on cold bare floors, blocks and under the bridges, probably they will put in more effort in meeting the peoples needs because these are some of the poor Nigerians who need help and care, who look up to their countrys government for hope but what do they get in return? Sheer hopelessness! Presidential form costs 100million naira, there is no need to mention how many people paid and obtained the forms but there is a need to say that those who obtained it are not just Nigerians but Nigerian politicians who the people once voted in with the belief that they will alleviate their problem but could not, yet come back to solicit for the peoples support for a second chance. These are the people whose government cannot provide the people with the needed free Education, quality and affordable healthcare and other necessary social amenities when they are in dire need of such because that is when their states are usually underfunded and this makes one wonder where they are getting the millions to buy the automatic ticket with which they loot the public funds with but it is quite unfortunate that majority of Nigerians only picture it as a mere game that is meant to entertain them and choose to be myopic about the effects on the people. Gone are the days of good and credible journalism when people confided in and depended on the great journalists of those days who represented nothing but the truth, who did not give vain glory to the corrupt politicians, who fought only for the peoples rights and freedom through their works. Unfortunately, quality journalism has been replaced with belly seeking, money pocketing and attention seeking. People who should serve as the peoples freedom fighters have turned to the politicians watchdogs, guiding their paths, getting their names cleared from their self-inflicted mud all because of what they will eat. Little wonder the country is a rut. Can we take a trip down the Education lane? Research shows that of the 262 million out of school children in the world, a majority of them totaling 13.2 million are in Nigeria. These are children who either never enrolled or did not complete primary school education. According to the demographic Health survey(DHS) jointly conducted by the United Nations International Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with agencies of the Nigerian government in 2015, the number increased from 10million to its current figure as a result of various insecurity challenges in the country. What about tertiary Education in the country? Statistics shows that the total number of days spent on strike, excluding the current 30days strike in 5years is 395. Thus, out of 1825 days in the five years under review (the five years excludes 2022), 395 days have been spent on strike, more days than a full calendar year and representing one out of every four days. Who are the ones at the receiving end of these strike actions? Majority of these leaders either have their children registered in private schools or send them abroad to study in conducive atmospheres where their time, energy and resources will not be wasted. They do these with the public funds yet, the children of the masses are left alone to deal with the fate of being stranded in the country they failed to develop. Courses which are supposed to last for 4 or 5 years get extended to 6 or7 years, even at times 8years or more, thanks to strike actions that render our leaders incapable. Going forward, students who eventually graduate and are successful at serving their motherland, who are fortunate enough not to get murdered in the land still end up jobless. What does the government of nowadays offer as a solution? Loans for businesses and Agriculture which can never pave the way for them to practice what they studied at school and one wonders what the essence of getting educated is because we were originally farmers before the advent of democracy and things were better in respect to security and the peoples way of living. Whoever says there is no cause for alarm should wait until these politicians children start coming back home to take their fathers positions, thinking it is a generational seat because even the youths no longer have hope in the country as their mind have been shifted towards less profitable and depraving things such as ritual killing in order to make money, fraud, prostitution, drugs and suchlike. As rightly said by Malcolm X, Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today is there a need to ask who the holders of the passport these days are? They keep preparing their children for the future at the expense of the masses. It is not news that these politicians usually forget the masses who vote for them after elections, leaving them in their pathetic state until another election period so that they can easily manipulate them. Majority of the poor individuals now look forward to election periods because of the little amount of money they will be able to acquire from their political parties and through bribes not bearing in mind that they have exchanged their future and that of their children with little amount of money for another 4 years because they only care about their immediate needs regardless of what the future holds. How else should one describe the problems which usually arise due to the differences in the peoples languages, cultures, tribes and religions that lead to loss of lives and properties every now and then if not a cause for alarm? Since the masses are always at the receiving end, our so-called leaders are bereft of a lasting solution. They therefore choose to keep quiet and watch the people suffer for their incompetence, yet during election campaigns, they preach and advocate unity! If our leaders can be closer to the people, meet on daily basis with the religious and tribal leaders in order to discuss issues which relate to their differences and look for a way to solve it, walk also in the masses shoes in order to feel their pains, then, they will be able to easily and promptly attend to the peoples needs. Although Rome was not built in a day, taking a bold step to alleviate the peoples suffering and making the government a credible and accountable one will go a long way. Let there be no discrimination in matters pertaining to tribe and Religion, treat the youths and the children as the future of this nation and make their rights to Education a priority. Unless these are done, there is undoubtedly a great cause for alarm. Adeparua Damilola Can be reached via:[email protected] Govt seeks monkeypox vaccine BANGKOK: The government is seeking to secure a supply of smallpox vaccine from the World Health Organization (WHO) to bolster the publics immunity in the event of a viral outbreak, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday (May 26). health By Bangkok Post Friday 27 May 2022, 09:35AM Photo: via Bangkok Post Although Thailand has yet to record or detect any case of monkeypox infection, the increasing number of foreign arrivals in the country will heighten the risk of contagion, he said, reports the Bangkok Post. Mr Anutin made the request on May 5 in a discussion with WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus on the sidelines of the 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva. Separately, Prof Dr Somsak Lolekha, chairman of the Royal College of Paediatricians of Thailand and the Paediatric Society of Thailand, said monkeypox wont become a major public health risk in the kingdom as a large part of the population have been vaccinated against smallpox. Past studies from Africa suggest the smallpox vaccine is at least 85% effective against monkeypox, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Immunity induced by the smallpox vaccine can last up to 80 years after vaccination, Prof Dr Somsak said. Despite the benefits, Thailand stopped mass administration of the vaccine once the WHO declared the disease eradicated in 1980, because live-attenuated vaccines such as the smallpox shot have been known to cause severe, sometimes deadly, adverse effects, especially among those who are immuno-compromised, he added. As such there is no need for the country to stockpile monkeypox vaccines, he said citing the recommendations jointly-issued by five medical organisations. Dr Chakrarat Pittayawonganon, director of the Bureau of Epidemiology at the Department of Disease Control (DDC), said no monkeypox cases have been detected in Thailands monkey population. As wild primates, rodents and small mammals endemic to Africa are known vectors of the monkeypox virus, all imported animals from the region must be checked and registered with the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, he said. Meanwhile, DDC specialist Dr Taweesap Siraprapasiri suggested that people exercise extra caution when they gather in crowded public places to avoid infections, pointing out a major cluster was detected after a pride festival in Spain. Those who attended the event are advised to get tested for monkeypox for the sake of disease control, Dr Taweesap said. More than 200 cases worldwide The number of confirmed cases of monkeypox worldwide has reached 219 outside of countries where it is endemic, according to an update released by the European Unions disease agency, reports AFP. More than a dozen countries where monkeypox is unusual, mostly in Europe, have reported at least one confirmed case, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in an epidemiological note released Wednesday night. This is the first time that chains of transmission are reported in Europe without known epidemiological links to West or Central Africa, where this disease is endemic, the note said. It added that most of the cases were detected in young men, self-identifying as men who have sex with men. The United Kingdom where monkeypoxs unusual appearance was first detected in early May currently has the largest bulk of confirmed cases, 71. It is followed by Spain with 51 cases and Portugal, 37. Outside of Europe, Canada has 15 and the United States has nine. The total number of cases reported Wednesday has increased fivefold since its first count on May 20, when the EU agency said there were 38 cases. Contagion risk is very low, the ECDC said earlier this week, but warned that people who have had multiple sexual partners regardless of sexual orientation are more at risk. The clinical presentation is generally described to be mild, it said, adding that there has been no deaths. Monkeypox a less severe disease compared to its cousin smallpox is endemic in 11 countries in West and Central Africa. It spreads by a bite or direct contact with an infected animals blood, meat or bodily fluids, and initial symptoms include a high fever before quickly developing into a rash. People infected with it also get a chickenpox-like rash on their hands and face. No treatment exists but the symptoms usually clear up after two to four weeks, and it is not usually fatal. Maria Van Kerkhove, the emerging disease lead for the World Health Organization, said Monday that monkeypox is a containable situation. Investigation launched into airport runway incident BANGKOK: The Ministry of Transport has launched an investigation into a Thai AirAsia flight that landed on the wrong runway at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok earlier this month, which could have resulted in a serious aviation accident. Safetytransport By National News Bureau of Thailand Friday 27 May 2022, 11:19AM Photo: NNT The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) reported that the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Committee (AAIC) is currently investigating the incident that occurred on May 4, in which Thai AirAsia Flight FD3141 landed on a different runway than the one scheduled. Although no injuries were reported, an investigation was launched since the incident can be deemed serious under Annex 13 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) convention, reports state news agency NNBT. The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) said it has summoned air-traffic control officers for questioning, adding that anyone found at fault could face temporary suspension. Thai AirAsia has meanwhile apologised for the incident and suspended the flights pilot and co-pilot pending an investigation. According to CAAT, the investigation is expected to be completed within 30 days. The agency will then determine who is to be held responsible and use the data to develop prevention measures to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future. Phuket hosts Deep Week open freediving festival DIVING: Phuket recently hosted the huge free dive training event Deep Week, a hugely popular occasion that sold out in just 5 days and can lay claim to be largest of its kind to be held in open water in Asia and possibly the world. Diving By Joanna Matlub Friday 27 May 2022, 12:35PM The event, held from May 14-21, saw over 100 free divers descend on Phuket from over 35 countries to take part in the organised week of training, freediving and events. It was hosted and organised by Alexey Molchanov (24-time world champion AIDA and CMAS, world record holder, and freediving promoter) and Adam Stern (eight-time Australian freediving record holder), and in addition to freediving, everyone who took part was engaged in depth training, theory sessions and workshops to help enhance their knowledge and technique. Events like this are going to help boost the economic recovery of Phuket, commented Shaun Stenning, owner of 5 Star Marine who were official boat partner for the event. This attracts a different kind of customer to Phuket as well as highlighting the best of what Phuket and the surrounding waters have to offer. We are delighted to be the boat partner of this event and to see such talented free divers from across the world flying in, he added. Deep Week has positioned itself as a leading freediving educational event where some of the top experts and free divers come together from around the world for one week of shared learning experiences. However, they also cater to absolute beginners who want to learn a new skill and hobby, and Deep Week allows beginners to complete Wave 1 and Wave 2 courses. Phuket was selected due to the water clarity and conditions for freediving, as well as its location which means that the group only require a short speedboat ride to get to a number of islands with deep and protected dive sites, most with access to 60 meters. Most participants are staying at the conveniently located Boat Lagoon Resort, for ease of island departures each day. Wicky Sundram, GM of the Boat Lagoon Resort commented Its been an exciting week hosting the Deep Week Thailand participants at our resort. It is also an honour for us at Phuket Boat Lagoon to have the presence of Alexey and Adam. With participants from over 35 countries, we look forward to being at their service for this Deep Week event, and moving forward, we are excited to work with the organisers for the next Deep Week Thailand at our resort. Both Alexey and Adam encourage everyone to enjoy their time in the water and better themselves, whatever their background or level. Dont worry if you missed out this time, there is already talk of Deep Week Thailand 2023 taking place. For more information: www.adamfreediver.com/deep-week-thailand https://freedivingfamily.com/deep-week-thailand Phuket readies for Expo 2028 inspection visit PHUKET: A delegation from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris, France, will visit Phuket in July to assess the island as a prospective host for the World Specialized Expo 2028. economicstourism By The Phuket News Friday 27 May 2022, 12:49PM The visit was announced at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce yesterday (May 26), held at the Royal Phuket City Hotel in Phuket Town. Present for the event was Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew, who delivered a keynote address. The AGM was held to review the chambers achievements over the past year, and used to highlight and raise awareness of Phukets bid to host the World Specialized Expo. Pattanachai Singhavara, Director of the Southern Regional Office of the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), confirmed, as he did on Tuesday, that Phuket has formally entered a bid, under the theme: Future of Life: Living in Harmony, Sharing Prosperity. The full proposal will be submitted to the BIE at the end of next month, Mr Pattanachai said. Phuket is competing with four other countries the United States, Argentina, Serbia and Spain to host the expo, he added. The BIE delegation will arrive in Phuket for a four-day inspection tour, from July 25-28, confirmed Thanusak Phungdet, President of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce. If Phuket is selected, the island will be the home of the event, with satellite meetings, mini expos and events also being held in other popular areas in the greater Phuket area. Mr Thanusak and Mr Pattanachai, along with Bhummikitti Ruktaengam, President of the Phuket Tourist Association, and Somyot Pathan, President of Phuket Old Town Tourism Community Enterprise, together delivered their presentation titled: What will Phuket and Thailand get? And how to prepare? In proposing that the national government support Phukets bid, it was pointed out that the expo is the second-largest of its kind in the world. If Phuket is successful in its bid, hosting the three-month event is estimated to attract more than 1 million visitors a month, generate about B40 billion for the economy and create more than 100,000 jobs for local people. The bid is part of a plan to help broaden Phukets economic base and reduce the islands overdependence on destination tourism, Governor Narong explained in announcing the bid on Nov 3 last year. In response, the Cabinet in January approved a budget of B4.18bn for Phuket to host the expo. The event that will make a big difference in Phuket. It will make Phuket the perfect MICE CITY, because the project will have a 5,000-seat convention centre that will be able to drive the convention and exhibition events in full, said Mr Thanusak. In addition, the Medical Plaza project, when combined with a medical research centre, will bring Phuket closer to being a centre of health-promoting tourism. In order for Thailand to be selected as a host, cooperation must be obtained from the people in the area in preparing to be a good host, he said. Most importantly, this will be a catalyst for infrastructure to support this event. At the same time, for the next six years, Phuket has to prepare personnel to support the MICE industry, which is likely to grow greatly if Phuket is chosen as the venue to host the event. Lets be a good host. Success will be achieved through the cooperation of all of us, Mr Thanusak said. Users face mega-hit in mega-merger BANGKOK: Mobile users may face higher charges based on combined additional expenses of B1.7-13.6 billion per month, depending on the degree of market dominance once the merger of True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC) takes place, according to the Thailand Consumers Council. technologyeconomics By Bangkok Post Friday 27 May 2022, 09:42AM A group representing the Thailand Consumers Council express opposition to the merger deal at the office of the NBTC on Thursday (May 26). Photo: Komsan Tortermvasana / Bangkok Post The council voiced its concern at a public hearing on the merger deal, organised by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) yesterday (May 26), reports the Bangkok Post. The majority of the hearings participants called on the telecom regulator to prohibit the planned merger, saying the deal would push up the industrys market concentration to a dangerous level. Service charge hike Saree Ongsomwang, secretary-general of the council, said the NBTC must oppose the deal because the merger would reduce mobile service choices for customers and reduce market competition through either collusion or market dominance. She said the council opposes the deal based on two points. The first is the deal could be in violation of four pieces of legislation: the NBTC Act, the constitution, a consumer protection law and the Trade Competition Act. The second point is the deal is highly likely to heap additional expense on users, Ms Saree said. The mobile industrys average revenue per user stands at B220 at present, and the deal could push it up by least 10%. Mobile users may have to pay an additional amount for mobile services of B1.7bn to B13.6bn, depending on the level of monopoly following the deal, she said. This figure is based on 80 million active mobile subscribers in the market, said Ms Saree. The NBTC should seriously promote telecom infrastructure sharing among operators to strengthen market competition and support the emergence of mobile virtual network operators, which provide mobile services by renting frequency networks from others, she said. Speaking at the hearing, Chatra Kamsaeng, director of 101 PUB, a public policy think tank, said its research model suggests the merger could increase the mobile service cost by an estimated B15-50 per mobile number per month, a surge of 7-23% from the average of B220 per number per month at present. He addressed three scenarios regarding the competition conditions that could affect mobile service prices following the merger. In the first scenario, in which intense competition takes place after the merger, mobile service cost could rise by 7-10% to B235-242 per number per month. If competition was at a normal level after the merger, the service cost could increase by 13-23% to B249-270. In the final scenario, in which market collusion takes place, the service cost could surge by 66-120% to B365-480, said Mr Chatra. High market concentration Somkiat Tangkitvanich, president of Thailand Development Research Institute, said the merged company could see its market share reach 52%, higher than that of current market leader Advanced Info Service (AIS), while fostering market dominance. Yet with only two major players in the market, the decline in competition would benefit AIS, said Mr Somkiat. He recommended the NBTC block the deal. If any major operators want to exit the market, the NBTC can force them to sell their business to non-mobile players, Mr Somkiat said. The NBTC should help reduce telecom infrastructure costs by promoting a sharing model to promote competition in the industry, he said. Mr Somkiat said the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) is commonly used to gauge market concentration conditions. The highest score on the HHI is 10,000, which expresses maximum market concentration. A total of 1,500 points suggests a risk of market concentration, while above 2,500 indicates market concentration is at a dangerous level. Based on research in 2017 by Ofcom, the UKs telecommunications regulator, Thailands mobile market already had a high level of market concentration at 3,700 points, he said. If the merger happens, the index is expected to surge to 5,016 points, said Mr Somkiat. In 2011, the US prohibited the merger of two telecom giants AT&T and T-Mobile even though the merger was expected to push the industrys HHI to only 3,605, versus a pre-merger level of 2,873, he said. Prawit Leesathapornwongsa, an advisor to the NBTC chairman, said the NBTC has no bias in mind when considering the merger deal. He said he was surprised by the absence of representatives from DTAC and True at the hearing yesterday, despite their earlier promise to attend. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) Davos the hub of an elite annual gathering in the Swiss Alps is back, more than two years after the coronavirus pandemic kept its business gurus, political leaders and high-minded activists away. Theres no shortage of urgent issues for the World Economic Forums annual meeting to tackle. With their lofty ambition to help improve the state of the world, forum organizers have their work cut out for them: there are soaring food and fuel prices, Russia's war in Ukraine, climate change, drought and food shortages in Africa, yawning inequality between rich and poor, and autocratic regimes gaining ground in some places on top of signs that the pandemic is far from over. It's hard to predict if the high-minded discussions will yield substantial announcements that make headway on the world's most pressing challenges. The war in Ukraine will be a key theme. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will speak on opening day Monday by video from Kyiv, while the country's foreign minister and a sizable delegation of other top Ukrainian officials will be on hand. They'll be joined this week by leaders like German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Theres no business as usual, forum President Borge Brende told The Associated Press, saying Ukraine is not the only worry. It is also climate change. It is also that the global growth is slowing, and we have to avoid that this very weak recovery ends with a new recession because we have very limited ammunition to fight a new recession. A new recession will lead to increased unemployment, increased poverty, he added. So much is at stake. President Vladimir Putins war means Russian business and political leaders havent been invited to Davos this year. There will be no traditional Russia House social festivities with caviar and vodka spreads for the elite attendees of its evening fun. Instead, critics notably including Ukrainian tycoon Victor Pinchuk and the country's Foreign Ministry have seized on some symbolism and vowed to voice their disgust, which is shared by many around the world. This year, Russia is not present at Davos, but its crimes will not go unnoticed. The Russia War Crimes House takes place inside the former Russia House, organizers of the rechristened venue said in a press release. Opening Monday, the venue will feature photos of crimes and cruelties that Russian forces are accused of perpetuating. Some victims will speak out including Anatoliy Fedoruk, the mayor of Bucha, a town near Kyiv where images of killings of civilians drew outrage worldwide. Its important to understand what is really happening in Ukraine, said Bjorn Geldhof, artistic director of PinchukArtCentre, which is helping organize the exhibit. Part of this exhibition is also to bring back a human face to those people who have become victim of these Russian war crimes. Brende, the forum president, says scores of CEOs and other business leaders will be looking into ways the private sector can support Ukraine, in the situation where Russia is breaking international law, international humanitarian law, and not sticking to the U.N. Charter. Not everyone believe Davos is the place where solutions can be found. A few dozen anti-capitalist demonstrators marching behind a Smash WEF banner clashed Friday with police in Zurich, Switzerlands largest city, a sign of simmering antagonism against economic elites whom they accuse of putting profits over people. Police used rubber bullets and pepper spray to disperse the crowd in what was deemed an unauthorized gathering. While Ukraine will capture attention on the meetings first day, climate and environmental issues will be a recurring, constant theme as the forum looks to future challenges as much as the current ones. One-third of the roughly 270 panel discussions through Thursdays finale will focus on climate change or its effects, with extreme weather, efforts to reach net zero emissions and finding new, cleaner sources of energy on the agenda. Forum managers who have faced criticism about hosting wealthy executives who sometimes fly in on emissions-spewing corporate jets have increasingly tried to play their part and inoculate themselves against accusations of hypocrisy: Over the last five years, they say they have offset 100% of the carbon emissions from the organizations activities by supporting environmental projects. Experts say offsets can be problematic because theres no guarantee theyll deliver on reducing emissions. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Petros Giannakouris/AP Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Petros Giannakouris/AP Show More Show Less 3 of 3 CANNES, France (AP) The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most colorful spectacles in the world all Cote dAzur sunshine, palm trees and glittering ballgowns. But the soul of Cannes will always exist in black and white. The images that first made Cannes synonymous with glamour were captured in monochrome pictures that still linger in the collective fantasy of the French Riviera extravaganza, where thousands descend annually to participate in a grand, gaudy tradition in the name of cinema. DALLAS (AP) Airlines and tourist destinations are expecting monster crowds this summer as travel restrictions ease and pandemic fatigue overcomes lingering fear of contracting COVID-19 during travel. Many forecasters believe the number of travelers will match or even exceed levels in the good-old, pre-pandemic days. However, airlines have thousands fewer employees than they did in 2019, and that has at times contributed to widespread flight cancellations. People who are only now booking travel for the summer are experiencing the sticker shock. Domestic airline fares for summer are averaging more than $400 a round trip, 24% higher than this time in 2019, before the pandemic, and a whopping 45% higher than a year ago, according to travel-data firm Hopper. The time to have gotten cheap summer flights was probably three or four months ago," says Scott Keyes, who runs the Scotts Cheap Flights site. Internationally, fares are also up from 2019, but only 10%. Prices to Europe are about 5% cheaper than before the pandemic $868 for the average round trip, according to Hopper. Keyes said Europe is the best travel bargain out there. Steve Nelson of Mansfield, Texas, was standing in line this week at a security checkpoint in Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, ready to board a flight to Nice, France, with plans to attend a Formula One race in Monaco. I decided it's time to work on my bucket list, Nelson said. I hadn't even considered Monaco until this year. Although many countries have eased rules for travel, there are still restrictions in place that add to the hassle factor. Notably, the United States still requires a negative COVID-19 test within a day of flying to the country. We only realized that a couple days before coming here. We kind of panicked to find a place to get tested," said Jonny Dawe, a software engineer from Bath, England, who was in Dallas for a conference his first major trip since the pandemic started. You have to check all the testing requirements for the countries you are visiting, and you have to worry about contracting the virus." Online spending on U.S. flights eased in April after a torrid March, but it's still up 23% from spring 2019 mostly because of higher prices, according to Adobe Analytics. Airlines blame the steeper fares on jet fuel roughly doubling in price over 2019. It's more than that, however. The number of flights has not returned to pre-pandemic levels even though demand for travel is surging. We have more travelers looking to book fewer seats, and each of those seats is going to be more expensive for airlines to fly this summer because of jet fuel, says Hopper economist Hayley Berg. When travelers reach their destination, they will be greeted with hotel rates that are up about one-third from last year. Hotels are filling up faster, too. Hotel companies blame the higher prices on increasing cost for supplies as well as workers in a tight labor market. Rental cars were hard to find and very expensive last summer, but that seems to have eased as the rental companies rebuild their fleets. The nationwide average price is currently around $70 a day, according to Hopper. Jonathan Weinberg, founder of a rental car shopping site called AutoSlash, said prices and availability of vehicles will be very uneven. It wont be as bad as last summer, but prices for vehicles will still be way above average, if you can even find one, in Hawaii, Alaska and near destinations such as national parks. Even if you drive your own car, it'll still be pricey. The national average for regular gasoline hit $4.60 a gallon on Thursday more than $6 in California. Those prices have some people considering staying home. "You don't really get used to $6 gas, said Juliet Ripley of San Diego as she paid $46.38 to put 7.1 gallons in her Honda Civic. The single mom of two has no summer vacation plans other than an occasional trip to a nearby beach. For those determined to travel, however, it is an open question whether airlines, airports, hotels and other travel businesses will be able to handle them. More than 2.1 million people a day on average are boarding planes in the United States, about 90% of 2019 levels and a number that is sure to grow by several hundred thousand a day by July. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has tapped nearly 1,000 checkpoint screeners who can move from one airport to another, depending on where they are needed most. "We are as ready as we possibly can be, says TSA chief David Pekoske. Airlines that paid employees to quit when travel collapsed in 2020 are now scrambling to hire enough pilots, flight attendants and other workers. The largest four U.S. airlines American, Delta, United and Southwest together had roughly 36,000 fewer employees at the start of 2022 than before the pandemic, a drop of nearly 10%, despite aggressive hiring that started last year. Pilots are in particularly short supply at smaller regional airlines that operate nearly half of all U.S. flights under names like American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express. Airlines are trimming summer schedules to avoid overloading their staffs and canceling flights at the last minute. This week, Delta cut about 100 flights a day, or 2%, from its July schedule, and more than 150 flights a day on average, or 3%, in August. Southwest, Alaska and JetBlue previously reduced summer flights. Cancellations arent limited to the U.S. In the United Kingdom, easyJet and British Airways scrubbed many flights this spring because of staffing shortages. Air travel within Europe is expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels this summer, although visitors from outside the region will likely be down 30% from 2019, according to a new report from the European Travel Commission. The group doesnt expect international travel to return to normal until 2025. Russia's war in Ukraine does not appear to be hurting bookings to most of Europe, according to travel experts, but it will reduce the number of Russian and Ukrainian travelers, whose favorite destinations include Cyprus, Montenegro, Latvia, Finland, Estonia and Lithuania, the commission said. Russian tourists tend to be big spenders, so their absence will hurt tourism economies in those destinations. Also largely missing: Chinese tourists, the worlds largest travel spenders, who remain largely restricted by their government's zero-COVID strategy. Some European destinations report that the number of Chinese tourists is down by more than 90% from 2019. ___ Kelvin Chan in London and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Uvalde, Texas, on Sunday to console families and honor victims of Tuesdays mass school shooting in which 19 children and two teachers were killed. The White House said the Bidens would grieve with the community that lost 21 lives in the horrific shooting at Robb Elementary School. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the president would meet with the community and religious leaders and victims' families. Jean-Pierre, the parent of an elementary school student, delivered an impassioned plea at the White House for lawmakers to come together to address gun violence. These were elementary school kids, they should be losing their first teeth not losing their lives, she said. Asked about the propriety of the National Rifle Association going ahead with its planned conference in Houston this weekend, Jean-Pierre, said, What is inappropriate is that the leadership of the National Rifle Association has proven time and time again, that they are contributing to the problem of gun violence, not trying to solve it." Its shameful that the NRA and their allies have stood in the way of every attempt to advance measures that we all know will save lives, she said. Jean-Pierre echoed Biden, who in remarks Tuesday evening, spoke from personal experience about the pain of losing a child, and called on the country to tighten gun laws in response to the shooting. When in Gods name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? he said. Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen? ___ More on the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas: https://apnews.com/hub/school-shootings This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Kianna Jackson Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Thomas Strohmeier Show More Show Less 3 of 3 WOOD RIVER Two local high school students have been awarded a 2022-23 Delta Theta Tau Sorority, Inc. college scholarship by Anita Dawson, president of the local chapter, Kappa Omicron in Wood River. Kianna Jackson, the granddaughter of Mary Campbell of East Alton, is a senior at Roxana High School. She will be attending Quincy University in Quincy and majoring in Forensic Science. EDWARDSVILLE A Staunton man faces multiple weapons and other charges after a May 24 incident in Livingston. Charles B. Blount, 32, of an unknown address in Staunton, was charged May 26 with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 2 felony; possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number and aggravated battery, both Class 3 felonies; and resisting a peace officer and obstructing identification, both Class A misdemeanors. The case was presented by the Livingston Police Department. According to court documents, on May 24 Blount allegedly had a 9 mm Keltec Luger with a defaced serial number; shoved an EMT against cabinets inside of an ambulance, causing injury; resisted police officers by fleeing from them in the parking lot of Staunton Community Hospital as they were trying to place him under arrest; and furnished officers with a false name. He has a 2020 conviction for felon in possession of a firearm out of Madison County, making him ineligible to possess weapons. Bail was set at $60,000. Other felony charges filed May 26 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include: Charron D. Mathis, 35, of St. Charles, Missouri, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 2 felony, and unlawful possession of cannabis, a Class A misdemeanor. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on May 24 Mathis allegedly had a Glock 23 9 mm handgun and unsecured cannabis in a vehicle in Collinsville. Mathis has a prior conviction for attempted murder out of El Paso County, Colorado in 2006, making him ineligible to possess weapons. Bail was set at $50,000. Andrew L. Garrett, 39, of Edwardsville, 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 Wood River Police Department. According to court documents, on May 25 Garrett allegedly had a reported stolen Glock 17T Simunition pistol issued by the Freeburg Police Department. The pistol is a training weapon that fires color or plastic bullets and is not available to the general public. He has a 2011 conviction for aggravated battery to a peace officer out of Madison County, making him ineligible to possess weapons. Bail was set at $60,000. John B. Fontana, 42, of Troy, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Troy Police Department. According to court documents, on May 25 Fontana allegedly threw a large rock at a person 60 or older, causing bleeding. Bail was set at $50,000. Larry G. Buettner, 58, of Granite City, was charged with aggravated assault, reckless discharge of a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of weapons, all Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On May 25 Buettner allegedly fired a .40 caliber handgun into the air near another person and was illegally carrying the handgun. Bail was set at $50,000. EDWARDSVILLE Two out-of-state people were charged with methamphetamine trafficking Thursday after investigations by the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois. Lucious M. Hutchins, 43, of Jonesville, Louisiana, was charged May 26 with methamphetamine trafficking and unlawful possession of methamphetamine, both Class X felonies. According to court documents, on May 25 Hutchins allegedly had more than 100 grams of methamphetamine and had crossed state lines to purchase the drugs, traveling to California and then returning to Illinois. Bail was set at $100,000. Dustin K. Bowman, 29, of Florissant, Missouri, was charged with methamphetamine trafficking and unlawful possession of methamphetamine, both Class 1 felonies. According to court documents, on May 25 Bowman allegedly had more than 15 grams of methamphetamine and had crossed state lines from St. Louis to Illinois, bringing the methamphetamine back with him. Bail was set at $150,000. Other felony charges filed May 26 include: Anita M. Williams, 32, of Collinsville, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Glen Carbon Police Department. According to court documents, on May 26 Williams allegedly was driving a 2002 Ford Escape while under the influence of alcohol, and her license had been revoked or suspended for the violation of a similar statute. Bail was set at $15,000. Terrence A. Phillips, 55, of Alton, was charged with theft under $500 (second subsequent offense), a class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on April 29 Phillips allegedly took a package valued at less than $500 from another person. He has a prior conviction for retail theft out of Madison County on March 3. Bail was set at $30,000. Ciera N. Robinson, 21, of Alton, was charged with aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, a Class 4 felony. The cash was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on May 25 Robinson allegedly was driving a 2009 Chevrolet when she attempted to flee from an Alton police officer, reaching speeds in excess of 21 miles above the posted speed limit. Bail was set at $50,000. WOOD RIVER Unemployment rose slightly in the Metro East in April, but remains well under 5 percent, while statewide unemployment dropped, according to the latest figures from the Illinois Department of Employment Security and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The unemployment rate for the St. Louis MSA, includes Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties, was 4.3 percent, up from 4.1 percent in March, and still down from 5.2 percent in April 2021. In Madison County the rate increased to 4.1 percent from 3.9 percent in March. Statewide, the unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, down from 4.7 percent in March and 6.4 percent last year. Part of the reason for the local uptick may be people are returning to the labor market, said Tony Fuhrmann, director of Madison County Employment and Training. The positive side of that is the number of people employed went up in the St. Louis MSA, Fuhrmann said. That would indicate more people coming back into the labor market, which is a good thing. He said the number of workers increased by approximately 2,700 workers between March and April, to 237,300. Theres more people looking, and more people working, he said. Theres been no layoffs that were aware of. A couple point fluctuation between things is pretty normal, 2/10ths of a percent is just a little blip. In the St. Louis MSA, Madison, St. Clair, Macoupin, Calhoun, Clinton and Bond counties showed increases unemployment, with Madison at 4.1 percent, up from 3.9 percent in March. Jersey County showed a slight decrease to 3.6 percent, down from 3.7 percent in March. State officials continued to tout the downward trend over the past year, noting that unemployment rates have decreased in all 14 Illinois metropolitan areas in April. The continued positive trajectory of Illinois economy is encouraging, said Deputy Governor Andy Manar. IDES and the Pritzker Administration are committed to supporting businesses and job seekers as they innovate, grow, and connect all across Illinois. Illinois economy is continuing on a strong positive trajectory, Manar added. Through collaboration with local partners, employers, and job seekers, we are strengthening our workforce system for the long run. Businesses and workers are encouraged to visit Get Hired Illinois to view helpful resources today. Not only does the unemployment rate continue to decline in Illinois, but a growing percentage of Illinoisans are participating in the workforce, said DCEO Director Sylvia I. Garcia. As job numbers in key industries such as manufacturing and hospitality continue to increase, DCEO continues to focus on an equitable recovery with workforce development programs like the Job Training and Economic Development program, announced this week, that focuses on increasing access for underserved and underrepresented communities to good paying careers. Fuhrmann noted there are still labor shortages. It doesnt matter what sector youre talking about, they are short of workers, he said Were still seeing a lot of people switch jobs. It is still a strong, strong market for job seekers. MCET offers services ranging from job postings and help with resumes or job searches, to paying for up to two years of training for high-value jobs. For information about employment and workforce training opportunities, call 618-296-4301, visit the Madison County website at https://www.co.madison.il.us/ or visit the departments Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MCETD. When this Baby Boomer was a child, many older people still referred to Memorial Day as Decoration Day. Why? Because it was a day for decorating with flowers the graves of those who lost their lives while serving in the armed forces. The popularization of the term Decoration Day can be traced to General Order No. 11, which was issued on May 5, 1868 by Illinois-born John A. Logan in his capacity as national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. Logans order stated, The 30th day of May, 1868 is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land. Logan commanded the Union veterans who belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic to "guard their graves with sacred vigilance. Robert Ingersoll, the Great Agnostic whose public lectures alternately delighted and scandalized audiences across America, raised the 11th Illinois Cavalry in 1861 and served as its colonel. In a Decoration Day address delivered in 1882, Ingersoll told his audience, This day is sacred to our Union dead. As I pointed out in my book Abolitionism and the Civil War in Southwestern Illinois, abolitionists were often reviled in late-nineteenth century America because many of their fellow citizens blamed them for instigating the Civil War by their uncompromising opposition to slavery. Ingersoll, however, would have none of that! Today we reverently thank the abolitionists, he said. The abolitionists were heroes. He loves his country best who strives to make it best. The Union armies fought to realize the abolitionists vision. Let us proudly remember that in our time the greatest, the grandest, the noblest army of the world fought, not to enslave, but to free, Ingersoll told his audience. In a Decoration Day address delivered in 1888, Ingersoll stated that the Union men were heroes who fought to make our Nation just and free and did away with that ignorant and cruel prejudice that human rights depend on race or color." Again, he praised the abolitionists who were imprisoned for pointing out in heaven's dome the Northern Star for giving food to the hungry, water to the parched lips of thirst, shelter to the hunted, succor to the oppressed. Ingersoll wasn't exaggerating. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 mandated six months imprisonment for anyone who offered shelter, food or clothing to a fugitive slave as well as a $1,000 fine. Ingersoll was a loyal Republican who often made speeches in support of GOP candidates. Todays Republicans who so revere our nations founding fathers will be horrified by this section of Ingersolls address. For many years we insisted that our fathers had founded a free government, that they were the lovers of liberty, believers in equal rights, he told the audience. We were mistaken. The colonists did not believe in the freedom of today. Their laws were filled with intolerance, with slavery and the infamous spirit of caste. They persecuted and enslaved. Ingersoll saw nothing sacred in our nations original Constitution because it legalized slavery and Congress passed laws making it the duty of free men to prevent others from becoming free. The men who served in the Union army and navy gave us a nation a republic without a slave a republic that is sovereign, as well as a Constitution for all one that can be read without shame and defended without dishonor. Ingersoll was referring to the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments to the Constitution, which abolished slavery and attempted to secure certain rights for the freed slaves. The fallen Union men we honor on Decoration Day died for libertythey died for us, Ingersoll said. They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines. The graves of the Union dead are rarely decorated now. But the passing of time will never diminish the courage and sacrifice of these men who helped to destroy slavery. CAYLA BEVERLY, Stonington, Softball, Senior; Beverly was named the MVP of the ECC Division II tournament. Beverly pitched a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts as the Bears shut out St. Bernard for the title. MADDIE PERKINS, Wheeler, Softball, Senior; Perkins was 4 for 5 with a double, a triple and five RBIs in a win over Putnam. Perkins is hitting .535 for the season with nine doubles and 31 RBIs. JAKE SERRA, Westerly, Track, Senior; Serra established a school record in the 800 meters at the Bishop Hendricken Invitational. Serra turned in a time of 1:56.02, good for fifth place. Andrew Springer held the previous record of 1:56.26. ELI SPOSATO, Chariho, Boys Track, Sophomore; Sposato broke the school record in the 400 meters at the Bishop Hendricken Invitational Sposato finished second in 50.79. Joe DiPalma set the previous record of 50.83 in 2013. Vote View Results The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's speech on policy toward China spread false information, exaggerated the "China threat," interfered in China's internal affairs and smeared China's domestic and foreign policies. China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the speech, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a press briefing. "Secretary Blinken said that the U.S. would not seek conflict or a 'new cold war' with China and would like to live in peace with China, we will wait and see," the spokesperson added. Since the interests of all countries are closely linked now, the U.S. cannot solve its own problems by advocating the "threat posed by China". Instead, it will lead the world into a dangerous abyss, Wang said. Noting that the U.S. claims that China is the most serious long-term challenge to the international order, Wang said that as a staunch defender of the international order, China has always maintained that all countries should firmly uphold the international system with the UN at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. When talking about human rights and democracy, Wang said that facts have proven time and again, the U.S. is in no position to be a human rights defender, still less a condescending lecturer. The paths of democracy and human rights, values shared by all human beings, should be explored in light of each nations' conditions and the needs of their people, he said. Wang then pointed out that China believes that relationships between each country should be based on equal treatment, mutual consultation and mutual understanding and the future of the world should be jointly controlled by all countries. The "Indo-Pacific Strategy" launched by the U.S. is a typical form of gang-building, which is doomed to failure. Advocating and practicing the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, China is committed to establishing and developing friendly relations and cooperation with all countries. The United States, the inventor and synonym of "coercive diplomacy", is used to bullying and inflicting great harm on the international community. It is high time that America changed its old habit, the spokesperson said. Issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet are China's internal affairs. We urge the U.S. side to abide by the basic norms governing international relations and not to underestimate the firm will of the Chinese people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Wang reiterated. To get the bilateral relations out of the current predicament, the key lying in the U.S. side is ceasing its zero-sum competition and stopping words and deeds that undermine the China-U.S. relations, Wang said. Considering that the China-U.S. relations are at an important crossroads, the U.S. should bear in mind the common interests of the people of the two countries, which can help make a right choice, Wang said. Shares in London's biggest electricity firms sank yesterday amid fresh fears they could be the next target of Rishi Sunak's windfall tax. The Chancellor has unveiled a 25 per cent levy on oil and gas company profits to fund support for households being squeezed by the cost-of-living crisis. These firms have raked in bumper profits over the last year as the emergence of the economy from the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine caused prices of oil and gas to soar. But Sunak also hinted that his windfall tax could be extended to electricity companies, which have also seen profits boom as a result of the surge in bills. It is thought the Chancellor could announce an expansion of the tax within the next month. The Treasury declined to comment on any timeline. Fears of fresh levies sent shares in London-listed electricity generators into retreat, with SSE slipping 1.6 per cent, or 29p, to 1752.5p and British Gas owner Centrica down 2.4 per cent, or 1.9p, at 77.24p. Both companies own gas-fired electricity plants across the UK. Meanwhile, Drax, a FTSE 250 firm which owns a large power station near Selby in North Yorkshire, also dropped by 4.2 per cent, or 28.5p, to 656p. On Thursday, the Chancellor said the Government was 'consulting with the power generation sector' and 'evaluating the scale of these extraordinary profits' before deciding what to do. The comments were seen as a heavy hint that generation companies could soon find themselves being hit with a windfall tax. Speculation intensified after Sunak refused to rule out further relief for household fuel bills in media interviews. But some have warned such a move risked investment in the UK's renewable energy sector at a critical time as the Government attempts to hit net zero emissions targets. Martin Young, senior analyst at Investec, said that introducing a windfall tax for the nation's electricity generators would be 'immensely complicated' and could leave the Government open to legal challenges. He added the risk of investing in the UK's energy market had 'undoubtedly' increased, meaning companies may be less willing to pour cash into British projects in the future. 'Is a windfall tax on generation, when you want to fully decarbonise your power sector by 2035, the right thing to be doing? Absolutely not. It's the wrong thing,' Young said. Fears a windfall tax could jeopardise investment in British energy followed comments from oil giant BP that it may rethink its plans to invest 18billion following Sunak's announcement this week. Meanwhile, SSE has been attempting to avoid getting hit with the new levy by unveiling plans to invest 24billion in renewable energy by 2030, double its previous target. Ministers must investigate how much UK property and other assets are owned by Chinese officials complicit in human rights abuses, MPs have urged. In a letter to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, a group of 110 politicians called for an audit of UK assets of Hong Kong and Chinese officials. Concern: In a letter to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, a group of 110 politicians called for an audit of UK assets of Hong Kong and Chinese officials The group, led by Labour's Siobhain McDonagh, Tory chair of the foreign affairs committee Tom Tugendhat and former Tory party leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, said 'targeted sanctions' could then be brought in. Duncan Smith said Truss should learn from the united response to the invasion of Ukraine. He said an audit 'would serve as a pathway to the UK finally introducing a Hong Kong-specific Magnitsky-style sanctions list against those responsible for the ongoing human rights violations in the city.' It follows a report by UK-based Hong Kong Watch, which found five Hong Kong officials and six lawmakers involved in the free speech crackdown own UK properties. Kingsport, TN (37660) Today Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to cloudy skies after midnight. Low 63F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Gambias government on Wednesday said it accepted a recommendation by a truth and reconciliation commission that exiled former president Yahya Jammeh be prosecuted for killings and other suspected crimes from his time in office. Attorney General Dawda Jallow said a special prosecutor would oversee cases of abuses found from Jammehs 1994 to 2017 rule, which were laid out in the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commissions (TRRC) report last year. The independent commission said Jammeh and his henchmen were responsible for 44 specific crimes against journalists, former soldiers, political opponents and civilians, including killings and rapes. Jammeh seized power of the tiny West African nation in a 1994 coup. He was forced out after losing a 2016 election to the current president, Adama Barrow, and fled to Equatorial Guinea. He has denied allegations of wrongdoing. Marking the publication of the governments official response to the TRRC report, Jallow said implementation of its recommendations must include clear timelines and measurable outcomes. What I can say for certain is that former President Jammeh will face justice, he said. But Jallow declined to immediately lay out a timeline. Victims groups have complained about how slow progress toward eventual prosecutions has been. After so many years of waiting for justice or any form of step taken, we congratulate the TRRC and the government for this initiative, said Amie Sillah, whose father, a prominent lawyer, survived an assassination attempt ordered by Jammeh, according to the TRRC. All we need right now is implementation. For Jammeh to face trial, Equatorial Guinea would have to agree to extradite Jammeh. Two-thirds of Gambias parliament would also have to approve a prosecution. The TRRC report recommended either prosecutions or amnesties for additional officials. The government said it accepted a recommendation that former vice president Isatou Njie Saidy be prosecuted but rejected one that Jammehs number 2 during the 1994 putsch receive amnesty. SOURCE: REUTERS Heavy fighting raged in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday between the army and M23 rebels, who are waging their most sustained offensive since a 2012-2013 insurrection that briefly overran the major city of Goma. The army recaptured its base in Rumangabo from the M23 but the rebels still appeared to control much of the surrounding area, said Emmanuel de Merode, director of the Virunga National Park, who is based in the town. There was also heavy fighting overnight near the town of Kibumba, about 20 km (12 miles) northeast of Goma near the border with Rwanda, de Merode added. An imam there said the town fell to the M23 on Wednesday. Spokesmen for Congos army could not be immediately reached for comment. M23 spokesman Willy Ngoma told Reuters that the rebels had routed the army and allied militias, which he said had started hostilities. Ngoma said the M23 was now satisfied, but when asked if the group might move on Goma, he added: The day that will be necessary for our defence, we will not hesitate. The M23 insurgency stems from the long fallout from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The groups leadership is from the Tutsi ethnic group and has justified its attacks by saying it is battling the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia founded by ethnic Hutus who fled Rwanda after participating in the genocide. In 2012, the M23 captured Goma, a city of more than 1 million people, before being chased out by Congolese and U.N. forces into Rwanda and Uganda the following year. Since then, M23 fighters, frustrated by the slow pace of a demobilisation process aimed at reintegrating them into civilian life if they lay down their weapons, have periodically returned from camps in those countries to stage attacks inside Congo. Late on Wednesday, Congos government renewed accusations that Rwanda, which is led by President Paul Kagame, a Tutsi, was backing the M23. Rwanda said it was not involved in what it described as an intra-Congolese conflict and in turn accused the Congolese army and FDLR fighters of shelling Rwandan territory on March 19 and May 23. SOURCE: REUTERS President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the West to stop playing around with Russia and impose tougher sanctions on it to end its senseless war in Ukraine, adding that his country would remain independent, the only question was at what price. Zelenskiys criticism of the West has mounted in recent days as the European Union moves slowly towards a possible Russian oil embargo and as thousands of Russian troops try to encircle the two eastern cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk. Three months into its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has abandoned its assault on the capital Kyiv and is trying to consolidate control of the industrial eastern Donbas region, where it has backed a separatist revolt since 2014. Western military analysts see the battle for Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk as a possible turning point in the war after a shift in momentum towards Russia following the surrender of Ukraines garrison in Mariupol last week. Ukraine will always be an independent state and it wont be broken. The only question is what price our people will have to pay for their freedom, and what price Russia will pay for this senseless war against us, Zelenskiy said in a late-night address on Thursday. The catastrophic unfolding events could be still stopped if the world treated the situation in Ukraine as if it were facing the same situation, if the powers that be did not play around with Russia but really pressed to end the war. Zelenskiy complained about disagreements within the EU on more sanctions against Russia and asked why some countries were being allowed to block the plan. The EU is discussing a sixth round of punitive measures, including an embargo on Russian oil imports. It requires unanimity but Hungary opposes the idea on the grounds that its economy would suffer too much. Hungary needs 3-1/2 to 4 years to shift away from Russian crude and make huge investments to adjust its economy and until there is a deal on all issues, it cannot back the EUs proposed oil embargo, a top Hungarian aide said. Zelenskiy said Russia was getting one billion euros a day from the 27-nation bloc for energy supplies. How many more weeks will the European Union try to agree on a sixth package? he asked. Pressure on Russia is literally a matter of saving lives. Every day of procrastination, weakness, various disputes or proposals to pacify the aggressor at the expense of the victim merely means more Ukrainians being killed. Zelenskiys comments mark the second day in a row that he has sharpened his criticism of the worlds approach to the war. On Wednesday, he savaged suggestions that Kyiv make concessions to bring peace, saying the idea smacked of attempts to appease Nazi Germany in 1938 An EU summit on May 30-31 could see divisions between members who want a hard line on Russia and those calling for a ceasefire. ADVANCING RUSSIANS Russian forces attacked from three sides to try to encircle Ukrainian forces in Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk on Thursday, Ukraines military said. If the two cities straddling the Siverskiy Donets river fall, nearly all of the Donbas province of Luhansk would be under Russian control. Russias Donbas advance has been backed by massive artillery bombardment. Ukraines military said 50 towns in the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces were shelled on Thursday. Luhansk governor Serhiy Gaidai said five civilians were killed in Sievierodonetsk in 24 hours. On Thursday, he said some 150 people were buried in a mass grave in one Lysychansk district as it was too dangerous for families to collect the bodies and bury them individually. Russia says it does not target civilians. The head of Ukraines armed forces, Valeriy Zaluzhny, called on Telegram for more Western arms, particularly weapons that will allow us to hit the enemy at a big distance. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov later warned that any supplies of weapons that could reach Russian territory would be a a serious step towards unacceptable escalation. DANGER OF ESCALATION Western countries led by the United States have provided Ukraine with long-range weaponry, including M777 howitzers and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, from Denmark. Washington is even considering providing Kyiv with a rocket system with a range of hundreds of kilometres, and has held discussions with Kyiv about the danger of escalation if it strikes deep inside Russia, U.S. and diplomatic officials told Reuters. We have concerns about escalation and yet still do not want to put geographic limits or tie their hands too much with the stuff were giving them, said one U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a special operation to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West say the fascist allegation is baseless and that the war is an unprovoked act of aggression. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia expected Ukraine to accept its demands in any peace talks. It wants Ukraine to recognise Russian sovereignty over the Crimea peninsula Moscow seized in 2014, and the independence of separatist-claimed territory. SOURCE: REUTERS Hey Jeremy, I saw an article about you and wanted to reach out to see if you can help me. This is something I hear all the time, and its because of the fact that I am consistently featured in numerous media outlets about public relations, which demonstrates to people that I'm an expert and can help them get featured too. In other words, I dont have to go chasing leads as much because people come to me. And the same will happen for you when you get featured in the media as an expert at whatever it is that you do. Despite you being an expert, it can be challenging to convince a journalist to feature you. Especially if you dont already have some solid media coverage to validate your expert status. The key is to send an effective pitch that cuts through the noise, gets them emotionally engaged, and positions you as an expert on the subject. Im going to break down exactly how to craft that kind of a pitch in this article. Related: Why Talking to Media Is a Crash Course on Pitching to Angel Investors 1. Build your media list Before you can send a pitch, youll need a list of relevant contacts in the media. I want to emphasize that this is not a numbers game. Sending a well-crafted pitch that's tailored to the right people is always going to yield better results than sending a massive volume of pitches to every email address you can get your hands on. So where can you find the right contacts to build a relevant media list? You could use powerful but expensive tools like Cision or Muck Rack to find contact information for journalists, but you dont really need to. Instead, you can simply visit the media outlets youd like to be featured in, find the journalists who cover topics relevant to you and your business, and then connect with them on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can pitch them directly via direct message on these platforms, but it's typically better to pitch them via email. (Once youre connected on LinkedIn, youll have their email address.) 2. Craft your subject line Your subject line is one of the most important parts of your pitch because its the first thing journalists will see, and it determines whether they will even open your email. In other words, the stakes are high here. But while your subject line is the first thing theyll see, its actually the last part you should write. Thats because it needs to clearly and concisely encapsulate the pitch itself in an engaging and intriguing manner to cut through the noise in their inbox. This is easier once youve already written the rest of your pitch because you then have something to base it on. Aim for a compelling subject line with seven to nine words, at forty to sixty characters. And always test your subject line to make sure it displays fully on mobile devices. So how do we craft a compelling subject line that cuts through the noise and gets their attention? A few ways you can do that include: Incorporating relevant current events Using a startling statistic Hinting at a unique solution to a common problem For example, when the Russia/Ukraine conflict started, cyber attacks by Russia against US targets increased dramatically. I was able to secure several media features for a client in the cyber security industry with the following subject line: DoD warns of increased cyber attacks against US businesses It was effective because it was concise, intriguing and was connected to a topic that everyone was already talking about. Related: Email Subject Lines Can Really Suck. Here's How to Make Yours Better. 3. Create a compelling intro This is going to sound counterintuitive, but you should not try to be overly friendly in your intro because its disingenuous, inauthentic, and frankly, everyone can see right through it. Every journalist already gets a ton of pitches that start by trying to butter them up with vague, empty compliments, followed by the real reason for the email. That is a terrible approach that wastes their time and yours. You know the kind of intro Im talking about Hi Mary, I hope youre having an awesome day! I just wanted to say that I love your work. Youre a great writer and XYZ Magazine is lucky to have you one its staff! You have just a second or two to hook them emotionally, so make it count. Some examples of compelling intros could include: Over 26% of employed adults have substance abuse or addiction in their families, and over 42% of these employees felt their productivity suffer as a result, hurting every business in America. February uptick in early-stage delinquencies drives first increase in past-due mortgages in nine months, which will lead to increased foreclosures and decreased property values. Global cybercrime costs are expected to grow by 15% per year over the next five years, reaching $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, and small businesses bear the brunt of this growing threat. 4. Write the body of your pitch This is where we start to get into the details of your story. If the journalist is still reading at this point, they are interested in what you have to say, so its up to you to keep them interested with the pitch itself. Identify the problem and its impact on their audience Most stories in the media are based on some form of conflicta problem that affects their audience in some significant way. You should plainly and honestly state the problem and explain exactly how it impacts their audience. And avoid technical jargon unless youre pitching a trade publication in your own industry. Your pitch has to resonate with the audience, and in most cases, the audience doesnt have the same knowledge you do. Thats why they come to you in the first place, right? So keep it simple and clear. Will the problem put their company at a legal risk? Will it block them from a particular opportunity? Will it cost them money? A few brief sentences, or better yet, a few bullet points works best here. Statistics and quantifiable data are incredibly powerful here. Briefly introduce yourself and outline your area of expertise This should be a simple one sentence statement that highlights your expertise, and more importantly your relevance to the topic. Here are a few examples Ive used for some of my clients: David Bell is a workplace safety expert and runs the national drug testing company, USA Mobile Drug Testing. Nicole Espinosa is known in the real estate industry as The Short Sale Queen, and is a recognized as the authority on short sales. Rick Jordan is a cybersecurity expert with extensive training from within the industry as well as from the CIA and NSA. Explain your unique solution to the problem Ive talked a lot about the importance of not just being better, but being different. Thats especially important when it comes to pitching because you absolutely need to stand out. Otherwise, journalists will just cite the already well-recognized experts instead of you. So you need to highlight how you do things differently and why your approach is better for their audience. For example, if I was to pitch a story to the media about Uber before it had become a household name, I might explain the companys unique solution as such: Instead of calling a taxi company, giving them your address and your destination, and then waiting for a cab to eventually drive out and pick you up, Uber enables you to hail a cab with just a few clicks on your smartphone. Within seconds, youll know exactly who is coming to pick you up, and theyll be guided to your location via GPS, and you can communicate directly with the driver through the app to make the process smoother and easier. 5. Close with a call to action Ive seen a lot of great pitches fail because there was no call to action. Its crazy to think that an amazing pitch would fall flat because youre not directly asking a journalist to take the next step, but this is the reality of the situation. And for what its worth, this doesnt just apply to journalists. Its a well-known psychological phenomenon. People typically wont take action until directly asked to do so. So we need to make sure we do that. But this requires a delicate balancing act. If you word it too far in one direction, it comes off as needy and desperate, and if you word it too far in the other direction, it comes off as demanding and entitled. Like Goldilocks, you need to find that sweet spot somewhere in the middle. Personally, I like taking a confident, somewhat insouciant tone. Both because thats how I feel, and because it generally produces the best results. If this sounds like a story youre interested in covering, email or call me directly at 813-867-5309. Simple and direct. And it demonstrates that while youd like them to feature you, youre not desperate for it. The latter is especially important because desperation can turn a journalist off of a story they otherwise might cover. Related: 11 Call to Action Hacks to Boost Clicks and Conversion Copyright 2022 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved ALBANY - The new Wolfspeed computer chip factory has been a huge success for New York and the Mohawk Valley, so it is understandable that officials in the Utica area where the facility is located are worried about the future of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, which has a campus both there and in Albany. Gov. Kathy Hochul has been pushing for SUNY Poly's Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering to be reabsorbed by the University at Albany where it was originally created by Alain Kaloyeros, the founder of Albany Nanotech. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. and others wrote a letter to Hochul asking to have a previously requested meeting to talk about the future of SUNY Poly and its relationship with Wolfspeed. "Wolfspeed is our future," the letter states. "Its a connection on which every family in Oneida County depends." CNSE, as the colleges are known, educated students in the semiconductor industry, especially for engineering and nanoscience jobs such as those in the computer chip industry. Wolfspeed makes chips that regulate electricity in electronic devices such as electric cars and airplanes. As it established its new $500 million factory next to the SUNY Poly campus in Oneida County, the company relied heavily on SUNY Poly and CNSE and Albany Nanotech to develop its process, the most advanced in the red-hot industry. Before he was found guilty of wire fraud in a federal bid-rigging case that led to his fall from grace, Kaloyeros had taken CNSE out of UAlbany and wrapped it into SUNY IT outside of Utica. He renamed the schools SUNY Poly, with campuses in both Utica and Albany. Albany Nanotech, where SUNY Poly has its local campus, is trying to land a federal computer chip research center that could bring tens of billions of dollars in government and private investment to the state and the Capital Region. Hochul has pitched the idea that having CNSE back within UAlbany will help attract the federal lab and will be better for UAlbany, one of the state's major research universities. Wolfspeed's project has been so successful that the state has already reimbursed the company for a portion of the $500 million the company spent on the factory. The state had previously awarded Wolfspeed $500 million in performance-based grants to locate in New York. In its most recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company says it has already received $94.2 million in cash from the state as part of the grant agreement. Wolfspeed also has funded two professor positions at SUNY Poly. State officials have said in the past that SUNY Poly's and CNSE's relationship with Wolfspeed will not change regardless of where CNSE is located in the end. That's because most of the students that have done internships with Wolfspeed and obtained jobs there were SUNY Poly students in Utica, and that relationship won't change. Wolfspeed's early ramp-up activities took place in Albany, at Albany Nanotech, and so that connection will remain as well. Wolfspeeds Mohawk Valley fab is a big success," said Kristin Devoe, a spokeswoman for Empire State Development, the state's economic development industry. "The reimbursement process is on track and we look forward to Wolfspeeds prosperity and its continued investment in the region." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Moscow pressed the West on Thursday to lift sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, seeking to shift the blame for a growing food crisis that has been worsened by Kyivs inability to ship millions of tons of grain and other agricultural products while under attack. Britain immediately accused Russia of trying to hold the world to ransom, insisting there would be no sanctions relief, and a top U.S. diplomat blasted the "sheer barbarity, sadistic cruelty and lawlessness of the invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that Moscow 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," according to a Kremlin readout of the call. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but the war and a Russian blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering world food supplies. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Russia also is a significant grain exporter, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said the West must cancel the unlawful decisions that hamper chartering ships and exporting grain. His comments appeared to be an effort to lump the blockade of Ukrainian exports with what Russia says are its difficulties in moving its own goods. Western officials have dismissed those claims. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted last week that food, fertilizer and seeds are exempt from sanctions imposed by the U.S. and many others and that Washington is working to ensure countries know the flow of those goods should not be affected. With the war grinding into its fourth month, world leaders have ramped up calls for solutions. World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said about 25 million tons of Ukrainian grain is in storage and another 25 million tons could be harvested next month. European countries have tried to ease the crisis by moving grain out of the country by rail but trains can carry only a small fraction of what Ukraine produces, and ships are needed for the bulk of the exports. At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry proposed corridors to allow foreign ships to leave ports along the Black Sea, as well as Mariupol on the Sea of Azov. Mikhail Mizintsev, who heads Russias National Defense Control Center, said 70 foreign vessels from 16 countries were in six ports on the Black Sea, including Odesa, Kherson and Mykolaiv. He did not specify how many might be ready to carry food. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country was ready to agree on safe corridors in principle, but it was not sure it could trust Russia to allow safe passage and not send its military vessels sneaking into the harbor to attack Odesa. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Putin was trying to hold the world to ransom by demanding some sanctions be lifted before allowing Ukrainian grain shipments to resume. Hes essentially weaponized hunger and lack of food among the poorest people around the world, Truss said on a visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. "What we cannot have is any lifting of sanctions, any appeasement, which will simply make Putin stronger in the longer term. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for imposing even tougher sanctions on Russia, including for the European Union to ban Russian oil and gas. Pressuring Russia is literally a matter of saving lives, he said in his nightly video address. And every day of delay, weakness, various disputes or proposals to appease the aggressor at the expense of the victim is new Ukrainians killed. And these are new threats to everyone on our continent. Putin said its impossible, utterly unrealistic in the modern world to isolate Russia. Speaking via video to members of the Eurasian Economic Forum, which is comprised of several ex-Soviet nations, he said those who try would primarily hurt themselves, citing broken food supply chains. Michael Carpenter, the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, urged its members to provide Ukraine with what it needs to defend itself against Putins revanchist delusions. If Russia achieved success in Ukraine, there would be more horrific reports from filtration camps, more forcibly displaced people, more summary executions, more torture, more rape, and more looting, Carpenter said in Vienna. On the battlefield, Russian forces pressed their offensive in several parts of the eastern Donbas region, Ukraine's military said. That industrial heartland of coal mines and factories is now the focus of fighting after Russia suffered a series of setbacks and shifted to more limited goals. The enemy is storming the position of our troops simultaneously in several directions, said Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar. We have an extremely difficult and long stage of fighting ahead of us. Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, also came under renewed shelling on Thursday. Zelenskyy said at least nine people were killed and 19 wounded. Among those killed were a five-month-old baby and its father, and the mother was in serious condition. Military officials said Russian forces continued to try to gain a foothold in the area of Sievierodonetsk, the only part of the Luhansk region in the Donbas under Ukrainian government control. A senior U.S. defense official said Russia is making incremental progress in the Donbas, with fighting centered on towns and villages as Russian and Ukrainian forces trade control over scraps of land. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the U.S. military assessment, said those smaller artillery duels could be prolonged. Russia has 110 battalion tactical groups, each with 800 to 1,000 troops, committed to Ukraine, amounting to 80% of Moscow's total force, the official said, adding that it has lost 1,000 tanks and three dozen fighter jets and other fixed-wing aircraft. Zelenskyy pleaded with the West to send multiple launch rocket systems to Ukraine as soon as possible to give it a fighting chance against the Russian offensive in the Donbas. In other developments: In the northwestern town of Kotelva, two Russian soldiers accused of war crimes pleaded guilty to shelling civilian infrastructure with a multiple rocket launcher. Alexander Ivanov and Alexander Bobykin could face up to 12 years in prison; the defense asked for eight, saying they were following orders. Bobykin said, "I regret the actions our troops committed. In the ravaged port city of Mariupol, Russia began broadcasting state television news, about a week after the Russian military declared it had completely liberated the city. A leader of Russia-backed separatists suggested there might be more Ukrainian fighters hiding in Mariupol's sprawling Azovstal steelworks, which for weeks stood as the city's last bastion of resistance. The Russian military says 2,439 fighters surrendered from the plant last week. The separatist leader, Denis Pushilin, said more may have been hiding or lost or lagged behind, adding there are already those that have been found and captured. Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Russian ally Belarus, said he was sending troops to the border with Ukraine, raising the possibility that he may agree to wider participation in the war. Belarus allowed Russian troops to invade Ukraine from its soil but has not taken part in ground operations. The Pentagon said one American military officer has gone back to Ukraine as the U.S. reopens its embassy in Kyiv. But Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the colonel is there for diplomatic work, and no other U.S. troops are going into Ukraine at this point. ___ Becatoros reported from Kramatorsk, Ukraine. Associated Press writers Andre Rosa in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ALBANY A federal jury on Thursday returned a $3.25 million verdict in favor of two former State Police members who had filed a lawsuit alleging they were unfairly targeted in an evidence-handling scandal that derailed their careers after the agency accused them of lying about cocaine and marijuana that had been lost or stolen from a Westchester County barracks. The verdict was a stinging rebuke of the State Polices internal investigation that led Trooper Seamus A. Lyons to resign or be terminated and longtime Investigator Noel N.J. Nelson to retire rather than face a disciplinary hearing that he had feared would be a kangaroo court. The jury, which heard from 15 witnesses during the federal civil rights trial in White Plains, awarded Lyons $2 million and Nelson $1.25 million for economic and emotional losses. The jury also awarded each man $5,000 in punitive damages against former State Police Superintendent Joseph DAmico, who had accused them both of lying about delivering the drug evidence to a Troop K barracks that had been plagued with problems including drugs stolen from an evidence locker. Lyons, who was a uniformed trooper for more than 12 years, and Nelson, who was an investigator for 27 years, claimed the agency violated their civil rights by unduly retaliating against them; Nelson, who is Black, also had filed a racial discrimination claim. Lyons, who went on to work for the Rockland County Sheriffs Office, said the agency sought to make him a fall guy and destroyed his State Police career. All because I spoke the truth and provided true testimony regarding Investigator Noel Nelson and the mistreatment of him as member of the New York State Police, Lyons told the Times Union after the verdict. Today seems like a lifetime ago for me and I do in a sense feel vindicated. The Division of State Police, DAmico, attempted to break me down, destroy my character, question my integrity, force me out, and turned my personal life upside down. I was honored to work for the men and women in the New York State Police that did the job and still to this day have a great working relationship with them, he continued. It is important for the public to know that the upper echelon in the State Police isnt above the law and we as a paramilitary agency should never be policed by politics. I strongly feel politics played a major role in this entire investigation. Nelson told the Times Union that for the last 11 years we've tried to tell the story truthfully and convincingly to anyone who would listen and hoped they believed in us, knowing very well that it sounded too crazy to have occurred, never mind believed. But it was all true. I was fortunate enough to be supported by a guy who shared the same sense of morality, values, integrity and the love for our amazing profession, Seamus Lyons, he continued. We are forever grateful to this jury for listening carefully, sorting out the continued lies by the Division of State Police and the attorney generals office and ultimately believing in us. ... My only regret is that we will never be able to finish our incredible careers the way we intended. State Police spokesman Beau Duffy declined to comment. Neither Lyons nor Nelson worked at the Troop K barracks in Hawthorne at the time the missing evidence problems arose. The disciplinary charges filed against the two men accused them of lying to internal affairs investigators about their delivery of cocaine and marijuana evidence from a Newburgh laboratory to the Hawthorne evidence locker in July 2010. Their lawsuit stated that Nelson secured the drug evidence in a locker in front of several State Police investigators, signed a log book documenting the transfer and left. Lyons and Nelson were not accused of taking the drug evidence, which was never found. But State Police alleged they made inconsistent statements about making two stops on their delivery mission one to interview a grand larceny suspect and a second stop at a pie stand. Their attorney previously said the State Police punished them for failing to remember the details of an assignment that had taken place 14 months before they were first interviewed by internal affairs investigators. Nelson subsequently retired from the agency rather than face an internal hearing. Lyons resigned in May 2013, when he was given a choice to leave the State Police or be terminated, which had been D'Amico's recommendation. An attorney for the State Police later denied that the agency had confronted Lyons with a termination letter as part of its offer for him to resign or be fired. But Lyons had taken a photograph of the letter when he was left alone in the room briefly to consider the offer; his attorney later produced a copy of that photograph in a court proceeding. The internal affairs investigation that began in March 2011 was prompted by the discovery of other missing drugs from the Hawthorne barracks evidence locker 98 oxycodone pills. Attorneys for Nelson and Lyons asserted that Robert C. Bennett, a former senior investigator who had been suspected of stealing a laptop computer as well as the oxycodone, was also responsible for the missing cocaine and marijuana and should have been the target. Bennett abruptly retired in August 2011 as an investigation of his actions was unfolding. His wife, a nurse, was subsequently arrested on charges of forging dozens of prescriptions for painkillers in a related investigation. She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. During that investigation, police discovered that eight doctors had allegedly prescribed Robert Bennett controlled substances during the prior year and that several of those doctors had no record of signing the prescriptions. Bennett's wife worked for the medical group where several unauthorized prescriptions originated. "In light of his wife's addiction and his own, the State Police had a reasonable basis to conclude that Senior Investigator Bennett, who had access to proscribed substances, was responsible for the narcotics missing from (State Police) Hawthorne's evidence vault," the federal complaint stated. Lyons, who worked out of the Tarrytown barracks with Nelson, was initially interviewed several times during the internal investigation but was told that he was only a witness. The investigators had sought to have him give a statement implicating Nelson for the missing cocaine and marijuana, but Lyons refused to do so, according to court filings. Both men later filed complaints with the state Division of Human Rights alleging they were singled out and wrongly implicated in the disappearance of the drugs. Nelson alleged that he was targeted, in part, because he is Black and that he was transferred to the Hawthorne station, where he was given less overtime. His attorney had sought a nominal settlement with the State Police but also wanted Nelson to receive his retirement I.D. credentials that State Police members consider important when their careers end. But the state declined to settle his human rights complaint or to provide him with his retirement credentials. Bennett was also refused his retirement credentials. Nelson, Lyons and D'Amico, a former New York Police Department deputy chief who resigned abruptly from the State Police in 2016, were among the witnesses who testified during the civil trial. The lawsuit also delved into the question of whether a top aide to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered the recusal of an administrative law judge as the urging of State Police officials in 2014, when the matter was before the Division of Human Rights. That intervention by Alphonso David, who was then the general counsel to Cuomo, took place without anyone notifying Nelson's attorney a required step. A Times Union investigation in 2014 first exposed significant amounts of evidence including cocaine, marijuana and prescription painkillers were lost or stolen at the Hawthorne barracks. That reporting also showed that State Police supervisors were never punished, and some were promoted, despite years of severe mismanagement at the Troop K barracks. Lori Van Buren/Times Union RENSSELAER The misdemeanor criminal case against Rodney G. Wiltshire, a former Troy City Council president and mayoral candidate, has been resolved and sealed, prosecutors and defense attorneys said Thursday. Wiltshire, 47, was charged with choking his wife, throwing her on the bed and holding her down, according to documents originally filed in Troy City Court. RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) An eastern Indiana man convicted of fatally shooting a neighbor while the property line between their homes was being surveyed faces a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the victims mother. The lawsuit filed last week in Wayne County against Billy Wilson Sr., 78, seeks wrongful death compensation thats commensurate with her injuries and damages and legal costs. ALBANY Backed by sworn statements, including one from the woman he was convicted of sexually brutalizing, an Albany man who has served two decades in prison contends city police failed to disclose a sex tape that could have exonerated him and intimidated a potential alibi witness into silence. Mohammed X. Poquee, 47, wants a judge to overturn his convictions for the multiday sexual abuse of the woman in a home on St. Joseph's Terrace in Arbor Hill in late April and early May of 2000. Jurors found Poquee guilty of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and second-degree assault; he is serving a 32-year sentence in Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Washington County. In a motion filed this month in Albany County Court, Poquee's new attorney, Trevor Hannigan, highlighted evidence uncovered over the past eight months. It includes sworn statements from Poquee as well as would-be alibi witness Melissa Aiezza-Carpinello; Poquee's former trial attorney John Wheldon; and the woman Poquee was convicted of raping and sodomizing 22 years ago. "I believe that the defendant should be released," his accuser says in her statement. She does not, however, say that Poquee was innocent of the attack. In 2000, Poquee claimed he was with a woman named "Tasha" during part of the time in which his victim alleged he had been holding her hostage in her home. No woman with that name testified at his trial. The Albany County prosecutor, D.J. Rosenbaum, said she did not believe the woman existed and asked the judge for a "missing witness" charge to the jury that would have cast doubt on the defense claim. Carpinello, a longtime Albany County public defender, states in the recent court filing that she was with Poquee on one of the nights when he was allegedly committing the crimes. The sex tape, which had been made the year before the charges against Poquee, is proof of their relationship. Carpinello who told the Times Union she wanted to be named in this story said she only learned of what happened to the tape when she communicated with Poquee's accuser in March. In her statement included in the motion, Poquee's accuser says she went to the police department's South Station in May 2000 and disclosed the existence of the tape because she believed one of the women depicted on it worked as an attorney in City Court. "The police kept the videotape. I never received the tape back," the accuser states. She then told police that Poquee had committed sexual violence against her. Hannigan contends the tape was buried. "Police took the tape, watched it, and never disclosed it to the defense or the defendant," the attorney states in the motion. "The victim providing a sex tape to the police the day she accused the defendant of rape and sodomy would have been information that would have been material to the defense." Such evidence is known as "Brady material," and prosecutors are required to disclose it to the defense prior to a case coming to trial. "The defendant could not have had a credible defense without the testimony of his real other girlfriend," Hannigan said, referring to Carpinello. Carpinello said she could have given Poquee a "credible alibi" but was "unable to testify at his trial because I was so terrified of the Albany Police Department and their campaign against me." "The Albany Police Department terrorized me for years solely because they didnt like who I dated," Carpinello told the Times Union. "People should know what they did and its time for me to tell it. There are people sitting in prison that shouldnt be there because of the misconduct of Albany police officers. I cant stay quiet about it anymore. Hannigan, Poquee and Carpinello directed the blame at two city detectives: Kenneth Wilcox, who died in a car crash in 2006, and Anthony Ryan, who retired as a commander in 2013. In yet another twist in the story, Carpinello's statement in the filing reveals that she also had a sexual relationship with Wilcox; she claims the detective said her career would be ruined if she did not stop seeing Poquee. Hannigan contends Wilcox and Ryan harassed Poquee to get him to supply information about the still-unsolved murder of Okema Curtis, a government witness shot to death while playing darts in a North Swan Street bar on Jan. 2, 1999. The two detectives "made it clear that if he failed to cooperate he would go 'away for a long time,'" Hannigan states in the motion. "The defendant never cooperated." In a statement to the Times Union, Ryan said, "Since a motion has been filed in court, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on anything specific to that motion. However, I have absolutely no concerns and would gladly testify in court about all of the investigative steps that were taken to try and solve the murder of Okema Curtis." Poquee claims Wilcox and Ryan knew about his relationship with Carpinello, and that Wilcox grilled him about it during an interrogation and "hit me several times" while Ryan or another officer were in the room. 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 Poquee said he did not disclose his relationship with Carpinello to his own defense lawyer because Poquee knew she was being harassed by police. Hannigan said it was unclear if police disclosed the tape to the district attorney's office, then led by Sol Greenberg. The motion includes a 2017 Newsday article that reported Rosenbaum, the prosecutor who handled Poquee's case, had subsequently been fired as a Nassau County prosecutor for failing to disclose Brady material. "The tape was very significant and meaningful Brady material as it shows a motive of the complainant to falsify the allegations," Hannigan states, referring to the tape's revelation that Poquee had been in a relationship with Carpinello. He noted that the "entire defense was based on the fact that the complainant was jealous because of his infidelity, and she was seeking revenge by falsifying the allegations." Rosenbaum declined to comment Friday when reached by the Times Union. Officer Steve Smith, a spokesman for Albany police, also declined to comment. Darrell Camp, a spokesman for Albany County District Attorney David Soares, said: "In the interest of maintaining the integrity of legal proceedings, the Albany County district attorneys office is currently unable to comment on the substance of the motion, as it is a pending legal matter." Poquees trial attorney, Wheldon, said in his statement: "If (the tape) came from the victim and depicted Mr. Poquee engaged in sexual activity with another woman it would have been very important to substantiate his version of events and his defense, that the allegations were all lies coming from a 'woman scorned' who was seeking revenge." Wilcox and Ryan were at the time of Poquee's arrest widely respected investigators. Wilcox, however, was, after his death, implicated in a mortgage fraud scandal along with his former business partner, Aaron Dare. The Poquee case is not the first time questions have been raised about Wilcox's work as a detective. Two men the once-revered detective helped put away in the killing of a college student over two decades ago were exonerated and released from prison in 2016. The city of Albany last year agreed to pay $5.75 million to Carl H. Dukes, one of the two men wrongly convicted of killing Erik Mitchell in 1997. Dukes and Lavell Jones said they were coerced into confessing; another man, Jeffrey J. Conrad, told other Albany detectives that he killed Mitchell. Jones signed his written confession following two sleep-deprived days in custody during which he was interrogated by city detectives. Dukes signed his confession in a courthouse conference room where he was grilled by two detectives while his attorney waited outside, in part, under the belief they wanted to question his client about a robbery. In 1999, Wilcox came under scrutiny after he obtained a similar detailed murder confession from a 19-year-old Albany man accused of killing a drug dealer. The suspect, Kevin Cherry, stood trial for murder but a jury deadlocked on his innocence. On the eve of his second trial, Cherry was set free when two other men were identified as suspects after an eyewitness came forward. Hannigans motion is before Rensselaer County Judge Debra Young, who is handling the matter due to the obvious conflicts in Albany. Poquee's initial appeal was unsuccessful, as were his efforts to represent himself when he claimed that Wheldon was ineffective because he did not try to argue that Poquee had not been competent to stand trial. In 2018, Poquee argued that his trial attorney failed to inform him of a plea bargain he contends he would have accepted. State Supreme Court Justice Peter Lynch denied the motion after a hearing. SCHENECTADY The public spotlight is shining brightly on chemical engineer and inventor Robert Langer due to his role as a co-founder of Moderna, which played a key role in the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. But hes also a prolific inventor, with his patents licensed or sublicensed to over 400 pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology and medical device companies. Langer is the recipient of more than 220 major awards, including one of only three living individuals to have received both the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. The famed inventor and scientist will be at Union College on Wednesday to deliver a series of talks including one session thats open to the public. Ive always loved Albany, which is why I come back, said Langer, an Albany native whose father Robert graduated from Union College in 1936. He also ran a liquor store. If you go Robert Langer, a pioneer in the development of the mRNA vaccines used to help combat COVID-19, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 1, at Union College's Nott Memorial. His talk, "From Nanotechnology to mRNA Vaccines: How Overcoming Skepticism and Barriers Led to New Cancer Treatments and Ways to Tackle a Global Health Challenge," is free and open to the public. See More Collapse Langer is a pioneer in the development of the mRNA vaccines used to help combat COVID-19. Hes also considered to be founder of the field of tissue engineering in regenerative medicine and is the pioneer of hundreds of technologies, including controlled release and transdermal drug delivery systems, which allow the non-invasive administration of drugs through the skin. The technology is used in products like nicotine patches, or as injectable microparticles that can be used to treat opioid addiction, Langer told the Times Union in an interview. Langers path to prolific inventor and scientific rock star was initially rocky. After receiving his bachelors degree from Cornell University and his doctoral degree from MIT, both in chemical engineering, he found it difficult to find a job. Eventually, he landed a postdoctoral position conducting cancer research and started dabbling in the progenitor to transdermal drug delivery systems. Naysayers said to pass even the tiniest particles through molecules would be akin to people walking through a brick wall. Lander, 73, failed hundreds of times before inventing polymer capsules that could pass through protein and nucleic acid. Nobody had ever done that before" and some said it was impossible, Langer said. But when I [succeeded], everyone was super-skeptical of it. Hundreds of other patents followed. He currently serves as a David H. Koch Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and director of the Langer Lab. Langer co-founded the biotech firm Moderna in 2010 and played a key role in the development of its COVID-19 vaccine, which built off his previous research on drug delivery. Once the severity of the pandemic became clear, Langer's thoughts were simple: help humanity. After all, a core belief underpinning his research is that he wanted to help people live longer, happier lives, so [the advent of vaccines] is probably the most powerful example of how that can be done with science, period, Langer said. Now Modena and Pfizer are working on the next generation of COVID-19 vaccines, including those that address seemingly myriad variants. Hes also optimistic that researchers could develop two-in-one shots that, for instance, could also protect people against the flu at the same time. 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 man the Harvard Business Review dubbed The Edison of Medicine is also working on developing vaccines containing particles that could potentially burst internally at different times. The beauty of that is you can give a cocktail of vaccines, Langer said. Langer arrives at Union College courtesy of Carroll and Joanne Kehlbeck, professor and chair of chemistry, who were able to arrange the visit through a 2021 Jean Dreyfus Lectureship for Undergraduate Institutions awarded to the Chemistry Department. The award provides an $18,500 grant to bring a leading researcher in the chemical sciences to campus and to support the summer research of two undergrads. Langer will give three talks Wednesday, including tailored speeches to chemistry students and another to a more specialized academic audience. His talk, From Nanotechnology to mRNA Vaccines: How Overcoming Skepticism and Barriers Led to New Cancer Treatments and Ways to Tackle a Global Health Challenge, is free and open to the public. Those unable to attend in person can watch the talk via Zoom. I feel very privileged and honored to be able to come back, Langer said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday hes confident Turkeys objections to Finland and Sweden joining NATO can be overcome swiftly, possibly in time for a summit of alliance leaders at the end of next month. At a news conference in Washington with visiting Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Blinken said the U.S. has no reason to believe Turkeys concerns cannot be addressed. His comments came after Turkey's top diplomat said Finland and Sweden would have to take concrete steps before Ankara could support their membership. The United States fully supports Finland and Sweden joining the alliance and I continue to be confident that both will soon be NATO members, Blinken said. "We look forward to being able to call Finland and Sweden our allies." Haavisto said his country and Sweden had held good negotiations with the Turks over their concerns in recent days and said those discussions would continue with an eye toward resolving them before the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June. We agreed to continue to those talks, Haavisto said. We think that these problems can be solved that Turkey has been raising. We hope that some results could be achieved before the NATO summit. Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join NATO last week. The move represents one of the biggest geopolitical ramifications of Russias war in Ukraine and could rewrite Europes security map. The countries membership bids require support from all 30 current NATO countries, but Turkey, which commands the second-largest military in the alliance, is objecting to them. It has cited alleged support for Kurdish militants whom Turkey considers terrorists and restrictions on weapons sales to Turkey. Earlier Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the Finnish and Swedish negotiating delegations had been given documents detailing Turkeys concerns, like information on terror groups, during their visit to Turkey this week. He said Ankara is awaiting specific answers. Cavusoglu said an approach of well convince Turkey in time anyway, we are friends and allies would not be correct. He insisted that these countries need to take concrete steps. He added that we understand Finland and Swedens security concerns but ... everyone also needs to understand Turkeys legitimate security concerns. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. Turkey this week listed five concrete assurances it was 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. Cavusoglu's comments came at a news conference with the visiting foreign ministers of NATO allies Poland and Romania, both of whom expressed strong support for Finland and Sweden's bids. There is no doubt that we do need the accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO alliance in order to make it stronger," Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said. Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, agreed, saying their membership would consolidate the collective defense and our security. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) Voters in an Oregon county where a ballot-printing error delayed primary results for nearly two weeks have elected the same county clerk five times in the past 20 years despite missteps that impacted two previous elections and cost taxpayers at least $100,000. Opponents have repeatedly tried to unseat Clackamas County Clerk Sherry Hall, who was first elected in 2002, following elections errors in 2004, 2010 and 2011 and a state vote-tampering investigation in 2012. Hall makes $112,600 a year in the nonpartisan position overseeing elections, recording property transactions, keeping public records and issuing marriage licenses. She is running for a sixth four-year term in November in the suburban county south of Portland, and is being challenged by a former librarian who works in the elections department of Oregon's largest county. The latest scandal in Oregon comes against the backdrop of a polarized political landscape in which vote counts are increasingly scrutinized. Races for local elections clerks who until recently toiled in obscurity and relative anonymity are getting new attention, particularly from right-wing voters who deny that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Local elections chiefs are the first line of defense for elections integrity, but most voters don't know who their county clerk is, or even what they do, and are likely to skip over the nonpartisan race on Election Day, or simply pick the incumbent. Some county clerks are appointed, but in many counties in Oregon and elsewhere they are beholden to the whims of voters who may not be paying attention, said Christopher McKnight Nichols, an associate professor of history at Oregon State University. There's a myopia and invisibility about this sort of office in American public life, he said. The situation in Oregons third-largest county underscores the importance of such contests. In the current election, tens of thousands of ballots sent out with blurry barcodes were rejected by a vote-counting machine. The issue affected Democratic and nonpartisan ballots more than Republican ones, state officials have said. The fiasco forced the county to shift nearly 200 county employees to vote tabulation duties; county officials don't yet know the full cost of the cleanup job. For days, workers have been transferring each voters intent from spoiled ballots to fresh ones, by hand using purple markers, in a painstaking process that might not be complete for more than two more weeks. More than 81,000 ballots out of more than 116,000 had been counted by early Friday, and nearly 35,000 spoiled ballots remained to be duplicated, according to county tallies. The outcome of the Democratic primary for Oregon's 5th Congressional District a close race between a seven-term centrist incumbent and a progressive challenger was delayed more than a week by the blunder. The AP called the race for challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner on Friday. The results of several other contests remained undecided as the county struggled to meet daily vote-counting benchmarks laid out in a corrective plan submitted to the state. This affects all of us. This is voter integrity, said Janet Bailey, a Republican voter who protested outside the Clackamas County election offices Thursday with about a dozen others. We, in Oregon, a week ago we had our primary, and we still dont know the results. Hall knew of the problem with the ballots on May 3, but did not take significant action until after the election on May 17, when it became clear the vote tally was substantially delayed. The Oregon Secretary of State has said Hall refused offers of help from the state; at least one Democratic state lawmaker has demanded a legislative inquiry into the ballot fiasco. Some voters seized on the countys problems to demand an end to Oregons trailblazing vote-by-mail system and the use of electronic machinery to count votes. Our votes have to count, said Cindy Hise, a Clackamas County voter who wants the entire primary redone. This has been going on for days. We're past all hope of it being a true vote." Hall declined a phone or in-person interview with The Associated Press for this story but said in response to emailed questions Thursday that she would cooperate with any investigation. She said she has no comment on calls from some for her resignation. She also addressed numerous 2020 contributions she made to national Republican causes, saying in a brief email that she maintains neutrality. The donations to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and to WINRED, a Republican Party fundraising platform, were all $100 or less. I have the right as a private citizen to exercise free speech and association. I do give small contributions to a large number of organizations," she wrote. I do not accept endorsements of any kind." Controversy isn't new to Hall, who has overseen the county's elections since she took office in 2003. In 2004, the county excluded three annexation questions on ballots mailed to 300 voters and didn't alert the public for 10 days. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. In 2010, a county commission race was listed on the primary ballot when it should not have been. The ballots were reprinted at a cost of more than $100,000. Hall later filed a complaint with state elections officials saying the episode, including press leaks and public criticisms of her by county officials, cost her primary votes and forced her into a November runoff. In 2012, an elections worker was caught tampering with two ballots and was sentenced to 90 days in jail. In 2018, Hall placed her name and the county clerk title on the ballot return envelopes and on voter information pamphlets while also seeking reelection to the post, a decision critics called egregious self-promotion in a tight race. Hall said in her email that all the elections incidents did happen under my watch" and that she or those in her office "took appropriate steps as needed. Pamela White, who challenged Hall in 2018 and lost by fewer than 6,000 votes, said even with such missteps it seemed impossible to defeat Hall. In that election, more than 52,000 voters skipped the county clerk race altogether despite persistent criticisms of Hall's elections oversight and White's endorsement by Halls recently retired elections manager. White spent $100,000 on the race, including $25,000 of her own money, and campaigned for two years, she said. I worked very hard, she said. I knew what I was doing, but that down-ballot thing is an issue even in your own party. It just takes all the air out of the room. Steve Kindred, the former elections manager who endorsed White, said his relationship with Hall soured after a 2014 incident in which she asked him to do work on her reelection campaign during office hours without telling him what it was for. She was later fined $100 by state elections officials for the lapse. Kindred retired early. Kindred said seeing the ballot fiasco now after experiencing the ballot-tampering probe in 2012 was like a punch to the gut. We had a couple of hell elections, not nearly as bad as this one," he said. Its almost like shes frozen, like a deer in the headlights. For now, the county is focused on getting the votes counted by June 13, the state's election certification deadline. ___ Cline reported from Portland. Associated Press writer Andrew Selsky in Salem and AP investigative researcher Randy Herschaft in New York contributed to this report. SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) A poaching investigation has been launched after two Stevens County deputies stumbled upon four dead wolves in northeast Washington while on snowmobile patrol near the Canadian border on Feb. 8, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said. Some environmental groups contend the animals were poisoned, although they havent offered any evidence to support that allegation. The Spokesman-Review reported Thursday the wolves were in the territory of the Wedge Pack. "The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is aware of and actively investigating dead wolves found in Stevens County, said agency wolf coordinator Julia Smith in a statement. Because this incident is under active investigation by law enforcement, no further information is being provided at this time. Rumors of the deaths have been swirling in eastern Washington for months. On Wednesday, the Kettle Range Conservation Group issued a statement claiming the wolves were poisoned. The Wedge Pack has been exterminated twice for preying on cattle, but new packs keep forming in the remote area. In 2012, WDFW killed all members of the pack following repeated attacks on livestock from the Diamond M Ranch. Wolves repopulated the area in subsequent years. In 2020, WDFW again killed all members of the pack following livestock attacks. As of last December, WDFW estimated there were 9 wolves in the pack. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. Wolves were exterminated in Washington early in the last century. Since wolves naturally returned to the state in 2008, there have been numerous conflicts with ranchers. There were a minimum of 206 wolves and 33 packs in Washington state in 2021, according to an annual survey conducted by state and tribal biologists. LONDON (AP) The World Health Organization says nearly 200 cases of monkeypox have been reported in more than 20 countries not usually known to have outbreaks of the unusual disease, but described the epidemic as containable and proposed creating a stockpile to equitably share the limited vaccines and drugs available worldwide. During a public briefing on Friday, the U.N. health agency said there are still many unanswered questions about what triggered the unprecedented outbreak of monkeypox outside of Africa, but there is no evidence that any genetic changes in the virus are responsible. The first sequencing of the virus shows that the strain is not different from the strains we can find in endemic countries and (this outbreak) is probably due more to a change in human behaviour, said Dr. Sylvie Briand, WHOs director of pandemic and epidemic diseases. Earlier this week, a top adviser to WHO said the outbreak in Europe, U.S., Israel, Australia and beyond was likely linked to sex at two recent raves in Spain and Belgium. 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 haven't spilled across borders. Although WHO said nearly 200 monkeypox cases have been reported, that seemed a likely undercount. On Friday, Spanish authorities said the number of cases there had risen to 98, including one woman, whose infection is directly related to a chain of transmission that had been previously limited to men, according to officials in the region of Madrid. U.K. officials added 16 more cases to their monkeypox tally, making Britain's total 106, while Portugal said its caseload jumped to 74 cases. And authorities in Argentina on Friday reported a monkeypox case in a man from Buenos Aires, marking Latin America's first infection. Officials said the man had traveled recently to Spain and now had symptoms consistent with monkeypox, including lesions and a fever. Doctors in Britain, Spain, Portugal, Canada, the U.S. and elsewhere have noted that the majority of infections to date have been in gay and bisexual men, or men who have sex with men. The disease is no more likely to affect people because of their sexual orientation and scientists warn the virus could infect others if transmission isn't curbed. WHO's Briand said that based on how past outbreaks of the disease in Africa have evolved, the current situation appeared containable." Still, she said WHO expected to see more cases reported in the future, noting we dont know if we are just seeing the peak of the iceberg (or) if there are many more cases that are undetected in communities," she said. As countries including Britain, Germany, Canada and the U.S. begin evaluating how smallpox vaccines might be used to stem the outbreak, WHO said its expert group was assessing the evidence and would provide guidance soon. Dr. Rosamund Lewis, head of WHO's smallpox department, said that there is no need for mass vaccination, explaining that monkeypox does not spread easily and typically requires skin-to-skin contact for transmission. No vaccines have been specifically developed against monkeypox, but WHO estimates that smallpox vaccines are about 85% effective. 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 countries with vaccine supplies could consider them for those at high risk of the disease, like close contacts of patients or health workers, but that monkeypox could mostly be controlled by isolating contacts and continued epidemiological investigations. Given the limited global supply of smallpox vaccines, WHO's emergencies chief Dr. Mike Ryan said the agency would be working with its member countries to potentially develop a centrally controlled stockpile, similar to the ones it has helped manage to distribute during outbreaks of yellow fever, meningitis, and cholera in countries that can't afford them. Were talking about providing vaccines for a targeted vaccination campaign, for targeted therapeutics," Ryan said. "So the volumes dont necessarily need to be big, but every country may need access to a small amount of vaccine. 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. ____ Ashifa Kassam in Madrid, and Daniel Politi in Buenos Aires, Argentina, contributed to this report. Bill Stewart bumps into corporate power everywhere he turns. In a strip of shops along Main Street in Long Islands Kings Park, Stewart packs his toy store, LI Toys & Games, with everything from big name action figures to top-quality model kits made in a nearby Long Island factory. He also sells online, as most retailers must nowadays, with listings on his own website, eBay and, of course, Amazon. Stewarts store has been going strong for years. But over time, his business has grown harder to operate as the retail industry and the economy overall has come under the thumb of a handful of powerful companies. Today, big toymakers like Hasbro and Mattel often bypass smaller independent stores altogether. They sell directly to giants like Walmart, Amazon and Target which together grab about 65 percent of all U.S. toy sales while Stewart buys action figures from distributors charging him as much as Walmart charges shoppers for the same toy. Then theres Googles dominant ad business, which Stewart relies on for new customers, and Visa and MasterCards credit card swipe fees, which can climb above five percent of every purchase. Amazon is the worst of them, he says. The online retail titan buries Stewarts listings in its algorithm in favor of its own products, even when Stewart offers the lower price, all while pulling his products from its digital shelves for erroneous reasons with seemingly no recourse. If they dont bury you, theyll just take you out of the equation, Stewart said. I cant afford to compete with the big boys. Neither can many small New York businesses, and businesses across the U.S. Small, independent shops, makers and wholesalers create vibrant communities where folks can make a decent living and move into the middle class. But for decades, policymakers and courts have given every advantage to a few powerful corporations by repeatedly handcuffing federal and local antitrust laws, making them nearly impossible to enforce. Our economy is more fragile, and our communities less equal, because of it. For New Yorks independent businesses, relief may be on the way. The 21st Century Antitrust Act, introduced by Sen. Michael Gianaris, D-Queens, and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, D-Bronx, would make New York the vanguard of a national anti-monopoly movement and a model for other states to support their workers and small businesses in the face of monopoly power. The bill would make New York the first state to clearly define what corporate dominance looks like and what it means to abuse that power. It would also be the nations first antitrust law to explicitly include the welfare of workers. While most states have their own antitrust laws to address corporate power, those laws are often handcuffed by pro-monopoly court judgments that have hampered federal enforcement. Other state laws, like New Yorks current law, dont explicitly prohibit the harm dominant companies can inflict. 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. Unlike the malleable and unwieldy standards courts typically impose in federal antitrust cases, New Yorks proposed law would make clear: If you can dictate prices and business terms in your industry whether it be to your customers, your workers or your suppliers then you wield power, and abusing that power will expose you to law enforcement. New Yorkers need this law, now more than ever. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 13,600 more small businesses in New York closed than had opened in the 12 months before March 2020 and that was before the spate of closures brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. As small businesses struggle to survive, their ability to reach customers is now controlled by some of the nations most powerful, predatory corporate giants. New Yorks proposed rewrite of its antitrust laws would help stop the abuses corporate titans have inflicted on workers, small businesses and communities. If and when the bill becomes law, it will return power and freedom to regular New Yorkers and become a beacon for the movement to take back control from corporate dominance. Ron Knox, of Kansas City, is a senior researcher and writer, and Katy Milani, of Brooklyn, is a senior policy advocate, at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. ALBANY Thirty percent of all land in New York could be conserved under a bill that passed the state Senate with an overwhelming majority earlier this week. If signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, the state would have until 2030 to conserve 11 percent more of its land and waters 19 percent is already protected in a plan meant to fight climate change, expand the state's biodiversity and preserve farmland. Assemblywoman Pat Fahy, D-Albany, one of the bill's architects, said there would be nothing requiring New York landowners to hand over their property. "There's no eminent domain," she said. Instead, land will be conserved through conversation easements -- paid agreements with property owners that their land will remain undeveloped -- and voluntary land acquisitions, according to Fahy. The state will also have partners in nongovernmental conservation groups, whose easements and purchases will count toward the 30 percent goal, as will conservation easements on working farms. Easements on farms, agreements with farmers not to develop their fields, are "definitely considered a significant part of the bill," Fahy said. These easements "are critical for smart growth efforts and to keep land preserved instead of it turning into the kind of runaway sprawl that has been a problem for decades," she said. The legislation also speaks of how land conservation can shore up resiliency to natural disasters, which are on the increase due to global warming, but the bill's main thrust is about fighting climate change and its effects. The bill's genesis lies with the United Nations, which is in the midst of finalizing the "Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework," which recommends the goal of conserving 30 percent of the planet's land and oceans. The legislation would tie in with the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), which mandates that the state achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The CLCPA actually sets the goal of reducing emissions by 85 percent; New York will have to remove carbon from the atmosphere to achieve net-zero emissions. One of the ways to achieve this is through "sequestering" carbon in the plant life of natural lands, according to Jessica Ottney Mahar, the New York policy and strategy director for The Nature Conservancy, though she added carbon storage technology would need to be developed to reach the net-zero goal. An "exciting" aspect of the bill, Mahar said, was the opportunity to preserve underrepresented habitats. The Catskill Park and the Adirondack Park, the largest conservation areas in the state, are both forest, and the bill could spur the state to look at the science of what kind of ecosystems it protects. The bill would require a variety of habitats to be conserved and for the conservation to be spread out between rural, suburban and urban environments. Urban forests are important in the face of climate change as they cool cities during heat waves, and it is important the state spread out investments across different neighborhoods since urban open space has traditionally been located near more wealthy areas, Mahar said. The bill's passage by the state Senate and Assembly was applauded by The Nature Conservancy and other conservation groups. This included the group Scenic Hudson, whose director of government relations and public policy, Andy Bicking, said the group and its partners in the Hudson Valley "have been collaborating to permanently protect the land and natural resources in our region, and we are poised and ready to partner with the state to carry out the [proposed] policy." Conserving New York's land would also aid plant and animal species that have been impacted by climate change and other anthropogenic pressures. The impacts have been severe. In 2019, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology published a study that found there were 2.9 billion fewer birds in North America than there were in 1970 -- a 29 percent decline. New York Audubon Society Senior Policy Manager Erin McGrath said the new bill could help mitigate that loss. "One of the primary drivers of these population declines is habitat loss, so that means that we have to prioritize the remainder of the bird habitat that we have in order to see the populations rebound," she said. Eleven percent of New York is a large chunk of land -- about 6,000 square miles -- but the bill does not include a fiscal request. Fahy said the state's $300 million Environmental Protection Fund could help, as could the $4 billion Environmental Bond Act, which is slated to be voted on by New Yorkers in November's election. The bill passed the Senate 58-3, with overwhelming bipartisan support. Senator Mike Martucci (R-Catskills), one of the bill's co-sponsors, said in a statement he supported the legislation because he believed in "preserving our agricultural production and heritage, protecting open space, and defending against overdevelopment in order to maintain and improve the quality of life here in the Hudson Valley and Catskills and across New York." "Being good stewards of our environment should not be a partisan issue, and I've worked hard to get behind realistic goals and practical policies like this one no matter who else joins me," according to Martucci. Ballyporeen was awarded a major prize at the all-Ireland Pride of Place community awards on Monday May 16 for the work of local peoples efforts to improve the village. Tipperary County Councils Cathaoirleach Cllr Marie Murphy congratulated Ballyporeen Community Council, saying that the people in Ballyporeen really embody the ethos of Pride of Place by working together as one community to make their local area a better places to live, work and socialise Ballyporeen took top spot in the very competitive category population of 300- 1000-with Judges praising the work of the villages Improvement Association. The awards, hosted by Marty Whelan took place in the INEC in Killarney with online streaming available for those unable to attend. The judges felt that the village is fortunate to have an entire community using their own skills and expertise to maintain their beautiful location. This is Pride of Place in action. Mike Geary Community council stated that Ballyporeen community council is a dynamic inclusive community focused on the revitalisation of the community and locality since its establishment in 1978. "We work to improve local services and infrastructure to foster local business growth and community wellbeing. Mike mentioned the busy work programme and referred to the ongoing development of a community walkway and AstroTurf facility," said Mr Geary. Seamus Hennessy Community council stated that in recent times they were successful in receiving funding for a community/sensory in the heart of the village which has added greatly to the area. "We are working with commercial groups and companies who wish to use the centre to help with revitalising the community from an economic perspective," said Mr Hennessy. Margo Hayes Tipperary County Council complimented the community council who were also awarded funding earlier this year under the Town and Village Renewal scheme to upgrade the old schoolhouse as a digital hub. This project will bring an economic impact to the locality and with government policy firmly on Remote and hub space working, Ballyporeen will be very well positioned to meet these needs and demands for the benefit of the wider community," said Ms Hayes. Tipperary County Council also had further success in the competition with runners up in both the small population 0-300 Category and Community Wellbeing. Ballysloe took the runner up prize in the 0-300 category while the excellent Down Syndrome Tipperary were runners up in the Community wellbeing category. Sponsored by IPB Insurance, the Pride of Place competition was initiated 18 years ago though a Co-operation Ireland programme to acknowledge the invaluable work undertaken by volunteers and those involved in local community development. It has grown into the largest competition recognising community development achievements on the island of Ireland. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill came under strong criticism last night from a range of voices at a West London event on dealing with trauma from the conflict. Former Irish army officer, Senator Tom Clonan, described the legislation, which received its second reading this week as an act of collective self-harm. Among those attending the event was Andy Seaman, brother of Tony Harrison, a private in the Parachute Regiment, who was shot dead by the IRA while visiting his girlfriend in Belfast in 1991. He told the meeting that the bill which they are introducing would, overnight, put an end to any inquiries, any kind of scrutiny, and any hope of justice, for families who have received no justice for decades. People who were guilty of committing the most heinous unimaginable crimes would be basically free to stroll off into the sunset. As part of the event, a trauma workshop was hosted by Psychotherapist Peter Finn. Asked if there was any role for an amnesty in a truth and reconciliation process, Mr Finn said that theres a lot to be thought about in terms of how its negotiated and how the families of the victims are brought into that conversation from the beginning, rather than being told at some point that this is the outcome of some conversations in which you were not involved. Personally, I would hesitate to voice an opinion about what the right thing is. I would want such an amnesty to be a product of some diligent work thats done with integrity and rigour, and with humility and honesty, taking the initiative from the families and survivors. The event was presented by Troubles, Tragedy & Trauma, an organisation founded by Michael O'Hare, whose 12-year-old sister Majella was shot dead by a soldier in 1976. The group works aims to highlight legacy issues from the Northern Ireland conflict, encourage reconciliation and promote positive mental wellbeing for those affected by the Troubles. Don't get it twisted . . . TKC doesn't approve of guilt by association. For instance . . . In addition to some of the most gully, clever and informed denizens of the cowtown discourse. This blog has an EPIC following of people with obsessive compulsive disorder and old school "deplorables" (lulz who dig creating multiple social media accounts in order to support their own online arguments. We don't judge people by their fans, readers or even their older work. However, we "consider" the perspective of hardcore anti-capitalists and their hot take on a recent KCMO free housing effort . . . At the event, the K.C. Tenants organization, a conglomeration of multiple tenants groups across the Kansas City Area, announced that they were formally launching a citywide tenants union. The organization of a new citywide tenants union comes as Mac Propertiesa major real estate firm that undertakes apartment renovations in Kansas City, St. Louis, and Chicagocontinues its push to gentrify the neighborhood surrounding the Armour Tower Apartment Building, the site of the Tenant Awakening Rally. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Kansas City's top ranking leader offers to forgo pay until the school shooting crisis is solved. There have been so many emotive gestures but, credit where it's due, this is the only one that puts money on the table to back up political intentions. Behind the scenes . . . TKC is on the Congressman's mailing list and we dutifully post most of his statements but TKC is the only local outlet that DIDN'T get this note because we're the only place that allows trusted users to retort. But I digress . . . Here's a peek at the Rep's frustration . . . For as long as Ive served in Congress, despite overwhelming support for gun safety reform from the public, Ive watched this institution fail time and time again to take any serious, meaningful action to address the scourge of gun violence plaguing communities across the countrythe only industrialized country where this kind of gun violence exists, Cleaver said. Democrats have tried reaching across the aisle to make the most simple, common sense reforms like universal background checks; weve tried passing legislation on a partisan basis, only to be foiled by the filibuster; weve pushed for executive action, which inevitably gets reversed the minute a Republican enters the White House; weve tried roundtables and respectful debate; weve tried shaming and criticizing the empty remarks of my Republican colleagues following every heartbreaking massacre. Still, over the last two decades, weve seen the production of guns triple, mass shootings on a daily basis, and gun violence become the number one cause of death for American children, outpacing car accidents for the first time in decades. A bit more about the aim of the legislation that has zero chance of passing . . . Im sick and tired of seeing kids murdered at school, Americans gunned down at the supermarket or in their place of worship, and Missourians slaughtered on street corners because Congress refuses to do anything about gun violence. The time for thoughts and prayers has come and gonenow is the time for concrete action. And if lawmakers arent going to do their jobs to protect the American people, then they ought not receive any compensation following the inevitable next mass shooting. I dont doubt that many of my colleagues would rather have a campaign check from the NRA than a paycheck for their obstruction in Congressbut we cant continue with the unacceptable status quo, and this bill will, hopefully, make my colleagues across the aisle think twice before sitting on their hands while the next mass shooter plots more carnage in another community. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Rep. Cleaver introduces legislation to withhold lawmaker pay following mass shootings The No Pay Until Peace Act would withhold pay of members of congress when a mass shooting occurs in the United States. Following more than 200 mass shootings in the United States of America in 2022 alone, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) today introduced legislation to withhold pay of Members of Congress following mass shootings. Developing . . . Right now we take a quick peek at the legacy of hottie Jess as we take a peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines. Check TKC news gathering . . . Kansas City Comeback Tonight Royals come back from the dead, hold on to win 3-2, and end six-game skid During the six-game skid the Royals carried into tonight, they hadn't given up fewer than six runs in a game. They needed a response from the pitching staff, specifically from its young starter Daniel Lynch. The Royals got that from a struggling pitching staff. However, through seven innings, Kansas City had managed just three baserunners. Po-Po Protect The Ecology Merriam police save baby owl and young deer Merriam, Kansas, police officers say it's been a wild week. The Merriam Police Department saved a fawn earlier this week after it got trapped inside a resident's backyard. The department shared body cam video of an officer getting the young deer back to its mother.Community Service Officer Jose also helped save a baby owl. Baller Photobomb Welecomed Mahomes surprises boys taking picture with his car KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A pair of teenage boys received a huge surprise while taking pictures with an exotic car in downtown Kansas City. Erica Lee and her two sons, Ayden and Kobe, were walking around downtown Kansas City when they saw a black Lamborghini parked in the Power & Light District and decided they wanted to take a picture with it. Developers Working Midtown Exact Partners gains blight findings for Midtown redevelopment properties - Kansas City Business Journal The City Council soon could approve blight findings - recommended Tuesday by an incentive-granting agency - for an area at Main and Linwood, and another at Main and 37th, where a prolific historic developer proposes about $48 million in adaptive reuse and new-build projects. Hipsters Sound Off This Weekend Eight One Sixty Live from Boulevard Beer Hall Eight One Sixty is recording LIVE at Boulevard Beer Hall on May 31, June 7 & 14. Join us for brews, bites & live music from Miguel Antonio (Run With It), Heidi Phillips (Frogpond) & musicbyskippy! Old School Hottie Keeps It Tight Jessica Simpson shows off her stunning physique in steamy bathing suit pic Jessica Simpson apparently knows how to ride a jet ski in heels. On Tuesday, the singer and businesswoman shared a steamy photo that showcased her stunning physique in a sexy zebra print bathing suit which he wore with a denim jacket and strappy high heels. No Answers Prez Biden Journalists press White House on Biden's actions after Texas school shooting Journalists on Thursday pressed new White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on why President Biden hasn't done more to address mass shootings following the murder of 21 people Tuesday at a Texas elementary school. Jean-Pierre said Biden would "leave the mechanics" of crafting a bill to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) MAGA Rebukes Former Flack Trump accuses Kellyanne Conway of lying about 'you lost election' claim Go back to your "crazy husband," Kellyanne! Former President Trump Thursday accused his former close aide Kellyanne Conway of lying when she claimed she told him he lost the 2020 election - and reignited his feud with her hubby to boot. GOP Suffer Post-Tragedy Rebuke Ted Cruz Storms Out on British Interviewer When Asked Why School Shootings Only Happen in America Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) abruptly walked off from a British journalist's questions about gun violence in America two days after an elementary school massacre in his state left 19 children and two adults dead. Cruz, who is due to appear at a National Rifle Association convention this weekend, became incensed when pressed on gun laws and why mass shootings "only happen in America." World Remains At War Ukraine aerial video shows massive Russian shelling: "What the largest and most horrific war of the 21st century looks like" Ukraine's Ministry of Defense on Thursday posted aerial video of what it said was Russian rockets hitting Ukrainian positions in the eastern part of the country as the 3-month-old war rages on. The ministry said the video shows a series of rocket blasts hitting targets near Novomykhailivka, in the Donetsk region, triggering shockwaves and large plumes of smoke. Hollywood Star Endures Jeff Bridges was 'pretty close to dying' while battling COVID and cancer Jeff Bridges reveals he was knocking on death's door while battling COVID-19 and cancer at the same time. "The Big Lebowski" star contracted the virus in January 2021 before the vaccine was available, and after chemotherapy had weakened his immune system. "I was pretty close to dying. Cowtown Talks Movie Reboot Kansas City-area Top Gun pilot weighs in on movie's sequel The long-awaited sequel "Top Gun: Maverick" hits the screen this week. One theater is showcasing the premiere through the eyes of a Kansas City area Top Gun pilot.It was the original "Top Gun" movie 36 years ago that inspired so many to become Navy fighter pilots, including Top Gun Cmdr. Jesse Reed, an Olathe East graduate, who just saw the new sequel."Just like when I was 6 years old, I saw the first movie. Tech Research & Redemption 'Righting a wrong with historical accuracy' Task force works to award valor to minority servicemen PARKVILLE, Mo. - A group of people at Park University are working to make sure heroic acts by minorities during World War I are officially recognized. The Valor Medals Review Task Force was formed after Congress required a review of minority veterans, who served during the Great War. Kansas City Sun Comes Out . . . More sunshine, warmer temps for your Friday Hide Transcript Show Transcript CLOUDY. WE WON'T CLEAR OUT UNTIL LATER ON TONIGHT. STILL GOING TO SNIG ABOUT A 20% CHANCE UNTIL ABOUT EIGHT O CLOCK AFTER THE GOES DOWN EVEN THAT LAST AND SHOULD BE OUT OF THE PREGION TEMPERATURES FALLING THROUGH THE 50S HERE. And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. Today we get an update on one of the most horrific crimes in local history. Here's the postscript and wrist slap . . . Tasha Haefs, 35, who appeared in court virtually with her attorney, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of her son, Karvel Stevens. Haefs is accused of killing and decapitating Karvel and a dog inside a home in the 7300 block of Indiana Avenue on Feb. 15. Police showed up at the home after a woman told a 911 dispatcher the devil was trying to attack her, according to court documents. Those documents said officers arrived and found what appeared to be blood on the front steps of a home. The officers determined a woman was inside, but she refused to answer the door. Officers also saw what appeared to be a severed head inside near the home's entrance. Haefs will be committed to the Missouri Department of Mental Health for six months. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links. . . Judge rules Kansas City mother charged with killing son incompetent to stand trial KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A mother accused of killing her 6-year-old son in a particularly violent manner will not stand trial anytime soon. Tasha Haefs, 35, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of her son, Karvell Stevens. Court hearing finds Kansas City woman accused of killing son to be mentally incompetent WARNING: Readers may find some of the details in this story disturbing. A court hearing Friday determined a Kansas City woman charged with decapitating her 6-year-old son in February is not mentally competent for her case to proceed. Developing . . . Here's more follow-up along with an addition to the body count of a terrifying local slaughter that has claimed multiple lives across Missouri & Kansas. Context and more reporting . . . Perez Reed, who is from St. Louis, has been charged in the November 2021 deadly shooting of Stephon Johnson, who was found dead in a Midtown Kansas City apartment, prosecutors say. The 26-year-old has been charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit/debit device. Court records say Johnson's family filed missing person reports saying they hadn't spoken to him since Nov. 1, 2021. When officers went to his apartment at Brush Creek Towers, they found Johnson's body inside a closet, court documents say. Officials determined he had suffered a gunshot to the back of the head. Officers also collected an empty cigarillo package, court records say, and a DNA test from that package later traced back to Reed's DNA. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Suspected serial killer charged in another Kansas City-area homicide KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A suspected serial killer is now facing charges in another Kansas City-area homicide. Perez Reed, who is from St. Louis, has been charged in the November 2021 deadly shooting of Stephon Johnson, who was found dead in a Midtown Kansas City apartment, prosecutors say. Man allegedly connected to murders in St. Louis, Kansas City charged with 1st-degree murder KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A St. Louis man allegedly connected to murders in St. Louis as well as Kansas City has been charged in Jackson County. The Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney's Office announced Friday that Perez Reed, 26, faces charges of first-degree murder, armed criminal action and two counts of fraudulent use of a credit/debit device. Developing . . . There is a Scarborough everyone sees and another, often unseen but always there and growing, that is Indigenous. Man, woman charged with robbery with firearm, breach of probation in brazen theft from man's driveway Toronto police seek to ID suspect after two men assaulted on TTC subway train in North York Meanwhile, according to North Korea, its fight against COVID-19 has been impressive. Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it. I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends. More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it. The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity. About me: I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS. Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line). Age: 42 Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed. I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it). Pressure on Russia is literally a matter of saving lives, whereas every day of delay, weakness, various disputes or proposals to "appease" the aggressor at the expense of the victim is new killed Ukrainians and new threats to everyone on the European continent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in a nightly video address, Ukrinform reports. Ukrainians! All our defenders! Exactly eight years ago, on May 26, the Donetsk airport stopped working. There is still a message about this: "Attention! From 7 am, Donetsk Airport will temporarily suspend flights. The resumption of the airports functioning will be announced additionally." On that day, apparently, no one foresaw how events in Donbas would develop over these years. And then - throughout Ukraine after a full-scale invasion. No one predicted for how long the word "temporarily" would be delayed in this announcement. But that day and any day later, and today, two things can be said with confidence. First. Ukraine will always be an independent state and will not be broken. The only question is what price our people will have to pay for their freedom, and Russia - for this senseless war against us. And second. The catastrophic developments could have been stopped if the world had treated the situation in Ukraine as its own. If the strong of the world had not played with Russia, but really pressed to end the war. Just look at the situation now. Look at the number of weeks the European Union has been trying to agree on a sixth package of sanctions against Russia. So far, it receives almost a billion euros a day from Europeans for energy supplies. Of course, I am grateful to our friends who are promoting new sanctions. But where did those who block the sixth package get so much power? Why are they still allowed to have so much power, including in intra-European procedures? Look at the number of weeks the world has not dared to block the Russian banking system - all banks without exception, to deprive the aggressor of the opportunity to finance not only the war against us, but also the policy of creating splits and crises around the world. Look at how long we have been struggling to provide Ukraine with all the weapons it needs to change the nature of hostilities and start moving faster and more confidently to the expulsion of the occupiers. All weapons, including MLRS. The systems that are really needed to stop this aggression. We are confident that thanks to our efforts we will still be heard. Starting from May 26, 2014, and even more so from February 24 this year until today, there have been many opportunities for those who really have the strength to do so to put an end to it and say: now Russia will really feel the full price for what it is doing against Ukraine, against European unity and against freedom as such. The current offensive of the occupiers in Donbas can make the region uninhabited. They want to burn Popasna, Bakhmut, Lyman, Lysychansk and Severodonetsk to ashes. Like Volnovakha, like Mariupol. In cities and communities closer to the Russian border, in Donetsk and Luhansk, they gather everyone they can to fill the place of those killed and wounded in the occupation contingent. All this, including the deportation of our people and the mass killings of civilians, is an obvious policy of genocide pursued by Russia. Today, the occupiers shelled Kharkiv again. At the moment, the list of the dead includes nine people. 19 wounded. All civilians. A child (five months) and a father were killed. The mother is in grave condition. Among the wounded in Kharkiv is also a nine-year-old girl. Missile strikes again in the Sumy region, in Donbas again. Significant intensification of the occupiers' artillery in the Zaporizhzhia region again. Again, their efforts to burrow into the ground in the south. Pressure on Russia is literally a matter of saving lives. And every day of delay, weakness, various disputes or proposals to "appease" the aggressor at the expense of the victim is new killed Ukrainians. And new threats to everyone on our continent. I addressed the Latvian parliament and people today. Expressed gratitude for the help Ukraine received, including the defensive one. And for the help which the Latvian state and the Latvian people provide now. If everyone in the world had the same determination to defend our common freedom as Latvia and other partners who do not hesitate, there would simply be no evil that the Russian state has done to Ukraine, Europe and the world. I spoke today with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte. I informed him about the situation on the battlefield, about the intensification of the occupiers' activities. We discussed how we can adequately enhance Ukraine's ability to defend itself and repel these attacks. I signed a new decree on awarding our heroes. 180 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were awarded state awards, 28 of them posthumously. The total number of awarded servicemen as of today is over 16,000. Precisely - 16 thousand and 44. In 92 days. But it is clear that there are hundreds and hundreds of times more feats and victories of our defenders. I am grateful to everyone who holds the defense. Who helps the army and all our defenders. And finally. Usually these days in May we celebrate the last bell in schools and congratulate boys and girls on the beginning of a new stage in life. Frankly, a brighter stage than childhood. Because finally opportunities in life emerge. Adult opportunities. But childhood is still not over yet. This year there is no traditional school holiday in Ukraine. And this is understandable. Such a time. Such a situation. And not all schools in Ukraine finish the education process in May this year. And not all graduates are now in our country. But the constant thing is whatever the time and whatever the situation, we must not lose our opportunities. We have to fight. We have to develop. We have to defend our freedom and be able to use that freedom. So, we have to be educated and brave. Don't lose a single day in your life. Know what you live the day for. And be sure to believe in Ukraine. Because it is here that Ukrainians have the best chance of success. And especially - after our victory. Which we will definitely gain. And we will definitely remove the phrase "temporarily occupied" in relation to our land, which will be liberated forever. No matter how difficult it may be. Eternal glory to all who stood up for Ukraine! Eternal memory to everyone whose lives were taken by the occupiers. Glory to Ukraine! Hong Kong: School workers to get subsidy The Education Bureau today announced the provision of an allowance for frontline cleaning and security workers of post-secondary education institutions, non-government schools and kindergartens under the sixth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund. It issued letters or a circular memorandum to inform schools and related organisations of the allowance details. With a further extension of the subsidy coverage, the fund will offer a monthly allowance of $2,000 for five months, referring to February to June this year, to those cleaning and security workers with a view to giving financial support for their anti-epidemic efforts and recognition of their committed services at this critical juncture. It is estimated that around 33,000 workers will benefit from the measure. The total expenditure is about $334 million. The Cleansing & Security Service Provider Subsidy Scheme for Non-government Schools & Kindergartens under the fund will cover aided schools, those under the Direct Subsidy Scheme and English Schools Foundation, caput schools, international schools, private independent schools, kindergartens and private day schools offering full and formal curriculum. Cleaning and security workers directly employed by these schools as well as those deployed to schools by the commissioned cleaning or security service contractors are eligible for the allowance. Meanwhile, the Cleansing & Security Service Provider Subsidy Scheme for Post-secondary Education Institutions will provide a special allowance for frontline cleaning and security staff engaged by 36 post-secondary education institutions and their service contractors. To expedite the vetting process and provision of allowances, applications should be submitted through the institutions, schools or their service contractors. Frontline cleaning or security workers are not required to hand in applications on their own. Upon receipt of the allowances, the institutions, schools and service contractors should disburse them to eligible workers as soon as possible. This story has been published on: 2022-05-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. UNITED NATIONS, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution to renew for a year, till May 31, 2023, an arms embargo against South Sudan as well as targeted sanctions of travel ban and asset freeze against individuals and entities. Resolution 2633, which was adopted with 10 votes in favor and five abstentions, also extends the mandate of the Panel of Experts, which assists the work of the South Sudan Sanctions Committee, till July 1, 2023. China, Gabon, India, Kenya, and Russia abstained. The resolution decides that the arms embargo shall not apply to the supply, sale or transfer of non-lethal military equipment, solely in support of the implementation of the terms of the peace agreement, as notified in advance to the Sanctions Committee. The resolution reiterates the Security Council's readiness to review arms embargo measures, through modification, suspension, or progressive lifting of these measures, in the light of progress achieved on the key benchmarks as set out in last year's Resolution 2577, and encourages the South Sudan authorities to achieve further progress in this regard. It requests the UN secretary-general, in close consultation with the UN Mission in South Sudan and the Panel of Experts, to conduct, no later than April 15, 2023, an assessment of progress achieved on the key benchmarks. It also requests the South Sudanese authorities to report, by the same date, to the Sanctions Committee on the progress achieved in this regard. In southern Ukraine, on May 26, Russian occupiers tried to launch an air strike on Ukrainian positions using a helicopter but Ukraine's Armed Forces forced the enemy to retreat. That's according to the Operational Command South, Ukrinform reports. "The enemy was trying to launch an air strike on our positions using a Mi-24 helicopter. Thanks to the expediently organized defense and the effective use of appropriate weapons, the enemy pilot, turning away from the strike, hastily withdrew without using weapons," the statement said. The command did not disclose in what way the Ukrainian Armed Forces forced the enemy to retreat as the occupiers may repeat such attacks in the future. "We still have something to surprise the ruscists," the Operational Command South said. In total, on May 26, Ukrainian missile and artillery units, supported by aircraft, struck enemy positions in the south more than 100 times. According to preliminary data, 35 occupiers and several infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed, and the final losses of the enemy are being clarified. According to the report, as a result of Russia's shelling of the Mykolaiv region in the past day, 14 civilians were wounded and a woman was killed. Most shells were fired at the Mykolaiv and Bashtanka districts. A fighter jet of the Ukrainian Air Force has struck an enemy target in the sky over the Chernivtsi region. Serhii Osadchuk, head of the Chernivtsi Regional Military Administration, said this on Telegram, Ukrinform reports. "I thank Ukrainian military pilots!" he wrote. The Ukrainian Air Force Command confirmed the report, saying that the target was a Russian cruise missile. "At about 22:30, a fighter jet of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed an enemy cruise missile in the sky over the Chernivtsi region!" the statement reads. Earlier reports said that in the area of responsibility of the Operational and Tactical Group East, Ukraine's Armed Forces destroyed almost 90 Russian invaders, a helicopter and two enemy mortars on May 26. Russians fired mortars from their territory on the border areas of Sumy region, northern Ukraine. "The occupiers continue to fire on the border areas of Sumy region. Today, at about 05:15-05:20, observers recorded seven explosions from the Russian Federation towards the village of Seredyna Buda, according to preliminary information, fired with 120mm mortar," the Operational Command "North" posted on Facebook. Eight more shots, probably fired with a 120mm mortar from the Russian Federation towards the same settlement were recorded at 06:12-06:55. In both cases, no casualties among military personnel or local population and destruction to military equipment were reported. The information on the damage to civilian infrastructure is being clarified. As reported, on the night of May 25, a Russian plane launched four missiles from the territory of Russia at a locality of Krasnopillia territorial community of Sumy region. The airstrike damaged several private houses and a power line. On the evening of May 24, two enemy warplanes twice launched unguided missiles towards the border villages of Shostka district, Sumy region. Eight shells fired from the Russian village of Lemeshovka exploded near another village in the same area. Another seven shells fired by the enemy from the Russian village of Tiotkino exploded on the outskirts of the village in Konotop district. ol Over the past day, the Russian invaders destroyed 94 civilian objects in Donetsk region. Casualties were reported. The invaders fired on 11 localities. 76 houses, a school, a fire station, a recreation center, and 13 enterprises were destroyed. Police documented the aftermath of the strikes, the National Police of Ukraine posted on Telegram. Avdiivka, Soledar, Lyman, Sviatohirsk, Zalizne, Bakhmut, Marinka, Raihorodok, Khrestyshche, Zoria, Vyimka came under enemy fire. Russian troops opened fire from Uragan multiple rocket launchers, heavy artillery, tanks, and small arms. Police and Security Service of Ukraine opened criminal proceedings under Art. 438 (violation of the laws and customs of war) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. As reported, the intensity of the enemy shelling in Avdiivka, Toretsk, Soledar, Lyman, Sviatohirsk, Raihorodok and near them has increased in Donetsk region. ol Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian President's Office, has called on Western partners to provide Ukraine with U.S.-made multiple launch rocket systems as soon as possible. He made a respective appeal on Telegram, Ukrinform reports. According to Yermak, the United States continues to discuss the transfer of MLRS to Ukraine. Referring to CNN, he said that U.S. partners could hand over advanced missile systems to Ukraine if they make a respective decision next week. "We are grateful for artillery and other assistance, but modern MLRS will help us stop the Russian invasion and gain a tangible superiority at the front. We needed them yesterday, as well as air defense systems, tanks and other weapons we ask for in order to stop the Russian offensive and liberate the temporarily occupied territories. The food crisis can be resolved by liberating our land and unblocking ports. [] Decisions need to be made faster. We can't waste the time for which Ukraine pays with people's lives and destroyed cities," Yermak said. He stressed that the threat of a third world war exists, but it can be prevented by defeating Russia militarily on Ukrainian territory, increasing pressure on the aggressor's economy. Earlier reports said that the U.S. presidential administration is preparing to increase arms supplies to Ukraine by providing modern long-range missile systems to the country. The Russian military fired three missiles at the Dnipropetrovsk region this morning, killing ten people and wounding at least 35 others after one missile hit a Ukrainian National Guard base in Dnipro. Hennadii Korban, head of the Dnipro Territorial Defense, said this on Dnipro TV, Ukrinform reports. "There was a tragedy in the morning. An Iskander missile struck a National Guard firing range. Unfortunately, about ten people were killed. About 30-35 people were injured. Most of the personnel were scattered throughout the region," he said. There could have been more casualties, but according to an order by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the military does not concentrate more than 20 people in one place. Korban also noted that the situation is getting worse not only in the region, but also at the front. Invading troops are trying to intensify the offensive primarily in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. The Dnipropetrovsk region is surrounded by three fronts and therefore air raid alerts and missile strikes are becoming more frequent. On February 24, Russian President Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops are shelling and destroying critical infrastructure and residential areas of cities, towns and villages in Ukraine, using artillery, multiple rocket launchers and ballistic missiles. World politicians are preparing for Russias possible use of tactical nuclear weapons. The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his video address to the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Russian state propagandists are openly threatening nuclear weapons. World politicians are preparing for the possibility of Russias use of the so-called tactical nuclear weapons or chemical weapons, biological weapons, Zelensky told. In his words, this may change the attitude of different states to weapons of mass destruction. If Russia indulges in nuclear blackmail with impunity, it may seem logical to various forces in the world to acquire nuclear weapons for themselves. To say that it is dangerous for the whole world is to say nothing, the President of Ukraine stressed. A reminder that, on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops are shelling and destroying the key infrastructure facilities, launching missile and air strikes on Ukrainian cities and villages, torturing and murdering civilians. mk In the south, the Russians try to hold the occupied frontiers and restrain the Ukrainian troops to prevent the redeployment of Defense Forces reserves to other directions. "In the Southern Buh direction, the aggressor focuses on holding the occupied frontiers, restraining the actions of our troops, and preventing the redeployment of Defense Forces reserves to other directions. The invaders fire on Ukrainian troops. In particular, an unsuccessful attempt was made to assault the area of the village of Liubomyrivka," reads the report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 18:00. According to the General Staff data, there is still a threat of missile and air strikes on the territory of Ukraine from the territory of the Republic of Belarus. "Up to seven battalions of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus continue to guard the Ukrainian-Belarusian border in Volyn and Polissya directions. The threat of missile and air strikes from this country remains. An electronic warfare group of the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus was deployed," the report reads. In Siversky direction, the enemy continues to strengthen the Ukrainian-Russian border in Bryansk and Kursk regions in order to prevent the Defense Forces of Ukraine from redeploying units to other directions. The enemy did not carry out active offensive operations in Slobozhansky direction, trying to hold its positions and prevent further advance of Ukrainian units towards the state border. In particular, the invaders continue systematic shelling of localities, destruction of civilian infrastructure and remotely lay mines along probable routes of advance of Ukrainian troops. The enemy also tries to rebuild the damaged railway to improve the logistics of troops. In particular, in the temporarily occupied territories of Kharkiv region, the invaders involve units of 29th separate railway brigade from Smolensk with special machinery and equipment in the repair of railway infrastructure. Russian troops did not launch an offensive in Slovyansk direction. The enemy fired artillery on Sviatohirsk, Bohorodychne, and Virnopillia. In addition, Russian invaders used aircraft to strike Slovyansk and Dovhenke. In Lyman direction, the enemy tries to drive the Ukrainian units out from the village of Lyman and develop an offensive on Slovyansk. The invaders fired mortars and MLRS on Ozerne and Dibrova, launched an airstrike near Siversk. In Sievierodonetsk direction, the Russian invaders, with the support of artillery, carried out assault operations in the area of Shchedryshcheve, Borivske, and Toshkivka. Fighting continues. It is noted that the enemy tries to improve its tactical position in Bakhmut direction, to disrupt the logistics of Ukrainian troops. The enemy made unsuccessful assault attempts in the area of Komyshuvakha, Berestove, Bilohorivka. In Avdiivka direction, the enemy fired artillery on civilian infrastructure in the area of Novobakhmutivka, Kamyanka, Avdiivka, Pisky, and Marinka. In Kurakhove, Novopavlivsk, and Zaporizhzhia directions, the enemy used mortars, rocket and tube artillery along the line of contact, launched airstrikes from Su-25 aircraft on Mala Tokmachka and Orikhove. In Mykolayiv and Kryvyi Rih directions, the enemy redeployed vehicles, armored combat vehicles, and MLRS to Kherson region as part of logistics support and replenishment of the units that suffered losses. The Black Sea Fleet ships in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov continue to isolate the area of hostilities, conduct reconnaissance, and support fire in the coastal direction. ol Russian troops have opened fire on settlements in Sumy Region with mortar systems. The data on casualties among civilians are yet to be updated. The relevant statement was made by the North Operational Command on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Russian occupiers continue to open fire on border settlements in Sumy Region. Between 04:25 p.m. and 04:45 p.m., they fired from the territory of Russia at Ukraines Seredyna-Buda (11 projectiles, reportedly 120 mm), the report states. According to the North Operational Command, personnel and military equipment remained unharmed. The data on casualties among civilians and damage to civil infrastructure are yet to be updated. In addition, 10 projectiles were fired at Yurieve at 05:56 p.m. Personnel and military equipment remained unharmed. mk British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has stated that it is completely legitimate for allies to send tanks and planes to Ukraine. "We are very clear it is completely legitimate to be supporting Ukraine with tanks, with planes and we're very supportive of the work that the Czech Republic has done sending tanks to Ukraine," Truss told a news conference in Prague, Reuters reports. In April, the Czech Republic became the first NATO member state to announce the provision of tanks to Ukraine. Now the country is the first to announce the provision of combat helicopters to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Czech Republic and Slovakia are currently repairing dozens of armored vehicles sent from Ukraine. ol There are currently no plans to increase taxes in Ukraine, but a VAT refund on imports and import duties is being considered. Minister of Finance Serhiy Marchenko said this on the air of the national telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "We do not envisage an increase in taxes, we do not envisage strict conditions for their payment. We seek to restore a properly functioning tax system and the customs system in order to be able to balance the budget," Marchenko said. According to the minister, the first stage is the VTA refund on imports and import duties. Marchenko believes that this will help support Ukrainian businesses. Read also: Council of EU increases military aid to Ukraine up to EUR 2B At the same time, the finance chief noted, in the event of a long war, it will be necessary to return to the tax system, which was in force until February 24. "This is a forced decision," he added. Marchenko stressed that the state has no other options for financing the army than getting taxes. Ukraine cannot constantly borrow money to support its forces. As reported, the Verkhovna Rada on March 15 approved tax incentives for businesses amid war. Thus, the income limit for single tax payers was increased from UAH 10 million to UAH 10 billion. This has significantly expanded the range of companies that will be able to reduce the tax burden during the war and maintain their operations. The sales tax is set at 2%. Ukraine also abolished excise duties and reduced VAT (up to 7%) on fuel. The Republic of Korea can contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine after the end of the war. "The Republic of Korea can contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine after the war. In particular, to rebuild the destroyed infrastructure. We will also adopt the Korean experience of industrial modernization, which is extremely relevant for us today. I discussed these topics with Na Kyung-won, the representative of the Office of the President of the country," First Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko posted on Facebook, Ukrinform reports. According to the First Deputy Prime Minister, since Korea is one of the world's leading manufacturers of electric vehicles, Ukraine intends to increase their supplies in order to partially switch transport in Ukraine to alternative energy sources. As reported, the World Economic Forum (WEF), which is the annual meeting place of the world's political and business elite, is held in Davos from May 22 to 26. During the opening of the World Economic Forum, the Ukrainian delegation unveiled the plans that Ukraine needs to implement to win the war. ol Foreign Ministers Edgars Rinkevics of Latvia and Simon Coveney of Ireland at a meeting in Riga discussed bilateral relations, the security situation, support for Ukraine and further isolation of Russia, the press service of the Latvian Foreign Ministry has told Ukrinform. According to the statement, speaking about the security situation in the region, Rinkevics underlined the need to continue to provide all possible political, financial, and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Both ministers were unanimous that, together with like-minded partners, further decisions need to be taken on the isolation of Russia, and the implementation of sanctions should be further coordinated. On February 24, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops are shelling and destroying critical infrastructure and residential areas of cities, towns and villages in Ukraine, using artillery, multiple rocket launchers and ballistic missiles. Foreign Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani has visited the town of Irpin outside Kyiv as part of his visit to Ukraine. According to Ukrinform, he said this on Twitter. "The devastation witnessed today in Irpin is beyond words. Targeting civilians is a war crime and totally unacceptable. The perpetrators must be held accountable," Osmani wrote. The devastation witnessed tdy in #Irpin is beyond words. Targeting civilians is a war crime and totally unacceptable. The perpetrators must be held accountable. @DmytroKuleba pic.twitter.com/McyF8TCT7Z Bujar Osmani (@Bujar_O) May 27, 2022 He also added that Ukraine "is at the forefront of protecting our shared values of freedom and democracy." "North Macedonia strongly supports the just cause of the Ukrainian people," he said. As Ukrinform reported earlier, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin visited Ukraine on May 26. She visited Irpin and Bucha and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Photo credit: @Bujar_O Negotiations on the exchange of prisoners of war between Ukraine and Russia are ongoing, but in general, the negotiation process is in a state of stagnation. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told this to reporters after his visit to Palestine, Ukrinform reports, citing the Turkish newspaper Sabah. "The Russia-Ukraine negotiation process is in a state of stagnation. Even Ukraine said that they stopped the negotiations. [] There are discussions on the exchange of soldiers captured by Russia and Russian soldiers who are in the hands of Ukraine," he said. According to him, the ceasefire talks are in the background, whereas the issue of unblocking sea routes for grain exports from Ukraine remains relevant. "The delivery of grain products to international markets is a sensitive issue. For now, it is not possible for security reasons. There are no international sanctions for these products for Russia, but there are sanctions such as insurance for ships, contacts continue on these issues," Cavusoglu said. He also said that two military planes of the Turkish Air Force remain in Kyiv and they are receiving the necessary services. "The opening of Ukraine's airspace is important, and without it we do not want to risk the planes. There is no problem with their current location," he said. The evacuation of Ukrainian defenders from the Azovstal steel plant, blocked by Russian invaders, began on May 16 and lasted for several days. President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the world to put pressure on Russia to ensure the exchange of prisoners. He believes that the exchange of Ukrainians held in Russian captivity depends on the support of many countries. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi discussed the issues of further defense support for Ukraine, fuel supply, and efforts to unblock Ukrainian ports for preventing a global food crisis. Had a phone conversation with Italys Prime Minister Mario Draghi. Informed about the situation on the frontline. We expect further defense support from our partners. Raised the issue of fuel supply. Ways to prevent the food crisis were discussed. We have to unblock Ukrainian ports together, Zelensky posted on Twitter. Earlier, Draghi said that only Ukraine, no one else, would decide what terms of peace to accept against the background of Russia's aggression. ol Ukrainian refugees Yulia and her son Vlad are enrolled at a UNHCR cash assistance center in Warsaw, Poland. UNHCR/Maciej Moskwa UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, continues to scale up its operations in Poland to provide aid to refugees from Ukraine who have settled across the country. Poland remains the main country of arrival for refugees from Ukraine, with more than 3.5 million having entered the country since the start of the war on 24 February. The pace of arrivals has slowed down in comparison to early March, when over 100,000 people were arriving per day, to around 20,000 daily in the course of May. We have also seen more "pendular" movements, where people go back and forth across the border to Ukraine for various reasons, including visiting families, checking their properties or returning to their jobs. However, Poland expects to continue receiving and hosting a considerable number of refugees, given the large internal displacement, massive destruction and the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine. Newly arrived refugees often come from areas heavily affected by the fighting, some having spent weeks hiding in bomb shelters and basements. They often arrive in a state of distress and anxiety, having left family members behind, without a clear plan for where to go, and with less economic resources and connections than those who fled earlier. Health services and medical needs are the main queries UNHCR staff receive from refugees. Other requests concern transportation, financial support, psychosocial needs, accommodation and access to social services, including for people with disabilities and older people. Poland has put in place systems to ensure legal stay, access to employment, education, health care and other social welfare schemes for Ukrainian refugees. Over 1.1 million have registered with the Polish authorities, receiving a state ID number (PESEL) which gives them access to the services; 94 per cent of those registered are women and children. UNHCR is supporting government-led efforts through a multisectoral response focusing on protection services, cash assistance, emergency supplies and reception capacity. UNHCR rolled out its cash assistance programme in March. As of today, UNHCR has established eight cash enrollment centres in the main refugee hosting areas, including Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw, Ostroda, Gdynia and Gdansk. Over 100,000 refugees from Ukraine have already received financial support from UNHCR to cover their basic needs, such as paying rent or buying food and medicine. Cash is provided for a three-month period to those most in need serving as a transitional emergency safety net until they can better support themselves or be included in government social protection systems. Almost 20 per cent of refugees enrolled for cash assistance have specific needs. Aid is provided to serious medical cases, older people, single mothers without family support, women at risk and people with disabilities. Half of the children with specific needs are separated or unaccompanied. UNHCR also has set up jointly with UNICEF twelve Blue Dot Safe Spaces, Protection and Support Hubs in Poland, where refugees can access information and counselling on rights and services and receive immediate psychosocial support. Critical protection services are also provided to people with specific needs, including referrals to specialized services and legal counselling. UNHCR also continues to deliver humanitarian supplies into Ukraine from Poland. To date, 139 UNHCR aid trucks have been sent from our warehouse in Rzeszow, to help displaced and conflict-affected people inside Ukraine. People and authorities of Poland have shown extraordinary generosity in welcoming refugees from Ukraine. Strong commitment and support from the international community will be crucial to sustain this solidarity. UNHCR stands ready to continue supporting the Polish authorities in ensuring refugees meet their needs in dignity, are protected and can transition to sustainable solutions. In support of the Government-led response, UNHCR coordinated the development of an Inter-Agency Regional Refugee Response Plan which, in Poland, brings together 87 partners, calling for US$740.6 million to cover prioritized needs. So far, 25 per cent of requirements for Poland are funded. For more information on this topic, please contact: A still image from a surveillance aircraft video shows rescuers arriving after a boat carrying refugees and migrants capsized north of Desecheo Island, Puerto Rico on 12 May, 2022. United States Coast Guard/Handout via REUTERS. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is increasingly concerned by the sharp increase in individuals, including a growing number of Haitians, resorting to dangerous journeys in the Caribbean Sea, many taking place in overloaded and unseaworthy boats. UNHCR is urging governments in the region to fulfill their maritime rescue obligations and ensure all those in need of international protection are identified and offered unobstructed and prompt access to fair asylum procedures. The worrying trend in perilous crossings was recently highlighted when a vessel carrying over 800 Haitians, attempting to reach the United States, arrived in Cuba after being abandoned by its captain and set adrift at sea. Search and rescue at sea is a legal and humanitarian imperative, and those rescued include refugees and others in need of protection. Coordination, solidarity, and responsibility-sharing are crucial in responding effectively and ensuring that people in need of international protection are not returned to their country of origin, and the dangers they have fled. While refugees and migrants of various nationalities have been making voyages by sea throughout the Caribbean region, an increasing number are of Haitian origin. As of May, the U.S. Coast Guard reported it has interdicted almost 3,900 Haitian nationals in fiscal year 2022 - more than double the number in fiscal year 2021 (1,527 Haitians). In addition, at least 175 Haitians have been reported as missing or deceased to the U.S. Coast Guard. Many of those who resort to dangerous sea crossings are fleeing the political instability and socio-economic insecurity of the region that has put severe strains on communities throughout the Caribbean. The situation in Haiti has led to waves of mixed movements of migrants and asylum seekers from the country, amid a recent increase in gang-related violence, internal displacement, natural disasters, and a lack of employment opportunities. Humanitarian and security conditions in Haiti remain dire, making pushbacks or forced returns even more dangerous. In response to the growing numbers risking their lives in perilous sea crossings, UNHCR is working with governments in the region to support the response and reception of arrivals at their borders. Receiving states have the first line of responsibility in protecting those who may have well-founded fears of persecution in their country of origin. It is vital to ensure that arrangements for disembarkation of those rescued do not result in summary return, and that they have access to procedures to have their claims assessed before being expelled or deported. UNHCR will continue working with governments in the region to strengthen national reception and asylum systems, ensure the protection of refugees in a fair and efficient manner, and support international human rights and refugee law, while respecting national security concerns and state sovereignty. For more information on this topic, please contact: (@FahadShabbir) The Russian government agreed on Wednesday to temporarily allow gas export from a Yamal production site to Gazprom M&T, the state energy giant's former branch under Gazprom Germania GmbH MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2022) The Russian government agreed on Wednesday to temporarily allow gas export from a Yamal production site to Gazprom M&T, the state energy giant's former branch under Gazprom Germania GmbH. The decree greenlights deliveries of liquefied natural gas by Yamal Trade Pte. Ltd to Gazprom M&T, which is under Russian economic sanctions imposed by President Vladimir Putin on May 3 in response to "unfriendly actions of some countries and international organizations." The waiver comes into effect immediately and will remain in place for the next 90 days. Gazprom ceased to be the owner of Gazprom Germania in late March following media reports of searches by the German authorities. On April 4, the German authorities took Gazprom Germania under temporary management, deeming the acquisition of the company without their permission by new investors invalid. BEIJING, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th May, 2022 ) :China has released a medium- and long-term action plan to promote the high-quality development of philosophy and social sciences in the country's higher education system. Targeting 2035, the plan aims to build an independent knowledge system to better answer questions regarding China, the world, the people and the era, said the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Ministry of Education, which jointly released the plan. Placing talent cultivation at the center, the plan calls for using the CPC's innovative theories to guide various disciplines of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, carrying forward fine traditional Chinese culture and enhancing the capabilities of academic circles to communicate with the general public and the international community. Coordinated efforts should be made to build think tanks based on universities and colleges, said the plan, noting that country- and region-specific studies should be enhanced. Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th May, 2022 ) :Moscow is ready to make a "significant contribution" to averting a looming food crisis if the West lifts sanctions over Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Thursday. Russia was slapped with unprecedented sanctions after Putin ordered troops into neighbouring Ukraine on February 24. The sanctions and military action have disrupted supplies of fertiliser, wheat and other commodities from both Russia and Ukraine. The two countries produce 30 percent of the global wheat supply. "Putin emphasises that the Russian Federation is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertiliser, subject to the lifting of politically motivated restrictions by the West," the Kremlin said in a statement following the call. It added that Putin also spoke about the "steps taken to ensure safety of navigation, including the daily opening of humanitarian corridors for the exit of civilian ships from the ports of the Azov and Black Sea, which is impeded by the Ukrainian side". Putin also described as "unfounded" accusations that Russia was to blame for the problems with food supplies on the global market. The United States scoffed at Putin's offer. "Now they're using economic tools, as weapons. They're weaponizing food. They're weaponizing economic assistance. I guess we shouldn't be surprised by that, since they've weaponized everything else, including lies and information," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. "The administration is in discussions with our international partners and allies about how best to address this," he said. Draghi told a press conference that "the purpose of this telephone call was to ask if something could be done to unblock the wheat that is now in the depots in Ukraine". He suggested "collaboration between Russia and Ukraine on the unblocking of the Black Sea ports" where the wheat, which is at risk of rotting, is located -- "on the one hand to clear these ports and on the other hand to ensure that there are no clashes during the clearing". Draghi said there was "a readiness to continue in this direction" on the Russian side, and that he would call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "to see if there is a similar readiness". But "when asked if I have seen any glimmer of hope for peace, the answer is no," the Italian prime minister said. Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz has expressed grief over the demise of climber Ali Raza Sadpara and paid homage to his services for the promotion of mountaineering LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th May, 2022 ) :Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz has expressed grief over the demise of climber Ali Raza Sadpara and paid homage to his services for the promotion of mountaineering. In his condolence message, the CM said that Ali Raza Sadpara made a name for himself in mountaineering. The Chief Minister expressed his heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the bereaved family and prayed that may Allah Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant patience to the bereaved family. (@FahadShabbir) Russian strikes on a military facility in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro early Friday left nearly a dozen people dead and injured more than 30 others, a local defence official said Kyiv, Ukraine, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th May, 2022 ) :Russian strikes on a military facility in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro early Friday left nearly a dozen people dead and injured more than 30 others, a local defence official said. "A national guard training centre was hit this morning by Iskander missiles. People were killed. Unfortunately, about 10 people died and between 30 and 35 people have been injured," Gennady Korban, the regional head of the national guard, told local Ukrainian media. Dnipro in central Ukraine has escaped the brunt of damage inflicted by Russian forces in more than three months of fighting, and the city early on became was a hub for displaced Ukrainians fleeing fighting further east. The region's governor Valentin Reznitchenko had earlier said that strikes Friday had caused "serious destruction" and that rescue workers were searching for people under the rubble of damaged buildings. The strikes come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this week that 87 people were killed in Russian strikes on a Ukrainian military base north of the capital Kyiv on May 17. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Friday that he will hold a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the day VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2022) Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Friday that he will hold a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the day. "After talks with the president of Ukraine, the prime minister of Ukraine, the UN secretary-general and the president of Turkey, I will have a phone conversation with president Putin this afternoon. This is Austria's contribution as part of its active policy of neutrality. Only dialogue can lead the way to peace in Ukraine," Nehammer tweeted. Authorities in the Japanese prefecture of Nagasaki will follow example of Hiroshima to not invite representatives of Russia and Belarus to the annual ceremony commemorating victims of US atomic bombing on August 6, Japanese media reported on Thursday TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th May, 2022) Authorities in the Japanese prefecture of Nagasaki will follow example of Hiroshima to not invite representatives of Russia and Belarus to the annual ceremony commemorating victims of US atomic bombing on August 6, Japanese media reported on Thursday. The Nagasaki authorities will not be sending out invitations to the ambassadors of Belarus and Russia as was the practice every year, the Kyodo news agency said. Hiroshima, another Japanese prefecture that was targeted by US atomic bombing in August 1945, announced earlier this week that it would not invite the ambassadors of Russia and Belarus to the commemorative ceremony. Russian Ambassador to Japan Mikhail Galuzin confirmed the non-invitation on Wednesday. Japanese broadcaster NHK reported on Tuesday, citing Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, that the prefecture was initially going to invite Russia but changed its mind after consulting with the central government. In 1945, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, on August 6 and August 9, respectively. One atomic bomb code-named "Little Boy" killed about 140,000 residents of Hiroshima, while another, called "Fat Man," claimed the lives of some 70,000 people in Nagasaki. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the only attacks with nuclear weapons in the history of warfare. The next round of Astana peace talks on Syria in Kazakhstan will focus on political process, support for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid, a Turkish diplomat told Sputnik on condition of anonymity ANTAKYA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2022) The next round of Astana peace talks on Syria in Kazakhstan will focus on political process, support for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid, a Turkish diplomat told Sputnik on condition of anonymity. The Astana peace process was launched by Russia and Iran with Turkey's support in 2017 in a bid to end the Syrian conflict. The Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan, formerly known as Astana, will host the 18th round on June 14-16. "The talks in the Astana format will focus on efforts to find a political solution to the Syrian conflict and restore stability, support for a ceasefire, counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance and the return of refugees and internally displaced persons," the source said. The latest round of Syrian peace talks took place in December. Negotiators discussed efforts to preserve peace in Idlib province and other de-escalation zones as well as the work of the Syrian Constitutional Committee in Geneva, tasked with rewriting the country's basic law. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2022) There were no armed police officers readily available to confront the 18-year-old gunman who shot and killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School earlier this week, Texas Department of Public Safety Regional Director Victor Escalon said during a press conference. "No, there was not an officer readily available (and) armed," Escalon said on Thursday when asked if an armed police officer was readily available to confront the gunman. Escalon added that early media reports about a school district police officer confronting the suspect as he made entry into the school are inaccurate. No one confronted the suspect between the time he shot his grandmother and when he walked into the school, Escalon said. The gunman was approaching the school and outside in its parking lot firing shots at the building for 12 minutes before entering, according to the timeline provided by Escalon. Authorities attempted to make entry into the school about four minutes after the gunman, killing him about an hour later after calling for additional resources to deal with the situation, Escalon said. A majority of the gunfire occurred at the beginning of the incident in the school, but there was some exchange amid the negotiations between law enforcement and the suspect, Escalon also said. Escalon explained that the initial officers who arrived at the school received gunfire from the suspect, preventing them from making entry. The police officers then called for additional resources, such as tactical teams, body armor, precision riflemen, and negotiators, he added. The Wall Street Journal reported that Angeli Rose Gomez, a parent of several students that were inside the elementary school during the shooting, was one of numerous parents who urgently pleaded with police officers to charge into the school after seeing their delayed response to the incident. She was eventually arrested by Federal law enforcement officers who claimed she was intervening in an active investigation, the report said. The White House said Biden will visit Uvalde, Texas on Sunday. Meanwhile, the administration and congressional lawmakers have reportedly renewed discussion about passing gun control legislation. So far this year, there have been more than 200 mass shootings in the United States and 27 school shootings. (@FahadShabbir) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2022) The United States will continue to offer North Korea with humanitarian assistance, including with help to address the coronavirus outbreak, regardless of Pyongyang's latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launches, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. "We will continue to offer humanitarian assistance including COVID-19 assistance I mentioned earlier, the DPRK (North Korea) has only to accept it," Thomas-Greenfield told the UN Security Council on Thursday. Earlier in the day, Russia and China vetoed a US-sponsored resolution at the UN Security Council to tighten sanctions on North Korea over its latest ICBM test launches. China argued that the resolution would not resolve any problems but would worsen the situation. North Korea test-launched this week three ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan just hours after President Joe Biden concluded his trip to South Korea and Japan for meetings with his counterparts to discuss regional security and trade. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th May, 2022) The United States is likely trying to save some of the sanctions imposed on Iran by the Trump administration since the talks on the revival of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) have been paused for over two months, a senior Russian diplomat said on Friday. "Looks like the US tries to preserve some sanctions imposed by Donald Trump in Iran. Washington needs to demonstrate a more constructive and businesslike approach if (it) is really committed to nuclear nonproliferation," Mikhail Ulyanov, the Russian envoy to international organizations in Vienna, said on Telegram. In 2015, the P5+1, Iran and the European Union signed the multiparty nuclear agreement, formally known as the JCPOA, to provide sanctions relief to Iran in exchange for scaling back its nuclear activities. In 2018, the US unilaterally withdrew from the agreement and reimposed sanctions on Iran. In April 2021, the parties to the agreement, together with the United States, began negotiations to restore the nuclear deal, working in Vienna. However, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced in March a pause in the Vienna talks "due to external factors." Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on Wednesday that nuclear aspects of the deal with Iran on its atomic research have been "pretty much finalized" but the talks have stumbled on non-nuclear issues. Eighteen USF students have embarked on a study abroad trip in Lima, Peru with School of Social Work faculty Jerome Galea, PhD, MSW; Chris Simmons, PhD, LCSW; and Melissa Thompson, MSW, LCSW. The USF Peru - Global Health and Mental Health Practice program gives students hands-on experience in the field of global mental health working with Socios En Salud, the local branch of the internationally recognized nonprofit health organization, Partners in Health. Lead by Galea, this program focuses on addressing mental health morbidity through a social justice lens. Students have the opportunity to interact with and experientially learn about the socio-cultural context of indigenous people's physical and mental health. During the trip, students toured a community mental health center in Carabayllo, the largest district in Lima. Students also participated in home visits with patients who have schizophrenia and depression alongside Socios En Salud staff and community workers. Students visit a community mental health center in Carabayllo, Peru. "Being able to enter the homes of the locals that utilize the services here really opened my eyes to the Peruvians and their mental health," said undergraduate student Alexa Edney. "It also made me reflect on those who are going through the same struggles back at home and what we as social workers can do to make the lives of others less chaotic. It is uncomfortable to be put in a place where you do not know what to expect but comfort is not how you will grow. I want to learn and understand what this country has to offer." The students also worked with Socios En Salud to provide physical and mental health screenings for Venezuelan refugee children and their families. Students rotated through different stations and assisted with COVID testing, depression screenings, and TB screenings. Students provided medical services alongside Socios En Salud. It is not easy for a migrant family to move to a new country and adapt to the new culture," explained undergraduate student Paul Munoz. "It is essential as social workers to offer mental health services to this population so they may adjust to their new homes. As humans, we must comprehend that some folks migrate in search of hope. Empathy is a must, and how we receive immigrants to our country (US or Peru) must be with compassion and a welcoming mindset for a healthier community, society, and world. The University of South Florida (USF) College of Education welcomes Peter Trakas, EdD, as the new director of the Gus A. Stavros Center for Free Enterprise and Economic Education. In this role, Trakas will lead the Stavros Center in its mission of advancing the effective teaching and integration of economic education, free enterprise and financial literacy into K-20 curricula. Trakas joins the Gus A. Stavros Center from the USF Foundation, where he served as the universitys Director of Corporate Relations. I am pleased to welcome Dr. Peter Trakas as the new director of the Gus A. Stavros Center, said College of Education Dean R. Anthony Rolle, PhD. Dr. Trakas possesses a strong background in relationship building and fundraising with leaders in business, corporations and nonprofit organizations, which serve as the foundation for effective partnerships in support of the Stavros Centers mission and vision. Trakas brings with him more than 25 years of higher education administration experience in various roles within institutional advancement. He received his Doctor of Education in educational leadership from the University of Central Florida in 2003 and an MBA from Stetson University in 1998. His scholarship explores online giving, university advancement and the ways in which private and corporate stakeholders can be engaged by higher education institutions to support student success. Additionally, Trakas has taught undergraduate courses at USF, the University of Arizona Global Campus and Jacksonville University. Trakas succeeds USF Professor Emeritus Dominic J. Puglisi, PhD, who has served as director and endowed chair of the Stavros Center since its inception in 1975. Having the privilege to collaborate with the Stavros Center and Dr. Puglisi during my time at USF, I have seen firsthand the impact that the center has on the teaching profession, and how teachers value the professional development they receive through the centers seminars, workshops and other activities, Trakas said. The Stavros Center has a rich tradition of service to K-12 teachers, and it is an honor to be selected to continue that tradition as the centers next leader. The Gus A. Stavros Center has a more than 40-year history of serving K-12 teachers while continuing its mission of strengthening economics education and free enterprise within Florida schools. Today, the center is recognized as the premier destination for economic education in the state of Florida and has received numerous honors in celebration of its excellence in economic education at the local, state and national levels. Trakas begins his appointment to the role on May 27. Father Giorgio Marengo, apostolic prefect in Mongolia speaks about the importance of interreligious dialogue and good relations with Buddhists (Afmc (Archivio fotografico Missioni Consolata)) A delegation of Buddhists from Mongolia pays its first official visit to the Vatican 30 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Mongolian government. An interview with the head of the Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar highlights a positive and collaborative relationship. By Amedeo Lomonaco & Linda Bordoni The Buddhist delegation from Mongolia is engaged in an intense schedule of meetings and appointments in the Vatican spanning Friday and Saturday as it marks 30 years from the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Mongolia as well as 30 years of the Catholic Churchs presence in the country. On Friday morning the delegation was received by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, while in the afternoon members visited the Vatican Museums. The highlight on Saturday is undoubtedly the scheduled audience with Pope Francis. Speaking to Vatican Radio, Father Giorgio Marengo the head of the apostolic prefecture of Ulaanbataar, described the visit as an important step for interreligious dialogue. We are very happy with this event, which we have been working on for almost two years with the great cooperation, the great support, of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, father Marengo said noting that there have in fact been visits to the Vatican by other prominent figures of Mongolian Buddhism, but they were unofficial visits. This is the first time, he explained, that a delegation is coming to meet the Holy Father, so it is an important chapter of interreligious dialogue, to which the Church pays much attention in Mongolia. The Catholic Churchs presence in Mongolia There are about 1,400 Catholics in the central Asian country that hosts 8 parishes. Father Marengo describes the reality and says We like this image of a Church that resembles that of the Acts of the Apostles. There are few countries in the world where Christians who are members of our communities are first or second generation. It is an adventure of the Spirit and of great missionary enthusiasm, which had as its protagonist, for at least two of these decades, the late Bishop Wenceslaus Padilla, who was the real founder of this Church, he said. Father Marengo went on to explain that the first decade was marked by the evangelizing work of a first group of missionaries in the aftermath of the end of the communist regime, which had heavily conditioned religious freedom in the country. The first decade was marked by these small but very significant steps, especially in the field of human promotion, he said. The second decade, Father Marengo described as one of establishment and birth of the first Christian communities and the beginning of some faith journeys by the local population. The third decade, he continued, is symbolized by the ordination of the first Mongolian priest, in 2016, and we carry this image as a great gift of the Spirit for this nascent Church. Along with him, today, the apostolic prefect added, we have a second local priest, who was ordained in October last year. The visit these days features, certainly, our Buddhist friends, but also the two Mongolian priests who are coming to the Vatican for the first time. Diplomatic relations As mentioned, this official visit marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Ulaanbaatar. These fruitful years, Father Marengo said, have been marked by an increase in positive dialogue and cooperation which we hope will result in concrete steps that will consolidate the legal status of the Church in Mongolia, as well as acknowledge and affirm mutual cooperation. The main challenges Mongolia is a nation that stretches between imposing mountain ranges in the north and arid expanses in the south. Thirty percent of the population is nomadic. The pastoral challenges in such a territory where only about 1,400 people are baptized out of a total population of over 3 million are remarkable. I have tried to summarize what the pastoral priorities may be in the letter I shared with Mongolian missionaries and faithful, Father Marengo said, highlighting, first of all, the challenge of helping people who have taken this very important step to deepen their faith and make it more and more connected to everyday life. This requires a great effort of attention, of accompaniment. A second aspect regards the challenge of communion and fraternity, both among us missionaries from various congregations and among the Christian communities themselves, Father Marengo said. Although we are few in number, we increasingly feel the need to be in tune on the paths of the Gospel, aware also that fellowship is a sign of the Lord's presence among us. A third aspect, he concluded, is the proclamation and witness that must mark this Church that for the most part is going forth outwards Vietnams blue economy is a relatively new concept that encompasses economic activities related to oceans and seas while improving livelihoods and preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem. The sea and coastal areas of Vietnam account for approximately 47-48 percent of the countrys GDP. Vietnam Briefing highlights some distinct characteristics of the blue economy as well as opportunities for investors. The development of Vietnams blue economy is a relatively new concept but is necessary to address the environmental issues, its carbon footprint, and the exploitation of natural resources along its coastlines. What is the blue economy? The blue economy is a relatively new term. It means the assurance of economic growth and the development of marine ecosystems while ensuring the reasonable exploitation of natural resources with lesser environmental impact. It also means the construction and development of infrastructure adaptable to climate change and extreme weather. The World Bank describes the blue economy as the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth while improving livelihoods and preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem. As such, the blue economy is the central point to enable Vietnam achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 with vision to 2045, with the environment being one of the pillars of this development. The blue economy would also help meet Vietnams climate change goals. Recent studies show that a 1-meter rise in sea level would impact 11 percent of Vietnams population and 7 percent of its agricultural land. Depending on the severity of sea-level rise, climate change may eventually expose 3846 percent of Vietnams population to flooding. The development of the blue economy, however, must be based on a balanced growth of six industries: fisheries and aquaculture; oil and gas; marine renewable energy; coastal and marine tourism; the maritime sector; and environment and ecosystems. Opportunities for the development of Vietnams blue economy Vietnams long coastline is advantageous as it is situated near international and regional maritime routes. Vietnams coastal areas lie in areas with high economic growth rates and serve as a bridge between several regional trading partners and shipping routes. These are favorable conditions for Vietnam to develop its maritime sector, shipbuilding, and logistics industries, given its 114 estuaries, and 52 deep-sea gulfs along the central coast (gulfs, bays, and lagoons stretching over 60 percent of the coastline), and over 100 positions for construction of big seaports. Vietnam is home to several natural resources and contains about 35 minerals of various groups: fuel, metal, building materials, precious and semi-precious stones, and liquid minerals. Sand mines under sea beds in Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city have a deposit of over 100 billion tonnes and nearly 9 billion tonnes respectively. Besides, the potential of seawater resources is significant with diverse types of marine energy such as natural hydrate, tidal energy, wave energy, and heavy-water nuclear energy. Vietnam is also rich in marine resources. Apart from fish, a major resource, there are many high economic resource value items such as shrimps, crabs, sea cucumbers, and seaweed. The fish deposit in Vietnams sea areas is approximately 5 million tons/year, with the annual fish catch at around 2.3 million tons. As per the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), annual marine aquaculture output is expected to reach 850,000 tonnes and export turnover is estimated to be between US$800 million and US$1 billion. Moreover, the 3,260 km-long coastline and thousands of islands constitute favorable conditions for Vietnam to develop sea tourism. Along its coast, there exist about 12 beaches, some ranked as the best in the world. Vietnams coastal areas lie in a tropical climatic zone with many parts enjoying long sunshine hours throughout the year, which is ideal for tourists, especially those coming from countries with cold winters. Regulations that foster the development of the blue economy Vietnam has launched many strategies and policies to help in transitioning its economy from a brown to a green one, including the National Strategy on Green Growth 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050; the strategy on sustainable exploitation and use of marine resources, and the protection of marine environment up to 2020, with a vision toward 2030, among others; and made many international commitments on environment and development, such as the net-zero carbon commitment at COP26. Vietnam has approved several laws, and master plans for the deployment of green growth tasks, such as the National Action Plan on Green Growth, the 2012 Law of the Sea of Vietnam, and the 2015 Law on Marine and Island Resources and Environment. Additionally, the government also issued Resolution 36-NQ/TW on October 22, 2018, on the Strategy for sustainable development of Vietnams marine economy to 2030, with a vision toward 2045. The strategy states that by 2030, the marine economic sectors will be developed in the following priority order: sea tourism and services; maritime economy; exploitation of petroleum and other marine minerals; marine resource farming and exploitation; coastal industries; renewable energy and new marine economic sectors. It can be observed that resource-intensive economic sectors have been given lower priority and replaced by natural resource-saving ones such as tourism and the maritime industry. The highlight of the strategy is the inclusion of marine resource farming besides exploitation. In addition, it lists the renewable energy industry and new marine economic sectors, such as wind power, on-sea solar power, sea-tide power, and exploitation of marine biodiversity resources (marine pharmaceuticals, seaweed growth, and processing). This is the first time that Vietnam has developed robust plans related to the blue economy to sustainably develop the marine economy in line with international standards, which shows the countrys objective toward a more sustainable marine industry. Opportunities for investors The maritime industry Investors currently have many opportunities to participate in maritime projects after Vietnams master plan for seaport system development was approved. The master plan for 2021 2030 is among the five national plans developed by the Ministry of Transport and approved by the Prime Minister. The highlight of the master plan is the list of seven infrastructure development projects using non-budget capital sources. The total capital needed for these projects in the 2021-2025 period is about VND 150,357 billion (US$6.5 million) and VND 146,643 billion (US$6.3 million) in the 2026-2030 period. Among them are projects that are attracting special attention from domestic and foreign investors such as Lach Huyen port, Tran De Soc Trang port, Nghi Son Thanh Hoa port, Cai Mep Ha port, and the shallow port system. The shipping industry itself is also a potential industry in the marine economy for investment with attractive tax incentives and policies, which Vietnam Briefing has discussed in the previous article. Offshore wind power industry Another marine industry that can offer significant potential for foreign investors is wind power. It is forecast that total wind capacity will increase from around 3GW in 2021 to just under 13GW by 2030, with the government also looking to develop 21GW of offshore wind by 2045. Additionally, Vietnam is an energy transition leader in ASEAN as the country plans to develop its wind power capacity outpacing its neighbors such as Thailand and the Philippines. Vietnam has a geographical advantage, particularly its over 3,000-kilometer coastline with high wind speeds, favorable for offshore wind development. Regarding the policies, unlike in other countries, like the Philippines, there are no restrictions on foreign direct investment. Investors can therefore have 100 percent foreign ownership. Vietnam has also had a generous tariff of US$0.085/kWh for wind projects, which helped spur a flurry of development ahead of that tariffs expiration on 1 November 2021. Tourism As another resource-saving marine industry, tourism also boasts attractive investment opportunities for investors. This proves feasible now as Vietnam has reopened after the pandemic, with international flights resuming, and rapid COVID-19 test requirements on international entry no longer required. According to data from the General Statistics Office (GSO), in the first two months of 2022, international visitors to Vietnam were estimated at 49,200 arrivals, up 71.7 percent over the same period last year. Many resort real estate projects have announced investment policies or officially opened for sale on the market from the beginning of 2022. Particularly, the central provinces such as Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, and Thua Thien-Hue, known as the center of coastal tourism, have also introduced many large-scale real estate projects, catering to the tourism industry. Takeaways As Vietnam aims to reach net zero-carbon status by 2050, sustainable development will be the main theme that covers all economic sectors in Vietnam, including the marine economy. Therefore, with the countrys supportive government policy-making and advantageous natural resources, the blue economy now emerges as another potential investment opportunity for investors. Philippine president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr said Thursday he would uphold an international ruling against Beijing over the disputed South China Sea, insisting he would not let China trample on Manila's maritime rights. China claims almost all of the resource-rich waterway, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, with competing claims from the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Beijing has ignored a 2016 decision by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration that declared its historical claim to be without basis. Outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte fostered warmer ties with his more powerful neighbour by setting aside the ruling in exchange for promises of trade and investment, which critics say have not materialised. In his strongest comments yet on the longstanding source of tensions between the two nations, Marcos Jr said he would not "allow a single millimetre of our maritime coastal rights to be trampled upon". "We have a very important ruling in our favour and we will use it to continue to assert our territorial rights. It is not a claim. It is already our territorial right," he told selected local media. "We're talking about China. We talk to China consistently with a firm voice." But he added: "We cannot go to war with them. That's the last thing we need right now." Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Beijing's position on the international ruling had not changed. "China is willing to continue communication and dialogue with the Philippines to appropriately handle differences, and together uphold the peace and stability of the South China Sea region," Wang said. 'Friends with everyone' Marcos Jr, popularly known as Bongbong, secured more than half of the votes in the May 9 election to win the presidency by a wide margin and cap a remarkable comeback for his family. His father and namesake ruled the Philippines for 20 years, presiding over widespread corruption and human rights abuses before he was ousted in 1986. Marcos Jr formally takes office on June 30. He and his running mate Sara Duterte, who also won the vice presidential race in a landslide, have embraced key policies of the elder Duterte. But Marcos Jr signalled that on foreign policy he would not adopt the "slightly unorthodox approach" of Duterte, who rattled diplomats with his firebrand rhetoric and mercurial nature. The president-elect indicated he would seek to strike a balance between China and the United States, which are vying to have the closest ties with his administration. "We are a small player amongst very large giants in geopolitics. We have to ply our own way," said Marcos Jr. "I do not subscribe to the old thinking of the Cold War where we had this spheres of influence where you're under the Soviet Union or you're under the United States," he said. "I think that we have to find an independent foreign policy where we are friends with everyone. It's the only way." The United States has a complex relationship with the Philippines -- and the Marcos family. After ruling the former US colony for two decades with the support of Washington, which saw him as a Cold War ally, Marcos senior went into exile in Hawaii in the face of mass protests and with the nudging of the United States in 1986. As regional tensions remain high, Washington is keen to preserve its security alliance with Manila that includes a mutual defence treaty and permission for the US military to store defence equipment and supplies on several Philippine bases. The South China Sea was a key obstacle in Manila's ties with Beijing and needed to be resolved, said Chester Cabalza of the Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation. If Marcos Jr and Chinese President Xi Jinping do not engage on the issue, "Beijing will have an upper hand in terms of our strategic relations with China", he said. The head of the U.N. refugee agency urged the international community on Wednesday not to forget more than 1 million Rohingya refugees who are living in sprawling camps in Bangladesh after fleeing from neighboring Myanmar. Filippo Grandi, the United Nations high commissioner for refugees, said he visited the camps near the border with Myanmar and a remote island where 28,000 refugees have been relocated to ensure that their plight is not forgotten amid the crises in Ukraine and Afghanistan. Grandi is finishing a five-day visit to Bangladesh during which he met refugees, government officials, diplomats and donors. The UNHCR says only 13% of the $881 million needed to support the refugees for the year has been realized as of this month. This is why I am here, to try to shine a spotlight on Bangladesh, its people, and the Rohingya refugees it has been hosting for decades, and to remind the international community of the importance of their support, he told reporters in Dhaka. Grandi said the long-term solution for the Rohingya remains in Myanmar. The Rohingya refugees I met reiterated their desire to return home when conditions allow. The world must work to address the root causes of their flight and to translate those dreams into reality, Grandi said. More than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims fled from Buddhist-majority Myanmar to refugee camps in Bangladesh after August 2017, when the Myanmar military launched a clearance operation in response to attacks by a rebel group. Myanmar security forces have been accused of mass rapes, killings and the burning of thousands of homes. The Rohingya are not recognized as citizens in Myanmar, rendering them stateless, and face other forms of state-sanctioned discrimination and violence. Bangladesh has tried at least twice to begin sending refugees back to Myanmar, but they have refused to go, citing continuing danger. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says Myanmar must take the refugees back but that her government will not force them to return. Western governments are demanding that U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet receive full access to sites and individuals in Chinas western Xinjiang region following this weeks release of highly detailed reports of rights violations in the region. This new reporting further adds to an already damning body of evidence of [Chinas] atrocities in Xinjiang, said State Department spokesman Ned Price, who described the photos and other evidence published by an international joint media group as jarring. Speaking at a regular briefing, he said the new reports buttressed previous evidence of abuses in the region, seen in satellite imagery, and gathered via witness testimony from survivors and escapees of the internment and forced labor camps. Price called on China 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. He said the U.S. will work with allies to promote accountability for those responsible for these atrocities. A news consortium this week released the so-called Xinjiang Police Files, a cache of data hacked from police computer servers in the region and provided to the BBC and other global media outlets. The files include over 5,000 photos and documents that show the Chinese government targeting Uyghurs for their ethnicity and Islamic faith. The U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China, an independent government agency, said the overwhelming and horrific evidence can no longer be ignored by international society. It urged the U.N. Commissioner to confront Chinese officials with these new findings. Newly released files from a leaked police database highlight the role [Chinese President] Xi Jinping and other top officials had in crafting the genocidal policies employed in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and demonstrate clearly that Turkic Muslims are detained because of their cultural and religious identity and not for any specific criminal actions, said Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative James P. McGovern, who co-chair the commission, in a formal statement. The publication of the leaked material coincides with the visit of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to China. Her six-day trip, which ends Saturday, includes the Xinjiang cities of Urumqi and Kashgar, where China has been accused of genocide by the U.S. government and other members of the international community. Her tour is being conducted within a closed loop with no media members allowed to follow, prompting criticism from human rights groups. They worry that Bachelet will be denied full access to sites in Xinjiang and be allowed to see only what the Chinese government wants to portray. 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 [the] Chinese Communist Party, Hidayat said. The new disclosures promoted outcry from other Western democracies as well. In an online meeting this week with Chinese Foreign Ministry Wang Yi, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock cited the new evidence of very serious human rights violations in Xinjiang and called for a transparent investigation, according to The Associated Press. Human rights are a fundamental part of the international order and Germany is committed to protecting them worldwide, Baerbock said. In London, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss condemned the new details of China's human rights violations in Xinjiang and called on China to grant the U.N. team "unfettered access to the region" to conduct a thorough assessment of the facts on the ground. "The U.K. stands with our international partners in calling out China's appalling persecution of Uygur Muslims and other minorities. We remain committed to holding China to account," Truss said in a press release. China dismissed the new disclosures in Xinjiang as lies and rumors. (It) is the latest example of the anti-China forces smearing of Xinjiang. It is just the same trick they used to play before, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said in a briefing. When asked whether Bachelet will get to speak to former trainees of the vocational centers in Xinjiang, Wang said that China will facilitate her visit. President Xi defended Chinas human rights record during a video conference with Bachelet on Wednesday. When it comes to human rights issues, there is no such thing as a flawless utopia; countries do not need patronizing lectures; still less should human rights issues be politicized," the state news agency Xinhua quoted Xi as saying. According to U.N. News, Bachelet and her team have raised serious concerns about the alleged detention and forced labor of Muslim Uyghurs during their visit to Xinjiang on Wednesday. Asim Kashgarian contributed to this report. Officials from Gabon and Cameroon have agreed to retrace their nearly 300-kilometer border and to stop frequent clashes between border communities. At a meeting in Cameroon's capital Thursday night, the two sides also agreed to jointly deploy their militaries to stop arms trafficking across the border. Officials from Cameroon and its southern neighbor Gabon ended a three-day meeting Thursday agreeing to better demarcate their border and improve border security. The meeting, which included delegates from France, Germany, the UN, and other global groups, advised a three-year plan to define the border. Aime Roger Mouloungui Maganga is secretary general of Gabon's National Border Commission. He says people along the border between Cameroon and Gabon have willfully or unknowingly removed or damaged border markers built by German and French colonial powers in the 19th century. Maganga says erosion and floods have also destroyed some of the markers. He says Gabon and Cameroon must retrace their border in a way that will satisfy both states. While the two countries have never fought over their border, border security has been an issue. Border communities have clashed over natural resources including minerals and sand, water, wood, and wildlife. Cameroon says in March, villagers on its side blocked a bridge to Gabon in protest of Gabonese troops demanding customs duties, a charge Gabon denies. Cameroons Territorial Administration minister Paul Atanga Nji says militaries from the two countries agreed to carry out joint border controls to stop arms trafficking. Nji, who headed Cameroon's delegation at the meeting, said Cameroons military has seized weapons along the border. "We have terrorism, arms trafficking, illegal exploitation of our resources, and that is why it is important to increase surveillance and intelligence because we need information," said Nji. "So, when we identify challenges and the security forces{military} are put in place, we can anticipate any danger." Majority French-speaking Cameroon has been fighting English-speaking separatists in its western regions since 2017. Cameroons government last year said some fleeing separatist fighters disguised as displaced persons were arrested on its southern borders with Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Gabon in 2019 closed crossings to Cameroon after an attempted coup against President Ali Bongo, claiming coup leaders were hiding across the border. At this weeks meeting, both sides agreed to use the border map drawn by former colonial powers as a guiding document. The Gabonese delegation was led by Gabons senior minister of Interior, Lambert Noel Matha. He says the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), has agreed to provide funding, technical assistance and equipment needed by Cameroon and Gabon for the demarcation of the border. Matha says experts who attended the meeting have agreed on a road map and that joint delegations from Cameroon and Gabon will soon visit hard to access areas of the border. The boundary was established by German and French colonial powers in the late 19th century and finalized in 1908. It has not changed after both states gained their independence in 1960. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and a 20-strong delegation arrived Thursday in the Solomon Islands at the start of an eight-nation tour that comes amid growing concerns about Beijing's military and financial ambitions in the South Pacific. China says the trip builds on a long history of friendly relations between Beijing and the island nations. But Australia scrambled to counter the move by sending its own foreign minister, Penny Wong, to Fiji to shore up support in the Pacific. Wong had been on the job just five days following an Australian election and had just arrived back Wednesday night from a meeting in Tokyo. In Fiji, Wong said it was up to each island nation to decide what partnerships it formed and what agreements it signed, but she urged all of them to consider the benefits of sticking with Australia. "Australia will be a partner that doesn't come with strings attached nor imposing unsustainable financial burdens," Wong said. "We are a partner that won't erode Pacific priorities or Pacific institutions." Meanwhile, the Media Association of Solomon Islands called on its members to boycott a news conference in the capital, Honiara, held by Wang and his counterpart from the Solomon Islands, Jeremiah Manele, following a meeting between the pair. That's because only selected media were invited to the event, and the schedule allowed for just a single question to be asked of Wang by China's state-owned broadcaster CCTV. 'Tough call' "It's a tough call to make regarding the media boycott for the press event on Thursday," wrote association president Georgina Kekea on Twitter. "Our protest is for our govt to see our disappointment. They have failed us & they failed to protect #democracy." According to an official Chinese summary of the meeting, Wang told his counterpart that China would firmly support the Solomon Islands in its efforts to maintain national security and territorial integrity, while Manele described the visit as historic and a "milestone in the relations" between the two countries. China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands last month in a move that sent shock waves around the world. That pact has raised fears that China could send troops to the island nation or even establish a military base there, not far from Australia. The Solomon Islands and China say there are no plans for a base. In another move by China, a draft document obtained by The Associated Press shows that Wang is hoping to strike a deal with 10 small Pacific nations during his visit. The sweeping agreement covers everything from security to fisheries and is seen by at least one Pacific leader as an attempt by Beijing to wrest control of the region. Wang is hoping the countries will endorse the prewritten agreement as part of a joint communique after a May 30 meeting in Fiji with the other foreign ministers. During his 10-day visit, Wang is also planning stops in Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor. Earlier, Australia's new prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said he had sent Wong to Fiji because Australia needed to "step up" its efforts in the Pacific. "We need to respond to this because this is China seeking to increase its influence in the region of the world where Australia has been the security partner of choice since the Second World War," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that in recent years, exchanges and cooperation between Beijing and the island nations had been expanding in a development that was welcomed by the Pacific countries. The death toll from the collapse of a tower block in southwestern Iran rose to 19, state media reported Thursday, making it the country's deadliest such disaster in years. A large section of the 10-story Metropol building that was under construction in the city of Abadan, Khuzestan province, crashed to the ground on Monday, with dozens feared trapped. "The exact number of people trapped under the rubble is not known, but so far, the bodies of 19 people have been recovered," state news agency IRNA quoted city governor Ehsan Abbaspour as saying. He added that "37 people were rescued from the rubble and taken to city hospitals for treatment," with most of them now discharged. The search and rescue operation will continue "until the last body is recovered," Abbaspour said. Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi, who was in Abadan, earlier told the state broadcaster the search was moving slowly and carefully because of the risk of the adjacent buildings collapsing. Dozens of residents had gathered on Abadan's streets Wednesday night, calling for those implicated in the tragedy to be held responsible, according to footage aired on state TV. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei offered condolences to the people of Abadan for the "unfortunate incident," in a letter posted on his website Thursday. He called for the perpetrators to be prosecuted and punished and said preventing a repeat of such incidents was "the responsibility of all of us, the officials of the country." The provincial judiciary said at least 10 people were arrested, including the mayor and two former mayors, accused of being "responsible" for the collapse, state TV reported online. An investigation has been opened into the cause of the disaster in Abadan, a city of 230,000 people, 660 kilometers southwest of Tehran. In a previous disaster in Iran, 22 people, including 16 firefighters, died in a blaze that engulfed the capital's 15-story Plasco shopping center in January 2017. Robb Elementary School had measures in place to prevent this kind of violence. A fence lined the school property. Teachers were ordered to keep classroom doors closed and locked. Students faced regular lockdown and evacuation drills. But when an 18-year-old man arrived Tuesday at the school in Uvalde, Texas, intent on killing children, none of it stopped him. Security failures allowed the shooter to massacre 19 students and two teachers, school safety experts say. The shooting already has led to calls to fortify schools further, on top of millions spent on equipment and other measures following earlier shootings. But more security offers drawbacks, with no guarantee of an end to mass violence. In the worst case, as in Uvalde, it could backfire. "You can do the best job you can to prevent a school crisis, but we cannot read the minds of all the criminals who are out there," said Ronald Stephens, executive director of the National School Safety Center, a nonprofit that works with schools across the country. "We cannot prevent all crime." According to a district safety plan, Uvalde schools had a wide range of measures in place to prevent violence. The district had four police officers and four support counselors, according to the plan, which appears to be dated from the 2019-20 school year. The district had software to monitor social media for threats and software to screen school visitors. Yet when the gunman arrived at the school, he hopped its fence and easily entered through a back door that had been propped open, officials said. Behind the locked door of a fourth-grade classroom, he gunned down children and teachers. Amid the attack, nearly 20 officers stood in a hallway because the on-site commander believed the gunman was barricaded in the classroom and children were not at risk, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said at a Friday news conference, saying "it was the wrong decision." The case underscores that even the strongest security plans can be undermined by a seemingly simple lapse, said Curtis Lavarello, executive director of the School Safety Advocacy Council, which provides training on school safety. The Texas school appeared to be doing many things right, he said, but none of that mattered once the gunman was able to walk unobstructed into the building and into a classroom. "All those things on paper mean nothing if they're not followed in practice. And there seemed to be a number of gaps," he said. In the aftermath of the shooting, some Republicans have been calling for further investments in school safety to prevent more attacks. Some have pushed for more armed police in schools, along with metal detectors and measures to make it harder to enter schools. Among those promoting physical security measures is Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican. Appearing on Fox News on Wednesday, he brought up 2013 legislation that created grants to help schools install bulletproof doors and hire armed police officers, among other measures. If those grants had gone to Robb Elementary, Cruz said, "the armed police officers could have taken him out and we would have 19 children and two teachers still alive." Security experts say the Uvalde case illustrates how fortifying schools can backfire. A lock on the classroom door one of the most basic and widely recommended school safety measures kept victims in and police out. U.S. Border Patrol agents eventually used a master key to open the locked door of the classroom, where they confronted and killed the gunman, McCraw said at the Friday news conference. Some argue that investments in school security have come at the expense of student welfare. Lockdown drills that have become routine for a generation of American students have traumatized students and added to strains on mental health, educators say. Schools need more counselors and psychologists to help troubled students, not stronger buildings, said Dewey Cornell, a psychologist and director of the Virginia Youth Violence Project at the University of Virginia. "We have systemically reduced the number of support staff in our schools, and focused too much on installing metal detectors and surveillance cameras and electronic door locks, which are very short term and reactive and very expensive," he said. In the wake of the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, schools across the country began spending huge sums of money on fortifications, including bulletproof glass, metal detectors and armed security. But such measures can create an atmosphere where students feel uncomfortable and less trusting, and it does not necessarily prevent attacks, said Matthew Mayer, a Rutgers University associate professor who works on issues related to school violence. "You'll go down these sorts of endless rabbit holes of how much security is enough. And when it comes to someone who's coming in heavily armed, you're not going to stop them," Mayer said. "So the idea is you need to figure out why people do this in the first place and have ways multilevel systems of prevention to prevent it from happening." He advocates for a multifaceted prevention approach that also includes steps such as improving mental health services, assessing threats more effectively and building trust so students and families are not afraid to speak up if they're concerned someone has the means or intent to cause harm. Still, schools can only do so much, he said, and he isn't optimistic that public outrage over Uvalde will lead to significant change. "The problem is that a lot of this public reaction, you know, sort of rises like a wave and then recedes over time, and the politicians have been accustomed to riding that out. You know, they make speeches and so forth, and sometimes there's a commission that gets appointed, and they issue reports," Mayer said. "But substantive change is lacking." In a small orthopedic clinic in Kyiv, Daviti Suleimanishvili listens as doctors describe various prostheses that could replace his left leg, torn off during the battle for Mariupol. Born in Georgia but with Ukrainian citizenship, Suleimanishvili whose nom de guerre is "Scorpion" is one of countless people who have lost arms or legs in the war and now impatiently awaiting a replacement limb. A member of the Azov regiment, he was based in the city of Mariupol, which underwent a relentless battering by Russian forces for three months before the last troops at the Azovstal steelworks finally laid down their arms last week. He was badly wounded on March 20 when a Russian tank located about 900 meters away fired in his direction. "The blast threw me four meters and then a wall fell on top of me," he said, saying he was also hit by shrapnel. "When I tried to stand up, I could not feel my leg. My hand was injured and a finger was gone." Carried by his comrades into a field hospital in the heart of the sprawling steelworks, his leg was amputated just below the knee. He was then evacuated by helicopter to a hospital in Dnipro in central Ukraine. Two months later he's getting around with crutches and hopes to soon have a prosthetic leg fitted, funded by the Ukrainian government. "If possible, I want to continue serving in the army and keep fighting," he said. "A leg is nothing because we're in the 21st century and you can make good prostheses and continue to live and serve. "I know many guys in the war now have prostheses and are on the front lines." Resources needed On Wednesday afternoon, he had his first consultation with the medics who will fit him with a new limb. Inside the clinic at a rundown building in Kyiv, a dozen specialists are making prosthetic limbs inside a workshop covered in plaster, while in the consultation rooms, doctors are considering which might be the right model for each of their patients. But Suleimanishvili's case is not so straightforward. One suggests a vacuum-attached prosthesis in which a pump draws out the air between the residual limb and the socket, creating a vacuum; another pushes for a different type of attachment which he says would be better for war-time conditions, that is "stable, flexible and easy to clean." "There were almost no military people two weeks ago, but now they're coming," explained Dr. Oleksandr Stetsenko, who heads the clinic. "They weren't ready before as they needed to be treated for injuries to other parts of their bodies." President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in mid-April that 10,000 soldiers had been wounded while the United Nations has given a figure of more than 4,600 injured civilians. Amplitude Magazine, a specialist American publication aimed at amputees, said Ukraine would need significant resources. "To assist the hundreds or thousands of Ukrainian amputees who reportedly need treatment, aid volunteers will need to work from centralized locations that are well stocked," it said. However, "there are a limited number of such clinics within Ukraine, and the supply chains that serve them are spotty at best." 'Up and running in weeks' Stetsenko said Ukraine has around 30 facilities that made prostheses, with his clinic normally producing around 300 every year. The clinic won't be able to step up production because each prosthesis is "customized" to suit the injury and needs of each patient. In the case of Suleimanishvili, who is a gunner, the doctors will add 15 kilograms to the weight of his new leg so it can support his use of heavy weaponry. "I want the prosthetic so I can do most maneuvers," he insisted. In a week's time, Suleimanishvili will be back to have a temporary prosthesis fitted so he can start learning to walk. "In two or three weeks, he will be running," another doctor, Valeri Nebesny, told AFP, saying that like Suleimanishvili, "90%" of military amputees want to get back to the battlefield as quickly as possible. At least a dozen journalists have been detained in a wave of arrests in Ethiopia, media workers and a rights group said Friday, in a crackdown that has sparked international concern. Authorities in the Amhara region said more than 4,000 people had been detained in an anti-crime operation but press watchdogs and rights groups reported that journalists had also been targeted. The latest arrests involved Temesgen Desalegn, editor-in-chief of the Amharic-language magazine "Fitih," who was picked up by plainclothes security forces from his office Thursday, his colleague Misgan Zinabu told AFP. "Initially, they took Temesgen to a local police station... later on security forces moved him to a secret location," the editor said, adding that his current whereabouts was unknown. Police also raided Temesgen's house Thursday and seized magazines, disk drives and a camera, he added. Another journalist and YouTuber, Yayesew Shimelis, was arrested at home in the capital Addis Ababa Thursday, his former colleague Bekal Alamirew told AFP. "Yayesew is accused by police of incitement to violence through his work," he said, adding the former TV host was produced in court Friday. The arrests come after the Nisir International Broadcasting Corporation and Ashara, both covering Ethiopian affairs on their YouTube channels said their studios in Amhara were raided last week and staff taken away, some to undisclosed locations. Nisir said four employees, including journalists and back-office staff, were arrested and equipment seized from their workplace in the regional capital Bahir Dar. The whereabouts of two other Nisir journalists remained unknown, it added. Ashara Media said five of its staff were detained. TV host Solomon Shumye, who has a show on YouTube, was also detained in Addis Ababa last week and accused of inciting violence, his sister Tigist Shumye said. Narrowing space The sweep has triggered international concern, with the U.S. State Department Tuesday expressing alarm over "the narrowing space for freedom of expression and independent media in Ethiopia." The Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders this week called for the immediate release of the journalists and urged the Ethiopian authorities to stop harassing the press. Daniel Bekele, the chief commissioner of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), a state-affiliated independent rights body, also urged the government to free the detainees. "The arrest of media personnel is particularly alarming... and its repercussions extend beyond media space and freedom of expression," Bekele said in a statement Friday. Amhara authorities backed Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his federal forces in a war with the neighboring Tigray region that began in November 2020. But divisions have since emerged over Abiy's handling of the conflict. Law enforcement authorities in the southwest U.S. state of Texas are facing tough questions about their response and the length of time it took them this week to storm a school to confront a teenage gunman who had shot to death 19 children and two teachers. Officials say the gunman, Salvador Ramos, an 18-year-old high school dropout, was in the school for 40 minutes to an hour before police barged into the fourth-grade classroom where he had killed 21 people at Robb Elementary School in the small town of Uvalde, Texas. Witnesses say parents of the children trapped in the school located in a residential neighborhood, and onlookers who gathered at midday on Tuesday, had shouted at police to enter the school and put an end to the carnage. One witness outside the school, Juan Caranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside his house across the street, said women shouted at police, Go in there! Go in there! Police further filled in the timeline of the shooting Thursday. Victor Escalon, a regional director at the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Ramos walked into the building through an unlocked door and without encountering a school safety officer, contradicting earlier reports. The school normally has an armed officer on duty, but when the gunman arrived Tuesday, there was not an officer, readily available, armed, and the gunman entered the building unobstructed," Escalon said. The gunman was killed when a U.S. Border Patrol tactical team arrived, broke into the classroom and killed the gunman, Escalon said. Javier Cazares, whose fourth-grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, said he raised the idea with other bystanders of storming the building themselves because he did not think police were moving fast enough. "Let's just rush in because the cops aren't doing anything like they are supposed to," he said. "More could have been done. They were unprepared." One bystander recorded a video posted to his Facebook account that gave his running account of parents trying desperately to get police to move quicker to rescue their children. These cops are right here. Bro, theres a (expletive) shooting at the school, and these (expletive) cops are telling everybody to leave, dude, while everybodys here trying to pick up their (expletive) kids," the man said in an account published by The Washington Post. Later, the man says the children "are all in there, and the cops aint doing (expletive) but standing outside. One woman, who said her son was in the school, urged police to take a shot at the gunman if they could. Theyre kids, she shouted. "Im going to go, Im going to (expletive) go. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw on Wednesday defended the police response, saying, The bottom line is law enforcement was there. They did engage immediately. They did contain (Ramos) in the classroom" before killing him. Escalon, of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said that two Uvalde police officer arrived four minutes later and ran into the school but were quickly pinned down when Ramos fired at them. Authorities continued to search for a motive behind the horrific rampage, the deadliest U.S. school shooting spree in nearly a decade. They said Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history, although some acquaintances recounted his troubling anti-social behavior, such as him firing a BB gun at random people walking in Uvalde. A 15-year-old German girl who Ramos chatted with online said he told her he threw dead cats at peoples houses. Just as Ramos unleashed his attack, he texted the girl, warning her in a private message that he was about to shoot up an elementary school. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Wednesday that 17 others were wounded or injured in the attack, but none had life-threatening injuries. A spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety said the injured include multiple children who survived gunfire in their classroom. The White House announced Thursday that President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden would travel to Texas on Sunday to grieve with the community. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters. The National Rifle Association is going ahead with the opening of its annual convention Friday in Houston, just days after a lone teenage gunman entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, also in Texas, and killed 19 children and two teachers. Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, who was scheduled to deliver an in-person address at the convention Friday, has pulled out of his appearance and will instead travel to Uvalde. The governor will, however, will be a presence at the convention with a pre-recorded video message, according to The Dallas Morning News. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, however, is still scheduled to speak at the three-day event of the gun rights lobbying group. Meanwhile, Texas law enforcement authorities are facing tough questions about their response and the length of time it took them Tuesday to storm the school to confront 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos. Officials say Ramos, a high school dropout, was in Robb Elementary for 40 minutes to an hour before police barged into the fourth-grade classroom where he had killed 21 people. Witnesses say parents of the children trapped in the school, located in a residential neighborhood, and onlookers who gathered at midday on Tuesday had shouted at police to enter the school and put an end to the carnage. One witness outside the school, Juan Caranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside his house across the street, said women shouted at police, Go in there! Go in there! Police further filled in the timeline of the shooting Thursday. Victor Escalon, a regional director at the Texas Department of Public Safety, said Ramos walked into the building through an unlocked door and without encountering a school safety officer, contradicting earlier reports. The school normally has an armed officer on duty, but when the gunman arrived Tuesday, there was not an officer, readily available, armed, and the gunman entered the building unobstructed," Escalon said. The gunman was killed when a U.S. Border Patrol tactical team arrived, broke into the classroom and killed the gunman, Escalon said. Javier Cazares, whose fourth-grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, said he raised the idea with other bystanders of storming the building themselves because he did not think police were moving fast enough. "Let's just rush in because the cops aren't doing anything like they are supposed to," he said. "More could have been done. They were unprepared." One bystander recorded a video posted to his Facebook account that gave his running account of parents trying desperately to get police to move more quickly to rescue their children. These cops are right here. Bro, theres a (expletive) shooting at the school, and these (expletive) cops are telling everybody to leave, dude, while everybodys here trying to pick up their (expletive) kids," the man said in an account published by The Washington Post. Later, the man says the children "are all in there, and the cops aint doing (expletive) but standing outside. One woman, who said her son was in the school, urged police to take a shot at the gunman if they could. Theyre kids, she shouted. "Im going to go, Im going to (expletive) go. Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw on Wednesday defended the police response, saying, The bottom line is law enforcement was there. They did engage immediately. They did contain (Ramos) in the classroom" before killing him. Escalon, of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said that two Uvalde police officers arrived four minutes later and ran into the school but were quickly pinned down when Ramos fired at them. Authorities continued to search for a motive behind the horrific rampage, the deadliest U.S. school shooting spree in nearly a decade. They said Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history, although some acquaintances recounted his troubling anti-social behavior, such as firing a BB gun at random people walking in Uvalde. A 15-year-old German girl who Ramos chatted with online said he told her he threw dead cats at peoples houses. Just as Ramos unleashed his attack, he texted the girl, warning her in a private message that he was about to shoot up an elementary school. Abbott said Wednesday that 17 others were wounded or injured in the attack, but none had life-threatening injuries. A spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety said the injured include multiple children who survived gunfire in their classroom. The husband of one of the teachers killed in the mass shooting died Thursday. Joe Garcia was married to Irma Garcia, his high school sweetheart, for 24 years and they had four children. Garcia had a heart attack as he was making arrangements for his wifes funeral. Students at schools and colleges across the U.S. staged walkouts on their campuses Thursday to demand tougher gun control measures. The White House said President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Texas Sunday to grieve with the community. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of East Timor on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, with tremors felt as far as the Australian city of Darwin, although there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The USGS said the quake hit at a depth of 51 kilometers off the eastern tip of Timor island, which is split between East Timor and Indonesia. An AFP journalist in the East Timor capital, Dili, felt the earthquake and said that, although it lasted only seconds, "the jolt was quite strong." "I saw people rushing out of their homes and children running outside of the school," the journalist said. The earthquake was more violent around the town of Lospalos in the east of the country, but local authorities were still assessing the situation and did not give a breakdown of the damage or possible casualties. The quake was also felt in Darwin, Australia, which lies across the Timor Sea from the epicenter. Darwin resident Joel Willingale, who works in heavy manufacturing, said "it went on for about 30 seconds." "The whole room shook and slammed down," he said. "We only really feel the effects of a quake occasionally, usually in the Banda Sea. But this one was a big one." The Banda Sea lies north of Timor island. To the north in Indonesia, the earthquake triggered panic and prompted people to evacuate buildings in the southwest of the Moluccas archipelago, according to the National Emergency Management. Authorities did not report any damage or casualties. The United Nations' tsunami monitoring agency warned that the quake "could generate a tsunami affecting the Indian Ocean region." No national authority in the region has yet issued a tsunami warning, however. "No #tsunami threat to Australia from #earthquake felt in Darwin, NT," said Australia's Bureau of Meteorology in a tweet. East Timor and Indonesia sit on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. In February, a 6.2 magnitude quake killed a dozen people when it struck Indonesia's North Sumatra. In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude quake hit the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 people throughout the region, including about 170,000 in Indonesia. East Timor has a population of about 1.3 million and is Southeast Asia's youngest country, recently celebrating the 20th anniversary of its independence from Indonesia. The mostly rural economy has been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the World Bank saying 42% of the population live below the poverty line. Nigerian Cynthia Ukachi, who has albinism, first noticed the changes on her skin in 2018. When she went to the hospital, she was told it was an early stage of skin cancer, and that it had started because of exposure to the sun. Thanks to a government support scheme that offered free skin cancer care for albinos, she had surgery to remove the affected areas and was treated. However, Ukachi says the malignant skin cells returned months ago, long after the government ended its free treatment plan. "I have three on my neck, I have two at my back and I just have this on my forehead here," she said. "It looks very small but it's very painful and it can bleed." Without the government support, about 4 million albinos in Nigeria could be at risk of skin cancer, according to aid groups. Too expensive for her Ukachi says she cannot afford the treatment. Every affected skin area can cost up to $350 to treat. "Noticing this issue again, I already knew what it was, but I couldn't go back to the hospital, knowing I'll be asked to pay, and the money is what I do not have," she said. "If the government wants me to live, if the government wants persons with albinism to live, they should reinstate the free cancer treatment. Nigerian authorities started the program in 2007, and the Albinism Association of Nigeria says around 5,500 patients including Ukachi benefited from it before it was discontinued for lack of funding. Jake Epelle, a skin cancer survivor and AANs president, said, "Even the current administration started the skeletal implementation at the beginning of their tenure but then reneged. The reason is simply the poverty of funds and the fact that they cannot continue to offer this treatment. The effect is that persons with albinism are dying in droves. Medical experts say albinos in sub-Saharan Africa are a thousand times more likely than the general population to develop skin cancer because of the partial or complete absence of melanin, a pigment responsible for eye, hair and skin color. In Nigeria, myths and discrimination associated with the condition make it far more difficult for albinos to get jobs and afford skin cancer treatment. Authorities respond This month, during a national awareness day to remember people living with albinism, AAN renewed its call for the government to reinstate the free skin cancer treatment. Nigerian authorities responded. James David Lalu, executive secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, said, "We had discussions with the permanent secretary of the federal ministry for health for us to be able to revisit this. We're going to provide some funding support to do that. Additionally, by next year we're going to provide proper budgetary allocation that will support this cancer treatment for our people." AAN cautions there is no time to lose as free treatment is the only lifeline for people around the country like Ukachi, who fears she will run out of time. When asked if he is afraid for his life, Dr. Denis Mukwege responded candidly: "I am human." Due to the nature of his work, the renowned gynecological surgeon has received death threats for years. But the Congolese Nobel Peace Prize laureate said he draws his strength from the women he treats. Patients who come to him to heal after going through unimaginable horrors. "The women I'm treating are so powerful," Mukwege said in an interview with VOA's Straight Talk Africa TV program. "What I'm doing is just a small sense if I compare what they [rape survivors have been through] in the situation of conflict where everyone wants to use them." He is now honoring the women he says inspired him, including his mother, in a new book titled "The Power of Women: A Doctor's Journey of Hope and Healing." In it, he reexamines the agency of women in spaces and platforms where decisions are made and at times despite some patriarchal societies that often fail women, he said, women continue to give back and nurture for a greater good. Ukraine, Ethiopia rape survivors Mukwege's work is particularly relevant today as sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war in conflicts around the globe. He used two examples to illustrate the urgency of the issue: Ukraine and Ethiopia. Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, his foundation had established contact with women in Donbas who were raped in 2014 when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. There have been more than 700 reports of rape by Russian forces in Ukraine since the February invasion, the Ukrainian parliament's human rights ombudsman said May 9. In northern Ethiopia, both government and Tigrayan forces have been accused of sexual violence. Nisha Varia, formerly the advocacy director of Human Rights Watch's women's rights division, told VOA that rape in Tigray is being used as a weapon and is accompanied by ethnic slurs and other degradation. Mukwege said when rape is used during conflicts, it is "used to humiliate, to just make the so-called enemy to feel powerless, to be in a situation that is completely humiliating and you can't really fight against it. It's a weapon, but it's a strategy of war," he said. But he said he is heartened by an international outcry about the violence against women in Ukraine. He would like to see the same outcry against atrocities in other parts of the world. "The international community should react in each conflict because the suffering is universal and the reaction against the suffering or to take care of the suffering people should be also universal," he said, adding that "the case of Ukraine shows us that if there is a will, we have the capacity to stop atrocities." Mukwege said a universal sentiment connects most women who have been raped, whether he speaks to victims in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere. He said perpetrators leave a sense of fear and that you hear victims saying, "they'll kill me," he said. "Most of the women have the impression that they don't exist at all after being raped." Mukwege, who met with senior U.S. officials and first lady Jill Biden during his visit to Washington, is also calling for more efforts to prosecute perpetrators so women can receive justice. "I think that justice is very important. It's not revenge," he said. "Justice is not only pressure against the perpetrators, but justice is needed for victims because in the process of healing, victims need really to be recognized as a victim. They need really to get someone with this power, this authority, to say you are not guilty. It's not your fault." Justice and resilience Death threats against Mukwege at times come from unknown sources and he has been forced to live at Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, or the DRC, where he treats rape survivors. "I can't leave the hospital without an escort. I have the police who are taking care of me," he said. "To get this kind of life living in the hospital with your patients and my family and so on. This is a terrible thing." Since 1999, Mukwege and his team have treated more than 50,000 survivors of sexual violence at the hospital he founded. The hospital also treats the psychological trauma of women caught up in the ongoing violence between militia groups in the eastern DRC. Mukwege said those resilient women are the best hope for some of the world's war-torn regions. After they have healed, they demand change. "When women stand up after being treated, they didn't stand for themselves, they are standing for themselves and for their children, for their family. For me, this is really wonderful. Society can't protect them, but when they get healing and stand up, they stand up and raise their voice for all the community." The Palestinian Authority on Thursday announced the results of its investigation into the shooting death of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, saying it had proved she was deliberately killed by Israeli forces as she tried to flee. The conclusion echoed the results of a preliminary investigation and were widely expected. Israel rejected the findings, with Defense Minister Benny Gantz calling them, "a blatant lie." Abu Akleh, a veteran Palestinian American reporter for Al Jazeera's Arabic service, was shot in the head on May 11 during an Israeli military raid in the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank. Witnesses and Palestinian officials have said she was hit by Israeli fire. Israel says she was shot during a battle between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants. It says that only a ballistic analysis of the bullet which is held by the Palestinian Authority and the soldiers' guns can determine who fired the fatal shot. Announcing the results of his inquiry at a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al Khateeb said he had determined there were no militants in the immediate vicinity of Abu Akleh. "The only shooting was by the occupation forces, with the aim of killing," he said. Abu Akleh was in a group of journalists wearing helmets and protective vests marked "press." Al Khateeb said the army saw the journalists and knew they were journalists. He accused Israel of shooting Abu Akleh "directly and deliberately" as she tried to escape. He also repeated the Palestinian position that the bullet will not be handed over to the Israelis for study. Al Khateeb said his investigation was based on interviews with witnesses, an inspection of the scene and a forensic medical report. In a speech later Thursday, Israeli Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi said it was impossible to know who fired the bullet and once again called on the Palestinians to cooperate to "get to the bottom" of what happened. "But there is one thing that can be determined with certainty," the military chief said. "No soldier fired intentionally at a journalist. We investigated that. We checked it. That is the conclusion. There is no other." Israel denies targeting journalists and has offered two possible scenarios, saying Abu Akleh was either shot by Palestinian militants who were firing recklessly at an Israeli army convoy or that she was hit by Israeli gunfire aimed at a nearby militant. The military has identified the rifle that may have been used in that scenario, but says it needs to test the bullet to make any final determination. An AP reconstruction of events has lent support to eyewitnesses who say she was shot by Israeli troops. But a weapons expert interviewed by the AP as part of the reconstruction said that it was impossible to reach a conclusive finding without further forensic analysis. Palestinian witnesses say there were no militants or clashes anywhere near Abu Akleh. The only known militants in the area were on the other side of the convoy, about 300 meters from her position. They did not have a direct line of sight, unlike the convoy itself, which was some 200 (meters) away on a long straight road. The Palestinian Authority has refused to hand over the bullet to Israel or cooperate with it in any way, saying Israel cannot be trusted to investigate its own conduct. Rights groups say Israel has a poor record of investigating when security forces shoot Palestinians, with cases often languishing for months or years before being quietly closed. The Palestinian Authority administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Hussein Al Sheikh, a top Palestinian official, said Thursday's report would be shared with the U.S. administration. Copies will also be delivered to Abu Akleh's family and to Al Jazeera, he said. The Palestinians say they will also share their results with international parties, including the International Criminal Court, which launched an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes last year. Israel has rejected that probe as being biased against it and is not cooperating with it. The severe distrust means the Israeli and Palestinian investigations into Abu Akleh's death are unfolding separately, with neither likely to accept any conclusions reached by the other. Each side is in sole possession of potentially crucial evidence. Ballistic analysis could match the bullet to a specific firearm based on a microscopic signature, but only if investigators have access to both. Lt. Col. Amnon Shefler, a military spokesman, told the AP the military has additional footage from that day, but declined to say what it shows or when it would be released, citing the ongoing investigation. Palestinians are still mourning Abu Akleh, a widely known and respected on-air correspondent who rose to fame two decades ago, during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israeli rule. The 51-year-old documented the harsh realities of life under Israeli military rule now well into its sixth decade with no end in sight for viewers across the Arab world. The head of the Texas Department of Public Safety said Friday that police responding to the shooting at an elementary school made the decision not to enter a classroom where the shooter was because they believed students were no longer at risk. At a news conference outside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said the incident commander at the scene of Tuesdays school shooting judged there was no longer an active shooter or threat to children and thought it had transitioned to a hostage situation with time to wait for a tactical team to arrive. McGraw identified the incident commander as Pete Arredondo, chief of police of the Uvalde Consolidated School District. McGraw told reporters, with the benefit of hindsight, it was the wrong decision to wait to confront the shooter. Uvalde police have come under sharp criticism from parents and bystanders at the scene Tuesday for their delay in confronting the shooter, Salvador Ramos, 18, who had entered the school through an unlocked door and killed 19 children and two teachers. Officials said Ramos, a high school dropout, was in the school for 40 minutes to an hour before police stormed the fourth-grade classroom where the killings occurred. Texas Governor Gregg Abbott said Friday that he was misled about the police response to the school shooting. Abbott, who had initially praised the police response, said Friday that he was livid to find out he had been given inaccurate information. He called for police actions to be "thoroughly, exhaustively" investigated. McGraw said as many as 19 police officers arrived at the scene and were in a hallway of the school, but the incident commander felt a tactical team was needed to perform the required police operation. U.S. Border Patrol tactical officers eventually arrived, along with other officers and equipment, including a ballistics shield. They entered the classroom where Ramos was situated and where he was shot and killed. McGraw said based on sounds recorded on security cameras and shell casings found at the scene, Ramos fired more than 100 rounds during the incident. The National Rifle Association went ahead with the opening of its annual convention Friday in the city of Houston, just days after the shooting. Abbott, who was scheduled to deliver an in-person address at the convention Friday, instead is addressing the convention with a prerecorded video message. Former U.S. President Donald Trump spoke at the three-day event of the gun rights lobbying group, arguing that the mass shooting is not a reason to increase restrictions on gun ownership. "The existence of evil in our world is not a reason to disarm law-abiding citizens," he said, adding that The existence of evil is one of the very best reasons to arm law-abiding citizens." He also called for drastically changing the nation's approach to mental health as well as a top-to-bottom security overhaul at schools across the country, which he said should include eliminating gun-free school zones. "As the age-old saying goes, the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," Trump said. Outside the convention, hundreds of protesters and counterprotesters gathered to demonstrate both for and against gun restrictions. Texas gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke, a Democrat, was one of those supporting pro-gun-control protesters. "Those who will be the victims of the next mass shooting unless we act are counting on us at this moment," he said. President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Uvalde on Sunday. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters. Moscow pressed the West on Thursday to lift sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, seeking to shift the blame for a growing food crisis that has been worsened by Kyiv's inability to ship millions of tons of grain and other agricultural products due to the conflict. Britain immediately accused Russia of "trying to hold the world to ransom," insisting there would be no sanctions relief, and a top U.S. diplomat blasted the "sheer barbarity, sadistic cruelty and lawlessness" of the invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that Moscow "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," according to a Kremlin readout of the call. Ukraine is one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but the war and a Russian blockade of its ports has halted much of that flow, endangering world food supplies. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Russia also is a significant grain exporter, and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said the West "must cancel the unlawful decisions that hamper chartering ships and exporting grain." His comments appeared to be an effort to lump the blockade of Ukrainian exports with what Russia says are its difficulties in moving its own goods. Western officials have dismissed those claims. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted last week that food, fertilizer and seeds are exempt from sanctions imposed by the U.S. and many others and that Washington is working to ensure countries know the flow of those goods should not be affected. With the war grinding into its fourth month, world leaders have ramped up calls for solutions. World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said about 25 million tons of Ukrainian grain is in storage and another 25 million tons could be harvested next month. European countries have tried to ease the crisis by moving grain out of the country by rail but trains can carry only a small fraction of what Ukraine produces, and ships are needed for the bulk of the exports. At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry proposed corridors to allow foreign ships to leave ports along the Black Sea, as well as Mariupol on the Sea of Azov. Mikhail Mizintsev, who heads Russia's National Defense Control Center, said 70 foreign vessels from 16 countries are in six ports on the Black Sea, including Odesa, Kherson and Mykolaiv. He did not specify how many might be ready to carry food. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country was ready to agree on safe corridors in principle but that it was not sure it could trust that Russia "will not violate the agreement on the safe passage and its military vessels will not sneak into the harbor and attack Odesa." British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Putin was "trying to hold the world to ransom" by demanding some sanctions be lifted before allowing Ukrainian grain shipments to resume. "He's essentially weaponized hunger and lack of food among the poorest people around the world," Truss said on a visit to Sarajevo. "What we cannot have is any lifting of sanctions, any appeasement, which will simply make Putin stronger in the longer term." Putin said "it's impossible, utterly unrealistic in the modern world" to isolate Russia. Speaking via video to members of the Eurasian Economic Forum, which is comprised of several ex-Soviet nations, he said those who try would "primarily hurt themselves," citing broken food supply chains. Michael Carpenter, the U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, urged its members to provide Ukraine with what it needs to defend itself against Putin's "revanchist delusions." If Russia achieved "success" in Ukraine, "there would be more horrific reports from filtration camps, more forcibly displaced people, more summary executions, more torture, more rape and more looting," Carpenter said in Vienna. Senegal's president, Macky Sall, has fired the health minister and called for three days of mourning following a hospital fire that killed 11 newborn babies in this western city. Sall dismissed Health Minister Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr on Thursday evening, a day after the deadly blaze in the maternity ward at Mame Abdou Aziz Sy Dabakh Hospital, which was blamed on an electrical short circuit. The interior minister said authorities would investigate conditions at that public hospital and other Senegalese health care centers, the Associated Press reported, citing local media. A series of recent, deadly tragedies at Senegal's hospitals and clinics has raised doubts about the country's health care system, widely considered one of the best in West Africa. In April 2021, four newborns died in a fire at a hospital in the northern city of Linguere. The town's mayor said the blaze was sparked by an electrical malfunction of an air conditioning unit. Six months later, a baby at a Dakar hospital burned to death after being left in an incubator. Just two months ago, a woman who was nine months pregnant sought emergency care at a hospital in the northern city of Louga. She was denied a cesarean section because she did not have an appointment and died 20 hours later. The babies killed in Wednesday's blaze were being kept under a special light meant to treat jaundice, a common condition among preterm babies. Three babies were rescued from the fire. Nogaye Mar, whose newborn grandchild died in the fire, grieved outside the hospital Thursday. The babies were unattended, she said. "It was around 9 p.m. that we heard the first news about the fire but there were no hospital staff on site," Mar told VOA. "The three guards were all downstairs. The first alert came from someone who had brought dinner to sick people. He said there was smoke; they all smelled it but did not know where it was coming from. It was when the fire really caught on that they managed to locate him [the baby], but when they came to the rescue, it was already too late." Adja Ndella Gueye, a patient at the hospital, also complained of staffing issues. "If the people on duty were at their posts, we could have avoided this tragedy, so the negligence is real," she said. "In this hospital, there is a reception problem and we, the users, experience the worst here. It is time for the management of the hospital to be reviewed. Everyone complains about it, especially us women who give life. Any woman who has ever given birth to a child has a hard time coping with this dreadful situation. I repeat, if the staff were in place, we would not count so many victims." Amnesty International's Senegal office, in a tweet Friday, called for a judicial inquiry into the tragedy as well as "a rapid upgrade of equipment and facilities in hospitals." Aminatou Sar is the Senegal country director for the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH), a nonprofit organization. The main problem behind the incidents, she said, is a lack of maintenance. "And these tragedies will happen again and again, unfortunately," Sar said, "until we really understand that it is not a matter of people or of how much money or how much expensive equipment we put in the health facilities if we are not able to provide electricity correctly and maintain this equipment." In Senegal, many women are wary of hospitals and prefer to give birth at home. But the expansion of health care facilities to rural areas, coupled with educational efforts, has led to significant improvements. Over the last 25 years, the number of women giving birth in health facilities increased from 47% to 80%. During that time, infant mortality dropped from 138 deaths per 1,000 births to 38 deaths per 1,000 births today. Incidents such as Wednesday's fire have the potential to hinder progress, PATH's Sar said, particularly because they are amplified on social media. "What we can say is that there was a technical failure because there was a short circuit, and in all systems adverse events can happen," said Ousmane Dia, director of public health facilities with Senegal's ministry of health. "There could be a number of origins. Sometimes at hospitals, you see people plug in their tea kettle or their phones, and that can cause malfunctions." Dia said Sarr had done extraordinary work as health minister, particularly in regard to Senegal's COVID-19 response, and thanked him for his service. PATH's Aminatou Sar said the move was a good sign the government was taking the problem seriously, but that it doesn't solve the larger issue. Sall is expected to visit mourning families in Tivaouane Saturday. Seydina Aba Gueye reported for VOA French to Africa from Tivaouane, Senegal. Annika Hammerschlag reported for VOA from the capital, Dakar. Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard is building a massive support ship near the strategic Strait of Hormuz as it tries to expand its naval presence in waters vital to international energy supplies and beyond, satellite photos obtained by The Associated Press show. The construction of the Shahid Mahdavi provides the Guard a large, floating base from which to run the small, fast boats that largely make up its fleet designed to counter the U.S. Navy and other allied forces in the region. Its arrival, however, comes after a series of setbacks for the Guard and Iran's regular navy, including the loss of its largest warship less than a year earlier. As negotiations over Iran's nuclear deal with world powers also become bogged down, further confrontations at sea between Tehran and the West also remain a risk. "They are looking beyond the Persian Gulf and into the blue waters of the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea and the northern Indian Ocean," said Farzin Nadimi, an associate fellow at the Washington Institute for Near-East Policy who studies the Iranian military. The Shahid Mahdavi appears to be a retrofit of an Iranian cargo ship known as the Sarvin, based off previous pictures of the vessel, which also has a similar curve to its hull. The Sarvin arrived off Bandar Abbas last July, then switched off its trackers. By January 29, satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by the AP showed the vessel at drydock at Shahid Darvishi Marine Industries, a company associated with Iran's Defense Ministry just west of Bandar Abbas. Anti-aircraft weapons An image of the Shahid Mahdavi circulated first on social media. The ship appears to have crewed anti-aircraft weapons on its bow and stern, according to H.I. Sutton, a military ship expert who first identified the ship as being near Bandar Abbas. A flag for the Revolutionary Guard, showing its logo of a fist gripping an assault rifle with a Quran underneath and a globe behind it, hangs from the ship's bridge. A high-resolution Planet image taken of the drydock Saturday on behalf of the AP showed the gun-metal gray Shahid Mahdavi still at the shipyard. Just next to it, one of Iran's Kilo-class, diesel-powered attack submarines appears to be undergoing an overhaul. Iran is believed to have one Kilo-class sub that's operational while another is also nonfunctional, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. As the image of the Shahid Mahdavi circulated online, the semiofficial Fars news agency ran a story about the ship. Fars, believed to be close to the Guard, described the vessel as a "mobile naval city" capable of "ensuring the security of Iran's trade lines, as well as the rights of Iranian sailors and fishermen in the high seas." "This range of new defense and combat innovations for the construction of heavy vessels, in line with the mass development of light vessels, and equipping them with various arrays can maintain Iran's authority over the Persian Gulf and the [Gulf] of Oman always in the face of transregional enemies," Fars said. Such floating bases have been used before in the region, particularly by the U.S. Navy during the 1980s so-called "Tanker War" after Iraq invaded Iran. As Iranian mines detonated against crude oil shippers amid that war, the Navy began escorting ships out of the Persian Gulf through its narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz. The strait to this day sees a fifth of all oil traded pass through it. During the conflict, U.S. special forces operated from commercial barges that served as forward operating bases. The Navy still works with the idea today the Mideast-based 5th Fleet has been home to the USS Lewis B. Puller, a massive ship designed off an oil tanker that can host troops and attack helicopters. "The Shahid Mahdavi looks like it will be configured to be an afloat forward staging base, to use the U.S. Navy term," said Michael Connell, an expert on Iran at the Virginia-based Center for Naval Analyses. "The Puller was parked for many years in the Persian Gulf and the Iranian military witnessed its utility as a platform for expeditionary warfare and power projection." Regular patrols For years, the Guard patrolled the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, while Iran's regular navy patrolled the seas and oceans beyond. Building the Shahid Mahdavi likely gives the Guard the ability to expand its presence into those waters once patrolled by the navy. History also isn't something that has escaped Iran. The choice of the name for the Guard's newest ship Shahid Mahdavi, or Martyr Mahdavi comes from Nader Mahdavi, an Iranian guardsman killed by the U.S. Navy in 1987 during the "Tanker War." America's killing of Mahdavi, which came after his forces opened fire on U.S. special forces helicopters, still resonates in Iran today. Tehran has alleged without evidence that America captured him alive and tortured him because of the condition of his body after it was returned. The American helicopters had strafed the Iranian vessels Mahdavi oversaw with machine guns, rockets and "flechette" rounds small metal darts. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei himself once gave a speech with a portrait of Mahdavi near him in 2019. That was around the time of a series of mine attacks on Mideast shipping that the U.S. Navy blamed on Iran amid the collapse of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers. Using Mahdavi's name suggests the Guard views this as a means by which to challenge the U.S. Navy in the Mideast, particularly with the new ship likely able to support the so-called "swarm attacks" Iran can launch against larger American warships. Commander Timothy Hawkins, a 5th Fleet spokesman, declined to comment specifically about the Shahid Mahdavi as "we're careful not to discuss intelligence-related matters." "But generally speaking, we pay very close attention to the maritime environment with our international partners in the interest of regional security and stability," Hawkins said. Disasters The arrival of the Shahid Mahdavi, which would be the biggest ship in the Guard's fleet, comes amid a series of naval disasters for Iran. The Kharg, the regular navy's largest warship, sank last June. In 2020, a missile mistakenly struck a naval vessel during an exercise, killing 19 sailors and wounding 15. An Iranian navy destroyer sank in the Caspian Sea in 2018. Meanwhile, a cargo ship in the Red Sea believed to be a Guard intelligence base suffered an explosion suspected to have been caused by Israel last year. The Shahid Mahdavi could serve a similar role in espionage and sabotage missions by special forces, said Nadimi, the analyst at the Washington Institute. It also could be potentially outfitted with long-range missiles as well. "Nasty things can happen around this ship," Nadimi warned. Sudanese women's activist Amira Osman Hamed has won a Front Line Defenders Award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk, the organization announced Friday. The activist and engineer, now in her forties, has been advocating for Sudanese women for two decades, and was detained this year in a crackdown following the country's latest coup. She was among defenders from Afghanistan, Belarus, Zimbabwe and Mexico who also received the 2022 award for Human Rights Defenders at Risk. Osman "never deterred from her mission," Dublin-based Front Line Defenders said in its awards announcement, "consistently (advocating) for democracy, human rights, and women's rights." After first being charged for wearing trousers in 2002, she drew international support in 2013 when she was detained and threatened with flogging for refusing to wear a headscarf. Both charges fell under morality laws during the rule of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir who took power in an Islamist-backed coup. Osman told AFP at the time that the morality laws had "changed Sudanese women from victims to criminals" and targeted "the dignity of Sudanese people." In 2009 she established "No to Women Oppression", an initiative to advocate against the much-derided Public Order Law. It was finally repealed in 2019 after Bashir's ouster following a mass uprising. Women were at the forefront of protests that toppled Bashir, and hopes were high for a more liberal Sudan as restrictions were removed that had stifled their actions and public lives. But many fear for the hard-won liberties gained since his ouster, after the October coup led by army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan derailed a fragile transition to civilian rule. A crackdown on civilian pro-democracy figures has followed, with at least 96 people killed in protests and hundreds detained. In late January 2022, Osman's team told AFP that "30 masked armed men" had stormed into her house in Khartoum in the middle of the night, "taking her to an unknown location." The United Nations mission to Sudan called for her release, tweeting that "Amira's arrest and pattern of violence against women's rights activists severely risks reducing their political participation in Sudan." She was freed in early February and an AFP correspondent saw her participating in a demonstration, kneeling on crutches due to a prior back injury. The award has honored human rights defenders annually since 2005. The Afghan Taliban have turned down renewed calls by the United Nations for the Islamist rulers to reverse restrictions on the human rights of women in Afghanistan, saying they are in line with local religious and cultural values. The hard-line groups foreign ministry issued a statement Friday rejecting U.N. concerns as unfounded. It urged the global community not to pass verdicts based on malicious and antagonist reporting of some media outlets or propaganda by Afghan opposition forces. In consecutive statements this week, the U.N. Security Council and the world bodys special observer on the human rights situation in Afghanistan expressed deep concern and sharply criticized the latest Taliban order for women to cover up fully in public, including their faces. The Talibans Ministry for Vice and Virtue, tasked with interpreting and enforcing the Talibans version of Islam, also bound female presenters on Afghan TV channels to cover their faces when on air. The male-only interim Taliban government has suspended secondary education for most teenage girls, prevented female employees in some government departments from returning to their jobs, barred women from traveling beyond 70 kilometers unless accompanied by a male relative and strongly advised them to stay at home. Fridays Taliban statement noted that the government considers the observance of Islamic hijab to be in line with the religious and cultural practices of society and aspirations of majority of Afghan women. It went on to stress that nothing has been imposed on the Afghan people that runs counter to the religious and cultural beliefs of the Islamic society. The Taliban urged the international community to show respect for Afghan values, insisting it believed in resolving problems through dialogue. The Taliban foreign ministry spokesman told VOA on Friday that public secondary schools are open in about a dozen out of 34 Afghan provinces. He said private schools from grade one all the way up to university levels are open across Afghanistan. Abdul Qahar Balkhi noted that the majority of female civil servants, or 120,000, were back at work in Afghanistan. They included 94,000 in the education ministry and 14,000 in the health ministry, he said. The rest of the women were working in other departments, including the ministry of interior, passport and immigration offices. Balkhi added that women were working in all Afghan private sectors such as commerce, banking, garments and shops. He said there were no restrictions on women moving around in cities. He insisted that women were free to leave home for work, health, shopping and leisure but they cant leave homes to wander around aimlessly. Meanwhile, the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation Friday welcomed the establishment of an eight-member committee by the Taliban to facilitate the reopening of secondary schools for Afghan girls. The announced formation of the committee is a positive sign that will hopefully culminate in tangible steps towards effectively and expeditiously granting Afghan girls their fundamental right to education, the OIC General Secretariat wrote on Twitter. The OIC reaction came a day after a Taliban spokesman confirmed that his government had formed the eight-member committee, saying it would be chaired by the countrys Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani. It includes clerics and scholars. The committee has done some work to reopen the girls high schools. We hope it can be solved in the near future, Taliban spokesman Inamullah Samangani told the Afghan TOLO news channel. But after meeting with Taliban leaders Thursday, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, said the groups polices were making women invisible across the country. The de facto authorities have failed to acknowledge the magnitude and gravity of the abuses being committed, many of them in their name and their responsibility to address them and protect the entire population, Bennett told reporters in the capital, Kabul, at the end of his 11-day trip to the country. The U.N. expert cautioned that the Taliban stands at a crossroads and the Afghan society under their rule will either become more stable and a place where Afghans enjoy freedom and human rights, or it will become increasingly restrictive. Bennett acknowledged on Thursday that secondary girls' schools are open in some parts of the country now, and it's essential that schools are opened throughout the country at the earliest opportunity. On Tuesday, the 15-member U.N. Security Council renewed its call on the Taliban to adhere to their commitments to reopen schools for all female students without further delay and swiftly reverse restrictions on Afghan womens fundamental freedom and access to public life. The international community has not recognized the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, saying the issue would come under consideration only after the Islamist group adheres to its pledges to protect the human rights of all Afghans, especially those of women. The Taliban seized power from the Western-backed former government in August when the last U.S.-led international forces withdrew from the country after almost 20 years of war with the Islamist group. The reign of new Islamic State terror group leader Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi may be over, less than three months after it began. The Turkish website OdaTV first reported the arrest of Abu al-Hassan Thursday, saying Turkish police captured him without firing a single bullet during a raid on a house in Istanbul last week. The website further reported the IS leader was being questioned and that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to formally announce the arrest and share additional details in the coming days. Separately, two senior Turkish officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the arrest to Bloomberg News, adding that Erdogan has been informed. U.S. officials, however, remained cautious. [We] cant confirm the reports about al-Qurashi, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters Thursday. Obviously we've been looking at this all day, but we're just not in a position where we can actually confirm that press reporting. IS named Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi as the terror groups third leader in March, saying he took over shortly after the death of his predecessor during a raid by U.S. special forces in northwestern Syria in February. IS followers quickly lined up behind the new leader, with the terror groups media division sharing photos and videos of fighters from Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Somalia, Afghanistan, the Philippines and elsewhere pledging their allegiance to Abu al-Hassan. Yet despite the show of support, there are still questions about the new leaders true identity, which may be making it more difficult to verify Turkeys claims. Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi is a nom-de-guerre meant to indicate the new leader is a descendant of the Hashemite clan of the Qurashi tribe, which by bloodline would link him to Prophet Muhammed an IS requirement for any would-be caliph. And so far, Western counterintelligence officials have yet to form a firm consensus about who is really leading IS. There are, however, several theories. New Lines Magazine in February identified Bashar Khattab Ghazal al-Sumaidai as next in line to lead the terror group. "Known by numerous noms de guerre, including Ustath Zaid (Teacher or Professor Zaid), Abu Khattab al-Iraqi, Abu al-Moez al-Iraqi and Abu Ishaq, he returned to Syria from Turkey about a year ago," New Lines said, adding that al-Sumaidai had become increasingly popular in jihadist circles. But Iraqi and Western officials told Reuters in March that the new leader was actually Juma Awad al-Badri, the brother of former IS caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Still, no matter who it is that Turkey ultimately captured, some analysts say as long as Turkish officials have a senior IS leader, it could help further weaken IS operations. It could end up being an intelligence boon once hes interrogated and questioned, Colin Clarke, director of research at the global intelligence firm The Soufan Group, told VOA. Weve long known that the organizations financiers and logisticians had strong networks in Turkey, but now it seems like senior leadership is active there as well, Clarke said. A country like Turkey is a double-edged sword for groups like ISIS, he added, using another acronym for the terror group. On the one hand, Turkey has capable security forces, Clarke said. On the other hand, unlike a country like Afghanistan that is somewhat isolated, Turkey can serve as a safe haven for terrorists, and its connected to the illicit financial system, communications, [and] transportation. U.S. allies in northeastern Syria are increasingly worried about Turkeys pledge to launch a new round of military operations in the region, warning it could embolden and even strengthen the Islamic State terror group. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the new round of operations earlier this week Monday, pledging to expand existing 30-kilometer-deep security zones on the Syrian side of the Turkish border. But despite assurances from Turkeys National Security Council that any military actions will not target our neighbors territorial integrity and sovereignty in any way," officials with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and the SDFs political wing tell VOA a Turkish incursion could spell disaster. Any attempt of invasion will shift the focus of the SDF to fight it since its a much higher priority to [defend] your lands than fighting ISIS in non-Kurdish areas, a source close to SDF leadership said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the source was not authorized to speak to the media. Any Turkish aggression will derail guarding thousands of ISIS captives and the ongoing weekly operations against the terror group in the region, the source said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. The ISIS prisons and camps will be much more vulnerable to jail breaks than now. Other Kurdish officials are also voicing concern about the security of the dozen or so prisons across northeastern Syria, currently housing about 10,000 IS fighters, some of which could be in areas that would be targeted by Turkish forces. "That task (of securing prisons) is not a small one, Sinam Mohamad, U.S. representative for the SDFs political wing, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), told VOA through a spokesperson. Should Turkey launch military operations in northeastern Syria, ISIS fighters will be in a more favorable position to be successful in any operations to free those ISIS fighters who have been in prison," Mohamad said. Other SDC officials warn that IS has been getting stronger, adding it has been just four months since the terror group carried out a week-long attack on the al-Sinaa prison in Hasakah, a makeshift detention facility that housed an estimated 4,000 IS fighters. Already, the SDF has raised concerns about increased drone attacks and shelling by Turkish-backed forces in northern Syria. And SDC officials say they have been in touch with the United States to express their fears about the potential Turkish incursion, a message that has resonated in Washington. Were obviously very concerned about the Turks announcement that they intend to increase their military activity in northern Syria, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters Thursday. It could draw off potential SDF personnel to move away from the counter-ISIS fight, which is obviously what we're focused on in northern Syria. Kirby said the Pentagon has been in daily contact with its SDF partners, who echoed that IS remains a viable threat. U.S. diplomatic officials say they have also been in contact with Turkey, both through the State Department and from the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, to get a better sense of what Turkey is planning. But State Department spokesman Ned Price earlier this week warned Turkey against launching a new round of military operations in northern Syria. We condemn any escalation. We support maintenance of the current ceasefire lines, Price said. Any new offensive would further undermine regional stability and put at risk U.S. forces in the coalitions campaign against ISIS. The U.S. has an estimated 900 troops in Syria to support anti-IS operations. U.S. assessments of Turkeys previous incursion into northern Syria, in 2019, concluded that the offensive allowed a couple of hundred IS prisoners to escape and likely gave the terror group time and space to strengthen and grow. Information from Reuters was used in this report. The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on two Russian banks, a North Korean company and a person it accused of supporting North Korea's weapons of mass destruction program, increasing pressure on Pyongyang over its renewed ballistic missile launches. The latest American move came a day after China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-led push to impose more United Nations sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile launches, publicly splitting the U.N. Security Council for the first time since it started punishing Pyongyang in 2006. The vetoes came despite what the United States says was a sixth test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by North Korea this year and signs that Pyongyang is preparing to conduct its first nuclear test since 2017. The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it targeted Air Koryo Trading Corp as well as Russian financial institutions the Far Eastern Bank and Bank Sputnik for contributing to procurement and revenue generation for North Korean Organizations. Washington also designated Jong Yong Nam, a Belarus-based representative of an organization subordinate to the North Korea Second Academy of Natural Sciences (SANS), who Washington said has supported North Korean organizations linked to the development of ballistic missiles. North Korea's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "The United States will continue to implement and enforce existing sanctions while urging the DPRK (North Korea) to return to a diplomatic path and abandon its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles," the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, said in the statement. China has been urging the United States to take action - including lifting some unilateral sanctions - to entice Pyongyang to resume talks stalled since 2019, after three failed summits between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and then-U.S. President Donald Trump. The United States has said Pyongyang should not be rewarded. Late on Friday, the top diplomats of South Korea, Japan and the United States issued a joint statement saying North Korea had "significantly increased the pace and scale of its ballistic missile launches since September 2021." In the statement, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi urged Pyongyang to "return to negotiations." U.S. military officials acknowledge they have spoken to Ukrainian officials repeatedly about Kyivs requests for newer, more advanced weapons that could help stave off Russian gains in the Donbas but refuse to say publicly whether those systems will be delivered anytime soon. Ukraine has been pleading for weeks with the U.S. to get American-made Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, or MLRS, which are more powerful and more maneuverable than the howitzers and other artillery systems Washington and the West have provided to date. Those pleas have only gotten louder as Russian forces have pushed ahead in eastern Ukraine, making what senior U.S. defense officials have described as incremental gains in a fight that has largely featured artillery and other so-called long-range fire. We're mindful and aware of Ukrainian asks privately and publicly for what is known as a Multiple Launch Rocket System, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters. But I wont get ahead of a decision that hasnt been made yet. Were in constant communication with them about their needs, he added. We're working every single day to get weapons and systems into Ukraine, and every single day there are weapons and systems getting into Ukraine that are helping them, literally, in the fight. There are some indications, however, that U.S. officials may be ready to send Ukraine MLRS to help push back the latest Russian offensive. Tilt indicated Multiple U.S. officials, speaking to CNN on the condition of anonymity, said the Biden administration is leaning toward sending some MLRS to Ukraine, with an announcement possible in the next week. Later Friday, two U.S. officials speaking to Politico confirmed that the U.S. is inclined to send MLRS to Ukraine but said a final decision has not yet been made. The United States has two multiple launch rocket systems the M270 and M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). Both fire similar 227 mm rockets. The M270 can fire up to 12 rockets, while the more agile M142 can fire up to six. Depending on the type of rocket, the M270 can hit targets as far away as 70 kilometers, which is twice the range of the U.S. howitzers currently in Ukraines arsenal. The HIMARS system can hit targets as far away as 300 kilometers. Ukraines top military official, Lieutenant General Valery Zaluzhny, on Thursday took to Telegram, calling for "weapons that will allow us to hit the enemy at a big distance." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov responded by warning that supplying Ukraine with weapons that could reach Russian territory would be a "a serious step towards unacceptable escalation." The debate over how best to supply Ukraine with weapons comes as Russian forces in eastern Ukraine appeared to be making more progress despite what U.S. military officials described as stiff resistance from Ukrainian troops. Lyman, Sievierodonetsk Russian-backed separatists Friday claimed to have captured the center of Lyman, a key railway hub in the Donbas. Other Russian forces encircled most of Sievierodonetsk, the easternmost city under Ukrainian control, with some reports indicating Russian forces are also now in the city itself. Ukrainian officials in Sievierodonetsk said 90% of the city has been destroyed by shelling. But Luhansk regional Governor Serhiy Gaidai remained defiant in a message Friday on social media. "The Russians will not be able to capture Luhansk region in the coming days as analysts have predicted," he said. We will have enough strength and resources to defend ourselves. But Gaidai also admitted it is possible that in order not to be surrounded we will have to retreat." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in this nightly video address Friday that Ukraine will defend "as much as our current defense resources allow." He sounded a defiant note against Russias offensive in the Ukraines east: "If the occupiers think that Lyman or Sievierodonetsk will be theirs, they are wrong. Donbas will be Ukrainian." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily address Friday that Russia is carrying out an obvious policy of genocide against Ukrainians, but the catastrophic developments in Ukraine could have been avoided if the strong of the world had not played with Russia, but really pressed to end the war. Zelenskyy said Russia receives almost a billion euros a day from Europeans for energy supplies, while the European Union has been trying to agree on a sixth package of sanctions against Russia. He asserted, however, that Ukraine will always be an independent state and will not be broken. The only remaining questions, he said, are what price our people will have to pay for their freedom and what price Russia will have to pay for this senseless war against us. No hint of negotiations Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday spoke by phone with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer. According to Nehammer, Putin offered to complete natural gas deliveries to Austria and to discuss a prisoner swap with Ukraine. "The Russian president has given a commitment that there must be and should be access to the prisoners of war, including to the International Red Cross, the Austrian chancellor said. On the other side, of course, he also demands access to Russian prisoners of war in Ukraine. However, Nehammer said he was doubtful Putin was interested in any negotiations to end the war. "I have the impression that Putin wants to create facts now that I assume he will take into the negotiations [later]," he said. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. African leaders gathered for a summit Friday in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to address growing humanitarian needs on the continent, which is also facing increased violent extremism, climate change challenges and a run of military coups. Leaders called for increased mobilization to resolve a humanitarian crisis that has left millions displaced and more than 280 million suffering from malnourishment. For people in Djibo, a town in northern Burkina Faso near the border with Mali, any help can't come soon enough. The city in the Sahel region the large expanse below the Sahara Desert has been besieged since February by jihadis who prevent people and goods from moving in or out and cut water supplies. Few truckers want to run the jihadist gauntlet. Residents are suffering with no food or water, animals are dying, and the price of grain has spiked. "The goods are not arriving anymore here. Animal and agricultural production is not possible because the people cannot go back to their villages," U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator Barbara Manzi told The Associated Press from Djibo this week. "Unless (a solution) is found, it's going to be really a tragedy for the entire group of people that are here." Increased insecurity Djibo has been at the epicenter of violence, linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, that has killed thousands and displaced nearly 2 million people. While Djibo and Soum province, where the town is located experienced periods of calm, such as during a makeshift cease-fire between jihadis and the government surrounding the 2020 presidential election, the truce didn't last. Since November, insecurity in the region has increased. Jihadis have destroyed water infrastructure in the town and lined much of Djibo's perimeter with explosives, blockading the city, say locals. The town's population has swollen from 60,000 to 300,000 over the past few years as people flee the countryside to escape the violence. Blockading cities is a tactic used by jihadis to assert dominance, and it could also be an attempt to get Burkina Faso's new military junta, which seized power in January, to backtrack on promises to eliminate the jihadis, said Laith Alkhouri, CEO of Intelonyx Intelligence Advisory, a group that provides intelligence analysis. "Militants resort to blockading when they see an opportunity to gain incentives in negotiating with the government and simultaneously send a message to their base that they are in control. It's a bargaining card, and a winning one," he said. A U.N. team flew in briefly to assess the situation. The AP was the first foreign media to visit the town in more than a year. "Today there is nothing to buy here. Even if you have cash, there is nothing to buy. We came here with four donkeys and goats, and some of them died because of hunger. We were forced to sell the rest of the animals, and unfortunately, prices of animals have decreased," said cattle owner Mamoudou Oumarou. The 53-year-old father of 13, who fled his village in February, said the blockade in Djibo has prevented people from coming to the market to buy and sell cattle, decreasing demand and lowering prices for the animals by half. Before the violence, Djibo had one of the biggest and most vital cattle markets in the Sahel and was a bustling economic hub. Some 600 trucks used to enter Djibo monthly, and now it's fewer than 70, said Alpha Ousmane Dao, director of Seracom, a local aid group in Djibo. Widespread hunger Burkina Faso is facing its worst hunger crisis in six years. More than 630,000 people are on the brink of starvation, according to the United Nations. As a result of Djibo's blockade, the World Food Program has been unable to deliver food to the town since December, and stocks are running out, said Antoine Renard, country director for the World Food Program in Burkina Faso. Efforts to end the blockade through dialogue have had mixed results. At the end of April, the emir of Djibo met with Burkina Faso's top jihadist, Jafar Dicko, to negotiate lifting the siege. Little progress has been made since then, however. Locals say that the jihadis have eased restrictions in some areas, allowing freer movement, but that the army is now preventing people from bringing food out of Djibo to the surrounding villages for fear it will go to the jihadis. The army denied the allegations. Meanwhile, residents in Djibo say they're risking their lives just trying to survive. Dadou Sadou searches for wood and water outside Djibo in the middle of the night, when she says the jihadis are not around. "We no longer have animals. We don't have food to buy in the market. If you have children, you don't have a choice," she said. Chinas push for high-speed railway upgrades across Eurasia will help the manufacturing powerhouse ship goods both ways, despite heavy pressure on supply chains, analysts said. Sino-foreign cross-border freight railways may be in line for upgrades following approval from the China Development Bank in December to support construction work, according to Chinas state-backed, Chinese-language Financial News website. The bank would offer key support for warehousing, logistics parks, distribution networks and multimodal transport projects, according to the report. Chinas signature cross-border freight route is the 12,000-kilometer China-Europe Railway Express. Upgrades would be aimed at making trains faster and adding tracks along the 11-year-old route, experts said. They said improvements could ensure that trains run despite war in Ukraine and cover for sea routes snarled by shipping backlogs during the pandemic. That would mean all made-in-China exports can reach markets in Europe more smoothly, they said, while China could better secure resources from across the continent. COVID-19 lockdowns and the war in Ukraine have created perhaps the biggest combined challenge to supply chain trade out of China "in living memory, said James Berkeley, managing director of the advisory firm Ellice Consulting in London. Sea freight still works, he said, but the railway clearly provides an alternative. Supply chain upsets sparked by Chinas lockdowns in the major commercial hubs of Shenzhen and Shanghai are slowing shipments of products from phones to building materials to motor vehicles. Chinese authorities ordered Shenzhen shuttered in March, and Shanghai, with a population of about 26 million, closed weeks later. Russias February invasion of Ukraine has since disrupted some cross-continental railway traffic and contributed to shipment delays in Europe. Railway upgrades would fit with Chinese President Xi Jinpings Belt and Road Initiative, the Financial News said. The eight-year-old, $4 trillion-plus initiative calls for building up infrastructure in scores of countries to improve trade routes. Rail power The number of China-Europe Railway Express trains had exceeded 50,000 as of January, making positive contributions to the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, said Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington. China-Europe freight train trips increased in April while maintaining smooth and stable operation, the state-run China Daily recently reported. The article also cited a Chinese National Development and Reform Commission official who said the number of trips rose 3% month-on-month to 1,170. A record of 15,183 train trips were made along the route last year. The railway through Poland, Belarus and Russia remains open now, despite the war in Ukraine and pressure from the West against doing business with Russia, according to the Chinese state-monitored Global Times news website. Since the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis, China-Europe Railway Express has encountered short-term difficulties, but overall, the operational risks are generally controllable, Liu said. "This is one of the alternatives for China to secure their supplies, said Chen Yi-fan, assistant professor of diplomacy and international relations at Tamkang University in Taiwan. And China after all is linked with Russia and the European continent altogether, so this is a good way to control the so-called heartland over there. European Union exports to China hit a peak last year of $239 billion, while EU imports from China topped out last year at $506 billion, the European blocs government said. China has kept up relations with both Russia, a historic friend, and Ukraine during the war. Those ties should help with improvements along the railway, where China has ample technical experience, Chen said. Officials in Europe should look at Chinas ambitions as a chance to upgrade their own railway systems, he said. I guess they need to go all the way, so they need to first [get] Russias permission and then maybe Ukraine's, said Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief Asia-Pacific economist with the French investment bank Natixis. But Garcia said Chinese officials might face barriers to any cross-border railway work in Western Europe, where environmental groups have already made connections tough. This story originated in VOA's Mandarin Service. More than 12 million immigrants moved through Ellis Island, a primary U.S. federal immigration station in New York, between 1892 and 1954. The assimilation of these newcomers into the great U.S. melting pot in their pursuit of the American dream is a key part of the nations story. Many Americans have come to idealize those early immigrants, mostly Europeans, as somehow more desirable than todays immigrants, who primarily hail from Latin America and Asia and are more likely to be viewed by some as slow to assimilate, potential criminals, a financial drain on the system, and as stealing jobs from the American-born. Economic historians Leah Boustan and Ran Abramitzky are using cutting-edge data collection and analytics to separate fact from fiction by comparing modern-day immigrants to those who came to America a century ago. Successful children One big surprise was how well the children of immigrants are doing, and how (children of) immigrants from nearly every sending country are more upwardly mobile than the children of the U.S.-born. And how that stays constant over 100 years, regardless of the sending country, says Abramitzky, a professor of economics at Stanford University. The reason many children of immigrants do better than their American-born counterparts can come down to location, said Boustan, a professor of economics at Princeton University. They're locating in very dynamic cities with a lot of good job opportunities, and that's helping set up their kids for success, Boustan says. We find that the children of the internal migrants the U.S.-born families that move somewhere else actually look a lot like the children of immigrants. And so, what's really happening is that immigrants are willing to move to good places, and a lot of U.S.-born families stay in the location where they were born. Another less-apparent advantage for children of immigrants in low-paying jobs, is that their parents might have college degrees and professional skills honed in their home countries that they cannot apply in the U.S., but they instill a drive for education and professional success in their children. The data suggests that the children of todays immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Mexico or Guatemala who grew up in relatively poor families are doing just as well as the children of Norwegian, German and Italian immigrants of the past. Like them, they are more likely than the children of equally poor U.S.-born parents to make it into the middle class or beyond. The duos findings are laid out in their book, Streets of Gold: Americas Untold Story of Immigrant Success. Disputing existing narratives The data also dispels the notion that todays immigrants are a financial burden, Boustan said. Even if immigrant parents are low paid, their children are able to move up very quickly into higher paid, more productive jobs, she says. So, at this timescale of a generation, we see that immigrants are able to pay more into the system than they take out." Abramitzky and Boustan extrapolated that todays immigrants assimilate as quickly as immigrants did a century ago. They used markers like learning English, living outside an ethnic neighborhood, intermarriage and giving children American-sounding names to conclude that todays immigrants are no more likely than past immigrants to retain their native culture. Anti-immigrant forces often point to crime as a reason to limit immigration or build a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. However, the data shows immigrants today are less likely to be arrested and imprisoned for a crime than people born in the United States. Job thieves? Do immigrants steal jobs and reduce the wages of U.S.-born workers? The data suggests immigrants fill gaps at the opposite ends of the labor market, where there is a lot of demand but not enough workers to fill those roles, according to Boustan. These days, immigrants bring a set of skills that are not very widespread in the U.S. today, Boustan says. Many immigrants are very highly skilled Ph.D. scientists, tech workers, and those skills often create more jobs than take away jobs. On the opposite end of the spectrum, uneducated, poorer immigrants tend to work in manual positions like construction, agriculture and landscaping or in service professions such as helping the elderly or providing child care. People who are at the lower tail of the income distribution are doing the kinds of jobs that are hard to find U.S.-born workers to do, Abramitzky says. Immigrants and the U.S.-born workers are not perfect substitutes to one another. A 2020 Pew Research poll suggests that Americans on both ends of the political spectrum generally agree that immigrants both the undocumented and those in the U.S. legally mostly work in jobs that U.S. citizens dont want. But Harvard professor George Borjas, a labor economist specializing in immigration issues, says the influx of immigrants can hurt the prospects of the working poor. People in low-wage jobs that require limited education face significant competition from immigrants, according to Borjas, who writes that an increase in the pool of low-skilled workers drives a drop in overall earnings. The immigrants themselves, and business owners who use immigrant labor, are the biggest winners from an influx of immigration, he says. In their book, Abramitzky and Boustan point out that strict immigrant quotas in the 1920s did not result in higher wages for U.S. manufacturing workers, even though immigration had dropped by hundreds of thousands. The co-authors hope lawmakers will examine the data before crafting future immigration laws and policies. That immigrants are upwardly mobile from nearly every sending country, regardless of where they come from, suggests that there are more similarities than differences in the immigrant experiences, despite the huge change in sending countries, Abramitzky says. We see that immigrants are doing just as well as immigrants in the past. Designing the policy (while) having in mind that immigrants aren't able to assimilate and integrate, is misinformed. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. The city of Uvalde, Texas, is in mourning after a teenager from the community shot 19 children and two adults to death at an elementary school. VOA's Celia Mendoza spoke with a family whose son survived. Video editor: Celia Mendoza Farahana Mghoi takes the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) passenger train in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, May 23, 2022. (Photo by Eric/Xinhua) NAIROBI, May 27 (Xinhua) -- As a veteran insurance sales agent, Farahana Mghoi, a mother of two, used to dread bus rides from her hometown of Voi in southeastern Kenya to Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, to meet a potential client. Thanks to the Nairobi-Mombasa Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) passenger train service that was launched on May 31, 2017, Mghoi has found respite from tiresome, slow and often unreliable public service vehicles that she previously used to attend to business and personal matters. Since 2018, Mghoi has been shuttling between Nairobi, where she currently resides, and Voi, with a distance of about 328 km, on weekly basis using the modern passenger train, in her quest for more business opportunities. During a recent interview with Xinhua ahead of the 5th anniversary since the launch of the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR passenger train service, Mghoi said it had boosted her career growth thanks to efficient, reliable and affordable mobility it has always guaranteed her whenever she travels to meet new clients. "Before the launch of (the) SGR passenger train, I used to travel between Nairobi and Voi using public service vehicles locally known as matatus but they were tiresome and slow," said Mghoi. "However, my experience of using the SGR train has been satisfactory. It is very convenient and affordable. I am able to reach my destination on time and negotiate for a potential business opportunity with ease." It takes an average of four hours for Mghoi to travel from Nairobi to Voi to negotiate a business deal using the SGR commuter train as opposed to up to seven hours using a bus. She disclosed that while inside the modern train, she enjoys reading books or listening to music, adding that its punctuality has cemented trust and confidence with her clients, including small business owners. Mghoi has traveled more than 70 times between Nairobi and Voi using the modern train service while looking for business opportunities. During holidays, she brings along her children, amid guarantee of their safety and comfort. She belongs to a growing army of Kenyan skilled labor force, entrepreneurs and adventure-seekers who have embraced the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR passenger train service, in their quest for seamless mobility along its 480-km corridor. Francis Gachari, a 60-year-old father of two who lectures physics at the Technical University of Mombasa, said he started using the modern train service since its launch five years ago and has reaped benefits including arriving on time at his workplace. "I travel from Mombasa to Nairobi where my family stays every weekend using the SGR passenger train and return to Mombasa Monday. The train is punctual, safe and affordable," said Gachari. He noted that the skilled workforce based in towns along the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR corridor has gained immensely from the seamless mobility that was unleashed by the modern train service. The Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, which is later expected to reach Malaba town on Kenya's western border with Uganda, is a critical component of China's Belt and Road Initiative whose overall goal is to enhance regional connectivity, trade and integration. Also, the 120-km Nairobi-Suswa SGR line, a critical section of the Nairobi-Malaba SGR project, that was launched in October 2019, has been instrumental in opening north-western Kenyan counties to trade and investments. Frequent users of the Nairobi-Suswa SGR passenger train service like Patriciah Muyoma Imbayi, a mother of two who works at a private firm on the southern edges of the Kenyan capital, praised its efficiency and affordability. She boards the train at the Ngong station adjacent to her home and about 25 km north of Nairobi for commuting to her workplace near the Nairobi-Mombasa SGR terminus. Imbayi's monthly transport expenditure has reduced from 9,000 shillings (about 77 U.S. dollars) to 6,000 shillings, saving her 25.73 U.S. dollars, thanks to the use of the modern train service. George Bosire, a 33-year-old commerce major and an employee of a solar company based near the Nairobi-Mombasa SGR terminus said the passenger train has enabled him to report to work on time. Bosire, a resident of Ngong, Nairobi, has used the Nairobi-Suswa passenger train more than 160 times since 2021 and hailed its convenience, affordability, safety and reliability when compared to other public service vehicles. As of May 26, 2022, more than 7.7 million passengers have used the SGR passenger trains between Mombasa, Nairobi and Suswa, according to Afristar, the SGR operator. Farahana Mghoi takes the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) passenger train in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, May 23, 2022. (Photo by Eric/Xinhua) HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) Zimbabwes Constitutional Court has ruled that the legal age of consent for sex should be raised to 18 from 16, a judgment welcomed by many in a country where rights groups say teen pregnancies are forcing hundreds of girls out of school. In a ruling handed down by the country's highest court this week, the court struck down as unconstitutional provisions in the Criminal Law that set the age of consent for sex at 16. Following the court's decision, the minister of justice and parliament have 12 months to enact a law that protects all children from sexual exploitation in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, read the ruling. The case was brought by two women who were married as children. Many welcomed the ruling in hopes that criminalizing sex with underage girls could help slow cases of teen pregnancies and child marriages. Authorities and human rights groups say cases have spiked following the outbreak of COVID-19 that resulted in prolonged school closures and deepening poverty. It is vital that we protect children, especially girls. This ruling will not stop child abuse, but it will mitigate, it offers a deterrent, Tendai Biti, a lawyer who argued the case, told The Associated Press on Thursday. This ruling guarantees protection of girls under 18. In the past we had old men taking advantage of girls. Pedophiles were getting away with abuse, said Talent Jumo, director of Katswe Sistahood, a group that campaigns for girls rights. She described the ruling as a landmark. The age of consent for sex has for long been controversial in this southern African country. Campaigners argued that the 16-year age for consent was too young and it allowed for the exploitation of young girls. However, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi argued in parliament late last year that most children are mature, beyond their age nowadays and are already sexually active. He claimed that raising the age of consent to 18 means children below the age of 18 having sexual intercourse will be criminalized and have unwanted criminal records. The Constitutional Court in 2016 outlawed marriage before the age of 18 following a challenge to provisions of the marriage law that allowed child marriages. In the latest case, Biti argued on behalf of the women that it was unconstitutional that children could not be married until they attain 18 yet the law allowed them to be abused from the age of 16. Biti is also a leading official of the opposition party the Citizens Coalition for Change. Men were now having their cake and eating it too, so in some instances a man could say I slept with you, I want to marry you but the law says I cant marry you but I can have sex with you. Zimbabwes constitution defines a child as someone below the age of 18. However, even supporters of the latest ruling urged caution, noting that more needs to be done to eradicate entrenched religious, traditional and cultural norms and as well as deepening poverty which all promote teen pregnancies and child marriages. Religious and other groups that had made this a norm are a major threat and need to be stopped. Secondly, children should be protected from the negative consequences of early sexual debut by providing access to sexual reproductive and health rights information and also provide for a Romeo and Juliet clause in the law to guard against criminalizing adolescent sexual activity, said Jumo, of Katswe Sistahood. The Romeo and Juliet clause in legal terms often seeks to protect from criminal prosecution underage children who engage in consensual sexual activity with each other. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily address that Russia is carrying out an obvious policy of genocide against Ukrainians, but the catastrophic developments in Ukraine could have been avoided if the strong of the world had not played with Russia, but really pressed to end the war. Zelenskyy said Russia receives almost a billion euros a day from Europeans for energy supplies, while the European Union has been trying to agree on a sixth package of sanctions against Russia. He asserted, however, that Ukraine will always be an independent state and will not be broken. The only remaining question, he said, is what price our people will have to pay for their freedom and what price Russia will have to pay for this senseless war against us. Russian counteroffensive Russian forces in northeastern Ukraine, already pushed back to near the Russian border, appeared Thursday to be launching a new counteroffensive as the three-month-old war morphed into what some Western officials described as a "scrap" with no end in sight. Authorities in Ukraine's second-biggest city, Kharkiv, said Russian shelling had killed at least seven civilians and wounded 17 others, while heavy fighting raged north and east of the city. Witnesses in Kharkiv also reported hearing repeated explosions as Russian forces appeared to try to fortify positions north of the city. Russian forces near Kharkiv had been steadily pushed from the city to close to the Russian border following a Ukrainian counteroffensive earlier this month. But officials said it appeared Moscow had decided to push back. "It's too early to relax," said Kharkiv region Governor Oleh Synehubov. "The enemy is again insidiously hitting the civilian population, terrorizing them." Russian officials have not yet commented on the developments near Kharkiv, though the Russian military's social media feeds touted continued success against Ukrainian forces, including in the Donbas region. A senior U.S. defense official said Thursday that despite reports of increased fighting around Kharkiv, there had been "no major changes" on the ground. "We still assess that Ukrainian forces have continued to push Russian forces further away [from the city]," the official said, briefing reporters on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss intelligence. "It's a range of a few kilometers to more than 10 kilometers within the Russian border," the official added. But in other parts of eastern Ukraine, Russia was able to make what the official described as "incremental gains," including in the city of Popasna and in Sievierodonetsk, the easternmost city under Ukrainian control. "We believe that Russian forces have been able to seize most of northeastern Sievierodonetsk," the U.S. defense official said. "But they haven't been able to cut it completely off because the Ukrainians are still fighting over it." Ukrainian officials on Thursday acknowledged Russia was making a push to surround its troops fighting in the east with advances both on Sievierodonetsk and the nearby city of Lysychansk. "Russia has the advantage, but we are doing everything we can," General Oleksiy Gromov, with Ukraine's general staff, told Reuters. "It is clear that our boys are slowly retreating to more fortified positions. We need to hold back this horde," added Luhansk province Governor Serhiy Gaidai. Food shortages Russias renewed push on the ground in Ukraine comes as a growing number of Western countries are calling out Moscow for expanding the war by exacerbating the international food crisis. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Thursday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "trying to hold the world to ransom" by blocking shipments of grain from Ukrainian ports a move Ukraine has described as blackmail. A top U.S. defense official was equally blunt, telling reporters Thursday that Russia is weaponizing food. This is just another part of a brutal way of prosecuting a completely unprovoked war, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said. I guess we shouldn't be surprised by that, since they've weaponized everything else, including lies and information, but they're weaponizing it [grain reserves], he said. The administration is in discussions with our international partners and allies about how best to address this. Pentagon officials estimate that about 22 million tons of grain are currently in Ukrainian ports and ready for shipment but have been stopped because of the Russian blockade. Moscow on Thursday signaled it would be willing to let some of the grain out if the West lifted sanctions. The Russian Federation is ready to make a significant contribution to overcoming the food crisis through the export of grain and fertilizers, provided that politically motivated restrictions from the West are lifted," the Kremlin said in a statement. Meanwhile, in a show of support Thursday, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin visited Kyiv, plus the towns of Irpin and Bucha, the scene of alleged Russian war crimes. "We, Finland, support all the actions of the International Criminal Court to consider these crimes, collect evidence for future proceedings and convict Russia," Marin said following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy, in a post on social media, thanked Finland for its support. "Finland's military assistance is very valuable," he wrote. "Weapons, sanctions policy and the unity of our partners in the issue of Ukraine's accession to the EU this is what can provide strength in the defense of our land." Despite the back-and-forth nature of the fighting and Russia's superior numbers, Western officials continue to laud Kyiv for mounting a stiff resistance and for making good use of security assistance that continues to pour into the country. Ukraine's military has likewise shared some optimism about its ability to counter Russian forces, claiming it has killed 29,600 Russian forces since the start of the February 24 invasion. U.S. estimates of Russia's material losses, shared Thursday, are slightly more conservative than those coming from Kyiv. But the senior U.S. defense official said Russia has lost about 1,000 tanks, almost 40 aircraft, more than 50 helicopters and 350 pieces of artillery. The official declined to share any estimates on Russian casualties but said the losses have not been insignificant, though things have changed since the start of the war. "The Russians lose soldiers every day, but it's a different ... number based on the kind of fighting we're seeing," the official said. "The fighting is now largely over smaller pieces of turf with smaller units." Russia's military Thursday issued its own estimates of Ukraine's losses, saying its forces had so far destroyed 179 planes, 127 helicopters, more than 1,000 drones, hundreds of anti-aircraft systems, and more than 1,600 Ukrainian artillery and mortar systems. In the meantime, key Western leaders Thursday emphasized the need to continue backing Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin "must not win his war, and I am convinced he will not win," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He also said Russia should not be allowed to dictate the terms of a peace agreement. "Ukraine will not accept this, and neither will we," Scholz said. Separately, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko told the forum Ukraine was the "key for freedom in the world." "We're defending not just our family and our children, we're defending you, because we have the same values," Klitschko said, adding that Russia would go as far as it was allowed to go. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Nancy Crampton Brophy. Photo: Dave Killen/AP/Shutterstock Update, May 27: And the prosecution didnt even need to cite the essay. Nancy Crampton Brophy was convicted of second-degree murder in the killing of her husband on May 25 a case that gained national attention after attorneys werent able to reference her essay, How to Murder Your Husband. She had the plan in place, a district attorney said in closing arguments, per the New York Times. Crampton Brophy is set to be sentenced on June 13. Original story follows. On June 2, 2018, Oregon Culinary Institute instructor and chef Dan Brophy was found dead of two gunshot wounds in his classroom. His wife, Nancy Crampton Brophy, was arrested for the murder, with prosecutors pointing to a $1.5 million life-insurance payout as her motivation. The courts police had all kinds of evidence: footage of her driving to and from the scene, a Glock that matched the gunshot wounds on the body, reports from neighbors about strange behavior following the incident. But when the trial finally began on Monday, April 4, one detail that seems particularly pertinent to the specifics of this case was deemed inadmissible by the danger of unfair prejudice. In 2011, Crampton Brophy published an essay on the website See Jane Publish titled How to Murder Your Husband. Crampton Brophy is a self-published romance novelist, and the essay breaks down in great detail all of the motives and methods a wife might have for murdering her husband. The first motive on the list? Financial. Hope Shondaland has eyes on this one. Photo: WireImage Hollywood remembered GoodFellas star Ray Liotta following news of his death on Thursday, with many taking to social media to pay tribute to the late actor. Liotta died in his sleep at the age of 67 while shooting the film Dangerous Waters in the Dominican Republic, Deadline first reported. Martin Scorsese, who directed Liotta in GoodFellas, told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement, He was so uniquely gifted, so adventurous, so courageous as an actor. Playing Henry Hill in GoodFellas was a tall order, because the character had so many different facets, so many complicated layers, and Ray was in almost every scene of a long, tough shoot. He absolutely amazed me, and Ill always be proud of the work we did together on that picture. My heart goes out to his loved ones, and it aches for his loss, way too early. Lorraine Bracco, Liottas GoodFellas co-star, wrote on Twitter, I am utterly shattered to hear this terrible news about my Ray. I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is GoodFellas. Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the same Ray Liotta. See more tributes to Liotta below. I am utterly shattered to hear this terrible news about my Ray. I can be anywhere in the world & people will come up & tell me their favorite movie is Goodfellas. Then they always ask what was the best part of making that movie. My response has always been the sameRay Liotta. pic.twitter.com/3gNjJFTAne Lorraine Bracco (@Lorraine_Bracco) May 26, 2022 I cant believe Ray Liotta has passed away. He was such a lovely, talented and hilarious person. Working with him was one of the great joys of my career and we made some of my favorite scenes I ever got to be in. A true legend of immense skill and grace. Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) May 26, 2022 Not Ray James Caan (@James_Caan) May 26, 2022 RIP Ray Liotta. I feel so lucky to have squared off against this legend in one of his final roles. The scenes we did together were among the all time highlights of my acting career. He was dangerous, unpredictable, hilarious, and generous with his praise for other actors.Too soon pic.twitter.com/FvsV2NNHkw Alessandro Nivola (@SandroNivola) May 26, 2022 Ray Liotta has died. His work as an actor showed his complexity as a human being. A gentle man. So sad to hear. Jamie Lee Curtis (@jamieleecurtis) May 26, 2022 Ray was my partner in crime on Shades of Blue the first thing that comes to mind is he so was kind to my children. Ray was the epitome of a tough guy who was all mushy on the inside I guess thats what made him such a compelling actor to watch. The original Goodfella. 1/5 pic.twitter.com/IDbOBPNydY jlo (@JLo) May 26, 2022 RIP GOODFELLA Ray Liotta. I adored you. I love knowing you all those years ago. Kristin Chenoweth (@KChenoweth) May 26, 2022 RIP Ray Liotta!! Loved your work https://t.co/XmoRVn4L3R Viola Davis (@violadavis) May 26, 2022 Absolutely stunned at the passing of Ray Liotta. I never had the privilege of working with him but his reputation as one of the good guys was well known. A tragic loss. #RIPRayLiotta https://t.co/hPejpXlwjn Lou Diamond Phillips (@LouDPhillips) May 26, 2022 Very sad to hear the news this morning about the passing of #RayLiotta. An extraordinary talent whose remarkable performances left an indelible mark on the screen. Our deepest condolences to his family. RIP Ray https://t.co/WQSlkozT3A Cary Elwes (@Cary_Elwes) May 26, 2022 I try not to do the RIPs but Ray Liotta was truly one of my favorites to watch. He just has this magnetic draw to his performances, which is part of the reason Goddfellas remains tied with Aliens as my favorite film(s) ever made. This one stung more than usual. devon sawa (@DevonESawa) May 26, 2022 Too sad to conceive that Ray Liotta has passed. If hed only made Goodfellas, it would be a credit to retire on. But he was incredible in Cop Land, Narc, Marriage Story & much more, especially his searing debut in Something Wild. His entrance at the end of this scene? Perfection. pic.twitter.com/0IhbRuKx2b edgarwright (@edgarwright) May 26, 2022 Im really sad to hear that Ray Liotta has passed away. He was an friend back in the day and its very sad. We had a lot of laughs Rest In Peace My friend. rosanna arquette (@RoArquette) May 26, 2022 I remember seeing Something Wild for the first time. When Ray Liotta came on the screen you could feel the energy in the room shift. Dangerous. Magnetic. What a debut and what a damn fine actor. RIP and love to his family. Josh Charles (@MrJoshCharles) May 26, 2022 Ray Liotta. Man. Just met dude for the first time last year. GREAT actor. Nice to have had a chance to say that to him. RIP. Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) May 26, 2022 It was absolutely heart shattering to hear about Ray Liotta's passing. He was such a talented actor and a wonderful person. Rest in peace Ray, we'll miss you. https://t.co/jly5hO006U ROSIE (@Rosie) May 26, 2022 Shocked and saddened to hear of Ray Liottas passing. Beyond the tough guy exterior and the tightly wound emotions of his signature characters, he was a sweet, playful and passionate collaborator and brilliant actor. RIP. pic.twitter.com/O5tueLlBMP Mangold (@mang0ld) May 26, 2022 Mortensen lives for drama. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos by Getty Images Viggo Mortensen took a deep breath of the Cannes air and thought to himself: Im starved for drama, I crave the rush and thrill of it, I need to say something spicy just for the cinephiles. And so, on Wednesday, Mortensen addressed the mythic 1999 Cannes Film Festival feud surrounding that years Palme dOr winner. To set the scene: A jury led by David Cronenberg crowned a little movie directed by the Dardenne brothers called Rosetta the Palme champion over Pedro Almodovars opus All About My Mother. Back in the day, the decision baffled journalists, who couldnt seem to understand why the jury went out of their way to award some random movie over Almodovars eventual Oscar winner. Cronenberg himself debunked those rumors in a 2014 Vulture interview, noting that journalists didnt even see the film and the jury voted unanimously in favor it. Even so, the fabled story has gained traction in the Spanish press in recent days, which might be why Mortensen who stars in Cronenbergs upcoming film Crimes of the Future chose to open his mouth. In a conversation with IndieWire, Mortensen said that he doesnt understand why Almodovar believes he was deprived of the Palme and compared Almodovars alleged consternation to tactics used by our former, dusty president. Its like Trump. You keep saying something and people start thinking there must be something to it, when its complete bullshit, Mortensen said. I love Pedro and hes a great guy, but that jury, it was the fastest vote for the Palme dOr for a movie called Rosetta. Unanimous, all nine of them. The president of the jury only gets one vote. All people voted for that movie. So how did [Cronenberg] deprive the Palme dOr from Pedro? Its a nonsense story and beneath a great artist like Pedro. Naturally, Mortensens comments peeved the Pain and Glory director, who, in my opinion, generally minds his business. Not one to be dragged for no reason, Almodovar published a statement on IndieWire to clear up all this drama for dramas sake on Friday. (You have to say something really out-of-pocket ish for Pedro Almodovar to write more than 700 words on IndieWire.com denouncing your comments.) He wrote that stories about his disappointment with the Cannes jury are simply misinformation. I cannot accept to be portrayed as embittered for not receiving the Palme dOr. You just have to go back to the press archives to find out for yourself, Almodovar wrote, asking Mortensen to look at the receipts. While did write in the Spanish newspaper El Pais that he was closest to winning the Palme for All About My Mother, he insisted that the op-ed was simply a commentary on his Palme chances, not a critique of the jury. Although he believes that the French press portrays him as covetous of a Palme dOr, he feels incredibly fortunate to have received so many honors throughout his career. But mostly, hes profoundly bothered that Mortensen would compare him to one of the most atrocious characters in the current public sphere. Films suffer from these kinds of distractions, he wrote. As a person who pays attention to film culture for this kind of drama, well sorry to the art form. In which Hunter Harris attempts to exorcise the movie quotes haunting her brain. A lot of Liotta performances operate on the edge of ravenous and resigned, but hes almost pious in his line reading as Jay, a shark of a divorce lawyer. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photo by Netflix Ray Liotta enters Marriage Story with a price tag: Heres the fact, Jack. I charge $950 an hour. Ted is $400, he says, motioning to his mostly silent associate, who adds verbal footnotes to all his declarations. If you have a stupid question, you call Ted. His office is big and sort of brutishly designed; he barks out questions, telling Charlie Barber (Adam Driver) conclusions he doesnt want to hear. Charlie thinks hes having one kind of divorce. As Jay, Liotta brutally bullishly, sternly tells him that not only is he having another kind of divorce, but his marriage was different than he remembered too. You were married here in L.A.? Your son was born out here? Jay asks. Charlie, maroon little Moleskine in his erudite hands, says yes to both. So you got married here, your kid was born here, and she his soon-to-be-ex, Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) served you here? Charlie is, at turns, incredulous and offended. Other people might have bad divorces or ugly divorces; his and Nicoles, he imagined, would be bespoke. (In the scene before he meets Jay, he earnestly assumed he would spend the night at his ex-mother-in-laws house, as he did on every other visit.) That all ends once he sits under the harsh overhead light of Jays office. Charlie wants to go back to New York, he cries out, and so does his son! Jay all but holds up his hand, telling him to shut it: No, dont quote your kid, he frowns. Hes just telling you what you want to hear. And trust me, hes telling her the opposite. If I had my way, Marriage Story would be only about the lawyers. The movie means to show how impersonal divorce is, how its anti-intimate. Love, marriage, betrayal, neglect, sized down to serif font: Case #BD 646-058. Liotta and Laura Dern, as Nicoles lawyer, Nora, do their jobs a little too well, making the actual inner details of whatever Charlie and Nicoles whole deal was seem almost like a long afterthought. Dern won the Oscar, of course, but the late Liottas performance is so ruthless, tightly wound but a little unhinged. Hes not a villain, just a predator smelling blood. When introduced, Charlie dismisses him as a bad guy, but why? Because hes direct? He said Nora was going to paint Charlie as the neglectful, ambitious father, and thats exactly what she did. The scene in Jays office is the movies first really ugly moment: Charlie is unreliable, Nicole is unreliable, and the kid? Even the kid is unreliable. Jays office isnt light and airy and inviting; its a rich bachelors kind of put together, furnished by ego and leather and whatever just kind of seemed fine in the moment. Marriage is a union between two people; divorce is deal-making between a half-dozen. The shark gray of Jays suit, the way he talks about money and assets instead of art and family. How can Charlie hire this guy, who isnt even embarrassed he didnt remember his kids name? The scene becomes a really delicious battle of two stubborn wills: Charlie, who keeps insisting this can be easy if they let it, versus Jay, who keeps announcing it wont be. Drivers intensity as an actor is emotional (he does rage well, and grief), while Liottas is frank and intimidating. Listen, if we start from a place of reasonable, and they start from a place of crazy, Jay growls, when we settle, well be somewhere between reasonable and crazy. Cue Ted from the corner: Which is still crazy. So much of Marriage Story is weirdly, incongruously quotable, lines no one would ever say but lines I so badly want to say. The script is full of clever asides, sly observations, and bitter truths that come out mangled, selfish, cruelly (and sometimes funnily) inexact (You shouldnt be upset that I fucked her, you should be upset that I had a laugh with her! Charlie cries out to Nicole. Hes trying to make a case for a stupid affair, but the very act of justifying it is the biggest joke.) Charlie and Nicole talk one way; their lawyers talk another. Its not as simple as Driver being the artist and Liotta being his barking id: Both lawyers say whats unsavory, whats unthinkable, whats unspeakable until theyre in front of the judge, doing what they get paid $950 an hour to do. Charlie hires and fires a nice lawyer and buys back the piranha. (I needed my own asshole, he justifies to his wife afterward.) The movies courtroom scene, in which Liotta and Dern face off, is entirely their own. A little history, Jay begins. Ten years ago, Charlie takes a risk when he first hires Nicole as an actress in his play in New York City. Hes a well-regarded up-and-coming director of the avant-garde. And shes known as the girl in that college sex movie who takes her top off. The way that first phrase sticks in my brain! The way I still think about it all these years later: a well-regarded up-and-coming director of the avant-garde. Liotta is almost pious in the line reading: director of the avant-garde. Its as if Jay has copied-and-pasted the phrase from the lede of whatever Time Out issue Charlie was on the cover of. This is the gravelly voice-over of Henry Hill speaking dutifully about downtown theater! I laugh every time. A few scenes earlier, Jay basically shrugged when Charlie mentioned hed directed plays Off Broadway. But now, in front of a judge, its a precious artistic vocation with material assets that should be protected from Noras manicured clutches. (His chiding of Nicole is such a funny, gross dismissal but not all that different from what Charlie himself might say if hes angry enough.) Marriage Storys lawyers are so vibrantly rendered in this scene. Theyre complementary, not easy opposites: Nicole has the lawyer with the nice shoes and Architectural Digest office, the one shell stay friendly with and invite over for dinner. She chose Laura Dern, the only good nepotism baby! Liotta spent his career bouncing around the courthouse, playing a lot of criminals and then playing a lot of cops. He knows Charlie does hate him and will hate him. Noras vocabulary includes slut-shaming, and she says genius was an intangible asset built during the marriage. Jay speaks in slow, measured tones and stands up to point emphatically, sits down seething. (And its not that shes blue blood but hes blue collar; he invites her to some Stand Up to Cancer event featuring John Legend on the way into the courtroom.) Nora pulls technicalities and details to make her case; Jay makes his with binaries and sheer force of will alone. In between arguing with Nora, steam all but comes out of his ears when he learns that his director of the avant-garde deposited MacArthur genius grant money into the couples joint account and wrongly assumed the rental-car company would buckle in Henrys car seat. A lot of Liotta performances operate on the edge; it could go either way with this guy. He was an everyman in Goodfellas who adjusted his posture, his brightness, his deference or defenses to the moment. He could be ravenous or resigned, charming or menacing it just depended on who there was to impress and what was on offer. He was Something Wilds gleeful psycho. But hes as intense in that Marriage Story courtroom as he is shoving a gun in a guys mouth in something else. All on the behalf of a director of the avant-garde. You can tell were close to the end of Volume 1 because all the chess pieces feel like theyre being moved into positions for maximum impact before Stranger Things 4 takes a hiatus until July. Not that The Dive is simply table setting, theres a ton of action and essential development, but you can tell that things are being set up in this episode that will lead to a big payoff in the Volume 1 finale. Take Hoppers situation, for example. Our dear broken Hopper! Last we saw him, he was being a real sad boy about his entire life, which was a bummer for us because that is not the Hop we know! Our Hop doesnt just give up. Could someone get this man a Magnum P.I. shirt so he can feel more like himself? The good news is that theres still a little bit of old Hopper left inside this very broken man, and once he gets seated at that dinner table with the other prisoners and realizes theyre fattening them up to be fed to the Demogorgon they definitely have behind those gates, that old Hopper comes back. You thought this guy was going to just give up? After everything? Then you dont know this guy. After he warns his fellow prisoners about what is most definitely going to happen to them that night, he puts a plan into action. He knows the Demogorgon hates fire, so he nabs a bottle of vodka, starts a fight so that he can steal a guards lighter, and he lets his friend Dmitri in on it after. The odds are against them, but this is their best chance at surviving. Little does Hopper know that Joyce and Murray have a plan, too. Theyre going to make that meeting Yuri set with the prison warden to turn them over to the KGB only now, Yuri will be tied up and gagged, and Murray will pretend to be Yuri. What happens after they waltz into the prison and meet with the warden, who is to say? Lets just hope they do it with enough time to save Hopper from almost certain death! We are so, so close to a Hopper-Joyce reunion. Can you feel it? I teared up just seeing Hopper laugh a little with Dmitri, so I already know Im a goner when he sees Joyce for the first time. Please dont hurt them!! Obviously Hoppers reunion with El wont be happening in Volume 1, as she is still busy out in the middle of the Nevada desert. At least shes making some progress in the quest to get her powers back by way of reliving memories from her time at Hawkins Lab. The biggest development here is that this blond dude is surely up to no good. In these memories, he seems to take a more-than-typical interest in Eleven, who, even in a group of not-normal kids, is the one being bullied. She cant catch a break! He tells her she reminds him of someone he used to know Number One. Apparently, Brenner has told everyone that One doesnt exist, but as this guy tells El, sometimes Papa doesnt tell the truth. He also tells El that One was just like her, nothing came easy to him until one day when that all changed. One told him that it was because he used emotion to get stronger he thought of a memory that made him both sad and angry, and it worked. He wants her to think of a memory like that. Maybe the one of her mother trying to find her and take her back. Okay, so this dude is definitely One, right? Remember? I said he had a vibe! In another exercise with the group in which they face off against one another, Eleven uses this very memory to beat Two. Not just beat him, she shows more power than ever and blasts him into the wall. How embarrassing! Later, El sees the blond guy getting punished and tortured by Brenner, who has caught on to his interest in Eleven. Back in the Rainbow Room by herself, Eleven is confronted by Two and his minions. They attack and torture her until Two blasts her against the wall and threatens to kill her if she tells Brenner what they did. Before we find out what happens next, El is back in that awful memory, covered in blood, standing among the carnage. She sees her younger self, blood coming out of her eyes, using her powers with unprecedented strength. When Brenner and Owens pull her out of the memory, she is panicked. I killed them, didnt I, Papa? I killed them all. So thats not great! Things back in Hawkins have also been kicked up a notch. Part of that is thanks to Mr. Letterman Jacket himself, Jason. After watching Patrick die that way in front of him over Lovers Lake, Jason is one hundred percent convinced that Eddie is a vessel for Satan. No, seriously. He says it to the cops, and when he thinks they arent taking him seriously enough, he says it to anyone who will listen specifically to all the citizens of Hawkins who attend a town hall Chief Powell called so people could ask questions about Eddie Munson being a person of interest in the now three murders. When I think about Hopper leading a town hall, I just laugh and laugh and laugh. Anyway, this does not go well once Jason gets up on the mic weve seen him give a rousing speech before and goes on and on about Hellfire being a cult that needs to be stopped and that they, the citizens, need to take matters into their own hands. Jason sucks the big one and he has now gotten all of Hawkins riled up in his little satanic-panic mission everyone is way too eager to get their pitchforks ready, you know? After Jason passes out fliers of the Hellfire Club so people know who to go after, Karen Wheeler, Mrs. Henderson, and the Sinclairs terrified for their kids have an emergency meeting at the Wheelers house. When they realize the kids left earlier and never came back, Karen calls Powell to find them and make sure theyre safe. Im glad Stranger Things finally has the parents being like, Uh, what are our kids up to now? Its about time. So, uh, what are their kids up to now? After seeing Eddies face all over the news, they know hes more in danger of being caught. He walkies them and tells them hes hiding at Skull Rock in the woods. Its a popular make-out spot that Steve says he practically invented, so when Dustin, who is following his map and compass, is leading them the wrong way, Steve takes over and ends up being the one to get them there. This infuriates Dustin for several reasons, but mostly because it means something is up with his compass. He realizes that the compass isnt pointing to true north, which means there must be some stronger electromagnetic field nearby messing it up, and the last time that happened, it was because of the gate Eleven had opened. Dustin has obviously rewatched season one of Stranger Things. Nancy remembers that whenever the Demogorgon attacked, it made a new gate she disgustingly crawled through one in a tree to look for Barb. What if Vecna does the same thing, she wonders. They decide to follow the compass toward this electromagnetic field to see if their theory is correct. Now, you might be like, Why in the world would you walk toward the gate to the Upside Down (I know my man Steve is), but its the only way to stop Vecna. Thanks to that little light display in the Creel house attic, which they discover happened exactly as Patrick was killed, they now know where Vecna is when he kills his victims. If they find him in the Upside Down and kill him, theyll free Max from the curse and prove Eddies innocence. They have to get into the Upside Down. It is the only way. Even Eddie, who knows that running around Hawkins looking for the gate is risky for him, says they should go. Actually, he says that Dustin is asking him to follow him into Mordor, and while that sounds like a terrible idea, the shire is burning. They have no choice! The compass leads them right back to Lovers Lake. Nancy, Eddie, Robin, and Steve hop in the boat to paddle out, leaving the younger three behind. When they get to the spot where Patrick died and the compass starts going crazy, they know theres only one thing left to do: Someone has to swim down there and check it out. Steve! Steve Harrington! He wastes zero time popping off that sweater and letting everyone get a look at him both Nancy and Max take a little look-see at the town hunk before he dives right into the water (He was a captain of the swim team and a lifeguard for three years). Its his big hero moment! I love this journey for him! Meanwhile, Powell and the Hawkins police have tracked the kids down. If they see Eddie, its game over, so Max, Dustin, and Lucas try to distract the police by making a run for it, but they dont make it far. Theyll be getting a ride straight back to the Wheelers. Now, that might be for the best safety-wise, but it means they miss what happens out on the lake. Steve dives down, and yes, he peeps an opening right where we expected it. When he swims back up to tell everyone, he is immediately pulled back underwater by a vine from the Upside Down! It pulls him through the gate where he lands in a completely drained Lovers Lake and is dragged around! And then, my friends, I kid you not: Steve starts getting attacked by what seem to be Demogorgon bats! Demobats? Wheres Dustin when you need him?! They strangle him with their tails and rip into his sides with their Demogorgon teeth! Back in our dimension, Nancy dives right in after Steve, Robin follows, and Eddie doesnt want to be the only one left on the boat, so he jumps in too. I hope they can swim fast because Steve is in mortal danger! Okay, now I hate this journey for him! Somebody save Steve Harrington! More Strange Things! And there is one more locale we must visit: Salt Lake City. Mike, Will, Jonathan, and Argyles detour to Suzies house to get her to track down the computers location feels like exactly that: a detour. Its fun to see the chaos in Suzies extremely full household, but its pretty clear were just biding time until the group reconnects with El or makes it to Hawkins. Very happy to see Argyle, who has been asked to take on so much just by being friends with Jonathan, find love. Argyle and Eden forever! I have to imagine Mikes having some major moments in Volume 2 since he has really taken a backseat most of Volume 1, which feels weird! We do get a quick mention about Eight having already left Hawkins Lab, in case you were wondering about that plot hole. After Patrick dies, Lucas realizes that Vecna is only going after people who have something going on in their lives thats hurting them haunting them, Max adds. Hes so upset that he didnt recognize that hurt in Max before. I didnt look hard enough, but I see you now. I see you, he tells her. Im sorry, is that Lucas Sinclair just out here being a romantic lead?? (And also a good friend!) Robin is totally onto Nancy having feelings for Steve, but more importantly, the girls admit to officially being friends. Thats what its all about, folks, isnt it? "Eat better, fly better" is the Eataly motto at Fiumicino airport. Eataly, the chain of high-quality Made in Italy food outlets, launches in the newly-opened Boarding Area A at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport, better known as Fiumicino. The arrival of Eataly at Fiumicino marks the first time the celebrated food emporium has opened in an airport. The 2,000-sqm outlet, which has seating for 300 people, will be run in collaboration with Autogrill, the Italian-based, multinational catering company. "The new Eataly, with the motto "eat better, fly better", will bring the best of our Made in Italy to a place of huge traffic of Italians and foreigners to whom we will offer the experience of Italian food and wine culture", said Eataly CEO Nicola Farinetti. The Eataly at Fiumicino offers freshly-made pizza, a range of pasta, fried foods, salads, soups, panini and gelato, while its Vini e Aperitivi bar offers wine, craft beer and cocktails, accompanied by appetisers. There is also a retail section where travellers can purchase Made in Italy food and wine to take with them on their journey. Fiumicino recently opened the 'Molo A' boarding area, which has 23 gates and covers 37,000 sqm, after an investment of 400 million from Rome airport management company Aeroporti di Roma (AdR). Photo La Repubblica Placeholder while article actions load First the US withdrew in 2017 from a pan-Pacific trade deal known as the TPP, which moved ahead without it under the new moniker CPTPP. Then the US stood on the sidelines as another regional grouping led by China, called the RCEP, entered into force this year. Now China is warily watching the US as it forms its own regional club, dubbed the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Questions remain as to what the IPEF will actually do and how it and the trade deals will impact American and Chinese efforts to boost their clout -- and business -- across Asia. 1. What is IPEF? Its key to US President Joe Bidens efforts to counter Chinas clout in Asia in the economic sphere by partnering with other countries. (Other regional groups the US belongs to such as the Quad focus on security.) The IPEF has four pillars: supply-chain resilience; clean energy, decarbonization and infrastructure; taxation and anti-corruption; and fair and resilient trade. The Biden administration also has been working to include digital issues like localization and cross-border flows of data. But details are hazy and the administration has stressed it wont include lower tariffs or better access to US markets. Through this initiative, we aim to contribute to cooperation, stability, prosperity, development, and peace within the region, the countries said in a joint statement announcing the IPEF. Advertisement 2. Who is in it? Along with the US the initial partners are Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Fiji joined a few days later, the first Pacific Island nation to do so. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said earlier that Taiwan wont be part of the launch. Taiwans Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret at the comment. (China considers the democratically run island part of its territory.) China also isnt party to the new grouping. 3. Does Biden have domestic support? Some in Congress have criticized the IPEF as lacking substance, with senators from both parties blasting Bidens trade agenda at a March hearing and grilling US Trade Representative Katherine Tai over a shortage of ambition to negotiate new agreements. The head of the US Chamber of Commerce, the largest American business-lobbying group, also issued a scathing criticism of Bidens trade policy in May, saying that the administration is consumed by caution and internal reviews. Advertisement 4. How has China reacted? Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has blasted the US effort as doomed to fail. In a May 22 statement, the ministry said the strategy is under the banner of freedom and openness, but it is keen to gang up and create small circles in an attempt to contain China. 5. What happened to the RCEP? What began in 2012 as a routine harmonizing of agreements between members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, is now -- with the inclusion of China -- the worlds biggest free trade bloc. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, to give its full name, took effect Jan. 1. Broadly speaking, it aims to lower tariffs and other barriers to the trade of goods among the 16 countries that were in, or had trade deals with, Asean. That dropped to 15 after India pulled out in 2019, saying it wanted to protect service workers and farmers. There were also worries the country would be flooded by cheaper goods from China. The US hasnt been deliberately excluded from the RCEP; it would first need to reach a free-trade arrangement with Asean, then apply to join. Meanwhile, the deal firmly underscores Chinas dominance in the regions trade. China has been looking to further integrate itself with its neighbors as former US President Donald Trump urged them to shun Chinese infrastructure loans and 5G technology. Advertisement 6. How does the RCEP compare to the TPP or IPEF? Unlike the TPP, or Trans-Pacific Partnership, and other US-led trade deals, the RCEP doesnt require its members to take steps to liberalize their economies and protect labor rights, environmental standards and intellectual property. Wilbur Ross, who was Trumps commerce secretary, called the RCEP a very low-grade treaty that lacks the scope of the TPP. But the RCEPs implementation illustrates Americas diminished clout and could make it harder for US businesses to compete in the vast region. Theres not enough known yet about the IPEF to judge how it will ultimately compare. 7. What happened to the TPP? It became the the CPTPP, or Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Signed in March 2018, as of late last year it had entered into force for eight of the 11 signatories. They decided to press on after Trump pulled out, saying he wanted to get better deals bilaterally. The UK has applied to join, as have China and Taiwan. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load It would have been easy to miss what at the Supreme Court earlier this week in a case about arbitration of employment disputes. But the justices unanimous decision in Morgan v. Sundance might have far-reaching implications for employers. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The facts of the case may be quickly stated. The plaintiff, an employee of a Taco Bell franchisee, filed a lawsuit challenging the companys overtime practices. The defendants motion to dismiss was denied. Mediation was unsuccessful. Finally, after eight months, the company moved to put the litigation on hold because the employees contract required that such disputes be submitted to binding arbitration. The Supreme Court, by a vote of 9-0, held that by waiting so long, the company waived its right to enforce the arbitration clause. Okay, fine: a fair caution to corporate defendants to make sure to raise the arbitration clause promptly, or risk losing its protection. But the Morgan case should be set against its context. These days, the clauses are ubiquitous and under fire. Advertisement A consumer cant buy a product or service online without agreeing to one. Theyre increasingly common in employment contracts. And nowadays, cases involving arbitration clauses almost always arise from adhesive contracts, where the employee who wants the job or the consumer who wants the product has no choice to agree to terms written by the company. The mandatory arbitration clause may be buried deeply in the boilerplate that not even contracts professors read before clicking I agree, but its still valid, as long as the user is clearly on notice that terms exist and that the click will create a contract. (The user might escape if the notice is too inconspicuous.) Activists loathe what they consider discriminatory provisions that disproportionately harm those of lower income. Critics of binding arbitration argue that its bad for both employees and consumers. Others sharply dispute that claim. At minimum, one must concede that the evidence is complex. Although I understand what drives the critics, I myself am a bit of a fence-sitter; I think the clauses have upsides and downsides, and that they exist to solve an actual problem. In 1924, the legal scholar Edwin W. Patterson coined the term juridical risk to refer to the uncertainty over how a court might apply existing law to any given set of facts. If a company cant predict whether a jury will award $100,000 or $10 million should an accident occur, its difficult to decide how much to invest in precautions. Patterson argued that businesses needed legal tools to manage the uncertainty. Over the years, those tools have included everything from explicit warnings to limited warranties. Advertisement Since early in the 20th century, another key tool has been a binding arbitration clause, authorized by Congress in the Federal Arbitration Act, which was passed the year after Pattersons article appeared. When the parties agree to arbitrate their differences, theyre giving up the right to sue. Except in rare circumstances, theyre also giving up their right to appeal the arbitrators judgment. In recent years, the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the act makes clauses barring litigation enforceable a trend for which the justices have been much criticized. Once an arbitration clause is understood as a device that manages juridical risk, its easy to see that without such a clause the company faces greater uncertainty. That uncertainty, in turn, will likely be priced into the contract: slightly lower wages for the employee, a slightly higher price for consumers. If wages or prices prove too sticky, the company may try to reprice other contract terms to provide some protection against the additional risk. None of this means that mandatory arbitration is good, particularly when buried in the boilerplate. Perhaps the costs of reducing the ubiquity of the clauses are worth bearing. But those costs do exist. Advertisement The edifice of mandatory arbitration has stood now for decades, but even before the Courts decision in Morgan v. Sundance, there had been considerable chipping away. In March, President Biden signed into law a ban on enforcing mandatory arbitration clauses in cases alleging sexual harassment, aligning federal policy with rules already adopted in many states. Its worth noting that the concern crossed the political spectrum. The tally in the House of Representatives was 335-97; the Senate adopted the measure by voice vote. Later the same month, the House passed legislation that would bar the clauses in most employment and consumer contracts. Although at the present moment, the bills prospects in the Senate seem dim, the wind of change is blowing. It would take a foolish company indeed to ignore the direction of the gusts. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Stephen L. Carter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. A professor of law at Yale University, he is author, most recently, of Invisible: The Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down Americas Most Powerful Mobster. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article John Dean speaks at the National Archives' McGowan Theater on Wednesday. (National Archives) Fifty years after the Watergate break-in, John Dean says there is still plenty to learn from the corruption that led to President Richard Nixon's downfall. Watergate taught us that rule-breakers are accountable, Dean said. Today, rule-breakers are not being held accountable. Placeholder while article actions load DAVOS, Switzerland Corporate buzzwords. Technical jargon. Bold but vague pronouncements about climate change and Russia's war in Ukraine. The World Economic Forum's annual gathering of CEOs and government leaders this week in Davos, the town in the Swiss Alps, may seem full of important but impersonal announcements. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight So what do Davos-goers really think? Here are some voices from the meeting that ends Thursday: WHAT ARE YOU DOING PERSONALLY TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE? NAME: Allen Blue TITLE: Co-founder of LinkedIn Living in Los Angeles, Blue said his family has gotten into the habit of conserving water, as much of California and the Western United States has been in a megadrought for years. They recycle, mostly eat vegetarian, and drive an electric car. One of the things that has slowed the worlds response to climate change is that there was a story out there that it was the behaviors of consumers that made the difference, he said. Its not. Advertisement Rather, he said consumers choices are limited when businesses only provide solutions or products that arent environmentally friendly. NAME: Francis Suarez TITLE: Mayor of Miami Suarez says his family has a Tesla and is putting solar panels on the roof of their house. As a public official, I feel its my responsibility to do what I can. NAME: Antonia Gawel TITLE: The World Economic Forums Geneva-based head of climate change policy Gawels day job is spent on environmental protection and fighting climate change. Outside of work, Gawel commutes by bike, uses public transportation and educates her two kids about the environment. My children are kind of the biggest advocates for these types of issues now. And the thing that I have to say that I love seeing is the schools are actually teaching them about this. My daughter, who is 8 years old, is being taught about wind power, about solar, about the challenges of fossil energy. Advertisement Gawel says such issues were completely not something that was on our curriculum, at least when I was growing up. HOW WILL THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE CRISIS CHANGE THE WORLD? NAME: Hassan El Houry TITLE: CEO of Kuwait-based National Aviation Services The Russia-Ukraine crisis, I think, sends a strong message to the world that the world will no longer accept aggression and war to solve problems, El Houry said. He added that world also has to accept that there are many aggressors around the world that have been doing what theyre doing for years and decades and have gone unpunished. And we cant have a double standard where we only single out Russia. Theres things happening in the Middle East everyday, things happening in East Asia every day in South America every day. And we need to shed the light on those as well and say that needs to stop. Im not picking sides. Im just saying that we need to solve those problems as well. NAME: Francis Suarez TITLE: Mayor of Miami Suarez said the war has exposed how interconnected the world is, from the workforce to energy shocks to a looming food crisis because of dropped agricultural production from Ukraine. As leaders, we have the responsibility to make those connections for people, explain why what happens in one place can affect another and why we should care. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load Breaking with the party line in a rare show of opposition to his countrys war in Ukraine, a Communist Party legislative deputy in Russias Far East demanded an end to the military operation and withdrawal of Russian forces. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight We understand that if our country doesnt stop the military operation, well have more orphans in our country, Leonid Vasyukevich said at a meeting of the Primorsk regional Legislative Assembly in the Pacific port of Vladivostok on Friday. His comments, which he addressed to President Vladimir Putin, were shown in a video posted on a Telegram channel emanating from the region. Another deputy followed to support Vasyukevichs views but the legislative assemblys chairman issued a statement afterward calling the remarks a political provocation not supported by the majority of lawmakers. Advertisement Earlier this month, a Russian diplomat based in Geneva resigned, saying he was ashamed of the war. Russia has imposed severe penalties for publicly challenging the Kremlins narrative on the military operation in Ukraine. ___ KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Relentless: Russia squeezes Ukrainian strongholds in east West mulls having Russian oligarchs buy way out of sanctions Russia blames the West for global food crisis as it blocks Ukraine ports US wins latest legal battle to seize Russian yacht in Fiji US general: No need to add ground forces in Sweden, Finland ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine ___ OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy spoke defiantly Friday in two speeches about his countrys ultimate victory over Russian forces in both the most pressing battle in eastern Ukraine and the war, generally. Advertisement Ukraine is a country that has destroyed the myth about the extraordinary power of the Russian army -- an army that supposedly, in a few days, could conquer anyone it wants, he told Stanford University students by video. Now Russia is trying to occupy the entire state but we feel strong enough to think about the future of Ukraine, which will be open to the world. Later, in his nightly video address, Zelenskyy reacted to Russians capture of the eastern city of Lyman, the Donetsk regions large railway hub north of two more key cities still under Ukrainian control, and its attempt to encircle and seize the city of Sievierodonetsk, one of the last areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk. If the occupiers think that Lyman or Sievierodonetsk will be theirs, they are wrong, the Ukrainian president said in his nightly video address. Donbas will be Ukrainian. Advertisement ___ KYIV, Ukraine The governor of the Luhansk region is denying Russian claims that their forces have surrounded the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk but said Ukrainian soldiers may have to retreat. Serhiy Haidai wrote on Telegram Friday that the Russians have seized a hotel and bus station. The Russians will not be able to capture Luhansk region in the coming days, as analysts predict. We will have enough forces and means to defend ourselves, Haidai wrote. He added that its possible that not to be surrounded, we will have to leave. A critical supply and evacuation path, the Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway, is constantly under fire, but supplies and people are still passing on it, Haidai said. ___ KYIV, Ukraine The leaders of the Orthodox churches in Ukraine that were affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church have adopted measures declaring the churchs full independence and criticizing the Russian churchs leader for his support of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Orthodoxy, the largest religious denomination in Ukraine, is divided between churches that had been loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate and those under a separate ecclesiastical body. The council of the Moscow-connected body, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, on Friday said it condemns the war as a violation of Gods commandment Thou shalt not kill! ... and expresses disagreement with the position of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the war in Ukraine. It also adopted charter changes indicating the full self-sufficiency and independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. ___ ROME Italian Premier Mario Draghi spoke by phone Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy, assuring him of the support of the Italian government in coordination with the European Union. Draghis office said the leaders also discussed the prospects for opening Ukrainian ports to allow grain exports to help combat the food crisis that is threatening the worlds poorest countries. Advertisement Draghi spoke Thursday with President Vladimir Putin in a bid to reach an agreement to open the ports, and Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for Italys commitment to work on a possible solution. Draghi noted after speaking to Putin that many millions of tons of grain risk rotting in Ukrainian ports if there is no agreement to allow their passage. __ The Kremlin-backed leader of Russias southern province of Chechnya has posted a video in which he warns that Poland could be next after Ukraine. Ramzan Kadyrov, who is famous for his bluster, said in the video he posted to his official Telegram page that Ukraine was a done deal and that if an order is given after Ukraine, well show you (Poland) what youre made of in six seconds. Poland, which borders Ukraine, has provided its neighbor with weapons and other aid since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. It has also welcomed in millions of Ukrainian refugees. Advertisement Kadyrov later urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to finally come to his senses and accept the conditions offered by our president (Vladimir Putin). Kadyrov has repeatedly used social media to boast about Chechen fighters alleged performance against Ukrainian troops and to make other unconfirmed statements about the war in Ukraine. ___ MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Ukraine should remove sea mines from areas near its ports to allow safe shipping. Putin made the statement in Fridays call with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, according to the Kremlin readout of the conversation. It said that Putin and Nehammer had a detailed exchange of views on issues regarding food security with Putin rejecting Western claims that Russias action that exacerbated a global food crisis. Advertisement The Kremlin noted that Putin emphasized that attempts to blame Russia for difficulties regarding shipments of agricultural products to global markets are unfounded. It added that the Russian leader gave a detailed explanation of the real roots behind those problems that emerged, in particular, because of the U.S. and the EU sanctions against Russia. The U.S. and other Western allies have rejected the Russian demand for the sanctions to be lifted and accused Moscow of blocking grain supplies from Ukraine to global markets accusations the Kremlin has denied. ___ LONDON British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Russian forces are making palpable progress in eastern Ukraine, and Kyivs forces need long-range rocket launchers and other military support. Britains defense ministry said Friday that Moscows troops have recently captured several villages as they attempt to surround Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the eastern Donbas region, but do not yet have full control of the region. Advertisement Johnson told news agency Bloomberg that Russian President Vladimir Putin at great cost to himself and Russian military is continuing to chew through ground in Donbas, hes continuing to make gradual, slow but Im afraid palpable progress. He said that therefore it is absolutely vital that we continue to support the Ukrainians militarily. Johnson said long-range multiple-launch rocket systems, or MLRSs, would enable them to defend themselves against this very brutal Russian artillery. Britain possesses some of the systems, but Johnson did not say whether the U.K. would send any to Ukraine. ___ PRAGUE The U.K.s top diplomat says countries supporting Ukraine have to be ready for the long haul and there should be no talk of appeasing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said after meeting her Czech counterpart in Prague Friday that we need to make sure that Ukraine wins and that Russia withdraws and that we never see this type of Russian aggression again. She said that there should be no talk of cease-fires, or appeasing Putin. Truss says that Ukraine needs to receive more heavy weapons and gradually get upgraded to get NATO-standard equipment. She said that at the moment, theyre using a lot of ex-Soviet equipment. We need to make sure theyre able to defend themselves into the future. ___ BUDAPEST, Hungary -- A U.S. lawmaker is urging the Biden administration to consider imposing sanctions on some Hungarian companies in an effort to pressure Budapest to agree to a European Union embargo on Russian oil. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi urged him to consider all tools including sanctions to ensure that Hungary -- a member of the EU and NATO -- gets on board with the proposal. The EU has for weeks has sought to forge a consensus on a new sanctions package that would phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2022. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has held up negotiations and threatened a veto of the plan, arguing it would devastate Hungarys economy and lead to energy insecurity. In his letter to Blinken, Krishnamoorthi wrote that the EUs proposed embargo would significantly increase financial pressure on Russias economy and Putins war machine. If Orban continues to stall EU negotations, he wrote, the Biden Administration should consider implementing sanctions against companies in Hungary that continue to do business with Russian oil exporters. ___ ISTANBUL Turkeys foreign minister says Sweden and Finland must now take concrete steps to alleviate his countrys security concerns to overcome Ankaras objections to their NATO membership bid. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday that delegations from the two Nordic countries have returned home with Turkeys demands after a visit this week and Ankara is awaiting their answers. The countries membership bids require support from all NATO countries, but Turkey is objecting to them. It has cited alleged support for Kurdish militants that Turkey considers terrorists and restrictions on weapons sales to Turkey. Cavusoglu said that an approach of well convince Turkey in time anyway, we are friends and allies would not be correct. He insisted that these countries need to take concrete steps. He added that we understand Finland and Swedens security concerns but ... everyone also needs to understand Turkeys legitimate security concerns. ___ ROME Italian Premier Mario Draghi has discussed the emerging food crisis in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Draghis office said that the call Thursday focused on the situation in Ukraine and ... efforts to find a shared solution to the ongoing food crisis and its serious repercussions on the worlds poorest countries. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but the war and a Russian blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering world food supplies. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Russia also is a significant grain exporter. Moscow pressed the West on Thursday to lift sanctions against Russia, seeking to shift the blame for the food crisis. ___ BERLIN -- Germanys development minister has traveled to Ukraine to pledge further civilian support and discuss the countrys rebuilding. Svenja Schulze is the second German minister to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion started. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited on May 10 and reopened the countrys embassy in Kyiv. Schulzes ministry said she planned to meet Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and other senior officials in Kyiv on Friday. It said the talks will address immediate aid to address the problems Ukraine faces now and strategic questions related to rebuilding the country. Schulze said in a statement that we must already lay now the foundations for internationally coordinated support for the rebuilding of a free and democratic Ukraine and Germany will contribute. ___ MOSCOW -- Russia-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine claim to have taken control of Lyman, a town in the Donetsk region. There has been no confirmation yet from Ukrainian officials. The military of the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic said on Telegram that rebel forces, supported by the Russian troops, as of Friday have liberated and taken full control of 220 settlements, including Lyman. Lyman, which had a pre-war population of over 20,000, is a large railway hub in the Donetsk region, north of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, cities that remain under Ukrainian control. ___ MOSCOW -- Russias Foreign Ministry has announced that it is expelling five Croatian diplomats in response to unfriendly steps taken by Zagreb to reduce the size of Russias diplomatic mission there. The ministry said in an statement that it summoned Croatian ambassador Tomislav Car on Friday. It said it expressed a strong protest in connection with the groundless attempts of the Croatian authorities to blame Russia for war crimes in Ukraine and the provision of military assistance by the Croatian side to the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime. Last month, Croatia expelled 18 Russian diplomats. ___ KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukraines foreign minister is pleading with Western nations to provide Kyiv with heavy weapons to enable it to push Russian forces back. Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday night tweeted a video of himself answering questions submitted on Twitter and said: We need heavy weapons. The only position where Russia is better than us its the amount of heavy weapons they have. Without artillery, without multiple launch rocket systems we wont be able to push them back. Kuleba said that the situation in the east of the country, where the Russian forces are on the offensive, is as dire as people say. He added: I would even say its even worse than people say. We need weapons. If you really care for Ukraine, weapons, weapons and weapons again, the minister stressed. ___ KYIV, Ukraine -- A Ukrainian regional governor says that four people have been killed in the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk over the past 24 hours by Russian shelling. One more person was killed by a Russian shell in the village of Komushuvakha. Serhiy Haidai, the governor of the Luhansk region, wrote in a Telegram post Friday that the residents of Sievierodonetsk have forgotten when was the last time there was silence in the city for at least half an hour. He said that the Russians are pounding residential neighborhoods relentlessly. Sievierodonetsk Mayor Oleksandr Striuk said on Thursday that 60% of the citys residential buildings have been destroyed, and about 85-90% have been damaged and require major repairs. ___ WELLINGTON, New Zealand The United States has won the latest round of a legal battle to seize a $325-million Russian-owned superyacht in Fiji, with the case now appearing headed for the Pacific nations top court. The case has highlighted the thorny legal ground the U.S. finds itself on as it tries to seize assets of Russian oligarchs around the world. Those intentions are welcomed by many governments and citizens who oppose the war in Ukraine, but some actions are raising questions about how far U.S. jurisdiction extends. Fijis Court of Appeal on Friday dismissed an appeal by Feizal Haniff, who represents the company that legally owns the superyacht Amadea. Haniff had argued the U.S. had no jurisdiction under Fijis mutual assistance laws to seize the vessel, at least until a court sorted out who really owned the Amadea. Haniff said he now plans to take the case to Fijis Supreme Court and will apply for a court order to stop U.S. agents sailing the Amadea from Fiji before the appeal is heard. ___ WASHINGTON The U.S. general nominated to take over European Command has told senators that Sweden and Finlands push to join NATO wont require adding more U.S. ground forces into either country. But Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli said Thursday that military exercises and occasional American troop rotations will probably increase. Cavoli, who currently serves as head of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, said the increased military focus will probably continue to be on eastern Europe where nations are more worried about potential Russian aggression and any spillover of the war on Ukraine. Cavoli told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his nomination hearing that The center of gravity of NATO forces has shifted eastward. He said that depending on the outcome of the conflict, we may have to continue that for some time. Cavoli was asked about the U.S. troop presence in Europe, which has grown from fewer than 80,000 to about 102,000 since the buildup to Russias invasion. He said the increase had no ties to the more recent move by Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load JERUSALEM The Al Jazeera news network says it will submit a case file to the International Criminal Court on the killing of reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead earlier this month during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight The Qatar-based network and the Palestinian Authority have accused Israeli soldiers of deliberately killing her. Israel rejects those allegations as a blatant lie. It says she was shot during a firefight between soldiers and Palestinian militants, and that only ballistic analysis of the bullet which is held by the PA can determine who fired the fatal shot. An AP reconstruction lent support to witnesses who say the veteran Palestinian-American correspondent was killed by Israeli fire, but any final conclusion may depend on evidence that has not yet been released. Advertisement Al Jazeera said late Thursday it has formed an international legal team to prepare a case dossier to be submitted to the ICC. The court launched an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes last year. Israel is not a member of the ICC and has rejected the probe as being biased against it. Al Jazeera said the case file would also include the Israeli bombing of the building housing its offices in Gaza City during last years war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, as well as the continuous incitements and attacks on its journalists operating in the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel said the building which also housed the Gaza office of The Associated Press contained Hamas military infrastructure, but has not provided any evidence. The AP was not aware of any purported Hamas presence in the building and condemned the strike as shocking and horrifying. No one was hurt in the strike, which came after an Israeli warning to evacuate. Advertisement The Network vows to follow every path to achieve justice for Shireen, and ensure those responsible for her killing are brought to justice and held accountable in all international justice and legal platforms and courts, Al Jazeera said. Israel says it cannot determine whether Palestinian militants or its own soldiers fired the fatal shot unless the PA hands over the bullet that killed Abu Akleh for ballistic analysis. The PA has refused to cooperate with Israel in any way, saying it doesnt trust Israel to investigate itself. The PA announced the results of its own probe on Thursday, saying Abu Akleh was deliberately killed by Israeli forces and that there were no militants in the area. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz rejected the findings, saying any claim that the IDF intentionally harms journalists or uninvolved civilians is a blatant lie, referring to the Israeli military. Advertisement Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al Khateeb, in announcing the results of the probe, said the bullet that killed her was an armor-piercing 5.56 mm NATO round and that it appeared to have been fired by a Ruger Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle. The Israeli military declined to comment on whether the gun described by the Palestinians matches one the military has previously identified as having possibly fired the fatal shot. It also declined to say whether the army uses the Ruger Mini-14 or whether any were in use during the May 11 raid in which Abu Akleh was killed, in the West Bank town of Jenin. Israel has publicly called for a joint investigation with the PA, with the participation of the U.S. The State Department said this week that neither Israel nor the PA have formally requested its assistance. Each side is in sole possession of potentially crucial evidence, and neither is likely to accept any conclusions reached by the other. ___ Associated Press writer Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load MADRID With one of Europes largest gay pride celebrations right around the corner, Spains LGBTQ community is worried that the outbreaks of monkeypox on the continent could lead to an increase in homophobic sentiment based on misunderstandings of the disease. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Spanish health authorities said Friday there were now 98 confirmed cases in the country, the highest number in Europe. The tally includes one woman, the region of Madrid said Friday. The World Health Organization has reported nearly 200 cases of monkeypox in more than 20 countries not usually known to have outbreaks of the unusual disease. Health authorities have centered their investigations on links between a Gay Pride event in the Canary Islands that drew 80,000 people earlier this month, and cases linked to a Madrid sauna. But some people, particularly gay and bisexual men, believe there is a touch of homophobic hysteria in the wider publics reaction to the rare outbreak outside of Africa, where it has long been endemic. Advertisement Most of the known cases in Europe have been among men who have sex with men, according to authorities in Britain, Spain, Germany and Portugal. A top adviser to the World Health Organization said the outbreak was likely triggered by sexual activity at two recent mass events in Europe. The outbreak in Spain comes in the run-up to Madrids Gay Pride celebration in July. It is expected to draw large crowds, unlike the last two years events, which were scaled down or canceled because of COVID-19 restrictions. Organizers say the citys last pre-pandemic Pride celebration, in 2019, drew roughly 1.6 million revelers, though police put the figure at around 400,000. Pride is a huge party, it is a moment to make our voice be heard, that brings lots of people together, Mario Blazquez, coordinator of health programs for the LGBTQ group COGAM in Madrid, told The Associated Press. Advertisement Blazquez is worried that Pride celebrations could be endangered by overzealous restrictions driven in part by prejudice and in part by the fears of another public health emergency on top of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. We dont know what will happen. We dont know what the level of transmission of the virus will be or what legal measures could be taken. And then what stigma could be generated by these legal measures that sometimes are discriminatory, he said. But beyond the Pride March, Blazquez is worried that society could make the same mistake it did at the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s, when the focus on the disease among gay men obscured its spread among the wider population. This is a disease that any member of the population can get, Blazquez said. We are facing an outbreak that unfortunately once again has hit LGBTQ people, and especially gay and bisexual men. Whats happening is somewhat similar to the first cases of HIV. Advertisement Health authorities have reported cases in Europe, North America, Israel and Australia. Its a surprising outbreak of a disease that rarely appears outside Africa, where it has remained a serious health threat since the first cases in human were discovered in the 1970s. Experts say anyone can be infected through close contact with a sick person, their clothing or bedsheets. Most people recover within two to four weeks without needing hospitalization. However, the WHO says in recent times 3-6% of cases were fatal. Health officials around the world are keeping watch for more cases because, for the first time, the disease appears to be spreading among people who didnt travel to Africa. They stress, however, that the risk to the general population is low. As of Thursday, Italy had confirmed 10 cases of Monkeypox, some but not all in people who had traveled to Spains Canary Islands. Advertisement Regarding the question of sexual transmission, I believe that we cannot yet define this strictly as a sexually transmitted disease, said Dr. Andrea Antinori, Director of Viral Immunodeficiencies at Spallanzani hospital in Rome. So I would avoid identifying this disease as a sexually transmitted disease at the moment. We are facing a new wave (of monkeypox) that is different from how we have historically known it, Antinori added. Spains health minister, Carolina Darias, said Wednesday that her government decided to opt into the European Unions collective purchase of monkeypox vaccine, which like the COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed based on each participating countrys population. She said government health experts are considering how to use the vaccine once it is more widely available. Advertisement Amos Garcia, president of the Spanish Association of Vaccinology, recommended that the vaccine should only be given to people who have had direct contact with an infected person and who are vulnerable to infection, not to the general population. We are talking about a disease that does not have a large potential to become an epidemic, Garcia said, adding that most Spaniards over 40 should be protected by smallpox vaccines that were regularly administered decades ago. ____ Ciaran Giles in Madrid, Joseph Wilson in Barcelona and Trisha Thomas Rome contributed to this report. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard seized two Greek oil tankers Friday in helicopter-launched raids in the Persian Gulf, officials said. The action appeared to be retaliation for Athens assistance in the U.S. seizure of crude oil from an Iranian-flagged tanker this week in the Mediterranean Sea over violating Washingtons crushing sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The raid marks the first major incident at sea in months as tensions remain high between Iran and the West over its tattered nuclear deal with world powers. As Tehran enriches more uranium, closer to weapons-grade levels than ever before, worries mount that negotiators wont find a way back to the accord raising the risk of a wider war. The Guard issued a statement announcing the seizures, accusing the tankers of unspecified violations. Nour News, a website close to Irans Supreme National Security Council, warned a short time earlier that Tehran planned to take punitive action over Greece assisting the U.S. in seizing oil days earlier from the Iranian-flagged tanker Lana. Advertisement Greeces Foreign Ministry said it made a strong demarche to the Iranian ambassador in Athens over the violent taking over of two Greek-flagged ships in the Persian Gulf. These acts effectively amount to acts of piracy, a ministry statement said. The ministry called for the immediate release of the vessels and their crews, warning the seizure would have particularly negative consequences in bilateral relations and in Irans relations with the European Union, of which Greece is a member. An Iranian helicopter landed on the Greek-flagged Delta Poseidon in international waters, some 22 nautical miles off the coast of Iran, the ministry said. Armed men then took the crew captive, it said, adding that two Greek nationals were among the crew. A similar incident has been reported on another Greek-flagged vessel, that was carrying seven Greek citizens, close to the coast of Iran, the ministry said. Advertisement A Greek official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the attack with a journalist, identified the second ship as the Prudent Warrior. Its manager, Polembros Shipping in Greece, earlier said the company was cooperating with the authorities and making every possible effort to address the situation effectively. Greek officials did not identify the nationalities of the other crew on board the vessels. Both vessels had come from Iraqs Basra oil terminal, loaded with crude, according to tracking data from MarineTraffic.com. Prudent Warrior just before had been off Qatar and likely loaded oil there as well, the data showed. A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said it appeared the two ships had come close to but not into Iranian territorial waters Friday. After the hijacking, they drifted into Iranian waters. The ships also had turned off their tracking devices another red flag, the official said. However, neither had issued a mayday or a call for help, the official said. Advertisement Irans seizure on Friday was the latest in a string of hijackings and explosions to roil a region that includes the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all traded oil passes. The incidents began after then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from Irans nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Advertisement Tehran denies carrying out the attacks, but a wider shadow war between Iran and the West has played out in the regions volatile waters. Tanker seizures have been a part of it since 2019, when Iran seized the British-flagged Stena Impero after the United Kingdom detained an Iranian oil tanker off Gibraltar. Iran released the tanker months later as London also released the Iranian vessel. Iran last year also seized and held a South Korean-flagged tanker for months amid a dispute over billions of dollars of frozen assets Seoul holds. This incident is assessed to be a retaliatory action in line with a history of Iranian forces detaining vessels in a tit-for-tat manner, maritime intelligence firm Dryad Global warned. As a result, Greek-flagged vessels operating within the vicinity of Iran in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman are currently assessed to be at a heightened risk of interception and it is advised to avoid this area until further notice. Advertisement Underlining that threat, Irans semiofficial Tasnim news agency warned in a tweet: There are still 17 other Greek ships in the Persian Gulf that could be seized. Meanwhile, the Guard is building a massive new support ship near the Strait of Hormuz as it tries to expand its naval presence in waters vital to international energy supplies and beyond, according to satellite photos obtained by The Associated Press. Talks in Vienna over Irans tattered nuclear deal have been stalled since April. Since the deals collapse, Iran runs advanced centrifuges and has a rapidly growing stockpile of enriched uranium. Nonproliferation experts warn Iran has enriched enough up to 60% purity a short technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90% to make one nuclear weapon if it choose. Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, though United Nations experts and Western intelligence agencies say Iran had an organized military nuclear program through 2003. Advertisement Building a nuclear bomb would still take Iran more time if it pursued a weapon, analysts say, though they warn Tehrans advances make the program more dangerous. Israel has threatened in the past it will carry out a preemptive strike to stop Iran and already is suspected in a series of recent killings targeting Iranian officials. ___ Paphitis reported from Athens, Greece. Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. GiftOutline Gift Article He vehemently disagrees with censoring. Especially for a sitting president. Insane, Birchall wrote in a December message to Charles Johnson, a former right-wing political operative turned tech investor, who himself was banned from Twitter after he was reported for harassment. And then there are the intricacies of managing all things Musk. The billionaires life is complicated. He frequently shuttles around on a private jet and makes big, consequential decisions like to sell all his homes, or buy a social-media company rather abruptly. This is all happening while his already sizable family is growing along with his profile. Someone has to be there to deal with the nitty gritty arranging the jet, selling the houses, contacting the bankers, hiring the nannies and security guards. And for Musk, its Birchall. Birchall didnt respond to messages or calls requesting comment for this story.Birchall got his start in finance at Goldman Sachs, joining after he graduated from Brigham Young in 1999. It was a short stint: in 2000, he moved to work in private wealth at Merrill Lynch in Los Angeles, where he was fired for sending correspondence to a client without management approval, according to a regulatory report. The family office Birchall runs is not typical, with most of the investments being companies Musk has started himself. Credit:Bloomberg In 2010, Birchall joined Morgan Stanley, where one person familiar with his time there described him as someone who wasnt a superstar, but good at managing the fortunes of the rich. Then Musk came calling. Birchall left Morgan Stanley in 2016 to help the Tesla leader set up Excession, named after the Iain Banks science-fiction novel. The book centres on a powerful alien object, the Excession, that appears and spurs societies to fight over its control. A great deal of managing a family office is about the cultural fit. At Excession, its a surprising match between Birchall, a low-key Mormon family man, and Musk, a thrice-divorced online provocateur who openly gets high and whos recently had two children with musician Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes. The boy and girl are called X and Y, respectively. Like everything around Musk, the family office isnt typical. After all, most of Musks investments, save for his recent purchase of Twitter, are in his own companies: Tesla, Space Exploration Technologies Corp., the Boring Co. and Neuralink. Aside from that, hes said he has invested in a handful of cryptocurrencies, and, before he sold his mansions, a real estate portfolio in California. The vast majority of Musks wealth, which currently stands at almost $US250 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, is made up of his 16 per cent stake in Tesla. Birchall himself may have built his own considerable wealth, even if its nowhere near the stratospheric levels of his boss. One Morgan Stanley report shows that the typical head of a large family office earns about $US1 million to $US3 million a year. But the compensation can be vastly higher depending on responsibilities, especially if it includes directly managing money by picking stocks or hedge funds to invest in. And at the highest echelons, the rewards can be significant. John Phelan, the co-founder of Michael Dells investment firm, has done well enough to amass a world-class art collection that he can display in a newly built Palm Beach mansion. Still, Excession is a much smaller outfit, which is unusual for someone of Musks vast wealth. The firm is run by just two people, Musk said in 2019 during a trial after he referred to a British scuba expert helping rescue a team of Thai soccer players as pedo guy. Loading Theres some very well known family offices out there that have in excess of a hundred people working for them and theres the whole bells and whistles, said Tayyab Mohamed, co-founder of family office recruiting firm Agreus Group. There are typically researchers, a management team and an investing committee on top of a group of people who handle day-to-day tasks such as hiring security or nannies and arranging travel, Mohamed said. Bill Gatess Cascade Investment employs dozens of people on various teams to manage venture capital, real estate and stock picks, including what Elon Musk claims is a $US500 million bet against Tesla shares. Birchall has help. Alex Spiro, Musks lawyer, has played a key role in defending the billionaire in his entanglements with the US Securities and Exchange Commission and the pedo guy lawsuit. He declined to comment for this story. Another wealth-management firm, Catalyst Family Office, has also been linked to Musk. It describes itself as a multi-family office that offers investing, tax, philanthropy and estate planning as well as concierge and lifestyle management. If you dont have that personal chemistry and culture fit with the principal that youre gonna work for, you wouldnt last long, Tayyab Mohamed, co-founder of family office recruiting firm Agreus Group. Ronald Gong, a managing partner at Catalyst, is listed on tax forms for Musks foundation dating back to 2013. He has been listed as an agent for other entities associated with Musk, like Gatsby LLC, which purchased a home in the San Francisco Bay area for $US23.4 million in 2017. That property was the last of Musks California homes to be sold after his move to Texas, in a $US30 million deal in December. Catalyst, based in Silicon Valley, has opened an office in Austin as well. The limited liability company was registered in Texas in August. Read more about how Elon Musk is transforming parts of Texas. Birchall also moved his family to Texas, buying a $US2.25 million home in Austin in 2020. The listing for the five-bedroom house shows an ornate living space with columns in the foyer and elaborate iron work, with a pool and tennis court outside. Excession relocated to Texas, too, along with the Musk Foundation, Musks school Ad Astra, and several of his other LLCs, all of which list Birchall as director, manager, chief financial officer, or some other title, including Neuralink, Musks brain-implant company, which lists Birchall as director and executive officer. But Birchall doesnt necessarily have real executive power at these entities for example, his name was only added to Neuralink paperwork as a legal convenience, a person familiar with the matter said. Birchall rarely visited the Neuralink office and wasnt involved in day-to-day work, said the person, who asked not to be named speaking about the inner workings of the company. Loading Birchall has taken on roles more typical for a head of family office, such as facilitating relationships with the big banks Musk routinely turns to for mega loans. Those have been key to how Musk has grown his fortune, borrowing to fund new ventures instead of being forced to sell Tesla stock. Thats also significantly reduced his tax obligations. Text messages between Musk and his confidants, released as part of the investigation into his 2018 tweets about taking Tesla private for $US420 a share, illustrate one example. Included in the hundreds of messages and calls is only a single exchange between him and Birchall a text message where Birchall promotes his old employer, suggesting Morgan Stanley should be involved in any privatisation deal considering theyve been our best resource on the personal side, by far. They provide you with the largest ($US350m) of all the lines and each time we have pressed them for more borrow power or a lower rate, theyve come through, he wrote. In 2018, Musk took out $US61 million in mortgages on five properties in California with the help of Morgan Stanley. That seems fair, Musk responded. Unlike his boss, with his more than 90 million Twitter followers, Birchalls online presence is minimal. He follows 40 people on Twitter, including Musk and all his companies, and hasnt ever tweeted or liked a tweet. Hes more active on Facebook, posting photos of his five children alongside videos and posts from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Birchall was at Morgan Stanley when Elon Musk came calling. Credit:Bloomberg The word that comes up often to describe Birchall is nice four different people interviewed for this story used the word. But even those who have interacted with him arent left with much of an impression because he says little. At times, Birchalls work for Musk has seemed at odds with his nice-guy persona. Back in 2018, Birchall was tasked with digging up dirt on a man in the pedo guy lawsuit, who had criticised Musks suggestion of using a SpaceX submarine to rescue the trapped soccer team in Thailand. Birchall, using a pseudonym James Brickhouse, hired a con man who claimed to be a private investigator. Birchall said in his testimony that he had used the Brickhouse alias before to do things like plan Musks travel and buy a web domain justballs.com. (The deal for the website never went through.) Musk ultimately won the case. These kinds of odd jobs arent uncommon for heads of family offices, said Mohamed of Agreus Group, which is why it can be hard to find people who are suited for the position coming out of the world of Wall Street. The line between personal and professional cross over very often, he said. In more recent years, Birchall has liaised with nonprofits on behalf of Musks foundation, like the $US100 million commitment for the XPrize Carbon Removal, gifts to Feeding Texas and millions of dollars to a pair of Covid-19 researchers. Over the past couple years, he has at times handed over some responsibilities to Igor Kurganov, a poker player-turned effective altruist whos been the point person for recent grantees of the Musk Foundation. Birchall still sits in on calls, said Dan Barouch, one of the Covid-19 researchers who received $US2.5 million from the foundation. He described Birchall as perfectly nice, though he isnt sure what exactly he does for Musk. Loading The short answer is I dont know exactly how the Musk Foundation works, said Barouch, who has also spoken directly with Musk, something unusual for grantees. Mohamed said Birchall and Musk must have great chemistry, considering Birchall has been there for more than six years. The creators of the musical Six, Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, knew the rhyme chanted in classrooms around the world to remember the grisly fates of the wives of King Henry VIII: divorced, beheaded and died, divorced, beheaded, survived. But that was about the extent of their knowledge of Tudor history. Then, in their final year at Cambridge University, where Marlow studied English and Moss history, the two theatre fans decided to write a musical comedy. From left, Phoenix Jackson Mendoza, Kala Gare, Loren Hunter, Kiana Daniele, Chelsea Dawson and Vidya Makan play the six wives of Henry VIII. Credit:Steven Siewert Neither of us were big Tudor buffs, thats not really where the idea came from, Marlow says. It was wanting to write something that had a famous group of women at the forefront. We had so many incredibly talented friends at uni who were women and non-binary performers, who would get to sing ballads about loving a man or not being loved by a man. And then we thought, wouldnt it be fun to write a show with a bunch of pop bangers that would allow a female cast to be hilarious and charismatic and have as much pizzazz and charisma as the boys songs usually have in musicals. Toby Marlow (left) and Lucy Moss wrote Six while they were students at Cambridge University. Credit:New York Times Over the course of 10 non-consecutive days in 2017 they wrote their musical comedy featuring Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr as pop princesses with an all-girl back-up band. By that summer it had been selected for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and now five years on it has become an international hit with rave reviews in London, New York, Chicago and Sydney. The seat of Brisbane remained on a knifes edge late Thursday, as Labor and the Greens battled it out for second place to claim the electorate on preferences. The Greens strong showing in Brisbane, which also saw them claim the neighbouring seats of Griffith and Ryan, now has the party bullish about a run at City Hall at its next electoral test. Labor candidate Madonna Jarrett had a 672-vote lead over the Greens Stephen Bates as of 1.40pm Thursday, but ABC elections analyst Antony Green said preference flows from the lower-ranked candidates were favouring the Greens. Brisbane was a genuine three-way contest between the LNP, Labor and the Greens. All that was certain was LNP incumbent Trevor Evans had lost the seat, because preference flows between Labor and the Greens would result in Jarrett or Bates overtaking Evans. There was a barrage of gunfire shortly after Ramos entered the classroom where officers eventually killed him, but that shots were sporadic for much of the 48 minutes when officers waited in the hallway, McCraw said. He said investigators do not know if or how many children died during that time. Throughout the attack, teachers and children repeatedly called 911 asking for help, including a girl who pleaded: Please send the police now, McCraw said. Questions have mounted over the amount of time it took officers to enter the school to confront the gunman. They came as the National Rifle Association held its convention in Houston, as the issue of gun safety roiled the American - and global - public. A child looks at a memorial site for the victims killed in this weeks shooting at Robb Elementary School. Credit:AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills The event, where former US president Donald Trump spoke, attracted fierce criticism and hundreds of protesters. Texas Governor Greg Abbott was due to speak at the event but pulled out at the last minute, opting instead to stay in Uvalde. Ramos rampage It was 11.30am on Tuesday, Texas time, when Ramos Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind the low-slung Texas school and the driver jumped out carrying an AR-15-style rifle. Twelve minutes after that, authorities say, Ramos entered the school and found his way to the fourth-grade classroom where he killed the 21 victims. But it wasnt until 12.58pm that law enforcement radio chatter said Ramos had been killed and the siege was over. Loading What happened in those 90 minutes, in a working-class neighbourhood near the edge of the town of Uvalde, has fuelled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcements response to Tuesdays rampage. They say they rushed in, said Javier Cazares, whose fourth-grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, and who raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. We didnt see that. Fridays briefing came only after authorities spent three days providing often conflicting and incomplete information. According to the new timeline provided by McCraw, After crashing his truck, Ramos fired on two people coming out of a nearby funeral home, officials said. Law enforcement personnel stand outside Robb Elementary School following the shooting. Credit:AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills Contrary to earlier statements by officials, a school district police officer was not inside the school when Ramos arrived. When that officer did respond, he unknowingly drove past Ramos, who was crouched behind a car parked outside and firing at the building, McCraw said. At 11.33pm, Ramos entered the school through a rear door that had been propped open and fired more than 100 rounds into a pair of classrooms, McCraw said. Department of Public Safety spokesman Travis Considine said investigators havent yet determined why the door was propped open. Two minutes later, three local police officers arrived and entered the building through the same door, followed soon after by four others, McCraw said. Within 15 minutes, as many as 19 officers from different agencies had assembled in the hallway, taking sporadic fire from Ramos, who was holed up in a classroom. Ramos was still inside at 12.10pm when the first US Marshals Service deputies arrived. They had raced to the school from nearly 113 kilometres away in the border town of Del Rio, the agency said in a tweet. Loading But the police commander inside the building decided the group should wait to confront the gunman, on the belief that the scene was no longer an active attack, McCraw said. The crisis came to an end after a group of Border Patrol tactical officers entered the school at 12.45pm, said Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. They engaged in a shootout with the gunman, who was holed up in the fourth-grade classroom. Moments before 1 pm, he was dead. Timeline raises more questions Ken Trump, president of the consulting firm National School Safety and Security Services, said the length of the timeline raised questions. Based on best practices, its very difficult to understand why there were any types of delays, particularly when you get into reports of 40 minutes and up of going in to neutralise that shooter, he said. The motive for the massacre remained under investigation, with authorities saying Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history. During the siege, frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the school, according to witnesses. Go in there! Go in there! women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street. Loading Carranza said the officers should have entered the school sooner: There were more of them. There was just one of him. Shooters parents respond The gunmans father, also named Salvador Ramos, 42, expressed remorse for his sons actions in an interview with The Daily Beast. Today Mostly cloudy with a shower or thunderstorm possible. Tonight Mostly cloudy with a shower or thunderstorm possible. Tomorrow Clouds breaking for some sun in the afternoon, more comfortable. A shower may still be possible in the morning depending on the position of a front and low pressure. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Reading, PA (19601) Today Clouds and sun, still humid with a shower or t-storm possible. The best chance may be during the PM hours.. Tonight Mostly cloudy with a shower or thunderstorm possible. POTTSTOWN, Pa. - Four people are dead after a house explosion in Pottstown, Montgomery County, officials said. Two people are in the hospital and two people are unaccounted for, said Justin Keller, borough manager, at a news briefing late Thursday night. 1:35 WATCH: News conf. on Pottstown house explosion (Thursday night update) Pottstown Borough Manager Justin Keller has an update around 11 p.m. Thursday on a deadly house explosion. Crews were sent to Hale Street near Butler Avenue shortly after 8 p.m., and found a twin home completely destroyed. The damage is extensive, as debris could be seen littering the streets and yards. The Pottstown School District, which canceled school Friday, said three homes are destroyed. Neighboring homes sustained significant damage, as did cars parked in the area, and many were without power for hours overnight. People who live miles away say they felt their houses shake. It is not known how many people may have been in the home at the time of the incident, and the victims' names have not been released. Overnight, part of the debris field caught fire. A police officer said they weren't sure how that started. Pennsylvania State Police and the federal ATF are among those investigating the explosion. Some people were saying a plane crash could have led to the incident, but a 69 News photojournalist spoke with the fire chief, who said that at this point that does not seem to be the case. The explosion was felt in surrounding communities. Witnesses said the force of the explosion was powerful. A person who lives nearby told 69 News that "I heard a loud explosion, like a bomb dropped or went off, I thought it was a bomb exploded somewhere." "Just dust, debris, houses flying everywhere, air conditioner in the yard. Came out to look, there's no more house left. The whole twin is gone. Just gone," said Mark Heverly, who lives across the street. Another man said he went to the scene after the explosion shook him from five miles away. The Red Cross is assisting seven families (20 people) following the blast, said a spokesperson. The Pottstown School District said all Pottstown schools will be closed for students and staff Friday due to the incident. Officials have scheduled a news conference at noon Friday for another update on the incident. Watch live on 69 WFMZ-TV or in the video window below: UVALDE, Texas (AP) Nearly 20 officers stood for about 45 minutes in the hallway outside the adjoining Texas classrooms where the gunman killed students and teachers this week before U.S. Border Patrol agents unlocked the door to confront and kill him, authorities said Friday. At least some of the 911 calls made during the Tuesday attack on Robb Elementary School in Uvalde came from inside the connected classrooms where 18-year-old Salvador Ramos was holed up, Steven McCraw, the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said during a contentious news conference. The commander at the scene believed Ramos was barricaded inside and that the children were not at risk, McCraw said. "It was the wrong decision," he said. McCraw released new details about the attack in which Ramos killed 19 children teachers, though his motive remains unclear. The Border Patrol agents eventually used a master key to open the locked door of the classroom where they confronted and killed Ramos, he said. There was a barrage of gunfire shortly after Ramos entered the classroom where officers eventually killed him, but that shots were "sporadic" for much of the 48 minutes when officers waited in the hallway, McCraw said. He said investigators do not know if or how many children died during that time. Throughout the attack, teachers and children repeatedly called 911 asking for help, including a girl who pleaded: "Please send the police now," McCraw said. Questions have mounted over the amount of time it took officers to enter the school to confront the gunman. It was 11:28 a.m. Tuesday when Ramos' Ford pickup slammed into a ditch behind the low-slung Texas school and the driver jumped out carrying an AR-15-style rifle. Twelve minutes after that, authorities say, Ramos entered the school and found his way to the fourth-grade classroom where he killed the 21 victims. But it wasn't until 12:58 p.m. that law enforcement radio chatter said Ramos had been killed and the siege was over. What happened in those 90 minutes, in a working-class neighborhood near the edge of the town of Uvalde, has fueled mounting public anger and scrutiny over law enforcement's response to Tuesday's rampage. "They say they rushed in," said Javier Cazares, whose fourth-grade daughter, Jacklyn Cazares, was killed in the attack, and who raced to the school as the massacre unfolded. "We didn't see that." Friday's briefing came only after authorities spent three days providing often conflicting and incomplete information. According to the new timeline provided by McCraw, After crashing his truck, Ramos fired on two people coming out of a nearby funeral home, officials said. Contrary to earlier statements by officials, a school district police officer was not inside the school when Ramos arrived. When that officer did respond, he unknowingly drove past Ramos, who was crouched behind a car parked outside and firing at the building, McCraw said. At 11:33 p.m., Ramos entered the school through a rear door that had been propped open and fired more than 100 rounds into a pair of classrooms, McCraw said. Department of Public Safety spokesman Travis Considine said investigators haven't yet determined why the door was propped open. Two minutes later, three local police officers arrived and entered the building through the same door, followed soon after by four others, McCraw said. Within 15 minutes, as many as 19 officers from different agencies had assembled in the hallway, taking sporadic fire from Ramos, who was holed up in a classroom. Ramos was still inside at 12:10 p.m. when the first U.S. Marshals Service deputies arrived. They had raced to the school from nearly 70 miles (113 kilometers) away in the border town of Del Rio, the agency said in a tweet Friday. But the police commander inside the building decided the group should wait to confront the gunman, on the belief that the scene was no longer an active attack, McCraw said. The crisis came to an end after a group of Border Patrol tactical officers entered the school at 12:45 p.m., said Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Travis Considine. They engaged in a shootout with the gunman, who was holed up in the fourth-grade classroom. Moments before 1 p.m., he was dead. Ken Trump, president of the consulting firm National School Safety and Security Services, said the length of the timeline raised questions. "Based on best practices, it's very difficult to understand why there were any types of delays, particularly when you get into reports of 40 minutes and up of going in to neutralize that shooter," he said. The motive for the massacre the nation's deadliest school shooting since Newtown, Connecticut, almost a decade ago remained under investigation, with authorities saying Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history. During the siege, frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the school, according to witnesses. "Go in there! Go in there!" women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street. Carranza said the officers should have entered the school sooner: "There were more of them. There was just one of him." Cazares said that when he arrived, he saw two officers outside the school and about five others escorting students out of the building. But 15 or 20 minutes passed before the arrival of officers with shields, equipped to confront the gunman, he said. As more parents flocked to the school, he and others pressed police to act, Cazares said. He heard about four gunshots before he and the others were ordered back to a parking lot. "A lot of us were arguing with the police, 'You all need to go in there. You all need to do your jobs.' Their response was, 'We can't do our jobs because you guys are interfering,'" Cazares said. Michael Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens International, which works to make schools safer, cautioned that it's hard to get a clear understanding of the facts soon after a shooting. "The information we have a couple of weeks after an event is usually quite different than what we get in the first day or two. And even that is usually quite inaccurate," Dorn said. For catastrophic events, "you're usually eight to 12 months out before you really have a decent picture." *** CAIRO, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were killed on Friday after a minibus and a private car collided on the Ismailia-Suez desert road in northeastern Egypt, state-run Ahram newspaper reported. The collision resulted in the explosion of an oxygen cylinder inside the private car and a gas cylinder in the minibus. The bodies of the seven people were burned as they were trapped in the vehicles. The bodies were taken to local hospitals in ambulances, while a team of prosecutors had inspected the scene of the accident. According to initial reports, the accident took place when the private car's driver tried to turn to the other side of the road. Road accidents are common in Egypt because of poorly maintained road infrastructure and loosely applied traffic regulations. Over the past few years, Egypt has been upgrading its road network, building new roads and bridges, and repairing old ones to reduce traffic accidents. U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said he opposes new gun laws and blamed wokeness and critical race theory for school shootings days after a gunman in Texas killed 21 people, almost all of whom were elementary school students. This is a society-wide problem, a society-wide sickness that is not going to be solved by some gun law, additional gun laws here in Washington, D.C., the Oshkosh Republican told Fox Business host Neil Cavuto. Asked whether stiffer background checks could curb future school shootings, Johnson said people will always fall through the cracks. He added he believed some people shouldnt have guns but questioned how that determination might be made. The solution lies in stronger families, more supportive communities, I would argue renewed faith, he said. Weve lost that. We stopped teaching values in so many of our schools. Now were teaching wokeness. Were indoctrinating our children with things like CRT, telling, you know, some children theyre not equal to others and theyre the cause of other peoples problems. CRT refers to critical race theory, a decades-old academic framework used in graduate courses to understand how laws and institutions perpetuate racism. It is not taught in elementary schools, though conservatives have often conflated it with lessons focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. The concept has become a campaign talking point among conservatives trying to galvanize their base. Cavuto pushed back, saying school shootings have been going on long before wokeness and critical race theory. I think CRT has been going on under the radar for quite some time as well, Johnson said. Wokeness has been, liberal indoctrination has been. This is a much larger issue than what a simple new gun laws going to, its not going to solve it, its not going to solve it. Johnson spokesperson Alexa Henning did not respond to a request for comment. Ron Johnson is bearing false witness when he refuses to name the cause of these mass tragedies, which is our nations lunatic access to weapons of mass destruction of the type used to slaughter these children in Uvalde, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tom Nelson said in a statement, calling for an assault rifle ban. Doing nothing has resulted in one thing: more dead children, and the people of Wisconsin are tired of having a do-nothing Senator in Washington, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alex Lasry said. We need to ban assault weapons, expand background checks, and make our communities safer. The only way to change the deadly status quo in this country is to get Ron Johnson out of the Senate. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski called for comprehensive background checks, red flag laws and a ban on high-capacity magazines, saying most Americans support those measures. She slammed Republicans in Washington, D.C., bought and paid for by the gun lobby, who filibuster any meaningful change to our lax gun laws forcing the rest of us to accept mass shooting deaths as a normal feature of American life. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said Johnson wants to distract from the $1.2 million he has taken from the gun lobby. He questioned how Wisconsinites could trust anything that comes out of the mouth of a self-serving politician whose loyalty can be bought. Ron Johnson and his gun lobby-funded colleagues are the reason we havent been able to pass commonsense gun reform, he said. If he wont step up to protect our kids, I will. Johnsons comments came a day after Democrats blocked his effort to codify the Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety into law. That measure calls for the clearinghouse to include information about threat prevention, preparedness, protection, mitigation, incident response and recovery. Its a good idea, Johnson said. It could save lives. It is an action, when people are calling for action following this tragedy. Democratic U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer blocked action on the bill Wednesday, saying he would focus instead on a measure that would authorize federal agencies to monitor, analyze, investigate and prosecute domestic terrorists. Republicans blocked that bill Thursday. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Friday described comments made this week by U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson linking wokeness and critical race theory to recent school shootings as breathtaking. Evers, who is seeking reelection this fall against a packed field of GOP candidates and handed in his nomination signatures Friday, also said he was surprised and disappointed to see Republican Dean Knudsons unexpected resignation this week from the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Knudson said Wednesday he was stepping down from the commission following mounting pressure he faced from fellow conservatives angry with him because he said former President Donald Trump lost to President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Speaking with reporters Friday outside the state Capitol, Evers responded to questions regarding comments Johnson, R-Oshkosh, made to Fox Business host Neil Cavuto on Thursday indicating opposition to new gun laws. In the interview, Johnson said the solution lies in teaching values in schools instead of wokeness and critical race theory. His comments came days after a gunman in Texas killed 21 people, almost all of whom were elementary school students. Johnson also took aim at critical race theory, a decades-old academic framework used in graduate courses to understand how laws and institutions perpetuate racism. It is not taught in elementary schools, though conservatives have often conflated it with lessons focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. The concept has become a campaign talking point among conservatives trying to galvanize their base. Evers said Johnsons position ignores the findings of a 2019 Marquette Law School Poll that found 80% of Wisconsinites support expanded background checks including nearly 70% of gun owners. For him to say something like that, first of all it is in direct conflict with what the people of Wisconsin want, and frankly it makes no ... sense, Evers said. Johnsons spokesperson on Twitter pointed to the Republicans comment in the Fox Business interview indicating that the solution lies in stronger families, more supportive communities, I would argue renewed faith. This is a society-wide problem, a society-wide sickness that is not going to be solved by additional gun laws in D.C., Johnson added in the interview. In a statement Friday, Johnson spokesperson Alexa Henning said, The senator did not blame CRT on mass shootings, before adding his interview transcript. The senator has supported a number of common sense improvements to background checks and guns laws, she said. Elections panel Evers also said he was disappointed to see Knudsons abrupt resignation from the state Elections Commission earlier this week. Knudson told the commission on Wednesday that Republican leaders have branded him a RINO or Republican in name only, a derogatory term Republicans attach to members of the party they dont feel are loyal enough for saying that Biden won the states presidential election. Apparently if you disagree with the last election, youre toast, Evers said. And what a story to tell about the state of Wisconsin. I understand why he did what he did and its somewhat understandable because hes essentially been thrown out of the party. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, plans to appoint Knudsons replacement before the agencys June 10 meeting. Vos told The Associated Press hes not ruling anybody in or out for the seat, including former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, whom Vos hired last year to lead the one-party review of the 2020 election at a cost of $676,000 to taxpayers. I cant think of anybody less capable and less prepared to sit on the Wisconsin Elections Commission than (Gableman), Evers said. Im hopeful that the speaker just said that because he didnt want to irritate him, but at the end of the day, if that is a choice that he makes, which I pray that he doesnt, it will absolutely be the worst. Gablemans office did not respond to a request for comment Friday. Vacant chair Knudsons resignation came as the six-member bipartisan commission was preparing to vote for its next chair, a position that must be held by a Republican member as the current chair is Democratic appointee Ann Jacobs. Under state law, the chair can either be the next member appointed by Vos or Republican commissioner Robert Spindell, who was one of 10 Republicans to sign official-looking paperwork in late 2020 seeking to hand the states 10 Electoral College votes to Trump. The commission has postponed the chair vote until June 10. State Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, a former elections clerk who is not seeking reelection this fall, said she is open to filling the seat vacated by Knudson. Bernier has taken flak from some Republicans for her criticism of Gablemans review. Vos office did not respond to a request for comment. Wisconsin State Journal reporter Alexander Shur contributed to this report. A reflection on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a critical framing The first in the dialogue policy series hosted by The Future of Work(ers) Research Group at SCIS. The Future of Work(ers) Research Group at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS) based at Wits, hosted the first policy dialogue in series that will take place over the course of the year. The topic for the webinar was The Fourth Industrial Revolution, A critical framing. The speakers included Nanjala Nyabola, Dr Trevor Ngwane, Dr Ian Moll and the discussant was Tessa Dooms. The speakers took on a Marxist critique in the framing of the Forth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and reflected on how past industrial revolutions saw countries in the Global South become sights of extractivism and exploitation, leading these countries down the path of large scale social inequalities, marginalization and political instabilities. The World Economic Forum described the Fourth Industrial Revolution as technology driven change that has changed how people live, work and relate to each other. What makes the 4IR distinct from other industrial revolutions is the unprecedented speed at which it had occurred and impacted global systems. Unlike previous industrial revolutions, the 4IR has evolved at an exponential rather than a linear pace and has disrupted and transformed almost every industry across the globe. Systems of production, management, and governance have had to adapt accordingly as they were being transformed by web-based technologies. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has also been defined as process that has blurred the boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds through technological developments such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, and other technologies. Nanjala Nyabola kicked off the conversation by framing 4IR as a narrative. She indicated that 4IR signifies the rebirth of past inequalities, exploitation and extractivism that were the bedrock of colonial conquest and imperialism, whereby countries in the Global North benefitted at the expense of economic and social development of countries in the Global South. She further warned that adopting technological advancements framed as the 4IR would be leapfrogging through various stages of development without having properly addressed prevailing socio-economic challenges caused by past industrial revolutions such as social inequalities and environmental disasters. Dr Trevor Ngwanes framed his argument around advocating for interests of the working class in the midst of technological innovations and warned that adopting the 4IR paradigm in labour markets would benefit the capitalist class. Dr Ngwane indicated that even though technological innovations promise advancements in the way that the working class engage and think about their work, it also threatens their worker rights and puts them in the hands of the tech-driven exploitative and oppressive capitalist system. Dr Ian Moll stated that the 4IR is a myth and an ideology which serves to deepen marginalization, inequality and social injustices of countries located in the Global South. He indicated that the 4IR narrative seeks to re-enforce exploitative and extractivist practices that countries in the Global South were subjected to during the Third Industrial Revolution. He argued that in historical terms, any socioeconomic transformation to be considered an Industrial Revolution would need to encompass 1)a technological revolution, 2) transformations in the labour process, 3) fundamental changes in workplace relations, 4) new forms of community and social relationships, and lastly, global socioeconomic transformations. The current tech-advancements framed as 4IR do not offer any of the aforementioned revolutionary pre-requisites across social, political, cultural and economic institutions. Tessa Dooms rounded up the discussion by indicating that there needs to be a human-centred approach to adopting technology-driven changes in the Global South. She further expressed that these innovations offer an opportunity for social and economic institutions to tackle high rates of inequality and employment. The adoption of technological innovations should not threaten peoples livelihoods, but rather serve as an extension of their capabilities and afford people an opportunity to do more meaningful work. Lastly, technological innovations should be used in a manner that allows people to create inclusive and just societies in the global South. Policy Dialogues Series The SCIS Future of Work(ers) Group will be hosting a Policy Dialogues Series throughout the year to generate public debate at the intersection of technological innovation, the world of work(ers) and inequality. The next dialogue will be on the topic Digitization and algorithmic management: the implications for the world of work(ers). The dialogue is scheduled for 21 June 2022 from 3:30 to 5:00pm, SAST. Schedule for upcoming policy dialogues: Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng meet representatives to a national meeting on work related to the handling of people's complaints at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 25, 2022. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi] BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with representatives to a national meeting on work related to the handling of people's complaints. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, offered warm congratulations to the exemplary individuals and groups honored at the meeting, and extended sincere greetings to officials and people working in the system for addressing public complaints. Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, were present. Xi had cordial exchanges and posed for a photo with the representatives at the Great Hall of the People. Addressing the national meeting, which was held from Wednesday to Thursday, Guo Shengkun, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, stressed thoroughly studying and implementing the instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on strengthening and improving work related to addressing public complaints and called for ushering in a new chapter in work related to the handling of people's complaints. Party and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Wang Huning and Han Zheng meet representatives to a national meeting on work related to the handling of people's complaints at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 25, 2022. [Xinhua/Shen Hong] Guo Shengkun, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, speaks at a national meeting on work related to the handling of people's complaints held from May 25 to 26 in Beijing, capital of China. Xiao Jie, state councilor and secretary-general of the State Council, also attended the meeting. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei] (Source: Xinhua) Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told CNN on May 26 he encouraged Texas Sen. John Cornyn to begin discussions with Democrats, to see if they can find a middle ground on legislation to respond to the tragic Texas elementary school shooting. Police commander made 'wrong decision' not to breach classroom doors during elementary school shooting, official says Police: Texas gunman walked through apparently unlocked door, was inside school for over an hour Chief Constable in North Wales since 2018, he said It has been both a privilege and a genuine pleasure to have worked with officers, staff and volunteers who on a daily basis go above and beyond to make a difference to our communities. The past few years have been challenging for everyone, but the resilience, ability and willingness to adapt and change demonstrated by the entire workforce has never been more evident than during the pandemic and I am immensely proud of what we achieved. After leaving the Royal Navy Carl started his career in policing with the British Transport Police. He said: At that time I genuinely never thought I would ever be an inspector never mind a Chief Constable and it has been a huge honour to lead North Wales Police. I will be working with the Police and Crime Commissioner to support him in the appointment of a new Chief Constable, but I know whoever takes over from me will inherit great people, a good force and somewhere with a fantastic attitude and can do culture. I have always said I am simply the custodian of the force and I genuinely believe this, I hope that we have been able to make it a slightly better place for those who take over. I was recently asked if I would join the police if I was starting out on my career now. So much has changed, but I didnt take a moment to respond, I would definitely do the same again. Policing is very different to that which I joined, but it is a fantastic job that allows you to make a real difference and has such incredible variety. I would encourage anyone to consider it as a career. Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin said: I would like to pay tribute to Carl on the news that he intends to retire as Chief Constable of North Wales Police. Since coming into post as PCC in 2021, I have seen at first hand Carls dedication to his role and to making North Wales a safer place for all its residents. I have also valued the advice and insight he brings on policing at all levels gained from 30 years of public service. It was in recognition of this experience and service that he was given with the Queens Police Medal in 2020. The four years since he became Chief Constable have seen many testing times for our whole country, not least during the pandemic, but Carl has faced these unprecedented challenges with commitment, dedication, and an unwaveringly positive outlook on life, and on the vital contribution that effective policing can make to society. Mr Dunbobbin said: He will leave behind a strong and focused team at North Wales Police one that is fit for the future and for the challenges that lie ahead. I will now look to appoint a new Chief Constable over the coming months and put them forward to the Police and Crime Panel for confirmation, but at this present moment we would like to thank Carl for all his excellent work and leadership and we all wish both him and his family all the very best. Sexual health clinics across North Wales briefed about Monkeypox threat North Wales sexual health clinics have been put on alert following the spread of monkeypox, says Public Health Wales, as they reassure the virus is usually self-limiting. Yesterday the first case of the illness, which causes fever symptoms as well as a distinctive bumpy rash, in Wales was confirmed. Last week Public Health Wales said the chief medical officer had sent a letter to frontline NHS workers, warning about the disease. This week Public Health Wales reassured the Local Democracy Reporting Service that North Wales sexual health clinics had also been briefed. This follows several cases across Europe being linked to gay and bisexual men. The virus is spread by close contact. When asked what provisions were being put in place at sexual health clinics, a spokesman for Public Health Wales commented: It is important to point out that monkeypox isnt a sexually transmitted disease. It can be transmitted like chickenpox, any skin-to-skin contact, kids playing, that sort of thing (and close physical contact). Its not a sexually transmitted disease. Its just thats where its being noticed primarily. But sexual health clinics would have been included in the chief medical officers letter. I also know alerts have gone out through primary care. In terms of sexual health clinics, they would have received the letters and the alerts. With cases steadily increasing, Public Health Wales reassured that Wales was yet to record a case, adding most cases were mild. As of now, we dont have any cases in Wales at all, any confirmed cases, he said. The information I have is that the strain is the (milder) West African strain. Monkeypox does not usually spread easily between people, and the overall risk to the general public is low. It is usually a mild, self-limiting illness, and most people recover within a few weeks; however, severe illness can occur in some individuals. By Richard Evans BBC Local Democracy Reporter Wales can look forward to a brighter future as remaining covid restrictions come to an end Wales can look forward to a brighter future, as the last remaining coronavirus protections in law come to an end, the first minister has said. After more than two years of living with coronavirus regulations, these will expire on Monday May 30 when the requirement to wear a face covering in health and care settings ends. But the Welsh Government will continue to recommend people take simple steps to protect their health including wearing face coverings in health and care settings as Wales moves beyond the emergency response to the pandemic. People are also encouraged to get vaccinated, use good hygiene, test and self-isolate when you have symptoms and when indoors increase ventilation and let fresh air in. First Minister Mark Drakeford said: The pandemic has had a profound impact on all our lives everyone has made sacrifices and changes over the last two years. But it is thanks to all your efforts that we can move beyond the emergency response while still living safely with this virus. I want to thank everyone for all you have done to protect yourselves and your loved ones. You have followed the rules and you have kept Wales safe. This three-week review of the coronavirus regulations is a significant milestone we are completing our careful and gradual transition away from legal protections and away from the emergency response to the pandemic. The public health situation is continuing to improve in Wales results from recent ONS Coronavirus Infection Surveys show the number of people with Covid-19 is falling. The number of Covid-19 related patients has also fallen to less than 700 and is at its lowest level since 28 December 2021, although the NHS remains under pressure from a combination of emergency and pandemic pressures with a significant number of staff absences. But in the past week, the four UK chief medical officers have warned about the risk from new variants BA.4 and BA.5. The First Minister said Wales will remain alert to these and is ready to scale up testing and vaccination arrangements once again if the public health situation changes. He added: We remain alert to the threat of new and emerging variants, and we will be ready to respond if we see a rapid spread of the virus, causing widespread harm. Continuing to take simple steps, including staying up to date with vaccinations; self-isolating if you have Covid-19 symptoms and maintaining good hand hygiene, will be important in helping us all to enjoy a safer and brighter future together. Responding to the news that the last remaining COVID regulations are set to be removed from Monday 30 May 2022, Plaid Cymru spokesperson for health and care, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said: Emergency COVID regulations might have come to an end, but the challenges that face our NHS have not indeed, they were the same challenges that were there before the pandemic. We owe it to our hard-working staff to make sure that plans for NHS recovery dont just try to take us back to where things were at the start of the pandemic, but to bring our health service on to a more sustainable footing, by reducing waiting times, speeding up the patient journey, and joining up health with social care. Commenting on the removal of the mandating of wearing masks in health and care settings, Mr ap Iorwerth said: I share the nervousness among health professionals about the removal of the need to wear masks in health and care settings, because of vulnerability of so many in the sector. Welsh Government must make sure they monitor very carefully the extent to which people follow the guidance for people to continue wearing them in these settings. Commenting, Welsh Conservative and Shadow Health Minister Russell George MS said: I am delighted that the full freedoms of the Welsh people have finally been restored. While it has felt we have lived with Covid for a few months now, there were still lingering limits on our liberties and we still had harsh restrictions only this year thanks to Labours overreaction to Omicron. Not only do we need to remember all those who lost lives and loved ones to lockdowns and the virus itself, but learn the lessons of the pandemic about how we can counter another one and assess the impact of deploying harsh emergency restrictions on our population. But none of us will ever get the answers we deserve without the Wales-specific public inquiry everyone in the country wants apart from, not surprisingly, the Labour Government who run scared of scrutiny. The massive growth of Long COVID in the UK, now rapidly approaching 2 million cases, has exposed the devastating scale of the public health disaster produced by the governments profit-driven living with COVID strategy. At the beginning of April, the number of people suffering Long COVID reached 1.8 million, 2.8 percent of the UK population, according to data published by the Office for National Statistics. Of these self-reported cases, 1.3 million have suffered one or more COVID symptoms for more than 12 weeks, 791,000 for more than one year, and 235,000 for more than two years. A rendering of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) The World Health Organisation has described the condition as a pandemic within the pandemic. The number of cases worldwide has grown to an estimated 100 million as the wealthiest capitalist governments have allowed the virus to spread and mutate without restriction in the name of saving the economyi.e., the profit interests of big business. The most common symptoms reported are fatigue (51 percent), shortness of breath (33 percent), loss of smell (26 percent), and problems concentrating or brain fog (23 percent). Two-thirds of all cases, 1.2 million people, report being unable to perform some or all their regular daily actives. There are currently 1 million missing from the workforce compared to pre-pandemic employment in the UK, including 400,000 no longer working because of poor health, including Long COVID. Long COVID is defined as suffering symptoms for 12 weeks or more after a COVID-19 diagnosis, in conditions where no other cause is identified. Half of all people hospitalised with COVID still exhibit at least one symptom two years after infection, according to a study published in the Lancet medical journal. As with risk of serious illness and death from infection with COVID-19which kills working-age people in the most deprived areas at nearly four times the rate than among people in the wealthiest areasLong COVID is primarily a disease of the poor and socially vulnerable. The Imperial College Londons REACT study of 500,000 UK adults found a higher risk of persistent COVID symptoms among women, people who smoke or who are overweight, people who live in deprived areas, and those who have been admitted to hospital with COVID-19. While some COVID survivors experience persistent symptoms for only a few weeks or months, there is a growing body of scientific research linking Long COVID to a plethora of life-changing and deadly chronic diseases, including brain damage, kidney disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue, nerve damage and heart disease. While these illnesses are more common in those who developed severe illness upon initial infection, Long COVID can also devastate the health of those who experienced only mild symptoms. Research published earlier this month by scientists at the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London found that cognitive impairment from severe COVID-19 is similar to that sustained between 50 and 70 years of age and is the equivalent to losing 10 IQ points. It described the recovery process after six months as at best gradual. The study found that survivors of severe infection suffered heightened risk of cognitive disfunction affecting memory, attention and reasoning, alongside mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, low motivation, fatigue, low mood, and disturbed sleep. The risk is particularly pronounced among survivors who required mechanical ventilation. Professor Adam Hampshire from the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London, the studys lead author, said: Around 40,000 people have been through intensive care with COVID-19 in England alone and many more will have been very sick, but not admitted to hospital. This means there is a large number of people out there still experiencing problems with cognition many months later. We urgently need to look at what can be done to help these people. Researchers at the University of Oxford have also found considerable brain damage in people who suffered only mildly symptomatic infections, based on an analysis of 800 brain scans taken before and after infection. As well as a reduction of grey matter in the orbitofrontal cortex (including the smell and taste centres of the brain) and the parahippocampal gyrus (part of the limbic system involved in memory), the study observed a reduction in overall brain size and higher levels of cognitive decline than in the general population. Findings from the Kings College Londons ZOE COVID survey showed an increasing number of people infected with COVID are reporting tinnitusa prolonged noise or ringing in the ears without an outside source. A survey of 14,500 people found about 5,000 reported ear-ringing after a positive test for COVID. Over half of these cases reported tinnitus lasting weeks or months following infection. Professor Tim Spector, the co-founder of the study, said the findings show for the first time that ear ringing, as with long term loss of smell is something to take seriously because it does suggest that a different part of the body is being affected, more internal and close to the brain. Responding to a growing body of scientific evidence for prolonged and potentially permanent neurological damage, Alzheimers Disease International has warned that COVID-19 may cause a pandemic of dementia like the higher risk observed in people infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). New research conducted by University College London has also linked Long COVID to increased risk of blood clotting. The study found a widespread imbalance in two blood proteins, the von Willebrand Factor (VWF) and ADAMTS13, which allow the blood to clot and seal off broken blood vessels. Overall, 28 percent of 330 study participants with Long COVID had heightened markers for blood clotting. The risk was even higher in those who showed reduced capacity for exercise, with 55 percent testing positive for blood clotting abnormalities. The UK is already witnessing a surge in demand for Long COVID treatment and support. Demand for occupational health treatment has soared by 80 percent in the past six months, according to a survey by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT). The charity Asthma and Lung UK reports the number of people seeking help for Long COVID doubled between September 2021 and March 2022, including enquiries from those suffering breathing difficulties about how to secure long-term oxygen treatment at home. In the face of this avalanche of chronic illness and the prospect of long-term sickness and disability for hundreds of thousands more people in repeated waves of coronavirus, neither the Conservative government nor any of the major parties have deviated in the slightest from their profits-before-lives policy of allowing mass infection to rip through the population. Just 220 million has been made available to support 90 specialist clinics in England. And this is under conditions where the NHS, GP practices and social care services are already facing historic staffing shortages and treatment backlogs from the pandemic, on the back of decades of austerity and privatisation. The average waiting time to be seen by a Long COVID clinic stood at more than 15 weeks in March-April, according to National Health Service (NHS) data. Many patients waited a year or more for an initial referral. Those who can afford it are turning to private healthcare in desperation. In one widely reported case, Dr. Binita Kane, a respiratory consultant, sought private medical care for her 11-year-old daughter in Germany, at the cost of 6,000. Severe fatigue, body pain, tinnitus, sore throat, and acute abdominal pain had reduced her to using a wheelchair, and the NHS was only able to offer fatigue management therapy. The additional tests available in Germany flagged dangerous blood abnormalities including hyperactivated sticky platelets, micro clots, and mild endothelial damage (a type of non-obstructive coronary artery disease). Her case has since improved dramatically following a detailed diagnosis and specific medical treatment. The Johnson government, which is committed to strangling the NHS and widening the market for private health corporations, has no intention of providing the public health resources necessary to humanely address the public health disaster it has inflicted on the population. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)a nominally independent regulator with a board handpicked by the Tory governmenthas stated, EHRC does not recommend that Long COVID be treated as a disability, citing a supposed lack of scientific consensus and case law. Dr. Jenny Ceolta-Smith, an employment advocate for Long COVID Support and co-founder of Occupational Therapy for Long COVID, said: There is already disbelief of workers Long COVID symptoms within the workplace, and this harmful announcement by the EHRC may make it much harder for workers to gain the support that they need from colleagues and line managers. It may even mean more jobs are lost. The firing of Princeton University classics professor Joshua Katz is an anti-democratic action and an attack on academic freedom and free speech. The university dishonestly claims that Katz, a tenured professor who taught at Princeton for 25 years, has been dismissed because of sexual impropriety committed more than 15 years ago and for which he was already penalized. However, it is evident to any objective observer that Katz is being punished for his public criticism of racial politics at the university. In the mid-2000s, Katz engaged in a consensual relationship with a student, an action which violated a university rule. An investigation by Princeton in 2018 resulted in his being suspended for a year without pay. In July 2020, Katz wrote an article in Quillette, an online publication, in which he condemned a letter signed by 350 faculty members that claimed Anti-Blackness is foundational to America and demanded a whole range of special privileges for faculty of color. The letter, to which we will return, sharply expressed the grasping and selfish character of a privileged layer of black academics, supported by white allies. In the course of his Quillette essay, which pointed to the far-reaching and absurd character of the faculty letter, Katz referred to the Black Justice League, which functioned on the Princeton campus from 2014 to 2016, as a small local terrorist organization. This reference was a serious error. If Katz meant that the group attempted to intimidate its political opponents, he should have said so. To use the word terrorist under present circumstances has definite and dangerous political implications, opening the door for the authorities to suppress political opposition. Joshua Katz (Photo: Princeton University) In general, we take no responsibility for Professor Katzs views, whatever they might precisely be, which he has expressed in Quillette and the Wall Street Journal and other right-wing publications. The attempt in particular by the Murdoch-owned Journal, the house organ of the financial oligarchy, to present itself as the defender of academic freedom and other basic rights needs to be rejected with contempt. The publication has defended each criminal war and invasion undertaken by the US military over the past several decades, along with waterboarding and torture in general, the activities of the NSA, CIA and every other US government operation that represents a mortal threat to democracy and humanity in all parts of the globe. It is an indication of the foul and essentially anti-popular character of racial and gender politics, and the upper middle class left in all its activities, that it provides, as it did in the case of the New York Times 1619 Project, an undeserved opportunity for the publications like the Journal to pose as the guardian of Americas democratic traditions. Whatever his own political views, there is no question but that Katz had the right to his opinion about the faculty letter. Katzs intervention in July 2020 clearly stirred up a hornets nest. It immediately prompted two student reporters at the Daily Princetonian, the campus newspaper, to look into his history in a transparent attempt to discredit and, if possible, destroy him. The result was a scurrilous February 2021 article, Alumni allege history of inappropriate conduct with female students by Princeton professor Joshua Katz. Typical of this sort of hatchet job, the article contains next to no verifiable information. It includes a breathless account of Katzs affair with the student in the mid-2000s, for which he had been suspended in 2018, and otherwise a great deal of overheated language about next to nothing. The Princetonian claimed that its investigation had uncovered allegations that Katz crossed professional boundaries with three of his female students. One of them was already accounted for. The other two, unnamed of course, did not say that Katz engaged in any sexual behavior with them, but assert that he behaved inappropriately. The Princetonian article notes that Samantha Harris 99, a former student of Katzs and his attorney, responded to an inquiry from the Prince by calling this story a planned smear of Katz and clearly yet another attempt to punish him for dissenting from the prevailing campus orthodoxy. It is difficult to argue with this. The newspapers expose both spurred the administration into action and provided it with the pretext for getting rid of Katz. Princeton officials opened a new investigation into the same incident, an obvious case of double jeopardy, while cynically claiming that its investigation did not revisit the original policy violations. The second inquiry determined that Dr. Katz misrepresented facts or failed to be straightforward during the 2018 proceeding. All of this about an affair between two adults that occurred close to 20 years ago. The new issues that came to light boil down to the female students claim that Katz discouraged her from participating [in] and cooperating with the 2018 inquiry and that he also discouraged her from seeking mental health care although he knew her to be in distress, all in an effort to conceal a relationship he knew was prohibited by University rules. Katz denies this and insists that she had resolutely refusedof her own volition, I stressto participate in the investigation that led to my suspension. On this basis, shamefully, Princeton organized his dismissal. Lost in all this, and deliberately so from the point of university officials, is the deplorable content of the July 2020 faculty letter, the actual substance of the controversy and the impetus for Katzs firing. The letter takes as its starting point that Anti-Black racism has hamstrung our political process, that it is rampant in even our most progressive communities and that it plays a powerful role at institutions like Princeton. As to how it currently plays that powerful role at Princeton, the letter remains silent. The missive demands the university Give seats at your decision-making table to people of color who are actively anti-racist and inclusive in their practices. Redress the demographic disparity on Princetons faculty immediately and exponentially by hiring more faculty of color. Elevate faculty of color to prominent leadership positions. In other words, this is about money, careers and social status. Furthermore, the letter insists that Princeton engage an outside committee of academics, law professors, artists, and cultural advisors from communities of colorexperts in the study of race and challenging racismin University decisions about race, racism, anti-racism, and racial equity and form an internal committee of faculty and students of color to whom the University, in carrying out this work, remains accountable. The Holy Inquisition would have nothing on such committees! Remarkably, the letter also calls on the university to Reward the invisible work done by faculty of color with course relief and summer salary, insists that Faculty of color hired at the junior level should be guaranteed one additional semester of sabbatical and demands that Princeton officials Provide additional human resources for the support of junior faculty of color. In response to these latter demands, Katz legitimately commented, It boggles my mind that anyone would advocate giving peopleextraordinarily privileged people already, let me point out: Princeton professorsextra perks for no reason other than their pigmentation. If such policies were adopted, they would generate a toxic atmosphere, creating serious divisions between black and white faculty. And this is only the beginning. The preposterous letter, which views the university and the educational process exclusively through a racialist prism, according to which, indeed, race is the only factor in life worth considering, consists of a list of nearly 50 demands along these lines. These demands, far too lengthy to enumerate here, would, among other things, hand virtually dictatorial powers to the administration and the various bodies of racialists that it would set up. Along the way, they would eviscerate such phenomena as tenure and academic freedom. They are aimed at blotting out freedom of expression and thought, controlling curriculum and campus intellectual life, etc. The authoritarian, repressive character of this affluent crowd comes through clearly. The issuing of the 2020 faculty letter and the dismissal of Katz for criticizing it demonstrate the extent to which Princeton and other elite institutions are thoroughly beholden at present to these gender and race-obsessed social forces, associated with the Democratic Party and leading sections of the American ruling elite. These forces both have economic and social interests of their own, which they pursue with ferocity, and they also serve as a means of polluting the social atmosphere with their demands for special privileges. As the Katz case demonstrates, through their relentlessly self-centered and undemocratic activities, the identity politics practitioners alienate wide layers of the population and push the most ideologically vulnerable into the arms of the extreme right. In the days since the Australian federal election, the incoming Labor government has been on a foreign policy whirlwind. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his foreign minister, Penny Wong, have wasted no time in signalling that their Labor government will function as an attack dog for the Biden administration, and its preparations for war against China. Saturdays election registered the lowest combined vote for Labor and the Liberal-National Coalition ever. Labors primary vote is the smallest of an incoming government in Australian history. Almost a week after the election, it remains unclear that Labor has even secured the 76 seats required to form a majority government. Notwithstanding the vote count, Albanese and Wong, with the support of the corporate press, have proceeded as if the result was already determined. A five-man interim government was sworn-in on Monday in record time. And by Tuesday, Albanese and Wong were in Japan to attend a meeting of the Quad, a de facto military alliance of the US, Australia, Japan and India, directed against China. Prior to that meeting, US President Joe Biden declared that his administration was prepared to go to war with China over Taiwan. The statement was one of a series by top US officials, stepping-up a decade-long anti-China campaign aimed at ensuring American imperialist hegemony, to the point of inciting a direct conflict. Albanese and Wong stressed that the Labor government would collaborate as closely as possible with the Biden administration in the region. The Australian reported that Biden, along with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, national security advisor Jake Sullivan and the White House Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell, were understood to have discussed with Mr Albanese and Senator Wong rising geostrategic competition in the South Pacific after Solomon Islands signed a security agreement with China last month. The Murdoch-owned publication continued: The Australian understands Mr Bidens senior advisers were very positive about working with the Albanese government to expand the reach of the Quad and allies in the Pacific. Penny Wong and Henry Puna, secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum (Photo: Twitter/SenatorWong) Immediately after that meeting, it was announced that Wong was visiting Fiji, as part of what the Australian described as a Pacific blitz. The timing indicates that Wong was effectively dispatched to the Pacific state by Biden and his top national security personnel. Wong is set to visit most of the other Pacific countries over the coming weeks. Albanese is reportedly preparing to travel to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea as a priority. Both will attend the Pacific Island Forum in mid-July. Wongs primary speaking engagement in Fiji, at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, was peppered with paternalistic rhetoric about Australias commitment to the Pacific family, and motherhood statements about Labors concern over the impact of climate change in the region. The latter pitch is especially threadbare, given that Labors primary climate commitment during the election campaign was to allow the development of new coal and gas mines. There was, nevertheless, a sting in the tail. We will draw on all elements of our relationships to achieve our shared interests in building a stable and prosperous region, where rules and sovereignty are respected, Wong stated. The rules are those being laid down by the US and its deputy sheriffs in the region, Australia and New Zealand. As fellow members of the Pacific Family, our security and prosperity is truly a thing we achieve together, or not at all, Wong declared. In the context of what has come before, the message would have been plainly received: stay inside the US tent or face the consequences. Wongs reference to sovereignty was particularly ironic, given that together with the former Australian Coalition government and Biden administration, Labor has spent the past month trashing the sovereignty of the Solomon Islands. The pact between the Solomons and China, revealed in April, touched off militarist hysteria in the US and Australia. Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared that the establishment of a Chinese military facility on the Solomons was Australias red line, a direct threat of military intervention. Indo-Pacific coordinator Campbell said the US would respond accordingly to any such base. As Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare stated, these were nothing short of threats of an invasion. For its part, Labor sought to outflank Morrison from the right, declaring that his government had committed the greatest foreign policy failure in the Pacific by allowing the deal to proceed. The clear implication, in the context of Campbells threats and an ongoing US destabilisation campaign against Sogavare, is that drastic action should have been taken to scuttle the deal. The aggressive character of Wongs visit was underscored by its timing. She arrived in Fiji the same day that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi began a tour of eight Pacific nations. The Australian press has obtained a copy of a five-year cooperation agreement that Wang is offering to ten Pacific countries. Media reports have focused on aspects of the deal which would purportedly expand security collaboration, including Chinese assistance to local police forces and cybersecurity operations, as well as maritime mapping. The agreement, however, also would reportedly offer the nations that sign up substantial foreign aid, together with favourable trade terms and access to Chinas massive domestic market. Speaking in Honiara, the Solomons capital, Wang said Chinas cooperation with Pacific Island countries does not target any country. He warned against interference in the affairs of Pacific states, and pointedly stated: All the Pacific Island countries are entitled to make their own choice instead of being just mere followers of others. For all of the rhetoric about a Pacific family, Australian imperialism treats the Pacific as a colonial backyard. Its sole preoccupations are dominating the regions rich natural resources, ensuring primacy in the geo-strategically critical Pacific Ocean, and exploiting the local populations, including as a source of cheap labour. Despite its declarations of a Pacific focus, Labor has pledged only half a billion dollars over four years for the entire region. When Tonga was devastated by a volcano and tsunami earlier this year, initial US aid was $100,000, with that pitiful offering followed by just $2.5 million more. Australia provided $3 million in relief and New Zealand less than a million. In other words, the US and its allies have little to offer the Pacific states but threats and bullying. Albanese, commenting on Wangs tour, declared: This is China seeking to increase its influence in the region of the world where Australia has been the security partner of choice since the Second World War. Australia would respond with a step up. The focus on the Pacific demonstrates how advanced the war plans are. The references to World War II are not accidental. It was out of that conflict that the US established its hegemony throughout the region, transforming the Pacific Ocean into the American lake. The Pacific Islands had been the scene of some of the bloodiest battles of that conflict. Today, they are to play a crucial role in the US preparations for an offensive war against China. Control of the sea lanes near the Pacific Islands would be critical in the air-sea battle that the Pentagon and its allies, including Australia, have mapped out. Labors foreign policy frenzy, in support of these war aims, underscores the character of the Australian election as a conspiracy against the population. The new government has no mandate. The election confirmed only that Labors base of support among working people no longer exists because of mass hostility to the bipartisan program of militarism, austerity and mass COVID infection. The escalating drive to war abroad will be accompanied by a war against the working class at home. Duncan Lewis, the former head of ASIO, Australias domestic spy agency, declared earlier this week that military spending would have to be increased to far more than two or three percent of gross domestic product. This would be necessary to finance the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines and other offensive weaponry. Lewis told the ANU National Security Podcast: At a time when we have great debt, spending more on defence is obviously going to impact standard of living and essentially the kind of the personal prosperity of Australians. That is going to require a particular social licence to be obtained by government. In other words, guns not butter. Working people must pay for the crazed war-drive, which threatens a global catastrophe, through cuts to their living standards, their healthcare and their education. In his own way, and despite his intentions, Lewis was pointing to the essential connection between the fight against war, and the struggle for all of the social rights of the working class, in opposition to the political establishment, the ballooning military-intelligence apparatus and the capitalist system they defend. This article was originally posted on Twitter. The ubiquitous Timothy Snyder popped up in Davos to opine that the loss of historical consciousness has eroded the foundations of democracy. But as the leading pro-war NATO propagandist, Snyder has contributed to the falsification of the historical record. For the past decadein line with the political imperatives of the US-orchestrated 2014 Maidan coup that overthrew the elected pro-Russian governmentSnyder has sought to manufacture a rosy narrative of Ukrainian nationalism as a heroic struggle for democracy. This narrative has required a cosmetic makeover of Ukrainian history and politics, in which the central role of fascist Stepan Bandera, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and its military wing, the Ukrainian Partisan Army (UPA), has been airbrushed away. But the brazenness of this manipulation of the historical record is exposed by Snyders own extensive writings on Bandera, OUN, UPA and Ukrainian fascism. He contributed many articles on this subject to the New York Review of Books. In an article published in the February 24, 2010 issue of that publication, A Fascist Hero in Democratic Kiev, Snyder expressed serious concern about then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenkos conferring the highest state honor of Hero of Ukraine upon Stepan Bandera. Commenting on the protests of the chief rabbi of Ukraine, large numbers of Ukrainians, and even the president of Poland, Snyder wrote: It is no wonder. Bandera aimed to make of Ukraine a one-party fascist dictatorship without national minorities. During World War II, his followers killed many Poles and Jews. Snyder devoted his essay to explaining the historical background of Banderas rehabilitation. Still capable of writing history, rather than propaganda, Snyder reviewed the reactionary origins and ideology of this central and persistent force in Ukrainian nationalism. The dominant influence that shaped Banderas politics was the fascism of Benito Mussolini. Young terrorists such as Stepan Bandera, Snyder wrote, were formed not by the prewar empires, but by fascist ideology and the experience of national discrimination in Poland. Snyder reviewed Banderas and OUNs involvement in terrorist assassinations aimed at eliminating advocates of Polish-Ukrainian reconciliation. The main targets of their assassination attempts were Ukrainians and Poles who wished to work together. After Hitler came to power in 1933, Bandera saw the Nazis as the only power that could destroy both of their oppressors, Poland and the Soviet Union. OUN activists were in contact with German military intelligence. Bandera welcomed Hitlers invasion of Poland in 1939 and the Soviet Union two years later. The OUN and UPA collaborated with the Nazis in the implementation of the Holocaust. Snyder wrote: Some of these Ukrainian nationalists helped the Germans to organize murderous pogroms of Jews. In so doing, they were advancing a German policy, but one that was consistent with their own program of ethnic purity, and their own identification of Jews with Soviet tyranny. The Nazi regime took Bandera into custody, but he was not treated as an enemy of the Third Reich. Like other east European nationalists of stature, according to Snyder, he was being held in reserve for some future contingency when he might be useful to the Nazis. The UPA did not limit its killings to Jews. In 1943-44, according to Snyder, UPA partisans murdered tens of thousands of Poles, most of them women and children. Despite these crimes, the OUN hatred of the Soviet Union and communism made it attractive to the US and Britain. As the Cold War began, some OUN-B members and UPA fighters were recruited by British and American intelligence, and then dropped by parachute in doomed missions across the Soviet border. As for Bandera, Snyder wrote: He remained faithful to the idea of a fascist Ukraine until assassinated by the KGB in 1959. Snyder noted in his 2010 essay that Ukraines then outgoing pro-US President Yushchenko, regards as a hero [Bandera] a man whose political program called for ethnic purity and whose followers took part in the ethnic cleansing of Poles and, in some cases, in the Holocaust. In embracing Bandera as he leaves office, Yushchenko has cast a shadow over his own political legacy. After writing this essay, Snyder dropped from his historical work any reference to Bandera and the OUN. In Bloodlands, published in October 2010 on the subject of genocide in Ukraine and East Europe, there are only two fleeting single-sentence references to the OUN, and none on its role in the Holocaust. Stepan Bandera is referenced once by his last name only, without any identification of his position, ideology or policies. For reasons best known to Snyder himself, he chose to remove from his writing on Ukrainian history any further discussion of the OUNs central role in the genocidal destruction of Ukrainian Jewry. Snyders transformation from historian into a purveyor of Ukrainian nationalist propaganda has earned him the acclaim of the media. But he should ponder the warning of Mark 8:36: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Despite the eruption of military conflict between the United States and Russia over Ukraine, the central aim of US foreign policy is to cripple, isolate and contain China, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a major policy speech Thursday. Blinkens remarks, which have been delayed for months following the eruption of the war in Ukraine, represent a public presentation of the Biden administrations internal strategy document on China, which declares that Beijing is the central target of the US military. Even as President Putins war continues, we will remain focused on the most serious long-term challenge to the international orderand thats posed by the Peoples Republic of China, Blinken said. He continued, China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it. We will defend our interests against any threat, Blinken said. Although he did not use the term, Blinkens statement embraces the framework of economic decoupling developed under Trump. Blinken explicitly repudiated the efforts by the Nixon administration to engage with Beijing. The China of today is very different from the China of 50 years ago, when President Nixon broke decades of strained relations to become the first US president to visit the country, he declared. Blinken continued, Now, China is a global power with extraordinary reach, influence, and ambition. Its the second largest economy it seeks to dominate the technologies and industries of the future. Its rapidly modernized its military and intends to become a top tier fighting force with global reach. And it has announced its ambition to create a sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific and to become the worlds leading power. Blinkens statement constitutes yet another embrace of the central foreign policy aim of the Trump administration: preparations for conflict with China. Notably, Blinken invoked the racist conspiracy theory developed by the Trump administration, that COVID-19 was a man-made virus, condemning Chinas alleged efforts to block an independent inquiry into COVIDs origin. Modeling his tone and delivery on the rhetoric of former President Obama, Blinken repeatedly made completely contradictory assertions with a straight face. Blinken delivered blood-curdling threats, followed immediately by a declaration that the United States is not threatening anyone. We are not looking for conflict or a new Cold War, Blinken said, after making clear that Washington views the economic development of China as a threat to its interests, and is prepared to defend our interests against any threat. The unstated premise of Blinkens remarks was the so-called Wolfowitz doctrine, the policy conception, first expressed in the 1992 US defense planning guidance, which pledged, to preclude any hostile power from dominating a region critical to our interests, and also thereby to strengthen the barriers against the reemergence of a global threat to the interests of the U.S. and our allies. The ultimate guarantor of US primacy, in Blinkens view, is the US military. Blinken declared, Our country is endowed with many strengths. We have abundant resources, the worlds reserve currency, the most powerful military on Earth. Blinken doubled down on the whole of society approach to military competition pioneered under the Trump administration, declaring, The Biden administration is making far-reaching investments in our core sources of national strengthstarting with a modern industrial strategy to sustain and expand our economic and technological influence, make our economy and supply chains more resilient, sharpen our competitive edge. Blinkens saber rattling comments are accompanied by equally belligerent actions. The US is funneling weapons to Taiwan, seeking to turn the island into a front-line war zone against China, similarly to the way Ukraine is being used in the war against Russia. Blinkens warmongering against China comes as the United States is intensifying its own involvement in the Ukraine war. The United States is actively discussing supplying Ukraine with the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a missile system that would enable Ukrainian forces to strike hundreds of kilometers into Russian territory, Reuters reported Thursday. Critically, US officials have put no restrictions on the use of this weapons system. We have concerns about escalation and yet still do not want to put geographic limits or tie their hands too much with the stuff were giving them, a US official told Reuters. Earlier this week, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that the US would provide Ukraine with Harpoon anti-ship missiles via an intermediary, Denmark. The Harpoon is the standard anti-ship armament of the US Navy, capable of sinking large warships. The Washington Post, for its part, is demanding further escalation, condemning all of those seeking a peaceful settlement of the conflict. The Post approvingly quotes Boris Bondarev, a former Russian official now campaigning for an escalation of the US war, who declares, You just cant make peace now If you do, it will be seen as a Russian victory Only a total and clear defeat that is obvious to everyone will teach them. Commenting on these remarks, the Post declared, It would be a disasterboth moral and strategicif Mr. Putin were invited to talks before his major war objectives had been thwarted the best way for Ukraines friends to help is to accelerate shipments of vital weaponryand stop negotiating with themselves. These comments make clear that the United States is absolutely hostile to any peaceful settlement of the war. The aims of the conflict are to retake the Donbas and CrimeaRussia views the latter as its own territory. The United States is set on a course of military escalation threatening to rapidly escalate into a direct shooting war involving US forces, whether in Ukraine, over the Taiwan Strait, or both. The path being plotted by the Biden administration threatens the lives not only of the tens of thousands already killed in the Ukraine war, but hundreds of thousands, or even millions more. There is no limit to the number of Ukrainians, Taiwanese, Australians or even Americans that US imperialism is willing to sacrifice in pursuit of its interests. These developments must be taken as a serious warning. Capitalism is leading mankind into disaster. The crisis triggered by the war, however, is bringing workers into struggle all over the world against the rising cost of living and the efforts by the ruling classes to make the working class pay the costs. This global movement provides the social base for the struggle to avert a new world war and stop the catastrophe looming over mankind. On Wednesday, the head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) told a House of Representatives panel that the agencys inspection of Abbott Nutritions Sturgis, Michigan facility, the largest baby formula factory in the US, found conditions that were shocking and egregiously unsanitary. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf testifies during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing on the nationwide baby formula shortage on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) During sworn testimony before the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Energy and Commerce Committee, FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said, We had no confidence in integrity of the quality program at the facility, that produced 25 percent of US baby formula before it was shut down in February of this year for being contaminated with bacteria as well as other violations. Califf described bacteria growing in multiple sites within the complex, cracks in key equipment, leaks in the roof, standing water and inadequate handwashing by staff. The FDA found five different strains of Cronobacter, bacteria that can cause dangerous blood infections, at the Michigan facility. Beginning in September 2021, four infants who consumed the powdered formula produced by the Abbott factory became sick and were hospitalized with Cronobacter infections. Two of these babies died. The commissioner attempted to provide some cover for Abbott Labs, the Chicago-based corporate parent of the pediatric nutrition monopoly, when he said, This is so far removed from my previous experience with the company that I am very concerned. With this statement, one would think all the other nutritional manufacturing plants operated by Abbott Labs in the US should be inspected, but no such concerns were raised by the House members. The focus remained on the baby formula factory which was closed by Abbott Labs in February following a voluntary recall of its Similac, Alimentum and EleCare products from store shelves. The shutdown of production at the Sturgis facility immediately exacerbated the baby food supply shortage that had been underway since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Califf said that Abbott CEO Robert Ford assured him on Tuesday that production will resume at the factory in early June. An Abbott spokesperson said that product will begin to ship on June 20. A report in the New York Times said, Officials hope new shipments will reach store shelves within six to eight weeks, although resumption of full production at the plant will take longer. The FDA commissioner said, We will do everything in our power to work with Abbott to make this happen as quickly and safely as possible, but this timing is in Abbotts control. That the crisis has been in Abbotts control has been the case beginning with the fact that the FDA did nothing for more nearly four months after being alerted by a whistleblower of the degraded conditions at the Sturgis plant. The $200 billion corporation is now moving at its own pace and doing what is in its financial interests. The truth of this fact was demonstrated in the hearing in the testimony of senior vice president of Abbott Nutrition, Christopher Calamari. Calamari, who oversees Abbotts nutrition products, was permitted to avoid any explanation as to why the 135-year-old multinational medical devices and health care giant allowed the production environment at its baby formula factory to become an incubator for Cronobacter sakazakii, bacteria that can be deadly to infants. Instead, Calamari told the committee members that he was deeply, deeply sorry about the shortage of baby formula and boasted that company was coordinating fifty flights a week from Ireland to US airports, to increase supplies. The executive was also permitted to lie to the American public and state, We prioritize safety and compliance in our plants. He claimed he was unaware of the whistleblower report until April and, anyway, Calamari boldly declared, the allegations in the devastating exposure were untrue. The Abbott Labs representative appeared before the House subcommittee from a position of strength having secured a consent decree with the US Justice Department allowing the company to deny any wrongdoing, fines or prosecution for baby food contamination in exchange for moving ahead with reopening the Sturgis factory on its own schedule. In addition to testimony from other representatives of the monopolized US baby formula industry, the balance of the hearing was taken up with grandstanding by politicians on both sides of the aisle who pretended to be critical of the negligence of the FDA and the Biden administration and the criminal conduct of Abbott Labs. There was a fair amount of finger pointing as to who knew what when. The FDAs deputy commissioner for food policy and response, Frank Yiannas, told the committee he did not receive the whistleblower report until February. Im not sure why the report wasnt shared with me and how it didnt get escalated, Yiannas said. There was, of course, not a hint of criticism from committee members that Abbott Labs was preoccupied with its Wall Street value and increased financial performance derived from pandemic-related testing products and could care less about the conditions in the Sturgis facility where the far-less profitable baby formula is made. This fact speaks volumes about the nature of the capitalist ruling class and their political representatives who prioritize profits over human life and, thereby, have shown an incapacity to provide for the most basic needs of society such as safe and nutritious food for infants and toddlers. Executives like Fordwho was paid $25 million in 2021 as Chairman of the Board, CEO and President of Abbott Labsare focused on the earnings per share that are paid out in company buybacks and upon which large portions of their massive compensation packages are based. According to the 2021 annual report of Abbott Labs, the company made capital expenditures of $5.7 billion on $110 billion in sales over the past three years, principally for upgrading and expanding manufacturing and research and development facilities and equipment in various segments, investments in information technology, and laboratory instruments placed with customers. These investments clearly did not include the factory in Sturgis, Michigan, where baby formula was being mass produced in dilapidated and unsanitary conditions. Meanwhile, the reality facing working class families across the country trying to find baby formula continues to worsen, especially in poorer areas of the US. The Sun Journal in New Bern, North Carolina reported on Thursday that mothers in the coastal region are searching far and wide to ensure they can properly feed their children and that some mothers are asking others if they are selling their breast milk. One mother, Kristen Carter, said she had driven around Craven County multiple times looking for baby formula. Carter told the Sun Journal that its like a double-edged sword where you cannot find basic things your child needs while wasting gas money driving around. In Charlottesville, Virginia, Shayla Washington told the Charlottesville Tomorrow that she is no longer able to order formula online and stores near her are completely out of the product that she needs to feed her daughter. Washington is unable to find Enfamil Neuropro anywhere and she now has just four weeks of formula left. Washington asked, In the meantime, where are we going to find this formula to feed her. Were going to have to scramble and potentially try different formulas that might not work for our babys needs. Its really hard for certain moms to strictly breastfeed. In Owings Mills, Maryland, northwest of Baltimore, Ashley Jones told Fox 45 News that she has been struggling to find formula for months for her seven-month-old daughter. Ashley said, Its nerve-racking. Its like five to six stores back-to-back-to-back, nothing there at all. She added, I drive from different county to county, different stores, I look at citiesColumbiajust to see if I can find it and I still cant. Written and directed by John Swab Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 required health care providers to cover substance abuse treatment. Body Brokers, a fiction film written and directed by John Swab, deals with how the act spawned a predatory business of drug treatment that allowed rehab centers to scam the federal government and insurance companies out of millions of dollars. This is one of the disastrous side-effects of health care for profit. The film opens with narrator/actor Frank Grillo listing a hair-raising statistical reality. Since Obamacare was passed, nearly 2,000 sober living houses, 100 in-patient treatment centers and 200 detox facilities have opened up in Southern California alone. That is nearly 35,000 beds that need to be filled each month, and almost 500,000 that need to be filled annually, bringing a profit to private companies of some $12 billion annuallyagain, just in Southern California. Market Research gloated in 2020 that Drug and alcohol addiction rehab in the United States is big businessworth $42 billion this year. There are now 15,000+ private treatment facilities and growing. Michael K. Williams and Jack Kilmer in Body Brokers Body Brokers storyline follows Utah (Jack Kilmer, son of actors Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley) and Opal (Alice Englert), two heroin/cocaine addicts in Ohio, committing robberies to sustain their habits. These are two sensitive young people whose lives are spiraling downward. A chance encounter with Wood (the immensely talented Michael K. Williamswho last September tragically succumbed to acute drug intoxication) gets Utah into a Los Angeles drug treatment center. Utah soon learns that the rehab facility is actually a cover for a fraudulent multi-billion-dollar operation and that Wood functions as a broker on behalf of the facility. Melissa Leo plays Dr. White, the rehabs therapist, and Grillo is its owner Vin, whose slick, mendacious pep talks hide a homicidal personality. After 90 days in treatment, Utah becomes Woods sidekick, making a small fortune enlisting addicts whose stay at the center is funded by insurance companies or government agencies. He soon learns that the system has no incentive to cure addiction, but rather to create repeat business. Like Wood, Utah begins brokering bodies as referrals to the facility. Wood introduces his protege to a call center that bids for patients. Earnings are generated based on leads, with agents posing as caregivers who auction off the desperate patient to the treatment center paying the highest commission. As the Recovery Research Institute explains: Under the guise of free insurance or care, patients, sometimes multiple at a time, are enrolled in insurance plans utilizing false addresses to take advantage of the change in address exception, which allows for year-round insurance enrollment. Patients are often unknowingly signed up for premium plans with generous coverage (e.g., out-of-network coverage and low out-of-pocket costs) available in states that the patient does not live in, nor has ever lived in, but serve to reimburse the ultimate treatment center at a higher rate than other plans or providers. The website points to the common practice of a patients health information, such as their treatment plan or diagnosis, being discussed in a sales or marketing context, and shared with individuals outside the patients care team, without medical necessity or the patients consent. This is in violation of HIPAA [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996] and other patient privacy protection laws that work to protect sensitive health information of the individual. Body Brokers calls this the rehab shuffle. It details the various steps in the processPhase 1: $4,000 for detox; Phase 2: An average 60-day residential stay at $2,000 per day; Phase 3: Outpatient at $2,500 per day. A 90-day program totals $300,000 per person. This is what Wood terms the American F------ Dream. Crazy-eyed junkie Sid (Owen Campbell), a chronic rehab shuffler, who gets $2,000 per referral, is described by Wood as a living, breathing ATM machinethats the type you have to keep closeyou cant let them get away hes not getting better anytime soon after 90 days he hits the streets and comes back for another 90 days. Doctors are also part of the scam. Naltrexone implants, used to treat opioid-use disorder, are billed at $60,000 per implant. Dr. Riner (Peter Greene) can do 20 implants a day, raking in $1,200,000. However, Riner comes to a bad end trying to increase his split at Woods expense. Frank Grillo in Body Brokers Director Swab, who explains that he was a street junkie for over a decade, went through countless rehab and detox centers all over the country, was brokered and learned how to broker bodies. Swab explains in an interview with the Observer: I had been in all kinds of rehabs and had seen it all, with about an aggregate of two and a half years in residential treatment. It is such an intractable problem that the families of addicts are not thinking about the treatment centers incentive, which isnt to get somebody well, its to keep them there as long as they can and milk them for all the money that insurance will pay out. Because of a lack of regulations, laws and oversight, the treatment facilities have been able to operate in the grey, where its not necessarily illegal what theyre doing. The filmmaker further asserts that many of these addiction centers are publicly traded companies that are involved in body brokering. Its really murky to know who the villain is. Even the people doing the body brokering, they were addicts trying to get home, and at some point were taught how to do this. Its tough to point your finger at any one place or person and say theyre in the wrong; its a really messy situation. In other words, the root of the problem lies in the overall economic structure of society, not the actions of this or that individual or institution. In a March 2021 interview with Collider, the late Michael K. Williams explained that before reading the script for Body Brokers, he had been completely ignorant about the capitalistic mentality that exists in the rehabilitation centers for recovery. I was a bit taken back and like, Wow, when you look up taking advantage of someone when theyre vulnerable, this storyline is the poster child for that, in my opinion. From the outside looking in, most people in the world of recovery believe that, once people put down the drug, everything should go back to being hunky-dory, but that couldnt be further from the truth. The drug is not the problem. The drug is merely a symptom of the problem. Body Brokers ends by explaining: While you watched this film, 15 people died of drug overdose. In the last 20 years in the US alone, nearly 900,000 drug overdose deaths. Thats more than the US casualties of WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the War on Terror combined. This is a film about where capitalism fails addicts, Swab comments. Of course, mass drug addiction is already an expression of capitalisms massive failure and growing crisis. In any case, Body Brokers shines a light on one of its many graveyards. The story of the Jim Crow era, as popularly told in our media and classrooms , is predominantly told as that of a sociopolitical battle fought by Black Americans against the state of second-class citizenship imposed upon them by white Southern institutions and society. This understanding of history is as black-and-white as the distinction drawn by segregationist institutions between Black and white. But we cant accept that interpretation. It makes many groups outside those two racial categories either irrelevant or invisible in the story of segregation and civil rights. And it means we miss the unique ways those groups contended with a strict racial hierarchy. Photoquest / Getty Images One such group with an unusual story to tell is the Chinese community in the Mississippi Delta, which, despite its diminutive size, once presented a massive challenge to the coherence of segregation in the South. The story of Chinese immigrants to the region began almost immediately after the Civil War and the emancipation of slaves. Many of the first immigrants were sojourners, who were sending their earnings back to their families across the ocean and eventually planning to return to China. Thousands of Chinese workers were already involved in farming and railroad construction in the west. They grew a reputation for cheap, reliable labor among farm owners and business companies, and they were viewed by cotton plantation owners as an ideal replacement for slaves. The offer of employment in the south coincided with a rise in anti-Chinese violence and scapegoating for the economic depression that hit the western states in the 1870s. George Rinhart / Corbis via Getty Images Pressured to leave profitable jobs in the west by both state measures and mob violence, many Chinese sojourners moved to other states providing work and more tolerance for their presence. They didnt find cotton picking the profitable job they hoped for. And the plantation owners didnt find the Chinese sojourners to be the exploitable, cheap labor they were hoping for. Disputes over lack of pay for plantation work led the Chinese workers to open their own businesses. Most frequently, these were grocery stores. Part of the reason they chose grocery stores, in particular, was a significant change in their situation as a result of US national policy. Racist attitudes against Chinese workers in the wake of the depression reached a fever pitch in 1882 when Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, prohibiting the entry of Chinese workers for 10 years and barring them from naturalization. This development led many sojourners already in the country to reconsider their plans for working in the US. However, the act specifically allowed those classified as merchants to bring their families over from China. Being a grocer was an occupation classified as a merchant. And thus, from 1903 to 1925, that was the job of choice for over half of the Chinese immigrants of the Mississippi Delta. Story continues Grocery stores also provided the Chinese immigrants a unique opportunity to create a space for themselves in a segregated society. By the early 1900s, cotton production was becoming increasingly mechanized. This process reduced the need for the labor of Black sharecroppers on the plantations, which led the plantation owners to close the facilities theyd used to keep the sharecroppers tied to the land they worked. Specifically, the plantation-owned and -operated commissaries, which had been the sharecroppers main source of food, clothes, and farming supplies. Meanwhile, white-owned grocery stores were often unwilling to serve Black customers. Chinese grocers, by virtue of having the same hostility shown to them in white neighborhoods, opened their stores in Black neighborhoods in the towns of the Mississippi Delta. At first glance, the Chinese grocery store simply fulfilled the need for a supplier of essential goods for the Black community. However, the relationship deepened over a shared experience of discrimination under segregation. Chinese grocers were well acquainted with the treatment people classified as colored received, and were on the whole, friendlier to their Black customers than white grocers. For instance, they didnt require deferential acts of courtesy often demanded by white business owners. Chinese grocery stores also lent themselves to being spaces for passing the time and chatting with other members of the community. Universal History Archive / Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images In fact, these grocery stores became a rare hub of racial integration in the South. In towns like Yazoo City, white land and business owners would visit the grocery store to hire hands. And working-class white customers would be able to inhabit the same space, at the same time, as Black customers. By virtue of not having a defined place in the Jim Crow system, Chinese immigrants inadvertently created a space that, at least temporarily, existed outside its strict rules of separation. But Black and Chinese relations went further than mere coexistence. Chinese grocers assisted Black customers with Social Security forms and, on occasion, posting bond. Bonnie C. Lew, who was second generation and whose family moved to the Mississippi Delta in the 1950s, recalled that her mother would sign over a million welfare checks for illiterate customers for a dime each signature. Chinese grocers also extended credit more frequently than white-owned stores did, which gave Black workers a cushion against an unfavorable employment market. And thus, over the course of the early 20th century, Chinese immigrants gained the trust of and became intertwined with the Black community in Mississippi. As a natural consequence of the deepening relationship between the two groups, interracial couples emerged an uncommon but significant development under the rule of Jim Crow. The trend of sojourning meant that the majority of Chinese immigrants in the south were male, with as many as eight per every female in some decades. Some men, even those with families and wives back in China, started relationships with Black women; however, they never amounted to more than 20% of the Chinese population in Mississippi at any time. Interracial children among these couples were even rarer, amounting to less than 5% of the Chinese population by 1946. However, the relationship between the Black and Chinese communities never deepened any further after the 1920s. In fact, the opposite occurred and the Chinese people of the Mississippi Delta would make it an informal rule to create as much distance from their Black neighbors as possible. The sudden turn from integration wasnt the result of any incidents of animosity; rather, it was a development demanded by white society. In return for shunning ties to the Black community, the white community was prepared to reclassify Chinese Americans in the racial hierarchy of Jim Crow. For much of the period before World War II, the white community had been content to group Chinese immigrants with the Black community and flat out ignore that their Chinese ethnicity existed. For context, the Chinese population was tiny , with Mississippi the state with the largest concentration of Chinese immigrants in the South only counting 174 in 1910 and 211 in 1920 in its census. And they were mainly based in the towns of Washington, Coahoma, and Bolivar Counties. Ah Quon McElrath, a retired labor organizer and second generation, demonstrated the invisibility Chinese Americans experienced as she recalled an incident from her time working in the South during the 1930s: I remember going to see the sheriff in Green County, and there are two Black women, three Black men with me, and we told them what we were about. He just couldnt make out what I was. He looked at me. Im not white, Im not Black, so what the hell am I? And so when I said I was from Hawaii, oh, that broke the ice. Youre a hula-hula girl, he said. But as invisible as the Chinese immigrants were, they werent exempt from the brutalities and injustices of the racist system they lived under. They were routinely subjected to unfair wages, race-based taxes, race-based lynching, and general treatment as disposable labor. The white community also barred Chinese immigrants from social organizations, country clubs, fraternal groups, recreational activities, and, most importantly, white public schools. By the 1920s, the policy of exclusion had become an exigent problem for Chinese grocers who managed to bring their families over from China. Due to their grouping in the colored caste of the Jim Crow system, Chinese children were forced to attend whatever schools existed for Black children. Despite the logic of separate but equal, established by Plessy v. Ferguson, requiring that the separate facilities be comparative in quality, the reality was that colored public schools just didnt exist. Bettmann / Bettmann Archive Before the 1930s, the education of Black children was handled informally and most of it was funded by private contributions. Even when public schools for Black children were opened, starting in 1935, they received paltry funding from the state. In 1941, Bolivar County spent $238,161 for the education of 6,216 white children but only $38,765 for 35,708 Black children. Thats the kind of public education the Lum family was unwilling to accept when it started fighting what would become the Supreme Court case Lum v. Rice in 1927. Martha and Berda Lum, the daughters of two Chinese immigrants, had attended white schools until the Lum family moved to Rosedale in Bolivar County. In 1924, they were told to leave and attend the Black school in town. The Lum family brought up a case against the school districts board of trustees to keep Martha in the white school. The prosecution employed a strategy that didnt argue against the principle of segregation but rather against the lack of consideration for a third race that wasnt Black or white. When the case reached the circuit court, the Lum familys lawyers stated that Martha is not a member of the colored race nor is she of mixed blood, but that she is pure Chinese...There is no school maintained in the District for the education of children of Chinese descent. On the basis that she was neither colored nor white, there hadnt been facilities provided for her, as a Chinese person, which went against the principle of separate but equal. The circuit court was in agreement with the prosecution. The case was then appealed to the state supreme court, which overruled the previous decision by asserting that Chinese people were not white and thus had to be colored. The United States Supreme Court ultimately sided with this argument, stating, "The decision is within the discretion of the state in regulating its public schools." The ruling in Lum v. Rice empowered schools to discriminate specifically on race and would serve among other cases to block the desegregation of education until the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954. But immediately for the Chinese Americans in Mississippi, it ended any hope of carving a defined space for themselves in the Jim Crow system. They saw that there could only be a first-class white population and a second-class colored one. Some Chinese families, seeing the writing on the wall, left the Delta in search of any school that would allow exceptions. The Lum family was among them, eventually finding a school in Arkansas. For those who remained, their best means of securing the admission of their children to white schools was bending to the demands of white society. And the chief condition for that access was to cut ties with the Black community. According to David L. Cohn, author of Where I Was Born and Raised, the white community feared that if Chinese children were allowed to attend white schools, then eventually children of a Black parent and a Chinese parent would also attend. National Archives / Getty Images The strict biracial logic of Jim Crow, where someone was either Black or white, placed great emphasis on the supposed "purity" of a persons race. Just the hint of Black ancestry was considered enough to classify a person as Black. Accordingly, the admission of an interracial child meant the admission of a Black child. The Jim Crow system couldnt tolerate even a minor step toward the social acceptance of Black people in a white space. And so, white society and the Chinese community made an effort to completely eliminate interracial relationships. Leaders of the Chinese community pressured Chinese men to end their relationships with Black women and to even abandon their interracial children. Those who refused would be isolated and left with no support system. In one example, Wing On, a Chinese man, and Emma Clay, a Black woman, had 13 children and all of them were shunned by the white, Black, and Chinese communities. The ostracization they experienced would follow them no matter where they went in Mississippi or whom they married. Chinese leaders went so far as to send away a child who had only Black friends and no white ones. In other cases, more coercive measures were used to force interracial families to leave the region. Grocers would conspire with a wholesaler to drop a grocery belonging to an interracial family. That family cut off from supplier, money lenders, and people to talk to would eventually have to leave. Another interracial couple in Cleveland, Joe Chow and Hazel Taylor, married in 1933 and were harassed by police. When their child was born, Hazel notably started working at a second grocery in Greenville while Joe remained in Cleveland. The couple eventually left the state after one of their shops burned down. By the 1940s, there were no more formal or informal marriages between Black and Chinese Americans in Cleveland. At the same time, new laws were passed to allow Chinese children to attend white schools. Anti-Chinese sentiment in the region cooled, as it did across the nation as a result of the alliance between the US and China in World War II. But an improving image among the white community in Mississippi constantly required further distancing from the Black community. And white institutions still rigorously divided Chinese Americans into categories of pure and mixed. From then on, the Chinese community strove to erase any evidence of past interactions with the Black neighbors they lived with. Children were given lessons on correct grammar and enunciation to train them out of accents theyd picked up from Black friends. Instead, white customs were adopted enthusiastically. Mealtime would feature buffet lines with fried chicken and potato chips. Traditional Southern white names like Coleman and Patricia were used. And if Chinese children werent allowed into white schools, theyd be educated at home or work in the grocery. Theyd be made to do anything but attend Black schools. For their efforts, Chinese Americans were admitted into more and more white institutions and given a special status in white society one carefully extended only to those considered "pure." Following the end of segregation, Chinese Americans in the Mississippi Delta were nearly equal in status to white Americans. Eric Schwab / AFP via Getty Images Just as Chinese efforts to assimilate into white society helped the Chinese population gain access to white social resources, so did they play into white societys objective to reinforce white supremacy over Black Americans. One notable trend the white community latched onto was the control the Chinese community exerted on its youngest members in discouraging them from associating with Black Americans. This was a source of pride that was used to emphasize the low delinquency rate among Chinese Americans. The white community parroted them and spoke as well of the success of the Chinese community, tying a vague metric of crime to a pattern of interactions with Black people. Here we find the origins of the model minority myth. Even though the basis of Chinese American success was entirely tied to how well they served white interests, white society still touted it to deliberately downplay the role racism had on the systemic issues facing non-white minority groups, particularly Black Americans. The white community could claim that whereas Black Americans struggled, Chinese Americans thrived. It created the deceiving perception that the issues were the fault of Black Americans, not decades of segregation and discriminatory policies. Whats particularly ironic about this is how contrary it is to the material reality facing the Chinese community of the Mississippi Delta. In estimates within the community, the population peaked at around 2,500 in the 1970s and shrunk down to around 500 in 2017. Their economic prospects as grocers declined during that time as they lost the special niche they filled in the Black community. More grocery stores, especially large chain stores, opened up in the area, which took away many Black customers. Families packed up and left to find new economic opportunities. Meanwhile, children left to other parts of the country for higher education, not content to inherit the old grocery store from their parents. As a result, the Chinese community in the Mississippi Delta is almost gone, even as Asian Americans as a whole are the fastest-growing demographic in the South. Oscar Wong / Getty Images The way the Chinese community in this region pursued the acceptance of the white community can certainly come across as morally repugnant. And the fact that white society was so fixated on preventing interracial relationships can be taken as a sign that solidarity between Chinese and Black Americans had the potential to unhinge the logic of segregation. And even when Chinese Americans challenged the system, they did so with the aim of being recognized by it. We who have the benefit of hindsight can fault them for abetting segregation, but we also have to keep in mind the difficult circumstances they found themselves in. Chinese Americans occupied a special place in the Jim Crow system in the region. It was both the cause of their economic success and the obstacle to bettering their lives. It could be said that they were a group that could only have existed in this unique time and place. Of course, the greatest irony about their story is that while they strictly observed Jim Crow, Jim Crow would never actually recognize them for who they were. Looking for more AAPI-centered content? Check out our APAHM posts here This story has been updated to include comments from Lebanon's city attorney and lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio. Lebanon has agreed to amend sections of its abortion ban ordinance and not to enforce parts of the ban, a Thursday court filing shows. The city north of Cincinnati has agreed not to enforce the sections of the ordinance that prohibit providing transportation, instructions or money for an abortion, a "stipulation" filed in federal court Thursday shows. The city also will not enforce the section that makes it illegal to provide abortion doula services. Mark Lee Dickson, the executive director of Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn, said in a statement Thursday night Lebanon's abortion ban remains in effect and will be enforced and vigorously defended." "The city council will be strengthening and expanding the ordinance in the coming weeks," Dickson said. Lebanon, a city of 20,841, last May became the first in Ohio to ban abortions. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio and Democracy Forward filed a lawsuit on May 11 over the ordinance, which makes it illegal to provide or aid an abortion within city limits, including providing money, transportation or instructions for an abortion. Violating the ban is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. There are no abortion clinics in Lebanon. A rally to protest Lebanon's abortion ban was held May 24 outside Lebanon City Hall, organized by Planned Parenthood of Ohio, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, Women Have Options and the Warren County Democratic Party. City Manager Scott Brunka told The Enquirer on Tuesday that no one has been fined under the ordinance since it was passed. The ACLU claimed Lebanon's ordinance is too vague and sweeping and violates residents' rights to due process and free speech. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the National Association of Social Workers and Women Have Options, an Ohio organization that provides money, transportation, housing and other support to people seeking abortions. The ordinance makes it illegal to coerce a pregnant mother to have an abortion against her will and to possess or distribute abortion-inducing drugs in Lebanon. These sections can still be enforced. Story continues The ACLU of Ohio said in its release that the lawsuit will continue "until peoples rights are fully protected." "We will remain vigilant and monitor how Lebanon attempts to address the ways in which its extreme abortion ban violates the U.S. and Ohio constitutions," Celina Coming, ACLU of Ohio communications director, said in the released. Lebanon City Attorney Mark Yurick said the city will not enforce the ordinance against the plaintiffs while the city tries to clarify particular sections of the ordinance. The stipulation is written broadly enough that it should apply to the plaintiffs as well as many groups of people related to them. So functionally most people in Lebanon, if not all of them, Elena Thompson, an ACLU of Ohio lawyer, said. However, in theory the ordinance could still be enforced against people who violate it and are not associated with Women Have Options or the National Association of Social Workers, according to Jessie Hill, another lawyer with the ACLU of Ohio. Yurick said enforcement would depend on whether a person's help or guidance for someone seeking an abortion was protected by the First Amendment. A Supreme Court opinion draft by Associate Justice Samuel Alito leaked in early May suggests the court is considering overturning Roe v. Wade, which stood for decades as the legal precedent granting abortion access in the United States. Erin Glynn is the watchdog reporter for Butler, Warren and Clermont counties through the Report For America program. The Enquirer needs local donors to help fund her grant-funded position. If you want to support Glynn's work, you can donate to her Report For America position at this website or email her editor Carl Weiser at cweiser@enquirer.com to find out how you can help fund her work. Do you know something she should know? Send her a note at eglynn@enquirer.com and follow her on Twitter at @ee_glynn. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Lebanon abortion ban to be amended in response to ACLU lawsuit Photo credit: Sebastian Steudtner A German surfer has just received a Guinness World Record for the highest wave ever surfed. Sebastian Steudtner surfed a wave of 86 feet (26.21 meters), surpassing the previous world record of 80 feet, and making history in the male category. You can watch the mind-blowing footage of Steudtner's attempt above. "I'm really proud of this achievement and of my whole team's performance," Steutdner wrote in a celebratory post on Instagram. "It was my dream since I was a kid to become a surfer and I've always stayed true to that... I hope my journey and this world record will inspire lots of others to chase their dreams as well!" Steudtner made the momentous attempt on 29 October 2020, off the coast of Praia do Norte in Nazare, Portugal, at a meet held by the World Surf League. However, his achievement has only just been ratified and made fully official by the Guinness Book of World Records, and Steudtner was presented with his award in a special ceremony at the lighthouse in Praia do Norte overlooking the water where he made history. "It feels amazing," Steudtner told Guinness World Records. "I have achieved everything there is in my sport. It has been a crazy journey to get here and the record is much more than just a number... It's a year long very physical training, working on my equipment together with my partners and improving processes with my team, especially safety and media wise." Photo credit: Sebastian Steudtner Praia do Norte, known for its waves, was also the site of Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira's record-breaking achievement in 2020. Gabeira, who was Steudtner's training partner while he was preparing for his own event, secured a world record for the highest wave surfed in the female category with a height of 73.5 feet (22.4 meters) during the inaugural Nazare Tow Surfing Challenge, beating her own previous threshold of 68 feet. You Might Also Like House Bill 306 is before the Delaware State Legislature. For the 4,500-plus Delawareans who appear on the state Sex Offender Registry the proposed legislation changes the Restrictions designation on the front of their drivers licenses from the current Y to SO. The bill retains the words Sex Offender that already appear on the back of licenses. Margaret Hawkins HB306 proposes nothing to make the public safer. Delaware driver's licenses use federally compliant standards, and law enforcement technology provides immediate knowledge of a persons registry status without relying on any specific license designation. HB306 is purely punitive. We show driver's licenses at many places, pharmacies, doctors offices and banks. Employees of such places have no need to know if someone appears on the registry. HB306 will discourage individuals from accessing important services like medical care, prescriptions and banking. HB306 simply encourages public shaming for individuals and discourages them from successful reintegration into society, a key component of preventing further offenses. Delaware should not brand individuals on the registry via their driver's licenses. Only six states do so, and only four (including Delaware) make that branding obvious to individuals who are not police officers. If HB306 is enacted, Delaware will set itself up for expensive court cases which the state is likely to lose. Since 2019, two states have been sued over this same issue and their laws were subsequently struck down as unconstitutional, with the U.S. Supreme Court refusing to hear appeals on such cases. Much of what we think we know about individuals on the registry is untrue, based on horrific but very rare cases sensationalized by the media. Stranger danger is a myth that places children at greater risk of victimization by causing the public to focus on strangers when studies show that 95% of sexual offenses are committed by someone known to the victim, often family members or trusted friends, not by persons on the registry. Per four recent studies, one by the U.S. Department of Justice and three by Delaware state agencies, less than 4% of Delawareans on the registry reoffend with another sexual offense. Clearly, the vast majority of individuals on the registry are not predators. Story continues Upon completion of their prison sentence, a Delawarean convicted of a sexual offense is placed on the registry for 15 years, 25 years, or life, based on the offense. Judges have no discretion in taking the circumstances of the offense into consideration. The stigma of the registry makes it extremely difficult for individuals to obtain housing and employment, forcing many into homelessness, joblessness and reliance on public assistance. Individuals on the registry experience homelessness at three times the rate of others, ironically making them more difficult to track, and they experience unemployment at a rate of about 36%. For those fortunate to find employment, it is often temporary, low paying and without benefits. Overzealous notification by law enforcement, in the form of in-person visits to landlords and employers, further jeopardizes housing and employment for these individuals and is not mandated by Delaware law. Delaware is third in the nation for the number of registered sex offenders per capita. That number grows daily, and also includes hundreds of children placed on the registry. We dilute the effectiveness of the registry by including so many individuals. It overwhelms the public, who may perceive predators on every corner, and does not focus resources on the offenders in their communities who may be likely to reoffend. Taxpayer dollars and law enforcement resources should focus on the rare, true predators who appear on the registry. This is what will make the public safer. Many states are reforming their sex offender registry laws, and so should we. Instead of punitive, shame-based laws that make it nearly impossible for individuals who have already been punished with prison terms to reintegrate and become productive members of society. Our laws should focus on treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration. Our focus should be on the very small population of truly dangerous predators, via extensive treatment and close monitoring. Reforming Delaware sexual offense laws will increase public safety, protect past victims from re-victimization and save taxpayer dollars. HB306 does none of these and should be opposed. Margaret Hawkins works for the Delaware Advocates for the Reform of Sexual Offense Laws. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Proposed sex offender registry legislation doesn't make state safer Former UFC fighter Icho Larenas faces a murder charge after a body was allegedly discovered in his residence. According to a report by the Montreal Gazette, police in Laval, Quebec, Canada received a 911 call at 1:55 a.m. local time Monday with a report of a home invasion. The callers were Larenas, 41, and Gladys Rosana Lopez, 50, who said they relocated to a family members house after they were robbed at the residence in Lavals St-Rose district. Police responded to the scene where they found a dead man inside the residence. After an investigation, local police turned the case over to Surete du Quebec, the provincial police, citing the alleged homicide was tied to organized crime. Le Journal de Montreal reported the victim was an initially unrecognizable 17-year-old man. They believe he was stabbed and beaten to death. The report added that Larenas and Lopez, who are married, were denied release from custody at a court appearance Wednesday. Larenas was charged with second-degree murder. Lopez was charged with being an accomplice after the fact. Larenas competed 12 times as a professional and accumulated a 6-6 record overall, including one UFC appearance. At UFC 58 in March 2006, Larenas was knocked out by Tom Murphy in the third round of their heavyweight bout. Following the defeat, Larenas returned to the Canadian regional scene and also fought in Argentina, his native country. His most recent fight was in May 2018. Netherlands-based sales agent DFW International has added romantic comedy Costa!! by Jon Karthaus, a follow-up to the 2001 Dutch cult classic Costa! by Johan Nijenhuis, to its Cannes Film Market slate. Nijenhuis latest film Yasmines Wedding has also been added to the slate. In Costa!! Anna (Abbey Hoes) and her best friend Bibi (Stephanie van Eer) travel to the Spanish coast to visit the famous Costa club where her mother Frida (Katja Schuurman) used to work only to find that it is no longer the place to be, but a run-down karaoke bar. Anna and her friends go all-out to win the battle of the bars and make Costa once again the hottest club on the strip. Costa!!, produced by Sabine Brian for NL Film, was released in the Netherlands on April 28 and has racked up 100,000 admissions. In Yasmines Wedding, produced by Ingmar Menning for Johan Nijenhuis & Co, Moroccan-Dutch Yasmine (Soumaya Ahouaoui) is torn between her own ambitions as a successful lawyer and her familys expectation of her to find a good man to marry. Dutch FilmWorks will release the film, written by Mina El Hannaoui and Jelle Posthuma, in Dutch cinemas on June 2. Costa!! is this years perfect sunny cinema escape, said Charlotte Henskens, director international sales, adding that Yasmines Wedding taps into the experiences of many young women whose parents or grandparents left their homeland to start a new future in the global West. In addition, DFWs love drama Sea of Time by Theu Boermans, based on the book Un Enfant de la Mer by Lucie Hubert, starring father and son Gijs and Reinout Scholten van Aschat, playing the same role 35 years apart; and Pim van Hoeves family film Ninjas Down the Street, a sequel to Pirates Down the Street (2020), will also have their market premieres at Cannes. Teenage drama-comedy Bittersweet Sixteen, written and co-directed by 15-year-old Anna Verheyen and Silverstar, about a young girl and her horse, directed by Diede in t Veld, are also part of the DFW Cannes slate. Story continues DFW International is the global sales division of distributor Dutch FilmWorks. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto ORourke spoke at a pro-gun control rally outside the National Rifle Association (NRA) convention on Friday, where he urged NRA supporters and the protesters to not see each other as the enemy. To those who are attending the NRA convention across the street, you are not our enemies. We are not yours, ORourke said. The NRA has been facing backlash for hosting its convention in Texas after a deadly elementary school shooting on Tuesday in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 children and two teachers. Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) pulled out of his scheduled appearance at the event after many, including ORourke, said it would be insensitive for him to go. We are extending our hand open and unarmed in a gesture of peace and fellowship to welcome you to join us, to make sure this no longer happens in this country, ORourke said at the protest across the street from the convention. ORourke and other Democrats re-upped calls for stricter gun control since the Texas school shooting and shooting at supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, N.Y., that killed 10 people earlier this month. The former presidential candidate made headlines earlier this week when he approached Abbott during a press conference in Uvalde on the shooting. You are doing nothing, ORourke said, addressing Abbott. You said this was not predictable, this was totally predictable, and you choose not to do anything. The shootings have spurred talks in the Senate about potential gun control measures, and Republicans in the upper chamber have appeared open to discussions. However, it is uncertain if legislation will pass as a result of the talks. The time for you to respond and join us is now. We cannot wait any longer for you. Those who will be the victims of the next mass shooting unless we act are counting on us at this moment so please join us now or be left behind, ORourke said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. KIEL - Authorities on Friday investigated a fourth bomb threat against the Kiel School District office and Kiel Middle School, according to Kiel Police Chief Dave Funkhouser. Meanwhile, media reports say that the district sent a letter to parents saying school buildings will remain closed for the rest of the year. According to these reports, all end-of-year concerts are canceled, and students will spend the rest of the school year which ends on June 3 in virtual learning. Friday's search was in response to a emailed threat received by police at around 6:51 a.m. Friday. This email referred to an ongoing sexual harassment investigation in the district and was sent to "members of the media, a school staff member, and others not affiliated with our school district," Funkhouser said. Both buildings were vacant and searched by members of the police and fire departments. No devices were located, and the building was cleared, Funkhouser said. He also said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Wisconsin Department of Justice have been assisting local police since Monday in finding the source of the threats. 'There is no measure of darkness, only the absence of light' Funkhouser also thanked the people of Kiel in a Wednesday Facebook post for assisting police with investigating the first bomb threat on Monday. "The City staff ... the Kiel Fire Department, Kiel EMS, the staff at the Kiel Schools, local citizens, business owners (HUI especially), church groups, and so many more people stepped up to help each other and protect our kids," he said. "Overall, I am thankful to everyone who stepped up and helped out. I am truly grateful." He ended his post by encouraging Kiel residents to think before they speak, saying, "There is no measure of darkness, only the absence of light ... Its dark in our city right now, but each of us can be the light in our own way." Many comments on the post expressed gratitude to Funkhouser, the police department, and the organizations that Funkhouser named, as well as to the community in general. Story continues Threats affect wider Kiel community; school board to enter special sessions Other organizations in Kiel, a city of around 4,000 people, have responded to the bomb threats. On police recommendation, the Kiel School Board moved its meeting to an online session on Wednesday. The city of Kiel has also canceled its Memorial Day parade. On Funkhouser's recommendation, Trinity Lutheran School in Kiel has canceled its last day of school and postponed its graduation service and end-of-year school picnic, according to a Facebook post from the church Thursday. The Kiel School Board was scheduled to convene two special sessions at 11:45 a.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday. Friday's agenda states that the board will go into a closed session. The sexual harassment case stems from a complaint against three eighth-graders using another student's incorrect pronouns. The three students' parents, who are represented by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, have asked the school to drop the complaint. WILL condemned the bomb threats via Twitter on Monday. More: How does Title IX apply to gender identity? Kiel school case raises the question Contact Rebecca Loroff at rloroff@gannett.com or 920-907-7801. This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Kiel police investigate 4th bomb threat at Kiel Middle School Army veteran and VFW Post 168 Commander Josh Denton stands at the huge anchor in Prescott Park in the area where the Burial at Sea will be held on Friday morning in Portsmouth. PORTSMOUTH The city of Portsmouth will host what City Councilor and U.S. Army veteran Josh Denton described as a weekend full of events to honor the men and women who died while serving their country. Denton, who served in Iraq from 2006 to 2007, and is now the commander of VFW Post 168, said the Memorial Day weekend events are aimed at encouraging people to stop and pay tribute to those who died in the line of duty. Its always great to see whoever makes time to come to any of these events, Denton said during an interview Monday. Even if its people just out enjoying a three-day weekend who stop to see the parade, its great to see new faces participating one way or the other. Memorial Day: HCeremonies around the Seacoast Denton wears a bracelet in honor of his former gunner, Jonathan Hartman Jr, who died on Nov. 30, 2006 while serving in Iraq. It was his third deployment. He was killed while Ill was on leave, Denton said. I think about him often, more so on Memorial Day. Portsmouths events to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice like Hartman will begin on Friday at 10:30 a.m. with the annual Burial at Sea event. The event honors men and women who were lost at sea while serving their country, Denton said. It will be held by the anchor in Prescott Park near the banks of the Piscataqua River. More: Portsmouth North End project calls for 19 large apartments, more. Here's what happens next. It also honors the civilians who were lost at sea while working for the military, Denton said. Denton will serve as moderator for the event, which will also feature a speech by Mayor Deaglan McEachern. Members of the Portsmouth Middle School Chamber Orchestra are also scheduled to perform. Then on Saturday at 10 a.m., a number of Little Harbor School student volunteers are slated to put American flags at the graves of veterans in the South Street Cemetery, Denton said. Army veteran and VFW Post 168 Commander Josh Denton stands in Prescott Park in the area where the Memorial at Sea will be held on Friday morning in Portsmouth. Any community members interested in helping the students can meet at 10 a.m. where Richards Avenue crosses over to the cemetery, Denton said. Story continues Then on Monday, the citys Memorial Day parade returns after a two-year absence because of COVID-19, according to Denton, who said the parade will step off at 1 p.m. from the intersection of Parrott and Junkins avenues. It will eventually make its way through Market Square to Middle Street, up Richards Avenue and into the South Street Cemetery, Denton said. Veterans in the parade will be joined by a variety of groups and people including the Police Department motorcade and color guard, elected officials, the Portsmouth High School band, Portsmouth Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, along with Camila Sacco, of Portsmouth, Miss New Hampshire USA 2022, Denton said. There will be a ceremony at 2 p.m. near the pond at the cemetery, which will feature a keynote speech by Commander Samuel Bell, the captain of the USS Cheyenne, which is docked at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Mayor McEachern will also speak, Denton said. Following that ceremony, the Portsmouth VFW will host a cookout for veterans and community members from 3 to 5 p.m. at Prescott Park, he said. Typically after the parade there has been a small cookout at the City Hall parking lot, but the VFW decided to host the cookout and serve free hamburgers and hot dogs at Prescott Park in hopes of drawing more people to the event, Denton said. The equipment were going to be grilling on is all commercial grade and Prescott Park is so beautiful that people would much rather spend an hour or two there than in a parking lot, Denton said. It also will remind the public that its Memorial Day and its a day to honor those we lost. Denton stressed that the events are not rain or shine. Should there be sustained inclement weather, the Burial at Sea event scheduled for Friday will be held at the American Legion Post instead. The same is true for the parade on Monday if its raining hard on Monday. In that event, the parade would be canceled but the ceremony will be held at the American Legion off Islington Street, Denton said. Check the city website for any updates. Reached Monday, McEachern stated that because fewer people are now serving in the military, its probably more important to remind everybody about the price of freedom and the cost that so many of our men and women in the military have paid to keep us safe. Sometimes I think that everybody can fall victim to taking anything for granted, he said. The city certainly would welcome your presence at any of these events. Its so important to remember those who served in our Armed Forces and didnt make it back home, McEachern added. We enjoy the lives we enjoy because of the service and sacrifice of others. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth NH to host full weekend of Memorial Day events The Dover City Council plans to legally challenge the redistricting plan outlined in the states House Bill 50, which placed Ward 4 in a floterial district with the towns of Madbury, Lee, and Durham, leaving Dover without its own representative for that ward. DOVER The City Council plans to legally challenge the redistricting plan outlined in the states House Bill 50, which placed Ward 4 in a floterial district with the towns of Madbury, Lee, and Durham, leaving Dover without its own representative for that ward. The City Council held a workshop Wednesday to discuss what this means for Dover, and what steps the city could take to fight the redistricting process. Residents spoke in favor of fighting for Ward 4 representation, with many calling for the city to stand up to the legislature to maintain Ward 4s voice. Rep. Thomas Southworth, who represents Dover Wards 3 and 4 under Legislative District 20, said that whats really at stake is the level of representation for these wards for the next 10 years, as a result of an attempt to keep one party in power for the next decade. There will be limited checks or balances and minimal accountability, because the voters will be skewed by the gerrymandering, Southworth said. These changes in our voting system do not bode well for Dover, for New Hampshire or for the United States. This plan is unfair to Ward 4 voters. Later that night, the Council voted to recess into a non-public executive session to discuss the legality of challenging the plan with the city attorney. When executive session ended, City Councilor Debra Hackett motioned the council to direct City Manager Michael Joyal to pursue legal action regarding the constitutionality of the New Hampshire House redistricting plan and its impact on Ward 4. It was a 7-1 vote in favor of legally challenging the plan. Councilor Fergus Cullen voted against taking legal action. What does this redistricting mean for Dover? The legislative redistricting legislation, House Bill 50, was signed into law by Gov. Chris Sununu on March 23. House Bill 50 groups Dovers Ward 4 residents into two districts, both combined with other towns. This leaves Ward 4 with potentially diluted representation in the House of Representatives. Story continues The Council discussed the legislative redistricting legislation following a presentation by City Attorney Joshua Wyatt, who explained that there have been some examples of cities who have succeeded and others who have failed in similar challenges. Wyatt explained that as it stands now, there would be one dedicated district for Wards 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 (House District Nos. 13-18) with one House representative; one multi-ward floterial district for these same wards to elect three House representatives (House District No. 21); one multi-town district consisting of Dover Ward 4, Lee, and Madbury to elect three House representatives (House District No. 11); and one floterial district consisting of Dover Ward 4, Durham, Lee, and Madbury to elect one House representative (House District No. 20). Several councilors expressed concerns with this redistricting plan. Hackett vouched that the city should pursue the lawsuit so Ward 4 maintains its voice and representation. She said that the lines in the budget impacted by state-level decisions, like the $2 million reduction in state taxes for schools and other issues, are a reminder of how important having a voice is. Not giving us the kind of representation that we deserve could, perhaps, put us in a situation where we can't impact that decision-making, Hackett said. I think it's essential that we keep our identity and that we keep our representation. As of press time, the city of Dover has not filed a lawsuit regarding the redistricting legislation, according to the city. Wyatt said during the meeting that Dover is the only community hes currently aware of that intends to file a suit. History on some of Dover's wards: Some Dover neighborhoods are growing faster than others. Here's why it matters. What some residents had to say School Board member Michela Demeter told the council that Dover needs to send a clear message that it will not be OK with any lack of representation. To proceed without having representation in Ward 4 would set a really dangerous precedent and a precedent that I think Dover residents and the city of Dover should not set, Demeter said. Resident Jim Verschueren said that standing up against the redistricting plan would set a precedent. We cant make a difference in Washington, but we can make a difference here in Dover. And even if we lose, the statement has been made, the case has been made and we keep this issue alive, Verschueren said. This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover Council to challenge New Hampshire redistricting plan Mick Roelandts, firearms reform project manager for the New South Wales Police, looks at a pile of 4,500 firearms handed in under Australia's gun buyback plan in July, 1997. David Gray/Reuters Two teachers and 19 children were killed on Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Some countries have figured out how to curb gun violence through targeted strategies. Efforts in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom may all offer insight. On Tuesday, May 24, 2022, an 18-year-old gunman killed 21 people 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The Texas shooting happened just 10 days after a gunman opened fire at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing 10 in what authorities are calling "a racially motivated hate crime." The US has had 214 mass shootings so far in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that tracks shootings in the US. As shootings like these continue in the US, so do questions about gun control. Americans who fear their town or city could be the site of the next attack wonder what strategies the US could take to reduce gun violence. No country has the same political structure or history with firearms as the US, but several have taken steps that have worked for them. Here are some insights from other nations into how gun violence could be reduced: Australia paid citizens to sell their guns to the government. David Gray/Reuters A spate of violence in the 1980s and '90s that culminated in a 1996 shooting that left 35 dead led Australian Prime Minister John Howard to convene an assembly to devise gun-control strategies. The group landed on a massive buyback program, costing hundreds of millions of dollars offset by a one-time tax increase, that bought and destroyed more than 600,000 automatic and semiautomatic weapons and pump-action shotguns. Over the next few years, gun-death totals were cut nearly in half. Firearm suicides dropped to 0.8 per 100,000 people in 2006 from 2.2 in 1995, while firearm homicides dropped to 0.15 per 100,000 people in 2006 from 0.37 in 1995. A US buyback would mean destroying more than 40 million guns but at the state level, the undertaking might not be so massive. Story continues Japan puts citizens through a rigorous set of tests before they can own a gun. Eric Talmadge/AP Images Japan, which has strict laws for obtaining firearms, seldom has more than 10 shooting deaths a year in a population of 127 million people. If Japanese people want to own a gun, they must attend an all-day class, pass a written test, and achieve at least 95% accuracy during a shooting-range test. Then they have to pass a mental-health evaluation at a hospital, as well as a background check, in which the government digs into any criminal records or ties and interviews friends and family members. Finally, they can buy only shotguns and air rifles no handguns and must retake the class and the initial exam every three years. Norway exemplifies the power of social cohesion and trust. Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters Compared with the US, Norway has about one-third of the number of guns per 100 civilians and about one-tenth of the rate of gun deaths per 100,000 people. Sociologists who study the Nordic model have found that social cohesion between citizens and the government goes a long way toward ensuring a (mostly) peaceful society. For example, an analysis in 2015 found that the number of fatal shootings by police in Norway in the past nine years was less than the number of fatal shootings by US police officers in one day. Gummi Oddsson, a cross-cultural sociologist from Northern Michigan University, has found that Nordic governments go to great lengths to build trust in local communities. He told Business Insider that US states could look to strengthen a sense of trust through measures like community policing, a tactic that emphasizes partnership between law enforcement and communities. The thinking goes that people will begin to feel safer around the police, who will then have a better understanding of the neighborhood and be able to address problems before they happen. The United Kingdom took a multipronged approach. Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable, John O'Hare, poses with guns from a previously held firearms surrender, at the launch of the new North West firearms surrender initiative, at Police Headquarters in Manchester, Britain April 4, 2016. Reuters/Andrew Yates The UK's approach combines elements from Norway, Australia, and Japan's policies. Around when Australia adopted its gun regulations, UK Parliament passed legislation banning private ownership of handguns in Britain and banned pump-action firearms throughout the UK. It also required shotgun owners to register their weapons. A $200 million buyback program led to the government's purchase of 162,000 guns and 700 tons of ammunition from citizens. GunPolicy.org estimates that in 2010 there were 3.78 guns per 100 people in the UK, while the US is estimated to have 101 guns per 100 people. The result has been roughly 50 to 60 gun deaths a year in England and Wales, which have a population of 56 million. Compare that to the US, a country about six times as large that has more than 160 times as many gun-related homicides. New Zealand is instituting a policy similar to Australia's. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern holds a press conference after the Christchurch shootings, March 2019. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images Most recently, New Zealand has instituted a ban on most semi-automatic rifles after a mass shooting in Christchurch left 51 people dead and dozens more injured in March 2019. The gunman, a self-professed white supremacist, targeted two mosques during a Friday prayer with semi-automatic weapons. "On 15 March our history changed forever. Now, our laws will too," New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a press conference. "We are announcing action today on behalf of all New Zealanders to strengthen our gun laws and make our country a safer place." Six days after the attack, Prime Minister Ardern announced the ban. Around 10% of guns had been collected as of September 12, according to The New Zealand Herald; over 12,000 people handed in almost 20,000 firearms and 75,000 parts, with the equivalent of about $23 million US dollars paid out. As of November 10, 36,000 weapons and 132,000 parts had been collected, according to the Associated Press. Experts say a nationwide ban on assault weapons wouldn't work in the US due to the influential gun lobby, which has helped to strike down other gun control legislation. "They don't have an NRA," Gregory Koger, a University of Miami political science professor, told Insider. "There's no organization of gun owners and gun companies that systematically and persistently opposes regulations of guns." On November 11, New Zealand proposed a ban on criminals being in even the proximity of guns, for example at home, at work, or in a vehicle. According to the Associated Press, this ban would permit warrantless searches by police and has potential human rights conflicts. The proposed ban "raises questions about other human rights enshrined in New Zealand law, including the freedom to associate with other people and the right to be presumed innocent," Nick Perry reported for the Associated Press. Read the original article on Business Insider Navy sailor Phoenix Castanon, 19, and his fiancee Ash Rodriguez. Phoenix Castanon, a Navy sailor originally from a town in Apache County, Arizona, wanted a country-themed wedding in April 2024 because he hated cold weather. His fiancee, Ash Rodriguez, remembers the day he told her she was "the one." She was a little bit in her head that day as they drove around town something he noticed right away. So, he pulled the car over and told her that she was the one he wanted to be with. It kind of just went from there, Rodriguez told The Arizona Republic. The couple met on Tinder in September 2021 and had spent every waking moment since together, Rodriguez said. They had planned on settling down in Illinois or Wisconsin, but had not had a chance to discuss it further. Castanon was shot and killed early on the morning of May 8 in West Allis, Wisconsin. He was believed to be around women he knew at the time of shooting. 'Goofy, kind and selfless' One of Rodriguez's favorite memories of Castanon was the first time he met her 3-year-old daughter. She liked him from the moment she saw him. She had her days where she couldn't stand him, but she loved him, Rodriguez said of her daughter. Once you really got to know him, he was the kindest person ever, Rodriguez said. I used to call him a big teddy bear because he would put on this front of Mr. Big and Bad but he was actually goofy, kind and selfless," Rodriguez said. "He was always there to help, whether he knew you or not. If he felt the need to step in, he would. They had planned on spending forever with each other, but Rodriguez said she is happy she got to be with him for as long as she did. Castanons demeanor was always smiles and sunshine" even on his darkest days. He didn't want people to cry or be sad," Rodriguez said. "He wanted people to make jokes, to laugh and to remember him for who he was. Castanon grew up in Eagar, Arizona. He was close to graduating from Navy technical school, U.S. Navy spokesperson Matthew Mogle told The Republic. His career as an assessment sailor began in November 2020, Mogle said. Story continues What police say happened On May 8, West Allis police received several 911 calls about a man shot in the area of 84th Street and Becher Street around 2:41 a.m., according to a statement shared on the police department's Facebook page. Castanon was found by officers in the road with a gunshot wound. He was given medical attention, but he died on scene, West Allis police said. Preliminary information collected by officers indicated that Castanon was with some women he knew. One of the women was walking along 84th Street when she was approached by an unknown man driving a vehicle, police said. The man spoke to the woman, scaring her. She then ran to Castanons car. Castanon exited the car and approached the man. The two spoke before the man fired his gun at Castanon, police said. Police continue to investigate and search for the suspect, who was described as a Black man with short dreadlocks between 5 feet, 7 inches and 5 feet, 11 inches tall, police said. West Allis police released surveillance photos of a dark-colored SUV believed to be involved in the death Navy sailor Phoenix Castanon. On May 12, police provided surveillance photos of a dark-colored SUV believed to be involved in the shooting. Police are asking anyone with information about the vehicle and its owner to contact the West Allis Police Department. Anyone with information regarding the vehicle should contact the WAPD Crime Analyst at 414-302-8075 or njohnson@westalliswi.gov. Reach breaking news reporter Amaris Encinas at amaris.encinas@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @amarisencinas. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Navy sailor from Arizona killed in Wisconsin shooting A group of GOP senators on Thursday sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to express their concern about the proposed acquisition of Forbes by an entity they say is linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In the letter, the senators urged Yellen to investigate Hong Kong-based Magnum Opus Acquisition Limiteds acquisition of the company, citing Chinas deliberately vague patchwork of intelligence, national security, and cybersecurity laws that they said compel companies to support and cooperate with the governments intelligence work. Not only is Magnum Opus domiciled within the jurisdiction of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), but the seed money for Magnum Opus came directly from Chinas sovereign wealth fund, the Chinese Investment Corporation (CIC), they wrote. The senators alleged that the CCP has a clear intent to wield the Forbes brand and quoted a proxy statement from Magnum Opus saying if it acquires the company, Forbes could be subject to oversight and discretion of [Peoples Republic of China] governmental authorities, which could seek to intervene or influence its business operations at any time that the government deems appropriate to further their regulatory, political, and societal goals. The letter was signed by Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas.). Forbes is a recognizable American brand with immense propaganda value to the CCP. Additionally, the CCPs direction of Forbes editorial content and business operations, or its access to Forbes financial and personal research, could present a serious national security threat to the United States, the senators wrote in their letter. As members of the Intelligence, Judiciary, Banking, and Finance Committees, we view proposed transactions like this one as a compelling reason for increased oversight of the CCPs predatory economic behavior in American markets, the senators added. We urge you to take the necessary steps to thoroughly review the circumstances and potential consequences of this deal. Magnum Opus and Forbes announced in August that they had entered into a merger agreement, through which Forbes would become a public company. The companies said at the time that they expected the deal to close in late 2021 or early 2022. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council via videoconference on May 27, 2022. (Kremlin) Negotiations are actively underway on a full-fledged free trade agreement between the EAEU and Iran, Putin said. MOSCOW, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russia supports the initiative to extend an interim free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran until a new deal is reached. Negotiations are actively underway on a full-fledged free trade agreement between the EAEU and Iran to replace the current temporary pact of 2018, Putin said during an online meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the economic block's highest governing body. Thanks to the current agreement, the EAEU-Iran trade turnover increased by 73.5 percent to 5 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, he noted. "Despite the confrontation unleashed by the so-called collective West ... it is quite obvious to all of us that many foreign partners have shown growing interest in the activities of the EAEU," Putin said. He said that Russia considers it appropriate to intensify the negotiations on a free trade agreement with Egypt, start similar talks with Indonesia, and study the possibility of a preferential trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates. Established in 2015, the EAEU is a regional bloc consisting of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and Armenia, which seeks to optimize the flow of goods and services among its members. Friday's meeting was also attended by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev via video link. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema quickly ruled out weakening the filibuster to pass gun safety legislation. Now its up to their Republican colleagues to prove to the centrist pair that theres any middle ground. The West Virginia and Arizona Democrats dismissal of a partisan approach, along with Sen. Chris Murphy's (D-Conn.) lobbying against a failed vote on Democrats-only legislation, has forced Republicans to the table on guns. Whether its enough for the GOP to agree to even the most modest response to the murder of 19 children and two teachers in Texas is another question altogether. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said that Sinema and Manchins enduring opposition to gutting the 60-vote threshold pushes the bipartisan discussions, I think, harder. Theyre actually saving the Senate from itself, said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who wants to review Manchins background checks expansion legislation. Ive told him, Look, Joe, Im more than willing to visit with you on these issues if we could do something that could actually work and stand the test of time. Bipartisan bids to legislate on guns failed repeatedly in the past decade, mostly due to GOP opposition to stricter gun laws. But Republicans acknowledge that because Manchin and Sinema preserved the filibuster, they need to at least listen to Democrats who are desperate for an agreement to reduce gun violence. Manchin and Sinema insisted on working with Republicans to pursue last years infrastructure law, which resulted in a rare big bipartisan triumph. But since then, progressives have criticized Manchin and Sinema for their opposition to changing Senate rules to pass election reform, and Manchins own efforts to attract Republicans to back voting legislation came up empty. And firearms are even more of a third rail issue in the Republican Party. Just two GOP senators remain in office who supported the Manchin-Toomey background checks expansion in 2013: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, both of whom are part of the new bipartisan group. Still, more potential supporters could be emerging. Story continues I salute them for having the presence of mind to retain the institution of the Senate, said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) of Manchin and Sinema. Manchin-Toomey has a lot of appealing features and red flags make a lot of sense. I have to look at the final bill, but the answer is I am inclined to vote for that kind of legislation. Sinema and Manchin participated in a bipartisan meeting on guns Thursday, along with Murphy, Collins and Toomey, as well as Sens. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.),and Bill Cassidy (R-La.). Separately, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) met Murphy to touch gloves. Among the ideas on the table are a narrow expansion of background checks, as well as legislation that would offer grants to states that pursue so-called red flag laws, under which law enforcement officials can petition a court to confiscate weapons from individuals considered threats to themselves and others. The red flag proposal is more popular among Republicans than background check expansion. Still, Manchin said that the energy in the Senate feels different than a decade ago, when he first devoted himself to extending background checks to gun shows and internet transactions after a shooter killed 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. Ive never been more encouraged by more activity from my Republican colleagues and Democrat colleagues, Manchin said. I can remember after Sandy Hook, I didnt have anybody coming to the table. Since the start of the 50-50 Senate, Republicans have gone out of their way to praise the two moderate Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell even told his conference to do so during a private meeting last year. And the Republican praise for Manchin only grew louder after he squashed President Joe Bidens sweeping "Build Back Better" bill in December. Republicans helped Democrats raise the debt ceiling last year out of fear that a default might change Sinema and Manchin's minds about the filibuster. Even so, it's not at all clear that the same dynamic could push Republicans to come to an agreement with Democrats on firearm access, an issue that animates the GOP base like few others despite public support for new restrictions of some kind. I like the idea that the Senate will stay the Senate, Graham said. Ive always tried to work in this space. But Im not going to be threatened by changing the filibuster to do a certain thing. And [Sinema and Manchin] never have, to their credit. This idea that if you dont do a certain thing were going to change the filibuster, that doesnt work with me. Some of the duos fellow Democrats are also skeptical that their position on the filibuster will increase the likelihood that Republicans agree to a deal on guns. Any expectation that they've done things that Republicans like, and so Republicans owe them a debt that is naive, said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). In fact, Democrats fear Republicans are running a similar playbook to the one they've used after other mass shootings: Open the door to talks while the issue is in the national spotlight, but decline to seal the deal later on. McConnell is encouraging Cornyn to engage with Murphy, a sign that the GOP leader isn't trying to stamp out any bipartisan energy so soon after this month's horrific mass killings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas. Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), who talks to Sinema on a near-daily basis, was accordingly noncommittal. We have to at least listen to each other to see if theres a path forward where, you know, we might be able to find solutions that actually address the problem, Thune said. Theres a lot of conversations going on right now, and well see where it goes. On Thursday afternoon the Senate split, not to return until June 6. Even though conversations will continue over the recess among the senators in both parties working on the issue, there's now no chance of action while the mass killing of children is fresh in the minds of lawmakers and the public. Prosecutors charged a 17-year-old Yakima gang member with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of a 14-year-old in Shawn Marceau led a Warrior Walk through the Yakima Valley on Saturday, trekking 17 miles from his home in Harrah to Tahoma Cemetery in Yakima. 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. Parties of the opposition have criticised the government for its Wednesday decision to make certain large companies pay a part of their extra profits to a new public utility cut fund and a defence fund. The Democratic Coalition said the government was seeking to make residents pay for its ill-advised policies and reckless corruption. In a statement, the party said it was obvious that energy and telecommunications companies, banks and airlines would raise revenues to pay a new tax through raising their prices. PM Orbans new taxes will be paid by the Hungarian people, it said. Radical Mi Hazank (Our Homeland) said the government had implemented Mi Hazanks earlier proposal, but it will not impose a tax on its own oligarchs. During the coronavirus pandemic, Mi Hazank demanded a supertax to be levied on large international companies such as tech firms, large chains, pharmaceuticals and casinos. The government, however, has opted to indebt the next generations through amassing the state debt rather than levying a tax on multinationals, the party said. Pharmaceuticals and casinos associated with the oligarchs of (ruling) Fidesz have been left unaffected by the new measure, they said. LMP said it supported that companies with extra profits should take a larger part of the public burden. It said, however, that a third fund should also have been established and financed by companies making profits on polluting and fossil fuels. This fund could be used to finance insulation projects and renewable energy developments, the party said. Conservative Jobbik said in time of crisis everybody should bear the public burden. The problem is that the government allowed an opportunity for banks to transfer the costs of a special banking tax and transaction duty to customers, Jobbiks deputy leader Daniel Z. Karpat said on Facebook, adding that the new measures should not impose new burdens on families. Fidesz expects traders to pay a contribution but it will not reach into its own pockets by, for example, eliminating the VAT on basic food products, he added. Socialist Party co-leader Bertalan Toth said on Facebook that oligarchs associated with the ruling parties should not be exempted from the new windfall taxes. According to the Socialists, the new taxes should also be used to reduce taxes on wages while the VAT on basic foods should be reduced to 5% and the poorest should be given food tickets. A recent remark by an adviser to Ukraines energy minister concerning the Friendship oil pipeline are shocking and unacceptable, a foreign ministry official has said. Tamas Menczer, state secretary in charge of foreign relations, said on Facebook that he had held talks with Ukraines ambassador to Budapest, and noted that Hungary is helping everyone in need, and the advisers remark that something might happen to the pipeline were unacceptable. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Hungary has been carrying out the largest humanitarian action in its history, with some 720,000 refugees having arrived so far and everyone offered food and shelter, the state helping children to get education and parents to get work, Menczer said. The total amount of aid shipments sent to Ukraine so far stands close to 2,000 tonnes, he added. At a donor conference in Warsaw, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto presented a five-point aid proposal whereby Hungary is ready to rebuild hospitals and schools in Ukraine and to supply mobile homes, he said. Scholarships have been offered to Ukrainian students, and Hungary is ready to provide medical services to injured Ukrainian soldiers and special treatment to 130 Ukrainian children, he added. Disruption of Friendship Oil Pipeline Would Have 'Grave Consequences' For Entire Region, Finds Szazadveg In the event of a disruption to the Friendship oil pipeline, not only would Hungarys oil supply suffer but there would be grave consequences for the entire region, including Ukraine, according to an energy analyst for think-tank Szazadveg. An adviser to Ukraines energy minister recently warned that something could happen to the pipeline at any time. Oliver Hortay said in an interview to public radio that Ukraine would lose transit revenues and major energy transit resources. He noted that Ukrainian politicians were intent on forcing the European Union, including Hungary, to block Russian energy exports, adding that an embargo would prove counterproductive and even serve to boost Russias sales revenues. Households in the European Union, meanwhile, faced growing economic harm, and an embargo would result in even more drastic price increases, he added. Hortay said Hungary had notched up a big win by blocking the EU from discussing a sixth sanctions package at the EU summit, adding that it was in the fundamental interest of both Hungary and the EU as a whole to ditch the embargo proposal once and for all. MTI Photo: Noemi Bruzak The fresh newsletter for the International Community in Hungary - described by readers as a "Great read each week" - is now available for your interest and use via the link below. You can see the new edition of the Xpat E-Magazine here: xpatloop.com/newsletters/2022/26-may.html 1. First-up, are 5 fresh Interviews with Xpats you may know, or may want to know: YORK AND SURROUNDING AREA It is Memorial Day weekend and many people are visiting/decorating graves as part of the annual ritual. There are many Memorial Day events planned. The following is a listing of those in the YNT coverage area: Bradshaw Memorial Day services will be held at the Plainfield Cemetery west of Bradshaw on May 30 at 10 a.m. Exeter A Memorial Day service will be held at the Exeter Cemetery on Monday, May 30, at 10 a.m. The welcome will be given by Mark Beethe from Post 218. The Exeter-Milligan Band will perform and the invocation will be by Rev. Murry Johnston. In case of inclement weather, the service will be held at the Exeter-Milligan High School gym. The American Legion Auxiliary will be serving coffee and rolls at the Legion Hall following the service at the cemetery. Everyone is welcome to attend. The William Sullivan American Legion Auxiliary Unit 218 will host a time of fellowship and refreshments at the Exeter Legion Hall after the program has ended at the Exeter Cemetery on Monday, May 30, on Memorial Day. Fairmont Memorial Day services will be held Monday, May 30 at the following locations and times: Catholic Cemetery, 9 a.m.; Fairmont Cemetery, 9:30 a.m.; Grafton Cemetery, 10:30 a.m. In case of rain, joint services will be held at the Fairmont American Legion Hall at 10 a.m. A Legion Windsor Loin dinner will be held from 11:30-1:30 p.m., at the American Legion Post. Gresham The American Legion Post #13 and Sons of the Legion will sponsor a Memorial Day service at Cedar Lawn Cemetery at 9 a.m. Following the service, the Gresham Community Club will sponsor a pancake feed at the community center. Everyone is encouraged to attend. Henderson Memorial Day services at Friesen Cemetery in Henderson will begin at 9 a.m. followed by the Bethesda Mennonite Church Cemetery services at 10 a.m. and the Mennonite Cemetery services starting at 11 a.m. The traditional Memorial Day celebration at Farmers Valley Cemetery will start at 11:45 a.m., on Monday, May 30. The Hamilton County Band will perform a variety of music and the service will start at 12:15 p.m., with a 21-gun salute presented by the Aurora American Legion. At the conclusion of the service, tables will be set up to enjoy food brought in for the potluck. Everyone is invited to join in the celebration by bringing some home cooking to share, along with their own table service, blankets, chairs or card tables. Electricity will be available for hot food. Following the potluck, there will be time to share stories and visit with members of the Farmers Valley Cemetery Association. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy this celebration. Those traveling to Farmers Cemetery should drive two miles west from the town of Henderson and turn south on Y Road. After crossing the Big Blue River, turn west on Farmers Valley Road, which will lead to the cemetery. If traveling from Sutton, head north out of town on the blacktop X Road. After following the curve to the east, turn north on Y Road, which will lead to Farmers Valley Road. This is an opportunity to remember those who served their country and enjoy the beauty of Farmers Cemetery. The book, Memories of Farmers Valley, will be available for purchase. McCool Junction A Veterans Day event will be held on May 30, at 10 a.m., with the McCool Junction Ronald Porter Post 341 of the American Legion, as they honor those veterans who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. The keynote speaker will be Command Chief Warrant Officer Steve Kilgore. They will also lay a wreath on the grave of an honored veteran. This years memorial will take place at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery on Road 3 southeast of McCool Junction. Milligan The Milligan American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary and American Legion Jr. Auxiliary, Post #240, would like the public to join them as they remember and honor the nations heroes on Monday, May 30. Beginning at 1:45 p.m. there will be a prayer, laying of the wreaths, firing squad and taps at the Legion Park, followed by the Memorial Day program at the Milligan Auditorium beginning at 2 p.m. Guest speaker is Lt. Colonel Bobby W. Lee along with the presentation of Quilts of Valor. The Exeter-Milligan band will provide the music. Following the program, the Legion and Color Guard will go to the North Cemetery then the South Cemetery. The Legion building will be open for drinks and snacks after the program. Ohiowa The Ohiowa Memorial Day Service will be held on Monday, May 30 beginning at 10 a.m. at the historical auditorium on Main Street in Ohiowa. This years keynote speaker will be Senator Tom Brewer of the 43rd District. Boys State and Girls State citizens, Derek Domeier and Delaney Burge, will also address the audience. The service concludes at the Ohiowa Public Cemetery where the Avenue of Flags will be included in a special memorial to the fallen comrades followed by the 21-gun salute. The Ohiowa American Legion Auxiliary Unit 193 will have a free-will hot roast beef sandwich meal with salads and desserts at the Ohiowa Legion on Monday, May 30. The serving time is approximately 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. as it begins following the Memorial Day Service at the cemetery. Shickley American Legion Post #164, together with its Legion Auxiliary and Sons of American Legion, will conduct Memorial Day services on Monday, May 30, at the following cemeteries: 6 p.m. - Stockholm Swedish Cemetery; 6:30 p.m. - St. Marys Catholic Cemetery; 7 p.m. - Zion Lutheran Cemetery; 7:30 p.m. - Shickley Cemetery.The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Tobias Tobias Legion and Auxiliary will be remembering those who gave up so much for our freedom this Memorial Day with ceremonies honoring these heroes. All are invited to attend the ceremonies will being held at the Atlanta Cemetery at 1 p.m. and the Tobias Gym at 2 p.m. Following the service at Tobias, the 21 gun salute will be given at the Tobias and Zion Cemeteries. The Auxiliary will be hosting a lunch consisting of ham, potato and pasta salad, beans, and desert at the Tobias Legion Hall from 11 a.m. 1 p.m. Free Will donation. Take time to remember the men and women who were and are so willing to give of their lives so we can remain free in the USA. God bless our veterans and God bless our nation. Waco The Waco CBO will have a Memorial Day breakfast on Monday, May 30, from 8-11 a.m. at the community building. A Memorial Day service will be held at the Waco Cemetery on Monday, May 30, at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony will be provided by the American Legion Post #49 of Utica. York The American Legion will be putting up the Avenue of Flags at York Greenwood Cemetery. They will be starting at 7 a.m., on Saturday, May 28, with coffee and rolls at the VFW building. Flag removal will be at 7 p.m., on Monday, May 30. The Memorial Day service at Greenwood Cemetery will be at 10:30 a.m. Guest speaker will be Sgt. Aaron Alvarez, a National Guard recruiter. The greeting will be given by Legion Commander Bill Hardy. Hattie and Nell Chavanu will be singing the National Anthem and God Bless America. Dexter Huber will place the wreath. The Honor Guard will include Huber, John Turnbull, Jay Bitner, Kim Shepard, Don Kyhn, Dean Fredricks, Steve Witmer, Otis Saathoff, Ardon Anderson, Ramon Huber and Gary Reetz. In case of inclement weather, the alternate site will be the York National Guard Armory. Cases of electric scooters catching fire have become a relatively common occurrence. There have been multiple such incidents of EV fires involving various brands like Ola, Pure EV, Okinawa and Jitendra EV. However, the most recent update is different as this involves a Hero electric Photon scooter catching fire. This is the first time a scooter from one of India's largest manufacturers has been part of such an incident. The reported incident of the Hero Electric Photon catching fire is from Odisha. The EV reportedly caught fire while it was being charged and the incident has left the scooter partially damaged. According to media reports, the cause is thought to be a short circuit at the power socket from where the electric scooter was being charged overnight. "When contacted, the customer explained that he heard abnormal crackling sounds and discovered that fumes were coming from the electric switchboard of the home, adjacent to the e-scooter, and sparks were continuously falling onto the floor and a can of paint lying nearby," the company said in a statement. Also read: Suspension of yet another Ola S1 Pro electric scooter breaks, owner blames built quality "By the time he went on to switch off the mains and get back to try and put off the fire, it spread and burnt the rear part of the scooter and some household belongings," it added. The company reportedly mentioned that its technical team later visited the spot and analysed the rear part of the scooter that was burnt. "The most probable cause of the fire was the AC phase and earth wires of homecoming in contact with each other (causing a) short circuit and the malfunctioning of the fuses that should have cut off in the event of such a short circuit," the company said. "We have also offered any help to the customer in replacing the burnt parts on a cost basis and thoroughly testing his refurbished scooter for roadworthiness," it added. Hero Electric is India`s one of the leading electric two-wheeler manufacturers, selling a diverse range of electric scooters to a diverse range of customers. With inputs from IANS Hindustan Motors, famous in India for its iconic Ambassador car, is planning on establishing itself again in the Indian market, but this time as an electric vehicle manufacturer. The manufacturer is now planning a partnership with a European electric vehicle manufacturer to produce electric scooters in its plant, reports the Times of India. Furthermore, the company plans on expanding its operations to make electric cars, as per a report by HT Bangla. Based on the reports, the two companies signed an MoU to officiate the partnership. The whole process of the partnership will be completed in around three months. The report says that the company will initially produce electric two-wheelers. The report also says that the collaboration on the upcoming project will be based on a 51:49 ratio, giving the controlling stakes to Hindustan Motors. The new model will be manufactured at Hindustan Motors' Chennai manufacturing plant, which is currently owned by HMFCI. HMFCI is part of the CK Birla Group. Also read: BMW i4 electric sedan launched in India priced at Rs 69.90 lakh, gets India's best 590 km range: Video The Chennai Plant of Hindustan Motors used to manufacture Mitsubishi cars, while the Uttarpara Plant used to manufacture Ambassador cars. The last Ambassador from Hindustan Motors' Uttarpara plant was delivered in September 2014. The manufacturer was deeply in debt, demand was low, and sales were poor, so the brand was sold to Groupe PSA. Hindustan Motors had a 75% market share in the Indian automobile market in the 1970s. It used to produce the iconic Ambassador car, which ruled Indian roads for many years before being phased out. When cheaper and more affordable cars like the Maruti 800 and other models began to appear in the country, Hindustan Motors Ambassador began to face a steel challenge. It also couldn't keep up with the rapidly changing technology in the automotive industry, which resulted in declining sales and, eventually, discontinuation. In 2017, Groupe PSA purchased Peugeot A and the Ambassador brand from Birla Group, which owned Hindustan Motors. Live TV #mute Kia India recently opened the bookings for EV6 at a booking price of Rs 3 lakh ahead of the expected launch in June 2022. The country's fourth largest carmaker making its entry into the country's growing electric mobility space with the launch of Kia EV6, which also happens to be its first ever electric car globally, based on the dedicated eGMP platform. Kia will bring the EV6 in limited numbers, restricted to only 100 units and the EV can be booked exclusively through 15 select dealerships across 12 cities in India. Ahead of the launch, we got a chance to test the new EV as well. Here's all you need to know about the Kia EV6, expected price, range, launch date and more: Kia EV6 bookings to open in India on May 26; check design, cabin & more: IN PICS Kia EV6 Expected Price Kia India will launch the EV6 in the first week of June and the EV is expected to be priced above Rs 40 lakh in India for base variant and can go upto Rs 50 lakh for the top-spec version. It will serve as a flagship car for the South Korean brand, sitting above the Carnival premium MPV. Kia EV6 India Review We recently test drove the electric car on the Buddh International Racetrack in Noida to understand the capabilities and features of the car and here's our test drive review. Kia EV6 Colour Options The Kia EV6 features an all-black interior with black suede seat and vegan leather bolsters. The Kia EV6 will be available in India with a choice of five exterior colours Moonscape, Snow White Pearl, Runway Red, Aurora Black Pearl, and Yacht Blue. Kia EV6 Charging The car will be available in India in exclusive GT Line trims and comes fully equipped with innovative technologies like the multi-charging system, the worlds first charging system that operates with both 400V and 800V chargers without the need of an additional controller. The 800 V charger can charge the vehicle from 10% to 80% in as little as 18 minutes using a 350KWh charger. Kia EV6 Powertrain The India version of the EV6 packs the 77.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, generating 229 PS electric power in 2WD and a thrilling 325 PS in AWD variant. On a single full charge, the car can travel up to 528 kilometres as per the WLTP combined cycle. The acceleration of the Kia EV6 stands at 5.2 seconds for a 0-100 km/h run. Kia EV6 Cabin The Kia EV6 hosts multiple features, including Panoramic Dual 31.24 cm (12.3) Curved Displays with Navigation and driving data and vehicle functionalities display as well. It also gets a Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), and an Augmented Reality enabled HUD with details of vehicle speed, and turn-by-turn navigation instructions. Also read: Kia EV6 India review: Takes the electric mobility to a whole new level Kia EV6 Safety In terms of safety, the Kia EV6 comes equipped with 8 airbags as standard along with All Wheel Disc Brakes, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), Multi Collision Brake Assist (MCBA), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Brake Assistant System (BAS), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Front and Rear parking sensors and ISOFIX Child Anchor. Ongole: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday (May 27) slammed the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led state government for what he called, crushing the AP people with its welfare betrayals, all-round looting and unbearable taxes.'' Naidu was speaking at Mahanadu, TDP's conclave at Ongole in Prakasam district on the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of the party founder and former Andhra Pradesh CM late N.T. Rama Rao. Addressing a huge gathering of TDP leaders and workers, Naidu said the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders were so criminalised, corrupt and incorrigible that they had no right to rule any longer. Further, he coined a new political slogan, Quit Jagan, Save AP.'' The TDP chief described CM Reddy as an inefficient leader who has been presiding over a rule by maniacs, liars and hardcore corrupt criminals.'' In just three years, the YCP misrule had pushed Andhra Pradesh into Rs 8 Lakh Cr debt trap with zero development and no roads,'' claimed Chandrababu Naidu. Naidu accused Jagan Reddy of selling Rajya Sabha nomination to a former TDP leader B. Krishnaiah, whom he blamed had got 12 backward castes like Thurpu Kapu and Koppula Velama deleted from the BC list, further claiming that Krishnaiah had gone to court and put hurdles in four percent reservations to minorities. The former state CM recalled that the TDP spent 52 percent budget on welfare as against just 41 percent in YS Jagan's rule. How can Jagan claim welfare credit when he removed Anna Canteens, Videsi Vidya, Pelli Kanuka, Sankranthi Kanuka, Ramzan Thofa, Christmas Kanuka and Chandranna Beema,'' he questioned. He added, Jagan looted people with his own harmful cheap liquor brands while the sand mafia raised the cost of a tractor load from Rs 600 under TDP to Rs 5,000 at present. No sand is available for the CM's false claim of constructing 30 lakh houses for the poor. The YCP leaders grabbed assignments and dotted lands.'' The TDP chief also found fault with YS Jagan's Davos visit. This crazy CM was signing false MoUs at Davos with the same companies that worked under the TDP rule. The agreement with Adani Data Centre was signed during the TDP rule. Jagan Reddy cancelled the same and signed a more or less similar MoU with that company at Davos. ALSO READ: Andhra Pradesh CID files FIR against former CM Chandrababu Naidu, others for 'cheating, criminal conspiracy' Mumbai: After the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) gave a clean chit to Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, in the 'drugs on cruise' case, sources say that action against Sameer Wankhede, ex-NCB official, is expected. According to news agency ANI, sources have said, "It's learnt that the government has asked competent authority to take appropriate action against ex-NCB official Sameer Wankhede for his shoddy investigation into Aryan Khan drugs haul case. The government has already taken action in the case of Sameer Wankhede's fake caste certificate case." The NCB on Friday gave a clean chit to Aryan Khan in the October 2021 'drugs on cruise' case in which he was arrested last year. Officials of the NCB, which filed its chargesheet in a Mumbai court, said Aryan Khan and five others had not been named due to "lack of sufficient evidence". Commenting on the case, NCB chief SN Pradhan said, "The principle of preponderance and probability is not applicable to NDPS Act. There should be beyond a reasonable doubt, we did not find such evidence." He added, "There should be physical corroboration of WhatsApp chat. Courts have clarified that WhatsApp chat, in itself, holds no value. You can talk about anything on WhatsApp but if not corroborated with physical evidence, it's not complete evidence." Meanwhile, the case took a political turn with the ruling NCP in Maharashtra on Friday (May 26) asking, post the judgemeny, who would be held responsible for the trauma Aryan Khan suffered. It also said that the then zonal director of the NCB, Sameer Wankhede, was answerable to the people of this country. Ally Congress alleged that the entire case was part of a "larger conspiracy" to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, in which it shares power with the Shiv Sena and NCP. Asserting that its Special Investigation Team (SIT) carried out its probe in an "objective manner", the federal anti-drugs agency said in a statement in Delhi that "the touchstone of the principle of proof beyond reasonable doubt has been applied". Reacting to the development, NCP spokesman Clyde Crasto said, "If Aryan Khan was clean, why was he tainted? What was the motive? Who will be held responsible for the trauma this young man suffered? Many questions arise." NCP's chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said the NCB giving a clean chit to Aryan Khan proves that Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik was right when he had said that the case was fake. Malik had criticised the way raids were conducted and witnesses identified, he said. Aryan Khan was arrested in the case by the NCB on October 3 last year and released from jail later that month after being granted bail. An NCB team led by Wankhede had conducted a raid on the cruise ship, after which 20 persons, including Aryan, were arrested. (With inputs from Agencies) New Delhi: Ahead of an all-party meeting called by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on June 1 to decide the modalities for caste census after the Centre's flat refusal to conduct a headcount of any social group other than SCs and STs, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has scoffed at speculations of realignment of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) with Janata Dal-United. Speaking to the media on Thursday, Tejashwi Yadav cleared the air by saying that talks about an alliance are "all imaginary", adding "This is all imaginary. When I went to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it was my initiative and not of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Does it mean I was forging an alliance with BJP?" Notably, both Tejashwi Yadav and CM Nitish Kumar attended Iftar hosted at each other`s place and also have similar stances on caste census. Yadav was responding to queries from journalists upon his return from the UK, where he spent a week delivering talks on the state of Indian politics. The former Bihar Deputy CM also refused to comment on allegations by some leaders of his own party that the raids were "BJP-sponsored" and aimed at dissuading Nitish Kumar from getting "too close" to the opposition party. "It is a fact that we are being targeted through investigating agencies because we are in the opposition. I have been witness to such action against my father since I was a child. This is not the first instance. If the misuse of constitutional agencies continues, it will not be the last either," PTI quoted Tejashwi Yadav as saying. He said, "It was a cowardly act," referring to the CBI raids last weekend and pointed out that his father, who has been booked for alleged corruption during his tenure as railway minister, had made contributions such as "transforming the railways into a massive profit-running venture, running AC trains for the poor, jobs to porters and tea in kulhads (earthen pots)". Launching an attack on the NDA government at the Centre, he alleged, "Now the railways is being sold in the name of privatisation. Still, it is we who are being accused of wrongdoing." Meanwhile, RJD vice president Shivanand Tiwari said on Thursday that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar showed close proximity with Tejashwi Yadav to put pressure on BJP and take its benefit on the issue of the caste-based census. Tiwari told IANS, "Nitish Kumar achieved his goal. He wanted the BJP to agree on a caste-based census. For BJP, our country has only two castes and those are rich and poor. Nitish Kumar came close to Tejashwi Yadav to force the BJP to agree on the caste-based census," adding "Now, the BJP has agreed on the caste-based census but that does not mean that its heart has changed." Tiwari further said, "The BJP is facing challenges in the 2024 Lok Sabha election and its mobilisation has already begun. Nitish Kumar cleverly used this opportunity and the Iftar parties had given an ideal platform for him. Nitish Kumar had given a strong message to BJP`s top leadership." "The BJP knows about the joint strength of Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar, which it has seen in the 2015 Assembly election. Hence, the message came from BJP`s top leadership to agree for the all-party meeting on the issue of the caste-based census," the veteran leader added. RJD candidates for Rajya Sabha Tejashwi Yadav also refused to comment on the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls wherein his eldest sister Misa Bharti hopes to get a ticket for the third consecutive term. He said, "The party's parliamentary board has authorised the national president to take a call. It is possible that he will announce the names by Friday." A source close to the Lalu family reportedly confirmed that Misa Bharti's nomination has been finalised, adding "Misa Bharti will be the candidate for one of the two seats we expect to win. For the other seat, the party president has chosen Fayyaz Ahmed, a senior leader and former MLA. Formal announcement in this regard will be made in due course." Ailing RJD chief Lalu Prasad has returned to his home turf Bihar amid speculations on the names for Rajya Sabha biennial polls. He arrived in Patna along with eldest daughter Misa Bharti, at whose Delhi residence he had stayed since his release on bail granted last month by the Jharkhand High Court in fodder scam cases. Prasad's arrival in Patna from Delhi on Wednesday coincided with that of RCP Singh, Union minister and senior leader of the JD(U) controlled by the former's arch rival Nitish Kumar, the current chief minister. Singh's future as a Union minister appears to be hinging on his re-nomination by the JD(U), which hopes to bag one of the five Rajya Sabha seats. Singh is a blue eyed boy of Kumar, but is said to be not very popular with the rank and file of the JD(U), despite having held many key posts in the party, including that of the national president. In the RJD camp, the Rajya Sabha ticket aspirants include Misa Bharti whose second consecutive term is to end shortly. She, however, declined to comment when asked about the issue by journalists, saying her father, the national president, will make announcements at an appropriate time. Yadav's breakaway group Loktantrik Janata Dal has since merged with the RJD. The BJP, which is tipped to win the remaining two seats, is also yet to come out with names of its candidates. Notably, the last date for filing nominations, for five Rajya Sabha seats to which biennial polls are scheduled, is May 31. (With Inputs from Agencies) BJP leader and Gujarat Minister Arvind Raiyani on Friday landed in a controversy after a video of him flogging himself with metal chains at a religious event went viral on social media. The opposition party Congress accused him of spreading "superstition" through such acts. However, both Raiyani and the ruling BJP have rubbished the Congress claim and maintained there was a distinction between faith and superstition. In the viral video, the minister, who handles transport, civil aviation and tourism portfolios, can be seen swaying and flogging himself with metal chains at the religious function. Speaking to reporters, Raiyani said a religious gathering was organised to pay respect to his family deity at his native village in Rajkot district on Thursday. "I have been a staunch devotee of the deity since childhood. My family organises such religious gatherings at our native village. You cannot term it (my act) as superstition. We were just worshipping our deity," the minister said. Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi slammed the BJP leader for "spreading superstition". "Despite being a minister, Raiyani was spreading superstition by performing such unscientific acts. He was spreading superstition just like an exorcist. It is unfortunate that such people are serving as a minister in the Gujarat government," Doshi said. Defending the minister's action, Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yagnesh Dave said Congress needs to understand the difference between faith and superstition. "This is a matter of someone's personal religious belief. There is a thin line that separates faith and superstition. Everyone has different ways to worship their deities. Traditional rituals should not be termed superstition. The Congress should refrain from hurting religious sentiments," Dave said. NEW DELHI: Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala was on Friday sentenced to four years in jail in connection with a disproportionate assets (DA) case against him. The order was pronounced by Delhi's Rouse Avenue District Court. The court imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh on the INLD chief and also ordered the authorities to confiscate his four properties. Disproportionate assets case: Special CBI Court in Delhi sentences former Haryana CM OP Chautala to four years imprisonment, imposes a fine of Rs 50 lakhs The Court also ordered to confiscate his four properties. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/ZqxrMFgV0E ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 The court had on Saturday convicted former Haryana chief minister and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo Om Prakash Chautala in the disproportionate assets case, registered against him in 2005. The CBI had lodged the case in 2005 and a chargesheet was filed on March 26, 2010, accusing Chautala of amassing assets worth Rs 6.09 crore, much disproportionate to his legitimate income, between 1993 and 2006. In its FIR, the CBI mentioned that Chautala while functioning as Chief Minister of Haryana during the period from July 24, 1999, to March 5, 2005, in collusion with his family members and others, accumulated assets, immovable and movable, disproportionate to his known lawful sources of income, in his name, in the names of his family members. The Chautala family had, however, slammed the case as political vendetta. In 2019, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached his assets worth Rs 3.68 crore, including his flat and plots in New Delhi, Panchkula and Sirsa, under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Chautala served as Haryana CM four times from July 24, 1999 to March 5, 2005; from March 22, 1991 to April 6, 1991; from July 12, 1990 to July 17, 1990; and from December 2, 1989 to May 22, 1990. Pune-based builder Avinash Bhosale has been arrested by the CBI. Avinash Bhosale was earlier questioned in connection with various cases. The CBI arrested Avinash Bhosale. A case was registered against him in the DHFL scam. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had last month raided the house and some properties of builder Avinash Bhosale in the Yes Bank and DHFL fraud case and seized important documents. It is believed that Avinash Bhosale has been arrested in the same case. Businessman Sanjay Chhabria had already been arrested in connection with the scam. Last year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had attached assets worth around Rs 40.34 crore from Bhosale and his family. Bhosale is a builder and the father-in-law of Minister of State for Agriculture Vishwajit Kadam. He has a large manufacturing business in Mumbai and Pune. Bhosale, who has close ties with all party leaders, was earlier detained at the airport by the Customs department for smuggling of valuables from abroad. New Delhi: The national capital on Friday (May 27, 2022) reported two fire incidents, one at the Safdarjung Hospital in south Delhi and another at Makkar Multispeciality Hospital in the eastern parts of the city. According to the officials, no casualty was reported in both the incidents and the blaze has been brought under control. The officials informed that four fire tenders were rushed to Makkar Multispeciality Hospital in east Delhi's Laxmi Nagar after a fire on the terrace of the facility was reported at 8.10 am. Delhi | Fire breaks out in a hospital near Guru Angad Nagar East, five fire engines rushed to the spot. Fire is under control now says, Fire Department. ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 A fire broke out at a private hospital in East #Delhi on Friday, but no injuries or casualties were reported, an official said. pic.twitter.com/ghm180C3Xr IANS (@ians_india) May 27, 2022 Whereas, at Safdarjung Hospital, a fire was reported at 8.45 am. Seven to eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the flames were brought under control, the officials said. The stabiliser of an elevator had caught fire on the second floor of the building, the fire department said. Dehradun: A roadways union leader climbed a water tank and shot himself dead in Haldwani city of Uttarakhand after being accused by his daughter-in-law of molesting his granddaughter. Rajendra Bahuguna, 59, was booked recently under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the complaint of his daughter-in-law, Senior Superintendent of Police, Nainital, Pankaj Bhatt said. Bahuguna's son has filed a complaint against his wife for abetting his father's suicide. The suicide incident happened in Haldwani's Bhagat Singh Colony on Wednesday, Bhatt said. Bahuguna enjoyed the status of a minister of state for a year from 2004-05 during the chief ministership of N D Tiwari. London: Author Geetanjali Shree's Hindi novel Tomb of Sand' has become the first book in any Indian language to win the prestigious International Booker Prize. At a ceremony in London on Thursday (May 26, 2022), the New Delhi-based writer said she was completely overwhelmed with the "bolt from the blue" as she accepted her prize, worth GBP 50,000 and shared with the book's English translator, Daisy Rockwell. Tomb of Sand', originally Ret Samadhi', is set in northern India and follows an 80-year-old woman in a tale the Booker judges dubbed a joyous cacophony and an "irresistible novel". I never dreamt of the Booker, I never thought I could. What a huge recognition, I'm amazed, delighted, honoured and humbled, said Shree, in her acceptance speech. There is a melancholy satisfaction in the award going to it. Ret Samadhi/Tomb of Sand' is an elegy for the world we inhabit, a lasting energy that retains hope in the face of impending doom. The Booker will surely take it to many more people than it would have reached otherwise, that should do the book no harm, she said. Reflecting upon becoming the first work of fiction in Hindi to make the Booker cut, the 64-year-old author said it feels good to be the means of that happening. But behind me and this book lies a rich and flourishing literary tradition in Hindi, and in other South Asian languages. World literature will be the richer for knowing some of the finest writers in these languages. The vocabulary of life will increase from such an interaction, she said. Rockwell, a painter, writer and translator living in Vermont, US, joined her on stage to receive her award for translating the novel she described as a love letter to the Hindi language". Ultimately, we were captivated by the power, the poignancy and the playfulness of Tomb of Sand', Geetanjali Shree's polyphonic novel of identity and belonging, in Daisy Rockwell's exuberant, coruscating translation, said Frank Wynne, chair of the judging panel. This is a luminous novel of India and partition, but one whose spellbinding brio and fierce compassion weaves youth and age, male and female, family and nation into a kaleidoscopic whole, he said. The book's 80-year-old protagonist, Ma, to her family's consternation, insists on travelling to Pakistan, simultaneously confronting the unresolved trauma of her teenage experiences of Partition, and re-evaluating what it means to be a mother, a daughter, a woman, a feminist. The Booker jury were impressed that rather than respond to tragedy with seriousness, Shree's playful tone and exuberant wordplay results in a book that is engaging, funny, and utterly original, at the same time as being an urgent and timely protest against the destructive impact of borders and boundaries, whether between religions, countries, or genders. The author of three novels and several story collections, Mainpuri-born Shree has translated her works into English, French, German, Serbian, and Korean. Originally published in Hindi in 2018, Tomb of Sand' is the first of her books to be published in the UK in English by Tilted Axis Press in August 2021. Shree's novel was chosen from a shortlist of six books, the others being: Cursed Bunny' by Bora Chung, translated by Anton Hur from Korean; A New Name: Septology VI-VII' by Jon Fosse, translated by Damion Searls from Norwegian; Heaven' by Mieko Kawakami, translated by Samuel Bett and David Boyd from Japanese; Elena Knows' by Claudia Pieiro, translated by Frances Riddle from Spanish; and The Books of Jacob' by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Jennifer Croft from Polish. This year the judges considered 135 books and for the first time in 2022, all shortlisted authors and translators will each receive GBP 2,500, increased from GBP 1,000 in previous years, bringing the total value of the prize to GBP 80,000. Complementing the Booker Prize for Fiction, the international prize is awarded every year for a single book that is translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland. New Delhi: Geetanjali Shree, a Hindi novelist who has made history by being the first Indian to get nominated and let alone win one of the most prestigious prize awards in the literary area, hails from Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh. Shree, who is the author of three novels and several story collections, is the first Hindi novelist to achieve the feat of the International Booker Prize with her novel, 'Tomb of Sand' or originally 'Ret Samadhi'. With this achievement, the 'Tomb of Sand' has become the first book in any Indian language to win the prestigious International Booker Prize. 64-year-old Shree's work has been translated into several languages including English, French, German, Serbian, and Korean and has received and been shortlisted for a number of awards and fellowships. 'Tomb of Sand' is one of her first books to be published in the UK. 'Tomb of Sand' by Geetanjali Shree wins 2022 International Booker Prize (Image source: The Booker Prizes' Twitter handle) pic.twitter.com/Qt9TAHWTsT ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2022 Reflecting upon becoming the first work of fiction in Hindi to make the Booker cut, the 64-year-old author said it feels good to be the means of that happening. "But behind me and this book lies a rich and flourishing literary tradition in Hindi, and in other South Asian languages. World literature will be the richer for knowing some of the finest writers in these languages. The vocabulary of life will increase from such an interaction," she said. Shree's book translated into English by Daisy Rockwell who is a painter, writer, and translator, was described by the judges as a "loud and irresistible novel", and competed with five other titles from around the world for the prestigious 50,000 pounds literary prize. At a ceremony in London on Thursday (May 27), the New Delhi-based writer said she was "completely overwhelmed" with the "bolt from the blue" as she accepted her prize, worth GBP 50,000 and shared with the book's English translator, Daisy Rockwell. "I never dreamt of the Booker, I never thought I could. What a huge recognition, I'm amazed, delighted, honoured and humbled," said Shree, in her acceptance speech. "There is a melancholy satisfaction in the award going to it." Tomb of Sand: Plot of the Novel The story of the novel is set in northern India as an 80-year-old woman slips into a deep depression after the death of her husband, then resurfaces to gain a new lease on life. To her family's consternation, she insists on travelling to Pakistan, simultaneously confronting the unresolved trauma of her teenage experiences of Partition, and re-evaluating what it means to be a mother, a daughter, a woman, a feminist. Live TV New Delhi: The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) is expected to announce the GSEB Class 10 and Class 12 Arts, Commerce results soon. According to the GSEB officials, the GSEB SSC Result 2022 will be declared sometime after June 10. The Class 10 SSC and Class 12 HSC Arts and Commerce results will be displayed on the Gujarat GSHSEB board's official website. Students should log in to the official website of the GSEB board: gseb.org and gsebeservice.com. It may be mentioned that the GSHSEB has already released the Gujarat HSC Science exam results on Thursday, May 12. GSHSEB Class 10 SSC and Class 12 HSC board exams were held from March 28, 2022. GSEB grading system According to Gujarat GSEB board rules, a student needs to obtain at least a Grade 'D' in all the subjects to be considered qualified. Students scoring Grade 'E1' or Grade 'E2' in the subjects have to improve their performances through supplementary exams. Students have to score more than 90 per cent marks to get A1 grade. While those scoring between 80 per cent and 90 per cent marks get A grades, students with a score between 70 per cent and 80 per cent get B grades. The lowest grade -- D, is for those who score less than 40 per cent. It is estimated that more than 7 lakh students appeared for the GSEB SSC Exams 2022 from March 28 to April 9, 2022. Last year, due to the Covid pandemic, the GSEB cancelled the Class 10, 12 board exams and all students were declared pass. Students are advised to keep a check on the official GSEB website gseb.org for latest notices related to GSEB Results 2022. Mangaluru: The Hijab controversy seems to have resurfaced in the southern state of Karnataka after some Muslim students of University College in Managluru visited Deputy Commissioner`s office and submitted a memorandum seeking permission to wear hijab in classrooms, said ANI. This happened days after the degree college issued a ban on hijab or a headscarf inside the campus on May 16. Karnataka | Muslim students of University College in Managluru visited Deputy Commissioner's office to submit a memorandum to allow the wearing of hijab in classrooms. pic.twitter.com/61OCezwKf6 ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2022 "Nothing had happened after the court verdict, we wrote exams peacefully. But we received an unofficial note recently to attend classes without a hijab. We went to the principal, with HC`s order and tried to speak with him. He said that he was helpless. VC said the same," said Fathima, a student. Students at Mangalore University College staged a protest on the campus on Thursday against wearing Hijab in classrooms. The students condemned the college for failing to implement the Karnataka High Courts order on Hijab within educational institutions. Hijab protests in Karnataka took place in January-February this year when some students of Government Girls PU college in the Udupi district of the state alleged that they had been barred from attending classes for wearing hijab. During the protests, some students claimed they were denied entry into the college for wearing hijab. The Karnataka hijab protest soon spread to other states and the matter went to the high court. Stating that "wearing hijab is not an essential religious practice in Islam'' and freedom of religion under Article 25 of the Constitution is subject to reasonable restrictions, a full bench of the Karnataka High Court on March 16 dismissed a batch of petitions filed by Muslim girls studying in pre-university colleges in Udupi seeking the right to wear hijabs in classrooms. The Court also upheld an order issued on February 5 by the state, which suggested that wearing hijabs can be restricted in government colleges where uniforms are prescribed - and ruled that "prescription of a school uniform" is a "reasonable restriction" that is "Constitutionally permissible". We are of the considered opinion that the prescription of a school uniform is a reasonable restriction Constitutionally permissible, which the students cannot object to, said the full bench also comprising Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice J M Khazi. We are of the considered opinion that the government has the power to issue the impugned government order dated February 5, 2022, and no case is made out for its invalidation, the full bench stated. The high court also directed a speedy and effective police probe into the alleged role of unseen hands that may have been at work to engineer social unrest and disharmony amid protests over the hijab issue in the state last month. The court also ruled that no case is made out for initiating disciplinary action against government college authorities in Udupi for barring girls from attending classes with the hijab. (With Agency Inputs) New Delhi: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Friday (May 27) said that India was and is an important stakeholder in Afghanistan while taking part in the 4th Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, said an ANI report. The National Security Advisors of Tajikistan, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan and China took part in the regional security dialogue on Afghanistan in Dushanbe after the 3rd Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan held in New Delhi in November 2021. Taking forward the spirit encapsulated in the Delhi Declaration, the NSAs reportedly discussed the situation in Afghanistan and the region. They highlighted the need to find constructive ways to ensure peace and stability in Afghanistan and combat risks from terrorism emanating from the region. Addressing the conference, Doval said, "India was and is an important stakeholder in Afghanistan. Special relationship with the people of Afghanistan over centuries will guide India`s approach, nothing can change this." Sources told ANI that NSA took the opportunity to meet his counterparts from Iran, Tajikistan, Russia and other partners in the Dialogue on the sidelines of the meeting and told his counterparts that the people of Afghanistan have a special place. Doval reportedly highlighted the need for representation of all sections of Afghan society including women and minorities so that the collective energies of the largest possible proportion of the Afghan population feel motivated to contribute to nation-building.India has focused on infrastructure, connectivity and humanitarian assistance over the decades. Emphasizing the rights of women at the meet, Doval said, "Women and youth are critical for the future of any society. Provision of education to girls and employment to women and youth will ensure productivity and spur growth. It will also have a positive social impact including discouraging radical ideologies among youth." After August 2021, India has already provided 17000 MT of Wheat out of a total commitment of 50000 MT, 500000 doses of Covaxin, 13 tons of essential life-saving medicines and winter clothing as well as 60 million doses of polio vaccine. NSA Doval also reiterated India`s position on the distribution of aid to all sections of society, adding "Assistance should be accessible to all, respect for all obligations under international humanitarian law should be ensured." (With Agency Inputs) Former Jammu-Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti said, "situation is worse in Kashmir, everyday innocents are being killed and unfortunately BJP government is looking at the situation through the prism of security and faith, they think if muslims are getting killed let them be, they compare normalcy with tourism arrival but they can't see a young women is killed inside her home." Mehbooba even questioned the security forces said after every killing just in hours we hear that killers are killed, why action is not taken before killing. " Police claim of killing two Lashker terrorists responsible for the murder of Amreen Bhat, she said "this is really confusing every time when something happened with in no time it's being said those responsible have been killed". Mehbooba said" She held government of India and BJP responsible for the volatile situation in Kashmir. Mehbooba Mufti said that "central government's muscular policy has further deteriorated the situation in Kashmir, and they are propagating everything is fine in Jammu and Kashmir". PDP president Mehbooba Mufti visited family of TV actress Amreen Bhat to express sympathy with the bereaved family. Karnataka: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a two-day visit to Karnataka, participated in a yoga session with Indian Navy personnel at Karwar Naval Base on Friday. The 8th edition of International Day of Yoga is being promoted through multiple programmes by the Ministry to take the message of Yoga across the world to a wider audience. A curtain raiser event to mark the 100 days countdown to International Day of Yoga was celebrated on March 13 while a 75-day countdown event was organized at the Red Fort in Delhi. #WATCH | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who is on a two-day visit to Karwar participates in a yoga session with Indian Navy personnel at Karwar Naval Base, Karnataka pic.twitter.com/LlDslFu96u ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 Earlier, Singh interacted with Indian Navy personnel and their families in Karwar on Thursday night. ALSO READ: Monkeypox contracted by only gay, bisexual men? 5 myths about the viral infection BUSTED! "Delighted to interact with the Indian Navy personnel and their families at Karnataka Naval Area in Karwar. Our Defence personnel serve the nation diligently and keep our country safe and secure. Their family members also serve the country by giving them support and strength," said the Minister in a Twitter post. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal were among the several political leaders who condoled the deaths of seven Army soldiers killed in the Tuktuk sector of Ladakh when their vehicle skidded off the road and fell into the Shyok river on Friday (May 27). As many as 19 soldiers were also injured after the vehicle they were travelling in fell into the river. The incident occurred around 9 am at a spot which is around 25 km from Thoise, Army officials said, as per PTI. PM Modi prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured and mourned the deaths of the seven soldiers. Anguished by the bus accident in Ladakh in which we have lost our brave army personnel. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being given to the affected, Modi tweeted. Anguished by the bus accident in Ladakh in which we have lost our brave army personnel. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I hope those injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being given to the affected. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 27, 2022 President Kovind expressed grief at the incident and wrote, Saddened to know that an unfortunate road accident in Ladakh has claimed the lives of some of our brave soldiers. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu expressed anguish over the loss of lives. "Anguished to know about the loss of lives of our brave soldiers in a road accident in Ladakh. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. My prayers for the quick recovery of the injured," the Vice President Secretariat tweeted, quoting Naidu. Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted in Hindi, The accident that took place when an Indian Army bus fell into a gorge in Ladakh is very sad. I express my condolences to the families of our brave soldiers who have lost their lives. The injured have been taken for treatment, I pray to God for their speedy recovery. , Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 27, 2022 All 19 injured Army personnel have been shifted to Chandimandir Command Hospital in the Panchkula district of Haryana, PTI reported. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said she is deeply distressed by the deaths of seven soldiers in Ladakh. Deeply distressed by the traumatic road accident death of our 7 brave soldiers in Ladakh today afternoon. Some more seriously injured in the case. Sincere condolences for the bereaved, solidarity for all, the Bengal CM said. Deeply distressed by the traumatic road accident death of our 7 brave soldiers in Ladakh today afternoon. Some more seriously injured in the case. Sincere condolences for the bereaved, solidarity for all. Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 27, 2022 Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, mourning the deaths of the seven soldiers, wrote, Extremely saddened to hear of the tragic accident with Indian Army personnel in Ladakh. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families, and wishes for the speedy recovery of our injured soldiers. Terming the incident unfortunate, Delhi CM Kejriwal wrote in Hindi, "The bus accident with the Army personnel in Ladakh is very unfortunate. I salute the martyrdom of the soldiers. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the soldiers injured in the accident. According to the Army officials, 26 soldiers were on their way from the transit camp in Partapur to a forward location in sub-sector Hanif when the tragic accident took place. Mumbai: Over 15,000 nurses of state-run hospitals in Maharashtra will go on indefinite strike from Saturday to protest against the state government's decision to outsource the recruitment of nurses to a private agency, PTI reported quoting the nurses association. The Maharashtra State Nurses Association (MSNA) had earlier called for a two-day strike on May 27-28. "None of our demands have been met. So we are going on indefinite strike from May 28," the general secretary of the MSNA Sumitra Tote said on Friday. If the recruitment of nurses is outsourced, they will be vulnerable to exploitation and receive lower remuneration, she added. More than 15,000 nurses from state-run hospitals, including about 1,500 in Mumbai, will be on strike, Tote added. The MSNA has also asked for payment of nursing and education allowances to its members. The Centre and some states pay a nursing allowance of Rs 7,200. The benefit should be extended to nurses in Maharashtra too, Tote said. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Chief Secretary & Secretary, Food and Drug Department, Government of Maharashtra to present a detailed report in 6 weeks after 4 children allegedly became HIV positive and one of them died in Nagpur after taking blood infusions for Thalassemia. It has asked for a detailed report within six weeks. "The report is expected to include action taken or proposed to be taken, against the erring public servants/officials if found guilty. He (Chief Secretary) has also been asked to report if any interim compensation or any further payment of compensation given to the Next of Kin of the deceased child and the treatment initiated by the State for the other victim children," the commission said in a release. The states health department has also set up a high-level probe into the matter. "Four children have been infected with HIV, out of which one child has died. We will collect all the information and take action against the culprits after conducting a high-level investigation," said Assistant Deputy Director of Health Department Dr RK Dhakate. (With agency inputs) Live TV Navneet Rana case: Acting on Amravati MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Ranas complaint regarding the illegal arrest and inhumane treatment inside the prison in the recent Hanuman Chalisa controversy case, the Privileges and Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha Secretariat on Friday summoned Maharashtra Chief Secretary Manu Kumar Srivastava to appear before them on June 15 for oral evidence. The Committee has also summoned the Director-General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra Rajnish Seth, Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey and Superintendent of Women District Prison, Byculla (Mumbai) Yashwant Bhanudas to appear before them on June 15, ANI reported The action comes in response to Navneet Ranas complaint alleging inhumane treatment by Mumbai police in jail and her illegal arrest The Amravati MP had written to the Parliament`s Privileges and Ethics Committee on charges of breach of privilege and had alleged illegal arrest and inhuman treatment faced by her at Khar police station. On May 23, Navneet appeared before the Parliamentary Privilege Committee over her allegation of "patently illegal arrest and the consequent inhuman treatment meted out to her at Khar Police Station, Mumbai". The Rana couple was arrested on April 23 from their Mumbai residence after declaring that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray`s home in Bandra. They were booked in two FIRs lodged on charges of sedition, promoting enmity, and assaulting a public servant to prevent discharge of duty. The couple was later released on bail and Navneet Rana went through a medical checkup after which, she was admitted to Lilavati Hospital. Since then, Rana has challenged CM Uddhav Thackeray, who she criticizes time and again for his Gundaraaj to face her from any chosen constituency in the next elections. (With ANI inputs) Noida: A Nigerian national staying in Delhi has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police on the charge of cheating at least 300 women and duping them of crores of rupees on the pretext of marriage, officials said on Friday. The accused befriended women through social media and matrimonial websites, where he introduced himself as a non-resident Indian (NRI) settled in Canada and a prospective groom, the officials said. Garuba Galumje (38), who hails from Lagos in Nigeria, was staying in the Kishan Garh area of South Delhi and has been arrested by officials of the Cyber Crime police station in Noida, they said. "The accused has been arrested in connection with a complaint from a woman who lives in Meerut district of UP. She claimed that she had registered herself on Jeevansathi website for marriage. A man approached her through the website and introduced himself as Indo-Canadian NRI Sanjay Singh," Inspector Reeta Yadav, in-charge of the Noida Cyber Crime police station, said. "The man eventually gained her confidence and made emotional appeals as he tricked her into transferring Rs 60 lakh in multiple instalments into his various bank accounts before she realised the fraud," Yadav told reporters. When the matter was brought to the police, an investigation was taken up and the culprit tracked down to be operating from Delhi and arrested, said the inspector, who led the cyber police team. "During questioning, we came across multiple similar cases involving Garuba. There are over 300 women who he had targeted through various popular websites, and cheated them of crores. On social media and matrimonial websites, he used profile pictures of smart-looking men and not his own in order to dupe women," Yadav said. According to the police, Garuba had first come to India in February 2019 on a six-month visa in connection with a business related to human hair and readymade garments. He once again came to India on March 18 on a medical visa till May 22 but had over-stayed while relocating himself several times during the period, the police said. Yadav told PTI that a passport belonging to Garuba has been seized but it does not have any stamps of Indian authorities on it, while no visa-related document was found from his possession immediately. "Garuba has been transferring the fraud money to his family members in Nigeria through international money exchange services," police added. During the arrest, the police recovered a passport, seven mobile phones, 15 photocopies of documents which included forged letters in the names of Bank of Thailand, National Bank of Dubai, the Interpol, the US Department of State and the FBI, officials said. An FIR has been lodged against the accused under Indian Penal Code 406 (criminal breach of trust), 419 (cheating by impersonation) and Sections 420 (cheating), and under provisions of the Information Technology Act, they added. The Cyber Crime department has, meanwhile, urged people to be cautious during online transactions and social media activities in order to avoid financial frauds or any other hassles. The police also urged people to approach it on dedicated helpline number 1930 or 112 to report any cyber-related case. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat on Saturday (May 28, 2022) to address a seminar of leaders of various cooperative institutions. During his visit the prime minister will also visit a newly-built hospital and inaugurate a Nano Urea (liquid) plant. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), PM Modi will visit the newly built Matushri K D P Multispeciality Hospital at Atkot in Rajkot at around 10 am, followed by his address at a public function at the venue. Prime minister will also address the seminar of leaders of various cooperative institutions on the subject 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi' at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar at 4 pm tomorrow, and later on inaugurate a Nano Urea (Liquid) Plant built at IFFCO, Kalol. PM Modi will visit Gujarat on 28 May to address a seminar of leaders of various cooperative institutions on 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi' & inaugurate the Nano Urea Plant constructed at IFFCO,Kalol He will also visit Matushri K.D.P. Multispeciality Hospital in Rajkot & address an event pic.twitter.com/OGz52jmGbM ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 PM Modi to address seminar PMO said that the cooperative sector of Gujarat has been a role model for the entire nation. There are over 84,000 societies in the cooperative sector in the state with about 231 lakh members. In yet another step towards further strengthening the cooperative movement in Gujarat, a seminar on 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi' attended by leaders of various cooperative institutions will take place at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. The statement added that over 7,000 representatives from various cooperative institutions of the state will participate in the seminar. PM Modi to inaugrate Nano Urea (Liquid) Plant To further provide farmers with the means to boost productivity and help increase their income, the prime minister will inaugurate the Nano Urea (Liquid) Plant constructed at IFFCO, Kalol at a cost of around Rs 175 crore. The ultramodern Nano Fertilizer Plant has been set up keeping in mind the increase in crop yield through the use of Nano Urea. The plant will produce about 1.5 lakh 500-ml bottles daily. PM Modi to visit newly-built hospital The Matushri KDP Multispeciality Hospital, which is being visited by the prime minister in Rajkot, is managed by Shree Patel Seva Samaj. It will make available high-end medical equipment and provide world-class healthcare facilities to the people of the region. (With agency inputs) New Delhi: Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday remembered India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary and described him as an institution-builder who strengthened our democratic roots, but lamented that the BJP has weakened democracy by bulldozing institutions. He said India now needs a "Bharat jodo" more than ever before. His reference was towards uniting India in the present atmosphere. The Congress is holding a "Bharat jodo" yatra from Karnyakumari to Kashmir on Gandhi Jayanti. "IIT, IIM, LIC, ITI, BHEL, NID, BARC, AIIMS, ISRO, SAIL, ONGC, DRDO...Nehru ji was an institution builder who strengthened our democratic roots. In 8 yrs, BJP has weakened democracy by bulldozing institutions. India needs #BharatJodo now more than ever," Gandhi said on Twitter. IIT IIM LIC ITI BHEL NID BARC AIIMS ISRO SAIL ONGC DRDO... Nehru ji was an institution builder who strengthened our democratic roots. In 8 yrs, BJP has weakened democracy by bulldozing institutions. India needs #BharatJodo now more than ever. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 27, 2022 In another tweet, he shared a video showing pictures of Nehru with world leaders and how they described Nehru. "58 years since his passing, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's ideas, politics, and vision for our Nation are as relevant as they have ever been. May the values of this immortal son of India always guide our actions and conscience," Gandhi also said. The Congress on Friday observed the death anniversary of Nehru with top party leaders paying rich tributes to him at his memorial in the national capital. Some leaders also took to Twitter to pay their homage and remember him. ALSO READ: Congress releases 8 saal, 8 chhal, BJP Sarkar Viphal booklet on Modi govts eighth anniversary Mumbai: Yuvraj Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje, scion of the Kolhapur throne, on Friday (May 27) withdrew from the Rajya Sabha race, citing `self-respect` and to prevent `horse-trading`, said an agency report. The 13th direct descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj attacked Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for "not honouring" his word to support his solo candidature and insisting that he (Sambhajiraje) should first join Shiv Sena before getting a ticket. Sambhajiraje, who was hoping to contest as an independent with the support of the extra votes of various parties and independents, said that his decision arose out of `self-respect`, to prevent `horse-trading` and concern for the masses who are his real strength, IANS report said. With a tinge of disappointment in his voice, Sambhajiraje said, "For me, the RS seat is not the concern... The welfare of the masses is more important for me... I will go on a statewide tour to strengthen the idea of `Swarajya` now and see my strength." Withdrawing his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections, Sambhaji Raje told ANI, "I have withdrawn my nomination to avoid horse-trading. I'm a descendant of Shivaji Maharaj and I also have my own pride. I'll strengthen Swarajya organisation in Maharashtra." Maharashtra | Sambhaji Raje says he is withdrawing his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections "I have withdrawn my nomination to avoid horse-trading. I'm a descendant of Shivaji Maharaj & I also have my own pride. I'll strengthen Swarajya organisation in Maharashtra," he adds. pic.twitter.com/oUbBpc4HJ1 ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 The scion of the Kolhapur throne reportedly said that two Sena MPs had met him in a five-star hotel recently to discuss the issue and conveyed the CM`s desire that he should become a Shiv Sena member and the party would immediately nominate him for the RS. "I made it clear that I wish to contest as an independent and will not join any party for the RS ticket... Now, I shall have nothing to do with the RS elections," IANS quoted Sambhajiraje as saying. He also made it clear that he had no `angst or ill-will` against any party as they all had their respective agendas to pursue and he respected their stand. Sena MP Arvind Sawant, however, denied Sambhajiraje`s allegations against the CM and blamed him for not accepting Sena`s offer and missing a `great opportunity, adding "He was earlier an NCP member then what prevented him from joining Sena... You stick to your views, we stand by our opinions." A few days ago, the Chhatrapati had announced his plans to contest the RS polls solo with the backing of all other parties like the ruling Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, smaller parties and independents. Though most parties kept silent, the Shiv Sena was prepared to offer him a ticket with a pre-condition that he should join the party as it wanted to increase its tally in the Upper House of Parliament. Last week, the Sena is said to have invited him to the CM`s residence to tie the `Shiv Bandhan` and join the party, but Sambhajiraje spurned the offer. A day later, CM Thackeray finalised the name of Shiv Sena Kolhapur District President Sanjay Pawar, who - along with Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut - filled their RS nomination papers on Thursday. Congress' Maharashtra unit president Nana Patole said it desired Sambhajiraje to enter the Rajya Sabha and whether he is an MP or not, the Congress will always stand with him. BJP Leader of Opposition (Council) Pravin Darekar, however, slammed the Shiv Sena for `insulting and humiliating` Sambhajiraje and said the people of the state will not forgive them. Sanjay Raut, Sanjay Pawar file papers for Rajya Sabha polls Sanjay Raut and Sanjay Pawar filed nomination papers as Shiv Sena candidates for the coming Rajya Sabha elections on Thursday in the presence of senior leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition in Maharashtra. Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, Congress leader and minister Balasaheb Thorat and other ministers were present as the two filed their papers at the Legislative Assembly. Sanjay Pawar, who heads the Shiv Sena's Kolhapur district unit, is contesting a parliamentary election for the first time. Raut asserted that the MVA will win four of the six seats from Maharashtra. MVA constituents Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have the votes to get one candidate each elected separately, but together they can get another candidate elected to the Upper House of Parliament. Banking on the collective strength of the MVA, the Sena has put its hat in the ring for a sixth seat. BJP can win third RS seat if leadership asks: Chandrakant Patil Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil has claimed that his party can field a third candidate for the June 10 Rajya Sabha elections and win that seat too if the central leadership instructed. Patil told reporters, "If the central leadership instructs us, we will field a third candidate and win that seat as well. Going by the strength in the Assembly, two candidates of BJP can win easily." A candidate will need a quota of 42 votes to win. The BJP has enough votes to win two seats on its own. Ruling alliance partners Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have the votes to get one candidate each elected separately, but together they can get another candidate elected to the Upper House of Parliament. Banking on this arithmetic, the Sena has decided to field two candidates in the election. The BJP has 106 MLAs in the 288-member Assembly. The strength of other parties is as follows: Shiv Sena 55, NCP 53, Congress 44, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi three, Samajwadi Party, AIMIM and Prahar Janshakti Party two each, MNS, CPM, Peasants and Workers Party, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha, Swabhimani Party, Jansurajya Shakti and Krantikari Shetkari Party one each. There are 13 Independents, while one seat is vacant. Notably, the last date for filing nominations is May 31 and the scrutiny of papers will take place on June 1. Nominations can be withdrawn till June 3, while polling will be held on June 10 and results will be announced on the same day. (With Inputs from Agencies) JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education (RBSE) is expected to release the RBSE Result 2022 for Classes 5, 8, 10 and 12 very soon. According to reports, the board will release the RBSE Result 2022 on its official websites - rajresults.nic.in and rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in. According to the RBSE board officials, the RBSE Class 12th result 2022 is most likely to be released before the RBSE class 10th result this year. Also, the RBSE is expected to release the BSER Class 12th result 2022 for Science and Commerce stream on May 28, however, the results for the Arts stream may be declared around mid-June. Meanwhile, the BSER 10th result 2022 is expected to come in the first week of June. The RBSE class 5th result 2022 and class 8th result 2022, which were expected on May 25, may be delayed. As per the information, the BSER 8th result 2022 may be expected on June 1, however, there is no official confirmation regarding the BSER 5th result 2022 yet. The RBSE has completed the evaluation process and students are advised to keep tracking the official website for any announcement on the final BSER result 2022 dates. HOW TO CHECK BSER RESULT 2022 -Log in to official websites: rajresults.nic.in and rajeduboard.rajasthan.gov.in. -Click on the RBSE 10th result and the RBSE 12th result link of various streams -You will be redirected to a new page. -Enter your name, class, and other credentials on the website. -Your RBSE Result 2022 will be displayed on the screen. Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of former Home Minister and Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister late Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has been summoned by a CBI court pertaining to a case related to her abduction in 1989, involving convicted terrorist Yasin Malik. She has been asked to appear before the court on July 15, PTI reported quoting officials. This is the first time that Rubaiya Sayeed has been asked to appear in the case. Rubaiya Sayeed, who stays in Tamil Nadu, is listed as a prosecution witness by the CBI which took over the investigations into the case in early 1990. For the unversed, Sayeed was kidnapped by Kashmiri militants in 1989, five days after her father became the first Muslim Minister of Home Affairs. The militants had demanded the release of five arrested terrorists in return for Rubaiyas release. With no other option, the government accepted their demand and freed them. Yasin Malik, chief of the banned JKLF who has recently been sentenced to life imprisonment in a terror funding case, is an accused in the Rubaiya Sayeed kidnapping case. (This is a developing story) The Middle East leg of Sadhgurus Save Soil journey, which saw him passing through Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahamas, and UAE, arrived in Muscat, the capital city of Oman. Sadhguru was welcomed to a rousing reception in a public event full of people waiting for him with bated breath. https://twitter.com/cpsavesoil/status/1529409441807753217 The event began with a classical Indian dance performance by Radhe Jaggi followed by an astonishing performance by Project Sanskriti in honor of Mother Earth. Envisioned by Sadhguru, Project Samskriti offers programs in Indian classical arts including music, dance, and Kalaripayattu a martial art form. These intricate arts have been employed for thousands of years as spiritual processes. In his opening speech, Ambassador of India to Oman, HE Amit Narang commended Sadhguru for his exceptional leadership, grit, and endurance toward the message of Save soil that he deemed as of global significance that unites humanity. Sadhguru expressed his great privilege to be in Oman, the last nation of the Middle East leg of the 100-day #SaveSoil journey. Speaking on the genesis of the problem of dying soil he opined, This is not because there is one evil force sitting somewhere and wanting to destroy this planet. There is no such thing! It is in pursuit of happiness and wellbeing of all of us that we have caused this level of damage where we are talking about Soil Extinction. The situation is so critical that not a single nation in the entire world has minimum 3% organic content as an average in their soils anywhere in the world, added Sadhguru and reflected that we are in a cusp of time where if we act in next 10-15 years we can make a significant turnaround. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-5pZaNyrMQ&t=729s Sadhguru embarked on his 100 days, 30000 km Save Soil journey from London, UK on 21st March 2022. After completing his journey across 26 nations, he will be arriving in India at Jamnagar, Gujarat, and will ride through 9 states in over 25 days. Similar to Europe and Middle East countries, the journey, notwithstanding long hours of the bike ride, will witness him relentlessly engaging with politicians, experts, influencers, and citizens besides addressing many public and private events to amplify the message of the movement. Beginning his journey from Gujarat, Sadhguru will coast along Jaipur to reach Delhi. He will then turn towards central India addressing events in Lucknow and Bhopal before heading to Mumbai. His first public event in South India will be at Hyderabad followed by events in Bangalore and Mysuru before ending his 100 days, 30000 km journey at Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore. The public events are open to all and can be attended by registering here. Sadhguru launched the Save Soil Movement in an urgent bid to draw attention to the rapid soil extinction and to drive policy changes to revitalize the soil. The United Nations agencies, with enough scientific data, are saying that the planet has agricultural soil only for another eighty to hundred crops. According to the UNCCD, if land degradation continues at current rates, 90% of the planet could turn into a desert by 2050 - less than three decades from now. The movement is supported by various global bodies and agencies including the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD); the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); Faith for Earth, a UNEP initiative; the World Food Programme (WFP); and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Since Sadhgurus start of journey, 74 nations have agreed to act to Save Soil and several nations, including 7 Caribbean nations, Azerbaijan, Romania and UAE have signed the memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Save Soil to enact policies to safeguard soil. New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued significant guidelines on sex work. For a long time, sex workers have been demanding that sex workers be treated with dignity, the country's top court said on Thursday (May 27). Supreme Court's verdict on Prostitution Prostitution is a profession like any other profession. Sex workers are entitled to equal status and equal protection under the law of the land. A three-judge bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao issued six guidelines today. In the guidelines, the bench said, "Sex workers are also entitled to equal protection and dignity in the eyes of the law. A sex worker is an adult and is doing so subject to consent. In this case, the police will not be able to intervene unnecessarily. Article 21 of the Constitution gives every citizen of the country the right to live a dignified life." What is legal and illegal in Prostitution after SC's verdict The Supreme Court has ruled that sex workers cannot be arrested and harassed during a police operation in Sex Palli. Because sex is not illegal, at the same time, it has been said that brothel is illegal. The child of a sex worker cannot be separated from the mother. The court observed that if a minor is found to be living with sex workers, it is not right to assume that the child was trafficked. The country's top court has also sought the Centre's opinion on the guidelines. The next hearing of the case is on July 27. On that day, the Supreme Court will hear the Centre's observations. Live TV Hyderabad: A serial killer, who murdered 17 women, has been awarded life imprisonment by a court in Telangana`s Jogulamba-Gadwal district. Yerukali Srinu (47), who used to target women after befriending them at toddy shops, was awarded the sentence in one of the murder cases. Third Additional District Magistrate held him guilty and on Thursday sentenced him to life imprisonment for the murder of Chitti Alivelamma (53). The serial killer was arrested in 2019 in Alivelamma`s murder case. The investigations revealed that he killed 16 other women in the last decade. Srinu`s wife Salamma was also arrested for stocking the stolen property. Srinu, addicted to liquor, would befriend women who come to toddy shops to drink, would take them out to isolated places in the name of picnic and after drinking with them would kill them and decamp with their gold and silver ornaments. Srinu, who had also murdered his own brother, was finally caught when police cracked the murder case of Alivelamma, whose body was found on December 17, 2019 near a village in Mahabubnagar district The police investigations had revealed that the accused targetted lone women at toddy shops at various places in Rangareddy and Mahabubnagar districts. Srinu was convicted and jailed in a few criminal cases. In 2009, he was sentenced for life for killing his brother but was given remission in 2013 for good conduct in jail. However, there was no change in him. After the last time he was released from jail in 2018, authorities had provided him a job at a petrol bunk run by the prison department with the hope that he would mend his ways. However, he continued to indulge in drinking and commit crimes. He was acquitted in 11 cases. In two of the cases, he was acquitted recently. Police have appealed against his acquittal. Last year, 486 anti-Christian attacks took place in many parts of the country. There are those in the Sangh Parivar who think that the same can happen in our state. But unlike other states, they know that drastic action will be taken here: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan in Kochi yesterday. Amid the relaxing of travel restrictions, this local university has once again reopened its gateways to internationalization in full swing, allowing many of its students and staff to go abroad through numerous learning opportunities. Through its International Relations Cell, Parul University recently welcomed delegates from Poland, Belgium, and Portugal for its annually held International Week, providing a leading exposure to its students and staff to global opportunities across Europe. Adding to its international exploits, the Universitys Director of International Relations, Dr. Preeti Nair, recently visited numerous countries across Europe, including Spain, Lithuania, and France, to develop Indias ties with European Higher Education Institutions. The University has been continually making efforts to provide the students with opportunities across multiple countries worldwide. Parul University once again celebrated its annual International Week, which featured foreign delegates from numerous countries across Europe. This week-long campus affair was organized to provide the Universitys students and faculties with an enriching exposure to international opportunities. The gathering hosted three of the Universitys partners, including Dr. Martin Valcke, Ghent University, Belgium, Dr. Miguel Amaral, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal and Dr. Kamila Ludwikowska, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland. The delegates conducted sessions and lectures in the multiple streams of academia with insights into the European industry for the students. In addition, the International experts also took part in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit where they shared their expert knowledge in various areas, including discussions on the future of virtual reality, business entrepreneurship, and social innovation. Dr. Preeti Nair, the Director of International Relations, recently visited Europe to strengthen internationalization and explore opportunities for Indian students and faculties across Europe. In her expedition, Dr. Nair visited Spain, Lithuania and France, where she interacted and engaged with various Universities across these countries. Some of the Universities she engaged with include the University of Salamanca and the University of Granada in Spain, the University of Vilnius in Lithuania, Esigelec University and College De Pairs in France. For years, the University has been focusing on providing its students with a global holistic educational approach through over 85 of its international collaborations. As a university, our goal is to make continuous and consistent efforts to provide students and faculty beneficiaries with the best opportunities abroad either through mobility programs or study abroad programs to support their knowledge further, said Dr. Nair. During her time in Spain, she visited the University of Salamanca, where she engaged in sessions and interacted with the delegates of these Universities in order to strengthen opportunities for students and faculty members. This visit was followed by an Erasmus+ funded trip to the University of Granada on a mobility program where she participated in European Union-funded programs. During her ventures in Lithuania, she was presented with an opportunity to promote Indian culture and Parul University through numerous seminars and talk sessions with delegates from different countries and universities. While in France, Dr. Nair engaged with the delegation from the Parul Universitys Partner Universities, where she held meetings with the French partner Universities centred on strengthening collaborations with India. The University continues intensifying opportunities for its students to gain international exposure throughout their learning experience. Within the first quarter alone, the University has sent over 45 students to Europe, Canada and USA under various Semester Exchange, Summer Schools, Pathway and Study Abroad Programs. (Brand Desk Content) Gaya (Bihar): Security forces have recovered the body of top Naxal commander Sandeep Yadav, who carried a reward of Rs 83 lakh on his head announced by different state governments, from Bankebazar village in Gaya district, police said. The top Naxal commander was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Baburamdih area of the village under Lutua police station on Wednesday, said an agency report. The police, however, confirmed Sandeep Yadav's death on Thursday. He was wanted in over 500 cases in six states, including Bihar and Jharkhand, said a PTI report. Gaya SSP reportedly said that the autopsy was conducted at Anugrah Narayan Medical College in Gaya in the presence of a magistrate and the entire process was videographed, adding that the exact cause of death can be ascertained only by the report of the postmortem report. "Naxal commander Sandeep Yadav, who carried a reward of over Rs 30 lakh on his head announced by different state governments, was found dead in Gaya. The cause of death will be clear after the postmortem," Gaya Senior Superintendent of Police Harpreet Kaur told ANI. Yadav was active in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal for the last 25 years. It is believed that he was in charge of the Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee. The Jharkhand government had announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh for information leading to his arrest. Notably, the body was later handed over to the family members of the Naxal leader. (Agency Inputs) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (May 27, 2022) launched 150 remote pilot certificates at India`s biggest Drone Festival, Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 in Delhis Pragati Maidan. At the event, PM Modi noted that the enthusiasm being seen in India regarding drone technology is amazing and said that this will emerge as a sector of employment generation in India. Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 is a two-day event and is being held on May 27 and 28. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches 150 remote pilot certificates at the two-day Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 in Delhi pic.twitter.com/xcM3Jmmz40 ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 PM Modi also said that the use of drones will increase in the defence sector and disaster management. Technology has paved the way to ensure the last-mile delivery of govt schemes. Use of drones will increase in the defence sector & disaster management, said PM Modi at Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022. The prime minister interacted with kisan drone pilots and witnessed open-air drone demonstrations in the drone exhibition centre. Technology has paved the way to ensure the last-mile delivery of govt schemes. Use of drones will increase in the defence sector & disaster management: PM Modi at 2-day Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 in Delhi pic.twitter.com/9eolVq8rxM ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 #WATCH | PM Modi said, "Every month I organize a Pragati meeting with govt officials and review the development works in various parts of the country with the help of drones." pic.twitter.com/VzdWqoNM2T ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 During his address at the event, PM Modi also that eight years ago "we started implementing new mantras of good governance". "Walking on the path of minimum government and maximum governance, priority was given to ease of living and ease of doing business," Modi said. Civil Aviation minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia also addressed the Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 and highlighted that drones can help multiple sections of the society. Drones is an idea whose time has come in India. "Technology first", but more important is "People first", says PM. While, a drone can help security forces in maintaining security, it can also help farmers. We've brought new drone rules and released a drone space map, said Scindia. It is estimated that the drone industry will reach Rs 15,000 crore turnover by the year 2026. Today, there are 270 drones startups in India, he added. It is estimated that the drone industry will reach Rs 15,000 crore turnover by the year 2026. Today, there are 270 drones startups in India: Union Civil Aviation minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia during the two-day Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 in Delhi pic.twitter.com/qptux6s5on ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 Earlier the Prime Minister`s Office informed that over 1600 delegates comprising government officials, foreign diplomats, armed forces, central armed police forces, PSUs, private companies and drone startups etc. are participating in the Mahotsav. It also added that more than 70 exhibitors will display various use cases of drones at the exhibition. Dehradun: A total of 91 pilgrims have lost their lives during the course of the Char Dam Yatra in Uttarakhand since the pilgrimage began on May 3 this year, informed the officials on Friday. Uttarakhand Director-General (DG) Health Shailja Bhatt cited heart attack as the primary reason behind the reported deaths on Friday (May 27, 2022). "Most of the pilgrims died due to heart attacks. Also, health services in Char Dham have been strengthened as compared to earlier," Bhatt told ANI. An addition of 169 doctors has been deployed. Char Dham yatra began with the opening of Gangotri and Yamunotri portals for devotees on May 3, on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. While Kedarnath re-opened on May 6, the doors of Badrinath opened on May 8. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders why his partys promise to provide free electricity to the people of Gujarat was "troubling" the saffron party. Kejriwals comments came in response to BJP's Gujarat chief CR Patils remarks over freebies being offered by "some leaders" in the state. Taking a potshot at BJP, the Delhi chief minister said in order to provide free electricity, corruption has to be ended. Without naming the AAP or Kejriwal, the Gujarat BJP chief had on Thursday reportedly cautioned the people against getting influenced by the freebies offered by "some political leaders", warning they were not good for the economy and that freebies could ruin the state. Patil was reportedly addressing a gathering after dedicating inaugurating the South Gujarat Medical Education and Research Institute in Surat. "Patil Sahib, your ministers get free electricity, is that right? You do you so much trouble if I provide free electricity to the public," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi reacting to media reports. "There is huge corruption in the Gujarat government. End corruption like Delhi and Punjab, a lot of money will be saved for giving free electricity to the public," he added. Addressing a rally organised by his party in Rajkot city earlier this month, Kejriwal had also promised better schools and hospitals, and free pilgrimage for senior citizens in air-conditioned trains to various religious places, including Ayodhya, if the AAP was voted to power in Gujarat. Accusing the BJP of "failure" on multiple fronts during its nearly three-decade rule in Gujarat, the AAP national convenor had asked the people to give his party a chance to govern the state. Assembly elections in Gujarat are likely to be held later this year. SRINAGAR: In a major breakthrough, two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, who had murdered TV artist Amreen Bhatt on Wednesday, were gunned down by the security forces in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Awantipora in the wee hours of Friday. Sharing more information, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said, The heinous murder case of TV artist Amreen Bhat has been solved in 24 hours. "Two LeT terrorists have been killed in the Soura area of the Srinagar in an encounter. They have been identified as Shakir Ahmed Waza and Afreen Aftab Malik. #UPDATE | The two killed LeT terrorists in Soura area of Srinagar encounter have been identified as Shakir Ahmed Waza & Afreen Aftab Malik. Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition recovered. Further details shall follow: Jammu & Kashmir Police ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 Incriminating materials, including arms & ammunition, have recovered from them. Further details shall follow, the IGP Kashmir said. He added that a total of ten terrorists, including 3 from JeM and 7 from LeT-linked terror outfits, have been killed in separate encounters in the past 3 days in Kashmir Valley. J&K | 2 encounters last night- 2 LeT terrorists killed in Sour,Srinagar; recovered 1 AK-47 &a pistol. In Awantipora encounter,2 LeT terrorists killed in connection with TV artist Amreen Bhat's murder. Total 10 terrorists- 7 LeT, 3 JeM killed in last 3 days:Vijay Kumar,IGP Kashmir pic.twitter.com/UqrtgB7AUa ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2022 The IGP Vijay Kumar earlier informed that the two LeT terrorists who killed TV artist Amreen Bhat were trapped in an ongoing encounter in the Awantipora area of the Pulwama district in South Kashmir. Amreen Bhat, a TV artist and social media sensation, was killed inside her home in Hishroo village of Chadoora area of Budgam by some unidentified terrorists on Wednesday. Her nephew was also injured in the incident as he sustained a bullet injury in his right arm. IGP Kashmir had earlier said that the LeT terrorists were behind the killing of the artist. It may be mentioned that this was the 51st encounter of the year and in the last 50 encounters, the security forces have managed to kill at least 78 terrorists, including 25 Pakistani terrorists, besides arresting 43 hybrid terrorists. 14 civilians, including cops, who were on leave, were also killed by terrorists this year, while 16 security personals too lost their lives in anti-terror operations in J&K. New Delhi: Kerala SSLC and DHSE Second Year results will be released soon by the Kerala Board of Public Examination. Candidates who appeared for the SSLC or DHSE Plus 2 exams can check the results on the official Kerala Board of Public Examination website at keralaresults.nic.in. Earlier, Education Minister V Sivankutty's office had informed the Kerala SSLC Class 10 results will be announced on June 10 and Kerala DHSE Second Year or Class 12 results will be released on June 20, 2022, as per media reports. The Kerala SSLC Class10 exam was conducted from March 31 to April 29, 2022 and Kerala DHSE Class 12 exam was held from March 30 to April 22, 2022, across several centres in the state. Kerala SSLC result and DHSE Plus 2 result: Steps to check 1. Visit the official Kerala Board of Public Examination website at keralaresults.nic.in. 2. On the homepage, click on the result link. 3. Enter the login credentials and submit. 4. Your Kerala SSLC or DHSE Plus 2 result will appear on the screen. 5. Download the result and take a printout for future reference. For updates regarding Kerala SSLC Results 2022 and DHSE Plus 2 Results, candidates must keep a tab on the official website at keralaresults.nic.in. ALSO READ: Karnataka Class 10 SSLC result 2022 out, 145 students bag 100% marks Mumbai: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday gave a clean chit to Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, in the drugs-on-cruise case, in which he was arrested last year.Besides Aryan Khan, 19 other accused were arrested in the case. All the accused, except two, are currently out on bail. In a statement, the NCB said, "Based on an input, NCB Mumbai had on October 2, 2021 intercepted Vikrant, Ishmeet, Arbaaz, Aryan and Gomit at International Port Terminal, Mumbai Port Trust, and Nupur, Mohak and Munmum at the Cruise. All the accused persons were found in possession of narcotics except Aryan and Mohak." "Initially, the case was investigated by NCB Mumbai. Later, an SIT from NCB headquarters in New Delhi headed by Sanjay Kumar Singh, DDG (Operations), was constituted to investigate the case, which was taken over by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on November 11, 2021," the anti-drug agency said. SIT carried out its investigation in objective manner. The touchstone of the principle of proof beyond reasonable doubt has been applied. Based on the investigation carried out by the SIT, a complaint against 14 persons under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act is being filed, it said, adding that complaint against rest six persons is not being filed due to lack of sufficient evidence. Meanwhile, the NCB submitted a charge-sheet in the case on Friday. It submitted the charge-sheet before the registry and the special NDPS court will take its cognizance after the verification of the documents. In March this year, the special court had granted a 60-day extension to the probe agency to file the charge-sheet. Aryan Khan was arrested in the case by the NCB on October 3 last year and was released from jail later that month after being granted bail. Los Angeles: Hollywood actor Ray Liotta, who impressed the audiences with his performance as Henry Hill in the 1990 Martin Scorsese crime classic 'Goodfellas' died at the age of 67. The actor died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic, where he was shooting the film 'Dangerous Waters', reports 'Deadline'. Liotta is survived by his daughter, Karsen. He was engaged to be married to Jacy Nittolo and, according to 'Deadline', his career had lately been seeing a major revival. Recent turns included 'The Many Saints of Newark', 'Marriage Story' -- for which he shared a 2020 ensemble Indie Spirit Award -- and Steven Soderbergh's 'No Sudden Move'. He finished the Elizabeth Banks-directed 'Cocaine Bear' and was due to star in the Working Title film 'The Substance' opposite Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley. 'Deadline' reports that Liotta was also recently set to executive produce the A&E docu-series 'Five Families', about the dramatic rise and fall of the New York's mafia's Genovese, Gambino, Bonnano, Colombo and Lucchese families. Though better known for his big-screen roles, Liotta also starred with Taron Egerton in the Apple TV+ series 'Black Bird', recurred on Prime Video's Hanna', fronted the 2006 CBS crime drama 'Smith' and starred opposite Jennifer Lopez in the 2016-18 NBC police drama 'Shades of Blue'. Liotta won a Primetime Emmy in 2005 for his guest stint on ER' and was a two-time SAG Award nominee for the 2015 miniseries 'Texas Rising' and the 1998 telefilm 'The Rat Pack', in which he starred as Frank Sinatra opposite Don Cheadle, Joe Mantegna and Angus Macfayden. HYDERABAD: Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu recently shared a picture of herself with her pet dog, Saasha on social media. Clicked during her workout session, the picture features her in a candid moment with her dog. While the picture has received praises from fans, a Twitter user trolled her and said that 'She will end up dying alone with cats and dogs'. Responding to the comment, Samantha called herself 'lucky' in her reply. "I would consider myself lucky," she wrote. Meanwhile, the user has now deleted the comment after facing backlash from the actor's fans. However, a screenshot of the comment is currently being circulated among fans on social media. Samantha has now responded forcefully to a social media troll who made an offensive remark about her. Under one of Samantha's recent tweets, a netizen commented, "She's (Sam) is going to end up dying alone with cats and dogs." The actress was quick to respond, calmly and effectively shutting down the troll. "I'd consider myself lucky," Samantha's response reads. After the 'Kushi' lady responded with a sarcastic retort, the netizen quickly deleted the tweet. Samantha is one of the few celebrities who aren't afraid to speak out against unwelcome social media trolls. She is often seen tackling negative comments on social media. She recently wrapped the first schedule of her highly-anticipated film 'Kushi', in which she co-stars with Vijay Deverakonda. Recently, several media reports claimed that the lead actors suffered injuries on the sets while filming a stunt sequence. According to a report by Hindustan Times, the two while shooting for an action-packed scene got severely hurt, therefore, the shooting had to be halted for a few hours. "Samantha and Vijay were performing a stunt sequence in the Pahalgam area of Kashmir during which they sustained injuries. The scene was very tough. Both the actors had to run a vehicle over the rope tied on both sides of the Lidder river, but unfortunately, the vehicle fell down into the deep water and both injured their backs," a spokesperson of Vijay Deverakondas team told the portal. According to the crew member, "Both the actors were immediately rushed to the hotel nearby on the banks of Dal Lake. Physiotherapists were called in and therapy is going on." The duo while shooting had to face certain backlashes, as per reports. The incident took place over the weekend. On Sunday, both Prabhu and Deverakonda continued filming, this time at Dal Lake in Srinagar but both complained of backaches during the shoot. Her other films, 'Yashoda', and 'Shakuntalam', will be released by the end of the year. Live TV New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) Annual Report 2021-22, which was released on Friday (May 27), pointed out that the private sector banks in India recorded the highest number of frauds in the financial year 2021-22. According to the latest data released by the RBI, private sector banks reported the highest number of cases at 5,334, followed by public sector banks at 3,078. On the other hand, foreign banks and small finance banks reported 494 and 155 cases of bank fraud in the financial year 2021-22. The data showed that the number of bank fraud cases increased in FY21 than last year. However, the amount involved in the cases came down to half the amount involved a year ago. While the number of frauds reported by private sector banks were mainly on account of small value card/internet frauds, the fraud amount reported by public sector banks was mainly in the loan portfolio," RBI said in its annual report. The total number of fraud cases in FY22 stood at 9,103. In comparison, the count stood at 7,359 last year. The total fraud amount stood at Rs 60,414 crore in FY22 while the amount was Rs 1,38,211 crore a year ago. An assessment of bank group-wise fraud cases over the last three years indicates that while private sector banks reported a maximum number of frauds, public sector banks contributed maximum to the fraud amount. Frauds have been occurring predominantly in the loan portfolio (advances category), both in terms of number and value," the report said. Also Read: iPhone 14 Pro renders reveal new colour options, i-shaped notch: Deets here Bank customers should note that 90% of the money lost in a bank fraud case can be retracted back in 10 days if they take the right steps at the right time. By sharing immediate information about any unauthorized transaction, bank customers can avoid losses in fraud cases. Also Read: Markets join global rally, Sensex zooms 632 points New Delhi: Retirement fund body EPFO has made Universal Account Number (UAN) mandatory for all employers covered under the Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952. Every employee, working in an organization, company or a factory with an active PF account is alloted a UAN. EPFO provides a host of online facility to the EPF Members, and one such facility is that the retirement fund body now allows you to generate Direct UAN online by following some easy steps. Here is how to Generate Direct UAN via EPFO Portal Visit this official EPFO link https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface/ On the right hand side, click on Direct UAN Allotment by Employees Provide your Aadhaar linked mobile and enter Captcha and click on Generate OTP Enter OTP recieved on Aadhaar linked moile and click on Submit button Now select YES for "Are you employed in any private company/factory/establishment. If NO is selected, system will redirect you to the home page Now select the appropriate EMPLOYMENT CATEGORY from the drop down list If EMPLOYMENT CATEGORY is selected as "In the establishment/company/factory" covered under EPFO, system will prompt for PF Code number, otherwise system will prompt to entre the details of the establishment System will display the details fo establishment. Now you will have to enter date of joining and select the IDENTITY PROOOF TYPE and upload the copy of the "Identity Proof Type" selected Now enter your Aadhaar or virtual ID and captcha and click on generate OTP Submit the OTP recieved on your phone System will fetch the details from UIDAI. Now click on REGISTER button Your UAN will now be generated UAN will be recieved on your Mobile phone also New Delhi: Celebrity wedding designer and founder of The A-Cube Project, Ambika Gupta is known for designing destination weddings across the world and for her bespoke events for celebrities like Kajal Aggarwal. She is in news now for planning the nuptials of South stars Aadhi Pinisetty and Nikki Galrani who got married on May 18, surrounded by their loved ones. AADHI PENNISETTY AND NIKKI GALRANI WEDDING Ambika started the design process by keeping the bride and groom at the heart of the different ceremonies and made them fill a questionnaire about their likes and dislikes, favourite decor choices and holiday destinations. This is how the design and colour palette for Haldi, Mehendi, the actual wedding, and the reception, came into being. Says Ambika, "They were both very specific about their preferences but were sweet and kind enough to be open to my suggestions and invested a lot of trust in the design team. We also got to know so much about their lives, how they met for their first movie and how their love story blossomed over the last 7 to 8 years. Everything they told us in some way helped us design the themes." The actors who have famously worked together in films like Maragadha Naanayam and Yagavarayinum Naa Kaakha connected with Ambika through a mutual friend. WEDDING DECOR What set the decor apart was that it did not emerge from an ad-hoc approach but was very detailed. As Ambika says, " We work like architects and interior designers and we are very process-driven. We blueprint every idea to the last detail. We also are very careful about the choice of lighting and how it interacts with colors, outfits, and cameras and we make sure that every design accent is personalised so that the couple feels connected to it. The decor must be intrinsic to their story and not just hurriedly slapped together." For instance, Ambika named the Haldi ceremony as Amaltas, which is also known as the 'The Golden Shower Tree' of India, to indicate the abundant blessings surrounding the couple as they are extremely family-oriented and also because Nikki loves sunflowers. Says Ambika, "We also wanted to depict how two people from completely different worlds are coming together so we had two Amaltas trees under which the couple sat." BLING IT IN BALI! For Mehndi, Ambika channelled the couple's love for Bali. Says she, Bling it in Bali, was our theme as they had celebrated their first new year after falling in love in this tropical paradise. The decor accents that Aadhi and Nikky love hence, ranged from green verdure to cane furniture, to dull gold-painted Bali umbrellas. Be it a 360-degree photo booth or a fun chaat counter, we infused a lot of joy in every corner." For the wedding and reception, the theme was 'The White Blossom' to signify the purity of love, peace, divinity, and seamless infinity. The wedding was a perfect culmination of a beautiful love story and Ambika says, "Our design story was a tribute to two people who share a very magical bond and we just wanted everything around them to be as beautiful as their relationship. Thankfully, that is exactly what we managed to achieve." New Delhi: WhatsApp scams are happening very frequently these days, and hackers are regularly coming up with new ways to dupe unsuspecting WhatsApp users into handing over control of their accounts. Security experts have discovered a new fraud that allows hackers to take control of WhatsApp users' accounts with just a phone call. Rahul Sasi, the founder and CEO of CloudSEk, a contextual AI startup that forecasts cyber dangers, called attention to the new scam. When victims receive a call from hackers, they are instructed to dial numbers beginning with '67' or '405'. They are logged out of their WhatsApp accounts after making the call, and hackers have complete control of their accounts in seconds. "First, you'll get a call from the attacker, who will persuade you to dial **67*10 digit number> or *405*10 digit number>. "Your WhatsApp would be logged out in a matter of minutes, and the attackers would have complete access to your account," Sasi stated in a blog post. The number dialed by victims is a service request for Airtel's 'call forwarding' for when your phone number is busy or engaged, according to CloudSEK's founder. They can then route the victims' calls to a phone number that they possess. Meanwhile, the attackers begin the WhatsApp registration procedure by selecting "the option to send OTP through phone call." "The OTP will go to the attacker's phone because your phone is activated," he explained. The attacker is able to acquire access to the accounts of the victims in this way. This method may also be used to get into anyone's WhatsApp account provided the hacker has physical access to their phone and permission to make calls, according to the security researcher. "This method works globally because every country and service provider has an identical service request number," he continued. The safest and simplest approach to avoid falling victim to this scam is to ignore calls from unknown numbers or to make calls to unknown numbers. New Delhi: India's new directive which mandates reporting of cyberattack incidents within six hours and storing users' logs for 5 years will make it difficult for companies to do business in the country, 11 international bodies having tech giants like Google, Facebook and HP as members said in a joint letter to the government. The joint letter written by 11 organisations that mainly represent technology companies based in the US, Europe and Asia was sent to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) director general Sanjay Bahl on May 26. The international bodies have expressed concerned that the directive, as written, will have a detrimental impact on cyber security for organisations that operate in India, and create a disjointed approach to cyber security across jurisdictions, undermining the security posture of India and its allies in the Quad countries, Europe and beyond. "The onerous nature of the requirements may also make it more difficult for companies to do business in India," the letter said. The global bodies that have jointly expressed concern include Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA), Bank Policy Institute, BSA - The Software Alliance, Coalition to Reduce Cyber Risk (CR2), Cybersecurity Coalition, Digital Europe, techUK, US Chamber of Commerce, US-India Business Council and US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. The new directive issued on April 28 mandates companies to report any cyber breach to CERT-In within six hours of noticing it. It mandates data centres, Virtual Private Server (VPS) providers, cloud service providers and Virtual Private Network (VPN) service providers to validate names of subscribers and customers hiring the services, period of hiring, ownership pattern of the subscribers etc. And maintain the records for a period of 5 years or longer duration as mandated by the law. As per the directive, IT companies need to maintain all information obtained as part of Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and records of financial transactions for a period of five years so as to ensure cyber security in the area of payments and financial markets for citizens. The international bodies have raised concern over the 6-hour timeline provided for cyber incident reporting and demanded that it should be increased to 72 hours. "CERT-In has not provided any rationale as to why the 6-hour timeline is necessary, nor is it proportionate or aligned with global standards. Such a timeline is unnecessarily brief and injects additional complexity at a time when entities are more appropriately focused on the difficult task of understanding, responding to, and remediating a cyber incident," the letter said. It said in case of the six-hour mandate, entities will also unlikely have sufficient information to make a reasonable determination of whether a cyber incident has in fact occurred that would warrant the triggering of the notification. The international bodies said that their member companies operate advanced security infrastructures with high-quality internal incident management procedures, which will yield more efficient and agile responses than a government directed instruction regarding a third-party system that CERT-In is not familiar with. The joint letter said that the current definition of reportable incidents, to include activities such as probing and scanning, is far too broad given probes and scans are everyday occurrences. It said that the clarification provided by CERT-In to the directive mentions that logs are not required to be stored in India but the directive does not mention it. "Even if this change is made, however, we have concerns about some of the types of log data that the Indian government is requiring be furnished upon request, as some of it is sensitive and, if accessed, could create new security risk by providing insight into an organisation's security posture," the letter said. The joint letter said that internet service providers commonly collect customer information but extending these obligations to VSP, CSP and VPN providers is burdensome and onerous. "A data centre provider does not assign IP addresses. It will be an onerous task for the data centre provider to collect and record all IP addresses assigned to their customers by ISPs. This could be a nearly impossible task when IP addresses are dynamically assigned," letter said. The global bodies said that storing the data locally for the life cycle of the customer and thereafter for five years will require storage and security resources for which the costs must be passed on to the customer, who notably has not asked for this data to be stored after their service termination. "We share the government's goal to improve cyber security. However, we remain concerned about the CERT-In directive, despite the release of the recent FAQs document intended to clarify the directive, because the FAQ is not a legal document, it does not grant companies with the legal certainty required to conduct everyday business," ITI senior director of policy Courtney Lang said. Lang said additionally, the FAQ issued by the CERT-In does not address problematic provisions, including the six-hour reporting timeline. "We continue to urge CERT-In to pause implementation of the directive and open a stakeholder consultation to fully address the concerns articulated in the letter," Lang said.` Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has now asked the state cabinet ministers not to use red beacons atop their cars while travelling. The Trinamool Congress chief said this during a felicitation ceremony for the Kolkata police. "I have asked the state cabinet ministers not to use red beacons atop their cars while travelling. Even, the police use red beacons for smooth movement. All of this is not appreciated by people, they don`t like this," she said. I've asked the state cabinet ministers not to use red beacons atop their cars while travelling. Even, the police use red beacons for smooth movement. All of this is not appreciated by people, they don't like this: WB CM Mamata Banerjee in felicitation ceremony of Kolkata police pic.twitter.com/PSt2FLuOiP ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2022 Earlier, the West Bengal State Transport Department published a fresh list of VIPs and emergency officials who can use beacon lights atop their vehicles. Interestingly, the states Governor, Chief Minister, Assembly Speaker, and Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court have not been included in the list. It may be noted that as an austerity measure, the Narendra Modi-led Central government had in 2017 banned all kinds of beacon lights for VVIPs other than those who are involved in emergency and disaster management duties. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Friday called on Washington not to hype the "Chinese threat," commenting on US Secretary of State Antony Blinken`s recent remark on China posing a challenge to the international order. In a major policy speech at George Washington University on Thursday, Blinken said that China is the only nation in the world that has both the intent and the capability to reshape the existing international order, reported Sputnik. "The US side said that China is the most serious long-term challenge to the world order, this is a distortion of the truth, China has always been, is and will be the defender of the international order," Wenbin told reporters, adding that the US spreads misinformation and hypes the "Chinese threat" to restrain the Asian country`s development. Earlier, Blinken said President Joe Biden`s administration is not seeking a "Cold War" with China but wants Beijing to adhere to international rules. He also said that Washington sees Beijing as a "long-term challenge". "We are not looking for conflict or a new Cold War. To the contrary, we`re determined to avoid both," Blinken said Thursday in a much-anticipated speech that laid out the US` China policy. "But we will defend and strengthen the international law, agreements, principles, and institutions that maintain peace and security, protect the rights of individuals and sovereign nations, and make it possible for all countries -- including the United States and China -- to coexist and cooperate," he said. Live TV New Delhi: An earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck the Tirapata region of southern Peru on Thursday (May 26, 2022), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said. The quake was at a depth of 212 km (132 miles), USGS said. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said there was no tsunami warning in place. There were no early reports of damage or casualties. Earlier, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) pegged the quake at magnitude 7. "The information we have so far is that there is no damage," Hernando Tavera, executive president of the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP), told local radio station RPP. "From the level of intensity on the surface, there should be no damage." According to local media reports, the quake was also felt in the southern regions of Arequipa, Cusco and Tacna, where residents took to the streets for safety.Some important mines in Peru, the world`s second largest copper producer, are located in the south of the country. Minsur`s San Rafael zinc mine operates in the Puno region. Representatives of the firm were not available for comment on the quake. Peru is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where approximately 85% of the world`s seismic activity occurs. The world has not been able to overcome the corona pandemic completely now. In the meantime, Monkey Pox has created a new terror. But it is known that monkey pox disease is not new. Yet people didn't have a very clear idea about the disease. However, research on this disease has been going on for a long time. It is learnt that research on the disease has been going on in Britain since 2018. Between 2018 and 2021, a total of 7 people with monkey pox were detected, and a study of this has now been published in the Lancet. Where an idea about the treatment of Monkey Pox disease has been given. According to this study, there are some 'anti-viral drugs' that can be used to circumvent the symptoms of Monkey Pox. The study even claimed that "patients recovered quickly with the use of these medicines." In this case, by applying two different antiviral drugs Tecovirimat or Brincidofovir on the patients, the researchers are said to have obtained the expected results. Although researchers are not as sure about the effectiveness of the drug Tecovirimat as they are with Brincidofovir to prevent the transmission of monkey pox. Researchers now believe that more research is needed on this Tecovirimat drug. According to the researchers, it is possible to get an idea about the presence of Monkey Pox in the body only by examining the blood and saliva samples. The situation of this virus is getting more and more serious around the world day by day. The number of patients suffering from Monkey Pox is increasing. Researchers in different parts of the world are trying to figure out how to keep the infection of the disease under control. However, there is a lot of discussion about this disease, but for now, no patient has been found with this disease in India. Therefore, the doctors have advised to follow the path of precautions not to panic unnecessarily about this. Where is the origin of Monkeypox? How Monkeypox started? From which country did the virus start spreading? How is Monkeypox transmitted? Causes of Monkeypox in human? Is Monkeypox deadly? These questions has come up again and again. This time the answer came to the sensational claim of a WHO (World Health Organization) expert. It is known that the virus has spread from the two Rave Parties of the two countries of Europe. But, in what way? Find out all the details. How Monkeypox started? Recently, two Rave Parties were organized in Europe. It was at that party that this Monkeypox virus first began to spread due to unprotected sexual relations. A world health organization consultant reported this to the media. Former head of the Emergency Department of the World Health Organization Dr. David Heyman was the first to learn about these two rave parties. Causes of Monkeypox in human? In an interview with an international news agency, Dr. David Heyman explains how the monkeypox virus has spread to humans. He mentions unprotected sex there. He also reported the risk of sexual intercourse between homosexuals or gay men. He pointed out that gay men had indulged in unprotected sex at those two Rave parties in Europe. These two parties were held in Spain and Belgium. From there, the expert believes that the monkeypox virus started to spread. As soon as this information came out in the open, panic spread. How is Monkeypox transmitted? WHO also held an emergency meeting on how to protect against this new virus or how to deal with it, where experts were also present. Monkeypox virus is spreading rapidly among gay men. That's what the World Health Organization is concerned about. The reason for this was discussed in detail at the WHO meeting. In addition, various tests are also being carried out around the world to find out what kind of vaccine will be effective to get rid of Monkeypox. Is Monkeypox Deadly? How deadly the virus is? The Monkeypox virus is airborne. Due to this virus, the disease that the common people are suffering from, it is called monkeypox. Many people suffer from fever if they have this disease. Large blisters are created in the body. At present, smallpox has recovered a lot for vaccination, but monkeypox is still found in many countries, including West Africa. The first monkeypox was found in 1958. It was initially known that the virus was spread from rats. But the main concern is that monkeypox can spread from one victim to another person's body. Smallpox is very different from Monkeypox. London: With monkeypox cases spreading across more than 20 countries, the world - which has been battling the Covid-19 pandemic for over 2 years - is on tenterhooks about the viral infection. And in a development that can break the hearts of pet parents, European health authorities have asked monkeypox patients to either kill or isolate their pet hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs over fears that the virus could become endemic across Europe if it makes the jump to animals, reported IANS. As per the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), the European Union has confirmed 118 cases of monkeypox. Spain and Portugal have reported the largest outbreaks in the EU with 51 and 37 cases, respectively. The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed 90 cases of the virus. Globally, about 200 confirmed cases and more than 100 suspected cases have been detected in over 20 countries. "Rodent pets should ideally be isolated in monitored facilities, complying with respiratory isolation (for example, a laboratory) and animal welfare conditions (for example, government facilities, kennels, or animal welfare organisations), and tested (by PCR) for exposure before quarantine ends," the ECDC said, in a statement. Although the natural reservoir of monkeypox is unknown, experts believe it comes from rodents in west and central Africa, where the disease is endemic. Pet rodents - including hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and mice - are considered most at risk, as they are known to be susceptible to the disease. Other animals, including dogs and cats, should also be kept indoors - but can isolate at home as the risks of contracting the virus are lower, The Telegraph reported. According to Professor David Robertson, from the Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, although the threat of monkeypox jumping from humans to pets to wildlife is low, it is a "valid concern", the report said. If this happens, it would be incredibly difficult to trace the spread of the virus - which could jump back into humans from wildlife, triggering recurrent outbreaks. "This virus does have quite a wide host range which is always worrying in terms of potential to establish in a new host species... it would seem sensible to monitor any animals/pets that infected people are in contact with," Robertson was quoted as saying. Some experts, however, have downplayed the risks. Professor Ian H Brown, head of the virology department at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), said the threat remained "theoretical", with diseases "more readily" jumping the other way, from humans to animals. "There are lots of uncertainties so (it is) always prudent in such situations to educate people and mitigate such risks," he told the Telegraph. "To date, few animal species have known susceptibility to the virus. No companion dog cases have been reported during this event to date or in previous events." Meanwhile, Sylvie Briand, World Health Organization (WHO) director for Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness, told the UN agency's annual assembly that "if we put in place the right measures now we probably can contain this easily." 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 in Europe, the United States and other areas has raised alarms. (With IANS inputs) Kyiv: Moscow pressed the West on Thursday to lift sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, seeking to shift the blame for a growing food crisis that has been worsened by Kyiv's inability to ship millions of tons of grain and other agricultural products due to the conflict. Britain immediately accused Russia of 'trying to hold the world to ransom,' insisting there would be no sanctions relief, and a top US Diplomat blasted the "sheer barbarity, sadistic cruelty and lawlessness' of the invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that Moscow "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," according to a Kremlin readout of the call. Ukraine is one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but the war and a Russian blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering world food supplies. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Russia also is a significant grain exporter, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said the West "must cancel the unlawful decisions that hamper chartering ships and exporting grain." His comments appeared to be an effort to lump the blockade of Ukrainian exports with what Russia says are its difficulties in moving its own goods. Western officials have dismissed those claims. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted last week that food, fertilizer and seeds are exempt from sanctions imposed by the US and many others and that Washington is working to ensure countries know the flow of those goods should not be affected. With the war grinding into its fourth month, world leaders have ramped up calls for solutions. World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said about 25 million tons of Ukrainian grain is in storage and another 25 million tons could be harvested next month. European countries have tried to ease the crisis by moving grain out of the country by rail, but trains can carry only a small fraction of what Ukraine produces, and ships are needed for the bulk of the exports. At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry proposed corridors to allow foreign ships to leave ports along the Black Sea, as well as Mariupol on the Sea of Azov. Mikhail Mizintsev, who heads Russia's National Defense Control Center, said 70 foreign vessels from 16 countries are in six ports on the Black Sea, including Odesa, Kherson and Mykolaiv. He did not specify how many might be ready to carry food. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country was ready to agree on safe corridors in principle "but that it was not sure it could trust that Russia "will not violate the agreement on the safe passage and its military vessels will not sneak into the harbour and attack Odesa." British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Putin was "trying to hold the world to ransom" by demanding some sanctions be lifted before allowing Ukrainian grain shipments to resume. "He's essentially weaponized hunger and lack of food among the poorest people around the world," Truss said on a visit to Sarajevo. "What we cannot have is any lifting of sanctions, any appeasement, which will simply make Putin stronger in the longer term." Putin said "it's impossible, utterly unrealistic in the modern world" to isolate Russia. Speaking via video to members of the Eurasian Economic Forum, which is comprised of several ex-Soviet nations, he said those who try would "primarily hurt themselves," citing broken food supply chains. Michael Carpenter, the US Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, urged its members to provide Ukraine with what it needs to defend itself against Putin's "revanchist delusions." If Russia achieved "success" in Ukraine, "there would be more horrific reports from filtration camps, more forcibly displaced people, more summary executions, more torture, more rape, and more looting," Carpenter said in Vienna. On the battlefield, Russian forces continued to press their offensive in several parts of the eastern Donbas region, Ukraine's military said. That industrial heartland of coal mines and factories is now the focus of fighting after Russia suffered a series of setbacks and shifted to more limited goals. "The enemy is storming the position of our troops simultaneously in several directions," said Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar. "We have an extremely difficult and long stage of fighting ahead of us." Ukrainian authorities said at least eight people were killed, including a 5-month-old child, and 17 were injured in shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, while three were killed in and around the eastern city of Lysychansk, which is a key focus of fighting. Military officials said Russian forces continued to try to gain a foothold in the area of Sievierodonetsk, the only part of the Luhansk region in the Donbas under Ukrainian government control. A senior US Defence official said Russia is making incremental progress in the Donbas, with fighting centered on towns and villages as Russian and Ukrainian forces trade control over scraps of land. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the US military assessment, said those smaller artillery duels could be prolonged. Russia has 110 battalion tactical groups, each with 800 to 1,000 troops, committed to Ukraine, amounting to 80% of Moscow's total force, the official said, adding that it has lost 1,000 tanks and three dozen fighter jets and other fixed-wing aircraft. In other developments: "In the northwestern town of Kotelva, two Russian soldiers accused of war crimes pleaded guilty to shelling civilian infrastructure with a multiple rocket launcher. Alexander Ivanov and Alexander Bobykin could face up to 12 years in prison; the defense asked for eight, saying they were following orders. Bobykin said: "I regret the actions our troops committed." "In the ravaged port city of Mariupol, Russia began broadcasting state television news, about a week after the Russian military declared it had "completely liberated" the city. "A leader of Russia-backed separatists suggested there might be more Ukrainian fighters hiding in Mariupol's sprawling Azovstal steelworks, which for weeks stood as the city's last bastion of resistance. The Russian military says 2,439 fighters surrendered from the plant last week. The separatist leader, Denis Pushilin, said more may have been hiding, lost or lagged behind, adding "there are already those that have been found" and captured. Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Russian ally Belarus, said he was sending troops to the border with Ukraine. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concern that Belarus, which has not taken part in ground military operations but allowed Russian troops to invade Ukraine from its soil, may agree to wider participation in the war. The Pentagon said one American military officer has gone back to Ukraine as the US reopens its embassy in Kyiv. But Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the colonel is there for diplomatic work, and no other US troops are going into Ukraine at this point. Kyiv: Moscow pressed the West on Thursday (May 26, 2022) to lift sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, seeking to shift the blame for a growing food crisis that has been worsened by Kyiv's inability to ship millions of tons of grain and other agricultural products due to the conflict. Britain immediately accused Russia of trying to hold the world to ransom, insisting there would be no sanctions relief, and a top U.S. Diplomat blasted the "sheer barbarity, sadistic cruelty and lawlessness of the invasion. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi that Moscow 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," according to a Kremlin readout of the call. Ukraine is one of the world's largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but the war and a Russian blockade of its ports has halted much of that flow, endangering world food supplies. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Russia also is a significant grain exporter, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said the West must cancel the unlawful decisions that hamper chartering ships and exporting grain. His comments appeared to be an effort to lump the blockade of Ukrainian exports with what Russia says are its difficulties in moving its own goods. Western officials have dismissed those claims. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted last week that food, fertilizer and seeds are exempt from sanctions imposed by the U.S. And many others, and that Washington is working to ensure countries know the flow of those goods should not be affected. With the war grinding into its fourth month, world leaders have ramped up calls for solutions. World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said about 25 million tons of Ukrainian grain is in storage and another 25 million tons could be harvested next month. European countries have tried to ease the crisis by moving grain out of the country by rail, but trains can carry only a small fraction of what Ukraine produces, and ships are needed for the bulk of the exports. At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry proposed corridors to allow foreign ships to leave ports along the Black Sea, as well as Mariupol on the Sea of Azov. Mikhail Mizintsev, who heads Russia's National Defense Control Center, said 70 foreign vessels from 16 countries are in six ports on the Black Sea, including Odesa, Kherson and Mykolaiv. He did not specify how many might be ready to carry food. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country was ready to agree on safe corridors in principle, but that it was not sure it could trust that Russia "will not violate the agreement on the safe passage and its military vessels will not sneak into the harbor and attack Odesa. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Putin was trying to hold the world to ransom by demanding some sanctions be lifted before allowing Ukrainian grain shipments to resume. He's essentially weaponized hunger and lack of food among the poorest people around the world, Truss said on a visit to Sarajevo. What we cannot have is any lifting of sanctions, any appeasement, which will simply make Putin stronger in the longer term. Putin said it's impossible, utterly unrealistic in the modern world to isolate Russia. Speaking via video to members of the Eurasian Economic Forum, which is comprised of several ex-Soviet nations, he said those who try would primarily hurt themselves, citing broken food supply chains. Michael Carpenter, the U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, urged its members to provide Ukraine with what it needs to defend itself against Putin's revanchist delusions. If Russia achieved success in Ukraine, there would be more horrific reports from filtration camps, more forcibly displaced people, more summary executions, more torture, more rape, and more looting, Carpenter said in Vienna. On the battlefield, Russian forces continued to press their offensive in several parts of the eastern Donbas region, Ukraine's military said. That industrial heartland of coal mines and factories is now the focus of fighting after Russia suffered a series of setbacks and shifted to more limited goals. The enemy is storming the position of our troops simultaneously in several directions, said Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar. We have an extremely difficult and long stage of fighting ahead of us. Ukrainian authorities said at least eight people were killed, including a 5-month-old child, and 17 were injured in shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, while three were killed in and around the eastern city of Lysychansk, which is a key focus of fighting. Military officials said Russian forces continued to try to gain a foothold in the area of Sievierodonetsk, the only part of the Luhansk region in the Donbas under Ukrainian government control. A senior U.S. Defense official said Russia is making incremental progress in the Donbas, with fighting centered on towns and villages as Russian and Ukrainian forces trade control over scraps of land. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the U.S. Military assessment, said those smaller artillery duels could be prolonged. Russia has 110 battalion tactical groups, each with 800 to 1,000 troops, committed to Ukraine, amounting to 80% of Moscow's total force, the official said, adding that it has lost 1,000 tanks and three dozen fighter jets and other fixed-wing aircraft. In other developments: - In the northwestern town of Kotelva, two Russian soldiers accused of war crimes pleaded guilty to shelling civilian infrastructure with a multiple rocket launcher. Alexander Ivanov and Alexander Bobykin could face up to 12 years in prison; the defense asked for eight, saying they were following orders. Bobykin said: "I regret the actions our troops committed. - In the ravaged port city of Mariupol, Russia began broadcasting state television news, about a week after the Russian military declared it had completely liberated the city. - A leader of Russia-backed separatists suggested there might be more Ukrainian fighters hiding in Mariupol's sprawling Azovstal steelworks, which for weeks stood as the city's last bastion of resistance. The Russian military says 2,439 fighters surrendered from the plant last week. The separatist leader, Denis Pushilin, said more may have been hiding, lost or lagged behind, adding there are already those that have been found and captured. - Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Russian ally Belarus, said he was sending troops to the border with Ukraine. Authorities in Kyiv have expressed concern that Belarus, which has not taken part in ground military operations but allowed Russian troops to invade Ukraine from its soil, may agree to wider participation in the war. - The Pentagon said one American military officer has gone back to Ukraine as the U.S. Reopens its embassy in Kyiv. But Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the colonel is there for diplomatic work, and no other U.S. Troops are going into Ukraine at this point. Islamabad: Giving a befitting response to the demands posed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that the National Assembly would decide the date for the next general elections and former Pakistan PM`s "dictation won`t work." "I want to clarify to the leader of this group (PTI), your dictation won`t work. This house will decide when to hold elections," Dawn newspaper quoted PM Shehbaz as saying. Sharif made these remarks while speaking during a Parliament session in Pakistan, as he lashed out at the PTI Chairman Imran Khan, who on Wednesday took the city of Islamabad hostage. Pakistan witnessed mayhem in the country on Wednesday as clashes took place between police and PTI workers in major cities after authorities tried to block them from moving toward D-Chowk in the federal capital, following the Imran Khan`s vow not to vacate D-Chowk until a date for fresh polls. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, who was ousted as Prime Minister through a no-confidence motion in April this year, gave the Shehbaz Sharif government a six-day deadline for announcing elections and dissolving assemblies warning that if the deadline is not met he would return to the capital with the "entire nation". This comes after the former Pakistan PM reached the capital city late Wednesday night, breaking through the barriers braving police shelling to enter the Red Zone. They subsequently dispersed from the area after negotiations with the police. While addressing his supporters on Thursday morning, Imran said that he had decided that he would sit at the D-Chowk until the government dissolved assemblies and announced elections. "But of what I have seen in the past 24 hours, they (govt) are taking the nation towards anarchy," he stated, stating that the government was trying to create a divide. He said that the Shehbaz Sharif government would be happy if he staged a sit-in as it would lead to clashes. MEXICO CITY, May 26 (Xinhua) -- This week's massacre at an elementary school in the small town of Uvalde, Texas, shows the lack of arms control in the United States, and the resulting "indiscriminate" sale of weapons is an obstacle to preventing future mass shootings, according to international observer Erick Fernandez Saldana on Wednesday. Despite the public outcry that follows each tragedy and the inevitable calls for stiffer gun laws, Americans as young as 18 can buy military-grade weapons almost anywhere in the United States "without major restrictions at the state or federal level," the academic from the Ibero-American University in Mexico City said. Writing in a university newsletter, Fernandez said, "it is very difficult" to confront the so-called gun lobby in the United States, which is known for making significant contributions to lawmakers' election campaigns. "The reality is that there is very little legislation that limits and reduces the sale of weapons," he said. At least 21 people, including 19 children and two teachers, were killed by an 18-year-old with an assault rifle on Tuesday in the latest massacre to shock the nation and the world, just days after another massacre left 10 people dead at a supermarket in the U.S. city of Buffalo, New York. "What happened in Uvalde reveals a continuum of this type of shooting, which will continue to occur as long as there are no mechanisms that restrict the purchase and sale of weapons -- without a doubt one of the most lucrative businesses in the United States," said Fernandez. U.S. President Joe Biden, his vice president, Kamala Harris, and other top leaders before them, have called for more safeguards, yet gun control remains simply "a topic of discussion week after week, month after month, year after year," he said. Sadly, in the decade that has passed since the 2012 mass shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, which killed 26 people, 20 of them children, "little or nothing has changed in a country where guns continue to be a major focus of attention," he concluded. AS/COA is a leading organization in the promotion of hemispheric understanding and dialogue, as well as in the discussion of strategic issues of foreign policy, development, trade, economy, and politics of interest to governments across this hemisphere. The meeting which was chaired by AS/COA CEO Susan Segal also served to convey the Peruvian Government's interest in promoting business and investments to the United States. This event was attended by businesspeople and representatives from Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Citibank, American Tower Corporation, Credit Suisse, Elliott Investment Management L.P., Google, General Electric Company, Mitsubishi Corporation, Merck, Macquarie Group, Moody's Investors Service, Santander US, Shearman & Sterling LLP, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking, Telefonica Hispam, Prudential Financial, Grupo Pro Amazonia, Linklaters LLP, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Hogan Lovells US LLP, Greenberg Traurig LLP, Freeport-McMoRan, BlackRock, BBVA, and DLA Piper Argentina. Minister Landa highlighted the full observance of the rule of law in Peru, which enables a favorable environment for investments aimed at improving the population's quality of life. Likewise, he highlighted Andean diplomacy, Amazonian diplomacy, and particularly the multilateral diplomacy, as well as Peru's membership in the WTO , which together with its observance of international law and dispute settlement allows making progress towards achieving the objectives set and in providing greater opportunities for the development of Peru. In turn, Minister Graham highlighted the low level of fiscal deficit and the macroeconomic soundness maintained over time. The official reported that the current crisis has taken Peru at a time when it was prepared. He added that the economic reopening has made it possible to resume the growth pace existing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Responsible management is part of the current administration's commitment, as well as the outlooks towards fiscal consolidation, he said. Furthermore, Minister Graham made a GDP growth projection of 3.6% for 2022 . At the same time, he highlighted the social policies implemented to meet the needs of vulnerable populations affected by the current economic crisis. Maintaining the risk rating and competitiveness is a priority of the current Government, he stressed. Moreover, Graham reported that among priorities are the economic diversification: aquaculture, tourism, and forestry from a sustainable and social perspective. He also announced that the Government is taking measures to solve the fertilizer shortage problem and expressed confidence that the Government is actively preparing to face the food crisis. The representatives of companies at this event exchanged views with both authorities and highlighted the importance of promoting activities or sectors through diversification, as well as the use of technology and innovation. For her part, Susan Segal once again reaffirmed that AS/COA constitutes an impact platform in the business, institutional, and political world of the United States with interest in Latin America. Premier Torres: Hoy tenemos el reto de construir una agenda conjunta; por lo tanto, es clave que podamos consensuar. Por eso, creemos que hoy sembramos con nuestras acciones y decisiones el camino que garantizara mejores condiciones de vida para las proximas generaciones. pic.twitter.com/lf2HDjD5zL Since November 26, 2021, this dose has been administered in Peru. "Many people have believed that only two doses were important, but this is not the case. With (merely) two doses our antibodies can become reduced (as time goes by); we need to administer an additional dose, the third one, to raise immunity and be protected against a new variant that could enter the country," said Minsa's Immunizations Director Maria Elena Martinez. The official reminded citizens that the Government had issued a rule which makes having received a third dose mandatory for anyone over 18 years of age in order to enter closed spaces whether public or private. "We have found that there has been a lot of relaxation on the part of citizens, overconfidence. We are using all strategies to reach out to the population. We are at a different time compared to (those of) the first and second doses, which featured a short period of 21 days," the specialist detailed. "Today we are in a third dose phase, where vaccination comes after three months and a fourth dose, which will be administered after five months," she added. The Health Ministry's Immunization Directorate reiterated that those who meet the requirement of having received their second dose three months ago can visit any vaccination center to get the third dose. " " The Apatosaurus roamed throughout what we know today as Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, South Dakota and Oklahoma around 155 to 150 million years ago. Corey Ford/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images The biggest land animals of all time were sauropod dinosaurs. Long-tailed and (usually) long-necked, these vegetarian giants once lived on every continent, Antarctica included. Some experts think the very largest could've weighed over 60 tons (54 metric tons). Pillar-like legs supported all that tonnage. The late paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh was amazed by their enormity. In 1879, he described a newfound sauropod from the American west. Imagining the thunderous crash of its footsteps, he named his beast Brontosaurus excelsus, meaning "noble thunder lizard." But the name soon ran into trouble. Helped by dedicated fossil hunters, Marsh was constantly identifying and naming creatures from our prehistoric past. Brontosaurus wasn't the first sauropod he named. Two years earlier, in 1877, Marsh had dubbed another species Apatosaurus ajax. Nowadays, the relationship between these dinosaurs is a bone of contention. Brontosaurus may not be a valid name, but Apatosaurus sure is. Advertisement Dinosaur Days You've got to admit that thunder lizard sounds awfully cool. Fewer people get psyched about the name Apatosaurus, which means "deceptive lizard." What was so deceptive about it? Well, the first Apatosaurus fossils Marsh received were a collection of pelvic and back bones. The latter reminded him of the vertebrae found on extinct marine reptiles called mosasaurs. Yet Marsh still recognized his fossils for the sauropod bones they truly were. Apatosaurus lived in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, South Dakota and Oklahoma around 155 to 150 million years ago. It was therefore a resident of the Jurassic. A geologic time period made famous by that Stephen Spielberg movie you might've seen, the Jurassic lasted from 199.6 to 145.5 million years before the present. Tyrannosaurus rex hadn't evolved yet, but Apatosaurus had to look out for other predators like the 28-foot (8.5-meter) Allosaurus and the horned Ceratosaurus. Killing a full-grown Apatosaurus would've been quite a challenge, though. Most had hip heights of around 13.4 to 14.7 feet (4.1 to 4.5 meters). From snout to tail, a typical Apatosaurus probably measured somewhere between 72 and 77 feet (22 and 23.5 meters) long, making this animal an American colossus. One unusually big but very incomplete specimen from Oklahoma suggests Apatosaurus could grow even longer, maybe pushing 98 feet (30 meters) in total length. Just remember that this individual was a lot larger than average. According to the 2020 reference book "Dinosaur Facts and Figures: Sauropods and Other Sauropodomorphs" by Ruben Molina-Perez and Asier Larramendi, more typically sized Apatosaurus likely weighed 15 to 22 tons (14 to 20 metric tons). Kind of makes you wonder how the Oklahoma giant compared. Advertisement Pain in the Neck Western North America was full of other sauropods who brushed shoulders with Apatosaurus. These included its close cousins Diplodocus and Barosaurus (one guards the rotunda at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City). Like Apatosaurus, they were "diplodocids," meaning they had front legs that were shorter than the back pair and long, flexible necks. Apatosaurus was more robust than other diplodocids. To scientists, its weirdest feature is the neck. Thickened by large, downward-facing cervical ribs, Apatosaurus had an extraordinarily wide neck for a sauropod. Maybe it served a combat function. Some experts wonder if rival Apatosaurus used to bludgeon each other with their broad, durable necks. Sideways or downward blows probably would've packed the most punch. Laugh all you like, but both male elephant seals and giraffes use similar fighting techniques today. Back when Apatosaurus drew breath, the greater Rocky Mountain region was dominated by lakes, swamps and floodplains. Paleontologist John A. Whitlock has suggested Apatosaurus mainly ate plant matter that grew at or near ground level. As evidence, he cites its wide snout, pencil-shaped teeth and the dental microwear patterns seen on some fossils. Meanwhile, it seems two contemporary sauropods the towering Brachiosaurus and blunt-faced Camarasaurus preferred browsing on tree limbs. More distantly related to Apatosaurus, they both lived right alongside Marsh's "deceptive lizard" in the Late Jurassic. " " The Brontosaurus excelsus was named by paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh in 1879 based on newfound sauropod from the American west, though there's debate now whether it ever existed. Biodiversity Library Advertisement Getting a Head Like we said earlier, Marsh named Brontosaurus excelsus on the basis of the skeleton he reviewed in 1879. This happened to be the most complete sauropod specimen ever found at the time. Too bad it was missing a head. When Marsh published illustrations of his Brontosaurus, he used his imagination to fill in missing details. His drawings depict the animal with a blunt skull that (somewhat) resembles those of Camarasaurus and Brachiosaurus. So for many years, the Brontosaurus skeletons mounted at museums were given boxy, artificial heads. We now know the real animal had a long, horse-like skull much like the one Diplodocus possessed. But that's not what put the validity of Brontosaurus in doubt. In 1903, paleontologist Elmer Riggs took a fresh look at Marsh's Apatosaurus ajax and Brontosaurus excelsus. Now for those who might need a refresher on science jargon, Apatosaurus and Brontosaurus are two genus names. On the other hand, Apatosaurus ajax and Brontosaurus excelsus are species names. Under the system we use to classify living things, every genus contains one or more species. Now Marsh felt there were fundamental differences between the sauropod fragments he described in 1877 and the more complete skeleton he examined in 1879. He not only believed they represented two distinct species, but also two separate genera (i.e., "genuses"). Riggs didn't see it that way. He argued that Brontosaurus excelsus and Apatosaurus ajax actually belonged to the same genus. And since the genus name Apatosaurus was older (by two years), it had seniority. Dinosaur specialists overwhelmingly agreed with Riggs. Brontosaurus was discarded as an invalid genus name by just about every working paleontologist (with some notable exceptions). For the next 112 years, the animal Marsh had called Brontosaurus excelsus was referred to as Apatosaurus excelsus instead. " " The debate among paleontologists still rages on whether the Brontosaurus should have its own genus or not. PeerJ/(CC BY 4.0) Advertisement A Sound of Thunder Right when it seemed like the debate was effectively settled, a 2015 paper published in the journal Paleontology and Evolutionary Science shook things up again. Written by Emmanuel Tschopp, Octavio Mateus and Roger B.J. Benson, this was a deep dive into the world of diplodocids. In their review of the group, the authors contradicted Riggs. According to their analysis, Brontosaurus excelsus really was distinct enough from Apatosaurus ajax and other Apatosaurus species to deserve its very own genus. If they're right, then by the rules of scientific nomenclature, the genus name Brontosaurus should be reinstated. What's more, the paper reassigned a grand total of three Apatosaurus species A. excelsus, A. parvus and A. yahnapin to the genus Brontosaurus. Before any dino enthusiasts start dancing in the streets, you should know the 2015 study received some pushback. Tschopp, Mateus and Benson may consider Brontosaurus a legitimate genus, but a few of their colleagues disagree. No matter how this debate unfolds, there's one thing we can never take away from Brontosaurus. It's the only dinosaur name mentioned in MGM's "The Wizard of Oz." That's got to count for something, right? Now That's Interesting Paleontologist Donald Prothero and writer Daniel Loxton think Brontosaurus may have influenced modern-day stories about the Loch Ness monster. In the original "King Kong" movie, one of these dinos rises out of a lake to attack Robert Armstrong's sailors. That film had its British debut in 1933, right before one George Spicer made the earliest known report of a long-necked creature stalking Loch Ness. Coincidence? Perhaps not; Spicer admitted to having seen the movie. Advertisement Originally Published: Mar 20, 2008 " " Giganotosaurus carolinii on display at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, in Atlanta, Georgia. James Emery /Flickr (CC BY 2.0) The skeleton ofon display at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, in Atlanta, Georgia. They lived about 30 million years apart and never set foot on the same continent. Yet Giganotosaurus carolinii is always getting compared to the world's most popular dinosaur, the beloved and well-known Tyrannosaurus rex. Tyrannosaurus rex has been a media darling since (arguably) 1906, when The New York Times called it "the prize fighter of antiquity." Named just one year prior, this big beast was already making a splash over at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. Today we know an adult T. rex could stand 12 feet (or 3.6 meters) tall at the hip and measure 40 feet (12 meters) long. As such, Tyrannosaurus was one of the largest predators to ever walk the earth. But hold your horses. A handful of other meat-eating dinos rivaled, or possibly exceeded, the creature in size. Giganotosaurus belongs to this elite group and it's part of a dinosaurian mystery that's never been solved. Advertisement Beasts of the Southern Wild T. rex and Giganotosaurus were both representatives of the theropoda clade. (A "clade" is a group of organisms which includes a common ancestor species and all of its presumed descendents.) Hollow-boned and bipedal, the theropods were (and are) a highly successful bunch. On the list of documented theropods, you'll find every carnivorous dinosaur yet discovered, quite a few plant-gobbling species and all birds, living and extinct. The last nonavian dinos were wiped out at the close of the Cretaceous period, an expanse of geologic time that lasted from 145 to 66 million years ago. Its conclusion marked the end of the Mesozoic Era, sometimes called "The Age of Dinosaurs." Tyrannosaurus rex lived in North America during the twilight of the Cretaceous, making its evolutionary debut around 68 million years before the present. Our buddy Giganotosaurus was the product of another time and a different landmass. " " A reconstructed Giganotosaurus carolinii skeleton on display at The Australian Museum in Sydney, Australia. Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images Native to western Argentina, it came along much earlier in the Cretaceous, roughly 98 to 97 million years ago. South America was a realm of giants back then. Huge sauropods, or "long-necked dinosaurs," roamed the countryside, with some species like Andesaurus and Limayasaurus stretching around 50 feet (15 meters) long. Rounding out the local bestiary were crocodylians, early snakes and beaked herbivores. No doubt Giganotosaurus kept its neighbors on guard. The theropod's discovery was first announced in 1995 by paleontologists Rodolfo A. Coria and Leonardo Salgado. In all the years since, we have yet to find a complete skeleton. However, the backbones and tail vertebrae at our disposal suggest Giganotosaurus was at least 41 feet (12.5 meters) in length. So Giganotosaurus might've been slightly longer than Tyrannosaurus. Cool beans. On the other hand, a 2014 paper published in the journal Plos Biology, argued T. rex had a much heavier build. Using the circumference of its upper leg bone, Roger Benson and his colleagues calculated that a mature Giganotosaurus weighed about 13,448 pounds (6,100 kilograms). The same technique put T. rex at a whopping 16,975 pounds (7,700 kilograms). Advertisement Shark-like Teeth Sliced Ribbons of Flesh off Prey Weight gaps are all well and good, but the jaws tell better stories. Anatomical evidence suggests these two carnivores used very different methods to bring down their prey. Thick and banana-shaped, the teeth of Tyrannosaurus would've excelled at crushing bone. In contrast, Giganotosaurus had tall, skinny teeth which looked an awful lot like recurved kitchen knives. Serrated on both sides, the pearly whites were housed inside a narrow snout. (By the way, Giganotosaurus had a monstrous skull; scientists estimate the noggin was around 6 feet or 2 meters long.) " " A 7.5-inch resin cast from a Giganotosaurus dinosaur tooth. Independent Picture Service/Universal Images Group via Getty Combine these features and you're looking at a theropod that probably killed by slicing ribbons of meat off its unfortunate prey as opposed to shattering bones. Once bitten, a victim may have bled out while the carnivore lurked nearby. Giganotosaurus hails from one of the fossil record's most intimidating families: the carcharodontosaurids. If you're into sharks, that name should ring a bell; scientists call the great white Carcharodon carcharias. Likewise, the word "carcharodontosaurid" roughly means "shark-toothed lizard" in Greek. Steve Brusatte is a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh who's studied these remarkable theropods and happens to be a scientific adviser for the next "Jurassic World" movie. "The roster of carcharodontosaurid fossils has expanded tremendously over the last decade as people have found new fossils all over the world, particularly in South America and Africa, but also in Asia and Europe," says Brusatte in an email. "Most carcharodontosaurids [like Giganotosaurus] were giant meat-eating dinosaurs with deep jaws and sharp, thin, almost shark-like teeth. They were the largest and most formidable predators in many ecosystems during the early to middle part of the Cretaceous, before the rise of tyrannosaurs." Indeed, T. rex had some puny forebears. The first members of its lineage were human-sized predators that showed up around 170 million years ago. Giant tyrannosaurs wouldn't start evolving until the late Cretaceous Period, after the mighty carcharodontosaurids died out. "This changeover remains a mystery," explains Brusatte. "We don't really know why it happened, and it is one of the biggest remaining mysteries of dinosaur evolution, in my opinion." Now That's Interesting You can't talk about theropod superlatives and ignore Spinosaurus aegyptiacus. Our understanding of this African dinosaur is a bit murky but the picture's getting clearer. In 2020, the scientific community learned that this animal had a weird, paddle-shaped tail. Though its legs seem disproportionately short, experts theorize Spinosaurus had an overall length of about 47 feet (over 14 meters). " " A new study debunks the idea that the Spinosaurus dinosaur was an avid swimmer. Mariomassone, Used Under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 License You may remember Spinosaurus aegyptiacus as the villain of "Jurassic Park III." In that 2001 movie, the sail-backed carnivore swims up to a barge and attacks the human passengers. It's a cool action scene, but did Spinosaurus really hunt that way? Since the 1980s, experts have been wondering if the strange creature was amphibious. The debate thickened in 2014. Spinosaurus has always been an elusive dinosaur; its fossils are rare and those that are found tend to be fragmented or incomplete. So when a load of fresh information was announced in 2014, natural history fans got pretty excited. Paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim and his colleagues wrote a now-famous paper describing the partial skeletons of at least two individual Spinosaurus that were found in Morocco. Using these bones, Ibrahim's team reinterpreted the way Spinosaurus might've looked and behaved. Scientists used to assume that, like most meat-eating dinosaurs, the animal's rear legs were significantly longer than its arms. But upon reviewing the new specimens, Ibrahim and his team concluded that Spinosaurus was a short-legged giant a weird-looking beast with an estimated length of 50 feet (15.5 meters) and disproportionately small hindlimbs. Such a creature seemed ill-suited for walking around on two legs over dry land. Pointing to its weird body shape (along with some other features), Ibrahim and his co-authors said Spinosaurus was a semiaquatic predator who swam after fish in its marshy African habitat 97 million years ago. A new paper calls this into question. Our friend Spinosaurus may have had an affinity for waterways, but according to a series of recent computer simulations, it was a mediocre swimmer. Advertisement Model Citizens The results of these digital trial runs were published in the Aug. 16, 2018 edition of PeerJ, an open-access scientific journal. Donald M. Henderson, who serves as the curator of dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada, led the study. Henderson's goal was to assess Ibrahim's earlier claims that Spinosaurus was semiaquatic. To do this, Henderson built a 3D virtual model of the dinosaur based on illustrations and photographs from the 2014 paper. He used the same software to create digital recreations of five other theropod (meat-eating) dinosaurs: Tyrannosaurus rex, Allosaurus fragilis, Coelophysis bauri, Struthiomimus altus and Baryonyx tenerensis. Note that the latter is a close relative of Spinosaurus belonging to the same family. Since all experiments need a control group, Henderson also made digital replicas of the American alligator and the emperor penguin, two living animals with well-documented semiaquatic lifestyles. In his simulations, both of these models floated exactly as their real-life counterparts do, validating Henderson's methods. Advertisement The Tipping Point Once he'd assembled his digital dinos, Henderson was ready to toss them into a virtual freshwater lake. The results indicated that Spinosaurus was not an especially gifted swimmer. While floating in tranquil water, the model Spinosaurus was able to keep its nostrils safely above the surface. But so did the other five dinosaur replicas. In other words, there was nothing unique about the fin-backed carnivore's performance here. And by the way, the fin itself turned out to be a serious handicap. The sail on Spinosaurus' back likely stood more than 6 feet (2 meters) tall at its apex and according to Ibrahim's crewit would have weighed about 738 pounds (335 kilograms) when covered in muscles, tissues and skin. Trying to swim with such a large piece of flair on its back may have been challenging for the dinosaur. Alligators can keep their bodies upright even as they move through choppy water, but Henderson's floating Spinosaurus model tipped over to one side whenever it was nudged. He surmised that the animal would need to be constantly pumping its arms and legs in order to stay on an even keel and avoid rolling over. Not exactly an energy-efficient solution. Advertisement Diving with Dinosaurs If you're an aquatic predator, sinking on command is just as important as staying afloat. After all, you've got to be able to pursue victims underwater when necessary. Try as he might though, Henderson couldn't sink his Spinosaurus. Birds have a complicated respiratory system: In addition to their lungs, they've got a network of air sacs that are connected to hollow, air-filled bones. There is ample evidence to suggest that non-avian theropod dinosaurs had this same apparatus and Henderson took that into account while building his computer models. The digital Spinosaurus was just too buoyant to sink because its calculated density was lower than that of fresh water. This remained true even when Henderson deflated its lungs by 75 percent, got rid of the air sacs and increased the density of its skeleton. None of those alterations did the trick; his Spinosaurus remained afloat. (For the record, the virtual alligator sank when a mere 40 to 50 percent of the air left its lungs.) Advertisement On the Waterfront Ibrahim told National Geographic that he "welcomed" Henderson's study. However, he notes that the Royal Tyrell scientist did not personally inspect the Spinosaurus fossils mentioned in the 2014 paper before carrying out his computer tests. Had Henderson done so, Ibrahim thinks the digital run-throughs may have gone differently. Regardless of whether Spinosaurus was a good swimmer or not, it's clear that the dinosaur spent a lot of time around waterways. The creature's cone-shaped teeth were ideal for skewering fish, and half-digested piscine remains have been found in the belly cavity of a Baryonyx (whom, you'll recall, was akin to Spinosaurus). Henderson's computer experiments suggest that Spinosaurus' center of mass was located just in front of the rear legs. If this is true, then the beast would've had an easier time walking around bipedally than Ibrahim's team previously thought. Rather than swim after fishes, Spinosaurus might have caught them by wading in shallow water, as grizzly bears do. Or perhaps it made like a heron and snatched fishy prey from the shoreline. Now That's Interesting Spinosaurus was named by German paleontologist Ernst Freiherr Stromer von Reichenbach in 1915. He kept a collection of its fossils at a museum in Munich. Unfortunately, Stromer who openly criticized Adolf Hitler wasn't permitted to remove the bones from the facility when World War II broke out. During a 1944 Royal Air Force bombing, the museum was hit and those dinosaur remains were destroyed. YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan had a number of meetings with state and public figures, business sector representatives on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Presidential Office said. During the meetings President Khachaturyan presented Armenias development programs, cooperation opportunities and prospects. The President had a brief talk with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili. During their meeting the Armenian President and Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Masrour Barzani touched upon the bilateral agenda and emphasized the importance of further boosting the economic ties and trade turnover. The President also met with Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Nayef Falah M. Al-Hajraf, CEO of Carrefour network of hypermarkets Alain Bejjani and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Chairman of the Board Shunichi Miyanaga. Within the frames of the Forum, the Armenian President gave an interview to the German Deutsche Welle media outlet, talking about the ongoing reforms in Armenia, the economic developments and the position of Armenia on the ongoing regional processes. YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS.A state-level agreement exists between Armenia and Iran on Iran opening its consulate in the Armenian town of Kapan in Syunik Province, the Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri told ARMENPRESS. The work has started, but we havent yet acquired the relevant territory. This proves the significance of this province for Iran and Armenia, the ambassador added. Ambassador Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri said the opening of the consulate will create very good opportunities for cooperation between Armenian border provinces and Irans border provinces with Tabriz, West Azerbaijan province in terms of boosting trade turnover. We are planning cooperation in various directions between bordering provinces, in scientific, academic, economic and other areas, we are also developing very good projects in tourism, which will take place in Syunik very soon, and this can help for the two peoples getting to know each other better, the ambassador said. In December 2021, the Iranian government approved opening a consulate in the Armenian town of Kapan. The Armenian Foreign Ministry then said that Armenia will also open a consulate in Iran, without specifying in which city. YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri says a new cooperation in gas swap is likely to start between Armenia and Iran soon. There are technical and specialized issues that relevant experts are studying and discussing. It wouldnt be right for us to say something until its not completed. Lets wait for the technical, specialized results, but whatever the result will be is going to be beneficial for both countries, the ambassador told reporters. He said that one of the important topics discussed during the 17th Armenian-Iranian Inter-Governmental Session were the energy agreements, including gas swap. Earlier in May, Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji expressed Irans readiness for swapping Turkmenistans natural gas to Armenia. YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Finance Tigran Khachatryan held a meeting with Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director for Armenia Paolo Spantigati. Khachatryan thanked the ADB for cooperation and attached importance to the productive partnership established with the organization, the Ministry of Finance said in a press release. The agenda of the meeting included issues relating to the development of the ADB 2022-2025 loan portfolio and key subjects. The priority of the construction of the North-South road, as well as the improvement of the road network and transport infrastructures in Yerevan and other cities were highlighted. The sides also addressed issues of technical support provision in justice and healthcare sectors. A number of agreements on upcoming actions were reached. YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan held a meeting with President of Montenegro Milo ukanovic and comprehensively discussed the bilateral and mutually beneficial Armenia-Montenegro relations and prospects of enhancing the ties. The opportunities for deepening bilateral economic cooperation and increasing trade turnover volumes was specially addressed, President Khachaturyan said at a joint press conference after the meeting. He added that the big potential in tourism and IT cooperation was discussed, as well as prospects of partnership in industry, healthcare and renewable energy. I am glad to note that the delegation of Montenegro includes the Mayor of Podgorica. Yerevan and Podgorcia signed a cooperation agreement back in 1978, and we agreed with President ukanovic to assist the city authorities of the two capitals to boost cooperation, Khachaturyan said. President Khachaturyan also discussed Armenias efforts for establishing sustainable peace in the region. I am happy to note the similarity of our views over bilateral, international and regional issues. The need for immediate repatriation of the Armenian prisoners of war and solution of urgent humanitarian issues was specially underscored, including the need to preserve the Armenian cultural monuments under Azerbaijani control, the Armenian President said. YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS. Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Abbas Badakhshan Zohouri commented on the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan over opening of regional connections, emphasizing the need for respecting international laws in that process. Talking to reporters, the Iranian ambassador said that the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan deputy prime-ministerial working groups meetings recorded good results. It is very important for all sides to respect the internationally recognized laws and that the negotiations are constructive. The region is ready to develop in various directions, and this can happen with effective negotiations of these several countries, he said, adding that by respecting internationally recognized borders these roads can be opened and connection can be created. Leaders of the Eurasian Economic Union will take part in a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council. May 27, 2022, 10:45 EEU leaders to take part in meeting of Supreme Eurasian Economic Council STEPANAKERT, MAY 27, ARTSAKHPRESS: A dozen issues related to the economic cooperation of the "five" members will be discussed by the leaders. The meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council will be held under the chairmanship of Kyrgyzstan in the form of a video conference, news.am informs, citing Tass. "The decision to hold the event in the format of a video conference was taken in view of the current international situation," the Kyrgyz side explained in the message. The previous EEU summit last December was also held via video conference because of the pandemic. The meeting will be chaired by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov. In addition to the leaders of the Eurasian Economic Union, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel will attend as observers. There is one more observer in the organization - Moldova. The agenda includes discussion of 14 issues. Among them are the main guidelines for macroeconomic policy of the EAEU member states for 2022-2023, the results of work on eliminating barriers in the domestic market of the EAEU in 2021, and implementation of the main directions of the EAEU international activities. Heads of State will be reported on the implementation of strategic directions of the Eurasian economic integration until 2025 following the results of 2021, on the implementation of the main directions of international activities of the Eurasian Economic Union in 2021. To diversify economic ties, the members of the Supreme Council will consider the prospects of negotiations with the Republic of Indonesia on a free trade agreement, as well as the entry into force of the protocol to the interim agreement leading to a free trade area between the EEU and Iran, signed on 14 March, 2022. On May 27, President of the Artsakh Republic Arayik Harutyunyan received the representative delegation led by Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, the Presidential Office stated. May 27, 2022, 18:56 President Harutyunyan received the representative delegation led by Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo STEPANAKERT, MAY 27, ARTSAKHPRESS: During the tete-a-tete talk, the President expressed words of satisfaction to the Mayor of Paris for the initiative and courage, emphasizing that the Artsakh authorities highly appreciate the regular contacts with the French political circles. Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, Anne Hidalgo noted that Paris is ready to exert the necessary efforts to support the people of Artsakh within the framework of humanitarian programs. Thereafter, an extended meeting was held with the participation of representatives of the legislative and executive bodies of the Artsakh Republic, RA Ambassador to France Hasmik Tolmajyan, members of the ARF Bureau, officials of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France, Governor of Syunik Robert Ghukasyan and other officials. A wide range of humanitarian issues were on the discussion agenda. The meeting was held in the town of Goris of the RA Syunik Province. A 14-month-old boy spent two days on life support after his mother tied a dog leash around his neck, a court has been told. A 21-year-old woman has been jailed after trying to kill her infant son by hanging him by the leash off a backyard clothesline at her southeast Queensland home. In the early hours of August 14, 2019 the woman gathered her sleeping child, before trying to kill him and take her own life. When she saw her suspended son struggling to breathe the woman woke up her neighbours with "blood curdling screams". After calling triple zero, a neighbour jumped the fence and grabbed the baby who had been suspended for about 30 seconds. He removed the leash from the "pale" boy and attempted CPR until he heard the child "make a noise", crown prosecutor Caroline Marco told the Supreme Court in Brisbane. The child was "unresponsive" when paramedics arrived and he was placed on life support for 48 hours, spending 12 days overall in hospital. He has since made a full recovery. "He is a regular three-year-old, curious, inquisitive, exceptionally smart - he is in good health," the court was told. The mother was in a "state of acute psychological distress" at the time of the incident and had been triggered by a social media post from her "unsupportive" ex-partner, the boy's father, the court heard. The mother "couldn't bear the thought of her child being raised by another woman in her absence" and messaged her current partner saying: "Goodbye ... me and my son will be gone soon". Justice Paul Freeburn described the incident involving the "defenceless and vulnerable" child as terrible. "Without intervention ... he would have died," he said. After considering her special circumstances, he sentenced the mother to five years in prison to one charge of attempted murder (domestic violence offence). The woman, who had pleaded guilty, is eligible for parole in 12 months. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 AUBURN An Auburn man who fled from authorities after a burglary and was later found carrying a dagger will spend up to six years in prison. Randy Longley, 54, who had a previously listed address of 41 N. Fulton St., faced Judge Thomas Leone in Cayuga County Court Thursday for sentencing after charges of first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and petit larceny. The Auburn Police Department reported on a burglary in progress call it received around 12:19 a.m. March 6, 2021 on South Fulton Street, where Longley was spotted stealing items from an enclosed porch. Longley was discovered in the area carrying a chair and a window blind, and he dropped the items and started to run upon seeing the officers. He was chased down by the officers, who during a search found that Longley was carrying a dagger, although he did not use or threaten to use the weapon. In court, Chief Assistant District Attorney Chris Valdina noted Longley had a previous driving while intoxicated conviction but had "graduated to residential burglary" now that he was older. Longley's attorney, Dennis Sedor, said his client has alcohol and mental health issues. Police chase down Auburn burglary suspect who had dagger An Auburn man is facing felony charges in connection with a late-night burglary on South Fulton Street, police said. "He knows what he did was worse than foolish," Sedor said. When asked if there was anything he wanted to say, Longley said he "would like to express remorse" over his actions and apologized to the people in the home he burglarized. Leone sentenced Longley to a previously agreed-upon arrangement of six years in state prison and five years of post-release supervision for the second-degree burglary charge, satisfying the other charges. Also in court: Leone at first granted and then denied a defendant's request to have a day to get his affairs in order before serving a six-month stint in jail Seraphin Moniz, 28, was sentenced on charges of fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, first-degree criminal possession of marijuana, attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and two counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia. Todd Sloan, Moniz's attorney, noted that although his client had previously accepted an agreed-upon sentence of six months in jail and five years of felony probation to a reduced charge of attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, Leone had previously agreed that Sloan would be able to present his argument on why Moniz shouldn't receive those six months in jail. Sloan argued that Moniz has made major positive changes in his life, including having a job as a chef in Seneca Falls and having a 7-month-old son with his girlfriend, adding he is "the primary breadwinner" of his family. Sloan argued that if Moniz spends six months in jail, his job likely wouldn't still be available upon his return. Sloan said the jail sentence would have "real consequences" for Moniz. "We're dealing with a real person with a real family," Sloan said. Moniz also argued that he wouldn't be able to get his job back if he was gone for six months. "I've changed a lot," he said. But Leone said he and the district attorney's office had given Moniz plenty of consideration, noting the amount of charges that would be satisfied by the sentence. Moniz then requested some time to get his affairs in order before going to jail. Moniz said he needed to communicate with his employer, give some money to his girlfriend and kiss his son goodbye. Leone said he would give Moniz until 5 p.m. Friday, May 27 to report to the jail. Moniz appeared visibly frustrated after his sentence was announced, leaning back in frustration in his chair in court several times. After Moniz signed a series of court documents, he quickly bolted from his chair and left the court room, and Leone asked that Moniz be brought back in. Sloan said he had told Moniz that he could leave. After Moniz reyurned, Leone said Moniz had been disrespectful to him and said to Sloan that he changed his mind about giving Moniz a day before reporting in. "You're going to jail today," Leone said. Moniz apologized several times as Leone spoke, and Moniz was placed in handcuffs shortly afterward. Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau. Love 0 Funny 4 Wow 2 Sad 0 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. AUBURN An Auburn woman charged with murder in a March shooting death entered not guilty pleas in Cayuga County Court Friday morning. Shameek Marie Copes, 28, of 1 Jefferson St., Apt. 1, faced Judge Thomas Leone for arraignment on charges of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The Auburn Police Department previously named Copes as the suspect in the shooting of John Wesley Smith III, 37, of Syracuse, who had been found dead in front of Swifty's Tavern in Auburn around 1:40 a.m. March 15. In court Friday, attorney Ben Susman, filling in for assigned counsel Rome Canzano, entered "not guilty" for both of Copes' charges. In asking that Copes not be allowed the opportunity to post bail, Acting Cayuga County District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci said Copes has two misdemeanor convictions and missed two different court dates in the past, and added that Copes fled to South Carolina before being brought back to Cayuga County this week. Grome Antonacci said Copes was a flight risk and she is facing maximum sentences of 25 years to life in state prison for the murder count and 15 years in prison and five years of post release supervision on the weapon charge, running concurrently. "This defendant was actually caught on video shooting and killing the victim," Grome Antonacci said, adding that the gun believed to be the murder weapon has been recovered. Susman argued that Copes is not a flight risk, saying she is a lifelong Auburn resident with family in the area. Susman noted the seriousness of the charges Copes is facing but mentioned she had turned herself in South Carolina and asked that "reasonable bail" be imposed. Woman wanted in Auburn homicide in custody in South Carolina The woman wanted in connection with a homicide in Auburn is being held by police in South Carolina as arrangements are being made to bring her "She has demonstrated her ability to want to be here by turning herself in," Susman said. Leone remanded Copes to the jail without bail. Her next court date was set for Aug. 11. On March 21, APD issued a news release saying they wanted to speak with Copes, who was called a "person of interest" at that point in the investigation. Days later, police declared Copes a suspect in Smith's shooting death. Copes turned herself in to the Rock Hill Police Department in Rock Hill, South Carolina, not long after an arrest warrant accusing her of second-degree murder was issued in Cayuga County on March 28, the APD said. Grome Antonacci said in April that the district attorney's office was working with Auburn police and the U.S. Marshals Service to make arrangements to bring Copes back to Cayuga County Two other defendants, Adrian Agee and Junnell Copes, both of Auburn, were arraigned on felony charges April 20 on felony counts connected to Smith's death, Grome Antonacci said in a news release at the time. Authorities said Agee was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence, with his charges representing a possible 15 year prison sentence. Junnell Copes, who authorities believe to be Shameek Copes' cousin, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, with a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Two more charged in Auburn shooting death; gun reported thrown into sewer Two more people have been charged in connection with an Auburn homicide one accused of driving the shooter from the crime scene and disposin Grome Antonacci said Friday that Agee and Junnell Copes are both due back in court June 30. Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau. Love 0 Funny 9 Wow 0 Sad 2 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. Law enforcement officers are investigating whether a retired federal agent had about 30 minutes advance notice of a white supremacist's plans to murder Black people at a Buffalo supermarket, two law enforcement officials told The Buffalo News. Authorities believe the former agent believed to be from Texas was one of at least six individuals who regularly communicated with accused gunman Payton Gendron in an online chat room where racist hatred was discussed, the two officials said. The two law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the investigation stated these individuals were invited by Gendron to read about his mass shooting plans and the target location about 30 minutes before Gendron killed 10 people at Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue on May 14. One of the victims was an Auburn resident, Andre Mackniel, who was visiting family in Buffalo and went to the store to buy a birthday cake for his 3-year-old son. The News could not determine if the retired agent accepted the invitation. 'Biggest smile in the world': Auburn victim of Buffalo shooting remembered by brother "He was always joking, always funny, always had a smile on his face. ... That big, cheesy smile. I remember that most about him." These were like-minded people who used this chat group to talk about their shared interests in racial hatred, replacement theory and hatred of anyone who is Jewish, a person of color or not of European ancestry, said one of the two law enforcement officials with close knowledge of the investigation. What is especially upsetting is that these six people received advanced notice of the Buffalo shooting, about 30 minutes before it happened. The FBI has verified that none of these people called law enforcement to warn them about the shooting. The FBI database shows no advance tips from anyone that this shooting was about to happen. Agents from the FBI are in the process of tracking down and interviewing the six people, including the retired agent, and attempting to determine if any of them should be charged as accomplices, the two sources with close knowledge of the probe told The Buffalo News. The two sources did not identify the agent by name and could not confirm what federal agency he worked for. The Buffalo FBI Office declined to comment on the investigation. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Buffalo declined through a spokeswoman to comment. Buffalo civil rights attorney John V. Elmore said it will be outrageous if it turns out that a former law enforcement officer had advance notice of the shooting and did nothing to prevent it. If he had advance notice, he had a moral obligation to get on the phone and try to notify someone about it, said Elmore, who represents the family of Andre Mackniel. Attorney Terrence M. Connors, who is representing several families who lost loved ones in the shooting, said: As outrageous as this may sound, based upon what we are finding in our investigation, it is not surprising. He declined to reveal the evidence his law firm has collected. The New York Times reported May 17 that Gendron invited a small group of people into a private chat room on the messaging platform Discord to review his plan about 30 minutes before the massacre at Tops. The Washington Post reported two days later that 15 people accepted Gendron's invitation into the Discord chat room and were able to review his plan and watch his live stream video as he committed the killings. Federal authorities are investigating if the retired agent provided information to Gendron before he went on his shooting spree, the two law enforcement officials told The News. In addition to law enforcement sources, two other individuals with knowledge of the mass shooting investigation have also confirmed that federal authorities are looking into the former agents relationship to the shooter. The Sandman FBI agents are also trying to determine the identity of an individual Gendron calls Sandman, and Saint Sandman in his lengthy social media diary that appeared on Discord 30 minutes before the attack, the sources said. In the diary, Gendron indicates Sandman counseled him on manufacturers of AR-15 semi-automatic rifles and their quality. The shooter purchased and allegedly used that type of assault rifle in the rampage, which local authorities have said was fueled by his racial hatred. In the document Gendron posted on Discord just prior to the shooting, he references Sandman three times. In a passage dated May 2, he quoted Saint Sandman as saying: "When the time finally comes to deal decisively with a whole host of society's problems, and not go to prison for it, you'll know. Just be ready. You have spent your entire life, from the day you were born, right up to this very moment, reading this sentence, coming to where you are right now. Look around you. Are you content with where you are right now? Are you where you want to be? If so, continue to march. If not, what are you going to do? What's your plan? Get and keep your mind, body, and spirit right. Pray. Lift. Run. Read. Shoot. And teach your kids to do those things. A third law enforcement source told The News they are aware of Gendrons writings involving the quality of different rifles. The shooter ended up using a Bushmaster X-15, a version of the AR-15 rifle, police have reported. Buffalo News staff reporter Caitlin Dewey contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Hindustan Motors, the makers of the iconic Ambassador model that remains a common sight on Indian roads, is planning a return to the field of play with electric models that could include an electric scooter as well as an Ambassador 2.0 with an electric battery powering it. The Hind Motor Financial Corporation of India (HMFCI) has reportedly collaborated with French auto manufacturer Peugeot to re-enter the automotive space in a bid to play a role in the electric mobility channels. Hindustan Motors had had to shut down its factory in Uttarpara in West Bengal in early parts of 2021 after decades of operation. This was the home to the Ambassador which was manufactured here since 1957. But recent years had not been too kind to the model and the manufacturer with problems such as lack of demand and mounting debt stated as the reasons for the plant closure. A senior official at the time had said work was being suspended in order to allow time to draw a revival plan. The plan may now be getting finishing touches. Electric mobility is leveling the play-field for many and well-established and well-entrenched players may not necessarily have a firm control over market share. It is perhaps why an MoU has already been signed between Hindustan Motors and Peugeot. But while it is not certain if the Ambassador will indeed make an electric comeback, chances are that the iconic model could indeed return to play big in the Indian automotive space. After all, at one point in time in the 1970s, the model had helped the manufacturer have a nearly 75 per cent market share. But even if those times are far gone and the competition has increased massively, the EV field has opportunities galore. At present, reports suggest work is on for a electric two-wheeler but that an electric car is also planned. First Published Date: With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. Chery Autos OMODA 5 to start presale on June 8th Chery Autos first global-oriented model, the OMODA 5, will start presale on June 8th at the brands metaverse online launch event. The model will be introduced to several international markets in the first half of 2022. Photo credit: Chery Auto MIIT: Chinas Mar.-Apr. lithium battery output surpasses 95GWh According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Chinas total lithium battery output amounted to over 95GWh in March to April period. The output of energy storage battery reached over 10.5GWh. The vehicle installation volume for power batteries summed up to 34.6GWh. The two-month lithium battery export value equaled RMB42.3 billion. Rising Autos R7 to showcase at Shenzhens auto show SAIC Motors Rising Auto will showcase its first flagship model, the R7 full-size battery-electric SUV at the 2022 Guangdong-HongKong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Auto Show. The technology-driven model will hit the market in the second half of 2022. Photo credit: Rising Auto Hello Inc. sets up ride-sharing subsidiary for RMB500 million Chinas bike-sharing giant Hello Inc. recently set up a subsidiary in the online ride-hailing service field with a registered capital of RMB500 million. Chery Autos Tiggo 8 PRO adopts Horizon Robotics intelligent solution Chery Autos brand-new flagship model, the Tiggo 8 PRO has officially hit the market. The model is the first to be installed with Horizon Robotics Journey 3 chip for onboard HMI functions. XPeng introduces algorithm-based smart payment plan service On May 26th, XPeng hosted a launch event to introduce its smart installment plan, making it the first auto brand to adopt the smart distribution payment plan within the industry. Gotion High-Tech to begin volume production of 360Wh/kg semi-solid-state-battery this year The Chinese power battery maker and Volkswagen's partner Gotion High-Tech plans to put its in-house developed 360Wh/kg semi-solid-state battery into volume production this year, Zhang Hongli, an executive at Gotion High-tech Engineering Research Institute Headquarters, said on May 27 at the company's technology conference. JIDU to take order in H2 2022, targeting RMB200,000 market JIDU will start taking orders for the ROBO 01 automotive robot in the second half of 2022, Baidus CEO Robin Li disclosed in the Q&A session at Baidu's Q1 financial statement briefing. Baidus Apollo Go Robotaxi service reports worlds largest order volume in Q1 On May 26th, Chinas tech giant Baidu released the unaudited financial statement of the first quarter of 2022, with RMB28.4 billion ($4.48 billion) in revenue. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chery Autos brand-new flagship model, the Tiggo 8 PRO has officially hit the market. The model is the first to be installed with Horizon Robotics Journey 3 chip for onboard HMI functions. Tiggo 8 PRO; photo credit: Chery Auto The Tiggo 8 is powered by the Horizon Halo 3.0 intelligent onboard interactive solution (Halo 3.0), becoming the first intelligent vehicle capable of all-scenario multimode interaction within the industry. The vehicle's Lion 5.0 AI smart cockpit realizes 6 industry-leading categories and 15 emotion recognition interactive functions. As an industry-first, the Tiggo 8 PRO holds several innovative functions, including activation-free all-time recognition, and passenger sleep care. Other advanced functions of the cockpit include fatigue detection, hand gesture recognition, distraction detection, and multi-mode intelligent speech. On the other hand, building on the Journey 3 chip, the Halo 3.0 interactive solution is able to solve the universal challenges of recognition complexity, accuracy, and time lag under strong noise. Horizon Robotics hardware and algorithm empowered the Halo 3.0 to achieve an AI computing efficiency 5-10 times higher than usual. The companys self-developed BPU accelerator can transplant the universal voice recognition technology onto the Journey 3 chip, realizing all-time activation-free function. This means that users do not need to summon the voice assistant to interact with it. In addition, the Halo 3.0 adopts an offline scheme that protects users' privacy while delivering twice the reaction speed of a traditional cloud-based scheme. Moreover, the Halo 3.0s universal recognition feature enables users to conduct natural voice control without memorizing fixed words of command. Horizon Robotics disclosed that it is working with Chery Auto to build an interactive solution that works on/off board based on the Journey 5 chip. LOS ANGELES13th Gen and Gravitas Ventures present Baloney, Joshua Guerci's documentary chronicling 18 months in the life of Baloney, a mostly male, San Francisco burlesque troupe. The documentary made its world premiere at Frameline and went on to play at Outfest Los Angeles, Seattle Queer Film Festival, Cinema Diverse Palm Springs, Winnipeg Reel Pride Film Festival, TLVFest: Tel Aviv LGBT Film Festival, Boston Wicked Queer LGBTQ+ Film Festival, and Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. At RuPaul's DragCon Los Angeles, the movie is nominated for Best Documentary. Baloney debuts on Jun. 7 across North America and will be available on a number of digital and cable platforms, including iTunes, Amazon Video, Vudu, Spectrum and inDemand. Baloney was directed, produced and shot by Guerci in his feature debut. Marc Smolowitz (Being BeBe, Transfinite) produced. Queer artist Michael Phillis co-created Baloney after quitting his day job as a tech manager. The performance troupe offers a classic variety show combined with burlesque, using theater, dance and striptease to explore and celebrate queer sexuality and life experience. Phillis, together with his life partner Rory Davis, have been entertaining audiences for years, and this documentary offers up an under-the-covers look at the real-life people who create and perform the show, and a behind the scenes view into all of the hard work that goes into putting on this professional theatrical production. Said Phillis and Davis, "After doing the show live on stage for the past eight years, it's thrilling to see Baloney reach an international audience through Joshua's documentary. Our hope is that young queer adults will see the movie, connect to the show, and know that they're not alone. There's a wonderful world of underground queer performance out there and your chosen family is waiting for you." Ahead of Baloney's VOD debut, director Guerci shared what Baloney means to him as a moviemaker and a human. Said Guerci, "Looking at the world today, Im proud of Baloney because it challenges the prevailing narrative that sexuality is something to be ashamed of. Opponents to equality want to push LGBTQ identities back into the closet and this film demonstrates how queer identity is the entire lived experience of a person beyond what people do behind closed doors. I hope when people watch the film, it sparks a conversation about how we learn to be more like our authentic selves. I made Baloney to look beyond the coming out and the process. The Baloney journey explores not just who you love but how we love each other and ourselves." While moderating the screening at Outfest Los Angeles, Drag Race star BenDeLaCreme said, Baloney feels very much related to drag. There really is a relationship between Baloney, drag and indie filmmaking thats all about being scrappy and making everything happen yourself and being all hands on deck to make the art be what it needs to be. Thats something really beautiful and relatable and exciting and I love that its uniquely San Francisco. To pre-order Baloney on iTunes, click here. Senior Reece Dominguez is ready to graduate after a busy four years at Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy (FALA). In addition to his studies, Dominguez participates in advanced musical theater, jazz dancing and choir as well as student council, the National Honors Society, peer tutoring and serving as president of the Indigenous Youth Club. Its an outlet, kind of a way to express myself, he said of his interest in music. I also just think music theory is really interesting. Its hard and difficult to learn, [but] once you have it down its really really cool. He said he really got into music in sixth grade, when he joined choir and started learning about sight reading and music theory. Dominguez sings and plays the piano, and writes his own music as a personal hobby. On his to-do list is learning how to play guitar and produce his own music. His preferred genre when writing music is indie pop and alternative. He enjoys listening to artists such as Lana Del Rey, The Neighborhood and Hannah Montana. He also said hes known around school for his love of Bridgit Mendlers music, saying he's "been obsessed with her since ninth grade. FALAs advanced musical theater class hosted a production of "Radio Gals" at the beginning of May and they had a cabaret performance last week. Dominguez performed "Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." He started both musical theater and dancing this year, and said his advice for other students was dont be afraid to try new things. I think no matter what, youre going to leave high school with regrets, but its good to leave high school with as little regrets as possible," he said. "So doing things you discover later on in high school earlier on could be really fun to do, because you dont know if you like anything until you really try it." He added: "Try to branch out as much as you can, try as many things as you can, so you can figure out what you like and what you dont like. Dominguez said his own regret was not trying dance or musical theater earlier. He joined the dance class after watching them perform through the window of another class, and thinking, Thats so cool. I wish I could do that. He and some friends were following along with the dances when someone in the class said he should join them. After speaking to the teacher, he joined the schools advanced jazz class, which was pretty intimidating. I wish I would have done it sooner, because I really, really do love it. Its been one of the best things I think Ive done this year, because its given me that performance experience and a way to keep active. I learned how to use my body to its fullest extent, he said. ..The biggest thing is I feel if I had started a long time ago, I could be way better than I am now. But he's learning from his experiences. I try not to look at it like that and just look at it like I have more time to try to grow and get better at the things that I enjoy,' he said. Though hes only been dancing for three months, he said Jazz 3 was one of his favorite classes at FALA, alongside keyboard class. In addition to getting to spend an hour and half playing piano, he said the teacher, Chase Coleman, was why he has enjoyed the class so much. Coleman first taught Dominguez to play the piano as a ninth-grader, and hes been in his class ever since. Hes one of my favorite teachers ever, because hes just a super good person. I really enjoy his teaching style. Also, its just a nice, laid-back setting compared to more academic-oriented classes, Dominguez said. Dominguez plans to keep playing the piano in his free time once he heads to college and will keep singing. He hopes to join a jazz vocal group or choir. Dominguez has been his classs representative on the student council his sophomore and senior years, communicating what his grade needs to the student council and helping to arrange events. I like to be able to relay what my grade wants, he said. ...I really like the group aspect of it, getting to know the other student council members and being in that leadership role." As president of the Indigenous Youth Club, Dominguez said his role is mostly to facilitate meetings. "Our mission statement is to create a cultural impact here at FALA, and to create a space for Indigenous students to come and feel safe and welcome," he said. The club has hosted food sales and presented schoolwide assemblies on missing and murdered Indigenous women and residential schools. Dominguez also wrote a land acknowledgment that the school uses for events, including the most recent dance performance. The peer tutoring program was started this year as another FALA student, Annabelle Folsoms, senior project. I joined to support her; shes my friend, Dominguez said. But, I don't know, it's also good to help the younger people. He was paired with a younger student who he helps with schoolwork and efficiency, as well as helping lead them to their goals in their academic fields. It's been Dominguezs first experience with teaching and he said its going pretty well. It was a rough learning curve, because Ive never done that before, he said. So I had to figure out how to adapt to the students needs and how I was as a teacher. I think, throughout the year, Ive definitely gotten better. Theres probably still things I need to improve on, but right now, we have a pretty steady flow. He said hes enjoyed his time at FALA, especially in comparison to his earlier experience in public school, where students were grouped by intelligence. He spent seventh grade in an online program, due to anxiety. Once he started to recover, Dominguez wanted to return to in-person school, but not to the school hed been in before. His sister had spent a year at FALA, so he decided to give it a try. I think the biggest takeaway from FALA is being able to express myself in the way that I wanted to, he said. Whether thats with the way I dress, with the way I show myself to the world and my interests. Its definitely given me that confidence to do what I want and what I like to do. As far as graduation, Dominguez said hes excited and a little nervous. Im ready for the new start, the clean slate feeling, he said. Thats what Im looking for. The nerves come from the fact that, after he graduates, hell be leaving everything thats familiar. He plans to study sociology as Arizona State University with the hope of one day becoming a social worker. He said he chose the university because it was in state, but it was far away enough for it to be new. He first heard about the job in sophomore year from school counselor Janine Birchard. I think itd be really cool to give back to the community as much as I can and learn as much as I can, he said. Hes most excited to meet new people and to join higher-level groups for his extracurricular interested. Im a pretty social person, he said. ...Especially at college, theres so many people who come in from all around the states and all around the world. FALAs graduation will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the Pepsi Amphitheater in Fort Tuthill County Park, located at 2446 Fort Tuthill Loop. More information is available at flagarts.com. Love 6 Funny 1 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. U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore announced last week that the agency would pause all prescribed burns on National Forest System lands for 90 days because of extreme wildfire risk, with the pause being used to conduct a review of protocols, decision support tools and practices ahead of planned operations this fall. Moore said in a public statement that the pause will make space for a national review that evaluates the prescribed fire program from the best available science to on-the-ground implementation. Lessons learned and any resulting program improvements will be in place prior to resuming prescribed burning, Moore said. The announcement comes on the heels of the destructive Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire in New Mexico, which was in part ignited by a prescribed burn caught by extreme winds and blown out of Forest Service control. While Moores statement makes no formal connection between the pause and the large fire, pausing the prescribed burn program following such an incident makes sense, said James Petit, fire staff officer for the Coconino National Forest (CNF). Anytime you have an escape that turns into a wildfire, everyone's going to want to take a pause there and see what went wrong, Petit said. Theres always a risk to striking a match, Petit said, but forest managers do a lot of risk assessment before [prescribed burns]. We've got a really high percentage of successful prescribed burning. According to Moores statement, In 99.84% of cases, prescribed fires go as planned. In rare circumstances, conditions change, and prescribed burns move outside the planned project area and become wildfires. CNF usually conducts about 30 to 50 prescribed burns to treat up to 40,000 acres of forest each year. According to Petit, prescribed burns are the Forest Services best tool for reducing forest fuels and protecting communities from catastrophic wildfire. There are also mechanical treatments -- such as forest thinning and logging to reduce fuels -- but prescribed fire most closely mimics the natural cycle of the forest and helps to recycle nutrients into the forest ecosystem. Its a tool wed like to continue to use, said Petit. Whether natural or prescribed, fires are an important part of forest health in northern Arizona, said Amy Waltz, director of science delivery for the Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University. Fire can increase grass and wildflower diversity. It creates habitat for a bunch of different animals, from insects all the way up to our large ungulates like antelope, elk, mule deer, Waltz said. She explained that many of the problems we have with current fires are a result of over-fighting fires in the past. Fire exclusion in the late 1800s and early 1900s is part of the reason why we have the current fuel load today, Waltz said. And of course, the fires that we see today are also due to climate change and some weather changes that we're seeing. Climate change also poses challenges for the use of prescribed fire. Historically reliable burn windows are shifting. What we're seeing is more of a robust monsoon or rainy summer, which pushes our fall window back a month or two, Petit said. And then we're having these really dry springs where historically we've made up some acreage in the springtime. This spring, unusually strong winds further restricted the opportunities for safe burning conditions. We just weren't able to burn many acres before the winds took hold, Petit said. Even before the pause, changing conditions caused CNF to cancel prescribed burns plans as early as April. During normal years, we would be finishing up spring burning right now, Petit said. But as it stands, for the 90 days of the pause, we didn't have any plans to burn anyways, Petit said. Petit expects the pause and national review will take a broad view of prescribed burn policy and may be accompanied by a more localized review of individual forest activity, which we welcome, he said. He does not expect that prescribed fire will be removed from the Forest Service toolkit. Moores statement also makes it clear that prescribed burn operations are essential. Fire has been here long before we ever got here, Petit said. "And it'll always be here. Its nature's way of cleaning that forest floor. ... Prescribed fire will always be a need. Sean Golightly can be reached at sgolightly@azdailysun.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. Update: 27-05-2022 | 11:52:58 On May 26, Binh Duong Provincial Social Insurance held a preliminary sum-up conference on activities of Steering Committee for the implementation of social insurance policies, voluntary insurance, health insurance over the first 4 months of 2022. Attending the conference were Nguyen Loc Ha, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; and leaders of departments and branches in the province. According to report of the Provincial Social Insurance, over the first 4 months of 2022, the number of people participating in compulsory social insurance in the province was 972,566, reaching 85% of the target assigned by the Provincial People's Committee, an increase of 44,729 people compared to 2021; the number of participants in health insurance was 2,016,878 people, reaching 82.37% of the target assigned by the Provincial People's Committee, down 195,363 people compared to 2021; the number of participants in voluntary social insurance was 10,256, reaching 35.72% of the target, an increase of 1,457 people compared to 2021; The number of people participating in voluntary insurance was 954,699 people, reaching 85.34% of the target assigned by the Provincial People's Committee, an increase of 44,571 people compared to 2021. During the first 4 months, the Steering Committee directed closely and drastically on the implementation of social insurance, health insurance and voluntary insurance policies of the province. The synchronous coordination between agencies and units in the task performance has gradually improved the effectiveness of insurance policies. However, the implementation of social insurance, health insurance and voluntary insurance policies had limitations that needed to be overcome, specifically: There is no general business management data between industries, thus the number of new licensed enterprises is quite large, but then whether the enterprise actually operates and whether or not it employs workers, this cannot be accurately reckoned up to make the basis for identifying organizations evading making insurance premiums or making incomplete payments. From January 1st 2022, the minimum voluntary social insurance premium has increased, due to adjustments to the poverty line of rural areas, which is also the reason for the decrease in participation in voluntary social insurance. In addition, workers going back home have not returned to work due to the impact of the Covid-19, thus businesses have difficulties, affecting the participation in insurance; students have not fully participated in health insurance in accordance with groups prescribed in the Law on Health Insurance... Speaking at the conference, Nguyen Loc Ha asked administration branches, levels and authorities need to have better coordination in the propagation of insurance policies for more people to participate in insurance in the last 6 months of the year. In addition, it is necessary to set targets in the coordination, inspection and supervision to achieve high efficiency. Nguyen Loc Ha also requested that in the coming time, the Provincial Social Insurance must have separate meetings with each branch, discuss the coordination and implementation of insurance policies in the area in the most effective way, in accordance with the targets of Vietnam Social Insurance. Reported by Quang Tam Translated by Ngoc Huynh BTO-Chieu nay 2/6, duoi su ieu hanh cua Pho Chu tich Quoc hoi Tran Quang Phuong, Quoc hoi thao luan tai hoi truong ve: Phe chuan quyet toan ngan sach nha nuoc nam 2020; Cong tac thuc hanh tiet kiem, chong lang phi nam 2021. The Foreign Press Association, Africa, issued a statement on its official Twitter account on Saturday, registering its displeasure against media outlets using images of Black people alongside stories of the monkeypox outbreak in North America and the United Kingdom. The fact is that many Western media outlets have long formed the habit of attributing all bad things to other regions of the world. For epidemic reports, they attach photos of Africans; when reporting business fraud, they link it to Asians; anything to do with shady deals and they hint at Eastern Europe. Such prejudiced stereotyping is against humanity and in today's world it is casting a shadow on the fight against the pandemic. By using images of Black people on reports about the monkeypox outbreak, the Western media outlets are creating a false impression. Some people might, as it often happens, just click on the story and look at the images and conclude it was something happening in Africa. By stressing that the disease was first reported in Africa and using such images, the websites end up creating a lasting impression in the minds of readers, which may not change even after they have read the whole story. It might also make readers underestimate the threat from the disease in their own backyard, where cases have already been reported. The Western media is also strengthening the stereotype of ethnic Africans. Because of existing prejudices, major Western societies are already a divided lot. The improper use of such photographs in reports will only deepen the split. When a society links an "epidemic" with "Africans" or "Blacks", any efforts to promote racial equality will then fall by the wayside. The use of Black people's images in reports about the monkeypox is only one of the many stereotypes in the West. There are other ones targeting the Asians, Latin Americans and Eastern Europeans. Stereotyping is already a big headache in the West. Please do not make it worse. Michael McCaul, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and chair of the so-called China Task Force that is pushing for "a comprehensive legislative plan to confront the Chinese Communist Party", took his agenda to the opening of the World Economic Forum's Annual Conference 2022 in Davos on Monday. McCaul snapped a shot of the "Chinese delegation" sitting behind him, which showed that they remained seated during a standing ovation to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after the latter's special address via video link at the opening of the event. The US lawmaker shared the photo on social media, adding that he saw the "Chinese delegation" walk out after taking the photo, commenting that it sent "a clear message they do not support Ukraine". Unfortunately that left him with egg on his face as the "Chinese delegation" was in fact the Vietnamese delegation led by Le Minh Khai, deputy prime minister of Vietnam. And during the address of Zelensky, the Chinese delegation led by China's Special Envoy on Climate Change Xie Zhenhua was in a closed-door meeting with Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, who later described the meeting with his old Chinese friend as an "excellent discussion" to make sure that measures to tackle climate change are at the heart of policy-making, which is exactly the agenda the Davos stage is set for. Equally embarrassing, CNN wholeheartedly bought McCaul's mistake and resold it to the world as fact. Some CNN reporters, including anchor producer Nora Neus and anchor John Berman who interviewed McCaul on air in the program, also retweeted the "news". Neither McCaul nor any representative of CNN has apologized for their error. Those attending the WEF event in Davos should make sure they are not photographed by any of the US delegation unless they want starring roles in Washington's interminable fake news. 1. TOKYO -- The U.S. government has announced that its new economic grouping for the Indo-Pacific will begin with 13 inaugural members, accounting for about 40% of the world's gross domestic product. The 13 initial members of the group, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), are the U.S., Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, New Zealand and Brunei, the Biden administration said Monday.... Source Link: asiadotnikkeidotcom 2. ...Though many of the Indo-Pacific Economic Frameworks details have yet to be finalised, the Biden administration has made one point clear the plan is not a traditional trade agreement that will lower tariffs or otherwise open access to US markets, but a partnership for promoting common economic standards. While many of Chinas regional neighbours share Washingtons concerns about the burgeoning superpowers ambitions, the IPEFs lack of clear trade provisions could make it an uninspiring prospect for potential members, especially in Southeast Asia. You can sense the frustration for developing, trade-reliant countries, Calvin Cheng, a senior analyst of economics, trade and regional integration at Malaysias Institute of Strategic and International Studies, told Al Jazeera. Theres always talk about engaging Asia, the idea, but what exactly is it and what are the incentives for developing countries to take up standards that are being imposed on them by richer, developed countries?... Source Link: isisdotorgdotmy 3. A military cargo plane carrying the first shipment of infant formula, weighing 35 tonnes (77,000 pounds), has landed in Indianapolis as part of the Biden administrations Operation Fly Formula to import the product from Europe and address a critical shortage in the United States. It is the first of several flights from Europe carrying infant formula, made for children who have allergic reactions to protein and cow milk, expected this weekend to relieve the deepening shortage in the US due to the closure of the nations largest domestic manufacturing plant in Michigan in February over safety issues.... Source Link: aljazeeradotcom 4. ...Trump has floated the idea of a reciprocal tax in the past, promising to slap it on countries, including allies, that take advantage of the United States. The president also addressed ongoing negotiations over the North American Free Trade Agreement and complained that Canada, which is a party to that trade pact along with Mexico and the U.S., doesn't treat the U.S. well. He also complained about Mexico's treatment of the U.S. "We cannot continue to be taken advantage of by other countries," Trump said. "We cannot continue to let people come into our country and rob us blind, and charge us tremendous tariffs and taxes, and we charge them nothing. We cannot allow that to happen. We cannot allow it to happen." He also complained about the U.S. losing "vast amounts of money" in trade with China, Japan, South Korea and other countries.... Source Link: foxbusinessdotcom 5. Lest you still don't understand what the self-declared "Messiah" ex-president meant when he vowed the US "cannot continue to be taken advantage of by other countries", just take a look at the following image: The guy seems to exert a huge mysterious influence over his gas-emitting successor. Those countries that join the so-called new "economic" grouping for the Indo-Pacific in the hope of getting market access into the US will be greatly frustrated and disappointed. It is a big disgrace that the so-called sole superpower can't even produce enough infant formula to feed its infants. In my opinion, a more appropriate name for the so-called new "trade" or "economic" grouping for the Indo-Pacific should be "Infant Formula Economic Framework (IFEF)". In past years, the lead up to Memorial Day came with a constant checking of the weather and one question in mind: can we fly the flags? Evergreen Home Cemetery Superintendent Chad Kleveland said he had to answer that question at the last minute a year ago. The morning came with a light drizzle and gray skies. Cotton flags dont keep well in that weather. The all-weather flags are a game changer, Kleveland said. All-weather flags, purchased after fundraising efforts by the American Legion in Beatrice, flew in front of the Gage County Courthouse and Veterans Memorial Park all week, despite the murky weather. American Legion Post 27 Commander Jerry Lamkin said the flags flying this week came as a kind of "thank you" to the community of Beatrice for giving the $22,500 needed for the flags. Lamkin and Kleveland said the all-weather flags do much more than put minds at ease. It might hopefully get people to think about the real meaning of Memorial Day, Kleveland said. The meaning has kind of gotten lost with all the camping and the barbecues. Its a really important day to remember those whove sacrificed. Beatrice is holding its Memorial Day service on Monday at 10:30 a.m. in the Evergreen Cemetery. The Gage County Veterans Service Office puts together the event with members of the communitys veteran organizations and workers at the cemetery. Around 3,000 smaller flags mark veteran graves there, put up by volunteers on Thursday, Kleveland said. The service will last about 45 minutes and will feature David Ossian, the national liaison to the Marine for Life Network, as a guest speaker. Ossian served as a Marine, and his work now involves training League members across the country to better support and mentor transitioning Marines and their families. Scott Bates, the Gage County Veterans Service Officer, said in all the fun of the weekend, its important to attend the service and pay homage. Its the way to pay respect to all of our fallen service members, Bates said. Its a really nice way to pay tribute to the people whove kept this country free. Communities across the area are hosting Memorial Day services Sunday and Monday, including the following. On Sunday, May 29: The Steele City American Legion Campbell Kline Post #349 and Auxiliary will conduct Memorial Day Services at the Steele City Cemetery at 2 p.m. and at the Joy Creek Cemetery southwest of Hollenberg, Kansas at 3:15 p.m. Pleasant View Cemetery Memorial Day Service: 2 p.m. Sharon Schuster will be giving the message and Alycia Jurgens will be the soloist. Liberty American Legion Post 346 memorial events: Summerfield, Kan. Cemetery Program at 9:30 a.m., Mission Creek Cemetery Program at 10:30 a.m. Pickrell's service is at Zion Lutheran Church at 2:30 p.m. On Monday, May 30 DeWitt Hawes-Wood American Legion Post is hosting a service at Oak Grove at 10:30 a.m. Beatrices service is at Evergreen Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Beartooth Highway portion of U.S 212 will open Friday, but may not be open for long. A late-spring storm is expected to close the highway again by 5 p.m. Friday. Travelers are encouraged to stay informed about road status and weather conditions. The Beartooth Highway, located east of the Yellowstone National Parks Northeast Entrance between Red Lodge and Cooke City will open Friday at 8 a.m. and close at 5 p.m., according to the parks public affairs office. This is a temporary closure due to expected winter weather, heavy snow and hazardous driving conditions through the weekend. The highway will reopen as conditions allow. Check the Montana and Wyoming departments of transportation websites for road updates and status throughout the summer. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ArtWalk Downtown Billings hosts its third event of the 2022 Season on Friday, June 3, 2022 in downtown Billings. Twenty ArtWalk locations across downtown will be open from 5 to 9 p.m., and will host exhibits featuring artists from Billings and the region. One-Time Participants include Zest Kitchen Goods, 110 N. 29th St., and Rockets, 2905 Second Ave. N. All ArtWalk events are free. Many locations host music and offer light refreshments. Often, artists attend and present gallery talks. There are a variety of parking options in the downtown area, including free on-street metered parking. A mobile-friendly map and more information about the June 3rd event, including images and gallery notes, can be found at artwalkbillings.com and on Facebook and Instagram @billingsartwalk. Upcoming ArtWalk events are planned for August 5, October 7, and December 2, 2022. Uptown Loop Yellowstone Art Museum, 410 North 27th Street, shows the 1983 documentary film, "Id Rather Be Powwowing," in the M.J. Murdock Gallery from 5-7:30 p.m. The film is shown to accompany Jessie Albrecht and Sean Chandlers current exhibition at YAM; it was produced by George Horse Capture and features Al Chandler, Sean Chandlers father. The younger Chandler, a member of the Gros Ventre (Aaninin) nation in Montana, works in the economic mainstream while maintaining traditional and cultural connections. Billings First Congregational Church (BFC), 310 North 27th Street, celebrates June as PRIDE MONTH and hosts selected artists and their work. Check artwalkbillings.com for more information. From the home page, scroll down to the Uptown Loop and click on arrows to the right to find BFC. This House of Books, 224 North Broadway, will showcase art thats been donated to the Montana Rescue Mission (MRM) to support its work alleviating homelessness. Art pieces include works by Florence Gardner, Rochelle Cattrell, Laura Carter Woods and others. All sales proceeds benefit MRM. Inkredible Art Productions, 217 North Broadway Suite 2, is closed for the June 3 event. Barjons Books, 223 North 29th Street, will host a murder of crows and a conspiracy of ravens by Karyn Dunbar. Dunbar considers the crows and ravens to be her artistic spirit guides. She finds them mystical and their presence allows her to create visual parables. Hedden-Empire Gallery, 206 North 29th Street, is excited to host Willis Johnson and his wildlife sculptures that capture the beauty of bodies in space. Much more than flesh and bone, Johnsons sculptures contain and exude presence. Each one has an attitude and a demeanor that is inherently singular, vibrant, and expressive. The large, crisp gallery space on the Hedden-Empires main floor showcases Johnsons sculptures. Skypoint Loop Kennedy Stained Glass will be closed for the June 3 ArtWalk. Sandstone Gallery, 2913 2nd Avenue North, hosts guest artist Matt Berg and highlights work by co-op gallery artists, Madelein Bladow and Maria Isabel Bonilla. Bladow paints landscapes, abstracts and creates collages. She works primarily in transparent watercolor and often experiments with new mediums. Bonillas art is infused with the Colombian Spirit and nostalgia for her Colombian homeland. Described as Tropical Surrealism with a hint of Salsa music it favors a flashy, psychedelic aesthetic mixed with traditional and unexpected materials.It explodes with color, bold lines and seductive shimmering elements. Stephen Haraden Studio and Gallery, 2911 2nd Avenue North, Suite 235, focuses attention on work by Haraden that asks the question, Can interesting, provocative art be created when an artist tosses bits of scrap paper onto a canvas and bonds them together where they land? As the viewer, its your decision to make. Downtown Billings Alliance (DBA), 116 North 29th Street, shines a spotlight on work created by art students from Billings West High School. Zest Kitchen Goods, 110 North 29th Street, joins the June ArtWalk with an exhibit of edibles in watercolor by Noel Hawke. Hawke is a teacher at Crooked Line Studio and a member of the Billings Art Association. Zest offers the creative cook everything he/she needs for summer celebrations. Global Village, 2815 2nd Avenue North, has partnered with Crooked Line Studio to bring you a chance to paint rocks during the June 3rd ArtWalk. All supplies provided. Artists of all ages and abilities are invited. When you need a break and/or the kiddos are restless, head over to Global Village on the Skypoint Loop! Billings Symphony Society, 2820 2nd Avenue North, unveils the latest mural in downtown Billings during the Spring ArtWalk. Created by artist Elley Swan, the mural is 60 feet long on the south-facing wall of the Billings Symphonys building. She will display her paintings at the Symphony office and be on hand to discuss her other murals across the city. Members of the MSUB Student Arts League will display and sell their work. Montana Gallery, 2710 2nd Avenue North, attracts a lively and eclectic crowd to celebrate contemporary western art during each ArtWalk. Led by artist Tyler Murphy, the gallery promotes work by Coila Evans, Daniel Keyes, Richie Carter and others. Ceilon Aspensen Art, 113 North Broadway #406, exhibits new paintings for the June ArtWalk. A Laurel High School art teacher, Aspensen recently received her doctorate in American Studies from Montana State University-Bozeman. Her gallery is above Montana Brewing Company on the 4th floor of the Montana Power Building. Aspinwall, 103 North Broadway, welcomes Jessica Brophy, owner of Free Indeed Art, and her custom fine art. Brophy is at her best when called upon to paint portraits of beloved pets. She maintains a pop up studio at Aspinwall during ArtWalk events. Also on view are outdoor photographs by Trevan Hiersche. Bishops Cut/Color, 108 North Broadway, is closed for the June 3 ArtWalk. Rocket Burritos, 2809 First Avenue North, returns to the ArtWalk to highlight the work of Gunnar Stephan, a pop artist who focuses on mixed media, western outlaws, and ironic interpretations of icons. Not necessarily clean, and not necessarily messy, Stephans works take the focus away from the clean cut side of the art world. Historic Loop Western Heritage Center, 2822 Montana Avenue, presents "Avis Marvelous: Ornithology on the Western Frontier," a traveling exhibit featuring 19th-century lithographs of native birds, including several by John James Audubon and unique avian taxidermy on loan from the Montana Audubon Center. "Avis Marvelous" will close in late June. Free admission during ArtWalk. Kirks Grocery, 2920 Minnesota Avenue, proudly presents Nature Morte, a fresh, collaborative body of new work from Courtney Blazon and Louis Habeck that investigates the artistic traditions of still life in a contemporary context. The exhibit opens on Friday, June 3 with an ArtWalk reception from 5-9 p.m. It remains up for viewing through July 23. Nick Rogers photographs, which document Kirks Grocery events from the last three years are also on view. Native American Development Corporation, 17 North 26th Street, hosts Apsaalooke (Crow) artists who work with textiles and beads, invoke traditional designs and add surprising contemporary twists to their work. Working as TRIIA, the group includes Della Big Hair - Stump (Dellas Designs), Carrie Moran McCleary (Plains Soul) and Olivia Williamson (Lady Pompadour). They love to chat about their work. Harry Koyama Fine Art, 2509 Montana Avenue, features gallery works by Harry Koyama that portray American Indian dancers, buffalo, grizzly bears, mountain lions and other iconic images of the American West. His abstract expressionist paintings are highly sought by collectors, institutions and businesses across Montana and nationally. McCormick Cafe, 2419 Montana Avenue, known best as where the locals eat, welcomes Angela Rafferty, a multimedia artist who uses metal, paint, and photography to digitally create one of a kind works of art. She draws inspiration from traditional expectations in the modern world. Works by Justin Dowler are also featured. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Arts Without Boundaries is a non-profit organization based in Billings committed to supporting, enhancing and encouraging student participation in the arts in Montana communities. One of their programs is the Standout Student Award. Senior students are nominated by their teacher(s), in recognition of those students that excel in the visual and performing arts, through individual achievement, community involvement, leadership and participation in the arts community of Billings and the surrounding area. Recipients of the award receive a $100 award from AWB, and are featured on the AWB website. The most recent winners include: Brook Skjeret School: Billings Central Catholic High School Participates in: Choir Student statement: "The arts, and especially choir, have changed my life forever. It has given me a place to call home, a family that will always support me, and a reminder of why life is so beautiful." Hunter Gibbs School: Billings West High School Participates in: Band Student statement: Being a part of band has allowed me to understand another means of communication outside of words. Paying homage to composer's emotions and stories, alongside incredibly driven and hardworking kids, has been extremely gratifying." Seth Babcock School: Billings Central Catholic High School Participates in: Choir Student statement: I have loved getting to grow around music, and developing a skill that I love to use." Rebekah Light School: Billings Skyview High School Participates in: Choir Student statement: "The arts have allowed me to express myself in ways that I couldn't have done otherwise." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The proposed roadway that will connect the Billings Heights to the West End has cleared two major hurdles, bringing its start date within view. The Montana Land Board has signed off on the Inner Belt Loop road project and the Federal Highway Administration is finalizing its approval, which would clear the way for Billings to receive the federal funding it needs to start construction. The Inner Belt Loop is long-planned roadway that will bring Wicks Lane overland to the Zimmerman Trail-Highway 3 intersection. That overland route takes the road across two parcels of state school trust land. Earlier this month, the Montana Land Board signed off on the plan, giving Billings right of way access to the school trust land. Along with approval from the land board, the city is also finalizing its agreement with the Federal Highway Administration for the roadwork, a necessary step for Billings to receive the $11.6 million in federal grant money. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Billings $11,656,765 through a federal grant known as the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development or BUILD Grant. The grant will help build the Inner Belt Loop and complete the Skyline Trail, a 3.5 mile section of paved pathway that will run along Airport Road. Roughly 750 feet of the trail is already built; the BUILD Grant will allow the city to finish it and build new parking lots along the path to provide better access. The Inner Belt Loop's goal is to boost commercial and residential development in the Heights, increase traffic flow between two distant parts of the city and reduce road traffic along Main Street, particularly where it bottlenecks at MetraPark and Airport Road. It will also improve access to and from the area for public safety and emergency vehicles. "The Inner Belt Loop is critical for the future of Billings as this vital project will improve public safety, spur economic development, and increase the unity of our community," Mayor Bill Cole said in a statement. "Local, state and federal officials have worked for 30 years to make this road a reality, and I thank the Land Board for taking this important step," he said. "The finish line is now in sight." In order to receive final approval from the Federal Highway Administration, Billings was required to evaluate 16 environmental and social/economic elements of the project through the Montana Department of Transportation Environmental Service Bureau, looking at how the Inner Belt Loop might impact those areas. The final step now requires the city gaining right-of-way access on the parcels of private property along the Inner Belt Loop route. The state land board's approval of the two parcels it controls will likely help speed up the right-of-way process for the adjoining private land owners. City staff is hopeful to have the right-of-way access portion of the project wrapped up in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the city is waiting for final MDT approval for the plans for Skyline Trail and parking improvements along Highway 3. Billings TrailNet has worked for years to get the Skyline Trail planned and built. In 2020, the city was able to finish 750 feet of the trail through a TrailNet donation of $60,000, which was given to the nonprofit by retired firefighter and cyclist Richard Charbonneau. In all, TrailNet has donated $400,000 to the Skyline Trail project. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Yellowstone County Coroner's office has released the name of the man killed by law enforcement earlier this week following a chase throughout Billings and a standoff near Mountview Cemetery. Curtis Dean Yellowtail, 36, died of multiple gunshot wounds Monday night, Yellowstone County Deputy Coroner Rich Hoffman told the Gazette on Friday. Six Billings police officers and one Montana Highway Patrol trooper fired several shots at Yellowtail when he pointed what appeared to be a firearm at them. Several officers responded to an assault near King Avenue East and South Billings Boulevard late Monday night. A caller told police that a man had pistol whipped a woman and was holding her against her will. They gave a description of both the man and the car he was driving. Police found the man driving a red Nissan hatchback in the area. The man was later identified as Yellowtail, and he had three passengers in the vehicle with him, including the woman he allegedly assaulted. Yellowtail led officers on a wide loop around Billings, Police Chief Rich St. John said at a press conference the morning after the shooting. He drove north and took Grand Avenue west to Shiloh Road, waving what looked like a handgun out the drivers side window. Yellowtail then turned onto Monad Road, driving east and eventually bottomed out on a concrete barrier in the parking lot of Fireside Lanes on Industrial Avenue. Law enforcement tried to lay spikes ahead of the Nissan, both times unsuccessfully, with MPH troopers eventually joining officers in the pursuit. As law enforcement gathered in the parking lot, police saw that Yellowtail was pointing the handgun at his head. He refused commands to drop the gun and get out of the car, and the three passengers remained with him in the hatchback. A five-minute standoff ensued. When Yellowtail got out of the car, he was pointing the gun at his head. He ran toward officers posted in the parking lot. At about halfway between the Nissan and police, St. John said, an officer fired three beanbag rounds at Yellowtail. The force caused him to spin around, and he pointed the gun at officers. BPD officers and an MHP trooper opened fire simultaneously. Their bullets struck Yellowtail, and he collapsed, St. John said. The three passengers were pulled safely from the Nissan, and first responders tried to give Yellowtail first aid. He died at the scene. His time of death was recorded at just a few minutes before midnight, Deputy Hoffman said. The officers who shot at Yellowtail were identified as John Pearson, Tanner Messerchmidt, Mackenzie Unruh, Blaine Lane, Matthew Bistline and Zachary Zevoteck, all of whom have been placed on administrative leave during the investigation. MHP has not identified the trooper involved. Billings detectives and agents from the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation have been assigned to investigate the shooting. Every police officer named in the shooting was wearing body cameras Monday night, and had them activated, St. John said. Investigators recovered the pistol held by Yellowtail. Although it has not been determined whether it was a functioning firearm, St. John provided a photo of the gun at Tuesdays press conference. It appears to be a cap gun modeled after a Luger pistol. Yellowtail, who was previously sentenced in Yellowstone County for drug possession and bail jumping, is the second person killed by Billings officers so far this year. Raymond D. Dupree Jr. died from multiple gunshot wounds in February. Officer Brett Hilde fired at least eight rounds at the 39-year-old, who was reportedly brandishing a Glock 17 semi-automatic replica pellet gun and pointing it at random people. Hilde was wearing a body camera, but did not turn it on until after the shooting. Yellowtail is also at least the ninth person killed by gunfire in Billings so far this year. Gwen Ann Marshall was found shot dead earlier this month in her home. David Antonio Rodas Sr., 57, was arrested and charged in connection to her death in the days that followed. Domonic Shawn Dale Morgan, 29, was shot and killed in the parking lot of a Billings bar last month. Police have identified the shooter, a 19-year-old man, but no charges have been filed. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 3 Sad 2 Angry 2 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. More than 3.5 million veterans suffering from exposure to toxic burn pits and Agent Orange will get their day on the Senate floor June 6 when lawmakers take up a bill granting medical treatment for health problems stemming from toxic exposure during military service. U.S. Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Jerry Moran of Kansas called the bill an historic step in recognizing a major cause of veterans health problems dating back some 50 years to the Vietnam War. Tester, a Democrat is chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. Moran, a Republican, is ranking member. Its estimated by the Department of Defense that 3.5 million combat veterans were exposed to toxic trash fires and other sources of toxic emissions. Of those combat vets, roughly a third dont have coverage, in large part because health problems often dont surface until years after service. The five-year window for reporting problems is frequently closed before veterans know theyre in trouble. This bill will address decades of inaction and failure by the U.S. government to do the right thing by delivering toxics-exposed veterans their long-overdue health care and benefits. This bill spans generations of veterans and expands the presumption of Agent Orange exposure for those who served in the Vietnam era, and new conditions service-connected to Agent Orange, including hypertension, Tester said during a Thursday press call. Moran, a Republican called the legislation, several years in the making, an example of Republicans and Democrats working together for veterans. The full Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill June 6. That is an example of Republicans and Democrats coming together to make sure that our veterans, those who served in this case particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan and our veterans who served in Vietnam, those who are exposed to toxic stuff, substances through burn pits, through Agent Orange finally will have a path at the Department of Veterans Affairs to receive benefits and health care for the damages they encountered, Moran said. The cost of the Senate bill is he still being determined. A similar bill in the U.S. House was estimated to cost $300 billion over 10 years as Veterans Affairs health facilities were to increase staff and equipment necessary to handle a patient load presumed to be in he millions. The Honoring our PACT Act wasnt as easily passed by House lawmakers in March. The bill drew unanimous support from Democrats, but only 34 Republicans passed the bill. Some Republicans didnt like the price of the bill, which was opposed by 174 GOP lawmakers, including Montanas only representative, Rep. Matt Rosendale. The Senate will need at least 60 supporting votes to pass its version of the bill, the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2022. Robinson was in the Ohio National Guard when he served in Iraq and Kosovo. He died on 2020 from illnesses stemming from toxic exposure. Tester will meet with Veterans Affairs officials in Billings on Friday to discuss the bill. Love 4 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. 25 Years Ago 1997 Gusty east winds threatened to remove the mortar boards from the heads of 250 seniors who received their diplomas at Mandan High Schools 95th graduation exercises held outdoors at Faris Field. Student speakers for the class of 1997 were: Brook Ekstrom, the top-rated student in the class; Amanda Leingang, class president; and Chris Morris, all members of the National Honor Society. Twenty-three Flasher seniors also received their diplomas during graduation ceremonies held May 25. Mindy Geiss, daughter of Ronald and Jeanne Geiss of Solen, was valedictorian of the class of 1997. Salutatorian was class president, Mandy Volk, daughter of Shirley Volk Schreiner of Raleigh and the late Bert Volk. Guest speaker was Attorney General Heidi Heitkamp. Graduation ceremonies were held May 18 for 31 members of New Salem High Schools class of 1997. Megan Beckman, daughter of Dale and Joanne Beckman, was valedictorian; salutatorian was Carrie Mosbrucker, daughter of Terrance and Diane Mosbrucker. The class colors were navy, maroon and silver; the class flower was the white rose. Temps recorded Tuesday, May 27: a high of 66 degrees above zero; 48 degrees for the low. 50 Years Ago 1972 Graduation ceremonies for the MHS class of 1972 were held Monday evening, May 22, at the high school gymnasium. Senior speakers were Joann Dykshoorn, Duane Stegmiller and class president Bruce Gallagher, all members of the National Honor Society. Diplomas were awarded by Dr. Richard Wirtz, president of the Mandan Board of Education, assisted by August L. Spiss, superintendent. Referencing a school board policy dated March 5, 1956, the class of 72 also voted, for only the second time in the schools history, not to participate in traditional baccalaureate services at one of the Mandan churches, prior to this years graduation ceremony. Instead, the seniors opted to be recognized during a regular service at the church of their choice. Army Second Lt. David L. Kopp, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Kopp of Mandan, has been assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Kopp is a 1967 graduate of Mandan High School and a 1971 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. Fred Hartleib, scoutmaster of Mandans Cub Scout pack 51, was presented the Baden-Powell Award during a recent meeting of the pack. This is the highest honor a Cub Scout pack can give an adult leader. Hartleib has been a scoutmaster since 1965. The presentation was made by Dr. Wayne Willis, pack committeeman. The award is named for Lord Baden-Powell, who, in 1908, founded the Boys Scouts organization in Great Britain. 75 Years Ago 1947 Hundreds of parents and friends filled the Memorial Buildings auditorium this week to witness 92 Mandan High School seniors receive their diplomas. The class, robed in gray caps and gowns, entered the auditorium in a processional led by the class valedictorian and salutatorian, Robert Kelsch and Zoe Nelson. The commencement address was given by Dr. Alex C. Burr, director of research at the North Dakota Research Foundation. The class of 1947 was presented by F.A. Grunenfelder, high school principal, with R.F. Gallagher, president of the board of education, presenting the diplomas to each senior. The program closed with the singing of the Star Spangled Banner and a benediction by Rev. Justin Luetmer of St. Josephs Catholic Church. Area residents are being asked to come to Mandans Dome ballroom this weekend to hear Johnny Catron, known as Single Stick, Johnny, and his 15-piece band. The group is sponsored by the local VFW Drum & Bugle Corps. Catron lost his right hand while serving in the armed forces, but, with the encouragement of family and friends, he switched from playing the trumpet to conducting this band which has achieved national fame. 'Mid-Nite' Masquerade was the theme of the annual spring formal dance of the Junior Catholic Daughters of America and the Columbian Squires, held at the Memorial building and attended by more than 45 couples. The auditorium was decorated with pastel-colored streamers across the ceiling, from which black masks were also hung. A large clock with hands set at midnight, along with a large mask decorating the punch stand, completed the decorations. Music was provided by Hugo Vendts orchestra. Leading the Grand March were Junior C.D.A. president Loretta Steiner and her escort Bill McDonald, with Donald Kasper, Squires president, and his partner, LaVonne Knudson, second in line. Births announced this week: Sons born to Mr. and Mrs. Tony Bullinger, to Mr. and Mrs. William Siegel, to Mr. and Mrs. Anton Kautzman and to Mr. and Mrs. George Eckroth, all of Mandan; to Mr. and Mrs. Levi Lawson and to Mr. and Mrs. Norman Fryslie, both of Flasher, and to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Johnson, Hebron. Daughters born to Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Backsen, to Mr. and Mrs. William Ereth and to Mr. and Mrs. Emil Bahm, all of Mandan. 100 Years Ago 1922 Dr. Ira G. Nichols of Mandan has been elected president of the North Dakota Dental Association during the closing session of the dentists convention at Fargo. Besides Nichols, other Mandan dentists attending the convention were: Drs. Rowley, Percy and Erickson. After waiting three years, using the old 'blunderbuss' shotguns of the home guard days and other rifles lent by the state adjutant generals department, the local post of the American Legion has finally received modern army rifles for use in ceremonies. The rifles are on loan from the U.S. War Department to the Legion under a $150 bond put up by Post Commander E.R. Griffin. (A blunderbuss is an early day close-range shotgun that expelled a spread of pellets with each firing. It could hold a total of five shots but took nearly five seconds to reload, which is a real disadvantage during combat.) Miss Rosaline Kupper, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John T. Kupper of Mandan, and James J. Gorman, popular employee of the Northern Pacific shops in Mandan, were united in marriage on May 17 at the St. Josephs Catholic church by Rev. Father Leo Hoppe. They were attended by Miss Monica Kupper, the brides sister, and Peter Lockbaehm, friend of the groom. Following a wedding dinner at the brides parents home, the newlyweds left for East Grand Forks, Minn., to visit relatives of Mr. Gorman. Upon their return to Mandan, the couple will make their home in the Shields residence on First Avenue Northeast. Fire has completely destroyed the 'Big Four Saloon' building, a two-story frame shack at the corner of Second Avenue N.E. and Main Street. It was one of the first buildings erected in Mandan and was an early day landmark. It housed one of the most popular saloons of the 'wet' era, operated by Alex Froelich. It was also home to Mandans first moving picture theater. At sundry other times, it had housed various 'blind pigs,' restaurants, the print shop of the long-deceased Mandan Times, the Tripp gymnasium and for the last two years, had been used as a storage house by the Washington Fruit company. The property was acquired a few years ago by J. H. McGillic, who held $1,000 insurance on the building. 125 Years Ago 1897 At 2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 27, the thermometer recorded 78 degrees above zero. An excessively hot day was last Sunday. Mrs. John Matz, of New Salem, gave notice this week of her intention to make final proof on a homestead. There was a siege of clearing the streets of old tin cans and all kinds of other rubbish yesterday, per order of the city authorities. There is no graduating class from the high school department of the Mandan public schools this year. The public schools close tomorrow for the summer vacation. Mr. G.S. Fernald, the Northern Pacific tax commissioner, was in town yesterday and paid the Northern Pacific personal taxes for this county, amounting to $9,080. It is an interesting sight to look at the trees on the bottoms, east of Mandan, north and south of the track. About 10 feet up their trunks, the bark is all knocked off, it having been done this spring by the ice as it swirled around the Northern Pacific grade and towards the river. The blows given to these trees by the ice will remain as a permanent gauge of the height of the ice during the last days of April. Diane Scharf-Boit can be reached at dboit46@gmail.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A vehicle incident caused 4,000 pounds of fertilizer to spill into the Heart River southeast of Glen Ullin on May 17, according to state environmental officials. The incident does not appear to pose an immediate threat to drinking water or aquatic life, as recent rainfall and snowfall mean the water level in the river is high and will dilute the 2 tons of fertilizer, said Bill Suess, spill investigation program manager with the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. South Dakota-based Agtegra Cooperative reported the spill to the state. The incident occurred in Grant County about 18 miles southeast of Glen Ullin. The vehicle attempted to navigate a low-water crossing, and its trailer slipped off the edge of the road and flipped over, according to County Emergency Manager Patrick Diehl. The vehicle has since been removed from the river, he said. No one was injured. Suess said urea, the type of fertilizer that spilled, contains a lot of nitrogen, which could pose a hazard if it were to get into drinking water. But the Heart River is not a drinking water source, he said. The nearest is at Linton along the Missouri River, south of where the Heart empties into the Missouri near Mandan. By the time the water reaches the Linton intake, the concentration of fertilizer in it would be significantly diluted, Suess said. Fertilizer can trigger algae blooms in the summer, but Suess does not think that is likely given the high water level. State officials are inspecting the site and taking water samples. Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. It is fair to say that the governments preeminent responsibility is to provide for the nations defense. When necessary, civil liberties protected by the Bill of Rights must yield to the demands of national security. In Minersville v. Gobitis (1940), the Supreme Court, over assertions of religious liberty by Jehovahs Witnesses, upheld a Pennsylvania state law requiring school children to salute the flag on the theory that the pledge of allegiance promotes national unity and national unity protects national security. The Gobitis Courts 8-1 decision was popular throughout the country. It perpetuated the traditional doctrine of paying respect to the nations most sacred national symbols, and only Justice Harlan F. Stones dissent provided support for the witnesses assertion that the statutes requirement constituted a violation of their religious liberty protected by the First Amendments Free Exercise Clause. Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes private note epitomized the feelings of the nation: I simply cannot believe that the state has not the power to inculcate this. But three members of the court who joined Justice Felix Frankfurters Gobitis opinion Hugo Black, William O. Douglas and Frank Murphy subsequently declared their regrets and, in an unprecedented joint recantation, announced a desire to reverse their participation in the ruling. That shift, combined with the addition of two justices Robert H. Jackson and Wiley Rutledge created a new working majority that was prepared to overturn Gobitis. West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette (1943), provided that opportunity. In that landmark decision, the court struck down a compulsory flag salute statute, holding that students enjoy a First Amendment right, grounded in speech and religious freedom, to choose whether to recite the pledge of allegiance. Justice Jacksons opinion, considered by scholars to be one of his very best, stood four-square behind Free Speech and Free Exercise guarantees and rejected the claim that the nations security hinges on coerced recitation of the pledge of allegiance. The Bill of Rights, Jackson declared, denies those in power any legal opportunity to coerce allegiance. In an eloquent defense of the American creed of liberty and First Amendment freedoms, made more moving by the context of Hitlers tyranny and his war on democracy, Justice Jackson stated: If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they do not now occur to us. The flag salute statute, Justice Jackson wrote, transcends constitutional limitations on power and invades the sphere of intellect and spirit which it is the purpose of the First Amendment to our Constitution to reserve from all official control. For those who feared the collapse of patriotism without coercive ceremonies, rather than ceremonies that are voluntary and spontaneous, Jackson replied, is to make an unflattering estimate of the appeal of our institutions to free minds. Justice Jacksons tribute to intellectual freedom emphasized the individualism and rich cultural diversities that define and sustain America. Great achievements the product of exceptional minds come at the price of occasional eccentricity and abnormal attitudes. In a nod to the reality of the religious minority whose teachings were denied, Jackson wrote: Where they are so harmless to others or to the State as those we deal with here, the price is not too great. But freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order. Justice Frankfurter dissented and took offense to the demise of his Gobitis opinion. He insisted that the court should adhere rigorously to the doctrine of judicial self-restraint and its emphasis on deference to the legislature, lest the judiciary becomes a legislative body. Frankfurters objection flew in the face of the courts embrace of the preferred freedoms approach, which emphasizes over-arching protection of First Amendment freedoms, including religion and speech liberties, which are indispensable to the existence of other freedoms. When preferred freedoms are implicated, as they were in the flag salute cases, the court will require strict scrutiny of the legislation and demand compelling governmental reasons for breaching those liberties. In Barnette, the court found the reasons wanting for requiring students to recite the pledge of allegiance. In the years since Barnette, the two well-heeled doctrinal approaches to interpretation often have been the subject of debate, and likely always will be since the role of the judiciary is central to constitutional government. Sometimes, resolution hinges on a little common sense. After Justice Frankfurter delivered his opinion in Gobitis, he was discussing the case with Eleanor Roosevelt at Hyde Park. The First Lady stated that despite the justices learning and legal skills, there was something very wrong about a ruling that forced little school children to salute a flag when the ceremony violated their fundamental religious beliefs and represented no threat to the nations security. David Adler is president of The Alturas Institute. This "We the People" series is provided by the North Dakota Newspaper Association and Humanities North Dakota. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 North Dakota's Board of Higher Education has voted to permanently go test optional for admission, meaning a student will not have to take the ACT or SAT test to be admitted to college. The board previously adopted a temporary waiver of the requirement of standardized test scores for admission. The formal policy takes effect for the fall 2023 semester. "Our recruitment and admissions staff are working with high school juniors, helping them in their preparations," said Lisa Johnson, vice chancellor of academic affairs for the North Dakota University System, which oversees the state's 11 public colleges and universities. "Knowing that we can solidify this as a policy aids (schools) in their work, in recruiting and retaining students in North Dakota." The concern with standardized tests is that they might disadvantage minorities or rural students who may not have access to test centers. A number of states and individual colleges have gone test-optional, according to Johnson. "It's important that we remain competitive," she told Prairie Public. Eliminating standardized tests means campuses have to find other measures for admission, and for distributing scholarships and other financial awards. Johnson said the University System is not anti-test, and that there are places where standardized test scores will still be used. "We use standardized test scores for placement into college-level courses in mathematics and English," she said. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Corporate Email Address: You forgot to provide an Email Address. This email address doesnt appear to be valid. Please provide a Corporate Email Address. This email address is already registered. Please log in. First Name: You forgot to provide your first name. Last Name: You forgot to provide your last name. Company Name: You forgot to provide a company name. Job Title: You forgot to provide a job title. 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State/Province: You did not provide a full local address. Zip/Postal Code: You did not provide a full local address. Phone: You forgot to provide a phone number. This phone number format is not recognized. Please check the country and number. I agree to TechTargets Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and the transfer of my information to the United States for processing to provide me with relevant information as described in our Privacy Policy. Please check the box if you want to proceed. I agree to my information being processed by TechTarget and its Partners to contact me via phone, email, or other means regarding information relevant to my professional interests. I may unsubscribe at any time. Please check the box if you want to proceed. Our social media age seems to promote only those voices who best express outrage, promote fear, and discharge bile. What if there were another way to engage even in highly contentious debate? [] This Sunday, May 29, marks 148 years since the birth of English author G.K. Chesterton. Although he was baptized into the Church of England, Chestertons family was not particularly devout and his faith didnt develop until later in life. After his marriage in 1901, he returned to Anglicanism and later, in 1922, was received into the Catholic Church. His 1908 book Orthodoxy outlines many points of his thought and chronicles how his intellectual journey ultimately found its destination in Christianity. Chestertons somewhat densely packed style, heavy on paradoxes and antitheses, rewards slow consideration. Two ideas I want to dwell on briefly are found in the early chapters of Orthodoxy and reveal something of how careful thought is expressed in rational discourse. The first idea is from the third chapter, aptly titled The Suicide of Thought: That peril is that the human intellect is free to destroy itself. Just as one generation could prevent the very existence of the next generation, by all entering a monastery or jumping into the sea, so one set of thinkers can in some degree prevent further thinking by teaching the next generation that there is no validity in any human thought. That sounds relevant enough, but, considering that Orthodoxy was published in 1908, Im tempted to askWhat stage of this process have we reached now? If Chesterton saw over a hundred years ago a generation imperiling thought itself, where have the heirs of that generation brought us? Many have already spoken of the sorry state of civil discourse, or even of any rational discourse, in our time. The intellectual attitude, if you will, that Chesterton describes would certainly seem to have some bearing on this. Ill return to that thought in a minute, but first I want to make reference to one more quote from Orthodoxy, this time from chapter 2: There is a very special sense in which materialism has more restrictions than spiritualism. Mr. [Joseph] McCabe thinks me a slave because I am not allowed to believe in determinism. I think Mr. McCabe a slave because he is not allowed to believe in fairies. But if we examine the two vetoes we shall see that his is really much more of a pure veto than mine. The Christian is quite free to believe that there is a considerable amount of settled order and inevitable development in the universe. But the materialist is not allowed to admit into his spotless machine the slightest speck of spiritualism or miracle. Poor Mr. McCabe is not allowed to retain even the tiniest imp, though it might be hiding in a pimpernel. The scientism that Chesterton is referring to here has certainly not gone away since his time. One of its effects, visible in many contexts, was for education to be understood as merely the learning of facts rather than also learning how to think or educating the whole person. As for what the heirs of that thoughtless generation have brought us so far, there could be any number of responses, but one worth pointing out is that even the idea of education as merely the learning of facts appears to be giving way. What seems to be gaining in importance instead is not what one knows about an issue or a subject but what one feels about it. When we discuss ideas, in the political or academic sphere, weve lost a shared vocabulary, and beyond that even a shared idea of what discourse is supposed to lead to, what its telos, or ultimate end, is. Each side in any debate offers its feelings, its reactions, its performative outrage or enthusiasm, and thinks those emotions are a sufficient statement of both importance and purpose such that a well-reasoned argument would be a sign almost of weakness. Thus thought and discourse have gone from reasoning to learning of facts to expression of feelings. If each generation depends on the previous one in a physical sense, its also true intellectually. We now have a responsibility to educate, or re-educate, a generation in what real discourse looks and sounds like, and to make sure those lessons are passed on to the future. In this, G.K. Chesterton is a valuable guide. Alexander Shaumyan 8 months ago picked 41 minutes ago Social Justice Revisited Every Communist must grasp the truth; Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.Mao Zedong Bullets fly and the windows shatter, buildings burn and the corpses scatter in the ghettos, where black lives matter. Statues toppled and flags are tattered, murdered cops on the silver platter, on the side walk, where brains are splattered. Social justicethe new trendsetters loot and riot to make things better theyll overthrow it all a new mob with a wrecking ball. Revolution, they yell, fuck the whitey! fuck this capitalist Western society! with our radical communist vision well solve economic division. Marx had shown us and so did Mao revolution is needed right now no one can oppose our vision death to traitors who sow division. To the guillotine! cried Robespierre to the traitors who spoke au contraire till the enemies from within sent him back to the guillotine. July 16, 2020 --Alexander Shaumyan 8 months ago, Alexander Shaumyan black lives matter ideology fanaticism rhyme Like (1) Comment - What did you think? 1 Likes: Auspacsi, VibratoTo reply, click a comment. Vibrato - wow! applaud your courage to post this! every word is so true, I grew up in China during Mao's cultural revolution in China, I'm so concerned about the current status in the States, deja vu! pray the course will be reversed soon 3 minutes ago Auspacsi - Wow I like it and well written . George Soros actually funded the BLM movement. It won't be communism look at Australia now It's Fascism. The things are getting ugly almost every where. The Governments declared war against the citizens. Spending like the Party is just begging. And still claiming CovID is winning. Great 8 months ago social justice warriors You know how some movie lines are so iconic, you have to actually imitate the actor's voice when you quote them? Think "I'll be back" from "Terminator" or "My precious" from "The Lord Of The Rings." That's how we feel about "Luke, I am your father" from "Star Wars" (and basically every other phrase Darth Vader uses). That's why the Star Wars Electronic Helmet with Voice Distortion is a must-have for any franchise lovers. Not only do you get a stunning recreation of various helmets seen in "Star Wars" you could wear, but the helmets also employ state-of-the-art voice distortion technology so you can act out the movie lines as accurately as possible. Just push the button on the side and talk. Voila! Your voice is indistinguishable from any Stormtrooper's. It's a dream for any role player, cosplayer, or fan. There are different helmets you can get: Darth Vader, Darth Maul, various Storm Troopers, and so on. Rest assured that each one is gorgeous and impressively detailed it's as close to the movie design as you can get. The helmet has adjustable straps, so it'll fit most sizes ages 8 and up. It's simple to run, too. It just needs two AA batteries to work! Not so interested in wearing a helmet? That's fine. There's no denying it makes for a unique visual piece. It would be a great present for any "Star Wars" collectors. Of course, the problem with memorabilia, especially an item as detailed as this, is that it can be quite expensive. Not this helmet. While it's usually priced at $134, you can now get it for $79.99 40% off its usual price. For this quality level, it's more than worth it, whether you'll actively wear it or proudly display it in your collection. You can buy Star Wars Electronic Helmet with Voice Distortion by clicking here. Prices subject to change. Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was in the White House dining room when President Trump voiced his support for hanging Vice President Pence during the failed coup of January 6, reports The Washington Post. The account provides new details about the extent of Trump's anger at Pence as the mob was breaching the U.S. Capitol and how close the country came to ceasing to exist as a constitutional republic. The account of Meadows's comment characterizing Trump's reaction to his vice president was provided to the committee by at least one witness, according to people familiar with the investigation but those people did not describe the tone with which the comment was made. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to be more candid about a sensitive topic. According to The Buffalo News, the alleged perpetrator of the racist mass shooting in Buffalo offered to share his plans with several online friends in the half hour before the massacre including one online friend who is believed to be a retired federal agent from Texas. The shooter and the retired federal agent "regularly communicated in an online chat room where racist hatred was discussed." The retired federal agent was one of six friends who are alleged to have received advanced notice of the shooting, including an offer to view the shooter's plans. None of them warned authorities. "These were like-minded people who used this chat group to talk about their shared interests in racial hatred, replacement theory and hatred of anyone who is Jewish, a person of color or not of European ancestry," said one of the two law enforcement officials with close knowledge of the investigation. "What is especially upsetting is that these six people received advanced notice of the Buffalo shooting, about 30 minutes before it happened. [] Agents from the FBI are in the process of tracking down and interviewing the six people, including the retired agent, and attempting to determine if any of them should be charged as accomplices, the two sources with close knowledge of the probe told The Buffalo News. So it's not that the retired federal agent was undercover or sharing information with authorities; they just happened to be a part of the same online community for white supremacists. This reminds me of that ancient proverb what was it? Ahh, yes: "Some of those who are employed by law enforcement organizations are the same people who set crosses on fire." Something to that affect. Authorities investigating if retired federal agent knew of Buffalo mass shooting plans in advance [Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck / Buffalo News] Image via Google Street View Ted Cruz is one of the most dishonest politicians in the United States, and has a habit of arguing with reporters who call him out on his frequent lies. Yesterday he walked away from a British reporter in a snit when he was asked why school shootings happen only in the United States. Cruz turned to snarl at the reporter, "Why is it that people come from all over the world to America? 'Cause it's the freest, most prosperous, safest country on earth. Stop being a propagandist," before heading for the exit once again. Let's fact check Cruz's claim: The United States is the 15th freest country in the world, according to the Human Freedom Index Report for 2021, published by the Cato Institute in Washington DC and the Fraser Institute in Vancouver Canada. The United States is the 20th most prosperous country in the world, according to the Legatum Institute's 2021 global Prosperity Index. (The top five most prosperous are Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland) The United States is the 69th most safe and secure country in the world, again according to the Legatum Institute's 2021 global Prosperity Index. ("Safety and Security in the United States has weakened in the past decade, falling 11 ranks to 69th in the world. The country's low ranking continues to result from high levels of violent crime, with the United States ranking 109th in the world for homicides.") Renovating an enormous manufacturing complex into one of Buffalos newest places to live is a long and arduous task that could drain anyone. But developers Karl Frizlen and Michael Masters cant afford to lay back on the job. Sign up for the Buffalo Next free newsletter The News' Buffalo Next team covers the changing Buffalo Niagara economy. Get the news in your inbox 5 days a week. The duo is in the midst of turning the former Barcalo Manufacturing plant into Barcalo Living & Commerce, a mixed-use community in the Old First Ward that dozens of tenants soon will call home. The ambitious project which got underway in May 2021 after more than four years of planning will revive the sprawling facility that once made classic recliners. The venture is another in a continuing line of examples of developers turning old manufacturing and office buildings into apartment and commercial space, bringing new energy to long-neglected properties and neighborhoods. In this case, the Barcalo adds to the surge of activity along nearby Ohio Street and the Buffalo River beyond it an area that already has seen reuse projects at buildings that now house Resurgence Brewing and the Buffalo River Landing apartments. So far, the renovation is about 50% complete, with about half of the apartments in the finishing stages of getting cabinets, paint and floor finishes, Frizlen said. The project is on track to open and start leasing by next spring. But it's already proved challenging. The deterioration of the complex was more severe than anticipated in various places, which required extra work. And sharp increases in labor, material and transportation costs prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing global turmoil have driven the project price tag up by 15% to 20%, to as much as $40 million in all, from $35 million previously. "This is an existing building, an old manufacturing facility. Were running into a lot of construction surprises," Frizlen said. Upon completion in 2023, the eight-building complex at 225 Louisiana St. will feature 116 apartments and 30,000 square feet of commercial space, including a restaurant. The apartments mostly market-rate units will include an almost equal mix of one- and two-bedroom loft units, as well as a number of three-bedroom apartments. The developers are trying to attract light commercial tenants, such as a coffee shop, a brewery, offices or retail shops, but "nobody has signed on the dotted line," Frizlen said. Besides its namesake recliners, Barcalo made metal furniture, mattresses and box springs, hand tools, automobile parts and airplane plates. The company ceased operations at the facility in 1963, and the complex was owned for several decades by the Sansone family, which maintained it while leasing portions of the space to various light commercial tenants and artists. Originally built in phases over 20 years from 1896 to 1917, the former Barcalo Manufacturing Co. complex consists of both concrete and timber-framed buildings of varying heights, ranging from a one-floor foundry to a five-story structure. The bridge shown here, which used to carry heating pipes between two of the buildings, has since been taken down. The developers are preserving and displaying 15 to 20 gigantic red sliding fire doors, each of which weigh about a ton, Frizlen said. If they can't be left in their original location, he said, they will be displayed in common areas. Workers will spend a lot of time repointing or replacing most of the brick facade of the complex, which will then be cleaned "from top to bottom" of soot and other dirt. About 60 feet of brick facade that deteriorated on the Louisiana Street side must also be taken down and replaced, either with surviving brick or matching brick from elsewhere. "Theres quite a bit of work that still needs to be done," Frizlen said. The complex has a mix of standard double- or single-hung windows and giant daylight factory windows, but only 28 of more than 600 windows throughout the complex will be restored. The rest more than 90% will be "replaced in kind" with historic replicas that match the style and material of the original windows. Replacements must be approved by the State Historic Preservation Office. The mostly open space features tall ceilings, concrete pillars, brick walls and some wood floors, which must be restored and exposed to view. When workers went to replace a roof, they found the decking beneath was rotten, and then some of the beams below it as well. Those had to be replaced. After workers took metal siding off a three-story building, they discovered it was leaning by 6 inches, so they had to completely rebuild two floors. "Thats what were running into on a daily basis," Frizlen said. "This building was worse than we anticipated." Buffalo Next Must-read local business coverage that exposes the trends, connects the dots and contextualizes the impact to Buffalo's economy. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP) She walked up a red carpet and crossed a stage to accept her diploma wearing an eagle feather beaded onto her cap that her mother had gifted her. Amryn Tom graduated this week from southern Utah's Cedar City High School. Her family cheered. For the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah and other Native Americans, eagle feathers of the variety Tom wore are sacred items passed down through generations, used at ceremonies to signify achievement and connection with the community. This is from your ancestors, Tom said her mother, Charie, told her. One year ago, students in Tom's school district would have been barred from wearing any form of tribal regalia along with their traditional cardinal-colored caps and gowns. Not this year. In March, Utah joined a growing list of states in enshrining Native American students' rights to wear tribal regalia at their graduation ceremonies. In Iron County, where the school district tried to bar two graduates from wearing regalia at last year's ceremonies, Tom and other Native American students savored the hard-won right. Its kind of huge, said Paiute tribal member Brailyn Jake, an eagle feather and beads dangling from her turquoise cap. Her cousin was one of the students stopped from donning beads last year. People dont understand our culture, the meaning behind it and how, when youre turned down for something this big, its kind of like, wow," Jake said. Students across the U.S. often sport flower leis or flashy sashes at graduation with little controversy. But the rules governing tribal regalia at high school graduations have emerged as a legislative issue in several red and blue states after reports of students being prevented from wearing attire like Jake and Tom's. In Utah, Paiute Chairwoman Corrina Bow brought the issue to state lawmakers after last year's two Iron County incidents. The district had no formal rules prohibiting Native American students from donning regalia. Bow noted the graduation rate for Native American and Alaskan Native students was 74% in 2019, the lowest of any demographic group, and told lawmakers that guaranteeing students statewide the right to wear regalia would allow them to honor their culture, religion and heritage. Similar controversies have occurred at schools in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, suburban Chicago and elsewhere, with graduates being barred from wearing everything from beadwork and moccasins to sealskin caps. The incidents pit Native American students and their parents against administrators who say they want to maintain uniformity at graduation ceremonies. Emalyce Kee, who is Navajo and Rosebud Sioux, was one of the two students told not to wear a beaded cap or plumes to her Cedar City High School graduation ceremony last year. She did it anyway. Before walking across the stage to accept her diploma, Kee switched out her plain cap for one with a plume and beadwork by her uncle. Half a dozen family members in the front row applauded. "I hadn't felt that powerful before that moment, standing up with my diploma, with my Native cap on and then shaking my principals hand," Kee said. At a high school that used Redmen as its mascot until 2019, Kee and her mother, Valerie Glass, said it stuck with them how the principal had argued beaded caps would set a precedent to allow all students to decorate their graduation attire. Its not decorative regalia. It's traditional beaded regalia. How can you have the Cedar Redmen for so long and not honor your Native American students? Glass said. Iron County Superintendent Lance Hatch was not available for comment. Hoksila Lakota gifted his nephew Elijah James Wiggins, who is of Lakota ancestry, an eagle feather in honor of his graduation from Cedar City High School on Wednesday. He said eagle feathers called wamblii wakan in Lakota are fundamental to celebrating once-in-a-lifetime achievements, with many believing they hold a connection to God. These arent something you find on the floor and do whatever with, he said. "These are sacred items given from grandfather to son or uncle to nephew." Metz reported from Salt Lake City. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. South Africa: Mabuza pushes for land restitution and transformation Deputy President David Mabuza says the nation is at a watershed moment where the land question must be tackled head-on through all constitutionally compliant instruments in order to effect the necessary changes. We are at a crossroads, one possibly leading to anarchy and destruction, and the other, leading to a carefully guided land reform programme that ensures strategic land acquisition, land redistribution, and restitution of land to its rightful owners and those who need it for development, Mabuza said on Friday. The Deputy President, in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Land Reform and Agriculture, was speaking at the Communal Land Administration and Tenure Summit underway in Boksburg, Gauteng. The two-day summit will reflect on the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture, and deliberate on the progress made in the implementation of the 2017 resolutions of the Traditional Leaders Indaba. While accepting that land reform is a complex and emotive matter, the Deputy President affirmed governments determination to walk the path to its rightful end. He emphasised that land tenure reform remains a critical component of governments land reform programme. Not only is accelerated land reform a necessary condition for restorative justice, but it is a pre-condition for forging unity and social cohesion across the nation. Government is committed to ensuring that our land reform programme delivers on the aspirations of ordinary people. While the scope of our summit has been framed to cover land administration and tenure in communal areas, as government, we are aware of the urgent need to effect land transformation that goes beyond the 13% of communal land under the jurisdiction of traditional leaders, the Deputy President said. Policy to assist in acquisition of more land Mabuza said government will proceed with the available policy and legislative instruments to assist in the acquisition of more land for redistribution and expansion of communal land, especially in areas where land has been expropriated in the public interest. We will ensure that land issues not covered in the deliberations of this narrowly focused summit are firmly placed on the agenda of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team that is seized with addressing all issues raised by traditional and Khoi-San leaders. We are encouraged that on the occasion of the Indigenous and Traditional Indaba in 2017, traditional leaders reaffirmed their commitment to, among others, the implementation of land tenure reforms and land redistribution within a developmental approach. The indaba also agreed that a summit would be convened to interrogate the transfer of land and its transformation, he said. Better prospects for rural areas The Deputy President said one of the imperatives of the summit is to focus on how to collectively shape the nature of land administration and tenure in communal areas, including governance, institutional coordination mechanisms, and the role of traditional leadership. Mabuza said the proposals discussed and agreed to in the summit will be refined into clear policy instruments to advance land administration and tenure reforms. As we undertake this work, we must rethink the developmental dichotomy that perceives and circumscribes communal land for only human settlements and labour reserves, while urban areas and small towns are seen as sites of industrial development and job creation. Instead, communal land administration and tenure must be geared to position strategic communal land for targeted industrial development in key sectors of comparative advantage. Within the framework of the District Development Model, infrastructure to support key sector value chains must be developed to concentrate value creation and employment opportunities in close proximity to where people live, the Deputy Minister said. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, warned that liberation cannot be entirely realised until the land, and what is beneath and above it, is in the control and command of the majority. South Africa belongs to all who live in it, so the economy must belong to all who live in it and land must belong to all who live in it. Todays discussion is most important because the aspirations of the people cannot be met without the land, Dlamini-Zuma said. Dealing with land inequality Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister, Thoko Didiza, said the summit deliberate on the important matter of land, not only confined to communal land tenure, but it will incorporate the matter of land hunger. She noted that government has walked a long journey, which started a long time ago, where some of the delegates participated in the Land Summit of 2005. This is where government tried to look at what needed to be done to make sure that land reform addresses land inequality. Weve all acknowledged that the legacy of our history did create a very uneven and unequal society. Even in post democratic government, we still remain with some of those unfortunate legacies, where in terms of our understanding and appreciation of tenure security of our citizens in terms of their land, there are still tensions that arise as a result of the influences of the laws of our colonisers, Didiza said. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-05-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. WASHINGTON Thousands of people are expected to gather in the nation's capital, at two sites in Buffalo and in cities across the nation on June 11 to call for action on gun safety in the wake of the recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas. The second "March for Our Lives" follows a 2018 event prompted by the shooting that claimed 17 lives at a high school in Parkland, Fla. And again this year, the march through the streets of Washington will be accompanied by other protests nationwide, organizers announced on Thursday. Complete coverage: 10 killed, 3 wounded in mass shooting at Buffalo supermarket Ten people were gunned down at a Buffalo supermarket May 14 in a horrifying mass shooting that officials were quick to label as "pure evil" an Organizers are planning two events in Buffalo on June 11, one starting at 10 a.m. at the corner of Main Street and Jefferson Avenue and another at 11 a.m. at Niagara Square. Meanwhile, in Washington, thousands are expected to gather to march from downtown to the Capitol. "This time can be different, but we must choose to make it different," David Hogg, who helped organize the first March for Our Lives after surviving the Parkland shooting, said on CNN. "And the way that we can do that is we're calling for a march on June 11 a second march of Americans across the country, from Democrats to Republicans, gun owners, non gun owners, NRA members, non NRA members." The goal of the march, Hogg said, is to prod Congress to find common ground on gun safety legislation. He said that while Republicans in Congress so far have refused to consider expanded background checks for gun buyers and other safety measures, even many gun owners favor some reforms. "I've talked to many people who disagree with me," Hogg said. "We all agree ultimately that kids shouldn't be dying in schools and communities, grandmas shouldn't be dying in the grocery stores." 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. Geraldine "Gerri" Chapman Talley was remembered at a funeral service Friday for her caring nature. She always offered to bake cakes and other treats for family and friends, showing off her cooking skills for their weddings, baby showers and work events. She constantly called her brothers and sisters, keeping up to date with her many nieces and nephews and all of their birthdays. She and her son, Mark Talley Jr., spoke every couple of days. "She constantly made sure that she let me know that she loved me," said Mark, who texted with his mother for the last time on Mother's Day. "She always wanted to know what I'm doing, what I'm up to, if I'm OK. And do I need anything that she can cook." The Rev. James A. Lewis III, the service's presiding officiant, told the more than 100 people who arrived in the rain Friday morning to Mount Aaron Missionary Baptist Church in Buffalo to think of the last thing Talley baked for them that made them happy, using those feelings to celebrate her life and honor her legacy. Talley, 62, was one of 10 people killed May 14 in a racist mass shooting at Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue, where she and her fiance, Gregory Allen, were shopping for a few quick items after spending time earlier that day along the water at Foot of Ferry. Allen, who met and fell in love with Talley in 2015, was in another aisle to get iced tea when the shooting occurred. He was able to survive by climbing into a cooler. Geraldine "Gerri" Chapman Talley, 62, a devoted mother, sister and excellent baker Talley was one of the 10 people killed May 14 in a racially motivated mass shooting at the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue. She was 62 years old. On Friday at the church, only a mile from Tops, tissue boxes circulated as those gathered heard memories of Talley, in between powerful singing performances and impassioned speeches from pastors as far away as Chicago who flew in for the funeral. The service was, first and foremost, a celebration of her life, but also a call to action by speakers such as the Rev. Al Sharpton, a civil rights leader and founder and president of the National Action Network. Sharpton said the community will be judged by what it does in the aftermath of the worst racist massacre in the country since 2015 when a white supremacist killed nine parishioners in a Charleston, S.C., church. It's up to the community to rebuild Buffalo in the name of the 10 people killed, he said, into a place where stores and resources are as plentiful on the East Side of the city as any neighborhood in the region. "We will go forward and turn this Tops disaster into a resurrection of raising children where there won't be one grocery store on our side of town," Sharpton said. National civil rights attorney Benjamin L. Crump promised justice for Talley and the other victims, seeking to go to "the root of the hate" and also go after the gun manufacturers, retailers and distributors. "What we saw on that video was evil, and we cannot condone evil," he said. "We must protest evil. We must protest inhumanity. We must protest hatred. We must protest sin that killed the Buffalo 10 and Geraldine Talley. So I say to you in this plea for justice, we will only get justice if we stand united against hate." Sharpton and Crump echoed that it will be on the family and the community to carry on and define Talley's legacy. In tributes and letters read aloud Friday, they gave a glimpse of who she was. A tribute from a niece recalled Talley surprising her in third grade with "the most gorgeous and whimsical cake" she had ever seen, making her proud to have such a talented and generous aunt. Another niece lamented never again being able to hear Talley say, "I love you, my Niecy Pooh." Her son, Mark, remembered the uniquely funny moments they shared as mother and son. He would comment on her lottery tickets and her desire to play slot machines. She would joke about how old her 32-year-old son was getting when his knees would crack. He also knew his mother loved talking about him, remembering how proud and happy she was when he graduated from Canisius High School and later SUNY Buffalo State College. "She constantly encouraged me to keep doing more than what you think you can do," said Mark, who now works at Erie County Medical Center as he pursues his master's degree in public health. At the end of the service Friday, Mark walked up to the front of the church, where his mother's red urn was surrounded by red flowers her favorite color. He then, joined with the pastors, carried his mother's urn down the aisle and out of the church, where the morning's rain had become early afternoon sunshine. Jon Harris can be reached at 716-849-3482 or jharris@buffnews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ByJonHarris. 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. Law enforcement officers are investigating whether a retired federal agent had about 30 minutes advance notice of a white supremacist's plans to murder Black people at a Buffalo supermarket, two law enforcement officials told The Buffalo News. Authorities believe the former agent believed to be from Texas was one of at least six individuals who regularly communicated with accused gunman Payton Gendron in an online chat room where racist hatred was discussed, the two officials said. The two law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the investigation stated these individuals were invited by Gendron to read about his mass shooting plans and the target location about 30 minutes before Gendron killed 10 people at Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue on May 14. The News could not determine if the retired agent accepted the invitation. These were like-minded people who used this chat group to talk about their shared interests in racial hatred, replacement theory and hatred of anyone who is Jewish, a person of color or not of European ancestry, said one of the two law enforcement officials with close knowledge of the investigation. What is especially upsetting is that these six people received advanced notice of the Buffalo shooting, about 30 minutes before it happened. The FBI has verified that none of these people called law enforcement to warn them about the shooting. The FBI database shows no advance tips from anyone that this shooting was about to happen. Agents from the FBI are in the process of tracking down and interviewing the six people, including the retired agent, and attempting to determine if any of them should be charged as accomplices, the two sources with close knowledge of the probe told The Buffalo News. The two sources did not identify the agent by name and could not confirm what federal agency he worked for. The Buffalo FBI Office declined to comment on the investigation. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Buffalo declined through a spokeswoman to comment. Buffalo civil rights attorney John V. Elmore said it will be outrageous if it turns out that a former law enforcement officer had advance notice of the shooting and did nothing to prevent it. If he had advance notice, he had a moral obligation to get on the phone and try to notify someone about it, said Elmore, who represents the family of Andre Mackniel, who was shot dead when he went to Tops to buy a birthday cake for his 3-year-old son. Attorney Terrence M. Connors, who is representing several families who lost loved ones in the shooting, said: As outrageous as this may sound, based upon what we are finding in our investigation, it is not surprising. He declined to reveal the evidence his law firm has collected. The New York Times reported May 17 that Gendron invited a small group of people into a private chat room on the messaging platform Discord to review his plan about 30 minutes before the massacre at Tops. The Washington Post reported two days later that 15 people accepted Gendron's invitation into the Discord chat room and were able to review his plan and watch his live stream video as he committed the killings. Federal authorities are investigating if the retired agent provided information to Gendron before he went on his shooting spree, the two law enforcement officials told The News. In addition to law enforcement sources, two other individuals with knowledge of the mass shooting investigation have also confirmed that federal authorities are looking into the former agents relationship to the shooter. The Sandman FBI agents are also trying to determine the identity of an individual Gendron calls Sandman, and Saint Sandman in his lengthy social media diary that appeared on Discord 30 minutes before the attack, the sources said. In the diary, Gendron indicates Sandman counseled him on manufacturers of AR-15 semi-automatic rifles and their quality. The shooter purchased and allegedly used that type of assault rifle in the rampage, which local authorities have said was fueled by his racial hatred. In the document Gendron posted on Discord just prior to the shooting, he references Sandman three times. In a passage dated May 2, he quoted Saint Sandman as saying: "When the time finally comes to deal decisively with a whole host of society's problems, and not go to prison for it, you'll know. Just be ready. You have spent your entire life, from the day you were born, right up to this very moment, reading this sentence, coming to where you are right now. Look around you. Are you content with where you are right now? Are you where you want to be? If so, continue to march. If not, what are you going to do? What's your plan? Get and keep your mind, body, and spirit right. Pray. Lift. Run. Read. Shoot. And teach your kids to do those things. A third law enforcement source told The News they are aware of Gendrons writings involving the quality of different rifles. The shooter ended up using a Bushmaster X-15, a version of the AR-15 rifle, police have reported. Staff reporter Caitlin Dewey contributed to this report. 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. Lou Michel reporter I am a member of The Buffalo News' watchdog team, coauthor of New York Times bestseller, American Terrorist: Timothy McVeigh and The Oklahoma City Bombing. I'm also a proud graduate of Buffalo State College where I met my wife who is my editor in life! Follow Lou Michel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today A Cheektowaga man convicted of enticement of a minor has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr., according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Prosecutors said Michael Mesko, 52, engaged in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old mentally impaired girl between Oct. 8, 2020, and Jan. 9, 2021. He was arrested by North Tonawanda police on Feb. 4, 2021, and charged with rape and criminal sexual act, according to a nine-page federal complaint in which Mesko confessed to repeated sexual acts with the girl. The court record described her as "intellectually disabled." Investigators discovered conversations and nude images of the girl on computer tablets belonging to Mesko and the girl, the complaint said. Mesko was freed from the Niagara County Jail on Feb. 10, and five days later was accused of abducting the girl from Niagara Falls Boulevard in North Tonawanda and fleeing to Pennsylvania. They were found the next morning in Barkeyville, Pa. Mesko fled a state trooper at a high rate of speed and had to be forcibly stopped and taken into custody. 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. Of 12 nominations Gov. Kathy Hochul is making to the New York State Court of Claims, three are coming from Erie County. These judicial nominations include the top attorney for Erie County government, a Buffalo City Court judge and a judge's lead law clerk. The three nominees from Erie County are: Erie County Attorney Michael Siragusa. Siragusa has headed the Erie County Attorney's Office since 2012. Prior to that, he served as deputy assistant attorney general in charge of the Buffalo regional office of the state attorney general. As one of the longest serving Erie County attorneys, he has represented the county's legal interests and overseen legal cases involving county government. "Michael has been an outstanding representative of the county and I know he will do an outstanding job if his nomination is confirmed next week by the New York State Senate," said County Executive Mark Poloncarz in a statement. "While Michael's departure is a big loss for Erie County, the people of New York State will benefit from his presence on the Court of Claims." Buffalo City Court Judge Betty Calvo-Torres. Calvo-Torres has served on the City Court bench since 2007 and was the first Hispanic female judge to serve in such a role. She also presided over the Domestic Violence Court from 2010-12 and has been an adjunct professor with the University at Buffalo School of Law since 2016. She began her career as an assistant in the Erie County District Attorney's Office and has served as past president of the Hispanic Women's League and Minority Bar Association of Western New York. She also previously served as a board member with the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority and Community Foundation. Stephanie Saunders, principal law clerk to State Supreme Court Justice E. Jeannette Ogden. Saunders has served as principal law clerk to Ogden since 2016 and previously served as assistant legal counsel to the Buffalo school board. Saunders served as director of medical affairs at Kaleida Health from 2006 to 2014 and is president of the Minority Bar Foundation of Western New York. The Court of Claims handles civil litigation against New York State or certain state-related entities including the State Thruway Authority, Olympic Regional Development Authority, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and New York State Power Authority. Judges appointed to the bench by the governor serve three-year terms and occasionally fill in as acting State Supreme Court justices. 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. Harry Wilson is once again crisscrossing New York State in a major political campaign, just like in 2010 during his unsuccessful Republican effort for comptroller. Sure, he acknowledges, he lost that race to Democrat Thomas P. DiNapoli. But he quickly notes the 4 percentage points by which he was defeated the closest any Republican has come to winning statewide since Gov. George E. Pataki's last victory in 2002. Now, as he ramps up his campaign for governor first against three opponents in the GOP primary and he hopes against incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul in the general election Wilson said only he can pull off a Republican victory in ultra-Democratic New York. "As I thought about it ... I basically said none of the other guys running can win, and I asked if starting late, could I win both a primary and a general election," he said. "It was clear to me there was a path for both." Wilson is now simultaneously charging down both those paths. In Buffalo on Friday, he continued meeting with key supporters as the June 28 Republican primary approaches. He is now engaged in a four-way contest some say might never have materialized had he entered the race in 2021, when Republican leaders were practically camped out on his Westchester County lawn begging him to enter the race for governor. They recognized his credible effort against DiNapoli, his upstate roots in Johnstown, his American success story as a son of Greek immigrants climbing to Wall Street heights, and his non-politician status. But Wilson declined because of pressing business interests he recently inherited, the same business interests that forged his reputation for turning around troubled companies and that made him a multimillionaire. So when early this year Wilson finally entered the race, party leaders had already turned to Rep. Lee Zeldin of Suffolk County as their endorsed candidate. Now Wilson competes against Zeldin, former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino and former Trump administration official Andrew Giuliani for the Republican line. "For some reason party leaders always thought I was the best candidate," Wilson says now, "I hope the voters do too." Wilson said the same skills that made him successful in business will serve New York, which he calls a troubled state. He can easily trim the state budget by $25 billion, he said, with his same techniques that turned around troubled companies. While some have criticized his techniques for cutting workers' jobs and benefits, he has always argued his methods ultimately save companies. "It would be very easy for me not to do any of this stuff. I love my business, I love my family. I've been blessed," he said Friday in an interview with The Buffalo News. "But I have a certain set of God-given gifts, and I can really fix complicated situations. I don't think there is any better way to give back than to use those gifts to fix New York State." After his 12-year absence from politics, Wilson is returning in a big way. Ubiquitous on television, his ads hammer away at Hochul and Zeldin often pasting their images alongside former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. In the primary alone, he has pledged to spend $10 million of his own money, with more to come should he prevail on June 28. Now he talks about freedom and his ideas of limited government; opportunity, primarily by addressing the many problems of public schools; and safety. He calls the spike in crime across the state a failure of the government's top responsibility of providing for its citizens' safety. Even as debate now rages following recent shooting massacres in Buffalo and in Texas, Wilson digs in against weakening the Second Amendment. He rejects "politicians who go to their corners;" Democrats who want "to take away law abiding citizens' gun rights, or Republicans who take the position that red flags are not necessary at all." "We've got to understand why not?" he said of red flag laws that have failed to identify the mentally ill and others who pose a genuine gun threat. "We need common sense evaluations to make sure people who might be threats are dealt with proactively." Wilson insists that cutting unnecessary pork barrel projects from the budget would result in a historic tax cut, estimating that New Yorkers could save $3,000 annually. It's no coincidence, he said, that many of the projects Hochul now announces across the state follow her record period of campaign fundraising during budget formation. "She basically saw it as an opportunity to give out political favors," he says. "I think that is corrupt. I think taking taxpayer money to essentially buy support to make her election more likely is inherently a problem." His view of the budget, he said, is to adhere to the state's "core mission" of "facilitating the quality of life for people across the state" and "set the stage" for successful businesses and job creation. Wilson continues his upstate swing today with stops in Rochester and Central New York. 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. WASHINGTON Rep. Chris Jacobs of Orchard Park on Friday made a surprising about-face on gun control issues, becoming perhaps the first congressional Republican to call for an assault weapons ban in the wake of the recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas. At a news conference in Lancaster and in a later interview with The Buffalo News, Jacobs who was endorsed by the National Rifle Association in 2020 laid out a series of new stances that run contrary to the Republican party line on guns. In addition to saying he would vote for a Democratic bill banning assault weapons, he also said he would back raising the age on some gun purchases to 21, limiting the capacity of magazines and banning the sale of military-style body armor to civilians. In the interview, Jacobs said the two recent shootings forced him to reevaluate his position on guns and to research where he wanted to stand in the future. "I hope I've been compassionate when I read and heard about previous incidents like this that have happened over the years, but I guess there's just something markedly different when it happens in your city, to people you know," said Jacobs, who launched his political career as a longtime member of the Buffalo Board of Education. "This has been a profoundly impactful event for me." Then came the shooting in Uvalde, which claimed the lives of 19 fourth-graders and two teachers. Jacobs the father of two young girls said that massacre touched him personally, too. "Being a father and having young children and visualizing what those parents are going through and, I guess, being able to feel it more personally certainly has had an impact as well," Jacobs said. Analysis: Senate likely to reject gun control while high court might expand gun rights "With the nation reeling from the slaughter of 19 fourth-graders and two teachers in Texas only 10 days after a racist massacre claimed 10 lives in Buffalo, the U.S. Senate seems poised this week to do what it often does: Nothing. Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court may be poised to make it even easier for Americans to carry guns," writes Jerry Zremski. Those comments come as the vast majority of elected Republicans continue to reject any additional gun control measures, instead insisting that increased access to mental health care and increased security at schools will better protect Americans from mass shooters. In fact, Jacobs revealed his new stance after a news conference with Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Republican gubernatorial candidate who on Thursday told The Buffalo News editorial board that he opposes an assault weapons ban and raising the gun-purchasing age to 21. Jacobs, though, was firm in supporting both of those measures. "If an assault weapons ban bill came to the floor that would ban something like an AR-15, I would vote for it," he said at the news conference, referring to the kind of semiautomatic weapon used by the killers in Buffalo, Uvalde and many other mass shootings. "So I want to be clear: I would vote for it." Later at the news conference, he added: "Individuals cannot buy beer, they cannot get cigarettes until 21. I think it's perfectly reasonable that the age limit at least for these highly lethal, high- capacity semiautomatic weapons should be 21." In the interview, Jacobs said that while he supports a bill banning the future sale of semiautomatic weapons, he would not support confiscation of such guns from those who already own them. He also said he studied what happened when Congress banned semiautomatic weapons between 1994 and 2004. Jacobs said the number of mass shootings did not go down during that period, but that fatalities from such incidents did. Jacobs said that proves to him that there should be a nationwide limit on the number of rounds in a gun's magazine. "I think it's reasonable to say: does a civilian need more than a 10 round magazine in their in their guns?" Jacobs said. "And I think that that's the type of thing where you really need a national policy because otherwise, you know, (higher-capacity) magazines are going to be floating around from state to state." On top of all that, Jacobs said he plans to craft legislation that would bar civilians from buying the kind of body armor that the shooting suspect in Buffalo is said to have worn throughout his attack on Black shoppers at the Tops Markets on Jefferson Avenue. He said he wants to name that legislation after Aaron Salter, the Tops security guard who was killed in the mass shooting. "I just can't think for the life of me why a civilian who's not in the law enforcement sector or security should have the right to obtain that kind of body armor," Jacobs said. If the suspect in the Buffalo shooting had not been wearing body armor, "I think Mr. Salter, being a retired police officer and security guard, would have been able to stop him, and far fewer people, including himself, would have perished." First elected in 2020, Jacobs currently represents one of the most conservative congressional districts in the state and he won, in part, by touting his support for gun rights. It is truly an honor to be the only candidate to receive the endorsement of the NRA for NY-27," Jacobs said in a statement two years ago. "I have always stood with law-abiding gun owners. I promise to uphold this commitment to protecting our rights, and Western New York gun owners can rest assured they have an ally and a fighter for them in Congress with me. Senate GOP blocks domestic terror bill Dems pushed in response to Buffalo shooting Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a domestic terrorism bill that Democrats pushed in reaction to the Tops Markets massacre in Buffalo, refusing to begin debate on the measure as well as several likely amendments focused on gun control. Given that Jacobs said that, his turnabout on Friday came as a shock to longtime Western New York gun rights advocate Harold E. "Budd" Schroeder. Told of all of Jacobs' gun safety proposals, Schroeder said: "Chris Jacobs wants to do all that? ... I am very surprised and disappointed." Jacobs is now running for re-election in a redrawn 23rd district, which combines Buffalo's eastern and southern suburbs with several Southern Tier counties. Like the district Jacobs currently represents, it's a very conservative district one that the 2020 Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, won by 17.2 percentage points. Manhattan businessman Marc Cenedella, a Fredonia native, announced last week that he plans to challenge Jacobs in the Aug. 23 Republican primary. Cenedella did not return a phone call seeking comment, but Jacobs acknowledged that his turnabout on the gun issue could cause political problems for him. "I want to just be transparent in terms of where my head is at right now on these issues," Jacobs said. "And I'm pursuing a new district, and I think it's fair to the voters of the district to know where I would be on on these important issues." 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. It feels like the heavens, the world and our fellow citizens have been dumping all over us during the last two years. The pandemic. Racial strife. Gun violence that includes mass shootings in Buffalo and southwestern Texas during the last two weeks alone. Political discord. Political violence. Authoritarian threats from within and without. War. This on top of the broken relationships, economic, social and cultural inequities, abuse, sickness and death common throughout the modern age. How do we even get through the day? WNY Refresh invited Brian Costello, a mental health counselor whose focus includes post-trauma and addiction recovery therapy, to provide insight into the ways forward. What I have found to be most effective is taking a holistic approach, said Costello, a practicing therapist at Core Mental Health Counseling in downtown Buffalo. I still think theres more good in the world. Costello is in long-term addiction recovery himself, and often uses a type of counseling called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences that can lead to anxiety, depression and panic disorders. Question: How do we move forward in such troubling times? Answer: Its completely normal to feel overwhelmed with whats happening in the world right now. Keep in mind that our nervous system cant always differentiate between a crisis we are hearing about and one that we are experiencing personally. That is because human beings are empathetic by nature. I dont think our brains have evolved as quickly as the technology around us. We arent equipped to hear about tragedy and suffering several times a day. Its important to take breaks. Wiggle your toes literally and check in with yourself in this moment. Are you OK right now? Are your worries in the future, or are they here now? Feeling unsafe and being unsafe are two different things. If you are safe; remind your brain of that. This is especially important following a traumatic event. As often as possible, remind yourself that you have returned to safety. Seek support, whether from a professional, family, friend or spiritual leader in the community. Balance the bad with good news. Look for it. Better yet, do it. People are wired for prosocial behavior, meaning when we do good things for others, or even watch someone do good for others, our brain releases reward chemicals. Overconsumption of suffering can lead to skewed conclusions about the world. When I first worked in addiction treatment, I thought everyone around me was an alcoholic. The conclusion I hear often now is "the world is falling apart." There is one part of that sentence that is objectively true: The world is. Life happens and people attach meaning to it. Additionally, postulating that the world is falling apart may prevent us from making the difficult changes we need to make. Q: You say equanimity is important. What is it? A: It is a Buddhist psychology term. It means a state of mental calmness and neutrality, regardless of external circumstances. This doesnt mean that we accept what we can and should change. We certainly do not practice acceptance or complacency with any person or system that causes harm. We still focus on what we can do to make our lives better, rally around those who need support and prepare for difficult times. However, ruminating about things we have no control over is futile. It leads to feelings of powerlessness, helplessness, anger and loss of control. Most of all, it wont change anything. Ironically, letting go of things we cannot control reduces our need to cling and allows access to more creative solutions. We have lost touch with our innate wisdom. Modern humans have existed for hundreds of thousands of years. We have survived this long. We seem to always find a way, together. Q: What signs do you see that many folks are really struggling? A: Anger. Increased substance abuse. Divisiveness. Pointing out hypocrisy in others and ignoring it in oneself. Extremism, especially politically and ideologically. Seeing people as adversarial. All or none thinking, which is considered a thought error in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Its happening a lot right now. Theres a selfish quality to this belief, in that people are assuming the way that they are thinking is the correct way, forgetting that there are 7 billion other opinions out there. Most struggles can be distilled to fear and a lack of trust in life. Fear is universal. It is part of being human. When I see someone being aggressive while driving, I think to myself, "They are afraid." I can relate to that. Q: What have been the most common concerns and challenges those who come to your practice have faced during the pandemic? A: People seem to feel "off" and not themselves. Experiencing a lack of joy. What used to work for them isnt working for them now. That isnt necessarily a bad thing. Life changes, sometimes rapidly. Our brain doesnt automatically do a software update to keep up. Sometimes we need to take a step back and ask ourselves why we are doing what we are doing and if its working. We can ask, "What lesson might be here for me or for us all?" What most trauma therapists know is that people feel worse when the traumatic event is over, not when its happening. When its happening, we go into survival mode. It might be uncomfortable, but our brain knows what to do. Its when things go back to normal, and we feel like we can breathe again, when the emotion comes flooding in. Just recognizing that can normalize how we feel. You might notice that something that came easy to you a couple years ago feels insurmountable to you today. It doesnt mean there is something wrong with you. It might just feel like there is something wrong. We are recovering and it takes time. Q: What are the top messages and encouraging tips you have shared? A: Focus on what we can control. Do everything you can to make your corner of the world a better place. Focus on growth and inner work during trying times. Ask yourself what internal resource would be most useful to get through this and focus on building that. The same question can be asked about our community. Think about a time you were able to get through something challenging. Notice that feeling of strength. One of my favorite tools to get outside of myself and how I feel is service to others. To me, that is an act of faith in life. Life has my back, so let me have someone elses. Even during crisis, the essence of life remains. Its my lifeline and how I stay grounded. No matter what, its always there. Whether you call that God, the Universe or life itself, I believe that connection is always available. Personally, theres a correlation between how much faith I have in that force and how peaceful I feel in my life. Talk to people and talk about how you feel. In our culture, struggling can be viewed as weakness. We may not share our struggles. When we dont, we cant discover that everyone probably has felt the way. Everyone seems fine on the outside. It doesnt mean they are. Be bold and open the dialogue. I still think theres more good in the world. I believe good prevails, but it takes work. In a society often steeped in taking, in consuming, see what you can do to give. Most great spiritual leaders helped others. Q: You say our brain is wired for survival, not being happy. How does that typically work for humans? How has it worked for many folks the last two years? A: Part of our brain is continuously monitoring for signs of danger and indicators of safety. Those cues come from our outer and internal environments. If our inner world is filled with fear, anxiety, depression or exhaustion, our brain looks for reasons we feel that way. Regardless if true or not, our brain will find a reason. The mind would rather have an inaccurate conclusion than no conclusion. Unfortunately, our brain is wired to perceive stress and danger more than experience happiness and calmness. Fortunately, we can play an active role in where we focus our attention. Like the wise bumper sticker says: "Dont believe everything you think." Some people are prone to blaming themselves. Others are prone to blaming others. Sometimes how we feel is blameless. We have to work with where we are. Slow down. Focus on managing your emotion. Talk to people you trust. Practice calming activities if you are feeling anxious. Practice engaging and active activities if you are chronically exhausted or shut down. Behavior is the best predictor of a persons thoughts and emotions. Q: You say non-attachment helps? What is it? How does it work? A: Non-attachment is a component of mindfulness. It is not a way to avoid problems in our life or the world. It can certainly be abused in that way. It is a way to reverse our minds need to cling to certainty and place our expectations onto life. The truth is, we dont always know what is going to happen in our personal lives, and whether something good or bad will come of it. As Mark Twain put it, "I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened." Q: This seems like a pretty tight box. Should we live in like this all the time? It seems hardly possible. When is it handiest? A: Equanimity and non-attachment are tools. We can use it to diffuse stress and anxious thoughts. It can also be used as a spiritual practice to remember that we are consciousness with a mind, not a mind with consciousness. We walk around the world differently when we can remember that. It's also a great tool for when we can only see the suffering, and not lifes beauty or the goodness in people. It is a way to usher in balance and levity. Young children have access to equanimity naturally. They are awestruck over life. Everything is new. They are the embodiment of love. Their brain isnt trying to protect them from their past. They are in the moment. Q: How important is it at this point, after so much that seems to have been designed to break us, to vent? To step back and assess? A: Talking personally about what is happening in the world, in our community, in our country, and in our lives is invaluable. Tragedy is meant to be a shared experience, not a solo endeavor. It can also facilitate the necessary changes we need to make individually and as a community. Q: How can we move forward? What steps can bring us into greater balance and well-being? A: In the short-term following a crisis, take steps to manage how we feel. That looks different for everyone. Our brain is a problem-solving machine. However, emotions are not problems that require solutions. Additionally, our mind likes to generate potential problems, especially during times of stress. Luckily, people arent just their thoughts. We just have thoughts. Think about the type of world you would like to be a part of, and act accordingly. Take note of the behaviors you engage in when you are stressed so you know what to look for. Also take note of those behaviors when you are feeling great. Try more of those actions, even when you may not be feeling it. Q: If we are struggling and fear a crisis, where should we turn? A: In a perfect world during times of crisis, we should turn toward each other. We should also do some inner work, whether that is therapy or picking up that self-help book your friend gave to you a few years ago. It might also be taking community action, volunteering and starting conversations about making change. Make time for it. If you are really busy, make even more time for it. Q: How can a mental health counselor help? A: Therapy helps to sort out our own thoughts and emotions. It can also facilitate the necessary inner work that helps people evolve and get through challenges without growing bitter and resentful. Crisis or trauma can produce parts of us that we didnt know existed. Not all trauma leads to post-traumatic stress disorder. One key factor involved in that process is returning to a felt-sense of safety following the traumatic event. One way to get there is to speak with someone trained in that work. Q: Who or what else can provide greater enlightenment? A: Anything wellness-related and self-care. That might be a spiritual teacher, church, yoga community, chiropractor and other prevention and wellness practitioners. Healthy, nutritious foods, exercise, time in nature, hobbies and passions. All can facilitate a return to calmness in our body. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that spirituality comes to us in the form of our lives. Knowing when to practice non-attachment to rest and restore, and when to lean all the way in and just show up, will always be a balancing act. Find support Free, confidential mental health counseling that was supposed to end from 1 to 9 p.m. Friday will be extended through June 3 at the Johnnie B. Wiley Resource Center, 1100 Jefferson Ave.; there is no paperwork to fill out and there is a resource room for children to get help, too. All are welcome. Drop in anytime from 3 to 7 p.m. starting Saturday. Erie County Warmline: Free confidential non-crisis phone line, 716-248-2941, and text line, 716-392-2221, for people having difficulty coping with life experiences. Open 4 to 11 p.m. daily. Erie County Crisis 24-Hour Hotline: Counselors are available to talk with those in need at 716-834-3131. 211 WNY: Visit 211wny.org or call 211 anytime in the region for a free and confidential link to health and human services, including community resources for many health, social, mental health, substance use and developmental disability services. The National Alliance for Mental Health Helpline: 716-226-6264, namibuffalony.org Mental Health Advocates of WNY: Regional resource for mental health support, 716-886-1242, mhawny.org. Suicide prevention: Anyone contemplating self-harm can call the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255. 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. WASHINGTON Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a domestic terrorism bill that Democrats pushed in reaction to the Tops Markets massacre in Buffalo, refusing to begin debate on the measure as well as several likely amendments focused on gun control. The bill, which the House passed last week in a near-party-line vote, would have set up new units at the FBI, the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security to track domestic terror threats. The measure also called for biennial reports on the threats posed by white supremacists and other potential terror groups. The vote was 47-47, far short of the 60 votes needed under Senate rules to begin consideration of the measure. All of the Republican senators who voted opposed bringing the bill up for consideration, but only one Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky spoke out in opposition. He noted that the bill also called for creation of a task force to study white supremacy in the military and called that an insult to the troops. In a speech that ran nearly 10 minutes, Paul never mentioned the racially motivated slaying of 10 people in Buffalo on May 14 or the slaughter of 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday. Instead, Paul insisted that improving race relations in America made the bill unnecessary. "Every decade has gotten better," he said. "People get along better. We have more intermarriage between races. We have more integration within churches. I see less and less of this (racism) that everybody's saying is now infecting us." Democrats, in contrast, said the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act is essential to preventing future racism-inspired massacres. "This bill is so important because the mass shooting in Buffalo was an act of domestic terrorism," said Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, a New York Democrat. "This bill will give the government the tools to monitor, find and arrest these evil actors before they have a chance to inflict violence on their communities." Schumer announced Wednesday that if Republicans allowed the domestic terror measure to come to the floor, he would have opened debate on amendments from both parties on gun control and school safety. But now, with the Senate about to go on a weeklong recess, the best hope for such measures will come in separate negotiations between Democrats and Republicans. Schumer said he would give interested senators about two weeks to come up with a compromise. "If these negotiations do not bear fruit in a short period of time, the Senate will vote on gun safety legislation," he said. With the Senate split 50-50 between the two parties and the Senate filibuster rule mandating that 60 votes are needed for legislation to be considered, any gun safety bill is destined to fail unless it's the product of a compromise between the two parties. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican who just returned from the site of the mass shooting in his home state, choked up on the Senate floor as he described what he saw there. And even though the New York Times found only four GOP senators who were willing to consider strengthening the background check system for gun purchasers, Cornyn said he was willing to work with Democrats to see if they can come to any agreement. "I'm not interested in making a political statement," Cornyn said. "I'm not interested in the same old tired talking points. I'm actually interested in what we can do to make the terrible events that occurred in Uvalde less likely in the future." Some Democrats, however, seem to be smarting over Senate Republicans' refusal to even consider legislation aimed at preventing domestic terrorism. "Why vote against Domestic Terrorism Prevention?" Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat, said on Twitter. "Who are the GOP voting to protect?" 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. WASHINGTON Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Buffalo on Saturday to attend the funeral of Ruth E. Whitfield, who at age 86 was the oldest victim of the May 14 mass shooting at the Tops Markets store on Jefferson Avenue. The vice president's office announced the trip Friday, saying that Harris' husband, Douglas Emhoff, will accompany Harris on the trip. Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, is also expected to accompany Harris. Harris and Emhoff will also meet with and offer condolences to the families of the other victims of the shooting. Ruth E. Whitfield, devoted caregiver to her family Ruth Whitfield, the grandmother of eight, was a longtime parishioner at Durham Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church and sang in the choir. She was a blessing to all of us, her son said. The vice president's visit comes two weeks after a gunman entered the supermarket and killed 10 people, wounding three others. Payton Gendron, 18, a self avowed white supremacist arrested at the scene and charged with murder, published online prior to the shooting several long documents that said his goal was to kill as many Black people as possible. President Biden and first lady Jill Biden visited Buffalo and met with family members of the shooting victims on May 17. Whitfield was the mother of retired Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell W. Whitfield. She was a blessing to all of us," her son said. "She loved God and taught us to do the same thing." The funeral will be held at Mount Olive Baptist Church, 701 E. Delavan Ave. A visitation is scheduled for 11 a.m., followed by services at noon. 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. MIAMI (AP) The Biden administration has renewed a license partially exempting Chevron from sanctions on Venezuela so it can keep operating in the oil-rich, socialist-run nation. The license issued Friday by the U.S. Treasury Department allows the California-based Chevron and other U.S. companies to perform only basic upkeep of wells it operates jointly with state-run oil giant PDVSA, dashing the hopes of those who wanted to see a resumption of exports to ease pricing pressure at American pumps. Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine and ensuing international sanctions targeting Russia's oil industry have led the Biden administration to reconsider longstanding policies isolating two other oil powers: Venezuela and Iran. In March, three senior Biden officials traveled to Caracas to meet with President Nicolas Maduro to try to lure him back to negotiations with the U.S.-backed opposition and release several Americans imprisoned for years. Their carrot: the possible lifting of crippling oil sanctions imposed in 2019 after Maduro breezed into a second term following elections considered undemocratic by the U.S. and dozens of allies. While Maduro has welcomed the surprise outreach, joking that he wanted to soon travel to New York to attend a salsa festival, there's been little progress since. Meanwhile, opposition hardliners and even some Democrats in Congress have accused the administration of bending over backward to appease an oil despot for little gain because of Venezuela's diminished importance in global energy markets. Venezuela sits atop the world's largest oil reserves but due to mismanagement, and more recently U.S. sanctions, production has been declining steadily from the 3.5 million barrels per day when Hugo Chavez took power in 1999. In April, output stood at barely 700,000 barrels per day the lowest level in decades. Chevron, which has been operating in Venezuela since the 1920s, had been pushing for an expanded license that would allow it to resume exports and stem the growing influence of oil companies from China, Russia, Iran and other U.S. adversaries. Follow Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Its like Groundhog Day with shady debt collectors. Over and over, the state shuts down predatory operations, only to have to do it over and over again, with different companies. How odd that in this highly regulated state, lawmakers in Albany do nothing about a deceptive industry known to bilk unsuspecting New Yorkers of money they dont owe. Theres a solution: Require licensing of debt collectors. Other states do it. So should this one. Attorney General Letitia James on Monday announced her offices latest action against a debt collection outfit. The operation was actually made up of five companies which the attorney general's office said inflated the debt owed, lied about harsh consequences and harassed victims by contacting friends, family members and employers. Those actions violate both state and federal laws, which is why the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was also involved in the case. The companies were owned by Dr. Scott A. Croce, a chiropractor, his wife, Susan, and by sales professional Christopher L. Di Re, who co-owns a Williamsville water filtration business. They were managed by Brian J. Koziel and Marc D. Gracie. Together, they will pay $4 million in penalties and damages and are permanently barred from the debt collection industry. This is the second such action against a Western New York operation in less than half a year. In December, Jamess office announced that companies run by Andrew Fanelli would be closed for abusive collection practices. He was fined $1.2 million. In 2019, James won a $60 million judgment against Douglas MacKinnon. It is a long, sordid tale in Western New York, where office space is comparatively inexpensive, jobs have been historically hard to come by and licensing is unneeded. Thats helped to make Buffalo and the region an epicenter of fraudulent debt collection, according to the National Consumer Law Center, even attracting organized crime. As of last June, Erie and Niagara counties were home to 156 debt collection companies, some of them legitimate, according to the state Labor Department. At least 39 companies had been prosecuted for illegal debt collection practices. Debt collection isnt illegal, nor should it be. The problem is the number of illegal operators who have infested the area like fleas on a dog. It demands the states attention. Some municipalities have their own regulations. They include Buffalo, Yonkers and New York City. That poses no hurdle for illegal debt collectors, who simply go elsewhere. It is a problem that is expanding. Rules announced last year allow debt collectors to try to reach debtors by social media. They an also send emails and text messages. For honest companies, these new avenues for collecting legitimate debts are not unreasonable. But, as April Kuehnhoff, a staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, told National Public Radio last year, for illegal operators, these are new avenues of attack. Albany needs to act. State Sen. Brian Kavanagh, D-Manhattan, has tried. He sponsored a bill last year to require licensing in the state. On Jan. 5, it was referred to the Senate Banks Committee, where it remains with only a few weeks left in the session. Similar bills have been introduced five times since 2009. Where is our Western New York delegation on this? They should be leading the charge. We dont need this dirty reputation. Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing. Given the absurd, but somehow entrenched position that ownership of AR-15 semi-automatic rifles is something the Founders envisioned and would have approved, were thankful that Gov. Kathy Hochul is trying to do whats possible to limit the ownership of these demonstrably deadly weapons. On May 25, Hochul proposed raising the age for purchasing military-style rifles to 21 as well as requiring microstamping which would identify perpetrators on some ammunition. The guns in question include AR-15s of the type used in the Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas, mass shootings, as well as in many other mass casualty events of which, sadly, there are too many to mention here. In her statement, Hochul referred to the United States as a nation that seems to revere the rights of gun owners, and the ability to possess guns, over the right of children to stay alive. Heres why we call AR-15s military-style weapons and not modern sporting rifles as the firearms industry would prefer. AR-15s fire high-velocity bullets that travel at triple the speed of a handgun round, are accurate over long distances and cause terrible damage to soft tissue and internal organs. They are also easily customizable, with owners able to add scopes, large-capacity magazines and many other accessories that can increase their ability to create carnage. Intended to be a civilian, semiautomatic version of the militarys M-16, many experts feel the AR-15, which cant fire bursts like a fully automatic weapon, is actually more deadly. The guns operator has more control and can fire quickly one and a half rounds per second and more accurately. Contrary to popular belief, New York state does not have the strictest gun laws in the nation. Both California and Connecticut have long lists of weapons that cant be sold to anyone, including AR-15s. California and Florida have both passed legislation that raises the age to legally buy long guns (rifles and shotguns) from 18 to 21. Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court may be weakening New Yorks gun laws, just as Hochul attempts to strengthen them. If the Supreme Court rules on New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen as many expect, New York gun owners will be able to carry their guns in public with no restrictions. Currently, they must have a license, be 21 and, most important, show proper cause beyond public safety fears. Thats right: Immediately after a massacre, the high court is poised to make public gun use easier. Given the courts current composition, our hopes are not high that New Yorks public carry restrictions will remain intact. On the other hand, scholars of the court note that its decisions are never too far out of step with public opinion, and polls demonstrate that the majority of Americans favor greater gun control, though public interest tends to wane a bit after the immediate aftermath of a shooting has passed and other priorities emerge. Thats why its important that Hochul is capturing this moment of outrage with her proposal of a new age limit, which may grow to include other weapons than AR-15s. The more we learn about these weapons, the more we wonder that anyone needs to carry them, including hunters, who have a wide range of more traditional options. Raising the age requirement to 21 is a good first step. Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing. Parents and students are frightened enough today that theyre asking to return to remote learning, at least in Niagara Falls. It would be surprising if some teachers and administrators werent similarly worried. The reason is the mass shooting of students and teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, just 10 days after 10 Black people were shot and killed in a Buffalo supermarket. In Texas, 19 children and two teachers were slain by a gunman with a military-style weapon. Like the similarly armed Buffalo shooter, he was 18 years old. Around Western New York, including in Niagara Falls, schools have increased security in an effort both to protect and reassure their communities. Its a wise precaution, given events of the past two weeks and the prevalence of high-powered firearms. With those steps, schools look nothing like they did in decades past, when few even considered the possibility that classrooms could be unsafe. Its been a hard couple of decades, beginning with the student-led slaughter at Columbine High School in Colorado, the massacre of students at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and, now, the murders in Uvalde, Texas. Here, coming off the racist murders at the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue, emotions are raw. Its just a never-ending cycle of sadness and unbelievable situations, Niagara Falls Superintendent Mark Laurrie said on Wednesday. Coming on the heels of the tragedy in Buffalo, there was much more concern last night and today, and much more, I would say, trepidation. Its not surprising that attendance was down some in Niagara Falls on Wednesday and that police presence was up. With only about four weeks left in the academic year, that level of attention should continue in all school districts until classes are finished. In Buffalo, interim Superintendent Tonja Williams announced that, in light of the shootings in Buffalo and Texas, anyone who wants to enter a school building is required to call ahead and obtain prior approval. Its wise, especially given the violence that occurred at McKinley High School in February. Its a question for leaders of state government, as well, said Phyllis Harrington, president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents, and Charles Dedrick, the organizations executive director. Every superintendent goes to bed at night asking themselves, are we doing enough to protect our students tomorrow?, they wrote in a joint statement. We ask for the same from our elected leaders. Have we all done enough to ensure the safety of the children, teachers and staff as they set foot in our schools? Given the easy access to guns and the willingness of some to commit mass murder, the questions are essential. Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing. May 1-31 Spring Turkey Season continues for upstate New York. dec.ny.gov. May 28-June 5 Annual Catt. Creek Catfish Tournament noon to midnight. Two-person teams, $100 entry fee. Best six catfish total weight. Livewell mandatory. One-day Seneca Nation fishing license included. Boats, kayaks and bank fishermen allowed. Pre-registration starts May 15 at Catt. Creek Bait and Tackle, 11158 Route 20, Irving. May 28-30 58th Annual Lake Trout Derby on Seneca Lake. www.laketroutderby.org May 29 Spring trap league continues at Boston Valley Conservation Society, 9624 Zimmerman Road, Boston for 10 weeks. Sunday shooting 9 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Targets may be ATA registered. Call Ernie Miller at 335-4111 for more info. May 29 Spring Trap League continues from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Allied Sportsmens Club, 12846 Clinton St., Alden. Also from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays. You have 10 weeks to shoot 250 birds. New shooters, public and non-members are welcome. Instruction available. Call Jim Bodicker at 416-4487. May 31 Allied Sportsmen Outdoor 3D Archery League continues. Shooting starting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Walk-ons welcome. It is a 15-target course for 17 weeks. For more info, contact John Floriano at 725-5822 or Kevin Ulrich at 430-1059. May 31 Spring Trap and Skeet League continues at Evans Rod and Gun Club, 864 Cain Road, Angola. From 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays; from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays; from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Teams consist of five people. Its not too late to join. Contact Fred Lima at 479-4833. May 31 WNY Chapter of Trout Unlimited monthly meeting via Zoom with guest speaker Alberto Rey of Fredonia, an Orvis-endorsed guide. Send a request to meeting@wnytroutunlimited.org for a link to the meeting. It is open to the public. June 1 Sunlife Marina Bass Open Tournament behind the walls from 6 to 9 p.m. Cost is $40 per boat. Two-person teams are allowed to weigh in two bass with a minimum size of 20 inches. June 2 Don Johannes/Pete DeAngelo Memorial 3-Fish/1-Fish Contest from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more info, contact Capt. Mike Johannes at 523-1727. June 2 Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association monthly meeting starting at 7 p.m. at the North Amherst Fire Hall, 2200 Tonawanda Creek Road, Amherst. Guest speaker will be Capt. Brandon Hall of Rochester Sportfishing talking about Summer LOC Derby tactics. It is open to the public. June 3-5 WNY Walleye Classic and Expo out of Barcelona. June 3 is Big Fish Friday; June 4 is the Walleye Classic. Outdoor Expo will also be going on. For more information on the tournament or how to become a vendor, contact 490-4226. June 3-4 Niagara County Skip Hartman Memorial Pro-Am Salmon Team Tournament. lakeontarioproam.net June 3 Alden Rod and Gun Spring Trap League continues through June 10. Club is located at 12 County Line Road, Alden. 300-bird scratch league. Shooting 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays. Shooting also will be open from noon to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays. For more info, call Tom Ess at 431-9292. June 4 Fly Fishing 101 Class at Buffalo Orvis, 4545 Transit Road, Amherst, starting at 9 a.m. Pre-register at orvis.com/buffalo or call 276-7200. June 4 Free Fishing Clinic from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Allegany State Parks Redhouse Lake. Visit dec.ny.gov/outdoor/27123.html for more information. Contact Mike Todd at 851-7013 to preregister. June 4 Kids Teach-Me-To-Fish Derby from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the East Aurora Fish and Game Club, 1016 Luther Road, East Aurora, for all kids 15 years of age and younger. Call Dave Barus at 597-4081 for more info. June 4-12 National Fishing and Boating Week. takemefishing.org June 7 Lake Ontario Charter Boat Association monthly meeting at 7 p.m. at the Irondequoit Rod and Gun Club, 658 Bay Front S, Rochester (first Tuesday of every month). June 7 Niagara Musky Association monthly meeting, set for 7 p.m at the Eldredge Club, 17 Broad St., Tonawanda. June 8 Sunlife Marina Bass Open Tournament behind the walls from 6 to 9 p.m. Cost is $40 per boat. Two-person teams are allowed to weigh in two bass with a minimum size of 20 inches. June 8 Singles 12-week trap league begins, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Tonawanda Sportsmans Club, 5657 Killian Road, Pendleton. Shooting also will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more info, call Jim Cagney at 481-6615. A doubles league will start July 13. June 9 Southtowns Walleye Association of WNY monthly meeting at 7 p.m. located at 5895 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg. Sign up for the walleye derby at the meeting. June 11 Buckhorn Island State Park Bio-Blitz with Buffalo Audubon from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, go to buffaloaudubon.org. June 11 Get Outdoors and Get Together Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Reinstein Woods, 93 Honorine Drive, Depew. Learn a new skill like archery, birdwatching, geocaching and orienteering. Enjoy hikes, face painting, nature play stations and more. For more info, go to reinsteinwoods.org or call 683-5959. No registration required. June 11 Kids Fishing Derby at West Canal Marina, 4070 Tonawanda Creek Road, North Tonawanda/Pendleton, sponsored by the Pendleton Lions Club. June 11-19 38th annual Southtowns Walleye Associations walleye derby. You must be a member of the club. southtownswalleye.com. June 15 Sunlife Marina Bass Open Tournament behind the walls from 6 to 9 p.m. Cost is $40 per boat. Two-person teams are allowed to weigh in two bass with a minimum size of 20 inches. Submit calendar items to billhiltsjr@gmail.com at least three weeks in advance. NY deer harvest stats released The states deer harvest statistics for 2021 were a mix of good news and bad news. According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, the deer harvest decreased 17% from the previous year with an estimated harvest of 211,269 animals. Of that total, an estimated 110,839 bucks were tagged, a 5% decrease from 2020. The antlerless harvest was 100,430, a 25% decrease from the previous year. Officials with DEC point to the reduction of Deer Management permits last year as a contributing factor in the lower numbers. Another problem was the increased presence of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease in certain regions of the state. On the plus side, thanks to a new pilot program that allowed 12- and 13-year-old junior hunters to pursue deer, there was a 47% increase in young hunters licensed to hunt. This resulted in a 36% increase in harvest during the special youth deer hunt. For a complete report, check out https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/2021deerrpt.pdf. Kids events slated for June 4 With the start of National Fishing and Boating Week on June 4, its no coincidence a few special youth-related events are slated for kickoff Saturday in Western New York. The first is a Kids Teach-Me-To-Fish Derby at the East Aurora Fish and Game Club, 1016 Luther Road, East Aurora, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. and kids ages 15 and under are welcome. They must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Free bait and free lunch will be provided. Loaner rods are available if you dont have one. Several learning stations will be available to help with fishing lessons. Call Dave Barus at 716-597-4081 for details. Another free fishing clinic for kids will take place at Allegany State Park at Redhouse Lake from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Anglers of all ages are welcome and no New York State fishing license is needed to fish the lake because the event is organized by DEC. There will be learning stations for fish identification, fishing knots, casting and more. Adults must accompany children. Rods and reels are available to borrow. Preregister by contacting Region 9 fisheries biologist Mike Todd at 716-851-7013. Check out https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/27123.html to see a complete list of DEC fishing clinics. LOTSA meeting June 2 to focus on summer fishing The Lake Ontario Trout and Salmon Association will be holding its next meeting on June 2 to offer guidance on fishing for salmon and trout in the summer months. Keynote speakers will be captains Brandon White and Kip Mammano, of Rochester Sportfishing, with tips and tactics. Their knowledge has allowed them to put more than 30 fish on the Lake Ontario Counties Derby leaderboard through the years, including three first-place catches and a grand prize salmon. They have also placed in other contests, including a first place in the Sandy Creek Shootout in 2019. The fishing club will be meeting at the North Amherst Fire Company located at 2200 Tonawanda Creek Road, Amherst, starting at 7 p.m. The seminar is open to the public. For more information, visit lotsa1.org. SWA Walleye Derby June 11-19 The Southtowns Walleye Association of Western New York is accepting registrations for its big event of the year, the 38th Annual Walleye Derby set for June 11-19. You must be a member to participate in this club contest, offering more than $100,000 in cash and prizes. To register online, go to https://www.southtownswalleye.com/derby/derby-signup2. Registration is also available at the clubs June 9 meeting starting at 7 p.m. at 5895 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg. There are so many ways to win in the derby that you need to read the derby program. One aspect of the competition is the special youth weekend set for June 18-19. Any junior angler 16 or under who is a junior member, fishing with an adult 18 years of age or older who is also a member, has an opportunity to win a free lifetime fishing license by catching the largest walleye for the weekend that is at least 23 inches. For more information, go to southtownswalleye.com. Hundreds of thousands of design aficionados will descend on Milan next week for the 60th edition of Salone del Mobile and Fuorisalone. So pack your bagsand your cutest flatsand bookmark this page for the scoop on all the fun, design-minded stops this market editor will be making while shes in town. Buon viaggio! LOGISTICS Preregistration: Save yourself a headacheand skip the linesby registering for the show ahead of time. Getting to the fair: The main show is located at Fiera Milano in Rho (SS del Sempione, 28), a 30-minute subway ride from the city center on the M1 (red) line. Make sure to purchase a standard ticket, since youll be riding the train to the very last stop. Or do yourself a favor, and buy a round-trip ticket so that you dont have to wait in line again after a long day of walking around the fair. Map app: Download the Salone del Mobile.Milano app for easy access to exhibitors booth numbersand more important, a map! Map of the Salone del Mobile fair Courtesy of Salone del Mobile.Milano AT THE FAIR To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its Quaderna series, Zanotta unveils a booth created by Calvi Brambilla Studio in homage to the iconic grid-patterned design. (Pavilion 16, Stand A15B14) Fermob shows off its latest introductions, including the portable Aplo H24 lamp by Tristan Lohner; a rich, deep red finish named Black Cherry; and a selection of pieces from the French brands collaboration with artist Leona Rose. (Pavilion 16, C26) Eichholtz premieres the Philipp Plein Home collection, its highly anticipated collaboration with the internationally acclaimed fashion designer, which includes a series by high-end wallcoverings brand Zambaiti Parati. (Pavilion 4, Stand D06D08) Phillip Jeffries showcases its newly launched Japonaise series, which spans 10 serene wallcovering patterns inspired by the form and function of modern Japanese design. (Pavilion 13, Stand E01) Modern furniture brand Arper reveals The Project of Living, featuring five new collections from designers Doshi Levien, Peter Kunz, Altherr Desile Park, Jean-Marie Massaud and James Irvine. (Pavilion 16, Stand C23D18) A visualization of the Design with Nature installation by Mario Cucinella Courtesy of Mario Cucinella Architects Exhibition space S.Project hosts Design With Nature, a large-scale installation by architect Mario Cucinella that explores themes of ecological transition, raw materials and the future of sustainable living. (Pavilion 15) Irreverent Italian homewares brand Seletti releases Gummy, a sculptural assortment of table lamps that mimic characters from the animated Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. (Pavilion 7, Stand L25) Nanimarquina exhibits five e-collections, including a vibrant line of rugs by Barcelona-based artist Claudia Valsells. The series, titled Tones, features four abstract geometric designs in sunbaked shades inspired by the hues of musical instruments. (Pavilion 20, Stand D03) Belgian design brand Ethnicraft introduces Mahogany Pi, a sleek, artisanally crafted series of wall-mounted shelves that can be arranged in unique configurations to free up floor and surface space. (Pavilion 10, Stand E27) German fixtures brand Dornbracht premieres its latest innovations, including a fresh collection of rain showers and a special presentation devoted to its bestselling cross-handled Tara fittings. (Pavilion 24, Stand F06F08) Technogym debuts the Ride bikea state-of-the-art exercise bicyclealongside the Personal Line series designed in collaboration with Italian architect Antonio Citterio. (Pavilion 20, Stand C12) AROUND TOWN At Alcova, Rinck unveils its collaboration with French fabric house Maison Thevenon. The collection boasts six graphic patterns, such as the geometric Metamorphose and the scribbly-lined Filigranes, available in several eye-catching colorways. (Via Simone Saint Bon, 1, Casa Delle Suore, second floor) Artemest presents Blow, a collection of one-of-a-kind Murano glass pieces designed in collaboration with New York artist Bradley Theodore. (Giardino Roberto Sanesi, Piazza San Marco, 3) Ralph Lauren Home previews its Fall 2022 collection at its private club and showroom in Milan. Built in 1941, Palazzo Ralph Lauren is a 12,000-square-foot art nouveau building showcasing an array of bespoke and soon-to-be-launched items from the brand. (Via S. Barnaba, 27) The Eames family hosts Seeing With the Heart, an in-depth display of works by Lucia Eames. The exhibition spans drawings, cutouts, photography and mixed-media pieces by the beloved artist. (Via Solferino, 11, third floor) Centuries-old Italian lighting brand Barovier & Toso debuts its latest designs, including the Vallonne and Vallonne Opale collectionsthe first collaboration between the brand and multidisciplinary designer Luca Nichetto. (Via Durini, 5) Andy's Cactus in blue, yellow and pink by The Andy Warhol Foundation of the Visual Arts Courtesy of The Andy Warhol Foundation of the Visual Arts Gufram celebrates the 50th anniversary of its legendary Cactus piece with a dedicated exhibition near the Impluvium at the Triennale di Milano. Cactusrama features a dozen editions of the sculpture, including a new collaboration with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. (Viale Alemagna, 6) At Alcova, PR collective Hello Human and experiential design studio Aditions present This Is America, an exhibition that explores diversity in American design and showcases work from Alexis Moran, Nifemi Ogunro, Jialun Xiong and more. (Via Simone Saint Bon, 1, Casa Delle Suore, C6) Refractory debuts a multisensory installation at Alcova called Holotype. The exhibit includes furnishings from the Chicago-based brand alongside work by photographer and documentarian Sarah Wilson. (Via Simone Saint Bon, 1, E/Space) The Memento Moooi wallcovering collection by Arte will be on full display at Salone dei Tessuti. An homage to a medley of extinct animals, the series offers six avant garde patternsincluding Dandelion Cranes and Golden Tigercrafted from materials such as wood veneer, sisal, gold foil and pleated paper. (Via S. Gregorio, 29) In honor of its vicennial anniversary, Tom Dixon introduces 20 never-before-seen items inside the neoclassical Palazzo Serbelloni, showcased alongside some of the brands most iconic designs from the past two decades. (Corso Venezia, 16) Sustainable modular furniture brand Loose Parts makes its inaugural Milanese appearance at Alcova with Sor, a presentation that draws inspiration from the building itselfa former nunneryand includes a series of new designs based on architectural motifs. (Via Simone Saint Bon, 1, Casa Delle Suore, C24) Poltrona Frau reveals The True Evolution Experience, an immersive exhibition that recounts the brands 110-year-long history and features a new outdoor collection and a sculptural installation by Greta Rosset. (Via Manzoni, 30) Homepage photo: Inside the Salone del Mobile fair | Courtesy of Salone del Mobile.Milano Over 200 fifth and sixth graders, including ones from Butler County, explored the outdoors during a moderately calm and cool spring day at the lake. Recently, the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District (NRD) held its 31st annual Spring Conservation Sensation at the Lake Wanahoo NRD Recreation Area. Each May, the Lower Platte North NRD hosts the all-day event featuring hands-on educational activities focusing on water, wildlife, forestry, nature and more. The annual event is held on the first Wednesday in May for schools within or near the district boundaries which include the counties of Saunders, Butler, Dodge, Colfax, Platte, Madison and Boone. A total of 230 students participated from Logan View Elementary, North Bend Elementary, St. Marys Elementary (David City), Wahoo Public Elementary and East Butler Elementary (Brainard). The Lower Platte North NRD staff led multiple sessions for students including ways to look at the water quality and quantity of a lake by catching microorganisms, the importance of trees and how to plant them, and carrying capacity of habitats. Lower Platte North NRD Director and Newman Grove Teacher Mark Seier, along with students from the Shell Creek Watershed Testing Group, shared how they use a drone for their research. Students interacted with tree frogs, a Western tiger salamander and other Nebraska amphibians with guest presenter, Monica Macoubrie from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Conservation Officer Mike Luben, also from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, brought animal pelts for his Nebraska wildlife roundup discussion. Cole Meador and Jenna Hanson with UNLs Saunders County Extension taught students about different frog calling methods with household items. Students were also able to try and catch a fish with the help of Dr. Josh Snyder of Wahoo Public Schools, Lower Platte North NRD staff and student volunteers from East Butler High School. A nearly two-foot alligator and joey in a homemade pouch made an appearance when students gathered to wrap up the day during a presentation from Wildlife Encounters. The annual event is a great way for students to learn about Nebraskas natural resources and interact with nature. For some students, this was their first chance to explore wildlife, plant a tree or cast a fishing line. The Spring Conservation Sensation continues to be our flagship youth education event providing amazing outdoor education opportunities to the elementary of our district, Lower Platte North NRD General Manager Eric Gottschalk said. Programs like this help us achieve our goal of educating individuals about the importance of conservation, preservation and restoration of our natural resources. Registration for next years Spring Conservation Sensation event will begin in early spring next year. For more information, please visit lpnnrd.org or contact the Lower Platte North NRD at 402-443-4675. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 For a chamber of commerce to truly perform its duties, its administrators need to have a broad range of knowledge about the community they serve, according to Leadership Nebraska Executive Director Roberta Pinkerton. Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce President Dawson Brunswick has that knowledge but will have the opportunity, over the next nine months, to expand that knowledge and his network to cover the whole state. Brunswick was recently accepted into Leadership Nebraska, where he will have the privilege of experiencing Nebraska businesses and people in a way many are not allowed. "(This is) just to really have a stronger network, to get involved and grow my network," Brunswick said. Brunswick is part of class XIV, the 14th since 2006. Pinkerton noted that they had to cancel the class in the past, leading to the number discrepancy. In those 14 years, 320 have graduated from the program. Pinkerton said among those 320 have been mayors, state senators and people from every trade in the state. Brunswick said he is excited about this prospect because it will allow for more partnerships for the chamber. "So much of what the chamber does in Columbus is building relationships, not only in Columbus but across the state," Brunswick said. "Whether it's helping draft legislature or forming coalitions, it's about having partnerships." Throughout the course, Brunswick and the others will visit different cities across Nebraska to see what life is like in those places. Some of the group's new knowledge will come from experts in a classroom setting, some from real experiences and some from simple discussion, Pinkerton said. The program was started in 2006 when a group of leaders from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce came together with the intent to identify and reach strong community leaders across the state. To accomplish their goal, the class each year is comprised of individuals from many backgrounds like health care, government, agriculture, military, manufacturing and chambers of commerce. Group members are also selected from many different places because the needs in one part of the state won't match those in another. "If somebody from, say, Omaha understood the transport issues they have in Northeast Nebraska better than what they see looking at Omaha, they'll make better decisions for their state overall," Pinkerton explained. Brunswick said Sharyle Sands, former vice president of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, had previously gone through the program and recommended it. Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Todd Duren encouraged him to apply, and he was accepted, he said. "This community continues to reinvest in itself, reinvest in its staff and this is just another way to do that," Brunswick said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 For Mike Landkamer, contributing to veterans causes and honoring fallen comrades are important. Columbus has been Landkamers home since the early 1950s. He graduated from Columbus High School in 1968 and served in the United States Navy from 1968 to 1975, during the Vietnam War. He said he was in the Fighter Squadron 154, which went aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger. We went on a nine-month deployment, and we flew probably 12, 14 hours a day. Our longest at sea was like 60 days, said Landkamer, who served as an aviation ordnanceman. We loaded bombs and missiles, 500-pound bombs and Sidewinder missiles and then I did maintenance on the aircraft ordnance systems, he added. Landkamer described life on the aircraft as hot and dangerous. He noted the life expectancy on the flight deck during flight operations on a Navy carrier is about three seconds. Some say it's the most dangerous job in the world, Landkamer said. Youve got a whole bunch of aircraft up there, turnin and burnin. Youve got four catapults launching a monster, it's pretty close quarters. Youve kind of got to have eyeballs in the back of your head. His time in the service wasnt without seeing tragedy. During the cruise we lost, off the ship, we probably lost about 10, 12 people, he said. We saw some lose their lives which kind of haunts you, stays with you, it doesn't go away. These days, Landkamer is active in various veterans causes. He said in 1980 he started the burial flag tradition that can be seen downtown. Hes also served on the honor guard for about 44 years, which equals to just under 2,000 ceremonies that hes taken part in. Landkamer is the one who performs the ritual prayer and presents an American flag to the family at a veterans funeral, he added. Landkamer is the past state commander of the Nebraska American Legion and past national vice commander of the American Legion. He currently serves as the department sergeant-at-arms for the Nebraska American Legion. Landkamer is serving as the emcee at this Mondays Memorial Day services being held at Frankfort Square in Columbus. According to the veteran, Memorial Day started in 1868 in New York state. Originally called Decoration Day, it was started to honor those who lost their lives in the Civil War. To me, Memorial Day is the one day a year that you honor those who gave their lives for their country were killed in action and those who served our country but are no longer with us. That is a true meeting of Memorial Day, Landkamer said. This years holiday falls on May 30, which Landkamer said used to be the date Memorial Day was recognized. In the early 1970s, Congress in her infinite wisdom, decided to make it the last Monday of the month so they could have a three-day federal holiday weekend. That happened during the Vietnam War, Landkamer said. They did the same thing to Veterans Day, too, that didn't last maybe about a year and then they moved back. This years services will begin at the same time it always does 10:30 a.m. The Rev. Joe Miksch will do the innovation and benediction. Nicholas Zoucha, the 2022 Cornhusker Boys State representative, will read the Gettysburg Address with The Rev. Tim White, a retired major Air Force Reserve chaplain, giving the Memorial Day address. I always have a thing that I read off about what Jesus once said that no greater love has one for friends than lay down one life for his friends. And that's what these guys did, that's what the people in the United States military do because when they join a branch of service, whatever branch they join, baseline, they sign a check to the people of the United States of America up to and including their lives. They're willing to give their lives for their country, Landkamer said. Landkamer added that the Columbus Memorial Day services draw out a good crowd every year, unless the weather is bad. He said he urged everyone to remember the true meaning of the holiday remembering those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Dave Oppliger of the Columbus American Legion noted Memorial Day is a way of showing final respect to those that have passed, both recently and in history. It's a way of us showing closure to our veterans in Platte County that have passed away, Oppliger said. A lot of these people in a community this size are friends, relatives, people that you know, so you're kind of connected to almost all (of them) one way or another. It gives us the opportunity and the community to come together and celebrate it. Hannah Schrodt is the news editor of The Columbus Telegram. Reach her via email at hannah.schrodt@lee.net. 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. U.S. Rep. Democratic candidate Patty Pansing Brooks said she has had enough of folks fighting with one another. Ive got to do what I can to get people to start being kinder to one another, Pansing Brooks said. Theres strength through kindness. Im so tired of people standing in the corners throwing grenades at each other." Pansing Brooks is running for the U.S. House in the special election on June 28. The special election is to replace Jeff Fortenberry who resigned from his position after his felony convictions. Pansing Brooks is also going to be on the ballot this fall as she is also running in the general election against Republican nominee Mike Flood. Pansing Brooks visited Columbus earlier this week to talk about her campaign and the issues Nebraskans face. I want to bring some of Nebraska to Congress so people will be able to work together, she said. It will take only 50 people across the country - whether its Democrat, Republican or Independent to rise up and stay, Were done acting as barriers to each other. Were going to work for the best in the country. Thats my goal. Fifty isnt too many in the whole country. Pansing Brooks a fourth-generation Lincoln native is currently a state senator representing Nebraskas 28th District, which includes south-central Lincoln. Shes also an attorney and small business owner. During her time as a state senator, Pansing Brooks introduced and passed bills that expanded childrens rights to legal representation in the justice system and the automatic seal of kids court records when they finished their sentences. She also championed protecting victims of human trafficking and creating stricter punishments for people who benefited from said trafficking. She also led the creation of the Whiteclay Public Health Emergency Task Force that allowed Oglala Sioux to regain dominion over their public health. Pansing Brooks helped create legal protection for workers to discuss their wages without employer retaliation. Pansing Brooks said she was able to get those accomplishments done because of her ability to go across the aisle and gain bipartisan support. Thats my strength: being able to work with others, she said. Im able to recognize we are not each others enemies, were each others friends, neighbors and family. Pansing Brooks credited her parents for why she got into public service. Her father a World War II veteran ran for city council after returning from the war. He eventually became Lincolns mayor but passed away when Pansing Brooks was only 14-years-old. Pansing Brooks mother later ran for school board because one of her brothers had a learning disability. The Democratic hopeful recalled her mom going around to teachers and showing them how they could help kids with such learning disabilities how to read. Pansing Brooks said her mother was the one who handed her diploma to her at her high school graduation. (I saw) the need for people to serve, Pansing Brooks said. I felt a real need to serve and that background ties back to the work Ive seen able to do in our community in Lincoln. It has really helped me understand people and to reach out. Andrew Kiser is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach him via email at andrew.kiser@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 When it comes to the unspeakable tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, words fail. Maybe thats why Kathy Copenhaver and Kimberly Largent selected silence to grieve for and honor the lives lost when an 18-year-old gunman opened fire in Robb Elementary School Tuesday. Copenhaver and Largent organized 21-Minute Circle of Silence, a vigil that will take place at 7 p.m. Sunday in Thornwald Park at 350 Walnut Bottom Road in Carlisle. The 21 minutes represent the lives of 19 children and two teachers that were cut short by the shooting. For those who wish to participate, its a way of making time for each attendee to remember the victims and reflect on how this tragedy impacts them and those they care about, Largent said. Through silence come some of the best solutions. Here is a forum where folks can sit quietly for 21 minutes, grieve and contemplate what they can do to create change so this doesnt happen again. Attendees will sit in a circle with other community members for the duration of the silence, which will begin promptly at 7 p.m. They can also bring stuffed teddy bears, which Largent said will be donated to the city of Uvalde. Stuffed teddy bears certainly do not take the place of lost siblings or children or parents; however, they are a source of comfort to anyone who needs to hold on to something throughout the grieving process, Largent said. Sometimes a person can be more open with their feelings when talking to a stuffed animal than with another person. We cant replace what the community of Uvalde lost, but we can give them something to literally hold on to as they begin the arduous journey of healing. Participants are encouraged to arrive early and bring a chair or blanket to sit on. Parking for the event will be available along Walnut Bottom Road and teddy bears will be collected on a blanket at the center of the circle. People wishing to make a cash donation to shooting victims may send a check payable to Robb School Memorial Fund, PO Box 799, Uvalde, Texas 78802. Maddie Seiler is a news reporter for The Sentinel and cumberlink.com covering Carlisle and Newville. You can contact her at mseiler@cumberlink.com and follow her on Twitter at: @SeilerMadalyn 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. An Enola man was ruled a sexually violent predator Thursday after his conviction in two rape cases, the Cumberland County District Attorneys Office reported. Cumberland County President Judge Edward Guido ruled Luis Francisco Cruz, 33, was a sexually violent predator and sentenced him to four to eight years in a state correctional institution, followed by a consecutive four years of supervised probation. The sentencing and ruling Thursday stem from rape charges out of East Pennsboro Township. The DAs office reported that Cruz met two women on Facebook Marketplace, initially agreeing to purchase items they listed for sale. When he met them, however, he sexually assaulted them. Luis pleaded guilty in November to sexual assault, and an aggravated indecent assault charge was dismissed. As a result of the ruling, Cruz will be required to register under Megans Law and comply with the requirements of a sexually violent predator for the duration of his life. Because of the classification, there will be public notification to his neighbors when Cruz moves into a neighborhood. Our sincere appreciation goes out to Detective Denelle Owen with the East Pennsboro Police Department for her hard work and diligent investigation in this case, Senior Assistant District Attorney Lauren Perchinski said. Prison for sex offender Cumberland County Judge Al Masland on Wednesday sentenced James Sollenberger, 53, of Sinking Valley, Pennsylvania, to six to 12 years in state prison for sexually molesting a minor, according to the DAs office. Sollenbergers arrest was precipitated by a cyber tip sent through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which involved a photograph of a child involved in a sex act with an adult man. The Pennsylvania State Police Computer Crimes Unit identified Sollenberger as the adult and a 4-year-old girl as the victim. Sollenberger in February pleaded guilty to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, and charges including rape of a child and child pornography were dismissed. With the conviction, Sollenberger is classified as a Tier III sexual offender and is required to register under Megans Law for the remainder of his life. This case came to the attention of the police through a tip, Cumberland County District Attorney Sean McCormack said. This case is a good example of how the public can make a difference to an abused child. I encourage people that if they believe a child is being abused to make a report to ChildLine 1-800-932-0313, or online at dhs.pa.gov. Man pleads guilty to false reports Upper Allen Township Police reported that a Mechanicsburg man has pleaded guilty at the Magisterial District Court level to misdemeanor false reports. Police said Anibal Anico Jr., 22, initially called 911 on April 15 claiming to be a Will Garcia and reporting an active criminal mischief incident at a business in the township. When police arrived, they said the caller had left the area. Police determined that the damage to the township business had already been reported by the same caller on April 3. An investigation revealed Anico was the 911 caller. Anico had a preliminary hearing on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to one count of false reports. Another count of false alarms to agencies of public safety was withdrawn. 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. Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy is making it clear that he will likely defy a subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, escalating a standoff with the panel over his and other GOP lawmakers testimony. In an 11-page letter to the panel Friday, an attorney for McCarthy argued that the select committee does not have the authority to issue subpoenas to the lawmakers under House rules and demanded answers to a series of questions and documents if his client were to comply. Attorney Elliot Berke requested a list of "topics that the Select Committee would like to discuss with the Leader, and the constitutional and legal rationale justifying the request." I expressly reserve Leader McCarthys right to assert any other applicable privilege or objection to the Select Committees subpoena, Berke wrote. The House panel believes testimony from the Republican lawmakers is crucial to their investigation as each of the men was in contact with then-President Donald Trump and his allies in the weeks and days leading up to the Capitol insurrection. Some participated in meetings and urged the White House to try to overturn the 2020 presidential results. McCarthy has acknowledged he spoke with Trump on Jan. 6 as Trumps supporters were beating police outside the Capitol and forcing their way into the building. But he has not shared many details. The committee requested information about his conversations with Trump before, during and after the riot. His apparent defiance presents a new challenge for the committee after lawmakers decided to subpoena their own colleagues. For House Republican leaders to agree to participate in this political stunt would change the House forever, the California lawmaker wrote Thursday in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal with GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. The committee now must decide whether to enforce the subpoenas even as it looks to wrap up the investigation and prepare for a series of public hearings in early June. It could refer the lawmakers to the House ethics committee or take steps to hold them in contempt. The subpoenas were issued to McCarthy, Jordan, and Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Andy Biggs of Arizona and Mo Brooks of Alabama in mid-May. Perry represents Cumberland County. The panel has already interviewed more than 1,000 witnesses and collected more than 100,000 documents as it investigates the worst attack on the Capitol in two centuries. I have no relevant information that would advance any legitimate legislative purpose, Jordan said in a letter detailing his reasons for not cooperating. The others indicated after the subpoenas were issued that they too would not cooperate. Perrys lawyer sent the committee a letter earlier this week saying he could not in good conscience comply with the subpoena because he does not believe it is valid under House rules. Requests for comment from Biggs and Brooks were not immediately returned. The panel had previously asked for voluntary cooperation from the five lawmakers, along with a handful of other GOP members, but all refused to speak with the panel, which debated for months whether to issue the subpoenas. McCarthy and the others were summoned to testify in front of investigators this week and next week. McCarthy, who aspires to be House speaker if Republicans take over the majority next year, indicated that the committees decision will have a lasting impact. Every representative in the minority would be subject to compelled interrogations by the majority, under oath, without any foundation of fairness, and at the expense of taxpayers, he wrote in the op-ed. In a separate move, McCarthy and the No. 2 House Republican, Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, filed a court brief in support of Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon, who is facing criminal contempt charges for defying a subpoena from the committee. In the brief, lawyers for the two write that the committee does not have the authority to issue subpoenas, an argument that has been dismissed in other court proceedings. The lawyers also wrote that McCarthy and Scalise filed the brief out of concern for the potential damage to House institutional" rules and order. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 The National Weather Service no longer lists a Flood Watch for Cumberland County. The watch had been scheduled to last until 10 p.m., but the weather service no longer has it listed for the Carlisle area. The weather service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch that will be in effect on the West Shore until 7 p.m. Friday. The watch does not affect the Mechanicsburg area or any farther west. Posted earlier on Cumberlink: The National Weather Service issued a Special Weather Statement at 12:41 p.m. Friday saying that wind gusts with the storm coming through Cumberland County could go up to 50 to 55 mph. The weather service said Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms that traveled northwest of Mechanicsburg to Carlisle. Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Like the tornado warning issued for some of this affected area, the warning said the gusts should only last until 1:15 p.m., at least with this batch of thunderstorms. Posted earlier on Cumberlink: The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning that affects mostly eastern Perry County, though some northern-most parts of Cumberland County are also in the warning area. The warning lasts until 1:15 p.m. Friday. Other Midstate counties, including Adams and York counties, were in a Severe Thunderstorm Warning during this period as heavy rain crossed through the region. Posted earlier on Cumberlink: A Flood Watch will be in effect from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday in Central Pennsylvania as storms are expected to come through the area. The National Weather Service said excessive rainfall is possible in these storms, which could cause flash flooding. Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying and flood-prone areas, and flooding may also occur in poor drainage and urban areas. The weather service said heavy showers and possible thunderstorms could lead to between 1 to 2 inches of rain in just 30 to 60 minutes. A few locations could see rainfall totals in excess of 3 inches Friday afternoon and evening. A chance of showers and thunderstorms will continue into the start of the Memorial Day weekend. Thunderstorms are possible after 11 a.m. Saturday, though the day will be mostly sunny with a high near 76 degrees. The weather appears to be clear through Monday, though temperatures will rise to 88 on Memorial Day and 92 on Tuesday, according to the weather service. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 During the 2020 campaign, Joe Biden was outspoken in his desire to revive the spirit of bipartisanship in this country. On May 15, Politico reported that, at the urging of many advisers, Biden had mostly given up on working with the GOP, which he purportedly now views as an existential threat to the nations democracy. Four days later, Biden enjoyed the biggest bipartisan victory of his presidency. Talk about timing. The historic $40 billion aid package for Ukraine was, as Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell predicted, a big bipartisan landslide. Just shy of 80% of Republican senators voted for it. Biden did applaud the Congress for sending a clear bipartisan message to the world in a written statement as he left for Asia. But he hasnt boasted about delivering on his promise of bipartisanship. Meanwhile, other leading Democrats think the real story are the Republicans who voted against the Ukraine package. It is beyond troubling to see a growing circle of Senate Republicans proudly oppose Ukrainian funding, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer said Thursday. It appears more and more MAGA Republicans are on the same soft-on-Putin playbook that we saw used by former President Trump. Schumer has a point the share of Republicans opposing Bidens requests for support has grown; only three House Republicans objected to Bidens initial statement of support for Ukraine in March. But Schumers focus on the rump group that lost the vote illustrates why few in either party want to tout their bipartisanship. Theres very little incentive, particularly heading into the midterms, to brag about working with the enemy. The base just doesnt want to hear it. This has been a dynamic in Washington for a long time. When members of Congress work on a bipartisan basis, they like to do it as under the radar as possible, to avoid seeming like sellouts to the parties respective bases that see any compromise or collegiality as cowardly surrender. Some call this the secret or shadow Congress. In an era of hyperpartisanship, if you want to get something done, the best thing you can do is not make a big deal about it. Its a zero-sum calculation if one party can declare a victory, the other party sees it as a loss. Thats both why Biden rarely boasts of the bipartisan in his Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill win (officially the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) and why the Republicans who voted for it have been treated like traitors by the base. All Republicans who voted for Democratic longevity should be ashamed of themselves! Trump declared in November. That Trump desperately wanted an infrastructure bill when he was president shows how partisanship is a bigger priority than policy. Still, in such a climate, one might wonder, why did Republicans overwhelmingly support the Ukrainian aid package? The most important, and obvious, reason is that it was necessary on the merits. A second reason is that a huge majority of Americans including Republicans support helping Ukraine any way possible short of sending troops. Republican approval of Bidens handling of Ukraine is low, but that probably reflects Republican disapproval of Biden generally. Indeed, Republicans have often been more likely to say Biden has been too weak on Ukraine. Theres a third answer that doesnt fit a popular narrative among Democrats and many in the media. Despite decades of handwringing to the contrary, the GOP is not an isolationist party, a fact Trump often learned to his consternation in the White House as he was forced to sign Russian sanctions and intervene militarily in the Middle East. Even among the opponents of helping Ukraine, most argue that the U.S. should focus on confronting China instead, hardly an isolationist argument. Others hide behind newly discovered concerns about fiscal or procedural propriety. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, a leading noninterventionist, claimed that he merely wanted an inspector general to oversee the spending of the aid money. Its true that there is a loud noninterventionist or realist bloc on the right, increasingly and surprisingly led by the Heritage Foundation and unsurprisingly by various instruments of the Koch network. But such efforts are hardly new, even if they are often treated that way. Indeed, one might ask, why are Democrats so supportive of Bidens effort? The most important answer to that question is the same for Democrats, too: Its necessary and popular. But the fact that Biden is president is probably a big part of it as well. After all, when Vladimir Putin seized Crimea, Democrats rallied to President Obamas fairly tepid response. Partisanship works wonders. Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 JD Vance, a Republican candidate for US Senate in Ohio, shakes hands with former President Donald Trump during a rally. Drew Angerer/Getty Images JD Vance's win in Ohio is a signal that Trump's sway over the GOP's base remains unshaken. Vance clinched a win over rival Josh Mandel in the GOP's race despite trailing in polls in March. Vance is one of many Trump-backed candidates who have found success in the GOP's primaries. Republican JD Vance's primary win in Ohio displayed the power of a highly sought-after Trump endorsement in moving the needle on vital GOP races. On Tuesday, Vance was declared the winner in Ohio's Republican primary with 32% of the vote, clinching the nomination to run as the GOP candidate for an Ohio Senate seat over rival Josh Mandel. Vance's clinching the nomination was also widely viewed by analysts as a good measure of whether Trump's backing of a candidate still matters and the extent to which the former president still affects Republican voters. In March, Vance was trailing in the polls with warnings even from a super-PAC supporting him of what seemed to be an impending loss. But Vance quickly moved up in the polls after a clutch Trump endorsement. Local officials urged Trump not to endorse Vance, encouraging him to pick another candidate in the race. Trump himself suffered some blowback from the Vance endorsement, even among his diehard right-wing base, particularly in light of how he seemed to overlook Vance's previous comments about him. Vance has a well-documented history of criticizing Trump. In one exchange with his former college roommate, Vance said he thought Trump could be "America's Hitler." Vance's win appears to indicate that Trump's backing matters. "MAGA is alive and well, and the GOP best take notice and finally understand where the people are," tweeted Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, after Vance's win. "Anybody who dismisses Donald Trump as not a major factor in the party is crazy," Dave Carney, a veteran national Republican consultant, told NBC News. Story continues "When Trump endorsed Vance, on April 15, Vance was third at about 10%, behind Mandel and Gibbons each at 21%," tweeted political commentator Bill Kristol, the director of advocacy organization Defending Democracy Together. "Without Trump's endorsement, Vance almost certainly stalls out at 10% and finishes fourth. When Trump talks, Republicans listen," Kristol added. Trump has recently endorsed what the GOP might view as risky candidates like Vance and Dr. Mehmet Oz, with advisers fearing that a high-profile loss of a desired Trump candidate would call into his question his image as the Republican kingmaker. The former president has not shied away from doling out endorsements. According to Ballotpedia, Trump has made 160 endorsements since leaving office. However, some of the candidates he's backed have struggled in their races, like Georgia gubernatorial candidate David Perdue and Alabama Senate hopeful Rep. Mo Brooks. Trump, however, rescinded his endorsement of Brooks when the congressman began flagging in his Senate bid, saying he "went woke." The former president has also claimed credit for high-profile wins by GOP figures, including Glenn Youngkin's gubernatorial victory in Virginia. Youngkin did not campaign with Trump and seemed to keep his distance from the former president. However, that didn't stop Trump from endorsing Youngkin and crediting his November win to "MAGA voters." Vance is now slated to face off against Democratic candidate Tim Ryan. Both are seeking to replace GOP Sen. Rob Portman, who is retiring from office. Read the original article on Business Insider Ste. Genevieve is hosting a 4th Friday Art Walk today from 6 to 9 p.m. in historic downtown Ste. Genevieve. Actives for the Art Walk range from music to a hands-on art project and new galleries. In the North Main Street Art District, the Beatnik Cafe will display the work of Terri Cavins. Next door, EKleKTix Gallery and Studio will be open with new artwork by resident artist J Rissover. Just up the street at Music Art Love, there will be live music by Stephen Kemper with art featured by Cindy Spradling and Kemper. Only Child Originals, Rust, and Masquerade will also be open with new artwork to be featured. Brix Urban Winery on Merchant Street is hosting a hands-on Plant Wall Source Markers Night. The activity costs $17 and includes a six ounce pour of wine. In order to participate in this event, it is required to pre-register on the website. New art will be on display, including art by David Gildersleeve, Bit Strange, and some new pieces produced by local artist Joy French. Outside of the North Main Street Art District, the Ste. Genevieve Museum Learning Center will have a free admission event. The event will feature are by Angie Dalton and a new exhibit that focuses on the life of Moses Riney, a former slave and Union soldier with art by Anita Alsip. Kona Ice will also be available from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The Sainte Genevieve Art Guild Art Center will feature the winners of the Youth Plein Air event, as well as continuing on exhibiting the Guilds Inspired by Nature exhibit. The 4th Friday Art Walk happens every fourth Friday of the month during the months of February through November from 6 to 9 p.m. Most events are free for the art walk, and many stores and eateries have extended hours for the day. The next 4th Friday Art Walk is June 24. Danielle Thurman is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be contacted at dthurman@dailyjournalonline.com or 573-518-3616. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A jury trial this week ended with guilty verdicts for an area man accused of sodomy related to reports that he had intercourse with a 19-year-old girl who he found passed out at an area lake development in 2018. On Wednesday, a St. Francois County jury convicted Cecil Burrow, 64, of Ironton, of four counts of first-degree sodomy. The jury heard evidence during the trial that lasted a day and a half and returned their verdict after deliberating for only 30 minutes. Following the guilty verdicts, the jury heard evidence during the sentencing phase of the trial. The jurors then recommended Burrow be sentenced to 20 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on each count. Burrow, who had been free on bond before the trial, was taken into custody following Wednesdays court proceedings. A new bond of $350,000 was set. A formal sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 22 before Circuit Judge Wendy Wexler Horn. The case was tried by Special Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kathi Alizadeh and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Linda Freeman on behalf of the prosecution, and Assistant Public Defender Geralyn Ruess represented Burrow. The case was investigated by the St. Francois County Sheriffs Department. The St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorneys Office appreciates the dedication of Detective Matt Wampler in assisting us in bringing justice for the survivor in this matter, the office said in a statement. The case against Burrow was filed in 2018 following reports that the man had intercourse with a teenage girl at an area lake development after he found her passed out. According to a probable cause statement in the case, on July 25, 2018, a detective with the St. Francois County Sheriffs Department conducted a recorded interview with a 19-year-old girl who explained she was a victim of a rape that occurred at Lake Hannah. The detective reported the girl told him that on July 14, 2018, she was extremely intoxicated and passed out on a bed in a camping trailer. She said she didnt know the person who lived there and was not familiar with the residence. The girl said when she woke up, her bikini bottom was off, and she was naked from the waist down. She said she immediately felt pain. On Aug. 3, 2018, the detective interviewed Burrow at the sheriffs department, and he reportedly stated that he did have sex with a 19-year-old girl in his camping trailer. Burrow told the detective that prior to the intercourse, she was confused and intoxicated, according to the report. Burrow said she was slurring her words and was stumbling around. He reportedly admitted he had sex with her while she was intoxicated. He said just before picking the girl up at a nearby campsite, he was aware that she was passed out on a hammock in a rainstorm. Bobby Radford is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at bradford@dailyjournalonline.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 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. By Ike Parrish Reporter To the average homeowner, solar energy may seem like a good idea, but its hard to know where to start. As part of its annual Solarize Piedmont campaign, two local nonprofit advocacy groups hope to provide answers and a clearer path for those seeking to implement alternative energy. Solarize Piedmont 2022 is co-headed by the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) and the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) with the purpose of promoting and facilitating each step of obtaining a solar energy system for homeowners and small business owners. The campaign runs from April 1 through June 30. For those who are curious about going solar this is a great way to get that proposal and feel confident that youve had a pre-vetted installer with pre-negotiated pricing, says PEC Director of Outreach and Communications Bri West. The campaign is an auxiliary of SolarizeVA, LEAPs initiative throughout Virginia encouraging individuals to convert to solar energy by simplifying the process and negotiating a reduced cost. The campaign also supports the Virginia Clean Economy Act, to reach carbon neutrality in the Commonwealth by 2050. The program encompasses the nine-county region focused by the PEC, which includes Orange, Madison, Greene, Culpeper, Rappahannock, Fauquier, Loudon, Clarke, Albemarle and the City of Charlottesville. Solarize Piedmonts first campaign was in 2014. In the seven years since, PEC and LEAP have facilitated the installation of more than 700 solar power systems, producing more than 6.3 megawatts and valuing more than $17 million. The campaign has seen increased interest from homeowners year by year. This years campaign has as many members signed on in a three-week span as last years entire three-month window had. Through its education process, LEAP aims to answer the more common questions asked by interested homeowners. Theres a couple frequently asked questions, said LEAP Solarize Program Manager Katie VanLangen. The most common, she says, are: Do I need to replace my roof before I get solar? Typically, if your roof is older than 10 years old, we do recommend at least having your roof checked out, she says. How much is it going to cost? The cost of solar varies based on factors including house size, potential energy production and the energy needs of individual households (based on the homeowners year-long electricity payments before installing a solar energy system), according to VanLangen. Our goal is really just to make everything as easy as possible, says VanLangen. We know there are a lot of barriers that go into solar. One such barrier is the upfront cost when purchasing a solar energy system. Through our program, we estimate that, with our discounted pricing, which is 10 to 20% below market rates, a system would cost between $10,000 and $25,000, says VanLangen. There is a 26% solar income tax credit thats available this year. The investment typically pays itself off within eight to 11 years, says VanLangen. The discounted cost is achieved through a competitive bid process. LEAP issues a request for proposals to area installers. Solar energy companies who submit bids are then evaluated based on location, pricing, equipment, warranties and years in business, said VanLangen. Because its time-limited, the installers will put out a lower-than-normal price, says West. There are a lot of installers out there and this is to help you feel comfortable that youre finding a reputable installer with a good price. The installers chosen for 2022s campaign are Prospect Solar, located in Sterling, and Virtue Solar, based in Madison County. If interested, time is of the essence, as the 26% tax credit rate is expected to drop to 22% by the end of the year, and likely to completely phase out by 2024, according to LEAP. LEAP offers virtual information sessions, which can be found by visiting www.solarizeva.org/events. To learn more or to sign up, visit www.pecva.org/solarize. 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. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy A new USS Oregon will officially join the U.S Navy on Saturday morning, May 28 during commission ceremonies at Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut. The Navy put the ceremonial commissioning of ships on hold for two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic and only recently resumed the tradition. The nuclear-powered fast attack submarine will be the first U.S. Navy ship to carry the state's name since 1893, when the battleship USS Oregon was launched. The Virginia-class submarine was built at an estimated price tag of just under $3 billion by Groton-based General Dynamics Electric Boat Co. After its launch and sea trials, the commissioning marks the official beginning of its U.S. Navy service. Each Virginia-class submarine has had an official sponsor, a woman with a connection to the vessel's namesake state. Their role is to bring good luck to the submarine and crew, with duties including breaking a bottle of champagne over the hull of the submarine and giving the first order after a commissioning. While still in the White House, First Lady Laura Bush sponsored the USS Texas and First Lady Michelle Obama carried the role for the USS Illinois. In April, First Lady Jill Biden was the sponsor of the USS Delaware, also a Virginia-class submarine. During a commissioning commemoration, she called out: Officers and crew of the USS Delaware, man our ship and bring her to life. The crew responded, Aye aye, maam," and swiftly boarded in dress uniform. The sponsor of the commissioning of the USS Oregon is Dana Richardson of Corvallis, the wife of former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson. Built to kill nuclear missile subs The USS Oregon commissioning will be the first traditional ceremony since 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States. Two Virginia-class submarines, the USS Delaware and USS Vermont, were commissioned to join the Navy and public commemorations occurred later. The USS Oregon will soon take to sea to hunt and if necessary, kill Russian and Chinese "boomers," the nickname for all ballistic missile submarines that can launch nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Russians' main missile submarine, the Borei-class, carries 16 RSM-56 Bulava nuclear ballistic missiles. The USS Oregon has four torpedo tubes to fire Mk-48 torpedoes that move at 50 mph. Unlike older torpedoes that exploded when the tip struck a submarine or ship, the Mk-48 has advanced proximity fuses to detonate with maximum explosive force. When fired at surface ships, the Mk-48 torpedo dives under the hull and detonates at the keel, the blast breaking the back of the ship. The USS Oregon has a quiver of variety when it comes to weaponry. It can fire surface-skimming Harpoon anti-ship missiles, a weapon that is now reaching Ukrainian coastal defense troops fighting Russia's attempt to bottle up the port of Odesa. The submarine also is equipped with BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles that can reach targets on land up to 1,500 miles away. It can carry conventional and nuclear warheads. The USS Oregon is designed to house and quietly deploy Navy SEAL commando teams on covert operations. It can move through the water powered by pump-jet propulsion instead of traditional screws with blades reducing the amount of bubbles and noise called cavitation that can be heard on sonar. The submarine's S9G nuclear reactor gives the USS Oregon a top speed of 25 knots submerged. Its reactor will run for about 30 years without any additional fuel. The nuclear power gives the submarine virtually unlimited range and the ability to stay submerged for up to three months. The advanced systems of the submarine also cut the size of crew needed at sea. The submarine has 15 officers and 120 crew. A battleship could operate with 600 officers and crew. The Navy has commissioned 19 Virginia-class submarines the USS Oregon is the 20th. Eight more are under construction, including what would become the USS Idaho. Vice Admiral Michael J. Connor told Congress in 2015 that the USS Oregon and its sister boats were game-changers in maintaining a balance of power with Russia and China. The undersea arena is the most opaque of all warfighting domains, Connor said. It is easier to track a small object in space than it is to track a large submarine, with tremendous firepower, under the water. The commissioning of the USS Oregon this weekend ends a long gap in U.S. Navy history without a ship named for the state. Pride of the fleet, then obsolete The first USS Oregon was a brigantine purchased in 1842 from a private owner to be used as an exploring ship until 1849. The Confederacy seized a privately owned steamwheeler mail boat during the Civil War and converted it into blockage runner christened CSS Oregon. It was scuttled and burned by its crew as Union forces closed in on New Orleans in April 1863. By 1889, the Navy had adopted a tradition of naming battleships after states. In 1893, the USS Oregon was launched at a cost $4 million about $115 million in todays dollars. The nation's third battleship, it was 351 feet long, 26 feet shorter than the USS Oregon submarine. It was the first American warship named for the 33rd state. More than 20,000 people came to the Union Iron Works shipyard on Mare Island to watch the ship slide into San Francisco Bay. The Oregon In Her Element was the headline the New York Times gave a wire report. The battleship's four coal-fired boilers could push the ship to a top speed of 15 knots with a range of 4,900 nautical miles before requiring refueling. It was nicknamed Bulldog of the Navy for the way its bow thrashed through open seas. In 1898, the USS Oregon made headlines by steaming more than 15,700 miles from San Francisco, around South America's Cape Horn, to Florida, arriving 66 days after it left, just as the Spanish-American War broke out. At the Battle of Santiago de Cuba, the USS Oregon cornered a Spanish cruiser and ordered it to run aground and surrender. The New York Herald newspaper published a poem about the battleship on its front page. But battleship design was evolving so rapidly that less than 10 years after it was commissioned, the USS Oregon was obsolete: too slow, too lightly protected, and carrying too many small-caliber guns. It would be suicide for the ship to go blow-to-blow with the new type of dreadnaughts that began to appear in 1906. Featuring all large-caliber, long-range guns in turrets mounted on the deck, their thicker armor plating made it easier to absorb hits from the biggest guns of opponents. Reduced to a ceremonial role, the USS Oregon was decommissioned in 1919 and docked on the Portland waterfront for tourists to see. When World War II came along, the old ship was pressed into the fight as scrap metal. Struck from the Naval Vessel Register, the hull became IX-22, an unclassified miscellaneous vessel. The husk of the battleship did get into the war zone, as an ammunition barge towed across the Pacific for the battle of Guam. American troops abandoned it there and the last remnants were sold for scrap by a Japanese company in 1956. The USS Oregon's mast and bow shield were preserved and used in 1956 to create the Battleship Oregon Memorial in what is now Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland. It's frequently used as a meeting point for downtown demonstrations. In a bind After ship-launched Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the U.S. Navy made aircraft carriers the premier ships of the fleet. The USS Missouri was the last battleship commissioned in the U.S. Navy, one of four Iowa-class battleships ordered and being built at the time of Pearl Harbor. Commissioned in June 1944, its most historic role was as the site of the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay in September 1945. After World War II, no more battleships were built, putting the Navy in a political bind. Naming a battleship after a state was political prestige for members of Congress, who voted on the Navy's budget. In the 1960s, the Navy named six guided-missile cruisers after states. Attack submarines had traditionally been named after sea creatures the Tang, Snook, Seahorse and Wahoo were among the top submarines to sink Japanese shipping during World War II. But pressure mounted to name attack submarines after major cities, then states. Submariners didn't like the switches, but Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father of the nuclear-powered Navy, once observed, tradition and political expediency don't always match. "I guess I'm a traditionalist I think submarines should be named after fish,'' Retired Navy Capt. William F. McGonagle told the New York Times in 1996.''But as Admiral Rickover said, 'fish don't vote.''' When the new Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine was introduced to the fleet, one was named USS Connecticut. Since the introduction of the Virginia-class submarines, nearly all have been named for states In 2011, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, inquired about naming a ship after Oregon. A constituent's letter had noted a long gap in having a USS Oregon in the fleet. Merkley wrote a letter to then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus asking him to put Oregon near the top of the queue for submarine naming. It would be a great honor to the sailors, marines, military service members as well as citizens of Oregon to have one of the newest naval submarines named in their honor, Merkley wrote. In October 2014, Mabus came to the Battleship Oregon Memorial in Portland to announce that a fast-attack submarine with hull number SSN-793 would be named the USS Oregon. The Navy plans on keeping the new USS Oregon much longer than its predecessor's namesake. The Navy forecast the USS Oregon will be in service until at least the mid-2050s. May 28, 2022, is officially Day One in the Navy for the new USS Oregon. Editor's note: This article was edited to clarify which Corvallis woman will be christening the USS Oregon. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Of all the books I read about education, the book that influenced me the most was Teaching as a Subversive Activity by Neil Postman. I wish every educator would read it. The author wrote that teachers have a primary duty to teach critical thinking skills. Another way to put it is that we should teach students to develop a manure detector. What is the reason that we believe something as fact? How do you know its true? What is the motivation of the speaker/writer? Are they trying to sell you something? Why do they want you to accept their facts and ignore others? Unfortunately, schools today focus on remembering facts, not thinking. Students regurgitate the facts on tests and quickly forget the information. Today we are overwhelmed with information. Much of the information out there is false. Wrong. Not based on fact. Propaganda. Many are convinced the lamestream media is biased. Fox News was created to tell the Republican story. It is biased. Fox ignores or minimizes any bad behavior by Trump or the GOP. The "steal" is an example. Every claim made by Trump about the 2020 election has been proven false. Even after states recounted the votes, the true believers do not accept this as fact. Even when the U.S. attorney general (appointed by Trump) said that the election was fair, many still disbelieve. Who is spreading this false information? Trump and his toadies. In 2016 he claimed that if he lost, it was because the election was crooked. He even said the Electoral College should be scrapped. But he won. He lost the popular vote by 5 million. In 2020, he again claimed that if he lost, it was because the election was unfair. What facts have been presented to provide the election was stolen? None. But true believers ignore the facts and hang onto their leaders false words. His followers have no critical thinking skills. They accept that every word coming out of Trumps mouth is true. Every word. Alternative facts. After the election, Trump invited his followers to Washington to stop the count of the electoral votes. He planned a coup. The Capitol was invaded. The leaders of the GOP House and Senate said it was a riot, and directly blamed Trump. Within a week they changed their tune. Fox News was horrified at first, but has now erased any blame on Trump. GOP leaders follow along. Sheep. The validity of the pandemic is another event that has been challenged. Every accredited doctor in the health care profession has warned us of the danger. They have suggested how we can stay safe: vaccines and masks. Yet a sizable number of Americans think it is a hoax. The lamestream media repeatedly shows citizens who did not get vaccinated and are in hospitals on respirators. They warn others to get the vaccine. The trouble is, the skeptics dont trust these sources. Fox tells the truth. The rest lie. Dont trust anyone but Trump. Yet all the Fox commentators got vaccinated, as did all the GOP members of Congress. And 1 million Americans have died. There is no alternative truth. Truth is truth. Question your assumptions. Go to various sources. Dont depend on only one. If you think you know everything and you are not a work in progress, you are stuck. All I want is the truth. John Lennon Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Lebanons city council has traded one firefighter for another, appointing Jeremy Salvage Wednesday, May 25, to the Ward 3 seat that Jason Bolen vacated in April. Salvage works as a firefighter in Salem and served on the Lebanon Planning Commission for 12 years, chairing the up-to nine-member board since 2018. The 41-year-old has lived in Lebanon from birth, watching from the front row as his community suffered economic downturn in the '90s and early 2000s, then expansion under what he described as a business-friendly philosophy in city government. Most people do, but I certainly developed a hometown pride, Salvage said. His time with the Planning Commission helped familiarize him with land development and related issues, such as wetlands development. He said hell leverage that experience. The council voted unanimously to appoint Salvage. He will serve out the remainder of Bolens term, which ends Dec. 31, 2024. Half the citys six-member council is now appointed. Ward 2 councilor Gamael Nassar was selected in April 2021, to serve out the remainder of Karin Stauders term which ends this year. KJ Ullfers is serving in the other Ward 2 seat until the end of 2024, vacated in October by Rebecca Grizzle. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Lebanon Express. The city announced the latest opening after Bolen stepped down from his position on the council and as the bodys president April 13 to accept a division chief job with Bend Fire and Rescue. The council selected Bolens Ward 3 co-councilor Michelle Steinhebel to fill its presidency. Councilors received seven applications. By the end of Wednesdays interviews with applicants, they had narrowed their selection to just two. Mayor Paul Aziz cast the tie-breaking vote for Savage. Its very difficult when you have candidates like you guys, Aziz said. Ross Dewberry, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Oregon State University graduate who applied for the council opening May 11, withdrew from selection before his interview. I would like to recognize there are quite a few applicants here with much more experience, he said. Educator Jeannie Davis impressed with her background of community service and outreach to underserved populations in Lebanon. Savage curried favor with his detailed knowledge of the citys efforts to expand. Davis told councilors her top three priorities as a councilor would be securing access to equitable education, healthcare and housing. She said Lebanons downtown should be key to its revitalization. I know weve all been to downtowns throughout our region and its just that place that you want to be and stay, Davis said. Salvage acknowledged the role the city could play in abating cleanup costs for potential developers of Cheadle Lakes former mill sites. He told councilors he envisions a Lebanon version of Bends Old Mill District, upscale retail integrated with a trail system and nearby residential neighborhoods. It could be the crown jewel for Lebanon is how I see it, Salvage said. The council informally voted four times to assess the applicants with Steinhebel and Ward 2 councilor Gamael Nassar selecting Davis and Ward 1 and 2 councilors Wayne Dykstra and KJ Ullfers backing Salvage. In a phone interview after the meeting, Salvage said he grew up in Lebanon in the 90s while the historic mill town was collapsing under the departure of the logging industry. As he aged, Salvage said, he had children and wanted a say in the direction the city was headed. You have an even more vested interest in making a community you want to bring your kids up in, he said. And thats the right direction a business-friendly approach that saw Lowes put in its nearly 1.5-million-square-foot freight distribution center and the arrival of Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Northwest. I think the last 10 years have been good to Lebanon, he said. That expansion brought medical students, staff jobs, and places for the incoming families to eat and drink. Weve been riding that wave of people moving in here, he said. Leadership that had appeared reluctant or unable to deal with recession changed out for forward-looking politicians and elected representation. He saw no reason to run for Bolens seat when it was contested on the ballot. He was doing such a great job, Salvage said. There was no reason to run against him. Salvage said he would like to see the city continue with its emphasis on development. It was just kind of stuck, he said. Its been great to see how far its come. And I think its got a promising future. EDITOR'S NOTE: Jeremy Salvage's last name was misspelled in the initial version of this story. The article has since been updated. Alex Powers (he/him) covers business, environment and healthcare for Mid-Valley Media. Call 541-812-6116 or email Alex.Powers@lee.net. 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. 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Home > 2022 > Exodus from Sri Lanka to India | Apratim Mukarji The searing and prolonged economic-political crisis in Sri Lanka has now expectedly turned into a refugee exodus from the island-nation to India, whch is the traditional haven for Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka. The failure of the Sri Lankan government to tackle the economic crisis even two years after the first rumblings of deep discontent were heard has now gulvanised Sri Lankan society---consisting of all the three main religions, Sinhalese Buddhists, Hindu Tamils, and Muslims, and Christians too---into a determined public wall to stop the Rajapaksas and other political parties from playing around with their lives and give an account of what has gone wrong. Caught in this new vortex, poor Tamils living in northern and eastern Sri Lanka appear to have chosen to fall back upon their traditional shelter, India. The total number of such refugees, according to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, stood at 19,000 family units comprising 58,822 individuals and including 10,000 children. They are living at 108 refugee camps set up in Tamil Nadu, and another 34,087 refugees possessing refugee certificates are living outside the camps. Not being a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Refugees 1951 or its sequel the 1967 Protocol which broadens the scope of the Convention, India does not have a refugee law which facilities the processing and identification and categorisation of migrants from abroad into a country. All signatories to the U.N. Convention are obliged to protect any asylum-seeker; and countries like India do not like to be caught in such a situation. The absence of a refugee law allowed India to extradite Rohingya refugees from its soil sometime back. The objectives of the Convention are to identify refugees and by dint of its non-refoulement principle, it asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face dangders to their lives or to their freedoms. The 1967 Protocol has broadened the scoipe of the Convention beyond geographical and time limits that were part of the Convention. India has had both economic and political Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka in different periods of their bilateral relationship. The political refugees came to be recognised as such since 1982-83 when the first pogroms against Tamils began in the island-nation. When the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was sent by the Indian government to help the Sri Lankn army fight Tamils guerrillas better, Tamil refugees were subjected to stringent checks in India. Many of them were suspected to be militants fighting the Sri Lankan army; and towards the end of the civil war, several of them were arrested and deported to Sri Lanka when demanded by the latters government. There was also a time when, under the Indira Gandhi government, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were armed, trained and looked after in the Indian territory. Tamil Nadu has always acted as an magnet for Tamil refugees from across the sea because of its proximity, barely 30 km. From Lankan shore, and the ethnic and cultural affinity with the inhabitants of the Indian state. Sri Lankan Tamils have also traditionally found welcoming local inhabitants; and a big help has been the politicl parties in Tamil Nadu who have helped resettlemnt of new refugees from Sri Lnka. The assassination of Indian opposition leader Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 was the first major jolt to this traditional atmosphere of bonhomie between the Tamil communities. Since then, India has been much strict in screening Sri lankan Tamil refugees. Sri Lankas recent economic crisis followed the collapse of the islands tourism industry, one of its mainstays of economy and revenue, which coincided with the world-wide Covid-19 pandemic, devastating the economy. Sri Lanka had traditionally been import-dependant, and as foreign excgange reserves depleted fast, the government soon found itself unable to pay the bills for food items, fuels, and sundry other things like medicine. At one time in early may, the total foreign exchange reserves stood at US $50 million. When the people had lost their patience, and began to agitate publicly but always non-violently against the obvious misrule of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government, the unrelenting cry of Go-Gota-gama (Gotabaya go home) rent the air, and eventually the president sacrificed his entire family and even his elder brother Mahinda who was his prime minister.to save his own throne. The use of the word throne to mean his office is no exaggeration. Reports have it that his office displays a throne-like chair which is placed well above his visitors;, giving the impression that he feels like a king presiding over his subjects. His behaviour since the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa and the installation of his arch-enemy Ranil Wickremasinghe in the prime ministers chair has at best been erratic. In less than two weeks, he has reshuffled his cabinet five times. He seems to have picked up his new ministers abruptly and droipped then in the next move and then recycle them in the still later move. But, even in this merry-g-round of politics, he hasnt found a person who can fit the bill of a finance minister. He has similarly played around with the adoption of the proposed 21st. Amendment to the Constitution which seeks to divest the president of all his executive powers. The proposal, which is aimed at neutralising the president extraordinary executive powers, if promoted into an act of Parliament, shall reduce Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the status of a figure-head. With his personal history open to anyone interested, it is difficult, rather impossible to imagine him agreeing to be so while he will have to live under the peoples watch and mercy. And if his intentions are above board, why is he delaying the Cabinets approval of the bill? It might be profitable at this juncture to recall why the 19th. Amendment to the 1978 J.R. Jayawardene-led Constitution was brought in by an overwhelming majority in Parliament (with just one vote in opposition). the 19th. Amendment provides that the President shall not dissolve Parliament until the expiration of a period not less than four years and six months from the date of appointment for its first meeting unless Parliament requests the President to do so by a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds by the total number of members (including those present) in its favour. Of course, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has the present Parliament under his thumb but the second largest party, Sajith Premadasa-led Samagi Jana Welavegaya, Maithripala Sirisena-led Sri Lanka Freedom Party, and the Independent Group from President Rajapaksa;s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna remain staunchly opposed to the continuing functioning of the Ranil Wickremasinghe government, labelling it as unlawful. In this dire situation, it is not even a moot point that Sri Lanka will pay any attention to the outward flow of Tamil refugees. This enlarges Indias burdensome task of striking the right policy to the economic refugees from Sri Lanka, the number of whom may rise in the coming days as the economy may take much longer time than being anticipated, which is six months. (Author: Apratim Mukarji is a veteran Sri Lnka-watcher. He is available at mukarjiapratim[at]gmail.com) A group of Australian companies new to Denver has teamed with the city to form the AUSDenver Business Hub at Galvanize Denver Platte, 1644 Platte St., according to a news release. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit says its goal is to support business relationships between Australia-owned businesses and the broader business community in Colorado. We are excited to launch our very own business hub and continue our work to build up a strong Australian business community in the city of Denver, President James Waddell said in the release. This is made possible with the partnership with Galvanize Denver (Platte) and the City & County of Denver. We welcome the first seven Australian-owned businesses (that have) landed in our hub, based out of the Galvanize facility, and look forward to recruiting more to our business community in the near future. Waddell is also the Australian honorary consul and has been in Denver for almost 20 years. He was formerly with the Downtown Denver Partnership. "There's a (healthy) ecosystem on the ground here," Waddell said in an interview. "It's much easier to pitch Australian companies to pick Denver with that. ... They're not even trying for San Francisco or New York anymore they're coming here." Of the seven companies in the Galvanize facility, two have built a presence in Denver after being wooed by incentives from the states Office of Economic Development and International Trade. They include: Acclime, a consulting company that touts itself as a premier provider of professional formation, accounting, tax, human resources & advisory services, according to its website. Assignar, a cloud-based construction operations software platform that was founded in Sydney. It has raised more than $30 million in funding since being founded in 2014, according to finsmes.com. For job openings, visit assignar.com. Agriwebb, also launched in Australia in 2014, operates livestock business management software (that) measures and provides insights into whats happening on-farm, according to its website. It has several Denver positions open on agriwebb.com. Baseup operates an enterprise parking platform that helps over 120,000 staff from organizations across North America and Australia getting access to their office parking, according to its website. For job openings, visit baseup.com. Coassemble provides an online training tool and was founded in Australia in 2016. There are Denver job openings at coassemble.com. Finder, a fintech company that provides users with an app-based financial comparison tool for making decisions about personal purchases, started operations in Denver in 2021 and plans to hire up to 200 people in coming years. Denver openings are at finder.com. Humanitix, an Australian nonprofit ticket-selling company, picked Denver as its United States headquarters last year. The compassionate capitalism company gives 100% of its booking fee profits to social causes in partnership with its network of childrens charities, according to Humanitix. It hopes to create 136 full-time Colorado jobs with an average salary of $52,276 in the next eight years. Job openings are at humanitix.com. AUSDenver will announce a series of business networking and seminar events soon. As Denvers global footprint has expanded over the past five years, we have enjoyed the momentum created by our ties and exchanges with Australia and Australian-based firms, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock said in the release. Seeing this business center open will underscore our already strong connections and ensure a successful future together. Waddell said Colorado and Australia share many similarities when it comes to a pioneering spirit. "Colorado is pretty welcoming," he said. "A collaborative nature exists between the nonprofit and for-profit worlds in Colorado that really resonates with Australians." The partnership with Galvanize has helped, he said. "For companies landing and expanding, it's very flexible. Galvanize offered very good deals, but we kind of negotiated in bulk," Waddell said. "Galvanize was really receptive. They 'got it.' Other office space companies we talked to saw it more as transactional than collaborative." Your morning rundown of the latest news from overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. 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 Four former Colorado Judicial Department employees will not face criminal charges tied to a state fraud audit into alleged misconduct because prosecutors say they didnt have enough time to investigate the matter before the statute of limitations to file a case would have expired, The Denver Gazette has learned. That the Denver district attorneys office received only a heavily redacted copy of the audit findings in February after the Judicial Department made a summary of it public nine months after fraud auditors had largely completed their investigation into alleged misconduct in the department merely added to the problem, several sources familiar with the inquiry told The Gazette. And although state law requires auditors to immediately alert law enforcement when any evidence of fraud is found, much of the delay was from lawyers within the Attorney Generals office and the Judicial Department and auditors disagreeing over what immediately actually meant: At the time auditors uncovered the alleged fraud or after their final report was finished, according to people familiar with those discussions. The four former employees Chief of Staff Mindy Masias, Chief Administrative Officer Eric Brown, State Court Administrator Christopher Ryan and an unidentified manager were referred to the DA for criminal investigation in February 2022 following a yearlong audit into allegations of a contract-for-silence scheme and a whistleblower letter that alleged even more widespread fraud within the Judicial Department. Although the audit report went through several rewritings before it was released, the essence of the investigation was finished months earlier, around May 2021, sources said. If DA investigators had gotten word of the auditor's discoveries at that time, the statute of limitations would not likely have been a factor, several sources confirmed. Then, when Denver prosecutors approached auditors, the Office of the State Court Administrator and the Attorney General's office to obtain the portions of the report that were either blacked out or missing, they were met with resistance that ranged from demands that prosecutors sign non-disclosure agreements to requirements they produce grand jury subpoenas to get it, several sources confirmed. As a result, prosecutors said they simply couldn't do their jobs in determining whether charges should be filed or not. We did not get the report with enough time to investigate the matter and therefore the matter is closed, Denver DA spokeswoman Carolyn Tyler told The Gazette. She would not elaborate. A spokesman for the Judicial Department said they cooperated fully when asked. "The state auditor's office completed a very thorough and extensive investigation and we cooperated with them," spokesman Jon Sarche said in an email to The Denver Gazette. "It was entirely under their purview to decide whether and when to refer it for criminal investigation. When the Denver district attorneys office contacted us, we were ready and willing to cooperate in any way they requested." A spokesman with the Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. State Auditor Kerri Hunter's office said Colorado's fraud hotline laws prevent it from commenting. The audit investigation was largely performed while Hunter's predecessor, Dianne Ray, was state auditor. She did not respond to efforts to reach her. The anonymous whistleblower letter was addressed to the governor's office and the state Supreme Court and mailed around April 2019, and a similar report was made to the state's fraud hotline. The writer of the 23-line undated letter, presumably a Judicial Department employee, referred to a number of concerns in the department such as allegations that employees receiving months of unexplained paid leave, and alleged coverups of fraud and wasteful spending. The writer wrote that "... everyone is terrified and sick of the corruption and coverups." Information about the contract was not a part of the letter. The Colorado Office of the State Auditor took on the investigation into the whistleblower letter in May 2019 at the request of then-Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan "Ben" Coats, who told auditors he "already had a chance to look into these allegations myself" before turning it over. Coats letter to auditors did not indicate the findings of his inquiry. News stories exposing the alleged quid-pro-quo multi-million-dollar contract given to former chief of staff Masias were first published in July 2019. Coats then asked the auditor's office to include the Masias contract in its inquiry. A performance audit of several problems identified in the letter was made public in December 2020 just before Coats retired, but the core of the fraud inquiry would continue until May 2021. Even the state auditors had a hard time obtaining information during their investigation, having to sign agreements with the Judicial Department over what they were allowed to see, a summary of their report showed. In some cases, they could take notes but couldn't make any copies of relevant documents. Auditors eventually concluded there was "at least some evidence of occupational fraud, illegal transactions, and/or misuse or embezzlement of public funds," according to an executive summary of the fraud report released by the Supreme Court in February 2022. Auditors also said they had given the Judicial Department "multiple opportunities to review the report and executive summary and redact information they identified as privileged, attorney work product or subject to other legal protections" prior to its release. The Denver district attorneys office received a redacted copy of the report the same day the court released the summary. The report itself has not been made public although Chief Justice Brian Boatright, who released the summary, did say the entire document would be shared with investigators. The department later said the DA's copy came from auditors. But prosecutors quickly determined the three-year statute of limitations to file any felony charges tied to the case was to expire in April or May 2022, leaving them only a couple of months to complete an inquiry that would typically take several months, according to several people familiar with the matter and with the investigative process. The statute of time to file any misdemeanor charges was even shorter. That basically meant no charges could be filed. State law appears to require that prosecutors be notified much sooner than they were. If the (auditors fraud) investigation finds evidence of apparently illegal transactions or misuse or embezzlement of public funds or property, the state auditors shall immediately report the matter to a law enforcement agency, a district attorney, or the attorney general, as appropriate, according to the states law regarding fraud hotline investigations. Auditors cited that law in their executive summary and their requirement to let law enforcement know what they found, but quote only the first half of the sentence and paraphrase the remainder, leaving out the operative word "immediately." Without elaborating, Denver prosecutors said they chose only to look into allegations that Masias and Brown had double-dipped the states pay system. The two allegedly received state compensation while being paid for work by an outside employer, according to the audit summary. Auditors determined Masias and Brown earned $17,200 and $26,800 respectively in state salaries in 2018 and 2019 while simultaneously being paid an undisclosed amount by outside employers. The two were sought-after speakers on personnel issues, mostly through the National Center for State Courts. "Based on the totality of the circumstances, the (Office of the State Auditor) concludes that there is at least some evidence of occupational fraud, apparently illegal transactions, and/or misuse or embezzlement of public funds," auditors wrote in a report summary. Although auditors said they also found that Masias and Brown attempted "to influence the (bidding process), sole-source contract, and related processes in favor of Ms. Masias" that ultimately ended up with her being awarded a judicial training contract worth up to $2.75 million, Tyler said prosecutors were not looking into that deal. The contract was canceled following the newspaper reports that exposed it. Boatrights statement in February did not specifically address a two-page memo that was allegedly at the center of the contract deal in which Masias reportedly threatened a sex discrimination lawsuit that would expose years of judicial misconduct that were intentionally kept quiet or put aside. Masias was being fired at the time over financial irregularities that occurred months earlier. According to their summary, auditors "found that Ms. Masias had access to potentially damaging information about the Judicial Branch. This information included notes about alleged sexual misconduct, discrimination, and other misconduct by Judicial Branch staff and judges. Additionally, there is evidence that Ms. Masias secretly recorded her conversation with former Chief Justice Nancy Rice, which included a discussion about why Ms. Masias was not selected to be State Court Administrator when she applied for that job." The contract scandal led to at least six different investigations five of them ongoing and the recent creation of a legislative committee to determine whether the states process of disciplining judges is in need of reform. At the time Boatright issued the audit summary he said the full report would be given to investigators of other pending inquiries, but did not say which of the five he meant. It is unclear if the investigators of the other inquiries were given a report as heavily redacted as the one the Denver DA received. One of those inquiries, by the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline, has subpoenaed the Judicial Department to compel its cooperation after it said it had been stonewalled. Ulysses for Psychonauts: Reading Ulysses to explore you consciousness News When: 14 June 2022, 19:00-21:00 Where: LiteraturHaus, Copenhagen Register on eventbrite: Ulysses for Psychonauts: Reading Ulysses to explore you consciousness Tickets, Thu 14 Jul 2022 at 19:00 | Eventbrite To mark Bloomsday and the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ulysses, the Irish Embassy in Denmark is delighted to host an engaging and interactive literary event with podcaster and author, Conner Habib, about how reading Ulysses can help you to explore your consciousness. 14 June 2022, 19:00-21:00LiteraturHaus, CopenhagenTo mark Bloomsday and the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ulysses, the Irish Embassy in Denmark is delighted to host an engaging and interactive literary event with podcaster and author, Conner Habib, about how reading Ulysses can help you to explore your consciousness. Its no secret that Joyces masterpiece is praised more often than its read. Do you want to know if a massive book like Ulysses, notoriously difficult, is worth it? What can you as a reader gain from a book with a reputation of such a dizzying, obscene, and baffling style? Ulysses moves in and out of thought and action and object and narration, and doesnt distinguish between what is what for you. Why? Because this is how we experience things in our day-to-day lives. The Joyce scholar Declan Kiberd said that Ulysses was designed to produce readers capable of reading Ulysses. Another way of putting this is that Ulysses is an exploration of consciousness, and by reading it, we become better at understanding ourselves and our own experiences. Join podcaster and author Conner Habib for your pathway into Ulysses as a first time or seasoned reader. In this interactive talk, well leave aside the right and wrong ways to interpret the book, and instead use the book to interpret ourselves, and to explore experience and consciousness. Join us from 19:00 on 14 June for a welcome drink, the event will commence at 19:30. This event will be in English. | Next Item Explanation of Vote - DPRK Statement Thank you Madam President. I wish to deliver an explanation of vote regarding Irelands position on this issue. Ireland voted in favour of todays draft resolution regarding the launch of an ICBM by the DPRK in contravention of Council Resolutions. The DPRKs actions threaten peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the wider region, as well as undermining the global disarmament and non-proliferation framework. Given the DPRKs continued destabilizing activities, this Council must be clear, determined and united in answering the DPRKs actions. The Resolution is a necessary and balanced response by Council. It is deeply regrettable that this Resolution has been blocked, in the face of such clear violations of Council Resolutions, and given the Councils earlier decision, under Resolution 2397, that it would take action should the DPRK conduct further ICBM launches. This sends a deeply negative message regarding the Councils willingness to uphold its own Resolutions, as well as regarding global disarmament and non-proliferation objectives. It undermines the aim of complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. The use of the veto to block Council action on this draft resolution is deeply regrettable, as indeed it is whenever it occurs. We know that our frustration is shared by the wider UN membership, as demonstrated in the consensus adoption of the veto initiative Resolution by the General Assembly in April. We look forward to the swift issuance of a Special Report by the Security Council in accordance with Article 24(3) of the Charter. Madam President, in concluding I wanted to repeat that Ireland has long called for an end to the use of the veto, and for the reform of this Security Council. We reiterate that call today. Thank you. Previous Item | Next Item The Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama recently presented Dean Mitchell, IOM, AACE, Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce executive director, the Chamber Professional of the Year award that recognizes the exemplary performance and leadership of an Alabama chamber executive to his or her local chamber. The award, recognizing the professional career achievements of the candidate, was presented at the CCAA Executive Leadership Conference held in Tuscaloosa. Dean Mitchell being named the 2022 Chamber Professional of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama comes as no surprise and is a well-deserved honor. As chairman of CCAA for two years, Deans thoughtful leadership and professionalism has left an indelible legacy for our organization and a lasting impression on those of us who are fortunate to call him friend, remarked 2022 CCAA Chair Crystal Brown. I am sure Dean will continue to have a positive impact on the Dothan area and our state for years to come. Paige G. Hutto, president and CEO of CCAA, said Mitchell is a true chamber professional. Since Dean joined the Dothan Area Chamber and the chamber industry he has given of his time and talent without fail. Dothan, the Wiregrass area, our state and our association are better for his service, Hutto said. His collaborative nature makes him a leader in all that he does. Mitchell has served the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce and his community since 2015 after a 25-year career working within the U.S. House of Representatives as a chief of staff and press secretary. Since arriving in the Wiregrass, he has served in a variety of leadership positions to include two-time Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama board chairman, Visit Dothan board chairman, Local Workforce Council board chairman, Southeast AlabamaWorks board chairman and on the board of the Business Council of Alabama. Mitchell is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Maggie, have three sons. In nominating Mitchell for this award, his nominator said, When talking about Dean the word that I think of to describe him would be partnership. Dean believes in efficiency and the need to create partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, state programs, local, state and federal representatives and other chamber organizations in order to achieve a common goal. To those in the Wiregrass area, Dean is the one they reach out to when they have an idea or need advice. He is a great advisor and mentor with the ability to keep everyone on task. Criteria that were evaluated included experience, training and education, service to CCAA and other professional organizations, service to chamber colleagues, ethical conduct in dealing with others, a highly developed sense of professionalism, leadership and an abiding desire to advance the profession of chamber management. Non-professional criteria evaluated included: non-chamber related community participation, civic participation, and religious, charitable and educational related activities. An out-of-state panel of chamber executives served as the review panel and award-selection committee. ESTO A traffic stop in Holmes County, Florida, led to the arrest of two Houston County residents. On May 24, a deputy with the Holmes County Sheriffs Office conducted a traffic stop on Alex Brown Road. The driver, Justin Jarrard of Dothan, told the deputy that his drivers license was suspended, according to a news release from the Holmes County Sheriffs Office. While the deputy was talking with the driver, another deputy observed marijuana in plain view inside the vehicle. The passenger, Mary Allison Foxworth of Webb, exited the vehicle and a probable cause search was conducted. During the search, deputies discovered a small container of methamphetamine and a syringe belonging to Jarrard. Upon searching Foxworths purse, deputies also found the shaft of a pen containing methamphetamine and a hydrocodone pill for which she did not have a prescription, the news release stated. Jarrard was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, driving while license suspended, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Foxworth was arrested and charged with possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Prior to having the vehicle towed, deputies conducted an inventory and located various tools and HVAC equipment with an estimated value of more than $20,000 items the Holmes County Sheriffs Office suspected may have been stolen during a burglary and theft in Geneva County. Holmes County Sheriffs investigators worked with the Geneva County Sheriffs Office to execute a search warrant, and the stolen property was recovered and turned over to Geneva County Sheriffs Office. Atlas opened a door for Kenny Bass. At a point where he couldnt handle being around a lot of people in public, the German shepherd service dog drew people to Bass. They asked questions and wanted to talk to Bass. Atlas kept him calm, and slowly, the former Marine began to welcome the interactions. I didnt realize having a service dog would draw so many people to me in public, Bass said. I actually thought I would get him, and he would keep people away. Bass avoided people when out in public, but with Atlas along Bass found himself enjoying being around people again. I didnt realize that was really the thing I needed, he said. Bass, joined by Atlas, will be the guest speaker during the Wiregrass Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday. The event starts at 10 a.m. at Sunset Memorial Park, located at 1700 Barrington Road in Dothan (turn off U.S. 231 about a mile north of the Dothan Pavilion). The veteran will speak about The Battle Buddy Foundation, a nonprofit Bass co-founded to help other combat veterans secure service dogs at no cost. It is an expensive endeavor trained service dogs can cost tens of thousands of dollars and can take up to three years to train a dog that serves the needs of specific veterans, whether they have mobility issues or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Even once The Battle Buddy Foundation hands over the leash, so to speak, they continue to help in the service dogs ongoing care. Bass served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2000 to 2004. In his early 20s, he was among the troops in Iraq for the 2003 invasion. About six months into his time in Iraq, Bass was on a patrol that was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED). While outwardly he seemed fine, Bass actually sustained a brain injury, although not much was really known about such brain injuries at the time, so he was back on the battlefield the next day. Bass spent another two months in Iraq before returning to Camp Pendleton in California. Other Marines noticed something was different about Bass and suggested he seek help. In the eight years after he left the Marines, he went from taking three pills a day to as many as 33 pills a day. Along with the brain injury, Bass had PTSD. He had extreme anxiety and was hyper-vigilant when in public. Nightmares would waken him. He spent most of his days at his local Veterans Affairs trying to get help. He became suicidal. At one point, a VA doctor suggested a service dog. The VA, however, would not pay for one, and Bass nearly gave up when he learned the cost associated with training such a dog. But I had some support around me, and some people raised some of the initial funding, he said. A Marine buddy who served with him in Iraq suggested he not only raise money for his own service dog but take up the cause for other combat veterans in need. That was really the epiphany, I guess, that turning point in my life where I had the realization that the last eight years and all that struggle, all that pain even how close I came to taking my own life how hard a lot of that was, but there was actually a purpose to all of that, Bass said. Atlas has been with Bass for 10 years now. One of the biggest things Atlas helps Bass with is nightmare interruption. Atlas is trained to wake Bass up once he shows signs of having a nightmare. But most of what Atlas does is help Bass in public. I rely on him more to kind of be hyper-aware and allow myself to be more present with people wherever we are experiencing what were experiencing, Bass said. Hes definitely given me parts of my life back that without him just make life difficult, much less enjoyable. The Battle Buddy Foundation has had about 50 dogs in the program. Not all dogs work out they may not do well in public, for example but even those dogs are placed with veterans whose needs dont require the same level of discipline. For more information about The Battle Buddy Foundation, visit tbbf.org. Sunset Memorial Park is taking donations to help cover the cost of a service dog for The Battle Buddy Foundation. Sunset will be matching whatever money is raised through Memorial Day. There are three ways to donate: Venmo by searching @Sunsetmem in the Businesses option; drop off or mail donations to Sunset Memorial Park at 1700 Barrington Road, Dothan, AL 36303; or donate at the event on Memorial Day. The moment I heard Kennys story I was incredibly moved, Sunset owner Robert Byrd said in a release. Its unreal the comfort, support and help these service dogs can provide to veterans. They protect them, help with anxiety and even wake them during nightmares. But service dogs are very expensive. Were aiming to raise about $30,000 for The Battle Buddy Foundation. Ive witnessed the generosity of this community. And I have no doubt well do our best. Peggy Ussery is a Dothan Eagle staff writer and can be reached at aussery@dothaneagle.com or 334-712-7963. Support her work and that of other Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.com. 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. International schools in Vietnam, which charge up to $34,700 a year, are too expensive and foreign families don't have other choices, readers said. "The prices of private international schools in Vietnam are out of reason and not to justify. They target embassy and corporate contracts but don't care for individuals paying their school fees out of their own pocket who depend on scholarships and the goodwill of the schools admission. Government should regulate the system. Public schools require Vietnamese language. That's no option for two years to stay." Christian Grajek "Even the famous Harvard demands only 54,002 USD/year. Anyone who sends his/her kids to such schools must be a fool. Money can buy many things, but never the intelligence." jnartca "A waste of money, more so if paid out of own pockets. Speaking of own experience having sent own kids to international schools (companies paid), a total rip-off. Many teachers at these schools are not even qualified to teach and kept moving on to the next country/adventure after a few years. If you have money to spend, better send your kids to really top schools abroad. Just a marketing gimmick preying on many rich parents looking to buy bragging rights or because their kids are not competitive enough in the local schools. These international schools really don't make your kids smarter." KIBO "These are essentially holding companies masquerading as educational centers." miniredsatan "Supply and demand issues!! Public school need to improve, with quality i.e trained teachers, sufficient teachers to numbers of students, else today parents will not place their kids under these public schools guidance. Hence private school fees will continue to rise, as long there is demand." bambeelow At a recent informal NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Berlin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed the Alliance remains committed to supporting a democratic, independent, and sovereign Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched this war thinking he could eliminate Ukraine as an independent country and divide NATO. Instead, declared Secretary Blinken, hes only reinforced Ukraines sovereignty and independence as Ukraine has chased the Russian army away from Kyiv. Every member of the Alliance wants to bring this war to an end as soon as possible, said Secretary Blinken, but were equally determined to maintain our security assistance to Ukraine, to continue our sanctions, export controls, and diplomatic pressure on Russia for as long as its necessary. The United States and our allies and partners are focused on giving Ukraine as strong a hand as possible on the battlefield, and at any negotiating table, so that it can repel Russian aggression and fully defend its independence and sovereignty. The United States and its allies and partners have marshaled a robust transatlantic response to aid the more than 6 million refugees who have fled Ukraine, said Secretary Blinken: The United States has provided millions of dollars in assistance to countries taking in Ukrainian citizens to help provide essential support and services. Our countries are also coming together to address some of the broader consequences that are flowing from Russias aggression, like the global food shortages and rising food prices that were seeing. We know that in supporting Ukraine were also defending the principles of sovereignty and independence that are foundational to global peace and security. American diplomats have returned to Ukraine after several weeks working out of Poland, said Secretary Blinken. Were reopening our Embassy in Kyiv. . .and we will resume operations very soon. Secretary Blinken also reaffirmed NATOs Open Door policy and the right of all countries to determine their own futures, policies, and security arrangements. As such, the United States strongly supports the formal NATO applications of Sweden and Finland to the Alliance. The United States looks forward to the June NATO summit in Madrid when the Alliance will release its new Strategic Concept, which will outline the current security environment and outline how the Alliance will sustain and strengthen transatlantic security in the face of President Putins aggression as well as other threats and challenges over the next decade. On May 18, the Governments of Finland and Sweden applied for membership to the NATO defensive alliance. The countries applications are a direct result of the Putin regimes unprovoked and full-scale invasion of its neighbor, Ukraine, as both of these formerly militarily non-aligned countries have come to the conclusion the security they will gain far outweighs the risk of antagonizing Russias leadership. President Joe Biden welcomed the two countries decision. "Finland and Sweden make NATO stronger," Biden said. "And a strong, united NATO is the foundation of America's security." Although Finland was colonized by Imperial Russia and then fought two wars, as an independent nation, against the Soviet Union in the 20th century -- one from 1939-40 and the other from 1941-1944 in the post-World War II period, Helsinki has retained close economic ties with Moscow and has remained militarily neutral. Sweden has had a history of military non-alignment for two centuries. Although both Finland and Sweden have deepened their cooperation with NATO in recent years, in the past, neither the countries political leaders nor the majority of their citizens showed interest in becoming NATO members. Now, that has changed. One of the terrible ironies emerging from the Kremlins brutal war of choice against Ukraine, is that Vladimir Putin is precipitating the very thing he claimed he feared and wanted to prevent: the expansion of NATO. The inclusion of Finland and Sweden will bolster the security of the three Baltic countries that presently form NATOs north-eastern flank and help neutralize the Russian Federations recent aggressive expansion from the Kola Peninsula into the Arctic region. In the face of Putins aggression, the NATO Alliance defensive and peace-seeking from the start -- remains strong, united, and a beacon to nations determined to protect their sovereignty and their people. Having two new NATO members in the high north will enhance the security of our alliances and deepen our security cooperation across the board, said President Biden. Today there is no question NATO is relevant, that its effective and that its more needed now than ever." In advance of the May meeting of the World Health Assembly, the WHA, which is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization, the WHO, Secretary of State Antony Blinken strongly advocated for Taiwan to be allowed to participate as an observer and lend its expertise to the solution-seeking discussions. For most of the past 50 years Taiwan participated robustly in certain UN specialized agencies where statehood is not a requirement. Recently, however, its engagement in these fora has been constrained. In a written statement, Secretary Blinken noted that todays unprecedented health threats demand close international cooperation. The annual meeting of the World Health Assembly is an opportunity, he said, to drive cooperation towards ending the acute phase of the COVID 19 pandemic and advancing global health and global health security. . .Inviting Taiwan to attend the WHA as an observer would exemplify the WHOs commitment to an inclusive approach to international health cooperation and health for all. At a press briefing, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price pointed out that Taiwans expertise and approaches in the realm of global health -- and beyond that realm as well -- can benefit the world. He noted that the WHO broke years of precedent at the 70th World Health Assembly in 2017 when it failed to invite a Taiwanese delegation to attend as an observer a failure that has been maintained every year since then. As we continue to battle a pandemic, as we continue to confront other public health threats, Taiwans isolation from the worlds preeminent global health forumitself represents a serious health concern, Spokesperson Price said. We believe that [Taiwans] significant public health expertise, its technical and technological capabilities, its democratic governance, its resilience in the face of COVID-19 and its robust economy offer considerable resources to inform the WHAs deliberations, and we believe there is no reasonable justification to exclude its participation. Secretary Blinken declared that the United States will continue to support Taiwans membership in international organizations where statehood is not a requirement and encourage Taiwans meaningful participation in organizations where its membership is not possible, in line with our One China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three U.S.-China Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances. Bloomberg: China offered Sri Lanka a loan to help the country pay for essential consumer items and fertilizers, according to a report from the Financial Times citing the Sri Lankan prime minister. Can the foreign ministry confirm this loan to Sri Lanka and can you provide any more details? Wang Wenbin: I would like to refer you to competent authorities for the specifics. I want to reiterate that China fully relates to the difficulties and challenges faced by Sri Lanka and stands ready to play a constructive role in its steady economic and social development. CCTV: Many countries including Argentina have expressed their readiness to join BRICS since the beginning of this year. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said on May 25 that Russia supports BRICS expansion proposed by China. As China takes over the chairship this year, what is Chinas consideration for the enlargement? Wang Wenbin: BRICS is an important mechanism for cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries, and a key platform for South-South cooperation. For 16 years since its inception, BRICS has maintained a sound momentum with practical cooperation in various areas deepening and substantiating. It has become a positive, stabilizing and constructive force on the international stage with rising international influence and appeal. Since its inception, BRICS has been closely linked to the destiny of emerging markets and developing countries. Having completed its first membership expansion, the New Development Bank (NDB) will provide financial support to more developing countries and raise the voice and influence of the NDB in the international financial system. Facing the once-in-a-century changes and pandemic which are compounded by international hotspot issues, BRICS countries agree that it is important to enhance cooperation with other emerging markets and developing countries, further improve the representation of BRICS, make BRICS voice in major international and regional issues more widely heard, join hands to meet challenges, and uphold the common interests and development space of emerging markets and developing countries. As the BRICS Chair this year, China actively supports the start of BRICS expansion process and broaden BRICS Plus cooperation. The recently-held Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs reached consensus on the BRICS expansion process and held the first ever BRICS Plus foreign ministers meeting, which fully shows that the BRICS cooperation is open and inclusive. China will work on BRICS parties to continue to have in-depth discussions on BRICS expansion and determine the standards and procedures for that on the basis of consensus. We look forward to more like-minded partners joining the big family of BRICS. Nikkei: State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay a virtual visit to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) soon. What activities are scheduled? Also, the FSM signed the Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: Before I answer your question, I would like to brief you on State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yis just-concluded visit to Solomon Islands. Yesterday, during his visit to Solomon Islands, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Acting Governor General Patteson Oti. He also held talks with Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele and jointly met the press with him. State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that friendship, whenever it happens, is cherishable. The diplomatic relationship between China and Solomon Islands was established not very long ago, but it had a good start and has witnessed steady and rapid development. The two countries see deepening political mutual trust and broad prospects for practical cooperation and have become close friends with mutual trust and good partners with mutual support. Facts have proven that Solomon Islands political decision to establish diplomatic relations with China is totally in line with the trend of development and progress of the times as well as the fundamental and long-term interests of the people of Solomon Islands. China is willing to work with Solomon Islands in the spirit of seizing the day and giving full play to the late starters advantage to consolidate bilateral relations and deepen cooperation and bring more benefits to the two peoples. State Councilor Wang Yi further expounded on three principles for China and Solomon Islands to promote security cooperation. First, we fully respect the sovereignty of Solomon Islands. China-Solomon Islands cooperation is based on Solomon Islands needs and requirements, on the premise of Solomon Islands consent, and on the basis of equal consultation. It is never Chinas foreign policy or the Chinese style, to impose deals on others, interfere in Solomon Islands internal affairs, or damage other countries interests. Second, we help maintain the social stability of Solomon Islands. China-Solomon Islands security cooperation includes assistance in maintaining social order, protecting peoples lives and property, and providing humanitarian relief and natural disaster response in accordance with the law at the request of Solomon Islands. The aim is to help Solomon Islands strengthen police capacity-building, address the security governance deficit and maintain domestic stability and lasting peace and security. China-Solomon Islands security cooperation is totally aboveboard. It was not imposed on anyone, does not target any third party or intends to establish a military base. Third, the cooperation goes in parallel with regional arrangements. China supports Pacific Island Countries in strengthening security cooperation and working together to address regional security challenges. China supports the existing regional security cooperation arrangements. At the same time, China-Solomon Islands security cooperation and the existing regional arrangements complement each other, sharing the same objectives and interests. China-Solomon Islands security cooperation conforms to the common interests of Solomon Islands and the South Pacific region. The leadership of Solomon Islands said that China has become the largest infrastructure partner and a reliable development partner of Solomon Islands. They thanked China for providing anti-pandemic supplies and rapid testing equipment and dispatching medical teams to Solomon Islands. They also appreciated Chinas timely provision of police supplies and sending police advisors to help maintain social security after the rioting took place in Honiara. The cooperation between Solomon Islands and China is based on equal treatment and mutual respect, with closer ties in various fields that bring tangible benefits to Solomon Islands people. During his visit, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also stated Chinas position on developing relations with Pacific Island countries. He stressed that China will continue to follow four principles when developing relations with PICs. First, equal treatment. Its Chinas consistent stance that all countries, big or small, are equal. When developing friendly relations with PICs, China will uphold justice while pursuing shared interests and follow the principle of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith. China regards PICs as an important part of South-South cooperation and an important partner in building a community with a shared future for mankind. Second, mutual respect. China always respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of PICs, as well as the PICs peoples efforts to explore development paths in line with their own national conditions. When conducting exchanges and cooperation with PICs, we never interfere in their internal affairs, never attach any political strings, and never seek any geopolitical self-interest. Third, win-win cooperation. China will continue to be an advocate, builder and promoter of PICs development. China stays committed to deepening pragmatic cooperation with PICs in various fields, sincerely helping PICs develop the economy, improve peoples well-being and enhance the capacity for self-driven development, and sharing the dividends of Chinas development with the PICs people. Fourth, openness and inclusiveness. The South Pacific region should be a stage for cooperation, rather than an arena for vicious competition. Chinas cooperation with PICs doesnt target any country, nor will it be disrupted by any country. At the same time, we respect the various ties that PICs have established with other countries, and are open-minded about carrying out more tripartite cooperation with other countries inside and outside the region. With regard to State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wangs virtual visit to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) you asked about, we will release relevant information in due course. As for the signing of the Compact of Free Association between the FSM and the US as you mentioned, we have no objection to normal cooperation between countries, but we hope that such cooperation will not target any third party. AFP: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called yesterday for vigorous competition with China to preserve the existing global order. He said that Beijing posed the most serious long-term challenge to the international order. I wonder if you have any comment on this? Wang Wenbin: In his verbose speech, Secretary Blinken went to great length to spread disinformation, play up the so-called China threat, interfere in Chinas internal affairs and smear Chinas domestic and foreign policy. The sole purpose is to contain and suppress Chinas development and maintain the US hegemony. China deplores and rejects this. Id like to stress the following: First, humanity is now living in a new era of connectivity, where all countries share a common future and their interests are closely intertwined. The pursuit of peace, development and win-win results is an unstoppable trend of the times. In the face of changes unseen in a century, we must stick together and promote solidarity and cooperation if we want to uphold world peace and stability, meet the challenge of COVID-19 and revitalize the global economy. The US sensationalization of the so-called China threat cannot solve its own problems, and will only lead the world to a dangerous abyss. Second, the US side is completely confusing right and wrong when calling China the most serious long-term challenge to the international order. China was, is and will remain a defender of the international order. We uphold the UN-centered international system, the international order based on international law and the basic norms governing international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. People with discerning eyes can easily see that the so-called rules-based international order claimed by the US is nothing but a set of house rules established by the US and a handful of other countries to maintain the so-called order led by the US. The US always puts its domestic law above international law, and cherry-picks international rules as it sees fit in a pragmatic way. This is the biggest source of instability in the international order. Third, peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom are the common values of humanity. Democracy and human rights have historical, specific and practical contexts. Countries can only explore suitable paths in light of national realities and peoples needs. There is no one-size-fits-all model. No country has the right to monopolize the definition of democracy and human rights, to lecture others on those issues, or to meddle in other countries internal affairs under the pretext of human rights. The US is running a huge deficit in democracy and human rights with its deplorable track record. Is it in a position to posture as a guardian of democracy and human rights and criticize other countries on these issues? Fourth, China advocates the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and holds that the future of the world should be decided by all countries together. Countries should build partnerships featuring equal treatment, consultation and mutual understanding. Major countries should take the lead in charting a new course of international engagement of dialogue and partnership rather than confrontation and alliance. Creating small cliques is reversing the course of history. Forging small groups is against the trend of history. The US creates the so-called Indo-Pacific strategy to rope in regional countries to encircle and contain China, and claims to shape the strategic environment around Beijing. This move to gang up on China will get no support and is doomed to fail. Fifth, Chinas diplomacy champions and practices the five principles of peaceful coexistence, stays committed to establishing and developing friendly and cooperative relations with all countries, calls for equality of all countries regardless of size, and opposes imposing ones own will on others. The label of coercive diplomacy can by no means be pinned on China. The US is the inventor of and the synonym to coercive diplomacy. Those being coerced by the US could be big or small, close or distant, and friend or foe. The US obsession with bullying has brought deep sufferings to the international community. It is high time that the US worked on this bad habit. Sixth, issues relating to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet are purely Chinas internal affairs. Resolving the Taiwan question and achieving complete national reunification is the shared aspiration and firm will of all the Chinese people. There is no room for any compromise. The US said that it does not support Taiwan independence, but it is not practicing what it says. The US has violated the political commitment it made to China time and again, trying to hollow out the one-China principle and embolden the Taiwan independence forces. It is such moves that attempt to change the status quo and constitute severe threats to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Xinjiang-related issues are essentially about fighting violent terrorism, extremism and separatism. The accusations of genocide and forced labor have long been proven lies of the century. The US is risking its own credibility by insisting on spreading those lies. Hong Kong is part of China. When implementing the policy of people of Hong Kong administering Hong Kong, the guiding document can only be Chinas Constitution and the Basic Law of Hong Kong, not the Sino-British Joint Declaration. We urge the US to abide by basic norms governing international relations, stop using the above-mentioned issues to interfere in Chinas internal affairs, and stop spreading lies and disinformation. We solemnly warn the US side not to underestimate the strong resolution, will and capability of the Chinese people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Seventh, while talking about competition with China, the US is actually overstretching the concept of national security to impose illegal unilateral sanctions, exercise long-arm jurisdiction and seek decoupling and industrial chain breakage, which have gravely undermined the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and deprived other countries of the right to development. This is by no means responsible competition, but rather unscrupulous suppression and containment. The key for the China-US relationship to walk out of the predicament is for the US side to abandon its mania for zero-sum games, give up its obsession with encircling and containing China and stop undermining China-US relations. The China-US relationship is now at an important crossroads. Antagonism and confrontation or dialogue and cooperation? Mutual benefit and win-win cooperation or zero-sum game? The US side should make the right choices bearing in mind the common interests of people in both countries and the world. It needs to act on President Bidens remarks that the US does not seek a new Cold War with China; it does not aim to change Chinas system; the revitalization of its alliances is not targeted at China; the US does not support Taiwan independence; and it has no intention to seek a conflict with China. We have noted that Secretary Blinken said in his speech that the US is not looking for conflict or a new Cold War with China; it doesnt seek to block China from its role as a major power, nor to stop China from growing its economy; and it wants to coexist peacefully with China. We are watching what the US will do. China Daily: Recently, some people in certain Western countries have been accusing China of hoarding grains in the international market. They demand more actions from China for global food security. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: The Chinese government always attaches great importance to the issue of food security. We follow a vision on food security that is centered on self-sufficiency in grain supply and absolute security of staple grains. The year 2021 marks the seventh consecutive year that China secured an annual grain production of over 1.3 trillion jin (650 million tonnes). China stands as the worlds largest grain producer and third largest grain exporter. We have the capability and confidence of being self-reliant in securing our own food supply. It is unnecessary for China to hoard grains in the international market. China has managed to feed one fifth of the worlds population with a quarter of the worlds total food production on less than 9% of the worlds arable land. This achievement is in itself a significant contribution to world food security. In the meantime, China has shown its responsibility as a major country and made positive contributions to ensuring global food security. Under the Global Development Initiative put forward by China, food security is one of the eight priority areas of cooperation. We will mobilize efforts from all parties across the globe to draw on each others advantages, and pool the strength for achieving all sustainable development goals including food security. China has always been an important strategic partner of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in South-South cooperation. In recent years, we have donated a total of $130 million to the FAOs South-South Cooperation Programme. China has sent a large number of experts and technical personnel to countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and to Pacific Island Countries. China has donated the largest amount of fund, sent the most experts, and undertaken the most projects under the framework of the FAOs South-South Cooperation Programme among all developing countries. Since the start of COVID-19, China has responded actively to the appeal of the UN and other international organizations by providing emergency food assistance to many countries. Chinas contribution to stabilizing world food production and supply has been widely praised by the international community. Besides, China actively advocates reducing food loss and food waste. If the world can reduce food loss by one percentage point, we can save up to 28 million tonnes of food that is enough to feed 70 million people. President Xi Jinping has stressed the importance of food conservation on many occasions. In 2021, China held the International Conference on Food Loss and Waste, which received warm response from the international community including G20 member states. We are sad to see that in many developing countries with food shortage, people dont have enough to eat while in some developed countries, food often goes uneaten and gets dumped in the trash can. The amount of food wasted in developed countries each year is nearly as much as the sum of food produced in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the US Department of Agriculture, food waste is estimated at between 30-40% of the food supply in the US. In 2018, food waste in the US totaled 103 million tons, with an approximate value of $161 billion. We urge relevant countries to reduce food waste, fulfill their due international obligations and shoulder more international responsibilities. Instead of racking their brains to make an issue of other countries, they should do their own homework well, take earnest efforts to save food, maintain the steady operation of international trade in agricultural products and help developing countries improve the capacity of food production in order to uphold global food security. The more difficult the situation is, the more important it is for us to enhance solidarity. At a time when the international food supply chain is coming under impact, we call on all countries to shoulder common responsibility. We should increase food supply by stabilizing production, reducing food loss and ensuring smooth supply, and at the same time reduce food loss and food waste and make earnest efforts in food conservation in order to safeguard global food security. Kyodo News: According to reports, cargo trains carrying medical supplies entered the DPRK from Dandong, China on Thursday night. Can you confirm this? Wang Wenbin: I am not aware of the information you mentioned. Bloomberg: Just on the speech by Antony Blinken. You mentioned that Blinken was spreading disinformation. I wonder if you could elaborate a little bit about that in terms of specific examples or what exactly you were referring to when you mentioned spreading disinformation. And also secondly, you said that China is watching what the US will do. Could you give some specific examples in terms of Taiwan, for example? What will you be looking at? What sort of areas will you be looking at? Wang Wenbin: Let me start with your first question. You asked me to give you an example of what Secretary Blinken said was disinformation. Here is a typical example. Secretary Blinken said that China poses the most serious long-term challenge to the international order. This is a classic piece of disinformation. International rules and order have been clearly defined. China has always maintained that all countries should firmly uphold the international system with the UN at its core, international order underpinned by international law, and basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. China has always been a staunch defender of the international order. Secretary Blinken said that China poses the most serious long-term challenge to the international order. What will you call it if not disinformation? We urge the US side to follow Chinas example and make a clear statement that it firmly upholds the international system with the UN at its core, international order underpinned by international law, and basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, instead of smearing and attacking others. As to your second question, I made clear Chinas position just now. We urge the US to bear in mind the common interests of people in both countries and the world. It should act on President Bidens remarks that the US does not seek a new Cold War with China; it does not aim to change Chinas system; the revitalization of its alliances is not targeted at China; the US does not support Taiwan independence; and it has no intention to seek a conflict with China. The US should work with China to find a way for our two major countries to get along with peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and win-win cooperation. Shenzhen TV: According to reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said at the World Economic Forum annual conference that the US and NATO were involved in actions that provoked Moscow to wage war on Ukraine. Iran supports resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict via dialogue and diplomatic means. What is Chinas comment? Wang Wenbin: China has noted the statements by Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. This once again shows that the international community has a clear and objective understanding about the due responsibility the US should assume in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In fact, among the more than 190 members of the United Nations, more than 140 countries, home to more than six billion people, have refused to impose sanctions on Russia. The vast majority of countries in the world disapprove applying unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdictions without the basis of international law or the Security Councils mandate, and oppose picking sides or engaging in bloc confrontation. The US should heed the objective voice for justice in the international community, earnestly reflect on its due responsibility in the Ukraine crisis, and start comprehensive talks with Russia as soon as possible to create conditions for the political settlement of the crisis. It should not watch the fire burning from a distance, still less fan the flame. Bloomberg: I would like to ask about reports that Fiji will join the US in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. This makes it the first Pacific Island Country to do so. Do you have any comments on Fijis participation in the US economic initiative? Wang Wenbin: Recently, we have elaborated on Chinas position on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework on multiple occasions. The Asia-Pacific should become the pacesetter of peace and development, not a chessboard for geopolitical contest. An initiative that truly contributes to regional development should follow the principles of openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, instead of being used to build walls, create division and stoke confrontation. This is the shared voice of countries in the region. China is ready to work with other countries in the region to practice true multilateralism, build an open regional economy and make the Asia-Pacific region a better place. The Mine Safety and Health Administration has issued a final report on a Sept. 15, 2021, fatality at the Freeport-McMoRan Morenci mine, a surface copper operation at Morenci, Arizona. The report said Cleveland Sloan, a 33-year-old contract welder with over 10 years of mining experience, crawled into the confined space inside a stainless steel pipe he was welding and died of asphyxiation due to the argon gas used in the welding process. According to MSHAs report, at about 6 a.m. a PVB Fabrications welding crew went to a pipe project site and attended a general safety meeting, as well as a Job Risk Assessment, a pre-work meeting about potential safety hazards and mitigation methods. Sloan and another welder began welding a 30-inch pipe. Dams were placed less than five feet apart on the two sides of a joint, and the space was filled with argon gas to purge the ambient air. As the welders created the root weld, they noticed sugar on the weld, indicating the argon gas had not fully purged the ambient air. Sloan exchanged the argon bottle with a new, full argon gas bottle. While waiting for the gas to purge the ambient air, the other welder saw Sloans hard hat at the end of the pipe and could not locate Sloan. Another person came to the scene and got a flashlight and they saw Sloan about 40 feet inside the pipe. A first responder with a breathing apparatus used a rope to retrieve Sloan. The MSHA report said the contractor did not 1) train the contract miners on the hazards and proper safety precautions concerning argon gas; 2) verify a respirable atmosphere before a contract miner entered a confined space; 3) confirm that contract miners entering confined spaces were wearing safety belts and lines, and were monitored by an additional miner to adjust their lines, as necessary; and 4) have a written program to require miners to erect barricades or warning signs to prevent or warn miners from entering confined spaces. MSHA provided this list of best practices: Remove dangerous working materials and gasses by means of a high volume of fresh airflow before entering confined spaces. Assess risks and hazards before beginning work activities to determine what personal protective equipment and atmospheric testing is needed prior to entry and during work execution. Test atmospheres from a safe location with a calibrated gas monitor capable of detecting harmful and noxious gasses before entering and continuously while working in confined spaces. Designate a miner to maintain contact with the miner entering a confined space in the form of visual or voice contact, or signal lines. Ensure miners use the appropriate PPE, including dry, flame-retardant clothing and respiratory protection equipment. Train miners to identify confined spaces and understand their associated hazards. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 0 RENO, Nev. (AP) Making a late bid to derail the Nevada Republican whom Donald Trump has endorsed for governor, ex-U.S. Sen. Dean Heller attacked front-runner Joe Lombardo's stands on key conservative issues while characterizing him as best friends with Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak. Lombardo, head of the Las Vegas police department, urged Heller and the other GOP candidates Wednesday night to follow the former president's lead and embrace what he called his imminent nomination in the June 14 primary. For all practical purposes, this primary is over, Lombardo said during a spirited debate before early voting begins on Saturday. There's nothing more to argue about, he said. I'm leading in all the polls. I have the most money associated with a successful campaign. I have the endorsement of President Donald Trump. ... We need to come together." Heller, who had a complicated relationship with Trump as both a friend and foe before he lost his Senate seat in 2018, lit into Lombardo during the hour-long debate in Las Vegas. Do you want a proven conservative, or do you want someone who is best friends with Steve Sisolak?" Heller said. Sheriff Lombardo and Steve Sisolak contribute to each others campaigns. They raise money for each other. They sit on each others transition committees, he said. "We have two people identical Sisolak and Lombardo. Reno attorney Joey Gilbert, North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee and venture capitalist Guy Nohra joined the other two on the debate stage in search of the GOP nomination. All five said they would oppose any new gun restrictions in the wake of the Texas school shooting, although Lombardo said he differed from the others in that he does not advocate a constitutional right to carry a concealed weapon. On other topics, Lombardo and Lee broke from the others in saying they would not send National Guard troops to the U.S. border with Mexico if elected governor. Heller claimed he would be the biggest champion of efforts to roll back abortion rights, and he criticized Lombardo and Gilbert for failing to take a strong enough pro-life stand. Reeves Oyster, a Sisolak campaign spokesperson, said the debate proved that no Republican candidate running for governor has the experience, plan or temperament needed to move Nevada forward." Oyster added: While Republicans tout their `A' ratings from the gun lobby and Nevada Right to Life, Governor Sisolak is lowering costs for all Nevadans, growing our economy and fighting for safer communities." During Wednesday's debate, Lombardo insisted he is pro-life and would consider proposals to restrict abortion rights or repeal existing state law making abortion legal in Nevada through the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. But he declined to commit to any specifics. Gilbert said he too is pro-life but added that, at the end of the day ... Nevada is a pro-choice state and we'd have to respect that. Heller said that effectively means they're both pro-choice. When you say that you are going to support the laws we have in place but I'm pro-life, that makes you pro-choice, Heller said. I'm going to do everything I possibly can to make Nevada a pro-life state, he said. I will introduce legislation. I'll raise the money necessary to overturn the abortion statutes we have here in the state of Nevada. Each of the five Republicans said the school shooting in Texas had more to do with a lack of mental health resources than gun regulations. We have enough gun laws, said Gilbert, who wants to end a ban on concealed weapons at Nevada schools and colleges. These always seem to happen in gun-free zones. Lee said he wants to expedite processing of concealed weapon licenses for those who need them to defend themselves. Heller said he wouldnt support any new restrictions on Nevadans right to carry a gun, concealed or otherwise. I think we have proven in Chicago and New York City that excessive tax or gun laws do not work. I dont want to stand here ... and negotiate away our Second Amendment rights here in the state of Nevada, Heller said. Lombardo, who helped lead the investigation into the 2017 mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip that left 59 dead, said the killings in Texas were a tragic event similar to what occurred locally. ... Ive lived that experience. Im different than the rest of the candidates. I dont support a `constitutional carry.' I believe training should go along with it," Lombardo said. I do support the evaluation of a persons mental capacity and the ability to possess a gun and I also support background checks. Not universal, but regular background checks associated with removing an individual who is prohibited and may or may not need to possess a gun, he said. Eds: This story corrects an earlier version that incorrectly reported the first name of North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee. 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 A leaked draft opinion on May 2 overturning the landmark abortion decision in Roe v. Wade set off a firestorm of rage directed at the conservative Supreme Court Justices. Protesters surrounded the Supreme Court building and marched on the homes of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Samuel Alito. The draft opinion written by Justice Alito in the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization case rejected the courts abortion jurisprudence in both Roe and in the Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision. We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives, Alito writes in a document marked as Opinion of the Court. In 1973, the Court held in Roe the right of personal privacy includes the abortion decision, but that this right is not unqualified and must be considered against important state interests in regulation. Roe did not legalize all abortions. It invented a trimester system of state authority with little authority in the first trimester, but considerable authority including possible bans in the third trimester when a baby is viable outside the womb. In 1992, a divided court in the Casey case upheld the essential holding of Roe, but dispensed with the trimester approach in favor of the current viability standard. Under this approach, a state could protect the potentiality of human life through legislation once a fetus reached viability, around 24 weeks. In the Dobbs case, a Mississippi law prohibits abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, several weeks before viability, thereby conflicting with both the Roe and Casey cases. The Roe decision was always controversial among constitutional law experts. It was based on a Court created right to privacy, a right not enumerated in the Constitution. Even the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal icon, was a Roe critic. Ginsburg supported the holding recognizing abortion rights, but not the right to privacy Constitutional basis. If the court overturns Roe, abortion will not be barred across America. Some states may ban it, but other states, like California and New York, will allow abortion on demand right up to the last day of pregnancy. In 1990, Nevada voters approved Question 7 that gave state constitutional protection to Nevada law (NRS 442.250) making abortion legal within 24 weeks. It passed with 63.5% of the vote and the Nevada legislature may not alter the law, unless its first repealed by state voters. Polls consistently show voters support legal abortion. A recent Fox News poll found nearly two-thirds (63%) want Roe kept in place. Only 27% of voters favor overturning Roe. While there are partisan differences, Democrats (by 61 points), independents ( 41 points) and Republicans ( 13 points), agree Roe should stand. But unlimited abortion is not a popular position. The same Fox Poll found banning abortion after 15 weeks (the Mississippi provision ) was favored by 54% of voters, with 41% opposed. Nevada Republican Senate frontrunner Adam Laxalt praised the potential Supreme Court decision as a historic victory for the sanctity of life. But, he also said abortion is settled law in Nevada. Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Joe Lombardo agreed. Abortion policy is already addressed in Nevada law, he said. The governor and legislature cannot make changes to it. Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto on May 11 voted for the Womens Health Protection Act. This radical abortion bill would legalize all abortions at any time for any reason up to the moment of birth. Advertised as codifying Roe, this extreme measure was opposed by pro-choice GOP Sens. Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, and Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin. It failed 51-49. Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak has also weighed in pledging to do everything in my power to protect a womans right to choose. Email Jim Hartman at lawdocman1@aol.com Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Modern-day travelers can get a taste of what it was like for the pioneers to cross northeastern Nevada by following a lonely road not far from Elko. Ruby Valley is a picturesque valley along the east side of the Ruby Mountains. It is lined with ranches and has a one-room school, wildlife refuge, fish hatchery, cavalry fort ruins, summer homes known as Shanty Town, and no services. Hastings Cutoff traversed the valley. Lansford Hastings hoped providing a shortcut for California-bound wagon trains would gain him fame. His route proved longer than the main California Trail. It became infamous for the Donner Party, who traveled it on their way to the snow-covered Sierra Nevada. In spring 1846, Hastings traveled east from California to Fort Bridger in southwest Wyoming. He gathered together 100 wagons and took them, over his cutoff, to California. The train had no more than the usual problems but emigrants realized they had been duped, and called it Hastings Long-trip. The Donner Party arrived at Fort Bridger a few days after Hastings wagon train left, and 81 people in 20 wagons followed him. Their problems began long before the Sierras, when they spent weeks cutting a trail over the Wasatch Mountains and crossing the Salt Flats. By the time they arrived in Ruby Valley they knew they were far behind other emigrants and they were in trouble. They had already sent two men ahead to bring back help. To see this wagon route through Ruby Valley, drive a 90-mile tour starting at Wells, Nevada. A passenger car will do fine. Originally known as Humboldt Wells, this small community was once an important milestone on the California Trail. Its springs, or wells, were the start of the Humboldt River, which provided emigrants a route across the Nevada desert. Hastings Cutoff is 25 miles south of Wells. Travel south on U.S. Highway 93 to the large gate of the Mustang Monument Eco Resort on the left. A little farther south, on the left, look for Warm Springs (on private land). After wagons crossed the Salt Flats, Pequop Mountains and Spruce Mountain, this was an important stop. Look for T-shaped rail marker containing an emigrant quote near the spring. Two miles farther south, look for a rail marker where the trail crossed todays highway. Continue another mile and turn right onto State Route 229 into Ruby Valley. Two miles farther on 229 is a low pass at the southern end of the East Humboldt Range. At a large pull-out, the trail ran close to the hills on the right. Do not expect clear trail ruts anywhere, but faint ones can be seen near this spot (and a rail marker). Eight miles farther, SR 229 crosses Franklin River, usually dry. In the spring of 1846, Hastings traveled east along the main California Trail to Halleck. He crossed the Ruby Mountains at Secret Pass and traveled south along the Franklin River. Near here, he turned east again on his way to Fort Bridger. Four miles farther, continue straight onto State Route 767, which will traverse Ruby Valley. Continue south two miles, where the pavement ends and becomes a good, gravel road. Half a mile farther, just beyond the Neff Ranch on the left across a hay field, is Sulphur Hot Springs (on private land). This was the next campsite after Warm Springs. Emigrants who traveled through Ruby Valley, regardless of their thoughts on Hastings Cutoff, enjoyed this valley with its abundant water and grass. Travel south 22 miles, past numerous ranches, to Harrison Pass, to the right. Pack trains used this pass to cross over the Ruby Mountains, saving themselves 70 miles. Seven miles farther is the Ruby Lake Refuge Headquarters. Park in front of the building and walk a hundred yards along the road to reach the Cave Creek Trail. Emigrants described in their journal this amazing spring issuing from a cave. It is the largest spring among the 100-plus springs in the valley. A short trail leads to the cave. As you continue south several springs can be seen, their water used by oxen and emigrants. Ten miles farther south, past the Fish Hatchery, U.S. Forest Service campground, and Shanty Town, is the site of Fort Ruby. This fort was manned from 1862 to 1869 to protect emigrants and railroad construction crews. Twelve chiefs of the Western Shoshone signed the Treaty of Ruby Valley here. A walkway leads past information signs describing the fort and leads to the spring that provided water. This site also offers a good view of the beautiful valley. This is the tour end. The easiest way to return is back up the valley to Wells, or cross over Secret Pass or Harrison Pass to travel to Elko. The emigrant trail continued west and crossed over Overland Pass, but do not take this road unless you enjoy rough, dusty roads and have a good map. Mountains, Grass and Water by Larry Hyslop and Charles Greenhaw covers the trail in more detail. It is available in Elko and on Amazon. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Chinese President Xi Jinping met via video link with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet in Beijing on May 25. During the meeting, he expounded on major issues regarding Chinas human rights cause in the context of Chinas history and culture, and reaffirmed the principled position of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government in upholding and protecting human rights in all areas. After decades of strenuous efforts, China has successfully found a path of human rights development in line with the trend of the times and its national reality, and provides better protection for the human rights of the Chinese people than ever. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a responsible major country, China has always upheld the spirits of the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, actively participated in global human rights governance, and earnestly fulfilled its international human rights obligations. China has ratified or joined 28 international human rights instruments, including six core UN human rights treaties, and successfully participated in three rounds of Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), becoming a role model of compliance. It has served as member of the UNHRC for five times, one of the most elected countries to the council. These facts and achievements not only represent the international communitys recognition of Chinas human rights progress, but show Chinas sincerity in actively conducting human rights dialogues and cooperation. To jointly advance the international human rights cause for the greater benefit of people across the world, Xi believes it is most important to work on the following four priorities: putting people front and center, respecting different countries paths of human rights development, following a holistic approach to all categories of human rights and stepping up global human rights governance. These four priorities, which were drawn from Chinas experience in driving the development of human rights cause, are issues that countries should pay special attention to in advancing international human rights cause. How a country is doing on human rights is essentially gauged by whether the interests of its people are upheld, and whether they enjoy a growing sense of fulfillment, happiness and security, which is the most important criterion for assessing the human rights conditions of a country, Xi said. Human rights have historical, specific and practical contexts, he pointed out, stressing that since countries have different national conditions, histories, cultures, social systems and levels of economic and social development, they should and can only explore suitable paths of human rights development in light of their national realities and peoples needs. Human rights are a rich and all-encompassing concept, and must be advanced with integrated and systematic measures, Xi said. The promotion and protection of human rights is a common cause for humanity that requires the concerted efforts of all, according to Xi. Xis suggestions have further charted the way forward for strengthening international exchanges and cooperation on human rights and improving global human rights governance. Over the years, China has actively conducted human rights dialogues and cooperation, contributing to the development of the international human rights cause. China has actively expanded exchanges and cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), cooperated with the special procedures of the UNHRC, and conducted human rights dialogues and exchanges with the U.S., the U.K., and the European Union as well as human rights consultations with Russia, Egypt and the African Union. Through exchanges conducted at home and abroad by social organizations, China has promoted mutual understanding and strengthened mutual trust among people from different countries, enriching the connotations of human rights and enhancing consensus on human rights. On the UNHRC and other multilateral occasions, China has shared its experience in the development of human rights with the international community, and promoted the incorporation of important concepts such as building a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting human rights through development, and facilitating win-win cooperation in human rights into UN resolutions, enriching the international human rights discourse system. When it comes to human rights issues, there is no such thing as a flawless utopia; countries do not need patronizing lecturers; still less should human rights issues be politicized, judged with double standards, or used as a tool or a pretext to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. Some Western countries, which have long been condescendingly lecturing other countries on human rights, have harped on others human rights situation and yet turned a blind eye to the serious human rights problems back home, which is typical act of double standard and hegemony. While exercising its rights in accordance with the law and speaking up for justice, China has made joint speeches on behalf of countries with similar views at the UNHRC for many times, telling true stories of human rights in China and exposing human rights violations in a few Western countries. In doing so, the country has not only firmly defended international fairness and justice and safeguarded the sovereignty and dignity of developing countries, but vigorously promoted international exchanges and cooperation on human rights as well as the healthy and orderly development of global human rights governance. The five-strong Vietnamese team (C) participating in 2022 European Physics Olympiad (Photo: CTV) Specifically, Nguyen Tuan Phong from the Bac Ninh High School for the Gifted in the northern province of the same name, and Pham Trung Kien from the Tran Phu High School for the Gifted in the northern city of Hai Phong won the silver medals, reported VNA. Meanwhile, the bronze medal was grabbed by Le Thuy Mai Anh from the Ha Long High School for the Gifted in the northern province of Quang Ninh. This year, Vietnam sent five students to the competition, who had been selected by the VPS from those winning prizes at the national physics competition. This years competition was held in Slovenia, drawing the participation of 182 contestants from 37 nations. Last year, Vietnamese students brought home one gold and one bronze. Vietcombank among 1,000 largest companies globally The Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) has been named among this years Forbes list of the worlds 2,000 largest companies (Global 2000). Vietcombank is the only Vietnamese representative to be ranked among Forbes' top 1,000 largest companies. (Photo: VNA) The bank, which was the only Vietnamese representative to be ranked among the largest 1,000, was listed at 950th, a rise of 13 notches since 2020 and up 1,035 places since 2015. Currently, Vietcombank possess total assets worth more than VND1.4 quadrillion and is the most valuable company on the Vietnamese stock market. The rankings are based on a composite score comprised of revenues, profits, assets, and market value. Companies which feature in the Global 2000 recorded a total of US$47.6 trillion in revenue, US$5 trillion in profits, US$233.7 trillion in assets, and US$76.5 trillion in market capitalisation. In total, 58 countries are represented in the latest list, of which the United States is the leader with 590 companies, followed by China (including Hong Kong) with 351 companies, and Japan with 196 companies. Vietnam Airlines Group to offer 7.1 mln seats during summer All airline members of Vietnam Airlines Group Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines and VASO will offer more than 7.1 million seats on both domestic and international routes during the peak summer travel season, reported VNA. An air plane of national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, a member of Vietnam Airlines Group. (Photo: VNA) It is estimated that a total of over 36,000 flights will be made available for summer travellers from June 1 to August 15. The three carriers will provide nearly 6.3 million seats on more than 32,400 domestic flights, up 10 percent compared to the same period of 2019 before the COVID-19 broke out. The busiest routes are those among major cities of Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City with close to 160 flights per day. Hundreds of flights will be also operated to fly vacationers to popular tourist destinations across Vietnam, including Phu Quoc, Cam Ranh, Da Lat, Hue, Quy Nhon, Dong Hoi, Tuy Hoa and Con Dao. Vietnam Airlines Group plans to operate approximately 430 domestic flights daily during the summer. More than 852,000 seats will be offered on international routes, down 40 percent from 2019 because cross-border travel demand is yet to fully recover. Suggestions made to help optimise values of Global Geopark According to VNA, experts from the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) have made a fact-finding tour of Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark and gave several recommendations to northern Cao Bang province to help improve the park conservation and optimisation. A site in Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark in Ban Hau Valley of Cao Thang commune, Trung Khanh district, Cao Bang province (Photo: VNA) The trip was made ahead of the re-assessment of Non Nuoc Cao Bang slated for late July. At a meeting with the provincial Peoples Committee on May 25, Guy Martini, Chairman of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council, said thanks to local authorities efforts and creativity, 84 percent of the workload on the construction and protection of the park has been done, and it is now ready for re-assessment. He also pointed out several issues needing improvement, suggesting the province print the Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark logo on products of the One Commune, One Product (OCOP) programme so as to popularise the site and encourage visitors to buy local specialties, thereby helping improve peoples livelihoods. Martini spoke highly of the formation of a tour linking Non Nuoc Cao Bang with Dong Van Karst Plateau, another global geopark in the northernmost province of Ha Giang, which will help further tap into Non Nuoc Cao Bangs values and attract tourists. Experts visitMat than nui (Mountain Gods Eye), a heritage site in Non Nuoc Cao Bang Global Geopark. (Photo: VNA) Pham Quang Vinh, Secretary General of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO and Director of the Foreign Ministrys Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO, said to bring into play the geoparks values, it is necessary to maintain traditional cultural festivals, develop branded products, combine geopark tourism with cultural tourism, and boost communications to raise public awareness. He also underlined the need to encourage businesses engagement in the park protection and development, improve the management boards capacity, and popularise the provinces images to domestic and international tourists. Non Nuoc Cao Bang was recognised as a member of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network in 2018. About 300 kilometres from Hanoi, the geopark covers over 3,000 sq.km. and is home to fossils, ocean sediment, volcanic rocks, minerals and karst landscapes, which can give researchers an insight into the 500 million years of the earths history. It is also well known for its rich biodiversity and many indigenous species of fauna and flora. This is the second UNESCO-recognised global geopark in Vietnam after Dong Van Karst Plateau in Ha Giang, which received the honour in 2010./. Receiving Professor Stewart Cole, President of the Pasteur Institute in Paris, in Hanoi on May 26, PM Pham Minh Chinh said that health care is a traditional cooperation field and a bright spot in the strategic partnership between Vietnam and France, affirming that Vietnam attaches great importance to medical collaboration with France in general and the Pasteur Institute in particular, thus deepening bilateral ties and making them more effective and practical. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) welcomes Professor Stewart Cole, President of the Pasteur Institute in Paris. (Photo: VNA) He thanked France for supporting Vietnam in training personnel for the medical sector, including the Francophone residency programme for doctors which has received more than 3,000 doctors from Vietnam for practice at French hospitals, and providing vaccines and medical equipment for Vietnam to fight COVID-19. The Pasteur Institute in Paris has also assisted Pasteur Institutes of Vietnam, especially through the grant of 405,000 EUR to improve their SARS-CoV-2 research, supervision and testing capacity, he noted, adding that the Pasteur Institutes in Vietnam have made important contributions to the development of epidemiology, public health and tropical medicine in the country. PM Pham Minh Chinh said Vietnam hoped to receive further assistance from the French side in enhancing the capacity for Vietnamese medical staff by granting more doctoral and postdoctoral scholarships to Vietnamese doctors and medical management officials, while helping Vietnam promote digital transformation in the health care sector to enable the country to conduct online medical check-ups and treatment for patients in remote areas and exploit the potential of herbal medicine. Vietnam is also keen on cooperation with France in medical equipment, he added. As Vietnam is a tropical country with a large and increasing population, the country needs support and cooperation from the Pasteur Institute in Paris in implementing a fundamental strategy on research and production of vaccines to proactively respond to arising problems or new epidemics, he said, describing the area as a key pillar in cooperation between the two sides, with the participation of investors and businesses. For his part, Professor Cole said that Vietnam has a special position for epidemiologists in France and the Pasteur Institute in Paris, because no other country in the world, even France, has three Pasteur Institutes like Vietnam. Cooperation activities between the Pasteur Institutes of the two countries in recent years have been important and effective on the basis of the good relationship between the two countries and the two governments, he said. Agreeing with proposals put forth by the Vietnamese leader, he lauded the vision and viewpoints of PM Chinh on the vaccine strategy to prepare for possible circumstances in the future. Professor Cole affirmed that Pasteur Institute in Paris wants and is ready to strengthen cooperation with the Vietnamese side in the medical sector, particularly in human resource exchange and training, implementing joint researches and sharing research results, especially in the field of vaccine, and health crisis management, thus making bilateral medical cooperation more effective and practial to serve people's lives and health./. At the talks (Photo: VNA) During the talks, the two sides were pleased with the recent cooperation results, especially the signing of the memorandum of understanding for the 2021-2025 period in October 2021 during the complex development of the COVID-19 situation. At the talks, the two sides agreed to soon apply solutions to concretize the high-level agreement between the two countries and the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two localities for the 2021-2025 period with specific activities. Accordingly, the two sides agreed to further promote economic exchange and connection activities; create favorable conditions for businesses of both sides to seek investment opportunities, carry out trade promotion activities, and bring local products to each other's markets; and strongly promote tourism activities in the context of the epidemic being controlled. Ho Chi Minh City will continue to provide scholarships for masters, university and vocational training for students in Vientiane and continue to implement the project "Vietnamese families with Laotian students". The two sides also agreed to strengthen the organization of exchange activities and exchange delegations at all levels; encourage and create conditions for socio-political agencies and organizations to exchange and sign cooperation agreements; take care of the training of the young generation on the history and tradition of the special and great friendship between the two parties, the two states and the two peoples; agreeing that Ho Chi Minh City will also create all favorable conditions for officials of departments and branches of Vientiane to have the opportunity to study and share experiences in the fields of education, agriculture and technology, finance, taxation, administrative reform, building e-government, digital transformation and some other fields. At the end of the talks, the representative of Ho Chi Minh City presented the capital Vientiane with a gift of 10 sets of online meeting equipment from the City Party Committee, the City People's Council, and the City Fatherland Front, while representatives of Hoa Sen University also gave Vientiane 40 bachelor's and master's scholarships. . On the same day, Mr. Nguyen Van Nen visited and talked with Lao former students who used to study in Ho Chi Minh City./. At the ceremony (Photo: baoquocte.vn) With infinite gratitude, the delegates respectfully remembered the great President Ho Chi Minh, Hero of National Liberation and World Cultural Celebrity. On this occasion, Ambassador Dang Tran Phong promoted cadres, party members and the masses to actively study and follow Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality and style on preventing and combating the deterioration of political thought and morality, lifestyle, self-evolution and self-transformation. In the coming time, the Vietnamese Embassy and community in Romania will pay attention to overseas Vietnamese citizen protection; continue to maintain activities of preserving the Vietnamese language and national cultural identity; regularly provide information about the domestic situation, helping the community to look towards the fatherland, have awareness and act in accordance with the national interests; and have a policy of attracting resources of overseas Vietnamese in Romania to make active contributions to the cause of national construction and protection. On the same day, the delegates also attended and viewed a photo exhibition of President Ho Chi Minh, especially a set of photos of President Ho Chi Minh visiting Romania in 1957. These are valuable documents exploited by the Vietnamese Embassy in Romania, helping generations of overseas Vietnamese in Romania understand more deeply about the background of the relationship between the two countries; help arouse patriotism, national pride and deep gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh; and promote communication for Vietnamese children in Romania and Romanian friends about the friendship and solidarity between the peoples of the two countries, which was founded by President Ho Chi Minh. At the same time, through this activity, generations of Vietnamese in Romania grasp the guidelines and policies of the Party and State on promoting studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style, and actively contribute to the construction of the homeland./. Todays report from the Air Force Command tells interesting details about how a Ukrainian air attack mission worked out. A MiG-29 fighter aircraft covered a group of Su-25 air support jets that attacked russian positions in the Kherson region. A russian Su-35 took off from Belbek airfield to intercept the attacking Ukrainian jets but got caught by the MiG-29 instead. The combat aircraft accomplished its mission, and the russian fighter jet was eliminated too. As Defense Express reported, this is the first time when the newest russian Su-35 fighter is destroyed in an air battle. According to the intercepted radio transmission, the pilot managed to catapult, but the aircraft fell down and blew up. In summary, the Ukrainian air defense units of the Land Forces and the Air Force have shot down at least three russian air targets: one Ka-52 helicopter, downed by the paratroopers with Piorun MANPADS; one Orlan-10 shot by the Land Forces air defense; one Su-35 fighter jet, hunted by a Ukrainian Mig-29 fighter; and a whole squadron-tactical group of russians raided by the Su-25s. Also, this video from the Air Assault Forces Command shows how the shot Ka-52 "Alligator" fell: Now lets get to the reports from the east of Ukraine. Photo credit: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Joint Task Force operating in the Ukrainian Eastern Operational Zone, the so-called Donbas, has published a regular report on the situation in its area of responsibility. On May 27, the Ukrainian forces of this unit repelled 8 russian attacks. In five more locations the fighting is still going on. Russian casualties today amount to: five tanks; 10 armored fighting vehicles; four non-armored vehicles (incl. one carrying ammunition). Air defense units shot down an Orlan-10 reconnaissance UAV as well. Consequaenses of russian shelling of residential areas / Photo credit: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine The occupiers shelled 49 settlements in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. In the Donetsk region alone, 22 civilian objects were destroyed and damaged. 13 of them are residential buildings. Three civilians died, five more got injuries of various severity. In the area of responsibility of the operational-tactical task force "East", Ukrainian forces inflicted the following losses to the invaders: up to 60 personnel; one infantry fighting vehicle; one another armored fighting vehicle; one artillery system; and two AT-T artillery tractors A neutralized russian IFV / Photo credit: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Take a note that the mentioned figures from JFO and OT Group "East" apply to only Eastern Operational Zone of warfare, while there are also a few southern operational directions. Find the latest news on the Ukraine-russia War in our daily feed: A team of University of Copenhagen astrophysicists has arrived at a major result regarding star populations beyond the Milky Way. The result could change our understanding of a wide range of astronomical phenomena, including the formation of black holes, supernovae and why galaxies die. The Andromeda galaxy, our Milky Way's closest neighbor, is the most distant object in the sky that you can see with your unaided eye. Photo: Getty For as long as humans have studied the heavens, how stars look in distant galaxies has been a mystery. In a study published today in The Astrophysical Journal, a team of researchers at the University of Copenhagen's Niels Bohr Institute is doing away with previous understandings of stars beyond our own galaxy. Since 1955, it has been assumed that the composition of stars in the universe's other galaxies is similar to that of the hundreds of billions of stars within our own - a mixture of massive, medium mass and low mass stars. But with the help of observations from 140,000 galaxies across the universe and a wide range of advanced models, the team has tested whether the same distribution of stars apparent in the Milky Way applies elsewhere. The answer is no. Stars in distant galaxies are typically more massive than those in our "local neighborhood". The finding has a major impact on what we think we know about the universe. "The mass of stars tells us astronomers a lot. If you change mass, you also change the number of supernovae and black holes that arise out of massive stars. As such, our result means that we'll have to revise many of the things we once presumed, because distant galaxies look quite different from our own," says Albert Sneppen, a graduate student at the Niels Bohr Institute and first author of the study. Analyzed light from 140.000 galaxies Researchers assumed that the size and weight of stars in other galaxies was similar to our own for more than fifty years, for the simple reason that they were unable to observe them through a telescope, as they could with the stars of our own galaxy. Distant galaxies are billions of light-years away. As a result, only light from their most powerful stars ever reaches Earth. This has been a headache for researchers around the world for years, as they could never accurately clarify how stars in other galaxies were distributed, an uncertainty that forced them to believe that they were distributed much like the stars in our Milky Way. "We've only been able to see the tip of the iceberg and known for a long time that expecting other galaxies to look like our own was not a particularly good assumption to make. However, no one has ever been able to prove that other galaxies form different populations of stars. This study has allowed us to do just that, which may open the door for a deeper understanding of galaxy formation and evolution," says Associate Professor Charles Steinhardt, a co-author of the study. In the study, the researchers analyzed light from 140,000 galaxies using the COSMOS catalog, a large international database of more than one million observations of light from other galaxies. These galaxies are distributed from the nearest to farthest reaches of the universe, from which light has traveled a full twelve billion years before being observable on Earth. Massive galaxies die first According to the researchers, the new discovery will have a wide range of implications. For example, it remains unresolved why galaxies die and stop forming new stars. The new result suggests that this might be explained by a simple trend. "Now that we are better able to decode the mass of stars, we can see a new pattern; the least massive galaxies continue to form stars, while the more massive galaxies stop birthing new stars,. This suggests a remarkably universal trend in the death of galaxies," concludes Albert Sneppen. The research was conducted at the Cosmic Dawn Center (DAWN), an international basic research center for astronomy supported by the Danish National Research Foundation. DAWN is a collaboration between the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen and DTU Space at the Technical University of Denmark. The center is dedicated to understanding when and how the first galaxies, stars and black holes formed and evolved in the early universe, through observations using the largest telescopes along with theoretical work and simulations. About the study The empirical function used to describe the distribution of masses for a population of stars is known as the IMF - Initial Mass Function. It covers a distribution of low mass, medium mass and massive stars that astronomers have observed across the Milky Way. Historically, researchers have worked under the assumption that the IMF is universal and applies to other galaxies in the universe as well. In their analysis of galaxies, the researchers looked at how much light galaxies emit at various wavelengths. Large massive stars are bluish, while small and low mass stars are more yellow or red in color. This means that by comparing the distribution of blue versus red colors in a galaxy, one can measure the distribution of large versus small stars. The researchers have taken a closer look at 140,000 galaxies distributed across the universe from the last 12 billion years of the universe's history. The results demonstrate that stars in distant galaxies are typically more massive than those in our local neighborhoods, and that the farther away the researchers look, the more massive the average stars become. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. PJSC ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovsk region) continues to restore production after a short-term conservation period and resumed production of wire rod. According to the company's information, on May 19, rolling shop No. 3 started working again and the first products produced after the shutdown were 160 tonnes of 11 mm wire rod. According to Pavlo Veselkov, deputy head of rolling shop No. 3, the shop has a lot of orders now. "We have orders for 8mm, 8.5mm and 5.5mm rolled wire and rebar No. 8. Our customers are Ukrainian enterprises producing ropes, metalware and welding equipment. Thus, we provide both money for the enterprise and the country and raw materials. This means Ukrainian enterprises will be able to work," the company's press service quoted Veselkov as saying. ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is the largest producer of rolled steel in Ukraine. It specializes in production of long products, in particular rebar and wire rod. ArcelorMittal owns the largest mining and metallurgical plant in Ukraine, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih, and a number of small companies, in particular, PJSC ArcelorMittal Beryslav. Foreign companies are again using underground gas storage (UGS) facilities in Ukraine, despite the war, although the volumes of such storage are still small due to gas shortages in Europe, Yuriy Vitrenko, Board Chairman of NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy, has said. "There are already foreign companies that, starting from April, under the conditions of war, still take risks and store gas in our storage facilities," he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. The Naftogaz head recalled that in the first month of the war, Ukraine suspended such an opportunity, but then reopened storage facilities for nonresidents. "So far, there are relatively small [volumes of storage by nonresidents]. The question is simply that there is a certain shortage of gas in Europe," Vitrenko explained. According to him, this trust is due to the fact that Ukraine is a reliable partner, unlike Russia. "We just had a meeting of world economic leaders, they discussed energy security, and the Polish Minister of Energy, Anna Moskwa, says bluntly: look, we had contracts, Bulgaria had contracts, but the Russians simply do not fulfill them. Therefore, it is not worth taking into account any agreements and papers signed by Russia, unlike the agreements with Ukraine," the Naftogaz Board Chairman said. As reported, Ukraine actively offers European companies to use Ukrainian UGS facilities. The customs warehouse regime allows natural gas to be stored in UGS facilities in Ukraine for three years without paying taxes and customs duties during its further transportation from the country. In January of this year, gas storage operator Ukrtransgaz, a subsidiary of Naftogaz, indicated that the number of nonresident companies in its customer portfolio had grown 8 times over the past three years to 111 companies representing 27 countries from three continents: Europe, North America and Asia. NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy has started a pre-arbitration procedure due to Gazprom's failure to comply with a "pump or pay" condition under a contract for organizing natural gas transit, Naftogaz head Yuriy Vitrenko has said. "We have already started the pre-arbitration procedure. We are preparing appropriate appeals to Gazprom with lawyers. There is some time during which we must try to resolve the issue before arbitration, if we do not new arbitration. The reason is that they pay less than they should pay under the contract. They have no justification for this our contract is pump or pay," he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. The head of Naftogaz recalled that the failure of Gazprom to fulfill its contractual obligations under the contract entails a violation of the settlement agreement, according to which Naftogaz abandoned claims in the $12.2 billion arbitration dispute initiated in 2018. "If they do not fulfill the 'pump or pay' obligation, then this means that they are violating not only the contract for organizing transit, but also the settlement agreement. That is, this is arbitration not only for the amount of underpayment, but also for $12.2 billion, which we withdrew from arbitration," Vitrenko stressed. As reported, the GTS Operator of Ukraine declared force majeure for the acceptance of gas for transit through the Sokhranivka gas measuring station, occupied as a result of Russian military aggression, due to the lack of operational and technological control over the Novopskov compressor station, having suggested Gazprom transfer transit to the Sudzha gas measuring station. In accordance with the Ukraine-Russia-European Commission intergovernmental protocol signed on December 20, 2019, during December 27-30, a package agreement was implemented with the payment of $2.9 billion by Gazprom to Naftogaz according to the decision of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, the waiver of existing claims by the parties, and signing a transit agreement for five years. The agreement between Naftogaz and Gazprom for the organization of transportation, the transport agreement between Naftogaz and GTSOU, as well as the inter-operator agreement between GTSOU and Gazprom were signed on December 30, 2019. The contract provides for transit of at least 65 billion cubic meters in 2020, and in 2021-2024 40 billion cubic meters each. Payment for the above volumes is guaranteed even in case of less pumping through the GTS of Ukraine. Kyivstar mobile operator allocated UAH 3.347 million to the Ukrainian Charity Exchange International Charitable Foundation to provide the necessary equipment for hospitals in Kyiv, Zaporizhia and Lviv that provide medical care to children affected by the war in Ukraine. As the company's press service reported on Friday, the transferred assistance was directed to the purchase of equipment for the the Okhmatdyt National Clinical Hospital in Kyiv and the Children's Hospital of the First Territorial Medical Association in Lviv. In addition, medical equipment will be transferred to the Zaporizhia Regional Children's Clinical Hospital. The operator notes that since February 24, the number of small patients in these medical institutions has almost doubled. Currently, hospitals accept displaced children, seriously ill wounded children, adults and newborns from all over Ukraine. "Ukrainian doctors heroically save the lives of the victims and need our help. Therefore, it was decided to allocate another charitable donation for the purchase of equipment for children's hospitals. In general, Kyivstar has already allocated more than UAH 33 million for humanitarian support to the military, hospitals, the elderly and the victims of the war. We are grateful to everyone who defends Ukraine on their front. Together we are confidently striding towards victory!" Anna Zakharash, Kyivstar Corporate Communication Director, is quoted as saying. NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy predicts a decrease in gas production by 3-6% in 2022 due to the war, chairman of the board Yuriy Vitrenko said. "Naftogaz had growth before the war: since the end of last year, we reversed the trend and began to increase production. Because of the war, it began to fall by 3-4-5%. We predict that there will be a decline of 3-6% over the year, but with current trends, this is definitely not even 10%," Vitrenko said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Speaking at the WEF, Yulia Kiryanova, the CEO of Smart-Holding, said that the company's production fell by 22% due to the war, and predicted that in general, production in Ukraine this year would drop to 16 billion cubic meters compared to 19.8 billion cubic meters in 2021. According to Vitrenko, some private companies suspended production at the beginning of the war, then brought it to the pre-war level, but now they complain about the lack of exports, arguing that this will lead to a decrease in production. At the same time, the head of Naftogaz said that he sees no reason for private companies to reduce production volumes, despite the fact that gas exports are now closed. "We, as a big player in this market, understand that the price that is on it, in particular, at which we buy gas from private companies is higher than the largest royalty and all production costs that may be," Vitrenko said. "Therefore, there is no reason for private companies to cut production, but vice versa. I'm not talking about patriotism, because taxes on gas production are very important for the country, as well as energy independence," the head of Naftogaz stressed. Energoatom has completed construction, commissioning and testing of new highly flexible generating capacities for production of electricity and connected them to the power system of Ukraine. "During the war, Energoatom continued to implement previously launched investment programs and projects, especially those that can have a significant effect in the short term. And this despite the damage caused by the occupiers, problems with logistics and the supply of equipment, components and materials," head of the company Petro Kotin said. Energoatom noted that the launch of these capacities is important for maintaining the basic mode of operation of the domestic nuclear power industry, regulating peak loads and maintaining the frequency in the Ukrainian energy system. "It is also cheap and clean energy and another step towards the decarbonization of the Ukrainian economy," the company said. For his part, the head of Energoatom thanked its employees who, in difficult war conditions, managed to find technological and logistical solutions to complete this important project. The company did not release any other details, citing wartime requirements. At the same time, they noted that this is already the second project that Energoatom completed during the war, pointing to the receipt on April 25 of this year from the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of a separate permit for the commissioning of the centralized spent nuclear fuel storage facility in the Chornobyl zone. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine will be presented with a bill to compensate gas distribution system operators (regional gas companies) for the difference in tariffs with subsequent repayment of their debts for the supplied gas, Head of NJSC Naftogaz Ukrainy Yuriy Vitrenko said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. "If regional gas companies receive compensation then this money immediately goes to Naftogaz through treasury accounts so that it cannot be stolen or used in any other way. Thus, the debt for gas arising from the regional gas companies is closed. The corresponding amount of debt to Naftogaz remains, private owners must either close it through their own funds, additionally capitalizing the regional gas suppliers, or go bankrupt," he said. Vitrenko said that in the current conditions of the war, it is irresponsible to raise tariffs for regional gas companies to economically justified ones, shifting them to the population, so the state plans to compensate for the corresponding difference from the state budget. "We understand that the tariffs of regional gas companies have recently been less than economically justified and they covered the cost. Their tariff included a gas price of UAH 7 per cubic meter, while on the market it was UAH 40 per cubic meter. Objectively, due to state regulation, all their expenses were not covered, but there are reasonable suspicions, abuses, cases of withdrawal of money from these companies," he said. According to the head of Naftogaz, after paying compensation for the difference in tariffs, gas distribution system operators will no longer have arguments why they, in turn, have debts for gas supplied or taken by them for their own production and technological needs. Vitrenko also confirmed Naftogaz's readiness to take over the management of regional gas companies from the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) if such a decision is made. Ukraine's Minister of Finance Serhiy Marchenko has called on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) member states and observers requesting their support for initiative to expel the Russian Federation from the FATF and including it in the list of High-Risk Jurisdictions subject to a Call for Action (also known as a Black list). "I approached 37 finance ministers of the FATF member states and observers requesting their support for initiative to expel the Russian Federation from the FATF and including it in the "black list." Russia undermines global efforts to prevent the financing of terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and money laundering. And this is a gross violation of general principles FATF," Marchenko wrote on Facebook on Friday. As the Ministry of Finance explained on the website, Excluding Russia from the FATF and its subsequent blacklisting will also contribute to the global efforts to stop the bloody war at the heart of Europe that was started by Russia and has already displaced over 10 million people and killed thousands of civilian Ukrainians, including children. The Ministry of Finance used, in particular, Russian financing of the so-called "LPR" and "DPR," which the Verkhovna Rada recognized as terrorist organizations as arguments for blacklisting Russia. This definition of self-proclaimed republics was approved by the US District Court. In addition, the international community recently adopted sanctions against the Wagner Group, a private military organization based in the Russian Federation and fighting in Ukraine. The Ministry of Finance also said that the Russian authorities used the criminal investigation and the fight against money laundering to obtain information about a number of individuals in order to politically combat them. The ministry cites examples of the Yukos case, as well as the case of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The Russian occupiers are attacking Severodonetsk, using artillery and aviation, said head of Luhansk region Serhiy Haidai. "The Orcs are advancing in Borovske. Heavy fighting continues in the vicinity of Severodonetsk, the enemy is trying to break into the city. The regional center is being destroyed by artillery and aviation," he wrote on the Telegram channel on Thursday evening. Haidai also said that the Ukrainian military is holding the defense in the area of Zolote and Katerynivka. ""In Toshkivka, the ruscists were pushed aside, the AFU secured positions. The Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway is under constant enemy fire, it is dangerous moving along. The possibility of bringing humanitarian cargo and evacuation of the population has not been lost," he stressed. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, in a traditional video address on the night of Thursday to Friday, said that the catastrophic situation could have been avoided "if the power players did not flirt with Russia, but really put pressure on them to end the war." "For how many weeks the European Union has been trying to agree on the sixth package of sanctions against Russia. So far, Russia receives from the Europeans almost a billion euros a day for the supply of energy resources. Of course, I am grateful to our friends who are promoting new sanctions. But why do those who block the sixth package have so much power?" Zelensky asked. "Why are they still allowed to have so much power, including in intra-European procedures? For many weeks now the world has not dared to block the Russian banking system - all banks without exception, in order to deprive the aggressor of the opportunity to finance not only the war against us, but also the policy of creating splits and crises throughout the world," he said. Zelensky also recalled that "for how long have we been fighting for Ukraine to be provided with all the weapons that are needed to change the nature of the fighting and start moving faster and more confidently towards the expulsion of the occupiers. All weapons, including MLRS. With the systems that are really needed to stop this aggression. We are sure that thanks to our efforts, we will still be heard." "During the time from May 26, 2014 [the day of Donetsk airport capture] and even more so from February 24 of this year to this day, those who really have the power to put an end to it and say: now Russia will really feel the full price for what it is doing against Ukraine, against European unity and against freedom as such." The seven Expedition 67 crew members are resuming their normal schedule of science and maintenance activities following Wednesday's departure of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The orbital residents focused on vein scans, robotics, and a host of other space research onboard the International Space Station today. NASA and Boeing completed its Orbital Flight Test-2 mission on Wednesday. NASA Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines monitored the crew ship's arrival last week, conducted cargo and test operations inside the vehicle, then closed the hatch on Tuesday before finally seeing Starliner undock from the Harmony module's forward port at 2:36 p.m. EDT on Wednesday. Lindgren started Thursday with a hearing assessment for the Acoustic Diagnostics experiment then setup the Astrobee robotic free-flyers for the Kibo Robot Programming Challenge 3. Hines set up hardware that will measure blood flow in the brain for the Cerebral Autoregulation investigation. Both astronauts later joined astronauts Jessica Watkins of NASA and Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency) for vein scans on Thursday. The quartet used the Ultrasound 2 device to scan each other's neck, shoulder and leg veins. Doctors on the ground monitored the downlinked biomedical scans in real time to gain insight into how the astronaut's bodies are adapting to microgravity. Watkins and Cristoforetti began their day collecting their blood and urine samples, spinning them in a centrifuge, and stowing the samples in a science freezer for future analysis. The duo then joined Lindgren in checking out the U.S. spacesuits. The station's three cosmonauts from Roscosmos also contributed to the array of space research taking place today on the orbiting lab. The trio, including Commander Oleg Artemyev, with Flight Engineers Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov, took turns exploring ultrasound techniques to improve locating landmarks on Earth for photography. Artemyev also completed a session that monitored his cardiac activity for 24 hours. Matveev assisted Korsakov, attached to a variety of sensors, as he worked out on an exercise cycle for a fitness evaluation. On-Orbit Status Report Payloads: Acoustic Diagnostics: The Acoustic Diagnostics measurements were performed. The Acoustic Upgraded Diagnostics In-Orbit (AUDIO) investigation tests the hearing of ISS crew members before, during, and after flight. This study assesses the possible adverse effects of noise and the microgravity environment aboard the ISS on human hearing. The investigation compares the relationship between the detection of otoacoustic emissions, sounds naturally generated from within the inner ear, and hearing loss levels when exposed to noisy environments. Cerebral Autoregulation: The Cardiolab Portable Doppler hardware, laptop, and cables were setup in preparation of Cerebral Autoregulation Data measurement. As the body's most important organ, the brain needs a strong and reliable blood supply, so the brain is capable of self-regulating blood flow even when the heart and blood vessels cannot maintain an ideal blood pressure. The Cerebral Autoregulation investigation tests whether this self-regulation improves in the microgravity environment of space. Non-invasive tests measure blood flow in the brain before, during, and after a long-duration spaceflight, and provide new insights into how the brain safeguards its blood supply in a challenging environment. EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments for Space Station Racks (EXPRESS Rack): Updated software load was performed on the Express Rack-2 laptop. The EXPRESS Racks support science experiments in any discipline by providing structural interfaces, power, data, cooling, water, and other items needed to operate science experiments in space. eXposed Root On-Orbit Test System (XROOTS): XROOTS plants were checked, photos were taken, and observations were documented. Unfortunately, based upon downlinked photos, microbial growth was confirmed on modules 3 and 4. The investigators have requested these module cartridges be trashed. The XROOTS investigation uses hydroponic and aeroponic techniques to grow plants without soil or other growth media. Video and still images enable evaluation of multiple independent growth chambers for the entire plant life cycle from seed germination through maturity. Results could identify suitable methods to produce crops on a larger scale for future space missions Systems: ExtraVehicular Activity (EVA) Helmet Water Tests: Today, the crew ran multiple tests on the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) EVA helmet to investigate the anomaly during EVA #80. Today, the crew completed two water flow tests and a swish test on the EMU helmet to examine how the water forms in the helmet and to help determine the origins of the water seen during US EVA #80. Water Recovery System (WRS) Contingency Water Container (CWC)-Iodine Fill: The CWC is a soft container with an inner bladder that can store a variety of liquids including humidity condensate, wastewater, and other unique fluids such as Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) wastewater. Originally, CWCs were used for the transport and resupply of potable water from the shuttle to the ISS. Today's activity involved transferring water from the Potable Bus into a CWC-Iodine container using the Potable Water Dispenser (PWD). The crew monitored the offload time as a secondary control to protect the CWC-Iodine from over-pressurization. Completed Task List Activities: None Today's Ground Activities: All activities are complete unless otherwise noted. PRO Payload Application Software Install Cold Atom Lab Ops Commanding and Downlink HRF Rack 2 Rack Power Up Commanding Look Ahead Plan Friday, May 27 (GMT 147) Payloads: Astrobee Prep and Stowage Replace (NASA) AstroPi Relocate to COL and Camera Pointing and Imagery (ESA) CAL MTL Jumper leak Check (NASA) Cerebral Autoregulation Measurement and Closeout (JAXA) HRF1 Supply Inventory (NASA) Optical NAV (Moon Imagery) Camera Ops (NASA) POLAR-5 Transfer (NASA) SABL-2 CO2 Cntl Valve (NASA) Standard Measures Postsleep Question (NASA) XROOTS Fluid Recovery (NASA) ZR Units Test Ops (NASA) Systems: Temperature Humidity Control (THC) Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurement Survey Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Cable Arm Rope (CAR) Install Saturday, May 28 (GMT 148) Payloads: ISS HAM pass (NASA) Systems: Crew Off-Duty Day Sunday, May 29 (GMT 149) Payloads: SABL-1 CO2 Cntrl Swap (NASA) XROOTS Nutrient Mix. Fluid Recovery and Plant Thinning (NASA) Systems: Crew Off-Duty Day Today's Planned Activities: All activities are complete unless otherwise noted. Transfer CST-100 Cargo Operation [Deferred] Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test [Deferred] PSC Laptop Relocate [Deferred] Acoustic Diagnostics Big Picture Words Acoustic Diagnostics EveryWear Questionnaire Acoustic Diagnostics Operations - Calibration and Measurement Astrobee Prep Cerebral Autoregulation Activity EVA HAP Extender and Helmet Absorption Band Installation Express Rack 2 CLS Software Start Extravehicular Activity Helmet Water Flow Test Extravehicular Helmet Swish Test Glacier Desiccant Swap Ultrasound 2 Post Exam Venous Thromboemboelism (VTE) Scan Prep Venous Ultrasound 2 Scan HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Activity HRF Generic MELFI Sample Insertion HRF Generic Urine Collection MELFI Ice Brick Insert Robot Programming Challenge 3 Technical Rehearsal Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 2 Power On Video Camera Setup for EVA Absorption and Wick Tests Water Recovery System CWC-Iodine Fill Terminate XF705 Camcorder Setup Xroots Status Check Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Number of children injured due to Russian aggression in Ukraine has increased to more than 679: 241 children killed, 438 injured PGO More than 679 children were injured in Ukraine as a result of the full-scale armed aggression of the Russian Federation: as of the morning of May 27, the official number of child victims increased to 241, and the number of wounded increased to 438, the Prosecutor Generals Office (PGO) reports. These figures are not final, as work is underway to establish them in the places of active hostilities, in the temporarily occupied and liberated territories, the report says. The most affected children were in Donetsk region 151, Kyiv 116, Kharkiv 108, Chernihiv 68, Luhansk 50, Kherson 49, Mykolaiv 45, Zaporizhia 28, Sumy 17, in the city of Kyi v 16, and Zhytomyr 15. On May 26, the occupiers once again shelled Kharkiv from artillery. Eight civilians were killed. There is a family among the victims: a 5-month-old boy and his father were killed, and his mother is in the hospital. Seventeen people were injured, including a 9-year-old girl. On May 25, as a result of enemy shelling of the village of Borovske of Severodonetsk district of Luhansk region, a 15-year-old teenager was wounded. Due to the constant bombing and shelling by the armed forces of the Russian Federation of Ukrainian cities and villages, 1,887 educational institutions were damaged. At the same time, 180 of them are completely destroyed. Russian President Vladimir Putin does not intend to abandon his plans to seize Ukraine, so it is possible that active hostilities will drag on until the end of the year, Vadym Skybytsky, a representative of the Defence Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, has said. "This war will drag on. How long the active phase will be delayed whether it will be September, or it will be October, or it will be until the end of the year - it depends on our resistance, on the state of our defense forces and on the assistance that is being provided to us," Skybytsky said in an interview with Crimea.Realities. According to him, various circles tried to convince Putin not to start a war, but it failed. "September 11 is a single voting day in Russia. The possibility of holding a referendum or other events in the occupied territories is tied to this date. October 7 is Putin's birthday, he is 70 years old, and everyone will say that the military will want to give him a gift. By the end of the year, it will be cold in winter, and they say that Ukraine will go for the negotiation process... The war that he [Putin] wants to wage will be long-term. This is a person who does not want to give up his position," the representative of the Agency added. According to him, the Russian Federation plans to stay in the south of Ukraine for a long time and this is evidenced by the deployment of a powerful group in the occupied territories. "Since the beginning of May, the occupation forces have begun to strengthen their defenses. Appropriate engineering structures are being prepared, not even one or two, but the third line of defense is being built," he said. Also, intelligence records that the Russian army is bypassing roads and bridges in the occupied territories in order to take up defense and prevent counter-offensive actions of the Ukrainian army. And such actions will definitely happen, they assure in intelligence. According to the Intelligence Agency, the Russian Federation has changed the nature of the use of precision weapons, because its reserves are running out, and there is no capacity for its rapid production. "About 60% of the reserves have already been used, for some types even more 70%," Skybytsky said. Therefore, in the Russian Federation, according to him, Soviet-made missiles were removed from storage. "If we talk about ballistic missiles, this is the Point U, an old type of Soviet-era weapons. The last Tochka U complex was decommissioned in 2018... If we talk about the X-22 cruise missile, it is an old Soviet rocket, it is liquid-fuel, not solid-fuel, as modern cruise missiles are now. Preparation is needed to refuel such a missile, it has a shorter range of destruction, not such accuracy," the representative of the Agency said. The intelligence service also reported that the Russian Federation has changed the tactics of using highprecision weapons: if two or four missiles were used on the object earlier, now they clearly choose a target and shoot missiles of different formats - from 8 to 12 missiles. According to Skybytsky, the actions of the Ukrainian army and the destruction of the cruiser Moscow forced the Russian Federation to limit the activities of the Black Sea Fleet in the Black Sea: warships are no longer suitable for a close distance to the Ukrainian shores. Now the ship's composition is being used to launch Kalibr cruise missiles on Ukrainian territory and continues to block Ukrainian ports. Despite the quantitative advantage, Russian forces in Donbas have made only "insignificant progress," the U.S. Defense Ministry said. "Russia has deployed 110 operational battalion tactical groups in Ukraine even with the preponderance of troop numbers, Russian forces have made small gains. These gains are offset by Ukrainian gains on other battlefields, most notably around Kharkiv," a message posted on the agency's website on Friday night says. The information notes that during the 92 days of the war, Russia's strategy, due to failures at the front, has repeatedly changed. The actual goal is to separate the eastern regions from Ukraine. "The fighting is hard and tough, and the switch in terrain and in the objective means a switch in battlefield tactics, leading to the increased importance of long-range fire," the message reads. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, of the 108 M-777 howitzers that nations pledged to Ukraine, 85 are now being used by the Ukrainian military the official said. These guns are firing some of the 190,000 155 mm shells that have already been transferred to Ukraine. "Nations have also delivered nine Mi-17 helicopters, and 73 percent of the Switchblade unmanned aerial vehicles. More equipment is arriving every day, and this covers everything from armored personnel carriers and rations to medical supplies and anti-artillery radars and much more, " the department said. The U.S. military said that "the Russians have a large force with a lot of capabilities, but the Ukrainian military is more than holding its own." The ministry also named the number of destroyed Russian equipment: almost 1,000 tanks, more than 350 artillery pieces, 30 fighters, fighter-bombers, airplanes and more than 50 helicopters. "Russian tactics and doctrine are helping the Ukrainians, too. [The Russians] are trying to overcome some of the challenges that they've had - command and control, logistics sustainment, maneuver. But, by and large, what we're seeing them do, it's a more localized effort. They're using smaller units to go after smaller objectives in more of a piecemeal approach," the department said. It is also noted that the Russians have not changed tactics in 92 days of fighting. "They're still doing it in a fairly doctrinal way using artillery fire in advance and then, and then moving units only after they feel like they softened up the target enough," the message reads. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is preparing to step up the kind of weaponry it is offering Ukraine by sending advanced, long-range rocket systems that are now the top request from Ukrainian officials, many officials say. According to CNN, the administration is leaning toward sending the systems as part of a larger package of military and security assistance to Ukraine, which could be announced as soon as next week. "Senior Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, have pleaded in recent weeks for the U.S. and its allies to provide the Multiple Launch Rocket System, or MLRS. The US-made weapon systems can fire a barrage of rockets hundreds of kilometers much farther than any of the systems Ukraine already has which the Ukrainians argue could be a gamechanger in their war against Russia," the media says. It is emphasized that another system requested by Ukraine is a highly mobile artillery rocket system known as HIMARS. According to sources, according to CNN, one of the main problems was the long range of missile systems. The MLRS and its lighter-weight version, the HIMARS, can launch as far as 300km, or 186 miles, depending on the type of munition. They are fired from a mobile vehicle at land-based targets, which would allow the Ukrainians to more easily strike targets inside Russia. "Firing is carried out from mobile equipment at ground targets, which will allow Ukrainians to more easily hit targets in the territory of the Russian Federation. Ukraine is already believed to have carried out numerous cross-border strikes inside Russia, which Ukrainian officials neither confirm nor deny. Russian officials have said publicly that any threat to their homeland would constitute a major escalation and have said that western countries are making themselves a legitimate target in the war by continuing to arm the Ukrainians." Also, another major concern in the Biden administration was whether the U.S. could afford to send so many high-quality weapons taken from army stockpiles, the sources said. Russian troops shell 11 settlements in Donetsk region, destroy 94 civilian objects, there are dead, wounded - police During the day, the invaders shelled eleven settlements of Donetsk region, 76 residential buildings, a school, a fire station, a recreation center, 13 enterprises were destroyed, there are dead and wounded, the National Police of Ukraine reports. "The settlements Avdiyivka, Soledar, Lyman, Sviatohirsk, Zalizne, Bakhmut, Maryiynka, Rayhorodok, Khrestysche, Zaria, Vyimka were under enemy fire. Russian troops fired from Uragan multiple launch rocket systems, heavy artillery, tanks, small arms," the Facebook post said. The police and SBU opened criminal proceedings under Article 438 (violation of the laws and customs of war) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Northern Macedonia Bujar Osmani visited Irpin and said that all those responsible for striking the civilian population should be brought to justice. "The devastation witnessed tdy in Irpin is beyond words. Targeting civilians is a war crime and totally unacceptable. The perpetrators must be held accountable, " Osmani said on Twitter Friday. He assured that North Macedonia strongly supports the just struggle of the Ukrainian people. "Honored to be in Kyiv tdy. Ukraine is at the forefront of protecting our shared values of freedom and democracy, " Osmani noted. In Dnipropetrovsk region, an enemy Iskander missile hit the training ground of the National Guard of Ukraine, killing about ten people, injuring 30-35 people, and two more 'arrivals' missed the target, head of the Dnipro Territorial Defense Center Hennadiy Korban said. "Indeed, there was an 'arrival' of missiles, 'Iskander', at the National Guard training ground this morning. There are dead, unfortunately, about ten people died, about 30-35 people were injured. Despite the fact that we and the military tried to take precautions, and most of the personnel were dispersed throughout the territory," Korban said on the air of the Dnipro TV channel. According to him, rescuers, the police, the National Guard and the military commandant's office are now working on the spot. "The launches were from Rostov region... This is the Iskander-K, the cruise Iskander, the cruise missile. There were three 'arrivals.' Two 'arrivals' were inaccurate, not on target, one 'arrival' was in the barracks, where there were some people," Korban said. Earlier in the morning, head of Dnipropetrovsk regional military administration Valentyn Riznychenko reported "arrivals" and serious damage. Russian occupiers are exporting tens of thousands of tonnes of grain and vegetable crops from occupied Kherson region to the territory of the previously occupied Crimea, Head of Kherson Regional Military Administration Hennadiy Lahuta has said. "These are thousands of tonnes. Tens of thousands of tonnes of grain, vegetables everything that Kherson region produces," Lahuta said at a briefing at Ukraine-Ukrinform media center on Friday. According to him, it is not only about products that were plundered from farmers in Kherson region, but also about products that, through the cooperation of some local producers with the occupiers, are sold to Crimea. "Through links, many farmers sell these products for cash to the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea," the head of the regional administration said. Zelensky hopes 'there won't be any occupiers' at G-20 summit in Indonesia President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky hopes that at the G-20 summit in the autumn of 2022 in Indonesia "there will be no occupiers." "I am grateful to the leader of Indonesia for inviting me to the G20 summit in the fall. I accept this invitation and believe that before the summit in the fall, the world will solve this big issue," he said Friday, speaking via video link at the Indonesian think tank "Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia." "We must prevent mass starvation, stop massacres and repressions, forever wean any state of the world from nuclear blackmail. I believe that only friend states, partner states will attend the summit, and there will be no occupiers," Zelensky said. The G20 summit is scheduled to be held in Indonesia on November 15 and 16, 2022. Former head of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Oleksandr Tupytsky, accused in Ukraine of a number of criminal offenses, has been put on the international wanted list, the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has said. "At the request of the prosecutors of the Prosecutor General's Office, Podilsky District Court of Kyiv on May 27, 2022, put on the international wanted list the former chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, accused of committing a number of criminal offenses against justice," the PGO said in Telegram channel on Friday. As noted in the prosecutor's office, the relevant petition was filed by the prosecutors in connection with the systematic evasion of the accused from the court. "It was established that on March 17, 2022, the accused, having no legal grounds to leave Ukraine under martial law... without going through border and customs control, crossed the state border of Ukraine in the area of Kosino checkpoint in Zakarpattia region, and is now on the territory of the Austrian Republic," the PGO said. According to the prosecutor's office, these circumstances are the subject of a pretrial investigation in a separate criminal proceeding. The prosecutor's office reminds that the indictment against the ex-head of the Constitutional Court was sent to Podilsky District Court of Kyiv on May 25, 2021. In October 2018, the accused, acting for mercenary motives, in his personal interests and in the interests of his acquaintance, the former head of the Supreme Economic Court of Ukraine, wanted by law enforcement agencies, bribed a witness. By Trend It is planned to restore 40 kahriz (underground water supply systems) in the territory of Azerbaijans Aghdam, Aghjabadi, Barda, Fuzuli, Gazakh, Goranboy, Goygol districts and Ganja, Deputy Chairman Azerbaijan's State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Fuad Huseynov said at an international conference on Integrated Rural Development for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Communities in Azerbaijan through Revitalization of the Kahriz Water Supply System project, Trend reports. "International organizations provided great support to refugees and IDPs in early years of the ArmeniaAzerbaijan conflict. The activities of the UN institutions, also the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in this direction deserve special attention, Huseynov said. Their work in relation to IDPs is highly appreciated. Project to restore irrigation systems in Azerbaijan is being implemented together with various donor organizations of IOM since 1999. To date, 10 projects related to the restoration have been implemented, including the Integrated Rural Development for IDPs Communities in Azerbaijan through Revitalization of the Kahriz Water Supply System project ", Huseynov noted. This project is implemented by representative office of IOM in Azerbaijan with the financial support of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The living conditions and water supply of the settlements, where 8,000 people live, will improve as a result of the project," Huseynov added. Civilian casualties from February 24, when Russia started the war against Ukraine, to 00:00 on May 26 amounted to 8,766 civilians (a day earlier some 8,691), including 4,031 killed (3,998), the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has said on Friday. "OHCHR believes that the actual figures are considerably higher, as the receipt of information from some locations where intense hostilities have been going on has been delayed and many reports are still pending corroboration," the UN said. According to it, this concerns, for example, Mariupol (Donetsk region), Izium (Kharkiv region), and Popasna (Luhansk region), where there are allegations of numerous civilian casualties. "Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes," the UN said. According to confirmed UN figures, some 1,529 men, 995 women, 100 boys and 92 girls killed, while the gender of 69 children and 1,246 adults has not yet been determined. Among the 4,735 wounded were 132 boys and 110 girls, as well as 164 children whose gender has not yet been determined. Compared to the report two days earlier, a child killed and two more were wounded. OHCHR said that in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as of midnight on May 27, there were 2,145 (2,122) killed and 2,132 (2,124) wounded in government-controlled territory, and 129 (129) killed and 541 (537) wounded in territory controlled by self-proclaimed "republics." In other regions of Ukraine under government control (in Kyiv, as well as in Zhytomyr, Zaporizhia, Kyiv, Sumy, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy and Chernihiv regions), the UN recorded 1,757 (1,747) killed and 2,062 (2,032) wounded. According to the summary, the increase in the figures from the previous summary should not be attributed only to the May 26 cases, since during this period the office verified a number of cases from previous days. More US heavy weapons on their way to Ukraine Kuleba Even more U.S. heavy weapons are on their way to Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said following talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. "Spoke with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. I value his personal efforts to ensure a sustained U.S. and global support for Ukraine. Heavy weapons on top of our agenda, and more are coming our way. Ukraine and the U.S. work hand in hand to deliver our food exports despite Russia's reckless blockade," Kuleba said on Twitter on Friday. On Friday, the Russian invaders fired mortars at Sumy region from the Russian territory, there are no losses among the Ukrainian servicemen and military equipment, information about the wounded and killed among the locals is being specified, the Pivnich (North) task force said. "The invaders continue to shell the border settlements of Sumy region. In the period from 16:25 to 16:45, shelling was carried out from the territory of Russia in the direction of Seredyna-Buda (Ukraine) (11 parishes, previously from a 120-mm mortar). Losses among personnel and there is no equipment. Information about the killed and wounded among the local population and damage to civilian infrastructure is being specified," the task force said. It specifies that at 17:56 observers recorded ten explosions in the direction of Yuryeve. There are no losses among personnel and equipment. The Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), held on Friday in Kyiv, expressed disagreement with the position of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow regarding the war in Ukraine and adopted the necessary decisions and amendments to the Charter of the UOC, testifying to the complete independence of the church. In addition, as stated in the decision on the UOC website on Friday, the participants of the council proposed to establish a dialogue with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. "The council condemns the war as a violation of God's commandment 'Thou shalt not kill!' (Ex. 20:13) and expresses disagreement with the stance of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the war in Ukraine," the council said. The council adopted the appropriate additions and amendments to the Charter on the administration of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, "testifying to the complete independence and independence of the UOC." "The council expresses deep regret over the lack of unity in Ukrainian Orthodoxy. The council perceives the existence of a schism as a deep painful wound in the church body. It is especially regrettable that the recent actions of the Patriarch of Constantinople in Ukraine, which resulted in the formation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, only deepened misunderstandings and led to physical confrontation. But even in such crisis circumstances, the Council does not lose hope for the resumption of dialogue," the council said in the decision. In order for the dialogue to take place, the representatives of the OCU need to "stop the seizure of churches and forced transfers of parishes of the UOC, realize that their canonical status, as it is fixed in the Charter of the OCU, is in fact non-autocephalous and significantly inferior to freedoms and opportunities in the implementation of church activities, which are provided for by the Charter on the management of the UOC, as well as to resolve the issue of the canonicity of the hierarchy of the OCU, because for the UOC, as well as for the majority of Local Orthodox Churches, it is quite obvious that in order to recognize the canonicity of the hierarchy of the OCU, it is necessary to restore the apostolic heredity of its bishops." "The council expresses its deep conviction that the key to the success of the dialogue should be not only the desire to restore church unity, but also a sincere desire to build one's life on the basis of Christian conscience and moral purity," the UOC said. The council's participants also appealed to the authorities of Ukraine and Russia with a request to continue the negotiation process and the search for "a strong and reasonable word that could stop the bloodshed." On Monday, May 30, at 14.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference entitled "Start of business ideas contest to support small business in war conditions MAKE YOUR OWN' (ROBY SVOYE)." Participants include Director of the charitable foundation MHP - Community Tetiana Volochai; Head of the MHP social audit department (project coordinator on the part of the main donor of the MHP) Victoria Nahirniak; Head of the Department of National projects of the charitable foundation MHP - Community Hanna Tarasevych; moderator Dmytro Rudenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). The broadcast will be available on the Youtube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Registration of journalists on the spot with editorial certificates. Egypt is preparing to host the first edition of Africa Health ExCon, the biggest medical exhibition and conference on the continent, in New Cairo from 5-7 June. South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor has said that Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia have to act in accordance with binding agreements regarding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute. This would help the discussions between the three countries not end up in chaos, Pandor told a press conference on Wednesday alongside Egypts Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry in Cairo. South Africa supports the continuation of the discussions under the AU to settle the GERD dispute, she added. For his part, Shoukry reiterated Egypts call for reaching a legally-binding agreement that regulates the filling and operation of the mega dam in accordance with international law and through negotiations that fairly take into consideration the interests of the three countries. The binding agreement should fulfil the aspirations of Ethiopia in development and prosperity and secure a decent life for the Ethiopian people, the top Egyptian diplomat said. The deal should also protect the Egyptian and Sudanese water security, especially in light of Egypts full dependence on the Nile for its water resources, Shoukry added. We want to be supportive of our brothers in Africa and we see promising opportunities for bilateral, tripartite and collective cooperation between us and our brothers in Ethiopia to achieve mutual benefit, security and stability, the Egyptian FM stated. Egypt will continue through peaceful means and negotiations to reach an agreement that secures the interests of all parties equally, he added. Pandor made an official visit to the Egyptian capital today, during which she and Shoukry chaired the ninth round of the joint committee between Egypt and South Africa and held a comprehensive dialogue on enhancing bilateral and continental cooperation. Egypt and Sudan have been negotiating with Ethiopia for almost a decade now to reach a legally binding and comprehensive agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD, which Addis Ababa started building on the Blue Nile in 2010. Cairo and Khartoum have blamed the failure of the talks on Ethiopian intransigence and refusal to sign any legally binding deal. The latest round of African Union-sponsored talks between the three countries over the GERD in Kinshasa, DRC collapsed in April 2021, and all attempts to revive the negotiations have since failed. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly affirmed earlier in 2022 that Cairo is interested in resuming negotiations with Sudan and Ethiopia and resolving technical and legal points of contention to reach a balanced deal. Egypt which relies mainly on the Nile for its water needs fears that the unilateral operation of the GERD and the filling of its 74-billion-cubic-metre reservoir will negatively impact its water supply, while Sudan is concerned the GERD will harm the regulation of flows to its own dams and compromise their safety. On the other hand, Ethiopia says the project which will generate 5,250 megawatts of electricity when completed is essential for producing electricity and economic development, and has repeatedly dismissed the concerns of Cairo and Khartoum. Egypt has stated that it has no objections to Ethiopia using the dam to generate the electricity it needs for its development plans, but it opposes any action that compromises its already inadequate supply of Nile water or changes its patterns. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed a protocol of cooperation in defence, training and sharing of expertise during a two-day visit to the country by Egypts Minister of Defence and Military Production General Mohamed Zaki. During the visit, General Zaki, who led a high ranking military delegation, met with his Congolese counterpart Gilbert Kabanda Kurhenga and discussed a number of issues of joint interest in different military fields. Zaki said he is very proud of bilateral ties binding Egypt and DR Congo and underlined the importance of maintaining coordination and joint action along with boosting cooperation and support in the military fields to achieve joint interests. For his part, the congolese minister affirmed that Egypt and DR Congo share viewpoints regarding all issues that aim at developing cooperation vistas between the armed forces in the two countries. Zaki also met with Congolese Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde to discuss regional conditions, cross-border security challenges and issues affecting national security in both countries. Search Keywords: Short link: The African Development Bank (AfDB) named Egypt on Friday as the host of the 58th round of its annual meetings in 2023. The announcement was made during the closing ceremony of the 57th annual meetings in Ghanaian capital Accra. Next year's meetings are set to be held in the Red Sea city of Sharm El-Shiekh. Egypt is the bank's second largest shareholder and one of its members. During the meetings, AfDB raised its projections for Egypt's real GDP growth by one percent in 2022 despite the ongoing challenges. Search Keywords: Short link: Kiffle Horo, the project manager of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), told Al-Arabiya News Channel on Friday that the upcoming third filling of the dam will take place in August and September and will not be delayed. Horo's announcement came during an official launch event for the first phase of generating electricity from the GERD, which was attended by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and a large number of national and local officials. Horo ruled out delaying the third filling of the dam, describing it as "an automatic process." He added that "the dam is formidable and any talk about its dangers is not correct," before claiming that "Ethiopia has shared the information on the GERD with Egypt and Sudan." The construction of the dam will not stop "for any reason" and will be completed within two years, he said. Horo added that statements from Egypt and Sudan on the dangers of the GERD "do not concern" Ethiopia, adding that Addis Ababa has not violated the 2015 Declaration of Principles, which were signed by the three countries, concerning the filling process. The Ethiopian officials told the Saudi News channel that the second electricity-generating turbine will be tested "within weeks." In a speech during the event, Ethiopias PM Abiy Ahmed stated that the dam was constructed for development purposes for the Ethiopian people, adding that Ethiopia does not intend to harm the two downstream countries, Egypt or Sudan. Egypt: GERD existential issue On Tuesday, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry stated that Cairo is always ready for dialogue on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) issue, describing the file as an existential issue and a matter of national security for Egypt and its people. Shoukry made the statements to Sky News Arabia on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. [Previously exerted] efforts have not yielded a legally binding agreement regarding the GERDs filing and operation policies, nevertheless, Cairo is working hard to push forward matters in order to reach an agreement that [simultaneously] allows Ethiopia to develop and safeguards Egypts rights, the minister said. Egypt and Sudan have been negotiating with Ethiopia for almost a decade now to reach a legally binding and comprehensive agreement on the filling and operation of the GERD, which Addis Ababa started building on the Blue Nile in 2010. Cairo and Khartoum have blamed the failure of the talks on Ethiopian intransigence and refusal to sign any legally binding deal. The latest round of African Union (AU)-sponsored talks between the three countries over the GERD in Kinshasa, DRC collapsed in April 2021, and all attempts to revive the negotiations since have failed. Egypts top diplomat also told Sky News Arabia that Cairo closely follows up on the issue with international partners, but there have been no positive results so far. Egypt is always prepared for dialogue and is ready to resume negotiations to settle this issue, Shoukry stressed. Deadlock lingers Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly affirmed earlier in 2022 that Cairo is interested in resuming negotiations with Sudan and Ethiopia and resolving technical and legal points of contention to reach a balanced deal. Egypt which relies mainly on the Nile for its water needs fears that the unilateral operation of the GERD and the filling of its 74-billion-cubic-metre reservoir will negatively impact its water supply, while Sudan is concerned the GERD will harm the regulation of flows to its own dams and their safety. On the other hand, Ethiopia says the project which will generate 5,250 megawatts of electricity when completed is essential for producing electricity and economic development, repeatedly downplaying the concerns of Cairo and Khartoum. Egypt has repeatedly stated that it has no objections to Ethiopia using the dam to generate the electricity it needs for its development plans. However, Cairo said it opposes any action that compromises its already inadequate share of Nile water or changes its patterns. Previously, Madbouly stressed that developments in Nile Basin countries were a priority for Egypt, stressing that Cairo has provided aid and expertise to help promote development and secure stability for its neighbours. In February, Ethiopia, which had unilaterally completed the first and second filling of the dam, announced that the first turbine of the GERD has begun generating power. The Ethiopian News Agency said at the time that the first turbine is generating 375 megawatts, with the second turbine set to operate soon. In response, Egypt said the unilateral decision to start power generation from the GERD is another violation of the Declaration of Principles (DoP) signed between Addis Ababa, Cairo, and Khartoum in 2015. Search Keywords: Short link: RTHK: Iranian forces seize two Greek tankers Iranian forces seized two Greek tankers in the Gulf on Friday, shortly after Tehran warned it would take "punitive action" against Athens over the confiscation of Iranian oil by the United States from a tanker held off the Greek coast. "The Revolutionary Guards Navy today seized two Greek tankers for violations in Gulf waters," said a Guards statement, quoted by Iranian state news agency IRNA. It gave no further details and did not say what the alleged violations were. Greece's foreign ministry said an Iranian navy helicopter landed on Greek flagged vessel Delta Poseidon, which was sailing in international waters, 22 nautical miles from the Iranian shore, and took the crew hostage, among them two Greek citizens. It said a similar incident took place on another Greek-flagged vessel near Iran, without naming the ship, adding both actions violated international law and Greece had informed its allies, as well as complained to Iran's ambassador in Athens. Greece-based Delta Tankers, which operates the Delta Poseidon, could not be immediately reached for comment. Greek authorities last month impounded the Iranian-flagged Pegas, with 19 Russian crew members on board, near the coast of the southern island of Evia due to European Union sanctions. The United States later confiscated the Iranian oil cargo held onboard and plans to send it to the United States on another vessel, Reuters reported on Thursday. The Pegas was later released, but the seizure inflamed tensions at a delicate time, with Iran and world powers seeking to revive a nuclear deal that Washington abandoned under former President Donald Trump in favour of returning sanctions on Iran. Earlier on Friday, Nour News, which is affiliated to an Iranian state security body, said on Twitter: "Following the seizure of an Iranian tanker by the Greek government and the transfer of its oil to the Americans, #Iran has decided to take punitive action against #Greece." It did not say what kind of action Iran would take. The Pegas was among five vessels designated by Washington on Feb. 22 - two days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine - for sanctions against Promsvyazbank, a bank viewed as critical to Russia's defence sector. It was unclear whether the cargo was impounded because it was Iranian oil or due to the sanctions on the tanker over its Russian links. Iran and Russia face separate U.S. sanctions. A maritime security source said the other tanker seized on Friday was the Greek-flagged Prudent Warrior. Its operator, Greece-based shipping firm Polembros, told Reuters there had been "an incident" with one of its ships, without elaborating, adding it was "making every effort to resolve the issue." U.S. advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which monitors Iran-related tanker traffic through ship and satellite tracking, said Prudent Warrior was carrying a cargo of Qatari and Iraqi oil, while the Delta Poseidon was loaded with Iraqi oil. Each vessel was carrying approximately one million barrels, it said. "This should have direct implications on the JCPOA (Iran nuclear) negotiations and further stalling any chances of reviving a deal," Claire Jungman, chief of staff at UANI, told Reuters. A spokesperson with the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain said it was aware of the reported seizures and was looking into them. Also on Friday, Iran summoned an envoy of Switzerland, which represents U.S. interests in Tehran, to protest against the Pegas oil seizure, the Iranian foreign ministry said. "The Islamic Republic expressed its deep concern over the U.S. government's continued violation of international laws and international maritime conventions," state media quoted the foreign ministry as saying. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment on the oil seizure. IRNA quoted Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization as saying the tanker had sought refuge along the Greek coast after experiencing technical problems and poor weather. It called the seizure of its cargo was "a clear example of piracy". The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on what it described as a Russian-backed oil smuggling and money laundering network for Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force. In 2019, Iran seized a British tanker near the Strait of Hormuz for alleged marine violations two weeks after British forces detained an Iranian tanker near Gibraltar, accusing it of shipping oil to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions. Both vessels were later released. (Reuters) This story has been published on: 2022-05-27. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Egypt has contacted a number of companies to obtain raw materials required to manufacture the monkeypox drugs and to import PCR test kits to detect the virus, Acting Minister of Health Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar said on Wednesday. Egypt has not recorded any cases of monkeypox to date and the government has been raising awareness among the public on the issue, Abdel-Ghaffar told Sada Al-Balad TV channel. Monkeypox is a viral infection observed in isolates in central and western Africa with minor outbreaks in recent years elsewhere. The primary route of infection is thought to be contact with the infected animals or their bodily fluids. Some cases of Monkeypox have been detected in several countries recently, including Canda and in Europe, but no deaths have been reported. Also, the United Arab Emirates reported its first monkeypox case on Tuesday. Abdel-Ghaffar noted that Egypts plan includes obtaining the drug tecovirimat, which treats smallpox and related viruses, including monkeypox. Tecovirimat, developed by the American pharmaceutical company SIGA Technologies, received approval from the European Medicines Agency in January. The Egyptian scientific committee originally in charge of addressing the coronavirus situation in the country will give daily reports on the monkeypox situation worldwide, Abdel-Ghaffar added. Monkeypox disease is usually self-limiting meaning it typically resolves itself without treatment the World Health Organisation has said, though it warned that severe cases can occur and that the diseases fatality rate is around 3 to 6 percent. Symptoms of the disease, which usually last from two to four weeks, include fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes. The disease can be transmitted to people from other infected persons or animals. Monkeypox is less contagious than the notorious smallpox, which was declared eradicated worldwide in 1980, and causes less severe illness. To prevent infection, the Egyptian health ministry advises people to not touch sick or dead animals that are found in places where monkeypox spreads. People infected with the virus should be isolated and animals carrying the virus should be quarantined, the ministry has said. The ministry also urges people to wash hands well with water and soap or alcohol-based hand sanitisers and use masks and gloves when providing care to people infected with the virus. Search Keywords: Short link: The Al Jazeera news network says it will submit a case file to the International Criminal Court on the killing of reporter Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead earlier this month during an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank. The Qatar-based network and the Palestinian Authority have accused Israeli soldiers of deliberately killing her. Israel rejects those allegations as a ``blatant lie.`` It says she was shot during a firefight between soldiers and Palestinian opposers, and that only ballistic analysis of the bullet, which is held by the PA, can determine who fired the fatal shot. An AP reconstruction lent support to witnesses who say the veteran Palestinian correspondent was killed by Israeli fire, but any final conclusion may depend on evidence that has not yet been released. Al Jazeera said late Thursday it has formed an international legal team to prepare a case dossier to be submitted to the ICC. The court launched an investigation into possible Israeli war crimes last year. Israel is not a member of the ICC and has rejected the probe as being biased against it. Al Jazeera said the case file would also include the Israeli bombing of the building housing its offices in Gaza City during last year's war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, ``as well as the continuous incitements and attacks on its journalists operating in the occupied Palestinian territories.'' Israel said the building, which also housed the Gaza office of The Associated Press, contained Hamas military infrastructure without any evidence providing their claim. The AP was not aware of any purported Hamas presence in the building and condemned the strike as ``shocking and horrifying.'' No one was hurt in the strike. ``The Network vows to follow every path to achieve justice for Shireen, and ensure those responsible for her killing are brought to justice and held accountable in all international justice and legal platforms and courts,'' Al Jazeera said. Israel says it cannot determine whether Palestinian militants or its own soldiers fired the fatal shot unless the PA hands over the bullet that killed Abu Akleh for ballistic analysis. The PA has refused to cooperate with Israel in any way, saying it doesn't trust Israel to investigate itself. The PA announced the results of its own probe on Thursday, saying Abu Akleh was deliberately killed by Israeli forces and that there were no militants in the area. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz rejected the findings, saying ``any claim that the IDF intentionally harms journalists or uninvolved civilians is a blatant lie,'' referring to the Israeli military. Palestinian Attorney General Akram Al-Khateeb, in announcing the results of the probe, said the bullet that killed her was an armour-piercing 5.56 mm NATO round and that it appeared to have been fired by a Ruger Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle. The Israeli occupation military declined to comment on whether the gun described by the Palestinians matches one the military has previously identified as having possibly fired the fatal shot. It also declined to say whether the army uses the Ruger Mini-14 or whether any were in use during the May 11 raid in which Abu Akleh was killed, in the West Bank town of Jenin. Israel has publicly called for a joint investigation with the PA, with the participation of the U.S. The State Department said this week that neither Israel nor the PA has formally requested its assistance. Each side is in sole possession of potentially crucial evidence, and neither is likely to accept any conclusions reached by the other. Search Keywords: Short link: The African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched the Africa Circular Economy Facility (ACEF) at a total value of 4 billion in collaboration with the Finnish government, said Kariuki Kevin Kanina, the banks Vice President for Climate Action. Kanina made the announcement on Friday during the launch of the facility during the 57th AfDB annual meeting that is being held in the Ghanaian capital of Akra. Kanini explained that the facility aims to help all African countries adapt to climate change, noting that it focuses on three key pillars: building institutional capacity; supporting the private sector, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and expanding the membership in the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA). ACEA was launched to stimulate the African countries transition to a circular economy model that provides economic growth, jobs and positive environmental outcomes at the same time. To date, only Ghana, Cote dIvoire, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa are members of the alliance. Meanwhile, the AfDBs Division Manager Gareth Phillips told Ahram Online that the AfDB is providing technical and financial support for Egypts hosting of the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27) in November, adding that ACEF will be a key pillar of COP27. On his side, Finlands Minister of Foreign Affairs Juha Savolainen said that it is necessary for the continent to double financing for climate adaptation through 2025 to avoid the severe impacts of the climate change. During the annual meetings events, the African Banker Award chose the National Bank of Egypt (NBE) as the best regional bank in North Africa this year. In its Economic Outlook Report for Africa, published on Wednesday, the AfDB raised its projections for Egypts real GDP growth to 5.7 percent in 2022 up from 4.7 percent it expected in 2021 before slowing down to 5.1 percent in 2023. The report also noted that Africa needs a sum of $32 billion to $40 billion per year to support the energy value chain to reach universal access for electricity by 2030. Search Keywords: Short link: No clear frontrunner has emerged in the race for the Palme d'Or, to be announced on Saturday, but the Cannes Film Festival has certainly delivered some memorable scenes in its 75th year. Projectile vomit The images perhaps most seared into audiences' minds from the 21 films in competition came from an extended bout of sea sickness among the ultra-rich passengers on a cruise ship in the brutal social satire "Triangle of Sadness". The magisterial, near-balletic sequence of projectile vomiting, diarrhoea and overflowing toilets was too much for many people's stomachs, but it was also the only film to have the cinemas erupting with uncontrollable laughter. Poor taste fly-by Playing out of competition, "Top Gun: Maverick" brought an early dose of Hollywood razzmatazz with Tom Cruise's first trip to Cannes in 30 years. However, the decision to send the French Air Force display team roaring over the red carpet was considered in rather bad taste by some at a time when the festival was also paying homage to Ukrainians affected by the war. One producer from Ukraine said she almost threw herself to the ground at the terrifying sound and burst into tears. Korean feast Some of South Korea's biggest stars hit Cannes this year. Lee Jung-jae, the star of "Squid Game", made his directorial debut with political thriller "Hunt", playing out of competition. In the race for the Palme d'Or, there were strong reviews for "Broker" about a woman abandoning her child in a "baby box" featuring Song Kang-ho ("Parasite") and K-pop superstar Lee Ji-eun. And a favourite to win the top prize is director Park Chan-wook, known for cult favourite "Oldboy", who returned to Cannes with detective story "Decision to Leave". Music festival It was another rich year for music lovers, with a new documentary about David Bowie, "Moonage Daydream", receiving gushing reviews for its kaleidoscopic, ultra-immersive look at the rock artist. There was also a documentary about rock'n'roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis by one half of the Coen brothers, Ethan Coen. And the red carpet was lit up by the world premiere of "Elvis" the new biopic from flamboyant Australian director Baz Luhrmann -- though it received mixed reviews with one critic calling it "indecently entertaining" and another "deliriously awful". Donkey love The most radical piece of work in the main competition was "EO", a film told entirely from the point of view of a donkey. The film uses innovative techniques to bring the story to life, and is considered a dark horse possibility for a prize. It doesn't necessarily end well, though better than the donkey that gets beaten to death with a rock in "Triangle of Sadness". Search Keywords: Short link: The European Investment Bank (EIB) is eyeing desalination projects in Egypt, water sector expert at the EIB Walid Salem said this week. Coastal protection in Egypt is an area in which the EIB closely collaborates with the national authorities to identify potential investments in line with Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles, Salem told Al-Ahram Weekly. These guide the use and sustainable conservation of oceans, seas, and marine resources. The EIB currently stands as one of the largest investors in water resources worldwide, with close to 79 billion euros invested in over 1,600 projects. According to Salem, water and sanitation projects are high on the agenda when it comes to projects being implemented in Egypt, including large national programmes such as the presidential Decent Life initiative. In collaboration with the European Union, the EIB has provided financing to Egypt worth one billion euros so far to support 23 projects, including integrated development projects for sewage treatment in Alexandria and Kafr Al-Sheikh, projects aimed at reducing pollution in Egypts lakes and the Mediterranean, and the Fayoum Sewage Plant. Egypt is entering a stage of water poverty according to international rates and standards. According to the UN, the definition of water poverty determines the per capita share of 1,000 cubic metres of water per year. Today, the per capita share of water in Egypt has decreased to the equivalent of 550 or 580 cubic metres, about half the water poverty rate. Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Shaarawi announced the figures during his participation in a symposium on water security in Africa on the sidelines of the ninth session of the African Cities Summit (Africites 2022), held from 17 to 21 May in the Kenyan city of Kisumu, according to a statement by the ministry on 19 May. During the symposium, Shaarawi presented where Egypt stands in regard to its water situation. He said that Egypt has a robust policy for rationalising its water resources, seen in its national project for lining canals and the development of a modern irrigation system to conserve water, treat agricultural and sanitary drainage water, desalinate sea water and purify lakes. According to Shaarawi, all ministries and state institutions are making great efforts in all the governorates to implement the directives of the political leadership and the prime minister to preserve every drop of water and get the maximum possible benefit from Egypts water resources. The symposium also emphasised the River Nile as a lifeline for the Egyptian people, pointing to the importance of working for water on the African continent to be a tool of cooperation between the African countries and not one fostering disputes or tension. The water issue is affected by climate change in the countries of the African continent, the minister said, adding that all parties should take into account their water security. The Ethiopian Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has long been a point of concern when it comes to Egypts water security, and Egypt has been vocal over the past decade about its concern that the GERD will reduce its share of the Niles water. Egypt, along with Sudan, has been demanding Ethiopia sign a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation policies of the dam, but the upstream country has yet to do so. However, even before the GERD, Egypt had neared the water poverty line, Haitham Al-Kott, a specialist in water-treatment technologies, told the Weekly. He said that the expansion of desalination projects could offer security, stressing that Egypt was giving special attention to desalination projects among other efforts exerted. Over the past week, Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat said that the government is offering low-cost financial packages to the private sector to carry out water-desalination projects and others through cooperation with financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank, and the European Investment Bank. During a press conference on Sunday, Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli said projects of water desalination, canal lining, and irrigation modernisation were part of the states efforts to secure every drop of water. He said Egypt has historical rights to the Nile water, but it does not oppose development projects in the Nile Basin countries, and some of the projects are carried out by Egyptian companies working in these countries. Egypt sticks to its water rights, and it does not oppose development projects in the Nile Basin countries, Madbouli said. Environmental and water-resources expert Ahmed Abdallah said that the water-desalination and sewage-treatment projects were necessary at the present time given Egypts internal and external challenges. He added that there was a golden opportunity for the private sector to attract foreign investment to these types of projects. Last month, a government official announced that Egypt would put 19 water-desalination projects out for tender with a combined production capacity of 3.3 million cubic metres of water per day and a combined investment of about LE72 billion. This will be through public-private partnerships. Housing Minister Assem Al-Gazzar said in 2020 that Egypt wants to invest some LE134.2 billion through 2050 to build seawater-desalination plants with a capacity of 6.4 million cubic metres per day of potable water. Egypt last year inaugurated the worlds largest wastewater-treatment plant, the LE18 billion Bahr Al-Baqar plant. Water security remains a key priority for Egypt as threats posed by the GERD and climate change have prompted the government to put water at the forefront of its development plans. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Journalists for Climate Network is emphasising the role the media can play in environmentally friendly development and combating climate change. The Journalists for Climate Network, thus far made up of 31 Egyptian media professionals, has been formed as part of Egypts preparations to host the UN COP27 meeting on climate change in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh from 7 to 18 November, reports Mahmoud Bakr. The group was launched during a workshop for media professionals concerned with the environment in Ain Sokhna on 15-16 May within the Our Country Hosts COP27 initiative. The campaign was kick-started by the Arab Office for Youth and Environment, in cooperation with the Arab Network for Environment and Development, the Egyptian Sustainable Development Forum, and the Small Enterprises Programme. The network aims to facilitate communication between media professionals who want to work together to inform the public about the repercussions of climate change, mitigate the effects of the phenomenon, and promote the use of new and renewable energy for adaptation purposes. It also targets supporting climate action plans and policies, including the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and exploring the availability of media facilities for reporters taking part in COP27. The group produces a daily newsletter to publicise the local platforms formed in each governorate as part of the Our Country Hosts COP27 initiative. It also provides training for members to boost their skills in covering climate-change issues with the help of experts and academics in the field. In addition to supporting the participation of its members in international seminars on climate change, the network also sheds light on civil society success stories in addressing the effects of climate change. These may be presented at the Sharm El-Sheikh meeting, with calls also made to finance them. Members of the Network come from different Egyptian newspapers, satellite TV channels, and news Websites, in addition to experts on climate action from the Arab League. The network will be welcoming new members before or after the COP27 meeting. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Al-Ahram Weekly reports on the African Development Banks efforts to help the continent cover its food needs. Egypt is in talks with the African Development Bank (AfDB) in order to benefit from the banks financing and expertise to boost its wheat, maize, and soybean cultivation. The AfDB is currently doing just that in Ghana through its flagship Planting for Food and Jobs Programme, which aims to encourage Ghanaian young people to venture into agriculture-related businesses. Two main projects are being implemented under the programme in Ghanas Savannah region in a pilot phase, the Savannah Zone Agriculture Productivity Empowerment Product (SAPIP) and the Savannah Investment Programme (SIP), AfDB Chief Agricultural Policy Economist Philip Boahen told Al-Ahram Weekly on the sidelines of its 57th annual meetings taking place in the Ghanaian capital Accra this week. The AfDB is financing the two programmes with a total of about $73 million through 2024 with the aim of securing Ghanas national needs of grains and poultry and helping to achieve Africas food security and self-sufficiency more generally. The Programmes began in 2019, but the Ukraine war has pushed the Bank to accelerate their implementation to cover other African countries, including Egypt, a high priority in this regard. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Egypt is the largest wheat importer globally, with 80 per cent of its needs sourced from Ukraine and Russia. Regarding the sum the bank is expected to make available to Egypt as part of the programmes, Boahen said this would be decided after the Egyptian governments approval. Since 2020, the SIP has supported 81 farmers in Ghana to cultivate over 11.5 hectares of land, 35 per cent of which is planted with soybeans and the rest with maize. Under the SAPIP, the AfDB is also financing another pilot programme, called the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation in Ghanas Savannah (TAAT-S), which has thus far been rolled out on three farms and contributed about 7.4 per cent of the countrys national food security in 2021. The larger TAAT Programme has delivered climate-smart seeds to 12 million farmers in 27 countries over the past two years and has delivered water-efficient maize to 5.6 million households in East Africa, an area hit by severe droughts three years ago, according to AfDB data. We have to do everything we can to support upscaling wheat production in Africa to address the looming food crisis caused by the ongoing global economic challenges, Boahen said. Ahead of the annual meetings, the AfDBs board of governors approved a $1.5 billion Emergency Food Production Facility last Friday with the aim of helping to address the global food crisis. The banks annual meetings this year focus on accelerating climate adaptation in Africa as well as preparing for the UN COP27 meeting on climate change that Egypt is hosting in Sharm El-Sheikh in November. Speaking to the Weekly, AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina said the bank fully supported Egypt in this regard and added that it would make available financing for the event that would showcase the serious challenges the African continent is currently facing, including the threat of climate change and the looming food crisis. A delegation from the AfDB led by the banks vice-president for power, energy, climate change, and green growth, Kevin Kariuki, paid a one-week visit to Egypt in March to show support for Egypt on hosting the COP27 meeting. The bank is working with other international financial institutions to create an alliance supporting green infrastructure in Africa at the COP27, Kariuki said. During the welcoming event at this weeks meetings in Accra, Adesina noted that Africa loses $7.5 billion per year due to climate change and its associated impacts and that this figure is projected to rise to $50 billion a year by 2040. Africa, which accounts for just four per cent of global-greenhouse gas emissions, is short-changed by climate finance, the Banks president said. Africas financing needs to address climate change range between $1.3 trillion and $1.6 trillion in 2020-30, Adesina noted, adding that Africa is not getting enough resources to tackle the crisis. Africa gets only three per cent of total global climate finance. Climate financing mobilised globally falls short of Africas needs by $100 to $127 billion annually between 2020-30, Adesina said. According to AfDB estimates, the African countries need $3.5 trillion in energy investments every year between 2016 and 2050 to fulfil the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change on the way to net-zero emissions. *A version of this article appears in print in the 26 May, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: With EU leaders set to meet Monday to try to seal a sixth Russia sanctions package that includes an oil embargo, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has mounted his latest show of defiance. The package proposed earlier this month by the European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, requires unanimous backing from all 27 EU member states. But the combative Orban, elected for a fourth straight term last month, has described an embargo as "a red line" and an "atomic bomb" that would destroy the central European country's economy. Budapest -- which under Orban sought close ties to Moscow until the invasion of Ukraine -- insists a ban would spark recession, shortages and rocketing prices, and undermine Hungary's energy security. In a letter last week, Orban told EU chief Charles Michel that bringing up the embargo at the leaders' summit would be pointless. 'Solutions before sanctions' "Solutions must come before sanctions," said Orban, who has often been the odd-man-out in EU decision-making and currently is at loggerheads with the bloc over rule-of-law issues. Orban has dismissed the EU's compromise offer of a short exemption of a few years, and insists that the package exempts imports through pipelines like the "Druzhba" (Friendship) which delivers the Urals crude brand that meets around 65 percent of landlocked Hungary's oil demand. Alternatively, it wants a longer exemption and transition period of at least three and a half to four years, and at least 800 million euros ($860 million) in EU funds to re-tool refineries for non-Russian crude oil processing and boost the capacity of a pipeline to neighbouring Croatia. Faced with the stand-off, voices abroad, including German economy minister Robert Habeck, have called for the EU to launch the embargo regardless. "If the 26 of us consent to it, even if with the exception of Hungary, it's a path I would always support," he told German public radio. 'Big money at stake' Some experts are sceptical about the official claims of alarm over a Russian oil ban. "It would be difficult for the economy but not an atomic bomb," Zoltan Torok, an economist at Raiffeisen Bank in Budapest, told AFP. "Although costly, potentially leading to some shortages, and not solvable from one day to another, it's a challenge that can be managed," he said. Hungarian energy conglomerate MOL operates a refinery near Budapest and another in Slovakia, both considered among the EU's most modern and adaptable. Most experts say refinery redesigns for different types of crude oil processing can often be made within six to eighteen months not many years. In fact, Hungary's resistance more likely stems from a "windfall situation" currently enjoyed by MOL due to the war, said Tamas Pletser, an energy analyst with Erste Bank in Budapest. Run by a close Orban ally, MOL usually bought Russian crude oil at around one to three dollars (0.90 to 2.80 euros) per barrel cheaper than Brent oil. But due to fear of the embargo that difference is now up to 30 to 40 dollars per barrel. "MOL is now gaining on both sides, buying cheap crude oil from Russia and selling it at a good price on the free market, it's making an estimated additional $10 million a day," Pletser told AFP. Windfall tax On Thursday Budapest announced a windfall tax aimed at raising 300 billion forints (760 million euros, $820 million) from "extra profit" earned by energy companies, mainly MOL. The tax bonanza could help shore up Orban's economic campaigns like caps on petrol pumps and household utility prices, says Attila Holoda, a former state secretary under Orban and ex-MOL employee. "The embargo refusal is only about the money: protecting MOL's profit, and indirectly windfall tax revenues," he told AFP. Populist measures like the petrol price caps helped Orban win reelection by a landslide in April, and cheap Russian energy is seen as a cornerstone of his strategy for keeping power. Hungary signed a long-term gas contract with Gazprom last year, and just three weeks before Russia's invasion of Ukraine Orban discussed the deal in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Orban has to tread a neutral line so far during the war, not blaming Putin for starting the war, and sending humanitarian aid but no weapons to Ukraine. With Hungary depending on Russia for 85 percent of its gas its oil veto is also "because of the danger an EU gas embargo could be next which really would be an economic atomic bomb," said Zoltan Torok. Search Keywords: Short link: China and Russia vetoed on Thursday a U.S.-led push to impose more UN sanctions on North Korea over its renewed ballistic missile launches, publicly splitting the Security Council for the first time since it started punishing Pyongyang in 2006. The remaining 13 council members all voted in favor of the U.S.-drafted resolution that proposed banning tobacco and oil exports to North Korea, whose leader Kim Jong-un is a chain smoker. It would also blacklist the Lazarus hacking group, which the United States says is tied to North Korea. The vote came a day after North Korea fired three missiles, including one thought to be its largest intercontinental ballistic missile, following U.S. President Joe Biden's trip to Asia. It was the latest in a string of ballistic missile launches this year, which are banned by the Security Council. Citing the council's silence on North Korea, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said this month that "it is time to stop providing tacit permission and to start taking action." Over the past 16 years the Security Council has steadily, and unanimously, stepped up sanctions to cut off funding for Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. It last tightened sanctions on Pyongyang in 2017. Since then, China and Russia have been pushing for an easing of sanctions on humanitarian grounds. While they have delayed some action behind closed doors in the Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee, the vote on the resolution on Thursday was the first time they have publicly broken unanimity. Early voting in the June 1 local elections started Friday at 3,551 polling stations across the country. Voters are casting their ballots from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Saturday, with an extra slot from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday for those who tested positive for COVID-19. On actual polling day, infected voters only have an hour, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. All voters must wear masks at the polling booth. The National Election Commission said infected voters will use the same polling stations as uninfected ones. During the presidential election, infected voters had to cast their ballots at separate polling stations, but that caused crushes and accusations of mishandling. Voters are being asked to elect mayors, governors, local assembly members and superintendents of education. Seven constituencies are also holding by-elections for the National Assembly, with some big names on the ballot. By Trend The TEKNOFEST International Aviation, Space and Technology Festival has been held in Turkey for four years and this year, for the first time, it is organized abroad, in fraternal Azerbaijan, CEO of Turkish Baykar Savunma, Co-founder and Chairman of Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Institution (TUBITAK) Haluk Bayraktar told Trend in an exclusive interview. According to him, TEKNOFEST is important for familiarizing the youth of Azerbaijan with new generation technologies and developing the technological sphere. "We will do our best to develop technologies in Azerbaijan, and increase the interest of young people in this area. We have drones, but we need personnel who will develop these technologies. Such festivals arouse interest in people, he said. Therefore, TEKNOFEST plays an important role in the development of technologies in Turkey and Azerbaijan, the matter of training personnel in this area," Bayraktar added. TEKNOFEST International Aviation, Space and Technology Festival is being held in Azerbaijan from May 26 through May 29. TEKNOFEST in Baku is held by the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan. At the same time, the TEKNOFEST production office operates in Baku. The full staff of the office consists of Azerbaijani specialists. The event has been held annually since 2018, with the joint organization of the Turkish Technology Team Foundation, which is managed by the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology and the technical director of Baykar Makina, in partnership with more than 60 Turkish state institutions, universities and private companies. The goal is to popularize such areas as aviation, space industry and digital economy, to encourage entrepreneurship in these areas, to identify the knowledge and skills of young engineers through competitions organized within the framework of the festival, as well as to present national technologies to the general public. Trend News Agency, Day.Az, Milli.Az, Azernews, Eastweststream, Today.Az and Turkic.World are official media partners of TEKNOFEST. The median age of Koreans is already 45 this year but is expected to reach 58 in the next three decades due to the ultra-low birthrate and rising life expectancy. According to Statistics Korea on Thursday, the median age will increase to 50.4 in 2031 and jump to 57.9 in 2050, when the median age of the population in seven more rural provinces and metropolitan districts will likely surpass 60. In the administrative city of Sejong, where it is currently the lowest in the country, the median age will also jump from 38.8 this year to 50.9 in 2050. The total population of Korea including immigrants will drop below 50 million in 2041 at the current rate. Statistics Korea has estimated the total population will drop from 51.63 million this year to 49.99 million in 2041, plunging to 47.36 million by 2050. Boy band Bangtan Boys, also known as BTS, will meet U.S. President Joe Biden next week to discuss anti-Asian discrimination, the White House said on Thursday. To mark Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Biden will host an event on May 31 which will "discuss Asian inclusion and representation, and to address anti-Asian hate crimes and discrimination which have become more prominent issues in recent years," it said. KYODO NEWS - May 27, 2022 - 17:08 | World, All The Philippines has begun using Subic Bay facing the South China Sea as a naval base, the country's navy said this week in a move aimed at countering China's increasing assertiveness in the contested waters. One of the Philippine Navy's two guided-missile frigates was deployed at the new base on Tuesday, about 30 years after the U.S. Navy withdrew from the strategic area about 80 kilometers west of the capital Manila. The base sits on the roughly 100-hectare plot of a former shipyard acquired by U.S. private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP that has been leased to the navy. It is possible the U.S. military will seek joint use of the facility, which is located across the bay from the site of the former U.S. naval base. The Philippine Air Force, meanwhile, plans to station aircraft at Subic Bay International Airport in order to monitor and respond to maritime disputes, according to a Subic Bay port official. The airport used to form part of the U.S. base. Following the U.S. withdrawal in November 1992, the former naval base was turned into a sprawling port known as Subic Bay Freeport. But amid heightened tensions in the nearby waters, where Manila and Beijing are locked in a territorial dispute, there has been a renewed appreciation of the bay's strategic importance. Rolen Paulino, chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, which oversees the port, said in an interview that Subic Bay has become "more important" given its "strategic location." The rest of the Navy fleet may move into the base "within the year," Paulino said, adding that he welcomes port calls by U.S. and Japanese naval vessels. The port authority head also said a U.S. naval presence in the area would help keep a balance as the Philippine Navy is not able to match the Chinese navy, which is becoming more powerful. According to Zharrex Santos, an official in charge of operations at Subic Bay airport, the port authority signed an agreement with the Philippine Defense Department in February to "delineate" a portion of the airport as an Air Force forward base. The airport allows a shortened response time as it is "two minutes closer" by air to disputed areas in the South China Sea compared with Basa Air Base in Pampanga Province, northwest of Manila, he said. The U.S. military forged an accord with the Philippines in 2014 to strengthen defense cooperation. The U.S. military is permitted to build facilities within Philippine bases, making it effectively possible to station troops in the Southeast Asian country again. Over the last couple of years, the U.S. Navy has used Subic Bay as its landing port when it conducts joint exercises with the Philippine Navy. A small number of Philippine Navy vessels had already been stationed at the commercial port since the port authority agreed in 2015 to lease part of the port to the Philippine Navy for free. In a press conference Thursday, incoming President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that while the Philippines and the United States have had a "very strong and very advantageous" relationship for many years, he also intends to maintain communication with China over the maritime dispute. "I've said it before. I'll say it again," he said. "I do not subscribe to the old thinking of Cold War where we had the spheres of influence. I think that we just have to (have an) independent foreign policy where we are friends with everyone. That's the only way." Related coverage: Marcos Jr. declares victory, vows to rev up Philippine economy Protesters take to streets as Marcos Jr. wins Philippine presidency Japan, Philippines to aim for new defense cooperation pact KYODO NEWS - May 27, 2022 - 14:38 | All, Japan A tourist boat that sank off Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido last month arrived at the port of Abashiri on Friday after being salvaged, setting the stage for a full-fledged investigation into the cause of the accident that left 14 people dead and 12 missing. The 19-ton Kazu I, being transported on a barge, will be brought ashore as early as Sunday after seawater is drained from it, according to the Japan Coast Guard. Nippon Salvage Co. placed the boat on the deck of the barge at around 3:20 a.m. Friday after it was raised by crane from a depth of 182 meters, having failed to tow the vessel closer to the port earlier this week. The boat with 26 people aboard went missing after departing on April 23 for a three-hour cruise around the Shiretoko Peninsula, a World Natural Heritage site, despite bad weather forecasts and warnings. The coast guard is continuing to search for the 12 people unaccounted for using ships and planes. Deepwater divers had searched inside the boat but found no trace of the missing. The tour boat was first located on the seabed at a depth of around 120 meters on April 29 near Kashuni Falls, a popular scenic site near the tip of the peninsula, from where it had issued a distress call. Earlier this week, the boat dropped back to the seabed while being towed to shallow waters after it was raised to a depth of around 20 meters. It has been revealed that the boat operator did not take adequate safety measures, such as its president not fulfilling an obligation to stay in the office while a tour was under way. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida suggested in parliament Friday that there was a lack of supervision, saying, "The transport ministry was not able to fully fulfill its responsibilities." Related coverage: Sunken Hokkaido tourist boat raised to surface in 2nd salvage attempt Sunken Hokkaido tour boat drops back to seabed while being towed KYODO NEWS - May 27, 2022 - 16:45 | All, World China and Russia on Thursday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution drafted by the United States seeking to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea following a series of ballistic missile tests this year. This was the first rejection of a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at preventing North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and missiles since 2006, when the first sanctions were adopted. The other 13 countries of the 15-member U.N. Security Council voted in favor of the draft resolution. After the vote, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters that she was disappointed by the Security Council's failure to unite. China's U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun said at the Security Council meeting that additional sanctions against North Korea "will not help resolve the problem, but only lead to more negative effects and escalation of confrontation." Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia warned that imposing tougher sanctions would be "extremely dangerous from humanitarian consequences," pointing to the plight of people in North Korea amid a shortage of medication. Japanese Ambassador Kimihiro Ishikane, who joined the meeting as a concerned party as the country is not a member of the Security Council, said, "Japan deeply regrets" the results of the vote, adding that reasons behind the two countries' objection are "totally unclear and unconvincing." The U.N. General Assembly will hold a meeting in the near future to seek accountability from the veto-wielding members after it adopted a resolution last month that it will convene a formal gathering if one or more members in the Security Council cast a veto. The effectiveness of the Security Council has been in question since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with the panel failing to take any action due to Moscow's veto. In February, Russia vetoed a Security Council resolution that would have demanded it immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraws all its troops. The latest U.S.-drafted resolution, which was distributed to Security Council members last month following North Korea's firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile in March, included freezing the assets of the Lazarus Group, the country's state-sponsored hacking group, and reducing crude oil supplies to the country. On Wednesday, Pyongyang fired three missiles including one capable of intercontinental range. In Tokyo, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Friday it was "extremely regrettable" that China and Russia vetoed the draft resolution, adding the move highlighted the problem of veto rights and that Security Council reform is needed. Condemning the series of ICBM launches by North Korea, Matsuno told a press conference, "We hope that the Security Council will fulfill its original responsibility to maintain international peace and security." He said that Japan will "cooperate with many countries to take the leadership in reform," including its bid to become a permanent member of the Security Council. In a related move, Japan, the United States and South Korea will hold a meeting of their senior officials in charge of North Korea issues on June 3 in Seoul, their first trilateral talks since South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol took office early this month, the Japanese and South Korean foreign ministries said. Takehiro Funakoshi, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, will meet with Sung Kim, U.S. special representative for North Korea, and Kim Gunn, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, according to the ministries. A U.N. resolution is adopted when nine or more of the 15 countries on the Security Council vote in favor and none of the five permanent members -- which also include Britain, France and the United States -- exercise their right to veto. Related coverage: North Korea fires ICBM, 2 other missiles after Biden's Asia trip KYODO NEWS - May 27, 2022 - 19:28 | Arts, World, All, Coronavirus The sails of the Sydney Opera House were illuminated with a vibrant display of Australia's First Nations culture on Friday, as the city welcomed the return of the Vivid Sydney light festival for the first time since 2019. The animated artwork was projected onto the World Heritage-listed building, in a collaboration between Indigenous Australian artists and creative technology experts that brings to life the local community and landscape of the West Australia-based Martumili Artists. After being canceled for two years in a row due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the major Southern Hemisphere light festival returned with an expanded lineup of more than 200 events and artworks, including 50 light installations and projection artworks forming an 8-kilometer "Light Walk" across the city, the longest in the event's history. "Vivid Sydney provides Sydneysiders and visitors the chance to enjoy and celebrate the city through a sensory symphony of 3D-light projections, exhilarating live music performances and discussions from the world's brightest minds," said Stuart Ayres, minister for enterprise and tourism in the state of New South Wales. The event running for 23 nights includes musical performances, public talks, dining experiences and creativity workshops. When it was last held in 2019, the festival attracted a record 2.4 million visitors and injected AU$172 million ($122 million) into the New South Wales economy. Australia's border is currently open to all fully vaccinated travelers, with much of the strict pandemic border controls having been relaxed in February. Related coverage: Australia to see change of gov't for 1st time in 9 yrs Australia to lift entry ban on cruise ships after 2 years Australia reopens border to all fully-vaccinated travelers By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - May 27, 2022 - 23:35 | World, All The first rejection of a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at bolstering sanctions on North Korea may prompt leader Kim Jong Un to give the go-ahead for the country's seventh nuclear test in the not-so-distant future. As the international community has failed to thwart Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile ambitions, Kim is likely to step up development of strategic weapons without hesitation to confront the United States and its allies including South Korea. Diplomatic sources warn North Korea would greatly jeopardize global security, given that the purpose of its military strength has changed with the world being apparently divided into two groups -- Western democratic nations and what they call autocratic countries. On Thursday, China and Russia, which have been deepening ties with North Korea, vetoed the latest U.S.-drafted resolution distributed to Security Council members last month following Pyongyang's firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile in March. This was the first rejection of a U.N. Security Council resolution designed to prevent North Korea from developing nuclear weapons and missiles since 2006 when the first sanctions were adopted, underscoring the dysfunction of the United Nations. One of the sources said, the Security Council has been "already dead" since Russia attacked Ukraine on Feb. 24, as Moscow, one of the veto-wielding members, has been "trying to use the U.N. work as a means to counter the United States." Sino-U.S. tensions have also been intensifying over many issues such as China's alleged unfair trade practices, human rights violations in Hong Kong and Xinjiang, as well as security challenges to Taiwan, which Beijing considers as part of its territory. China and the Soviet Union, Russia's predecessor state, were competitors during the Cold War, as they were at loggerheads over interpretations and practical applications of Marxism-Leninism, the ideology of 20th-century communism. But the two of the five U.N. Security Council permanent members have reinforced economic and security relations in recent years to tackle the post-Cold War international order dominated by Western democratic countries. At the Security Council meeting on Thursday, China said additional sanctions against North Korea will "only lead to more negative effects," while Russia claimed they would be "extremely dangerous from humanitarian consequences." Indeed, North Korea's economy is believed to be facing a serious downturn due largely to a plunge in trade with China, Pyongyang's most influential ally, in the wake of a border blockage imposed after the novel coronavirus raged in the neighboring nation in early 2020. On May 12, North Korea reported its first COVID-19 case since the pandemic began. As all cities and counties have been thoroughly locked down across the country, fears are growing that its citizens cannot procure adequate food and daily necessities. "I don't know whether China and Russia are really concerned about the domestic humanitarian situation in North Korea, but the rejection of the resolution indicated they are willing to invite Kim to their camp to resist the U.S.-led bloc," the source said. "Without strong opposition by China and Russia, Kim can do whatever he wants whenever he wants," he added. North Korea had refrained from firing an ICBM for the past few years, as China and Russia had called on the United States to relieve economic sanctions on Pyongyang on the grounds that it had suspended nuclear and long-range ballistic missile tests. In January, however, Pyongyang said it might resume all "activities" it had temporarily suspended to build trust with then U.S. President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden's predecessor, while urging Washington to change its "hostile policy." Since early this year, North Korea has conducted a spate of weapons tests, as direct talks between Pyongyang and Washington on denuclearization and sanctions relief have been at a standstill for more than two years. On March 24, Pyongyang made the first launch of an ICBM since November 2017, marking an end to its self-imposed moratorium on such firings that had dated back to April 2018. Also on Wednesday, North Korea fired three missiles, including one capable of intercontinental range, off its east coast, a day after Biden ended his first trip to South Korea and Japan -- two of the closest U.S. allies in East Asia -- since taking office. Jeff Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University Japan in Tokyo, said Kim does not "expect sanctions relief" but he "misses the Trump hoopla and wants Biden to engage to show everyone that North Korea is a power to be reckoned with." Another diplomatic source said a North Korean nuclear test is "just around the corner" but this "would not be aimed to bring Washington back to the negotiating table." Recently, Kim has reiterated his readiness to "pre-emptively" use the nation's nuclear weapons if the country is threatened by what it regards as "hostile forces." "Kim appears to be becoming more eager to join hands with China and Russia to fight against the United States. North Korea's next nuclear test may herald the beginning of a new Cold war," the source said. KYODO NEWS - May 27, 2022 - 18:25 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Japan will ask foreign tourists to wear face masks and follow other precautions against COVID-19 when they visit the country, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday. Kishida's statement came a day after he said Japan will open its borders to foreign tourists for the first time in about two years, starting from June 10 for those on package tours with guides and fixed itineraries, amid receding fears over the coronavirus. "We must have them follow Japanese rules of wearing face masks," Kishida said in a session of the House of Representatives Budget Committee. He said the government will ask tour operators to tell tourists from abroad to abide by the instructions, and persuade companies, schools and other entities accepting foreign citizens to do likewise. The government has recently said wearing face masks is not always necessary outside and it recommends people to remove their mask when they are more than 2 meters from another person, given the heat and humidity of the coming months and the increased risk of heatstroke. The tourism ministry plans to create guidelines on anti-virus measures for hotels and other industries before the resumption of inbound tourism, a key driver for Japan's economy before the pandemic's emergence. Kishida said he will consider further easing the country's entry restrictions by thoroughly implementing the measures. Japan will double from next Wednesday the cap on daily arrivals to 20,000. The initial impact of the relaxation on the economy may be limited as forthcoming guided tour participants will be included in the numerical ceiling. Japan has been criticized at home and abroad for its overly strict border controls. But as concern lingers among government officials over the potential resurgence of infections, it is likely to take some time for the country to reopen its borders to individual tourists. Under the current scheme, tourism arrivals will be initially restricted to guided tours from the "blue" list of 98 countries and regions presenting the lowest risk of infection. These include Australia, Britain, China, Thailand, South Korea and the United States. ==Kyodo Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare (R) meets with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Honiara, Solomon Islands, May 26, 2022. (Xinhua) HONIARA, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday expressed willingness to forge "iron-clad" ties and deepen cooperation between the two countries. Sogavare said China has become the biggest cooperative partner of the Solomon Islands on basic infrastructure and a reliable development partner, expressing thanks to China for providing anti-pandemic supplies, repid-test equipment and sending medical teams to his country. He also appreciated the Chinese side for sending policing supplies and police advisers to help maintain social order of the Solomon Islands after the riot in Honiara. The Solomon Islands and China have conducted cooperation on the basis of equal treatment and mutual respect, and the connection in various fields has become increasingly close, bringing tangible benefits to the Solomon Islands people, the prime minister noted. For his part, Wang said the Chinese side appreciates the Solomon Islands' firm determination of safeguarding national interests, strong desire of developing China-Solomon Islands friendly cooperation and adhering to the one-China policy. China also staunchly backs the Solomon Islands' efforts to safeguard natioanl sovereignty independence, protect natioanl unity and solidarity, and speed up the realization of natioanl prosperity on a path chosen by the country. Wang said it's not long since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries but the development of bilateral ties has been sound, steady and fast. China and the Solomon Islands have become good friends of mutual trust and good partners of mutual support, with political trust between the two countries further deepening and pragmatic cooperation widening, he noted. It is proven that the political decision of the Solomon Islands to establish diplomatic relations with China is in line with the development and progress of the times as well as the fundamental and long-term interests of the people of the Solomon Islands, Wang said. China is ready to work with the Solomon Islands to forge "iron-clad" ties, and deepen cooperation between the two sides so as to benefit the two peoples, Wang said. The emerging economies are rising en masse, and peace and development are still the irreversible trend of the times despite the unilateral bullying, Wang noted. China is ready to enhance coordination and cooperation with the Solomon Islands in multilateral organizations such as the United Nations to accelerate the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, cope with climate change, and jointly safeguard the rightful interests of medium and small countries. Sogavare also said the Solomon Islands is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China on international issues. Wang is visiting the Solomon Islands as part of his tour to the South Pacific island nations, which will also take him to Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, as well as Timor-Leste. Tourists visit a market in Swakopmund, Namibia, on May 26, 2022. Namibia expects over 500,000 international tourist arrivals in 2022, up from 354,508 arrivals recorded in 2021, Environment Minister Pohamba Shifeta said Thursday in a statement. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) WINDHOEK, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Namibia expects over 500,000 international tourist arrivals in 2022, up from 354,508 arrivals recorded in 2021, Environment Minister Pohamba Shifeta said Thursday in a statement. Shifeta said the pandemic has offered Namibia the opportunity to improve the enabling framework for rebooting the sector. Namibia will launch a targeted intervention program in the tourism sector through the development and implementation of the National Tourism Recovery Plan 2022 to 2024, he said. "The plan has identified necessary policies, strategic programs and activities required to build back the sector stronger and better," he said. Tourists take photos at the seaside in Swakopmund, Namibia, on May 26, 2022. Namibia expects over 500,000 international tourist arrivals in 2022, up from 354,508 arrivals recorded in 2021, Environment Minister Pohamba Shifeta said Thursday in a statement. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng) By Trend Azerbaijan will expand cooperation in the sphere of tourism with Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan Fuad Naghiyev told Trend. According to him, large-scale work is being carried out in the tourism sector of Azerbaijan, and this sector is rapidly developing. "Work is underway to develop cooperation in the sphere of tourism with Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. Our country is ready for the summer tourist season, great work is underway in the regions," Naghiyev said. BEIJING, May 26 (Xinhua) -- One day in 1986, Gong Jie, the museum curator of the municipal museum of Xiamen, extended a bold invitation. While he knew all too well that the destination he had in mind was far from welcoming, his decision proved to be one of his proudest moments. Gong's potential guest was Xi Jinping, then deputy mayor of Xiamen. Xi was on Gulangyu, a small island known as a "museum of global architecture" boasting over 1,000 historical buildings in various styles combining Chinese and Western elements, to deliver a speech. After the address, as Xi walked out of the hall, Gong stopped him and said: "Deputy mayor, please come and visit Bagua Mansion." Gong was unsure how Xi would take the abrupt invitation, but he accepted straight away. Constructed in 1907, the Bagua Mansion, a blend of architectural styles, is a landmark historical building on the island. Atop a hillside overlooking Xiamen city center, the building has a signature red dome that decorates the city's skyline like a ruby gem. Over the years, the mansion had been used for many functions. By the 1960s, it housed a factory and began to fall into disrepair. In 1983, the municipal government decided to renovate the dilapidated mansion and make it into a museum, which is when Gong came on board, as the renovation coordinator. Despite the municipal government channeling funds to the project, there was a lot of work to do, and money was tight, which is why Gong took a punt at inviting Xi to view the mansion. At the time, the building was divided into several small compartments, and around a dozen households lived in the basement. The wooden floor, warped by weather and time, creaked whenever anyone stepped on it, and the roof was rotten and moldy -- hardly a welcoming place to receive a guest. Gong gave Xi a "tour" of the mansion. Xi did not even make it to the first floor before turning to Gong and saying: "How much more do you need?" Gong requested 300,000 yuan (about 45,000 U.S. dollars). This was no small sum for the city at that time, as the recent creation of a special economic zone in Xiamen had resulted in a boom of development projects, all thirsty for funding. "Come get it tomorrow," Xi answered without hesitation. Gong remembered how excited he was. "I will never forget his decisiveness," he said, adding that the injection of cash came at the most stressful and difficult time, and the fate of the century-old building was completely changed. After the refurbishment project was complete, Bagua Mansion was born again, this time as Xiamen's municipal museum. Together with 52 other notable examples of architecture, the mansion was included as a core element of Gulangyu's cultural heritage and was lauded by experts from the United Nations in the process of the island's entering the UNESCO World Heritage List. While working in Xiamen, Xi led the formulation of a plan for the city's economic and social development in the coming 15 years through 2000. In the document's attachment, a special report elucidated the social and cultural value of Gulangyu, noting that the island is "a treasure of the nation" and stressing a unified planning for its construction and preservation commensurate with this status. From preserving a building to valuing an island, preserving culture and heritage remains cherished pursuits of Xi's governance philosophy. Noting that both historical and cultural heritage are irreplaceable, precious resources, Xi said their preservation is a top priority. "Our ancestors left us our historical and cultural heritage, and we must pass it down to future generations intact," Xi stressed. A number of government officials and economists attending the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum warned that due to factors such as geopolitics and COVID-19, global economic activities are expected to decrease this year. #GLOBALink Produced by Xinhua Global Service MINNEAPOLIS, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Two years ago, 46-year-old unarmed African American George Floyd died handcuffed, gasping for air under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer. Footage of his last words pleading, "I can't breathe" set off collective grief and anger, which evolved into a modern-day civil rights movement that had brewed for years. Unfortunately, little progress has been made in advancing black civil rights since. Despite mounting calls for racial justice and police overhauls, the Floyd tragedy continues unabated in a country where white supremacy remains widespread. Floyd's murder was nothing new -- it merely came to the fore while many more unknown "Floyds" remain out there. A New York Times report in April cited an investigation released by the Department of Human Rights of the U.S. state of Minnesota showing that the Minneapolis Police Department routinely engages in several forms of racially discriminatory policing, fails to hold officers accountable for misconduct and has used fake social media accounts to target black people and organizations. Real change feels elusive, especially for many black Americans, who have been living under the shadows of systemic racism and ingrained injustice across the country. They know all too well that those officers were held accountable in large part due to a simmering outcry. After all the complaints filed, tears dropped, blood shed, rallies launched and reform bills grilled in the Senate, the disproportionate use of excessive, often lethal, force against people of color continued relentlessly. One of the most recent cases involved Patrick Lyoya, a 26-year-old black man fatally shot in the back of the head while face down by a Michigan police officer during a traffic stop. In a poll jointly conducted with the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research earlier this year, the Associated Press found that few Americans believe there has been significant progress over the last 50 years in achieving equal treatment for black people in dealings with police and the criminal justice system. Black Americans, many of whom held hope in Democrats' promises on racial justice initiatives in 2020, are especially pessimistic about future progress in this regard. Community members and residents gather to mourn the second anniversary of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States, May 25, 2022.(Photo by Ben Brewer/Xinhua) Community members and residents gather to mourn the second anniversary of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States, May 25, 2022.(Photo by Ben Brewer/Xinhua) Community members and residents gather to mourn the second anniversary of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States, May 25, 2022.(Photo by Ben Brewer/Xinhua) Community members and residents gather to mourn the second anniversary of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States, May 25, 2022.(Photo by Ben Brewer/Xinhua) Instead, after chanting for years about racial justice and vowing police reform, White House politicians are talking more about bolstering the police for "public safety." The current administration has deviated from its promise to voters, hell-bent on increasing police numbers. Fading trust in police and the judicial system is corroding public faith and poisoning the social climate. Across the country, racial profiling against African-Americans occurs daily and on almost every front, from education and employment to healthcare. Furthermore, staggering wealth and immunity gaps harm communities of color. The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare underlying inequalities and cracks in the U.S. system. Among over 1 million lives lost to the coronavirus, communities of color were hit hardest due to failed access to health insurance and vaccines. "Racial inequality was baked into the recipe of the creation of the United States of America," Brookings senior fellow Rashawn Ray argued. From plunder and oppression in the earlier establishment of the country to lynching and exclusion that have persisted until today, racist traditions are deeply embedded in America and fit nicely into a culture that is numb, or perhaps opposed, to oversight and accountability when it comes to racial justice. The United States, long believed to be a melting pot that embraces diversity, has chosen to oppress minority communities, turning the American dream into a nightmare for many. What lies behind these chronic woes is a long-overdue response by self-serving political elites, more obsessed with political posturing than passing legislation to bring necessary change. The time has come for the United States to truly mend its extensive racism and heal the wounds of a divided society. Photo taken on May 22, 2022 shows the George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Photo taken on May 22, 2022 shows dolls at the George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Photo taken on May 22, 2022 shows the George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Produced by Xinhua Global Service UNITED NATIONS, May 26 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on all parties in Libya to stay committed to a political settlement to the country's woes. Plenty of uncertainty remains in the Libyan political process, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations. The differences between the parties on important issues, such as the government's legitimacy, remain difficult to resolve. "We call on all parties in Libya to put the interests of the country and people first, stay committed to the general direction of political settlement, exercise maximum restraint, refrain from taking any action that may escalate tensions, and maintain the hard-won peace and stability," he told the Security Council. Dialogue and consultations represent the only solution to breaking the political impasse in Libya, he said, urging all parties in Libya to maintain dialogue to reach a consensus on important issues, such as an election timetable. In the long run, the international community, the Security Council in particular, should support parties in Libya in advancing national reconciliation and resolving the deep-seated problems caused by years of turmoil to lay a solid foundation for Libya to achieve long-term stability, Dai said. China encourages regional organizations, such as the African Union and the Arab League, to play an active role in this end, he added. Noting external interference has been a significant factor behind the protraction of the Libya crisis, Dai said that the international community should stay committed to the Libyan-led and Libyan-owned principle to provide constructive assistance while refraining from imposing external solutions. The cease-fire agreement is the cornerstone of maintaining security and stability in Libya and the region, he said, highlighting the vital role of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission in implementing the cease-fire agreement and facilitating the withdrawal of foreign armed forces and mercenaries. The commission's resumption of its full duties will help all parties maintain coordination and communication and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculations, he said. Noting that oil is Libya's main source of income, Dai said that China encourages all parties concerned to resolve differences in oil revenue, management, and distribution through dialogue and consultations and restore stable oil production as soon as possible. Dai added that this would also help stabilize the international crude oil market in the current geopolitical context. by Martina Fuchs, Chen Binjie and Chen Junxia GENEVA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's new foreign minister told Xinhua this week he hoped to further unlock the economic potential for both countries while highlighting that China's economic development model was an example for the rest of the world. CHINA'S DEVELOPMENT EXEMPLARY In an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hailed the development of Pakistan-China relations thanks to new initiatives such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China. "I'm hoping that our generation will add and contribute to the relationship between China and Pakistan," he said. Aged 33 and one of the world's youngest foreign ministers, Zardari, who is the son of Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari, took office on April 27 this year. He praised China's economic development in the last ten years for ensuring that economic growth benefits the lower portion of the economic pyramid rather than just the elite. "The way in which China has achieved is exemplary. It is an example not only for us, but for the world as well," he said. In March, Pakistan's President Arif Alvi met with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Islamabad to discuss bilateral cooperation. "I think there are a lot of positive outcomes out of our engagement with the Chinese foreign minister," Zardari emphasized. Commenting on Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposal for "building a community with a shared future for mankind," the minister said that is "the direction that the conversation needs to go into the future." "The Chinese president is clearly showing leadership on this front," he said. TRADE, INVESTMENT COOPERATION Launched in 2013, CPEC is a flagship project of the China-proposed BRI, focusing on cooperation in infrastructure, especially for the construction of energy and transportation projects in Pakistan. With investments in the country's modern transportation networks including roads and railways, energy projects, ports and special economic zones, the CPEC has been offering potential for Pakistan to promote development and economic growth. "We're very keen to enhance bilateral trade and investments even further. CPEC is going into a new phase and we're talking about special economic zones and industrial zones as well," Zardari highlighted. The minister voiced hope for all the CPEC projects in Pakistan to "pick up a pace and momentum," noting that green energy was a strategic priority for future investments along the corridor. "We are looking to further diversify our energy portfolio and enhance the contribution of green energy such as wind, hydro and solar," he said. Talking about security concerns such as suicide attacks, the minister pledged to expand security cover to include CPEC and non-CPEC Chinese residents in Pakistan. "We will not allow any of these inimical forces who have nefarious designs for CPEC or for Pakistan-China relations to succeed," he said. DIALOGUE, DIPLOMACY NEEDED FOR PEACE Zardari emphasized that he also wished to cooperate more with China in a bid to ease global geopolitical tensions. "I really hope and pray that across the world the leaderships of different countries can see the wisdom in dialogue and diplomacy in the pursuit of peace in the resolution of conflicts, rather than the exacerbation of conflicts," he said. The global economic picture is looking "pretty grim" due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of climate change, as well as the food crisis triggered by the Ukraine conflict, said the minister. "History will record that at a time when humanity faced these existential threats: What did we do? Did we unite as the human race and together combat these challenges?" he said. URUMQI, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Ali Niyaz has withstood sandstorms, long days, and frequent misunderstandings, as he shoulders his responsibilities as a ranger to save populus euphratica trees. The ranger, who is in his 40s, hails from Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The county is located at the middle and lower reaches of the Tarim River, which is home to 1.13-million-hectare populus euphratica forest. Populus euphratica (more commonly known as "desert poplar") is a rugged species of tree, dubbed "guardian of the desert." It is resistant to low temperatures, drought and saline-alkali soil, and serves as an ideal windbreak and sand-fixation plant. DYING TREES Ali Niyaz was born into a herder's family in southern Xinjiang, where populus euphratica trees are deeply rooted in local life. Villagers used to carve wooden bowls and spoons for their children, build wooden fishing canoes, pick up tree branches and collect liquorice in the forest to make extra money. Starting in the 1950s, overexploitation of water resources along the Tarim River has deteriorated ecological conditions, causing the river to dry up and water levels to drop. Swathes of populus euphratica trees have died as a result. His hometown Yuli County neighbors the Taklimakan Desert, the world's second largest shifting-sand desert. Every Spring, the raging sandstorms would blow away cotton seedlings, and local residents had to replant them over and over again. Ali Niyaz was shocked by a sandstorm when he was a child. "Strong winds kicked up sand and dust. It turned the day into night. Everything was blurred," he recalled. "I love my hometown. We cannot live without populus euphratica trees. I hope the forest can be protected and the local environment can get better," he said. In 1992, Ali Niyaz returned to Yuli after graduating from a technical secondary school in the regional capital of Urumqi. To everyone's surprise, he gave up a position as a technician and became a ranger. UNDYING EFFORTS Ali Niyaz and his fellow rangers took charge of populus euphratica forests, measuring 520 km long and 240 km wide. Since 1999, they have spent a big chunk of their life clearing river courses, growing trees, building straw checkboard barriers, and promoting forest protection policy and fire prevention knowledge. The weather is extremely harsh on the borders of deserts. During his many years guarding the forest, he has encountered countless sandstorms. "It was difficult to breathe. Sands were found everywhere from your bed to your nose and ears," he recalled. In summer, the temperature can reach above 40 degrees Celsius, while in winter it will drop to minus 20 degrees Celsius. However, no matter the weather, forest rangers have to patrol for dozens of kilometers everyday on their motorbikes. Harsh weather is just one of the many challenges Ali Niyaz has to face. He has also had to grapple with local residents who destroyed the forest for firewood, plowland and other purposes. "Now, deforestation for plowland and excessive felling can no longer be seen," he said. The majority of rangers in Yuli consist of local herders. Life is hard for a ranger, and many young men ultimately give up. Eli Niyaz has to continuously encourage and boost the morale of his young colleagues. Over the years, more and more people in Yuli have joined the drive to protect the populus euphratica forest. The number of rangers has grown from 15 in 1997 to the present 190. PROMISING FUTURE In the hope of saving the forest, in 2001, Xinjiang started to channel water from upstream sections of the Tarim River to the forest in its lower reaches during the high-water season. In 2019, a restoration project was initiated to enhance the forest's capacity for self-repair through building flood diversion facilities to irrigate the degraded populus euphratica trees. "With the strong support of national policies, we will not give up a single populus euphratica tree, no matter how hard we need to work," Ali Niyaz said. He feels his efforts to save the populus euphratica forest have paid off. The restoration of the forest has prevented the Taklimakan and Kumtag deserts from merging. The lush trees have reduced the windy and dusty weather, attracted an increasing number of wild animals, migratory birds and tourists, and fattened local residents' wallets. Now, as head of the county's national forest management bureau, Ali Niyaz has still not given up his duties as a ranger. He continues patrolling the forests to check on his trees. "For people who live on the edge of a desert, populus euphratica trees are like our life. It seems that we have saved them, but in fact, it is they who have protected us," he said. GAZA, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of Palestinian factions, including the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), on Thursday warned Israeli far-right groups against organizing the flag march in East Jerusalem scheduled on Sunday. At a joint news briefing held in Gaza, the factions said Israel should avoid the "stupidity" of allowing the flag march to reach the Al-Aqsa compound, which is holy to both Muslims and Jews and the focal point of recent clashes. "This scheme will be a powder keg that will explode and ignite the entire region," the factions' leaders said in a statement, adding that "the factions and its armed wings are ready in all fields to confront this aggression." The controversial flag march is due to take place on Sunday to mark Jerusalem Day, which commemorates the unification of the city after Israel annexed East Jerusalem in 1967. Its route is scheduled to pass by the Damascus Gate and the Islamic quarter in the old city. Meanwhile, the factions urged the Palestinians to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque from any attack by the organizers of the flag march. They also called on the Arab countries, mainly Egypt, to immediately intervene "to halt the Israeli criminal behavior," adding that the consequences of storming the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock would be adverse. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with Pakistan's new foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, May 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Deng Hua) Pakistan's new foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari praised China's economic development in the last ten years for ensuring that economic growth benefits the lower portion of the economic pyramid rather than just the elite. "The way in which China has achieved is exemplary. It is an example not only for us, but for the world as well," he said. by Martina Fuchs, Chen Binjie and Chen Junxia GENEVA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's new foreign minister told Xinhua this week he hoped to further unlock the economic potential for both countries while highlighting that China's economic development model was an example for the rest of the world. CHINA'S DEVELOPMENT EXEMPLARY In an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hailed the development of Pakistan-China relations thanks to new initiatives such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China. "I'm hoping that our generation will add and contribute to the relationship between China and Pakistan," he said. Aged 33 and one of the world's youngest foreign ministers, Zardari, who is the son of Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari, took office on April 27 this year. He praised China's economic development in the last ten years for ensuring that economic growth benefits the lower portion of the economic pyramid rather than just the elite. "The way in which China has achieved is exemplary. It is an example not only for us, but for the world as well," he said. In March, Pakistan's President Arif Alvi met with Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Islamabad to discuss bilateral cooperation. "I think there are a lot of positive outcomes out of our engagement with the Chinese foreign minister," Zardari emphasized. Commenting on Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposal for "building a community with a shared future for mankind," the minister said that is "the direction that the conversation needs to go into the future." "The Chinese president is clearly showing leadership on this front," he said. The Orange Line metro trains are seen at the terminal station in Lahore, Pakistan, Dec. 29, 2021. Officially open to traffic on Oct. 25, 2020. (Photo by Jamil Ahmed/Xinhua) TRADE, INVESTMENT COOPERATION Launched in 2013, CPEC is a flagship project of the China-proposed BRI, focusing on cooperation in infrastructure, especially for the construction of energy and transportation projects in Pakistan. With investments in the country's modern transportation networks including roads and railways, energy projects, ports and special economic zones, the CPEC has been offering potential for Pakistan to promote development and economic growth. "We're very keen to enhance bilateral trade and investments even further. CPEC is going into a new phase and we're talking about special economic zones and industrial zones as well," Zardari highlighted. The minister voiced hope for all the CPEC projects in Pakistan to "pick up a pace and momentum," noting that green energy was a strategic priority for future investments along the corridor. "We are looking to further diversify our energy portfolio and enhance the contribution of green energy such as wind, hydro and solar," he said. Talking about security concerns such as suicide attacks, the minister pledged to expand security cover to include CPEC and non-CPEC Chinese residents in Pakistan. "We will not allow any of these inimical forces who have nefarious designs for CPEC or for Pakistan-China relations to succeed," he said. Arial photo taken on Aug. 5, 2019 shows the view of Sukkur-Multan Motorway in central Pakistan's Multan. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) DIALOGUE, DIPLOMACY NEEDED FOR PEACE Zardari emphasized that he also wished to cooperate more with China in a bid to ease global geopolitical tensions. "I really hope and pray that across the world the leaderships of different countries can see the wisdom in dialogue and diplomacy in the pursuit of peace in the resolution of conflicts, rather than the exacerbation of conflicts," he said. The global economic picture is looking "pretty grim" due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of climate change, as well as the food crisis triggered by the Ukraine conflict, said the minister. "History will record that at a time when humanity faced these existential threats: What did we do? Did we unite as the human race and together combat these challenges?" he said. UNITED NATIONS, May 26 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns the recent attacks in Afghanistan's capital Kabul and northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, which have claimed the lives of numerous civilians, said his spokesman on Thursday. "The secretary-general extends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a swift recovery to those injured. Attacks against civilians and civilian objects, including mosques, are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement. "The secretary-general reiterates his call on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, as well as their right to freely practice their religion," said the statement. At least 14 people were killed and 32 others wounded in four explosions that rocked Kabul and Mazar-i-Sharif on Wednesday, authorities said. In Kabul, at least five worshippers were killed and 17 others wounded after a blast ripped through the Hazrat-e-Zekria Mosque during evening prayers. The blast came about one hour after three consecutive explosions struck three van-buses in Mazar-i-Sharif, killing nine people and wounding 15 others. Undated photo shows tourists having fun during the Labor Day holiday of 2022 in Songjiahe Village in Mozitan Town of Huoshan County, east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua) HEFEI, May 27 (Xinhua) -- How much can a mountain village change in about five years? The remarkable transformation of Songjiahe Village in east China's Anhui Province may provide an answer. From a remote backward village to a must-visit tourism destination, Songjiahe's transition trajectory is nothing short of astounding. Located at the old revolutionary base area of the Dabie Mountains, Songjiahe received nearly 100,000 tourists in 2021 despite the epidemic headwinds, raking in a revenue of over 1 million yuan (about 148,000 U.S. dollars) last year. The story was, however, completely different before 2016. The village was earlier marred by rugged mountain roads and dilapidated old houses, but today Songjiahe is connected with asphalt roads, making it a hidden treasure amid nature's pristine artistry. "Limited farmland in the mountainous area forced locals, especially the young people, to move out of their native village and seek employment in big cities," said Cheng Hao, a native of Songjiahe. Due to poor transportation in the deep mountains, locals were even reluctant to go to the county seat 40 km away, said the 33-year-old Cheng, who played a major role in Songjiahe's transformation. "I began working in the county seat in 2011 after graduating from university. But, in 2016, I made the decision to return to Songjiahe and work to improve my native village," he added. After his return, Cheng joined the family-run tea business and started to incorporate his own ideas. Thanks to the standardized tea production workshop that he set up, the income of local tea farmers increased by 15,000 yuan per household, and in 2021, the village's income from tea production exceeded 10 million yuan. However, in Cheng's view, tea alone is not enough to bring about fundamental changes in the village as tea cultivation is seasonal. So, he continued to explore more pragmatic and viable solutions. Cheng formed a team of more than 10 individuals, all under the age of 40, since new industries require youthful energy. Many of them are from Songjiahe, who have returned to their native village from big cities. Since 2018, Cheng has led his team to work concertedly with the local community, setting up a tourism company and exploring new ways to integrate the development of cultural tourism, rural tourism and ecotourism. Several "wandering cabin" homestays with great design have been set up to attract tourists. "I bought them from south China's Guangdong Province last year and these cabins feature a standard hotel room," Cheng said, adding that his team has also built a river rafting project spanning about 1 km in the village. With limited long-distance travel due to sporadic COVID-19 resurgences domestically, camping has become a popular holiday activity among Chinese people. Cheng jumped on the bandwagon and purchased tents, awnings and barbecue grills for rental purposes at the start of this year. During the Labor Day holiday in early May, Songjiahe Village held more than 20 camping activities. "We will continue to enrich our tourism sector to ensure Songjiahe attracts more visitors," Cheng said. Photo taken on May 11, 2022 shows a view of Songjiahe Village in Mozitan Town of Huoshan County, east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Chen Shangying) Estonian and Azerbaijani businessmen had a meeting during the visit of Parliament Speaker Yuri Ratas to Baku, Azernews reports. The meeting was organized by Azerbaijan's Export and Investment Promotion Foundation and aimed at expanding cooperation and establishing new business contracts. The business meeting was attended by Estonian businessmen and representatives of Azerbaijani companies working in the field of agriculture, railways, logistics, digital solutions, packaging, etc. Earlier, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister Ali Asadov, Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, Digital Development and Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev, and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met Yuri Ratas. Estonian companies also expressed their interest in participating in projects being realized in Azerbaijan's liberated territories. Azerbaijan and Estonia cooperate in different sectors of the economy and 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two nations. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $6.1 million in 2021. LA PAZ, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Five gold mining workers were killed after being buried by a landslide when extracting gold on the banks of a river in central Bolivia, local authorities said Thursday. The victims of the tragedy in the community of Huajchamayu, in the town of Cocapata, in central Cochabamba department, ranged in age from 20 to 40 years old, according to the police report. "The tragedy occurred on Wednesday. The doctors at the Falsuri Health Center received the information at midnight Wednesday and, along with the police, went to the site, where they verified the existence of five bodies," the regional police commander said. The bodies were recovered early Thursday, the Cochabamba government's secretary of mining, Eleuterio Galindo, told reporters, adding that other miners managed to escape before the landslide hit. URUMQI, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Every day, a slow green train chugs along the southern edge of China's largest desert, the Taklamakan. The train line connects Hotan Prefecture, in the south of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, with the regional capital Urumqi. Little more than a decade ago, Hotan was not connected to the national train network, but that all changed in June 2011, when the Hotan-Urumqi line opened. Though famed for having the longest high-speed railway network in the world, 81 slow train services still operate across China. These trains are lifelines for many rural communities and transport some 12 million people annually--and affordably, as tickets cost no more than 0.06 yuan (0.89 U.S. cents) per km. Porarhan has been a train captain on the Hotan-Urumqi line for nine years. Being fluent in Mandarin, Uygur, and Kazakh, he can communicate with the majority of his passengers that get on and off along the 66-stop, 1,960-km route, which takes around 32 hours. People take the train to travel, visit relatives, attend schools or find jobs in cities, Porarhan said. The fares are very affordable as the service is non-profit. The 500-km journey from Hotan to Kashgar costs just 53 yuan, and the cheapest ticket between stops is only 5 yuan. The train stops at every station, even if they only have one or two passengers. "It makes traveling in remote areas so much more convenient," Porarhan said. The route is not the only thing about this train that makes it unique. If passengers have mobility issues or need assistance getting on and off, ribbons are tied to their berths so that the crew can help them and contact their arrival stations in advance. The train also encourages producers of farm products or handicrafts to board and sell their wares, transforming the train into a "mobile bazaar." In 2021 alone, sellers hawked goods worth 240,000 yuan, according to the local railway authorities. Ablimit Yasin is a mobile bazaar regular. He often takes the train from Hotan to Kashgar to sell his homemade naan to passengers. His personal sales record is over 200 pieces of naan on one trip. "Ablimit Yasin used to put the money he earned into a purse. Last year, I saw that he had replaced that old purse with a new smartphone so now he can accept mobile payments, too," said Porarhan. The success of the mobile bazaar inspired Mayhan Semat, a young member of the crew, to take the bazaar online, and last year, a mini-program on Wechat was launched, which offers farmers a new marketplace, and a wider customer base to sell their products. Over the years, passengers have left messages in a notebook on the train, "I wish the slow train gets better with each passing day," one note reads. Their journeys may be distant memories but, as the slow green train continues chugging along, their reflections live on. Cheng Yucai checks a processed dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai washes a dial after heating it at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Cheng Yucai engraves on a dial by a Guilloche machine at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 23, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai measures a processed dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 23, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Photo taken on May 24, 2022 shows tools of Cheng Yucai at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Cheng Yucai operates a Guilloche machine at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai (L) guides his apprentices in adjusting a Guilloche machine at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Cheng Yucai selects dyestuff at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Cheng Yucai grinds tools at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai works on a dial by a Guilloche machine at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 23, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai checks a processed dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 23, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Cheng Yucai preprocesses a dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 23, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai checks a processed dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai (L) explains the operation specifications of a Guilloche machine to his apprentices at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Cheng Yucai checks a processed dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Cheng Yucai processes a dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 23, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Xu Jiayi) Cheng Yucai's apprentice Li Jinghang adjusts the Guilloche machine at Cheng's workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai heats a processed dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Cheng Yucai (R) guides an apprentice to operate a Guilloche machine at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Xu Jiayi) Cheng Yucai's apprentices dismantle a Guilloche machine at Cheng's workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Xu Jiayi) Cheng Yucai's apprentices practice to operate Guilloche machines at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai works on a dial by a Guilloche machine at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 23, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Photo taken on May 23, 2022 shows a processed dial at Cheng Yucai's workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Cheng Yucai heats a processed dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai measures the thickness of a dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 23, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai fires enamel for works of Guilloche at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li Jianan) Cheng Yucai draws lines on a dial at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 23, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Xu Jiayi) Combo photo taken on May 24, 2022 shows Cheng Yucai's works of Guilloche at his workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Li An) Cheng Yucai's apprentices dismantle a Guilloche machine at Cheng's workshop in Xinmi City, central China's Henan Province, on May 24, 2022. Guilloche is a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into a material via engine turning. The technique uses a machine controlled by the delicacy of the hand of craftsman. As an important process in making superior watch and jewelry, the art is now mastered by rarely few people. Cheng Yucai, born in 1978, got to know Guilloche in 2013 when he saw a cigarette case decorated with the technique. He was attracted by the delicacy and decided to devote himself into the art. In 2015, he resigned from his work in a silverwork factory and began his career in Guilloche. After countless failures and costs of materials, Cheng finally created an integrated Guilloche machine, which was granted with the country's patent of invention in 2017. His skills also amazed professional judges during the first national vocational skills competition in 2020. Nowadays, Cheng's craft has been widely recognized by foreign customers, especially in France and Switzerland, who often book custom-made Guilloche designs from him. Cheng Yucai's workshop, which he names "Sanloutang" and is located in a kiln of Xinmi City of central China's Henan, is simple and crude but quiet enough for him to focus on the art. He moved to the vocational education center of Xinmi after the kiln was flooded by rainfall last summer, waiting for the fix of the workshop. Guilloche requires delicacy of the craftsman, which includes a dozen processes such as flattening, underlining and carving. The precision is accurate to twentieth of the width of a hair. A simple Guilloche pattern costs seven to eight hours to make with 70,000 to 80,000 times turning of manual operation, while a complex one dozens of hours with more than 100,000 times turning. Any tiny mistake would make the whole work useless. Nowadays, Cheng has enrolled three apprentices, to whom he teaches all the skills without reservation. Generally grasping the art, his apprentices are ready to take part in a world technique competition in October. "I wish the art would be passed through generations and be known and loved by more people, " Cheng said. (Xinhua/Xu Jiayi) Officials from Finland meet with Turkish counterparts in Ankara, Turkey, on May 25, 2022. (Xinhua) Turkey's objections to Sweden and Finland joining the NATO alliance persist despite diplomatic efforts and are not likely to change until the two Nordic countries refrain from supporting anti-Turkey groups, experts said. by Burak Akinci ANKARA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's objections to Sweden and Finland joining the NATO alliance persist despite diplomatic efforts and are not likely to change until the two Nordic countries refrain from supporting anti-Turkey groups, experts said. Sweden and Finland formally applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) last week following the Russia-Ukraine conflict erupted in February. NATO allies, except for Turkey, have welcomed the Nordics' appeal. Turkey, however, citing the Swedish and Finnish ties with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and other anti-Turkey terrorist groups, objected to their entry into the alliance. Turkey demanded an array of "concrete assurances" from Sweden and Finland earlier this week, including "termination of political support for terrorism", "elimination of the source of terrorism financing" and "cessation of arms support" to the outlawed PKK and a Syrian Kurdish offshoot. The demands also called for the lifting of arms sanctions against Turkey and global cooperation against terrorism. Accession of new member states requires consensus among existing NATO members, and that is where Ankara comes in. Analysts insist that the Finnish and Swedish approach to the PKK remains key for Turkey's government. "The threat of a Turkish veto is real unless the two Scandinavian states cut in some way their ties with Kurdish groups deemed terrorist by Ankara. This is not a bargain but a firm Turkish demand," Turkish foreign policy analyst Serkan Demirtas told Xinhua. Ankara has issues with Sweden because Turkish Kurds are a noticeable political presence in the country, and to a lesser extent with Finland, which also supports Kurdish groups, said Demirtas, also the Ankara bureau chief of Turkish Daily News. Turkey feels that Sweden and Finland have been insensitive to its demands to change their stance on issues that are relevant to Turkey's national security, Demirtas argued. People protest against Sweden's decision to apply to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Stockholm, Sweden, May 16, 2022. (Photo by Wei Xuechao/Xinhua) He added that Ankara wants written assurances from both nations in order for their membership application to make progress. A joint Swedish-Finnish delegation held talks in Ankara on Wednesday with Turkish officials and diplomats without any tangible results. Following discussions, Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin told reporters that his country would not give Finland and Sweden the go-ahead in NATO until Turkey's "concrete" security concerns regarding terrorism and sanctions are met. "If Sweden and Finland move to address Turkey's concerns at the basic level, Turkey will likely remove all objections," said Ankara-based foreign policy analyst Batu Coskun. "Ankara is bent on turning this instance of NATO expansion into an opportunity to get traction for its own security agenda, and could very well be successful in doing so," he said to Xinhua. Coskun stressed that Turkey's position does not have support from other member states and could lead to public spats if the process stretches on, adding that a potential veto may harm Ankara's image in the West. While Turkey has a track record of supporting NATO expansion, Ankara also had tensions with the United States and other allies on its rapprochement with Russia. Another key factor is lingering tension between Turkey and the United States over fighter jet purchases, which the Turkish media said may be resolved if Ankara lifted its opposition to the Nordic expansion. Staff members work at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) Kicked out of the F-35 fighter jet program by Washington for purchasing Russian S-400 missiles, Ankara sought to buy more F-16 jets, but the request has been pending for months with the Joe Biden administration and U.S. Congress. Meanwhile, experts also caution against pressuring Ankara to lift its reservations in the western military alliance. "Considering Turkey's geostrategic location and its military power, Western countries need to calculate the cost of alienating Ankara," said Muhittin Ataman, professor of international relations at Ankara's Social Science University. "Suddenly, governments and public opinions of almost all Western countries have begun to discuss Turkey's objection against the membership of Stockholm and Helsinki," he noted. Ataman warned that the longer Western powers alienate Ankara politically and militarily, it is more likely NATO will lose its relevancy, not only for Turkey but also for many European countries in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Photo taken on April 6, 2022 shows a sculpture and flags at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- China has made steady progress in wetland conservation over the past decade, with an improving wetland ecosystem, establishment of wetland nature reserves, and a new law on wetland protection. The following are some facts and figures released by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Friday that illustrate the country's efforts in the relevant area. -- China has designated 64 wetlands as wetlands of international importance and 29 as that of national importance and set up over 600 wetland nature reserves and 1,600 wetland parks. -- The wetland protection rate, which refers to the proportion of wetlands brought under protection in the form of national parks, nature reserves and wetland parks, rose to over 50 percent. -- The central government allocated 16.9 billion yuan (about 2.5 billion U.S. dollars) for wetland conservation, undertook over 3,400 protection projects, and added and restored more than 800,000 hectares of wetlands. -- The country's first specialized law on wetland protection, which was passed last year, will take effect on June 1, 2022. -- Wuhan, the capital of central China's Hubei Province, will host the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in November. It is the first time such a meeting will be held in China. -- China aims to increase its wetland protection rate to 55 percent by 2025, restoring 1 million mu (over 66,000 hectares) of wetlands and planting and restoring about 280,000 mu of mangrove forest. A child who fell victim to a landmine explosion sits on his bed in Midi District, Hajjah Province, Yemen, on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) "My life has become very difficult ever since ... With only a pair of crutches, life narrows down. I could no longer move between the hut and the sheepfold," said 12-year-old Raed Gerbhi, who lost his right leg to a landmine blast. HAJJAH, Yemen, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Almost six months have passed since the 12-year-old Raed Gerbhi lost his right leg to a landmine blast, the wounds from which quickly healed, but the pain and suffering were far from wearing off. "I lost my leg in the landmine explosion while I was herding the sheep" in December, the boy told Xinhua in his home village of Bani Faid, on the outskirts of the besieged coastal city of Midi. "My life has become very difficult ever since ... With only a pair of crutches, life narrows down. I could no longer move between the hut and the sheepfold," he said. "I want a prosthetic leg, so I can go back to school, play with my friends, and herd sheep," he added. His older brother, Ali, said he wishes for a better future for Raed, but no immediate solution is available, as there are no medical facilities in the besieged city that make artificial limbs. Raed was sent by the Yemeni government to Saudi Arabia for treatment after the explosion, where he stayed hospitalized for nearly two months. A child who fell victim to a landmine explosion walks past a herd of sheep belonging to his family in Midi District, Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) Hassan Musbih, a tribal sheikh in the village, said leftover landmines placed during the chronic Yemeni civil war have inflicted a disastrous human toll. "The landmines planted under the sands of farms, pastures, and roads have caused a humanitarian disaster and great terror among the residents here. The number of victims is increasing day by day ..." he said. This was compounded by the fact that "the war destroyed hospitals in the area and left the health system out of readiness," Musbih explained. "Most victims are children and farmers ... Dozens of agricultural vehicles were also destroyed and many sheep, camels, and cows were killed." Meanwhile, the Yemeni government continues to locate and remove leftover landmines in Midi and other areas. Demining experts in Yemen say that more than a million landmines have been laid since the outbreak of the civil war in late 2014, when the Iranian-backed Houthi militia took control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital, Sanaa. A child who fell victim to a landmine explosion sits on his bed in Midi District, Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) Most of these landmines were homemade from plastic in the form of small rocks, food cans, and water bottles. "The landmines have caused a major catastrophe in the country and threaten the lives of millions," said Kabol al-Absi of the Qarar Foundation for Media and Development, a non-governmental organization. Recently, the Yemeni government, humanitarian organizations, and local activists took the chance of the two-month truce to launch a media campaign, urging the Houthi group to provide landmine maps for the removal work. "The demining process may take many years" if they refuse to offer the maps, al-Absi told Xinhua. A child who fell victim to a landmine explosion stands in front of the hut of his family with his friends in Midi District, Hajjah Province, northern Yemen, on May 26, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) Huda Al-Sarari, an advocate of the demining campaign, told Xinhua that "the campaign also tries to prevent more civilian casualties as most of the victims are children and women. It also aims at drawing the attention of the international community towards this catastrophe." According to the latest statistics published on the website of the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (MASAM) in Yemen, the project has so far removed 339,431 landmines from all over Yemen since mid-2018. On Tuesday, 19 kids and two teachers were killed in Uvalde, a small town in southern Texas, making the tragedy the deadliest shooting at a school in almost a decade. The shooting once again demonstrates that gun violence, a deep-rooted problem in the United States, is worsening. Many U.S. citizens have expressed shock and dismay at latest mass shootings, and called for action on gun control. Produced by Xinhua Global Service WASHINGTON, May 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden will travel to Uvalde, Texas on Sunday in the aftermath of a school mass shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead. Biden and first lady Jill Biden plan to "grieve with the community that lost twenty-one lives in the horrific elementary school shooting," the White House announced on Thursday. The gunman -- identified as 18-year-old Uvalde High School student Salvador Rolando Ramos -- was killed by responding officers. He used two AR-style rifles, both legally purchased, for the attack. "The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong," Biden said in a speech from the White House on Tuesday night. He has also called out the influential gun lobby in the United States and urged Congress to pass gun control legislation in the wake of rising firearms-related violence. Senate Republicans have signaled a willingness to talk with Democrats on gun legislation that has long been stalled on Capitol Hill. Students across the United States held walk-outs on Thursday to protest against gun violence and the inaction of politicians. In Rhode Island, students from schools in Providence lay down for three minutes outside the Rhode Island State House, according to a tweet from state lawmaker Tiara Mack. Hundreds of gun control activists gathered on the lawn outside of the northeastern corner of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday to demand action on what they called the "gun violence epidemic." "This is a uniquely American crisis," Moms Demand Action gun control advocacy group founder Shannon Watts said. "Parents across the rest of the developed world kiss their kids goodbye as they head off to school and don't have to give it a second thought, because they don't have 400 million guns flooding their streets, homes, and schools," Watts added. The United States has seen at least 214 mass shootings so far this year, according to an online database that keeps a record of the country's gun violence incidents. More than 17,000 people have died in gun-related episodes across the United States over the past five months, including at least 653 children and teenagers. A Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, is held at UN Headquarters in New York on May 26, 2022. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) the Palestinian Authority's financial situation, compounded by the constraints of the occupation, the absence of serious Palestinian reforms and unclear prospects for donor support, is dire and requires urgent attention. UNITED NATIONS, May 27 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland on Thursday called for a better coordinated and strategic approach to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. "We must push beyond the paradigm of managing the conflict and move toward resolving it," he told the Security Council in a briefing. The persistence of conflict drivers and the absence of real political will to change course have empowered extremists and are eroding the perception among Palestinians and Israelis that a resolution of the conflict is achievable. These dynamics, combined with the financial crisis, are dangerously converging and intensifying, he warned. While immediate steps to reverse negative trends and support the Palestinian people are essential, a better coordinated and strategic approach by the parties and the international community is needed, he said. "Economic relief must be expanded and made more sustainable. An agreed and updated regulatory framework for the Israeli-Palestinian economic relationship is not only vital to bringing about meaningful economic dividends for the Palestinians but would add a tangible political perspective to these economic steps," he said. "This approach, however, must be combined with political and security steps that address core conflict drivers and ultimately lead us toward an end to the occupation and the achievement of a negotiated two-state solution." Recent weeks have been filled with the familiar pattern of daily violence, including armed clashes, settlement expansion, evictions, demolitions and seizures of Palestinian structures, as well as a deadly terrorist attack in Israel, said Wennesland. UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland speaks at a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, at UN Headquarters in New York on May 26, 2022. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority's financial situation, compounded by the constraints of the occupation, the absence of serious Palestinian reforms and unclear prospects for donor support, is dire and requires urgent attention, he said. In Gaza, efforts by the United Nations and international partners to improve Palestinian lives, and measures by Israel to ease pressure and facilitate more economic activities have enabled the fragile cease-fire to continue. Keeping the calm, however, is neither enough nor sustainable. More needs to be done to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and lift Israeli closures, he said. Wennesland expressed particular concern over a possible escalation in the West Bank. "As Jerusalem Day approaches on May 29, with the planned provocative flag march through the Muslim quarter in the Old City, I again urge authorities to take wise decisions to minimize confrontations and the risk of more violent escalation. I reiterate that the status quo at Jerusalem's holy sites must be upheld and respected," he said. "More broadly, I am extremely concerned that current dynamics, particularly in the occupied West Bank, could spiral out of control at any time. I encourage leaders on both sides to make difficult but critical decisions that will take us back from the brink and help stabilize the situation. The irresponsible and provocative language and incitement to violence must stop," he added. There are tangible, ongoing arrangements that can be regularized and expanded immediately -- if there is political will, said Wennesland. "I urge, and remain actively engaged with, Israelis, Palestinians, regional states and the broader international community to take action that will lead us back to the path of negotiations, which will end the occupation and establish two states, in line with UN resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements." Staff members work at the workshop of the Anhui Electric Power Transmission & Transformation Co., Ltd. in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province, May 13, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Despite key indicators suggesting downward pressure on the Chinese economy, new investments continue to flow into the world's second-largest economy, seeking opportunities that businesses believe are irreplaceable for their long-term strategic development. Observers say that China's economic outlook remains robust due to its strong resilience and ample potential despite the Omicron resurgence and external headwinds. The fundamentals sustaining its sound growth remain unchanged. CURRENT RISKS In April, China's surveyed urban unemployment rate was 6.1 percent, up 0.3 percentage points from March. On a monthly basis, the consumer price index inched up 0.4 percent partly due to the domestic resurgence of COVID-19 and the continuous rise of bulk commodity prices across the globe, noted Dong Lijuan, a senior statistician with the NBS. The International Monetary Fund has slashed the global growth forecast for 2022 to 3.6 percent amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, 0.8 percentage points lower than the January projection, according to its World Economic Outlook in April. Liao Tianshu, chairman of BCG Greater China, told Xinhua that China's economic growth in the first quarter was in line with expectations, considering the impacts of the Omicron resurgence on the economy. "Although downward pressure has increased, the impacts are short-lived and external," she added. POSITIVE TREND UNCHANGED China's economy is expected to improve in May with the accelerating resumption of work and production in Shanghai and Jilin and the implementation of pro-growth measures, Fu Linghui, a spokesperson for the NBS, has said. "The fundamentals of the Chinese economy remain unchanged. The overall trends of economic transformation and upgrading and high-quality development remain unchanged," he said. The spokesperson listed favorable conditions for stabilizing the economy, such as a super-large market, complete industrial and supply chains and huge domestic demand. Observers said China will continue to deepen reform and expand opening-up, which is a fundamental driver of China's long-term growth. "Looking ahead, opening-up remains the defining feature of China's high-quality development," Liao said. "As China moves from high-speed growth to high-quality growth, there will be many opportunities in terms of technology, talent, common prosperity and green transition." Toshiyasu Iiyama, executive managing director of Nomura Holdings Inc. and chairman of the China committee, lauded changes to the country's financial industry. "In recent years, the transformation and upgrading of China's economic structure has also supported the high-level opening-up of the financial industry," Iiyama said. In 2019, Nomura launched its joint venture, Nomura Orient International Securities, one of China's first newly approved foreign-controlled securities companies. The global financial service group, which entered China market 40 years ago, viewed the step as a major breakthrough. Iiyama said China's building of a multi-layer capital market system and the further reform and opening-up of the financial industry provide more and more opportunities to foreign financial institutions to achieve more significant development and growth in China. OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD According to a business confidence survey 2021/22 conducted by the German Chamber of Commerce in China, 71 percent of German companies intend to increase their investments in China. A similar report released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) said nearly two-thirds of companies rank China as the top or a top-three priority for near-term global investment. The 2022 American Business in China White Paper, released by AmCham China, noted that China's market also has a robust research, development and innovation ecosystem. Many leading American companies generate a substantial portion of their revenue from the Chinese market. Emerging industries have demonstrated their resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first quarter of 2022, official data showed that foreign investment in China's high-tech industries logged a sharp yearly increase of 52.9 percent. Kurt Wee, CEO of Celligenics Pte Ltd., a Singapore biotechnology firm specializing in regenerative science, encouraged foreign businesses to maintain a sense of optimism and establish a footing in China. "China will continue to gain pace in sophistication and in development," said Wee. "It's a lifetime opportunity when you have such a huge market developing at this pace." By Azernews Digital Development and Transport Minister Rashad Nabiyev has said that the transformation of traditional cities into smart ones remains high on the Azerbaijani government's agenda for the future, Azernews reports. He made the remarks at an ad hoc meeting of ministers responsible for the ICT of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), which was held in Baku in the framework of Teknofest. Speaking at the meeting, the minister emphasized that digital transformation and the construction of smart cities and villages in the country's liberated territories is also one of the priorities for Azerbaijan. In this regard, he invited companies from OTS countries to participate in smart city projects in Azerbaijan, especially in the Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions. The minister stressed that the expansion of digital transformation, along with the transition to the 4th industrial revolution, creates new areas and targets for cyber threats. In this context, Nabiyev proposed to start work in the field of cybersecurity, as well as recognition of electronic signatures in both multilateral and bilateral formats. He also noted the importance of creating a unified system of registration of mobile devices between the countries of the OTS. Additionally, Nabiyev stated that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to cooperation within the organization, in particular in the field of ICT. Rashad Nabiyev and OTS Secretary-General Baghdad Amreyev made welcoming speeches at the event. Azerbaijans chairmanship of the Organization of the Turkic States, which began on October 15, 2019, has successfully continued in 2021. During this time, the activity of the organization has been further strengthened and its reputation has grown. To recall, on November 12, 2021, the 8th summit of the OTS was held in Istanbul. At the summit, the decisions were made to change the name of the organization and to grant Turkmenistan observer status. In addition, the document vision of the Turkic World-2040 and the declaration of the 8th summit were adopted. Azerbaijan transferred its chairmanship to Turkey. A Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, is held at UN Headquarters in New York on May 26, 2022. UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland on Thursday called for a better coordinated and strategic approach to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, May 26 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland on Thursday called for a better coordinated and strategic approach to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. "We must push beyond the paradigm of managing the conflict and move toward resolving it," he told the Security Council in a briefing. The persistence of conflict drivers and the absence of real political will to change course have empowered extremists and are eroding the perception among Palestinians and Israelis that a resolution of the conflict is achievable. These dynamics, combined with the financial crisis, are dangerously converging and intensifying, he warned. While immediate steps to reverse negative trends and support the Palestinian people are essential, a better coordinated and strategic approach by the parties and the international community is needed, he said. "Economic relief must be expanded and made more sustainable. An agreed and updated regulatory framework for the Israeli-Palestinian economic relationship is not only vital to bringing about meaningful economic dividends for the Palestinians but would add a tangible political perspective to these economic steps," he said. "This approach, however, must be combined with political and security steps that address core conflict drivers and ultimately lead us toward an end to the occupation and the achievement of a negotiated two-state solution." Recent weeks have been filled with the familiar pattern of daily violence, including armed clashes, settlement expansion, evictions, demolitions and seizures of Palestinian structures, as well as a deadly terrorist attack in Israel, said Wennesland. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority's financial situation, compounded by the constraints of the occupation, the absence of serious Palestinian reforms and unclear prospects for donor support, is dire and requires urgent attention, he said. In Gaza, efforts by the United Nations and international partners to improve Palestinian lives, and measures by Israel to ease pressure and facilitate more economic activities have enabled the fragile cease-fire to continue. Keeping the calm, however, is neither enough nor sustainable. More needs to be done to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and lift Israeli closures, he said. Wennesland expressed particular concern over a possible escalation in the West Bank. "As Jerusalem Day approaches on May 29, with the planned provocative flag march through the Muslim quarter in the Old City, I again urge authorities to take wise decisions to minimize confrontations and the risk of more violent escalation. I reiterate that the status quo at Jerusalem's holy sites must be upheld and respected," he said. "More broadly, I am extremely concerned that current dynamics, particularly in the occupied West Bank, could spiral out of control at any time. I encourage leaders on both sides to make difficult but critical decisions that will take us back from the brink and help stabilize the situation. The irresponsible and provocative language and incitement to violence must stop," he added. There are tangible, ongoing arrangements that can be regularized and expanded immediately -- if there is political will, said Wennesland. "I urge, and remain actively engaged with, Israelis, Palestinians, regional states and the broader international community to take action that will lead us back to the path of negotiations, which will end the occupation and establish two states, in line with UN resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements." UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland speaks at a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, at UN Headquarters in New York on May 26, 2022. Wennesland on Thursday called for a better coordinated and strategic approach to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) HONIARA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- China and the Solomon Islands reached a series of important consensuses after friendly, in-depth and productive communication on deepening bilateral mutually-beneficial cooperation, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday. Wang expounded on the consensuses when meeting the press jointly with Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele. Firstly, both sides agreed to jointly cement the political foundation of China-Solomon Islands relations, firmly support each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and support each other in safeguarding their core interests and their choice of development path. China appreciates the Solomon Islands adhering to the one-China principle and pursuing a friendly policy toward China. Secondly, both sides agreed to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative, enhance the synergy of the two countries' development strategies and tap the potential of pragmatic cooperation. China supports the Solomon Islands in giving full play to its comparative advantages and accelerating development and revitalization, Wang said. China will take earnest measures to facilitate two-way trade and investment, expand the Solomon Islands' export of competitive products to China and support Chinese enterprises in investing in the Solomon Islands, he added. China will grant zero-tariff treatment on 98 percent of taxable items the Solomon Islands exports to China. Thirdly, both sides agreed to jointly implement the China-proposed Global Development Initiative. China will support the reconstruction of the capital city of Honiara, well implement China-aided projects including the Stadium Project for the 2023 Pacific Games, and carry out more projects to improve people's wellbeing. Wang said China fully supports the Solomon Islands' fight against the COVID-19 pandemic until it wins the battle ultimately. Fourthly, both sides agreed to jointly foster a secure and stable environment, as security is a prerequisite for development. China firmly supports the Solomon Islands government's efforts to maintain long-term domestic stability, and will continue to conduct law enforcement and security cooperation with the Solomon Islands and help it strengthen the police capacity building in accordance with its needs and at its request. Fifthly, both sides agreed to jointly promote connectivity. They signed an agreement on mutual visa exemption, and reached consensus on cooperation in civil aviation, which will provide greater convenience for bilateral personnel exchanges. Sixthly, both sides agreed to jointly address climate change. China will provide all necessary support and assistance to the Solomon Islands to enhance its capacity to cope with climate change. The two sides will strengthen cooperation in marine protection, disaster prevention and mitigation, emergency response and blue economy. Seventhly, both sides agreed to jointly promote sub-national exchanges. As Jiangmen city in China's Guangdong Province and Honiara established sister-city relations, the two sides should give full play to the characteristics and advantages of sub-national exchanges, encourage more provinces and cities of the two countries to foster closer relations and stimulate the vitality of sub-national, people-to-people exchanges. Eighthly, both sides agreed to jointly defend the interests of developing countries. The two sides will continue to maintain close communication and cooperation in multilateral mechanisms including the United Nations, oppose zero-sum games, bullying, coercion and interference in internal affairs, advocate and practice true multilateralism, uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Wang wrapped up his visit to the Solomon Islands on the first leg of his tour to the Pacific island countries, which will also take him to Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, as well as Timor-Leste. TEHRAN, May 27 (Xinhua) -- A top Iranian security official said Friday the "expansionist" U.S. policies are the main culprits for the 20-year Afghan war, the Iranian semi-official agency Nour News reported. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, made the remarks in an address to the fourth Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, the Tajik capital. Iran has long been hosting some five million Afghan refugees, despite the absence of efficient international support and under tough U.S. sanctions, he said. The development and welfare of Afghan people can only be grounded on the security, peace and stability of the country, Shamkhani noted. And since regional security is interrelated, Afghanistan's peace and stability are necessities for all regional states, he added. To limit the U.S. continued interference in Afghanistan, "we have to work out effective solutions for Afghan people's problems, particularly the economic ones, in cooperation with each other," Shamkhani was quoted as saying. The Iranian official urged the United States to release Afghan people's assets and compensate for the financial damages it has caused to the country. Since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August last year, the United States has frozen more than 9 billion U.S. dollars of assets of Afghanistan's central bank, further crippling the battered economy of the war-torn country. HAJJAH, Yemen, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Almost six months have passed since the 12-year-old Raed Gerbhi lost his right leg to a landmine blast, the wounds from which quickly healed, but the pain and suffering were far from wearing off. "I lost my leg in the landmine explosion while I was herding the sheep" in December, the boy told Xinhua in his home village of Bani Faid, on the outskirts of the besieged coastal city of Midi. "My life has become very difficult ever since ... With only a pair of crutches, life narrows down. I could no longer move between the hut and the sheepfold," he said. "I want a prosthetic leg, so I can go back to school, play with my friends, and herd sheep," he added. His older brother, Ali, said he wishes for a better future for Raed, but no immediate solution is available, as there are no medical facilities in the besieged city that make artificial limbs. Raed was sent by the Yemeni government to Saudi Arabia for treatment after the explosion, where he stayed hospitalized for nearly two months. Hassan Musbih, a tribal sheikh in the village, said leftover landmines placed during the chronic Yemeni civil war have inflicted a disastrous human toll. "The landmines planted under the sands of farms, pastures, and roads have caused a humanitarian disaster and great terror among the residents here. The number of victims is increasing day by day ..." he said. This was compounded by the fact that "the war destroyed hospitals in the area and left the health system out of readiness," Musbih explained. "Most victims are children and farmers ... Dozens of agricultural vehicles were also destroyed and many sheep, camels, and cows were killed." Meanwhile, the Yemeni government continues to locate and remove leftover landmines in Midi and other areas. Demining experts in Yemen say that more than a million landmines have been laid since the outbreak of the civil war in late 2014, when the Iranian-backed Houthi militia took control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital, Sanaa. Most of these landmines were homemade from plastic in the form of small rocks, food cans, and water bottles. "The landmines have caused a major catastrophe in the country and threaten the lives of millions," said Kabol al-Absi of the Qarar Foundation for Media and Development, a non-governmental organization. Recently, the Yemeni government, humanitarian organizations, and local activists took the chance of the two-month truce to launch a media campaign, urging the Houthi group to provide landmine maps for the removal work. "The demining process may take many years" if they refuse to offer the maps, al-Absi told Xinhua. Huda Al-Sarari, an advocate of the demining campaign, told Xinhua that "the campaign also tries to prevent more civilian casualties as most of the victims are children and women. It also aims at drawing the attention of the international community towards this catastrophe." According to the latest statistics published on the website of the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance (MASAM) in Yemen, the project has so far removed 339,431 landmines from all over Yemen since mid-2018. RAMALLAH/JERUSALEM, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Thursday announced that its probe revealed that Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was "deliberately" shot by an Israeli sniper, but Israel denounced it as a "lie." On May 11, Abu Akleh, 51, was killed after being shot in the head while covering an Israeli military raid on the Palestinian refugee camp of Jenin in the northern West Bank. In a news briefing held at the Palestinian presidential headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, PA General Prosecutor Akram al-Khatib previewed the final results of the investigation into Abu Akleh's death. "The only source of fire that targeted the journalists and killed her (Abu Akleh) was from the side where the Israeli forces were stationed in Jenin," al-Khatib told reporters. He said that "one of the Israeli soldiers shot Abu Akleh in the head while she was trying to run and hide," adding that "the shooting was directly and deliberately targeting the journalists present in the area." The investigation was based on interviews with witnesses, an inspection of the scene, and a forensic medical report, he said. The probe found no Palestinian fighters near the shooting scene, al-Khatib said, referring to the Israeli claim that Palestinian gunmen could have killed Abu Akleh. Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh told reporters that the Palestinian Foreign Ministry had submitted all the documents required to all international bodies, including the International Criminal Court. Meanwhile, Israel dismissed the findings of the Palestinian investigation as "a blatant lie." "Any claim that the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) intentionally harms journalists or uninvolved civilians is a blatant lie," Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said in a statement, responding to the Palestinian probe. He said that Israel is willing to conduct an investigation in collaboration with international bodies if the PA agrees to share all of its findings and hand over the bullet that killed the journalist. "The IDF is operating against murderous terrorism, which in recent weeks has claimed the lives of 20 people," Gantz said, adding that many of the assailants came from the area where the incident took place. "We always act with precision, targeting terrorists and taking measures to avoid harm to civilians. We will continue operating in this manner," he said. Mourners carry the body of Zeid Ghuneim during his funeral in al-Khader, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem, May 28, 2022. A Palestinian teenager was killed and more than 90 injured on Friday in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said. The Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement that Zeid Ghuneim, 15, was killed after he was shot by Israeli soldiers in the neck and back during clashes in the town of al-Khader, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua) RAMALLAH, May 27 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian teenager was killed and more than 90 injured on Friday in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said. The Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement that Zeid Ghuneim, 15, was killed after he was shot by Israeli soldiers in the neck and back during clashes in the town of al-Khader, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Israeli authorities have not commented on the incidents yet. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said in a statement that more than 90 Palestinians were injured during protests and clashes with the Israeli soldiers in the villages of Burqa, Beit Dajan, Beita and Huwara. Among the injured, 10 were shot by live ammunition, 22 by rubber bullets, and dozens suffered from inhaling tear gas, said the organization. Fierce clashes broke out in several towns and villages on Friday, mainly near the northern West Bank cities of Nablus and Qalqilya, and dozens of anti-settlement demonstrators burned tires and threw stones at the Israeli soldiers, Palestinian eyewitnesses said. The Palestinians organized rallies and protests on Fridays against the Israeli government's policies of expanding settlements and confiscation of lands, and the demonstrations usually turn into clashes with the Israeli soldiers. Relatives of Zeid Ghuneim mourn during his funeral in al-Khader, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem, May 28, 2022. A Palestinian teenager was killed and more than 90 injured on Friday in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said. The Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement that Zeid Ghuneim, 15, was killed after he was shot by Israeli soldiers in the neck and back during clashes in the town of al-Khader, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua) QUITO, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador's Ministry of Public Health on Friday reported the country's first suspected case of monkeypox in a man in Quito who had traveled to Africa. The patient "presented symptoms related to the disease, such as fever and skin lesions," the health ministry said in a statement. It added that the patient remains in isolation and under surveillance, while his close contacts are being monitored. The ministry also stated that "the National Institute of Public Health Research took samples from the patient to confirm or rule out monkeypox." In view of the situation, the health ministry acquired about 1,000 monkeypox tests, which are to arrive in the South American country next week. It also released a series of recommendations for the public, advising that as soon as symptoms appear they should go to the nearest health center wearing a face mask, isolate and avoid public places, family gatherings, school and work. Symptoms of monkeypox are similar but milder than smallpox, which was eradicated at the end of the 1970s, and include fever, headache, muscle pain, chills, fatigue, swollen glands and skin rash. BUENOS AIRES, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Argentina has confirmed its first case of monkeypox in a man who arrived from Spain, the Health Ministry said Friday. "The patient is in good condition, undergoing symptomatic treatment, and his close contacts are under clinical and epidemiological control, with no symptoms to date," the ministry said in a statement. The test result from "the sample taken from the first high-probability case is positive, which confirms infection with poxviruses belonging to the Eurasian-African group of the Orthopox genus," the ministry said. Subsequently, genomic sequencing yielded a very high percentage of homology with the West African clade, like those found in new cases around the world, it added. The health ministry urged those with symptoms to wear a face mask, practise social distance, and consult the health system immediately. CARACAS, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday condemned the United States for excluding Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela from the upcoming Summit of the Americas to be held June 6-10 in Los Angeles of U.S. state of California. Maduro expressed his government's "firm, strong and total rejection of the imperialist vision that intends to exclude the peoples of the Americas" from a regional gathering. The Venezuelan president is in Cuba's capital Havana for the 21st Summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-People's Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP), which took place Friday. In contrast to Washington's handling of the Americas Summit, the ALBA-TCP is inclusive and uniting, and works on issues that impact people's lives and development in the region, he said. "If there is anything truly democratic on this continent, it is ALBA, from the point of view of its debates and the sharing of diversity," Maduro stressed. On Thursday, U.S. coordinator of the Americas Summit Kevin O'Reilly reiterated that the governments of Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, all members of ALBA-TCP, had not been invited to participate in the meeting. A staff of the Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged works during the competition in Szeged, Hungary, May 27,2022. (Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged/Handout via Xinhua) The Chinese Proficiency Competition attracted "young students from all over the world to learn Chinese and understand Chinese language and culture," said Qi Dayu, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary. BUDAPEST, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The 2022 Chinese Proficiency Competition for Hungarian College Students, and Chinese Show for Primary School Students, were held online on Friday at the University of Szeged in Hungary. A total of nine contestants from four colleges and universities participated in the event, which was jointly organized by the Chinese Embassy in Hungary and the Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged. The theme of the "Chinese Bridge" competition for Hungarian college students was "One World, One Family." It consisted of two parts: a keynote speech with Q&A, and a talent show. The competition was won by Kim Younhwi from the Confucius Institute at the University of Debrecen. Meanwhile, the theme of the Chinese show for primary school students was "Happy Chinese." Five schools selected nine students to participate in the show, which was won by Janka Jonas from Hungarian-Chinese Bilingual Primary School. Staffs of the Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged work during the competition in Szeged, Hungary, May 27,2022. (Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged/Handout via Xinhua) The Chinese Proficiency Competition attracted "young students from all over the world to learn Chinese and understand Chinese language and culture," said Qi Dayu, Chinese Ambassador to Hungary. During the competition, Hungarian contestants demonstrated their achievements in learning Chinese, and their understanding of Chinese culture, he added. Events such as these promote cultural exchange and boost the friendship between the two countries, the Ambassador underlined. Staffs of the Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged work during th competition in Szeged, Hungary, May 27, 2022. (Confucius Institute at the University of Szeged/Handout via Xinhua) Clara Galen, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Szeged, said the Confucius Institute at the university has been committed to developing and promoting Chinese language teaching for many years. This work has also been extended to primary and secondary schools in the Great Plains of southern Hungary. The Azerbaijani Food Safety Institute (AQTI) and Italian National Health Institute (ISS) have signed a memorandum of cooperation, Azernews reports. The document was signed during a meeting between a delegation of AQTI and staff of the ISS in Rome, Italy. During the meeting, extensive presentations on the activities of both institutions were made. The parties discussed areas of cooperation, exchanged experiences, and discussed the establishment of cooperation between the National Reference Laboratories of the two countries. The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on May 8, 1992. The first embassy of Italy among the Southern Caucasus republics was opened in Azerbaijan in 1997 and the embassy of Azerbaijan to Italy has been functioning since 2003. The two countries' trade turnover was $9.6 billion in 2021, with Italy being Azerbaijan's main trade partner. Azerbaijan is a major supplier of energy resources to Italy. In Azerbaijan, over 100 Italian companies operate in various fields. Further, Italian firms have contracts worth more than 10 billion ($11.8 billion) for Azerbaijani projects both inside and outside the country. Azerbaijan's total investment in the Italian economy is estimated to be around 1.7 billion ($2 billion), with Italy investing approximately 770 million ($910.8 million) in Azerbaijan. Further, Italy was one of the first countries to express support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, as well as an interest in participating in the restoration of Azerbaijan's liberated territories. Thus, Italy and Israel have already launched a joint project to build a smart village in the liberated Zangilan region. FREETOWN, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Calm has returned to the central business district of Makeni, a city in Sierra Leone's Northern Province after riots between police and commercial motorbike operators subsided Thursday. Shops around the area which shut operations earlier are now open to the public, Makeni police commander Esther Kaintor Dukulay told Xinhua. On Thursday, dozens of the commercial motorbike operators disrupted traffic by blocking roads with sticks and stones and went rioting in the city after news emerged that the police had shot one rider. Police said the rider was temporarily interrogated by the police and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the rider's case. ADDIS ABABA, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Thursday warned African countries to increase surveillance against monkeypox and build strong infection control measures against the virus. Ahmed Ogwell, Acting Director of Africa CDC, while addressing journalists in his period briefing said the agency has provided guidance to AU member states on increasing surveillance for monkeypox, establishing laboratory diagnostic capacity, expanding the knowledge of monkeypox amongst the clinical team, and putting in place infection control measures as countries engage with the communities that are at risk. "We urge anybody who has symptoms to quickly seek medical attention; indeed, washing of hands, keeping your sanitizers in use, avoiding touching animals that look sick and avoiding touching animals that are known to be carriers of the monkeypox virus is highly encouraged for members of the public," Ogwell said. Noting that the Africa CDC is working with all AU member states to step up surveillance for monkeypox, Ogwell said countries that are around endemic countries are on a much higher alert. Concerning vaccines, he said one of the key tools in monkeypox outbreak is the use of vaccines and Africa is using the smallpox vaccines, which he said give very high protection. He, however, called on the international community to assure an equitable share of vaccines. "We are looking forward to a situation where the COVID-19 hoarding episode will not be repeated in this situation," he said. "We hope the availability of vaccines will be based on where the risk is higher rather than who has access to it in terms of purchasing and the manufacture," he said. The official added that four African countries have reported a cumulative number of 1,405 endemic monkeypox cases and 62 deaths during the course of 2022, accounting for a case fatality rate of 4.4 percent. Endemic monkeypox is documented in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Nigeria, the official said. "Two other countries, Morocco and Sudan, are investigating suspected cases," Ogwell said. WELLINGTON, May 27 (Xinhua) -- New Zealanders who are at high risk of getting very sick from a COVID-19 infection will soon be eligible to receive a second booster, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said on Friday. A second booster dose may be beneficial for those most at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 and with a gap of six months from their previous booster. The vast majority of these people become eligible from July, according to the Ministry of Health. "A booster is important for our most vulnerable as we move into the winter peak," said a ministry statement, adding that several hundred thousand people will be eligible, which includes the older population, residents of aged care facilities and disability care facilities aged 16 years and over, and severely immunocompromised people. New Zealand recorded 6,862 new community cases of COVID-19 and 25 more deaths, the ministry said on Friday. PHNOM PENH, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said here on Friday that as the ASEAN chair for 2022, Cambodia, together with other ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states, will strive to play a more active role in building a bright future for Asia and the world. He made the remarks in a speech delivered via video link to an international conference on the future of Asia. "We are strengthening ASEAN centrality and unity to ensure ASEAN's resilience and robustness against the pressure and influence stemming from intensifying geopolitical competition, and other challenges," Hun Sen said. "At the same time, we are promoting effective implementation of all agreed-upon initiatives and measures, as well as maximizing the leverage of trade agreements while enhancing both physical and digital connectivity," he added. He said the bloc will make joint efforts to strengthen the capacity of micro, small and medium sized enterprises, promote entrepreneurship among women and youth, and improve human resource development to stand up to the demands and challenges of the digital era and the Fourth Industrial Revolution in order to accelerate a sustainable and inclusive post-COVID-19 recovery. Hun Sen said ASEAN, as a regional grouping, can play an indispensable role in promoting peace, security, stability and development in the region and the world. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Workers work at a juice processing plant in Kandahar, Afghanistan on May 23, 2022. (Photo by Arghand/Xinhua) KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, May 26 (Xinhua) -- In a country already beset by innumerable destabilizing factors, power shortages are doing nothing help Afghanistan's recovery. In southern Kandahar province, like anywhere else, no electricity means no productivity. Elham Haqmal manages a milk processing plant in Kandahar's Industrial Park. "We have no mains electricity at all. We operate on the power from our own generators. It's a very costly way to do business," Haqmal said. "Only a handful factories out of the 300 in the park are operational. If the power problem continues for much longer, all the plants will have to be shut down." "Our products are highly perishable. Without power, everything can be spoiled. We have to pour gallons of perfectly good milk down the drain," he added. Running factories and plants need sufficient and stable sources of power. Power is imported from neighboring Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. But in Afghanistan almost all the infrastructure, including power plants and factories, has been wrecked or destroyed by more than 40 years of almost continuous conflict. The war may be over, but trouble continues. Unknown forces have recently attacked power lines to disrupt the supply to capital Kabul and other provinces. State news agency Bakhtar reported that in the latest attack on power transmission lines, unidentified men blew up three pylons in the northern Samangan province on Sunday night, the second attack in a month. In the previous incident, unknown attackers targeted two pylons in Salang district of the eastern Parwan province. Power is yet to be restored to the area. The war-weary and poverty-stricken Afghans often blame the U.S. military invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001 on the excuse of fighting terror for the current mess, saying Washington during its 20-year military presence ended in August last year didn't build any economic infrastructures, while claiming spending billions of dollars here. Workers work at a juice processing plant in Kandahar, Afghanistan on May 23, 2022. (Photo by Arghand/Xinhua) YANGON, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's Anti-Narcotics Task Force has seized 5 million stimulant tablets worth K5 billion (over 2.7 million U.S. dollars) in Yangon, according to a police statement on Thursday. Following a tip-off, police raided a house in No (3) Zawtika street, Thingangyun Gyi Ward of Mingalardon Township, and arrested seven suspects together with 1 million stimulant pills on May 17. According to further investigation, the police also seized 4 million stimulant tablets at a house in Sabei street of No (3) Pale Ward of Mingalardon Township on the same evening. Moreover, the anti-narcotics agents arrested one suspected female and two suspected males on May 18. The suspects kept the stimulant pills in their homes before they transport them to Yangon from Shan State, and they mail the drugs to Tanintharyi Region and Rakhine State. The main drug dealer is still at large, and the police have filed charges against him. BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Thursday he had discussed the supplies of heavy weapons to Ukraine with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. "We need more heavy weapons delivered as soon as possible, especially MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems), to repel Russian attacks," Kuleba tweeted after the talks. - - - - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday met with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and discussed Ukraine's European integration and post-conflict recovery, Zelensky's press service reported. At the talks in Kiev, Zelensky thanked the Finnish government for providing financial, defense and humanitarian aid for Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia. - - - - Russia on Friday expelled five employees of the Croatian embassy here in a retaliatory move. The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Croatian ambassador to Russia and protested against "the groundless attempts of the Croatian authorities to blame Russia for war crimes in Ukraine" and the Croatian military assistance to Ukraine. - - - - Matteo Salvini, leader of the League party in Italy's government coalition, said Thursday that the country should stop supplying military equipment to Ukraine and use negotiations to help push for an end to the conflict. "The most powerful weapon will be diplomacy, not missiles or warheads," said Salvini, a senator and former deputy prime minister. "I am counting on no more talk of sending weapons but of sending diplomats." KIEV, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Thursday he had discussed the supplies of heavy weapons to Ukraine with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. "We need more heavy weapons delivered as soon as possible, especially MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems), to repel Russian attacks," Kuleba tweeted after the talks. The Ukrainian foreign minister added that he had briefed Baerbock on the difficult situation in the Donbass region. Other topics of the discussion included further sanctions on Russia and Ukraine's prospects to achieve a European Union (EU) candidate status, Kuleba said. Earlier this month, Baerbock said the government of Germany is working with German enterprises to provide modern weapons to Ukraine. MINSK, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Armed Forces of Belarus will create the Southern Operational Command, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting in the Ministry of Defense on Thursday, BelTA news agency reported. According to Lukashenko, the defense minister advised to open an operational command in the southern direction of the country last year. It will operate along with the Western and Northwestern Operational Command. The president noted that the army is forced to defend the southern borders of the country, and he ordered the rotation of armed forces, special operations forces, and battalion tactical groups, which are directed to the south and work together with the border troops. On May 15, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Belarus Igor Korol said that the Ukrainian military was mining roads and bridges on the territory adjacent to Belarus. MEXICO CITY, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard and his Argentine counterpart Santiago Cafiero reiterated Thursday that their governments reject the exclusion of any country to regional forums, such as the Ninth Summit of the Americas to be held next month in Los Angeles, the United States. At a press conference on Cafiero's working visit to the Mexican capital, the two foreign ministers asserted the importance of having all countries represented at a meeting that intends to address key regional issues. "The exclusion of any Latin American and Caribbean country should not be accepted or promoted," Ebrard said, adding that all foreign ministers with whom he has spoken to during the convening and preparation for the event are of the same opinion. Cafiero agreed with his Mexican colleague and stressed that Argentina, as president pro tempore of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), "has been stressing the need for no exclusions," and for "all voices to be heard and all countries to participate in the summit." "CELAC is a forum without exclusions," the Argentine official said, adding that this diversity "is the strength we have found all these years to continue with a model of integration based on respect for others and the understanding that others may think differently." Mexico and Argentina have been advocating that all countries be invited since it became known last month that the United States intended to exclude Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, leading Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to rule out attending if the exclusions are carried out. Major agreement covering all aspects of integrated air navigation services were signed between air navigation providers of Azerbaijan and Turkey. Thus, on Friday, May 27, the document was signed between Azeraeronavigation Air Traffic Control Department (AZANS) of Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC and the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMI). When concluding the agreement, the parties stressed the high level of professional interaction between the two organizations in the development of air navigation strategy as well as close friendly relations between the fraternal countries - Azerbaijan and Turkey. DHMI delegation, headed by the Chairman of the Board and Director General, Mr. Huseyin Keskin, which visited the ATC tower at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport, was informed about the modern technology used by AZANS. The guests were also introduced to the process of flight control at the air show held in the capital of Azerbaijan within the TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan festival. The scope of DHMIs activities includes the management of Turkish airports, as well as regulation and control of Turkish airspace. OUAGADOUGOU: According to an official statement, at least 50 civilians were killed during an armed attack in Burkina Faso's Madjoari region. Residents from the Madjoari town who were attempting to reach Nadiagou, in the town of Pama, were targeted by unidentified armed men, according to a statement from the regional government. The civilians from Madjoari died on Wednesday while attempting to flee a jihadist blockade, according to Colonel Hubert Yameogo, who added that the toll was provisional. Survivors reportedly said that they had been trying to flee the attackers as food ran out. "The terrorists intercepted and executed the people," one survivor said. "Everyone who died was a man." "Security operations are underway to restore peace," said the region's governor. On May 14, an attack on civilians in the same area killed 17 people and injured seven more. On May 19, another attack on the Madjoari military detachment killed 11 soldiers and injured 20 others. Burkina Faso's security has deteriorated since 2015, with terrorist attacks killing over 1,000 people and displacing over 1 million others in the West African country. UK announces levy on energy companies to ease cost-of-living crisis Putin says West will fail in its attempts to isolate Russia World Bank approves USD169 mn credit for disaster risk management in Cambodia KARWAR: On Friday afternoon (May 27) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a surprise call to Indian Navy staff who were deployed on the INS Gharial in Sri Lanka. The INS Gharial ship is docked in Colombo, delivering essential relief supplies to the island nation. During the video conferencing interaction, Singh praised the Indian Navy's efforts and stressed the Neighbourhood First policy and strong connections with India's closest maritime neighbour. "INS Gharial and other Indian Navy ships are carrying crucial supplies to Sri Lanka during the crisis, I hope the sea condition is safe," he said. He went on to say that, apart from being a neighbour, Sri Lanka is an old friend of India, and that it is India's responsibility to stand by Sri Lanka through its crisis and assist it in every manner possible. "Sri Lanka is India's strategic partner and closest maritime partner, and India has traditionally adopted the "Neighbourhood First" policy. The Navy has made India's 'humanitarian mission' effective by successfully delivering essential commodities to Sri Lanka " the defense minister said. On Friday, the Indian Navy's INS Gharial, a 5600-ton Landing Ship Tanker, landed in Colombo as part of Mission SAGAR IX. The ship is carrying Sri Lanka's second batch of crucial relief supplies. It may be noted that INS Gharial came on April 22 to deliver the first cargo of 760 kg of medicines for Peradiniya University, and that India will continue to provide humanitarian assistance. The initiative of the Indian government and people stresses India's "Neighbourhood First" policy and emphasises the country's concern for the people of Sri Lanka. Rajnath Singh says, India is now among the leading 25 countries exporting defence equipment Rajnath Singh congratulated the team of TMR for their exceptional work Defence Minister launches 2 indigenous frontline warships, lauds Navy for 'Aatmanirbharta' Tanzanian health authorities have issued a warning about a monkeypox outbreak in some European countries. The Deputy Minister of Health, Godwin Mollel, said in a statement that the public should take precautions against monkeypox and other infectious diseases, according to reports. "At the moment, there are no reported monkeypox patients in Tanzania," said Mollel, who advised the public to avoid touching or eating sick animals or carcasses, as well as touching anything used by a sick animal. Meanwhiile, The country's Ministry of Health reported another 25 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed monkeypox cases in Spain to 84. As per reportys, those infected are all experiencing "mild symptoms" and are currently being isolated in their homes in accordance with established protocols. The majority of cases have been reported in the Madrid region, but additional cases have been confirmed in the Canary Islands, the Basque Region, and Andalusia. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that it expects more infectious cases of the viral zoonotic disease monkeypox after 20 countries reported cases. Monkeypox symptoms include fever, headaches, swelling, back pain, aching muscles, and fatigue. Rashes and lesions on the face and hands of people suffering from a more serious illness may spread to other parts of the body. Some antiviral drugs may be beneficial in the treatment of monkeypox!" Canada Public Health Body confirms 16 monkeypox cases Study finds Monkeypox does not transmit easily by air UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council has renewed an arms embargo against South Sudan, as well as targeted sanctions such as a travel ban and asset freeze against individuals and entities until May 31, 2023. Resolution 2633, passed with 10 votes in favour and five abstentions on Thursday, also extends the mandate of the Panel of Experts, which assists the work of the South Sudan Sanctions Committee, until July 1, 2023, according to the Xinhua news agency. However, China, Gabon, India, Kenya, and Russia did not vote. The resolution decides that the arms embargo shall not apply to the supply, sale, or transfer of non-lethal military equipment solely for the purpose of implementing the terms of the peace agreement, as previously notified to the Sanctions Committee. It also reiterates the Security Council's willingness to review arms embargo measures, whether through modification, suspension, or progressive lifting, in light of progress made on the key benchmarks outlined in Resolution 2577 last year, and encourages South Sudan authorities to make further progress in this regard. The resolution requests that the UN Secretary-General conduct an assessment of progress on the key benchmarks by April 15, 2023, in close consultation with the UN Mission in South Sudan and the Panel of Experts. It also requests that the South Sudanese authorities report to the Sanctions Committee on the progress made in this regard by the same date. UN Security Council to vote on North Korea sanctions on Thursday India against misuse of new technologies, proposes UNSC counter-terror panel UK announces levy on energy companies to ease cost-of-living crisis Vantage Market Research, The North Star for the Working World WASHINGTON, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, superalloys are successful as they have solved pressing demands for durability and strength in machines and systems that were barely imaginable a hundred years ago. Superalloys have helped in conquering air and space, plumb the depths of the earth and ocean, and address many other challenges of modern life. The increase in demand and technological advancements in metallurgy has demanded the Aerospace Super Alloy Market to flourish in coming years. Owing to these factors in acceptance, superalloys are gaining huge importance in the global market, states Vantage Market Research, in a report, titled Aerospace Superalloy Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product (Nickel-based, Iron-based, Cobalt-based), by Application (Commercial & Cargo, Business, Military, Rotary), by Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America) - Global Industry Assessment (2016 - 2021) & Forecast (2022 - 2028). The Global Market size stood at USD 2,085.5 Million in the year 2021. The Global Aerospace Super Alloy Market size is expected to reach USD 3,478.3 Million by the year 2028 and is expected to grow exhibiting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.90% during the forecast period. Please Check Out Our Free Sample Reports and Make a More Informed Decision: Get Access to a Free Copy of Our Latest Sample Report @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/aerospace-superalloy-market-1568/request-sample (Sample reports are a great way to test our in-depth reports or study before you make a purchase) The newly updated, 140+ page reports provide an in-depth analysis of the COVID-19 virus and pandemic. Using industry data and interview with experts, you can learn about topics such as regional impact analysis, global forecast, competitive landscape analysis, size & share of regional markets. We offer these reports in PDF format so you can read them on your computer and print them out. Free sample includes, Industry Operating Conditions, Industry Market Size, Profitability Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Industry Major Players, Historical and Forecast, Growth Porter's 5 Forces Analysis, Revenue Forecasts, Industry Trends, Industry Financial Ratios. The report also presents the country-wise and region-wise analysis of the Vantage Market Research and includes a detailed analysis of the key factors affecting the growth of the market. Sample Report further sheds light on the Major Market Players with their Sales Volume, Business Strategy and Revenue Analysis, to offer the readers an advantage over others. Story continues Market Dynamics : Driver: Rise in Expenditure in Aerospace & Defense Sector The rise in global defense spending is expected to continue and create novel opportunities for defense contractors and their supply chains. However, to increase demand and improve production yields, defense companies are adapting to highly agile production that adapts to changes in demand, including the use of aerospace superalloys. For instance, adopting smart material initiatives could drive 30% gains in strength and durability without major capital investment. Moreover, expenditure on defense is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of about 3% over the 20232028 period to reach USD 5.6 trillion by 2028. While the US administrations increased focus on strengthening the military is expected to be a key growth driver for defense spending in 2022, other large nations, such as China, Russia, and India, are also likely to embark on higher spending on defense equipment. Key Insights & Findings from the Report: According to our primary respondents research, the Aerospace Super Alloy market is predicted to grow at a CAGR of roughly 8.90% during the forecast period. The Aerospace Super Alloy market was estimated to be worth roughly USD 2,085.5 Million in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 3,478.3 Million by 2028; based on primary research. On the basis of region, Asia Pacific is projected to dominate the worldwide Aerospace Super Alloy market. Purchase This Premium Report Now @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/buy-now/aerospace-superalloy-market-1568/0 Benefits of Purchasing Aerospace Super Alloy Market Reports: Customer Satisfaction : Our team of experts assists you with all your research needs and optimizes your reports. Analyst Support : Before or after purchasing the report, ask a professional analyst to address your questions. Assured Quality : Focuses on accuracy and quality of reports. Incomparable Skills: Analysts provide in-depth insights into reports. Segmentation of the Global Aerospace Super Alloy Market: Product Nickel-based Iron-based Cobalt-based Application Commercial & Cargo Business Military Rotary Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Read Full Research Report @ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/industry-report/aerospace-superalloy-market-1568 Restrain: Increasing Raw Material Cost & Manufacturing Cost of Superalloy Factors such as the high cost of production, unavailability of raw material, increasing crude oil prices are expected to hamper the market growth. The high costs of manufacturing using superalloys impact the ability of manufacturers to launch their products in the market, thus resulting in limited production. These are some of the major concerns which restrict various aircraft manufacturers to invest in superalloys. Additionally, the rising competition in the market and low awareness about the product are further limiting the market growth. COVID-19 Impact Analysis: The COVID-19 outbreak has affected various industries worldwide. Governments across the world implemented strict lockdown measures and social distancing norms in order to restrict the swift spread of the pandemic. Manufacturing facilities around the world were shut down during the initial stages of the pandemic. Moreover, the economic crisis after the pandemic might lead to a significant delay in the commercial roll-out of the healthcare industry. Small and medium-scale companies are the backbone of technology providers and are witnessing a steep drop in revenue since the emergence of the pandemic in 2020. Hence, market players faced numerous challenges as disruptions in the supply chain were observed. However, things will improve in the second half of 2022 as more supplies will come online. The impact of COVID-19 on the market demand is considered while estimating the current and forecast market size and growth trends of the market for all the regions and countries based on the following data points: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Quarterly Market Revenue Forecast by Asia Pacific 2020 & 2021 Key Strategies Undertaken by Companies to Tackle COVID-19 Long Term Dynamics Short Term Dynamics Do You Have Any Query or Specific Requirement? Ask to Our Industry Expert@ https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/aerospace-superalloy-market-1568/inquiry-before-buying (You may enquire a report quote OR available discount offers to our sales team before purchase.) The report on Aerospace Super Alloy Market highlights: Assessment of the market Premium Insights Competitive Landscape COVID Impact Analysis Historic Data, Estimates and Forecast Company Profiles Global and Regional Dynamics Regional Analysis : North America Dominates the Global Aerospace Super Alloy Market North America held the largest market share in 2021. Most of the manufacturers are based in the United States. Increasing aircraft manufacturers and use of superalloy in space exploration have created a strong market in this region. This industry has witnessed a high rise in manufacturers and R&D owing to high demand in regions such as North America and Europe. In Asia, higher defense R&D by major regional powers such as India, China, and Japan will likely contribute to global sector growth. In Europe, members of NATO are also researching superalloy thus embarking on the potential use of superalloy in space equipment and aircrafts. List of Prominent Players in Aerospace Super Alloy Market: Technologies Incorporate (ATI) VDM Metals GmbH Arconic Inc. Carpenter Technology Corporation Doncasters Group Haynes International Inc. IHI Corporation (IMM) Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) Browse market data Tables and Figures spread through 148 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Aerospace Superalloy Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product (Nickel-based, Iron-based, Cobalt-based), by Application (Commercial & Cargo, Business, Military, Rotary), by Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America) - Global Industry Assessment (2016 - 2021) & Forecast (2022 - 2028)" View detailed Research Report here - https://www.vantagemarketresearch.com/press-release/aerospace-super-alloy-market-848461 Recent Developments: In 2020, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) stated that its underway manufacturing programs include the production of LCA, SU-30 MKI & DO-228 aircraft, in addition to ALH-Dhruv, Cheetal, Chetak & LCH Helicopters. Moreover, various Repair Overhaul (ROH) programs are being carried out at present to upgrade Jaguar, Mirage, Kiran, AN-32, HS-748, MiG 21, Hawk, Su-30 MKI, etc., which will provide an opportunistic line for product demand in the region. Key questions answered in the report: Which regional market will show the highest and rapid growth? Which are the top five players of the Aerospace Super Alloy Market? How will the Aerospace Super Alloy Market change in the upcoming six years? Which application and product will take a lions share of the Aerospace Super Alloy Market? What is the Aerospace Super Alloy market drivers and restrictions? What will be the CAGR and size of the Aerospace Super Alloy Market throughout the forecast period? This market titled Aerospace Super Alloy Market will cover exclusive information in terms of Regional Analysis, Forecast, and Quantitative Data Units, Key Market Trends, and various others as mentioned below: Parameter Details Market Size Provided for Years 2016-2028 Base Year 2021 Historic Years 2016-2020 Forecast Years 2022-2028 Segments Covered Product Nickel-based Iron-based Cobalt-based Application Commercial & Cargo Business Military Rotary Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Region & Counties Covered North America U.S. Canada Mexico Europe U.K France Germany Italy Spain Rest Of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea South East Asia Rest Of Asia Pacific Latin America Brazil Argentina Rest Of Latin America Middle East & Africa GCC Countries South Africa Rest Of Middle East & Africa Companies Covered Technologies Incorporate (ATI) VDM Metals GmbH Arconic Inc. Carpenter Technology Corporation Doncasters Group Haynes International Inc. IHI Corporation (IMM) Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI). Report Coverage Market growth drivers, restraints, opportunities, Porters five forces analysis, PEST analysis, value chain analysis, regulatory landscape, technology landscape, patent analysis, market attractiveness analysis by segments and North America, company market share analysis, and COVID-19 impact analysis Customization of the Report: The report can be customized as per client needs or requirements. For any queries, you can contact us on sales@vantagemarketresearch.com or +1 (202) 380-9727. Our sales executives will be happy to understand your needs and provide you with the most suitable reports. 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David Armstrong: Vice President of South Region, Agilix Solutions As a regional VP, Armstrong will lead the company's efforts to grow the Agilix Solutions brand across the south region where the company has seven branches in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. He joins the organization with more than 25 years of experience in the electrical distribution industry, and a strong track record of relationship building with customers and manufacturers to capitalize on sales and market growth opportunities. Prior to joining the Agilix Solutions team, Armstrong served as Vice President of Sales for Atlas Lighting Products in Burlington, NC. "We're excited about the addition of David as a sales leader to our team," said Agilix Solutions President Darrell Smith. "His experience aligns perfectly with our expectations for this position, and we look forward to the leadership and expertise he will bring to this new role." Agilix Solutions was formed in 2021 by the merger of St. Louis-based French Gerleman and Memphis-based IAC Supply Solutions, two family-owned companies each with their own rich history as market leaders in wholesale distribution. The newly formed company now ranks among Electrical Wholesaling Magazine's 50 largest electrical supply distributors in the United States and is poised for even greater growth. "Agilix Solutions is positioned well as an established company that puts exceptional service at the top of its priority list," Armstrong said. "I am looking forward to assuming this role and helping the organization capitalize on the opportunities in front of it in the years ahead." For more information on Agilix Solutions visit www.goAgilix.com. About Agilix Solutions: Agilix is one of the 50 largest electrical supply distributors in the United States, and a leading distributor of products and services to the industrial, commercial and construction markets. Founded in 2021 through the merger of French Gerleman and IAC Supply Solutions, the firm has longstanding partnerships with manufacturers such as Rockwell Automation, nVent Hoffman, Panduit, ABB, Southwire, Siemens, Hubbell, Acuity Brands, 3M, Mersen, and many other top manufacturers of automation, electrical, datacom, power transmission, safety, industrial supply, lighting and solar solutions. Story continues Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agilix-solutions-hires-david-armstrong-for-vp-of-south-region-role-301556646.html SOURCE Agilix Solutions Government missed immediate opportunity to deliver financial relief to Canadians by lowering internet rates TORONTO, May 26, 2022 /CNW/ - While Distributel Communications Limited is encouraged by the new telecom policy directive announced today by the Government of Canada, the company is disappointed that the government chose not to act on appeals that would have immediately lowered internet rates for all Canadians. The new policy directive is designed to address longstanding systemic problems in Canada's telecommunications regulatory landscape and will refocus the CRTC's priorities toward consumer rights and competitive matters. In the short term, however, the decision to keep rates high only ensures that Canadians will continue to overpay for internet services. Distributel Communications Limited logo (CNW Group/Distributel Communications Limited) Policy directives are the formal instructions from the government to the CRTC that outline the approach the Commission should take in regulating the industry. This new directive will replace two previous directives, resolving inherent contradictions that have often led to conflicting objectives in CRTC decision-making. It also addresses issues across a broad set of areaswireless, broadband, consumer rightstaking a holistic approach to truly fixing what's been long broken in the country's telecom framework. "I'm optimistic about the impact this new directive will have in the mid- to long-term" says Matt Stein, CEO of Distributel. "If implemented swiftly, this will bring tremendous benefits to Canadians in terms of choice, innovation, competition and affordability in the long term." A Missed Opportunity In today's announcement, the government also rejected a set of appeals in which independent telecom organizations asked it to overturn the CRTC's 2021 ruling on wholesale internet rates. That decision reversed the CRTC's previous ruling from 2019, in which it lowered wholesale internet rates after having determined them to be inflated by big telecom and cable providers following years of detailed cost analysis. Story continues "The government had a real opportunity to act on those appeals and mandate lower wholesale rates," says Stein, "which would have put money back into the pockets of Canadians. That would have had an immediate impact. While the broader proposed policy changes will benefit Canadians in the long-term, the government missed a very real chance to bring immediate, tangible benefits to Canadian consumers." Speed Is of the Essence to Keep Competition Strong Today's directive will now go out for review by industry players, who have sixty days to return their comments. "It's critical that this proposed draft not be watered down," says Stein. "The concepts set out in today's proposed directive must be protected, if not strengthened, throughout the comment period. And once a final directive is issued, we need the CRTC and the industry as a whole to put the new guidance into place quickly." Distributel has long been a promoter of competition in this country. "We remain committed to driving competition in the industry," continues Stein, "and to making the investments necessary to ensure Canadians have fair, affordable choices when it comes to their internet services." He says despite the unfortunate decision on wholesale rates, Distributel will continue building the kinds of innovative networks and services that its customers rely on every day as they work, play, and connect. About Distributel Established in 1988, Distributel is a national, award-winning, independent communications provider offering a wide range of consumer, business and wholesale communications services. In 2020, the company proudly achieved certification as a Great Place to Work, earning recognition for its progressive, collaborative workplace. 100% Canadian-owned, with offices across the country and a national network, Distributel is focused on providing choice and value to Canadians. With the acquisition of Primus Telecommunications, the company is even better positioned to offer solutions to consumers and businesses of all sizes. Distributel offers high speed internet, TV, mobile and home phone products through its consumer brands. It delivers business solutions through the Primus and ThinkTel brands as a provider of advanced voice and data offerings for the SMB and Enterprise markets throughout Canada. The company also forges new partnerships and brings innovative services to the wholesale market. For more information, visit www.distributel.ca. SOURCE Distributel Communications Limited Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2022/26/c1742.html DAMAC believes Miami is a natural fit given its luxury and fashion appeal Announcement comes at a time of rapid global expansion for the Dubai-based developer DUBAI, UAE and MIAMI, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UAE-based DAMAC Properties has announced that it has won the US $120 million bid to acquire land in the upscale Miami neighbourhood of Surfside. The Dubai-based developer plans to build an ultra-luxurious, CAVALLI branded condominium project. Mr. Hussain Sajwani (PRNewsfoto/DAMAC Properties) The property, on Collins Avenue, offers residents 200 feet of direct beach frontage and access to South Beach and Bal Harbour. The land, comprising 1.8 acres, was sold to DAMAC for $120 million through the court process. Commenting on the purchase, DAMAC Chairman and Founder, Hussain Sajwani, said: "DAMAC Properties has long been eyeing development opportunities in Miami. We see the city, which is known for being a luxury and fashion centre, as a natural fit for our Company, which has an established reputation for its branded luxury offerings." Surfside, in recent years, has become a hotspot for ultra-luxury condominium developments, including the Four Seasons Private Residences, the Fendi Chateau Residences, and the Arte Surfside buildings. The town also has a collection of high-end hotels, including the Four Seasons, the St. Regis Bal Harbour, and the Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour and its primary shopping area, the Bal Harbour Shops, is known throughout Miami as a luxury shopping destination. DAMAC Properties, known for its luxury real estate offerings both regionally and globally, is rapidly expanding its global footprint such as its flagship project in Europe DAMAC Towers Nine Elms in the prestigious Zone 1 district of London with Versace interiors. The Surfside project will be DAMAC's first in the United States. The Company's consistent success over the years, and more recently on the tailwinds of Dubai's stellar economic performance and forecast, has propelled it to eye various global opportunities for development and growth. Story continues It is developing a luxury resort in the Maldives to be operated by global hotel brand Mandarin International and has already projects in Canada, the UK and across the Middle East. In 2021, DAMAC Properties launched two projects in Dubai, DAMAC Lagoons, the developer's third master community in Dubai, and Cavalli Tower, an ultra-luxurious 70-storey tower overlooking Palm Jumeirah, with Cavalli-branded interiors. Both projects have seen great customer interest and demand. "Our global expansion into the United States marks a major milestone and demonstrates that DAMAC is a force to be reckoned with. This is an exciting time, and we have a lot in store," Sajwani said. "We are rapidly growing, not only in our real estate endeavours but in various sectors such as fashion, hospitality and even emerging industries such as the Metaverse, NFTs and data centres. This enables us to stay ahead of the curve," he concluded. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827765/DAMAC_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1827769/DAMAC_2.jpg SurfsideSite (PRNewsfoto/DAMAC Properties) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dubai-based-damac-properties-makes-foray-into-us-real-estate-market-with-ultra-luxurious-cavalli-branded-miami-condos-301556737.html SOURCE DAMAC Properties BERLIN, May 27 (Reuters) - The Group of Seven countries has reached concrete agreements on phasing out coal power generation and expanding renewable energy production, German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke was quoted by German media RTL/ntv as saying on Friday. The pledge would mark the first commitment from the G7 to quit coal-fuelled power - use of which needs to decrease if the world is to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. "There are very concrete declarations and agreements for the expansion of renewable energies, but also for example for phasing out coal," Lemke said. The final communique of the three-day G7 meeting in Berlin this week would also include a strong emphasis on protecting biodiversity and fighting plastic pollution, she said. Lemke was speaking as Germany hosted G7 energy, climate and environment ministers for talks held against a backdrop of spiralling energy costs and fuel supply worries sparked by the war in Ukraine. The conflict has triggered a scramble among some countries to buy more non-Russian fossil fuels and burn coal to cut their reliance on Russian supplies, raising fears that the crisis could undermine efforts to fight climate change. Germany has said finding alternative fossil fuels would not come at the expense of environmental goals. The final communique will be published later on Friday. (Reporting by Maria Sheahan; writing by Matthias Williams; editing by David Evans) Estonian Parliament Chairman Juri Ratas has said that Azerbaijan is of great importance to the European Union (EU), especially given the situation with the shortage of oil and gas, Azernews reports with reference to Juri Ratas's post on his official Facebook post. "Azerbaijan is also important for the European Union, because, given the shortage of gas and oil, it is Azerbaijan that can offer cooperation to the European Union before the upcoming heating season," he said. Emphasizing that maintaining bilateral relations is very important, he recalled that during his three-day visit to Azerbaijan, there were many important meetings with the Azerbaijani president, the speaker of parliament, the prime minister, and several ministers. "I am very grateful to our friends here in Azerbaijan for this welcome and I very much hope that our bilateral ties will be strengthened," he said. To recall, during this visit, Estonian companies also expressed their interest in participating in projects being realized in Azerbaijan's liberated territories. Azerbaijan and Estonia cooperate in different sectors of the economy and 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two nations. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $6.1 million in 2021. Eric Grizzard will lead Germantown Fire Department as the new fire chief beginning July 1, the city announced Wednesday. Grizzard's appointment comes after current Germantown Fire Chief John Selberg decided to head to Collierville as the town's new fire chief. The internal candidates for the open position of fire chief were very strong, City Administrator Jason Huisman said. It gives me great comfort to know that our Fire and EMS services are well positioned for continued success under an exemplary group of leaders. We are excited about the immediate and long-term future of the department under Chief Grizzards direction. Eric Grizzard will lead Germantown Fire Department as the new fire chief beginning July 1, the city announced Wednesday. Grizzard's appointment comes after current Germantown Fire Chief John Selberg decided to head to Collierville as the town's new fire chief. Grizzard joined Germantown Fire Department in 2005 as a firefighter and was eventually promoted to fire assistant chief of operations in 2021. His duties as assistant chief included personnel management, development and oversight of emergency response. GERMANTOWN DEVELOPMENT: What's next for Carrefour at the Gateway? A new building, rebranding and more GERMANTOWN NEWS: Tax rates, body cameras, drainage: What to know about Germantown's proposed budget Prior to moving to Germantown Fire, Grizzard worked for Ambulance Services Inc., Horn Lake Emergency Medical Services and Southaven Fire Department. He also taught as an adjunct EMS instructor at Southwest Community College for 12 years. I want to continue to uphold the tradition of excellence the department has established, and expand the departments involvement in community outreach and risk reduction programs, Grizzard said. This is the communitys fire department and serving the community with excellence, every call, will continue to be our focus. Grizzard served as the Region 8 president for the West Tennessee EMS Directors Association and as the committee chair for Tennessee Emergency Management Agency Swift Water Credentialing Committee. Dima Amro covers the suburbs for The Commercial Appeal and can be reached at Dima.Amro@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @AmroDima. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Germantown names Eric Grizzard city's new fire chief DUBLIN, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Research and Markets Logo The global automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market reached a value of US$ 75.1 billion in 2021. Looking forward, the market is projected to reach a value of US$ 105.4 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.60% during 2022-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, the analyst is continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. An automotive electronic control unit (ECU) is embedded in vehicles to control electronic systems and subsystems. It also assists in collecting input from its sensors or other ECUs and relying on actuators to manage the functionalities of automobiles. Some of the commonly integrated automotive ECU are the powertrain control module (PCM), engine control module (ECM), parking aid module, transmission control module (TCM), skid control module, and seat belt control ECU. Automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Market Trends At present, there is a considerable rise in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) across the globe. This, in confluence with the thriving automotive industry, represents one of the key factors impelling the growth of the market. Moreover, automotive ECU comprises in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems that offer handset integration and head-up display for driver assistance, interior personalization, and cloud-based infotainment. It also enables users to customize their cars and infotainment systems with user experience data, music, apps, themes, and colors of their choice to enhance their driving experience. Besides this, governing authorities of numerous countries are mandating the incorporation of safety systems in a vehicle, including an anti-lock braking system (ABS) and adaptive front lighting system (AFS), to increase road safety. Story continues This, coupled with the increasing adoption of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in vehicles to reduce vehicular accidents and fatalities, is escalating the demand for automotive ECU around the world. Furthermore, key players operating in the industry are focusing on product innovations to offer better services, which is positively influencing the market. Other factors, including technological advancements and rising safety concerns among the masses, are projected to stimulate the market growth in the upcoming years. Competitive Landscape The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Aptiv PLC, Continental AG, DENSO Corporation, Hitachi Ltd., Magna International Inc., Magneti Marelli S.p.A., Nidec Corporation, NXP Semiconductors N.V., Panasonic Corporation, Pektron Group Limited, Robert Bosch GmbH and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Key Questions Answered in This Report How has the global automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the capacity? What is the breakup of the market based on the vehicle type? What is the breakup of the market based on the propulsion? 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 automotive electronic control unit (ECU) market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Automotive Electronic Control Unit (ECU) Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Capacity 6.1 16-Bit ECU 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 32-Bit ECU 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 64-Bit ECU 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Vehicles Type 7.1 Passenger Cars 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Commercial Vehicles 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Propulsion 8.1 Internal Combustion Engine 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 Hybrid 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 8.3 Battery Electric Vehicle 8.3.1 Market Trends 8.3.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Application 9.1 ADAS and Safety System 9.1.1 Market Trends 9.1.2 Market Forecast 9.2 Body Control and Comfort System 9.2.1 Market Trends 9.2.2 Market Forecast 9.3 Infotainment and Communication System 9.3.1 Market Trends 9.3.2 Market Forecast 9.4 Powertrain System 9.4.1 Market Trends 9.4.2 Market Forecast 9.5 Others 9.5.1 Market Trends 9.5.2 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 Aptiv PLC 15.3.1.1 Company Overview 15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.2 Continental AG 15.3.2.1 Company Overview 15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.2.3 Financials 15.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.3 DENSO Corporation 15.3.3.1 Company Overview 15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.3.3 Financials 15.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.4 Hitachi Ltd. 15.3.4.1 Company Overview 15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.4.3 Financials 15.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.5 Magna International Inc. 15.3.5.1 Company Overview 15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.5.3 Financials 15.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.6 Magneti Marelli S.p.A. 15.3.6.1 Company Overview 15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.7 Nidec Corporation 15.3.7.1 Company Overview 15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.7.3 Financials 15.3.7.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.8 NXP Semiconductors N.V. 15.3.8.1 Company Overview 15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.9 Panasonic Corporation 15.3.9.1 Company Overview 15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.9.3 Financials 15.3.9.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.10 Pektron Group Limited 15.3.10.1 Company Overview 15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.11 Robert Bosch GmbH 15.3.11.1 Company Overview 15.3.11.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.11.3 SWOT Analysis 15.3.12 ZF Friedrichshafen AG 15.3.12.1 Company Overview 15.3.12.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.12.3 SWOT Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/21fzun Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior 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 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-automotive-electronic-control-unit-market-report-2022-to-2027---industry-trends-share-size-growth-opportunity-and-forecasts-301556593.html SOURCE Research and Markets ReportLinker The rising chronic disease prevalence, the growing embryo freezing among women, and the increasing need for blood transfusion due to vehicular accidents propel market growth. MARKET INSIGHTS New York, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "GLOBAL MEDICAL THAWING SYSTEM MARKET FORECAST 2022-2030" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06280339/?utm_source=GNW Medical thawing is a crucial step in blood transfusion.Thawing is essential for safe transfusion since blood and plasma-based products are stored in cold conditions. The system uses microprocessors to regulate water bath temperature for appropriate thawing. The increasing need for blood transfusion is one of the key growth drivers. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), around 1.3 million people die annually, and 20-50 million suffer non-fatal injuries, with disability due to injuries. Also, accidents cause organ damage, platelets, and heavy loss of blood, platelets, and tissues. As a result, blood transfusion takes place given the rising need to replenish essential bodily fluids. Additionally, given its highly organic nature, human blood is susceptible to contamination at room temperature. Besides, blood is to be stored below -30 degrees Celsius. Accordingly, blood needs to be warmed in a thawing machine to a specific optimum temperature before blood transfer.This is because blood contents cannot be administered directly in the frozen state. Therefore, the high market demands are attributed to the increasing vehicular accidents and the thawing systems ability to rapidly unfreeze blood without damaging blood components. However, the market growth is restrained by the lack of skilled labor. REGIONAL INSIGHTS The global medical thawing system market growth assessment includes the geographical analysis of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of World. North America is the largest revenue-generating region in the global market, given the largest presence of several biotech and medical companies. COMPETITIVE INSIGHTS The market rivalry is moderate and is dominated by a few players. Some of the leading market players are Barkey GmbH & Co Kg, Cardinal Health, Boekel Scientific, BioLife Solutions Inc, etc. Our report offerings include: Explore key findings of the overall market Strategic breakdown of market dynamics (Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, Challenges) Market forecasts for a minimum of 9 years, along with 3 years of historical data for all segments, sub-segments, and regions Market Segmentation caters to a thorough assessment of key segments with their market estimations Geographical Analysis: Assessments of the mentioned regions and country-level segments with their market share Key analytics: Porters Five Forces Analysis, Vendor Landscape, Opportunity Matrix, Key Buying Criteria, etc. Competitive landscape is the theoretical explanation of the key companies based on factors, market share, etc. Company profiling: A detailed company overview, product/services offered, SCOT analysis, and recent strategic developments Companies mentioned 1. BARKEY GMBH & CO KG 2. BIOLIFE SOLUTIONS INC 3. BOEKEL SCIENTIFIC 4. CARDINAL HEALTH 5. CARON PRODUCTS & SERVICES INC 6. DANAHER CORPORATION 7. FREMON SCIENTIFIC 8. HELMER SCIENTIFIC 9. KW APPARECCHI SCIENTIFICI 10. MEISSNER 11. SARSTEDT AG & CO KG 12. SARTORIUS AG 13. SINGLE USE SUPPORT GMBH 14. TERUMO CORPORATION 15. THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06280339/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 DARTMOUTH, NS, May 27, 2022 /CNW/ - Canada's fisheries are the backbone of many coastal communities and a driving force of the economy. The seafood sector is a rapidly shifting environment competition is intensifying, consumers are looking for sustainability and quality. That is why the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia (NS) today announced funding support to the Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment (the Centre) through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF). On behalf of the Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Murray and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso, and the Honourable Steve Craig, Nova Scotia Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, announced a total contribution of over $2 million to help the Verschuren Centre with the development of a land-based oyster hatchery. Once open, the hatchery will prepare broodstock and provide healthy seed, followed by facility decontamination of equipment and water, which prevents unnecessary spread of MSX (an oyster parasite) between oyster aquaculture sites. Funding this project addresses two of the main priorities for oyster growers in Nova Scotia for the past 15 years: finding a way to address concerns and the spread of MSX and a lack of oyster seed. The lab-based process established at the Centre will reduce parasite prevalence and intensity in MSX infected oysters resulting in almost zero mortality. For oyster producers in Cape Breton, on the Bras d'Or Lake, this work is especially welcome as the oyster industry in that area has been devastated by the MSX parasite at one time Bras d'Or Lake accounted for approximately 80% of oyster landings in Nova Scotia. Healthy, parasite-free oyster larvae from the Centre will allow the once rich oyster industry on the Bras d'Or Lakes to rebuild and return much needed economic stability to the local community. Story continues Funding the Centre will benefit local and regional economies in NS now and in the future. The contribution comes from the $400 million Atlantic Fisheries Fund, jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments, and focuses on increasing opportunities and market value for sustainably sourced, high-quality fish and seafood products from Atlantic Canada. The Atlantic Fisheries Fund is in its fifth year and will continue to invest in projects over the seven-year life of the program.The commercial fisheries and aquaculture industry, Indigenous groups, academia, industry associations and organizations, including research institutions, may apply. Quotes "The Atlantic Fisheries Fund is enabling innovative ways to harvest, process and deliver high-quality, sustainably sourced fish and seafood from the commercial fisheries and aquaculture sectors. The exciting work happening at the Verschuren Centre is key to the revitalization of a once thriving oyster industry in the Bras d'Or Lake, and a welcome infusion of high-quality oyster into Nova Scotia's fish and seafood sector." The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard "As a proud resident and representative of Cape Breton, I am deeply appreciative of the work that the Verschuren Centre will undertake to help revive a once vital and thriving community-based industry. Gathering together for a meal of fresh seafood including oysters is a tradition for many Nova Scotians, and I look forward to the day when Bras d'Or Lake oysters are part of that tradition once again." Mike Kelloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Member of Parliament for Cape Breton-Canso "This investment is a positive step to re-establishing a strong local oyster industry in Cape Breton. It will help the Nova Scotia seafood industry remain safe and sustainable and provide top-quality seafood products to the world. We are excited to join with our federal and industry partners in these important investments." The Honourable Steve Craig, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Nova Scotia "Atlantic Fisheries Fund support for this project will truly deliver community and industry benefits to lease holders in the Bras D'Or Lake Biosphere. The revitalization of this key shellfish sector through a novel mitigation strategy, seed nursery and hatchery will enrich this world renowned jewel for all who live, work and depend upon it for their livelihood." Beth Mason, President and CEO, Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment Quick Facts The Atlantic Fisheries Fund will invest over $400 million over seven years to support Canada's fish and seafood sector. The federal government will provide 70% of the funding, with 30% coming from the Atlantic provinces. The fund aims to help Canada's seafood sector transition to meet growing market demands for products that are high quality, value-added, and sustainably sourced. Eligible projects must focus on: Associated Links Stay Connected Follow Fisheries and Oceans Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Follow the Canadian Coast Guard on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maritimes Region Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2022/27/c0431.html During a speech on election integrity on May 19 in Dallas, former President George W. Bush accidentally said "Iraq" when referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin's "brutal and justified" invasion of Ukraine, An Iraqi man living in Columbus who is accused of plotting to assassinate former President George W. Bush will continue to be held in the Franklin County jail after he waived his right to a detention hearing. Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, 52, who has lived in an apartment in the Northland area and in Indianapolis since arriving in the U.S. in 2020, allegedly planned to smuggle operatives affiliated with the Islamic State terrorist group into the country to murder the former president, according to court documents. After being arrested and charged earlier this week, Shihab on Thursday waived his right to a detention hearing scheduled for Friday, according to court documents. On Friday, Shihab remained in the Franklin County jail, according to the jail's website. Ohio man allegedly linked to assassination plot against former President George W. Bush Shihab was arrested Tuesday and charged in federal court in Columbus with two felonies: assisting an alien entering the United States for financial gain and aiding and abetting the attempted murder of former President Bush. Neighbors around Shihab's apartment told The Dispatch that he seemed to keep to himself and that they did not know much about prior to his arrest. Federal investigators allege in court documents that Shihab earlier this year traveled to Dallas where, in the company of an FBI confidential informant, he scouted former President Bush's neighborhood and the George W. Bush Institute. Secret Service:: Ex-officials worried by troubling case as agency struggles with hiring, training Shihab told an informant he wanted to kill Bush because he believed the former president was responsible for "killing many Iraqis and breaking apart the entire country of Iraq" when he initiated the Iraq War in 2003, according to the court documents. Both Bush and United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair had maintained that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein continued to manufacture and hide stockpiles of chemical and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the early 2000s after agreeing to a U.N. resolution to destroy them. Story continues United Nations inspections did not turn up evidence of the alleged activity, however, and the U.N. Security Council did not agree with Bush administration arguments that Hussein's lack of cooperation was a violation of the U.N. resolution or that there was enough evidence to authorize the use of force for allegedly violating the resolution. Without U.N. support, Bush organized a U.S.-led coalition that invaded Iraq on March 20, 2013 in a war that eventually toppled Hussein and his Baath party from power. About a year after Bush launched the war, a U.S. Senate intelligence report concluded that many of the Bush administration's pre-war statements about WMD were not supported by intelligence or were inaccurate or misleading. Jordan Laird is a courts reporter at the Columbus Dispatch. You can reach her at jlaird@dispatch.com. You can follow her on Twitter at @LairdWrites. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Iraqi in Columbus accused of plot to kill George W. Bush waives hearing As people on both sides of the debate about abortion await a decision on the issue from the United States Supreme Court, leaders of organizations in Marion County opposed to abortion say their basic mission will remain the same despite expected changes in legislation at the state level. A draft majority opinion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, written by Justice Samuel Alito and leaked to news website Politico in early May, has sparked a firestorm of rhetoric from both sides in the debate about abortion in the U.S. The Politico article characterized Alito's opinion as "a full-throated, unflinching repudiation of the 1973 (Roe v. Wade) decision which guaranteed federal constitutional protections of abortion rights and a subsequent 1992 decision Planned Parenthood v. Casey that largely maintained the right." The Roe v. Wade decision struck down many federal and state laws that either restricted or banned abortion entirely. Since then, the issue has been at the forefront of national politics. Based on data collected by the Guttmacher Institute and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 63.4 million abortions have been performed in the United States since 1973. Barbara Mills Barbara Mills, executive director of Voice of Hope Pregnancy Center based in Marion, said she fully expects to see "a dramatic change when Roe v. Wade is overturned." "We are confident that Ohio is a pro-life state and we will see legislation follow through with that limiting abortions even more," Mills said. "Not 100% sure what to expect, but we're pretty confident that things will change." Gov. Mike DeWine said earlier in May that if Roe v. Wade is overturned, Attorney General Dave Yost will request that a federal judge lift the stay on Ohio's "heartbeat bill" that was passed in 2019. That legislation bans abortions when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which in some cases can be as early as six weeks after conception. Story continues Ohio lawmakers are also considering what's being called a "trigger law" which would ban all abortions as soon as Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. The "trigger law" makes no exceptions for rape or incest. More: Ohio wont pass abortion ban until after U.S. Supreme Court decision More: Democratic lawmakers want to protect abortion access by amending Ohio's constitution More: Abortion still legal in Ohio for now as country waits for U.S. Supreme Court decision More: Some ready to outlaw abortion in Ohio if Roe v. Wade is overturned Mills stated that she is seeing an increase in the number of women seeking information about the abortion pill (chemical or medical abortion). In light of that, Voice of Hope has ramped up its online presence resulting in what Mills said has been "a dramatic increase in the number of abortion-minded women contacting and communicating with us at Voice of Hope." "For us as a pregnancy center, we are aware that we need to make sure that we are a presence and that we're there to help the women who are reaching out and that we're ready with information and support for them," she said. "Nothing changes as far as Voice of Hope is concerned with how we reach out in love to women who are thinking about having an abortion. We want to give them information and facts, but we do not want to scare them. We want to trust our truth and offer a judgement-free atmosphere. "So regardless of where Roe v. Wade stands in our country, our position in that doesn't change. If a woman doesn't make the life choice, we lovingly let them know they're welcome back to be ministered to and loved on in their journey of restoration. And we have had those opportunities to provide care for women who have regretted their decision to have an abortion." Mills said Voice of Hope Pregnancy Center, which also has locations in Bucyrus, Upper Sandusky, and Forest, offers a variety of free and confidential services including pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, pregnancy counseling, educational classes, a store with supplies for babies, and support for women who have had an abortion. For information, go to the Voice of Hope website www.yourpregnancyoptions.org. Marion Citizens for Life leader Dale Claes said the group's members were encouraged by the news of Roe v. Wade possibly being overturned. The group has been involved in advocating for legislation to restrict abortion in Ohio as well as organizing local public awareness events such as the Life Chain Sunday each October. Like Mills, Claes said he believes that the mission of organizations like Marion Citizens for Life and Voice of Hope will remain largely the same in a so-called post-Roe world. "We will continue to get the message out that each child is a life from time of conception and not just a ball of tissue," Claes said. "From conception on it's a life and deserves protection, deserves respect. That's a battle that will continue. I think we also need to continue to come alongside pro-life advocates in states with more liberal abortion laws and try to support efforts to start turning those decisions back. There's work to be done." According to the U.S. Supreme Court website, the justices have one more non-argument session scheduled in May and four sessions scheduled in June. There's been no word yet from the high court regarding when the decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization will be officially released. Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion abortion opponents prepare for overturn of Roe v. Wade Arthur I. Cyr (Photo provided by Arthur I. Cyr) Memorial Day is cause for contemplation as well as ceremonies. Parades featuring people in military uniforms should always be welcome in our country. The truth is military uniforms remind us of the role that war has played both in our past and our present. From ancient times, parades have been vital to the reintegration of warriors into society. War is profoundly disruptive, disturbing and dangerous. Even the rare soldier who finds combat invigorating and rewarding is in severe need of returning home after the killing ends. Homer, the chronicler of the Trojan War, was extremely sensitive to this. That's why his great classic was divided into two parts: The Iliad focused on the fighting and related associations involving the Greeks and Trojans; The Odyssey, meanwhile, described the long voyage home for Greek leader Ulysses and his men and their immense struggles to put the horrors of war behind them. During World War II, the legendary Gen. George S. Patton Jr. was also mindful of being sensitive to the realities of armed conflict. Shortly after the surrender of Nazi Germany, a special ceremony featuring Patton and Gen. James Doolittle another great combat leader who oversaw the first air raid on Tokyo not long after Pearl Harbor was held in the Los Angeles Coliseum. While Patton proudly celebrated the accomplishments of his troops in the victorious drive across Europe, he also made it a point to solemnly honor the more than 40,000 soldiers who had lost their lives. And Patton would make similar statements on a regular basis during the remaining months of his own life. A photo of military headstones at Sarasota National Cemetery. In World War II, people who had been liberated from Axis occupation welcomed Allied troops. The Korean War created strong bonds between the U.S. and the people of South Korea, as well as with the very effective South Korean military. The first Gulf War liberated an oppressed population in the Middle East. Story continues But the Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan wars were different. During Vietnam, the Pentagon urged and sometimes ordered personnel to practice public anonymity. Opposition to the war became hostility toward our own military. And there was no collective welcome home for the troops returning from Vietnam. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were also controversial but notably, members of the military did not become targets of open hostility. And today you can see the widespread visibility of uniformed military personnel in communities all across America. Clearly President Richard Nixons decision to end the draft in 1973 helped to create a positive change in how the military has been viewed since the Vietnam War. However, the cycle of frequently sending military personnel on one overseas mission after another has been unfair and counterproductive. It has caused psychological strain along with physical danger for those who serve, and their families suffer heavily. And, on occasion, it has revealed just how segregated the all-professional military can become from wider society. As it has been for generations, the military is a vital engine for equality and advancement, and the late Gen. Colin Powell is just one example of this honorable tradition. Powell, who came from modest origins, went on to hold some of the most powerful positions in our military and our government. And it's worth remembering Powell's eloquent observation that while he had experienced discrimination in the South, he had never confronted it on a military post. Our military emphasizes merit, and Memorial Day provides the opportunity to recognize its commitment to fairness. What is also frequently overlooked is the major impact that military members have made as elected officials, and that's one reason why we should encourage more veterans to run for office. We won the Cold War in part because so many members of the World War II generation also served in government. And from the mid-1940s to the early 1990s, every man elected to the presidency from Harry S. Truman to George H.W. Bush had served in the military. Today, however, things are starkly different. Now more than ever, what we need in America is the sort of sensible realism that military veterans often bring to our government and our policies. Arthur I. Cyr is a distinguished professor at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and the director of the the college's Clausen Center. He is the author of the book "After the Cold War: American Foreign Policy, Europe and Asia." This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Use Memorial Day as a time to reflect - and to celebrate our military The brand's third flagship restaurant in the country opens May 29 and offers a distinct dining experience SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- P.F. Chang's announced the May 29 opening of its Atlantic City, New Jersey, location as an upgraded flagship restaurant today. After three months of extensive renovations, the long-established Atlantic City location reopens as P.F. Chang's first flagship restaurant on the east coast and third in the country. P.F. Changs Atlantic City Flagship, Dining Room P.F. Chang's newest flagship restaurant at 2801 N. Pacific Ave. Unit 101, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, originally opened in 2004. The 6,137-square-foot restaurant, which spans two floors and seats 186 guests, underwent an extensive renovation, resulting in significant upgrades to design, decor and ambiance. "P.F. Chang's prides itself in offering an immersive Asian dining experience, and our new flagship restaurant in Atlantic City does that at the highest level," said Art Kilmer, chief operating officer for P.F. Chang's. "We have served this community since 2004 and believe the transformation into a distinct P.F. Chang's flagship restaurant will continue to provide customers with unforgettable experiences for years to come." Standing tall in the middle of P.F. Chang's upgraded dining room is a cherry tree measuring 13 feet high. Four large, hand-painted murals also grace the new space and include a ceiling mural in the upstairs bar, as well as a staircase mural with glowing, neon characters that read "Atlantic City New Jersey" in Mandarin. Other design elements unique to the Atlantic City flagship location include dragon door handles leading into the bathrooms, where guests will find custom, mosaic tile murals. When it comes to the menu, the new location will feature P.F. Chang's most popular, made-from-scratch dishes like Chang's Spicy Chicken, Mongolian Beef and Chang's Lettuce Wraps, as well as Wagyu Steak a unique offering exclusive to P.F. Chang's flagship locations. As a brand rooted in Asian tradition, wok cooking is a distinct part of P.F. Chang's food preparation that elevates its menu by adding layers of flavor to signature items. A wide selection of handcrafted cocktails and traditional Japanese sake offered warm, chilled or infused further enhance the dining experience. Story continues P.F. Chang's Atlantic City flagship location opens to the public on Sunday, May 29, at 4 p.m. for dinner service. Limited operating hours of 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. continue through Thursday, June 2. Effective Friday, June 3, P.F. Chang's will open at 11:30 a.m. for lunch and begin regular operating hours as follows: Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 12 a.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. P.F. Chang's new Atlantic City flagship location joins two other flagship restaurants in Honolulu and Las Vegas, and a fourth P.F. Chang's flagship location is anticipated to open in New York City's Union Square later this year. The new flagship restaurants are part of an exciting brand refresh across the United States. All existing P.F. Chang's are scheduled for updates by the end of 2022, including new music, lighting, decor, uniforms and menu presentation. Additionally, P.F. Chang's continues to expand its fast-casual concept, P.F. Chang's To Go, with eight more locations slated to join the 13 existing To Go locations this year. P.F. Chang's New Jersey flagship location brings approximately 70 new jobs to Atlantic City with opportunities in both culinary and hospitality fields. Qualified job candidates interested in a career with P.F. Chang's may apply at jobs.pfchangs.com. About P.F. Chang's Founded in 1993 by Philip Chiang and Paul Fleming, P.F. Chang's is the first internationally recognized multi-unit Asian culinary brand to honor and celebrate the 2,000-year-old tradition of wok cooking as the center of the guest experience. With roots in Chinese cuisine, today's menu at P.F. Chang's spans across all of Asia, honoring cultures and recipes from Japan, Korea, Thailand, and beyond. Each item offers a unique exploration of flavor, whether it's a handcrafted cocktail, wok-fired lunch bowl, or celebratory multi-course dinner. Worldwide, P.F. Chang's has more than 300 restaurants in 22 countries and U.S. airport locations, including a growing number of convenient P.F. Chang's To Go locations offering takeout and delivery. For more P.F. Chang's news, visit pfchangs.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @pfchangs. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pf-changs-reopens-atlantic-city-new-jersey-location-as-new-flagship-restaurant-301556425.html SOURCE P.F. Chang's Key Insights: Paraguays Chamber of Deputies approved a bill regulating crypto mining and trading. The bill aims to make Paraguay an international hub for miners. Many in the crypto space expect Paraguay to be the next nation to adopt BTC as legal tender. Paraguay is the newest nation to keep up with the growing Web3, blockchain, and cryptocurrency space. After El Salvador and the Central African Republic adopted bitcoin as legal tender, Paraguay is heading towards the space to keep up and introduce ways to regulate the asset class. Regulating Crypto Trading and Mining On Wednesday, Paraguays Chamber of Deputies (second chamber of Congress) approved a bill regulating crypto mining and trading with a 40-12 vote. In December, the countrys Senate had already passed similar legislation; now the bill is supposed to return to that body with the Chamber of Deputies modifications. If the Senate approves the changes, the pending law will move to the executive branch, which has not indicated whether it will sign or veto the measure yet. The entire bill session was streamed on YouTube on May 25. If the legislation is officially adopted as a law, any individual or corporate miner can apply for authorization for industrial electricity consumption. Miner, however, would need to apply for a license for the same. Moreover, the law envisages the creation of a registry for any individual or legal entity wishing to engage in crypto trading or custody for a third party. The concept of exchange, however, is still absent. In particular, the bill aims to make Paraguay an international hub for miners. Additionally, the countrys low electricity costs could favor this move as Paraguay has about five cents per kilowatt-hour, the lowest electricity rate in Latin America. Can Paraguay Adopt BTC as Legal Tender? In late March a poll by CoinMarketCap highlighted that Paraguay could be the first among the top three countries predicted by the community to be the next to adopt crypto as legal tender, followed by Venezuela and Anguilla. Story continues For now, while there was no update about the nation adopting BTC as legal tender, the advancements in the space have been positive. However, the bill has faced strong resistance from the opposition. Congressman Tadeo Rojas opposed the legislation as well, arguing that the Chamber of Deputies budget committee recommended against it. In addition, he expressed the view that the positive effect on job creation was small compared to the energy consumption required by crypto mining. That said, Congressman Sebastian Garcia spoke in favor of the proposal, saying that the bill sets ceilings so that energy consumption is in line with the availability. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Market Research Future Propolis Market Size and Trend Analysis by Product Type (Capsules and Tablets, Spray, Extract, and Others), Category (Alcohol-Based and Alcohol-Free), Distribution Channel [Store-Based (Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, and Others) and Non-Store-Based], and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW) and Forecast till 2030 New York, US, May 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Market Overview According to a Comprehensive Research Report by Market Research Future (MRFR), Propolis Market Information by Product Type, Category, Distribution Channel, and Region- Forecast till 2030, the market is estimated to acquire a size of over USD 845.5 million by the end of 2030. The report further predicts the market to thrive at a healthy CAGR of over 6.23% during the review timeframe. Market Scope: Propolis is one of the most natural resinous mixtures that is developed by honey bees from different substances that are collected from parts of buds, exudates and plants. Given its waxy nature as well as mechanical properties, bees make use of propolis in the repair and construction of their hives to seal the openings as well as cracks while smoothening out internal walls and also as a protective layer against invaders such as lizards, snakes, and so forth. It also helps protect against weathering threats including rain and wind. At present, propolis key antimicrobial applications are the formulations used in cold syndrome (common cold, flu-like infections and upper respiratory tract infections), treatment of acne, burns, genitalis, neurodermatitis, and herpes simplex along with wound healing. Get Free Sample PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/782 Report Scope: Report Attribute Details 2030 Market Size USD 845.5 Million CAGR 6.23% (20222030) Base Year 2021 Forecast Period 2022-2030 Historical Data 2020 Forecast Units Value (USD Million) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Product Type, Category, Distribution Channel, and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW) Key Market Drivers Expanding Interest in Propolis in the Medical Services and Medicine Areas Developing Awareness about Therapeutic Properties Market Competitive Analysis: Story continues The prominent vendors in the propolis market are: Apis Flora (Brazil) Sunyata Pon Lee (Brazil) Bee Health Limited (UK) Zhifengtang (China) Laprell's Beehive Products, Inc. (Canada) Apiario Polenectar (Brazil) Comvita (New Zealand) Wax Green (Brazil) Manuka Health New Zealand (New Zealand) Hi-Tech Natural Product India Ltd. (India) Market USP Covered Market Drivers The world over, billions of patients are affected by herpes infections, with most of them suffering from genital or oral herpes. These kinds of infections can result in often painful cold sores or blisters. These infections can lead to more deadly disorders. A recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) asserts that genital herpes infection is the leading cause of HIV spread globally. The United States has the highest population affected by genital herpes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that there were around 685,000 new genital herpes cases in the United States in 2020. Despite researchers constantly working on achieving vaccines or cures for the ailment, there is still no effective result till date. Additionally, mounting consumer awareness with regard to the dreadful impact of the virus is enhancing the demand for propolis for use as an ointment for healing blisters as well as cold sores. A notable trend that is bolstering business growth is the heightened prominence and popularity of online shopping among consumers and the emergence of new user-friendly food ordering apps. Most of the online channels are extremely convenient, and offer numerous options to the consumers. Consumers are progressively going for online shopping, considering numerous features as well as the convenience factor. A vast population is now buying food products from various online channels, a trend that is fostered by the surging internet penetration as well as the drastic rise in smartphone usage. Browse In-depth Market Research Report (140 Pages) on Propolis: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/propolis-market-782 Market Restraints A major challenge while buying propolis remains the lack of standardization in the available brands. Several brands confirm that their products are made using 20% pure Propolis, but this still does not tell the consumer of the quality of that 20%. This drawback with regard to information transparency can restrain the market growth in the years to follow. COVID-19 Analysis The COVID-19 outbreak has created huge pressure among hypermarkets, supermarkets, food suppliers, and convenience stores worldwide. This has resulted in a much higher sales of a variety of immunity-boosting foods including propolis, given the stockpiling of various shelf-stable foods among panic-stricken consumers. This stockpiling practice led to a sudden spike in the market value for propolis in 2020, thereby stabilizing the growth. Furthermore, bee farmers are finding it tough to move bee boxes from one point to another, given the lockdown measures and the restrictions on movements. This has led to bees starving and ultimately dying. This has brought down bee pollination as well as the production of propolis. In addition, availability of lower labor power has further negatively impacted the production of various end products, ultimately leading to slowed-down growth of the propolis market. Buy Now: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=782 Segment Overview Product types covered in the study are Extract, Spray, Capsules & Tablets, and more. The highest gainer in the market will be the capsules and tablets segment. Categories studied in the report are Alcohol-Based as well as Alcohol-Free. Distribution channels are Store-Based (Convenience Stores, Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, and more) along with Non-Store-Based. On one hand, maximum growth will be shown by the store-based channels, on the other hand, the highest growth rate will be captured by the non-store-based channels. Regional Analysis The booming sale of propolis in North America can be the result of the surging health awareness and the products ability to foster digestive health, reduce wrinkles and immune system among adults. Additionally, since propolis is gluten-free that can be consumed by those that suffer from coeliac diseases, its demand has risen considerably over the years. Currently, in the United States, more than 30% of the overall population is above the age of 65 years. The expanding elderly populace, coupled with the consumers ability to expend heavily on healthcare products, can elevate the market position. Various preclinical and epidemiological studies have revealed that propolis contains a chemo-preventive activity that help reduce the risk of cancer. The surging cases of cancer in the region are enhancing the need for propolis, giving a boost to the market growth rate. Asia Pacific will be achieving the fastest growth rate in the years to come, as more and more firms continue to adopt strategies like joint ventures, mergers and partnerships to uplift their positions in the market. In the past couple of years, boosting presence in emerging countries has been a major strategy behind most of the international companies. Meanwhile, China is currently in the lead in the region, sourcing propolis from Brazil and Australia to develop healthcare products. This will help encourage the growth of the propolis market in the region over the next few years. Share your Queries @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/782 Related reports: Food Bar Market Global Information by Type (Candy Bars, Energy Bars, Protein Bars, Oats Bars and others), Flavor (Chocolates, Fruits, Peanut Butter, Savoury, Spices and others), Distribution Channel (Store Based and Non-Store Based) and Region Forecast till 2027 Eye Health Ingredients Market Information: by Type (Luthein, Zeaxanthin, Beta-Carotene, Astaxanthin and others), Application (Pharmaceuticals, Supplements, Beverages, Oils and Fats, Bakery and Confectionery, Dairy and Frozen Desserts and others) and Region - Forecast till 2027 Heart Health Ingredients Market Information by Type (Omega-3, Beta Glucan, Phytosterol, Soy Protein and others), Application (Pharmaceuticals, Supplements, Beverages, Oils and Fats, Bakery and Confectionery, Dairy and Frozen Desserts, Sweet and Savory Snacks and others) and Region - Forecast till 2027 About Market Research Future: Market Research Future (MRFR) is a global market research company that takes pride in its services, offering a complete and accurate analysis with regard to diverse markets and consumers worldwide. Market Research Future has the distinguished objective of providing the optimal quality research and granular research to clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help answer your most important questions. Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter CONTACT: Market Research Future (Part of Wantstats Research and Media Private Limited) 99 Hudson Street, 5Th Floor New York, NY 10013 United States of America +1 628 258 0071 (US) +44 2035 002 764 (UK) Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Website: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com On May 26, President of the State of Israel Isaac Herzog made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The President of the State of Israel congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of 28 May-the Independence Day. The head of state thanked the President of the State of Israel for the attention and congratulations. The presidents hailed the development of Azerbaijan-Israel relations, and expressed their hope that the cooperation would continue expanding. During the conversation, the sides exchanged views on prospects for bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest. HRW found that 89% of the remote-learning platforms it reviewed were monitoring children's online habits and usage. Here, 9-year-old Priscilla Guerrero uses a laptop computer for her 4th grade Los Angeles Unified School District online class in her room as mom Sofia Quezada assists her during remote learning lessons at home on September 17, 2020. Al Seib / Los Angeles Times A Human Rights Watch report said 89% of remote-learning platforms it reviewed spied on children. The platforms collected personal data and some sent it to tech companies for advertising purposes. Experts called for these companies to only collect data that's related to online learning. COVID-19 lockdowns forced schools around the world to shut, and children moved online to continue with their learning. This may have compromised the data privacy of millions of children, according to a new analysis. Non-profit Human Rights Watch analyzed 164 online education platforms across 49 countries, including the US, UK, India, and China. It found that 89% of these either monitored or could monitor kids' online habits and usage, sometimes without parental knowledge or consent. The platforms were all endorsed by various governments to help kids move to online learning during the pandemic, HRW said. But the apps harvested information on kids' identities, the identities of their friends and family, where they're located, what they're learning in the classroom, and what kinds of devices they're using, informing online profiles that could then be used to target ads at them. "In their rush to connect children to virtual classrooms, few governments checked whether the EdTech they were rapidly endorsing or procuring for schools were safe for children," the report says. "As a result, children whose families were able to afford access to the internet and connected devices, or who made hard sacrifices in order to do so, were exposed to the privacy practices of the EdTech products they were told or required to use during COVID-19 school closures," the report wrote. The researchers conducted their review between March to August last year, HRW wrote. They focused mostly on apps running on Google's Android operating system, as it's the most popular mobile operating system in the world, the report wrote. Android commanded a global market share of almost 70% in January, according to Statista data. Story continues One way the apps track the data is through collecting advertising IDs, per the report. These allow advertisers to see what kinds of apps a person has installed on their phones, the authors said, allowing advertisers to push targeted messages. It found that children had their advertising IDs sent to Google-owned and Facebook-owned domains. Google and Facebook's parent, Meta, did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comments. A Google spokesperson told The Washington Post the company was investigating claims made in the report, and will respond accordingly if there were violations. A Meta spokesperson told the outlet the company restricted how children were being targeted in advertising. HRW's report comes on the heels of the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) warning last week to education technology companies. The FTC said it would go after companies that illegally monitored children during online learning sessions. "Students must be able to do their schoolwork without surveillance by companies looking to harvest their data to pad their bottom line," Samuel Levine, a director at the FTC, said in the release. Experts have called for online-learning platforms to shoulder more responsibility in determining what kinds of data should be collected from users. "If it is not something we do in physical classrooms, it is not something that should be part of digital school life," Gartner analyst Bart Willemsen told CNN. Read the original article on Business Insider TORONTO, May 27, 2022 /CNW/ - Sinai Health is celebrating a $2.5 million gift that will bring its world-leading women's and infants program to communities across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka through the launch of a new fellowship program. The $2.5 million gift from the Moez & Marissa Kassam Foundation will see the creation of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, to be named the Moez and Marissa Kassam Fellowship Program in honour of their generous contribution. (CNW Group/Sinai Health Foundation) The $2.5 million gift from the Moez & Marissa Kassam Foundation will see the creation of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, to be named the Moez and Marissa Kassam Fellowship Program in honour of their generous contribution. The Moez and Marissa Kassam Fellows will be selected for an opportunity to learn from world-leading experts in the Frances Bloomberg Centre for Women's and Infants' Health at Sinai Health. The goal is to have these trainees take their expertise back to their home countries to strengthen neonatal services in their communities. "We are excited for the Moez and Marissa Kassam Fellows to foster greater cultural awareness across Sinai Health and look forward to the benefits that will be realized here in Canada and South Asia," said Marissa Kassam. "Moez's mother was a professor, so he grew up with a great appreciation for the role education plays in building a healthy society." The Kassams have a deep connection to Sinai Health, with two of their children being delivered at Mount Sinai Hospital. Their fourth child, expected in summer 2022, will be a Sinai Health baby as well. The couple said the partnership with Sinai Health aligns perfectly with their own interest in capacity building in South Asian countries and Sinai Health's strong commitment to diversity in health care. "We are so lucky to live in Canada and have the health-care system we do," said Moez Kassam. "It's the backbone of our society, something that was underlined for us during this most recent pandemic, and we need to make sure our hospitals and our health-care professionals have the support they need to maintain this wonderful national treasure." Story continues Sinai Health's combined care Level 2 and Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provides care for babies after birth who need special attention and who continue to require specialized services. Sinai Health houses one of the largest Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the country, with its staff helping care for a portion of the 7,000 babies born at Mount Sinai Hospital each year. Its renowned high-risk pregnancy program treats some of the most complicated pregnancies in Canada. "Sinai Health is committed to providing compassionate, ground-breaking care to our community and our Frances Bloomberg Centre for Women's and Infants' Health is second to none," said Louis de Melo, CEO of Sinai Health Foundation. "This generous gift from Moez and Marissa Kassam shows their unwavering commitment towards supporting diverse communities, while addressing the symptoms of inequality and exclusion through education." About Sinai Health Foundation Sinai Health Foundation takes the vision of Sinai Health's physicians, clinicians, scientists, and health-care providers and helps turn it into a reality. Philanthropy is essential for advancing research, care, and outcomes for those facing cancer, a high-risk pregnancy, stroke recovery, and other conditions and diseases. Thanks to philanthropy, SHF helps fund world-class facilities and offers patients access to some of the most impactful clinical trials and studies that have taken place over the past 30 years. www.sinaicares.ca no caption, it's a logo (CNW Group/Sinai Health Foundation) SOURCE Sinai Health Foundation Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2022/27/c4069.html China's coastal Jiangsu province, a key chip manufacturing hub, will host a special online event to encourage foreign semiconductor design firms to partner with local peers, as the country moves to strengthen its industrial ties with the outside world amid US efforts to reduce China's role in the global chip supply chain. The online seminar, scheduled for next month, is designed to promote international cooperation between local semiconductor firms and their Asian, European and US counterparts, according to a notice published by the Wuxi Semiconductor Industry Association. The event will facilitate collaboration in chip design, packaging testing, manufacturing and applications. Tens of thousands of semiconductor companies will join the event, which is open to new companies, according to the notice. It did not say how many foreign firms would attend. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The cities of Nanjing, Wuxi and Suzhou, all located in Jiangsu, are home to assemblers of Chinese chip giants. The mainland factory of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the world's most advanced fab, is located in Nanjing, while a memory chip plant of South Korean chip maker SK Hynix is based in Wuxi. An aerial view of a plant of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Photo: VCG via Getty Images alt=An aerial view of a plant of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Photo: VCG via Getty Images> This comes as the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which includes Japan and South Korea, fans concerns that Washington is trying to limit China's role in key industries, particularly semiconductors. SK Hynix has reportedly put its expansion plan in Wuxi on hold under US pressure, after Washington barred the company from shipping advanced equipment to its Chinese plants. The move dashed Wuxi's hope of developing cutting-edge production. Story continues Recent Omicron outbreaks in the region and strict lockdown measures under China's zero-Covid strategy have dealt another heavy blow to local chip companies. Suzhou, the second largest city in Jiangsu, was locked down in February to curb the transmission of the coronavirus, causing production disruptions that spilled over to overseas partners. The following month, Shanghai, the nation's economic powerhouse, entered into a lockdown that has lasted for weeks, wreaking havoc on logistics and paralysing manufacturing activities. In April, China's chip output dropped to a two-year low. "The unstable production output in the region has caused a lot of companies to lose their overseas orders," Song Xuetao, an analyst at Tian Feng Securities, wrote in a recent research report. About 40 per cent of semiconductor companies in the area are now considering transferring their manufacturing capacities to South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and countries in Southeast Asia, according to Song's estimates. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2022 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2022. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. MONTREAL, May 27, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. (TSX: TRQ) (NYSE: TRQ) ("Turquoise Hill" or the "Company") today announced that it has received a notice of arbitration from Entree Resources Ltd. ("Entree") in connection with the Earn-in Agreement (the "Earn-in Agreement") with Entree. The Company disputes the characterizations made by Entree in its news release dated May 26, 2022 announcing the initiation of arbitration proceedings. Turquoise Hill has been in discussions with Entree in order to resolve certain commercial disagreements in connection with the Earn-in Agreement. The Company reserves all of its rights and will vigorously defend itself. The Company will update the market as appropriate. About Turquoise Hill Resources Turquoise Hill is an international mining company focused on the operation and continued development of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia, which is the Companys principal and only material mineral resource property. Turquoise Hills ownership of the Oyu Tolgoi mine is held through a 66% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Oyu Tolgoi); Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC (Erdenes), a Mongolian state-owned entity, holds the remaining 34% interest. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information Certain statements made herein, including statements relating to matters that are not historical facts and statements of the Corporations beliefs, intentions and expectations about developments, results and events which will or may occur in the future, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future events or future performance, reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events and are typically identified by words such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "likely", "may", "plan", "seek", "should", "will" and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. These include, but are not limited to, statements and information regarding: the outcome of any negotiations with Entree relating to the Earn-in Agreement and the form of joint venture agreement appended to the Earn-in Agreement, or any arbitration proceedings relating to such matters; the nature of the Corporations ongoing relationship and interaction with the Government of Mongolia with respect to the continued operation and development of Oyu Tolgoi, including as a result of the impact of matters pertaining to the Earn-in Agreement; and other statements that are not historical facts. Story continues Forward-looking statements and information are made based upon certain assumptions and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements or information. There can be no assurance that such statements or information will prove to be accurate. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies, local and global economic conditions, and the environment in which the Corporation will operate in the future, including: the possibility that the outcome of any arbitration proceedings relating to the Earn-in Agreement and the form of joint venture agreement appended to the Earn-in Agreement are materially adverse to the Corporation in the event that a negotiated resolution of the commercial disagreements with Entree is not achieved; and the impact of such matters on the Corporations ongoing relationship and interactions with the Government of Mongolia. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Events or circumstances could cause Turquoise Hills actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements are included in the "Risk Factors" section in Turquoise Hills Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2021 (the "AIF"), as supplemented by the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of Turquoise Hills Interim Managements Discussion and Analysis for the first quarter ended March 31, 2022 (the "Q122 MD&A"). Readers are further cautioned that the list of factors enumerated in the "Risk Factors" section of the AIF and in the "Risks and Uncertainties" section of the Q122 MD&A that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on Turquoise Hills forward-looking statements and information to make decisions with respect to Turquoise Hill, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements and information contained herein are made as of the date of this document and Turquoise Hill does not undertake any obligation to update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking statements and information contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220527005326/en/ Contacts Investors and Media Roy McDowall roy.mcdowall@turquoisehill.com Follow us on Twitter @TurquoiseHillRe WARWICK Unionized workers at five Macy's department stores, including the one at the Warwick Mall, have voted to potentially strike as they continue negotiations with the retailer over a new contract. Union negotiating team member and sales colleague Anita Hovey said workers want Macy's to bring up the minimum pay at the Warwick store to at least $15 an hour, after the chain announced the higher starting pay for nonunion stores in January. "We got a best and final offer from Macy's last Friday and we had about 250 people come up and vote last Sunday, and they did take a strike vote," she said. The stores in Warwick, and Braintree, Peabody and Natick, Massachusetts, are under one union contract. A fifth store, in Boston, is under a different contract, Hovey said. Workers at all five are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445. Union has authorization to strike While the union now has authorization to strike, the final decision hasn't been made. Employees plan to hand out pamphlets at the store in Warwick on Friday and at the store in Boston next Wednesday. After the Wednesday demonstration, they will probably know if a strike will happen, Hovey said. Hovey said negotiations are going nowhere. Union negotiating team member Anita Hovey talks to a Macy's customer at the Warwick Mall, asking her to support the union's position in negotiations. "Macy's says they're negotiating in good faith, but they're not giving us any counteroffers," she said. Macy's employees came back to work after the initial two-month COVID lockdowns in 2020; and the company, which released quarterly earnings on Thursday, is in good financial shape, Hovey said. According to a news release, sales are up nearly 13% compared to the same quarter in 2021, and the company bought back $600 million of its own shares. Contract changes sought Among the changes Hovey said she wants to see to the contract are a wage floor of $15 for Rhode Island workers, since the Massachusetts minimum wage will rise to $15 in 2023, and guaranteed time-and-a-half for Massachusetts workers on Sundays, after the state eliminated its "blue laws" starting in 2019. Rhode Island retail workers are still guaranteed time-and-a-half on Sundays. Story continues Union negotiating team member Anita Hovey holds a pamphlet she handed out to Macy's customers in Warwick after the union authorized a strike. "At this point, we don't want to strike, but we will if we have to," she said. "It's a three-year contract and we're looking for fair wages." If no contract is ratified and the union goes forward with a strike, strike captains will receive a call while they're working and lead all the unionized employees out of store and then they will begin to picket. Union efforts: How a Starbucks in Warwick became the first in Rhode Island to join the union wave Hovey said she does not think delivery drivers, most of them union members, will be willing to cross the line. In an email, Macy's External Communications Director Jacqueline King wrote that the company trusts the collective bargaining process and the leaders on both sides. "We are hopeful that we will reach a deal that is mutually beneficial to the colleagues, the company and the union," she wrote. Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Providence Journal subscription. Here's our latest offer. Reach reporter Wheeler Cowperthwaite at wcowperthwaite@providencejournal.com. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Macy's Warwick Mall workers authorize strike seeking $15/hour base pay A Spotsylvania Circuit Court judge on Friday declined to rule on the appeal of two claims of violations of Virginias Freedom of Information Act on the part of the Spotsylvania School Board. Judge Ricardo Rigual put the appeal on hold until Aug. 10, after a July 19 General District Court trial, which will determine whether School Board Chair Kirk Twigg and School Board members April Gillespie, Lisa Phelps and Rabih Abuismail violated FOIA by failing to hold a vote before entering a closed meeting on Jan. 10, 2022. That claim is one of three made by Makaila Keyes, a Courtland High School graduate, against Twigg and the other three members. Keyes also alleges that the four members violated her rights under FOIA by following a meeting agenda that had not been made available to the public in advance and by not giving adequate public notice of the intent to hold a closed meeting. The closed meeting in question resulted in the firing of former school division superintendent Scott Baker. In March, General District Court judge John Martin dismissed these two claims for lack of precedent, but determined that the claim that the closed meeting was unlawful because Twigg did not first hold a vote to enter it has merit. Keyess attorneys, Fred and Jenna Edwards, appealed Martins dismissal of the other two claims to the Circuit Court, asking Rigual to allow them to be tried as well. This appeal is to set precedents that (1) public officials cannot frustrate FOIA by presenting palatable agendas for public inspection only to substitute them for a more controversial agenda once a meeting is underway, and (2) public officials cannot conduct back-room business in closed meetings without first giving the public proper notice that such closed meetings are planned in a manner that provides the public an opportunity to respond, Keyes wrote in an update on the Facebook page Neighborhood Spotsy. Rigual on Friday questioned whether the Circuit Court has the authority to act as an appeals court and said that the rules regarding when cases are right to be appealed are so we dont bifurcate cases. After the 20-minute hearing, Rigual issued an order to stay, or hold, the appeal until the district court case is resolved. He said he would take the appeal under advisement in the meantime. Its an interesting case and it deserves to be heard, Rigual 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. A committee made up of Spotsylvania County school division staff, parents and community members has determined that eight books recently challenged by the parent of a student are appropriate for high school readers and can remain in high school libraries. The parent has appealed the committees decision. All eight books have been requested by the petitioner to be reviewed further, school division spokesperson Rene Daniels said. Therefore, the request for reconsideration of instructional materials for the eight books is still in progress as per school board policy. The parent initiated the challenge process earlier this month, asking for the books to be removed from school libraries. The books under review are SOLD by Patricia McCormick, Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian, America by E.R. Frank, Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez, All Boys Arent Blue by George M. Johnson, DIME by E.R. Frank, Beloved by Toni Morrison and Looking for Alaska by John Green. According to the school divisions policy IIA-R, which governs the selection and review of instructional materials, the committee assembled to review the challenged books is supposed to read them in their entirety, check general acceptance of the material by reading reviews, and judge the material for its strength and value as a whole and not in part before making a decision. The review committee is supposed to complete a checklist and submit it to the superintendent, according to the policy. The committees decision can be appealed to the superintendent and the School Board. School Board Chair Kirk Twigg said at the boards May 9 meeting that he wants to clear out our libraries. I know there was an effort started last fall and it died, Twigg said, referring to the boards November vote to remove sexually explicit books from school libraries. At that meeting, Twigg also said he wanted to, See the [removed] books before we burn them so we can identify within our community that we are eradicating this bad stuff. 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. Fredericksburg City Council has multiple plans in place to slow traffic in the downtown area. City Council members unanimously gave final approval to an ordinance Tuesday night that will reduce the speed limit from 25 mph to 20 mph on several streets downtown. Councilman Jon Gerlach also began discussion to adopt an ordinance to make loud vehicles in Fredericksburg a primary offense that could initiate a traffic stop. Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bipartisan bill earlier this year that does just that. It goes into effect July 1. City Council has instructed City Manager Tim Baroody and City Attorney Kathleen Dooley to explore amending Fredericksburgs code to reflect the new state law. Doing so would enable funds received from the fines to go to the city instead of the state. The new downtown speed limit also takes effect July 1. Virginia code authorizes local governments to reduce the speed limit to 20 miles per hour in a business district. The definition of a business district is an area where 75% or more of the property abutting a street on either side, for a distance of 300 feet or more, is used for business purposes. The areas impacted by the new speed limit will be Sophia Street between Lafayette Boulevard and Amelia Street; Caroline Street between Lafayette and Lewis Street; William Street between Washington Avenue and Sophia; and Lafayette between Sophia and Prince Edward streets. While City Council is eager for the new speed limit, Gerlach said loud vehicles may be the most widespread concern that I hear on a regular basis. He said that small businesses, churchgoers and anyone dining out have been impacted by the sounds of excessively loud cars or trucks rumbling through city streets. Its a health concern and a quality of life issue, Gerlach said. Infants and veterans with PTSD are especially vulnerable to loud noise. Gerlach said after-market and do-it-yourself modifications to vehicles are a major concern. He said that while driving a distinctive vehicle is a choice, choices do have consequences. Fredericksburg Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw said she once called the police department because she thought a loud vehicle was rapid gunfire. She said other residents had the same thought. She told Gerlach that there will likely be a consensus to amend the city ordinance to reflect the change at the state level. I doubt youll find any disagreement, Greenlaw said. The loud vehicle is one of the main complaints all of us get. Gerlach noted that in 2020 the General Assembly passed a bill that limited minor infractions becoming a primary offense to initiate a stop because of concern that Black people were disproportionately targeted. He said that loud vehicles, however, disrupt entire neighborhoods, more so than a broken taillight. In addition to the loud vehicle ordinance, Gerlach and City Council are hoping that the new speed limit will create a safer environment. Other traffic-calming measures, such as turning one-way streets into two-ways, are also being considered. Vice Mayor Chuck Frye Jr. asked staff to be sure to convey the new limit to local businesses. He also asked if there will be noticeable signage regarding the change. Staff noted there will be some type of identifiable marker placed on the speed limit sign to draw attention to it until residents and visitors grow accustomed to the lower limit. Police Chief Brian Layton said his department is prepared to strictly enforce the new limit with its downtown community officer. [Enforcements] critical if were going to gain compliance, Layton said. There is a certain percentage of the population that has a heavy foot. Traffic calming is certainly one leg of that three-legged stool. Education is another, and enforcement is critical. Taft Coghill Jr: 540/374-5526 tcoghill@freelancestar.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. Anyone who jumps from a bridge into a lake, river or creek in Spotsylvania County will be breaking the law. The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors approved the new ordinance requested by the Sheriffs Office at its Tuesday meeting. A public hearing was held prior to the vote. No residents commented, but sheriffs Lt. Timothy Bryner told the board why the department wants the ordinance. He cited people jumping from, or planning to jump from, spans into Lake Anna as the primary problem. The lieutenant said jumping from bridges into the lake is dangerous, but deputies could do little to stop people because there was no ordinance. Bryner said the countys ordinance mirrors one used in Louisa County, which makes jumping from a bridge into a lake, river or creek a class 4 misdemeanor, which carries a fine up to $250. The lieutenant recounted four cases in which people either jumped into the lake from a bridge or were considering it until deputies convinced them not to. In one case, a man jumped off a bridge and was grazed by a boat. In another case, a man died after jumping into the lake. The man took the plunge but never returned to the surface, he said. The mans friends later found his body nearby. Rescue crews tried to revive the man, but couldnt. Bryner cited a 2021 recreational boating incident summary report by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources that placed Lake Anna second for overall incidents and injuries. There were 89 boating incidents on lakes and rivers across the state in 2021, with 47 injuries and 19 deaths, according to the report. 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. PLATTSMOUTH Congressional candidate Patty Pansing-Brooks said she supports the Second Amendment, but not the right to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. I want them to get a permit and have some training, she said during a Plattsmouth visit on May 25. She also supports universal background checks before obtaining a weapon. Im in favor of protecting the home, but Im also concerned with people having access without any oversight. The Democratic candidate for Nebraskas First Congressional District, which includes Cass County, held a meet-and-greet event at the Back Alley Diner where she discussed various issues, including a need for more kindness. My goal is to get people to be kinder. Were stronger if we treat people kinder. On energy, Pansing-Brooks said, We have to look at all the different energy sources. That includes an increased emphasis on ethanol as an energy source, Pansing-Brooks said. During her travels across the district, many people told her they are concerned about the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the abortion rights law Roe vs. Wade, in part because it could eventually lead the government to attack other privacy issues, like birth control and same-sex marriage, the candidate said. She supports lower prescription drug costs and finding more markets for Nebraska farmers to sell their commodities. For the past eight years, Pansing-Brooks has been a state senator representing Lincoln before announcing this year to seek the areas Congressional seat. She will face off against Republican candidate Mike Flood in a special election on June 28 to fill out the remaining term of Jeff Fortenberry, who resigned in late March after being convicted of lying to federal authorities about an illegal campaign donation from a foreign national. A major difference between herself and Flood, she said, was his approval of Fortenberrys opposition of President Bidens Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that, among many other things, will ensure rural areas have access to reliable high-speed internet through a large investment in broadband infrastructure deployment. I cant imagine anybody voting against that bill, Pansing-Brooks said. I cant imagine anything more important than broadband in our state. She has key people knowledgeable in many fields advising her on issues, Pansing-Brooks said. Im looking forward to doing this, she said of serving in Congress. 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. Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Fariz Rzayev and experts from the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) discussed normalization processes in the South Caucasus in the post-conflict period, Foreign Ministry has reported. The discussion took place during Rzayevs working visit to Norway from May 23-25. Within the framework of the visit, the Azerbaijani official met with Secretary to the Norwegian Foreign Minister Eivind Vad Petersson, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense of Norwegian Parliament (Storting) Ine Eriksen Soreide, Head of the Norwegian Parliament Delegation to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Ingjerd Schou and Vice President of Norwegian Equinor Energy company Gustavo Baquero. The parties discussed the possibility of a joint celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Norway and exchanged views on the current state and prospects for the development of bilateral relations. Further, initiatives aimed at strengthening the regular dialogue between Foreign Ministries and parliaments of the two countries, as well as initiatives aimed at establishing regional cooperation also were discussed. The sides also eyed the process of normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the post-conflict period, as well as current international and regional topics. A concert by Isfar Sarabski's jazz trio and a diplomatic reception was held at the Litteraturhuset (Literary House) center in Oslo as part of the visit on the occasion of Independence Day of Azerbaijan, also the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Norway. Azerbaijan and Norway are cooperating in various sectors of the economy, especially oil and gas. Thus, Azerbaijan's State Oil Company and Norway's Equionor are cooperating in Azerbaijan in developing the Karabakh field and organizing exploration and production in the promising areas Ashrafi-Dan Ulduzu-Aypara. The companies also have a stake in the Azeri-Chirag and Deepwater Guneshli (ACG) oil field development project. In May 2018, SOCAR Karabakh and Equinor signed a Risk Services Agreement for the development of the Karabakh oil field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. Under the agreement, the companies have equal shares. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Norway amounted to $69.7 million from January to October 2021. In addition, the trade amounted to $62.3 million between the two countries in 2020. Casey Roberts hopes area kids will come to a Vacation Bible School that will be Monumental. After a three-year break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Trinity Lutheran Church will host Vacation Bible School. Area children from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade are invited to the free VBS scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon June 6-10 at Trinity, 1546 N. Luther Road in Fremont. Sessions will include a storytime, crafts, snacks, music and weather permitting outdoor games or else indoor games. Roberts, director of Christian education at Trinity, said 150 children have registered or plan to come. In past years, the VBS has had about 200 youthful participants. Approximately 25 volunteers plan to help this year. The church hasnt had a VBS since 2019. Were bringing it back for the first time in three years, Roberts said. Monumental is the theme of the 2022 VBS. Roberts said the theme highlights the idea that peoples lives are monuments to what God is doing in them. We will always tell the story of Jesus death and resurrection. Its very important that the kids know that, Roberts said. But this year, the VBS will highlight the story of Joseph from the Old Testament. It begins with his coat of many colors and progresses to his being put in prison in Egypt to becoming second in command in that nation. Roberts hopes to impart an important message to children. No matter where they think they are or where they are going God is using them just like he used Joseph and Jesus is working in their lives just as monumentally, Roberts said. Each days activities will include a theme song for children to learn along with the overall VBS theme song. Theyll hear those songs a lot. That way, the message sticks in their minds with music, he said. Roberts hopes children gain much from their experience at VBS. We hope they know there is a Savior who loves them and died for them, Roberts said. We also want them to enjoy being here. We also hope they go home with some songs they cant get out of their heads. To register, visit trinityfremont.com/vbs/ or call 402-721-5536. 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. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Welcome to Gandhara's weekly newsletter. This briefing brings you the best of our reporting from Afghanistan and Pakistan. If you're new to the newsletter or haven't subscribed yet, you can do so here. Taliban Attempt To 'Erase' Women From Public Life RFE/RL's Radio Azadi reports about the dozens of male Afghan journalists and others who have joined a social media campaign against a Taliban decree forcing female journalists to cover their faces on air. The restriction is part of a broader Taliban decree ordering all women to cover their faces when in public. The militant group has advised women to avoid leaving their homes altogether, if possible. Human rights campaigners say the decree is an attempt to erase women from all public life. Forced to stay home, Afghan women say they face increasing domestic abuse. "The new [decree] is illogical. It does not have any religious justification," said a female TV presenter. Rights advocates say the Taliban are bent on taking away the last shreds of autonomy that women still have in Afghanistan, where the militants have denied them the right to education and work The Talibans vision for Afghanistan is an Afghanistan where women have no role in public life, have no autonomy, have no choice, have no freedom, and have no future, said Heather Barr, an associate womens rights director at Human Rights Watch (HRW). Iran Opens Drone Factory In Tajikistan Michael Scollon reports on the prospects of deepening defense cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran, Afghanistan's two Persian-speaking neighbors. Earlier this month, Iran opened a drone factory in Tajikistan, its first outside the Islamic republic. Tehran has said the production of the Ababil-2 strike and reconnaissance drone will allow the two countries to tackle new challenges in the region, including the Afghan Taliban's return to power and the threat posed by Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) militants in Afghanistan. The Taliban has forged closer ties with Iran, while its relations with Tajikistan have turned increasingly hostile. "There certainly seems to be a sudden push to strengthen Iranian-Tajikistan relations and the Taliban takeover is clearly a factor in that," said Jeremy Binnie, a Middle East defense specialist at the global intelligence company Janes. Iranian Dissidents Targeted In Afghanistan Radio Azadi reports on Iranian dissidents being targeted in Afghanistan, where a small number sought refuge after 2001. Homayoon Zarean, an Iranian activist and musician, and Kamal Khaki, an Iranian Kurdish activist, were arrested on unknown charges by the Taliban in Kabul on May 14, according to their close acquaintances. That came after the mysterious killing of Saadi Khaledi, another Iranian dissident, in the northern province of Baghlan in January. "Seeking asylum for protection is a human right and, unfortunately, the Taliban have breached another level of human rights violations when we look at these cases in particular," said Samira Hamidi, Amnesty International's South Asia campaigner. Tourists Shun Panjshir Amid Fighting Radio Azadi reports on Afghan tourists avoiding the picturesque northeastern province of Panjshir, the scene of deadly clashes between the Taliban and resistance forces. "In the past, Panjshir used to be peaceful, but now it is impossible to go there," said Zarmina, a resident of neighboring Parwan Province The lack of visitors has hurt local businesses. "Sometimes my daily income is zero," says Shah Aga, the owner of a food store in Panjshirs Anaba district. Before the Taliban takeover, Agha says he used to earn up to 20,000 afghanis ($230) a day during the peak spring and summer seasons. I hope you found this weeks newsletter useful, and I encourage you to forward it to your colleagues. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do so here. I encourage you to visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Yours, Abubakar Siddique Twitter: @sid_abu P.S.: You can always reach us at gandhara@rferl.org. A Pakistani womens rights activist has been granted preemptive bail after the military accused her of using derogatory and hateful remarks against the countrys top general. The order by the Islamabad High Court protects Imaan Mazari from arrest, her lawyer, Zainab Janjua, said on May 27. Under Pakistans legal system, a court order can be sought as protection against arrest. The army claimed on May 26 that Mazari had made slanderous remarks against the Pakistani Army's chief of staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, accusing him of being behind the arrest of her mother, Shireen Mazari, on May 21. Imaan Mazaris did not offer support for her allegations against Bajwa in a video that went viral on social media. According to Janjua, she is accused of inciting people against the armed forces and defaming Bajwa. Her mother, Shireen Mazari, who served as a human rights minister in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was detained by anti-corruption police over a land-grabbing allegation from decades ago. She was released within hours after a court decided she was arrested in violation of a law saying no lawmaker can be detained without permission from the parliament speaker. Imaan Mazari said at the time that her mother had been mistreated during the arrest. With reporting by AP A man is reportedly recovering in the hospital after a suspect broke into his home near Platte Avenue and North Mead Avenue around 2 a.m. Friday. Photo courtesy KKTV. The two Republicans vying for Colorado's U.S. Senate seat squared off at a country music bar on May 21 in their only scheduled debate, held just over two weeks before ballots go into the mail ahead of next month's primary election. U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn introduced legislation Friday in the U.S. House of Representatives aimed at protecting service academy students such as those in the Air Force Academy from punishment for refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. I am deeply concerned about the decisions being made at the Pentagon that would penalize cadets for choosing not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the Colorado Springs Republican said in a press release. They are even considering asking them to pay back hundreds of thousands in tuition. For cadets and midshipmen who haven't been vaccinated against COVID-19, the press release says the Defending Freedom of Conscience for Cadets and Midshipmen Act would clarify that they can't be denied graduation, can't be dismissed from service, and can't be subject to repayment claims due to their vaccination status. These young men and women made the patriotic and selfless decision to apply themselves academically and serve their nation at one of our U.S. service academies," Lamborn said in the release. "I wont stop fighting to protect those who protect us. On Wednesday, three Air Force Academy seniors who were denied religious waivers from the military mandate requiring the COVID-19 vaccine were allowed to graduate but not allowed to participate in the school's commencement ceremony. The school issued a statement that the three cadets won't be commissioned in the Air Force until they receive the vaccine. There also is discussion of the three students being forced to return over $200,000 in tuition fees, but the Air Force Academy stated that is a decision that will be made by the secretary of the Air Force. Two of the three cadets watched the ceremony from the bleachers at Falcon Stadium on Wednesday, while the third chose not to attend. A fourth unvaccinated cadet submitted their resignation to the Air Force Academy. Eleven House members are co-sponsors of the legislation along with Lamborn. U.S Sen. Marco Rubio introduced companion legislation on the issue earlier this week. A Chinese law enforcement vessel leaves the waters of Muang Mo of Laos upon completion of its mission, on Nov. 21, 2019. (Xinhua/Wu Han) KUNMING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Two Chinese law-enforcement vessels returned to a port in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Friday, concluding the 117th joint Mekong River patrol by China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. Four vessels from the four countries, with 84 law-enforcement officers on board, sailed over 600 km for four days and three nights with missions to ensure the safety and stability of the river basin, according to the Yunnan provincial public security department. The Mekong River, whose section in China is called the Lancang River, is a vital waterway for cross-border shipping. China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand have been conducting joint patrols on the river since December 2011. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have viewed the intensive orchard in Zangilan district. Minister of Agriculture Inam Karimov and gardener Galib Humbatov informed the President and the First Lady of the work done in the intensive orchard. A male student expelled by the University of Denver for sexual misconduct may sue the school for its alleged failure to conduct a fair and impartial investigation, the state's second-highest court ruled on Thursday. "John Doe," as the student is identified in court documents, claimed that DU investigators refused to interview his witnesses, did not question his accuser's motivations, and overlooked inconsistencies in the alleged victim's statements. Because the university's procedures at the time promised that sexual misconduct investigations would be "thorough, impartial and fair," Doe sued the school for breach of contract after believing its investigation into his case failed to live up to that standard. A three-judge panel for the Court of Appeals agreed with Doe that DU's representation of its process was specific enough to create an enforceable contract, and that the institution had a duty to use reasonable care when investigating and disciplining Doe. "A determination that a person engaged in nonconsensual sexual contact can potentially destroy the accuseds educational, employment, and other future prospects," wrote Judge Michael H. Berger in the panel's May 26 opinion. "We are hard pressed to find another activity by a private educational institution that can be so devastating and long-lasting in the life of a student." The decision is part of a yearslong trend of accused students, mostly male, challenging their schools' disciplinary decisions in court, alleging the investigatory process was slanted against them or toward accusers. Colorado Politics found at least 69 cases filed in Colorado's federal court between 1991 and 2021 implicating Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education. At least 16 of those lawsuits featured claims from accused students known as "respondents" in Title IX investigations alleging their schools operated under faulty or biased procedures. Andrew T. Miltenberg, a New York-based trial lawyer who represents Doe, said his firm has been involved in approximately 1,000 Title IX investigations and has litigated 80 to 100 court cases on the issue, including in Colorado. He applauded the Court of Appeals' decision for recognizing the detrimental effect a wrongful adjudication can have on respondents. "Colorado is progressive in many other aspects of life, but on this, it was becoming one of the worst places in the country to litigate one of these cases on behalf of a respondent," Miltenberg said. "But I'm pleasantly surprised at what appears to be a change in the momentum of this issue." This is the second precedent-setting decision resulting from Doe's expulsion. One year ago, the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals reinstated a lawsuit Doe had brought in federal court alleging sex discrimination in violation of Title IX. The 10th Circuit, which hears federal appeals from Colorado and five neighboring states, decided for the first time that specific facts about an investigation combined with general statistics of anti-male bias are sufficient for a jury to evaluate whether a violation occurred. "(W)e agree the universitys investigation and treatment of John raises a plausible inference that it discriminated against John on the basis of his sex," wrote Chief Judge Timothy M. Tymkovich, noting that Doe alleged DU failed to take action against a single sexual misconduct complaint brought by men between 2016 and 2018, while investigating all complaints from women during that time. Before the 10th Circuit's decision, Doe filed a lawsuit in state court. While his claims did not focus on anti-male bias, Doe alleged that the university committed breach of contract and negligence and had failed to act in good faith. According to Doe's complaint, he was a first-year student at DU in March 2016 when he and "Jane Roe," a female student, engaged in consensual sexual touching after a night of drinking. There was a dispute, however, about what happened the following morning. In Doe's telling, Roe climbed on top of Doe while naked and they briefly attempted sex. Roe claimed she had woken up to Doe fondling her and he had nonconsensual sex with her. Doe said that Roe had told him shortly after the sexual contact that she had consented to it. But he believed she changed her mind after seeing him talking to another girl at a party. Roe underwent a forensic examination, colloquially known as a "rape kit," and decided to initiate a Title IX investigation in April 2016. The investigation ultimately resulted in Doe's dismissal from the university. According to Doe, there were multiple ways in which the investigation did not adhere to the specific procedures laid out for students, or the overarching promise that an investigation "will be thorough, impartial and fair." For example, investigators "failed to explore Jane Roe's motivation" for filing her report, spoke to only one of Doe's witnesses while interviewing 11 of Roe's, and neglected to explore Roe's inconsistent statements. The investigators also did not have the entirety of Roe's forensic exam, nor did they seek it. In July 2020, then-Denver District Court Judge Morris B. Hoffman dismissed Doe's complaint. He called Doe's claims of an unfair investigation "too vague to be enforceable in contract." Hoffman acknowledged that subpar Title IX investigations could result in the expulsion or stigmatization of an innocent party, but they also "risk being wrong in the other direction resulting in guilty sexual predators being wrongfully vindicated, to the distress of their victims and the posing of continuing risks to other students." On appeal, DU argued that Doe had the opportunity to identify witnesses, tell his side of the story, and provide input on the investigators' preliminary findings. It would be "impossible," the school added, for a court to evaluate the meaning of a fair Title IX investigation. Michael J. Mirabella, an attorney for Doe, believed the Court of Appeals could rely on the 10th Circuit's findings of a plausibly unfair Title IX investigation when considering Doe's breach-of-contract case. "When you've got an investigation that ignores witnesses, that ignores third-party objective evidence, that ignores the inconsistent statements of the complaining witness, that's not unbiased and that's not fair," he said during oral arguments. Judge Sueanna P. Johnson observed that courts have reached different conclusions about whether a university's commitment to fairness in materials provided to students is legally enforceable. "How do we deal with the contention," she asked, "that the university is claiming that the concept of fairness is too indefinite and vague to be enforceable in contract, and yet the university goes to lengths in its briefing to explain how the investigation against John Doe was fair here? It seems like there is an understanding that there is a concept of what is fair and what is not." The panel concluded there was a genuine dispute for a jury over whether DU abided by its contractual obligation to provide a "thorough, impartial and fair" investigation. The appellate judges also found the university had a duty to adopt and implement fair procedures in light of the heavy consequences a student in Doe's position faces. "We acknowledge that the purpose of the investigation can also be for the benefit of either DU or Jane (or both). But the burden and detriment of an unfair investigation and adjudication is borne almost entirely by John," Berger wrote. Miltenberg said that public institutions, which DU is not, may be the subject of a similar appeal in the future. He added that while schools may try to revise their policies to do away with any appearance of a contractual obligation, there could still be a requirement of "good faith and fair dealing." "It's a subjective standard, not just in Colorado but all over," he acknowledged, adding, "I'd like to think that this marks a real change in the way that state courts and other federal courts and other circuits will look at this issue." The University of Denver, though a spokesperson, declined to comment. A jury trial in Doe's federal Title IX case is set to begin in January 2023. Sgt. Grant Wichmann is one of 407 names engraved on the Mountain Post Warrior Memorial honoring soldiers deployed from Fort Carson who lost their lives in the line of duty. Wichmann was shot by a sniper at Bari Alai in Afghanistan in March 2010. He was taken Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland and died six weeks later. At an annual memorial ceremony Thursday, Lenora Wichmann laid a rose in front of the stone where her sons name is engraved. Lenora drove from Golden with her husband for the ceremony. Its a way to remember him, she said. Keynote speaker Maj. Gen. David Hodne acknowledged that no service members were lost during the past year, but the lives of those claimed serving their country are not forgotten. This is the first time that we have not added a new name to the Global War on Terror Memorial, said Hodne, the commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson. Gold Star Families who have lost loved ones while serving in the military attended the memorial ceremony alongside active military members and veterans. To our Gold Star Family members in attendance, we are saddened by your sacrifice, inspired by your resilience and grateful for your continued service, Hodne said. A wreath was laid on the memorial by Hodne and Command Sgt. Maj. Adam Nash in front of a central stone with a quote from former President George W. Bush: We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. Nine stones on either side of the quote have engravings with the names of the 407 fallen heroes from Fort Carson. Laura Muir Mellini knelt near one of these stones Thursday to take a rubbing of the name of Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin Griffin. Mellini worked with Griffins wife when he was killed by a suicide attack in Afghanistan in 2012. I wanted to come out and recognize him, she said. (The ceremony) was reminding me what this weekend is all about, Mellini said. All of a sudden, as I was sitting here, I thought, this is the real reason were celebrating Memorial Day today, honoring those who have sacrificed for our freedom. Griffin was also commemorated during the memorial. Command Sgt. Maj. Griffin was one of the finest noncommissioned officers in our army, a leader committed to leading from the front, Hodne said. Hodne spoke about honoring the fallen and their courage, but also carrying on the legacy of their service. We owe them this, he said. Memorial Day is Monday. Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country Sign Up View all of our newsletters. The Azerbaijani servicemen have successfully completed the tasks set as a part of Anatolian Phoenix-2022 International Search and Rescue Exercises in Konya, Turkey, Azernews reports citing the Defence Ministry. As part of the exercises, clarification of activities on the map, calculation of the target, parachute training exercises, helicopter training flights and search and rescue operations of the crews of the crashed aircraft in accordance with the scenario were carried out, the ministry said. Azerbaijani Deputy Defence Minister, Commander of the Air Forces Lt.-Gen Ramiz Tairov attended the Distinguished Visitors Day event. Tairov met with members of the Air Force's troops and praised their professionalism. Furthermore, the duties given for the second stage of the international exercises Efes-2022 held in Izmir, Turkey, have been completed, the ministry said in a separate report. According to the scenario, the tasks of clearing the coastline of underwater mines, conducting an air assault behind an imaginary enemy, attacking its military facility on the coast, and neutralizing the terrorists were successfully accomplished by the participants on the next day of the exercises, the ministry stressed. Servicemen of the Combined Arms Army and the Naval Forces represent Azerbaijan in the international exercises. The multinational drills, where Azerbaijan is being represented by the personnel of the Separate Combined-Arms Army of Nakhchivan and the Naval Forces, will last until June 9. The Efes-2022 multinational exercises are being held in four stages. On the instructions of the high command, activities are being carried out to improve the professional skills of the Azerbaijani armys military personnel. Earlier, the ministry underlined that Azerbaijani servicemen will participate in over 30 international drills and competitions in the 2022 academic year. Apart from Efes - 2022, the servicemen will join the Eternity - 2022, Indestructible Brotherhood - 2022, Winter Training 2022, International Army Games - 2022, and other international training and competitions, which will have a positive effect on the improvement of their professional skills, the ministry said. Moreover, the servicemen are expected to participate in various international seminars and conferences in 2022 as well. UVALDE, Texas (AP) A young survivor of the massacre at a Texas elementary school said she covered herself with a friend's blood and pretende FILE PHOTO: A view of the University Hospital, where injured victims of a mass shooting in Uvalde, TX are treated, in San Antonio, Texas, U.S., May 25, 2022. REUTERS/Lisa Krantz Azerbaijani Ambassador to France Rahman Mustafayev called on the Armenian community of France to support efforts aimed at ensuring peace, security, and development in the South Caucasus region, Azernews reports. The remarks were made in an interview with the French Courtoisie radio station, which mainly reflects the positions of the extreme right, conservative Catholic circles in France. Speaking about the results of the recent Brussels meeting of the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the EU, Mustafayev said that active and constructive dialogue between Baku and Yerevan under the auspices of the EU is the dominant trend of the peace process in the South Caucasus. Further, the ambassador spoke in detail about the post-conflict development challenges in the country such as the problems of mine clearance, the search for missing persons, and the progress of restoration work in the previously occupied districts. In this context, he especially noted the role of France, which provided significant financial assistance to the demining process in the liberated territories. Taking into account the interests and questions of the radio audience, Mustafayev also spoke about the history of Christianity in Azerbaijan, noting that the attempts by the French media and the expert community to oppose "Muslim Azerbaijan to Christian Armenia" are unacceptable. He added that Azerbaijan has more than four-century-old Christianity history, and the Christian monuments, churches, and monasteries of Caucasian Albania are an essential part of Azerbaijans cultural and religious heritage. The third Brussels meeting took place on May 22 between the leaders at the initiative of President of the European Council Charles Michel. The sides focused on the situation in the South Caucasus and the development of EU relations with both countries as well as the broader region. The Colorado Springs Airport saw a sizeable jump in passengers last month, and airport officials expect that trend to continue into the summer despite higher airfares and other spiking travel costs. In April, 87,295 travelers boarded planes out of the Colorado Springs Airport, a 28.9% increase over the 67,727 enplanements during the same month last year, according to a report released this week by airport officials that tracks monthly passenger traffic. The report and historical airport figures also showed: Not only did last month's passenger numbers increase on a year-over-year basis, but they climbed significantly 48.5% over the 58,774 travelers who flew out of the Colorado Springs Airport in April 2019, a year before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month's enplanements were the highest for any April since 87,420 in 2006. For the first four months of this year, enplanements totaled 311,299 the most for any similar period since 328,050 passengers in 2001. Credit a combination of factors for last month's boost in air travel out of Colorado Springs, said Greg Phillips, the city's aviation director, and Joe Nevill, the airport's air service development manager. Local travelers continue to embrace Southwest Airlines, the Dallas-based low-fare carrier that launched service in the Springs in March 2021, Phillips said. In April, Southwest flights accounted for nearly 46% of the overall total number of passengers leaving the airport. United Airlines was next with a 26.5% share, followed by American with 17.6%; Frontier, 5.6%; and Delta, 4.4%. "In April of last year, it was really just the first full month that Southwest was here," Phillips said. "This is now a year later. Boy, I tell you, everybody knows that Southwest is in town." April's passenger numbers included attendees to the 37th Space Symposium at The Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs, the annual gathering of defense and aerospace industry members hosted by the Springs-based Space Foundation that draws thousands from around the world. Anecdotally, Phillips said officials were told by the Space Foundation that more Space Symposium participants flew into the Colorado Springs Airport for this year's event than traveled through Denver International Airport. Pent-up demand on the part of travelers two years after the pandemic's onset also no doubt contributed to April's strong passenger numbers, Phillips said. "More and more people are just willing to say, 'OK, I think that we're past that now largely, and I've gone two years without really traveling and I want to travel,'" he said. Airlines have told Colorado Springs Airport officials that they saw a noticeable change in attitude in March on the public's part that translated into many people wanting to travel, Nevill said. And based on airlines' response to the stepped-up demand by the traveling public, Nevill and Phillips said they're forecasting continued strong passenger number at the Colorado Springs Airport over the next few months. Yes, airfares have jumped because of higher fuel costs, and hotel and rental car prices have increased. But people still want to travel, and airlines are positioning their aircraft to accommodate higher passenger loads not just compared with last year, but over the same time before the pandemic, Nevill said. For June, airlines serving the Colorado Springs Airport have increased the number of seats they'll offer by 27% over the same month in 2019, Nevill said. Southwest alone is making 17% more seats available from June through August than it did last year, he added. Capacity this summer is up significantly over 2019 levels, Nevill said. "We have a high demand this summer which we expect to create high numbers here at the airport." Four former Colorado Judicial Department employees will not face criminal charges tied to a state fraud audit into alleged misconduct because prosecutors say they didnt have enough time to investigate the matter before the statute of limitations to file a case would have expired, The Gazette has learned. That the Denver district attorneys office received only a heavily redacted copy of the audit findings in February after the Judicial Department made a summary of it public nine months after fraud auditors had largely completed their investigation into alleged misconduct in the department merely added to the problem, several sources familiar with the inquiry told The Gazette. And although state law requires auditors to immediately alert law enforcement when any evidence of fraud is found, much of the delay was from lawyers within the Attorney Generals Office and the Judicial Department and auditors disagreeing over what immediately actually meant: at the time auditors uncovered the alleged fraud or after their final report was finished, according to people familiar with those discussions. The four former employees Chief of Staff Mindy Masias, Chief Administrative Officer Eric Brown, State Court Administrator Christopher Ryan and an unidentified manager were referred to the DA for criminal investigation in February 2022 following a yearlong audit into allegations of a contract-for-silence scheme and a whistleblower letter that alleged even more widespread fraud within the Judicial Department. Although the audit report went through several rewritings before it was released, the essence of the investigation was finished months earlier, around May 2021, sources said. If DA investigators had gotten word of the auditor's discoveries at that time, the statute of limitations would not likely have been a factor, several sources confirmed. Then, when Denver prosecutors approached auditors, the Office of the State Court Administrator and the Attorney General's Office to obtain the portions of the report that were either blacked out or missing, they were met with resistance that ranged from demands that prosecutors sign nondisclosure agreements to requirements they produce grand jury subpoenas to get it, several sources confirmed. As a result, prosecutors said they simply couldn't do their jobs in determining whether charges should be filed or not. We did not get the report with enough time to investigate the matter and therefore the matter is closed, Denver DA spokeswoman Carolyn Tyler told The Gazette. She would not elaborate. A spokesman for the Judicial Department said they cooperated fully when asked. "The State Auditor's Office completed a very thorough and extensive investigation and we cooperated with them," spokesman Jon Sarche said in an email to The Gazette. "It was entirely under their purview to decide whether and when to refer it for criminal investigation. When the Denver district attorneys office contacted us, we were ready and willing to cooperate in any way they requested." A spokesman with the Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. State Auditor Kerri Hunter's office said Colorado's fraud hotline laws prevent it from commenting. The audit investigation was largely performed while Hunter's predecessor, Dianne Ray, was state auditor. She did not respond to efforts to reach her. The anonymous whistleblower letter was addressed to the governor's office and the state Supreme Court and mailed around April 2019, and a similar report was made to the state's fraud hotline. The writer of the 23-line undated letter, presumably a Judicial Department employee, referred to a number of concerns in the department such as allegations that employees receiving months of unexplained paid leave, and alleged coverups of fraud and wasteful spending. The writer wrote that "... everyone is terrified and sick of the corruption and coverups." Information about the contract was not a part of the letter. The Colorado Office of the State Auditor took on the investigation into the whistleblower letter in May 2019 at the request of then-Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan "Ben" Coats, who told auditors he "already had a chance to look into these allegations myself" before turning it over. Coats' letter to auditors did not indicate the findings of his inquiry. News stories exposing the alleged quid pro quo multimillion-dollar contract given to former chief of staff Masias were first published in July 2019. Coats then asked the Office of the State Auditor to include the Masias contract in its inquiry. A performance audit of several problems identified in the letter was made public in December 2020 just before Coats retired, but the core of the fraud inquiry would continue until May 2021. Even the state auditors had a hard time obtaining information during their investigation, having to sign agreements with the Judicial Department over what they were allowed to see, a summary of their report showed. In some cases, they could take notes but couldn't make any copies of relevant documents. Auditors eventually concluded there was "at least some evidence of occupational fraud, illegal transactions, and/or misuse or embezzlement of public funds," according to an executive summary of the fraud report released by the Supreme Court in February 2022. Auditors also said they had given the Judicial Department "multiple opportunities to review the report and executive summary and redact information they identified as privileged, attorney work product or subject to other legal protections" before its release. The Denver district attorneys office received a redacted copy of the report the same day the court released the summary. The report itself has not been made public, although Chief Justice Brian Boatright, who released the summary, said the entire document would be shared with investigators. But prosecutors quickly determined the three-year statute of limitations to file any felony charges tied to the case was to expire in April or May 2022, leaving them only a couple of months to complete an inquiry that would typically take several months, according to several people familiar with the matter and with the investigative process. The statute of time to file any misdemeanor charges was even shorter. That basically meant no charges could be filed. State law appears to require that prosecutors be notified much sooner than they were. If the (auditors fraud) investigation finds evidence of apparently illegal transactions or misuse or embezzlement of public funds or property, the state auditors shall immediately report the matter to a law enforcement agency, a district attorney, or the attorney general, as appropriate, according to the states law regarding fraud hotline investigations. Auditors cited that law in their executive summary and their requirement to let law enforcement know what they found, but quote only the first half of the sentence and paraphrase the remainder, leaving out the operative word "immediately." Without elaborating, Denver prosecutors said they chose only to look into allegations that Masias and Brown had double-dipped the states pay system. The two allegedly received state compensation while being paid for work by an outside employer, according to the audit summary. Auditors determined Masias and Brown earned $17,200 and $26,800, respectively, in state salaries in 2018 and 2019 while simultaneously being paid an undisclosed amount by outside employers. The two were sought-after speakers on personnel issues, mostly through the National Center for State Courts. "Based on the totality of the circumstances, the (Office of the State Auditor) concludes that there is at least some evidence of occupational fraud, apparently illegal transactions, and/or misuse or embezzlement of public funds," auditors wrote in a report summary. Although auditors said they also found that Masias and Brown attempted "to influence the (bidding process), sole-source contract, and related processes in favor of Ms. Masias" that ultimately ended up with her being awarded a judicial training contract worth up to $2.75 million, Tyler said prosecutors were not looking into that deal. The contract was canceled following the newspaper reports that exposed it. Boatrights statement in February did not specifically address a two-page memo that was allegedly at the center of the contract deal in which Masias reportedly threatened a sex discrimination lawsuit that would expose years of judicial misconduct that were intentionally kept quiet or put aside. Masias was being fired at the time over financial irregularities that occurred months earlier. According to their summary, auditors "found that Ms. Masias had access to potentially damaging information about the Judicial Branch. This information included notes about alleged sexual misconduct, discrimination, and other misconduct by Judicial Branch staff and judges. Additionally, there is evidence that Ms. Masias secretly recorded her conversation with former Chief Justice Nancy Rice, which included a discussion about why Ms. Masias was not selected to be State Court Administrator when she applied for that job." The contract scandal led to at least six different investigations five of them ongoing and the recent creation of a legislative committee to determine whether the states process of disciplining judges is in need of reform. At the time Boatright issued the audit summary, he said the full report would be given to investigators of other pending inquiries, but did not say which of the five he meant. It is unclear if the investigators of the other inquiries were given a report as heavily redacted as the one the Denver DA received. One of those inquiries, by the Colorado Commission on Judicial Discipline, has subpoenaed the Judicial Department to compel its cooperation after it said it had been stonewalled. Azerbaijan as the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is making a valuable contribution to the development of the welfare of the African continent, Azernews reports, citing Egyptian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hisham Nagy. The ambassador made the remarks at a conference on "Role of the African continent in the assessment of Non-Aligned Movement" dedicated to Africa Day on May 26. The diplomat urged unity for the sustainable development of not only the African continent but also the whole world under the new geopolitical reality. He expressed appreciation of Azerbaijans successful chairmanship in the NAM. In turn, Azerbaijan's Permanent Representative to the African Union (AU) Elman Abdullayev stated that the country seeks to bring the activities of the NAM to a new level. "Azerbaijan's presidency is very important within the framework of the NAM. The current geopolitical realities and challenges pose new challenges for us. Azerbaijan has a historic mission that it must continue," Abdullayev said. According to him, throughout history, African countries have made the greatest contribution to the development of the NAM, and Azerbaijan is in dialogue with them. "Africa is a dynamically developing continent. We are considering how the NAM can contribute to solving the problems of the African continent," Abdullayev added. Speaking at the conference, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov noted the constantly developing cooperation between Azerbaijan and African countries. Noting that work is underway to develop and diversify ties between Azerbaijan and the countries of the African continent, the minister said that ties deepened further during the period of Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the NAM. The African continent plays an important role in the NAM. Azerbaijan provided humanitarian and medical assistance to African countries to reduce the impact of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, Azerbaijan, together with UNESCO, implemented in these countries projects in the sphere of development of girls' education," Bayramov added. Separately, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Azerbaijan Mohammed Adil Embarch expressed his wish for more representation of African countries in Azerbaijan. He stated that there are five embassies of African nations in the Azerbaijani capital - Baku, and all of them are states representing northern Africa. "However, it is necessary that more African countries be represented in Azerbaijan," Embarch noted. The diplomat added that African countries are striving to expand and diversify relations with Azerbaijan. According to the ambassador, today's conference in Baku will contribute to the relations between the peoples of Azerbaijan and the African continent. "The African community itself holds events dedicated to its culture all over the world, but everything is different in Azerbaijan. Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov himself took the initiative and contributed to the organization of the celebration of Africa Day," Embarch also added. The main purpose of the conference dedicated to Africa Day was to discuss the role of African heritage in the history of the Non-Aligned Movement and address how the movement can better promote the interests of African countries in the current context of international relations. Diplomatic corps accredited in Azerbaijan, academic circles, researchers, students from African Union countries, as well as members of NGOs, and numerous media representatives attended the event. It should be noted that African countries, making up almost 45 percent of the total number of the NAM states, are actively involved in promoting their values ??and fundamental principles. As the current chair of the organization, Azerbaijan has identified the African continent as one of the priority regions to focus on during its chairmanship. Are We There Yet? Lets Check the Maps, an antique map exhibit at the Mitchell County Historical Society Museum in Osage, has uncovered more than just maps. While researching map origins, organizers found several interesting stories, not the least of which is the tale of Henry Holdship, whose 1857 map on display contains one of Osages earliest plats. They discovered a surprising history about Holdship, who played a part in one of the nations worst disasters of the 19th century. In the 1850s, Henry Holdship and his brother, Charles, came to Iowa from Pennsylvania to establish a bank in Decorah. After the U.S. Land Office closed in that town, the pair apparently the sole members of Holdship and Co. followed the land office to Osage to help broker the sale of the public domain lands there. They were successful. According to the 1918 History of Mitchell and Worth Counties, $1 million dollars changed hands over one frantic weekend. In todays dollars, that would equal approximately $33 million. The map, used as a promotional tool for the sales, raises a lot of interest from museum visitors, from the Holdship Park incorporated into the plat, to the notations for road to the Mississippi and the non-existent River Street. Unlike many in that day, the map is elegantly designed. It was an enterprising time and you can only wonder if the Holdships would have continued west as more federal lands opened. Henry was only 24 years old at the time of the Osage land sale. However, Charles died in 1859 and Henry opted to return to his hometown of Pittsburgh, Penn. He eventually joined another brother, George, in pioneering oil fields in western Pennsylvania in the 1860s. After several years the venture proved successful. Holdship was walking in the same circles as steel magnate Andrew Carnegie and industrialists Andrew Mellon and Henry Clay Frick. All were members of the exclusive South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, which owned the South Fork Dam 14 miles north of Johnstown, Penn. Behind the dam was the Lake Conemaugh reservoir. The dam was built by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania some 50 years before as part of a canal system. When the canal system was later abandoned, the canal and reservoir were sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad. The railroad, in turn, sold the property to private investors who eventually established the exclusive club. Completing the getaway was a clubhouse and 16 cabins, including one built by Holdship in 1883. It is claimed the dam was compromised when it was modified by the club. The changes included lowering the top of the dam to make it wider for carriages to cross its expanse and putting fish screens over the spillway to reduce fish loss during high flows, according to the National Park Service. The screens later caught debris which contributed to the break. The club also failed to correctly patch holes from an earlier break and it never replaced sluice pipes which had been removed. The result, as history tells us, was disastrous. On May 31, 1889, two days of constant rain resulted in the catastrophic failure of the dam, which allowed 20 million tons of water to rage towards Johnstown, Pennsylvania, some 14 miles downstream. It swamped smaller hamlets and farms along the way, carrying pieces of structures homes, barns, even animals in its growing and monstrous flow. By the time it hit Johnstown, the giant mass of water and debris, some 40 feet high and traveling at 40 miles per hour, acted like a killing machine, grinding everything in its path. By the time it was over, according to the Johnstown Area Heritage Association, over 2,200 people including 99 entire families had died. The disaster earned the title of the worst disaster for loss of civilian life in the 19th century. While many filed legal suits against the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, no claims were ever granted. Visitors can find the Holdship map as well as almost 100 others in the Are We There Yet? Lets Check the Maps antique map display at the Mitchell County Historical Society Museum, located at the Cedar River Complex in Osage. County and state maps, as well as geological and aerial maps, ranging from 1836 to the present day, fill the exhibit. The museum is open from 1-5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. There is no entry fee. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Iowa Lakes Community College releases the Spring 2022 Honors Lists recognizing students who achieve the highest academic standards earning inclusion on the President's Honor List or Dean's List. For the Spring 2022 semester, 109 students made the President's Honor List, an honor achieved by those who recorded a 4.0 GPA, and 191 students made the Dean's List of students who earned a 3.25 GPA or higher for the semester. In addition to achieving the required GPA, students must also be full-time and enrolled in 12 or more graded credits to be eligible for the President's Honor List or Dean's lists. Iowa Lakes Community College adheres to the Higher Learning Commission, the Iowa Department of Education, Veterans Administration, and the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) guidelines to ensure students obtain a quality accredited education. More about Iowa Lakes Community College: Located in the Iowa Great Lakes, one of the Midwest's most dynamic and energetic regions, Iowa Lakes Community College offers individuals more than 60 nationally recognized degrees, certifications, and pre-professional programs to consider for a future career. Iowa Lakes campuses are located throughout a five-county area in Algona, Emmetsburg, Estherville, Spencer and Spirit Lake. Ranked in the top twenty community colleges in the nation*, Iowa Lakes graduates are well prepared to continue a four-year bachelor's degree program or start a high-demand career with the knowledge, preparation, and skills needed to succeed. Iowa Lakes offers students of all ages and life stages multiple options to continue their education. Financial aid is available to ensure education is affordable. In addition, dedicated faculty and staff help students at Iowa Lakes achieve personal, academic, and professional goals. Graduates: Jack Langfritz*, President's List and Hannah Main, Dean's List from Buffalo Center; MaKiley Pesicka, Dean's List from Burt; Jennie Ingersoll*, President's List from Charles City; Logan Longhenry, Dean's List from Fenton; Austin Connerley, Dean's List from Floyd; Abigail Pugh, Dean's List from Goldfield; Sarah Kirschbaum*, President's List from Leland; Trevor Kruse*, President's List from Lone Rock; Lawton Divis, Dean's List and Carson Halsrud*, President's List from Lu Verne; Joanna Fullerton, Dean's List from Luverne; Olivia Pierce, Dean's List from Osage; Kellen Cameron, President's List from Sheffield; From Swea City: Kennedy Krantz, Dean's List; Lisa Marcellus, President's List; Shayla Reese, Dean's List; and Delaney Anderson, Dean's List from Wesley Rae Burnette is a GA and Crime & Courts Reporter at the Globe Gazette. You can reach her by phone at 641.421.0523 or at Rae.Burnette@GlobeGazette.com Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Authorities on Monday released the name of a Moline man they say was killed after being struck by a SUV on the Interstate 74 bridge pedestrian path early Sunday. OFFICIAL EXPLANATION Project SC Butler: Sentence Correction (SC1) THE PROMPT Quote: Citizens often demand that a presidential candidate release their tax records in order to determine how much has been taken by the government. MEANING? insist disclose insist demand not that It is necessary that he arrive early to class. require: Correct Correct demand demand. The citizens demanded to see the candidate's tax records. The citizens demanded the candidate to produce her or his tax records. I demanded that she tell me the truth. I demanded to hear the truth from her. I demanded to hear her tell me the truth. I demanded her to tell me the truth. demand I demanded the truth. Structure of command subjunctive? to laugh, to listen, to be paid laugh, listen, be paid bb person they his or her they THE OPTIONS Quote: A) release their tax records in order to determine how much has been taken by the government. their presidential candidate Quote: B) release his or her tax records in order to determine how much has been taken by the government. release demand his or her Quote: C) releases his or her tax records in order to determine how much have been taken by the government. demand that releases release have has how much. much How much of the money was embezzled? How much of the ice cream shake remains? How much air pollution is allowed by the EPA? Quote: D) release their tax records in order to determine how much have been taken by the government. their his or her have has Quote: E) releases his or her tax records in order to determine how much has been taken by the government. releases release The correct answer is B. COMMENTS find ones that provide examples and do not try to sort out the many rule permutations. Just keep reading examples: the more, the better. We writers and editors don't always know how to articulate quickly the terminology of a certain construction, but reading enough examples has taught us to recognize both the weird-but-correct way and the weird-and-dead-wrong way. Good explanation and examples, Indirect objects that do not involve a preposition (i.e., that do NOT say for her, to me, on the table, etc.) HERE. Challenging but good, Below are a few sources that discuss indirect objects. If you look for your own sites,and do not try to sort out the many rule permutations.We writers and editors don't always know how to articulate quickly the terminology of a certain construction, but reading enough examples has taught us to recognize both the weird-but-correct way and the weird-and-dead-wrong way.Good explanation and examples, HERE. Indirect objects that do not involve a preposition (i.e., that do NOT sayetc.)Challenging but good, HERE. fiesta wrote: Frobisher, a sixteenth-century English explorer, had soil samples from Canadas Kodlunarn Island examined for gold content. Because high gold content was reported, Elizabeth I funded two mining expeditions. Neither expedition found any gold there. Modern analysis of the islands soil indicates a very low gold content. Thus the methods used to determine the gold content of Frobishers samples must have been inaccurate. Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends? (A) The gold content of the soil on Kodlunarn Island is much lower today than it was in the sixteenth century. (B) The two mining expeditions funded by Elizabeth I did not mine the same part of Kodlunarn Island. (C) The methods used to assess gold content of the soil samples provided by Frobisher were different from those generally used in the sixteenth century. (D) Frobisher did not have soil samples from any other Canadian island examined for gold content. (E) Gold was not added to the soil samples collected by Frobisher before the samples were examined. The methods used to determine the gold content of Frobishers samples must have been inaccurate. was added Owner of Angles and Arguments at https://anglesandarguments.com/ NOW PUBLISHED - SENTENCE CORRECTION MODULE (Check out the complete list of topics covered on our Blog or our social media) For Individual GMAT Study Modules, check For Private Tutoring, check KarishmaOwner of Angles and Arguments at https://anglesandarguments.com/(Check out the complete list of topics covered on our Blog or our social media)For Individual GMAT Study Modules, check Study Modules > For Private Tutoring, check Private Tutoring > Signature Read More Let us read the question stem first. We are looking for an assumption. An assumption is a necessary missing premise. We are looking for the option that needs to be true for the conclusion to be true.Premises:Frobisher had soil samples from Canadas Kodlunarn Island examined for gold content.Because high gold content was reported, Elizabeth I funded two mining expeditions.Neither expedition found any gold there.Modern analysis of the islands soil indicates a very low gold content.Tell me, when you read the above premises, what possibilities come to mind? Frobisher had samples examined. High gold content was reported. No gold was actually found. Modern analysis show very low gold content.The following possibilities come to my mind:1. Either there was gold and before the expeditions were sent, it was mined (very unlikely!)2. His methods were inaccurate.3. Someone had added gold to the soil he tested.Conclusion:If I am concluding that his methods were inaccurate, then I am assuming that no one added gold to his samples and gold was not mined before the expeditions were sent. (Technically, gold could have been added and his methods could have been inaccurate too but lets not mess with that.)Hence option (E) is an assumption.Also, use you can use assumption negation technique to see that it is the right answer.I negate (E) : Goldto the soil samples collected by Frobisher before the samples were examined.I can not conclude now that his methods were inaccurate.Hence (E) is the correct answer.Option (C) is not correct. We did not assume in the argument that his methods were different. They could have been the same ones generally used in the 16th century, It is possible that 16th century methods were not accurate._________________ By Azernews Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has stated that Azerbaijan has identified the African continent as one of its priority regions as the rotating chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Azernews reports, citing the ministry. Bayramov made the remarks at the conference on the topic of Legacy of the African continent in the evolution of the Non-Aligned Movement dedicated to Africa Day in Baku on May 26. Since the assumption of the chairmanship of NAM coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, Azerbaijan, in its both national and NAM chair capacities, has spared no efforts to promote the global initiatives that aimed to minimize the impact of the pandemic on the developing countries, particularly on African countries, Bayramov stressed. Azerbaijan has offered considerable financial and humanitarian support to African nations, particularly through the Azerbaijan International Development Agency, in order to reduce the impact of the crisis situation on the African people. Azerbaijan has also contributed to the development of education in Africa, collaborating on programs in the field of girls' education with UNESCO, the minister underlined. As we all know 25 May the founding day of the African Unity Organization is observed as Africa Day around the world. This day is an opportunity to recognize the progress made throughout the African continent, and the role of the African Union in promoting peace and security, economic development, and global cooperation, Bayramov said. Recalling Azerbaijans observer status in the African Union since 2011, Bayramov highlighted that cooperation with African nations is growing at a rapid pace, becoming more active in size and spreading to new aspects. The level and the intensity of our contacts with African countries are growing. The systematic work is being carried out in order to strengthen and diversify the existing cooperation, he added. The top diplomat underlined that under Azerbaijans NAM chairmanship, relations between Azerbaijan and African countries have gained a new impetus. Azerbaijans NAM chairmanship established the Youth Network of the Non-Aligned Movement in October 2021, which includes youth organizations and delegates from African nations. Some of them are participating in this conference because they are studying in Azerbaijan on a scholarship sponsored by the Azerbaijani government, the minister reminded. Furthermore, Bayramov noted that NAM attaches great importance to the continent and played a significant role in its decolonization process. The problems on the African continent have occupied the majority of the Outcome Documents of NAM Summits and Ministerial Meetings. Almost half of the NAM summits and other movement gatherings have been hosted by African countries to date. Accounting for over 45 percent of its membership, African nations have historically been the flag-bearers of the Non-Aligned Movement since its creation, he added. Owning an enormous potential, Africa is a continent of hope and promise. The world has much to gain from this continent which has the youngest population in the world. Here in NAM, we acknowledge and cherish this vast potential, Bayramov stressed. According to him, despite their ideological, political, economic, social, and cultural diversity, NAM countries have demonstrated their ability to overcome their differences and find a common ground for action that leads to mutual cooperation and upholding their shared values over the course of its 60-year existence. Contribution of African countries, by no doubt, have been priceless in enduring the NAM throughout the decades and I hope todays conference will constitute an excellent opportunity to reflect on it, he added. As the world changes and evolves, it is critical that the member countries renew their commitment to the fundamental values of humanism and universalism, Bayramov said. Azerbaijan will spare no efforts during its NAM Chairmanship and beyond to work with the member states, including the ones in the African continent to promote multilateral diplomacy and strengthen cooperation, friendship, and solidarity between members of the NAM, he stressed. So many accounts of this continents past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this new found land and its human inhabitants for their respective empires. These arrogant assertions always have been challenged by native peoples, but nonetheless jurists and scholars have inscribed them in American law and in the written histories from which the law springs. And with heads bowed, or with a bounteous welcome, too many native peoples in too many of these accounts prepare to greet their colonizers as saviors, whatever their initial misgivings. When the Algonquian-speaking peoples of the Carolina Sounds first saw the English colonists sent to occupy Roanoke Island in 1585, for instance, the astute English observer Thomas Harriot reported that they began to make a great and horrible crye as people which never before had seen men appareled like us. Confused and savage, they made out, Harriot continued, cries like wild beasts or men out of their wits. Soon they calmed themselves, in Harriots eyes, and stopped acting like beasts, and regained their wits, but only after the newcomers presented them with gifts that demonstrated and confirmed their benevolent intent. These native peoples soon would debate amongst themselves, as they considered the great power these newcomers seemed to possess, whether they were gods or men. That is how Harriot saw it, yet today many Americans still believe that it is with the arrival of Europeans that their nations history begins. We could find, if we looked, dozens of accounts of discovery that differed from Harriots only in their details. These moments of encounter, depicted so often over the years in the work of American artists, historians, and myth-makers, represent the opening of a grand story the growth and development of the United States. All that happened before these seminal moments, as a result, has been ignored or trivialized by earlier generations of American historians, who celebrated the progress of a new nation. 1. The author of this passage is primarily concerned with (A) discussing the impact the arrival of European settlers to the North American continent had on existing native peoples (B) disputing the claims made by many jurists and scholars that the native inhabitants of North America welcomed European settlers with open arms (C) verifying the accuracy of Harriots account of the 1585 English arrival on Roanoke Island (D) demonstrating how Harriots account of the 1585 English arrival on Roanoke Island differed from those of other English historians and scholars (E) distinguishing myth from reality in regard to the reception early European settlers received from North Americas native peoples 2. Upon whom does the author place blame for perpetuating the inaccuracies in the depictions of the arrival of European settlers on the land that is now North America? (A) Harriot (B) American historians (C) Europeans (D) Algonquin-speaking peoples (E) English colonizers 3. It can be inferred from the passage that the authors primary issue with early accounts of the arrival of European settlers on the North American continent is that (A) they fail to accurately depict the way the native people reacted to the European settlers after the settlers showed their benevolence (B) despite being disputed by native peoples, they still influence American art, written history, and law (C) they create the image that native peoples welcomed the English colonists ashore and viewed them as saviors without reporting how the colonists felt about seeing the native inhabitants (D) much of what has made its way into American law and history books strays substantially from the accounts of English settlers who were present to observe the events (E) they largely ignore the native peoples initial response to the arrival of European settlers 4. Which of the following is not a description Harriot used to depict the native peoples initial reaction to him and other settlers of Roanoke Island? (A) witless (B) bewildered (C) savage (D) benevolent (E) beast-like (A) discussing the impact the arrival of European settlers to the North American continent had on existing native peoples(B) disputing the claims made by many jurists and scholars that the native inhabitants of North America welcomed European settlers with open arms(C) verifying the accuracy of Harriots account of the 1585 English arrival on Roanoke Island(D) demonstrating how Harriots account of the 1585 English arrival on Roanoke Island differed from those of other English historians and scholars(E) distinguishing myth from reality in regard to the reception early European settlers received from North Americas native peoples(A) Harriot(B) American historians(C) Europeans(D) Algonquin-speaking peoples(E) English colonizers(A) they fail to accurately depict the way the native people reacted to the European settlers after the settlers showed their benevolence(B) despite being disputed by native peoples, they still influence American art, written history, and law(C) they create the image that native peoples welcomed the English colonists ashore and viewed them as saviors without reporting how the colonists felt about seeing the native inhabitants(D) much of what has made its way into American law and history books strays substantially from the accounts of English settlers who were present to observe the events(E) they largely ignore the native peoples initial response to the arrival of European settlers(A) witless(B) bewildered(C) savage(D) benevolent(E) beast-like The Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill came close to landing a $5.5 billion Hyundai electric vehicle manufacturing plant recently, according to local officials. The 3,500-acre park was one of the top two sites in the country considered by the South Korea-based automobile manufacturer, said Del. Danny Marshall, R-Danville. The project would have brought about 8,500 jobs to the Dan River Region, he said. But the company chose to locate at a site in Bryan County, Georgia, near Savannah, The Associated Press reported May 20. At one point, the company was looking at sites in 10 states, Marshall said Friday. The project was probably the largest that Berry Hill, and the closest the region has gotten to attracting such a large endeavor, he said. We were told this would have been the largest economic development project in rural U.S.A., Marshall said. Georgias governor called Hyundais plans the largest economic development project in the states history, the AP reported. Hyundai said it plans to employ at least 8,100 workers at the Georgia plant, where it will assemble electric vehicles as well as vehicle batteries, according to the AP. State and local officials in Georgia had bought a tract for $61 million last year in hopes of luring a major manufacturer. The state of Georgia and partner local governments bought 2,200 acres in Bryan County a year ago to lure a large manufacturer but the site wasnt large enough for Hyundai, so the state and its partners purchased two additional neighboring tracts to expand the site to more than 2,900 acres, according to the AP. Hyundai is expected to begin construction early next year and begin making up to 300,000 vehicles per year starting in 2025, the AP reported. The company and state officials said they expect suppliers to invest an additional $1 billion in the area, according to the AP. Hyundai Motor Group sells cars under the Hyundai and Kia brands. The South Korean automaker already operates two American assembly plants in Montgomery, Alabama, and in West Point, Georgia. Economic development officials in Danville and Pittsylvania County would not confirm that Hyundai was considering locating at the park, but did say Berry Hill was eyed for a major project. The final decision was an extremely close call, said Danville Economic Development Director Corrie T. Bobe. The mega site in southwestern Pittsylvania County is owned by the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority, a joint entity that purchases property with taxpayer money for economic development projects. Bobe congratulated Georgia for winning the project and added that the Dan River Region has invested heavily in development of the mega site. It is at the point that it is incredibly attractive to high-impact projects, Bobe said. Pittsylvania County Economic Development Director Matt Rowe said, This is a very hugely competitive site. its always in consideration for transformative projects. Marshall said there was a lot of discussion back and forth between Gov. Glenn Youngkin, state and local officials, and Hyundai representatives. Bobe and Rowe gave a presentation on the Berry Hill mega site to the companys executives, Marshall added, praising Bobes and Rowes skills. Any citizen who would sit there and listen would be very proud of them for how well-researched they were about the company, Marshall said of Bobe and Rowe. He also credited the work of Linda Green, executive director of the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance. Other officials involved in discussions were state Sen. Frank Ruff and Dan Pleasant, chair of the board of directors for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Georgia edged out the mega site because the Bryan County location was further along its site grading than Berry Hill, Marshall said. Were going to put more money into the site so we can have a larger area graded so that will not be a problem in the future, Marshall said. Rowe said everything was fairly equal in the site selection process. We certainly appreciate Danny being supportive in getting more money for the mega site, Rowe said. Green added that weve had bipartisan and bicameral agreement on the importance of mega site funding and mega site development. The Dan River Region and localities in a 60-mile radius of the area would provide plenty of workers for an 8,000-plus-job project, Rowe said. The area including Greensboro and Rockingham County, North Carolina, in addition to Danville and Pittsylvania County, would provide about 500,000 laborers, Rowe said. Raleigh, Durham and Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as well as Roanoke and Lynchburg would also bring workers, he added. There is a significant workforce here, Green said. Also, the region is heavily investing in creating a workforce pipeline from middle school to high school and to community college and beyond, Bobe said. We are in close proximity to a large number of colleges and universities and research-and-development institutions for attracting large manufacturers, she said. 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. Two Danville City Council members are calling for more benches at the citys bus stops. Of Danvilles 364 city bus stops, only 41 have benches and just 18 of those have shelters. City councilmen James Buckner and Lee Vogler want to change that. I dont have anything bad to say about the transit system, Buckner, who serves on the citys Transportation Advisory Board, said. All were looking to do is to improve all of that [bus stops] for our citizens, would-be citizens and visitors. Buckner pointed out that the upcoming Caesars Virginia casino and White Mill project will bring more visitors to the city. With whats coming to the city, with the casino, public transit is going to be even more important than before, Vogler said. Buckner introduced the idea several years ago, and he and Vogler had talked about bus stop improvements since, but we got sidetracked by COVID and other items, Vogler said. Since the citys recent approval of enhanced real estate tax relief for seniors, Buckner and Vogler decided to take action on the bus stop matter. Were getting out of budget time and we have a chance to take a step back and look at what needs to be addressed, Vogler said. Danvilles transportation department is evaluating all of the citys bus stop locations and looking for opportunities to add passenger benches, said Transportation Director Marc Adelman. However, inadequate right-of-way at many locations makes addition of benches at some sites unfeasible, Adelman said. Thats the challenge, he said. The city plans to provide to a consultant an inventory of bus stop locations identifying where there is enough right-of-way and whether a bench can be installed safely along the bus routes, Adelman said. Were providing this to a consultant whos developing a six-year transit-development plan update, he said. Once the consultant reviews the information, recommendations will be provided to add additional benches and shelters where possible. Vogler said he believed focus should be on commercial areas of the city that see the most use but have no benches. Vogler mentioned bus stops in the areas of Riverside Drive and Westover Drive as examples. The citys Transportation Advisory Committee will evaluate all the information and recommendations provided by the consultants and the city will seek state and federal grants to pay for the projects based on recommendations from the committee, Adelman said. I do believe we will find additional locations for some shelters and for some additional benches, but were challenged by limited right-of-way, he said. In addition, the citys transportation department is looking at removing some bus stops because theyve become crowded by bushes and trees, posing a danger for riders because they are forced to stand in the street to wait for a bus, Adelman said. As for ridership, fixed-route bus use has fallen 30% since 2020 due to passenger concern about COVID, Adelman said. However, were seeing a marginal uptick due to higher fuel prices, he added. Senior transportation is down 21% and Handivan use has decreased as well. But Reserve-A-Ride, used mostly by passengers traveling to and from work, is up 27%, Adelman added. Over 90% of the people using this use it for work, he said. Plus, theyre traveling in smaller groups, with three or four people on the bus at one time. 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. An animal shelter advocate who travels the nation raising money for local organizations is bringing his tour to Danville again next week. Kris Rotonda, of Jordans Way, will host a live Facebook event for his social media followers from 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesday at the Danville Area Humane Society. The local humane society also will broadcast the event via Facebook. When Rotonda brought fundraising efforts to Danville in 2020, it raised more than $17,000 for the local public animal shelter. That money went toward the April Hogan Shelter Animal Fund, named after a longtime shelter manager. It contains money needed to help with medical or health issues for certain animals before they are ready to be adopted, Paulette Dean, the executive director of the Danville Area Humane Society, said in 2020. When we received a telephone call from the Jordans Way organization, informing us that the Danville Area Humane Society had been chosen for a return visit, we were very grateful, Dean said. The money raised during the first event has enabled us to provide veterinary treatment for shelter animals who would otherwise not be adoptable. While funding is steady mainly due to large donations more animals are coming into the shelter. Our intake numbers are very high this year, Dean told the Register & Bee on Friday. We remain open-admission and that is a challenge as desperate people contact us for help with animals that have been turned away by limited-admission managed intake shelters. Rotonda has a high energy event planned, Kathy Contratto, president of the humane society board, said in a statement. We invite everyone to join the event and we promise to help animals with the money raised. In addition to funding, Dean said the local group could use more volunteers to help out with events and help socialize shelter animals. The next volunteer orientation is planned at 4 p.m. Thursday. We also need foster homes for kittens especially, Dean said. To learn more, visit the Jordans Way Facebook page. 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. Achievers Nicholas Sissel of High Point recently earned a Top Paper Award from the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The award recognizes the highest class grade for classes taken during the spring, summer and fall semesters in 2021. Sissel earned the award in Civil Procedure I, fall 2021. Announcements This summer, UNCG will open its campus to local youth and offer more than 15 camps led by faculty, students and experts. Camps include sports, music, engineering, writing, coding and YouTube streaming. For information, visit tinyurl.com/yc8e4ar5. Awards Greensboro College has named Krystal Michelle Pruitt its Distinguished Graduate Student for 2022. Krystal, a native of Wentworth, received the award along with her M.A. in theology, ethics and culture during the colleges commencement May 7. The award, established in 2014, is presented annually at commencement. The winner is selected by the faculty from among all nominees. Honors Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, welcomed 1,971 new initiates from 78 universities during April 2022. Students initiated into the society must be sophomores, juniors, seniors or graduate/professional students in the top 35% of their class, demonstrate leadership experience in at least one of the five pillars, and embrace the ODK ideals. Fewer than 5% of students on a campus are invited to join each year. Local initiates: Candace Jacobs of Kernersville, East Carolina University; Lindsey Grogan of Eden, East Carolina University; and Katherine Herzberger of Kernersville, Randolph-Macon College. Scholarships The Park Scholarships program at N.C. State has named 42 students, including Abigail Lynn Mulry, daughter of Matthew and Margaret Mulry, to its Class of 2026 the 27th class of Park Scholars. The Park Scholarships program brings exceptional students to N.C. State based on outstanding accomplishments and potential in scholarship, leadership, service and character. The program provides a four-year scholarship valued at approximately $116,000 for in-state students and approximately $208,000 for out-of-state students. Mulry will graduate from Northern Guilford High School. For information, visit https://park.ncsu.edu/2022/05/11/class-2026/. * * * * The Goodnight Scholars Program at N.C. State has revealed the 50 recipients from 32 North Carolina counties selected for its new cohort of scholars. Local students include: Anthony Bell, Western Guilford High School; Kiran Khan, Smith High School; Alexander Scruggs, Southwestern Randolph High School; and Emanuella Tran, Providence Grove High School. The Goodnight Scholarship is valued at $22,000 per year for up to four years ($88,000) for traditional students. The cohorts receive access to a comprehensive student development program that includes weekly programming, exclusive travel opportunities and enrichment grant funding. For information, visit https://tinyurl.com/3h5d6cz3. Send press releases to people@greensboro.com. GREENSBORO Police say they are looking for suspects in two different incidents overnight that sent two people to the hospital. Officers responded at 11:16 p.m. Thursday to the 100 block of South Elm Street about an assault and located a victim who had been struck by an unknown blunt object. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to a news release from the Greensboro Police Department. At 1:41 a.m. today, officers responded to the 3800 block of Gilmore Drive about a shooting. The victim was taken by ambulance to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Police have not released any other details about either incident. Authorities ask anyone with information to contact Greensboro/Guilford Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000; or, download the mobile P3tips app for Apple or Android phones to submit a mobile tip. GREENSBORO Guilford County Schools is looking at adding body scanners at its high schools. Bid documents posted on the districts website show in its request for proposals, which closed May 12, the district sought a company that would be able to provide a touchless system that could automatically detect weapons without requiring visitors to unpack purses or other bags. Under the districts specifications, the scanner would detect items such as guns, pipes and knives, but not activate for items like belts, keys, wallets and cell phones. The district doesnt define who would count as a visitor. In the request, the district said it was interested in trying out the scanners at its 19 traditional high schools and academies, and if that trial proved successful, the program could be expanded to the districts 23 middle schools. District spokeswoman Nora Shoptaw said Thursday night in a text message that the district sought information from vendors about scanners as part of its planning for spending of federal COVID-19 relief dollars. She said the district wants to find out about the availability of scanners that could improve school safety without a negative impact to the school environment. Shoptaw said the district would hold a public discussion before buying equipment. Safety has consistently been a priority in Guilford County Schools, she wrote. Deena Hayes-Greene, chairwoman of the Guilford County Board of Education, said Wednesday that board members had a recent opportunity to sample a body scanner as they walked through one to get to their regular meeting. She confirmed that the school administration has been looking into the possibility of body scanners for schools as part of a broader, ongoing exploration of possible school safety strategies. Hayes-Greene said she wants to support whatever research indicates will make students safer, whether that turns out to be body scanners or other ideas. Using airport-style body scanners in U.S. schools is a recent development, with the first of them being put in place in a couple of South Carolina school districts in 2020, according to an article on the Slate news website. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bought 21 body scanners for just under $5 million, according to WCNC-Channel 36. According to the station, the district started putting in the first scanners in its high schools about two months ago. On May 2, the second day after body scanners were installed at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, a scanner detected a loaded gun carried by a student, who was then arrested. The TV station reports that some students have said they have seen longer lines to get into school due to the devices. In a response to the station, a spokesman said the reports of lines represented growing pains as the district rolled out the devices and that, all of our schools are reporting that the new system is going well and not interfering with daily instruction. Contact Jessie Pounds at 336-373-7002 and follow @JessiePounds on Twitter. 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. GREENSBORO Elected officials took tenuous steps Thursday toward spending a portion of the $104 million Guilford County is promised under the American Rescue Plan Act. During a Board of Commissioners work session, County Manager Michael Halford provided a glimpse of how the county might spend nearly $62 million of that money. The proposed allocations were based on the boards previous direction, input from the community and the needs as seen by county staff, Halford said. For some projects, however, Halford sought a sense of whether commissioners were supportive enough to set the money aside to pursue them. They are time-sensitive immediately or they will take time to do and we need to have that upfront time to begin now, Halford told commissioners. However, commissioners were leery of committing much of the money without more details about the projects and how they would benefit the community. What is the return on investment for spending $10 million here or $5 million here? Commissioner Alan Perdue asked. Halford agreed that more details are necessary, but said that the projects fall under the priorities previously identified by the board. We do need to start sliding these dollars around, Halford said. Chairman Melvin Skip Alston suggested that the board have a work session devoted to the American Rescue Plan funding and projects recommended by staff after the county finalizes its annual budget in late June. I wonder if it would be helpful for commissioners to have a little homework before that work session on their own time to dig into those lists, Commissioner Carly Cooke said. Commissioners informally agreed to set aside money for some of projects because of their time-sensitive nature. They include: $10 million to support a foundational strategy, integrated services and data sharing for healthy early childhood environments and education. This total includes submissions from Say Yes Guilford; Ready for School, Ready for Life; and the United Way of Greensboro. $350,000 to increase the number of foster families by 150. That money would be used by the countys social services department, which works closely with the Childrens Home Society. We lost families during COVID, Halford said. $1.7 million for the Family Justice Center/Department of Social Services Protective Services Team. The money would pay for eight social services workers, which Halford said would provide more seamless service for families seeking help. $400,000 to expand the countys EMT and Paramedic Academy. $1.1 million to start a county Fire Academy to help boost the number of firefighters. $600,000 for the Tenant Education, Advocacy and Mediation Project. This is an ongoing project by Legal Aid of North Carolina, working with UNCG, which focuses on eviction diversion. A total of $2.6 million was requested for four to five years. However, the contract is up June 30 so Halford will ask for formal approval to fund one year of the project at a commissioners meeting next month. Contact Kenwyn Caranna at 336-373-7082 and follow @kcaranna on Twitter. Whose blood will spill, whose heart will break? Wholl be the last to die for a mistake? Bruce Springsteen, Last To Die And once again: Why? Its the question we always find ourselves asking in moments like this, the understanding we always seek as bodies lay strewn and the air is rent by shrieks of mourning. But for all that, the answer is no mystery. As is so often the case with Americas miseries, if you seek the origin story, if you follow the twisted roots back to the beginning, you will find people who were desperate to guard the ramparts of white supremacy. For instance, as historian Kevin M. Kruse points out in The 1619 Project, we sit in traffic gridlock because suburban voters routinely reject mass transit measures for fear their distant enclaves might become more accessible to people of color from the city centers. So when you survey last weeks too familiar carnage in Uvalde, Texas two teachers and 19 children slain at an elementary school by a demented teenager with an AR-15 it is, yes, fair to indict the tattered mental-health system, the craven politicians, the greedy gun industry and the American firearms fetish that enabled it. But dont forget the founders, who, as historian Carol Anderson shows in her book, The Second, were essentially held hostage by Southern states that refused to join the new country unless it guaranteed their militias would not be disarmed. See, they depended on those militias to protect against uprisings by enslaved Africans. Thus was born the Second Amendment enshrining the right to keep and bear arms. Youd hope the rest of us had some rights, too our children, especially. Youd hope they had the right to laugh until milk squirts out their noses and then, the right to laugh at that. The right to swing on play-yard swings. The right to come home safely from school. The right to grow up. But this is America, so the right of an 18-year-old kid to own an AR-15 supersedes all that. The song quoted above was inspired by something Navy Lt. John Kerry said in a 1971 Senate testimony about the Vietnam War. By then, most Americans had concluded that war was a grievous blunder. But the government still refused to admit what was obvious to the people. How, said Kerry, do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake? In other words, once you know its crazy, how can you allow people to go on dying for it? The question resonates far beyond its original context. After all, there are few things crazier than Americas insistence on treating the Second Amendment as holy writ rather than the grubby racist compromise it was. Few things crazier than watching slaughter you could set your watch by and doing nothing about it. Yet the craziness persists. We remain a country where an 18-year-old may legally buy a weapon of war while the right spouts platitudes and harebrained ideas Texas Sen. Ted Cruz thinks schools should have only one door while ignoring that what happened in Uvalde, what will absolutely happen soon in some other town, only happens here. Only. Happens. Here. Some day it will end. Some day, it has to. Some day, surely, even conservatives must finally face the obvious: This is insane. If the obvious insanity of Vietnam posed a question that stung, the obvious insanity of mass slaughter poses one that devastates. You think its hard asking a man to be the last to die for what you know is wrong? Try asking a child. Leonard Pitts Jr. is a columnist for the Miami Herald, 3511 NW 91st Ave., Miami, FL 33172. Heads of religious confessions of Azerbaijan sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the national holiday of the Republic of Azerbaijan - Independence Day. Will be updated Charlotte artist Sharon Dowell was commissioned by Downtown Greenway planners to create a mural on the wall of the Summit Avenue underpass on Murrow Boulevard along the Downtown Greenway. Broadwater County Sheriff Wynn Meehan said he believes a Thursday night fire at RY Timber in Townsend started under suspicious circumstances. The call came in about 11:30 p.m., Meehan said. Meehan said the fire had been burning for a while before someone noticed it. He said it was the first time in his more than 20 years of law enforcement that an aerial truck from another fire department had to be used. At 10 a.m. Friday, he said he would still be at the fire if not for those aerial trucks. He added that it was "not a typical fire scene." He said one of the firefighters heard an explosion that rattled the windows of his home, and he saw the building was on fire. Meehan said the steel siding was glowing bright red. Meehan said the building at 85 Mill Road, which he estimated to be 30 feet high by 150 long, was engulfed when he arrived at the scene about midnight. Literally from one side to the other, it was one big ball of flame and I thought Oh my Lord, he said. He said the cause of the fire is suspicious, noting the mill is up for auction in a few weeks and was filled with equipment. And he said there was easy access to the building. That causes me alarm, he said, adding he did not know the cause of origin. He said the state fire marshal and insurance companies would determine the cause. He said the general manager also agreed it appeared to be suspicious. Meehan also said he did not know if trespassers had entered the building, or if teens and others had used it as a party site. We have so many people moving to Montana and we do not know anything about them, he said, adding there are some kids who have a little bit of a fire bug. Photos on Facebook show flames shooting out of the building. Meehan said his suspicions were piqued by a series of unexplained fires occurring at warehouses and business nationwide. Dan Richards, general manager, said he arrived at the scene at 3 a.m. and the blaze was mostly out by then. It pretty much destroyed the mill building, he said. The mill has been closed since January 2019 and was being prepared for auction in June, Richards said, adding 14 employees had remained at the site getting it ready for auction. This was kind of a shocker because everything was nice and clean, he said. There was no one working in the building at the time of the blaze. Richards said the cause of the fire was under investigation and there was no damage estimate immediately available. Meehan thanked departments from the Broadwater Fire, Montana City Fire, East Valley Fire, Eastgate Fire, Tri-Lakes Fire, West Valley Fire and York Fire departments for their "hard work this morning at the RY Timber fire." He thanked other emergency responders as well. You are all true professionals, he said. Richards also thanked the firefighters, the other first responders and crews from NorthWestern Energy, describing their efforts as phenomenal. RY Timber on its website says the company is considered to be one of the leading suppliers of high-quality 2x4 studs. Its Livingston mill remains in operation, Richards said. The website states that RY Timber became a reality when Ron Yanke of Boise, Idaho purchased Sequoia Forest Industries from the Wickes Co. over 20 years ago. The Townsend sawmill came with the Wickes purchase and in 1996 the Livingston operation was acquired. RYs Montana mills produce 16% of all the structural lumber manufactured in Montana, the company states. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 8 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. Serving as a legislator before and after the state constitution was ratified in 1972 was recently discussed by a bipartisan panel at the Montana Historical Society. Then-Republican Bob Brown and Democrat Dorothy Bradley discussed the changes Thursday in a panel moderated by Democrat Evan Barrett. This was the last in a series of four discussions about the document that are now posted on the Historical Society's YouTube channel. There will be a larger celebration June 15-16 at the state Capitol of the historic event that has come to be known as "ConCon." The remaining delegates, their descendants, legal scholars, political luminaries, historians, ConCon staffers, policy experts and others are expected to attend. Barrett at Thursday's event called the constitution of 1972 "a watershed moment" for Montana. Bradley served eight sessions in the Legislature and had an unsuccessful run for governor. Brown served 13 sessions and served as secretary of state and also had a unsuccessful run for governor. Barrett said the story actually began with the first Earth Day in 1970 at Montana State University, where Bradley and Brown met each other. They both decided to run for the Legislature and announced their filing together. Its always best to hear history from someone who has gone through it, Barrett said. Barrett said nearly 500 people ran for 100 delegate seats and were approved by voters. The delegates sat in alphabetical order, rather than by party, which observers now say was a very smart move. The 1972 document replaced the 1889 constitution drafted by the mining industry, when Copper King W.A. Clark had presided over the constitutional convention. Barrett said when Bradley and Brown returned to the Legislature in 1973, they had a new constitution to deal with. Bradley said it was a mixed blessing that the legislators could not run for the constitutional convention. She noticed she was the only woman in the House and in the ConCon, nearly 20% of the 100 delegates were women. I thought: Remember that. When you give people a chance to get into it, they will surface and jump in,'" Bradley said. "And every single one of them were great leaders. She urged people to read the state constitution. Pick it up. It is such good reading, Bradley said. She said the equality of sexes study and the commission on local government have been slightly forgotten, but remain big issues to her. The equality study says neither the government nor any private party can discriminate on the basis of gender, religion or culture. She says this was unique. This started a two-year interim study in the Legislature to take out reference to take bias out of Montana law. Bradley said Dale Harris, executive director of the Constitutional Convention, pushed through a rule that included options for local government. Those options include a charter or adopting some governing powers. How he got it through I will never know, she said. She said delegate Dorothy Eck of the League of Women Voters said the league was most concerned about open government and local government reform. Bradley remains surprised at the furor it caused. Brown said prior to the 1972 constitution that committee chairs would hold hearings in secret or keep certain members of the public and the media out. We just had to learn to catch as catch can, Brown said. He said there is a Right to Know provision in the constitution that says it is unconstitutional to not notice a committee hearing or prevent people from listening. That is one of the provisions that opened the door and let in the sunlight to Montana state government that did not exist until then, Brown said. Barrett said now there are openness rules that werent always there. They were asked if they had any second thoughts about the document. Brown said he did not have any concerns, but said the most controversial provision was a right to a clean environment. He said some companies, farmers and ranchers opposed this. Bradley was more deliberate in her answer. I have never thought the delegates fell short, ever, she said. She did say the right of privacy on the issue of choice is under scrutiny. They were also asked if the greatest threats to the constitution are the hints of lawmakers interested in amending it. There are good safeguards, they said. Brown said the far right has always been critical of the constitution. He said if people voted on it this year, passage would difficult. Brown said the anniversary provides an opportunity to see what a great document it is. He said it is about 12,000 words long and people should read it. Barrett said the biggest threat is there is a lack of knowledge of what is in the constitution. Assistant editor Phil Drake can be reached at 406-231-9021. Love 4 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. HONOLULU 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 they've 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 Security's Coronavirus Resource Center. "I think there's 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 aren't 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 state's 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 don't see any cancellations." Samantha Hanberg, who was in Hawaii 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 feels safe. "Nobody wants to get sick, but it's definitely not at the forefront of my thought process anymore," she said, snacking on shaved ice on Waikiki Beach. "I'm 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 Hawaii's 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, doesn't 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 To have the privilege of working in Washington, one must be among the best and the brightest of the rest of us. We trust those who are elected and sent to Washington to solve our problems, not create problems. And a large cadre of staff people are needed to use their intelligence and gift of forethought to help craft the laws and policies that are approved in Washington that prescribes the boundaries of what the rest of us can do to be the economic engines driving this nation. Unfortunately, those expectations do not always happen. Fortunately, there are many who are not in Washington who have mud on their boots and grease under their fingernails, and have the courage to rise up and say, Now just wait a dad gum minute! Let me tell you how the world works, because you have no idea what in the sam hill you are doing. There are two initiatives in Washington that some folks thought were the right thing to do, but did not get very far in thinking about the ramifications of what impact they would have on the American farmer. One of those is from the solicitor general of the United States, the attorney for the government who represents the government at the U.S. Supreme Court. The solicitor general advised the court against taking up a case concerning whether state pesticide labels can conflict with federal labels. The advice came in an Amicus Brief filed with the Supreme Court in a suit involving glyphosate and Californias push to have it labeled as a carcinogen. At question is whether the state of California can require a cancer warning label for the popular herbicide glyphosate when thousands of studies, decades of robust scientific consensus, and numerous global regulatory bodies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agree the herbicide is not a carcinogen. The brief contends federal law and regulations do not prevent states from imposing their own labeling requirements, even if those labels run counter to federal findings. With that thinking, every state could create its own labeling rules for any product, whether it is a herbicide, a food product, a cleaning solution, or even on what side of the road you drive. Across town, at the Securities and Exchange Commission, the SEC commissioners have become concerned about emissions from companies that may be an environmental problem for the public. Going beyond what the Environmental Protection Agency does to control the air we breathe, the SEC is proposing the corporations they regulate, which issue publicly traded equities on the nations stock exchanges that they must report those emission to the public. And while they are at it, report the same emissions from any entity up or downstream from them. Reading between the lines, Archer Daniels Midland Co. would require any farmer selling corn or soybeans to report the content of exhaust fumes from tractors and combines used in production of that grain, along with air samples from livestock production, and ammonia odors from nitrogen application on corn. Sometime Washington needs to understand the impact of what it proposes. Stu Ellis is an observer of the Central Illinois agriculture scene. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 URBANA Democratic candidates for the 13th Congressional District faced off in a debate in Urbana on Thursday night, sharing their platforms on a myriad of issues including gun violence and abortion rights. Though candidates Nikki Budzinski of Springfield and David Palmer of Champaign sought to set themselves apart for voters ahead of the June 28 primary election, the two agreed on many topics. Following the mass shooting at a Texas elementary school on Tuesday, both Budzinski and Palmer called for federal action to curb gun violence. I think it's time for us to come together as Americans, you know, force these gun lobbies to bend to our will and not us bend to theirs, Palmer said. I think we have to come together. We have to make sure that we protect our most vulnerable, and that's our kids. We shouldn't live in a country where the number one cause for children to die (is) gun violence. Budzinski said President Joe Biden should introduce real gun violence prevention programs at the federal level. Investing in new economic opportunities is also key, she said. When I look into East St. Louis and their number one employer is the Casino Queen, I think East St. Louis can be doing a lot better, Budzinski said. We need to be investing in economic development as a tool to helping us address gun violence in this district. Both candidates also said Congress should continue attempts to codify Roe v. Wade. Roe v. Wade is settled law. We don't have to debate about that. Women deserve body autonomy, Palmer said. The Supreme Court is expected to rule in the coming months in a case directly challenging Roe. Justices heard arguments in December over a 2018 Mississippi law to ban most abortions after 15 weeks. The court has allowed states to regulate but not ban abortion before the point of viability, around 24 weeks. A draft opinion leaked May 2 showed a majority of justices were ready to overturn Roe v. Wade. If the final ruling is similar, states would have wide latitude to restrict abortion. (Illinois) is going to see a flood of women coming into the district, coming into the entire state looking for access to health care, Budzinski said. I want to be their champion in Congress. Budzinski is a Peoria native who most recently served as chief of staff for the Office of Management and Budget in the Biden Administration. She was also once a senior advisor to Governor J.B. Pritzker. Palmer is a financial consultant from Champaign whos earned the endorsement of the Collective PAC, a political action committee that seeks to increase Black political representation. Budzinski has secured the endorsements of many prominent Illinois Democrats, including Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth. Shes also been endorsed by many labor unions. With over $1 million in cash on hand, Budzinski has also far outraised Palmer, who has just over $26,000 on hand. During Thursdays debate, Budzinski and Palmer established their stances on a number of other issues including inflation, the infant formula shortage, and climate change. The two also discussed gerrymandering, specifically in the newly-drawn 13th Congressional District the two are running to represent. Budzinski said she would support federal legislation that would eliminate gerrymandering in all states. Palmer acknowledged that Congressional candidates like gerrymandered maps that can help them win but said gerrymandering is not beneficial for average citizens. A gerrymandered map doesn't allow you to get a true sense of who your community is, he said. Both candidates said gerrymandering should stop after they were confronted with a map of the new, snake-shaped 13th Congressional District, which was heavily gerrymandered. The current 13th District is represented by Republican Rep. Rodney Davis and includes many rural towns like Davis hometown of Taylorville. Illinois Democrats, who controlled the post-Census redistricting process, strategically carved out the new 13th to stretch through the more populated and Democratic-leaning urban areas in central Illinois, from East St. Louis up to Springfield and Decatur and ending in Champaign-Urbana. I would argue the 13th District is actually very competitive, Budzinski said. It's a district that has a slightly more Democratic lean, but it is still central and southwestern Illinois, which connects a lot of common communities. The winner of the Democratic nomination will face off against one of four Republican candidates come November. The Republicans vying for their partys nomination include Regan Deering of Decatur, Matt Hausman of Pesotum, Terry Martin of Chatham and Jesse Reising of Decatur. Illinois Public Media, WAND News, and the League of Women Voters of Champaign County will host a debate between the Republican candidates next Thursday, June 2. 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. DECATUR At the funeral of a veteran, the Macon County Honor Guard fires a three-shot volley into the air. One for honor. One for duty. One for country. The flag over the casket is folded and presented to the veteran's widow or widower, to the eldest child, or whomever the family designates, along with the shells from the three shots. Once folded, that flag is never to be unfolded again, but to be displayed, usually in a flag case, in a place of honor. Our sole purpose is to provide the final rites for fallen veterans, said Commander Charles Loury, who has been with the Honor Guard since 2007. The Macon County Honor Guard is made up of honorably discharged veterans from all branches of the service, ranging in age from 57 to 92. Loury said they must be retired because sometimes they have as many as three funerals to do in a day, and because they receive no funding other than donations, and all are volunteers, they can't expect veterans to take off work to serve. The Honor Guard was started in 1995 by Rudy Escobar and Jim Parker, with members from a variety of veterans' organizations. The group also serves at events such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day commemorations, but only if it will not prevent them from providing rites at veterans' funerals, said Junior Vice Commander Tom Black. When I first got in, in 2007, we did over 200 funerals, Loury said. We don't like anybody left behind. We try to give all the services we can to the vets. Last year, we did 134 funerals. So far this year, we have done 38 to 40. We have scheduled funerals all the way up to June 19. Loury prefers to take 18 members to a funeral to do the full honors, but can't always muster that many. Two stay in the tent with the family and the casket. Seven fire the three-shot volley. One gives the speech honoring the fallen veteran. One folds the flag. One plays Taps on the bugle, which nowadays is generally a recording of the piece, though the bugler holds a bugle to his or her lips containing a playback device. Once Loury received a call only two hours prior to the funeral and could only provide two people, but they went because that's what they do. New recruits find them for the most part, Loury said, though Black keeps his eyes open when he's out and about and if he sees someone in a service hat, he offers his card and asks them to consider joining the Honor Guard. Our problem is getting the younger people, Loury said. One gentleman out there, he's a Korean War vet and he's 91. He's an active 91. Black said the average age is 78 to 80, and the youngest veteran is 56. One member of the Honor Guard is designated at a funeral to give the speech honoring the fallen soldier, and is asked to memorize it rather than read it to make it more moving and personal. That speech, in part: Fellow Americans, let us so live that when the keeper of the eternal records shall have called our names for the last time, those we leave behind may say of us as we now say of (the veteran), 'Here lies all that is mortal of a true-hearted comrade and a fearless defender of his country and flag.' When Black reaches the end of the speech, he said, he looks into the eyes of the member of the family designated to receive the folded flag and speaks directly to that person. Honor Guard member Jim Roach collects the small flags cemeteries plant at veterans' graves, when the cemeteries are finished with them, cleans them up and folds them into tiny replicas of the folded flag given to the family. The small ones are given to the children or grandchildren of the veteran at the funeral. Everything the Honor Guard does is military tradition handed down over the years, Loury said. The only pay that members of the Honor Guard receive is the thanks of the veterans' families, Black said. This is the last tribute of respect that we can do for a fellow veteran, Black said. Unless you've been in a situation like that, you don't know. If (Loury and I) were in the same foxhole, he would protect my life before he'd protect his own. It's the same camaraderie. You've got to have that same respect for our fellow veterans. Our pay is when the family comes up with tears in their eyes and they say 'thank you for doing this.' Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter 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. DECATUR While critics second-guess the police response to the Texas elementary school shooting massacre, law enforcement in Decatur and Macon County said their response to a gunman in a school is simple: Go in immediately and neutralize the threat. In an active shooter situation, the training and expectation of our officers is to act immediately, whether that is on their own or in teams, in order to neutralize the threat, said Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel. In an ideal world we will work in small teams to locate and neutralize the threat. However, waiting even seconds can cost lives. So if an individual officer has to work alone, then that is what they will do. Brandel said preparing for such tragedies is part of police training, and officers know they risk being hurt or killed as part of their job to protect and serve. We understand and accept the risk we would be taking in such an event, as it means we are putting ourselves in grave danger and may have to sacrifice our own life, he added. Regardless of the level of danger, I am certain that not a single DPD officer would hesitate to run into the danger, work to neutralize the threat, and save innocent lives. It is our duty and our honor to protect this community, and we will do just that. There was an identical response from Macon County Sheriff Jim Root, who said training for his officers tells them they must act immediately and never wait. It cant wait for everybody to get there, he added. You have got to go in and eliminate the threat. That is kind of the standing rule: Time is of the essence and youve got to go in. Meanwhile, law enforcement serving the elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, are facing questions and criticism over how much time elapsed before they stormed a school classroom and put a stop to the rampage by a gunman who killed 19 children and two teachers. Investigators have been unable to say with any certainty whether an armed school district security officer outside Robb Elementary exchanged fire with the gunman, 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, when he first arrived on Tuesday. On Friday, it was revealed that children inside the school had begged the police to enter their classroom and save them, frantically calling 911, as a team of 19 officers waited in the corridor for an hour because a commander believed the situation had shifted from active shooter to a barricaded subject, a state law enforcement officer said. Of course, it wasnt the right decision, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said at a news conference, choking back tears. It was the wrong decision. Period. The motive for the massacre the nation's deadliest school shooting since Newtown, Connecticut, a decade ago remained under investigation, with authorities saying Ramos had no known criminal or mental health history. During the siege, which ended when a U.S. Border Patrol team burst in and shot the gunman to death, frustrated onlookers urged police officers to charge into the school, according to witnesses. "Go in there! Go in there!" women shouted at the officers soon after the attack began, said Juan Carranza, 24, who watched the scene from outside a house across the street. 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. Upset that police were not moving in, he raised the idea of charging into the school with several other bystanders. "Let's just rush in because the cops aren't doing anything like they are supposed to," he said. "More could have been done." "They were unprepared," he added. Carranza had watched as 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 funeral home, who ran away uninjured. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Azernews Azerbaijan and Armenia are taking steps to restore the inter-state relations, Azernews reports, citing Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. The latter made the remarks at a Baku-based conference on The role of the African continent in the assessment of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) dedicated to Africa Day on May 26. The minister said that Baku values the recent Brussels meeting held between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders, during which the two parties agreed to organize border delimitation commissions. Bayramov underlined that as a positive result of the meeting, both sides approved the composition of the commissions for the delimitation of the state border, of which a joint meeting was held on May 24. "This was the first meeting, the beginning of a long journey, the first step," Bayramov stressed. "The reason for the Azerbaijan-Armenia border was not defined after gaining independence, was the occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia. After Azerbaijan liberated its lands, the time has come to define the border and have this matter solved legally," Bayramov said. He also stated that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry anticipates the presentation of some documents at the upcoming meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian deputy prime ministers. Over the course of a year, relevant actions have been made in this respect, according to the minister. Commenting on the construction of communication lines in the liberated lands, Bayramov emphasized that the building of both railways and roads towards the Armenian borders is underway and in it will be completed in 2023. "At the same time, the long process of all these discussions and the lack of concrete results for a long time couldnt impede the Azerbaijani state from developing a very important transport infrastructure," he added. Bayramov underlined that in line with the agreement between Azerbaijan and Iran reached in March, complex measures are being taken and the next steps will follow in the near future. In any case, Azerbaijan will continue to work on building an alternative road through the territory of Iran, and this route will be brought into working condition. It would be in Armenia's interests to fulfill its obligations in accordance with a normal and pragmatic trilateral statement [between Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the 2020 Second Karabakh War]," Bayramov stressed. The third Brussels meeting took place between the leaders at the initiative of President of the European Council Charles Michel on May 22. The sides focused on the situation in the South Caucasus and the development of EU relations with both countries as well as the broader region. Addressing the media following the meeting, Michel said that the leaders agreed that unblocking transportation links should be prioritized. They agreed on the rules controlling transit between western Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, as well as between other sections of Armenia via Azerbaijan, and international transportation using both nations' communications infrastructure. He added that the sides specifically agreed on border management, security, and land fees, as well as customs in the context of international transportation. In the upcoming days, the deputy prime ministers will continue this effort. DECATUR Memorial Day is a time to honor those in the military who gave their lives in service of their country. As in past years, there are several ceremonies scheduled this weekend to remember their sacrifice. Decatur Township Cemetery Trustees and Decatur Township will sponsor the annual Pre-Memorial Tribute at 10 a.m. Friday, May 27, at Greenwood Cemetery, 606 S. Church St., Decatur. Visitors will enter the cemetery and proceed to the Civil War area. The program marks the Memorial Day tribute to all soldiers buried in Greenwood, Spangler and Sharon cemeteries, some 2,000 military personnel in the Decatur Township Cemeteries, and all who have given their life for service. Mount Gilead Cemetery, 4975 S. Franklin Street Road, Decatur, will host a memorial service at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 29. Terry Lovekamp is scheduled to officiate the ceremony. The Veterans Assistance Commission of Macon County will hold its annual ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday, May 30, in the Main Pavilion in Fairview Park, Decatur. U.S. Navy Reserve Commander Thomas R. Bowman is the scheduled guest speaker at the ceremony, which will include a wreath laying, patriotic songs and the Macon County Honor Guard. Contact Scott Perry at (217) 421-7976. Follow him on Twitter: @scottperry66 Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The 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. 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. St. Louis Post-Dispatch Love 72 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. BRISTOL, Va. - The city of Bristol Virginia Friday agreed with Bristol Tennessee's assertions and demands made in a lawsuit filed Thursday and is offering to pay part of that city's legal bills if city leaders will settle the complaint. On Thursday Bristol Tennessee filed the 63-page complaint in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, blaming its sister city for not properly managing its landfill, creating a health hazard and nuisance. Bristol Tennessee is also seeking a temporary injunction, asking a judge to force Bristol Virginia to take a series of actions - as recommended by an 11-member expert panel assembled by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. That panel set out 10 primary recommendations regarding the quarry landfill. On Friday, Bristol Virginia Mayor Anthony Farnum and City Manager/City Attorney Randy Eads released a statement agreeing to follow those recommendations, seeking Bristol Tennessees help in securing outside funding to help pay for the work and offering to pay $250,000 of the Tennessee sides legal bills. Bristol, Tennessee has spent at least $480,000 on legal bills concerning the issue. "Yesterday, the city of Bristol, Tennessee filed a three-count complaint in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia alleging the City of Bristol, Virginia has violated the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and has created a public nuisance due to the odors emanating from the Citys landfill, the statement began. After setting out details of the complaint, the city then offered its settlement proposal. "In an effort to limit unnecessary litigation, to minimize the financial exposure of legal fees for the citizens of Bristol, Virginia and Bristol, Tennessee, and to ensure available financial resources are expended to correct issues associated with the landfill, the city of Bristol, Virginia is prepared to offer the following to fully settle the lawsuit filed on May 26, according to the statement. When contacted, Bristol Tennessee Mayor Mahlon Luttrell said he had not seen Bristol, Virginias proposed settlement agreement. Other city council members contacted either did not return calls, or had no comment on the issue. In its settlement proposal, Bristol Virginia offers the following: 1. The city of Bristol, Virginia will agree to temporary injunctive relief: a. Bristol, Virginia agrees to be enjoined from violating the CAA and RCRA and requiring Bristol, Virginia to comply with CAA and RCRA as soon as practicable, including, but not limited to, implementing the recommendations set forth in the expert report; b. Bristol, Virginia will take all actions necessary to eliminate the odor created by the landfill, including, but not limited to, implementing the recommendations set forth in the expert report; c. Bristol, Virginia will cease accepting outside commercial waste after the landfill is contoured to maximize stormwater runoff retention in the southeast corner of the landfill as discussed in the expert panel report; d. Bristol, Virginia will develop a plan for the closure of the landfill in accordance with the expert panel report and publicly release the plan within 120 days of Bristol, Tennessee agreeing to the terms of this proposed settlement agreement outlined herein; 2. Bristol, Virginia will compensate Bristol, Tennessee in the amount of $250,000 for its costs incurred in this litigation, which include its reasonable attorneys and expert witness fees; 3. Install a sidewall odor mitigation system around the perimeter of defendants landfill, if it is determined to be successful based on engineering standards after testing a sidewall odor mitigation system at the landfill. Funding from the state government, federal government or other granting agencies may be necessary to accomplish this task and Bristol, Virginia will aggressively seek outside funding to install a sidewall odor mitigation system. Bristol, Tennessee agrees to aggressively assist Bristol, Virginia in seeking outside funding opportunities; 4. Install and monitor a dedicated system of thermocouples in the waste mass to monitor landfill temperatures. Funding from the state government, federal government or other granting agencies may be necessary to accomplish this task and Bristol, Virginia will aggressively seek outside funding to install thermocouples in the waste mass to monitor landfill temperatures. Bristol, Tennessee agrees to aggressively assist Bristol, Virginia in seeking outside funding opportunities; 5. Cease accepting outside commercial waste at the landfill after the landfill is contoured to maximize stormwater runoff retention in the southeast corner of the landfill as discussed in the expert panel report; 6. Provide adequate cover of the waste at the landfill; and 7. Submit a report within 120 days, from the signing of a settlement agreement, detailing how the other recommendations of the expert panel report will be accomplished. 8. Bristol, Tennessee agrees Bristol, Virginia will have to identify funding sources to accomplish many of the recommendations of the expert panel. Both entities acknowledge the entire costs of these corrections cannot be borne solely by the citizens of the city of Bristol, Virginia. "Bristol, Virginia is looking forward to resolving this litigation, as being in the best interest of all the citizens, and moving forward as a united community in the future," the statement reads. In its motion for an injunction Bristol, Tennessee is seeking five things: installation of a sidewall odor mitigation system around the perimeter of the landfill; installation of a dedicated system of thermocouples in the waste mass to monitor landfill temperatures; for Bristol Virginia to cease accepting waste at the landfill, to provide adequate cover of the waste and for the city to submit a report within 60 days detailing how the other recommendations of the expert panel report will be accomplished. 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. Vivian Dorn-Stuckey is a local retiree who isnt using retirement as an excuse to slow down. A self-described natural giver and behind-the-scenes kind of person, the Johnson City resident and 2022 YWCA Tribute to Women Award recipient in the Nurture category continues to be active in community service through her church and sorority. I love pouring into young women, helping them accomplish their goals, Dorn-Stuckey said. I love working with financial literacy, because I want them to feel empowered financially and not live paycheck to paycheck that's when I started gaining traction and finding success. A native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Dorn-Stuckey graduated from the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, a historically black university, with honors and a degree in business education. Through her career in social security, Dorn-Stuckey learned the power of saving money and being financially responsible, although she can still remember humble beginnings growing up in a small house with food insecurity, but a work-hard mentality. The first college graduate in her family, Dorn-Stuckey was taught the importance of education and spending money wisely by her mother and father. They both knew that education was the way out, Dorn-Stuckey said. Saving, being modest, delaying gratification for a bigger goal, home ownership all of those things they instilled in us, and a good work ethic. Dorn-Stuckey, who retired after 25 years of service as a claims representative with the Social Security Administration, moved from Milwaukee to Johnson City with her husband 11 years ago. Her husband is senior pastor at Central Baptist Church in Kingsport, where Dorn-Stuckey is a leader in the womens ministry. She continues her involvement with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., mentoring young women and providing workshops on financial literacy. The thing that I do now in the nurturing realm is whenever I feel led to call or visit or take food, just to encourage and uplift, that's where I am now, Dorn-Stuckey said. That's where I feel I am most useful. ABOUT THE AWARD: Recipients of the YWCA Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginias Tribute to Women Award are nominated by area organizations and selected by an independent panel of judges based on leadership abilities, their achievements and positive influence. This is the 31st year of the awards. 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. Welcome race fans. Charlotte Motor Speedway is cranked up and ready for a big Memorial Day Weekend of racing and music and plenty of food. No. 1 A grandstand sellout for the 600. Back in the day, that would have meant a lot more. I think the last number I saw was about 75,000 seats. Remember they tore down 10s of thousands of seats. Still thats a good sign for racing. Pre-COVID there were quite a few empty seats. The sun deck and other standing room areas are still available for fans who want to go to the race. For many fans, the Coca-Cola 600 is a bucket-list experience, said Greg Walter, executive vice president and general manager of the iconic 1.5-mile superspeedway. Were thrilled to host a sellout crowd this year, with fans joining us from all 50 states and 12 foreign countries as far away as Australia. From A-list music acts at Circle K Speed Street to our patriotic pre-race salute to the U.S. Armed Forces, we promise to show our fans why theres no better place to be than Americas Home for Racing on Memorial Day Weekend. No. 2 Celebrity visitors always coming to the Speedway. I met The Weather Channels Jim Cantore in the infield one year. This year one of the FOX News personalities will be in town. For the record, I have no desire to meet anyone from FOX News. FOX News Channels (FNC) FOX & Friends will present its signature Breakfast with Friends segment on Friday, May 27, at The Wayside Family Restaurant in Concord. FOX & Friends Weekend co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy will be on location to discuss NASCARs Coca-Cola 600, Memorial Day and other news of the day. Additionally, FOX & Friends Weekend (weekends, 610 a.m.) will broadcast live in Charlotte, for the Coca-Cola 600. The Wayside, on Church Street, is Chris Measmers family business. Chris is one of three GOP candidates for Cabarrus County Commissioner in November. He is also a former commissioner. No. 3 Medians and intersections mowed by NCDOT contractors. Last week I complained about the high grass and weeds and as it turns out a crew was already working on the mowing before my column hit the page. N.C. Department of Transportation spokesperson Jen Thompson gave us an update. During this fiscal year we were able to mow for three complete cycles (each cycle is approximately eight weeks) across our five-county division, when we had five cycles prior to the pandemic. We plan to increase up to five cycles in the next fiscal year, Thompson said. Thompson also urged motorists to contact NCDOT if theres an area where sight distance or safety is a concern, we encourage the public to reach out to us here: https://bit.ly/ncdotreports Having the shorter grass and weeds is nice, but dang it sure highlights the litter problem we have. The median on Concord Parkway was filled with trash after the mower went through. No. 4 Preparations for the Carolina Renaissance Festival is underway. Now is your chance if you want to be a character or performer at this falls Carolina Renaissance Festival (out off Poplar Tent Road and N.C. 73). Auditions are set for Saturday, June 18, and Saturday, June 25, at Cannon School. You can preregister for an audition by going online at https://www.carolina.renfestinfo.com/ The festival will be Saturdays and Sunday Oct. 1 through Nov. 22, No. 5 Our phone system is working again. Many of you have tried to communicate with our circulation and billing departments this week. The phone system was malfunctioning. It was back up and running Thursday morning (thank goodness and our IT department). Remember you can always contact me. It might take me a bit to get you to the right person but eventually we can get you hooked up. Also the Independent Tribune no longer has an office. I am asked all the time, Where is your office? We dont have one. My office is the arm chair in my living room. There are numerous disadvantages to this but I do get to watch Ancient Aliens, The History Channel, The Discovery Channel and a seeming endless run of NCIS, Castle and The Closer episodes. I have seen so many programs with Jethro Gibbs and company that when I saw a turkey vulture pop up on Montford Avenue the other morning, I walked over to the ditch to make sure there wasnt a body. There wasnt. A big thanks for all the get well wishes. Kim and I are better and Jordan, who got the COVID last, is well on her way to recovery. If you have a Friday Five, story suggestion or something I can rant about email mplemmons@independenttribune.com or call or text 704-786-0001 (this my cell phone and I pretty much carry it with me everywhere and unlike the Independent Tribune phone system, I have never had a multi-day outage). 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. Duke Energy and three North Carolina solar installation companies have reached an agreement that would see the utility phase in changes to the way it bills and pays for energy from customers who have solar panels on their roofs. Last year, Duke asked the N.C. Utilities Commission to approve a plan overhauling the way customers with solar panels on their roof pay for energy they use and are credited for energy they produce. Under that plan, customers with solar panels would have needed to pay a minimum monthly bill, while also paying based on time of use pricing, an idea the plan would have introduced to have the customer receive a lower credit for power generated during the day and pay more for power used during high-use periods like winter mornings or summer evenings. The plan would have become effective on Jan. 1, 2023. Several parties pushed back, including North Carolina solar installers Southern Energy Management, Sundance Power and Yes Solar Solutions. The installers and Duke reached a new agreement last week under which customers who install solar panels on their roofs before Dec. 31, 2026, would be able to apply for a bridge rate that would see them pay a monthly minimum bill and an additional charge but not a grid access fee. They would also not pay time of use rates, meaning they would receive the same credit for excess energy put back onto the grid during a summer afternoon that they pay for energy they use when solar panels are not generating at night. The new agreement is effectively in addition to Dukes original proposal and the companies proposed Smart $aver Solar proposal under which customers would install a smart thermostat that Duke could adjust up or down based on grid demands. Customers who install the thermostat would receive an annual rebate. Solar installers say that if the Utilities Commission approves the new agreement, it would cost solar customers 5 to 10% of their systems value over its estimated lifetime, compared to 25 to 35% under Dukes initial proposal. Dave Hollister, the president and CEO of Sundance Power Systems, said the agreement would protect customers who just installed solar systems based on pricing estimates that could change if the Utilities Commission approves Dukes overall plan. If the Utilities Commission agrees with Dukes overall plan, Hollister said, it gives us a better glide path to get there, which is basically 2027. Predictable savings from solar power Stew Miller, the president of Cary-based Yes Solar Solutions, called the agreement much better than the initial proposal. Solar installers had been worried about customers losing value from solar systems, and that Dukes pricing structure would make it hard for them to even estimate savings for a customer interested in installing solar panels. Under the negotiated agreement, Miller said, We get to stay on the same flat rate that we are on now, which makes it much easier for us to put together a proposal thats based on facts and easier to come up with an accurate projection of not only solar production but also what your savings will be. The agreement also exempts customers whose homes were built for low-income customers by programs like Habitat for Humanity from the monthly minimum bill, along with customers who receive assistance from the states Crisis Intervention Program or the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. The number of new customers who could sign up for the bridge rate would be capped at about 9,000 in 2023, according to Duke, with the cap rising about 10% each year. Duke has about 30,000 rooftop solar customers. Net metering Net metering is the term for how customers who produce power with solar panels are credited for that energy. In 2017s House Bill 589, the N.C. General Assembly directed Duke and other utilities to study their net metering and establish nondiscriminatory rates after evaluating the costs and benefits of rooftop solar. States like California and Arizona that have sought to overhaul net metering have seen long, expensive fights that have often hurt the industry. Central to the entire conversation is how much solar customers should pay to use the electrical grid, even if they are not drawing power from that grid. A National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine committee is studying the future of net metering. Duke Energy knows that customer-sited solar is an important part of the future growth of solar in North Carolina. We believe this phased-in compromise will help the industry navigate market changes and adapt to the long-term rate design of Solar Choice, Lon Huber, Duke Energys senior vice president of pricing and customer solutions, wrote in a statement. A Duke spokesman said the utility is committed to continue meeting with the solar installers at least weekly to try to figure out how rooftop solar could fit into future energy efficiency proposals put forth by the utility. As part of last weeks agreement, the utility and solar providers agreed to work together to advance an energy efficiency proposal that properly values rooftop solar. This story was produced with financial support from 1Earth Fund, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work. The shocking shooting that left 19 children dead at a school in Texas is forcing parents and schools to once again confront how to talk to kids about violence. Experts have told The Times these are complex and sensitive conversations, but also vital. Kids are "anxious and worried, and they're dealing with the unknown," one specialist told The Times after the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack. "Parents have to be role models in terms of establishing a sense of safety, security, predictability." Here are some tips experts have suggested from previous Times coverage: 1. Check in with your child and talk to them about their concerns. The first thing adults should do is make sure their child or adolescent knows they are willing and available to talk with them, Stephen Brock, a professor of school psychology at Cal State Sacramento, told The Times in 2019. Younger kids may not be as worried. But teenagers are likely to know more and have concerns, so it's better to address the subject directly with them rather than avoid it, said Carol Vidal, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins University, that same year. 2. Give kids reassuring facts about their safety. Parents should immediately reassure children that they are safe a practice that extends to all trauma survivors. With younger children, adults can explain all that adults do to keep them safe, such as locking doors and conducting emergency drills. Parents also can and should tell their children that school is a safe place for them. 3. Treat children according to their age. Give young children only brief, simple information. These children are less verbal so they may communicate about their anxiety by drawing or playing, Vidal said. Answer their questions with specifics, but don't overload them. For middle- and high-school age youth, more detailed conversations will be appropriate. The best place to have that conversation depends on the teen it could be in the car or while a friend is present, instead of just sitting and talking about the event one on one. 4. Limit exposure to the media. This is true for youth of all ages. Violent images can cause secondary trauma, and developmentally inappropriate information can cause anxiety and confusion. For younger children, "every time they watch the news, they feel like it's a new event as opposed to repetition of the same event. It's important for them not to watch too much," Vidal said. While older kids will understand that difference, prolonged exposure to graphic images and details is harmful to them as well. 5. Model healthy behavior. Children pick up everything their parents are saying and doing. Parents can set an example by turning off the television, radio or social media. It can be constructive for parents to acknowledge that constantly watching or hearing about a violent incident makes them too feel anxious or fearful. But parents should make clear that they are handling their own emotions and that their child does not need to be strong for them, said Jonathan Vickburg, a licensed marriage and family therapist who treats kids dealing with trauma. 6. Maintain routines. Sticking to regular routines can be reassuring and can help children and teens maintain a sense of normality. That may be difficult in the hours and days immediately after a traumatic event, Vickburg said, but parents can still help their children put some order to their days for example, by continuing to have dinner with family, doing homework, or hanging out with friends. With teenagers in particular, giving them extra time to be with their friends is important. It helps them establish normality and connect to their support network. 7. Have a plan. Review safety procedures at school and at home. Let children know whom to call, where to meet and how to communicate in case of an emergency. This helps children feel secure and know adults are in control. 8. Observe children's emotional state and seek help if necessary. The majority of children are resilient and will not experience long-term symptoms after a one-off event, experts said. Immediately after a violent incident they may experience anxiety and fear. Some people closer to the incident may also have difficulty sleeping or be jittery. Watch for changes in behavior, mood, appetite or sleep. When such symptoms persist over time and start affecting how a person functions, that's when professional help may be needed, experts said. More tips The National Assn. of School Psychologists has guidelines for explaining violent events to children of different ages. It's important, the experts say, to use age-appropriate language, and to answer questions without adding to confusion. From the NASP tip sheet: "Early elementary school children need brief, simple information that should be balanced with reassurances that their school and homes are safe and that adults are there to protect them." "Upper elementary and early middle school children will be more vocal in asking questions about whether they truly are safe and what is being done at their school. They may need assistance separating reality from fantasy. Discuss efforts of school and community leaders to provide safe schools." "Upper middle school and high school students will have strong and varying opinions about the causes of violence in schools and society. Emphasize the role that students have in maintaining safe schools by following school safety guidelines ... communicating any personal safety concerns to school administrators, and accessing support for emotional needs. ___ MORE COVERAGE FROM TUESDAY'S MASS SHOOTING IN TEXAS: Former Times staff writer Nina Argawal and Sonali Kholi contributed to this report. 2022 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed a Decree on awarding prominent Azerbaijani composer Firangiz Alizadeh with the 'Honorary Diploma of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan'. According to the order, the composer was awarded for her long-term fruitful activity in the development of Azerbaijani musical culture. The North Carolina General Assembly makes news for the actions of its 170 state lawmakers, but the work doesnt get done without all the state employees who work there, too. There are more than 600 state employees working in downtown Raleigh at the Legislative Building, where the legislature hold its sessions, and Legislative Office Building, which includes meeting rooms and offices. The News & Observer obtained the salaries of state employees who work in the legislature through a public records request. The median income for a state employee at the General Assembly is about $45,000. Eighty-five of the state employees earn $100,000 or more. The highest-paid person in the building is the person who runs it: Paul Coble, a former mayor of Raleigh who is the legislative services officer. He earns $207,356 a year. The second highest-paid person is Brian Fork, the chief of staff for Senate leader Phil Berger, an Eden Republican. Fork earns $193,303 a year. Fork made $188,000 in 2019, The N&O previously reported. Other high-level staffers pay also had incremental increases compared to 2019. Bergers previous chief of staff, Andrew Tripp, made $179,500. The legislatures state employees received pay raises of 2.5% in last years budget, just like other state employees, and will receive raises of at least another 2.5% this coming fiscal year. The minimum wage for full-time state employees is $30,000 a year. Not everyone who works in the legislature works full-time. The lowest-paid state employees at the legislature are housekeepers, food service workers, security screeners and sergeants-at-arms, with most earning between $33,000 and $37,000 a year. Assistant sergeants-at-arms earn just under $35,000. They serve a significant role in the Legislative Building and Legislative Office Building and are at all House and Senate floor sessions and committee meetings. Their job description, according to the General Assemblys website, is to enforce directions of the Senate president and House speaker as well as being responsible for the security of the respective legislative body and maintenance of property of that house. Lawmakers are not considered state employees, though they do receive a small annual salary of about $14,000 and per diem compensation for food and travel when the legislature is in session. For more North Carolina government and politics news, listen to the Under the Dome politics podcast from The News & Observer and the NC Insider. You can find it at https://campsite.bio/underthedome or wherever you get your podcasts. Australian consumers lead mobile wallet use and adoption of digital banking tools, beating users in the US or UK, according to a new survey by modern card issuing platform Marqeta. The 2022 State of Consumer Money Movement report, which polled 4,076 consumers across three continents including 1,000 in Australia, examined how consumers want to pay, bank, and shop, showing changes in payment preferences brought by the pandemic. Reflecting a long-time shared investment by networks and retailers in contactless payments, 83% of Australians surveyed said theyd used a mobile wallet in the last year, coming in well ahead of UK (77%) and US (71%) survey respondents. Slightly more than two-thirds (67%) of Australians surveyed said the start of the pandemic had increased their mobile wallet use, with 95% saying their mobile wallet use had stayed the same, or increased, in the two years since. Sixty-nine percent of Australians surveyed said they felt comfortable enough using a mobile wallet to leave their physical wallet at home, 23% higher than the amount of Americans who said the same. Australians surveyed gave mobile wallets higher marks for convenience than other survey respondents (90%) and more Australians said they could make mobile payments everywhere they wanted to (86%). Mobile wallet use among people surveyed was now almost twice as frequent as cash across Australia: 65% of Australians surveyed said theyd used a mobile wallet in the last week, while just 34% said theyd used cash. Cash use is diminishing at a more rapid rate among Australians: 43% said they used cash less than they did a year ago (compared to 28% in the US) while 36% of Australians said they were using ATMs less than the same time last year. Australians were twice as likely as Americans to say they never used cash (31% versus 15%) and two out of three Australian consumers said that they could imagine a time when they dont use cash at all. Given its size and market, Australia has always been a great place to launch new technology, and major banks in Australia were investing in the technology for secure contactless payments well before mobile wallets started to get traction, comments Marqueta country manager ANZ Duncan Currie. With our survey showing that two-thirds of Australians are using their mobile wallets more post-COVID, it shows just how ubiquitous they are becoming and the pressure on companies to build digital and mobile-first payment experiences that match how consumers today want to interact with the economy. Given high mobile wallet adoption and low cash use, Australian respondents less prefer in-person banking experiences. Eighty-four percent said that they bank with a major financial institution with a physical branch network, but were six times more likely to say they regularly used their bank app (70%) versus regularly visiting their bank branch (12%), while 43% of Australians surveyed said if all physical banks were to shut tomorrow, it would have little impact on them. Fifty-six percent of Australians, higher than UK or US, say theyd never changed their primary banking provider. Other findings include: Ninety-three percent of Australians surveyed said that theyd resumed shopping in person, yet 58% said the COVID-19 pandemic had changed their shopping behaviours forever. Thirty percent of Australians surveyed said they owned cryptocurrency, with more 93% saying they held it like an asset. Australians surveyed had consistently lower usage rates for on demand delivery: 29% said they regularly order food or meals delivered to their home, 22% groceries, 12% alcohol, 12% convenience store items, 7% prescriptions. These frequencies were lower on every count than US or UK respondents. The pandemic had the effect of moving the future up a little faster in banking and payments than some were thinking, with an increasing number of Marqeta customers cardholders even opting for digital cards entirely and forgoing plastic completely. With a low unbanked population and good infrastructure to support contactless payments, the foundation is there in Australia to support cutting-edge payment solutions. But companies will still need to build from flexible and modern technology to move quickly to meet this rising demand, Currie concludes. A Reidsville man pleaded guilty Friday to a felony charge for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Washington, D.C. Matthew Mark Wood, 25, entered his plea in U.S. District Court in Washington to obstruction of an official proceeding and five related misdemeanor offenses, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Wood, who was arrested March 5, 2021, in Winston-Salem, is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 23. Wood faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the obstruction charge and a total of 3 years of additional time and additional fines for the five misdemeanor offenses, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. According to court documents, on Jan. 2, 2021, three days before he traveled to Washington, Wood sent an iMessage to another individual in which he stated, If they want to raid Congress, sign me up, Ill be brave heart in that b****. Wood and other rioters disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to count the electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. On Jan. 6, Wood is accused of making his way to the West Plaza of the Capitol, after the breach of a police line, to secure the restricted grounds, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Wood remained in the West Plaza for about an hour before climbing stairs to the Northwest Plaza. Wood was several feet behind the rioters who broke out and climbed through the Capitols window next to the Senate Wing Door, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Woods was the 10th person to enter through that window, getting inside at 2:13 p.m. Wood and other rioters made their way to the hallway outside the Senate Chamber, the U.S. Attorneys office said. After being stopped by Capital police, Wood returned to the first floor and joined a group of rioters in the Capitol Crypt. At approximately 2:24 p.m., Wood sent an iMessage to a group chat, declaring, We just broke through Capitol police, we are going to bust into the house chambers, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Wood then followed others through the Small House Rotunda, up a staircase, and into the House Speakers office suite. While in that area, he entered at least three offices or other rooms, including the Speakers conference room, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. He then moved to the Rotunda and other areas of the Capitol, removing the ropes from stanchions he passed, calling protesters to follow, and staying in the building despite clouds of chemical irritant. When the Metropolitan police arrived to assist the Capitol Police in clearing rioters from the Rotunda, Wood and other rioters did not immediately leave, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Wood finally left the Capitol through the East Rotunda Door at 3:31 p.m. 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. Wells Fargo & Co. said it would support the construction, renovation or repair of two homes in Winston-Salem and one each in Boone and Greensboro in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity International. There would be 23 such homes statewide. The bank unveiled its national plans Tuesday that target the construction, renovation or repair of more than 350 though its Wells Fargo Builds program. The bank said it would contribute $7.75 million in grant funding toward the initiative, including $475,000 just for North Carolina. Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation have donated more than $119 million to Habitat for Humanity International and local affiliates in support of affordable and sustainable housing since 2010. 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 popular Japanese food truck now has a permanent home. On May 27, Don Express opened its brick-and-mortar restaurant at 472 Knollwood St., in a former Subway location just off Stratford Road, behind Arbys. Mari Phillips, a native of Japan, and her husband, James Phillips, started Don Express in October 2019 as a food truck to share some of her favorite kinds of Japanese street food. Don Express sells such items as ramen, yakisoba (buckwheat-noodle stir-fry), gyoza pot-stickers and chicken katsu (breaded, fried chicken). James Phillips, who grew up here, met Mari while he was stationed in Japan with the U.S. Navy. James Phillips, an electrician, spent the last few months overhauling the space on Knollwood. My husband did everything, Mari Phillips said. A big part of the renovation entailed building the cooking area in the middle of the building. Shielded by glass windows on two sides, customers can easily see their food being prepared. The quick-service, casual restaurant is small, with a few seats at the custom wood counter, plus table seating for 12 inside and about 16 outside. It offers counter service, and all food is served in takeout containers. Mari Phillips said that the truck will be sidelined at least for a while, while Don Express focuses on getting the restaurant running smoothly. Later, it probably will be put back to limited use, for catering and special events. Quality is my No. 1 priority quality, and customer service and consistency. Right now, its either the store or the truck, she said, adding that she has limited staff at the moment. She has taught her 20-year-old son Kai to do a lot of the short-order cooking. He started on the truck with me when he was 17, and hes going to be going to Johnson & Wales, she said. She also has help from friends Daisy Martell Salinas and Sasha Suzuki, as well as her husband. Mari Phillips is on a mission to share her love of authentic Japanese food. Most restaurants have Americanized Japanese food. I have been waiting till North Carolina was ready for authentic Japanese food, she said in 2020 shortly after launching her food truck. Don Express on Knollwood will offer a fairly extensive menu, considering the small kitchen a challenge that Mari Phillips was able to tackle on the truck. In fact, the new restaurant will offer pretty much the same menu as the truck. The one difference will be that a few occasional items now will be available all the time. Don Express offers such appetizers as gyoza ($7) and seaweed salad ($6). The tonkotsu ramen is a chicken and pork broth with marinated hard-cooked egg, scallions and bamboo shoots. It is available with chicken, pork, shrimp or tofu ($16 to $19). Street-food specialties include yakisoba (stir-fried noodles with vegetables and choice of protein, $15 to $18), Takoyaki (octopus inside a crispy ball of dough, $8), and okonomiyaki (savory pancake with pork and vegetables, $17). Don Express Address: 472 Knollwood St., Winston-Salem Hours: 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, noon to 3 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday (subject to change) Phone: 336-842-3008 Facebook and Instagram: Don Express LLC Rice bowls ($16) are available with plain or curry chicken katsu and chashu (pork belly). Don Express also has bento boxes that come with mixed greens, seaweed salad, Japanese potato salad, steamed rice and more. The boxes are available with karaage (Japanese fried chicken), chicken katsu and grilled tofu ($17 to $19). A deluxe bento ($27) comes with beef short ribs, squid salad and spring roll. Mari Phillips said she later may add such items as Japanese rice balls and homemade miso soup. She also said she eventually hopes to offer a few items already prepped and packaged in a refrigerated display case for grab-and-go-meals. Don Express will have green tea and other beverages. It does not have ABC permits yet, but plans to have Japanese and local beer, as well as sake. Mari Phillips said she is excited to switch from truck to a restaurant for several reasons. One of them is that she will be able to serve more people. It turns out a lot of people really like Japanese street food, she said. 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. When Dave Hollister took his first leap into a then-fledgling renewable energy industry, residential solar power was still a novelty in North Carolina. In fact, Hollister, now the president of Weaverville-based Sundance Power Systems, was responsible for a historic milestone in the states transition away from energy generated by burning fossil fuel when he negotiated North Carolinas first net-metering agreement in 1995. That arrangement allowed Hollister to be credited by French Broad Electric Membership Corp. for unused power generated by solar panels on his Madison County home and transferred to the local co-op so it could be sold to other customers. More than three decades later, Hollister again found himself negotiating terms of a net-metering deal with a utility this time on a grander scale. Hollisters company is one of three providers looking to protect their shares of North Carolinas residential renewable energy market as the N.C. Utilities Commission considers a proposal from Duke Energy for how home solar customers are credited for the surplus electricity they return to the grid. Im getting tired of having to fight this fight, he said of the quest for fees, formulas and incentives that protect the investments of homeowners who go solar. Bridge to the future Sundance, along with Southern Energy Management in Raleigh and Cary-based Yes Solar Solutions, negotiated a settlement with Duke that would allow residential solar customers to continue being credited and charged for electricity at equal rates for up to 15 years. The agreement was filed with the N.C. Utilities Commission May 20 as a stipulation to Dukes November petition asking for approval of a metering plan that varies the rates of credits to residential solar customers based on the time of day and overall electricity demand. That proposed rate structure was part of a settlement agreement reached in November between Duke Energy, the N.C. Sustainable Energy Association; the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of Vote Solar and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy; Sunrun Inc. and the Solar Energy Industries Association. Last weeks settlement establishing a bridge rate comes two months after a coalition of 17 North Carolina solar providers including the three that negotiated the interim rate argued in a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper that Dukes net-metering proposal could reduce the value of home solar customers investment by 25% to 35% because their overall credits would be lower. Top executives from the three companies involved in the latest negotiations said their agreement with Duke protects solar customers investment in the technology. Its not perfect, but it really is a bridge to the future, said Yes Solar Solutions president Stew Miller. It also gives us time to put together a net-metering plan with incentives that are concrete. In its original net-metering proposal, Duke said reductions in credits to solar customers could be partially offset with an upfront incentive worth thousands of dollars. However, solar leaders fear the utilities commission will reject that portion of the plan. A similar incentive was part of Dukes net-metering proposal in South Carolina. That plan went into effect Jan. 1 without the incentive. What happened in South Carolina is why we did this, Hollister said. That ended up being a very bad deal, and we didnt want to see the same thing in North Carolina. Some South Carolina solar providers have said business has slumped since the new plan went into effect. Hollister suggested it ultimately may be up to the N.C. General Assembly to pass legislation ensuring that effective incentives are part of residential solar rules. Last weeks settlement commits Duke and the companies to vigorously advocate in North Carolina for approval of incentives. Protecting the customer The solar companies and Duke also discussed building consumer protections into a net-metering plan, but those elements were not fleshed out, said Bob Kingery, co-owner of Southern Energy Management. North Carolina has attracted a share of unscrupulous companies that misled customers with hidden costs and inflated projections of how much money theyll save on their monthly electric bills, he noted. Much of the customer disenchantment to this point also has been tied to misinformation about Dukes rebates for new solar customers, added Hollister. Dukes $62 million program, which is in its fifth and final year, offers $4,000 to homeowners and $30,000 for businesses to help cover the upfront cost of solar panels. Some providers have led customers to believe they were guaranteed a rebate, but there was a limited pool of funds available. This year, for example, Duke received more than 3,400 applications but distributed about 800 rebates totaling $3.4 million. That means more than three-quarters of applicants got no rebate from the company this year, which came as a shock to some customers who had factored the funds into their solar panel project budgets. Offering detailed information about the process of buying and installing solar panels, as well as simplifying the rate and fee structure, would help insulate customers from dishonest dealers, Hollister suggested. In the meantime, the time provided in the settlement gives Hollister some hope that decades after he negotiated the states first net-metering agreement, his fight for a rate and fee system he considers fair to customers and solar providers may finally end. I think we can find a solution by 2027 that everyone can live with, he said. John Deem covers climate change and the environment in the Triad and Northwest North Carolina. His work is funded by a grant from the 1Earth Fund and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. 336-727-7204 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. HELSINKI (AP) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that his country is not favorable toward Finland and Sweden joining NATO, indicating Turkey could use its membership in the Western military alliance to veto moves to admit the two countries. We are following developments concerning Sweden and Finland, but we are not of a favorable opinion, Erdogan told reporters. The Turkish leader explained his opposition by citing Sweden and other Scandinavian countries alleged support for Kurdish militants and others whom Turkey considers to be terrorists. He said he also did not want to repeat Turkey's past mistake from when it agreed to readmit Greece into NATO's military wing in 1980. He claimed the action had allowed Greece to take an attitude against Turkey" with NATO's backing. Erdogan did not say outright that he would block any accession attempts by the two Nordic nations. However, NATO makes all its decisions by consensus, meaning that each of the 30 member countries has a potential veto over who can join. Russias aggression in Ukraine prompted Finland and Sweden to reconsider their traditions of military nonalignment. Public opinion in the two countries quickly started to shift toward favoring NATO membership after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. Should the two countries proceed on that path, it would represent a blow to Russia since President Vladimir Putin cited NATO's expansion near Russian territory as one of his justifications for invading Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden held a call Friday with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and President Sauli Niinisto of Finland. The White House said in a statement that Biden underscored his support for NATO's Open Door policy and for the right of Finland and Sweden to decide their own future, foreign policy and security arrangements." Niinisto's office said the three leaders shared a deep concern over Russias war on Ukraine. President Niinisto went through Finlands next steps toward NATO membership. President Niinisto told (Biden) that Finland deeply appreciates all the necessary support from the U.S., the office said in a brief statement. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that Washington is working to clarify Turkeys position and believes there is broad support among NATO members for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to meet his NATO counterparts, including the Turkish foreign minister, this weekend in Germany. The top American diplomat for Europe, Karen Donfried, told reporters ahead of Blinkens trip that the United States remains supportive of Finland and Swedens prospective NATO membership bids. She said the U.S. remains convinced the alliance is more united than ever before because of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Finland's president and prime minister said Thursday that they were in favor of rapidly seeking NATO membership, paving the way for the country to announce a decision in the coming days. Swedens governing Social Democratic Party, led by Andersson, is expected to reveal its decision Sunday. Asked about Erdogans comments during a press conference in Helsinki, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said: We need some patience in this type of process. It's not happening in one day. This is all what I can say at the moment. Lets take issues step by step. The Finnish minister said he was likely to hold discussions with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, at the NATO meeting in Berlin over the weekend. Cavusoglu spoke Friday with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, but Turkey's Foreign Ministry did not provide details. Stoltenberg has said that Finland and Sweden, should they formally apply to join the worlds biggest security organization, would be welcomed with open arms. The accession procedure could be done in a couple of weeks, several NATO officials have said, although it could take around six months for member countries to ratify the accession protocol. Meanwhile, a report by the Swedish government on the changed security environment facing the Nordic country after Russias invasion of Ukraine says Moscow would react negatively to Sweden joining NATO and launch several counter-measures. The Swedish governments security policy analysis, which will be used as a basis for Anderssons Cabinet to decide whether to seek membership in the Western military alliance, was presented to Swedish lawmakers Friday. The report did not include a recommendation on whether or not Sweden should try to join NATO. But it pointed to NATO membership carrying a number of advantages for Sweden - above all the collective security provided by the 30-member military alliance. At the same time, it lists numerous tactics Russia is likely to take in retaliation, including cyber-attacks, violations of Swedish airspace and threatening to use nuclear weapons. Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey. Matt Lee and Chris Megerian in Washington contributed. Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Comfortable Republican legislators are working hard to keep children from learning that gay people exist, that there are children who have two dads (NC GOP unveils parents rights legislation, May 26). But theyre quite comfortable with children learning how to hide under desks or behind doors, because men with guns might try to kill them. The Republican Party is morally bankrupt. Dean Bannon Winston-Salem The American dream To Americas leaders: How many Americans must die before we come to our senses? Our children are not safe at school; we are not safe at the grocery store; we are not safe at our places of worship; we are gunned down at malls, concerts, night clubs. ... Just why are Americans waiting to be slaughtered, so that the arms industry can rake in billions and so that the gun nuts can have their way? It is far past time to pass commonsense gun regulations! No one needs automatic weapons; their only use is to kill people more quickly. Your thoughts and prayers are meaningless, as is clinging to your notion of pro-life. I will believe you are pro-life when you: Advocate for complete nuclear disarmament. Enact commonsense gun regulations. Support universal health care in the U.S. Insist on an immediate response to the clear threat of climate change on this planet. insist that the fathers of women with unwanted pregnancies be identified and made to support the child for 18 years. Work for a fair tax code and decent wages and benefits for all Americans. Clamp down hard on domestic terrorism, the forces of white supremacy and the sickness of the great replacement theory. Ensure that democracy is upheld in the U.S. Without these basic actions you are full of meaningless talk and the American dream will likely die in violence and fascism. Lisa Lofland Gould Winston-Salem Party failures The list of Republican Party failures is long, both while in power and as the opposition party: including guns, immigration, poverty, taxes and budgets, law enforcement, election and campaign reforms, health care, and prescriptions. We spend far too much money enabling these problems and not nearly enough well-managed investments to address them. Decent government should address our concerns. Winston Churchill supposedly stated that America will do the right thing, after having tried everything else. But are we even trying? Most Americans do not believe elections are rigged, but do believe we spend too much on campaigns; believe there are too many military-style weapons in the wrong hands; believe our tax system should be more fair and support a balanced budget; believe our laws should protect us and be fairly enforced; believe immigration is valuable for America, that health care costs too much, that climate change is real. But tomorrow, again, well have more gun deaths, hungry children and people unable to afford their prescriptions than in any other developed country despite being the worlds wealthiest country. Surely we can invest our wealth more wisely. Investments are made based on well-researched facts and opportunities; why dont we legislate this way? Making informed decisions based on enlightened self-interest demands intellectual honesty and initiative. Amen to the May 25 letter Not alone. President Biden and Democratic Party leaders are trying to do the right thing. Lets support and vote for candidates who will help us, not help themselves to the largess of power. Len Preslar Winston-Salem Legislative inaction Another day and another headline of a mass shooting, the unending barrage of violence to which many of us have become desensitized (Gunman kills at least 21 at Texas school, May 25). I grieve for those families who have lost loved ones who were innocently attending school, shopping in a grocery store, riding the subway or attending church only to be murdered. My mind embraces those who survived but have witnessed these horrendous acts and must live with those memories for the rest of their lives. I am appalled by the inaction of our legislators to enact sensible background checks and gun-control legislation. It is time for all of us who have been silent to dig in, get involved and show some compassion to those who have been affected and those who will be in the future if we continue to do nothing. I urge Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis to vote in favor of H.R. 8 to enact sensible background checks and get rid of the gun sale and online sale loopholes. I challenge all those who are concerned to make their voice heard, vote for candidates who are in favor of sensible gun legislation and give to organizations like The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence or Everytown for Gun Safety. The time for apathy is well past. Lets make a bipartisan and logical effort to stop this senseless violence. Eileen New Winston-Salem Enough is enough Thoughts and prayers. Thanks to the insincerity of our elected officials, this has become a nauseating phrase to me along with the follow-up comments about helping families and communities find closure after another mass shooting. For more than two years, 50 Republican senators have refused to consider voting on a House bill on gun legislation for fear of losing their power and/or their seats. On May 24, Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas offered his condolences for the massacre of children in Uvalde, Texas. Later this week, he and Sen. Ted Cruz are scheduled to speak at an NRA convention in Houston. Statistics show that since taking office, Sen. Richard Burr has received more than $6.9 million from the NRA. To date, Sen. Thom Tillis has received more than $4.4 million from the same source. That puts political per child value at $5,329.81 for Burr and $3,372 for Tillis. Pro-life evangelicals, where is your outrage? Since 2009, there have been 288 mass shootings in the U.S. while at the same time Canada experienced two, France two and Germany one. Thats not the type of world leadership that I want the U.S. to show. Why do we, the voting public, continue to elect people who put our well-being and American democracy second to holding on to personal power? I am sick of lies and fake sympathy. Republican senators, enough is enough, legislate or quit and leave. James Wright Lexington Ironic How ironic that your May 25 front-page story Gunman kills at least 21 at Texas school jumps to page 7 right next to the ad for a gun and knife show at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. George Frye Jr. Mocksville By Trend The Quad leaders on Tuesday expressed concern over the crisis situation in Myanmar and called for the swift restoration of democracy with the urgent implementation of the ASEAN Five Point Consensus, Trend reports citing zee5. We remain deeply concerned by the crisis in Myanmar, which has caused grave humanitarian suffering and posed challenges to regional stability. We continue to call for the immediate end to violence in Myanmar, the release of all political detainees, including foreigners, engagement in constructive dialogue, humanitarian access, and the swift restoration of democracy, said the Quad leaders in an official statement. Concerned with the escalating violence and deteriorating living conditions in Myanmar, the leaders extended their support to the efforts of the ASEAN for seeking a solution to the situation in the country. We reaffirm our support for ASEAN-led efforts to seek a solution in Myanmar and welcome the role of Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair. We further call for the urgent implementation of the ASEAN Five Point Consensus, read a joint statement of Quad leaders. Notably, the ASEAN Five-point consensus includes the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and the exercise of utmost restraint by all parties. Second, it includes that a constructive dialogue among all parties concerned shall commence seeking a peaceful solution in the interests of the people. The third point says a special envoy of the ASEAN Chair shall facilitate mediation of the dialogue process, with the assistance of the Secretary General of ASEAN. It also called for the ASEAN to provide humanitarian assistance through the AHA Centre, while also stating that the special envoy and delegation shall visit Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned. The 15-year-old Lincoln boy who police say shot toward a 17-year-old boy's head at Seacrest Field on Wednesday has been charged as an adult with three felonies, according to court filings. LeShawn Rogers II, a Lincoln Northeast High School student, shot into a car in the Seacrest Field parking lot Wednesday night, causing a grazing gunshot wound to the left side of the victim's face, requiring reparative surgery, police said in court records. The victim and his friends told police that they met outside Seacrest Field at 7300 A St. at about 7 p.m. Wednesday after a feud with another group, which included Rogers, stemming from a stolen vape cartridge, Lincoln Police Investigator Xavier Schwerdtfeger said in the affidavit for Rogers' arrest. Schwerdtfeger said the groups arrived and two girls began fighting with the victim, a Lincoln East student, before Rogers stepped out of the back seat of a Mazda Tribute, wearing a ski mask and gripping a silver-and-black handgun. The victim and his friends retreated to their car when Rogers opened fire, Schwerdtfeger said, striking the windshield of their vehicle and grazing the 17-year-old's face. Investigators later served a search warrant at Rogers' residence but did not find the handgun, according to police. Rogers was taken to the Youth Assessment Center, where he is being held on a $200,000 percentage bond. He must pay $20,000 to be released. He was charged Thursday with discharging a firearm near a vehicle, second-degree assault and use of a firearm to commit a felony. 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. A district judge has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the widow of a 71-year-old Niobrara man who disappeared and is presumed dead following the Spencer Dam collapse in 2019. Kenny Angel's wife, Linda Angel, sued the Nebraska Public Power District and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources later that same year, alleging the state agencies were to blame for the catastrophic flooding that led to his death. NPPD owned the 92-year-old dam and, along with the Department of Natural Resources, was responsible for its operation and maintenance. Earlier this year, NPPD reached a $2.5 million settlement with the family, leading to that agency's dismissal from the case. At a hearing in April, Holt County District Judge Mark Kozisek considered a motion by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources seeking to rule in its favor. The state argued it was immune from suit under the Safety of Dams and Reservoirs Act, that the state tort claims act barred the action and that Angel's family hadn't established its negligence. The dam's failure March 14, 2019, sent a torrent of water and ice downstream, sweeping away homes and washing out farmland in its path. Kenny Angel lived just downstream from the dam and is believed to have drowned when floodwaters washed away his home and business. His body never was found, but in June 2019 a judge declared him dead. In his order last week, Kozisek said the Safety of Dams and Reservoirs Act "places a significant hurdle in the plaintiff's path to recovery of damages from the DNR." He said the Legislature has granted immunity to the Department of Natural Resources except in very limited circumstances. "Paraphrased, simplifying and distilling to its essence in this proceeding, (Nebraska State Statute) 46-1636 provides: No suit may be brought against the DNR for damages associated with failure to a dam caused by: 1. the DNR's control and regulation of the dam, or 2. measures taken by the DNR to protect the public against dam failure, except for: a. the DNR's negligent acts in assuming control of a dam during an emergency, or 3. the DNR's failure to act." Omaha attorney Mike Coyle alleged the Department of Natural Resources had failed to properly classify the hazard potential of the dam and that additional negligent acts flowed from the erroneous classification up to and immediately following the Spencer Dam's failure. He alleged the department erred 30 years earlier by classifying the dam as a "significant hazard potential" and not a "high hazard potential," which would have required the agency to take actions it never took. Kozisek said the plaintiffs were focusing on what the agency did or didn't do before and after the dam failure, not during the emergency. And it all hinged on whether the department had assumed control of the dam during an emergency, he said, adding there was no evidence that was the case. "The undisputed evidence shows that the DNR was not aware of the potential breach of the Spencer Dam until after it had failed; it was never notified of the problems until the breach had occurred," he wrote. Kozisek said the grant of immunity hasn't been limited to certain types of claims but applies to any action brought for the recovery of damages caused by a total failure of a dam caused by the agency's control and regulation of the dam. And he dismissed the case. It wasn't immediately clear if Angel's family would appeal the ruling. In a report released in April 2020, the Association of State Dam Safety Officials said the dam had a history of unaddressed ice issues and had no formal emergency plan because regulators wrongly assumed that no one would die if it failed. It meant that Kenny Angel didn't get a notification that the dam might fail until just minutes before it did. The independent panel that investigated the failure also concluded that the regulator and owner were not fully aware the dam had failed and been damaged by ice flows in the 60s and said a more thorough examination of the earlier events may have led to mitigation of the ice risk. However, the panel ultimately concluded there was nothing the dam's operators could have done in the early morning of March 14, 2019, to prevent Spencer Dam from failing after unusually intense snow and rain created a raging flood on the Niobrara River in rural northern Nebraska. Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger Love 0 Funny 0 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. Whats it like to be Black in Lincoln? Former University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor Joe Starita said thats a loaded question, one laced with beauty and pain. To be Black in Lincoln is to live a much more complex life a life in which you have to deal with stereotypes. You have to deal with racism, Starita said. You have to sometimes prove yourself to be something you're not when other people might not have to do that. The now-retired instructors spring 2021 Depth Reporting class was honored with a Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Book and Journalism Award for its Being Black in Lincoln series. Stories were published in the Lincoln Journal Star in the summer of 2021 a year after George Floyds death sparked protests and discussions about racial justice. Staritas 12-person class spent the entire semester interviewing Black community members from a variety of professions and backgrounds, hoping to paint a deeply vibrant and inclusive picture of the minority experience in Nebraskas capital. One essential goal of good journalism is to hold up a mirror to the community and let it see itself in that mirror, Starita said. The key goal of this project was to show a largely white community what Lincoln looks like if you happen to have much darker skin. Starita said this group was the youngest and most diverse Depth Reporting class, including Journal Star interns Nick McConnell of Lincoln and Evelyn Mejia of Norfolk. Six of the students were freshmen. Students honored Twelve students were part of the Depth Reporting class honored for its Being Black in Lincoln series. * Lincoln: Jaqueline Martinez, May graduate; Nick McConnell, senior; Zach Wendling, senior * Morse Bluff: Erika Jensen, junior * Norfolk: Evelyn Mejia, junior * Omaha: Dillon Galloway, junior; Jason Han, senior; Nia Johnson, junior * Papillion: Victoria Baker, senior * San Diego: Trinity Saez, junior * Parker, Colorado: Drake Keeler, May graduate; Lauren Penington, senior Each student focused on one individual. Some were educators, others were activists. All, Starita said, offered a diverse perspective that would serve Lincoln. The students hard work ultimately earned them one of the nations most prestigious journalism awards. Assistant professor Jennifer Sheppard, along with editing assistant Roger Holmes, helped lead the class over the semester. Sheppard said the students shared meaningful stories and often tears from the time they spent talking with their subjects. The content touched everyone involved, Sheppard said, even though it was conducted entirely over Zoom. Despite their physical distance, she was still able to see the students grow. By the end, I think they all believed in themselves, Sheppard said. That's just the power of what good journalism can do; not only for the community, but for the writers. Jaqueline Martinez of Lincoln took Depth Reporting her junior year after writing an essay to apply for the class, a entry requirement for all students. The advertising and public relations major said she didnt expect her story to have such an impact. When we found out about the award, I think we were all really shocked, but also emotional, knowing how much more of an audience we were able to reach than we initially thought, Martinez said. Martinez said the project has so many important lessons, but she hopes the package of stories informed Lincoln residents to better listen to its community members and learn from them. "There's so much more to a person than just their appearance," she said. This is the second time in five years that a depth-reporting project from the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications has received a Kennedy Award. In 2017, a UNL team won the College Journalism Award and the grand prize for "The Wounds of Whiteclay: Nebraska's Shameful Legacy." Reach the writer at 402-473-7241 or jthompson@journalstar.com Love 1 Funny 1 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. Eli Soell had planned to head to Kansas City to see his parents over Memorial Day weekend, even though he had just been there for his sister's high school graduation. But after looking at what the drive had cost him, Soell decided to stay home. The 23-year-old said he spent more than $120 just on gas to drive to the Kansas City area and back last weekend, and decided it wasn't worth it to do it again. "Once I got home and looked at what it cost me to get there and back, I decided staying in Lincoln would be smarter than spending nearly $300, over two weekends in a row, in gas alone," Soell said. As of Thursday morning, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded was just under $4.23 a gallon in Lincoln, within a penny of the city's all-time record price set Wednesday. The statewide average was only slightly lower at $4.18 a gallon, which was also a record high. And those prices are among the lowest in the country. Entering the holiday travel weekend, only six states have lower average prices than Nebraska, according to AAA. The national average as of Thursday was $4.60 a gallon. The high prices don't seem to be deterring everyone from traveling this weekend, however. AAA is predicting more than 39 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home, with nearly 35 million driving, the most since the coronavirus pandemic began. Memorial Day is always a good predictor of whats to come for summer travel, Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a news release this month. Based on our projections, summer travel isnt just heating up, it will be on fire. People are overdue for a vacation and they are looking to catch up on some much-needed R&R in the coming months. Brian Ortner, a spokesman for AAA Nebraska, said people feel more comfortable traveling now than they did earlier in the pandemic and want to get out. That means they likely won't be deterred by high gas prices, but they may get more creative in what kinds of trips they take. Gas prices aren't the only travel cost that is surging. Airline fares also are up considerably. A survey from CheapAir.com found the average ticket price in April was up 26% compared with a year ago. At Omaha's Eppley Airfield, that increase was even higher: 31%. AAA said the average airline ticket price for Memorial Day is $160 more than it was last year. "Fares in general ... are incredibly high," said David Haring, executive director of the Lincoln Airport. Haring said that planes at the airport are usually pretty full this time of year, so it's hard to tell if there are more or fewer people planning to fly for Memorial Day. AAA is forecasting more than 3 million will do so this weekend, which is only slightly below the number from 2019. That's despite airlines having cut their available flights by more than 10% due to a pilot shortage. The company said people who are flying should expect large crowds and potential flight delays, especially if there are weather issues. Speaking of the weather, those who are staying close to home for Memorial Day weekend get a forecast that's conducive to outside activities. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high near 80 in Lincoln on Friday, in the mid-80s for Saturday and the low 90s Sunday and Monday. That could mean a rush to pools and parks, but people should be prepared for reduced hours and services. Lincoln city pools will not open until Monday the third time in the last four years they have opened later than normal. In 2019, cold temperatures delayed the opening, and in 2020 pools opened late due to COVID-19. This year, the delay is due to staffing shortages, which also is leading to reduced hours and no concessions at several pools, including Star City Shores. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission also earlier this week announced reduced hours and services at Mahoney State Park and Platte River State Park because of staffing shortages and recommended people call park offices in advance for more information. Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz. 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. FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) After a six-week trial in which Johnny Depp and Amber Heard tore into each other over the nasty details of their short marriage, both sides told a jury the exact same thing Friday they want their lives back. Heard ruined his life by falsely telling the world she was a survivor of domestic abuse at the hands of Mr. Depp, Depp lawyer Camille Vasquez told the jury in closing arguments in his libel trial against his ex-wife. Heard's lawyers, meanwhile, said Depp ruined Heard's life by launching a smear campaign against her when she divorced him and publicly accused him of assault in 2016. In Mr. Depps world, you dont leave Mr. Depp, said Heard's lawyer, J. Benjamin Rottenborn. If you do, he will start a campaign of global humiliation against you. Depp is hoping the trial will help restore his reputation, though it has turned into a spectacle of a vicious marriage, with broadcast cameras in the courtroom capturing every twist to an increasingly rapt audience as fans weighed in on social media and lined up overnight for coveted courtroom seats. This case for Mr. Depp has never been about money, said Depp lawyer Benjamin Chew. It is about Mr. Depp's reputation and freeing him from the prison in which he has lived for the last six years. Depp is suing Heard for $50 million in Virginia's Fairfax County Circuit Court over a 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. Heard filed a $100 million counterclaim against the former Pirates of the Caribbean star after his lawyer called her allegations a hoax. Though the counterclaim has received less attention at the trial, Heard lawyer Elaine Bredehoft said it provides an avenue for the jury to compensate Heard for the abuse Depp inflicted on her even after they split by orchestrating a smear campaign. We're asking you to finally hold this man responsible, she told the jury. He has never accepted responsibility for anything in his life. The seven-person civil jury began its deliberations at 3 p.m. Friday and finished for the day about two hours later. They will resume Tuesday. Depp says he never struck Heard and that she concocted the abuse allegations. He has said he was the one physically attacked by Heard multiple times. There is an abuser in this courtroom, but it is not Mr. Depp, Vasquez said. During the trial, Heard testified about more than a dozen episodes of physical and sexual assault that she said Depp inflicted on her. Vasquez, in her closing, noted that Heard had to revise her testimony about the first time she said she was struck. Heard said Depp hit her after she inadvertently laughed at one of his tattoos. Heard initially said it happened in 2013 after a fairy-tale year of courtship and romance but later corrected herself to say it happened in 2012, very early in their relationship. Now in this courtroom she has suddenly erased an entire year of magic, Vasquez said. Jurors have seen multiple photos of Heard with marks and bruises on her face, but some photos show only mild redness, and others show more severe bruising. Vasquez accused Heard of doctoring the photos and said evidence that Heard has embellished some of her injuries is proof that all her claims of abuse are unfounded. You either believe all of it, or none of it, she said. Either she is a victim of ugly, horrible abuse, or she is a woman who is willing to say absolutely anything. In Heard's closing, Rottenborn said the nitpicking over Heard's evidence of abuse ignores the fact there's overwhelming evidence on her behalf and sends a dangerous message to domestic-violence victims. If you didnt take pictures, it didn't happen, Rottenborn said. If you did take pictures, theyre fake. If you didn't tell your friends, they're lying. If you did tell your friends, theyre part of the hoax. And he rejected Vasquez's suggestion that if the jury thinks Heard might be embellishing on a single act of abuse that they have to disregard everything she says. He said Depp's libel claim must fail if Heard suffered even a single incident of abuse. They're trying to trick you into thinking Amber has to be perfect to win, Rottenborn said. When the jury deliberates, it will have to focus not only on whether there was abuse but also whether Heard's op-ed piece can be considered legally defamatory. The article itself focuses mostly on policy questions of domestic violence, but Depp's lawyer point to two passages in the article, as well as an online headline that they say defamed Depp. In the first passage, Heard writes that two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our cultures wrath. Depp's lawyers call it a clear reference to Depp, given that Heard publicly accused Depp of domestic violence in 2016 two years before she wrote the article. In a second passage she states, I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse. The online headline reads Amber Heard: I spoke up against sexual violence and faced our cultures wrath. She didn't mention his name. She didn't have to, Chew said. Everyone knew exactly who and what Ms. Heard was talking about. Heard's lawyers said Heard can't be held liable for the headline because she didn't write it, and that the two passages in the article are not about the abuse allegations themselves but how Heard's life changed after she made them. Rottenborn told jurors that even if they tend to believe Depp's claim that he never abused Heard, he still can't win his case because Heard has a First Amendment right to weigh in on matters of public debate. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 OMAHA Nebraska state education leaders plan to create a task force to review school safety in light of the shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont, chairwoman of the Legislature's Education Committee, Thursday said the task force would review current "school safety, security and preparedness practices." Walz said that after consulting with education leaders the last two days, she is asking Nebraska Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt to create the comprehensive School Safety Task Force. Walz said every issue and idea are on the table. "In the coming weeks and months Nebraska education leaders will ask tough questions, process gathered information, listen to experts and assist schools in doing everything in our power to keep students safe," Walz said. Tuesday's shooting at Robb Elementary School left 19 students and two teachers dead. The 18-year-old shooter was eventually killed by police. Blomstedt said the shooting touched off a conversation among education officials about what more could be done. He said "Folks don't want to just sit there and wring their hands. They want to talk about what we have in place and what we need to have in place." He said he would work with Walz to pull a group together that would include not just educators but representatives of the broader community, parents and possibly students. "And, hopefully, some ideas, some things that we haven't considered before, will come to the surface," he said. Walz said that while tragedies like the one in Texas "can quickly become political and partisan, the safety of our students is a moral imperative upon which we can all agree." She said some efforts are already in place. She said school officials are committed to early interventions for students in need, citing mental health supports and the new Safe2Help reporting line. She said school buildings have "the necessary infrastructure and personnel as security best practices are studied and shared." She noted that millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief aid sent to Nebraska schools was targeted at student welfare and supports. "However, tragic events like those in Uvalde compel us to reinforce the need to be more united than ever," Walz said. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 KEARNEY Megan Allen is from a family of nurses. Allens great-grandmother was in the nursing field, and her grandma and mother are nurses. One of Allens cousins is a nurse practitioner, said Allen, an RN at Kearney Regional Medical Center. She said if it hadnt been for her mothers encouragement, she might not have chosen a health care profession. My mom wanted one of us to be a nurse and so it was me, Allen said. A lot of what she said about nursing is that it runs in the family, but she also said, Megan, youre such a caring person. It is Allens caring attitude that prompts her to make friendly visits with patients, especially patients who suffer from nagging, chronic conditions. She said theres a soft spot in her heart for anyone who is regularly in and out of the hospital. One of those patients is Sara Merchant from Axtell. She nominated Allen for the Health Care Heroes Award because, in Merchants mind, Allens caring attitude and encouragement may have saved her life. Merchant said almost two years of medical setbacks left her weary from the struggle. Her prolonged battle with kidney stones, perforated bowels, a surgical opening in her stomach, a chronic neuromuscular disorder, and fatigue and weakness took a toll on her fighting spirit. She said she became disheartened having a feeding tube and tracheotomy. To Merchant, it seemed as if the only news she received about her health was bad news. Merchant penned a note describing her frustration and hopelessness. When Allen dropped by her hospital room, Merchant handed her the message. Asked recently about the contents of that note, Merchant stood silent, but then she said Allen was a lifesaver on that day, just as she had been another time during Merchants struggles. Doctors had discharged Merchant, but as she prepared to roll the patient outside on a wheelchair, Allen sensed something wasnt right. Merchant was weak and in pain, so Allen questioned the decision to discharge. Merchant just didnt seem ready to go home. Merchant described what happened next in her nomination of Allen for the Health Care Heroes Award: When I was in the hospital and about to be discharged I stood up, not feeling good, and she (Allen) said, Youre not going anywhere. They took some tests and they found out I had a perforated bowel. I was told that if I had left the hospital I could have died. Allen insisted to the doctors that day that something wasnt right with Merchant. She said it was a challenge speaking up to the hospitals veterans because she had worked at the hospital just a few months and hadnt established her credibility. Merchant said the seriousness of her illness constantly challenged her to be hopeful. Thats where Allens caring attitude and encouragement proved their worth. Merchant said, She sat and listened to me. I felt like I just wanted to give up because of everything negative going on. But it gives a patient hope when they know someone is listening. She was truly my life saver! Allen is an RN in the hospital's progressive care unit, where patients receive care after the intensive care unit. She said nursing has its tough days, but feeling patients appreciation makes nursing worth the heartache. Knowing that you have helped someone and changed their life is the best part of my job, Allen said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SIOUX FALLS, S.D. South Dakota voters are set to vote again on whether they want recreational marijuana legalized for adults after the secretary of state Wednesday validated the measure for the November ballot. Secretary of State Steve Barnett announced that a random sample of petition signatures showed that South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws, the group campaigning to legalize pot, had easily collected enough valid signatures to surpass the roughly 17,000 needed to place the measure on the November ballot. The proposed law would allow people 21 years old and over to use and grow pot for personal use. It would place a 1 ounce limit on the amount that people could use or share. Marijuana legalization has spurred political fights among South Dakotas dominant Republican party in recent years and tested faith in a form of direct democracy the ballot measure. A citizen-proposed constitutional amendment to legalize cannabis passed by 54% in 2020, but Gov. Kristi Noem sponsored a lawsuit to challenge it and the state Supreme Court ruled last year that it violated the state Constitution. The secretary of state's validation may be challenged within 30 days. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I was in my office the other day, doing a well child check. The child was 4 months old, so I told both parents that reading was an important thing to do. Their question was simple, What age do we start? Great question, isnt it? When your baby is in the womb, it cant see you but hearing is a different story. Sight starts with birth and light, while hearing develops far before that. Side note here: I am a voracious eclectic reader. If you want a good rollick, get Ian McEwans book Nutshell. Its a mystery from the point of view of a baby in the womb where the baby hears everything. OK, back to work now. So ... your baby knows your voice and knows words. Reading to a baby as young as 4 months old helps develop the important roots of language. Parents who read to their kids this early make it more likely theyll continue this habit throughout childhood. Reading stimulates imagination and vocabulary, and helps develop listening skills all of which is important for understanding the written word. And there is credible evidence that it stimulates IQ. Its a win for babies. A recent study out of the University of South Australia also shows that reading to your child can triple their resilience at school, particularly for at-risk kids. The study focused on early primary-age children who had suffered abuse or neglect, looking at factors that might modify the negative effect of some terrifically terrible adverse life circumstances. In Australia in 2021, nearly 300,000 children ages 0-17 had one or more instances where child protective services were called. And 105,000 were the subject of an investigation, with officials finding nearly 50,000 of these kids had suffered substantiated abuse or neglect. Whats more, these kids were often more developmentally vulnerable than their peers especially at the beginning of the school year. The kids who were read to, at home, on a regular basis did better at school, were less likely to get into trouble, more likely to be resilient on the playground and in the classroom. As a lead researcher said, Reading out loud can create many positive outcomes for children. As a shared experience between parent or grandparent and child, it encourages connection, while also directly contributing to child development through exposure to words and stories. My spin: Helping our kids reach their full potential means spending time reading to them. That is especially important for any child who has had abuse or neglect, or faced other terrible life events. Reading to kids was a major predictor of resilience in both boys and girls in struggling families. With summer coming up, putting reading into your kids schedule might reap major benefits. As the Australia study also noted: A good start to school is predictive of later outcomes, so its vital that we not only identify those at risk early on, but also find ways to support childrens emotional, social and physical development, before they start school. Reading to kids is a great way to show them the support they need. And oh, one more thing, as a grandparent of 7 grandkids 6 years old and younger, I can tell you that reading to kids is a win for you too. It makes my heart sing. Stay well. This column provides general health information. Always consult your personal health care provider about concerns. No ongoing relationship of any sort is implied or offered by Dr. Paster to people submitting questions. Any opinions expressed by Dr. Paster in his columns are personal and are not meant to represent or reflect the views of SSM Health. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Trend Russia and China used their veto right during a UN Security Council vote on a US resolution to toughen sanctions against North Korea, Trend reports citing TASS. The remaining members - the United Kingdom, the United States and France, as well as Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway and the UAE - voted in favor. The US initiative condemned the March 24 ballistic missile launch by Pyongyang and other recent missile tests. The draft also reduced supplies of crude and oil products to North Korea. It also mentioned imposing sanctions on a North Korean organization allegedly involved in malicious cyber activities, as well as against some other entities. Now, the UN General Assembly is to gather for discussions on North Korea within ten days. On April 26, the Assembly adopted a resolution that it should gather every time any permanent member of the UN Security Council uses its veto right. RACINE A Milwaukee man has been accused of assaulting and choking a woman in Racine. Melvin D. Davis, 46, was charged with five felony counts of bail jumping, felony counts of strangulation and suffocation, and false imprisonment in addition to misdemeanor counts of battery, obstructing an officer and disorderly conduct. According to a criminal complaint: On Monday, officers were sent to the 1700 block of Geneva Street for a woman that was screaming for help. Officers could hear the woman screaming from a garage while a man was shutting the garage door. They approached the garage door and saw a woman lying on the ground, yelling help me! as Davis stood over her. She attempted to crawl out from the garage. Davis was ordered to stop but ran away. The woman said she and Davis got into an argument and he tried to grab her as she tried to flee from the garage. He then punched her in the mouth, pulled her to the ground and began strangling her. He threatened to beat her with a shovel and then tried to shut the garage door when police arrived. She had bloody and swollen lips and blood in her left ear. Officers pursued Davis as he jumped a fence and ran between buildings. He was ultimately arrested, and then he claimed that he and the woman were having a minor dispute and it was never physical. Davis was given a $5,000 cash bond in Racine County Circuit Court on Tuesday. A preliminary hearing is on June 1 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show. The door was open. Its one of the most shocking revelations and safety failures thats come out in the days since the massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead. The shooter was able to walk into Robb Elementary School unabated, apparently because a door to the building had been propped open by a teacher, inadvertently allowing him in. A school resource officer also apparently wasnt on campus at the time, only driving to the school after the violence began. Then, police officers on scene didnt attempt to enter the room where the shooter was killing fourth-graders for more than ha;f-an-hour, wasting precious minutes, which law enforcement officials have now admitted was a mistake. Racine County schools from Burlington Area School District and Waterford Graded School District to the west, and Racine Unified and Siena Catholic Schools to the east attest that all of their buildings cannot be entered without somebody authorized and/or alreadyinside letting them in. All entrances are locked at all times during the school day as required by Act 143 (passed by the Wisconsin legislature five years ago) and all visitors can only enter at the main entrance of each building. Once admitted into the building, we have a visitor management system that screens visitors to ensure they are safe to be inside, states a letter issued to Waterford elementary school families Wednesday. Likewise, Siena Catholic Schools, which includes four Racine elementary schools, St. Rita School in Caledonia and St. Catherines High School in Racine, told its families in a letter: Secure entrances and routine emergency drills are in place at all six Siena schools, we continue to work with officials on ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training emergency preparedness and active shooter training and prioritize investing in additional security. We are committed to exploring the safety measures needed in the pursuit of keeping our schools safe. Siena Chief Advancement Officer Kimberly Gardner added in an email: We do not routinely have law enforcement officers or armed security in our schools with the exception of events that draw large crowds such as WIAA contests and community-wide fundraisers, or safety drills. We do, however, have well-established relationships with the City of Racine Police Department and Caledonia Police Department to draw on as needed. At Burlington public schools, badges are needed to enter any exterior door. More outdoor surveillance cameras were also added following a $43.5 million referendum that passed in 2018 and BASD receiving grants from the Department of Justice. At Karcher Middle School, BASDs newest building, which opened at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year, has added safety features, such as doors to the wings can be closed, district spokesperson Julie Thomas said in an email. At all Racine Unified schools, All visitors to our schools must hit a buzzer and look into the camera to tell the office staff the purpose of their visit before being buzzed in. They are then buzzed into the main office and must go through there and sign in before being able to enter the school itself, RUSD Chief of Communication Stacy Tapp said in an email. In the main office, we have a system called Raptor. Before entering the school beyond the office visitors must show a valid photo ID and a background check is run against the sexual offender registry. Once cleared, they receive a visitors badge. BASD also uses Raptor. Burlington High School and RUSDs three primary high schools Horlick, Case and Park have full-time school resource officers who are sworn, full-time police officers. Theres also an SRO that rotates between RUSDs middle schools. Part-time, off-duty officers are also occasionally hired as security by RUSD. How to talk to kids about gun violence, school shootings Area schools offered the following resources to help grown-ups talk to kids about violence and school shootings. "Talking to children about terrorist attacks and school and community shootings in the news," by Children's Hospital of Los Angeles and the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement | bit.ly/38Uy12i "How to Talk to Kids About Violence, Crime, and War," from Common Sense Media | bit.ly/3wQ8Ff8 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. Theres some political agreement that, in short, something must be done to stem the school shooting epidemic the United States has found itself in. What that something is varies wildly. In an interview Wednesday, Henry Perez a Racine alderman, retired Miami police officer and current special education teacher at Jerstad-Agerholm School suggested schools provide students with bulletproof backpacks. He noted they cost approximately $90 each, cheaper than the laptops many students are provided with. The sales of bulletproof backpacks are already spiking this week, Business Insider reported Wednesday. When asked how children might react to (and be fearful of) being given bulletproof gear just to go to school, Perez said students should be told We love you so much. Thats why we want to protect you. In mandatory training within Racine Unified School District, Perez noted that teachers have been told that they should develop lesson plans as if all students have trauma, since so many already do. Were developing our lesson plans with that idea in mind. But, what would happen if there was more trauma in schools? We have to minimize that. Perez, like many others, have asserted theres no way to stop mass shootings. Im not about taking away the guns, because I dont think theyre going to go away You have to take the initiative to protect yourself. The police cannot always be everywhere all the time, he said. Make sure that everybody (in the school) is on board with Nobody gets in through the doors who shouldnt be. Dont make it look like a prison, but we have to care for thousands of kids. Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, agreed. The idea that we are going to take a heinous act like this and find some kind of logical way to prevent it 100% of the time, I just dont see that occurring, Vos told the Associated Press Thursday. On Friday, U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, a Janesville Republican whose district includes all of Racine and Kenosha counties, told a reporter there are three key things government should be doing in response to the shootings. They are: Expanding the use of school resource officers, Providing more mental health supports in schools, And, as Steil put it, We need to get serious about individuals who are illegally using guns across our country. Vos also said he would be open to allowing teachers to carry firearms on school grounds, saying it should be on the table. Previous similar proposals havent gotten far in Wisconsins Legislature and assuredly would be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, a former science teacher and state superintendent. Others, including Evers and current State Superintendent Jill Underly, have called for stricter gun laws. What type of society are we, and what does that say about us as a civilization, if we refuse to support policies that protect lives and instead strengthen laws that value weapons more? Our students cannot learn if they are not alive. It sickens me that I have to say that, but I will keep saying it until our kids are safe, Underly said in a statement Wednesday. Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes on Wednesday told Naomi Kowles, an investigative journalist with Madisons WISC-TV, that, regarding the Second Amendment, What was written in 1789 may not be appropriate for 2022 unless were OK with kids being killed. Barnes noted that there are limits on free speech, and thus argued that governments should be open to limiting the Second Amendment further too, in the interest of public safety. You have the right to freedom of speech, but you cant yell fire in a crowded theater, Barnes said. You have the right to the Second Amendment, but we dont expect you to come into a school and use an automatic weapon with unlimited capacity and kill people. Steil disagrees. He said Friday, I dont believe we need to restrict peoples freedoms and liberties from their Second Amendment rights. The shooter who killed 21 in Uvalde before being killed by police legally bought two assault rifles on his 18th birthday, the first day he was legally allowed to buy them, Texas state Sen. John Whitmire told media outlets this week; the gunman is also believed to have bought several hundred rounds of ammunition legally. Besides beefing up school defenses, such as ensuring all entry points from the outside are locked and equipping teachers to quickly barricade doors, Perez said that more prevention work needs to be done. That includes funding mental health supports for children. Perez is a vocal supporter of keeping police officers in schools and thinks there should be more. In U.S. jurisdictions, there are typically between 2 and 3 law enforcement officers per 1,000 people, according to data analysis from Governing.com. But for RUSDs three main high schools, there are three SROs for approximately 4,700 students; although, while cities have law enforcement presence 24/7, schools are really only populated five days a week, nine months a year, for about 10 hours a day. A handful of school districts in the U.S. including in Albuquerque and Atlanta have their own police departments, separate from the area municipal PD. Perez argues that should be allowed in Wisconsin and said he is talking with state legislators about changing laws to allow districts to create their own police departments. Initial reports indicate that the school resource officer Robb Elementary in Uvalde wasnt on campus when the gunman arrived, and that other officers arrived and formed a perimeter or staged within the school for more than half an hour before breaching the door to the classroom where 19 fourth-graders were murdered. Before even making entry to the building Tuesday morning, the shooter was reportedly outside the school firing his rifle for 12 minutes. The exact timeline of events remains unclear. Texas law enforcement officials have repeatedly contradicted one another about what happened before, during and after the massacre. The response of law enforcement has been sharply criticized. At least one parent outside the school was handcuffed for trying to pass a police line while officers waited to enter the school, fearing for their own safety as killings were ongoing and children were bleeding out. Perez, who is also a pastor, repeated the old Christian phrase: prayer without action is not prayer. We hurt for the children and the teachers Our children are traumatized. We need to be strong but thoughts and prayers alone will not defeat the evil that exists, Perez wrote in a public Facebook post this week, in which he also wrote about the bulletproof backpack idea and allowing schools to have their own police departments. We must harden our school targets and strengthen our responses. 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. DOVER State and federal lawmakers are expressing dismay following a report of mistreatment and neglect of residents in the state-run Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel published an investigative report Thursday showing that residents in the Racine County facility have endured physical abuse, medication errors, unsanitary conditions and other problems. Its a dump, one former resident told the Milwaukee newspaper of the veterans home, which is named for Union Grove but is located in the Town of Dover. According to the newspapers investigation, the home licensed to care for 158 people has been cited with 62 operating violations in the past five years, ranking among the five worst offenders out of 117 federally certified veteran facilities in the nation. The violations date back to the administration of Republican Gov. Scott Walker and have continued since Democratic Gov. Tony Evers took office in 2019. State officials told the Journal Sentinel that staffing shortages and leadership turnover have contributed to what they acknowledge is a troublesome situation at the Racine County home. Union Grove is a challenge, state Veterans Affairs Secretary Mary Kolar said. We are still changing the culture. It is one of three such veterans homes operated by the state, with the other two located in King and Chippewa Falls. Evers and Kolar both visited the Dover facility just this spring for a ceremonial signing of bills aimed at improving education and job opportunities for Wisconsin veterans. Among those reacting to the Journal Sentinel report, Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and State Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, issued a joint statement calling the report of veteran mistreatment completely unacceptable. Our veterans deserve better, our veterans have earned better, Vos and Wanggaard said. And we all expect better. To address staffing shortages at the Dover facility, the Evers administration had ordered deployments of the Wisconsin National Guard to serve as nursing assistants and also accepted help from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs. Vos and Wanggaard accused Evers of rejecting the federal assistance, which the state turned down initially, but then accepted after a COVID-19 outbreak that led to 10 deaths at the facility in 2020. The two state legislators also accused the governor of ending the National Guards participation early. That temporary assignment in Dover ended less than two months before on the National Guards own timetable when funding for the mission was running out. Citing consistent mismanagement at the veterans home, Vos and Wanggaard alleged that quality of management and care have fallen off a cliff since 2019 the same year that Evers succeeded Walker. Its obvious that something needs to change, the two Republicans said. You cant just keep doing the same thing over and over and getting the same result. Something needs to change, and needs to change now. The Journal Sentinel investigation found problems and violations at the veterans home dating back to 2017 and 2018, during the Republican administration of Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch. The newspaper reported that inspectors in 2017 found 17 violations that involved staff making medication errors, neglecting wound care, serving poor food and unnecessarily restraining residents. Another 25 violations were reported to have occurred starting in 2018. Kleefisch is seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Evers in a gubernatorial race to be decided by voters in November. Kleefisch and Evers could not be reached for comment. More recently, the newspaper documented violations recorded in 2021 and 2022 for such issues as failing to investigate reports of patient abuse, not giving residents regular showers, and failing to follow COVID-19 safety protocols. U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Janesville, whose congressional district includes the Veterans Home at Union Grove, told the Journal Sentinel that he had received reports of problems at the home for years, but that he didnt understand the scope. In a statement Thursday responding to the newspapers report, Steil said he had previously questioned state and federal authorities about how the veterans home was managing the COVID-19 pandemic, but not about any other issues. Steil said the newspapers report of mistreatment and abuse of residents in Dover makes my stomach churn. The lack of care and abuse veterans have suffered at the Union Grove facility is abhorrent and unacceptable, he said. I will continue my work at the federal level to ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve. Pointing a finger at Evers without mentioning Walker or Kleefisch, the Republican congressman added: Its hard to wrap my head around the fact that this wasnt a five-alarm fire for the Evers administration that runs the facility. 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. Wisconsin's top legislative Republican said Thursday that he is open to the idea of arming teachers following the latest school shooting in Texas, while he dismissed as "disingenuous" an offer from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to find common ground. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told The Associated Press that finding ways to better protect schools, including with additional police, armed security guards and armed teachers, "should be on the table." "It's not just teachers. It's making sure that people who are inside of school have the ability to defend themselves," Vos said. "But the idea that we are going to take a heinous act like this and find some kind of logical way to prevent it 100% of the time, I just don't see that occurring." Evers, when asked about Vos' proposal at a news conference on another topic, said, he didn't think teachers would support it and that it would make schools more dangerous. Evers is a former teacher, school district superintendent and state superintendent. "There are better ways," Evers said. "I'd like to think about finding ways to keep guns away from people who are going to cause these types of problems." Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul dismissed the proposal as "a really wacky and frankly dangerous idea." "We can't be turning our schools into war zones," he said. "It's not going to make them safer. In fact, it would make them more dangerous." Democratic state Rep. Deb Andraca, of Whitefish Bay, tweeted her opposition to the idea. "I am a licensed teacher and a gun owner with my concealed carry permit," she said. "This is a terrible idea." Vos said more people in schools trained to handle violent outbreaks could respond not just to shootings but to a whole array of problems, including sexual assaults and other crimes. Past Republican proposals to arm teachers have not gone anywhere in the GOP-controlled Legislature. And any bill to do that now would certainly be vetoed by Evers, who is up for reelection in November. Republican gubernatorial candidate Kevin Nicholson was also open to the idea. His spokeswoman Courtney Mullen said Nicholson backs having "armed and professionally trained" professionals guarding schools whenever possible, but "allowing some teachers who are trained and licensed to carry in order to protect our students may also be warranted." The other three Republican candidates for governor - Rebecca Kleefisch, Tim Michels and state Rep. Timothy Ramthun - did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Earlier this year, Evers vetoed Republican bills that would have allowed holders of concealed carry permits to have firearms in vehicles on school grounds and in churches located on the grounds of a private school. He also vetoed a measure that would have allowed anyone with a concealed carry license from any state to be armed in Wisconsin. Currently, only people with licenses from states that conduct background checks on applicants can carry concealed guns in Wisconsin. Stalled efforts Evers and other Democrats called for action this week after an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and their two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Evers called a special session in 2019 for the Legislature to pass bills instituting a universal background check for gun purchases and a "red flag" law that would give judges the ability to temporarily take away firearms from people determined to be a risk. The Legislature did not take up those bills. Democrats on Wednesday, including Kaul, renewed the call for Republicans to consider the bills. Vos dismissed Kaul's plea as "just trying to throw something out there to make himself relevant." Kaul is also up for reelection in November. Another stalemate Kaul said Vos and other Republicans who refuse to take action are "deflecting from the main issues to appease the far right ends of their base. And it's a choice that they are making to ultimately not take action and instead to allow mass shootings to keep occurring one after the other without taking action." Evers urged lawmakers to look for common ground. But Vos, who has not spoken with Evers in more than a year and a half, said the offer was "not a serious effort." "Evers, in a disingenuous way, talks about things that are very difficult or impossible to accomplish as opposed to those things that really could be," Vos said. Evers' spokeswoman Britt Cudaback did not immediately return a message. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Marshfield and Adams have joined the list of Wisconsin cities that have shut down municipal wells due to PFAS contamination. Wisconsin Public Radio reported that the state Department of Natural Resources announced Thursday that sampling in the two cities has detected PFAS high enough to concern state health officials. Marshfield shut down four of 15 wells after receiving results Tuesday. Adams shut down one of two wells with elevated PFAS levels after receiving results May 4. Communities including La Crosse, Eau Claire and Madison have also shut down wells due to PFAS contamination. The DNR is investigating PFAS contamination at nearly 100 sites across the state. The DNR's policy board approved surface and drinking water standards for PFAS in February but failed to set groundwater standards. The surface and drinking water standards are still subject to legislative approval. The Legislature's rules committee has requested a meeting with DNR officials to discuss the standards. That meeting could take place as early as next month. PFAS is an acronym for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals that don't break down in nature. The chemicals are found in fire-fighting foam and a wide range of everyday products such as cookware and clothing. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The recent story of John Tate and the Wisconsin Parole Commissions decision to let a 54-year-old murderer go free after serving 20 years was very concerning. Douglas Balsewicz, 54, was due to be released on May 17 for the 1997 murder of his wife, Johanna Rose. He was sentenced by the Milwaukee County Circuit Court to 80 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years were served. The details of the murder are horrific, with Balsewicz having been accused of stabbing his wife dozens of times while their young children were in the house. The children were later found covered in their mothers blood. According to information released by the Wisconsin Parole Commission, Balsewicz became eligible for parole in 2017, but was denied parole on four previous occasions. Tate, who is chair of the parole commission and serves as president of the Racine City Council, approved Balsewiczs fifth request on April 27. Thats sparked controversy, both from the family of Johanna Rose who want to see Balsewicz spend more time behind bars and then ultimately from Gov. Tony Evers, who was the one who appointed Tate to the committee and expressed his concern after meeting with the family. In opposition to the early release, Evers wrote, I do not agree with this decision, and I have considerable concerns regarding whether Johannas family was afforded sufficient opportunity to voice their memories, perspectives, and concerns before this decision was made. Tate later said in an email to The Associated Press and the Department of Corrections that he understands the governors concerns about the lack of victim input and that he was rescinding Douglas Balsewiczs parole. We are still left with questions after all this. Why didnt the family have sufficient opportunity to voice their concerns before this decision was made? Why was the commission planning to release Balewicz in the first place? The commission explained to be granted parole, five matters must be considered: conduct while incarcerated, programming, risk reduction, and time served. According to the Wisconsin Parole Commission, Balsewicz has sustained acceptable institution conduct, with no major conduct reports, and the last minor conduct report was from 2016. That explanation is not good enough. Likewise the way that Tate quickly changed his mind after Evers letter also brings up questions. Even though there are only a limited number of people behind bars who could get early release those incarcerated before Truth in Sentencing families, victims and the public deserve to better understand how these early release decisions are being made. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Copperas Cove, TX (76522) Today Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 69F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. President receives new ambassadors from Ukraine, Canada President Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted receptions for the newly-accredited ambassadors from Ukraine and Canada, who came to present their credentials. Ukrainian Ambassador Gaman Oleksandr (R) presents his credentials to President Nguyen Xuan Phuc. (Photo: VNA) Receiving the new Ukrainian ambassador, Gaman Oleksandr, President Phuc underlined that Vietnam always attaches great importance to the traditional friendship, partnership and comprehensive cooperation with Ukraine. The sound ties between the two countries have been nurtured and developed by generations of leaders and people of both countries over the past 30 years since Vietnam and Ukraine set up their diplomatic relations, he said. Despite COVID-19 impacts, bilateral economic and trade cooperation has been bolstered, he said, noting that the 15th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee on economic, trade and science-technology cooperation was held successfully. The Vietnamese leader thanked Ukraine for supporting the protection and evacuation of Vietnamese citizens in Ukraine. Conveying sympathy over great losses that Ukraine has suffered, he said he hopes that the situation in Ukraine will become stable soon. President Phuc said that Vietnam has decided to provide humanitarian aid of 500,000 USD to Ukraine people through the Red Cross and United Nations, while standing ready to cooperate in the reconstruction of Ukraine in the future. For his part, Oleksandr thanked Vietnam for the humanitarian assistance. He said that in the time to come, he will visit Vietnamese localities to further expand cooperation between the two countries in many fields. He suggested that the two sides strengthen cooperation in trade and investment in all sectors. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Canadian Ambassador Shawn Perry Steil. (Photo: VNA) At the reception for the Canadian ambassador, Shawn Perry Steil, President Phuc highlighted the growing relations between the two countries. Despite difficulties from COVID-19, the two sides have maintained good political and diplomatic relations, he said, adding that two-way trade reached more than 6 billion USD in 2021, up 18.5 percent year on year. The President said he hopes Ambassador Steil will design plans to further beef up bilateral ties. Ambassador Steil noted that the two countries are enjoying effective cooperation in all fields, including economy, education, defence, security and climate change response. He pledged that he will work hard to further strengthen the partnership between the two countries. President Phuc underlined Vietnams wish to accelerate ties with Canada, especially through the exchange of delegations at high and all levels and people-to-people exchange. He expressed hope that Canada will coordinate closely with Vietnam to organise activities to mark the 50th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2023. The State leader said he hopes the Canadian diplomat will give proposals to promote bilateral collaboration in prioritised sectors after the pandemic as well as open the market for Vietnamese agricultural products, thus making full use of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). He proposed that the ambassador will work to speed up Canadian-supported projects in responding to climate change, natural disasters and sea level rise, especially in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. Over regional and international issues, President Phuc affirmed that Vietnam welcomes Canadas strengthening of cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region, thus contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region. Vietnam hopes that Canada, through the Indo-Pacific Strategy, will continue to make strong commitments in supporting the central role of the ASEAN and the ASEAN-Canada comprehensive partnership, he stated./. By Trend Iran is ready to enter barter arrangements with Russia, offering car parts and gas turbines in exchange for steel, Iranian trade and industries minister Reza Fatemi Amin said, Trend reports citing TASS. Speaking on the sidelines of a Russian-Iranian joint economic and trade cooperation commission meeting, the minister said the Islamic Republic may use barter arrangements to obtain raw materials necessary for the countrys metals and mining industries. The country needs zinc, aluminum, lead and steel, he said. In return, Iran can supply car parts and gas turbines to Russia, Amin said. In his words, the sides also agreed on deliveries of spare parts and repairs of turbines used by Russian power plants. Apart from that, the countries agreed to study options of barter deals on a wide range of commodities and raw materials. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak arrived in Iran on a working visit on May 25. 1. Yes. General Cavazos was an outstanding leader and a true role model for soldiers. 2. Yes. As the first Hispanic four-star general, the choice of Cavazos would be historic. 3. No. There are plenty of other Army leaders who deserve the honor just as much. 4. No. It doesnt matter what name wins approval; the post should remain Fort Hood. 5. Unsure. No matter what name is chosen, its bound to be controversial. Vote View Results By Trend Riyadh and Buenos Aires show interest in BRICS activities, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with RT Arabic, Trend reports citing TASS. "The interest in it [BRICS group - TASS] is showed by our Saudi friends and Argentina, which stated the desire to become a full-fledged BRICS member, coming from mouth of its Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero," the Minister said. The next BRICS summit is being prepared, Lavrov said. "The outreach format will be established within its framework, where a round dozen of developing economies will participate," he added. The Minister also indicated that many countries of the Arab world show interest in establishing partner relations with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. "These are processes of building up meaningful and positive, non-antagonistic alliances, not aimed against anyone," Lavrov added. ORD The Fabulous Accordion Festival grew from a desire to keep creativity churning in Ord during the past several years of the pandemic shutdown. During COVID and while our theater was closed, we hosted something we called the Ghost Light Performance Series, said Dahn Hagge, director of the Golden Husk, a performing arts center in Ord. It was a virtual series. We invited artists to come in and we recorded their performances so we could post the recording online. One of the performers, Laddie Bruha, played his accordion and told stories. He plays the button accordion by ear, Hagge said. We posted that performance online and it received about 12,000 views on Facebook. Hagge realized how performers like the 84-year-old Bruha, a retired farmer from central Nebraska, kept alive an important part of the heritage and culture of Nebraska. In the video, he said, I have 11 accordions. I enjoy playing. Ive played most of my life and I have a son who took over my band. I was brought up with button accordion music; my grandpa played and my dad played and my brother played and I played and now my son plays. I dont know if thats the end of it or not. Following production of the final video, Hagge envisioned an event that celebrated performers like Bruha. This is such a strong part of our heritage, she said. There are so many people passionate about this. We need to create an event that honors Laddie and all the other people who have this rich heritage of polka music and playing the accordion. Hagge staged the first event in 2021 and quickly decided to make the Fabulous Accordion Festival an annual tradition. The Fabulous Accordion Festival, a day of polka, art, storytelling, dance lessons and kolaches begins with a jam session at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Golden Husk in Ord. Admission to the festival is $10. Last year we had 25 button accordion players from all over the state at the jam session, Hagge said. That was really cool. Laddie will bring his 11-button accordions from different countries to display. At 4 p.m., the Three Guys Polka Band will play for a dance. For those who need a little instruction on how to dance the polka, Ron and Judy Bauer will teach some basic steps. Its about the happiest music that you can ever listen to, Hagge said of polka music. I love watching little kids when they listen to accordion music. They just cant help but dance and smile and celebrate when they hear it. Those are the things we love about it. In the area around Ord, Hagge noted the size and strength of the Czech, Polish and German cultures. This music has been passed down from generation to generation, she said. This is really something we need to preserve and honor. One of my greatest hopes and my creative dream would be that we could host an event where our current people who are playing the button accordion could teach other people how to play so we can keep that part of our heritage going. Hagge recalled the importance of that culture, within her family when she was growing up. Even when my parents were little and theyre in their 70s now the downtown square in Ord on a Saturday night was always full of outdoor musical performances, she said. And there used to be people speaking different languages on every corner. People would come downtown, spend the evening going from corner to corner and hearing stories from different cultures that lived in our area. Hagge believes that the Fabulous Accordion Festival honors the past. And that it preserves it for our future as well, she said. People who play the button accordion absolutely love gathering, being together and enjoying the music. In the wake of another terrible massacre by a crazed lunatic who disregarded all legal measures and common decency by committing the act of murdering groups of small children and adults in an elementary school in Texas, the leadership of CouleeConservatives.com is calling on legislators at all levels to do something. Crazed lunatics have shown time and again that they have absolutely no regard for laws that are passed, said Christopher Muller, editor in chief at CouleeConservatives.com. Now is the time to remove the barriers that are preventing good, God-fearing people from defending themselves and their loved ones and begin the process of healing the secularized culture that glorifies violence. The group propose the following common-sense measures: FIRST: Because 94% of all mass shootings take place in gun free zones, we call on legislators to enact a ban on them. This will allow moms, dads, teachers, and administrators to defend themselves and school children if evil lunatics ever arrive in the future. SECOND: End the ban on prayer in public schools and return to the practice of teaching children to have good, Christian values. The group concludes, Enacting these measures will not cost the taxpayers a penny but will have a significant impact on preventing future mass shootings or ending them quickly if one does occur. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 A 34-year-old La Crosse man has been sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for illegal gun possession. Joshua K. Breidel pleaded guilty March 1 in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm. His sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson, who also ordered Breidels prison term be followed by 36 months of supervised release. According to federal prosecutors, Breidel was involved in a domestic disturbance with a woman in La Crosse during the early morning hours of Aug. 4, 2021. The woman later told La Crosse police that Breidel pointed a Glock handgun at her, which he had previously stolen from her. She fled the house and reported hearing a pop, which she assumed was the defendant firing a round at her. Breidel later admitted to discharging the firearm. The woman described her relationship with Breidel as abusive and said he regularly threatened to kill her, her children and her family. Police arrested Breidel the following day and reportedly found a Glock 48 handgun and three loaded magazines in his possession. Breidel was prohibited from possessing a firearm based on multiple prior felony convictions and was on probation at the time of the incident. Peterson ordered the federal sentence to run concurrently with the remainder of Breidels state prison sentence, which has 32 months remaining. 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. Vernon Countys second fatal motor vehicle crash of 2022 happened Thursday when a Union Center man was pronounced dead at the scene after a two-vehicle crash on County Road V. According to a press release from the Sheriffs Office, at 2:49 p.m. the Vernon County 911 Dispatch Center received a call reporting a two-vehicle crash with injuries on County Road V, north of State Hwy. 33, in the town of Forest, near Mount Tabor. A 1992 Dodge Ram truck, driven by Dustin E. Downing, 35, of Kendall, was traveling south on County Road V. Suddenly, Downings truck veered left and crossed the centerline into the path of a 2013 Honda Pilot SUV, driven by Joel R. Penegor, 52, of Wauwatosa. Penegor swerved to avoid the collision, but was unable to avoid Downings vehicle. Adam J. Friedl, 27, of Union Center, and Gary M. Stokley, 31, of Elroy, were passengers in Downings truck. Downing and Stokley were transported to Gundersen St. Josephs Hospital in Hillsboro and later transported to Gundersen Health System in La Crosse for serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Friedl was pronounced dead at the scene by Vernon County Coroner Betty Nigh. Penegor received minor injuries and declined medical treatment on scene. The Hillsboro Fire Department, Hillsboro Ambulance Service, La Farge Ambulance Service, Vernon County Coroners Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Rons Towing and Peterson Towing assisted the sheriffs office. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said he opposes new gun laws and blamed wokeness and critical race theory for school shootings days after a gunman in Texas killed 21 people, almost all of whom were elementary school students. This is a society-wide problem, a society-wide sickness that is not going to be solved by some gun law, additional gun laws here in Washington, D.C., the Oshkosh Republican told Fox Business host Neil Cavuto. Asked whether stiffer background checks could curb future school shootings, Johnson said people will always fall through the cracks. He added he believed some people shouldnt have guns but questioned how that determination might be made. The solution lies in stronger families, more supportive communities, I would argue renewed faith, he said. Weve lost that. We stopped teaching values in so many of our schools. Now were teaching wokeness. Were indoctrinating our children with things like CRT, telling, you know, some children theyre not equal to others and theyre the cause of other peoples problems. CRT refers to critical race theory, a decades-old academic framework used in graduate courses to understand how laws and institutions perpetuate racism. It is not taught in elementary schools, though conservatives have often conflated it with lessons focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. The concept has become a campaign talking point among conservatives trying to galvanize their base. Cavuto pushed back, saying school shootings have been going on long before wokeness and critical race theory. I think CRT has been going on under the radar for quite some time as well, Johnson said. Wokeness has been, liberal indoctrination has been. This is a much larger issue than what a simple new gun laws going to, its not going to solve it, its not going to solve it. Johnson spokesperson Alexa Henning did not respond to a request for comment. Ron Johnson is bearing false witness when he refuses to name the cause of these mass tragedies, which is our nations lunatic access to weapons of mass destruction of the type used to slaughter these children in Uvalde, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tom Nelson said in a statement, calling for an assault rifle ban. Doing nothing has resulted in one thing: more dead children, and the people of Wisconsin are tired of having a do-nothing Senator in Washington, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alex Lasry said. We need to ban assault weapons, expand background checks, and make our communities safer. The only way to change the deadly status quo in this country is to get Ron Johnson out of the Senate. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski called for comprehensive background checks, red flag laws and a ban on high-capacity magazines, saying most Americans support those measures. She slammed Republicans in Washington, D.C., bought and paid for by the gun lobby, who filibuster any meaningful change to our lax gun laws forcing the rest of us to accept mass shooting deaths as a normal feature of American life. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes said Johnson wants to distract from the $1.2 million he has taken from the gun lobby. He questioned how Wisconsinites could trust anything that comes out of the mouth of a self-serving politician whose loyalty can be bought. Ron Johnson and his gun lobby-funded colleagues are the reason we havent been able to pass commonsense gun reform, he said. If he wont step up to protect our kids, I will. Johnsons comments came a day after Democrats blocked his effort to codify the Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety into law. That measure calls for the clearinghouse to include information about threat prevention, preparedness, protection, mitigation, incident response and recovery. Its a good idea, Johnson said. It could save lives. It is an action, when people are calling for action following this tragedy. Democratic U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer blocked action on the bill Wednesday, saying he would focus instead on a measure that would authorize federal agencies to monitor, analyze, investigate and prosecute domestic terrorists. Republicans blocked that bill Thursday. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 It was sometime in the late 2000s that Kurt Justice noticed something was off. A fishing guide with three decades of experience, Justice knew how to catch walleye on the Minocqua Chain of Lakes, historically one of Wisconsins premier walleye fisheries. It was nothing for me to go out and find fish, Justice said. But toward the end of that season he wasnt catching many smaller fish. The next year was worse. There were no eater walleyes, he remembers thinking. Theres something wrong. Today, after years of intensive stocking and harvest restrictions, walleye continue to struggle in the Oneida County fishery where warmer-water species like bass and bluegill have taken over. And the problem isnt unique to those lakes, or walleye. Its not entirely clear why. Habitat degradation and overfishing are factors, but scientists increasingly believe warming temperatures are making many lakes unsuitable for cold and cool-water species like trout, walleye and whitefish. The problem is expected to get worse in the coming decades as temperatures continue to climb. And that may require a different approach to wildlife management, according to a new report published in the journal Fisheries Management and Ecology. Wisconsin spends millions of dollars each year on efforts to maintain populations of popular species like walleye, trout and whitefish. But those efforts to resist change are often ineffective, said Zach Feiner, a research scientist with UW-Madisons Center for Limnology and lead author of the report. In many lakes it doesnt seem to be working very well, Feiner said. What were doing now is maybe stocking lakes that are becoming too warm to really be able to sustain walleye populations into the future. Instead, researchers say it may be time to accept that change and think about other strategies for managing a resource that supports some 14,000 jobs, generates about $1.9 billion in annual economic activity and produces more than 4,600 tons of food each year. As an angler, Feiner said he wants to maintain as many opportunities as possible, whether that means catching walleye and trout or bass and bluegills. The science is pretty clear that Wisconsin fish communities are facing pretty rapid change in the next half-century to century due to climate change, Feiner said. Youd rather be proactive than reactive when it comes to management. Disappearing habitat Between 1990 and 2017, adult walleye populations declined by more than a third in the northern third of Wisconsin, and reproduction rates have slowed as well, meaning the fish cant keep up with current harvest levels, according to a study by UW-Madison researcher Holly Embke. And based on current climate models, the conditions for cool and cold-water species will only get worse in the coming decades, according to a report released last year by the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impact (WICCI). The Department of Natural Resources estimates Wisconsin has more than 420 lakes with the cool, dark waters where walleye thrive. By 2089, the WICCI report predicts, there will be just four. The outlook for trout is almost as grim. By 2065, climate change is expected to claim nearly 70% of Wisconsins native brook trout habitat and almost a third of the streams that currently support brown trout, according to a 2019 study by DNR scientist Matthew Mitro. The outlook isnt brilliant, said Duke Welter, a volunteer with Trout Unlimited whos been trout fishing since the early 1980s and worked for about 30 years on habitat restoration efforts in the Driftless Region. Welter said hes already noticed bass outnumbering trout on some bigger streams. Really, theyre becoming smallmouth fisheries, Welter said. That doesnt mean Wisconsin wont still have walleye and trout. Were not talking about the demise of walleye in Wisconsin, he said. There are places where walleye are doing great. In rivers, walleye are doing pretty well. In fact, Feiner and other researchers are turning their attention to those bright spots where walleye and other threatened species are thriving to understand what are the things that are allowing them to do well. A new framework Feiner suggests resource managers consider a new framework of strategies known as RAD or resist-accept-direct. When youre faced with a massive ecological change, like climate change, your options are to do things to resist that change and kind of keep the status quo, you can accept that change ... or you can direct that change ... where youre taking a more active role in shepherding that system to a new state that might have better services for your stakeholders, he said. The RAD framework has been evolving for years, said Abigail Lynch, a fish biologist with the U.S. Geological Services Climate Adaptation Science Centers. These concepts are not necessarily novel, Lynch said. But the framing around RAD has resonated with a lot of people. Lynch said resource managers are most comfortable with resistance which can take the form of stocking, harvest restrictions or landscape restorations in an effort to maintain the status quo or return ecosystems to a prior state. But that approach may not work in the face of widespread ecological change. Theres no stable state to return to, Lynch said. Our landscapes are changing. Our fish communities are changing. If we keep our heads in the sand and continue to resist beyond when resist options are effective its going to be very costly and were going to have more extreme consequences to our natural resources. Testing the waters In 2015, as part of a 10-year rehabilitation plan, the DNR along with private and tribal partners increased stocking efforts and implemented a catch-and-release policy for the Minocqua chain. The results have not been promising. While the walleye population has rebounded, the fish arent reproducing at a sustainable rate, and recent studies have shown the ratio of males to females is out of balance. Last year, the DNR extended the ban on keeping fish for another five years as researchers try to figure out exactly why the fish have failed to thrive. In another test of the resistance strategy, a team led by UW researcher Embke recently wrapped up a five-year experiment to rid one northern Wisconsin lake of bass, bluegill and other warm-water species to see if the walleye population would rebound without the competition. It didnt help. Using nets, traps and electric shocks, Embkes team pulled nearly 300,000 sunfish from McDermott Lake in Iron County. The yellow perch population exploded, but walleye didnt respond. Embke said while yellow perch and walleye prefer similar habitats, walleye seem to be less able to adapt to warmer and clearer waters, even in the absence of competition. We threw tons and tons of effort out there much more than would be feasible for a management agency and we didnt get a response, she said. We may need to accept that walleye are not going to thrive in all systems, specifically in these warming systems, and start to direct those systems toward alternative fisheries. DNR spokesperson Sarah Hoye said the department recognizes climate change is a major influence on the states fisheries and deploys a combination of resistance and acceptance strategies. That includes stocking and habitat restoration efforts where feasible while accepting the expansion of popular sportfish like bass and bluegill. Hoye said the department has not employed ecological direction strategies, which are inherently difficult and involve relocating species that could have negative impacts. However, the agency promotes the states growing bass and panfish fisheries. We hope that directing angler attention to them increases their popularity so that future anglers who may have preferred a meal of walleye will be just as satisfied with a meal of bluegill, at least in those places where resisting walleye declines was no longer feasible, Hoye said. Shifting attitudes Feiner said hes not advocating any single approach. The hope for these documents is really to start a conversation, he said. See whats working, what isnt working, what may become less effective in the future. That could mean changing how fisheries are managed, or convincing anglers to eat bass, which have typically been associated with catch and release fishing. Its an attitude that can shift, Feiner said. Bass are perfectly good to eat. The shift will be especially challenging for Wisconsins native Ojibwe people, who have relied for centuries on walleye or ogaa to meet subsistence, cultural and spiritual needs. Its probably going to be a hodgepodge of approaches, said Aaron Shultz, a fisheries biologist with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, a natural resources agency representing 11 Ojibwe tribes who retain hunting and fishing rights in the ceded territories of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Well have some lakes where we can resist and be successful and other lakes where we can accept these changes and have an outstanding bass fishery. Given the Wisconsin landscape will likely support fewer walleye in the future, Shultz said tribes may be forced to turn to other animals for subsistence. I dont know what the angling community is going to accept and I dont know what the tribes are going to accept, Shultz said. Right now its been resist at all costs, for walleye anyway. As a volunteer with Walleyes for Tomorrow, Justice is working to understand and reverse the decline of walleye on the Minocqua chain, but as a businessman, hes also adjusting. His shop, Kurts Island Sports, is now stocked with bass gear, and he acknowledges the notoriously hard fighters are more fun to reel in, though he still prefers the challenge and taste of walleye. Theres just something about the whole mystique, he said. Yet he can also envision a future without them. The future of walleye worries me, Justice said. I wouldnt be shocked. Id be sad. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. By Trend As the Narendra Modi government completes eight years in office, one of its major diplomatic accomplishments has been the firm establishment of Quad. Its second in-person summit just took place in Tokyo. In some ways, Quad is a tale of a grouping foretold, since it brings together key relationships that developed once the Cold War ended. But the strategic vision and diplomatic skills that made it happen should be given due credit, Trend reports citing Hindustan Times. Quad as a platform and the Indo-Pacific as an arena reflect the era of globalisation. They underline that the Indian and Pacific oceans can no longer be compartmentalised, as they were after 1945. These are truly contemporary concepts that reflect the rise of Asia, the repositioning of big powers, their changed capabilities and approaches, the nature of supply chains and the criticality of technology and connectivity. From an Indian perspective, it is also a statement of its growing interests beyond the Indian Ocean. What began as a solution for an economic crisis in 1992 has developed into a strategic correction. Some critics of Quad have deliberately sought to evoke the imagery of the Cold War. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is precisely because the Cold War ended that Indias partnerships with the United States, Japan and Australia could realise their real potential. And for the same reason, put behind a zones of influence-thinking that was so prevalent. Interestingly, these improvements started almost two decades ago when the dominant logic was economic engagement rather than political contestation. But taking it forward in a changing era demanded both confidence and application from Indian diplomacy. That Quad succeeded in 2017, as contrasted to its abortive start in 2007, says as much about leadership as the state of the world. Where India is concerned, much of that has been the overcoming of the hesitations of history. Equally, it has meant not giving other countries a veto on our choices. Quad is not only about developing bilateral ties or groupings in the national interest. There is also a larger vision of shaping the region and the world, which impels its evolution. Quad members are all democratic polities, market economies and pluralistic societies. Apart from that natural understanding, similarity in the structural aspects of their relationships helps to foster the platform. In each case, there are regular meetings at the summit level, designated formally as annual, in the case of Australia and Japan. All of them have a 2+2 defence and foreign ministers interaction with each other. Again, all four countries are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-led forums, including the East Asia Summit, the Asean Regional Forum, and the defence ministers meeting. They also strongly subscribe to the centrality of Asean insofar as the Indo-Pacific is concerned. Between them, they are involved in multiple trilateral combinations with other partners. That all of them offer mutual logistics support and work on white shipping enables better maritime security coordination. Their shared commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 as the constitution of the seas is significant. The working of Quad takes into account the consequences of globalisation, requirements of the global commons, and the implications of converging interests in the face of the changing geopolitical landscape in the Indo-Pacific. The Malabar Naval Exercise is often cited as its prominent activity. But this uni-dimensional projection does injustice to a group that makes a serious contribution to global welfare. It is, therefore, vital to have informed visibility of the entire Quad landscape. As the Tokyo Summit revealed, the agenda of the grouping has grown rapidly. Quad collaborates on critical and emerging technologies, encourages a diverse and open telecom ecosystem, and discusses a semiconductor value chain. It promotes green shipping practices and corridors, supports cooperation on green hydrogen, and generates awareness of disaster resilience. Its collective efforts on sustainable infrastructure and transparent connectivity are notable. Given the pandemic, it is natural for Quad to advance a vaccine partnership. A STEM Fellowship underlines the educational connection between its members, as a data satellite portal does the space one. The collaboration on humanitarian assistance and disaster response is its latest initiative, appropriate given the shared history of the 2004 tsunami. Counter-terrorism and cyber security are also prominent in their expanding scope. The Tokyo Summit is the most productive to date, underlining both the distance that Quad has travelled and its potential for future growth. It saw a commitment by Quad members to extend over $50 billion of infrastructure assistance and investment in the Indo-Pacific over the next five years. A Quad debt management resource portal is expected to strengthen capacities to cope with that challenge. The launching of the Q-CHAMP (Quad climate change and adaption mitigation package) is a significant development in respect of climate action. The decision to observe a Quad Cyber Security Day is designed to enhance awareness about digital concerns. An understanding on 5G supplier diversification and Open-RAN will contribute to secure telecommunications in the region. Two notable initiatives on the sidelines of the Summit demonstrate how Quad has contributed to greater regional cooperation. The launching of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is expected to advance common interests in trade, supply chains, infrastructure, and finance. The Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness will bring together regional information fusion centres to address challenges like natural disasters and illegal fishing. The objective of Quad, in the words of Prime Minister Modi, is to do global good. The need for that to be a collaborative effort is self-evident. It is equally natural that nations with significant capacities and shared interests would step forward in response to the need of the day. That India should be part of this makes sense given its growth, confidence, and worldview. Quad expresses the approach of the Modi government to put Indias interests at the centre of its thinking, even while embracing the world as a family. The Tokyo Summit is the most recent validation of this approach. Friday, May 27, 2022 The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of its Board of Law Examiners to not permit an applicant to transfer his 2017 UBE score we agree with the decision of the Board that the petitioner is ineligible to apply for admission to the practice of law in the State of West Virginia by transfer of his 2017 UBE score. The petitioner is a 2015 graduate of the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Following his graduation, the petitioner applied for admission by examination to the practice of law in the State of West Virginia and sat for the West Virginia bar examination in July of 2016. Petitioner failed to earn a passing score on the 2016 bar examination. A passing score in West Virginia is 270. On July 25 and 26, 2017, the petitioner sat for the UBE in the State of New Mexico and earned a score of 275. In April of 2019, the petitioner contacted the Boards admissions office to inquire about an ongoing application for admission to practice law in the State of West Virginia. On April 19, 2019, the deputy administrator for bar admissions sent the petitioner a response on behalf of the Board. She informed the petitioner that his previously submitted application [for the 2016 West Virginia bar examination] has expired[.] The petitioner was also provided with instructions on the process to apply for admission by transferred UBE score. The deputy administrator expressly stated in her response that the petitioner would need to complete a new application[.] On August 7, 2020, the petitioner sent an email to the deputy administrator requesting verification that his application for admission by transferred UBE score had been received. The deputy administrator responded that no application had been received. By email on August 13, 2020, the petitioner was informed of the three-year time period to file an application to transfer a UBE score under Rule 3.5(a). On September 12, 2020, the petitioner sent a letter to the Board asking that it accept his application. The petitioner argued that his 2016 application for admission by examination was ongoing and that Rule 3.5 was ambiguous. On September 29, 2020, the Board responded to the petitioner by letter that (1) his 2016 application for admission by examination had concluded when he failed to earn a passing score on the 2016 bar examination; and (2) although the Board received an electronic transcript of his 2017 UBE score on August 7, 2020, no application for transfer of his 2017 UBE had been received. The petitioner finalized his application to transfer his 2017 UBE score on December 28, 2020. Petitioner then requested a hearing On January 4, 2022, the hearing examiner issued his recommendation that Rule 3.5 was not ambiguous and that the Boards determination on the untimeliness of the petitioners application be upheld. The court The language in Rule 3.5(a) clearly provides that an application to transfer a UBE score must be based on a score earned during an administration of the UBE taken within three years immediately preceding the date upon which application is made. Id. The UBE score the petitioner earned in 2017 and upon which he based his application to transfer was earned by him in an administration of the UBE on July 25-26, 2017. The petitioner failed to apply to transfer that score to West Virginia within three years of the administration of that UBE. The records before the Court reflect that the petitioner did not submit his application to transfer his 2017 UBE score until December 28, 2020more than three years immediately after he had earned that score. Therefore, the Board correctly determined that the petitioners application was untimely. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2022/05/the-west-virginia-supreme-court-of-appeals-affirmed-the-decision-of-its-board-of-bar-examiners-to-not-permit-an-applicant-to.html Editors Note: This is the first of a multi-part series about Don Magnusons service as an airman in World War II and the letters he wrote home, now compiled into a book by his sons. LEXINGTON The sons of Lexington native Don Magnuson have compiled a book titled, Letters Home: An American Airmans World War II Memoirs 1943-1945, based on letters he wrote home while serving as a flight engineer in World War II. Paul Magnuson said he and his brother James Jim Magnuson were going through their parents, Don and Gail, effects after they died 15 days apart from each other. Jim said they were going through the garage when they found a notebook which contained the letters, he noted they were not with Dons other memorabilia from World War II. After photographing them, Paul began to type up the letters just for the family to look at. However, as he kept typing them the idea to create a book emerged. At first, the book was only the typed-up versions of the letters but people said they wanted to see the actual letters themselves, too. Paul said the book expanded to nearly 300 pages after the copies of the letters, Dons memoirs and several pictures were added. Jim said it was Paul who conceived of the idea to present the letters, pictures and memoirs in the book in chronological order, so that people could see what was happening to Don between his letter writing. Paul said it created a unique feeling of seeing the time pass and the number of missions accumulate. Around 100 copies were created by Brown Books Small Press of Dallas, Texas. Paul said he planned to donate several copies to the Heartland Military Museum free of charge. He said he felt uneasy about profiting off of his fathers story. Jim said their father had always been a great storyteller and enjoyed retelling some of the fun stories from his experience, but Don did not dwell on the bad memories. There are many happy times and adventure, but also there is much sadness, grief and suffering connected with war, Don wrote in his memoirs. For Jims part, he said he enjoyed how Dons letters provided a view into what the world was like at the time, how people communicated, what their concerns were. He said their use of language was impressive, saying both Don and Gail were good writers. Dons letters open a unique window into one individuals experience of one of the most momentous events during his life time, World War II. They show a young man trying to keep his family informed, of his experiences overseas, his care not to incur the censors black ink and how memories can be preserved by the act of writing them down. From the Nebraska Farm to World War II Don Magnuson was born on June 3, 1921 to Miran and Margaret Maggie, Magnuson. He had an older brother, Loren and a younger sister, Garlan. Their home was on Magnuson Hill, overlooking the Platte River Valley, southwest of Lexington, Paul wrote. Miran was a farmer, trying his best to carve out a living for his family during the midst of the Great Depression. Growing up, Don would help his family on the farm. One piece of memorabilia he would keep and pass down to his family was a corn husking hook. He was proud of the 50 acres he harvested by hand during the fall, Paul wrote. When not working on the farm, Don would ride his horse along the hills overlooking the valley with his dog, Franklin, who was named after President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He would also run a trap line and would sell the hides for some extra money. Cash was so tight; Don recalled having to keep careful count of his bullets. Don also worked in a lumber mill and grocery store, trying to help make ends meet. With a loan from his parents, Don purchased a used 1935 Harley Davidson motorcycle for $175. In 1940, Don and his friend, Lynn Grafton, rode their motorcycles to Oregon and California, some of the way was over open range. Dons high school sweetheart, Gail McKee, would become his wife after the war. Gail grew up on a farm northwest of Lexington with her parents, James and Esther, two older brothers, Elmer and Bill, and a younger sister and brother, Betty and Robert. Don would graduate from Lexington High School with the Class of 1939, four months later, Nazi Germany would invade Poland, precipitating the start of World War II. In his memoirs, Don noted the lead up to the war had been brewing in Europe for several years. Germany began annexing its neighbors and the Japanese were already embroiled in the Second Sino-Japanese War against China. By 1940, the United States began compulsory military training and factories were starting to be turned over to build military equipment. The demand for skilled labor to work in airplane factories was so great that the government started, in 1941, a national defense training school to train people to build airplanes, Don recounted. In September 1941, I enrolled in one of these schools at Kearney, a four month course to learn how to work with aluminum to cut, drill and rivet, to bend and form material for the coverings of wings and fuselage, following blueprints, Don wrote. He was about finished with his course when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941; the United States was officially a part of World War II. Don was finished with his training in late December and he moved to California in January 1942, hoping to get a job with one of the major aircraft manufacturers, Lockheed, North American, Douglas or Consolidated. I bravely and enthusiastically made applications for a job with every company but was turned down flat, Don recounted. He noted this was because selective military service had started and the factories likely thought all of the young men would soon be drafted. Don dutifully registered for the draft in Alhambra, Calif., and came back to Nebraska, sure that his number would come up soon. However, he did not hear anything until June 1942 when the draft board gave him a six month deferment. In the meantime, Don went to the Martin bomber plant in Omaha to work in the machine shop. In November 1942, the California draft board sent him an induction notice, but he requested it be sent to the Lexington draft board, which delayed his induction by 80 days and he continued to work in the factory until late 1942. Don said he returned to Lexington to await the arrival of his induction notice, but his presence seemed to be resented. I wasnt very popular here in Lexington with parents who had their sons the same age drafted a year earlier. There was even a story that I bribed the draft boards to keep me out, Don wrote, The strange thing is, I had no idea when I registered that it would turn out this way. Don and many other young men from the area went to Camp Dodge, Iowa and many were put in the Army infantry. Paul recounted a story from this time Don had told him. Don was waiting in line with the other draftees for their assignments on where they would go. He could tell the gruff old Army sergeant was getting agitated the as more and more of the men requested to enter the Army Air Corps. So when it came to be Dons turn, he let his defense school training and time in the Martin bomber plant speak for itself and deferred to the old sergeants choice. They also asked Don if he knew how to ride a motorcycle and he chose his words carefully when he said he could learn how to ride one if need be. Don had of course ridden a motorcycle from Nebraska to the West Coast, but didnt relish the thought of having to be a motorcycle dispatch runner under machine gun and artillery fire. Paul noted he was only one of three men in the group to be allowed into the Army Air Corps. Don was sent to Sheppard Field in Texas to the Army Air Corps Airplane Mechanic School. Don enjoyed the aircraft mechanic school and noted they learned everything about aircraft, engines, hydraulics, combustion engines, electrical systems, propellers, landing gears, brakes, tires, flight controls, etc. He said all of this was necessary to learn so they could conduct inspections and do limited maintenance. It was at Sheppard Field that Don expressed his desire to be a flight engineer with one of his instructors and he felt this was a factor of getting up in the air, rather than being a ground mechanic. He graduated from aircraft mechanic school in September 1943 and was shipped on a troop train to Buckingham Army Corps Field in Fort Meyers, Fla. for aerial gunnery training. The philosophy of strategic bombing had emergence in the 1930s as larger and more powerful bombers had been developed. The idea that, the bomber will always get through, was popularized, but they needed onboard defenses to do so. Don completed gunnery training in November 1943 and was shipped to Salt Lake City, Utah for assignment. He would join Crew 77 Pilot: Mercer R. Markman Co-Pilot: Howard Brinkley Flight Engineer: Don Magnuson (waist window gunner) Navigator: Joe Clark Bombardier: Edward Denari Tail Gunner: Alva Adams (later Leroy Wages) Radio Operator: Harold Van Fossen (waist window gunner) Top Turret Gunner: Sam Whitlow Armorer: Jupiter Rivera (ball turret gunner) Nose Gunner: Angelo Benedetto Don noted on many flight crews, the flight engineer would also be the top turret gunner and there would only be nine men. However, pilot Markman wanted Don to be free to aid the aircraft during an emergency and still have all of the main turret locations, nose, turret, top turret and ball, all manned. Don would, at times, man a single .50 caliber machine gun in a waist window if the situation called for it. His main job would be to watch all of the flight instruments with the pilot, including the RPM cylinder head temperature, manifold pressure, fuel pressure, oil pressure and the generators on each engine. At times, he would have to transfer fuel between the four separate engines or call off the air speed on landing to help avoid a stall. If the aircraft was damaged by enemy anti-aircraft or fighter planes, Don would have to find a way to remedy the damage. Crew 77 shipped out from Salt Lake City and arrived in Peterson Field in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Christmas Day, 1943. It was here that the crew learned to fly and operate the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. At its inception, the B-24 was a modern design featuring a highly efficient shoulder-mounted, high aspect ratio Davis wing. The wing gave the Liberator a high cruise speed, long range and the ability to carry a heavy bomb load. The B-24 was used extensively in World War II. It served in every branch of the American armed forces as well as several Allied air forces and navies. It saw use in every theater of operations. Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the mainstay of the US strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater, where Don would serve. During their training, Don said they learned to fly in formation, made practice bombing missions and fired their guns at targets pulled by small aircraft. I learned to make a lot of pre-flight inspections check tires, check engines for oil drip, check if gas caps were on and safety wires attached, check fuel on gas gauges and start the little auxiliary power plant motor (we called it a put-put), which furnished the power to start the engines, Don wrote. Don said on takeoff and landings he would stand up out of the top hatch to assist the pilot and watch out for potential collisions. I felt real smart observing everything in 360 degrees, Don said. Crew 77 and Don completed their overseas training by the end of March 1944 and were then shipped to Topeka, Kan., where they were given a brand new B-24, manufactured in Willow Run, Mich. They made a couple of runs around eastern Kansas and then took off for West Palm Beach, Fla., where they were briefed for their overseas flight. Paul noted Markman and Don were 23-years-old at the time, everyone else on the crew was younger. Imagine being that age and tasked with flying a brand new piece of military hardware across the Atlantic Ocean with nothing but a compass and a map as an aid. Only then, if they arrived safe, were they to begin their combat missions. Crew 77 took off from Florida in early April 1944 and made three stops on their way to Italy. First was Belem, Brazil, on the Amazon River, then to Fortaleza, south of the equator and on Brazils easternmost point. At Fortaleza on Sunday, April 9, 1944, Don wrote a letter which is the first that is printed in the book. At the top he notes they arrived around noon and crossed the equator. I have seen some beautiful scenery and some hot places since I left, also a lot of things I never expected to see in a lifetime, Don wrote, I am rather homesick for home. You dont realize what a wonderful country we have until you leave it and you dont have to go far to see the difference. Flying out of Brazil was the 18 hour, over 1,900 mile flight, across the Atlantic Ocean to Dakar, Senegal, in West Africa. In Dakar on April 12, 1944, Don wrote another letter to his parents, Its hot and the sand is blowing today. I dont like it at all. I will sure be glad when the war is over so we can all go home. He noted he had to be careful about what he wrote, because Army censors were reading over every letter, careful to not let sensitive information out. He noted in a later letter the way they could learn about what he was doing was to read the papers about the operations of the 15th Air Force. I sure wish I could see you and tell you of some of the places I have been. I wish I could go all the way around instead of halfway, Don wrote. Don also noted encountering the Mohameden people in Africa and wrote home about their practice of Islam and their use of giti giti talismans to protect them from harm. He was also seeing parts of the world he never would have had it not been for the war, it has a way of changing someones perspective. We have it so much better than any place we stopped along the line that it makes a person feel sorta cheap when he thinks of all the complaining he has done. From Africa they flew the final leg of their journey to Cerigonla, Italy. Don and Crew 77 were assigned to the 15th Air Force, 459th Bombing Group, 759th Bomb Squadron. Now the real war would begin. Editors Note: This the first of a three part series about the three Dawson County servicemen who were killed in Vietnam in 1967. LEXINGTON In the span of three months, three servicemen from Dawson County were killed in the Vietnam War, bringing the full impact of the conflict home. Each man killed was 19 or 20 years old. The United States involvement in Vietnam began in earnest after the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson was given authority to increase the U.S. military presence in Vietnam, without a formal declaration of war. On the ground, seeking to unite all of Vietnam under the Norths communist banner, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) engaged in a more conventional war with U.S. and South Vietnamese forces, while the Viet Cong (VC) a South Vietnamese common front under the direction of the north, initiated a guerrilla war in the south. The war, in large part, was characterized by the guerilla fighting across the south, with U.S. forces not being able to tell friend from foe at times. Ambush, hit and run attacks and disappearing into the jungle were the tactics of VC forces. According to the CIA at the time, the Viet Cong by and large retain de facto control of much of the countryside and have steadily increased the overall intensity of the effort". On March 8, 1965, 3,500 U.S. Marines landed near Da Nang, South Vietnam, this marked the beginning of the American ground war. Soon, American servicemen would be arriving in the country in the thousands. Hatfield Gary Clark Hatfield was born on March 11, 1947 in Red Oak Iowa to Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Hatfield. The family later moved to Nebraska and Hatfield attended Pershing Elementary and Lexington High School. He would receive an army high school diploma. He was a member of Boy Scout Troop 76 in Lexington and earned the rank of Life Scout. Hatfields father was a major in the National Guard and was the executive officer of the 128th Engineers Battalion at Kearney and his mother was a school teacher at District 22, northwest of Lexington. In November 1964, he enlisted in the United States Army and attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. and was first assigned to active duty in France. He was assigned to the 12th Calvary Regiment, 1st Calvary Airmobile. If there is one image associated with the Vietnam War, it is of Huey helicopters dropping soldiers off in the middle of a jungle clearing to go hunting for the enemy. Helicopters were used in Vietnam for reconnaissance, command and control, troop transport, attack gunships, aerial rocket artillery, medical evacuation, and supply. It was a revolution in maneuver doctrine that freed the infantry from the limitations of terrain to attack the enemy at the time and place of its choosing. The last time the Hatfield family saw their son was in the fall of 1966, he was en-route from a nine month tour of duty in France to Vietnam. He spent a Sunday with them on his way to California, according to a March 23, 1967 edition of the Dawson County Herald. He arrived in Vietnam in October 1966, by this time he was assigned to A Company, First Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Calvary Division. Just one month into being in-country, Hatfield would get to see the true face of war. On November 17, 1966, A, B and C companies were deployed near the Cambodian border near a long used NVA infiltration route. After contact with an NVA patrol, the second platoon of C Company moved into position and fired on the enemy. At the same time, the third platoon moved forward to block any movement of the enemy toward the second platoon, but as soon as they were in position they were ambushed and fired upon from three sides. Artillery fire was delayed to cover the third platoon, but once it started, they requested that the batteries keep up the fire. It was their last communication. After artillery and air strikes throughout the morning and early afternoon, the NVA began to withdraw back into Cambodia. Hatfields A Company found the ambush site of the third platoon, they had suffered 19 killed and three wounded. One later died of his injuries, leaving only two survivors of the entire platoon. In February 1967, the First Calvary Division moved to Landing Zone (LZ) Two Bits for Operation Pershing, the fourth phase of the Binh Dinh pacification campaign. South Vietnamese forces familiar with VC tactics helped the First Calvary locate and eliminate numerous caves and tunnels infiltrated by the enemy. In a letter home to his parents, Hatfield said he had worked for a time as a tunnel rat, according to the 1967 Dawson County Herald article. Tunnel rats became an unofficial specialty for volunteer combat engineers who cleared out enemy tunnel complexes. VC forces would build large tunnel complexes including hospitals, training areas, storage facilities, headquarters, and barracks. These diverse facilities, coupled with sophisticated ventilation systems, allowed VC guerrillas to remain hidden underground for months at a time. Tunnel rats were given the task of destroying the tunnels, gathering intelligence within them, and killing or capturing their occupantsoften in conditions of close combat. Hatfield, like many other tunnel rats, would descend into the dark, cramped labyrinths often shirtless and only armed with a flashlight and a pistol. Besides the obvious danger of enemy combatants, the tunnel rats had to deal with booby trapped tunnels and a variety of animals, including venomous snakes. After his time in the tunnels, Hatfield was assigned to guard duty along National Route 19 between Ah Khe and Pleiku, near the Cambodian border. He was also a part of demolition work before March 1967. Hatfield was hospitalized for five weeks in early 1967 due to combat injuries he received while on a patrol. By late March, the 1st Calvary Division and other units were still participating in Operation Pershing and were hunting the NVAs 22nd Regiment, but they proved elusive. On March 19, a First Calvary rifle company stumbled upon a NVA unit in the Truong Son hamlet. Forming a perimeter, a firefight erupted and it was clear the company had stumbled upon a major NVA unit. Four more companies were deployed overland in the dark to seal the NVA within the hamlet and destroy them. Prisoners captured from the 22nd Regiment revealed the size of the force and their attempts to find an escape route. On the morning of March 20, Hatfields unit, A Company, was deployed along with other units to completely seal off the area. In all, the 1st Calvary Division had committed 13 rifle companies from five different battalions. While on combat patrol, Hatfield and A Company came under sudden heavy attack from three sides, the NVAs 22nd Regiment was occupying well concealed and fortified positions, supported by machine guns and mortars. Several men where seriously wounded in the initial action, the subsequent fighting also wounded the platoon leader. Sniper and machine gun fire began to rack the area. One of Hatfields A Company comrades, a Lincoln native, Specialist Four Class Charles C. Hagemeister, was awarded the Medal of Honor for helping to evacuate critically wounded soldiers, personally killing enemy troops attempting to surrounding their position and dashing through enemy fire to secure help from a nearby platoon. At 2 p.m., Hatfield was killed amid the desperate firefight. By nightfall, the 22nd Regiment managed to break off the engagement and escaped once more. The three day struggle had killed 34 Americans and around 120 NVA troops. Hatfield was the first serviceman from Dawson County and Lexington to be killed in Vietnam. His parents were informed of his death on Friday, March 24 by two sergeants from North Platte. An escort from the 1st Calvary departed for San Francisco to accompany Hatfields body back to Lexington. Hatfield was laid to rest on Friday, March 31 in Greenwood Cemetery with full military honors. The 21 gun salute was conducted by the National Guards 128th Engineer Battalion, Hatfields fathers unit. His name is listed on Panel 16E, Line 122 of the Vietnams Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The next young man killed would be from Cozad. According to the press office, all essential steps will be taken in accordance with the law's requirements, including a legal evaluation of what occurred. Although about 18 months have passed since the 44-day war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, mines of different types planted by Armenia in the formerly occupied territories continue to endanger human lives in the liberated lands. Almost every day, there is news of civilians or military personnel being injured or killed as a result of mine explosions in Azerbaijan's liberated lands. This once again proves that Armenia continues its mine warfare against Azerbaijan's both civilian and military personnel. Reports coming from official sources indicate that nearly 80 percent of the minefield maps submitted by Armenia to Azerbaijan are wide of the mark. Armenia appears to be committing war crimes by concealing the locations of landmines, allowing more innocent people to be killed. Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev earlier described as accurate only 25 percent of minefield maps provided by Armenia. The Azerbaijani regions liberated from Armenian occupation in the second Karabakh war in 2020 are the most mine-littered region in the world. Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security, and cooperation. In an address to the 6th Eastern Partnership Summit of the European Union in Brussels on December 15, 2021, President Ilham Aliyev said that about 200 people had been killed or injured in mine explosions to that date. In this regard, he stressed the importance of the European Union and member states providing technical and financial assistance to Azerbaijan in eliminating the mine problem. In a similar vein, Sergeant Shiraliyev Janmirza, an overtime serviceman of the Horadiz border detachment of the State Border Service, committed suicide outside the place of service, the service reported on May 26. According to the early inquiry, the suicide appears to have nothing to do with his military service. Investigative measures are being carried out together with the prosecutor's office, the service said. By Trend The information having been spread in recent days by some media about the allegedly planned referendum in Azerbaijan isnt true, sources in the countrys government told Trend. "No amendments to the Constitution of the country are envisioned. Currently, there are no such plans in the government, and this issue isnt discussed. Therefore, this information is unfounded. In this regard, during such a sensitive period, we urge the media not to mislead the public and not replicate unverified information," the sources said. Besides, according to the sources, the clarification of voter lists in Azerbaijan, which formed the basis for the spread of such rumors, is a process envisaged by law and carried out regularly. Refinement of voter lists this year will allow studying the impact of migration processes in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as against the backdrop of events in Ukraine, internal migration processes during and after the 2020 Second Karabakh War, added the sources. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Legislation providing a possible path to freedom for people convicted of felonies by non-unanimous Louisiana juries has been shelved for the current legislative session. The bill would have allowed those convicted by non-unanimous juries to apply for a review by a five-member board appointed by the governor. The board would decide whether the applicant should become eligible for parole. But The Advocate reports that Democratic Rep. Randal L. Gaines withdrew his measure Thursday because of disagreements on whether the board's decision had to be unanimous. District attorneys raised safety concerns in insisting that a unanimous board vote should be needed in cases involving convictions for violent crimes such as murder or aggravated rape. We need to reassure victims and survivors of the integrity and finality of the crimes against the community," Loren Lampert, executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, told the newspaper. Gaines, a Laplace lawyer, had argued that no court in the federal or state system requires a unanimous vote of its panels of judges to decide an appeal. I understand their concerns, Gaines said. But the inconsistency; you cant have an equitable system if it requires a unanimous vote to remedy a wrongful conviction from a non-unanimous jury. The commission envisioned in the bill would have included three retired appellate or Supreme Court justices, a retired district attorney and a retired public defender. The five would review the case file looking at factors such as the strength of the states case, the nature of the offense, the quality of counsel, any indications of racial animus, length of deliberations and whether the lack of unanimity was the result of jurors voting to acquit. In 2018, Louisiana voters approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting non-unanimous verdicts in trials for crimes committed after Jan. 1, 2019. The vote followed a Pulitzer Prize-winning series of stories in The Advocate analyzing the origins of the law and the racial disparities in verdicts. In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that non-unanimous verdicts were unconstitutional, broadening the effect of the state constitutional amendment. But in 2021, the Supreme Court made clear that its decision against non-unanimous verdicts applied only to future cases and cases in which the defendants appeals had not been exhausted. Those convicted with non-unanimous verdicts in older Louisiana cases still might get relief from the state Supreme Court. That court heard arguments earlier this month on whether such verdicts must be thrown out retroactively. A ruling is pending. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Advocate. RACINE The Racine Police Department reported that Terry Scooter Man Lee Jackson was arrested on the morning of Sunday, May 22. Thursday afternoon, he was formally charged with crimes that, if convicted, would put him behind bars for the rest of his life. Jackson, 41, is accused of the April 24 killing of Brittany Booker, 30, a Racine mother of six, and committing multiple other violent acts against women. During his first court appearance Thursday, he was given a $10 million cash bond. He is due next in court for a preliminary hearing at 9:30 a.m. June 1 in the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave. He faces 23 criminal charges, chief among them first-degree intentional homicide with use of a dangerous weapon, which carries with it a mandatory sentence of life in prison, and two charges for attempted first-degree intentional homicide. The criminal complaint is 11 pages long, lengthy even for a typical court document, detailing allegations for multiple violent events dating back more than three months. According to the complaint: On Feb. 20, a woman drove to Chicago to pick Jackson up ahead of a court hearing he had scheduled for Feb. 22 in relation to cocaine dealing charges. Jackson drove back and then, after learning the woman wanted to end her relationship with him, parked near Lake Michigan and took the womans phone, grabbed her by the throat and dug his fingers into her eyes before punching her in the face repeatedly. He then threatened to slice the woman with a knife. The woman reported she lost consciousness. After regaining consciousness, the woman reported that Jackson said that she was going to die ... She also stated that Jackson made comments that he wasnt going back to jail, wasnt going to court, and that he wanted to die by police officer. According to the complaint, officers were alerted to these allegations on Feb. 21 upon speaking with the woman at Ascension All Saints Hospital. Officers were also told that Jackson suffered from mental illness and repeatedly spoke of wanting to kill himself. On Feb. 27, Jackson allegedly attacked the same woman and Booker with a hammer on Racines near north side. With Bookers help, the woman had been trying to recover items from her own home while continuously hiding from Jackson, as she had been the whole week. While there, Jackson arrived at the home and attacked the two women with a hammer. Booker later said she tried to call 911, but was holding her 2-year-old child and was unable to unlock her phone or protect herself with a kitchen knife she found when Jackson attacked. As Booker tried to flee, Jackson allegedly yelled Im going to kill you! Then, as the other woman tried to flee but was delayed by the front door being locked, Jackson struck her with the hammer. From the home, located on the 300 block of Hamilton Street, the two women fled to Georges Tavern, 1201 N. Main St., where police officers made contact. (Booker) had bloody jacket, injuries to her face and all over her head. (Booker) was laying down on the ground, was heavily bleeding from the back of her head. (Booker) was not speaking and had a blank stare as if she was going out of consciousness. (Booker) then started to speak stating she wanted to get up as she felt she was bleeding out, the complaint stated. The other woman also had large lacerations and injuries to her face and her clothes were covered in blood and told police that Jackson was trying to kill her, just as he had the week prior. Booker ended up being treated at All Saints emergency room and both women received staples to close head wounds. After Booker was killed, her father told The Journal Times that she spent her final weeks living in constant fear of Jackson. Prior to Bookers death, RPD Sgt. Kristi Wilcox told the Racine County Eye that Jackson evaded arrest for weeks. We did conduct a manhunt for a month, but we did not alert the public because doing so might have placed a number of people in harms way unnecessarily ... The situation with him is very serious and has been, and (Jacksons) efforts to escape capture made it difficult to apprehend him. On April 24, Booker was found dead. Officers were initially dispatched to a home on the 1300 block of Villa Street at 9:30 a.m. April 24. Booker lived on the street, along with her six kids, ages 2-13. The complaint states that Bookers oldest child, (name redacted), stated that he woke up and discovered his mom and her vehicle were gone. He said he located blood in her bedroom. He was able to access the doorbell cameras, one on the front and one on the back of the residence. (The 13-year-old) said the last time be saw his mom was around 2 a.m. He said they tried to call her multiple times, but she did not answer and it was very unlike her. Officers watched the recordings from the doorbell cameras. On the backdoor camera, a male can be seen moving under the camera. It appeared the male was trying to avoid being seen by the camera. On the front door camera, at approximately 5:30 a.m., (Booker) can be seen leaving the house with a male behind her, later determined to be Jackson. At one point in the video, (Booker) pauses and turns back toward the door, but Jackson states for her to go or move. (Booker) then turns and walks down the stairs as they both get into the car. Jackson got in the passenger seat and made (Booker) get in the drivers seat. Jackson tells (Booker) to drive. Inside the home, officers found a bloody towel, blood on Bookers bed and blood going toward the dining room. Blood was also found on one of the childrens nightgowns. After one of Bookers children found that Bookers phone was pinging near the intersection of 15th Street and Park Avenue, officers found Bookers vehicle on the 500 block of 13th Street. Inside, her body was found in the drivers seat with multiple blunt force injuries and a single gunshot wound to the head. One fired 9mm cartridge case was also found. All of Terry Jackson's charges First-degree intentional homicide with use of a dangerous weapon Kidnapping Possession of a firearm as a felon Twelve counts of felony bail jumping Two counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide with use of a dangerous weapon, with one of those charges having a domestic abuse assessment First-degree recklessly endangering safety with use of a dangerous weapon Stalking that resulted in bodily harm with domestic abuse assessments False imprisonment with use of a dangerous weapon and domestic abuse assessments Strangulation and suffocation with domestic abuse assessments Substantial battery with intent to cause bodily harm with domestic abuse assessments Intimidating a victim with use of force with use of a dangerous weapon and domestic abuse assessments Surveillance videos from other nearby homes showed that Jackson drove to Bookers home in a vehicle that belonged to another woman, Diamond Hood, 24. The criminal complaint stated that Hood admitted to allowing Jackson to use her vehicle on the evening of April 23 into April 24. The next morning, Hood said that Jackson woke her up and said he needed a ride to his moms house in Chicago, which she provided. Hood has been charged with harboring/aiding a felon, which is a felony. Two other women Alicia K. Sykes, 30, and Carmelita L. Walker, 34 also face charges for allegedly helping Jackson elude capture after the February hammer attack. Hood posted a $10,000 bond April 27, online court records show; Walker and Sykes posted bonds of $3,500 each to get out of jail on May 4. The women reported that they too were afraid Jackson may attack them. The representative of the estates of Dr. Beth Potter and her husband, Robin Carre, who were murdered in 2020 by their daughters then-boyfriend, has filed a petition in probate court seeking to bar the daughter from inheriting from her parents estates, alleging she was complicit in their murders. The petition, filed Thursday in Dane County Circuit Court, seeks to revoke any provision in the couples wills benefiting their daughter, Miriam Carre, and asks for a declaration finding her accountable for her parents killings. Miriam Carre, 20, was not charged criminally for any alleged involvement in her parents deaths. She testified for the prosecution last week at the trial of her former boyfriend, Khari Sanford, who was convicted Monday of two counts of first-degree intentional homicide. Although Miriam may have not been physically present during the murders of her parents, that does not absolve Miriam from accountability, according to the petition, filed by attorney David Reinecke on behalf of James Stanger, the personal representative for the estates of Beth Potter and Robin Carre. Miriam was a co-conspirator to rob her parents home, knew that Sanford would use a dangerous weapon to carry out the robbery, and was involved in the plan to do so. The petition cites Wisconsins slayer statute a law that bars a person involved in the intentional killing of another person, who might otherwise stand to inherit, from profiting from the death. The law does not require that a person be convicted of a crime. The persons involvement need only be proven based on a preponderance of the evidence, not beyond a reasonable doubt, which is required for a criminal conviction. A jury found that Sanford, 20, of Madison, abducted the couple from their West Side home at gunpoint on March 30, 2020, and took them to the UW Arboretum, where he shot them both in the head. Carre died at the scene. After the couple was found by joggers, Potter, who initially survived, was taken to UW Hospital but died a short time later. Miriam Carre testified for the prosecution last week under a grant of immunity, after first invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. She told a jury that she did not know Sanford was going to kill her parents and didnt know he had until well after the fact. She denied having anything to do with her parents deaths. Miriam Carres concern about potential self-incrimination was well-founded, the petition argues. The evidence indicates that Miriam was complicit and participated in a plan with Sanford to rob her parents which led to the senseless and tragic murders. Simply put, but for Miriams relationship with Sanford and participation in a plan to rob her own parents, the decedents would be alive today. Attorney Marcus Berghahn, who represented Miriam Carre during her testimony at Sanfords trial, said Friday that he could not comment. Reinecke has asked for a jury trial in the matter. In addition to Miriam, adopted by Potter and Carre from Guatemala, the couple had two adult sons. According to testimony at Sanfords trial, there had been friction between Miriam Carre and her parents over her behavior, and it was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As medical director of employee health at UW Health and an immunocompromised person, Potter set rules at home aimed at keeping COVID out of the household, which were broken by her daughter and Sanford. Initially, the couple allowed Sanford to live at their home to keep Miriam Carre from sneaking out to see him. But even that arrangement became untenable, and the parents got the younger couple an Airbnb apartment on Madisons South Side until they could find a permanent place to live. The petition, citing the criminal complaint against Sanford and co-defendant Alijah Larrue, states that in March 2020, just weeks before the murders, a classmate of Miriam Carre and Sanford at West High School heard a conversation between the pair in which they discussed how they could get money. The witness told police that they overheard Miriam tell Sanford that her parents had bands of money and that they were rich, the petition states. Additional witnesses have overheard Sanford discuss the existence of the decedents life insurance policies, implying an additional financial motivation to kill the decedents. The petition also states that around the same time, Miriam Carre texted Sanford a photo of Sanford pointing a handgun at the camera. A few months earlier, the petition states, Miriam Carre told Sanford in a text message, (I) feel like (my parents) got this white (savior) act going on and like, they feel like they cant do any wrong. and thats why my whole life Ive been trying to show them but nooooooooooo they dont see (expletive) else but what they wanna see. Sanford texted back, Its cool because they gon die. Miriam Carre also lied to the police about Sanfords whereabouts on the night of the murders, the petition alleges, claiming they both stayed home at the Airbnb. Instead, text messages show they were in different places, with Miriam Carre asking Sanford where he was and telling him she did not feel safe. She also knew Sanford had what the petition called a dangerous criminal history that included armed robbery. There was also evidence, the petition states, which suggested that Miriam Carre knew Sanford intended to harm her parents, that she wanted to cover up Sanfords involvement in the crime and that she lied about Sanfords whereabouts. As such, Miriam was party to a conspiracy with Sanford and is responsible for the natural and probable consequence of the intended robbery including the murders of her parents, the petition states. Larrue, who also testified during the prosecutions case at Sanfords trial, faces sentencing on Sept. 7 after pleading guilty last year to two counts of felony murder. Sanford will be sentenced the same day and faces two mandatory life sentences. 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. It was sometime in the late 2000s that Kurt Justice noticed something was off. A fishing guide with three decades of experience, Justice knew how to catch walleye on the Minocqua Chain of Lakes, historically one of Wisconsins premier walleye fisheries. It was nothing for me to go out and find fish, Justice said. But toward the end of that season he wasnt catching many smaller fish. The next year was worse. There were no eater walleyes, he remembers thinking. Theres something wrong. Today, after years of intensive stocking and harvest restrictions, walleye continue to struggle in the Oneida County fishery where warmer-water species like bass and bluegill have taken over. And the problem isnt unique to those lakes, or walleye. Its not entirely clear why. Habitat degradation and overfishing are factors, but scientists increasingly believe warming temperatures are making many lakes unsuitable for cold and cool-water species like trout, walleye and whitefish. The problem is expected to get worse in the coming decades as temperatures continue to climb. And that may require a different approach to wildlife management, according to a new report published in the journal Fisheries Management and Ecology. Wisconsin spends millions of dollars each year on efforts to maintain populations of popular species like walleye, trout and whitefish. But those efforts to resist change are often ineffective, said Zach Feiner, a research scientist with UW-Madisons Center for Limnology and lead author of the report. In many lakes it doesnt seem to be working very well, Feiner said. What were doing now is maybe stocking lakes that are becoming too warm to really be able to sustain walleye populations into the future. Instead, researchers say it may be time to accept that change and think about other strategies for managing a resource that supports some 14,000 jobs, generates about $1.9 billion in annual economic activity and produces more than 4,600 tons of food each year. As an angler, Feiner said he wants to maintain as many opportunities as possible, whether that means catching walleye and trout or bass and bluegills. The science is pretty clear that Wisconsin fish communities are facing pretty rapid change in the next half-century to century due to climate change, Feiner said. Youd rather be proactive than reactive when it comes to management. Disappearing habitat Between 1990 and 2017, adult walleye populations declined by more than a third in the northern third of Wisconsin, and reproduction rates have slowed as well, meaning the fish cant keep up with current harvest levels, according to a study by UW-Madison researcher Holly Embke. And based on current climate models, the conditions for cool and cold-water species will only get worse in the coming decades, according to a report released last year by the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impact (WICCI). The Department of Natural Resources estimates Wisconsin has more than 420 lakes with the cool, dark waters where walleye thrive. By 2089, the WICCI report predicts, there will be just four. The outlook for trout is almost as grim. By 2065, climate change is expected to claim nearly 70% of Wisconsins native brook trout habitat and almost a third of the streams that currently support brown trout, according to a 2019 study by DNR scientist Matthew Mitro. The outlook isnt brilliant, said Duke Welter, a volunteer with Trout Unlimited whos been trout fishing since the early 1980s and worked for about 30 years on habitat restoration efforts in the Driftless Region. Welter said hes already noticed bass outnumbering trout on some bigger streams. Really, theyre becoming smallmouth fisheries, Welter said. That doesnt mean Wisconsin wont still have walleye and trout. Were not talking about the demise of walleye in Wisconsin, he said. There are places where walleye are doing great. In rivers, walleye are doing pretty well. In fact, Feiner and other researchers are turning their attention to those bright spots where walleye and other threatened species are thriving to understand what are the things that are allowing them to do well. Records: Ex-Gov. Scott Walker urged DNR appointee Fred Prehn to stay on past term Text messages released to the Wisconsin State Journal show Prehn sought advice from the former Republican governor in November 2020. A new framework Feiner suggests resource managers consider a new framework of strategies known as RAD or resist-accept-direct. When youre faced with a massive ecological change, like climate change, your options are to do things to resist that change and kind of keep the status quo, you can accept that change ... or you can direct that change ... where youre taking a more active role in shepherding that system to a new state that might have better services for your stakeholders, he said. The RAD framework has been evolving for years, said Abigail Lynch, a fish biologist with the U.S. Geological Services Climate Adaptation Science Centers. These concepts are not necessarily novel, Lynch said. But the framing around RAD has resonated with a lot of people. Lynch said resource managers are most comfortable with resistance which can take the form of stocking, harvest restrictions or landscape restorations in an effort to maintain the status quo or return ecosystems to a prior state. But that approach may not work in the face of widespread ecological change. Theres no stable state to return to, Lynch said. Our landscapes are changing. Our fish communities are changing. If we keep our heads in the sand and continue to resist beyond when resist options are effective its going to be very costly and were going to have more extreme consequences to our natural resources. Testing the waters In 2015, as part of a 10-year rehabilitation plan, the DNR along with private and tribal partners increased stocking efforts and implemented a catch-and-release policy for the Minocqua chain. The results have not been promising. While the walleye population has rebounded, the fish arent reproducing at a sustainable rate, and recent studies have shown the ratio of males to females is out of balance. Last year, the DNR extended the ban on keeping fish for another five years as researchers try to figure out exactly why the fish have failed to thrive. In another test of the resistance strategy, a team led by UW researcher Embke recently wrapped up a five-year experiment to rid one northern Wisconsin lake of bass, bluegill and other warm-water species to see if the walleye population would rebound without the competition. It didnt help. Using nets, traps and electric shocks, Embkes team pulled nearly 300,000 sunfish from McDermott Lake in Iron County. The yellow perch population exploded, but walleye didnt respond. Embke said while yellow perch and walleye prefer similar habitats, walleye seem to be less able to adapt to warmer and clearer waters, even in the absence of competition. We threw tons and tons of effort out there much more than would be feasible for a management agency and we didnt get a response, she said. We may need to accept that walleye are not going to thrive in all systems, specifically in these warming systems, and start to direct those systems toward alternative fisheries. DNR spokesperson Sarah Hoye said the department recognizes climate change is a major influence on the states fisheries and deploys a combination of resistance and acceptance strategies. That includes stocking and habitat restoration efforts where feasible while accepting the expansion of popular sportfish like bass and bluegill. Hoye said the department has not employed ecological direction strategies, which are inherently difficult and involve relocating species that could have negative impacts. However, the agency promotes the states growing bass and panfish fisheries. We hope that directing angler attention to them increases their popularity so that future anglers who may have preferred a meal of walleye will be just as satisfied with a meal of bluegill, at least in those places where resisting walleye declines was no longer feasible, Hoye said. Shifting attitudes Feiner said hes not advocating any single approach. The hope for these documents is really to start a conversation, he said. See whats working, what isnt working, what may become less effective in the future. That could mean changing how fisheries are managed, or convincing anglers to eat bass, which have typically been associated with catch and release fishing. Its an attitude that can shift, Feiner said. Bass are perfectly good to eat. The shift will be especially challenging for Wisconsins native Ojibwe people, who have relied for centuries on walleye or ogaa to meet subsistence, cultural and spiritual needs. Its probably going to be a hodgepodge of approaches, said Aaron Shultz, a fisheries biologist with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, a natural resources agency representing 11 Ojibwe tribes who retain hunting and fishing rights in the ceded territories of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Well have some lakes where we can resist and be successful and other lakes where we can accept these changes and have an outstanding bass fishery. Given the Wisconsin landscape will likely support fewer walleye in the future, Shultz said tribes may be forced to turn to other animals for subsistence. I dont know what the angling community is going to accept and I dont know what the tribes are going to accept, Shultz said. Right now its been resist at all costs, for walleye anyway. As a volunteer with Walleyes for Tomorrow, Justice is working to understand and reverse the decline of walleye on the Minocqua chain, but as a businessman, hes also adjusting. His shop, Kurts Island Sports, is now stocked with bass gear, and he acknowledges the notoriously hard fighters are more fun to reel in, though he still prefers the challenge and taste of walleye. Theres just something about the whole mystique, he said. Yet he can also envision a future without them. The future of walleye worries me, Justice said. I wouldnt be shocked. Id be sad. 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. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Friday described comments made this week by U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson linking wokeness and critical race theory to recent school shootings as breathtaking. Evers, who is seeking reelection this fall against a packed field of GOP candidates and handed in his nomination signatures Friday, also said he was surprised and disappointed to see Republican Dean Knudsons unexpected resignation this week from the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Knudson said Wednesday he was stepping down from the commission following mounting pressure he faced from fellow conservatives angry with him because he said former President Donald Trump lost to President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Speaking with reporters Friday outside the state Capitol, Evers responded to questions regarding comments Johnson, R-Oshkosh, made to Fox Business host Neil Cavuto on Thursday indicating opposition to new gun laws. In the interview, Johnson said the solution lies in teaching values in schools instead of wokeness and critical race theory. His comments came days after a gunman in Texas killed 21 people, almost all of whom were elementary school students. Johnson also took aim at critical race theory, a decades-old academic framework used in graduate courses to understand how laws and institutions perpetuate racism. It is not taught in elementary schools, though conservatives have often conflated it with lessons focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. The concept has become a campaign talking point among conservatives trying to galvanize their base. Evers said Johnsons position ignores the findings of a 2019 Marquette Law School Poll that found 80% of Wisconsinites support expanded background checks including nearly 70% of gun owners. For him to say something like that, first of all it is in direct conflict with what the people of Wisconsin want, and frankly it makes no ... sense, Evers said. Johnsons spokesperson on Twitter pointed to the Republicans comment in the Fox Business interview indicating that the solution lies in stronger families, more supportive communities, I would argue renewed faith. This is a society-wide problem, a society-wide sickness that is not going to be solved by additional gun laws in D.C., Johnson added in the interview. In a statement Friday, Johnson spokesperson Alexa Henning said, The senator did not blame CRT on mass shootings, before adding his interview transcript. The senator has supported a number of common sense improvements to background checks and guns laws, she said. Elections panel Evers also said he was disappointed to see Knudsons abrupt resignation from the state Elections Commission earlier this week. Knudson told the commission on Wednesday that Republican leaders have branded him a RINO or Republican in name only, a derogatory term Republicans attach to members of the party they dont feel are loyal enough for saying that Biden won the states presidential election. Apparently if you disagree with the last election, youre toast, Evers said. And what a story to tell about the state of Wisconsin. I understand why he did what he did and its somewhat understandable because hes essentially been thrown out of the party. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, plans to appoint Knudsons replacement before the agencys June 10 meeting. Vos told The Associated Press hes not ruling anybody in or out for the seat, including former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, whom Vos hired last year to lead the one-party review of the 2020 election at a cost of $676,000 to taxpayers. I cant think of anybody less capable and less prepared to sit on the Wisconsin Elections Commission than (Gableman), Evers said. Im hopeful that the speaker just said that because he didnt want to irritate him, but at the end of the day, if that is a choice that he makes, which I pray that he doesnt, it will absolutely be the worst. Gablemans office did not respond to a request for comment Friday. Vacant chair Knudsons resignation came as the six-member bipartisan commission was preparing to vote for its next chair, a position that must be held by a Republican member as the current chair is Democratic appointee Ann Jacobs. Under state law, the chair can either be the next member appointed by Vos or Republican commissioner Robert Spindell, who was one of 10 Republicans to sign official-looking paperwork in late 2020 seeking to hand the states 10 Electoral College votes to Trump. The commission has postponed the chair vote until June 10. State Sen. Kathy Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, a former elections clerk who is not seeking reelection this fall, said she is open to filling the seat vacated by Knudson. Bernier has taken flak from some Republicans for her criticism of Gablemans review. Vos office did not respond to a request for comment. Wisconsin State Journal reporter Alexander Shur contributed to this report. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. DALTON, Ga. (AP) A Korean solar panel maker announced Thursday that it will expand its presence in Georgia, building a new $171 million plant next to an existing factory in Dalton. The new plant will open in the first half of 2023 and will hire 470 people, Qcells, a unit of Hanwha Solutions, said in a written statement. The company already has 750 workers at its existing northwest Georgia factory. In 2019, Qcells opened a 300,000-square-foot (28,000-square-meter) factory in Dalton that assembles 1.7 gigawatts of solar modules each year. The company said it is the largest solar panel factory in the Western Hemisphere. The new factory will have a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts. Once the second plant is built, Qcells will control almost a third of all American solar module assembly, the company said. Qcells said it sells 24% of all solar modules installed on American homes and 21% of all modules installed on commercial buildings. The company also describes itself as a leading supplier to large solar farms that provide electricity to utilities. The company had announced plans for a U.S. expansion earlier this month without saying where. Qcells is paying Whitfield County $1.7 million for 30 acres (12 hectares) next to its existing plant, county commission chairman Jevin Jensen told the Dalton Daily Citizen. Carl Campbell, executive director of the Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority, said Qcells would pay new employees at least $17 an hour. Qcells could claim various tax breaks, including an income tax credit that would allow it to annually deduct $3,000 per job from state income taxes up to $7 million over five years as long as workers make at least $30,628 a year. The solar plant is another large Korean investment in Georgia. Last week, the Hyundai Motor Group announced a $5.5 billion electric vehicle and battery plant near Savannah. The SK Group has built a $2.6 billion, 3,000-job electric battery plant built near the city of Commerce. Georgia has become the clean energy manufacturing heart of America, and we are proud to contribute to the states advanced manufacturing economy, Qcells CEO Justin Lee said in a statement. The administration of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has cultivated ties with South Korea: Kemp said he visited Hanwha officials during a trade mission to the country in 2019. The state of Georgia and Korea have enjoyed an outstanding partnership for decades, supported by a dedication to relationship building, Kemp said in a statement. U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, told reporters Thursday that he met with Hanwha officials while in South Korea last year and encouraged them to invest more, saying additional solar panel production in the United States lessens dependence on China. We cannot continue to rely upon China for solar panels, Ossoff said. Our access to this technology is a matter of national security and energy independence. And so by growing our domestic manufacturing capacity in solar energy, and doing it right at home in Georgia, we are strengthening our national security and our energy independence. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Health Minister Teymur Musayev has said that the vaccination rate in Azerbaijan is over 90 percent of the target population, Azernews reports. He made the remarks during a meeting with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus within the framework of the 75th session of the World Health Assembly. Speaking about Azerbaijans successful experience in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister mentioned that Azerbaijan is among the first countries to join the COVAX initiative. He also spoke about the reforms recently implemented in the direction of public health. Additionally, Musayev congratulated Ghebreyesus on his re-election as WHO Director-General and thanked the organization for the support provided to Azerbaijan over the past period. In turn, Ghebreyesus praised the importance President Ilham Aliyev attaches to cooperation with WHO. He recalled the humanitarian assistance that Azerbaijan provided to the organization during the pandemic, as well as the global calls for joint cooperation between countries in the fight against the coronavirus. Noting the close contacts with the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, Ghebreyesus added that he is looking forward to participating in the forum in June. He added that the international forum is an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the work carried out in Azerbaijan in the field of primary health care services. The parties also exchanged views on strengthening measures to prepare for and respond to the health crises, expanding academic activities, also other issues of mutual interest. To recall, Azerbaijan confirmed its first COVID-19 case on February 28, 2020. The nationwide vaccination is free and on a voluntary basis and is in line with the Strategy of vaccination against COVID-19 in Azerbaijan for 2021-2022. The country started vaccinating citizens using Chinas Sinovac on January 18, the Vaxzevria vaccine produced by AstraZeneca on May 3, Russias Sputnik V on May 18, and U.S-produced Pfizer on June 7. The country started offering COVID-19 vaccination to citizens aged over 18 on May 10. Azerbaijan also has made a significant contribution to the strengthening of solidarity and cooperation against coronavirus at a global level. The country voluntarily made financial contributions to the World Health Organization in the amount of $10 million. In addition, Azerbaijan provided direct financial and humanitarian assistance to more than 30 countries over COVID-19 and donated more than 150,000 doses of the vaccine to four countries free of charge. Since 1979, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has allowed cameras and microphones in state courtrooms, subject to reasonable restrictions imposed by judges. Thirty years ago, Milwaukee serial killer Jeffrey Dahmers sanity trial was broadcast live. In 2006, former Green Bay Packers tight end Mark Chmuras sexual assault and child enticement trial was broadcast live. In November, Kyle Rittenhouses trial was broadcast live after he shot and killed people in Kenosha. In January, Chandler Haldersons murder trial in the death of his parents in Dane County was broadcast live. In all these cases, judges upheld the publics right and need to know by allowing cameras in the courts. Now, another high-profile murder has concluded in Madison. But unless you were one of the very few people who have the time and could find a seat in the Dane County courtroom, you werent able to see or hear any of it. Judge Ellen Berz decided to disallow livestreaming of the trial and to prohibit any live or recorded broadcast coverage of the case against Khari Sanford, who was convicted of the shooting deaths of a Madison doctor and her husband. Only a single still camera is allowed in the courtroom. While the judge allowed video cameras into the courtroom for Sanfords final pre-trial hearing in April, she required news outlets not to broadcast or stream more than one 10-second clip of video or audio, and to destroy all other recorded video and audio within 24 hours. That order came perilously close to unconstitutional prior restraint. In the weeks between Sanfords pre-trial hearing and the start of his trial, a media coalition which consisted of the Radio Television Digital News Association, the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council and Madison TV stations WISC, WKOW and WMTV, worked closely with Sanfords attorneys and prosecutors to agree on a set of rules that would fairly address their concerns but still allow for cameras in the courtroom. That way, the public would be able to see justice in action. The coalition also petitioned the judge for video and audio during the trial, and requested a hearing on the matter. Berz denied the hearing. She also issued her scathing order banishing video cameras and live audio from the courtroom altogether. The coalitions attorneys then wrote a respectful letter to Berz supervisor, the chief judge of Wisconsins Fifth Judicial District, asking him to direct Berz to reconsider. He refused. This was bad, not for the TV stations, radio stations, cable crime channels, websites and social media channels that wanted to share video and audio from the trial. It was bad for the public, the overwhelming majority of whom were deprived of their right to see how the murder trial was being conducted. It also was bad for Sanford, because the U.S. Constitution grants him the right to a public trial. Several recent high-profile murder trials have been broadcast and streamed without any detrimental impact: The trials of Ahmaud Arberys killers in Georgia, and two trials in neighboring Minnesota, those of former police officers Kimberly Potter and Derek Chauvin. Perhaps one of the most relevant views on live coverage of high-profile trials comes from Peter Cahill, the Minnesota district court judge who presided over the Chauvin trial. After that trial, Cahill wrote a letter to the states Advisory Committee on the Rules of Criminal Procedure. He stated, in part: As a district court judge, I have opposed the use of cameras in the courtroom in criminal cases. But my recent experience in State v. Chauvin has changed my opinion such that I now believe cameras in the courtroom can be helpful in promoting trust and confidence in the judicial process and are sometimes necessary to safeguard both the defendants right to a public trial and the publics right of access to criminal trials. While Berz draconian order in Sanford was not a legally binding precedent, it did send a strong message to other judges throughout the state: Forget what the state Supreme Court said in 1979. If you dont want cameras, keep them out of your courtroom. To all judges in Wisconsin, I ask that they consider Cahills view over that of Berz. Cameras in the courtroom can indeed be helpful in promoting trust and confidence in the judicial process. Now more than ever, we need to build trust in our system. Shelley, of New York, is executive director for the Radio Television Digital News Association: www.rtdna.org. Its the yellow caution tape that gets to me when I look at the pictures tweeted by the satirical website The Onion in the wake of the massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Emblazoned with the words Sheriffs Line Do Not Cross, the yellow tape is draped around the schoolyard after an 18-year-old man gunned down 19 small children who had recently finished their honor-roll ceremony. Yellow is a bright, cheery color. Its one of my 6-year-old daughters favorites. Its the color of the sun, of sunflowers, of balloons and candy. Its the color of her hair soft and fine as corn silk. On police tape, however, yellow is the color of every parents worst nightmare: that their childs school became the target of yet another mass shooting, and that maybe their precious baby has been violently murdered. Its a fear we have lived with since the unthinkable tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012, after which absolutely nothing was done to effect change when it comes to guns in America. In fact, since 20 children were shot down in cold blood in Newtown, Connecticut, gun laws have actually loosened in this country. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to soon deliver a decision undoing a long-standing New York law that forbids people from carrying guns in public without first demonstrating a special need for self-defense. The Onion last week devoted its entire home page to dozens of images from mass shootings dating back to 2014, accompanied by the same devastating headline: No Way To Prevent This, Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens. The picture at the very top is the one of Robb Elementary in Uvalde, with the yellow tape circling a schoolyard that should have been filled with joyful kids. The image made the rounds across Twitter and trended rapidly. The Onion, which originated in Madison, has a history of cutting to the chase when it comes to moments of extreme national tragedy in the way that only razor-sharp satire can. No one looking at it was laughing, though. Especially not parents, for whom that specific set of signifiers has a particularly horrific resonance. The image of yellow tape, paired with police cars, sirens flashing, in front of a school thats the image that fills parents with the kind of grief they can taste. The kind that keeps them up at night, wondering if one day they too will have to face such a scene at their childs school. The crushing news out of Uvalde came about an hour before I was due to pick up my 6-year-old and her best friend from kindergarten. I could not get to the elementary school fast enough. My heart pounded, and I wiped at my eyes because I couldnt see through my tears to drive. The radio didnt help, as the scope and scale of the carnage in Texas began to crystallize. I was not alone in my race to get to my child. The schoolyard was filled with parents who had shown up early, who could not wait to wrap arms around their babies. Our worried, pained eyes met as we hustled toward the pickup line. But we didnt speak. We couldnt. What would we say? The bell rang, and children burst forth from the school doors yelling and laughing, chasing one another and running to their waiting parents. Little kids full of giggles and questions, wearing clothes dirty from play, shoelaces untied, hair messy, faces caked in food, bearing lopsided smiles. As we walked back to the car, my daughter and her friend chattered on about the dance party they had in school and the glow-in-the-dark bracelets they got as a special treat. They wore paper crowns that they made in art class, decorated with tender kid drawings: smiling faces, stick arms, flowers and birds. The worry and fear were palpable as parents realized the grief was theirs to shoulder forever, maybe, unless actual change was made in favor of commonsense gun legislation. Last week had been spirit week at Robb Elementary, and the day of the shooting was foot loose and fancy-free day, with the kids encouraged to wear their fanciest footwear. We parents had to grapple with images of tiny bodies in glittery, fabulous shoes, which had made Tuesday morning fun and exciting to kids who were still learning to read. I thought about that as I put my daughters feet into her own glittery shoes as we got ready for school. They are the kind that light up when she runs. She finds so much joy in those shoes because little kids can find joy in anything. I thought about not taking my daughter to school the next morning. But I did. And I wasnt alone. We parents got up and did it again. As we walked toward the main doors, we held our childrens hands a bit more tightly. Many parents got down on their knees at the school gate and hugged their kids longer than usual. Our eyes still filled with worry. We were not yet ready to speak. I havent been able to stop thinking about a conversation I had with my daughter a few nights ago, just before the nightmare in Uvalde. I had just put her to bed, when she got up again and came timidly into my room. She said two things were concerning her. She asked if dying meant she would never imagine anything again. I said that was likely the case. I told her everyone dies. That her daddy would die one day, that I would and that she would too. But, I said, she didnt have to worry about that for a long, long time. She asked how people die. I told her it happens when our hearts stop beating from sickness, or accidents, or when we are very, very old. She nodded and then said, Maybe if I die, Ill come back as a little baby somewhere else. Maybe, I said. Some people believe that. Your grandma Boo always said she would come back as a yellow butterfly. Thats why when we see yellow butterflies, we think of her. She thought about this for a moment. Im going to come back as a black and white cat, she said. And Im going to show up at your door, and youll know its me. Ill push up against your door, and I wont go. I liked the image of the cat, but I didnt at all like the idea that I would still be around when she was not. I told her, Oh, sweetheart, I hope Ill be long gone before then. What do you mean? she asked. I said, I hope I die before you. Mamas should die before their babies. Most mamas and daddies stay alive until their babies are gone, she said. I could tell she needed me to say Id never leave her, so I said, OK, deal. Im not going anywhere, as long as you promise not to either. Deal, she said. I kissed her and tucked her back in. Then I went to my room and cried my eyes out. Parents arent supposed to lose their babies. We arent supposed to show up at school to be confronted by the shock and horror of yellow tape and police cars on a clear blue day just before summer vacation is about to begin. We arent supposed to digest one mass shooting after another after another, always hoping that the bullets wont one day fly closer to home. And we should never have learned to accept the standard line after such a tragedy occurs, the one currently blanketing The Onions homepage in a heart-shattering tableau of yellow tape and emergency vehicles. Like a relentless funeral dirge, it reads: No Way To Prevent This, Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens. Agatha is the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in May in the eastern Pacific, said Weather Underground's founder. Get the latest, plus exclusive insights from our 'Across the Sky' weather experts. Memorial Day is a time set aside for Americans to honor and mourn U.S. military personnel who died in service to their country. There have been many. America suffered 623,468 deaths in its major conflicts since the beginning of World War One. We owe these dedicated men and women our lasting gratitude for putting their lives on the line to protect and preserve our freedoms. In the days leading up to Memorial Day, Idaho Public Television aired a program titled, Betrayed: Surviving an American Concentration Camp. It told of the Japanese Americans who were rounded up along the West Coast in 1942 and incarcerated in the Minidoka Relocation Camp. I was born that same year and grew up just 6 miles from the Camp. These people were loyal Americans who just happened to be of Japanese ancestry. Many young men in the Camp volunteered to serve their country, despite the fact that their families were in detention. William Nakamura was one of them. His family had been uprooted from their home in Seattle, arriving in the Camp in 1942. He joined the Army the next year. On July 4, 1944, while serving in Italy with the 442 Regimental Combat Team, Nakamura died after single-handedly attacking and destroying one German machine gun emplacement and then attacking another. His unit, entirely composed of Japanese Americans, was the most highly decorated in the war. He initially received the Distinguished Service Cross, but 56 years later, upon a review of his heroic actions, he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. I often think of the tremendous debt we owe to people like William Nakamura, who gave their all for the benefit of their fellow Americans. What would they think if they could return to see what a mess we are making of the legacy they left us? Instead of working together in common purpose to improve the lives of all Americans, we are at each others throats. The just concluded primary elections saw many hundreds of thousands of dollars going into scurrilous political ads attacking candidates with lies and distortions. Very little was said of what anyone proposed to do to make our State better, to improve infrastructure, to combat the greatest threat to the future of our planetthe increasing temperature of our atmosphereor anything else. I believe the William Nakamuras of the past would sincerely grieve for the state we are in and wonder whether their sacrifice was worth it. We should not just mourn our fallen on Memorial Day. We should make sure that the time and opportunity they gave us to make a better country is not wasted. Instead of exploiting differences, we should be building bridges with other Americans. We might just find that we have more in common than we thought. Instead of placing credence on weird conspiracy theories that show up in some corner of social media, we should build on facts that are in front of our faces in our communities. We should not be living our lives just to own the libs or put down the deplorables. We are all part of one country and should wake up and act like it. Imagine if our service personnel in wartime all wanted to have their own way all of the time. That would create chaos. Our soldiers worked together to achieve their objectives. Many did not make it home. Lets mourn and honor them on Memorial Day and pledge that we will not let their sacrifice be for naught that we will live up to their expectations by working hard to improve the lot of our fellow Americans, regardless of race, creed, economic status or any other type of demographic difference. Jim Jones is a Vietnam combat veteran who served eight years as Idaho attorney general (1983-1991) and 12 years as justice of the Idaho Supreme Court (2005-2017). He is currently a regular contributor to The Hill online news. He blogs at JJCommonTater. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Grace Chapel Ministries Patsor Mandell A. Motley, had his civil rights restored by Virginia Governor Ralph S. Northam effective March 16. The pastor of the Bassett church, who grew up in Martinsville and graduated from George Washington Carver High School, said he didnt go right away into ministry, even though he felt the call at age 16. I ran from the calling, he said, referring to a stint of crime in the past involving larceny, burglary and obtaining property though false pretenses. Motley had not even voted yet by the time he got into trouble with the law at age 21. I could have voted when I was 18, he said, but there wasnt any general elections. I have never, ever voted in my life, Motley said. When youre a convict, they strip you of all of your rights. He has led many other people to the polls, including his daughter, he added. He said that he would use all of the outlets available to him to spread the word about getting people to vote, such as the church pulpit, online, social media and TV. You say what you want to say and what you want people to hear by your vote, he said. In March, he received a letter from the governors office notifying him that his rights had been restored, signed by former governor Ralph Northam. When I got this stuff in the mail, he said, it just, it literally just blew me away. The letter also made him feel emotional, he added. It just means so much and I cant wait till midterms to vote in my first election, Motley said. He did not have to apply or initiate anything to get it, he said; he just received the papers in the mail. Apparently he wanted to restore the rights of those who have gotten out and lead an exemplary life. I wanted to file to get my rights back and I wanted to get a full from everywhere, every state where I committed a crime, Motley said. And that was what I was going to do, but when I got all of this in the mail, it floored me. Voting is like freedom, Motley said. Here is something that was taken away from me and Ive done everything to live the life to be able to vote and for them to restore it to me, it floored me I got up and testified about it in church. Motley compared his loss of voting rights to when slaves had to carry freedom papers. He said that it was kind of like that for me. He said that once he got out of prison he was free, but not free free because of his lack of voting rights. Sometimes when God has a calling in life, he will do whatever it takes to get your attention, Motley said. He added that this can come in many forms like death or sickness, but for him it came in the form of brushing elbows with the law. While Motley was in the military to become a pilot in Texas, he said, he got put on probation and ended up going AWOL from the military. He went back to Virginia and then later made his way to California, leaving a trail of crime in all three states, he added. Motley was arrested in California and served a sentence in San Quentin State Prison where, he said, he was finally able to give God his full attention. He said that he served 10 years in California and in that time he felt the urge to being ministering and preaching. He said that he eventually spoke to Earl Smith, the San Quentin Ministry chaplain and told him about his experience and what had happened to him. He took me under his wing, said Motley, Ive been serving God ever since. Motley said a woman is writing a screenplay for a movie about him. Its working title is Mandell but that is subject to change upon someone picking up the screenplay. The Bulletin called the writer to confirm, and she did, but she said did not want her name mentioned. She described the piece as grief stricken and suicidal, Mandell turns 10 years in San Quentin into opportunity and inspiration. 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. Mamaw Jo, as she is known to family, friends, and the community, has warmed the heads of many children and adults alike in McDowell with her handmade toboggans. I have two circular frames, and I usually have two going at a time, she said. I get the urge to sit and work a little while and then Ill put them aside and go do something else. I mostly work on them in the evening. Mamaw Jo Epley of Marion turned 89 on March 30. She was born and raised in Old Fort, married in McDowell, and raised four children here with her husband, the late James Epley. They were married for more than 50 years. She has 29 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. All of them have many toboggans made by Mamaw Jo. I dont sew or anything like that, I just like to make the toboggans. Thats all I do. I started making them a lot for my grandchildren, she said. Epley began knitting toboggans only a few short years ago after teaching herself the craft to give her something to do with her hands. The hobby has now become a ministry for her after much of her handiwork has fallen onto the heads of those who might need a bit of extra warmth. With a basket full of yarn from Joannes Fabric next to her chair, Epley doesnt care much about recognition for her efforts, she just likes creating the hats and giving it to those who need it. Her specialty is toboggans made with thick rows of yarn, branching out into multiple colors and designs. A perfect, handmade item of warmth anyone can appreciate. Many children at local schools in McDowell have received a toboggan. Her granddaughter-in-law, Ashley Greene, who is also the media coordinator at West Marion Elementary said, She has donated hats to students at West Marion, North Cove and Marion elementary schools. She has also donated the knitted hats to homeless shelters in our community and passed them out at church. She has even donated them to Southmountain Childrens Home and the Kentucky Coal Mine community. This is something that makes her happy and in turn has made other people happy. Greene added, We are blessed to have Mamaw Jo! Every year she donates many hats for our students so that they will not be without a hat in the cold weather. The kids love picking out their own hand knitted toboggan to keep! We sure do love and appreciate her! Melanie Hamilton of Marion Elementary said, Mamaw Jo has been donating her knitted toboggans to my students for many years. She spends the entire year knitting these as a labor of love! My students love getting to choose their own hat at Christmas. Mamaw Jo is a blessing! Sherry Glenn of North Cove Elementary said, What a blessing this precious lady is. This year alone weve handed out approximately 86. Not only has she created these toboggans to meet the needs of these kids for warmth, but each head covering has been prayed over for each and every child. Mamaw Jo was asked if it warms her heart knowing her toboggans have helped so many, and she simply said, Ive just never thought about it. I just enjoy doing it and giving them away. I have received some thank yous, but I dont expect that, I just like to make them. And it doesnt matter the time of year, Mamaw Jo will have a toboggan ready for whoever needs it. The entire Marion City Square remains closed to the public following a partial roof collapse at one of the shopping centers buildings. Monday evening, the roof in a part of the building collapsed during the heavy rains. That building used to be the home of Burkes Outlet. No one was hurt in the incident but the entire complex was closed for the publics safety. The owner of the shopping center is Marion City Square, LLC of Fort Worth, Texas. This limited liability company purchased the property in December 2019. Chase Lansford, a representative of that company, said to The McDowell News he doesnt yet know when the shopping center can reopen. I wish I had the answer to that question, he said on Wednesday. Lansford said his company has a structural engineering firm now looking at the shopping centers buildings to assess their structural condition. That firm is just making sure that the damage that occurred wont have a domino effect, he added. The closing of the Marion City Square means businesses like Workout Anytime, Papa Johns Pizza, Sharons Cafe and Pro Nails are not operating now. The closing also affects the Roses department store, which is in a separate building not connected to the rest of the shopping centers structure. Nobody wants them back in more than I do, said Lansford on Wednesday. On Wednesday, Nelda Newton, fitness director with Workout Anytime, set up a tent along the five lane so she could still meet with members and prospective members. On Thursday, Lansford said his company has gotten approval from a structural engineer to begin making repairs to the buildings. The hope is to get the tenants back in business as soon as possible. We dont have a timeline on how long it will take, said Lansford on Thursday. He and other representatives of Marion City Square, LLC are working with Spencer Elliott, chief building official with the city of Marion. We still have not gotten the full green light with the city, said Lansford. We are minute by minute working on it. In recent years, many businesses in that shopping center have either closed permanently or moved out to new locations. This has left a lot of empty storefronts at the Marion City Square, most notably the section that used to be the BI-LO supermarket. In January 2021, Michael Roy, another representative with the LLC, said he and his company were eager to work with new business owners who might be interested in moving into the Marion City Square. We have spaces for coffee shops, cafes, Roy said to The McDowell News in 2021. We have a lot of spaces that are ready for new businesses. We are really aggressively on our leases. We will find a way to make the deal work. We love helping out new businesses. This week, Lansford said his company remains committed to finding new businesses for the shopping center that was built in the mid-1980s. We are still actively engaged in finding new tenants, he said. Lansford added that his LLC has received letters of interest from three companies interested in the old BI-LO building. Some of the businesses and their customers noticed leaks in their buildings at the center. But Lunsford said that problem was taken care of already. As far as the entirety of the roof, we did hire a great roofer out of Kentucky on that roof several months ago, said Lunsford on Wednesday. Since that job was done, I dont think I have had a single complaint from the tenants about leaks. This Michael Reagan column was written before the school shooting in Texas. On and on it goes. Another lone wacko, a white 18-year-old, went on a well-planned killing spree in a supermarket in a Black neighborhood of Buffalo. It was a terrible, tragic, evil, obviously racist act. Ten innocent people died and three were injured 11 victims were Black. We know the alleged killer was a white supremacist, an anti-Semite and a nut-job who clearly set out to kill Black people because of what he posted online. Predictably, President Biden seized on the slaughter in Buffalo as further proof of his bogus claim that the poison of white supremacy poses the greatest threat to America today. Also predictably, Biden and the usual liberal chorus of media outlets tried to link the countrys latest mass killing to Republicans, guns and Fox News stars like Tucker Carlson. Biden went to Buffalo to show his sympathy for the victims, which is fine. But as usual he was very selective when pointing out recent examples of racially motivated mass murders. No mention of the angry Black supremacist who plowed through a parade of white men, women and children at a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, last year, killing six and injuring 60. No mention of the mentally troubled Black man another racist Black supremacist who openly hated whites, Asians and even some Blacks who shot up a New York City subway train last month and injured 10 people. No mention of another apparently mentally troubled Black man whos accused of shooting but not killing three Korean women in a Dallas hair salon recently. And you know the Bidens wont be visiting the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods in Southern California to show their sympathy for the deadly shooting that happened there. The Asian shooter an American citizen born in Taiwan planned to kill many members of the congregation, who are Taiwanese, because he doesnt think Taiwan should be independent of China. Like the other shootings, that potential mass shooting, which was stopped when members of the church overpowered the shooter, did not fit the Biden-media narrative that the only kind of racism in America is white and that mass murderers come in only one color and one kind of politics. The reaction to the Buffalo tragedy by Biden, the Democrats and the liberal media was the usual We need more, more, still more gun laws. But how about enforcing the damn gun laws weve already got? How about putting some teeth in so-called Red Flag laws? Though ripe for abuse by gun-control zealots, they allow law enforcement in states like New York to take weapons away from people whove been deemed threats to themselves or others. The punk in Buffalo still legally had his guns even though he had made threatening remarks in high school last year about shooting up a graduation ceremony and had undergone a mental health evaluation and counseling. And how about holding parents accountable for not taking their wacko sons guns away? We count on the government to take guns away from dangerous or crazy people. But if youre a parent and you have a whacked out son youre worried about, lock up your damn guns. Get them out of the house. Dont wait for government to take them away because the government is sure not going to take them. Meanwhile, while Biden was in Buffalo exploiting that tragedy for his own political purposes, he also predictably forgot to mention the massacre of Blacks that occurs every weekend in Chicago. Recently, 33 people there were shot and five died. As usual, most were young Black males shot by other young Black males. Of course we all know why the president will never have time to go to Chicago to grieve over its murder victims: he wouldnt be able to blame its recurring weekly slaughter on white supremacy. Michael Reagan, the son of former President Ronald Reagan, is an author, speaker and president of the Reagan Legacy Foundation. Send comments to reagan@caglecartoons.com and follow @reaganworld on Twitter. Some 40 Boko Haram Jihadists were killed on Tuesday night by the Nigerien army on islands in Lake Chad, bordering Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, the Nigerien government announced Thursday. During the night of May 24 to 25, a hundred Boko Haram fighters aboard four large dugout canoes and an armed boat, attempted an action in force against our elements on the islands of Lake Chad, said a statement from the Ministry of Defense. It said that the energetic reaction of the latter forced the assailants to flee with several deaths in their ranks. A combing mission in the area allowed the neutralization of about forty fighters and several weapons, ammunition and explosives, while various military equipment were recovered. In addition, seven Nigerien soldiers were injured when their vehicle on a reconnaissance mission on the shores of Lake Chad jumped on an improvised explosive device (IED), the ministry said, not specifying the date of the accident. It assures that troops engaged in Operation Lake Sanity (Operation Lake Integrity) continue to control the enemy areas conquered on the islands of Lake Chad. The governor of the eastern region of Burkina Faso said that about 50 people were killed by unidentified gunmen as they fled the eastern township of Madjoari. The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, May 25, primarily targeted men. The victims had decided to go to Nadiagou, in the commune of Pama, to escape threats from armed groups. But in their flight, they came across unidentified armed individuals in the forest at the Singou bridge, explained a survivor. The elderly were released, while the others were interrogated. According to the survivors account, the gunmen began shooting those who did not answer the questions. Several sources, including Colonel Hubert Yameogo, governor of the eastern region, report that about 50 people died. All men. All the men who leave Madjoari for Nadiagou are systematically arrested, but the women are not bothered, said one resident. It is very difficult to know the total number of people intercepted, a local source said. About 900 people were still living in Madjoari despite the increase in attacks. This massacre follows several attacks against the population and the armed forces. On May 14, 17 civilians were killed by armed men. Five days later, the military detachment in Madjoari was attacked, killing 11 people and wounding several others. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), together with its long-standing partner Borealis AG, today set an offer price of AED2.45 ($0.66) per share for the initial public offering (IPO) of Borouge, their petrochemicals joint venture on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). This makes the Borouge IPO the largest-ever listing to date in Abu Dhabis history and implies an equity valuation of AED73.6 billion ($20 billion) of the company. The offering consists of 3 billion existing shares, representing 10 per cent of Borouges issued share capital. The offer price was determined by Adnoc and Borealis (selling shareholders) following investor engagement that saw significant strong initial demand indications from both local and international investors ahead of the start of the subscription period today. The selling shareholders and Borouge have entered into cornerstone investment agreements with International Holding Company, Multiply Group, Alpha Dhabi Holding, ADQ, Abu Dhabi Pension Fund, Emirates Investment Authority, and the Adani Family. These high-quality cornerstone investors have, either directly or indirectly, made a combined commitment of approximately AED2.1 billion ($570 million) to the IPO, subject to a minimum six-month lock-up period. The IPO subscription period has commenced today (May 23), closing to retail investors on 28th May, 2022, and to qualified institutional investors on 30th May, 2022. The expected date of listing on the ADX is June 3. Borouge has a robust financial profile, with full-year revenue of $5.5 billion in 2021 and profit for the year of $1.5 billion for its ADP business only, with a very strong cash flow generation record that supports its capacity to pay highly competitive future dividends. For 2022, the company expects to pay $975 million in dividends to shareholders. In 2023, Borouge expects to pay no less than $1.3 billion for the full-year period, equivalent to a dividend yield of 6.5% based on the price per share announced for the offering, the company said. The selling shareholders believe the offer price per share provides investors with a highly attractive value proposition that reflects their long-term confidence in Borouges growth trajectory. This decision also reflects Adnocs prioritisation of a supportive aftermarket performance post-listing and robust dividend policy, a statement said. Through the Borouge IPO, Adnoc is offering investors another highly compelling investment opportunity to invest alongside Adnoc in a company that is set to play a vital role in sustainable growth for Abu Dhabi and the UAE, it said. Borouge, established in 1998, combines the strength and experience of Adnoc and Borealis, through Borouge ADP, its operations joint venture, headquartered in Abu Dhabi and Borouge PTE, its sales and marketing joint venture, headquartered in Singapore. Today, Borouge is one of the worlds leading providers of innovative and differentiated polyolefin solutions for the agriculture, infrastructure, energy, advanced packaging, mobility and healthcare industries. The Company employs over 3,100 people and serves customers in more than 50 countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. These fluorescent micrographs from an experiment help illustrate how cascading effects can lead to cancer cells metastasizing. On the left, a control sample from a mouse cancer cell line (the cell nucleus is shown in blue) expresses a high level of the PHGDH enzyme shown in green as well as a different enzyme that PHGDH interacts with, shown in red. On the right, researchers have reduced or knocked down the level of PHGDH, which in turn decreases the enzyme shown in red. Images on the bottom row show a zoomed-view of the boxed areas in the upper row to magnify the results. Credit: Rossi et al., Nature Michigan State researchers are revealing the molecular workings of how a certain form of metastatic breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body. In doing so, they're creating new opportunities to spot and contain what is called triple negative breast cancer. "We focused on triple negative breast cancer, or TNBC, because it occurs proportionally more often in younger patients and has worse clinical outcomes," said Sophia Lunt, an associate professor in the College of Natural Science at MSU. "The vast majority of TNBC-related deaths are due to metastasis, the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumor to other sites in the body," Lunt said. "Metastatic breast cancer is not curable, and available treatments aim to only slow disease progression." Since joining MSU in 2015, Lunt's research has focused on understanding the role of metabolismwhich nutrients and compounds cancer cells use and howin metastasis. She and her team are now reporting results from their work on triple negative breast cancer, so named because its tumor cells test negative for three types of proteins used in diagnoses. Lunt's latest research is published in the journal Nature on May 18. In the paper, the researchers were part of an international team that showed cancer cells with low levels of the enzyme phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase, or PHGDH, posed a greater risk of spreading. The result was surprising at first, Lunt said, because cancer cells also use this enzyme to multiply. The more of the enzyme a tumor has, the more likely it is to grow. Yet, lower levels help a tumor spread. This finding was supported by data from human breast cancer patients as well as additional studies in cancer cells and mouse models. "We initially expected high PHGDH expression to support both proliferation and metastasis," said Lunt, whose lab is in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. "However, the results make sense because cancer cells' needs during proliferation and metastasis are very different," she said. "During proliferation, cancer cells want to divide as fast as possible in a familiar environment. During metastasis, cancer cells have to survive the extremely stressful process of leaving the primary site, traveling through the bloodstream, finding a new site and surviving in an unfamiliar environment." A micrograph shows cancer cells (red) found circulating in the blood of a breast cancer patient. Credit: National Cancer Institute/USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center/Min Yu When tumors reduce the abundance of the PHGDH enzyme, other enzymes and the processes they orchestrate can step to the fore. In the case of triple negative breast cancer, one result is the production of sialic acid. The acid helps cancer cells adhere to other cells and components of biological tissue during metastasis. Probing the molecular mechanisms that underlie this cascade of reactions and interactions is the goal of Lunt's ongoing research. Unraveling cancer's intricate and tangled biochemistry is challenging, but Lunt is showing how joining and growing a global network of experts can help overcome obstacles in this field. "Biology is extremely complicated with countless variables and players," Lunt said. To counter that, "teamwork, collaboration and funding are essential," she said. Lunt first met collaborator Sarah-Maria Fendt, a cancer researcher in Belgium, when they were both postdoctoral researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. But it wasn't until Fendt saw Lunt give a 2019 seminar on sialic acid biosynthesis at an international conference in Florence, Italy, that the two came up with a study to collaborate on. That collaboration ultimately included researchers from more than 30 departments across three continents. "I think large collaborations like this are becoming more common as we integrate datasets from multiple levels and use specialized techniques," Lunt said. This collaboration included Shao Thing Teoh, who was a postdoctoral researcher in Lunt's group and is now a project scientist in Austria. When he joined Lunt's lab in 2016, he helped the team begin investigating metabolism in metastatic breast cancer. Now, Lunt and the next generation of her group's researchers will continue that work with their new grant. These projects are revealing new molecules that could be assessed by doctors in the future to determine the risk posed by tumors. The research also creates footholds for drug developers to exploit while developing new ways to attack cancer. "Our studies could lead to new biomarkerssuch as low PHGDH and high sialic acidthat determine metastatic risk and to novel therapeutic targets for patients with metastatic TNBC," Lunt said. Explore further Tumors change their metabolism to spread more effectively More information: Matteo Rossi et al, PHGDH heterogeneity potentiates cancer cell dissemination and metastasis, Nature (2022). Journal information: Nature Matteo Rossi et al, PHGDH heterogeneity potentiates cancer cell dissemination and metastasis,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04758-2 Amir Goldkorn, MD, senior author of the abstract on SWOG S1314, is the Kathryn M. Balakrishnan Chair for Cancer Research at the University of Southern California (USC) Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Keck Medicine of USC, and associate professor of medicine and of biochemistry and molecular medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC. Credit: USC/Ricardo Carrasco III A team of researchers from SWOG Cancer Research Network, a cancer clinical trials group funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), have shown that they can use methylation patterns in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) extracted from blood samples to predict which patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer are likely to benefit from chemotherapy before their surgery. In the future, such a biomarker from a blood sample, or "liquid biopsy," might save some patients from having to undergo a difficult chemotherapy regimen that would provide them little benefit. The researchers will present their results as an oral abstract at the 2022 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on June 3 in Chicago (abstract 4506). The senior author on the abstract is Amir Goldkorn, MD, a SWOG investigator who is the Kathryn M. Balakrishnan Chair for Cancer Research at the University of Southern California (USC) Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Keck Medicine of USC, and associate professor of medicine and of biochemistry and molecular medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC. "This study represents a novel application of noninvasive liquid biopsies to guide cancer management," Dr. Goldkorn said. "We found that cfDNA methylation patterns in peripheral blood can be useful not only for tumor detection, but also for prediction of response to chemotherapy." The authors state that the work provides a proof of concept: "With further validation," Goldkorn said, "this approach may help physicians assess whether a patient with muscle invasive bladder cancer would benefit from receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to definitive radical cystectomy." The results are from a correlative study done within the SWOG S1314 clinical trial, which enrolled 237 patients with muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer that had not spread to other parts of the body (had not metastasized). All patients were treated with chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy). Primary results from S1314 have been previously reported. For the new results reported at ASCO 2022, researchers prospectively collected blood samples from 73 S1314 patients before chemotherapy and after one cycle of chemotherapy. They extracted cfDNA from those samples and profiled patterns of DNA methylation for each patient. After patients underwent surgery, doctors examined the tumors removed to determine whether they had shrunk in response to chemotherapy. Each patient's cancer was then classified as having responded or not responded to the chemotherapy. With this data, researchers analyzed the cfDNA methylation patterns to identify differences in methylation between patients whose tumors had responded to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and those whose tumors had not responded. From this they developed a methylation-based response score (mR-score) that predicted whether a tumor would respond to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. They also used the methylation data to calculate what fraction of a patient's cfDNA was from the bladder. Combining this calculation with the mR-score, the researchers could correctly predict, in 79 percent of the patients they had tested, whether tumors would respond to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Explore further Biomarker may help predict survival in patients with bladder cancer Provided by SWOG Cancer Research Network Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain An international team led by a physician from the Karl Landsteiner University for Health Sciences, Krems, describes for the first time a mutation of the IL-33 gene in the human genome that results in multiple allergic disease manifestations, and autoimmune disease. Inflammation of the skin and the esophagus, food allergy and asthma are just some of the symptoms of a now 12-year-old boy who was the first identified to have a mutation on the IL-33 gene. An international team led by a physician from the Karl Landsteiner University for Health Sciences, Krems, discovered this new disease entity. Their description of a single case provides completely new insights into the in vivo functions of IL-33, which is considered a central upstream regulator of human immune responses. So far, studies on its function were limited to human derived in vitro cellular or animal models. This discovery of an overexpression of IL-33 in humans helps to gain new insights in the consequences of its dysregulation in humans. Concomitantly, it also opens up potential therapeutic options for affected patients. The human body's type-2 immune response serves to defend against larger pathogens, but also represents the hallmark of allergic inflammation. Interleukin 33 (IL-33), a so-called "alarmin" due to its release upon cellular damage, plays a central role in the initiation and regulation of allergic inflammation. Animal models in which its production is genetically up- or down-regulated have contributed to the understanding and suggested functions beyond allergic inflammationbut they allow only limited insight into the conditions in humans. Disease symptoms of a patient with a duplicated IL-33 gene now provide such insight for the first time. An international team at The Hospital for Sick Children led by Prof. Thomas Eiwegger of the Karl Landsteiner Private University for Health Sciences Krems (KL Krems) succeeded in stating the diagnosis and providing the first description. "One of the most striking symptoms of the patient is chronic inflammation of the esophagus, an eosinophilic esophagitis, as well as chronic inflammatory changes of the skin," explains Prof. Thomas Eiwegger, who recently became head of the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at St. Polten University Hospital, which is part of KL Krems. Thus, a high number of eosinophilic granulocytes (hypereosinophilia), elevated levels of IgE antibodies and recurrent eosinophil-dominated inflammation of the skin occurred. According to Prof. Eiwegger: "Especially the skin reactions and the inflammation of the esophagus confirm the central role of IL-33 in type-2 immune reactions in tissues exposed to the external environment." Additionally, food allergies and asthma, as well as inflammatory complications of the broader gastrointestinal tract, also show up in terms of an autoimmune response. Numerous investigations in the study, now published in Gastroenterology, were conducted at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, in conjunction with the university there. In addition to the inflammatory symptoms, physical abnormalities of the patient were also recorded. These include changes in the cranial bones, the jaw and the face, as well as delayed weight gain and growth in length with hypermobility of the joints, short-sightedness and a moderate developmental delay. For Prof. Eiwegger, these are indications of the pleiotropic role of IL-33 beyond classical type-2 inflammation. More gene, more cytokine The extent to which this gene duplication affected the actual concentration of the cytokine IL-33 in the blood and various tissues was very interesting. Although there was no increase in IL-33 in the blood, there were significant increases in the tissues of the gastrointestinal tract as well as the skin. "The different subcellular localizations of IL-33 in different tissues were also striking," notes Prof. Eiwegger. "For example, it showed up in the nucleus in inflamed skin tissue, but in the cytoplasm in inflammation-free intestinal tissue." The team suggests that these results show how tightly IL-33 is regulated locally and points to new explanations for the patient's tissue-specific disease patterns that could be critical for targeted therapies for diseases in which IL-33 plays a role. Monoclonal antibodies that bind and remove IL-33 are being investigated as therapeutic options in phase 2 studies for the treatment of asthma, atopic dermatitis and food allergiesan option that the team also considers worth evaluating here. Thus, this research exemplifies modern precision medicine in which basic science directly impacts clinical decision making. Explore further Genetics of eosinophilic colitis revealed More information: Ashish K. Marwaha et al, A Chromosomal Duplication Encompassing Interleukin-33 Causes a Novel Hyper IgE Phenotype Characterized by Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Generalized Autoimmunity, Gastroenterology (2022). Journal information: Gastroenterology Ashish K. Marwaha et al, A Chromosomal Duplication Encompassing Interleukin-33 Causes a Novel Hyper IgE Phenotype Characterized by Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Generalized Autoimmunity,(2022). DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.04.026 Provided by Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Children with high-risk neuroblastoma had worse outcomes if they were from certain racial/ethnic groups or were on public rather than private insurance, despite being treated in clinical trials with standardized protocols, according to a study led by investigators from Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. The study shows that young patients from historically marginalized populations or from lower-income backgrounds had poorer five-year survival rates even when they were assigned to receive uniform initial treatment after diagnosis with high-risk neuroblastoma. "These findings recapitulate what we have known for decades at the population levelchildren from historically marginalized groups are less likely to survive their cancer," said Puja J. Umaretiya, MD, a clinical fellow in pediatric hematology/oncology at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's. "They add an essential next layer to our understanding of racial and ethnic disparities in childhood cancer, and that is that enrollment on clinical trials is not enough to achieve racial and ethnic equity in survival." Umaretiya is presenting the study results at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual meeting, being held June 3-7, 2022, and the study is included in the ASCO press program. "Clinical trials represent highly standardized careyet even when receiving care on clinical trials, children with high-risk neuroblastoma do not experience the same outcomes based on their race, ethnicity, and whether they live in poverty," said Umaretiya, lead author of the study. "This is key, because thus far attention has been paid to getting historically marginalized groups to trials with the assumption that this will reduce survival disparities, but our data suggest that in pediatrics, trial-enrollment is a first step, but clearly not a sufficient one." Senior author is Kira Bona, MD, MPH, a pediatric oncologist at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's with research focused on identifying poverty-associated outcome disparities in childhood cancer and developing interventions to mitigate those disparities. Bona notes, "That stark racial/ethnic disparities in survival persist despite clinical trial participation makes it crystal clear that pediatric oncology trials must incorporate health equity interventions. If a new gene mutation were found to increase risk for trial-enrolled patients, pediatric oncology would not hesitate to begin intervening. That same urgency must apply to these data. It is imperative that pediatric oncologists begin to test healthcare delivery and supportive care interventions in our trials just like we do new drugs." The study looked at outcomes in 696 children enrolled in three Children's Oncology Group (COG) clinical trials of treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that forms in nerve tissue. It frequently begins in one of the adrenal glands but can also originate in the neck, chest, abdomen, or spine. High-risk disease is defined by age, how widely the disease has spread, and biologic characteristics of the cancer cells. The prognosis for long-term survival remains challenging. Treatment is usually an intensive combination of chemotherapy, surgery, stem cell transplantation, radiation, and immunotherapy. Of the 696 patients in the COG trials, 11% were Hispanic, 16% were Black non-Hispanic, 4% were other non-Hispanic, and 69% were white non-Hispanic. One-third of the children were household poverty-exposed (covered by public insurance); 26% were exposed to neighborhood level poverty (living in a high-poverty ZIP code defined by 20% or more of the population living below the federal poverty line). The five-year overall survival rate varied by race/ethnicity (47% for Hispanic children; 50% for other non-Hispanic children; 61% for white non-Hispanic children; and 63% for Black non-Hispanic children.) After adjusting for disease-associated factors, Hispanic children were 1.8 times more likely to die and other non-Hispanic patients were 1.5 times more likely to die than white non-Hispanic children. Patients who had only public insurance (a proxy for household poverty) had a 53% five-year survival rate compared to 63% for others. The survival rate was also lower54%in children living in neighborhood level poverty compared with 62% for others. "A huge strength of the way that this dataset was created is that we have the ability to look at potential mechanisms that may explain these survival disparities," said Umaretiya. "For the first time, we will be able to ask whether certain groups experienced delays in therapy or were more likely to stop participating in trials perhaps because of competing family needs secondary to poverty. Most importantly, we will be able to start to look at what happens after relapsea time when we know treatment becomes less standardized, which may increase the chance that racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic privilege helps some families access life-extending therapy for their children while others are less able to. Understanding what happens after relapse will be essential to guiding interventions to improve survival disparities and we are excited to take this on next." Explore further Outcomes worse for children with type 1 diabetes who are Black Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain There are thousands of children across Maryland who not only haven't been vaccinated against COVID-19, but also lack protection from influenza and the kinds of diseases that routine shots long ago made scarce, such as measles and chickenpox. It's a worrisome trend for public health experts, who see a surging number of children infected with the coronavirus and fear another outbreak in particular may be on the horizonmeasles. "I'm most worried about measles; we know it's very contagious," said Dr. William Moss, the executive director of Johns Hopkins' International Vaccine Access Center. "I've been tracking it through the pandemic globally, and I do think communities in the United States, including in Maryland, are going to be at increased risk," he said. "Measles does not respect borders or stay in one place, and it moves quickly." Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000 due to high rates of vaccination, but made a comeback in recent years when international travelers reintroduced the disease in unprotected groups of people. Measles can cause fatal complications in children, such as pneumonia and encephalitis. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is following outbreaks "occurring in every region of the world" due to interruptions in vaccination campaigns. There have been few cases reported so far this year in the United States. There have been more cases of flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and far more cases of COVID-19. The World Health Organization reported more than 17,000 measles cases worldwide in the first two months of the year, up almost 80% from the same period in 2021. Thousands of cases have been added since. The last major U.S. outbreak was pre-pandemic in 2019, when there were 1,282 cases in 31 states, including Maryland. That local outbreak made an impression on Dr. Ashley Crimmins, who lives with her family in Baltimore County, not far from where the cases were reported. Vaccines were always a priority, but the measles cases "reinforced their importance" since her daughter was an infant at the time and not eligible for the highly effective measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine. "All it takes is a whiff in the wrong direction," Crimmins said. "You share air space with someone with active measles and if you have no vaccine, you'll get measles." Crimmins, an emergency medicine physician, ended up getting the MMR vaccine early for her daughter and kept up with vaccine schedules through the coronavirus pandemic for her daughter, now almost 4, and her son, 9 months. They also have their flu shots and she's anxiously waiting for COVID-19 vaccines to be authorized for children under age 5, something that's expected to happen in the coming weeks. Crimmins treats people who avoided medical care during the pandemic and understands how parents get behind on routine shots and even why they may have put off the COVID-19 vaccine. But she urges them to consider what happens to kids even when they don't get sick enough for the emergency room. Her daughter's day care was closed most of December due to COVID-19 because other children had the coronavirus. "She really missed the structure of school," Crimmins said. Public health experts say people have a lot of reasons to skip vaccines, from concerns about going to the doctor or missing work, fear of side effects of the new COVID-19 vaccine, or even feeling well enough that they don't believe vaccines are necessary. The CDC reported in April that Maryland had among the largest drops of state reporting in routine vaccinations in the 2020-2021 school year, when more than 8% of kindergartners didn't show proof of vaccination when starting school. Normally, kindergartners have had two doses of the MMR vaccine. In the years before the pandemic, nearly all were either vaccinated or had obtained an exemption. The Maryland Department of Health did report progress during the school year: There were about 10,000 kids without routine vaccinations in November, down from more than 23,000 during the summer, among 17 counties and Baltimore City that reported data to the state. Not all counties updated their data in the fall, and no new data has been provided. Some, but not all, likely have caught up, said Dr. James Campbell, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the site's principal investigator on children's COVID-19 vaccines. "It's definitely worrying that there still is a gap," he said. "Things that worry us the most are the ones that are most contagious and measles is the most contagious." Campbell said he also worries about other vaccinations, such as one for the human papillomavirus, or HPV, a virus that causes cancer often decades after infection. It's not required by schools, but the CDC recommends it for preteens. "We tend as a public to get scared of pandemics and outbreaks and fast-breaking COVID, but tens of thousands die every year from HPV-related cancers," he said. "People don't always see an urgency." He said flu shots also can be a hard sell, as they're often not as protective, especially in years (like this one) where the strains covered by the shot are a mismatch for those circulating among people. But like the COVID-19 vaccine, having the shot often protects against severe disease. About 30% of Marylanders have gotten the flu vaccine. While COVID-19 vaccinations are far higher, children have the lowest rates with 58% of those aged 5 to 17 fully inoculated. COVID and flu shots are not required by schools. In Maryland, students are required to have the MMR vaccine, as well as immunizations against chickenpox; polio; diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough; hepatitis B; and meningitis. Specific exemptions are required for any exemptions on medical or religious grounds. For required vaccines, state health officials and school leaders already have notified local school superintendents and health officers that they need to begin preparing now for the next school year. "To reduce the number of students that may be out of compliance at the start of the 2022-2023 school year, school officials should begin now to complete assessments of school immunization records and inform parents of children who may be out of compliance," said an April 22 letter to the county education and health officials. "This will allow parents maximum time for the parent to get their children up to date," it said. Tiffany Tate, who runs the nonprofit group Maryland Partnership for Prevention, has been working with Baltimore and other counties to offer students flu, COVID-19 and routine vaccinations. She said the pandemic has interrupted vaccinations of all kinds and health officials across the state have been setting up extra clinics. "Typically at this time of year, we'd be talking about fall and flu season, but more are talking about routine vaccinations," Tate said. "Some counties are booking for mid- to late summer to do back-to-school vaccines. Some want to get students now, before they leave for vacation." Tate said even vigilant parents have fallen behind on vaccinations schedules because of the pandemic. And now that summer is close, even with rising COVID-19 cases, "things feel good. so they aren't worried about vaccines," she said. Tate said her organization will push ahead with clinics for elementary and middle school students, offering all of the vaccines. With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week authorizing COVID-19 booster vaccines for children ages 5 to 11, it will offer those, too. "We'll evolve and respond; we'll fill in all the gaps," she said. "People are so focused on COVID because it's an immediate threat to health, but there are other threats." Explore further Rates for measles, other vaccinations dip for kindergartners 2022 The Baltimore Sun. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Research shows there are many reasons why involving patients in decisions about their care is good medicine. Shared decision-making can increase patients' satisfaction, improve their understanding of the risks and benefits of treatment, and ensure their care is better aligned with their values. Yet, despite widespread support of shared decision-making in medicine, how it plays out in real-world clinical practice can be anything but straightforward. A JAMA Surgery study published earlier this year found that American surgeons' involvement of older patients in decisions about major surgery was "highly variable"and seemingly inauthentic. Margaret Schwarze, a vascular surgeon and one of the study's authors, said that surgeons were more likely to use shared decision-making when they thought that operating was a bad idea. But when they thought that surgery was a good idea, they were less likely to involve patients in the decision. In other words, Schwarze explained, "I'm going to offer you choices, then talk you out of the bad one"an approach that she said runs counter to the spirit of shared decision-making. Schwarze cited the example of offering a patient near death the option of being resuscitated if they stop breathingthen spending the next hour talking them out of choosing that option. In such cases, she said, the patient is left wondering, "If you didn't think this was an option, why would you even offer it to me?" In a related commentary, surgeons Anne Ehlers and Dana Telem argued there is little valueand plenty of potential for confusion or distressin offering patients false choices purely for the show of involving them in decisions. "We tout shared decision making as this thing that we should be using all the time," says Ehlers. "And really, in some cases, it may not be warranted or even appropriate." When she's working with patients requiring hernia repair, Ehlers says she doesn't lay out all of the potential options for them when she feels there's "one clear winner" in terms of clinical effectiveness. Canadian family doctors have previously contended that "there must be a clear need for a decision" for shared decision-making to be useful. According to Guylene Theriault and colleagues, "While shared decision-making is mostly underused, at times it is introduced in situations when it probably should not be." That includes times when there is no decision to be made, when patients cannot collaborate in the decision, or when the benefits versus harms of a treatment do not justify such an approach. Indeed, a 2018 commentary in the British Journal of General Practice provocatively questioned whether it's honest to describe decisions as "shared" when the "realities of clinical practice mean that genuinely shared decision making is not completely impossible but difficult to achieve in a sincere and just manner." Even so, many patients would like to see clinicians make the effort to involve themincluding in situations where one option may seem like the clear choice. "It really is about deciding what your values are, what risks you're willing to take, and how you see the benefits," said Maureen Smith, a patient advocate living in Ottawa. That does not mean pretending that all options are equal. "Patients want their doctor's opinion," Smith noted. But it does mean acknowledging that options exist. One web-based survey published in CMAJ Open found that fewer than half of people in Canada who received health care in 2017 said their providers discussed treatment options with them. Clinicians often cite time constraints and other practical barriers to involving patients in decisions. However, as the CMAJ Open study authors noted, most of these supposed barriers "are not evidence-based and are often based on misconceptions." Canada is making progress on shared decision-making, but it's a "slow chug forward," says Dawn Stacey, a senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute who leads research on patient decision aids. "The problem in Canada is we have no incentive for shared decision-making." Australia, she said, has changed its accreditation standards so hospitals now require clinicians to use shared decision-making approaches with patients. The country was able to do that because there is a single national agencythe Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Carethat has jurisdiction over improvements in health care, Stacey explained. "In Canada, we don't really have any 'stick' at the national level. Every province does its own thing." Schwarze noted that a disconnect often exists between the information clinicians think patients want to know versus what patients actually need to participate in decisions. Most patients want to know what surgery can offer them in terms of feeling better or living longer, Schwarze said. But when she talks to surgeons about shared decision-making, they often focus on technical details. For example, Schwarze said, "They say, "But it's really important that I draw a good picture of the thyroid and show them where these nerves are.'" Schwarze likened it to hiring a plumber to fix a toilet who spends "all their time talking about the stuff in the back of the tank, but they never tell you how long the repair will last or how much it's going to cost you." Genuinely sharing decisions should start with clinicians being honest about where they stand on different treatment options before moving on to discuss the risks and benefits of each, she said. "By showing my cards up front and saying, 'Typically, we do surgery for this,' or 'I'm on the fence,' we can contextualize the situation for patients." Authentically sharing decisions depends on clinicians and patients connecting with each other, said Gary Groot, a surgical oncologist in Saskatoon. Just because a surgeon can operate, doesn't mean that doing so will achieve the goals that matter most to the patient, he said. Groot cited the example of an older cancer patient whose main concern was attending his granddaughter's upcoming wedding. "We don't always listen for those things," he said. "And people don't always feel they can say those things." Explore further Shared decision-making should be encouraged in ICU Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Research drawing on the national Overcoming COVID-19 study, led by Boston Children's Hospital, and the hospital's own Taking On COVID-19 Together Group provides evidence that children who previously had COVID-19 (or the inflammatory condition MIS-C) are not protected against the newer omicron variant. Vaccination, however, does afford protection, the study found. The findings, published in Nature Communications on May 27, parallel similar findings in adults. "I hear parents say, 'Oh, my kid had COVID last year,'" says Adrienne Randolph, MD, MSc, of Boston Children's Hospital, who launched Overcoming COVID-19 in 2020. Randolph was senior author on the current paper with Surender Khurana, Ph.D., of the Food and Drug Administration's Division of Viral Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. "But we found that antibodies produced by prior infections in children don't neutralize omicron, meaning that unvaccinated children remain susceptible to omicron." The researchers obtained blood samples from 62 children and adolescents hospitalized with severe COVID-19, 65 children and adolescents hospitalized with MIS-C, and 50 outpatients who had recovered from mild COVID-19. All the samples were taken during 2020 and early 2021, before the emergence of the omicron variant. In the laboratory, they exposed the samples to a pseudovirus (derived from SARS-CoV-2, but stripped of its virulence), and measured how well antibodies in the samples were able to neutralize five different SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern: alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and omicron. Overall, children and adolescents showed some loss of antibody cross-neutralization against all five variants, but the loss was most pronounced for omicron. "Omicron is very different from previous variants, with many mutations on the spike protein, and this work confirms that it is able to evade the antibody response," says Randolph. "Unvaccinated children remain susceptible." In contrast, children who had received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine showed higher neutralizing antibody titers against the five variants, including omicron. Randolph hopes these data will encourage parents to have their children and teens vaccinated. More information: Juanjie Tang et al, Cross-reactive immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is low in pediatric patients with prior COVID-19 or MIS-C, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Juanjie Tang et al, Cross-reactive immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is low in pediatric patients with prior COVID-19 or MIS-C,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30649-1 A teacher takes the body temperature of a schoolgirl to help curb the spread of the coronavirus before entering Kim Song Ju Primary School in Central District in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Oct. 13, 2021. According to North Korea, its fight against COVID-19 has been impressive: About 3.3 million people have been reported sick with fevers, but only 69 have died. Credit: AP Photo/Cha Song Ho, File According to North Korea, its fight against COVID-19 has been impressive: About 3.3 million people have been reported sick with fevers, but only 69 have died. If all are coronavirus cases, that's a fatality rate of 0.002%, something no other country, including the world's richest, has achieved against a disease that has killed more than 6 million people. The North's claims, however, are being met with widespread doubt about two weeks after it acknowledged its first domestic COVID-19 outbreak. Experts say the impoverished North should have suffered far greater deaths than reported because there are very few vaccines, a sizable number of undernourished people and a lack of critical care facilities and test kits to detect virus cases in large numbers. North Korea's secretiveness makes it unlikely outsiders can confirm the true scale of the outbreak. Some observers say North Korea is underreporting fatalities to protect leader Kim Jong Un at all costs. There's also a possibility it might have exaggerated the outbreak in a bid to bolster control of its 26 million people. "Scientifically, their figures can't be accepted," said Lee Yo Han, a professor at Ajou University Graduate School of Public Health in South Korea, adding that the public data "were likely all controlled (by the authorities) and embedded with their political intentions." The most likely course is that North Korea soon proclaims victory over COVID-19, maybe during a June political meeting, with all credit given to Kim's leadership. The 38-year-old ruler is desperate, observers say, to win bigger public support as he deals with severe economic difficulties caused by border shutdowns, U.N. sanctions and his own mismanagement. "Diverse public complaints have accumulated, so it's time to (strengthen) internal control," said Choi Kang, president of Seoul's Asan Institute for Policy Studies. "Kim Jong Un has been taking the lead in the anti-epidemic efforts to show that his campaign is very successful and to reinforce his grip on power." Before North Korea on May 12 admitted to an omicron outbreak, it had maintained a widely disputed claim that it had zero domestic infections for more than two years. When the North at last publicized the outbreak, many wondered why now. It was initially seen as an attempt to exploit the outbreak to get foreign humanitarian assistance. There were hopes that possible aid by Seoul and Washington could help resume long-stalled diplomacy on Pyongyang's nuclear program. Kim has called the outbreak a "great upheaval" and launched what his propaganda teams call an all-out effort to suppress it. He's held several Politburo meetings to criticize officials, inspected pharmacies at dawn and mobilized troops to support medicine delivery. A health official explained pandemic responses on state TV, while state newspapers have churned out articles on how to deal with fever, including gargling with saltwater and drinking honey or willow leaf tea. An employee of Pyongyang Dental Hygiene Products Factory disinfects the floor of a dinning room as the state increased measures to stop the spread of illness in Pyongyang, North Korea on May 16, 2022. According to North Korea, its fight against COVID-19 has been impressive: About 3.3 million people have been reported sick with fevers, but only 69 have died. Credit: AP Photo/Cha Song Ho, File "Honey is a rarity for ordinary North Koreans. They likely felt bad when their government asked them to drink honey tea," said Seo Jae-pyong, a North Korean defector-turned-activist in Seoul. "I have an elder brother left in North Korea and have big worries about him." Every morning, North Korea releases details about the number of new patients with fever symptoms, but not with COVID-19. Experts believe most cases should be counted as COVID-19 because while North Korean health authorities lack diagnostic kits, they still know how to distinguish the symptoms from fevers caused by the other prevalent infectious diseases. North Korea's daily fever tally peaked at nearly 400,000 early last week; it has nosedived to around 100,000 in the past few days. On Friday, it added one more death after claiming no fatalities for three consecutive days. "Our country set a world record for having no single (COVID-19) infection for the longest period ... and we've now made an achievement of reversing the tide of the abrupt outbreak in a short period," the main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said Thursday. "This evidently proves the scientific nature of our country's emergency anti-epidemic steps." Medical experts question the validity of North Korea's stated fatality rate of 0.002%. Given that South Korea's mortality rate of unvaccinated people for the omicron variant was 0.6%, North Korea must have similar or higher death rates because of its low capacity to treat patients and its people's poor nutrition, said Shin Young-jeon, a professor of preventive medicine at Seoul's Hanyang University. In a study published by the Johns Hopkins University last year, North Korean ranked 193 out of 195 countries for its ability to deal with an epidemic. U.N. reports in recent years said about 40% of its people were undernourished. North Korea's free socialist public health care system has been in shambles for decades, and defectors testify that while in the North, they bought medicines at markets or somewhere else. "North Korea wouldn't really care about fatalities at all," said Choi Jung Hun, a defector who worked as a doctor in North Korea in the 2000s. "Many North Koreans have already died of malaria, measles, chickenpox and typhoid. There are all kind of infectious diseases there." Choi, now a researcher at a Korea University-affiliated institute in South Korea, said North Korea likely decided to admit to the omicron outbreak because it sees it as less lethal and more manageable. He suspected North Korea set up a scenario to raise up and then bring down fever cases so as to boost Kim's leadership. Lee, the Ajou professor, said North Korea may have overstated its earlier fever cases to give "a powerful shock" to the public to rally support for the government, but avoided releasing details of too many deaths to stave off public unrest. The outbreak could eventually kill more than 100,000, if people remain unvaccinated and die at the same death rate as in South Korea, Shin, the Hanyang professor, warned. The North Korean outbreak will likely last several months, Moon Jin Soo, director of the Institute for Health and Unification Studies at Seoul National University, said. It's urgent to ship anti-viral pills and other essential medications to North Korea, rather than vaccines whose roll out would take at least a couple of months, he said. "North Korea could spend a couple more months massaging the statistics, but they could also abruptly announce their victory this weekend," said Ahn Kyung-su, head of DPRKHEALTH.ORG, a website focusing on health issues in North Korea. "North Korea always operates beyond your imagination. It's hard to predict what they'll do, but they do have a plan." 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. ''Magical'' is the word the current owners use to describe this coveted Rattlesnake property! The cabin built in the 1930's has a stylish, retro-vibe and sits on 3.62 acres. Ray Creek meanders through providing a quiet retreat from the rest of the world. The barn/shop w/loft adds unlimited potential. When you live in a place like this it is hard to imagine you are just a few minutes' drive from downtown Missoula or The University of Montana. If you find you need yet more room to explore, you can always truck on over to the Rattlesnake Wilderness which supplies another 34,000 acres of fun!Much of the preliminary site work has been done if you are looking for a place to build your dream home, or simply to live in one the most beautiful places in Montana!Listed by Nancy Wagner Three Muslim men Naushad, Shahzad and Chotu Pathan alias Zaheer Khan were killed by the police in encounters on 13, 14 and 17 May in the Guna district of Madhya Pradesh over allegations of poaching blackbucks and peacocks. A fact-finding report by a human rights group has questioned the police claims over the encounters. Waquar Hasan | TwoCircles.net Support TwoCircles NEW DELHI A fact-finding team of lawyers and activists have raised questions over the killing of three Muslim men in police encounters over the allegations of poaching blackbucks and peacocks in Madhya Pradeshs Guna districts. Three men Naushad, Shahzad and Chotu Pathan alias Zaheer Khan were killed by the police in encounters on May 13, 14 and 17 respectively. As per police, on May 14, three policemen were also killed after a group of poachers, most of them hailing from one family, opened fire on them near Saga Barkheda village, some 60 kilometres from the district headquarters. According to the police, a team of police officials reached the spot after being informed in the wee hours of May 14 that some people were poaching blackbucks and peacocks in the Sagar Bakhera jungle. The poachers allegedly opened fire on the team of police in which three police officials were killed. The police also shot at the poachers in which Naushad was killed, the police said to the media. Shahzad escaped at that time and was killed in the encounter on the evening of May 14, as per police. According to a Times of India report, Madhya Pradesh tops the list in poaching cases across India. Out of 139 poaching cases registered in the country between 2008 and 2018, Madhya Pradesh accounts for 31 cases of blackbuck killings. Bhopal, Guna, Sehore and Raisen are the circles which are endowed with rich wildlife, the report said. Fact-finding report terms encounters as fake The fact-finding report, a copy of which lies with TwoCircles.net, released by the rights group National Confederation of Human Rights Organizations (NCHRO) on May 24, has raised questions over the police version and termed the encounters as fake. The report said that these encounters were carried out to take revenge and protect the real culprits of the poaching. In this incident, the deceased policemen are also responsible for the crime as are the poachers. The accused has a relationship with the politicians of the state. Their photos with the politicians have been published in the newspapers. The police are killing people belonging to the minority to protect the high profile criminals, the report noted. The team pointed out that if the call details of slain Shahzad were obtained, it would expose many things related to the incident. But the police are not willing to do this. The government and administration are active to protect the high profile mafia and smugglers while innocent people belonging to minority communities are being killed, the report said. The fact-finding team included state president of the NCHRO advocate Aradhana Bhargava, NCHROs state general secretary Vasid Khan, senior social activist Rakesh Mishra and NCHRO member, Shrikant Vaishnav. The team visited Viduria village of Guna district on May 20 where the alleged poachers lived. They spoke to family members of the slain accused. Talking to TwoCircles.net, Vasid Khan, a member of the fact-finding team, said that after killing Naushad, the police killed his brother Shahzad when he came to perform the funeral rites of Naushad at the graveyard. The police could have nabbed him with ease as Shahzad was alone at that time. But they didnt arrest him but rather killed him after laying siege, he said. A similar thing happened with Chotu Pathan also. In the case of Chhotu Pathan, the police are saying that he was fleeing while his family members said that he was taken by the police from his home, per the report. According to Khan, the two brothers Naushad and Shahzad were regularly in contact with the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and had friendly relations with the local police. According to a report in Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar, Naushad and Shahzad had done poaching two days before the encounter. ASI Rajkumar Jatav was given a tip-off about poaching. Jatav had warned them not to poach again. But they had told Jatav to allow them to poach five blackbucks on the occasion of their nieces marriage and offered bribes to him. Jatav had rejected the bribes. Talking about the incident, 55-year-old Haseen Bano, mother of Naushad and Shazad, told the fact-finding team that on May 14, his son Sirajs daughter was set to get married. A day before, they were celebrating rituals of Mehendi at night when Gagan sarpanch and Kalla sarpanch came to our home with arms to take Naushad and Shahzad to the jungle for poaching. Later at night, both Sarpanches brought Naushad unconscious and laid his body on the ground. Then, the police came and took away his body, she said. She alleged that the police also beat up her 77-year-old husband Nisar and his son Siraj. They were beaten up even in the jail. The police also plucked all the nails of Nisar and demolished houses belonging to her three sons and other villagers. The police could have taken my sons Naushad and Shahzad into custody and given them a punishment of 10 years in jail. They should have allowed my sons to live, she said. TwoCircles.net contacted a few police officials to comment on the findings of the fact-finding team but they avoided answering our questions. Dr Srinivas Verma, who was posted as Additional Director General of Gwalior range by the government after removing Anil Sharma as IG of Gwalior range over the Guna incident, told TwoCircles.net that he will respond later as he was busy. When contacted again, he did not respond to calls. Station House Officer (SHO) of Aron Police Station, where the encounters were carried out, said that he will not make any comments on the issue and asked this reporter to contact Guna SP. However, Guna SP did not respond to repeated calls. Fact-finding member Khan said that when they approached the police with their findings, the police dismissed their findings and said that what we (police) have said is the truth. Waquar Hasan is a journalist based in Delhi. He covers human rights abuses and hate crimes. He tweets at @WaqarHasan1231 KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy spoke defiantly Friday in two speeches about his countrys ultimate victory over Russian forces in both the most pressing battle in eastern Ukraine and the war, generally. Ukraine is a country that has destroyed the myth about the extraordinary power of the Russian army -- an army that supposedly, in a few days, could conquer anyone it wants, he told Stanford University students by video. Now Russia is trying to occupy the entire state but we feel strong enough to think about the future of Ukraine, which will be open to the world. Later, in his nightly video address, Zelenskyy reacted to Russians capture of the eastern city of Lyman, the Donetsk regions large railway hub north of two more key cities still under Ukrainian control, and its attempt to encircle and seize the city of Sievierodonetsk, one of the last areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk. If the occupiers think that Lyman or Sievierodonetsk will be theirs, they are wrong, the Ukrainian president said in his nightly video address. Donbas will be Ukrainian. KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR: Relentless: Russia squeezes Ukrainian strongholds in east West mulls having Russian oligarchs buy way out of sanctions Russia blames the West for global food crisis as it blocks Ukraine ports US wins latest legal battle to seize Russian yacht in Fiji US general: No need to add ground forces in Sweden, Finland Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine OTHER DEVELOPMENTS: KYIV, Ukraine The governor of the Luhansk region is denying Russian claims that their forces have surrounded the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk but said Ukrainian soldiers may have to retreat. Serhiy Haidai wrote on Telegram Friday that the Russians have seized a hotel and bus station. The Russians will not be able to capture Luhansk region in the coming days, as analysts predict. We will have enough forces and means to defend ourselves, Haidai wrote. He added that its possible that not to be surrounded, we will have to leave. A critical supply and evacuation path, the Lysychansk-Bakhmut highway, is constantly under fire, but supplies and people are still passing on it, Haidai said. KYIV, Ukraine The leaders of the Orthodox churches in Ukraine that were affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church have adopted measures declaring the churchs full independence and criticizing the Russian churchs leader for his support of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Orthodoxy, the largest religious denomination in Ukraine, is divided between churches that had been loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate and those under a separate ecclesiastical body. The council of the Moscow-connected body, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, on Friday said it condemns the war as a violation of Gods commandment Thou shalt not kill! ... and expresses disagreement with the position of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the war in Ukraine. It also adopted charter changes indicating the full autonomy and independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox church. ROME Italian Premier Mario Draghi spoke by phone Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelesnkyy, assuring him of the support of the Italian government in coordination with the European Union. Draghis office said the leaders also discussed the prospects for opening Ukrainian ports to allow grain exports to help combat the food crisis that is threatening the worlds poorest countries. Draghi spoke Thursday with President Vladimir Putin in a bid to reach an agreement to open the ports, and Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for Italys commitment to work on a possible solution. Draghi noted after speaking to Putin that many millions of tons of grain risk rotting in Ukrainian ports if there is no agreement to allow their passage. The Kremlin-backed leader of Russias southern province of Chechnya has posted a video in which he warns that Poland could be next after Ukraine. Ramzan Kadyrov, who is famous for his bluster, said in the video he posted to his official Telegram page that Ukraine was a done deal and that if an order is given after Ukraine, well show you (Poland) what youre made of in six seconds. Poland, which borders Ukraine, has provided its neighbor with weapons and other aid since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. It has also welcomed in millions of Ukrainian refugees. Kadyrov later urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to finally come to his senses and accept the conditions offered by our president (Vladimir Putin). Kadyrov has repeatedly used social media to boast about Chechen fighters alleged performance against Ukrainian troops and to make other unconfirmed statements about the war in Ukraine. MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Ukraine should remove sea mines from areas near its ports to allow safe shipping. Putin made the statement in Fridays call with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, according to the Kremlin readout of the conversation. It said that Putin and Nehammer had a detailed exchange of views on issues regarding food security with Putin rejecting Western claims that Russias action that exacerbated a global food crisis. The Kremlin noted that Putin emphasized that attempts to blame Russia for difficulties regarding shipments of agricultural products to global markets are unfounded. It added that the Russian leader gave a detailed explanation of the real roots behind those problems that emerged, in particular, because of the U.S. and the EU sanctions against Russia. The U.S. and other Western allies have rejected the Russian demand for the sanctions to be lifted and accused Moscow of blocking grain supplies from Ukraine to global markets accusations the Kremlin has denied. LONDON British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Russian forces are making palpable progress in eastern Ukraine, and Kyivs forces need long-range rocket launchers and other military support. Britains defense ministry said Friday that Moscows troops have recently captured several villages as they attempt to surround Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk in the eastern Donbas region, but do not yet have full control of the region. Johnson told news agency Bloomberg that Russian President Vladimir Putin at great cost to himself and Russian military is continuing to chew through ground in Donbas, hes continuing to make gradual, slow but Im afraid palpable progress. He said that therefore it is absolutely vital that we continue to support the Ukrainians militarily. Johnson said long-range multiple-launch rocket systems, or MLRSs, would enable them to defend themselves against this very brutal Russian artillery. Britain possesses some of the systems, but Johnson did not say whether the U.K. would send any to Ukraine. PRAGUE The U.K.s top diplomat says countries supporting Ukraine have to be ready for the long haul and there should be no talk of appeasing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said after meeting her Czech counterpart in Prague Friday that we need to make sure that Ukraine wins and that Russia withdraws and that we never see this type of Russian aggression again. She said that there should be no talk of cease-fires, or appeasing Putin. Truss says that Ukraine needs to receive more heavy weapons and gradually get upgraded to get NATO-standard equipment. She said that at the moment, theyre using a lot of ex-Soviet equipment. We need to make sure theyre able to defend themselves into the future. BUDAPEST, Hungary -- A U.S. lawmaker is urging the Biden administration to consider imposing sanctions on some Hungarian companies in an effort to pressure Budapest to agree to a European Union embargo on Russian oil. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi urged him to consider all tools including sanctions to ensure that Hungary -- a member of the EU and NATO -- gets on board with the proposal. The EU has for weeks has sought to forge a consensus on a new sanctions package that would phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2022. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has held up negotiations and threatened a veto of the plan, arguing it would devastate Hungarys economy and lead to energy insecurity. In his letter to Blinken, Krishnamoorthi wrote that the EUs proposed embargo would significantly increase financial pressure on Russias economy and Putins war machine. If Orban continues to stall EU negotations, he wrote, the Biden Administration should consider implementing sanctions against companies in Hungary that continue to do business with Russian oil exporters. ISTANBUL Turkeys foreign minister says Sweden and Finland must now take concrete steps to alleviate his countrys security concerns to overcome Ankaras objections to their NATO membership bid. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday that delegations from the two Nordic countries have returned home with Turkeys demands after a visit this week and Ankara is awaiting their answers. The countries membership bids require support from all NATO countries, but Turkey is objecting to them. It has cited alleged support for Kurdish militants that Turkey considers terrorists and restrictions on weapons sales to Turkey. Cavusoglu said that an approach of well convince Turkey in time anyway, we are friends and allies would not be correct. He insisted that these countries need to take concrete steps. He added that we understand Finland and Swedens security concerns but ... everyone also needs to understand Turkeys legitimate security concerns. ROME Italian Premier Mario Draghi has discussed the emerging food crisis in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Draghis office said that the call Thursday focused on the situation in Ukraine and ... efforts to find a shared solution to the ongoing food crisis and its serious repercussions on the worlds poorest countries. Ukraine is one of the worlds largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but the war and a Russian blockade of its ports have halted much of that flow, endangering world food supplies. Many of those ports are now also heavily mined. Russia also is a significant grain exporter. Moscow pressed the West on Thursday to lift sanctions against Russia, seeking to shift the blame for the food crisis. BERLIN -- Germanys development minister has traveled to Ukraine to pledge further civilian support and discuss the countrys rebuilding. Svenja Schulze is the second German minister to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion started. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited on May 10 and reopened the countrys embassy in Kyiv. Schulzes ministry said she planned to meet Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and other senior officials in Kyiv on Friday. It said the talks will address immediate aid to address the problems Ukraine faces now and strategic questions related to rebuilding the country. Schulze said in a statement that we must already lay now the foundations for internationally coordinated support for the rebuilding of a free and democratic Ukraine and Germany will contribute. MOSCOW -- Russia-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine claim to have taken control of Lyman, a town in the Donetsk region. There has been no confirmation yet from Ukrainian officials. The military of the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic said on Telegram that rebel forces, supported by the Russian troops, as of Friday have liberated and taken full control of 220 settlements, including Lyman. Lyman, which had a pre-war population of over 20,000, is a large railway hub in the Donetsk region, north of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, cities that remain under Ukrainian control. MOSCOW -- Russias Foreign Ministry has announced that it is expelling five Croatian diplomats in response to unfriendly steps taken by Zagreb to reduce the size of Russias diplomatic mission there. The ministry said in an statement that it summoned Croatian ambassador Tomislav Car on Friday. It said it expressed a strong protest in connection with the groundless attempts of the Croatian authorities to blame Russia for war crimes in Ukraine and the provision of military assistance by the Croatian side to the neo-Nazi Kyiv regime. Last month, Croatia expelled 18 Russian diplomats. KYIV, Ukraine -- Ukraines foreign minister is pleading with Western nations to provide Kyiv with heavy weapons to enable it to push Russian forces back. Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday night tweeted a video of himself answering questions submitted on Twitter and said: We need heavy weapons. The only position where Russia is better than us its the amount of heavy weapons they have. Without artillery, without multiple launch rocket systems we wont be able to push them back. Kuleba said that the situation in the east of the country, where the Russian forces are on the offensive, is as dire as people say. He added: I would even say its even worse than people say. We need weapons. If you really care for Ukraine, weapons, weapons and weapons again, the minister stressed. KYIV, Ukraine -- A Ukrainian regional governor says that four people have been killed in the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk over the past 24 hours by Russian shelling. One more person was killed by a Russian shell in the village of Komushuvakha. Serhiy Haidai, the governor of the Luhansk region, wrote in a Telegram post Friday that the residents of Sievierodonetsk have forgotten when was the last time there was silence in the city for at least half an hour. He said that the Russians are pounding residential neighborhoods relentlessly. Sievierodonetsk Mayor Oleksandr Striuk said on Thursday that 60% of the citys residential buildings have been destroyed, and about 85-90% have been damaged and require major repairs. WELLINGTON, New Zealand The United States has won the latest round of a legal battle to seize a $325-million Russian-owned superyacht in Fiji, with the case now appearing headed for the Pacific nations top court. The case has highlighted the thorny legal ground the U.S. finds itself on as it tries to seize assets of Russian oligarchs around the world. Those intentions are welcomed by many governments and citizens who oppose the war in Ukraine, but some actions are raising questions about how far U.S. jurisdiction extends. Fijis Court of Appeal on Friday dismissed an appeal by Feizal Haniff, who represents the company that legally owns the superyacht Amadea. Haniff had argued the U.S. had no jurisdiction under Fijis mutual assistance laws to seize the vessel, at least until a court sorted out who really owned the Amadea. Haniff said he now plans to take the case to Fijis Supreme Court and will apply for a court order to stop U.S. agents sailing the Amadea from Fiji before the appeal is heard. WASHINGTON The U.S. general nominated to take over European Command has told senators that Sweden and Finlands push to join NATO wont require adding more U.S. ground forces into either country. But Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli said Thursday that military exercises and occasional American troop rotations will probably increase. Cavoli, who currently serves as head of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, said the increased military focus will probably continue to be on eastern Europe where nations are more worried about potential Russian aggression and any spillover of the war on Ukraine. Cavoli told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his nomination hearing that The center of gravity of NATO forces has shifted eastward." He said that depending on the outcome of the conflict, we may have to continue that for some time. Cavoli was asked about the U.S. troop presence in Europe, which has grown from fewer than 80,000 to about 102,000 since the buildup to Russias invasion. He said the increase had no ties to the more recent move by Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership. 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 FRIDAY, May 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Days after the second-deadliest elementary school shooting in U.S. history, experts note that guns are now the leading cause of death for American children. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed at the shooting massacre in Uvalde, Texas, spurring calls for urgent action to reduce such deaths. "We must reverse this deeply troubling and unacceptable trend in youth firearm fatalities, especially among youth of color," said Dr. Karen Sheehan, co-author of a commentary published May 26 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. It pointed to an 83% increase in gun deaths among young people age 19 and younger over the past decade. Nearly two-thirds were homicides. Between 2019 and 2020, there was an unprecedented 40% increase in gun deaths among Black youth, according to the commentary. On Tuesday, an 18-year-old gunman entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde and opened fire in a classroom. News that he had legally bought two AR 15-style rifles and ammunition for his birthday stepped up calls for stricter gun laws. Sheehan, medical director of the Institute for Healthy Communities at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago, underscored the urgency in the new commentary. "We need more funding allocated to research-based prevention efforts so that we can save young lives before it's too late," Sheehan said in a hospital news release. The authors noted that rates of gun deaths started to rise in 2014, but the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic likely accelerated this trend by increasing stress and despair among youth. They noted that funding into research on the threats posed by guns has been lacking. Congress effectively halted federal funding of firearm research in 1996. In 2019, $25 million in funding for it was made available, but that's much less than amounts allocated for other health risks to children and teens, the commentary pointed out. Congress provided the same funding for gun research for the last three years, but the commentary noted studies suggest that $600 million is needed for the fiscal years 2022-2026. Dr. Samaa Kemal, a pediatric emergency medicine fellow at Lurie Childrens Hospital and co-author of the commentary, said the need is urgent. "In addition to better understanding the risk and protective factors for firearm injuries and deaths, more funding is essential to develop, implement and evaluate firearm injury prevention interventions at the individual, hospital, community and policy levels," Kemal said in the release. More information There's more on U.S. gun policy at the Pew Research Center. SOURCE: Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago, news release, May 26, 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. FRIDAY, May 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The DNA of a man who died in Pompeii, Italy, after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD is revealing surprising new secrets about the ancient world. Scientists recently completed the first successfully sequenced human genome from a Pompeii victim. Until now, only short stretches of DNA had been sequenced from human and animal remains at Pompeii. For the groundbreaking study, published May 26 in Scientific Reports, a team led by Gabriele Scorrano, an assistant professor of geogenetics at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, examined the remains of two people found in the House of the Craftsman in Pompeii. By the shape, structure and length of the skeletons, the researchers determined that one belonged to a 35- to 40-year-old man. The other belonged to a woman over age 50. The researchers extracted DNA from both, but could only sequence the entire genome from man's remains. The woman's DNA had gaps in sequences. The males DNA was compared with that from 1,030 other ancient and 471 modern western Eurasian people. It was most similar with modern central Italians and others who lived in Italy during the Roman Imperial age, the study found. Yet, when scientists analyzed his mitochondria and Y chromosome DNA, they also found groups of genes commonly found in people from Sardinia, but not among others who lived in Italy during the Roman Imperial age. In a journal news release, the authors said this suggests there may have been high levels of genetic diversity across the Italian Peninsula. Further study suggests the man may have had tuberculosis. It may have been possible to successfully recover the ancient DNA because materials released during the eruption may have protected against degrading environmental factors, including atmospheric oxygen, researchers said. They said the findings demonstrate the possibility of retrieving ancient DNA from Pompeiian human remains and providing further insight into genetic history and how people lived. More information The U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute has more on DNA sequencing. SOURCE: Scientific Reports, news release, May 26, 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. FRIDAY, May 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- While most people probably know it's not safe to get a sunburn, many may not realize that tanning also increases the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging. A new survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) found a sharp rise in both tanning and number of sunburns last year, compared to 2020. And as the summer season begins, the AAD is encouraging people to protect themselves. "A tan is your body's response to injury," said Dr. Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, a Dallas-based dermatologist. "When you tan, you are intentionally putting your health at risk," she said in an academy news release. "If you want to look tan, consider using a self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it." The AAD recommends seeking shade, especially between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the sun's rays are strongest. Seek shade if your shadow appears shorter than you are, Houshmand advised. Wear sun-protective clothing, such as a lightweight long-sleeved shirt and pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection. Clothes with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) on the label provide more protection. Apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all exposed skin. Broad-spectrum sunscreen provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays. About 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, and 197,700 new cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, are expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year, according to AAD. In this recent survey, 63% of respondents reported getting a suntan last year, up from 54% in 2020. About 33% were sunburned in 2021, compared to 25% in 2020. One blistering sunburn during childhood or adolescence can nearly double a person's risk of developing melanoma. About 28% of sunburned survey respondents said their burn was bad enough that their clothes felt uncomfortable. Top places for getting burns were the face, arms, shoulders and neck. And nearly half of respondents believed one or more tanning myths, the survey found. About 22% wrongly said a base tan will prevent a sunburn and 18% said it would decrease the skin cancer risk. One in 5 said they thought tanning was safe as long as they didn't burn and 13% thought tanning was healthy. About 53% said people with tanned skin look healthier. About 39% of respondents were unaware of one or more sunburn risks. Among those: that it is possible to get sunburned on a cloudy day or through a car window; that people with dark skin can burn, and that sunburns increase skin cancer risk. "This increase in sunburns is very concerning," Houshmand said. "Both tanning and sunburning damage your skin. The more you tan and sunburn, the more this damage builds up over time, increasing your risk of premature skin aging, including age spots, sagging and wrinkling, and skin cancer. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on skin cancer. SOURCE: American Academy of Dermatology, news release, May 24, 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. FRIDAY, May 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- As U.S. parents struggle to find formula to feed their infants during a nationwide shortage, they may not know what to do. Experts from Penn State Health Childrens Hospital offer some safe suggestions for navigating the issue. To start with, consider trying a different brand of formula if you cant find the one you would typically buy. It may make babies a little fussy or gassy for a few days while they adjust, but many times their behavior won't change. "Cow's milk-based formulas of different brands are very similar and they all undergo rigorous testing standards that are required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration," Penn State Health pediatrician Dr. Katie Shedlock said in a hospital news release. If your older infant is using a specialty formula for cow's milk protein intolerance, talk with your pediatrician about trying a non-specialty formula. You may find they've "outgrown their sensitivity and can instead use regular formula," said Dr. Nicole Hackman, pediatrician and medical director for lactation services at the hospital. Call stores in advance to see if they have formula in stock and will hold a can for you, rather than driving around. Check smaller, local stores and pharmacies or shop online on the formula manufacturer's website, or through a trusted U.S. retail site. Don't stockpile formula, buying about 10 days' to two weeks' worth when you find it, not more. "We want to make sure formula is available to all babies who need it," Shedlock said. If you can't find formula after checking around, check in with your pediatrician. If youre under-resourced, reach out to community services, the experts suggest. "We're getting calls from individuals who are under-resourced and don't have the ability to go to a bunch of different places to get formula," said Kim Grey, a pediatric care management social worker with Penn State Health Pediatrics. Grey advises that families who use WIC -- the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children -- to call their local WIC office. While WIC typically would only cover a specific formula, the program will now cover certain equivalent alternatives due to the shortage. Parents can also call 211 -- a United Way resource that can put them in touch with food banks -- or contact their local Community Action Partnership office. Some women may be able to return to breastfeeding, which may be possible for some with time, effort and a lactation specialist. "If a mom is able and interested, she can try 'relactation,' a process to help restart breastmilk production," Hackman said in the release. She's had patients over the years -- including adoptive moms of infants -- successfully work with lactation specialists to induce or reestablish lactation. The experts also offered several suggestions on what not to do. Do not make your own formula. "We've had patients who've seen homemade formula recipes on social media call us to ask if that's OK," Shedlock said. "It most definitely is not. The risks are just too high for electrolyte imbalances -- which can cause seizures and even death -- as well as nutritional deficiencies." Don't dilute the formula, which puts infants at great risk for abnormal electrolytes, Hackman said. "We've seen this in infants in the past where it's happened by accident -- not measuring the formula powder correctly -- resulting in a baby having seizures," Hackman said. She recommends following the manufacturer's steps to mix formula. Cow's milk is also not a good substitute. Babies can't handle the protein component in cow's milk, and it can cause intestinal bleeding. "We never recommend cow's milk until babies are 1 year old for these reasons," Shedlock said. If your infant is at least 6 months old and you absolutely have no other recommended alternatives, the American Academy of Pediatrics states you can use cow's milk for up to one week at the most. Also, do not use goat's milk or plant-based milks, which are often low in protein and minerals. Don't substitute with formula meant for a different age. Save formula intended for premature babies for the babies who must have this type of formula. Toddler's formula is also not a good choice for infants. "Infant formula is very well-regulated for both nutrition and safety," Shedlock said. "Toddler formula is not. It should only be considered as a last-resort option for older infants and then only for a few days at most." More information Yale Medicine also offers some tips for parents on coping with the formula shortage. SOURCE: Penn State Health Childrens Hospital, news release, May 25, 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. Britain is getting ready for a party featuring mounted troops, solemn prayers and a pack of dancing mechanical corgis. The nation will celebrate Queen Elizabeth IIs 70 years on the throne this week with four days of pomp and pageantry in central London. But behind the brass bands and the queen's appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace lies a drive to show that the royal family still remains relevant. The royals, sometimes criticized as being out of touch, want to show that their support comes from all parts of a society that has become more multicultural amid immigration from the Caribbean, South Asia and Eastern Europe. The jubilee is also part of the effort to prepare the public for the day when Prince Charles takes the throne. Here's some business news in the Missoula area: Rumour Restaurant has mysteriously closed, although it may be just temporary. The restaurant, at 1855 Stephens, featured upscale food, full-service dining and a bar as well as a small gaming area. A man who answered the phone on Wednesday declined to elaborate on why the eatery closed or how long the closure would last. A black bear raided a vintage ice cream truck in Missoula on May 23. Araya Decker, owner of Miss Zoola's Frozen Treats, posted on social media about the incident. "A very large burglar bear decided to help himself to Miss Zoolas freezer!," Decker wrote. "Go away bear! Im not Goldilocks (but the treats are juuuuuust right). Who can guess what sweet treat was his favorite? He ate 16 of them!!!" Community Medical Center in Missoula has appointed Dr. Bonnie Stephens as Chief Medical Officer. In her new role, Stephens will oversee all clinical care with a focus on patient safety, clinical quality and physician engagement. Reporting to Bob Gomes, CEO of Community Medical Center, Stephens and the senior leadership team will work together to implement programs and processes to "achieve high standards of quality and patient safety," according to the hospital. Dr. Stephens brings more than 20 years of experience as a practicing physician, including more than 10 of those years here at Community Medical Center, Gomes said. She is a well-respected physician with strong medical staff leadership experience and an investment in our community. We are confident in her ability to pursue excellence in patient safety and clinical quality, deliver innovative clinical improvements, and be a resource and advocate for medical providers, staff and the community we serve. Stephens earned her MD at Northwestern University Medical School. She joined Community Medical Center in 2011 and a short time later became the Medical Director of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. As one of only two developmental-behavioral pediatricians in the state, she led her team to develop the only multidisciplinary clinic in Montana for children with complex developmental and behavioral problems. This team works with families to evaluate and treat children with developmental differences such as cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorders, genetic disorders, and learning disorders. She is also the medical director of the Child Development Center in Missoula and the Mothers Milk Bank of Montana and serves on the board of the Ronald MacDonald House Charities of Western Montana. Dr. Stephens was elected president of the Medical Staff for Community Medical Center in 2021. She holds an academic appointment of clinical assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine. In addition to her new role as the CMO, Dr. Stephens will continue to oversee clinical care in the NICU, as well as maintain her developmental behavioral pediatrics practice. Im excited to join the leadership team at Community Medical Center and look forward to continuing to advance patient safety and clinical quality in our hospital," Stephens said. "My goal is to not only ensure that we are providing the highest quality care, but to help make every patient and loved one who enters our doors feel safe and well cared for. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 5 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 an effort to increase affordable housing options in the city, Habitat for Humanity of Missoula seeks homeowners with underutilized backyard space to donate land to community land trusts. What were trying to do is find interest in people in this community who would like to be part of the solution, Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Heather Harp said Wednesday evening. Creative solutions like this one were the focus of a town hall meeting Wednesday. Nonprofit leaders shared their insights into innovative strategies to increase affordable housing, narrowing in on the community land trust model as a particularly effective approach. Were trying to come up with some solutions that are actually workable in our community, Harp said. In a community land trust, the trust owns the land underneath a home while the homeowner owns the structure on top of the land. This model cuts down on homeownership costs and guarantees housing affordability into the future by capping the amount of equity that homes can build. Community land trusts started in the 1960s among Black sharecroppers in Georgia, according to Hermina Harold with the statewide organization Trust Montana. Since the '60s, community land trusts have grown to include more than 250 organizations in 45 states and the District of Columbia. In Montana, six community land trusts steward more than 200 homes. Community land trusts are designed to serve as an alternative to renting, not an alternative to market-rate homeownership, Harold stressed. Organizations like Trust Montana and North Missoula Community Development Corporation, a Missoula land trust, also provide broad support to homeowners, maintaining the properties in their care and intervening to prevent foreclosure. According to Harold, homeowners in a community land trust are 10 times less likely to enter foreclosure than traditional homeowners. This model creates diverse neighborhoods and often serves households headed by women, Harold added. It really makes for a lovely community and a diverse community of different family types, said Andrea Davis, executive director of housing nonprofit Homeword. Community land trusts serve as a stair-step opportunity to homeownership, Davis explained, because participants pay into their homes instead of making rental payments to a landlord. The reason that community land trusts are so important to an organization like Homeword and our mission, we are creating rental homes that people can afford, Davis said. Whats critical is when people can afford their rental home, then theyre able to amass a down payment. Nationally, Harold said, six out of 10 community land trust homeowners are able to move into market-rate homes. In Missoula, NMCDC has built 54 community land trust homes. Trust Montana maintains seven community land trust homes in Missoula, along with properties in Red Lodge, Livingston, Belgrade and Bozeman. In order to expand the number of community land trust homes in Missoula, nonprofit leaders say they need community members to donate their time and land. Habitat for Humanity looks to subdivide properties to create accessory dwelling units for use in community land trusts. Homeowners with extra backyard space, detached garages or other accessory structures could donate those resources to the nonprofit, which would then turn that land or structure into a community land trust home. Harp said this option is an idea of how we can try and move the needle in terms of creating more affordability using a community land trust model. Harp said the benefits of this idea include increasing infill development, reducing environmental impacts by cutting down on developmental sprawl and decreasing property taxes for the homeowners who donate their land. Another way to help, according to Brittany Palmer with NMCDC, is to simply wait to put properties on the market before consulting with a community land trust. Honestly, it just helps to have some time, Palmer said. Those who dont have a property to use can still help by volunteering as an advocate for community land trusts, Harp said. To get in touch with Habitat for Humanity, email giving@habitatmissoula.org to donate property or volunteer@habitatmissoula.org to volunteer. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 6 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. Emergency crews responded to a report of a man with a gunshot wound around noon Friday near the Madison Street Bridge. A man entered a local business seeking help for a wound, according to the Missoula police. Officers responded to the 600 block of East Broadway. After talking with the man, police determined the gunshot wound was self-inflicted. They located the gun and collected information from him. There is no threat to public safety. The man was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment, and all roads and walking bridges were open again at about 1 p.m. 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 individuals are in custody after two separate threats of violence were made at two schools in western Montana on Thursday. A Big Sky High School student was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of bringing weapons to campus and threatening another student. The same day, Lake County Sheriffs deputies arrested a youth after he made alleged threats to harm others with a gun at St. Ignatius High School. At Big Sky High, a school resource officer was notified Thursday around lunchtime about a verbal argument between two male students, according to a press release sent by Missoula police. A third party told the officer that 18-year-old Keyvin Gallagher was planning to get revenge against another involved male. The reporting party also said Gallagher might have a firearm. The school officer located the potential victim and got him to safety. Gallagher was detained. No gun was located on him, but he did have knives on his person, according to the press release. Gallagher faces possible charges of conspiracy to commit assault with a weapon and unlawful possession of a weapon on school property. He was booked into the Missoula County Detention Center at 2:40 p.m. on Thursday. Missoula police continue to investigate and no charges have been filed yet with the Missoula County Attorneys Office. In St. Ignatius around 2 p.m. on Thursday, Lake County Sheriff's deputies got an alert about a social media post from an individual indicating he was planning to bring a gun to school to hurt others, a press release from the sheriff's office stated. "Preliminary investigation resulted in his arrest for the felony crime of intimidation, and a search warrant is currently in the process of being executed on his home," the press release stated. Within minutes of the report, the suspect was located by law enforcement and detained. Officials are waiting to determine if he will be transported to the Missoula County Detention Facility. He appeared in a custody hearing in Lake County District Court Thursday afternoon. "We also want to take this opportunity to again remind students, families and staff that MCPS treats all reports of any potential threats of school violence with the utmost seriousness," Missoula County Public Schools spokeswoman Tyler Christensen said on Thursday afternoon. "Regardless of the level of a threat, we will proceed with an abundance of caution to prioritize school safety as we investigate. We encourage our school communities to report any threats or unsafe activities to a trusted adult at any of our schools." Earlier this week, a gunman left 19 children and two teachers dead after a massacre at a Texas elementary school. In February, 18-year-old Parker Abbott was accused of threatening school violence at Big Sky, saying he was inspired by the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooter. Hes currently facing a felony charge in connection with that incident. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 3 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. A woman was sentenced on Thursday in federal court for cyberstalking a Montana man and Montana public officials. Kathy Ann Hendrickson, 60, was sentenced to 52 months in federal prison. Hendrickson, of Walla Walla, Washington, was convicted of cyberstalking following a three-day trial in February, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. She will be supervised for three years following release from prison. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI. At the trial, the government argued Hendrickson met the victim on a dating website sometime in 2015 or 2016. The two communicated online and met in person on multiple occasions at the man's house in Trout Creek. The man ended their relationship. She began harassing him in May 2018, when she sent him an email saying, "I'm going to bring you down," the press release said. Hendrickson also called the Sanders County Sheriffs Office and claimed the victim was threatening her. She obtained the man's email password and sent threatening messages to Sanders County officials. In January 2019, Hendrickson sent a message to then-Gov. Steve Bullock saying, "you are the worst governor for our state. Do us all a favor and leave. Maybe best if you were terminated permanently. A gun, which I have many will do the job. Be aware of your surroundings." Investigators identified Hendrickson as the suspect and served search warrants on her house. They seized her cellphone, which showed evidence relevant to Hendrickson's stalking of the man. It included an app that allows users to place calls that appear to be from numbers other than the number assigned to the phone. Investigators also suspected she was using a burner phone to send menacing emails from the victim's email account, the press release said. Her real phone contained incriminating evidence, but the burner wasn't located during the investigation. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 3 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. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) A California parole panel recommended the release of Patricia Krenwinkel for the first time Thursday, more than five decades after she and other followers of cult leader Charles Manson terrorized the state and she wrote Helter Skelter on a wall using the blood of one of their victims. Krenwinkel, 74, was previously denied parole 14 times for the slayings of pregnant actor Sharon Tate and four other people in 1969. She helped kill grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary the next night in what prosecutors say was an attempt by Manson to start a race war. The parole recommendation will be reviewed by the state parole board's legal division before likely going to Gov. Gavin Newsom for a decision within five months. He has previously rejected parole recommendations for other followers of Manson, who died in prison in 2017. New laws since Krenwinkel was last denied parole in 2017 required the parole panel to consider that she committed the murders at a young age and is now an elderly prisoner. Also, for the first time, Los Angeles County prosecutors werent at the parole hearing to object, under District Attorney George Gascons policy that prosecutors should not be involved in deciding whether prisoners are ready for release. However, Krenwinkels attorney, Keith Wattley, said relatives of her victims offered the same objections at the hearing as prosecutors have in the past. What was different this time was that the parole panel was willing to follow the law, he said, recognizing that she has had no disciplinary violations and is no longer a danger to society. She's completely transformed from the person she was when she committed this crime, which is all that it's supposed to take to be granted parole, he said. Im hopeful that the governor recognizes that he shouldnt be playing political games with peoples lives," Wattley said. The governor would be blocking her parole not because hes afraid of her, but because he doesnt like her. And the law doesnt allow that. Krenwinkel remains incarcerated at the California Institution for Women east of Los Angeles. Commissioners five years ago rejected her parole despite arguments then that she was affected by battered womens syndrome when she helped in the bloody slayings. Krenwinkel was a 19-year-old secretary living with her older sister when she met Manson, then age 33, at a party. She testified in 2016 that she soon left everything behind to follow him because she thought they might have a romantic relationship. But she said Manson abused her physically and emotionally and trafficked her to other men for sex. She said she fled twice only to be brought back and that she was rarely left alone and usually was under the influence of drugs. At her last parole hearing, Krenwinkel told how she repeatedly stabbed Abigail Folger, 26, heiress to a coffee fortune, at Tates home on Aug. 9, 1969. The next night, she said Manson and his right-hand man, Charles Tex Watson, told her to do something witchy, so she stabbed La Bianca in the stomach with a fork, then took a rag and wrote Helter Skelter, Rise and Death to Pigs on the walls with his blood. She and other participants were initially sentenced to death. But they were resentenced to life with the possibility of parole after the death penalty in California was briefly ruled unconstitutional in 1972. Krenwinkel became the states longest-serving female inmate when fellow Manson follower Susan Atkins died of cancer in prison in 2009. Wattley said he understands she is the longest-serving woman in the United States. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) (THE CONVERSATION) Imagine inhaling just a few drops of liquid or mist to get protected from COVID-19. That is the idea behind nasal COVID-19 vaccines, and they have been getting a lot of attention recently as a spray or liquid. These nasal vaccines would be based on the same technology as normal vaccines given by injection. But as Mayuresh Abhyankar, a University of Virginia researcher who studies infectious diseases and works on nasal vaccines, explains, vaccinating someone right where the coronavirus is likely to start its attack comes with many immunological benefits. 1. What are nasal vaccines? Nasal vaccines are administered, as the name suggests, through the nose. More accurately called intranasal vaccines, these vaccines are liquids that can be given as a spray or through a dropper or syringe. The most common nasal vaccine is FluMist, a nasal spray that uses inactivated flu virus to protect against influenza. An intranasal vaccine could be a weakened live virus similar to FluMist, a nucleic acid vaccine like mRNA coronavirus vaccines or a protein vaccine like Hepatitis B vaccines or the CorbeVax coronavirus vaccine. Intranasal vaccines are best suited to protect against pathogens that enter through the nose, like the flu or the coronavirus. By mimicking the first step of natural exposure to an airborne pathogen, these vaccines help train a persons immune system at the potential place of infection. Scientists have shown that the first immune response in the respiratory tract after a person is exposed to an airborne virus can influence how sick a person gets. So in theory, intranasal vaccines could provide better protection than vaccines given through a shot in the arm. 2. How does the coronavirus infect people? SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, usually enters the body through the nose and lands on the mucus membrane at the back of the nasal passage and in the throat. The virus then enters the cells it touches, replicates and spreads. Just underneath these cells of the mucus membrane are many types of immune cells that form what is called the mucosal immune system. Cells of the mucosal immune system are the first to identify invading coronavirus particles and start mounting a protective response. In an unvaccinated individual, it takes about two weeks for these immune cells to build up a protective response after encountering the coronavirus. By that time, the virus can easily have infected other body parts, like the lungs, which can lead to severe disease. Nasal vaccines follow a lot of the same steps. When you inhale a nasal vaccine, the particles land on the mucus membrane in your nasal cavity or the back of your throat, enter the cells in those places and trigger an immune response. This process teaches the body about the coronavirus and allows it to deal with any future real infections. 3. How are nasal and intramuscular vaccines different? When you get a COVID-19 shot in your arm, the vaccine triggers a strong immune response in the cells near where you got the shot. It also causes your immune system to produce some coronavirus-specific antibodies and other immune cells in other locations throughout your body. When the coronavirus begins infecting cells in a persons respiratory tract, the immune cells nearby will start mounting a defense. Your body will also send anti-viral immune cells and antibodies from other locations to the site of infection. But by the time enough coronavirus-specific immune cells gather around the infection site to stop the virus from replicating, the virus has likely already begun to spread throughout the body, making it difficult for the immune system to keep up. Nasal vaccines mimic the virus in order to prepare the immune system against a virus, just like any other vaccine. But importantly, they mimic the process of infection, too, and boost protective response within the mucosal immune system of the nose and throat. In simple terms, intranasal vaccines are like knowing there is going to be a break-in and putting your guards in the right location before the trouble even starts. The science bears this idea out. In a head-to-head comparison, AstraZenecas COVID-19 vaccine provided greater protection in hamsters that were vaccinated intranasally compared to those vaccinated intramuscularly. Nasal vaccination could also be used in concert with intramuscular immunization. In a recent study, my colleagues and I gave some mice both a nasal and intramuscular vaccine and exposed them to a lethal dose of SARS-CoV-2 100% of these mixed-vaccinated mice survived, compared to only 10% of the unvaccinated mice. We are now testing if this mixed approach is superior to just intranasal or just intramuscular approaches on their own. Finally, intranasal vaccines are painless, noninvasive and do not require specialized training to use. 4. What are the risks of nasal vaccines? Getting the dosage correct can be harder with nasal vaccines than a shot, especially with young children. If someone has a stuffy nose or sneezes out a part of the vaccine before its completely absorbed, this can result in a lower-than-desired dose. There are some unique health risks too. All vaccines go through rigorous safety testing and clinical trials, but these processes are especially important for nasal vaccines due to the simple fact that the nose is close to the brain. In 2000, 27.7% of people who received an inactivated intranasal influenza vaccine in Switzerland developed transient facial paralysis also known as Bells palsy. Later, researchers found that a bacterial toxin added to the vaccine to enhance the immune response was the culprit. This is the only reported instance of neurological issues stemming from intranasal vaccines, but it is something to consider. 5. How long until intranasal COVID-19 vaccines are ready? As of late May 2022, there are no approved COVID-19 intranasal vaccines for human use. There are currently seven in clinical trials, and three of them manufactured by Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy, Bharat Biotech, and Codagenix and Serum Institute of India are in phase-3 human trials. In the coming months, the results of these trials will not only show how safe these promising new vaccines are, but also if they perform better than the vaccines in use today. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/nasal-covid-19-vaccines-help-the-body-prepare-for-infection-right-where-it-starts-in-your-nose-and-throat-183790. Licenced as Creative Commons - attribution, no derivatives. Thank you! You've reported this item as a violation of our terms of use. Error! There was a problem with reporting this article. This content was contributed by a user of the site. If you believe this content may be in violation of the terms of use, you may report it. Report Abuse Log In to report Escalating rhetoric related to voter-fraud conspiracy theories is crossing the line into what election officials say are threats against their physical safety, with less than two weeks left before Montanas primary election. Addressing the state Legislatures oversight committee for election processes, Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan said Wednesday hes been working with other organizations to encourage local election administrators and law enforcement to develop plans "for the safety of their staff, polling locations and equipment. Election misinformation, disinformation, the stuff thats happening across the state, is harming and putting at risk our election officials, our election judges, our election volunteers and poll-watchers in the coming elections, he said, adding, "someone needs to stand up and say Montanans need to be proud and feel good about the election practices we have in place and can feel confident about their vote. Mangan cited potential threats directed at election officials in Carbon and Cascade counties, and asked the State Administration and Veterans Affairs Interim Committee to consider legislation that would enhance protections for election officials and judges against safety threats. Mangan also asked that lawmakers play a bigger role in pushing back on election misinformation. I havent had to deal with something like this in the previous five years. This is all new because of the constant disinformation and its coming from people who should know better, Mangan said. Respectfully, its coming from some of your colleagues. Elsewhere in the state, election officials counties have previously said theyve received threatening messages from local activists, while others have described potential threats to election machines and tense confrontations with activists spreading election fraud theories. Mangan also expressed disappointment in the states top elections official, Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, for staying largely silent on election-fraud misinformation and safety threats. The Secretary of States office should be telling people that they need to feel confident in our election processes, every day, he said. Instead we have groups going around, just in the last three days, telling people their votes wont be counted, that there are modems in the machines, that their votes are going to Spain and then coming back It has to stop. Jacobsen has maintained that Montanas elections are secure, and that the machines dont connect to the internet. But shes stayed largely silent while Republican secretaries of state elsewhere in the country have in some cases taken an active role in pushing back against conspiracy theories. Asked to comment on Jacobsen's reluctance to address election conspiracy theories, spokesperson Richie Melby issued the following statement Wednesday: The Secretary and Office work with a servant's heart towards safe, secure, and accessible elections every day. State and local election officials are a key component of those elections and the Secretary has consistently stated one of the greatest strengths of Montana's elections are our election officials. State and local election officials are the trusted source of election information in Montana. Should any election official be threatened while performing the important duties of their job, they should contact local law enforcement. Carbon county's election administrator, Crystal Roascio, wrote in an email Wednesday that she has been in contact with local law enforcement following allegations by right-wing activists that the machines the county uses to process ballots are compromised. I have election judges terrified for their safety and have even had some resign from being a judge over this, Roascio wrote in the email to Mangan. I have been in contact with our sheriff about deputies/reserves in all polling locations. He agrees we do need this, but we are not sure if we have enough to do that. Carbon County Sheriff Josh McQuillan said Wednesday that his office had not received an official complaint regarding threats to election workers, but confirmed additional deputies would be staffed for the election due to security concerns brought by the election administrator. Mark Cook, a self-described cyber security expert who has sought to cast doubt on the states election technology, gave a presentation in Red Lodge Monday as part of a tour throughout the state this week. Roascio wrote that she attended the presentation, and was approached by local activists demanding a hand-count of ballots. Roascio has been embroiled in a recent controversy over allegations that her ballot tabulators were potentially tampered with. In an interview last week, she said the issue is based on a misunderstanding of security protocols for the ballot-processing machines. All counties that use tabulators in Montana are required to conduct a public test within 30 days of each election they use the machines for. The public tests involve scanning batches of test ballots through the tabulators, checking for different combinations of votes and potential errors, and comparing those results to the physical test ballots that were used. During Carbon Countys May 12 public test, an observer noticed the warranty labels on the machine had been damaged, Roascio said. She emphasized they were not the security seals, which she said remain intact. Security seals must be broken in order to access the internal workings of the machines, and are in place to guard against potential tampering. After speaking with the Secretary of States office, ES&S and the certified tech for ES&S and it was found in February 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, they had to come in and upgraded the scanner boards inside our DS200s, Roascio said. Election Systems & Software is the vendor that manufactures and services all tabulators used in Montana, including the DS200 model. She noted that the company offered to replace the machines, but wouldnt have been able to get them prepared and certified in time for the June 7 primary election. Since that meeting, Roascio said shes fielded numerous inquiries about the issue, especially after a right-wing blog published a post repeatedly referring to the labels as seals and suggesting the machines security had been breached. Back in December, Jacobsen was asked in an interview whether she believes there is any concrete evidence to support allegations of coordinated voter fraud in Montana. She repeatedly declined to answer. I am going to support any effort that improves the integrity of the elections, period, Jacobsen responded at the time, adding that she would work with the Legislature to do so. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 4 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. Long before Monday nights revelation that five U.S. Supreme Court justices are likely to overturn 50 years of legal precedent in Roe v. Wade, Democratic legislators had begun preparations for Maryland to accept more abortion-seekers from out of state. As of July 1, a new law will allow nurse practitioners, physician assistants and midwives not just physicians to perform abortions in Maryland. The law was vetoed by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, but that decision was overridden by the heavily Democratic state legislature. The idea was to ease access to abortions for Maryland residents, particularly in more rural parts of the state where physicians are fewer in number. As of 2017, more than two-thirds of Maryland counties, which 29% of Maryland women call home, did not have clinics that provided abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-choice research group. But the new law also will provide more opportunities for non-Maryland residents, particularly from nearby red states like West Virginia, to travel here for an abortion if Roe is reversed, said Del. Ariana Kelly, the Montgomery County Democrat who sponsored the House version of the legislation. The more of our Maryland patients we can handle with their local provider the same person they get their contraception from, the same person they get their primary care from the more capacity we have in our abortion clinic network for out-of-state patients, Kelly said. In Washington, Maryland Democrats said Tuesday they are seeking a broader remedy in case the Supreme Court follows through and strikes down Roe v. Wade. The Womens Health Protection Act aimed at protecting abortion rights nationally passed the U.S. House 218-211 last September, but did not receive a vote in the Senate, where Maryland Democrats Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin are co-sponsors. Marylands seven House Democrats voted for the bill. Rep. Andy Harris, the only Republican in the states congressional delegation, voted against it, as did every other House Republican. Story continues Senate filibuster rules would require that 60 members support it, a number the bills proponents could not reach. I urge the Senate to take urgently needed action to protect the rights of women, remove the filibuster, and codify Roe v. Wade into law as soon as possible, said Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House Majority Leader and Southern Maryland Democrat, on Tuesday. The U.S. House acted after Texas passed its restrictive abortion law last year, limiting the procedure to the first 5 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. A University of Texas study found that wait times at abortion clinics in neighboring states were frequently as long as two weeks. Thats what were trying to avoid in Maryland, said Kelly, a member of a newly formed pro-choice caucus in Annapolis thats currently in conversations about what next steps might need to be. Planned Parenthood of Maryland has been seeing one to two patients from Texas per week since that states law took effect, said Kyle Bukowski, the groups chief medical officer. But Marylands new bill will not necessarily generate a new workforce overnight, said Julie Jenkins a registered nurse and consultant to the National Abortion Federation because many providers will need to be trained. The legislation provides for a state-funded training program, but its unlikely to be ready by July, Kelly said. The governor is required to allocate $3.5 million to the program annually, beginning with next years budget. Hogan could choose to make that initial allocation sooner, but it is not required by the new law, Kelly said. Gov. Hogan would have to release that money, so the ball is in his court as to if the clinical training program starts in 2022 or 2023, Kelly said. In a statement, Michael Ricci, a spokesman for Hogan, said the funding isnt likely to be expedited, adding that it was not included in the bipartisan budget agreement with legislative leaders. Bukowski said Planned Parenthood will have at least one nurse practitioner ready to perform the procedure by July 1, but training in larger numbers is still to come. Laura Bogley, director of legislation for Maryland Right to Life, an anti-abortion organization, said she was frustrated by the General Assemblys choice to use taxpayer dollars to expand the number of abortion providers in the state rather than for things like prenatal care. The new law calls on the Maryland Department of Health to select a nonprofit with abortion care experience to administer the training in at least two community-based sites, and dole out grant funding for other training programs where funding is available. Some of the health care providers newly eligible to provide abortions in Maryland may be adequately trained by the summertime, Kelly said, especially since many abortions simply require the administration of medication. A nurse practitioner can go to clinical training for a day two days, maybe and learn how to appropriately and safely provide a medication abortion, Kelly said. Its going to be obviously a much longer and more complicated training for surgical procedures or for more complex hospital-based procedures. In 2020, so-called abortion pills accounted for 54% of abortions nationally, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which says it is committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide. Sarah L. Szanton, dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, said Marylands bill is a tremendous step, especially because there is so much pressure on current providers, many of whom already assist with more dangerous procedures. Think about the excellent work midwives do in delivering babies, which is much more dangerous than an abortion, Szanton said. It makes sense theyd be able to provide this service. And there is money for training. Jenkins agreed that providing abortion services would not expand the scope of responsibilities for eligible clinicians. Nurse practitioners have been doing things like inserting IUDs and all kinds of other things related to reproductive health for a long time, she said. Its well within our scope. Some of the newly eligible providers also may be able to prescribe abortion medication to non-Maryland residents remotely via telehealth appointments, which have become increasingly accepted by the medical community during the coronavirus pandemic, although the legal requirements for such appointments arent always clear. We need to be ready to provide both kinds of care, Szanton said. The law also requires private insurance providers to cover abortions without requiring co-payments or other cost-sharing measures, unless they qualify for certain religious or legal exemptions. It also would solidify abortion coverage under Medicaid in the state. Im so excited about the insurance-related provisions, Kelly said. Most of our insurance plans in Maryland were already covering abortion care, but many of them were doing so with significant cost-sharing. Baltimore Sun reporters Jeff Barker and Ngan Ho contributed to this article. Headwaters RC&D recently received $1 million of an EPA Brownfields grant to develop a revolving loan fund to support the redevelopment of properties throughout southwest Montana. As a new recipient of a Brownfields RLF Coalition grant, HRCD plans to capitalize on a revolving loan fund from which the organization will provide loans and sub-grants to support cleanup activities. HRCD will use funds to assist with site cleanups, plan redevelopment, and conduct community involvement activities. RLF activities will focus on the seven-county region in southwest Montana that includes Anaconda-Deer Lodge, Beaverhead, Butte-Silver Bow, Granite, Jefferson, Madison, and Powell counties. Priority sites are located in old, blighted commercial corridors and include former gas stations, auto repair shops, a former hotel building, and a former junkyard located in a federally designated floodplain. Coalition members are the Butte Local Development Corporation and the Anaconda Local Development Corporation. Were incredibly excited about this important investment from the EPA to support the redevelopment of Brownfields properties in the Headwaters region, said HRCD Executive Director Joe Willauer. The Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund for Southwestern Montana is going to provide critical funding for properties that are underutilized and help spur development and investment that will lead to new businesses, new jobs and vibrant economies. Were thankful for the support from EPA, and proud to continue serving the communities of Southwestern Montana. For additional information, contact Joe Willauer, executive director. 406-925-9622 jwillauer@headwatersrcd.org. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Montanas Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen has been cited for allegedly driving past a school bus that was picking up children with its red lights flashing and stop arm down, Helena police said. The investigating officer met with Arntzen Thursday evening and determined there was probable cause to charge her with violating Montana Code Annotated 61-8-351 (meeting or passing a school bus), the Helena Police Department said in a statement issued Friday. She was issued a citation and referred to Helena Municipal Court. According to a call for service filed with the Helena Police Department, the bus driver reported that he was loading children onto the bus at Alice Street and Alexis Avenue in Helena's Mountain View Meadows subdivision at 7:37 a.m. May 19 when a red Chevrolet Colorado drove by. The bus driver reported Arntzen as the driver of the truck. Helena police said they were able to meet with witnesses and gather video surveillance from the incident. Arntzen acknowledged that she drives a red pickup and lives in the area but has no recollection of the incident, her Communications Director Brian O'Leary said. We were informed that a citation would be issued, even though we have not been able to view the video in question. We were also informed that the video does not show the license plate of the vehicle involved, O'Leary said in a statement issued Friday. That being said, Superintendent Arntzen would like to thank the bus driver for his vigilance. This is a good reminder for all of us to slow down from lifes daily distractions, and to pay extra careful attention, especially as we enter the busy summer season. Per Montana law, a driver approaching a school bus that has engaged its red flashing lights must stop at least 30 feet away. The Associated Press reported that Arntzen testified in favor of a bill passed by the 2021 Legislature to improve bus safety, including doubling the fine for illegally passing a school bus to a maximum of $1,000. Editor Jesse Chaney can be reached at 406-447-4074, or find him on Twitter: @IR_JesseChaney. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The chief deputy of the Montana Attorney General's Office confirmed Friday she is in the process of leaving the post, but declined to comment further on the transition. Chief Deputy Attorney General Kris Hansen was named Attorney General Austin Knudsen's No. 2 over the Department of Justice in December 2020 before Knudsen took office the following month. Hansen was previously the deputy state auditor and chief legal counsel under then-State Auditor Matt Rosendale. Before that, she was a Republican lawmaker representing Havre at the state Legislature. She served for two sessions, in 2011 and 2013, in the state House, and spent another two sessions in the Senate in 2015 and 2017. Hansen confirmed in a brief phone call that she has "not fully" departed from the office but that the process is underway. She directed further questions to the Attorney General's spokesperson. A spokesperson with the Attorney General's Office said Friday Hansen was leaving "to attend to personal and family matters." The spokesperson did not respond to additional questions, including whether a replacement has been selected. Hansen was directly involved in a number of controversial episodes involving the Attorney General's Office last year, one of which drew an investigation by state lawmakers. In that case, Hansen took a call from the family of a former state Senate staffer who claimed a Helena hospital had cut off access to the family member who was sick with COVID-19. The patient was involved in Republican politics and a longtime member of local GOP groups. In response to the family's claims, which included saying the hospital denied the patient ivermectin, the Attorney General's Office dispatched a Montana Highway Patrol trooper to St. Peter's Hospital to speak with the family. Hospital officials said three public officials "harassed and threatened" its doctors. The Attorney General's Office has maintained Knudsen and Hansen did not threaten anyone. A subsequent legislative investigation found Hansen discussed "legal ramifications" with the patient's health care providers. Hansen also authored a defiant letter to the state Supreme Court at a critical moment in last year's conflict between Republicans and the judicial branch. At the time, the Attorney General's Office was representing the Senate Republicans, which sought to unearth Supreme Court records as it built up its own investigation into whether jurists were determining the constitutionality of legislation that would later be challenged in the courts. The Supreme Court quashed one of the Legislature's subpoenas to the state administration department ordering the release of the court administrator's emails. In her letter, Hansen called the court's order to quash the subpoena an "interference in the Legislature's investigation." "The Legislature does not recognize this court's order as binding and will not abide by it," Hansen wrote. Hansen is also a Montana National Guard veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2008-2009 and served a tour with the Central Intelligence Agency in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993-1994, according to the press release that announced her as Chief Deputy Attorney General in late 2020. Hansen was also previously secretary for the state GOP. Update: This article has been updated to include additional information from the Attorney General's Office about Hansen's departure. 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. In June we will graduate from Montanas medical school and begin our careers as resident-physicians in training. For the past 50 years, WWAMI, Montanas public medical school partnership, has been growing the next generation of physicians to serve local communities. We want all Montanans to take pride in this homegrown approach and say thank you for your support. The WWAMI program is a four-year medical school right here in Montana operated through a partnership between Montana State University and the top-ranked University of Washington School of Medicine. The acronym stands for the five states that make up the collective program Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. Montana WWAMI admits 30 students per year, most of whom are like us born and raised right here in Montana with commitments to return to the state to practice medicine. The program also prioritizes students who plan to practice primary care and even designates nearly half of each entering class to a rural medicine track. One of the strengths of the program is its connection with the University of Washington, which is ranked No. 1 in the nation for both primary care and family medicine education. As Montana WWAMI students, we train in both Montana and Seattle, bringing back the academic rigor of UW to our hometowns and throughout the state. Because of the academic strength of Montana WWAMI, we are well poised to take residency positions at some of the most well-respected training programs in our chosen specialties. And after residency, which is three to seven years of mandatory training after medical school for new physicians, we are planning to return to our home state to practice. The quality of medical training in and for Montana matters. The residents training now will be caring for our communities, our children, our parents and will relieve current doctors caring for our state. Montana might be rural and small in population, but we all deserve access to world-class health care. And WWAMI delivers. As a public medical school, Montana WWAMI is not motivated by profit or other interests, and its students, like us, have a track record of becoming in-state physician leaders for the past 50 years. New private or for-profit medical schools may bring in more medical students, most of them from out of state, but they are unlikely to return to practice in Montana after having to do their clinical training elsewhere. Students in these new programs will have significantly more debt than Montana WWAMI grads, which matters as our state's cost of living continues to climb. WWAMI focuses thoughtfully on quality before quantity. The mission is providing sustainable, top-notch medical training to future Montana physicians. The WWAMI program is simply unbeatable in quality, mission and service to Montana. And its made up of Montanans, like us, planning to be your future physicians. The program has been diligently serving our state for 50 years, for that we say thank you, and lets support and grow Montanas medical school for the next 50 and beyond. Brooke Parker, Psychiatry, Anaconda Joel Kramer, General Surgery, Missoula Kyle Malek, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Missoula Quin Stevens, Emergency Medicine, Kalispell see full lost of signers online MaKenna Stavins, Internal Medicine & Primary Care, Kalispell Morgan Julian, Family Medicine, Billings Emma Fulton, Vascular Surgery, Billings Madison Schwarzkoph, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Billings Joey Werner, Emergency Medicine, Billings Samantha Kropp, Neurology, Billings/Red Lodge Darian Schafer, Emergency Medicine, Billings Danielle Guyer, Family Medicine, Billings Marie Elwood, Family Medicine, Billings Sam Forrest, Family Medicine, Bozeman Katie Hawkins, Internal Medicine, Dillon Kristen White, Family Medicine/Obstetrics, Ennis Robin Byron, Internal Medicine, Hardin Ethan Bent, Radiology, Lewistown Kiera Bulluck, Internal Medicine, Lewistown Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week's contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and scientist-in-charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. May is an exciting time for geologists when it comes to Yellowstone National Park. By that month enough snow has usually melted to allow for the start of field work. And the field season typically lasts until October or November. Last week, Yellowstone Volcano Observatory scientists kicked off the field season with several projects. Geophysicists installed 15 semipermanent GPS stations around the park. These are low-profile sites that run on battery power with a small solar panel but are not telemetered, so the data cannot be downloaded via radio. For the past 15 years the stations have been set up in the spring and picked up in the fall (before they are snowed in), and the data downloaded and processed upon returning to the office. The data arent useful for real-time monitoring, but they densify the existing continuous GPS network and can help scientists better understand processes like episodes of uplift at Norris Geyser Basin. Scientists also performed maintenance on the Norris temperature monitoring network a telemetered system of sensors that logs temperatures from features in Norris Geyser Basin, like Steamboat Geyser, and provides online daily updates of results. Each spring, batteries need to be replaced, and sensors that went offline during the winter need to be repaired. During this most recent trip, special attention was dedicated to one site that had not been operational since January. Upon investigating, it was found that the tree to which the radio antenna was attached had fallen during the winter, meaning that the antenna was no longer able to communicate with the base station radio. Removing the antenna and attaching it to a different tree solved the issue. Yellowstone Volcano Observatory scientists also met in person for the first time in 4 years. The meeting, held in Mammoth Hot Springs, was a chance to discuss future plans and share some of the scientific results that had accumulated since the last meeting of the consortium in 2018. In the coming weeks, additional work will focus on adding more power capacity to a continuous gas monitoring station in the Mud Volcano area. That station was installed in July 2021, but heavy snow in December caused it to lose power, so an upgrade for the power system is needed to ensure continuous operation through the coming winter. Geochemists will also add additional gas monitoring equipment at the site later this summer. A major campaign is also planned to collect gas and water samples from a variety of thermal areas in Yellowstone National Park. The work will include a trip to the parks newest thermal area, near Tern Lake on the east side of the caldera. Sampling gases from that site might provide information on the early evolution of a Yellowstone thermal area, to complement data from older thermal regions that are now cold, like Brimstone Basin. Later in the summer, geophysicists hope to install a new monitoring station in the Norris Geyser Basin area that is capable of detecting earthquakes, ground deformation, and infrasound (low-frequency sound waves that cannot be heard by humans). Such a station would be a first step toward better monitoring hydrothermal basins for changes that might be hazardous for example, small steam explosions like the one that occurred at Porkchop Geyser in 1989. All of the work is done in collaboration with Yellowstone National Park to ensure that the monitoring and research efforts do not impact the natural and cultural resources that make Yellowstone the wonderland it is. As the work progresses and research is published, well be sure to report the results in future editions of Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles. The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory is looking forward to yet another great season of field work in 2022. Maybe well see you in the park this summer. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 British paedophile teacher sentenced to 138 years in Spain The Brit, who had been convicted of child pornography crimes in the UK, changed his name in order to teach minors in Spain British paedophile Ben Lewis has been sentenced to 138 years behind bars by a Madrid court for recording images of naked children under his care and distributing them in child pornography forums. Despite the lengthy sentence, it is likely that Lewis will be out in 20 years, after which time he will have to participate in sexual education programs and remain on probation for eight years. Incredibly, the 31-year-old paedophile escaped a prison sentence in the UK for similar offences in 2016, when he made an indecent recording of a nine-year-old girl at a summer camp where he worked. After receiving a suspended sentence, Lewis changed his name by Deed Poll to Ben David Rose and moved to Spain, where he falsified references to get a job as an au pair for the families of young children in Zaragoza and Madrid. Lewis later secured a position as an English teacher at a school in Madrid. In both positions, the paedophile covertly filmed and photographed the young children before sharing the footage on porn sites. At the trial on Thursday May 26, the magistrates concluded that, from the result of the videos and recordings, in the three areas where they were made (the two homes and the school), it can be inferred without particular difficulty that Ben Lewis used electronic instruments for both the recording and the photographs, as for storage. Lewis was arrested in Spain in June 2020 and has been held in custody until his trial this week. He has been convicted of a number of crimes, including making and distributing child pornography, a crime against moral integrity and document falsification and has also been ordered to pay compensation to the families of the children he violated. Child protection charities in the UK have slammed the legal loophole that allows convicted sex offenders to create a new identity so easily. A Home Office spokeswoman said: The government is working with a range of partners to disrupt those who travel overseas to abuse children and bring justice to victims and survivors. Registered sex offenders are legally required to inform the police if they change their name and of any foreign travel. Failure to do so is a criminal offence, punishable by a maximum of five years' imprisonment. Image: Archive easyJet woes: budget airline popular with UK travellers to Spain cancels hundreds of flights Thousands of holidaymakers were left frustrated when the airline grounded 200 flights on Thursday May 26 Budget airline easyJet, popular with UK travellers to Spain , cancelled around 200 flights due to an IT failure on Thursday May 26, throwing thousands of travellers holiday plans into disarray. The airline initially assured that any flights after 3pm yesterday would not be effected before cancelling afternoon and evening flights and confirming around 200 planes were grounded. Some passengers spent more than nine frustrating hours not knowning whether their rescheduled flight would take off or not. A number of the disgruntled travellers, who claim their flights were cancelled with zero notice, took to twitter to share their plight and anger. One wrote: @easyJet your lack of care and service today is appalling. Sitting around in an airport for 9+ hours, unsure whether the plane I have rescheduled to catch will also be cancelled and, therefore, a waste of my time. Another customer put: @easyJet Im currently stuck in Hurghada with one of your package holidays and was due to fly back tonight. Flights been cancelled and rescheduled for Saturday. In a statement, easyJet apologised to affected passengers and assured the IT systems issues had been resolved late Thursday afternoon Unfortunately, (the IT problems) resulted in some cancellations earlier today and while we expect to operate most of our remaining flying programme some may still be subject to some disruption in the coming hours, said a company spokesperson, adding: We advise customers due to travel with us to continue to check Flight Tracker for the status of their flight before making their way to the airport. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and customers can apply for compensation in line with regulations. Earlier this week, a Malaga-bound flight from Barcelona had to make an emergency landing due to pressurisation problems . An emergency situation was declared and the plane was given priority to land over other air traffic. Now read: Vueling and Deutche Bahn offer flight and train deal to passengers from Spain Image: Archive MUSCATINE A new exhibit will be featured this summer at the Muscatine Art Center, running from Thursday, June 2, to Sept. 11. This exhibit, The Sanctuary of the Sun: Seasons and Time, comes from artist and Cedar Rapids native William Havlicek, who residents can meet from 5 to 6 p.m. on the opening day of the exhibit. Part of the Muscatine Art Center's purpose is to provide experiences that connect people to one another. Sometimes that is in the form of meeting artists, and other times that involves encountering people from the past through historic artifacts and stories, Art Center Director Melanie Alexander said. Opportunities like meeting artists or encountering works of art or artifacts can help people imagine the world through the perspectives of others. This isn't the first time Havliceks work has been featured at the Muscatine Art Center. Alexander said Havlicek had exhibited works in the 1970s as part of a Tri-State Invitational exhibit. Havlicek contacted the Muscatine Art Center staff about a year ago, Alexander said. The staff was intrigued by his work and also liked the idea of bringing back an artist who had previously exhibited many decades ago. Havliceks exhibit is able to capture the changes of each season in Iowa using landscapes that are filled with color and familiarity. Though he no longer lives in Iowa, he insisted that Iowa has left deep roots in him. Havlicek explained that the title came from the Bible, being taken from Psalm 19. For him, he saw the passage as a sacred celebration of both the sun and the life that comes from its light both of which he tried to capture in his art. For this exhibition, 23 paintings will be on view. I think visitors will appreciate the landscapes, as they were based on the artist's experiences in rural Iowa, Alexander said. When Havlicek was a student at the University of Iowa, he lived in Kolona within an Amish community. His view from the second story of a 19th-century farmhouse inspired him, giving him a view of not just the changing seasons but also the intricate elements of each season, such as the plant life that would then grow and the weather each season brought. Havlicek has participated in several group shows at venues such as the Laura Musser Museum, the Des Moines Art Center, the University of Iowa Art Museum and the Cedar Rapids Art Museum. In addition, he has held one-man shows across the country, later having his paintings featured in over 100 different collections. Havlicek also published a book in 2010 entitled Van Goghs Untold Journey, which will be available for purchase at the Art Center and is currently working on a trilogy of books focused on Van Goghs sister-in-law, Johanna Van Gogh Bonger. 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. WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday hes confident Turkeys objections to Finland and Sweden joining NATO can be overcome swiftly, possibly in time for a summit of alliance leaders at the end of next month. At a news conference in Washington with visiting Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, Blinken said the U.S. has no reason to believe Turkeys concerns cannot be addressed. His comments came after Turkey's top diplomat said Finland and Sweden would have to take concrete steps before Ankara could support their membership. The United States fully supports Finland and Sweden joining the alliance and I continue to be confident that both will soon be NATO members, Blinken said. "We look forward to being able to call Finland and Sweden our allies." Haavisto said his country and Sweden had held good negotiations with the Turks over their concerns in recent days and said those discussions would continue with an eye toward resolving them before the NATO summit in Madrid at the end of June. We agreed to continue to those talks, Haavisto said. We think that these problems can be solved that Turkey has been raising. We hope that some results could be achieved before the NATO summit. Sweden and Finland submitted their written applications to join NATO last week. The move represents one of the biggest geopolitical ramifications of Russias war in Ukraine and could rewrite Europes security map. The countries membership bids require support from all 30 current NATO countries, but Turkey, which commands the second-largest military in the alliance, is objecting to them. It has cited alleged support for Kurdish militants whom Turkey considers terrorists and restrictions on weapons sales to Turkey. Earlier Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the Finnish and Swedish negotiating delegations had been given documents detailing Turkeys concerns, like information on terror groups, during their visit to Turkey this week. He said Ankara is awaiting specific answers. Cavusoglu said an approach of well convince Turkey in time anyway, we are friends and allies would not be correct. He insisted that these countries need to take concrete steps. He added that we understand Finland and Swedens security concerns but ... everyone also needs to understand Turkeys legitimate security concerns. Turkey this week listed five concrete assurances it was 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. Cavusoglu's comments came at a news conference with the visiting foreign ministers of NATO allies Poland and Romania, both of whom expressed strong support for Finland and Sweden's bids. There is no doubt that we do need the accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO alliance in order to make it stronger," Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said. Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, agreed, saying their membership would consolidate the collective defense and our security. Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Toronto Police fatally shot a man who was seen carrying a firearm near three schools in the Scarborough area Thursday, police said. Officers responded to reports of a man carrying a firearm and "there was an interaction" between officers and the man, according to the Special Investigations Unit in the Canadian province of Ontario. At some point during the interaction, two officers shot at the suspect, hitting him at least once, police said. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. At least four schools in the area were under lockdown Thursday as authorities tried to determine the extent of the threat, according to a series of tweets from the Toronto District School Board. The incident comes as the US is grappling with the shock of two recent mass shootings: its deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade in Uvalde, Texas, and a racist shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. "We certainly understand the trauma and how traumatic this must have been for staff, students and parents given the two recent events that have happened in the United States," said Toronto Police Chief James Ramer at a news briefing after the incident, referencing the Uvalde and Buffalo shootings. He added that he understands the community's concern as the armed suspected was very close to schools. The schools under lockdown included William G. Davis Junior Public School, Joseph Howe Senior Public School, Charlottetown Junior Public School and Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate Institute, according to a tweet from the school board. "I was really scared, I just started praying," one student told CNN affiliate CTV. Ontario's Special Investigations Unit is now investigating the fatal shooting, according to a news release. "Four investigators and three forensic investigators have been assigned to the case," the release said. Ontario premier Doug Ford tweeted his thanks to police and emergency services for their "quick action." "Thank you to police and emergency services for your quick action today in Scarborough," he said. "We're extremely grateful for everything you do to keep our communities safe." CNN's Elizabeth Wolfe contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Many of South Africas popular car brands are experiencing stock level problems due to a global shortage of semiconductors and other supply chain disruptions. Some modern vehicles now boast thousands of chips to monitor, manage, and control various functions. The low availability of computer chips is due to the vehicle industry grossly underestimating a resurgence in demand for new cars following slumps in sales during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic. As car manufacturers placed fewer orders for semiconductors from chipmakers, foundries shifted focus to demands from other industries. In South Africa, used car dealers like WeBuyCars have been cashing in on the lack of new cars, with their sales surging in the past half-year. With the benefit of being readily available, some second-hand vehicles sell for more than their new counterparts, despite having more kilometres on the clock. One clear example of the impact of the chip shortage is the experience of a MyBroadband employee who wanted to buy the Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid. The Toyota dealership told him that the waiting period on the compact crossover SUV is now between four and 12 months. The car has proven incredibly popular since its launch in November 2021. Naamsas new vehicle sales report for March 2022 shows it outsold the Volkswagen Polo and the more affordable Polo Vivo. But Toyota is unlikely to replicate this performance in the coming months, with devastating flooding at its Prospecton plant near Durban causing further disruption. The plant assembles several of Toyotas most popular models in South Africa, including the Cross. The company has estimated it will be able to produce 45,000 fewer units as it returns the plant to operation. Another MyBroadband staff member placed an order for the Cross hybrid at the beginning of February, long before the floods, and was told the waiting period was three months. He has still not heard back from the dealer to apply for financing. The dealership told him this means his car has not yet been scheduled for assembly. Further illustrating the impact of component shortages, the dealership told the customer in March that it had a 5,000-unit backlog on the Cross, with a 1,000-unit backlog on the hybrid batteries. We asked South Africas top car brands how the global chip shortage had affected their local stock levels and if there were any signs of a recovery to normal operations soon. Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia did not respond to requests for comment. Below is what the rest had to say. Audi Audi South Africa said it was not in a position to comment on the state of its local operations but shared its global statement on the shortage. Like many other manufacturers and other sectors of the industry, we are experiencing some supply chain issues and a few of our components are in short supply, in particular those relating to semiconductor chips, which have reduced our production capacity and restricted certain product specifications, the automaker stated. This means that delivery times for some of our models are taking a little longer than we would normally expect. The worldwide semiconductor chip shortage is volatile and we expect that this is expected to continue within the coming months. We are analysing the situation continuously and coordinating closely with our headquarters at Audi AG to respond flexibly to production stoppages, equipment restrictions and delayed orders. Our aim is to limit the impact on our customers as best that we can, Audi added. BMW BMW said it was making individual adjustments to its production programme to consider the limited availability of semiconductor components. Our aim is to ensure supplies continue to reach our plants, although the bottleneck in the supply of semiconductor components may have an impact on the availability of individual vehicle equipment in certain models, the company stated. The manufacturer said it was working with dealers to offer customers alternative equipment variants if specific components are unavailable. This is discussed and agreed upon with the customers concerned on an individual basis, BMW said. BMW recently partnered with chip developer INOVA Semiconductors and manufacturer GlobalFoundries to ensure a guaranteed supply of microchips. However, it still expects the supply of semiconductor components to remain limited for the foreseeable future. Ford Ford South Africa acknowledged that semiconductor constraints have continued to affect its manufacturing operations, with ongoing severity and impact on sales. We continue working closely with suppliers to address near-term production constraints, while Ford teams are working hard to maximise production, prioritising key vehicle lines our customers and dealers most want. Ford said it was also looking into establishing greater independence for delivering technologies and features its customers sought. Jaguar-Land Rover Jaguar-Land Rover said its semiconductor supply had continued to improve during the last quarter of 2021. The situation remains fluid and is expected to continue through 2022 but is expected to gradually improve as capacity within the supply base increases, the company said. We are working closely with suppliers and directly with the chip manufacturers to secure supply longer-term and minimise the impact on customer orders wherever possible. It added demand for its cars remained strong. Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz South Africa corporate affairs general manager, Thato Mntambo, said it was not currently possible to give a prognosis about when the supply bottleneck would be cleared. Mntambo said the company remained in close contact with its direct suppliers to keep up with demand. Due to the high level of flexibility in our plants, we can react to such fluctuations in the best possible way, Mntambo said. She emphasised that the company was making its electric offensive with the Mercedes-EQ line a top priority amid the challenges. Mntambo added that global demand for Mercedes-Benz vehicles remained strong despite geopolitical uncertainties and a volatile semiconductor market. Volkswagen Volkswagen said most of its models had been impacted by the chip shortage. VWSA is making every effort it can to improve the supply of vehicles for its customers, it stated. Now read: Massive petrol price hike on the cards for South Africa Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter shot down a Russian Su-35 aircraft over the Kherson region. This was reported in the Command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces. According to the report, the enemy plane was shot down at about 14:00 in the sky over the Kherson region. Ukrainian MiG-29 shot down a Russian Su-35, Kherson region, May 2022, Photo: telegram channel "Hu @ vy Kherson" According to the Air Force Command, a Russian fighter was hunting for Ukrainian assault aircraft. His work was stopped forever by a Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot. "Today, May 27, at about 2 pm, a MiG-29 fighter of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter in the sky of Kherson region, which was hunting for Ukrainian assault aircraft," the statement said. About the MiG-29 According to Militarny , the MiG-29 is a fourth-generation front-line fighter. The first development of the new generation light front-line fighter (LFI) project began in the late 1960s. In 1969, a competition was announced for the development of such an aircraft. It was attended by design bureaus Sukhoi and Yakovlev, as well as Mikoyan and Gurevich. The winner was the MiG Design Bureau. Read also: Soldiers of the KRAKEN special forces hit a Russian armored personnel carrier from a MATADOR grenade launcher The World Congress of Ukrainians has purchased a DeltaQuad drone for the Armed Forces The Ukrainian military demonstrated the combat performance of FH70 howitzers During the day, the enemy army became 150 soldiers smaller and 28 units weaker The General Staff showed how Canada sends weapons to Ukraine French brains of Thales after 2014 supplied Russia with weapons that kill Ukrainians by the thousands: video evidence Ukrainian soldiers from the Stugna-P anti-tank missile system destroyed a racist tank. VIDEO Su-25 assault planes were disassembled in Europe and delivered to Ukraine - Foreign Policy The kamikaze drone of the Ukrainian special forces was struck by the tank crew of the occupiers Invaders keep applying terrorism tactics against civilians. Oleksandr Motuzianyk, the spokesperson of Ukraines Ministry of Defense, disclosed this during his briefing at Media Center Ukraine Ukrinform. Mariupol faces critical electricity and water supply problems because of destroyed infrastructure. Acts of corruption on the part of the occupation administration give rise to locals dissatisfaction. For instance, some foods brought in as humanitarian cargo from russias territory are later sold from shelves of local food stores, he emphasized. At the same time, our brave soldiers fighting in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts repelled twelve enemy attacks and destroyed a tank, five artillery systems, five armored vehicles, and five automobiles over the last day. Air defense units downed the foes Ka-52 helicopter, a cruise missile, and an Orlan-10 UAV. A fighter of the Air Force of Ukraines Armed Forces hit a cruise missile in Chernivtsi Oblast. Read also: Soldiers of the KRAKEN special forces hit a Russian armored personnel carrier from a MATADOR grenade launcher The World Congress of Ukrainians has purchased a DeltaQuad drone for the Armed Forces The Ukrainian military demonstrated the combat performance of FH70 howitzers During the day, the enemy army became 150 soldiers smaller and 28 units weaker The General Staff showed how Canada sends weapons to Ukraine French brains of Thales after 2014 supplied Russia with weapons that kill Ukrainians by the thousands: video evidence Ukrainian soldiers from the Stugna-P anti-tank missile system destroyed a racist tank. VIDEO Su-25 assault planes were disassembled in Europe and delivered to Ukraine - Foreign Policy The kamikaze drone of the Ukrainian special forces was struck by the tank crew of the occupiers At the tail end of a 20-hour course filled with information about how to properly respond to emergencies, a group of Napa Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) students were put to a practical final test. On Sunday, on the Napa Valley College campus in Napa, the students donned bright green vests and helmets to take on a series of multifaceted examples of what they could face in an emergency. They first had to smother a fire with the smoky discharge of a fire extinguisher. Then they moved to a cribbing rescue exercise, where all 13 students worked to methodically build up a wooden structure beneath a flat piece of wood a stand-in for heavy rubble so a trapped mannequin could be pulled to safety. And finally, the group split into teams to carry out a search and rescue mission inside the condos a darkened Napa Valley College building, in reality to identify, rescue and medically assess mannequins whod been trapped inside. 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 students managed to make it through all the tasks; the mannequins, who had their injuries and ailments listed on attached paper cards, were successfully rescued from the building. The instructors throughout the exercises emphasized the importance of safety and, under that goal, proper procedure. The students put out the fires in teams, for instance one student in charge of the extinguisher and the other in charge of safety. Ken Arnold, lead instructor of the Napa Valley CERT program and former Napa Valley College Police Chief, demonstrated the technique with American Canyon Community Emergency Response team trainer Powell Helems back in a classroom, before the test. My focus is the fire, Arnold told the class. His focus is the safety, getting us in and out. Arnold also talked about the proper way to use a fire extinguisher pull, aim, squeeze, sweep, adding up to the acronym PASS and explained several different types of fire extinguishers to the class. Arnold said he recommends that everybody and especially California residents (he refers to California as a disaster theme park) get some level of emergency training. Thats because doing so allows one to function according to learned emergency procedures when theres actually a disaster, he said. Most people are used to and therefore dependent on the world being a certain way, Arnold said. Then when a disaster happens, they dont know what to do. And therefore they can become a burden on first responders or others around them. On the other hand, those with emergency training are able to better respond because their training takes over, Arnold said. When things dont go right, it doesnt affect me in the same way, Arnold said. What emergency training does at the very least, Arnold said, is make people less of a burden to first responders who are often overwhelmed, system wise, when theres a disaster such as an earthquake or fire and help those around them. What CERT tries to additionally do, he said, is to train people to help fill in the areas first responders cant get to whenever theres truly an emergency. That includes working with Napas Community Animal Response Team (CART) during the 2020 fires to evacuate animals, check on animals left behind in evacuated and take care of them. (Napa CART, indeed, requires CERT training to volunteer with them, and many of the graduates Sunday said they were there specifically for that reason.) CERT volunteers have also helped manage traffic for mobile COVID testing and vaccinations, according to public information officer Carolyn Hamilton. Hamilton added that the classes took time off early in the pandemic, though members of CERT were still active. Classes started back up in the fall of 2021, she said. Napa Countys CERT program is part of a federal program that was started 25 years ago and is now administered in more than 2,800 local areas across the country. Its almost entirely volunteer-based Arnold is paid by Napa County for holding the classes. The class Sunday was the 101st to graduate. Johana Navarro a member of the class said she thought the experience was great and recommended people go through it. Navarro said she works with the Napa County Office of Educations Safe Schools and Prevention Services, and will be applying what she learned in her work there and figuring out how to apply it to county schools or incorporate it into school safety advice. Yuliana Moreno, also an employee of NCOE and member of the graduating class, said the final practical exercise was really helpful in bringing everything she learned together. Theres beneficial general information that everyone should know, Navarro said You can reach Edward Booth at 707-256-2213. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.